#curious: jasper park

[coffeeandjournaling]

Curios: Jasper Park

An investigative horror mystery experience by Seb Pines

After rummaging through the treasure chest that was Curios: Albrecht Manor by Seb Pines last year, I finally sat down to open Jasper Park, the second installment of the Curios series, and wasn't disappointed. This time, you're investigating the disappearance of a group of hikers in Jasper National Park - have they simply fallen prey to nature's dangers or is there more behind this mysterious case?

I'll be honest - I don't think writing a review like I usually do makes a lot of sense (although chrisairgames did a great job with Albrecht Manor). Most of this experience hinges on you going through the materials and puzzling together the events yourself. For me, these feel like elaborate, kinda multimedia novellas for a cozy evening alone or in a group. The appeal is definitely in the "supernatural office job"-vibes, which is also why I don't have my Albrecht Manor notes anymore (it was so good, I repackaged everything and sent it to a friend to get a "professional second opinion" - expecting heated exchanges of theories soon). Aside from that all I could actually talk about is the story itself and I'd rather you discover it on your own.

The care and artistry put into the materials is top notch. Jasper Park pulled me in even more than Albrecht Manor did, perhaps because this has a more pronounced "official investigation" vibe and a lot more perspectives to offer from other characters and sources. Thankfully, both games stand on their own - I think I'd even recommend starting with Jasper Park at this point. Admittedly, you don't actually have to cover your entire living room floor in clues like some poor man's conspiracy board, but it was a lot of fun. Also incredibly creepy.

So - no review. But a big fat endorsement. I really hope there'll be more installments, because this type of game/experience/story ticks all my personal boxes. You can see some pictures after the cut, if you're not too afraid of tiny spoilers.

Also a picture of what the whole thing looked like in the end (minus the last two entries, which i had to fit on the couch). So small you can't read the text and so less danger of spoiling it for yourself, but if you're curious:

[bless-my-demons]

Redamancy: Chapter Four

Jasper Hale x Reader

Series summary: What happens when your soulmate is a vampire that struggles to maintain a diet of trying not to kill you? Common sense says run for the hills, nothing is worth your life - but my heart is whispering why not, what’s there to lose?

Warnings: Almost-car accident? Talk of getting smushed by a car.

Notes: Finally, a little something-something! I’m trying to post on the weekends to have some sort of schedule, but I have zero impulse control… so here it is a day early!

Word Count: 2146

Series Masterlist

• January 25th, 2005 • Forks High School •

Jasper

Not only am I lucky enough to spend lunch with Y/n, but some godly force must be watching out for me in that today’s history assignment allowed me to team up with her and learn more about her.

Her energy is absolutely fascinating and it almost worries me that I’m internally compelled to want to spend even more time in her presence. Two days and I’m already a goner, Emmett is going to have a field day interrogating me tonight.

Which leads me to now, after completing our history assignment with only a few minutes to spare, I’m escorting her to her car in an effort to prolong this addiction to her attention.

“Where are you from?” I ask, curious to know anything about her.

“Texas. Well, Dallas more specifically.” She’s still watching the ground as we walk, nervousness pouring from her.

“Why Forks? You couldn’t of picked a more completely opposite environment.” I miss my home state, and if it weren’t for my adversion to the sun - I would return.

“My parents divorced.” She continues before I could apologize for the intrusive question, “Happily divorced and I protested the whole ‘stay together until she graduates’ bullshit.” Fingers gesturing around the air quotations.

She trails off after that, circling back to our history assignment that no doubt has her still worked up. The Civil War, I cringe internally at today's topic since it’s a sore one for myself - having lived through it and fought in it.

“All I’m saying is, maybe history class should be more focused on the lessons learned, than just the events themselves.” She states rather passionately while inserting the key into the lock on the driver’s door of her car.

“To recognize and avoid in the future.” I respond, leaning my back against the rear of the small vehicle as I scan the wet parking lot packed with kids.

“Exactly!” She pops her head up, an excited smile in place as she garners my gaze again.

But just over her shoulder my eyes flick up to catch the sight of a blue van headed our direction a little too quickly for such a busy spot. A car horn blaring has her turning in its direction and the gasp I hear across the parking lot from Alice sends me into action. I grab Y/n by the waist and spin her against her car, so that my back might take the brunt of the hit, but it never comes as the rear of the van just barely slides past us. I relax the grip I have on her and tear my eyes from hers as I spin my head in the direction of the vehicle, ready to yell at the driver for being so reckless. The words die in my throat as I see where it’s headed - straight for Isabella Swan.

“Bella!” Y/n screams, but it’s lost in the screech of tires and the headphones in her ears that are keeping the outside world out.

Just as I’m about to damn us all to save another girl from this idiot driver, Edward flashes past to stop the van from crushing the Sheriff’s daughter.

“Fuck.” I whisper, glancing back to where my other adopted siblings are standing next to their own vehicles - faces unreadable, but emotions blaring alarm.

“I’m sorry, I have to go. Please be safe getting home?” I ask her urgently as I peel my fingers from where they want to stay gripping her, safe and close to me.

“But Jas-“ she starts, a little shell shocked at my quick action of saving her and the close call with her friend.

A whistle from Emmett interrupts her before she can interrogate me, so I flash her an apologetic smile before jogging at a normal human pace to the familiar silver Jeep. My hands flex in my lap the entire tense ride home, warm and tingly from when I gripped Y/n to protect her fragile little human body.

If we weren’t vampires already, this family meeting about to take place would definitely give Carlisle a full head of gray hair.

• January 26th, 2005 • Forks High School •

Reader

“Hey, mind catching me up on what that was yesterday?” I immediately bombard Jasper as I sit across from him at what I’ve mentally deemed ‘our table’ at lunch.

He glances up from his sketchbook with a look that says he wasn’t prepared for my blunt line of questioning.

“The saving you from certain death part, or?” He leaves open ended for me to clarify.

“The part where Bella was alone next to her truck, but your brother teleported to her side AND somehow the van skidded to a stop right before turning them both into pancakes?” I’m not pulling my punches with my queries, after having spent last night stewing over what I had seen.

“He wasn’t that far from her when I moved you out of the way, I must’ve distracted you enough that you didn’t see him walking to her after he got out of class. Plus, the van wasn’t going that fast, maybe when it hit the back of her truck the tires got traction and he could brake properly.” He answers, turning his gaze back to his sketch and resuming his work.

I don’t really buy it, but I mull over my recount of yesterday afternoon as I pull my lunch from my bag. Was I so focused on Jasper the moment he put his hands on me? Was I so soda-strawed in on Bella being in the way of the van that I missed Edward?

No, something isn’t adding up. I know that van was hauling ass in the parking lot, I was going to yell as much at the idiot driving before I saw it headed for Bella. But I can also tell I won’t be getting the answers I want from Jasper. I can tell from the rigidity of his spine that he’s worried I’ll ask more questions. I mean, his recount of the accident isn’t out-landish, but I know what I saw!

I need to talk to Bella.

“Yeah I guess that makes sense.” I acquiesce. I see him deflate a little with relief as I pick at my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “Thank you for saving me, by the way.” I add nervously, a little heat working it’s way onto my cheeks.

Jasper glances up to my face and with a small smile, “Anytime Y/l/n, anytime.”

• January 27th, 2005 • Forks High School •

Reader

“Bella!” I yell down the hallway, catching her as she slams her locker shut. I jog over to her as she turns towards the exit, everyone that has Mr. Banner for Biology is going on a field trip today.

“Hey Y/n, what’s up?” She questions, seeing the look on my face.

“Tuesday, parking lot, what the hell happened?” I jump right into it.

“Tyler must’ve lost traction-“

“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. Edward was nowhere near you.” Cutting off her redirection. “Jasper won’t budge, he insists I was distracted and didn’t see his brother before the accident.”

Bella glances around the hallway and decides to pull me into the empty female bathroom for some privacy.

“Edward is avoiding me, I was asking him the same questions when I was at the hospital and he refused to answer.” She answers nervously.

“It’s weird, right? I mean, one second I’m unlocking the door to my car, and the next Jasper spins me around to protect my body with his. And then I see Edward jump over the tailgate of your truck when I thought Tyler’s van was going to end you.” I’m just rambling the thoughts that have been pinging around the last two days.

I can see her hesitate, “You can talk to me, you know? I kinda don’t have any friends besides you, I mean - if you want to be friends?” I tack on the last part, worried I’d over stepped.

“Yeah no, of course - I um, I could use a friend to vent to.” Bella glances down at her shoes, picking at the sleeves of her sweater as the both of us exit the bathroom. “He’s coming on today’s class trip, I’ll talk to him then and see what I can find out.”

“Perfect, want to sit with me on the bus?” I ask, walking out of the building for the student parking lot where the buses are waiting.

“As if I’d risk getting stuck sitting with Mike Newton, absolutely.” She jokes back. “I’m going to grab my book from my truck, I’ll be there in a sec - save us a seat!” She yells as she jogs to her vehicle across the parking lot.

As I board the first bus I can hear Mr Banner yell at everyone loitering in the parking lot, “Yo yo yo, hey guys c’mon! We gotta go, we gotta go! Green is what? Good, let’s go!”

A few moments later Bella joins me in our claimed seat, book in hand looking a little frazzled. I see Mike pass us with a forlorn expression on his face, “Oh God, what happened?” I ask.

“He asked me to prom and I told him to ask Jessica, please don’t make me talk about it.” She answers with what I assume is a shiver of discomfort.

I want to laugh, but I just grin instead. “Your not-so-secret admirer fumble is safe with me, Bells.” I knock my shoulder into hers to tease her a little as I crack open my own book I brought for the bus ride.

• Community College Greenhouse •

Reader

Walking alone in line through the greenhouse, my hands drift over the different sprouting vegetables. Behind me I can hear Mr. Banner giving a spiel on “compost tea” and how its derived from table scraps and other organic waste. Every now and then my fingers float over the soft petals of flowers placed sporadically through the hundreds of food-producing plants; earlier it was explained that they encourage pollinators to visit.

Even though I’m a smidge lonely since Bella is hanging back with Edward, I’m glad to be surrounded by greenery instead of stuck in a stuffy classroom.

Just as Tyler Crowley pushes past with a clear mug of what looks like poop/dirt water, I spot Alice just ahead standing to the side of the isle with Jasper to allow students to flow by. When I get within arms reach, Alice loops her elbow through mine, almost like she could sense my loneliness.

“So,” she drags out the word cheerfully, “Enjoying the plants? Fresh air? Freedom from school?”

“Oh absolutely,” I glance over my shoulder at Jasper following behind us silently. “I’m surprised you’re not off in a corner doodling flowers, Hale.” I catch him duck his head and chuckle under his breath as Alice watches our interaction, surprised.

“And isolate myself away from your commentary? Never, Y/l/n.”

“Oh, Emmett’s opinions on your drawings are too much, but mine aren’t?” I smile as I turn to look at new plants as we pass them in our slow walk through the final greenhouse.

“My brother isn’t nearly as interesting.” His response catches me off guard and if it weren’t for Alice’s grip on my arm I would’ve stumbled on the wet concrete.

“As I live and breathe, Jasper Hale flirting-“ but Alice doesn’t finish her sentence due to Jasper snaking out a pinch to her ribs, her flinch forcing our hold to separate. Before I could chide Alice for teasing her brother for just being nice, Edward storms up to the three of us.

“Ready to leave?” He glances between his siblings, pointedly ignoring me so that I wouldn’t feel the obligation to join them.

“Edward-“ Alice says disapprovingly, but he pushes past us without waiting for an answer. She looks at me apologetically before skipping after him.

“Sorry about my brother, he’s insufferable when he’s in a mood.” Jasper offers as explanation as we watch the two of them exit the greenhouse.

“I get the feeling he’s always in a ‘mood’.” My fingers emphasize the last word with air quotations and it draws another chuckle from the gorgeous boy at my side.

“Touché.” He says with a grin. “I better catch up before they ditch me, see ya around darlin’.” He weaves his way through the crowded isle and out of sight before the heat settles in my cheeks.

I manage to file outside and towards the buses with the rest of my class after I gather my wits. I spot Bella already in our shared bus seat with a sad expression. “Wanna talk about it?” I ask as I sit.

“Not right now.” She answers, turning to look out of the window.

Next

[theinstagrahame]

It's been a wild few months here at theInstaGrahame HQ, but what never fails to make me happy is the rad games I get from the mail. I'm getting over a cold, so I'mma work on this instead of anything productive I could be doing!

Here's my month of RPG mail calls, and why I'm hyped!

Coriolis: The Last Cyclade: I've been curious about Coriolis' Middle Eastern-themed sci-fi vibes for a while, so I put this on a Secret Santa wishlist; and this is what I got! Excited to dive in.

Curios: Albrecht Manor and Jasper Park: Good Luck Press is one of those game design teams I'll try anything from, and the pitch for this is really unique. It's not an RPG per se, as much as a collection of books, papers, maps, and other materials that point toward a mystery you get to figure out. Playing it is just... looking through stuff.

Salvage Union: I am a big fan of post-apocalyptic media, and a fan of the mecha genre. So, yeah, this was an easy sell. It's built on the Quest system, which I've been meaning to get more into anyway, and it looks like a mech repair manual!

The Zone (which I apparently thought people would just recognize): This game is available for free online, but the box set is gorgeous, and features some designers I love. Trying to set up an online session soon, but I do really want to play it in person.

Deimos Academy: Honestly, I picked it up because of the creative team, but also the pitch is great. I skipped my high school reunion, but if there was a chance to go back and face a monster? I might've thought about going.

Brindlewood Bay + Nephews in Peril: I was originally just going to get the super popular Elderly Detectives Solve Eldritch Crimes RPG, but the title of the expansion/mystery book was just too perfect.

Rebels f the Outlaw Wastes: I've already mentioned I like post-apocalyptica? Well, this took a neat approach to achievements/leveling that I was super intrigued by, and I just dig the fun vibe. The reason I like post-apocalyptic media is that it's hopeful, and this feels moreso than a lot of other stuff.

Skyrealms Almanac and Creatures and Folks: I've been into setting guides this past year. And like, this one is also a coloring book? Hell yeah.

Stoneburner: I've been following the creator on Twitter and elsewhere for a while, so I was curious about this title. But definitely sold when they talked about some of the inspiration being the original Starcraft games.

Forgery: Again, picked it up because I really like Banana Chan's work, but this is a paint-by-numbers solo RPG about forging a demonic painting. So like, yeah. That's rad.

Vast Grimm: Space Cruisers: Vast Grimm is Mork Borg in Space, but I'm also a big fan of ship catalogs, so I really wanted to check this one out.

.Dungeon: Everything Snow makes is beautiful, queer, and nostalgic, so when they mentioned a re-release of .Dungeon was coming, I really wanted to check it out. I have a lot of nostalgia for the

Cloud Empress (everything, including a patch!): I mean, you say Nausicaa and I'm listening. This has some roots in that world, but also does some really interesting things with the Mothership game engine. I'm especially intrigued by the notion of replacing racial traits with age traits, and having a series of pretty mundane jobs as the classes.

Layers of Unreality: The first of this month's Zine Club deliveries! I keep hearing about Liminal Horror, and this particular module I've heard nothing but incredible things about. So I'm really hyped to check out what happens in these backrooms.

Fear the Taste of Blood: My second Zine Club book this month! Kayla Dice is one of those really rad creators who I think deserves more attention than she gets, so I'm really hyped to dive into this take on classic movie monsters.

I also got this from my partner's family's Secret Santa.

Okami is one of those games that sticks with me, and has ever since I first saw images from it, and played it. It's a genuinely beautiful experience, and while it's maybe not a game everyone will like, it's one that I really enjoy, and the art is a big part of that.

It stands out as an example of what you can do with a video game that's nearly impossible with most other art forms, and also a reason that I don't think the Arms Race for More Photorealistic Graphics in video game consoles is worth the effort.

[monstersandmaw]

Male Demon x male human witch - Chapter Four - light nsfw

I'm so sorry this month has been unusually quiet. It's been a bit of a bonkers time, with Mr. Ghosti getting a new job, then my dad's memorial happening, me upping my coppicing work and chainsaw training, and also buying a freaking motorbike(!!), but I'm back on Patreon again, and here's Demon's chapter four!! I hope you still remember the story. If not, here are some catch-up links!!

Part One, Part Two, Part Three

Content: mutual pining, lusting after your new boyfriend, an old friend, some magic, some fancy sushi, and some light steamy content before it all kicks off next chapter... Wordcount: 2601

Thank you again for your patience and support, especially the folks on Discord who were so kind when I mentioned what the state of things was.

Preview:

Carefully, Demon slid his leg over the seat in front of Jasper’s and somehow made it back to his apartment without wobbling the bike and its precious cargo off the road.

His mind was spinning and his heart refused to beat in a regular pattern. It was a good job that neither Țepeș, with his supernatural hearing, nor Coco with her ability to detect desire, was nearby. Somehow, he managed to park the Panigale in the underground parking lot of his apartment building and secure it with both a lock and a curse without blowing anything up. 

Just a week, and I’m completely fucked.

Fuck.

He led Jasper up the stairwell and into the glinting main lobby, and past the doorman who looked up and nodded. “Afternoon, Mr. Mortlake,” he said politely, eyeing Jasper with artfully-bland curiosity.

“He’s with me, Dennis,” Demon said. “You can let him in any time.”

“Of course, sir,” Dennis replied with an expression that gave absolutely nothing away.

In the elevator, Demon let the doors close, then pushed the fingerprint-locked button for the penthouse. Jasper might not have noticed but it was also protected against shapeshifters, and even those under mind control, with a nasty hex.

“Seriously?” Jasper asked when he saw which button Demon had pressed though. “The penthouse? I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised, I guess… given that monster bike you own and the fact that you are a demon. You could probably have anything in our world you wanted, but still…? Also, ‘Mortlake’? Isn’t that where John Dee had a house?”

Demon just smiled. His witch was knowledgeable too.

Fuck. He’s not my witch. 

Gods, I could be his though.

Fuck, fuckfuckfuck.

“Do I even want to know how you came by all this?” Jasper asked, glancing around at the shiny elevator walls for emphasis.

“Made a few deals in the beginning with people who were rich as Croesus before they lost their bargains. Probably best if we leave it at that though.”

“Fair enough,” Jasper said, though his eyes were a little wide and there was a twist of unease in his emotions that Demon didn’t enjoy.

 It’d be worse if you had to tell him the pain you caused to balance the bargains you made when they couldn’t keep them though, his mind helpfully supplied.

As the lift sailed upwards, Demon cleared his throat and changed the topic. “I’ll need to adjust my wards to let you in. I… I don’t invite people home often. So far they’re only attuned to about three and a half people other than me.”

“Oh. Are you sure? About me, I mean. I don’t want you to feel like —”

“I’m sure.” I’m so fucking sure it’s scaring the shit out of me.

“Ok.” After a little pause, Jasper asked, “Who are they? And who’s the half?”

“Hm?”

“The people you trust enough to let into your home…” Jasper asked. “I’m mostly just curious about the ‘half’ though.”

Demon’s lips lifted into a lopsided smile and he said, “Țepeș, Coco, and Oats, plus Oats’ kid. She’s the half.”

“Rude! Children are people too.”

Demon snorted. “This one’s half horse. Does that still count?”

“Half… horse?”

“Kelpie, technically. But so is Oats.”

“Oats?” Jasper looked baffled. He clearly knew about supernatural creatures other than witches and demons though. “Because he’s a kelpie? And horses like… oats?”

“Because he’s always got granola bars in his pockets for his kid. We’ve all got nicknames for each other. ‘Demon’ was mine for… obvious reasons,” he said. “It wasn’t meant with much grace to start with, but it stuck anyway. Same goes for Hot Stuff.” The doors pinged but they didn’t get out straight away. “You’ll probably have to meet Hank’s little family at Full Moon some time soon, but for now, I’m going to keep you to myself. Well, for tonight anyway.”

He stepped out of the lift and turned away from Jasper so that he didn't have to reveal just how much he wanted it to be longer than ‘tonight’, and how much the idea of what might come next terrified him just as much. The idea of Jasper walking away and Demon never seeing him again sparked an almost physical pain in his chest, just where his ribs flared. 

Read the whole thing over on Patreon now! Remember all my writing is now going up ONLY on Patreon, but anything that would have been free to read here on Tumblr will be free to read over on Patreon. Just become a free member, or join a tier and get early access, plus access to my huge archive of exclusive content.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Suppose 'The King in Yellow' exists in the world of twilight. Which cullen reads the play?

The King in Yellow for those unfamiliar with it, is a fictional play within a set of short stories that's eldritch before there was even eldritch.

Boringly and sadly, anon, none of them. That in itself would be a story as whoever reads more than the first act is driven mad. The Cullens are a lot of things but they're functioning, they teeter on the brink of madness (at least Edward certainly does) but they never quite fall off the edge.

I can list off the Cullens who've never heard of it and have no interest and those who are... tempted...

Alice

Has no interest in it/has never heard of it. Edward's talked about it here and there but Alice isn't what you'd call an intellectual or someone with any interest in reading weird plays that sound cerebral and boring.

Bella

Bella's heard of it but never read it and only vaguely knows what it's about. She feels like it's one of those things she always ought to read but it's not her genre so she always mumbles away excuses on why she hasn't read it yet. "I'll get around to it someday," Bella says without really meaning it and knowing she'll read Mansfield Park again.

This is even worse when she's a vampire as she has 'infinite' time to get anything done so she never actually sits down to read new things.

Carlisle

Oh, he's heard of it and it terrifies him. He's actually read all of act 1 and found it, as everyone described, banal, not that interesting, and very benign. He's always been tempted to start the second act but fear has stayed his hand and so far he has never done it.

Edward

Edward didn't even start the play. He's so terrified of what it might do to him, what truths it could possibly reveal, that he hasn't even read the first act that Carlisle assures him was quite normal and certainly not madness inducing. Edward's so terrified that a part of him believes even to look on the cover would drive him past the point of no return.

However, he has explicitly kept it on his bookshelf as both a point of pride (he hasn't gone mad yet) and a temptation he can't even explain to himself.

All it would take is for him to reach over, flip open its cover, and...

Emmett

He frequently gets it confused with Waiting for Godot. Because of this, he'll insist that he watched it and can see why it drove people utterly mad out of sheer boredom. When someone points out that was Waiting for Godot he tries to figure out what The King in Yellow is but ultimately forgets and thinks it's Waiting for Godot again.

Esme

Esme's heard of it but has little interest in it and isn't sure why anyone would want to read a play that would drive them mad. Seems like a silly thing to do when you can always not read the play and not be mad.

Because of this, she doesn't understand how the play would tempt anybody and thinks it's on Edward's shelf as a kind of strange decoration.

Jasper

Jasper has heard of it but has no interest in it. That sort of intellectual nonsense isn't his thing. Like Esme, he doesn't know how a play would drive you mad or why you would read if it drives you mad.

He suspects one day Edward will give in and read it though. He's not looking forward to that fallout.

Renesmee

Somehow, the play ends up on Renesmee's bookshelf and because she has 0 supervision despite being watched by Jacob all the time she has no idea how dangerous of a play it is and that it may very well drive her mad.

She probably ends up reading it one day and the entire family doesn't notice she's been driven utterly mad.

Rosalie

She's heard of it but has no interest in it. She despairs of Emmett not knowing what it is but considers herself cultured enough in at least knowing generally what it's about. She's mildly curious why it would drive people mad but not enough to do anything about it.

[darkx-the-dragon-kn1ght]

Chapter 16- Part 15

A smokescreen? So it was Corey who trained Team Meteor’s ninja division all along too! When will the deception and betrayal end!?

Okay…wow. There is…so much to unpack with all of this. Can these street signs give me any salvation?

Not in the slightest. :(

Oh yeah, this is exactly what I needed, even more Shards, I love this city so much- 

Though, actually…it looks like we’re really getting into the meat of Beryl Ward, here. The streets aren’t as terrible, the buildings are kinda in one piece, the Starly are back, I see a Poké Mart, and another sign-

Still nothing new, but good to have.

And that’s even better to have! Yes, I do want to escape from all of this, what a considerate rock.

Still nothing, but at least there are some new NPCs to talk to, and luckily none of them force Xera into a battle. I’ll talk to them later- there’s a much-needed and very welcome Pokémon Center to focus on instead.

It…did? Wow, they weren’t kidding when they said they didn’t catch the PULSE as early as they did in Obsidia- how long was that Tangrowth left to germinate??

I guess that explains why there were so many abandoned buildings and street tiles scattered about. So was that all once a part of Beryl Ward? Goodness me…

Still sucks that there are still wild Pokémon running around in Jasper Ward, but I guess that place won’t get fixed as quickly as Obsidia Park was, alas.

By the way, that girl in the bottom just gives the “easyhms” password (in waaaaay too many text boxes), but we’ve already used it so it’s no big deal.

Instead, I’m gonna end the chapter off here! Seems like a pretty perfect place to stop- not like there’s gonna be a shortage of things to do next play session, surely. 

Thanks everyone for the patience as well as reading this latest chapter- it sure was a doozy, and I’m sure the plot will thicken even more next time! I’m not ready for anything that could happen, but I’ve already committed and we’re 16 chapters in so it’s too late to run away from the consequences now!

So next time, we’ll see what this section of Beryl Ward has going for it and…quite possibly, face off against Borealis/Corey for real. Again, very much not ready, but there’s no choice but to press onward. Pray for my emotional health come next chapter, I have some baaaad feelings about where things are headed from here on.

CURRENT TEAM:

Riptide

Species: Croconaw

Gender: Male

Level: 27

Ability: Sheer Force*

Item: Quick Claw

Brave nature; Alert to sounds.

Glare

Species: Arbok

Gender: Female

Level: 27

Ability: Intimidate

Item: Protective Pads

Naughty nature; Highly curious.

Prong

Species: Charjabug

Gender: Female

Level: 27

Ability: Battery

Item: None

Rash nature; Loves to eat.

Decibel

Species: Noibat

Gender: Female

Level: 27

Ability: Telepathy*

Item: None

Bashful nature; Often lost in thought.

Blizzard

Species: Snover

Gender: Male

Level: 27

Ability: Snow Warning

Item: None

Naive nature; Likes to thrash about.

Crater

Species: Numel

Gender: Female

Level: 28

Ability: Oblivious

Item: Quick Claw

Hardy nature; Often scatters things.

CURRENT BOXES:

NUMBER OF RELOADS: 8

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[eldritchaccident]

Timing: A few nights ago Location: Short & Stout Feat: @eatdearth & @eldritchaccident Warnings: alcohol mention Summary: Jasper needs a teacher, Teddy figures they can fake it

The man was not being subtle about being a spellcaster, or at least Jasper was just focusing intently on eavesdropping in his conversation with two others. No, three others. Oh, wait, are those two actually part of the conversation? Or were they just sitting beside the man the other man was talking to? Hard to tell. Jasper was a table away from the counter and on the table next to him, a couple was fighting, with their snotty little kid staring at the Professor with those cold, empty eyes. Stupid kid. 

When the conversation was over, and the other guys had left him be, Jasper decided to take his chance, to shoot his shot, to capitalize on an opportunity he rarely got. The geology professor left his table, scooted on the seat beside the supposed spellcaster, and tried his best to start a new conversation with them. “Hey, man,” he swallowed air. “Hope you don’t mind, but, uhh, I overheard you guys talking and I was curious: Are you an actual spellcaster?” Just like that. He just asked a stranger he had just met if they practiced real magic. Like an idiot.

—

It wasn’t that Teddy had been trying to lie. Well. No. They had. The demon gave nary a breath in the opposite direction in fact. But they never intended to lie to this man. Teddy liked to pick exactly who their tales were spun around, and how much yarn went into each. That way things never got out of hand, and there was less crossover if the wrong circles overlapped. 

Hunters were a jagged little circle that Teddy delved into. But only rarely. Usually for business. And usually under a pseudonym. Pseudo-everything almost. Only wearing their normal face as a means of keeping business. Though they weren’t above coming in as a whole other person just to stir things around so to speak. Better fresh than dead, right? 

“Oh? How much did you hear?” Teddy reclined into their chair, giving the guy a once over. He seemed… nervous? Well. Asking random strangers about magic might just do that, or maybe it was an intrinsic thing. Sort of a squirrely nature that having all that excess potential energy balled up inside you brought out. A lot of casters were like that. In different ways, perhaps, but they all seemed like they were just on the edge of their seats at all times. Ready for the next shoe to fall. 

“What’s it to you?” They kept the tone light, jovial, as if it wasn’t a dangerous question to ask or answer. Didn’t want to scare off what could be a potential customer. One who looked vaguely familiar. In the sense that had been coming up a lot recently. Spending too much time online perhaps, while rest and recuperation happened. 

— 

“Uhh,” Jasper wasn’t quite sure what to say. Should he admit to the truth that he had been listening to everything since he heard by chance whatever word was spoken that sounded like magic? Or should he play it cool to not sound like a complete loser? 

He tried to go with the latter, even though his definition of cool wasn’t entirely correct: “Just enough, my guy.” He even added some chuckling to make it seem he wasn’t all that desperate and stuff, which came out very unnatural and obviously fake, as he was indeed very desperate and stuff. 

The man seemed very familiar. Or maybe he just had one of those faces. Either way, Jasper felt a sort of familiarity about him, like they’ve known each other for a while, or maybe just passed each other at the park, or maybe even talked about stuff online. Maybe at school? He didn’t look like a university student, though. Then again, who did, these days? 

“Well, I, uhm,” Jasper suddenly felt his throat dry up, constricted even. It has been a while since he approached anyone anywhere that wasn’t the university, let alone someone with supernatural inclinations. Jasper was new to the scene, to spellcasting in general, and some days, he wasn’t even sure what he was doing was magic. But, as an old ‘currently lost in the mines’ friend once told him, it can’t hurt to try. “I’m somewhat of a magician myself.” 

— 

Teddy’s brows drew together. Not in any malicious way or great show of ire or anything. But in confusion. This guy was extremely jittery. Someone who’d just been told their skeleton was hatching and believed it, kind of nervous. More than their initial inspection had revealed. Which wasn’t really fun for either of them they would imagine. The demon quirked their head to the side, pursing their lips as they parsed through all of the details. 

Youngish looking lad. Bookish. Had that sort of dark academia vibe, but maybe not intentionally. Tired eyes. Lots of reading maybe? A barked hum of a laugh slipped through the demon’s lips as the declaration passed the professors. “That so? Maybe we should take this magic show somewhere a little more private. Chat about your technique.” Double entendres, in this town, were a blessing. Could pass for flirtation as well as invitation to speak more openly on topics that could get you in trouble. 

“This place has a few booths. Or if you’re looking more for a demonstration…” That wouldn’t be the easiest to procure, any spellcaster worth their salt would see how differently Teddy wielded magic. But something tipped the demon off, that this particular magician wasn’t too experienced. Honestly? Excellent. 

—

Jasper moved his head forward, squinting at Teddy, as if he was trying to listen in more, as if that would help with his confusion when the latter’s words were already out there, scattered in the wind. “Private?” He looked around them, squinting still. 

Magic was a topic that delighted children, young adults, and still those with wide-eyed wonder, but that kind of magic was meant for parties. The kind of magic Jasper wanted to know, learn more about, would not delight children, young adults, and even those with wide-eyed wonder. The kind of magic he so desperately needed to master was something that might be better off discussed further in private. 

So, Jasper nodded, agreeing to whatever the more experienced spellcaster had in mind. When he finally turned his attention back to him, he knew exactly where they needed to go, and that was not where they were at the moment. But where actually if not there? Jasper thought of his place, it was secluded enough, but he remembered Nancy was there, sleeping off whatever was plaguing her mind again, without even his permission. “Where else do you have in mind?” The geology professor was ready to go wherever.

—

“Anywhere that won’t draw a crowd.” Teddy put it simply. Let the bookish man figure out the rest. Put those brains to use so the demon could pick at them later. Metaphorically. Teds wasn’t really sure they’d ever graduate to the levels of loving gore and viscera that a lot of media depicted demons reveling in. Actually there were a lot of problematic depictions of demons in the media, Teddy could really only think of one or two positive ones and that was iffy at best. Sure they got a bad rap, but that bad? Guess humans needed a boogeyman, needed someone to blame for the problems their contracts created. Things were listed and detailed clearly in ink, if they didn’t read them clear enough, didn’t think the consequences through… that was on them. 

Most humans needed something. Demons just had a way of giving it to them. 

Teddy looped their arm through the professor’s. Laid down a bill much too large to pay for both their tabs and then some, and led Jasper out through the doors, around the back and towards a darkened alleyway. “So. What did you have in mind? Are you looking for control, for the powers to stop plaguing you? I know it can be so hard at first.” There was a hunger to Teddy’s words, masked perfectly in contended calm amiability. Their eyes practically (metaphorically) lit up the darkness around them with how much giddy energy was starting to build up in their chest. 

—

Jasper figured as much. He thought about inviting his fellow sorcerer to his place but he might just decline. His place was in the mountains, after all, secluded from most things, so the other guy might think he was trying to kidnap him. Or worse. Jasper shook his head, trying to chase away those darkened thoughts. He was about to say something but the other guy suddenly whipped out a large sum of money as payment, which made Jasper’s eyes grow wide in surprise. He only had, like, a glass of water with his complimentary nuts. How much did the other guy eat?

“Oh, well,” Jasper gulped. He wasn’t sure what to say. Or at least say what he had in mind. The darkened alleyway was pretty practical, though. He had expected him to bring him to his lair, because Jasper was an idiot, but this was less…sketchy. “I… More powers?” He might have been new to the whole magic scene, but Jasper was already exhibiting a pretty proficient control with all things earth elemental magic. All he needed was more potent spellcasting, and actual shit that wasn’t just levitating stones and chucking them at squirrels without actually touching said stones. 

“Do you teach more powerful…earth magic?” Jasper was almost whispering to the guy, too close for comfort most likely, too desperately that he was oblivious to the other things around them. Like a house elf begging for a sock or whatever those guys needed to do whatever it was they needed to do. Jasper was not into that franchise. Ironically. 

—

“More, okay.” Teddy could do more. Plenty of books on that, plenty of trades to be made. Might even rope in Papa Shark on this one. Earth magic though, the demon clicked their tongue thoughtfully, that might take a little more specialization and research than they had at hand. “I can’t say I’m an expert at that particular discipline, but the basics are pretty much all the same.” Arms crossed over the “teacher’s” chest. Wondering exactly how they were going to pull this off. 

Demons weren’t innate casters. Not exactly. It required rituals and very specific intent. Spell slinger’s powers tended to be more fueled by emotion rather than carefully thought out processes. But it wasn’t a no go. And surely the Jones family could acquiesce. Could find some neat little niche to fit this man into. Find something tasty in return. 

“Tell you what, I’ll give you my number, you give me yours, and we’ll schedule some… practice days. And you can figure out what you think these lessons should cost. Doesn’t have to be money. Honestly more fun if it’s not.” It’d give them time enough to plan something out. To do the research and hook this fish on the line properly. A brilliant smile lit up the alleyway with a warmth and appearance of kindness that was hard to refute. Teddy held out one hand to shake, and the other with their “work” phone to add the contacts. “What do you say, is that a deal?” 

— 

Jasper’s face lit up when his new teacher guaranteed he’d be able to show him the better ropes in the field of earth-associated arcane. It was a step-up from that homeless man who told him he could teach him how to move through the earth, only to stab him and run away with the $40 the geology professor had promised him as payment. Guy didn’t even need to stab Jasper. Jasper had willingly closed his eyes and was prepared to do everything the guy said, including to remain in place without opening his eyes for as long as he’d say. Definitely a step up.

“That’s perfect,” Jasper fumbled to find his phone within his jacket’s pockets before finally retrieving it from his pants’ right pocket. “I teach on the weekdays, but my Sundays are free, if that’s cool?” He handed his new teacher his phone, though he grew a little confused at what kind of payment would be all right for this kind of off-the-books tutoring if not money. Maybe unpaid labor? Yeah, Jasper could do unpaid labor. It’s not like he had anything better to do these days than be alone in his dead uncle’s creepy-ass mountain manor. “A damn good deal!”

Jasper did not hesitate to shake his new teacher’s hand, even doing so with more excitement than anyone would expect, most of all Jasper himself. Once they had exchanged numbers, he just stood there, eyes on his new teacher’s contact information, specifically his name, even as the other guy began to leave. He was already walking away, back turned to him, when Jasper looked up from his phone, eyes shining, shimmering, with all the admiration he could muster. Finally, a magic teacher that wouldn’t do anything bad to him. Nothing bad to him at all.

[brandwhorestarscream]

I have a mighty NEED for more CliffCee and their beautiful baby in the Invasive Species AU 😍❤️♥️

Alright anon, I toiled over this a little bit but I think the cutest thing I can give you with the CliffCee baby is her being unable to tell the difference between Cybertronians in alt mode and just normal earth vehicles. This primarily takes place when she's really young, less than a year. Her parents have settled in the missile silo outside of Jasper, but they spend a lot of time out and about once baby is out of her fragile newborn stage.

Jack and June don't see them for a solid 4 months after they leave the garage, but then out of the blue they just show up again. Cliffjumper insisted on coming to visit the human that had been helpful during Eavesdrop's emergence, and their daughter was over the moon, so curious about the organics. Squealing and giggling and trying to grab them in her servos. June's glad to see "Sapphire and Ruby" in good health, and is even happier to see "Garnet". Baby is HUGE to them, just under half Arcee's size.

They quickly become a common sight around Jasper. They wander around the little town and it's outskirts with Eavesdrop, the parents happy to mill about their territory while their daughter plays and explores. They don't let her out of sight at this stage, but cybertronian sight can go a LOT farther than human sight. Eavesdrop is able to wander in about a 200 foot radius from her parents before they go to retrieve her, and so she gets up to all sorts of mischief.

Namely, cars. She quickly comes to recognize June's car because of how often they visit the Darby's, so when she's wandering around Jasper and spots a familiar friend at the hospital, she's so excited! Bumbles right up to the car and starts chattering at it, pawing at the doors and bouncing around, twittering and trying to get it to play with her. Sparklings can't speak in words but they have a lot of complex vocalizations to express their needs and desires in a nonverbal way. She's not exactly quiet as she circles her "friend" and tries to entice them to play.

She starts to get frustrated after awhile, angry at being ignored! Beeps her little horn at the car and shoves at it with enough force to dent the passenger door.

The car alarm starts blaring and, spooked, baby starts to cry and scream out little distress calls. By the time June gets the message that something's going on with her car, the two worried parents have sprinted over and made quite a scene in the parking lot. She finds "Ruby" holding the couple's loudly crying infant while "Sapphire"'s arm has turned into a scary alien gun, pointing at the offending vehicle and saying something very angry-sounding in their mechanical alien language.

June gets the alarm to shut off and hesitantly waves hello to their new robot friends, and apologizes to "Garnet" for scaring her. Little Eavesdrop refuses to stop crying until her sire picks up the squishy and lets her hug it 🤭

[showfallmediacameracrew]

[This post was made using Showfall Media Text-To-Speech. If you believe there's been an error and would like to end Showfall Media Text-To-Speech, please say 'End transcript'. ]

[ Nonverbal input registered: annoyed grumbling, the sound of moving through grass and a soft wind.]

[ Time between new input: 10 minutes. ]

[ Nonverbal input registered: wood creaking, then what sounds like a harsh snap, and a startled yelp of pain. A few seconds of whistling past the receiver before a muffled thump, the grass rustling louder then the angry snarling that follows. Air is displaced around the receiver as the device attached presumably removed from the shifting grass.]

J: Bloody tree branches! Damnit, should have moved it with the arm that has a hand...

[ Nonverbal input registered: Stomping through grass. Audio adjusted for fainter sound, recognized as distant guitar and low singing. ]

J: Park music? Looks like a picnic, instead of busking. Hmm.

[ Nonverbal input registered: Steps shift onto shorter grass, and the faint music becomes louder as the receiver gets closer in range. It is a soft melody that is not recognized in the database. ]

J: Hello?

[ Nonverbal input registered: Hitched breath, as if startled, and the music abruptly halts. ]

?: Oh uh- Hi? 

J: Hey, uh. Are you having a picnic lunch here with someone, or is this just a solo music thing? Apologies, I heard the music and got curious, I’m uh, Jasper.

[ Time between last spoken words: 8 seconds. ]

?: I- I guess I am. They’re not, uh, here, right now, but.. Uh. Riley. I’m Riley.

J: Nice to meet you. You play that well.

R: Uh- Thanks. And, nice to meet you too. 

[ Time between new input: 23 seconds]

J: Do people generally enjoy... picnics. For meal dates? I’m not, I’m heading to find something to buy my uh, boyfriend, I’m not well versed in. These things.

R: Well, uh, I can’t speak for everyone, but my partner and I like them. It was, uh, how we spent our first date, back in high school. I, wish you luck, in finding something he’d like?

J: Uh, thanks. I hope your date here goes well, today. It sounds nice. 

R: Yeah, uh… It’s, for their birthday. 

J: Oh well, sounds like a pleasant birthday, uh. You don’t look happy about it though?

R: Oh, er- I just.. Have, a lot on my mind. I guess you could say. It’s just.. I haven’t seen them in a while, so I, missed them. 

J: ...Sorry to hear that. So this is more just, a remembering birthday picnic? 

R: …Yeah, I guess you could put it like that. 

J: Well, I’ll uh, leave you to that then. Apologies for bothering you in the middle of, uh doing your thing here.

R: It’s, uh. It’s alright, don’t worry. I wish you luck in your gift search. 

J: Thanks. Do you know where the bookstore is from here? 

R: Oh, yeah, it’s downtown, on eleventh avenue. So like, a few streets that way, it’s the little one on the corner.

J: Alright, thanks for the help. I’ll uh, leave you to this now, and stop interrupting. Bye. 

R: Er- You're welcome. Bye?

J: Yeah. Take care, have a good day playing the guitar. See you around maybe.

R: Uh, yeah. You too.

[ Nonverbal input registered: wind picking up, grass crunching louder with the faster movement away. After a brief pause, as the receiver gets further away, there is quiet words too distant to be made out, before the strumming of the guitar resumes. ]

J: Shouldn't have talked to anyone, when I’m still angry. I’ve never had a more awkward conversation before. I got some information, at least, so. 

[ Time between last spoken words: 10 seconds ]

J: Unfortunate for her loss, I suppose. Odd choice of mourning habits, but what do I know about that? I have Riley to thank for not just wandering around lost the whole day at least, it makes this much easier. Hopefully I don’t bump into her on the way back, explaining why I’m carrying things in a blanket. Shit.

[ Transcript has been manually ended. Thank you for using Showfall Media Text-To-Speech! ]

[ratsoh-writes]

Out of the six, who would like my backyard?

Atlas: finds it fascinating in a sort of crazy dumb adventurous way

Orion: hard pass, his days of large dangerous creatures are over

Fisher: he lowkey wants to fish there just to see what he’d get

Jasper: he’s seen all the Jurassic park movies!! He’s so ready!!

Moose: it’s not his section of the woods, but moose doesn’t discriminate. He’s curious

Maple: it’s not often he feels small, but these dinosaurs definitely do it. He’s curious but also nervous

[fleurcareil]

Alberta Rockies (3): 2nd visit to Banff & Jasper

When I had been in Banff earlier in the trip, I learned about the Cave and Basin national historic site, whose thermal springs had been the kick-off of the creation of national parks in Canada. People can no longer use the hot springs, as they found a unique snail living solely in the hot waters on this mountain (!) but the exhibits provide an interesting history of how national park policies have changed over the years from resources to conservation management, whilst also balancing human use for tourism... exactly what I want to do in Chile!😍💖

There's also a little boardwalk out to the marsh which provides a warm habitat year-round because of the steaming hot water runoff from the springs, so after a massive rain shower had passed, I went to check out the white algae that grow in the streams and look for fish & birds. Turns out that this is the only place in the Rockies where garter snakes live as it keeps the soil from freezing in winter, but luckily none came my way ... I had already noticed that I hadn't seen any snakes in a while, now I know why! 😄

Most national parks aim to build reconciliation and collaboration with local Indigenous communities, recognizing that the creation of those parks resulted in the loss of traditional hunting, gathering and spiritual places (newer parks now often have an agreement for continued traditional use). In this case, Banff asked Indigenous artists to create large stand-alone, cubic murals, which I thought were very powerful.

Dodging the rain once more, I drove to Bow Falls close where I just sat on a bench for several hours looking at the river and doing some internet (as Kootenay Park had zero reception). Had a quick dinner downtown but despite its prettiness, I felt it was heaving with tourists so couldn't wait to get back to my quiet campsite! 😁

After another night & morning of rain (this is the only time so far in 3 months that it rained so much during camping so I'm not really allowed to complain), I was hoping that Jasper would give me some sun and warmth, but unfortunately it stayed gloomy and cold (12C) all day. 😢

My first stop was at the Crowfoot Glacier and Bow Lake, which despite the clouds were in-your-face impressive. I had initially not planned to drive the Icefield Parkway as I spent two days here in 2010, literally stopping at every viewpoint of which there are tons, but the mountains and lakes were mind-blowing as ever so I'm glad I came back after all. 😊 Similar to the sea, mountains are magnetizing regardless of whether it's sunny or gloomy, so how could you ever say no?! 😍

The walk to the Peyto Lake viewpoint is a steep hill up, but the scenery is mesmerizing. 😍 It (& every stop) was of course super crowded but somehow I didn't find it overbearing and still managed to get people-free pics!

Speaking about bears, after another view of the glorious mountains, there was a suddenly a massive pile of cars and... a grizzly bear walking on the hill with 2 cubs! 🤩🤩🤩 I was so taken looking at them that I forgot to take a pic until they were much further away, but they're the 3 black dots if you zoom in 😂. For a moment it looked as if they were returning back to where I was (they were first next to my car when I stopped!) but alas they got fed up with all the people gawking and left into the woods. It was really cute to see the characteristic shoulder hump also on the little ones... made my day! 🥰

Two-minutes drive around the bend was a parking lot for a popular hike, where people were completely unaware of the grizzlies, so that reiterated my resolve of not going for solo hikes in the Rockies! 😅

Finally, I spent some time at the Columbia Icefield Centre, looking at the exhibits and eating fries overlooking the glacier. 😋 There was one exhibit showing the ice's retreat that has happened since 2017, so I'm curious whether I can see it on my own pics from 2010 that I must have taken when we were here... once I got the time to retrieve those photos, I'll post them to do my own citizen science! 😄

As it was another 100km to the town of Jasper & I was tired, I skipped all other stops (including undoubtedly two pretty waterfalls), and drove straight to the campground where to my astonishment I did not have a firepit (didn't even occur to me to check when I booked it) so got no fire to keep me warm. 😣

It dropped to 4 degrees that night 😨 and although I was ok warm in my mummie sleeping bag, it was not comfortable so when the sun came in the morning, I just sat for hours with a cup of tea and a book, embracing every ray! 🌞 I felt a bit guilty to stay on the campsite whereas I was supposed to take in all the beauty of the park, but this was exactly what the doctor had ordered to get my mood lifted! 🥰

After only leaving the site at 1pm I wasn't really up to do much driving and facing crowds at the waterfalls, Mount Edith Cavell etc, so instead I checked out Patricia and Pyramid lakes which are close to town. With calm water & no wind it was a perfect day for a paddle, so I pumped up my SUP for the first time using the repaired hose... it was very slow in building pressure while leaking some air, so as I wasn't sure it was correctly reading and would possibly blow up, I stopped at 7psi instead of the usual 15psi... I told the warden who came over to talk about invasive aquatic species that I would likely sink 🤣, but I just managed to stay afloat! 🤗 Good news is that the pressure gauge is correct so that I can continue to use the pump until I have a replacement (which after a hunt at multiple stores in Golden, Jasper and Edmonton has proven to be impossible except for buying online which I can't do until I'm back in TO 😕, the downside of modern shopping!)

I ended up having a beautiful paddle around the lake with views of mountains and glaciers, that I couldn't capture as in the commotion I had forgotten to bring my phone 😅. As a bonus, on the way out, I saw a black bear alongside the road so this was a happy day!

Before heading back to town, I hiked a small portion of the Maligne Canyon, which had impressive potholes from (previously) swirling water, as well as a huge logjam under which the water continued to flow. The waterfalls & gorge were pretty too but not newsworthy compared to the prettier Marble Canyon... I believe I've canyoned out for this trip 😛, a downside of traveling for so long!

Although the town of Jasper is less pretty than Banff, it has much less tourists and therefore is far more relaxed in terms of vibe; a cool mountain town! On my way to the canyon, I had hopped into a bakery for a delicious rhubarb pastry,  and now on my way back I had some appetizers & local beer on a rooftop patio watching the sunset. 🤗

The sky was cloud-free and although I was too tired to stay up all night for the milky way to come, the treeline against the darkening sky was magical and I managed to photograph the Big Dipper and Arcturus at its tail (shout out to Byron 😉)! At the front end, I also could see the North Star and the beginnings of the Little Dipper but they were still very faint.

Went happily to sleep but that night, it got again freaking cold so less charmed in the morning 😫... if this weather continues,  it would mean the end of my camping as I'm really not prepared for close-to-freezing temps!

Even without an extensive sun-warming session, it took me a couple of hours to pack up the tent, eat & get dressed  -  I guess not working & having deadlines has made me slow 🙃 but the beauty of traveling solo is that I don't answer to anyone 😀 - and get on my way to Maligne Lake. I believe it's famous because of the  row of mountains at the back end of the lake, but the smoke had returned so there was really not much to see.... too much wind to go for a paddle, too few people hiking to make me comfortable on the trails, meant that I drank my cup of tea at the lookout and then left.... no magic for me here today, c'est la vie!  😜

Leaving Jasper Park eastward towards Hinton, the mountains changed; they became less high and more white-grey in colour, still pretty though.

Big disappointment; I had planned for the afternoon to soak at the Miette hot springs, which are supposedly to be surrounded by beautiful nature, but I had  not checked the website so wasn't aware that they are closed since June due to a landslide! 😵

This was the end of my time in the Rockies, now back through (more) northern Alberta, excited to explore Edmonton!

Wildlife: 1 grizzly bear with 2 cubs ♥ and 1 black bear at Jasper

SUPs: one at Jasper

Hikes: one at Banff, two at Jasper

[sunmarketing]

Banff, Canada

In this episode, the FAQ is: If I am a Step 2 traveler, how do I reach Step 3?

Today’s Destination is: Banff, Canada

Today’s Mistake- I rented a hotel room in Alaska without A/C

Travel Advice:  Stoke your wanderlust

  FAQ: If I am a Step 2 traveler, how do I reach Step 3?

  Step 2 is for traveling in your same country and in a comfort zone that is familiar. Getting over that level takes some adventure. Ask yourself if you’re ready to see more diverse experiences now. Are you ready to make a move to a distant land, such as Hawaii, Alaska, or the Bahamas? 

Get a travel guidebook and start researching the area for clues on how to get there, what to do and how to prepare. Then talk to people you know who have been there. Ask them questions about what they liked. Be curious. Eventually,  you will have the courage and the savings to make the trip and enjoy the higher step to a more difficult and rewarding adventure.

Today’s destination: Banff, Canada

  Banff was on my bucket list for a long time. It may be on yours, too.

You can get here by train, plane or automobile. 

You’ll see the pure beauty of Canada’s outdoors, even if it’s rainy for part of the day. It’s scenic and green because it rains a lot here. The drive from Calgary to Banff is beautiful and it’s about 90 miles.

  https://www.banfflakelouise.com/

https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/attractions/banff-gondola/

  https://destinationlesstravel.com/calgary-to-banff/

Dr. Travelbest: I drove to Banff, Canada from Waterton, Canada after eating at the Prince of Wales Restaurant near the US/Canada border.

I had been in Glacier National Park and on the Canadian side to explore further into Canada. I liked the feel of the town of Banff immediately. It’s a European-like city. I took a strenuous hike to the top of the Sulfur Mountain Trail. 5.5 km, 655 m elevation gain (2.5-3 hours), and saw stunning views of the Bow (rhymes with throw) Valley. Follow a short trail up to the historic Cosmic Ray Station. There is also a 4-person gondola which in 8 minutes soars to the top of Sulphur Mountain for a bird's-eye view of six incredible mountain ranges. 

  Whether you walk or take the gondola, stroll along the ridgetop boardwalk where the views get better with every step. Outside is a 360-degree rooftop observation deck and inside a multi-sensory theatre with interactive exhibits,  plus restaurants.

  That Jacuzzi at the bottom of the mountain felt great after my hike. Banff is known for its hot springs. Take one or more.

  Banff Springs Hotel (Fairmont) had a convention center and the best tea/coffee ever. Then I drove to Lake Louise Chateau (Fairmount) and had one of the best buffet breakfasts ever. Five-star quality and a high price to match, but I ate for the day here. 

  The weather was pouring rain, then sunny skies all within an hour, and the beauty was seen in the reflective turquoise water. Nearby is the grand Ice Fields Highway. 3-5 hours to a full-day drive, depending on how often you stop. There are tours you can hire, in the event you don’t have a car. You’ll see Bow (throw) Falls and Morraine Lake. I kept driving up to Jasper, so that may be on your list as well. 

  Do see the Ice Fields Highway.

Don’t get close to a moose.

Lesson learned- I rented a hotel room in Alaska without A/C

  Most days in Alaska are cold. I’ve visited twice, and both times were in July. If you are going to Alaska in the summer, check to see if they have air conditioning.

I timed it to the hot days and there was no A/C to cool off. You may find a fan as I eventually did. You should expect extreme temperatures when in Alaska. Learn that lesson here. 

  Today’s Travel Advice-Stoke your wanderlust

  If you are thinking of a trip you want to take, start a list of things you know about that country. Do you know anyone who’s been there? Do you know anyone else who may know about the region? Visit your local library, bookstore, and online search engine to find out more and satisfy your curiosity. Keep that list growing. It will soon become your bucket list for travel.

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[mcriaa]

@giftedcullens​ (alice)

maria had absolutely no ill will towards the cullen family, or jasper for that matter, a part of her would always care for the man she had changed. originally, maria just wanted to get away from Monterrey, go somewhere completely opposite and the first place that popped in her head was Washington, she honestly didn’t even think about the Cullens when she moved here. but now, being a town only a few miles away, and knowing they were so close maria couldn’t help herself.

she wanted to get close to jasper again, she wanted to know him again, she wanted to be friends. Maybe that was her loneliness talking though, she honestly wasn’t sure but that’s what she wanted to do with herself at this current point in her long existance, be friends with jasper again. so she was sitting on a bench, in a public park in forks, hoping that maybe, just maybe, she’d run into him, although she wouldn’t mind running into any of the other cullens, she was curious about alice especially.

[lavender-at-heart]

Dating Jasper Hale would include:

Warnings: none

Gender neutral, pronouns not mentioned, the reader is pretty shy in this

This is my first piece of fanfic so any constructive feedback is welcome! Send me a request if you feel like it!

*not my gif*

You would have met through Alice, obviously. Whether she had a vision of you and Jasper or just genuinely wanted to hang out with you

She would invite you over to watch movies and bake cookies , mostly so that Jasper could get used to you before he tried to talk to you.

I feel like you'd be lokey scared of him- like he'd always look angry or uncomfortable around you, little did you know the poor Babs was having a mental war with himself.

When he eventually gets used to you and dosent want to kill you on sight, Alice will invite him to bake with you guys insisting they need a second hand. Or shed purposely get the wrong amount of ingredients so she'd run out and get more, leaving you and Jasper alone.

Hed try and have small talk with you and you'd start to realize that he's super nice and you have a lot in common

Now that you were sure he wasn't ploting your death, you got really shy especially when you relized you had a small crush on him

Small

Hah

That was a understatement

If you had a class together it would be spent fawning over him

Instead of asking about himself most of the time you'd just think about it. Acctually you would spend a lot of time thinking about his interests. What was his favorite movie? Favorite food? Is he a dog or cat person? What does he do on his summer break?

Then one day when getting ready to go out with Alice , you got a knock on the door , it was Jasper. To say you were shocked would be a understatement.

He had a bouquet of your favorite flowers and was dressed amazingly , as per usual.

He explained that Alice was "sick" and so he was taking you to lunch instead.

You would be surprised and a little confused that he liked you as much as you like him, if not more so.

He'd always sneak little noted into your bag, bring you flowers, or help you with your moods.

After that you got more comfortable and going out for lunch or car rides was normal with jasper

Let's be honest, he'd have the classiest dates, drive in movie theater, picnic in a park, or just relaxing at home with comfy food and movies.

He was really scared that when he told you about his familys secret you'd be appalled and run our the door screaming

When in all actuallity you were curious if anything. And ignoring the fact that you knew something was up from the start, I mean if Bella cod figure it out so can you.

After that you'd ask a million questions, you'd do as much research on vampires as you could , you were completely fascinated that something so crazy could be real.

You almost fainted when you found out that he was old enough to be your great grandfather. But you were also so interested, he'd been around for a tone of major events in history(and he loved the attention)

You'd be super close with all his family members and that would make him so happy, he'd feel like his life was finally starting to be absolutely perfect.

And his family would be also really happy, they had never seen him this alive in so long.

[maleyanderecafe]

You Are My Sunshine (Otome)

Created by: Blood Peach

Genre: Romance/Psychological

You are My Sunshine is a pretty cute game, though a bit basic. Currently, it's down for maintenance (either meaning it's going to have an update or going to be completely redone). Regardless of what happens, I will be doing my summary and review based on what I've played before it was taken down. If you are curious about the game, you can watch this playthrough of the game. Thanks to Cherry for streaming the game for me and writing the summary.

The story starts out with the main character, Sunny in the library. She notes that she spends a lot of time there because her parents aren't usually home. She ends up stumbling upon the most popular student in school, Kai, before heading off to her locker, where she find a love letter. Sunny goes to meet the mystery man, only to find a dead boy and Kai, holding a knife. Before she can react, Kai pushes her onto the body and takes a picture, threatening to use it as blackmail and warning that his father is the head of police and thus he can't be convicted of crimes. He also reveals that he was the murderer of another boy that had died that year. Kai blackmails Sunny into being his girlfriend and Sunny is forced to oblige. The next day, Kai and Sunny walk to school together and encounters Sunny's friend, Jasper. Jasper jokes around that Sunny and Kai are dating, and when Kai confirms it, both Sunny and Jasper look surprised. When Jasper leaves, Kai threatens Sunny with a knife, stating that if the two get too close, he'll kill Jasper. Sunny continues to ignore Jasper for that reason, until they all have lunch together. Kai lies about Sunny telling him about Jasper's attempted suicide as well as the fact that Sunny only became friends with him out of pity, causing Jasper to become upset and leave after Sunny is forced to confirm it as true.

We get a flashback to when Sunny coaxed Jasper out of his suicide attempt by promising to be friends with him. To pull her out of her slump, Kai promises to go on a date with Sunny to make her happy. She agrees in the hope that she can convince Kai's father to help her. During the weekend, Sunny goes to Kai's place and meets his father, Aoki. She attempts to tell Aoki about Kai's murder, in hopes that he will help her, but it seems that Aoki is already aware that Kai has killed someone and she feels hopeless. At school, Sunny reconciles with Jasper and he reveals that he too has a yandere crush on Sunny, telling her that if she doesn't break up with Kai, the two will no longer be friends. Feeling hopeless, Sunny attempts to commit suicide off of the roof, but Jasper stops her, which leads to Jasper promising that he will get to the bottom of it. Kai gets close to Sunny again, monitoring her so that she won't attempt suicide again. Kai and Sunny go home together, and at Sunny's house, she gets a text from Jasper to meet up at the place where the body was found and Kai goes there as well. The last part is a choice to choose either Kai or Jasper.

If you pick Kai, Jasper will pull out a gun and kills Kai, and then shoots Sunny in the leg. He bashes Sunny's head into the pavement and takes her away.

If you pick Jasper, Kai will leave after being threatened by Jasper and Jasper brings Sunny home. The next day, Sunny realizes that Kai isn't at school and goes to his house to investigate. Sunny comes in to a hanged Jasper and Kai who promptly injects her with a tranquilizer. Upon waking up, Sunny is in a basement, where Kai continues to tranquilize her and keeps her forever.

In the true ending, we start out with a flashback with Kai, when he was a child. His parents are fighting and his father, Aoki, kills her mother as a result. Kai goes to the park, feeling sad, until Sunny shows up to cheer him up. Kai goes home and confesses to Aoki that he has fallen in love with a girl, to which Aoki offers to get a background check on her. Kai tries to befriend Sunny but fails because of his awkwardness. This leads to Kai deciding to become popular so that he can gain his confidence and get closer to Sunny. We see his point of view when he sees that Sunny has caught him murdering someone and he panics. Quickly, he's able to frame Sunny, and he feels overjoyed that she will now be by his side.

We then cut to a flashback with Jasper, where her mother gifts him a gun for self defense against his dad, whom she fears will come to take him. Jasper goes out to the park and befriends a cat while a couple of guys bully him, causing the cat to freak out and scratch Jasper. Angered, Jasper kills the cat and brings its body home. Eventually his mother finds out that Jasper has been killing animals, leading to her suffering brain damage. While she's still alive, Jasper must now take care of her mother, however, his mother ends up hating him, believing that he is Jasper's dad. Eventually, Jasper's mother dies, and out of desperation, Jasper tries to commit suicide on the roof, eventually leading up to the scene of Sunny coaxing Jasper out of it.

After all of the flashbacks, we see that before Jasper and Kai can fight each other that Aoki has appeared. He reveals that the two are half brothers, and the past with the two's mothers as well. Sunny gets kidnapped by both of them and the two end up sharing Sunny forevermore.

First of all, I actually really like the artwork for all of the characters. They look really nice and I can appreciate the attention to detail. In terms of story, I think that its pretty unique in some ways. For one, I never imagined that Jasper and Kai were half brothers, but looking back, it does make sense why, considering their behaviors. While Kai is more of a manipulative and obsessive yandere, Kai in turn is more possessive and violent. The two have different ways of getting what they want, with Kai using his wit and manipulation while Jasper uses his strength and closeness with Sunny. For Kai, I find it nice that the reveal was so quick, and it was kind of refreshing to see him shut down Sunny's avenues of escape in terms of trying to turn her in and blackmailing her so that she wouldn't escape. Most yanderes I see are usually better at keeping their obsessiveness out of sight, so it was interesting to see Kai use all of these at his disposal. For Jasper, it was more of the traditional slow love, where we don't actually see his yandere behavior until it was too late, especially since he seemed like the saner of the two until the end.

In terms of backstory, I think they both have elements of what a more basic yandere is generally like, with one growing in fame to get the girl that he likes while the other is more sadistic, killing off animals for pleasure. Of course, the game is able to expand more on that in different ways, with Kai having his father Aoki to help him get away with crimes and learn more about Sunny through the background checks while we learn that Jasper had a more difficult life with him having to take care of his mother until her death. I think it's also cool that we're able to see more of Jasper's side of things, since in the game he is much more cool-headed than in his POV, at least from what I can tell. It's neat to see the contrast between the two at this point.

Still though, despite the game embodying a more serious tone, I still couldn't help but laugh at some parts of it that probably weren't meant to be funny. The first part is just that Jasper's mother straight up just GAVE a gun to her ten-year-old son, which I understand is for self-defense and she's not completely in her right mind, but something about it was just really funny to me, especially since it was like, "Here son, have this GUN." The other thing was that at some point, Kai asks his dad Aoki for advice on how to deal with Jasper, to which he suggests instead of stabbing each other the two have a fistfight, you know like normal boys do. There's nothing really wrong with these two moments, but I just feel like I wasn't supposed to find them funny when I found them way, way too funny, haha.

Overall, the game was pretty fun to play through and had its interesting moments as well. Hopefully, when it comes back after maintenance, it'll be a fun experience for you too!

[raindancer2004]

Fit for a Queen

Word Count: 4,610 Marcus x Swan reader Oneshot Warning: Fluff. I ignored SM’s canon regarding Didyme’s death...and rewrote it.

I hit 500 followers on 22.09.21 and this little oneshot is in celebration of this milestone. Thank you to each and every one of you lovely people for your continued love and support!! It is greatly appreciated.

Marcus got a surprise when he and Demetri paid the Cullens a surprise visit. He met someone who would change his life for the better, someone he could love and someone who could love him in return.

Y/N Swan parked on the gravel driveway and watched as Esme and Ness appeared on the front steps outside of the Cullen house. “Y/N, you’re here” Ness cried out with a smile and ran towards her aunt, wrapping her arms around her waist, Y/N chuckled and wrapped her arms around her niece in a hug “Missed me then?” Y/N said teasingly “Of course” Ness replied smiling.

“Hello Y/N, it’s nice to see you again” Esme greeted her with a hug “Hi Esme, it’s nice to see you too” She replied, hugging Esme back. “Some friends of ours have come for a visit, completely surprising us, not that we mind of course…” “I can come back when they’re gone or I can take Ness out if that’s easier” Y/N said cutting off Esme “Oh don’t be silly, you’re family. Come on, I’ll introduce them to you” Esme replied smiling and took Y/N’s hand leading her upstairs.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Demetri had noticed a new scent the moment the front door opened and both turned their heads, curious as to who it could belong to. Demetri noticed the warm tenor coming from the new person, who he had heard Ness and Esme call Y/N and committed her tenor to memory.

Esme, Ness and Y/N entered the family room and the rest of the Cullens greeted her with a smile and hug. Demetri watched with curiosity as the family embraced Y/N and noticed how none of them seem tempted by her blood, not even Jasper. He put down it down to their animal diet and the fact that they referred to her as family. He observed Bella’s interaction with the human and that’s when he noticed the family resemblance.  

Marcus seemed intrigued by Y/N too but for another reason, something Edward noticed as he had picked up on the King’s thoughts but he stayed silent as he was curious how things would play out between the vampire King and his human sister-in-law.

“Y/N this is Marcus and…” “Hello Y/N, it’s nice to meet you” He said cutting Esme off and held out his hand to her “It’s nice to meet you too” Y/N replied and placed her hand in his ready to shake it. He surprised her however, when he lifted her hand to his lips and placed a kiss to the back of her hand. Y/N felt her cheeks warm with a blush following Marcus’ actions and he smiled at her. The Cullens and Demetri chuckled lightly at the sight. “Y/N this is Demetri” Esme introduced the pair with a smile “I-It’s n-nice to m-meet you” Y/N stuttered, still feeling a little flustered “Likewise Y/N” Demetri replied with a smile.

Marcus watched Y/N as she spent time with Ness, reading to her, colouring in her colouring books as they spoke about anything and everything and he felt his heart warm at the sight. “Master, am I right in thinking that Miss Swan is your mate?” Demetri asked quietly as he stood beside the King “Yes Demetri, I believe she is” He replied “Do you plan on telling her?” “I do but I’m not sure how nor am I sure she’d be interested in someone like me…” “You mean a vampire King?” Demetri asked and Marcus nodded “Yes. Not to mention I’m over 3000 years old” “If I remember correctly human girls love fairy tales, the thought of growing up to a Princess and well that human girl gets to be a Queen. I’d say you’d be making a girl’s dreams come true.” Marcus chuckled beside him “Your mate tell you that did she?” “Yes, and although I am not a Prince I do treat her like a princess” “Yes, well that’s because she is a Princess…in your eyes” It was Demetri’s turn to chuckle before he responded “A wise man once told me don’t worry about the age difference, she’ll come to care for you in time” “He sounds like a very wise man” Marcus replied and they both laughed at that, gaining Y/N and Ness’ attention.

Marcus got Ness to invite her aunt to stay for the weekend as he wanted the chance to get to know her better. “What’s it worth?” Ness asked, curious how the softly spoken King would react “I’ll buy you anything you want” “Even if it is something my mum has said I can’t have?” “Yes child, you can have anything your heart desires” He replied and noticed her eyes light up at his response “Deal” She held out her and he shook it gently.

“Guess what Nana, Uncle Marcus is buying me a Pony” She said excitedly “I thought your mum said no?” Esme asked “Yea she did. But Uncle Marcus outranks her as he is a King and I’m doing him a favour” She replied and skipped out of the room to find her aunt.

“Looks like you’ve made a new friend” Demetri said smiling at Marcus, who nodded chuckling “It’s good to know that I outrank her parents” “Yes, indeed but it’s funny to think it’s because you’re a King and not because you’re her new uncle” Esme added with a smile of her own “I’m curious to see how long the Pony lasts in a house full of veggies” Demetri amused aloud and Marcus and Esme laughed “I’ll take that bet Demetri” She replied “Me too” Marcus added.

Esme and Carlisle sat down with Marcus and Y/N as he attempted to tell her that she was his mate and what that involved as he was one of the three Kings of the vampire world. Y/N’s mouth fell open in shock when she heard that she was Marcus’ mate, his second chance at a happy ending. “B-but I’m human…” She trailed off, noone spoke for a moment, allowing her to gather her thoughts “…I’m your mate? But that would…that would mean that I…I mean…me a Queen…oh my…you must be wrong…I’m human” She spoke aloud, but her voice was low. “I’m sure Y/N. It’s my gift to see how humans and vampires are connected to others around them. I can see the bonds that tie them together, including the mate bond between us…” “But I’m human” She repeated cutting him off “That is not an issue. I accept you as you are, but when the time is right, I’ll turn you as Carlisle turned Esme. Therefore, giving us an eternity to be together” Y/N nodded and sat there trying to take it all in. 

Marcus and Y/N spent the weekend getting to know one another and when it came time for him and Demetri to leave, he found that he couldn’t and didn’t want to leave her. He extended his stay by a few days which caused his brothers to play twenty questions with him on the phone “I’ll explain everything when I see you” He told him and hung up the phone, Demetri smirked at him “You’re sworn to secrecy” Demetri smiled and nodded “Of course master.”

By the time Marcus left the Cullen’s house to return home he and Demetri had been away for a little over two weeks. He knew he was going to miss his mate terribly when he left and decided to take a chance and ask if she would come to Italy with him…for a visit. Y/N agreed to return to Italy with him. “I’m so glad you asked because I would have missed you after you left” She told him honestly and he pulled her into his arms and held her close “You’ve made an old vampire very happy” “You’re not old, you’re…” “Ancient” Ness called out giggling, Marcus chuckled too “I was going to say you’re a mature, older man” “That’s just a politer way of saying I’m old sweetheart, but thank you” He kissed her hair and continued to hold her.

When they arrive back at the castle Marcus took Y/N straight to his room “This is my room, no sorry this is our room. Please look around and make yourself comfortable, I am going to let my brothers know I’m home” He kissed her and turned to leave only to see his brothers standing in the doorway. “You’re home brother and you have bought a guest with you?” Aro asked, curiosity clear in his ruby eyes. Marcus sighed as they entered the room “Y/N this is Aro and Caius, my brothers, brothers this is Y/N Swan. She is not a guest, she is my mate and will eventually take her place beside your wives as Queen” He said smiling and wrapped an arm around her waist. A look of shock crossed Aro and Caius’ faces but that quickly turned to one of happiness. “It’s nice to meet you Y/N” Caius said with a smile “Yes it is and welcome to the family” Aro held out his hand and Y/N went to shake it before Marcus stopped her “Aro” “Maybe later my dear” Aro replied “Nice try though” Caius smiled and watched as realisation washed over Y/N’s face “Your gift, of course…you cant read Bella’s thoughts and you’re curious about mine” She said looking at Aro and smiled “Guilty” He replied and nodded. A moment of silence passed before Caius spoke again “We’ll leave you to settle in but please come and see us later as our wives will be so excited to meet you once they learn who are you” Marcus nodded and his brothers left the room.

“They seem nice” “They are once you get to know them. They come across differently sometimes but that’s to do with our roles as Kings” “Understandable. I bet they’re also curious about the human who captured their brother’s heart after all these years, especially seeing as I’m Bella’s sister” She replied “Very true and Caius was serious, Dora and Sia will be excited to meet you but if it is too much to deal with after our long flight home we can put off introductions until tomorrow” “Maybe a quick hello today as to not be rude and maybe we can see them together tomorrow for a full on catch up?” She asked and he chuckled “What?” “You sound like a Queen already, coming up with a solution that pleases everyone” He told her smiling “I wouldn’t say that. I was just suggesting a compromise” She replied and kissed his cheek.

A few hours later Marcus and Y/N make their way to the King’s lounge, which is situated above the throne room so she could meet Dora and Sia. The four vampires could tell that Marcus and Y/N were outside the door by Marcus’ scent and Y/N’s heartbeat. “Bless her, she’s nervous” Dora says low to her husband “Wouldn’t you be dear, the only human in a room with four non-veggie vampires?” Caius replied “We would never harm her” Sia replied “We know that and I’m sure she does too but this is new for her…be patient” Aro added.

Y/N took another deep breath and nodded at Marcus who smiled down at her before opening the door to the King’s lounge. Y/N froze on the spot as four pairs of red eyes turned in their direction “It’s ok…I’m right here” Marcus whispered in her ear but she was sure the others heard him too.

“I’m Dora and welcome to our lovely home” Dora said softly as she stood up, Caius rising to stand beside her “Hello again Y/N” He said softly and gave her a smile. Marcus led her over to the seating area and they sat on the empty sofa nearest the fireplace. Dora and Caius sat back down on the sofa to their left, facing the fireplace with Aro and Sia on the one opposite Marcus and Y/N. “Thank you Dora, it’s nice to meet you and from what I’ve seen of the castle so far it’s beautiful” She replied with a smile. “I’m Sia, Aro’s wife. It’s nice to meet you” “Likewise Sia” She replied smiling.

Aro had called all of the guards to the throne room the following morning telling them that they had an announcement to make. “Good morning and thank you all for coming” Aro greeted them with a smile and the guards nodded at him in response. “Marcus has an important announcement to make” He added before sitting down on his throne.

Marcus rose from his throne and took Y/N’s warm hand in his cold one and they stepped forwards “As you all know Demetri and I visited the Cullens recently and whilst I was there I had the pleasure of meeting Y/N Swan, Bella’s sister…” He paused and looked down at her with a smile “…Y/N is my mate, my second chance at a happy ending and your new Queen. Y/N will remain human whilst she gets used to her new home and learns about her role as Queen. That said she is to be treated with the same level of respect you show myself, Aro and Caius and their wives Athenodora and Sulpicia. If any harm becomes my mate at the hands or fangs of one of you, there will not be a trial…I shall take your head and burn it along with your body. Is that understood?” “Yes master” Multiple voices replied throughout the room. Y/N shuddered at the thought of Marcus ripping someone’s head off because of her “You are mine to protect sweetheart…always” He said low enough so only she could hear and she nodded.

That afternoon Dora explained to Y/N that Marcus will be extra protective of her due to her being human but also because he lost his mate during the ‘Vampire War’. “Didyme was killed by the Romanian coven, Marcus was too late to save her…” Y/N covered her mouth in shock and tears slipped down her cheeks “…He never told you how he lost her, did he?” Dora asked and Y/N shook her head “He said that he had lost his first mate and had been alone ever since. He never thought he’d get a second mate, a second chance at love” Dora wrapped an arm around Y/N comforting her and continued her story “He took revenge on them, he and Caius killed the mates of the Romanian leaders as Aro and the guards killed the rest of the coven. They left the leaders alive but burnt their castle’s down and we took over as rulers of our world. Things have been better for all under our rule” “He’ll always be protective of me won’t he, even after I’m immortal?” “Yes sister, he will be. All vampires are protective of their mates. I mean you should have seen Demetri and Felix with their human mates, they put the fear of the gods in the lower ranking guards. They relaxed a little once they were turned but only a little” Dora and Y/N chuckled “Demetri is really nice, he and Marcus get on really well and I get the impression their relationship isn’t just a professional one” “You’re right Demetri is nice, he’s mine and Sia’s favourite guard…” “Mine too” Y/N added cutting her off “…Marcus sees Demetri as the son he never had and they are friends, it’s not a secret per se. They are professional in public but behind closed doors the formalities are dropped, after all Demetri knew how lonely Marcus was without a mate as he had been alone for 1000 years before he met Natalia. They met a few years ago and have been inseparable ever since. Marcus has a soft spot for her, sees her a daughter I believe. He made it very clear if anyone hurt her, Demetri could exact his revenge in any way he wanted without any consequences” “Yes, Marcus told me about her and Demetri and how well they complement each other. Demetri also gushed about her after we met in Forks” Y/N replied smiling as she recalled their conversations.  

Dora and Sia accepted Y/N as their new sister with open arms, which helped her settle into her new home. Everyone made her feel welcome at the castle, the guards pointing her in the right direction if she took a wrong turn down a corridor, sometimes they escorted her to her destination to ensure she arrived safely, something she appreciated.

Dora and Sia took her shopping for new dresses, shoes and anything else they could think of. Heidi and Corin joined the Queens to ensure they were safe whilst away from the castle. Y/N told them about her life before she met Marcus and how they met including her reaction to finding out they were mates. Dora and Sia told her about their lives and how they met their husbands. Heidi and Corin told her how they met and their roles within the guard. Unknown to Y/N Marcus had asked Demetri to follow the Queens from a distance and to help Heidi and Corin protect them should a threat arise. The female vampires knew the tracker was nearby and why but didn’t tell Y/N.

Y/N had been at the castle for about a year when Aro decided he was going to throw a Coronation Ball to officially welcome Y/N into the family. “Brother, I was going to wait until Y/N was immortal before doing this…” “Nonsense, she is one us, whether she be human or vampire. Anyways, we‘d have to wait a few years before throwing a Ball if you put her coronation off till she’s immortal. This is a much better idea” Aro replied cutting him off “I agree with Aro on this. Y/N should get her crown before she is turned. It isn’t fair to call her a Queen but not give her a crown to wear” Caius added. Marcus sighed “I suppose you are right, I just didn’t want her to feel pressured into anything and I’m worried our subjects may object to a human Queen” Marcus responded “Anyone who complains about our new Queen’s mortality will find themselves a guest of our dungeons and anyway you can turn her after the Ball” Caius added with a smile “Yes, our dungeons are a little empty these days” Aro mused aloud and Marcus chuckled “You’re hoping to fill them up again aren’t you?”  Both of his brothers smiled and shrugged “You never know what the future holds brother” Aro added before leaving the room to find Gianna.

Aro had Gianna send invitations out to all of their vampire subjects. The invitations stated that noone was allowed to eat their human Secretary and that blood would be supplied at the Ball.

Dora and Sia oversaw the decoration of the Ballroom, getting the guards to hang the decorations as per their instruction. They decided on a Gold and White theme. Elegant tablecloths covered the tables that were placed along a one wall, upon which multiple jugs of blood would sit along with glasses. Wine and human food were to be on the end of one table for Y/N, Gianna and the few Hybrids Aro had invited.

It was the night of the Coronation Ball and Y/N stood in front of a full-length mirror looking at herself, admiring the green dress with gold applique covering the sheer material on the arms and chest of the dress. The top of the dress was fitted to the waist, the bottom was a ball gown like skirt. She noticed her mate’s reflection in the mirror and smiled at him. “You look great my love. That dress really is fit for a Queen” Marcus spoke into her ear as he moved to stand behind her and placed his hands on her waist. Y/N blushed before thanking him “Thank you for the dress Marcus” Marcus smiled at her and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Here this is gift from Dora and Sia” Y/N opened the blue box to find a gold tiara style headband “It…it’s beautiful” She replied “They’ll be pleased that you like it” He replied as he carefully placed on her head.

A few moments of silence passed between them before Marcus spoke “Breathe, it’ll be ok” He took her warm hand in his cold one and led her from their shared room. They walked side by side to the Ballroom where their guests were waiting to meet their new Queen. Tonight was the night when Y/N was officially named and crowned Queen, despite still being human.

Aro carried out the coronation and placed the crown upon Y/N’s head before moving aside so Caius could present her with a sapphire and diamond necklace with matching earrings. “For you my Queen” Caius said softly as he placed a kiss to back of her right hand. “It’s gives me great pleasure to present to you, your new Queen Y/N Swan Volturi.” Caius announced and the vampires in the room all clapped before bowing their heads respectfully to their six monarchs.

Y/N danced with her mate smiling up at him “Thank you for everything darling” She kissed his cheek “No need to thank me, my love. You deserve everything I have given you and so much more” He pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. Someone tapped Marcus on the shoulder and he turned his head to see who it was only to be met with the ruby eyes of his personal guard, Demetri “I was hoping I may be lucky enough to dance with our new Queen, master” Marcus smiled at him and nodded “Of course my boy…and feel free to dance a few songs with her as I have something to discuss with my brothers.” Demetri nodded and smiled at Y/N as he held out his hand to her “Mi’ lady” “Demetri” Y/N placed her hand in the tracker’s and the two began to dance.

Marcus made his way over to his brothers and watched as his mate danced with his personal guard, smiling as he knew she was safe with him as the tracker would protect her no matter what, not that any of their guests would be stupid enough to attack their new Queen in the castle itself.

“Penny for your thoughts brother” Aro said as he followed Marcus’ line of sight to Y/N and Demetri dancing “Just watching my beautiful mate enjoying herself dancing and talking with the one guard I trust explicitly with her…” “Yes, I noticed that our dear Demetri treats her with as much care as he treated Natalia when she was human” Aro said cutting off Marcus and looked across the room to see Demetri’s mate talking with Sia and Heidi “…I’m thinking of asking her to marry me…tonight as everyone is here, including her family. You can officiate brother…” “What about her parents? What about rings?” Caius asked cutting him off “…I couldn’t exactly invite humans to the castle now could I? We have our secret to keep after all. And as for rings, I bought them weeks ago. I’ve just been waiting for the right moment and…tonight feels right.” Aro and Caius were shocked at this revelation but couldn’t help smiling when they saw that their brother wore a huge grin on his face and saw the look of love in his eyes. “I suppose you can always visit her parents later and apologise, explaining that you two eloped” Dora added as she slipped her hand into Caius’. “Mmm, maybe. I’ll leave that up to Y/N to decide” Marcus replied “How will this work brother?” Aro asked “Well, I’m going to take Y/N outside and propose whilst you get prepared to officiate and the guards can arrange seating for our guests. I’m sure Dora, Sia and Esme can oversee and co-ordinate that part. Knowing Alice she probably has bouquets hidden in her room ready” He chuckled at the thought of Alice preparing for a surprise wedding before he had even proposed.

Marcus tapped Demetri on the shoulder “May I borrow my mate for a moment or two?” “Of course master” Demetri smiled at Y/N as he placed her hand gently in Marcus’. Marcus led her out on the balcony and turned to face her before getting down on one knee, chuckling at her shocked expression. “I have been alone for a very long time and thought it would remain that way for eternity. However, that changed when I met you. You gave me a reason to live again, to love again and I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it. Will you do me the great honour of becoming my wife?” Y/N’s other hand covered her mouth as tears formed at the corner of her eyes and she nodded unable to form words in that moment. He smiled back her as he stood and placing his hands on her cheeks he pressed his lips to hers “I love you” “I love you too Marcus” Her voice low and thick with emotion.  

Caius insisted he would be the one to give Y/N away saying “Carlisle has given away two daughters already and giving Y/N away is the closet I’ll get to giving a daughter away” Dora smiled at her husband as he didn’t like humans much but he had made a few exceptions in recent years, Y/N included. ‘maybe it depends on the human’ she thought to herself.

Marcus asked Demetri to be his Best Man and he accepted, taking the rings from him and tucking them inside the inner pocket of his suit jacket. Y/N asked Ness and Bella to be Bridesmaids “Well obviously, it’s not like we’d say no” Bella chuckled “Ok, ok. I know…it’s just…” “A surprise?” Ness offered smiling and Y/N nodded.

Dora assumed the role of mother of the Bride, much to Marcus’ amusement. “Don’t expect me to be mother of the Groom as I’m much too young” Sia said looking at Marcus smiling “What are you trying to say sister, that I’m old?” He asked “Old, god no brother, you’re positively ancient” Sia teased him and laughed when he feigned offence.

“I give you Mr and Mrs Marcus Volturi” Aro announced smiling once the ceremony was over and the Ballroom erupted in cheers as everyone clapped for the happy couple. “Thank you for coming tonight to celebrate Y/N’s coronation and our surprise wedding” Marcus said before leading his new bride onto the dancefloor for their first dance as husband and wife.

Demetri was smiling wide as he held Natalia in his arms, her back to his chest as they watched Marcus and Y/N dance the night away as husband and wife “Brings back memories huh, Dem” She said looking at him over her shoulder “It does indeed mi amore” He replied and kissed her.

Marcus and Y/N seemed to forget there was a Ballroom full of vampires as they got lost in one another, dancing and laughing together. “Thank you for tonight my love” Y/N said softly “You’re very welcome sweetheart. Thank you for agreeing to be my wife” He replied “Thank you for not making me endure months of Alice’s wedding planning” He chuckled at her reply “Again you’re welcome. I’d do anything for you, my Queen. I love you more than I ever thought possible” “I love you too Marcus, so very much” She stood up on tip toes and pressed her lips to his in a sweet kiss. “I’m forever yours” She added after she broke the kiss “And I’m forever yours” He replied before capturing her lips with his, cementing their vows of forever.