#Their differences in tactics and allures is so cool to think about

[southerndragontamer]

Egotober Day 23: Web

What makes a web? Perhaps a better question is what kind of manipulator creates it? What leads you to the web?

The first web is one likely expected. A web of darkness and shadow, each line of it carefully crafted and maintained as it glitters like shards of glass. It’s a web spun by a silver tongued shadow, well chosen words and phrases meant to convey the emotion that best pulls in the person in front of him. He’s familiar, comforting in his pattern, in the relaxed patience he has. He always waits for you to come to him.

His web is cold, sometimes seemingly cruel. But you can trust him, he’ll give you anything you want if you let him in…and isn’t it easier in the dark with him than out there with so many pretty little lies?

The path to the shadow’s web is swathed in darkness and shadow, you can’t make out any of the surroundings as the sky is covered with clouds, broken glass and fog covers the ground.

The second web isn’t as carefully built. It’s jagged and torn, twisting on itself in the form of static strings, it hums and crackles like lightning. A web spun in cackling laughter and snarled threats of a glitch in reality. The glitch isn’t always patient, sometimes he uses sweet words and sometimes he’s grabbing hold of you and doesn’t let go. It’s a coin toss on his unpredictable nature that sometimes lands on its side.

His web is warm, sometimes sadistic. He’s always honest about what he wants, and isn’t that easier to deal with than being left in the cold dark? All you gotta do is pay attention, keep your eyes on him and you can do that can’t you?

The glitch’s path is lit with green strings, with arcing, twisting lightning in the sky, with static and corrupted screens. The ground covered with blood and wires.

Which path do you take? Which web are you going to let yourself be tangled in? That, my friend is up to you.

[jaykorianddickkoriforlife]

In Harry Potter, there are dark lords, right? Were any of them ever women? Would they have been called something else if that were the case? My Lady, perhaps? Like you would a woman with power in the old times. Mistress of darkness? Lol Dark Lady?

I don't think it diminishes the power behind them if they're referred to as ladies unless they classified themselves otherwise, but still it's an interesting thought, and I'm mildly insulted that the only ones we've learned about have been male. There is Morgana, of course, since they did have Merlin in that universe, but she's not even mentioned like that, so I don't count it. We had evil characters who were women, but they didn't have the power or the following that Voldemort or Grindelwald had. If anything, they were the followers.

I want a massive tale that showed how demented said Lady was, how cruel. I live for women in power who are innately evil, or who became evil because of the things they've gone through. It's different than the normal good, pure woman you mostly see, which I still love, but there's just something alluring of stories involving a women in power that makes everyone shake in their shoes in fear by the mere mention of her name.

Stereotypically, women in stories are written as the opposite, so when they're like that, it just becomes a very enchanting tale, and I wish we could've had at least one in the HP universe because the story behind Voldemorts rise as well as Grindelwalds was amazing, and so psychologically intriguing as to how much power does corrupt someone if you let it. The rise and the fall for both were great, and I would've loved to see the chaos that a woman would've caused if they had that power. Simply to sate my curiosity in the different tactics a woman would've used to rise to power and gain so many followers because it wouldn't have been the same. If people were so stuck on blood purity during Voldemorts' reign, chances are they would've had sexist ideals as well since a lot of things were very traditional in the Harry Potter universe. Chances are that none ever existed with that statement alone, but it would've been so cool to have at least one.

The psychology behind the world that dictators, and cult leaders build for their followers, and victims is very informing of human nature. So the thought of there having been a Dark Lady, if that had been the term for them, in the HP Universe is very interesting.

I personally prefer Mistress of Darkness cuz it's so cliche lol but you get my point. Either ways they still would've been referred to as My Lady by their followers, so it makes no difference, but just imagine?!?!

[icyharrington]

helloo!! could you please write a ship for me? I am polynesian with short dark fluffy hair and I dress a hipster goth style. I perform vocals and bass in a cover band with my mates, we do mostly glam rock music. I am a very anxious person so I can come off as cold to some people but I am extroverted like a squirrel with my close friends,, I have one close friend and the rest we have adopted cause we are outcast lol. I do love spending time with friends but I have a poor social battery and can get cranky so I need a lot of my times to myself. To recharge I watch movies! I love films such as The Breakfast Club, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Ponyo and like to watch the on rainy days away from the world and with my blanket. I like to draw, autumn and my cat's :)) ((please not Jonathan he is like a brother to me)) ty!!

ok i honestly think billy would be super into you. he wouldn't know what its like to be nervous around a girl until he crosses paths with you for the first time. just by how you'd talk to him, he would know you're not one to mess with, but he'd be drawn in, realizing his usual tactics aren't going to work with you. when you finally agree to a date, he'd try to play it cool, but would do everything in his power to impress you.

he'd think you're so fuckin cool for being in a band, and would love that you aren't so close to the typical, being somewhat of a misfit. when ur finally his, he'd be beyond proud to show you off in your cool goth style, his arm tightly wound around your waist so everyone knows you're his.

he'd be a simp for u, wanting to spoil you on date nights and make you feel like a princess. he'd be a lil bit jealous just because of how different and alluring you are, but he'd know you're all his, and would be super smug about it to any guy hitting on you. he'd know when to give you your space, checking in on you periodically just to see how you are with some of your favorite snacks in tow. 😚

💌 STRANGER THINGS SHIPS ARE CLOSED! 💌

[solitairecafreeonline]

Klondike Solitaire | Free online Solitaire | Solitaireca

Mastering Klondike Solitaire: Strategies and Tips for Success

Solitaire games have been ruling the gaming industry since time immemorial. The game comes with a number of variants that have been developed with a different gaming strategy. The basic layout is the same for all, but the winning strategies and procedures are somewhat different. Solitaire games are the classic card games that have been able to maintain their allure over time. The game gained popularity in the early 19th century and became the most popular and most-played game during the 19th and 20th centuries.

In this blog, we will be talking about one specific variant of the solitaire games, which is called Klondike Solitaire. Amongst all the variants of the game, this was the most-liked one. The popularity of it among die-hard gamers at the time was enormous, and the vibe is still the same. As already mentioned, there are many different types of solitaire games, such as Spider Solitaire, Free Cell, Pyramid, and so forth. Although their patterns differ slightly, they all share the same fundamental principles. Each one has a different set of winning tactics, but they all become more difficult as the competition goes on.

About the game

All solitaire games have the drag-and-drop principle in them. You need to align the cards in the desired manner and make a set of cards that result in a grid formation. The cards need to be arranged in a specific order, keeping in mind their value and importance. Now the number of cards that can be dragged one at a time in each variant of solitaire differentiates them from one another. For example, in Klondike Solitaire, you can drag three cards, one at a time.

At the highest point of the game, there are four vacant spots. Starting with the Ace and working your way down to the King, each stack represents a different pack and needs to be filled in the proper order. You must comprehend all of Klondike Solitaire’s rules before you can play the game well. Therefore, refrain from taking actions that don’t advance your overarching plan.

How to Become a Pro at Klondike Solitaire

Prioritise moving within the seven columns after setting up the solitaire game before pulling cards from the deck. By carefully arranging the cards that are already there, this method seeks to reveal more cards inside the columns. Additionally, try not to deal cards from the reserve stack too soon because you might need them later on in the game.

Use the hint button to get help in the game if you run into difficult situations. Even though solitaire requires focus, make sure to enjoy yourself, keep your cool, and take your time. The game also gives you the option to go back and rethink your actions. You are welcome to go back and undo any steps you would like to review.

Each Klondike Solitaire game offers different opportunities and challenges. It’s helpful to evaluate your gameplay after finishing a game. Take a moment to identify any mistakes or opportunities you overlooked and think about other tactics you could have used. And remember to enjoy the process as you set out to become an expert at Klondike Solitaire. Enjoy the highs and lows, the wins and the losses, and remember that every game you play will get you one step closer to mastery.

[redorich]

So if Dream never got put in the Prison how is Sam doing? Does he still manage the prison even if no one's there? The prison took a big toll on his mental health so is he doing better in this au? Also does Las Nevadas exist at all in Hermit Canyon? Kiniko Kingdom too does that exist? Basically i just wanna know if Karlnapity and Sam are ok

The Hermits-- there are more than one, apparently-- come crawling out of the woodwork in groups of twos and threes. They're never alone, but they mean no harm. Just like the animals at the zoo, they seem more afraid of the Dream SMP folk than the Dream SMP are of the Hermits, even when they really have no cause to be.

There's a group which lingers around the prison, poking around it like they would love nothing better than to delve deep into its guts and see how the empty behemoth works. The group is led by a white-haired man with a permanent snicker etched into the lines around his eyes. His second-in-command, as far as Sam can tell, is the dark-haired man in the blood-splattered apron. He looks for all the world to be a normal butcher, save for the strength of his swollen muscles and the conspicuous lack of interest toward most animals.

Sam wonders, just for a moment, what this man's prey is. Humans? Mobs? Children, perhaps?

The most interesting of the three by far is the bottom of the totem pole. By all rights, the man called "Doc" should be at the top of the food chain, given his sibilant, scratchy voice, mottled green skin, and quite frankly pants-shitting scary metal prosthetics. This man is the only other creeper-person Sam's ever met (he has to be the same person as the invisible creeper-man he met once in the canyon, no one's gunpowder has ever called to him like this one's).

One thing's an issue, though: Doc's an absolute coward.

If it weren't for the sizzling allure of his gunpowder (a memory comes unbidden of the man hissing we! and meaning a thousand different things) Sam would think Doc to be a chicken, rather than a creeper. Seriously, the man consistently trails far behind the other two ("Etho" and "Beef"), clamoring for protection from mobs and humans alike, constantly on the lookout for Dream SMP natives who might attack.

Sam approaches the group warily. "Hey," he says, greeting them in English for the benefit of the non-creeper people.

Beef, the butcher, visibly startles and Doc yelps.

"Hey," Etho greets him, then turns right back to the weird mass of sticky pistons and shards of what remains of the natural laws of physics, all glued together with redstone and a dream. The machine is pressed up against the wall of the prison, as though...

"Are you trying to break in?" Sam asks despite himself.

"Yeah," Beef nods eagerly. "We wanna see how the redstone works."

"Doc wouldn't stop complaining until we went with him, actually," Etho smiles. "Right now we're just trying to find a way around the mining fatigue."

"Or you could, you know, come in through the visitors' access?" Sam says. "I am the warden, you know."

"You are?" Doc demands, all hesitance forgotten in the face of Cool Redstone.

Sam squints at the group, thinking fast. "Yeah. I'll let you in... If I get to ask some questions of my own. Quid pro quo, yeah?"

"Yeah, sure," Doc says, completely at ease even though this is potentially an exchange of very sensitive information. From what Sam has heard, the Hermits are weird like that.

Sam nods his head, motioning for the group to follow him. They don't even bother picking up the redstone bits. (Sam notes where the machine is, and makes a note to scavenge the parts later when they're not looking.) As they walk, he cuts to the chase.

"Doc. You're the only other person I've met who's like me." He doesn't bother elucidating just how they're alike. It's obvious.

"As far as I'm aware there aren't a lot of us mob-people out there," Doc says speculatively.

Sam notices that Doc doesn't mention how he came into being. Perhaps, like Sam, Doc doesn't know.

"So, what's up with the arm?" Sam says. It's probably a sensitive question, and as soon as it leaves his mouth he realizes that Doc is going to clam up and not say anything--

"Fought God and won," Doc says easily.

Sam does a double take. "Sorry, what?"

Doc shrugs, while the other two Hermits laugh at the non-sequitur. "I was the first mob hybrid," he says as though that isn't an absolute bombshell. "Mojang couldn't decide whether I was sentient enough to let live, so I challenged Dinnerbone to a fight and won."

"With big brain tactics," Beef pipes up helpfully.

"I didn't explode even once," Doc says proudly, as though not exploding was more of an achievement than fighting God and winning. "He took my arm, but I got independence for all mob hybrids that came after me."

"Hey, Etho, tell him about your IOU," Beef says.

Sam is afraid to ask. Luckily(?) Etho doesn't need the prompting.

"Uh, Agnes thought my redstone pioneering was impressive," he says, scratching his neck. "She offered me anything I wanted on behalf of the Mojang pantheon, but I didn't really want anything so I asked for an IOU."

"... Didn't really want anything," Sam parrots disbelievingly.

Etho responds cheerily, "Nope!"

Sam abruptly decides that he's asked enough questions.

[viatagrinner]

Our new beginning. Kagemaru

Key: thoughts, narration, speech

The heroine and Oboro bought dango and return to hideout the Senkitai.

Oboro grinning at MC mischievously:

"But are you sure I'm the one you should've asked to go with you?"

МC: What do you mean?

Oboro: Wouldn't you preferred, say... Kagemaru? He is kind of your boyfriend.

(Is that how the rest of the Senkitai see us?)

��: Mmm, how should I put it?

If I'm completely honest, my relationship with Kagemaru is still a bit of a mystery to me.

(Somehow we've kissed, but we've never outright admitted how we feel about each other. I just can't tell what that guy is thinking.)

MC: See, he's not exactly my boyfriend…

Oboro: Huh? But Kagemaru himself said you guys are dating.

МС: That was just a tactic to ensure I'd be able to come and go around here without any questions being asked. I mean, there are still Ayakashi who can't stand human coming and going as they please.

Oboro: You sure about that? You really sure?

Oboro pouts, looking dissatisfied.

Oboro: I think you really caught Kagemaru's eye, MC.

MC: What?

Oboro: He's the kind of guy who knows what he wants. If he didn't actually like you, he wouldn't call you 'his girl' even for the sake of a lie.

(You think?)

A feeling of warmth blossoms within my chest.

Oboro: You're a great catch, Airi. You should be more confident in yourself.

Oboro declares, his gaze moving toward my hair: Oh yeah, that ribbon you're wearing is different from the one you usually wear.

MC: Oh, uh. Yeah, I bought it a little while ago.

Oboro: It's really pretty. Now Kagemaru's bound to fall in love with you all over again, huh?

MC: Th-That's not why I bought it!

Half-amused, half-frustrated by Oboro's comments, the two of us arrive at the Senkitai's hideout. We head underground and Oboro begins to lead me toward his room. Along the way, we run into a familiar face.

Oboro: Oh, Kagemaru.

Kagemaru: ......

My eyes meet his and for a second he looks startled.

Kagemaru: "Back again, are ya?"

(Same old, same old. )

Oboro: Huh? Kagemaru! What kind of way to speak to your girlfriend is that? Look, she came all the way over here just to see you---

Mc: A-And that's enough outta you, Oboro! Shall we be on our way?

Hiding my disappointment, I urge Oboro along.

Kagemaru: Oi.

To my shock, Kagemaru grabs my shoulder and pulls me closer to him.

MC: Um?

Kagemaru: .......

We're mere inches apart, his hand reaching toward my cheeks.

(What's going on? In the middle of a hallway? Really?)

His hand brushes past my cheeks and continues to reach for my ribbon, undoing it with a rustle.

Kagemaru: What're ya wearin' somethin' as scruffy as this for?

MC: Come again?

Kagemaru: Yer supposed to be the boss' girl 'round these parts. If yer comin' to see me, ya can at least dress the part.

(What's wrong with my ribbon? Meanie ).

Embarrassed at mistaking his gesture for even a second, I blush red.

Kagemaru: Guess ya don't give me much of a choice. I'll go get---

MC: .......

Filled with a rage I can't quite understand, I push him away as hard as I can.

Kagemaru: !

MC: Sorry, Oboro. I'm going home.

Oboro: W-Wait!

I ignore Oboro's pleas for me to stay and head straight back outside again, leaving them both behind me.

•••••••Flashback•••••••

Several days later.

(Oh, that hairpin is beautiful!)

During a shopping trip in Asakusa, a hairpin on display in front of a store catches my eye.

(It's really stunning. There's something special about it.)

I instinctively draw closer for a better look, the display having caught my full attention.

(They're so pretty and sophisticated. No way anyone would ever call them scruffy.)

•••••Flashback•••••

Kagemaru: Yer supposed to be the boss' girl 'round these parts. If yer comin' to see me, ya can at least dress the part.

•••••End Flashback•••••

(Looks like what he said about me is still on my mind.)

A mixture of frustration and anger welling up inside of me, I bite my lip.

Man: ......

I sense someone approaching my side - out of the corner of my eye it appears to be a man wearing a cap.

Man: ......

(Wait!)

He snatches one of the hairpins and quickly scarpers.

(A thief?!)

Mc: W-Wait!

Bewildered by what I just witnessed, I go to chase after him.

Man: Hey, you're in my way!

Man: !?

A woman adorned in a kimono grabs him by the arm, twisting it.

Man: That hurts!

Yuzuru: My, what a gorgeous hairpin.

Catching a glimpse of the hairpin the man is clinging onto, Yuzuru beams.

Yuzuru: And yet it seems so wasted on a scruffy old pickpocket like you.

Passersby take note of the scene and come to a halt, raising their protests.

Onlooker 1: Hey!

Onlooker 2: You get'em, Ma'am!

(She's so cool!)

Not long afterward, the thief is taken in by the police and dragged away.

Hairpin Shopkeeper: Thanks a million, Yuzuru. That guy's a thief who's been stealing what he can from around here lately. I don't know how many times he's targeted my shop.

Yuzuru: As if I could stand the thought of such a gorgeous hairpin in the hands of a slimy creep like that.

Yuzuru goes to hand back the hairpin, but the shopkeeper shakes her head: No, I want you to have it. Consider it my thanks.

Yuzuru: My! You sure about that?

Hairpin Shopkeeper: It's the least I can offer! Considering what you just did for me.

Yuzuru: …Very well. Don't mind if I do.

Yuzuru thanks the shopkeeper, then turns toward me with a smile on her face.

Yuzuru: .....

Several moments later, I'm leaving the shop with Yuzuru - or rather, Kagemaru dressed as his alter ego.

MC:  Um, are you heading to work?

Yuzuru: Oh, not today. I'm in town to pick up a little rouge for my lips.

(She's a million miles away from Kagemaru!)

(Also, I didn't realize she was still entertaining people as a geisha.)

I'm so shocked by the transformation that I'm practically lost for words.

Bar Goer 1: Hey, you two pretty ladies over there!

Two men call out to us from a nearby stall, raising their drinks at us.

MC: Um. Yuzuru…

Bar Goer 1: Whoa, you two really are something.

Bar Goer 2: What do you say we buy you a drink?

With that, Yuzuru suddenly grabs my arm.

Yuzuru: Read the room, boys.

She pulls me up against her, making sure the two men get a bird's eye view of the situation.

(Whoa!)

Bar Goer 2: Wait! What?

Yuzuru: Can't you tell? We're having plenty of fun just the two of us. And we don't need any men around to interfere.

Bar Goer 1: ...Huh?

Yuzuru: Shall we?

Yuzuru and I pass by the bewildered men, still arm in arm.

(When I first laid eyes on Yuzuru, I was struck by how beautiful she was.)

I can feel my heart start to thump as we walk along together, still pressed right up against one another.

(Yuzuru's the perfect definition of a girl crush. She's so cool and gorgeous you can't help but fall for her!)

(I mean, I know she's really Kagemaru on the inside, but still!)

(I can't even tell if it's Yuzuru or Kagemaru making my heart flutter this much anymore.)

(But I like it.)

(I hope we can stay like this for a bit longer.)

Yuzuru: Sorry about that, Miss.

When the two men are no longer in sight, Yuzuru finally goes to let go of me.

MC: Wait, um!

I keep my arm wrapped around hers and squeeze, not letting her do so.

MС: There's somewhere I'd like to go with you!

I job a finger toward the same Japanese sweets parlor that Oboro and I visited the other day.

Yuzuru: Hah?

Yuzuru: Why'd ya want me to---

For a second, Kagemaru slips back into his usual self, but, conscious of passersby, quickly clams up.

MC: You don't have work today, right? So you can spend some time with me!

I take Yuzuru's hand and start to lead her into the sweets parlor.

We take a seat and I excitedly pour over the menu.

Yuzuru: .....

Yuzuru: …Someone looks like they're having a good time.

(Ah. She might be mad.)

MC: Well, it's not every day a chance like this comes along...

Yuzuru: …I suppose.

At first, there's a slight hint of irritation in Kagemaru's eyes.

Shopkeeper: Here you go!

Yuzuru: Thanks, doll.

Yuzuru aims a dazzling smile at the shopkeeper as they deliver our sweets.

(Yuzuru really is stunning.)

(Boy, girl, it doesn't even matter. That kind of beauty is ethereal.)

I spend an afternoon captivated by Yuzuru's beauty while enjoying the delicious sweets.

By the time we leave the shop, it's already evening.

MC: I had a really great time today. Thanks for humoring me.

Yuzuru: Oi.

I say my thanks, about to leave when Yuzuru grabs me by the arm.

MC: Huh?

Yuzuru: Ya made me go along with that act for long enough. Ya think I'm jus' gonna let ya wander off home by yerself?

(Huh?!)

Yuzuru starts pulling me along surprisingly in the direction of my own house.

(Is she walking me home? Is that it?)

I look up at her from my side and she stops in her tracks. I feel a rustle as she fixes my hairstyle.

MC: What is it?

Yuzuru: Turn around.

I do as I'm told, my back toward her, when I feel her undoing my hair ribbon and running her fingers through my hair.

I feel a rustle as she fixes my hairstyle. She finishes off by adorning my new look with the hairpin she received earlier as thanks.

MC: Oh wow! Thank you so much!

Yuzuru: So ya don't complain when it's Yuzuru, do ya?

I hear the faint click of a tongue and something soft brush my neck. In my shock I turn around.

MC: Um?!

Yuzuru: Ah well. Might work out for the best.

(Was that a kiss just now? And that smile…)

Yuzuru: Yer beloved Yuzuru will have ya trained in no time.

Yuzuru: She'll make ya into exactly the kinda woman fit for the head of the Senkitai.

MC: Train me?

Without giving me a chance to refuse, Yuzuru's face comes closer, her lips against my ear.

Yuzuru: I'll show you how to make the most of your feminine charm.

MC: !

Her voice is so alluring and seductive that I'm already shivering in anticipation.

(I can't let my guard down around Yuzuru anymore than I can Kagemaru…)

I tell myself as heat gathers in my cheeks from how intimately close she's standing…

Afterword:

1. The heroine's pansexuality is proven.

I want to note that MС used the pronoun "she" in relation to Yuzuru, although she knows that this is Kagemaru's alter ego. It's great that a girl accepts her partner as he/she is.

2. It's great that we decided to show Yuzuru. Now I am interested in the attitude of the heroine's father to Yuzuru/Kagemaru.

3. Oboro is the best family psychologist. When a 12-year-old child is better versed in relationships than adults. I think it's time for this boy to start a psychological practice.

4. A little criticism.

The relationship between the heroine and Kagemaru at the very beginning of the story was a little annoying.

I understand that the heroine is 15 years old, that in these years the girl wants romance and showing feelings.

Therefore, there were such phrases and such thoughts:

"(Is that how the rest of the Senkitai see us?) Mc: See, he's not exactly my boyfriend… That was just a tactic to ensure I'd be able to come and go around here without any questions being asked".

The girl doesn't understand that not everyone can or wants to flaunt their feelings.

It is clear that Kagemaru wanted to help, but it looked so toxic. In the role of Yuzuru, Kagemaru is more affectionate and understanding. He could learn from his alter ego how to communicate with young girl. 😄

Yuzuru showed herself better as a partner than Kage.

I hope that in the next sonnet/event, the couple will understand how to communicate with each other.

[misiwrites]

Beyblade Week Day 1

joining @beybladeweek2021 late but i’ll probably be doing these belatedly all may so, whatever! it is what it is.

i’ve never participated in a fandom challenge with writing before, but i was feeling adventurous this time and the seasonal themes were just perfect for the 4kingdoms AU-verse (which is this), i haven’t been writing much anything in so long that i’m mega rusty and thought i could use the bey week to do some warm-up oneshots. these aren’t going to be particularly interesting because i’m really bad at doing oneshots actually, but i like the idea myself and. that’s the only thing that really matters. right. (i’m not even sure if AUs are allowed for the beyblade week?? but the rules didn’t say anything about it so /shrug)

the day 1 oneshot is a little story from takao’s childhood about how he first met kyouju. this was inspired by my own childhood memories as the youngest sibling when i just wanted to hang out around my big sisters because i thought everything they were doing was Cool Big Sister Stuff.

~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~

Firsts / Childhood / Spring

”Takao! I’m trying to read this! Leave me alone already, will you?”

A groan of disappointment. Reluctantly, Takao backs away from his older brother by the desk, shooting him a frown of judgment and betrayal. Now, a quick change of tactics: he figures that, just maybe, Hitoshi allows him to stay in the room if he zips his lips to his best ability.

Wrong. Two silent minutes pass in the small study room until Hitoshi bellows at his brother again, swinging an arm in the door’s direction.

“I’m serious, you can’t keep doing this when I’m trying to do my homework!”

“I’ll just watch and keep quiet, I promise,” Takao insists, giving his brother his best puppy eyes.

“I can’t focus if you’re standing there! Now get out!”

Takao’s frown deepens; with heavy feet and a heavy heart, he trudges toward the sliding door. He doesn’t like this recent change in his brother, all this emphasis on what Hitoshi refers to as “important stuff”. Just because he’s now seventeen. Acting all high and mighty, pretending to be so adult and so important, too adult and too important to play with his younger sibling.

“It’s a very important time for your brother,” their grandfather responded to Takao’s fraternal laments once. “In one year, he will officially inherit the crown of the Seiryuu-ou. There’s much for him to do to grow into the role of the king before his coronation.”

Important this, important that. What about having fun, wasn’t fun important at all? And fencing – surely instructing Takao with the basics of fencing has to be important? Hitoshi’s fencing skills are second to only their grandfather’s, and Takao cannot imagine – doesn’t want to imagine – anyone else teaching him the art of the bamboo sword. And now Hitoshi is “too busy” to teach him, all of a sudden.

“But I’m boooored,” Takao whines from the doors, balancing his weight on his heels back and forth.

“How about you go study something too for once? You really should be reading a lot more than you do, you know. I don’t want my little brother to end up being a dumb prince who doesn’t know anything about the way the world works.”

Takao’s nose wrinkles in disapproval. The word “study” smells like old paper and dust and boredom.

“It’s the Sowmoon holiday now! And what the hell would I study?” he barks.

“Don’t cuss. Anything – whatever interests you. How about the history of the city?”

“Bahhhh.”

“The history of fencing, then. I don’t know – go to the library, take a look at the books or whatever, just leave me alone. I don’t have time for this.” Hitoshi lifts the yellowish document in front of his face and disappears behind it. A wall has risen between the two brothers.

* * * * * *

In the country of spring and year-round greenery, it’s difficult to stay sullen under the tranquil blue of the Eastern sky. Moments later Takao is skipping down the road that leads to the town of Tsuno below, his child’s heart already ignited with new-found hope and aspiration, his feelings of frustration shed by the sturdy wooden gates of the Cherrywood Castle and he's moving on, literally.

At first, the idea was dull at best; reading sounds like just about the flattest thing he could be doing on this beautiful Sowmoon day, a warm breeze blowing through his indigo hair as he carefully hops from one cobblestone to the other… but, in the end, it’s the wish to please his brother that has won him over. Now a plan is taking shape in his mind, the idea swelling like a balloon by each step he takes down the road, and soon his head is racing with the ambition of studying as many topics as he can think of; he’s dreaming up scenarios of impressing his brother with all his newly acquired knowledge, his brain buzzing and his proud heart thumping with all the imaginary praise from Hitoshi… and, just maybe, he’ll then agree to do something fun with his cool and smart little brother again.

So caught up in his daydreams, Takao hardly pays attention to all the familiar townspeople greeting him as he passes by their wooden dwellings and shops and stalls, and he prances past several flocks of tourists lingering on the streets of Tsuno, too busy taking pictures of the cherry blossom trees in their rare blue Sowmoon bloom to notice the royal prince walking right past them. Even if they did see him, not many would pay attention to him; people from outside the city would never imagine a member of the royal Seiryuu-ou family strolling around in a simple hakama without making a scene; but in the royal capital of the Country of East, this was a mundane everyday sight, and Takao was a regular guest of the pastry stalls on the main street of Tsuno. The townspeople loved to pamper this bold and friendly little prince, who hadn’t yet been spoiled by the privileges of the royalty.

Takao reaches the tall glass doors of the main library, only to face the reality of the numbers painted on the glass panel. Five minutes to closing time. So caught up in the rollercoaster of his imagination as he left the Cherrywood Castle, checking the opening hours of the library didn’t even pass his mind.

“Oh, hello, Your Highness,” he’s greeted by one of the kimono-clad library workers who spots him. (The surprise is evident; Takao is not a usual guest in the library.) “How wonderful to see you here. Are you looking for something?”

“Well, yeah, for something to read… but it looks like you’re about to close.”

But coincidence is on Takao’s side today, for the clerk tells him that the library is staying open for one extra hour every day this week.

“The reading hall has been reserved by Professor, a local researcher – but I’m positive he won’t be disturbed by Your Highness’s presence.”

“Really? Okay.” Relieved and triumphant, Takao enters the old-fashioned yet admittedly curiosity-inducing depths of the city library.

He quickly comes to the conclusion that he has underestimated the number of books in the world. Expecting there to be one of each subject of his admittedly limited academic imagination, he is instead hit by an entire universe of paper and ink and covers and words. The map of the library layout alone is full of complex characters that Takao hasn’t yet come across in his schooling.

Dammit.

In the end, Takao finds himself pacing back and forth a narrow aisle of local history books, looking for one with a cover that sparks interest. Perhaps he cannot read all the text, but at least he can look at the pictures.

That’s when he notices another person sharing the space with him, at the far end of the hall, where the shelves have been moved to hug the walls to make room for a reading area in the middle and the ceiling seems to climb up impossibly high under the arch of a dome roof. This person is another kid, hardly older than Takao, and he’s not paying the prince any attention in return; the boy is glued to the screen of a laptop computer that sits on a table in front of him along with several books, one of which has been spread open. Every now and then, his fingers dance across the keyboard at a speed that Takao didn’t even know a computer keyboard could be used with; then the boy crouches over to take a quick glance at the open book before turning back to the laptop again.

A curious sight. For a moment, Takao is tempted by the allure of calling out to this strange boy, to ask him why he’s still there after closing hours. He decides against it and swallows his curiosity. If there’s one thing that his older brother has recently taught him, it is to mind his own business and not bother other people hard at work.

* * * * * *

The next day Takao returns to the library, a pile of books in his lap that he leafed through all night last night. Hundreds of pages of buildings so old they probably stayed up in the pictures with willpower alone – so old that Takao half-expected them to crumble and disappear by the turn of a page, leaving empty picture frame squares behind.

He came to the conclusion that Tsuno’s history was perhaps not the subject to start from.

Takao returns the books, decides to try and find something about fencing, a subject he’s already in some way familiar with. (Between the important-looking books, he secretly slips in a story about Southern pirates; this one he’s not going to tell Hitoshi about.)

In the hall with the dome ceiling, the kid with the laptop is by the exact same table again. Only the array of books next to him is a little different… maybe. Takao is nearly seized by his curiosity again, but something about the air around this boy holds the lingering scent of “do not disturb”, so he bites his tongue once more.

* * * * * *

How could even books about fencing slap him in the face with all this wall of text?! The following day Takao once again turns up at the library, to return his previous findings that had only briefly managed to capture his interest with images of old fencing gear that were not only ancient but, as he ultimately decided, very ugly and stupid-looking.

What about archery, the other national sport of the East? Takao finds it boring and repetitive compared to fencing, but since books about fencing turned out to be boring, did it mean that books about the boring sport were, in turn, more interesting? It makes perfect sense, in Takao’s eight-year-old mind.

However, as he makes his way to the library at the cusp of closing hours again, he no longer pays much heed to the books. Instead, his feet take him to the reading hall under the dome right away.

Sure enough, the kid with the big round glasses and a laptop in front of him is there in his usual spot, all alone. And again the boy’s fingers are hammering at the keyboard faster than Takao can form a coherent thought about computers, the strange machinery that originates from the technically advanced Country of West for all he knows.

It’s been three days now, and Takao can no longer hold back his burning curiosity. Eyes on the strange boy, he takes small sideway steps between the bookshelves, inching his way closer and closer, until he reaches the open reading area under the arched skylights above.

“Hey,” Takao says as he enters the boy’s proximity by the table.

The boy doesn’t do as much as raise his eyes from the computer screen.

“Is there something I can do for you?” he asks, still typing away. The tone of his high-pitched voice is just slightly aggravated but his choice of words oozes formality, a strange speech pattern for someone his age. It throws Takao off a little.

“Umm, I’ve seen you here every day this week and was wondering what you’re doing, that’s all. You know the library was already closed, right?”

After saying this, the thought then passes Takao’s mind that perhaps this kid never leaves the library. Perhaps he’s not even aware that he’s in a closed library. What if Takao is talking to a ghost, haunting this remote corner of the library all day and night? Or, maybe, he’s nothing but a product of Takao’s imagination?

The boy’s voice is now so blunt in response that these phantasmagoric thoughts immediately vanish from Takao’s mind.

“Yes, of course I know. The library personnel was very kind to allow me this one working hour without other people disturbing me. So really, I should be asking – what are you doing here?” Now the stranger’s hands finally leave the keyboard and he lifts his eyes to Takao.

A moment of confused silence. Then the boy’s face begins to resemble the colour of a strawberry.

“Oh!” he squeaks and jumps up to his feet, only to bow his head toward the floor. “Oh, Your, uh, Your Highness! I am terribly sorry for being so rude! Oh, goodness me, how could I…!”

“Wow, calm down,” Takao interrupts, startled himself by the suddenness of the boy’s reaction. “And raise your head – I don’t like people bowing at me, it makes me feel weird. More importantly, what you said just now – are you saying you booked this extra hour from the library?”

Hesitantly, the boy straightens his back, which doesn’t increase his height significantly; now that they’re standing next to each other, Takao notices how small the person he’s talking to is, his head barely on level with Takao’s shoulders.

“Yes, Your Highness,” he says. “I wasn’t aware I was sharing it with the royal family, though. How thoughtless of me.”

“No, well, I kinda just walked in on my own, to be fair. So… you’re a researcher?”

“You could say so, I am indeed carrying out some research here. My name is Saien Manabu, but everyone calls me Professor.”

“Oh, wow. What exactly are you researching?”

“Right now I am writing a paper on the goddess cult of the Country of North. I know, it’s not exactly a topic that interests most children, but I find it so terribly fascinating…”

The mention of children – a nod to the fact that this boy, too, is a child just like him – makes Takao immediately feel more at ease. This person, albeit strange and overly formal and clearly too smart for his age, really is just a child after all. This notion alone is enough to make the kind-hearted and fairly simple-minded Takao like this boy more.

“Sure, that sounds cool,” he says with a grin. “Hey – you said you’re Saien, right? Like that ramen shop on the main street?”

“Yes, it is owned by my parents.”

“Well, it’d be real interesting to hear more about your research and all, but I’m kinda hungry, to be honest – the Saien noodles sound awesome just about now. How about we go there and then you tell me more?”

“Hmm. Well, I wasn’t making as much progress today as I wanted, in any case.” The boy, visibly at least a little relieved to get a break from staring at the screen, slams his laptop shut and tucks it under his arm. Then he flashes a friendly smile at Takao. “Very well, Your Highness. But my mother may pass out if I bring a member of the royal family to their shop all of a sudden, so please prepare for that.”

“Bah, just call me Takao, I’m not so into that formal stuff.”

“Alright, and you can call me Professor.”

* * * * * *

Once back in the Cherrywood Castle, Takao told both his brother and grandfather how much he’d learned about the Northern goddess Hiromi of time and space already; and from that day onward, Hitoshi never needed to refer to his younger brother as the dumb prince again, as Takao, who became a frequent visitor of the Saien family ramen shop both inside and outside business hours, never ran out of curious stories to share about all the things he learned from his new friend.

And while the royal Seiryuu-ou family wasn’t to stay together for much longer from the moment of this story, Takao and Professor remained best friends for many years to come.

[queen-scribbles]

Vigilance

Post-Echoes of Oblivion Keme/Jorgan, because why not?

---

Keme was trying to be quiet.

And all it took to undo her efforts was a shape darting past the balcony in her peripheral vision. Likely just a flutterplume or something else innocuous, it nevertheless provoked a reaction in her hyper-vigilant state. She managed to bite back the yelp, but her knee banged the table when she jolted. Hard enough to bruise and rattle the blaster rifle component spread in front of her for cleaning.

Dammit. She grimaced and tensed when she heard movement from the bedroom. That was exactly what she’d been trying to avoid, but military careers did not heavy sleepers make.

There was a moment of silence, where she pictured Aric noting her side of the bed was empty(and had been long enough the sheets were cool) and then, just loud enough to carry, “Keme?”

“Out here,” she called back, rubbing her knee and scowling at the window, now empty of whatever had startled her and showing only purple-black sky.

The bed squeaked. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah,” Keme sighed. “I was trying not to wake you, sorry.”

Another beat, another squeak, followed by the shuffled of footsteps and Aric’s voice from the open doorway to their bedroom(she should have remembered to close that). “So if everything’s alright, what’re you doing up?”

She fiddled with the vibration cell for her rifle and didn’t turn to look at him. “Just couldn’t sleep.” Didn’t want to sleep. “This seemed more productive than staring at the ceiling.”

He huffed a quiet laugh as he moved to join her. “You didn’t drink Theron’s caf, did you?”

“Hell, no,” Keme chuckled in return. “I get wired enough off the regular stuff; I think that high-octane abomination he and Hylo drink might kill me.” She let her gaze settle on the scar across his chest as he sat on the couch, ‘looking at him’ without making eye contact for fear he’d read her like a holonovel. 

Unfortunately, he could read the avoidance just as well. “Keme. What’s wrong? And don’t say nothing, you only do this sort of thing when something’s bothering you.”

Her sigh was tinged with a growl. “It’s not... just that I couldn’t sleep,” she admitted, meeting his gaze with lingering reluctance. “I don’t want to.”

Aric’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

Keme wrinkled her nose and ran one hand through her hair. “It’s silly...” Part of why I didn’t want to wake you...

“I doubt that,” he scoffed. “You have good instincts, Commander; if it’s bothering you enough to prompt midnight weapon maintenance, odds are it’s not silly.”

She smiled wryly at the confidence in his voice, even rough with sleep, but hesitated a moment before the words finally tumbled out. “I’m worried he’ll still be there.”

“Valkorion?” Aric asked gruffly after a beat.

Keme nodded, tucked back hair the movement freed.”I know he’s supposedly gone for good, but...” She bit her lip and sighed. “I’ve thought that twice, Aric. Twice he was gone and twice he came back.” Her fingers curled into the rug beneath her. “And now even with everyone from Satele to Lana to Senya telling me he’s gone, the Force feels different, I don’t believe it. I’m not connected to the Force like they are, I can’t be sure.” Her gaze dropped to the rifle spread across the table. “I feel like I have to be ready, have to be vigilant, so if he comes back again, I can end him again. However many times it takes.”

He didn’t say anything, but she could feel him watching as she started slotting the pieces of her rifle back together.

She didn’t make it far before setting the half-assembled weapon down and meeting his gaze again. “And I’m afraid even if he never... physically comes back, I”ll still see him in my dreams.”

“Hey. Come here.” Aric reached down and tugged her arm to move her from her spot on the floor to sit next to him. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders to pull her close. “He was in your head, Keme.” He pressed a kiss to her hair.  “While I absolutely believe you’re capable of destroying him for good, it makes sense to worry he’ll pop back up. It’s the furthest thing from silly to consider a devious and powerful enemy having an escape plan; that’s just good tactical sense.”

Her lips curved in a smile at his reassurance and she traced her fingers along the scar on his chest as his thumb brushed over one on her shoulder. “Nice to have someone who doesn’t think I’m just paranoid.”

“Never, boss.” There was a heavy dose of amusement in his voice. “Feel like you’ll be coming back to bed soon, or do you want company out here?”

Keme pulled back enough to shoot him a protesting look. “Jorgan, I can’t ask-”

“You’re not,” he cut her off, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “‘Sides, the Special could prob’ly use a good once-over. It’s been a while.”

She doubted that; he took better care of that rifle than some people did their children. But she also knew what his offering meant, so, “Company would be kinda nice. If you need to clean it anyway...”

He nodded, smiled, and extricated himself with one last kiss to the top of her head. “Be right back.”

Keme eased herself back to the floor as he ducked into the bedroom and resumed reassembling her blaster rifle.

Aric reappeared after a little over a minute, the well-loved duranium-barrel special held in one hand while the other finished yanking on a dark grey t-shirt. He paused a moment to make mental calculations about space, then sat on the floor next to her to start disassembling his sniper rifle for cleaning.

They worked in silence, but just his being there helped settle her frayed nerves after today. He had her back, trusted her instincts, and she trusted him. Thoroughly and implicitly. It didn’t take long for them to finish--she’d been half done when he woke up, and the Special really didn’t need the once-over he gave it.

“Still not tired,” Keme muttered, setting her rifle on the table and rubbing her eyes with thumb and forefinger. She managed to swallow the threatening yawn, but it still stretched her words on the way down.

“Keme.” Aric shot her a skeptical look as he rested his gun across one of the chairs.

“Still don’t wanna sleep,” she corrected herself. She plunked on the sofa, leaned her head back to stare at the ceiling. Much as she hated it, she couldn’t shake the sick dread she’d see him if she fell asleep.

Aric sat next to her, shifting to lean against where the couch arm met the back, and tugged her close again. “Alright.”

The angle had her reclining, and his heartbeat in her ear, and she knew exactly what he was doing. She smiled wryly into his chest. Every time she thought she couldn’t love him more he went and proved her wrong. “You don’t have to stay out here, y’know,” she murmured as she settled in on top of him.

He slid an arm around her and his chin pressed lightly to the top of her head. “I spent five years sleeping without you, like hell that’s happening ever again if I have any say in the matter.”

She laughed against his shirt. “Love you.”

His arm tightened around her briefly, and she’d bet her favorite boots he was smiling. “Love you, too.”

Under the circumstances, Keme wasn’t really surprised when she started drifting off. She was, a little, in that muzzy, half-aware sense, that she didn’t fight it. The steady rhythm of her husband’s heart was an alluring lullaby, and the weight of his arm around her a silent promise it was safe to let her guard down.

So she did. 

Her dreams were much more pleasant than she’d anticipated.

[goldenboywrites]

the battle has been won but war has just begun - part 1

Quintus was twelve and a half years old when his brother was called to command an army for the very first time. 

And for the first time in his life, Quin felt true heartbreak. 

“Why can’t I go?” His knuckles were white as they grasped the goblet of water so tightly his fingers cramped up. He didn’t care about the pain he felt. He stared defiantly up at his father. “I could stay at camp. I’m-” 

“You’re too young and it is not a place for young boys.” The boom of his father’s voice used to make him cower. He, being the king, was supposed to be intimidating but Quintus was growing into his own rather quickly and he was finding his bite. “Don’t ask me again, my mind is made up.” 

“Were you not fifteen the first time you went to war?” Maximus’ foot kicked lightly at his shin. A warning. And usually, that alone would be enough to quiet him down but this time he couldn’t, no, wouldn’t stop because his best friend was being ripped from his life to fight in a war that wasn’t theirs and he was getting left behind. “I’m almost thirteen! Aren’t you the one who loves to lecture me about responsibility and duty? Yet when I seek it out I’m denied.” His father’s eyes narrowed dangerously and Max brushed his fingers across his forehead, rubbing at his temples. He was used to being in the middle of battles like this. “Pick, father. Which would you have me be? A helpless boy or a young man? Because it appears to me that you like to pick whichever is most convenient for you at the time.” 

A hand slammed on the table, the eating utensil fell from his grasp and clattered against his plate. “Enough!” The roar of the king had Quin sinking down into his chair. “I won’t hear any more of this! You are not going. You will stay here with your uncle. You will continue your lessons and you better learn manners by the time we return.” 

Quintus pushed the plate away from him and off the table. It scattered to the floor. Immediately two servants leaped forward to clean it up. “We?” He repeated venomously. “You’re both going? Mother too? You’re going to take mother but you won’t take me?”

“Maximus and I are going to uphold our treaty with Adros. Your mother is going to spend the season with her sisters down in Ilversome.” He could tell his father was annoyed at having to explain but knew his son well enough to know that his tantrum would only continue unless he received answers.

“Q-” Max reached across the table, waiting for Quin to place his hand in his. It was his go-to tactic to calm his brother down. Quintus tried to swallow the pain of his family leaving him behind like this. The only family member who seemed to want him around was his uncle.

“No,” He spat out, pushing his chair away from the table. “I see what this is. What it always has been.” He realized his temper tantrum was irrational but he was far too gone in his emotions to stop it. His brother had to prove himself as the crowned prince, his mother needed a distraction, and his father, well, he just loved war. But this, as it always had, felt like a personal attack on Quintus. Another reminder that he was the youngest son who would only amount to something if his father and brother were no longer alive to rule. It was another way for his father and older brother to grow closer while he remained on the outside. “Don’t bother writing to me. I’ll be far too busy with my lessons and learning how to be a submissive little prince to write back.” 

And then they left, a week later, Quintus didn’t say goodbye.

 __________________________________________________

It turned out that the only family Quin needed was his uncle. In the absence of his immediate family members, Quin glued himself to his uncle’s side. He walked the young prince to lessons, he took every meal with Quintus, he showered him with spontaneous gifts, but mostly what he did was listen. He talked to Quintus, read him stories, helped him advance in his lessons. For the first time, he felt like someone was seeing him. He may not be the crowned prince. He couldn’t fight like Maximus could nor did he have the allure that his older brother had but he was special too, in his own way. His uncle saw that, he loved Quin. 

And Quin idolized him. He loved him back. 

Months and months went by and Quin settled into a routine. But there was still loneliness in his heart that even his uncle couldn’t soothe away. He didn’t long for his father or his mother. He longed for his older brother. “Do you think Maximus is okay?” Quin asked quietly under his breath one evening. He spread out on the ground beneath his uncle’s desk with a book open in front of him. He wasn’t reading so much as looking at the colorful pictures and every so often he would lean his head against his uncle’s leg and the man would reach down and run fingers soothingly through his hair. “He hasn’t written to me.” None of his family had which, he wasn’t surprised his father hadn’t but Maximus, no matter how badly Quin treated him before he left, there was no way Maximus wouldn’t write to him. “I thought I would hear from him at least once.”

The fingers at the base of his neck paused and Quin turned to look up at his uncle. He couldn’t read the expression on his face but he knew his uncle would understand his fears. He was his father’s younger brother. He had to understand Quin’s feelings when it came to Maximus. His uncle’s lips went from a thin line to a pitiful frown aimed at the young prince. “That’s odd,” He said, his fingers resuming their light massage. “I’ve received a handful of letters from Maximus and your father. Even your mother has sent correspondence.” He felt a wave of numbness coat his chest. They were writing to uncle but not to him. It felt like a betrayal. It hurt. 

“I can read their letters to you, if you’d like,” His uncle offered. Quintus fell silent as he focused on biting back the sting of his tears. “After dinner.” Quin wouldn’t cry, he wouldn’t be reduced to tears because his family didn’t care to write to him. It was better they wrote to uncle. Quin was busy focusing on his lessons anyways. His curiosity got the best of him though, as it usually had, and Quin found himself nodding, accepting his uncle’s offer. And for a second, Quin believed he saw a look of mild disappointment in the man’s facial expression but just as he saw it, it went away, replaced with cool indifference. “After dinner then.” His uncle concluded.

That night at dinner, his uncle allowed Quin to have a goblet of wine for the first time. It was a feat to be treated like a young adult instead of a child. He eagerly accepted the goblet from the servant and took in a mouthful. The liquid was thick, smokey, and sweet like berries. It burned as it slid down his throat and after half a goblet, Quin could barely keep his head up straight. His food forgotten, the room spinning, and his words slurred. 

Someone took pity on him and he felt himself being scooped up into strong, familiar arms. His forehead pressed against a shoulder and Quin closed his eyes to stop the room from spinning. “My rooms,” He muttered, eyes opening lazily to see they were in the wrong hall. His brow knitted together in confusion. He tried to lift his arm to point the other way. “Not here. Down there.” But he couldn’t hold his arm up for more than a few seconds and it fell away, limp. His mind clouded over again and his head fell back. The sound of the man’s footsteps lulled him to sleep. 

When he woke up the next morning, sore and groggy in his own bed, Quin vowed to never touch wine again.

__________________________________________________

Quintus was thirteen years old when the Adros rebels surrounded and his father and brother came home to Vivec. 

This time he followed behind his uncle to the castle gates to greet his father and brother. He heard the horns blare, the thunderous sound of hooves stamping against the ground. His uncle’s hand was on his shoulder, squeezing tight, a silent reminder passed between the two of them as they waited for their brothers to approach. Things would be changing again. Quintus wasn’t sure if he was relieved or terrified. 

Maximus rode in first and dismounted his horse as soon as their eyes locked. He looked different. Older, maybe. Tired, definitely but still, he was his brother and Quin longed to run to him. He hadn’t realized how much he missed Max until he saw him again, standing there as if he had never left. But their uncle’s grip tightened on Quin’s neck, an order to stay, and it kept him still for the moment. He was torn between the brother that had abandoned him, refused to write to him, and the uncle who had been there, present in his life, and who had picked up his shattered pieces. 

His brother beckoned him forward and there was no decision to make. Quin shook off his uncle’s hand, and ran, jumping into Max’s arms. It was unbecoming of the two princes to greet like this, he knew that, but he didn’t care. Maximus was back and he didn’t hate Quin the way he feared he would. Max swung him around, squeezing the breath out of him. He only stopped and set Quin back on the ground when his father’s horse trotted up next to them and he cleared his throat in that disapproving way he always did. 

“Hello, father,” Quin greeted, bowing his head. His father offered him a half-smile as he dismounted. He didn’t hug or say a word to Quin, just one glance was all he was apparently worth. Instead, the king walked towards Quintus’ uncle and clapped him on the shoulder then they walked inside, probably to catch up on the affairs of the country. “I see nothing has changed with father,” He murmured bitterly. Maximus’ hand reached for the top of his head and he ruffled his hair. 

“It seems a lot has changed.” Quin looked up at him questioningly, waiting for him to continue. “You seem…” Maximus paused as if he was searching for the right word to use. “You seem different. I can’t put my finger on it.” Quintus’ body went rigid and the color drained from his face. His hand immediately went to the base of his throat, the feel of the material covering as much of his skin as possible was a comfort for the prince these days. “Maybe you’ve gotten taller.” Maximus winked at him and Quintus inhaled sharply and held it. “You’re on your way to being as tall as me.” His shoulders slacked and slowly breathed out. It was easier for Maximus to think that than it was for him to have an inkling of the truth. 

Things were going to be different now that Maximus was back. Quin repeated it like a mantra. 

The sound of another horse caught Quintus’ attention then Maximus waved someone over. Quin looked up, eyes narrowing, at the man on the horse. “This is Prince Cesare,” Max said with a wide grin while Quin’s frown deepened. Cesare was the prince of Adros, he knew that much. 

“What is Prince Cesare doing here?” Quin questioned, not bothering to hide the venom in his words. He was frustrated and didn’t care who knew it. He had just gotten his brother back and now he’d have to share with him a foreign prince. It wasn’t fair. 

“What he means is,” Maximus cut in, shooting Cesare an apologetic smile. “Is hello and welcome to our home.” Quin didn’t mean that. Cesare didn’t look convinced either but he offered Quin a hesitant smile. 

He knew this game well. Cesare and Maximus were of the same age, nearly eighteen now. They were both crowned princes and they had fought in a war together. He could only assume that the two had forged a tight bond that Quin would never have any chance of competing with. As he looked between the two of them, Cesare had dismounted his horse and approached them. He could feel another stab of betrayal. Maybe his uncle was right, everyone around him was destined to outgrow him. It certainly seemed Maximus had. And it was in that moment, he longed for the comfort of his uncle, the only one who never seemed to disappoint Quintus. 

Cesare bowed his head to Quin, which was ridiculous considering he was of a higher rank but maybe it was meant to be a peace offering. One that Quintus did not want or would accept.

He raised a brow and scoffed, shaking his head. Then he walked away from the two and made his way back towards the palace. Maximus apologized behind him and muttered to Cesare, “Don’t worry. He’ll warm up to you.”

__________________________________________________

It was becoming impossible to escape Cesare throughout the palace. It was as if the foreign prince had made it his mission to win Quintus over. It wasn’t confirmed but Quin had a feeling it was due to Maximus’ encouragement which made the young prince more determined as ever to remain aloof and stubborn in regards to the Prince of Adros. 

Cesare took every meal in the hall with Quin and his family. He sat across from Quin and before every meal would flash him a beaming smile and greet him warmly. His efforts were usually ignored except for the times where Quin felt his father’s glare aimed at him. Only then would he greet the foreign prince back and it was hardly in a polite manner. In silent rebellion, Quin discreetly tormented Cesare in any way he could. During meals, he would ask the prince to pass him plate after plate after plate, which Cesare did without complaint. He merely smiled at Quin and fulfilled his every demand. 

One evening, Quin clumsily, and purposefully, knocked over a full pitcher of wine right into Cesare’s lap after the prince asked if he wanted to go riding with him in the morning. Cesare’s expression didn’t harden nor did he show any signs of anger. Quin’s father did though. He nearly reduced Quintus to tears and it only got worse when Cesare took it upon himself to defend Quin. His father stalked out of the hall and when Cesare offered Quin a reassuring smile, the young prince kicked him hard in the shins and whispered bitterly, “I don’t need you to defend me.” Maximus watched the exchange with a frown, rubbing at his temples.

Later that evening he was reading a book in bed when his brother entered his quarters. “I’m busy,” Quin snapped, turning the page of his book. 

“I need you to give Cesare a chance,” Maximus came right out with it and Quintus looked up to glare at him. “Q, please? He’s my friend and I really think if you gave him a chance you’d realize he isn’t a threat to you.” 

“What makes him so important?” He closed his book and tossed it towards the bottom of his bed. He sat up and then crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s your friend that doesn’t mean he has to be mine.” 

Max crossed the room and sat on the edge of his bed. He reached out and touched the juncture where his shoulder met the base of his neck. Quin flinched, automatically, and he saw his brother’s eyes widen at the movement. “What has gotten into you? Why are you so angry all of the time? This isn’t you.” 

He nudged Maximus’ hand away and huffed out an answer, “Maybe I’ve grown and changed. I’m sorry if you don’t like who I am now.” He turned his head away because he knew his sadness would show and he did not want Maximus to see weakness. “You’ve outgrown me. You went to war and you brought him back. You didn’t even-” He bit hard at the inside of his cheek until he tasted copper. “It doesn’t matter. You’ve made it well known that you don’t need me anymore.”  

“Outgrown you? I could never outgrow you. You’re my brother.” 

“I’m your little brother.”

“Younger or older, it would not matter, Quintus. You are my brother and you come first. You will always come first. Cesare is not a threat to you nor will he ever be. He saved my life out on the field. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. I wanted you to meet the man that saved my life.” 

Quin’s heart pounded and his expression softened. “He saved you?” 

“A rebel managed to knock my sword from my hand. I was done for but Cesare came out of nowhere and cut the man down. Yes, I consider him a good friend and if he ever needed anything of me I would do it without hesitation but that doesn’t mean he has replaced you.” 

Quintus pondered this for a very long moment. If Cesare had saved Maximus’ life then Quintus could find it within himself to give him a chance. Max was, after all, the most important person to Quin. Maybe, just maybe, he could make a tiny bit of effort. “Fine, I’ll give him a chance.”

Maximus beamed proudly at him and leaned forward to ruffle his hair. 

__________________________________________________

“You read a lot.” Came a voice from his left. Quin didn’t look up to meet Cesare’s gaze and he didn’t shift to make room against the tree trunk for him either.

“What an astute observation, Your Highness,” Was the annoyed reply Cesare received from him. But then Quintus reminded himself that he was trying to be more friendly so he glanced up, smirking at the other. “Do you know how to read?” He asked, a look of innocence across his face. 

Cesare laughed effortlessly and Quin bit his cheek to hold back a smile. “Of course, I know how to read. I’m a prince, Your Highness.” This was their game. Quin referred to him as your highness which Cesare always asked him not to do and then Cesare would call him the same. As if giving Quintus a taste of his own medicine. 

“Hmm.” Quin hummed through his lips. He handed the book off to Cesare and leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes. “Then you can read it to me. My eyes are tired.” He hadn’t really expected the prince to read to him or to entertain his silly demands but Cesare did. He read chapter after chapter until the guards came over to fetch them for dinner. 

This time at dinner, Quintus sat next to Cesare and across from Maximus who was in deep conversation with their uncle and father. All three of them looked at the pair, brows raised as if it was the craziest notion in the world to see them civil. Maybe it was after weeks of Quintus abusing Cesare. Maximus’ confusion morphed into outright glee, his father’s into disinterest, and his uncle’s...well, Quin could have melted under the heavy gaze of his uncle. 

When he returned to his quarters after dinner, there was a box of sweets waiting for him. He grabbed the box and immediately opened it to see his favorite kind of imported chocolates. He knew who they were from and knew there would be no card with the gift. 

Quintus popped a chocolate in his mouth and then another, and then another as he made his way over to the tub which was filled with steaming water. All while undoing the laces of his clothes, leaving a trail of clothing behind him as he went. He dropped the box of chocolates onto the table next to the tub and then stepped in, the warm water covering him up to his chin. The drowsiness started slowly and for a fleeting moment, he thought it was due to the warmth of the water, that it had soothed him enough that he nearly fell asleep. But this feeling felt familiar. He had felt like this before and it was all coming back to him slowly. 

He gripped the edge of the tub and pulled himself up, half of his body clinging to the side of it. One glass won’t hurt him. Don’t you want some wine, Quintus? Have some. But hadn’t it? Hurt him that night? He pulled himself, limbs feeling heavy like they weren’t attached to his body, out of the bath and he stood on shaky legs. His hand caught the table and the box of chocolates scattered to the ground. It wasn’t wine this time but the chocolates. Not a gift or a bribe. A punishment. Quin hurried himself, as quickly as he could, back into the main room, grabbing his clothes and tugging them on over his body. His laces were uneven and his fingers could barely tie them together but he managed to make himself look semi presentable, enough that he could leave his quarters. If he left now he wouldn’t have to face him. 

The hall outside of his rooms were empty and Quintus stumbled his way down them, hand against the wall to steady himself. He had to get to Maximus’ room. It was far enough away that his uncle wouldn’t look for him there, he wouldn’t believe that Quintus would have been able to make it there in this state. His clothes, soaking wet from his hasty exit from the tub, and his drugged out state, caused him to slip more than once. The third time it happened, he was unable to catch his footing but strong arms grabbed him and Quintus closed his eyes, hissing out, “No.”

“Q? Quin?” The hands shook him and the young prince feared he was going to be ill from the sudden movement. “Quintus?” He opened an eye to see Cesare standing in front of him, a wild look of concern on his face. “What’s wrong? What happened?” 

“Cesare,” His head rolled back, too heavy for him to hold it up anymore and he all but crumbled in the foreign prince’s arms. “Cesare,” He said again, a tear escaping out and falling slowly down his cheek. “Take me to Max. Please, take me to my b-brother.” Quin sighed out with relief when he saw Cesare nod. He then scooped an arm under the back of Quintus’ knees and the other cradled the back of his neck, picking him up. “Thank you.” He cried out softly, turning his head and burying his face into the nape of his neck.

The next morning, Cesare and Maximus interrogated him for what felt like hours about what had happened. Quintus was tight lipped regarding any details other than he had convinced a servant to deliver him a pitcher of wine and he drank too much in his room. 

Later that day, Alexander was appointed his personal guard.

__________________________________________________

The only time Quintus was able to slip out from under Xander’s watchful eye was if he was with Maximus or Cesare. So he spent as much time tagging along with both crowned princes and when Max had to attend meetings with their father, he was glued to Cesare’s side. 

Today they were sitting side by side in the palace’s library. Cesare was reading over a letter that had come for him earlier that morning while Quintus was scribbling notes in one of his favorite books. It was a retelling of old myths and fairy tales. He glanced up briefly, to see a look of displeasure on the prince’s face. “What is it?” He asked, laying the book down on the table. “A love letter?” Quintus teased, wiggling his brows at the other. “I’ve never received a love letter. I hardly receive any correspondence. Max…” He trailed off, shrugging his shoulders to feign disinterest. “I thought Max would have written to me while he was at war but he never did.” 

Cesare made a noise and met Quin’s gaze. “What do you mean he never wrote to you?” 

“I mean exactly that. I thought he would have written to me while he was at war but he didn’t. I’m not upset about it.” Clearly he was if he was bringing it up months after Maximus had returned but that wasn’t Cesare’s business. 

“No I,” The prince shook his head in disbelief. “I mean that Maximus wrote to you every week. Sometimes twice a week. I saw him write countless letters to you. You never received them?”

Quintus went still and bit the inside of his cheek. He shifted uncomfortably under Cesare’s gaze. “No.” 

“That can’t be, Quin. He wrote to you. I swear it.” 

He turned his head and picked up his book again, tuning the prince out. Cesare received the hint loud and clear that the conversation was over. 

After dinner that evening, Cesare was walking with Quintus back to his rooms. It was then that Cesare told him he was being called back to Adros and would be gone within the week. 

It was the second time, Quin felt true heartbreak.

[lostonrevenge]

Siren   (Part 2)

part 1

Summary: With Ursula’s necklace broken, Uma feels the sweet allure of fate when a siren is thrown into the Isle of the Lost – their tears one of the few resources able to restore the power of the necklace. Though pirates and sirens were never meant to mix. Can Uma fix her mistake before it’s too late?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“You can leave us now, Harry” Uma says after Harry places Adamaris down on the bed.

He nods to his captain before exiting and closing the door behind him.

After watching him leave Uma turns to the siren sitting on her mattress, “should find you some clothes, aye?”

Adamaris smiles shily at her before she turns away to rummage through her draws. After throwing a few clothes that she finds onto the bed Uma bussies herself at her desk arranging things to give Adamaris some privacy.

Uma looks up from her desk at the thwacking sound of Harry’s coat falling to the floor. She scoffs lightly to herself, seeing Adamaris fiddling with the collar of the shirt.

“It folds down like this, see” she says as she fixes it for her, folding the collar down so it lies flat across her shoulders. “You can wear it sticking up, but that isn’t the look most people go for.”

“I like it this way” Adamaris says shily, bringing her fingers up to tap against the folded collar.

Uma smiles warmly at her, choosing not to bring up that she knows this is the first time she’s worn clothes. So instead she settles for getting down to business. Drawing in a sigh she turns away to pull a chair up to the bed.

“What was your name again?” she asks despite already knowing it, figuring it would be a good icebreaker.

“Adamaris” the siren says turning toward her and swinging her legs up onto the bed, folding them at her side as if they were still connected in a tail.

“I’m gonna call you Maris for short – you cool with that?” Uma checks to which she nods and Uma nods back.

With that out of the way, Uma leans further back in her chair. “What are you doing here?” she gets down to business.

The way she said it wasn’t unfriendly but Adamaris seems slightly taken aback at her forwardness and takes a few seconds to answer. “It’s a bit of a long story.”

“I’ve got time for a long story” Uma changes her tactic to being more approachable.

“I come from the rivers that flow down from Mount Olympus and into the Sea of Ariel” if Adamaris didn’t know any better, she would comment on the dark look that crossed Uma’s face at the name. “Where the river mouth meets the sea is a breeding ground for my pod. We’re mostly left alone until people come looking for tears to harvest.”

“You know what for?” Uma asks.

She shakes her head. “You hear rumours that it’s to maintain the barrier or the Queen needs them for potions to stay youthful – but it’s fairly obvious people have realised they can be traded. Most of us don’t care because it doesn’t mean much for us to shed a tear for someone.”

“You think different?” Uma guesses by the tone of her voice.

“Of course, I think different” Adamaris says gaining confidence and beginning to speak more powerfully. “Why should someone benefit more than me over something I give them?”

Uma nods as she continues.

“Even the little ones – my younger brothers and sisters are forced into it. They don’t have the resistance that some of us older ones have.”

“So, it’s not just you who disagrees?”

“There’s me and a few others…” Adamaris’ voice fades out for a second as a saddening look passes across her face. “Until the Palace guards come along.”

“The Palace is in on this?”

“They were the ones who started it and everyone else followed their example. They’re ruthless if you don’t comply. Managed to crack everyone but me.”

“You’ve never shed a tear?” Uma suddenly sits straight in her chair, her eyes going wide.

“No, I haven’t, no… So, I guess they saw no use for me and threw me in here.”

Uma chews on her lips for a moment before it spreads into a smile. “I like you” she says suddenly.

Adamaris looks up from the floor where she had been staring, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“Anyone who goes against the Palace like that has a place on my ship” Uma explains, standing up and nodding her head to the door. “Come on, I’ll show you round.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It had been a couple of days since then. In that time Adamaris began to adjust to the workings of the crew. She started in the lowest ranks scrubbing the deck, but that suited her fine since she still wasn’t used to having legs. It was nice to be able to work while sitting down.

She’d also been introduced to the rest of the crew which currently mills around her as she sits with her legs hanging off the edge of the deck next Harry as a party goes on behind them.

“You’re the only pirate here, you know?” she tells him, her voice slightly raised over the sound of music and stamping feet.

“Not entirely true” he says. “Most of their parents are in my father’s crew.”

Adamaris scoffs and rolls her eyes. “They’re merchants and traders.”

“All right then” Harry laughs. “If you know so much, what about Uma and Gil?”

“Uma’s a Cecaelia and Gil’s a farmer.”

“She’ll appreciate you calling her that” Harry holds his mug of rum out to her before taking a swig, knowing how Uma hates being referred to as a Sea Witch like her mother. “And what’s to say that a Cecaelia can’t be a pirate?”

“Wrong species” she smirks at him.

“So, you couldn’t be one either?” he tilts his head to her.

“Not only could I not be one, I would never want to be one.”

“Why not?”

“We’re complete opposites, we’re supposed to hate each other” she reminds him with a smile.

“And do you hate me?” he smirks at her but before Adamaris can answer Uma’s voice calls out to Harry from behind them. He sighs deeply as he hauls himself up, “Captain’s orders.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After Harry had left Adamaris got bored quickly. There was no one for her to talk to since she really didn’t know anyone else well enough to strike up a conversation. So, after she finished her mug of rum, she put it down on a nearby table and headed off below decks.

As she was making her way to the bunk room her ears picked up on her name being mentioned from behind the door of the Captain’s quarters. On instinct she stopped in her tracks to back up and listen in.

“… I really need that tear from her. First tears are the most powerful. If there’s anything that can restore the power of my mother’s necklace and get us of this island that’ll be it” Uma was saying as she sits behind her desk and Adamaris freezes, understanding what the words are about. “Her first tear, Harry…”

Harry was in on this?

The rest of the conversation is lost to her ears as Adamaris spins on her heels and backtracks to the exit. No one seems to pay her any mind as she bursts through the door and pushes her way through the crowds on the deck to escape off the ship. With her feet on the dock she takes off through the alleys, any direction to get away from the wharf.

She remembers fellow sirens telling her about what it feels like to cry. She’d always thought that tears would be cold, being water and all, but they had said that your eyes grow hot and the tears burn as they spill out. Gasping in a breath, she bites down on her lip as she feels her eyes start to burn – she would not cry over this. A bunch of pirates who want to use her for their own benefit will never be glorified by making her shed her first tear.

It was that thought that filled her with rage and made her both blind and deaf to her surroundings. Moving through the dark alleyways she never thought twice about someone sneaking up on her until it was too late and something knocked her in the back of the head.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Adamaris comes to amongst the sounds of crashing waves. It would be relaxing if it weren’t for tail submerged in a shallow rockpool with the edge digging into the small of her back, her hands tied above her head, and a patch of tape over her mouth.

A growl sounds from her throat even before she opens her eyes to see a pair of Palace guards sitting on rocks close by.

“Oh look, she’s awake” one of them mocks in a faux-happy voice.

The other guard looks up at him from sharpening his sword – a clear intimidation tactic. “Silly move you made there, walking about on your own.”

“We tracked you from the ship” the first guard adds. “Seemed like they’re having a grand old time.”

“You think you found some friends? Too bad they won’t miss you” the second guard gets up off his rock and goes over to a pile of supplies.

Adamaris hisses at the sight of him picking up an all too familiar vile. Both guards ignore her as the first steps closer so he crouches down at the edge of the small rockpool.

“You were stupid to think that pirates would accept you. No one will accept you” he spits at her. “Not even your family.”

Adamaris pulls in a shaky breath.

“They didn’t put up much of a fight when you got the boot.” The guard turn to the other, raising his voice in mock confusion, “did they fight at all? I don’t remember seeing them fight to keep her.”

The words from the other guard are lost as the memory surfaces of her being pulled from the water and having chains latched around her while her family did nothing. Neither of her parents protested – firm believers that the Palace was not to be questioned, even over matters involving family. None of her younger brothers and sisters, who she had helped raise and look after, made a sound as she was dragged away. Not a tear was on any of their faces. They would cry because they were told to, but they wouldn’t cry for her.

She learns that tears can fall quickly as her eyes burn without any way to stop them. Before she knows it, the guard has the vile roughly pressed against her cheek, her first tear falling inside.

“That wasn’t so hard was it?” the guard mocks, capping the vile. “If only you had given us that back in Auradon. That way you could have stayed there instead of spending the rest of your days rotting on this island.”

Little did he know that it didn’t matter where she went because no one anywhere wanted her unless it was for what she could give them.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rumours were always circulating around the Isle so it had been pretty easy to pick up on the whisperings of two Palace guards dragging a girl down to the caves by the shoreline, once they had found that their siren was missing. The trick was pinpointing which one.

A mix of sand and rocks crunch under Harry’s boots as he searches along the shoreline. In the limited light he can just make out the glint of Gil’s sword on his belt, and the blue of Uma’s hair further along the beach. He knows she’s furious at herself for being so careless - they both are. They should have known to keep better tabs on her when she’s wanted by many for a valuable resource.

He sighs deeply, contemplating searching somewhere else further down but when his breath stops, he hears the sound of an old sea shanty being sung close by. Pausing for a second, he blinks wondering if he’s imagining it but the sound is unmistakable and he turns away from it in favour of retrieving back up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was immediately clear that the guards never planned to untie her. Though they had the mercy to pull the tape from her mouth, even if it was in the most aggressive way possible. It would have been a stupid decision if Adamaris wanted to put a spell over them, but she doesn’t. For that to work she would need to make them desire her and that is something that she doesn’t want to enact.

Though with nothing else to do she begins to sing.

“The King and his men stole the Queen from her bed”

Legends show the singing of sirens can carry over large distances and can be heard over winds and tides.

“and bound her in her bones the seas be ours and by the powers where we will we'll roam”

Knowing this, if she’s lucky someone will hear her.

Going into battle often in their trio, makes moments like this ridiculously easy. Reaching the cave entrance, without a word they all know Uma will take the guard on the left, Harry will take the one on the right and Gil will guard the exit in case any of them try to escape.

Uma nods as the signal to her boys before her and Harry stride forward, all three raising their swords in the air.

“Yo ho, all hands Hoist the colours high”

Sounds of clashing swords echo from the cave walls, almost drowning out the last lines of singing.

“Heave ho, thieves and beggars Never shall we die.”

On the last lyric the final guard crumples into a heap at the Captain’s feet. With the battle over the three standing make their way to rockpool.

“You okay” Uma asks as she sheaths her sword.

“Like you care” Adamaris glares at her with a voice dripping in venom.

“What are you talking about?” Uma furrows her brow.

“You pretended to be my friend, but I know now that that” – she nods to tear in the vile Uma now holds - “is all you wanted from me.”

Uma looks down at the small vile in her hand.

“So, take it!” Adamaris yells. “You have what you want! Just leave me here like the rest of your kind would do to me.”

Uma is silent for a long while and if Adamaris had looked closer, she would have seen confliction in her eyes.

“I actually thought we could have been friends, you know?” Adamaris says quietly. “It felt nice to have people want me around for just me and not what I could give them. I was wrong.”

“No, you weren’t” Uma denies before she crushes the vile in her fist. Ignoring the sting of the glass drawing blood from her hand, she shakes away the shards dropping the broken pieces to the floor.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The ship gently rocks beneath her as Adamaris hangs her legs off the edge. The sky is dark around her and the deck is quiet, the party long been packed away. In the distance she watches the lights of Auradon sparkling through the gaps in the mist as the wind blows it about.

At the sound of boots behind her she quickly wipes away a tear as Uma moves to sit next to her.

“At least let me know when your going to cry. They may not be your first tears but they’re still a valuable resource.”

Adamaris scoffs and her face breaks into a watery smile.

“You miss it don’t you?” Uma’s tone turns sympathetic.

“Hmm” Adamaris hums, “it’s still my home.”

“I never really thought how hard it must be for you to have everything there and now nothing here” Uma tells her.

She shakes her head. “Apart from freedom, you’ve given me more than I ever had over there.”

“We’ll give you that too.”

Adamaris looks over to her new Captain in confusion, not really sure what she’s meaning.

“Freedom” Uma nods over to Auradon. “We’ll get you back there… That’s a promise.”

[the-foxes-fangs]

(that-otome-potato) I was thinking... from your point of view, how would your version of Mitsuhide and his mc handle a huge fight? Like one where she left his palace to go back to Azuchi and wouldn't talk to him? I need to take my mind off of how chapter X ended...

OOoh that’s a good prompt, thank you! 

                                                *＊✿❀　❀✿＊*

Her fury was as rare as it was unyielding. Perhaps that was why he hadn’t noticed the icy distance in her eyes until it was too late to assuage it with a simple concession, a kiss, a teasing joke to remind them that even if they didn’t agree they were still on the same side. 

They had just secured a fragile alliance, and she had witnessed the visiting warlord beating his page and simply refused to let it go, damn the consequences.

He couldn’t help respecting her sense of justice even when it was as irritating as the noise of a mouse gnawing at a wall, as it was now.

They had gone back and forth, he countered her every suggestion with a list of reasons why the comfort of a single page was far less vital than the peace of an entire region, treating the conversation as if he was discussing tactics and strategy, trying to talk her out of trouble with potential compromises, not paying enough attention to the hard glitter in her eye.

He had then managed to toss a lit taper into what turned out to be a powder keg, asking “little mouse, why do you care so much?” 

It would stand in his memory among the most spectacular rhetorical failures of his career.

He saw the mottled red flush rise up her throat at the same time that her eyes turned as hard and sharp, her expression as distant as a snowy mountain peak, and just as cold. 

It wasn’t the anger, it was the disappointment with which she looked down on him as she rose stiffly.  

“Why don’t you?” She said, voice as as flat and chilly as a frozen lake. 

He knew better than to let his frustration add wind to the tempest but his own chest was tight at the sight of her, hands in tight fists at her side, stubbornly refusing to listen, refusing to see the larger picture. 

“Perhaps I simply have more important matters to think about than what is, whether you like it or not, a perfectly normal part of the relationship between vassal and lord.” He said, matching the cold in her tone.

“Well don’t let me distract you from such important matters, in that case.” She said, so coldly that it should have withered the flowers on the shelf with frost. 

She stood perfectly still for a moment, before she curled her lip in disgust as she turned away. He had expected that she was simply leaving to cool down, had expected that he would find her in the room she had turned into a workshop upon taking residence in his manor, her usual refuge. 

Until he saw a glimpse of her, bag in hand, and heard her tell a startled maid she was returning to Azuchi. 

He nearly rose to follow her, to go out into the street and tell her that he was sorry, to take her hand, but he pressed his lips together into an angry line and sat drumming his fingers on his desk instead. If she wanted to turn this into a match of wills, so be it. 

He tossed and turned alone in bed, alternating between anger and regret as he felt the cold space where her body should have been. They rarely fought in earnest, which made him feel even more irritated by how he had allowed something so trivial to come to this. He tried to shake off the guilt he felt at the idea of her alone and probably crying. It had been her choice. 

The morning passed as he worked furiously, the entire manor pregnant with tension as the maids and his retainers practically tip-toed around with curious eyes. 

Their devotion to each other and the unified front they presented to the world was unusual enough to have been the subject of gossip in its own right, and now she wasn’t even speaking to him. 

He rose and took his documents in hand and headed to the castle to make his report to Nobunaga. 

She was nowhere to be seen on the way to the Tenshu, which he found irritating in its own right, since it would force him to either go to her with no excuse, or leave things to fester in silence for who knew how long. 

He made his report and waited to be dismissed, grumbling inwardly as Nobunaga studied him with calculating curiousity. 

“Our chatelaine has returned to her residence here. I expect you can explain this turn of events?” He asked, coldly. 

“We had a… minor disagreement, my lord. Too trivial for you to concern yourself with.” Mitsuhide answered glibly. 

“I’ll be the judge of what is and isn’t trivial, Mitsuhide.” Nobunaga responded, adding an amused snort. “Have you taken steps to rectify the situation?” 

“I feel it might be unwise to act hastily.” Mitsuhide said, keeping his smile carefully fixed in place. 

“How unusual it is to see you letting your feelings interfere with your goal.” Nobunaga replied, tapping his fan in the palm of his hand thoughtfully. 

“This is hardly analogous to a political negotiation.” He said, eyes narrowed at Nobunaga’s self-satisfied smile. 

“Is it not? I see two former allies at odds, each waiting for the other to open negotiations. Of course, if I were you, I would simply give the other side every concession, given that you stand to lose nothing but a little face and gain that which you most want.” Nobunaga replied with a shrug. 

“I would gladly do so if the concessions were wholly mine to give.” Mitsuhide countered sharply. 

“Is that all?” Nobunaga asked, with a decisive snap of his fan. “I trust your diplomatic skill implicitly. Do whatever you see fit.” He finished, with a gesture of dismissal. 

Mitsuhide rose to leave, and paused at the library to write a hasty note, passing it to a maid. He plodded out of the castle to wait impatiently on neutral ground.

He saw her coming at last, walking resolutely toward the tea house, dressed gorgeously for the evening’s celebratory banquet, her proud demeanor adding an unusual touch of stateliness to her beauty that set his pulse racing. She nodded at him and sat beside him. 

“This isn’t right.” He said softly, turning ostensibly to adjust her hairpin, to touch her cheek lightly. 

The afternoon sun was soft as it felt across her face and he watched her expression begin to thaw. 

“No, it isn’t.” She said, fixing him with a penetrating gaze.

“I’d never have guessed you were such a devastating tactician.” He said, offering her an honest smile. “But you know exactly how to turn the tables on me.” 

She reached out to take a strand of his hair between her fingers, with a bittersweet smile. “This wasn’t about leverage. I’ve been angry, I’m still a little angry but–” she paused with a sigh. 

“I know that we have very different experiences and ideas, but I’ve always believed that we share the same principles. I can’t just stop caring. I won’t.” She finished, a quaver in her voice. 

He sighed audibly and reached for her hand. “You wouldn’t be the woman I love if you did.” 

She knit her fingers through his and he saw the faint beginning of the gentle smile he knew and loved. “I know it’s not unusual to you, but I just can’t accept it. What’s the use of all this struggling for power if nothing really changes?”

He draped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer, kissed her forehead tenderly. “I lose sight of that sometimes and I need you by my side to remind me. Perhaps a bit less forcefully, but I’m aware that I can be…” 

She cut him off with a soft laugh. “A condescending jackass?” 

“You’ve made your point, my dear.” He replied, dryly. 

“Well, I’m a jackass too.” She added. “There’s nothing I hate more than feeling powerless, and I took that out on you.” 

She craned her face up to steal a quick kiss with apologetic eyes. He held her chin and bent to kiss her deeply, pleased with the lascivious sigh she gave. 

“If you don’t stop we’re never going to make it to the banquet.” She murmured, as she ran her hand down his collar, brushing the bare skin of his chest. 

“I’ll have to tease you to twice as much later to make you pay.” He whispered, mouth close to her ear, his blood heating with desire at how her breath caught and how she shivered. 

She gave him a hungry glance as he forced himself to draw back, and focused on smoothing her hair and clothes into place. “That had better be a promise.” She said, heat in her lingering gaze. 

“A promise, a threat, whichever you find the most distracting.” He shot back with a wink. “I’m afraid we have to part, but do me a favor and tell that page that I’d like to offer him a position.” He added, as they both rose. 

“Is that a scheme I hear in your alluring voice?” She asked playfully, backing away from him, but holding on to his hand with her fingertips. 

“Why, I can’t believe that you’d accuse me of such a thing!” He answered, feeling the heat rise in his face at her compliment. He strolled toward his manor, turning to wave at her one last time, and put the finishing touches on his plan as he changed into his formal clothes. 

He had spoken to Nobunaga just before the banquet formally commenced, and took his place beside the lord whose alliance they were celebrating, pouring him a cup. 

“That page of yours seems an unfortunate young man,” he said casually, “he looks rather out of place, and at such an important event.” 

The lord scowled and tossed back his drink moodily. “He’s worthless I tell you, an absolutely hopeless idiot, but he’s my wife’s cousin’s son, and I’m stuck with him.” 

Mitsuhide filled his cup again and leaned in conspiratorially. “You could leave him in my service.” He said, and offered the man a knowing smile.

“Now there’s an idea.” The lord answered with a tipsy chuckle. “He’d get he deserves, then, the little bastard.”

 “But I have no one at all to offer as a replacement. How terribly unfortunate.” Mitsuhide said with exaggerated disappointment.

“You shouldn’t offer favors that you can’t deliver upon, Mitsuhide, but I take responsibility for your caprice, as always.” Nobunaga interjected with lordly disdain from the dais. “As a mark of my favor, I’ll send one of my own pages with you. I have no doubt that a man as beneficent and honorable as you will appreciate his talents.” He finished, leaving no doubt that any abuse would be taken as a direct insult. 

“I– I-” the lord stammered, apparently only just realizing that he had been all but directly ordered to take a spy into his service, squirming uncomfortably under the twin smiles of Nobunaga and Mitsuhide. “Thank you, my lord.” He sputtered out at last.

“My lord is eternally wise and generous.” Mitsuhide said, showing the daggers in his smile. 

She had been pouring for Hideyoshi, eavesdropping on the conversation, and she looked up to offer him a dazzlingly bright smile that seemed to set the entire world right. 

[goldstonegolem64]

Book 1 Hope retunes Chapter 41 Shipyard showdown By GoldstoneGolem64

“ i like how we were at the rebel base for a total of fourteen  before we when on this mission “ Hunk said as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes 

“ Yeah why are we doing this so early in day “ Lance asked

“ And why are we doing this with two of members down “ Shiro asked  

“ Well it’s a simple mission to destroy the shipyard before it moves again and with the help of the rebel pilots that are helping us i think we can handle it” Allura said 

“ And Jay are still here to help were just not going to flying with you on this mission  “ pidge said as she was sitting at one of the consoles 

“ And unlike you guys and your loins.Val can  move and acted on her own .” Jay said as he was looking at a screen “ Also will be arriving shortly so get ready”  

“ Yeah stay safe out there “ Pidge said 

“ Will try “ Shiro said as he Keith , Lance and hunk left the bridge 

“ So how long till something bad happens and the plan goes to shit and we have to bail them out “ Jay said as a he was put on his duster over the his Salvager  armor.and readying himself to book it towards the hanger  

“ I give them ten- Twenty minutes tops” Pidge said as she was adjusting her  prosthetic leg 

“ Can both of you show a little more faith in are friends?”Allura said 

“ We have faith in them but are track record shows that no matter how simple the mission seems something bad is going to happen no matter what and we’re just getting ready for the inevitable” Pidge said 

“ Also i want to try out that crazy time stopping ability VAl as” Jay said 

“ Wait VAl can stop time ?” Pidge said excitedly 

“ Not really from what i readed from O’ryna notes and blueprints call it the chrono nexus it manipulates time in a senses it slow everyone else down and pushes Val’s system and the pilot’s body to there limits” Jay shuder remembering the first time. Followed by rubbing the scar across his forehead.” maybe after this mission you can see it” 

“ Cool” PIdge said as she watched four lion and a small fleet of rebel fighters flying towards the gas giant they appeared in front of which was the current  location of galra shipyard.

With the Other paladins 

“ So what’s the game plan Shiro” Lance asked 

“ You ,Hunk and I will take the front pulling their fire towards us and destroy any warship that are guarding the shipyards  while Val, Keith and the other rebel pilots hit the top and bottom  disabling it engines and it's radio towers so it can’t call for help” Shiro said as the broke through the planet's atmosphere the purple clouds of the planet were a bright purple with lighting cracking within them along with eel like small eel like creates moving with in them

“ Ok if we weren’t at war this would be a pretty cool place to show my parents “ MAtt said as he looked around 

“ yeah the universe never ceases to amaze me” Adam said as he looked around as well. But as he looked around he notices something else moving in the clouds something metal looking at them but as he looked at it it quickly disappeared into the clouds . Hey Guys something might be something out there watching us .“ 

“ Alright everyone stay on your toes and stick to the plan the best you can and keep you eyes out for anything out of the ordinary there might be something out there. Allura are the scanners picking anything up?”   Shiro asked as the group slip up into the three teams

“ Were not picking up anything up here beside some spikes in the atmospheres magnetic field. But that seems to be normal for this planet” Allura said 

“ All right then “ Shiro said as he Hunk and lance broke through the cloud line and saw the shipyard. IT didn’t look like much to them  it was just a huge floating purple  octagon that was about three times the size of castle of loins.

“ Hey guys is it just me or are there no warships in sight ?” Lance said 

“ Yeah that’s a little unnerving “ Hunk replied 

“ There may be no warships here but remember daring the mission briefing it said the shipyard had it’ s own defends so don’t let your guard down “ Shiro said as cannons and anti air guns turrets towards them and opened fired on the as well as hundreds of fighter poured out  along with two warships of the hangers

” looks like we got there attention”  Hunk said as he returned fire 

“ well then lets give them a show “ Lance said with a smile as he fire the blue lions frost cannon 

Shiro smile as the duel jaw blade of the black lion appeared in the black lion mouth as he charged toward the closes warship at top speed started cutting through the fighter like a hot knife through butter as he swore through the sky something felt a miss as he go closer to  the warship. He noticed that  the warships were just firing of their ion cannons in random derations and the fighters were just flying around not shoot at all even the shipyard had stop fire and it just floated there. He then notice how decrypted the shipyard looked it looked like it was falling apart “      Something isn’t right about all this

“ This is seems way easier than we thought. Now whens the trap going to be set off “ Lance said as he dodged an ion blast from one of the two warships followed by him freezing ion cannon as it was charging casing it to explode. 

“ Yes lance is correct in his obsession this seems way to easy “ Val said she and her team were doubling back to the castle .seeing how suspect this situation  

“ Yeah somethings is going on here “ Keith said doing the same 

“ Hey  guys have you notice how weird  the fighter and the warship are moving?” Hunk asked as the fighter and the warship  stop moving 

“ Hey guys not to Alarm you but besides you guys there is no one alive in that area. “  Jay said over the comms  as he was looking around the surrounding area for hided warships or other things.

“ Alright everyone back to the castle Now “  Shiro ordered but as he did a cage of crackling electricity appeared around trapping Shiro, Lance, Huck and serval rebel fighter in side of it .While Val ,Keith, Adam, Matt and the rest of the rebel fighters on the other side of the cage.

“ What is going on here “ 

“ What do we do “     

“ It’s game over man game over.”

“ Everyone shut up and calm down  we don’t know what’s going on yet. But we will get out of th”

“ No you won’t .Well not unless you surrender to the empire” A voice said over the comma. Everyone looked around trying to find the signal location “ If your looking for me I’m sitting on top of the one of the warships” 

Everyone turned around looking towards the warships and watched as a robeast decloaked in front of them sitting cross legged on top on the warship with the ion cannon still in tacked “   Hello there “ The robeast waved at the paladin 

The robeast was of the same design as the robeast the team fought on the balmera. But instead of red it was a dark purple with yellow line going up and across it’s body as well as the head itself  was that of super tactical droid from star wars 

“ Who are you “ Shiro asked 

“ Ah A negotiator good to see your not shooting first. I lost a lot of deals and killed a lot of customer that way. We’ve meet once before at that rebel base my bigger companion whipped out “ Skyver said as he’s robeast stood up “ I Am Skyver Creaser White wing the 3rd . But please call me Skyver” then the robeast bowed to them “ And I'm here to make you an offer you can’t refuse “As the were bowing Val turn invisible and tried sneak back to the castle only to be grabbed by two set of hands and were held in place “  You truing to run away now. Thank The great winged one I brought friends “ 

As he said that two more robeast appears both looked like a factory made   version of the Valkyrie in her Combat form. They were pure white with no desiring  features besides the heads that looked like they were from robotech with one purple eye in the middle of the face .On there back was a single engine with two set of jet fighter wing attacked to them 

“I’m guessing the other two are going to the castle to retrieve the other members of this little rebellious gang I guess” Skyver said 

At the castle of lions 

“ What is going on down there. Shiro, Lance, Hunk anybody report “ Pidge said “ Jay you got anything ?” No Reponses”   Jay?” Pidge turned to look at Jay to see that he was zone out “ JAY!!” she yelled snapping Jay out of his stupider

“ Get the Shields up and fire everything “  Jay yelled as he did the particle barrier turned on and as the barrier formed up something collided a top speed  with one of the barrier pieces  as it appeared and with a visible ripple to the barrier it appeared in front of them  Along with another one that appeared next to it seeming helping it’s team mate 

“ What are they?” Allura asked 

“ I don’t know don’t care Pidge we need you to get down there and help them out. One of the guys from the rebel base massacre is here and has Shiro, Hunk and lance trapped with them  As well as two more of those thing are holding onto Val preventing them from getting here” 

“ Well give you covering fire “ Allura said 

“ Alright then guys remember just like Val I can turn invisible but it would help”  pidge said as she with help from Jay walked towards  short cut door to her lion “ Wish me luck” Pidge said as the door closed behind her 

“ Good luck” Jay said 

“ May the goddess be with you “ Allura said as she ready the castle defends and open one spot in the barrier so pidge could get out “ I’m sorry I didn’t send you with them “ Allura said to Jay 

“ It’s alright Allure you were just looking out us it’s no big deal . Coran we ready to fire. Also sorry for not talking to you I just been real stress out since this mission started “ JAy said 

“ It’s alright and were ready to fire “ Coran said he lock on too the two robeasts  that were punching at the particle barrier in front of them then it suddenly disappear catching them by surprise 

“ Then Fire at will !!”  Allura yelled as a huge beam fire out the tip of the castle of lions followed by the beam fracture into eight different beams.

The two robeast were caught up in the onslaught of beams and that allowed pidge to slip by them

back with the other 

“ So what is your deal then?” Shiro asked trying to by the team time to figure out a plan to get them out of this 

“ Well it’s simple surrender to the empire and pelage your loyalty to emperor Zarkon and what ever back water planet you all come from in be spared a terrible fate of being destroyed “      Skyver said 

“ An if we don’t take this offer what happens then ?” Lance asked 

“ Well then “ The robeast waved it’s right hand and black metal disks detached themselves  from every fighter along with the warship and attached themselves to the robeast an a field of electricity  surrounded him “   Will see how you fare against my war machine”  Skyver said 

“ We just call them robeasts “ Hunk said 

“ That is a stupid name “ Skyver said 

“ Screw you it’ s a great name.” Lance said 

“ No it’s not “ Skyver said annoyed 

“ Yes it is “ Lance yelled back getting closer to Skyver’s robeast 

“ No it’s not “ Skyver yelled back  

Then an augment broke out between the two of them

Keith looked around the area not wanting to jump the gun in this moment because all the people that could get caught in the cross fire. Then he notice two of the black dots near each other and thought if he destroy them he could free the other but he needed Val’s help to pull this plan off. “   Damn if only pidge or jay were here  they could figure it out “  as Keith said that a message appeared telling him pidge as on her way and get ready to help Val escape. Keith look up from the message to see the green lion quickly come in and out of clocking. He then turn to look at one of the two white robeast and aimed his molten and fired

The red beam slammed into the robeast causing it to let go  of the Valkyrie. That was followed by a Green beam slamming into the other causing Vines to burst out and entangled it. An the moment She was free Val throw her engine into top gear and flow straight towards the castle of lion. that was followed by lance point blank fired his ice beam straight into the robeast electrical shield causing three of the metal disks to freeze over and explode leaving an opening . which gave Hunk ,Shiro and the rebel fighter with them to open fire on them  

Skyver was surprise “   God damn it!!” as Skyver yelled at the onslaught of fire. He raised his right arm to block the shoots and used his left hand to redirected three unused disks to replace the broken ones and  them were in place his barrier was back in place he yelled orders to his suburbanites   “ K -8 kill the rebels and grab the red one. K- 4 break free and help me “ Skyver yelled as the cage around him flickered as more of his disk start to fall around him and they were covered in vines and roots. He recalled what ever disks were felt and used them to reactive the fires here and the one war ship “  Damn I fell for one of my own tricks “ he sigh “  I didn’t want to fight but you left me no choose  “ Skyver said as the disks on his back detached from him and moved toward the destroy the Shipyard and started to strip it of it’s metal and as it did the metal started to spin around the robeast add another layer of protection to him. “ But hey lets have some fun then “ an with a filch of the wrist all the metal that orbited him were launched forward at the lion. 

As the metal flow Hunk and Shiro tried to dodge the metal only to both of them be tackled and held in place by the other robeast. The metal shards slammed into them and attached themselves to the two lions . Then the robeast was hit by lance’s mouth cannon casing it to let go of both lions and to turn it’ s attention towards lance only to have a frost beam hit it square in the face casing the robeast to claw at the ice trying to get the ice of it 

“ At first I though this was going to be a problem” Pidge said as she fire another green beam at the warship causing roots to over take the ion cannon and the top of the ship destroying the some of the disks controlling it 

“ Don’t get cocky Sis were not out of the woods yet” Matt said as he shoot down two Galra fighters  as well as being shoot at by another “ Can someone get this guy of us “ matt asked 

“On it “ Adam said as he chased after the Galra fight in his repaired and upgraded mf fighter and shoot down the fighter tailing Matt “ Ok remind me when we get back to thank team behind repairing my jet “ Adam said with a smile 

“ Your welcome “ Matt replied as he was on the team that repaired the Mf jet. “ Hey guys Shouldn’t you make Voltron will cover you guy “ As he and Adam fire on the third robeast in the back. the shoot exploded on contacted causing the one of the robeasts four wings to fly of which caused the robeast to spin out of control  into a random direction before it righted itself and turned around and looked toward the rebel fight that were now swarming them

“ Alright team lets  form Voltron” Shiro said 

“Oh no you don’t” Skyver said as an invisible force pulled both Shiro and Hunk towards him then throw them back at their teammates causing the five lions to slammed togther. Then he pulled both lions back to him and launched them back at their friends

"What is going on with this guy .what can he do and why is he able to throw the black and yellow lion like rag dolls “  Keith said as he dodged  the yellow lion being throw at him 

“ I’m guessing it has the power of magnetism and anything those disks touch get magnetized and is under that robeast control”  Pidge said 

“ then how is it controlling Shiro and Hunk then “  Keith said as he fired the red lion’s molten cannon only for a wave of scrap metal appeared and blocked it followed by the molten slag to be thrown at him 

“ Look out “ lance yelled as he fire of the freeze ray freezing half of the melt slag while Keith dodged 

“ I’m guessing when that robeast that lance freeze the head over held onto Shiro and Hunk in place. Allowing that shrapnel storm to hit them the metal must have imbedded themselves or attached themselves to their lions “    Pidge said as she dodged The black lion being thrown at her 

“ Ok them how do you get us out of this then?” Shiro asked as he tried to fight against Skyver’s control which on made the black lion spin out of control “ Leonidas do you have an idea to get out of this “ 

IN the back of Shiro mind “ No and to be honest I never thought I would see situation again “ Leonidas said supersized and a little happy to see something from his past with the first group of paladins.

“ Wait you’ve seen this before?’ Shiro said surprised only to get no response “ Great just great”

“ Uh Shiro I didn’t know who your talking to but we have another problem “ Lance said as he looked towards the robeast he fought earlier and watched as it broke it’s head free from the ice and grabbed at a hilt at it’s side and pulled out a blade followed by the other robeast firing off a beam from it’s eye scaring of the rebel fighter that were swarming it. It then turned to look at the three lion and it’s eye started to glow 

“ Jay where are you ?” Pidge asked 

“ I’m going to be there after I get rid of the two robeasts that are harassing the castle just hold out a little bit longer.” Jay said over the comms 

“ Will try “ Keith said as he summoned red jaw blade and readied himself for a fight 

Back at the castle of lions 

The two robeast were using their weapons to try and blast and bash at the particle barrier. One had a crackling purple energy scythe and the other had twin what looked like pistols that was firing small ion round into the barrier. As the one with the pistols stopped firing to let it’s weapons cool down. Something tapped it on it on it’s shoulder. It turned around and was meet with a shield bash to the face which made pushed them back only to nearly avoid being implied by the spear by a now visible and in combat formed Valkyrie ready to rip it apart 

“ Are you series the empire is just now there not ever trying to hide the fact that their copying you partner” Jay said jokingly as He brought up the shield to block two on coming shot 

“ Well imitation is the best form of flattery “  Val said happy to see that she was being the one used for a mass produced model of robeast 

“ Yeah but still This could have some bad implications for the future if there using you as the base for a mech army.” Jay said as he stabbed at the robeast in front of them 

“ That is true but let’s not focus on that right now and focus on the two in front of us right now “  Val said as the other robeast charged towards them to help it’s partner 

“ OK” Jay  said as he dodged a scythe swing and swung the spear to meet the follow up swing this robeast was going to make as they spun around. The two weapons collide causing sparks to fly. The two swung at each other and each time they collide more spark. The two were evenly match in there fighting style. But at stopped when the robeast over played it’s hand when it tried to get in closer by spinning the scythe around it’ s body and when it tried to bring the scythe down onto the Valkyrie’s head it was meet by the Valkyrie's Shield and when it collide with the shield it focused the scythe to fly back upwards leaving it open as the spear stabbed into the robeast gut then fired three shoot into robeasts gut leaving a huge hole in the robeast back. They both watched as the light in the robeast body dimmed and metal body went limp and let go of the scythe.

“Ok time for the next one “ Jay said as he pulled the spear out and looked for the other robeast that disappeared and with out missing a bit Val took control of the Valkyrie and let go off the spear and grabbed onto the scythe and spun an slash at the empty space behind them. As she did this the scythe stop middle swing and it looked like the metal was slowly disappearing. Then it start to reappear followed by the reappears of the other robeasts with the scythe imbedded  into the  side of it’s head. “Ok that was extreme and awesome “  jay said as the scythe was removed from the robeasts head

“ Inferior consumer models”    Val said as she took the weapon from this robeast and scanned them “ Alright let’s help the others”

“ Wait if were going I'm there we need a plan. Allura I'm going to need you to shoot at us at full power “ Jay said with a smile on his face as the wing closed around them 

“ Alright then “ Allura said as she aimed the castle particle cannon At the Valkyrie Then fired

Back with the others 

“ Oh this is going to make Lord Zarkon happy “ Skyver said as his two suburbanites had the three loins and the rebel fighters on the ropes as he kept the black and yellow lions along with all them remaining Galra fighters under his control “ To be honest I wonder how Voltron would have broken throw by barrier. “ Skyver smile as he watched this then he looked down to see how K-11 and k-3 were doing against the run away dragon only to see that he couldn't’ t see what they were seeing. Then came  a loud boom as something at break neck speeds entered the planet’s atmosphere “ Ah the angle of death has come to play. K-4 , K-8 leave the small fries to me and go handle the bigger prob-” Skyver was cut off when K-4 turned it’s head to look at the on coming threat only for it’s head to no longer be there as well as  K- 8 to be cut in half by a silver blur. And that was followed by something slamming into his barrier He looked towards it to see k-4′ s head now caught up in the barrier “  Thank the great winged one I'm not actually here Skyver said under his breath 

“ So you're the one causing my friend so much trouble “ Jay said over the comms. As an energy whip came out of the clouds and wrapped around a Galra fighters and throw it at the barrier causing it to explode and destroying the serval of the barrier’s control dish leaving Skyver open “ give them Hell guy’s” jay said as  another onslaught of fire from all the rebel fighter The red lion’s molten Cannon , The blue loin’s Frost ray and the green lion’s Gaia beam. The combination of all this fire it’s armor melting and suddenly freezing   and the sudden burst of roots and vines across it’s body causing the Polaris’ s computers to overload and explode causing everything under his control to lose power and freeing the Black and Yellow lions 

“ Oh great Just great I had a plan I had a deal and you lot had to throw it all away. For what a chance at a free universe new flash Ass holes There is no such thing as a free universe. “ Skyver yelled in anger  as He watched Voltron formed in front of them and watch as it summoned it’s sword. “ But to be honest I knew the out come and I didn’t play my cards right at all I should have been more caution I should have let you form Voltron first and then have my subordinates attack you. There were a hundred thing I could have done but hey no point in dwelling on the past see you next time “   Skyver said has Voltron brought it’s sword down and slashed the Polarize in two causing it to explode.

“ Six To Three”  Jay said 

“ Wait how do you have six I counted four of those white robeast and the only other robeast you beat was the one on the balmera“  Lance said

“ I count the red queen as a win but if it doesn't to you I won’t count it “ Jay replied

“ Ok guy we can argue about this later.  He just said see you nest time is that not Alarming to anyone “ Keith said 

“ Yeah that's alarming  but what about the fact that the empire is making is now making more robeast based on my the Valkyrie. Yeah they were easy to take out but still this is a problem” Jay said 

“ Yes that is we need to bring this up with General Asmo let get going. Back to the castle everyone “  Shiro said

“ Should we bring any of those thing back with us?” Pidge asked about the two defeated robeasts that were just floating 

“Just leave them here I already brought one on to the castle before I came to help you guy jay said as they flow back to the castle.

“ Alright then” Pidge said happy to hear that.

A few hours later back at rebel base the castle of lion’s landed and as the team started walking out of the castle they saw the familiar face of Ulza the blade of Marmora member

“ Hey Ulza what brings you here?”  Shiro asked

“My Master Wish to met you.” Ulza said 

[celery8705]

Unattainable Love

           The wind warrior never thought much about love, because he felt it didn’t suit him at the moment. He wanted to fulfill the dying wish of his late father to travel the world, which prompted him to begin his journey. He enjoyed wandering because there was always something to see, experienced or learned something new. Eventually it became his life, and followed where the wind took him. For him, he felt being in love meant being tied down, and he felt he was not ready for that.

           But when he reunited with a certain blonde swordsman who wielded a blade almost as large as him, things changed. He recalled the moment when the other man seemed to come out from nowhere and saved his life from the silver-haired swordsman. He remembered catching a brief glimpse of stunning glowing blue eyes through blonde bangs as he fought with his arch nemesis, while he himself battled with the evil tree.  

           After the battle, the wind warrior and swordsman journeyed together with the goal of reaching the goddess who summoned them and find a way to return home. As they embarked on their quest, he learned more about his traveling companion. There was much more to the other than he could ever imagine.

Behind the hard exterior the swordsman often exhibited, he was a man with sarcastic humor and sass, traits he had no idea the other had. He never saw that side to him, but it wasn’t unwelcomed for sure. In fact, he liked this side to the swordsman, because it showed another aspect not many got to experience. It made him feel special. But the swordsman was also a man who experienced a lot of trauma, some of which he was able to relate to. The wind warrior related to the guilt he felt in letting people he cared for die in front of him, like his parents or the amnesiac king and friend who traveled alongside him.

           After everything the swordsman had gone through, he still ended up stronger than he was before, a trait he admired and respected. Though when it came to his feelings, he wasn’t sure when he started to develop them. At first it caught him by surprise, and he wasn’t sure what to do or feel. He brushed these sensations in his heart multiple times thinking they would pass eventually. But they never did, and instead grew stronger as their journey continued.

           Even in the midst of battle, the wind warrior couldn’t help but think about his blonde companion. He couldn’t help but think about how the other was able to handle himself well against enemies, how fluid he moved when attacking, his incredible strength and speed, and the ability to use his tactical mind to adapt to the situation.

           Eventually, the swordsman was always on his mind. Every brush of their hands, every accidental touch made him blush and his heart skip. Whenever he was around the blonde, he felt a sudden rush of energy, like he wanted to dance or leap for joy. His breath would get caught in his throat when gorgeous mako eyes caught his gaze. Just being in his presence emitted so many different emotions of fear, anxiousness, giddiness, and a sense of peace he never felt before.

It was silly to have such thoughts run through his mind. He wanted to be close with his companion, feel his strong body pressed against his, and memorize each curve and scar. He wanted those alluring and glowing blue eyes to stare into his pale brown ones while they shared a night of intimacy.

           But fate was a cruel mistress, and reality hit him like a kick to the head from a chocobo when they arrived at the goddess’ tower. The person he had fallen for loved another, his heart belonging to the beautiful martial artist who had grown up with the swordsman. He could see it in the way he looked at her, how his face lit up when his eyes fell on her, and how he walked straight over to take her into his arms.

           His heart wrenched at the sight of his beloved swordsman holding the woman close and pressed his lips gingerly to her forehead. He wanted to be angry with her, but he couldn’t do that to her, especially when she was a great friend to him and had done nothing wrong. He should be happy for them, for him, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that at the moment. It was selfish. Hewanted to be the one in the blonde’s arms, for him to look lovingly into his eyes and caress his cheek with calloused hands, but he knew deep down that would never happen.

           He was a fool. Why would the swordsman fall for him when he had someone amazing in his life already? He didn’t blame him though, she was both physically and mentally strong, independent, gorgeous, and a caring friend. What’s not to love about her? There was also the fact they had a history together. Would he have a chance even if that wasn’t the case?

“Bartz.”

           The wind warrior snapped out of his reverie and noticed that the swordsman was standing in front of him with a concerned look. “Huh, what’s up Cloud?” he asked, trying to keep his cool.

           “Are you okay?” Cloud asked with a cocked eyebrow, bright blue eyes locked on him.

           No. No, he was not okay. He felt like running away and he felt like he was going to burst out in tears at any moment. He wanted to tell him how much he loved him, the words on the tip of his tongue, his chest feeling constricted to contain the many emotions he felt. It didn’t help his situation any better when he saw those intense blue eyes look at him with concern, those same eyes that seemed to look into his soul and hypnotized him with their beauty.

           Despite his heart crumbling in his chest, Bartz faked a grin. “Yeah! Why wouldn’t I be?” he responded in his usual cheery voice. But he knew it was a façade, he just hoped Cloud didn’t see through it. He couldn’t show Cloud how he felt, because that would complicate things, and he didn’t want that wedged between them. “I am feeling a bit tired, that last battle wore me out!”

           Cloud chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder, the corner of his lip tugged up. His heart leaped to his throat at the sensation. “It was a tough battle, but you did good. Rest up, I’m sure the others will be back soon. I’m sure we’re all gonna discuss a plan to fight the planesgorgers.”

           The wind warrior nodded slowly, not really paying attention to what the blonde swordsman was saying. “Y-Yeah.”

           With a nod, Cloud turned away and met with the woman he loved, taking hold of her hand and entwined their fingers as they walked out of the room. The wind warrior watched the pair exit together, feeling his heart break even more. He stood in place, unmoving and alone as his emotions ran amok, on the verge of bottlenecking. He cast his gaze downward, weakly rubbing his arm up and down in a feeble attempt to comfort himself as tears burned his eyes. His knees buckled under his weight and the adventurer fell to his knees, silent tears rolling down his cheeks as his thoughts lingered on the unattainable swordsman he had fallen for.  

[lamesiscanon]

To Fall in Love With A Killer

You’ve got to be kidding me. 

Twelve years. Twelve fucking years and Sirius Black was standing in front of him. Twelve years of endless thoughts of Sirius, wondering if he was dead, if he was alive, or if he was in danger, Remus never had any clue. But here the bastard was, standing across the busy street, long black coat moving just a little as the cars passed. The cars blocked Remus’ view for half a second but every time, he was still standing there. Smug little shit, staring at Remus with a smirk that reminded him how long it’s been since he has seen Sirius. The smirk that looked so different compared to the one twelve bloody years ago yet still just as alluring. And while Sirius stared at Remus, Remus just stared back, unsure of what to do in front of the man who he had a complicated past with. Car after car came and Sirius was still there after each one, and then he wasn’t.

Remus jumped when he felt the tap on his shoulder, his eyes swinging away from the spot Sirius had been standing to the spot Sirius was standing now, the stupid smirk still on his face. Remus quickly backed up about ten steps, hurrying to get far away from whatever danger Sirius Black had the possibility of having with him at that moment. 

Remus narrowed his eyes and scowled at the man, the manipulative, gorgeous man who broke his heart for games. The man who had no right to be here right now. 

“What are you doing here, Sirius?” his tone was the opposite of welcoming, yet Sirius’ smirk turned into a grin. 

“I was in the neighborhood Rem! Just thought I’d come and say hi, tell you how much I’ve missed you these past years. What has it been... eight?” Sirius slowly strode towards Remus, who just kept moving backwards. 

“Twelve.” Remus forced out. “Twelve years of you not giving a fuck so what stirs your fake interest now?” 

Remus was determined to get out of here without any incident, to not fall for the damn gray eyes and the boy he knows Sirius used to be, he had to get out of there before he forgot that Sirius was a new, bad person. So he tried to show it with his eyes, and his words, spitting them out and glaring at Sirius. 

You’ve got this Remus. You’re not swooning this time. Stay strong.  

Except, Remus’ intentions did not have the effect they desired. Instead of Sirius shrugging with his new “I don’t give a-” attitude and turning to walk down the road, whistling while thinking of who else to bother, his eyes lost a little light, and his grin faltered. He looked hurt. Remus almost wished Sirius looked angry rather than hurt. Being sad was his best manipulation tactic. 

“Remus... I know it’s been twelve years.” Sirius said quieter than his usual volume. 

“You’re a liar.” 

“Remus please, it’s been too long. I just wanted to say hi. That’s it.”

At this point the only way he’ll leave me alone is if he was strapped to somet-

Remus gave Sirius a thoughtful look, and tried his best to mask the evidence of an excellent idea forming in his head. He turned his thoughtful look back into a scowl, hoping it would distract Sirius’ eyes from his hand slowly moving behind his back. 

“Bullshit. Nothing has ever been that simple for you. Cut the crap, Sirius, and tell me why you’re really here.” Remus’ hand wrapped around a metal handle, cool against his palm and ready to be used if needed. He slowly pulled the knife from the tuck in his belt to his sleeve before moving his hand to his side again.

“I’m here because I wanted to see you again.” Sirius took a step forward, but at Remus’ killer glare, he didn’t take anymore. Sirius’ gray eyes looked sad, his most mastered trick. 

You’re not going to fall for it this time. You’re not going to fall for anything or anyone this time.  

“Good news then, Sirius. You’ve seen me. I’m leaving now.” Remus put his chin high, and made his eyes cold, staring right past Sirius and then started taking slow steps towards him. Neither said anything. Neither made any point to look at each other except right as Remus passed Sirius, he caught his eye. 

NOW. 

The knife in his sleeve fell and his palm once again found the cool metal. His arm swung towards Sirius’ lower back as soon as he knew the knife was in his grip, and then he would need to run, leave Sirius here for the people around them to take him to the hospital. 

Except he never got the knife in Sirius. He stared in shock at the hand that held his wrist firmly, keeping it pushed away from any dangerous range that could harm Sirius if Remus tried to stab him again. 

“How did you know I had the knife?” Remus asked him, adrenaline making his voice shaky. Sirius smiled at him, the real smile finally coming to surface. His cruel, wicked grin. It used to be Remus’ favorite smile. 

“I didn’t.” Sirius replied, and he slowly took the knife out of Remus’ grip before letting his wrist go. His face became softer before replying “I simply recognized that look in your eye you get right before you kill people.”

Remus jumped back from Sirius, shocked at the fact that he would remember such a detail as that and shocked at how it made him feel...

He lied to you! Come off it, Remus. You will not fall for it. YOU WILL NOT FALL FOR IT. 

“You were right. I often have ulterior motives.” Sirius continued. “And that’s why I’m here. I’m looking forward to seeing that look in your eyes many more times, like the good old days, because I need your help.” 

Sirius’ wicked grin was back on his face, and he extended a hand to Remus, who took it without thought. Before he knew it, he was wrapped back up into Sirius’ charm, his manipulative love games and the days of hunting the bad people. 

Well, at least you lasted longer than you did twelve years ago. 

[toast-tit]

You Put A Target On My Back, Baby

Mob!Tom x reader

*gif not mine*

Summary: Don’t leave your flash on, kids or you might end up getting interrogated by the world’s most fear mob boss.

Warnings: language, violent, blood kink???

A/N: lol I know I’m not active on here much but I will still take requests. I’m writing a fic on my wattpad that might be coming here soon, but if not my wattpad is Idrisisthetardis.

__________________________________________________

    The only thing I've known for the past hour or so was that I was completely engulfed in darkness. The rope that kept my hands back cut into my wrists and I knew for sure I was bleeding. What was weird was that there was no gag to silence me, but I still didn't shout or yell for help. I knew I was in deep shit and I knew why.

There was a distant creak from a door opening and a sliver of light that snuck in. It was tiny, but I still squinted because of the fact that I had been used to the dark. There was a murmur of voices and two pairs of footsteps getting louder with each word.

I wasn't even a cop when Scotland Yard contacted me. I was just a photographer who did one or two weddings a month and panhandled the rest of my rent money. Apparently Tom Holland, big bad mob boss, showed up to a wedding I was at and I had caught a photo of him, catching the eyes of the law. They promised me a year's worth of rent if I could be able to spy on the Holland empire and break the whole organization down with just a few clicks from the camera.

But my dumb ass forgot to turn the flash off and here we are.

I felt a hand yank my chin up and I faced a blinding light. It took me a few moments before I actually faced the man behind the light. It was Harrison Osterfield, Tom's right hand man. He was probably the only man to rival with Tom's body count and the one who caught me.

  "Well," he said, "Looks like you got yourself in a sticky situation, didn't you?" He was amused, but it wasn't lighthearted. It was more satirical and dark than anything else. I didn't respond, I was focusing on my breathing. "No shit, Sherlock," I finally said, looking him in the eye, "Where's the big man? I might as well just get this over with."

Harrison frowned at my desire for efficiency. He cocked his head to the side, "And why's that? Do you not feel guilt? Aren't you going to deny what you've done to get in here?" I pondered his words for a moment before shaking my head. "I'm going to end up dead whether I deny my actions or not. There's no use dragging it out. I'm pretty sure you'll forget my name in five minutes and get on with your day," I answered. My nonchalance was affecting him, I could tell.

It wasn't that I cared about living, I do. I have a dog at home that needs her mother and I have a brother who owes me money from a game of Monopoly. But I didn't care about dying. I've already had one near death experience and it didn't alter my life in a positive way. I didn't see the light and I didn't find my religious niche or any of that weepy shit. Instead, I had realized that if I die, I die. There's nothing that will happen to make me miraculously live again, I just go dark for eternity. And with that mentality, I lost my fear of death.

"You're alright, mentally, right? Like you don't have suicidal tendencies or anything?" Harrison furrowed his eyebrows in concern and I laughed. Tom Holland was most likely going to kill me anyway and he was concerned for my mental health? Talk about ironic.

Shaking my head, I reassured the big bad mob guy, "I'm fine. Let's just do your big scary shit and continue our day." Harrison kept his eyes on me for a hot minute before putting two fingers to his ear and saying, "Bring him in. She's ready." He then looked at me and said, "You're making a big mistake by confronting him, Y/N. I'm the nice one." I smiled wryly and tilted my head, "I'm charmed by your hospitality." The door opened and I saw the blinding light of the outside world once again and watched as Harrison walked towards it and Tom Holland walked out.

Now that I was seeing Tom, wearing two holsters of guns placed on his hips and a knife in his hands, I began to regret my decision of meeting him. There was no smile on his face like Harrison, instead a frown. If I was going to die at the hands of a psychopath, I would at least want to see them happy.

He stopped just a few feet before me and pulled up a chair, sitting in it. On the top of the chair, he began sharpening his knife. It was a scare tactic, I was sure of it. It was working, but barely. I was anxious, not scared. Tom stopped sharpening his knife and looked at me for the first time. He was jaw droppingly beautiful, to say the least. His brown eyes had gold specks in them that reminded me of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. His jawline could rival the salience of the knife he held. It was unfortunate he was a criminal; such good looks shouldn't squander their youth in prison.

"Y/N Y/L/N," he said, my name sounding like a different language when he spoke, "I've seen you around quite a few times." He stood up from the chair and kicked it out of side, the volume of the noise caused me to wince. Tom was near me now, and so was the knife. The cold blade was placed behind my ear, threatening for a taste of my blood. I didn't mind death, but I sure as hell minded pain.

Tom pressed the knife closer on my ear and I felt the blade begin to dig in. It wasn't piercing the skin yet, but the pressure was enough to make my breathing shaky. I was wrong. I was so wrong. I should've kept with Harrison. "I thought it cute that you took photos at a few weddings I came to. You were popular among my friends. Hell, I almost requested you at Harrison's wedding. And then I see you taking photos of me and good ol' Jack Dearbourn," the blade pierced my skin and I yelped.

I remembered Jack Dearbourn; he was a mole within the Holland mob. Tom found out and had him scalped and bludgeoned. I took photos of the murder and I was never quite the same seeing that monstrosity. It showed me what Tom was capable of. It made me realize what I was getting myself into. The Jack Dearbourn murder was also the very first time I cooperated with Scotland Yard. I worked with them six times before getting caught but Tom had known since the first. I really was in deep shit.

"I thought it merely a coincidence you would take photos of that incident. You were a photographer from the slums, there was no way you were going to go to the cops," he pressed the knife in harder and I bit my lip to conceal my pain, "Then I saw you at Ruth Hall during the coke exchange, the brothels, even my fucking house. The moment you left that flash on, I knew I was going to be the one to speak to you, darling. And hear we are." The knife then left my ear and made its way into Tom's mouth. I watched him lick my blood from the blade in disgust. The man was insane.

"The photos haven't been turned in yet," my voice was shaky, "If you haven't gone to my apartment yet, take the card from the camera." I didn't exactly know why I sold myself out easily. Pain makes people cowards, I guess. Tom reached into his pocket and pulled out the very same card I was talking about. "I'm not as dumb as you think, dear," he smiled sadistically. "I'm sorry," I apologized profusely, "I wasn't implying that I-" "I find it rather hilarious how you apologize for implying I'm a dunce but not for putting a target on my back. I see where your priorities lie, Miss Y/L/N," and with that, the knife was now placed above my heart.

"Spare the torture, Holland," I whispered, not taking my eyes away from the knife hovering against my breast, "I've done you dirty, so kill me." He wasn't surprised by my brusqueness, and I didn't expect him to be. I'm sure he's heard the tough guy pleads for mercy many times and I was no different.

What surprised me, though, was when Tom took the knife off of my chest and threw it on the floor. I expected him to unholster his gun and shoot me, but he didn't. Instead, he analyzed me, watching my body language. I didn't think I was giving anything away, but I must have been. Bodies have their own secrets from the mind, I suppose. " Your breathing is normal now, and you're not crying despite your obvious pain. Adrenaline, perhaps?" Tom noted. I had totally forgotten about my near mutilated ear, but I still didn't feel the pain, I was watching him.

He walked circles around me, picking up my hair and touching my shoulder with light touches. Once he appeared in front of me, he crouched and lifted my chin with his finger and leaned in. He watched my response, looking at how I looked at his lips and how my breathing slowed. He watched as I wanted him to kiss me, no matter how deranged he was or how mentally incapacitated I was. We were both crazy, but mine was only temporary.

His lips were hovering above mine and I felt him smile. It wasn't sadistic this time; it was alluring more than anything. He spoke and his breath was cool against my mouth, "You're weak. You don't fear death, but you don't want it. You sold yourself to the law for money, almost how your selling your sexuality for a single kiss right now." He pulled away, but I wasn't flustered. I mulled over his words and provided a different approach. "What if I'm not the one that's weak, but rather you, Mr. Holland?"

Tom raised an eyebrow, "Continue..." "You're intimidated by a photographer from the slums. So intimidated that you had her brought in so you can play mind games with her. If you had known where I was from, you would've also known I would never rat out someone who has provided so much for my block. Scotland Yard already gave me the money, I didn't need to turn in the photos. But you were scared that I was. Fear doesn't work well for a lord of darkness, I'm afraid," I stated.

"I admit, I don't care for death and I really do want to fuck you, but that's just me being human. We take our riches and spend it before the guilt sets in. You, however, are feeding your guilt onto others. You can't squander your riches, they're infinite. But you take your snitches, philanderers, abusers, and druglords and you put your guilt unto them before they die, making them afraid. You pass your fear onto them so you don't feel afraid. If you're unable to handle an emotion with as much gravity as fear, then you're weak, Mr. Holland," I watched as he soaked in my words. He wasn't mad or defensive, but rather pensive. I observed his silence, taking mental notes.

Tom picked up the knife and pointed it at me. My heartbeat quickened as I waited for his next move. "You have a pair on you, Y/N," his voice was a little darker now and I felt a twinge of fear flood my veins. He walked behind me and cut the ropes from my wrists. I tried to bring them in front of me, but Tom held them tight. He forced me to stand up and pinned me to a wall, placing the knife on my lips.

"I've never been called weak. Not even by my own men," he slid the knife down my bottom lip and it sliced me. I inhaled sharply and glared at him. "Looks like you need someone to put you in your place," I said, hating how the blood was getting everywhere on my mouth. Tom leaned in once again, but this time it was different. He still held my wrists, but they were above my head. My back was pressed against the wall and my stomach was pressed against his. There was no space between us now. The first time he had leaned in, he was in control of the situation, but now, none of us were except chemicals. "And you think you're that person?" his lips were almost on mine and I needed them to be so badly. I pressed my hips against his, but I had no response. I needed him. I don't know why I did, but I didn't give a fuck.

"Not at all," I answered. I wanted to close my eyes and lean in, but I wanted to see what he would do. For the first time, I kept my eyes on him, never taking them off. He broke eye contact by staring at my bloody lip. He then made the first move. He took my bottom lip into his mouth and bit it lightly, causing me to gasp. I then felt his tongue on my lip, licking the blood. He was toying with me and I loved it. However, I didn't love it too much before I leant in and kissed him deeply, moaning quietly as he kissed me back with the same ferocity. He dropped the knife and put his hand on the small of my back, pressing me close to him. Everything about this was messy, from the blood, to the kiss, to us needing each other relentlessly. He pulled away and I felt empty.

"You need to be cleaned up," was all he said before ushering Harrison and a few other men in here. "I offered her a job here and she complied as long as she burns the evidence. Take her to the spare room and make sure she's comfortable," Harrison grabbed my arm lightly and lead me out of the room and into the light. I turned back and watched as Tom regained his composure and wiped my blood off of his lip, following his men out and smiling at me in a way that made my knees weak.

[zaynyapsworld]

⭐" La fea verdad sobre “⭐

                                                                                09 / 02 / 2021

“ La fea verdad sobre:

              una persona que no puede estar segura de ti "

            ( The ugly truth about: A person who can't be sure of you )

 We know certain people who are trying to sustain their lives daily; their thoughts are endlessly trying to cope with reality, dealing with something they don’t understand; they have a hard time understanding how to succeed in their life circumstances. However, when you’re an adult, you develop a habit of doing things, particularly, yet we haven’t exactly led the way, or at least not to the level we should have.

We meet many people in their latter years who weren’t as developed as the previous generations appeared to be, or they can’t seem to hold themselves together. Right now, certain people are continuously thinking about their flaws, their shortcomings, and their failures; they’re constantly thinking about things that aren’t serving them while also being comfortable. And they’ve always been in an infinity thinking space.

(https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Sadness/1068796/4394107/view)

Most of the time, their significant other tries to come through their mindset at some point, but they can’t get into its core due to they’re so wrapped up within themselves. In this situation, the spouse may say, "Let’s talk with each of them so we can fix this." However, since they are already unstable, any idea they’re presented with would be perceived as a threat, so they would knock them off balance, since they are unstable. During the years, some people have struggled with anxiety and depression over how to proceed.

Every time this person relies on themselves, they always end up in a chaotic situation, unless they have someone to cling to. It’s uncertain, including that feeling brings a lot of distress. Also, fear is against all progress forward, as that is the only thing that matters. He misunderstood the argument as manipulation.

Their minds said, "I know you’re not trying to manipulate me," you’re trying to help, but I’m telling you, unless you were to receive this type of instability, it wouldn’t make sense to you.

Besides, the lack of emotions is evident in them, since they already feel imbalanced. They can’t trust anyone, because they can’t trust themselves.

As each person travels through life, we have a specific task to accomplish here on earth. Our journey is outlined: there are temptations, but everything has an escape route. It offered everything on this journey; all you need is the willingness to keep figuring things out. Only your willingness to keep trying to figure out things rather than simply sweeping them under the rug or pretending everything is fine separates you from the rest of the world. Without understanding, along with not being compassionate, we usually have a tendency to not always understand.

From the perspective of an imbalanced person, they think it is cool to be like that.

However, that's not the case. Stop trying to conceal the fact that you've been jaded on the inside by having to put up a facade. Those who do not know what to do still do not know what they will do. Many people simply enjoy serving others, and continue doing it, because of the positive impact it has on those they help, so they keep doing it. As long as they keep choosing themselves, they’re going to be anxious and disoriented. The only thing that can stop this: is to find something that grounds them, something on which they can concentrate.

They currently can not focus on anything because they are preoccupied with themselves, who are unable to focus on anything. When indecision, imbalance, and the adversary are present, we believe and act on that lie, that we’ll never get ourselves together. Because of their negative stance, they act in such despicable behavior because of their belief that they can never get themselves together.

In the spirit of truth and deity, he stretches out his full power hand to reach this person’s soul, because he wants to free them from their current state of feeling, and move them into a place of healing. They were, put on this earth for a reason. Here you are, the only one who is unaware of this. You need to deal with such feelings until you decide and cling to light, moving in a positive direction. Therefore, it is devastating when, one day, they seem to pay attention to you and then turn their back on you the next day, acting as if they’ve never had a connection with you.

They don't know what’s going on and are simply pleading for help in a self-destructive manner because of their inability to handle emotions properly. It has taught them that emotions are a sign of weakness. It taught them that everyone who isn’t them, is their enemy. This is their fundamental belief; they have it in their head. This is the perplexing thing: they resist deciding because the people around them have taught them they aren't that kind of person, and the world has convinced them they aren't as well: Resulting in an internal conflict and war. Whatever core belief is first solidified, the rest of the world will form to support that belief.

They're off balance because they don't know which way to go, and everyone else seems to act the same way, and it's so frustrating to see everybody doing so well, even if they're faking, because how do they do it?

Why is it not fair; Am I not good enough for it? They’re then bombarded with themselves once again. The world is enticing: everything they looked around them confuses them. The entire world is confusing them, vs. what they see on Instagram, Facebook, and also in life, everything is contradicting. There is so much conflict in the world that it's difficult for an individual to decide which path to follow.

However, there are many people in this world that maneuver or, rather, proclaim themselves that they can have whatever they want.  They were following whatever they observed: because it hasn't taught them what they're really witnessing is really not going to be relevant at the end of the day. 

(https://vocal.media/motivation/does-the-secret-really-work)

They are only aware of “the secret,” a documentary movie, concerning manifestations in a fundamental stage which was aired a few years ago.

In light of the above, we reiterate that the universe has offered them the possibility that it could be theirs. Even though it isn't a simple decision to make for them, it is a hard transition; they had to be in this certain position to presented that offer to them. A lot of the times, they’ll pick it up in the first place, then backslide as things go, which might knock them off balance: It also makes them terrified towards changes. Everything they've been taught in this world is in complete opposite of it.

If they refuse to decide, the world will confuse them or keep them battling among themselves, believing they want different things, or should we say most things, such as a luxury car, a luxury property, which are most of the things they’ve envisioned themselves with: Their wants are everywhere.

A lot of people are always desiring many things in life without recognizing what it is they are yearning for.: You will certainly agree that, at the end of the day, What gives you purpose and meanings in life will bring you happiness. It's the Soul of Truth. Once they’re ready, or rather open and prepared to accept it, it will remain till then, to keep calling them to somehow, be in a better place. 

Hence, they do not know it's a better place because they won't choose it and it won't be revealed to them. Until they choose it, but they must choose it because they know there's no better way to do it. They can't do it without it. One of the reasons they keep cycling is that everything in their life confuses them, back and forth all the time.

(https://qz.com/quartzy/1703857/from-it-chapter-two-to-the-joker-why-clowns-creep-us-out/)

The plethora of choices available for somebody to be easily swept away into, yet sadly, that's what the entity within themselves expect to achieve. The black shadow figure is devoid of any light, and the alternatives are sprayed out in front of them, and they're taken by surprise by how many choices it is to satisfy their desires.  They have this unique allure, that's all they are seeking for: even though the only thing wrong with them is that they can’t seem to stop themselves or slow down.

Enough with taking advantage of people; whatever they appear to be involved in, they had much too much of it going on with them already. They haven’t slowed down sufficiently yet, which is what is necessary. Everything will crumble: it'll start with you: And here is where they are about to be heading.  This is where they're aligned, and by chance, they are choosing, or perhaps agreeing, to evolve.

(https://monde-des-hommes.tumblr.com/post/42255133221)

Why are they confused? This evil is constantly lurking, supplying, & fueling them, since its opposing force has been on their track. Once you have unique life experiences with these sorts of individuals, how they’ve been being such a jerk and such an entirely different personality to how they were previously, we now understand why, and you’ll only understand that when you’re in spiritual warfare.

Once they are vessels for such opposition at this same moment, meaning that they should always choose the light, they might continue to act in a way which frustrates especially themselves.

Regarding their confusion, being driven insane within themselves because of their own chaos, as well as this conflict being a tactic of such evil that needs to keep them pushing the boundaries they need them to be, whoever is attached to all of that is indeed enslavement along with them, only if they want to move differently.

They feel like dropping this because they’re confused and wishy-washy. They feel like having to drop everything together and deciding to leave them behind; they feel as if they’re not satisfied in their heart. They’re not happy with the way things are going: because at this point they end up making this ,it should be the age of enlightenment, but it’s far too much right now, that the light really isn’t hidden, and it looks obscure,  All of this is because he is being driven by his adversary.

Be on your spiritual beings can bring you your core. This will give you your peace; your core is now being trained up by the spiritual warfare or being unresponsive to all that the adversary throws in front of your sight.

(https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/5348093293888268/)

They're not happy about what they've got going; it was no longer soothing them. Only when they choose the light, they’ll be inside a sinkhole; they’re an insatiable, ravenous creature. They are an enemy, but when they let go and follow the light and then go about their life, it seems that their soul is being drained, plus they are sucking other people’s energies.

Often, or even most of the time, they feel less than they did when they first engaged with you, and they have a lower vibe than you would have after you first interacted with them: Stop letting the adversary do that; refuse to allow them to mess up with you, as you have a wonderful chance at life, but just before you can do that, face that darkness on your own.

They are troubled by just how they treat you. However the evil had them going quickly that they can’t be bothered by how they treat anyone or anything: Since they’re not concerned with anyone else because they’re concerned about themselves. They always seem to be particularly worried concerning themselves, which would mislead them while they’re being led by the dark opposition.

There is indeed a difference in how a person moves when they choose a unique approach to thinking.  Despite all of the accolades, they are still unsatisfied, and even after all of the praise and all of the things in life:  Which makes them look good to be doing it correctly. 

They were still unhappy because they were not content on a soul level. Therefore, soul-level happiness will only happen when they ascend beyond this matter. Until then, this will bring them peace towards the world's chaos. It would still dissatisfy them despite all the grandeur that the world said will offer them happiness.

A lack of decisiveness, they’re not taking a stand, they don’t have a freaking backbone, they’re not fighting and resisting, they’re not using their capabilities to fight the adversary. Generally speaking, this is really the result of their choices, which caused them to be dissatisfied & conflicted.

Sometimes they think they’ll be able to beat them, but believed they can’t, not just by themselves, with them not deciding to be equipped, to beat it, so the opposing side keep using all luxury items in the world to get into them, causing them to feel  confusion,  chaos, not knowing what is good to distract: Since that is their weakest spot to invade them. Sometimes entertaining thoughts is letting the evil in just a little, and they have to fight it daily with this destructive energy, but for some unfortunate individuals, they aren’t equipped to even fight with it.

This confuses them to the point of exhaustion, considering they don’t want to, yet they still do it.  For example, comparable to how they treated their wife disrespectfully, whenever they got into an argument after a couple of days being in a peace-loving phase of their marriage, it was as if: inside their minds; they have this buzzer that would go off and stop them from doing the love languages, etc. and would start maltreating their wife: Although they don't want to.  Even though they could never really treat their wife like that after their marriage had just gotten back on track. It’s all as they’re being manipulated and therefore not from their own free will, whether they’re with the light or the dark side. Each of them is a decision, and delaying the decision allows the dark shadow ultimately to prevail.

It’s a sad feeling to be here. This is a place of complete and absolute chaos. And also discontent, but it’s okay, because the universe will offer a way, the end. The universe does not want this individual to be enslaved by darkness. But it must also come from this individual that he does not wish to fall into the devil’s claws. But the underlying issue here is that the individual does not trust that this promise is real. The victim returned with the impression that it was even genuine; yet it was all a deception given to them by the evil side. And, sadly, he sat with it for a long time. This individual should be able to move on from it at this point. They must learn that it is not for them, or they will fail to comprehend it.

The moment he works himself properly, he can enjoy some benefits. He don’t feel the power, so he feels they have to leave it behind. This individual feels that nothing will improve in his life, and then the devil defeats him, and sincerely, this individual is unhappy. What you need to do in this situation is to join the game and train your mind and spirit. If he doesn‘t, the evil will always control the thoughts. As evil takes control of its mind, it will continue to sabotage itself with all the good things that is happening around this person, so that he will feel that he’ll never be happy. He’ll never be a better person, that it will never have the effect that he wanted.

The great fear of this person is that he can never fully rely on himself for everything his partner has. He wants to rest and satisfy and want his partner to trust him. He also doesn’t want to do what he’s been doing for so long. He’s been under the spell of the dark for such a long time, so they have no control over themselves. And for their wife to get to trust them, but somehow, this individual’s spouse voluntarily gave the trust to him. He felt helpless and gasped, as if he’s always doing bad things.

As a result, they have to drop the protective barrier that they’ve built around them, thinking that they’re correct. They believe they are always right and that nothing is wrong with what they’ve been doing. But realizing that it’s not okay to be in the situation they’re in, and that if they don’t change and actively try to bring those walls down, they’re choosing to stay on the evil side of this situation, and with this it requires a great deal of integrity and openness, it’s something much greater than themselves. As this person constantly deceives themselves. That is how he manages everything, by lying about everything. Everything in this person’s life is crumbling, and indeed the wall must drop, so that this cycle will not continue to repeat itself: because of how they feel they can do whatever they want; they should start choosing now.

This person needs to have a moment of peace and reflect with itself, so that it can see what a mess he’s into and that there’s more and finally see that it didn’t have to do wrong by people, but to open its eyes that it didn’t have to betray the one that it says it loved the most: So with the moment of silence, they now see that they really don’t want to keep going in the old pattern and to not being able to enjoy itself and have a happier life.

The choices, he decides, is to have fun by speaking and saving souls. What does this individual finally view after deciding? It is everything of this world and anything that brings them anxiety, turmoil, and confusion, which is always giving them the mode to be, always be on the go, that does not benefit them at all. They are now abandoning the baggage that does not assist them to go forward, not knowing where they are going or where they’re headed.

But.

This is their true calling, and glory awaits ahead of them.

-End

❤️

All the Love - L

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In the world they tempted us to live according to the opinion of others; in solitude, we are tempted to live according to our own judgment; but the noble person is the one who, despite the crowd, keeps the independence of solitude with complete sweetness..