#has been one long diabolical plan for revenge

[pray4jensen]

i wish jensen would stop changing his opinion on the finale every time he’s in front of a new audience. Today he said that there was nothing he would change, he could only sing it’s praises. And I’d like to blame Jared but Jared didn’t have any input. I just don’t feel like I can ever trust jensen not to appeal to any given audience 🫤

i don't think jensen really has a choice. it's his job and he can only talk about his opinions so long as it doesn't majorly offend anyone. and he'll only be in a job as long as he keeps things in balance.

it sucks, truly, but there are consequences for speaking up, especially in his position. he also wants to keep going with the spn universe. he has big plans, and he won't get to carry them out if he alienates a good portion of the show's fanbase. something that makes spn so attractive as a business is that it's kept a dedicated base of fans who are willing to spend a lot of money. spn has never been the most popular show, but its fans are dedicated in ways that most shows can only dream of. more fans are willing to watch the winchesters, for example, than jared's walker. because all jared's done post-finale is alienate the dean fans, and the cas fans, and the destiel fans. jensen, for the most part, has done none of that.

people are ambivalent about jensen whereas misha and jared have fans that are really black and white about their passion for them, and that's because jared and misha are really outspoken. jensen's always so careful with his words and the fact that he hasn't exactly shown a neutral face post-finale speaks a lot more about what his real thoughts and feelings are, rather than when he answers con questions where the audience is often very particular in the way they think/feel about the finale.

when he talks about the finale, he's very careful. he said it made good television. and objectively, that's true. look at how hysterical it was for all parties involved. it riled up everybody. people are still talking about it. that's actually quite a feat. and that's usually what the companies behind producing these series think is good television. that's what's going to convince these companies to go for another spin-off or reboot or movie.

he said dean wouldn't have been able to go on if sam died. also objectively true. because cas was also dead. it would've looked bleak as hell for dean.

jensen at the end of the day never lies tbh. but sometimes he withholds certain truths. like how he doesn't mention cas' absence in a room full of fans who probably hate cas anyway. the fact that he doesn't mention cas doesn't mean that he doesn't think cas' death wouldn't have affected dean too. it doesn't mean that jensen doesn't think it wouldn't have been a major factor for dean's ability to continue if sam died too.

just because it's unsaid doesn't mean it isn't true.

he's always been very honest when asked about what he would've done if cas came back (a hug, a desire to address the confession). and when asked what dean probably would've done if he'd had more time to respond to cas' love confession, he was also very honest (dean would've said i love you too).

so at the end of the day, he's never said directly that he liked the finale and that he was happy about how it ended (that's a very personal opinion to express and that's just inference that certain fans have picked up). but what he has done is make very neutral and very objectively honest statements about it that keep fans dedicated to the show.

he's not changing sides. he's not changing his opinions. he's just being very very careful while telling the truth.

[dollyyyhouse]

If you’re comfortable doing this ~ could you make a fic where MC makes it clear that they may have accepted Belphie they haven’t forgotten?

Like family meal after the incident, Belphie is all bitchy that things are awkward between him and brothers saying MC has forgiven him and MC says that while they tolerate him they do not like him.

I need someone to acknowledge MCs pain, especially for MC to acknowledge it.

I think about this so much, like they literally glossed over the fact Belphie killed MC and it makes me so mad 😭 I hope you'll like this! ^^

Edit : I just posted part 2 of this <3

Spoilers for Lesson 16!!!!!

You never once thought you'd end up with a fate like this, fate truely is cruel. Thinking a painful death would never happen to you, you failed to see the fact that it didn't matter who you were or what you did with your life; fate will always have it's way with you one way or another. So when the incident occurred, all you could seem to ask yourself was, "Why?"

Even though it's been almost two weeks since the incident, it still felt as if it was only yesterday. Painfully vivid, you remembered exactly how the Avatar of Sloth murdered you in cold blood, the way his tail crushed your throat; forcing you to choke to death on your own blood and his sadistic laughter. A diabolical act done as a form of revenge even though you had genuinely done nothing wrong. While you understood his pain, he directed it as someone who never even hurt him. You forgave him but you didn't forget, you will never forget what he did to you that day. It has haunted you since the moment it took place and you believe it'll terrorize you until the day you die.

So now, here you are at the dinner table with all of the brothers. Everyone decided that it was a good time for the family to finally have the first dinner together where everyone was present, this meant is was your first dinner with Belphie since the incident. You were understandably nervous, hoping that it wouldn't be as awkward as you we're expecting it to be.

Everything was quiet once all the food was set out, even Beel's chewing seemed quieter than usual. Lucifer cleared his throat, "I hope everyone enjoys the food.." Even after what Lucifer's words not a single human or demon spoke, the tension was very visibly chewing away at all of you. "Oh come on... somebody just say something." The silence was once again broken, much to your surprise Belphie was the one who did it. He looked pissed off, he understood why the tension was present; because of what he had done to you not too long ago. "Uhh well, I was thinking of going to Majolish tomorrow, I need some new clothes because my old ones are starting to get a bit worn out." In an attempt to start a conversation you told the brothers about your plans, which had worked for the most part. When almost all of the brothers began to speak, one was still left out, not saying a word. "MC, you should've told me! That way we can go together!" Asmo happily volunteered himself to be your shopping mate which then caused Mammon and him begin to argue about who should go with you.

You smiled to yourself, enjoying the fact the brother's arguing reminded you of two little kids fighting over something miniscule. Something in the corner of your eye caught your attention, next to Beel was his twin who had an irritated expression on his face. You didn't know if you wanted to point it out, afraid that maybe if you do it might just irritate him even more. You began to fidget with your fingers, you truly did want to get on his good side and become friends with him! But after how he brutally murdered you and only accepted you after it was revealed that you were Lillith's descendant if made you feel as if he still hated you but only tolerated you because you were related to Lillith. "Oi, Belphie, MC! The two of you look so down, what's up?" Mammon pointed out your guy's gloomy expressions, when you heard your name your head shot up and without noticing you casted a glance to Belphegor.

While maybe you didn't seem to notice, everyone else in the room did. "Mmm, don't worry about me! I'm alright, I'm just getting a bit-", "Sad?" The dark blue haired demon cut you off, you looked over to Belphie who looked even more pissed off now. "No, no! Just.. tired, that's all." Your eyes returned back to your food, the room had once again gone silent but only for a brief while, "You heard it from them, they're fine so stop thinking they're upset is because of me. MC and I are friends now, they're okay with everything." Those words felt like a stab to the heart, you had never once told him any of those things and now he was putting words in your mouth.

You let out a quiet sigh, "Uhh.. Belphie, I never said that." With a frown on your face you looked your murderer right in the eyes and for once in awhile finally spoke your mind. "I really don't mean this in a bad way, it's just well, that day you really hurt me both mentally and physically. I still have nightmares about what you did, it's like I can't escape it.", once again the tension was back; this time even worse than before. Belphie scowled, "I thought you forgave me, I apologized." The others in the room stopped everything they were doing to listen in on the conversation, they gave it their full attention in fear that maybe Belphegor would attack you again. "Do you think it's easy to go through something like that?! The only reason you guy's accepted me was because I'm Lillith's descendant, I feel like you only treat me well is because you see me as her!" Due to your heavy frustration you unintentionally yelled, in the moment you were so overwhelmed that you didn't pay attention to it. A few of the brothers assured you that they didn't see you as Lillith, but instead your own person but that didn't ease your pain. "It hurt so much! I couldn't even scream for help, I only wanted to help you and you killed me! I saw my own dead body and almost none of you seemed to care!" Tears rolled down your cheeks, you knew you had the right to upset but it felt as if the brother's didn't think the same. "MC..", Beel looked at you with pity and guilt in his eyes, and so did the rest of the brother's. "We're sorry for not being better to you, we truly did treat you horribly." , you cut off Satan, "Shut up, I don't want your apologies! I just want to see genuine change, I want you guys to treat me kindly!" You sat up from your seat, you were conflicted if you wanted to walk away or continue with the conversation. "I've been treating you well ever since then!" Belphie began to argue back a bit more, his tone of voice changed and he too stood up from his seat. "Yeah because you found out I was Lillith's descendant! You strangled me, crushed my throat, and left me to choke to death on my own blood! I haven't healed from what you did to me, you asshole!"

"MC and Belphie, please calm down!" Lucifer attempted to de-escalate the situation but the two of you only shot him annoyed looks. "I'M mad too! I lost my sister—", "I didn't kill your god damn sister! Don't take your anger out on me, I wasn't even alive when she died!" He looked stunned, he knew it was true and also knew it was pointless to counter what you said. Beel grabbed onto Belphie's sleeve, saying his twin's name and trying to sit Belphegor back down. "All of you are vile! You guys have threatened me, attempted to kill me and even killed me! Don't just ignore what you guy's have done!" With your sleeve you wiped off the snot that was running from your nose, you felt like you were a little kid who had just lost something beloved, and in return wept and wept until you were a tear, snot, and drooling mess. Deep down you knew that the "beloved" you had lost was your trust and humanity. You had practically been revived, while you were still human you no longer felt like one. All of your trust in the brother's was gone, they skipped over the issue and acted like nothing happened.

"MC! I demand you head to your room right away, we'll discuss this tomorrow." In all honesty, you were tired. Tired of arguing and crying, you knew it was time to just give it a break and rest. Maybe once everything was solved you might feel a bit more at home in Devildom, you truly hoped that would be the case.

[invinciblerodent]

I've been kinda thinking about character motivations, and reasons for decisions made in each playthrough all day, and I think the core of Iona's personal narrative is finally starting to expose itself to me, which is neat.

Like... while Arvid's arc is overall about him balancing the divine with the mundane, and learning to make decisions with his own needs in mind occasionally, Iona's is shaping up to be one of... the continual challenging of long-held beliefs, and picking through her own survival tactics like she's unpicking a big, painful knot in one's hair that's tugging at the skin. Her story is kind of looking like it's about finding the line between what's true, and what was merely said enough times to start sounding like the truth- about what even the liar was lied to, basically.

From the beginning, when she's outed as specifically not a by-choice magic user, but a magical being, one with living sorcery in her veins, to her vehemently anti-magic community their warmth turns instantly to cold steel (even running to her husband for help and comfort only to meet scorn, rejection, and pain), she has had to constantly challenge herself, and try to find just how much of her view of the world was grounded in common sense, and how much of it is just... common nonsense.

It kind of works out beautifully that the first people she breaks bread with in the game are a guarded and jumpy young woman who is 100% lying to her (yeah, turns out she's an ardent worshipper of a dark, forbidden goddess), and a handsome, if foppish, city-type fellow, who only suspends his bristling about roughing it long enough to lay on the charm extra thick and obvious (whoops, a vampire- someone she would have ordinarily believed to be a mindless monster at that point).

Over and over in the story, Iona seems to have to completely reevaluate all the things she thinks she knows. Everything, from her idea of what a monster is, to where the line between morality, justice, and ruthless self-interest lies, to what love is and looks like (is it a contract? a mutually beneficial transaction? something different and delicate and precious and entirely new?), is constantly being challenged, and since the factors doing the challenging seem immutable, it has to be her who does the changing.

In the beginning portions of act 2, she was a little... noncommittal, about the whole ascension thing. Sure, in act 1 she was fully in favor of upending Cazador's whole schtick (in a "cool plan my guy, godspeed, have fun with that, glad that's not my mess to clean up" kind of way), and this thing, while literally diabolical, it was easy enough to see that it'd at least get results. Like, maybe the ends really would justify the means like they so often have so far, and the "number of souls" sacrificed were no more than an abstract that he at least seemed excited about. But meeting Dalyria and Petras (and experiencing that spark of genuine fear of Astarion then), talking to the attacking spawn, that (on top of everything else learned, including the sentience and potential benevolence in mind flayers and all that) is yet another very sharp pivot in her mind that exposes the whole thing for the nakedly amoral action it would really be.

Between that night in the Elfsong, and when we'll finally go to Cazador, she'll be slowly piecing together her thoughts on how much power is it really okay for just one person to take, how much revenge is justified, and at what point does it turn to harmful excess, to evil for its own sake, and there is something... that's imo kind of beautiful about how "not my circus, not my kobolds" turns into "I want you to live a life you can be proud of".

(In my headcanon, after the "the world can be a wonderful, kind place, Astarion, if you find your place in it" line she says in that post-attack callout, there is just a tiny bit of an insert of an expansion: it's just him asking, with an exhale that could pass for amused were it not for the somber look in his eyes, "you really believe that, don't you?" and her responding, with just a hint of a desperate edge, as if uncertain herself, "I have to. Otherwise, what's the point? To all this?")

[chateautae]

bts masterlist

welcome  — [♡]

❝ desire an escape to a world anew? you’ve come to the right place. ❞

MUST be 18 years or older to read mature content, rated ‘(m)’. 

© chateautae ; please do not repost, replicate or translate any works under any circumstances. 

✎ = currently writing

ot7 masterlists/series/polaymorous

‘high-class’

‘the bangtan outfit’

stretch you out | knj & jjk. (m.)

genre: college!au, strangers to friends to lovers!au, porn but with plot :), the dIRTIEst smut, fluff

— “you have a plan for your crappy, diabolical ex who’s set on ruining your life; making him jealous by snagging a raunchy photo with two hot employees at the gym. what you didn’t have a plan for? befriending the mischievous pair to aid in your revenge and ending up underneath not just one, but both of them.”

teaser.

embers of the fire (m). 

genre : husband!jin, broken marriage!au, angst, fluff, smut

— "your marriage with seokjin is slowly dwindling, and so is your love. but as you near the end of it all, it's not long before an unexpected event reminds you why you’ve always loved each other."

serve me (m).

genre: rich kid!au, butler!seokjin, domestic?au, forbidden relationship!au, age gap (6 years), porn but with plot :S, minor angst, fluff, smut

— “kim seokjin has been your stoic butler ever since you started university, and were gifted your own penthouse. for years, your relationship had remained on the outs, subjecting seokjin to hearing your desperate moans for other men each time they climbed into your sheets; and each time you rubbed it in his face. little did you know that you were only riling him up, and it would be your moans for him bouncing off the walls when your taunting finally unravels his ironclad self-control.”

teaser.

blueberry muffins (m).

genre: office!au, ceo!jin, s2l!au, smut, fluff

— “kim seokjin has a photographic memory that allows him to remember every face in his company. but upon discovering who steals all his blueberry muffins every week, he never once remembers seeing you.”

*part of the ‘high-class’ series!*

» coming soon

vice versa (m).

genre : established relationship!au, smut, slight angst

— “you were always more of the jealous type compared to seokjin, but when he sees someone vying for your attention, it’s not long before his envy grows stronger than yours.” 

» coming soon

hard liquor (m).

genre : business!au, executive boss!yoongi, age gap!au (5 years), smut, pwp

— “your dull evening at a bar sees hope when your elusive, handsome boss min yoongi shows you the ropes on everything alcohol, but shows you much more when he ends up buried deep inside you.”

star-crossed swords (m).

genre: strangers/rivals to lovers!au, historical/knight au, forced proximity/roommates-ish? au, romance, angst, fluff, smut

— “min yoongi is his kingdom’s most fierce, courageous knight, and the king’s noble right hand man. when his troops lose a devastating battle with an enemy kingdom, yoongi must flee in order to preserve his own life. however, there are three things he never expects along his journey. one; stumbling upon you, the terribly injured commander of the opposing side. two; his inability to abandon you despite your rivalry and stowing you away with him in a deserted home, and three; undeniably falling in love with you.”

» coming soon

if it’s you (m).

genre : ceo!yoongi, oc!reader, childhood friends to lovers!au, smut, fluff, angst

— “love has never been on min yoongi’s agenda, especially with his laborious position leading his father’s architecture company in the u.s. whenever it came to his little sister’s best friend, however, there was always something that made him want to try.”

*part of the ‘high-class’ series!*

» coming soon

pull me closer (m).  

genre : non idol!au, fluff, eventual smut

— “kicking it back with your friends every movie night had all been fun and games until somebody started inviting min yoongi—and week by week, things get much closer than you expected."

» coming soon

red-handed (m.) 

genre: hitman!hoseok, smut, pwp

— “ jung hoseok is your hitman with a simple task; eliminate you as soon as possible. but what is he supposed to do when he breaks into your room for the kill... and he finds you masturbating?” 

 why can't we? (m).

genre : childhood bestfriends!au, college!au, angst, smut, fluff 

— "jung hoseok is your dad’s best friend’s son, the same boy you've always cherished. somewhere along the line love began to taint your relationship, and even if you and hoseok never seem to find a middle ground when it comes to your feelings, it all comes full circle one hot summer."

» coming soon

all mine (m).

genre : ceo!hoseok, bartender!reader, co-workers to lovers!au, smut, fluff, slight angst

— “jung hoseok is the owner of all things good; CEO of the most infamous clubs across Korea, copious amounts of alcohol and heart-pumping music. but the one thing he can never seem to be the owner of is your heart, and he’ll keep trying until he has it all.”

*part of the ‘high-class’ series!*

» coming soon

classroom conduct (m). 

genre : professor!namjoon, teaching assistant!reader, secret/forbidden relationship!au, smut, pwp

— “kim namjoon—full-time university professor and your secret boyfriend, is a man of rules. pushing his buttons when he’s working is breaking one of them, but you never mind a brush up on your classroom conduct when his punishment is oh so sweet.”

*part of the bsr sip & whip event!*

at a crossroads (m).

genre : arranged marriage!au, established relationship!au, smut, fluff

— “kim namjoon’s arranged marriage has always meant very little to him, but what happens when his wife must become his secretary after losing her job, and things become much closer than he ever expected?”

*part of the ‘high-class’ series!*

» coming soon

flirt (m).  

genre : college!au, sexual tension, smut 

— “park jimin is a notorious flirt, but so are you. when you both meet at a party after weeks of back and forth, it’s a matter of time before somebody gives in.”

secrets by the shore (m).

genre :  mermaid!jimin, fantasy, romance, secret relationship, fluff, smut, angst

— “jimin knows you’re bad news, and yet he only wants more. neglecting his strict duties as prince of his underwater kingdom, jimin finds himself visiting the shore to not only mingle with the humans he’s grown fond of, but to also be swept up in your tempting ocean. jimin can’t get enough of how painfully human you are, and how painfully he wants to be human too, even if it means costing him his coveted royalty.”

100 km/hour (m).

genre : fuckboy!jimin, college!au, smut, pwp

— " what exactly happens when you and your friends have to pile into one car for the ride home after an insane halloween party, and you find yourself sitting in park jimin’s lap? especially when he's dressed as an angel, and you're in the sluttiest devil costume ever?” 

*part of the jimin spooktober collab!*

cherry blossoms (m.)

genre: magic!au, university!au, student/mentor!au, bit of mutual pining, sexual angst, absolute porn but with some plot :]

— “despising the lack of offensive capability to your lackluster powers, your father, the school’s chancellor, signs you up for lessons with the magic university’s top-rated guard, park jimin. known to be an intense, reserved man with ruthless skills in battle, you come to learn he not only goes hard in a fight, but goes hard in another ruthless form of art—fucking.”

the getaway (m). 

genre : college!au, smut, fluff, slight angst

— "when park jimin only has a couple days to find a girl for his friends' annual spring break getaway, he settles on you as his choice." 

» coming soon

saviour (m).

genre : college!au, fake dating!au, f2l, fluff, eventual smut

— “when an act of kindness for a stranger goes awry, you're dubbed a saviour they’re unconviced of leaving alone. that’s when you enlist in park jimin’s help; to act as your fake boyfriend to get the message across. but, little did you know park jimin would become your saviour, and maybe even a little more.”

» coming soon

honor-bound (m).

genre : arranged marriaged!au, ceo!jimin, childhood enemies to lovers!au, smut, fluff, angst

— “when park jimin finds out he must marry you, his childhood enemy turned uncontrollable heiress, and is also required to re-integrate you into the business scene, he’s quick to dismiss his duties. but it’s not long before being with you turns into much more than an obligation.”

*part of the ‘high-class’ series!*

» coming soon

maybe i do (m). (series) (complete) 

genre : arranged marriage!au, ceo!tae, smut, fluff, angst

— “ maybe you love each other, maybe you don’t. when a deal between your fathers leaves you forcefully wedding kim taehyung, arguably seoul’s most powerful CEO, you’re prepared for a loveless marriage of eternal regret and unhappiness. but maybe, it doesn’t turn out that way after all.

*part of the ‘high-class’ series!*

work out for me (m).

genre : established relationship!au, boyfriend!tae, workout!tae, pwp, smut

— “interrupting your boyfriend's workout session was either the best mistake you made, or the worst... especially for your legs.”

teaser.

saudade (m).

genre : idol!au, established relationship!au, angst. smut, fluff

— “a demanding idol lifestyle was something taehyung and yourself were all too familiar with. It wasn’t so hard when considering your unconditional love for one another, but lately, taehyung wasn’t the same anymore; and you decide it's time to find out why.”

the most wonderful time of the year (m).

genre : nonidol!au, f2l, fluff, smut

— " taehyung hasn’t seen you since high school graduation, but when he finds himself in need of a date for his friend’s annual christmas party, running into you is like a godsend; especially when he once had feelings for you, and little did he know, you felt the same way all along."

*part of ksmutclub's winter project 2020!*

guns & roses (m).

genre : mafia!au, mafia leader!tae, established relationship!au, fluff, smut, pwp

— "he was cold-blooded, stone-faced and ruthless; a formidable force anyone in the criminal underworld sought to destroy. and he didn't care, so long as it was never you.. anything but you."

teaser.

↳ PREQUEL SERIES ❥ ⇢

          ↳  guns & roses (m.)

genre: mafia leader!tae, mafia!au, s2l, angst, fluff, eventual smut, slow burn, romance

— “The Wolf; known as a cold-blooded, brutal, and ruthless killer leading the most lucrative crime syndicate in the region, but that’s not who you know him as. to you, he’s kim taehyung, a quiet man you happen to meet often in a park. however, things do not remain that innocent. sooner rather than later, you’re roped into his vicious criminal underworld once you become a valuable asset to him, and his uncharacteristic care for you raises more eyebrows than just your own. 

the longer you stay, the more the truth of your own life unravels before your eyes, and you learn the hard way that not only is taehyung’s world grim and merciless, but that The Wolf isn’t as heartless as he’s made out to be.” 

» coming soon

the art of touch (m). 

part 1 | part 2 (final)

genre: royal painter!taehyung, forbidden romance, period piece, royalty!au, fluff, smut, angst, two-shot

— “kim taehyung’s life as a painter was the definition of monochromatic. many revered his talents with the likes of a prodigy, even possessing the Midas touch. however, taehyung sadly despised anything he ever painted. that was, until, he earned the opportunity to meet you. with a connection too magnetic to deny, not only do you become the most beautiful work of art taehyung has ever painted, but also join him in the steamy art of touch and romance.”

teaser.

heart of the flame (m).

act I. || act II. || act III. (final)

genre: firefighter!tae, roommates!au, friends absolute idiots to lovers!au, romance, fluff, smut, angst, three-shot

— “when fate leads to you to meet sweet and charming firefighter, kim taehyung, you don’t expect him to become the irrevocable love of your life. spending your days with him become just as easy as breathing, and you begin to believe your love is unbreakable. but when fundamental issues begin to tear your relationship apart, you learn that despite heartfelt memories and irreplaceable history, sometimes love that burns too brightly only blazes out faster. you're both willing to fight tooth and nail to make your love long-lasting, however, and discover that maybe, just maybe, love is enough.

OR, stranded and alone, kim taehyung offers the help you exactly need. rooming with him in his apartment seems harmless at first, but as the past resurfaces and tensions rise, harmless turns into hazardous, and ensues an intense relationship that plays with fire.”

*part of the ‘warm this winter’ collaboration!*

divine seduction (m).

genre: demon king!tae, angels/demons, royalty, enemies to lovers!au, fantasy!au, smut, pwp, light angst, fluff

— “you despise your quarterly meetings with the demon king, kim taehyung, for many reasons. one; being that he’s maddeningly charming, two;  he tests the limits of your relationship every visit, and three; he’s gotten under your skin so bad, you’re ready to show him that two can play his game.”

teaser. 

daisy (m). requested! 

genre: art teacher!tae, rivals/fwb to lovers!au, accidental pregnancy, young parents!au, the fluffiest fluff, light angst, smut

— “sleeping with your infuriating, unfairly attractive rival in art school? stupid. sleeping with him without protection? even more stupid. when you became pregnant with kim taehyung’s child at 21, your young lives suddenly derailed for the worst. fulfilling your parental roles early on proved difficult, but five years later, perhaps it was time to give your complicated relationship a second chance; not only for yourselves, but for your baby daughter—daisy.”

*part of bgn’s 2 hearts, 1 love event!*

first f**k (m).

genre: fratboy!tae, college!au, fwb to lovers!au, smut, fluff, angst

— “telling your good friend kim taehyung about your god awful sex partners is already a formula for disaster. the worst, is when you not only have a one night stand with him afterwards, but realize there’s no way back to being just friends when you can’t stop fucking, and the boundaries of “friendship” begin to blur.”

» coming soon

risk management (m). 

genre: investment banker!taehyung, non-idol!au, s2l, smut, pwp

— “you have one rule; you don’t date investment bankers, point blank period. but when your best friend invites you to her over-the-top housewarming party to meet her husband’s co-worker, kim taehyung, you don’t expect the night to take a wild turn; and risk bending your own rules.”

» coming soon

star player (m).

genre: athlete!tae, lacrosse!au, college!au, e2l, smut, pwp

— “being the best of your women’s lacrosse team had its perks, but the one downside was constantly seeing the star of the men’s team, kim taehyung—elite player, wonderboy, irritating. he got on your nerves faster than you could score a goal, but did he really have to have such an obnoxiously handsome face, and obnoxiously good dick too?”

» coming soon

shoot me down in flames (m.) 

genre : sports agent!tae, secretary!reader, office!au, co-workers/fuck buddies to lovers!au, smut, pwp

— “there's a known fact about you among your previous partners; it’s impossible to get you to come. humiliated, you simply keep it to yourself. that is until it accidentally slips out in front of your scorching hot boss, kim taehyung. mortified, you expect things to get awkward, though surprisingly find that he would much rather take on the task of proving that fact incredibly wrong.”

» coming soon

the edge of dusk (m). 

genre :  supernatural!au, vampire!tae, ?? to lovers!au, angst, fluff, smut

— “near the precipice of death, your life flashes before your eyes in episodic memories. everything is familiar until odd glimpses of a man you've never met before appear, dawning happy memories you don't remember making. all would've been well except for the fact that you never die, and one day see the same mysterious man in waking life. seeking the truth behind your lost memories, it's not long before your world entangles with his.

and you find out exactly who he is, along with what he meant to you.”

» coming soon

of fire and ice (m). 

genre : fantasy!au, frenemies to lovers!au, fluff, eventual smut, angst

— "the four elements along with variants are practiced by 'elementals' in the grand city of jayeon. attending training camp as an ice user, a variant of water, you never expected to get caught up with kim taehyung, the camp's most notorious fire user. however, the more time you spend together, falling in love becomes easy and there’s just one problem with that—elementals are prohibited from being with anyone outside their own element."

» coming soon

punishment (m).

genre : established relationship!au, smut, pwp

— "after finding out taehyung spills all the details of your sex life to his friends, you decide to tease him under the table during a night out. fed up with your antics, taehyung teaches you a lesson." 

» coming soon

here i come (m).

genre : college!au, smut

— “tipsy hide-and-seek turns into more when you and jeon jungkook choose the same closet to hide in.”

ready or not? (m).

genre : college!au, smut

— “ jungkook’s too riled up to stay in a tiny closet with you, and taehyung’s bed looks perfectly inviting.”

*sequel to here i come!*

the lines between us (m). 

genre : detective!au, partner!jungkook, e2l!au, fwb!au, slight fantasy!au, one-shot, smut, angst

—  “you’re detective partners who hate each other’s guts and everyone knows it. what they don’t know however, is that there’s so much more between the lines, and he knows damn well how to rearrange your guts too.”

teaser.

hotter than hell (m). ✎

| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | final. |

genre: fallen lucifer!jk, supernatural/fantasy!au, romance, e2l, road trip, angst, fluff, eventual smut, three-shot

— “jungkook, lucifer and king of hell, has been cast out of the crimson underworld for a reason he’s unsure of. embarking on his journey for the answer should’ve been easy, if it weren’t for you, the human that nurses his wounded body in her home, and accidentally witnesses the truth of his identity. kickstarting a hellish adventure with the devil himself, you discover lucifer is the most infuriating company ever; and jungkook finds out that maybe his answer to returning home lies within his annoying human confidant.”

teaser.

to turn a bad thing good (m).

genre : arranged marriage!au, ceo!jungkook, fwb!au (?), s2l!au, smut, fluff, angst

— “jungkook’s drunken one night stand goes awry when he comes to learn not only is he being forced into an arranged marriage, but it’s to the very girl he abandoned that night—and things get a lot more complicated when you’re the best hookup he’s ever had.”

*part of the ‘high-class’ series!*

teaser.

goodnight n’ go (m). ✎

genre: college!au, best friends to lovers!au, smut, pwp, fluff if you squint?

— “when your endearing, insanely hot best friend jeon jungkook bursts into your room at 2AM with a problem, you don’t expect to become the subject of his one, burning curiosity; how many times can he make a woman come in one night?”

» coming soon

don’t play up (m.) 

genre : producer!jk, aged up!jk (30), escort!au, fuck buddies to lovers!au, pwp, angst, romance

 — “ just sex; that’s the permanent deal you have with wealthy, hotshot producer jeon jungkook. but rolling around naked in his sheets leads to much more than what you bargained for, and your once permanent deal slowly begins to fall apart.”

» coming soon

body on me (m).

genre: brother’s bestfriend!au, age gap (3 years), step up/dancer!au, smut, fluff, angst, oneshot

— “you dance as a masked, enigmatic persona online, creating choreography as a passion. he’s a powerful dancing influencer with thousands of followers, and a lifelong dream; to attend the julliard school of arts. when incredibly hot; impeccably talented dancer jeon jungkook performs your choreography without rightful credit, not only does he discover your true identity, but ropes you into his chance to make the cut for his dream school. romance blossoms in the time you spend together, but one, small problem serves as a hurdle—he’s your older brother’s best friend.”

» coming soon

high speed (m). 

genre : non idol!au, biker!jungkook, fluff, slight angst, eventual smut

— “your life was the definition of boring and slow, until a stranger with a bike, tattoos and a leather jacket came riding into your life, turning everything high speed.”

» coming soon

eat the rich (m). 

genre : non idol!au, heir!jungkook, e2l!au, angst, smut, pwp

— “when a fundraising event for local food businesses causes jeon jungkook, heir to seoul’s most powerful food conglomerate to meet you, a waitress at a restaurant, your views on class make you an instant mismatch; but not as incompatible as you think.”

» coming soon

shots, shots, shots (m).

genre : college!au, angst, smut, fluff

— “there was nothing more you hated than needles, but jeon jungkook was a close second. finding yourself having to attend your monthly appointments for contraceptive shots, alone, jungkook’s odd suggestion to tag along one day gives you more than what you bargained for.”

» coming soon

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masterlist visuals: @opaljm​ my love <3

[in-2004-fandoms-and-counting]

AU where Nico dies (don't hate me pls I'm sorry I love Nico and ship the hell out of Solangelo, this is just to allow for some dark AUs) transporting the Athena Parthenos in BoO.

(Sorry it's such a long post) Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, revered praetor and peace-loving daughter of Bellona, loses the ability to share strength. Now, when she uses her power, she saps your energy, draws on your bravery, and poisons your mind with horrific images. Nico's death has allowed suppressed traits to resurface and overwhelm all her progress since San Juan all those years ago. She picks fights. She becomes a dictator in all but name, abolishing the Senate and making War Games a lot more "realistic": weekly funerals become commonplace, words are spoken under breaths, and terror resides in the heart of every New Roman. And so, Reyna Ramírez-Arellano turns her brilliant mind and poisonous power to Gaea's aid. Gleeson Hedge doesn't seem more than a broken satyr at first glance, his smiles never sincere, his voice never loud, his bat never raised. But when he slips off into the wilderness, he does not sit quietly among the trees and reflect. He whispers into the trees' leaves, his twisted words echoing the bitterness that now consumes his being. He has been tricked too many times: Pan, forcing thousands of satyrs to lose their lives in their quest to find him when he was alive all along; Clarisse, who never tried to connect with nature or understand his own ties to the natural world, who teaches his child the game of death while Mellie watches, fading away, unable to fight back; the gods, who, in their promise of protection, conveniently ignored the nature spirits. He is bitterest about Nico's death: about all he could have done, about what the kid should have done. The glint in his eyes scares even the worst monster that Tartarus could send. But it is Gaea he turns his allegiance to. It is Gaea who promises that he will always be good enough for her. And so, Gleeson Hedge turns nature back to its true mother: Gaea. Hazel Levesque is not someone you want as an enemy. Her golden eyes, gold like the masks of the judges of the dead, seem to see everything. Her powers grow stronger, but now she is able to control them. One glance, and she can cause an entire legion to scream and writhe in agony as she manipulates the iron in their blood, twists their shining armour, forces weapons to turn on their handlers. She stops wearing normal, mortal clothes, and now she wears flowing dresses of molten gold and bronze that no spear could pierce nor hand touch. She calls on the remnants of metal in the cave in Resurrection Bay to rise, and rise they do, twisting and weaving together at her command to form a cathedral-like vault with a solid Stygian iron throne. At the front of her temple lies a chasm from which her first creation arises, complete and healed, at last. Alcyoneus clambers out of the pit, back with his mother's life and Hazel's burning desire for destruction. And so, after seventy years, Hazel Levesque joins forces with Gaea of her own free will. Frank Zhang's arrows are no longer aimed at Tartarus's monsters, but at the people he once considered friends. The ruins of the Zhang family mansion become a shrine to Gaea, the ancient walls falling in blissful happiness into the Earth Mother's embrace. Frank returns often with fresh skulls, unfailingly whole - his arrow pierces cleanly through the eye every time. His piece of firewood safe in Gaea's belly, protected where no flame could reach, he is unstoppable. His shapeshifting causes unforseen problems with the allies' plans, it's very hard to plan how to fight a lion when he could turn into a swarm of bees at any moment. He is the ultimate spy, a literal fly on the wall, and for once, he feels needed. He feels worth something. He feels as though he is good enough, something the gods could never give. All the gods ever did for Frank, he realises bitterly, is take. His mother. His grandmother. His self-confidence. His chance for a stable, loving family. Nico. And so, Frank Zhang finds a different kind of family, one that will not let him down, in Gaea. Piper McLean never wanted to be a tragic love story; that was purely for her mother's entertainment. She

cuts her hair short. She kills Gaea's enemies on sight. Her charmspeak forces even her old family, Camp Half-Blood, to turn against each other, brother against brother, sister against sister, until bodies litter the strawberry fields and the Big House crumbles to smouldering ashes. The gods have her no love. Their boundaries mean nothing to her any more. Her love extends to her favourite mother, her boyfriend, the rest of the Seven, Grover, Reyna and Hedge. Beyond that, it is poison. Gaea takes her hands, looks into her eyes, and tells Piper that she is more than the spawn of an unfaithful, air-headed immortal, more than the damsel in distress. She tells Piper that she is who she decides to be. And Piper agrees. Gaea gives her the opportunity to be out of others' shadows. Piper McLean takes the chance and joins with Gaea, her charmspeak almost her most dangerous feature, second only to her unbridled wrath when Nico's death is mentioned.

Jason Grace owes fealty to only one eternal goddess now. He scours the Underworld with Hazel and Frank, relentless like the wolves he was brought up with. He knows no bounds, his destruction barely controllable by even Piper and her charmspeak. He has obliterated entire cities, counties, even an entire nation. He feels no regret, no remorse, no nagging guilt. He seeks out and electrocutes homophobes as his powers grow in complexity, along with his ability to control them. No matter how much they scream, the same two words shoot from Jason's scarred lips like the lightning bolts he commands: for Nico. As the darkness inside him grows, the son of Jupiter advances on Olympus, eyes and hands blazing, to destroy his father, as one of Gaea's allies, as one of Gaea's found children. Jason Grace vows by Nico's soul and Gaea's love to destroy the gods who shamelessly abandoned them.

Percy Jackson has been close to the darkness before. As just one examole, he's controlled poison to choke the goddess of misery at the edge of Chaos. But now, Annabeth's words at the time - some things aren't meant to be controlled - strike differently. Percy doesn't follow rules any more. That brooding, troublemaking face now alludes to his new form: gone is the class clown, here is something more akin to a devil. Like Hazel, he has made hundreds of people and monsters shriek in pain as he controls their blood, contorting their bodies into unnatural forms and snapping necks with a mere snap of his fingers. If Nico's death is mentioned around the pair of them - Hazel and Percy - both turn on the individual, eyes smouldering with the deceitfully cool ashes of the fire of grief, and slowly unleash their wrath. Percy cannot be controlled. He wants revenge. Part of him wishes he had never given his mother the head of Medusa to kill Smelly Gabe; it tore him to pieces when he made the fluid in her head seep out of her eyes. But she wouldn't stop begging him to leave Gaea. She had to go. She was no longer loving him as he knew he deserved. Now, Percy Jackson takes his support from the mother he should have accepted long ago: Gaea.

Annabeth Chase did not accept powers from her new mother, her better mother. She chose to use her mind as her weapon and Gaea respected that. Gaea gave her the resources she needed to wreak havoc on mortals and immortals alike. Now, instead of studying for a stupid internship in a misogynistic, capitalist society, Annabeth unleashes her fury, her grief, her mind on the world. The gods deserve to pay for what happened to Nico. The demigods need to feel her grief. The mortals started this stupid cycle of overwork and inadequate pay. Annabeth is ready to work with the mother that respects her, that loves her, that nurtures her as she deserves. And work she does. Plan after plan is developed, improved, redrafted, mocked up, redeveloped, and finally executed with clinical precision. Her mind becomes what her enemies most fear, even above her reputation: first child of Athena in millennia to reach Arachne, retriever of the Athena Parthenos, survivor of Tartarus. And she laughs, laughs in a maniacal way that makes you want to take a step back as she strides towards you, grey eyes alight with an unnatural glint as you realise that she knows everything about you and she knows how this will end. She will not let herself or her friends die. She refuses to let another situation like Nico's death happen again. So, Annabeth Chase takes Gaea's resources and turns them into a mass genocide, executed with her new mother's blessing.

Grover Underwood leads the nature spirits now. He commands dryads to extend their unstoppable tendrils through the paths that Gaea forms for them, deep in the earth, then sending them exploding through the surface and reclaiming all that was torn from them under the pretence of friendship. His empathy link with Percy allows him some degree of control, both over the son of Poseidon and over naiads. Grover is betrayed and bitterly disappointed in Pan, in the gods, in demigods, in mortals, in Nico. And so, he turns nature back home with Gleeson Hedge. The hauntingly beautiful whistling of his pipes lures demigods, mortals, even gods to their doom. Apollo is the first to fall, trapped by the music of the satyr whose horns now make him seem diabolical as he dances in the flames. Grover Underwood finds his roots in Gaea and his revenge in destruction.

Leo Valdez wants to burn the world to ashes. There's not a moment he's not on fire, his hair smouldering, his skin aglow. At his feet lies Hera, trussed up like a rodeo calf, bound by the power of the guardian Leo knows he deserved as a child. There is no Piper with her charmspeak to free the ex-queen; at least, Piper is by Leo's side as he blasts her with his searing flames. There's a smile on Leo's face that rivals even Annabeth's as he torches cities, razes acres and lights up the sky with plumes of smoke and columns of fire. His reasoning feels etched into his heart: the gods let Nico die. The gods let us down one time too many. And so he lets the flames go. Gaea stands behind him, her hand on his shoulder, proud and respectful. She knows that he secretly enjoyed starting the war with New Rome. He has fire powers; it's only natural, and that Octavian is enough to drive anyone mad. So, Leo Valdez finally makes his peace with Gaea.

Will Solace goes out like a light as the news of his beloved's death is announced. He lies, broken and silent, in Gaea's arms, tears streaming down his face. He stirs only for Nico's name, and his eyes turn slowly to whoever dared say it. He reaches out an arm, eyes turning black, leaching all the colour from the surroundings as his whisper echoes: there is no hope. Behind him stands Gaea, a tear of her own on her earthen cheek. She feels his pain, raw and fresh. But she takes some of it onto herself. Will Solace shares his grief with Gaea now.

And so they stand, eyes alight and expressions dark and triumphant, by the side of the goddess who did not want to let Nico die.

Gaea smiles.

[jonnyparable]

Cottage Hills : The Red Chamber Part V

The Manuscript of Nehemiah

With all his magical ingredients and apparatus back in his possession, and the manuscript in his hands, Won can finally accomplish the work that he came here to do, since he arrived last year. But what is this manuscript? What's written in it and why did Won come all this way to get it ?

Won:

"At long last! The manuscript of Nehemiah, grand patriarch of the Moshus! I've come all this way, and now, thanks to you, Moguai, I finally have it! Now we can make these thieves pay for what they've done to my family!"

Moguai:

"Now that the manuscript of your great ancestor, Nehemiah is back where it belongs, in the hands of a Moshu, you can finally right the wrong that was done to your ancestors all those centuries ago. The manuscript was written by Nehemiah himself. And contains his very own recipe for making the most lethal potion in the world, the Black Cup. Better known as Death in a Bottle..."

Won:

"These fools may have the Golden Cup, which will protect them from lesser poisons, but even the Golden Flower's powers are useless against the finality of cold, brutal, instant death! "

The Next Day...

Old Acquaintances

As mid autumn rolls around, the town is busy preparing for the annual Mid Autumn Hotpot at the square, when who should come by the Cooper Farm but old friends, Eva and Oak, the scientists who saved Rod's life in the Simalayas last winter. He introduces them to his family, and catches them up on the miraculous happenings after his return to town.

Rod:

"Eva! Oak! You've come! Meet my wife and son. This is Lillia, and Rick."

Eva:

"Hello Tiger Spirit! It is wonderful to see you again. Your hometown is beautiful, like you said. Nice to finally meet you Lillia. We have heard much about you from Rod. We've come bearing gifts today. As promised, we come with medicine, made from the Golden Flower, which your husband found, but in an act of true nobility, gave to us. We are here to repay that debt"

Rod:

"Thank you, friends, but there is no need. As you can see, Lillia is well now. By some miracle, I believe the Goddess came to me in a dream, and planted the flower in my garden! Our local healer was able to use it to make a cure after all!"

Oak:

"My! That is tremendous news indeed! You are indeed very blessed! We must meet this healer!"

Rod:

"Of course! I shall bring you to see her later. For now, let me show you around the town! The Mayor would probably like to meet you too."

The Return of You-Know-Who

At Rose Square the mayor is currently overseeing preparations for the annual Mid Autumn Hotpot tomorrow as villagers help to set up the large iron pot and put up the lights and decorations. Every year, the townsfolk gather in the square and everyone brings an ingredient to add to the hot pot, followed by a hike up the mountain to see the full moon. The preparations are interrupted by Harris, who's come to tell everyone to stop.

Harris:

"Alright, listen up everyone. After the strange fire last night at the constabulary, Ellen was found unconscious in the church, and is currently recovering in the clinic. We have reason to believe that these are not isolated incidents and that You-know-who has returned. It is therefore unwise to go ahead with such gatherings. As such, everyone is advised to return to your homes for your safety immediately. Thank you everyone."

Mayor Thomas :

"Now, hold on a minute, son. I understand you're just being cautious but there's no need to make everyone panic. After all, there's no proof that any of this has to do with you-know-who, and-"

Harris :

"Father, with all due respect, the villager's safety is of the utmost importance. Until You-know-who is found, he will pose a constant threat to the town and I- We, must always be vigilant."

Just then, in the midst of their heated discussion, Rod arrives and introduces Eva and Oak. The Mayor, glad for the interruption, asks them to stay for tomorrow night's festivities, as the rest of the villagers continue with their preparations.

Mayor Thomas:

"Ah! So you are Rod's friends from the mountain! Rod has told us so much about you! Well, you two are heroes! And dear friends of the town! If you have no pressing matters to attend to, you simply must stay as our honoured guests and attend the festival tomorrow! The moon this autumn is particularly round, a very good omen!"

Harris:

"Father, please, I must insist that -"

Mayor Thomas:

"Alright, that's quite enough son. Your pursuit of Won has become a bit of an obsession of late, I must say. I think the villagers have had enough of all this you-know-who business and fear-mongering, when its clear that he's gone, and he's not coming back. The Goddess clearly watches over us! We must believe and never give in to fear! After all, He hasn't been seen for a year now, and the Goddess has blessed us with the Golden Cup, what's the worse you-know-who can do now even if he does return? "

Harris:

"Father! This isn't about fear! Have you forgotten what he did to us, and how much suffering he caused last year? Yes we are lucky to have the Golden Cup, but I'm duty bound to protect our town. Just because we've been unable to find him, doesn't mean he's gone. What if he's the one who hurt Ellen? "

Rod:

"Hurt her? What happened to Ellen?"

Harris:

"Last night she was found unconscious in the church. We don't know the exact reason why, but she's being examined by Dr. Tim as we speak...poor Ellen...how could all this happen in one night? "

Mayor Thomas:

"... Nobody blames you for what happened , you know... I know you mean well but.. "

Harris:

"At any rate, this festival cannot go on, its too risky, and..."

Mayor Thomas and Harris continue to disagree, and as Eva and Oak look into the serene face of the Goddess Statue behind them, they exchange concerned expressions. They have no idea who Harris and Mayor Thomas are talking about, but whoever he is, he seems to have the townspeople all worked up. They've come just in the nick of time it seems...

That Night...

The Autumn Moon

Back in You-Know-Who's hideout, Won is putting together the deadly ingredients for the Black Cup, and as he waits for the most important ingredient, he and Moguai discuss their diabolical plans.

Moguai:

"In the hot pot? Surely you jest."

Won:

"Not at all! It's perfect! Every autumn, these fools gather at the square and they all share from a pot of broth, laughing and cajoling and merry-making. It's the most vile thing I've ever seen, honestly. Pass me that bottle of newt's eyes, will you? They're probably making preparations for it as we speak. Now that we've gotten rid of that meddling Elmsley hag, this will be a breeze! I'll just freeze time long enough to add just a few drops of the Black Cup into their pot and...well, dinner is served!"

Moguai:

"Yes that's all well and good, but are you sure you have everything you need to make the Black Cup? The festival is tomorrow is it not?"

Won:

"Oh, yes, Moguai, yes we do. Not to worry. We have just enough to make one, which is all we need for now. As we speak, the last ingredient is on its way. Look up there, we have by act of providence, the biggest full moon we've seen in years this autumn equinox! When it reaches its highest point in the sky, I will call on its power to complete the potion! Sweet revenge is mine at long last!"

A Lamb to Slaughter

Meanwhile, Zack begins to worry about Olkan again. With a moon this big out, it seems Olkan's transformations are becoming longer and more violent. Zack goes out looking for him, just to make sure he's alright and not causing trouble. This time, however, he seems to have strayed a little far from their home in the wrong direction, and has stumbled into a strange part of the woods that he does not recognise. He sees some strange totems hanging in between two rocks. Unfamiliar with their significance, and drawn by curiosity, he walks through them...

As a Servo, Won's wards of concealment have no effect on him and he's able to just slip through, and Won's hideout is laid bare before him. Poor Zack soon stumbles upon Won and Moguai, and can't believe what he's hearing. He overhears Won talking about what they did to Ellen, and about his plans to somehow kill everyone in town by putting a lethal poison in the town's hot pot tomorrow! As Zack tries to override his panic function and execute his focusing program, so he can think about what to do next, he realises that they've stopped talking, and an eerie, suffocating silence hangs in the air...

Moguai:

"Hush! Someone has slipped through your wards. I smell a rat.... There! Below! He's heard us! Seize him!"

Zack turns to run, back to town to try and warn someone, anyone, and to tell them what Won is up to. But he doesn't get very far...

Moguai:

"And just where do you think you're going?"

[elliebelliegirl]

What Even Is This Sequel / Holiday Special! Now with 100% More Lila!

Another day, they’re back at school.

Marinette was sitting in her classroom reading Brave New World. She hated it.

However, she then remembered that she was Batman’s kid! That was a thing!

Cool, she thought.

Principal Damocles had been very upset at the chaos Batman brought to his presentation in the auditorium, and the money he had to pay for the trademark infringement violation. He also didn’t like the fire, though that was Robin’s fault. And a little bit Rabbi Alya’s.

Anyway, suddenly three people jumped through the window! The biggest one landed on the floor in a way that called back to Batman’s entrance, rolling into a kneel before the other two landed on his shoulders. He would not have approved of that comparison though, he was in his rebellious phase. They also landed a bit on Lila, who wasn’t happy about this.

“What!” Marinette exclaimed. “Why are you here?”

The three people, who by the way were Red Hood, Red Robin, and Nightwing, fought over who could get to tell her the answer.

“I get to tell her, you awful cretins landed on me instead of literally anywhere else,” the angsty one, Red Hood, said.

“Yeah, well, I planned the trip, and I flew the plane, and I landed on your not injured shoulder,” the completely average one, Red Robin rebutted.

“I’m the oldest!!! I get to tell her!!!” shouted Nightwing because he was Like That.

Marinette blinked. "Tell me what?"

“Well,” said Nightwing, who’d clearly won the argument with his stellar skills and reasoning, “We’re here for her!”

He pointed below them all to Lila, who glowered.

“You know if you’re talking to Marinette after what happened yesterday, you’ve revealed your identities, right?” Lila asked.

Red Hood floundered for a response. When he couldn’t get one, he punched her.

She flopped over, her tongue sticking out.

“Is she dead?” Marinette asked, her voice rising.

“I guess,” said Red Robin.

Nightwing shrugged.

“Was that all you came here for?” Marinette asked, her voice even squeakier.

Red Robin shrugged. “Kinda?”

Marinette’s eyes bugged out. “You came here to kill my school bully.”

Nightwing tilted his head and thought a little. “Not exactly? Besides, that was Jason.”

“HA!” shouted the rabbi in the room. “Your identities are revealed for all!”

Marinette shook her head. “That was a little bit ago, Alya, keep up.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it! Can you get everyone out of the room now, though? Maybe teach a shiur?”

Rabbi Cesaire resolutely nodded. She herded their classmates into the library and dissected a number song. Then she burnt the music sheet and ate it smeared on hard-boiled eggs.

“Anyway,” said Marinette, “Why are you here?”

“Well,” said Red Robin, “We’re here to take Hawkmoth down.”

Marinette gasped. “You know who he is?”

Red Robin snorted. “Yeah, obviously, he doesn’t hide it much, he’s Gabriel Agreste.”

“Oh, that makes a heck ton of sense.”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm.”

“So, you wanna go beat him up?”

“Sure, why not.”

So they went to the Agreste mansion.

Adrien was hanging out the window, holding cheese in his outstretched hand.

“Hi Adrien!” Marinette yelled.

Adrien waved with his other hand.

She waved back. “What are you doing?”

Adrien shrugged with one arm. “Plagg flew away and I’m trying to get him back.”

Plagg bit his hand. He ate the cheese. He flew away again.

“Ow,” said Adrien. He fell out of the window.

“Ow,” said Marinette, overcome with empathy, the only way to feel for someone else’s pain.

“They’re so mature,” Nightwing said, sniffing and wiping away a tear.

“We should probably help him,” Red Robin said.

Adrien lifted an arm and gave a weak thumbs up. “I’m totally fine, don’t worry.”

“Oh, okay.” Red Robin was okay with that.

Adrien stood up and tried to jump and catch Plagg, now that he was recovered.

Plagg bit him.

“Ow,” said Adrien.

“Ow,” said Marinette.

Nightwing was just beginning to try and wipe a tear away when Red Hood slapped his hand down, growling “We’re not doing that again.”

Red Robin nodded seriously. He had edgy teenage angst.

“Why is that what we can’t repeat?” Marinette asked.

“It’ll be a gimmick for laughs, or at least a “Ha, that’s trying too hard to be funny” from the reader,” Red Hood responded.

“Oh,” said Marinette.

“Yeah,” said Red Hood.

“That makes sense.”

“I was hoping for that.”

“Anyway, you wanna go bust Hawkmoth?”

“Sure.”

Adrien jumped through the door, dragging everyone behind him. Marinette grabbed Plagg and shoved him into her purse with Tikki.

“Hawkmoth is here, then?” asked Nightwing.

“I mean, he’s my dad, so he’s probably in his ‘Hermit Recluse Who Can’t Leave His House Or He’ll Burn Accessed By Elevator Room.’”

“Wait, you knew about that?” asked Marinette.

“Yeah, but I thought we were waiting for something to go after him.”

“Oh.”

They all went to the painting of Emelie.

Tikki flew out of Marinette’s bag and phased into the painting, pressing the buttons and opening the elevator hole in the floor of the office.

Hawkmoth and Mayura were there, standing in front of Emelie’s casket. Both of them were sobbing, lamenting the loss of their true love. Gabriel stopped crying to start dramatically monologuing when he saw the assembled heroes.

“I am Hawkmoth, the super bad villain! I use my evil, evil butterflies to evilize people who desperately need help, attention, or they’re Lila, in which case she needs to vent or get revenge or whatever, she’s weird. My goal, my extremely evil, bad, diabolical goal, is to revive my long dead wife who would never be okay with me taking over people’s minds and killing all of Paris multiple times to bring her back from the dead, probably killing someone irreversibly in the process!”

Marinette scoffed. “We already knew that.”

Adrien blinked. “We did?”

Nightwing shrugged.

Adrien and Marinette transformed, and the batboys were a little horrified by the kick Ladybug did at the end before her final battle pose.

“Did- did her leg go over her ear?”

Hawkmoth was immediately shaken. “Wait, I don’t like the odds here- I think she’s athletic Nathalie! Nathalie, I haven’t done anything like combat in years!”

Nathalie looked at the heroes, and then looked at Emelie and Gabriel.

She handed Ladybug her miraculous and left.

Hawkmoth hid behind the coffin.

Red Robin walked over and pulled the pin off of him and gave it to Ladybug.

“So, that’s over,” said Marinette.

“Yeah, I guess so,” said Adrien.

Damian fell through the window and smacked Adrien with his sword.

First Part: here!

[ghost-of-winters-past]

lost in outer space

summary: When Odins‘ death opened up the gates to hell, Thor, Loki and you ended up stranded on a strange planet with no way home. With Hela claiming the throne of Asgard and the prophesied Ragnarok, you and your brothers were left to fight for your survival on Sakaar while trying to come up with a plan to save everything you’ve ever known. But when Thor suddenly went missing, you couldn’t take the impending doom anymore and turn to Loki for comfort.

characters: Loki, fem!reader (siblings)

warnings/synopsis: during Thor Ragnarok (spoilers), slight mentions of death/loss and trauma, slight angst, one or two swear words, it gets fluffy though. This is you being comforted by your favourite brother. Requested by the wonderful @superwhoflarrow123 Thank you again for being so understanding why this took a little longer! I really hope you like it! (roughly 1.7k words)

The walls of your room were an ugly bright booger green. A futuristic bed with sort of retro patterned orange sheets was placed next to a floor to ceiling window overlooking the landscape of Sakaar. In the distance, trash was stacked up high enough to touch the clouds, and to your feet container like looking buildings were littering the planets‘ surface like thrown out cardboard boxes. The sky was a hazy storm grey, only a handful of brightly coloured air crafts and weirdly shaped skyscrapers breaking up the murky and metallic smelling air. This definitely was one of the less pretty planets you had ever been on. Granted you weren’t here because Sakaar had been your dream destination – up until your stranding here you had never even heard o fit – but because your secret evil sister took over your home planet. Your father having a secret fourth child probably was the most normal thing that had happened to your family so far though, that he locked her up in hell less so. Now that both of your parents were gone, you didn’t intend to make amends and play happy little family with Hela. She did try to kill you and your brothers after all and you felt like that didn’t really qualify for a second chance.

You didn’t know how long you had been tumbling through space like a plastic bag, only that when you landed face down in a pile of space waste, you were alone. You didn’t know where your brothers were or frankly where you happened to be, but after wandering through the sea of garbage for a while, you learned fast that you weren’t as welcome as you had hoped. You were electro-shocked, thrown into a funky looking aircraft and shipped off into imprisonment. At least that was what you were expecting. Instead, you were met with a weird guy in gold sparkly tunics and piercing eyes and only because he decided to keep you around as leverage, you were given a room and the chance to wash up.

It could have been between a couple of days and a week, you really had no clue, time felt weird here when you were attending one of the Grandmasters‘ lavish parties and news arrived that someone else had arrived. You were equally relieved and frustrated as you watched Loki walking into the room, head held high and about a dozen armed guards trailing behind him. At least he didn’t end up on the other side of the galaxy or even worse, dead and even though you were relieved that you wouldn’t be alone in this freak show anymore you could see it on his face, that he didn’t exactly come to your rescue. You had quickly realized what the Grandmaster did with most prisoners and then had to watch him circle your brother like a hunter its prey, already expecting to have to either fight or plea for Lokis life. But only for him to smirk at Loki and then turn around to the woman next to him saying, “He’s pretty, let’s keep him.”

Thor arrived two weeks later but didn’t seem to have the same luck as Loki and you did. He was put into a cell under the gladiator arena while you two needed to keep up appearances. It was almost impossible to get a chance to speak with him. Not only because you were physically not allowed to even go near his cell, but also because when Loki used his magic to visit him he didn’t seem very cooperative.  And so the two of you had no choice but to leave him to fight his way out – as usual – while you started to forge a plan.

Everything seemed to go well all things considered. Loki weaselled his way into the Grandmasters‘ trusted circle, trying to find out more about how to leave the planet, while you mentally connected with Heimdall back home. Hela was wracking havoc raising an undead army and threatening to kill everyone who got in her way and you knew you were running out of time. Knowing that at least you weren’t alone, that at least for once in many years you and your brother all were in one place was your only solace.

“What do you mean with: he’s gone?” “Lost. Vanished. Vaporized into thin air. Nowhere to be seen.” Mouth slightly agape with shock you couldn’t believe what Loki had just told you. “But we had a plan!” Your brother only shrugged and you could already feel a headache forming. Cursing under your breath you massaged your temples with your pointer fingers, trying to make sense of the situation. “So our dear brother got lost on a planet where all the lost things end up?” you had your eyes closed, fingers still rubbing circles into your skin and trying not to freak out. “It seems as if someone would be able to do that, it’s Thor,” Loki said. Your eyes shot upon and you let your hands fall to your sides. “Are you joking?” you snapped, stunned at how little concerned he seemed. “I worked out a deal with the Grandmaster to find him, but he also put that little Valkyrie on it. We have to find him first or I’m afraid he will end up somewhere far worse than the cells,” he explained. “I can’t believe this.” Shaking your head you let yourself plop down onto the edge of your bed. “It’s not like he’s dead,” Loki tried to console you but it did little to calm your nerves. In fact, it only added to the anger that had been building up ever since you landed on this damn planet. “No, Loki. I’m sure he’s not.” You stood up again and raiseed your head to meet him at eye-level. “But you know what? Him going missing is just the cherry on top of what I needed.” Loki was eyeing you warily, his almost bored gaze suddenly beginning to warm up a little. “Are you okay?” he suddenly asked with a gentle voice that almost brought you to tears. “No! I’m not fucking okay! Our father just died, granted he wasn’t my favourite parent and he could be an asshole at times, but he was our father! And as if that wasn’t enough we find out we have a secret diabolic demon sister who is head bend on getting her revenge on someone who's already dead!” you were screaming out the last part, the absurdity of the whole situation just kicking in. Loki looked like he wanted to say something, but you weren’t finished. “But wait, there’s more! We’re stranded on a planet we’ve never even heard of in over a thousand years of being alive and we neither have a space ship to escape nor our brother apparently, who, if I have to remind you, is the fucking heir to the fucking throne!”

You knew you were being unfair, Thor may have put the blame on Loki, but you knew, that all of you and especially your father were equally to blame. But in the end that wouldn’t help the situation so you didn’t try to start a discussion about whose fault this really was. Your chest was heaving and you felt like a huge weight had been lifted off your shoulders just getting all of this out, but you started to regret your harsh tone as soon you saw Lokis‘ face fall. “I know,” he said and suddenly wrapped his arms around you. Loki wasn’t a big hugger so this was very new but not unwelcome. “All of this is pure shit and I’m sorry you have to go through all of this. I’ll make it right, I promise, darling,” he said as he carefully rested his chin on top of your head. Great, now you really felt bad. “I didn’t mean it like that,” you mumbled and hid your face in the cold leather spanned over the expanse of his chest. Your voice was slightly muffled as you continued, enclosing your arms behind his back. “It’s not your fault. It’s just too much. Thor has gone off without us, we have no real way out of here and whether it’s Hela or Ragnarok, we’re gonna lose our home. I mean, why even try at this point?” “Don’t say that,” Loki argued, loosened the hug and held you at arm's length to look at your face, fingers slightly digging into the flesh of your upper arms. He could see the tears threatening to spill and put on a firm, but gentle face. “We can’t give up. That’s your home Hela is invading. We can fight her. We can win.” “How can you be so sure?” you croaked out, a salty tear finally rolling down your heated cheek. Loki smiled faintly, thumb brushing away another tear and his blue eyes full of determination. “We always win.” You tried to believe him, you really did but realistically, what were your chances against a whole army? “What would you do, if you were to give up? Stay here?” Loki tried a different approach and looked around the room in disgust. Just the thought alone of staying on this garbage dump made you shiver with revulsion. A small smile tugged at his lips. “We’re gonna find Thor, I promise. And then we’ll make right what has gone wrong and you never have to think about this place or Hela ever again, okay?” You took a deep breath, running the back of your hand over your cheeks to dry the wet skin. “Okay,” you then said, voice a little shaky but you were finally calming down again. Loki always had this effect on you. Even when you were kids, he would always comfort you when you were feeling angry or upset and you were glad that after everything that had happened in the last years, at least that hadn’t changed. “Okay,” he repeated and tugged you against his chest again. Your fingers curled into the leather, just to make sure, he wouldn’t disappear too. “Thank you, Loki,” you mumbled and closed your eyes, breathing in his familiar scent. Lokis hands were splayed out over your back when he leaned back a little and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead.   “I love you, my darling sister.” And you knew, everything would be okay again. You would find Thor and then your little family would finally return home. Together.

[jokerfan99]

My Top 10 Favorite Anime Villains (Updated) by DarkChild316

In a different time and a different world, I did a list of “My 10 Favorite Anime Villains”. I am older now, and hopefully much wiser and now thanks to the global pandemic and my new subscriptions to Hulu and Funimation I’ve had the opportunity to go back and revisit so many classic anime that I feel like I should re-do it. Plus I’ve gone back and looked at my previous list and shook my head thinking to myself: “My God man, what in the f**k were you thinking with some of these choices!” So, I’ve gone back and redone the list, now this list is strictly for the men only. If you want to see a list dedicated to my favorite female villains, check out my list of “My Top 10 Favorite Anime Villainesses.” But for this list, here is my updated list of My Top 10 Favorite Anime Villains:

#10. Shishiho Makoto (Rurouni Kenshin): Growing up as a kid, Ruroni Kenshin was one of the first anime I had ever watched, and this guy was someone who I hated with a passion. Looking back at it years later, I realize now what an amazing villain and foil to Kenshin that Makoto was. Unlike a lot of villains on this list, Makoto wasn’t just evil for the sake of being evil, Makoto’s evil came from the worst type of trauma: betrayal! In this case the betrayal came from Makoto’s own government, where Makoto survived not only multiple gunshots, but being doused in oil and burned alive, leaving him in complete and utter agony. What puts Shishio on my list is what he manages to do after surviving death. He compiles an army of the best fighters Japan has to offer and plots to overthrow the entire Meiji Government. While in complete agony. Who else can claim that? Did I also mention he’s topping the list of the best fighters in the show? His swordsmanship is second only to Kenshin himself as he proves in their absolutely epic fight.

#9. Hisoka Morrow (Hunter x Hunter): Hunter x Hunter is a show with several great villains that truly stand out, and while Meruem was memorable, pardon me for believing that Hisoka was the standout villain from that show. A devious killer and master Nen user, Hisoka is driven by little more than his desire to find and kill strong opponents. Be they young children or master criminals, he’ll pursue them to the ends of the Earth with a bloodlust on par with that of a wild predator. Likewise, he doesn’t care what happens to himself or others in this pursuit. Mass civilian casualties, the loss of his own villainous allies or even the loss of his own limbs barely phases him, so long as he gets to fight with someone that tests his limits. As a result, he more often than not embodies chaos incarnate, wreaking havoc in his pursuit of battle and leaving a mountain of corpses behind him. Needless to say, this puts him at odds with the series’ protagonists at regular intervals. Not only do Gon and his friends fit the bill for what he seeks, but they often take on enemies that prove to be exactly what Hisoka is looking for. And yet, this also serves to make him all the more interesting. Where other villains might strike out at the protagonists and heroes immediately, Hisoka schemes, allies himself with and double-crosses people regularly, always finding the best angle to work in order to reach his goals. He may not be a world-ending anime villain on the level of a Meruem with seismic ambitions, but he’s undeniably the most interesting and brilliant villain in Hunter x Hunter to see at work.

#8. Izaya Orihara (Durarara!!): If you think of a list of top anime villains and this guy isn’t one of the first people who comes to mind, please raise your hands so I can have a few words with you in private with no cameras or eyewitnesses. The crazy thing about Izaya is that he doesn’t even realize he’s evil, and that’s what makes him great. He loves humanity; from the depths of his bones he loves us all. This is why he makes it onto my list; he does progressively more cruel acts against humans, putting people in situations that generally lead to their deaths. He is also a master of parkour and highly skilled with a switchblade in his hand (as evident in the above picture), which he generally only uses in dire situations or fights against Shizuo. In short, I absoulutely love this guy. I thoroughly enjoyed the way he manages to manipulate an entire populous, and that’s why he’s more than earned a spot on my list.

#7. Dio Brando (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure): You might have thought it was someone else, but it was me, Dio! All meme-worthy jokes aside, Dio Brando is unquestionably one of the most iconic anime villains of all time and, thanks to his series’ late-blooming popularity outside of Japan thanks largely to the 2012 anime adaptation, one that still feels modern in our minds. Dio is a tenacious bastard that takes advantage of the generosity of the Joestar family to further his own power, being intolerably dickish to Jonathan by constantly tearing him down, trying to make him look bad in front of his dad, spreading rumors to sully his reputation, and sabotaging his relationships. This escalates into killing his dog (his f***ikg dog of all things!), poisoning and later stabbing his adoptive father (I mean WTF!), and becoming a freakin vampire. Even after decapitation, Dio gets his revenge and sets in motion many of the events of the series, making a formal return in Stardust Crusaders as the main villain once again. With raw ambition taken to the extreme, iconic lines, poses, and outfits, incredible abilities from Aztec mask-induced vampirism and the time-stopping power of The World, Dio’s menacing presence towers over his series and over anime as a whole, which makes him MORE than deserving of a spot on my list.

#6. Light Yagami (Death Note): Yes, he’s a VILLAIN, get over yourselves Light Yagami fanboys! Anyway, there are a number of different adjectives and superlatives that could be used to described the lead character of Death Note: Diabolical, calculating, and determined to make the world in his own image all describe Light who was easily the most clever man in  Death Note, as evidenced by the layers upon layers that composed his elaborate plans.  Light started out as a good kid, doing well in school and heading to a bright career in police work like his father. But when he gets possession of the death note, he begins a remarkable descent into a disturbing mastermind who becomes judge, jury, and executioner for the entire world. But what truly makes Light's character stand out remains complicated throughout the story. His ultimate goal is to make the world a happier, safer place; a noble but perhaps misguided goal. His idealism and nobility still shine through when he doesn’t have the Death Note. When he temporarily relinquishes ownership of the death note to throw L off his trail, Light loses all memory of the death note and he reverts to his normal personality. His sense of morality returns and he shows more compassion for those around him. He even refuses to use Misa Amane to get information out of her when L asks him to. These qualities help to create a complex character who ends up being a detestable villain, yet you still kind of root for him to come out of this story as a winner. Light’s progression through the series is marked by his sheer brilliance. He's got a calculated and strategic mind that would make the great philosopher Machiavelli jealous, and the power of the death note adds a callousness that makes him free to use people in whatever way necessary to accomplish his goals. It’s highly entertaining to see his intricate plans play out. But Light’s messiah-like ego is just as big as his brain, and that arrogance ultimately leads to his tragic downfall.

#5. The Major (Hellsing): An evil Nazi Scientist, I know everyone is just rolling their eyes right now thinking I’m reaching for the low-hanging fruit for this one, but just hear me out here. While he may seem like an obvious pick for a list like this, The Major’s goals, however, are somehow far more unhinged than what may first appear. Despite being an impassioned orator and uncompromising strategist willing to sacrifice countless soldiers, the Major himself had no especial loyalty or passion for the cause of Millennium. His sole obsession is to plunge the world into an unending conflict to the point of endangering not only the lives of others but also his own. The Major’s leadership of Millennium, his decades espousing the genocidal ideology of fascists, and subsequent war against the Hellsing organization, the Vatican, and the entire world serve only as a pretext to satiate his insatiable bloodlust. The Major is one of anime’s most insidious villains, a charismatic, nihilistic sociopath driven purely by his sadomasochistic death wish.

#4. Shou Tucker (Fullmetal Alchemist): Now, you may be recalling that in my previous version of this list, I had Envy listed as my choice as my favorite villain from this show. Well after careful reconsideration, I’ve had to reevaluate my decision and give that spot to this creep, because while Envy’s actions were despicable to a point, they PALE in comparison to this guy! He only really appears in one episode if I remember correctly, yet in that one single episode, he made more of an impact then most villains make in a lifetime, which really says a lot about this guy’s character. What was it that made him so memorable you ask? Well, it could have something to do with the fact that this man transmutaed his own dog and daughter to create a talking chimera, which hadn’t been done before, and for what other reason…all in the name of recognition in the world of alchemy! That mere fact alone made this guy the most hated man in all of anime, the fact that he sacrificed his own family for the sake of fame, with absolutely no hint of remorse, made this guy the definition of an absolute living piece of shit and the only thing worse is how the episode ended, but I won’t spoil that one for you if you haven’t seen it.

#3. Gendo Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion) Up next is a man competing with the likes of Medusa Gorgon for the title of “Anime’s Worst Parent”, Gendo Ikari, please step up to the front of the congregation. Now Gendo is a man who’s list of atrocities throughout Evangelion is far too many to name, but I’m going to try my best to list them here: You have being actively complicit in the premature instigation of a biblical apocalypse, resulting in a near extinction-level event that caused the death of nearly two-thirds of the human population. Emotionally neglecting his own son Shinji estranging himself from him for over twelve years, only to offer him up as a sacrificial pawn in his bid to artificially bootstrap humanity’s ascent into evolutionary godhood so that he could be reunited with his dead wife. Cloning said wife’s DNA into a harem of emotionally dependent albino ingenues who share a dogged infatuation for their creator. And that’s not even mentioning the horrific emotional abuse and mental manipulation he inflicts on Dr. Ritsuko Akagi and her mother Naoko. All-in-all Gendo is proof positive that love not only has the capacity to overcome any obstacle, but sometimes it can truly make monsters out of us all.

#2. Griffith (Berserk): Griffith did nothing wrong; at least, not by his own drives and ambitions. A peasant who grew to become the leader of his own mercenary band, Griffith was a self-driven man who pursued his desires with unparalleled efficiency. No matter the situation or obstacle, he found a way to overcome them, whether that meant facing down an army of thousands or assassinating a country’s leaders. All the while, he amassed a legion of friends and followers who would follow him to hell and back, caring for him as much or more than he cared for them. As a result, they were dragged down with him when his ambitions saw him imprisoned, tortured and maimed. They cared little though, risking life and limb to save him and help him salvage a life with what he had left. That wasn’t enough for Griffith though. When given the option to become a demon and continue the pursuit of his dreams, he whole-heartedly accepted it; even though it came at the cost of sacrificing the lives of each and every one of his friends and allies. But that wasn’t the worst of it, to further spite the early desertion of Guts, Griffith proceeds to rape Casca, Guts’ love interest, in front of him as Guts is held down by demons. So yes, Griffith did nothing wrong by himself. By everyone else though, he did them the worst of injustices, and continues to do so with each breath he takes, all of which makes him a compelling and infuriating villain.

#1. Johan Liebert (Monster): I’ve covered a wide variety of monsters (pun fully intended) on this list, but THIS monster (again, pun FULLY intended) truly takes the cake when it comes to anime villains. A serial killer who would fit in well in any blockbuster film, Monster told the story of a man who had truly become monstrous; a charismatic, intelligent sociopath with no other goal than to kill everyone else in the world. Johan didn't just kill people, he made other people into monsters just like him. This skill of his corruption is first displayed in his youth, when he used stories to convince the other boys in his orphanage to kill all the staff, and each other. Johan is often compared to Light Yagami of Death Note, but the two couldn’t be any more different. Light's fatal (and genius) flaw is his own ego, which leads him to put his own life above all else, even his goal of changing the world. But Johan has never been afraid of death. Quite the opposite, he welcomes and embraces it, being more than willing to put his own life at risk, and one of his signature traits is how he challenges people to shoot him. Another of Jonah’s signature traits is his skills as a masterful manipulator. Where Light and other on this list had to resort to supernatural means to get what they wanted, Johan just used his own wits and knowledge of human nature. He's easily the most frightening villain on this list because he’s the truest to life villain on this list and he exposes the base human nature of his victims and of human society. Monster's remarkable story was almost entirely due to Johan alone, and it’s why he’s #1 on my list.

So that's my updated list, what did you guys think about it? Love it, hated it? Go on and tell me what you think and let me know who your favorite anime villains are. See you soon!!!

Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/darkchild316

[phantoms-lair]

Uncommon Ancestry 6b

Part 6a

Iida took a step back as he recalculated things quickly. He had seen the least of Midoriya's ghostly grandparents in 1A, having been running to get help from the faculty when the villains invaded, but he'd heard stories of what they'd done. There was no question they were powerful as was this one, who'd kidnapped him without Iida even noticing. And without his hatred of Stain to guide him, Iida felt a sensation he hadn't felt since the sports festival creep up on him. 

Fear. 

"What is it you're proposing?" He asked, trying to to keep his voice strong. 

The purple specter composed himself. He looked Iida in the eye and the class president of 1A felt himself lock in place. "Revenge is something I know better than most. Especially how it blinds you to certain things. Those things are what we're going to be discussing. I am going to make you understand the price of your revenge, and if you still deem it worth the cost, I will help you." 

"Of course it's worth the cost!" Iida snapped, the burning hatred driving him once more now that Stain had come back up. 

"What cost?" The ghost asked. 

That left Iida unsteady. "You just said-" 

"That there was a cost. Tell me, how are you willing to pay it if you don't even know what it is?" 

"It doesn't matter! No cost is too great!" Iida yelled back.

"That is the single stupidest, most shortsighted thing I've ever heard.” The ghost huffed. “Tell me, would you sacrifice your brother for your revenge?" 

Iida had bristled under being called stupid (not something he was used to hearing) only to be shocked by what the ghost suggested. "Of course not. I'm doing this for him!" 

"Liar." There was no accusation in the ghost's voice, merely a statement of fact. "Your brother would never want this, so it's not for him. It is to try to act out your own hatred. Say you succeed, what happens next?"

 "What do you mean next? It's done!" Iida snapped.

"What happens to your family after you go to jail for vigiliante murder?" The ghost pressed. "What will happen when your brother wakes in the hospital one day to find his precious little brother has thrown away his life, his future, dragged his family name through the mud. And all for his sake. Do you think he will be happy?" 

Why did the ghost have to put it that way? There was no way IIda could answer yes to that. 

"And then there's your parents. Your family has been in the Hero business since the beginning. This would see that generations long business crumble as the public would lose all faith in it. After all, how could someone be true heroes when they raised a murderer? And your friends will blame themselves as well, for not knowing how to stop you, for not trying hard enough to reach you, for not being enough to help. Tell me Iida Tenya, how many of them are you willing to sacrifice?" 

"None I...it's not about them!" Iida said with some desperation.

 "It's not." The ghosts agreed. "But it will destroy them just the same." 

"Then what do I do?!" Iida wailed, falling to his knees. "What do I do with all this hatred burning through my veins?" He'd been told so often to let it go, but he couldn't. It was like telling him to let go of his own blood. He didn’t want this hatred, but it had somehow become an inexorable part of him.

"You freeze it." The ghost answered, surprising Iida. "An out of control forest fire burns all indiscriminately. A cold rage can be aimed much more precisely." 

Iida felt something in his chest loosen. "What do you mean?" 

The ghost looked at him as though studying him. "Do you think Stain's life means very much to him? After all, he targets heroes with no backup. He had to know he could die during any of these attacks." 

"No," Iida was forced to concede. Self preservation wasn't on this particular villains priority list. 

"Then what does?" The ghost prodded. "What is more important to Stain than his life?"

Iida focused. He's studied Stain after all, learned everything he could about his target. "His philosophy. The idea that so-called false-heroes must be culled violently." 

"Then that's what you need to destroy." 

Iida's head shot up "What?" 

The ghost crossed his arms. "Tell me, was Ingenium a 'False Hero'?" 

"Of course not!" Iida snapped. "My brother may not have had the sheer power of All Might, but he was a pinnacle of heroes nonetheless. He always looked out for those training under him and never let them face a villain they couldn't handle. Conversely he'd put himself at great risk to protect everyone around him." 

"Then that makes Stain a giant hypocrite, doesn't it. Right now Stain has a message that can resonate with people. There are false heroes. I know of one personally myself." The ghost scowled angrily. "But Stain is a man who has literally cut off his nose to spite his face. He's not doing anything constructive, he's just throwing a massive temper tantrum and calling it 'just'." 

"To destroy him you have to destroy his message. Be the pinnacle of a hero and expose those who use the title to do evil, all the while showing how pointless Stain's own methods are. Show his for the two-bit villain he is, make any one who would hear his words sneer in disgust. Cut him down in a way that will tarnish his very memory, and cement you and your brother in people's minds as a true force of good." 

Iida laughed. It wasn’t his normal laugh. Not a nice one by any definition. It was an insane sound he wouldn't have thought himself capable of exploding from his lungs. The ghost’s plan was diabolical, a revenge far more thorough than the quick death he had planned. It would destroy not only Stain’s body, but his twisted little soul. And at the same time it broke no laws and brought no shame on his name or his loved ones. 

It was strange. Since he's gotten the news about the attack on Tensei he'd felt as though there was a tremendous weight crushing him. Now he felt almost giddy with anticipation.

"A dish best served cold, indeed." He never understood that phrase until this moment. He stood and bowed. "I thank you for your council." 

"You're quite welcome." the ghost chuckled. "By the by, if you know someone who collects pre-quirk era movies, see if you can find one called Big Hero 6. It might be worth it to view. An old series called Leverage might also be to your taste more now than it was before." 

Interesting advice. Midoriya had talked a bit about his pre-quirk era collection, mostly focusing on a quirkless hero called Batman (for obvious reasons). He may have one or both titles in said collection. 

Iida bowed again only to find himself on the streets of Hosu once more. The mansion had gone, with nothing to speak of it having ever been, save for a few fading purple-pink sparks. 

A chill went down his spine at how powerful the being who'd taken him was, and how easily that could have gone badly. Still, he had plans to make and adjust. He needed to focus on his new revenge plan and that meant excelling in this internship. He’d text Midoriya about the movies on the train ride home. It would probably bring his friend some comfort. Midoriya had been worried for him. Uraraka too. 

Iida's stomach twisted a bit uncomfortably. Now that his head was clearer he realized just how much he had been hurting those around him before he'd even done anything. He'd already be late as it was. He might as well stop by a shrine to offer a prayer of thanks to the spirit who had guided him tonight.

~

Lewis all but collapsed in relief. He wasn't sure if this was going to work. But if there was one thing a wraith could recognize it was another wraith, and that's exactly what Izuku's friend had become, wrapped in flesh though he still was. And wraiths couldn't let go of their hatred - telling them to do so would achieve nothing but fanning the flames even hotter. 

It hadn't been easy to shift himself into becoming something more akin to a protective spirit. And even then he still knew he was a wraith at his core. He could only hope it was easier on Tenya, who had been still new to his hatred. At least Tenya would never have to live with the guilt and regret that haunted Lewis every single day. And always would.

[justnerdthings]

Never Again Ch. 9

F!OC x Raiden/Shang Tsung

Shang Tsung and his silver tongue.

@shang-hung @mammondaughter

Helena sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her hand stroked the old sheets. This was the bed she’d spent her last night with her beloved in. This simple, small bed. It hadn’t changed much from her memories. She could still feel the sparks dancing over every inch of her body. It was painful… Her body ached for her beloved. For his touch. She was so starved of him. It had been too long. Much too long.

“Pleasant memories?” Shang Tsung asked from the doorway. He’d wondered where she’d gone off too. He wasn’t surprised to see her in this room. This had been her room once.

Helena smiled softly at the memory of Raiden holding her all night… but her smile faded quickly as she remembered the following morning.

Raiden had woken her early that morning. Groggy from having little sleep since their intimacy, she pouted up to him. The Elder Gods were wanting to speak with him. It was urgent. He’d be back as soon as he could be. She should be careful while staying behind on Shang Tsung’s island. Her beloved did not trust him. She knew this. Helena agreed to be careful.

“And see to Kung Lao’s remains,” Raiden told her with a frown, then a quick kiss to her forehead. “Make sure they are treated well.”

“Of course, my love.” Helena smiled to him and returned his kiss. “Go on. I’ll wait for you.”

Reluctantly, Raiden stepped out of the room, where he undoubtedly made his way outside before disappearing in a bolt of lightning. Getting out of bed, Helena cleaned herself up with a simple spell, a new dress appearing on her body. Black, with purple embroidery. She was awake now, she may as well make the best of it. Carefully, she lifted her ball off the table and carried it out into the hall.

Her legs led her to Shang Tsung’s throne room. He hadn’t been there, no one was, so she decided to look over the murals that decorated his walls. Shang Tsung certainly did have an ego. He was depicted in each painting, victorious, of course. Heroic in his own way.

“Helena,” Shang’s voice broke through the silence as he stepped behind her.

She turned to face him. A sly smirk spread across her face which he returned.

“Good morning, my dear,” He spoke.

“Mm… For you, perhaps,” Helena said. “My beloved is not pleased.”

“Ah, yes. Where is Raiden? I do not sense him on my island.”

“The Elder Gods wished to speak with him.” She turned and began to walk slowly to the next mural. Shang followed her. “He will be back soon,” she added. Though she didn’t know for sure how soon that would be.

“I see. May I interest you in some breakfast?”

She laughed and glanced to him. It wasn’t a secret to her that he found her attractive. Though he hadn’t been bold enough to ask her to spend time with him. “We are not friends, Shang Tsung.”

“A shame. I would be too fortunate to have you as an ally.”

Her eyes rolled. Helena looked back to the mural. Shang Tsung had a silver tongue. She was sure he charmed his way through most situations. “You can not charm me, Shang Tsung.”

“Are you so sure of that?” He asked with curiosity.

Perhaps in another life she may have fallen for his tricks--his sweet words. But this was not that life. “My beloved requests that Kung Lao’s remains be handled respectfully. Have they?”

“He has been taken care of. I assure you. Will you be taking him with you?”

“Yes.”

“As you wish.”

“Very good.” Helena stepped away to visit the next mural.

“If I may, my dear. I have been wanting to ask you about our fight.”

Helena lifted a brow to him. “What about it?”

“You forfeited.”

“I did.” She nodded and looked back to the mural.

“I find it hard to believe that you would, given that you had the upper hand.”

“Oh?”

Shang Tsung closed in on her, watching her face. “You insult my intelligence.”

“I have no idea what you’re on about.”

“Why did you let me win?”

Helena looked to him, then a crack of thunder stole her attention. She turned to face the main door just as Raiden pushed open the doors. His face… Something was wrong. Very wrong. She could feel his anger and dread. Worry washed over her as she moved for him. “Beloved—”

Raiden held a hand up to silence her. Her brows showed her concern, but soon lifted in protest as he pulled her ball from her arm. Raiden turned his eyes to Shang Tsung. He glared to the sorcerer. “Someone will come for Kung Lao’s body. It would be in your best interest to hand it over when they arrive.”

Shang Tsung stiffened his posture at Raiden’s obvious controlled rage. He lifted his chin in a show of confidence. “Of course,” he answered with a small bow.

Raiden grunted, not entirely believing the snake, but powerless about it for the moment. He looked back to Helena and took her arm with a strong grip. He didn’t answer her questions as he led her outside. The next thing she knew, she was outside the entrance to that damned tomb.

“No,” Helena finally answered with a heavy sigh. She looked up from the sheets to look at Shang Tsung. “That night was lovely, but the next morning…”

“You were locked away,” Shang nodded. He’d heard of it some time later. “How unfortunate.”

“I did it for him.”

Shang lifted a brow.

“We could have had four hundred years together before having to worry about you winning the tournament. We could have been happy… Instead he made that time miserable.”

Shang’s eyes searched her as she sat there. He’d admit, what she had done was diabolical. To throw the tournament like that… Helena had not only hurt Raiden, but Earthrealm. And all just because she wanted to have Raiden to herself for a few centuries… How delectably selfish.

He stepped forward and offered her his hand. She took it without protest and he gently helped her to her feet. “He does not deserve you, my dear.”

Helena’s brows knotted as she looked to him.

“He is far too preoccupied with Earthrealm to truly appreciate you.”

Her jaw hardened. She had thought the same thing for centuries… but she couldn’t help her love for him.

“You deserve a man who will go out of his way to please you.” He moved her hand to his arm as he escorted her out of the small room. “I assure you. Had you been mine, I would not have left you to rot in some tomb.”

Ah. She could see what he was doing now. She grinned and shook her head. “If I had betrayed you as I did my beloved, you would have killed me where I stood.”

He considered that for a second. He gave her a single nod. “I would not have neglected you in the first place.”

She looked back up to him, expecting to see a smirk on his face. But his expression was straight, as if he was telling her a simple fact.

“Regardless, I believe death would have been more merciful than letting you wither away in chains.”

She looked away. “I had begged my beloved to give me such a release… He denied it. Everytime.”

Shang glanced over to her with a raised brow. That was news to him. Raiden was capable of being selfish himself, it seemed. “He wished for you to suffer, my dear.”

“The Elder Gods wished for me to suffer,” she corrected him with a deep sigh. Her fingers curled around his arm and she lifted her other to hold it as well. “Except one,” she added, catching Shang’s attention again.

Shang had led Helena outside. The courtyard was once again teeming with life. Helena and Shang had spent hours pouring their energy into the island after she’d retrieved her ball. Well… It wasn’t exactly their energy. The souls Shang had collected, and Raiden’s energy from Helena’s crystal ball had done most of the work. Helena and Shang just… guided them.

The moon was casting just enough light into the courtyard to light their way. Fireflies now danced through the air. Crickets chirped all around them. And the scent of coming rain filled their noses. Helena could feel herself relax for the first time in so long.

Shang Tsung had been stealing small glances as they toured the courtyard. To think that he would be caught in the middle of a lover’s quarrel between Raiden and Helena, was simply surreal. He could still remember how annoying the two of them had been centuries ago. Such a pleasant couple. At least before that infamous tournament. Something had happened between them sometime between that tournament, and the one prior. There had been more bickering between the two. Oh, there was still an undeniable love they shared, Shang had saw it. They had still fawned over each other like a pair of newlyweds… But there was a certain tension he couldn’t quite place. Shang had planned to use it against Helena during their fight, and he almost had. But she had conceded to him before he could bring that little plan to action. He didn’t think much of it then. He’d won. That was his goal and he’d reached it. But he still wondered why she conceded. Helena had him on his toes the entire fight. She could have won. It wasn’t until a few days ago when she’d admitted to sabotaging the tournament that he realised the real reason for her forfeit.

He stole another glance of Helena. Just what exactly went through that pretty head of hers? What was she planning to do? She still loved Raiden, he was sure of that. But to what extent? Was she only trying to get a little revenge for being locked away for so long? Or was there a bigger picture?

“If you keep stealing glances of me, I may have to call the authorities,” she broke the silence with a joke. A lovely grin pulled her lips--that lovely grin. The one Shang adored on her face. The one that spoke volumes of her mischief.

He chuckled, but didn’t look away. “You look lovely in the moonlight,” he told her with that smooth voice of his. And Shang wasn’t lying. Helena’s pale skin practically glew under moonlight. And her raven black hair shined like the stars in a clear night’s sky.

Shang watched her grin grow, then soften as she tried and failed to fend off the heat that rose to her face. Ah, yes. His silver tongue still worked. He smirked.

“You are being ridiculous,” Helena finally answered with a shake of her head.

“Oh?” He rose a brow.

“Do you have no shame in trying to charm Raiden’s wife?”

“Ah, but he is not here to threaten me for my efforts.”

“But I am.”

“Will you?”

Helena glanced up to him. That grin came back to her face before she looked away. “When I’ve had enough, perhaps.”

Shang’s brows rose in interest and mild surprise. Had Helena just told him that she enjoyed his flirting? Once upon a time, she would not have taken so kindly to him. Had her love for Raiden withered with her while she was imprisoned? Or did she just feel so betrayed by him that she wouldn’t mind hurting Raiden again? Either way, Shang liked his chances… To think he may be able to steal Helena away from that bothersome god. His smirk grew.

________________________________________________________

The Chamber Of Artifacts had been cleaned and reorganized. Fujin made his way over to the bronze amulet. He reached for it, then stopped. The emerald… It was red. Helena.

Helena had done something to the amulet, what, Fujin wasn't sure. But for her to have involved Shinnok… Fujin's brows furrowed as the possibilities ran through his mind. This was worse than he and Raiden had imagined.

He grabbed the amulet. A horrible dread flowed through him, full of hate and anger. Fujin did his best to push the influence away as he left the chamber.

[zombiekillerky]

{TMNT 2003 Fanfic} - Dream

( WARNING : This is not Turtle x Turtle related at all, this is purely just some family scenarios with no relationships at all what’s so ever. Just regular day in the life turtle stuff)

Leo watched in horror as Kari's sword was up to his neck as he sat on his knees. Blood fell down his forehead as he watched his brothers fight the Kari bots in front of him and he couldn't even help them. He sent them here in order to defeat Shredder once and for all like they had planned. This time he was going to be defeated for good, even against his brothers wishes of doing this another day. He wanted to do this now to get it over with, it was his revenge, his pay back against him for hurting his family over the years. He should have listened to his brothers when they said not to go, he really should have as soon as their plan started to fail. He could taste the defeat as soon as they walked in.

Mikey went down first, screaming bloody murder as 5 swords went through his shell and out the front. He was trying to ddge as best he could out of the way as he smashed their heads one by one. But even his quick moves and reflexes couldn't save him from the robots attacking. Mikey gazed around at his brothers yelling his name, blood dripped from his mouth as his eyes landed on Leo to the side of him across the room. He smiled one last time at him, coughing out a puddle of blood in front of him before his eyes rolled in to the back of his head as he fell forward. He didn't even move when the Kari bots removed the swords from his body and plunged them in to his chest yet again. To make him stay dead for good,

"Donnie cover my right!" Raph yelled over to his brother as he pulled his sai out from the bots chest. He was being blinded with rage as he fought, he couldn't save his brother so he had to make sure Donnie would make it out okay. Attacking another one to the side of him that cut in to his arm deeply. Donnie did as he was told and covered his hot headed brothers right. Knocking away the swords that tried to kill them both. As Raph finished off the bots next to him he turned around and knocked away one that was heading for his brother. Hearing he blood curdling scream as he turned his head. A sword went through his younger brother's stomach through the back side of his shell. Raph yelled at the top of his lungs and hit the bot away, dropping his brother to the floor with a thud as he groaned in pain.

Leo screamed out to them but it was almost like they couldn't hear them at all. He just watched and stared in horror at them fighting with out him. Choking back on a sob as he watched them fight in pain. Rage blinded one and hopelessness blinded the other. Donnie tried to stand up and watched his older brother fight to keep the bots away from the both of them. Blocking another sword from hitting him as best he could. Raph caught Donnie from falling as he stabbed the nearest bot to them. His brother chuckled softly as Raph held on to him tight,

"Let me go Raph, I'm slowing you down and you know it....you can't continue fighting like this with dead weight"

"I'm not doing that Don! Don't ever fucking say that. We are going to make it!" Raph yelled as he hit another bot in the chest and tore up its wires. Making it explode around the others so they could have time to get away. Donnie was only getting weaker and weaker as Raph held him, losing blood by the second from how deep his wound was. The hot headed brother set him down up against the wall and got ready to fight. Slashing away the metal arrows that shot at him. He lunged forward and grabbed a bot by the head, destroying it as best he could with his arm now injured. But what he didn't realize was some of the bots had gotten around his fighting area. Once he heard the scream soon silenced he knew he had failed his other younger brother too. Raph started to cry, one of the moments Leo never usually seen from his younger brother. He choked back on a sob as he lunged forward screaming in rage, only to get his arm grabbed by the shredder. The diabolical laugh was heard through out the area as the shredder bent Raph's arm like a plastic pipe. Hearing the loud pop from the broken bones in his body shattering from his touch. Shredder walked forward towards Leonardo as he sat there on the floor. Eyes red and blurry as he tried to get out of her grasp, sobbing for them to leave his brother alone like he had been doing the whole time. He couldn't watch this anymore, all of his family gone right in front of him.

"Finally....you are all dealt with....say bye to your brother you stupid reptile" The shredder shouted as he held Raphael in his grasp. Hearing his brother's cries made him weak and sick to his stomach. Leo reached out for him as he screamed his name. But he was to late, his claw came through Raph's neck as he reached out toward him in return. His body lay still and motion less on the floor in front of him with a pool of blood surrounding him. Kari let go of Leonardo and let him fall forward. Cradling his brother's lifeless body in his arms, crying out in pain, hatred and defeat as he held him tighter and tighter. Crying out for his brother's crying out for his sensi, not believing  anything he was seeing.

"Kill me......KILL ME DAMN IT.....please....please I-I....I can't d-do this.....I c-can't live with out t-them....m-my brothers a-are all I have e-ever had!"

"I wish this would not end this way Leonardo.....as you wish my old friend....I am sorry" with on quick swipe everything was gone.

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

Leonardo gasped as he sat up in his bed, tears streamed down his face as he sat there. Sweat rolled down his forehead and neck. He held his hands over his eyes as he sat there in silence, trying to calm himself down somewhat from his panic rising with in him. He gazed over to the side of his bed, his eyes still had a blur to them but he could make out that it was 2 in the morning almost. Leo closed his eyes as he pictured what had happened with in his dream over and over again. He has had nightmares before but this was one of the worst ones, especially involving his brothers. That's right his brothers!

The blue masked turtle slipped out of his bed quickly and opened up his door as silently as he could. Making his way down the hall where his brothers rooms were. His panic never left his body as he traveled down towards them. A mix of thought and emotion filled his head as he walked, what if it wasn't a dream. What if they were gone like what happened, Leo shook his head as he took a deep breath. Stopping by Mikey's door first that was shut. He sighed as he carefully opened up the door and gazed in. His little brother was asleep on his bed, his teddy bear in one hand and the corner of his blanket in his other as he laid sprawled out on top of his mattress. Clunk laid next to him curled up in to a ball. The sight made Leo smile softly, erasing worry some that he had but he still needed to check up on the others.

Leo shut his door almost all the way, leaving a small crack as he checked on the opposite side to the smartest of the group. Donnie's door was all the way opened from what Leo could tell. The blue masked turtle gazed in and found him on his stomach with no blanket on. His head was buried in to his pillow, Leo slowly walked in to his younger brothers room and grabbed his blanket at the end of the bed. Donnie must have came from the lab after working all night since he didn't even get his blanket. Leo slowly laid Don's light purple blanket on top of him, tensing up when his brother moved and curled up on his side. Leo only shook his head as he let his breath go. Making his way out of his brother's room slowly so he wouldn't wake him. Now it was down to his hot headed brother's room. After seeing both his younger brothers safe and in bed he felt he didn't necessarily need to. But he wanted to check just to be sure any way,

The oldest brother finally made it down to Raphael's room, the door had the standing out "Keep Out" sign but he knew he would enter anyway. He entered slowly, not even hearing the light snoring his brother would usually do when he sleeps. Leo opened up his door all the way and found his brother way no where to be seen in his field of vision. That's when he started to panic slightly as he gazed around in his brother's room. Finding no trace of him but his weapons and biking gear were still there. Raph was never known for sleep walking either, that was usually Mikey on occasion which was a pain to deal with.

The oldest brother sighed as he ran his hand against the back of his neck as he quickly made his way down back the hallway and in to the main living space they had. He gazed around, the lab first since it was there but as he came back. He saw the red masked turtle laying down on the couch long ways. Watching old reruns of his wrestling show with his eyes getting heavy from lack of sleep. Leo smirked softly as he watched him from a far, thinking he could not see him for now. He loved it when the person Raph was wanting to win won the match. He watched as the corners of Raph's lips raised in to a smile. Since everyone was asleep he couldn't really be overly loud. But Leo could see him muttered yes a few times and what move he predicted they would do next. After a while Leo walked in to the room, watching his brother's green eyes follow him as he walked over. Raphael stretched as he moved his legs for Leo to sit down. Rubbing his eyes slightly to wake himself up some.

"What are you doing up Raph isn't it kinda late since we have training in the morning?" Leo asked softly to not alert anyone asleep in the lair. Raph shrugged softly as he moved the TV remote on to the arm of the couch.

"I don''t wanna hear it from you fearless, I could ask you the same thing......listen I ah....I heard you in yer room. You okay? Did your nightmare mess you up?" Raph asked in a soft and concerned voice that Leo and anyone barely heard anymore since he was little. Leo smiled softly as he watched Raph's expression. They both let the tough act go for once that they kept up daily. Leo's smile fell as he nodded his head, recalling everything that happened in his nightmare. But what surprised him was Raph's arm out wide, smirking as he signaled him to come over to him. They haven't really done anything like this in a long time. They stopped telling the others about nightmares they have had that have haunted their dreams. But when they were little they would always depend on each other to calm them down from the horrid dreams they would have. As much as Raph hated to admit it he loved when Leo would calm him down like his brothers when they were scared. Raph would always do the same for him if Leo had nightmares too in return as if it were a debt to pay.

Leo was hesitant at first but soon came over. Wrapping his arms tightly around Raph for support as he felt tears start to form in his eyes. The act took Raph by surprise but he soon wrapped his arms around his brother tightly in their embrace. He would never get used to his big brother's scared and sad face that he rarely got to see. They were almost like polar opposites but somethings evidently ran in the family when it came to wearing a mask and hiding true feelings. They both hid their emotions for the others on occasion even though from what it seemed like both of them could see past their own charades they played. Each of them knew the other's traits like the back of their hands at times, others they needed a written manual on how they acted.

"You wanna talk about it bro?If ya don't that's fine too I understand...." Raph asked softly as he rubbed his brother's back to calm him down. Raph wasn't really one to be loving like this so Leo was going to take every bit he could out of his brother. It warmed his heart to see him this way and wished he could see him more like this. He knew his brother was all ears at the moment and would listen to everything he said. But at the same time he felt like he didn't want to tell him of his horrid nightmare that bothered him. Not wanting to make this a bigger deal when he could just forget about it and never tell anyone.

"Everyone....e-everyone died.....I couldn't save y-you guys while you were fighting and you d-died right in front of me....just a few feet away...there was just so much blood and...i-it was all so horrible how you a-all"

"Hey calm down fearless we're alright and safe here in the lair, we haven't even left tonight or all day for that matter."

"Yeah we haven't left Leo" The two oldest turtles peaked over and found their two younger brother standing there in the hallway. They both weren't sure how long they had been standing there, but the jig was up for them and they couldn't deny it either. Donnie still had his tired look and Mikey held on to his blanket tightly as they stood there next to each other. Leo chuckled softly as they walked over to them sitting on to the couch. Raph moved a small bit more so the could fit in with the hug they shared. Making sure their older brother was actually okay instead of joking around. Which he never did about this kind of stuff to be honest.

"I thought you guys were asleep when I checked on you"

"Technically we were trying to, but we heard you and when you came in to our rooms to check up on us I figured Mikey did the same and faked being asleep...i wanted to make sure you were alright but I wasn't sure how too." Donnie replied along with Mikey nodding his head in agreement. Leo chuckled as he shook his head, feeling like he was selfish for acting this way in front of his brothers. He has seen all three of them, broken down, depressed in ways, and scared from a nightmare. But he was supposed to be their protector, the one to tell them it was alright. Not the other way around how it was at the moment.

"Whatever you dreamed is not real dude, we are right here and just fine....well Raphie doesn't look fine, still looks kinda ugly to me"

"Hey!"

"Guys we are having a moment come on" Donnie replied over both of them. Canceling out the smirk and the glare on both Raph and Mikey's faces. But the act only made their brother laugh slightly. Which resulted in them smiling, Mikey grabbed Donnie and Raph and pulled them closer to complete the hug once more. It seemed like they stayed like that for a couple of minutes before letting go.

"Everything is gonna be alright Leo okay. We are right here with you" Donnie said with a small yawn as he stared in to his older brother's blue eyes. Making Leo nod his head softly as he yawned in return, leaning his head back up against the couch.Raphael yawned slightly as he laid back and rested his head up against the arm of the couch. Leo's sleepy body followed after in the little space between him the the couch cushions. Donnie only rolled his eyes as he touched the button on the side that popped out the make shift bed that Casey slept on when he stayed over. But before he could even lay down all the way Mikey pounced on to Raph laying there. Knocking the wind out of him slightly as he laid there up against him and the brainiac. Raph couldn't help but smile as Mikey pulled the blanket he had closer toward him instead of sharing with the others. He shared a quick glance at Donnie as they heard Both their youngest and oldest brothers snores as they laid there. Donnie shrugged lightly as he shut his eyes and curled in to the back of Mikey to get more comfortable. Leaving the hot head basically trapped by his brothers in the middle area. But never the less he felt like he could sleep a little bit better knowing they were there by his side. Just like how Leo felt at the moment to know they were alright and safe.

[brin-guivera]

I have made no secret of the fact that I have become obsessed with The Untamed (if you have seen any of my recent posts you will see how often I manage to bring it up even when it has no relation to the content of the post!)

the untamed

Based on a Chinese BL (boys’ love) web novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu called Mo Dao Zu Shi (roughly translated to Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation / Founder of Diabolism) has become a bit of a global phenomenon since it aired last summer. I was slightly late to the party (I didn’t start watching it until November after it became available on Netflix) but I have more than made up for it since!

I have re-watched the whole series (all 50 episodes!) twice now, plus the Special Edition (which is basically 50 episodes compressed into 20 episodes for international audiences, with more of a focus on the Wei Wuxian / Lan Wangji relationship that was more subtly portrayed in the 50 episode run, down to having to be mindful of Chinese censorship).

Along with the novel and the live-action series, there is also donghua series (an animated version), a manhua (comic book) adaptation, an audio drama adaption and two spin-off movies from the live-action series (one of which The Living Dead has already aired in 2019, the other Fatal Journey is due to release next week).

The series is absolutely fantastic and has completely taken over my life so I thought it was about time I posted a review!

the story

Wei Wuxian, also known as the Yiling Patriarch, is a person who is feared and despised by almost everyone. As a powerful and deadly cultivator, he became known for his abject cruelty and power, causing the deaths of thousands. He was only stopped when he was killed by Jiang Cheng, once almost as close as a brother to him.

However, the truth isn’t quite as simple as the legend makes out. Was Wei Wuxian really the villain he was made out to be? When he is resurrected following a spell by a mentally unstable young man called Mo Xuanyu (who offers his own body in exchange for Wei Wuxian exacting revenge on those who had wronged him), it is unclear what his motivations will be. Will he seek vengeance against those who had once wronged him?

One person who is happy to see Wei Wuxian is Lan Wangji, an upright young man whose heroics have cultivated legends of his own. The two have a shared history and bond that has surprised all who have known them. Can they both clear Wei Wuxian’s name and find out once and for all who has actually been the mastermind behind all of the unfortunate events that have befallen the cultivator world?

the review

Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo star as Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji respectively. Both are mesmerising in their roles and I cannot think of anyone more perfectly suited. Xiao Zhan imbues Wei Wuxian with a carefree spirit and boyish charm, completely at odds with the widespread belief that Wei Wuxian is someone to be feared and hated. Wang Yibo is a revelation as the stoic and unemotional Lan Wangji. His ability to convey how he is feeling in tiny micro-expressions is utterly enthralling.

Both actors are compelling to watch and really give life to their characters. The chemistry between them is off the charts. Although nothing can be explicitly depicted due to censorship, it is clear that these two characters are deeply in love. Filled with lots of longing looks, and artful yet powerful interactions, their bond is clear to see for anyone who is looking but sub-textual enough to skirt pass the censors! It’s a masterclass in subtlety.

The cast of supporting characters are fantastic too! Wang Zhuocheng and Xuan Lu are brilliant as Wei Wuxian’s adoptive siblings Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli. Wang Zhuocheng has the daunting task of making the hot-headed and stubborn Jiang Cheng likable and manages to succeed whilst bringing a vulnerability to the character too. Yanli is an amazing big sister to Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng – supportive and loving, caring and emotionally reassuring. She proves that strength doesn’t always lie in being physically powerful.

I also really loved Ji Li as the seemingly incompetent and weak Nie Huaisang and Liu Haikuan as Lan Xichen, Lan Wangji’s serene and kind elder brother. I would also be remiss not to mention Meng Ziyi as Wen Qing and Yu Bin as Wen Ning – the cutest siblings that ever lived! And of course, I cannot forget Zhu Zanjin as Jin Guangyao – the sly and smooth manipulator that also manages to be completely sympathetic at the same time. Also, all of the Juniors – love them all!! Not to mention Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, and Xue Yang… the whole cast is outstanding and there are too many for me to keep singling out standouts.

The story is initially confusing for the first two episodes but please stick with it because it gets so good! The first couple of episodes are set after Wei Wuxian is resurrected but then episode 3 flashes back to the past and shows how he ended up becoming (unfairly) the most feared person in the cultivation world.

It depicts his first meeting with the moral and strict Lan Wangji and how these two ended up defying all expectations and becoming soulmates. How they were torn apart again and again, until Wei Wuxian’s untimely demise. This is a story about second chances and overcoming huge obstacles. It’s about friendship and family. Love and sacrifice. It is such a moving story with plenty of action but lots of character moments. The relationships between the characters propels the story and although there is a lot of plot going on, it is at heart a character-driven narrative (my favourite kind!)

to sum up

If you haven’t watched this series yet, I urge you to please, please, please check it out! It is just too amazing not to share with everyone. It might just be my favourite series in recent years, maybe of all-time, along with Deep Space Nine (my other top favourite). The acting is amazing, the story is moving and you have a love story that manages to be so powerful without ever actually being explicit. It is all the sweeter and intense for being subtle in its depiction. Wangxian 4eva!!!

It will tear your heart to shreds but then mend it again. It will make you lose your mind but then turn around and give you hope again. It is just so good. It is not without its flaws, some of the special effects look a bit cheesy at times, but it is easy to overlook in the grand scheme of things.

some additional thoughts and musings

I cannot believe how well Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo became their characters – it’s actually quite funny when you see behind the scenes videos of the two of them. They are clearly very close in real life but their personalities are complete opposites – Xiao Zhan seems more zen and peaceful and Wang Yibo is a chaotic little gremlin (I adore him!)

There is so much other content for this series – I am planning on reading the translated novel soon but I am also going to check out everything else along with the author’s other works… will keep me busy for years to come!

Merch for days – I can’t seem to stop buying Untamed-themed merch (check out my STS posts – they are chock full of the merch I have bought week to week!) I am seriously obsessed…

I also have an urge to watch everything Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan have ever been in (along with the rest of my favourites from the cast) and have been listening to the soundtrack religiously (as well as the individual music the cast have put out whether solo or as part of groups – what a talented cast this is!)

My Twitter feed seems to be less about books these days and more about The Untamed haha!

I might just be crushing slightly on Wang Yibo (and also Xiao Zhan) despite being way older than them both – I feel like a cougar but just look how pretty… 😂

[handonshipper]

A Twist Through Time: Chapter One

Hope was usually a great fighter. An excellent fighter even. However, when it is her friend that is attacking her, she does not fight back as strongly. She doesnt use her strength. Which was why she lost the magic battle against Josie in which the dark witch used a spell the tribrid didnt recognize. Hope collapsed , feeling her energy leave her. When her eyes opened, she was in a bed. In a one room apartment thing. She blinked in surprise and confusion and slowly pushed herself up into a seated position.

Klaus Mikaelson walked closer to the door of Stefan Salvatore’s apartment with Stefan himself by his side after a long night at the bar. He sighed contently. “Can’t you hear that?” He smirked looking over at his old friend. “It is the sound of Rebekah not annoying us to death.” He said clearly happy his sister had stayed behind last night, doing more shopping no doubt. Truthfully he didn’t care, so long as she stayed away for most part. He was beginning to wonder why he chose to undagger her in the first place. “I never did understand what you saw in her.” He chuckled softly. “Then again, I suppose I wouldn’t. Seeing as though she is my sister.”

PMStefan chuckled a little at that. "No, I suppose you wouldnt." He said, thinking back to the memories he now had of a time he had thought he had mostly blacked out. He stopped as he reached the door and heard someone on the other side. "Do you hear that?" He questioned. He knew it wouldnt be Elena since that was earlier and he had scared her away. Finally convinced her that he didnt want her. Enough at least to keep her away.

Klaus frowned as he too suddenly heard the sound of someone inside the small apartment. He signaled for Stefan to be quiet for a moment and only after a few seconds, he forced the door open with no warning whatsoever. His focused and only slightly concerned expression soon changed into a smug one as he caught sight of a girl on Stefan’s bed. “Stefan.” He playfully scolded. “Poor girl. She must have been waiting here all night for you.” He chuckled. “Apologies. My friend here apparently does not remember when he schedules time with women. He’s charming like that.” He snorted looking the girl over a little. She did look a little bit younger than the girls his friend normally pursued. But he supposed he couldn’t really judge.

Hope inhaled sharply and froze at the sight of her father. She barely even heard the words that came out of his mouth. Her mind was turning on what could possibly have happened. How was he standing here right now in front of her? How did he not recognize her. Then she recognized Stefan. Two people who were dead.

"I've never seen her before in my life" Stefan said, defensive and concerned about the girl. He wanted to find out how he could help her. But he was ripper Stefan right now. Not good Stefan. "What's your name?"

"Hope" Hope said after a moment. "My name is Hope"

Klaus glanced over at Stefan curiously when he said he hadn’t ever seen the girl before. “Well she is in your apartment. And the door was not forced open...at least not prior to my doing.” He pointed out and then focused on the young girl who was apparently named Hope. Quite an unusual name. Not to mention she looked as though she had seen a ghost. “What are you doing here then? What do you want?” He asked taking a small step towards her. Although he didn’t appear menacing quite yet, it was clear the playfulness was gone from his eyes and was instead replaced with caution and hostility.

"I... I dont know what I'm doing here" Hope said finally. "I woke up on the bed, but I certainly did not fall asleep on it"

Klaus raised an eyebrow at her words, clearly not believing her in the slightest. “Right. You were randomly transported to an apartment.” He stated sarcastically. “Let me ask you again. What are you doing here, and what are you after? They are truly simple questions.” He smirked stepping closer to her.

"I dont know what I'm doing here. All I know is I was blasted with a spell I have never heard of and now I'm here" Hope said firmly, looking at him. She could let her pain and confusion hit her later. "And I'm not up to anything. You'd think I have some diabolical reason for being in his apartment?" She raised an eyebrow. "There isnt even much in here. What could I possibly be up to?"

Klaus frowned and crossed his arms as he listened to the girl. He definitely didn’t like her attitude. She sounded entitled and worst of all, she didn’t seem scared of him. Something that didn’t sit well with him in the slightest. “Spell. Alright, let’s say I am considering that insane explanation. Who cast the spell?” He questioned looking at her. “And more importantly, why? Surely you must have done something. Witches do not normally spell others for no reason, even as obnoxious as they are.”

"I was trying to get my friend back. Dark magic and her insecurities were controlling her" Hope replied. "As for who casted the spell, that isnt important" she said.

“Hm. Let’s see. You claim to have been blasted here with a spell. You look properly upset about it. Yet when I ask you to tell me the name of the witch who casted such spell, you claim it isn’t important.” Klaus said slowly. “Suspicious don’t you think?” He smirked and then glanced over at Stefan.

"Less about its importance and more about I dont want you to know about her." Hope said with a sigh

"You want to protect your friend." Stefan observed, watching her. "Even if she hit you with the spell that brought you here"

Hope nodded, her blue eyes lowering a little as she thought about her friend. About everyone really. It was true even if it wasnt exactly true. It seemed she was in the past somehow. But how far back?

Klaus frowned, now having realized that as well. Not that he truly cared. Unless she was there to plan anything against him, which he could tell she wasn’t. There was something going on, but it wasn’t anything he should be worried about. “Right. Well if you are through being transported to places, the door is right through there.” He said dismissively as he gestured towards Stefan’s apartment door.

Hope's heart ached at that. It felt as though she was being disowned, but that was ridiculous. He didnt even know who she was. Which hurt even worse. "Where am I anyways?" She wanted to ask the year.

But she didnt want him to look at her with even more confusion.

“Chicago.” Klaus answered observing her carefully. He could tell there were things on her mind, but he didn’t care enough to ask. “What was the last place you were in before?” Maybe he could get a car for her and she could be on her way.

Hope sighed and frowned a little at that. "I was in Virginia. But going there wouldnt change anything. I'm all alone now" She checked her pockets. "And cashless" she said, sighing. "Whatever. I'll figure something out"

Klaus rolled his eyes, the girl’s problems not affecting him in the slightest. He did have bigger things to worry about after all. Which is why he wanted to get rid of her as quickly as possible. “Here.” He said as he pulled out a couple hundred dollar bills from his wallet and held them out for her. “Now you have zero excuses in leaving my friend’s apartment.” He said with a sarcastic smile present on his lips.

Hope hesitated and took them. "Thank you" she said softly. She lowered her gaze a little and headed out of the apartment.

Once she was far enough away, her wall crumbled. She leaned on the wall in an alley, tears starting to spill. Her heart pounded a little as she struggled to breath. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly, struggling to collect herself. She could handle this. She was a Mikaelson witch. She was a tribrid. And despite all she had endured, she could continue fighting. She would find a way back to Landon. No matter how much she wanted to see her dad again. To see her mom. To change the future. If she changed the future even the slightest, things could change, and she might not even be born. But how could she do this alone? She had no spellbooks. No friends. No family. Was it not bad enough that she had to endure her friends and the boy she loved forgetting her whole existence? Now she had to deal with her father alive, in front of her, and looking at her like she was a stranger?

Stefan watched her leave curiously. "Did it seem like she recognized us?" He asked Klaus as he walked further inside and opened the secret door bookshelf. He added the name of a victim to the very long list from the 20s and then grabbed a bottle of Klaus' favorite drink before walking back over to him.

Klaus frowned at Stefan’s words, his gaze remaining on the empty space the girl had been standing in moments ago. “Slightly. I noticed it too. Though if she wanted revenge for something you or I did in our time here, she has a very poor way of executing it.” He chuckled softly. “Either way I’m not concerned. She looked more lost rather than angry. And regardless, I doubt a fifteen year old girl is any match for the legendary original hybrid and the ripper of Monterey.” He smirked."Oh I'm not concerned either. It was merely an observation. Look what I found" Stefan said, passing him the bottle, label side up.

Klaus grinned at the sight of the bottle of his favorite drink. He took it inhis hands and looked it over. “My. I haven’t seen one of these in a long time. Unfortunately it will have to wait. Possibility until we have something worth drinking to.” He sighed and carefully set it down, his mind now going to all his failed hybrids. “Come. We should see if the witch has made any progress.”

Stefan nodded slightly, knowing it was better not to argue. He needed Klaus to see he was on his side. Not to figure out that he wasnt. He glanced back around at the old apartment and memories before heading out.

Hope took a deep breath, thinking. She went and bought a cheap sketchbook, knowing drawing would help keep her control a little. And she bought cheap pencils. She would prefer better supplies, but she needed to save as much money as she could. Especially since she wasnt sure where she was going to go or how to get home.

Klaus headed out of the apartment as well. He hoped there was some type of solution already. He didn’t know how much more of this he could take. He finally broke his curse, only to not be able to make more of his kind. “I swear I am going to kill this witch if she still does not have anything.” He muttered.

[the-hetchia-universe]

So i found i miciti disney of phantom blot!

And i wanted to share the translated version of the interview ! ( and i like he has some kinda story behind the interview. The extras will be on a reblog post.)

"If I didn't have a heart of gold..."

Meeting within the walls of the prison with the one who likes to call himself a villain unique in style, intelligence and personality. A true emperor of crime, if it were not for the too much sensitivity that makes him hate violence and has prevented him on various occasions to get rid of the enemy Mickey, for now.

When it was decided to dedicate a volume - and a coin - to The Phantom blot, it was prudently placed towards the end of the series, in the belief that sooner or later the person concerned would be available for the ritual interview.

The reasoning did not make a wrinkle: more than six months would have been enough for him to try to pull off one of his famous shots, which would have been followed by the probable (not to say inevitable) arrest, and so it would have been easy to meet him in the cooler.

And instead, time has passed and no news of the lantitante Phantom blot has been heard.

That he had decided to take a long vacation or, even worse, to retire permanently from...business?

The only hope of not being forced to write with blank pages was placed in the major expert of the black character and his nemesis for sixty years, and that is Mickey. Who immediately reassured us. "No, Phantom Blot doesn't know what the holidays are," he said convinced.

"And as for the idea of retiring, I don't think it ever even crossed his twisted mind. He's not the type to sit on his hands, and even if he was, he'd never retire before he took me off the streets. He swore it to me... and he's not the type to break his word."

But then how did you explain him not talking about himself for so long? 

"He's on a break," sentenced Mickey. "he's preparing a big score... and I know which one too!"

At the Mousetown Research Center, very advanced studies were underway on a device to make people invisible. Very secret studies, of course, but not for Phantom Blot, as revealed by an ingenious electronic bug system discovered by chance at the Center.

There was no doubt that he was the one who planted them.

"Invisibility has always been his dream," Mickey said.

"And with that device, he'd have one that's perfectly good, not the handcrafted one that gives him his black cloak in the night."

the bug hadn't been removed, so as not to put the Phantom blot on the forewarning so that we could catch him red-handed at the appropriate time. Which, unfortunately, wouldn't be for a few months at the earliest. And to hasten the time was not even talked about it: even if it had been possible, an interview would hardly have been a sufficient reason to speed up the work.

I was already resigned to having to give up the interview when I had a dazzling idea. What if he just pretended to finish the job? A nice, exclusive benefit performance by Blot and his bugs and...

"And he'll bite for sure, because he doesn't know that we know that he knows!" exclaimed Mickey.

"Besides, if he has to act sooner than expected, he won't have the time to get his plans right, and it'll be easier to neutralize him. And there is another advantage: even if he gets away with it, he will have nothing to steal. But he won't get away with it..."

Mickey was a good man (not that it took long: all the precedents were in his favor) and so here I am, in Mousetown prison, visiting the blackest black character in the Disney world.

Who receives me in his usual cell. I'd like to describe him, but how do you tell something you can't see? The room, in fact, is in total darkness...

Interviewing an invisible subject is not the best, but taking notes in the dark is impossible...can't you turn on a light?

PB: Yes, but then you'll miss the right dark atmosphere.

Patience, I'll work on my imagination.

PB: I hope you've had enough. Anyway, I'm keeping the cloak and hood. Without them, I wouldn't be me anymore. Even the warden lets me wear them when I'm in jail. He has respect for my personality...

Me too, I assure you. You've always been my favorite negative character. The best villain. And don't get me wrong, when I say "bad"...

PB: There's no need to add anything else. I get it. On the other hand, how could you define me differently? Well, maybe instead of "bad," you could use the term "evil." I think it suits me better and is more exclusive. I'm the only one who's evil, and the comic book pages are full of villains.

And no one remotely has my class. Not to mention style, intelligence and personality.

Modesty, on the other hand, is quite common among you criminals...

PB: If you think you're funny, you're very wrong. I'm not immodest, I'm just telling it like it is. I'm not the kind of guy who's special, I'm not the kind of guy you're looking for.

That's what Floyd Gottfredson thought, too... 

PB: He's designed me. You ever wonder why I made myself look so much like Walt Disney?

As a joke, if I'm not mistaken.

PB: Pff! That's the official version. The truth is, he wanted to pay tribute to a great man by making him play a great character. And who could you find better than me? Walt and I have a lot in common.

Certainly not a criminal record.

PB: Obviously not. But we're both geniuses.

With very different results, though. His career has been a little bit better than yours. Speaking of which, can you explain the long hole between your first compo, in 1939, and your return to action, in 1955? Sixteen years is a long time: what have you been doing in all that time?

PB: If you had that imagination you boasted about earlier, you wouldn't ask me such a question. It's obvious I've been in prison. Serving my long sentence and figuring out how to get revenge on the man who put me away. You should have known better. And if you're really a fan of mine, you should know that I almost succeeded. I had a diabolical plan, a revenge so subtle that only I could have imagined it. Nothing crude, no direct violence. Mickey sabotaged himself with his own hands! I hope you publish the story of my return to the scene, so that readers will also appreciate my genius.

It's the first of this volume, a real classic. You really missed nothing because you're getting rid of your enemy. In this regard, can you explain me why, even though you had several times - and since your first encounter - the possibility to eliminate Mickey directly, you never did it?

PB: Because I'm too sensitive. I hate violence and I could never get my hands dirty. I wish I could. It would be so easy to just get the rat out of the way! But instead I'm forced to make deadly contraptions or studying very complicated subjects. Imagine that once, in order to get rid of my hated enemy, I managed to erase it from the mind of every inhabitant of Mousetown. Of course, as you can gather from my presence here, it didn't help. Do you know what that crude Pete once said to me, who I often share a cell with? That without my good heart, I'd be the emperor of crime! I hate to do this, but I have to agree with him.

Yeah, if it hadn't been Mickey in his way... He's blacked you out plenty of times!

PB: Yeah ! That's some low-rent humor. Why don't you also say that it's...stained my career? I don't mind anyway, because I'm tenacious, me. I'll never give up. I know what I'm worth, and I know the day will come when I can get rid of Mickey once and for all. That is, if luck doesn't keep on helping him, of course. That nosy little chap's always got a dose to envy even Gladstone.

You're not saying that to console yourself? The way you're putting it, it sounds like Mickey doesn't deserve any credit for putting you in jail. I'll grant you that sometimes he got away with it because your sensitivity prevented you from giving him the coup de grâce, but to say that he beats you regularly just because he's lucky, seems too much.

PB: Is that what you think? Then let us examine this latest supposed success of the brilliant detective, the genius of investigators, the terror of criminals. Tsk! I was preparing a perfect score, according to a schedule studied in detail... and what happens? That those scientists realize much earlier than expected the invention that I was so interested in, thus forcing me into a hasty action that led to my arrest. Mickey was there waiting for me, but if I'd had time to make a proper plan, I'd have done it under his nose, always snooping around. Grrr! And you're telling me he's not lucky?

Well, yeah, maybe a little. I'll grant you that it's not his fault, but the case, if the microplashes you had installed at the Research Center were discovered. But he was the one who figured out you planted them and had the idea to leave them where they were so you wouldn't get suspicious. And the fact that the invention was ready before its time is not a stroke of luck, but simply... false news.

PB: What?! You made that up. I don't believe it!

And it hurts, because I know what I'm talking about. I'm the one who gave him the idea. I went to consult him to find a way to interview you... Hey! Why did you get up? You don't want to...

PB: ...hurt you? No! I hate violence, you know that. I just want to hug you to show my appreciation! You are living proof that Mickey beats me just because he is lucky. But do you realize? I ended up in jail because of an interview!

That we can continue...

PB: Ah no! Even if I'm not angry with you, I don't talk to my worst enemy's allies. It's a matter of principle... that brings us to the end. So I'd be grateful if you'd leave. And on your way out, turn off the light!

[aithrauniverse]

Chapter 18-Aithne

As we walked along the magical tightrope (or at least Laila and Astra walked. Me, uh, it’s safe to say I mostly tripped and fell rather ungracefully), I looked back. 

Laila seemed pretty confident, striding forward with her wings out for balance. But Astra seemed troubled. Her head drooped downwards, and she absentmindedly fiddled with the feathers on her wings -something she only did when she was nervous. Clearly, something was troubling her.

And I had to get to the bottom of it.  

Praying that I wouldn’t fall on my butt again, I turned backwards, inching towards Astra. Somehow, I managed to make it without toppling over. (Okay, fine, maybe I did fall once or twice. Or five times.) Slowly, I placed my hand on Astra’s shoulder. She hesitantly looked up, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes and threatening to spill over.  

“What?” she snapped.  

“Are you okay?” I asked, a concerned look on my face. (At least I hoped I looked concerned. And not, like, constipated or something.)

“Yeah,” she lied through her teeth, swiping at her face. Yep. Definitely something bothering her.  

I raised my eyebrows. “There’s no point trying to hide it, Astra. You can trust me.”

She took a shaky breath. “Fine.” Inhaling deeply, she blurted out, “I’ve been thinking about what would happen if-if everyone found out about the Great War. About the truth.” Then it hit me like a tidal wave. Of course. Everyone would be at a loss for words, to say the least. It would completely turn Almoria upside down. Riots would break out. Rebellions would strike. The demons would want revenge for the decades of unjust. Buildings would be vandalized and cars, torched. It wouldn’t be safe to even step out of our homes. The city would be reduced to utter chaos. No wonder Astra was so...so devastated. This was her home. No, this was our home. And we would defend it with all we had.  

I tried to sound soothing. “Don’t worry,” I spoke calmly. Internally, I was a wreck, but I couldn’t let that show. “It’s all going to be okay. Everything will be fine. Almoria will still remain the city it is. It’s going to take much more than a myth or two to destroy our city.” I put on a grin, even though I was trying to convince myself just as much as I was trying to calm Astra. I swallowed hard, and pushed the knot of worry downwards, where I wouldn’t have to worry about it. For now, at least.

Astra looked up once again. This time, though, her indigo eyes (yes, a unique colour, I know.) shone not with tears, but with a new spark of hope. “Really?” She sniffed. “You-you think so?”

Looking at those eyes, I thought of Endra. I thought of her current predicament, and our vow to her. This time, though, I had made a decision. We had sworn to fix this mess, and I wouldn’t stop at anything if it meant we could save our home.

“I know so.”

Wiping the last of her tears away, Astra stood straight, a new, much more confident energy radiating from her. “Then what are we waiting for? We have a final spirit to fight. Come on!”

For the next few hours, we walked on, carefully teetering on the rope. Now, it was even more dangerous, the thin wire hanging over ice-capped mountains. Beautiful view, but probably not where I wanted to die. Laila still led the way, but gradually slowed down, eventually standing still. By now, we were all sweating buckets. “We need a break,” Laila declared, panting.

“Couldn’t agree more,” Astra puffed from behind me, her head tilted down at the valleys as if she saw something I didn’t. I merely raised an extremely floppy thumb, too tired to even speak. Without bothering to explain WHY she would take away the rope and leave us to fall from the sky, the guardian angel snapped her fingers, and the rope poofed, leaving us with about half a second to react before gravity took over. (Stupid gravity.)  

 Bad news- I wasn’t very fast to react, and spent three seconds screaming my head off as I fell through the sky, bursting through clouds and forming large Aithne-shaped holes in them. (“Shush, Aithne!” Laila yelled.) Thankfully, a voice in my head chose that perfect time to scream at me, “YOU HAVE WINGS FOR A REASON, DUMBASS!!!!!” That caught my attention. I furiously flapped my wings, slowing my fall and preventing me from being flattened into a (completely unappetizing) pancake. A few more beats, and I touched onto solid, grassy land for the first time in five hours.  

I instantly collapsed onto the soft vegetation, folding my wings up and tucking them into a sort of bowl below me. (Extremely comfortable and safe. Try it at home, kids! Oh wait – you don’t have wings. Never mind.) Astra and Laila followed, dropping onto the ground. Tiredly, I pulled out three granola bags from my rucksack. Having handed them out, I unwrapped mine, taking a bite out of the heavenly-tasting grain.  

Next to me, Laila downed hers in two bites, while Astra nibbled on hers, still staring off into space. Finishing up the bar, I popped the last bite into my mouth, crumpling up the wrapper. (At least there wasn’t a Mdm. Danton here to scold me for it. Hah, take that, old hag.) I pulled my knees towards me and stared at the snowy peaks and lush vegetation, deciding to enjoy the view while it lasted.

God, only five hours to nightfall. Time really was against us.

After about ten minutes, I dusted my hands, pulling myself into a standing position. The other two followed, Astra clapping her hands. In a flash of light, the rope appeared yet again. We flew back up, took our positions and continued our journey, walking on in silence. I supposed we all had the same thoughts-the same worries bubbling and brewing in the deepest pits of our despair. But no, we were so close to saving Almoria. Just one more fight, I told myself. Only the final battle is left. You can do it.

Around one hours later, the fluffy white clouds began to grow thicker and more clustered. “We’re close,” Astra deduced. “The altocumulus is turning into stratocumulus.” I stared at her blankly, not understanding a word of what she had just said.

“Uh... in English, please?”

Astra rolled her eyes. “The clouds here are growing thicker.”

”Oh.”  

Watching the clouds get darker, Laila shuddered, “Looks like somewhere Satan would love to be.” She quickly realized her mistake. Almost immediately whipping her head towards me, she sheepishly apologized, “S-sorry. Didn’t mean it that way.”  

“It’s fine.” I nodded. At least she didn’t say that on purpose.

We closed in, the rope steeply curving downwards. Astra clapped once more, and the rope disappeared with a flourish, leaving us to fly down on our own.

We touched down on warm land, folding our wings up. This place looked like nothing we had seen before. Hard-black dirt lay in mounds, occasionally pulsating from some sort of seismic force. The dry, empty fields were punctuated with occasional craters that looked like ponds, only these weren’t filled with ordinary water. In fact, they weren’t even filled with water. They were filled to the brim with...lava. Hot, bright orange magma that would scald us terribly, and make us the perfect flambéed treats for any hungry monster lurking around.

And the HEAT.  

Astra rolled up the sleeves of her uniform. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have worn this...” she glared at the uniform.

Laila shuddered. “Wow. This is actually scary.”

Then, just as I thought it couldn’t get worse, it got worse. Because obviously.

A flash of bright, unearthly red light drew our attention to the center of the fields. A man stepped out of the light. I squinted, almost stepping forward to get a closer look, but Astra held me back with one hand.

“Don’t!” she warned. “This could be a trap!”

The man stepped forward. “How smart, my dear.” He smiled, revealing razor-sharp fangs. His dragon’s wings flapped in the air, a red similar to mine. I looked him up and down. Those immaculately polished boots...that scarlet vest...those deep crimson horns...that ebony hair...wait a minute. It couldn’t be. Was it...

“Father?”  

“Oh, well done, sweet girl, you’ve recognized me.” his lips curled into a devilish sneer, his glassy eyes staring right into mine. (Oh, I get it, devilish, ha ha. Very funny, brain.)

I backed away, narrowing my eyes at him. “How could you do this?” I spread my hands, gesturing towards the wastelands. “This isn’t you!”

He snapped his fingers, and a dusky rope wound itself around the three of us, tying us up and yanking us towards each other before we could react. I was immediately squashed against Astra and Laila. Great. The foul creature hadn’t even given us elbow room.  

He stepped forward. “Let me tell you something, my dear,” he purred, stroking my hair. “It’s been so long, and times have changed. So when a powerful entity came to me and offered me powers beyond my wildest dreams, of course I accepted them, with great joy, as anyone would feel when given more liberties. But of course, there was a catch.

“I had to bring the three of you to my master. Alive, mind you. I don’t know what he plans to do, but it’s probably best you don’t argue with him.” The demon I once called my father shook his head. “He gets very cranky when he doesn’t have his way.”

“You’ll be meeting him soon. But for now, you’ll have to wait a bit. He’s...busy.” The man dragged the last word in deep thought. Then, as if he was denying something, he shook his head and wiggled his fingers in a wave, grinning diabolically. “Toodledoo! Have fun!” With one last glint of his fangs, he was gone, leaving us all alone and with no way out, with nothing to do but watch the sun sink deeper down, turning the sky a pinkish-purple.

I turned to face Astra and Laila, and two terrified pairs of eyes stared back at me. But nothing could match the pure shock pulsating through my mind.  

The man who’d raised me – fed me – told me bedtime stories – had just left us helpless, victims to the last spirit.

Fun indeed.