#but also that he is angry. and cold. and Sharp (to his chosen enemies specifically)

[kanomitri]

it's really important to me actually that Sova is Angry. like, i think about Omen's, "There is a fury within you, Sova. It is terrible. Beautiful," for a lot of different reasons (bc why are you, a man, calling another man['s fury] beautiful 🤔🤔🤔?), but especially there's the fact that like. okay omen side tangent MY POST MY RULES

like Omen is already fascinating for a lot of different reasons, and his radiance(?) definitely is one of them with the way he's able to sense and see things that other people can't? and not just having heightened senses but vro can literally feel the balance of the world like dude....... is it not heavy???????? but it also means he has really fascinating things in General to say about other agents (i think about his comments on astra's radiance and what he's able to note of clove's immortality), and commenting on Sova's Rage Specifically... very important to me!!!!!

not to mention that Omen isn't even the only reliable source, like!! do we want to talk about every voiceline of his where he refuses to relent? he refuses to ease up? he refuses to do anything but win absolutely? let's look at his voicemails and emails, with a special emphasis on the blackmailer arc and his determination to Remove The Threat (and need i even mentioned the name of his ultimate, like, come onnnnnnnn ykyk???)

because he Has Rage. he doesn't extend it to his allies (mostly. we all know the exception) because these are his comrades! his siblings-in-arms! to them, he offers only kindness and amicability; they are his friends.

...but it's still there—the rage, i mean—and it is strong, and it matters to me that beneath the ice, there is this brilliant bonfire, controlled in its flickering and yet powerful and motivational all the same. it is important to me that Sova Is Angry.

[allandoflimbo]

Ashens (Part 7)

Summary: She falls in love with Bucky Barnes from the moment she sees him. Bucky, still in love with a woman from his past, hates Y/N and plans to make her life miserable. To both their dismay, they are assigned together to go undercover into The Capitol for six months. There, they develop a heartbreaking friend with benefits agreement. Dystopian.

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 4,235 words 

Rating: M for Mature, E for explicit. Enemies to lovers trope, sharing a bed trope, friends with benefits trope, temporarily unrequited love, heavy angry sex, heavy on the angst, and very strong language.

Chapter Summary: Some of Bucky's inner feelings towards Y/N gets revealed on their first day on their own.

Full Masterpage | Part 6

STEVE was the one who tightened your velcro backpack around your small shoulders.

You continued to stare into the rising sun behind the blowing trees. It must’ve been a little after 5 AM, since the orange clouds were beginning to mix in with the dark blue of a new sky, announcing the arrival of a brand new day.

Today was the first day of your mission with Bucky, and to say you were fixated on your ultimate goal was an understatement.

The camp didn’t have a running shower, but they had a secluded and private area off to the side that provided warm water and some soap made with lye and lard. The water had to be heated up overnight by an attended fire and then left for an hour before you had to get ready to let it cool down.

When one of the girls had handed you the freshly made bar, the look she gave you scared you.

She had a certain fear in them that you couldn’t quite place and it shook you to the bone.

Was she unhopeful for your return?

When you had entered the little shower, which was just four pieces of wood tall enough to cover your most intimate areas, and you dunked your mud cup into the warm water, you definitely felt like you were being prepared like a sacrificial lamb.

You felt like you were being cleansed and prepared for death.

But as you rinsed away the lye off your skin, and you shuddered against the cold winter air which was beginning to feel like sharp knives, you quickly shoved those thoughts away.

You had to focus on your goal and what it was you were actually being prepared for. This was your opportunity to give your parents what they deserve; the outcome they would want.

After your shower, you quickly dried yourself off with a long and grey rag that had been draped over the “door” for you, and you slid your arms into your heavy coat.

Quickly, to avoid getting the flu that could potentially kill you faster than any other virus ever could, you ran into your tent and slid on your attire.

It was the same one you had worn before you arrived, but Jessica had been extremely kind to you and had it washed and folded stacked neatly next to your cot.

After you zipped on your boots, Steve had shown up and ran the information with you before your departure.

None of you knew exactly how life in The Capitol was.

There had been just one agent who had ever been close enough, and it had been about a year ago.

Bucky had sent Sharon to collect information that would be vital to help their mission, including how the people in The Capitol dressed, how they wore their hair, how they behaved, and if they used any kind of special currency.

Apparently, the clothing they wore, you would have to buy when you got there. It would be possible for the camp to try and knit them so that when you arrived you would fit in right away, but unfortunately, it would not protect you during the three-day walk to get there.

There was nothing different regarding hair or currency, which was a very helpful piece to learn. It meant you and Bucky would not need to go under any crazy makeovers.

Any specific makeup look or hairdo you preferred, you were free to do as you pleased when you arrived.

The only tricky part of getting into The Capitol and not being caught was your identification.

Anyone who resided within The Wall carried a hologram ID that presented your picture, name, resident number, and occupation.

If there was anything Tony Stark left behind, it was his knowledge and technology that had been left behind and protected.

You don’t know how they managed to save nearly all of it from the war and the bombing, but you didn’t ask questions. It didn’t surprise you that the avengers would go through such measures to have a legacy and vital equipment protected.

It had been just enough for Bruce to take it into his own hands and build an almost identical replica of the hologram ID that you and Bucky would need to present in order to do simple tasks like request a hotel room or enter an important building.

You didn’t take Bruces’ hard work for granted; apparently it had taken almost a year and a half just for him to make them.

It would still be a risk when you used your identification because even though your resident number was chosen with an advanced Linux method if it were to hit a miss in Hydra’s system, you and Bucky could be screwed.

Your arrival in the city would simply be accepted by luck.

Steve continued to tighten your backpack as he reminded you of what would happen when you and Bucky both arrived there.

First and utmost important, you would need to find a place to live. According to Sharon, there was a residency area not too far from the center of the city. You would go there and try to get a room.

Next, you and Bucky would need to discover your surroundings.

What was Hydra doing there? Where is Hydra’s main building? Were there anyone there that could possibly be there against their will? How did The Capitol work? What was life there like?

You would then need to set up your false identity, which would be the majority of the mission.

Once you both found where Hydra’s main focus was and from where they worked, you would need to find your way in. You would need to gather as much intel and information about everyone as much as you could.

That is when the team had presented you with an additional ID card, except this one was physical and just a regular white laminated card.

It was a resumé and well thought out employment card, which you and Bucky would use to apply at a Hydra Facility (but not the same one to not induce suspicion). This was an important key to the mission that both you and Bucky were reluctant on participating on, but after much consideration, it was concluded it was essential to winning this.

After you found out everything you both needed to know, after the six months, you would both escape and return to camp with the intel and information gathered that could successfully bring The Capitol’s society down.

One of them being the ring leader’s location. It would be important to the mission to not have anything destroyed, especially The Wall.

This was the part of the mission you did not like.

Because you would not leave The Capitol without having that man from the diner killed.

Part of you felt bad for secretly planning how to divert the avenger’s plan, but at the same time, you now knew that Bucky was also planning something that could potentially shock everyone.

You considered saying something to Steve as he made sure you had everything in your pack - food, blankets, med kit, and a gun with a silencer (the only thing you were allowed) - but you went against it as you remembered your promise to him.

He wanted you to help Bucky love himself again and to feel like he was meant for something more.

As you both walked out of the tent and fully into the outside world, right away you saw Bucky already strapping his own bag over his shoulder.

You know his bag held the same things yours did, except his held a military gun that would serve to protect you during the walk.

Unfortunately, you would not be allowed to take any weapons with you into the city. They would be left dug into a hole and abandoned.

Your heart skipped in your chest as you observed his dominating aura.

He wore attire similar to yours, except a male version. He had a black coat with a hood that strapped across the front of his chest. Attached to it was a hood similar to yours. You could tell he had layers of clothing under his jacket for protection, and his pants were thick and tucked into heavy boots.

A pair of leather gloves covered his hands. He was tightening the one over his metal arm when he looked over at you.

His eyes were dark and his teeth clenched as he looked you up and down. You quickly looked away and back at Steve.

Steve was tightening your tracker around your wrist.

“Remember, this will only keep you off their radar for ninety seconds and it can only be activated twice. You can only use it when you enter and leave the city,” you were in a daze as you felt the need to look up at Bucky again. The pull was inevitable, “Y/N,” Steve’s tone was sturdy and you blinked at him, “Got it?”

He looked at you apprehensively, his grip tight over your hand. You swallowed thickly and nodded.

“Got it. Just twice. Entering and leaving.”

He nodded and pulled the sleeves of your coat halfway up both hands.

He gave you one more look and then nodded with his head towards Bucky, backing away from you, and walking towards Bucky’s direction.

You flexed your toes in your boots and held tightly onto the handles of your bag.

You took a deep breath and followed Steve towards Bucky.

Bucky looked at his boots and flexed his hands.

You didn’t realize how much bigger he was than you until now. Maybe it was his clothing, maybe.

You cleared your throat and he looked up at you through heavy lashes.

You wondered where he had been this morning while you were showering. It’s then that you catch sight of his heavy and dark bags under his eyes. Had he been up all night?

“Didn’t sleep?” Your question comes out before you mean it to and Bucky’s gaze quickly darkens.

“No.”

You sigh deeply, not knowing if you were more annoyed by his attitude towards you that clearly hadn’t changed or if you felt bad. You hoped his lack of sleep wouldn’t create more crankiness or mess-ups.

“Unlike you, I don’t need it.” He adds. He looks up towards the sky, making his sharp jaw visible to you and you curse the world for making him so attractive. You wondered then what kind of boyfriend he was to Daisy. And you wonder about the rumor of him and the Wakanda girl. Did he sleep with her? Was he good? Your questions in your head are interrupted as he continues, “We should get going. The sun is getting brighter and we can’t afford to lose one more day.”

Steve looked at you both like you were his two children going off to their first day of college and then he saluted you both goodbye.

Not one word was shared as you followed Bucky into the woods until what felt like three hours later.

The entire way, he hadn’t been kind enough to slow down for you, so you trailed behind him by at least fifteen feet.

You didn’t want to admit to defeat, but your lungs were burning and your legs were too. It wasn’t until he briefly stopped that you thanked the heavens.

As you caught up to his side, you saw what he had paused to look at.

There in front of you was an entire city. It was destroyed, defeated, and reeking of death and evil.

The broken and sharp metal of what had once been pretty buildings were now pointed into the sky. Heavy dust with lingering smoke, that had never gone away, still floated above the city like a dark halo.

You swallowed painfully, thirsty, and afraid.

Sure, he was an avenger, but the bacteria...

You looked at him, unsure.

“Bucky, we can’t go through the city. We have to stay on the outskirts,” he ignored you, taking a step forward and commencing his walk towards the city. You watched, unmoved, “It’s too dangerous, Bucky, we don’t know what is in that air—” You finally sighed and ran up to him, pulling on the sleeve of  his coat, “Bucky—“

He quickly snapped around to look at you, “We are going through the city. You think I came all this way for safety? You think I care? You think I’m some kind of coward? That we’ll just be taking the easy way out for everything? Or do you actually have any courageous and strong bone in that pathetic body of yours?” His words attack your ego and you practically flinch at the last question, slowly letting go of his sleeve. He’s breathing hard through his nose and you watch as he runs a hand over his face. He points back with his metal arm, “It’s the quickest route. We’re on atimed schedule. I don’t have time for safety or convenience. I’ll go alone if that’s what it takes. Come with me or not.”

He doesn’t bother giving you another glance before commencing his walk into the destroyed city.  You practically hear the howl of the wind and you pull the hood higher over your head.

You consider his words. You were trying to be safer, but he was right. This would be the quickest way and it wasn’t like you weren’t at least partially prepared for this.

You took a deep breath and followed him.

Bucky wouldn’t admit it, but he was momentarily shocked when he saw you right next to him.

He took the first step into the pavement, a dry leaf crunch under his boot. The sound echoed in the air.

You were both faced with what once was the main road, fallen traffic lights and power lines lined the street.

Cars were overturned, some destroyed completely either by fire or vandalism. The buildings, if they weren’t destroyed, were broken into and also vandalized. Overgrown shrubs were beginning to grow over the street signs and into the cracks of the sidewalk.

It was also terrifying how quiet it was.

You didn’t trust it.

It was obvious Bucky was reluctant just as much as you because his pace matched yours, and at some point, he had even pulled out his gun.

Your eyes darted around as you passed the empty cars and buses. One of the cars even had what appeared to be kids' toys - a stuffed teddy bear and a baby mirror - and you shuddered looking away, not wanting to know what happened here.

Bucky’s gun followed his eyes and immediately you wondered how long its been that he’s left camp.

“How long has it been since you’ve been outside like this?” You ask.

He’s quiet as you both step over a fallen street sign that advertised some kind of clothing brand, and you take his silence as an answer, giving up.

“A while.”

You’re surprised that he responded and your eyebrows shoot up.

You wait a minute and take another bite.

“Not used to it anymore, huh?” He doesn’t respond, “I can tell.”

“Is this your idea of small talk?” He snaps.

“I’m just trying to make conversation. I’m stuck with you for the next six months, might as well.”

“No. I’m stuck with you.”

You have to force yourself not to roll your eyes. Your joyous walk continues for a few more miles until you both turn onto a street where a train now lies.

You both stare at it, confused and surprised, wondering how the hell it got there. But judging by the entry holes on the buildings on either side, it was obvious that it had probably been thrown by means of an explosion of some sort.

And you would both have to somehow get around it.

As you approached the train car, you and Bucky came to a halt.

“I’ll go first since I’m heavier. Make sure it doesn’t topple over or isn’t booty-trapped.” Bucky says, tightening his bag strap over his body, “Stand back.”

You did as you were told and watched from a small distance as he began to climb into one of the cars which had its doors still open. Some bodies that had been reduced to skeletons were still inside.

You held tightly onto the straps of your backpack, apprehensively.

Eventually, Bucky had hopped out on to the other side with a huff.

He turned to face you.

“Your turn.”

You took a deep breath and a step forward, the leaves and glass debris breaking under your feet.

Your eyes met, and once again it was like that first time he saw you in the tent.

You looked down at the cart cautiously before stepping onto it. You clenched and unclenched your right hand, and with your left, you used it to help hoist yourself onto the train.

It rocked beneath your weight with a heavy groan and your eyes shot up to his in fear.

He leaned his right arm on the side of the car for support, and with his left, he stretched it out for you to take.

You look down to where he stood on the ground, and you swallowed, scared at how far the jump looked.

He wiggled his fingers and you were about to stretch your own arm out to take his hand when you saw something move behind him.

A man.

“Oh, my God.”

It was too fast for you to even recollect what happened, but suddenly you were on top of Bucky. You were screaming and he was cursing and you saw the silhouette of the man next to you.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Bucky shouted, until fully turning around to see what you were looking at.

He cursed before pulling you behind him to shield you. He ran you both back towards a destroyed building on the far side of the street and finally aimed his gun at the man who was groaning, a green/black substance oozing out of his mouth like foam.

Bucky didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger, sending multiple gunshots into the man’s chest. He fell forward onto the street, dead.

You stumbled back and found Bucky’s hold on you soothing before he roughly pulled away and looked down at you, disappointed.

“Seriously?”

You inhaled deeply through your nose, feeling the dig of the building behind you.

How dare he snap at you for protecting him.

“You asshole. He was about to —”

“I don’t need you to protect me. If anything, you made it worst.”

“How the hell did I make it worst?” Bucky snarled, “What if I fell on him, huh? What if we both did?”

“But we didn’t!” You could feel your heart in your veins; in your head.

Bucky rolled his eyes as he swung his gun back down, relaxing his stance.

“Jesus fuck.” He mumbled under his breath, walking away from you, “I don’t know how you survived three years. It’s like it’s a joke to you.”

You feel your tears in your eyes before you push yourself off the wall and walked right past him so this time you were the one leading the way.

“I do what I can.” You mumble.

“Pathetic is what you are.” You wouldn’t cry. You wouldn’t. Your pace grew faster as he continued on, “You don’t—” he grabbed onto your arm, making you quickly turn around and face him. You didn’t hide the tears and you knew very well he could see them. He looked into your eyes with his pretty blue ones, “You don’t hesitate to save your own life,” he tucked your scarf that had come loose tighter around your face, and for a second you thought maybe and finally, he had a change of heart. But his next words killed that as he stepped away, dropping his hand, “We can’t risk getting infected. And I can’t risk you getting me infected, either. I might be a super soldier, but we don’t know how that thing affects people like me.”

Him. It was always about him and his safety.

“What about me? What about me getting infected or killed?” He took a step closer to you.

“You signed up for this. You know the risk.”

He walked past you.

“So I should care about your life, but not about mine?”

“What I’m saying is you need to be careful.” You were about to say something else when he finished with, “Now tie your boots before you get us both killed by you tripping onto me.”

With a snarl, you looked down to see that, indeed, your left shoe was untied.

Shit.

An hour after your fight, the winds grew stronger and your visibility was down to two feet. You hadn’t spoken to each other since, and to be fairly honest, it’s not like you wanted to speak to him anyway.

After the winds had calmed down, you had both made it through the city and were now walking through what had once been crops. Now it was just coarse sand and rough rocks.

You wanted to ask him if you could rest for a few minutes, at least to have something to eat. But you were so afraid of what he would say to you.

But as you both walked and walked, it became harder.

Eventually, you stopped, and he also stopped to look at you. Your face was crestfallen.

“I’m not a super soldier like you. I need to eat. Maybe have a sip of water.”

Bucky looked you down but then turned and continued walking again.

You wanted to cry.

Did he want you down on your knees? Would that be enough for him?

After a few minutes, you reached forest land again.

You watched as Bucky walked off to the left side and sat against a tree.

You wanted to cry in relief.

You practically ran to him, sitting next to him against the tree. You pulled off your backpack and he did the same with his.

You both sat there, chewing on some nuts and fruits and sipping water.

Afterward, Bucky threw his eaten apple into the leaves and rested his head up against the tree.

You took that moment to observe him, but not making it too obvious.

Your promise to Steve resonates in your head.

He looked so young to you that you began to wonder how old he was, biologically. There was no way he was older than thirty-eight. You felt pity that he suffered so much so young.

“Can I ask you something?” You know you were fetching far. But screw it. His answer, was a tilt of his head and a peak of a blue iris at you, “how old are you?”

He squinted his eyes at you, “Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, I know you’re in your hundreds, but biologically?”

He looked away from you and closed his eyes again. His mouth was in a straight, harsh line.

“A lot older than you.”

You bit your lip, looking away.

“I miss my life before this. I miss Netflix and Spotify. Damnit, I miss Halsey.” His expression is unchanged, “Did you ever have a favorite song? You know, before — before everything?”

He knows what you’re asking but he doesn’t answer you. Instead, he runs two hands down his face and announces that you should both get going again.

You’re disappointed.

You had quickly gotten over the fact that he would never like you, if anything he hated you, but you both needed to find a common ground of respect, especially if you would be spending this much time together.

But he still wouldn’t abide by you. It was like he just didn’t care. Were you going to have to show him your true colors?

Eventually, the sun was beginning to set and Bucky suggested you both should set up camp.

He built a fire using wood and a lighter while you laid down both your blankets. He eyed you over the fire as you put his blanket straight across from his.

He wanted to thank you but his words wouldn’t come out. He was still stuck on the question you had asked him.

After the fire was just right, he tucked himself onto his uncomfortable grey blanket and laid his head on his arm.

Your eyes closed tightly together as you tried your best to go to sleep. You folded your knees against your small chest into a fetal position, to keep warm.

Bucky watched you from across the fire. You were a good girl.

But you shouldn’t be doing this. You were the kind of girl that was supposed to live in the aftermath of the successful mission, not the one fighting for it. You were going to get hurt.

Just like he did.

And he hated you for it. You were so young and had so much to live for.

He hated that he felt so many emotions for you that made him want to scream at you and make you go away. He wasn’t sure what they were but he knew none of them was anything romantic.

He would never feel that way about anyone else ever again.

He turned around in his blanket and closed his eyes tight together.

He did have a favorite song.

[burtlederp]

My OCs (A Masterpost)

So, you wanna get to know my OCs, eh? Great! That’d make my day! I appreciate your interest more than you know! :) I have a lot of OCs, I will admit, many more than will ever show up here on tumblr. I will only include, in this post, those that have had drabbles written about them and/or people have expressed interest in. The current number of OCs featured on my tumblr is 12; Milo, Anton, Jackson, Valerie, Elias, Risa, Samson, Cindy, Moe, Damien, and Marcelo.

Character bios are below the read more, because, trust me, there is a LOT more to read!

Milo’s Story: A Complete and Utter Mess

Milo O’Malley He’s lean, he’s definitely not mean, and he’s nearly exactly five feet of skin and bone and little else. Beaten down repeatedly through his life, this kid (who doesn’t even look like a kid anymore) resigned himself to a life of harsh, relentless work until his body inevitably gives out on him when he turns 26. Oh, except, it seems a very powerful tiger sprite is trying to possess his body, and he actually doesn’t want to die. And he’s been “adopted” by a giant pick-axe wielding dad-friend named Jackson, who also insists he lives on. Milo isn’t much of a looker, not anymore, with a gaunt, ghoul-like face, dull green eyes, and a shaved head (easier to keep clean when you don’t really have a place to get clean). He is, as I mentioned earlier, five feet tall, thanks to malnutrition through his early years, and dangerously thin. He’s of Irish descent, though his pale skin has long become a sickly gray. After living with Jackson for a while though, his red hair’ll grow out a bit and he’ll get back some of that snow-white European paper skin. As far as he knows, Milo is straight, but he’s never really been in a relationship before. Milo’s Playlist

Jackson Pitolua Jackson is the ideal dad-friend. He’s kind, he’s caring, protective, intelligent, and has a witty sense of humor. He’s been through some very rough times in his life, has had his fair share of terrifying, nightmare-inducing experiences, but this refining fire has left him who he is, and he doesn’t soon forget it. Not all his emotional wounds have completely healed, though, but at least his coping mechanism is seeking to help others as much as possible. As much as he’s grown, he’s still young, and he still hungers for adventure, doing so regularly as both a hobby and a profession. This has led him to meeting and literally adopting Anton, and figuratively adopting Milo. In terms of physical descriptions, Jackson is 6-feet-10-inches and over 200 lbs of pure muscle, with short black hair, a large nose, warm brown eyes, and wide smile missing at least one tooth. His Polynesian descent grants him darker skin, and he’s gotten his fair share of tribal tattoos, with one climbing up his arm to just under his left ear, and another adorning his right leg. His adventuring has led him to be in need of a patron, and so he has chosen one, his allegiance to his Samoan goddess of choice emblazoned all over his back. If he were to be put into any Dungeons & Dragons class, it would be barbarian, because he favors little armor and wields a pickaxe that weighs twice or perhaps even thrice that of Milo. Jackson is straight. Jackson’s Playlist

Anton (Pitolua) Anton is a bit different from others, in that he is not human. He’s from a race of humanoids known as the Night People, carnivorous humans with a very base, tribalistic society. Anton left it in a heartbeat to go with Jackson when he was around the age of 17, after hearing all the wonderful, magical things the modern world had. Anton had his first taste of indoor life and decided he would never go outside ever again. Jackson didn’t allow for this, but Anton has remained rather partial to his static, sustained environments. Anton is a strange one in terms of personality, having lived in a competitive survival situation his whole life and suddenly plopped into one where everyone’s on fair ground. He’s picked up the english language quickly, but he’s still working on his mannerisms, so he can often come off rather cold or harsh, but he means well. He’s protective of his new family, and would give his life for them in a second. Appearance-wise, I am still undecided. I’ve sketched multiple designs, but I haven’t found one that I really enjoy yet. Some features I have decided on though are sharp claws instead of nails, sharp teeth, clawed, long-toed feet with rotating ankle joints and opposable thumbs. Distinguishing features for Anton specifically are his long, black hair and the long scar down his left arm from a nasty fall he took in his youth. Anton, sexually-speaking, is very young and not sure about anything and, for now, forbidden from the act of it by Jackson, who’s nervous he might take after the rather… animalistic sexual habits of his people. Luckily, Anton plays Fortnite and doesn’t get out a lot, so Jackson doesn’t need to worry too much (yet).

Valerie Floraison A wood elf in a modern world, Valerie was raised mostly in Detroit with her nine sisters. Their family made trips back and forth between home and their parents’ home in another realm throughout her childhood so she could still retain her culture. Her family struggled financially all her life, a combination of poor decisions and bad luck, when left Valerie hungry for a life outside of the projects. She moved to D.C. after graduating top of her class at a college in the other realm, and joined the newly-publicized Magic Affairs Agency, becoming head of resource management in no time. She’s got a fiery, stubborn spirit about her, and it’s easy to see her as shallow and materialistic, but she really does care about people. Well, except maybe Jackson. Her sister was engaged to Jackson, and died fighting with him against a manticore. Valerie blames Jackson for her sister’s death. She’s not quite over it yet. As courtesy of her job and career, she’s quite good at wearing a pleasant face, even when she may or may not desire to strangle you. She has a habit of getting a bit physical when angry, never anything beyond a slap, and she does tend to feel bad about it afterwards.  Valerie is almost exactly 6 feet tall, with a thin and willowy figure. She has those long elf-ears, which bear a moderate number of piercings each. She has darker skin with long, wavy black hair that’s usually down, falling over her shoulders, and purple eyes. She favors the finer things in life, so it’s rare that you’ll ever see her out of a dress or not wearing heels. On her left hand is a small rune she had tattooed there that grants a permanent illusion perfectly-applied make-up on her face (no, this did not come cheap). Valerie, in college, double-majored in finances and illusion magic, with a minor in magical cloth manipulation. If she’s not wearing Gucchi, she’s wearing her own couture.

Elias and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Life

Elias Benson Native to the lands of Utah, Elias has never really had an outstanding good time in his life. His family never liked him and kicked him out of the house before he was a legal adult, which resulted in him moving across the country on his own before he was really ready. He’s had relationships before too, and none of them were healthy. He’s a gentle soul, but the world hasn’t really given him a chance to prove it, so he’s turned out to be a bit of a punk, and a lot of an idiot. Even so, he’s a truly good person, even if his language (and observable intelligence) belies it. Elias, before he meets the bounty hunter Risa, is about 5”9, and is pretty gaunt. He’s not quite Milo-levels of emaciation, but he’s not exactly looking great either at around 130 lbs. He’s got short, curly brown hair and big, green eyes, and a little nose stud on the left side. Bruises around his neck were pretty much perpetual from his girlfriend. He also was never terribly clean, so he was usually kinda grungy. After meeting Risa, things more or less took a sharp 180–he got and stayed clean, and bumped his weight up to almost 200 lbs through healthy diet and strict workout regimen. If he gave thought to it and knew it was a thing, he’d identify as asexual or straight.

Elias’ Playlist

Risa Literally out of this world, I like to describe her as a psychopath who accidentally gave herself a soul–because she kinda did. She’s from another planet in the future in a different universe, and was originally a complete sociopath. Not the “mwahaha I like murder because it’s fun” kinda thing, but she just didn’t feel things the same way or at all as other people, literally incapable of most emotions. She was wicked smart though, and after many years of learning about machines and how to be a witch, she complete switched her weak, fleshy body for a metal one and a computer chip brain. Due to an error on her part, however, this robot brain opened up neural pathways for her to experience and use emotions other than want and annoyance. Not that that slowed down her bounty hunting career in the slightest. She’s a planeswalker of sorts, meaning that she’s particularly good at finding her way around the multiverse, and takes advantage of it and the many job opportunities presented because of it. She’s a grade-A badass, also a bit op, and she’s lets people know it. She (kidnapped? Adopted? Enslaved? Took in? There is no good word for how she got Elias) got Elias as her henchman because she was bored and accidentally got attached. Risa is cold, calculating, greedy, and apathetic unless there’s money in it for her. She also has a sense of humor and sarcasm that usually smacks harder than a bullwhip. When she’s not on a job or in a rush, she can also be incredibly, horribly, awfully petty, and takes advantage of her often-if-not-always superior resources to smack down her enemies like flies. She’s a very practical person, and will always choose the most logical pathway in any situation. Risa is lesbian, but the only people she’s ever been attracted to in any way at all is her computer wife Carol, and a giant, sentient, anti-orbital gun she met once on a distant world. Risa is the most difficult to describe in words for me. She’s designed her body to be lightweight but incredibly strong, with minor force manipulation. Thanks to a very expensive coat of paint and arrangement of parts inside her, if she goes ten minutes without direct observation, she becomes completely invisible and partially intangible. She’s not powered by fusion or fission, but rather, a captured god that resides in an enchanted jar in her chest cavity. Her body lacks a lot of humanistic features, being mostly a very smooth, rounded head with antennae on either side that resemble ears, and often move like them too. It wasn’t until she got Elias that she finally installed a proper mouth on herself as well. Risa’s Playlist

Samson Callidan Samson is a very gentle soul who speaks softly, and tends to not speak for long either. He’s wise and observant and a very good listener, because likely, no matter who you are, he cares, at least a little. He had a harsh mother who taught him whats-what, growing up in deep Texas. He has the ability to force people to do as he says, as long as he’s commanding them, like a built in command spell from D&D. Luckily, his mother knew him better than he realized and she was always able to stuff something in his mouth and taught him that his power wasn’t to be misused. Samson is not a young man anymore, but is old, and his parents would say he’s been old since he was about twelve. He’s a religious man, a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, though he didn’t join until well into his twenties, after mission age. He still has done his fair share of traveling, and some of it he even enjoyed. One trip into another realm left him handicapped, with only one functioning eye, and he’d say in a heartbeat that that was the worst time in his life. Luckily, his second wife, Cindy, thinks eyepatches look cool. He and Cindy live alone, way up in the mountains of Utah in a tiny little cabin he and she built together. They have had no kids together, but he plays grandfather to Cindy’s children from a previous marriage of hers. Samson is a gentle giant, roughly 6’’5 and of various European descent. He has tan, leathery skin, with a kind, gray eye, and his hair has long-since grayed, though once it had been a lovely gold. He’s built thick, with a strong figure that Cindy keeps filled out, and despite his age, he’s retained a generous portion of strength from his youth. He’s got a large scar that stretches across his face, going over his left eye, nose, and just barely missing his mouth. His nose, once handsome, is disfigured at the tip, and his eye is a badly-healed, still-freshly scarred pit in his eye socket, though one does not usually see it beneath his eyepatch.

It’s Too Damn Cold To Be A Superhero Today

Damien Lowry Yet another upcycled character, I’m still kinda pulling off the cobwebs and dusting him off, so his backstory may be subject to change. But, as a person, Damien is stubborn as a mountain, and the kind of person whose idea of ‘relaxation’ is more work, but work he wants to do. He’s pretty easy to get along with, but he won’t tell you if he doesn’t like you, he’ll just avoid you. He bounced between homes as a child, traded constantly between his sweet-yet-frail grandparents, his constantly sick or injured mother, or his perpetually drunk father. He’s pretty quiet, a result of too much time spent alone, or too many voices in his head. The voices, fortunately, give him a handful of powers to use as he pleases, and he does so, wielding them under the guise of the superhero, the Alchemist, so named for his ability to summon substances at will. Unfortunately, the power is very specific, and Damien never graduated highschool, so chemistry is a bit foreign to him. But he manages. Damien is mostly only interested in women, a couple men catching his eye throughout his life, but nothing ever really progressed further than crushes, and he’s never had a steady relationship. Damien stands at roughly 5’‘10, and while he’s not starving or emaciated, he’s still on the skinny side, but is deceivingly strong. He has some Native American in him, giving him darker features, including brown eyes and shaggy, usually un-kept black hair. His teeth are noticeably crooked and slightly yellowed, so he usually doesn’t smile with his teeth. He’s built sturdy, and hey, maybe someday he’ll fill it out.

Marcelo Blackwood Marcelo is, honestly, not that different from most super villains. He’s disgustingly rich, wicked smart, and seeks power. He does take the path less traveled from here though, because Marcelo is not mean nor conniving nor evil. He’s a rather nice mayor of a small town in Alaska that’s best well known for having the only superhero in upper North America. The superhero’s name is the Alchemist, and he has but one main foe: the Roman. Who is the Roman? Marcelo is the Roman. By day, he plays the role of the town mayor, a kind, courteous fellow with more money than he knows what to do with, and by night, he is a super villain, blowing things up and robbing banks. What is his motivation? Well, it’s his hobby. Keeps things interesting. His wife is his greatest supporter and literally his partner in crime. Marcelo is, despite all this, a very kind person. He’s very smart, he’s patient, and tries to do his best by the citizens of his town. Even when he’s playing the role of the Roman, he avoids true wanton destruction or harming innocents, bystanders, and law enforcement. Mayor Blackwood is 6’‘10, with pale skin, piercing blue eyes, and always well-styled black hair. He has a perfect nose, a nice jawline, and is all around a strikingly handsome fellow. He may be in his late thirties, but it’s hard to tell. The mayor is always dressed well, rarely dressed down any lower than business casual, and all his clothes are custom-tailored. As the Roman, he wears boots with thick soles so that he is 7 feet tall, and wears a expertly-made and expertly-applied fake beard under his Roman centurion helmet. The helmet also has a visor to further hide his identity.

A Menagerie of Disasters (Everyone Else)

Moe Moe is an older character of mine, and for the writing blurb I used him in, I was really recycling him just for the specific scene in mind. As of now, there isn’t much to say about him. He’s a pained, mentally-distressed individual with a very rowdy demon trapped in his mind.

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That’s all, folks!

[dimensionhoppinghybrids]

The Unexpected Ambush. (Short spin off.)

It was one of those days, Midnight thought. One of those days when she had to do her best to follow the orders Luna had given her.

To much of her chagrin at the moment. Luna had specifically asked her, because she had trusted her, and only her, she noted to herself, and not for the first time. To protect her only son, Dave.

Said stallion was now in front of her, bobbing along to a tune no one but he could hear, and singing some song that he knew.

She did want to quiet him down, it annoyed her, slightly that he was making such a racket. It meant strategically of course, that she wouldn’t be able to hear any danger that could, or would arrive in proper time. Which meant they could be taken by surprise in an ambush.

“Can’t you ever shut up?” She finally hissed at him, her reptile like eyes looking around the area around her. The skies up ahead colored in the mismatches of colors that early twilight brought in when Celestia’s sun, and Luna’s moon were meeting in the sky in their respective rest, and awakening of the world they so circled every day.

“Oh, lighten up Midnight!” Dave said jovially to her, the stallion looking back at her with a smile. “Enjoy the little things in life.” He said, still walking calmly ahead as they talked.

She gave a bit of a snort, a retort already ready to her tongue. “I do enjoy them. Just right now, I can’t find the capability with all your racket.” She said in sharp retort, and Dave gave a mock, injured look.

“Oh, Midnight, you wound me. I didn’t think my singing was such a cat wail to your ears.” He said, his sarcastic tone evident in his voice, which just made her glower at him.

“Sarcasm won’t help you here.” She said, keeping her tone flat as she continued to look around the area.

They were in a slightly forested area. Dave had insisted on bringing them to this place. He was in one of his adventure moods, and Midnight had been ordered by Luna to go with him, and under no circumstances, to leave his side. Even though that he wanted to go alone, it seemed that his mother wanted him to have someone there to look out for him. Wanting the protection, or not.

He had relented, but only for her sake, and her sake alone.

It was common knowledge, that the two had a strained relationship. They were neither friends, nor foes. They simply had a working respect with one another, but that was all. There was nothing else between them but a professional, and very strained relationship.

The two had grown quiet. Sensing the change of mood, Dave had wisely chosen to stay quiet to indulge Midnight’s rising mood, as he had his own plans in the making here.

After walking for some time, now the twilight was ebbing away into night, the two halted at a denser part of the forest.Midnight’s instincts were telling her that something about the place, felt odd. She looked at Dave, finally voicing a question she had wanted to ask, but now feeling it was important that she did.

“Where are we going anyway?” She asked him. He didn’t look back at her for a few moments, but he did finally answer. “Where we are going, is through that forest.” He said simply. “I am meeting the person responsible for my presence here.” He said, now finally looking back at her with a flat, more serious expression.

“I need you to listen to me. When we go in there, stay quiet.” He said to her.

“Hey, I don’t have to take orders from you.” She began, scowling at him. But was surprised as he was now face to face to her, his face falling into a serious scowl. “Midnight.” He hissed at her. “I need you to listen to me.” He growled to her. “Just for once, do as I ask. Now, I need you to stay beside me, no matter what. Stay beside me, and don’t utter a word. Not a single one.” He said to her, giving her a very cold, and serious glare. Holding her eye to it.

She was tempted to tell him no. She also wanted to bite his nose for his way of talking to her. But she gave a soft growl, and nodded. “Fine.” She muttered at him. Not liking it that he was giving her an order. But the way he acted, this was something that she had to follow.

“Can I at least ask on what the hell we are doing way out here?” She asked him, trying to read his expression for any hint of a possible way to know he was lying to her.

But his expression was as flat, and unreading as the masks of the Princesses themselves, as he answered her. “You’ll see. In time.” He said and turned, “Now come. We’ve wasted enough time squabbling.” He said in a soft, but stern manner. One that she didn’t like, but had to agree too. If whatever this was, was so serious. They had wasted enough time on fighting one another.

Entering the forest, the two crept deeper, and deeper into it’s depths. The clear sky that had been over them, was now getting thicker, and darker with the brambles of trees, the trees only growing thicker, and larger, the further they went in.

Doing as asked, Midnight had stuck by Dave’s side. Peering out suspiciously as she did so. And finding that her fur was sticking up. A danger sign, one of the first, of that feeling of incoming danger.

She looked over to her care, whom seemed to ignore the same feeling. Or he was blind to it, either way. He didn’t seem to notice it. Which now, worried her.

They finally stopped near a large trunk of a tree. Facing the east of it, waiting for someone. Dave looked around, left, then right. Until he found what he was looking for.

A tall, equine like form of someone, in a heavy cloak came walking towards them.

The cloaked figure to Midnight, looked suspicious to her. But, to Dave, it seemed to be the one he had been waiting for.

“You made it.” He said, a hint of a smile reaching his lips. “Good, I was worried that you wouldn’t.” He said, and was about to speak further, when the other figure spoke.

She spoke in a familiar, but a different voice. There was something familiar about the tone.

“I am afraid, that I can’t go with your plan anymore, Prince of Storm.” Said the cloaked equine. “It’s grown too bold. The others have already suspected to what you have planned.” The figure said, and Dave looked disappointed, but insistent.

“Surely, we can still make this work. There is still hope. We can still prevent bloodshed.” He said, inching a bit closer to the figure, whom stepped back at the movement.

“I can’t.” The figure said simply. “They’re already here.”

The tone of the figure, sounded sad, and mournful and sad. But it had a finality to it, and Dave, now looked angry.

“You didn’t.” He said. His tone not rising from a whisper, but it seemed to be as loud as a statement in this silence, and the figure only bowed its head sadly, a sickly green glow wrapping around the hood, and pulling it down, to reveal a Changeling Queen.

At first, she had thought it was Chrysalis. But no, this one looked different. Younger perhaps, and also sad.

“I did. They forced me too.” She said, mournfully, “I am sorry.” She said, and the two were then surprised by many flashes of green flames, as Changeling drones, perhaps hundreds of them surrounded them.

And out from the shadows of other trees, three other Queens came out to reveal their presence to them.

“Foolish Prince.” Said one, clearly the one that thought herself in charge, meaning she was possibly the oldest. Or simply, the meanest of the bunch.

“You should not have come. You’re deal was a foolish one.” She sneered at him with a cruel, and vicious sneer.

The three looked at Midnight, and the leader, roared her head in laughter. “That is the only protection you bring? One guard?” She asked, as she gave them a grin that stretched her face into a hideous bearing of teeth. “I shall enjoy ripping out your throats, and sending your remains to Luna! This treachery and invasion of our hives, will not go unpunished!” She roared at them.

Dave however, for all the threats and the fact they were outnumbered, looked calm, but angry.

“I only did what I thought would be the best of both worlds, you fool. And now you’ve only sealed your fate.” He said, anger rising from the Stallion. He was starting to spark up and sizzle around the edges.

Midnight had already gone into a defensive stance, ready to attack, but they were right. She could take out one or two by this point, but they would get swarmed, and then killed soon enough. Even if Dave could form a shield, it would never hold.

“Sealed our fate?” Crooned the leader, the other two queens laughing at him. “You have sealed yours, little pony. Now be a good little meatbag, and die!” She roared, and as if she had given the signal, the drones pounced.

Reacting quickly, Dave charged his horn aglow, and performed his signature spell.

Fifteen swords formed around them, the swords, along with a knife, a very large knife, that he had drawn, started to slash and cut incoming enemies, Dave forming more on the fly, grabbing Midnight. Which she screamed in protest of, but was ignored by Dave, as he acted quickly, not wasting time and moving them through.

She wanted to fight, and was about to do so, thrashing and hissing as she went for a Drone that was getting too close for comfort, but only for a sharp thunder of a sound which made her ears ring, made the body of the drone, get torn by, and her dragged back. “Don’t be stupid Midnight!” Dave roared as he now tied her up, and standing over her.

“You’ll get killed!” He roared through the din of the roars and screeches of Changelings, and volley of sharp retorts. Dave had placed a sort of defensive perimeter around the two.

Trying to fight off volley, after volley of Changelings.

They seemed to just keep on coming.

And Dave just seemed to keep on fighting.

She couldn’t quite explain it. Her ears rung, from the sudden sound she had heard, she hadn’t expected it, and she was so shocked, and outraged that he had handled her like that. That her mind swam with emotions and pain.

She looked on, rubbing her ears as the muffled outside of it was heard through the ringing. But he seemed to be dodging, weaving, jumping, teleporting and flying through the battle.

He held out a piece of cylindrical metal that made those sharp retorts again, something firing out of it and tearing limbs from torsos, and swords flying about, cutting, stabbing and running through the swarm.

It was a mess of confusion and chaos. The three queens had joined in, the fourth and younger one, having escaped from the fighting.

The three were gathering more forces, the drones pouring out from the forest like a heavy stream of gnashing teeth.

The four adversaries stood there, facing one another, only a moment of silence, and roars of pure wrath from both parties, the prince lighting up like a angry mess of energy as the three Changelings and one Alicorn charged at each other.

The four fought like an explosion, lights, spells and who knew what else, flew struck and was redirected by more spells. All colliding into a show of pure magical force.

Either part had had to take cover more than once from each other, trees had started to burn, or fall or break from the sheer force of the fighting. Dave, being the one outnumbered, had had to run off, taking every attention that the other party had to him. She had been left alone, but merely because he was the bigger threat.

Leaving her to be the viewer of the fight of four magical titans.

He had managed to finally get one with his strange noise maker. Whatever it produced had gone through the queen’s head, making the other two wail with anger, and advance on more heavily.

One managing to nearly strike a hit, but it had grazed his shoulder, making it bleed and tear away his clothes there, but he kept fighting and backing off when needed.

Once he had almost been cornered by some drones, but he had managed to fight and escape through.

It went on like that for some time more, before he had managed to get the upper hand.

Now there was only one, but they were both like two forces of magic at each others throats.

The last one, the leader, had foregone all caution, and was now thrashing about as she and Dave, were a bundle of limbs, and teeth. Biting, hitting, cutting and parrying. Neither party seemed to be able to get the upper hand, and soon, Dave seemed to be getting swarmed by the drones. All of the, running with spears and swords to avenge their queens.

He would be overrun any second now.

Midnight, realizing that she was no longer bound, the magic having dwindled now that all of Dave’s focus was on the fight. She had a chance to act.

Grabbing a sword from a fallen Drone, she hurried towards them, racing the tide of Drones that was heading right for them, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her, only just seconds away from them to be overrun, and finally making it.

Surprising the queen, Dave, and the drones. She had managed a roar of a battle cry, and then pierce the Queen’s throat with the sword.

Making the Changeling queen, give out a sickening gurgle as ichor of a blood, started to spew out of the wound, as she wrenched and twisted out the blade. Using all her strength to wrench the sword out of the appendage, and making the sword, tear out of her, leaving her almost beheaded by the act.

She gave another sickening gurgle before falling. A sword that had been in her magical grasp, falling mere inches away from Dave’s head. Almost having plunged it into his skull.

Seeing all three queens, and now having no guidance or protection against the now two ponies. The drones decided, that it would be best to run, and find a new Hive to dwell in, all orders forgotten, and only self preservation a ruling factor as they ran and fled for their lives.

Both panting, and Dave looking worse for wear, he finally grunted. “Thanks.” To her. The stallion, looking relieved, and hesitant as he looked at the sword again.

Realizing, and to only him, not for the first time. He had been inches away from death.

Midnight however, looked down at Dave, giving him a look. A look that both showed respect, and anger for him.

She didn’t know what to say, or how to act. On one hoof, she wanted to scream at him, hit him more and drag him to Luna in his state so they both could thrash him around, on the other. She wanted to thank him as well.

He had, in a sense, saved her. If he hadn’t gone alone, she would probably have been killed in the fighting. And most likely in those first few moments of it too.

But he had, to her own ire, hauled her off and placed her somewhere out of the fighting, so she could at least survive.

She had wasted that, of course. Seeing that he had been about to be killed, she had done her duty, and rescued him. But it had been on just a hair of a moment. If she hadn’t had any more time than that, perhaps neither would be standing here.

They both had been extremely lucky. But, with a simple, stiff nod. Trying not to hit him for his stunt. She backed away, looking at him with a mixture of emotions, but waiting for him to rise.

Giving himself a few moments, he rose himself up. Looking like hell, with cuts, bruises and wounds all over the place. Holstering his big bang device, he looked at her, his lip bloody and cut, but smiling at her gratefully. “Come on, let’s go home.” He said, coming closer to her, and lighting his horn aglow. “Better to teleport us there,” He muttered out loud.

“You couldn’t do that at first?” She screeched finally at him. Hearing that he could simply port them to where they had started before entering the forest, instead of walking here, sounded like a much less waste of time.

“I wanted to give you the chance to walk away.” Dave said simply to her. “I know it’s your job, and mom told you to stick with me. But I thought, if I’d drag it out, go sooner than intended, and simply walk here. You’d get irritated with me and let me simply do my own thing.” He said, a bit sheepish.

“Well, you were wrong weren’t you?” She asked him sharply. Her eyes glowering at him as he nodded. “Yes. Yes I was.” He said, still smiling. “And, for what it’s worth Midnight. I am glad I was.” He said to her, and with that said, he teleported the two of them, back home.

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I want to thank

@semperaliena

For allowing me to use her version of Midnight in this story! Hope you have a good read!