#Sucession doesn’t count since I only posted like

[tenebrous-academic]

Honestly? I'm in no rush for things to go past the point tevan are in now. And I don't understand the complaints about them being "underdeveloped". That's the exiting part and what I'm enjoying the most! that they're still in the very early stages and we're witnessing their development along the way. It's all shiny and new and exciting and I don't want it to end just yet. And I don't want to jump to a full established relationship and missing so many firsts. There's something exhilarating about the awkwardness and fascination of the person you like and getting to know. I'll never get enough of buck's giddiness and huge smile when tommy's mentioned. And to me personally this spark fades a little when a couple are past this part. So I don't mind being here for a little while.

Anon I’m gently kissing you on the forehead 😌

Because YES their pace is so slow and yet so excruciatingly sweet. We’re witnessing the blooming of a relationship and Buck is taking his time and enjoying it. He’s not panicking and rushing into it just to feel safe and secure like we’ve seen in the past. We’ve seen an established pattern of Buck jumping in head-first because he was trying to make the relationship feel more stable then it was (see asking Taylor to move in with him after drunkenly kissing Lucy).

With Tommy it feels like they’re creating something substantial that will last. And I completely agree that I don’t want to miss major moments of their relationship. If we need to wait and Tevan has a slow build then that’s just fine. All of us are familiar with slow burns. We don’t need them declaring their love for each other, or moving in together only a few episodes after their first kiss. Buck is so painfully enamoured with Tommy and I almost never want that first-rush-giddiness to go away even as they become more settled with each other.

The timelines of this show are so nebulous anyway, that trying to establish how long they’ve been together without them directly saying it would be really hard. For now, all we can do is sit back and enjoy the moments we’re given. And, if we’re really lucky, we’ll get to witness the beginning and the growth of their relationship throughout the rest of the show.

Like Buck said - here’s to another 7.

[kendrixtermina]

Cindered shadows Reaction

tl;dr - Fodlan is a crapsack world and I want to strangle Rhea (or break Amyr on her again). Yuri is a very good contrast to the others and a cool addition to the ‘verse  for all that he is basically Joker XD

I took live notes while playing

One thing to take note of here is the house leader’s “canonical” classes (Fortress Knight/Warrior, Hero/Paladin, Assasin/Wyvern ride, though some of those assume the budding talents to be unlocked already) as well as just more of a look into what their dynamic is when they’re together - as such well-contrasting characters I always thought it was a shame that they didn’t interact more so I’m glad for this

 Edelgard is always somewhat standoffish/ closed off and generally the ‘logical’, least personable one, Claude is surface-level friends with both. Dimitri would like to think they are full-on BFF, calls Claude “my friend”, defends him etc. Claude’s friendship with Edelgard is very banter-driven, but there (the bit where she says “wow this trap could have been your idea” and hes flattered). Of course both of these carry over into their post-timeskip interactions especially when they part on good terms (Dimitri always does, and Edelgard easily can part with him on good terms, but Claude, though he doesn’t like the thought of them dying,  wouldn’t take risks on either them) - and of course it’s Claude who proposes the feast after the mock battle where they all eat together. Edelgard and Dimitri were never friendly (at least not during the academy), but at this point they’re civil. 

Claudes Dialogues are BRILLIANT like he really shines in this one (Edelgard probably gets the least exposure but all of this is set before the reveal, so she has to keep her cards close to her chest - Or maybe there just cant ever be enough Edelgard for me lets be honest)

First impression of the Ashen Wolves is that they’re all very dramatic with a lot of bluster (Hapi being the contrasting exception but over-the-top in concept) - they have really been the Kings of their own little world, having a lot of free reign underground, accountable to few and throwing down for the heck of it

So it’s Yuri Leclerc and he was adopted by a Kingdom noble, the same Gwendal and Lonato served  and who dies if Arianrhod is blasted, but it seems like unlike wish Ashe who was taken into the family this was just a temporary gig for him

That makes him a commoner, which by itself is a big difference from the other three. Dimitri is and always was the crown prince whereas Edelgard suddenly ascended the sucession list due to tragedy and Claude has a much doubted claim on both sides of the border

I suspected he was going to be from the kingdom as we already had the Alliance, the Empire and the token Foreigner accounted for - also ‘Yuri’ is a slavic name like ‘Dimitri’ - though being adopted he isn’t necessarily from there

(Later we learn that he was in fact born in a village in the Kingdom)

Also liked the callback to count Gloucester’s sheming and how he had Balthus spy on Claude

They do go through some work to flesh out Abyss and make it feel lived in as a sort of society. 

Just look at that very very makeshift classroom. Few down there were getting any sort of education before Aelfric set this up

They do something clever here where Balthus tells you part of why he’s wanted, prompting the question of everyone else’s stories

This idea of a wretched hive beneath the Church reminds me of Amsterdam where the big church was in the prostitutes’ quarter and they actually had flourishing trade agreements going on

But as a hiding place for outcasts it shows us all the uglyness about fodlan and how much persecution/ need for change there really is (Really wants me to play Crimson Flower again. Or Verdant Wind.)

There’s people “chewed up by the Nobility”

Duscurians and Almyrans

Many in the church want the place “purged”, Rhea wouldnt go so far but is at the very least unsympathetic

Tons of Banned Books (is this where Seteth puuts them?) Claude and Linhardt have a field day over it

That poor woman (probably Dagdan since she talks of a war) who was persecuted for believing in other religions (which was a thing under Rhea - I’ve been saying it, Shamir and Cyril are “allowed” because they work for Rhea which to her is the same as believing, both are “working for her family/ for us instead of against us” because Sothis is not just her god but someone she knows personally)

Yuri and his trouble are a sort of quasi-police or keeping order, reporting to Aelfric. As his second in command Yuri is a sort of “prince” and already lead his own bandit troupe, or perhaps more a chieftain than a prince, he’s a leader, an authority but not an inherited one but 100% selfmade, he comes from nothing - People call him “boss”,

One wonders if he already dressed in this noncomforming manner before comming to the abyss

He is very very self-reliant, decides and opines for himself, gives Byleth backtalk, very much a natural leader who owns his influence entirely to that natural-leader ness 

Byleth asks very good, very direct questions 

Hilda, Linny and Ashe are here because of their connection to the Abyss characters and the information they can provide - Ashe knows Yuri, Linny knows his book lore, Hilda heard rumors from Holst...

Here we get to appreciate why Claude keeps Hilda around she knows all the gossip, all the ‘local’ information that Claude doesn’t have, she’s an excellent info source

Lets appreciate that it was those three specifically because they were slacking off

Ppl say there the church scorns them pretty much I like how they’re no longer even pretending that the church is nice

The four MCs, meanwhile, might all have ended up here in a different life; If El had escaped the experiments she could’ve been like Hapi, Claude was already an outcast, Jeralt fled with Byleth as a refuge(or could have been sent there as a mercenary to torment the locals and then decided to stay there instead), maybe not young!Dimitri, but timesskip Dimitri was outright a vagabond and says in his lecture questions that he travelled many places and temporarily lived in slums he didn’t go full murdery until a few years in, as Gilbert recounts

AU where they all grew up  or met in the Abyss is what im saying, and the four MCs and Yuri team up. The slitherers still stir up war, perhaps Duke Aegir or Arundel made themselves Emperor etc. 

Characteristically, Dimitri really likes the idea of a secret haven for the outcasts (see all his dialogues about “acceptance” and general ‘help-the-orphans’ thing) - but also characteristically he’s a bit of a tool for the status quo- “Claude don’t be rude this guy is giving out charity~” but the issues Dimtri the issues they shouldn’t need to hide anyways and this is why I prefer the ‘revolutionary’ routes (CF and VW) - though to his credit Dimitri does do charity and stop ppl being poor when he’s king. 

Claude is absolutely having a field day, this is right in the way of his “Political program” - “What you’re helping the poor and downtrodden by barely tolerating them in a sunless hole where they have to hope the church doesn’t decide to purge them” They basically live in ever present danger

Bit sad that they had Edelgard “tied up” catching up with Constanze rather than stating a reaction to the abyss as a whole though it’s probably very deliberate that she keeps her cards close to her chest - As constance asks “What is the princess doing here?” - investigating that’s what. She mostly asks questions or voices conclusions - shes certainly also investigating for her own purposes

But of course Dimitri and Ashe, pure as always, immediately want to help the locals

Edelgard meanwhile is thinking strategy, talking of capturing and interrogating the enemy

Of Yuri ppl tell you both that he’s a real scoundrel/ “our scoundrel” - he loooks out for them so they obey him, “when I say jump they jump” - a Mafia leader of sorts. He’s like Claude in the ‘motivating ppl through taking care of their interest’ parts but claude’s alliances are looser and no one does “jump” like Yuri projects authority, its not quite the honor loyalty Dimitri inspired because he “pays”, Edelgard projects authority but it’s loyalty to the cause more than personal loyalty, and she’s an ideologue and inspires the same in her followers theres no “pay” from Edelgard. She warns you that you might die and that’s it. She is the same herself. 

I think Yuri would die for another the way that Claude and Edelgard would not, like when Aelfric got his mom putting her in danger was never an option. I don’t think you could pressure Edelgard with a hostage, she’d just be like “Hostage-kun, I won’t let your death be in vain” and then tell their captors to screw themselves. 

He has things in common with all the others - he has a certain honor and a people-driven leadership style like Dimitri (rather than ideals-driven like Edelgard, Claude and Seteth) - though unlike Dimitri his honor is only for the “in” group, he cares about protecting his turf, his people... and nothing else. Thus he doesn’t fit into the revolutionary (Edelgard, Claude) vs restorer (Dimitri, Seteth) dichotomy because he’s not concerned with the system as a whole - he doesn’t like it or have faith in it, but he will absolutely work with it when it suits his aims (such as when he makes his own alliance with the church behind Aelfric’s back, or just working with Aelfric in the first place)

This alliance is probably also supposed to give a reason why the Wolves would sttick with the church later (though Hapi’s non CF supports talk alot about reforming the crap institution that it is) even though they mostly have reason to dislike them

Like Edelgard he is calculating and ruthless more than Dimitri or Claude. (He laughts at peeps who fell in his trap) But you couldn’t see Yuri sacrificing an ally like Edelgard does (like with Dimitri the people come before the plan) and Yuri often markedly does NOT tell allies what they’re getting into while El makes a big point of telling everyone the risks and allowing them the chance to step out

In a way he’s Claude with a edge but without the big vision. Yuri is the most small-picture, Claude the most big-picture of the lords

They also have a different relationship with trust - some describe Yuri as “devoted to his own but too trusting” , he says it’s a choice... but he is never really fooled, just pretending to be, he solves a great part of his plot on his own. 

Like Claude and Seteth he prefers to play it safe/ know he can win (though Claude and Yuri arent against calculated risks) whereas Edelgard and Dimitri will do what they think is right with no guarantee of victory and don’t care much if it kills them or their followers

Otherwise tho they have a lot in common and are fast friends XD Yuri makes some great observations “Wow look at you three trying to suss out each other’s motivations must be exhausted”

“Doesnt take a title to have an agenda“ - Yuri and Claude are really... a “takes one to know one” situation

Claude tells us they generally get along tho (”Any misunderstanding might spark a war... ”... yeah)

Likewise, Yuri immediately gets that Claude’s friendliness is esentially “maintaining neutrality” more than actual allegiance

Yuri also seems relatively forward in romantic matters which is unlike the others lol

Remember how I was frantic for Claude/Linhardt or Claude/Hubert friendship content? Here’s another great team that ought to have interacted more, I could even see them working romantically assuming that Claude would be so inclined. 

Hapi/Sylvain, too! Because they’re both cynics

But despite her cynism Hapi is also characterized as considerate

Yuri likes board games! hes in the board game squad with Hubert, Claude, Sylvain and Edelgard. The Board Game squad is incidentally the Best Characters club

 He’s not big picture and only develops something like that toward the end of his support chain (to fight poverty)

So in a sense his style and the hole in it is more like Byleth’s own - he learnt practical leadership in the field and applies it for those he likes. He’s more self-directed

aaand more undercover fun

It seems that both the slitherers and Alferic were after the Chalice at the same time - the Death Knight’s presence hints at it, Metodey’s confirms it. So far I’d assumed he was one of Edelgard’s loyalists like Ladislava but it seems he works directly for Arundel, Edelgard is not too friendly with him and accuses him of “Disrespecting her house” 

Since Aegir was in power during the Bridgid and Dagda war, the slitherers could definitely have had something to do with how Constance’s family was treated, if they were onto her secret - I don’t see how Aelfric could have done it

Bold of El to order Jeritza away in broad daylight. At this point she’s probably come to accept that no orders are gonna keep him from Fiting PPl where he can, especially her she is a very tough opponent

I trusted Aelfric until he spoke. The voice is... its not a good guy voice. Same with how the eyes are drawn

then he called people “his flock”

“They are charitable only when it suits them”

“they have eyes and ears everywhere”

Yeah. I’ve always said that Rhea is like one of those millionaires who give their pocket change to charity but then support policies that keep people poor. Hopefully no one will keep arguing that she cares about the poor or the disenfranchised. 

“Her grace thinks its a nuisance”- This tells us alot. Alfric had to convince Rhea to give half a rats ass about the poor but still speaks of her with honorifics. That’s the crack in his soul right there

I also love how Yuri protests whenever anyone - the church etc make plans for him, hes very self-governed

Hapi, Lysithea, El and Byleth should have a “victims of human experimentation” support group

Alternatively, Cursed People support group with Hapi, Marianne, Bernadetta and Dimitri

I like the C supports with Byleth and Balthus as well as Hapi because they tell us not just about them but about Byleth - Both adress Byleth’s go-with-the-flow tendencies and lack of own direction, though Byleth makes clear that by this point they actually like the professor gig

“I could see this person just about anywhere”...in a bad way. Oh but Hapi you too can be recruited to all routes XD No she’s right. By-By is being used and she should tell them. 

MORE PARENTS LORE I rejoiced so much and this was such a cool thing to adress here

At first it seems that Rhea was also after the chalice but turns out she had written it off and the one pursuing it within the church was Aelfric

But you all do catch the implication that she did this all before and “great tragedy” resulted? Right? You get what that means?

For once she actually noticed a mole though Aelfric likely wasn’t subtle

It results in a zombie dragon because she meant to revive a dragon not a human

By now people should really be used to Rhea handing out legendary treasure to byleth

there are friendly reminders of the western church purge still going on

I like how constance smells a spy right away

Also the contrast between Hapi’s jaded “Lets just give them the thing so they leave us in peace” (Yes, Lapis Lazuli) and Constance’s “We can’t let them have the artifact! theyre bad” - Constance might be shrill but she’s a person of action

The sunlight thing is a tad over the top/unrealistic but it’s not per se the cliched split personality thing, more like going outside brings out the bad memories after hiding away underground for so long (she tells mercedes as much) while she otherwise covers it with bluster. Her parents and older brother were killed and her hometown destroyed, after all. She is still basically talking the same overdramatic/ formal way

Perhaps two sides of nobility like the pride but also the demure good breeding n shit, there is some forced quality to the bluster even indoors

But ultimately she’s pretty hard working and determined underneath

At one point Hilda says something like, “You sure that we should interfere? I don’t want to make anything worse it might be better to stay out” - This right here is why you can’t get CF Hilda

Further Hilda facts: She had countless suitors and knows her way around “magical doo daads” and fortune telling

Having her mildly superstitious is of course a fun contrast to claude

“Compared to you even Hubert looks like a spring chicken” lol

I was going “Linny I love you” the whole time

Speaking of love... The moment I decided I loved Yuri is when I learned why he was expulsed - because the church sent him to kill someone he knew and rather than be upset, or thing how he might change society to prevent it or draw other conclusions from it... He refused on the spot and fough church ppl. That’s when I saw how he fits with the other characters. What the contrast was.

Yuri is one of those rare types who would never give the full voltage in the milgram experiment

Because see? That ties back so well into the themes

One of the main scenes that contrasts the house leaders is their reaction over having to fight Lonato. They all sympathize to a degree, but none acts against it. Claude and Edelgard show their dislike of the church and want to stop crap like this, but right there right then, they play along for the sake of their plans. (Claude’s plan at this point still involves stealing relics)

Dimitri is the closest to Yuri in that he immediately regrets it massively and says they should have found another way (in part because he is against the notion of “sacrifices for the plan”) but this realization comes to him only after all is done because ultimately he follows authority/ sees some good in it and the status quo

Yuri,  meanwhile, flat out refused. Yeah he also killed whoever the knight escord was but he refused

Also let this sink in: Yuri was slated for execution because he refused to kill someone he knew. This is what might have happened to Ashe, Sylvain etc. if they had refused to fight Lonato or Miklan. 

Aelfric arranged for him to fight someone he knew but that’s all he did, the rest is the result of normal church policy and then begged for pardon (meaning the normal policy would be to kill him) The mission might have gone to a different house, but the church constantly makes ppl fight ppl they know. You realize just how easily all our beloved characters could have ended up just like Yuri?!

I loved how, when offered info about their parents, Byleth immediately seeks it out with no delay

“Never discard a wild hunch lol“ Claude I love you Linhard I love you

Generally we see Dimitri being the local people person and catching onto details about people’s emotions and dispositions , while Edelgard is like, “Investigate this, investigate that” (i love that about her), and Claude is the oddball/curveball and follows his intuition. Yuri goes on instinct, Seteth, if I had to say, on experience perhaps, certainly caution. 

So she doesn’t even recognize Dimitri. She did say that “she can’t say the name” so she probably never learned that her little friend was the prince. Can ppl stop acting like she snubbed Dimitri or like she has any reason to treat him like a brother?

I don’t think he pieced it together until the ball, and she only realized either during the parlay (AM) or some time before their final confrontation (She distinctly knows by the time she killed him)

Another poignant moment is when she basically didn’t trst Aelfric and only started considering that he might be good by the time Team Slither showed up. Yeah she’s not trusting and would have zero base assumptions that any church ppl are good

By the time she learns about the Nuvelle crest she’s so done like, “Are there any MORE conspiracies I should be aware of?” And indeed there are

Aelfric is sort of a consequence of Rhea’s coverup certainly not an 1D villain. He started doubting her after the coverup began semi thinking for himself and at first this led him to try and make the abyss less chaotic and speak in their favor before Rhea, but then when Sitri’s body fell into his hands he was just too tempted

And UGH remember when I said that for all that im not a Rhea fan, i don’t thnk the human experimentation was so bad because she didn’t harm anyone and it seems like the homunculi lived out normal lives? yeah i take that back

Even if Sitri wasn’t healthy enough to travel she didn’t need to be completely isolated exept for trusted church peeps

This would have happened to Byleth. You see how this would have happened to Byleth? Completely isolated and controlled?

Oh Jeralt jeralt baby you were so right to flee with Byleth so right

Worse because Rhea was a parental figure

Also she kept creating more homunculi though they turn out frail and basically live miserable lives

and the first attempt with the chalice probably did kill ppl

sitting with the corpse all the time is creepy too

doest that mean Byleth won’t rot either?

So she was a book worm - Jeralt did say she was brainy

It did start as a mentor crush, much like Byleth’s own relationship might

I love how Edelgard is all subtly concerned after Yuris fake attack

I wonder how that apology line was phrased in Japanese, “useless” seems a bit harsh given that Edelgard generally seems to love her father, but there is no denying that he lost control of his empire and that as a result villains wrecked havock all over it so there’s nothing better she can say there excuses wont help constances situation

Like this must be very hard for her

Constance’s support definitely confirms that it was the Seven Families/ ie the PM and Arundel who did this to her (also lol at the concept that she basically wants to make Byleth her very own Hubert or Gilbert)

Edelgard is saddled with all this stuff from the previous administration - I mean so is Dimitri with the instability, the recent anexation of Duscur and part of Sreng... but she gets confronted with it more, iDK if it’s common knowledge who’s really in charge

Because Yuri is concerned with his turf, not the world, it makes sense that “his” route would be the sidestory. I kind of wanted a part 2 in the sense that I like this cast and want more of him as a main character but I also get why there isn’t one... because he wins no matter what. Lucky seven! He’s the one who can’t lose (except if you dont do the sidestory I guess) ”He works with whoever’s in power to maintain his own, just like when he made the deal with Rhea. He gets all three house leaders and Byleth to promise that they will look out for the Abyss so his bases are covered no matter who wins.

- even so he basically solved his own problem and Byleth’s presence just kinda gave him the opportunity . Well, one defining factor is that they trust Byleth exactly because they don’t “seem like a typical church funky

Still since Rhea tells us the backstory here what use is the silver snow ending? I suppose she doesn’t mention the homunculus/ “I created you” bit but the lack of decay and the transplanting heart bits do sort of hint at it

Certainly a contrast tho, like in SS you learn the magicky parts us in CS you get way more about who mommy actually was as a person

Poor, Poor Byleth. This must be such a mindfrick for them. Like I had so many feels for By-By

It’s so weird to go back and have the Yuri & so present throughout the monastery,but  not know us yet

[thememoriesofaqueen]

The Things We Do - Part 1

Masterlist (x)

A/N: post TVD 4x23, no cured Katherine.         English is not my first language         Part 1 mentions a it of Kalijahs backstory in season 2 and 4         I do not own anything of the TVD - Universe and I’m not affiliated or                   associated with the writers etc. this is only a headcanon.

Summary: during the fight with Elena, Katherine managed to flee after noticing Elenas intentions to use the cure on her. not able to let her frustrations out and avenge her loss, she gets extremly dangerous until a certain someone appears unexpectedly.

Pairing: Kalijah ( Katherine / Elijah )

TW: mentions violence, excessive alcohol consumption

Word Count: 1.579

It's been two days since Katherine left the worst town ever. She felt defeated and betrayed and if someone would ask her what she'd like to do then she'd answer that she would like to see mystic falls go up in flames. Two days ago her clothes had been torn, she was bloody and dirty and longed for a shower. A long and warm shower. It took awhile until she could get said shower, since she left town and had to drive two hours until she was in her new lodging far away from Mystic Falls. Katherine hadn't thought that Elena would be a big match, but apparently her stupid doppelgänger had some hidden energy when being angered. The bruenette hadn't expected that the cure was with Elena and she was willing to use it on her, either. If anything, Elena was the last person on earth who would have wanted to waste the cure on her but apparently being dead wasn't as nice as becoming human again - shame!

A dead Elena could have solved all her problems and it would have been the perfect revenge. ripping everything from her what she had. Killing her without anyone to help her. Her friends, family and lover being left behind with no chance to say goodbye. That would have been the ending Elena deserved, it is long overdue. 

But instead it was always Katherine who was left with nothing. Who had to pay for everything. There was never a knight in golden armor who wanted to protect her at any cost, no luck or happiness. She didn’t get her Silas-like immortality which could have protected her from all her enemies. Additionally the happiness she had was taken by Elena, she scared away the only person who still cared for her. Who didn’t think of her as a coldblooded, manipulative bitch.

It's been unexpected that her alliance with Elijah turned into something more, something romantic. She had to admit that she has held some kind of affection for him when she was still human, but the affection turned into fear after discovering what he and his brother really wanted. She feared him for fivehundred years and yet there was a small part within her, which also held a good memory of him. She has always felt safe in his presence back in England. He was the one who spend time with her when she was alone, who made her smile and let her play her little chase games. He was the one who showed a genuine interest in her, her views, her option. Nevertheless he didn't stop his brother's madness.

When he showed up while she was held in the tomb, she was scared, though. She knew that he was very well capable of killing her, of presenting her as a gift to his brother. She was frightened as hell, as she has never been so close to a Mikaelson that they could actually see her. She was convinced that he was coming for her, ending her one way or the other, even though she tried her best not to show her fear. She ended up being compelled by him, being left alone to rot until Klaus comes for her.

After she achieved her release, she hadn't seen Elijah for awhile. She had other problemes to deal with, notably Klaus. She was convinced to never see her freedom again after she was made Klaus favorite prisoner and toy thing. If anything she expected to die a slow dead. However, she was lucky enough to escape and go on the run again.

It was only after discovering the myth of the cure and the knowledge that the cure was real, that she tried to contact Elijah. It was a calculated plan because she knew how close he's to his family, that he'd never let something happen to them if he had the chance to prevent it. She knew that there were many people who would use the cure on Klaus or his family. She knew that if she could get a grab on the cure, she'd have a good chance to make a deal with the devil himself and for that she needed someone, Klaus would listen to. If she did it by herself, Klaus would probably kill her / make her his prisoner again before ripping the cure from her hands.

It took some time until the messenger she had sent was sucessful. Katherine was too afraid to meet the Original before making a deal with him, so she just waited until he decided to call her. That was the safest thing to do. She was nervous when her phone finally started to ring with an unknown number shown on her screen. His factual voice and he adressing her by her birthname, made her heart beat a skip - even though it was probably because of her frayed nerves.

Nevertheless she managed to make a deal and even agreed to meet him. At first she felt uncomfortable, her instincts being on alert. She was ready to run if she had to but instead he was very polite. He didn't attempt to treat her like he did back in the tomb. They met a few times to discuss things. It didn't take long until she trusted him - at least as far as he wouldn't break the deal and deliver her to Klaus. She felt safe within his presence, she didn't have to pretend to be a cold person who doesn't care about anything. She could let her guard down around him because he remembered who she was when they first met. He believed in her and they started to spend more and more time together. He changed too, he wasn't as stiff as before, he smiled more and relaxed when they were together.

They could have been happy after she trade the cure for her freedom. She was even okay with keeping her relationship a secret and seeing him just every few weeks. She would have done everything to be happy. To be finally happy and loved by someone who cared for her.

They could have had a happy ending.

But Elena destroyed everything. Elena turned Elijah against her. She didn't even know what she had said to him, she couldn't find out. He didn't trusted her anymore, no matter what she said or what she'd assure. He didn't believed her anymore. Elena ripped her chance of happiness away. Elena should be the one who is suffering, not her. Elijah left her, despite giving him the cure withouth something in return, despite her pleas. He didn't want to see her anymore.

It was the second morning after her failure and she still wasn’t over it. Which was odd, because Katherine was the kind of person who always look forward. She stepped outside of the shower, wrapping a towel around her delicate body. When she looked in the mirror, she recalled Elenas words. Is she really the definition of damaged goods? Is she not love worthy? Did she not deserve happiness? Because she's a self-obsessed egomaniac? Apparently that is the truth. Why would anyone love someone like her? A liar? Someone who loves herself enough to not care about the opinions of others? Someone who wanted to have a life, no matter what they have to do in order to get it?

She growled, turning away from the mirror and looking for something to wear. After she was dressed, she searched for a new bottle of bourbon, after the most of her stock was already empty the minute she moved in. Fortunately, she found one bottle and took a big sip of it. Not caring if she was drunk again. It was better than being miserable after being dumped and failed to take revenge on Elena. Oh, and definitely better than being reminded of being tricked into believing that she could actually be free from her sorrows. She didn't care if she was wasted, she didn't care if she'd have alcoholic poisoning - which was hard for a vampire anyway.

It's unnatural for her to suffer from a heartbreak. She's been there before. It's not the first time she was dumped and was unwanted. No, it was because she was so close to being truely happy. To be free and loved. She deserved it after fivehundred years. But she was just a broken, unwanted thing... nothing worth to love.

Her grip around the bottleneck got tighter as she felt she couldn't control herself anymore. the alcohol made her dizzy, which was a comfortable feeling. better than having a headache from not wanting to cry.

The next day was just sightly better. She still felt the rage within her, but at least her mind was clear. She showered and got dressed because even though she was still suffering, she held enough self-respect to care for her appearence. Yesterday was just too much and she realized she had to control herself before the rage get her killed. She still wanted revenge though. She even made some more plans before a knocking catched her attention. Katherine didn't expect someone, it was probably just a neighboor who wanted to complain about something. Probably because of yesterdays noise, she might have broken a bottle or two.

She opened the door obviously annoyed and wanted to leave some bitchy comment when she noticed her counterpart. Expensive suit, hands in his pockets, an inscrutable look.

"Katerina, a word, please?"

A/N: if you like it, hit the ♥ - or come into my askbox, i’d love to hear your opinion. what do you think will happen next?

[umbralsound-xiv]

Reclaimation And Redemption: The Spark That Lit The Fire.

There were a lot more Karahli than Bexy had ever recalled being in one room. Even when they had gathered to eat, there was never quite everyone in one place, clustering with their closest, their children, or otherwise on some other duty. But here and now, all except a small handful who were posted on guard had made themselves present. Most were young; many infants who had little idea of what was happening, and would have been more content playing if situation hadn’t demanded their attendance. Bexy simply observed, as she always had, content to keep from the masses to one side of the room as she’d often placed herself in discomfort. She counted, too. Twenty-three, in all. The Karahli certainly had grown since the Blaze that had took them, she’d thought.

Mhira and Zhav were certainly delighted for this, of course. Mhira shuffles in with the crowd, accompanying two younger children who she seemed familiar with, and Zhav looming not far from her. Some unease took the older woman, given that a hand settled on the handle of her axe, and even when she wasn’t holding it in some fashion, it seemed that she had to remind herself that it was still there more than usual.

The Clan gathered, Sihret finally began to speak. In a long, laborious introduction that Bexy considered ignoring if it wasn’t for the risk she’d miss something important throughout. Suppose she was lucky enough to be here to listen to it; Mhira had fought Sihret again for the privilage of her attendance, and she wouldn’t be one to squander it.

The entire event seemed to drag on for bells. In truth, it was little more than one, but it was clear how much Sihret enjoyed making decisions, most of all when she had final say. Questions about coin, about new hunting grounds, and when again they would be moving. None of these, of course had any sort of final or proper answer. But the Matriarch’s word was law, and all had to adhere to it.

Mhira hadn’t wanted to address the situation first. She knew she would, at the very least, have to bring the issue up, and hope that Bexy would follow up on it. So she sat in silent contemplation, picking her moment and words. But her time to think was running out...

“Has anyone else something they would like to discuss? Address?” Sihret chimes. The smile she bore seemed almost painted on, as she moved to glance over the whispering masses. She seemed more than content to adjourn it here, until Mhira pipes up, raising to stand. This, of course, did not sit well.

“Aye.” Mhira calls. She was a good fulm shorter than most in the room, but held their attention regardless. “I want t’know from your words, what ‘appened durin’ the night’ve the attack.”

Sihret scoffs. “But it has been recounted so many times, Mhira. Perhaps if you hadn’t been absent for the last...”

Zhav’s teeth grit at the dismissal, but catches Bexy’s gaze. She’d keep her quiet for now. At least, until the next remark.

“Then it shouldn’ be difficult for y’to remember.” Mhira bites back. Her annoyance hadn’t quite permiated her words, but her expression was uncharacteristically dour. “I were absent because i was learning t’heal. S’been that way for a while.”

Sihret stares. But, as she gazes around the room to find the rest of the Karahli waiting expectantly to listen, she sighs, and the false smile returns again. “...Well, of course. For the good of the Clan, hm?” Her latter words couldn’t have dripped with more displeasure. “We were attacked by an as-yet-unknown Clan. Likely, due to our reduced numbers, and hold on some prized land. They arrived a little before sunrise, as we were preparing to rest. By Menphina’s grace, our strongest had returned from their hunt, and managed to fend them off alongside myself.”

Mhira nods. It was, of course, everything she’d heard before, with one or two details omitted.

“None were killed, and few wounds were sustained on out half. In truth, it was a sucess---”

“---An’ ‘ow many’ve them died?”

Sihret grits her teeth again. She did so hate to be interrupted. In part, Mhira knew this. But a larger part failed to care, and greater still actually enjoyed this little thread of power she could pull away from her.

“And why does that matter?”

It is then, Bexy moves from her wall, to stand but a few paces from Mhira. The entire Clan watches as she does, and a dead silence falls over the room, quiet enough to hear the crackle of flame.

“Because if they sustained mortalities, they will be back. If someone put a Karahli to the blade, you would allow them to continue their lives uninhibited?”

“Well, of course not...” Sihret begins. Bexy follows the trend of not allowing her to finish.

“Then you understand they would be no different. They will come back, Sihret. Unless you have reason to believe otherwise?”

A rare silence leaves Sihret speechless for a moment, fighting to find a word in response. Finally, she does. “---They saw our prowess in combat. To face us again would be tantamount to suicide, they should know---”

Bexy speaks again. “---They now know what they’re dealing with. They will fight by other means. Lividine was but one woman. She decimated your people.”

These words do not sit well with the rest of the Clan. Hushed whispering; worry painted on the faces of most seems to dominate the room. To speak of the Blaze was nigh-taboo, as though one would invite a second coming of it. But Bexy was not a Karahli, and cared little for it.

“Do not speak her name!” Sihret snaps. “If they come again, we will deal with them accordingly!” She could not let it rest. “What would you know of our people, Coeurl?”

Zhav sucks a hiss through her teeth, and fights to hide some grin; half in amusement at what might follow, and half in worry at Bexy’s reaction.

A pale, glowering gaze is given from Bexy’s pale blue eyes. She walks closer, step by lingering step, the bottom of her coat brushing at her heels as she stops a little more than a few fulms from the Matriarch’s side. A few of the Karahli shifted, weapons reached to defend, but none made themselves as a threat... Yet.

“I know that you have suffered. I know the decision your previous Matriarch made, to preserve my life in lieu of adhering to Lividine’s wishes.” She speaks. Her breath was ice, and Sihret could feel it. “I know the ways of your people. When you gather. When and what you eat. Your patrol routes. Bird calls. Children. Numbers.” Sihret’s tail bristles. Whether it was from anger, or fear, was unclear. Each word seemed to edge Bexy closer to the Matriatch, who she towered over not only in confidence, but at least a half fulm of height.

“...And i know the Matriatch who stands before me is but a pale imitation of the woman she replaced.”

It is those words, with one swift motion, Sihret unholsters her wand and aims it, point blank range, towards Bexy’s face.

Zhav jerks forward, her axe unsheathed. She doesn’t dare intervene; not yet, but she is ready. The rest of the room had their breath held, inching away from the scene as Mhira remains standing from before, unmoving.

Bexy stares at the wand. She’d admit that she’d not quite expected this reaction, but she betrays no fear in her eyes. If one thing living without her emotions had taught her, it was how to hide what she felt, for good or for ill. Her eyes flick back to Sihret.

“I have reason to believe you orchestrated the attack.”

Sihret growls. The horn-shaped staff in her hand begins to glow. “Silence, Coeurl!”

Bexy, however, does not remain silent. Ice begins to spread from her feet, to a few ilms of the dirt, the air hanging with frigid cold. “A way to needlessly bolster yourself in front of your people.” She responds, calm and cool. “A way to cover your tracks murdering the woman who would replace you.”

“SHUT UP!” Sihret yells. The tip of the wand begins to glow, hot and orange.

The Karahli had begun to whisper. Glances exchanged between Sihret and Mhira, moving back to the situation at hand. Many reached for their weapons; for comfort more than defense. With Sihret’s weapon pointed at a woman well known for her unpredictability, it was unlikely to end well.

“You tried to kill her once, Sihret. You would have succeeded, were i not there to stop you.” Bexy’s words were intentionally goading, as her aether rose, the air between the staff and her face shimmering dangerously. “You would burn your people, if it meant you could rule their ashes.”

“SHUT! UP!” Sihret bellows.

The wand erupts a blast that illuminates Bexy’s face before engulfing it, launching her into the back of the room with a torrent of flame.

The screams that pierced the underground chamber were deafening. Flames raced and ripped through belongings, having been wild and untamed from such a powerful weapon. And the Karahli; having suffered devistation at the hands of fire before, were not keen to linger around. The room was aflame, and either exit was blocked by a growing blaze. The Karahli gathered their young, scattering around to find some escape, and failing to find it. The air began to thicken dangerously with smoke.

Mhira’s eyes grew wide, and thinking quickly, she takes her staff and channels the water from the bubbling pot above the campfire, hurling it towards one of the exits to extinguish the fire.

“GO! GO! GET YOURSELVES TO SAFETY!” Mhira yells. Tears had already welled in her eyes from the panic of it all, Sihret storming towards the younger woman.

“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, GIVING ORDERS?!” Sihret bellows. Mhira stares back in disbelief

“THEY WILL DIE, SIHRET!” Mhira shrieks back. The Karahli make for the exit, filtering from the room in the chaos. Sihret raises her wand to Mhira.

“And so will you!” Sihret yells. The wand glows again, pointed intently at Mhira’s face who could only watch in terror. The heat begins to swell around her head, before Sihret is hit and launched flying into a wall with the flat of an axe, followed by Zhav.

“RUN, MHIRA!” Zhav yells. The terror seemed to shred her voice, shaking as she held her axe from adrenaline and fear both. Sihret curses, throwing a punch that hits Zhav square in the jaw, and charging another blast from her wand.

“ZHAV!” Mhira calls back, and makes to run towards her... Before she is swiftly thrown over Bexy’s shoulder, and hauled out of the chamber, following the fire-lit route the others had neglected.

A gush of flame and a yelling scream are heard as Bexy and Mhira flee into the Shroud, far away from the rest of the Karahli. Bexy doesn’t stop running. Her breath is ragged in her chest, and physically, she looks not so much worse for wear. Her attire and hair is singed, but her face speaks much of her exhaustion. She hadn’t known how much of her aether she’d needed to counter Sihret’s assault, and opted to be safe, expending as much as she could without collapsing. This of course, left her nothing to fight with, and this her only option.

“Zhav! We have to go back for Zhav!” Mhira sobs. Her staff had dropped as Bexy had taken her, left to burn with the rest.

Bexy continues running. She doesn’t turn at Mhira’s protests.

“Bexy! Please!”

Slowing to catch her breath, she unshoulders Mhira, coughing away the smoke that had entered her lungs.

“...We can’t, Mhira. She’s there, so you can be here.” Some softness sat in her words, and through all of this she refuse to release Mhira’s wrist through fear she might bolt off again. “...Don’t let it be in vain.”

Mhira’s nose wrinkles, and tears pour down her cheeks. Simply, she nods, following Bexy’s lead as the two sprinted back home to the Lavender Beds.

[askoncerp]

Since not all of  our RPers/followers are in the same time zone and this AU seems to be getting a lot of activity I thought I’d write some little summaries of what you missed to help people catch up.

Previously on: askONCErp underworld/flashbacks au:

Part 1  

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4:

ALL RIGHT guys this is going to be as quick as we can possibly move through 35 pages.  But activity seems to be dying off for all but a couple people and I suspect that’s because people have lost track of the plot!  So here’s the news that’s fit-to-print!

@ask-ariel-anything ran into @goaskgranny and told her of @asktheblindwitch ‘s takeover of the diner. Do we sense a showdown?  You bet,  property disputes in the underworld are apparently settled with sass! We approve!

@ask-emma-the-swan cleaned up @ask--killianjones so he could look pretty for and, you know, actually see during a sweet reunion with @ask-milahthepiratequeen.  Killian’s still a bit out of it though and manages to break Milah’s heart a little by utterly ignoring her.  @asktheoriginalliam calls Killian out on being a jerk face and he and Emma have to convince him that the woman who looks like Milah and is offering him hello kitty bandages is not actually a figment of his imagination. Tissues anyone?

Meanwhile @asktallahasseebae has taken Henry off on their own to try and find a way out of the underworld for him.  Unfortunately,  @asktheheartofthetruestbeliever is not making this easy and finally convinces his dad that he’s tired of sitting on the sidelines while his family gets hurt.  They reconcile, but unfortunately @askbadjudgmentandgin​ shows up and distracts Neal for long enough for @ask-he-who-never-fails​ to body swap with Henry in hopes of being able to find and use the author’s pen. 

@ask-rumplegold​ negotiates a deal with @ask-myvindictiveside​ for his own and Henry’s safe return to storybrooke and for safe passage to the ‘better place’ for Neal  in exchange for (in a plot twist that surprised no one...) leaving behind some undetermined portion of team hero in the underworld!

Emma leaves Killian to catch up with Liam and Milah while she has a ... conversation with @asktallahasseebae​ about taking Henry away from the group. They come to a truce when he admits that he'll need to trust her and work together to keep Henry safe from pan.   Henry (in Pan’s body) catches back up with Neal and convinces his dad he is in fact still Henry.  Neal seeks out his father’s help to turn Henry back.  

Meanwhile back at the bar @ask-ariel-anything​ tries to convince a suspicious Liam to help her and Cruella complains about the poor quality of alcohol. Unsatisfied with his gin, she hurries off to rejoin pan (in henry’s body) in their search for the author’s pen, enlisting Cerberus as their bloodhound.  

Killian catches up with Liam and Milah.  Milah insists on giving Killian one of the hello kitty bandaids she keeps around for the kids but gets a little emotional asking killian if Emma made him happy.  )And you know what... their conversation has fan art, guys!!)

Everything went well until Killian decided that Milah’s heart eyes were decidedly too ironic for his taste and he admits to her that he has done things she would never approve of. Milah insists she knows what he’s capable of when everything he loves is taken,  but what she didn’t count on was Killian giving up her son to Pan.  She is understandably horrified, but seeing the guilt in his eyes she flees the scene, furious but still unwilling to hurt him.   

Killian retreats into his favorite angsty pastime of drinking and hating himself with the fire of 1000 suns and Hades takes the opportunity for one of HIS favorite pastimes,  kicking people when they’re down.  Thrilled that Killian is finally broken, he taunts Milah for succeeding where he failed and promotes her to mayor for her ‘sucess.’  Still furious with Killian but unable to truly hate him she throws herself into her mayorship with a gusto using recitation of absurd laws to distract herself.   

Ariel and Liam try to talk to Killian and Killian gets a well deserved slap from Ariel.  Liam rushes to Killian’s defense only to be waved off by Killian who wants him to go after Milah instead.  He says his goodbyes to Liam, convinced that his brother will hate him once he realizes that Killian gave up Bae to Pan just like their father gave them up.  

Liam discovers Milah on her manic mayoral tear and gets her to tell him what’s wrong,  becoming equally furious when he learns what Killian has done.  They rage for a while but while they agree that they’re disappointed and furious, neither can bring themselves to truly hate him when he already feels such guilt over his actions. (Speaking of fanart.... guess who else has fan art... MiLiam! Thank you @queen-mabs-revenge!)

A wild @ask-snow-white appears in the underworld and discusses their plans to rescue Killian with Ariel while Emma chats with Killian and @askwickedz​ says screw this drama and sneaks down to the mill to have a little chat with @askloveisweakness. Their hesitant reconciliation results in Cora being freed from her cuff.  

Emma, back at the bar, finds to her surprise Killian is drinking and moping.  She tries to cheer him up and when he tells her what’s wrong insists that Liam and Milah will forgive him eventually and that he needs to forgive himself.  The pep talk falls a little flat and Emma starts to realize Killian doesn’t feel he deserves another chance. Before they can discuss that little hiccup, Gold arrives and informs Emma of the body swap complication and Emma fumes a bit more about Neal taking Henry away from the group.  

Despite his certainty that Milah and Liam currently despise him,  Killian realizes they’re going to need help finding Henry and Pan-in-Henry’s-body and he seeks out Milah and Liam with his tail between his legs.  He’s surprised to discover that neither have turned their backs on him, in spite of his actions.  Liam tells Killian that he’s proud of him for trying to not make the same mistakes with Henry as he made with Bae,  and realizes that he himself may have some past mistakes to make up for.

Killian and Milah make up over reminiscing about their past though it does from cheerful to somber again when Killian reflects on his regrets related to her death. 

As they pour over Liam’s charts of the town Liam takes the chance to talk to Emma about what she wants for Killian and shockingly... they have some differences of opinion over what is best for him...

* @fairygodpirateooc and @oocemmatheswan pass out from exhaustion*

If you want to follow along in real time be sure to follow the accounts listed in this post!  

[thebsbakery]

Edible Heart Attack

I’m pretty sure I haven’t posted anything in literal months, but I can assure you that I’m still cooking X’D. Or...well, sort of. There’s been a lovely issue involving the state of Illinois and my ability to be able to afford food. So posting here is going to be reeeeally sporadic..but there, I hope. At least whenever I make something special.

Anyway, here it is. The latest adventure I’ve had in the kitchen--or, in this case, my friend’s kitchen. This recipe, like my Yuletide cookies, isn’t mine. It’s a recipe that I found on YouTube a while ago, that I’ve been meaning to try. And I’ve finally done it.

Here’s where the idea came from: https://youtu.be/HfiRQ7jV3i8

In the video, it’s called a bacon-potato-cheddar tart. I and my friends, including one @gamerdragon13​, call it an edible heart attack.

And here’s how it went for me. What I used: 

Two pounds of bacon. Yes, you heard it. Two. Pounds. Already this recipe is the best thing ever.

Four cups of cheese. Or, four 8-oz blocks...there’s only three here because I forgot how much cheese this thing calls for.

Five or six potatos, depending on size. Be sure to give them a good scrub before slicing.

Pepper--I prefer fresh-ground, but you can use pre-ground--thyme, minced garlic, minced onion, and rosemary. Or just switch out those for whatever herbs and spices you like.

The first step, of course, is to make sure the thing doesn’t stick to your pan.

You do this by lining the pan with parchment paper. He shows how to do this in the video, but I’m gonna explain it here anyway because there’s some dense people out there. You take a piece of parchment paper, fold it into a thin triangle, then hold the tip in the center of the pan. Trim off what hangs over, and you’ll have a perfectly-sized circle of parchment paper for your pan.

Start laying your bacon in the pan. Protip; don’t have every piece at the middle of the pan. Otherwise you’ll have a big, fat, soggy blob of bacon in the center. It’s a much better idea to stagger your bacon pieces around the pan. And, you’ll get better tart coverage.

Keep doing this until your pan is covered. Literally. With bacon. Why do this, you ask? You’ll find out, trust me. I’m an expert.Okay, maybe not an expert. But I’m pretty good in the kitchen so I think it’s just as good.

Then add your pepper, thyme, garlic, onion, rosemary, and/or whatever spices you’re using. Protip when you’re working with dried herbs like thyme and rosemary; crush them up in your hand as you’re sprinkling them in. It kind of releases the oils better than if you tossed them in without crushing.

Also, this damn peppermill. It sucks. L’il fucker kept on coming apart whenever I was trying to grind pepper into the tart.

Your first layer: thinly sliced potatoes. You’re going to want to slice your potatoes to between 1/8th and 1/4th of an inch thick. A mandoline is a really good way to do that.

Just, for the love of god...don’t be like my dad. Use the hand guard that comes with your mandoline. Unless you like slices of your fingers in your food. 

Then add a layer of shredded cheese. Since I was a cup short of cheddar, I got a block of muenster and grated it up and mixed it in with the cheese.

Then add another dose of herbs and spices....

...and lather, rinse, repeat until you’ve used up either all of your potatoes or all of your cheese. Then wrap it all up.

Yes. The bacon is the crust. Take your bacon slices and wrap them up over the top, adding some more thyme and rosemary and pepper on top if you like before popping it into the oven.

Mmm, yisss. Piece of advice, since this is going to produce a ton of grease, have a couple of cookie sheets in the oven with it. One covered in foil for the pan to set on, and one underneath just in case the first one misses any dribbles. Better safe than sorry, especially where this monster is concerned.

Protip: if you’ve got some sort of weight, like a smaller pan lid or an oven weight of some kind, put it on top. Since bacon tends to shrivel up and shrink as you cook it, it’ll keep the bacon on top of the tart from crinkling up and curling back from the top.

And forgive picture quality; was trying to take this one-hnded without getting burned by the oven.

Oh, yeah. And be prepared to drain that sucker at least twice while it’s baking. With two pounds of bacon, it’s going to produce a lot of grease. This is only after the first draining, but by the time that bugger was out of the oven there was over a cup of bacon grease. A cup. Das a lotta grease.

Two and a half hours. That’s how long it takes for this thing to get baked. If you’re looking for a quick, easy, weeknight meal...this is not it. It’s not that it’s hard to make, so much as the fact thatit’s gotta be in the oven for two and a half hours.

Getting it out of the pan, though, doesn’t take nearly so long.

Take a cookie sheet lined with with tinfoil or a large platter, put it over the pan. Then, carefully, flip them both at the same time and your bacon-crusted tart should pop out with no problems. Then, you’re ready to cut in.

That. Is. Beautiful. It was almos ttoo gorgeous to eat, all those potatoes and cheese wrapped in two pounds of bacon...it was a tragedty. But it ws a delicious tragedy. Also, paper plates was a bad plan for this thing. It was a mess.

Nedless to say, there were no leftovers. None of this bitch went home with anybody, unless you count what was in our stomachs. If you want to make this at home, it’s hardly a problem to add or switch out ingredients for what you wish; replace some or all of the potatoes with sweet ‘taters and carrots or other thinly-sliceable veggies, use different cheeses or a mix of cheeses, different herbs...have fun. I call this a sucessful recipe, and I expect to be making atagin in some incarnation in the future. Possibly with other additions and subs, for experimentation of course

Basically, this ain’t a recipe that you make more than once or twice a year. the nickname of “Edible Heart Attack” is well-earned.