#EVEN WHEN ALARA LEFT

[sayafics]

As, Bs and Cs - Chapter II

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Alara laid awake, listening to the sound of Rick's breathing. The world outside his window was quiet and dark, so he was all she could see and hear.

Her wrists and ankles ached as she fought quietly against the steel wrapped tightly around them, the chain that anchored her to the bed clinking quietly as she tried to force the cuffs to slip off. She knew it wouldn't work, but she had to try.

They were tight, too tight. It seemed Beale continued to learn from his mistakes and did everything in his power to keep her tied down and trapped. She had slipped from her cuffs once before, broken her thumb and slid free of the manacles, only to tie them around a guard's neck when he came in to stop her - then she broke his neck too.

She had thought she won, that she had the chance to escape. But then another guard came. And another. And another. Until there was too many of them and too little of her.

She had been beaten into submission at that moment, and a part of her knew she deserved it for having taken another life. Still, she vowed when they let their guard down she would do it again and take more.

She shuffled on the bed, trying to move onto her back but the short distance between her cuffs and chain only left her lying awkwardly. She groaned heavily, twisting until she could sit up on her knees.

Alara brought her face down to her hands, scrubbing her face to wipe away the sleep that never came as she thought to herself.

The sun would rise soon and the ticking clock would start again, and no amount of listening to the soldier's breaths would slow it down.

Alara was doomed.

Unless...

She looked over at Rick's sleeping form, her brow's furrowing at the peaceful expression on his face. How could he feel calm in a moment like this? How could he feel safe knowing he was stuck in the Civic Republic? How could he sleep knowing she was only inches away, likely planning his death in the most painful way?

Still, she couldn't help but appreciate how gentle he looked in that moment; his skin flushed to a healthy colour and the ever present frown had softened. Although, it probably helped that his eyes were closed and she couldn't stare into those blue eyes of his.

Something about them always seemed so- sad. And she wondered for a moment why he was so placative with his life here, when it brought him nothing but misery.

It didn't matter, she thought to herself. All that mattered was escaping, and what better time than now. Beale wouldn't expect it, he'd think he beat her into submission long ago and that Rick's presence was enough to deter any nuisance.

He was wrong.

"Hey-" she coughed as her throat grew dry, still trying to adjust to finally being able to talk at will.

"Rick," her words grew elongated, and she would refuse to admit they almost bordered a whine, "wake up."

It was the first time she had spoken his name, and it slipped off her tongue with ease. She shuffled to the edge of the bed, huffing and rolling her eyes as she stepped onto the cold floor to wake up the sleeping beast.

Some soldier he was.

Some dream he must be having, to not want to wake up to her voice.

A chill ran up her legs as she stumbled closer to him. Lucky for her, he had made his bed close to her own, so when her leash refused to give her any more leeway, she only needed to kneel down to get closer.

Alara couldn't get close enough to touch him, she didn't think she wanted to. She admired him from her position above, the scattered freckles across his face, the small scar on the bridge of his nose, the way his lips twitched even in his sleep and his lashes fluttered like he was dreaming of someone who was likely a stranger to her.

She leaned as close to his ear as she could get, ready to scream his name so the man would leap up from his makeshift bed of blankets and sheets and do what she wanted.

But it had been a long time since she was given freedom like this, a long time since she had an opportunity to listen to the familiar whispers of a life long gone. She smirked to herself, the corners of her eyes crinkling as they filled with mischief.

She held her breath by his ear, unable to stop her twitching lips as she shouted into his ear - "boo!"

Rick flinched harshly in his sleep, his hand reaching for the blade hidden under his pillow to hold it against the culprit. His eyes had barely focused in the dark, his knife pressed against someone's throat as it trembled under the sound of their breaths and... laughter.

It wasn't the first time Alara had a knife held against her throat and she was sure it wouldn't be the last. But this may be her last time being able to enjoy something so childish and mischievous without fear of what comes next.

She could feel the harsh sting of a blade against her throat, but still, her laughter bubbled through in unrelenting streams of giggles as she huffed apologies to the man. She had never apologised before, not really. But she felt she didn't mind this time.

Rick felt his heart pause for a moment as laughter filled the apartment, and suddenly it all came rushing back.

Beale, Greer, Okafor. The girl. The trial.

He found himself unable to move, unable to focus on anything but the bright laughter that filled his ears. When was the last time he had heard something so care-free, so loud and true and hopeful.

Here she was, fated to a life where everything was stripped from her all the way down to her ability to 'yes'. And still she found a reason to laugh.

Rick thought it must've been before Carl died that he had felt something so light and hopeful in the sounds that whisked around him. And he realised again how much he had lost in such a short amount of time.

He cleared his throat roughly, flipping the knife in his hand so the sharp end was faced away before he pressed his fingers onto her head, pushing her away from him as he growled under his breath.

She only shook her head to remove his hand in response, "hey, it's not my fault you're a deep sleeper."

He clicked his tongue, glancing at his watch to find it was only four in the morning. He didn't need to be up for another three hours, and he rarely got enough sleep as it was.

"What the hell do you need in the middle of the night?" He couldn't help the way he raised his voice, glaring at the girl as frustration ate at him.

Rick could sense her pout, even in the dark.

"I need to pee. And considering you've left me chained to the bed," she shook the manacles for emphasis, "I thought it'd be better to call you instead of sleep in my own urine. That wouldn't be fun for either of us."

He only scoffed in response, pushing himself to his feet before wrapping his hands around the cuffs on her wrist to pull her up to.

"Hey! Be gentle," she huffed as she yanked her hands out of his grip, only for him to reach out and hold them tighter.

He tutted, stepping closer as he leaned down to whisper in her ears, "be a good girl and shut up before someone hears you. Unless you want me to find something better than that muzzle of yours to keep it shut."

Alara wrinkled her nose in the dark, blindly reaching out to kick him in the shin, making him drop her hands and grunt in response. Rick could only huff, muttering under his breath as he rounded her figure to switch on the bedside lamp.

A gloomy orange light filled the room, so bright that Alara turned away from the source with her eyes screwed shut. It seemed the glaring light didn't effect Rick in the same way.

The man only continued to grumble under his breath, and she was sure he was calling her every insult he could think of for disturbing his beauty sleep. She only teetered on the spot, leaning back and forth on the tips of her toes and heels of her feet as she waited for him to release her from the bed.

Alara tried not to hide her disappointment as he kept her attached to the chain, barely speaking a word as he tugged her towards another door within the room to open it up to the bathroom.

The bathroom was clean, organised- almost empty. Apart from the toothbrush in a holder on the sink, there was no other sign someone used it much. Although, knowing he was part of the CRM, she knew he was probably too busy running around killing people to make this place into a home.

She had noticed how even his apartment was sparse of furniture, bare of life. As though he wasn't planning on staying long, planning to leave the first opportunity he got. But it was Rick who had told her the CRM was impossible to escape from, so she knew that her thoughts couldn't be true.

It must be the soldier in him.

She felt a tug on her manacles, head lifting to meet Rick's impatient gaze.

"C'mon, don't got all day."

His words were slurred with sleep, and she hoped it was a sign he would move the same, react too slow. She nodded softly, walking towards the toilet and felt no laxity in the chain. She turned to face Rick, a pointed stare in her eyes as she tipped her head towards the door.

The man only laughed, "I'm not an idiot, sweetheart. Can't leave you alone."

She frowned, both in embarrassment as her cheeks flushed pink in the golden shadows that peeked in from the bedroom, and frustration.

"Well, I can't pee with you in here."

He only raised an eyebrow in return, causing her to huff whilst she shifted her weight between her feet wondering what she could say to get him to leave, to get him to let his guard down.

"Call it what you like, I get performance anxiety so could you leave and let me do my business alone?"

It was perhaps the most she's spoken in the last few years, and the stain on her cheeks had travelled down her chest as the words spilt out freely.

"Not happening," she could see a faint smirk growing on his face as he turned his back to her. Rick glanced over his shoulder, and she was sure she could almost see pity in his eyes as his voice softened slightly - "this is the best I can do. I can't leave you alone, it sa-"

"'Says it in the guide'. So you keep saying - didn't stop you from keeping the muzzle off."

He could hear the way her eyes rolled of she spoke, and he gritted his teeth at her words. She was right, he had already blatantly ignored the guide, why not once more.

But he didn't know what she was capable of. Didn't know what she could do when she wasn't tied down and unable to reach objects she could use to kill him.

He thought of every loose tile hidden in the bathroom, every crevice and crack where he hid a blade or a bullet or a gun.

No.

It wasn't the guide that made him stay here and turn his back, it was the truth of what he was. He wasn't a soldier for the CRM.

He was a father. A brother. A friend.

He was a man who simply wanted to return home and she couldn't know that.

"Just hurry up and pee before I change my mind."

She scoffed, but did as she was told anyway. The movements were awkward and stilted with the manacles, the quiet jingling being the only sound to fill the silence. When she was finally done and stood from the toilet to pull up the soft shorts Rick had given her, which had been very difficult to manoeuvre under the manacles, to sleep in, she cleared her throat quietly after flushing.

Rick shifted slightly, ready to turn back to her and pull her back to the bedroom so he could sleep for a few more hours before dawn. Before he could move, the chain in his arm was pulled taut, and he braced himself for what was coming.

There was a harsh blow against the back of his legs, bringing him to his knees as the chain of the manacles was tied harshly around his throat. He only had a heartbeat to prepare himself and breathe.

Rick could feel the concealed anger behind her grip, even as she whispered a quiet sorry into the air between them. He wishes he could have also told her the same.

He grunts, unable to slip his fingers under the chain as pressure begins to build in his head and he wonders how many times she had done this before to have done it with such ease.

Don't let the subject roam freely. The manacles must remain attached to a solid surface.

He had almost laughed with incredulity when he had read those words in the guide, but now he knew why.

He couldn't take in another breath, his skin burning hot under the cool chain.

No. Not like this. He wouldn't die like this.

His vision began to cloud, breaths spluttered as she pulled tighter. It only made him more frantic. He threw his weight forward, giving into the pressure of the chain as she flew over his shoulder and landed on her back with a thud.

Rick coughed haphazardly when the chain had loosened and fell as she groaned on the ground, writhing on her back. Before he had time to get to his feet, she twisted onto her knees. Her eyes were wet, red-rimmed and full of rage.

But she wasn't angry at Rick. She didn't think she could be. But he was part of the CRM and she hated everything he was an extension of. So if she had to kill him to escape the CRM, she would.

She growled under her breath, her hands still locked in the manacles and Rick still holding onto the chain. She tugged him forward with vicious glee, the sleek tiles making it easy for him to slide forward a few inches.

A few inches was all the leeway she needed. She reared her fist back, ready to place all her strength into one blow, and then another, and another, and another. Until he gave up and stopped and she could run.

It seemed as though fate had other plans in store.

Rick kicked her legs out from under her, yanking on the chains with barely contained anger as he grunted against her harsh kicks.

He gritted his teeth, grabbing her waist tightly to hold her against the ground. She wanted to scream in his face, let out years of frustration with an agonising yell. But she couldn't risk more of them coming.

She couldn't risk not winning.

Despite the chain not giving way, she pulled tightly against the manacles, uncaring of the stinging and pain. She scratched him wherever she could, praying it would be enough.

Needing it to be enough.

Rick swore under his breath as she scratched at his neck, so sure he would find red marks littering his skin.

He threw an arm over her hip, stopping her from trying to buck off his form even though he knew it would be impossible. His hand reached to take hold of her wrists, barely holding back a growl as he pressed them tightly against the cold tiles above her head.

The short chain between the manacles on her wrists and the manacles on her ankles caused her to bring her legs up to relieve the pain and accommodate the forced position.

Her eyes glinted with something quiet and bright, and Rick could feel her hips shifting way as she got ready to kick him from any angle she could find.

Rick knew she couldn't escape. Alara knew she couldn't either. But she would hurt him and continue to do so for as long as she could. As long as she had to.

He stopped her before she could even try, leaning over her as his hips pried open the space between her legs and he pressed his weight across her body.

"Give up."

His voice was gruff, barely out of breath whilst she panted in anger and fatigue. It only seemed to make her grow more agitated, twisting and turning in his grip, promising his death and torture.

Then begging.

And pleading.

And praying.

"Let me go-"

Her eyes shone with tears as she tried to steady her breath, unable to stop twisting and pulling and trying.

"I can't."

"Yes you can," her chest heaved with every pant, Rick's heart sinking with guilt as he felt her struggle to compose herself. She thought he was the only thing between her and her chance to escape.

But Rick knew better. If she left this apartment, she would never make it back. And whether it was because she was killed, or because they had assigned her to another soldier - he feared he would never know.

Not until decades had passed, and he was still just as trapped as she was, probably Command Sergant Major, if Okafor ever succeeded in his plans. And he would look across from him, looking upon recruits bred from Greer's programme to see scattered reflections of Alara that were distorted by the men Greer had forced upon her.

No.

He had made Okafor a promise.

It wasn't right- he knew that. But it was the closest he could get to it.

"You know I can't. You gotta stop, sweetheart."

They both paused at the slip of his tongue, and the hot tears finally slipped down Alara's face. His voice sounded so kind and so foreign, but she could see it for what it was. A trap.

The CRM had trapped Rick and now he had trapped her. And as long as the CRM had their claws in him, she was never getting away.

She relaxed under him minutely, pushing back her shoulders as she tried to roll out the tension from her muscles.

Seconds ticked by, Rick waiting to see if she would lash out again. Instead, she tried to avoid his gaze, her breaths quiet and shallow as she tried to ignore the invasive scent of earth, leather, and whiskey.

Tried to ignore that his body was pressed firmly against her own, his hips slotted between her thighs as she wore nothing but the thin cotton shorts he had given her.

It was as though the thoughts had triggered something subconscious inside of her, finally writhing underneath his unrelenting form.

She grew warm underneath him, a tingling sensation running down her body to burn exactly where he pressed against her. Her breaths shuttered, fresh tears still ran down her face, only growing more precarious as she shunned herself for her bodily reactions.

She tried to remind herself it was okay, that it was just her body reacting and it had nothing to do with how she felt.

She wondered if it would be like this when Rick truly had to touch her in initmate ways. Would she have to repeat these words like a fervent prayer, and hope she believed them one day?

It had been so long since she had been touched, so long since she had been held. And here was Rick, pressed up against her so firmly, his breath fanning over her face as he waited for her to give him a sign she had given up. Here was Rick, unable to hurt her - truly hurt her, despite all the pain she's already caused.

"You done now?"

His voice was a whisper, his breath warm as it brushed over her face. She could feel her cheeks flush because of it and hoped the bedroom light wasn't strong enough to cast the bathroom bright enough so he could see.

Her limbs were trembling, the adrenaline slowly wearing off as her tears finally stopped falling. She didn't think she had many tears left in her. She had thought they stopped a long time ago, but perhaps she had simply accepted her situation then.

It was different now. Now she wasn't in a cell, locked deep and far from all civilisation.

Now the world lived right outside of Rick's window, and it wasn't fair to keep her locked in here whilst they lived out there.

They were just as much of a prisoner as she was.

Rick was just as much of a prisoner as she was.

And yet, she suffered so much more.

She had thought she would find a second chance in the Civic Republic. But she had simply run out of all her lives, hanging on by a thread until this opportunity had been handed to her on a silver platter.

She couldn't stop. Couldn't give up.

Chances like these didn't come from luck.

She looked at Rick, meeting his eyes with a brightly lit flame hidden in her own.

"I'm done."

But she knew those words were a lie.

From the way Rick huffed a breath, a ghost of a smile upon his lips as his eyes narrowed in curiosity, she knew he probably thought the same.

Rick didn't know what to make of the girl that lay beneath him. She felt so small underneath him, so frail - like he could break her simply by staring at her the wrong way. But he saw a burning fire in her eyes, a raging storm in her breaths and a kindred spirit in her heart.

He saw a reflection of himself, harrowed and beaten and skewed. But so hopeful and stubborn and true. It was like everything he had lost had dragged its way back to him and landed itself in his arms once more. Like God was finally answering his prayers from all those years ago, like He had seen his struggles and shown him why he had fought all those years ago.

But there was no point.

Not really.

The CRM would find them. Him. They always did.

Rick was almost reluctant to move away, his body aching for the warmth of another human after almost a decade of receiving none. He pushed himself up onto his knees, unable to help himself as he tutted at the girl when she shifted with him.

"Think you caused enough trouble, sweetheart. Wouldn't you say?"

He couldn't help it as the petname slipped off his tongue, couldn't help but watch as her cheeks darkened and she grew so nervous at the sound of it she was unable to look at him directly. It didn't douse out her fire, but tamed it instead.

He tugged her up by her chains, watching her stumble and teeter as she had no clue where to look or what to do. He barely gave her a chance to speak, leaning forward as he used his intact hand to wrap around the soft flesh of her thighs, ignoring her quiet whimper as he threw her over his shoulder.

His prosthetic lay somewhere hidden so she couldn't reach it whilst he slept and kill him with his own belongings. He adjusted her with his one arm, bouncing her softly over his shoulders until he had a firm grip.

"Put me down."

Her voice was stubborn, but he couldn't help but notice how she didn't try to remove herself from her place, hands fisting in his shirt to hold herself steady.

Rick ignored her calls, making his way into the bedroom to throw her body on his bed, crawling over her form to tie the chain around the post of his bed.

He stared at her for a moment, eyes roving her body as he thought to himself.

He leaned in close to her face, his nose almost brushing against her own, and Alara cursed her traiterous thoughts when they told her to lean up and brush her own against his softly.

It wasn't a bad idea, not really. It had been one of the first things she had thought of when Greer had told her about the programme. Rick wasn't like the others. He wasn't cold and harsh and unfeeling. When he had brought her food, she knew he would be easy to convince.

Easy to break.

Easy to make him hers.

But still, something in her shied away from such forms of tickery and manipulation. The same part of her that would have murdered him only moments ago grew timid at the thought of seducing him so he could let her go.

Though her tears had dried, she still hiccuped against his form. A quiet wince escaped her as he dropped the manacles, ready to return to his bed for the last shreds of dawn.

Rick paused, hovering over the girl one more as he frowned softly. His hands reached for her wrists and pulled them higher into the light. The manacles slipped down her arms only the tiniest bit. They were made to fit snugly against her wrists, and with all her fighting and anger, she had managed to rub them raw.

He ran his thumb over the red angry lines encircling her wrists, her breath catching in her throat at the stinging pain she felt.

Rick tutted, like he was telling off a child, and Alara couldn't help but shrink back.

He sighed heavily, moving back to sit on the edge of the bed as he rubbed the tiredness from his face. He hung his head for a moment, head reeling with anger and disbelief and... God, if he knew. It was as though everything he knew had slipped out from under him and he didn't know what to do in a situation like this.

He turned to her once more, trying to avoid the way he almost lost his breath at her tear-stained face and focus on the rage that resided brazenly in her eyes for all to see.

Alara grew uncomfortable under his gaze, but found herself unable to look away. She was drawn in by the colour of a hazy blue sky that flickered the colour of a new day under the bright hues of the bedside lamp.

It seemed whatever Rick had been looking for he had found.

He left his seat, walking away to somewhere she didn't have the energy to follow with her eyes.

Alara laid on her back now, feet planted on the bed as her knees were pushed up and her arms stretched behind her head. She hoped he wouldn't leave her like this all night, but she wouldn't be surprised if he did. And if he did, it wouldn't be the worst thing she had experienced.

She heard the bedroom door shut softly. She hadn't even realised it had been opened. There was a pause as he placed some things down out of her view, and then she could see the growing shadow of Rick drawing closer - he hid a wince at her contorted form.

He stopped beside her head, looking down at her with a stern gaze as he spoke gruffly into the space between them.

"If I take off the chain from the bed, don't even think 'bout fightin' me. Got it? No movin'. No talkin'."

She pretended not to notice how he didn't wait for a reply. She also tried to hide the way her face fell at the sight of the prosthetic attached to his amputated arm - a vulnerability hidden after she had shown her colours too quick.

The same chain he had wound around his bedpost only minutes ago in rightful anger were loosened, but before she could move herself upright, his hand slipped under her knees and his prosthetic arm under her shoulders to sit her up right.

Her lips parted, whether to thank him or reprimand him she had no clue. But he didn't give her a chance to speak, his fingers pressed against her lips, his gaze tired and frustrated and- lost. It was like looking into a distorted version of herself - finding like in like.

She couldn't help the pout that formed on her lips, and she knew from the way Rick's lips twitched that he could feel it against his fingers.

When he removed his fingers he held the long chain Beale's soldiers had used to tug her around like a leashed animal to bring her here, and there was quiet contemplation on his face.

"I would take it off it I could- properly, I mean." His voice was quiet, barely an octave above a whisper, like he was ashamed to be a participant in the CRM's misdeeds. Like he was horrified by the realisation he was one of them.

"This is the closest I can get," with that he made his way to a table out of her view. He turned with a small box in his hands and made his way back. This time he sat on the bed facing her, one leg atop the bed to balance the first-aid box on his knee precariously.

"Nothing sharp or dangerous in here, so don't even think about it."

Alara rolled her eyes but found herself unable to say much. It was weird, really. To be at a loss for words when she finally could say all that was on her mind. Perhaps she had simply gotten so used to not speaking and thoughts reeling in the quiet that Rick's low and gruff voice was enough to make her simply want to listen.

He brought out a small tube of ointment, some cotton and gauze. He moved the first-aid box somewhere on the bed, forgotten and discarded just as the muzzle had been as he weighed the materials in his hand.

He rested them upon his lap, a hand reaching out to her sore wrists as he watched her with a passive gaze, like she wasn't close to the threat she believed she was. The realisation should've angered her - instead she felt tired. So tired. Like all she wanted to do was lie back and float in eternal darkness, and pray daylight never came.

It only took a glance at Rick's wrist to see how much time she had stolen from him, and that dawn was much closer than she wished.

"Shouldn't've done that."

She glanced down to his careful ministrations, unable to stop herself from admiring his gentle motions as he lightly dabbed some ointment on the angry and puffy red lines that rose from her skin, like he was scared to hurt her even though she had almost killed him.

"What?"

Like she hadn't heard a word he said. Maybe she just wanted to hear it again.

"I told you. There isn't a way to escape from here, you would've gotten yourself killed trying."

"You didn't even try to hurt me, let alone kill me," she retorted softly.

"I wasn't talking about me. You wouldn't have made it five feet from this building without someone finding you. Especially not tied up in these."

His shook the chain that bound her form in emphasis, and she couldn't help but scoff in return - "I would've taken it off first, idiot."

His eyes narrowed, "watch it."

She only rolled her eyes in turn, shoulders deflating as she considered her options.

"Why won't you just let me try?"

There was an imperceptible glint of softness in his eyes as he regarded her chained wrists, "sometimes what we need is better than what we want. You want freedom."

"And what is it I need?"

He blinked up at her eyes that were damp with curiosity. They flickered back down at her wrists, where he wrapped them wrapped it in gauze so the ointment wouldn't rub away.

"I haven't figured that out yet."

They sat in silence for the remainder of the time it took Rick to treat her wounded wrists before they returned to their beds and fell into a fitful sleep.

Morning could not have come quicker.

I promise some much awaited smut in the next chapter 👀🫶🏼

Taglist: @hhhilloklll @bellstwd @classyunknownlover @voodoopoetry @graveyardblossom @jaiboomer11

[teyammybeloved]

HIS GIRL — neteyam sully.

genre - fluff, little bit of angst

summary - neteyam and y/n have been friends for as long as they can remember, neither know when it changed, but it did, now they dont know how to feel with the newfound emotions

characters - y/n, fem! na’vi reader, aged up neteyam

words - 1.6k

warnings - use of y/n, basically just fluff, tinest bit off ansgt if you drink a bottle of vodka, roll around ten times then squint.

authors note - thank you for all the support, i love u guys. mwah mwah

THE SKY was the prettiest y/n had seen it for days, arms spread out against the warm grass that was soft to the touch, her hands begged to grip on it, threading each thread of grass through her fingers, letting it slip through slowly as time passed.

eyes were pressed shut as her face stayed calm, it wasn't difficult to relax in an atmosphere like this. although she loved the chaos of the forest she loved her downtime just as much, just little moment's like this to relax and debrief her mind.

she heard movement in the trees, it was so quiet she could immediately tell who it was, her eyes never opened as she spoke. "hi teyam" she muttered, voice slightly hoarse from the lack of talking.

she heard a load groan from the bushes, the elder obvious upset at the fact his plan to scare the girl had failed miserably. "thats so dumb, how do you always know" he said, rolling his eyes as he laid down next to her.

she opened one eye, turning to face his eyes, that was already looking at her. she felt almost small under his gaze, the heavyness of his stare made her feel almost like she was about to psss out.

he could be doing the simplest things, and the moment they made eye contact, she was done — this wasn't until recently.

it wasn't until a month ago that she started to notice the lingering touches and the way her skin would burn for even moments after. she would catch herself staring at him for just a minute too long and then she would be imagining all these crazy things.

"just used to it i guess" alara smiled, tilting her head slightly as she stared at the oldest son who was standing in front of her, her hand came to cover the right of her eye, blinding the sun from getting through.

as he went to sit down, she sat up, he sat questionably close, maybe she was just making it up, giving herself delusions to cling onto. there was no way he was into her like she was him, so she shook the ideas away.

he let out a deep exhale, stretching his shoulders. "what are you doing?" she asked, turning her gaze to him. he tilted his head as he yawned.

"im exhusted, dad keeps making me do all these things, apparently all the things ill have to do when im the chief" he rolled his eyes, dramatically flopping into the lap of the girl besides him.

a laugh left her throat, despite the heavy feeling in her chest from the physical contact, "he just wants to prepare you" she said, running a hand over his braids.

"yeah but i dont see him doing half the shit he is showing me" neteyam muttered, closing his eyes as he started shaking his head in her lap.

she hummed, threading his braids in between his fingers. "your braids need to be redone" y/n said.

he opened his eyes, "you can re-do them"

her heart sank as she almost answered. she normally gave the world to hang out with the older sully kid, but her mind almost fogged the memory from the last time she had braided the boys hair.

she remembered how they shared a breath, after they argued because neteyam kept moving his head, so he stood up, and she stood up, the two both facing each other sharing an angry breathe.

she remembered the way there eyes locked and how his eyes flicked down to her lips. she remembered how he leant in.

she remembered how neytiri walked in, and how she pushed him away. she remembered how she walked out after and the two didn't talk for a solid two weeks, until he came up to her as if none of it had never happened.

"maybe you're mom should do them, i think im going to be busy over the next few days" she said, smiling softly, because it wasn't a lie, she was meant to be helping his grandmother and kiri after the war party comes back and that often left her very busy for a few days.

"i cant wait till you're not" he said, pushing himself off of her legs, to sit, facing her. his eyes stayed on her face while she looked anywhere but at his.

"you need them re-done before the war. or else they will get caught. messy. you might get hurt" the girl muttered, playing with the grass in front of her.

"i dont care" he said, voice bland, almost as if he was trying to get a point across, one she was so obviously missing.

she finally caved, looking over at him. she could tell he wanted something. something he had been wanting for ages, something she had been avoiding.

"neteyam" she said, her voice not as stern nor as strong as she had wanted or expected it to be, instead it cane out more like a beg.

"y/n" he said, tilting his head the other way, his tone less whiney as hers, more stern and serious, almost comforting.

but nothing about this was comforting. alara inhaled deeply, his eyes flickered to her lips. it seemed like he was holding back.

but he didn't want to, not anymore. his hand found its way to her jaw, his hand held it, as he moved in closer, she wanted to give in.

"neteyam" she whispered, scared that maybe if she spoke any louder he would get up and walk away, like she had.

"please" he said, - or he begged. he knew she wanted this too. "please y/n" he said, his voice just as soft as hers.

she couldn't help but let her eyes flick down to his lips, and he noticed, they both made eye contact.

y/n gasped as she snapped back into reality. this could not happen. she stood up quickly, walking backwards away from him as he stood up as well.

"neteyam no" she said, placing her arm out. "no no we can't" she said.

he stepped forward, and she stepped back. "y/n " he said, tone begging.

"it will ruin everything neteyam" she said as tears brimmed her eyes. her friendship with him was all she had, and she wasn't willingly to ruin it over a silly kiss and some childish feelings.

"y/n, i see you. i do" he said, taking serveral steps towards her. "i love you" he said, "i have- i do. please- why are you running away from this"

"we cant neteyam. you- youre dad- your whole family, they will not approve of m-"

she was cut off by neteyam walking up to her, grabbing her waist, smashing their lips together, she didn't move away but instead let herself melt into the kiss.

finally when they broke away, y/n let out a heavy breath. neteyam chased the kiss, connecting there lips again. y/n knew she needed to pull away.

this wasn't good. she couldn't do this. everything was going to fall apart. but she couldn't pull away.

neteyam tightened his hold, pulling her body flush against him, the two impossibly close. 

y/n finally pulled away, stepping out of his grasp, despite the fight. she refused eye contact for as long as she could, but when her eyes met his her heart fell.

his eyes were full of hope, and terror. scared she would leave again. the two weeks she avoided him we're hell. complete hell. he drove himself almost insane being away from her. he couldn't lose it again.

y/n's eyes softened, yet her heart was heavy. she frowned. "neteyam you know-"

he breathed out, "yes y/n. i know what youre going to say. but i don't care. i want you" he said, "doesn't that count for something?" he muttered.

he felt her slipping away, and he refused to let so happen. she couldn't keep running from this in the fear something might go wrong.

"you know i care about you- so - so much." she started, neteyam now frowned. "your family will not approve." she said.

neteyam groaned, stepping backwards. "for once stop thinking about everybody else?  what do you want?" he said, y/n looked down.

"you know what i want neteyam" y/n said, looking up at him.

he smiled softly. "but it doesn't matter when your family wont approve"

"they already have."

y/n'a gaze snapped upwards. eyes widened in both confusion and shock. "y/n they approve. they have for ages. since we were little. theres no one they want me to be with more"

"and you just told me now? ive spent the last ten minutes panicking" she said, looking at him with the ever so softest smile.

"shut up" he said, dragging her in by her waist, kissing her again.

as his arms wrapped around her, placing a soft kiss upon her forehead as she placed her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso.

"i see you, neteyam" she said, voice lightly muffled by his chest. he smiled, not responding but placing another kiss on the girls forehead.

not just any girl.

his girl.

[imaginesbymonika]

Bleeding out.

Pairing: Ed Mercer x fem!Reader

Plot: Ed says something stupid, that's it.

Warning: mentions of someone getting shot, a bit of angst but mainly fluff, comedy, Gordon being Gordon

A/N: I don't see anyone write for them, so I am going to do that!

“She’s okay.”, Kelly, who is standing a couple of meters away from her ex-husband watches his hectic movements closely:”Isn’t that what matters?” Her eyes follow him, as he walks from one side of the room to the other in what appears to be a circle. “God. Ed! Calm down!”

At that, he rapidly spins around:”Calm do-.”, he lets out:”I was supposed to be the one in there right now, not her! Kelly, that weapon was pointed straight at me.” Gordon wants to add something but is quickly cut off when the doors to one of the treatment rooms opens up. He only nods his head towards its direction and Ed instantly storms past the nurses into the room.

“Were you completely out of your mind?!”, Ed doesn’t ask her. It sounds more like an accusation. His nostrils are flaring while he clenches his fist. Y/N who is putting on her shoes only rolls her eyes at her captain’s behavior. But once they land on Kelly and Gordon a smile emerges on her lips.

"Are you even listening to me?!"

“Yeah, believe it or not… I am.” He tilts his head. “But I am not going to apologize for what I did.”, Y/N shakes her head and attempts to stand up from the table. But when the pain in her leg strikes through her body like a bolt of lightning she lets out a thick groan. Before her body collapses Ed moves forward and grabs her by the arms:”Take it easy.”, he mumbles. He really wants to sound tough and intimidating, but the concern is lying thickly on top of his words:”Let’s just get you out of here, okay?”

“Wait, wait, wait. My jacket.”

“Malloy!”, Ed declares loudly before walking his friend towards the exit. Gordon blinks and glances at Kelly:”Seri- Seriously? What am I? A servant?” “Just take it!”, Kelly simply answers, before handing him the blue fabric:”Do it for her.” The blonde woman watches how he whines before ultimately snatching it out of her hands. “Yeah, yeah.”

---

“So…do you think that he will tell her?” Kelly asks, while she sits down on the opposite side of the Helmsman.

“What are you talking about?”, Alara, who is taking a sip of her drink furrows her forehead. Gordon leans back in his chair:”That Ed is madly in love with Y/N?”, he scoffs:”I highly doubt it. His pride won’t allow it.” At the sound of two familiar voices approaching he turns his head to the left:”Would you look at that.”

Y/N who is walking towards the table smiles widely once her eyes fall on the jacket:" Oh my! Thank you so much, Gordon." She instantly puts it back on before turning to Ed, who has sat down next to Alara. He is aimlessly poking around his food with a fork. "How do you feel?", Kelly asks, giving her friend a compassionate smile. Y/N's gaze remains on the captain for a few seconds longer before she looks to the blonde woman:" No, yeah. I'm good."

"Yeah, right.", Ed scoffs, and brings his fork up to his mouth. Y/N rolls her eyes. "The captain is right, Y/N. You should get some rest, and try not to get shot again. You're lucky that the bullet only hit your leg. Next time, it-." As if Ed got punches into the face he looks at Gordon in pure revulson:" Next time? No, no, no. There isn't going to be a next time." He turns to stare at Y/N:" Promise me, that you are never ever going to jump in front of me or anyone ever again."

The young woman chuckles and brings her cup of coffee up to her lips:" Yeah, right." Her voice is dry. However when she makes eye contact with Ed again she blinks in surprise:" Oh, you were serious about that."

"Of course I am serious, promise me." "No, I am not going to promise you that!" Kelly and Gordon exchange a quick look. "I am not going to have this conversation again!", Y/N shakes her head before getting up from her spot at the table. "Are you serious?!", Ed's voice gets more high-pitched with each passing second, and he clears his throat when he realizes how almost everyone around them is watching.

"You could have died! Don't you get that?!", he asks her as he follows Y/N down the corridor. For the last weeks, he has done nothing but that: follow Y/N around the ship and (unsuccessfully) ask her over and over again to promise him to not put herself in harm's way again.

Isaac and John both turn around at the sound of them. "No, I won't!", Y/N responds, annoyance clear in her voice:" Now, please stop asking me that!" "Promise me, and I am off your back!"

"I can feel a certain tension.", Isaac states, observing the bickering couple. "Y/N got shot because she jumped in front of the captain and now he attempts to make her pledge to him, that she won't do that again.", he clarifies, and Isaac nods. "I mean, you couldn't do that either." "What was that?", Ed crosses his arms: "Huh?"

Y/N sits down on her chair and begins typing something down:" So you're telling me, that if I was being shot you could just watch that without wanting to interfere?" A chuckle leaves her lips, almost as if she knows his response. Ed rolls his eyes:" There are a million ways to prevent that from happening without jumping in front of a weapon!"

The young woman swirls around in her chair:" Okay, imagine this: it's you, me, and a krill with a blaster. There is no way you can save me without sacrificing yourself. You tell me, that you could stop yourself from-." "Of course, I could!"

Y/N stares at him, while her confident smile fades away: "W-What?" She closes her mouth and swallows thickly, before quickly standing back up again. "No, wait. I-.", but before any actual apology can leave his lips, Y/N has already walked out of the room.

---

"You did what?", Kelly almost chokes on her drink. "I didn't mean it.", he says, while rubbing the bridge of his nose:" Obviously." Gordon, who puts down his knife shakes his head:" Tell that to her, not us. She's the one who will be left behind to bleed out, should you two get attacked by a member of the Krill."

"I never said anything about letting anyone bleed out, Gordon.", Ed stares at him in irritation:" Gordon, I-." "But he's right.", Kelly cuts him off, managing to draw Ed's attention towards herself. He sighs:" I want to, but she won't talk to me."

---

"Y/N, please." Gordon and John both turn around. Kelly who is standing near Claire and Isaac quickly makes her way over to join her two friends at the bar. Y/N's leg seems to be entirely healed and the captain struggles to keep up with her:" I am so sorry, but you know I didn't mean what I said." "Oh really?", she unexpectedly stops walking and turns around, which makes Ed nearly bump into her:" Because you answered super fast."

Ed opens his mouth to respond, but when no words leave his lips he closes it again. He looks defeated. Y/N clenches her jaw. However, when she notices how the others are watching them from the others side of the room she walks over to them. A shiver runs down Gordon's spine at the sight of her forced smile. "Well that's creepy.", John simply whispers. "How are you, guys.", Y/N states and sits down next to him:" My friends. Who actually care about me."

Ed runs a hand down his face:" I am just trying to protect you!" "Yeah, right.", the y/h/ced woman lets out a fake laugh:" I do not need protection, I am not a weak child!" She turns the chair around to fully face him again:" And by the way, saying that you would let me bleed out is not-." "For the record, I am just worried about you, we- wait did you just say 'bleed out' ?", He looks past her towards the other men:" Gordon, did you tell her that? I swear to-."

"You two, will you please stop?!", Clair declares, her voice loud and stern:" This has been going on for two weeks now and it is exhausting for everyone on this ship! Y/N can't you see that Captain Mercer is doing all of this because he is clearly in love with you? And Ed, Y/N jumped in front of you because she is in love with you as well?"

Ed who has his finger still near Y/N's face gradually lowers his hand, while Y/N's jaw drops. She eyes how all her friends leave the bar, and for a few moments, neither of them says anything before Y/N finally looks back at Ed, who clears his throat.

"Are you-." "Are you-." "I mean, yes-." "Yeah, I-."

Y/N raises her hand:" Wait, you go first." Ed sits down next to her:" Listen, I- I care about you, okay? That's why I got scared. If you would die while protecting me, I- I don't know how to survive that." Y/N sighs as her facial features soften. She looks down and takes his hand in hers:" Well, for what it's worth I care about you too." Without waiting for a second longer, Ed pulls her into a kiss. "After everything that has happened, it would be embarrassing now if you didn't."

"I still won't promise you that." "I figured that you would say that.", he says, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear:" Guess, I will have to look out for you a bit more." "Yeah… I guess so."

[akeminui]

Yuu sat there staring at the sky. The sound of laughter could be heard echoing through the garden. Benches full of people, people of whom she knew. Ace could be seen smiling his sly smile eyes formed into crescents that resembled a fox. Where Ace was Deuce was never far, sitting down next to Alara seemingly being teased by the the two, face a mix of different shades of red. Alara was a gem, I love Alara. She had stunning red locks and sun kissed skin freckled with marks. Her eyes were a brown that was almost orange, god was she beautiful. Every where she went people wanted to get to know her, always surrounded by people, Yuu followed in suit.

The first time Yuu arrived in twisted wonderland she wanted to die. The awkward feeling of being surround by strangers especially boy was something weird but certainly not new. As much as Yuu wanted to disappear she was also excited. As contradicting as it sounds she loved being around people. She often attracted others wherever she went. Just as quick as the fear came it left being replaced by a much warmer feeling.

“Your hair look dumb.” Ace grined laughing at his own joke poking yuu’s hair.

“It reminds me of you!” Yuu smiled eyes targeting Ace before fading to Deuce “Deuce, your eyeliners uneven!”

“HUH! IT IS?!” Deuce yelled startling himself ruining his eyeliner even more.

“Are you stupid? How do you started yourself?” Ace said moving closer to continue moving the boy.

“Well you look look like-like a dog!”

The twos bickering faded into the background of the room. It was fun, never was Yuu bored around the two. She’d made many other friends outside of the two stomping overbolt over overbolt weighed on her mind but times like this certainly did help.

Alara, there she was standing in front of you. They’d found her in the mirror room. Alara was far from unfamiliar too Yuu. Meeting on the first day of being at a new school both personality’s clicked. Just like usual Yuu made new friends boys, girls, cats, dogs, basically anything that could move. The difference was the more friends Yuu seemed to make the more Alara was interested in them too. Alara started of normal but slowly stuck to Yuu, but Yuu didn’t mind. She loved Alara and for the most part all of her friends did too. As time passed around the end of the school year Yuu began to lose friends, but she’s couldn’t really think about that soon after being swept into a new world. When Yuu first found Alara she was excited to no longer be alone! Although Yuu did have friends being surrounded by all boys did take a toll. Rather. Little did Yuu know this would be the start of her suffering.

(Probably cringe)

[nathaniel-donovan]

with: @chloeandersonx where: clubhouse

Before he even sat down he made his way over towards the kitchen just to grab himself two spoons, ones he balanced on top of the tubs of ice cream he had bought, ones that were held up by his left hand, his right was just pathetically there at this point. Moving his way back over towards Chloe he placed the ice creams down onto the table she was sat at, in turn sitting himself down. He lifts his right hand just to silently show her what he had asked her to redress previously - as if it wasn't already obvious. There was no real mask on Nate's face; he looked worn out, as well as unhappy. Though that was all his own doing. Between breaking up with Alara, ditching town when his nephew was missing, and falling flat on his face, he was literally just taking one day at a time. Knowing that he had no clue how to move himself out from that fucking asshole category. "Did it myself," he feels to answer whatever he thought she was thinking. "And the dressing, actually, that's why it's shit."

[mapstone]

Anayas Return

*i do not own the characters from “Orville” this is only a fanfictionstory.

Captain of her own ship now Anaya , Captain Ed Mercers daughter , had thrown aside her belief in Krill culture and abandoned the planet she was raised on. She specifically asked Alara Kitan to sponsor her training into the fleet. Alara was only too happy to help once she’d learned who Anaya really was.

Having only ever been a bad reminder of a mission to imprison Ed , Her mother saw her as an afterthought and a tool to regain power if she ever lost Krillians favor . she was never supposed to be , and so To Teleya she was Nothing essentially .

“I am Not Krill” Anaya denounced her mothers race before adding “I am Anaya Mercer , Daughter of Ed , a Captain of your Forces and I wish to serve As my father has Before me.

“Welcome Ensign Mercer, you will find your fathers items and logs to learn from here as well as the regular programs”

The Host was small , a group of near retired captains , engineers , only one knew Ed personally and his story of having a half Krill daughter, whom he was denied a relationship with.

“”Thankyou , for opening the doors to me , I am very happy so be here in the same capacity as my father. I’m sure I will learn well and serve well.” She paused “Is there any news yet of my father? “

“no ensign , so sorry , I know you are eager to meet him again as we are to find him safe and have him return . Let’s all pray he does soon.”

That was 4 yrs ago she told herself .

The hope of her fathers return was rewarded shortly , He’d been marooned on the unexplored surface of Galti 3 , By Bortus his Moclan security detail following an argument of how to proceed with an investigation of strange life forms. Bortus was more afraid of dying by the hands of an unknown species , and left Ed alone to investigate , Ed found a few species on the planet and one that allowed him to summon the Orville to send another Ship to collect him.

To be continued

Pt2

Anaya was happy when Ed returned , sore and angry but exhausted and happy most of all to find a growing family .

He spent hours making special logs for her to know him better , which she went thru first after her training began. She learned quickly and passed several rankings twice as fast as her human counterparts in training .

She followed him and Molloy and she peppered him with questions about parts of his life on earth , and begged to come with him and visit when she could.

Ed was exhausted but answered as many questions as he could, but he thought back often to the marooning on Galti 3 and couldn’t get back those precious first three weeks. He spent five days searching for intelligent beings and 6 days fighting off hungry aliens now being classified in the data base as pitzi a cat like race that could communicate but would rather eat the first fresh meat in site. When he finally got far enough away from the pitzi and they stopped chasing him he found a humanoid race they classified as Dvashti who were intelligent and kept a treasure hoard of LOST items among them communicators that Orvillians would have in their hands . The big question left to Ed was HOW did the Dvashti come into these communicators ? He suspected they murdered another fleet crew or at least robbed them. Any way he was Grateful to have a communicator and a power source to connect it to and made contact sending for Malloy to pick him up off Galti 3. He wasn’t just forgotten about , he was missed after several sweeps even in that 3 weeks , his crew members were unable to find him.

[neon-dynasty]

Gathering Friends

I collect Planeswalker cards. Ever since I opened Sarkhan Vol in a Shards of Alara draft, I've been in love with the card type. It's like calling in a favor from a friend, except instead of getting a ride to the airport, you get dragons.

Look at that card! It may not seem special now, but imagine seeing something like this for the first time. The curved art border, the transparent rules box, the character literally popping out of the frame. It was unlike anything ever seen in the game before, at least outside of joke sets. The introduction of Planeswalkers in Lorwyn was probably the biggest impact on Magic: The Gathering in the franchise's history.

The rules for my collection started off simple: 1) Every printing of every Planeswalker card 2) If there's a premium and a non-premium version of the card, only the non-premium version counts

Then they got a little more complicated as new ways of getting Planeswalker cards came about: 3) Prerelease promos that are identical in every way to their main set counterparts don't count (this would go on to exclude promo pack cards with the foil symbol stamped on the image, as well as reprints with the little symbol on the bottom left of the card) 4) Cards given out as prizes don't count 4b) Heroes of the Realm cards DEFINITELY don't count 5) Lottery cards don't count (1/30 Collector Booster, serialized, other assorted nonsense)

Then came the big one: 6) Special foil treatments do count, so long as they have different collector numbers

That last rule was tough to decide on, because it walked back the lottery stipulation for the foil etched cards in Kamigawa Neon Dynasty. However, the textured foil cards in Double Masters 2022 were different enough from their main set counterparts that it felt right. It's also a very expensive category. As it stands, I can't afford to collect all of those, but we'll see what the future brings.

I'm currently pretty far behind with the collection, missing around 91 out of the 687 currently available Planeswalker cards (excluding 18 cards that land outside of the rules, of which I do own 7). It's mostly a bunch of inexpensive cards, less than ten dollars each, so it's doable. I'm thinking of buying everything worth less than five bucks in one go, and then completing the rest set by set. The last (and only) time I had a complete collection was during Amonkhet, so I'm in no rush.

It's definitely a first world problem, but damn if they don't print FAR too many cards these days. I love collecting these things, but because I don't let it get in the way of my real life, the backlog builds up. It's especially annoying because there are three or more different versions of each Planeswalker card in each set nowadays. I rarely feel the thrill of opening one in a pack anymore, because it's only one of a dozen or more mythic rare cards I need from the set. Phyrexia: All Will Be One is certainly an outlier, but I added thirty-five rows to my spreadsheet in anticipation of the set's release.

One interesting thing about the way the game is now, rotating out of Standard doesn't affect the price of cards very much after a few months. Prices stabilize much more quickly than they used to, and they don't drop as drastically anymore. I no longer feel like I should wait until rotation to clear the backlog a bit.

As a final note, I recently discovered the existence of this card:

It's a prize for Japanese store tournaments. It doesn't count toward the collection (though I do have the other three alternate art promos in this series), but I want it very badly. I've been trying to figure out how to scrounge up a couple hundred bucks to get this card, and feeling ridiculous because there's no excuse for spending that much money on a Magic card, especially one I'll never play.

I enjoy collecting these things, even during times when I'm not actively playing the game with friends. It maintains my connection to the hobby, and gives me a reason to keep up with the story and the game mechanics. On the flip side, sometimes I feel trapped by what can seem like a monumental endeavor. I often wish I could divert the attention I spend on this elsewhere.

In the end, though, Planeswalkers are the reason I still play one of my favorite games in the world. If I hadn't started this collection, I would certainly have moved on from Magic years ago. For something that brings me so much joy, I'm glad I've been able to stick with it for all this time.

[jasper-the-menace]

MTG fan lore question, what was Old Capenna like? Do you have any ideas™️?

Hey Faust, my dear friend! I had to think on this one for a while, to be completely honest with ya.

Well, as we know, before the Phyrexians showed up and fucked everything, there was a Kingdom Era in the plane, where the five crime families started in different jobs than we see them in now. The Obscura were mystics, wizards, and advisors of the plane's angels; the Maestros were nobles and art aficionados; the Riveteers were artisans, blacksmiths, edificers, and architects; the Cabaretti were a popular druidic faith; the Brokers were paladins. It's even directly compared to the Bant shard of Alara.

We know that Old Capenna also had very few sphinxes, as they were very territorial and vain - they also had temples that they would draw the masses to, vying for worship through their visions and effectively only say the good stuff to keep the masses coming back. But we know Raffine didn't do this song and dance, instead crafting dark prophecies that were far more true and honest than the other sphinxes she knew - her mother, her rival, and her former lover, though she didn't care much for the first two and can't even remember the third at this point.

Xander is mentioned in canon to have been an ailing artist of an all-but-dead aristocratic house, showing that Capenna during the Kingdom Era was probably very, very similar to the romanticized idea of medieval Europe.

Ziatora is mentioned to be the last of the dragons who was able to survive through the power of her contract with an archdemon, so clearly Old Capenna had enough of them to go around and have a pretty sustainable "knight versus dragon" ecological dynamic. We also know that the rest of the dragons are now extinct, as seen in the lines "But where are the other dragons now? For all their righteousness, their gloating and purity, the great dragons of Old Capenna are dust."

The leonin druids that were the Cabaretti were founded by Jetmir, and they enjoyed the cycle of life, death, rebirth, and life eternal and were greatly connected to nature. They also served as entertainment to keep spirits up among settlers, who in turn would keep the druids fed and warm. This dynamic didn't change much when the druids moved into New Capenna and became a crime family.

But surprisingly, we don't actually know much about Falco Spara's past before becoming head of the Brokers, or even if he founded the order that would become them later. All we really know is that he has some of the clearest memories of the founding of New Capenna.

So that's all canon with a bit of speculation at the end of Xander's section. So let's address the elephant in the room: the angels and archdemons.

Given that the only demons with that creature type are the crime lords (and Ob Nixilis as an interloper), that means there were no minor demons left around the time of the Streets of New Capenna block. So either minor demons were wiped out by the Phyrexian invasion that led to New Capenna's construction, or they never existed and only the archdemons did. Personally, I'm leaning towards "normal demons never existed in the first place", because it's hard to believe they would have all been wiped out without a trace. Perhaps the Capennan devils used to serve in that function instead, given that other planes such as Innistrad have them as the "lesser evil" to a demon's "greater evil". There were archangels above the regular angels during the Phyrexian invasion, so it doesn't make sense that archdemons wouldn't have some kind of servant.

I'm particularly interested in what drove the Obscura broadly to join the archdemons, given their closeness to the angels, but I believe it just comes down to survival. The archdemons had the best deals for New Capenna and could even repurpose the angels into Halo, so it makes sense that even the Obscura would turn against their angelic masters.

Hopefully this gave ya something to think about, Faust!

~Jasper

[auxiliarydetective]

The OC Halloween Challenge - Day 23

You can find the challenge here!

Today's prompt was...

The Apocalypse Is The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (Trope: Apocalyptic)

Just as everything must begin, it also must end. This, unfortunately, includes humanity. What will happen when the world as your oc knows it ends, when that world goes from millions of people to tens or perhaps even one? Will they be forced to adapt, doomed to die, or perhaps even thrive?

Once again, I only had one prompt in mind for today, so... buckle up!

It's KaylonTimeline!Raevyn.

-

"Can you... tell me what this is about?" Alara asked, her voice soft for the first time in a while.

"Uh," John mumbled, "you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"It's about hope," someone said.

The group turned around to find a woman with pale skin, gills at her neck, and raven-black hair. But it was impossible to tell what species she truly was or if she was more man or machine. Her right arm was fully metallical, as presumably was her left hand. Both hands were hidden beneath gloves, but the sheen of worn-out metal still glimmered around her wrist, between her ragged sleeve and the hem of her tainted gloves. Her feet were made of metal too, as she ignored the need for shoes, dangling her boots at her side. And her face... Almost half of it had been replaced with a mechanical implant, glowing a blue tint. The other eye still seemed organic, but it was glowing too, in a similar color. Her clothes were clearly Krill-inspired, sporting the two golden suns of a Krill Captain or high-ranking politician at the collarbones of her jacket, its right sleeve largely torn off.

"They're holding on to a crazy notion and they still have hope."

"This is Raven," Alara introduced her. "Telepath, electrokinetic, former Krill battle drone until someone fried her control chip and she turned the tables on those guys."

"They should've just killed me when they had the chance," Raven shrugged.

"Raevyn Maumahara," Kelly mumbled.

To this, Raven chuckled. "I haven't heard that name in a long time... I almost forgot it was mine."

-

With that everyone went their separate ways. Only the woman Ed and the others had brought in from the resistance outpost remained on the bridge with Gordon. She said nothing, only stared out into space.

"You, uh, you can sit down if you want," Gordon suggested, turning around to look at her.

She looked intimidating with half of her face replaced by metal, her limbs mechanical. But at the same time, she was maybe the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The spark in her eye, the freckles on her pale skin, the shimmer of her black curls.

"Oh," she gasped quietly. Then she smiled, and Gordon felt like he was warming up from the inside. "I'm sorry, I just... I forgot how beautiful space was."

[alara-kahya]

TAG: @nathanial-donovan WHERE: Downtown

Growing bored of this evening and grumpy with the screaming hen party blundering around the bar, Alara was more than happy to go home. Even happier now knowing she wasn't going alone. With Nate needing some time before he was finished, she'd followed the group into downtown for one last drink. After excusing herself and going outside to wait for him to pick her up, she knew he'd be a few minutes but the night was warm enough to sit out and enjoy. At least it was, until she spotted non-other than her own father stumbling around the street like an absolute embarrassment. A quick call to Steve, a local cabman, more than used to dealing with her drunk father, he accepted the job and told her he'd be there in a couple of minutes. Reluctantly, she begins to march over to her dad, needing to redirect him toward the pick-up bay. "Hey, dad, it's me..." Hand on his shoulder, he glances up at her and gives her nothing but a groan. "Come on, this way," her eyes roll and she makes an attempt to turn him to the left, only for him to push her hands away. His attempt to do so nearly saw to him hitting the ground, an incident Alara instinctively stopped by wrapping her arms around him from behind.

"Dad! Just walk." Alara scolds, finding it a lot harder to support his weight and not stumble over herself than she'd anticipated. The string of curse words in both Turkish and English sounded loud in the air, his tone as cold and cruel as ever it was. "Sana yardım etmeye çalışıyorum!" She yells back. All any onlookers would see was a girl essentially wrestling with a man twice her own size, and for what? Well, in Alara's mind, her conscious couldn't bare the guilt of him not making it home safely now she'd seen him struggling. Even if it was self-inflicted. Managing to get him close to the cab, she lets her grip around him go. When she does, she takes a breath, only to find that before she could even see it coming, he'd twisted to the side and brought his hand up in a harsh slap to her face. The clap echoed in the air and the power behind the move was strong enough to make her stumble backward, landing on the concrete with a thud.

"Ne oluyor?!" She shouts, her hand coming up to press against her cheek as she looked up at him with wide-eyed horror. She was used to the verbal abuse, but apart from one time, he'd never struck her. The fact he probably wasn't coherent enough to tell you his own name was hardly an excuse. In the chaos, she hadn't noticed that Nate had not just arrived, but saw it all, not until she turned her eyes to the side, ears following the sound of forceful steps heading in their direction. Shit.

[shallyne]

SJM NextGenWeek Day Seven

Empty Nests and Sentimental Mothers

Free Day for the last of Next Gen Week. Its Feyres POV as a sentimental mama. For @sjmnextgenweek

Words: 920

TW: none

Feyre thinks back to when her children were little. Feat. Kronos and Rhys

Feyre was in a sentimental mood. This happened more and more recently as her children left the nest one after one. Nyx lived in his own house with his wife, Alara. They had married last summer and as happy as she was for them, something was missing in their house now that he didn't walk around the house and squabble with Nemesis. Bragi was barely home, they traveled the world most of the year and only visited every now and then. Carl hadn't officially moved out yet but he spent most of his time in his room at Nyx's house and if not that, then he spent time with Meadow, the girl he just started seeing. Nemesis still lived in the river house but she spent most of the day with her girlfriend, Eirene, and came home late at night. They saw each other at breakfast and for the rest of the time she was gone.

She was incredibly proud of every single one but she couldn't shake the wistful feeling that crept up as she stood in the utterly silent house. It felt like yesterday as small feet padded over the carpet, accompanied by high pitched shrieks and laughter. It felt like yesterday when they stole Feyre's paint and painted on the walls. It felt like yesterday that Feyre read them a good night story and tugged them into bed.

Something hitting her leg threw Feyre out of her daydreams and she turned around, looking at the white furball who shook her head in confusion. "Hey princess." Feyre said as she picked Kronos up, rocking the cat in her arms. She let out an annoyed huff and Feyre rolled her eyes. "I don't have the carrier with me. For not wanting a cat, Rhys spoiled you quite a lot, you know that?" she pressed a quick kiss on Kronos' head and continued her walk through the river house hallways.

She only stopped when she reached that familiar doorway that held so many memories. Kronos purred in her arms as she beheld the different colored markings. Blue was for Nyx, red was for Nemesis, orange was for Carl and green was for Bragi. That is the doorway where they always measured the kids' height. Feyre huffed a laugh when she looked at the last blue mark, how it almost hit the top of the doorframe. She remembered that she had to climb on a chair to mark it. All her kids had outgrown her by now, even her youngest. Everytime they all stood together Feyre looked tiny, even though she was average height, especially as Fae. It became a whirlwind of colors on the doorframe as the years had passed. Blue was the farthest up, followed by orange, then red and then green.

Feyre sat down on a cushioned bench across from the doorway and exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. She stabilized Kronos with one hand and used the other to wipe over her face as tears pricked in her eyes.

"Feyre." her mate's voice sounded softly. Rhys stood in the hallway, his hair slightly tousled as it always was after he winnowed.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm fine." she said.

He sat down beside her with a groan and asked. "How do I look at you?"

"Worried." Feyre replied. "Which there is no reason for."

"You're sad."

"I'm not sad." she countered. "I'm…sentimental. I just–it feels like they were just kids and then I blinked. Now they are mostly out of the house, making their own families. Yesterday I held a newborn Bragi in my arms and now they are out there, exploring the world all on their own. Nyx is married, Rhys. I don't know why I'm like this, I'm happy. I'm genuinely happy and so, so proud but without them the house suddenly feel so-"

"Big?" He finished her sentence. "Silent?"

Feyre sighed. "Yes, both."

Rhys put an arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I know, it's hard. I would take thousands more gray hairs if we'd get another month with them together under the same roof." Feyre snorted at the memories of Rhys finding a gray hair and her spending the rest of the evening looking if there were more. "But they aren't gone, Feyre Darling. They are close and they come to visit fairly often."

"But Bragi isn't close." she said.

"Bragi makes the time to visit as often as it is possible." Of course Rhys was right, Feyre knew that. "They have the adventures they always dreamt of." he leaned his forehead against hers and whispered. "Bragi also sends a letter from every place they were. They all know where their home is. They won't leave us."

Feyre let out a shuddering breath. Of course Rhys knew what bothered Feyre deep down before she did.

"I know." she whispered. "I know, you're right, I just–I need a little time to get that into my head."

"Take that time," he said. Feyre placed a hand on his cheek and kissed him. When she pulled away, Rhys smirked. "We should use that time that they won't barge in."

Feyre chuckled and slapped his arm. "Don't make jokes when I'm in a crisis."

He echoed her chuckle. Rhys took her hand and pulled her up, Feyre still held the purring cat in her arm.

"That wasn't a joke." Rhys said, although his eyes were dancing with humor. "It was a suggestion."

[missallanea-a]

While it's no secret that Ashiok has spent much of their time in Theros, they remain a Planeswalker and as such have explored the far reaches of the multiverse. Here's a quick run-down of their thoughts on the Planes they've visited :

ALARA : was unfortunately not able to visit this Plane prior to the Sundering. Delights in Grixis but has otherwise spent little time here.

AMONKHET : visited some time before the War of the Spark. Was intrigued by the potential of the Trials, but this turned out to just be another colosseum of men killing men. No inspiration to be found.

ARCAVIOS : attempted to reach Strixhaven, but found that it was not quite so easy to breech. Children are full of potential in so many ways, but it seemed Vess was not so foolish as to let the school exist without her personal breed of protection. Disappointing.

CAPENNA : oh, Capenna. Homeplane of their dearest Elspeth, but beyond such a promising ingenue, has little to offer them. The invasion of the Phyrexians is distant memory ( prior, of course, to the Invasion of the Multiverse ) and many citizens are too busy chasing Halo to really have much to play with. Still, they find themself here now and again.

DIRADEN : a plane of eternal twilight, ruins, rot, and fog. If Ashiok didn't know better, they might have believed this to be their homeland. Far less intruiging now that the dark shroud has been destroyed by Chandra Nalaar. Tsk, tsk. Pesky firebug.

DOMINARIA : come now: every Planeswalker worth their spark has made their way to Dominaria at some point. They only wish they could have seen it before the Mending era.

ELDRAINE : a more recent delight of theirs, Ashiok was pulled to this realm by the whispers of the Wicked Slumber. Such noble intentions... such foolish aspirations. Of course, with the spell lifted, they've since withdrawn from Eldraine... but that isn't to say they will never return.

GARGANTIKAR : what can really be said about it? Everything is large. Purely a scientific visit with nothing to be gained.

INNISTRAD : one would think that a nightmare would find more delight in a plane that seems solely inhabitited by werewolves, vampires, and other horrors. But what things do the dead really fear? Of course, they would still love the chance to... pick Sorin Markov's mind.

KALDHEIM : really just a brief blip on their radar. It's much the same to Theros, in that there's something purely human about their warriors. They could certainly play around here for some time, but nothing has intruiged them enough to keep them here.

KAMIGAWA : ever since Kamigawa entered the Neon Dynasty, Ashiok has had little interest in visiting. Perhaps androids do dream of robot sheep, but what fun is there to be made with bits and bytes? Of course, Tamiyo would certainly have made an interesting plaything... shame.

MEDITATION PLANE : also known as Bolas' Meditation Realm and the Prison Realm. Ashiok has been here. When, why, and for what remains a mystery... but given who is housed in this eternal prison, we can assume it wasn't anything good.

NEW PHYREXIA : previously known as both Argentum and Mirrodin. What fun they had here, twisting the nightmares of the Grand Praetor herself. And they didn't even know if Phyrexians were capable of nightmares. Of course, this nightmare may have given Elesh Norn a particular hatred of Elspeth Tirel... but that need for vengeance? What a human desire for a Phyrexian to have.

RAVNICA : Ashiok was, in fact, present in Ravnica during the War of the Spark... although what role they ultimately played, they've thus far shown no interest in revealing. Not their favorite plane to visit, due to the density of the population.

ZENDIKAR : much like Dominaria, this is considered something of a mecca for Planeswalkers. A plane that is home to large sources of mana, now healing from the devistation left in the wake of the Eldrazi titans. Rarely visited these days, in hopes of avoiding running into any of the Gatewatch.

[cosmosoracle]

Foresight and Visions certainly fit the concept of an oracle. It's a very cool image. Does she have any powers like that already?

The closest thing she has to these concepts right now is the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of the divine to try and get answers to her doubts, the Glean Lore; but it's something very difficult to rely on. She is aware that if her attunement goes wrong, there is a chance to obtain only cryptic informations that are left to interpretation, or even completely misleading answers.

The first time she used it, she only had a vague clue about why she cannot communicate with her deity properly; when she used it in Outsea to find the leylines crystals for general Alara, she knew exactly how to find the right way through the tunnel maze instead. It's an absolute leap of faith she's willing to make, but she knows even lives can depend on such uncertainty, so she's extremely careful.

In the future, if my build doesn't change, she will be able to warn allies when fights are about to break out for them to be readier (Oracular Warning), and she will also become able to deny some harmful effects on others when they get applied (Blessed Denial). One last tiny thing is her True Strike spell, which she learned while studying arcane magic with Echo, but it only has to do with divination.

[maximoaguilar]

𝐈 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄

And I watched as you fled the scene Doe-eyed as you buried me One heart broke, four hands bloody Those things I did Just so I could call you mine The things you did Well, I hope I was your favorite crime

It was like any normal day. At least, as normal as things could be under the circumstances. The past collection of days had been dizzying but in a manner that brought him a sense of peace. He was having a little girl, a beautiful little girl with the woman he knew he loved. Who he had loved for so long. No matter the fight that was thrown at him, he could shoulder it. He was unshakable.

At least, that was what he thought. Mason was at school, he was making breakfast for himself before sifting through some more resumes of potential new hires for security. One could never be too prepared, considering the brutality that they had already witnessed. Alara. Steffi. Josiah. Easton. It was four names too many. Laptop open, he continued to nurse his morning cup of coffee as his eyes scanned over the latest resume to hit his inbox. He wasn't going to let just anyone protect the people he cared about most.

He hadn't stopped twirling the sonogram picture between his fingers since the moment they had left the office. While expanding his family had not been something that had initially been in the cards for him -- he still remembers the feeling of joy that had overcame him. Caring for someone so deeply was a scary thing for him, hell, loving someone was absolutely terrifying when the last time he had done so, he had been nothing more than a secret.

Ana was proud to be with him. He knew that.

His thoughts were interrupted by a notification on his laptop that made his blood run cold. The Shadow. While he had wanted to ignore the message, wanted to just continue going about his day -- he knew everyone else was bound to be talking about whatever was said. It was better to be in the know than live in blissful ignorance.

Ana was proud to be with him. Ana was proud to be with him.

You still have the videos? The one of me where I've got my tongue..

Yeah and if you want them, just let me know.

Yeesh. He pitied the poor sap that was going to be affected by this latest round of blackmail. That is, until his mouse hovered over the video and he noticed two familiar faces -- each which made his heart drop. Ana and Nico. There was no going back, despite how loudly his mind was screaming at him no. No, no, no.

No.

As the space closed between them, between Ana and Nico, Max didn't even know what emotion he was feeling first. Was it sadness? Anger? He hadn't even seen how the forum had reacted, as he had muted the chat ages ago due to the petty fighting. All he knew was that the poor sap wasn't just anyone.

It was him.

He shuts his laptop slowly, hands clasped together as he remains stationary at the table -- as the reality sets in.

Ana wasn't proud to be with him. And she didn't even respect him enough to tell him.

This is when the tears begin. When the desire to throw his laptop against the wall and watch it shatter, leaving him to clean up it's fragments like the shattered pieces of his heart. Thank god for Sasha, for Kit, who have been kind enough to offer their company which he desperately needs. He couldn't be alone right now. He would try to pull himself together, and then he would rejoin his son. The home that he has begun to share with her feels like its caving in on him, laughing at him for not realizing this sooner. Realizing his place.

God and Nico, that bastard. While he hadn't trusted him at first, perhaps there was some merit to the claims he made. Even if his anger loomed over his shoulder -- telling him that he deserved a swift kick in the balls, a couple punches to the face, he knew that he had to be strong. He had to be the bigger person. And besides, that scum wasn't worth the assault charge anyway. He had won. Max didn't need any more salt rubbed in his wounds anyway.

Before he can do anything he'll regret, he grabs his keys before heading out to his truck and slamming the door shut. The force behind it is more than he ever anticipated, wondering how the door is not hanging from a single hinge. In order to drown out his own thoughts he turns on the radio, grimacing as he listens to the words of the song that he has never heard before as he turns out of his driveway and takes the familiar route to Sasha's home.

It's bittersweet to think about the damage that we do' Cause I was going down, but I was doing it with you Yeah, everything we broke, and all the trouble that we made But I say that I hate you with a smile on my face...

God, how could he have been so stupid. He had once believed that everything he had done in his life had led him here, to her. But it had all been nothing more than a beautiful, well-crafted lie.

Oh, look what we became..

He thinks about the first time he kissed her. She had been infuriated about Emmeline and all he could do was just stand there, in shock that she believed anyone else could have even compared. To her, no woman in the world had compared to him. Every other star had gone dim. God, he would have spent his whole life walking this world alone if he could have just had a moments peace with her. A single gaze, an assurance of her safety.

He remembers how she feels underneath him, how she reacted to his touch -- how something dormant, long since dead had finally been reignited, rejuvenated.

But now, he sat in his run-down truck, broken and bruised. Gutted. Damaged beyond repair, the Shadow having delivered him news that hurt more than any other attack could.

Complete and utter heartbreak.

Your favorite crime... Your favorite crime... 'Cause baby, you were mine.

[nathaniel-donovan]

Where: MC Clubhouse With: @colemonroe

Having left Two King's Casino hours before the drama that seemed to unfold, he was obliviously unaware of the sheer panic rippling through those wanting to enjoy their night out. Nate, however, had been doing just that, finding himself gripping onto that sense of peace Alara gave him, feeling like his mind for the first time in months had just turned quiet. Though that was something that was soon pulled away from him the moment his phone rang; Cole Monroe on the other end of it telling him of the shots that had been fired, as well as the gas that was used against the people in the Casino. There's a few words exchanged with an end result of Nate meeting him back at the Clubhouse.

Telling Alara briefly of what he knew he was already making his way out of the door, first thought of ringing Logan and when she doesn't answer he calls Lydia, getting through easily he's eased to some degree to know she was home, in turn telling her about the open fire and how he was still trying to get hold of their sister -- something he's continuously trying to do as gets into his car. Frustration only consuming him with the lack of reply, it has him making a turn towards the Casino only to be redirected by the swarm of police that was already there.

Seeing it as futile even trying he made his way over towards the Clubhouse; continuing to complete spam the fuck out of his sister's phone as he now waits inside for Cole. It's now that he begins to toy with the idea on whether or not to head to the ER and ask after her there, that his brother finally walks through the doors, Nate doesn't say anything he just waits to try a gauge what Cole he was being greeted by.

[genshinimpactlife]

Could you write headcanons of the infantile woman running towards of a 7' tall athletic woman for a hug. Her, Zhongli and Yanfei talk somewhere more private, she talked to the woman in their language and then thanked them for showing Alara kindness after she was mistreaten. They had seperated after a horde of bandits attacked them, and clues about her whereabouts led her here. If questioned about the language and art she tells them that they are both from Khaenri'ah. Zhongli felt like she wasn't entirely honest with them, her eyes were yellowish gold and had a subtle glow that did flicker as if she is trying to supress the lifeforce they actually contain. She gifted them each a exotic teaset (lol think of turkish) she summoned from a pocket realm of a gem on her elaborate armguard as a thanks. She then hastily made a leave with Alara.

In the next morning two naked and mutilated milleliths corpses were found, there were no witnesses to the crime but these two milleliths happen to be the ones who arrested Alara. They looked like someone punched their hearts out, there were no elemental traces, their spear heads were completely shattered.

Zhongli and the strange woman part 3

Since the woman kept drawing Zhongli, Yanfei took her out in public to meet up with him. The woman kept looking at Zhongli but didn't do much else.

However, nearing the end of the visit, she suddenly stood up and took off running. She ran straight into a very tall woman, hugging her and speaking in a language none of them knew.

Yanfei and Zhongli reacted quickly and were only a few feet behind the woman. Once they saw she knew the woman she hugged, they relaxed.

They went back to Madam Ping's house to speak for some privacy, and that's when the tall woman started to explain what had happened.

The woman, whose name was Alara, had been separated from her family, and after some investigating, she was finally found with Yanfei and Zhongli.

Neither of them had ever seen people like them before, and after some questioning, the woman eventually told them they were from Khaenri'ah. Except too many things didn't add up

The woman avoided talking about certain things and seemed to hide secrets from Yanfei and Zhongli.

Not to mention her unique eyes that seemed to hold energy back that even Zhongli was curious about.

Of course, both Yanfei and Zhongli graciously accepted the tea set gift. It was another set that Zhongli could add to his collection.

The way she gave them the tea set surprised them, as she seemed to summon it from thin air using her armguard. There were so many secrets and surprises to this woman that Zhongli was starting to feel on edge.

Zhongli wanted to keep casually questioning the woman, but as soon as thanks were said, she seemed to be rushing to leave.

Before they could walk out the door, however, Alara ran over to Zhongli and hugged him, muttering something he didn't understand. He could only assume it was a thank you in her language.

Zhongli and Yanfei thought that would be the end, but they were both wrong.

The following day Yanfei came running over to Zhongli's, informing him of what happened.

The two milleliths that had taken Alara had been found dead, their hearts missing as if they had been punched out. It was assumed that some elemental power was used, but Yanfei claimed no elemental traces were left behind.

The problem was the two of them had a suspect, and they were obligated to tell the Millelith about what happened.

This ask just keeps getting more interesting. I hope you enjoy!

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