#Headmaster Hammer

[balu8]

Karl Kerschl: Headmaster Hammer (Gotham Academy)

[lonelyzarquon]

Peter Cushing in Fear in the Night (1972)

[wolken-himmel]

In which (Y/n) tells the dorm leaders that they're the most handsome person in Twisted Wonderland.

What was meant as an April Fool's joke somehow turns Night Raven College into a battlefield.

Idea by anon.

"Why did you go around and tell the dorm leaders out of all people that they're the most handsome person in the world? Why, (Y/n)?"

Deuce paced back and forth between the fire place and the couch of Ramshackle's living room, his hands crossed behind back. The frown on his face deepened even more when he found you lazily lounging on a nearby recliner.

"I thought it would be funny to see everyone's reaction!" you said and laughed to yourself. "And actually, seeing Riddle turn as red as his hair was hilarious. Also, you should have heard Idia's screaming through the tablet."

Ace's lips quirked upwards into a grin. "Okay, that does sound funny."

"Quit the yapping," Grim yelled from the other side of the living room. He had a few wooden boards in his arms and a hammer balanced on top. "I need help barricading the windows."

"Right." A hum of exasperation escaped Deuce's lips while he pointed into the direction where all the commotion was coming from. The noise must have originated from the main building, and the fact that it was still audible in the Ramshackle mansion was incredibly concerning. "I don't think you realise how dire the situation is out there."

"Did someone call me?" a newcomer suddenly asked.

All four of you whirled around to find Crowley standing by the entrance to the living room. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest. Without allowing you any time to react to his sudden appearance, he rushed over to your side with wide steps. His heavy shadow loomed over you.

"Oh, it's just you, Headmaster," you began and sat up. "How are you—"

He interrupted you with a dramatic sigh. "You truly offend me, my darling child." Without further explanation, he put his hand to his forehead and sank into the couch, right next to you.

"What?" You sat up straight. "What have I done now?"

"You go around telling the dorm leaders that they're the most handsome person in the world! But you forgot about me?" A playfully offended frown decorated his face. When the resident ghosts dared to peek around the corner in curiosity, he addressed them immediately, "Did the prefect also compliment you three?"

"Of course!" the ghost in the middle exclaimed dreamily. His eyes practically took the shape of hearts when he put his hands to his chest. "My heart began beating so quickly, I thought I had come back from the dead. The prefect truly has a way with charming people, dead or alive."

His reply had the headmaster sink into the cushions of his seat even further. "Oh, how you wound me..."

Deuce furrowed his eyebrows in innocent confusion. "Is that why you came here, Headmaster?"

At his words, Crowley lazily rose to his feet again and straightened his cloak. "Partly, yes." He cleared his throat, although he sent you one last glare before moving on, "I also came because the entire campus is a warzone. The dorms have decided to band together and fight against each other to defend their leader's honour. Everyone thinks the others are lying."

"See?" Grim pointed to the windows he had already barricaded. "And you think I'm the one overreacting?"

The volume of his voice had you rolling your eyes. "Calm down, everyone." Then, you finally summoned the willpower to rise to your feet. "Can't I just talk to them?"

"You must, since you are the perpetrator."

A rush of annoyance came over you. The constant noise from the main building caused a headache to form. You rubbed the bridge of your nose. "It was just an April Fool's joke... I didn't think anyone would take it this seriously," you muttered in resignation. "These boys... Fine, I'll go out and clear things up."

Grim stopped you before you could leave the living room. His large blue eyes shone meaningfully. "Henchhuman, just in case you don't return, I wanted to tell you that..." he trailed off and took your hand into his paws. "I'll be taking your favourite scarf! You won't need it anymore, right?"

At once, you ripped your hands out of his grasp. "You're an idiot, Grim," you grumbled and simply walked around him to exit the building.

Deuce came rushing after you. "We'll accompany you, (Y/n). That's what friends are there for."

"Really? Do we have to?" Ace asked with raised eyebrows. He seemed reluctant, still remaining by the fire place where he had last stopped pacing. But even he wasn't immune to Deuce's pressing gaze, and with the headmaster joining in, he was done for. Begrudingly throwing his hands into the air, he joined your side. "Fine..."

"I'll stay here," Grim yelled after the three of you, "to make sure they don't break in and steal my tuna."

"They're in the Hall of Mirrors. Please stop them before they destroy my prized mirrors!"

°

°

°

"I knew you were a schemer, Azul. But I didn't take you for a liar."

"You call me a liar, Riddle? Me and my business are very much trustworthy. The same couldn't be said about you, though."

You arrived in the Hall of Mirrors not a second too late. The place was packed to the brim with students from every dorm. Just blinking once had been enough to lose track of Ace and Deuce. And by now, you had given up on finding them in this huge mass of people. You would have never thought that you would one day see so many people fit into this hall. But here you were, struggling to make your presence known with the loud and large crowd.

You could already see most of the dorm leaders facing off against each other in the very middle, where the students had formed a pit. But none of them seemed to hear your voice over all the murmuring.

"Come on, let's get this over with quickly," Leona said and rolled his eyes. "As soon as we have established that you're all in the wrong, I can go back to doing something more productive, such as napping."

"Guys, why can't we all be the most handsome person in the world together? I'd be open to sharing the title," Kalim said in worry when he noticed how everyone's voice dripped with malice.

"As a matter of fact, 'most handsome' is the superlative form and implies that the title is exclusively reserved for one person only." Everyone's eyes solely lay on Malleus as he spoke, his deep and calm voice bouncing off the walls to reach your ears. The air turned cold out of a sudden, and nobody dared to whisper even a single word — not even you.

But Rook dared to cut through the tangible air with his cheery voice. "Oh, a fight for beauty! This battle will be legendary!" he exclaimed in excitement, as if he had been born for this very moment. "I will gladly defend your honour, Vil."

His dorm leader didn't seem to reciprocate his enthusiasm, however. "Quit it, Rook. We all know that the prefect's compliment for all of us was in mere vain — a joke to gauge our reaction," Vil said and flicked his wrist elegantly. "Tell everyone to return to whatever they were doing previously, I have more important matters to attend to."

"Ortho, can you get me more popcorn—" a voice came from the floating tablet in the first row. An embrassed shriek escaped its speakers once everyone turned their attention to it. "Oh, I forgot to mute... Sorry, everyone." And on cue, the speakers went silent.

An awkward cough went through the crowd, but the dorm leaders quickly returned to facing off against each other.

"So, shall we begin?"

"I suppose."

Just as one was about to make the first move, you managed to stumble into the middle of the pit. "No, stop it!" you yelled at the top of your lungs.

A round of gasps went through the crowd, and everyone's eyes widened in surprise at your sudden arrival. Vil was the only exception. "Ah, the prefect has arrived," the dorm leader drawled. Knowing chuckles escaped his perfectly painted lips. "Now, would you mind enlightening the others about your little joke?"

"Right, tell the others who you really think is the most handsome."

"Yes, I want to see the grins wiped off their faces."

You hated yourself after having gazed upon their expectant faces. Most of them wore a pair of puppy eyes that gleamed brightly with eagerness. Unable to face them, you lowered your gaze in shame. "Actually, I told every one of you that you were the most handsome person in Twisted Wonderland." Nervous chuckles escaped your lips when the entire hall went deadly silent. You raised your hands into the air defensively. "Please, it was just a joke. Today is April Fool's, guys."

Riddle clicked his tongue. "A punishment for unfunny jokes is in order."

"You hurt our feelings, (Y/n)!" Kalim cried out and put his hands on his hips. When Jamil handed him a handkerchief, the dorm leader blew his nose loudly.

An unreadable smile appeared on Azul's face. "Perhaps it is time we banded together," he suggested, as if negotiating for a contract.

Your smile turned more nervous by the second, especially when they began to circle you. "Guys? It was kinda funny, don't you think?" you said, suddenly unable to hold in your laughter anymore. "Your reactions were priceless."

"Get the prefect!" everyone yelled at once.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hello, hi, heya! I noticed something and wanted to share it. So the Pop Music Club only has three members and was in danger of disbanding according to Lilia's ceremonial robes story. Malleus and Jade are the only members of their clubs though so how are they not disbanded yet? Vil was also the only one before Ortho but I think he's in a different category since he clearly has mobs in his club. Your thoughts?

Oh, that’s a good point 🤔 Cater says in Lilia’s Ceremonial Robes vignettes: “We've only got three members and we never do anything. If we don't get more people this year, we're getting disbanded!” He also states that “[…] the headmage has his eye on [the Pop Music Club]” because of their low membership, which implies Crowley is the one that handles club disbandment at NRC.

Unlike Vil’s Film Research Club, there are no mob students with membership to the Gargoyle Appreciation Society or the Mountain Lovers Club. Malleus and Jade are stated to be the sole members of their respective extracurricular organizations… so why doesn’t Crowley bring down the hammer of disbandment on them?

… My guess is that Crowley’s too afraid to piss off Malleus and/or Jade 😂 Malleus is the more obvious threat of the two, being someone of royal status as well as a powerful mage. Being told his club is going bye-bye could upset him and result in… uh, Kentucky Fried Crowley, let’s say.

Jade, while the less obvious threat, is capable of coercion through other means. Remember how Octavinelle collects dirt on people (Jade’s Ceremonial Robes vignettes + book 4) to use it against them? Remember how they put Crowley in a tight bind in book 3 by seizing control of a quarter of NRC’s student population so he would cave to their demands? It’s very possible that Jade could retaliate or figure out something similar to make Crowley’s job more difficult than it has to be. I can see why the headmaster wouldn’t want to get in those two’s time with their hyperfixations.

Back to the Pop Music Club for a second! It’s true that they have an influential figure of their own in the ranks: Kalim! Wouldn’t Crowley be afraid of upsetting him? Possibly! The thing about Kalim though is that he’s not spiteful or retaliatory. He’d be sad if his club disbanded, but I don’t see him trying to get back at the headmaster for it. Kalim would be sad for a while and then eventually look for another club to join or try to do something to cheer himself up. After all, Kalim seems to have joined the Pop Music Club moreso to socialize than to play instruments. Maybe he can talk to his friends or arrange another social activity to fill in the space of time after classes.

[novankenn]

Familial Interference...

Glynda Goodwitch was racing through the Emerald Forest, with one unconscious Jaune Arc slung over her shoulder.

Pyrrha: (Yelling) Get back here with our man you cradle robbing cougar!!!

Glynda: (Yelling) He's my nephew you psychos!

Ruby : (Yelling) That just makes your attraction to him that much more worse!

Glynda: (Yelling) I am not attracted to Jaune! He's my nephew and DESPITE what his mother thinks... I am NOT letting any of you touch him!

Penny: (Yelling) But we are mother approved and insemination ready!

Glynda: (Yelling) You all need to be medicated!

Nora: (Yelling) Here's NORA!

Glynda tosses Jaune into the air, does a handstand flip off of Nora's magnhlid, catches Jaune, and continues racing deeper into the forest, as Nora's hammer shatters a tree upon impact.

Nora: Whoa... that was so cool!

Glynda kept pushing herself, she knew the only chance Jaune's chastity had was if she could get through the mountains, to the coast.

Glynda: Damn you Jasmine! Damn you demented baby crazy woman!

Pyrrha: (Yelling) Hag! Give us...

Glynda: (Yelling) I am NOT... HEY, get back here with my nephew!!

Ruby took off in a explosion of rose petals.

Back at Beacon... in the Headmaster's Office...

Jasmine Arc: (watching it all through a crystal ball on Ozpin's desk) That's it girls! That's it! Give me strawberry blond cuties to spoil! Give them all to me! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Port, Oobleck and Ozpin all sat in the furthest away corner visibly cowering in fear.

Jasmine Arc: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[mewpangxin]

Hopelessness.

( tw: Inappropriate uses for magic. )

A/N: The title can be both to Riddle and you.

Contents: Yandere-ish?, implied obsession, delusional opinions, no one was harmed in this except for the mirror lol.

## Wrath? ##

It should have been obvious with how fond Riddle was with you, he has been hospitable, his laughters, gentleness— it was for you, don't you know?

So can you see when the headmaster told everyone that he managed to find a way for you to go home.

They were incredibly happy for you.

Almost.

Except for someone, he wasn't joyful about it.

Because a certain scarlet haired dorm leader scowled with lips pursed as he looked back at you.

Why would you wish to return?!

It infuriates him as much as he feels so pained.

“I'm glad you can go back.” He lied through his teeth, this outcome... was detestable! He won't let you be.

Riddle was sick of himself.

You beamed as you hugged him then wandered off to say goodbye to your friends and peers in the college.

That linking transportation to your world.. if he severs it himself, you wouldn't have a say! So isn't it okay for once for him to have this? To have you?

Thoughts about losing you has him on chokehold.

“I'll be going during midnight because the preparations have to take some time.”

This caught him off guard as he listened to you.

“ ...Is that so... ? ”

He said with an idea reverberated in his head, his mind spinning in circles to connect a maneuver.

“You're my closest partner so.. I'll miss you.”

You responded back as he acknowledged.

Miss him?

Please I say since that was not stopping him.

“You're.. you're leaving so soon?”

The pleasantries he made was to cover up to his bodeful demeanor he intended to do with you.

Maybe.. maybe.. it's fine to have you hate him.

Anything.. but you slipping away from him!

•━━━━༻❝ ♥️ ❞༺ ━━━━•

Hours prior before you came to the room, he was with a staff in his hands and he gripped it in his.

“I should hurry up before they show up here.”

Riddle has been careful, no one else noticed he was at said place, the housewarden for Heartslabyul.

His heart hammered inside his chest.

Crack.

Smashing the mirror to bits and parts as the reflection in the shards that flew by was bleak.

His face has a crazed smile creeping on his lips.

Riddle crouched down on one knee to examine, his maddening gaze sweeping thoroughly at his work.

“It's not.. they can recover it, I need to have it in complete ruins, ashes.. however I could with this.”

O how disturbed you'd be of him.

Riddle was done with being a nice person for you.

•━━━━༻❝ ♥️ ❞༺ ━━━━•

The wail puts a malicious gleam on his expression as you were so, so distraught with his masterpiece.

He supposed he went too overboard with this.

Burning that object to cinders was much, wasn't it?

Your tears stained face has him pitied you as he slowly goes to you, as if he wasn't malevolent.

“Prefect? What could be the dilemma for you?”

Riddle asked with a sincere apology as he gazed.

"The.. m-mirror....! It's.. it's...”

Destroyed? Out of commission? Useless for you?

“Shh, don't cry.”

Riddle hushed you with his gloved finger.

By all means, it fills him with elation that you allowed him to hold you. You didn't realize he did this to you.

Was this suitable for a housewarden like him?

No, it wasn't!

“H-Housewarden Rosehearts..”

“How many times must I say this? You can call me Riddle.” You were too dazed to understand him.

He took a moment to fix your hood, he may favor you, however you weren't excused from this.

Dress code was a part of basic decency.

“You are to be in Heartslabyul.”

And do you have the guts to say to him otherwise?

[nandorscloak]

Nothing changed; everything changed.

Colin Robinson is back, but he left a child sized hole that deflated Laszlo and Guillermo’s entire world.

Laszlo. “Sounds like life goals achieved.” Now what? What do you have, Laszlo Cravensworth, that can fill the whole in your heart? Your little boy is gone, as well as all his memories, leaving you with nothing but a race car bed and the tinkling keys of a piano.

Guillermo packing away the toys like someone finally putting away their dreams, and still going to Nandor one last time. Not even to ask to be made into a vampire, just seeking some reason to stick around. Leaving behind his family, and putting a payment down on the life he always wanted (the one he always hoped love and devotion would grant him).

Nandor. My dumbest bitch. I truly do think at the end of season 3 he was on the verge of an emotional breakthrough, and I think season 4 began with him trying to muddle through somehow. He wanted love and affection. He tried every wish he could to get it. But he gradually wore himself down because that’s not the kind of thing you can build on your own, even with a Djinn’s help, and now he’s back where he’s started. Depressed. Closed off. Not the creepy-paper man we’ve grown to love.

Nadja, my dear ladywife with a loud voice, tired of being ignored in Europe and learning to scream while she was away. Nadja trying to bully her way into success and shuffling backwards every two steps, only to come back to her house of stupid, depressed morons. She was the most unaffected this season, but there’s definitely strife building between her and the Guide. And just like her dumb morons, she herself can be a dumb moron who’s unwilling to change. The Guide could have helped the whole time. Nadja had all the tools and help to make her nightclub successful- she had literal talent at her fingertips- but they weren’t as important as her version of the plan. The same way Guillermo’s idea about brainwashing the headmaster wasn’t as important as sticking to Nadia’s plan.

Unchangeable. Relentless as time itself. Literally rotting at the foundation. Hoping for change is something futile to the vampires. That’s what this season has hammered in over and over.

But Guillermo’s not a vampire. Guillermo’s a fundamental part of their rotting foundation- and he’s on the move to shake things up.

‘It only gets darker from here.’ But I think there was a reason for this season being so dark. They had two more seasons guaranteed. I think this season needed to happen to help destroy the previous stagnancy of the show. I think it was time to lay a new foundation.

But the one consistent element of the show is that Guillermo will always protect the vampires. He loves them. They are his family. And whatever happens next, whether he’s turned or it all goes wrong, I think that will still be true. He’s their body guard, their heart guard. Their familiar. He’s what’s familiar.

I lost the point of this. Anyways, can we get an episode next season of the household + Sean doing an Ocean’s 12 style heist to get the witches hat back from Simon the Devious? I think we’ve earned it.

[fizzyginfizz]

Hufflepup Ch 2 - Intervention

Harry had never experienced the slowing of time before. Perhaps he could blame the pensieve for shifts in temporal perception. All the heads in the room - two Head of House heads, a referee head, a Headmaster head and the family heads - swung towards Harry in slow motion, each soft clink of Dumbledore’s instruments akin to hammer striking anvil. And in that moment where time stretched slower than stale chewing gum, Harry realized two things: 1) His unvocalized desire to snog Ginevra Weasley until she forgot her loss, her house and her own name had made an unauthorized leap over the introvert fence in a bid for vocal actualization. 2) Vocal chords engaged in vocal actualization produced perceptible sound. “Shite.”

Hufflepup - An Everyone Lives AU Chapter 1 / Chapter 2

[starlightshadowsworld]

Bsd except the Headmaster doesn't come to the Agency to see Atsushi. But because he has a case.

It's assigned to Junichiro and Atsushi as it doesn't seem too complicated. Both of them are goofing off and excited to take a case together.

Junichiro introduces them to the Headmaster and Atsushi somehow manages to hide the terror that overtakes him.

Junichiro just thinks he's nervous and tries to reassure him they'll be okay.

Everyone thinks Atsushi's just nervous and give him advice and reassure him that their here for him.

But they start to catch on, this isn't just nerves.

They've seen Atsushi when he's nervous, this isn't that. Atsushi is polite to the Headmaster but when he thinks no ones looking, there's terror in his eyes.

And isn't that something. Atsushi's gone through so much during his time at the Agency. Only a handful of times has Atsushi been afraid, usually when his life's in danger.

And this random client illicts such fear from him.

No one at the Agency knows about Atsushi's past. They know that he grew up in an Orphanage and not treated kindly.

Nothing else.

The Headmaster is civil, polite but when he's with Atsushi there's an undertone of malice. You only notice it when you look for it.

They've all dealt with asshole clients but this, this is different. It reminds Dazai and Yosano of Mori.

They call a meeting and discuss their concerns. Their kindness drives Atsushi to tears, he's been so afraid to say anything and the words start pouring out.

Atsushi asks them if they know why he doesn't but himself anything other than food. None of them know. He tells them when he was 11 he found sweets while cleaning.

Some kids told the Headmaster Atsushi stole them. "I wasn't allowed to own things, those were reserved for people and I wasn't human.... So he punished me."

Atsushi, in a sad but rather detached way tells his friends about the hammer, how he couldn't do it so the Headmaster did it.

"He made me sit there, for hours... And than I had to take it out."

Everyone is horrified, Kyouka is holding him in her arms along with Kenji and Junichiro.

Dazai is seething inside, Kunikida is seething on the outside. Yosano is gripping her cleaver and Ranpo is serious and mad.

"Atsushi, who is this client?" Asks Fukuzawa, softly as fatherly rage swelling up in his heart. But he won't lose his temper here. He knows, he's put the pieces together but they need to hear it from Atsushi.

"The client is the Headmaster."

Suffice to say Atsushi is dropped from the case, as is Junichiro. Ranpo figures it out in immediately and the bastard is kicked out by Dazai.

Who may or may not have threatened the Headmaster. Along with everyone else with various bodily torture of he dares to ever show his face here again.

"Who would've known, he turned out to be so kind." Said the Headmaster. Dazai smiles at him but his is not kind.

"Atsushi is kind. He always has been, not because of you but despite of you. You just had to make him the monster so you could justify your actions and the abuse you faced. Your pathetic."

Kunikida pulls Atsushi into a hug, tells him no shadows from his past l will ever hurt him again, not on their watch.

And Atsushi breaks down being held by the people he loves.

[invested-in-your-future]

Why do you think RWBY v1-3 worked compared to the rest of it?

Hm.

Honestly a lot of the first three volumes doesn't - the pacing can be awful (and grinds to a halt within arcs dealing with Jaune), the writing decisions leave a lot of to be desired(and are beyond offensive at times).

To say what the first three volumes do well is to talk about what the volumes after dont.

The issue with V4 and onward is simple one:

Too many new redundant characters

I have been hammering on this point again and again - in a weird attempt to expand the world, the showrunners ended up filling it with things that overlap win purpose or outright have no purpose.

Generally if you want to have something happen and want to choose between existing character and new character as initiator, nine times out of ten it's better to go with an existing character.

For example, why did we need Salem's evil council of evil? Why did we need a whole team of villains on Salem's side that essentially fulfill same role and purpose as Cinder's group already did? They don't exactly do anything for the lore or the setting and most of their purpose is one-note - Hazel for example exists just to rage about Ozpin in a poorly executed attempt at making his intentions and role more ambiguous - but there are already plenty of characters who can fill that purpose, so why was Hazel, as a character made? Raven exists, Ironwood exists and is clearly having a crisis, even Haven's headmaster exists (let's say he does) - plenty of ways other characters can fulfill the same purpose as Hazel without Hazel existing. Same extends to the rest of Salem's group - Watts exists solely to "explain" the computer virus (why did we need it explained?) and to have a reason to go against Atlas (but Cinder already has a reason thanks to her backstory in-show???) and Tyrian is the same way.

Too many redundant story beats

The writing attempted to make the setting more complex, but in the end a lot of what's added has no real reason to be there - why do we need Relics when Maidens are already there? Even if we were to go with the same idea of Gods causing doomsday(as dumb as it is) the writing could just as easily have the exact same plotline with collecting Maiden powers, for example. So why have vaults and then relics on top of that?

The Gods are the same way too. Why have Gods at all when you can already comfortably just go with the idea of Salem getting Maidens powers to her side being just as catastrophic? Salem's backstory doesn't even need them - in fact if one were to remove the Gods and keep the backstory the same, the end result would be exact same story. But the show doesn't do that - instead, come V9, it adds ANOTHER layer of gods and magic trees and gives the god brothers a backstory that ALSO wasn't needed and doesn't do ANYTHING in terms of furthering the narrative.

Generally if there's a plot thread you'd want to do the first question to ask would be "Does this change ANYTHING for any of the characters?" - plot is an excuse to get characters through the story beats after all. In the case of God Brothers, the plot thread invents a new problem and then solves it - nothing changes.

Lost Focus

The show is titled RWBY for a reason.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang - that's the core of the show.

The show started with the color trailers focusing on them and their journeys. The Volume 3 ended with them each having their own issues to deal with and plot threads tying to those issues.

What do the Volumes that follow do with that set-up? Nothing.

Volume 4 is absolutely pointless in grand scheme of things.

Volume 5 is absolutely pointless in grand scheme of things.

Volume 6 is absolutely pointless in grand scheme of things.

In fact, I wrote about the story structure issues with V4 years ago

The narrative structure, at the basic level, is a game of Connect-the-Dots - you have specific story beats you want to reach that work in accordance with overall story and character outline - it's up for The Plot(tm) to lead the characters from one beat to the other.

The way RWBY works past V3 is by inventing a new problem that didn't and then resolving it, essentially staying in place. I sort of outlined it in the V4 structure chart in my write up in how nothing in that Volume serves any real purpose nor furthers the characters.

What does the mess at Haven Academy contribute to the story story that Beacon already haven't? Does what happen there affect the story going forward? No.

What does team RWBY and the whole absolutely dumb and boring mess with the mech and leviathan do for the story? Are there any lasting consequences from that happening? Nope.

What does the run-in with the Apathy do for the characterization? Are there any lingering psychological effects? Do we learn something new about how Grimm function or how the Eyes work? Are there any lingering implications or any story holes that the encounter slots in into? Absolutely nothing.

That's three big examples in those Volumes where the writing invents a new issue, resolves it and doesn't further characters or narrative by doing so.

In Connect-the-Dots, you don't stop hopping from dot to dot midway-through, you don't hop back and forth between existing dots. Story beats and character beats are beats for a reason - they move things forward, they affect things, they alter things. If you have something that leads the narrative back at the place it was before in then you might as well delete the entire thing.

Now this is not the same as characters being stuck in loops or the idea of repetition as storytelling device - repetition that the narrative is aware of WOULD be a story beat in on itself and this is not that.

In fact even going into Atlas arc - the endgame has almost nothing to do with the build up to it and would happen anyway even if most of the volumes leading to it were removed.

Anticlimactic Payoff

If the narrative is build up to something, the pay off should generally equal to the amount of time and focus spend on the build up (unless it's used as a contrast).

Yet in RWBY a lot of mysteries end up being more of matter-of-fact answers than revelations.

What happened to the moon? Oh something crashed into it.

Why are Ozpin and Salem the way they are? Gods did it.

Why is Raven angry at Ozpin? He...turned her into a bird?

What has been Raven up to? Nothing.

Is Ozpin shady or not? Eh, not really - he's just sort of there.

What's up with the creatures of Grimm? Gods did it.

All of these were teased and built up going forward and the actual revelations never justified the build up or teasing that came before.

None of those revelations did anything to further the narrative or develop characters.

It was as if the writers were going through a checklist of what needs to be revealed.

So, What about the first three Volumes?

Now, flip everything I wrote about V4 and onward upside down.

That's the first three Volumes.

The only characters that exist are the ones that have an use within the narrative.

The plot threads are revealed when they become relevant - Mt.Glenn comes up when it matters, for example. If anything there's not enough reveals.

One can easily trace the plot threads through the story - how Ruby's introduction to Beacon affects her dynamics with Weiss, how Jaune's and Ruby's struggles with unexpected positions of leadership affect the team formation, how the friction within the teams furthers the plot to crash into villains goals. And what's more - each mini-arc ties to the four leads and their characterization. Things don't just happen - each storyline starts with the character and ends with characters growing or their relationships changing.

The Payoff is extremely good - V3 takes every single thing the show did through the three volumes and makes use of it. Everything matters - Mt. Glenn exposition, Roman, WF stuff, Jaune's insecurities, Pyrrha's characterization, Yang's characterization, Blake's conflict, Ruby's growth and position int he story, Weiss growth, etc - everything gets used and everything affects the characters involved.

For all the flaws, for all the absolutely insensitive story decisions and bad jokes - the first three volumes manage to handle those key points well and the end result is far more enjoyable.

The volumes after don't.

While good action sequences helped one of many reasons I hold V1 through V3 dear to my heart is because the show pulled off something that was quite rare back then when those Volumes aired - delivering actual consequences and not being afraid of upsetting the status quo within the story.

[prince-kallisto]

crowley conspiracy connoiseur i wanna confirm smth, is it true that Crowley NEVER ever used his magic??

Like without the aid of a magical item (e.g the part where he drank a transformation potion on prologue to turn into a ghost to test Grim and Yuu, thats not exactly HIS magic) I dont think he ever did?? Like even just a simple teleportation spell he never casted anything--- but he has knowledge about magic thats for sure--

but back to the question— he never ever casted a single magic in lore right??? Cuz I think its bcs his magic heavily relies on the Dark Mirror, thats why when theres an overblot hes not doing anything like fight it himself despite being the headmaster-- instead he uses the magic of students-- because he cant do anything magical without that Dark Mirror??

Or maybe his magic is really just prophetic, which is completely useless in combat/power kajsja

am gonna die if he actually used magic but i just forgot 💀💀💀

Finally, someone who addresses me by my proper title!!! 💞🤪 /j

Just like Crowley, the answer to this very good question is annoyingly complicated ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ Because it’s YES and…No???

The thing is, in the Twisted Wonderland game, he never uses magic, so you are correct! The Dark Mirror, the Potion, the Ghost Camera, and that magic Hammer thing for the guest room: all of these are magic items that Crowley has used. Even in the Savanaclaw chapter where he teaches Ace, Deuce, and Grim about blot, he summons the three Ramshackle ghosts to battle them to create blot. He has never been in a battle in-game, which is very sus. It’s even lampshaded in the prologue, when Crowley says to catch the runaway Grim at the entrance ceremony, Leona says “why don’t you do it yourself?”

But here’s where it gets complicated: In both the manga and the novel, he DOES use magic- but on a very minor scale.

He demonstrates fire magic with the tip of one claw, saying how imagination is vital to casting magic

And in the Heartslabyul manga AND the novel when Riddle overblots, he actually casts a barrier to protect the students from the debris. (Tee hee he was lowkey kinda cool for this)

And finally, in the novel he seems to magically give Grim the magestone collar.

This inconsistency makes me weirdly grumpy lmao, because isn’t it strange how there are no rumors about the Headmage’s “strong magical power!” Or something? You’d think that the headmage of a prestigious academy would have those types of rumors surrounding him, but he doesn’t. However, I am consoled by the fact that nearly all the magic Crowley has used in outside-game stuff (minus the little fire) is all PASSIVE/DEFENSIVE magic.

Barriers, summoning items. Not the most aggressive type of magic, right? So I think you’re right that Crowley may not have strong attack-type magic, which makes sense if he’s inspired by Maleficent’s raven. Diablo supports Maleficent; he’s not the one shooting lightning at everybody! In Idia’s Night Raven Quest, Crowley is definitely the defense/support type 🤪 Perhaps he really can’t do anything with the Overblots because he can’t attack with magic well.

It’s also become a running gag that Crowley “appears” in front of people literally whenever. I don’t think it’s teleportation magic- but a transformation. He seem to turn into a raven/crow in the opening animation several times, so maybe he doesn’t even need teleportation magic? He can just turn into a tiny bird, very inconspicuous, and turn back into his human form to catch people off guard. And if he is Levan, who was the left-hand war general, he would have a significant amount of physical strength and fighting prowess. Hmmm…

Now that you mention it though, I realize NRC actually has a lot of connection with things that DONT use magic 🤔 Pomefiore with poisons and curses, Ignihyde with machines, Savanaclaw and sports, Octanivelle and intellect, and Scarabia with astrology?!? Interesting how the stars can be used for predictions 👀 I wished it was mentioned in-game tho…Anyway, Diasomnia is this one weird case where the students there are literally just good at magic 😭 SUS?!?!?

Oops this got very long ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ Didn’t mean to use your ask to create another theory 🤣 I hope this helps, because I literally cannot think of a single instance where he uses his own magic in-game??? Which is very sus and idk if the novel and manga count for this…thanks for the ask, it was super interesting! 👀

Edit: As of Crowley’s card that dropped months after this ask was written, Crowley displays much more magic than what was written here!

[neet-elite]

I love your writing, you got me obsessed with DoL lol. Can I request Leighton/player, with him taking the detention punishment further and actually fuckin or something? ur the best

i fucking hate that guy i blackmailed him as soon as i learnt i could because he is such a fucking TEASE right??? i let him play with me for so long but he never FUCKED ME it was a waste of TIME.

MDNI ♡ Warnings: power imbalance, teacher/student

WC: 1130

At this rate, you have him assuming that you're optionally choosing to act out in favour of meeting him in detention, more so than any of the other plentiful attending masochistic students. It wouldn't surprise him, given how often you've visited him in the last week alone. So seeing you show up at his door on recommendation from some teacher he can't remember is more a welcome sight than anything. Aren't you tired of spankings yet? Ah, the thought of it being too sore for you to sit causes his cock to twitch.

Maybe you need something more... Fulfilling to teach you the lesson he's been trying to hammer into you. That is to say, something more satisfying to quench your apparent thirst.

It'd be disgusting if not for how enjoyable you are every time you saunter into his office all high and mighty, giving him that look, as if you aren't a royal pain in his backside. Sharing formal niceties like routine, a welcome hello followed by "You've been bad again, haven't you?"

The little lip bite you give him while nodding your head yes goes straight to his cock— always does. Good thing he's sitting behind his desk, right? Allowing himself to gently pet at his growing erection that started the moment you knocked on his door. He could tell it was you, could see your silhouette behind the frosted glass.

"What was it this time, hm?" He questions, though it's more rhetorical than genuine. He knows why you're there, but it's fun to keep up the theatrics of a caring school board member, no? You seem to enjoy it too, given the way you tremble in the chair sat afront his desk. You're so used to that seat by now, he's sure that the cushions are molded into the shape of you. Appearances matter, especially when it comes to your punishment. Slipping into the dominant persona is so easy with you, his lustful gaze falling on how your frame tilts to the side just ever so slightly; eager, are we?

Whatever you're looking for, he's happy to provide that and a little more. You must need something extra, right? That's why you seeking his detention again, correct?

Though when you fail to answer his query, instead fluttering your eyelashes up at him so prettily, fuck, the things he'd do to you if not for his position as headmaster— flickering your gaze down to where he pats his cock (though you've set to see it, you've been hidden under there enough times to pinpoint its exact location), he takes the opportunity to guess. Fun, right?

"Perhaps... Kissing Mason again, hm?" Jealousy taints his words, prompting him to tug harsher at his cock, a viewable jerking motion present in his arm for you to gawk it. He doesn't care, there's no use hiding it, not with the mutual understanding of your presence here tonight. "Or, were you caught without underwear again? Dirty girl, you know that's against the rules."

"But Sir! If I wear any then—"

A single finger pointed at his lips and you shut up. God it feels good to command you like this, dress pants tight with the throb of his cock as he stands, erection pointed directly at you as he repositions it so. He doesn't truly care for your reasons for being, walking towards you like predator to prey, hiking your school skirt up with one easy flip as soon as he's close enough to. Guilty as charged, no panties.

He gulps at the sight of your pretty pussy drooling all over his chair the second he sees it, beads of precum staining his expensive pants in response. Though it's a common enough occurrence, he's yet to grow used to the sight. Chest tight with want, cock hard with need. He tuts down at you, rolling his eyes in a mix of enjoyment and judgement. Filthy slut, seeking his attention like this? It's so dirty; which is why he can't say no to you. A pervert after his own heart, he bends down to your level as if speaking to a child.

"Bend over, will you?"

And the speed at which you adhere to his instructions has him falling in love. Just a little, not enough to overtake the overwhelming amount of lust pooling in his tummy when you present your cute little holes to him without so much as a complaint, but a little.

Not much more discussion is needed, he thinks. Unbuckling his pants for you to turn back and watch, a shocked expression on your pretty little face that he gasps at. Pretty. "What?" He questions apathetically, lifting an eyebrow your way as his fat cock flops out of his too tight restraints. "Figured you were after something more, right?" Bet you were imagining another spanking, calloused fingers stroking up and down your wet slit to make you mewl.

But before you can properly reply, he steals your opportunity; "Regardless, this is what bad girls get." Lining himself up to your cunt with a quick few strokes up and down the length of his cock before he shoves himself inside in one swift motion. Fully and completely, disregarding any of your discomfort in favour of cursing over how fucking tight you are when left unaware to his intentions. Bad girl turned soft, a condescending coo escaping him at how quiet you've went compared to your usual attitude when he starts an immediate and brutal pace. And he means to follow it up with something; a threat, maybe? Anything to show that he holds the power over you right now, but your cunt sucks him in so sweetly, begging for more of his insidious precum to spill against your walls, the moment he draws his hips back only to shove his full length balls deep inside of you again effectively shuts him up.

Because to be honest, you've always had all the power in this sick relationship. And to finally have his cock kissing your cervix only reminds him of that fact. He only wears the dress of control, and he finds himself feeling thankful that you've offered your tight little hole up to him like this, whining for more with babbles and sobs of which he happily gives.

He should have done this a long time ago, huffing and puffing above you before proposing a deal.

"Stay— Oh, fuck, keep squeezin' like that— Um, stay out of detention for— for a week, and I'll fuck ya again, 'kay?"

Rewards are a bit out of his wheelhouse, but he can correct your behaviour yet. Especially if it means getting to be inside of you again, rutting his fat cock into you with a pace that almost has you falling off the chair.

[howlingday]

Mmm, the Inquisition is making their demands. I daresay some would have issues with that. Tales and stories of Remnant has already spread by now. Orks like this world because of the Grimm but I imagine there's another Chapter of Marines that like the fight of the Grimm.

A chapter that's...angry.

A chapter that won't tolerate the Inquisition.

A chapter that's ALWAYS ANGRY!!! ALL THE TIME!!!

Behold! THE ANGRY MARINES!!!

A special thank you to @warmastercain55 for providing me the link to the wiki regarding this famous/infamous homebrew blend of Space Marines. More and more, I learn about the Warhammer community, and more and more I am amused and terrified of what lies within. That said, here is the sequel to my prior post regarding the Ordo Hereticus.

..............................................................

Jaune shivered with tears in his eyes as he watched his friends being loaded into strange device. He openly sobbed as he watched Pyrrha being hauled in, unconscious and unceremoniously dumped inside like a sack of flour. He never considered himself lucky, not in the slightest when compared to the other students with years of training already under their belts. Sadly, that training proved ineffective against the totalitarian regime that was the "Empire of Mankind," and it was only by his own natural luck that he escaped their claiming of these "psykers" that were his friends with unlocked semblances.

Suddenly, there was a loud scream, louder than anything Remnant had heard before. Suddenly, the grounds of Beacon were bombarded and cratered in by huge metal eggs from the sky. Suddenly, there was shouts of untempered rage echoing across the grounds.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Roared the Inquisitor. "We did not call for assistance from the Astartes!"

"No, but I did." Headmaster Ozpin replied. "We will not permit invaders who think they can bully their way into Remnant."

"You..." The Inquistor shook with rage. "You here-" He choked on his words as the headmaster smashed his cane into the Inquistor's throat.

"You are the heretics here!" Ozpin roared, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"WHO'S A FUCKING HERETIC?!" A booming voice, accompanied by the terrified screams of students awaiting to be taken away. A gilded giant stomped his way into Ozpin's direction. "WHO'S THE FUCKING DEAD MOTHERFUCKER WHO THINKS THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH HERESY?!"

The woman in black armor stepped in between. "It is these insubordinates falsely accusing our inquisition of-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP AND SPEAK PLAINLY, YOU GODDAMN WHITE HAIRED COCKSUCKING WHORE!"

"They're heretics." Ozpin pointed plainly at the Inquisitor, who was still grasping his throat.

"FUCKING HERETIC!" Pulling free his warhammer, the gold and red titan roared his battle cry. "ALWAYS ANGRY, ALL THE TIME!"

The Sister of Battle tried to silence his rage with gunfire, her anger influenced by the space marine. Her aggression was met with even greater aggression as his hammer swung with great ferocity, reducing her head to red mulch.

Leaving nothing to chance, Jaune ran through the crowd and into the machine that was about to leave. A shrieking woman reached for him, but Jaune pulled loose his sword and struck the woman. Lacking aura, her face was easily sliced open, and her blood spilled from her cheek. This only fueled her anger as she reached for her gun but found her weapon too heavy to life. Behind her, Jaune could make out the all-too-familiar red hair of Pyrrha, his partner.

However, before he could make another attempt at the woman, she was pulled from the aircraft by a golden gauntlet, inscribed with the words, "FUCK YOU". Jaune looked to his friends and called for them all to leave. As he left with Pyrrha, they shared the view of pure chaos roaring across the once peaceful grounds of Beacon Academy. Professor Goodwitch called for students to hurry inside, while Professor Ozpin was busy fending off the Inquisitor. The situation was hell, and there was no way for this to get any worse.

"OI!" Jaune heard a booming shout, then turned to the distance where there was a heap of metal that shook and shuddered as a large green creature called from the inside. "YOU LOT HAVIN' A SCRAP?!"

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Good morning headmage

I was wondering if you and the other teachers went to the museum with your students this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary ?

If so what did you like there , do you have a favorite artwork ?

Have you been there before 👀?

Enter; An Unkindness of Ravens.

"Why, of course we teachers accompanied our students to the Land of Dawning's National Museum of Art. It would be highly irresponsible of us to allow children to travel to a foreign land without chaperones!”

Crowley perked with pride. Prestige—the acknowledgement of it—tended to have that effect on him, pompous man that he was.

"Not to mention... It's an honor for us to be invited to this centennial celebration! This is a wonderful opportunity for us teachers to appreciate art alongside our young pupils—though I myself have already visited numerous times. Ah, but that is what a long lifespan and a deep respect for history does… Sharpens the mind and the spirit!”

Somehow he ended up circling around and feeding his own ego again.

You walked alongside him, tactfully staying silent and letting the headmaster ramble.

Famous faces passed by, relics of the past unearthed. Stories, centuries in the making. History coming to life around you.

Click, clack, click.

Crowley’s polished shoes and cane alternated, echoing sharply in the gallery.

“This solemn, almost reverent atmosphere is rather pleasing. It grants one the space and time to properly admire and reflect on the artwork on display.”

He raised a hand, his golden claw-shaped rings upon each finger shining under the museum’s lights. Crowley gestured to the paintings that lined the closest wall. You followed where he led your gaze.

Platinum frames, seven in total. Each held an illustration of a familiar figure—you recognized them from the stone statues lining Main Street.

“I find myself gravitating toward the classics. Perhaps I am sentimental, fufu. My bias is clear.”

The Queen of Hearts.

She looked on from up high, posed with a gavel behind a banister and flanked by card soldiers. Her face was kind and rounded, but her expression was stern. Hands folded in her lap and her hammer raised to deliver justice, she was the picture of dignified grace.

The King of Beasts.

He reclined in a dark cave, bones scattered around him. The King stood out from the others of his kind--body lanky, a scar knitting one eye, mane a deep black, and with an unmatched feline poise. He toyed with a skull in one paw, his mouth twisted into a contemplative smirk.

The Sea Witch.

She danced, tentacles curling, in an anemone garden, lilac arms outstretched to cuddle her beloved pets: two moray eels that adorned her arms like a living boa. Pinkish light spilled onto them, emanating from her bubbling cauldron. Another potion brewing to fulfill some poor, unfortunate soul's wish.

The Sorcerer of the Sands.

A thin man with a long face and a goatee pieced together a golden scarab, its light piercing the starry night. Particles of sand and glittering magic kicked up, scattering across his black and red robes. The wings of the scarab, flickering rapidly--as if about to take flight.

The Beautiful Queen.

She triumphantly held up a goblet of bubbling liquid, her radiant face reflected in it. High cheek bones, skin smooth as china, full lips, long lashes, a gown that clung to her hourglass figure. Her beauty was every bit as deadly as the poison in the glass.

The King of the Underworld.

He beamed in the painting, showing sharp teeth. Various tabletop games surrounded him, and he seemed to take great joy in maneuvering a chess piece across a board. No opponent was in view--the man was a lone player.

The Thorn Fairy.

She loomed in her spiked throne, her calm face cut severe by the gathering shadows and green candlelight. Briar crept around the tattered hem of her cloak, waiting for her next command. One word, and you felt as though they would come to life and rush at you.

The Great Seven together dominated the hallowed halls of the museum. In awe of them, you felt yourself shrink back. If was as though your body instinctively knew to kneel in the presence of such raw power.

Crowley, too, quietly bowed his head to the Seven. He held his top hat to his chest, his dark lips pursed into a serene smile.

"What visionaries! We must all strive to the same heights as they."

[silverstagspirit]

Survivor of Ramshackle -part 1

This is based off a scenario I mentioned earlier in my blog about Yuu's home being destroyed whilst they were away. There will be multiple parts to this.

A/n: I try to make the MC gender neutral, but I'm sorry if I make an error whilst writing. This Yuu is GN, by the way.

Warnings: mild swearing, Angst, Ace implies keeping you hostage as a joke, but Deuce quickly puts him in his place. The later chapters will get darker.

PART 2

-

Everyone had gathered into the mirror chamber to bid Yuu farewell. The boys had really taken a liking to them. Even if they would put them through a lot of trouble at times. Likewise, they loved the boys, too. As each of the boys take thier turns to say goodbye, they admit some tears were shed. Crowley had found a way home for Yuu right after Grim's overblot, but he informed them that once they went back, they would not be able to return unless extra steps were made. Which of course won't happen. And they accepted the offer. After all, they still had a life and a family back home who were wondering where they were.

"It's not fair! I don't want them to go!" Complained a certain fire-eared monster.

"Grim, we cannot just keep 'em hostage here... but that would be a good backup pla- OW!!"

"WE ARE NOT DOING THAT!"

"Did you really have to hit me that hard Deuce? That hurt man."

"Ace, we must respect thier decisions."

"Yeah, I know I know."

It was now Jack's turn to join the conversation. "Plans have been made for you Grim. So you don't have to worry about needing Yuu for school."

"The Great Grim still needs his henchman to do his bidding and clean Ramshackle."

"Just admit it weasel, you're going to miss them too."

"Fgnaahhh!!"

"You're not helping Ace." Epel turns to Grim. "We understand Grim. Yuu has become a great friend to all of us. But it's time to say goodbye."

"Hnnngghh"

"Yuu! Don't go! Who will feed me tuna? Who will scratch my ears? Who will wrap me up in thier jacket during the winter break? I'm ordering you to stay minion!" Grim cried. Yuu kneeled down to comfort him. "Grim, listen to me. I am going back, yes, but I will not forget you. You mean so much to me Grim. But I still have others at the other side of that portal who are waiting for me. I need to meet up with them." You brush a stray tear from his face. "Do me a favor Grim. Stay here, attend your classes and study well. So that when I return to you someday, you will be the Greatest Mage ever like you wanted and we can go on more adventures together. Does that sound alright?" Grim sniffed and nodded. "Please come back some day." "I can't promise it, but I'll try."

"Oi! Herbivore. Just get going already. I want to leave now."Some things never change." They sighed as Leona sulked. Leona wasn't the only one who was feeling annoyed more than sad at this time. They admit that some of these boys were assholes. Some of them have even yet to apologize after all they've put them through. But they won't let that get in the way of the good memories they had in this world. Or at least they hope.

-

Yuu had just said goodbye to the last person when the headmaster came in.

"Prefect! The dark mirror is now ready! You must come immediately if you are to return home!" He hollered.

"Well, here I go."

Yuu stands up to the portal with tears in their eyes. Their heart hammering. This was it. They were finally going home. They can't wait to see their family again. It's been so long. What has changed since they left? Is everyone doing alright? They needed to know. The mirror pulsates with magical energy. Sparking up at some parts. Yuu turned back to look at the other students one last time. Then, with bated breath, they stepped through the portal.

-

"So that's it."

Besides this one remark. The mirror chamber was filled with silence. No one dared say anything. Everyone filed out of the room and went back to thier dorms.

Two idiots were helping Grim settle into Hearstlabyul. And got collared after breaking three Queen of Hearts rules whilst doing so. Trey baked cookies for them so they didn't complain as much after. After they made it to thier room the three students began to chat and banter with each other. Nothing had really changed for them. Same for the other dorms. Vil did his makeup. Idia did his tech. Leona slept. Azul ran the lounge. Overall, nothing had really changed.

"Kalim. You need to do this assignment."

"Oh, sorry Jamil. I'll be right there."

The vice pressed his dormleader to do what needed completion but something was distracting him.

"Do you think Yuu made it back safe?"

"..." Jamil had a suspicion that that was what was on his mind but he was not prepared to answer that question. "I'm sure they're happy Kalim. Now please get this done. Crewel will not show mercy if you fail."

"I know it's just... I have questions: What do they do? What do they have to eat at thier welcome home feasts?-" "I doubt that they have feasts Kalim." Kalim ignored what he said and kept going. "What are thier family like? I mean they are from another world so thier family structure could be different to ours. Hnnnghhh! Why am I only asking these questions now that they are gone?!"

"KALIM!!"

The housewarden went quiet immediately.

"They are fine okay. Yuu would not want you to spend all your time worrying about them. So just relax. They are fine."

Kalim thought about what Jamil just said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. You're always right Jamil." The boy beamed whilst the vice rolled his eyes.

----------

I apologize for any mistakes. I also edited this into they/them pronouns because I find it easier to write with.

A/N: Go check out probablynoposts blog. They did a series on this prompt whilst this was still in the drafts. They did a very good job I must say. So kudos to them.

Taglist: @kami-kun1003

[agaypanic]

The Fella Part 8 (James Maguire X Quinn!Reader)

Masterlist

The Fella Masterlist

Request Something!

Summary: A new English teacher comes to Our Lady Immaculate and inspires the girls in more ways than one.

A/N: long time no see lol

***

“It’s a little exhausting sneaking around like this, don’t you think?” James asked as he and Y/n walked onto the bus. They had both told their families they would catch the early bus because they had assignments to work on. It wasn’t entirely untrue. They just left some parts out, Like meeting at a bakery for breakfast before going on the bus, working on their assignments later in the day instead of when they got to school, and that they were going together in the first place.

“A bit,” Y/n answered, letting her head fall on James’ shoulder while she looked out the window. A few girls were on the bus not paying attention, so she did it without caution. “But I like it. Just us. Without the chaos of friends and family.”

“But it won’t be like this forever, right?” He was timid. The two were about two months into their secret relationship, and it seemed that as the days passed, the more effort they had to put into being secretive. 

Y/n reached for James’ hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Definitely not.”

An hour later, the rest of the girls had joined the secret couple at the school. Luckily, they didn’t seem to care much about what they were supposedly up to. Instead, they talked about what they did over the weekend, what they wanted to do next weekend, and how they didn’t want to go to assembly that morning.

But they did it anyways because they were required to. They stood in a row like the other students as they watched Sister Michael go on about a baby Jesus statue next to her.

“I still don’t get what it’s supposed to be,” James whispered after staring at it for a few minutes.

“It’s Jesus as a wain,” Michelle said.

“Why has he got a big red hat on?”

“Nobody knows,” Y/n responded. Sister Michael went on about how the Bishop wished for baby Jesus to go to every school in the Derry Diocese. A headmaster of one of the schools stood on the other side of the statue, waiting to accept it. But that didn’t last long.

“I fear you may have had a wasted journey.” Michael’s gaze went from the headmaster to the statue. “I’ve thought about it, and I’d much rather just hold on to him, really. He brightens up my office. He doesn’t answer back. I like the fella.”

There was some snickering in the crowd as the headmaster was brushed aside.

“Now, what else was there?” Sister Michael thought before giving a short nod. “Ah, yes. Sadly, Sister Patrick has decided to leave us. She’s returning to her missionary work, educating the heathen inhabitants of a primitive and savage place.”

“She’s…” A woman near Sister Michael said, “taken a teaching post in Belfast, Sister.”

“Precisely. The Board of Governors promised me that her replacement would arrive today, but as usual, they were talking out of their-”

The doors behind the girls opened with a bang. A woman with long hair walked in wearing leather and holding a helmet.

“I believe you’ve been expecting me.” Her voice bounced off the walls. Sister Michael sighed.

“Here we go.” She muttered under her breath.

***

The woman ended up being the girls’ new English teacher. Her name was Ms. De Brún, which she wrote on the chalkboard before turning to the class. She looked like she didn’t want to be there.

“What is it we should be doing, Miss?” Jenny asked.

“What should you be doing?” She said. “Now, there’s a question. But let me ask you a better one. What is it you want to do?”

“Get pished,” Michelle muttered, making Y/n, her desk neighbor, snort. Only Michelle would think about getting hammered this early in the day.

“I’d quite like some feedback on the poetry assignment, actually,” Jenny said.

“Boo.” Y/n groaned.

“Dickhead.” Michelle rolled her eyes.

“It counts towards our final grade, people.” Jenny raised her voice while Ms. De Brún went around the desk. She sifted through papers.

“This is 12A, right?”

“That is correct, Miss.”

“And you are?”

“Jenny.” She folded her hands on her desk with a smug smile. “Jenny Joyce.”

“You think De Brún would mind if I offed myself?” Y/n asked Michelle sarcastically while the teacher grabbed Jenny’s paper.

“The Flower, by Jenny Joyce.” Jenny suddenly looked horrified.

“You’re not going to read it out, are you?”

“Of course. Poetry should always be read aloud.” De Brún looked from Jenny to her paper. “Some flowers are tall. Some flowers are small. Some flowers barely grow at all.” She then set the paper down, clearly not impressed.

“That’s not the end.”

“It should be.” Ms. De Brún grabbed the rest of the stack. “Here’s a poem about a dog. Here’s another one about a dog.” She paused to look at one. “This one has no name on it. An English Rose Among Thorns?”

Everyone immediately knew who wrote that one. Y/n looked behind her to see James sheepishly look down. Despite feeling bad for the boy, she let out a small giggle along with the rest of the class. But not for the same reason as them. His shyness was adorable to her.

“I can see why you might want to remain anonymous.” De Brún commented before looking through more poems. “Dog poem. Poem about a tree. This one’s called Boys.” She pulled it out of the stack to read. “I think boys are really class. Especially the ones who have a nice ass.”

Y/n could see Michelle mouthing the end of it before speaking with a goofy smile.

“It’s called a haiku.”

“That’s not what I would call it. Dog poem. Dog poem. This one’s just a picture of a dog.” She stared at it for a few seconds before setting it aside on her desk. “That’s not bad, actually.”

“Thank you very much.” Orla smiled.

“This person has written about how much they love their English class in an embarrassing attempt to suck up to the teacher.” Even though she was across the room, Y/n could sense Clare cringing.

“Dog poem. Dog poem. Cat poem.” As De Brún went on, Erin raised her hand. Y/n groaned, sensing what her sister was about to say.

“Yes?”

“I think a lot of people in this class, and I know no one will mind me saying this, have a very basic grasp of the creative process. Whereas I’ve been writing for years, so I’m really not afraid to put myself out there, to be bold. To take risks.”

“And you are?”

“Erin Quinn.” She had some of the same smugness that Jenny had, but it didn’t go away when Ms. De Brún pulled out her paper.

“The bullets fired on the streets as I lie in my bed, are nothing to the bullets being fired….” She sighed. “In my head.”

“It’s about The Troubles.” Erin jumped to explain. “In a political sense. But also about my own troubles, in a personal sense.”

“I understand the weak analogy. This isn’t bold, Erin. It’s someone failing to be bold.”

“Well, I’m sorry if the subtleties of my work were lost on you, Miss De Brún.”

“Poetry is truth.” De Brún started. “And great poetry is raw and real and messy and glorious and ugly. It’s dragged from the depths of the soul. It helps us understand each other and ourselves. Do you get what I’m saying? It’s not often in life you’re allowed to tear up the page and start over.” For dramatic effect, she tore Erin’s paper in half. “But I’m gonna give you that chance. Impress me.”

***

That evening, the girls and James went to the Quinn household. Luckily, the rest of the family was out to the movies, so the teens wouldn’t be bothered. Candy wrappers and scrapped paper littered the dining table as the girls mumbled and wrote.

“God, this whole ‘writing-from-the-soul’ thing is a nightmare.” Erin groaned as she tore another page from her notebook, tossing it somewhere in the room.

“I know.” Michelle agreed. “What rhymes with ride?”

“Bide.” Y/n muttered, staring at her blank page.”

“Bide?” Michelle scoffed. “What the fuck does ‘bide’ mean? Bide… That’s not a word.”

“It is a word, Michelle.” Erin insisted.

“Bide? You’ve lot pure made that up.”

“Can we all be quiet? Please.” A frazzled Clare pleaded as she scribbled out words.

Orla put down her pencil and showed her notebook to James, who sat across from her. On the page was a drawing of the boy, except his eyes were colored red.

“What do you think, James?” Orla asked. “You’ve got red eyes ’cause I ran out of brown.” James went to speak, but Y/n beat him to it.

“His eyes are green.” She said, not looking up from her page, which was still blank. James glanced at her, nodding slightly.

“What she said.”

“Now you tell me.” Orla dropped the notebook, seemingly betrayed.

The girls tossed ideas to each other, but unfortunately, nothing stuck. The writing session didn’t last long, for when another idea went down the drain, the door opened.

The Quinn family was home.

The teens scrambled to clean up the mess, but it was too late.

“Sweet Jesus.” Mary looked horrified.

“Mammy, we can explain,” Erin said with a mouth full of sweets.

“Not the Christmas cupboard.”

“We needed energy for our poetry.”

“I’ll give you energy for your poetry!” Mary shouted. “What am I supposed to do? I’ll have to start from scratch now, and December’s only round the corner.”

“It’s eight months away, Love,” Gerry commented. But that just made Grandpa Joe turn the blame onto him, a usual occurrence. The girls tried to tell Mary about Miss De Brún and her words, but she just turned the blame on them. Another usual occurrence.

***

“It was difficult, so you’ve just given up?” Miss De Brún asked the girls in her classroom the following day. She slowly paced around the group. “You might fail, so why bother trying?”

“Exactly. Told you she’d understand.” Michelle said. De Brún stopped in front of a framed picture near the window.

“Have you ever stopped to look at these?” She asked. The girls and James walked over to the picture. It was a picture from years ago of students from Our Lady Immaculate. “These faces from the past. They’re not so different from you, really. They had dreams like you do. They had ambitions. But now, they’re gone. Dead. Dust.” 

Clare pointed at a girl in the photo.

“That’s my auntie Anne, third from the left. She’s not dead.” Clare was shushed by De Brún. “She’s only 54.”

“But did they fulfill those dreams? Those ambitions?” Ms. De Brún asked. “One day, girls, you too will just be an old photograph in a hallway.” A shiver went down everyone’s spine as they thought about their teacher’s words. “You only get one life. Don’t be afraid to live it.”

***

Ms. De Brún had become such an influence on the girls’ lives in just a few days. They became bolder, which meant wearing more of what they wanted, including winged eyeliner like their teacher. Even James, which Y/n lovingly teased him about when they were alone. 

Despite Clare’s reservations, the girls had even gone to Ms. De Brún’s house. After all, they were going to a teacher’s house at night. Everyone had gotten a little tipsy and soon left after Erin and Ms. De Brún started reciting poetry. On the way back home, they had a run-in with Jenny Joyce. The encounter ended with the girls dragging Clare away, who was drunkenly talking about Jenny’s mother.

“Do you think Clare should sleep at ours?” Y/n asked Erin and Orla. The girl in question stumbled around, clinging to Michelle and James. “I think her mum will kill her if she sees her.”

“Might as well.” Erin turned to Michelle and James. “You guys wanna stay over as well?”

“I’d rather not deal with Clare like this more than I have to,” Michelle muttered.

“I don’t think your family would appreciate me staying over,” James commented.

“Oh, come on. We could just sneak you in.” Y/n joked. To everyone else, she was definitely kidding. But the look James gave her showed that he was actually considering it.

Luckily, the adults paid them no mind when the girls and James got to the Quinn residence. They were too busy arguing over some movie they were supposed to see but got cut short. James helped Erin and Y/n sneak Clare up to Erin’s room before saying goodbye and leaving.

After making sure Clare had water and medicine for the morning, Y/n said goodnight to her sister, friend, and cousin before heading to her own room. She sat on her bed, trying to destress from the night’s events when she heard a timid knock on her window. She whipped around, terrified, only to see James. She rushed to the window and opened it.

“What are you doing, James?” Y/n hissed quietly. “How did you even get up here?”

“I climbed.” He said like it was obvious. It was, but she hadn’t expected him to climb the side of her house tonight. “Michelle was already leaving when I came in to help with Clare, so I don’t think she’ll notice I’m gone until the morning. Can I come in?”

Y/n immediately moved out of his way, helping him into her room.

“You know, when I said you could sneak in, I was joking.” She laughed quietly, not wanting attention drawn to her room. “But, if I’m honest, I’m glad you did.”

“Me too,” James spoke, inching towards her. His arms wrapped around her, and he gave her a kiss. “I’ve been really thinking about what Ms. De Brún said. About how you can’t be afraid to live. And it made me realize that I don’t want to hide anymore.”

“What are you saying, James?” Y/n asked softly. “Was everybody right? Are you gay?” They both laughed, him pinching her side at the silly question.

“No, I’m not gay. How many times do I have to say that?” The quiet laughter ceased, and he continued. “I’m saying I don’t want us to hide anymore. I want people to know we’re dating.”

That didn’t shock Y/n. She knew how tiring it was to hide their relationship, especially from their friends. She also knew that James was thinking more about telling everyone. But she didn’t think he’d want to do it so soon.

“Are you sure?” She asked. The boy could overthink sometimes. There was a chance he was just swept up in De Brún words and her effect on the group.

“Yeah.” He nodded, pulling her closer. “Obviously, if you’re not ready, we don’t have to. But I want you to know that I’m ready.”

Y/n nodded, letting the words sink in.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” A smile crept onto James’ face.

“Yeah. I just think we should let it happen naturally, though. Like if it comes up, then it comes up.” The couple agreed, sharing a kiss. “Wanna spend the night?”

“Please.” Y/n’s smile widened, if that was even possible. She went to her closet and pulled out some of James’ clothes that he had left for occasions like this. They faced away from each other to change. When they were done, they got under Y/n’s covers. Y/n turned off the lamp on her bedside table, and James held her close to his chest.

“Thank you.” He whispered, both of them drifting off.

“For what?”

“For wanting to be seen with me.” Y/n knew what he was talking about. Not only was the boy English, but many people acted like they were bothered by his very existence. Y/n couldn’t understand how someone could look at a boy like James and feel what people usually felt instead of what she felt when she looked at him.

“I want you through and through, Jamie.” He smiled at the nickname, even more so when she kissed his cheek before settling her head back down on his chest.

***

The next morning, Y/n helped James sneak out her window before she got dressed for school and headed downstairs. She heard her mother quarreling with her sister Erin, so she felt it was best to just grab some toast and head out. Eventually, everyone met up at the bus stop. James made a point to sit beside Y/n on the bus as they headed to school, arm draped around the seat. The move seemed so casual that no one said anything.

The girls went to class, excited to see Ms. De Brún. But they skidded to a stop when they entered the classroom to see Sister Michael erasing the chalkboard. She turned and looked at the girls expectantly.

“Take a seat, please, ladies.” She gestured to all the empty desks, except for Jenny Joyce, who always made a point to be early, before sitting down herself.

“Where’s Ms. De Brún?” Erin asked.

“Gone. And she’s not coming back.”

“What?”

“I knew it.” Clare groaned. “When I woke up this morning, I had a feeling something terrible was going to happen and also that essentially, deep down, I’m quite an evil person.”

“That’s just a hangover, Clare,” Y/n said, patting her friend’s shoulder.

“Yeah, you’ll be grand,” Michelle added, being the expert on this kind of thing.

“I will be taking this class for the rest of the term.” Sister Michael said. “It makes me want to pull off my own face, but needs must.”

Erin stomped up to Jenny Joyce, getting in her face. 

“This was you, wasn’t it? What did you do? What did you say?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Aye, so you don’t. Supergrass!”

“Chill, Erin!” Y/n reprimanded her sister.

“That’s quite enough.” Sister Michael added.

“You don’t understand, sister,” Erin said, looking at her. “Ms. De Brún, she touched us.”

“Oh my god.” Y/n’s voice came out horrified at the wording.

“What?”

“She made us think. She made us feel.”

“Thank god. That would be all I need.” Sister Michael sighed in relief at the clarification.

“You can’t sack her!” Erin yelled suddenly. “You just can’t!”

“Miss Quinn, you appear to be under the misapprehension that you can address me as though you are my equal.” Sister Michael hissed. The bell rang. “I suggest you rein it in and take a seat.”

***

It was all Erin’s idea. Everyone else was either stupid or bored enough to go along with it. 

Sister Michael had judo on Fridays, so it was the perfect day for the girls to enact their revenge. The girls had decided that since Sister Michael had taken something precious from them, they would do the same.

“Creepy wee fucker, isn’t he?” Michelle looked at the baby Jesus statue they took from Sister Michael’s office to place in the English classroom.

“I would just like to state once again for the record that I think this might be the worst idea we’ve ever had,” Clare whined.

“Understatement of the year,” Y/n muttered, watching her friends move around.

“Look, do you want to help Ms. De Brún or not?” Erin asked.

“Can we not find a way to help her that doesn’t involve abducting a holy statue?”

“We’re not abducting him, Clare.” Erin rolled her eyes. “We’re kidnapping him.”

“That’s quite literally the same thing, Erin,” Y/n said. Erin sighed.

“We’ll give him back on the condition that Ms. De Brún is rightfully reinstated.” Y/n and Clare laughed sarcastically.

“Oh, yeah. Sister Michael will be fully on board with that idea.”

James took out a camera to take a photo of the statue to accompany the ransom note Erin was currently writing. When the first picture came out, James and Michelle decided to move the figure into a better position. Unfortunately, being how they were, they couldn’t agree and kept tugging on the statue. Before they knew it, it hit the floor.

“Oh my god,” Y/n whispered in horror, picking up the head of baby Jesus, which cracked off from the statue.

“Let’s glue him!” Someone said.

“Yeah! We’ll just stick it back on.” Orla grabbed glue and took the head from Y/n, scrambling to get it back on. “We’ll stick it back on, and it’ll all be grand.” The girls crowded around the statue, trying to help put the head on.

“Jesus, girls!” Their attention snapped to Sister Michael, who stood in the classroom doorway. The girls ran to stand in front of the statue, hopefully blocking her view. “What are you still doing here? I thought we had an intruder. And I tell you what, he’d have been a sorry boy, for I just nailed some serious moves.” She tightened the belt on her Judo uniform.

“We were just working on our English project, sister.” Erin smiled nervously, hoping her lie wasn’t too noticeable. Sister Michael peered at the group suspiciously.

“Step aside.” She said simply. Everyone hesitated, but after seeing her stern glare, they moved away from what they tried to cover up. She looked horrified as she looked past to the statue that stood behind them. “What in God’s name have you done?” She muttered.

***

“How could you glue his head on upside down, Orla?” Y/n hissed as she and the others stood against a chalkboard, getting their picture taken like it was a group mugshot portrait. “He’s wearing a hat, for Christ’s sake!”

“Quiet!” Sister Michael reprimanded from her desk. The door opened, and she greeted whoever walked in. “Mary, Sarah, Deidre.”

“Oh, god.” Y/n whimpered at the mention of her mother’s name.

“Your girls involved in this beheading too, then?” Clare’s mom Deidre asked the other mothers.

“It wasn’t me, Mammy!” Clare said. 

“Do not speak to me, Clare.” Her mother held a hand up, looking away from her. “In fact, don’t even breathe.” Clare immediately started to hold her breath, not wanting to upset her mother any further. Y/n winced at the scene.

“Take a seat, Mrs. Devlin.” Sister Michael gestured. When she sat, she got right down to business. “The statue was stolen from this room, so I’ve asked Miss Mooney to photograph the scene. Either it is replaced at your expense, or the school will sue.”

“To be honest, sister, and I’m not just saying this, I think he looked better.” Mary smiled nervously, thinking about how much her pockets would hurt if she had to replace that statue. Sister Michael eyed baby Jesus.

“He looks like his head’s on upside down.” She looked back at the mothers. “And I’ll be suspending them for a week.” That got more of a reaction.

“Please, no!” Mary cried out. “A week? We’re going to be stuck with them for a week?” At first, Y/n was offended. But then she remembered that her mother lived with most of the friend group.

“Be reasonable, sister!” Mrs. Devlin said. “We didn’t behead the fella.”

“By Christ, you’re in for it, girls.” Mary glared at her daughters.

“It was an accident, Mammy,” Erin said meekly.

“So you accidentally wrote a ransom note, did you?” Erin paused.

“Okay, that bit wasn’t an accident. But we were so upset by what happened to Ms. De Brún. It was wrong. She shouldn’t have been sacked.”

“She didn’t.” Attention turned to Sister Michael.

“What?” The girls asked.

There was a knock on the door, and the lady of the hour walked in.

“Sorry to interrupt, sister.” Ms. De Brún walked to her desk. “But if I could just grab the old p45, then I’ll be out of your way.” The girls watched as Sister Michael handed her a piece of paper.

“Excuse me?” Erin asked, tone begging for an explanation.

“Ms. De Brún has decided to leave us.”

“I got offered a post in St. Dominic’s girls. Better wages, holiday pay, great pension. The works. I couldn’t say no, really.”

“But what happened to living for the moment?” Y/n asked.

“What happened to ‘life should be spontaneous’?” Erin added.

“Yeah, I know.” She sighed, remembering all the things she had taught the girls in the week she had worked with them. “But I’m buying a house, and the mortgage rates are absolutely crippling at the moment.”

“Tell me about it. Desperate.” Sister Michael laughed. “Part of the reason I became a nun: free accommodation.”

“But, Ms. De Brún, you inspired me to do my greatest work,” Erin said.

“I see.” She nodded. “Which was?”

“My poem. My glass doll poem.” Ms. De Brún just looked at her, confused. “She’s a doll made of glass. She’s a glass doll. I read it to you last night.” Ms. De Brún nodded again.

“Yeah. I wasn’t really listening, to be honest.” If Erin wasn’t crushed before, she would have certainly turned to dust at that moment. “Cheers. Carpe diem.”

And with that, she was gone.

“Carpe dickhead.” Y/n said, staring at the door.

“Well, I guess we never knew who the real Ms. De Brún was,” Erin said in defeat.

“A bit like Keyser Söze.” Mary said, off in thought. She and her family wouldn’t shut up about that movie they never finished.

“The fella with the bad leg.” Sister Michael commented.

“What?”

“Keyser Söze. He was the fella with the bad leg. He was talking absolute shite the whole time. He was one of those….” Sister Michael trailed off, looking for the right word. “What do you call it? Unreliable narrators.”

“That’s very clever,” Mary said as if all the pieces of her life were finally falling into place.

“Look this way, girls.” The girls had forgotten why they were stuck in Sister Michael’s office in the first place. They all turned towards the photographer, and the camera flashed to take another picture of the criminals.

***

Y/n and James lay in her bed late at night. James was somehow able to sneak away from his aunt and cousin. Now they just had to stay quiet, so Y/n’s family wouldn’t catch them.

“Jamie?” Y/n whispered.

“Yeah, N/n?” He responded, staring up at her ceiling.

“Now that Ms. De Brún is gone….” She hesitated, wondering if she should actually ask the question that was on her mind. “Do you still want people to know? About us?”

James sat up, making Y/n do the same. He grabbed her hands.

“What do you mean?” She squeezed his hands, taking a deep breath before speaking. 

“Well, part of me was wondering if you were just riding on the high that De Brún got us on. You know, being bold and taking risks and such. And now that she’s gone, I just wanted to know if you still wanted everyone to know that we were together.”

He was silent for a moment, and Y/n prayed that she hadn’t upset him. He gripped her hands tightly, pulling her closer to him. One of his hands left hers to rest on her cheek, getting her to look at him.

“Of course I want people to know, Y/n. I know I can be heavily influenced, but that decision was all me. Ms. De Brún just helped me realize what I really wanted.”

“Which is?”

“To be with you.” He brought her hands up for him to kiss. “As much as I can be.”

Y/n suddenly shifted into his lap, hugging his shoulders. His arms wrapped around her waist as they sat in each other’s presence.

“No more hiding,” Y/n spoke into his shoulder. “I’m honestly sick of having to keep it a secret.”

“Me too.” James agreed. “So, should we tell them?”

Y/n pulled away just enough to look at him.

“Let them figure it out on their own. Being with you whenever I want is honestly all I need.” James nodded in agreement. He pulled her into a kiss, breaking away slightly to say something before going back in.

“No more hiding.”

~~~

TAG LIST: @mistahjsfunnygirl @etherealdisneyvillainness @crystalsoobin-m @raggedyoldwitch @rosetintworld @regretthatsme @neenieweenie @allexiiisss @drmeghanjones @eli-com @anything-for-our-moony-toast @ilovespideyyy @eddisaurus @imagines--galore @imastabu @emma-is-a-nerd @sir1usblacksgf @kaz-2y567 @spidercrush3 @urmomssecretsock @humanoid-freak14 @the-lonely-raisin @miilkshakess @butttxray @underthebatcape

DM ME OR SEND IN AN ASK IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED OR REMOVED FROM THE FELLA TAG LIST!