#Tower of Generation Failure

[precioushybrid]

V.ToGF redesign

It wasn't my idea on her becoming a male

[apparently-artless]

Summer Anime 2024 Watchlist

[request is now open, check the rules under the cut]

Isekai Shikkaku

2.5-jigen no Ririsa

Senpai wa Otokonoko

Isekai Suicide Squad

Delico's Nursery

Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi

Tower of God Season 2

Fairy Tail: 100-nen Quest

Katsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekitai shiteita. (Mahoaku)

Shoushimin Series

Giji Harem

Tasogare Out Focus

Oshi no Ko Season 2

Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan

Hazurewaku no "Joutai Ijou Skill" de Saikyou ni Natta Ore ga Subete wo Juurin suru made

I will also check these out:

Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san

Maougun Saikyou no Majutsushi wa Ningen datta

Atri: My Dear Moments

Tsue to Tsurugi no Wistoria

Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka?

Make Heroine ga Oosugiru!

Boku no Tsuma wa Kanjou ga Nai

Madougushi Dahliya wa Utsumukanai

Isekai Yururi Kikou: Kosodateshinagara Boukensha Shimasu

Shinmai Ossan Boukensha, Saikyou Party ni Shinu hodo

Kitaerarete Muteki ni Naru.

Request will be open for these series:

Icons (indicate circular/square)

Character gifset per episode

Specific scenes in a certain episode (with/without dialogue)

NOTE: ANYONE CAN SEND THEIR REQUEST SO LONG AS IT'S NOT ANON.

[gay-dorito-dust]

* re-corporates*

Hello again, sorry

Could I get some headcanons for a male [or gender nutral] reader who's a diva. Think the Emma frost kind. Bad bitch who's so cut throat when defending the team from the public view or like if Valentina is giving them shit.

"The only publicity cover up we need is that ratty wig you have on Valentina.😮‍💨>:["

However would literally lay down his life for anyone on the team and actively goes out of his way to make them more comfortable. Like demands them be treated well.

I love your work goodbye 👋

the second you all were called the new avengers, you wanted to wrangle Valentina's neck for the shit storm she was subjecting you all to.

You knew people wouldn't take too kindly to your group of assasins and super soldiers with blood on their hands being called a name that was once synonomous with indivisuals who might as well have been gods and worshiped as such.

you knew that things from here on out would be a constant uphill battle, where you'd be faced with countless obsticles for you and the team to overcome on your own.

after Yelena told Valentina that they 'own her now' you put your hand on the assassins shoulder, gave her a smile, before moving to lean towards Valentina where your smile became a malicious sneer. 'hopefully with all that money you'll get for these gullible lot, you'll be able to actually get your hair done professionally, and not have to rely on the bathroom mirror and the pair of siscors that i know you use to sort out those god awful dead ends of yours.'

you weren't done as you then later added. 'also if you try and use any one of my team as scapegoats in the media the second you can't control the narrative, i will come for your throat. do i make myself clear.' you threatned.

'crystal, you have my word.' Valentina replied with a tight lipped smile. you weren't convinced and she could tell, you would do anything in your power to keep your team safe, people you didn't give two shit about twenty mintues ago are now the people you would raise hell for in order to keep them out of the public eye should you see it was getting to them.

this mainly being john walker, whom seemingly only ever cared about how the general public and press saw him as; a failure replacement of steve rogers who went rouge and killed a man in broad daylight.

'i'll believe it when i see it De Fontaine. so actually try and make it believable.' you mockingly spat before taking your spot between Yelena and Alexei, flashing the public a fake smile that would've fooled anyone and everyone becuase it was just enough to keep people from looking at your teammates and keep the public focus on you and you alone.

you did not fuck about when it came to your teammates, you wanted them to be okay and to have a much more comfortable living within the tower, all the while trying not to wince and scowl at the...decorative choices Valentina made to the place and actively made the choice to throw them out. Ava and Yelena had once caught you hauling an ugly statue over your shoulder and asked what you were doing.

'i'm not allowing myself nor any or you to live with such an eyesore, the woman doesn't know fashion from trashion if it hit her in the face.' you told them before adding, 'oh also remind me to buy Bob a book shelf for his book nook along with another beanbag or at least a more comfotable loveseat to support his back, weighted throw blankets, weighted plushies and snug hoodie blankets. okay thanks!'

you do similar things for Yelena, Alexei, John and Ava by making their floors within the tower more tolerable, places where they can find respit in. For Yelena you got her food for Fanny and Houdini the guinea pig, even buying them better dog beds and cages for houdini to move and get exercise within, along with some new jewlery and fake plants to decorate the blandness of her window sill.

For Ava you got her some books, diaries for her to write her innermost thoughts in, movies that she missed out on and that you'd think she would like, art supplies so that she could get her feelings out on the canvas and most of them came out really beautiful and amazing that you began to make a room on her floor decked out as an art room for her to fully use at her complete disposal.

for Alexei you got him memorobilia of his golden days as Red Guardian, knowing how much he looked back on those days with pride, wanting nothing more to recapture it. You got a massive poster of the wheaties box with all of you on it to hang on his wall, since he wouldn’t stop talking about it. You even managed to find newspaper clips of the football team that he and Yelena talked about and had them framed and sat on his bedside table for easy accept for him to look at whenever he wanted to, much to Yelena’s dismay.

For John you made one of the rooms on his floor into a sort of relaxation room that you made sure had no wifi, no signal, nothing and force him to sit in his thoughts and just breath. You even got him some journals to go write in as he didn’t open up vocally about what he’s going through, so why not write instead. You pay homage to Lemar ‘Battlestar’ Hoskins too upon learning how close he and John were, knowing how his death had disturbed John to the core even to this day while not overstepping your boundaries upon this subject.

You were essentially their reminder to take it easier on themselves, to treat themselves better as you would force the team into activities that would prove beneficial for not only them, but to you all as a team. Movie and game nights, family dinners in the Kitchenette, team outings to a park or elsewhere when there wasn’t any missions to go on nor stupid press junkets that Valentina demands you all to attend.

‘Stop it.’ You took the vodka shot glasses from Alexei and Yelena.

‘Put it down.’ You confiscated John’s phone, pocketing it in your jeans.

‘Knock it off.’ You grab Ava by the elbow before she could phase through the wall, something she always did whenever you decided to rally the group.

‘Come one sweetheart, get in here.’ You gestured for Bob to step away from the stove where he was making breakfast for you all, wanting to make himself useful while he was learning to better understand his powers and their full extent, seeing the tired look upon his face.

You’d make them all stay in the living room won’t let anyone be left out, not stopping until all of you were laughing and having a good time, you just wanted them all to be okay and will fully intended to be harsh if you must to get the results you want from your group.

But you have days yourself when you couldn’t always protect your teammates, days where you were tired from the weight you’ve put on yourself in taking care for others over yourself that your team decided to step in themselves to help you for a change.

‘Come on, enough of that.’ John said as he took away your phone, pocketing it in his jeans as he guided you to the room he and the others had decked out just for you. It took them a week but it was worth it. fairy lights hung from the ceiling, bookshelves lined the walls, a projector was lying in wait to be used, loveseats were placed wherever possible along with little gifts each of the thunderbolts best suited you and your room.

Yelena- a collage of pictures of yourself and her along with the other team members falling asleep on one another during movie nights, having self care days or even having a makeshift fashion show in order to make you laugh with tears. A plushy that looked like Fanny and Houdini the guinea pig. It was the least she could do when you reminded her to put down the bottle, put down the phone and allow herself to be in the company of people who love her and were just as fucked up as her, grabbing her by the hand and dragging her out of the room and forcing her to talk Fanny for a walk.

Ava- a painting she made of you that was hung on the wall, trinkets to put in the alcove units John had installed, and even found a plush window sill seat should you ever want to look out the window without having to worry about a sore and numb ass afterwards. It was the least she could do when she needed to escape, phasing into your room and lying on your bed while you kept her company, making sure to keep some distance between each other as you knew touch was something she was iffy on especially when over exerting herself.

Bob- books that were well loved and well read by him that he’d thought and hoped would help you, the sweater you kept stealing from him, and a weighted plushy he had help picking out for you. He even picked out some vine wall decorations to hang over the bookshelves to give them a more fantasy feeling. It was the least he could do for the times you’ve stayed up with him when he couldn’t sleep, for opening your door for him whenever he needed to talk to someone, for giving him the tools to help better himself mentally.

Alexei- a massive poster of him as red guardian, a fishing rod for he drags you and the others to go fishing and vodka shot glasses, and flower table lights. Helped Ava set up the cushioned window sill seat. It was the least he could do for when you helped him take the opportunity to do something new with this second chance in the limelight, to do things he’s always wanted to do while also helping repair his and Yelena’s relationship in the process.

John- some throw blankets, cushions, put together alcove units for you to use however you saw fit. Also helped Ava and Alexei with the window sill seat as he claimed they were doing it wrong. It was the least he could do for the times where you’d pull him away from public view and practically shield him from view, from another bad new outlet about him for him to drown in later. Telling him that he owed them nothing.

You almost felt like crying upon seeing the room and the personal touches each of your team had left behind, you knew most of them fucking sucked as speaking their feelings but the fact that they had all come together just for you. It showed that they cared for you and acted as the biggest thank you you’ve ever received in your life, reminding you why you were so hellbent on keeping their heads above water, for moments like this where you could see them healing and accepting of themselves.

You were proud of your dysfunctional team, you would keep defending them until you couldn’t anymore, they still very much needed you but you needed them just as much and standing in the room they’ve took great care in crafting just for you only proved such.

‘Thank you.’ You said to them.

‘No,’ Alexei said, clapping you on the shoulder, ‘thank you.’

[fantastic-nonsense]

the 90s are so fascinating for both Dick and Babs from a romantic standpoint because they're both working through MASSIVE crashouts for extremely different reasons: Babs is recovering from The Killing Joke and breaking off her engagement with Jason Bard, while Dick is reeling from his marriage to Kory failing, Joey dying, the Titans dissolving, not being Bruce's first choice to fill in as Batman for him after Knightfall, etc etc. Them getting together—and their romance in general—is a slow burn, slow-building relationship explicitly presented as "okay, they're both independent, mature, and confident characters now, this is the only way this was ever going to work and now they're ready for it."

Birds of Prey (1999) #8 was the first time in the post-Crisis universe the potential for their romance was explicitly acknowledged, but there are these….hints, here and there, in mid-90s comics (post-Dick returning to Gotham after the dissolution of the Titans) that indicate DickBabs was something that was definitely being thought about in the Bat Offices. Because Dick is CLEARLY not over Kory during this era and he dates 2-3 other women before he and Babs get together, but the hints are definitely there! It's actually really fun to read and realize that the entirety of the mid to late 90s is mostly just them reconnecting, talking to and supporting each other, and building up towards the more explicit romance in Nightwing/Birds of Prey at the speed of molasses.

Like, the "it was you. it was always you" trope DOES NOT WORK for them! It invalidates their other relationships and misses the whole point of what made them work in the first place! The whole point is that they're not the same people they were before their lives disintegrated, and through the rebuilding process they reconnected with each other as people who have grown, changed, and learned from their previous life experiences and found each other that way. They only work because of the adults they grew into being.

And then they finally get together, and it's great for a couple of years!

….then of course the mid-2000s hit the towers, and they break up, and we have several years of Dick and Babs explicitly thinking of each other as "the one who got away" and tiptoeing around the subject of whether or not they should give it another shot at some point.

idk it's just routinely astonishing to me how many people don't really recognize that Dick has to have already gone through the entire NTT era and his relationship with Kory and that Babs has to be Oracle and a grown woman who had a life before Dick for that romance to work. DickBabs only works as Nightwing/Oracle. Trying to retcon it into being Batgirl/Robin (beyond a 'childhood crush that is never acted on' aspect) or Batgirl/Nightwing is setting it up for failure every time.

also yet another reason why current DickBabs is shit, because DC is ignoring that a large part of the appeal of the relationship was the slowburn "part of rebuilding a new life after the old one has disintegrated" aspect, but that's a conversation for another post I guess

[intutive-peechu]

TAROT READING 🩷

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Disclaimer :- This is a general reading, it may or may not resonates with you . If you are thinking that your pile doesn't mach, so you can choose another one . And if someone is not inrested they can leave 🤗🩷

Note : Please like , reblog and comment below . I hope you all will enjoy this reading

Pick a pile :Why you will choose them as your one and only

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Pile 1. Pile 2.

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Pile 1 🩷

Cards : Three of swords reversed , king of cups , six of swords , strength , the devil .

Hello my pile 1 ,hope you guys are doing well let's dive into your reading, why will you choose them as your one and only ! So you might meet your partner when they are at their wrost and going through some hard time and are not at right place emotionally. They will be coming out of some hardships and situation which had hurted them in past . So the time you will meet them you might find their energy negative and don't want to be around them more or you get the idea of them being someone not being what they actually are , but they will move on from their past will learn from the things and grow into in more beautiful personality. They won't let their past experience overshadow their actual personality and that's what will make you choose them that even going through some really harsh things in past they didn't loose themselves in them .your partner will be someone LOVING, CARING, NURTURING, and filled with WISDOM . When you guys will be together he will be always their to help to guide you ,to assist you , not leaving you alone in problem and same goes with you too , and that will be exact reason why you will choose them as your one and only .

Thanks pile 1 🩷 for being here, hope this reading resonates with you 🤗.

Pile 2 🩷

Cards : six of wand reversed, Ace of cups , Seven of wands , The high priestess, The tower .

Hello pile 2 🩷 starting your reading with six of wands reversed ( The time I was writing about the card , I ended up writing swords instead of wands and then I have to pull that card out to see the meaning of it ) this card represent failure, loosing face ( at first I felt that this reading is going to be same as pile one but no this one is different ,in this one you will be the one who will be in hard time ) . So I look up for that swords card too and according to that card you guys will be stuck in some situations really badly and won't be moving on . So the time you will meet your fs they will bring this sudden change in your life where everything will shift , they will bring new beginning, LOVE, CREATIVITY in your life with their ace of cups . Showing you light in darkness and giving you love you deserve. They will show you your hidden potential, teach you to take control of your life , tell you how to navigate through challenges. They will ground you and teach you to have faith on universe 🌌. You will find d them mysterious, insightful with wisdom they will hold feminine energy in them ( they will nurture you deeply , and will love you alot ) They can be your counter part , they will make you see a side of you which you never saw before and this will be the reason why you will choose them as your one and only .

Thanks pile 2 🩷 hope this reading resonates with you 🤗.

Read by : @intutive-peechu

Ruh...

[aceroyalcrown]

and you what would you do for love? (Caitlyn x reader)

a/n: mentions of blood, angst

“I’ve learned so much from Ambessa” Caitlyn murmurs against your temple as she holds you close, hand holding yours, legs entangled with you. You squeeze her hand.

“You trust her?”

“I trust her methods” Caitlyn turns her head to look into your eyes, “It’ll be wise to follow her lead.”

“How long will you be Commander for?”

“A few weeks or months, I do not know. Until Jinx is caught.”

“Cait-” You try to sit up, but she pulls you back down .

“That’s enough, you should get some sleep, we can talk more in the morning”

You give in, pressing into her side, head resting on her chest, arm draped around her waist.

Morning comes as any other, Caitlyn wakes up first waiting for you planting kisses to the top of your head, murmuring softly.

“Wake up, my darling” You grumble, she smiles, Caitlyn grabs your chin tilting it upwards kissing you.

“ ‘Morning Cait”

“Sleep well?”

“Always, when I’m with you” Caitlyn laughs softly, kissing you lovingly.

“I have a meeting with the enforcers, while I’m away I want you to accompany Ambessa, learn from her as I have and keep an eye on things at the checkpoints.”

“I will, love”

“Thank you, darling”

.

.

.

“General” You tilt your head in respect. Ambessa nods. She turns and walks showing you around the checkpoint.

“I’m sure Caitlyn wants you to take charge of the interrogation of the more reluctant ones” You stagger, caught off guard as Ambessa continues pretending not to notice your surprise.

“Wha-” You falter, conversations with Caitlyn racing through your head trying to figure out if she had ever mentioned it. Ambessa takes your failure to reply as an opportunity to further plant seeds of doubt in you.

“Though you don’t seem like the type to be able to exert physical persuasion tactics” You let out a strangled puff. Ambessa turns around at your disgruntled noise, feigning shock and an apologetic expression. “She must not trust that you can handle it” Ambessa pretends not to see the frown on your face.

“Then, you can take care of checking bags-”

“NO!” she quirks an eyebrow at your outburst “I can handle it, Caitlyn told me to” in your agitated state you fail to notice the smirk that grew on her face.

“Very well, Rictus will offer a demonstration and we will leave the rest to you, you recall the Commander’s directions yes? Don’t let up until they give up every piece of information they have on Jinx,” she places a hand on your shoulder leaning in to whisper,

“don’t disappoint Caitlyn.”

.

.

.

Caitlyn in her silk navy robe waits for you on the bed. Your knee presses against the edge of the bed as you crawl towards her, settling in at her side and as you pull the covers over your bodies Caitlyn spots darkening purple bruises and cuts adorning your knuckles. Caitlyn takes your hand in hers, inspecting, with a worried frown.

“What happened?”

“Nothing, I can handle it” Caitlyn scoffs incredulously, her thumb gently tracing the bruises.

“Did you get into an altercation? I don’t want to see you hurt stay with me from-” Your other hand cradles her cheek guiding her to look at you.

“It’s fine, I can handle it, I promise.” Caitlyn holds your gaze in search of sincerity and finds it, her eyes soften as she relents, turning her head to kiss your palm gently.

“Let me tend to it”

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.

.

You open the door to Caitlyn’s study not bothering to knock excitedly leaning over her desk, smile on your face, eyes beaming with pride. Caitlyn smiles at your antics, a welcomed distraction from her work. “Caitlyn! We caught jinxers! See, I can handle this, you don’t have to rely on Ambessa.” Caitlyn’s smile falters, not following.

“What are you talking about?”

“I got the Jinxer from the checkpoint to give up their meeting location! He was a stubborn one for sure, but he caved after I got firm with him.” Caitlyn stands from her chair, towering over you, hands grasping your shoulders, eyes frantic, narrowed in search of answers.

“What. do .you. mean?”

“Rictus taught me how to hit without hurting my knuckles too much” You look down, lifting your hands up to her to show her the small scrapes and cuts on your skin. “See, not as bad as the first time” Caitlyn remains silent, her fingers shake against your uniform, tears threaten to fall, distraught. She looked in pain.

“I did it for you, Cait” You look up to meet her gaze, the proud smile on your face disappears as you grow nervous and confused by her reaction.

“You turned to unnecessary violence, and claim to have done it for me, me who has discouraged it?”

“Ambessa said that you didn’t trust me to follow through-”

“Trust you? My darling, you hold my heart in your hands, I love you, how could I have anything short of complete trust in you.” Caitlyn’s hands fall at her side, twitching. “You wound me, to go against my principles behind my back, principles I affirmed to you the second I became Commander, in the comfort of our bed, our sanctuary.” Your vision blurs, pained by the fact that you had fallen for another’s views of Caitlyn, that you didn’t trust her to stick to her principles when she had complete trust in you. Caitlyn is already at the door by the time you gain your bearings.

“We will talk after, there’s a scientist I must unravel.”

After never came.

.

.

.

You see Caitlyn go down and race through the gray to her, tackling her assailant, but when they are pinned beneath you, you recognize their face. Maddie. Your grip on her slackens, eyes wide confused. Maddie takes the opening pulling her pistol out from her side pocket.

*BOOM*

You choke, blood splattering onto Maddie’s face, your blood. Your shaky hands grab at your throat, unable to stop your blood from spurting out leaking down your arms. Tears form in your eyes, mouth agape seeking air, betrayal in your frantic gaze that is met with Maddie’s cold stare. She shoves you to the side, wiping the blood off her face with the back of her hand.

.

.

.

And though we are doomed to revisit the error of our ways... spark ever more conflicts... our story isn't over. “That’s what I said, but our story is over isn’t, my darling?” Sobs shake Caitlyn’s body. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this- this isn’t- you deserve to be here-my darling-”

[cupidvision]

𝒑𝒂𝒄- 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆

about this pac: this will tell you what your future child is going to be like. it was meant to be for babies, but i got more teenager energy from this!

—> how to choose? close your eyes, clear your mind, and open your intuition. then think about the numbers, the images, the feeling they gives you. then choose 💗

banners by @fairytopea @princessantisocial @dollywons @h-aewo

1->2

3->4

pile 1

signs: 3, 1, 16, cancer, earth sign, water signs, chaotic energy

3 of cups reversed, page of pentacles reversed, ace of cups, the tower

so your child is going to definitely be a wild child. they love partying, following the crowd, and may struggle with independence. they may also be a little ungrateful at times, or just act as if they are ungrateful. i’m seeing though, they have a lot of love and compassion on their heart, they just might struggle with being around people who also portray that. i’m seeing that the age i’m talking about is their teenage years, so 13-18. but i am seeing as a child they were full of love, feelings, creativity, intuition, etc. as they got older though, that changed. they could be going through a harsh wake up call during that time in their life, or i’m seeing that they’ll go from a sweet loving child to suddenly a rebel

other things about this child: feminine energy, light brunette, straight hair, beauty, 5’7

pile 2

signs: 6,7, 21, pisces, aquarius, gemini, scorpio, saturn, smarty pants, positive energy

king of cups, the lovers, the world, 7 of cups

the first thing i heard in my head was “smarty pants” so they may be good in school or just very smart in general. one thing is for sure, they are emotionally intelligent, empathetic, and they like having things in their life organized or under control. they’re easy to get along with, they’re not a problem child, or a child you will have to worry about. they may have a lot of love in their heart as well and when they’re grown, i’m seeing they will definitely be partner and marriage material. they will accomplish many things in life, they may also love going on trips with you. they are someone who would like to know their purpose, and someone who is driven to figure out their purpose

other things about this child: masculine, blonde hair, short haircut, taller (5’8-5’9)

pile 3

signs: 2,5,4, scorpio, taurus, gemini, aries, the moon, mental issues

the high priestesses, 5 of cups, king of swords, 4 ot wands reversed

the first things i thought is that this child could possibly have issues. specifically mental illness. with the 5 of cups being here, this often represents, failure, pessimism, grief, etc. they might suffer from depression, or anxiety. feelings that they’re not enough. as well as 4 of wands in reversed being here, feeling like you don’t have a home and struggling to communicate. so if or when you ask them what’s wrong, they can have a hard time communicating what their feeling and thinking. with that being said, this child actually has amazing qualities about them. they’re morally correct, have a good intuition, and are highly acknowledgeable. they’re also a honest person, who’s logical and quite disciplined

other things about this child: masculine, longer nails, darker hair, wears hoodies or clothes that cover their body, serious resting face

pile 4

signs: 7, 3, 20, scorpio, leo, virgo, cancer, pluto, excitable

7 of cups, king of pentacles reversed, 3 of cups reversed, judgement

i’m seeing that this child is quite imaginative, and might be a little delusional. they also have a problem with over indulging in things. so when they pick up a habit, it’s not just a little habit, it’s that habit to it’s most extreme extent. they may also like partying, but might feel alone deep down. they could be stubborn as well. they can also be greedy and can care a lot about what their peers think. they also have to keep up with the fashion trends, and they also need to seem like they’re rich, etc. status means a lot to them, i’m seeing that they will have a rude awakening to this behavior though. so, this period of “i need to be like my peers” is temporary and not an issue they will always struggle with. i’m seeing that they might’ve tarnished their reputation with you as a parent, but they will work for a redemption and will want forgiveness. i’m also seeing they could be a very forgiving person after this awakening

other things about this child: feminine energy, long hair, darker colored hair, average height (5’4-5’6)

[yzegem]

The Dragons:

When dragons arrived to the continent where the main story happens, a great crisis ensued. At that time, the continent was mostly under either direct control or in the sphere of influence of the Sun Empire (provisional and generic name). This empire rules over many ethnicities, religions and cultures in a tense peace held together with complex and pretty ineficient burocracy.

The first effort to kill a dragon made by the empire was a great failure rooted in miscomunication. A dragon landed near one of the northernmost frontier fortresses of the empire and made it's nest inside of the central tower.

Since comunication with this fortress was cut off and the empire had not yet noticed the dragons, it was asumed that the fortress had been invaded. A platoon of soldiers arrived to retake the fortress, hoping to find an invading tribe inside of it, unable to hold a siege.

What they found was a massive dragon mother that had just layed eggs and was very territorial and so the whole platoon of heavy infantry was killed.

News from the dragons kept coming to the capital, myth mixed with reality about how they ate cattle, people and even ships.

Platoon after platoon of imperial soldiers were sent to manage the dragons but they were either unable to track them or all killed uppon contact.

Many rural societies collapsed, and only those that could hide inside city walls were safe.

Soldiers sent to face the dragons usually deserted, and it was clear that the Empire didn't have the necessary tools to face the dragons.

Out of desperation, the empire offered an unusual reward: They would give away land and titles to whoever killed the dragons.

The dragon hunters ended up being the nomadic tribes of the northern steppe of the continent.

They used to live a life of herding, hunting megafauna and raiding southern settlements and were a constant nuisance to the empire.

Many times these tribal confederation tried to conquer the more fertile lands of the empire but were unable to hold any taken territories wich were quickly reconquered by the Empire.

Their territory was greatly affected by dragons and basically became their homeland. Dragons lived in the steppes hunting megafauna and seasonally came to the south to raid cattle.

The slaying of a young dragon.

These tribes were very used to hunting megafauna and knew very well how to track an animal like a dragon and live off the land while they chased it.

They were also very motivated to get the reward and finally hold land and also getting rid of the dragon. These dragon unting groups were usually familial units with a very intuituve and respected hirearchy.

As they killed dragons the balance between these beasts and humans shifted. The hunters became more and more specialized and powerful after claiming the rewards. On the other hands, killing the dragons reduced intraspecies competition so the surviving dragons became very big, smart and weary of humans.

This is how one of these late specialiced hunts would go.

A very large group of hunter would be needed, about 12 hunters per se plus their replacements and squires. Also, a large but mobile caravan. Scouting groups would be ahead while the rest of the caravan follows them at a distance and gathers food and such.

The main strategy is to tire out the dragon until it can't fly off anymore and then try to kill it on the ground.

Here are some specialized types of hunters.

On the left: A grappling lancer. They use these lances with a frail tip, meant to break off after penetrating the skin of the dragon and remain inside the wound. The metalic tip is tied to a strong rope with a net or hooks at the end of it. The hooks are ment to get tangled to the rest of the body, branches or the ground. This way, if the dragon tries to run away, fly off or simply move, it would pull from the wound and be very painful and disorienting. A single one is not going to immobilize the dragon but 10 or 15 might.

On the centre: A blunt unit. These are meant to strike the wings of the dragon with a long mace to break their bones and also carry a blade to lacerate the wing membrane. Since they come very close to the dragon, they are very well covered against its acid.

On the right: A shocker. Their pourpose is to distract the dragon and overwhelm it. Their horse is decorated with bells and colorful feathers. They play horns and wistles and carry hand cannons. (I will talk about the technology of the world in another post) The cannons would be preloaded and they would shoot all of them as quickly as posible, aiming to the eyes or neck. These would not kill the dragon, but they would be painful, bright and noisy. This unit plays a semi-religious role and have the riskiest position since the other ones attack and retreat to prepare for the next attack while the shocker always stays closer to the dragon. They sometimes attack semi or fully nacked since they embrace the danger and death during the hunt is considered very noble.

Archers would also be present but I didn't draw them.

The fatal blow is done with a strong lance and usually reserved to the tribe chieftan.

The religion of these nomadic tribes is polytheistic but the tribes that specialized in hunting dragons shifted to prioritizing their godess of the hunt.

When a dragon is hunted it's skull must be given to imperial officials to prove it was hunted and so that it can be measured since the reward depends on the size and age of the dragon. Carrying the skull back to civilisation is sometimes more dangerous than hunting the dragon since many people would want to steal it.

Once these tribes settled into castles, the dragon skulls are kept in shrines, next to the skulls of those that hunted it. This is because in their religion, they believe thet the beasts their ancestors hunter would guard them in the afterlife. This is also meant to show off the power of these clans.

In the image we can see a dragon skull being used as a shrine for a sacrifice meant to bless a future hunt. On the left there is a statue of the godess of hunt and abundance and on the foreground a simple protective bear statue.

In conclusion, after about a century since they first arrived dragons became extinct and power in the continent shifted fro the centralized power of the emperor to local dragon slaying feudal nobility that coexist with the emperor in a strange balance where the nobles hold most of the military and agricultural power while the lands of the emperor legitimize the noble's power and also dominate in trade and religion.

If you read this all the way thank you and sorry for the chaotic writting. I hope you enjoyed these and ideas and questions are eagerly welcome.

[trials-of-a-spirit-worker]

Some Things That Tarot Readers Don't Tell You

But I will!

You don't have to memorize everything

There are 78 cards with a meaning for upright and reversed. Maybe after years of experience you won't have a problem remembering all of them, but honestly...don't feel bad about not remember what the fuck one card out of 78 does. That's 156 meanings to think about.

Not to mention, sometimes, certain tarot have specific meanings for their deck in general. It is more than okay to just focus on the overall themes and meanings of each car as best as you can and go from there.

You'll be fine.

You can make your own spread

You do not have to wait for someone's spread or even restrict yourself to what your tart pamphlet has. Be creative. Your magic, your divination is how you work it. Allow yourself to spread your wings.

You don't have to use astrology to give an accurate reading

It's cool if you can. But I never thought about the houses, which planet is where, etc and I do readings for people and myself just fine. I'm sure the houses and such add to some readings or even can help people, but it is not a prerequisite. You will read just fine without it. Just practice.

And for those who think they're a better reader or a "real" divination witch or whatever, because you can do this, just know...you're actually an asshole.

People are going to freak out regardless. Just explain the damn cards

I can't tell you how many times I've seen faces pale at the devil card. Or the hanged man (I think people don't like the word hanged...which...understandable and same) Some will flinch at the meaning of the tower or death and such. Ignore it is not a good thing to really say, but just don't focus on reassuring them each and every time. Instead, calm them if its too much and explain what's happening and what you think the cards mean for them. Every Tower is not catastrophic. Death is not a scary card. It's a card of change. The Devil does not mean you're going to hell. And sometimes those cards we think of as happy go lucky and such or the "good" cards can spell a lot of doom and gloom for your ass too. Try and keep your energy as neutral as possible so you can calm who you're reading for. Also, don't worry if it's for you. They're here to guide you and help communicate first and foremost. Don't forget that.

All cards do not use their hard meaning

As I said above, the hard meaning isn't always the case. For example, the fool can be new beginnings, the start of a journey etc. When in question about a career, it could mean you might have a new position or maybe even going to change jobs. Or!

It could mean you're being a fucking noob. And I'm not saying that to be funny. I mean like if he's supposed to be in the beginning or such. And there's some cards that are saying like you need more practice/skill. That would mean you're fucking up. Hell, maybe it means you need to start back at the basics. Those things are not the hard definition or the meanings. Use the hard meanings as a guide, but loosely. Cards will affect each other. Hell, I've seen the Devil and some other cards be used to say someone was a freak in bed. (bondage meaning in the card)

Trusting your intuition takes time

This is something I have to remind myself of a lot. Especially because of how strong my spiritual prowess and intuition was when I was younger. Allow yourself to grow and build. Ask any guides or deities of yours to help if you need it. But more importantly don't be too hard on yourself. Progress is not linear.

You can and will be wrong

There's no way to avoid that. Sometimes you will not get what's happening. Sometimes you'll misinterpret the cards. It just happens sometimes. You're not a fake, you're not a bad witch. You're just here...living life and sometimes living life means you fucked up a reading or two. You will live. And you will rock many more readings.

You learn more from failure than you do success. So find out where you went wrong if you can and then work on it. Tarot is a skill too. So is intuition.

Good luck out there, witches!

[astrodice]

What career suites you best based on destiny matrix? (part 3/3)

part 1 part 2

To find out what career suits you best and what can you do to succeed, we have to look at the number under the dollar sign.

note: there are so many different career choices and the options I'm listing here are just general examples based. you're free to choose any career, and hopefully, you don't feel pressured by this post to suddenly become philosopher.

16 - The Tower

People with the tower energy are resilient to change when it comes to finances and career. They face obstacles that affect their careers and finances pretty often, but still they can overcome all the problems. These people are strong, adaptive and energetic.

The most suitable career:

lifeguard

builder

electrician

renovator

Challenges that affect career:

fear of change (the tower is a proof that you can overcome all the obstacles, rebuild yourself and your career)

self-destruction

overestimating your skills

unfortunate circumstances (something that can't be forseen like job loss)

I couldn't find famous people with this placement. If you have it, please tell me what you do for a living 🤩

17 - The Star

People with this energy usually have a dream job, and they can achieve their dream if they believe in it. They are creative, artistic and the public loves them. But it doesn't mean that their career will be necessarily related to art, it may be something more mundane, but it requires a creative approach.

The most suitable career:

artist/actor/singer

designer/architect

astrologer

astronaut

Challenges that affect career:

rejecting your dream

being shy about being talented

being passive

"star sickness"

over consumption

Famous people with this placement: Zaha Hadid (architect), Ryan Gosling

18 - The Moon

People with the moon energy are empaths who have an ability to to materialise their thoughts. The can achieve the most success when they do art or create something material.

The most suitable career:

poet/writer

doing show business

astrologer/fortune teller

psychologist

bloger

Challenges that affect career:

fear of failure

taking no action towards your dream (maladaptive daydreaming entered the chat)

storing negative energy (repressed anger, holding back tears, etc)

escapism

Famous people with this placement: Kylie Jenner, Lana Del Rey, Elvis Presley

19 - The Sun

People with the sun energy are ambitious, energetic, they know how to make people pay attention to them, know how to lead the crowd. When the energy is in the negative, these people can get fixated on one thing, which may lead to burn out.

The most suitable career:

politician

CEO

motivational speaker

global artist

top manager

Challenges that affect career:

pride

excessive demands on people around you

being critical

inaction

Famous people with this placement: Beyonce, Justin Biber, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Zayn, Kurt Cobain

20 - Judgment

First of all, this arcana is related to your family. You have to check how you parents/family affect your relationship with money and career. Maybe they have a belief that it's impossible to get rich, and therefore you adapt their belief. Moving on, 20 indicates success in the fields of politics, science and education. Also, 20 can indicate having a successful business with family.

The most suitable career:

journalist

politician

advocate

scientist

philosopher

teacher

Challenges that affect career:

being involved in family conflicts

controlling tendencies

dependence on the opinion of elders in the family

fear of change

denial of progress

lack of education

Famous people with this placement: Priscilla Chan (pediatrician and philanthropist, co-founder of Meta), Tatyana Kim (CEO of the largest online retailer platform in Russia, teacher, before staring business with her husband she was teaching English), Perrie Edwards, Aaliyah

21 - The World

People with the world energy are able to carry large-scale projects. They are influential, open-minded and they are in tune with the world around them.

The most suitable career:

diplomat

traveler

travel agent

software developer

artist/musician/actor

Challenges that affect career:

power abuse

staying in comfort zone

limiting beliefs

intolerance

technical backwardness

Famous people with this placement: Timothée Chalamet, Camala Harris

22 - The Fool

This arcana makes people spontaneous, they are guided by their passions and intuition. They are the ones who can come up with successful startup, business plan, etc. Also, they have creative/artistic potential. The downside of the fool is that office job and schedules make them stress too much, because they find it hard to concentrate.

The most suitable career:

bloger

movie director

startup(er)?

dancer/actor/musician

producer/movie director

poet

photographer

Famous people with this placement: Elon Musk, Kris Jenner, Marilyn Monroe, Donatella Versace

[odinsblog]

Worth re-reading

Rule No. 1: Believe the autocrat. I argued against the expectation that Trump would change in the months following the election, becoming somehow “Presidential” and abandoning his more extreme positions. This belief, it seemed to me, stemmed from the inability to absorb the fact of a Trump Presidency, and not from any historical precedents of similar transformations. The best predictors of autocrats’ and aspiring autocrats’ behavior are their own public statements, because these statements brought them to power in the first place.

Rule No. 2: Do not be taken in by small signs of normality. Most catastrophes unfold over time. Following the shock of a disastrous election—or a Presidential tweet—the sun rises again in the morning, and life appears to proceed as before. One adjusts, until the next shocking event.

Rule No. 3: Institutions will not save you. During the election campaign, one often heard the argument that institutions of American democracy are strong enough to withstand attack by Trump. A year ago, I pointed out that many of these institutions are not enshrined in law—rather, they exist as norms—and even those that are enshrined in law depend for their continued survival on the good faith of all actors. There is no law, for example, guaranteeing daily press briefings at the White House and media access to these briefings. I predicted that the investigative press would be weakened and that reality would grow murkier.

Rule No. 4: Be outraged. If you follow the first three rules, you ought to be outraged. But I know from experience how hard it is to be the hysteric in the room.

A year on, progress is mixed. Activist groups like New York City’s Rise and Resist, founded by alumni of the aids-activist organization act up, stage regular, vivid, act up–style actions. On the occasion of the first anniversary of the election, they vowed to begin weekly demonstrations demanding impeachment. The A.C.L.U. continues to file lawsuits; late-night comedians continue to amplify the painful absurdity of Trumpism. On the other hand, Washington has absorbed Trump, and so has the Republican Party. (It’s the other party whose national organization is imploding these days.) No single event or revelation has produced enough outrage to cause Trump to be removed from office, nor has one seemed to hurt his chances for reëlection. Not Charlottesville. Not the revelation of a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised to deliver dirt on Hillary Clinton. Not the regular revelations of past acts of corruption and of current lies. Not the continued spectacle of a government of haters and incompetents. The outrage dissipates, and Trumpism persists.

Rule No. 5: Don’t make compromises. I predicted that Republican Never Trumpers would fold and offer their loyalty to the new President. I also feared that a great many federal employees would face an impossible choice between staying in their jobs under a reprehensible Administration and leaving, forfeiting the chance to do good within a system that had started rotting from the top. Trump’s attacks on the institutions of government have been so fast and brutal, however, that many people made the choice without torment: they left. (Remember the President’s arts and humanities committee? Or the business advisory councils?) Still, a few people remain in what’s left of the State Department; some people have joined the Administration with the explicit goal of using their expertise to help minimize damage. But to watch General McMaster struggling to mislead journalists on Trump’s behalf is to see the built-in problem with the project of minimizing damage: one inevitably becomes an accomplice.

Rule No. 6: Remember the future. There will come a time after Trump. What will we bring to it? I wrote that the failure to imagine the future—to offer a vision in opposition to Trump’s appeal to an imaginary past—had cost the Democrats the election. A year later, the national Democratic Party does not seem closer to proposing a vision (or a candidate); instead, the last week has seen the Party plunged into a vicious re-litigation of the 2016 primaries.

(full article here)

[ryngzmn]

₊˚ෆ | awakening | S.B (4)

SUMMARY: After the fight with Homelander, Ben patches up your injury and realizes how differently he treats you compared to the others.

WORD COUNT: 858.

WARNINGS: s3 spoilers. set after s3 but ben didn’t get put under again, the boys just failed to stop homelander, general fluff towards the end, swearing, very little dialogue; mostly just ben’s thoughts :)

A/N: IM SO SORRY TO THE TWO PEOPLE WHO R ON THE TAGLIST I’VE BEEN SUPER BUSY W/ COLLEGE AND WORK LATELY SO I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO WORK ON THE SERIES :((

part one! | part two! | part three!

The fight with Homelander was… brutal, to say the least.

You had to take some Temp-V just so you wouldn’t be fucking lasered in half by the blonde man baby that was the leader of The Seven.

Even towards the end, you had sustained a small injury somehow. But it wasn’t life threatening, just very fucking annoying to move around considering you had to limp since said injury was on your thigh.

—————————————————————————

Ben was absolutely seething on the ride back from the Seven tower, he felt like some kind of failure; it reminded him of his childhood. Ben was Butcher’s last resort to defeat Homelander and he failed.

Ben snapped at anyone that tried to reassure him it was okay and that they “always had a second chance.” Except you.

He actually gave you a weak smile when you tried to reassure him. But for the others? He snapped at them to shut the fuck up before he punched their teeth in.

When you guys got back, Frenchie was the first one to notice the crimson red stain seeping through your pants.

Ben immediately dragged you over and sat you down on the raggedy couch that was in the office building.

Considering there weren’t really any rooms that allowed privacy in the building, Ben just decided to tear a small hole near the wound that way you wouldn’t be uncomfortable considering how close the wound was to an intimate part of your body.

Ben carefully grabbed some alcohol that he had grabbed earlier to drown out his anger, but it had luckily came in handy in another way now.

You winced aloud as the burning scotch hit your wound, causing it to bubble up a bit before going back to oozing out the familiar crimson liquid.

Ben — to his own surprise — asked Kimiko to grab him some bandages and gauze that he was sure Butcher had lying around this dump so he could patch you up fully.

While Kimiko swiftly left to get supplies for your injury, Ben was left with his own thoughts.

He looked up at you, noticing how the shitty lighting of the building somehow highlighted your features. Ben found himself entranced, like he could just stare at you for hours on end.

He quickly shook it off, not wanting you to get suspicious of him and his staring. But the thought lingered in his mind.

Ben started to realize that he treated you so much more differently than the others. He treated you kindly.

Hell, he didn’t even do that with Payback back before they betrayed him. Now that he thinks about it; he also never yelled at you.

While he might’ve done so in the beginning, you warmed up to him somewhat quickly and he yelled at you less and less.

You were also allowed to call him Ben. And while Butcher said it too, he always got annoyed and made some vulgar comment about it. But with you, he didn’t do any of that. He actually let you call him by his first name.

Ben didn’t call you any mean nicknames, either. He just called you by your name and threw in some pet names every now and then, but not enough to make you annoyed. Besides, they were mostly used to make lighthearted jabs in your direction.

Ben didn’t even realize that Kimiko was trying to hand him the supplies until your voice piped up.

“Ben. Kimiko’s tryin’ to give you the supplies.” You grunted, glancing down at the gash on your thigh that was slowly starting to stain your jeans and skin even more.

Shaking his head, Ben quickly grabbed the supplies before mumbling, “yeah, sorry.”

Ben meticulously placed the gauze pad over the gash and then placed a firm pressure, ignoring the small pang of guilt that hit him as you groaned at the sudden burst of pain.

Once he placed a firm pressure, Ben carefully wrapped the bandages around your thigh.

After he finished, Ben pulled away, patting your other — and obviously uninjured — thigh before getting up.

“There, all done sweetheart.” He said with a smug grin, obviously proud of his okay-ish medical skills that he just provided for you.

Ben plopped down on the couch next to you, staring lazily at the ceiling.

“Thanks for patching me up.” He heard your quiet appreciation and he patted your shoulder affectionately.

You slowly leaned to the side and placed your head against his shoulder, closing your eyes with a tired sigh.

Ben didnt push you away like he would with anyone else, he instead wrapped an arm around your shoulders and gently pulled you closer against his side.

Ben found himself caught in his thoughts again: did he feel something more with you?

He didn’t think it could be true, he didn’t even truly love Crimson Countess; that was all just some shitty PR stunt for more money and recognition.

But this wasn’t the 80s, this wasn’t some PR stunt that Vought cooked up for money and possibly more movies or merch.

There was no way he was in love with you.. was there?

—————————————————————————

taglist! : @mostlymarvelgirl @anu-piyakya97

[misssparklingpaws]

Shadow in the Flame

Chapter 3: Rooftop Ghosts

It was past 2 a.m., and the Tower was asleep.

The rooftop of the Tower was quiet, lit only by the ambient glow of the city far below and the occasional flicker of a passing drone.

Bucky stood near the ledge, hands in his jacket pockets, staring out over Manhattan like he was still waiting for something to explode. Aria joined him wordlessly, a thermos of black coffee in one hand and a thermal blanket thrown lazily over her shoulders like a cape.

“You look like a caffeinated vampire,” Bucky muttered.

“You look like a retired assassin who’s bored with peace and pretending it’s brooding.”

He smirked. “Touché.”

They stood in silence for a moment, the kind only earned by people who’ve survived more than they talk about.

“You did good today,” he said eventually. “With Reynolds, I suspect He likes you,” Bucky said, watching her from the corner of his eye.

Aria didn’t flinch. “Robert’s unstable. He likes anything that doesn’t scream when he gets anxious.”

“No,” Bucky said quietly. “He likes you. Scars and all.”

“I’m not built for that,” she said. “For softness, I steeped because is my work"

“I know. You did it because failure’s inefficient and emotions make you itchy but... no one said you had to be soft. Just human.”

She turned to him finally, eyes sharp.

“Every time I get close to someone, they vanish. My excuse of a mom, Natasha, my dad… half the planet. I’m done risking that.”

Bucky nodded. “Then don’t get close. But don’t push away the ones who already see you.”

She glanced sideways at him. “Is this your weird version of a therapy session?”

“Just making sure you’re still a person under all that Stark-grade shielding.”

Aria took a sip of her coffee, then muttered, “I cracked a smile earlier.”

“Oh no,” he deadpanned. “The end times.”

“…He’s not bad,” she said, eyes on the skyline. “Robert.”

Bucky didn’t smile, but something in his face softened.

“He looks at you like you hung the stars,” he said. “Even when you’re busy punching his self-esteem in the throat.”

She exhaled. “Still unstable. I can’t coddle that.”

“No one’s asking you to." Bucky added “So where’ve you even been hiding the last couple years?”

“Mexico,” she replied after a beat. “Cancún, exactly.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow. “Cancún? That’s... unexpected.”

“Hidden Stark base. Buried tech, solar everything. Dad built it after Sokovia just in case.” She took a sip of coffee. “I needed to disappear somewhere warm and... connect with half my heritage.”

He blinked. “Your mom was Mexican, right.”

“Yeah. A model. I only knew her through magazines, ads, covers, interviews. Never met her sober. She never cared. I was a headline she buried and a check she never cashed.”

Bucky didn’t say anything. Just listened.

“I thought if I stayed there long enough, surrounded myself with something that came from her side, I might... I don’t know. Feel closer. Make it mean something.”

“You find it?”

She shrugged. “Not really. I found some peace. Fed a lot of stray cats. Fixed drones. Got sunburned.”

He smirked. “That’s not nothing.”

“And I had tequila,” she added, lips twitching. “A lot of tequila.”

“There it is,” Bucky muttered. “The emotional processing I was waiting for.”

“Oh, and I messed around with some athletic beach boys,” she added smirking. “Mexican, Italian, German a Brazilian to, I think so. Great cardio.”

Bucky coughed mid-laugh, then shook his head. “You really are your father’s daughter.”

Aria smirked, pleased. “Genetics are a hell of a thing.”

----

The next morning the training floor was prepped. Gravity adjusted. Drones armed. Pain imminent.

The Thunderbolts filed in, groggy and half-dressed in armor.

Yelena rubbed sleep from her eyes. “Why are we awake at six in the morning? Are we being punished?”

Aria descended the stairs like a general surveying a battlefield, dressed in a crisp tactical tight suit and holding a datapad like it was a weapon and a big thermo.

Robert nervously adjusted his collar. “She looks like she hasn’t slept since 2019.”

"She looks like an evil haunted ballerina" Ava muttered.

“Alright degenerates and rejects of X-Men" Aria snapped, voice sharp as a whip crack. “Today’s objective: sweat, pain, and shame. And if you’re lucky, survival.”

Aria took a gulp of hot lava black coffee like it was plain water

“You failed yesterday. Congratulations. Today you get the full Stark experience.”

Walker muttered something under their breath.

Aria activated the simulation.

Holograms flared up faster, sharper, meaner than before. Triple the enemies. Zero mercy.

“This scenario is called ‘Good luck, losers.’ You have twelve minutes to survive. Points are deducted for crying.”

“Wait what?” said Red Guardian.

Aria ignored him.

“Yelena, if you roll your eyes at me again, I will recalibrate your wristbands to tase you every time you breathe wrong. Ghost, you’re set to ‘solid’ today. Let’s see if your punch lands harder than your social skills.”

Ghost blinked, stunned.

“Walker. Try originality today. I’ve seen enough Cap cosplay to last me a lifetime.”

Yelena choked on a laugh.

“And Red Guardian… move like you’ve seen a salad.”

“HEY!”

“And Reynolds" she paused, turning to where Robert was standing awkwardly near the sim gate, “ you’re the most powerful person here. That means no excuses. No meltdowns. No puppy eyes and try running in a straight line this time. You’re not a firefly on espresso.”

He smiled nervously. “That’s oddly specific" then nodded, slow but steady. “Yes, ma’am.”

Aria smirked. “Good boy.”

She strolled through the chaos like a general inspecting barely-trained recruits, barking commands like second nature.

“Belova, your form is sloppier than my coding at 2 AM. Tighten up.”

“Your 2 AM code built a satellite weapon,” Yelena muttered.

“And it didn’t fall out of orbit, so clearly, I’m still right.”

Red Guardian raised a hand mid-squat. “Can I get a bathroom break?”

“Sure. Right after the simulated nuke kills your simulated family. Move.”

Finally, she stopped in front of Robert, who was sweating through his shirt and had somehow tangled himself in resistance bands.

She crossed her arms.

“Tell me, Reynolds. Is this your tactical strategy death by yoga?”

“I panicked,” he wheezed. “The bands attacked first.”

She rolled her eyes, grabbed a towel, and tossed it at him.

“Clean yourself up you are a kinda a cosmic semi god, Reynolds. Get it together before I install a babysitter app on your suit.”

“Deal,” he grinned, breathless but beaming.

Bucky, watching from above, shook his head with a low whistle.

“I asked for a trainer,” he muttered. “I got a war crime with sarcasm.”

As the team stumbled into formation, something had shifted. They were tired, bruised, insulted but moving like a unit.

Half an hour later, they were all panting on the mat. Bruised. Sweaty. Half-dead.

Aria stood over them, perfectly composed, not even winded.

“That was marginally better,” she said. “If any of you had actual jobs, I might hire you to get me coffee. Maybe.”

She turned on her heel and walked out.

Yelena dropped back onto the floor. “I love her. I hate her. I want to be her.”

Robert, dazed: “She called me a cosmic babysitting hazard and I feel weirdly motivated.”

Red Guardian wheezed. “I think I peed.”

[resfrio]

TABULA RASA / WORM & DISCO ELYSIUM CROSSOVER

Summary: When Taylor gave up, she didn't break so much as crumble.

OR: After the locker happens, a young amnesiac girl wakes up in the psych ward with only two dozen voices to make her company.

CHAPTER 1. 

“YOU WAKE UP AND CHOOSE VIOLENCE”

The hum of fluorescent lighting. Sterile sheets. A dry throat and pain like sandpaper across every nerve.

You blink once. The ceiling is off-white. You blink again. 

You do not know your name.

LITTLE OWL — Wake up, wake up, wake up, they locked you in the dark, and then, like mommy and daddy too… But we messed it up and we didn't die…

DR. HEARTACHE — Hush. You're safe for now, stay calm. Breathe in, out. Good. You're waking up.

RELENTLESS DETERMINATOR — You were buried in something, and your body remembers it, even if your mind doesn't. The why or how doesn't matter, anyways. Get up.

You sit up slowly. A heart monitor beeps. IV line in one arm. No sign of visitors. Just the rhythmic beep, beep, beep.

No flowers. No cards. No one is waiting. Alone.

GHOST IN THE MACHINE [Medium: Success] — This is a hospital. North American general layout, searching… Extrapolating information indicating it's on the East Coast. That needle taped to your arm? IV fluids, saline. 

FUTURE ROADKILL [Trivial: Success] — We've been given the fuckin' good stuff. They're trying to keep you down, girlie! Hm, it feels like Haldol and something else. When's the next dose, anyways? Who the fuck cares what kinda juicy, puckered asshole we were when the hospital is treating us this good? 

Despite not knowing what happened or even why, you feel scared. 

You had the deeply uncomfortable sense that this drug was like an unstoppable black hole. 

Why are you in a hospital? Why were you given medication to keep you sedated? 

AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR — This is nothing to be afraid of, dear. Just get up, we'll help you fix everything, one thing at a time. Don't be afraid. Ignore that crass man. 

You try to move, but suddenly feel something tug at your wrist.

It was soft, but also simultaneously very sturdy.

 

What was it?

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM [Trivial: Success] — Use your eyes, dummy. You're strapped down to a hospital bed, and they've given us a via intramuscular injection of haldol. You know what that means, right? 

JACOB — It means we should get these off! 

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM [Formidable: Failure] — Wait- What? I guess you're right… After all, for what possible reason would they strap down a young girl?

 That's right. 

You didn't know much of anything, but you felt like you knew at least that only dangerous people were restrained. 

You didn't feel very dangerous… You should get these off. 

Thinking that, you started tugging harshly on the soft wrist restraints, but despite their softness, they felt so tough for the strength of a young girl who'd been unconscious for who knows how long.

For a moment, you thought you'd just give up and wait for the nurse to come back but—

RELENTLESS DETERMINATOR [Trivial: Success] — No.

DRAGON OF KYŪSHU [Easy: Success] — No! 

TOWER OF ENDURANCE [Medium: Success] — No.

—you broke them. 

Suddenly, you found yourself standing in a wrinkled hospital gown, with slightly wobbly legs and a pair of teared-apart wrist straps tied to your hands still. 

SELF-CONFIDENT NIHILIST — Well, yes. We won't certainly be the most graceful person in the room, though. That just can't stand, ha! Get the joke? 

You look down at your slightly wobbly legs, and for some reason, you wanted to ask the smart voice earlier of a movie about a fawn. 

Thinking about it, why do you even have voices in your head? Why would someone-

AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR [Trivial: Success] — Focus! 

CONNAISSEUR OF THE FIRMAMENT [Easy: Success] — Look, there's a whiteboard besides the bed. What's that? 

GHOST IN THE MACHINE [Medium: Failure] — W-Well, I tried to look it up but there's nothing. Maybe it's a new contraption, created while we were asleep? Anyways, go and read what it is..!

Following the voices' commands, you walk towards the whiteboard. 

It has a lot of information.

CONNAISSEUR OF THE FIRMAMENT — Alright, we're close enough now, let me just…

═══════────═══════────══════════════────═══════────══════

  Brockton Bay General Hospital – Psychiatric Unit

   January 4, 2011.

  Psych 3-B

 Patient Information

 Name: Taylor Hebert

 DOB: June 12, 1995

 Age: 15

 Diet: Regular

 Allergies: None reported

 Precautions:

Fall risk

Self-harm risk 

Psychiatric Observation Level 1 (Unconscious)

Primary Concern: Suspected acute psychotic episode.

 Status on Arrival: Arrived during mental health crisis with minor physical injuries (contusions/superficial lacerations)

Consciousness: Unconscious x 3 days 

Physical Restraints: Yes – soft wrist restraints in use (precautionary until assessment possible)

 Care Team

Attending Psychiatrist: Dr. Alana Reyes

 Pediatrician: Dr. Mark Iseri

 RN Today: Emily Chau

 Charge Nurse: Anthony Hall

 Today's Plan / Goals

 Monitor vitals q4h

 Maintain IV fluids & nutrition

 Neurologist consult (pending imaging review)

 Evaluate for underlying medical causes of altered consciousness

 Begin psych evaluation when patient regains consciousness

 Family / Emergency Contact

 Parents: Deceased

Kinship Foster Parent(s):

 Lacey Kingsley 

Communication Notes

 Preferred Name: Unknown 

Language: English

Interpreter: Not needed

Pain Scale: Unable to assess

Observation: Continuous video & in-person q15 checks.

═══════────═══════────══════════════────═══════────══════

EVERYONE — [ … ] 

JACOB — (not sounding very contrite at all) Oh dear, this is a rather unfortunate set of circumstances. 

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM — Unfortunate? You, little conniving bitch, tricked us! We were already a known crazie, now that we broke out of our restraints, they're gonna make them even worse! 

DR. HEARTACHE — An acute psychotic episode can be a one-time occurrence, usually of sudden onset, or can occur repeatedly, or it may be the early phase of chronic psychosis. It can occur following an adverse life event (e.g. loss, acute stress or trauma)... Child, what did they do to you? 

 You ignored the voices' escalating argument, as you read through the whiteboard information.

Apparently your name was 

Taylor Hebert. 

T-A-Y-L-O-R 

H-E-B-E-R-T 

It felt like a piece of you slotting in its place.

AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR — The surname Hébert is of French origin, meaning "son of" or "descendant of Herbert". Herbert, in turn, is a French version of the Germanic name, composed of the elements "heri" (army) and "berht" (bright, famous). Therefore, Hébert ultimately signifies "bright army" or "illustrious warrior". It's a nice last name, your parents must've been good people. 

Your father and mother were Hebert too.

Mother, deceased.

Father, deceased.

Reading those words makes you want to start sobbing. 

JACOB — Well, I hate to rain on your parade but we do need to do something about this. How about we ask around? I'm sure I can help you charm the pants off the doctors, easy peasy. 

THE WINGED ONE [Easy: Success] — That doesn't sound very smart. Just think about it, we don't have any parents, we are alone and kept drugged out supposedly for our own ‘safety’, who's to say they won't just lock us up? Who'd fight for us once they do that and throw away the key? 

Distrust of authorities comes to you maybe a bit too easily, as the argument thoroughly sways you. 

That's right. 

Who'd fight for us, now that our family is gone? 

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM — We literally just read the file say we have a foster parent. Am I the only literate one here? 

JACOB — [Stirring shit] Well, who's to say it's a good foster parent? Maybe they're the reason we even ended up having a something something psychosis. 

Those were both good arguments. 

On one hand, you could put your fate on the hands of the hospital and trust that your foster parent knew and wanted the best for your sake—

RELENTLESS DETERMINATOR — Are we crazy? … Nevermind that, anyways, let's go and see which floor we are on. 

Indeed, the only real option was to take things into your own hands. 

And with that decision firmly in hand, you walked towards the locked window, trying to visualize your fall like one might recreate a crime scene.

HARBINGER OF ARITHMETIC [Formidable: Failure] — Well, we're on the fourth floor and a fall would definitely break something. What more do you need to know to realize this isn't a good course of action? Think about what facts you have and how much you're just imagining. 

TOWER OF ENDURANCE — Except we're made of sterner material. I can help you live through the fall, but the window is locked and made of reinforced glass, breaking it would alert the hospital staff. How are you going to deal with that first?

That was true. 

Ignoring Harbinger's way too logical words, while you were lost and barely even knew your name, the other people here knew more about you than you did, and could likely easily track you down through unknown means. 

Even more so if you made a giant ruckus by breaking the reinforced window and then jumping off the 4th floor.

How could you open this thing when the only thing you had on you was a hospital gown and IV drip?

GHOST IN THE MACHINE [Challenging: Failure]  Sorry… I don't know how to break the law. Maybe you could help us? [poke at something in the dark] 

EFFICIENCY PROTOCOL — [looking around awkwardly] Maybe if we had a bobby pin and at least ten minutes of practice. As it is, the clock says it's been four minutes and thirteen seconds since we woke up, and the whiteboard says they check on us every fifteen. It'd be a most useless waste of our time. 

SELF-DECEIVING TRAITOR — How about we just walk out, Taylor? No need to overcomplicate things, sweetheart. If you act like you belong, no one will think you don't. 

That was certainly an option, though one you doubted you could pull off, especially because-

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM [Trivial: Success] — And just how are you planning to act your way out of showing half our ass in this hospital gown and the shredded restraints still tied to our wrists? Dumbass. 

AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR — Enough! You're all just like children. Bickering and wasting our precious time! Now, let it speak! 

EVERYONE — [ ? ] 

DIRTY GLASS WINDOW — Oh boy, I was wondering when I'd get a chance to speak! Don't you dare break me!

EVERYONE — [ ?? ] 

GHOST IN THE MACHINE [Medium: Failure] — There's no known psychological precedent for a window providing tactical insight, but we're here now… Maybe this is normal after all. 

DIRTY GLASS WINDOW — This is normal. All people can speak. Why can't a window be ‘people’ too? 

That was very true, you couldn't help but be convinced by this very fact-driven argument.

You blink at the talking window. Then again. The dirt and dust have gathered in subtle patterns that almost, almost, form a face. A twisted smiling mask, but nonetheless a face. 

And with that, you stood besides your new friend and listened. 

DIRTY GLASS WINDOW — You don't have to lockpick or break my precious glass. I've got you a sweet deal: just clean me with some water or whatever and a clean rag, and I'll unlock the latch for you, no biggie. 

JACOB [Easy: Success] — You've got yourself a deal, champ! How about you even throw in some info about the streets around the hospital? That's only fair. 

DIRTY GLASS WINDOW — [Gullible] Sure!

That was a very good deal indeed, it could be done in under ten minutes, and you pretty much had all the tools at hand.

Plus, info on what's around the hospital and knowing where to hide when needed was extra helpful.

SPITEFUL COWARD — SO. Are we finally escaping? Hurry the fuck up! Rip a corner of the blanket to use as a rag. The nurse's coming, I can feel his breath on my neck! 

CONNAISSEUR OF THE FIRMAMENT [Medium: Success] — Nurse Hall left a purified water bottle at the corner of the cabinet. Probably in a hurry. We can use that. 

TOWER OF ENDURANCE — ██████, come help. 

WALKING ORDNANCE DEPOT — On it, ma'am! 

DRAGON OF KYŪSHU — Don't keep me waiting too long, woman. 

With the help of the three voices, you found yourself frantically cleaning the Dirty Glass Window like the world's least qualified window cleaner.

DECENTLY CLEAN GLASS WINDOW — Wooo! That's what we're here for! Thanks, darling. This is the cleanest I've been since inauguration day! 

With a quiet clack the window's slightly rusty latch obediently opened. 

It was only now that you noticed it was night, a chilling wind entered the hospital room, making you slightly shiver.  

DR. HEARTACHE — Take the rest of the blanket and wrap it around you, it's going to be cold outside.

DECENTLY CLEAN GLASS WINDOW — As promised, here's the information: This is Brockton Bay General Hospital. It's right between the border of The Docks South and the so-called Downtown. The hospital has its own little ecosystem around it, with shops set up to provide meals or offer shower and laundry service for the hospital patients' visitors. That is to say, you could probably raid a second-hand store nearby if you're quick enough. It is no Boardwalk.

You listened to it, and in your mind a little map of this city ‘Brockton Bay’ that you were a part of started to form. 

The wind slithers in through the open window like a whisper from some forgotten dream. It tastes of sea salt and smog and faint promises of freedom.

You pull the blanket tighter around your shoulders. Hospital white. A little too thin.

SPITEFUL COWARD — Hurry up, you imbecile! Now's not the time to get all poetic! 

THE WOMAN WITH THE HAT [Trivial: Success] — There’s no one in the hallway yet. But time is not your friend. Neither is gravity. React fast, or don't react at all. Jump.

You grip the frame of the window, eyes flicking downward. Four floors. An alleyway below. A dumpster squats there like some stinking sentry. You don’t know if it’s full or empty.

Doesn’t matter.

WALKING ORDNANCE DEPOT — [Medium: Success] There’s a maintenance ledge just beneath the window. Half a meter wide, steel support bracket visible… Probably bolted in. Looks weathered, but solid enough. We can do it.

RELENTLESS DETERMINATOR — Good. Plant a foot. Lower slowly. Don’t hesitate now. You made your choice.

DRAGON OF KYŪSHU — C'mon, faster, girl! I refuse to get caught at the starting line because you were too slow!

DECENTLY CLEAN GLASS WINDOW — [muffled] Remember to visit me when you become famous..!!

You swing a leg through. Cold air bites at your skin. The soles of your feet protest as they touch the cold metal. You crouch.

You start edging sideways. One hand gripping the wall, one on the window frame, heart slamming in your ribs like a trapped bird.

Silently, you start making your way down like a particularly large squirrel.

Once you're low enough, you drop and brace yourself for the brief fall.

And then—

CONNAISSEUR OF THE FIRMAMENT [Challenging: Failure] —  Oh. Everyone, I'm sorry but…

A man in a security uniform ambles below. Fat, bored, coffee in one hand. Keys on his belt, flashlight hanging loose. Not looking up.

But then you drop down like a deranged bat. 

The slothful security guard and you look at each other for a second. 

EVERYONE — [ … ] 

DRAGON OF KYŪSHU [Easy: Success] — [Muscle and sinew crackle as you get ready for the incoming fight] This was inevitable, after all. If you're gonna fight, you have to win. Beat him up. One punch and that slob is down. Go. 

SPITEFUL COWARD [Trivial: Success] — [Fear, Fight or Flight, you choose fight] I just knew that guy would mess up, I should've been in charge of the escape plan! It's in my literal name! 

FUTURE ROADKILL [Easy: Success] — [Your adrenal glands tickle] Let's fucking gooooo, this shit was getting boring! 

THE WOMAN WITH THE HAT — It starts with the shoulder. Always the shoulder. A slow tectonic grind beneath the skin, rolling power down the arm like thunder moving across a battlefield of meat and bone. Punch. 

Before the security guard could swallow his sip of coffee and yell about an escaped patient, you knocked him unconscious. 

DR. HEARTACHE — Well, I think you all were maybe a bit too ready for violence. Maybe we should put him against the wall or somewhere people can see him soon, it's cold. 

JACOB — You kidding? If we do that, they're going to find out even sooner where we went or how we escaped. Let's rob this guy blind! He must have some money on him.

Isn't stealing wrong? 

You don't know a lot of things, but come to think about it, you have a faint memory of someone you called “mommy” telling you that. 

AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR — Well… Yes. Objectively speaking, it is. But you're an amnesiac orphan, for now, it's okay. Focus on how you can survive in the present, Taylor. 

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM [Easy: Success] — Let's see… 4 $20 bills and 1 $5 bill. That's… we're still broke, but it's a start. Look, he also had a baton, a holster for the baton, notepad, pen, an old pepper spray, a flashlight, and his phone on him. I already unlocked it, since he obviously used his birthday on the ID as password.

JACOB — Take his phone and we pawn it off somewhere for good buck!

That also sounded like a good idea. You didn't know a lot about phones, since, for some reason, holding one made you deeply uncomfortable, but any advanced piece of technology must be expensive, and thus, it'd be worth at least something.

You were getting a bit hungry.

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM [Easy: Success] — If I'm not mistaken (which I never are) then phones come with a tracking function, idiot. Do you want them to find us?

EFFICIENCY PROTOCOL [Medium: Success] — (Snatching phone away) Let me confirm. Hm… Hm… Hm. No, it was manual and he didn't have that set up. We're good, stealing procedures undertaken… Let's go.

SPITEFUL COWARD — Are you all dumbasses really stopping to mug this guy in the middle of us breaking out of the hospital holding us hostage!? 

JACOB — Hey, hey, hey. Calm. No one's coming here yet. In fact, I'd advocate to rob this guy's clothing too but I'm guessing the doctor here wouldn't be too crazy over that, would you?

DR. HEARTACHE — You'd be right. 

JACOB — Gotcha. Anyways, we're done here for now kid. Time to pack up! Up, up, everyone!

THE WINGED ONE — Maybe we should leave him a little note, maybe he won't be mad if we put sticky note on his forehead saying 'I'm sorry' 

JACOB — I agree! We're so smart.

Was that something you should do?

THE WINGED ONE — Of course. It's what a polite fellow would do.

Well, if so...

SPITEFUL COWARD — I hate you all.

Now you were an obvious hospital escapee, shoeless and half-ass still out (well, covered by a ripped thin hospital blanket), except you had a way-too-big duty belt wrapped twice around your waist, containing pepper spray, a flashlight, a baton, and your (also) stolen phone. 

Can't forget the stylish shredded wrist restraints around your wrists.

On the unconscious security guard's forehead, there was a slightly wrinkled sticky note, written with a slightly wobbly hand: 

SELF-CONFIDENT NIHILIST — Our drip can, fortunately, surely only go up from here!

It was, as you had noticed before, night. Thankfully, aside from the tired security guard you had just forcefully sent to Dreamland, there was nothing else—

CONNAISSEUR OF THE FIRMAMENT [Medium: Success]  — (really wanting to make up for last mistake) There's a camera if we go that way, let's go behind the dumpster and then climb the fence, we should be out by then.

Indeed, after that voice pointed it out, you noticed a beat-up security camera, which made you promptly turn around to where the voice told you.

Said fence was a rather tall thing, probably to further discourage the very thing you were just about to do.

DRAGON OF KYŪSHU [Easy: Success] — Hmph. Leave this to me. 

Were humans supposed to be this sturdy and strong? Or were you just special somehow? 

Wasn't that just fiction? 

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM [Formidable: Failure] — I truly don't think we've done anything out of the ordinary, Taylor. And I'd notice it, if we did. 

SELF-DECEIVING TRAITOR — You're such a stiff. Taylor's clearly special! On this world's stage, she's the protagonist! How can't you see it? Do you even have eyes!? 

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM — Oh, do shut up, idiot. I bet you even think you're the smartest, prettiest— 

You hear something like a loud THUD! and muffled screaming.

AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR — Moving on… To be honest, dear, we don't know enough yet to say for sure. Does it matter if you're normal or special? What's important is surviving, let's get you some clothes and then hopefully some food for you, then we can think about that.

You went up and down the fence, and found yourself as a lonely, amnesiac girl dressed in rags.

Where to go, where to go…

JACOB — Let's stick to the dark alleys. We may look too fabulous for the streets just yet. Plus, if anyone tries to rob us, we can counter-rob them, getting more money! It's a win-win.

The streets of Brockton Bay were very lonely at night; only broken with the occasional late-night food stall and 24/7 convenience stores.

It was January, and even though it wasn't currently snowing, it still felt cold. Very cold. 

RELENTLESS DETERMINATOR [Formidable: Success] — Compared to what you're going to have to live through, this little chill is nothing. 

TOWER OF ENDURANCE [Challenging: Success] — We can keep going. Walk. 

And so, you indeed kept walking. 

Finally, after probably ten minutes of wandering  that had you seriously consider the pros and cons of mugging someone out of their clothes, you found yourself in front of a second-hand clothes store.

The sign is an eye-searing neon and flickering in a way you subconsciously find very cliché.

Shaking your head as if you physically chase away your thoughts, you decide to enter.

Only to meet your greatest foe yet—

The door.

It won't open.

DRAGON OF KYŪSHU — We can always just destroy it, don't get your panties in a twist.

You don't think you even have those on.

JACOB — [Shit stirring] I agree. Let's even make a ruckus and scream about how they're being classist against us, how 'bout it?

For the same reason you didn't want to break the glass window in the hospital, you didn't want to break this door.

Especially since you saw what you vaguely remembered being called a ‘cashier’ manning the counter.

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM [Trivial: Success] — [Crawling out from the punishment corner] Do I have to point out the fact it says PUSH, not PULL? 

Observing the door more carefully, you realized that it was the truth.

A chime rings out, old and cracked like the voice of a dying god. Finally, you step inside.

Ah, finally some good, nice warmth. 

Time to bundle up. 

SELF-CONFIDENT NIHILIST — The lights are too yellow. The carpet’s too beige. The air smells like mildew and someone else’s memories. Welcome to second-hand limbo, baby!

SELF-DECEIVING TRAITOR — Ugh, everything's here a decade out of style, but I suppose it's a start. 

SPITEFUL COWARD — Nevermind that, stop dawdling and get to clothes shopping, that cashier is going to call the cops, they won't come soon or eagerly, but they will.

CONNAISSEUR OF THE FIRMAMENT [Medium: Success] — The cashier is wearing glasses. In the reflection of the glasses, you can see them trying to contact someone on their phone even when they act like they didn't see us. 

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM [Medium: Success] — This place is approximately 1100 square feet. No security. One cashier. Three cameras — two dummy, one real but unmonitored. Floorplan matches most northeastern resale shops circa 2000–2010. Low threat environment.

The ceiling tiles are water-stained, like someone bled rust into the plaster. Shelves sag under the weight of too many forgotten sweaters. Somewhere, a radio croaks out Fleetwood Mac’s “Gypsy.”

Despite the hurry, you feel comfortable, amidst these forgotten things. 

You shuffle inside, carefully avoiding the real camera that the voice told you about. The bell over the door jangles a second time as it closes behind you. 

The cashier is still pretending you don't exist.

DR. HEARTACHE — She isn't as apathetic as she looks… See that? Her fingers are trembling, she feels scared of you. What sort of city is this Brockton Bay, where someone is clearly attentive enough to be scared of someone like us entering yet still refusing to react? 

You move like a ghost, feet silent on the stained linoleum, the belt around your waist jangling quietly with purloined plastic. The racks stretch out before you — cotton graveyards. Denim mausoleums.

JACOB — Let's look for some white button-ups, those are always classy! 

SKELETON KING — (Suddenly appearing) I agree. 

JACOB — Ugh. Where did you even come from? Now I don't want it. 

THE WOMAN WITH THE HAT — Do not forget the hat, though. 

There were a ton of clothes and options to choose from, and despite having nothing (or maybe because of that reason), you didn't even know what to choose. 

Especially with the rest of the voices bickering over what ‘drip’ to choose:

SELF-DECEIVING TRAITOR — … -nd like I was telling you, we need those red high heels above all else, I just know we have killer le— 

Another loud ‘THUD!’ and then the sound of someone choking.

AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR — Now no one will get any drip! I shall dress her! 

You were glad for the voice interfering, as you were now lost on whether high-heels were or not incredibly crucial to your survival after hearing a minute long argument between everyone.

AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR — First, grab that backpack. It will do. Then, grab that beanie and then—

With the voice's help, you grabbed a green beanie, a pair of leggings to help with the cold, then slightly baggy black pants over those, a burgundy turtle-neck shirt, a thick trench-coat, a lilac scarf with purple and magenta flowers.

And the greatest find: a pair of dirty white sneakers that actually fit you!

You dressed in the « DRESSING ROOM » thing the voices told you about, and afterwards, made sure to put the pepper spray, money, flashlight, phone, notepad & pen, and baton in the trench coat pockets

With a bit more of carefulness, you could even fully take off the shredded wrist restraints. 

Then you turned around, and found yourself staring at a teenage girl.

It was you.

LITTLE OWL — How did she put it again? Limbs too gangly. Stick thin. Thin lips. Wide mouth. Large eyes. We look like a big owl now, mom. 

 

SELF-CONFIDENT NIHILIST — I mean, the clothes don't help for sure, but you don't look bad. It's a bit cute in an avant-garde way. It's all about chutzpah, darling. Chin up, walk like you mean it! 

SELF-DECEIVING TRAITOR — [muffled] We once played dress up too...

You didn't know what to think.

DR. HEARTACHE — Somewhere inside you, something uncomfortably close to self-loathing wells up. 

But why? 

Was this due to your lost memories?

You didn't think you looked… that… bad, why would you hate yourself? 

Why would you feel such dissatisfaction upon seeing your face?

Why did the memories make your heart hurt?

Why did they

always 

poke

at 

your 

insecurities?

[DAMAGED MORALE -1] 

AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR [Challenging: Success] — STOP. 

It was only then that you realized you were grabbing your head and heaving, your throat felt constricted and you felt like you were seeing the world through a fish-eye lens-

DR. HEARTACHE [Medium: Success] — You were having a panic attack, sweetheart. Breathe in, out. Don't think about that for now, follow my instructions, yes, good. Put everything else inside the backpack. 

Almost robotically, you went through the motions of stuffing the other clothes (apparently, according to the voices, having more than one set was crucial into not stinking) into your canvas backpack. The ragged blanket went in too, and your hospital gown did, too, to avoid leaving evidence in the scene of your soon-to-be crime. 

By the time you were done, you felt just a little less cracked inside. 

JACOB — HM. So. As always, I don't mean to interrupt, but we better get out of dodge. You all, uh, do remember this gal was sneakily calling the police, right? 

GHOST IN THE MACHINE [Trivial: Success] — The police in Brockton Bay are notoriously slow to respond. Looking through social media logs, it's a common consensus that they take approximately 30 minutes to arrive anywhere if they do at all, unless a particular set of circumstances are met, which were only hinted at but our situation definitely doesn't, anyways. 

SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM — With that in consideration, let's still get out of here ASAP, Taylor. Remember to avoid the angle of the one working camera.

SELF-CONFIDENT NIHILIST [Challenging: Failure] — You don't swagger as you step out of the thrift store dripped out of your mind, and in fact, stumble on the door threshold… We'll never recover those cool points. At least you still avoided the camera, though. 

Both the cashier and you carefully avoided eye-contact with each other as you caught your fall with the door handle and then speed-walked out of the thrift store with a furious, embarrassed blush on your cheeks.

As you walked for a few more minutes, now looking just like a girl who shouldn't be out alone so late instead of a crazy hospital escapee, you finally realized you didn't actually know where you were going.

You looked up.

The moon…

It looked so bright and beautiful. 

You suddenly feel a shiver; like a centipede crawling into your spine and entering your neocortex.

EARTH-BET — WELCOME, ██████. Welcome back. Welcome back home. 

The wind suddenly picked up, and for that moment, it was like the only person in this world was you.

Just you, a person named Taylor, staring at the moon, wondering why your heart suddenly felt heavy, like a stone dropping from a great height.

CHAPTER 1, end.

Author Note:

If TR! Taylor's life was an Episode game:

You must trust in authorities to want the best for you. Do you: 

Put your trust in them and go back to the bed (pay 200 gems)

Jump off the 4th floor window

 Assault a security guard on your way out of the psych ward 

Taylor & Co didn't think about the cold/exposure when leaving that security guard unconscious and on the ground, but the man did also have a walkie talkie that they missed, a few minutes later at the regular check-in it was noticed that the guy wasn't there anymore and so he was quickly discovered, with the sticky note still on, after being assaulted by a deranged amnesiac 15 years old psych ward escaped. Being a sec guard in BB is suffering.

What's everyone's guess on the voices that appeared in this chapter?

I just have 2 more chapters, but honestly idk if I will continue this or if so, continue posting them here, mostly because I'm doing everything on phone and editing Tumblr posts on phone makes my wrist ache fiercely because it's;;;;;; SO WONKY /cries

[alextydaisuda123]

And here are the phobias again. Part 4, right? Yes. In general, I came across 3 phobias at once and they even somehow fit on one page. I came across Pepperman phobias from the authors: @firfirov (Evil Tower and Divine Tower) and @neocrash1101 (Days with P and FP). I was interested in reading and learning about how they got their phobias. PM from DWPAFP was simply created according to Neo's headcanon, telling about his addiction in the past (I rarely come across such stories, but I was pleasantly surprised by such a headcanon, considering how many different headcanons I've seen regarding PM). About Pepperman from the Evil Tower, there was a mini comic (I love him with all my heart), telling about his phobia of sleep. I can understand him, since I had a similar fear in my teenage years after one tragic incident. Now I'm not afraid to sleep and thanks for that. The only one whose phobia is not entirely clear is PM from Divine Tower, but I have a theory and I want to voice it. Maybe he's afraid of them, not so much because of their appearance, which he might not like, but because of stereotypes about mirrors. About evil spirits, curses, or about the fact that if you look into it for a long time, you will feel like the strength will be sucked out of your soul through the mirror. Perhaps I exaggerated, but everything is quite possible, after all, there is a myth about a broken mirror, symbolizing 7 years of failure (that's why I drew the mirror cracked). Expect more phobias in the future. And yes, thanks to all those guys who recommended phobias, or drew them and told something about them. You can't imagine how much I liked reading and watching such things. And considering that phobias are different and unusual, the interest only grew from this.

[rooks-dagger]

Your OC as the Solar System

Saw this cool tag done by @pixiedurango and thought I'd give it a go!

The vibes, man, the vibes! 💫 I swear some of these had me like that Knives Out meme ("It makes no damn sense! Compels me though.")

Rules: Bold what applies - italicize sometimes - strike out never. (Bonus): Color the ones that especially fit. Tag some friends to play along!

Ember "Rook" Mercar ⚔️

SUN • egotistical • melted wax wings and fingers • stretching sunburnt skin • the most generous soul • blood in the fruit • halos • anger on fire • high vitality • thunderous laughter • is pride really a sin? • halogenic aura

MERCURY • expansion of the mind • silver-tongued • an everlasting wanderer • polyglot • high dexterity • handwritten letters • innately critical • en vogue • eyes in the trees • hidden libraries • there’s always room for improvement

VENUS • in love with strangers • iridescent waters • love potions for your mirror • selfless devotion • shattering crystal • seafoam upon sand • the golden ratio • drowning in your own passion • material value & high principles • luring • plush lips

EARTH • fresh springs • tree hugger • we can start again tomorrow • a blazing rainforest • respects survival of the fittest • nature’s adversity • lazy bones • constantly evolving • flowers sprouting from wounds • a granite altar • fossilized remains

MOON • illusory • silver shimmer off the ocean • secrets and gossip • cycles of reincarnation • a crybaby • physically ethereal • shared glances with a stranger • cat eyes • mistrusting their intuition • fear is a prison • ornate magic wands

MARS • healthy competition • attraction and repulsion • magma and rubies • a blade being forged • wrath wrath wrath • malefic • intense eye contact • cannon fodder & fireworks • blood floods • copper taste on your tongue

JUPITER • red robes and a suit of armor • beacon of stability • leader by birth • thunderbolts and lightning • guilty but can’t stop • secret rich kid • golden touch golden tears • innate optimist • failure isn’t an option • constantly reaching for more • unfinished symphonies

SATURN • traditional • overbearing energy • a sculptor of reality • this existence is a karmic one • has a heart it’s just.. way down deep • law, order & justice • avoid all necessary risk • the sound of shackles clanging • sisyphus’ struggle • grappling with the reality of time • self-governing

URANUS • psychedelic funk music • overflowing cups • a rebellion with skin • looking good in photo id • oblivious but caring • middle fingers in the air • double rainbows • icy diamond exterior • holographic • afraid of their own mediocrity • pearlescent smoke

NEPTUNE • an elegy for the lost • dissolving boundaries • white horses • the burden of mystical conditions • deceptive • escapism is their reality • a polarizing entity • artists soul • paranoia • searching for the unseen • a siren’s swan song

PLUTO • angel statues over graves • power • the cycle of necrosis • transformative • unfathomable depths • an ivory tower toppling over • screaming at the sky • violets and irises • eclipsed darkness • speaks with their shadow • sex, death, rebirth

===

Hoo boy, buckle up - I'm gonna tag quite a few of you since I haven't seen this game before (and I think y'all might enjoy it)

Gently tagging @dancing--lights @augustnugs @dudewheresmynug @grimrevolution @jouskaroo @caldarrus @fatagenda @master-of-the-elements @litchigaming @in-the-drowning-deep @fenrelmercar @mildlyupsetzebra @blightedcrow @flowersforthemachines @thesummerstorms @larkinna @themildmahariel @durgeapologist @curiouswisp @antivan-sprig @amellderiva ...plus anyone else who sees this and wants to play 😁 Zero pressure, as always!