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repeatingdreamsxoxo · 2 years

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Tainted - Iwaoi (DemonKing!Oikawa)

The Gist:

The Demon King was the villain.

The knight was the hero.

And Iwaizumi Hajime would never know anything different.

Wc: 4.9k

Warnings: Violence, major character death

---

He was nine years old when both of his parents were killed.

They hadn't been doing anything wrong, simply existing, but apparently that sufficed for a crime. Humans who had waged war against their kind for centuries called knights had slayed his parents, bringing honour to their names while condemning a demon child to become parentless.

Having escaped into the forest, a young demon child, made an orphan, wandered through the woods alone. His little bones ached for rest, but he ignored his weariness and continued to trek forward.

He paused at a pond, collapsing to his knees to stare at his reflection in the water. Small horns poked out from tufts of chocolate brown hair, and a tail flicked at the corner of his vision. Clasping his hands together and closing his eyes, he began to whisper an incantation his mother had drilled into him for years.

A glamour spell. One that required minimal energy, and lasted as long as the castor needed it to. It would temporarily erase his horns and tail, making him appear to be human by both sight and touch.

When he reopened his eyes, Oikawa's lips parted. It might as well have been a human boy staring back at him. But his gut stirred. There was something... almost sickening about pretending to be the animals that he hated, the animals that had brought upon him nothing but pain.

Oikawa rose on wobbly legs and continued forward to an unknown destination. He froze when he heard another creature tromping through the forest. Crouched behind a bush, Oikawa pried the leaves apart to peer through.

There was a boy, a human boy, with a wooden net. He chased after a purple and blue butterfly, determination riddling his lips into a frown. All of a sudden, the butterfly veered sharply, and the boy crashed into Oikawa's bush with a war cry.

Oikawa yelped as they tumbled together across the dirt and undergrowth, the butterfly fluttering away above the trees.

The spiky haired boy leaped to his feet and rounded on him, jutting the net out like a spear.

"Who are you, and why are you wandering so close to my village?!" the human shouted, adjusting his battle stance. Oikawa crawled backwards till his back met the trunk of a tree.

"I- I..." come on, think! Oikawa bit his lip, "I'm- I ran away from home, and I have no family left! And I'm just passing through," The best way to lie, was to weave in bits of truth.

The net wavered, but the boy remained resolute, eyes narrowing.

"You... don't have any family? What about your mom and dad then?"

Oikawa felt it again- the frog rising up in his throat. He bit down harder on his lip to quell his tears, and turned his head to the ground. He focused on the way the sun shone through the leaves, creating a speckled pattern of light. "They- they died."

Instantly, the other boy softened. First his eyes, then his jaw, his shoulders, and soon the net lowered. "Mine too," he said at last, brow furrowed. "So you ran away from your home because they're not around anymore?"

"Yes."

The spiky haired boy took a minute to properly digest this information. Then he stepped forward and extended a hand, "I'm Iwaizumi, and I live in the village just outside the forest."

Don't trust him, don't let him get anywhere near you. Oikawa eyed the hand before reluctantly reaching for it, ignoring the voice in the back of his head to instead admire the sheer green of the boy- of Iwaizumi's- eyes. Something in him yearned to trust this human, to trust him wholeheartedly. Oikawa thought that part of him was stupid and naive.

A loud growl disrupted the forest.

Iwaizumi laughed.

"Hungry much? Here, come back to the village with me. We can get you food."

Coming from Iwaizumi, the invitation sounded genuine. But a village full of humans... that was a horrible idea. His parents' deaths flashed through his mind, and Oikawa rapidly shook his head.

"No! I mean, no thank you. I think I'll stay here."

"Oh." Iwaizumi tilted his head and studied Oikawa, puzzled. Finally, he shrugged, "okay. I'll grab something instead then, and bring it back to you. Just, stay here, okay?"

Oikawa didn't know what to do except nod.

When Iwaizumi did come back, some time later, it wasn't with a hoard of humans, pitchforks and flaming torches. He simply offered some bread, butter, and grapes. "I know it's not much," he started, "but I figured you might want to take it slow if you haven't eaten in a long time."

Oikawa ate in silence, Iwaizumi plucking the occasional grape and throwing it into his mouth. But the human's curiosity must have got the better of him, because he sat closer and parted his lips. "How old are you?"

Oikawa took another ravenous bite of bread, "nine."

"Hey, me too!"

For the next three days, Iwaizumi trekked out to the woods and brought him food. On the third night, Iwaizumi lingered.

"Are you planning on staying here forever? Out in the forest like some kind of animal?" He didn't sound judgmental, more so worried. Oikawa poked at a fat green caterpillar. It squirmed away underneath the leaves.

"Maybe. Dunno."

"You should come back with me." Iwaizumi blurted, refusing to look Oikawa in the eye, "I mean, I know you didn't want to, but my oba-chan, she's really nice, and she'd let you stay with us, if you need to..." he didn't know why he was talking so much, it wasn't really like him. Iwaizumi pressed his lips together and glared down at the forest floor in frustration.

Oikawa curled his legs to his chest and rested his chin upon them.

---

He didn't know why he agreed to this, or what stupid part of his brain authorized this decision. Because, it was a horrible decision. Oikawa clutched Iwaizumi's hand as he was led into the wolves' den, jumping and squeezing Iwaizumi's hand even tighter when the humans looked up to watch them pass.

Why was he entrusting his life and his safety to Iwaizumi in the first place? This foolish human boy had no idea what he was, and if he did, surely Iwaizumi would rush to throw him mercilessly to the humans in the village.

But, something in his gut told him that Iwaizumi was good. Humans weren't good, he knew that much. Humans hated him, he didn't know why. But if Iwaizumi never found out, everything might just be okay.

"This is my home," Iwaizumi spoke proudly, stopping before a narrow, two story stone brick house. To the side of the house, a long clothes line spanned. Oikawa jumped when something furry brushed his leg. Iwaizumi laughed.

"That's Coco, she's a stray that keeps hanging around cause oba-chan keeps giving her milk." With no fear of the strange creature, Iwaizumi bent down to rub the cat's head. The cat slunk away, and the boys headed inside.

"Oba-chan, I'm home!" Iwaizumi called.

A short, stout woman wearing a messy apron with her hair tied back in a braid bustled through from around the corner, clapping her hands together, "Hajime, I thought you'd be gone all day! And how was your- oh, and who might this be?" her hazel eyes flickered to Oikawa, voice growing apprehensive.

Iwaizumi stepped forward. "This is-"

"Oikawa... Tooru." The brunet interrupted, meekly. The house grew quiet and still.

Finally, Iwaizumi's grandmother smiled. "Well, Tooru, why don't you go upstairs and find Iwaizumi's room? You can look through some of his toys while I have a quick chat with him."

Obediently, the demon boy tiptoed down the hall and up the stairs of the unfamiliar home.

"Hajime," his grandmother started, "who is that? He's not one of the village children, so where did you find him?"

"I found him in the forest, but that's not important-"

"-the forest? Heavens, where are the boy's parents?"

"They're dead." Iwaizumi spat, and his grandmother's eyes softened.

"Ah, I see. So you feel sorry for him. But we can't just take strangers into our home. We know nothing about him, or where he came from." She reached down to rub Iwaizumi's shoulder with a sigh, "I know you just want to help."

"I do, and that's why- that's why he should stay with us!"

"Hajime-" his grandmother warned, before she cut off by her grandson.

"-No! He's- he's all alone. He doesn't have anyone, and you wanna abandon him too? Well not me, I'm not gonna leave him." With his declaration said and done, the boy puffed out his chest and lifted his chin. He was ready to face whatever she threw at him.

His grandmother gave another weary sigh, one where you could almost hear her bones rattling. "Fine. He can stay a few nights, until I decided what to do with him. But he follows my rules of the house while he's here, just like you do. Is that understood?"

Iwaizumi's face glowed like a firefly in the dead of the night- fleeting, but beautiful. "Yes, yes Oba-chan!"

---

A few days turned into a few weeks, and a few weeks turned into a few months. See, Iwaizumi had begun to realize that Oikawa had a knack for charming people- there was something about him that you just couldn't say no to. And, Iwaizumi took equal pride in being immune to his new friend's charms.

As his stay in the village extended, the villagers who'd once been wary of him were soon wrapped around his little finger.

For Iwaizumi Hajime, life right now was everything that it should be. His days were filled with adventures with Oikawa, from bug catching to playing pretend in the forest to running around in in grassy fields ubiquitous with wildflowers, to getting revenge on the village girl who tried to chase Coco.

Life was simply everything a nine year old could have asked for.

---

At ten, Iwaizumi and Oikawa caught dragonflies.

At least, they attempted.

They spent hours at the edge of the forest, running through leaves and snapping twigs under their shoes, and yet they'd failed to catch a single dragonfly. They'd seen plenty, but the tricky little things were just too fast.

Then, out of a sheer bout of luck, a dragonfly flew right into Oikawa's jar. With a squeal, the brunet screwed the lid with poked holes in it shut, entrapping the buzzing creature. He paraded about the forest, holding the jar high above his head.

"Iwa-chan, Iwa-chan! Look!"

When they had to let the creature go, Oikawa cried.

At twelve, they tried to bake Oba-chan a cake when she left for the morning market, and almost succeeded in burning the house down. When she arrived home, they both latched onto her in tears.

At fourteen, Oikawa liked to stargaze, and always dragged Iwaizumi out to the hill to go with him. Whenever he couldn't sleep, it seemed, he wanted to go watch the night sky and view the galaxy in all of its brilliance. Unfortunately that was quite often.

They would lay, star-fished out among the tall grass and weeds, and feel like the only two people on the planet. If their fingers happened to brush occasionally, neither of them said anything.

At sixteen, Oba-chan left them alone for a two day trip to a neighbouring village, and of course, Oikawa got them both into mischief. He dragged Iwaizumi down to the cellar with an idiotic grin on his face, and grabbed a large bottle of liquor.

He drank like a fool, but Iwaizumi abstained and remained dead sober, reluctantly accepting his role as babysitter for the evening. They were playing cards when suddenly, Oikawa leaned over the table and pressed his lips to Iwaizumi's.

It was quick, it was fleeting, it was- it was- Iwaizumi's brain short circuited. It was a kiss. He just kissed me.

Oikawa leaned back with a dopey grin plastered on his face, forming a tiny heart with his index fingers and thumbs.

"I love you, Iwa-chan," he whispered into the dead stillness of the night, before laughing and tipping right off his chair.

At eighteen, they were grown men. Well, somewhat. The village had long since become Oikawa's home, as much as the people that inhabited it. His old bitterness towards humans had softened.

And at eighteen, one hot, sticky summer afternoon spent fishing in the river, Iwaizumi made his declaration.

"Hey, Oikawa... I've been thinking about this for awhile, and well, I wanna become a knight."

Oikawa nearly threw his rod into the swimming waters. A knight. The humans who slayed Demons. The kind of evil that killed his parents almost a decade ago. The tragedy that had brought him here felt like it was a lifetime away, or in a different lifetime entirely.

"That's... sudden." Oikawa spoke at last, voice stiff and clipped.

"I know, I should have told you sooner. I just, I didn't know if I was all in or not. So?"

"So what?"

Iwaizumi's brow furrowed, "what do think about it? I'd have to move away a couple of months for training, and then I'll be placed somewhere, and it could be far. I'd only be allowed to visit home occasionally."

"I think it's a dreadful idea," Oikawa sniffed, reeling in his line. "I mean, think how heartbroken poor Oba-chan will be when you leave? Of course I'd miss you too, if only a little. Still, there's nothing special about being a knight anyways, and don't you know the death rate?"

Iwaizumi frowned, chin lowered, "I know it, but I don't care. I told you my parents died a long time ago, well what I never told you was that they died because of Demons. Demons killed my parents. So this is... this is important to me, Oikawa. I want you to support me on this. Can you?"

Oikawa neglected to speak, instead he concentrated very hard on his fishing. Iwaizumi sighed roughly.

"I don't understand why this is such a big deal for you, but, if you really don't want me to go then... then I won't."

Iwaizumi sounded so far away, like Oikawa was underwater. The Demon scowled.

"Oh please, don't let me hold you back. If you want to leave me so badly, then go right ahead!"

"Oikawa." Iwaizumi was calm, as he placed a hand on his shoulder, "it's okay. I won't go."

At nineteen, Oikawa was content. Life in the village was quiet, and peaceful. Iwaizumi ended up staying, and they spent everyday together. It was almost like living in a dream. He should have known he'd have to wake up eventually.

"Great Demon Oikawa Tooru," the dark haired man spoke, except that he wasn't a man at all. He had horns poking up through his black tufts and a tail flicking at his side. The forest was all but silent around them, as though even the critters had tuned in to their conversation.

Oikawa had come out to the forest in search of some wild onions for Oba-chan while Iwaizumi finished with the dishes. The Demon disguised as a human was frozen, rooted to the spot.

"How- how do you know-"

The demon interrupted him, "- I come baring a prophecy. My name is Kuroo Tetsuro, and I am from an old family like yours. Ever since I received the prophecy, I've been searching for you. Please, allow me to pass on my message."

Oikawa was stiff, unmoving. A prophecy. He'd heard his mother speak of scarce Demons with the ability to read into fate and the future. And here before him stood one of those few, a dark haired demon without a glamour spell intact.

Oikawa swallowed and raised his chin, assuming the most regal pose he could, "go on."

Kuro knelt on one knee, unbothered by the damp, muddy earth.

"It is decreed by the fates that you, Oikawa Tooru, son of Oikawa Takei, will unite Demon kind as the Demon King, and save your people, ending the war. If you choose this path, you will live a short life. The other path the fates have offered you is this: live out your life here, playing as a human, and live in peace while your kind lose the war and are killed."

A choice... He got a choice in this? What the hell kind of prophecy was that?! Oikawa chewed his lip incessantly and mulled over this new information. He had a chance to save his people, and to end the war against the humans. But he would die young. On the other hand, he could stay here in the village and live a boring, common life with Iwaizumi. A long life free of bloodshed and pain, at the sacrifice of his people.

Before he vanished, Kuro bowed his head,

"You have until tomorrow after sunset to make your choice."

---

When Oikawa returned to the house, with a small basket of onion, he was eerily quiet. That night when he had settled down for bed, Iwaizumi had knocked at his door.

"Come in,"

"Oikawa." Iwaizumi started, "what's wrong?"

Oikawa smiled, "Nothing, Iwa-chan! I'm perfectly fine."

"Bullshit you are. Do you think I'm an idiot? You've been acting weird ever since you got back from the forest. So tell me what's going on." Iwaizumi's hardened eyes were resolute, as his lips drew into a tight frown.

Oikawa shifted on his bed, laying on his back to stare up at the ceiling.

"I'm tired, Iwa-chan." he spoke at last with a sigh. Lazily, his gaze flicked to Iwaizumi, who still hovered in the doorway. Iwaizumi. A long, happy future flashed through his mind. They'd spent over a decade together. Why should he have to give that up? Why couldn't he want a domestic, easy life? Did that make him a bad demon for wanting to stay here and turn a blind eye?

"Fine." Iwaizumi's gruff voice brought him back, "but we're continuing this in the morning, don't think you're getting off that easy, jackass."

Oikawa smiled, holding back tears, "Of course, Iwa-chan."

When he was finally left alone to his thoughts, his mind wandered down every avenue.

I don't have to do this. He didn't owe his people anything. In fact, all being a Demon had ever done was bring him pain. But in his years of pretending to be human, he'd experienced happiness, contentment, and an appreciation to simply be alive. It was much easier to be human.

He suddenly felt sick.

How could he think that? How could he ever think that? It was humans who had brought the pain into his life. It was humans who took away his happiness. It was humans who slaughtered his parents.

The sheets scrunched beneath his fists.

Oikawa Tooru disappeared into the night.

---

The throne room was dark, lit dimly by only a few torches on the walls. Iwaizumi heaved, the exhaustion beginning to kick in. He wiped dark blood- demon blood- from his forehead with his gloved hand.

Down the hallway, Hinata and the others were holding off the remaining Demons, so that Iwaizumi could do what he came here to do.

The knight took a deep breath in- blood, sweat- and exhaled to lift his chin. There, at the end of the room upon a red throne, sat a Demon cloaked in all black. He was regally posed, elbow resting on the throne's arm and chin propped on his fist. In-between fluffy brown tufts of hair, two dark horns were visible.

Oikawa.

But this was not the Oikawa who had stayed in the village with him for a decade. No, this was the Demon King who burned villages like his to the ground overnight, killed humans without batting an eye, and whose name struck fear into the lives of everyone Iwaizumi cared about. There was no way this monster was the same Oikawa he'd grown up with. Because if he was, then Iwaizumi would have to acknowledge the fact that he'd loved a monster.

And he couldn't do that.

"Ah, Iwa-chan. I've been expecting you, though I didn't think you'd come so soon." The Demon King drawled, head tilting to the side.

"Don't call me that." Iwaizumi growled.

With a cat-like yawn, Oikawa lazily stood. "Well, I suppose this is the part where we fight to the death? I must admit I've heard about your skills, and I hope you'll be at least a little entertaining for me."

Entertaining? Entertaining? Staring at this horrible, twisted version of Oikawa, a part of Iwaizumi's chest ached. "Oikawa," he began, voice dry, "why? Why did you deceive me, all of those years?"

The Demon waltzed down the steps leading to his throne, as though knights breaking into his castle to kill him was a daily occurrence.

"Because I was foolish. I was a silly child with grand delusions of the World, Iwa-chan. But don't fret, I now see you as the filthy animal that you are. Humans are so similar in structure to Demons, don't you think? Except they're a lesser version, weaker. Unfortunately, there just isn't room on this planet for the both of us, you know?"

"Is that your excuse for killing innocent people?!" Iwaizumi shouted, taking a defensive stance and brandishing his sword, "don't you feel anything for what you've done?" If you're the boy I knew, you do.

The Demon laughed.

"Do you feel any remorse for killing cattle? Because that's all you humans are to me. Cattle." He spat the last word out with malice.

With a war cry, Iwaizumi charged forward. Black magic shot towards him, but he dove to the side and kept running.

"Aw, you think you can kill me? How cute, Iwa-chan,"

The Demon's taunts bounced in his mind as Iwaizumi took his first swing. A wall of blue magic rebounded the strike, saving Oikawa from a blow to his arm. Oikawa tsked, "now that was a weak hit, it wouldn't have done me in! Come on, Iwa-chan, are you really serious about this?"

"Shut up!" He tried again, only to be deflected. Oikawa smiled.

"Now that's more like it. Keep it up, I want to see everything that you've got!"

As they danced around one another, Iwaizumi's rage grew. Ten years. Ten years he'd let this monster into his house. They'd done everything together.

In the split second that Oikawa took to recover his magic, Iwaizumi barreled into him, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Iwaizumi landed on top, straddling the other's waist and using his free hand to hold Oikawa's above his head.

Iwaizumi stared long and hard into those unfeeling eyes, searching for even a glimmer of the person he once knew. Of the soul that was once intertwined with his own. A lump rose in his throat, and he managed to choke out,

"Did you ever love me?"

Those eyes that had turned red shone with animosity and malevolence.

"I hate you." Oikawa spat, each syllable dripping with venom.

Ah. Iwaizumi lifted his sword. A million of the memories they'd made together flashed rapidly through his mind, but he tightened his grip. This is it. Today, I put an end to this monster.

As the sword came driving forward, Oikawa closed his eyes.

---

"Oikawa. I know you're still... settling in, but I've received another prophecy that will be of interest to you."

Oikawa turned from his balcony, voice bouncing off the stone walls. "Oh? Is it about me?"

Kuroo stepped into the new Demon King's quarters, shaking his head. "No, it is about Iwaizumi Hajime."

Oikawa's eyes lit, and his breath caught. "Well? Go on,"

"Iwaizumi will be the one who brings peace, but first he must seek vengeance before he can find that peace within himself."

Oikawa's lips parted in an 'o'. "Ah, I see. So I've... gotta become the monster for him to slay, right?"

Kuroo nodded, "in doing so, you'll be the one who allows for this peace to happen, by allowing him to kill you, thus, fulfilling your own prophecy. You must become the tyrannt Demon King- merciless and ruthless, and Iwaizumi will come to slay you. You will live a short life, but your death will bring peace."

Many months later, as his hands grew bloodier and his horns seemed to twist more and more, Oikawa confronted Kuroo again. He could... he could sense it- his death was soon coming.

"Kuroo." he started, voice uncharacteristically soft, "when all of this is over, you aren't to tell Iwaizumi about the prophecies. Not a single word. I don't want Iwa-chan to live with any guilt because of me, I want him to believe himself the Hero that he is. I can't... I can't bear to burden him any further. Okay?"

---

Here it comes. He wasn't ready. His body shook.

He didn't want to die.

But he had to. This was the path he'd chosen, and he wasn't backing out now.

I hate you. God, how it had broken his heart to say those words. Well, whatever heart he had left after the acts he'd committed. But they were necessary. Soon, soon the world would again be at peace. But first he, the monster, had to be slain.

I don't want to die.

And the worst part of it all, he'll never know how I truly feel.

With his final breath, he thought what he could never say.

I love you, Iwaizumi Hajime.

---

Iwaizumi dragged the body of the Demon King across the throne room, just as the doors burst open.

"Iwaizumi-san- you, you did it!" Hinata cheered, shaking Kageyama. Kenma filed in after them, along with Aone in the back. But Iwaizumi couldn't hear them, they were all but white noise against the sound of his own deafening thoughts.

He killed him. Oikawa was gone. Forever. The knight's silly illusions of talking things through, of saving his best friend had burned to ashes here inside this castle. Because Oikawa Tooru had been beyond saving, and he was no longer the boy Iwaizumi once believed him to be. He was a Demon. A Demon who'd committed atrocious acts against Humanity, and a Demon who deserved to die today.

Still, as he stared down at the lifeless body of his closest friend, Iwaizumi wondered what had started this war in the first place. Had it been Demons or Humans who'd made the first move? It doesn't matter anymore, a voice in his head reasoned, too much bloodshed has already been sacrificed. Need no more.

He couldn't avenge his parents. But, perhaps he could save some poor child from having to go through what he did. The tyrant Demon King was gone, so perhaps now the Demons could see reason.

He would find a peaceful solution.

Iwaizumi Hajime left the castle a hero.

---

Kuroo Tetsurou knew that Oikawa, whether he was in Hell, or whatever kind of afterlife existed for Demons, if there even was one, would not approve of this. He specifically told Kuroo that he was to stay far away from Iwaizumi Hajime, and to never disclose any information regarding the prophecies.

"I want him to be a hero. He doesn't deserve to guilt over me."

But, Kuroo didn't plan on bringing up the prophecies. He just wanted to give Oikawa's soul a good place to rest.

Oikawa's body was burned at a stake outside of his castle, signifying the end of his reign, and the end of the gruesome war. The heroes were quick to leave, eager to begin negotiations post-war. Once the courtyard had cleared out, and the sun dipped below the horizon, Kuroo waltzed out.

He knelt at the ashes, head bowed.

"You've fulfilled your prophecy, and brought peace to your people, as well as peace to the World. You have tainted yourself so that the bloodshed may end with you. Rest in peace."

A few days later, Kuroo traveled to the village where Oikawa had spent a decade of his life. In his arms, a simple, black urn. It was night, and the sky above was clear and twinkling. Kuroo trekked up the village's high point- a hill that was perfect for stargazing. He hummed a soft tune he recalled Oikawa singing on several occasions, a lullaby, as he dipped his fingers into the urn.

The ashes rained down onto the grass and wildflowers.

"Oi. What the hell are you doing?"

A hoarse, cracked voice interrupted.

Kuroo lifted his gaze. Iwaizumi Hajime, the Honorable Knight and slayer of the Demon King. The man who brought peace to both Human and Demon kind. Kuroo gave a tired smirk, "what do you think, Iwa-chan?"

The nickname sparked anger in those green eyes, as Iwaizumi marched forward.

"He doesn't deserve to be here." he spat, eyes locked on Kuroo's.

"Oh? And who are you to dismiss the rights of the soul?" Kuroo kept calm, but his heart ached. You will never know how much Tooru did for you, for everyone. He loved you so much that even now he's forbidden me from speaking the truth.

"Oikawa's soul has no rights after what he's done. I'm not gonna let him taint my village."

"It was his village too, you know. For a whole decade. I think..." The Demon mulled over his words carefully, not wanting to impeach on his promise to Oikawa. "I think he was happiest here."

Iwaizumi's gaze softened before it hardened.

"Get out. Leave my village, right now."

Kuroo placed the cover back on the urn, and made for the forest.

I'm sorry, Oikawa. I tried.

The Great War ended with the death of the Demon King, of whom all the atrocious acts of the Demons were piled onto. The end of his reign promised a new beginning, and for the first time in over a thousand years, things were looking promising.

History was cruel and unforgiving to Oikawa Tooru.

The Demon King was the villain.

The knight was the hero.

And Iwaizumi Hajime would never know anything different.

END

#oikawa torū #iwaizumi hajime #iwaoi angst #iwaoi #haikyuu iwaoi #haikyuu angst #haikyuu final quest #haikyuu!!#tw violence #tw major character death #iwaoi fic

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iatraining · 4 months

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(((bad art))), (((stock image))), (((stock photo))), (((stock-photo))), ((bad fan art)), ((lazy art)), ((low quality)), (low efford), (rushed art), depressed, blue phase, immature, digimon, sonic, original character, OC, children, cartoon, stuffed animal, (((4chan))), (((twitter))), ((Tik Tok)), ((tiktok)), fascist, racist, Machiavellian, pepe the frog, blackface, dictated, controlled, dominated, uniform, medieval, religion, religious, holy, sacred, Russian, boring, monotone, normal, common, wrong distance, far away object in front of nearer object, (((out of frame))), ((watermark))),((signature)), striped, borders, white border, cutout, collage, incomplete word, cut off text, half letter, latent space, (((overexposed))), (((glow))), glare, lens flare, telescopic interference, low res, lowres, 3d render, (((underexposed))), ((dark)), blackness, dark background, black background, black rectangle, contour, monochrome, colorblind, green skin, ((long exposure time)), ((noisy)), (grainy), (dead pixel), (dusty), dirty, blurry, blur, smeared, fog, out of focus, high Depth of field, floating branch, floating rock, floating bush, floating tree, (((ugly))), (((bad composition))), (((bad proportions)), (((bad anatomy))), ((mangled)), ((distorted)), ((gross proportions), ((duplicate)), (((horrific))), ((mutated)), ((mutation)), (fisheye camera), wide angle camera, deformed, disfigured, morbid, long body, asymmetric, poorly drawn face, cloned face, cloned head, asymmetric ears, asymmetric ear rings, floating hair, (long neck), cross eyed, staring, stare, stare into the camera, look at the camera, blinking, winking, makeup, lipstick, eye liner, eyeliner, kitsch, bad art, bad taste, unnatural, staged, missing limb, missing arm, missing leg, floating limb, disconnected limb, extra limb, too many fingers, extra fingers, malformed limbs, malformed hands, poorly drawn hands, (mutated hands), (mutated fingers), mutilated hands, asymmetric butt, butthole, extra tail, missing tail,

#promptshare #negative #writing prompt #chatgpt #stable diffusion

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wolpertinger-prince · 11 months

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Alright, so I have these two Sgt. Frog OCs, and since I'm too lazy to draw them and I refuse to roleplay this franchise, like, ever again, here's a little one shot fic of them. Warning for OCxCanon... only for them to be established as exes. Lmao.

Kululu's animal-hypnotizing sonar was destroyed as soon as the grill of the speeding Jeep Wrangler made contact with it. Kululu and Tamara - who got in the way in attempt to use his Tamara Impact on the vehicle - were knocked unconscious and sent flying. Keroro, Giroro, and Dororo were frozen in fear as the Jeep stopped right in front of them.

How could a Pekoponian see them and their technology? The driver's seat door opened and out stepped a woman that looked to be in her thirties dressed in a t-shirt with some woman on it that said "P!nk Funhouse Tour", a tattered denim vest with different patches adorning it, cargo shorts, combat boots, and a baseball cap that read "Park Ranger". On her face was heavy eyeliner and mascara. She looked down at the three aliens, crossed her arms, and narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing here, Keroro?"

"Kero!" Keroro's eyes widened. He didn't recognize the human, but… "That voice!"

The woman let out an irritated grunt and suddenly she was glowing, shrinking until she was just the same size as Keroro. In her place stood a teal Keronian, still wearing her patch-filled denim vest and donning mascara, as well as a brown hat with the symbol of a claw on its center, matching the symbol on her stomach. Keroro started to visibly relax at the sight of this familiar face.

"Unriri! Wow, you look great," Keroro commented, eying the other up and down. "I am loving this punk rock look on you. It's really cute."

"Keroro! She just ruined our plan and hit two of your soldiers," Giroro barked, it taking everything in him to resist grabbing the smitten Keroro and shaking him. "Don't get distracted just because you dated her once!"

Unriri, just as annoyed and unimpressed as the corporal, ignored Keroro, still crossing her arms.

"Hey, Zeroro. How've you been?" she asked, turning her glance towards the lance corporal.

"What? Um, hello? Unriri?" Keroro sputtered, unused to being ignored.

"It's actually Dororo now," Dororo replied, stepping closer to offer an extended hand. "It's good to see you, Unriri."

"Good to see you, too," Unriri replied, shaking Dororo's offered hand. "You look well."

"Unriri? Hello?"

Before Keroro could continue vying for the teal Keronian's attention, a towering white wolf burst out of the bushes, holding… groceries. It was holding grocery bags in its mouth. Keroro and Giroro grabbed each other, screaming in terror of the creature.

"Who's your friend?" asked Dororo, calmly.

As the wolf put the bags of groceries down, it started to become enveloped in a white light just as Unriri's human glamor was. Once the light faded, in the wolf's place was a white Keronian… At least, she seemed to be Keronian. She had a wolf-like tail that matched the rest of her off-white body and ears on her head as well. Claws extended from her fingers and she had fangs sticking out of her mouth. Otherwise, she seemed Keronian, with a blue wolf-shaped symbol on her belly.

"Unriri, my hunt was successful," she said as she handed the bags to Unriri.

"Heeey, you found Irish truffle ice cream this time," an impressed Unriri commented as she looked through the bags.

The white Keronian leaned in towards Unriri and the teal Keronian pecked a kiss on her cheek. This made Keroro visibly stiff.

"Dororo, Giroro…. Keroro," Unriri acknowledged. "This is Okmimi, my partner."

"Uhh, I'm sorry, what are you?" Keroro asked after Giroro shoved him off, pointing to Okmimi. "Like, with the ears and tail and everything… Are you some kind of mutant?"

"Tsk… Rude as always, Keroro," Unriri sighed irritably, shaking her head.

"Nah, I'm just like this," Okmimi answered rather innocently.

"Anyway, this preserve is private property," Unriri continued, putting her arm around Okmimi. "No hunting allowed and definitely no… whatever you were trying to do with that sonar thing."

Keroro was seething at the sight of his former girlfriend and Okmimi being so affectionate with each other.

"It's for the invasion of Pekopon," Giroro retorted.

"Yeah! Speaking of, shouldn't you be assisting in the galaxy-wide conquest of Keron or something?" Keroro asked, trying not to look so visibly shaken.

"I dropped out of the military to become a planetary biologist," Unriri explained. "Not that you would know, Keroro, but I've always had an interest in life on other planets."

"She's even got patches of different creatures she's studied on other planets!"

Okmimi gestured to the patches on Unriri's vest, and upon closer inspection, they all represented a different creature. Each one looked more alien than the last. Keroro crossed his arms, noticing how one of the patches presented a wolf.

"I do so know that you like studying life," Keroro almost growled. "I just… didn't like hearing about how a nyororo could suck the moisture out of me."

Keroro shuddered. Unriri rolled her eyes.

"Okmimi and I work here as of our temporary stay on this planet. It helps me with my studies," Unriri continued to explain. "I'm not forsaking my job for your invasion, especially if it harms the animals."

"Come on, can't you let one little bout of hypnosis slide?" Keroro coaxed. "If not for the invasion, for an old flame?"

"No," Unriri said firmly. "Especially not for an 'old flame' as selfish as you."

Keroro squeaked, while Giroro and Dororo just shook their heads.

"Nothing about her response surprises me," Dororo uttered.

"I'm with you there."

Okmimi glanced at Keroro curiously, then to Unriri, and back to Keroro.

"This isn't the same guy that trashed your apartment when you were still training for the military, is it, Unriri?" she asked.

"Sadly it is," Unriri replied, nodding. "Had all these wants and… desires that I'd only ever see reciprocated on my birthday, if at all. I was an accessory to him."

"I do recall him showing you off often," Dororo commented. "Without letting you get a word in edgewise."

"Alright, alright!" Keroro flailed his arms childishly. "If I was so bad, what does your new puppy bring to the table?"

"I do the hunting!" Okmimi set her claws on her hips and puffed out her chest proudly. "And I protect our den!"

"She does her equal share of chores, which is already more than I can say for you," Unriri sighed, letting the white Keronian lean her head on her shoulder. "She's loyal, trustworthy, fiercely affectionate, she listens, and makes me laugh."

"I used to make you laugh," Keroro uttered lamentably.

"Let it go, Keroro," Giroro said, putting a hand on Keroro's shoulder. "Right now we need to recoup and find Kululu and Tamama. We don't have time for high school drama."

"Hmph, guess you're right." Keroro turned around, his face suddenly forebodingly dark. "Guess we'll have to… try another plan."

Unriri, all too familiar with that ominous look, sighed irritably while Keroro and the others started to leave. Dororo gave her and Okmimi a friendly wave before he turned away. Unriri waved back.

"Don't come back," Unriri called dully, knowing her request was probably falling on deaf ears.

Okmimi stood stiffly, tail raised and ears forward while her amber eyes locked onto the departing crew. She gave a low growl.

"Leave it," Unriri ordered.

#my writing #sgt frog #oc talk #oc x oc #keroro #giroro #dororo #this isnt my best writing but...#i know none of my followers Go Here but i hope someone gets enjoyment out of this anywah #keroro gunso

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ecoamerica · 2 months

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Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

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jikyuz · 4 years

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hello there!!! i just found your blog and i wanted to say i really love it :p you’re doing amazing and i am very grateful for the content you put out :] can i request doyoung with #14 from the physical affection prompt to with yoshi with #25? either is fine if you do end up writing it :> thank you for working hard <3

thank you so much for this message sweetheart i rlly rlly appreciate it <333 and as i haven’t written for yoshi yet i decided to do his prompt! (but if you would like the doyoung one written as well just send another ask ^_^) i hope you like it <3 - bee

kanemoto yoshinori ♡ 25. playfully biting someone

7:02pm ♡ “ready or not here i come!” yoshi yelled from the middle of the playground. he started turning around in all directions, trying to find someone that wasn’t hiding very well but it seemed impossible to see with the darkness settling over him.

the sun had already set when you and the boys decided to play a fun game of hide and seek at the playground down the road from your apartment. yoshi was the unfortunate first seeker and he stood counting while the rest of you scattered throughout the impressively large plot of land.

you were mere feet from your boyfriend, crouching in the grass underneath one of the huge slides. from an outsider’s perspective, you probably looked like a frog ready to pounce on a helpless bug. but you retreated farther back into the small crevice when you heard yoshi approaching.

“jihoon! jeongwoo! y/n!” he called out as if you would answer him. it was light enough that you could make out his silhouette in the distance, peeking behind trees and bushes, looking for everyone.

his voice trailed off until there was complete silence, but you could still see his bright blue jacket bobbing in and out of the trees. instead of getting out of your hiding space, you made yourself more comfortable by walking out a bit and letting your neck straighten out. it wasn’t worth neck pain to be completely hidden.

as you looked around, you realized you couldn’t see yoshi anymore, his silhouette now gone. you looked around, trying to find him in the darkness. with your eyes now slightly adjusted you could make out one person hiding behind a tree but you were sure that wasn’t yoshi.

“ha! gotcha!” a voice erupted from behind you, arms wrapping around your middle. smiling, you decided to try and run away so you grabbed yoshi’s arm, bringing it up to your mouth and biting softly, trying to get him to release you.

“i already caught you, darling. you can’t get away from me that easily.” yoshi remarked, tightening his grip on your waist and bring his mouth down to the junction of your neck and shoulder, the only place he could reach. his teeth grazed your skin for a moment before he pulled back with a small chuckle

you gasped, suppressing a small moan and turning around in yoshi’s embrace. when your eyes locked, yoshi’s hands traveled to your waist, pulling you against him even more.

“caught you, darling.” yoshi whispered, eyes trailing down to your lips before leaning forward and pressing his lips to yours. you kissed back, tilting your head slightly to deepen it. your hands moved to yoshi’s shoulders and you felt his tongue graze your bottom lip.

before you could grant him access, you heard a loud laugh from right next to the slide you were still under.

“guess the game is over, yoshi is kinda distracted right now.” jihoon laughed and when you broke away from yoshi, you both stared wide-eyed at him before laughter broke out between you two. your faces were still burning slightly from embarrassment but you climbed out from your hiding spot, hand clasped in yoshi’s.

“so...” yoshi looked between you and jihoon, his cheeks still tinged pink. “how about jihoon is the new seeker?”

#this one kind of got away from me and got a little suggestive i'm sorry >_<#my first time writing for yoshi and i'm quite happy with it ^_^#i hope you like it!#treasure #yoshi #treasure scenarios #treasure blurbs #treasure imagines #treasure scenario #treasure blurb #treasure imagine #yoshi scenarios #yoshi blurbs #yoshi imagines #anon request #yoshi + 25 #anon #bee answers

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galbium · 3 years

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The full book title contains 3777 words and reads as follows: 'The historical development of the Heart i.e. from its formation from Annelida: Clam worm, Seamouse, Lugworm, Megascolex, Tubifex, Pheretima, Freshwater leech, marine leech, land leech. Arthropoda: Ladybird, Krill, Rock Barnacle, Root-headed Barnacle, Copepod, Silverfish, Cairns birdwing, Silver - spotted skipper, Scutigera, Cray fish, Large white, Andonis blue, Camberwell beauty, Tiger swallowtail, Regent skipper, Black – veined white, Green – underside blue, Blue Morpho, Apollo, Guava skipper, Cleopatra, Large copper, Millipede, Orb spider, Black widow spider, Giant crab spider, Wolf spider, Bird – eating spider, Tenebrionid beetle, Green Tiger beetle, African goliath beetle, Scolopendra, Diving beetle, African ground beetle, New guinea weevil, Barnacle, Lobster, Shrimp, Woodlice, Mite, Prawn, Housefly, Butterfly, Monarch butterfly, Peacock butterfly, Honey bee, Fairy shrimp, Horsehoe crab, Tick, Bluebootle, Froghopper, Yellow crazy ant, Water flea, Sea spider, Fiddler crab, Shiny spider crab, Hermit crab, Sail swallowtail, Red admiral, Morpho butterfly, Desert locust, Stephens island weta, Speckled bush cricket, Mole cricket, Dung – beetle, Euthalia ynipardus, Small blues, Termite, Hornet, Mosquito, Garden spider, Tarantula, Desert hairy scorpion, Emperor dragon – fly, Moth, Centipede, Wood ant, Stag beetle, Indian red admiral, Blue admiral, Harvestman, Hoverfly, Shield bug, Assassin bug, Cicada, Coreid bug, Rose aphid, Water – boatman, Wasp, June bug, Large tortoiseshell, Frog beetle, Mexican red – legged tarantula, Paintedlady, Sydney funnelweb spider, Small tortoiseshell, Mountain bumble bee, Trapdoor spider, Jumping spider, Daddy longlegs spider, Orchind bee, Asian carpenter bee, Parasitic bee, House spider, Giant longhorn beetle, Flea, Bedbug Beetle, Cockroach, Scorpion, Spider, Ant, Gnats, Grasshopper, Silver fish, Crab, Great green bush cricket, Elephant hawk – moth. Mollusca: Neomenia, Chaetoderma, Chiton, Lepidopleurus, Apple snail, Sea hare, Sea lemon, Dentalium, Freshwater mussel, Marine mussel, Pearl oyster, Cuttlefish, Giant squid, Chambered fish, Devilfish. Fishes or Pisces: African glass catfish, African lungfish, Aholehole, Airbreathing catfish, Alaska blackfish, Albacore, Alewife, Alfonsino, Algae eater, Alligatorfish, Alligator gar, Amberjack - Seriola dumerili, American sole, Amur pike, Anchovy, Anemonefish, Angelfish, Angler, Angler catfish, Anglerfish, Antarctic cod, Antarctic icefish, Antenna codlet, Arapaima, Archerfish, Arctic char, Armored gurnard, Armored searobin, Armorhead, Armorhead catfish, Armoured catfish, Arowana, Arrowtooth eel, Asian carps, Asiatic glassfish, Atka mackerel, Atlantic Bonito (Sarda sarda), Atlantic cod, Atlantic herring, Atlantic salmon, Atlantic Sharpnose Shark - Rhizoprioltodon terraenovae, Atlantic saury, Atlantic silverside, Australasian salmon, Australian grayling, Australian herring, Australian lungfish, Australian prowfish, Ayu, Baikal oilfish, Bala shark, Ballan wrasse, Bamboo shark, Banded killifish, Bandfish, Banjo, Bangus, Banjo catfish, Bank Sea Bass, Barb, Barbel, Barbeled dragonfish, Barbeled houndshark, Barbel-less catfish, Barfish, Barracuda, Barracudina, Barramundi, Barred danio, Barreleye, Basking shark, Bass, Basslet, Batfish, Bat ray, Beachsalmon, Beaked salmon, Beaked sandfish, Beardfish, Beluga sturgeon, Bengal danio, Betta, Bichir, Bicolor goat fish, Bigeye, , Bighead carp, Bigmouth buffalo, Bigscale, Billfish, Bitterling, Black angelfish, Black bass, Black dragonfish, Blackchin, Blackfin Tuna - Thunnus atlanticus, Blackfish, Black neon tetra, Blacktip reef shark, Black mackerel, Black scalyfin, Black sea bass, Black scabbardfish, Black swallower, Black tetra, Black triggerfish, Bank Sea Bass aka Yellow Sea Bass - Centropristis ocyurus, Bleak, Blenny, Blind goby, Blind shark, Blobfish, Blueline Tilefish, Blowfish, Blue catfish, Blue danio, Blue-redstripe danio, Blueline Tilefish , Blue eye, Bluefin tuna, Bluefish, Bluegill, Blue gourami, Blue shark, Blue triggerfish, Blue whiting, Bluntnose knifefish, Bluntnose minnow, Boafish, Boarfish, Bobtail snipe eel, Bocaccio, Boga, Bombay duck, Bonefish, Bonito, Bonnetmouth, Bonytail chub, Bronze corydoras, Bonytongue, Bowfin, Boxfish, Bramble shark, Bream, Brill, Bristlemouth, Bristlenose catfish, Broadband dogfish, Brook lamprey, Brook trout, Brotula, Brown trout, Buffalo fish, Bullhead, Bullhead shark, Bull shark, Bull trout, Burbot, Bumblebee goby, Buri, Burma danio, Burrowing goby, Butterfish, Butterfly ray, Butterflyfish, California flyingfish, California halibut, Canary rockfish, Candiru, Candlefish, Capelin, Cardinalfish, Cardinal tetra, Carp, Carpetshark, Carpsucker, Catalufa, Catfish, Catla, Cat shark, Cavefish, Celebes rainbowfish, Central mudminnow, Chain pickerel, Channel bass, Channel catfish, Char, Cherry salmon, Chimaera, Chinook salmon, Cherubfish, Chub, Chubsucker, Chum salmon, Cichlid, Cisco, Climbing catfish, Climbing gourami, Climbing perch, Clingfish, Clownfish, Clown loach, Clown triggerfish, Cobbler, Cobia, Cod, Codlet, Codling, Coelacanth, Coffinfish, Coho salmon, Coley, Collared carpetshark, Collared dogfish, Colorado squawfish, Combfish, Combtail gourami, Common carp, Common tunny, Conger eel, Convict blenny, Convict cichlid, Cookie-cutter shark, Coolie loach, Cornetfish, Cowfish, Cownose ray, Cow shark, Crappie, Creek chub, Crestfish, Crevice kelpfish, Croaker, Crocodile icefish, Crocodile shark, Crucian carp, Cuckoo wrasse, Cusk, Cusk-eel, Cutlassfish, Cutthroat eel, Cutthroat trout, Dab, Dace, Desert pupfish, Devario, Devil ray, Dhufish, Discus, Diver: New Zealand sand diver or long-finned sand diver, Dogfish, Dogfish shark, Dogteeth tetra, Dojo loach, Dolly Varden trout, Dolphin fish - Corypaena hippurus, Dorab, Dorado, Dory, Dottyback, Dragonet, Dragonfish, Dragon goby, Driftfish, Driftwood catfish, Drum, Duckbill, Duckbill eel, Dusky grouper, Dusky Shark - Carcharhinus obscurus, Dwarf gourami, Dwarf loach, Eagle ray, Earthworm eel, Eel, Eel cod, Eel-goby, Eelpout, Eeltail catfish, Elasmobranch, Electric catfish, Electric eel, Electric knifefish, Electric ray, Elephant fish, Elephantnose fish, Elver, Ember parrotfish, Emerald catfish, Emperor angelfish, Emperor bream, Escolar, Eucla cod, Eulachon, European chub, European eel, European flounder, European minnow, European perch, False brotula, False cat shark, False moray, Fangtooth, Fathead sculpin, Featherback, Fierasfer, Fire goby, Filefish, Finback cat shark, Fingerfish, Firefish, Flabby whale fish, Flagblenny, Flagfin, Flagfish, Flagtail, Flashlight fish, Flatfish, Flathead, Flathead catfish, Flier, Flounder, Flying gurnard, Flying fish, Footballfish, Forehead brooder, Four-eyed fish, French angelfish, Freshwater eel, Freshwater hatchetfish, Freshwater shark, Frigate mackerel, Frilled shark, Frogfish, Frogmouth catfish, Fusilier fish, Galjoen fis, Ganges shark, Geel, Garibaldi, Garpike, Ghost fish, Ghost flathead, Ghost knifefish, Ghost pipefish, Ghost shark, Ghoul, Giant danio, Giant gourami, Giant sea bass, Gibberfish, Gila trout, Gizzard shad, Glass catfish, Glassfish, Glass knifefish, Glowlight danio, Goatfish, Goblin shark, Goby, Golden dojo, Golden loach, Golden shiner, Golden trout, Goldeye, Goldfish, Gombessa, Goosefish, Gopher rockfish, Gourami, Grass carp, Graveldiver, Grayling, Gray mullet, Gray reef shark, Great white shark, Green swordtail, Greeneye, Greenling, Grenadier, Green spotted puffer, Ground shark, Grouper, Grunion, Grunt, Grunter, Grunt sculpin, Gudgeon, Guitarfish, Gulf menhaden, Gulper eel, Gulper, Gunnel, Guppy, Gurnard, Haddock, Hagfish, Hairtail, Hake, Halfbeak, Halfmoon, Halibut, Halosaur, Hamlet, Hammerhead shark, Hammerjaw, Handfish, Hardhead catfish, Harelip sucker, Hatchetfish, Hawkfish, Herring, Herring smelt, Hickory Shad, Horn shark, Horsefish, Houndshark, Huchen, Humuhumunukunukuapua'a, Hussar, Icefish, Ide, Ilisha, Inanga, Inconnu, Jack, Jackfish, Jack Dempsey, Japanese eel, Javelin, Jawfish, Jellynose fish, Jewelfish, Jewel tetra, Jewfish, John Dory, Kafue pike, Kahawai, Kaluga, Kanyu, Kelp perch, Kelpfish, Killifish, King of the herrings, Kingfish, King-of-the-salmon, Kissing gourami, Knifefish, Knifejaw, Koi, Kokanee, Kokopu, Kuhli loach, Labyrinth fish, Ladyfish, Lake chub, Lake trout, Lake whitefish, Lampfish, Lamprey, Lanternfish, Largemouth bass, Leaffish, Lefteye flounder, Lemon shark, Lemon sole, Lemon tetra, Lenok, Leopard danio, Lightfish, Limia, Lined sole, Ling, Ling cod, Lionfish, Livebearer, Lizardfish, Loach, Loach catfish, Loach goby, Loach minnow, Longfin, Longfin dragonfish, Longfin escolar, Longfin smelt, Long-finned char, Long-finned pike, Longjaw mudsucker, Longneck eel, Longnose chimaera, Longnose dace, Longnose lancetfish, Longnose sucker, Longnose whiptail catfish, Long-whiskered catfish, Loosejaw, Lost River sucker, Louvar, Loweye catfish, Luderick, Luminous hake, Lumpsucker, Lungfish, Mackerel, Mackerel shark, Madtom, Mahi-mahi, Mahseer, Mail-cheeked fish, Mako shark, Mandarinfish, Masu salmon, Medaka, Medusafish, Megamouth shark, Menhaden, Merluccid hake, Mexican golden trout, Midshipman fish, Milkfish,, Minnow, Minnow of the deep, Modoc sucker, Mojarra, Mola, Monkeyface prickleback, Monkfish, Mooneye, Moonfish, Moorish idol, Mora, Moray eel, Morid cod, Morwong, Moses sole, Mosquitofish, Mouthbrooder, Mozambique tilapia, Mrigal, Mud catfish (Mud cat), Mudfish, Mudminnow, Mud minnow, Mudskipper, Mudsucker, Mullet, Mummichog, Murray cod, Muskellunge, Mustache triggerfish, Mustard eel, Naked-back knifefish, Nase, Needlefish, Neon tetra, New World rivuline, New Zealand smelt, Nibble fish, Noodlefish, North American darter, North American freshwater catfish, North Pacific daggertooth, Northern anchovy, Northern clingfish, Northern lampfish, Northern pike, Northern sea robin, Northern squawfish, Northern stargazer, Notothen, Nurseryfish, Nurse shark, Oarfish, Ocean perch, Ocean sunfish, Oceanic whitetip shark, Oilfish, Oldwife, Old World knifefish, Olive flounder, Opah, Opaleye, Orange roughy, Orangespine unicorn fish, Orangestriped triggerfish, Orbicular batfish, Orbicular velvetfish, Oregon chub, Orfe, Oriental loach, Oscar, Owens pupfish, Pacific albacore, Pacific cod, Pacific hake, Pacific herring, Pacific lamprey, Pacific salmo, Pacific saury, Pacific trout, Pacific viperfish, Paddlefish, Pancake batfish, Panga, Paradise fish, Parasitic catfish, Parore, Parrotfish, Peacock flounder, Peamouth, Pearleye, Pearlfish, Pearl danio, Pearl perch, Pelagic cod, Pelican eel, Pelican gulper, Pencil catfish, Pencilfish, Pencilsmelt, Peppered corydoras, Perch, Peters' elephantnose fish, Pickerel, Pigfish, Pike conger, Pike eel, Pike, Pikeblenny, Pikeperch, Pilchard, Pilot fish, Pineapplefish, Pineconefish, Pink salmon, Píntano, Pipefish, Piranha, Pirarucu, Pirate perch, Plaice, Platy, Platyfish, Pleco, Plownose chimaera, Poacher, Pollock, Pomfret, Pompano dolphinfish, Ponyfish, Popeye catalufa, Porbeagle shark, Porcupinefish, Porgy, Port Jackson shark, Powen, Prickleback, Pricklefish, Prickly shark, Prowfish, Pufferfish, Pumpkinseed, Pupfish, Pygmy sunfish, Queen danio, Queen parrotfish, Queen triggerfish, Quillback, Quillfish, Rabbitfish, Raccoon butterfly fish, Ragfish, Rainbow trout, Rainbowfish, Rasbora, Ratfish, Rattail, Ray, Razorback sucker, Razorfish, Red Grouper, Red salmon, Red snapper, Redfin perch, Redfish, Redhorse sucker, Redlip blenny, Redmouth whalefish, Redtooth triggerfish, Red velvetfish, Red whalefish, Reedfish, Reef triggerfish, Remora, Requiem shark, Ribbon eel, Ribbon sawtail fish, Ribbonfish, Rice eel, Ricefish, Ridgehead, Riffle dace, Righteye flounder, Rio Grande perch, River loach, River shark, River stingray, Rivuline, Roach, Roanoke bass, Rock bass, Rock beauty, Rock cod, Rocket danio, Rockfish, Rockling, Rockweed gunnel, Rohu, Ronquil, Roosterfish, Ropefish, Rough scad, Rough sculpin, Roughy, Roundhead, Round herring, Round stingray, Round whitefish, Rudd, Rudderfish, Ruffe, Russian sturgeon, Sábalo, Sabertooth, Saber-toothed blenny, Sabertooth fish, Sablefish, Sacramento blackfish, Sacramento splittail, Sailfin silverside, Sailfish, Salamanderfish, Salmon, Salmon shark, Sandbar shark, Sandburrower, Sand dab, Sand diver, Sand eel, Sandfish, Sand goby, Sand knifefish, Sand lance, Sandperch, Sandroller, Sand stargazer, Sand tiger, Sand tilefish, Sandbar Shark - Carchathinus plumbeus, Sarcastic fringehead, Sardine, Sargassum fish, Sauger, Saury, Sawfishm, Saw shark, Sawtooth eel, Scabbard fish, Scaly dragonfish, Scat, Scissortail rasbora, Scorpionfish, Sculpin, Scup, Sea bass, Sea bream, Sea catfish, Sea chub, Sea devil, Sea dragon, Sea lamprey, Sea raven, Sea snail, Sea toad, Seahorse, Seamoth, Searobin, Sevan trout, Sergeant major, Shad, Shark, Sharksucker, Sharpnose puffer, Sheatfish, Sheepshead, Sheepshead minnow, Shiner, Shortnose chimaera, Shortnose sucker, Shovelnose sturgeon, Shrimpfish, Siamese fighting fish, Sillago, Silver carp, Silver dollar, Silver dory, Silver hake, Silverside, Silvertip tetra, Sind danio, Sixgill ray, Sixgill shark, Skate, Skilfish, Skipjack tuna, Slender mola, Slender snipe eel, Sleeper, Sleeper shark, Slickhead, Slimehead, Slimy mackerel, Slimy sculpin, Slipmouth, Smalleye squaretail, Smalltooth sawfish, Smelt, Smelt-whiting, Smooth dogfish, Snailfish, Snake eel, Snakehead, Snake mackerel, Snapper, Snipe eel, Snipefish, Snoek, Snook, Snubnose eel, Snubnose parasitic eel, Sockeye salmon, Soldierfish, Sole, South American darter, South American lungfish, Southern Dolly Varden, Southern flounder, Southern hake, Southern sandfish, Southern smelt, Spadefish, Spaghetti eel, Spanish mackerel, Spearfish, Speckled trout, Spiderfish, Spikefish, Spinefoot, Spiny basslet, Spiny dogfish, Spiny dwarf catfish, Spiny eel, Spinyfin, Splitfin, Spookfish, Spotted climbing perch, Spotted danio, Spottail Pinfish - Diplodus holbrooki, Sprat, Springfish, Squarehead catfish, Squaretail, Squawfish, Squeaker, Squirrelfish, Staghorn sculpin, Stargazer, Starry flounder, Steelhead, Stickleback, Stingfish, Stingray, Stonecat, Stonefish, Stoneroller minnow, Stream catfish, Striped bass, Striped burrfish, Sturgeon, Sucker, Suckermouth armored catfish, Summer flounder, Sundaland noodlefish,Sunfish, Surf sardine, Surfperch, Surgeonfish, Swallower, Swamp-eel, Swampfish, Sweeper, Swordfish, Swordtail, Tadpole cod, Tadpole fish, Tailor, Taimen, Tang, Tapetail, Tarpon, Tarwhine, Telescopefish, Temperate bass, Temperate perch, Tenpounder, Tenuis, Tetra, Thorny catfish, Thornfish, Threadfin, Threadfin bream, Thread-tail, Three spot gourami, Threespine stickleback, Three-toothed puffer, Thresher shark, Tidewater goby, Tiger barb, Tigerperch, Tiger shark, Tiger shovelnose catfish, Tilapia, Tilefish, Titan triggerfish, Toadfish, Tommy ruff, Tompot blenny, Tonguefish, Tope, Topminnow, Torpedo, Torrent catfish, Torrent fish, Trahira, Treefish, Trevally, Triggerfish, Triplefin blenny, Triplespine, Tripletail, Tripod fish, Trout, Trout cod, Trout-perch, Trumpeter, Trumpetfish, Trunkfish, Tubeblenny, Tube-eye, Tube-snout, Tubeshoulder, Tui chub, Tuna, Turbot, Two spotted goby, Uaru, Unicorn fish, Upside-down catfish, Vanjaram, Velvet belly lanternshark, Velvet catfish, Velvetfish, Vermillion Snapper - Rhomboplites aurorubens, Vimba, Viperfish, Wahoo, Walking catfish, Wallago, Walleye, Walleye Pollock, Walu, Warmouth, Warty angler, Waryfish, Waspfish, Weasel shark, Weatherfish, Weever, Weeverfish, Wels catfish, Whale catfish, Whalefish, Whale shark, Whiff, Whitebait, White croaker, Whitefish, White marlin, White shark, Whitetip reef shark, Whiting, Wobbegong, Wolf-eel, Wolffish, Wolf-herring, Worm eel, Wormfish, Wrasse, Wrymouth, X-ray fish, Yellowback fusilier, Yellowbanded perch, Yellow bass, Yellowedge grouper (Hyporthodus flavolimbatus), Yellow-edged moray, Yellow-eye mullet, Yellowhead jawfish, Yellowfin croaker, Yellowfin cutthroat trout, Yellowfin grouper, Yellowfin Tuna - Thunnus albacares, Yellowfin pike, Yellowfin surgeonfish, Yellowfin tuna, Yellowmargin triggerfish, Yellow moray, Yellow perch, Yellowtail, Yellowtail amberjack, Yellowtail barracuda, Yellowtail clownfish, Yellowtail horse mackerel, Yellowtail kingfish, Yellowtail snapper, Yellow tang, Yellow weaver, Yellowtail catfish, Zander, Zebra bullhead shark, Zebra danio, Zebrafish, Zebra lionfish, Zebra loach, Zebra oto, Zebra pleco, Zebra shark, Zebra tilapia, Zebra turkeyfish, Ziege, Zingel. Amphibians: Frogs and Toads, Painted frogs, Disc tongued frogs, Fire Belly toads, Litter frogs, European Spadefoot toads, Parsley frogs, Tongueless frogs, Clawed frogs, Mexican Burrowing Toad, American spadefoot toads, Screeching frogs, True toads, Glass Frogs, Poison dart frogs, Ghost frogs, Shovelnose frogs, Tree frogs, Sedge frogs, Southern frogs, Narrow-mouthed frogs, Australian ground frogs, True frogs, Moss frogs, Seychelles frog, Giant Salamanders, Asiatic Salamanders, Mole Salamanders, Pacific giant salamanders, Amphiumas, Lungless salamanders, Mudpuppies and Waterdogs, Torrent salamanders, True salamanders and Newts, Sirens, Common caecilians, Fish caecilians, Beaked caecilians. Reptiles: Turtles, common snapping turtles and alligator snapping turtle, pond turtles and box turtles, tortoises, Asian river turtles and allies, pignose turtles, softshell turtles, river turtles, mud turtles, sea turtles, leatherback turtles, tuataras, scaled reptiles, agamas, chameleons, casquehead lizard, iguanas, Madagascar iguanids, collared and leopard lizards, horned lizards, anoles, wood lizards, Neotropical ground lizards, geckos, legless lizards, blind lizards, spinytail Lizards, plated lizards, spectacled lizards, whiptails and tegus, Lacertids, skinks, night lizards, glass lizards, American legless lizards, knob-scaled lizards, gila monsters, earless Monitor lizards, monitor lizards, worm Lizards, shorthead Worm Lizards, two-legged Worm Lizards, snakes, wart snakes, false coral snakes, dwarf pipe snakes, African burrowing asps, stiletto snakes, boas, anacondas, Old World sand boas, Mauritius snakes, Colubrids, typical snakes, Asian pipe snakes, cobras, coral snakes, mambas, sea snakes, Mexican pythons, pythons, dwarf boas, pipe snakes, shield-tailed snakes, vipers, pitvipers, Fae's viper, night adders, pitvipers, rattlesnakes, true vipers, sunbeam snakes, blind snakes, primitive blind snakes, slender blind snakes, thread snakes, blind snakes, typical blind snakes, Crocodiles, alligators, garials. Aves: Ostrich, rheas, cassowaries and emu, kiwis, elephant birds, upland moas, great moas, lesser moas, Tinamous, Australian brush turkey,megapodes, chachalacas, curassows, and guans, Guineafowl, pheasants and allies, New World quail, pheasants and relatives, mihirungs, screamers, magpie-goose, ducks, geese, and swans, grebes, swimming flamingos, flamingos, pigeons and doves, sandgrouse, mesites, Tawny frogmouth, Nightjars, oilbird, potoos, frogmouths, owlet-nightjars, treeswifts, swifts, hummingbird, cuckoos and relatives, turacos and relatives, bustards, hoatzin, cranes and allies, cranes, limpkin, trumpeters, rails and allies, adzebills, finfoots, flufftails, rails and relatives, thick-knees and allies, thick-knees and relatives, sheathbills, Magellanic plover, plover-like waders, golden plovers, ibisbill, oystercatchers, plovers and lapwings, jacana-like waders, painted snipes, Egyptian plover, jacanas, seedsnipes, plains-wanderer, sandpipers and relatives, buttonquail, gulls and allies, coursers and pratincoles, crab-plover, skuas and jaegers, auks and puffins, gulls, skimmers and terns, sunbittern, tropicbirds, penguins, albatrosses, austral storm petrels, northern storm petrels, petrels and relatives, White stork, storks, frigatebirds, boobies and gannets, darters, cormorants and shags, ibises and spoonbills, hamerkop, shoebill, pelicans, herons and relatives, New World vultures, secretarybird, osprey, hawks, eagles, buzzards, harriers, kites and Old World vultures, barn owls, true owls, mousebirds, cuckooroller, trogons and quetzals, hornbills, hoopoe, woodhoopoes, bee-eater, rollers, ground rollers, todies, motmots, Kingfisher, jacamars, puffbirds, African barbets, Asian barbets, toucans, toucan barbets, American barbets, woodpeckers, honeyguides, seriemas, falcons and relatives, kakapo, kea and kakas, cockatoos, African and American parrots, Australasian parrots, Pesquet's parrot, vasa parrots, Pitta cyanea, Lyrebird, New Zealand wrens, suboscines, Old World suboscines, sapayoa, Calyptomenid broadbills, pittas, broadbills, asities, New World suboscines, bronchophones, manakins, cotingas, sharpbills, royal flycatchers and allies, becards and tityras, spadebills, many-colored rush tyrants, mionectine flycatchers, tyrant flycatchers, tracheophones, crescent-chests, gnateaters, antbirds, antpittas, ground antbirds, ovenbirds, oscines, scrub-birds, lyrebirds, bowerbirds, Australasian treecreepers, Australasian wrens, bristlebirds, gerygones and allies, honeyeaters and relatives, Australasian babblers, logrunners, quail-thrushes and jewel-babblers, cuckoo-shrikes, whitehead and allies, sittellas, wattled ploughbills, whipbirds and quail-thrushes, Australo-Papuan bellbirds, crested shriketits, painted berrypeckers, vireos and relatives, whistlers and relatives, Old World orioles, Boatbills, woodswallows and butcherbirds, mottled berryhunter, ioras, bristlehead, bushshrikes and relatives, wattle-eyes and batises, vangas , fantails, silktail, drongo fantail, drongos, blue-capped ifrits, Australian mudnesters, birds-of-paradise, monarch flycatchers, shrikes, jays and crows, berrypeckers, satinbirds, Australasian robins, stitchbird, wattlebirds, rockfowl, rock-jumpers, rail-babbler, fairy warblers, hyliotas, penduline tits, chickadees and true tits, Nicators, bearded reedling, larks, African warblers, cisticolas and relatives, marsh warblers, pygmy wren-babblers, grass warblers, Malagasy warblers, swallows and martins, bulbuls, leaf warblers, bush warblers , Bushtits, true warblers, parrotbills, fulvettas, white-eyes, babblers and relatives, fulvettas, ground babblers, laughing thrushes, kinglets, spotted wren-babblers, Hawaiian honeyeaters, silky-flycatchers, waxwings, Palmchat, hypocolius, wallcreeper, nuthatches, treecreepers, wrens, gnatcatchers, dippers, thrushes and relatives, flycatchers and relatives, oxpeckers, mockingbirds and thrashers, starlings and mynas , sugarbirds, dapplethroat and allies, flowerpeckers, sunbirds, fairy-bluebirds, leafbirds, olive warbler, accentors, pink-tailed bunting, weavers and relatives, whydahs and indigobirds, weaver finches, Old World sparrows, wagtails and pipits, finches and relatives, longspurs, snow buntings, rosy thrush-tanagers, Old World buntings and New World sparrows, American sparrows, palm-tanager and allies, New World blackbirds and New World orioles, Cuban warblers, wood warblers, cardinals, grosbeaks, and New World buntings, tanagers and relatives. MAMMALS: Rat, Bat, Horse, Standardbred, Throughbred, Saddlebred, Arab, Palomino, Australian stock, Appaloosa, Barb, Lippizaner, Mustang, American Shetland, Falabella, Percheron, Shire, Mule, Bullock, Setter, Oxen, Camel, Tiger, Lion, Hyaenas, Leopard, Bear, Cat, Dog, Sheep, Goat, Cow, Cob, Pig, Chamois, Bulldog, Borzoi, Loris, Longspur, Harvest mouse, Spiny – ant eater, Duck – billed platypus, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Tonkinese, Ragdoll, Margay, Tapir, Seal, Sea lion, Walrus, Dolphin, Bactrian camel, Arabian camel, Bushbaby, Burmese cat, Whale, Porpoise, Aardvark, Ape, Monkey, Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Flying Lemur, Hare, Pika, Macaque, Rabbit, Colobus, Antelope, Caribou, Cattle, Deer, Grizzly bear, Hyrax, Armadillo, Porcupine, Hedgehog, Arctic hare, Mole, Shrew, Beaver, Asian black bear, Polar bear, Sloth bear, Spectacled bear, Mouse, Squirrel, Dugong, Moose, Fallow deer, Reindeer, Red deer, Manatee, Egyptian Mau, Scottish fold, Himalayan, Birman, Red squirrel, Hippopotamus, Weasel, Whale, Wither, Blue whale, Sperm whale, Killer whale, Wallaby, Beluga, Baird’s beaked whale, Grey whale, Bryde’s whale, Pygmy right whale, Southern right whale, Seal, Ape, Indri, Aye – aye, Alaskan Malamute, Dobermann, Beagle, Kinkajou, Afgan Hound, Rough Collie, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Sheepdog, Pointer, Poddle, Weimaraner, Bloodhound, Zebra, Giraffe, Yak, Arctic fox, Polecat, Golden Retriever, Kerry Blue, Prairie dog, Airedale, German spitz, Pekingese, Otter, Shih Tzu, Proboscis monkey, Orang – utan, Red Howler monkey, Spider monkey, Sloth, Koala, Pangolin, Mustelid, Mongoose, Guinea pig, Malayan Porcupine, Naked Mole rat, Capybara, Pallid Gerbil, Brown rat, Somali, Ocicat, Balinese, Bengal, Cymric, Chartreux, Devon Rex, Turkish Angora, Russian Blue, Yellow – necked woodmouse, Hamster, Grey squirrel, Chipmunk, Fox, Blue Longhair, Chinese Pangolin, Blue – cream shorthair, Tortoiseshell and white shorthair, Brown spotted shorthair, Red and white Japanese bobtail, Javanese, Red Persian Longhair, Brown classic tabby maine coon, Lilac angora, Seal point Siamese, Brown and white sphinx, Red classic tabby manx, Vampire bat, Proboscis bat, Franquet’s fruit bat, Bengal Tiger, Horseshoe bat, Noctule bat, Funnel - eared bat, Blue exotic, Foreign lilac oriental shorthair, Boxer, Bay, Cream point colour pointed british shorthair, Abyssinian, Cinnamon silver Cornish rex, Wolverine, Skunk, Human being, Pine marten, Stoat, Chocolate point longhair, Husky, Ant eater, Kangaroo, Gray Mouse Lemur, Musk oxen, Raccoon dogrie, Pasnda, Bouto, Pembroke Welsh corgi, Whippet, Whisker, Indus river dolphin, Franciscana, Sorrel, Finless porpoise, Jerboa, Harbour porpoise, Bottlenose dolphin, Border Collie, Diana Monkey, White – beaked dolphin, Atlantic white – sided dolphin, Bobcat, Alpaca, Aberdeen angus, Lynx, Pacific white – sided dolphin, Rhesus monkey, Irish wolfhound, Baboon, Slivery marmoset, Puma, Ocelot, Norwegian Forest Cat, Basenji, Keeshond, Akita, Samoyed, Briard, Brittaney, Vizsla, Weimaraner, Saluki, Greyhound, Rottweiler, Bullmastiff, Newfoundland, Puli, Bombay, Sphynx, Kangaroo rat, Humpback whale, Red panda, Maltese, Pug, Chihuahua, Papillon, Pomeranian, Schipperke, Aardwolve, Cheetah, Civet, Red – Bellied Lemur, Moustache, Monkey, Yorkshire terrier, German shepherd, Clumber spaniel, Bouvier des Flandres, Belgian sheepdog, Boston terrier, Italian greyhound, Chesapeake Bay retriever, Genet, Musk deer, Bichon fries, Rock Hyrax, Pony, Mink, Mammoth, Mastodon, Giant sloth, Llama, African Elephant, DeBrazza’s Monkey, Siberian Tiger, Hackney Pony, Bonnet Monkey, German wirehaired pointer, Ferret, Jaguar, Dalmatian, Red Bengal Tiger, Badger, Shunk, Skye terrier, Great dane, Grampus, Bandicoot, Wolf, Marmot, Squirrel monkey, Sable, Minke whale, Spectacle porpoise, Opossums, Airedale, Wombat. etc , Ramapithecus, Australopithecus bosei or Paranthropus bosei, Zinjanthopus bosei, Homo – erectus ( Java man, Peking man, Heidelberg man ), Homo – Sapiens ( Neanderthal man, Cro – Magnon man) to the modern humans with their development and structure of their Heart, their contributions to the formation of the modern humans. What is the origin of the heart? In which place the heart is situated? What is the weight of our (modern humans) heart? Can a person live without a heart? What is the function of the heart? How heart pumps blood to the body? What type of circulation takes place in the human heart? How big our human heart is? Why is our (modern humans) heart considered as the most developed in the world? Why does heart stop? What are heart sounds? What are the types of heart sounds? What causes the heart sounds heard with a stethoscope? What is the anatomy of the heart? Why heart is considered an important organ in the body? Why can’t people live if heartbeat stops? Where is heart located in? How many chambers are present in the heart? What is the number of heart beats per minute? What is the amount of blood pumped by heart? How much blood does the human heart pump in a lifetime? And Short notes on heart attack i.e. what is the definition of a heart attack? Why does a heart attack occur? What are the types of the heart attack? What happens if human get a heart attack? What are the symptoms of Heart attack? What are the causes of the Heart attack? What are the risk factors related to the Heart attack? What are the types of risk factors cause the Heart attack? What are the complications of a Heart attack? What types of diagnosis useful in detecting and treating a heart attack? What treatment is needed to treat heart attack patients? What are 5 strategies to be maintained after the heart attack? What to do after recovery from a heart attack? What is cardiac rehabilitation? Why cardiac rehabilitation is needed to heart attack patients? Does cardiac rehabilitation create positive effects? What are a lifestyle and home remedies are to be maintained? What type of coping and support should be given to heart attack patients? What are the immediate measures should be taken when you encounter an emergency of heart attack patient? What signs and symptoms list should be made to consult a doctor? What is a widow maker heart attack? What is the definition of a widowmaker heart attack? What are the symptoms of Widowmaker heart attack? What are the causes of Widowmaker heart attack? What are the risk factors related to Widowmaker heart attack? What are the complications of a widowmaker heart attack? What types of diagnosis useful in detecting and treating a widowmaker heart attack? What treatment is needed to treat heart attack patients? How to make over your lifestyle? What type of measures should be taken to stay away from a heart attack? What are 20 types of foods should be taken to keep your heart healthy? Solutions and answers of above questions, material and topics are included and cleared in this book.'

#longestbooktitle #word #vityalayethindra #thehistoricaldevelopmentoftheheart #books #read #novel #fact

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primrose-fr · 4 years

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Wildlife of the Scarred Wastes

Hey I put together a list of all wildlife found in Plague, for writing purposes. Because it's pretty unique from the rest of Sornieth. Thus can be a bit difficult to write for. It's also interesting to note that most of the creatures can be found in other locations too, I picture the varieties found in plague to be more...plague-y. I hope this is at least a good jumping off point for you writers/worldbuilders!

Includes little personal notes here and there about possible uses, ecology and real-life equivalents, and interesting notes from the items bio too.

Everything under the cut. Long post ahead

Meat:

Panther Anole (Small, fool hardy, easy prey for hatchlings) Plague Bat (Bat that carries plagues?? Probably a small snack for adults and a meal for hatchlings) Satin Mouse (Magically charged mice, might have been introduced from Arcane) Java Sparrow (Small songbird, Nutritious) Shrew (Small and mole like, cannot be tamed) Marsh Rabbit (Oily water repellent fur, probably like a softer beaver pelt. Decent meal. Probably farmed for fur) Dappled Clucker (Chickens whose females brutally fight over males. Probably farmed for meat) Steppes Box Turtle (known for it's shell pattern) Musk Scrapper (Like a brown skunk, stinks but apparently the meat is incredible.) Flecked Bushrunner (Type of quail. males race each other to impress females. Proabably a common type of wild game) Wood Duck (Probably a common type of wild game) Silver-Laced Rooster (There was a play about a rooster trying to woo a dragon. Ended poorly.) Arroyo Toad (Most dragons are immune to it's toxin but Mirrors are allergic to it.) Plantain Poacher (Type of squirrel monkey. Common pest that raids produce stores.) Bush Rat Wallaby (Probably a decent sized meal) False Podid (Decent meal, cousin to common podid, tastes best when roasted in the shell) White-Eared Hummingbird Coral Snake (VENOMOUS. Rear-fanged. But edible to dragons if eaten carefully. Snakes store their venom in the head area. Body meat is generally fine.) White Squirrel (Cannot jump, probably easy prey. Most likely is native to Ice) Tokay Gecko (DEADLY. Covered in a potent poison from head to toe. (Note: real tokay geckos are not poisonous, just massive bitey assholes)) Bleeding Heart Crow (Only Males have the "Bleeding Heart" coloration) Ferret (a treat for most dragons, might also be kept as pets and for hunting small game) Sugarglider (Common pest in sugarmelon crops. might also be kept as pets.) Bar-Headed Goose (Might be farmed for meat/feathers) Hellbender (Massive salamander (one of the largest species on earth!)) Emerald Striker (VENOMOUS. Emeralds contain the toxin) Silver Raccoon (Known to steal and hoard silver.) Green Iguana (apparently very friendly and probably common pets (Important Note: Real green iguanas are NOT friendly and want nothing more than to whip you to shreds. Make terrible pets!)) Bog Canary (Song is apparently horrible, but plumage is pretty, might be kept as pets (Note: the art depicts a budgerigar not a canary)) Golden Reefprince (Regal and golden, best served to someone you're trying to impress. Probably farmed and marketed in the same vein as Valentine Roses) Black Swan (Probably farmed for Meat/Feathers) Green-throated Skink (More confident then it's cousin, probably more common to see skittering around in daylight) Dustrat (Seen as vermin, a sign to clean your lair) Banded Dart Frog (POISONOUS. However NOT deadly. Instead it's hallucinagenic. Probably farmed as an legal and/or illegal narcotic. Probably a big market for them.) Collared Lemming (Probably has a local superstition about it staring into your soul and knowing all your secrets) Webwing Alpha ( might be farmed for meat or plumage. Or kept as familiars) Yellow-Throated Sparrowmouse (kept as Familiars. Plumage might be used in crafts) Basilisk (Direct eye contact can turn dragons to stone. Probably Hunted as Big/trophy game. Also Kept as familiars) Clown Charger (Skin is poisonous. Might be hunted as Trophy Game but not eaten. Also Kept as familiars) Parasitic Fungus (Has mind controlling fungus, however fungus rarely takes. Also Kept as familiars) Fungalhoof Qiriq (Leaves a trail of fungus where ever it goes, easy to track dangerous to hunt. Might be hunted as big/Trophy game or as possible rites of passage . Also Kept as familiars) Roving Lionsnake (Large dangerous ambush predators that stalk long grasses. Might be hunter for trophy game or possible rights of passage. Also kept as familiars) Murkbottom Gull (Common seabirds, most likely a common sight at waterways. Also kept as familiars) Giant White Toridae (Large! Has Myths and urban legends surrounding it. Probably hunted as Trophy game or even rites of passage. Also Kept as familiars.) Ultramel Amphithere (Amphithere displaying the "Ultramel" color morph. Probably popular pets. Also kept as familiars) Auburn Woolly Walrus (Hostile due to chronic pain. Probably Farmed for meat and fur while also being hunted as big/trophy game. Also kept as familiars.) Hooded Dodo (Completely blind despite three sets of eyes. Probably farmed for meat and feather. Also kept as familiars) Infestation Hound (Wild ones are ambush predators, baiting and eating scavengers. Probably Domesticated by plague clans and bred then raised as hunting partners and companions. Kept as familiars) Heartred Croaker (Meat is uniquely brown and green in coloration. Kept as familiars) Mossy Cerdae (Healing magic-less Unicorns. Population is rising exponentially. Probably hunted for meat/fur/horns. Kept as familiars) Hippojay (Might be farmed for meat or hunted as big/trophy game. Or kept as familiars) Bluetail Skira (Blue algea clings to their tail fur causing the blue coloration. Might be farmed for meat or hunted like big game. Or kept as familiars) Paddyfowl (Common predator to smaller amphibians, might be farmed for meat or plumage. Or kept as familiars) Moordwelling Trunker (Displays are a lot like jousting. Probably farmed for meat. Or kept as familiars) Glowing Pocket Mouse ( A light snack. Or kept as familiars) Grey River Flight ( Probably farmed for meat and water resistant hide. Or kept as familiars) Brown River Flight ( Probably farmed for meat and water resistant hide. Or kept as familiars) Bearded Pupowl (Actually a vertebrate! Amphibian and probably distantly related to salamanders. Kept as familiars)

Aquatic Life:

Crawdads Wetland Vampire (Leech) Glass Minnows (maybe kept in dragon aquaria?) Mussels Clown Shrimp Warmouth (A mid sized bass/perch-like fish, probably decent eating) Wave Skippers (Flying fish?) Sea Hare (Sea slugs) Sunset Sea Dragon Dumpling Squid (bio implies they’re eaten and dipped in sauce.) True Rainbow Trout Green Corydoras Catfish (tiny bottom dwelling catfish, maybe kept in dragon aquaria?) Golden Cushionfish (Pufferfish) Seabed Pincher (Hermit crab) Blackwater Jester (Appears to be a cardinal fish of some sort) SeaHeart (Some kinda urchin) Aether Hermit Black Maiden (type of Black Guppy, possibly poisonous? maybe kept in dragon aquaria?) Ruby Tetras (possibly a red version of the blackskirt tetra, maybe kept in dragon aquaria?) Blue Ring Octopus (DEADLY. Venom can straight up kill smaller dragons. Considered an accomplishment to catch and eat properly. Probably equivalent to Fugu.) Striped biter (Similar to a cat shark in appearance. Apparently very common.) Devilsnap (Apparently an oyster that bites back) Blue Dragon Seaslug Cobra Snakehead (mid-sized carnivorous fish) Nebula Floaters (Jellyfish of some sort, very sweet may cause tooth decay) Pond Slip (Come from dirty water, VERY important to clean) Cinnamon Loach (Popular gift among the seafood eating dragons, may also be kept in dragon aquaria?) Deviant Darter (Covered in pustules, looks plague-y) Giant Isopod Billy Bass (Breaks into song when taken out of the water, mid-sized fish probably decent eating) Discus (Popular, beautiful, and challenging to care for in irl aquaria. Possibly kept as decorative fish for the upper class in dragon aquaria) Four-Eyed Butterflyfish Pincushion Urchin Gaseous Megashrimp (Big, kept as familiars. this is speculation but depending on the size it may also be used as a seafood alternative to whole roasts like pig) Skittering Megashrimp (See above) Longjaw Lurefish (Based on the jawfish, probably much bigger. preys on birds) Glow Star (glowing starfish. Glow fades when it leaves the water. Might make good underwater decoration) Wave Sweeper (Patrols shallow waterway. Probably hunted for meat or ignored, Kept as familiars) Plantation Pincher (Considered a rampant pest on farmland.)

Insect Life:

Fungus Cutter (Large fungivore ants) Glade Swarmer (Builds large hives and defend it fiercely, disturbing it will end in either a feast or a healers visit) Crop Cutter (Pests that can devour entire fields. Plant eater hate them while others feast on them.) Maggot (common on the many festering corpses of the scarred wastes) Harlequin Ladybug (perform intricate aerial acrobatics, can be challenging for hatchlings to catch) Salt-Marsh Mosquito (Carry many diseases, numbers swell in summer) Tachinid Fly (Their carapace can be ground into tincture and tonics with restorative capabilities. Valuable. Probably farmed for medicinal purposes) Redwing Hopper (Spend most of their time gliding. low-flying dragons end up with face fulls of them.) Greenworm (Blends in well and challenging to find) Land Snail Rainbow Grasshopper (Taste terrible. seems to be a common prank to tell younger dragons that they taste like rainbows.) Tinder Bug (Tastes good if properly cooked, also effective tinder) Earwig Craftsman Brightback (Crafts intricate nests around spherical fruit, to which the fruit inside is eaten leaving behind the dried structure.) Redknee Tarantula Dusty Cicada (Collecting their shells and placing them in unexpected places around your den is considered a fun pastime) Millipede Wasteland Pauper (In an event known as the Blue Harvest vast numbers of this butterfly go migrating.) Stinglash (DEADLY. Aposematic. Skull pattern on it's head is a threat display. When stinger is removed however it's considered a delicacy) Shale Skitter (Pillbug relative. Completely flatten themselves when threatened) Parasitic Grub Red and Black Froghopper Fever Fly (Ingesting this fly is fine. being bitten by this fly leads to fevers and muscle spasms (dancing!)) Two-Tone June Beetle (Best served lightly toasted) Blackshield Cockroach (Fae use rocks to crack it's shell for eating.) Yellow Jumper (Deadly? Very tasty apparently) False Veneer Moth (Pattern on it's wings shines to distract predators) Yellowtail Caterpillar (Commonly eaten in piles with pepper sauce, cucumber, rice, and wrapped in seaweed) Orchid Beetle (Native to the Starwood Strand. gets its coloration from the plants it eats) Water Bug Catocala Moth (Cryptic patterning on wings) Giant Prickly Stick Insect (Has a hard time find mates due to effective camouflage) Autumn Pennant (Dragonfly. Scarce, only appears towards the end of autumn) Sugarbee (Feeds on sugarcane. Popular as sweet treats. might be treated like candy to insectivores) Firefly (Probably native to Fire. Has a crisp, crunchy texture with an extremely spicy flavor.) Dead Leaf Mantis (Feeds entirely on brain matter. (braaains)) Hydra Scorpion (It's said that cutting off it's tail grows two more in it's place. Probably large and treated like big/trophy game. Kept as familiars) Triple-Sight Firebug (Dragons closely bonded to this bug can use it's sight for short periods of time. Possibly used for rough reconnaissance. Kept as familiars) Tufted Leaf Beetle (Pests. A swarm of these beetles can devour a field overnight. Kept as familiars.) Tender Larail (Consumes all parts of a plant except seeds, which it carefully buries. Might be a Keystone species. Kept as familiars.) Spoiling Scorpio (Probably large and treated like big/trophy game. Kept as familiars)

Plant Life:

Highland Dryleaf (Hardy. Tastes awful. Plentiful) Marsh Choker (Named for it's choking pollen. probably grows in wetland areas.) Desert Scrub (Plentiful. Tastes like dirt) Diseased Fungus (Has a following that believe it tastes zestier than normal fungus. Probably cultivated or foraged for.) Carnaval Tulip (Pretty, often in bouquets. considered by plant eaters to be "edible arrangements" Probably cultivated for food and appearance) Crisp-leaf Amaranth (Seeds are edible and commonly eaten, while the leaves are eaten less commonly.) Wild Catsup (grows along cliff-sides in thin patches with bright red flowers. might also go well with wild mustard greens) Always-Autumn (Thistle. Blooms year-round with sun-dappled colors.) Canyon Ruffage (Staple for herbivorous animals and dragons alike, common in dry areas) Blood Acorn (Filled with nutrient rich nectar) Cinnamon (Probably cultivated for exportation in the spice trade) Chickweed (Used in herbal remedies to sooth itchy scales. Probably cultivated for medicinal purposes) Herbal Plantain (Leaves of this plant can be used as an effective anti-toxin. Probably cultivated for medicinal purposes) Peace Lily (Pretty and edible, it's petals are a favorite snack of peace doves. Probably cultivate for decoration and consumption.) Gryphon's Blood Sempervivum (Appears to be a type of succulent that grows in sandy red (clay rich?) earth near gryphon territory. does not actually use blood in cultivation.) Treasure Plant (Considered to bring good luck if kept in the lair. Possibly cultivated for decoration or as gifts.) Boxwood (Has a subtle flavor?) Winter's Delight (Sweet red berries that taste the best at the coldest point in winter, Most likely native to Ice) Bonebark Mold (Plentiful. grows on dead trees.) Ashfall Prickler (Nectar on the inside has a spicy flavor that oddly goes well with anything.) Honeycrisp Apple (Probably cultivated for food. Most likely food source to Craftsman Brightbacks) Turnip (Does not keep long and must be eaten immediately. Probably cultivated for food.) Wasteland Pear (Common. but finding an edible one is not.) Cindermint (crunchy texture with a fiery kick. Often dried and crumbled up to help accent desserts or teas. Probably cultivated for this reason.) Butcher's Fig (Fruit has a crimson coloration, juice stains the mouth for days.) Leechroot Mushroom (Parasitic fungus native to the Scarred Wastes. Pests. Targets healthy plants.) Green Plantain (Has a tart flavor and can be stored in cool places for long periods of time. Probably cultivated and exported to other flights.) Daffodil (Can be boiled, mashed, and used in stews. Blooms are also pretty. Probably cultivated for these reasons.) Grassland Grain (Easy to spot and filling meals. Great for foraging on the road.) Water Lilies Crimson Jadevine (Extremely rare. ground up to make war-paint. Might be cultivated for this purpose and might also be treated as sacred.) Sour Strawberry (It's a strawberry, but sour) Wilting Rose (Its a rose, but wilting) Pompom Mums (Vibrant, cheerful petals. Very attention getting to pollinators. might be used to attract pollinators to fields. Also useful for decorative purposes) Sand Creeper (Type of ivy that spreads prolifically over sand. Might be a good crop for those in barren wastelands.) All Seeing Shroom (Disgusting looking, covered in veins and tumors. Unknown if edible but can be traded as currency in select venues.) Ancient Mushroom (Rumored to aid with a dragons growth) Over-ripe Cherries (Cherries that ripen then go bad at a break-neck pace. Probably not cultivated.) Melon Marzal (Behaves like a normal plant until it matures in which it will become more animalistic. Weird. Kept as familiars)

???:

River Muck (Goopy. probably common in or near waterways. Probably a pest/hazard) Poultrygeist (Ghost?? Probably some kind of urban legend. Kept as familiars) Undying Featherback (Undead and requires magic to kill permanently. Probably a serious threat to plague clans. Can be kept as familiar) White Rot Deer (An older wood ear deer, not hunted nor eaten. Cultivated by dryads for protection. Also Kept as familiars) Sanguine Multimist (Sentient mist?? Probably has urban legends surrounding it. Kept as familiars.) Creeping Tendril (Animal like?? Shy, only moves when no one is looking. Kept as Familiars) Blue Vein Pansy (??? Uproots and moves itself to more optimal locations when required.) Ancient Fungus (Has a cracked, stone hard outer shell. Kept as familiars)

#my writing #reference #resource #flight rising #flight rising lore #fr #plague flight #fr plague #fr lore #long post #might not do ones for other flights unless I get like a specific request #if I missed any let me know!#Ecology of Sornieth

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salbidum · 3 years

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Garden log for today 4-14-21, and exhaustive list of what plants are at what stages.

Decided I couldn’t survive one more hour of my life without foundation plantings; haphazardly threw astilbe tubers into containers of potting soil, planted the aquilegia plants the native plants lady from Buy Nothing gave me (four of them in cement block holes - we’ll see how that goes), and then decided that since the dutchbulbs.com customer service is absolutely garbage and I can’t figure out how to send back the pink phlox they sent me by mistake instead of my fern mix, I may as well plant it too. I did try hacking a hole in the top of some of my hay bales and putting potting soil in them. I’m curious how that goes.

I also reviewed my garden log back to 2018, and wow, I guess in 2018 I also worked from home and basically only got out to the garden store. I put a lot of plants in the ground in 2018.

The back swamp has had the most successful remediation I’ve ever attempted: namely, I called our water utility and asked if there was a reason why that area was full of standing water a full week after any rain, when all the other vernal creeks were dry. There was. It was a leaky meter head. They fixed it. So there we go. (This did exile the single small frog living in a sinkhole full of poison ivy in that area, but the creek is 4 or 5 good-sized hops away, and living in chlorinated city water was probably bad for it anyway. It was absolutely still hopping and yelling in protest every time I walked by yesterday.)

As far as what is up in the back swamp area: the sweet vernal grass has seeded though the seed heads probably aren’t mature. The self-heal was the first thing to appear in the back area and has formed some impressive mounds. The sweetflag has flowered. The false hawksbeard is starting to flower, and the first dandelions (european not kriga) are in puff ball. There seems to be a single plant of blue-eyed grass up at the corner near the playground, and I’m keeping an eye on that in case it sets seed. Also blooming: tree verbena, black cherry, southern dewberry, and every damn pine in the damn state all at once.

The stilt grass, poison ivy, and virginia creeper are just beginning to emerge now. Wisteria on the ground is just now sprouting, but it’s in full bloom in the treetops.

The autumn olive/oleander is blooming some more (we have several types, all vaguely invasive, all absolutely loved by birds, so different sorts have been blooming for a month - the thorny olive first, I think). The yew honeysuckle is fruiting.

In my own garden, I’ve got the lilies, my one dwarf columbine, the star of bethlehem, and the blueberry bushes, ranunculus, and jacob’s ladder blooming right now, though the last three were bought this year as plants and so who knows if this is their normal blooming schedule. The painted fern has also emerged and leafed out over the last week. The dianthus are back for their fourth year. You will never believe this, but when you fertilize dianthus with fish emulsion and compost it does better than when you just leave it in hard clay ground for three years and wish it luck.

The first four sprouts of malabar spinach are up. Yes, I did not succeed in getting rid of it this year. It just grows so well with so little effort and then you can eat it. We also bought two cucumber plants and put them in the trough this week even though that’s just committing to a long ugly battle with powdery mildew.

Whatever I’m allergic to blooms about 4 p.m. every evening and stays in the air until the middle of the night. At least I know now that it sometimes goes away?

In the front, the chives and big dianthus are about to bloom. The cardinal flower is back up, the yarrow is taking over, the lantana is just barely struggling to start leafing out from the base, and there’s a fire ant hill in my thyme plant so that’s a thing I’m dealing with. My wife spent several weeks worrying that the oregano was dead and now it’s taken over a good part of the bed. The mint has been more subdued but it’s early yet.

I put a plant marker on my clover to try to see if I can keep it from getting mowed this year.

On the last invasive-plant note, besides that spring is depressing because you realize how much of the landscape is english ivy, invasive honeysuckle, oregon grape, and oleander over and over, I think the newly-appeared thing in our creek is vietnamese water parsley. I’m going to spend more time trying to identify it, and if it’s that then I’m psyched. It’s terribly invasive in our climate, but I also pulled some up and smelled it and it smells delicious. I feel like of all the ways to wipe out a plant, cooking and eating it usually works the fastest.

#season tracking #garden log

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earth-ambassador-jim · 4 years

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Lost Souls: Story 5

Breaking Point and a Step Forward

Summary: Merlin finally pushes Jim too far and Jim makes a friend.

~~~~

@twistedmashup I hear it was your birthday yesterday! So since I’m still blaming you for starting this AU: have a chapter!

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(Chapter warnings: Abuse and brief suicidal ideation)

AO3 - Fanfiction

~~~~

Eli watched with bated breath as the small green creepers swarmed up the side of the building like grotesque frogs. He couldn’t believe his luck. All his previous attempts to spot them had only captured images of blurs and distant blobs on his camera, but this…

Eli’s hands shook as he lifted leveled his phone and a snapped a picture. Unfortunately he had forgotten to turn off the shutter sound. The creatures stiffened and started looking around at the click. One of them started sniffing the air and moving in his direction. Eli quickly covered his mouth and ducked down behind the bush.

Stupid!

This was exactly the kind of amateur mistake that got people killed in horror movies.

A sniffing noise was getting rapidly closer. It was just on the other side of the bush. It paused and he heard a raspy murmur that wasn’t human or animal.

He should probably run.

Before he could formulate a plan any farther than that, something wrapped around his waist and he was airborne.

He let out a shriek and the night burst into a cacophony of noise as the creepers came pouring over the bushes.

Fortunately whatever was carrying him was staying well ahead of them. Eli managed to twist around enough to see what was holding him and squeaked.

It was a big blue creeper, one of the stone ones. It had tusks and horns and a glowing suit of armor.

The creeper tightened its grip on him and jumped. All the air left Eli’s lungs. He didn’t get a chance to even try to suck in a breath before they touched down on a tree branch and the creeper was leaping again.

Eli whimpered as they shot from one perch to the next, only pausing long enough for his rescuer… or kidnapper?... to gather itself for another leap.

By the time they finally stopped, he was feeling sick. Eli leaned over and retched, losing the whole of his dinner on the ground behind the dumpster they were crouching behind.

“Sorry,” A quiet rumbling voice said.

Eli jumped and then his eyes widened with surprise as he realized it was the creeper that had spoken.

“You can talk… I mean you know English?” Eli asked forgetting his fear in the excitement of new discovery.

The creeper blinked and leaned back slightly, nose wrinkling as it stared at him. It was actually surprisingly humanoid, now that he got a chance to get a good look at it. Almost in an uncanny valley way, but not quite.

“…yes,” It said finally. “Why wouldn’t I be able to?”

“I’ve only been able to get close enough to hear the green creepers before,” Eli exclaimed. He was talking to an actual creeper! This was so cool! “They aren’t able to talk far as I can tell.”

“Creepers? Do you mean the goblins?”

“Is that what they are?!”

The armored creeper stared at him, before shaking its head.

“Come on, you need to go home. It’s not safe here.”

“But… but I have so many questions.” Eli stared at it pleadingly.

The creeper eyed him again.

“I can answer some on the way to your house…”

~~~~

Jim wasn’t sure what to think of the strange teenager he rescued from the goblin pack.

Despite almost being eaten and despite Jim being some sort of half-human, half-troll, monster, the gangly black-haired human -Who had at some point introduced himself as Elijah Pepperjack (“but everyone calls me Eli”)- was positively glowing with enthusiasm as he peppered Jim with questions.

Bemusement at the entire situation caused Jim to answer far more of them than he was really supposed to.

Eventually they reached the human’s house.

“You have keys right?” Jim asked, because there wouldn’t be much point in rescuing him only to leave him trapped outside his home.

Eli nodded and then dug around in his pocket for a moment before producing the aforementioned keys.

“Good,” Jim said. He gave him what he hoped was a firm authoritative stare. “Please don’t go out in the dark. I might not always be in time to save you. Have a good night.”

Jim turned toward the bushes and bent his legs, preparing to leap into the nearest tree.

“Wait!”

Jim paused and glanced back.

“I… I um…” Eli stammered. “I was wondering if you wanted to stay and like watch a movie or something?”

The Trollhunter blinked, it was one thing to accept a walk home from a creature that had protected him but to invite a troll into his house? Did Elijah Pepperjack have no self-preservation instincts?

Jim should have said no then. He’d already interacted with the human far more than he should. He glanced toward the woods and then toward the house. His ears flicked. Why was he still hesitating?

“My mom’s not home, so no one will see you,” Eli continued, looking up at him with wide pleading brown eyes.

Meaning he wouldn’t be showing himself to any new humans.

Jim wavered. It had been years since he’d gotten to watch a movie or do any normal human things. Merlin was out, so he didn’t really have to worry about when he arrived back at the cave.

He tapped his fingers against his thigh. His armor clinked.

But Arcadia…

Arcadia would be fine for a little. He had been close enough to the end of his patrol to see that Eli had been the only human about outside right now.

“Sure,” He said slowly.

Yeah he could work with this. He was making sure that Eli, the only human crazy enough to wander Arcadia at night, was staying indoors. That was totally doing his job, right?

“Really?!”

Jim’s lips twitched into an involuntary smile. Eli looked like he had been he’d been given a trip to Santa’s workshop for Christmas and just found out it was the real deal.

“Yeah, just tonight.”

One night wouldn’t hurt anything.

~~~~

“So this is where you’ve been disappearing to.”

Jim froze.

Merlin was standing in the shadows of the tree with his arms folded. His lips were drawn into a thin line.

Immediately a wave of guilt washed over him. He had only meant to hang out with Eli once but then… well… He’d had fun and Eli had had fun and he’d been invited back… and it would have been rude to refuse so he’d agreed to meet again … and that second visit had turned into a third and a fourth and…

And now he was here.

“Are... are you mad at me?” Jim asked carefully.

Merlin sighed. He pressed the tips of his fingers to his forehead and rubbed them in circles like he had a headache.

“I’m not mad just disappointed.” He sounded it too.

Jim flinched, ears pressing down.

Merlin turned away.

“Come,” He said. “We’re going home.”

He disappeared far into the darkness of the woods and, after a quick glance back at the house behind him, Jim followed.

The walk back to the caves occurred in relative silence. Honestly Jim wished Merlin would just yell at him or something. As it was, the calm emotionless expression on his mentor’s face left him tense and anxious.

“You know what you’ve done wrong,” Merlin stated when they were back in their abode.

“Yes,” Jim said, hanging his head slightly. “I showed myself to a human.”

Merlin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“A simple slip up is one thing, but you repeatedly visited this human.”

“…But he already knows about me and is keeping it secret,” Jim said softly. “You’re always busy and I…” He hesitated. “It’s nice to have someone to spend time with.”

Merlin huffed.

“You have your training and Snip.” The cat in question opened an eye at the mention of her name. “If that isn’t enough you can always go to Trollmarket, I’m sure they can find you something to do.”

Jim’s ears pressed against the side of his head. There was certainly always something for him to do at Trollmarket, Bagdwella at least made sure of that, but they didn’t really like or trust him there. He remembered how they had first reacted to him and despite pretending otherwise he heard the whispers.

Abomination.

They had to test him with a gaggletack to make sure he wasn’t a changeling before they’d even allow him to roam free. He’d barely been able to hide his flinch when the iron horseshoe had burned his skin, causing his magic to buzz anxiously as it tried to make him shift but couldn’t since his normal form was halfway between his other two. The trainers he’d been assigned where nice enough but…

“It’s just nice to have someone my age…”

Merlin stood up. The metal feet on his chair shrieked as they grated on the stone floor. Jim flinched at the sound.

“Come,” He said sharply and the half-troll quickly obeyed.

Merlin led him to the large cave that served as their training room. Jim stood stiffly in front of the door as the wizard shuffled around in a pile of props.

“Hmm… Ah yes! Here it is.”

He pulled out a straw dummy and set it in the middle of the room.

“So you want to spend time with this… Elijah Pepperjack,” Merlin said. Jim twitched in surprise. How long had Merlin known about his visits to have found Eli’s full name? “I’ve warned you before that it’s too dangerous but it seems I should expect you to go against my advice anyway.”

Jim opened his mouth to protest but stopped when Merlin kept speaking.

“If you want to persist in this… this dalliance I suppose I can’t stop you, but I must make sure you know what you are getting into.”

He turned to the side and gestured.

“Let’s pretend that this training dummy is your human friend.”

Merlin raised his hand and Excalibur materialized in it. The lights of the crystals glinted off the blade and his armor casting motes of light on the floor.

“Defend him from me.”

“What?!”

“Come Trollhunter, show me how well you can protect someone.”

With that Merlin lunged with his sword toward the training dummy. Jim felt his adrenaline surge as he managed to just barely summon his armor in the nick of time. He threw Daylight, deflecting Excalibur and buying him enough time to get between Merlin and Eli… the training dummy.

The wizard didn’t wait for him to recover his sword and lunged forward slicing at Jim with rapid two-handed strokes. Jim was still somewhat off guard and couldn’t rally his concentration enough to resummon Daylight. He managed to call his shield and held it up to fend off the blows and tried to push Merlin back.

“Come,” Merlin snarled impatiently at him. “I’ve trained you better than this.”

Merlin caught the shield with one of his arm-blades. The next stoke of his sword hit the amulet. Jim staggered, disoriented, as the blue light flickered. Murmurs of distant voices whispered in his ears and his armor vanished. Merlin took advantage and dealt a fast two handed stroke against him. He cried out as it cut into his arm.

Excalibur’s magic burned and Jim dropped to his knees clutching at the wound with a pained snarl.

Too late he recognized the distraction. He forced himself to his feet in a panic, pulling his hand away from to wound to summon Daylight…

And stopped.

Excalibur was sticking out from the chest of the training dummy.

Jim stared blankly at it.

“See?” Merlin said.

He strode over to the dummy and pulled the sword out with a sharp tug, spilling straw across the floor.

“If that had been a human, he would have been dead,” Merlin continued in his lecture tone. “Ours is not world for mere humans. Do you think your enemies will hold back on you? Do you think they won’t hesitate to use friends against you?”

Jim shook his head. His voice seemed to have shriveled into a lump in his throat. His arm throbbed. He glanced down at it and saw a drop of blood trickle off the side of his arm fall onto the floor.

It felt like a vice was closing in on his ribcage.

He wanted to leave.

“Do you understand?” Merlin was asking.

“Yes,” Jim said quietly, voice barely audible. “May I go?”

“You may,” Merlin said. He sounded closer.

Jim flinched slightly when his… mentor laid a hand on his shoulder.

“I know this seems harsh, but I really do have your best interests in mind,” The man said softly. “The Trollhunter has always worked alone. It’s better that way. Now go take care of yourself.”

Jim listened silently, eyes still on the floor, as Merlin left the room.

The moment he was sure the wizard was really gone, he bolted for the door to the outside.

Jim wasn’t entirely sure how he ended up in a dumpster but he didn’t particularly care. It was in a secluded part of town, there was no humans, no trolls, and no Merlin there.

The reek of the trash was subdued in the gentle patter of the rain and the light from the lone streetlamp barely reached him here.

He curled into himself and started shaking. He didn’t have any real words for what he was feeling but it felt like hurt and emptiness and a blade lodged in his chest all at once.

He wanted other people to be safe, he really did. But idea of continuing to fight alone until he returned to dust or stone… or whatever a half-creature like him became… felt so… so pointless. It wasn’t just Merlin being against him being friends with Eli. It was Kanjigar’s death, and his mom being gone and Trollmarket’s cold reaction to his appearance and… and…

A pained sob tore itself out of his chest.

It hurt.

He just wanted it to be done.

He just wanted to rest.

The sound of footsteps jerked him out of his misery and he looked up to see a mop of red hair, now drenched with rainwater, and a familiar pair of blue eyes staring at him.

They widened as they met his.

Nemesis, champion of Morganna, seemed every bit as shocked to see him as he did her.

~~~~

Jim shifts slightly and the branch creaks under him. From his current position he can see through the widow of Elijah Pepperjack without the human spotting him. The teenager is currently sitting at his desk chewing on a pencil as he stares down at a book with furrowed brow. The warm light from his window stops just short of where Jim’s dark fingernails dig into the bark beneath him.

He shouldn’t even be here. He knows better than to ignore Merlin’s warnings. The wizard already has too many variables to deal with without Jim adding his own willfulness to the mix. Anyway, he’s really only looking out for Jim.

Jim knows that but…

But when he’d ran into Nemesis, he’d been ready to let her kill him. He’d seen her familiar face above him and been almost relieved. It wasn’t like he really had anything to live for after all.

And yet…

She hadn’t even tried. She had invited him to sit with her and patched the cut on his arm with an uncharacteristic gentleness. He hadn’t known what to do.

Then –in what was probably his most foolish decision ever- he’d asked her for advice.

She’d given it.

So here he is, contemplating the value of friendship based on the advice from an enemy.

Jim sighs and runs a hand over his face, ignoring the faint rasp of stone on stone.

This is insane. He should just leave. He’ll be putting Elijah in danger. There’s no way he can make sure that the human is always safe, not with the whole of Arcadia to protect.

He stands up and starts to turn away, but the warm glow of from the bedroom window draws him back.

“Do what's good for you, or you're not good for anybody,” Nemesis’ voice echoes in his memory.

The sincerity that he’d seen in her eyes causes a pang of something (something painful but almost sweet) to form in his heart. He just wants something outside of his duty… a chance to be someone outside of the Trollhunter. To be Jim again.

Can’t he be selfish just this once?

~~~~

Eli sits at his desk trying to work on his homework. He can’t focus. He’s been reading the same paragraph for the last hour but still isn’t sure what it says.

He makes a frustrated sound and throws himself back in his chair. It balances precariously on two legs as he shoves his glasses up and scrubs at his eyes.

“You’re losing it, Pepperjack,” He says reproachfully to himself. “Why would someone that cool want to be your friend anyway?”

“Eli!”

Eli looks up to see a blue face and glowing eyes staring in his window. He lets out a high pitched scream and topples over backwards.

“Eli! Are you all right?” His mom calls from downstairs.

“I’m fine!” He yells back. “Just tipped over my chair.”

“Again? You need to be more careful!”

Eli blushes but scrambles to his feet and quickly lunges forward to open his window.

“You came back!” He says, a hesitant, excited smile forming on his face as the blue creeper…. No, troll, he reminds himself… climbs into his room. He did come back. It had been weeks, Eli had started to think that he wasn’t going to.

“Yeah,” the Trollhunter says slowly.

He looks uncertain. His eyes dart from side to side before he turns around and closes the window behind him. He then closes the blinds for good measure.

“What… are you doing?” Eli asks hesitantly.

He’s never behaved this way before.

“We need to talk,” The Trollhunter says and Eli’s heart immediately plummets to his toes.

That phrase never leads to anything good.

“Wha… What do you want to talk about?” Eli’s voice sounds small.

He’d known that this whole thing was too good to last. Cool monster heroes like the Trollhunter weren’t the sort of people to be friends with nerdy nobodies like Eli.

The troll doesn’t seem to notice his hesitance. He picks up one of Eli’s model flying saucers and turns it around in his hands before putting it back and sitting cross-legged on Eli’s bed.

“You should sit down too.”

Eli obeys, the feeling of dread growing in his chest. The Trollhunter opens his mouth and Eli braces himself.

“I want to be friends,” He says, brows furrowed and expression grim.

Eli’s brain derails.

“Y-you do? But why…”

The expression and statement don’t really match.

“I need to explain some things first, so you know what you’re getting into,” He continues. “Then you can decide if you want to be friends.”

“Of course I want to…”

He is silenced by a sharp look.

“I told you when we first met that I was tasked with protecting Arcadia, right?”

Eli nods quietly. He certainly won’t be forgetting that meeting soon.

“There are a lot of people who aren’t particularly happy about that. In fact they would do anything… use anyone… to get to me…”

The troll looks down at his hand for a moment before clenching it into a fist. A soft growl rumbles from his throat, causing Eli to jump.

“If you decide to be friends with me… if anyone finds out… you, and your family, will be in danger. Do you understand?”

He continues going on to detail exactly what changelings and goblins and Bular are capable of. It was something he told Eli back when they first met and he was trying to discourage him from studying the supernatural. He sounds for all the world as if he’s trying to drive Eli off and he’s not entirely unsuccessful –the idea of putting his mom in danger doesn’t sit well with Eli- but as he’s talking the troll starts to slowly curl in on himself. His gaze drafts downward to study his clenched hand. He looks scared and lost.

“…Merlin thinks it’s a bad idea,” The Trollhunter is saying. His ears press low against the sides of his head.

Eli takes a deep breath and forcibly swallows down the lump in his throat.

“hey…” He tries to get the troll’s attention, but he isn’t quite loud enough. “Hey!”

The troll flinches and looks up.

“You said it was my choice if I wanted to be your friend right?” Eli asks.

The troll nods.

“I… I admit all this stuff sounds scary,” He says and his voice is shaking. Honestly he’s never been able to stand up to Steve let alone a monster like Bular but… “But it sounds like you’re lonely and I don’t really have any friends either and…” His voice cracks and he coughs a little and squares his shoulders. “And I want to try. You said a Trollhunter never gives up right?”

The troll nods again slowly.

“So if the problem is me being in danger then maybe...”

Eli hesitates thinking for a moment before an idea comes to him.

“Maybe you could teach me to defend myself! Then you won’t have to worry about always being there to protect me.

And maybe he could help out in protecting Arcadia. Eli thinks that sounds really cool, but he decides not to say anything yet on that. He doubts the Trollhunter will accept his help.

The troll’s blue eyes widen for a moment and then a hesitant smile forms across his face.

“That’s… that’s a good idea.” His shoulders relax slightly and his ears are back up. “That way I won’t have to worry as much about you investigating something and getting into trouble either.”

He gives Eli a hopeful look.

“So you really would do this?”

“Yes.” Eli says. He’s feeling a little cheesy so he holds out his hand. “Let’s be friends, Trollhunter.”

The troll cocks his head but takes the hand and squeezes it. His eyes study Eli’s face for a moment.

“Jim…” He says softly. “My name’s James Lake, but friends call me Jim,”

“Cool, I’m Eli,” Eli says and then blushes, rubbing at his hair. “Buuuut… you already knew that…”

The Trollhunter… Jim… (Eli’s new friend!) chuckles at that.

“Don’t worry about it.” He pauses, a serious look flickering across his face. “Though for future reference, you really shouldn’t just give your name to unfamiliar magical beings.”

“Why’s that?” Eli asks.

“For one thing, it makes it easy for other people to find your house… but in the right hands… well a name can be a weapon. Fae and some witches can use names to control people.”

“Oh,” Eli says with a shiver. “Is that why you didn’t tell me your name at first.”

Jim nods.

A warm feeling appears in his chest. That means that Jim trusts him.

“Thanks for telling me then,” He says.

“Thank-you for inviting me in,” Jim responds, sincerity shining in his eyes. “You don’t know how much it means to me.”

~~~~

Author Notes:

This is really the center-point of the plot. It happens before and after the events of the first chapter. I was going to do the two parts of this chapter separate but I decided I wanted to keep them together. (Partially because I didn't want to leave Jim in the dumpster.)

Merlin doesn't realize just how far he pushed Jim. In his attempts to do things "for the greater good", he's completely lost sight of the importance of individual people's feelings and needs (Aside from his own).

It was a good thing that Jim met Barbara in the circumstances he did and when he did. If he had met her in battle, he would have ended up being killed. A large part of winning fights is wanting to win and well... Jim had stopped caring. That said things get better for Jim.

I haven't quite decided what part of the story I want to work on next but we'll see. I'll probably do a chapter in the past again. Let me know what you think about the way I'm jumping back and forth between the past and present.

#Trollhunters #Tales of Arcadia #Trollhunters fanfiction #Trollhunters AUs #Child Champion AU #Lost Souls #My Writing #My posts #Jim Lake Jr #James Lake Jr #eli pepperjack #Merlin #TOA Merlin #Have some pain #but also some fluff

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the-bentley · 4 years

Text

Fall of a Serpent (G)

Read on AO3

Although they don’t remember it, Aziraphale and Crowley met before their fateful encounter in the Garden of Eden.

The little golden-white mouse with blue eyes scampered along the tree, not paying any attention to anything other than keeping his tiny feet balanced on its twisting branch, eventually running headlong into the snout of a green tree snake coiled there. The surprised snake reared with a hiss.

“Hey! Watch it!”

The mouse backed off in a hurry, sitting up on his haunches to wave his front paws in apology. The mouse backed off in a hurry. “Sorry. I was too busy exploring. I wasn’t really paying attention to where I was going.”

“So I noticed,” the snake replied, yawning. “Who are you?”

“Aziraphale. What’s your name?”

“Everyone just calls me Crawly. Of all the animal forms the Almighty could have given me, she made mine a snake. I don’t care. I don’t really like my given name,” the serpent-shaped angel replied. He stared down at a toad and a chameleon having a discussion by the trunk of the tree and said rather loudly. “But at least She didn’t make me a stupid frog.”

The amphibian in question glared up at him. “Ha ha, how funny. I’m a toad, you idiot. But joke all you want, Crawly. At least I have opposable thumbs.”

The chameleon laughed.

“We all do in our natural forms. Now who’s the idiot?” Crawly called back. To Aziraphale he said, “You’ll have to excuse those two. Apparently there weren’t enough brains to go around by the time She made them. So what brings you to the Garden? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

All the angels were encouraged to visit the Garden in animal form. The Almighty planned to one day fill it with real animals and something called “humans,” and She wanted her angels to be able to help her keep an eye on her new creations while incognito so not to frighten them with their true forms. Aziraphale didn’t quite understand why their angelic forms would scare these new humans, but he didn’t question God. That was not his place.

“Just exploring like we were supposed to. Usually I’m in the Archives helping out by creating new scrolls. It’s my job to help write down our history.”

The toad and the chameleon had moved on. Crawly uncoiled himself, hanging headfirst off the branch. Aziraphale watched him, whiskers wiggling. “I was out making stars until there were enough of those, then we all got put on other duties. I create plants for here now. But I need to go bask. Stupid cold-blooded form. Want to come?”

“Some time in the sun does sound lovely,” said the mouse. He delicately scampered down the tree trunk to the soft grass below.

Crawly just let go of the branch and crashed to the ground in a pile of coils. “The lazy way,” he said with as much of a grin as a snake could give. “Don’t tell anyone how ungraceful I really am, ok?”

“I won’t.”

They headed towards a rock, coming across a grey and lilac peacock preening his feathers along the way. The peacock glared at them as they passed. Aziraphale ignored him, scampering ahead, but Crawly paused, glaring back.

“Don’t you have anything better to do with your time, Gabe?” he hissed. “Ruin any more of my plants and I’ll bite you. Again.”

The peacock pointedly snubbed him. Gabriel, as one of the Archangels, thought himself above just another plant-creating Virtue. He started up a conversation with his friend Sandalphon, who was currently a chimp and had just strolled over from observing those working on the waterfall.

Sandalphon wasn’t about to take the barb at his friend lying down, though. He grabbed a nearby clump of flowers and ripped it out of the ground with a sneer. “I’m destroying your creations, Crawly. What are you going to do about it?”

“Actually Aniel created those. She’s not going to be happy with you,” Crawly laughed, showing off fangs that made Sandalphon think twice about approaching him. “Why don’t you go pick fleas off of someone before the Almighty gets angry at you for messing up Her Garden?”

Aziraphale was waiting for him over by the rock, which was far enough away from the others they weren’t going to be bothered. Gabriel wasn’t one to pick fights he couldn’t win and Sandalphon wouldn’t mess with the snake, either. They had discovered very quickly they weren’t immune to Crawly’s venom in either animal or angel form. Raphael would just lecture him again for not remembering his rank and turning the other cheek when he sought him out for healing.

“Why do you taunt them?” asked the mouse when the snake finally curled himself up on the rock with a contented sigh.

“Gabriel actively destroyed my creations when he was able to get away with it and Sandalphon bullies everyone he comes in contact with,” Crawly replied. “They don’t mess with me much anymore now that I’ve tagged them a couple of times. God made me venomous. Nobody wants to go running to Raphael saying how they were bitten yet again.”

“We’re angels. You’d think we could all act like it.”

“It doesn’t seem to work that way. They find the different one and pick on them. Unfortunately, that’s me a lot of the time,” the snake said bitterly. “Twenty million angels and I’m the only one with red hair. What was God thinking?”

“She must have Her reasons,” Aziraphale groomed himself, smoothing down the hair on his back, scrubbing those little mouse ears. “But maybe that’s also why she made you venomous.”

“If you get hot, just sit in the shade of my coils,” offered Crawly. “I won’t bite you. You’re one of the few who’s actually been friendly to me.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Aziraphale saw no point in being mean to anyone. He took his role as a being of love very seriously.

They sat for a long time in companionable silence, breaking it occasionally with small talk until night fell and it was time to transform back to angel form to return to Heaven. Uncoiling, Crawly reared up, changing into a tall thin angel wearing an emerald green robe that complimented his long curly deep red hair. His eyes were a golden amber colour set in a long face with well-defined cheekbones and an aquiline nose.

He curiously watched the mouse transform into a slightly plump angel with a round face, button nose and beautiful blue eyes the exact colour of the sky on the sunniest of days. All of it was surrounded by a cloud of curly white-blond hair kept short in an attempt to tame it. His robes were of a sky blue that exactly matched those eyes.

Crawly felt his heart stir. “Shall we?”

Unfurling white wings, they lifted off, heading for Heaven. Crawly, showing off, did a few tricks as they flew, laughing at the freedom flight provided him. Aziraphale flew carefully and with little grace, but watched his companion with shining eyes. Unfortunately the flight was short and they soon passed into the ethereal plane, landing at the edge of Heaven.

“Well,” said Crawly, a bit embarrassed upon realizing how much of a show-off he was being. “I should get back to the test gardens. I got some ideas I want to try out. Why should trees grow all the fruit? Why not bushes? It’ll be easier to reach.”

“That sounds like a grand idea,” replied Aziraphale with a shy smile. “I’ve got some cataloguing to do myself. Maybe I’ll see you later.”

“Bye. I hope I do catch you around sometime.” He really meant it. Those sky blue eyes and that blond hair were really quite fetching and he had never seen hair so light. There were some dark sandy blonds out there, but no angel he had encountered until Aziraphale had hair that bordered on white.

He took to coiling up in the same tree every time he was in the Garden in snake form hoping he’d see the mouse angel again because suddenly the thought of having an actual friend rather than just acquaintances was very appealing. He got along well with his fellow star makers and later the plant crew, but they weren’t friends.

If Time had existed, a week would have passed before his patience paid off.

“Hello again,” he said to the blue-eyed mouse who had scampered up the tree’s trunk to the branch he had met Crawly on, pleasantly surprised to see him there.

A hawk flew over, turning quickly on its tail to land in the tree with them. Stern almost colourless eyes stared down both of them, Aziraphale looking away quickly to nervously groom. Crawly, having the advantage with his snake form, easily stared down the hawk. Hawks eventually had to blink.

“What do you want, Michael?” he asked.

“I have my eye on you. Rumour has it you’re asking too many questions. There’s unrest in Heaven and I hope you know what side you’re on.” She launched herself into the air again.

“Unrest? I hadn’t heard,” said the sheltered Aziraphale.

“Yeah. Lucifer’s thinking of starting a revolution. Says he doesn’t like following God’s rules anymore,” Crawly shrugged the best a beast without shoulders could. “I just wanted to know what he was up to. I wonder about the Great Plan sometimes. I just . . . have questions why everything has to be all planned out. What’s the point if you know how the story’s going to end?”

“Don’t say such things! You could get into so much trouble!” chided Aziraphale. “It is not our place to question Her Plans.”

“Let’s talk about things other than the Plan. How did you not know what’s going on around here?”

“Umm, I don’t get out much. I like the Archives. I read a lot about what’s happened in other parts of Heaven and the bits of the Plan God has let be known,” Aziraphale replied, his whiskers twitching excitedly. “I’m a Principality. It’s going to be my job to pass on knowledge to the humans. All of us Principalities are holed up studying all we can so we don’t fail them.”

“Why? There’s more to life than reading.” Crawly cocked his head to one side. “Don’t you learn things getting out there and doing stuff?”

“Well, somewhat, but . . .”

“Then let’s do some stuff.” The snake uncoiled and started to slither off down the tree trunk.

He taught Aziraphale what he knew about the Garden. He showed him interesting plants, pointed out clouds in the shapes of the flora and fauna that had been created, instructed him to close his eyes and really feel the breeze and what his sensitive mouse nose could pick up about it.

“Live, Aziraphale. Gather knowledge this way, too,” Crawly said. He had slithered up to a creek. “Here. Feel it.”

Aziraphale dipped a paw it. “It’s cold. And my paw feels different now.” He pulled it out, noticing it was wet. “Interesting. So that’s what wet is? I knew the word but not the application. Nothing in Heaven is wet.”

Crawly nodded. “Welcome to the world. This is so much more to learn about down here. And yet they get angry when I want to know more.” His tongue lazily flicked out.

Aziraphale’s ear twitched as he became uncomfortable. “Well, maybe there are some things we aren’t meant to know.”

Crawly dropped the subject. Instead they found a wonderfully sunny spot for him to bask in while Aziraphale rested in the shade of his coils. Content, they spoke of the humans to come and the newly created world just waiting for them, wondering what these new beings would be like. Crawly expressed his hopes and desires for them and Earth.

“I think I want to be stationed down here,” he said. “It’s more exciting than Heaven.”

“Mmm,” replied Aziraphale, not wanting to commit to any desire for himself, even though he found Earth interesting. He was an angel. His job was to do as he was told.

He allowed Crawly to talk about his budding love for Earth, happy to listen without voicing his own opinion. He really didn’t have much of one. He had duties to attend to and that was that. It didn’t matter what he, or any of them, thought about Earth, Heaven or humans. They would be assigned tasks and expected to carry them out without question. That is how the Plan would run smoothly.

Later, they returned as night fell on the Garden. Standing there alone at the edge of Heaven in angelic form, Aziraphale found himself liking Crawly even more. The feeling was not one he could put his finger on but something about Crawly’s smile made his soul feeling even happier.

The snake angel must have felt the same thing. He grinned sheepishly at Aziraphale as he played with a lock of his hair. Suddenly he was placing his lips on Aziraphale’s cheek before he blushed a red to rival those spiral curls of his. He fled before the Principality could react or even say anything.

“Crawly?” he blurted out to the thin air.

~*~*~

Near by, God watched them both sadly. The time was rapidly approaching when the two who were bonding would be separated. But all this had to happen. They were to be Her champions. The ones who set everything in motion. The domino effect they started together would give the future Antichrist the free will and upbringing needed to make his own choices about Earth’s fate instead of following a script. It was cruel, but it was the only way the world had a chance to be saved.

~*~*~

It came to pass that Michael and her army cast Lucifer and his off into the Pit. Those who were on the fence about sides found themselves rounded up and imprisoned. They awaited their trials where it would be decided if they were loyal to Heaven or enough of a threat they needed to be cast out as well.

Crawly sat in a cell, awaiting his fate for continuing to ask questions. He looked down at his own shackled hands, wishing now he had kept his curiosity to himself.

Aziraphale found himself escorted to an interrogation room where Michael asked him questions. He sat as still as possible on his chair while she paced around the table in front of him. Slamming her hand down on the top of it, she startled him.

“Did you know what Crawly was up to?” she asked quietly.

“No. I just knew he asked a few questions. I told him that was not a wise idea and he never mentioned another thing to me about it.” Aziraphale trembled as he answered. Was he going to be tried? Was he going to Fall? And what about Crawly? How much trouble was he in? Would he ever see him again?

“To be honest, I believe you. You’re just a scribe. None of you are capable of really doing anything rebellious. Scrollworms, the lot of you,” replied Michael. “Go back to your Archives, Principality Aziraphale. You’re confined there until all this is over.”

So there Aziraphale stayed until Heaven was secure again. He kept himself busy reading and transcribing news brought in by other angels for history’s sake. But Crawly’s fate remained a mystery to him. He resigned himself to his duties trying not to think about his friend. What happened to him would remain a mystery for Aziraphale had learned not to ask questions.

Little did he know that Crawly was put on trial, found guilty of being a skeptic and considered too dangerous to keep in Heaven. He was taken to the edge of Heaven at sword and spear point where he was told by his armed guards to keep walking because he was no longer a citizen of Heaven. Swallowing his fear, he sauntered nonchalantly off the edge as if leaving was no big deal. He managed to hold in his screams of pain as he flamed downward like meteor towards the Pit until he was out of earshot.

~*~*~

Tears in Her eyes, God performed one last act of mercy for them. Reaching out, she touched both of them, making them forget about each other but leaving their bond in place – dormant, disremembered, waiting for them to reunite. It would be an invisible foundation on which their rekindled friendship would grow as they once again got to know each other even though they would never recognize they once were friends in Heaven. Finally, She blessed them both. They had a long road ahead. Every little bit helped.

She then went to Gabriel. “Aziraphale is to guard the Garden of Eden.”

“I will assign him there, Lord,” replied Gabriel, thinking the Principality was an odd choice. But he knew better than to ask Her why. Questions only got you into trouble; the Plan did not suffer skeptics. The only problem with that line of thinking was it came from angels themselves, not the Almighty, and such blind devotion to the Great Plan would almost destroy Her Creations.

~*~*~

It would start again in the Garden where a mouse once met a snake, beginning a journey that ultimately would end in the two of them finally getting their long-deserved reward – the freedom to love each other and stay together on the Earth they adored almost as much as each other.

Aziraphale currently stood on the eastern wall of Eden watching sorrowfully as Adam and Eve headed off into the unknown with his flaming sword. Clouds gathered on the horizon and it looked like rain was coming. Still he stood and watched. It was the least he could do after he failed in his mission to guard the Tree.

He should have been frightened when the Serpent slithered up to him, transforming into a demon, but he wasn’t at all. And oddly enough, from the demon’s point of view, he felt comfortable addressing this angel, his enemy. So they talked, building on a bond that was begun in more idyllic times; one that would carry them through many trials, triumphs and would slowly blossom over thousands of years from a friendship to an outright love that defied the odds. Little did they know how that bond had started or that what began with a mouse colliding into a snake would last for eternity.

#ggoso #great good omens snake off #crowley #snake crowley #aziraphale #pre-fall #crowley's fall

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inthedayswhenlandswerefew · 5 years

Text

Baby You Were My Picket Fence [Chapter 1: Bad To The Bone]

You are a first grade teacher in sunny Los Angeles, California. Ben Hardy is the father of your most challenging student. Things quickly get complicated in this unconventional love story.

Song inspiration: Miss Missing You by Fall Out Boy.

Chapter warnings: Language.

Link to chapter list (and all my writing) HERE

Let me know if you’d like to be added to a taglist! :)

This kid is going to be the death of me.

“Eli Fitzgerald Hardy, DO NOT drop that frog!” The words launch from your throat like loosed arrows. Do you sound scary, commanding, authoritarian? You hope so.

His defiant glare glints wildly beneath dark russet curls. His lips twist into a maniacal grin, revealing small white teeth. His grip noticeably loosens around the wriggling green frog. Maisy, paralyzed by fear, is wide-eyed and whimpering softly in her chair. Eli is standing, looming over her. The room is unnervingly silent as the other students watch in horror.

“Eli, don’t!” you plead.

It’s too late. The frog tumbles from his opened hand. The panicked amphibian lands in Maisy’s frizzy red hair and instantly becomes tangled there. Maisy is screaming, you are screaming, everyone is screaming. Well...everyone but Eli. He points and cackles as you sprint to Maisy’s side and try to pull the frog out of her hair.

“Honey, don’t cry, it’s going to be okay!” you shout over the children’s shrieks as Maisy sobs, her face a frantic shade of pink, her freckled cheeks glistening with tears. At last you manage to free the frog, swiftly carry it to the open window, and let it leap from your palm into the bushes. You wipe your hands on your skirt, your brand new skirt, the skirt now marred with tears and amphibian slime and muddy frog footprints. And have I mentioned that you fucking hate frogs?

“It...was...on...my...HEAD!” Maisy heaves, waving her hands in disgust. The other children are trying to comfort her.

“Maisy, sweetheart, the frog is all gone now. Here, let me fix your hair for you...”

You get Maisy cleaned up and settle the class. Then you turn to your worst nightmare, your arch nemesis, the smug lurking face that keeps you up at night. He’s smiling in the shadowy corner of the room by the coat closet, prowling there like a wolf.

“Eli, come over here please.”

“Yes Miss Teacher.”

“I do have a name,” you say, but halfheartedly. No matter how many times you’ve introduced yourself since the school year started three weeks ago, the students always lapse back into calling you Miss Teacher. One of the many hazards of first grade.

Eli obediently approaches, but his smile never dies.

“Now, that was a very unkind thing you just did to poor Maisy. We don’t want to scare our friends. And we don’t want to bring outside animals into the classroom. They could have germs, or they could bite someone—”

“Frogs don’t have teeth,” Eli points out astutely.

You sigh. “Be that as it may, we cannot drop frogs on our friends. And I think Maisy would really appreciate an apology. Isn’t that one of our class rules, making sure we apologize if we hurt our friends’ feelings?”

You turn to the other students for support, and they nod enthusiastically.

“Can you do that for me and Maisy, Eli?”

“Okay,” he agrees. “Maisy, I’m sorry I dropped the frog on your head.”

“That’s alright,” she replies, wiping her drying eyes. Such a prodigiously sweet child. They hug, the conflict seemingly forgotten. But Eli shoots you a mischievous smirk; he may have Maisy fooled, but you’re a bit shrewder. He’s not really all that sorry, and he’s likely already planning his next act of terror.

After you escort the kids to art class, you sit behind your desk and flip through the emergency contact notecards until you find Eli’s. The first person listed is his father. This is unusual; mothers are almost always the primary contact, especially in this neighborhood. Trophy wives stay home with the babies, dads trot off to their law firms or production companies to rake in the six-figure salaries, those are the unwritten rules. But dad is first on Eli’s card: Benjamin Whitaker Hardy. Actually, there’s no mother listed at all. You drum your fingers thoughtfully on the desk.

You dial Mr. Hardy’s number with your iPhone. It rings, but no one answers. At the tone, you leave a message.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Hardy.” Benjamin Whitaker Hardy, what a pretentious fucking name, he’s a too-important-to-deal-with-his-own-kid corporate desk job guy for sure. “This is Miss Y/L/N, Eli’s teacher here at Dolphin Cove Elementary. I’ve been wanting to speak with you regarding some of Eli’s behavior in class, and I haven’t had much luck with the notes I’ve sent home.” Probably because Eli’s trashing them or burning them or casting voodoo spells with them or whatever demons-in-training do. “I’m hoping we can connect sometime soon and find a solution that works for everyone.” Perhaps an exorcism? “I look forward to hearing from you! Goodbye for now.”

You hang up, sip your Coke Zero, and check your watch. You have fifteen minutes of freedom remaining. You glance out the window to see if the frog is still in the bushes. Blessedly, there’s no sign of it.

After art is reading and writing, then it’s time for the kiddos to go home. You make sure no one forgets their folders or backpack as you corral your class into a semi-orderly line and follow them out to the pickup area. Buses and cars wait patiently as students trickle out of the building and scramble to the vehicle doors, shouting excitedly about the events of the day. “Mommy, I got a gold star in social studies!” “Nana, I had pizza for lunch!” “Mom, Maisy got a FROG dropped on her head!”

Winston—a shy, gentle boy with huge black-rimmed glasses and chubby arms full of library books—stumbles as he sprints for his bus. “Ow!” he moans, spilling his books across the sidewalk, clutching his left knee.

“Uh oh! Win, dear, let me help you.”

You rush to the boy’s side, lift him upright, and brush the dust off his pants. Oh fuck, if he goes home scraped and dirty I’m going to catch hell from the nanny. As you kneel next to Winston, there are footsteps behind you, and then a deep, unfamiliar voice.

“Hi, hello, sorry, Miss Y/L/N...?”

The mysterious voice is jarring: British, sophisticated, impossibly smooth. You are frozen for a moment, then you whirl and rise to your feet. He’s young, really young. Far too young to be a parent in a district where most people don’t start having kids until their late-thirties. He’s blond, green-eyed, fit. And he doesn’t look anything like an attorney or film producer. He looks like a goddamn J.Crew model. Wait, what did he say? Oh yeah, my name.

“Yes, I, uh...that’s me!”

He’s restless, shifting his weight from foot to foot, wearing an expertly-tailored black suit, impatient, arrogant even. “I think you left me a message earlier. I’m Eli’s dad.”

You blink at him. “You’re...his father? Not his tutor? Not the nanny?”

Benjamin Whitaker Hardy narrows his eyes at you. “No.”

“Oh.” This is not going quite the way you’d planned. “I’m sorry, I just...he doesn’t have an accent, and there’s not much of a resemblance, I didn’t make the connection. I hope I haven’t offended you.”

“Yeah, he takes after his mother.” Mr. Hardy peers irritably around the pickup area, his hands in the pockets of his suit jacket. He’s clearly inconvenienced by this conversation. “Sorry I couldn’t pick up my phone earlier, I was at a...” He waves his hand flippantly. “A work thing.”

You find your words in a rush: “Well I wanted to speak to you because your son is clearly extremely gifted and highly intelligent, but he caught a frog at recess and then dropped in on a classmate’s head and it was all pretty traumatizing for the girl, and he has an unfortunate habit of doing things like this, on Monday he tried to glue Winston to his chair, and last week he told Brayden that hamsters don’t go to heaven when they die and Brayden was inconsolable for hours, and then there was the time—”

“Okay, okay, I’ll talk to him.”

That’s all? Really?! “Mr. Hardy, I don’t mean to be overbearing, but this is quite a persistent problem and I’ve been hoping to speak with you at length about it and I really think it warrants a more detailed discussion—”

“Right,” he cuts you off in that posh British accent. “I actually have to run, but I’ll be in touch.”

I bet you will be. “Look, Mr. Hardy...” You lose your manners, just for a second. “I’m sure you’re a very busy man—there are lots of fantastically important people in this city—but you’re also a father. And I get the sense that your son is dealing with some very serious challenges at home that are causing him to act out here. I can’t fix that alone. I need your help.”

Mr. Hardy stares at you, stunned, simmering. Eli bolts out of the throng of students and collides into his father’s suit-clad legs, clasping them and giggling. “Hey, buddy!” Mr. Hardy gushes in a strikingly tender tone, ruffling Eli’s hair. Then, incredibly, his face softens as his jade eyes flick back up to you. “I get it. You have a job to do. And I bet you’re pretty great at it.”

He extends his hand, which is strong and perfect and meticulously manicured.

“Ben,” he offers.

“Y/N,” you reply, shell-shocked, as you grasp his hand.

“I really do have to rush off, though,” he says apologetically, already turning towards a black Lexus.

“Okay. Yeah. We’ll chat soon.”

“Cheers.”

You watch as Ben and Eli jog to the Lexus, disappear inside, and speed off, weaving hazardously through minivans and Land Rovers and buses. You tap your shoes—electric blue flats—against the sidewalk, pondering as laughing children breeze by.

“Awesome,” you whisper to yourself. “The dad is probably a demon too.”

#ben hardy fic #ben hardy x reader #ben hardy #borhap #borhap fic #borhap cast

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w-re-writes · 5 years

Text

Fictober 2019 - Day 10 - “it’s not snails (he swears)”

Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones

Pairing: Jaime Lannister / Brienne of Tarth

Word Count: 1178

Warnings: None

Prompt: “Listen, I can’t explain it, you’ll have to trust me.”

It's never good when Jaime shows up insisting Brienne must see something. But it's definitely not snails (he swears on it).

(read on ao3)

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

Unbidden, Jaime trotted into the yard.

“Brienne, come,” he panted. “You have to see this.”

Brienne arched an eyebrow from her spot on the grass. “What is it?”

Jaime Lannister was many things. He had first been her next door neighbor, later her bike racer nemesis, then baseball teammate, and now friend. But in five years of friendship, he’d always prefaced every problem they’d ever gotten into with ‘you have to see this.’ Experience cautioned her.

“Listen, I can’t explain it, you’ll have to trust me. Come.”

He offered her a sweaty palm.

“I swear, if this is about those snails again..."

“Giant snails,” Jaime corrected airily, glancing up at the sky. “And no. Stop being so stubborn, Bri. Just come.”

He tilted his head at her and smiled.

Jaime had always been beautiful, but sometime around last year, it had changed. It did things to her, that smile. Things she wasn’t sure she felt comfortable feeling. Not for Jaime. Her best friend.

But this is how they played. She held her notebook up for him to see and shook it.

“But homework.”

He rolled his eyes. “For fuck's sake, woman.”

Jaime tossed her notebook away and took her hand, already whirling on his heels. “Just come.”

Brienne let herself follow, repressing a giggle. She liked opposing him, even if she knew Jaime probably had an adventure at hand, just to rail him up.

Dusk was already starting, but he led her across the hedge, past the tree house, above the fence, and into the woods. There had been a time when they ran and played at knights and dragons among the trees, each one taking turns to hack brooms against the trunks and shout at the top of their lungs, ducking from regretfully imaginary dragonfire. Now it was calm, maybe even too quiet. Things had gotten in the way of their games, she supposed. School. Baseball. Age.

“Jaime, where are we going?” Brienne whispered, trying not to think of Jaime’s hand still clasped in hers.

“Shh. Just follow me.”

She obliged, because of course she did. She always did. Ever since he had stood up for her when stupid Ron Connington had called her ugly in the playground. It had been right after she’d beaten them all in a bike race, and all the other kids had laughed at his japes. Jaime had not. The dust had cleared afterwards to reveal a distraught Brienne forcing a winning, black-eyed Jaime away from the brawl. It felt like a lifetime ago. It had also been glorious.

Jaime kept pressing forward, marching across the blue creek where they used to hunt for frogs, and then beyond the bush where he had found her on the anniversary of her brother’s death.

Brienne swallowed. “Jaime, shouldn't you be studying?”

Jaime shot a quick glance over his shoulder, without slowing down.

“Pfft. This is more important.”

Brienne bit her lip. His dad had plans for him. The Old Lion, as Jaime called him, wanted his first born son to follow in the family's steps and become something big. Neither Jaime nor Brienne knew exactly what, but Jaime was meant to start next year at an elite Targaryen school in King’s Landing, so stupidly refined they called themselves the Kingsguard. And that meant he had to pass his admission exams. And that meant less best friend time.

But she hated bringing that up. And so did he.

So Brienne settled for snark.

“Is it, like, snail-level of importance?”

“Giant snails, Bri!” He gave a short laugh. “Admit it, they were cool. Like the ones in medieval tapestries and everything.”

“Ugh. Nerd.”

“Crone.”

They reached the giant white rock at the foot of their favorite hill, where they used to pretend they climbed the highest mountain in the world, even if it was so covered in vegetation they were never able to see beyond the lowest branches.

Jaime continued up the slope, picking up the pace.

“If we hurry,” he told her, all smiles, all beauty, “we’ll see it.”

Brienne followed, allowing herself the treat of admiring the view. His golden hair now brushed past his jaw, and Brienne liked how his curls moved with the breeze and framed his face. She also liked how he laughed, and how he teased her, and how kind he was even if he tried to hide it, and how he had a soft spot for his young brother, and how he always put himself in front of her when they had to face someone down, even if she had been taller than him since they’d met. She liked him very, very much.

That trail of thought always made her dizzy. And it made her feel young, too young. Inadequate. She was 15, she was not naive. But she felt afraid. Afraid of how strongly she felt about her best in the whole wide world. About him leaving. And about a million other things, and the reasons to not talk about them.

Jaime stopped so suddenly she almost bumped into him. With one last grin, he pushed her past him and onto the top of the hill.

Someone had cut the trees on the other side, Brienne lamented. But then she saw they cleared a window directly into the valley below and the mountains far away. The sunset light caught in the clouds, rippling with reds and yellows and oranges.

“Jaime,” she gasped as the light changed and the colors danced in the sky. “It’s beautiful.” The tres had never let them see this in all its glory.

When he didn’t reply, she turned to him. His green eyes were already locked on her, shining in the afternoon glow.

“I told you it wasn’t snails,” he grinned.

She gave him an honest laugh. “It’s gorgeous.”

“It’s dragonfire.” Jaime stepped behind her, getting so close she could feel his breath on her ear. He stretched an arm so she would follow the line he traced in the air. “I found it yesterday. See? That’s Drogon Peak. The clouds are smoke.”

Brienne’s eyes opened wide. “And he’s breathing fire.”

She felt him nod on her shoulder. “Like in our games.”

“Thank you,” she heard herself say, softly, as the colors began to dim.

Jaime let his hand drop until it reached her arm. Then, hesitantly, he girded his other arm around her waist, searching for her other hand. Brienne swallowed, but didn’t push him away.

He tightened the hug, his chin nudging her shoulder, his heart on her back. He was warm, and he smelled like pine and dust. Like Jaime.

“Thank you,” he whispered. And he pressed a quick peck on her cheek, right below her ear.

Brienne felt her head spin. It was familiar and new and exciting and absolutely terrifying, all at the same time. She felt herself relaxing in his arms, drunk in sunlight and memories and Jaime.

Jaime, who was many things. Golden. A snail fan. Stubborn. Leaving. And her best friend.

So she allowed herself, just for that moment, to be extremely happy.

#fictober19 #fictober2019 #jaime x brienne #brienne x jaime #asoiaf #look i finished one of them #i'm posting it to get a dose of dopamine #and to say it's fluffy #and not too good #but there's only one way to move forward #so thanks if you read it #*sigh*

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kuroshironekoserver · 5 years

Text

Special Thanks to the Frog Yokai

@petri808 for the server exchange by @marveledbytaetae

"Sit, sit, sit ! You stupid dog!" Kagome yelled at the top of her lungs, as she stormed away going towards her well.

"Gah!" Inuyasha grunted as he hit the ground from the tree branch he had previously been sitting on.

He didn't get it; she asked if he honestly thought she was beautiful, maybe he didn't start in the best of ways, but she was the one who didn't even let him finish what he was going to say! Yeah she had peasant length hair at best, wasn't very good at makeup, and ate a whole bunch of food for a girl.

But her world is different and obviously didn't have some of the same beauty standards. And Kagome was Kagome. She stood up to him when he needed it, and taught him about all sorts of stuff like reading and math and about delicious ramen. She didn't treat him like he was an idiot, like most did. She didn't judge him for being a half-breed. She was able to hold her own against demons and everything, even during the cursed New Moon. She wasn't scared of him when he got stuck in full demon form; she was even able to bring him out of it.

Inuyasha pulled himself into a sitting position slowly as his thoughts darkened.

But she always calls me dog. Which is barely a step above Sesshomaru calling him mongrel. She always seemed so ready to be mad at me and uses the necklace has power over me. It hurts-- to be forced to the ground like that. It's almost like she waits for me to be in a tree to do it! ... we've been working together for so long. I know in the beginning it was needed, but she has to know I wouldn't hurt her now, right? Is that why she isn't scared? Because she can control me?

"Ka- Kagome doesn't trust me?" Inuyasha asked aloud to no one, looking down at his hands as he started to well up.

Inuyasha felt like he was spiraling down into a dark hole. Being surrounded by his thoughts. Slowly, his hazel eyes started turning blue, as he felt like he was being trapped.

From the bushes not far off, walked out a Yokai. Inuyasha fell further into his own dark thoughts, the demon seem to grow taller and stand straighter.

"Wow. This Shikon Shard is pretty good. I can't imagine the power I'll have the Jewel." the Frog Yokai said, "Okay mutt, let's go find your bitch. I want more power; controlling you is harder than I thought it would be. You are just a pathetic half-breed. Now where could she be? Let’s go terrorize the village until she comes to us."

As Inuyasha tried to fight against the yokai's power, he thought of the fastest way to get people screaming in the village and get Kagome to come. Children.

Kagome had been stewing and decided to march back to Inuyasha and tell him that she didn't care what he thought and that she knows that she's beautiful!

As she started on the trek back, she heard screaming coming from the village. She ran towards the village she started to feel the presence of a shard nearby. It was dark and definitely needed purifying. Who could it be? It's aura seemed dark, cold, ... and controlling? Something in her told her to approach with caution. As she neared the village, she lowered herself closer to the bushes, grabbed her bow, and notched an arrow. She peered through the bushes looking into the village and saw Inuyasha, blue-eyed and precariously dangling a child off a roof.

WHAT, she thought. What is he doing? Something must be wrong; he wouldn't do something like this.

She focused on finding the shard; finding the Yokai a bit of ways controlling Inuyasha. He was a frog Yokai, but he stood on his hind legs like a human. He was the one with the shard. Kagome then made her move, stepping out of the bushes.

“Leave Inuyasha alone!!” Kagome commanded. She then pulled her bowstring back and let her arrow fly, aiming for the Yokai’s tongue where the shard was embedded.

The arrow severed the Yokai’s tongue, freeing Inuyasha from his controlled state and in true Inuyasha fashion he shut his sadness down deep inside of himself and allowed his rage to replace it. He put the child in his hand down on the ground and jumped on the Yokai. He attacked; pure rage, claws first, ripping it to shreds. He was angry about being so easily controlled, about the Yokai trying to go after Kagome and for using him to do it. Inuyasha tried to ignore the part of himself that was angry at Kagome for having so much power over him, that he was wrapped up in his feelings about her, allowing for him to be controlled in the first place. To fill that gap, he allowed his own self hatred to fill and exert itself all on this Yokai.

“-yasha! Inuyasha! Stop! Stop Inuyasha!” Kagome was trying to pull on his arm feebly attempting to stop the hacking and slashing. How long has she been doing that? A while, he thought. As he looked at the complete mess he had made of the Yokai, it was completely unrecognizable now. Inuyasha felt the rage raise up again.

“OR WHAT?!” he yelled. “You’ll use the necklace again? Tell me to sit like the fucking dog, the fucking mongrel I am? If I'm such a monster Kagome, why don't you fucking shoot me? I'm no different from this bastard, right? Just trying to get the Shikon shards.” Inuyasha ripped his arm away from her looking at Kagome's shocked face. “Don't like what I'm saying? Might as well fucking shut me up.”

Inuyasha felt all of his emotions come crawling up from where he had shoved them earlier. “Does it matter that I think you're amazing or that I love it when you sit down and take the time to teach me when you're sitting for your stupid tests? Doesn't matter that you treat me like an equal and make me want to be a good person, a person you could be proud of. It's all a fucking lie. You could never trust a demon like me. It doesn't fucking matter I fucking love you. I'm just a fucking mutt.” Inuyasha finally turned away feeling his cheeks hot and wet. At what point did he start crying? He started walking away.

Kagome grabbed him into a hug. “ I'm so sorry,” she said through her own tears. She turned him to face her. “ I do trust you and you're right.”

Her arms reached up to the necklace and pulled. The string holding the necklace together snapped easily. “You’re not a dog or a mongrel. Don't ever think that. I'm not perfect and I rush to anger but I want to be better for you. Cause I love you too, Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha was in complete shock at her actions. He knew this conversation wasn't a magical fix all, but he knew two things. One- that this was a start of something new and two- that he wanted to kiss Kagome.

So he did.

#inukag #inukag fanfic #inukag fanfiction #inuyasha #Kagome Higurashi #Server Event #server exchange

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roswellroamer · 4 years

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Day 7. February 5, 2020. Owaka day rides. 245km.

Yeah, the sun has returned! In a similar fashion as to when you get sick, then when good health returns you seem to be much more grateful than before your illness... Today's sunshine was greeted with a warm smile of appreciation. The chickens (no rooster to wake you up early 👍) and the sheep kept right across from my apartment by the innkeeper looked especially bright and picturesque owing to the morning sunshine. We slated two nights in Owaka amidst the scenic south Otago and Southland coastline so that today we could explore every bay, cliff and waterfall along a 100km stretch and that's exactly what we did! We aimed for the well known Purakaunui Falls around 8AM. A ten minute walk took us through tropical looking forest with huge trees and ferns along the swollen stream bed. The massive bolus of rainfall had swelled these falls to probably 10 times their normal volume. Picture is below. 👇 We then had sights on a cafe in Papatowai but since nothing was open (before 10) we looped down to the beach and then aimed for the coast. We veered off the pavement as we wound down Tahakopa Beach road to find our first good look toward the Southern Ocean. Many don't count the waters north of 60°S as the Southern Ocean but we are at the limits of the Southern Pacific @ >46°S latitude and nothing between here and Antarctica. The South Island sports many rugged cliffs to the water with interesting rock formations trying to hold back the light blue waves. On our first foray to the south coast, we were met by a herd of cattle all looking curiously at us. Four of them abreast all with different coloring were an attention getter. A private resort and a farm fence forced a retreat before making it all the way to a bay or overlook but we had the rest of the day ahead of us. We then wound along gravel and dirt on Puaho road maybe 15kms back to the paved road. Next stop was the Florence Hill lookout. Here there was a Spouting Cave on an offshore island noted by a sign and visible as the waves crashed on one side and were channeled out a blow hole. There was also a mesmerizing view of the waves rolling in a long bay to meet a curved, pristine beach. Wow. It was breakfast time and rode to the Whistling Frog cafe/campground another 12 clicks down the windy road. More then one time it was said how beautiful the road/scenery was. Had a tasty hot chocolate garnished with a chocolate covered fish-shaped marshmallow cookie. 😋 Also enjoyed bacon and eggs on an English muffin and hash browns. Couldn't resist a raspberry white chocolate muffin also. Each item came garnished with a colorful, small edible flower for a fancy flair. We met up with our motel neighbors spending 7 weeks riding around NZ on their beautiful Aprilias. The woman has a fancy Tuono that made Ted a bit jealous (he has one). We also met a couple North Island riders on their way to Invercargill and the rally. We had met them briefly at Florence Hill and they shared some stories from their first Burt Monro visit, two years earlier.

The next stop on the South Coast was Curio Bay. Before we got there, we were abruptly stopped by a sizable herd of cows on the road. We didn't move forward and got some good pics as one of the nearby bulls eyed me warily as I eyed his horns... A car pulled up behind us and he said to go ahead. Since I am on a bike I invited him to lead the way. We followed as he slowly approached and they did yield but the road was narrow and the herd didn't have a lot of extra room. As we made it 3/4 of the way through we saw four dogs and a herder moving them up the road, eastward against our flow. Nobody was gored. I imagined that I might encounter sheep on the road but hadn't given much thought to cattle. A couple spots to date I had seen no fence for the sheep but all had steered clear of the road. Mostly all animals have been fenced in so far, however. I wish the Curio Bay pics did it justice. It is a campground and there are well manicured expanses of grass all the way up and along the top of the cliff/overlook. With waves and rock formations nearly 270° around you it is almost overwhelming.

Moving west, the next highlighted stop was Slope Point, the southernmost point in the South Island. A 20' walk through a breezy and grassy headland brings you to a lighthouse and a famous yellow marker sign. The end of our westward swing was the "town" of Fortrose. One cafe and it was packed. We settled in to two of the only empty seats. People were standing and talking and at least a dozen riders were there. After salmon and prawn salad was ordered we took in the atmosphere. Busy and fairly loud. Then, the noise reduced and we heard a woman's voice. She addressed the entire restaurant and wore a yellow vest and a walkie talkie. She was with the Dept. of Conservation and announced that we were being evacuated. She reported that roads both east and west of Fortrose were closed due to rising waters and that everyone was instructed to head to higher ground to the town hall of Tokanui. We tried to absorb this news. I imagined a cot at best, maybe a cushion if I was lucky to sleep on the floor of the town hall. We were told that civil defense was set up there with more information about the situation. In order to add gravitas to her proclamations, a helicopter then took off right next to the Fortrose Cafe. Turns out it was a news chopper looking to get footage of the disasters unfolding in Southland. I was not excited to spend the night. We talked and agreed to try to make our way back 90km to Owaka. She told us the road was closed eastward at Papatowai. Riding now with a purpose as it was 1:35 and the "wall of water" was expected by 4 we cruised with more silence than usual, wondering if the 60km ride east would just force a return to Tokanui or elsewhere. Each car stopped along the road at first seemed to be the police waiting to turn us away. As we approached Papatowai we rounded a curve and there they were. Sirens lit, parked obliquely and blocking our left lane completely. Ugh. We stopped and he started to walk over to us. Instead of telling us to turn around, he waved us through. Huge relief! We heard stories the rest of the day if people turned away at that same checkpoint and also at Balclutha. Having no idea why we were let through but grateful for our gamble paying off, we got gas and cruised into Owaka by our motel and took out our lunch and ate it outside the closed Lumber Jack cafe. A Dutch couple, a Swiss couple, and a group of four bikers all approached us to discuss the state of road closures and how/if travel west to Invercargill was possible. According to the news no travel to/from Invercargill is possible today. We must check out tomorrow AM and have an apartment rented in Invercargill the next three nights so fingers are crossed that the highest floodwaters have passed the Makarewa River there.

After lunch and a brief return to the motel, we headed east about 32km to Nugget Point lighthouse. Recent rains had caused a loss of roadway with some washout, some mudslides and some flooding but it was possible to make it to the parking area. We also passed a sea lion beached with a couple of intrusive cameras aimed at him as we passed by. A 900m walk hugged the sheer hillside where bushes and small trees sometimes grew completely over the trail in spots, like a vegetative cave. The white lighthouse structure appears after 10 minutes or so and it is connected by a narrow ridge line trail. Dropping off on both sides it is terribly dramatic to approach. The panorama at the lighthouse doesn't disappoint and this day was such a visual feast. A bit of a splurge on dinner. As all tables at the Lumber Jack were reserved, the proprietors accommodated us at the bar and the upscale fare was delicious. I got a cream of cauliflower soup followed by lamb lollipops and lamb shoulder with Israeli couscous, and some fruits and herbs I can't recall now but it was very good. Fingers crossed for tomorrow and as it is well after midnight I'm signing off.

#newzealand #owaka #motoadventure #advrider

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