#coastline trio

[kroosluvr]

summer saltwater

[carionto]

"It's perfect" a Human said about a Deathworld

Continuing with this trio

Gieverne exclaimed upon reading the latest report on the atmospheric and soil and vegetation conditions of a new batch of surveyed planets. One particular planet read: 43% oxygen, 56% nitrogen, 0.03 carbon dioxide, and lesser traces of other gasses. Lows of 16 and highs of 33 degrees C at mid-latitudes, plus/minus 4 at the equator/poles.

From pictures taken by a survey drone, it was completely covered in kilometers high verdant green ferns and trees. Even the few oceans, or, more appropriately - land-locked seas, also had a greenish-purple algae coating still half a meter thick furthest from any coastline. Indications of extensive microbial lifeforms, but no traces of any macroscopic creatures.

He quickly rushed to his colleagues, and upon hearing the news, Everie was ecstatic, while Henrietta pondered something:

"It's a good start, but we'll first have to introduce smaller herbivores better suited to digesting such dense plants. I'll call up the girls on the Bountiful Kaleidoscope, I suspect the gliding mammals they're working with would serve as better initial prey animals, and all we introduce will have to be tree climbers and nest builders or the lack of sunlight on the ground will just kill them."

There was a short discussion about the best starting species and locations, when Everie suddenly looked as if he had experience a Eureka:

"What if we cleared a spot from orbit first, see how fast it regrows? If it's slow enough, we'll have more options and the ecosystem could better adapt to their new friends without killing them."

The other two thought for a second, then enthusiastically nodded in agreement. After a few more short discussions and consultations with other relevant groups of scientists and natural disaster response experts, they adjourned, with Gieverne concluding the meeting:

"Then it's decided, I'll file the necessary paperwork, and this station should be on its way to our new orbital home by the end of the month."

[honeydippedwaffles]

Request: Our Intertwined Fates

Request Information: A set of possibly two or three parts surrounding one my mutual's favourite, non-companion characters in the game: Rolan. This in a look at how Rolan and Tav's relationship builds over the course of the story from a friendship to something more.

Tav is not referred to by name.

Content Warnings: She/Her Tav

Word Count: 2.1k words

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

The scent of rust mingled awfully with the flowering bushes surrounding the grove. Something felt wrong about strolling into such a place with goblin blood still drying on her armour and the cling of an abduction over her shoulders.

She did so regardless, muscles strung tight from a battle nearly lost and an argument she could scarcely defuse. Who knew helping somebody out would cause such trouble.

“We’re off to a great start,” she said to nobody in particular. “Barely free of some wretched pod and already we’re wrapped up in another conflict.”

Her companions and her had crashed into this isolated area of coastline just the very morning they stumbled into this grove. How they’d managed to get themselves involved in whatever impossible argument was occurring between tieflings and druids escaped her understanding.

“This really isn’t our business,” she admitted to them when they looked at her. “But I suppose if we’re going there anyway, the least we can do is talk to the head druid? It won’t do any harm.”

She lied to herself like that sometimes.

If somebody asked her for help, she’d never been able to turn them down. Offering her assistance felt negligible in the grand scheme of things and this conflict really seemed to have a solution she could find. It would help also, to have the grove’s knowledge on her side.

Those excuses really didn’t feel genuine when the threat of a tadpole behind her eyes lingered.

Yet despite having it in mind, when she overheard an argument, she couldn’t help herself but stop to listen. The trio of tieflings sounded so irritated with one another as they fought about whether they should remain with the group or forge their own path to the city. A fight they’d clearly gone over before if the exasperation said anything.

“Don’t be ridiculous, we don’t even know these people. I’m not sticking my neck out for every person we come across. With my magic, we have nothing to fear about the path to Baldur’s Gate as long as we leave now.”

“Just because we don’t know them doesn’t mean we should abandon them here. What use are all our spells and blades if we don’t even use them to help people.”

She listened curiously, not planning on interjecting but also wondering about the goal of Baldur’s Gate. Some things unfortunately rarely changed and she couldn’t help but worry for this group. “Does Baldur’s Gate welcome tieflings at all?”

Her question directed itself at nobody in particular and yet, she must have spoken loud enough for them to hear as the three all turned to her with various expressions of disinterest or appreciation. She shifted uncomfortably beneath their gazes and smiled to show she hadn’t meant to get involved.

“More so than other cities,” one of the tieflings answered. “Perhaps they’ll stare but nobody will pull a blade out. It doesn’t really matter either way because I’ll be welcomed. You’re speaking to the recently accepted apprentice of the great wizard Lorroakan.”

Tall, haughty, and certainly pretty enough to be a wizard rather than a fighter, she could tell he had a great deal of trust in what he said.

Maybe even too much.

Lorroakan sounded familiar but she couldn’t place why it felt wrong. A wizard certainly but not one whose name carried very good rumours alongside it. She could share what she knew but to do so felt wrong and so she smiled.

“Congratulations,” she urged. “You must certainly be very talented to earn yourself such a grand apprenticeship.”

“I assure you, I am.”

“Then it sounds as though your help could be invaluable to these people who are blessed with neither magic nor fighting skill.” Her gaze drifted to where children and others attempted to spar with sloppily created training dummies. “Honestly, I believe they’ll need all the help they can get.”

He frowned; caught in the small trap she’d created through his own confidence. She felt a little bad for taking advantage of his arrogance but she hadn’t been lying when she commented on the tieflings.

They probably wouldn’t survive a day against the goblins.

“That’s what I’ve been saying. We have to stay and help.”

The wizard looked between her and the others before he threw his hands up in agitation. “Fine but if we end up rotting on a road because of this, it’ll all be your fault.”

He stormed off and she glanced awkwardly at the others. Perhaps she had overestimated their skills but she doubted their chances even more if they split from the group and tried to do it alone.

But if they died, the weight would never lift from her shoulders.

“Thank you for intervening. Rolan can get obnoxiously stubborn at times but he’s a good person. He’d have regretted choosing to leave later.”

She laughed awkwardly, unsure how to respond beyond offering her name as a means of introduction before hurrying off. They had so many problems to face, far more dangerous than even taking on a slew of unending goblins. Such a thing could wait until after the worm got removed.

One poisoning later and another child rescued and they took on the very task she’d tried to avoid, regardless of Astarion’s unimpressed complaints about it.

They ended up fighting through a, quite frankly, impossible number of goblins after rescuing a massive druid from the dungeons. Followed it with a battle against shadow druids who were disguising themselves as rats. And then still ended up standing exhausted at a party with the blood not fully washed from her hair.

As tired as she was, she couldn’t skulk away into her tent so early into the night. Everybody wanted to speak to her and she was now avoiding Lae’zel as best she could after the gith caught her off-guard with the strangest proposition she’d ever heard. Flattered, but uninterested, she looked around for help and eventually caught Lia’s eyes.

“What are we doing?” she asked.

“Rolan’s going to put on a show for us,” Lia told her, excited and a little teasing. She, like many of the others, appeared a little tipsy as she gestured to her brother. “Watch.”

“Patience,” Rolan chided. “You have no respect for showmanship.”

“Performance issues,” Cal whispered to her and she laughed behind a palm despite the wizard’s glare.

After all the near misses with fireballs through the day though… well, she really hoped whatever magic he wanted to use involved snow or water. Anything she didn’t have to dodge.

He surprised her pleasantly with neither and the small cascade of dancing lights lit up the sky in pretty shades of blue. She’d seen children do similar magic when first learning of their abilities and it never failed to make her smile.

“He can also make them purple,” Cal told her proudly.

She politely clapped and tried to keep her expression supportive of the tiefling trio. Rolan had skill enough to make something of himself in Baldur’s Gate… if his tutor held up to his expectations.

And, of course, the group had to get there first but she had faith. Zevlor, if nobody else, looked well equipped to shield his group from danger.

“You’ll do brilliantly with the proper training,” she complimented when she noticed Rolan’s gaze hover over her for a second longer. “You can ask Gale about some spare scrolls we found while exploring. They may come in use during your travels.”

Rolan straightened his spine beneath the praise, pleased with his successful show. “I have no need for scrolls but I thank you for the offer.”

She laughed and raised her glass to him. “If you say so. The offer still stands.”

She bid the three siblings good luck with their further travel and stepped away to clear her head, finally seeing an opportunity to seek peace and quiet. The shadows provided some solace as she made her way into the forest.

When she came across a small clearing, she settled on a log. It had been a long day filled with unending waves of enemies and her eyes felt heavier than ever.

She’d almost drifted off when she heard footsteps behind her. Footsteps, clumsy and unused to stalking through the dark. At least she knew it not to be an assassin, she imagined.

Although she’d expected Karlach or Gale rather than the tiefling she saw.

“Rolan?” she asked, confused as to why the wizard had followed her and now hovered uncomfortably at the edge of the clearing.

“Lia made a very good point,” he said, straightening imaginary creases from his robes as he spoke. “Scrolls could be useful if we get into a situation where my magic is lacking.”

She frowned for a second before she remembered her offer and waved back at the party with a smile. “Oh, right. Those are with Gale or one of the others. I don’t know what spells they have but any magic is useful, right?”

“Obviously but they’re mainly for Lia’s peace of mind. I don’t think we’ll have any problems when I have my thunderwave to handle threats.”

She smiled. “I’m sure. Make certain to aim for the nearest cliff.”

A wince followed as she remembered shoving a goblin from one of the rafters earlier in the day. She hadn’t appreciated the crunch of bones or the smear of blood… she hadn’t cleared out a goblin camp before the day and it really didn’t suit her.

“With any hope, you’ll have no need of spells at all,” she said. “I think the path to Baldur’s Gate should be open.”

“If it wasn’t, I don’t think they’d be singing your praises so highly,” he scoffed.

He took a few seconds to place the strange jealousy in his voice as not related to handling the goblin camp but rather the heroism of it. Strange, she’d never thought of a battle as something to be envious of. She certainly left with a great deal of pain in her ribs to show for it and little else.

“Something wrong?” she asked, fixing him with a soft gaze.

Rolan shrugged but she noticed the way his tail flicked, irritated, back and forth. He watched everything besides herself, not truly meeting her eyes as he gazed around the clearing.

“Nothing,” he said. “I’m just hoping you haven’t given my siblings any ridiculous notions about going off and being a hero. They’re not the type to walk through a goblin camp with no problem.”

She smiled, understanding his concerns. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. It’s not about being a hero, it’s about giving help where it’s needed and… I suppose it was selfish too. I needed a healer and Halsin was my only option.”

“A healer?” he repeated, gaze lingering over her bruises. “Did he manage to fix whatever’s wrong with you?”

Her heart thudded a little and her stomach sank. He hadn’t been able to do anything for her. Halsin pointed her in a direction and promised to help but he couldn’t remove the tadpole from her head. Every day, she ended up closer than ever to becoming a creature from her worst nightmares and she could do nothing.

Honestly, it may have contributed more to her mood surrounding the party than the actual exhaustion had.

“No, then?” Rolan asked.

She shook her head and tried to shake free of the worries. “Unfortunately, my condition goes a bit beyond his talents but he did give me a way forward. We’re heading toward Moonrise Towers to look for answers.”

‘You don’t sound confident.”

“It’s hard to be sometimes,” she admitted. “But I don’t really have much of a choice in what I do next.”

He coughed, a little awkward as he shifted his weight from side to side. “Well, I mean you’re clearly more than capable of handling things. I’m sure getting to wherever will be easy enough for your little group of heroes.”

She laughed at the unexpected and strange praise. “Thank you, Rolan.”

He nodded and seemed about to turn around and leave so she stood and the movement momentarily froze him. She leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to cheek in thanks.

“You’re going to do great with your studies,” she said. “I’ll be sure to brag to everyone I know once your name becomes renowned.”

Somebody once told her tieflings couldn’t blush but she swore she saw colour darken the tops of his cheeks even in the dim light of the forest.

Taglist: @miwn8

[mur-art]

The “Fort Ross” Trio (Hawai’i, California, and Alaska), inspired by @sleepdeprivedsimp234’s HCs about them:

Alaska’s trying his best!!!

More rambling and details under the cut:

So in the course of this drawing I found myself wondering, “surely Alaska has some surfing with all that coastline!” And thus, I learned about Yakutat Bay, the surfing capitol of Alaska. So I think Alaska would at least be somewhat capable of surfing, albeit not as good as Surfer Bro Cali or Miss “I literally invented this” Hawai’i.

But hey, like I said, he’s trying his darn best!

Details of each of ‘em:

Please note, any inaccuracies in this portrayal of surfing is bc I know NOTHING about surfing. I feel like there’s all kinds of symbolism with the board designs and types of boards, etc, etc, that I would get into if I knew more about it!!

[starlightlacrimosazpsff]

💠 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 💠

~ тнε συтℓαη∂εяs ~

『 Welcome us with your light 』

When existence takes form, light bursts forth.

Perception is possible with the existence of light, and life is breathed into existence with either belief or desire. Such radiance is accompanied by sublime darkness, the shadow which always follows. The universe is a blanket of void filled with twinkling light that each holds potential to blossom into life.

In the eyes of a child, the possibilities are endless.

SOLSTICE, the younger sister of Aether and Lumine, looks at the world with great curiosity. No matter where the twins take her, she would look around with eyes widely open of wonder. She never misses a chance to observe all the vibrant colors and forms of civilization. Before Solstice had been born, the twins were always out exploring the universe by themselves. With an infinite number of worlds to discover, the two have a vast variety of homes to choose as options to settle down.

This particular one is gorgeous in its simplicity.

The landscape is quite linear: green everywhere surrounded by oceanic blues, and very abundantly blessed by nature's touch. Its real beauty shines from the ethereal aura of the backdrops, emanating a sense of unity. From where they landed, they saw almost everything there is to be offered by this world. The twins smirked at each other, giddy to be able to explore every spot. Multiple sets of cliffs could be spotted along the coastlines, and a few tiny islands decorated the borders with beaches of white sand. On the horizon, they can detect a trace of civilization—but it looked more like ancient ruins now. At the heart of it all, one giant oak tree stood tall like a silent guardian.

Flower fields seem to never run out. Each plain has at least five different kinds of blossoms dancing by their feet, and every meadow is rich with splendor. Solstice loved them, squealing happily at the new colors and scents as her siblings carried her throughout their strolls. She definitely took a liking to grapes when her siblings found vines of them in a random nook of the continent. She was just as quick to get sick of it though, such is the ever frivolously fickle whim of a toddler. The continent seems to match that mood, carefree and wild yet a natural peace guiding it to order. Everything comes alive with every breeze as if this world breathes and speaks through them.

It was quite mysterious yet enthralling, as if they were being welcomed.

『 Grace the morning sky 』

AETHER looks back at his two sisters.

Solstice is sitting on Lumine's lap under the giant oak tree, gazing at the lush green hills. The tree itself reaches above the clouds like a wooden obelisk, casting a massive shadow on the land. It has been a while since the last world-hop, and he knows that they should plan a departure soon. Sure, this one has forests that are full of life and cliffs were no danger to an Outlander. He even saw a functioning windmill and manor estate in the remains of an ancient city. Life is undoubtedly possible for them, yet...something was missing.

Something is always missing.

After a while, he catches the gaze of Solstice who is reaching out to him by spreading her arms open nigh expectantly. He walks over to them and crouches down to her eye level, making her grin cheekily like a spoiled cat that got what it wanted. Her eyes beam at him while she holds her rattle out towards his twin sister, whom chuckles fondly.

"Perhaps, the next world would have some entertaining creatures for her." Aether mused.

As nighttime hit, pyreflies came out of hiding and illuminated the forest where they rested. Some have dared to go near the Outlanders, especially the ever charming Solstice. She stares at the floating lights, giggling whenever they nip at her nose. The oak tree granted them shade from the moonlight if ever they wish to sleep. Flowerbeds accompanied the grass on uneven terrain, soothing the trio into a free session of aromatherapy. The shades of midnight devoured the entire land, giving it a somber view that lulls its witnesses to slumber. A million stars twinkled mischievously from the sea of black that is the nightsky. Dandelions glided along the gentle currents of the evening breeze, swaying like a sweet windblume dream.

Truly, it is a quaint and lovely world.

『 Comfort Luna— 』

LUMINE smiles down at Solstice.

At this age, the young Outlander would not be able to understand words yet. Her twin brother points out his index finger towards their sister's nose, poking it with a gentle boop. For a moment, the toddler is shocked; but then, as Aether smiles, she laughs and reaches for her nose with her free hand.

Aether sits down next to his sisters, "What are you wishing for, sis?"

Lumine brushes away a straying lock of hair from Solstice's face and hums contently, "Anything."

The rattle in Solstice's hand makes a unique sound that was both magical and beguiling. It resembled the soft tinkling of windchimes, yet presents an imagery of sparkling stars due to its sustaining echo with every shake. The sound was something that gave comfort to the youngest Outlander, especially when it is accompanied by the changing of its color palettes to suit her moods. Its shape was also quite fascinating, as its translucent sphere held a tiny glowing four-pointed star. The surface seems to be made of iridescent crystal, gleaming like glass amidst a spectrum of dawn.

Aether takes Solstice when Lumine hands him their dearest little traveler. Her eyes glimmer as she looks up at her older brother. He leans down to give her a kiss on the forehead, soothing her. She once again shakes her rattle as her version of thanks, releasing sounds which further delighted the little girl.

When Solstice was born, the twins dutifully watched over her. Once she had enough energy to sustain herself, the siblings took it upon themselves to find a new home—a world suited for their baby sibling, as well as their personal desires. That is their current mission and why they could not stay on this world, no matter what beauty the place holds.

Therefore, at dawn, their time was up.

Aether and Lumine gave the world one last glance, melancholic to finally leave it. Solstice is held by her brother, snoozing on his shoulder. They chose a spot that gave them the smallest view of the old windmill, one of two things that remained in tact amongst the infrastructures of the desolated town. Amongst the sharp cliffs which cross over each other, families of tiny creatures seem to peek out from wherever they kept themselves hidden. As dawn arrived, the fog lifts like a curtain from the trenches and isolated corners. The waters began to clear, sparkling like liquid diamonds against the rays of a rising sun.

The Outlanders turned, wings spread as they jumped into the portal for their next quest.

The morning breeze bade them farewell.

『 —as she wanes from Terra's might 』

Even with millennia of experience, the twins have yet to find the "answers" to the universe.

All Outlanders were born in Cosmogenesis, yet none ever stayed. It was the same for Aether and Lumine, entitled by their peers as The Light Bearers through the names they were given. Both came to existence and then ventured out once they have grown old enough, all to find the world where they can settle down together. Alas, neither expected it to be as difficult as it had been. Some veteran Outlanders describe it as never knowing until you find that place, home. There is no logic behind finding one. It is a feeling that they can only hope to experience once in a lifetime. Even some Outlanders as old as time have yet to find theirs.

Aether and Lumine had visited many stars with Solstice, even before their younger sister had fully matured. One of the first worlds had been populated with dragons, a diversity of ecosystems as habitat to specific breeds. There were no other creatures aside from smaller animals that likely function as prey, deeming the world a perilous shelter for the siblings even if only temporarily. The twins would have hopped to another world the moment they arrived; yet Solstice, with her ever curious nature, made them stay. 

Perhaps, because dragons were the first lifeforms she saw outside of Cosmogenesis, she quickly took a liking to them.

『 Veiled in amber haze 』

Solstice giggles, reaching her hand out as far as she could dare towards the dragon.

Aether has her body securely wrapped in a blanket while she was hugged protectively to his chest, warm and safe. Upon first seeing a giant beast, most people would react with caution. The wise move is to slowly and carefully step back in order to not alarm or provoke it. However, his baby sister had the opposite reaction. Her ecstatic smile seems to intrigue the beast as well since it laid down. The new position made it appear small and vulnerable, an invitation for the Outlanders to come closer.

Aether and Lumine share a bemused look.

Solstice, in the bundle of blankets, continues to reach her hand out to the dragon. She kept her Primo Stella rattle close to her chest with the other hand. The dragon itself is smaller than others but longer, more like a reptilian drake if not for its obvious wings. It has an extra pair of legs to keep its elongated body supported. Its wings were brightly colored, from a golden rose tinting towards a gradient black like the void. The twins were not surprised that the young Outlander was so intrigued by the beast.

First, Lumine had walked closer to test the patience of the draconic creature. They needed to confirm how close it would let them get. It would not have been the first time that either of the twins saw a creature of this ilk. Sometimes, the dragons would be big and others much smaller; but all can still be dangerous in their own ways. Many differences in color palettes made them interesting as well, yet always recognizable as draconic. There are breeds which had been quick to rage, hence their worries.

The young woman stopped within arm's length and held her hand out, letting the wild yet wise creature approach on its own pace. After an intense glare, it acquiesced by nudging its snout towards her palm.

After Lumine had been able to pet it, Aether took the chance to walk closer. He still shielded Solstice's frame with his free arm, just in case. If something happened, both would be quicker than the dragon could attack. He knew this well, yet his protective instinct held his sister closer to his form. The young man lays his hand on the other side of the dragon's head once he was sure he had permission.

"You want to touch the dragon as well?" He asks Solstice gently.

Aether adjusts her position in a way where the little girl would be facing the dragon. Both her hands reach out to the dragon, even the one holding the rattle. Her hand makes contact with the scales and, as it does, she squeals with excited laughter.

For a moment, the twins heard the dragon purr.

『 Fueled by violent rage 』

During their time on this world, the dragon had kept them company like a silent guardian.

Besides dragons, the world lacked forms of human civilization no matter how far they sought. Not even anything that bear a semblance of ancient ruins, or even hieroglyphs of history could be found on any landmass. The caves in the mountains were enough for the dragons to call home. Furthermore, they come in all sorts of types: vishaps, wyverns, drakes, wyrms, lindwyrms, amphipteres, basilisks, hydra, bahamuts, leviathans, and of course the typical dragons. Each functioned as an independent unit or clan, while there are those preferring to go solo and hoard their treasures. Aether and Lumine had talked about staying since Solstice loved this world so much, but then decided otherwise.

Thus, the twins set out to other worlds. They were determined to keep trying to discover that feeling—the sensation which their fellow Outlanders often told them in stories. Solstice had been too young to understand the reasoning her siblings gave, but she nevertheless made no trouble as they left. While the twins searched for another star, she looked back at the small gathering of dragons. They watched the trio intently, as if bidding them a safe journey and a bittersweet goodbye. At the very front is the dragon which greeted them first upon their arrival.

Big round eyes shimmered with glee as they peek over Lumine's shoulder. A chubby fist waved and the rattle, which it held, chimed with a melodic echo.

The Twin Outlanders spread their wings as they left the world of dragons behind...

...and it faded with the mightiest of roars.

『 Dancing, discordant— 』

In Cosmogenesis, a star named Luciel dies.

Cosmogenesis is a vast space located at the center of infinity, the origin of the universe yet not quite the one that birthed it. The dimension has a plethora of stars and galaxies revolving around a group of levitating platforms, each designed as archaic suns and moons. They serve as welcoming perches for Outlanders to rest or stargaze. However, the widest one at the center of all serves as the universal chamber for newborn Outlanders. It can transform to properly accommodate those too young to leave and survive independently, whether as a cradle in a nursery or as an entire house floating through the cosmos. Directly across is a gaping maw that serves as a gateway wherein Outlanders can enter or leave the cosmic space. Sometimes, it even becomes an all-seeing mirror to view a specific galaxy or black hole from far away.

Now, at the peak of Cosmogenesis, the birth of Luciel's twins is about to occur.

From all across the universe, Outlanders gather to witness the birth of Aether and Lumine—the pair of siblings incubated by Luciel and now to be born from its timely death. It is extremely rare for twins to be conceived by the stars of Cosmogenesis, yet never really dangerous. Although, as two souls that shared one star, they will live with a connection that binds them for life.

It is a special bond that cannot be severed.

The Outlanders watch as the star collapses on itself, seeming to gather every wisp of its light. In seconds, the core of this star shrinks and takes the shape of newborns about to breathe their first. A supernova explodes with a flurry of dazzling light and stardust, covering the expanse of Cosmogenesis. Witnesses were blinded by the sheer brightness of nothing but white, a familiar ringing noise lingering in their ears.

Alas, the experience is always worth it.

After all, the birth of an Outlander happens only once every million years in Cosmogenesis.

Then, as color returned to their sights, they admired what seems to be the most beautiful supernova they have ever witnessed. The ivory haze fades out, making way to the colored nebula that remained. Clouds of various shades and hues float as stages to the multitude of dancing stardust, like galactic fairies doing an imperial ballet. From its core, Aether and Lumine slowly descend into the cradle of silk which rose and formed from the central platform.

With the birth of the twins, the star named Luciel was gone and only left a stellar nebula in its place.

The elderly Outlanders named it: Luciella.

In Cosmogenesis, nebulae are considered nurseries for future stars. Then, should a star die again after a million years or so, it shall give birth to another Outlander or two. There are certain conditions where a nebula would disperse into the maw and become a new galaxy instead, which will expand the universe further outward. It shall go beyond the wide scope of Cosmogenesis, and then possibly birth all sorts of species. This cycle of life and death has been on loop since the beginning of time; and it can only end with the death of the universe itself.

The Outlanders slowly leave their perches to check on the twins. One by one, they approached to impart their blessings in the form of welcoming smiles and well-wishes in different languages. The newborns responded with soft coos and huffing whimpers, still asleep. Like most newborn Outlanders, Aether and Lumine will likely not open their eyes until their first birthday. That is when they would have absorbed enough energy from the cosmos to enable their five senses to observe their surroundings.

『 —spinning in retrograde 』

Once an Outlander is born, the energy that flows within Cosmogenesis serves as their overall sustenance. A species known only in Cosmogenesis called the stardust pixies are also present to educate them, based on accumulated knowledge from all corners of the universe. Because of this, most Outlanders live without a parental figure. There are some that choose to personally mentor the younglings, but most just leave after witnessing the birth and let nature take its course.

Aether and Lumine remained in Cosmogenesis for a little over a decade. They spent that time gathering enough energy and training their powers with help from the pixies. A veteran Outlander will sometimes come to pay them a visit and give some helpful tips, preparing them for their own future travels. Those moments made the dimension less lonely, but the twins were eager to just leave it as well. It was too barren and too dull, even with the mesmerizing view of the cosmos. Even the flickering company of the pixies does little to soothe them.

Maybe this is the reason why no Outlander ever chose to stay here for long...

When they had enough power to fend off any dangers, the twins attempted their first world-hop.

It was an exhilaration like no other.

During the next few centuries, the twins jumped from world to world. They discovered new civilized species, new fauna, new flora, and cultures that are so inherently unique from each other. On the rarest instances, they would even cross paths with fellow Outlanders. Once, they were fortunate enough to meet those who found their true home; and these Elders managed to tell them in even greater detail when a world feels like their true home. Such tales inspired Aether and Lumine to journey even further, making them witness the rise and fall of countless stars in multiple galaxies. There were times they would stay longer in a particular world they both like, but it was never a permanent place to stay. It was not the home which the Elders told, and certainly not what their restless natures seek as Outlanders.

Although, there are times that the twins did find this quest tediously impossible.

"Home is when we're together." Aether would tell his twin sister with an encouraging grin.

Lumine would hold his hand in response, "We will always have enough time."

『 Born from the sea and the waves 』

Every Outlander is linked to Cosmogenesis.

Since birth, they all possess a homing beacon within their core that will lead them back to it. If there is an enemy they cannot defeat, the realm will always leave an open gateway for them to escape. If there is any adversity they can hardly surpass, the realm is a place for them to heal. It was odd how it can even operate as some sort of telepathic or empathic link amongst their kind. For this reason, news of any particular Outlander can be received from all parts and corners of the universe. On the other hand, Cosmogenesis can send visions that are treated as summons for special events that are too significant to miss. Examples are the formation of a galaxy after a nebula dispersed, or the discovery of another unnamed star. After all, one thing that unites all Outlanders other than finding their respective true home is the obligation to archive the truths of the universe.

The most common for these summons, of course, is the birth of a new Outlander.

When such an update reached Aether and Lumine, their first thought was that it made no sense whatsoever. It took a million years for an unnamed star to be born, and a hundred million more for it to die while birthing an Outlander—or two, in the rare case of twins like them. The timing was much too early. They were still so young compared to the rest of their kind, barely a few millenniums old. Both of them were still trying to find their own place in the cosmos.

Then, so unexpectedly, another was born.

Therefore, the Outlanders gathered once again.

It was certainly different from most births witnessed in Cosmogenesis. Admittedly, it was underwhelming compared to the surreal display that the recent birth of the twins had demonstrated. Nevertheless, there was a certain beauty to seeing a nebula swirl and converge. It was like a calm vortex before the eruption of a storm. Nobody can ever truly know if it will reach and hit them, or whether there would really be a storm to anticipate.

They all watched, patient and reassured.

"You know," an Elder addressed the twins, "since this child will be born from the nebula of your star, they are considered your sibling by Outlander standards."

Aether blinked confusedly, "Our sibling...?"

The Elder nodded, "You were both born from the star of Luciel, and this child will be born from the Luciella nebula. By that context, you share the same flesh and blood."

"Has there been an incident like this?" Lumine asked.

"Only a few," the Elder replied solemnly, "mostly because this case is as rare—if not rarer—as twins being born from the same star. Fitting, that the three of you will be tied together by destiny."

Those words filled the twins with a joyous sort of excitement, an anxious type of expectance.

『 From a cosmic array 』

Much like Luciel's supernova, there was nothing quite like the convergence of Luciella. There was no explosion, no blinding lights, and no obnoxious noise ringing in their ears—just the remaining dust and gas from Luciel which became Luciella. However, a sort of fascination brewed as these clouds of gas and stardust came together. They gathered at the eye of the storm, where light and heat was slowly building like flame in a hearth. Perhaps a forge is a more accurate comparison, wherein a simple ore can take a more concrete form. Nonetheless, the Outlanders all stood aside to watch as the colors of Luciella turns itself into a ball of light.

Then, a shockwave announced the birth of this unexpected little Outlander.

It was the birth of the twins' baby sibling.

A baby sibling.

Aether and Lumine mused in awed tandem. They could never ask for more. Amongst their fellow wanderers, they watched as the tiny infant made a slow descent. Remains of Luciella floated around them like a protective cloak, all fluffy clouds and sparkling dust.

The twins moved before any of their peers, standing upon the central platform before a cradle could even form. Their baby sibling kept floating down while wrapped in a bundle of silk manifested by the stardust pixies. They approached quietly, each planting themselves at one side of the fragile newborn. With a brief glance, the pair came to an immediate understanding.

Lumine was the first to hold the baby close, a girl as they discovered. She cooed as the little one fussed at the sensation of being embraced. Comforted by the humming and rocking of an older sister, she settled down with faint sniffles.

Meanwhile, Aether seems to know by instinct on what to do next as he stared up at the remnants of Luciella. He did spare a look at the Elders, whom nodded back to encourage his plan. There was no way that another star—let alone an entire galaxy—could be born from it anymore, yet a powerful resonance lingered as a thrumming of magic. The young man summons a relic in the shape of a crystal, and then seals it all away. He feels his twin sister assist him by lending her own power by holding his shoulder with her free hand. The relic transformed into a baby rattle, housing a small glowing star in its sphere and producing a soothing sound.

Primo Stella, whispered Cosmogenesis.

Its energy will stabilize their little one until she can fully harness its power with her own.

Aether gently tucks the rattle with his little sister, delicately petting her head. He presses a chaste kiss on her hand, so small and soft compared to his. A warm smile accompanied his tearful eyes. His chest swelled with adoration as he felt the tiny fingers squeeze his own single digit.

Lumine did the same as her brother, taking their little sister's other one. Like her twin, she tenderly kisses the dainty fingers so faintly squeezing onto hers. Her breath hitched due to the surge of affection that consumed her.

Solstice would be her name, they decided.

Their dear little sister.

Her birth was yet another miracle, and it would be their miracle to keep. Nothing in the world would stop them from loving their little traveler. Nothing in the universe could stop them from cherishing and protecting such a treasure.

On Solstice's first birthday, she opened her eyes for the first time like any other Outlander. She gathered enough energy to sustain herself, especially with the help of Primo Stella. Her eyes mirrored a thousand stars as she looked up at the twins, whom gazed back in breathless admiration. Light reflected as wisps of silver that gleamed like clair de lune, and colors blended as a symphony of worlds within a thriving galaxy. They twinkled charmingly, a play of enchantment that leads bystanders into a trance.

She was beautiful, and so very precious.

Aether and Lumine beamed proudly at their little sister as she laughed, rattle shaking in her hand.

Solstice understood. This is her family.

『 Of the colors in space 』

It was dark.

It was cold yet warmth lingers.

It felt like nothing at all, but there was enough of something for it to be called hollow.

Solstice forcefully extends her hand forward, trying to grasp anything. It was an effort that seems to take a lot from her, as if her soul was literally being pulled out of her body. When she leans forward, her hand meets a sea of darkness—an endless void of nothingness. She reels back and tries again, pushing harder and further through what seems like a veil of nonexistence yet an opaque blanket of obscurity.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The only thing accompanying her in this abyss is that familiar jingle, the faintest of chimes. A weirdly unique yet familiar sound...and no matter how hard she thinks, she has no idea where it originated. Her ears were so attuned to it, as if a habitual stirring from her soul which she always recognizes.

Solstice steps in the direction she thinks is forward yet had no way of confirming. How long has she been here? When she yells out for her older siblings, she is met by a deafening silence. For a moment, she doubts herself and halts in her tracks.

Perhaps, this is just a dream.

Aether and Lumine would never leave her alone, so it must be a dream. Yes, that must be it.

Henceforth, there is nothing to fear.

Again, Solstice tries to reach forward—failing, and then falling yet never meeting a surface. In a bout of frustration, she closes her eyes. She always took Primo Stella with her, the rattle Aether and Lumine gifted her at birth. If it was gone here as well, surely this was not real...right? 

Solstice shuts her eyes tightly and tries to calm herself. Breath in. Breath out. She tries to think about all the worlds she had previously visited, and then imagines the worlds she has yet to see. It had been some time since the twins took her to another world, so they should be hopping to a different one soon.

Then, she will wake up.

Right...? 

When the magical sound starts to fade away, the void started to feel like the closest corporeal experience of being able to breathe underwater. Solstice falls into a loveless embrace of darkness. An invisible weight makes her sink into the depths and she lets it, forevermore trapped in limbo. There was no cause for alarm, as she knows that her twin siblings would wake her up soon. They will take her to another world as they always did, together.

This is just a bad dream. A nightmare.

『 Nothingness erased 』

Lumine walks over to Aether.

"Isn't it about time you wake her up?" She asked.

The young lady puts the fruits she gathered in a basket next to her brother. He glances up from his makeshift workplace, humming. He then looks over to Solstice's figure, peacefully sleeping on one of the portable beds. Her rattle is tightly grasped and pushed against her chest. Sometimes, she would move and the toy would make a soft sound.

Aether shrugs, "I'll wake her up once breakfast is ready. She must be adjusting to this new world."

The sun was already up, as they were too after being trained as early risers. Both were ready for a new journey, yet neither of them woke up the little Outlander. Travelling across the mountains costs a lot of energy, especially from young Solstice who is yet to fully develop.

The three currently resided in a house the village had provided for them. The shelter gave them a chance to rest longer, and to bond with their little sister in-between commissions that earned them some coin for expenses. Solstice enjoyed spending her time with the villagers too. She was now able to properly communicate and spent her days chattering with them, kids and adults alike. Likewise, she listened to topics about their history and the tales they would spin playfully like straw on wheels.

It was no ordinary village either. The people all have tails and other animal attributes. As Aether and Lumine talked with the villagers, they got to know more about their transforming abilities. Most chose to show their animal attributes, even in humanoid form, and only a handful walked around without them. If the person is around a person they trust, then they are able to wholly morph into an animal as well—their true form, as they call it. That goes without saying, Solstice was curious and enjoyed the presence of these nature dwellers. She held a very particular fondness for the foxes and crows.

The sights also served as a pleasant playground, presenting a view of eternal spring. The blossoming trees never seem to run out of petals that rain down and flutter with the morning breeze. It was not odd to find a coat of pink somewhere as a result. Some would make piles of them and jump on it, laughing with resounding echoes.

The other day, Solstice had spent the entire noon running with the neighborhood's children. They had been showing off their animal forms, running faster than Solstice who would do her best to keep up; and when she got tired, the children would run back and sit down with her. She is now 3-years-old, and is able to do most things without any hands-on guidance from the twins. Outlanders adjusted fairly easily and she was no exception, thankfully. Solstice might be a petite young miss, but she was already quite adept at understanding adult conversations.

Aether puts the fruits he had cut in a bowl and then wakes Solstice up. He pokes her cheek gently, trying to coax her out of dreamland.

"Sol," he murmurs, "breakfast is ready."

She groans, nose scrunching in displeasure, but she still blinks her eyes open as requested. They squint at the ray of sunshine peeking through the windows, blinding her. As she moves to sit up, the rattle jingles again and her hand clutches it by habit. It reminds her of the stars she sees every night. No matter which world they greet, the stars always seem to be constant. They make it easier to adapt.

Solstice stretches her arms and yawns.

"Good morning." She says groggily.

"Put some other clothes on before you eat." Lumine says as she walks past. She ruffles her little sister's bedhead, making it even messier.

From across the room, Aether adds: "We're going to the other island today so try to hurry."

Solstice looks up, shoulders sagging as her brows furrowed together.

"Today...?" She parroted.

Her voice is quiet, hesitant and disappointed.

Aether crosses his arms over his chest, honey gold eyes stern yet soft. He knows that the villagers have grown on Solstice and vice versa, but it could not be helped. They cannot afford any more delays. Like the previous worlds, this one is not their true home and so leaving was a matter of time. They already stayed longer than usual for Solstice's sake, to let her play with kids around her own age.

"We want to explore this world a bit more before heading to the next. We talked about this." He ever so patiently explains again.

Every time Solstice had to leave people behind, she got sad. Both Aether and Lumine could understand the feeling, since they were the same when they hopped between worlds the first few times. It is what made an Outlander's quest difficult, especially on their younger days. Before Solstice was born, the twins settled down on the older stars until they died as if in sympathy. It was different now though, now that they have grown. In some way, they were more indifferent to the thought of leaving. They stayed detached from every world once they realize it lacks the aura of "home" which they sought.

Someday, their little sister will understand too.

Or, if they were fortunate, they could find their true home before that youthful wonder could fade from her eyes. Her older siblings certainly hoped for it.

After a while, Solstice smiles again.

"Maybe we can come back someday..."

The hopeful tone made it seem like a question, a bit more rhetoric and expected no answer.

Aether nods his head anyway, smiling back.

The pink petals and scarlet leaves from the trees outside blow through the open windows. The curtains fluttered, and the windchimes tinkled like a fairy's giggle.

"Maybe someday..."

The next world they visited was composed of a kingdom in endless winter. The terrain was basically just various states of frozen tundra, with wildlife along the botanic coastlines and amongst the cliffside forestry. Average weather was filled with long-lasting blizzards that hindered the three from adventuring outside for longer periods. If it was not for the village they had found, the twins would have moved on to the next world as soon as possible regardless of their depleting stamina. While the situation remained unpleasant, Solstice needed to rest and she always took priority above all else for the older duo. Thankfully, the people in the village were kind and offered to shelter the three for as long as needed. The twins accepted with humble gratitude in their hearts.

A jolly huntsman offered one of his unoccupied cabins so he was put in charge over their care. He wasted no time escorting them home, especially after seeing Aether holding a smaller body to his chest rather protectively.

"These will suit you three well." Their host said with a welcoming smile, holding out a pile of fabric.

Lumine took the proffered items, seeing that they were thermal clothing and hooded fur coats. There are also three pairs of warmed wool socks and indoor leather boots. A glance towards their front door revealed a few crates of food and coal.

She bowed deeply, "Thank you so much."

As soon as they were left alone, she took the clothes to her siblings. She let Aether get dressed first as she took over the job of changing Solstice. Their poor little sister was already too drowsy to move by herself due to the freezing temperature. Once she was all cozily tucked into the sheets of blanket and comforters, Lumine took her turn to switch to her own set of warmer clothes. Her twin brother exited the bathroom just as she entered, and cuddled their youngest to share some body heat.

For the rest of the visit, Solstice had been a lot less talkative yet retained her jubilance. Her tiny body does not have much resistance to extreme climates like this one. They had not been in the cold long enough to cause damage, yet she still needed to recover her energy. As she slept, she kept her rattle close to her chest to absorb more of its mana. Because Solstice needed to recover from the harsh circumstances, Aether and Lumine decided to delay the next world travel. The duo let her sleep as long as needed, and waited until their sister was ready to leave.

"I'll be back soon." Aether yelled with a salute.

Lumine waves him goodbye from a distance, silently wishing him a safe trip. Solstice timidly poked her head out from behind her older sister's legs, as she waved and grinned at their departing brother.

Aether had offered to help their host hunt down food and get some more supplies. He was now heading into Pinewood Forest with a borrowed hunting gear, and a huge husky acting as his guide. Because of Solstice's delicate state, Lumine remained in the village to look after her. She would be there for her if she needed something while their brother explored.

When the twins had set out to find a home, they knew that travelling dimensions might have a stronger and direr impact on the newborn Outlander. They had taken her out of Cosmogenesis earlier than most Outlanders would leave. With the combined powers of Aether and Lumine, they found a solution through Primo Stella. They had made that relic, her rattle, to seal the remains of Luciella. This way, she would have a reserve of cosmic energy to sustain herself while travelling from world to world. Then, on her 16th year, the power contained in the relic will permanently merge with her when she is finally ready. While sealing it was convenient, the two constantly worried about their sister's curious nature breaking it by accident and releasing the dormant power prematurely. 

Lumine watches Aether disappear into the forest with an eager pep in his step. She turns around and heads back into the house where they stayed, firmly holding Solstice's hand. The twins were used to doing commissions in other worlds as well so both were willing to help the villagers, especially ones so kind and generous. However, now with Solstice in their lives, they could not freely do these missions together anymore. It was fine with them. She has full faith in her twin brother's return, and he felt the same way whenever the jobs are reversed. Both would gladly protect the little traveler as long as needed.

As soon as they sat by the fireplace, the younger female yawned while rubbing her eyes.

Lumine smiled fondly, sweeping her sister's fringe behind her flushed ears.

"Do you want a naptime story?" She asks.

Solstice beamed as she snuggled up to her older sister's side. Her head rested on Lumine's lap, mumbling her soft thanks when she felt a thick fleece blanket cover her. A doting voice lulled her to sleep as it regaled her with tales about an ice queen and her eleven knights. Before she could succumb, a caring hand combs through the strands of her hair and massages her scalp.

Once again, Solstice was in deep slumber.

『 Come dance with her in the stars 』

It was the same darkness again.

Alas, something was different—not with the void, but with her own thineself. She could feel the thrumming in her veins and the soulfulness of her breaths.

Solstice sensed power within her.

The young Outlander was no stranger to power or otherworldly magic. She was a being born from the center of infinity, a fragment of cosmogony. Even if she has yet to learn how to channel it, she is more than aware that it has always existed within her. However, this time, it was practically tangible. She can envision that power and hold it as easy as lifting her Primo Stella rattle. It was the first thing that she knows she can legitimately grasp in this endless void, and so gripped tightly as if it was her lifeline.

Her ears perked up at the sound of familiar chimes, echoing in the depths. There was no source as the reverberation seems to surround her. It kept tinkling even before the preceding echo could fade, like the persistent ticking of an antique clock. The hypnotic rhythm allured her to its pendulum chant. Her body takes a fetal position, directing her hands to her chest. A ball of light takes form in her cupped palms, peeking from the gaps of her fingers. Her eyes remained shut as she begins to lose awareness the more she embraced the divinity which hummed in her veins.

One last chime resounded in the abyss before it stopped for good.

The little traveler gradually straightened her posture; yet now, it has become a mystery if she has fallen half-asleep. Her bare feet finally make contact with a surface, but it rippled more like water. It did not matter, since she stayed as upright and steady as if it was a cemented pathway. Her cupped hands pushed forward, and it unraveled like a spring flower in full bloom to present a radiant beacon.

Thus, Solstice decreed unto the darkness:

"Let there be light."

...and light was.

It scattered as stars from the beacon which shone vibrantly from her hands. Some gathered to become the moon and another cluster created the sun, born simultaneously amidst a sea of twilight. As all light did, it took more shapes and then life was breathed into each one by her spiritual will. When the last wisp flew off, her limbs began to move in a choreography that matches a melody only she can hear.

The Outlander danced with a serene smile, yet her eyes stayed close as if in slumber. Her hands waved and swayed, arms swinging gracefully as the waves that followed her bidding. Each step made the water ripple until it lifted her up, making the petals of a flower cradling its fairy queen. Her legs kicked up as she spun with mildly flawed yet nevertheless charming pirouettes. The stars danced with her, and pixie dust gathered like a mystic robe. Some stars gained a spectrum of colors, appearing to mimic glass prisms reflecting rays of light. They flew as crystal cores that grew a pair of large wings each, fluttering around their creator delightedly.

Beauty and grace, Solstice is the light.

『 Watch her transit afar 』

Solstice stares with unbridled awe, eyes wide open and mouth shamelessly agape.

Currently, she and her siblings are riding by gondola as they toured this new world. It is indeed a fortress that earned its title as a city of water. The state is structured by large buildings seemingly built straight from the ocean floor. A single yet solidly wide and long bridge was the only access by land to the main entrance of the city from the rest of the world. Small waterfalls circled it along the bottom, streaming from the rest of civilization. Every architectural work is a breathtaking masterpiece with clear intentions of representing the people's love for renaissance art; yet the subtle intonations betrayed their ambitious pursuits for technological advancement.

Aether curiously wondered outloud if he could take samples of a few gadgets, like the thing they call mobile phones. He thought it could be useful amidst their travels. Lumine was intrigued by the idea; but she also brought up a particular downside: this technology might stop working well when they jump to another world. They are not inclined to waste resources over something that will likely fail them before it could serve its worth.

It was, nonetheless, an interesting possibility.

Outside of the city, the entire civilization seems to run on water for everything. Within it, the towns did not disappoint at all. Rather than paths of cobblestone and concrete, most of the streets are either rivers that need a gondola to travel or bridges that entwine one harbor to another. The state was so big they can only reach this side rather than the elite capital that housed the aristocratic population. Their gondolier sang praises about it, calling the place the center of history enriched with ancient knowledge as much as material wealth. Although, he sassed that a few of the folks could use some attitude adjustment.

As the three arrive at the docks, they are met by a swarm of people leading into the urban area. It was the marketplace side of the harbor so the crowd was to be expected. There are also less towering houses which gave them a view of the distant mountains on the more rural islands.

When the ever curious Solstice asked what was out there, the gondolier hummed kindly yet firmly.

"Only adventurers dare to travel on those parts, dear little one." He said, "The aristocrats reach out to the guilds to commission them in harvesting the rarest materials from the mountains. Historians say it is a home to enlightened sages, whom helped push this city to its current glory and prosperity."

He playfully pokes her forehead with a scary face—

"Others believe it is a home for colossal monsters that sometimes lurk under our seas."

—but his countenance was so dramatic and comical that his words only amused the little girl rather than terrify her, much to her siblings' relief.

The friendly man chortled in tandem, beaming at Aether and Lumine knowingly.

"I think you two might be capable enough." He commented, "Those commissions fetch quite hefty prices. If you're interested in exploring while earning some quick money, I highly suggest taking a few of them from the guild. It's an automatic permission to travel the commonly restricted areas, such as the catacombs."

Lumine tilted her head bemusedly, "The catacombs, you say...?"

"You'll recognize them when you see them, milady~!"

Aether gives one last thanks to the gondolier, paying a good tip for his entertaining tour. He then heads for the city with his sisters, acting as the barricade between them and the strangers inevitably bumping into them. One of his hands was placed on his twin sister's shoulder to not lose them since her hands were occupied with Solstice, though he made sure not to put weight on it. His aureate eyes were kept sharp and alert, yet they also gleamed appraisingly while absorbing the magnificent sights. It has been a long time since he felt this childish excitement well up from his chest.

Lumine opted to carry Solstice on her back to avoid losing her in the crowd. She appeared just as gleeful as her twin brother, but retained vigilance. Her head turned to various stalls, selling everything from food to souvenirs. A mental note was made to buy new durable clothes for her little sister, whom is starting to outgrow her current sets.

"Look, look! Mimin, look there."

Solstice points with her rattle at the seagulls. As expected from a city of harbors, there was a great abundance of them gathering to fetch discarded morsels. No doubt, they were also being a bit of a nuisance to the tourists. The twins swore they even spotted a few pelicans hovering from the bright blue sky.

"Do you like the birds?" Aether asks adoringly before they passed by the avians.

Solstice hums affirmatively, giggling when some of the birds made funny faces at her.

For the little traveler, this was the first big city she has ever seen. The worlds they have discovered so far were usually centralized in nature, and the urban ones tend to be small towns rather than an evolved metropolis like this one. A perk which made the twins thank their lucky stars is that tourists are also quite common here. This fact effectively refrained them from sticking out and catching unwanted attention. It seems like the three could comfortably settle down here for a while until Solstice was ready for the next hop.

•

•

•

When first arriving here, the twins had been initially disappointed and a little depressed.

Once again, this world lacked the spark of "home" much like the previous ones. At times, Aether and Lumine would feel lost but still kept moving forward if only for Solstice. The small Outlander did not seem to mind the delay though, not at all. Instead, she seemed to enjoy herself in this world. The twins also took this opportunity to spend time with their baby sibling, cheered up by her optimism for life and adventure. Perhaps, that is why they decided to settle down in this world for a little longer. From a smaller town, they travelled on another boat to the capital city.

Fortunately, it was their lively gondolier again!

They even learn his name this time: Pierre.

"Good morn, my friends~!" He sang.

Aether and Lumine grinned at him while Solstice squealed, glomping the laughing man's legs.

Once away from the docks and into the actual city, the three could see bigger stands as well as more sophisticated shops that likely sell more exclusive wares. Almost everything is either an expensive boutique or a remote pawnshop. This part of the state have structures primarily made out of a white stone—resembling marble and jade—giving the city a clean and luxurious look.

Behind the city and separated by the ocean from miles away, the mountains are more visible now due to proximity and less obtrusive structures to block the view. Each is as high as the clouds, almost matching the castle towers and wealthy manors. Veiled by heavy mist, the eldritch silhouettes loomed from afar like phantoms with glowing eyes. Despite its gloomy outlook, the formation of the mountains were almost protective as they encompass the borders of entire city state. Once again, their gondolier told them about the rumored monsters. He speaks of how the ocean surrounding the city has been cradling beasts as big as these same mountains for millions of years. It is relatively debated whether some of them could be guardians of the fortress.

Since the city was surrounded by water, it was good for import and export trading as mentioned. Day in and day out, the city would receive goods from ships that would be sailing for weeks to trade. This is why the common grounds had docks scattered all over the territory. The capital was more formal since businesses are conducted through a schedule of meetings and the daily signings of orderly lawful contracts. Like they were told, commissions came easy through the guild and the merchants across the harbor. Both Aether and Lumine soon had gathered enough coin to live leisurely.

Once the twins had found an inn, they rented a room to leave some of their things. Then, they decided to visit the popular tourist spots and scenic routes to entertain Solstice. They took her to waterfalls, a smaller one where they can carefully guide her small hand into the flowing water. It never failed to make her laugh, which gained enamored smiles from her older siblings. The two had taken her on boat trips as well, sailing between the rows of houses in the rivers that crossed the city.

At one point, the twins followed the advice of taking commissions that let them explore the mountain islands. Sadly, Solstice had to sit out for her own safety; but she did not mind after getting bribed with a chance to spend a day in the capital's playground park. After hiring a trustworthy babysitter from the guild, they set off. Neither of the twins encountered any immortal sages, but they did feel many watchful eyes on them—wary yet not hostile—the entire time they lingered. They actually got lost a few times too, but trails of will-o'-the-wisps helped them get back on the right path. Aether even found secret passages that led to the infamous catacombs. As a lofty story to tell their sister, Lumine was more than excited to decipher the history behind them. It was a dark and spooky area but neither of the Outlanders were genuinely fazed by it.

They ended up discovering deep tunnels that went underwater. It was a series of coves wherein guild members are stationed at a checkpoint cabin if adventurers wish to scuba dive. Aether actually had fun with getting back to the city state that way, while Lumine opted to just use the transport they had upon arriving in the mountain isles. It will not do to neglect the sailors that helped them travel here.

Besides visiting these tourist spots, Solstice got to try out many delicacies as well.

•

•

•

Lumine walks back to the table once she finished ordering their food.

The twins had decided to visit a popular restaurant today since they will be setting out to another world soon. Before that, they wanted to give Solstice the opportunity to taste whatever she wanted. All three of them are quite the foodies, which makes gourmet their default bonding moment. It was hard to leave, especially when the twins have no idea what would come next. They could only hope that "home" is as fun for their little sister as this world.

"Don't let the bird bite you." Aether warned.

He watches guardedly as Solstice crouched down next to the seagulls. A piece of bread is in her hand, tearing it crumb by crumb to feed the birds. They can always find a colony of them in every tourist spot they visited. The youngest Outlander liked to befriend them but Aether disapproved. As she hears her older brother call out for her, Solstice stands up again and turns away. She shoots one last goodbye and returns to her siblings.

When Lumine sees her sister struggle to get on the chair, she helps by lifting her up.

"Did you make new friends?" She asks.

Solstice always had a soft spot for winged animals, specifically dragons. Birds would do just as well, especially colorful ones like peacocks or the dainty hummingbirds. She also likes a few insects such as butterflies, dragonflies, and bumblebees—as long as she keeps her distance to avoid giving the twins a heart attack. In response to her sister's question, the little traveler puts up two fingers.

"Two, eh?" Lumine teased playfully, "I think that makes it...twenty-one bird friends already?"

She turns around and grins mockingly at Aether, who just glared back at her. He somehow had managed to get pecked by the seagulls when taking Solstice away from them. Apparently, the things get moody when a third party tries to take their snack supplier away. One flock would peck and pull on Aether's braids, while another would act like perfect little angels by nuzzling Solstice for more food. Ever since then, he had held a grudge. The feeling seems mutual with how they tauntingly squawk at the mere sight of him.

During dinner, the trio listened to a storyteller who had been entertaining the restaurant regularly. Much like Pierre yet more solemn than comedic, the old wiseman recounts about ancient tales and stories of the ocean monsters. He also spoke myths regarding the sages in the mountains, about how they grant wishes and protection via lantern rites on the first full moon of the year. There are even tales of a clash between these sages and the ocean beasts so long ago, before ending on a treaty that paved the way for the age of contracts. His version had more details, focusing on facts with immersive flare than theatric entertainment. Solstice had been more intrigued by the storyteller than the food. Both of the twins had to remind her to eat before the food got cold and unappetizing.

The next morning, Aether and Lumine took Solstice to yet another world.

『 Crossing Sol's burning gaze 』

"Whoa!" Solstice exclaims, "What is that?"

Her mouth is parted in dumbfounded shock before just as quickly turning into an excited grin. Her eyes are focused on the erupting volcano in the distance, ashclouds and magma rising. In the middle of the night, a powerful shockwave was released by said volcano which then captured the attention of the three Outlanders.

Aether lifts Solstice up in his arms.

"It's a volcano." He replied.

Lumine walks up next to her brother and ruffles her sister's hair, a habit she had developed.

"No worries." She reassured calmly, "We won't feel its impact here. Most we'll notice is the shockwave that already passed."

The trio can see how the gray ashclouds invaded the previously clear blue skies. Its cluster is gradually taking over the territory around it like an avalanche of soot. The bright lava gave a beautiful firework show as it exploded into the air before flowing down like a slow stream of rio grande. As hypnotic as its beauty appeared, the people closer to the volcano are likely looking at it in terror.

Solstice's eyes are wide open, staring at the lava still shooting into the air. The glimmers in her eyes now stand out even more because of the bright light it casts. As she watched the force of nature, her twin siblings found it more fascinating and amusing to watch her reactions. They exchanged wide smiles before leaving their little sister by the window, now aiming to get some snacks. It was pointless to try falling back asleep by now.

The trio had been sleeping in a cottage built in an oasis on the other side of a jungle. They had seen the volcano but decided to move around it, travelling through the thick marshes and swamps. It was a bit troublesome for the twins, especially with a small child to carry the entire way; but it seems like they made the right choice in the end. A few insects and wandering wild animals from the unforgiving jungle were no match to a duo of protective siblings. They did spot treehouses spread out in the dryer parts of the forestry, but only few people were stationed. It was more likely a bunch of outposts than legitimate residences, but all of them look fortified as real functional shelters.

Solstice's eyes are still focused on the volcano. Its eruption lasted long, and it made her want to stay awake for the whole night. The lava had shone so brightly, an ominous glow that depicts beauty in a natural catastrophe. An adventurous voice inside of her said, "Touch the bright glowy thing!"

—but both Aether and Lumine had explained that it was dangerous. That is why they had taken a detour in the first place, which meant no touching.

The little traveler nods sagely, "I'm a good girl."

In this world as well, Solstice experienced many new things. First, they landed in a desert. There was sand everywhere, and it was too hard for Solstice to walk amongst the dunes. Luckily, there were friendly animals that she could ride as the twins guided it with a leash. The caretakers called them "camels" which resembled horses with lumps on their backs, and a relatively goofier face. Once out of the desert, they found signs of civilization. Unfortunately, the twins thought it was too close to the volcano as they ventured towards the jungle. Soon enough, they reached the oasis just on the other side of the jungle and renovated the cottage for shelter.

When the Outlanders had ventured further into the jungle, they had noticed its great food source and minerals; and if there was a lot of food, a village follows where the river runs. For the next few days, the twins had searched for another town yet they only stumbled upon this oasis cottage. Inside, there were maps and books which gave the two enough information about this world. From what they have read, the former owner must have been a researcher or perhaps even a fellow traveler.

It was no permanent home, everyone knew; but they decided to stay a few more days. Survival in this world was more tiring than usual, even for Aether and Lumine. Rather than earning money through commissions, they needed to scavenge for their own food and other daily resources. Thankfully, the maps aided them in finding the good spots and the notes told them what was safe to consume or otherwise better left alone. Solstice even found a hidden ledger for medicinal herbs and potion mixtures. There was also a chest of interesting clothes, looking like they belong to fairies due to how they sparkled. The style varies from tunics, off-shouldered crop tops, veils, turbans, harem pants, cardigans, shawls, scarves, and vests. The bottom is filled with gold accessories and gemstone jewelry, very priceless and heavy.

In respect to the former owners, Aether and Lumine returned the chest to where they found it.

Indeed, they will just spend a few more days here to recuperate and perhaps even train. After all, their youngest is at a good age to learn more about her powers and practice swordsmanship. There is no time like the present to seize the day.

Afterwards, they would venture out again.

Solstice is outside, playing with her Primo Stella rattle and unleashing its jingle. The unique sound has always somehow calmed her, reminding her of the realm where she was born—Cosmogenesis, the twins told her of its name. There are times in-between worlds where Aether and Lumine would take her for a short stop in the dimension. It was usually to ask for some advice from the older Outlanders. Meanwhile, she is usually left to play with the stardust pixies that take form due to the realm's cosmic energy. Then, her siblings would join her again and share some stories that the Elders had told them when they were little.

The innovative little girl wonders if she can make those same pixies with Primo Stella.

While she was playing, the twins are getting ready to leave the current world. They gather the few things they have in their possession, such as their swords and extra clothes. Their wings are out and openly exposed, ready for the flight to another star. Every now and then, the appendages would move to help them levitate and reach a higher shelf.

Lumine walks inside the cottage and checks it one last time for good measure. They could not afford to leave behind anything. Last night, both of the twins had returned the interior as they found it—a trivial thing they always did in courtesy, but also to leave no traces. It was an innate habit that most Outlanders develop, to never ever imprint signs of attachment to a world that is not their home. It helps deter them from looking back or having regrets.

"You ready to go, sis?" Aether asked.

He was already out of the cottage, stretching and keeping an eye on Solstice. His sword is in his right hand, swinging it a few times skillfully.

"I hope we find a nice world where we can celebrate Solstice's 6th birthday." He continues.

His aureate gaze focused on his baby sibling for a moment. She was completely enraptured by the rattle, which was glowing brighter than usual.

Aether returns his attention to Lumine, who was almost done checking. The tinkling sounds from the rattle fills the silence as he waits for his twin sister, just a tad impatiently.

Lumine walks out of the cottage, closing the door on her way out. She points the hilt of her sword towards her brother so he could take it. Last time, he carried Solstice; so this time, it will be her turn. Their sibling is a growing girl, and they needed both arms to carry her safely. They take no chances until her own wings could sprout, which might be soon.

Suddenly, there was a heavy silence.

Aether arches his eyebrow, looking over his shoulder as the incessant chimes had stopped. He wants to ask Solstice what was wrong, but he was interrupted by another shockwave. This time, it was way closer and filled him with wordless dread due to its catalyst. He heard Lumine exclaim something in alarm and distress.

Solstice had broken the relic's seal.

Horrified, both twins urgently reached out for their little sister. The Elders warned them that the seal should never be lifted prematurely, so they had implemented a failsafe for it. How did such a young girl like Solstice break it? Nobody knew what to expect. Most assume what would occur is nothing short of disastrous. They were so utterly terrified because they could not survive the thought of losing their sister, not now and not ever.

Alas, it was practically inevitable.

Because when the shockwave had passed, Solstice was undeniably already gone.

『 Venus sets ablaze 』

The first year of Solstice's life was spent sleeping in Cosmogenesis, as expected.

Just like any other Outlander, it was spent gathering enough energy to sustain herself. During this time, the twins stayed by her side and comforted the newborn in her sleep. They had told her all about the worlds they visited, and how they wanted to find "home" together with their new baby sister. It was a moment filled with innocence and warmth.

The first year of Solstice's life was also dark and admittedly dull. Dark, because she was not able to witness anything with her own eyes yet; and dull, because she could not do anything at all. The only thing she felt was the energy flowing inside of her, making her whole—as if she was a doll slowly being put together by an expert craftsman. It honestly felt peculiar, but also warm and comfortable. Perhaps, that was because Aether and Lumine were always by her side to keep the loneliness at bay. They had always assured she was kept healthy and secure.

Currently, Solstice is experiencing something similar yet also something different.

There was an immense amount of energy flowing inside of her and then back outside. It was like she acted as a medium in a cycling network. The clinical process lacked the familiar warmth and comfort from Cosmogenesis. However, it was not entirely unpleasant...but more so disorienting and confusing. This is new and unknown to her so she felt the need to be a little cautious despite her curiosity. Her siblings taught her to always practice that balanced mindset.

Solstice wondered if she was dreaming again. There are times when things took too much energy from her, so she would fall into a deep slumber. Still, there is a nagging at the back of her mind that tells her this time would be different.

Then, she gains an astonishing epiphany.

Usually, her Primo Stella rattle would give her energy in the form of mana. This time, it takes from her in a way that it was channeling her power. The star had synchronized with her will, especially her memories and her dreams, to create something. She had no idea what it could be but she wanted to see.

Ten years pass and at last—

on the eve of Solstice's 16th birthday,

TEYVAT was fully created.

As midnight struck and the day arose, Solstice has reached full maturity as an Outlander. Her power lets out a final surge across the new land. This celestial phenomenon created three realms coexisting in harmony, welcoming yet untouchable.

When dawn settles over Teyvat,

Solstice finally opens her eyes

for the first time in ten years.

『 Welcome us with your light 』

[l-estappen]

The Crown Jewel 🇲🇨 i. Call me Oscar Jack Piastri Verstappen-Leclerc 👍🏻

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I muse to Leo, sprawled out on the couch, my eyes fixed on the breathtaking sunset painting the Monaco coastline with hues of gold and pink. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view, turning the penthouse into a celestial observatory. 

A soft click echoes through the room, shattering the serene silence. Leo’s ears perk up first, followed by the rapid thumping of his little paws on the hardwood floor. Jimmy and Sassy follow closely, a synchronized trio of eager greeters. 

"Honey, I'm home!" Charles calls out, and I can hear the smile in his voice as he greets our furry trio. "Salut Chouchous. Been good while I was out?" 

Leo's excited barks and the soft meows from Jimmy and Sassy make me smile. I can almost picture the scene—Charles crouched down, surrounded by our little menagerie, giving each of them the attention they crave. 

"Alright, alright, let me get up. I've got something special for your papa," he continues, his voice teasing and affectionate. 

I feel a flutter of excitement as I hear his footsteps approaching. Leo bounds into the living room first, his tail wagging furiously, and as Charles steps into view, I see a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Bright, vivid blooms that match the vibrant sunset outside. His eyes have a playful glint as he holds the flowers out toward me, a teasing grin spreading across his face. 

"To apologize for offering to adopt Oscar without asking you first," he says, stepping closer, his tone half-serious, half-joking. 

"You think flowers can get you out of anything?" I ask, sinking deeper into the cushions. 

Charles laughs, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he sets the bouquet down on the living room table. "They usually help," he remarks, before straddling my lap. 

"I missed you today," I declare, wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him closer until our noses almost touch. 

Charles presses his forehead against mine. "Missed you too," he murmurs, his hands moving to cup my face gently. His thumbs stroke my cheeks as he leans in, his lips brushing against mine in a tender kiss that quickly deepens. He tastes like mint and desire, his tongue probing, teasing, driving me wild. 

He pulls back just enough to speak, his breath hot against my lips. "I've been thinking about you all day. Couldn't wait to get my hands on you." His fingers trail down my chest, undoing buttons with practiced ease, exposing my skin to the cool air and his hungry gaze. 

I groan, the sound low and guttural. "Then don't make me wait." 

Charles's laugh is dark and filled with promise. He shifts his weight, his hips grinding down against mine, and I can feel the hard evidence of his arousal through our clothes. "Patience, bébé. Let me enjoy you." 

His hands are everywhere, tracing the contours of my chest, pinching my nipples just hard enough to make me gasp. His mouth follows, leaving a trail of wet, open-mouthed kisses down my neck, nipping at the sensitive skin until I’m squirming beneath him. 

"Godverdomme, schatje," I moan, my hips bucking up to meet his. My hands find their way under his t-shirt, desperate to feel more of him. "Need you." 

Charles sits back, his eyes dark with lust as he shrugs off his t-shirt, revealing the sculpted lines of his torso. He takes his time, his hands moving to undo my pants, his touch slow and deliberate, driving me to the edge of madness. 

He slides down my body, his lips hot and wet as he takes me into his mouth. The sensation is electric, a bolt of pleasure that has me arching off the couch, my fingers tangling in his hair. 

"God, baby," I gasp, my voice rough with need. "Please. I need you." 

Charles releases me with a slick pop, his eyes locking onto mine as he climbs back up my body. "Turn over," he orders, his voice a command that sends a thrill through me. 

I comply, my breath coming in ragged pants as I get on all fours, presenting myself to him. I hear the rustle of clothing as he undresses, and the crinkle of a lube packet being torn open. 

"Hold still," he murmurs, his voice thick with desire. I feel a cool slickness as he spreads the lube over his fingers, and then his touch is at my entrance. He starts with one finger, circling and pressing in slowly, allowing me to adjust. 

"Always so tight," he breathes, sliding his finger deeper, stretching me. 

I moan, pushing back against his hand, needing more. 

Reading the unspoken plea in my movements, Charles adds a second finger, scissoring them to open me up, then he crooks them, finding that sweet spot that makes me see stars. 

"Fuck, yes," I groan, my body trembling with need. 

Charles's fingers work me expertly, ensuring I'm ready. When he finally withdraws, I feel an aching emptiness, desperate to be filled. The slick sound of more lube being applied is the last thing I hear before I feel the blunt head of his cock pressing against me, and then he's inside, stretching me, filling me in one smooth thrust that has me crying out in pleasure. 

He starts to move, slow and steady, his rhythm building as he grips my hips tighter, pulling me back to meet each thrust. The room is filled with the sounds of skin slapping against skin, accompanied by our ragged breaths and moans.  

"Putain, Max," Charles growls, his voice rough and desperate. "You feel so fucking good." 

I can barely form words, lost in the sensation, the heat, the overwhelming pleasure. "Harder," I manage to gasp. "Please, baby. Neuk me harder." 

He obeys, his thrusts becoming powerfull, faster, each one hitting that perfect spot inside me that makes stars explode behind my eyes. I'm close, so close, and I can feel Charles trembling with the effort to hold back. 

"Come for me, bébé," he demands, his voice tight with restraint. "I want to feel you come."  

It's all I need. A strangled cry escapes my lips, and my vision blurs as waves of pleasure surge through me.  

"Baaaby," I whine, my voice trembling with pleasure, my muscles contracting around Charles cock in relentless rhythm as I spill onto the cushions below. 

Charles follows moments later, his breath ragged and hips jerking erratically. "God, Max," he gasps, his voice a strained whisper as he finds his release. I feel the sudden warmth flooding through me, amplifying the waves of pleasure coursing through my body. 

He collapses against my back, his weight comforting and grounding. Our panting fills the room, mixing with the fading echoes of our passion. Charles's hand finds mine, fingers intertwining as we both catch our breath. 

"You okay?" he murmurs, his lips brushing my ear, still breathless. 

I nod, a smile tugging at my lips. "More than okay." 

Charles presses a tender kiss to my shoulder, his fingers tightening around mine. "I love you." 

"Feeling's mutual," I reply, my voice still shaky from the intensity of my orgasm.

[fallstreakfeathers]

YOOO!! Your monster ocs are so cool?? I don't see nonhuman kny ocs very often. Do you just have the 3?

Thanks ;v;

Here are the major Oni and Yokai antagonists of WaveSong mostly in order of appearance:

Mizushābi:

The catalyst of both the story AND Charlie + Urogi's relationship.

A sea-dwelling Yokai. She has a large ego and is constantly praising herself for having never lost her prey.

Mizushābi is the demon that mistakenly attacked the cargo ship Charlie had stranded herself on as a teen (a mistake only because Mizu did not know the cargo belonged to Muzan). This, of course, led to the girl crashing on the shores of Japan- and set off all events thereafter.

When Mizushābi evolved into her current form, the energy sent a shockwave across the sea- causing an earthquake and tsunami that ravaged several coastline towns, dragging new prey out to sea. In this new form, Mizushābi has gained better control of water and also the ability to use electric attacks by storing it in her body as she rubs against the ground.

Daitachi:

The Fox Yokai that Charlie battles whilst trying to save a rising drug-lord's 10 year old son.

Aside from his sickle claws and speed, he can also force the fur on his tail to become rigid- creating a spear of hair. These tails can also grow longer for greater range. A jealous creature who thinks the world owes him everything.

Yamatabera:

A yokai the size of a mountain. He digs at mountains, eating away at the rock and the forest until he's able to use his internal forge to melt the materials into a thick, oily sludge that he uses to trap humans with. He's quite slow-moving, so immobilizing (and killing) his prey is optimal. He grows in size with every meal. He also covers his body with the sludge at daybreak, where it hardens and protects him from the sun. At sundown, the shiny rock breaks open and he continues his feast. Tail is capable of clearing massive areas by brushing it on the ground. His size alone makes him difficult to fight, and a Hashira was required to defeat him,

Had Tomioka not arrived, Charlie and everyone on scene would've been killed before daybreak.

Kamechinari:

An Oni who uses changes its DNA to impersonate others. Unfortunately, this doesn't hide her demon features. This ability caused quite a ruckus when she was able to use her tongue to swipe a bit of Rengoku's hair, forming the demon version of him. She ALSO impersonates Charlie during their battle- which Charlie thinks is hilarious. Though Kamechinari gains her victims appearance and breath type, she does NOT gain their skill or experience.

Dororyu:

A hyper-aggressive Oni with two massive, twisting horns behind his head. He uses these horns to gore opponents. His blood demon art enables him to use vibrations to melt dirt down into muck (or to force water up from reservoirs to soak the ground) that he uses to burrow where he can leap from the earth in sudden attacks! Otherwise, he also will pull you under.

He uses his sensitive hearing to find prey when buried, so Charlie uses her flute to lure him out.

Charlie and the main trio tag-teamed this oni, as his thick neck was difficult to cut, and he was hard to find! He ends up being far more dangerous than anticipated. When enraged, the liquid he makes to melt dirt begins to heat up and boil, though it quickly cools and hardens as well- leading to massive spires being created as he leaps from the muck! He has an ego as massive as his horns and can be goaded into charging by using insults.

Raigira:

A bulky, belligerent Oni built like a Silverback gorilla. One of the few that Charlie has personal beef with. He eats children and infants exclusively.

Has two long horns that grow from the side of his head. Aside from brute strength, he is also capable of using fire attacks and utilizes magma from the caverns he lives in.

He nearly kills Charlie AND he is capable of fighting Urogi one-on-one (nearly destroying the avian demon!). It takes the combined strength of Charlie (who has limit-breaks during the battle), along with Sekido and Urogi to kill this oni.

Kazerashi: NOT an Oni or yokai, but another primary antagonist in the WaveSong, Kaze is an elemental dragon that Muzan is able to corrupt by forcing an enormous amount of blood into the poor thing. Such a scenario is unheard of, as dragons are seen as deities and untouchable, and are difficult to find to begin with. This infection drives the holy beast insane, and what was once a benevolent wind guardian has become a violent, unending threat to the villages it had protected. Its corruption gives it the power to create storms. It also prevents the dragon from becoming invisible, in which all dragons remain invisible unless seen with a reflective surface (a mirror, glass, reflection on the water) or unless they wish to be seen. Dragons can only be physically killed by destroying the pearl they hold internally in a pouch under their chin- but even this doesn't truly eradicate them. During the start of this battle is the first time Charlie sees Akihiko shed tears.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Hey clan was wondering if you could do a fic or hcs about reader finding out Larry is a missingno because they used to live in Kanto?

Yesssss I honestly love that Missingno!Larry theory to the moon and back

.....

Being born and raised in Kanto, you were caught up on the many myths and legends shared around the region. You've done a lot of research on the Pokémon associated with them, believing all the tales to be true.

But while most libraries and websites displayed stories of the legendary bird trio and the feline genetic experiments...there was one particular Pokémon seldom mentioned by even the oldest Kantonians.

One that was so bizarre and otherworldly that it could hardly be described as a Pokémon at all.

That was Missingno.

It piqued your interest, although it took a good while to find people who witnessed this creature...and even longer to find anyone willing to share what it looked like, as no photos of it existed anywhere.

But the responses weren't what you expected, as they claimed to have seen different forms of it.

One person said it resembled one of the ghosts seen in the Pokémon Tower, while a few theorized it was a haunted Aerodactyl or Kabutops skeleton seeking revenge against poachers.

The only thing these accounts had in common was the alleged location of Missingno: along the eastern coastline of Cinnabar Island.

And so you set off on a quest to find it, with your Lapras assisting you in the search as it surfed along the coast.

After some time, you finally encountered Missingno's true form.

It could only be described as incomprehensible--a clump of computerlike glitches forming the shape of a backwards "L".

You didn't even know how a thing like this could exist. But it was real, and you made sure your pokedex scanned it, revealing its number was "000" and some other unusual information about it. Such as it being a Normal/Bird type.

Not flying..but bird.

At the time you were too anxious to catch it, fearing that the stories of it corrupting people and Pokémon were true, and that it could wipe out all the progress you made on the dex. Even Lapras was terrified, as it nearly threw you off its back upon seeing the creature, so you sailed back to shore with the data entry secured.

That was all the evidence you needed.

You've helped the puzzled scientists with studies of this creature a great deal with what you've gathered, although they got ambitious about capturing it themselves and enlisted your aid in tracking it down, calling it "Project: Missingno".

You initially objected to that; they never confirmed it as being a Pokémon, so trying to catch and control something they didn't quite understand yet seemed like a terrible idea...

But to satiate your own curiosity, you led their expedition team to Cinnabar weeks later, following the exact same path that took you straight to Missingno's habitat.

Yet it was nowhere to be found, much to your confusion. Nothing but sand remained.

Maybe somebody else caught it.

Regardless, Project: Missingno was terminated right there and then, and the town's interest in it died down rather quickly. Even the scientists who once obsessed over finding it suddenly dismissed your evidence as "glitches", saying your pokedex was corrupted and needed a reboot.

They were sure quick to scorn you when yesterday they praised you for making a "historic" discovery.

But you knew for a fact Missingno was real. You believed in it.

If it truly was a Pokémon..then perhaps more of its kind were out there in the wild. They might be simply hidden away.

Yet even after you visiting a few other regions, they had extremely scarce information on it..oftentimes none at all.

You began to think it was only a legend meant to stay in Kanto.

Then you took a trip to Paldea to study the Treasures of Ruin and got the most surprising lead..

..............

"Where are you taking--?! Oh...y-you just wanted to eat here, huh?"

"Zarrr!" Licking her chops, your Cyclizar smiled as she stopped short in front of a nice restaurant within Medali City. It was labeled "Treasure Eatery".

"Fancy name." You mused, stepping off her back and walking up to the menu posted outside, reading over what this place had to offer. "I guess we afford some "fine-dining", huh girl?"

Smiling, you patted her head, and in turn she grinned and licked your cheek. "Hahaha, that tickles." You snickered. "C'mon. I think this is the place that can alter your tera type with a quick meal, too."

Surprisingly enough, you've become well-acquainted with Paldea's many customs and Pokémon--among them being the Cyclizar you found. She helped you get across the vast region and out of many sticky situations with the unusually aggressive Tauros herds.

You noticed that the flying taxi cabs carried by groups of Squawkabillies was the main source of transportation, but the idea of riding a motorcycle dragon-type seemed astronomically cooler.

In a way, it reminded you of the bikes you always rode in Kanto.

Once you both entered the Treasure Eatery, you patiently waited behind who appeared to be an academy student ordering something to eat.

But after the host hollered out their order to the chef-

A battle court unexpectedly appeared in the dining section.

You and Cyclizar jumped back in shock, becoming even more confused at what the host declared:

"Congratulations! You've passed the Gym Test! Are you ready to challenge the Exceptional Everyman himself, Gym Leader Larry?"

'Huh? A gym battle...is here??' You were bewildered.

Last time you checked, the gym building was back outside: a tall, bright, and white structure with the logo plastered on the front. But then you remembered that you're not in Kanto anymore, and Paldea probably had its own gym customs.

Ordering a "secret menu item", however, did seem quite odd for a gym test...

Shrugging, you headed further in, securing a spot where the court was in perfect view. You passed by Larry who, sure enough, looked much like any ordinary business man. He was rigid in his movements, and monotone in his voice, even as you overheard him praise the challenger for passing his test.

Everything about him was plain and simple.

Regardless, you were eager to see the battle. So you ordered Cyclizar a dish of grilled fish, while you ate your own meal and watched the fight go down

Larry first sent out a Komala, who was swiftly struck down by the challenger's fighting type, before he sent Dundunsparce out next.

Although it put up more of a fight than the last Pokémon, it went down just as quickly. Yet Larry didn't seem all that concerned with losing, even as the staff and patrons tried getting him riled up, demanding something more exciting.

However, you immediately noticed something quite...off about him that made you do a double-take.

When he tossed out his final Pokémon, a Staraptor, his throw seemed unusually aggressive this time around. And it may have just been your imagination...but you swore on your life you saw a familiar pattern of glitches flickering around him, and his head becoming entirely detached from his body for a split-second.

Only then did you see his emotionless expression briefly change to one of panic, almost physically recoiling at the pain. Though it was quickly masked as he made eye contact with you, before refocusing on the match and terastalizing Staraptor.

Nobody else seemed to notice, but you knew exactly what you saw, as your Cyclizar began hissing and snarling in distress...much like what your Lapras did that fateful day.

It's obvious that she realized the same thing as you..

That Larry's physical body had become unstable, as if he were a living glitch masquerading as something else...

Just like it did.

[painted-bees]

I am genuinely curious about 18, especially given that the most likely member of the trio to get a prophecy made about them was pretty reclusive before the events of the story.

18. Has your OC ever had a prophecy made about them? Was it a big deal or did they ignore it? Was it straightforward or cryptic? Did it ever come to pass or did they circumvent it?

Haha to be fair, Cortes probably was the subject of much superstition for early civilizations along the pacific coastlines during her time mingling with her porposoid friends. Though, truth be told, she'd have never heard them herself. Within her timescale, humans are a very recent development on this waterlogged rock, and it has taken them this long to finally catch her attention and lure her out of the captivating and comfortablely compressive ocean depths.

But you know who was concieved by way of prophecy?

Raf.

Well...more a corporate mission statement than a prophecy, but never the less, he fulfilled it! O' valiant hero of wealth foretold.

[xxkitty13]

Vampire AU pt.3

Vampire Law x Human Luffy

Law is in a dilemma :3

Previous -> Part 2 Next -> Part 4

Deep within the water approaches a large metallic machine. The famous yellow submarine, the Polar Tang, belonging to the Heart Pirates. The sub resurfaces as it nears the island. The airtight door swings open.

“We finally get to see Captain!” Bepo glimmers in excitement. The polar bear runs out the deck, setting his eyes on the vampire’s castle. “Hurry, I can’t wait to see him!”

“Calm down Bepo. What’s the rush?” Shachi says, entering the deck. Penguin who follows behind, sighs. “We’re almost there.”

It wasn’t long before the sub docked at the coastline. The weather is fairly warm, when they embarked, the island was full of snow.

“Okay you guys unload the cargo. We’re going to report to the captain,” Bepo says. Shachi and Penguin accompany the bear to the vampire’s castle. As they approach the large building, a strange patch on a wall catches their attention.

“Uhh, has it always looked that way?” Shachi questioned.

Penguin takes a closer look at the repair. “This seems new. I wonder what happened? Captain wouldn’t allow his home to be damaged like this.”

The trio shrugs it off and head inside the castle’s main gate. Once stepping foot inside the cold building, they call out for Law. “Captain! We have arrived!” Their voices echo throughout the lonely space, each letter of their spoken words bounce off the crumbling stones. The vibration eventually fades into silence.

Soon after, an odd noise is heard from beyond the main lobby. “Captain?”

No answer.

With no response, they proceed to follow the noise. As they walk closer to the kitchen, the sound of gnawing becomes increasingly loud. Strange they think. Arriving at the location of the weird sound, they stop outside the entryway. Penguin slowly peaks from the door frame, with Bepo and Shachi slowly leaning in. That’s when they come in contact with a particular fellow, stuffing his face in the refrigerator.

The trio makes eye contact with the stranger, who stops mid bite.

“Intruder!” Bepo screams.

The strange fellow happens to be the straw hat. Startled by the scream, Luffy drops the piece of meat he held.

“Ah, who are you guys?!”

“Who are we?! Who are you?!” Shachi points at him.

Bepo and Penguin go into attack mode, blocking the only exit out of the kitchen. Shachi grabs the nearest object he finds and flings a saucepan at the trespasser. Luffy doges it, capturing the pan in the process and throws it back at him. The pan flies straight at his face, knocking him to the ground. Penguin scrambles in the kitchen cabinets, throwing every utility he finds at Luffy. He counters the attack by swinging the empty fridge at the attackers. Bepo panics, moving away from the exit. Luffy takes the opportunity to run out.

“What’s all the commotion?”

Bepo cries out in joy, "Captain!”

Luffy immediately hides behind Law, who holds Kikoku out, ready to slash the blood out of its victims.

“Captain, behind you! We have an intruder!”

“Who?” He looks behind him to find the trespasser and sees no one but Luffy. The straw hat peaks from behind. “Torao they started attacking me,” he says pointing at them.

The vampire sighs, putting away his sword and wraps his arm around Luffy’s waist. “Listen up, this is Luffy, my mate. You three better not bother him,” his says sternly.

“MATE?!” they shout in disbelief.

“You mean as in crewmate, right?!” Shachi says, holding onto his throbbing face.

“No.”

"Then. . . he's-" Cutting Penguin's sentence, Luffy wraps his stretchy arms around Law's torso and climbs over his back, resting his face on the crook of his neck. "Torao says I belong to him. Is that how the mate thing works?" he asks, nibbling on his earlobe.

“WHAT?!” In utter shock, Law's subordinates only stare at the scene. The vampire grunts at the human's public display of affection. It embarrassed him.

“Luffy meet my crew: Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin.”

Luffy's eyes glimmer in awe, setting his gaze at the polar bear in front of him. “I didn’t know you’re a pirate Torao and there’s a bear, can I touch him?”

“I’m on a hiatus at the moment.”

“So, is he technically apart of us now?” Bepo asks, hesitantly stepping away from Luffy as he tries to pet him.

“Nope, I’m already a captain of my own crew," the straw hat chuckles, finding himself over the bear's shoulders.

Law is baffled by this. “You’re a captain? Why haven’t you mentioned it?” Ignoring Bepo’s pleas for help.

“Well, you never asked and to be fair you didn’t tell me either.” He shrugs.

“But where’s your crew?”

“Oh that. . . I got lost and drifted on this island. My crew is fine, they’ll find me in no time.”

Law doesn’t take this information lightly. What does this mean for their new relationship? Two captains, two crews, two ships, they would only drift apart. Even though he’s taking a break at piracy to relax on this island, will Luffy leave once his crew finds him? No, he won’t let him.

Shachi and Penguin burst out in laughter. "We don't believe it cap, how did you bag such a cutie?"

The vampire growls, "It's none of your business. Anyway, where is the rest of my crew?"

"Oh, they're unloading the submarine at this moment. We went ahead to report our arrival."

"A SUBMARINE?!" Luffy yells, tugging onto Bepo's fur. "Ow, don't pull on my fur,” he winces.

"Please take me to it! I want to see it!"

Law facepalms. "Bepo, take him to see the sub. He won't stop until he gets what he wants."

The bear had no other choice, but to take his captain's mate with him. "Yes, captain. Now Luffy, can you please stop tugging my hair. It hurts."

"Oh, I'm sorry." He jumps from his back and gives him a grin. "Now, let's go." He grabs Bepo's hand and drags him along. As Luffy runs out of the doors, Law calls for his subordinates.

“Listen you two, I have an important task for you and the rest of the crew.”

Shachi and Penguin gave each other puzzled looks. “What is it captain?”

“Eliminate any vessel that comes our way,” Law’s eyes bloody red.

The two men shiver at his demeanor. Would he really do something that rash? Whatever it is, he’s dead serious, no debating his order.

“Aye aye captain.”

.𖥔 ݁ ˖౨ৎ.𖥔 ݁ ˖-`♡´-.𖥔 ݁ ˖౨ৎ.𖥔

The rest of the Heart Pirates had the same reaction as the trio. No one could believe the loner of their captain could ever find love, no offense. It amused them, more so the energetic personality of the younger man. He is the exact opposite of Law. The straw hat is expressive, outgoing, and the life of the party. Luffy fits in right with them, another addition to annoy the vampire.

“Are you okay Torao?”

The crew have settled in their resting places, either in the castle or in the Polar Tang. Law has been awfully quiet, more than usual. He sat alone on a rock on the shore, staring into the ocean. Luffy sense a change in his mate’s aura and accompanies him. He snuggles against the vampire as they both watch the sun set.

“I’m fine.”

He maintains his gaze at the never-ending body of water, almost as if he’s searching for something. Luffy wonders what ponders his mind. “You seem off. Was it me?”

Law immediately snaps out of his trance and turns to face his mate. “Why do you say that?”

“I dunno. . . maybe I wasn’t paying enough attention to you today.”

He gently placed his hand on his cheek, rubbing his thumb against his soft rubbery skin. “No, it’s not that. You did nothing wrong mugiwara-ya.” The human’s eyes shimmer and he leans to his warm touch. “I’m glad that my crew accepts you.”

“They were all very nice to me. I had fun hanging out with them.”

“I’m happy to hear that. They would have faced my wrath if they didn’t,” his words soft but direct.

“Torao, it’s okay if they don’t. As long as you like me, that’s all that matters,” he grins.

The vampire gives him a soft smile before pecking his tempting lips. Luffy stares into his golden orbs, caught in the intimate touch, melting away at the caress of his hand. He wants more and leans in to touch the vampire’s lips. The kiss is gentle, sharing a meaningful moment with one another. Luffy can feel his skin rub against the large fangs, it didn’t bother him at all. He enjoyed the thrill of the possibility of being cut, as strange as it seems.

Law catches his bottom lip, nibbling on it softly, carefully avoiding stabbing it with his sharp teeth. The kiss deepens, feeling on each other with no care in the world. He holds him with all his might, thinking back on before. Luffy would eventually meet up with his own pirate crew. The thought of his mate leaving caused his heart to drop. A feeling he’s felt numerous times in his life and this time. . . it will not happen again.

He suddenly breaks the kiss, leaving the straw hat craving for more. “Say Luffy. . . you wouldn’t leave me, right?”

The human looks at him dumbfounded. Why would he bring a question like that up?

“Torao, of course I wouldn’t.”

That was all the confirmation Law needed. He can rest easy, for now.

“Do you want to continue this in bed?”

Luffy feels his skin flush. He nods his head, shyly looking at the ground. With two simple words, they both land on the soft cushion of his bed. Law immediately towers over him, attacking his lovely neck. He fights the urge to bite him, tonight he only wants to focus on loving him- no blood or sex, simply to show he enjoys his presence.

Law connects their lips once more, guiding his tongue inside his wet cavern. They indulge in an erotic kiss, feeling on each other’s tongues. Luffy hums, sucking on the vampire’s tongue and briefly let's go of it before pulling on his bottom lip. They stop for a moment, panting filling the dark room.

“Mugiwara-ya.”

“Hmm?” Luffy says in a daze.

“Join my crew.”

The human only laughs, but Law’s face turns to a scowl, only for a few seconds.

“I mean it Luffy.”

Luffy stops his laughter, opening his eyelids to view his lover. His smile turns upside down. He would never leave his position as captain, but now. . . he’s unable to give him an answer.

“Law, can we talk about this another time. . .” His eyes trail away.

The vampire expression changes as he sighs. Great, he ruined the moment. "Okay, just think about it."

He slumps on his side, facing away from Luffy. The human peaks over and thinks to himself. He's been with Law for a short time, their relationship moved fast, fully trusting each other since the bite mark. Luffy goes to touch the faded mark on his nape, it is not visible, but he feels it. He belongs to him; he remembers the words the vampire told him that day. Anger begins to rise inside of him, he would never let anyone control him. Is it the mark that's making him feel this way? There would only be one way to find out if he truly loves him. Once his crewmates find him, he will have to decide.

For now, Luffy tries not to dwell on it. He scoots closer to Law and places his head near his shoulder. Law looks back at his mate and swallows to clear his dry throat. He faces the younger man and embraces him. The couple drift into their slumber, questions and doubts continuing to fill their minds.

[grovyrosegirl]

Chapter 28: Distractions

Preview:

The alcove is a feline’s paradise. It’s a marble-pillared, half-open dome that sits along a short coastline of the lake, filled with small perches and bridges for the tressym to stroll about. The outdoor sections grow those same silver-barked willow trees as the courtyard, albeit instead of the golden leaves, these particular ones bloom with a whole menu of treats on their branches. Even the stone floor offers comfort with a variety of pillows and cushions for a relaxing nap while bathing in Imperium’s golden light. And of course, there are plenty of toys and shiny knick-knacks scattered about for the tressym to enjoy.  Connie sits on a large velvet cushion, watching the tressym run and fly around her. Penelope’s flock is difficult to keep count of, as so many of them look alike, but Connie guesses at least twenty have found a temporary home here in Imperium. There are a few outliers appearance-wise; some short-hairs, some no-hairs, and different colored furs amongst the sea of Tara doubles.  A peculiar trio hanging about on one of the farther perches catches her eye, two gray-hairs and one black-hair with white trims at his paws, seemingly caught up in a squabble. They’ve yet to introduce themselves to her, unlike the rest of their flock who can’t seem to get enough of Connie’s presence. But she has a strong feeling they’ll stop by eventually, whether to ask for a scratch under the chin or to drop off a “treasure” they’ve found by her feet. “Connie! Conniiiieee!” squeaks an impatient voice from below. 

[whispersofthesea]

Whispers of the Sea

Summary: Team Dark is dispatched to a mysterious coastal town named Costa Esmeralda to investigate peculiar anomalies disrupting time and space. As Shadow grapples with the trauma of his past, he crosses paths with Silver, a benevolent and compassionate hedgehog, as they seek to uncover the truth amidst the chaos.

Chapter I: New Sun

Dust grains illuminated by the beams of light from the old and weak lantern danced through the air. Like lovers at a grand ball, they twirled in ecstasy before a pair of curious crimson eyes. Then, with the click of a button, darkness fell.

"Tiring? If only." A voice broke through the stillness, heavy with impatience. "Sitting on my ass for seven hours isn't tiring-boring, more like."

The boy crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently on the truck floor, and soon a voice came from the driver’s cabin.

"Oh, don't put this on me, Shadow. You're the one who insisted on staying back there with the cargo!"

The hedgehog sighed. That was Rouge, one of the members of his trio. They and the robot Omega, who was driving the truck, together formed Team Dark—a highly prestigious group within the Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.). Well, the hedgehog disagreed with the title assigned to them. A prestigious group shouldn’t have to travel to the mission city on their own and, on top of that, in an old truck.

This would be their first day in Costa Esmeralda, a small coastal town in the middle of nowhere. Despite extensive research, there was little information about the place. Yet, command deemed their presence there of vital importance.

“Estimated time of arrival, five minutes.”

Curious to discover what kind of town they were going to investigate, Shadow pulled out his Chaos Emerald from his pocket and teleported onto the truck’s cabin, startling Rouge in the process.

“What the hell... What are you doing up there?! You must be out of your mind!”

The boy promptly ignored the bat and, using a pair of binoculars, began to admire the enigmatic Costa Esmeralda. As if it were a welcome postcard, the clouds blew a warm, salty air in his face. Squeezed between a vast, clear coastline and hills covered with sunflower fields, stood the town: small, friendly, and, at first glance, harmless.

Almost losing himself in the view of that quaint little town colored in vibrant shades of blue, green, and yellow, Rouge pulled Shadow’s ear, dragging him into the cabin that was by no means designed for three people. Come to think of it, it hadn’t even been made for one person and a machine, a detail she decided to ignore.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing? Staying up there isn’t safe for us or you!” The girl grumbled.

“Speak for yourself. I am the Ultimate Life Form.” His temper as broody as ever.

She snorted, crossing her arms. For a few brief seconds, silence reigned until the vehicle braked, throwing Shadow, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, at the feet of Rouge and Omega. A small smile formed on the girl’s face, who once again was promptly ignored by the hedgehog. ‘I told you so, Ultimate Life Form,’ written all over her face.

“We’ve arrived. Mission: unload the truck and complete the move.”

“It was fun while it lasted, but now it’s time to get down to serious work, darling.”

Moving to a new place was always tough. Despite the move being a necessary step in order to have a hideout, as well as an operations center for the mission they were given, it was still important to turn each house, no matter the amount of time they’d spent in it, into a new home worth enjoying. At least, that’s what Rouge thought. Shadow didn’t care much about carrying material goods. After all, ‘everything he needed was in his mind,’ a statement the girl found overly pretentious. Omega, on the other hand, only needed his punching bag.

Nestled on a weathered cliff overlooking the vast expanse of the ocean, the old house provided by command exuded an air of mystery. Its faded blue shutters creaked in the salty breeze, and ivy climbed up the walls, reclaiming its territory. The front porch sagged slightly under the weight of memories, while seagulls circled above, their cries echoing the past. Inside, sunlight filtered through tattered lace curtains, illuminating dust motes suspended in time. The creaky wooden floors whispered secrets of generations long gone, while the fireplace beckoned with stories of crackling warmth on stormy nights. As the trio unpacked their belongings, the house stirred awake, ready to embrace a new chapter of laughter, shared moments, and the soothing lullaby of crashing waves.

This wasn’t the first time they’d been relocated to some decrepit house, but Shadow couldn’t help but get annoyed by the command’s lack of proper support every single time. Despite his reluctance in bringing what he thought were just mementos, Rouge reminded him that they’d spend a good while away from their usual home and so convinced him to pack some things to keep him company.

Inside a single box, a Walkman with some hit cassette tapes he had recorded summers ago, his leather jacket gifted to him by Rouge on his last birthday and, finally, two photographs: the first one showed them smiling on their first day as official G.U.N agents, the second one showed his late friend Maria. Although time had not been kind to the photo’s paper, her smile was still as bright and kind as ever. A shadow of a smile tugged at the corners of the hedgehog’s lips.

Shadow took a deep breath and went up the stairs. Omega had claimed the biggest room for his intense training sessions, the resounding clangs and mechanical whirring reverberating through the space. Rouge had claimed the better-kept room; the paint on the walls was still decent even if they planned to paint everything up regardless. That left the hedgehog with the room at the end of the hallway—small and somewhat unkempt. That didn’t bother him much. As soon as he was done with the job, he’d be on his way back to Chaos knows where.

“Knock, knock, knock. Don’t mind if I make myself at home.”

Rouge had a bright smile on her face as she made her way into Shadow’s room.

“Be my guest. Just don’t expect any drinks.” He joked.

“Don’t you worry about that, darling. I’ve got plenty of booze downstairs!” She poked his cheek teasingly.

“Now we’re talking.” A cocky smirk on his face.

“Nuh-uh, don’t get all giddy just yet. Remember, command’s about to call us and tell us more about whatever we’re doing here. For that, pretty boy, you need to be sober.”

“Yeesh. Don’t talk to me like I’m some sort of unprofessional junky. Regardless, you look rather chipper yourself.” He raised his eyebrow. “Enjoying Costa Esmeralda already?”

“Pfft. As if! I can’t wait to get done with it all and go back home. Ugh, just the thought of the Master Emerald being all alone…” A squeak. “It’s enough to make a girl frown.”

Shadow knew the Master Emerald wasn’t all that she’d been missing. Better yet, Rouge’s been known to be fonder of the emerald’s keeper. Still, she wouldn’t admit to it, not sober at least. A smile tugged at the hedgehog’s lips.

“Anyways, we need to get downstairs. It’s almost time.”

The video transmission on Omega’s chest screen opens with a view of a high-tech command center at G.U.N. headquarters. The screen is dominated by a serious-looking commander, overlaid by a digital map displaying various global locations.

“Attention all personnel. We have a critical update regarding Team Dark’s current mission in Costa Esmeralda. We have been informed about mysterious occurrences recently. Anomalies in time and space have been detected in the region.”

The map zooms in on the area of the town, highlighting the anomalies in red.

“Preliminary data indicates that these anomalies were first found in the town and have been spreading, extending their reach to neighboring regions. We’ve already received reports of disruptions in the local environment, sudden changes in weather patterns, and even minor time fluctuations.”

The screen shows surveillance footage of various anomalies occurring, such as objects shifting, people disappearing, and the flow of time changing as if it were slowing down.

“Our analysis points to Costa Esmeralda as the epicenter of these disturbances. It’s imperative that Team Dark uncovers the cause behind these anomalies and puts a stop to them before they escalate further and potentially cause widespread chaos.”

The commander’s tone grows graver.

“Team Dark, your mission’s focus has been decided. In addition to gathering intelligence and neutralizing any immediate threats, you are now tasked with identifying the source of these anomalies. Your actions may be pivotal in preventing a catastrophe that could extend far beyond our world. May the odds be in your favor.”

The commander disappears. The G.U.N. emblem hovers on the screen for a few seconds before fading to black.

“Okay, team. Let’s get cracking. We need to blend in with the townsfolk and find out what’s happening around this place.”

“We need to be quick. There’s no time for games.” Shadow protested.

“Rouge is correct. Thorough planning is essential for the mission’s success. Haste makes waste.”

“Thank you, Omega. Besides, it’s not like you won’t actually do work, Shadow. I think it’d be better if you explored the city and kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Not too big of a job for the Ultimate Life Form, I suppose.”

“Hmph. Now get that nasty grin off your face already.”

As the day dances towards its ephemeral finale, the realm of reality and enchantment melds together, unveiling a spectacle of divine artistry. The sun, a celestial orb of blazing gold, embarks on its descent, its radiant embrace casting long, gilded fingers of light that caress the heavens and earth alike.

The town’s breeze was a fresh one, nothing like Central City’s. Even at the day’s end, the streets were bursting with life as merchants began opening their kiosks by the coast. Rouge had decided to open a bar to blend in with the place, her own Triple Hearted. Meanwhile, Omega began creating an expansion bay for his motherboard, capable of tracking abnormal phenomena. Shadow’s job was simple enough, he thought.

“At last, silence.”

Under a lonely palm tree on the beach, Shadow emerged from the obscurity, a silhouette carved from the depths of night itself. With calculated yet languid grace, Shadow lifted a slender cigarette to his lips, the ember at the tip flickering like a distant star in the vast expanse of darkness.

On the other side of the sea was a secluded house on an isolated island. The lone home gained an enigmatic glow as it dressed itself in the veil of the night. From a distance, it exuded a serene aura amidst the calm sea, its silhouette softened by the moonlight. Nestled in a grove of towering palm trees and by the side of the town’s lighthouse, the house was a spectral presence in the blunt darkness. Bougainvillea vines, their vibrant colors now muted in the nighttime hours, clung to the weathered walls of the house, framing it as if it were an old painting.

Shadow’s gaze settled on the blue window on the first floor. In it, what appeared to be a familiar girl, with golden hair flowing in the wind, watched him closely. The hedgehog’s eyes widened, his heart dropping to the floor. With shaky hands, he rubbed his eyes and focused on the window with his binoculars, only to realize that the girl had disappeared. In her place, only a white curtain swaying in the wind.

“Maria…?”

[palettepainter]

Pallete, As I'm completely excited for the new muppet series, i have a question, how old do you think the members of this band was when they found each other.

My personal theory is that Teeth left home at 14 to 15 years of age, looking to be independent. (Based on what he said in 2015 muppets) Got his gold tooth, bought a van and picked up his friends on the way to start his life on the road, playing piano for others and for money. The first being Janice.

I've actually spoken with Snuff about this on Discord a couple of times, and it was only after we got excited over the idea of a potential origin episode about the band did I start diving into the idea of the "How DID they all meet?"

I know in the 2015 show they said Janice dated Teeth for a short while and I thiiink theres a clip from the og show of them in the ballroom segment dancing together?? I'm still not 100% sure on if I love or just like Janice x Teeth, mostly cuz Janice x Floyd will forever be in my heart

My hc so far for how they met is this, this is a very quick description as my idea may change after the show:

Teeth left home at 16 (I know in the 2015 show he said 14 but I doubt he would have left home THAT when he was a teen) and left for the big city after someone responded to his calling for musicians for a band. Alas things didn't work out so Teeth is left working shifts playing the piano at a local pub and living off tips and what money he brought with him. Just as he's about to throw in the towel he runs into Floyd (same age as Teeth) and Animal (a few years younger). They quickly strike it up as friends for a few days, Floyd letting Teeth crash at their place while he's low on cash. Eventually the trio hit the road after Teeth discovered Floyd's and Animal's knack for the bass and guitar

~Side note~ As for how Teeth got his gold tooth I imagine it happened later in his life when he lost all his baby teeth. I like to believe Teeth constantly changes the story whenever someone asks how he got his golden tooth, when in reality it was probably something really stupid, like he fell down the stairs and slammed face first into the floor and knocked his tooth out

They spend a few months travelling, grooving out when they can at pubs and on street corners. They only ever stay in one place for a few weeks to scrape up cash before moving to the next city, trying to find more band members along the way. One day the trio get thrown off a train they'd snuck onto and land in somewhere just outside of San Francisco. After days of walking the group take a pit stop to rest up where they bump into Janice peacefully meditating - it took a bit for her to actually notice them but she very kindly tells them she knows a place for he weary trio to recharge on their travels. The gang take temporary roost on Haight street (hippy street), a happy, thriving, laxed group of hippies (and a few stoners-) from all walks of life. The band are happily welcomed into the community and the locals are very enthusiastic about their music, more enthusiastic then any city folk have been! Over their stay Floyd probably develops a little crush on Janice, who though at first denies their request to join them on the road she changes her mind last minute and catches the next bus/train with them out of town

I'm not too sure about Zoot - I had the idea of him maybe being apart of Janice's little hippy community and, at the time, him and Janice are roommates and not yet together together (I do love the ship Zoot x Janice, I think it's cute and I like the idea of them being a thing in the past!), if anyones got suggestions feel free to share em!

Lips was the last to join (referenced in my story Well I Think You're Pretty Cool on A03). Lips grew up fairly poor and a lot of his clothes where hand me downs, going off from Snuf's (discord buds) HC's Lips grew up near the coastline where not a lot happened, but he grew a love for music thanks to the countless parties that would happen at the beach. He left home bright and with a skip in his step, not too sure how he bumps into the band, perhaps he overhears them playing in a pub on his travels and after the performance shyly offers his compliments . From there Teeth notices the little instrument case Lips is carrying around and Lips plays them a little solo on his trumpet, where the band applaud him, then ask him if he wants to join their crew

[indygotcha]

Got tagged twice actually by @japanesedragonrider and @mewkwota ! Wanted to wind down today due feeling bit aimless BTW.

Favorite Color: Turquoise Blue and Orange

Last Song: Mindtrap by Blank Banshee - mostly because the lyrics and overall Death Grips-esque tone has ended uncannily befitting the psyche and mood of my latest OC I've been working on. I wanted him to be an inversion of "wet chihuahuas"/"girlfailures" seen in modern anime lately such as Bocchi/Hitori Gotou and Kobeni Higashiyama mainly through examining back to my own past regarding my experiences with ableism-based bullying and shutting off from the world. The OC that came out of that ended up becoming this lanky, "sheltered dog gone through abuse"-type dude - feeling now a lot like Asuka Langley Soryu in mannerisms but wanting everyone to stay the far fucking away from him. Funny how that works.

Currently Reading: Haven't actually been reading much lately aside from assorted fanfics on Ao3. Some really heartwarming, some with varying degrees of spicy. I get easily drowsy reading them though, oufff. Currently Watching: G Gundam and Magical Knight Rayearth - if you've been following my rare occurrence of personal posts on my reblog-centric blog lately. Domon and Sai-Saici + Hikaru and Umi, my beloveds. (WHY OH WHY DID MISS P HAVE TO DIEeeee)

Currently Craving: Not much, I think - but I do miss my sibling, them being kept busy has left me bit lonely regarding genuine familial interactions.

Coffee or Tea: I flip-flop between both? I'm not exactly into ordinary black coffee - I seem to lean on flavoured lattes or cappuccinos more than anything. I've drank milk tea since very young and love all the flavoured types out there~ Something tells me the caffeine ain't working well with my current ADHD-medication however, might have to cut out my morning vanilla latte...

A Hobby I'd Like To Try: I've been trying to get back on drawing again lately, but it's been really hard to figure out the balance between trying to get good at it and just trying to concentrate on drawing things I find fun or like. In some respects I also feel like what I wanna draw for fun are things I can't exactly discuss in enthutiasm to someone and just have to work on in a vacuum - but IDK, maybe I'm really not making most of the support near me? (Though at times I'm afraid people are just too busy to possibly be my accountability buddies of sort regarding me sharing things and hearing their feedback...)

An AU You've Been Plotting: I'm always around mass crossover AUs - I guess because they serve as my personal sandboxes/toyboxes to explore the series I've been into that I can also categorize by medium, genre, or time period. One I've actually been trying to get out for a while now is this long-dwelling plot bunny on my head - with how I've been trying to give it a definite start and end in under 20 chapters or so. The premise with sounds really cracky and poisonously meta - except I've been staying keen on trying to tackle it as sincerely as possible. I guess I'm weird like that. To explain the premise in simple sentence, I'm taking the implied rivalry between Pokemon-anime and Animaniacs during their time on KidsWB and using it as a springboard to make main trios from those shows getting to know each other better after a major incident spurred by the latter party. This also involves a road trip to some kind of china-towny resort for localized anime stars taking a vacation in palmtree coastline-filled roads and beaches inspired by SEGA's Outrun and Hiroshi Nagai's illustrations on city pop albums in the 80s. I'm looking forward to various shows I wanna explore there for this pair of trios to interact with. Other AUs I've been messing around is Jellystone!-esque take on many characters from Golden Age of Arcades. It's been pretty fun to write more humorous, clever or plain irreverent takes on these somewhat simple arcade characters. I certainly like what I did with Ms.Pacman and the Ghost Gang + Mappy & Flicky...

Tags: @hatefilledpoptarts @tomatomagica @ogamagirl @starspatter @jupujuu @kermakatti @rex101111 @basedstoutland @zodiac-senpai @bimbelygimbly @harundraws @sonilium @kiora06 @patron-saints

You can take on this tag if you like~

[kiraofthewind]

My Fantasy Books

All my stories take place in a fantasy world called the Pentagonal Dominion. It's a collection of planes connected to Earth, but I don't include humans (with one exception). Any time I mention a year, it's that world's year, not in any way connected to years on Earth.

Please be aware that ALL my books are for 18+ only. Though they vary in the exact kind of content, you can expect them all to include some degree of violence, swearing, sexual content, or dark themes not appropriate for MG or YA books.

Map of the PD made by @dewiwrites

Merchants of Knowledge and Magic is my first novel, taking place in the year 561.

STATUS: Published

Cover was drawn by @crossroadart-seabear . In fact, for the sake of making tags easier, all the art I'm going to include in this update post will be by them, lol.

It follows the journey of an intersex dragonfly-person, Calinthe, who travels across the many planes of the Pentagonal Dominion in search of secrets which she feeds to her boss in exchange for goods and promises of retirement. Calinthe follows a religion which forbids its followers from using money. She is sent on a quest by her boss, the Demon Lord of Ignorance, to retrieve his henchman who was captured by slavers in the Women's Republic of Ophidia, a land where women enslave all men, intersex, agender, trans, or any people they deem "not female enough" by their standards.

MoKaM is the 'brain' or 'mind' of the Merchants trio. Calinthe is intelligent, clever, sassy, and a little bit arrogant. She devoted to her God, Lucognidus, but around others, she can be brash.

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Merchants of Light and Bone is my second novel, taking place in the year 561 concurrently with MoKaM.

STATUS: Due to be published in August 2023

Pictured above: Su, one of Amiere's two spouses.

MoLaB is the story of a father who lost his daughter in a freak earthquake accident and his journey through coping with trauma, saving a girl who is being abused by her father, and seeking answers for his own daughter's strange death (after all, how can a freak earthquake happen in a world with no plate tectonics? They don't even have a word for 'earthquake').

MoLaB's setting is tropical, taking place almost entirely on Aloutia, on the equatorial coastline. The main character, Amiere, is a polyamorous bisexual lion-man with a wife, enby husband, and several kids. He works as a merchant of light, carving glowing crystals into statues for customers.

MoLaB is the 'heart' or 'soul' of the Merchants trio. It emphasizes powerful, sad emotions, contrasting beautiful scenery with the tempest of emotions bubbling inside Amiere's heart.

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Merchants of Dance and Hedonism is the third Merchants novel, taking place in the year 561 concurrently with MoKaM and MoLaB

STATUS: On hold

MoDaH is about a genderless shapeshifting person, Tynan, who came into existence at the start of the book. Born with the power to transform into almost anything (within a size limit) and the power to *know* anything they wish, they are born as the perfect assassin. Which is exactly what a "merchant of dance" is: a magic-using assassin sent to eradicate other magic-users, demons, or high-class targets. If Tynan chooses not to engage in such activities, their country will end up going to war with Ophidia (feminist nation which enslaves all non-women) and the Makai (demon nation that kills all people to recycle their parts and revive them as demons). And if that happens, their sisters will be drafted into the war as child soldiers.

MoDaH is the 'body' of the Merchants trio. Tynan is a shapeshifter and many of the problems they face are solved through creative and clever use of transformations.

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Good Thyme With Bad Company takes place in the year 300.

STATUS: Currently writing

It's less of a traditional novel and more of a collection of short stories, microfiction, and completely out-of-place smut about the cast of characters who have infested my mind palace for the last few months.

It's best described as "Polycule of characters living in a dystopic capitalist steampunk hellscape fighting to change the genre of their book to cozy fantasy."

The characters live and work in a warm, steampunk/fantasy aesthetic inn called the Good Thyme Inn, working to pay their ever-increasing rent while finding joy and love in their fellow found family members, many of whom have faced horrific traumas.

The second half of the book, once some of their problems have been 'resolved', focuses on the cozy aspects. These characters love and adore one another and many scenes in this part of the book will be cute, slice-of-life, or smutty in nature, while laying low on the trauma or violence.

This book is currently my precious. It's near and dear to my heart. I am obsessed with my characters and their dynamics. I hope my readers will fall in love with them as much as I have!

[randomvarious]

Today’s compilation:

Space Night Vol. VI by Aural Float 2001 Downtempo / Trip Hop / Lounge / Dub / Future Jazz

Don't wanna bury the lede here, so up front, I'll just say that this is simply one of the greatest collections of chillout tunes that I've ever heard in my entire life. But before we dive right into it, there's some paragraphs-long context that bears explaining the story behind this whole Space Night series in the first place, so here we go!

Back in 1993, three guys named Gabriel Le Mar, Pascal F.E.O.S. (a trance pioneer in his own right), and Alex Azary teamed up to form Aural Float, a trio that would become known for their breathtaking ambient and chillout music soundscapes. Together, they would release three albums and launch an audiovisual odyssey of sorts called Space Night. Originally starting in the club as a brilliant mesh of ambient music and footage shot from outer space, Space Night would eventually make its way into homes all across Germany, as a national television station there called BR granted Aural Float the opportunity to develop their own club-night concept into programming.

Sometime in 1994, Space Night would replace BR’s overnight test cards every Sunday through Thursday, and now the show has been on the air for over 25 years, achieving serious cult status as millions of people can say that they've blissfully drifted off and woken up to it. And there's plenty of Space Night videos on YouTube too, if you want some prime material to both really zone all the way out to and also have blow your mind 😌🤯 .

Here’s one:

But along with that popular TV program also spawned a series of Space Night compilations. Through 15 releases over 15 years, Aural Float and a couple others managed to compile some of the greatest collections of spacey ambient, downtempo, and chillout tunes ever created. And this fantastic 2001 double-disc that I'm posting about today is the sixth installment from the series.

Now, my last chillout compilation post wasn't too long ago, and I said that it made for a great showcase of German-made chillout, specifically, which isn't a country that you probably tend to associate with very chill vibes. And this turns out to be another one of those comps. You may think of Germany as rooted in cold, mechanical industriousness, and a lot of their techno music is very much a reflection of those broad, national characteristics, but despite them not having a warm southern coastline or almost any islands of note, Germany really still has possessed the capacity to produce some of the most stellar chillout fare that this planet's ever borne witness to.

And this release here more than proves the point. Not every song on these two discs is made by Germans—both DC-based chillout pioneers, Thievery Corporation, and the eclectically electronic London duo, Groove Armada, show up on the second disc—but a majority of them seem to be. And by that same token, not all of these songs match the same outer-space ambience that you'd expect either, but most of them seem to: majestic and/or celestial string pads get paired with blends of rich piano melodies, ringing xylophone notes, or futuristic lead synths; and there's lots of dubbiness too, either in the rumbling basslines, or in the echoing of each melodic note, which, naturally, connotes a seismic amount of unknowable vastness.

Almost every single song on here is phenomenal, but there are some that are still a bit more striking than others. A German guy who goes by Fresh Moods gets two slots on disc one: first, he provides a sweet hand-drum driven remix that initializes as a poolside vibe, but then alters course for space, and then he gets his own tune five minutes later in "Decisions I Made," which is some slow-moving and crunchy, space-hypnotic trip hop psychedelia.

Soon after that, Montréal's Jaffa supplies some really soul-piercingly sublime synth chimes on "Interlude," which is another song that also comes with a dose of psychedelia—this one by way of nice keyboard improvisations—and a bed of strings as well. Really groovy and lush stuff there.

And the set's penultimate track is excellent too: "Blue Sky," by Germany's üNN, sort of sounds like if the Twin Peaks soundtrack was trip hop-flavored. It has that same 80s/early 90s synth vibe to it and is also comparable to Jan Hammer and Miami Vice as well. A really lovely tune that stands out from the rest of this marveling herd.

I continue to say the same thing over and over, but it really bears repeating here: this turn-of-the-millennium chillout era yielded an enormous glut of terrific music. Some of it became underground-popular, thanks in large part to Café del Mar, but most of it still remains criminally slept on and unfortunately ignored. And this 2001 German double-disc that was compiled by Aural Float is just another one of the many shining examples that I'll keep on outlining here until I run out of these kinds of comps and mixes to post about, which is something that will probably *never* happen, because that pile of CDs is almost as vast as space is itself 😅.

And the rest of the world was really robbed by not having the Space Night TV show exported outside of Germany too. A show like that definitely would've gone a long way towards raising chillout music's profile, overall, when there was such a strong current of it pumping through largely unnoticed at the time. It would've fit perfectly on a few different US cable networks too, like the Discovery Channel, TLC, or The Science Channel, and the breathtaking visuals along with the great music would've probably helped to heighten and activate some more peoples' sense of wonder as well. A lot of late night programming has a way of achieving a dedicated cult status, and I really see no reason as to why a show like this wouldn't be able to in the US. It seems broadly appealing enough and also very soothing. But, alas, at least we can watch some of it on YouTube now, right?

Highlights:

CD1:

Tosca - "Suzuki" dZihan & Kamien - "Homebase" Wamdue Project - "Instrumentation" Sven van Hees - "Tsunami" Enrico Riva - "The New Economy (Fresh Moods remix)" Index ID - "Planisphäre" Fresh Moods - "Decisions I Made" De-Phazz feat. Pat Appleton - "Anchorless" Jaffa - "Interlude" Wondabraa - "Starfish" George Pallikaris - "Natural Being" Azure Taint - "Glasrauch" Amphotic - "Spacetalk"

CD2:

Thievery Corporation - "It Takes a Thief (version 2)" Pre Fade Listening - "Free George Lingo" Groove Armada - "Serve Chilled" Chicane - "Low Sun" Chris Zippel - "Summerblink" Soehngenetic - "Din Atrium" Drøn - "Rem" The Sushi Club - "Koi" üNN - "Blue Sky"