#Nix out of my system

[a-hazbin-reader]

Well Nix is absolutely gorgeous, real form or makeup. If you have more photos of her, don't be afraid to send it! She's wayyyy too pretty! I'm ngl, when I first discovered your blog, the first thing I noticed (besides Alastor X Reader stuff LMAO) was Nix and how pretty she was and I thought she was from a book and I wanted to see more of her.

You mentioned you wrote an entire backstory for her? What is the rest of her backstory? :0

Also her name based off the Greek Goddess, Nyx? (Personification of the night)

I based her name off of one of the oceanids, Nix because originally, she was just 100% a mermaid demon but I also really love the idea of that too! Nix is the name she picked for herself in hell

Okay, I'll indulge in this because I'm really excited to get it all out-

TW: Implied SA, Murder, Death

When she was alive:

Name: Mariella

Age: 28 (1912-1940)

She lived with her father and her little brother, Louis(He was only her half brother but both their mothers died after birth)

She loved both her father and Louis deeply, having long since determined that she'll live her life for herself when her father is dead and Louis is grown

"I'm nearly grown, Mariella! You don't have to baby me!"

"You still have four more years to go until you're a legal adult, my little treasure~"

She worked as a librarian during the day and picked up shifts at a diner when money became tight

And if she came home late in the night and happened to notice her father was gone? Well, he must have a good reason for it

She didn't know what her father was involved in, how deep in debt he was in order to keep feeding his habits

Not until she came home one day to find her home being ransacked by loan sharks

She found her father beaten and hunched over her little brother, trying to protect him from the blows

She hadn't heard Louis cry like that since he was a little boy, fuck, he still was a little boy in her eyes

She desperately tried to get the men to stop, offering them all the money she had, offering them anything

Anything to make them leave her family alone

So they take her offer

She's different after that

She tries not to let Louis see how that night affected her, tries to give him some normalcy, and be brave for him

But she wakes up every morning with him in her bed and fresh tears on her face

She can't look her father in the eyes anymore, and he doesn't have the words to convey how sorry he is

"Mari..."

"I have to go, Papa."

She tries to go on like that for as long as she's able, until she finds Louis guarding her door one night, shaking and holding a bat

"I-I heard a noise and I just wanted to protect you...this time..."

She can't go on like this, and she won't let Louis go on like this

"Oh Louis..."

Somehow she finds herself hunting down one of the loan sharks, the supposed leader, and she kills him

She hadn't originally planned to kill him but he forced her hand and the next thing she knew she was covered in blood

It feels good, better than good, it feels like taking control of her life again

"Louis, I promise you that nobody is going to harm us again.."

It takes years for her to hunt down all of them, and now she's nearly found the last one

In that time, Louis has turned into a man before her eyes, her father has passed and she's killed 6 men

She finds the 7th and last man on the docks, she makes a mess of his boat and can't bring herself to care

She can't bring herself to care when the police arrive, her victim's screams having drawn attention to her

She doesn't care when they draw their guns, when they scream at her to drop her weapon, when there's a loud shot ringing in the air

Suddenly, her body crumples, and she can't move, tumbling into the black waters below

Her lungs fill with water while her blood turns everything around her red

When Nix realizes she's in hell, she has a small breakdown

Until she figures out that the men who ruined her life are also down in hell and then she's filled with a familiar resolve

She gets to hunt them down all over again and this time she doesn't have to worry about Louis finding out

So she restarts her life down in hell, new name, new career and definitely a new look

Because the black and white isn't cutting it, who is she? Betty Boop?

She fucking wishes she was Betty Boop

She creates work as a hitman/information broker

She's determined, often letting her drive to hunt down the original 7 overrule everything else in her afterlife

She pretends that her kills are all business but anyone who's seen her in action would know she secretly enjoys it

She won't accept payment for what she deems as a special cases(what qualifies as a special case? You'll have to ask her)

Nix is seen as cold, snarky, and ruthless but has a tendency to soften up around people she senses need a gentle hand

It's also really fucking easy to make her laugh no matter how hard she tries to be stoic about things

Little kid: Oh fuck! Nix: 😤🥴🤣

She still can't fully shake off the woman she used to be, no matter how hard she tries, Mariella is still with her

If an overlord or someone powerful wants her services? She's going to absolutely take them for all their worth because fuck them

But it's a lonely life and sometimes she wishes she made time for people then she remembers that she's in hell and the people here ain't worth shit

Thinks the idea of redemption is nice but not for her, she has no desire to leave hell

Not even to see Louis or her father

But the idea of bringing hell to heaven? Making them for pay allowing the past play out the way it did?

For encouraging all that horrible shit in the world because it makes people better for it?

She could get behind that

Okay! Okay! I'm done! Back to your regularly scheduled program!!

[tybaltsjuliet]

look at the skies; they have stars in their eyes.

lady and the tramp (1955)

[burningcrab]

okay that was enough blaseball for the week. like i think if any more blaseball happens for a week i will just have a heart attack. theyre slow rolling us back into it and it is STILL so much

[nixnephili]

The voices won this one gang...

This one's self indulgent. Sue me

The voices won so I made it, get it out of my system.

Anyway I used to love this guy growing up, still think he's cool, though I'm not as hyped about it now.

This brought on a deep sense of nostalgia, tapping back into this relic of my childhood.

Don't know how many of you grew up with Sonic, but let me know.

Next piece will he Fyo!Atsu !

-Nix🌙

[onepieceoftheoceanblues]

Batfam X One Piece Crossover AU

Someone mentioned this sort of au and I went Insane a bit ^-^' hope you guys enjoy!

Okay so a Batfam in the One Piece world au and how I think it would work/go;

I imagine the Batfam were whammied into an entirely new dimension while on patrol so we have the full costumed roster (but not the full extended clan cuz that's so many people lol) so we have Bruce/Batman, Dick/Nightwing, Jason/Red Hood, Tim/Red Robbin, Damian/Robin, Cass/Black Bat, Stephanie/Batgirl (you can pry Steph still being batgirl out of my cold dead hands), and Duke/Signal.

The First thing they do is figure out where they are, an island in something called the ___ blue (idk which they should be in lol, but it's best if they start in a blue I think), and are very obviously not in their world. (I'm gonna say for the sake of Plot either One Piece doesn't exist in their world or none of them have watched/read it because that would be too easy lol)

Ofc the second thing they do is try to find a way home and gather info but uh, they quickly realize this world doesn't have the best tech around to build something to take them home, and places/people they can get to would be either hard to find or in a place that's very dangerous to get to (Vegapunk is their best bet but... not really an option for right away due to mentioned reasons).

They think of asking this "World Government" for help for all of two seconds, before finding out how fucking awful and corrupt the whole system this world has and nixes that idea right in the bud. They're Vigilantes for a reason, after all, and know corruption in governments very well. So honestly, their best bet is either trying to go along and find someone that can help and materials, or waiting for their people from their world to come and get them.

(SO much more under cut im sorry Brain went Brrr)

Tbh it must be so wild to be in this world too tho, for some many reasons. It's close enough, but then you factor in all the different races and species, and how the world is set up. Add the fact most of it not as advanced as their world, except in some places which it is? And how half their technology runs on... snails?????? What a baffling world. Also, people can have powers and are gained from something called Devil Fruits which give you powers in exchange that the sea can and will kill you, except for some races have natural powers due to their biology.

They decide pretty quickly in world of water to not eat the Devil Fruits. Also keep an eye on Duke because his powers, while not too flashy, arnt a devil fruit, and they have no way to explain how he has them, and how he can manipulate both light and shadows.

Its probs also so jarring because like, in their world, they are used to being the peak of what humans can do. They keep up with metas and aliens and are cosidered among the best of the best for a reason, and while they often have to compensate with gear and tech, at the end of the day they can only go so far as humans.

However, it's different in this world. Clearly even though there are humans, their biological standards are different then their Earth, and even just humans without powers can go far beyond their own norm if they train and work hard enough for it.

The Batfam could easily handle the Blue's pirates and marines, and probs all cannon fodder marines, and while I think they could deal with a good chunk if not most people in Paradise baring the strongest in the first half of the grand line, there's no way they could deal with the New World even with their best gear and in peak condition for them. Which sucks because their best bets are likely in that Sea.

Idk where I'd see them, my heart wants them to be pirates of their own little run pirate crew, but I could easily see them being picked up by a canon crew or turning Revolutionaries in exchange for getting help find a way home, or pirates with connections to Revs. The only thing I can't see is them as Marines, as stated a few paragraphs above, lol, but also I figure they run into the law and go fuck you guys and what you stand for and end up with bounties so they are wanted anyways. But either way they are gonna be progressing and trying to find a way home while getting stronger.

I imagine Haki is the first thing they really try to get down after leanring about it. Idk how they managed to find out about it either in the blues or so early in the grand line, but they are expert information gatherers so they do and immediately try to learn it (either tracking someone down who knows it or how to unlock it, or finding adequate documentation in how to do it) and get to work. It's their best chances in getting a leg up in this world.

And they do unlock it! They're pretty much all geniuses, and they already have experience learning weird skills and manipulating their mental will (they can block out telepaths and have strong willpower in general against mind control canonically), so learning to manifest it into Observation and Armament Haki is less about how hard it is and more just if they can (After all they aren't from this world) and how to apply it. Thankfully, it seems they can.

Duke's Observation makes his future vision so much more powerful, so much he actually has adverse effects to it at first before he gets used to it. Observation is great, just helps what they already natrually know but Armament is very much beloved, instant armor that helps you hit harder even against normal people, let alone devil fruit users!! They are big fans.

Conquerors Haki off the table rn because A.) they don't know if they have it and B.) Who or whatever they learned Haki from didn't explain it or have it to explain so that's put to the side for now, but I'm unsure who, if any of them, have it. Maybe Bruce and Jason, and maybe Damian? I feel?? I could also see Dick unlocking his use of it in a fit of protective rage? Im largely Unsure.

I also think it would be neat if the longer they are here, their bodies adapt to this world more and more until they start being able to past their peak of what they could do before and just... keep going. It varies from each batfam member how they feel on their biology changing over time, but they can't do more than just accept it. At least it will help them survive.

Also, they have to adapt in more ways than one. They arrive and their best gear, fully stocked and mostly undamaged, but the longer they are here the more they run out of supplies and things wear down so they have to figure out how to get/make more or alternate for something better. Batarangs thankfully, while having to be made of a different material, can be made from any island with a good blacksmith who's willing to let them use their forges to make them themselves (cuz having to commission them would take money they don't actually have)

Their suits thankfully are fine and reinforced, but over time they're gonna have to likely find a fabric that could replace the stuff their suits are made of or just switch to diffrent outfits inspired by their suits. Dick's Escrima Sticks can't be charged, so they end up not electrified until they find a way to do it later. Jason's guns inevitably run out of ammo then even if he makes his own, they get just damaged so he's forced to switch to the local pirate guns, thankfully not all are just flintlocks.

Damian's sword is apparently very high grade here and is very smug about it, though annoyed other "Swordsmen" keep wanting to know more about his blade and where he learned to use his "weird style". Tim gets a boa staff that has the ends tipped in sea stone.

Their styles also adapt over time. I have this vision of Dick getting his hands on these boots, probs with Dial technology, that let him jump higher and bounce off of walls if he times it right. Jason with Dial guns. They start picking up the 6 powers as well, not all, but Geppo and Soru become very heavily utilized. I think one of them should end up with Voice of all Things, either Cass or Duke, because it's fun lol.

Im... unsure about devilfruits, but I think it would be intrestin to explore if somone ate one, likely out of despration or having little choice. Unsure who or what fruit but just would be neat i think, expecially dealin with the side effects. Tho Dick with a Wind Logia or a winged Zoan of sorts sounds SO interesting. (Can you tell who my favorite batfam memeber is? ^-^')

As for Ponyglaph Runes, Bruce and Tim def find out about it and try their best to tackle it, but It's REALLY hard to learn an entirely different language with unfamiliar sentence structure when you have absolutely no keys or references to work with. They learn of Nico Robin, and aren't stupid so figure it's likely an awful cover-up or more to the story, and decide to lowkey make it one of their goals to track her or any other knowledge on how to learn it down. If they get even a bare hint of a clue on how to translate, I'm sure they'd figure it out over time, but Robin is their best bet.

They find out about Whitebeard, and they are quietly glad Bruce's adoption problem isn't that bad but think its funny. Dick is beloved by all and makes enough friends and allies to rival Luffy's charisma, it's a skill man. I can't decide if their Epithets in this world are just their Vigilante names, and they stay masked, or they get knew Epithets and decide there's no point in hiding, or a mix of both but yee.

The OP world either speaks "Common" they can all magically speak now with some diffrent launages in diff parts of the world, OR Japanese, which some of them know and have to teach the others, OR a weird mix of English and Japanese. There's a point in time that people think Damian is Nico Robin's child or sibling because of the Robin thing, and he's a little demon child. Or hell they still do, and he's very livid while Robin is both amused but also scared for this child who is being tied to her.

They still dont kill for the most part, baring Jason, but some of them are pushed into it and they have to figure out what that means for them and what it means moving fowrard with their no kill policy. Some do better with it, some dont. Bruce still hasnt and wont kill, same with Cass, and Damian decides he doesnt want to but will if absolutly no other choice is offered, thankfully they havnt let him had to make this choice yet. (I just have so much thoughts about a assassin raised child deciding they dont want their hands more red now they have the choice).

One or more of them should end up pulled into the War at Marineford and Ace should be saved because I will try to fit a Ace Lives plot into everything lol

Overall I think if this was a fanfic the plot would be a lot of exploring the differences in their worlds, how they adapt and overcome, and trying to find a way home while also coming to like this world and overturning corruption and fucking over the government. I think them with the Strawhats or another crew would be fun, either as allies or joined idk, but I think with them as their own crew would be cool as well. If they join or ally with a crew Bruce lowkey adopts everyone, and he's given SO much shit for it but christ so many of them have such sad backstories and he wants to help

I think in the end they should get to find their way home and like no time has passed, but they're so changed, and arguably considered powered now because lol, but find a way to go back and visit safely.

Sorry for the word vomit but man im in love with this idea. Feel free to comment or send Asks with questions or comments about the au! Please Reblog, and not just like, as they do nothing <3

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

WIP Intro Post

The Secret Portal

Realize I probably should've made this a while ago

Basics

TSP is a YA sci-fi/fantasy series planned to be 5 books in length

Queer and disability representation with ethnic diversity

Ensemble cast

Multi POV (most first person, some third)

Found family

Themes of loyalty, innocence, cycle of abuse, interpersonal relationships, power, and more!

About

TSP follows a group of adolescents discovering a portal to another dimension, called Alium.

Alium is similar to our world, but is populated by people with a variety of powers, though there are a minority of people who do not have powers.

The divide between those with powers and those without have risen to an extreme, where a war has now broken out.

TSP has an even mix of comedy and drama, thanks to its cast of teens. There's action, there's filler, there's suspense, there's cliffhangers!

Where Am I?

I have been working on TSP for over a decade. Find out more with the backstories I've posted giving an overview of my progress: (Masterpost here).

If you wish, you may now read draft one in its entirety here.

TSP Part One is fully drafted and is in the process of beta reading (Sign up here).

My focus at the moment is fully refining the pseudo-science magic system.

TSP Part Two is currently being drafted.

Tags

I tag all TSP related content as #the secret portal, #tsp, and #teaspoon (as a fun nickname) so it's easy to find by whichever you want to search for it in my blog

#tsp update and #tsp excerpt are used for self explanatory reasons as I post my progress or excerpts

#alium is used whenever I talk about world building related to TSP's dimension

Reply to this post or send me a message if you want to be added to/removed from the tag list!

@thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites @nebula--nix

@literarynecromancy @honeybewrites @the-golden-comet

I will be adding to this post more later down the line!

[teddie-bear420]

Fluids by may leitz (spoiler warning)

I’m in love with horror and this one was almost up my alley but the extreme nature of this book I couldn’t really get through it (I’m a big baby lol) so instead I scraped the internet for spoilers and synopses of this book cuz I love the content that nix fears/may leitz makes!

I suggest if you like trucked up nasty stories with evil girls you should buy this with your dollars!!

Dahlia is lavender and Lauren is pink, I wanted to evoke the colors from the first edition cover. I love to draw shy girls and evil girls so this is a match made in hell, I feel like dahlia would wear lots of layers like jackets and blankets to cover up and letting her hair grow hella long cuz she doesn’t look at herself much :(

Also idk if they ever give each other presents but I like the idea that they swapped accessories when they finally got together cuz… 💅💅💅💅y’know

I listen and watch may’s stuff all the time, so as a tribute to evil murder lesbians that destroy themselves and each other, here is Lauren and Dahlia as I interpreted them! Dahlia makes me so sad, I want nothing but the best for her and I’m glad she made it out alive!!

Sorry for the ramble I just needed to get this off my chest and out of my system!!

GO SUPPORT MISS MAY PLEASEEEE

[igotthebees]

The five scariest words I could say according to my peers: "I'm going off my antipsychotics" aka a Disability Pride Rant about conditional autonomy

It's disability pride month and so I want to take some time to talk about concepts that I see rampant in both abled/neurotypical/whatever you want to call it spaces and in disability spaces as well, which I have jokingly summarized before as "Good Mentally ill/Disabled People Can Have Autonomy, and the Bad Ones Cannot".

More (a lot more) under the cut

I can guess what you're thinking by now. "There are no bad disabled people Nix!!!" I entirely agree. But in mental health and neurodivergent spaces especially I find that there is a lot of internalized and externalized hatred towards people with stereotypically "severe" symptoms, and in so many cases I've found myself caught in a West Side Story-esque battle between the Depressed and Anxious vs the Manic and Psychotic (which is frustrating because we should be friends or lovers! why is my PTSD and trauma history dismissed when I admit that it causes psychosis as well, why are my friends treated better as a whole when they go in for help for depressive episodes than for manic episodes?)

Sidebar, someone is inevitably going to stop reading at this point and scream at me how they've been treated horribly for their very severe depression and I am not only discounting their experience, I am making up an oppression scale, or using stereotypes, or even fabricating that because I am psychotic and dissociative I am better than them or have suffered more. That's really not the intention? I am simply looking at things from the perspective of my own extensive psychiatric hospitalization history, and from perspectives friends have told me. You can absolutely have depression and/or anxiety and suffer more severely than someone with psychosis - but the way the system treats the two of you is going to be severely different. No one escapes the psychiatric system unscathed, but I've been hospitalized three times, one time labeled as traumatized and depressive, another as having BPD, and yet another as an official schizophrenic and they were three very different forms of hell despite minimal symptom changes.

As one girl in a partial hospitalization program said to my face without a hint of understanding of how fucked up it was: "There are two kinds of psych hospitals. There's the ones for us who just want to get better - and there's the place they put the schizophrenics".

Where does autonomy come into this essay that is getting very long very quickly? I've been experiencing episodes of psychosis since I was 17 years old, diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 21, and finally undiagnosed with schizophrenia and rediagnosed with autism and severe PTSD with episodes of psychosis at the age of 24. I have been on 8 different types of antipsychotics in 3 years. Three days ago I stopped taking my antipsychotics entirely after nearly 6 months of slowly tapering off them and under heavy observation.

And it's scaring the shit out of people.

I am not a walking time bomb, compared to what people think. The last time I had any sort of delusion or hallucination was nearly a year and a half ago, (and it was while still on heavy-duty sedatives! Medicine isn't always a magic fix, even when it does make things better). But even if I was actively hallucinating this very second, shouldn't what medicine I take be my own choice, especially since I have been cleared multiple times as not a danger to myself or others and am being closely medically followed in case that changes? (not that I personally believe that drugging someone is appropriate even when they are reactive but let's start with mad liberation 101) How come it was so easy to talk to my doctors about going off some of my anxiety medication and lowering my antidepressants but the minute I said I didn't want to be on antipsychotics the word "insight" was thrown out?

Just a warning: the concept of "insight" sucks. Yeah, okay, a large portion of people treated in hospitals for delusions or mania aren't aware of how severe or disruptive their own symptoms are. I've even experienced that before during an episode - I was having pretty significant speech symptoms and didn't realize until someone sat me down that I was acting any different than typical. (someone's going to inevitably bring up double-bookkeeping and my response is that's genuinely a real thing and helpful to talk about but it's not everyone's experience and I really wish that in normalizing it the experiences of people with severe reality distortion weren't erased or said to be an exaggeration).

Anyways - insight as a concept has been abused to hell and back to take away people's autonomy and further situations of severe abuse. When I came forward about my childhood abuse I was gaslit and coerced into telling a doctor that my previous accounts were a delusion and false memories (which aren't even an evidence-backed phenomenon but I digress) and was promptly diagnosed with the aforementioned schizophrenia.

Even other people diagnosed with psychosis have come to me and expressed horror that I am getting off my medication. I can't have a single bad or frantic day without having to do a checklist of if I'm returning to an episode, either because another person suggests it or because it's been engrained so heavily in my head that I'm a ticking time bomb and I know I will lose all my rights again in an instant if I exhibit certain symptoms publically.

Where is this going? Who knows lol, I guess my point is that this July think about how you treat autonomy even in the "crazy of the crazy" or the "ugly disabilities". Think about what you would fight and scream and cry about if it ever happened to you or your friends due to a diagnosis, and then ask yourself if you're just as mad when it happens to the psychotic and schizospec and bipolar communities; when it happens to people with intellectual disability or cognitive disability; people with complex diagnoses and physical disability too; the visibly disabled and facial difference/limb difference community; people with sensory disabilities - even people with your same disorder but higher support needs. Let's not pit ourselves against each other - I'm not magically a better or more deserving person for being crazy and medically complicated, sure, yeah, got it... but I'm also definitely not less deserving of respect because I've got diagnoses that make a lot of people (including other marginalized people) uncomfortable.

And I have to, of course, discuss for a second before I finally shut up and stare at a wall how every single thing I said is colored by my experience as a white psychotic and that being a person of color (particularly black) makes the things I've talked about significantly worse - schizophrenia actually is treated the way it is in society because it was used as a diagnosis in the 1960s in America to call leaders of the Civil Rights movement delusional and dangerous (in the 1920s and 30s when it was really popularized as its own disorder outside of the schizophrenia and/or autism diagnosis of dementia praecox, schizophrenia evolved into a disorder given to white women who said inappropriate things or couldn't take care of the house correctly or wouldn't marry, thought of as silly and delusional but harmless and needing help... which is also fucked up and politically motivated and fuck that, but the disorder was actually changed significantly when it was primarily used to target black men to include sections about violence and dangerousness that weren't included when it targeted white women. The cultural view of schizophrenia as a violent disorder that persists even today is due to racism).

(Required reading for every single person alive who can handle psychological and or/racial theory but especially those going into the medical field is "The Protest Psychosis: How Schizophrenia Became a Black Disorder" by Jonathan Metzel, probably the greatest and most eye-opening book I have ever read, ironically enough I don't have it anymore because I gave it to another person to read in residential and he then stole it and got kicked out of the program)

[abarbaricyalp]

hi! if you're still taking emojis for the sambucky prompt game: 🃏 (if you like!)

🃏 - Are you joking right now? CW: Mention of injury, macabre jokes, cold weather and related concerns

"Are you joking right now?" Sam asked, staring down at the sheer drop and swirling snow below them.

"Well, I know you're not getting the deja vu that I'm getting," Bucky said as he strapped his grappling line to Sam's. "Get on my back and please keep your arms inside the ride at all times. The replacement merch is cool, but not recommended."

Sam glared at him. Bucky didn't need to be able to see through the snow goggles to tell when Sam was glaring at him. As if this was Bucky's idea of a good time. It wasn't his fault there was one way down right now and they didn't have the supplies, or the body heat, to argue about it.

Sam tried to fire up his jetpack again, but the thing was completely frozen over, just like it had been five minutes ago. When Sam had tried to leave it on a low simmer earlier, the whole thing had started to smoke, so they'd nixed that defrosting idea.

"You cannot climb down this cliff," Sam insisted again. "And especially not while you're carrying me."

"You can't climb down it at all," Bucky said. "So this is our only option. We don't have to get all the way down, just below this weather system and back to the foot path."

Which, really, he should keep climbing after that. They really didn't have the provisions to finish the hike down the long way.

"You can't climb through a blizzard!" Sam insisted.

"That is hardly a blizzard. Louisiana mindsets, I swear to God. You know, there was one winter in Brooklyn where it didn't get above--"

Sam smacked a gloved hand over Bucky's mouth. Bucky held up two climbing axes instead of trying to speak. He started in on his shit again when Sam dropped his hand though.

"I didn't ask you to tackle me out of the helicopter." It was how they ended up in the middle of a snow storm two miles high. It was about the same time they realized the wings weren't working.

"Oh, should I have let the knife finish sinking into your face?" Sam asked. Okay, the helicopters had been full of bad guys who also didn't want Sam and Bucky on their ride.

"I was fine. I would've stopped him."

"You would not have. That guy was over powering you."

"Ice got in the plates," Bucky said. He was pretty sure that wasn't possible. His core temperature should've melted any errant intrusions. "I wasn't functioning at my highest. I would've figured it out. Now we're on top of a mountain and about to become ice sculptures. Please get on my back."

He put his facemask on, as if that would stop him from arguing. It hadn't at any other point in this mission. Sam mimicked, pointedly.

"We're going to fall to our deaths," he continued to argue, muffled through layers of protective warmth.

"I'm not going to let you fall," Bucky insisted. Assuming his lines held (and he was the fucking Winter Soldier, his lines were going to hold) neither of them were going to fall. If they slipped, they may be dashed against the side of the mountain, but that wasn't falling. As someone with experience in both things, Bucky had opinions on what was more survivable.

He aligned himself with his first foothold and sank the axe into the ice with a sharp crack. Sam stared at him, irritated, but eventually relented when Bucky continued to cling to the cliff's edge stubbornly.

"Don't drop me," he ordered.

"You'll have to connect your harness to mine," Bucky said as Sam began to climb over his shoulders and onto his back. "They're heavy-duty, so one on each shoulder and one by your waist."

"Bucky, this is a very dumb idea," Sam repeated one more time.

"Your complaints have been received and noted. If this all goes very wrong, you'll be highly vindicated in the history books."

As soon as Sam's weight was settled across his back, Bucky began to climb down. This was a very stupid idea, indeed.

"Hey, just in case these are my last words 'cause my vocal cords froze over or something, I really liked everything we did together. Even the shit I hated. Like this."

"Well, now we have to survive because those were terrible last words," Sam said, even more muffled now that his face was pressed to Bucky's neck. Well, as close to Bucky's neck as he could get through the winter layers. "Thanks, though. Y'know. For not leaving me on top of a mountain."

"Well, if I couldn't pass the time by arguing with you, it'd be a much longer descent."

"So much for your last words."

The snow picked up suddenly and Bucky found himself pressing into the rock face. He was going to lose his holding and certainly his footing if he tried to move right then. The wind howled, something deep and mechanical and rhythmic.

Oh, what the hell? The universe was laughing at him.

"Hey, you two need a ride?" Torres asked over a loud speaker, coming out of the storm in some stealthy little thing. "Or is this some kind of new intense couple's bonding thing?"

"You're joking right now?" Bucky called, though Torres definitely couldn't hear him.

They made quick work of cutting the lines and getting into Torres's little hovercraft. Sam laid on the floor, panting and squeezing his eyes shut like he kept expecting to open them and be outside again.

"I could've totally gone at least another mile down," Bucky insisted to no one at all.

"Are you kidding right now?" Torres asked.

Sam threw a balled up coat at him. And then laughed.

[absoluteocellibehavior]

The Eye's Great Chain of Being

Welcome to Part 2 of me and my friends have completely shaken up the TMA universe and other podcasts in the process. This system was created by my lovely friend Nightshade who is not on Tumblr but who has given me full permission to post this and answer any questions about it! Here is how she describes it: "The Eye is an entity of roles, of expectations, and that means a hierarchy. You have a place and you will know it. This system does not necessarily indicate how much power an avatar has (it can give a boost, but your strength can grow with age and experience), but it does indicate how favorable the avatar is to the Eye. The hierarchy is traditionally based on three vectors: Complete/Incomplete: How detailed is the information you've collected? Infinite/Finite: What subjects can you gather? Record/Recollection: What is the nature of the information you've gathered, how factual? The different combinations of which determine your rank along the hierarchy. For example: Archivists are among the highest roles, being complete (all details) infinite (any subject) records (entirely factual). The Jeweler ranks lower, being a complete finite record (focused on a specialized task). Of similar level is the Philosopher, being of complete infinite recollections (knows a Lot, but the knowledge is more about thinking and exploring than the facts discovered). The Storyteller is fairly low, being of incomplete infinite recollection (can collect a wide range of stories, but they focus on specific things and aren't always accurate to the event). Now. The Pupil is a unique role, in that it is the lowest, existing merely as a servant to the Eye and those of higher ranks. It doesn't actually have a particular task, not like the Archivist or Jeweler or Philosopher, it just knows things in order to organize or assist. How you go about this servitude though is... up to you." The Chain so far is as follows (and I am more than happy to talk about any of these placements or the lore contained within the chain itself!): The Entropy - Kayne :] The Archivist - Jonathan Sims The Ambassador - Arthur Lester The Broadcast - Cecil Gershwin Palmer The Jeweler - Emer The Luminary - Dr. Aria "Ria" Lynn Bell The Expanse - Dr. Axel M. Wimpren The Doctor - Dr. Jonathan Callaghan Fanshawe The Philosopher - Elliott Meléti The Wanderer Ocelli - Barnabas Lukas-Bennett The Keeper - Cillian Fanshawe Callaghan The Architect - Robert Smirke The Tower - Manphy Lukas-Bennett The Antiquary - Albrecht Von Closen The Storyteller - Thea Brooks (Pupil) The Analyst - Phoebe (Nix) (Pupil) The Manor - Mordechai Lukas-Bennett (Pupil) The Martian - Juno Steel (Pupil) The Doctor - Jonathan Callaghan Fanshawe (Pupil) The Siren Host - Jonah Magnus

If you want to check out any of the other things we've added to this universe as they all feed on each other, check out the tag #ocelli expansion pack !

[prettyflyshyguy]

Hi everyone in true Shy fashion I've been violently bouncing projects, energy levels and motivation and I'm still furiously trying to get my shit together for the latter half of the year; I'm cooking up big things but in the meantime, here's something extremely silly, and extremely fun, and extremely inFAMOUS.

It's a chunk of a WIP I'm writing that I'll hopefully release a few chapters of down the line.

Zeke rolled the near empty glass in his hands, watching the liquid swirl around and bubble softly. Under the blacklight it glowed an almost putrid green, and it tasted worse than it looked, but he couldn’t resist the siren song of the Pyre Night specials. Nothing good cost under five dollars, but he wanted something to do while he waited. The bar was packed full, and he was starting to regret the choice of location. He had hoped to mingle with the locals, maybe use Cole’s good name and face to chat up some beautiful goth women, but the Devil’s Sacrament had been overrun by commoners and rabble. He glanced up from staring into the green portal that had settled in his drink as the bartender gestured at the near empty glass. Zeke slid it across the bar with one finger, sighing as he checked his watch. It was too busy, and too early, to even bother trying to attempt to flirt with the venue staff, and he’d given up hope of even trying with anyone else since setting foot on the stairs leading into the basement. He’d had to fight tooth and nail to even make it to the bar, and he was growing tired of overhearing the drabble of conversation from plastered partiers who were at best simply uncultured, and at worse hillbilly’s out of the league of the regulars of the finest establishment in all of New Marais. 

“What is this music?” a man drunkenly slurred as he bumped into Zeke’s back, either apathetic or purposefully ignoring him.

“Bela Lugosi’s Dead.” the unimpressed feminine voice responded. 

“Oh my god, that’s like, so sad, how did he die?” 

Zeke groaned, loud and exaggerated, as he placed a few bills on the table before skulling the refilled glass. He had been waiting for over half an hour, and he was starting to get worried. Something felt off, and the artificial watermelon flavored wannabe-cruiser only made the feeling worse. Cole could handle himself, but this was supposed to be their night off. One night to party, one night to pretend things were like they had been once before. A night for themselves, before the powers, the responsibility. Before he had gone and messed everything up. Maybe Cole wasn’t coming back to meet him. Maybe he was off hanging out with Nix, or even Kuo. The conduit club, no Zeke’s allowed. That’d be right, he thought, as he considered flagging the bartender over for a third round. The eerie, somewhat festive music rumbled through the bar, and as he was lost in the swirl of green at the bottom of his near empty glass once more, Zeke didn’t notice the rhythmic buzzing coming from his short’s back pocket. 

His phone rang twice before he registered it, and he fumbled as he struggled to pull it out amongst the stumbling bodies of the crowd pressing against his back. Peering at the screen, he could just make out the caller ID in the dim smoke filled room. “Oh, oh shit.” he waved away the bartender as he slid off the stool, one arm holding the phone to his ear, the other tapping people on the shoulder and carving a path for him to escape the animals that continued to pour into the already cramped bar. 

“Hey Brother, where you at?” Zeke yelled over the booming sound system and rowdy crowd, “I’m starting to get worried over here. Everything ok under the church, did someone let off a firework on accident?”

He frowned as he struggled to hear Cole over the noise as he pushed his way up the stairs towards the exit and the outdoors. He could barely make out what the man was saying, but whatever it was, it hardly sounded good. 

“Woah woah woah slow down brother, can you uh repeat that last part?”

As he pushed open the door, the cool evening breeze washed over him and he admired the beautiful dark purple and blue of the night sky. Taking a few steps away from the bar and out into the street, despite the footraffic and explosions of nearby fireworks, he could hear the phone much more clearly. He pushed his sunglasses up to rest on his head as he wiped his eyes, trying not to laugh at what Cole was blabbering over the phone as the line crackled. He’d done his best to insulate the mobile, but given Cole’s situation, you can’t do much to stop electromagnetism messing with things when he was near them. 

“Ha Ha… Really?” Zeke grinned ear to ear as he shook his head. 

“Do you look more handsome than normal?” he chuckled, “Do teenage girls suddenly find you irresistible?” 

“Seriously, brother, I know I told you to get out and have some fun tonight but how many drinks have you had?” he added after a pause, “and why didn't you meet up with me first?”

He started making his way down the street back in the direction of their home base, smiling as Cole continued. “Yeah, brother those are your incisors, it is very normal if they're pointier than your other teeth.” he frowned, “Ok ok calm down, meet me at my place and Dr zeke will take a look at ya.”

“Are you sure you haven't had anything to drink?”

“Booze, Cole. I'm talking about booze.”

“OK brother, I'll Meet you there.”

Zeke hung up and slipped the phone back into his pocket as he chuckled to himself. “Hoooo… that boy is plastered.” 

His smile dampened slightly as the thought returned. Plastered without him. They’d always gone out together, he always promised Trish he’d make sure Cole didn’t do anything stupid, they’d look after each other. That was then, things were different now, he supposed. 

Guess being the Hero of Empire City, and now New Marais, earns you free drinks too. Guess ol’ Zeke’s only useful when thing’s go wrong. Only worth a dime when–

He cut the thought in half and attempted to distract himself with the sights and scenes of the festival as it began to truly come alive as the last embers of sunlight had faded. Something had gone wrong, that much was clear. Plenty of people might want to hurt Cole, put him in a vulnerable position, try and manipulate him, or just try and abuse his good nature. Sure a little penicillin smoothed things over last time Zeke made a grand mistake in New Marais, but things had changed. That was then, and this was now. It was out of character for Cole to flip out like this though, he recognised perhaps he had been too harsh. He’d hold the thought and see what the hell was going on once they met up. He was starting to get more worried. 

No part of the south island was devoid of activity, with performers, food trucks and spectacles on every corner. By the time Zeke arrived back at the building they’d camped out on the roof of he’d picked up multiple glow stick wristbands that had been shoved into his hands, and he’d narrowly avoided a group of youths armed with silly-string. It’d taken him long enough to return by foot, and even in a compromised state, he knew Cole was faster, having no doubt ridden the power lines. As he arrived on familiar gravel atop the stairwell, he announced his presence before even confirming if his friend was even there. His tone was jovial, but he couldn’t hide the twinge of pain underpinning it. “Alright brother now I won’t judge you if you’re into some freaky shit, I mean hell, tonight’s the night for it! I just wish you’d gotten me in on the action.” He continued to speak as he rounded the corner of the stairwell access. “But Cole man c’mon, I know you’re freaking out but it's ok, you’re not a vamp- HOLY MOTHER OF BABY JESUS!!”

[aylacavebear]

The Traveler - Chapter 21 - Mechoria Pt. 4

You're from a specific dimension, Solaris Eclipse. It was a dimension of magic. When your kind, the Eldrathiren, turned fifteen, your unique power would awaken within you. Most times, it was something small, levitation, teleportation, creation, elemental manipulation, and things like that. Once in a while, a fifteen-year-old would just disappear, and those were called Travelers. None of them had ever returned. Your parents had told you stories about them, and you hoped that wouldn't happen to you.

Please don't take my work. I'll post warnings for each chapter. Will probably be 18+ I haven't decided yet!

Word Count: 7270

Pairing Eventually Dean Winchester x OC Reader/You & Sam Winchester x OC Reader/You

Warnings: Suspense, missing the Earth.

----------------------------------------- Chapter 21 - Mechora Pt. 4

Your mind had been on the sewer system and were again at the library, looking through old documents regarding the city. It had been a week since you’d helped Zephyr and spoken to Kellen. The library was massive, several stories above the main level and several stories below. It would have been easier if all the information regarding the city was in one location, but to your dismay, it wasn’t.

Getting frustrated, you gathered up the papers you’d been going over, then returned them to where you’d gotten them before heading down another flight of stairs to the last level of the library. You scanned the shelves, reading titles of books, labels on boxes of files, scrolls, and old parchments from things in the distant past. There seemed to be records of everything except what you were looking for, a map of the old sewer system.

A soft rusting caught your attention and you turned to see the elderly librarian, her eyes wise and kind, approaching you. “You seem troubled, dear. Can I assist you with something?”

“I’m looking for a map of the old sewer system,” you replied, trying to keep the frustration out of your voice. “I’ve searched everywhere but can’t seem to find anything.”

The librarian smiled gently. “Ah, the old sewers. They are quite the labyrinth. Follow me.” She led you to a corner of the library you hadn’t explored yet. Reaching up to one of the higher shelves, she pulled down a dusty, leather-bound tome. “This might be what you’re looking for.”

You took the book from her, carefully opening it. Inside were detailed drawings and descriptions of the sewer system from centuries ago. “Thank you,” you said, relief evident in your voice.

“Take your time,” she replied, patting your shoulder before leaving you to your research.

You spent the next few hours poring over the maps and notes, carefully noting down essential details. The sewers were indeed a labyrinth, with tunnels that extended far beyond the city limits. As you studied, a pattern began to emerge. There were several hidden entrances, some of which were no longer in use or had been forgotten over time.

Remembering how Nix had explained that the sewer had been sealed off, you looked at all the entrances. You knew you’d have to check each one to figure out which ones were still accessible and which ones were not, but you’d need to map it out. On a piece of parchment paper, you drew out the sewer system from the images in the book. Then, you pulled out the map of the city and meticulously began marking where the entrances had been noted in the book.

This is going to take a day or more to check each one, you thought, realizing the scope of your task.

The entrances were scattered throughout the city and nearly a dozen more outside the city walls. You sighed as you began cleaning up, carefully tucking your map back where it had been. After returning the books to their places, you gathered your notes and headed back to the inn, paying for a meal before heading to your room. You’d already figured out how you would tackle this next task and realized it was going to take you at least two days.

The next morning, you woke early, determined to begin your exploration of the sewer entrances. After a quick breakfast, you double-checked your supplies: both maps, your blade from Aqualumina, your pouch from Lysara which you’d added some extra food to, and a few miscellaneous provisions you put in a small bag that you had purchased during your first few days in this world. Once you got your hair up in a braid and slung the bag over your shoulder, you headed out.

You started on the southern portion of the city, stopping at each location as you came across it, then marked it on the map with an X. So far, they had all been sealed off, not even leaving a trace behind that they had ever existed. It was the same with the east side of the city. By the time you headed back to the inn, you’d managed to check just over half of the city, all the entrances being sealed off.

As you ate dinner that night in your room, you looked over the map again. You were betting on at least one entrance outside the city walls and one inside the city but were having difficulty pinpointing where they would be. You wanted to solve this so that perhaps you could get back to Earth quicker, remembering what the Luminous had told you.

Day two was similar to the day before, but this time, you did find an opening that wasn’t sealed off. It was on the Northern side of the city, tucked inside one of the abandoned buildings. The area was eerily quiet, the only sound being the rustling of leaves in the wind. You circled its location on the map before moving on, not quite ready to go into the sewers just yet. You would need to go back over the map of the sewers you made so you didn’t get lost in the labyrinth of tunnels.

There was another entrance that was only five blocks away from the Clock Tower, and that one you put a star near. You were careful though, while you were looking for these entrances. The last thing you needed was to draw too much attention from anyone who might be a part of the Rust Coalition. That night in your room, you marked the entrances on the map of the sewers you had copied, noting how they seemed to be in key locations.

On day three, you headed outside the city walls. The sun hadn’t even fully risen yet as you made your way toward the first of six locations in this area outside the city. You had a distinct feeling that all those would be sealed off but wanted to check to make sure. With the openings you did find and where you’d found them in the city, you knew there had to be at least one outside the city near them.

Your ears twitched with the sounds of the wildlife as you checked the areas you were pretty sure were sealed off. It did take you nearly all day to check every location on the map. The surprising thing, was you never saw anyone. Something you figured was that someone from the Rust Coalition would have been guarding the two entrances you did find, but that wasn’t the case. One of the entrances was near the northern side of the city but a decent distance away and into the forest. You couldn’t even see the walls of the city. The other entrance was further west and mostly covered with plant growth, looking as though not even the Rust Coalition had used it.

After marking the locations on the map, you returned to the inn, paid for dinner, and retired to your room for the night. You marked the locations on the map of the sewer you’d drawn, then went over how the tunnels were connected. There were several areas that were almost the size of a small room. The book from the library had mentioned how they had storage rooms down in the sewers for supplies. There was also an entrance you hadn’t been able to check, the one under the Clock Tower.

The fourth day began with you feeling more prepared than ever. You had memorized most of the map and felt confident in your ability to navigate the sewer system. After a hearty breakfast, you gathered your supplies and made your way to the northern entrance, the one tucked inside the abandoned building.

The building was just as quiet as before, its dilapidated structure standing as a silent sentinel to your secret mission. Carefully, you removed the cover and descended into the darkness below. The air was damp and musty, the sound of dripping water echoing off the stone walls.

With your ability to see in the dark in shades of gray, you had no need for a lantern, and it would also help hide your presence if you came across someone. This was also when your senses were more alert. You consulted the map frequently, making sure you were on the right track. The sewers were a maze of tunnels and chambers, and getting lost was a real danger.

Strange bugs moved along the walls while spider-looking creatures lay in wait in their webs along the ceiling. Occasionally, there would be some sort of rodent-looking creature that would scurry away as you walked further down the tunnels. There was also a strange odor in the air, and you wondered if it had to do with most of the entrances being sealed off or if it was just the lack of the place being tended to.

As you progressed, you found signs of recent activity - scuff marks on the floor, a discarded piece of cloth. Your heart raced with the knowledge that you were getting closer to the Rust Coalition’s base.

It felt like hours passed as you navigated the tunnels, marking intersections and noting significant features. You reached a large chamber that seemed to be a storage area, just as the book had mentioned. Boxes and crates were stacked against the walls, some covered in dust, others looking as though they had been recently disturbed.

You paused, listening intently. The faint sound of voices echoed from a nearby tunnel, but they sounded as though whoever was talking was keeping their voice hushed. You got as close to the wall of the tunnel as you dared, without touching it, slowly inching your way closer. You weren’t scared, but you were cautious, as you didn’t need to be found out.

Taking a deep breath, you crept closer, moving silently in the shadows. The voices grew louder, and you could make out snippets of conversation. They were talking about the living rust and its progress of spreading toward the city. You had found them - the Rust Coalition.

Gathering your courage, you decided to get closer and gather more information. You knew you had to be careful. One wrong move, and you’d be discovered. The fate of this world rested on your shoulders, and you were determined to see it through. You had to. Your soul needed you to so you could get back to them.

“... it should reach the city within the week. Have the preparations been made?” a male voice asked in a hushed tone.

“Yes. The heads of both guilds and our leader, Thorne, are fully prepared. They’ve ensured everything is in place on their end,” a female voice replied.

“And the city council? Are they still unaware of our true intentions?” The female voice chuckled softly. “Completely. Our leader’s position as the head of the council has them all fooled. They suspect nothing.” “Good. Once the living rust takes hold, our control over the city will be absolute. The Clockwork Guild, the Alchemists’ Guild, and the Spellcaster’s Guild will fall in line soon.” You listened intently, your mind racing. With the three guilds they’d mentioned, it meant that the other two had to be the ones involved, as there were only five guilds in the city. What completely blew your mind was that the leader of the Rust Coalition was the head of the city council. This information was crucial, and you needed more details, but who could you go to with it?

“We need to ensure no one interferes, especially with the rumors that have been circulating the city recently. Have any of the others found her yet?” the male voice continued, sounding both worried and annoyed.

“No, they haven’t found her, but they suspect she’s staying at Kragthor Inn. One of the merchants near there said he saw someone with similar features coming and going often.” the female voice tried to reassure him.

That was about the time your heart began pounding, hearing their words. This was far bigger than you had anticipated. You had to not only find a way to stop them, but now, they were looking for you. Quietly, you began to back away, making sure not to make any noise. You needed to get this information to Zephyr. He was so far the only one you could trust with it. You were also going to need to find a different place to stay, as Kragthor Inn was no longer safe.

It was just after noon when you emerged back into that abandoned building. The area was still eerily quiet, but that was almost reassuring with what you’d overheard. It took you a few moments to calm your racing heart while also calculating a quick path to Zephyr’s workshop with as few people noticing as possible.

On the entire walk there, you felt like everyone was watching you, even if they weren’t, and it was nerve-wracking. Clockwork Plaza was busy as usual when you arrived and made your way to the workshop, quickly going inside and closing the door behind you.

“Good. You’re back. There’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Zephyr told you, causing you to look toward the counter where he was standing behind. That’s when you noticed the other person in the workshop, a wolf with all-black fur wearing what looked like formal attire. He gave you a friendly smile, but something about him just felt… off.

“This is Councilor Thorne Albright, the head of the city council,” Zephyr added, and that almost made you freeze where you stood.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss?” Thorne asked, extending his hand.

You hesitated for a moment before shaking it, knowing you couldn’t give him your real name, “Nice to meet you too. I’m Alkestis,” you lied.

Zephyr noticed your unease and your lie, “Is everything alright?” “Actually, I need to speak with you, privately,” you replied, trying to keep your voice steady.

Thorne raised an eyebrow but didn’t push. He’d seen you, and that was all he had needed. “Of course. I’ll take my leave. Zephyr, let’s continue our discussion later.” As Thorne left, you quickly turned to Zephyr. “We have a problem. I overheard a conversation in the sewers. Thorne is the leader of the Rust Coalition. They’re planning to spread the living rust into the city within a week.”

Zephyr’s eyes widened in shock. “What? Are you sure? “Positive. They mentioned how he’s fooled the council and how the heads of the Inventors’ Guild and the Healer’s Guild are involved.” You explained quickly as your ears twitched, alert and listening for anyone who might be trying to overhear the conversation from outside. Zephyr paced the room, deep in thought. “This is worse than I imagined. We need to act quickly. We have to inform the remaining guilds. I’ve already gathered all the ingredients for the spell to stop the rust, thanks to what you and Kellen provided. The problem is that Thorne knows about the spell. He’s the head of the council, so I had informed him of the developments.”

That made you sigh, “You’ll have to inform the other guilds and find a way to bluff about having all the spell ingredients because we have another problem. They’re looking for me. One of the merchants told someone in the Rust Coalition they saw me at Kragthor Inn.”

Zephyr stopped pacing and looked at you with concern. “We’ll need to find somewhere to hide you, keep you safe for now. Do you know of Arina? She owns a clothing shop near that inn you’re staying.” When Arina’s name was mentioned, your ears perked up. “Yes. I got some items from her shortly after I arrived.” “Good. Go and gather your things from the inn. Then, go see her. She knows what is going on, so you can trust her with what you’ve told me. I’ll talk to the other guild leaders, then go to the other council members. This will be hard to prove, but it’s the first lead we’ve had in a long time. I also want you to take the spell, and the Luminous feather with you. Keep them hidden until I come for them.” Zephyr explained as he gathered those items and slipped them into a bag, then handed it to you. He also grabbed a cloak and gave that to you as well.

“We’ll stop them, Zephyr,” you attempted to reassure him as you slipped the cloak on, putting the hood up to half cover your features. No one would even be able to see your ears and tail now.

With that, you bid him farewell before he showed you out the back exit so no one would see you leave his workshop. That would give you some time, at least. Thorne had seen you, and you were pretty sure he’d have someone attempt to follow you. Your heart was racing as you made it back to the inn. At least with the cloak, you wouldn’t be as easily recognized.

You packed up your room quickly, as you hadn’t had many things out. You did slip the bag from Zephyr into your main bag just to keep it safer and have less to carry. With your things in hand, you headed downstairs but stopped at the top of the stairs when you heard a male voice asking about you, using your description and the fake name you’d given Thorne. Luckily, that was going to buy you the time you needed.

So, instead of heading out the front of the inn, you went back to your room and then out the window, landing gracefully on your feet. You took the long way around to Arina’s shop, moving cautiously among the people on the streets. It felt like every sense you had was on high alert and like all eyes were on you.

Before slipping into Arina’s shop, you looked through the window, mainly to see if anyone else was inside. When you didn’t see anyone, you slipped in, quietly closing the door behind you and making your way to the counter near the back of her store. She looked at you, puzzled.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, noting the cloak and your bags.

“Arina, there’s so much. Zephyr said you had a place for me to hide,” you told her quickly, deciding that would be the best place to start.

Concern quickly replaced her relaxed expression, “Yes, follow me.”

She led you to the back of the store, then down two flights of stairs. The room wasn’t massive, but there were three doors there. Arina unlocked and opened the middle one, leading you inside before closing it behind you. She took you through several hallways or tunnels, it was hard to tell, before she finally stopped at one of the several doors that the two of you had passed.

“No one knows about this place,” she told you, unlocking the door and showing you inside.

It reminded you of the room at the inn with simple furnishings, only there was no window. You set your bags down on the bed, plopped down next to them, and sighed.

“Alright, what’s going on?” Arina asked, getting comfortable on the floor space between the door and the bed where you sat.

You spent the next almost hour explaining everything to her, including being able to mentally communicate with the creatures. Her expressions were mostly of surprise, except when it came to the part about the head of the council, Thorne. She even covered her mouth as the realization flashed in her eyes. It took her a few minutes to fully process all you’d told her, including the part about the Luminous and what it had told you.

“So, that’s why I needed your help. I don’t know what they’ll do if they find me,” you told her as that sinking feeling began setting in.

Arina’s expression softened, “You’ll be safe here, and I’ll bring you food. Zephyr’s good, and he’ll be able to get the others to listen and do something. You’re really important, even if you aren’t from this world.” She explained to you in an attempt to comfort and reassure you.

She then reached over to the nightstand drawer, opened it, and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “This is a map of where you are. If for any reason you need to get out, use it and hide somewhere in the forest,” Arina told you, setting the map on the bed next to you.

“Thanks, Arina. I really appreciate all your help,” you replied, but couldn’t even manage a small smile.

She gave you one last smile before leaving you alone in that room. You didn’t even move anything before lying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling. It reminded you of the bunker with its lack of windows.

Now what the hell am I supposed to do?

You knew this was far safer than trying to hide out in the city or even in the forest, but it also meant that you couldn’t be out there, helping them. All you could do now was play the waiting game, and that was always a pain. Yes, you had patience, but at the same time, you wanted to be doing something to actively help.

—-------------

Arina kept her word and brought you food, and you studied the map of where you were, memorizing it just in case you needed to make a run for it. Zephyr showed up three days later with the ingredients for the spell. One of the ingredients happened to be a few drops of blood of the one who was given the Luminous feather; you. He explained that it would take some time, but once the spell was done, the other council members would be able to arrest Thorne and the others involved.

“How will the spell let you do that?” you asked him, quite curiously, after all the ingredients had been added to the bowl he was standing in front of.

Zephyr chuckled, “A nifty little trick to this spell is that it marks anyone who was involved with the living rust. The Luminous are protectors of this world, and the magic within their feathers is very potent. You’ll be a hero after all this mess is cleared up.”

You raised your eyebrows in awe and then carefully watched him. You weren’t sure how you felt about being seen as a hero. All you had wanted to do was help so you could get back to your family, even if you had felt bad for what this world was going through. Zephyr spoke the words of the spell, and beautiful colors began dancing around the room. Then, all the colors seemed to be pulled inside the bowl before everything inside it completely vanished.

“Was it supposed to do that?” you asked, completely puzzled.

“Yes. I need to get back to my shop. The city guards have already been informed, and arrests will begin shortly. You won’t have to stay here long. I imagine that in about four days, everyone involved will be arrested, With your information about the sewers, no one will be safe to hide there.” he explained as he cleaned up.

He bid you goodbye before leaving, and you plopped down on the bed as you thought about what he’d said. You still weren’t sure about the whole hero thing. Your thoughts drifted to the brothers, and you wondered just how close your birthday was getting. 

Six months? Five and a half now? 

Calculating time was a little difficult, as you had nothing to write it down on to keep track of it. That was when you decided that when it was safe for you to leave and go back outside, you would get a journal of sorts and start writing down the things you had experienced since turning fifteen. You were also going to get those things you had wanted for the brothers.

Arina visited you daily, bringing food and keeping you updated on what was going on. The first two days, the city was in a sort of chaotic state when the arrests began. So many people were in shock at those involved. The two guilds had to appoint temporary leaders, and at least a third of the guild itself was arrested. There were even two other council members and nearly a dozen guards who got arrested. 

On the morning of the fifth day, you already had your things packed. Arina told you to leave them in her shop, as the council wanted to meet you. You took several deep breaths as she led you out of her shop and into the streets. Everyone was staring, watching you, and you could hear quiet whispers from several of them. You never wanted to be a hero; you only wanted to help so that, in the long run, you could go home.

Arina led you through the city to Clockwork Plaza. There were more people there than you’d seen at any other time, all eager to glimpse the stranger who had saved their world. Yet, they kept their distance, thanks to the guards stationed around the area, ensuring you had a clear path to the council building. It was clear that everyone in the city knew who you were and what you had done.

The building stood behind the library, you’d just never had time to take in its architecture. Now, though, you couldn’t take your eyes off of it. Construction of polished stone, reinforced with bronze and copper, the building’s exterior gleamed under the sunlight. Large, arched windows adorned its facade, each pane intricately designed with patterns resembling the inner workings of a clock. Towering columns flanked the main entrance, their surfaces etched with symbols representing the five guilds of the city: Clockwork, Alchemists, Spellcasters, Inventors, and Healers.

As you ascended the broad steps leading to the entrance, the imposing double doors swung open, revealing a spacious atrium bathed in a golden light. The interior was a blend of grandeur and precision, with high ceilings supported by elegant columns and walls lined with murals depicting the city’s history. The floor was a mosaic of gears and cogs, each piece meticulously placed to form a cohesive whole. The sound of your footsteps echoed softly, adding to the sense of reverence the building commanded.

You could feel the weight of history and power in the air as you moved deeper into the building. Arina led you through a series of hallways, each more ornate than the last. The walls were adorned with tapestries and paintings of past council members and significant events. The scent of aged parchment and polished wood filled your senses, grounding amidst the overwhelming surroundings.

Finally, you reached the council chambers, a grand room with a circular layout. At the center stood a large, round table made of dark mahogany, surrounded by plush chairs upholstered in deep red fabric. The ceiling was a domed masterpiece, painted with a depiction of the city and its guilds. A large crystal chandelier hanging down cast a brilliant array of light colors across the room.

The atmosphere inside the chamber was tense, a palpable mix of gratitude and anxiety. The council members, guild leaders, and other key figures were gathered, their faces a blend of relief and concern. As you took in the scene, you couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride and responsibility. This was the culmination of your effort, and now, it was time to see it through.

Arina set her hand on your shoulder to reassure you as the two of you moved closer to the table while Zephyr approached you with another council member.

“Y/N, this is Agaza Firemirez, the new council leader,” Zephyr told you with a proud tone.

“Welcome, Y/N,” Agaza greeted you. “We owe you a great debt for uncovering the conspiracy. Thanks to you, the city is safe.” You nodded, trying to keep your composure. “I’m just glad I could help.” Zephyr looked to Agaza, “Y/N has done more than help. She risked her life to bring this information to us. Without her, the living rust would have destroyed our city and possibly our world.”

Agaza nodded. “Indeed. We’ve decided to honor you with the highest award the city can bestow. You will also have a place here, should you choose to stay.”

You knew there was no way you could take his offer, never knowing when the scent would beckon you to move on. “That’s very kind of you, but I must decline. I just never know when I’ll be pulled to another world.”

His eyes softened, “Of course. I wanted to ask, and you have the right to say no, but would you be willing to give us your gift of speaking with the creatures?”

That surprised you, and had no clue it was even possible. “How could I do that?” 

Agaze motioned for the Spellcaster’s guild leader to join the four of you. “This is Elkesh. She is quite adept at what I am asking, and she knows how to share abilities like this with others.” “Then yes, I will give my gift to this world,” you replied, knowing now that with this, they wouldn’t have to hurt the creatures and perhaps even find a way to live with them more peacefully.

Elkesh took out a small, crystal orb, no bigger than a marble, “Hold out your hand.” Your eyes were on the small, clear orb, but did as she asked. Elkesh set the orb in your palm, then spoke some sort of spell in a language you didn’t recognize. At first, a galaxy appeared within the orb before it shifted to an array of colors, glowing slightly.

“Thank you, Y/N. This will be an asset to all the inhabitants of this world,” Elkesh told you in a soft, grateful tone before she went to stand with the other guild leaders.

“Now, time to address your award,” Agaze began, but you held up your hand, and he looked at you, slightly puzzled.

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but I was curious, what is wrong with the Clock Tower?” you respectfully asked him, as you had still felt that pull to it when you walked by it earlier.

Everyone in the room looked around at everyone else as some of them whispered to each other. Agaze held up his hand to quiet them. “All we know is that something is wrong with it. We’ve had all our best minds investigate it, and to their best abilities, they see no reason why it shouldn’t be working properly. Why do you ask?”

“I feel drawn to it. Somewhere under it, in the sewers. I can’t explain it and it is blocked off from reaching it through the sewers, at least according to the map,” you explained.

He thought for a moment as everyone else watched in anticipation. You’d already done so much and now you were wanting to help them even more. “Ketill,” Agaze stated, addressing a guard on the far side of the room who quickly moved to stand in front of him.

“Sir,” Ketill replied, standing at attention.

“I want you to take Y/N to the entrance of the Clock Tower and then down into the section below it. Be her escort, her guard, and keep her safe. She may be able to see something we have missed,” Agaze explained to him.

“Yes, Sir,” Ketill answered, then stood and waited for you.

“Y/N, when you return, your belongings will be here waiting for you, along with your award. We would like to have you with us when we address the city in a couple of hours and introduce you to them properly. Since you are unable to take us up on our offer of a council seat, we’ll make sure you are set up comfortably for while you are at least in our world.” Agaze explained to you with the most appreciative expression you’d seen on him yet.

It humbled you in a way you hadn’t experienced before, “Thank you, for everything.”

“No, Y/N, thank you,” he replied before he bowed to you, and every other person there followed suit, making you fight back tears.

As Ketill led you out of the council chambers, you felt a mixture of relief that things were mostly taken care of, and hope that you could go back to the brothers soon. You weren’t sure yet if you could do anything about the Clock Tower, but you needed to find out why you kept being drawn toward it. Your mind was elsewhere as Ketill led you down the grand corridors and out into the plaza. The air outside was filled with a mix of curiosity and admiration from the gathered crowd, but you focused on the Clock Tower and Ketill leading you there.

The crowd parted as Ketill led you toward the Clock Tower that stood in the center of the plaza. Colored puffs of smoke sporadically emerged from the pipes at the top, creating a non-rhythmical display. You’d never been this close to it before, and it was far larger than you’d initially realized. The two guards on either side of the door at its base only stood at attention as Kendill opened the door for you. 

Once inside and the door closed behind you, you looked up. A staircase wound its way up and around the walls as gears and all sorts of mechanical pieces seemed frozen in time. You could barely see the light that came in the faces of the clock at the top of the tower, but you did notice how the pipes the smoke was coming from went down the corners of the building and through the floor. There were a dozen of them, three along each corner.

“This way,” Ketill told you, heading toward the left of the door you’d both come through.

You followed him, trying to get a feel for what might be going on, but it was only that pull to go down. Ketill moved a rug, revealing what looked like a trap door, then pulled it open. The creak of the hinges echoed in the tower.

“Watch your step, it’s dark,” he explained as he began descending the stairs.

“I’ll be okay. I can see in the dark,” you replied, noticing a faint but odd odor when you reached the first small landing, making you wrinkle your nose.

Ketill grabbed a lantern that was kept on this platform, waving his hand in front of it before it began illuminating the area. Then, in unison, lanterns lit around the area and down what looked like several more flights of stairs. Here, there were no parts of the Clock Tower, only the pipes that continued to descend the corners. 

You followed Ketill down. That odd odor didn’t seem to get any stronger, and it smelled as though it was everywhere. “How did the clock work, before it went down?” you finally asked Ketill, as you hadn’t exactly found the information you needed when you had researched it.

“When it was working, the pipes would let out smoke every quarter hour that ticked by, one pipe at a time. Then, every hour, depending on the hour, that set of three pipes would let out smoke. When noon came, all the pipes would let out smoke. It let everyone outside the city know the time,” he explained as he continued walking.

That’s why I’m drawn down here. Something is wrong with the pipes.

At the bottom, the chamber opened up a little and became more like a dome while the pipes wound around it and along the floor to a center point. Carved on the walls were intricate runes and glyphs with pictures that told a story of the Clock Tower's history. You moved past Ketill, toward the center of the room, that odor getting a little stronger there.

“They didn’t find anything here?” you asked curiously, gently sniffing the air.

“Nothing. They don’t know what’s wrong or why it won’t work,” Ketill sighed, just watching you and giving you space.

There was a lantern over where the pipes all went deeper into the ground in the center of the room. You knelt on the pipes, looking down at them, tilting your head, and studying the pipes themselves.

“Ketill, can you turn off the lights?” you asked him, still completely focused on the pipes.

Without a word, he waved his hand over the lantern he was holding, and darkness filled the room. It took a few moments for your eyes to adjust to the sudden change. Then, you thought you saw something, a tiny, almost invisible puff of smoke from one of the pipes. The silence of the room didn’t bother you, and you didn’t take your eyes off the pipes. Then, it happened again.

Instinctively, you reached your hand down and touched the pipe, feeling the faintest of cracks in it, like a tiny fracture on a bone that was almost undetectable unless you knew what to look for. 

“Now heal it.” A familiar voice within your mind told you. You almost chuckled as you smiled a little. 

The Luminous were the protectors of the world. Of course, they’d know what was wrong.

You shook your head slightly in amusement, setting your hand on the tiny crack and closing your eyes. The surface of the metal was cold under your palm as a soft golden light shown below your hand. In your mind, you saw the Luminous, and the leader bowed to you again as the light dimmed, then dissipated. 

Ketill stood there, watching in awe as the Clock Tower came to life above. You smiled softly, bowed your head, then opened your eyes and stood to face Ketill.

“How?” was all he could manage to say.

“I’ll explain when we go back to the council,” you replied, feeling a sense of accomplishment but also a strange peace that seemed to go through your body in gentle waves.

After lighting the lantern again, he led you up and then out of the Clock Tower. Once outside, though, the entire plaza erupted with cheers and whistles, and most were clapping. You had to take a deep breath as it had startled you. He led you back to the council chambers, the crowd never seeming to calm, even as you entered the building. 

Again, the entire room bowed to you, their way of expressing their utter gratitude for your help. You explained what had happened and what you found, all of them making a mental note of it for any possible future occurrence. Agaze gave you a beautiful pendant that held a crystal, like the veins you’d seen on your first day in that cave. Then, he and the others led you out to the plaza, where he gave a long speech, with the crowd again erupting in cheers.

It was a lot for you to take in and, in a way, fairly overwhelming. Ketill, with two other guards, showed you to the new inn you’d be staying in. The inn was grand, situated in the expensive part of the town, near the plaza by only a couple of blocks. The building itself was a magnificent structure with elegant stonework and tall, arched windows. The innkeeper, a stately anthropomorphic fox with a luxurious coat of reddish fur and eyes that seemed to sparkle with both wisdom and mischief, greeted you warmly.

“Welcome, Y/N,” the innkeeper said, his voice smooth and courteous. “I am Fenwick, the keeper of this humble establishment. It is an honor to have you here.”

He treated you like a celebrity, which made you blush a little. There were far more employees working here than at the last inn you’d stayed in. They bustled around in crips uniforms, attending to guests with practiced efficiency. One of them, a young female fox with bright eyes and a friendly smile, took your bags and led you to your new room.

Your new room was just as lavish as the rest of the inn. The moment you stepped inside, you were greeted by the scent of fresh flowers and a hint of sandalwood. The room was spacious, with high ceilings adorned with intricate carvings. Rich tapestries hung on the walls, depicting scenes of lush landscapes and mythical creatures. A large window with velvet drapes offered a stunning view of the city plaza below.

The bed was a grand four-poster with silken sheets and a plush comforter that looked incredibly inviting. A writing desk made of polished mahogany stood in one corner, accompanied by a comfortable chair. A small sitting area with a plush sofa and armchairs was arranged near a fireplace, above which hung a large, ornate mirror.

You tucked your new pendant into your pouch and took a moment to appreciate the comfort and luxury of your new surroundings. The soft light from the chandelier cast a warm glow over the room, making it feel like a safe haven after all you’d been through. Your bags were set on the floor at the foot of the bed. Part of you felt like this was all too much, but at the same time, you appreciated the city’s generosity.

It took you nearly a week to get used to being in such a luxurious inn. Three meals were brought to your room every day, as was a dessert with dinner. You did go and purchase a beautiful yet simple journal to write down your travels in and worked on it during the days when you didn’t venture into the city. You also picked up two books. One of them was a history of the city, and the Clock Tower, and the other was a history of the world itself. Those were for Sam, as you remembered how much he loved history. For Dean, you found a beautifully hand-crafted boot knife that had a silver blade. 

You never unpacked your things. You hoped that the scent would come pull you back to the brothers, to home, and you wanted to be ready. So, you just kept all your things neatly packed away, waiting, even if you did get into them when you needed to. Several of the people in the city wanted to give you gifts, and there were a few days you would find something placed in front of your door. You thought it was sweet, so you just tucked the items away in your things. Some of them even had notes, telling you what the item either did or why they had given it to you. One of your favorite items was a strange gear from a young boy. The note he’d left said he had found it on one of his adventures, and he wanted you to have it to remind you of your adventure in their world. The brothers were always on your mind, even when you were around others, more so when you were alone. You had picked up a second journal that you wrote to them in. It was the only way you had found that eased the pain of missing them as the days ticked slowly by. You didn’t mind being in this world; it was amazing, and everyone was friendly. You were just lonely, and their scents had long faded from the clothes they’d given you.

I’ll find a way home, I promise.

----------------------------------------- Chapter 22 - Earth, 1999 & Mechoria

Link to the series Masterlist.

A/N: If you'd like to get in on the Dimensional Traveling, go to this link and leave me with a comment, or several, with as much or as little detail about the dimension you'd like the Traveler to end up in. If you'd like to have something specific happen, share that too. I'll make sure that you get credit for the idea you shared in the chapter in which your dimension is featured. I'd love to have as many readers involved as possible. I think this could be a lot of fun.

As always, if you'd like to be tagged, let me know and I'll add you to the tag list. If I missed anyone, please let me know.

Tag List: @littlemadamred @mxltifxnd0m @foxyjwls007 @supernaturalfreakout @roseblue373

@flamencodiva @reignsboy19 @stillhere197 @hobby27 @megs-gadom

[nixnephili]

Crossover Episode

No one asked for this crossover, but I had to get it out of my system.

Atsushi gets Pikachu because main character.

-Nix🌙

[booksandchainmail]

Lodestar (not a hugo) Finalists 2024

Impressions and loose rankings of the best children's/YA finalists for 2024. Note that I didn't read Promises Stronger than Darkness, since I didn't like the first book or finish the second book in that trilogy

To Shape a Dragon's Breath, by Moniquill Blackgoose. This was one of my favorite books last year and one my nominees for the Lodestar, and having read the other finalists still my top choice. I'm just going to copy my response from this end of year post: This book was so perfectly targeted to me, I'm a sucker for books where people raise dragons. And the worldbuilding! Such an interesting alt-history, and such a fun magic system that is mostly actual chemistry/physics. This is one where I also got really really invested in the side characters, Theod's arc in particular hit me really hard. But it's also great to have a book (not even a super long book!) where I can say things like "I'm interested in the main character's older brother's girlfriends plotline about inventing long-range airships", and have that level of engagement across a wide cast. Also, this book has the perfect title in ways that become clear partway through.

Liberty's Daughter, by Naomi Kritzer. Remember that article about libertarians going to "seastead" on a cruise ship, and how bad it was? This book is dystopian scifi set in a world where they pulled it off. I think it does a good job of a main character whose been raised with libertarian ideals broadening her perpective, and I have to give props to any book that makes the dashing rebel group in a YA dystopia literally the IWW. More books should contain the line "the Wobblies are here". I think it also does a good job of treading a fine line between "why is this kid in danger" while not stripping agency from her: a lot of tension in the later parts of the book comes from responsible adults not wanting Beck in danger, and then because of it infantilizing her and her pushing back to be respected in her home and vocation

Unraveller, by Frances Hardinge. Just finished this the other day, an excellent fantasy novel. I particularly appreciate the push-and-pull between the two POVs, and how this is a teen novel with a male and female protagonist and there is absolutely no romance. Very nice fairy tale/fae vibes, riffing on general feeling rather than adapting a specific story, which is always a trick to pull off. Nettle's backstory in particular feels like she could be a retelling of an existing story, but I'm pretty sure it's original (though pulling inspiration clearly).

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath, by Garth Nix. I read this when it came out, so my memories aren't strong. I remember being disappointed: I don't know if it's just that I'm older, but the newer Garth Nix books have not lived up to his reputation. I like the lead characters, but I didn't have any particular reaction to the books as a whole. I will say I find it amusing that this is sold as YA despite the protagonist being a university student. This could easily be swapped with the one below.

Abeni's Song, by P. Djeli Clark. I think this book is suffering largely from how broad a category the lodestars are. The other nominees I ranked are all books aimed at older teenagers with crossover appeal for adults, whereas this book is middle grade. It's hard for me to judge, because I feel like I would have liked this book if I was the target age! But it's hard to judge a hypothetical "would I have liked this at nine" versus "I like this now". I think the book should have spent more time on the adventure section rather than the living with a witch section, but probably the rest of the series will even that out.

[qqueenofhades]

I'm late to the party, but can I just recommend anything by Garth Nix? The Old Kingdom series (Our protagonists are reverse necromancers in a world where the dead can decide to crawl back into life! They use magic bells! The magic system is fascinating!) and The Left-handed Booksellers of London and it's sequel, The Sinister Booksellers of Bath (There's a hidden magic world underneath the mundane world everyone knows, and our protagonist trips face first into it and immediately wants out. Unfortunately for Susan, she's special. The worldbuilding is great and the characters are a riot. I highly recommend the audiobooks.) in particular. They're probably shorter than most of what you're used to, but still an absolute delight.

(I found The Old Kingdom books as a child and they rewired my brain, can you tell? Lol)

Oh! Also his book Angel Mage is a standalone take on The Four Musketeers that is also an absolute delight to read.

Really, I have yet to read a bad book by Nix.

LISTEN, I read the original Old Kingdom trilogy (Sabriel/Lirael/Abhorsen) as a teen, and it was also Formative Literature. I haven't revisited Nix since then that I can remember, but The Left-Handed Booksellers of London sounds like a lot of fun. I have already put at least six books on hold from the recs I got yesterday, so I want to make sure I pace myself even a LITTLE, but that one absolutely needs further checking out.

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

Writing Share

Thanks to @awritingcaitlin here, and @the-golden-comet here!

Rules: share some writing!

I revised the fight between Robbie and Jason last night, so here's the full scene again!

From The Secret Portal Part One (Robbie POV)

A rush of fury overtook me as I remembered this morning. I didn’t know what I was doing until I was right beside Jason, punching him in the face, causing the ugly sphincter to let out a swear that would’ve gotten a lecture if there were any teachers in the hall. Jason stood up straighter, still groaning and rubbing his jaw. His steely blue eyes locked on me, his face morphing from pain to a look that could kill. Despite that and the fact that it felt like my hand was on fire, I didn’t regret the action. Yeah, I shouldn’t have done it, but who gave a shit? I may not have been a hero, but justice was justice. “Alright, heartthrob.” Jason tucked his drumsticks into the back pocket of his jeans. “This is how you want to play?” My right hand was on fire from the punch. Jason cracked his knuckles. I wanted to run, catch up with Akash, but I stood my ground. Jason took a swing at me; I threw up my hands to block my face—actually, my glasses—and Jason’s fist collided with my arm with enough force to cause me to stagger backward. Before I could regain my balance, Jason charged at me, and with full force, slammed me against the nearest locker. The impact caused my entire nervous system to light up, and though it hurt, I felt powerful. The force filled me with new-found energy. The lights flickered, warmth flooded through my body. Jason stepped back, though kept me in place. A scarlet light began to glow from somewhere. Jason looked at the light, then the ceiling. Then me. “What the….” I gave Jason a final push to get off of me, but what I meant to be a good shove sent Jason through the air and crashing into the lockers on the other side of the hall, then falling to the ground. The scarlet light dimmed until it disappeared. The lights stopped flickering. “Stay away from him,” I growled. Jason stared at me, his mouth agape. As I panted, I now noticed how red his chin was from where I’d hit him, and it looked like it’d bruise later. His shirt looked like it was smoking, and his hand clutched his left shoulder. My breathing slowed, and I looked at the lockers above Jason to see how dented they were. I wasn’t exactly sure how to describe what I felt at that moment. The shock at how hard I’d managed to push him sunk in after several seconds of feeling bad for the owners of the lockers. I looked back at Jason, who was frozen in the same possession. He was breathing deeply, and he looked almost scared. “Wh— what are you?”

I'd include the aftermath but I didn't want this post to be too long, and the aftermath is a work in progress anyway.

Tagging @novel-nook-blog @worldstogetlostin @scorched-earth-stories @thescatteredscribbles @themboty

+ ANYONE ELSE

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