#anyone else is immediately targeted for some form of revenge

[ladytauria]

BITTYBIRD!!! that’s so fucking cute i desperately need dick to call damian that immediately

i feel like damian’s face the first time he says it would be hilarious. THE most disgruntled cat expression.

“no. absolutely not.”

“what? what’s wrong with it?”

“everything. i demand you cease.”

“bittybird? are you serious, dickwing?”

“well, everyone else has a bird name! dami deserves one too.”

“i— and you cannot come up with anything else, richard?”

“nope! besides, it’s cute, like you~”

[narutogwriting]

Before You Go

Pairing: Sasuke Uchiha x Reader

CW: angst

Length: 3.6k+

Summary: You play it through your head. Every moment, every interaction you ever had with Sasuke before he left. Was there something you could have done? Could you have made him stay?

Inspired by: Before You Go by Lewis Capaldi

Looking at Sasuke hurt. That’s all you could think about for the longest time. To look at Sasuke was to be punched in the stomach, all the air leaving your lungs. It was like someone’s fist tearing through your chest, grabbing your heart and crushing it in their fingers. Looking at Sasuke left your entire existence battered and bruised.

You remember hearing the whispers. Adults whispered a lot, always telling each other secrets. “I’ll tell you when you’re older.” That’s what they always said when you asked them what they were talking about. So much of their conversations were too hard to follow along with. You made a mental registry of all the questions you would ask when you reached this elusive “older” age.

You were nosey, of course; always wanted to hear the ins and outs of things. But the first time you remembered the whispers really catching your interest was when you were seven years old.

“It’s horrible, what happened to the Uchihas.” “I can’t believe he could do that to his own family. “Just tragic.”

Uchiha. A boy in your class had the last name Uchiha. Sasuke. He was really popular, by far the strongest kid in the academy. You never talked to him, but you always noticed how happy he would get when his big brother would come pick him up at the end of the day.

“Did something happen to Sasuke?” You asked, crawling out from underneath the table, earning a startled gasp from you aunt.

“What have I told you about eavesdropping!?” Your mother snapped at you, but she didn’t look angry like usual. She looked worried almost. With a sigh, she pat your head. “Don’t worry too much, okay. It’s nothing. Sasuke is just fine.”

It was natural for a parent to want to protect their child’s innocence. Even at your parent’s age, the Uchiha Massacre was a horrific occurrence; it was too hard for them to process; it would be even harder to try to explain it to you. Ignorantly, your parents thought that if they hid it from you, you would never have to deal with it, but of course that wasn’t true. People talked and word got around. It only took one or two kids in the academy finding out some details for the story to grow and spread.

Sasuske wasn’t at the academy for a month after you heard your parents and aunt whispering about his family, but the next day at school, word was already beginning to get around. Sasuke’s older brother, the one he’d adored so dearly, that he’d smiled so happily at every day, had murdered his whole family, leaving only Sasuke alive.

It would have been better to hear it from your parents, the toned down, soft version of the appalling act as they tried to explain to you for the first time that the world could be a cruel place. But instead, you had to listen in horror while your classmates gossiped, lied, and exaggerated the whole thing, discussing the most traumatizing moment of Sasuke’s life as if it was a new movie playing in the cinema. You’d gone home crying almost every day that week.

When Sasuke finally did come back, he talked to no one, and no one talked to him. He kept to himself, arms crossed and a blank, cold stare on his face that would soon become his signature. You couldn’t believe that such a beautiful smile had ever crossed those icy features.

“Stay away from Sasuke.” Your mom whispered as she walked you home from the academy. When you questioned why, she’d simply shushed you. “Do what I say.”

Parents always know best. That’s all you know when you’re seven years old. They always do and say the right thing, and you always listen because you never have a reason not to. Your mom told you not to talk to Sasuke, so of course you wouldn’t because there must be a good reason not to.

You never told your mother that it was this very command that later shattered your innocence; the first moment when you realized that your mom was not always right.

It wasn’t immediate. You never really talked to Sasuke in the first place, so it was nothing new to ignore him now. But now that you’d been told not too, of course everything in you wanted to go say hello to him.

There is a theory of development that categorizes the age of seven as industry vs inferiority. It’s the first time you’re independently integrating into society and trying to figure out your place. The major question of children this age is “How can I be good or bad?”

And you were no different. This appeared in a lot of ways. When you struggled to hit the target with a kunai, you felt like a failure. When you were corrected by your parents, it felt like criticism and hit you to your core.

But you were moving further than your peers. You didn’t just wonder if you were good or bad based on your skills; you wondered if it made you bad to ignore a person that everyone else seemed to be purposefully isolating as well.

Can I be a good person if I let another person feel miserable?

Sasuke had lost everything, was living on his own in the place his family had been murdered in front of his eyes. Even you could understand that that must be traumatizing. Of course he was angry and cold and closed off. How could anyone fault him for that?

It started slow. “Hi, Sasuke.” You would greet him every day when you got to class. It took him off guard the first couple of times. Once he got used to it, he just “hn’d” in response, but that was okay with you.

Then you started asking him if he wanted to sit with you at lunch, offered him an extra dessert that you would sneak into your pack just for him.

He always told you no, so you would leave him alone and just offer again the next day. Not to be annoying; just to let him know that you were there.

Things changed a few weeks after Sasuke had come back to the academy. You were still saying hi and being ignored, and a few kids had begun to slowly start trying to interact with Sasuke in response. You never really saw him outside of the academy except for this one day you were out with your mom running errands.

You’d never considered how he got food or supplies he needed. You didn’t know where he got the money, but there Sasuke was at the market just like you were. You watched from your mom’s side as he walked up to a fruit stand where there was a group of people examining the different produce. Sasuke reached past someone, grabbing an amaou to put in his bag.

The person next to Sasuke glanced down absentmindedly, but you saw the way their eyes widened as they settled on him, realizing who he was.

“Oh shit,” the guy muttered, dropping his fruit and hurrying away from the stand. One by one, every other person around did the same, looking at Sasuke with an expression of shock or discomfort before speeding off.

You couldn’t see Sasuke’s face from where you were, only his back, but you could see the way his shoulder tightened. He froze completely before his body began to tremble just slightly. Sasuke’s fingers tightened and the fruit was crushed beneath his fingers. He dropped the pulp and the bag with all the other fruit he’d been planning on getting and in a moment, he was gone.

It was the first time you could remember hearing a heart shatter. You just weren’t sure if it was his or yours.

Your mom’s attention was elsewhere, so you took the opportunity to sneak over to the fruit stand, grabbing the bag Sasuke had dropped, examining the produce inside. When back at your mother’s side, you grabbed her hand. “Mom, can I get some fruit?”

Later, you snuck the fruit bag from your kitchen, slinging it over your arm as you walked around the village. You finally found Sasuke sitting under a tree on the outskirts of town. He had his back to the trunk, arms crossed as he stared off. He didn’t look at you, didn’t acknowledge your presence as you approached, but he didn’t tell you to leave, either.

So you slipped down next to him, leaning against the trunk and placing the bag of fruit silently between the two of you as you crossed your legs. With nothing else to do, you began to pick the flowers in the grass, weaving their stems together until you had a small bracelet formed.

What came over you, you weren’t sure. But confidently, you turned to Sasuke where he still sat, staring off with his arms crossed. You reached out, gently taking his arm and untangling it from the other. To your surprise, he didn’t fight you, so you took his hand, sliding the flower bracelet around his wrist.

When you looked up at him, you found that he was already staring at you. He wasn’t smiling, but for the first time in weeks, he wasn’t frowning either.

~

You hated him. You hated Sasuke Uchiha! After everything, the past five years that you had spent together… Had it all meant nothing!?

It was a blow straight to your heart hearing the words when you had come home. “Sasuke has defected from the village.” Sasuke had left to train with Orochimaru, all for his revenge. He hadn’t been kidnapped or forced to go; he left willingly. Just like that. One day he was there, and the next he was gone.

You hadn’t even had the change to go on the retrieval mission. You just had to have gone out of town that day. He’d already been gone for days by the time that you were home. Naruto was the last person that got to see Sasuke before he disappeared; maybe forever.

Even thinking the words had you in hysterics. You sobbed violently into your pillow, the sounds being ripped from your throat. You sobbed so hard your body shook. Your cries were so vicious that you began to vomit, not even able to make it to the trashcan.

That’s where your mother found you hours after you heard. “I told you to stay away from him…” Your mom tsk’d softly.

You would never forgive him.

~

Was there something you could have said or done? You thought you’d been a good friend to Sasuke. You’d always tried to be there, listen in those rare moments that he wanted to talk to you. Ever since you’d given him the bracelet…

That moment was so pivotal in your friendship. Not just that you’d given the gift, but that Sasuke had accepted it. It was the moment that your one sided pursuit of Sasuke had become mutual; the two of you were now friends.

And it wasn’t a normal type of friendship really like your other relationships were. This one was quieter, built around so much that was unsaid, only felt. In Sasuke’s loneliness, you were there standing by and sitting next to him through it all.

You couldn’t take away Sasuke’s pain or hurt, but you could walk with him through it.

Or at least, that’s what you had thought. It’d been stupid. You actually believed that you could help Sasuke, make him feel better when he’d experienced the most appalling sort of loss. Maybe that belief had only made Sasuke feel even more lonely.

Did you ever understand at all? No, you hadn’t, and you knew it. You’d tried your best, done everything you could, but you were just a kid too, and you’d never experienced anything like Sasuke had. How could you have known what to say to make it better?

Despite this, the guilt that you felt was consuming, taking up every part of you. You felt as if you’d drown in it, felt the way it filled your lungs until you couldn’t breathe.

You’d been in denial when you heard the news, felt the anger when the retrieval squad had failed. In the weeks that followed Sasuke’s defect, you’d switched between the two stages almost constantly.

Now, finally, you’d moved onto bargaining.

If Sasuke just comes back… If he just came home, you would be better! Whatever he needed, whatever he wanted, you’d give it to him! Somehow you’d have the right words this time. You would tell him exactly what hear to make it all stop hurting. Whatever it took…

And you bargained hard. You bargained and bartered and you petitioned and you pleaded. You begged whatever god that was listening, tried to sell your soul to the devil, if only, if only it would bring Sasuke back!

But if god existed, he wasn’t listening and the devil had no use for a spirit like yours. You were alone, screaming to the sky.

~

“Sasuke! You’re awake! I was just gonna stop by to see you.”

Sasuke could see that you were in a rush even if you didn’t say it. You were dressed, running your fingers through your hair to throw it up into a bun. There was a dumpling hanging delicately from between your teeth, signaling your quick breakfast you were trying to take on the go.

At this point, Sasuke knew you well.

It wasn’t often Sasuke came to you when he was struggling, at least not outright. There were plenty of times he’d sought your presence to simply suffer in silence, but at least he wasn’t suffering by himself.

This time, he didn’t want to suffer silently. Not right now at least. He’d been thinking hard, struggling all week since Itachi had put him under the Tsukuyomi. Tsunade had been able to bring him back from his comatose state, but hadn’t been able to mend what Itachi had broken and bent in his mind for the second time.

You wouldn’t find out til later, but Sasuke had come straight from the hospital not after waking up, but after challenging Naruto to a fight. Kakashi had broken the two up just before they’d about blown their arms off.

Naruto was surpassing him. That much was so clear, so obvious to him now, but no one wanted to admit it. If even Naruto, the worst of the worst in the academy was getting better than him, at this rate, how would he ever be strong enough to kill Itachi?

Kakashi had lectured him heavily about losing the friends he had left in his mourning of the family that was long gone. It was what Sasuke had wanted to talk to you about. Somehow, he knew Kakashi was right, but when he’d spent the last five years thinking of getting revenge on Itachi, he didn’t know how to reconcile what Kakashi was telling him.

“Stop by? Are you going somewhere?” Sasuke asked the obvious as you finally fixed your hair. You grabbed the dumpling, taking a bite as you nodded.

“To see my aunt,” You said through a mouth full of food. “In the village of the hidden rain.” You tilted your head, peering at him curiously. “Everything okay?”

Sasuke considered the question. You were going out of town, would be gone for a few days at least no doubt. Now probably wasn’t the best time to bring this up, but he wasn’t sure if it could wait until you got back.

As he began to respond, your attention was taken by your dad yelling from inside the house. “Finish packing your bag so we can go!”

You glanced behind you back into the house, rolling your eyes with a sigh. “Hold up!” You snapped before turning your gaze back to Sasuke. “Sorry about that. We’re running behind now, not that it’s my fault.” You gave a small laugh.

Sasuke knew he could have pushed it, and you would have dropped everything to listen to him. Your parents be damned. It’d just been a moment you were distracted from him because of your dad yelling. But now, suddenly, the words left Sasuke. He had nothing to say.

“It’s fine. I just wanted to stop by since they discharged me.” He lied easily, the words slipping off his tongue without dilemma. Even so, you usually would have picked up on it. You would have known that something was off, and you needed to pry.

It was just one time, one moment where you didn’t push him. You were in a rush, afterall, and you’d be back in a couple of days.

It was only hours after you left that the Sound Four had appeared to Sasuke, and minutes after, he was gone.

That moment would replay in your mind constantly in your mind, on repeat until it drove you insane.

You should have noticed. You should have noticed. You should have noticed.

You should have stayed.

~

Time heals nothing, but it gives you more things to worry about. You never thought it’d be possible, but Sasuke was no longer on the forefront of your mind at every moment. Every day, sure, but you were able to function in society, get stronger and attend to your duties.

You were no longer drowning in the sorrow of missing Sasuke, though that was where you’d been for so long you never thought you’d escaped. But finally, you’d hit the last stage of grief.

Acceptance. Sasuke was gone and there was nothing you could do.

You could have lived out the rest of your life in that acceptance, pushed the dull, ever present pain aside and pretend it wasn’t there, but you couldn’t do that. Naruto Uzumaki wouldn’t let you.

Hope was alive and well in Naruto’s heart and thus he stirred it in yours. “I’m gonna bring Sasuke back. Just you watch.” He’d grin at you.

You didn’t know where in the stages grief you were now, but you believed Naruto. He’d get Sasuke home even if you couldn’t.

You wished he never gave you that hope.

Kiba had picked up Sasuke’s scent. You were almost there. Almost to Sasuke…

That was when the orange masked Akatsuki member intercepted your team, keeping you from reaching Sasuke. You were desperate, feral almost as you attacked the man. To move him, killl him, it didn’t matter to you. You just needed to get past him, to get to Sasuke!

Another Akatsuki member appeared then, taking the attention from the masked man. You were about to make a break for it, but that’s when you heard him.

“Itachi is dead.”

The words settled on you, blood rushing to you ears and drowning out everything else. That was what Sasuke had always wanted; he’d finally done it. He’d killed Itachi, gotten his revenge. This should be a good thing.

You couldn’t explain it, but something was settling in your gut, a horrible, nauseating feeling that this was wrong. This wasn’t how things should have ended. Despite everything you knew and believed, you suddenly had the certainty that Itachi wasn’t the heartless monster everyone had believed he was.

Was it intuition, coincidence, or some unexplained connection you had to Sasuke? Glancing at Naruto, you could see he felt it too.

None of you noticed the masked man had disappeared. You followed Kiba as quick as your feet could carry you to where he tracked Sasuke’s scent, but by the time you got there, it was too late. He was gone.

“This is as far as I can smell him… We lost him.” Kiba told the team reluctantly.

You dropped to your knees, hand clutching desperately at your chest. You couldn’t breathe. It hurt; it hurt so fucking much you were sure you would die. The pain in your heart seized every part of you, knocking the air from your lungs and causing you to convulse.

Dropping to the floor, you began to sob. Those heart broken, anguished cries you thought you ran out of years ago.

“Sasuke…”

How you knew, you couldn’t be sure. But it wasn’t your own pain you were feeling. It was Sasuke’s tears that flowed down your cheeks and his aching regret that filled your heart. Where was he? You wanted nothing more than to be there with him now, to wrap him up in your arms and never let him go.

The team winced as you weeped so brokenly, the sound shattering their hearts.

You’d never understood, not really. As much as you wanted to, despite your best attempts, you never could grasp the layers of Sasuke’s pain. If only you’d been able to. If only you knew the storm that was building inside of him, leaving him restless and agitated, desperate for the carnage to end. You wish you knew that he couldn’t stand it, the way that every beat of his heart left him in pure agony.

Was there a way you could have made his heart beat better?

Every night, you saw Sasuke in your dreams, his back to you as he left. You lived it over and over and over again.

”Sasuke,” You called for the first time, watching him pause, but not turning to look at you. “Before you go… Was there something I could have said or done? To make it all stop hurting?” You waited for an answer that never came. Sasuke stood there for a few more moments before he walked away, disappearing into darkness.

You guessed you would never know.

[bloodyshadow1]

The first time Katja met Adaine Abernant, she didn't think about her that much, there was a dragon to slay after all and she hadn't seen Cinnamon in over a year.  But when you're both part of the best adventuring parties at the school, it's kind of hard to avoid each other.  But after a few more meetings with the Elven Oracle and Katja finds that avoiding Adaine is the last thing on her mind.

The first time Katja met Adaine Abernant, it wasn’t really a meeting.  Ms. Faeth had just rescued her and the rest of the girls that would become the Seven Maidens from Kalvaxus’ lair in the Red Waste and brought them to the gym of the Aguefort Adventuring Academy.  Katja had been locked in that crystal for nearly a year, without Cinnamon, and was pissed.  Johnny Spells was dead, Penelope Everpetal was dead, Kalvaxus was dead too, but not passed the point of a revivify spell which meant he could still be a target of their wrath.

So the future Seven Maidens said their hellos to the Bad Kids, some light introductions group to group, before the seven of them went to town ripping apart the scaley bastard in retribution.  Adaine, well she was a pretty elf wizard in a cool jean jacket, but she barely registered on Katja’s mind with revenge on the way.  It wasn’t how Katja ever thought her prom night was going to be, no white horse for Cinnamon to court while she danced with some faceless someone who didn’t judge her for wearing her riding clothes, but it was still a good night. Katja just thanked the Bad Kids for what they did for them.  She wasn't really herself, she just wanted to kill Kalvaxus again and get her beautiful horse.  Still, it was a good night.

   The second time Katja saw Adaine was a few weeks later.   Technically it was a lower stakes, but still anxiety ridden environment, a party at Katja’s house, or her family’s manor as it was.  It was supposed to be a small get together organized by Penny between the two parties so they could get to know each other better.  But unfortunately, Skrank, the guy Ostentatia was dating, thought it was a house party and ‘accidentally’ invited the whole school.  Ostentatia apologized, but the deed was already done and at least a hundred or so Aguefort students were in her house partying down.

Once the ‘guests’ arrived, Katja was too anxious to tell them all to leave, she wasn’t good at speaking in front of crowds.  Ostentatia took charge and responsibility and assured everyone that if they went above the first floor or out on the grounds, Gertie would kill them, and no, they wouldn’t be paying for the resurrections.

There was loud music and dancing, and so many people talking, it was too much for Katja who left immediately.  She went to the stable, her happy place and started brushing Cinnamon, her happy Horse.  “Mistress Katja, I thought you were having friends over this evening,” Cinnamon asked worried about her mistress.

“I was, but it became this whole big thing, not Ostentatia’s fault, but still, more people got invited, and you know me better than anyone else so you know that I don’t do well with so many people,” Katja said disappointed.  Forming a party with the other girls had done a lot for Katja in getting her to socialize more.  She wasn’t ready for parties, but she had friends, people friends for the first time in her life and it felt good.  She was hoping she could make friends with some of the Bad Kids that rescued her and the other Maidens, at least some of them.

There was a slow creak at the door that surprised Katja and Cinnamon, the door to the stables didn’t creak.  It was a heavyish wooden door, but Lockwood, Gertie, and her could open it easily without drawing out the slow creak.  At the door was Adaine, who looked just as shocked to see someone else outside the party as Katja.

“I’m sorry, I’m not trying to snoop, I promise,” Adaine said panicking a bit, “the main hall was a bit too noisy and I wanted to finds someplace where I can hear myself think.  I didn’t mean to disturb you, I’ll go-,” she said moving to leave.

“No,” Katja said loudly, shocking the two of them and the 101 horses in the stable. “I mean,” she cleared her throat to center herself, “you don’t have to go, I came out here for the same reason.

“Oh,” Adaine said surprised, before letting out the prettiest smile Katja had ever seen, “well thank you.”  For a moment the two of them sat in an awkward silence before Adaine broke it.  “I’m Adaine Abernant,” she said holding out her hand for Katja to shake.  “I know we’ve met before but I don’t think I ever formally introduced myself.”

“Katja Cleaver,” Katja said, taking the smaller woman’s hand in her own.  They were small hands, Adaine was a small girl, even smaller compared to someone of Katja’s size, but they were calloused and rough, not like any elf or wizard Katja had ever met.  “But you knew that…,” she said awkwardly, she wasn’t good at talking to anyone outside the Seven Maidens and the staff that worked at her house.  Then she thought of something, “and this is my horse Cinnamon,” she said pointing to her best friend.

Katja could talk about Cinnamon and horses for days, she knew that it weirded some people out, but if Adaine thought she was a strange horse girl she would leave and probably wouldn’t get along with Katja anyway.

“Oh she is beautiful,” Adaine said moving closer to get a good look at the horse in the pen, “she’s a palomino if I’m not mistaken,” she asked Katja, though Katja didn’t know why.

“That is correct Ms. Abernant, she is indeed a palomino,” Cinnamon spoke up.

Adaine made a weird sound, something that Katja didn’t know and was worried.  A lot of the girls she knew growing up loved horses, but whenever Cinnamon started to speak they would freak out.  Katja didn’t know why, a magical talking horse should have been every little girl’s dream, it was hers, but most girls her own age didn’t seem to agree.   She was worried that Adaine would be like those girls, but instead Adaine’s eyes lit up.

“A magical. Talking. Horse.” Adaine said each word separately.   The Elven Oracle was practically bouncing with excitement with that knowledge.  For the rest of the night, Adaine kept asking Cinnamon and Katja question after question, her curiosity never being satisfied, until the party was over and the rest of the Bad Kids came to collect their wizard.

It was Katja’s house and being one of the few members of the Seven Maidens that was drunk meant that it was her job to do most of the cleaning.  Oh her friends tried to help the best they could and Gertie and Lockwood really wound up doing most of the actual cleaning, but looking back, it was still one of the best nights Katja ever had.

    It would be a while until Katja and Adaine would get to hang out.   They were friendly of course, exchanging smiles and pleasantries when they passed in the hall, they had a few conversations here or there when they could, but they were in different parties and were different classes.  Fighters and Wizards didn’t have much cross over in classes at Aguefort unless they multiclassed, or depending on the subclass you took.

Katja was hoping that Adaine would change her wizard specialization to bladesinging.  She always seemed eager to punch people according to Zelda’s second hand stories and she had the dex for it.  Katja just really wished they could hang out more since that night.  You know like friends did, friends that were really pretty and super interested in your best friend who was a magical talking horse.  It wasn’t a crush thing.

Besides, Adaine being a literal Oracle kind of meant she was stuck in the divination school even if she wanted to.  Katja thought about changing her subclass to eldritch knight, she liked being a battlemaster, but she always felt like she came up short when it came to magic unlike her friends who all seemed like they could do magic stuff.  But the stories she heard from the eldritch knights in the fighter classes always made the wizards they had classes with into bullies and snobs.  Always making fun of them for not being smart enough, and since she was already held back one grade, Katja knew she would be tormented the second she walked into a wizard class.  Since she was a half-orc, they’d probably assume she was a stupid barbarian who was too dumb to know the number of her classroom.  Nope, Katja couldn’t put herself through that, so she stayed a battlemaster just as Adaine stayed a diviner, and she just wouldn’t hang out with her very platonic friend at school.

But luck would change one day, when Adaine approached her after school one day, “hello Katja,” she said in a friendly tone, but Katja could tell there was some worry behind it.

“Hey Adaine,” Katja said trying to sound as cool as possible, “do you need something.  Not that you need something to talk to me,” she tried to assure the wizard.  “I just mean you look worried, not that you look bad, you always look beautiful, I can just tell that something is on your mind.”  Saved it, no one would be the wiser.

“I actually do need a favor,” Adaine said ignoring Katja's slip of the tongue.  "You probably know that all sophomores need to take a class on Traveling, you know making camps in dangerous terrain, finding food and water to turn into rations, and of course long distance traveling on and off road."

Katja knew where this was going having taken the class last year.  It was an individual class where you couldn't cooperate with your party.   Each student needed to spend 5 days outdoors without a permanent form of shelter, prepare 10 days worth of rations from foraged or hunted resources, and log 10 miles on some form of transportation other than one's own feet.  It had been easy for the Seven Maidens, Sam had let the other girls use her car, Sebastian made sure no one crashed, or Katja had over a hundred magical horses to choose from.

"Most students either use this to get hours towards their learners permits or take the bus for their mileage," Katja said.  Though she couldn't understand why someone would choose to ride in a car or bus over riding a horse.

"That seems wise," Adaine admitted, "Fabian has his possessed motorcycle, Gorgug has his parents van, Fig's mom has her griffen Baxter for her to use, we have all carried Riz enough to count for his time, and Kristen…, her girlfriend Tracker is a werewolf so there's that," she said shaking her head in annoyance.

"I'm sure there are a lot of jokes about her riding her girlfriend," Katja couldn’t help herself, though she felt slightly bad when Adaine let out an actual groan.

“There are so many,” Adaine whined.  But Katja thought it was cute all the same, “it’s even worse since I live with them.  Well, I live with Jawbone and Tracker,” she explained, “Kristen just happens to spend the night more often than not.  I don’t mind that, her parents are horrible, but it was bad enough when they just had sex every night, having to hear the all the bad sex puns they make has become too much.”

“So what are you going to do,” Katja asks, knowing Adaine mentioned her party members but not herself.

“Well…,” Adaine said as she played with her massive crystal orb in her hands without meeting Katja’s eyes, something she did when she got nervous.  “I have some options, Jawbone offered to let me use his car, but the thing is a death trap.  I could ask my friends for a ride, but I think that defeats the purpose of an independent study.  I thought about asking Tracker if I could ride on her wolf form like Kristen when they weren’t…, you know,” her pale cheeks burned bright red, but Katja didn’t say anything.  “But I don’t think I could stand the jokes that would come with asking anyway.  My fly spell would count I suppose, I heard from some of the other wizards that was an option most of them used, but I don’t feel like trying to fly for miles and doing nothing else even if I could knock out my required mileage in a day.”

That was a lot to hear, but Katja let her go.  Katja wasn’t much of a talker at the best of times and Adaine seemed like a wordy woman, it was probably best to let her go and get to her point.

“I was hoping that maybe I could come over and ride Cinnamon with you,” Adiane asked, finally getting to the issue.  “Or you know another one of your horses, if you don’t want anyone else riding Cinnamon.”

It was too late, Katja was already imagining it.  Adiane, beautiful, regal despite how small she was, dressed in a classical cowgirl’s outfit, an outfit Adiane wouldn’t even how it looks much less own, riding Cinnamon, the greatest and most beautiful horse in the world.  It was something out of one of Katja’s wet dreams.  A very platonic wet dream of course, one that all young women have about their friends growing up.  Definitely not something strange.

“I mean sure, I have no problem with that,” Katja half roared half whispered, she was having trouble controlling the volume of her voice.

“If it’s any trouble, I know how sometimes people get possessive and protective of their mounts and friends,” Adaine said worried she offended Katja.

“No, I think it’s perfect,” Katja assured her as quick as she could. “Cinnamon is an amazing horse and riding her can change your life. I have told her a bunch of times how much I want the whole world to be able to ride her.  It will be awesome, Adaine,” she said, making sure the smaller elf girl was looking her in the eye, “it will change your life.”

For a moment, Katja was worried her enthusiasm would scare Adaine off.  Katja knew she was weird, and her obsession with horses despite being in high school made her seem like a freak. That was why she put up such a stoic front, so people wouldn’t be creeped out when she got excited.

But once again Adaine surprised her, sure Adaine was surprised by how excited Katja was over her riding Cinnamon, but she found it charming. And cute, but much like Katja, that wasn’t a road Adaine was willing to explore at the moment.

“Great,” Adaine said with a grin she hoped matched Katja’s, “when is a good time for you? Tomorrow’s Saturday, I’m free all weekend, but I wouldn’t want to ask you to give up any of your weekend to help me with my school w-.”

Katja cut her off, “Adaine, there is nothing more that I’d want to do, believe me.”

The sincerity in her voice shocked Adaine, but also made her stomach heat up in a strange but not unpleasant way.  “Alright then,” Adaine managed to get out, “if you really don’t mind then, how about tomorrow, we can start early in the morning and then if you get sick of me you can kick me out and we can try another day.”

“Works for me,” Katja said, her face breaking out in a huge grin. She never smiled this much, but she liked it for some reason.  “I’ll see your bright and early, let's say 8:00 ish,” that would give her enough time to brush Cinnamon down and the rest of her morning chores before Adaine came over.

“Then I’ll see you then,” Adiane said, brushing her hair out of her face in another one of her nervous habits.  But she was smiling too, which was also strange to her, but like Katja she liked it.

“I’ll see you then,” Katja echoed, and the two of them went their separate ways for the day.  At least until Katja realized she was walking back into the school.  She waited 10 or so minutes before leaving, she didn’t want to make things awkward with Adaine by walking the same way as her after they said goodbye.

So yeah, Katja is a huge horse girl, and when Adaine mentioned being able to ride a horse I kind of ran with that.  Katja and Adaine are actually really good foils for each other, *spoilers* Two rich girls from families, but Adaine's parents were cold and tried to dictate her life, often emotionally abusing her when she didn't live up to their impossible standards. while Karl at least loves Katja a lot but is never around, he tries to make up for it by giving her what she wants, but never understands that she wants him around.  I doubt the Abernants ever let Adaine have a pet, that would bring too much comfort to their daughter's life while Skullcleaver manor has hundreds of horses with Katja not only having her own horse that she is able to love and carefor.  Adaine killed her dad Katja killed her mom. stuff like that.   Hopefully the next part won't take nearly as long to post, but I am gonna bet it's going to be after tomorrow's episode

[love-sapphirerose]

Naruto: 10 Worst Things About Sasuke And Sakura's Relationship

By the time of Boruto, Sasuke and Sakura are a loving married couple, but their checkered history included some troubling low points.

BY HANNAH GRIMES

Sakura harbors a crush on Sasuke before the two of them even graduate from the Academy and end up on the same team. He's always at the forefront of her thoughts and actions, and the two of them do end up getting married and starting a family of their own in the end. On paper, their romance seems relatively dreamlike.

However, that's not the full story of the ups and downs of their relationship. Sasuke initially doesn't care enough to give Sakura the time of day, and there are even multiple instances where he seems indifferent to her life being in danger — or actively endangers it himself. Sakura's unhealthy obsession with Sasuke also stunts her growth in other ways.

10. Even After Starting A Family, Sasuke Is A Largely Absent Father Who Can't Connect With His Daughter

There's a long period of time between the original series and Shippuden where Sasuke is absent after he turned his back on the Leaf to instead seek revenge. He eventually does come back and start a life with Sakura, but even then he's absent most of the time.

While this is due to being sent out on missions and he doesn't have much of a choice, he fails to properly connect with his daughter Sarada when he does get to spend time with her. He's so bad on this front that he actually ends up getting scolded by his old squad leader, Kakashi.

9. Sakura Ignores Naruto And Treats Him Like Garbage Because Of Her Initial Infatuation

It's one thing to have a crush on someone and to value their opinion more than anyone else's. It's another thing when this infatuation causes someone to treat others around them poorly, especially when their crush doesn't even want to give them the time of day.

In the beginning, Naruto continually makes efforts to connect with Sakura and get to know her better. She not only brushes him off but straight-up calls him annoying and tells him to get lost, simply because he's not the object of her romantic affection, instead of making any attempt to bond with her teammate.

8. Sakura Appears Blind To Much Of Sasuke's Suffering, Instead Focusing On Her Own Feelings

Sakura values Sasuke above everything else in her life, and this remains true even after he defects from the Leaf. Despite this, though, it oftentimes feels as if she doesn't consider his feelings and struggles and is instead remains much more focused on her own.

In the beginning, she doesn't consider his feelings regarding his murdered family when talking down on Naruto, saying he's so undisciplined because he doesn't have parental guidance. She's also quick to say she'll help Sasuke with his path of revenge when he goes to leave the village despite this being an incredibly destructive and harmful path.

7. Sakura Throws Away Her Best Friend For Sasuke When He Doesn't Care At All About Her

Back when Sakura was much younger, she completely lacked self-confidence and was a consistent target of bullying from other girls. It's Ino who stepped in, got the bullies to back off, and showed Sakura that she shouldn't hide her insecurities and instead have more confidence in herself.

Sakura then decides to throw away their friendship simply because she hears that Ino also has a crush on Sasuke. She says it's for the sake of them becoming rivals, but they both would've been much stronger if they worked together rather than letting a guy split them apart, especially a guy who doesn't care for either of them.

6. For A Long Time, Sasuke Shows No Interest In Her While Both Naruto And Rock Lee Do

Sakura stays completely devoted to Sasuke even though he betrays no romantic interest in her whatsoever. This might make sense if there were no one else who cared for Sakura and wanted her to be happy, but both Naruto and Rock Lee care immensely for her.

Lee goes as far as to risk his own life for Sakura's sake in the Forest of Death, and the two of them bond when Sakura goes to Lee's hospital room nearly every day to spend time with him after the tournament. Naruto consistently offers to spend time with Sakura and gives her positive attention, and she instead chooses to yearn after Sasuke, who's totally caught up with his curse mark and revenge business.

5. Sakura States She Has No Interests Or Hobbies That Don't Involve Sasuke

During the initial introduction that Kakashi has everyone participate in, the members of the newly-formed Team 7 all go around stating a bit about themselves. Sasuke focuses on his future revenge, and though Naruto mostly talks about ramen, he at least also states his dream of becoming Hokage.

Sakura, on the other hand, states that all of her likes and hobbies have to do with Sasuke. Because of this, she also declares that the thing she hates is Naruto. This is incredibly immature, and it's not a good foundation for any relationship if one's entire world revolves around the person they like and they don't have anything else to bring them happiness.

4. They Don't Put Equal Effort Into Their Relationship After Getting Married

Sakura essentially gives up on her life as a shinobi in order to raise her and Sasuke's daughter while he's away. He's gone for so long on missions that Sakura admits that the main reason she keeps so many pictures of Sasuke is so she doesn't forget what he looks like, which is heartbreaking.

Sasuke, on the other hand, doesn't make any effort to stop by and see his family while he's away for years at a time. He could at least send letters to get updates on how their daughter is doing — something he should care deeply about — but he never does.

3. Sakura Plots To Steal A Kiss From Sasuke When He Has No Interest In Her

After graduation, on the day when the teams are made up, Sakura asks Sasuke if she can sit by him. He completely and utterly ignores her, but this doesn't stop her from sitting beside him regardless.

She states internally that she'll be "stealing his first kiss today," which comes off incredibly creepy when he hasn't expressed any interest in her or desire to kiss her. It doesn't make her look like someone who actually cares about him when she's willing to try to get a kiss from him without his consent.

2. Sakura's Self-Confidence Early On Is Completely Reliant On Sasuke

Before the Chunin Exams, Sakura asks Sasuke if he'd like to train with her. He coldly brushes her off and comments that, when it comes to trying to push her plans onto others who aren't interested, she's just as bad as Naruto.

This rejection completely crushes her self-confidence and she immediately agrees with him instead of standing up for herself. She stays in this funk until Sasuke later compliments her ability to see through genjutsu, after which her self-confidence is immediately restored. It's incredibly unhealthy for her sense of self to hinge on how Sasuke treats her.

1. Sasuke Almost Successfully Ended Sakura's Life

If there's one thing that should have made Sakura realize Sasuke didn't care about her the way she cared about him, above all else, it's the moment he tries to kill her.

Sakura goes after Sasuke declaring that she'll be the one to kill him herself after he becomes an international criminal, but she freezes in the moment. He then tries to kill her instead. He would have been successful in this endeavor, too, if Kakashi hadn't shown up just in time to deflect Sasuke's Chidori and save her. Her infatuation with him doesn't waver whatsoever after this, which feels incredibly off-putting after this vicious interaction.

[bella-caecilia]

Hey, so your latest edition to the settee chronicles made me need a fanfic from it 😂 so please may I request Violet sitting down on a settee only for it to mysteriously break and Cobert barely being able to contain a smile thank you xxxx love your stories so much 💕💕

Haha, so this refers to this post (x) and I finally wrote a fanfic about it. It is set somewhere s1-ish or slightly pre-series, idk. Thank you for the prompt, anon! I hope you enjoy it!! 

Revenge on Mama

The Dowager Countess was coming for tea and the family gathered in the drawing room. One by one they descended the large stairs. Cora was glad that everyone was present before her mother-in-law arrived. It was best to offer as little target as possible. The girls were already seated and engaged in light bickering. Mary leaned back on an armchair, rolling her eyes at Edith who told Sybil about some tragic novel she had read lately. Cora’s strict raise of her eyebrow made Mary rise from her lounging position and take on a straight posture. Robert and she were standing near the fireplace, talking in soft voices. Carson already advised the footmen to arrange the tea service on one of the tables. He left the room, no doubt to return with the Dowager Countess only minutes later. Cora used the opportunity of a moment without anyone’s attention on the two of them to whisper something to Robert.

“I enjoyed our encounter earlier. A lot, if I daresay,” she spoke in a hushed tone and leaned to him slightly. Robert’s eyes inevitably snapped to the vacant settee next to the armchair Mary sat in. He coughed quietly and didn’t dare to look at his wife’s face. He knew the badly suppressed smirk that definitely showed on it.

“Yes, so I gathered,” he replied wishing he’d have a drink at hand. He liked that kind of banter, but he couldn’t deal with it outside of their bedroom. Perhaps he should have kept the referred activities in the bedroom, therefore. But Cora had been very tempting and convincing today. He just couldn’t help himself against better knowledge.

It had been a highly risky undertaking but Cora had assured him, heavily breathing between fervent kisses, that it was unlikely for someone to enter the drawing room at this time of the day. The girls had been occupied and as long as Robert and she wouldn’t ring no servant would appear. Much more than her words, that came out in a staccato, it had been her wandering hands that had convinced him. The way her slender fingers found a way to his bare skin at his waist without undressing him completely had made it very hard to think clearly. Her fingers had crept underneath the waistband of his trousers, loosening an edge of his shirt and tracing the slit of exposed skin. The soft coolness of her fingertips had sent a shiver down his spine, and he had let go of the control over himself he’d desperately tried to hold on to until then. He had changed their positions, pressing her back with gentle firmness, until her back had hit the armrest of the settee they had reclined upon. The rest was history. Thrilling history.

The risks Robert hadn't calculated earlier the day, though, were Cora's cheeky comments on the incident. If she would keep talking about this it would be hard to stay calm and casual, and additionally, it would make his thoughts wander until the presence of other people in this room would become highly uncomfortable.

"I am glad we did it," Cora whispered and for a moment Robert forgot his intention to keep his eyes away from her. He turned his face to her and noticed the happy gleam in her blue eyes. "I was afraid you wouldn't approve of the audacity of this undertaking," she admitted. Now her pearly teeth sank into the plump flesh of her lower lip, and Robert tore his eyes from her as he had to gulp.

"It was rather daring," he spoke, his tone unaffected. "But you didn't really think I would reject you after your seducing arguments, did you?" He didn't hear an answer and turned to her again, taking in the pretty blush that was answer enough.

"The Dowager Countess," Carson's voice boomed into the room, much louder than Robert's and Cora's hushed conversation and interrupting the girls' bickering. The inserting silence was giving full attention to the confident and well-known click of the cane. With head held high, Violet strutted into the drawing room, directly approaching a seating with determination.

Even though, the old lady's eyes were fixating a point on the wallpaper they seemed to take in everything that was amiss instantly.

"Sybil! Knees together," she chided before lowering herself onto the settee next to Mary. Cora held her eyes locked on her mother-in-law as she sought a seat herself.

"Cora, I regret having to tell you this," Violet went on and Cora was sure Mama wasn't sorry at the least. "But Sybil is at an age where I shouldn't have to point out the proper behaviour for a young lady anymore. I can only assume it is a result of negligent breeding since Sybil is a rather good-natured girl." Mama cocked her head, sending Cora an inquiring look.

Did she really expect a response to this?

Cora briefly watched Sybil who had adopted the demanded posture immediately and directed her gaze at her lap now, uncomfortable with the chiding of both, herself and her mother. Cora was particularly irked by Mama's statement today because there hadn't been much wrong with Sybil's pose. Yes, she could have sat more sideways automatically locking her knees with that, but her behaviour hadn't been improper or common. Mama's reprimand was wilful and only serving the cause to degrade Cora in her aptitude as Countess and mother, or more fundamentally as a proper English lady herself.

The momentary irritation with Mama served to distract her attention from what she had actually noticed seconds before. But when Mama shifted in her seat slightly Cora remembered. Mama had sat down on the settee, which had witnessed other activities - much more improper than what she was rebuking - hours before. It hadn't been slow and gentle lovemaking on this settee. No, Robert had taken her impatiently and frantically, and Cora had already known, when her legs had clutched his hips, that a new sofa was due soon.

And now Violet sat on that particular settee, not finding a comfortable position and constantly shuffling in her seat. Cora didn't answer Mama's jabs and only smiled to herself when Carson handed her a cup of tea. She didn't dare to seek Robert's eye contact across the room. She had sensed how he had approached the tea service when Mama had entered the room, certainly still affected by their conversation that had been interrupted.

Mama had to be in a foul mood today and she seemed to stop at nothing, now muttering something depreciating to Thomas who served her tea. Cora stirred her cup while she considered if she should recommend another seat to Mama. She looked up and found Robert sipping his tea as he stood behind Mama. His gaze, which had been directed away from her, now met hers.

Violet was about to say something but changed her position a little to the left first while adjusting the pillow behind her back. Cora gulped and sought Robert's eyes again. His face was displaying an expression of rising panic as he saw the movements his mother made. Cora couldn't hold back an inward chuckle at his overcharged demeanour. She directed her gaze into the amber liquid and she tried to fully concentrate on her spoon's stirring when Mama finally made the statement that had been sitting on the tip of her tongue.

"Cora dear, your blatant disinterest in your daughter's well future really is indecent," Violet snapped. All heads turned to the Dowager. No one had expected this afternoon to escalate so quickly.

"Mama!" Robert interjected, his expression one of disbelief. He opened his mouth again to defend his wife but Cora lifted her hand in appeasement. Her gesture was discreet but Robert got the hint. He turned away with a huff, bringing the cup of tea to his lips. Once again, he wished for a real drink.

The servants had recovered faster than Robert and were already scurrying around again, refilling the girls' cups who had downed their teas to escape the loaded conversation of their mother and grandmother.

"I am sorry if that is what you are convinced of, but I am committed to all my daughters' futures and I am positive Sybil will do very well as the lady she gets to be," Cora eventually phrased her answer to Mama and gave her a small smile. Her tone was sweet and nothing hinted to the tiniest resentment. Robert turned back around slightly puzzled by the amiability in Cora's voice. How did she manage to stay so calm? But then he spotted a tiny glint in her eyes as she watched Mama turning in her seat once again with a displeased huff.

Cora knew, sure enough, Mama would get her just deserts, so she had decided against a unsettling answer in front of everyone. Mama and she had their extensive conversations without fault when they met for tea just the two of them every week. But that wasn't what she had in mind at the moment.

Robert suspected what Cora was aiming for. He could already hear the dangerous creak of the harassed settee leg. But maybe he just particularly pricked up his ears because no one else seemed bothered. But just as he averted his attention there was a loud snap followed by a surprised shriek. Robert could see on Cora's face that his mother's expression must be priceless. He only saw her hunched form on the lowered corner of the settee. The sound she had emitted was one completely unknown to him. Never had his mother uttered anything near to a shriek.

"Granny, are you alright?" Sybil inquired instantly. And Carson moved swiftly to help the Dowager up and to another, hopefully, safer seat.

"Yes, yes," Violet muttered, brushing her hands over the vast material of her skirts to distract her attention from the bewildering incident. "But it seems not only manners are treated negligently here nowadays. Robert, you should definitely have a closer look at the appropriateness of your furniture."

At this, Robert shot a look at Cora who had her lips pressed together tightly and Robert had to close his eyes for a moment to keep his composure.

"I totally agree, Mama. I will renew some of our furniture. And I am sorry for the discomfort you had to endure."

The conversation finally found another topic when Mary decided to involve her grandmother in a discussion about the impending wedding of a distant cousin Violet was about to attend. Robert was grateful for the easing of tension in the room and he saw at the relaxation of Cora's shoulders when asked Edith's about the novel she had mentioned earlier, that she was also happy about the détente of the situation.

When they left the drawing room afterwards, Robert leaned down a little to Cora's ear so that she was the only one to hear his words. "That came as a well-planned revenge, my dear."

"Oh, I wouldn't have managed without you." She grinned up at him. Robert somehow had expected a light blush at his statement and not the nonchalant coquetry she performed and that showed on her features. He was once again dazzled by his wife's astute adaptability to every situation.

[neellok]

Title: The Price of Revenge

Pairing: Ichimaru Gin/Kurosaki Ichigo

Ichimaru Gin wondered how annoyed the Captain-Commander would be if he murdered the Gatekeeper of the West, Ikkanzaka Jidanbo. Surely, Gin would only receive a slap on the wrist or a lecture. His ever present smile widened at the thought of dispatching the useless Shinigami. Ikkanzaka had served as a gatekeeper for over three hundred years. In that time his skills had declined and so had his mind.

“Who’s that?” the leader of the Ryoka demanded.

“Captain of the Third Division, Ichimaru Gin.”

Gin’s gaze shot to the black cat near the woman’s feet. Hm. Shihoin Yoruichi had returned to Soul Society. That meant Urahara Kisuke was involved. Did Kurosaki Isshin know that Urahara was making a move?

“Oh, this isn’t good,” Gin said dismissing them. They weren’t important right now. Shinigami that could not follow orders were useless to his cause. His expert gaze noticed the wounds that were not present on the gatekeeper. He had received reports from the underground that the Ryoka attacked Ikkanzaka and yet he wasn’t injured. Not a drop had been spilled on either side.

Unacceptable. A gatekeeper that failed in his duty deserved death. Gin immediately retaliated. Gin’s smile remained present as copious amount of blood burst from the gaping wound on Ikkanzaka’s arm. The Shinigami fell to his knees in a parody of surrender and allegiance as the heavy gate dropped onto his shoulders.

“Jidanbo!”

Gin cocked his head at the response. The Ryoka still hadn’t done anything. interesting. He’d expected her to attack him. She hadn’t moved. He mentally sneered. She couldn’t even break into Soul Society properly. What had Urahara taught her?

“A guardian of gates isn’t supposed to open those gates,” Gin lectured. The Ryoka had been able to cause some distraction from his encroaching plans, but not enough. They were still too weak to catch the attention of Aizen and the rest of the Gotei 13. Gin would not let them pass.

“I lost,” Ikkanzaka muttered. “I have to open the gate when I lose.”

Gin almost frowned. The Captain-Commander had made a very poor decision in placing Ikkanzaka in charge of guarding the gate. Only a coward would live with that mentality. Every day in Rukongai was a fight to the death. Those strong enough to seize power and wield it survived. Those too weak to guard their precious possessions deserved to die.

“What’re ya sayin’?” Gin walked until he was three feet from his target. He wanted the Shinigami to feel the pressure of his failure and the result of his cowardice. “When a gatekeeper loses… it means death,” Gin said with a wicked smirk.

He loved the terror that followed.

The woman Ryoka finally attacked. Their swords clashed in harmony. Gin stared into her enraged brown eyes. She didn’t protect herself. She attacked to defend someone else. Her action was predictable though the strength of her Reiatsu surprised him. It felt like drowning in a waterfall. Gin easily shoved her away after the first few seconds of surprise vanished.

“I-Ichigo!” Shihoin yelled.

Ichigo. Kurosaki Ichigo. Hoh. So this was Isshin’s daughter. He cocked his head at the spitfire in front of him. She’d finally become interesting.

-

Gin dispatched two hollows with ease as he waited for Kurosaki Isshin, formerly Shiba Isshin, to show. He should have known the annoying former captain would be late. He flung off the dark blood and sheathed Shinso.

“Ichimaru,” Kurosaki acknowledged when he slipped through the shadows of the trees. He leaned against a tree trunk in his old uniform. He must have left his gigai at home.

He looked exhausted, Gin noted. Shiba Isshin used to smile as much as he did. It was strange to see the man without it.

“Ya said ya wanted ta talk,” Gin prompted when he remained silent. He was here on an unofficial mission. He wasn’t worried that Aizen or anyone else would find out he took an unsanctioned trip to the human world. No one paid attention to something like that anymore. Not since Shiba Isshin died.

“Masaki’s dead,” Kurosaki muttered. Sharp brown eyes cut into him as Kurosaki watched his reaction. “Aizen killed her.”

Gin froze. No one in Soul Society suspected Aizen. Aizen was considered the golden child. “Tha’s an interestin’ theory.” He wouldn’t give up his shields. There was a reason why he was still playing this dangerous game.

“It’s not a theory!” Kurosaki bellowed. “I know. I-I knew there was something wrong with him in Soul Society. Why do you think I got out of there?”

“Thought ya found yer soulmate,” Gin replied with a nonchalant shrug.

Kurosaki stared at him with disbelief. “Kaien. Kaien knew. He’d been working for centuries to find proof.”

Gin felt his Zanpakuto sing for Aizen’s blood. “Did he find it?”

“I-I don’t know. I think so. Maybe.” Kurosaki rubbed the back of his neck as his grief seemed to multiply. “Either way, I know that Aizen sent Grand Fischer after Ichigo,” Kurosaki visibly panicked at the slip. “My wife.”

His wife’s name was Masaki. Who was Ichigo? “What do ya want me ta do ‘bout it?”

“You were his lieutenant. You know him.”

He wanted revenge. Gin forced the thought away when he realized that Kurosaki was trying to form a rapport with him. Anger flared as he looked at the former Shinigami. Kurosaki was nothing like him. Gin sought to destroy Aizen, Kurosaki ran. Coward.

Gin wasn’t in love with Rangiku; Rangiku belonged to him. He protected everything that was his.

“So…”

“Destroy him,” Kurosaki ordered. His returning Reiatsu flared to life as his anger grew. “Destroy everything that he ever touched.”

“Ya offerin’ ta help, cuz I don’t take orders.”

He sighed in relief and leaned more heavily against the tree as if it was the only thing keeping him standing. “Yes.”

Gin smile turned lethal. Kurosaki thought they were equals. It was time to rid him of that notion. “I’m not gonna do it fer free, ya understand. Ya see, this plan puts me in danger, while ya get ta live the easy life.”

Kurosaki’s expression never changed. As if he expected the response. Che. Kurosaki had always been more observant that he gave him credit for. “Anything.”

"Accepted."

-

“What the hell are you doing?” Ichigo demanded, pointing her Zanpakuto at him.

Gin gritted his teeth at the familiar words. Aizen tried to murder his soulmate. The annoyance he’d felt a few moments earlier vanished as cold, calculating rage took over. Gin’s plan crumbled to ashes. Aizen would not survive the day.

“Hah! You’re a funny kid,” Gin flippantly said, effectively keeping his murderous intentions out of his voice.

“You?” Ichigo asked after a few seconds of dumbfounded silence.

Gin placed a finger over his smiling lips. Their meeting had already exposed too much. Gin would not allow Aizen to discover that he found his soulmate. Not after everything Aizen had taken from him.

“Forget it Ichigo! We’ll retreat for now,” Shihoin ordered.

Gin didn’t trust her to protect his soulmate. However, he refused to allow Ichigo entrance into Seireitei. The Captain-Commander would order the other captains and lieutenants to stop her. Gin would be too busy killing Aizen to protect her.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

Gin walked away. He ignored the desperate pleas of his soulmate even though he wanted to claim her and never leave her side. Kurosaki Ichigo eldest daughter of Kurosaki Isshin. Gin knew exactly what he would order Kurosaki to give him once Aizen was dead. His daughter.

Gin whirled around and drew his Zanpakuto. Her confused and hurt expression pierced him. He ignored the pain and concentrated on protecting her the only way he could—keeping her away from him. He thrust his Zanpakuto toward Ikkanzaka. “Shoot to kill, Shinso.”

The blast of wind threw Ichigo and Ikkanzaka through the open gate and into the street of Rukongai. The gate slammed shut. Gin’s smile slipped as he discarded his old plans and constructed new ones. His blue gaze locked onto the gate that separated him from Ichigo.

Never again. Ichigo would never leave his side again. He would make sure of it.

[peppersonironi]

How I Picture a Batfam Age Reversal

I’m going to write this as a fic (And I want to go on into a young justice world where dick forms the team and his siblings are protective) but here is the outline in bullet points in case anyone is interested. Please note this is VERY first draft.

Ages (At end) & Order:

Damian- 24

Duke- 21

Stephanie- 20

Tim- 21

Cassandra- 19

Jason- 19

Barbara- 15

Dick- 13

Damian is Ten when he is sent to live w/ his father. Bruce is 30.

They don’t really work well together at first. But Selina, Alfred, and Clark somehow get it through Bruce’s thick skull that he has to care for this child.

Damian keeps sneaking out on patrol, against B’s wishes. Eventually, he let’s Damian join and tells him to choose a name (Not what we meant, Bruce!)

Damian wants to go for something like Shadow, or Demon, but Bruce puts his foot down. He says that Damian shouldn’t try to be darkness.

Damian is pouting in the gardens when he finds a wounded robin. It’s wing is broken. He demands that the animal should be taken to a shelter, and carries it in his hand the whole way there.

The bird makes it, and Damian demands to be called Robin. He designs his suit, going slightly more colorful. “I might be called Robin, but I am NOT wearing brown, Pennyworth.”

Bruce introduces him to Superboy (Jon, note: less age dif) and the pair are close friends.

He is Robin for a little over seven years before he begins to fight with Bruce about being allowed to patrol alone, and being his own hero. (basically what happened w/ Dick).

Damian leaves Gotham, opting to claim Bludhaven. Jon joins him. He suggests they call each other Nightwing and Flamebird. Damian thinks it’s a bit childish, but he can’t say no to Jon. They’re costumes are here. (done by @hyperactive-lectiophile! Fantastic job!)

They eventually realize they’re in love w/ each other, all while trying to figure their lives  out. Damian briefly tries to join the police. He hates it. Eventually, he enrolls in BH college for a major in Art and a minor in business.

Later in Gotham, the We Are Robin/Robin War stuff happens. Long story short, Duke is adopted. 

Damian is angry to find out he has a new brother, goes to Gotham to yell at Bruce, but then meets Duke. They bond, and are close siblings. Damian makes his father promise to not adopt any more strays.

Stephanie Brown wants to stop her Father, so she sews up a costume and goes out as Batgirl. Bruce is apprehensive at first, but his family basically yells at him to train the poor girl before she gets hurt.

He does, and after Steph meets Damian, who she absolutely adores (He loves her too. The way she pisses his father off is legendary), Stephanie decides she wants to be Robin. Batgirl was good for dealing with her father, but she wants to belong to this new family, and, w/ Damian’s blessing, she makes a new costume.

Unfortunately, after a while, Stephanie is killed by Black Mask (her death is faked, like in the comics, but the Fam doesn’t know)

Enter Tim Drake. Batman has been going crazy over grief, and not even Nightwing, Catwoman (this is SOOOO batcat, btw) or The Signal can calm him down. Tim steps right up, and demands to be robin.

Damian and Bruce fight over this. Surprisingly, Damian is the one who thinks Tim should be given a chance. He sees how his father has been acting. Damian knows that Tim must be brilliant to figure out their identities, and thinks that should count for something. Duke takes his side, knowing that it takes guts to talk to batman, and be willing to join him. Bruce, meanwhile, is a constant chant of “no more dead robins”. After a while, and lots of arguing, Tim takes his place as Robin. They redesign the suit, and he takes his place as robin.

It’s little while after this that Stephanie comes back. Tim offers Robin back, but Stephanie declines. They talk and grow closer. At one point they talk about Stephanie’s new moniker. She says she doesn’t want to be Batgirl either. She wants something new. Tim suggests Spoiler (Bad pun turned brilliant idea?).

Cassandra Cain arrives on the scene next. She saves the commissioner’s life (like No Man’s Land, minus No Man’s Land), and Stephanie immediately imprints on this tiny assassin child (So do the rest of the family, but Steph claims the fourteen-year old first. She and Bruce fight over custody.). She offers Cass Batgirl. Gotham gained a new vigilante, and Bruce Wayne adopted a new child. (Faster than the comics, I KNOW. But Cass deserves happiness)

Everyone loves their new sister, and everyone spoils her. Duke is the one to take her to a ballet the first time. She immediately begs to be put into lessons.

Somewhere in here Tim’s mom dies and his dad is in a coma. Bruce takes him in.

Eventually, Bruce decides to offer Tim Red Robin, hoping to avoid the strife he had with Damian. (Like in the comics, Bruce was going to give Jason Red Robin)

Tim is unsure of this, and puts off deciding. Then little Jason Peter Todd decides to jack the tires of the batmobile and is immediately taken in.

Everyone is captivated by the tiniest addition to their family, but it's also at this time that Jack Drake finds out about Robin and forces Tim to quit. Tim gives Jason his blessing to become Robin.

Everyone pitches in on helping train the newest Robin. Damian teaches the kid things he learned from the league (non-lethal things, since Damian loves this kid), Duke teaches him escrima fighting, Stephanie (Much to Bruce’s dismay) has a full seminar of the delicacies of glitter bomb making. Tim teaches the kid hacking, when he can get away from his dad. 

Unfortunately, when Jason has been Robin for almost a year, he is killed by the Joker.

The family is torn apart by greif. But this time around, Bruce has a much larger support system. All of them lean on each other.

The only time that Damian ever broke his no-kill rule while living with his father was to kill the Joker. He hunted and murdered the clown, sparing Harley. He had been friends with Quinzel since he was Robin, and knew how the Joker treated her. Harley became the batfam’s honorary aunt after this.

Bruce was too emotionally tired to fight with Damian over his actions, so no one said anything. Eventually, Bruce and Damian did argue. Damian refused to apologize,, though he did promise his father to never kill again. Their relationship was strained for a while, but they worked through it.

Less than a year later, Jack Drake dies, and Tim comes back onto the vigilante scene. He refuses to become Robin, however, choosing to take Bruce up on his offer and become Red Robin. He designs his own suit, and the world seems to slowly become normal. Or some semblance of it.

One night, the circus is in town and the whole family (except Alfred) is home. Duke, Tim, and Steph drag Bruce, Cass, and Damian to go see it.

It is on this night that Dick Grayson’s parents fall to their death. Dick is sent to live in juvi, meanwhile Bruce tries to adopt Dick. He succeeds, and the manor once again has a bright young child running through it’s halls.

Dick figures out the secret identities of his family and instantly demands to be allowed out. He wants to take down Zucko, and won’t settle for every single member hunting for him. Dick wants to take down his parent’s murdered himself. He tries to sneak out multiple times, but is always stopped.

Damian talks to Dick (They are extremely close) and explains the origins of Robin. He says that the mantle was born out of a want to distance himself from the revenge and violence of the league. Dick cries when he learns this and says that his own parents used to call him Robin. He suggests that the mantle is more than a personal need. Robin is Family.

Damian almost immediately demands that Dick be trained and help catch Zucko. Bruce is confused, as before, Damian was strongly against letting a nine-year-old fight crime. Damian explains (after much cajoling. He might be more emotionally open and healthy than when he first arrived in the manor, but the kid is still constipated) what Dick had said, and that Damian understands the kid’s need for direction. “When I first came here, I needed Robin. I might not have known it, but I did. Richard needs Robin now, as well.”

The family took sides on the issue, but eventually Dick (with the aid of his puppy-dog-eyes™) won everyone over. He got his own Robin costume, and they caught Zucko.

Dick refused to stop being Robin, and so Gotham gained a new bird.

Dick was Robin for almost two years when The Red Hood made his appearance in Gotham. No one knew what he wanted, as he didn’t seem to do much beyond killing criminals. They thought he was a vigilante at first, but then he began to take over the criminal underbelly of Gotham, regulating crime. On top of that, Red Hood targeted Robin. Attacking the boy wonder when no one else was around. After the red helmeted rogue let loose a few hints about the league of shadows, Damian interrogated his mother, who explained the identity of The Red Hood, and how she had set him on Gotham.

As soon as the family figured out the newcomer’s identity, and the reason he was alive Damian tracked him down. He knew how to deal with pit rage from his childhood, and brought the lost bird back to the nest.

The family was whole for the first time in years. Jason was still angry and resentful, but he had his family back. Jason was grateful for Damian taking revenge for him, and they were once again close. 

Slowly, Jason let everyone back in, including Bruce. Dick is wary at first of this new older brother, but the little chicken nugget quickly warms up to Jason, and even convinces him to teach him how to shoot a gun (In secret, of course, Dami and Bruce would blow a gasket). Jason couldn’t resist the kid. It was physically impossible.

A year later, Cass decides to pursue dance as her career. She gets a job with the Hong Kong Ballet company. She moves there, and decides to take a new moniker: Black Bat. Her family is so proud of her, but they miss her dearly. Duke visits often, bringing new back to the family.

The absence of Batgirl is filled after a while by Barbara Gordan. She makes her own costume and starts going out. Once again, Stephanie Brown adopts a smol bean (Well, not legally. The commissioner is still alive) and outfits her with a more Gotham-friendly suit and weaponry (I.e. heavy kevlar and leather)

Babs is taken whole-heartedly into the fold, and is made an honorary sister.

[salenakingston]

Mystery March Day 26 - Hellbent

I've been hellbent, baby

Hellbent on loving you all day long

Hellbent on drugs cause they turn you on

Don't know what else to do

They pulled along the side of the road, having fled from the terrors of the mansion. None of them were sure what to make of the whole thing, most certainly the blonde that seemed to become the ghost’s primary target. He didn’t know who the ghost was, so why was it coming after him with such vengeance? What had he done to this ghost? Was it possible the specter was making some kind of mistake? Maybe mistaking him for someone else?

Vivi seemed just as confused as he was. Sure, she had all the knowledge about this field, but even with all that, she couldn’t come to a conclusion. If he were a wraith, or some other kind of vengeful spirit, then he would be chasing after someone that likely had to do with his death.

Since when did peaceful, coward Arthur even have the capacity to kill anyone?

It was impossible.

Both of them did their best not to worry about it. They were away from the building, having glanced back for enough time to see it vanishing from the lot. If the ghost wasn’t coming after them, then they could afford a little time to catch their breath before getting back on the road. Vivi pulled out the smaller bedroll, setting up to get some sleep. The blonde watched her, resting along the bumper of the van. Both the back doors were open, his back pressed against the left side. Amber eyes fell on his friend, watching her drift to sleep before he pulled his laptop into his lap. She’d probably be yelling at him to get some sleep otherwise. At the very least he needed to make sure he updated their map.

Then he could do a check on the van and get them back to Tempo. They weren’t too far away from him. The search for Lewis could take a small break to make sure the bluenette was taking care of herself. He didn’t really matter.

Mmm, I've been hellbent, baby

Hellbent on making you love me too

Even though not what I'm 'sposed to do

I don't give a damn, mmm

Arthur couldn’t help but stare at the head of the ghost head he drew as an icon for the map. He found himself looking between this icon and the ones he made for Lewis. It hurt him to see the similarities between the two of them, even making him feel a little sick. Lewis couldn’t be dead. He was just missing. His best friend was lost, and he was going to bring him back home… no matter what it took.

Laptop closed, pushed to the side, tools grabbed, and creeper dragged to the front of the van. It wouldn’t hurt to get a look at the underside while he was still up. Vivi and Mystery could look after themselves for a few minutes. It’s not like they were in any danger right now. Given that fact, and that he wouldn’t allow for even the smallest mistake, it gave him all the time he would need.

Once it was all taken care of, everything was carefully placed in the back, rear doors shut, and the blonde made his way to the front seat. In a brief moment of panic, he pressed himself against the shut door, Mystery sitting up front with him rather than in the back. Deep down, he hated this feeling. There was no reason to fear the dog before, but now there was. A nervous tick caused his hand to clutch at the metal wrist.

Mystery was ignoring him. His attention was on a single flower petal. Strange…

Why did he look so scared?

Swallowing his fear, the blonde found all the courage he had, bringing his remaining, real hand over towards the dog, feeling his fingers move through that strange hair. He could see a smile move along the dog’s muzzle, just as his head turned to press more into Arthur’s hand. That was all he needed to set all his current worries at ease.

They were getting on the road again.

Then the van was losing power.

Angry eyes appearing in the rear view window.

A magenta and black truck speeding toward them!

I've been hellbent, baby

I've been hellbent, baby

So much was happening so fast. First his arm short circuits, then he pushes the van to the fastest speed it could go, and finds that not even a tunnel could stop this thing from chasing after them. As if that wasn’t bad enough, now there was some strange blue lady on the front of the van, bashing the glass with… scissors? Who carried around oversized scissors as a weapon? And for the cherry on top of it all, Vivi had managed to knock herself out with own bat at the start of the chase.

Arthur was quite literally on his own for this one, but what was he supposed to do? The only priority he could see was getting away from the truck. What was he supposed to do about their hood riding attacker? He couldn’t do anything. The one hand he had remaining had to be used to drive!

Then the tire pops. The grinding of metal filled his ears.

Their blue attacker was thrown off, but now he was stuck trying to control a vehicle that was out of control. The blockade at a gap in the guard rail was easily taken out, the appearance of Kingsmen Mechanics coming overhead. They were going to-

CRASH.

It's been too long, baby

It's been too long, baby

How long was he lying against the dashboard? The last thing he remembered before everything started going black was the red of brick filling his vision. He supposed he should be lucky he hadn’t gone flying through the open window. He must have been able to turn the van enough that the crash sent him in a different direction other than forward.

But he couldn’t just lay here in darkness. What about Mystery? What about Vivi? He had to make sure they were alright. With Lewis missing, it was his job to look out for them. That’s what his best friend would have wanted. He just had to push himself up with his arm. Get up.

Get up.

My eyes wide shut

My eyes wide shut

He hadn’t felt himself being dragged out of the van, though the first thing he was made aware of when his eyes opened was that he could see the whole van. Outside? How did he get here? Did Mystery or Vivi somehow get him out? Maybe his uncle did… as they were still at Kingsmen Mechanics. If his uncle was still here late, then maybe he was able to get the blonde out before the truck got here first.

But one look to his side told him otherwise.

There was the ghost from the mansion, tightly gripping the front of his shirt.

Arthur could swear if his eyes got any wider they would pop out of their sockets. A shriek was the only thing he could think to have escaped from his mouth. With his gaze so focused on the ghost, he could see the subtle change in expression along his skull. He seemed almost… concerned? Confused? It was a little hard to tell when he was scared out of his wits. How much he wanted to be as far away from this as possible. Better yet, he needed to just make sure the other two were alright.

And I feel your touch

And I feel your touch

Too bad the ghost had other plans.

One toss was all it took for Arthur to fall into darkness again. At least this time he wasn’t knocked out. He was very aware he was falling down into something. This couldn’t have been the back of a semi-truck if he was falling down this far. Screams poured out of his mouth, metal limb dangling at his side. He could feel himself landing on something, something hard.

Where was he? There was no light.

He could feel one thing under his hand. Carpet? In a truck? None of this was making any sense. His head turned up to the sight of a small purple light floating towards him. It was just like the same light that made its way to the candles in the mansion. This time though, it seemed to split, the small purple ghosts with yellow hearts forming. His body trembled, immediately pushing himself to his feet.

He didn’t waste any time waiting around. He dashed for the opening in the… cave? When there was a split in the path, he began to head down the right path… only to be blocked off by more of those ghosts. With another startled yelp, he turned for the left opening, finding himself spinning his arm at the edge of a cliff. He managed to get his balance. A sigh released.

Then a grip once more on his shirt. He was lifted into the air, his hand moving up to grab onto the ghost’s arm. His feet kicked in the air, eyes staring down at the spires resting beneath him. A yelp, his metal arm finally getting enough movement to also rest on the arm, terrified eyes staring at the one chasing him all this way. Flames covered over his skull, and when they died down, the blonde felt like he might cry. A familiar face was staring back at him.

Oh, and I'll prove you wrong

Oh, and I'll prove you wrong

“Lewis?”

He wasn’t being held up anymore.

You make me strong

You make me strong

Shock filled his mind. The one determined to get him, that showed no qualms about causing him and his friends harm, was the very person he had been searching for all this time. Why? He just wanted to understand why. What had he done that caused Lewis to hate him this much? Did he not try hard enough to find him? Should have done more sooner? Just…

Why?

I said all I need is

All I need is

All I need is

All I need is you

Pain struck him in the back, then heat raced through his chest. Coughs were released into the air, blood pouring down to the ground and from his mouth. He had no where to look but up. He was going to die here… wasn’t he?

He could see a familiar skull come into view. Somehow… Arthur managed a smile on his face. He reached up for the ghost, surprised when the black hand wrapped around it. His tone was so low, “L-Lewis.. I found you.. I finally… found you…”

He did it… he brought Lewis home… no matter what…

Lewis was shaking, feeling the heat leave his friend’s hand.

He did it… he got his revenge… no matter what...

[nothisis-ridiculous]

Take Me Home Now: Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine: The Radio Reminds Me

Set after the events of ME3.

A rewrite. Ao3.

FemShepxKaidan

Notes: I know this is a slow build, but it was always meant to be more about the re-entry of Shep than a romantic story. I will have more Shenko content, I just don't want different expectations put on this work.

The mass of biotics division huddled around a central table, while most craned their heads to get a better view, some jostled their way in closer. Jane only approached because it was something to bide her time, well really, it was to avoid Rahna and their 'friend date'. Specifics were not important.

"What's going on here," Jane questioned.

Three-quarters of the biotics stood taller, and all stopped moving. The woman still spoke with the authority of a commanding officer, would have been if... well, that wasn't important either. Here, she was just Jane. Even after the deference, the biotics instinctively gave her as they allowed her front row access to the device on the table. Jane chalked it up to her reputation for holding her biotics at full force with a faulty implant rather than face the reality of her other-self.

Jane picked up the comm, looked it over, then promptly set it down, "impressive paperweight?"

A brave student snickered, plucking the device from the table, "did they not teach you old folks tech?"

"Said the 2nd Lieutenant to the N7," Jane smirked, "tell me, how long did it take to put your bars on and still leave them crooked?"

The kid fussed, trying to wave away his faux pass with some technobabble and blustering. Leave it to Alenko to be soft on his kids.

"We've been scanning the airwaves for news, news outside of earth," the soldier finally stammered out, "I found a promising channel I just have to.."

"Well, everyone is waiting."

"Aye, Aye ma'am."

The kid nodded, bringing out the interface of his omnitool, punching out codes until the box relented.

"Relayed July 23rd. Charon Relay is inoperable. Mass relays comm buoys inoperable. Attempts to fix relays have begun. Repeat message."

"The 23rd was a week ago," a voice commented from the crowd.

"Is there another channel?"

"Please respond. We are alive. This is Commander Bailey, C-Sec, on a looping message. Please respond. We are alive."

The lightness a simple broadcast brought to her shoulders was rejuvenating, sublime in the brief moment of having one friend survive the war she wrought upon the galaxy. Until the weight returned in the form of a warm hand resting on her left trap, prior commitments and all.

"Jane."

"Rahna."

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Jane leaned back, folding her arms tightly across her chest. Proficient in the use of silence, she kept an easy stare at Rahna. If she had to play the hostage, she wasn't about to make it easy, defiant yet still compliant. Speaking now put her into a position of giving something away- well something more than she wanted to give away. With the level of fame Shepard had reached curious hands liked to get into her file, while against the rules, those with access often did. What else could be juicer than personal details on the Commander? On her failures? Successes. Her psych profile.

It was violating.

"It's good to hear someone on the Citadel is still kicking," Rahna broke first.

"If anyone could have survived, it was him."

"Someone you knew well?"

"Compared to most C-Sec officers, he was a dream," Jane allowed her face to relax, "a real cut through the red tape kind of guy. Bailey really came through during the Cerebrus coup."

Rahna nodded, returning with a small smile, "that sounded like a tense situation. Everyone back home was shocked we never thought Udina-"

"Udina was a rat."

"You would know," she mumbled, "I'm glad it ended as well as it did. Without losing another friend."

Jane's lips tightened, shoulders bracing for the mental impact of the emotions she wanted locked beneath the surface. The cacophony of feelings blurred and grew, loss, regret, pleasure, reconnection, and the legion of secondary emotions attached to the cold anger freezing her system. A brittle connection shattered, leaving behind a numbness.

"Is this all about Alenko?"

Rahna's eyes widened, reeling, the blunt words not within the realm of what she expected, "that wasn't-"

"You couldn't; you rejected the man he was," Jane snarled, pitching forward on her chair, "is this jealousy? I can armchair you right back, Strawberry."

The woman chuckled, "you've heard about me."

"Yeah, I've heard about you. I don't need to go snooping into your file."

"Then you should know we reconnected a couple years back- and nothing happened," she returned cooly, "it was obvious he still had feelings for another."

The immediate surge of pride warped with bitter jealousy, her throat tightening. If she didn't know better, Jane swore her heart stopped the long pauses between the beats petrifying the organ. Her world grew cold, hollow. This jealousy was certainly foreign, the Commander was better than this. Mary knew better, knew that after all Kaidan had returned for her- had written that after all this mess, he didn't know, they both didn't know then.

The Yeoman's call that she had a message at her private terminal had grown past the stage of annoying- Mary had hinted once that Chambers should switch it up. Apparently, her tone had been too jovial, and a week later still nothing had changed. Not even a crack at a 'message for you' or a plain 'message.' With a sigh that Kelly met with a quick glance, Mary sauntered over to the terminal. The sender had her retreating.

While she was under no guise that she had privacy, Mary liked the illusion of it.

Back in the empty room of the Captain's Cabin, Kaidan's picture flickered on accusingly. Still, Mary grasped for it, a thumb tenderly resting over his cheek.

"I want to think you're angry, that you'll tear me a new one. But we both know better."

She set the frame down, looking away, focusing on the one-third finished model of the Athabasca Class Freighter. It seemed like a simple ship, not something flashy like a Geth Dreadnought or Sovereign, but it was apparent to what drew her to the model. A sentimental reminder of the Canadian she loved. The man that stared at her when she walked by. The one she talked to in the billions of moments she regretted working for Cerebrus. Kaidan was silent, but it was better than nothing, the picture at first was a warning to what Cerebrus could take from her. Now it became a lifeline. Unhealthy. But a small drop in the bucket compared to the Suicide mission she had thrown herself headfirst into.

"You could never stay mad at me long... you'll even expect me to, to-"

Tears tumbled from her eyes, the first to come since her time aboard the 'fake' Normandy. One painted in colors and emblazed with an emblem that made her skin crawl. It was all wrong.

It filled her head with screaming.

Mary didn't read the message that night.

Or for the next week.

Kelly stopped reminding her about one unread message.

Shepard put the Athabasca down gently, careful not to disturb the drying sealant. Her eyes flickered to the picture that stared at her, "I know it's time to look."

They hadn't spoken in that time, either.

Kaidan was predictable. His gentleness- his compassion. The love he claimed to have for her obvious, even if Mary was fighting to ignore it. After all this, after turning up in bed with a terrorist organization, he still beckoned her to be careful. To return to him when, if, things settled. Most of all, his honesty.

Damn, did it hurt. Her heart squeezing and constricting itself.

Could Mary blame him for attempting to live happily?

She wanted that for him. In her current situation, she would do nothing but bring him strife. It was selfish to reach out now. To clamor for his attention, to stir up old feelings. To let him become a target. The Illusive Man had tried once; what was to stop him from doing it again? As much as she hated bringing Anderson into her troubles, it was becoming apparent she needed to lean on him, at least to get Kaidan out of the line of fire.

Mary left the message unread. Call it revenge or heartbreak.

"You didn't know?" Rahna pressed, her fingers raking across her forearm, "I thought you- well. It was only to reconnect; that's how I got recruited to Biotics Division, eventually. I don't think he had been assigned-

Commander?"

Jane's pupils narrowed, "what do you want from me? This is- this-"

Rahna tried to interrupt, but Jane was not finished, "do you like seeing me squirm? Do you like that I'm not the person you saw on all the vids?

What fucked up reason do you have for doing this? You were stupid enough not to see Kaidan for who he is. You spurned him for trying to help you. I bet you couldn't even look him in the eye. Beauty...sure. But kindness? I see someone who can't stomach a hard decision and is infected with naive idealism. He stopped Vrynnus from torturing more kids, like he did to you, and you just-

Now you have to pull me into this? Do you regret losing him after seeing the compassionate man he became over the years? You could pull anyone, is only the capable and handsome Spectre enough? Or is it more fun to gloat over the decimated competition?"

Rahna watched as Jane rubbed at her cheek and the strange flashing scars. Observing the woman's tension across from her as she only grew more enraged as it did not elicit the reaction she desired from the accusations, pity filled the void that might have been anger.

"I doubt either of us has moved through life without regrets," her voice was silk and cool, "Kaidan and I could have both handled that better. Perhaps I was naive, but what is done is done. There was no longer a spark; we both knew that was the end of an 'us.'"

The blonde huffed.

"I won't lie and omit that I have seriously breached protocol and decorum by perusing your files; the 'Commander' is a fascinating subject to anyone that paid attention. She was hope to many," Rahna looked her in the eyes, playing the woman's staring contest, "can't blame a girl for being curious."

Jane slowly settled into her chair, swiveling her eyes away, arms folding across her chest. More so in a move reminiscent of a pouting child, but it was a start.

"Do you know what your file said? Specifically your psych evals?"

The woman didn't look at her, going stiff as stone. Jaw flexed in her effort to maintain silence.

"Brass had you tabbed for immediate evaluation after the war," she let that settle in, the woman's throat bobbed, "and more than that. I see someone who needs help. Selfishly- I hope I can help. Even a little, even if it is just someone to listen. After you have helped so many."

"Shepard is dead."

The Commander walked out of the room for the last time.

[coolfoxy4]

Okay so here's some of the characters in Don't Starve I've made into an urban legend that may or may not be good, I'll try to update on their stories and the names of the urban legend! (These are drafts, also please don't get offended about the Warly and Walani stories!)

Trigger Warning

Wilson (Dr. Animal): A man who has respect for others but he saw way too many people being disrespectful and went mad (I have to think he inhaled too much mercury, cause he's a scientist and back then people didn't know about the affects of mercury), and the voices in his head tell him to turn people into what they are... Animals, he uses random animal parts and does a surgery by replacing certain limbs with animal parts (like arms or legs), pieces of skin, and finally cutting their tongues off and sewing an animal's head on them (disturbing i know). He then carves a word on their backs, "Animals".

Willow (Mother Fire): A young woman who uses fire to kill someone who abuses a child in anyway, especially parents. If it's just one she burns them alive, if it's both parents she burns the house down and takes any children present with her to an abandoned village where nobody knew existed. She'll follow a child if she notices any form of abuse and follows them to their home to watch the family, if it's someone else, they'll still get killed (idk if I should add the charcoal thing, if you see a piece of charcoal on your nightstand or bed, she's coming, and she wants you to turn yourself in or change your ways, if you don't... Death).

Wolfgang (The War Ghost): He died in WWI from gas leaking in his gas mask because his right eye on the mask got shattered and was put out of his misery. He came back as a ghost and will break your bones if you don't leave the battlefields. There will be rare occasions if the person finds him sleeping... If they tried to wake him, he'll wake up and punch them in the jaw, dislocating it, before running away as like it was some sort of instinct.

Wendy and Abigail (Weeping Twins): Wendy ended her life when Abigail died because they promised to be together forever. Their weepings can be heard by some people, if someone disrespects the dead they'll haunt and drive that person insane until they apologize or die from suicide. She will even sometimes put the person into sleep paralysis just to scare the living daylights out of them.

Wigfrid (Steel Teeth Singer): a opera singer trapped in her own world dies by the hands of a robber who had drained her of her blood, she came back from the dead as a vampire with steel sharp teeth, no one knows how she got her steel teeth, some versions of the story said her kidnapper forcefully removed her teeth and replaced them with steel. At midnight she killed her kidnapper and buried him in her yard. She resigns in her house, if anyone were to trespass on her property, she'll give them a warning, then tell them to leave. If they were to enter the house, then she'll attack them and drain them of their blood. She mostly feeds on the blood of farm animals but her favorite is humans blood, she'll put victims in a trance by singing her song and lure them into her home where she drains their blood.

Wes (The Hunger Mime): Wes died of hunger when someone kidnapped him and tormented him, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Before his death, he swore revenge and wishes to come back as a unstoppable spirit. After he came back from the dead he immediately killed his tormentor by cutting open his belly and eating his stomach. He now hunts for animals and eats crops from farms, if anyone doesn't have any food on them or a someone interrupts him while he's eating, he'll eat their stomachs. Children are spared however, if they're lost in the forest he lives in, he'll take them back to their parents and give them a balloon and it is said if the child gave the Hunger Mime a hug, they'll receive good luck in the future.

Warly (Chef of Flesh): Warly was kidnapped by a group who practices slavery to gain goods and riches. He tried many times to escape to see his mother again but he would always get caught and punished for it. One of these punishments killed him, a ceremony was made to put his spirit to rest, but it wasn't completed due to it being interrupted by the slave owner, Warly came back as a tall Bakroe and killed the slave owners. Warly now roams the earth looking for people in a hate group, any hate group, and turn them into a pot filled with their flesh and blood, he carries a bag filled with items need to make for his bloody stew. He'll change his voice into a voice of a child to trick his victims, he doesn't feel any kind of pain, though fire can be used to scare him and do any damage to him, he has enough strength to carry an adult human.

Walani (The Siren of Hawaii): She died during a surfing contest when she was challenged by a man known for his big ego, he thought he would win by pushing her off her surfboard. Unfortunately, when he pushed her, Walani ended up falling on a rock, causing her head to split open, the onlookers tried to save her... But it was too late... She was dead. Two days later she came back as a Mo'o´s, or what others call... a siren. She lives in a sea cave and would often leave and take her human form to look for her prey, which consists mostly of men, she would take on a disguise and go to bars or parties to find her victim, once she does she tricks them and takes them to the shore and feasts on them. She would use the song of the siren to trick fishermen into crashing their boats or go overboard, on rare cases she can also trick people strolling on the beach at night to go in the water where they become her target.

Here's how I came up with these ideas:

Wilson going mad was based on how hat makers would get Mad Hatter's Disease because of the mercury in the hats they were producing (look it up to learn more about it).

Willow's icon shows burning houses in the background, she probably did that on purpose when she saw how the kids were being treated in the DST lore.

Wolfgang is said to serve in a war and I saw a scene where a guy loses his mask and was almost put out of his misery when he accidentally inhaled the gas (it was a WWI movie).

Wendy and Abigail... I like to think Wendy respects the dead and there's grave robbers out there and she would definitely scare them.

Wigfrid's legend was based on Scotland's urban legend called Jenny Wi' The Airn (or Iron) Teeth, a vampire that has iron for teeth.

Wes has bad luck and is hungry all the time, that's it... (I'm sorry for making him monster guys, I know you love him).

Warly was based on a Bakroe, I heard about it on one of Snarled's videos, watch it.

And finally Walani's legend was based on Mo'o´s, In Hawaiian folklore, if a person passes away, they could come back in a form of a Mo'o´s, a mermaid/siren/selkie that seduce men and drown them (I got this info from fairychamber.com, her urban legend wasn't based on the dragon urban legend)

Mother Fire

Hunger Mime

(Should I even attempt making the spirits of his victims be turned into hunger bellies or is it just stupid?)

Don't Starve Belongs to Klei Entertainment

[gospelofme]

Tenuous At Best

Chapter 1: Introductions

Anaru’s eyes tried to focus on something a couple feet away. He blinked a couple times and that seemed to help. He was laying on his side in what looked like a concrete room. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, his right arm aching due to it being pinned under his body. He rubbed the aching limb and looked around. Where was he? How did he get here? He thought back, the memories coming very slowly and then all at once. There was an ambush. Sith? Maybe. Something had struck him in the outer thigh. It stung but he’d brushed whatever it was off. A bug? Seconds after that his muscles had started to seize up, he had yelled to his team to press on after the Sith, but one stayed behind. His memory stops after looking up to see a bright red bolt pierce his comrade’s skull.

He hauled himself off the floor and stretched his muscles to try to get rid of the pain and discomfort. That concrete floor had been less than comfortable. He rubbed his necked and immediately noticed something. His hands felt around a collar, metal, with wires that he could feel every now and then. He pulled on it, nothing. He shrugged and figured he could remove it with the Force. Nothing. He frowned and tried again. And like before, nothing. A realization struck him, he didn’t feel anything. No connection to the Force at all. He knew it was there of course, but it was blocked from him. The collar emitted a frequency that affected his ability to use the Force. The notion scared him, but only briefly. If he was patient, he could figure something out. He needed to sit and wait and his captors would come to him shortly. With that thought In his head, he took a seat on the bunk in his room. The thin mattress barely had any cushion to it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. One didn’t need the Force to meditate.

Ursa’s eyes focused immediately on a word scratched into the wall about half a foot from her face. It was in some language she didn’t speak and so, she ignored it. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She had a massive headache. A hangover? Maybe. Where was she? Jail? For what caused the hangover? Probably. Wait. A memory suddenly surfaced. No, she was watching a target. Her mission was to shadow the enemy soldier and find their camp. She had been so close too, until she remembered something stinging her in the neck. As soon as she had felt the sensation, her hand had flown to her neck and she had pulled a dart out. It wasn’t long after that that her fingers could no longer hold onto the object and it fell from her hands. She stood up quickly, not worried about giving away her position, it was too dark for her target to see her and she had cloaked her Force signature. As soon as she had stood up, she blacked out and hit the ground.

Once on her feet, Ursa stretched her back. The crack that resulted felt nice. She spotted the door to the concrete room and casually waved her hand. Nothing happened. Maybe her connection to the Force is a bit sluggish from whatever she was drugged with. She moved her neck around and furrowed her brow.

“What in the kriff...” she muttered, touching the collar around her neck. She summoned the Force again and, nothing. She felt nothing. No Force. She began to panic, she didn’t like feeling this vulnerable. She wrapped her hands around the edges of the collar and pulled. No luck, it was secured tightly. Her fingers found a wire, that could be something. She gave a tug and it sparked, stinging her fingers as she pulled her hand away sharply. The collar stayed put and continued to operate, inhibiting her connection to the Force. She gave an irritated hiss, anger building in her core. Whoever did this would pay with blood. Their blood. She went to the door, there was a very small opening through which she just saw an empty hallway. There was another identical looking door across from hers but it was too dark to see if anyone was in it. Not that she cared. She slid her arm through the bars in the opening and tried to reach the control panel on the side of the wall. But no matter how she angled her body, it was just out of reach. She gave a frustrated yell and slammed the bottom of her foot against the door. The sound echoed through the hallway.

Anaru opened his eyes when a yell echoed around him. It sounded like whoever had made it was close by. He got up and walked over to his own door, peering through the bars on the small window.

“Hello?” He initiated conversation carefully, he wasn’t sure if this was some sort of trick. Ursa perked up when she heard a voice answer. He sounded right next to her. She walked over to the door and tried to see who was in the room to her right. The angle was just not cooperating. She could hear him but not see him. Not that that really mattered.

“Can you reach the control panel to your door?” She asked, not bothering to introduce herself or make small talk. She wanted out so she could enact her revenge and get back to her missions.

Anaru tried to squeeze his arm through the opening in the bars, but couldn’t get passed his elbow.

“No, my upper arm is too big.” He said, defeated.

“Kriff.” Came the woman’s reply, sounding irritated. She didn’t say anymore after that. Anaru felt less alone now that he knew there was someone next door. Someone who wanted to escape as much as he did.

Anaru sighed and walked back over to his bunk, stretching out on the thin mattress. His body was still sore from laying on the concrete floor, at least the mattress was more comfortable. Ursa did the same in her room. She didn’t want to rest or sleep, but there was nothing else to do currently. She wasn’t interested in making conversation with her new neighbor either. If anything, she’ll use him as a distraction during her escape. Once she figures out how to escape that is.

Silence stewed between the neighbors but after 10 minutes, doors at one end of the hallway opened up and there were voices. Ursa leapt to her feet and quietly hurried to the door, she kept low so she wouldn’t be noticed right away. She peeked out watched two men dragging a form between them. Another prisoner. This one looked Rodian. One man held the unconscious prisoner and the other opened the door of the room in front of hers. She watched as the Rodian was tossed into the room, the door being closed and secured after. The Rodian had had a collar on as well. One of the men backed up close to her door viewing port. Ursa struck like a snake, her arm shooting out between the bars and wrapped around the man’s neck. She pulled him back and grabbed her wrist with her other than. The man didn’t get off much more than a startled yell before gasping and trying to pull her arm away.

Anaru heard the sudden commotion and tried to view what was happening. He could see one man and a portion of another who was struggling. His neighbor must be trying something. He wasn’t in much a position to help. All he could do was observe.

“Shock her!” One man managed to gasp out, his voice raspy. The other man fumbled for something, a remote. He pointed it in the direction of where his neighbor’s door was. He pressed a button and it didn’t look like anything happened.

“Hah! A little shock doesn’t hurt me!” He heard his neighbor laugh. Just who was that woman? The man with the remote tried again but his partner’s lips were turning blue now. Ursa pulled her arm back harder against the man’s throat. Soon he would be dead. The shock of the collar was irritating but she had been trained to resist electric shocks.

The man pocketed his remote and tried to pull the woman’s arm away from his partner’s throat. His partner was weakly palming at a pocket on his vest. The dart gun. Of course. The man took the small pistol out of his partner’s pocket and loaded a dart laced with the sedative Lecepanine. He couldn’t see the woman’s face, she kept it from view but her arm was in plain sight. He fired the dart into her outer arm, which quickly loosened. He heard a thump and knew she was out. His partner dropped to the floor, gasping for air. His face slowly returned to it’s normal color. He tried to speak, but could only manage a few raspy sounds.

Anaru watched as the man hauled his friend up and half walked-half dragged him back down the hallway. One man was still coughing and taking gasping breaths, the other berated him for getting within range of the prisoners. The door at the end of the corridor opened and closed, the space returning to silence again. Anaru knew his neighbor had tried something, he didn’t need the Force for that much. He wasn’t a fan of intentionally killing another life form, but he knew it was required at times. Plus he didn’t know how long his neighbor had been here, maybe she had been a prisoner for a long time. Anaru had returned to his bunk when he heard another prisoner call out.

“Is there anyone else here?” The voice echoed.

“I am.” Anaru said, approaching his door’s viewing port.

“Thank the Force.” Came the relieved voice, it was the Rodian who had been brought in earlier.

“I’m Haz Guff, who are you?”

“Anaru Kekoa.”

“You’re Draz Harley’s old Padawan! Boy, they’re looking for you!” The Rodian exclaimed excitedly. Anaru perked up suddenly, the Rodian’s face became visible as he looked through his own viewing window.

“You’re a Jedi too?” Anaru asked, smiling when the Rodian nodded.

“I can’t use the Force though, it’s this collar I think.”

“They’re Force Dampeners.” Came the woman’s dry reply. Anaru had nearly forgotten about her.

“Do we have a third Jedi?” Guff asked.

“Yup.” Came a quick, sharp reply.

“What’s your name?” Anaru asked.

“Ursa.” She replied.

“Well surely the three of us can figure out how to get out of here.” Guff said simply. Anaru liked the idea of an escape and liked Guff’s confidence. Ursa smirked. This couldn’t have been better. Sure she was stuck in this place, but that was just temporary. She’d use these Jedi to get her out, then she’d kill them and the ones that took her hostage. Easy as pie.

Tag list

@jgvfhl @leias-left-hair-bun @baby-queen-zen

@halzore @escapedthesarlacc

[miraculous786]

Akumatized!Marinette: Idea

Masterlist

‘They tore apart her sketchbook.

They destroyed her life’s work.

They crushed her heart without an ounce of regret.

How can she not accept a deal for revenge?’

~*~*~

Ladybug sunk down onto her knees, as the tears that she had held back finally flowed, like a dam that had burst. She didn't care if anyone saw her on the Eiffel Tower, as long as they didn't disturb her.

She remembered their faces, their glares and taunting. She remembered walking into class, and seeing her precious sketchbook torn to pieces on the ground. Right beside her former best friend.

Before entering class, she was already not in the best of moods. Marinette had woken up late, due to an akuma attack late last night, and didn't have time to tie her hair into pigtails. Instead, she settled on a simple ponytail.

Then, right as she stepped foot into the class, she heard the shredding of paper. Of course, she didn't think much of it, until she witnessed Alya toss a familiar book onto the floor carelessly, with the class laughing near her.

Sobs racked up in her chest, as tears threatened to spill. Ivan had noticed her near Miss Bustier's desk, and pointed her out to everyone. They all focused their attention onto the class president.

Marinette scanned her classmates' faces. Some, like Alya, Rose and most of the girls had a guilty expression, whilst Lila had the biggest grin on her face.

As she sprinted out, she bumped straight into Adrien Agreste, and when he saw her expression, he immediately asked, "Marinette, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

There was no answer to his question. She ran off, leaving him baffled, until he noticed the tense atmosphere in the classroom.

A faint flutter caught her attention, but by then it had already been absorbed into something she was wearing. Her head suddenly jerked up, posture instantly becoming straighter, as she heard a man speak.

"It's not fair, is it? How everyone so easily believed that liar, and turned against a person who has helped them so much? Well, Darkbug, I am Hawk Moth. I will give you the power you need to seek revenge on those who betrayed you, and bring mercy to those with good hearts. All I ask in return, is your miraculous, after you've collected your partner's. So, do we have a deal?"

Marinette didn't even have to think about it. She was going to bring suffering to those who hurt her, especially that fox, Lila.

"Yes, Hawk Moth, we do."

Ladybug pulled off her earrings, allowing herself to detransform, as purple bubbles flowed over her clothes. After they had disappeared, she placed the jewellery inside her new yo-yo for safekeeping, and jumped off of the Paris monument to begin her plan.

~*~*~

"Plagg, I really messed up..."

Adrien slumped onto his bed, and stared up at his ceiling. All that he could see was the face of Marinette, as she appeared to be using all of her strength to not break down in front of him in the school corridor.

"Yeah, you definitely have kid," Plagg agreed, floating beside him.

"You know, you're not helping," he deadpanned, only to get a scoff in return.

"Not helping? The superhero Chat Noir let his classmate have rumours spread by someone he knew was lying! And, might I add, visited the classmate at night to comfort her, yet did nothing to stop what was happening to her! I told you that you should have done something."

"I know, I just..." he trailed off, and sat up from his bed. "I never knew that her best friend would rip up her life's work like that. Especially since she knew how important it was to her."

"You know, I would go check on her. After something like that, I would be feeling a lot of negative emotions."

Adrien sighed, and walked over to his bedroom window, where he had a perfect view of the Paris skyline. He couldn't help but think about what she was thinking.

Betrayal? Well, she was betrayed by most of her classmates.

Anger? Her work was destroyed, so yes.

Vengeful? Definitely, after Lila's lies.

If she was akumatized...he shivered at the thought. Hawk Moth would easily be able to target her for all of her emotions. She would probably be one of the strongest villains yet.

"I'm going to check on Marinette," Adrien stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Plagg swallowed his last piece of Camembert, before Adrien exclaimed, "Plagg, claws out!"

After he felt the familiar leather over his body, he jumped from the window, and headed towards Marinette's bakery. As he extended his stick to catapult himself over roofs, there was a beeping noise that resonated from the weapon, signalling that someone was calling him.

Chat stopped on a random balcony, and pressed the staff to his ear.

"Hello, M'Lady," he greeted, only to be met with total silence from the other end.

"Ladybug?" he questioned, straining his ears to listen for any noise.

After a few agonising seconds, Chat heard a faint whisper, that he knew had come from Ladybug. "I need you to come to me..."

The call cut off, leaving the hero confused as to what had just occurred. He pulled up a map on the baton, and saw her Ladybug symbol above an abandoned building nearby. Attaching the weapon to his belt, he set off to where she was.

When he arrived at the destination, he found himself in an empty room, void of any furniture or colour, as the grey wallpaper made it appear as if the colour had been sucked out of it. He began wandering throughout the place, trying to find his partner, or any hint to show she'd been there.

No matter where he looked, he couldn't find anything or anyone, so after spending one minute double-checking his surroundings, he pulled out his baton again, only to hear a voice speak.

"Leaving so soon, Kitty?"

Her long hair appeared a navy blue, and was tied into a braid that lay against her left shoulder. The mask on her face was pointed and fitting, with half being purple and the bottom spotted, like a ladybug. Except, the spots were purple, and the red replaced by a charcoal black.

On her waist was a purple-spotted yo-yo, which struck him as oddly familiar, along with her striking bluebell eyes. A silky material, shaped like a V, blew majestically from her waist, in the slight breeze from an open window nearby.

Chat's eyes widened in surprise, and from recognising the teenager in front of him.

"My- My Lady?" His voice shook with uncertainty and disbelief, as he anticipated the answer.

"Not anymore, Kitty. It's Darkbug," she answered, edging closer ever so slightly.

"What happened? How did you get akumatized?" He questioned, wondering how the heroine had let her emotions take a hold of her.

"My best friend, they betrayed me!" Suddenly, Darkbug pounced, and attempted to lunge at him. His reflexes allowed him to dodge the attack, as he used his staff to block the onslaught of new ones.

"Wait, Darkbug! I would never betray you! Whatever you think I did, I didn't! Cat's honour!" He shakily placed his hand against his chest, and raised it in the air.

She froze mid-swing, and chuckled heartily. Even akumatized, her laughter still sounded like music in his ears.

"Of course you didn't, silly Kitty! I'm only getting your miraculous, then we can be together forever!"

It took a minute to process her words. At his bewildered expression, she explained, "You've always been a true friend, unlike her."

She spat out the last word in a bitter tone, making Chat gulp.

"But, you've always been there through thick and thin, by my side. After Hawk Moth makes his wish, I promise that we'll stick together, with an even better miraculous team."

"Even better team? What, like, without Queen Bee?" Sure, Chat knew she was sometimes a bully, but to kick her off of the team sounded harsh.

Darkbug shook her head as a response, and simply said, "You'll find out, after you give me your ring."

He inched backwards. "Not a chance, M'Lady," he defied.

She attempted to wrap her yo-yo around his torso again, however Chat Noir hit it out of the way, and extended his baton so that it hit the akuma in the stomach, knocking her into a wall.

The hero used her winded state to search for where her akuma could be. He thought about her earrings, but soon came to the conclusion that Hawk Moth would need the miraculous, without an akuma inhabiting it to make his wish.

Her yo-yo? It was a possibility.

Before he could look at anything else she was wearing, she stood up, and kicked him in the chest, sending him across the room.

Quickly, he gained his strength back, and once again was avoiding her weapon swings. It gave him many chances to grab it, and when he managed to after swiping it when it was in the air, he yelled, "Cataclysm!"

Black bubbles formed around his hand, as he readied to destroy the object.

"Wait!" She cried, making Chat Noir turn his head to her.

"If you disintegrate that, then the Ladybug miraculous will be gone too," she said, her voice truthful. "It’s inside it."

He slowly moved his hand from it, and instead asked, "What about the earrings you're wearing?"

"Simply go with the look." She shrugged nonchalantly, and began to walk up to him. He moved his hand closer to the yo-yo in an attempt to threaten her, yet she still advanced.

As soon as she was in front of him, she advised, "Better warn Master Fu, Chaton."

Swiftly, she yanked the yo-yo from his grasp, and leaped out of the building, leaving him confused, before her last words broke him out of his trance.

"Plagg, claws in!"

"Quick, we've got to warn the Guardian!" Plagg shouted frantically, instead of demanding cheese.

"I don't know where he lives, though!" he pointed out, only for Plagg to say, "I know, and so does she! We have to go quick, so follow me!"

The kwami flew to the exit of the building, with Adrien running behind.

~*~*~

As they neared what appeared to be a massage parlour, Adrien urged, "Hide, Plagg!"

The kwami did so in his jacket pocket, as he reached to knock on the front door. To his surprise, it was already open, and behind it, he saw the familiar face of the Guardian.

"Come in, Chat Noir.” He stepped aside to let him walk past. "We need to get you some allies."

Plagg zipped out of Adrien's pocket, with a block of Camembert stuffed in his mouth. He flew to Wayzz, the turtle kwami, and began to have a conversation with him.

Adrien sat across from Master Fu, as the man placed the Miracle Box in front of him. The box opened up, and several miraculous were shown to him.

"Adrien, I think you know by now that Ladybug has been akumatized, and it is up to you to stop her. Use these miraculous to build up a team, as I'm sure that she is probably the smartest and strongest akuma yet."

He stared in awe at the jewels, before saying, "But, I don't know the owners of them, except for some of the Zodiac holders and Chloe."

Master Fu pulled out a list from behind his back, and handed it to Adrien. He folded it, and placed it in his pocket, as the old man explained, "Those are all of the holders’ identities that I know. I'm trusting that you will be able to hand them out."

He pulled off the turtle bracelet from his wrist, and placed it within the Miracle Box. The lid closed, as he picked it up, and gestured for the boy to take it.

"What if Darkbug comes for you?" he asked.

The man responded with, "That doesn't matter. What does, is that Ladybug is saved, and the miraculous are out of Hawk Moth's reach."

Adrien nodded, albeit hesitantly, and took the Miracle Box in his hands. It was hard for him to believe that a single box's contents could drive a man to prey on negative emotions. He must be desperate, if he resorts to mind control just to get two jewels.

Plagg gave a sad look to the Guardian, as he nestled into the Agreste jacket Adrien adorned. He walked out of the parlour, and made his way into an alley, where he transformed and extended his baton to reach the rooftops.

His first destination was Chloe's home, and as he made his way there, he couldn't help but notice the blur of black and purple fly past him towards the building he was just at.

~*~*~

"Chloe Bourgeois, this is the miraculous of the Bee, which grants the power of Subjection, and you will use it for the greater good..."

"Kagami Tsurugi, this is the miraculous of the Dragon, which grants the power of harnessing the elements, and you will use it for the greater good..."

"Nino Lahiffe, this is the miraculous of the Turtle, which grants the power of Protection, and you will use it for the greater good..."

"Luka Couffaine, this is the miraculous of the Snake, which grants the power of manifesting loops to rewind time, and you will use it for the greater good..."

Chat Noir gladly gave these teenagers their miraculous, as they all deserved it, in his eyes.

Chloe, because of how she improved her personality, and even stood up for Marinette a few times when Lila created false claims about her. They became quite friendly acquaintances with each other, even after Chloe bullied her in the past.

Kagami, because of her boldness in defeating her akumatized mother, and wanting nothing more than to prove herself to be worthy to people, even if she didn't need to.

Nino, because he was not only Adrien's best friend, but he saw how Nino regretted siding with Alya against Marinette in class. His friend even admitted that he didn't believe some of the things said about Marinette, but didn't want to say anything.

Luka, because...

Chat Noir didn't know him well, but knew he cared about people close to him. Like Marinette, for example, and that was when he realised that most of his opinions of the miraculous holders were made around her.

Well, what did he expect? Marinette was extremely sociable, and had lots of friends, at least, before Lila came along. Gosh, when he saved his Lady, Chat Noir thought about how he would expose that liar. It wasn't fair for her to ruin Marinette's life like that, and he had seen how hurt she was when he visited her on most nights on her balcony.

He remembered that she once fell asleep in his arms, crying about losing her friends, and he had to silently wave off an akuma before tucking her in bed. It was painful for him to see one of his first friends so torn up about her school life.

Through gritted teeth, he handed out the other miraculous, yet he clearly showed his hate against the holders that went against Marinette.

Rena Rouge, since Alya had torn her sketchbook.

King Monkey, since Kim taunted Marinette frequently.

Pegasus, since Max used his 'calculations' to show that Lila wasn't lying about something when she clearly was.

Before, he had told the worthy holders to wait at Chloe's hotel, while he recruited the others. When everyone finally arrived at the roof of the building, Chat was immediately asked by almost everyone about Ladybug's whereabouts.

"She's the one who's been akumatized, which is why I need you to help me save her," he explained, however he purposely faced the holders that he preferred.

Rena Rouge, noticing his odd behaviour, asked, "What's wrong, why do you seem to hate us? We worked really well together last time, didn't we?"

Kim and Max nodded in agreement, whilst Chat Noir just shook his head in disbelief.

"Maybe we did, but after that stunt you pulled today I can't help but dislike you," he admitted in a bitter tone.

Carapace defended, "Hey, what's your problem dude, she didn't do anything to you!"

He scoffed, then sneered, "Not to me, but definitely to Marinette."

Alya recoiled back, but before she could say anything, Kagami and Viperion both shouted at once, "What did you do to her?"

However, Alya's response was interrupted once again, as a harmonious voice stated, "It's so nice to see those who truly deserve a miraculous..."

Turning around in unison, the teenagers all watched as Darkbug landed nearby on the rooftop, her softened features aimed at Chat soon morphing into anger at Alya as she continued, "..and those who don't."

[sunset-embers-warriors-designs]

Hey hey I have another warrior cats AU where Sandstorm, Dustpelt, and Ravenpaw are littermates originally born in Shadowclan

- The three kits are born to Dawncloud and Stumpytail (Chose this pair because Dawncloud mentions having lost kits to Brokenstar’s leadership, and she and Stumpytail are noted to be really close in Tigerclaw’s Fury). Dawncloud knows for sure she can’t keep her kits here because of what happened to her brothers, so she and Stumpytail take the kits to the Thunderclan border in hopes a patrol will pick them up. They don’t tell anyone in Shadowclan about it, but folks are suspicious.

- In the morning, a Thunderclan patrol finds the kits and brings them straight back to camp, where they’re adopted by Dappletail. Dappletail’s two kits, Cricketkit and Featherkit, had passed away very recently, and she was among the only available queens to nurse them. It takes like 2 hours for her to decide that these kits are hers now, and she names them Sandkit, Dustkit, and Ravenkit. Thunderclan has no idea where these kits could’ve come from - they smell a little like Shadowclan, but they were right on Shadowclan’s border so cannot confirm. The running theory is that they’re rogue kits who’s mother died on the thunderpath.

- Dappletail absolutely adores these kits, and they adore her. She’s a very no-nonsense mother and expects them to be on their best behaviour at all times, and raises them on traditional “hard work is good” values. Much to her dismay, Ravenkit is the only one who follows rules without making a fuss about it every time. Sandkit and Dustkit are both really energetic and rebellious, and they love to test the boundaries every chance they get, but Dappletail is way more patient than they are.

- Sandkit, Dustkit, and Ravenkit grow up with little knowledge of how they were found. They know they were brought into Thunderclan from the outside, but only because their clanmates keep talking about it like it’s a big deal. Dappletail tries to shield them from cats like Swiftbreeze, Sparrowpelt, Tigerclaw and Darkpaw who keep muttering about them, but some of it starts to settle in their minds. Particularly Ravenkit

- Ravenkit’s social anxiety starts to take form, which doesn’t make his reputation among his clanmates any better. To combat this, Redtail introduces Dappletail’s kits to Graykit, his nephew who’s got no littermates of his own to play with. Sandkit and Dustkit still prefer to keep to themselves, but Ravenkit and Graykit are immediate best friends.

- The three of them become apprentices shortly after Graypaw. As he’s entered this teenaged stage, Dustpaw has become a bit more angsty and difficult to talk to, so Bluestar assigns him Redtail, as Redtail is experienced at being the cool uncle and she thinks he can get through to him. Sandpaw demonstrates really great hunting and stalking potential, and so to encourage those skills even more, she’s given Whitestorm as her mentor. For Ravenpaw, Bluestar *had* planned Rosetail to mentor him before she all of a sudden decided to retire. Mousefur and Runningwind were only just made warriors, so they aren’t ready for their own apprentice yet. The only option left is Tigerclaw; Bluestar figures Tigerclaw can help Ravenpaw become more bold and sure of himself. Dappletail fights her on this because of Tigerclaw’s attitude, and offers to train her son herself, but Bluestar tells her “Parents can’t mentor their own kits, sorry”

- Ravenpaw departs on a patrol with Tigerclaw, Redtail, Runningwind, and Mousefur on a mission to go get Sunningrocks back. Dustpaw would have come, as Redtail’s apprentice, but he’s grounded for misbehaving during training or something. In the chaos of the retreat after the battle, Tigerclaw commits the Redtail murder, and Ravenpaw is the only witness. When he gets back to camp to scream that Redtail is dead, he gets sick to his stomach when he locks eyes with Dustpaw.

- Redtail’s death drives a wedge between the brothers. Ravenpaw has this immense guilt that he just can’t explain to Dustpaw, and Dustpaw takes it as pity, which he’s far too proud to accept. Sandpaw is caught in the middle, but then floats over to Dustpaw. Ravenpaw still has Graypaw, and the new guy Firepaw to keep him company, but as Sandpaw sees it, Dustpaw doesn’t have anyone else.

- As they get older, the siblings feel the pressure to prove themselves as loyal Thunderclan cats more than ever. Tigerclaw uses Ravenpaw’s unknown background as a way to spread rumours about him being a Shadowclan spy, which Dappletail refutes every time its brought up. Dustpaw tries to speak out against it, but his new mentor, Darkstripe, shuts him up by saying if he was “really” Thunderclan, he’d be wary of Ravenpaw like the rest of them. Sandpaw feels the need to demonstrate her allegiance to Thunderclan by bullying Firepaw, which Dustpaw then joins in on. Firepaw being the most recent outsider to come into camp makes her and her brothers less of a target for suspicion and gossip, so she does not hesitate on getting involved in the Firepaw bullying.

- Back in Shadowclan, someone overhears Dawncloud and Stumpytail talking about their kits and how they’re doing in Thunderclan, and reports back to Brokenstar. Brokenstar exiles the two and decides he’ll get his revenge on Thunderclan by taking some kits of their own.

- Ravenpaw’s death is faked after Brokenstar is dethroned, which makes Dustpaw and Sandpaw kind of snap back into reality. Dappletail is absolutely heartbroken, and becomes very bitter with all of her clanmates that took part in the Ravenpaw being a spy gossip. She always knew her son was a good cat, and she’s furious that the only proof Thunderclan would accept was his death. Dustpaw and Sandpaw stand by their mother, but they can’t hold it against their clanmates like she does. Dustpaw was *part* of the rumour’s start. They opt not to tell her this, and the two just try to focus on being good warriors for the time being. 

- Dawncloud’s only confirmation on her three kits making it safely to Thunderclan was when she saw them at their first gathering, and heard them announced as new apprentices. When only Dustpelt and Sandstorm are announced as new warriors, she feels a dire need to ask someone in Thunderclan what happened, but also is terribly afraid to.

- While he’s still somewhat associated with Tigerclaw’s crew, Dustpelt isn’t as into it as Darkstripe and Longtail are. Dappletail talks his ear off all the time about how Tigerclaw was one of the cats who started those rumours, and to “keep an eye on him”. Dustpelt was never one to listen to his mother unquestioningly though, he kind of keeps a paw on both sides to observe and see for himself whats really going on. Meanwhile, Sandstorm becomes more of an ally to Fireheart. Clanmates turning on one another and playing this game of outsiders and real warriors is the very thing that got her brother killed, and so Sandstorm has given it up as she’s grown older and lets both herself and Fireheart prove themselves real warriors by their actions and dedication to their clan. Because they’re focusing on such different things, Sandstorm and Dustpelt have drifted apart. Dappletail thinks the independence is good for them, since they’ve been side by side since they were kits, but Sandstorm still gets worried when she sees Dustpelt growing further away from her.

- Tigerclaw is revealed as a traitor, and the truth about Redtail’s murder and Ravenpaw’s witnessing is revealed. Dappletail has this moment of rage and triumph, because once again, it’s proven that her son wasn’t a traitor. Dustpelt is furious, and has to re-think a LOT of how he acted in his apprenticeship. After the exile, he cuts ties with Darkstripe and starts talking more with Sandstorm again

- Around the time that the battle with Bloodclan is approaching, Ravenpaw and Barley arrive from the farm to assist in the fight, and Dappletail and her family realize he’s still alive. There’s a very tearful family reunion. After the battle is won, they beg him to come home to Thunderclan, but Ravenpaw chooses to stay on the farm. They make him promise to visit when he can.

- Dappletail gets to celebrate her first grandchildren in Spiderkit and Shrewkit, followed closely by Squirrelkit and Leafkit. Squirrelkit and Shrewkit are Best Friend Cousins and become the same kind of dynamic duo that Dustpelt and Sandstorm were when they were kids. Unfortunately, Dappletail starts to become senile when they become apprentices, and eventually dies.

- Shrewpaw, Larchkit, and Hollykit’s final resting place is around the same place as Dappletail, so she can keep an eye on them

- On their way to leave the forest territories, the clans stop by Barley and Ravenpaw’s barn. Sandstorm and Dustpelt ask him one more time to join them back in Thunderclan, or else they might never see each other again. Ravenpaw still wants to stay at the barn, and the siblings say their final goodbyes.

- Both Sandstorm’s grandsons and Dustpelt’s granddaughter end up being part of the prophecy. When this is revealed, they’re both just a little bit proud.

- At the end of the battle against the dark forest, Dustpelt and Sandstorm have both lost their mates, and Dustpelt’s lost another kit. Sandstorm decides that she wants to retire, and tries to convince Dustpelt to do the same. He refuses, because keeping up with things around camp is the only way to keep from thinking on his grief. Sandstorm waits a season or two to see if he changes his mind, but he dies in battle before he can retire. Sandstorm retires alongside Graystripe instead, and regrets that she didn’t do more to for Dustpelt. She, Spiderleg, and Birchfall are his most frequent visitors at his resting place.

- When Sandstorm dies on the journey to find Skyclan, Firestar is the first to fetch her and bring her to Starclan. However, right past the entryway, there are Dappletail, Dustpelt and Ravenpaw.

- The three of them end up meeting Dawncloud and Stumpytail in Starclan. They’re not very close, and their relationship is less parents and children as opposed to friendly acquaintances, but they’re glad to finally learn about exactly how they got to Thunderclan. 

[floraluniversal]

I am so emotional about Stephanie’s final arc, the whole plot up to this point had her slowly be forced to steer herself away from her morals for the sake of others, and this final part is the breaking point with her standing completely on the opposite side of her beliefs.

It’s dumb, but it’s what helps me with the crushing thoughts I’ve been having lately, so here’s the simplified (which is still very long) version:

The previous story had her earn her freedom as a universal and she decided to seek out the final surviving universal (Nina who spent her entire life hiding in a forest full of tormented spirits, not a good place to be if you wanna stay sane, but a good way to keep everyone away) and extend that freedom to her as well, to swear to protect her, but it didn’t go well. The hunters finally gathered the courage to infiltrate the forest and followed Stephanie to get to Nina, their final target. Nina had deluded herself into believing that Stephanie got her freedom from promising to help them get her. Knowing she had nowhere to run and couldn’t fight, Nina, in a final desperate act of revenge, tore her soul out of her body and shattered it, using her soul wish to revive every single universal they ever killed, making them “do it all again”. Beams of pure white light washed over the world as those who had their life taken by force were awakened once more. Thanks to the whims of fate, Stephanie found herself standing before a little girl emerging out of the white light (she and Ash, who is also revived, end up forming a parental bond with this girl, adopting her at the end as their own). Seeing how young the girl was immediately broke her heart and it was about to break further. After the group attempted to gather up the universals and joining forces with a group of witches (The Scarlet Witches) fighting for magical creatures’ rights, they managed to get all of them in the Palace of Destiny (massive palace in the capital of Tanesia). All 400+ of them, and the great majority of them were very young. Stephanie promised that she will save them from their fates, that they deserve to live as long as she has.

She and Aurora (Icy post dramatic reveal :0, queen of Tanesia) attempt to negotiate with the Alliance of the Eight Kingdoms (imagine the league of nations, but with magical kingdoms), but they did not budge. They told them that they either stand with them or against them, revealing that they only granted Stephanie freedom because she hadn’t outlived her usefulness to them yet. The two women refused to fight against the universals and were attacked by the alliance, struggling to even make it out of the city. Tanesia was denounced as a kingdom and other nations swiftly moved in to take its lands, while the alliance started attacking the group of universals. At first it seemed like our heroes could win, blah blah blah, the situation ends up turning against them as the public turns against them as well, fighting intensifies and casualties mount. Stephanie had lost some of the children, many Tanesian warriors and some of the Scarlet Witches, and she feels responsibility for each of these deaths as well as the lives of the hunters they were forced to take. She’s deeply ashamed of herself, all she ever wanted was to walk the path of peace, but ended up on the path of bloodshed, and there was no way to go back. She can barely bear to face herself, let alone her friends and family. She begins isolating herself, stops relying on others, feeling the need to fix this all herself, so no one else is lost. Paranoia leads her to patrol the young ones’ sleeping quarters every night. She begins losing weight, energy and power, which leads the group to lose the fight more than they already have.

Eventually our heroes end up surrounded in a base with insufficient supplies, not enough room for everyone with their only defense being the bubble protection spell Stephanie put around the whole base. Everyone kept telling her to let go, to rest, conserve her energy, that they can hold up the bubble together while she rests, but she refused. She promised them all a life she could not give in the end. Stephanie managed to hold up the bubble for a month, unable to move, eat, sleep or talk with anyone, while feeling all the damage done to it on her own body. It was just her and her thoughts, basically surviving on magic alone until she couldn’t hold up the bubble anymore and she collapsed. One last desperate fight broke out between the hunters and our heroes. Stephanie, having woken up again in the middle of the fighting with little to no power remaining thought about how this all started because of her... That’s when it hit her. A desperate solution for a desperate situation. To end this the way it began. The fighting ceased as everyone’s attention was brought to the shambling broken corpse of a woman walking through the battlefield and the hunters flee when they see what she’s holding up- her own soul. This whole conflict broke Stephanie, the weight of over 400 lives resting on her shoulders, forced to take the life she valued so deeply. She lost the one thing that was dearly important to her: her love for life. Despite everyone’s protests and attempts to stop her, this was her final chance for redemption, to walk the path of peace again. She shattered her soul and being the strongest universal of the century, she used all that power locked within the center of her soul to create a whole new world, one only meant for them, where they could be safe and happy, completely erasing herself in the process.

Everyone was broken up, they had all come to love Stephanie throughout this conflict and the one who took this the worst was her sister, Ember. Ember almost never cries, choosing to stay strong for others, but watching her sister fall apart before her very eyes absolutely shattered her as she broke down violently sobbing, she made it her purpose in life to keep the sister she loved so much safe and she couldn’t do it in the end. The group had no body to bury, so Ember decided to bury a drawing Steph did for her when she was 8, one she had kept on her at all times. And with the bittersweet resolution to this struggle, everyone worked together with heavy hearts on building a new home.

But don’t worry, this story has a happy ending! The goddesses were impressed with the final act carried out, no mortal has ever created a world before. Usually, when a mortal impresses a goddess, they end up making that mortal a demigod and with that a new element is born, but Stephanie was completely gone... No mortal can put together a soul as some pieces of it are lost immediately... But the goddesses can. All souls come from their souls, thus they can fill in the pieces that were lost. It took them 3 years to put the soul back together and a year to grow her a new body, but eventually they were able to return Stephanie to her family, to enjoy her creation. This new community they had built rejoiced that they got their lost friend back and the goddesses promised to not appoint any new universals in the other world.

The lost pieces caused her to lose a few of her memories, but that was probably for the best... She had to relearn how to walk and talk and do tasks, lost most of her magic capabilities and it took her a few years to completely recover from the trauma, but she finally got the thing she desired: A family and a place she and everyone else could belong.

I don’t think anyone will read through this, but if you do: Kudos to you for having this much patience with my bullshit! I know it’s not a super good story, but as long as it helps me with my thoughts!

[ikkaku-of-heart]

(Abyssusinvo - Katakuri) - Strolling around town without care for the locals obvious great fear of him, Katakuri was on a mission to seek out a certain vendor that sold a brand of chocolate even Big Mom did not have access to even with all the great territory they had amassed. But why she wanted to send out Katakuri of all people just for such an errand when it could be anyone else more... Fit for the job was beyond him. Every vendor and store entrance was so far below his height that it was almost comical. It was only until he spotted a certain boiler suit and symbol from far away that he paused his steps. "So one of Straw hat Luffy's allies are here hm? What business does a man like Trafalgar have with sweets?"

@abyssusinvo

Growing up, Ikkaku had never cared for chocolate. The stuff that got imported to Joras was dark, unsweetened baking chocolate that was ridiculously expensive for something that tasted like cursed cemetery dirt. It wasn’t until she’d left that dreary backwater island that she’d been introduced to just how amazing it could be and how many delicious varieties there were, and it quickly became one of her favorite indulgences.

That was why she’d gotten excited when she got permission from Law to explore the small island the Hearts had landed on. It was rumored to have a unique type of chocolate that was exclusive to the local chocolatiers. Something about the specific cocoa beans and spices used to flavor it had apparently made it quite coveted, so the engineer had decided to treat herself to a bar. After all the insanity she’d dealt with since entering the New World, and especially since Law had formed his alliance with Straw Hat, she deserved something sweet to take her mind off the fact that her crew had painted some massive targets on their backs by associating with a guy who seemed to have a habit of pissing off Yonko.

The town was smaller than what she expected, in that everyone she came across wasn’t much taller than five feet, and the buildings reflected that. Ikkaku wasn’t overly tall, but even she found herself standing head-and-shoulders above the crowd and having to duck slightly to get through doorways.

Standing up straight and stretching her back to work out the kinks that had formed from bending over to peruse an the wares of a souvenir cart, she swore she felt someone’s eyes on her. Glancing over her shoulder, the culprit was easily spotted as he was an absolute giant among the crowd. Sweat immediately beaded across the back of her neck. Katakuri was a man she knew by reputation only, but considering Straw Hat’s beef with Big Mom, that was more than enough for her. What was he even doing here? This wasn’t his mother’s territory - it was Red Hair’s, which was why Law had thought it was safe to dock.

Ikkaku bit her lip, pondering her choices - run back to Law and risk leading him to her crew, or act casual and hope he didn’t plan to cause trouble for her in another Yonko’s territory. As much as her instincts were telling her to book it, she had the feeling that running would definitely catch his attention, especially since she already stood out from the crowd. It was better to remain calm and not risk him coming after her unprovoked without a better escape plan. Maybe she could sneak out the back of one of the shops since there was no way he could fit inside?

Swallowing hard, she walked stiffly towards another cart, hoping that the leather-clad Sweet Commander wasn’t in the mood to get some small revenge-by-proxy on Luffy.

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Poison: Part Four

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Reader

Word Count: ~2.1k

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill, fluff and angst

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there is any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them. If you’ve seen the show, then it’s the same level of angst unless otherwise stated.

Feedback is gold, and it’s the only currency I take

The hospital isn’t a good place for you to be in because of all the patients coming in and pretending to be sick, but it’s a lot better than the police station only because Spencer isn’t there. He’s here with you, so you’re able to focus on him instead of all the panic. You need to figure out which cases are real so you can determine just where they were poisoned and how to stop it from happening again.

“I really can't talk right now. We just got hammered,” the nurse sighs.

“Listen, most of these food poisonings are probably psychosomatic,” you reveal.

“What makes you think that?”

“A news broadcast just reported a local restaurant was poisoned. Now, it would be a huge coincidence if there was another poisoning right after that aired,” JJ explains for you.

“So what do you want me to do?”

“Help us find out which cases, if any, are real,” Spencer answers.

“People are coming in with all kinds of complaints. But, there's at least one case that isn't psychosomatic. Lynn Dempsey. She's barely breathing.”

“Can you take us to the doctor that's treating that patient?”

“I'll call Hotch,” JJ says and takes out her phone.

The doctor comes almost immediately just as soon as JJ is done updating your boss. The doctor escorts you to the woman who has a hard time breathing, and you can tell this is a real case based on what the doctor says as well as the vibes you’re getting from the woman.

“When the patient got here, she didn't remember anything about her day. Her speech was so slurred, I could barely understand her,” the doctor reveals.

“It sounds like Rohypnol. Did you test her?” Spencer wonders.

“She was positive for Rohypnol, negative for LSD. But we're running more tests because Rohypnol alone doesn't explain her symptoms. She presented with nausea, difficulty swallowing, and labored breathing. She was also having trouble moving her legs.”

“How long had she been sick?” you ask.

“She didn't know. I could barely understand her when she first got here. Now, she can't speak at all.”

“Do you know any biological agents that have similar symptoms: ricin or sarin gas?” Spencer asks.

“You think this is a biological attack?”

“We can't rule anything out.”

“I'll order a few more tests,” he sighs and leaves you three alone with the woman.

The poor woman is coughing and having a hard time breathing into her oxygen mask. She whimpers in pain, tosses and turns, and just looks like she isn’t having that much fun.

“I’ll take a look at her. Let me see if I can get anything out of her,” you offer.

“She can’t speak,” JJ says.

“I don’t need that to communicate with her,” you say and walks over to the woman.

Lynn barely opens her eyes to look at you, and you give her the kindest eyes you can muster up.

“Hi, my name is Y/N Y/L/N. I am only here to help. May I take your hand?” you ask and hold out your own.

She seems too eager to do so, and she grabs your hand as if it will cure her. Almost immediately upon contact, you get visions of her past right before she was poisoned. Your eyes close as the images transmit to you. Lynn is at the bank. She’s in line waiting to get some money taken out of her account. She grabs some candy out of a bowl as she waits and decides to cut her wait time in half by grabbing an envelope and writing her information down on it. She takes a step forward when the man in front of her does, and that’s where the vision ends. There is nothing out of the ordinary that is going on, so you’re not sure why you got that specific scene.

You open your eyes and look at Spencer and JJ. They half-expected you to get a definitive clue or something to lead them down a path, but you just shake your head. Your hand slips from Lynn’s, but as soon as you lose contact, she reaches up and grips your hand tightly. You look back at her to see her eyes open wide. She stopped coughing long enough to want to tell you something.

“JJ, Spencer, I think she’s trying to say something,” you say.

“The end…” Lynn barely gets out before having a coughing fit.

“The end…?” JJ questions.

You close your eyes once more in hopes that whatever she’s trying to tell you will show up in the visions you get. All you’re getting, however, is her picking up an envelope from the bank so she can use it for her money purposes.

“She may be incoherent from the lack of oxygen,” Spencer states.

Lynn pulls away hastily and turns on her side to let out a coughing fit. You take one step back and look at Spencer with a sad look.

“Doctor!” JJ calls. Once he’s inside Lynn’s room, she continues. “So, what are the chances that she's not poisoned, that maybe she just got some bad food?”

“Highly improbable. Chances are basically nil.”

“What is the rate of survival?” you ask.

“With this dose and without anti-toxin... zero.”

Lynn suddenly goes into V-Fib, and Spencer grips your shoulders to gently move you out of the way. You step back into his body to let the doctor and nurses through,  but you don’t move once they do pass. You’re basically watching Lynn slowly die right in front of your eyes, and there is nothing you can do to help her. All you got is her at the bank, touching some candy, and writing on an envelope. How the hell is that going to help anyone?

“Doctor, her BP is dropping rapidly,” the nurse states.

Lynn’s heart can't hold out any longer, and you turn away so you don’t have to watch her die. You shrug out of Spencer’s arms and leave the hospital room. Him and JJ aren’t that far behind you. If you have even one more soul on your consciousness, there’s no telling what kind of nightmares you’ll have or if you can even handle another soul.

While you were with Lynn and experiencing her last few moments on Earth, Elle and Derek were at the bank looking through the security footage to see if they could spot a common denominator with all the victims. Every single person that was infected came into this bank, so it has to be the key to figuring out where this substance came from and who put it there—most importantly, who is the targeted audience. It’s why experts are testing the candy to see if what she touched is actually poisoned or not.

“Lynn Dempsey was an executive assistant. She has no expertise with chemicals. She doesn't fit the profile of the unsub,” Gideon notes.

“But the CDC found both LSD and Rohypnol in the candy she was replacing at the bank,” Derek says.

“She must have been an accomplice, and when the unsub finished using her to further his attack, he killed her with Botulism.”

“So, what does that tell us about the unsub?” Gideon asks the group.

“He's far more sophisticated than we realized,” you answer.

“Why is that?”

“The Botulism toxin is the deadliest substance known to man. It blocks Acetylcholine receptors, paralyzing its victims until, basically, choking you to death. Without an antitoxin, a lethal dose will kill you in thirty-six hours,” you try to explain, knowing only Spencer will truly understand what you’re saying.

“How many people have access to this stuff?” Elle wonders.

“In New Jersey, quite a few. It's actually the pharmaceutical and chemical capital of the US. So, that the toxin can be ordered in the form of Botox through any chemical or biological lab or Botox clinic. It has to be purified, but any chemist or lab assistant has that capability,” Spencer answers.

“So, we're looking for chemists and sophisticated lab assistants?”

“Basically,” you and Spencer say at the same time.

“Okay, wait a minute. If the unsub is a chemist with access to the toxin, what'd he need Dempsey for?” Derek wonders.

“Well, we don't know yet. But she worked for a company, called, uh... Hichcock Pharmaceuticals. I think there's a good chance the unsub worked there, too,” Gideon reads off his notes.

“Let's start with people who fit the profile who've had a recent stressor.”

“Like, anybody fired from Hichcock in the past six months.”

“Yeah, or demoted. Not recognized for their hard work. Anyone who seems under appreciated. Let me call Penelope,” you state and take out your phone.

You call her, and once you get her over the line, you quickly explain what is going on and what you need her raw talent. You place her on speakerphone for all to hear so you don’t have to repeat what she says.

“Hichcock's a giant company, Sugar Shack, and there were over a hundred people fired just this past year.”

“And so far, none of them fit the profile?”

“No. But, I do have thirty names of people who were downsized and shunted off to other lame companies with a cut in pay and benefits.”

“That’ll work,” you nod.

“Alright, send us the names. We'll cross-reference them with civil and criminal complaints filed with local PD. But I want you to keep digging, and while you're at it, look for any connection to the First New Jersey Federal Bank,” Derek asks ever so nicely.

“I'm on it, Angel,” she says, and you hang up.

“Our guys acting like a workplace mass murderer. He'd stay close—seething—and he'd plan his revenge,” Hotch points out.

“Well, if he is a workplace killer, what else does that tell us about him?”

“For one, they don't give themselves up. He's lost his empathy and his moral compass. He's capable of anything.”

“All those innocent people at the bank,” you mutter regretfully.

“They meant nothing to him. He'll take out anybody to forward his cause,” Gideon says.

“Like Dempsey.”

“Correct, and eventually, even himself. Not until he finishes taking out his primary targets.”

“We have no idea where he's going to strike next. For all we know, he could poison the local reservoir,” Derek groans.

“Well, the local cops haven't gotten any leads out of Dempsey. Why don't you go to Hichcock and see if you have any luck,” Hotch says to Elle who is already out of her chair.

“You got it,” she states and leaves.

Elle didn’t really get anything out of Lynn’s desk. Her assistant told her that Lynn wasn’t the best at holding high self-esteem and was a very quiet person in general. Most assistants and their bosses talk about what goes on in their personal life and are basically friends, but not Lynn and her assistant. She barely knew one thing about Lynn. It came up as a dead end, so you, Derek, and Gideon are researching who got laid off at Hichcock and if it was brutal enough to warrant deadly actions to get revenge.

Derek is sitting at the computer with you looming over his shoulder so you can read what he has up. Gideon is looking at the town’s map to see if he can come up with a geological profile. There haven't been a lot of people who were brutally laid off, but there are some that make you so sad to think that after all the time they spent in the company, it’s wasted.

“Gideon, some of these lay-offs were brutal. This one chemical engineer, he'd been at Hichcock for nineteen years when he was downsized,” Derek notes.

“Damn, that’s harsh,” you mutter.

“Yeah, that could certainly inspire homicidal rage, huh?”

“The guy was in his late forties and the head of his department. He definitely had a generous severance package,” you read.

“A lot of these guys don't have enough pension. They may not be happy about it, but I don't see them killing anyone,” Gideon states.

Derek’s phone rings, and you see that it’s Penelope calling with hopefully some good news. He answers it and puts it on speakerphone.

“Talk to me, Hot Stuff.”

“Get this, Cochise. I found a chemist who works at a company that was bought by Hichcock called Palmay Cosmetics. Now, here's the thing. Lynn Dempsey applied for a loan at New Jersey Federal Bank around the same time this chemist applied for a patent on this anti-aging, breakthrough technology thing called PCO-99.”

“So, you’re saying he applied for a loan in her name to make his product?” you ask.

“That's what I thought, but both the loan and the patent were rejected because Hichcock had already applied for the patent and the patent deal had gone through, drumroll please, at New Jersey Federal Bank. I'm tracking his cell phone and it won't be long before I have his location.”

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