#Rex the Wonder Horse

[oleander-nin]

Horrortober Day 3- Run(Yandere Rise Donnie x Reader)

A/N, not important: this idea was from my friend @rex-ray! They're wonderful and I adore them. ALSO! Donnie is OOC in this. I say this because his mannerisms are purposefully dramatized and unstable. Any criticism is welcome, constructive or not. This is supposed to be a gender neutral reader, so if I screwed up somewhere, please tell me.

-Ollie

Tw: Breaking bones, Donnie being OOC, shock collar, yandere themes, dark themes

Words: 1862

Summary: Donnie gets bored and wants you to run.

You kick the door of what Donatello called the ‘misbehavior room’, anger and frustration bubbling up in your chest. It wasn’t fair. You had barely talked back and he stuck you in here again without so much as a warning. You walk back to the small bed he provided, falling onto it with a groan. The mattress wheezed under your wait, sinking down and molding around your body. Your eyes meet the ceiling, a blank stare marking your face. Nothing about this was fair. You just wanted to go home, to be free of the purple terrapin once and for all.

It had been almost an hour since he first put you in here. Or, you assumed it had been at least an hour. Maybe it had been no more than ten minutes, or maybe a full day had passed. You had no way of telling, the room stripped of anything that might help you. Your cheeks puff out as you try and think of a way to escape, your eyes burning from the bright light on the ceiling. It annoyed you to no end, the light never turned and made it harder to just sleep the punishment away.

The room was warm, warmer than his lab. It was just shy of uncomfortable, but not enough to cause you harm. It was just supposed to be a room you hated to be in, and Donatello had manufactured that perfectly. It was a shame you kept ending up in it.

The sound of a lock clicking out of place catches your attention, your eyes drifting to the door. You sit up as the mechanical door slides open and reveals the lab just outside, cool air rushing in and chasing the heat away. Donatello stood in the doorway, his eyes uncommunicative to any thoughts or feelings he had. You lay back down on the slightly uncomfortable mattress, having no desire to converse with your purple banded kidnapper.

“Someone’s grumpy.” He mutters, taking a step into the room. You don’t fail to notice him leaving the door wide open. He moves farther into the room and comes to a stop by your side, his eyes following yours towards the door. He looks down at you, his face still carefully neutral and not giving anything away. He stays silent for a moment, eyes flicking back and forth between your own and the door. He exhales slowly, the careful mask slipping for a moment and giving way to the rage just below the surface.

“Run.”

You blank, sitting up fully and glancing towards the door. “Excuse me?”

“I said, run. You’ve wanted to escape since I brought you here, have you not? Well, the doors wide open. Run.”

You stare at Donnie in slight confusion, but get up either way and start to hesitantly head towards the door, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth. This was not an opportunity you were going to waste, no matter how strange it be. 

“By the way,” Donnie starts in a low tone right as you reach the door. You pause for a moment, letting him know you were listening. “Despite what you may be thinking, this is not a free leave. I will be chasing. You have a three minute head start. For your sake, I hope I don’t catch you.”

You don’t hesitate any longer, bolting through the lab and into the hall, taking a sharp turn towards the maze of sewers. Your socked feet pad against the ground, the cloth muffling your steps as you run. The lair fades behind you, adrenaline flowing through you and pushing you to run faster. Farther. You didn’t want to find out just what Donnie had planned if he caught you. You highly doubted it would be something as simple as another couple hours in isolation.

Your foot hits water and you gag, stumbling slightly before righting yourself and continuing on. You couldn’t afford to trip, not with Donatello right behind you. You briefly contemplate the terms of the chase. Was there a time limit before you ‘won’? Or a distance you needed to reach? A small, horrible feeling settles deep in you, infecting every part of your person as you realize there may not be a way to win. You shake your head, pushing the thought away. No, no there must be a way for you to win. There has to be. You just need to make it to the surface, that was a reasonable place to get to. You try your best to ignore how Donatello was never reasonable when it came to you.

You take a sharp left through the sewers, the ground slick and unforgiving. You refused to take a break, not wanting to slow down for even a second. This may be the only shot at freedom you ever get. Your lungs burn from the run, your legs cramping. Donatello, while expressing trying to maintain your health, never let you run like this. Treadmills could only simulate so much.

You duck into a tunnel, trying to catch your breath for a slight second. Your brain is screaming at you, telling you to run and run and never stop, but your body refuses. You had been sitting for less than a minute, and you could already hear the quiet hum of Donatello’s approaching battle-shell. You duck farther in, hoping more than anything the shadows would conceal you enough.

You focus your ears, trying to pinpoint the hum of the tech that was moving ever closer, your eyes darting around in an attempt to see where he was coming from. Your brain barely registers the arms that loop around your waist and tug you into the sharp plastron of the mutant softshell, a scream being ripped from your lips before you even have time to process it.

“Shhhh,” He murmurs against your ear, his chin resting against your shoulder. “It was a good run, baby. You did so well.”

Your lower lip trembles as he picks you up, holding you firmly in his arms even as you start to thrash and struggle. He brings you out of the tunnel the way he came in, the wide mouth opening up to show a manhole cover and a ladder to the surface, just barely twenty feet from where you hid.

The realization of how close you were to escaping, how close you were to your freedom, hits you like a truck. You go quiet in Donatello’s arms, your eyes watering as you start to sob. He simply grins smugly as he walks you back to the lair, seeing the excursion as nothing more than a game. Well, to him, it was a game. Setting you off with high hopes and being able to chase you down was exhilarating for him, a high to chase off the frustration you had caused. He smiles down at you. It was too bad you still needed to be punished for the excursion, he couldn’t let you get away with running after all. There were still rules to follow.

He brings you back to the lab, his dark eyes lighter than they had been in weeks. He kisses your forehead, setting you down on a table in his lab. He cups your cheeks, looking down at you softly. “I told you you shouldn’t have let me catch you.”

You look up at him, fear and confusion laced in your eyes. “You told me to run…”

Your protests mean nothing to him, a small smile fixed on his face as he rolls his shoulders, looking more relaxed than he had in weeks. “I did. And you really did so well, I must admit. However,” His smile turns more sinister as his eyes darken once more. “I did warn you not to let me catch you. You could’ve stayed back, but you took the chance. I’m not letting you off scot free for that.”

Your heart drops and your sobs grow, Donnie racing under the table he had you on to grab a familiar collar. It was purple and sleek, a much more refined version than the one he had given his older brother all those years ago. Your eyes widen, knowing exactly what the object was and the pain it brought, your panic rising significantly as you try to jump off the table. Donnie wraps his arms around you, keeping you still. He glares down at you, not impressed with your attempt to avoid the collar. He grabs your chin and holds you firmly, his eyes meeting yours and all earlier peasantry gone.

“Don’t fight me.” He snaps, giving your jaw a harsh squeeze. He drops your chin and brings the collar around your neck, pressing a button and watching in satisfaction as it shrinks until it is skin tight. His eyes trail over you for a moment, his eyes landing on your legs before snapping back to your face. You shift uncomfortably, but don’t dare speak or move lest he decide to activate the collar.

He takes a double hook with no chain in between, snapping one end to your collar and shoving your head down before snapping the other to a sunken rod in the table. You grimace, trying to pull your head up, your hands clawing at the hooks in an attempt to get them undone. A small beep sounds and you freeze instinctively before your nerves shout out, every inch of your skin feeling as if it had been lit on fire. Your hands clench and your muscles spasm, making it hard for you to even move. The shock ends, your breathing heavy as you try to relax the muscles in your body. Donnie had upped the charge.

You shakily put your hands down on the table, residual spams coursing through your limbs. You don’t even notice the needle Donnie had produced until it was in your hip, the sting from the injection bringing you back to your senses. You look at the needle in confusion and slight fear, your vision hazy.

“What was that?” You ask, your speech slurring as you feel your body grow heavier and sink on the table. Donnie glances up, and you barely recognize him. You may hate him, but there was something beneath his eyes you just couldn’t place. Something terrifying just below the surface.

“Hush.” He says, checking your reflexes and looking satisfied when they’re much slower then normal. Your body feels heavy, as if a small weight had been placed on each section. He walks down the table until his hand rests on your left leg, his eyes cloudy with anger.

“You know,” He drawls, picking up your leg and lightly squeezing the calf. Your breath hitches as your eyes water. He couldn’t. Gosh, you hoped he wouldn’t. A scream is stuck in your throat, your lips unable to part to let it loose. “This really is your fault. I was going to settle for the collar, but after you threw such a fit over it, I can see you really haven’t learned a thing. Your actions have consequences, and it’s time you learn.”

The first bone snaps and you sob.

[nitewrighter]

I want an Elseworlds comic where Batman is the B. Rex but he's not from the Dark Multiverse. He's literally just a regular (nice) Batman from a universe where his body got destroyed and he was forced to upload his consciousness into the Batcave's robot T. Rex, but he's still good and literally just struggling to continue doing his Batman job as usual.

He's stuck jamming his giant T.Rex head into crime scenes to investigate.

He can't throw batarangs with his tiny arms.

The Robins keep riding him like a horse and he's not really happy about that.

"Are you sure you want to keep the ears? They look a lot sillier with your head like--" "I HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE BRAND."

He can't fit in the Watchtower anymore and Superman keeps offering to help put his body into a (much more practical) Kryptonian robot but Batman's like "Oh, and let the Eradicator slowly siphon off my personality and intellect and eventually hijack all the Watchtower's electrical systems? I think the fuck not."

He basically keeps standing around like his body is the same as its always been and everyone is like "Okay well I guess we have to treat him like this is normal because losing your physical body is really traumatic."

He keeps insisting he's not a mount because all the Robins were all kind of obnoxious about it but eventually Wonder Woman does ride him into battle, and he's like "I GUESS" about it--or it's kind of like the Gimli "Toss me" situation.

[malorisaurus]

I posted this in a community I am in, but I also wanted to post it here for my own posterity.

I live in Idaho, and for the past week, I have been on a long road trip driving through Utah and SE Idaho going to various fossil sites, museums, dinosaur attractions, etc. The list of places I visited are:

Dinosaur National Monument - hot hot hot! But very worth it. It is perhaps the most well known location on this list, so I won't be too detailed here. Highly worth it, though!

Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum - a smaller museum, but they had an interesting focus on actual field work which is great if you are interested in spending time in an exhibit focused on the discovery and preservation of fossils as well as seeing skeleton and fossil exhibits. Good hands on exhibits for kids.

Hiking trails like the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Bone Trail and the Copper Creek Dinosaur Track trail - The sun! It is brutal! BRING LOTS OF WATER.

Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point - This is one of the largest, if not the largest, displays of dinosaur skeletons in the country. It was interesting to see the positioning that they chose, and the skeletons were often posed in fully decorated scenes which was a fun change from the usual museum pedestal setups. The museum moves through the fossil record chronologically, so while dinosaurs are a large feature, they are not the only focus.) Excellent space for kids with lots of activities and hands on displays.

Natural History Museum of Utah (they had lokiceratops fossils and a skull cast on display, which was pretty cool to see. Their displays in general were wonderful. Their other displays were also wonderful, and they did a great job including hands on stuff for adults and kids alike.

George S Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden - I had a really fun day here, though the dinosaur statuary was often comically outdated—their T. rex was standing fully erect putting weight on his tail, which was nostalgic and funny. A lot of that statuary is dated because it is from when the park was founded, but they have made some attempts to update the statuary. Inside is a geology exhibit as well as a fossil exhibit, and their signs were informative and more accurate. Overall a very fun experience, though.

Did some driving around and hiking to view some outcroppings at the Wayan Formation, but this was just general site seeing for my own gratification and there isn't really access to much of the area.

Idaho Museum of Natural History at CSI in Pocatello - they had several oryctodromeus fossils as well as complete skeleton displays. This was of particular interest to me because they are unique burrowing dinosaurs found pretty exclusively to the area, and it is now our state dinosaur as of 2023. The museum is small, but I will say that all of the displays are very thoughtful, and they included a lot of birds, small mammals, and plants in their informative displays. The Hagerman Horse also featured, which is our state fossil, and they highlighted the unique fossil record of Idaho.

Hagerman Fossil Bed National Monument - This was my final stop of this particular trip, and I am glad that I went. There is no access to the fossil beds themselves, but there are some great trails with lots of informational placquards with views of the fossil bed area. The Thousand Springs Visitor center for the monument is one of my favorites that I have been to. The rangers were so excited, friendly, and informative. I asked to become a Jr. Ranger, and I did the book and got my badge and patch after being sworn in as a protector of fossils and advocate for conservation by a wonderful ranger who talked with me for a long time about all of the things they had on display as well as an endocast of a hagerman horse brain. The ranger got very excited about that and told me the thing he loved most about it was that the brain size to body mass ratio indicated that it would have been similar to that of modern day horses, so that it indicates that the hagerman horse had personalities, emotions, etc. just as modern horses do. I am already of the belief that this is largely true of all life on the planet, but how it was described really hit me and I got quite emotional about it! It was extra fun because I could see how excited it made the ranger—the expression of like "YES we have TRUE ENGAGEMENT." 😂 It is a small little place, but turned out to be a highlight of my trip.

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded post! I took about 5 million pictures, and am working on organizing them all by location and animal. My goal is to go through, animal by animal, and read the current literature and compare it to the information and skeleton positioning at each of the museums. I will be sharing that progress here eventually. If anyone has any questions or recommendations for travel in the area, hmu!

[levis-coffeecup]

chapter 27| Forgotten Flowers

WC-7.3k

Summary

The underground is filthy and dark. Dim lights, dull alleys, and desperate hearts. A place Levi knows as well as the back of his hand, and a place he would do anything to get out of.

Chapters of life roll by and with the turn of a page, things drastically change. In front of him is the opportunity to live on the surface. And the flimsy bridge that he has to cross. From an uncivil criminal to a disciplined soldier.

But life on the surface seems tougher amidst all the mockery, civilities, and the gaping hole left in his heart, after the demise of his dear friends Isabel and Farlan.

Content/Warnings

canon- compliant, canon-typical violence, spoilers for No Regrets OVA, descriptions of PTSD, grief, depression, heavy angst and themes, strong language, self-hate, physical assault.

Author’s Note

Heyyyy

Sorry for disappearing for 2 weeks without saying anything 🤡.

I had to look for a house, and work was also really busyy, so I didn't have the time to work on the fic. But my apologies for not updating again!

This chapter has a lot of time skips, so do keep the dates in mind to understand the timeline better. Also the last chapter ended with Levi going for the Mission to Reclaim Shinghansina, so this chapter will be more about post season 3 scenes, and season 4 timeskip stuff.

I hope you enjoyyy! Would love to know your feedback in the comments. Song for this chapter is Happiness by Orange Rex Country

Chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Masterlist | Playlist | Other Works

AUG 850

Maria has been reclaimed, and the people of Paradis rejoice. Throwing flower petals at the 8 remaining members of the Survey Corps.

This is the first time they have been welcomed this way. And this is the first time they have ever won. But Levi feels nothing close to victorious, as he tredges down the streets of Trost.

His feet ache, and the crowd cheers. 

Silently he suffocates in the praises people sing of him.

For he has returned, not a valiant warrior, but a wimp who couldn’t even complete the promise he made to his dying commander.

The sound of the creaking wagons behind him is loud amidst the cheer. Erwin rests there, and so do Moblit, Marlo and many others. They couldn’t even get most of the bodies back, because of the shortage of carts.

And Levi has always been a part of their death, but this time, all responsibility falls on him. It was his decision to let his comrades march to death. It was his incompetence that let the beast titan slip away.

And now his shoulders can’t help but quake. For he has returned with unfathomable grief, and the weight of the entire survey corps on his head.

The loudness of the crowd, and the silence of his sadness are all too overwhelming. And Levi sighs, wondering if the heaviness in his heart will ever recede.

Hange agrees to take his horse back to the base. And Levi pushes through the people on the street, struggling to maintain the impertinent scowl that always rests on his face. 

Soon his tired eyes meet the beautiful brown of hers. 

She’s standing at the doorstep of their house. So grateful that he’s come back alive.

His breath quivers. It feels like it took him hours to reach her, as if he was walking in an endless circle. 

“Levi,” her voice is one of love. She takes a step closer to him. Studying his body, smeared with victor’s blood. And he’s tried to hold it all in for so so long. But he’s home now, he can’t help but let his emotions crack through the mask.

“Levi…,” she puts a hand on his cheek, trying to elicit a reaction from him. 

A few seconds pass by, thick in silence and then he lunges forward towards her.  His arms encircling around her waist as he buries his face into the crook of her neck.

And she gasps, as she feels the slight tremor in his frame. 

He reeks. Of sweat, of blood. Of death, of failure. And she can’t help but pull him closer, hoping that if she holds him tighter, it brings back all his pieces together.

She doesn’t know what he’s been through. And she doesn’t know what hurt him so bad, that he dares to hug her when they’re still standing at the doorsteps of their home.

But she wants to tell him that everything will be alright, and that he’s amazing. She knows he’s trying his best, and he’s fought to the best of his abilities in the mission as well.

But Levi always pushes her away.

Too proud to show his weakness. Too frightened to discuss his vulnerabilities. And Mae knows that he probably wants to pretend like he’s all alone. That he’s not breaking down like this in front of her.

The people around stop and stare. It’s not everyday that you see a man seek comfort out in public, much less Humanity’s Strongest. 

And so Mae pulls him inside the house, away from the eyes that gawk during his times of weakness. She makes him sit on the sofa, so she gets the freedom to kiss his misery away.

 “Levi, I’ve run a warm bath for you.” She speaks and Levi hums, thoughtlessly. 

His brain has stopped working, or maybe he’s forcing it to shut. Not having the strength to face its never ending cynicism. 

And so he lets her guide him to the bathroom. He lets her undress him and press a kiss on the new scar on his temple. 

The warm water feels faintly welcoming. And as Levi dips himself in the bathtub, Mae sits on the platform behind him.

For a moment the only thing that remains is the stillness of the water, and the shell of the person Levi once used to be. Quaintly numb and horribly devastated.

The world hasn’t been gentle enough with him.

And so Mae lights a few scented candles around, hoping he doesn’t forget about the beautiful things in life.

It’s painfully domestic, and surprisingly Levi doesn’t complain. It's not like him to tolerate her presence when he’s so emotionally wrecked. Usually he gets snappy and pushes her away.

But this time his eyes are pleading to her. Asking her to stay.

And so she takes her time to wash him and his sins away. With gentle eyes, gentler fingertips and the gentlest lips.

And he gives in.

He gives in to her, as she lather soap around his shoulders. He gives in to her kind touches as she splashes warm water across his back.  It makes him feel so loved and cherished, as if he’s a person who can still be accepted. 

His eyes flutter shut, and he lets her find himself in places he’s never been in before. Vulnerable and naked, whilst she remains clothed behind him.

Her touches find his trembling skin. His bloodied hands that still quake under the weight of his regrets. And her lips find the souvenirs of war on his skin, scourged and engraved against his body. She tries to be the softest there, kissing all the spots where he’s been stabbed and hurt before.

When she looks up at him, his eyes are a crumbling shade of gray. And she sees the way he thinks he is a disgusting weakling. Nothing but a failure who couldn’t do anything.

And she dares to tell him that she loves him exactly the way he is. His scars, his bruises, and his battered soul that has been broken once again. 

She dares to tell him that he’ll always be so much more beautiful than all his downfalls. 

And Levi finds it easier to cry when water is already streaming down his face. He finds it easier to cry when Mae is sitting behind him, with her lips hovering over the sensitive skin of his neck.

He pivots and wraps his arms around her clothed back, keeping his head on her lap.

And Mae begins to comb his hair with her fingers. Making sure the shampoo has been washed off.

His eyes flutter close in surrender. He wonders how he got here? And how did he seek comfort in another person?

He has asked these questions to himself a million times before, and he still doesn’t have an answer.. 

But he likes to think that the universe gifted her to him. Maybe to compensate for all the people it has taken away from him. Maybe to restore his faith.

That she was supposed to help him grow, and become a better person. And he was born to rest beside her, with his head on her lap and his heart filled with love.

______________________________

FEB 851

Erwin stands tall amidst the oak trees planted in the City Square.

The forelegs of his horse are raised and his face is contorted in rage. His sword yields high, and his other hand is firm, fisted against his chest. A testament of his strength and will, as he carries his cadets into the storm of conflict.

The details of his face are set in stone . And dedicate your heart is etched in bold, right below it.

Needless to say, he looks glorious.

And Levi looks at his statue, with a distant look on his face. 

The glory was never worth the carnage, and the war was never about bravery, it was about horror.  And Mae sighs as her gaze lingers on Levi.

He came back to her in ruins, and she has tried awfully hard to piece him back together. But sometimes he still drifts off to a place, unreachable./ on some days, she still sees him crumble under the weight of his vows.

She wraps her hand around his wrist and tugs his arm.

“You were taking me to some market, weren't you?” Her sweet voice pulls him out of his thoughts. His features soften. And he lets her bring peace to him.

2 years have passed since the mission to Reclaim Singhansina. And the revelations in Eren’s basement have changed the trajectory for humanity. Or what they thought was the entire human race.

Turns out the entire world is against them.

Yet fortunately, some allies have also been found. 

And with the help of the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers and the Azumabitos, Paradis is developing wonderfully. Train tracks are being built and strategies to secure the future are also being concocted.

Titans are no longer something people are scared off. And long gone are those days when soldiers would sacrifice their lives to kill mindless titans.

Things have been peaceful. 

And the streets of Mitras look prosperous as ever. With the colorful bougainvilleas planted to the side of the cobblestone path.

“I still remember the day I came to Mitras…,”Mae recalls scornfully. “ They laughed at the dresses I wanted to sell, you know? It was so humiliating.”

And life has changed so much since then. 

Mae's clinic has become one of the best in Trost. The line of patients is always long, and she works day and night. More of a workaholic than Levi now.

“I didn't even make enough money to save my parents.” A frown plays on her lips. There are days when old wounds resurface for her as well, sometimes triggered by the randomest of things.

“But you are doing so much better now… aren’t you?” Levi rebuttals with her thoughts, his voice soft. “Not to mention that you earn way more than me. And you’ve managed to save quite a huge amount.”

A genuine smile lights up Mae’s face. And her sun-creased eyes crinkle on the side. Getting praise from Levi still feels amazing. Because it's always genuine

“We've come far…” she affirms. ”We should be proud.”

And Levi’s fingers trail down her forearm, till they reach her palm. Their fingers intertwine, and he holds her hand in a soft grip.

The entrance of the market speaks a ton about its class. There’s a huge wooden arch built at the entrance. Fresh lilies dangle down from it, spreading an aroma that could captivate anyone passing by.

Carriages of the nobles are parked adjacent to it, stacked in a neat line, and chauffeurs stand outside, bored by the wait. The military police crowds around the gates, guarding it with astonishing discipline.

And Mae gasps, taken aback by the grandiose of the market. 

The stalls are decorated with frilled tablecloths, and fragrant flowers are twirled around the pillars. A shop even sells small souvenirs of the railway trains that are being made. And there is seafood too, a special cuisine from the land of Marley.

Unlike most markets, this one isn’t loud. Ladies laugh, in their poised, practiced laugh. And the men speak in their fancy accent.

It makes Levi crinkle his nose. "Well, this place reeks of pretentiousness. I bet none of these swines could survive a day outside their fancy walls."

And Mae chuckles a little. “I'm surprised you wanted to come here of all places, Levi. You’ve always hated the nobility. “

“But I know you like fancy ass places.” Levi comments with nonchalance. His eyes land on a fashion boutique to his far right. Dainty, feminine dresses are placed on display, visible through the large glass facade.

And Levi doesn’t hesitate a second, before leading Mae to the shop.

Soon they step inside, and Mae’s eyes grow wide in awe. It doesn’t take long for her to slip her fingers out of his hand, and sashay around. 

The store is as huge as the conference room at the Survey Corps. Tall wooden cabinets break the area into several aisles and the shelves are stocked with all kinds of fancy fabrics and clothes.

Much to Levi’s liking, there aren’t many people inside. And he strolls around, watching the wide collection of opulent garments.

His attention lands on a beautiful shade of peach that stands out in the pile of clothes stacked in the compartments. And he pulls it out to see the whole dress.

The fitted bodice is adorned with delicate details of lace. Its puffy sleeves are made of mesh, attached in line with the sweetheart neckline. And the skirt below is airy and voluminous, with layers of organza to add fluffiness.

Mae falls in love with it as soon as her eyes land on it. “That seems like something a princess would wear,” she gapes, as she ushers closer towards it.

There's another dress in her hand. A white one made of silk. And Levi feels a lump growing in the middle of his throat as he looks at it. “This dress looks so similar to what your dad made for your 18th birthday.” 

And Mae nods, blinking away the stinging sensation in her eyes. “I always felt so guilty about selling that dress off, especially when it didn’t help me save either of them... But this feels like the universe is giving me another chance.”

And Levi’s smiles as he imagines her in all white. With satin bows on the bodice, and her skirt twirling around with every movement she makes. He's always wondered what she would look like in it, since it was her favorite dress.

He places his hand on the small of her back and he leads her to the front of the store. “Let’s get it then.” 

And Mae hums as she turns to the shopkeeper.

But all her wishes come crashing down when she hears the price.

Her jaw drops and the silence that falls next is deafening.

The amount is beyond her imagination. For a moment she had truly forgotten how expensive this market was supposed to be.

“Should I pack it for you?” the shopkeeper asks with a practiced smile.

“NO,” her answer is immediate. And then she plasters a sweet smile as she keeps the dresses on the counter. But before she can march towards the exit, Levi grabs her wrist and drags her behind a shelf, where it’s just the two of them.

His brows furrow, and his eyes bore into hers. “Do you not like them?” He asks with all seriousness.

And Mae’s gaze flicks to the floor. 

“It’s too expensive,” she mumbles. ”Now that I think about it, father wouldn’t want me to pay 3 times more for a dress that he made for free… I’d rather save that money.” She tries to convince herself.

But Levi doesn’t miss the subtle frown pulling on her lips.

“That’s fair…” He ponders for a moment. “But I don’t think your father would disapprove of me getting the dresses for you.”

And for a moment, all Mae can do is stand in shock.  Her lips part, and her eyes grow wide with bewilderment. “You can’t buy me those dresses, Levi.” She crosses her arms in front of his chest. 

“Any why not?”

“Because I earn way more than you, and no way am I going to let you buy even o-.”

He cuts her off by keeping a finger on the plush of her lips. His eyes trail from her mouth to her eyes. And he holds her in his gaze for a moment.

The months after the Return to Shinghasina were so hard. Hell chased Levi back from the battleground. And he found himself falling in an endless pit of horrors. Again and again. Over and over.

And throughout his battles with his own mind, Mae remained awfully patient. 

He’d snap at her, still annoyed at the fact that he couldn’t save his comrades from the massacre by the beast titan.

He’d sit sad and dejected, crumbling under the weight of his vows. And she would look at him in pain, not knowing how to help him. 

He would refuse her touch, sleeping on the edge of the bed, believing that he didn’t deserve it. And she would watch the war consume.

But not once did she raise her voice at him. Her gentleness with him was constant, no matter how difficult he was being.

And it's only the love she has shown him in the past few months that has made him accept himself again. 

“Just because you earn more than me, doesn’t mean I can’t treat you.” He hooks his hand under her chin, lifting her face up so he can meet her gaze. 

“Silly girl,” His voice comes out exceptionally soft. 

He can never put into words how grateful he is to have her and so he presses a quick kiss on her lips. Hoping it does half of the job.

And Mae gawks, unable to recognize the man in front of her. He’s kissing her in the back of a store, holding her hand as they walk through the road. Ready to spend a month's salary on a dress she desires.

This is not the practical man she fell in love with.

But whatever it is, she feels loved and cherished.

“Are you sure, Levi? I won’t judge if you want to chicken out at any moment… It's a huge amount.” She tries to dapper her excitement by acting modest.

But he just nods. She’s worth so much more than the dress he’s about to buy. And unfortunately, it’s all Levi can’t afford at the moment. He hopes he can give her the world one day.

They walk back to the front of the store and the shopkeeper greets them with a smile again.

“The price might have thrown you off guard but both of them are from an exclusive couture collection.“ He goes off as he lays both the dresses on the counter. “Although we can surely find something cheaper for the lady.”

“Cut the crap-” Levi barges. “We’re purchasing it.”

And Mae taps her chin. The sweetness of the moment makes her heart melt a bit.

“I can’t decide which one to get though,” she mumbles, biting her lip. “The peach one definitely excites me more, since I’ve never worn something like that, but the white one really reminds me of my dad. And a part of me will feel guilty if I pick another dress over what my dad made.”

“Well… Levi's voice drawls. “If you’re feeling so conflicted …I can decide for you if you want.” 

And there’s not an ounce of hesitation in his voice as he turns to the shopkeeper and says,  “we’ll be purchasing both of them.”

Mae gasps, and then she nudges at his side, fazed. But he just blinks at her, as if everything is alright. Slowly her eyes light up like that of a little child, and he wishes he could pause the moment.

He is quick to hand out the cash, as if he’s been preparing for this moment all his life. 

And Mae’s cheeks turn flush, as the shopkeeper packs the dresses and hands them to Levi. For a moment she feels too flustered to string a coherent sentence. And it’s only when they’ve stepped out of the store does she speak again.

“I almost drained your entire wallet.” She coyly stumbles over her words. “But thanks Levi, I appreciate it a lot! “

“Tch, stop acting like a formal, snobby brat.” He grunts, but his eyes glint with fondness.

They step into the busy streets again, and Levi's hand lands on the small of her back. Ensuring that he doesn't lose her in the crowd of the market.

The section they enter next is gleaming with gold on every fixture. Intricate necklaces studded with gems are on display at every corner. And mannequins are decorated with accessories that only royals could sport. 

The security is tighter here, and Levi’s sure all the jewelry is made of pure gold.

“I’m so excited to wear these dresses, Levi!” Mae squeals .

H er energy spills out in waves of enthusiasm, and she walks with a slight hop in her step. 

Levi finds her rather cute in her childlike excitement.

“I can’t tell you how grateful I’m feeling right now. I’ll wear the peach dress for a date, we’ll have a romantic dinner on the terrace where we’ll slow dance under the stars… and the white one would be perfect for a picnic.”

And Levi chews the inside of his cheeks. Baffled that she’s still so excited to spend time with him. After years of being together. Instead, he decides to focus on the elaborate displays of jewelry to stop the blush creeping up on his cheeks. 

The sight around him is a manifestation of the luxury and opulence that corrupts this world. It’s something Levi hates, since he’s seen how bad the other side is. He sighs.

Every piece of jewelry is sparkling, and intricate. But they all look the same, with the same stones, the same metal. The nobles are always decked with these. And Levi has met enough thanks to the galas Erwin made him attend to secure funding for the Survey Corps.

“Any of these catch your interest?” He drones, as they walk past the largest stall that stands in the center of the section. 

And Mae points her finger towards a ring that's kept in a small glass box. “That looks pretty,” she comments casually.

Oddly enough, Levi can’t recognise the gemstone. It’s a smooth sphere, cream coloured with an iridescent surface that shimmers in various soft hues.

He steps towards it. Inspecting it closer. The gem is like nothing he’s seen before, 

It’s softer, white, pure and luminous, just like Mae. 

“It does… it’s absolutely gorgeous.” He’s besotted the moment he looks at it. 

The previous customer standing at the stall leaves, and the Vendor turns his attention towards Levi. His eyes glint with excitement. “You’re Humanities Strongest, right?” 

And Levi hums. It’s common for him to be recognised these days.

“Well, what you’re looking at is not a gemstone… It’s all thanks to you actually… the Survey Corps.…” The vendor opens the glass case, and hands the ring to Levi. “It’s a pearl, a gem from the sea.” 

“I see.” Levi takes it in his hand and examines it closer. The surface is smooth and lustrous, but it’s not loud like that of a diamond. ”Must be fairly expensive.”

“It's the most expensive product in this section for sure. ” The vendor chimes.“ It's the most beautiful wedding ring ever made in our studio!”  

He extends his hand forward, taking back the ring from Levi’s grasp. “Unfortunately it's not up for sale.” 

Levi raises his bow at that, and the vendor continues.

“It's a custom wedding ring made for the Franz family. It’s only up for display… I can make one for you if you’d like though.” The vendor goes on, and Mae looks at Levi, not understanding why he is taking part in such a futile conversation.

She steps closer to him and tugs at his sleeve. 

“Let’s go Levi, we have no use for a wedding ring.” All the wedding rings around makes her want to hurl, but she manages to mask the bitterness in her heart.

And Levi throws the ring a final glance, before he decides to walk away as well.

Moments later they are laying on grass and watching the sunset.

It’s a quiet garden just outside the orphanage made for the Underground kids. 

The grass is lush, and Levi closes his eyes as a gentle breeze blows by them.

His lithe eyebrows are slightly disheveled but relaxed. And in the outer corner of his eye, there are faint lines that mark all the years he’s spent on this land so far. Time has flown by very fast.

And Mae longs after him in silence. 

She’s pampered him so much that he has put on a bit of weight. His thighs have become soft, and his cheeks are much more rounder now. He looks cute, she thinks to herself. This is probably what Levi looked like as a child, with the pudgiest of cheeks.

Ever since the Survey Corps headquarters got shifted to the coast of Paradis, Levi has been spending all of his weekends at home. Trost is convenient to go to the coast, and after Levi got to stay with Mae in the 3 month break after the Battle of Shiganshina, he realized there’s no place he would rather be than next to her.

And so he races back to home, Whether it’s from a long eventful week filled with meetings or a trip to the interior. Every Friday night he’s next to her, with his head on her lap. In the only home he’s ever known.

And Mae, too, finds the house extremely quiet without him, even though Levi hardly makes any noise.

Loving him has become a habit now. It comes easily, From cleaning extra hard, when he comes back home, to understanding the subtlety of his love. 

His presence has almost become like the air that she lives on. Something not noticed when everything is perfectly normal. But something that suffocates her when she feels his absence.

“Why are you staring at me instead of the sunset Mae?” Levi doesn’t open his eyes, but he can feel her gaze burning his side.

And Mae bites her lip at his question. A little uncertain

“Levi… “ Her voice comes out hesitant. “You bought me these dresses today, and made me feel so loved, but sometimes I can’t help but wonder if you’re staying with me out of convenience?”

Levi’s eyes flutter open and he turns to his side, facing her. 

“ Am I just a habit now?” She chokes, her voice getting caught in her throat. “ Do you not find me beautiful anymore?”

And Levi falls silent, as he looks at her longer. Beautiful is too weak of a word.

“No, not at all… why would you ever think that.” Levi places his hand on her cheek, And then a tint of pink dusts his cheeks as he mumbles, “ I know I don’t say it enough, but I'm grateful to have you.”

“Then…” Mae falters and exhaustion drags through her voice. “Then why wouldn’t you just marry me? 

Tears well up in the corners of her eyes. “We’ve known each other for 8 years… and we’ve been in a relationship for 6, I’ve stayed by your side through whatever the world has put us through. I… I don’t know how else I should prove my love towards you?”

And Levi looks at her, at a loss for words. She doesn't need to prove anything to him… He knows she loves him. He knows she loves him with all her heart.

Her voice cracks, heavy with emotion, but she continues. “I don’t understand where the problem is? We do everything that married couples do… We make love, we manage finances. And we’ve also been living together ever since the Survey Corps headquarters got shifted to the outskirts of Paradis.” Her lips quiver, and she tries to suppress her sobs. 

But he sees her pain reflect in her orbs.

She’s his peace, in this cruel, chaotic life. But when he looks behind her, the world is still in chaos.

There’s a war out there waiting for him. And if he doesn’t go out and fight it, this world might dangle on the brink of destruction again

“It’s not you Mae…” His voice trails out. “I just don’t see the point in marriage…. I mean we know what we have, so is there any need to bring law into it? And let everyone know of something that’s so private?” 

“B-but Levi…,” she refutes quietly. “ I’ve always dreamt of getting married… I’ve always dreamt of getting married to you. Can’t you let your beliefs slide for me? I’m hitting my 30’s… and all my friends are married. Every time I meet someone they ask me when I plan to get married… And it’s humiliating to tell them that I've been with someone for 6 years, and that someone is still not ready to marry me.….Sometimes I feel like you just don’t love me anymore.”

Love, the word repeats in Levi’s subconscious.

He loved her when she was just a scarred apprentice, attempting to find her place in a world where she has lost everyone. He loved her when he became Humanity's Strongest and when she became a measly waitress in a tavern.  He loved her despite knowing how fragile their relationship was, and how easily this world could break it apart.

And yet, he still loves her now, as he looks at her tearstruck eyes, asking him why he wouldn’t marry her. But he loves her a little too much to make a widow out of her

And Levi knows he’s fighting a battle that isn’t his. Maybe if this had happened right after he lost Isabel and Farlan, he would have left the Survey Corps and run away with her.

But too many lives have been lost now. He’s made promises to keep and his wounds run too deep. He can’t back out of the war.

And even though things are placid now, this peace is just a temporary illusion. A brief reprieve that’s only meant to be broken. 

Because war will come again, knocking on his door. And Levi will be forced to choose between his duty as Humanity’s Strongest and Mae.

His fingertips find its way to her face. Her brows are wrinkled in frustration, and his touch  hovers over it. Slowly the lines ease away.

Mae closes her eyes as his feather light touches follow the arch of her eyebrow. And Levi finds it easier to mask the yearning on his face when Mae is not looking at him.

Only he knows how he wants to take her hand, and run away, somewhere far away in some secluded cottage. Just the two of them, with their little kids. He wouldn’t mind if they take more from her, than from him.

Yes he doesn’t believe in marriage, but he doesn’t mind if it makes her life more peaceful.

But peace might only find him in the form of death, before it ever touches the rest of the world.

“The world is too unpredictable right now.” His tone is assertive. It’s a statement not something that is up for discussion.

And once again Levi succeeds in trampling his desires. The mask he always wears, materializes all over. Now his heart is tucked away, somewhere safer, in a dark and distant part.

He has to keep his head over his heart. Even when he falters, even when he trips, he has to be strong.

But when Levi's eyes meet the sorrow in hers, he can’t help but feel like a useless person. “I'm so sorry sweetheart.” he sounds remorseful, “You’re not the problem, I promise…It’s me who’s not able to give you want.”

She shifts closer to him, desperate to feel his presence. And his arms wound tight around her waist as they embrace the path that destiny has set out for them.

Levi loves humanity a little too much to leave it abandoned. And Mae loves Levi as much as he loves humanity. The path set out for them has more agony than happiness.

The sun drowns under the horizon. And they drink up their misery, looking forward to death together.

______________________________

DEC 853

The first ray of dawn only brings sadness to the town.

Levi lays on the bed in a nonchalant state of humaneness. Hair messily falling on his face, tousled by the pillow underneath him. Some stubble on his chin, and his half-draped body naked under the sheets that cover him. 

He looks sublime. So beautifully human.

And Mae can’t help but take a seat on the bed, lean over and capture him with a kiss.

That’s all they do for a while. Kiss, embrace, with her fingers entangling into his hair. Heaven only breaks when her tears finally slip in. Leaving a salty aftertaste on his lips.

He catches the glimmer in her eyes, as she pulls away. And Mae tries her best to conceal her grief in the rush of her actions. But it’s Levi after all, he could never miss the slight tremor in her shoulders as she wears the dress that lays discarded on the floor.

It feels like Mae is spending all her efforts to stay away from. He steps into the kitchen, and she turns the other way to drink water. He leans closer, trying to kiss the top of her head, and she pushes away, telling him she needs to take a shit.

It’s only during breakfast that he properly gets to see her face. 

Her eyelids are swollen, double the size of what they usually are. And her eyes are masked in a sheer layer of moisture, threatening to spill out any second.

“You were up early.” He questions, testing the waters.

“Yeah… couldn’t get much sleep” Her voice comes out hoarse. And her gaze doesn’t leave the egg that she’s frying on the pan. He can tell she’s been crying for hours. 

Levi leaves again, today.

He’s going to the enemy nation. It's not brainless titans that he has mastered slaughtering. It's a whole new country with technology far greater than theirs, and a population that hates their race, for merely existing.

And even though Levi’s been on a hundred missions before. Something about this mission makes Mae stomach churn. Like everything is going to go wrong.

But what's left to say. Levi is going to put himself in danger, and Mae can do nothing to stop him.

And so she runs away from him again. Rushing to their room as soon as she puts the eggs on his plate. 

Her grief is loud in all the silence. And Levi feels a little anxious to find out the reason behind her suffering.

“Mae?” he calls out cautiously. Stepping into their room, as he finishes his breakfast.

But words don’t dare to leave her lips, instead she grabs his wrist.  Pulling him to where she has laid his clothes out for him.

And in the dim light of dawn, Mae dresses Levi up. 

She fastens the belt over his plants, and closes the buttons of his favorite white shirt. Her steady hands speak nothing of her trembling heart. 

She drapes the blazer over his broad, strong shoulders.

The air is too thick and the silence cuts like the edge of a dull blade.

And Mae tries to focus on the silken fabric of his tie rather than the pain of him leaving.

The navy brings out the blue in his eyes. 

Needless to say Levi looks gorgeous. His suit transforms him from her lover to a soldier bound to his promises.  And as Mae steps back to look at Levi, the tears that she’s trying to cage, come back with full force.

“It's been 7 years Levi… 7 years since we’ve been together… Can you believe it?” Her lips meld into a sad smile. “Time has passed away so quickly, hasn’t it? It feels like it was moments ago when I saw you sitting on that boulder, like an arrogant asshole… Who would have known I’d almost spend a decade with you.”

Levi smiles at her words. Tilting her head towards him, so that he can look at her. Their gazes lock, and a universe of shared memories and unspoken words pass through their minds. 

And as Mae gives his tie a final tug, her voice comes out so defeated. “I tried to keep up with you, you know? Walk at your pace, so I could be alongside you on every path you take... But you’re so much more stronger Levi, so much more faster. You are a force of nature that no one could ever stop.”

Her touches linger, laden with yearning. And the pain reflecting in her eyes makes it torturous for him to gaze into them.

He tries to shush her cries away by pressing a lingering kiss on the top of her head. Again and again, hoping the familiarity mulls her to a happier place.

“And now my legs are giving up, my bones are becoming weak. You're pacing forward and I’m slowing down… I- I’m afraid I’ll be left behind.“ Her voice quivers, and she breaks into shambles. “I was a fool to think I was strong enough to endure this?” 

And when he sees her like this, choking up on her own words. With her eyes swollen, and her lips trembling with heaving exhales. He feels his strength dwindling out as well.

“W-what are you trying to say sweetheart, I’m n-not able to understand it.” His voice comes out frail. “No one’s leaving you behind.”

Stay. Mae thinks, as she looks at him. Eyes filled with both love and torment. 

Time has weakened me, and I’m not the same young girl who could go months without meeting you just to see a glimpse of your face by the end of it. 

Stay, while I take a moment to catch my breath.

So she places both her hands on his cheeks, making sure they memorize every scar on his face. “C-can you hold me for some time… before you leave?” 

And how can Levi not give in?

He takes a seat on the edge of bed, with her positioned on his lap. 

She buries her head into his chest. And he encircles his arms around her waist. Rubbing long soothing strokes against her back.

But her tears don’t stop. No matter how many kisses he leaves on her face. 

He can only watch as her body rakes with sobs.

Half an hour passes away in mere seconds. 

But her grip only gets tighter. She cries harder. Forcing him to stay put. If he had the choice to stay he really would. It hurts to leave when she’s in so much distress. But life has never been kind enough to give him choices.

“You know I must go,” he speaks with sadness.

Her sobs get louder .

There are words on the very tip of her tongue that are dying to come out. But time is cruel as usual.

“5 m-minutes more p-please.” She turns on his lap, so that her back is pressed to his chest. Her fingers intertwine with all of his, and she leads his hands to the swell of her belly. Keeping it there, for the last few seconds she spends with him.

“I’m s-sorry… sweetheart.” His voice breaks. It hurts to be the cause of all her sadness. But the world outside is waking, and Levi can’t afford to stay on the sidelines for too long.

And so he forces himself away, knowing he physically won’t be able to separate himself from her if she still keeps holding onto him.

Gently he picks her from his lap, and places her on the bed. ”I’ll have to go now, I’ll miss my ship.” 

He tries to step away but thoughtlessly she catches his wrist.

“Levi….” She begs and he takes in a sharp breath . 

“Levi… I’ve loved y-you with everything I’ve had.” She speaks between her sobs. And her eyes look so lifeless, it makes Levi’s heartbreak.

“I know… I know.” He mutters as he takes steps closer, trying to comfort her. And she is quick to wrap her arms around his waist again, resting her head against his abdomen.

“So the next time, when you come back, you’ll come back only for me… No Survey Corps, no military, no politics, no Anti-Marleyan squad.” It's not an order, not even a desire. Her words hover on the brink of a desperate plea.

And he presses a lingering kiss on the top of her head, before he steps away and walks to the doorsteps.

Silence hangs like a bereaved soul, as Levi and Mae share a final kiss. “Take care of yourself,” He takes her hand and brings it to his lips. Pressing a kiss on her knuckles. 

And before he can hear the torment in her voice, he walks the other way. Knowing that he’ll never be able to leave if he catches a glimpse of her heartbroken face again.

She leans on the door frame, watching him slip away. The tears streaming down her face seem unstoppable. And t ime runs so painfully slow, it feels like she’ll have to relearn how to breathe again.

“Levi,” she calls out one last time . Her voice is forced into a low whisper, and he’s meters away from her . She begs the universe that he turns back.

And he does stop, chin jutting over his shoulder, face somber with emotion he wishes he could blink away.

And the both of them stand with their sadness. Wishing they had the time to complete all the talks that have been left incomplete. All the desires that have been left unfulfilled.

He flashes her a reassuring smile nevertheless.

And with the little strength that remains in her, she forces a smile as well. Hoping that if this is the last time Levi sees her in this lifetime, then his last memory of her is that of her smile.

Yet amidst the happiness they try to force, their eyes remain truthful, real and plain. A final sentiment shared between.

Don't forget to keep your promise .

Author's note:

Don't know how this chapter is tbh because it was really long to edit lol. But let me know what you think.

We're kinda near the end of the story tbh (I don't know if that is surprising hahah).

Also the whole dresses convo in scene 2 comes from Mae selling her dresses of in Chapter 5. (Just incase someone has forgotten because I'm taking too long to update these days)

Please don't forget to vote, if you enjoyed!

See you soon<3

[deepestsharkshark]

There's a story that's coalescing in my head right now,

I was sitting there wondering how Barbie was going to figure out bowel movements. She's never actually pooped before. She's never actually taken care of herself, her body is new.

How terrifying, Barbie.

Barbie chose to continue her existence, and I hope that Ruth imparted the basic knowledge Barbie needed to at least use her bowels.

But Ruth's been in the basement for 70 years, her knowledge of navigating this world is a little out of date.

Barbie might have a lot of culture and body shock - and did she notice the cellulite first, or did another Barbie? Cellulite is such an interesting thing - it's beautiful, y'know.

And Ken - how does his journey turn out? A lot of children suddenly had Ken dolls.

Speaking of, did America Ferrera's character have the OG Stereotypical Barbie? How does that work? Why did my brain automatically go to Barbie collecting her friends dolls so she could talk to them? (And let's be honest act out some slightly NSFW probably iffy consensual stuff that I'm trying to resist the urge to write)

Or even in that vein, the angsty teenager going back to the real world and telling her friends, also terrifying teenagers, who realize that they might be able to open a portal between worlds

Because they (her friends) worship the ground this kid walks on and even if they don't really believe her are pretty much game to do anything because why not,

But then they accidentally open the door to one of the dinosaur toy worlds. Because groups of angsty teens attract chaos, and now Barbieland has to fend off the Dinosaurs.

Ken might not get a horse (though the Breyer collection might as well let Ken have a horse), but he can have a T-Rex.

And Barbie and America Ferrera and America Ferrera's husband can fall in love. ❤️

[misterfeller]

the cryptic asks are fun :)

you'll never know who i am

mainly because we're not mutuals and i dont follow anyone, so i'm invisible to you

so uh

you can call me whatever you want

ohhh okay!!!! i thought you would be one of my mutuals. you kind of remind me of faggot mouse. i am okay with more cryptic asks this is so fun yay! deciding what to call you is going to be really hard bc i barely know anything about you. i have this stupid thing in my phone where it gives me cats and i name them. maybe you could look through them and see if any names feel like you. i would put screenshots of all the names here but there would be too many. i will copy and paste some for you. under the cut bc there are 5 million even with some taken out

a kiss without the moustache is like an egg without salt

agate

al crane

alabaster

alberta

aldebaran

alexandra vondude

alfie

alma

andromeda

aphid

arnold babatunji

arthur

aziraphale

baas kwaadwillig

bat masterson

bcos

beach ball

bebop

betty

beverly

big audrey

big louise

billy brown

billy the phantom bellboy

birdie

blubbert

blynken

bobby

bobo botn

bora karaca

bruce bunyip

cab calloway

captain buffalo birnbaum

carl azuz

cassiopeia

catskills

catsup

chase

chick the cherub

chicken nancy

chris harrington

clarinda quackenboss

clive montague

colonel ken krenwinkle

copper

cordelia

crowley

d'artagnan

dandelion

darlin companion

davy

davy jones

dawn

deady bye bye

dinner

dionne

dirty bobby

doris

dot

dr. charlotte

electric larry

elizabeth van vreemdeling

elizatryst

erlking

eunice

fancy

fats waller

flapsur

flop

flossie

floyd

flying saucer

ford

found

francine

francis

frankanon

frosted mini spooners

fuffy

ganymede

gee wilikers

gizmodgery

gladys

gloopy

gnash

go to bed

good

goopy bloppy drippy sparkly

gradene

gwendolyn marshrat

hammersmith odeon

harold boonstangle

her majesty

hergeschleimer

hootenanny

horatius birnbaum

hot dog supper

ichabod

iggy birnbaum

irving

japonica

jason

jaws

juno

jurgen leitner

k spar

kitty nebelstreif

leitmotif

little bunny foo foo

live at the beeb

lola

louis

lullabye

mab

magic

maple leaf rag

marlon

mary

matches

maurice

melvin

meowy

milk

millicent

minnie the moocher

molly o'malley

moly b. denum

molybdenum

monkberry moon delight

mr bloodvessel

mr moon

mr moonlight

mr. plumbean

mrs. wimpydimple

ms. magistra

muffin man

nash

neddie wentworthstein

nick bluegum

nod

odds bodkins

nick bluegum

nod

odds bodkins

opal

orion

orthoclase feldspar

pajama

paloma

pearl

peppernut

percy "thrills" thrillington

peterkins

pickled pepper

pierre

pizza pie

plagioclase feldspar

pleistocene

polly pocket

potassium feldspar

povitica

prairiedog birnbaum

presyncope

prime meridian

professor tag

rex the wonder horse

ricky

rip van winkle

roberta

roger van tussenvuxel

ronnie wolfspit

rural

sadie

sally

samuel klugarsh

sandor eucalyptus

sargent caleb

satin spar

scarecrow

seamus finn

serutan yob

shangri-la

sheridan

sholmos bunyip

sinister

smokey joe

sorghum

space station level 7

sparkle

spookhuizen

sporty

stella octangula

steve craft

strega nona

suzie bunny boo boo

sweetie

syncope

the baritone buckaroo

thine

time machine

topsy

tough bananas

uncle borgel

valentine

wah watusi

wallace

wanda

weer

wendell

whorlygig

wicked anabella

wing ding

winnifred

wolluf

woofy davis

woopty doo

wynken

yggdrasil birnbaum

zaphod beeblebrox

zooxanthellae

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #169

Today I played more Elden Ring. A few of my friends popped by to say hello as I toodled around while being a total derpasaurus rex on a lovely horned horse named Torrent. Torrent is wonderful; I don't know how or why he puts up with my clumsy ass, hahaha! But I do like to feed him lots of treats when I can, so maybe that's a little something.

There was a dragon terrorizing a place called Agheel lake; it made it really hard to get around. With Torrent's help, I was able to make it so that there is no longer a dragon terrorizing the lake. I also temporarily removed some bullies who were blocking off a bunch of roads for unknown reasons. Of course, the bullies come back to life anytime I rest. But still, a moment's peace is a moment's peace.

Really, I'd just like to explore this world unhindered with Torrent. I'd like to listen to the stories of the people who wander around. I meet a few friendly faces, but… most everything in this world wants to kill me, and I think that's kinda sad because it's such a beautiful world with very dramatic geography and lots of interesting creatures to observe!

I wonder if you'd like looking at this world. There was a place called Stormhill and you know what? I bet it would be an AMAZING place to fly a kite, if my character could have a kite. But there are no kites. Instead, there was this big machine called a Golem that came out of the ground, and it tried to kill me with its giant axe, and that was very inconvenient, so I broke the machine until it stopped moving. Hopefully the road will be a little safer for other travelers; having a giant hostile machine pop out of the ground like that was very surprising!

There was another giant, hostile machine that was shooting big ol' arrows at me as I tried riding along some road. So I broke that machine, too. What kind of person builds giant, hostile machines and then leaves them unattended, anyway? It seems very irresponsible! Also in this world, there are all these folks who think that nobody gets to use the section of road they're on except for them, and I don't think that's very nice at all. I try to put a stop to that nonsense in the only way this game lets me; no one can be reasoned with, it seems.

…I do try to avoid fighting when I can, though. There are these guys called Wandering Nobles, and the unarmed ones don't try to kill me, but they do seem terrified of me for some reason. I usually leave them be; I think they're undead, so they're clumsy, slow, very uncoordinated, and not especially bright. But sometimes, they get ahold of a torch or a sword or some magic spell that they can derpily swing around, and then they think they're some Hot Shit™, and when they get like that, they won't leave me alone.

I would like to say to them, "Guy… my dude. C'mon. Please just chill. Please stop swinging around the sharp pointy thing - you're gonna hurt yourself. Seriously bruh, I just got rid of that very murdery dragon over there, and I promise that you are not stronger than a dragon; can't we just be cool? Let's just be cool, okay?" But I can't say that, and so they do not chill, they do not stop swinging the sharp pointy thing, they continue to be VERY not cool, and they will chase me if I try to run, which is counterproductive, so all I can do from there is "axe" them very politely to stop.

I think I might stop playing this game, though. There are a few unsavory aspects of this game that I had forgotten about. One of them is the situation at a place called Castle Morne. The context and story is complicated, but the short version is that there are living things called "Misbegotten". I hate that they're called this, so I will call them "Crucible-Touched" instead. The "Crucible-Touched" come from something called "The Crucible", and that is, essentially, a "primordial form of the Erdtree". I have no idea what that means, other than the "primordial form" still having something called a "Death Rune", I guess. The "Erdtree" is, essentially, the "Crucible", but with the "death" part of the life cycle removed. Though my interpretation might not be exactly right; the lore is a little hard to understand, admittedly, and lots of it is left intentionally vague, and there are mistranslations. Weird things sometimes happens when you try to translate old-timey Japanese into old-timey English.

Here is what the "Crucible-Touched" look like:

The lighting in this picture I found on the internet is weird, but don't let it fool you! As you can see, they have it all! They have wings to fly with, claws to defend themselves with, nice big jaws to eat with (as someone with a small and misshapen jaw, I envy this a little...), efficient legs to walk, jump, and run with, good feet for even weight distribution, opposable thumbs to build and manipulate objects with, good, smart, sentient brains to learn stuff with, strong and agile muscles to enact their will, cute little chubby faces, and they're soft and fluffy with their feathers and fur!! Literally, what is there not to like??? I cannot find anything wrong with any of this!! If there is a flaw in this living thing, I don't know where it is!!

So the people of this world think of the "Erdtree" as a refined "Crucible", and they also think that anything that comes of the "Crucible" is inferior, tainted, impure, and reminiscent of devolution. These "Crucible-Touched" were once seen as divine, but that changed once the "Crucible" became the "Erdtree", and then all of a sudden they were seen as bad, rotten, filthy things, and subsequently treated like slaves and abused horribly. And it really sucks, because there is one guy who is "Crucible-Touched", and his name is Hewg, and he's absolutely delightful and brilliant and really good at what he does. It doesn't make sense to me that he gets treated as less than a person. It's not right. I don't like it.

So the "Crucible-Touched" at Castle Morne revolted. Tired of being enslaved, abused, degraded, and tortured day in and day out, they lashed back at their tormentors because their only other option was to try to go out on their own into a world that is a death trap. The end result of that is that they'll either be killed by something that hates them just because of how they were born, or they'll be hunted down by the people whose abuse they're trying to escape from. In my world, it is said that the first duty of a wrongly-imprisoned person is to escape. As such, slaves must escape bondage and abuse by whatever means that are available to them - that is the way of things. As such, I have absolutely no interest in fighting the "Crucible-Touched" - none whatsoever.

But I do have an interest in delivering a letter written by one of the escaped nobles of that castle, who I guess had no idea how horribly the "servants" were being treated. It's complicated. I want to deliver the letter, but the "Crucible-Touched", who I have no quarrel with, are hostile to me on sight, which is natural; goodness knows how many decades they have of being mistreated by humans, and they have no way of knowing that I mean them no harm. The letter is from a young woman named Irina to her father Edgar, who is the commander of the castle. Irina just wants Edgar to forget about the castle and go live peacefully with her somewhere else. But Edgar is going to want the sword that was stolen by the leader of the "Crucible-Touched" before he will leave to go be with his daughter.

…But… I have no interest in killing a justifiably angry living thing over some stupid sword. I'd much rather negotiate for the sword - the "Crucible-Touched" get to keep the castle in exchange for the sword and letting Edgar go be with his daughter. Seems like it should be a fairly simple exchange. Kinda like this:

"Hey there, Mr. Uprising Leader Dude. It's cool. I'm cool. We're cool. Everything's cool. I just wanna get that Edgar guy outta your hair; he and his ilk were total poop-waffles to you and to your brethren, and that sucks and I hate it and it never should have happened, and I'm sorry for all the suffering you've endured up until this point. Things in the world are all fucked up because of the Erdtree, and it's really unfair and you have every right to be upset; nobody should be making you suffer for the nature of your existence. But he ain't gonna leave until he's got that sword. So how about this - you gimme the sword so I can give it to him, and you get to have the castle and Edgar goes very far away and nobody bothers you or your kin ever again; you can turn this place into a safe haven for others who are Crucible-Touched, and if anyone tries to bother any of you here just for existing, then you just gimme a holler and I'll come a-runnin' to help fend off any ne'er-do-wells who are giving you problems. Deal?"

Unfortunately, this game does not allow for anything other than fighting. And… if you complete this questline, Irina ends up dying, and Edgar ends up going insane. So essentially, if I try to get the abusers away from the abused, bad things happen. It is better if I do nothing. But then if I do nothing, there is still suffering. And… I guess it just kinda… seems futile.

My "big bad power fantasy" is to be able to help everyone and to come up with peaceful solutions to things. I had forgotten in this game just how seldom it's possible to do either of those. Even if you do try to help in the ways that are made available to you as a player, it usually ends up in tragedy anyhow, and that's… really not a whole lot of fun for me.

I wanna fix it. It shouldn't have to be like this. The "Erdtree" gives "order" by oppressing a whole heck of a lot of different kinds of living (or unliving) things and by suppressing free will and perpetuating cycles of trauma, and it ain't right. But then, if you break the Erdtree, everything dissolves and there is no such thing as comfort or joy anymore…

…I think I'm all done with it. I'm gonna choose a different game, because this one is depressing, and the world I live in is already depressing enough as it is; my planet is already dying and there's tragedy and cruelty everywhere you look and there's absolutely fucking nothing I can do about any of it because I am just one insignificant voice in a sea of 8 billion voices, with not a lot of resources at my disposal, and living in a body that most people think is on the lower end of the "worth" spectrum. I am nothing and no one in this place, and my voice doesn't really count for anything.

...Given this, sometimes I wonder why I even bother to keep writing, because I can't imagine anything will come of it. But I'm going to keep at it anyway, because... what else is there that I can do? I can't do nothing. I have to try. I have to care...

Anyway, all of that is why it's necessary to keep looking for the sparks of joy and beauty in everything, no matter how small those sparks are, or else the sheer weight of the despair in this place will crush the life right out of you and extinguish the light in your eyes. In short: I don't need my temporary electronic escape from reality to thematically resemble real life; it kinda defeats the purpose, ya know? I want to be able to DO SOMETHING about the suffering around me, and if not even the make-pretend space will allow me to do that, then what's the freaking point??? If I wanted to feel helpless and unable to do good things, I can just read the damn news. At least then I don't also have to become increasingly skilled at very difficult make-pretend combat in order to chase that nihilistic feeling of futility.

Guess I'll end this one here. Maybe tomorrow I'll try to create something. I don't know how I manage to feel so busy and so idle at the exact same time, but here I am doing it anyway, and trying hard not to get too caught up in the guilt of it all. I know I'm overwhelmed, but it's hard to pinpoint why exactly. Hm.

Well anyway. Do stay safe out there, won't you? Please remember that you're a person no matter how you were made. Those "Misbegotten" are NOT misbegotten, and I hate that they're called that. And you're not misbegotten, either, okay? Please do your best to know that. Do everything in your power to understand that you are a good thing. Because… I am still here because of you, and I like to think sometimes like I am a good thing. On a good day, anyway, I can sometimes think I am a good thing.

I love you. I'll write again tomorrow.

Your friend, Lumine

[vanilla-c0c0]

Villains want to embarrass little robin (William Rex & Victor) - Story Event pt.2

All possible disclaimers are valid! I’m not a mother tongue speaker and I’m doing this just for fun. 100% accuracy is not guaranteed. Have fun!

// spoilers for william’s past

The trio walks into the palace gardens, where the infantry and cavalry are lined up in order, watching over Her Majesty (MC). Victor takes her in front of the carriage, explaining that today they will be going around town; in the meantime, he’s going to do a final check on the parade route while William escorts her. MC nods and takes William’s hand to get inside the carriage, while everyone around bows their heads. MC is feeling a bit nervous, but she notices that William is just wearing his usual smile, as to be expected of the Crown’s No.1. In order to ease some of the tension, he asks the girl what she wants him to talk about as they wait for Victor to come back; she settles on asking about his and Victor’s first encounter.

William: …I think it was around the time I was arranging the funeral for my father, whom I personally condemned. One day, out of the blue, I was invited to the palace by Her Majesty, and in the audience room I had a chance encounter with Victor. Neither of us said much, but I immediately sensed that both of us had the same thing: a longing for Freedom. That’s why we teamed up and became accomplices. This is where we started.

Victor comes bacl and merrily asks them what they’ve been talking about. William replies that the Queen wanted to hear Victor’s embarrassing story, and he wonders whether it’s the one when he bumped his little finger the other day or maybe-!

William: Fufu, who knows? Ask Her majesty yourself.

He then proceeds to leave, after all, the public don’t really know about his connection to Her Majesty (in relation to Crown), so he’s simply going to watch over them from afar.

The carriage starts moving towards the city, and in the meantime MC asks Victor a clarification on something: apparently, the guards earlier were talking about how unusual it was for Victor to be at Her Majesty’s side at a time like this (he’s supposed to be behind the scenes). Obviously, he answers that he can’t leave his sweet, sweet MC’s side! The carriage is finally into the city, and Victor opens the curtains. Outside, the townsfolk are smiling and waving their hand at MC, who feels overwhelmed by an indescribable fervour. This is what the Queen wants to protect. As the one standing at the top, she is beloved by her people, though on the other hand she controls evil by fighting it with evil (Crown). She lives both in the light and in the shadow, and MC realises that a mediocre resolution is unfit to make all this work out. Victor agrees: no ordinary person could handle all of this, and he thought this many times before. Proof of this is the fact that he has heard people around him say many times that “Her Majesty is not a human being”. She’s a human with an inhuman mind. Then, he asks for MC’s honest opinion: does she think of the Queen as scary? MC thinks that she definitely felt something akin to awe, but it was way different than fear.

MC: No, it’s the other way around. I don’t really know what I can do myself, but I want to support Her Majesty as a woman like myself.

Victor: Thank you, MC. If the Queen were to hear what you just said, she would definitely be most pleased.

A guard knocks on the carriage; they have arrived and the safety of the surrounding area has been confirmed. Now, it’s MC’s turn to get outside and wave at the citizens. When she does, the enthusiasm and cheers of the townspeople become even more intense. Suddenly, someone screams from the crowd: a carriage led by a horse out of control is running towards Her Majesty. It is seemingly impossible to stop it. Victor embraces MC’s body, calling her towards him (note: he uses William’s signature “おいで”). Just before the impact could happen, William jumps in front of the carriage.

William: …”Stop”.

The horse stops immediately, and William asks MC if she’s fine. A guard raises his voice, saying that the one who was in charge of the carriage must be killed for such a blasphemous act. MC orders him to stop, though she realises late enough that by speaking up, the people have heard that her voice is not the Queen’s. Victor covers up for her, commenting that it was just an incident and not something planned in advance; he asks confirmation to Her Majesty (MC) who nods, gaining a cheer of approval from the crowd. The parade then continues without further incidents, and they all return to court.

MC apologises for doing something so selfish. Victor says that even the Queen herself would have acted this way, so there’s no need to worry. William concords, adding that they are very proud of her. MC thanks the both of them. Victor comments that William dashing in to save the day was very cool, and MC says she was also very surprised by Victor’s impeccable reflexes.

William: Then, MC, don’t you want to ask us something?

Victor: Miss MC, if there’s anything you want to know, we’ll give you a sincere answer. Don’t hold back.

MC: Victor, William. What are you hiding from me?

[freesia-writes]

The bad batch, Howzer, Gregor, and Rex all take Omega on a ski trip. Discuss.

What a group. 😂💕

Hunter stays with her to teach her, Tech remains nearby to give constant suggestions and loving critique, and Wrecker catches her every time she falls. She gets a little bored with how long it takes to learn and starts a snowball fight, which makes Tech indignant and Wrecker delighted. They spend the rest of the day doing that. Hunter goes to the lodge for a spiked hot chocolate.

Meanwhile, Crosshair is off by himself racing everyone he sees (who are unaware that he’s racing them) and feeling mighty smug until his ski pole gets caught on the chairlift while getting off and he eats it in front of everyone. Then he quits for the day and goes to nurse his pride in the lodge, where he finds Hunter and joins the spiked hot chocolate club.

Gregor found this wonderful girl he happened to share a ski lift with, and they ended up chatting the whole way up. He’s just delighted and enthralled. She has a PhD in math and knows a lot about horses, and they ski together the rest of the day and make plans to go horseback riding. Also go to the lodge to have spiked hot chocolate at the end of the day.

Rex doesn’t even try, just heads straight for the biggest, plushest chair in front of the fire in the lodge, where he pulls his hat over his eyes and goes to sleep. Wakes up with Hunter and Crosshair sitting by him, and… you guessed it… has some spiked hot chocolate.

Howzer is in the woods, making out with me. Then we go get some spiked hot chocolate. 🤣🤣🤣

[skylariumrose]

RexObi BigBang

Hello All! And welcome to my first RexObi work and for @rexobibang! with an excellent art piece by the wonderful and incredibly talented @wrennette!

Art link to the incredible Wrennette! AO3

Please enjoy!

Summary:

When a motorcyclist stops to help Rex catch his runaway horse, he doesn't think much of the man except his kindness.

Now confronted with seeing him again, Rex can’t help wanting to meet Obi-Wan Kenobi as many times as he can before he leaves the archipelago... Maybe even after.

He just wished that his family wouldn’t try to get involved.

[atopvisenyashill]

How would westeros react to dinosaurs?

they already have dinosaurs in terros!

“The ships of Braavos sail as far as the winds blow, to lands strange and wonderful, and when they return their captains fetch queer animals to the Sealord's menagerie. Such animals as you have never seen, striped horses, great spotted things with necks as long as stilts, hairy mouse-pigs as big as cows, stinging manticores, tigers that carry their cubs in a pouch, terrible walking lizards with scythes for claws.”

that’s from an arya chapter in agot and it sounds very raptor like to me! they also have wyverns which are kinda dinosaur esque, and of course they used to have dragons/will have at least three in the near future, and those are vaguely dinosaur esque as well.

They’d probably take it as well as they do any weird prehistoric creature that shows up - someone is gonna try to tame them, at least three people are gonna use dinosaurs in their sigils, some people are gonna try to hunt and cook em up, a whole lot of people are gonna get absolutely wrecked by a rampaging triceratops. Something meat eating like a T-Rex would be dangerous but no more dangerous than like, Cannibal, so probably the smallfolk stay away and some brave knights go off to kill them.

My money is absolutely on Arya trying to ride one tho lmaooo.

[dyns33]

On the road

So it's weird and nobody will read I think, but after playing Road 96 I needed to write something about Jarod. I love Jarod.

It's not really romantic, just two people caring for each others, Y/N being an adult still.

The taxi driver looked at her strangely as soon as she was seated with her friends.

One could have thought he was a pervert, but Y/N found it strange that he was staring at her, when she didn't consider herself the most beautiful in their group. Maybe she had done something, or he didn't like her face.

This made the others laugh, who had also noticed his strange behavior.

They were probably the few people to travel the roads of Petria without being crossers. Only young adults who wanted to take a vacation and had decided to take a hitchhiking trip during the summer.

There wasn't much interesting to see in the country, but the journey was more important than the destination, allowing for encounters as good as bad.

It had been two days since any car stopped, so they had called the Happy Taxi company.

Y/N wondered if the driver would be a good or bad encounter.

"Lola…" he mumbled, gripping the steering wheel, his gaze still on her.

"Excuse me, sir ?"

"… No, nothing. Where do you want me to drop you off ?"

Good question. With her friends, they quickly looked at their map and chose a motel an hour away, where they could spend the night. If they were unlucky with cars the next day, there would be the possibility of taking the bus.

The beginning of the journey was quite silent.

The driver, Jarod Thompson according to the plate she could see, was listening to classical music. He had stopped looking at her as soon as he had started, now focused on the road, and making absolutely no attempt to make conversation with his passengers.

Y/N didn't talk too much either, preferring to watch the landscape go by. For a few moments, she even fell asleep, her head against the window, exhausted by the journey she had made on foot.

Her friends' laughter woke her up, and the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes were the dinosaur magazines. There were loads of them, plus little figurines scattered around the car. The cabbie must have been a fan.

As soon as she picked one up to read, his attention was back on her.

"You like dinosaurs ?" he asked in his slow voice.

"Oh. Yeah, I guess. I had my period when I was younger, I would beg my parents to buy me all the books on the subject, and we even went to a park where there were huge plastic ones."

"Dinopark."

"Yeah ! It was great ! I wanted to ride on their backs like horses. My mother said it was not the same at all, and yet some were herbivores. My favorite was the diplodocus, even though I kept calling it 'dipo'."

"Ah ! Dipo ! Ah !"

Jarod's laugh was even scarier than his drawling voice, and yet Y/N couldn't help but smile unlike her friends, because she felt like it had been a long time since he had laughed like that.

It was a little sad if what she had just said was the funniest thing he had heard in a long time.

"I really like dipos myself. And stegosauruses."

"I like T-rexes personally."

Clearly, the cabbie didn't want to talk to more than one person, glaring at her friend as if she had just insulted him.

"That's not very original." Y/N said to try to lighten the mood, without much success.

"Hmm."

Silence returned to the taxi, until they arrived at the motel. There, Jarod mumbled a 'goodbye', counting their money, giving back the change and leaving at full speed.

Her friends started laughing again when they saw that he had miscounted, giving back way too much. Almost a third of the price. Or maybe he had offered the ride to one of them.

"I wonder which one."

"Stop it. It was nice of you to give us a discount."

"Yeah yeah, your great friend 'Dipo' is cool. Maybe we can each get a room with these savings."

If they wanted to have enough to finish their trip, it was not possible to take more than two rooms.

Inseparable like sisters, her friends took the largest room with the big bed, and Y/N found herself alone in the small room at the end of the building.

It was quite nice to be alone, able to take a hot shower and enjoy a real bed. Sleeping under the stars had a charming side, but Y/N didn't spit on modern comforts.

Her moment of peace was interrupted when someone knocked on the door. Cautiously, she left the chain to open, discovering a young man, obviously a crosser, who asked her if she needed anything as if he worked here.

With a slightly forced smile, she thanked him by saying that everything was fine, reassured to see that he didn't insist.

She could have thought back to this exchange when she wanted a soda and a cereal bar about two hour later. But there was no reason for him to still be there, and the machine was only a few meters from her room, there was no risk.

The knife in his hand didn't match his speech, that Y/N shouldn't be afraid, he wasn't going to hurt her, approaching her after cornering her in the dead end.

If she screamed, maybe the manager or a customer would come help her. But if they were too slow, if they didn't react, then things could get dirty.

"Please… I can give you money, but let me go…"

"It's okay." he repeated, and in his eyes she could see that he had a problem, that he must not understand the gravity of the situation. "I just want to talk to you."

"The young lady politely asked you to leave her."

Y/N and her attacker jumped as they turned to Jarod.

No one had noticed until he spoke in his slow voice. Very calm, he stood by the crosser, not caring at all about his knife. When the man stammered, still affirming that everything was fine, the cabbie took out a revolver, which he pointed at his head.

"Go away. Now !" he shouted, suddenly becoming very aggressive.

"Wait ! No, please !"

"Go ! I'm only leaving you so I don't splash her with your brain ! Go !"

Even though he had more or less promised not to kill him, Jarod's gun followed the crosser until he had disappeared into the night, along the road. Bad idea, because he could quickly be caught by a taxi.

Putting his gun away, he first took a deep breath, before looking at Y/N.

"Are you okay ?"

"Yes… Thank you."

"It's nothing. I… I'm glad you're okay. I wouldn't have wanted anything to happen again."

"Again ?"

"… You remind me of my daughter."

During the ride to the motel, in addition to the plants and the plastic dinosaurs, Y/N had noticed the photo of a young girl. There might have been a resemblance, in the eyes or the smile maybe, but you couldn't say that they were twins, far from it.

Without knowing why, she felt that it was a sensitive subject, something painful. So she swallowed her questions, not asking where she was, what her name was, what had happened to her. Lola, probably. Lola, who would forever be sixteen.

"She liked dinosaurs too." was the only thing she said with a sad smile.

Jarod stared at her, his mouth forming a big line as his eyes became moist. He simply nodded.

Without saying anything, they returned to the room, where he stayed outside. He only wanted to make sure that nothing would happen to her until she was back in safety.

"You'll have to… You'll have to be careful on the road. Don't hesitate to call Happy Taxis if necessary. I… Here's a lucky charm."

Y/N couldn't help but smile when she saw the little green diplodocus he offered her. She took it delicately like a treasure, admiring it before thanking Jarod.

He grunted in response, wishing her a good night before returning to his cab.

Soon it would be the end of summer, with the September elections, which were likely to be violent. Y/N would go home avoiding other problems, knowing that if one day she needed a ride, she would know who to call.

[echos-girlfriend]

Congrats on the 100 followers. Big hypes to you friendo <3

I would love to see your take on Wrecker in a medieval AU. Like the mountain but really really sweet....*swoon*

Howdy!

Ooo I’m excited to do this one!

(Messaged me the prompt after they made the request)

Wrecker

6 - “Come with me”

Medieval AU

Master list

Um so this may or may not be heavily inspired by the details in the princess bride 👀 including the fire swamp.. rodents of unusual size, princess kidnappings.. all that wonderful stuff.

~_~_~_~

The princess’s favorite pastime was taking a horse ride with the grand knights. They were her best friends .

“Milady, we must be cautious while we are out in the woods. The recent attack on the kingdom has left our security thin”

“I understand captan Rex. I’m not a child. Besides I have all of you to keep me safe”

“You got that right princess!”

Your personal knight, wrecker was the closest to you. You two shared a secret relationship. You gave him a sweet smile and you all continued down the forest path.

“Halt..”

Captain Rex raised his hand and all the knights pulled their horses to a stop. He looked around.. Hunter slowly pulled his horse to the captain.

“Captain. I hear horse hooves”

“… we need to get out of here”

“Why what is it?”

“We believe a group of bandits are coming. You’ll be their first target if they see us..”

You nodded and you all brought your horses to a gallop.. but it was too late. The bandits closed in and separated you from the knights.

“Princess!”

Wrecker yelled for you but the bandits had already taken you from your horse.

~_~_~_~

“The Kingdom of Serenno will give us a great fortune if we give them the princess of Kamino..”

“You won’t win… my knights will find you”

“That band of misfits won’t be able to help you this time..”

“Captain Rex is the best leader in the whole kingdom.. hunter can track anyone and anything.. he will find you. Echo and Fives can withstand any storm or force.. and tech is smarter than any philosopher.. Crosshair could shoot you down with an arrow from any distance.. and wrecker can beat you until there’s nothing left of you.”

The bandits gulped.. maybe they had bitten off more than they could chew. An arrow came from no where and it hit a bandit dead between the eyes. His body dropping to the floor.

“The knights are coming!”

The leader grabbed your arm and pulled you to his side. The knights galloped forward and came face to face with the bandits..

“If you come closer I’ll cut her throat..”

“I wouldn’t try that if I were you..”

Rex looked down at you. You knew what to do. Although your father never approved if it, the knights stilled gave you training if your own.

Your fingers quickly reached around your body and into the bandits eyes. Causing him to let go and lash out.

You dropped to the group and all chaos broke loose. The bandits, although they were going to loose, were definitely giving your knights a hard time..

“Princess! Come with me!”

You looked up and saw your wrecker. You ran to his horse and held your hand out. He pulled you up and into the back of his horse.

“Get her out of here wrecker!”

“You got it captain!”

You wrapped your arms around your gentle giant as best you could. You rested your head on his back, hugging him close.

You came to a clearing and the horse stopped.

“Were you scared?”

“I was at first.. but I knew you would find me”

“Of course we would.. I love you..”

“I love you too”

“We need to keep moving.. we’ll go through the dagobah swamps..”

“But wrecker what about the K W S’s..”

“Huh? Oh the Knobby White Spiders.. I think it’ll be fine”

~_~_~_~

(If anyone wants to request a pt 2 go right ahead I really enjoyed writing this!)

[sigery]

For your knowledge. Here's some things about beastmaker. I haven't posted a lot of it so I'm not expecting too much for you to know.

Beast maker is basically The evil lunar universe except I take him stating he would turn sun into a monster very literally.

Beast maker lunara transformed everyone who is present into monsters.

Sun looks like a cross between himself and shy Guy from SCP. A loosely hanging jaw forming an evil smile.

Moon looks like a devil's crossbreed between KC, a raptor, a man, and a cat. A smile stretching far beyond its limits.

Blood Moon is just a mass of mouths and arms. A rumbling ball of terror.

Then eclipse, beast makers pride. In short looks like ludwig from bloodborne, but with a T-Rex and eclipse instead of horse and man.

Have fun.

Me: *nodding along interested till I get to Eclipse* Ludwig? I wonder who that is- *googles it* holy fucking hell, nope, don't like that visual, backing up, backing up *goes back to bed*

[renoxvated]

FATE, noun; a silly notion of the inevitable— DESTINY. Roy didn’t believe in any of that. If such a thing existed then he’d fight it off like a mountain lion ripping through a cowboy too far out alone in the desert. With sand in his boots and overstuffed saddlebags slug over his tired horse however, fate may have believed in him a whole lot more than he believed in it. 

Wolf’s Ridge, a budding paradise, like a tall glass of water for those PARCHED for a better life. Yeah, he’d been here a few times— never for long though, never long enough to fall in love with a place like this and never too long to carve out a spot for himself like a river eroding the land. Rex lets out a SNORT of annoyance from underneath Roy, bucking up as they approach the town's strip. He pats at the horse's neck and gives way to a snort of his own. “Easy boy we’re gonna stop in a second, ya’ buck me off fore’ then though and I’ll leave ya’ back with those assholes after us.” The horse seemed to understand although it gives the sort of whinny almost as if to say ‘After YOU—’ 

They’d wandered all the way back here, well RAN all the way back here like something was nipping at their tails, mostly because something or rather someone HAD been. The packages he carried hadn’t been worth all this trouble, he thinks; but perhaps to the people here they’d meant a whole heap more. 

Roy lets out a long sigh of his own as he turns the reins on Rex and finally motions off the saddle. He moves to tie up the horse to the hitching rail nearby. Calloused hands digging around in the saddlebags for the various packages he’d had on him. “Seems like more assholes than usual are after these, wonder what that’s about—“ Roy comments to himself really, maybe Rex. “Shoulda shot em’, woulda been justified, people would probably be better off for it here.” He snorts, Rex does along with him and for a moment Roy wonders if the horse can understand him.

He shakes his head, rolling his shoulders as he hoists the packages into his hands. Figured he should stop into the town hall or something to let someone know about bandits circling like vultures (if they didn't know already) all things considered, before he finishes dropping off the packages. Steady as he was with them he nearly drops one-- "Fuck."

semi plotted starter @bldrdsh (for katrina)

[mamabearwonders]

NFS. This is for my yearbook lovers. Emporia High School in Emporia, Kansas. Senior class of 1932. Found in my town destined for the trash in a thrift store.💎Story about defeating racism, a cute Christmas story about dogs (ADORABLE doggie guest list)☃️🐕.

Look at that handwriting! WOW! 🖋️

UPDATE🌠~ I may be able to reunite the yearbook with the family! I couldn't find anything on Google about her. And her face in a diamond shaped portrait like the cover (just connected that). I thought that the address she had written in was the high school address. It's not! That would be 110 years old today at the youngest. She could still be alive. And I'm not sure if her family still lives in the original house, but it would be wonderful to try to connect the family. It's like time travel! Being able to see your relative over 100 years ago and what they were like.

If the art deco style cover, the time gone by elegant handwriting and signatures isn't a treat itself- I found out some fascinating progressive history! Has nothing to do with the yearbook, but with what the owner of the yearbook (Beth) was experiencing at this time. I got a little swept away in the history.

91 years ago in the Dust Bowl era, a man named William Allen White (pictured with his wife) was running for governor. He owned the newspaper agency in town. His #1 goal was to get rid of the KKK. His daughter Mary (wait til you hear about her)! went to one of their public meetings and got ahold of his dog. When she released him, he went directly to his owner revealing who he was behind the mask. So he was outed in front of everyone.

Both dad and daughter frequented Stringtown. This was the section where African American people lived in that time where they befriended folks.

His daughter was as wild as the prairie winds. I hope I can do her memory some justice. At 16, her dad called her a "Peter Pan". She didn't want to grow up. She didn't like to wear dresses (preferred khakis), didn't want to settle down with one boy and was known for riding around town waving to everyone. Black or white, old or young, man or woman. She was never really religious, but she knew the church was an agency of help for a lot of people so she joined just to help the homeless and her favorite was the big Thanksgiving feast.

the 1920s, William received a letter from a young black man, Floyd Lucas, who wanted to attend college in the town to stay close to family, but the college denied him his dream of being a doctor because they feared he would cause other students to leave.

So William wrote a letter on Floyd's behalf telling them to enroll him. And he became the first person of color to attend college in the town ever.

In 1933, George - er - Sandy White (his 15 year old Scottish Terrier) was throwing a Christmas party. He even decked out a tiny Christmas tree just for his little dog with bologna on the branches. "Refreshments were served at 11:45 and completely eaten in 27 seconds".

Invited guests were Snowball and Chigger Lindsay, WuWu Thudim, Pal Triplett, Tex Dando, Jack Williams, Pepper Just, Bingo Hirschler, Mack Hughes, Mick Swap, Snappy Lowther, Ricky Lambert, and Gerald Newman Sprague. Jack Williams, whose master was 15-year-old Rex Williams, was the best decorated dog at the party. He had a wide pink ribbon tied around his stomach with a bow knotted over his back.

Mary's life ended tragically young at 16 (picture #2). Her last day on Earth was filled with happiness. She had been working really hard on a paper and wanted to get some fresh air. I believe she dealt with sickness when she was a child and I think she still had some complications as a teenager and so riding helped her feel free. And her dad joked in the obituary that she would have laughed that she met her end this way because horses would always fall in her lap and love to be petted by her, but then she tragically fell off a horse and fractured her skull in a terrible accident.

Her community and her family remember her as a rambunctious teenager that just did not want to settle down. She was tired of being a perspective mayor's daughter and just wanted to be like any other teenager and her own person like teens of today. She had a thirst for justice in the world. I wonder what her life could have been like if she had lived past being 16.

At her funeral, they played Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and ended with Tchaikovsky's pathetic Symphony (yep that's the actual name)! She loved to listen to it on the phonograph in certain moods and then it ended with the Lord's Prayer by her friends who were also her pallbearers.

Her dad says, "She brought home riotous stories of her adventures. She loved to rollick; persiflage was her natural expression at home. Her humor was a continual bubble of joy. She seemed to think in hyperbole and metaphor. She was mischievous without malice, as full of faults as an old shoe. No angel was Mary White, but an easy girl to live with for she never nursed a grouch five minutes in her life."

Then said about this when the funeral ended. "A rift in the clouds in a gray day threw a shaft of sunlight upon her coffin as her nervous, energetic little body sank to its last sleep. But the soul of her, the glowing, gorgeous, fervent soul of her, surely was flaming in eager joy upon some other dawn."

What a fascinating town! I would never have known anything about Kansas without that yearbook. Now I'm going to be on the hunt for more yearbooks and antiques from this era from Emporia, Kansas! I wonder what the lives of these seniors were like and if perhaps they knew the family.

Sources ~

https://www.emporia.edu/libraries-archives/special-collections-archives/access/special-collections/black-emporia-interpretations-and-connections-collection/black-emporia-stringtown/

https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/mary-white-obituary/10159