#and also lock them up in a box and change career paths and bury us both 6ft under

[anurarana]

does anyone else with ocs ever like idk imagine the like "fandom" surrounding ur characters and just wanna blow everything up

[retrievablememories]

somebody to hold | jaehyun

title: somebody to hold pairing: jaehyun x black!reader genre: angst request: “Hey could I request a Jaehyun in which he’s engaged and wants to propose to his fiancée who no one knows about because she’s black and she gets upset and wants to leave him for not showing her how much he loves her as well as her worth and he promises to find a date but still can’t bring himself to do so. Thank you!!“ word count: 3.4k warnings: cursing, some racial microagressions?, some pushing and shoving, but not between jaehyun/reader a/n: y’all plz… I hope everyone reading these fics realizes you don’t have to stay with any partner who is embarrassed to be with you 😭

Your engagement was supposed to be one of the most memorable days of your life, rivaled only by your actual wedding; at least that’s what your friends and family have told you in the past. You wanted to have that kind of commitment to someone else, and it crossed your mind in every relationship you’d been in. When you began dating Jaehyun, you allowed yourself to believe that this could be it, even with his career and the fans.

Lately, you’ve been more and more lost about why you wanted that so much from him, especially after the course of your relationship began to truly reveal itself. You’d prepared yourself for a hidden relationship and was even relieved that the entirety of Korea wouldn’t know all your business, but you also didn’t anticipate not even his group members or family knowing you were together.

You never quite expected things to be fairytale-like, but what you really wanted has quickly turned into something completely different.

And then, when you didn’t see it coming, you got your wish. Or at least a tiny piece of it.

Jaehyun had taken you to N Seoul Tower, which boasted the fence filled with locks that professed countless everlasting loves. It was possibly one of the most romantic spots in South Korea, which surprised you a bit because it wasn’t often you got to go to places like this. At least, not with him.

The air at the top of the tower was crisp and cold. You wanted Jaehyun to hold your hand, make you feel warm again even if everything else was freezing. However, you were hesitant to do so because of how he might react, or if any of the other couples milling around would recognize him. No one had given him much of a second glance with his disguise on, but there were a few lingering looks at you, which you actively tried to ignore.

Jaehyun was equally fearful about it, which he felt both ridiculous and guilty for. Most people who came up there were couples, so they could likely already guess your relationship to each other, though he still couldn’t bring himself to take your hand. Instead, he walked quietly beside you with his hands in his jacket pockets as you examined the many different locks secured to the fence. His fingers nudged repeatedly against the object buried in the bottom of his pocket, and he sighed quietly as his neck prickled with nervous sweat.

“Aw, this one’s cute.” You pointed to a lock shaped like a sunflower with a smiling face. “Maybe we should’ve brought one.”

“We can do it next time,” Jaehyun told you, his mouth sticking with dryness. He didn’t know if he’d ever felt quite this terrified.

You stared at him. “…Are you okay?” Even though you could only see his eyes, they looked to be ablaze with energy. Not a good or excited energy, but a panicked kind.

Jaehyun thought over his plan, felt the box brushing against his fingers, looked back into your eyes. Maybe now was the right time—shouldn’t he do it while he has your full attention? He opened his mouth to answer, though he didn’t know what he could say. Though he’d thought over his mini-speech many times before, he felt like he was currently short-circuiting.

Should he get on his knee anyway? His body felt too stiff with fear to do so. Your expression changed to one of concern. Maybe the right moment had already passed. “Uh, I’m fine. It’s just…cold out here,” he replied.

You laughed a little unenthusiastically; you thought he might’ve meant he wanted to leave already. “Well, we won’t be out here forever.” Jaehyun nodded, his face burning at being unable to say anything to you.

You both stayed there a while longer, exploring more of the locks and even taking a few pictures. You wished you could’ve had a few photos of Jaehyun without his mask, but you didn’t bother with asking him to take it off for a moment, knowing what the response would likely be.

The trek down the stairs was a long one, but you eventually got to the end of your journey, though you were both a bit winded afterwards.

“So, what do you want to eat?” you asked, turning to Jaehyun once you’d gotten to the bottom of the stairs. You leaned on him so you could fix your shoe, figuring this contact wouldn’t matter since no one else was currently around.

For a moment, he stared at the side of your face as you concentrated on readjusting your shoe. He wasn’t sure what compelled him to finally say his next words, but they came out anyway.

“Will you marry me?” he blurted out. You looked up at him in shock, nearly stumbling as you regained your footing. Jaehyun seemed startled after saying it, but he didn’t take it back, even as your eyes grew big.

“What are you saying?” You tried to laugh, wondering if this was some kind of prank, but you didn’t think it was a very funny one if so. You looked around the area, seeing if there could be any hidden cameras nearby. As you did this, Jaehyun fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a small black box. When you looked at him again, you were surprised by it. “Wait…”

“I’m sorry for doing it like this, but…” Jaehyun opened the box, and there was a gem inside — a diamond ring. If nothing else, you felt dumbfounded. Part of you wondered why he was doing this at the bottom of some snowy, wet stairs when he could’ve done the same on top of the tower, in a much more fitting location. But you reasoned it away as him not wanting to draw too much attention to himself, even if there was a continual tugging at your heart.

Tears gathered in your eyes, though you weren’t sure if they were entirely happy ones. “Y-yes. I will.”

Jaehyun took your hand and gently slid the ring onto your finger. You both looked down at it for a moment as if in disbelief. Was this real? But it was.

You approached Jaehyun and wrapped your arms around his neck, hiding your face in his winter jacket. He hugged you back tightly, letting himself openly show his affection in public for once. You held onto that moment for as long as you possibly could, trying to blink away your tears.

Back then, despite the unconventional way the actual proposal went down, you’d thought for sure that Jaehyun was going to tell his bandmates and company about you. There would be no way to keep an entire wedding secret from them, and you wanted nothing less. You wanted everything a wedding could offer—the big white dress, the guest list, the multi-tiered cake, the thoughtful wedding gifts. And yet, 6 months later, you’re still in the same spot you were in before. Practically nonexistent and still with no clue of when you’re supposed to get married.

You look at Jaehyun from across the dinner table in your home, trying not to let your irritation increase, though it seems impossible to ignore. Him sitting there so casually aggravates you. The fact that he doesn’t know how you feel annoys you. You don’t want to tell him because you feel like he should already know, but you also know nothing will be solved if you don’t speak. And yet, how many times have you brought it up already to no answer?

Jaehyun notices you staring at him instead of eating your food, and he sets his utensils down, looking concerned. “Y/N, is something wrong?”

 “It seems like you don’t truly love me,” you say bluntly, looking at him closely. He sits back in his chair, unnerved by your declaration. 

“How can you say that? What have I done to make you think that?”

“How can I, indeed. It’s been months since you proposed, and you still haven’t agreed on a date for us to get married. It doesn’t make any sense. Did you propose because you wanted to, or because you felt you had to?” you ask quietly.

“Had to?” Jaehyun sits up straighter at that implication. “Why would I have to propose to you? I did it because I love you and want to be with you!”

“I don’t know. You tell me. We’ve been together for almost 3 years now, and still no one in your life knows I even exist. Maybe you finally felt a little guilt about it and wanted to do things properly.”

Jaehyun’s expression tells you that you must be right, to some extent. He’s upset, but there’s also no mistaking the remorse on his face. “I just—” He tries to pick his words carefully, not wanting to make you more mad than you already are, though going down that path seems to be inevitable tonight. “I’m trying to give you what you want, and I know it’s been a long time…”

“You haven’t even ‘given me what I want’ yet. And are you saying that you don’t want this?”

“No, that’s not—God, I can’t think properly. You just brought this up all of a sudden!”

“So now you’re going to blame this on me?” You get up from the table and take your plate to the kitchen, your appetite now gone. 

“I’m not blaming anything on you, but how would you feel if I sprang this on you with no warning? Getting married doesn’t just happen with the snap of your fingers.”

You turn to look back at Jaehyun, a look of disgust and disbelief coloring your features. “I wouldn’t feel anything, because you’d never do it, because I seem to be the only one here who actually wants to be married.”

Jaehyun follows you into the kitchen, and you linger at the other kitchen entrance that leads into the hallway. You’re already tired of hearing his excuses and just want to end this fruitless debate.

“You can’t say that. You don’t know how I feel about this, but I swear to you, I want to be married too.”

You walk to the bedroom, feeling increasingly irritated at the conversation. Your mood only worsens as Jaehyun follows you there, too. You know he’s not going to leave you alone now that you’ve brought the whole issue up, but you really want him to get out of your face before you truly go off on him.

“Y/N!” he pleads.

You finally look him in the eyes again, frowning deeply. “Prove it right now. If you love me, tell me a date when we can finally get married.”

“Now? I can’t just—”

“I really don’t want to hear that. You’ve had 6 months to think it over. If not a day, give me a damn month, at least! Can you even do that?” You put your hands on your hips and wait for his response.

“I…” Jaehyun racks his brain for something but comes up short. For him, the problem isn’t just the lack of time for a decent wedding, but the fact that he’d have to figure out when and how to tell everyone else his plans. And that is something he’s very wary of doing.

“Just like I thought.” You turn away from Jaehyun and start dressing down for the night, practically ignoring his presence. He watches as you take your jewelry off, confusion and distress lingering in his mind. 

“Y/N, I promise I can come up with a date if you just give me some time…”

“I think it’s best if you go back to the dorm tonight.” You cross your arms, glaring at his reflection in your dresser mirror.

Jaehyun looks like he wants to argue, but he also knows he doesn’t really want to stay here while you’re this pissed at him. His hands fall to his sides in defeat.

“You should be grateful this is all I’m doing,” you spit. “I’m just about ready to call it quits. I’m not impressed with being thrown to the side, Jaehyun; no woman would be.”

“I’m not trying to throw you to the side,” he says meekly, though he also knows he can’t argue too hard with this one. He knows he hasn’t given you even an ounce of the treatment you actually want or deserve.

You don’t respond to his argument, and he figures now is probably the time to make his exit. He lingers at the door for a moment, staring at your back and trying to think of what he should say. Or if he should say anything at all. When you don’t turn back to look at him, he sighs quietly and leaves the room—and your home.

The ride back to the dorm is uncomfortable. He turns the radio up to drown out your words that still cycle around in his mind, but that does nothing to stop them from tormenting him. He’s exhausted by the time he gets back to the dorm, worn out from the effort of trying to stop thinking about your words and also considering what he should say to you the next time he sees you. He knows what he should do, but he isn’t sure if he can do it.

Jungwoo immediately notices Jaehyun’s sour demeanor once he gets to their room, and he watches as the other man despondently readies himself for sleep. “What’s wrong? You’re upset,” he eventually asks, when Jaehyun doesn’t say anything of his own volition.

“It’s nothing.” Jaehyun plops down on his bed stomach-down, feeling defeated and emotionally exhausted.

“It’s obviously something, though. Wouldn’t you feel better if you talked about it?”

Jaehyun only mumbles in response, keeping his face in the pillow. He’s not even sure where his engagement ring is at; he’s never worn it since the day he got it, as it’s too risky. He’s afraid he’ll soon have yours back in his possession too, thrown at him or shipped off to him in a box.

Jungwoo sighs, figuring he won’t get a response tonight. Over time, he’s been observant enough to realize that Jaehyun is likely in a relationship—just by the way he acts and the times he’s spent away with “friends"—though Jungwoo has never asked about it. And the other man has never brought it up, so he figures he’d be better off minding his business. Jungwoo turns the lights off and rolls over in his bed, thinking maybe he’ll try again later.

Your plan will probably end up with you escorted off the premises at best—and without a boyfriend at worst—but you don’t know what other option to choose for getting Jaehyun to acknowledge your wants and needs. Therefore, you dress in your best outfit and head for SM Entertainment’s building, lying in wait for his appearance.

You already know his schedule for today, with him promising that he’d come over after practice to work some details out. You also know that his promise is just another bunch of airy words with no intentions behind them. So when you see him and a few other members come out of the back of the building to head to their manager’s van, you spring out of your car and walk up to them.

Jaehyun is ironically the first one to spot you, and he freezes when he does. The others follow suit, staring at you with varying expressions of confusion. You’re still walking towards them, and Jaehyun takes a few steps to you before he can stop himself from doing so.

“Why are you here?” he asks, looking around in a panic. 

“I came so you can make your decision right here and now. Fuck waiting until ‘after practice.’ I’m tired of you lying to me.”

“Y/N, please help me out here. We don’t have to do it like this, yeah? Now isn’t a good time,” he begs quietly, lightly grasping your shoulder and trying to steer you away from the others.

“Who’s she?” Yuta asks, his eyebrows furrowed. Before either of you can answer, the manager shoves his way between you and Jaehyun and nearly knocks you over while trying to get you away from him.

“Get your fucking hands off me!” you scream.

“Don’t touch her.” Jaehyun pushes his manager back, maybe a little more aggressively than he intended, and the other man stares at him in surprise as he stumbles back. The other members watch the show, trying to figure out what’s happening and how you even know each other.

“Isn’t this some crazed fan? Why are you protecting her?” the manager says.

“I obviously know her,” Jaehyun sighs in exasperation, rolling his eyes. “Didn’t you hear a word we were saying?”

You brush yourself off, angrily readjusting your purse that you almost dropped in the commotion. “While this clown is clearing the shit out of his ears, you need to tell me what your plans are. There’s no more time left to draw this mess out.”

“Really, who is this?” Taeyong adds in.

“Are you Jaehyun’s girlfriend?” Jungwoo asks, and the others look at him like he’s been an accomplice in the secret Jaehyun’s been keeping.

“At least someone here has the sense to realize it. Why don’t you do the honors, huh?” You look at Jaehyun, crossing your arms. His jaw tenses at being put on the spot, but there’s nothing he can do about it now. He turns to face the others.

“Yes, this is my girlfriend…Y/N.” The manager doesn’t bother to hide his unadulterated shock, and you glance at him in disgust.

You chime in with, “Yes. The girlfriend he’s been hiding for almost 3 years straight and still refuses to pick a wedding date for.”

“Wedding?!” The manager and at least one other member vocalize this at the same time.

“So, what do you say?” You press on, determined to get an answer from him today. “Say it clearly, and I’ll make my decision from there.”

Decision? Jaehyun knows you are already halfway out the door, and he understands that whatever response he gives could potentially ruin what you both have left of the relationship. His heart pounds and his mind races. The manager puts his hands on his hips, also eager to hear Jaehyun’s answer so he can report it back to the others at SM if it’s not the one he wants.

“Y/N…I’m so sorry.” Jaehyun’s voice cracks, and he nervously clears his throat. “I-I don’t think we can do this. It’s just…not the right timing, and m-maybe it would be better if we could wait a bit more, at least until—”

“How long do you think I will wait for you?” you interrupt, your voice trembling. You step away from him. “It doesn’t matter. I see this is how it’s going to be.” You turn your back to him to walk back to your car, unwilling to hear more.

“Wait!” Jaehyun walks after you. The manager’s voice is tight with anger as he calls for Jaehyun to come back, but the younger man doesn’t listen. When you get into your car, Jaehyun lingers at your door, trying to convince you to roll down the window. Rolling your eyes, you do so.

“Y/N. You have to understand,” Jaehyun insists, gripping onto the window glass. “What can I do? The company, the group—” He stops speaking when you lift up your ring and hold it out to him. He doesn’t want to take it, but you’re not leaving with it still on your finger; so he lets you press it into his palm, the metal still warm from its time spent on your hand.

You give him a long look, as if memorizing his face one last time. “Don’t show your face to me again until you’re 100% sure you’re ready. But Jaehyun, I’ll tell you this—don’t be surprised if I’m long gone by then.”

Jaehyun watches as you pull off and leave him standing there, ashamed and saddened.

[aconstantstateofbladerunner]

101 Open MHA Gen Prompts

I had a very long ask game where people gave me fake titles and I came up with fic ideas to go with them.  Multiple people asked to use some of them as prompts, and some of my friends have lately maligned the lack of gen prompts out there, so I decided to compile them all into a single post.  Almost all of these are gen, aka not shipping, but you can do what you want I’m not your boss.  Everything is free and open to use WITH CREDIT, so have fun with my word vomit.

1. In Dreams I Had the Sun - Being the number one hero isn’t all it’a cracked up to be, Toshinori realizes early on

2. The Chainlink Fence that Held the Ocean - In his new book post-retirement, All Might opens up about his regrets, struggles with mental health, and his issues with the hero system as a whole.  The backlash is swift and intense.

3. Welcome to the Loud Silence - After an injury, Izuku is rendered deaf.

4. Water Since Turned Red - After a villain attack nearly kills All Might, the beach where Izuku used to go to find comfort now feels tainted.

5. all scrap left untouched is bound together - A group hero students who failed the provincial license exam for the third time, effectively ending their careers before they start, get together to take revenge on UA’s first years who beat them out.

6. You’ve saved more more times than you know - Times All Might saved people without his powers, just by being a cool, nice dude.

7. No Amount of Tragedy Can Justify Your Actions - A dying All for One tries to justify his centuries of cruelty to an uncaring Toshinori.

8. To Leave a Cage Locked - One for All is conscious and has a will of its own, one that doesn’t always line up with Izuku’s wellbeing.

9. Okay, who let in the Kraken? - Izuku is the reincarnation of an ancient eldritch horror.

10. keep us alive up above - Izuku and Shigaraki get trapped together somewhere.  Izuku knows he needs the villain’s help to survive and escape, but the other would rather they both die.

11. The world will revolve around me neither less - The ebbs and flows of AFO’s influence over the years.

12. More Roulette, Not Russian - Kids get their quirks swapped.

13. Patron Saints - Toshinori teaches a class about pre-quirk superhero comic characters and their influence.

14. Don't Come Back - Touya Todoroki’s first few weeks after a severe injury resulted in his father abandoning him.

15. The Blessed and the Fool - Toshinori meets up with a few of his ua classmates after retiring.

16. Not Your Sacrifice - Some of the other kids have started adopting some of Izuku’s self sacrificing habits and the teachers are concerned.

17. Break in the Storm - Villains use a power outage as an opening to break into ua.

18. One Day Those Consequences Will Finally Catch Up - Even though the teachers don’t take her concerns seriously, Inko saves every piece of evidence regarding people hurting her son.

19. a garden in their eyes - Izuku meets a fan who got injured after trying to step into a villain fight, just like he did, and it makes him question some things.

20. what could have been, if not for you - After Inko divorces him, Hisashi’s goes to the press to say All Might stole his wife and son.

21. Promised Misery - All Might finds out the severity of Bakugou’s bullying, and warns him he’s on thin ice with him.

22. Fly Up Higher, Blossom Brighter - Izuku has to write a paper for middle school about being positive, intercut with all the bullshit he has to deal with.

23. Libre Me from Hell - One of Izuku’s new quirks is spiral related.

24. No One to Blame but Yourself - Izuku’s kindness doesn’t extend to murderers, tragic backstory or not.

25. At Its Finest - Izuku accidentally gets involved in a hero commission coverup.

26. A Rising Issue - Izuku starts developing more severe side effects of his injuries.  He’s convinced he’s under the influence of a quirk, while the adults thing he’s finally gone too far hurting himself.

27. What you are in the Dark - Izuku usually keeps most of his anger to himself until he can’t.

28. nowhere to go - Inko moves into UA after their home was destroyed.

29. Something Without - My theory about the 2 OFA vestiges that are blurred out is they don’t approve of izuku as a successor.  Izuku tries to figure out why. 

30. Walking with a Ghost - Toshinori joins the OFA dreams while he’s in a coma.  He gets to reunite with nana, and is more open to Izuku about his past and feelings.  Part of his starts to wonder if it’s worth waking up, since he will die and join the others eventually.

31. Death By Crying - Izuku is affected by a quirk that will suffocate him if he expresses any emotion.

32. Justice is Subjective - The hero commission gets to Shigaraki before AFO does.  

33. Undo / Underdog - Death loop fic.  Izuku keeps reliving the day he met all might after being killed by the sludge villain.  he has to find a way to break the loop and survive, but he gets s little weaker every time he restarts.

34. Like Wildfire - A rumor that Izuku is All Might’s bio son picks up steam, and the characters have to decide whether to deny it but risk suspicion or play along and add a new layer to the lies protecting one for all.

35. Once Upon A December - All Might and Inko actually met in the past trope.

36. Some Legends Are Told - All Might’s first interview post-retirement.

37. Will The Real Mentor Please Stand Up - Aizawa considers himself the better teacher, but a lot of the kids seem to like All Might more.

38. I don't want the cure, I want the POISON! - Inko is killed in a hit and run, and Izuku becomes desperate to find the killer.

39. I will kill my heart before I dance on stage for these bigots - Izuku is interviewed as a rising star of UA, and the interviewer brings in some of his old bullies because they claimed to be his friends from middle school.  Izuku does not play along.

40. Split Ends - A quirk gives Izuku brief visions of what would have happened if he made different decisions.

41. Dreamless Sleep - A One for All dream leaves Izuku with a cryptic half-warning, and he desperately experiments to try and figure out how to trigger the visions to get the rest of it.

42. toxic flowers and pretty blades - Young Inko escapes the constricting life of her cruel wealthy family by becoming a vigilante.

43. The Suns we Orbit - Some of the other teachers believe Izuku is too codependent on Toshinori, and separate them for a time.

44. Submerged - Similar to those buried alive fics only someone’s in a box at the bottom of the ocean.

45. Deprive - Izuku also loses his stomach to an injury, and struggles to adjust to the necessary lifestyle changes.

46. The ashes fall like snow - Post Kamino cleanup.

47. Home will always be here - Inko cares for Izuku after he’s sent home due to “trouble at work study” but he refuses to clarify what that means.

48. Playing Favorites - A look at several times where Izuku was punished, while Bakugou got off scot free.

49. Elusive Dreams - Some kind of training or issue forces the kids to stay away for several consecutive day, and they start losing it.

50. Fracture - Izuku struggles through physical therapy after a severe injury that leaves his hero career in question.

51. Starlight, Starbright - Space cadet au

52. Someone in Your Corner - Gran Torino looking after Nana, Toshi, and finally Izuku through the years.

53. I cast magic missile into the darkness - Generic “the gang plays d&d” fic.

54. One Month At A Time - Izuku breaks a limb, and has to let in heal naturally over the course of several months.

55. Head Above Water - Izuku runs out of his pain meds and can’t get access to more doses for a while, so he has to endure not only the pain, but the withdrawal symptoms.

56. Are you going to leave a path to trace - All Might uses a new strategy to try and get Izuku to be less self sacrificial: what about all the young kids who are going to look up to him?

57. The View from Halfway Down - Izuku realizes that a risky move has just landed him with a potentially life threatening injury, but the fight it still going.

58. The Dust Bites Back - A villain All Might defeated early in his career is back and out for revenge.

59. The Absence of your Worth - Nighteye thinks he’s put together a rock solid case for why izuku isn’t worthy of One for All.  All Might’s response is to ask if he has something against quirkless people.

60. Behind the Screens Nobody is Afraid - All Might explains some of the context of his most popular hero videos to Izuku.  They are much more tragic than the media has spun them in hindsight.

61. Under the Light of the Moon - Someone gets turned into a werewolf.  And I ain’t talking the wattpad piss shit.  I’m talking full-on back-breaking monstrous transformations into a bloodthirsty abomination set to Bad Moon Rising.

62. some dreams were made to be broken - Bakugou crosses a line and finally gets expelled.

63. You Say You're Into Closure - Izuku finally beats Bakugou in a one on one fight fair and square, but Bakugou is a sore loser.

64. Something or Someone Missing - AU’s memories of Izuku get wiped, but those closest to him can’t help but feel an absence.

65. Too Little Too Late - Izuku’s father returns to find he’s been replaced.

66. Collecting Dust - Inko goes through the stuff Izuku didn’t take to the dorms.

67. Where the souls of wanderers go - Toshi meets up with a retired hero support group.

68. Fragility of Trust - Suspected traitor au

69. no one answered - Izuku is trapped in a cell in a building that’s collapsing in slow motion due to a quirk.

70. Eye of the Storm - One of the other kids has a panic attack for the first time between public appearances.  izuku has never seen from from the outside.

71. To Whom It May Concern - The kids find a mysterious collection of letters from previous students hidden in the ceiling of the classroom.  Some are ominous, some are incomprehensible.  Aizawa has no answers.  They enthusiastically go to try and solve the mystery within, but that excitement quickly diminishes the more they find out.

72. Of Popsicles and Ponytails - All Might gets in a discussion with the other teachers about whether the Clark Kent glasses thing would actually work.  All Might bets them it does, so he goes around town with no disguise other than his hair being up, and no one bats an eye.

73. All Men are Not Born Equal - Word gets out to the public that izuku used to be quirkless.  Everyone finds out just how deep anti-quirkless sentiments run when some begin to question whether a quirkless kid should be at ua, regardless of whether or not he has a quirk now.

74. Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies - Something about encountering death in person for the first time being the dividing line between child and adult.

75. Sins of the Father - All for One has had many children over the centuries, and has made numerous attempts to groom them into the ideal heir with several different methods.  None of them worked though.

76. Where The Dead Come To Rest - The kids come home after a long, grueling mission where they saw some shit, and are too tired to process what they went through.  They take off their gear for plain clothes, then sit in the common room in silence long into the night, not wanting to open themselves up but also not wanting to be alone.

77. Rivalry - Nighteye tries to pit Izuku and Mirio against one another.  It goes right over Mirio’s head, but Izuku becomes convinced the other boy is in on Nighteye’s plan to wear him down until he gives up One for All.

78. A Subtle Language - All Might and Nana never said out loud that they loved each other, but little things told them that they did.  All Might hopes to pass a similar love down to his own successor.  But Izuku is very different than himself as a kid, and he needs to learn a new subtle language of affection.

79. It’s Gone - One for All stops working one day.

80. A Sight For Sore Eyes - All Might looking after Izuku in the aftermath of the second movie.

81. Loose Lips (sink ships) - Bakugou blurts out something about One for All during a rage, so the rest of the class jump on him and Izuku for answers.

82. No Expectations - Word gets out that All Might is going to choose a successor.  None of the theories or speculation online resemble Izuku in the slightest.

83. Eden was Only a Garden - Izuku gets hit with a quirk that erases some of his most traumatic memories, but in doing so loses part of who he is.

84. Run it Down - With all Izuku’s new quirks and his incredible skill, some of the other students with similar powers (Iida, Sero, Uraraka) start to feel like izuku is upstaging them.  And it affects their friendship.

85. Fool's Gold - Bakugou grows even more jealous of Izuku having One for All, and his relationship with All Might.  He thinks that if he could just prove himself to be more worthy, All Might would change his mind and name him his successor.  But in reality, he ends up jeopardizing the relationship they already have.

86. somewhere down the road - The final deadline for Nighteye’s predictions passes, and All Might lives.  He debates telling Izuku, as even though it would be a weight off the boy’s mind, he doesn’t want to jinx it.  He will still die eventually after all.

87. Just For You - All Might has certain rules and boundaries for fan interactions that he completely ignores for Izuku.

88. if these walls could talk (their whispers would be maddening) - Montage of training accidents in a ‘cursed’ ua gym

89. If Only I Could... - Nighteye tells Mirio about One for All, including that he thinks he’s more deserving than Izuku and he plans to pressure him into giving it up.  Mirio struggles with the knowledge that his mentor, someone he respected more than anything, only saw him as a replacement for All Might, meanwhile watching Izuku strain under the pressure of that mentor’s impossible expectations.

90. This is a Test Designed to Provoke an Emotional Response - shameless Blade Runner AU

91. Once and for All - Retelling of the Superman story “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?” with All Might.  Some new heroes use much more aggressive and violent tactics against villains while also upstaging All Might.  That, and there general approval from the public cause All Might to question his moral code.

92. Sitting In The Rain - Tsuyu likes to just sit out in the rain sometimes.  Not do anything, just sit there.  Some friends decide to join her.

93. At Sundown - Mysterious creatures start attacking ua every night.  The gang works tirelessly during the day to find the cause and a solution, while defending their school and each other at night.

94. The 1000th time's the charm - Uraraka has been practicing a new move in secret but they just can’t get it right.  She wants it to be perfect before showing it off.  But one attempt gets her seriously hurt while training alone at night in one of the gyms, and she’s too hurt to get up to the phone to call for help.

95. Sunflower Seeds - All Might attempts to start a garden as a new hobby.

96. What It Means To Be Human - Sun god Toshi starts living among people.

97. Eyes on Me - All Might teaches Izuku some unarmed fighting moves to defend himself from bullies.

98. one remains - Izuku has developed all but one of the quirks he’s slated to, and he has no idea what it will be.  Anxiety ensues.

99. Come Back Home - Izuku vanishes from campus and everyone assumes he was kidnapped, but in reality he ran away to try and clear his head after a depressive spiral.  He goes by train as far away as he can until he comes to his senses and calls the others.

100. I Won - Izuku accidentally managed to kill Shigaraki during a skirmish, and while everyone around him praises his heroics, he struggles to deal with the fact that he killed someone.

101. Ivory Tower - All Might grapples with how much izuku suffered as a quirkless person, how he could have done more for quirkless rights in his time as a hero, and how now people may not care as much because he’s retired.

Reminder to credit me if you use any of these prompts, and a special thanks to everyone who submitted titles!

[thezodiaczone]

March Forecast for Pisces

You’re back! The Sun is in Pisces until March 20, meaning it’s birthday season for you. Your annual solar return should rev up your energy and personal passions—and you’ll be glad to have this extra fuel to get through what promises to be another busy month. Like January, March is bookended by TWO full moons, both in the committed-partnership zones of your chart. This could bring potent turning points to your relationships. And two planets, Mercury and Jupiter, will slow down into retrograde motion, which could churn up chaos and send out mixed signals.

If you’ve been reeling from the eclipses on January 31 and February 15, March can help you start to make sense of it all. This year has sent most of us off to the races. And with these eclipses activating your houses of work, health and spirituality, you’ve probably got a lot of irons in the fire. There haven’t been many quiet moments to work through all the energy that’s gotten stirred up. You KNOW it’s time for a change…but what, how, when and where?

Fortunately, March should provide some windows to reflect and integrate. And no need to do it alone! On March 1, a full moon in Virgo illuminates your seventh house of one-on-one partnerships. A dynamic duo that’s been heating up over the past six months could become official. Or, since full moons can also signify endings, you might decide to amicably part ways. From colleagues to S.O.s to best friends, this is a perfect moment to take inventory of your most important ties and get back in sync with each other.

A high-flying idea could get called in by air traffic control between March 10 and July 8, when expansive Jupiter turns retrograde in your visionary ninth house of travel, risk-taking and entrepreneurship. Jupiter has been in Scorpio since October 10, 2017, which kicked off an adventurous 13-month cycle that inspired you to throw caution to the wind. After a tough couple of years, it’s been awesome to feel so optimistic and open-hearted again. The ninth house is all about the big picture, and with Jupiter right at home here, you might have a world-changing idea or project that you’re feeling extra excited about.

But have you bitten off more than you can chew? If you’ve scattered your energy a little TOO far and wide, even in the name of fun, Jupiter’s backspin gives you a chance to pull back a little. Give some of your starry-eyed ideas a reality check, putting them into timelines and budgets. Or work on them in phases—better to scale down and test a project out first, which will give you a chance to tweak and perfect your formula.

If you’ve been traveling a lot, you might touch down at home base a bit more often. This is also a productive time for writers and students to finish a manuscript, complete coursework or brush up on technical skills. Don’t worry—there’s plenty more adventure ahead. Jupiter will stick around in Scorpio until November 8, so you can launch into the stratosphere again, and this time with a more realistic plan of action.

The March 17 Pisces new moon marks your personal new year, a day to set powerful intentions that you can manifest over the coming six months. This same day, energizer Mars leaves Sagittarius and your career sector, where it’s been heating up the action but also piling on the pressure. Some work-related burdens could lift, clearing the way for some exciting collaborations when Mars enters Capricorn and your teamwork sector from March 17 until May 16. The eleventh house rules technology, which could make you a social media superstar or a viral vlogging sensation.

You’ll be ready to roll up your sleeves and get productive on March 20, the day the Sun starts a monthlong trek through Aries and your second house of work, money and security. Some of the wild-hearted ideas you had during Pisces season might be worth building out now. Or maybe you’re just ready to get back into a grounded groove with routines, especially as spring arrives. Painting, planting, seasonal cleaning and decluttering: There’s a lot to take care of, and you’ve got the gusto to do it. You could become preoccupied with a major work or life improvement project. Plan, prioritize and break big tasks down into small steps. Less is more during this sensible solar cycle.

But careful how much you pile on your plate, Pisces. From March 22 to April 15, Mercury, the planet of communication, technology and travel, will be retrograde, wreaking havoc in all of these areas. Be vigilant with your budgeting and bills, as errors are more likely than usual. You could lock horns with a client or coworker, or just feel totally misunderstood at every turn. This retrograde can also shake your confidence, and old insecurities might creep up. Do your best to stick to habits and practices that help you feel grounded, even if you can only devote a few minutes each day to them.

March 31 brings a moment of intensity to polish off the month. The Libra full moon beams into your eighth house of intimacy, joint ventures, sex and power. Whew! Some deeply buried emotions might come rushing out today. La luna could drop your guard and inspired you to get vulnerable with one special person. Can they handle the truth—and can YOU deal with being so transparent? Jealousy, trust issues and an all-around sense of intrigue could permeate the air under these penetrating moonbeams.

A simmering, soulmate-level attraction could consummate. This full moon could be a shedding of metaphorical skins, a moment of transformation when you release any energies that are holding you back. But you may crave privacy now as you go into the cocoon—it could take until next month’s full moon, at the end of April, before you fully emerge a butterfly.

Love & Romance

March dangles a pair of delicious carrots, since the month is bookended with two full moons—illuminating your two relationship houses! On March 1, the lunar light powers up your seventh house of committed partnership. If you’ve been wondering “where is this going?” you could get a VERY clear answer in the coming two weeks. Of course, you don’t have to sit around passively waiting for a clue. Take the bull by the horns and initiate a talk—not with tears or ultimatums, but with a warm heart and a soft demeanor that encourage candid conversation.

Also on March 1, affectionate Venus in your sign glides into a harmonious angle with your co-ruler, magnanimous Jupiter, in fellow water sign Scorpio and your ninth house. If you’re unattached, you could meet someone when you’re a bit off the beaten path—or perhaps a person who themselves is from someplace far, far away. Or just get outdoors and do something active, like a trail hike or spring bike ride, where other interesting people might stop for small talk. Couples might take (or at least plan) a romantic vacation—half the fun is the fantasizing about it. The ninth house is a place of candor, so if there are some things that need to come out from under the carpet, grab a broom and make a clean sweep.

Venus stays in Pisces for the first six days of the month, churning up the warm-fuzzies. You’ll be magnetic and irresistible and TBH you’ll enjoy the attention. Then, from March 6 to 31, the love planet will sail through Aries and your grounded, productive second house. And since Mars is jetting through Sagittarius and your long-term plans zone until March 17, you could feel inspired to talk about a future together, or to set some lofty visions with your S.O.

You may feel the pull between stability and adventure on March 11, when Mars forms a supportive angle with wild-card Uranus in hot-blooded fire signs. But rather than impulsively do something you might regret—or not take ANY action—try to find a happy medium. Could you, for instance, have some flirty fun without crossing a line? Look at your own motivation, Pisces: That might help you stay in control of your behavior. (And definitely watch the drinking. Nothing makes a slope slipperier than alcohol.) Under this edgy energy, a work attraction could heat up. Pursue with caution, and make sure you can recite company policy chapter and verse before you go there.

The second full moon—in romantic Libra—lands in your erotic and seductive eighth house on March 31. This could bring big changes, including a turning point in a relationship. Lusty thoughts may crowd out reason, so before you get moonstruck, make sure you know what your heart truly desires!

Key Dates

March 13: Venus-Saturn Square It’s time to slip on the noise-reducing headphones and tune out what those so-called friends are saying. Isn’t this YOUR love life, Pisces? And where is it written that your entire crew and your love interest have to mesh? They just have to get along with YOU.

Money & Career

To the top! Go-getter Mars is in Sagittarius and your ambitious tenth house of career, success and professional acclaim until March 17. Since the red planet only visits every two years (it’s been here since January 26), you’ll want to lean all the way in during the first three weeks of March. A day that you’re totally on fire arrives March 11, when Mars forms an opportune trine to innovator Uranus in Aries and your second house of work and money. An out-of-the-box idea could be a surprising winner—and you may get the backing of a heavy-hitting decision maker today.

If you’re wondering “Should I share this out loud?” the answer is a resounding yes! While you might surprise a few of the stuffier types, even they might be impressed by your trailblazing ideas. But prepare in advance by having a solid plan, facts and figures to back it all up. While you may never need to whip out that Powerpoint pitch deck, it’s better to be safe. Searching for new income sources? Look beyond the familiar, Pisces. Opportunity could arrive out of left field, AND when you least expect it. Uranus rules technology, and one of your online connections could lead to a hot new client or business offer.

Look no further than your personal network from March 17 to May 16, when Mars blazes into Capricorn and your eleventh house of groups, friends and technology. Collaborations heat up, and your social media game is on-point. Word-of-mouth marketing could help spread your message and offerings like wildfire. Ask your people to tell their people, and be generous with your own reposts, giving props to online influencers YOU admire. No shame in being a fan—or reaching out with a well-crafted email or DM. But the best strategy is to do it the LinkedIn-style way, having mutual friends introduce you with a glowing testimonial.

Be proactive earlier in the month and back up your data, contacts and important work. Mercury, the ruler of technology, communication and travel, will turn retrograde in Aries and your work sector from March 22 to April 15. If you’re looking into a new laptop, printer or home office equipment, hold off until the second half of April—or purchase that extended warranty. Thanks to Mercury retrograde, that “refurbished iPhone” could turn out to be a lemon. With the quicksilver planet in your budgeting zone, this is a good time to pay off lingering bills, organize your finances and get your spending and saving plans in tiptop shape.

Key Dates

March 2: Mercury-Jupiter Trine Voice your truth! Take the filters off and speak from the heart. You’ll inspire people with your big ideas and grand vision.

Love Days: 25, 1 Money Days: 9, 19 Luck Days: 6, 17 Off Days: 27, 31

[cobracommanderofficial]

The Fall of Mt. Spring

Hey guys! Here’s a story I worked on during my flight to California last night! It has a pseudo-Lovecraft tone (It could best be compared to the Thing on the Doorstep) I hope you guys like it!

I know it seems like I have committed a most horrible deed, and in most other circumstances I would agree with you. However, with this note or story or whatever label you want to apply to it, I only wish to clear some things up. More specifically, I'd like to openly testify my participation in the incident that is now commonly known to the public as "The Fall of Mt. Spring", and how I acted in the just, at least from the perspective I held at the time. 

Now, I suppose I should give some background information on the whole affair, as it should signal why I was in Mt. Spring during the semi-apocalyptic week that shall forever scar our history. Now, I suppose I should start at the very beginning of this whole affair. Back when I was still in university (I've long since dropped out to pursue independent archaeology), I made the acquaintance of a fellow by the name of Edward Wallace. Now, Edward was a most peculiar fellow in several regards. For one, he was in no way ugly or unkempt, but he always exuded an aura of repulsion. Thus, he was never the most popular fellow. Second, his interests and hobbies were unique, to say the least. He spent nearly all of his free time working some sort of internship at the nuclear power station on the edge of the city. Besides that, all he really did was sleep and make others uncomfortable. Finally, his taste in music was absolutely terrible. I cannot put into words how much I despised it. One can only listen to the Spice Girls so many times before madness begins set in. However, in spite of all these overwhelmingly terrible aspects, I couldn't help but find myself fascinated with him. How could a man sustain a lifestyle such as his and not fall into a despair so inescapable that suicide is seemingly the only escape? I became the only thing that resembled a friend in his life, so presumably he spent more time with me than with any other human being. I never did develop an emotional attachment, but over time I slowly began to realize that Edward's entire perception of reality was some kind of twisted satire. He majored primarily in accounting, but wished to become an engineer full time at an atomic research center. He said both subjects took into account his worldview of total nihilism. I wondered what kind of upbringing could produce an individual as....special as Edward. So, I probed him for months about it. Alas, he remained mostly tight lipped. All that I was able to ascertain was that he was born and raised in a town called Mt. Spring, in Vermont, and that he hated it there more than anything. That was the only aspect of his childhood he would willingly talk about. How much he despised that town. How it's very existence was a threat to Edward's sanity. It was seemingly his life goal to destroy it, either physically or economically. I suppose that would explain his career choices. Now, one Saturday afternoon, I received a phone call from Edward. 

"T-Tommy. It's finally time. I'm going back to Mt. Spring. My mother has called me, and she's fallen deathly ill. The doctors think it's some kind of cancer. I want to be there for her. So, I must abandon my studies. In a couple days, you should get a package through the mail. It contains all the knowledge I have collected on possible methods via which to neutralize the threat of Mt. Spring. Guard them with your life. I'm sorry it had to end so suddenly. Perhaps one day we'll meet again. Perhaps not." 

Then, a click. He had hung up. When the package arrived, I looked through the contents with some curiosity. Inside there were three books. One was some sort of explanation of the possible weaknesses and faults in a nuclear power plant. The other was a collection of ramblings on covert government operations located in and around Mt. Spring, some of which seemed downright ludicrous in scale and purpose. Finally, a journal with a brilliant purple cover and a shining gold top. Stuck to the front of this was a Post-it note. It read 'ONLY FOR DESPERATE MEASURES. YOU'LL KNOW WHEN." These three pieces of information led me to draw one conclusion: That Edward was absolutely insane. So, I tucked the package under my bed and went on with my life. Soon enough afterwards, I dropped out of university to pursue my passion of archaeology. 

Work was slow at first, but that changed one stormy September evening. The one incident that secured my path to Mt. Spring that fateful day was also the most important day of my life: I had just discovered a fully intact ruin buried deep within the Rocky Mountains. It seemed to be some kind of holy burial site, filled with coffins and offerings. Realizing that no good would come of me sticking around, I made note of the coordinates and went to the press with my discovery. It was hailed as incredibly important, and shed light on some of the more obscure rites of one offspring of the Sioux tribe. How they got that far north, and how they survived in such harsh conditions (Most of the ruins, including the burial site, were located at some of the highest altitudes in the Rockies.) are still a mystery to us. However, my discovery helped expose at least one fragment of their seemingly expansive culture. Approximately a month after the burial site hit the news, I heard the telephone ring. I assumed it was a journalist asking for an interview, so I ignored it at first. It kept going and going and going. Eventually, more than slightly irritated, I picked up the phone. 

"Hello, this is Thomas Frost. What business do you have?" I seethed into the receiver. A familiar voice replied. 

"Thomas, it's me. Edward. I was just watching the news when I saw your name pop up. I was so surprised you abandoned theater. Say, would you like to take a visit to my place, for old time's sake? I'm not too far from Philadelphia, if that sweetens the bargain." Edward replied. Something seemed off about his voice. It seemed restrained and concerned, almost like someone was pointing a gun to his head as he said it. Moreover, I was concerned as to how he got my home phone number. Brushing it off as him having a contact or two in the journalistic industry, I spoke into the phone again. 

"Depends where and when. I would like to see you again. It has been ages." I had calmed down at this point, but I was unable to keep concern from reaching my face. 

"Oh, it's fine. I'm located at 457 East Roosevelt Drive, in Mount Spring. Also, any time works for me. I'm settled here. Not busy at all" his raspy voice replied. I almost dropped the phone in shock. He had willingly moved back into that town which so many years ago he had despised with the entirety of his being? I was most concerned. However, I agreed to his offer. I had to investigate why he had suddenly made himself comfortable in a metaphorical den of wolves. It was almost as if Ahab were to suddenly join Greenpeace and preach about whale conservation. The math didn't add up. So, the date was set. When I was packing my stuff for my week-long stay at Mt. Spring, I noticed a box sticking out from underneath my bed. It was that package from so many years before. I figured it would be a decent topic for conversation, so I added it to my luggage. After I had finished packing and locking up the house, I jumped into my used convertible and began the hour and a half ride to a place that would alter my perspective of reality forever.

 I drove past the city limits of Mt. Spring at approximately 5 pm. From the second I entered the town, I felt something was off. The architecture of every house seemed copied and pasted. When I hit what could be referred to as 'downtown', I was utterly appalled. It was entirely chain stores, without a single unique business or service offered within the whole town. I immediately understood why Edward had hated this place so much. Thus, I was even more confused as to why he willingly moved back here. After about half an hour of driving, I arrived in front of a clean cut suburban lawn. Several gnomes and flamingos had been erected around a patch of dirt, creating a defensive barrier between the petunias and whatever Nature could throw at the pitiful excuse for a garden. Otherwise, the lawn was featureless and was so vibrantly green that I nearly threw up. I walked up the cement pathway to the front door and knocked three times.

 No response. I rang the doorbell. After about twenty seconds, the door opened. A woman in her mid thirties stood before me. Her brown hair was held in a tight bun, and her piercing blue eyes were surrounded by laugh lines. On her right hand was a diamond ring, and she wore a long blue shirt with denim jeans. She took a moment, seemingly sizing me up.

 "And who might you be", she asked in a most demanding tone. I was almost too shocked to reply.

 "M-my name is Thomas Frost. I'm an old friend of Edward." I managed to sputter out. This woman's demeanor was almost terrifying. She turned back into the house and shouted, 

"Eddy, Tom is here to see you!." Slowly, a familiar gaunt figure shuffled towards the doorway. He wrapped his arm around the woman's shoulder, and I had to hold in a gasp. Standing before me was none other than Edward Wallace. However, something had changed about him. The aura of repulsion he had once carried about him had vanished. All that was left was a smiling blonde man with unusually tan skin.

 "Aaaaaaaah, Thomas. So glad you could make it. How have you been?", he asked me as we walked inside. 

"I've been fine, Ed. But I'm sure you know enough about what's happened to me recently. I haven't heard from you in almost a decade. How've you been?" I replied. 

"Ohohoh, right. You have no idea what's happened in the past 8 years. Well, I suppose I should enlighten you. But first I shall show you to the living room and prepare for us some coffee." He led me down a couple hallways, eventually opening up into a fairly luxurious den. There were three couches, a flat screen TV, and a real fireplace. How exotic. However, what caught my attention the most were the bookshelves that lined the walls. After my host excused himself to grab us some refreshments, I began to peruse the library. I figured, knowing Edward, that the books would be interesting if not totally incomprehensible. I slowly began to realize, however, as I moved from shelf to shelf, that this was maybe the most boring library I had ever seen. Nothing of any literary challenge had presented itself. It was all either bland romance novels, books on taxes and accounting and whatnot, or fiction that even a public library would be ashamed to put on display. I was so wrapped up in my judgments that I hadn't heard another figure enter the room. A shrill voice pierced the air.

 "There's an intruder! An intruder! An intruder in our house. Mama!!!" I turned around to see a girl that couldn't have been older than 7 standing in the doorway, crying. The woman from the front door quickly entered the room and began to soothe the child, promptly bringing her back to wherever she had appeared from. Almost as soon as those two had departed, Edward appeared. In his hands he clenched a silver coffee tray. We both took our seats on the couch, and he began his story.

 "Ah, well, it all began right after I arrived here. At first, I was as mortified as I had been when I was younger. I had truly hated this town back then, and now I just can't understand why. Anyways. I came to see my sick mother in the house she had bought with retirement funds. She had a brain tumor, Tommy. She wasn't going to live past November. I stayed there to comfort her. Slowly, she descended into lunacy. She began to say things about ants in her brain and how I had been right about hating this town. I simply ignored it as the ramblings of a madwoman. On November 3rd, she passed on to the next life. I was there at her funeral. It was Dios de los Muertos on that day, if you'd believe it. I went back to the house and began to pack my things when I heard a knocking at my door. A freak snowstorm had hit, and had blocked all the roads leading in and out of town. I was forced to stay there another night. Simply mortified, I couldn't sleep that night. The next day I decided to venture into town. Alas, there was nothing of interest there. Just the same chains you see everywhere. So, I began to head home. It was then that I was stopped by a simply beautiful young woman. We began to talk, and she decided to give me a gift due to the troubles the weather had caused me. It was a piece of cake. I decided there was no harm in accepting such a present, so I took it home and ate it. The very next day, I came down with a terrible fever. The young woman and her family took me into their care. They gave me medicine and clothes and made sure I didn't do anything dangerous. I had lost my sanity during those days, they said. I wrote odd things and put them in odd places. Notes addressed to my future self or something along those lines. Anyways, it seems they made sure to take most of the letters down. They feared that seeing any of them would reduce me back into the state of shock that had left me bedridden so long. I was sick for three months, Tommy, and over the course of those three months I fell in love with that young woman. Her name is Katherine, by the way. I stayed in town, in my mother's old house. We dated, fell in love, and married. I got a job doing tax returns at the local H&R Block, and Katherine worked as a painter. Soon, we bought this house. Not long after, Katherine became pregnant with Samantha. She quit full time painting to look after the kid, but she still does it in her free time. That brings us to the present. Here I am, living a happy life." 

The speech had knocked the wind out of me, to say the least. It was an absurd amount of information to process at one time. I slowly began to connect the dots while sipping my coffee. Ed went on about how I could save more money with his damn tax firm, and how he could snag me a special discount. But I wasn't paying any attention to that. I was more thinking of what had happened to Ed's mother. It reminded me of something I had read ages ago. One of the ramblings in the books Ed sent me. How they keep you in by forcing you to stay, whether through debt or through manipulating the weather or anything. They would do anything to get their hands on new test subjects. I had no idea as to who 'they' were, but I began to have frightful notions about the town around me. The rest of the day passed without event. Ed had prepared accommodations for me in the attic, so I headed up there to unpack. My lodgings had an almost frightening aura to them. Dingy, poorly lit, and wooden. Definitely not the kind of place you would want to sleep. However, I found them almost comforting. Something that wasn't a complete carbon copy. At least, I didn't think it was.

 My dreams that night were plagued with night terrors and images of demons emerging from fiery brimstone cracks. The next morning, the entire family (Me included) sat down to breakfast. Katherine had made pancakes. However, I didn't eat much. I had lost my appetite the night before. So, I made polite conversation with Edward as the fruits of the housewife's labors slowly went cold. We had decided the night before that today Ed would give me a tour of the town. So, we hopped in the silver Prius and began to explore the town. He slowly drove past the various strip malls, explaining in detail the services offered by each niche of capitalist hubris. Oddly enough, he sped by things that were far more interesting. At least to me. For one, he totally ignored a ruined house that showed signs of habitation. He sped past an unmarked cement building that emitted a bad aura. The straw that broke the camel's back, however, and the sight that made me force Ed to stop the car, was the nuclear power plant on the edge of town. 

"Hey, Ed, didn't you want to work at one of those places when you were younger?" I asked. I was genuinely curious as to why he had taken up a job distributing tax returns rather than engineering an atomic reactor.

 "Hmm? Oh, that? I was just joking around about that.", he replied almost robotically. We spent the rest of the day driving around the outskirts of town, admiring the scenery. We stopped at the local Denny's for dinner before heading back to the house for some relaxation time. While I lounged on the couch, Ed spring an unexpected question onto me. 

"Say, Tommy, you wouldn't happen to still have those books I sent you, would ya?" he said in a relaxed tone that seemed almost serious. I was filled with an immense feeling of dread. I felt like it would not be in my best interests to tell him yes.

 "Ha, I had nearly forgotten about those. Yeah, I threw em out ages ago." I tried to not sound or look concerned. Either I am a very good actor, or Ed is a better actor than me.

 "Oh, alright then." He sounded almost disappointed. I decided to head up to bed not long after. However, my sleep would not go uninterrupted. Around 2 in the morning, I awoke to loud noises coming from downstairs. I crept out of the attic, curious as to what was going on. Downstairs, I saw something most disturbing. Ed had been tied to a chair, and was struggling. Katherine was slowly injecting something into his jugular vein. I fled the scene before I could react. Something bad was going on here. I knew I had to get out of town ASAP so that I could tell the authorities. But I felt bad leaving Ed here, alone with whatever it is that's going on. I woke up early the next day. I decided first to explore the old wooden house that had raised my curiosity. I hopped into my Ferrari and drove down the winding roads until I reached the pile of wood that was at one point called a house. As I got out of my car and walked towards the ruins, I felt as if I was being watched. The hills have eyes and all that it implies. When I reached the main debris pile, I rummaged for a good hour. I had no idea as to why this place intrigued me so much. I suppose it was a guy feeling that led me there. After an hour of fruitless digging, I decided that the home was a lost cause.

 As I walked towards my car, I tripped over a pile of wood I hadn't noticed in my exhausted state. When I got up and dusted myself off, I noticed something odd. Some gleaming metal in the mass of plant matter. I decided it wouldn't hurt to check it out, and began to unbury it. No sooner had I started moving logs a trio of figures emerged from the woods in front of me. All of them seemed very old. Their eyes were possibly the most curious part about them, as they seemed to glow a golden yellow. The one leading the trio stopped the other two and began to talk. 

"Traveler, I recommend you leave this town soon. Nothing good will come of staying here. However, if you unbury that thing",he motioned towards the piece of metal,"there will be no turning back. They will not let you leave. What is it you choose?" Of course, I was immediately confused. Why was everything so dramatic and black or white? What had I done to deserve this warning? Just what the hell was going on in this town? The rational side of me reasoned the best thing to do would be to bail out of town ASAP. The archaeologist in me won over in the end, and I unburied what was now evidently a key. What it was doing here, I had no idea. I felt tired after that whole incident, and decided to head back to Ed's house. When I arrived, it was 10 am. The family had just sat down to brunch. I felt a sudden urge to ask Ed something. 

"Say, Ed, whatever happened to your mother's place?", I inquired. His face turned sullen. 

"Ah, yes. We drove by it yesterday. It was destroyed in a fire some years ago. Very sad." he returned to eating. I began to connect the dots. But now I had to be cautious. Things were getting deep. After a day of avoiding the family, I excused myself to the attic. While I was studying the key, I noticed something most peculiar about it. The material it was made out of bore a striking resemblance to the lock on the purple journal. I began to pace. What to do, what to do? Should I open it? I recalled the note. Was this a desperate measure? Ed seemed happy here. I didn't want to take that away from him. However, there was no ignoring what I saw last night. Maybe it was a kink thing? No, definitely not. I paced and paced and paced. At one point, however, I was so deep in thought I ran into a low set banister. I fell backwards, disturbing the few pieces of furniture in the attic. My impact had caused the bookshelf to fall down. I struggled to put it back up when I noticed something odd. Where it had once stood, there was a note surrounded by a rectangle free of debris. 

I decided my best option was to take it and right the bookshelf before anyone came to investigate. I waited an hour for all the noises and lights in the house to turn off. After 15 minutes of total silence, I took out the envelope. On the front, in Edward's familiar handwriting, was my name. My curiosity was piqued. Why was a letter that was evidently ancient due to it's location and state of yellowing addressed to me, when Ed claims to have forgotten about me until he saw the news report? I took out my Swiss army knife and cut it open. It read: 

Tommy, Desperate times have come upon us. I have been poisoned? No. Something? Maybe. The ruling body of this town, Thomas, they're they're they're they're. They have a hold on me and I they gavem me a fever that cake was l;acd with ssomethng. Now they have an excuse to pump me full of drugs and convert me into a goddamn pod person. ogmdman pod people are everywhere.E it kills you eventuall. It's what happened to motherr. The radio waves ithey send out from that damnable tsotne building tommy. then riado waves influnece you on once ytheyve established a footold in you mind. Don't eat the food. theyre dkeoeododestroying all my letters.i OI HOpe you dindfind this before it's too late. I mad e ap lan just in cas this thing happen. I have harbored a susopicion bou this or mnay years an and its confirmed, tommy! im not insane. i was engineeered, like this, you know. to be a repulsive monster. some experiemn by th cia or whoever the hell is running this. the books tommy. dot let me see thiem dont dont dont dont. run if you can but if you cant then fight your way out of this hellscape. i can fee l them isnide my head tommy. i hope you can sav trshis damnntown 

-the artist formerly known as edward wallace 

This letter shocked me, and fueled the growing sense of paranoia I had about my surroundings. I began to realize that if some big organization really was running this than I had no choice but to somehow put an end to this. I had no idea how. I decided the best choice would be to hide these sensitive materials in my knapsack and head to sleep. The fourth day was when I decided to take action. I ate with the family and left for town hall. Maybe I could glean some information from the official source, however biased it may be. There was practically no wait for the mayor. If Ed's crackpot theories were right, that's because the theoretical 'they' decide the emotions of the townsfolk. No unhappiness. I entered the mayor's office and took a seat. The mayor was a short and fat man with a withering toupee and a voice like sandpaper. I started off the exchange. "Mr. Mayor, what can you tell me about the concrete building on the outskirts of town? I'm a journalist and I'd like to do a report on the local sights and attractions." "Ohohoho, you can't fool me Mr. Frost. I've seen you on the news! But, I suppose I'll let this little lie slide for the sake of our visiting celebrity. Yes, that building isn't open to the public. It's some kind of radio station. You see, it's the wave of the future. A radio station that doesn't need an antennae. How wonderful. Yes, it is government owned. I believe it exists solely to test the new technology, so don't expect to tune into it. It's on a private frequency. Ultraviolet or ultraviolent or whatever those scientists call it." The mayor's phrasing disturbed me just a bit, but I figured that was the most information I would be able to glean from him. I stepped out of the building and rode out to the concrete, bunker-like structure. I began to investigate it, as it didn't have an immediately apparent entrance. However, after searching the nearby woods for half an hour, I discovered a door embedded in the ground. I tried to pry it open with my bare hands, but that was a fruitless effort. Using some nearby stones and sticks, along with that ever-handy swiss army knife, I was able to construct a pulley that managed to open the door by just a crack. Surprisingly, after it opened a bit it was as light as a feather. Truly, technology is amazing. I descended into the bunker, ever cautious of where I tread. 

This place had a bad aura about it. It was dimly lit, but I managed to make my way in the direction I believed the structure to be in. There seemed to be a series of tunnels beneath the town, leading anywhere and everywhere. It had disturbing implications that I had yet to witness. Eventually I reached directly below the structure. The mayor, it seems, had been lied to, to an extent. There was a working antennae, but it seemed to be buried underground. It was hooked up to all sorts of odd machines I couldn't possibly recognize, and I had a headache just from standing in the same room as it. That was when I noticed the security camera. I really didn't like that. I fled as soon as I saw it. Technically, what I had just done was illegal. The sun had set by the time I reached Ed's house. I noticed some black sedans parked out front, so I stopped my car several blocks away and snuck in through the back door. I saw Ed and Katherine talking to some men in black suits. I slowly ascended the stairs, checking on my belongings. The room was a mess. Everything had been turned upside down. Thankfully, I had what they wanted on me at the time. As I slowly looked around to assess the damage, I heard a shrill voice. "The intruder is back!" the little girl screamed. Great. I quickly went into panic mode. As the men in black and the rest of the Warren family began to ascend the stairs, I looked for an exit. I managed to budge the window open enough to climb out and descend the three story house. I fled my car and ran into the woods. 

The following 24 hours were a blur of adrenaline as I hid from the search parties and the spotlights and I recall being referred to as a threat to national security and labelled a terrorist and mother of god and I kept running and running. On the morning of the sixth day I awoke in a different place from where I fell asleep and immediately panicked. I was silenced by those same glowing eyed figures from before, who suddenly appeared before me. "So, I take it you've come to realize what's going on here?" the slender female asked. "Y..Yeah." "We realized that a long time ago. Before you were born. Before we were born. The experiments on Mt. Spring date back to the early days of the Cold War, if you didn't know. Besides general population manipulation, there were various experiments. Some were supposed to be psychological weapons, like your friend Edward. Some were born as laborers. Us? We were born as intelligence officers. Far too intelligent for our own good. Once we became self aware, they tried to get rid of us. It failed, of course. So here we are. In hiding. They've managed to accelerate the passage of time for us, so it shouldn't be too long before we pass on. But you. That purple goddamn notebook can put an end to all of this. Free this town, son." The leader said in an imperious tone before all 3 faded into darkness. I checked my knapsack. The key and journal were still there. I began to decipher... 

Ed had apparently planned this a long time ago: the utter nuclear annihilation of Mt. Spring. I suppose it isn't surprising, as he was a psychological weapon, but still. He played his part far too well. Using some insanely obscure psychohistory techniques, he was able to guess the entire future of the power plant on the hill for 15 years after the journal was hidden. All that was left was for me to play my part. Over the course of the day, I planned my route and strategy; luckily, Ed had already done the most difficult parts of the planning. All that was left for me to do was pull it off. I decided I'd do it the very next day. I decided to get an early night in. When I awoke, I began my journey. Avoiding patrol patterns and various sheriff's deputies, I made my way to the plant. Avoiding the guard detail was difficult if not impossible, but Ed had planned ahead for this. I just needed to get my timing perfectly right. After three hours of dodging guards and infiltrating security (A majority of that time was made up of me waiting for patrols to pass me) I made it to the central control room. Pulling out the purple notebook, I began to follow the instructions Ed gave me. It took me a good half hour to get everything done. The strain of pulling off complicated system overrides and time sensitive power shutdowns all the while avoiding any and all living beings can really take a lot out of a guy. But, finally, all was done. The only thing left for me to do was press the confirmation button after this prompt appeared

 [confirm basin destruction?] [Y / N]

 As soon as I pressed yes, a great rumbling overtook the building. I realized I had to get out of there ASAP. I began sprinting through the hallways as I heard the nuclear reactor being ejected into the valley below. Soon, Mt. Spring and the horrors associated with it would be blown to smithereens. I reached the outside of the plant and began running through the woods in the opposite direction of the town. A program installed inside the reactor's command processor began the sequence that would lead to annihilation. The most frustrating part of the whole deal was managing to disable the firewalls put in place to prevent such actions. But, it worked out in the end. I must've been about 10 miles away from the site of impact when it went up. I was knocked prone by the explosion. When I woke up, I was in custody. I was asked to give a statement. I refused. I knew there was no way in hell they would believe me. I wouldn't believe me. Besides, they were owned by the same government perpetrating those awful crimes. I was put under house arrest while they put the trial together. I know what will happen to me. I'll inevitably be found guilty, and tortured or executed or even worse. They know that I did it. So, this is my adieu to the world at large. Death is preferable to whatever they might have in store for me, experiments or otherwise. I hope that this manifesto makes it to the light of day. I'm sorry to the families of those I killed. They're at my door now. The police. I have to end it now. Goodbye. Goodbye. I'm sorry, Ed.