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#aspen needed a mentor so.
cagedcats · 1 year
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Love interests v 2 Starkit’s Prophecy Iterum Edition.
Like before we got Starkit Love interests, and also a love interest for another character. This one being Featherpaw who is mentioned a whopping one time.
Now onto names
Hawkfrost
He is a canon character, one of the few to actually be… relatively important that isn’t a villain? I think? There isn’t too many other then Jayfeather.
Of course his role is being that of love interest though. He betrays the Dark Forest, and materializes into the mortal plane to be with Gleamstar. He doesn’t ever fight while they’re together, and they’re to be married.
But she does, and he runs into a tree. Later he becomes Starpaw II’s mentor, and gets in a fight with Ashpaw for becoming her mate. Which he doesn’t win that fight, it just turns into a romance somehow.
He is banished along with Ashpaw and isn’t seen again until the end where he is the Deputy and Jazzstar’s mate.
Now name I could give him another bird of prey, but I like Dipper-. Especially since Hawkfrost is notable for having a white chest, and that’s what a dippers have and prefix implies.
So of all we’ve seen he doesn’t have much of a personality, and he’s a piss poor fighter. There is no notable skills. He doesn’t do enough to really give us an idea of what he is. He comforts Gleamstar and is a supportive mate, but not really enough there. So I a -stripe he is.
And with that we have Dipperstripe.
Ashpaw II
We don’t get much of Ashpaw either. He is a reincarnation of Ashfur and born same time as Starkit II. Only a few scenes of him as a kit, and that’s him comforting Starkit II. Or just saying Hi to her.
Then we have him inviting her to hunt, where he asks her to be his mate. He’s attacked by Hawkfrost where he holds his own surprisingly. Then he and Hawkfrost become mates instead? I guess? And he’s exiled.
He makes his return once Starkit II’s kits are born and he kidnaps Tigerkit and intends to raise him to be evil. He’s never seen again, but Tigerkit does become evil so I can assume that plan worked out.
I’m intending to change most names, of canon characters as possible. Since while they can fit, these… aren’t those characters and deserve their own identity.
So changing his name to Aspen-, because it can fit a dappled grey cat and it’s a tree like Ash as well. Keeping element the same.
As for his suffix since we can do this too, he actually… has some options. He is able to hold his own against Hawkfrost a grown cat, and two kits straight out of the womb that carried super strength. But unlike most characters- he actually wants to go hunting.
I can count a maximum of two times a character went hunting in this fic perhaps. And I feel like we can maybe say he wanted to become a good hunter and not focus on fighting 24/7 all the time. So we could give him -fang.
The last possibility however is he’s also the first one to Y’know express interest in wanting to train somebody. The only one ever seen getting a mentor is the Starkits. No one else. So him wanting to train Tigerkit stands out to me enough, especially since he succeeds in his plan as well. Which gives the possibility of -path.
So either Aspenfang or Aspenpath for this guy.
Featherpaw
He is only mentioned once, and that’s it. He’s the boyfriend of a kit that was born a couple hours ago, and clearly a powerful enough threat that his name is a warning.
Feather- is a unusable prefix as it’s too vague in color department. But most Feather- cats in canon are grey, so I took that and started looking at grey birds. And I spotted Shrike- and immediately picked Strike-.
His suffix is also easy since his name alone is used to threaten someone. So he’s a formidable fighter and we don’t even need to see it. He gets -claw.
So Shrikeclaw
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ruleandkillrp · 2 years
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// ACCESS GRANTED: HAZEL SAWYER. SOFIA WYLIE. EIGHTEEN. DISTRICT 7 TRIBUTE.
The second oldest child by a year. Not being the baby set an expectation for a level of maturity; on the other hand, though, Hazel wasn’t tasked with caring for her family like her older sister, Aspen was. She got to be a child, staying up late and getting lost in the stars and in the woods, climbing through swimming hole after swimming hole, dragging her little brothers around switching between foraging and playing make-believe games. Like her sister, Hazel remembered their dad but only in a handful of memories. She hadn’t been as close to her father as her sister, but his loss was still devastating nonetheless. Money grew tight and she saw less and less of her mother as she was forced to work more and more, and Hazel spent more time with her sister.
Aspen was Hazel’s best friend and confidant; every secret she had, stupid crush, and every test she failed at school was reported to Aspen instead of their mother. She knew Aspen had taken up to barely sleeping to take care of them but she chose to ignore it, because well if Aspen had wanted help, wouldn’t she have asked Hazel. That’s what she told herself at the very least – anything to sleep a little more soundly at night. Then Aspen started taking up tesserae as well and Hazel grew anxious, unable to ignore the voice in the back of her head telling her it was a bad idea. Hazel pleaded with her to stop taking the tesserae, that it was a bad idea, that it’d only end in pain – to no avail. They needed to eat, it wasn’t like they could scrape up more food out of nowhere.
Then Aspen was reaped. Then Aspen fell in love. Then Aspen died.
And Hazel broke.
Aspen was always supposed to be there, and then she was gone. Who was supposed to comfort her when the person she’d turn to first was the one that was missing? Something clicked in Hazel’s head – she’d volunteer. But she’d need time to prepare. She’d need to train in order to be able to fend off a career pack or any other tributes that tried to steal the Victor crown she now coveted. She joined forces with a newfound friend, Pepper. Pepper felt grief the same way Hazel did so it made sense – they’d work together to practice what fighting actually felt like. Hazel worked harder, making herself faster, stronger, braver. A year would be more than enough time.
She’d win for both of them.
Or she’d die trying.
·   How do they feel about the Games?
Vengeful, she is going to make it everyone’s problem that her sister died for something no one in her family remotely believes in. And if she dies, she’s not going quietly. Hazel has made the choice to go down swinging.
·   What is their district token & who gave it to them?
The same preserved acorn her mother gave Aspen when she was Reaped.
·   What is their personality? How do they act around other tributes and mentors?
She’s bold but she’s there on a mission; she is going to win to prove that her family isn’t weak, and to make up for what happened to her sister in the arena. Justice is what is to be earned from Hazel and while she doesn’t intend to be outwardly rude to anyone, she has to win. It’s not a Game about making friends. It’s a Game about being the very last one alive and she wants to keep herself as distanced as possible from every other tribute; she’s not letting herself be stupid and fall in love like her sister. Love gets you killed. Hazel thinks she’s smarter than that.
(+) practiced, cunning, brutal
(-) vengeful, stubborn, bitter
Chosen weapon(s): axes, kitchen knives.
PENNED BY: OLYN
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prismatic-dreaming · 1 year
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👪 for perse i wanna hear abt her sister >:) vult au if its spoilery for innmys -🐺 kao
👪 what is their family like? what is your ocs relationship to them? does your oc have any siblings?
🔥 "Horrible. They're horrible, relationship's horrible, I don't really consider myself related to them at all. That bastard of a 'biological father' if you want to call him that only wanted to use and exploit me for his own gain. I'm glad he's dead and I helped him get taken down. And his daughter was a spoiled brat, a bitch, and a blackmailer. I despise them with all of my being." "I never really got to know my biological mother but I do feel bad for her, it seemed like she had it pretty rough. And then Aspen had her killed. I had adoptive parents, they were alright I guess, we weren't ever really close. We all had work to do. The only people I'd really consider my family were in Revelasia. They've done a lot for me and meant the world to me. Especially Thea. I... I miss her."
☙ Relationship is pretty similar for bio father and Aspen in DV, but she never met biomom and instead of adoptive parents she has a mentor from the adventurer's guild who scooped him up like a little street rat that he was.
The real juicy drama under the cut so it's not too long. Gets kinda dark. She's definitely my character with the most traumatic backstory.
Now for the actual drama, VQ edition.
🔥 As far as VQ universe goes, she grew up in communal raising for the early years, then was brought into the household of the current ruling family of one of Holo's city-states as the personal servant of their heir, Aspen.
🔥 The Chadwick family is well! very evil and corrupt! We love people in power in dystopias! She was chosen to be Aspen's handmaid because her own powers could be used to get rid of any evidence Aspen's ice powers. On Holo, it's quite rare for demons to have any sort of psychic powers called pathics, and more common for nephilim, half-human half-demons, like Perse. Those who have pathics are supposed to be given over to the Regime to be under its control, but of course the Chadwicks weren't letting their heir be taken away, plus she serves as protection for them if necessary with her powers honed.
🔥He didn't exactly enjoy his work for Aspen, as she's very much a spoiled brat who would force Perse to do things for her sometimes as she was more devout to Holoan religion than her parents, or for other things, but wouldn't hesitate to throw him under the bus if she was going to get in trouble for it. But, well, he didn't really have a lot of choice in the matter.
🔥However, everything she didn't know came crashing down on her one day when through happenstance, a human fellow servant comes in for something Aspen needed, recognized Perse and well. that's actually her bio mom. Who is very shaken up over all this. Aspen was there and both were in denial of it, especially for the fact that they shared a father, and Aspen despised both father and Perse over it. Both keep it secret with Aspen holding it over Perse and being crueler than usual over it until she just can't take it anymore and snaps. During her outburst the room is set on fire, burning Aspen in the process, and she narrowly manages to escape with her life. She has a rough time braving the elements, nearly dying in the process, but a new friend and a team from Revelasia heading back to base brings her survival.
🔥And even there the drama doesn't fully end. She's met with suspicion by one of the leaders (who, while she doesn't know it yet, is Neve) for using a different name when joining and her... interesting situation. But she does not only verify her claims but also Revelasia takes part in an ironic joint operation with the Regime to take down the Chadwick couple, and Aspen is taken into Regime custody. Neve is also. very blunt and bad at softness so she's handed some. pretty rough information about Mr. Chadwick's monitoring of her, and that she was initially conceived to be a personal soldier for him. Covering up Aspen's powers just ended up taking priority and plans changed.
So yeah! uh! pretty fucking rough! She despises him and is glad he's dead, and has a lot of resentment towards Aspen as well.
☙ As far as Dlennverse goes, her family is much less influential, but still unpleasant. I wanna have a little secrets since some of it may or may not be coming up during innmys ehe (also not gonna lie i still have stuff to figure out there i can't purely be coy and say it's a secret)
I also offer some character tokens by the lovely @vihala for them! I think you can tell who's who, but Perse is on the top and Aspen is on the bottom. I love cinematic parallels and designing them to be very opposite to each other. I had a lot of fun with their designs and I'm very grateful to Kat for putting together Aspen for me based on all the ideas and references I put together since I was having a rough wrist day at the time.
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capitol-chronicle · 1 year
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It felt like she had been waiting forever.  By the time they called her in, Willow was anxiously fidgeting with her tribute token.  The pendant hung around her neck and she just kept playing with it while she waited.  Her mind ran over the countless different things she could do during the skills presentation.  She wanted to make her mark and show that she wasn’t someone to be messed with, but she also knew she wasn’t as strong as a lot of the others.  Her strengths were gentler.  They weren’t weapons she could kill someone with.  She was a healer, not a fighter.
“District Seven.  Willow Ashlar.”
The mechanical voice overhead pulled Willow from her thoughts and she closed her eyes briefly before standing.  It was now or never and she still didn’t have the slightest idea what she was going to do.  Skills presentation was not something that she had prepared a lot for and yet she remembered what her mentor had said.  Get as high a score as possible.  How was she supposed to do that?  Somehow she doubted that the Gamemakers wanted to watch her patch a wound or do anything like that.  Sighing softly, she let her feet carry her towards the door.  It opened and she walked in even though every fiber of her being was screaming for her to ignore them.  Maybe if she didn’t face training then she couldn’t be put in the Arena.  
She had already known how to use an axe.  Poison was something she could make herself in the arena if she needed to and had access to the right plants.  Those weren’t flashy skills, but they could be just as deadly if she applied herself right.  Releasing a breath, she walked into the room with her head held high.  Willow needed to be confident.  They needed to know she was a contender.  She could do this.
“You have fifteen minutes to present your chosen skill,” the Gamemakers told her once she entered the room.  Willow took a deep breath and nodded before she walked straight over towards the edibility and medical stations. There were a few poisonous plants and with the right combination they could be very deadly.  Aspen explained the process of what she was doing to the Gamemakers as she did it, hoping they’d understand since she couldn’t very well poison anyone during scoring in order to prove the poison worked.  
Once she had her mixture created, Willow walked over and grabbed one of the axes from the weapon rack.  It was smaller, built for a woman, so she knew she could handle it better than she had handled her older brother’s axe back home.  She spread a small amount of the mixture on the blade of her axe before she walked over to the simulator.  She’d practiced with the simulator before but it still made her nervous.
Taking a deep breath, Willow closed her eyes and focused.  She turned it on and when the holograms attacked her, she swung the axe.  Each one came and she hit them with the axe.  A quick move to the side dodged the attacking holograms before the axe hit it’s abdomen and caused it to explode into pixels.  Again she moved quickly, dodging low to protect herself.  She was small and fast.  With the axe she kept swinging.  One came at her from the side and she took it down.
For the remaining few minutes of her session, Willow kept using the axe to take down the holograms one by one.  If they came in pairs she carefully spun away from them and focused on hurting them before they could hurt her which happened once or twice, the holograms hitting her and a zap zinging through her body. When the time ended, Willow put the axe down and walked over to stand before the Gamemakers.  She smiled politely and gave a little bow.  “Thank you for your time,” she said before she walked out of the room, anxious but eager to see her score.
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midnightartemis · 3 years
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Chapter Two
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Rated M - SFW - Read on AO3 - Chapter One - Chapter Three - Masterlist
It had been long said that the Fourth Year was the hardest year at Hogwarts. Ben learned quickly the truth of this statement. His professors dumped assignment after assignment in his lap as if they had realized how little they had taught him over the past three years. Hardly a class went by without a professor mentioning O.W.L.s, still over a year and a half away.
Ben had no time to contemplate anything outside of his studies and soon all thoughts of Vader and darkness were in the back of his mind. While his dreams were dark, he never remembered them after what little sleep he managed.
When he was not in class, he was studying. When he was not studying, he was sleeping. The weekends proved no better and he found himself quite alone on Sunday nights, trying not to think of Rey and the way her nose scrunched up as she tried to jinx him. He missed their time in the Room of Requirement. He missed having a true friend.
Ben shook his head to clear his thoughts and brought his focus back to his half-finished parchment on cursed object detection. While he loved to dive into the theoretical when it came to magic, Luke had the annoying habit of keeping Defense Against the Dark Arts as hands-off as possible. It was highly unlikely his uncle would bring in any cursed objects for the class to view, even though Ben knew for a fact his uncle owned several. This only brought up memories of India that Ben wished to forget and he scowled at his parchment.
“Forget how to read, Solo?” Hux’s voice came from across the common room. This time of night it was filled with students, some studying, some talking quietly around one of the many fires that warmed the perpetually chilly dorms. Hux sat on a plush emerald chair across from his usual cohorts, Phasma and Mitaka, who were giving him questioning looks. Despite being two years younger, Hux was one of the few Slytherins who had never been afraid of Ben or smart enough to leave him alone. Their parents were rivals; that was all the cause Hux needed.
“Forget your place, Huxley?” Ben muttered, not lifting his eyes from his parchment.
Hux frowned. He pushed himself from his chair and sauntered over to the empty table where Ben was working. With one hand, he slammed Ben’s D.A.D.A. book shut. Ben stopped his writing and sat back. Like this, they were the same height. Hux sneered, “Think you’re better than me, half-blood?”
Ben itched to turn Hux’s legs to jelly. Hux was only trying to get a rise out of him, to give his mother ammunition for her articles again. He was saved by a steady voice over his shoulder.
“Watch your tongue, Hux. I seem to remember a muggle-born putting you on your arse last year. Or did you forget? Blood isn’t everything.” Voe Elphrona raised her brow, amused. Her Head Girl badge flashed in the firelight on her robes. A talented witch and a fierce opponent both on and off the Quidditch pitch, Voe was widely respected, even by the likes of Armitage Hux.
Hux’s face turned bright red and he stiffly walked back to his chair. He snapped at Phasma and Mitaka who quickly found something else to look at.
Ben put his head back down though he could still feel Voe and her friends standing behind him. Only a moment passed before Voe took a seat across from him. Her friends - namely, the other Prefects - Tai, Hennix, Bazine, and Grummgar, made for the largest, most central couch in the common room, scaring off a flock of First Years.  
What did she want?
“Mind if I join you?” Voe’s silvery eyes flashed. It wasn’t a question. “We’ve just gotten back from our meeting with Professor Tarkin. Seems you’ve made the shortlist for Prefect next year. Maybe even Head Boy, one day.”
Ben sat up a little straighter. Head Boy. He’d dreamed of it even as a child. If they made him Head Boy, maybe then they would see him as something other than an enemy. “And?”
“I agree.” Voe tilted her head toward the rest of the group. “We think you’re really the only Fourth Year qualified enough. Best if we mentor you properly.”
“Why?” Everyone wanted something from him. Slytherins rarely ever did anything from the goodness of their hearts. Not when there was something to be gained. It was a fact of life now. Even Rey had wanted things from him. Knowledge. Training. He had gladly given it, even for just a sliver of her friendship. “What do you want?”
Voe grinned, revealing sharp incisors as white and luminous as her hair. Every year to scare the first years, there was a rumor spread that Voe’s grandmother was part vampire. How someone could only be part vampire, Ben had no clue. “Your mother will not be Minister of Magic forever. All I ask is your support for when I take her place.”
A political move then. “I’m not exactly a person you want on your side.”
The young witch only shrugged. “We will see.”
Ben glanced at the cohort sitting around the fireplace. Tai and Hennix sat across from each other in high-backed chairs, each carefully studying a game of Wizard’s Chess. Beside them on the couch, Grummgar sat like he owned the common room with Bazine lounging at his side. She flicked through radio stations with her wand, a bored look on her face. He’d be hard-pressed to call them friends, but what Voe was offering wasn’t friendship.
“They will make you stronger. And one day, they will bow before you.” The voice in his mind whispered.
“Doubts?”
“No.” Ben met her eye. “I fail to see how this is worth my time. Support for Minister of Magic comes at a high cost.”
There was no doubt in Ben’s mind that Voe could take that position if she wanted to. The Elphronas were an old pureblood family, powerful and wealthy. They had long held seats in the ministry, both before and after the war. Her father was currently Ambassador to the United States.
“I can offer you mentorship, a favor, and access.” Voe’s steady eyes studied him as if she had come to realize that Ben would not be anyone’s prey. This fact only drew her in more.
“Access to what?”
Voe leaned across the table and took Ben’s quill from his inkwell. On a scratch piece of parchment, she wrote out something in thin, spidery letters. Once she was finished, she drew her aspen wand and tapped the parchment. Her charm work settled over the parchment in a silver haze. She stood and offered it to him. Her fingers brushed against his as he took it. “Midnight. Don’t be late. Or don’t come at all.”
Ben looked down at the blank piece of parchment.
☽◯☾
It had taken him longer than he would like to admit to deconstruct Voe’s spell work. The most basic charm to reveal hidden things, Revelio, had no effect on the parchment whatsoever except to make a mark on the corner like a small tally. An attempt at Aparecium, a similar but far more powerful charm made to reveal hidden text, produced nothing but a second tally.
Voe had revealed nothing, so Ben erred on the side of caution and worked with the idea that he had one attempt remaining to reveal the text. His next attempt had to be the right one. One hour 'til midnight, Ben hadn't moved from the common room table. The enchanted parchment and textbooks floated in front of him at eye level. The common room had cleared of First through Third Years for their 11 pm curfew. All who remained were upperclassmen studying, playing wizard’s chess, or quietly speaking to one another.
At eleven, the Prefects sitting at the couch stood to start their nightly rounds. Voe winked at him as she passed with Bazine, Grummgar, Tai and Hennix trailing behind her. Ben stared hard at his books as they passed. He only looked up when Tai paused by the table. The sixth-year stood at an average height and looked skinny in his robes, but Ben knew better. The wizard had a controlled and dexterous strength that made him an excellent Seeker. His mind was just as sharp when it came to potions. His dark hair was closely shaven, nearly bald.
“Don’t overthink it, Solo.”
Ben gave him a short nod and the boy walked off.
Don’t overthink it. Voe Elphrona was not one to play tricks. She could be devious, yes, but she never hid what she truly desired. Power. Prestige. Voe had dealt him a secret and this was her test. Though Voe excelled in all areas of magic she put her talent, it was not Charms but Transfiguration she excelled at. Revealing charms would not work to reveal the text on the parchment because she had transfigured the marked parchment to a blank one.
Ben swept the tip of his wand across the parchment. “Reparifage.”
The untransfiguration spell took effect immediately as Voe’s script reappeared on the page. Any elation at solving Voe’s puzzle vanished as Ben looked down at the runes.
ᛁᚳ ᛒᚢᛖ ᛒᛖᚾᛁᛞᚻᚪᚾ ᛋᛖ ᛚᛁᚠᛏ, ᛋᛖ ᛖᚩᚱᚦᛖ, ᛋᛖ ᛚ, ᚷᛖᚾ,
ᛁᚳ ᛒᚢᛖ ᚩᚠᛖᚱ ᛋᛖ ᚪᛚ
ᛘᛁᚾ ᚷᛖᛋᛏᛠᛚ ᚪᚾᚻᛠᛚᛞᛖ ᚻᚹᛁᛚᚳ ᛚᛖᚩᚱᚾᛖᛋᛏᚱᚪᚾ ᚪᛋᛖᚳᛖᛋᛏ
ᛋᚳᚩᛚᛞᛖ ᚦᚢ ᚪᚾᚻᛁᛖᛚᛋᛏ ᛖᚠᛖᚾᛘᛖᛞᚢᛘᛘᛖ, ᚪᛋᚳᚪ, ᛁᚳ ᚪᚳᚹᛇᚦ
“Accio rune book.” The book flew from his book bag and floated in front of him. He worked quickly as there was less than an hour to translate and solve the message. It was easy enough to translate the Anglo-Saxon Runes to their Latin counterparts. From there, however, things grew more tedious. Words varied from region to region. There were a few words he recognized, however. Lyft often referred to air. Eorthe to earth, as in soil or ground.
Quarter to midnight, Ben grabbed his cloak of Invisibility from his bag and hurried out the common room door.
I live beneath the air, the earth, the water...
Assuming the entrance was in the castle, only a few dungeon halls that ran beneath the lake. The first, of course, being the common room and dormitory halls. The halls beneath the lake were some of the oldest in the castle and rumored to have been there before even the four founders arrived. They were dimly lit by the same green light found in the potions classroom and Slytherin house.
Yet, I live above the fire…
My frame holds what all students seek…
He had never seen a fireplace or torch in the halls beneath the lake. Not in all his time at Hogwarts. Nor did he recollect any paintings. Most paintings preferred to be in the warmer, dryer halls. Ones where they could be seen.  In truth, he had never paid much attention. Ben hurried, not bothering to stick to the shadows. The halls were empty this time of night. Not a witch or wizard in sight. Most students and staff avoided this part of the castle.
The air grew colder and colder as he walked deeper and deeper into mostly forgotten halls beneath the lake. He came to a staircase that took him further still. The cold, musty smell in the air was the only sign of how far beneath the lake he was now. It was nearing midnight now, any minute.
“Further still, young Skywalker,”  The voice whispered.
Up ahead, came a soft glow of firelight, one he had never noticed before.
He hurried towards it and found that it came from a short hall - really it was more of a small chamber - with no doors, no windows. Just dark stone that curved into an arched ceiling. Five brightly burning flames sat in low stone pillars near the walls. Two on each side and one at the head of the chamber. Above them hung five large paintings, taller than he was.
If ye be worthy, ask, and I shall answer.
None of the paintings were the same but for the fact that they all depicted different items held in ghostly hands. To his left, a sword and a wand. To his right, a key and a book. And in the fifth frame at the head of the room, the ghostly hands stirred a bubbling cauldron.
Sword. Wand. Key. Book. Cauldron.
A sword could represent power- same as a wand. Sought by students, yes. Voe certainly would be one of them. Yet, this was no longer Voe’s puzzle. This was something older.
A bubbling cauldron lived above flame, but did students seek it? What did it represent?
A key. Access. A way to open locked and forbidden items. Doors.
Knowledge.
The book.
Students sought knowledge held within the frame of a book. One could ask and a book would answer.
In the distance, the midnight bells rang throughout Hogwarts’ halls. He was out of time.
If ye be worthy, ask, and I shall answer.
Ben turned to the painting of the book. The ghostly hands held it closed in their grasp. Ben took a deep breath. “What knowledge do you hide?”
For a moment, nothing happened. Ben held his breath. The final toll of the midnight bells rang out. Had he failed? Was he too late?
Before his eyes, the hands parted, letting the book fall open in their palms. The painting began to shimmer as if it were a pool of rippling water. A portal.
Ben stepped through to the other side.
☽◯☾
A curtain of warmth passed over him as he stepped through the portal. The feeling of this magic was not unlike the entrance to Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station. Though, t his portal did not lead to a train platform on the other side.
Ben found himself standing on the top step of an amphitheater made of stone similar to the halls he had come from. Four sets of stairs descended towards the arena floor, sectioning off low stone seating. There was no portal behind him, only stone and an arch marked with runes. The arches surrounded the amphitheater and gave support to the room’s domed roof. At first, Ben thought the ceiling was made of obsidian, but a closer look revealed that he was still beneath the Black Lake. Deep beneath. Strange shadowy shapes rippled through the water behind the glass.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to make it.” Voe’s voice echoed through the amphitheater. She stood on the other side of the pit beneath a similarly marked arch. She glanced up at the arch above him and made an amused sound. The corners of her lips curled up in a smile. “Interesting choice.”
“Choice?”
Voe stepped away from her arch and down the stairs into the pit. The low heels of her shoes clicked with every step. Ben stayed at his arch, though there was no longer a portal there. No way to get out.
“Everyone must solve the riddle to pass through a portal. How you solve the riddle… That is the choice. Any of the paintings will reveal a portal if you ask it to.”
He’d chosen the book. Knowledge. Why?
“I’d say you have questions unanswered. Hidden from you. Knowledge you desire to obtain. Yet, everyone is a closed book to you.” Voe stepped onto the floor of the arena. She looked around the arena before turning her gaze back to Ben. “Am I correct?”
Ben said nothing.
Voe took his silence as answer enough. She drew her wand and turned around the firelit arena. “Have you figured it out yet?”
He looked at the stone closer, seeing the cracks and burns that covered the dark stone. The floor where Voe stood, the center of the arena, was painted in fading golden runes and protective sacred geometry.
“Dueling.” Ben stepped away from the arch and started down the stairs into the pit. “Who knows about this?”
“A select few. Those who aren’t given the secret cannot find this place.”
“A Fidelius Charm?” Ben had only read of the charm. It was an incredibly difficult spell that only very powerful witches and wizards could manage. The spell concealed a secret in a primary keeper’s very soul. A place protected by the Fidelius Charm was completely hidden from the world. Unplottable. Not even the most powerful revealing magic could make the place known. The only way for someone to find a hidden place was for the primary keeper to reveal the information of their own will. Whoever gained that information would then be able to find the hidden place. But they had no power to reveal the secret themselves. Now that Ben knew, he would not be able to tell of this place to another soul, even if he wished to.
Voe nodded. “Some of the greatest duels in history were fought in this very room. When dueling was banned, this place was forgotten by almost everyone, except for two Prefects. They created the riddle and hid it all with the Fidelius charm. It’s been passed down ever since to those who… Craved knowledge as you do. Now more than ever, knowledge is power. And if Professor Skywalker refuses to teach us properly...”
“We have to teach ourselves.” Ben finished.
Voe grinned. “Precisely.”
“Where are the others?”
“They’ll be here any moment.” Voe flicked her wand and the amphitheater chamber filled with blue light. The markings beneath Ben’s feet began to glow. Voe stepped out of the circle formed by the runes and flicked her wand once more. From the circle, a wall of blue light formed, cracking with protective blue energy.
Ben bared his wand. It seemed as the new initiate, he would be going first tonight. Soft wooshes filled the room as students appeared in the arches. Tai and Hennix came first. Followed closely by Bazine and Grummgar. Grummgar immediately placed a galleon in Bazine’s hand at the sight of Ben. Next came Cal Kestis, Gryffindor Head Boy, and Merrin Nightsister, Head Girl. Jyn Erso, a Fourth Year Hufflepuff, stumbled in from the opposite portal. Not long after her came the only other one from Hufflepuff, Dorra, a Prefect, through the same portal. From Ravenclaw, Tam Ryvora, Pammich Goode, Mira Syntel.
The ten students filed in quietly. Tense anticipation hung in the air. Ben paced the edge of the ring, heart pounding. No one had yet approached the ring. Each house took a seat in their own quarter of the arena, though there was nothing to designate who sat where. Voe stood on the steps between Slytherin and Ravenclaw, arms crossed. She tapped her wand impatiently against her arm.
“Is he coming or not, Kestis?” Voe turned her steely eyes to Cal.
“Give him a minute.” The redheaded seventh year looked unbothered as he lounged next to Merrin. “He’s got time.”
One last whoosh echoed in the amphitheater announcing the arrival of the final participant. Poe Dameron stepped through the arch. Ben felt his blood heat. Dameron looked around the amphitheater with a smirk.
“Waiting for me?”
“The first and the last.” Voe gestured to the ring. Dameron’s eyes landed on Ben and Ben fought back a small smile as Dameron hesitated. “Unless you’d like to leave?”
Dameron swallowed and descended the steps. He stepped through the ring of blue energy, wand drawn.
“Let the rules be known.” Voe raised her wand to the arena. “No contact. No unforgivable curses. No magic which will cause permanent harm. The duel will begin with a bow and end when one duelist is rendered incapacitated or house heads call for a cease fire. I wish you both best of luck. You may begin.”
Cheers rang from the dozen and a half students filling the stone seats of the amphitheater. From the Gryffindor section came shouts of, “Dam-er-on! Dam-er-on!” Not unlike those chanted on the Quidditch pitch. Dameron ate every ounce of it, lifting his hands to egg it on.
How he’d like to put Dameron on his arse. How he’d like to see the cocky bastard get taken down a peg. Ben raised his wand, pointed to the ceiling as Dameron pulled his redwood wand from his back pocket. Poe bowed first, low and mocking, playing to his crowd of supporters. It seemed that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had taken his side. The Slytherins, on the other hand, seemed somewhat uninterested. Voe watched with a domineering gaze. Ben dipped his head in a shallow bow to Dameron.
“Focus. Feel the anger, the hate inside of you. Let it fuel you. Control it, young Skywalker.”
Ben stepped into his dueling position, breathing deeply. Poe raised his wand, but neither student moved to fire the first shot. Poe grinned, “So, who goes first? You go first? I go fir-”
Ben flicked his wand, shooting off a nonverbal jinx. Poe leaped out of the way, throwing up a weak protego. Shock crossed the boy’s face, but quickly morphed into focused anger. They weren’t required to start nonverbal spells until Sixth Year, a fact that Dameron very well knew.
Ben was not here to go easy on the Gryffindor Fourth Year. He fired off spell after spell, each slamming into Dameron’s shields. A memory of Rey practicing protego, her grin as she managed the smallest shield, popped unbidden into his head. It was enough to throw him off, to give Dameron a chance to hit back.
“Aguamenti!” A jet stream of water barrelled towards Ben from Poe’s wand. The water hit Ben hard in the gut and knocked him to the floor. All the air in his lungs rushed out of him. Whoops and shouts and laughter echoed through the stone room.
Poe looked towards Voe in the stands. The witch shrugged as Ben stood. “He can still cast. He’s not done yet.”
He was soaking wet now, blood pounding in his ears. Poe shot a disarming spell at him and Ben deflected it. The wall crackled with energy. There was nowhere to go. Poe shifted to his left and the dance began. They circled each other, waiting for the right moment. Blood rushing, Ben pounced first. Poe jumped away from the impediment jinx and fired back a red bolt. Ben pointed his wand at the spell, not even thinking. The red beam hung in the air, frozen in time.
A gasp rippled through the amphitheater.  
How?
How was he doing this?
Before he could comprehend, his spell wavered and Poe’s stunning spell hit him square in the chest. Ben flew back and hit the wall of light surrounding them. He fell to the floor, limp. Uproarious cheers of victory filled the arena at the fall of Ben Solo.
He woke as the blue wall surrounding the dueling ring lowered. He pushed himself up off the stone, an ache in his chest. Come morning, he would feel as if he had been hit by one of his father’s muggle cars. Or by the Hogwarts Express.
Poe had already climbed the stairs of the arena to the rest of the Gryffindors, who met him with high fives and congratulations. Ben crossed over to the Slytherin seats, passing Voe as she came down the stairs. She gave him a cold, appraising look.
Ben took his seat near the other Slytherins. Tai was the only one to turn to him. “How did you do that?”
“I don’t know.” Ben shrugged and winced. “It just happened.”
“It couldn’t have been the Freezing Charm, could it? Something similar. Perhaps the Slowing Charm. But you didn’t slow it, not really. I didn’t even know you could slow or stop spells, not like that. Are you sure you didn’t use a spell?”
“I’m sure.” Ben couldn’t help but glare at Poe. From the dueling ring, Voe announced the next contenders- the new initiates from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. There was no doubt in his mind that Rey would be chosen to join the club in her Fourth Year. Would he still be here? He wasn’t sure. He hadn’t been for a while. It wasn’t a future he could imagine. He hoped that he would be, just to see the poor sod who had to face her. He hoped it would be Hux.
“-could try a prior incantation charm to take a closer look at it.” Tai hadn’t stopped talking. “Surely, Professor Kuiil would know something about it.”
“No.” The last thing he needed was for word to get back to Luke or Kenobi or his parents of his wand doing strange things.
“Right. Can’t talk about this outside of this room. Still, very interesting.” Tai noted.
“Very impressive.” Bazine eyed Ben. Her gaze desired to devour him. “Most entertaining initiation duel I’ve seen. Usually, everyone is so meek and timid. Voe always tries to pair up rivals, but,” Bazine sighed, “once they step into the ring… poof. Scared little kittens.”
Grummgar grunted in agreement.
Below them in the dueling circle, Jyn Erso faced off against Myra Syntel. It lasted all of two seconds as Jyn hit Myra with a perfect Full Body-Bind Curse. The young Ravenclaw, who had been trying to perfect her attack stance, fell face first on the stone with legs glued together and arms stuck to her sides. Jyn ran over to her and quickly undid the curse, helping Myra sit up. Blood from a broken nose ran down the girl’s face. A simple utterance of ‘ Episkey’ had her back on her feet.
Memories of the Trophy Room were quick to resurface. He’d been sitting in the common room late that night studying for a test in A History of Magic when Hux barged through the common room door, loudly bragging to anyone who would listen of how he ‘showed that mudblood a lesson’ and left her in the trophy room. Ben had gone to help her without a second thought.
Ben pushed the memory deeper into the dark recesses of his mind. She had been his one and only friend and now he wishes they had never met. She was a distraction now. One that could prove destructive. He wished he could bottle up all the memories of her and toss them away. He wished he could forget.
Rated M - SFW - Read on AO3 - Chapter One - Chapter Three - Masterlist
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ruleandkillrp · 2 years
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// ACCESS GRANTED: ASPEN SAWYER. KIANA MADEIRA. EIGHTEEN. DISTRICT SEVEN TRIBUTE.
What was their childhood like? ( Home, family, etc. )
For Aspen, childhood was bittersweet – she was the eldest of four children, which put a weight on her shoulders that she was unsure she could bear. From a young age she found herself burdened with the responsibility of ensuring nothing would happen to any of her siblings. Memories from her early childhood were the fuzziest, things were happy then, her father was a lumberjack and her mother worked in a lumbermill – money was regular, and they never really fought to stay afloat, there was always food, there was always a fire keeping them warm up until she was seven. Then her dad left. He walked off into the forest and just never came back. So, money became tight within a matter of weeks, and it grew into a fight for the Sawyer family to even get enough food on the table.
Aspen turned to foraging, she found an old book tucked away among the box of her father’s things that was tucked in the back of her mother’s closet and she stole it for herself. Someone had to make sure their family wasn’t going to starve and with her mother working upward of twelve hours a day it meant that she had to take the helm. In the night, Aspen would sneak off into the woods, a small hand crank flashlight in one hand, her trusty book in the other and she would look for mushrooms, berries, anything the book told her was edible and she’d sneak it back home. Running into the woods felt like she could be connected to her father, clinging onto the hope that maybe, one day, she’d find him wandering around one day and they’d go home together. Maybe.
As she and her siblings grew older, it became harder to keep enough food for everyone on the table and so, she again shouldered the burden of taking care of her family and the moment she was able to claim tesserae, she did. For her entire family. She knew it was what had to be done, it was a risk she hardly understood, but she didn’t want to see anyone starve and she was tired of her mother working herself to death just to get some grain on the table. So, once she turned twelve, and every year after that she began to sign up for the relief that the grain brought them. Eventually, though with her name in the drawing going upwards of 30 times, she knew her luck was beginning to thin.
Aspen didn’t like to think about it though and sought the solace of the woods, the book she had now nearly memorized. Eventually, she dragged her youngest brother and a few of her friends out with her, trying to teach them how to do what she does, just trying to make life easier for more than just her family. Aspen loves her friends with her entire heart, maybe she isn’t the best about showing it as she, more often than not, lightly bullies them. It’s all in good fun though as they do the exact same thing back to her.  
How do they feel about the Games?
Seething hatred. It isn’t fair because no one should have to fight for their right to be alive! Her temper regarding the games is nearly explosive. She wants to fight and kick and bite and scream. But she can’t and she’s trapped. She knows she needs to be strong for her family, but she feels the almost genetic call to run from the current situation she is in to never be seen again.
What is their district token & who gave it to them?
Her mother gave her a necklace that is a preserved acorn.
What is their personality? How do they act around other tributes and mentors?
She is a little quieter at first, she likes to assess the social ‘vibe’ from afar. It may come off as cold or even as a little intimidating, but she wants to ensure that she isn’t going to be taken advantage of as she refuses to even for a moment be perceived as naïve. She’ll be nice to anyone and everyone though, but she may not be honest. However, she is open to making friends as they may be the last ones she makes again.
Three strengths and three weaknesses:
+ determined, strong, crafty
- reactive, judgmental, stubborn
Chosen weapon(s): axes, poison
PLAYED BY: OLYN
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coyotesongwriting · 4 years
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When It Rains, It Pours - Ch. 4
Avengers - Bucky Barnes/Reader
Chapter 4 - Aspen
Story Summary:  Things are going great between you and Bucky, until one day they aren’t. He dumps you, not knowing that what you’d wanted to talk to him about was the positive pregnancy test you held behind your back.
Chapter Summary: It’s time
Author’s Note: Thank you guys for reading this! All mistakes are my own!
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters so don’t sue me please. I just really like them haha
Tag List (if you want to be added or removed let me know!):    @he-is-chaotic-she-is-psychotic @queenoftheunderdark  @samsgoddess @redfoxwritesstuff​ @iheartsebastianstan​ @alexakeyloveloki​ @fookingmuffins​ @yasnooshka24​ @redfoxwritesstuff​ @amazon-belle​ @shootingstarsaretearsofheaven​ @kinkywitchy​ @superwonderwholock​
Not sure why tumblr is bugging out but it won’t let me tag @avengemari, I’ll keep trying to tag ya though!
Previous Chapter
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Thor had arrived back from Midgard with a huge box of books, and you were so excited. You swore he’d bought two of every maternity and medical book he was able to find in the store. When you’d laughed and asked why he’d got two copies, he shrugged and explained that one copy was for you, and one was for the library. Since you were staying and would be raising your child there, it only made sense that they had books available for the healers and midwives to study. 
You’d become overly emotional in the last few weeks, and you’d begun to sob into his chest as you hugged him. Thor merely laughed and ruffled your hair once you’d calmed down. You’d missed him while he was gone, but it had given you and Loki a chance to really bond. Thanks to the late night mentoring, the two of you had been close but while Thor was gone, he really stepped it up.
You’d begun to think of Loki as just as much of a brother to you as Thor was. You were still training with Lady Sif and the Warriors Three every day, but Loki was always nearby, never letting you out of his sight. He worried about the pregnancy more than you did, and it was honestly pretty endearing. You had never realized how much he cared about you until then. 
Bitra was pleased when you and Thor had arrived to bring her a copy of the pregnancy books and she’d read them all in no time. Apparently, Midgardian pregnancy actually was similar to Asgardian which relieved the both of you. It was like a weight was taken off your shoulders when you realized you didn’t need to worry as you had been. If it had continued much longer, you’d have had to ask Thor to take you back to Midgard for a checkup.
As summer rolled into autumn, Thor returned to his regular schedule of once a week visits to the Avengers. Every time, he offered to bring you along with him and every time you said no, merely asking him to tell the others you were doing well. They sent you their love, and once, Nat even sent you the beautiful necklace she’d found that you might like.
Bucky had been scarce since you left, and it seemed like he was getting sent on more missions than ever while the others suddenly had less. When Steve finally confronted Fury, asking what was going on he learned that Bucky had requested to be out in the field more often. He’d claimed that he’d been feeling too cooped up lately. 
It had taken Nat and Clint a while to be willing to work with him again as they had before, but eventually, Thor had managed to convince them to give up the ghost. They both held a grudge against the man who’d broken your heart, but if what Thor said was true you truly were doing alright now.
Even though Thor was making frequent trips, Loki never joined him anymore. Instead, he remained behind and looked after you. As your due date grew closer, Loki became more and more like a mother hen. When you were eight months pregnant, he began to argue with you about the fact that you were still training or really, anything you did that required you doing anything physical. As your pregnancy had progressed, you’d started training less and less and now you did barely any every day, just some basic knife throwing, but he found even that to be too much. 
“Please sit down, Lady [Y/N” Loki plead, pointing at a garden bench.
It was a lovely autumn day, and you had gone for a stroll in the gardens to enjoy the cool breeze. Unfortunately, Loki had followed you to the garden and you hadn’t even been out for five minutes before he began to pester you to take a rest. 
You whirled on him, finally having had enough. The look on your face was pure murder as you shoved your hand into his chest, pushing him back. His eyes opened wide as he watched you.
“If you don’t shut up Loki I swear I will kill you! I am pregnant, not injured! If I want to go for a stroll in the garden, I will damn well do so” you spat, glaring at him.
“I’m sorry. I just worry for you” he sighed, “I don’t want anything to happen to you or your child.”
Seeing the sad look on his face, a small frown crept across your face and you swept him up into a hug, “I know. But you need to trust me here. I feel totally fine, okay? If I didn’t, I would take a break. I know my body, okay?” 
After a long pause, his arms wrapped around you to return the hug. You stayed that way for a long moment before you stepped back and held out your arm. With a small smile, he hooked his arm in yours and the two of you went on a tour of the gardens, this time he only asked you to take a break every ten minutes.
~~~~~~
On November 14, you welcomed your little girl into the world. The birth had gone perfectly, and Bitra couldn’t have been prouder of you. Thor had been there to hold your hand through the whole thing, though he later swore that you broke his hand. She was the spitting image of her father and looking down at her for the first time your heart tightened. She had his brown hair, and looking into her eyes you swore you felt like you were looking straight at Bucky. You smiled softly down at her, tears in your arms as you cuddled her close and thought about her father.
“What are you going to call her?” Lady Sif had come to see you, and she was so excited to welcome the little one into their ragtag group.
“Her name is Aspen” your voice was gentle as you watched her sleep.
You’d named her after the town where you’d fallen in love with Bucky. The two of you had been sent on a mission to track a potential Hydra agent, and you’d had to pretend to be a honeymooning couple in the ski town. You’d spent the weekend curled up in the lobby of the lodge with him, and that had been that. The way he looked at you sometimes during that mission, you’d forgotten that you two weren’t really on your honeymoon.
“A strong name for a strong warrior” Lady Sif laughed softly, “I look forward to training with you properly once you’re feeling better, [Y/N]. It will be interesting to see how you do!”
You let out a low groan and threw your head back against the pillow, you were exhausted and the mere idea of training was too much for you right now. Sif merely grinned mischievously and headed out after patting you on the shoulder.
“You have a beautiful daughter” Loki had finally come to see you, and he smiled down at you sadly. He’d become your confidante over the last few months, and he understood just how much you missed Bucky. If anyone had asked you a year ago if you could ever imagine considering Loki family you’d have laughed in their face. Time had a way of changing things though.
You scooted over carefully, tired and sore and he climbed into bed next to you. He sat next to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders as you rested your head on his chest. You smiled down at your baby girl, “Hear that sweetie? Uncle Loki thinks you’re pretty.”
Tears welled in your eyes and began to roll down your cheeks, getting Loki’s shirt damp, as you thought of Bucky. Loki ignored the tears and began to hum a soft lullaby. You were almost asleep when you swore you heard him whisper, “I’m sorry” but before you could respond, you were out like a light.
When you awoke the next day to Aspen’s crying, Loki was long gone. Bitra arrived to help you out as you learned tips on raising your baby girl, and you soon forgot all about his late-night apology.
~~~~~~
Thor was a day late to his usual meeting with the team. He’d waited to make sure you were alright before he left, and even then he only did so once you’d sworn to have Heimdall get him if you needed anything. He promised that he’d be back as soon as he could, and had left at first light.
When Thor entered the tower, he couldn’t stop smiling. The sight of you and Aspen together was enough to leave him grinning like a fool. The lounge was almost empty at the early hour, only Clint was present.
“What’s got you in a good mood?” Clint grumbled, clutching his coffee cup and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
“Lady [Y/N] -” he started, but caught himself. Only, he didn’t know what to say next and froze. 
“What about her?” Clint was suddenly awake, “Is she okay?”
“Er, yeah. No, she’s great” he stumbled over his words, “Nope she’s fine, great, nothing to worry about there. She’s just at home. Yep. Just at home with the others. Nothing weird there.”
Clint narrowed his eyes, “Yeah that’s not suspicious at all. Thor, you better tell me the truth. If something’s wrong with her and you don’t tell me, I’ll kill you.”
Nat walked in just in time to hear Clint and she whirled on Thor, “What’s wrong with [Y/N]?” her voice was hard.
“She’s fine, I swear. She’s just at home, resting” Thor explained, cursing himself internally.
“Yeah, I’m not buying that. Okay, buddy. I think we’ve given her enough space” Clint said, getting to his feet, “Let’s go see her, I need to see she’s okay.”
Thor frowned, “I’m sorry Clint, but Lady [Y/N] has specifically requested I not bring any visitors.”
Clint narrowed his eyes, “Look, no one we know but you has seen or heard from her in months. How in the hell are we supposed to know you’re telling the truth? For all we know, she’s not doing well at all.”
“You must know I would not lie to you” Thor sighed, “But Lady [Y/N] has made her wishes perfectly clear and I would dare not go against her. Not in this matter” he rubbed his hand, which was still aching from your grip.
“What’d [Y/N] say?” Steve asked as he walked in and leaned against the counter, watching Thor curiously.
“That she does not want visitors and I am not to bring any of you with me to Asgard” he explained.
Steve sighed, “Still? It’s been seven months, Thor. Surely she can’t still mean that. When did she tell you no visitors?”
“Last night.” Thor’s voice was steady and slightly sad. He didn’t like keeping secrets from the team but he’d do it for you.
“Seriously? What’s going on with her, Thor. Please. Is she really okay? I’m worried about her” Nat sighed, stealing Clint’s coffee mug. 
“I swear on my honor, Natasha. Lady [Y/N] is doing fine. If she was not, Heimdall would have summoned me back already. He is under strict orders to get me if anything is wrong with her. They-She is happy, and she is healthy” Thor was looking her in the eyes, earnest as he spoke. 
Steve nodded unhappily but he and Clint gave up the argument, hoping that Thor was telling the truth. Natasha however, had caught Thor’s latest slip up and her mind began to race.
Next Chapter ->
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elizabeth-234 · 3 years
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Whumptober 2020
Previous alternate prompt three: Comfort
Summary: When a fire burns away all their hope Peter and his daughter ask the only person he can think of for help. 
Hi all! Had the rough draft for this one for so long and finally happy I finished. This is for day fourteen of whumptober: Fire! Thanks for reading.
His Daughter
He didn’t know why the number came to mind or how after so many years he still had it memorized. The stranger’s phone dangled in front of him, their eyes flat with no room for argument, and with no other options available he typed in the ten digits without thinking. Of course, now the phone was ringing all he wanted to do was hang up.
“It’s Tony, what’s up?”


Absurd. This was how he answered his phone from an unknown number? His voice was low and even; so casual like he was greeting an old friend. His chest throbbed and he rubbed it before answering. He cringed at how he sounded like his teenage self.
“Mr.- Mr. Stark?”
The line went silent. He rubbed his chest again. The man wouldn’t remember his one-time mentee and their short-lived acquaintanceship. Unwanted memories of long afternoons in the lab, sitting side by side working on homework or ‘company bullshit’ as he would call it. Their totality was painfully short but Peter could remember ever last time Mr. Stark greeted him with a smile and drove him home with a wink to May.
All of it was cut short by the ferry incident. The taste of bitter shame was still palatable years later and then like he couldn’t catch a break the fight with Toomes happened. Peter ended in the med bay afterward. Days went by and he didn’t see anyone besides the nurses and doctors. They told him Mr. Stark came to visit but he was always asleep. In time he healed and was sent home. It hadn’t even been a week and the email arrived. He was no longer in the internship program. The program Mr. Stark made up as cover for his Spiderman activities. The program that officially didn’t exist and he was fired.
Peter spent the next weeks locked in his room. His phone stayed silent no matter how much time he stared at it. May tried to talk to him but he wouldn’t respond. He tried to call Happy and Mr. Stark too many times to count but there was no answer. There would never be an answer until now.
Life for Spiderman moved on. His web slinging and crime fighting were no match for the small deeds and neighborhoods disputes. He could handle those himself even if it lacked the spark the patrols usually had. No, it was Peter’s life that crumbled. Late at night when all the doubts began creeping in, he thought how pathetic it was he’d grown so attached to the first father figure who came into his life. It did make sense that figure was someone resistant to the role in Peter’s life.
The consequences bleed into his regular life. He began acting out. May, too kind and compassionate, was there for him through all the slamming doors, backtalk, and lying. She was called franticly when he didn’t come home and was waiting with a blanket when he came home smelling of booze. Even when he dropped out of college, the car loaded with his clothes and news of a child, May smiled and hugged him as he began crying.
She was gone now. Their apartment building was in ashes. Peter was alone.
He swallowed and almost hung up but a small hand tugged on his sleeve. He looked down to see a beautiful mess of curly hair. His daughter all bright brown eyes and smiles even given these circumstances smiled up at him.
Raya.
There wasn’t any other way. The two of them had no one else and although this was a long shot, Peter had to try, for her. He cleared his throat again and began louder.
“Mr. Stark, this is Peter Parker. I’m, ah…”


“Kid.” The man said in a breathy voice. “Peter, I could never forget you.”
Heat stirred in his chest at the lie. Hadn’t the man already forgotten him before? There was a sour taste in his mouth as accusations rested on the tip of his tongue but Raya climbed onto his lap and snuggled into his chest. With his free hand he brushed back her bangs and rubbed her back in circles to soothe her as much as him.
“Mr. Stark, I-”


“Please, it always been just Tony.” 


He was old enough now he supposed. They could be on equal ground now that he was an adult. The name was weird to say but Peter forced himself to say it.
“Alright, Tony then. I have a favor to ask. We’ve been stuck with a bit of bad luck. There was a fire…”


“Anything you need. Anything at all, Peter, I would be happy to help.”
“It’s only until we get back on our feet and I promise we’ll pay you back.”


Tony insisted there wasn’t any need for repayment. He had too much money as it was, he said, but Peter couldn’t help the nagging in the back of his mind. No matter what had happened he didn’t want to be a burden on anyone. Still, there was no use arguing for the time being. Tony was far too stubborn, that Peter remembered well, and in this case, he wasn’t in a position to repay anything so Peter gave the address of the hospital. They went to wait outside.
Raya’s legs swung back and forth on the bench beside him. She wiped a sleeve across her nose, sniffling into the material. The doctor’s said these small side effects of smoke inhalation would go away in time but he couldn’t help the worry he felt. She was still young and although there were no outward signs of trauma from the fire, he knew with time she would begin to focus on what happened. Peter held out his hand and smiled when she squeezed her fingers back.
The fingers on his watch spun on. Mr. Stark – No, Tony – had said he would have someone swing by in…now. A door closed and Peter’s throat closed up. The man did nothing in half measures back in the day and it appeared the trait was still present. He didn’t have just anyone come to pick them up. Tony himself stepped out of the car and was walking over to them.
Peter stood up and brushed down the wrinkles in his shirt. They were a stranger’s clothes and although the shirt was too long and the jacket a bit tight through the shoulders, he was thankful someone in the hospital thought about it. Tony looked much the same. Nice jeans, graphic band tee, and a blazer that was tailored perfectly.
The man hesitated at the hand Peter offered. Some expression passed over his features too quick for Peter to interpret but then his hand enveloped his and they shook.
“Tony, I can’t thank you enough for the help.”
“Nothing to thank me for Peter. It’s good to see you, kid.”
“Dad’s not a kid. I am!”
He held his breath. It wasn’t on purpose that he left the addition of his daughter out of their phone call but, well, he didn’t think Tony was a man inclined to like children. So, if the detail of Raya slipped his mind during his request for help, Peter didn’t care. All he cared about was Raya who, at the moment, was holding onto his leg from behind. She peeked around him to glare at Tony.
“It’s a nickname, sweetheart. Come say hi to Mr. Stark.” He put a hand on her shoulder and guided her around his legs so her heels were stepping on the tips of his shoes. He winced at a particularly hard step as she fidgeted.
Her head was bowed and Peter could see her twisting the sleeves of her shirt in her palms. She sniffled again. Tony’s eyes remained on her unblinking as his mouth gaped open. No wonder she was nervous. Peter was about to break the tension when Tony cleared his throat. All the emotions on his face hidden away behind a smile. He hiked up his pants by the knees and squatted down so he was Raya’s height before sticking his hand out.
“Hello there. I’m Tony Stark, an old friend of your fathers. May I ask what your name is?” 

She leaned back into Peter and he squeezed her shoulders hoping she would be polite. With caution, as if she was measuring Tony’s sincerity, she brought her hand up and his old mentor and daughter shook hands. Tony like everyone else who met Raya couldn’t help but smile at her.
“I’m Raya and I’m seven years old. Dad never mentioned you before but he does that sometimes. I love forests though. Are we staying by a forest? One of my favorite type of tree is a Quaking Aspen or Populous Trembly…”
She trailed off and scrunched up her nose. Her head fell backward trying to look at Peter.
“It’s pronounced Populus tremuloides.”

“Yeah, that!” She said and looked back to Tony for his response.
The man rocked back on his heels but stayed low. Peter couldn’t help but feel like this was important. He wanted Raya to like Tony and vice versa. It wouldn’t do to dwell on why yet, though.
“Not everyone shares your love for trees, Raya.”


“Actually, mine is the Abies Balsamea or Balsam fir. It grows around the cabin I own upstate.”


Raya glowed at his statement. He knew that anyone who respected her love of trees was alright in her book, but someone who knew them and their names. Well, Tony just earned a friend for life. She stepped off of Peter’s feet and toward the man crouching down.
“I like those too.” She said fidgeting with her sleeves again.
“Maybe you can visit one day and see them in person.”
Peter clenched his fists but nodded at the hopeful look his daughter gave him. He didn’t want to get her hopes up but he couldn’t stand for her to be upset so soon. Yes, he wanted them to like each other but he also had to keep what happened in mind. If she grew attached and Tony left again he wasn’t sure if he could take it; if they both could survive another person leaving them. He shook his head knowing he was getting ahead of himself. Raya sniffled, coughing into her hands. Peter pulled out the hand sanitizer and sprayed her hands as Tony stood up.
“Shall we go?”
Raya turned and buried her head against Peter’s thigh for a moment. Tony stretched out his legs in front of them. As soon as he was done his little girl stepped onto the curb and grabbed Tony’s hand. Peter got the bag they had from the hospital and watched from under his lashes as Raya began lecturing Tony about all the different trees they might see on the way to Tony’s cabin. The man helped her up into the car, making sure her legs could reach the step, and she curled up in the backseat like she owned the vehicle.
-
Raya fell asleep to the sound of the engine, leaving Tony and Peter alone.
There were so many things he could say that nothing came to mind. Spiteful words floated around in his skull but he wouldn’t act on them. Maybe it was best to continue the silence.
He had thought he was past the blazing red emotions, that they were left behind in his teenage years, but it turned out some remained, hibernating until such a reunion arrived. He stretched his legs out.
“A kid, huh?” Tony said without looking away from the road.  “I must be getting old.”


Peter shrugged and crossed his legs before uncrossing them again. Tony sighed but he didn’t care. He was acting like Raya did when he sent told her it was bedtime, but he didn’t care. Or maybe it was he cared too much. He startled back when he felt a hand touch his arm.
“Kid, I think we need to talk, but whatever we say I am here to help you through this, whether you want me there or not.”
Peter crossed his legs. He stared at Tony. His sunglasses didn’t hide the wrinkles around his eyes anymore and the grey hairs were much more prominent than before. Time affected them both. Peter knew he needed to let go of these lingering resentments, his fear of rejection.
He and Hannah had tried to teach Raya how to navigate her feelings and what to do with them afterward. First to identify them, if you could, and then figuring out how you wanted to act in a certain situation. Feelings were sticky and sometimes burdensome, leading you astray, but sometimes they were beautiful in their pain or elation. Whatever the feelings were, they told Raya, they were hers and were always valid.
It was time he took those lessons to heart. His heart clenched from the pressure but he began to untangle the mess of emotions he’d carried around for so many years. They would need to talk but he would be ready. Honesty began with oneself and he would try from there. Peter turned to look back at his sleeping daughter before nodding at Tony.
Thank you!
Next: There’s a Light in the Hallway 
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erandir · 3 years
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2. 6. 7. and 16 for the OC relationship questions?
2. What OC has/is a mentor?
Idhren later in life becomes a mentor for sure, after he gets married and starts spending his time collecting & freeing slave children. A couple of the more talented mages get special treatment.
6. What OC is the Mom Friend?
Amber comes to mind first, co-star of Malta’s story. Being mom friend is literally her job, haha.
Aspen and Idhren can show mom friend tendencies, but it’s more of an overprotective streak than real mom friend vibes.
7. What OC really needs the Mom Friend around?
Aspen could use a good mom friend sometimes. He had to grow up too fast to help take care of his family post-blight. Because in a family where literally everyone has PTSD (except the actual baby whose lack of trauma must be protected at all costs), his own parents weren’t able to be there at their best for their kids and so a lot of that responsibility fell to him. Aspen could use someone to look out for him and remind him to take time for self-care as well.
16. Which OCs don’t know each other, but would get along great if they did?
It’s a damn pity HoF doesn’t get to show up in DAI because I think Idhren and Rowan would get along famously. They’re very different people, but have similar politics and views regarding politics (ie. politics is stupid and annoying). Their methods of navigating their position of power is different, but I think they’d appreciate those different methods. Rowan would love to watch Idhren murder someone verbally and Idhren would really admire Rowan’s ability to get shit done by leaving a path of destruction in his wake.
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toxxicoddity · 4 years
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Ogham Runes
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1.     A – Ailim
Tree: Elm
Symbolism: Ailim Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: When this symbol appears, it means it's time to start looking at the big picture; see the trees, but also acknowledge the forest. Be aware that your perception includes long-term goals and ideas, and prepare for what may be coming along the path.
 Magical Aspects: Mark your progress well as you grow and develop spiritually. As you attain new levels of wisdom, look at the future and see where this new knowledge will take you. Also recognize that there will be others following in your footsteps, so make yourself available to guide them and give them a hand when they need it.
 2.     O – Onn
Tree: Gorse Bush/Furze
Symbolism:
Ohn Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Whatever you've been looking for is right around the corner–keep pursuing your goals, because they are within your reach. If you aren't sure what path you should be on or which direction you should head, sit down and make a list of goals. Figure out the destination, and then you'll be able to focus on the journey.
 Magical Aspects: Your spiritual journey has provided you with an abundance of gifts. Don't keep these blessings to yourself–share them with others! If you've been asked to take on a role as leader or mentor, now is the time to do so.
3.     U – Uhr
Tree: Heather Plant
Symbolism:
Uhr Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: When this symbol appears, it means it's time to de-stress. Look inside yourself for healing if your body needs it, and don't delay. Listen to what your physical self is telling you. Remember how closely our physical well-being and emotional health are tied together.
Magical Aspects: Blend the energy of the spirit with the healing of the body. Focus on whole healing–body, mind and spirit–to build a healthy soul. Meditate on this symbol to increase your spiritual awareness. If you're feeling a bit fragmented, mentally, burn some Heather to help you gather your thoughts back together.
4.     E – Eadhadh
Tree: Aspen
Symbolism: Endurance, Courage
Eadhadh Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Like the Aspen, you can be flexible without snapping. No matter what obstacles come, allow yourself to know that these too will be gone eventually. You will be left stronger for the experience, if you can get over your fears and reservations.
 Magical Aspects: Don't give in to the pressures of the material world. Focus instead on your spiritual journey, even if it seems like it would be a lot easier to give up and let things fall by the wayside. Even in the Tarot, the Fool knows he has a long way to go, but the first step is the hardest. When Eadhadh appears, put aside your distractions, and take that first all-important step on your journey.
5.     I – Iodhadh
Tree: Yew
Symbolism: Death, endings
Iodhadh Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Although it may not represent spiritual death, if Iodhadh appears, it's a sign that major transitions are coming. Be aware of them, and realize that although not all of them are bad, they will probably be pretty significant. Now's a good time to get rid of things which are of no use to you, in order to make room for new beginnings.
 Magical Aspects: Changes are on the way, so quit clinging to beliefs and ideas that no longer serve you well. Shed the old, and welcome the new. Accept change for what it is–an asset–and stop seeing it as an obstacle. Don't fear new things, embrace them.
6.     B – Beith
Tree- Birch
Symbolism: New Beginings, change, release, rebirth
Beith Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: When this symbol appears, it means it's time to get rid of all those negative influences you've been carrying around with you. Figure out what things are bad in your life, which relationships are toxic, and find a way to leave them behind. Instead of being dragged down by the negative, focus on the positive things you have in your life, the blessings and abundance. Use these things as a focus, rather than the harmful or damaging ones.
Magical Aspects: Consider the property of renewal and rebirth, as demonstrated by the Birch. Use this as a tool for spiritual and emotional regrowth and developing your own ability to regenerate where there has been emptiness or devastation.
7.     L – Luis
Tree: Rowan
Symbolism: Insight, Protection, blessings
Luis Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Keep your awareness high, and go with your intuition when it comes to the people and events in your life. Trust your judgment, and don't allow yourself to be lulled into a false sense of security.
 Magical Aspects: Keep yourself true to your spirituality, staying grounded even in times of doubt. This will help protect you from that which might bring you emotional, physical or spiritual harm.
8.     F – Fearn
Tree: Alder
Symbolism: Evolving spirit
Fearn Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Keep in mind that you are an individual... but so is everyone else. When you look at someone, see the unusual which makes them themselves–and allow them to see that uniqueness in you. Be a mediator, a bridge, between people who may be having a disagreement.
 Magical Aspects: Follow your instinct. Others will turn to you for advice and counsel during spiritual disagreements, and it's your job to be the mediator and voice of reason.
9.     S – Saille
Tree: Willow
Symbolism: Knowledge, spiritual growth
Saille Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: One cannot evolve without changing. Realize that part of life's journey includes learning lessons–even unpleasant ones. This is a natural part of the human experience.
 Magical Aspects: Give yourself a break periodically, and take time to rest spiritually. Know that change will come when you are ready for it. Allow yourself some flexibility in your spiritual life as well.
10.N – Nion
Tree: Ash
Symbolism: Connections, creativity, transitions between worlds
Nion Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Remember that for every action, there is a consequence, and these effect not only ourselves but others as well. What we do in our life will carry into the future and possibly even beyond. Every one of our words and deeds has some sort of impact.
Magical Aspects: The Universe is like a giant web. Strands bind us all together, either closely or at a distance. We are all connected in one way or another, so it is important to find harmony between the spiritual realm and the physical, and between all living beings. Endeavor to live a spiritual life that considers the needs of the natural world around you.
 11.H – Huath
Tree: Hawthorn
Symbolism: Cleansing, Protection, Defense
Huath Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: If you're hoping to conceive a child, the appearance of Huath could be fortuitous. In addition to fertility, consider this a sign of protection, healthfulness and self-defense.
 Magical Aspects: Understand that no matter how thorny a problem may be, you can use your spiritual strength to protect and guide you. You may also find that you can provide strength to those who depend on you.
12.D – Duir
Tree: Oak
Symbolism: Strength, resilience, self-confidence
Duir Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Carry an acorn in your pocket when you go to an interview or business meeting; it will be bring you good luck. If you catch a falling Oak leaf before it hits the ground, you'll stay healthy the following year. Remember that "Duir" means gate or door–watch for chances that may pop up unexpectedly, and take what is offered to you. After all, an unknown opportunity is better than a missed one.
 Magical Aspects: Be strong and steady like the Oak, no matter how unpredictable things may become for you spiritually. Your strength will help you prevail.
13.T – Tinne
Tree: Holly
Symbolism: Immortality, unity, courage, stability in hearth and home
Tinne Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Hang a sprig of Holly in your home to protect your family in your absence. Soak the leaves in spring water under a full moon, and then use the water as a blessing for people or items you wish to protect. There is strength to be found in standing together, and ultimately protection comes from honor and trust.
Magical Aspects: Develop the ability to respond quickly and wisely to your intuition. Learn to overcome and adapt to new situations, and to respond immediately to changes in your spiritual environment. Trust your instinct, but don't let your heart rule over your head.
14.C – Coll
Tree: Hazel
Symbolism: Wisdom, creativity, knowledge
                               Coll Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Take advantage of your own artistry or creativity, and share your knowledge with others so they too can practice these arts. Lead by example, and teach those who wish to learn. Find inspiration for your creative gifts, whatever your talent may be.
Magical Aspects: Let the divine guide you in your creative journey. Speak to the gods through your art, and be rewarded with inspiration. If you're stuck in a creative rut, call upon the Divine to send you a Muse.
15.Q – Quert
Tree: Apple
Symbolism: Love, faithfulness, rebirth
Quert Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: No one likes to be faced with choices, because sometimes what we want is not what we need. However, we still must choose. Sometimes, we make decisions because they are the right ones to make, not because they make us happy. Be wise enough to understand the difference.
Magical Aspects: Open your inner soul to new decisions, and allow yourself to harvest the gifts that your spiritual path has to offer. Know that sometimes, things might not make sense, but chances are good that you'll learn from this later.
 16.M – Muin
Tree: Vine
Symbolism: Prophecy, truthful speaking
Muin Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Take time to think about what you say before you open your mouth, but once you open it to speak, only speak the truth. It is better to be honest than to tell people what they want to hear just to gain popularity.
Magical Aspects: Do rituals related to prophecy and divination. Be sure to record all messages that you receive–they may not make sense right now, but they will later on. When you're sampling its pleasures, don't allow Vine to take too much advantage of you or it may color your perceptions of what is Truth.
17.G – Gort
 Tree: Ivy
Symbolism: soul searching
Gort Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Banish the negative things from your life, and eliminate toxic relationships. Place a barricade of some sort between you and the things or people that would bring you down.
Magical Aspects: Look inward to find self-growth, but turn outward to find spiritual companionship with like-minded individuals. If you've thought about joining or forming a group of some sort, consider it well if Gort appears.
 18.Ng – nGeatal
Tree: Reed
Symbolism: Music, direct action, finding purpose
nGeatal Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: When this symbol appears, it's time to take on a leadership role. Often, it indicates a need to rebuild that which was destroyed. Use your skills and ability to put things in order, and guide situations onto the right track. Think before you act, and be proactive rather than reactive.
Magical Aspects: Although you may encounter some bumpy spots in the road, ultimately your spiritual journey will be a fruitful and productive one. Understand that the lessons you learn on your way are equally as important–maybe even more so–as the destination itself.
19.Z-Straith
Tree: Blackthorn
Symbolism: Authority, control, strength and triumph over adversity
Straith Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: Expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to change. Your plans may be altered, or even destroyed, so plan to deal with it. The appearance of Straith often indicates the influence of external forces.
Magical Aspects: You're at the beginning of a new journey, and there will be some surprises–possibly unpleasant ones–along the way. Overcoming these obstacles will give you strength. Realize that you–and your life–are changing.
20.R – Ruis
Tree: Elder
Symbolism: endings, maturity, awareness
Ruis Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: This is a time of transition; while one phase of life ends, another begins. With maturity and experience comes wisdom and knowledge. Remember that it's fine to be childlike, but not childish.
Magical Aspects: New experiences and new phases of growth are continual, and these will all lead to spiritual renewal, and finally rebirth. Remember that the things we experience are all part of the formation of who we eventually become.
Source: Learn Religions: Ogham Symbol Gallery retrieved from: https://www.learnreligions.com/ogham-symbol-gallery-4123029 
Picture unsourced from google
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Next Door Neighbor: Chap. 10
OOPS
SPENCER’S POV:
I’m eating an early breakfast with Stephanie when my phone rings. It’s Hotch, telling me we have another case. “I have to go, Steph. I’ll call you once we’re on the jet, okay?” I tell her. She gives me a quick kiss and I run out the door. I hail a taxi and make my way to the office. Traffic is bad, so I’m almost late. I run into the conference room and grab my usual seat.
“Mornin’. Want a doughnut?” Morgan asks, holding the box out to me. “No thanks, Stephanie made banana bread for breakfast, so I already ate.” I tell him. “Lucky, I want banana bread.” Emily grumbles. Hotch comes in and we all take our seats. Garcia brings some pictures onto the screen. “So, we have an icky one. In Colorado, we have three victims, all female. The first victim is Marianne Brown, a kindergarten teacher at a local public school. She was found murdered in her home, stabbed six times.” I write down some notes.
“The second victim is Tanya Pryn, an art teacher at an afterschool program. She was found the same way as the first victim, six stab wounds. The third victim is Hanah Rutger, a swim instructor at the town pool. Again, six stab wounds. Bad stuff.” Garcia finishes. I take a look at all the victims. They all share similar looks. 
We head to the jet. Once we’re in the air, we start discussing. “So, all three victims worked with kids. Could the unsub be a victim of child abuse, maybe from a mentor?” JJ asks. “That’s likely. The victims are definitely substitutes for someone.” Morgan replies. “The six has to represent something, the question is what.” I mutter. We talk for a while longer, but there's not much more we can do until we get to the scene of the crime. 
I get up and walk to the back of the plane. I call Stephanie, and she picks up after the second ring. “Hey, Spence!” She says, her voice as bright and cheerful as ever. “Hi Steph. Sorry I had to run out this morning.” I apologize. “Don’t worry about it. So, what's the case?” she asks. I tell her what we know so far. “I’ve always wanted to go to Colorado. I heard the aspens are beautiful this time of year.” We chat for a while before Hotch tells me we're about to land. We say our goodbyes and I hang up. 
Once we land, we head straight to the police station. JJ and Rossi head to the crime scenes, Morgan and Emily go to inspect the bodies, while Hotch, Garcia, and I work on finding more information. We all reunite a few hours later to share what we’ve found.
“Nothing seemed out of place at the crime scenes. We questioned the neighbors, they all said the same thing, the victims were all kind, they were loved by the community, they were perfect neighbors. Nothing out of the ordinary.” JJ explains. “The stab wounds were consistent in all three victims, six stab wounds, likely done from above, suggesting that the unsub is a male, maybe 6’1.” Morgan adds. “Okay, so we know that the unsub is a male, he most likely suffered abuse at the hands of an authority figure.” Hotch muses.
“Garcia, can you dig through cases of child abuse at the hands of a teacher or instructor from the last thirty years?” I ask. “On it, my beautiful genius.” Garcia says. She types on her keyboard and a few minutes later, we hear a gasp. “What is it, Garcia?” Rossi questions. “I found a report from twenty seven years ago, a twelve year old boy, Ryan Adamson, was pushed out of a two story window by his teacher, Laura Ryanson. She claimed he was sitting too close to the edge and fell on his own, but he claims she pushed him off. He suffered three broken ribs and required surgery on his leg, leaving him with a permanent limp, ruining his career as a young award winning athlete. The matter was investigated, but Laura only got six weeks in jail before being cleared and returned to work. She happens to look a lot like our three victims.” Garcia finishes.
“Can you send us Ryan Adamson’s address?” Hotch asks. “Already done. Go catch him you wonderful people.” Garcia says, hanging up. We gear up and get into the car, speeding over to his house. When we arrive, there are already two police cars outside, officers waiting with guns drawn. We move to the back of the house, ready to break in.
“Ryan Adamson! FBI, come out with your hands up!” Hotch barks. No noise. Morgan kicks open the door and we rush inside, guns at the ready. We start to walk through the small house, but each room is empty. “He’s not here.” JJ sighs. Suddenly, Ryan appears from the kitchen, gun in hand. Everyone turns toward him, guns pointed straight at his chest.
“Ryan Adamson, put the gun down. No one needs to get hurt.” Emily shouts. “No! Don’t you understand, I had to protect the kids! I couldn’t let her hurt someone else. She already ruined my life, I had to save them.” Ryan yells, his hands shaking. “I know, you were helping those kids. Put the gun down and we can talk about this.” JJ says calmly. Ryan’s face falls, his arms dropping. We’re safe. But before I can react, the gun is up in the air, firing.
Time seems to move in slow motion. I feel a fiery pain in my left arm, spreading throughout my body. Then I’m falling, the world is spinning, everything’s blurry. My head hits the ground, hard. There’s shouting, loud noises. What’s happening? “Stay awake, prettyboy. C’mon, talk to me.” Morgan says, leaning over me. I groan in pain. The world is fading a bit. “Stephanie is gonna be pissed.” I mumble. Then everything goes black.
A/N: Please let me know if you want to be added to my Criminal Minds taglist :)
@dollb0y
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doerunners · 4 years
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tiger breeze :)
How I feel about this character
Okay, anyone with eyes knows I fucking adore Tiger Breeze. She is so fun and sexy and perfect and I wish she was real so I could ask her out and marry her. My soft spot for tough girls who refuse to show weakness becomes more and more apparent with each and every passing day. I think she is arguably the most underrated of the tribe leaders- personality-wise at least. We’ve already had the discussion of how she is one of the prettiest cats in Threeclans. Tiger Breeze is so fun and dynamic and I love how the tribe’s customs and lore is used so well in favor of her character. Seeing her during the spring, watching her kick ass and take names? It makes me so happy. She is so powerful and perfect. Anyways.
Tiger Breeze has gone through So Much Fucked Up Shit and taken on so many burdens that nobody else was willing to put the effort in for. She was the only spring cat to step up and take in Hollow when all was lost, when she was being torn apart by her own tribe after losing the home she’d been born and raised in. For moons and moons and moons, she was starving, being berated, blamed, betrayed. And she still held on, still nursing Hollow as they all starved, as the leaders bickered and fought over how to proceed. She lost connection to the ancestors, she lost everything. And still she remained strong. 
Two to-bes leave, the biggest “fuck you” any cat could have given their home. And she didn’t forget. And when they returned, well fed, groomed, having found some better place than the tribe, insisting they’re the tribe’s saviors? After watching her tribemates starve, watching them flea-infested, unable to move, get hit by cars and starve to death? After she’s held on so long, stayed strong, continued to fight tooth and nail to keep the cats she’s responsible alive? They’re the heroes? She puts them in their place fast. She rewards Aspen and Spark, examples of what those traitors should have been. That’ll show em.
She leads her tribe after them. They don’t get to run away and feast endlessly, leaping into the arms of these ‘Clan cats.’ No. If they’re going to live life without a care, so is the tribe. She fights, she puts herself at risk, inserting herself amongst the leaders, not asking them, Telling Them that the territory they’ve settled on is theirs now. She claims a new home for her tribe.
So she settles in. She’s done her job. Hollow is grown up, the Tribe has a home now. She’s done her job. She can relax. And then suddenly her nieces are in her lap and they’re her problem now. Great. She’s expected to be the mom of her brother’s dead boyfriend, a role she neither wanted nor asked for. Cool.
I could go on but its 12:30 and I have class tomorrow. My point is? Tiger Breeze’s whole life is practically dedicated to cleaning up the messes of everyone else and she deserves a break.
All the people I ship romantically with this character
Tiger/Kink. I really shocked you with this one, huh Maya? Anyways- hear me out. I think there’s so much potential here just because they’re both so similar to one another, and yet their morals are so different. Tiger Breeze, since birth, has been raised to be a good caretaker. She’s had this stereotype to fill with being a passive, docile, loving, empathetic kit lover, never given room to grow outside that. She was raised under the expectation that she’d be cared for, she wouldn’t need to raise a paw to feed herself or protect herself. She found salvation by rebelling and makes a point of showing herself off, reminding others around her that she is not a force to be reckoned with- she’s not a doormat and any cat who thinks otherwise will have hell to pay. However, when it comes to being a spring cat, she feels awkward, out of place, like she’s not where she’s supposed to be. She’s so focused on being tough and strong that she feels out of place in a position so vulnerable as raising children- especially in the cases of Firefly and Butterfly, where the role of “mother” has been so unceremoniously forced upon her, a role she has no desire to claim. Tiger Breeze’s tough demeanor comes from being separated from motherhood. Kinktail? From birth, she’s been raised to be a fierce and loyal warrior. Her mentor was tough and demanding, and Kinktail worked hard to prove herself a loyal FogClan warrior. She had to learn everything, taking on so many different roles as FogClan warriors are expected. Where Tribe cats take on one specific role for the good of the many, FogClan cats take on all roles for the sake of self-preservation. Kinktail has been raised under the expectation she would be facing the world relatively on her own. Kinktail embraced this, loyal FogClan warrior to a T- only raising kits because it was the expectation to give back to her clan and add to its population. But, no father in the picture, the threat of traitors, FogClan changing so drastically through her pregnancy and her time as a nursery queen? Motherhood wasn’t an obligation- it quickly morphed into her identity. Her loyalty only began to shift as something more important entered her life. Kinktail’s tough demeanor was forged from motherhood. Both of them are strong, closed off mollies well regarded for their fierce, tough attitudes, but for entirely different reasons. As a result, I think them merging, Kinktail teaching Tiger Breeze to embrace motherhood without compromising her strength and Tiger Breeze teaching Kinktail to be less unhealthily reliant on motherhood, teaching her to move on from the dark parts of motherhood that haunt Kinktail? I think there’s SO much room for growth and depth there.Tiger/Feather. Okay. If Sketch somehow manages to steal Tiger Breeze from my grubby little fingers, I think there’s potential for a fun opposites-attract type thing with these two. Feather is the embodiment of friendliness and kindness, Tiger Breeze is the embodiment of “lmao why the Fuck are you looking at me” and seeing those two personalities merge together would be hilarious
My non-romantic OTP for this character
Ok these are gonna be shorter bc I’m starting to lose steam here.
Tiger&Butterfly and Tiger&Firefly. Ugh. The complex relationship these three have? SO fun and interesting and cool to watch. I hope that someday, as Firefly and Butterfly get older, sentient enough to realize how fucked up the situation they, Tiger, and Fading all had? They gain a close relationship with her where Tiger has a soft spot for them, protects them and spoils them ever so slightly, and Firefly and Butterfly can count on their aunt Tiger Breeze to be there for advice, to yell at people who fuck with them, so on and so forth. I really wanna see how they turn out once they’re teens/adults, and Tiger gets a little more separation from responsibility over them.
Fading&Tiger. Everyone knows what a soft spot I have for sibling relationships, especially ones as complex as this. I hope that, someday, when Fading gets to overcome the trauma he went through and gets a little more aware of how fucked that situation was/is, they can someday have a heart to heart and find some sort of middle ground/some respect for one another, even if it’s from a distance. 
My unpopular opinion about this character
Tiger Breeze isn’t as bad a caretaker as everyone says she is. There, I said it. Is she a perfect caretaker? Would she be on the cover of “World’s Best Moms” magazine? Absolutely not. But I also firmly believe that Tiger Breeze does what she believes is right by those in her care, and even if sometimes her view of what’s right for them is a little bit skewed, I think she does care about those she looks after and does what she thinks they’ll need to grow up strong. She’s just a bit of a believer in tough love. 
One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon.
I wish Tiger Breeze would fall in love. I’ll be the first person to admit a romantic interest a. should not be necessary for a cat’s storyline, b. should not be used as a means of “fixing” or “changing a cat (especially “for the better”) but I think Tiger Breeze, in particular, would be a really fun cat to see slip up with her feelings. So much of Tiger Breeze’s character is formed around the fact that she’s independent, she’s a bad bitch, she always knows what’s best, she’s being held back by the other cats around her, so on and so forth. Constantly, to her, she’s being forced to fall to a lesser standard because other cats won’t stop latching onto her when all she wants is to be alone. And it’s for that reason I’d love to see her finally deal with her, herself, holding her back because she feels herself starting to get attached to another cat. I want to see her lose her train of thought because she saw her crush out of the corner of her eye, I want to see her up giving the gathering announcements and pause just for a split second because she saw the cat’s eyes staring up at her, their attention fully on her. I want to see her lash out and tase this cat as some half-hearted way to distance herself from them- all because she blames them for how her mind has slowly been being taken over by thoughts of them. Maybe I’m just a stupid fucking romantic but there’s nothing that I love more than seeing strong cats fall victim to their own feelings.
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