#forever a huge labyrinth fan

[thechekhov]

Since you've covered a pretty big bit of the manga so far, can I ask what are your opinions on it? Deeper than just the quick reactions you've shared with us so far.

What are your opinions about the manga's characters? Its pacing? The mystery element? The magic system? What areas do you think it succeeds, and what areas do you think could be better?

I understand if you're reversing judgment until you finish, but you've also read quite a bit of the story so far. Idk, I'm just curious!

Especially seeing as you're a writer yourself, so I imagine you have a different perspective on how the story functions as, well, a story!

Oh, hmmm... that's an interesting question.

As of right now I'm on chapter 35-36 so I'm about a third through the story. The first major arc (find dragon, yoink falin out of its body, etc) has kinda happened, and we're hitting some larger world arcs.

As you mentioned, I DO want to withold judgement but for now... But I will say what I think thus far, with full awareness that my mind might be changed later depending on circumstances.

Comment 1: The manga is finished! Actually, just knowing that makes me feel like it's a more cohesive storyline.

Maybe I'm boring, but I'm not a huge fan of neverending storylines in general. Naruto, Bleach, etc. They have their place in the forever-young-monster-of-the-week genre, and I know why so many manga just keep... on... publishing....... but I feel like there's a lot of merit to being able to just wrap up a story and say 'there, that's how it ends'.

Comment 2: Laios is very well developed, even at this point of the story. Senshi remains a mystery. Marcille... speedran her arc?

I think this is the closest thing I have to a criticism. While I think Laios' character is well-paced in its revelations throughout the series (the slow ramp-up from 'oh this guy is weird' to 'oh, this guy is a freak club card carrying member' to 'oh, this guy is the freak club president' was great!) Marcille is.... a little more of a mystery to me.

Now, perhaps my memory is bad. But I did find her turnaround at the end of the Red Dragon arc a bit... out of the blue?

Don't get me wrong. I think it's entirely believable. But I wish there had been more hints - or rather, more visible progress of her studies of ancient magic. I know it's been mentioned, and there WAS that chapter of her and Falin during their school years... but watching episode 2 of the show on netflix when she goes 'I feel useless, my magic doesn't help anyone :(' and then reading the manga and seeing her straight up go from 0 to 100 as she decides "we're gonna rearrange falin's bones and then I'mma raise her using this ancient technique I've been studying all along that I didn't tell you about because it was sus" is... a little bit of a turn?

Maybe it's on purpose! Maybe, when I read further about her personal journey, the pieces will fall into place more neatly. But compared to the rest of the characters, which seem relatively steady in their reveals (Laios, Chillchuck, Senshi) Marcille took a bit of a turn.

Which, again, isn't bad! It just seems contrasted to the rest of the team.

Comment 3: The magic system is more like a magic ecology.

Actually, in the beginning, I found the magic system Marcille used very vague. It was just a 'do what needs to be done' type of power with very few apparent limits or power balances aside from 'sometimes you run out of mana'. But I think at this point, I'm beginning to assume that the details of the magic are closer to the functions of an ecosystem or an organism, and therefore WHAT the magic does is kind of moot point. Marcille is just a little bacteria inside of the great intestine labyrinth of the dungeon, and she is using its energy to survive, like a sort of microfauna.

Comment 4: Man, the worldbuilding is cool. It's so cool.

I don't think I've seen another story that goes so deeply into dungeon ecosystems before this one. Not only are the people who live there fleshed out in terms of individual cultures and traditions and norms, there are also monsters that serve as a natural fauna that inhabits the halls of what OUGHT to be a mindless 'turn left and fall into a trap' setting!

There's sticking monsters into your world, and then there's 'digging out a trench 1 meter deep, pre-soaking the soil, inserting monster's roots lovingly into the spot, and then covering it with fertilizer and spritzing the leaves'. I don't doubt that there ARE other works that go into this level of detail, but the dedication and the ideas Kui-san has for this very much makes the dungeon a living part of this entire tale. :)

I'll probably have more to say later but for now.. that's about it!

[piss-pumpkin]

ok i’m very curious - can i ask abt spatial horror? 👀

Omg hi I’m gonna go off about it now

Spacial horror describes how the physical space/setting in a piece of media is used to enhance/convey the horror. And idk I’m a huge slut for it here are some of my fav examples of things that have great use of spatial horror below the cut (my ass did not proofread)

House of leaves:

one of the main ways this book creates horror and conveys its main theme is through the house. The house reacts and responds to the characters deep rooted trauma and insecurities and warps around them. The horror builds from the idea that it’s wrong. At first, the house expands by like 1/4 of an inch, and it’s like bait, just a little taste because the house knows that Navidson is easily tempted, and once it has him, it creates a physical abyss that parallels the mental one he’s trapped in.

The labyrinth spaces of house are constantly described as cold, vast and dark and used to create an oppressive and foreign feeling, turning the image of a suburban home into an alien entity. That turning of normal into alien starts in the 5 and a half minute hallway, but it quickly spreads through even the unaffected areas of the house as the characters both desperately try and make it normal, or chase the abnormal to a dangerous degree. Their whole lives become dangerous and alien within the confines of the house.

The way the house creates space and danger runs alongside the way space and distance and conflict is created between the characters. Caution and exploration create expanses and voids, confidence creates clearer paths, confusion creates winding mazes, and when Navidson decides to venture in for his last time, the house envelopes him and destroys him. (But love creates doors and openings)

There is no monster in House of Leaves, no Minotaur in the labyrinth, just the characters and the things that a cruel place brings out of them.

“Gods a house. Which is not to say that our house is Gods house, or even a house of God. What I mean to say is that our house is God.”

Skinamarink:

Honestly my read of this movie is different then a lot of what I’ve seen on Tumblr,,, like the idea that it’s about like the liminal feeling of being awake at a time you aren’t suppose to as a child never rlly connected w/ me, so I interpreted it different.

I read Skinamarink as a commentary on horror as a genre. Most of the shots of this movie are of the house, whether a wall, window (or lack thereof) or corner, the house is the star of the film. The movie makes us hyperaware of the space the kids occupy.

Since it’s a horror movie, we go in with the expectation that there is a monster, ghost, supernatural something, whatever, and the film uses out expectations against us. It’s like the camera, in its obscure focus on dark corners, invites us to look for a monster. Like that’s what horror fans are trained to do when we see shit like that.

Skinamarink utilizes the expectations of a haunted house to make us want to see a monster. It’s a slow burn, but my thesis on this movie ultimately comes to how the direction makes the audience the monster, and it ends up as a commentary on horror as a genre. And the use of expectations for the house makes that possible. In the beginning, the windows and doors vanish, trapping the kids inside, so we’re primed to think there’s some sort of ghost or smth, and we carry that expectation throughout the film. I come to the conclusion that we create the monster with those expectations.

“Put the knife in your eye”

Fear and hunger:

This game has one of the most oppressive atmospheres ever it’s so crazy. The dungeons of feta and hunger are a crushing and evil place that’s been transformed and mutated, and change the people who venture into it.

There is no good end to fear and hunger. Even the best ending for the characters, where they achieve their goals. If cahara escapes with all the money, he’s forever haunted by the dungeons. If d’arce revives l’garde he has forever changed for the worse and they will wreak mayhem until death. By playing the game, you’ve already doomed the characters.

There are monsters inside, but the true horror is the dungeon itself. The creatures inside have been trapped, allured, tormented, and they fight you, but the true enemy is the space itself, and is inescapable even when you get out.

The dungeons of fear and hunger are the scariest part of that game and story. And you have to watch the character grapple and try their best under the crushing weight of an evil place.

“A terrifying presence has entered the room…”

Conclusion:

I love when physical space is used for horror. Like there’s so many ways, whether by warping around the characters, twisting something familiar into something foreign, forcing the viewer into it, playing with expectations, or just being a crushing and evil place.

When a place is an entity in itself, whether literally or metaphorically, it’s really juicy for me idfk. Everyone should read house of leaves it made me cry like 4 times in my first read.

Spatial horror I find far more inescapable, too. You can run from a killer, or fight back, but can you fight against your own home? You’re one person, can you tear down the dungeons of fear and hunger? The camera forces you into the Skinamarink house, there nothing you can do. And the house traps the kids real good.

Idk man spatial horror just scratches that itch for me

[princessasmosprincess]

Charmed, I'm Sure

Chapter 25

Summary: No human has ever avoided Asmodeus's charm. Except for you.

Pairing: Asmodeus x GN Reader/MC

Genre: Drama, angst, a bit of fluff.

Warnings: Canon-typical violence in this chapter. There's an old skeleton I briefly describe at one point so death implied but not of any named or important characters.

***

Author's note: Charmed is officially one year old today and I just wanted to thank everyone who has read it so far. It's been really fun to write and show how much I love Asmo. I've really enjoyed reading all the feedback I've gotten and every comment on my fic no matter how short is so precious to me. Hopefully the story will be finished soon, there's not that much left to go!

***

Levi, Mammon, and Beel came barreling through one of the corridors, screaming.

“OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN IT'S GONNA EAT US! LIKE, FOR REAL!” Mammon cried.

The huge, teal snake was hot on his heels, hissing angrily, its hood expanded on either side of its head to appear even bigger. Like a giant cobra. It easily slithered over the vines on the floor, navigating them quickly and avoiding holes in the tile while still seeking its target. It seemed to know this area very well.

“Gah...it's giant. And disgusting!” Asmo wrinkled his nose. “Ugh, I hate having to look at unattractive things.” He released you, the snake’s presence was a real turn-off. Maybe there would be time to pick up where he left off later. Assuming everyone made it out of the labyrinth alive.

“Hey, how 'bout you stop talkin' and HEEEEEELP!”

“I am a fan of eating, but l'm not interested in being eaten.” Beel dodged the snake’s fangs.

“As if we didn't already have enough problems as it is, they had to go and bring us another one.” Solomon shook his head. “Well, we'd better get out of here.”

“Get out of here and go where, exactly?!” Levi nearly tripped over a vine as he scrambled out of the way.

“Just shut up and follow me.” Solomon grabbed your wrist and started running down one of the corridors without waiting for the others.

These halls looked nearly identical to the ones you came from and the further you went, the more you really hoped Solomon hadn't somehow led the group in a circle. You tried to take note of certain identifying features as you went: a statue over here, ancient runes left by some poor wandering prisoner over there, empty chrysalises from vampiric butterflies littering the ceiling, anything to tell the passages apart.

Several minutes of running at top speed left you and Solomon out of breath. The demons behind you seemed a little better off, although Levi was trailing behind quite a bit. The snake wasn't that far behind him, hissing and thrashing its tail as it maneuvered expertly through the labyrinth.

Solomon pressed forward, taking a few quick, sharp turns before pulling you into a narrow chamber that branched off to the right so the two of you could catch your breath. The entrance was small, no bigger than an average doorway, too small for the snake to pass through. Probably.

The walls were lined with prison cell doors, a demon skeleton, half crumbled with age, sat in one of the cells. Its horned skull grinned at you with its somehow still white fangs and a blank stare and you tried to avert your eyes.

“Looks like we managed to lose it somehow.” Asmo leaned against one of the cell doors and pulled out his compact mirror, trying to fix his mussed hair under the low light.

“Yeah, but what're we s'posed to do now, huh? You expect us to hide here forever?” said Mammon. He had placed himself as far away from the entrance and the demon skeleton as possible.

“You're the one who woke that snake up, Mammon. You don't get to complain.” Beel grunted, pushing his sweaty hair back from his forehead. His hands were shaking as he slid to the floor, his back against the wall. Normally one of the strongest, his hunger was apparent in his physical symptoms.

“Hey, I didn't wake it up! I just saw a snakeskin lyin' on the ground and figured I'd sell it for a pretty nice sum!” Mammon protested. “But when I tried to grab it to take it with me, it turned out there was still a snake inside! That's when that monster suddenly came after us, all mad 'n stuff…”

“He's NOT a monster.” Levi dropped to his knees in exhaustion next to Beel, “He's Henry 1.0.”

Asmo snapped the compact mirror shut, his eyes wide, “What?”

“Henry...?” said Mammon, “Wait, you mean THAT Henry?!”

“Are you sure?” Beel asked.

Levi clutched his side, panting from the strain of all that running. “I know Henry when I see him. And that is Henry, no doubt about it. I can't believe I'd find him down here of all places.”

“Henry?” You asked. “What are you talking about?” The only Henrys you knew were the fictional one from TSL and Levi’s tiny goldfish back at the House of Lamentation.

“He's talking about the pet snake he used to have.” Said Beel. “Every time Levi gets a new pet, he names it Henry.”

“Um… I wanna say you're on your fourth Henry at this point, right?” Asmo chimed in.

“No, you're WAY off. I'm currently keeping Henry 2.0.” Levi adamantly corrected. “I kept Henry 1.0 in his glass case and took really good care of him, but one day he disappeared. How many years has it been, I wonder?”

So the snake chasing you had once been Levi’s pet. You suppressed a laugh, imagining Henry 2.0 somehow escaping unbeknownst to Levi and becoming a whale-sized goldfish. That scenario didn't seem that unlikely for the Devildom.

“I don't believe it. I never thought I'd see him again…” Levi was tearing up, “But here he is, alive and well-and he's gotten so BIG! Oh, it's such a relief. I'm so glad he's all right.”

“Well I sure ain't!” Mammon said.

“Anyway, I at least managed to snap a selfie with him as we were running away. Here, check it out!” Levi excitedly showed you the selfie on his now cracked D.D.D. screen, the motion blurred picture showed Levi’s proud smile as Henry brandished his fangs mid-hiss, only a few feet behind him in pursuit.

Solomon spoke up next, “If he used to be your pet, do you think there's some way to pacify him?”

“Nope, no way.” Levi frowned. “He looked like he'd forgotten me completely.”

“Well yes, I'd say so, considering he just tried to eat you…” Asmo gave him a pat on the shoulder for condolences.

“We should attack it.” Beel’s dark rimmed eyes flashed red for a moment, “We should take that thing down, then grill it up and eat it. I'm hungry.”

Levi grabbed Beel’s arm, “No! I won't let you hurt Henry 1.0! And he's NOT FOOD!” He was prepared to restrain his younger brother if need be.

“Okay then, what SHOULD we do? If we don't do somethin' about that snake, we're never gonna get outta here.” Mammon pointed to the entrance. Henry was slithering back and forth in the hall as if pacing the floor, his tongue flickering to taste the air. He was searching.

“Violence isn't the answer.” You said, lowering your voice and giving Levi a reassuring glance.

“Thank you.” said Levi, matching your volume. “MC is the only person making sense right now.”

Solomon peeked out the doorway, “We don't necessarily need to hurt Henry to get out of here. There's another strategy we could try.”

Asmo clung to Solomon’s arm, resting his head on the sorcerer’s shoulder to fawn over him, “Oh Solomon, I knew you'd come up with something! Not only are you good-looking, you're smart, too.” He tapped him on the nose.

“Thanks,” Solomon put his hands on Asmo’s shoulders, moving him back an arm’s length, a calculating look in his eye, “Alright, I'll be counting on you to make this work, Asmodeus.”

“Huh? ...Me?” Asmo looked incredulous.

“Ah, I see what he's thinkin! While that snake is chewin' on Asmo, the rest of us can make our escape!” said Mammon.

Asmo scoffed. “Uh, no. That should be YOUR job, Mammon. As the stupidest one among us, it's only right.”

“Oh no, nuh-uh!” said Levi, “No feeding Mammon to Henry 1.0! He'll get a tummy ache!”

“HEY! You guys are bein' REAL RUDE, ya know that?!” said Mammon.

“Are you thinking of using Asmo to mesmerize the snake?” Beel asked.

“Exactly.” said Solomon, “We should make use of Asmodeus's natural charm. If he can manage to tame Henry and win him over, then maybe he'd be willing to show us the way out of the labyrinth.”

Asmo thought for a moment. It did seem doable. And if he succeeded he was sure to get a lot of praise, hopefully from you.

From you? Why would he need or want praise from you? He brushed his hands against his pants as if trying to push that thought away. You and your praise didn't matter to him.

He still needed to get out of this labyrinth, though.

“Ah, okay...yes. Well, I suppose I could do that.” He sighed languidly, “You know, it really should be illegal to be so stunningly beautiful that you can even charm a snake. I'm so attractive sometimes I scare even myself.”

“Yikes.”

“Ah, so you find it scary too, Beel?” Asmo smiled, “I mean, I'm not surprised.”

“No, I said that because I think he just spotted us... Henry, I mean.”

The snake was flickering his tongue in the air right outside the doorway, his size preventing him from entering. He hissed and bobbed his head, trying to find another way in.

“Right! I'II begin by using my magic to amplify Asmodeus's powers.” Solomon rolled back his cuffs. “Then Asmo, you mesmerize Henry. The amplification process is going to take a bit of time. So Mammon,”

Asmo smirked, knowing exactly what would come next.

“Me?” Mammon protested, knowing exactly where this was going, “Why’s it gotta be me? Why can't one a’ them go?” He pointed over to Levi and Beel who both appeared to be at death’s door. There was no way either of them could safely follow through with the plan in the state they were in.

Solomon continued speaking, ignoring the ridiculous suggestion, “And MC, you two distract Henry in the meantime.”

Asmo’s eyes darted to you, his stomach flipped as Solomon said your name. “Wait,” he said.

“Something the matter?” Solomon quirked an eyebrow.

Asmo didn't know what to say. The idea of you facing Levi’s disgusting snake really bothered him. Mammon was a demon and could handle himself, but you were only human. You could get hurt. He looked down at his own clasped hands, “Um… I don’t–”

“Solomon,” you cut him off as the giant snake slithered closer to your hiding spot. “Will my bracelet protect me and Mammon from Henry?”

Solomon crossed his arms, letting out a breath in a whoosh. “I don’t know. The spell I cast on it was relatively simple so it’s hard to tell with a creature of Henry’s size.”

You took Mammon’s hand, lacing your fingers with his as he blushed and stammered, “Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

You gave a confident smile, winking over your shoulder at Asmo.

Asmo’s jaw dropped. What a tease. Where did this MC come from? Surely this wasn't the timid human who had been living with his family for the past few months. There was such determination in your eyes. Maybe your reaction to seeing the Demon King’s portrait earlier wasn't naïveté but actual fearlessness. Asmo felt his heart rate quicken. That was kind of attractive.

“We have to work quickly before he figures out a way in,” said Solomon, snapping Asmo out of his own thoughts.

“Right,” You tossed a loose stone past Henry and it clattered on the floor on the other side of the corridor. Henry turned toward the sound and slithered away to investigate. You had your opening. “Come on, Mammon.”

“HEEEEY! What's the big idea pushin' me right out into its path?! I mean, come on!” Mammon complained loudly as you pushed him out of the comfort of your hiding place. His voice alerted Henry to your presence. The snake began to charge after you.

So reckless. You’d gone out there without a plan beyond “distract Henry.” Asmo bit his lip, frustration building inside him. He had the urge to pull you back into the safety of the cell block. When this was all over he swore he would lecture you like he had before, it didn't matter if the others were around. And if you cried this time he would just have to take you in his arms and–

“Okay, Asmo, I take it you're ready?” Solomon cast his hands out in front of him.

Asmo tore his eyes from you and Mammon running from the snake. He took a deep breath, he really needed to focus, now more than ever. Everything was riding on him. He had to at least do this for you, “Yep, go right ahead.”

“WHATEVER! JUST DO IT ALREADY!” Mammon yelped, swerving and darting from the snake’s fangs. The two of you were doing your best to keep Henry close enough to the center of the hall for Asmo to be able to work his magic when the time came.

You grimaced as Mammon squeezed your hand, pressing on the developing bruises Asmo had left earlier. You were yanked behind him as little more than a rag doll, barely having time to jump out of the way each time Henry struck.

Solomon spoke the incantation, “Denizens of the darkness, awaken! You who are born of shadow, hear me! I am the one called Solomon. I call upon you now to lend your power to Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust!”

Solomon’s magic warmed Asmo from the inside out. It was a familiar, exhilarating feeling that washed over him, one he’d grown to love over the centuries with his connection to the sorcerer. “Ooh yes, I LIKE this! I'm SO turned on right now!” The magic coursing through him really got his blood pumping. Sometimes a pact could be draining, but other times, like when he and Solomon were in sync with their goals, it felt so good!

“AAAAAH! HERE IT COMES HERE IT COMES HERE IT COMES!” Mammon dodged Henry one last time, pulling you against his chest in an attempt to shield himself from the snake. Unfortunately it seemed like your bracelet was doing very little to deter the creature. Henry rose to tower above you, hissing loudly.

You grasped at Mammon’s arms which were so tightly wrapped around you, and you braced yourself.

Asmo stepped out into the hall directly in front of you, his eyes shining with rose colored sparkles as he locked his gaze on the snake, “That's right, Henry. Look me in the eyes.” He cooed.

Henry stopped in his tracks, his tongue flicking out once.

“...Yes, that's a good boy.”

You peered over Asmo’s shoulder as the charm took hold, the snake’s eyes glowing that same shade of pink. Asmo continued speaking low, enticing whisperings to the snake who was completely enraptured.

After a moment, Henry began to hiss as if responding to Asmo.

“What's that now?” Asmo grinned, looking back at you over his shoulder before turning to Henry again. “Well, how about that. He says he'll show us the way out of the labyrinth!”

Asmo listened carefully as Henry let out a series of hisses, pointing his tail from time to time like one might do with their hands when describing directions of how to get somewhere. After a few minutes he stopped, tilting his head to indicate he was finished.

“You got all that, Solomon?” Asmo asked.

Solomon nodded. “Nice job, Asmo!”

“Well, really, did you expect anything less of me?” He preened.

Levi ran out into the corridor to fuss over his pet like a parent welcoming his long lost child home, his breathing finally returned to normal. “My Henry!”

Asmo got Henry to lower his head so Levi could give him a kiss between his eyes.

“How long do we have before the charm wears off?” Beel asked as he stood shakily. Henry stayed in place, obedient and still mesmerized.

Asmo tapped his chin with his finger. “Well for a human it usually lasts for a few days.” His eyes flickered over you briefly. “For a demon it can be a few hours. Especially lower level demons, they are so easy!”

“Henry ain't a demon, though.” Mammon pointed out.

“Yes, that’s right,” said Asmo. “Henry is a creature, an animal. Unintelligent. His brain isn't as developed as even a lowly human.”

“Hey!” Levi said, not sure if he felt insulted for you as a human, or for Henry.

Asmo continued musing. “But he’s a creature in possession of some magic, that’s clear from his size, most snakes even here in the Devildom won’t get that big… You know, I’m not sure. It could last months, it could last a few minutes.” Asmo giggled. “So we better get moving in case he wakes up!”

Asmo and Solomon led the way down the dark, twisting corridors, keeping at a fast clip as they went even further into the labyrinth. The vines here were beginning to thin out.

Solomon yanked Asmo’s arm as he went to make a wrong turn.

“What was that about?” Asmo yelped in pain. “Didn't Henry say ‘Sss ssss ss’? That means ‘turn left at the Minotaur statue.”

“Wrong dialect, that would be correct in sea snake but Henry is a land snake. He said go right.”

At the next turn, the hall appeared to be better maintained. It was brighter, with more torchlight, and the cobblestones floor was even and flat. The walls were decorated with mosaics of Devildom beasts and demons, similar to the one on the floor of that large chamber with the old chandelier, but there were no missing tiles here.

“He said there would be a gate…” Solomon said, “Right there!”

The large wrought iron gate was flanked by two ornate lanterns, the flames burning brightly with apparent magic. The circle of light illuminated what looked like some sort of cellar, with rows of shelves full of Demonus and jars of pickled foods and preserves. The gate was locked with a padlock, a magical signature emanating from it.

“Henry said this cellar is right under the castle.” Solomon touched the padlock and then recoiled as its magic shocked him. “We should call someone and let them know we’re down here.”

Asmo pulled out his D.D.D., frowning when he saw the screen. “There’s no service.” He held his phone up to see if he could find a signal.

Levi and Beel did the same.

“Nothing,” said Beel. He gazed longingly through the bars.

A far off rumbling sounded deep in the labyrinth in the direction your group had just come from.

“Is that–” you began.

“Henry just woke up,” Asmo confirmed.

“We ain’t got time to wait for someone to come down here.” Mammon slid a credit card sized, enchanted lockpicking set from his wallet and knelt on the floor in front of the gate. “Let’s hope whatever locking spell Barbatos has on this gate ain’t too strong.”

Mammon got to work unlocking the gate. Emerald green sparks flashed from the keyhole but as long as he touched the padlock only with the tools, he avoided getting shocked.

The rumbling was progressively getting louder, it seemed that Henry was out for revenge, angry that his prey had escaped him.

“How much longer?” Levi asked urgently.

“I’ve almost— AHH!” Mammon dropped the tension wrench, his hand bumping into the padlock and sending a shock up his arm with more green sparks. He fumbled for the tool and began again, “Ain't a lock out there that’s a match for The Great Mammon.” He said, trying to hype himself up.

Henry's shadow stretched across the wall in the torchlight, coming into sharp focus before he could be seen. He was close.

“Come on!” Asmo shook Mammon’s shoulder, “He’s almost here.”

“Will ya stop that?” Mammon shrugged off his brother's hand, jiggling the lock as he doubled his speed.

The lock dropped to the floor and the gate swung open just as Henry rounded the corner, hissing loudly as he spotted you, Solomon, and the demons.

“Everybody in!” Mammon pushed you through first, and letting everyone else go before him. He slammed the gate shut as Henry lunged at his heels.

You passed through the rows of shelves. Everything was meticulously organized, from the Demonus categorized by millennia to the Devildom root vegetables lining the back wall and the jars of preserved goods with their carefully written labels lined up by type in the middle.

Asmo swiped a jar of Barbatos’ homemade blue rose crystal pickles from one of the shelves and handed it to Beel.

“Thanks,” Beel said, opening it right away.

“I’m proud of you for keeping it together, hon,” said Asmo.

The cellar was dark with no torches to light the way but then you spotted the staircase with a single door at the top. “There it is!” You could practically taste your freedom.

Despite being the last one to go through the gate, Mammon was the first up the stairs. He frantically banged on the door. “Someone let us out!”

“Please!”

“Help us!”

The cellar door opened and everyone tumbled onto the floor of the castle’s kitchen where several Little D’s were preparing dinner.

“Welcome back.” said Barbatos.

***

Cross-posted on AO3

[ohsc]

✨💖Positivity chain! List 5 to 10 things that make you smile and explain why! Then send this to others to let them know they make you smile✨💖

hi my lovely!! <333 i love this so much i looooove yapping AKDJWKFKR

1. movies/tv!!!! this is a more broad listing but i could fill all 10 slots with movies and tv shows i love lmfao, but i did acting and media classes for 5 years, and i plan to go to university for film studies, so it’s a huge passion of mine from an analytical and productive standpoint, but at the same time i LOVE fandom and consuming myself in media and fanfiction and fanart and edits and AAAGH i love it all !!! some of my favourite movies are juno, labyrinth, baby driver, tangled, jordan peele’s movies, hereditary, misery, pitch perfect, little miss sunshine, and soooo many more and some of my favourite tv shows are doctor who, supernatural, the walking dead, the society, chuck, new girl, friends, the haunting of hill house/bly manor, and i can’t think of anymore but i could yap about movies and tv forever !!!

2. music!!!! i cant go a day without listening to music, i either have my headphones on (i do constantly out of the house) or i have a really good cd player (i collect cds!!) and speaker system in my bedroom. some of my favourite artists are taylor swift, paramore, metallica, chappell roan, ethel cain, jeff buckley, deftones, searows, norah jones, adam melchor, mitski, billie eilish, and soooo many more

3. writing!!! feels obvious to say coming from a fanfic writer but i love writing so much, i’ve loved creative writing my entire life, it was always my favourite part of english lessons at school, i’ve been writing fanfic literally since i was like 12/13, it’s so so so so much fun i love it i have so many fanfics i just write for myself (i don’t post them bc they’re oc centric even though they’re spn)!!

4. fandom!!! i already touched on it but fandom is just so much fun. like. posters on my bedroom wall, having physical merch/media, connecting with people through fandom, fan content, it’s just so much fun and i love the space i have here on tumblr

5. my friends!!! i’ve always been a pretty lonely person irl, i lost friend groups a few times because of horrible situations, and so this is specifically targeted to the mutuals i have on here, it’s such a joyful time coming on here and connecting with my friends whether we talk every day or once in a while i love you so much i’m so grateful for everybody i talk to and interact with on here <333

[hollyvorpahl]

6, 23 and 29 please!

Also, I apparently can't DM you if we're not mutuals? But I'm happy to keep talking like this if that's what you're comfortable with. :D

6. What kind of readers would be fans of this wip?

I could see fans of Legends and Lattes liking The Dot Duology and Of Glass Pens and Enchanted Treats. They're very low stakes stories that focus on the day to day of a young woman and the community she meets.

A Vow from the Winter Lord would maybe attract fans of Sjm and Elise Kova. However, it's still on the less epic scale. Important stakes but not full scale war style. So maybe those who liked specifically the romantic side to the story but didn't care much for the brewing war. 

23. How would you describe your writing style?

Um... a concentrated dose of my sense of humor? I don't see myself as inherently clever and I'm really not. So if you're reading something of mine that has a clever line or something funny, it took forever to come up with. The line also passed The Husband Test. If I have a line that I think is funny, I'll ask my husband if I can read him something. I read the scene in full with little context (he knows my stories so he understands what's going on) and if he laughs then it was actually funny and I keep it. 

For example, in A Vow from the Winter Lord, there's this lovely moment between Marian’s father and her love interest Lord Athello. Athello asks why Gregor calls Marian "Spark"? He explains that when Marian was little, he was very standoffish with her because he didn't quite understand the whole father thing yet. His wife left Marian with him in the forge one afternoon and she watched him work and would squeal with delight anytime sparks would erupt from the piece he was working on. This started their bond as father and daughter and he began to understand. He's called her Spark since. Athello calls Marian his "Little Duck". So Gregor asks the same of Athello. The answer, it feels like I'm explaining the joke so I'm sorry it isn't funny here, is that when Marian and Athello met she had been cursed by a Hag to be a duck for mouthing off to her. So Athello just sorta looks over at him and says, "She was a duck when we met."

Or lines like "Once you have animated your skeleton (that is the one you have arranged on the table, not your own)..." in A Princess Guide to Love and Necromancy. 

I see my narration as being a friend to the reader. A nicer, less foreboding version of Lemony Snicket. It gets to be clever and fun because I agonized over it for weeks.

29. Books or series or movies influenced your writing style the most?

How far back you want me to go? All the way? Okie dokie! Disney movies, particularly Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hunchback and Hercules. Disney's Gargoyles and the Aladdin TV series too. Not Disney but still great is Anastasia. David Bowie in Labyrinth left a huge mark on my choices of love interest for my characters. The first few Barbie movies, Nutcracker, Rapunzel, Swan Lake and Princess and the Pauper. They really drove my love for feminine yet active protagonists. Most of which don't rely on combat training. Lord of the Rings, of course. Tamora Pierce was a big one. Ella Enchanted and Fairest were others. The Chronicles of Narnia, even though now I see how preachy they are. Neil Gaiman, particularly Coraline, Sandman and Stardust (book and movie, I actually like the movie more). The Merlin tv series and Tin Man had something to do with my writing too. Same with Once Upon a Time. Terry Practchet even though I haven't read a lot of his work. Lemony Snicket and unfortunately Harry Potter. Also... don't judge me but The Tinkerbell movies. I love the hell out of them and I'd be lying if I said they weren't an influence in A Vow from the Winter Lord. There are more but I'm drawing a blank now... I actually have shown my husband a lot of these things and he points out the things he recognizes as influences in my work.

I went into my settings and turned that thing off so you should be able to DM me now. I didn't realize it was on to begin with. I'm sorry.

[ylove-bandaesthetics]

Bands & Fairytales! 🌹✨

Erik Grönwall + Jareth! 🔮🦉

“Everything that you wanted I have done. You asked that the child be taken. I took him. You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you! I am exhausted from living up to your expectations. Isn’t that generous?”

[umbran6]

The Argument Against Caleo

Spoilers up to Blood of Olympus and beyond. Beware! (Or not, the book series has been out for a few years, get over it). I wrote this after seeing a user wondering why people didn’t like Caleo, or in some cases, hated it. Here, I want to explain the answer as much as possible while doling out my own points. 

One of the main grievances I have as a fan of Leo Valdez would be the ship Caleo, or Leo x Calypso. It’s a complicated ship, to say the least, with multiple issues that make me question why people like the ship. And I admit it, they initially had some chemistry, but there’s multiple issues that Uncle Rick produced through making such a relationship that makes it extremely open to criticism, criticism which I will explain through this post.

One of my main points against them is that the ship was created on a very limited time scale. Although we aren’t given an exact date to date of when Leo and Calypso met to when they fell in love, we can safely estimate it to be a week at best. Such a limited amount of time from going through the multiple stages of a relationship already stresses the limits of the suspension of disbelief.

A counterexample would be Percabeth, or Percy x Annabeth. Throughout the series, we aren’t introduced to them being romantically involved until the Titan’s Curse, which was two years after they met. Specifically, this is brought up by Aphrodite, the goddess of love herself. Admittedly, Percy and Annabeth were twelve years old when they first met, when romance was definitely out of the picture, especially with a quest to get the Master Bolt.

However, from there we get to see multiple examples of their character depth, ranging from their respective fatal flaws to their ambitions, hopes and dreams, and their friendship. We get to see the slow build up of their chemistry, which was a really good writing move on Uncle Rick’s part. These characters took their sweet time to get to where they wanted to go, and despite the false romantic lead of Rachel, they still got together.

On the other hand, we don’t see enough of this between Leo and Calypso — we only see one book where they interacted with each other in The House of Hades, and that was only for a handful of chapters. While they are definitely older so they can jump straight to romance (some may say too old, but I’ll get to that) its still a pretty huge gap to jump through without making it stick. This makes it hard to root for a ship when it is built on a rather faulty foundation from the ‘they just met’ to ‘they get together’, especially when they don’t have a lot of events to show their chemistry.

Which brings me to Ogygia, which has raised a few red flags for me when looking at it from a retrospective point of view. Now, we know what the main issue of the island is that the hero who landed on said island can’t leave until Calypso falls in love with them. And we’ve seen this with Percy during the Battle of the Labyrinth, where he lands in the island and Calypso falls in love with him while tending to his wounds from, you know, being erupted from freaking Mt. St. Helens. Needless to say, this falling in love with each other montage happened quickly to the point of suspicion, which sets up the complication that Calypso and Leo might have fallen in love due to magical intervention.

And hear me out, because although this  might be a pretty big pill to swallow, we have evidence for this through Percy. It only takes one chapter for Calypso and Percy to meet, and the next he’s willing to consider leaving Camp Half-Blood and Annabeth behind to live on the island when Hephaestus gives him the choice to leave Ogygia or stay. We don’t even get an explanation on why Percy considered giving it all up just so he can be with her. All we know is, girl meets boy, now they want to live on an isolated island forever. It’s especially absurd considering Percy’s hamartia (fatal flaw) is freaking loyalty to those he loves.  Needless to say, It’s a huge YIKES, especially when we apply it to Leo and Calypso. 

It also raises the possibility that the romantic relationship between them is doomed to failure. And if you guys want to fight me on this, let’s look at Jason and Piper, a couple whose relationship started with a similar foundation. Piper had romantic memories implanted into her brain by Hera through the use of the Mist, while Jason was reduced to a Tabula Rasa (a blank slate for those who lack culture) by said goddess. They broke up before the Trials of Apollo because it was clear that when the dust settled, Piper had been aware that their romance was a lie and that their intentions to stay together was a mix of delusion and pressure from freaking Aphrodite. Leo and Calypso get together under what is arguably a very similar set of conditions if Ogygia’s magic had any influence on their relationship, and that this magic could wear off if given enough time. 

Third, and here’s a pretty big one for me, would be Calypso’s character, mainly because there are a lot of unfortunate implications attached to it. In The Blood of Olympus, she was turned into the divine equivalent of Princess Peach, with Leo being her Mario (except he saves her with a badass metal dragon). Its extremely unnecessary to make a character, especially as one such as Calypso, get  turned into the typical reward of a B-Class action movie. It’s insulting and puts her up as a trophy, a narrative that is definitely not ok by any means necessary.

In another direction, Calypso is also really, really worrying when things don’t go get her way. First, let’s look at The Odyssey, the first myth she pops up. Calypso had imprisoned Odysseus for ten years on her island until Hermes said to let him go, and although it gives them plenty of time to fall in love, it also raises the implications of stockholm syndrome. Then we’ve got the fact that Calypso cursed Annabeth out of spite, implicitly saying that she wished the daughter of Athena would suffer the same isolation that she did, which came to reality when Percy and Annabeth met the Arai in Tartarus. And Annabeth wasn’t even aware that she was still in Ogygia, much less intentionally intervened in the matter. When Percy left Ogygia, rather than be angry at Percy, Calypso cursed Annabeth out of all people to suffer the same loneliness and misery she went through. That’s some Hera at her worst levels of spite. 

Through such evidence we can see that Calypso is extremely wrathful towards those who break her heart even though they don’t want to. It certainly implies that Calypso isn’t in a good state of mind, and could easily repeat said actions if provoked. We could almost compare it to Medea and the original Jason, but at least in that case, Medea has every right to be pissed off at Jason and take her revenge. Calypso’s curse and how she handles things certainly implies a level of immaturity that would end in disaster if they broke up.

One issue that, I’ll admit is more from my personal point of view is that the ship took a lot of Leo’s character and threw it in the garbage in Blood of Olympus. Though we see him do a lot of stuff behind the scenes, the fact that its all for the goal of reaching Calypso just reduced him to someone who is more focused on love than, you know, fighting the evil goddess that was responsible for killing his mom and getting sweet sweet revenge. While the revenge plot can be cliched sometimes, it can be played well, while romance and the typical ‘always save the girl’ trope is just overdone. If Leo had been allowed to, you know, be more focused on other things rather than Calypso, we could have seen a lot more variety in his character.

For example as one of the possible character arcs he could’ve gone through, Leo has always been alone among the couples, often being isolated. Heck, Nemesis herself stated that he would always be the seventh wheel, and that he would never find a place among his brethren. Though some fellow tumblr users have taken this in multiple ways, either saying that he should learn to be happy by himself or that he is socially isolated in the Argo II because of these romantic relationships (I prefer a mix of both). Uncle Rick just giving him a girlfriend seems like taking the easy way out of solving such an issue and abandoning what could’ve been a rather interesting character arc. The relationship isn’t a bad thing if we remove some of the unfortunate implications, but it is a bad way to end what is a complex and realistic problem for a character and in some cases maybe possible in real life.

One more minor but still yikes worthy point is that there’s a huge age gap between them. We’re not talking about the ‘Hazel is 15 and Frank is 17 and in one year that’ll be a problem because then Hazel will be jailbait’ age gap. And even then, we can argue that Hazel is older since she is chronologically ninety-one years old. No, Calypso is older by millennia in terms of mindset and body due to the perks of being a goddess, while Leo is sixteen.

God-to-Mortal relationships are already complicated, even with emotionally and socially well-functioning adults. The fact that Leo is underage, inexperienced with romance (despite his flirting, Calypso was his first kiss), and has been through a freaking ton of trauma in his youth, does not make this okay. At best, they’re both mutually interested in each other but may have different expectations when it comes to a relationship. At worst, Calypso is taking advantage of a boy just so she can get out of Ogygia and possibly dumping him later on like the wrapping of a candy bar. Even though Calypso lost her immortality during The Trials of Apollo, that doesn’t even compensate for the immense age gap alongside Leo’s guilt at the possibility that he might’ve been responsible for her losing said immortality.

Oh, and about Leo... I’m a fan of him, but I can admit that he is in a bad spot both mentally and emotionally throughout the series. He’s lost his mom due to a mix of his own powers and Gaea’s trickery, and never had the chance to fully process that event and come to terms with it. The foster home system alongside his own trauma has forced him to hide his emotions through a façade of happiness and jokes when it’s quite clear to me he needs a therapist, stat. He's also run away from several foster homes, implying this means he was and still is being affected by the event. His mask is still on during The Blood of Olympus considering he hid a lot of things from Piper and Jason.

Speaking about them, not helping this matter is the fact that he’s rather isolated in terms of friendships since Jason and Piper, his supposed best friends are more interested in locking lip rather than, you know, actually hanging out with each other.  He doesn’t have good friendships with the rest of the Seven, and the closest ones he does have is with Hazel and Frank. And even then they start off in the wrong spot since Frank is very insecure about possibly losing Hazel to him during Mark of Athena while Hazel in the meantime, is also dealing with the fact that he is the descendant of her possible boyfriend Sammy Valdez. 

This could indirectly have made him desperate for affection since he has nobody else to confide in during the rest of the series, which is a bad mental state to be in when one lands on Ogygia, the island that we’ve seen could possibly force two people to fall in love with each other. A romantic relationship is not something that he needs or something that will help him in the future. He needs more than that, and having him in one that could end in disaster is the last thing he needs. 

And that does not make him a bad person, much less a bad character. While some who are similarly emotionally and socially isolated may turn to violence or creepy behavior on those they want affection from, Leo does not do that to the other characters. It just means that he as a character needs more time to recover and develop before we go giving him romantic relationships, much less one with Calypso.

That’s not to say that they don’t have some things in common. Both are starved for love and affection, with Calypso being constantly rejected by heroes while Leo was rejected by foster homes and his own family. It’s a trait that they have in common, but it shouldn’t be the only thing that they have in common, especially since it is laced with a trauma that is clear they haven’t had help processing. They need to develop more as characters and as friends before they should be paired together.

So… yeah. The Caleo relationship is, in my eyes, doomed to failure, or at least heavily flawed after taking the above points into account. Uncle Rick, as if seemingly aware of these criticisms, has put the relationship in a rocky place by The Tower of Nero, giving them the possibility of overcoming the above criticisms and their own flaws, or giving fanfic writers an out and pairing Leo with another character or have him single, but happy. Either way, in my opinion Caleo is a bad ship when it comes to how it was created, alongside the flaws and unfortunate implications it has.

While I can see some of the chemistry the ship has, you can’t just use a couple of moments where they get along as evidence that they belong together, especially with the above reasons. That’s like using a band-aid to cover a bullet hole without removing the bullet, stopping the bleeding, and preventing infection. If both characters and their relationship had been given more time to develop, I would understand how they would get together. 

[carewyncromwell]

“It's only forever -- not long at all... Lost and lonely... No one can blame you for walking away -- Too much rejection, uh huh -- no love injection... Life can be easy --  It's not always swell -- Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl, 'Cause it hurts like hell!”

~“Opening Titles (Including Underground) from Labyrinth

x~x~x~x

...Okay, honestly? I don’t think I have a very good explanation for this particular doodle, aside from perhaps wanting to draw one of my favorite characters, Talbott, and having just recently rewatched Labyrinth. So here we have Talbott dressed as Jareth the Goblin King! Clearly he’d turn into an eagle, rather than an owl. 😏 But yeah, I had fun trying to draw Talbott with long hair after seeing artists like @rosachaotic​ explore the look with their artwork -- you really can pull it off super well, Bird Boi! 

Reference for this includes this promotional picture from the original movie. You’ll also notice that along with Jareth’s trademark necklace (which I actually own a version of! Bought it on Etsy for when I once dressed as Jareth for a day at Disneyland with a friend), I also gave Talbott a swan feather earring, which is based off of his necklace from the game. Funnily enough my OG girl Carewyn is a huge fan of David Bowie. She even introduced Andre to Labyrinth and inadvertently inspired him to make her his own variation of Sarah’s “Peach Dress” for the Valentine’s Day ball in their seventh year. I’ve likewise drawn Bill in a variation of one of Jareth’s other looks in the past too! 

Hope you guys like this! As always, please consider liking/reblogging/commenting, and I hope your day is magical! 

[sail0rwednesday]

TMA and actual haunted ass museum archives/artifact storage

I feel like I saw a TikTok about this but it was forever ago and now I can’t find it again so yeah this is by no means an original thought, BUT something I don’t think is discussed a ton in the magnus archives fandom is just how INCREDIBLY CURSED archives and artifact storage spaces are in general before you even factor in all the tma spooks. 

((is this because academia itself and most heritage industries are evil and exploitative???? probably! but that’s a different post)) 

Like. I worked in a museum and its archive for 3 years. Probably will be working there again post-covid. 

The museum building was originally a grocery store and adjoining warehouse, built in the 1930s. There was a huge basement under the museum itself, where all our offices and storage facilities were. It made no sense, it was an absolute labyrinth, and you could never tell which part of the museum you were actually under because the footprint of the basement so far expanded that of the actual building. Hallways went nowhere. There were weird chainlink fences around certain sections of artifact storage that blocked off corridors and you had to be careful not to get locked in one after the boss went home for the night. 

We had multiple ghost incidents. The lights never worked. Mysterious substances dripped from the ceiling often. And that’s not even getting into the freaky ass artifacts we dealt with. I’m talking a whole wardrobe of blood stained clothes but the stains never seemed to be in the same places whenever you checked on them. A chest of drawers with a ouija board carved into the top of it. Jewelry made with human remains. Random antique medical instruments I couldn’t even name but definitely had a bad vibe. And this was a small, regional museum WITHOUT a bunch of ethically dubious artifacts, just stuff the community donated!  So yeah I don’t know. Are you a museum professional and tma fan? Pls share your personal horror stories below and also if you’re not a museum professional and have been imagining The Institute as a benign (?lol?) library type place, please know it is probably actually so much spookier 

[annabethy]

rating top 6 percabeth kisses of all time:

1. underwater kiss: now this kiss made me jealous that i wasn’t a demigod so i couldn’t kiss any sons of poseidon underwater. it had good building up in my opinion, and it was just so sweet and it felt like the first breath after years of waiting. it was the turning point for percabeth, and even if it wasn’t the first kiss, it felt like the first true kiss. 10/10

2. labyrinth kiss: this kiss was cute. i felt like it was a quick reminder of “no!! keep reading i promise it’ll happen soon!” and it really gave a taste of what was to come. it was a oooo annabeth get it girl sort of moment. HOWEVER i was like 8 when i first read this and i struggled to comprehend what had just happened because of the whole punch thing. instead of thinking that he thought she was going to punch him, i thought she did. my sister had to tell me. looking back now, it was a good cute lovely kiss. 8.556/10

3. reunion kiss in moa: i got secondhand embarrassment. did not like the judo flip. higher expectations. 2.7/10

4. kiss in front of piper, declaring “the end of the rivalry” or something in boo: something about this bothered me. i was so desperate to see a percabeth kiss because it had been so long, especially because there were no percy or annabeth povs, so it was okay, but in reality, i also was not a huge fan. another situation of secondhand embarrassment because they made out in front of piper. i thought it was a little bit cliche, even as an 11 year old. it sufficed though, for what we were given. 6/10

5. kiss in the stables: i’m going to be honest and say that i forgot this one even happened. now that i remember, i loved it so so much, but i feel like i wish we got to see more of what went down between them no not that it would’ve gotten a better score if it hadn’t been for when frank found them, percy was like “we kissed a couple times” because for some reason, that made me want to punch him in the face. like no shit percy you kissed? wow. keep it in your pants dude. no but really, it was a cute kiss now that i went back and read it, and it was super cute how annabeth was the one sneaking them out. 9/10

6. kiss in house of hades before annabeth took a nap: utter perfection. something about this makes me WEAK in the legs. i don’t know if it was me still stuck on the fact that he fell into hell with her, so in love and wanting to die rather than be apart from her for another second, or if it was me just seeking any drops of percabeth i could get, or what. when they kissed, percy was said to have feverish lips, and it made my heart pang because they were here, in the middle of tartarus fighting to stay alive, and they’re probably in so much pain and misery, and they’re getting sick, but they’re together, just like percy promised. everything about this kiss made me long for a love that they have, and it will forever be the one i look back on when i think of percy and annabeth. the underwater kiss was a defining one, but this one was a realization for me. a realization of everything they built and everything they will continue to build. ♾/10

[peculiarnation4u]

Sky’s squabble| Sukoru vs Sako

It was a normal day for a teenager; that being if normal was standing in a closed off area with tall buildings getting ready to fight someone you have never met for the approval and judgment of battle driven adults. And to think Sukoru believed there would be more learning and less fighting.

“I should have chosen support class” she thought.

But it was far too late for that now. Now she had to focus on the task ahead of her. 

              The rules seemed simple enough, find an orb in the middle of the field and bring it back to your side. Simple right? Of course, there was one obstacle, her opponent. She knew nothing about him, other than his name. She did not pay much attention to the info given to her, not like it mattered. Class 1a didn’t matter to her at all.

“just a bunch of arrogant kids meant to be my rivals” Sukoru thought.

                Although she wasn’t fully sure about the arrogant part. Her first opponent left a bad taste in her mouth, with all the swearing and aggression. So maybe she was quick to judge. Still, anyone with a teacher like aroura couldn’t be the brightest in the bunch. Reiko almost felt bad but remembered that she would be facing these “1as” and put the thought aside. Can’t afford to be weak.

         Her opinion of 1a wasn’t important right now, she had a fight ahead of her. “my first priority would be finding the ball right away, I can think of the rest along the way” Reiko thought.

And with a signal, she was off.

          Her first idea was to fly up and search for it but decided against it. Couldn’t risk getting hit if she didn’t know what the other person’s quirk was. Even if it wasn’t an attacking type, she would be revealing her location. It wasn’t worth it. So, she quickly turned her legs into tornadoes and flew into the maze of buildings. Actually, maze was an understatement, this was a whole labyrinth! There were buildings towering over her every move. Every turn made her believe she was going in circles. And the dull grey color was making her go dizzy. The temptation to fly above it all was strong, but she knew why she couldn’t.

           After searching for what seemed like forever, Reiko saw a dim glowing. She turned her tornadoes back into regular legs and rushed towards it. There it was! the orb!

“Yes!” she yelled in joy

            She quickly grabbed it off its tower and turned to run back towards her base. As soon as she stepped away, however, a swift object flew pass her head and struck a building wall. Reiko gasped in shock.

“well would you look at that,” a random voice behind her started. Sukoru turned around slowly to find the source of the voice.

“I was just looking for the same thing, would you mind handing it over?” the voice asked, stepping out of the darkness.

               Sukoru got a good look at him. He was a short guy with pink, blue, and brown feathers for hair. He had burn marks all over his face and hazel eyes. This must be Sako.

“um…..nooooooooo?” she responded to his question. Reiko was never the best at quips and witty banter.

“Then I guess we’ll have to do things on hard mode, huh?” he said putting his hands on his hips and slowly shaking his head while looking down.

“uh, don’t you mean the hard wa-” Reiko started to ask before being interrupted by another blade like thing being thrown in her direction. It once again struck the wall behind her.

“you missed!” Reiko yelled half confidently half fearfully.

                  Sako walked towards a wall next to him. He touched it with one hand and opened his eyes widely. He brought one finger up to his eye and touched it. Reiko almost screamed at the sight but wanted to keep her confident composure. Like out of a movie, the wall he was touching dissolved and turned into a bow and arrow. The feather boy held it in his hand and slowly looked up towards Sukoru. She caught the message and began running away. Shots rang out behind her and whizzed pass her. One scraped her arm, she yelped with pain. That was more than enough reason to get her back in the air again. She turned her legs into fast winds and jumped up towards the sky. Soaring and flying above the buildings, the previous “maze” looked like a mere town from up here. She felt bad for any student that couldn’t fly. Speaking of which, she looked down with a grin at her previous attacker, only to see him sprout wings as well. He began to fly up to her.

“OKAY, DOES EVERYONE IN 1A HAVE TWO QUIRKS OR AM I MISSING SOMETHING?!” she yelled in disbelief at the flying boy.

                  He gave her a confused look before pulling out his concrete bow again. How it was even able to shoot was beyond her. She dodged and flew away, with Sako and his arrows following behind. On the bright side, he was much slower than her, but still able to keep pace. On the downside, he was shooting at her and Reiko couldn’t afford to get hit or she would fall down and be stuck in the maze again. Being at a huge disadvantage with someone who could fly. Out of nowhere, the shooting stopped. Careful not to slow down, Sukoru looked back at the boy following her. He turned his bow into a scythe. Reiko looked with confusion. There was no way he was planning to hit her with that short-ranged weapon. True to fruition, he didn’t hit her, but started spinning with said scythe.

                     “what was he-” Reiko began to think, but it hit her, literally. The wind generated from his spinning move was dispersing her body. He was turning into a fan! She started panicking. There’s no way he could have figured out her quirk that quick! He must be trying to throw her off balanced, but that didn’t matter. She now had to figure out how to get out of this. So, she looked at her options.

Let him keep blowing me? I’ll disperse, so fail.

Fly faster? No, I’ll disperse faster if I do, fail.

Turn normal? I’ll fall and hurt myself and possibly lose the match so, double fail.

                   At that moment, she had an idea. It wasn’t a smart one, but she didn’t have a choice. Looking at the spinning boy, she flew backwards, straight towards him. He noticed and stopped spinning, attempting to back up. Just as she thought, he was too soft to actually hit someone with that sharp weapon! Or maybe he just panicked from the quick body hurdling towards him. Whatever, now was her chance to knock him out. she reached to grab him, but he instantly got his composure back. Must be used to being dizzy. He attempted to swing at her with the scythe, but she grabbed it, dropping the orb in the process. As it fell, the boy threw the scythe into her arms and flew down to grab it. Reiko heavily underestimated its weight and almost fell with it. She was baffled by the idea that a small guy could carry such a heavy thing. Looking down, she saw that he had grabbed the orb and was now on the ground. She could not let him get back to his base. Yes, she was faster than him but not with this heavy scythe on her. Then she thought. With all her might she broke a piece and threw the rock, concrete, steal, whatever the hell the buildings were made off, scythe in the air. Then turned her arms and legs into giant clouds.

“I hope this doesn’t backfire” Sukoru thought.

The winds around her were picking up in speed and she began to lower them to the ground. The boy looked up to see were the drift was coming in and found out he was basically in a tornado.

“what the?” he asked looking up in shock

                 The draft showed no mercy and was blowing everything around. He struggled to keep his balance and dropped the orb as it rolled off. Soon the winds stopped. Sako looked around, but before he could process what happened, THUMP! His very own scythe dropped and hit him on the head knocking him unconscious. In panic, Reiko rushed to his aid. Luckily, there was no blood coming out of his head. However, after looking up for one second, she quickly grabbed his body and moved out of he way of the other piece of the scythe falling. Had that hit him, it would have been fatal. Reiko considered putting him on one of the buildings, but she was far too tired and dehydrated. So, she just left him, that wasn’t wrong, right? They know where he is right? They can just come and get him, I’m not doing anything wrong, right?

                 She shook her head and looked over to the area where the orb was. she picked it up and slowly started making her way back towards her side, or at least hoping it was her side. After five minutes of endless walking, she made it back to her turf and collapsed on the spot. Faintly hearing the speaker announcing her victory. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

@taiyuu-high-oct

[deathsmallcaps]

Hey guys I have a dumb idea

I would like to write a 10,000 words of fan fiction during winter break, but I can’t decide on what to do. So here is twelve options. Either choose one for 10,000 OR 2 for 5000 each or 3 for 3333 each. Please let me know :).

1. ATLA AU: Some benders and non-benders can turn into the magical animals associated with their element, and the Gaang (season three edition) are being hunted by the most successful poachers in the world for roughly an episode. Aang: All of course. Katara: Magic fish possibly? Would have to workshop that one. Zuko: Dragon. Sokka: normal but excellent sword and boomerang fighter, of course. Toph: normal Bender, which makes her interactions with wild badgermoles and her innovations in metal bending all the more impressive. (DEFINITELY inspired by muffinlance’s wonderful work)

2. Umbrella Academy: What happened to the other kids? Mostly a description of Reginald being horrible and very quickly judgemental of the babies while gathering the Seven, and how/whether they grew up or not. (Have only seen the tv show but apparently in the comics Five and Luther are twins which may play into what I’m going to write.)

3. Batman: Peggy Sue AU for Alfred where he wakes up the day after the Waynes’ murders with memories of having witnessed his entire family die, and so resolved to make sure Gotham grows up safe, and so do Bruce and his little Robins, perhaps at the expense of them never living with him at all. It may or may not be difficult to make sure Damian is born lol. (It would be a big plot point)

4. I’ve been kind of working on this for a while but I have a choose your own adventure story (but you have to roll dice for unspecified paths) for each Disney princess. Have currently finished planning out most of Belle, just depending on what you guys want I would write up and post however many. The paths may depend on how much of the extended lore I’ve seen (For example, I’ve seen more of the Ariel extended canon stuff, so farther along you may meet Gabriella, or Melody, or so on.) it would be a Peggy sue au once again. I may also make a mini-one to ‘unlock’ with luck for Melody. Anna and Elsa are separate ones.

5. A continuation of The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, by Terry Pratchett. Maurice would once again be mostly the main character, and he would set up a kid to take over as Lord Mayor of Ankh-Morpork, and possibly get involved in the steamboat business. If we had time, we would meet more of the extended Ankh-Morpork cast.

6. The Nine Lives of the Marquis of Carabas: an exploration of Neverwhere, Coraline, the Graveyard Book, Good Omens, American Gods, Time Cat, Pan’s Labyrinth, the Neverending Story and Discworld. Basically how he lived one life and kind of ‘Forrest Gumped” his way around the stories.

7. A Phantom of the Opera/Over The Garden Wall crossover where a dead Eric decides to kill the Beast - at least he doesn’t try to suck the souls out of children! (Only young, beautiful women, of course). Wouldn’t be a very happy fic

8. Labyrinth (Jim Henson Movie): where after realizing that both she and Toby are too touched by the Fae to survive very long in this world, Sarah and her brother must rush to get back to the Labyrinth in time. (Small crossover with Pan’s labyrinth probablyy.)

9. Percy Jackson: and the extended pantheons crew all have a chill day and then do a murder mystery dinner party. I just want to mess around with all of them.

10. Dealing with Dragons and the Last Unicorn: Cimorene accidentally crosses over, meets the Last Unicorn, and invites her over for dessert. More plot to ensue, of course. Sort of a look at how a fractured fairy tale/aware of the fairy tale but unable to stop fate kind of story would mix.

11. (This one is likely to happen because I was recently talking to another user about this) The Boy Who Could Fly: after Max the dog dies, Eric appears with a puppy. Milky and Eric manage to then spend the day together, before he must go away again.

12. Peter Pan 2: Jane struggles to take care of her mother while raising her own daughters by herself. Desperate and in need of some time to mentally sort things out, she asks her children to call for Peter, despite being afraid they’ll stay away forever.

13. Wonder Woman and Captain America team up and are not shipped. They are just buddies who occasionally cross dimensions to hang out and punch fascists.

14. Steven Universe: The Pearls (along with a Steven who has seen a therapist) fuse into a time-travelling Mega Pearl and punch the Diamonds in their faces at the point where they have been the most oppressive in their lives. Rose Quartz does get treated as a separate entity, but instead of getting punched, she gets a HUGE talking-to.

15. The Princess and the Frog: When Naveen’s parents die shortly after WWII, they must choose between leaving her dreams and America behind forever or taking control of Maldonia. After the hardships of the Great Depression, the War

16. A Ghibli Fic: I want to write some some older Ghibli but would need a suggestion for that.

Sorry about the long post :)

[milomeepit]

Diamond In The Rough: Chapter Nineteen

Roman has always wanted better. Has always believed that there’s a better life, a better world, just out of reach. Just beyond the veil of shitty teachers who don’t care, angry classmates that scream insults and slurs at each other all day, and drug-hazed parents who are more concerned with their next hit than looking after their ten year old son.

When he runs away after a particularly bad night at home and finds a quiet little cafe/bookstore tucked away in a back alley of the city, the sweet couple who run the joint (an odd pair; a quiet, gloomy man with a wry sense of humour and a cynical gleam in his eye, and a bouncy man who smiles like sunshine and laughs like a storybook king) help show him that maybe- just maybe- he really can have the life he always dreamed of.

Masterpost (to be added soon!)

Word Count: 3314

Chapter Warnings: nightmares, blood, snakes, confusion, stabbing, panic, anxiety, crying, happy crying, food

“Roman. It’s time to get up, Roman, come on.”

A hand shook his shoulder gently. Roman raised his head from the pillow, blinking at the bright sunlight that streamed in through the window. He looked towards the disturbance to see Logan’s face, hovering above him. A concerned frown creased the man’s eyebrows.

“Are you alright?” He asked softly.

“‘M... tired,” Roman yawned as he shook his head. “S’fine.”

“I made pancakes for brunch. Would you like some?” Logan sat on the bed next to him. The mattress dipped under his weight, and Roman had a brief flash of the sensation of falling.

“I, uh... sure. Thanks,” He flopped back down onto the pillow, facing towards the window.

Logan leaned down to the floor and picked Arwen off the ground. He brushed her off before offering her to Roman. “I’ve also got hot chocolate warming on the stove, if you would like some.”

Roman took Arwen. “Yes, please.” He forced a smile onto his face. His head ached, and his limbs felt heavy as lead, but he didn’t want to worry Logan.

Logan squeezed his shoulder gently. “I’ll see you downstairs in a few minutes, then.” He smiled before getting up and leaving the room.

Roman lay in bed for another minute, staring out the window. Crisp white snow covered the ground, glittering in the morning sunlight. Part of him ached to go out and play, but he knew it would just be him and Cody. Logan had mentioned he wasn’t much of a fan of the colder weather, so it seemed unlikely he would join in a snowball fight. He sighed and got up, swapping his cozy pyjamas for sweatpants, a long sleeved shirt, and his red hoodie.

Breakfast passed, painfully slowly. Logan did his best to keep up a conversation, but Roman felt sapped of energy, like lead weights were tied to his wrists and dragging him down. He felt bad for the one-word, disinterested answers he gave Logan, but he just couldn’t bring himself to pull up his usual pep and bounce.

By the time Logan disappeared into his office, Roman was practically ready to crawl back into bed. Everything ached, and he wanted to hide away for a little while. Though, he could practically already hear Patton rambling about sleep schedules and making the most of the day, so he instead settled for curling up with a blanket on the couch in the rec room and watching a movie.

The familiar crescendo of the Walt Disney sequence was comforting, as was the sepia-toned rainy opening scene of the film. His eyes were glued to the screen as Lewis fiddled with his PB’n’J dispensing hat, half wondering if it would work the same with pop tarts.

If he was Lewis, the one being adopted, then he decided that Patton would definitely be Lucille. Virgil could pass for Bud when he was in a silly mood. Virgil had mentioned he had siblings, so the two of them could probably be Fritz and Joe. And Roman wouldn’t mind marrying someone like Franny. She was funny and passionate and strong and loved her family more than anything, all the best things he liked in a person.

He cuddled Arwen tightly, only half paying attention to the movie as his mind wandered. It would be amazing to have a time machine like the Robinsons did. He could go anywhere, any time, he wanted. Just fly through the sky and pop to wherever he liked.

Though, he thought, it would be cooler to ride on a dragon. Feel warm scales beneath his hands, the wind rushing through his hair, the powerful wings pushing them up, up, up through the clouds. Dragons were cool. He’d always wanted a pet, something friendly and scaley that climbed up his arm. A snake could be cool.

He could picture it now; shining eyes and shimmering golden scales, smooth to touch. Dropping down into his lap from the sky, a gift from the heavens above, like a fallen star. It would curl around him, wrapping him in a serpentine hug before slithering away.

Roman got to his feet, slowly following it. The golden scales drew him forward like a magnet, almost hypnotizing. When he finally broke his gaze away and looked around, they were in a forest. Green and blue and red and purple plants surrounded them, and the snake nimbly weaved between them. Roman trotted along behind it, looking around at the scenery. It rather reminded him of the valley from his last daydream.

He looked down at the snake again, watching it curl around a tree and onto rocky ground. He blinked, looking around to see a cave. Stalactites clung to the ceiling, water drip-drop-dripping from them in a soft rhythm. Piles of treasure littered the space, almost glowing in the shadows where the light didn’t quite reach. He heard voices, distantly, faraway conversations he couldn’t quite catch.

Fear tugged at his chest, and he instead returned his attention to the snake. It wound back around and out of the mouth of the cave, and when Roman looked up again, he was walking through a garden. A picnic blanket was spread carefully across the grass, and a box of cookies sat half-eaten on top of the basket. Bottles of water sat unopened on the checked blanket, and Roman felt the distinct urge to go sit.

He blinked, glanced back to the snake, and then they were in a ballroom filled with people that spun gracefully past him. They seemed undisturbed by the snake that stretched across the shining floor. Faces flashed past him, too quickly to get a proper look at, but achingly familiar. A young man with a moustache and a mischievous grin, with a tall young woman with a shy smile and fluffy brown hair that fell down her back in waves. A girl with eyes bluer than he’d ever seen and a flowing white dress winked at him. Another woman, older, with dark ginger hair and a sharp smile swept past. He knew them. He couldn’t know them, and yet he did.

It made him dizzy. He looked down again, silently begging the snake to take him somewhere else. Somewhere quieter. It seemed to respond to his discomfort, hooking to the right and away from the crowd. Before Roman knew it, they were outside. It was night, but not dark. A full moon cast a silvery light over the scene, a grassy hill dotted with small flowers that waved in the breeze. Stars sparkled overhead, glitter spread across the dark, dark blue that covered the sky.

Roman let out a soft gasp at the bone-deep longing that spiked through him. It was beautiful, more so than anything he could think of. He felt that same pull to sit, to just soak in the scene and stay there forever, but the snake didn’t pause. As it was, he broke into a jog to catch up with it. He studied it as he walked. It, too, seemed somehow familiar. Something seemed to be trying to click in his head, like an engine having trouble starting.

The scene changed again. Stone walls appeared around them rough and imposing, and when Roman looked back down, the snake had vanished. A cold sense of horror rose up, and he broke into a sprint, trying to find it.

The night became darker. The glittering stars faded from the sky. He shivered as he searched the maze for his guide. There seemed to be no escape from the cold, no matter how hard he tried to will himself to another place. The walls began to form cracks, stone splintering off and falling to the ground. He had to step around chunks of rubble as he ran further into the labyrinth.

Carvings appeared on the ruined walls. Images that seemed to dance before his eyes, hard to focus on. A terrible monster, huge and angry and merciless, destroying towns and villages, swallowing people whole. Figures bowed down before the giant creature, a snake with those same golden scales he recognized. Roman skidded to a halt in front of a depiction of the snake staring straight at the viewer. Its eyes drilled into him, sending a chill right through his body.

“... What are you?” He murmured, reaching up to touch the wall.

As his fingertips brushed against the stone, a loud crash rang through the night. He spun around, blinking rapidly. “H-hello?” He called. “Who’s there?”

“You don’t understand, he’s gone completely rogue!”

He jumped at the noise. A girl’s voice, both familiar and not. He was getting pretty sick of that feeling.

“Look, I know you two used to be really close, but... he’s.... changed. Badly.”

A boy, this time. A little nasal and whiny, and something inside him ached at the shaky words.

“Hello?” He started walking towards the voices, yelling out to them.

“He’s a monster! Nothing we can do would change that!” The girl snapped.

The walls around him shifted again. Banners appeared, large enough to hang down to the floor, with careful embroidery and bright colours.

“I know. I know you want him back, but...” The boy trailed off.

At some point the rough ground had changed to smooth stone. Windows dotted the walls between tapestries. Torches on the wall threw dancing shadows as he sprinted past them. A castle?

“Gods, why can’t you just trust me on this?” The girl’s voice was filled with anger and hurt and desperation.

Roman wondered who they were talking to. It certainly seemed like pieces of the conversation were missing.

He hurtled around a corner and skidded to a stop. A dead end. He looked over the hall, noticing the spears that lay abandoned on the floor, some snapped and broken. Blood was splashed across the castle stone, violent red smears that made his stomach roll. He peeled his eyes away from the floor and up to the tapestry hanging on the wall.

That same golden snake. It felt like it was taunting him, it’s cold eyes mocking his confusion and distress. Poor little prince, lost and alone, it seemed to say. Nobody to save you. Nobody to chase away the shadows and monsters. Nobody to protect you.

Roman’s head felt like it was going to split open. What was this? He didn’t want this. He didn’t want any of this. The dizziness, the nausea, the darkness and panic and violence and cold. He didn’t understand. He didn’t want to understand, he just wanted out.

Footsteps clacked on the stones behind him. He turned to see a tall man, his features hard to make out in the dim, flickering torchlight. The only thing Roman could see clearly was his eyes- shining gold.

Just like the snake.

It took a moment for him to register the knife in the man’s hand. A dagger, shining in the firelight, with a sharp, thin blade. It took another few seconds for Roman to realise it was pointed squarely in his direction.

His heart leapt into his throat. What was happening?

“You need to wake up, Roman.” The man’s voice was smooth, like liquid gold. Roman shivered at the strong pang of some unfamiliar emotion that shot through him. The man threw a glance over his shoulder as running footsteps drew closer to them, clattering down the hall. Someone shouted out at the man, and he stiffened, stepping around the corner and much closer to Roman. “You don’t belong here, little one.”

Roman stumbled backwards. He hit fabric, his back up against the snake tapestry hanging on the wall. Something was wrong about this. Wrong and bad and much too real. “W-who are you?” He choked out.

The man froze for a moment. His eyes swept up and down Roman, and he opened his mouth.

“Get away from him!” The boy’s voice boomed down the hallway, and the man glanced over his shoulder again.

His mouth twisted into a snarl, and Roman was distracted for a moment by the sharpsharpmuchtoosharp teeth. His eyes glowed with something Roman couldn’t identify. Not quite hatred, but something close. “Your murderer.”

Roman’s eyes snapped open. He gasped as he bolted upright on the couch and clutched at his chest. Pictures danced in his vision, too fast to focus on. Constellations that sparkled overhead, their shapes utterly foreign. Smooth scales under his hands, warm and soft. Fires that blazed, higher than he could see and hotter than he could bear. Soft smiles, barely visible out of the corner of their mouth. A knife, plunging into soft flesh that parted beneath its blade.

His chest ached. A familiar feeling, one he knew as well as the freckles that dotted his arms, but it seemed to burn. He curled into himself, clapping both hands over his mouth in an attempt to muffle the sobs that burst from his throat.

“Roman?” Logan appeared in the doorway. He crouched down next to the couch and reached out to touch Roman’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?” He asked gently.

Roman flung his arms around Logan’s middle and clung to him. “Bad dream,” He mumbled against the fabric of Logan’s shirt.

Logan sat on the floor and rubbed Roman’s back. “I’m sorry to hear that. Are you okay?”

Roman shrugged. “I... I dunno,” He admitted. “M’scared.”

“What are you scared of?”

“I... what if I don’t...” The words died in his throat, bitter and uncooperative.

Logan hummed in understanding. “It will be alright. I can’t see any reason that things wouldn’t work out.”

Roman pulled back a little and scrubbed at his face with his sleeve. “... But what if they don’t anyway?” He whined.

Logan frowned sympathetically. “Well... whatever happens, I’ll be here for you. I promise.”

Roman sighed. He sagged against Logan’s chest and turned his head to look at the TV screen. It was black, the timer device having turned it off after a period of inactivity. He wondered how long he’d been asleep. His stomach growled, as if to say ‘Long enough we need food, dingus!’

He peered up at the clock on the wall and his stomach sank. It was 4.30pm. Only half an hour left before his fate was revealed.

“Would you like to do a puzzle? I still have an unopened one in the hall closet.” Logan suggested. “I think it’s a fantasy scene, a lake with mermaids.”

“Yes, please.” Roman nodded. He slid off of Logan’s lap and shuffled on his knees over to the coffee table.

They spent the next half hour chatting about mermaids and mythology as they fit together the glossy puzzle pieces. Roman worked on the trees and plants while Logan worked on the water, and it quickly took shape under their hands.

Roman had never realised quite how much he enjoyed doing puzzles with people. It was pleasant to work together on something so casual, especially if you could talk while you worked. The pretty artwork and brightly coloured scenes were a big plus, too.

“As legends go, the first known mermaid stories appeared in Assyria, around 1000 BC. The goddess Atargatis, mother of Assyrian queen Semiramis, loved a mortal, and unintentionally killed him,” Logan explained. “She jumped into a lake and took the form of a fish, but the waters didn’t hide her divine beauty. After that, she took the form of a mermaid- although the earliest representations of Atargatis showed her as a fish with a human head and arm, similar to the Babylonian god Ea.”

“Cool!” Roman exclaimed. “Who was Ea?”

“Well, that’s actually quite interesting! Enki is the Sumerian god of water, knowledge, mischief, crafts, and creation. He was later known as Ea in Akkadian and Babylonian mytho-” Logan was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Roman froze and looked up at Logan. “It’s not 5pm yet, is it?” He mumbled. “Can’t be.”

Logan ruffled his hair lightly. “It’s alright, Roman,” He reassured. “Come, let’s go see.”

Roman slowly got to his feet and dragged himself after Logan. It felt like he was marching to the gallows, or pulled along in an ice cold river that intended to toss him over a jagged waterfall. He wrapped his arms around himself and hovered in the doorway of the rec room. He stared at the front door. From here, he wouldn't be able to see who was there, but they wouldn’t be able to see him, either, so it suited him just fine.

“It’ll be okay,” Logan glanced over his shoulder and smiled again before returning his attention to the door as the visitor knocked again.

Roman’s heart thudded in his chest as Logan turned the handle and opened the door. A gust of wind swept into the entryway, and he shivered. It was obviously still freezing outside. At least he might be able to play in the snow at some point, he thought. That would make things a bit better.

He couldn’t quite see Logan’s face from here, either. He was speaking quietly with whoever was at the door. Roman couldn’t make out the conversation, and his anxiety ratcheted up another notch as he strained to hear the other person’s voice.

A few tense seconds passed before Logan moved out of the doorway. Roman held his breath, his eyes wide.

Please.

He almost screamed as vibrant green and purple eyes met his around the door. Virgil broke into a wide grin and dropped to one knee as Roman threw himself forward into his arms, already bursting into tears again.

“Oh, sweetheart, honey, it’s okay, we got you, it’s okay, darling.” Patton’s arms joined Virgil’s, and Roman felt like he was going to burst into pieces like a firework.

“Hey, hey,” Virgil murmured. He dotted kisses on the top of Roman’s head. “We got you, buddy.”

“I-I...!” Roman wheezed, flailing a hand wordlessly. What words were there, when his heart was so full of love and relief and hope and joy? What could possibly encapsulate how happy he was to see them?

Patton took his hand and squeezed it. “I know, honey,” He beamed, and Roman saw the shiny film of tears swimming in his eyes. “Me, too.”

“I can stay?” Roman asked as he relaxed into their grasp, feeling safer than he had in quite a while.

Virgil nodded. “You sure can, Ro,” He whispered. His voice was soft and raw, and Roman realised that he’d probably already been crying.

He could stay. Forever. Cookies and hugs, movies and blankets, spaghetti and kisses, storybooks and warmth, and love. So much love. His heart felt like it was going to burst open. His hands shook as he clung to Patton and Virgil, and he never wanted to let go. He would never have to.

Logan cleared his throat, and the three of them looked up to where he stood, awkwardly holding the door open. “We’re letting all the heat out,” He pointed out.

Virgil laughed. “Sorry, Specs. Got a little distracted.” He kissed Roman’s forehead again, and Roman swore that he felt sparks zap right through him. “C’mon, guys.”

Some undignified scrambling later, they were all on their feet once again. Patton hung off of Virgil’s arm, cooing over Roman and chatting away about all the ideas he had for decorating Roman’s room and making it his. Roman liked that idea.

As Roman sat in the rec room, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, sandwiched between his new fathers, and his hands wrapped around a steaming mug of sweet hot chocolate, he sighed contentedly.

Sometimes, he thought, just sometimes, life really did come equipped with all the parts of a fairy tale. A down-on-their-luck hero, villains to make your blood curdle, and, most importantly, a loving family.

As Patton leaned across to peck Virgil on the cheek, his arm looped lovingly around Roman’s waist, Roman thought to himself that he liked that part best of all.

[malevolent-magician]

Alright Zelda fans, get ready, cause I’m about to break the new Breath of the Wild sequel video down, and then talk about what the hell I think is heckin happening.

The actual video break-down.

The first images we see are a bunch of blue-green worms flying through the air, all originating from a hand and moving upwards in a spiral shape, surrounding a shape that is oozing tendrils of malice.

The room has a pyramid coming from the top, as well as several rock spikes all pointing to the center of the tendrils of malice.

The rock spikes feature some type of design, and the glowing strings of green light could be argued to make a sort of script as they weave together.

The image cuts to a cave wall with an image drawn in the same style as the tapestry from the legend that originated 10’000 years ago.

A torch passes over the image showing a Gerudo man riding a horse holding a trident.

Cut to the middle of the previous room. You look down through the spiral of green tendrils, and malice looks like tree roots emanating from a central point.

Cuts to Zelda riding a yak while Link leads the way. They are in an underground cavern with strange architecture lit by a type of luminous stone.

Cuts to Link and Zelda looking into the room with the green light and malice.

Cuts to Link and Zelda and their Yak drinking from a stream in the cavern. A strange pillar is there.

Cuts to a rat being consumed by malice that moves with a purpose.

Cuts to Zelda on a Yak and Link crossing a bridge in the cavern.

Cut to Zelda looking into the green and malice room with a worried glance, while Link looks at her.

We finally get a good look at the center of the room. It is a body, old and emaciated, a mummy really. A green hand covered in strange markings is stuck into its chest.

The next images all flash by very quickly.

Link’s hand is covered in the green light, he looks surprised or pained, and he raises it Skyward, he looks to not have much control over the action.

Malice is seen to gather and stream upwards into the upside down pyramid hanging from the top of the room.

Link’s hand meets Zelda’s, she seems to have fallen and he is pulling her to safety.

A large doorway is seen leading down, they seem to be ruins, and there are statues surrounding the door.

Link is falling and the green hand previously in the dead bodies chest catches him.

A large source of light cast shadows against the wall, the silhouette of a large man and the hand are seen.

Link and Zelda both falling when the ground beneath them caves in.

Zelda staring down the hand of the corpse while it twitches.

Zelda turning around, with a look of fear, surprise, or resignation.

The corpse seems to come to life, it makes a bone crunching sound while its face snaps toward the screen and it’s eyes come alive.

A panorama of the whole of Hyrule, the world shakes.

The video ends with the green tendrils fading out of existence.

What do I think it means?

So, the first thing I would like to say that I have seen floating around is that Link and Zelda find the body under Hyrule Castle. I would like to say, No, no it is not.

Why? Well the architecture we see in the cave is not Shekiah based, Zelda is riding a yak-like animal chock full of supplies, and they are in a very large cavern, and while there are some large caverns under Hyrule Castle, there are none with the type of glowing stone that we see here.

Next, what the hell is that green stuff? Well, I was wondering if it was good or bad for a while though, but based on the fact it saves Link from falling to his supposed death, I’m going to assume it is a good thing. The color green thus far in BoTW game has been associated with ghosts, so it could be a ghost. I have also seen the argument that it is related to the Twilight Realm due to the patterns on the hand looking suspiciously like the Twili markings. It could also be some sort of unknown magic that we have not seen in game. Now to explain this next part you will all need to know about the Zonai people.

The who? Yeah me too.

So to my understanding the Zonai are a helpful little bit of worldbuilding in BotW to help the game feel a little more real, and has some architecture still standing around Hyrule. Some examples are the Ancient Columns, that huge dragon in Faron, and those huge Labyrinths that took forever to get through. Yeah, the labyrinths were not built by the Shekiah supertech but an ancient civilization. Why do I tell you this? Because the Zonai suddenly disappeared without a trace before the Shekiah rose to power. The Zonai themselves were a tribe of powerful magic users that may or may not be related to “Interlopers” (That’s a whole other can of worms oof. Basically no-one knows who or what the interlopers are, only that they mess with stuff in a bad way. Some people think they’re defected Shekiah, some think they’re the Twili, or Ancient One’s, or Gerudo, or maybe even the Lost Tribe. They could even be a cult. All we know for sure is that they created the fused shadow from Twilight Princess.) Anyway! The Zonai worshipped Faron/Farosh (Could be either one seeing at they existed right after the events of Skyward Sword) and associated Dragons with Courage, Owls with Wisdom, and Boars with Power, representative of the Triforce. The Zonai left bits of their legacy all over Hyrule, and because of this we know what their statues look like, and surprise surprise! Guess what type of pillars and relief sculptures are seen in the cavern in the trailer? Zonai. So this leads me to believe that the green magic (yes, magic) seen in the trailer is connected to the Zonai people, which also means it could be a ghost, and maybe related to the Twili, or even the Shekiah.

Now onto who that old mummy is….

I’m kidding, it’s Ganondorf, we all know it. Now as to how he got there? Allow me to share.

Ganondorf was a young hero, well beloved by his people, he fought for all that was right and good. He was the only Male Gerudo, the one born every 100 years. With his god-like status amongst his people there was also disdain, hadn’t male gerudo like him destroyed the kingdoms several times over? As the rumours spread Ganondorf found himself falling into despair, no-one trusted him. People began to target his life, and as he protected himself, the rumors of a “heartless killer” spread across the land. In order to spare the world from destruction the Zonai clan thought it best to take matters into their own hands, so they captured Ganondorf and brought him deep into one of their underground cities to be sealed. They severed Ganondorf’s soul from his body, but his was no ordinary soul, it was connected to Demise, the Demon King. The price was great and the tribe was wiped out almost overnight from the magic power it took. But it worked. Temporarily at least. For you see, Ganondorf’s soul while originally pure, had been warped, and feelings of malice condensed around it further dementing the soul. It took only five years for the malice to take physical form once again and become Calamity Ganon. But the Link and Zelda who had grown up with Ganondorf sealed the man who had once been their friend and 10’000 years passed. When BotW Link and Zelda defeated Dark Beast Ganon they did not truly kill the soul, but the malice that surrounded it. So the soul of Ganondorf returned to his body, as the spell that had separated the two wore thin and would soon break, allowing him to once again take control of his body. So he lured the Hero and the Princess that had defeated his beastly form to his true body so that he could finish them off, once and for all.

Alrighy, I think that’s it? I’ll make a different post if I forget anything since this one is kinda long lol.

[oosteven-universe]

The Unwanted Undead Adventurer Vol. 1

The Unwanted Undead Adventurer Vol. 1 J-Novel Club LLC 2019 Written by Yu Okano Translated by Shirley Young Illustrated by Jaiji Nakasone Lettered by Viet Pouong Vu     It's been ten years since Rentt Faina, a down-on-his luck Bronze-class adventurer, set his eyes on becoming Mithril-class. Unfortunately, Rentt finds himself helpless when confronted by a legendary Dragon in the Labyrinth of the Moon's Reflection...and is summarily eaten. But Rentt has miraculously reawakened...as a Skeleton?!     I may be new-ish to Manga but oh what a re-introduction to the medium I am having. I'm kind of old school because I used to read books like Area 88 so to see something like this has evolved over time and utilises so much of what I used to do, think and feel is amazing to me. In the early 80's when Dungeons & Dragons debuted I used to play with my neighbourhood friends regularly and this took me back to that time and that place. My overall first impression here is so positive and so uplifting for me and not knowing what to expect going in I am really glad the title of this one lured me in. granted I would love to have a physical copy of this but as digital comics go this was a very fast, smooth easy read.     I am such a huge fan of the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is so incredibly well presented. I like the feel of being in a campaign while having the narration of the single character that starts us off. It is a huge boon for the character development that we see as well. Listening to Rentt talk about himself and his life and his adventures lets us get to know him in a way few people have been able to do, at least through writing. This is so masterfully written and when we get to the event that changes Rentt's life forever we see the transformation he starts to undergo. So the narration takes on new meaning and significance and it seems like time something comes up we're treated to such depth and layering in the book that blows the mind. The pacing here is utterly superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way we are treated to one of the best ebb & flows you'll find.     The interiors here are gorgeous. I have such an appreciation for these black & white books which I didn't have when I was younger. Aside from the fact that it is hard to hide any and all flaws, of which I cannot find any, it also is able to showcase little tricks that are needed to fool the eye. Also there is one aspect of Rentt that we see throughout and I have to admit it's a hell of a job on what I am seeing. The linework is truly exquisite and how the varying weights and techniques are utilised show this huge talent and ability to bring to life these people and these creatures that engage the readers' mind and imagination in some wonderful ways. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show such a masterful eye for storytelling. How we see backgrounds being utilised throughout the book, first is absolutely amazing and I am thrilled beyond belief that they are so essential to the story, and how they help bring us this depth perception, an sense of scale and that overall size and scope of the book. I could get lost staring at panels just looking at all the attention to detail that we see. ​     I am in love with this story already! What we see, what we don't see, and how Rentt as a person and as a character is seen through the eyes of those around him is presented makes me shiver. This might actually be the absolute best thing you've never read and that needs to change STAT!

[banquishedtotheglasshill]

Beltane Films

It’s a bit shit we can’t go frolic with the fae in the fields this Beltane and your one allocated government walk a day isn’t exactly the same as sitting, saturated by the sun all day on the Heath getting melted and eating strawberries. So I’ve made a list of my favourite films to help magically transform our inside lives into one that suitably reflects the mood of a fertility and love festival. Freya forbid it rains on friday but if it does dampen our witchy festivities at least we can get cosy and escape into nature through our imagination. 

1. Practical Magic (1998); 90s dreamy scene scape, botanical witches, cute vintage dresses, midnight margaritas, chocolate cake for breakfast and a true love story, is there anything more worth watching on the Witches valentines? It ends on Samhain it’s a perfect witchy Beltane extravaganza- I mean that greenhouse tho

https://ww2.123movie.cc/movies/practical-magic/

2. The Love Witch (2016)

Beltane is about LOVE and WITCHES duh. There’s a Beltane ritual, the visuals are everything I want and need, it’s a smart, aesthetically appealing deep dive into the subversion of the male gaze. Anna Biller made all the costumes (!!) herself, she wrote, directed, produced it and personally I believe it to be one of the best horror flicks to have emerged in the past decade. Reminisce on all those terrible, tragic and non-consentual love spells I know you cast long long ago and indulge in some glamourous murder. 

https://ww7.123moviesfree.sc/mov/the-love-witch-2016/

3. Tuck Everlasting (2002)

   A film about a family that lives forever after drinking some magical spring water in the woods? Very Beltane. It has that 00s dreamy sheen, edwardian costume, a love story, a coming of age story and it’s all set in New England right at the end of the turn of the last century. In the original story our protagonist Winnie Foster was 10 years old and it was originally written as a children’s book which honestly is a bit creepy. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful story about finding yourself, acknowledging the wheel of time and appreciating life death life cycles. Also whatshername from Gilmore Girls is in it. Cute. Perfect for a spring festival. There’s also a musical that flopped massively but some of the songs are worth a lil listen. 

https://www.putlockers.cr/movie/tuck-everlasting-4736.html

3. FairyTale: A True Story (1997)

It’s Beltane we must have fairies! I was obsessed with this film as a child, particularly with the teeny tiny furniture they make for the fairy dolls house. I also spent a lot of time trying to untie myself from ropes like Houdini.This is the fictional retelling of the true story of the Cottingley girls who were caught up in the popular mysticism craze in the early 1900s and accidentally became celebrities after photographing the ‘fairies’ at the bottom of the garden. The story was a national sensation but after further investigation it was discovered that the photos had in fact been faked. No shit. The truly shocking thing is that the Cottingley girls seem to have escaped unharmed by the fae. It’s a great heartwarming film and features an interesting depiction of the British obsession with fairies and mysticism following rapid industrialisation. It also celebrates the beauty of Yorkshire and the British countryside in a very understated manner and honestly it might have been this film that launched my deep desire to run away into some woods and never look back. 

https://ww2.123movie.cc/movies/fairytale-a-true-story

4. The Last Leprechaun (1998) 

Ok this one is a bit mad. Another childhood favourite of mine, this film was given to me on a tape by my Scorpio Sun Gemini Moon Scottish grandad and within that context this film makes a lot of sense to me. It’s set in Ireland, this American family move into this huge house and discover the land is populated by the fae, quel surprise. There are banshees, there are fairies in a mine, there’s leprechauns looking for gold, it’s batshit and nowhere near as visually appealing as the films listed above but it’s a really fun watch. A good reminder at this time of year- don’t mess with the little people. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFd63gzYamw

5. Globe Theatre productions/ Online Theatre

This time of year would normally herald the start of outdoor concerts, festivals, garden parties and theatre out in the open air. Nothing compares to the magic of experiencing theatre outdoors, combining my two favourite lasting loves, theatre and nature in one. Naturally I’m devastated to be missing an entire season of outdoor theatre but thankfully the Globe has made loads of productions available online for FREE. Unfortunately, one of my favourite plays to watch at this time of year, As You Like It, is not part of the Globe’s free offerings https://globeplayer.tv/videos/as-you-like-it but if you’re looking for love and romance set in a forest with a good smattering of witty repartee and cross dressing look no further. Shakespeare’s birth and death day just passed us by (23rd) and if you haven’t yet celebrated this Taurean by indulging in a bit o cultchah I’m gently suggesting that you’d enjoy it. Equally, I’d recommend Emma Rice’s production of Midsummer Night’s Dream from the Globe, it’s literally the best production I’ve ever seen and at this point I’ve likely seen over 20 different productions of Dream so take me up on it. The cabaret artist Meow Meow plays Titania and I can’t think of anyone playing the Fairy Queen better.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p08b015k/culture-in-quarantine-shakespeare-a-midsummer-nights-dream

FREE ON BBC IPLAYER!!!

The customs in the play are somewhat a mixture of Beltane and Litha practices so tbh it’s good sabbat to sabbat. I guess you could also watch the Tempest if you really wanted but I kind of hate it ngl. 

Angela Carter’s ‘Wise Children’, dir. Emma Rice

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0892kf6/wise-children

Free on BBC iPlayer, I was lucky enough to see this show in person while it was at the Old Vic and yes, I’m a massive Emma Rice fan and if you watch it you’ll understand why. The show has nothing to do with the fae or Beltane but it is from modern myth maker Angela Carter (who wrote the Bloody Chamber) so there’s lots of folklore and mythical elements woven in. It’s just a bloody good time, it’s colourful, queer and musical whilst unconventionally exploring family trauma. 

A Winter’s Tale, Royal Ballet

The Royal Opera House/Royal Ballet is screening their production of A Winter’s Tale on Friday at 7pm, it’s very magical, it’ll be available for a week, wahey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-byR-6p-qA

6. Anne with an E: Season 3, Episode 5, Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/watch/81025449?trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C4%2Cf5cee1ae-463c-468c-90ac-6ccae34b01ad-31458487%2C%2C

 I wasn’t too keen on Anne of Green Gables before Netflix made it dark and hashtag real. I particularly love this episode which features a Beltane ritual at the end, I know I wish I could meet you all round a bonfire waving ribbon wands in my nightgown. The last season in particular really solidifies Anne as symbolic of wild woman in tune with nature and the rhythms of her own soul and I could probably deep dive into this ad infinitum. 

Skip to 40:14 minutes if you wish to only see the ritual. 

7. Honorable mentions:

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) because fairies 

https://www4.123movies.gr/movie/pans-labyrinth-2006/

Midsommar (2019) because although I know this film is really more for Litha, they have a Maypole so I think we can make it work

Far from the Madding Crowd ( 2015) Carey mulligan and countryside and terrible life decisions, the soundtrack is also very soothing on its own. You can watch it free (legally, shocker) on the BBC website. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/far_from_the_madding_crowd

Tess of the D’urbervilles (2008) the TV series!! with Gemma Arteton (?) as Tess; pastoral life, nature pagan goddess allusions and a finale at Stonehenge very Beltane. Once you get past all the religion stuff Hardy’s aight. 

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2739yo

Happy Beltane Witches!!!