#his current snake is a green tree python

[ranger-danger]

Was about to ask what Kane would be as a mermaid. But he would obviously be a naga not a mermaid. If I had to pick a fish it’d probably be a microdevario kubotai.

As for Calla… white sturgeon or a Sacramento black fish.

Faron would be an American eel.

[jflashandclash]

Traitors of Olympus IV: Fall of the Sun

Thirty-Nine: Kalypso

I Argue with an Inanimate Object

             Kally almost slapped the Cloven Terror helm in surprise, but realized exactly how dumb that would look since she was wearing it. “You can talk?” she said out loud. “Um, to me? You’re alive?”

           She glanced towards the battle and felt a horrific sense of vertigo. As her gaze went to the peripheral of her vision, it expanded, showing everything on either side of her: the way Percy screamed on his throne, the two giants battling near them. Maybe near? Her depth perception failed.

           Disoriented, Kally returned her gaze to Alabaster, where his pale face stared back, patiently letting her get adjusted. Her vision returned to normal.

           Not all of us. We reflect the monsters they want to be. Ajax thinks silence is terror; Axel, the calculated insertion of an intelligent beast; Alabaster…

           There was a wry laugh.

           Besides, I was the first. I needed to come with an instruction manual.  

         Everything hummed. Kally could feel energy surge through her body. Green sparks erupted from the broken corner of the helm.

           Alabaster reached a hand out, pressing one of his rune pouches into her palm. He weakly gestured towards her Argonaut statue in her other hand.

           We made something for you, but, with my master in his current state, you must cast the spell. We had no time to test it.

           Kally wanted to inform the talking helmet that this was epic and cool, but they picked the wrong person. She wondered, if she had known this was how things would turn out, would she have followed Axel and Pax out of her school a few months ago?

           Without hesitation, she knew the answer was yes.

           “I can’t use magic,” she said.

           All creatures possess the ability to use magic. It’s whether you have the aptitude to excel. Now, cast with me.

           The words raced through her mind. Later, she would need to demand when Alabaster had the time for prepping this spell and exactly why he hadn’t done it before. She took Alabaster’s hand and the spell pouch, and pressed it against the Argonaut statue. If she had to guess, that statue was giving her the most skeptical look possible. When her mouth moved, she couldn’t tell if it was the voice of the helm or her own.

           “Incantara: revertetur,” Kally said, the helm’s darker tone whispering in harmony with hers.

           The statue glowed green as the rune pouch melded into the metal. Kally wasn’t sure what was supposed to happen. She didn’t feel any different, though Alabaster now looked paler. Knowing her luck, she just used all of Alabaster’s magic reserves to make her weapon cuss in squirrel instead of anything useful.[1]

           His quivering hand pointed behind her. His eyebrows furrowed, but that could have been from the pain. The ambrosia didn’t seem to have much effect on his broken jaw, though she guessed he would need a bit more than a godly pain killer for that.

           She didn’t like the idea of leaving Alabaster by himself, barely conscious, and unguarded. As though he could read her mind—maybe he could with the helm on—he withdrew his pistol and set it on his lap.

           “Okay,” Kally said, her voice cracking, “Okay. I’m going to go help the others. But, uh, I need you to protect this.” She took off her messenger bag and set it beside him. “Make sure no one else reads my journal,” she said lamely, since she couldn’t get herself to say, Yea, don’t die while I’m not looking. Or while I’m looking. Just don’t die.

           Alabaster rolled his eyes. Then, looked like he might throw up from the motion.

           As gently as she could, Kally kissed his forehead.[2]

           Then, she stood up and turned to face the battle. Preparing for the nausea and disorientation this time, she glanced to the edge of her peripheral, feeling her vision expand like a panorama photo.

           There was another monster on the field she hadn’t seen before. She didn’t remember anything in Greek mythology like this; it was huge, towering over the Roman’s field lights, matching the size of Eris. At first, her stomach clenched to think they’d have to fight another god, but it slammed into the goddess of Chaos with a, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to ruffle your feathers.”

           “Pax?” Kally said stupidly.

           The creature was humanoid, but it looked nothing like her not-really-ex-boyfriend. Talons busted through the back of both the monster’s combat boots. Its fingers were twice the length of a normal human’s or demigods, with black more talons further extending the digits. His forearms and thighs seemed twice as thick as usual.  

           Poking through the Silver-Tongued Snake’s helm, which had also grown, the face under was narrowed and pointed, not squishy.

           When he struck Eris, Kally couldn’t follow the speed of his movements, like seeing a snake or bird wind up for an attack, then only seeing the aftereffects.

           Ah, a feathered serpent. How utterly appropriate, the Cloven Terror muttered.

           With each slash of Pax’s talons, Eris giggled hysterically, regardless of whether she successfully blocked or not. Ichor splattered her clothing; Kally couldn’t tell if it was from Eris or Pax. Each time Pax drew close, she’d lash haphazardly out with a jagged knife coated in some black liquid and a smattering of his glittery blood.

           Every time they stepped, the ground shook.

           If Kally were looking at them with her normal eyesight, Pax would appear to be gaining the upper hand: Eris was rapidly losing ground. With the expanded vision, Kally could see Eris backing them towards the strawberry fields, where one misstep from their knife-talon family squabble could squish a stray camper or ghoul.

           Eris wouldn’t mind some flattened comrades. Kally suspected creepy eagle-snake Pax might be a bit traumatized if he had to pick demigod skeletons out of his boots.

           Behind them, the camp was in mayhem. Clarisse La Rue, several other Ares campers, and one or two Apollo children tried to corner Python. The massive drakon snapped around, swallowing one camper in a single strike.[3]

           The Romans were fighting their way through hoards of ghosts and ghouls to form a single rank and protect their sides. There were so many undead, several ranks were isolated and couldn’t make it to the conglomeration around the barracks or strawberry field.

           Some of the Greeks rushing out to help collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. Certain ones would stagger back to their feet, then turn on their allies.

           In the distance, by the cabins, Phobetor tried to keep piping on his flute for his sleep-hypnosis, but Hazel Levesque and Lou Ellen prevented him from gathering a sleep army. Each time one of the magic-users blasted or slashed him, he lost one of his sleep walkers.

           Although Greeks and Romans had been unprepared and several were dead, Kally felt like they were doing pretty well without the main heroes helping.

           In her counting of the gods that had been present at the Pax Tree Growing Party, she realized she was missing one: Atë.

           A puff of smoke whirled into existence by Clarisse La Rue’s legs. Kally didn’t see Atë fully materialize, just her tire iron smashing into the daughter of Ares’ calf.

           Clarisse crumbled to the ground.

           Kally clenched her Argonaut statue, focusing her vision on the smoke, allowing the panorama to narrow to her normal vision. Somehow, someone needed to stop Pax’s half-sister. How was she supposed to predict Atë’s movements to hit her? The goddess of Ruin and Mischief only seemed to appear at the least convenient place possible. (Something to add to the list of uncannily similarities between Eris’ children.) Otherwise, her victims were randomized.

           Don’t take aim. Just throw instinctively. Don’t even look, the Cloven Terror helm instructed.

           Yea, throw blindly into the middle of an active battlefield. What could possibly go wrong? Kally thought, disliking the helm’s ill-timed sense of humor. Knowing my luck it’ll miss, fly several hours away and clock Jason Grace in the head so the others can’t save Hemera.

           You are a child of prophecy. You predict the rash and unpredictable ruin of others, it responded, seriously. And, on the Jason Grace comment, I’m not seeing a downside.    

           Lou Ellen must have told Hazel to help the Roman ranks. The child of Pluto had turned to race towards where the Romans were about to be overwhelmed by a troop of undead, despite a friendly rhino’s attempts to mow the enemy down. As animal choices go, Kally winced at what Frank had picked with his recent concussion.

           As Lou Ellen moved her mouth to prepare a spell, something to deflect Phobetor’s oncoming hatchet attack, smoke vortexed near her.

           Kally took a step backwards to prepare a throw with her discus.

           You’re too late to save the daughter of Hecate. Accept that you cannot save everyone, then blind throw. Being the Cloven Terror, you must embrace that the end will justify the means.

           But if there’s a chance—

           She wanted to argue, but a surreal sense of disassociation stunned her mind. Kally felt like her thoughts had detached from the battlefield, from knowing Lou Ellen as Alabaster’s quirky half-sister, from caring that a demigod could die if she didn’t help them.

           A tugging sensation pulled at her stomach as her eyes fluttered shut. While Kally stepped forward into a full rotation, building up the power of her throw, she pictured Atë’s terrifying red eyes.

           Power surged from her body’s swing, from her step forward, up her spine, through her arm as she arched it, and finally, releasing through her fingertips.

           A hissing sound left her hand.

           Kally opened her eyes, searching for Lou Ellen.

           Her discus steamed and glinted gold in the field lights, but it wasn’t going anywhere near Lou Ellen.

           It hissed straight towards the rhino smashing through enemy ghouls.

           Oh gods, I’m going to hit Frank and give him another concussion, Kally thought.

           When the helm said she needed to accept she couldn’t save anyone, she didn’t think it meant she’d be murdering a Canadian.

           In a split second, she glanced over to Lou Ellen, across the battlefield. The child of Hecate lay on the ground, unmoving.

           Rage filled Kally. “Why did you make me do that?!” she shouted, wondering who was wearing whom.[4] She went to tear the helm from her head in a panic.

           A black wisp of smoke puffed out ahead of the rhino.

           As Atë went to strike Frank’s skull with her tire iron, Kally’s discus smashed into Atë’s arm. The tire iron flipped harmlessly into a ghoul’s head.

           Atë vanished again.

           The rhino stopped short, looking very confused, or Kally imaged that’s how a confused rhino would look.

           The discus—instead of slamming into the ground—did something very odd. The hissing golden metal sizzled green. It slingshot back towards them.

           Kally froze as the helm laughed darkly. If I wanted you to kill the praetor, I would have made you do far worse. Hecate’s Helms are more powerful when we work in harmony with our masters. Why do you think the Leonis Caput has weakened so? Now, I suggest you either duck or catch.

           The discus was closing in, fast. All the times Kally had hit people with it, she never thought about how much it would hurt to be on the other end. Maybe Alabaster’s spell was the most extreme of rejection letters, Uh, sorry, it isn’t going to work out. I’m too awkward to say that, so I decided it would be easier to kill you with your own weapon. It’s me though, not you.

           Kally sidestepped and extended her hand. As the discus passed her, she grabbed it, spinning with the momentum to decelerate the metal without ripping off her arm. In a weird, reverse spin, she stumbled to a stop.

           Kally’s breath felt ragged. She tentatively touched the helm. Yea, it had been right about Atë, but she did not like that moment of forced battle apathy.

           We’re not done here. Now, fight in the same manner you threw.

           “I say when we’re done. I’m wearing you, not the other way around!” Kally said, though her mind was focused on, In the same manner I—?

           Confusion gave way to a horrific sense of dread.

           Reflexively, Kally lifted her discus to be level with her throat.

           As she did, nails made a screeching sound against it. Something struck her discus, hard.

           At least it was that instead of her neck.

           Kally stumbled backwards, alarmed to see black smoke swirling on either side of her and unprepared to fight a goddess.

  Sorry I’m running so late! My brother and my new sister had their Nikah yesterday, so we were celebrating that alongside Easter and it has been a crazy busy month. Hope everyone had/is having a great Easter/Passover/return of Persephone!

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed :D I feel like Kally needs to find a partner with better communication skills….

[1] Magnus might say this is very useful.

[2] Mel’s betanote, “AWWWWWWWWWWWW HOW GENTLY DOMESTIC!” Jack, “Alabaster would resent that comment.”

[3] Mel’s betacomment was just a picture of Meg from Disney’s Hercules from the moment he was eaten by the hydra <3

[4] Bought to you by the accidental alliteration association.

[spooky-ghostwriter]

Dressed to Kill - Chapter Twenty-Three

<– Previous Chapter

Galen hesitated.

“The... Death Robe?” He confirmed.

“That's right,” said Tsukiko. “I'm positive – that's the only weapon that we have that will be able to destroy this thing.”

“But we don't know how it works!” Galen protested. “All we know is that it doesn't activate when you die.”

“Look,” said Tsukiko. “I've been trapped in this facility for god knows how long. I've had a lot of time to think this over.”

“Two days. You've been here for two days.”

“It felt longer. Look. You and I both know we can't fight this thing with a tank, sword, bow, fists or pretty red shoes, so come on.” Tsukiko extended her hand and made a grabbing gesture.

“All right. Fine.” Galen dug his hand into the Cargo Pants' pocket. He felt the flowing fabric of the robe and withdrew the black, ghost-like figure.

“Just promise me,” said Galen. “Promise me that however you're planning on activating the Robe doesn't involve dying.”

“It doesn't.”

Galen sighed and passed Tsukiko the robe. He watched hesitantly as she threw the robe over her head.

“Cold blood, cold steel,” Tsukiko recited. She held the sheathed Shiba Kariki in both hands. “Cold steel is half of the equation – something that's pretty easy to find. But cold blood is a little harder.

“It's been easy to justify killing dryads. They're not intelligent. They're just bundles of instinct. But Garrick – he's a human. This isn't going to be like smashing a pumpkin or swatting a fly. This is something I need to be cold-blooded for.”

Tsukiko drew her sword, then she felt the wires slither around beneath the fabric of the Death Robe.

“It's not that I need to die to wear the Death Robe,” She said.

“I need to kill.”

Tsukiko waited. The slithering across the fabric of her arm had stopped briefly, but it began to pick up once more. Something about this felt different than other Religalia. Whereas the others had been hundreds of tiny, thin wires, this felt like one large mass slithering together. In fact, it felt just like –

“Gary,” Tsukiko said dully.

The ball python finished its travel down her arm and poked his head out of her sleeve. Gary flicked his tongue up at Tsukiko.

“What?” Galen asked. “I thought I – ”

“Were you keeping Gary in your pocket dimension?!” Tsukiko asked Galen.

“No! I put him back in his terrarium, I swear,” Galen said. “I'd never put Gary in the Cargo Pants on purpose. I wasn't sure there was air in there.”

Gary continued slithering down Tsukiko's arm. Galen moved closer to pick him up, but the snake seemed fixated on its path. He reached Tsukiko's wrist and the handle of Shiba Kariki. Then, the snake opened its mouth wide and bit down on the handle.

“What is he doing?” Galen asked.

Tsukiko didn't answer. She picked up Shiba Kariki's sheath and held it behind Gary and the handle. Gary's tail wrapped around the sheath as well and the snake constricted into a tight ball, connecting the sword and sheath at a ninety degree angle.

Finally, the transformation began.

Tsukiko felt the movement of countless thin wires within the robe, the more normal sensation of a Religalia activating. They did not go outwards as she was used to from the Tank Top, but instead spiraled around her body within the robe. Metal wove around her, invisibly to Galen until it reached her arms.

Thousands of wire rings clamped down on each arm. In seconds, it looked as though she was wearing skin-tight gauntlets.

Tsukiko's face was the last part of her that Galen could see, but that changed too in an instant. The wires covered her face like a mask. They traced a skull, one that covered every inch of her face but the eyes. Tsukiko felt the wires pull her blonde streak back up onto her head, and the mask constricted to keep her hair stationary.

Finally, the wires among Tsukiko's sword-wielding arm moved again, and they crept along the odd formation Gary had made with Shiba Kariki. The metal covered both the snake and sword just as completely as it covered Tsukiko, forming an eerie scythe out of her weapon and pet. The scythe had retained a few of the flowery engravings on Shiba Kariki's sheath, but with a new ornament – a coiled serpent where the blade met the handle.

Where Tsukiko and Gary had stood, there was now a reaper – the truest embodiment of death Galen could imagine.

“Cold blood and cold steel,” Tsukiko repeated, but she said it with a voice that was unlike any she'd ever spoken with before. It sounded as chilling as ice. “This is Niddhoggr – the serpent that gnaws the roots of Yggdrasil.”

Were this friendly banter in one of their magic shows, Galen might have asked when Tsukiko learned that much about Norse mythology. Instead, Galen remained speechless.

Tsukiko swung the scythe over her shoulder.

“I'll be back soon,” she said.

Tsukiko began walking. It was neither towards the left wall of thorny roots nor the safe path to the city. Instead, she walked straight up, stepping through the air with no more difficulty than one would walk up a ramp.

“Our second-to-top story continues now,” said Liz Ardtail. “The girl we have just identified as Tsukiko Tanner is now walking on air. She mentioned something about a magic show, and I think you viewers can agree that this is some magic show!”

The camera zoomed in. Though the picture wasn't perfectly in focus, viewers caught a glimpse of Tsukiko's face underneath the hood.

Elizabeth Tanner looked away from the screen. The cold skull-like mask hiding her daughter's face was too much to bear.

Takehiko still looked at the screen. All the excitement that he'd had just moments ago was gone, and now he had a look of determination on his face, as if he himself were fighting.

Seeing the look in his eyes, Elizabeth forced herself to look back at Tsukiko, but at her current angle, she was blocked from view by a hundred-meter-thick branch.

None of it felt real.

It was as if Tsukiko was somewhere between awake and asleep. She couldn't even describe the sensation as a dream, for she felt less in control of her actions than any dream she'd ever had before. It was more like she watched herself from afar.

Thinking of how she was watching herself from what felt like a new perspective made her realize just how strange her vision had become in this form. The ground, the buildings and cars that Yggdrasil had crushed and all the tools being used by the news crew and circus – anything inanimate felt distant in some way, as if they were completely meaningless to her now.

The things around her that were alive, however, felt much more vibrant. The circusfolk looked almost like the ghost lions; ethereal wisps of some sort of brightly lit plasma. Though their forms were much less defined, Tsukiko found she could recognize them effortlessly. She picked out Galen from the crowd below. She saw the spirit-equivalents of Ravindra, Stiletto and Pierre redistribute themselves among the remaining dryads.

The closest one to her, or at least the one closest to the reaper body she had no control over, was in her metallic skeletal hand.

It's Gary, Tsukiko realized.

With each step up through the air, Tsukiko felt more and more distant from her own body and the wisps around her became more faded. Yggdrasil was a monstrous climb, but the spirit she recognized as Garrick was within sight. Tsukiko wasn't sure she'd be able to stop her body even if she'd wanted to, but reaffirmed her decision to keep climbing higher.

By the time she reached the top, she could only barely see two of the things she believed to be souls – Garrick's and Gary's.

Garrick stood on a leaf. It was a leaf hundreds of feet above the city below; a leaf dozens of meters wide, one thicker and sturdier than most buildings' floors, yet still only one of thousands upon Yggdrasil. The view was extraordinary; the tree's plumage extended as far as the eye could see in any given direction. A sea of pure green leaves flowed around him.

It was not the leaves at which his attention was directed, however. Not ten feet away from Garrick's leaf platform stood the heart of Yggdrasil. Not unlike the hearts in the apple tree beasts, it was an organ shaped just like a human's heart, but over three times Garrick's height.

The heart pulsed, sending a low resonating sound through the leaves. Garrick watched in awe as nutrients absorbed themselves into the heart and it forced them back into the tree.

“It's beautiful,” He said to himself.

Garrick waited a moment for the heart to pulse again. The feeling of the heartbeat pulsing through the the leaf below him made it all feel worth it.

Then he turned around. A rustling in the leaves had continued long after the heartbeat's pulse had ended.

A black shadow emerged from a small gap in the leaf platforms. That was all it looked like to Garrick – a human-shaped shadow. Garrick backed against the heart as the shadow moved closer, walking across the leaves with more ease than even Garrick himself.

“What... what are you?!” Garrick demanded of the reaper.

The ghastly figure said nothing as it approached. It raised its scythe, the silvery edge glimmering in the light of the sunset.

As the light shone across the silver skull-like mask, Garrick caught a glimpse at the eyes underneath. There was something unearthly about the eyes behind the mask, something that chilled even Garrick to the bone, but he still recognized the minute features he could make out.

“You... I knew it...” He said. He backed up further against the heart. He couldn't move any further, but couldn't bring himself to leave the heart of Yggdrasil. “There is something special about you. What is it?!”

She said nothing, merely gliding closer towards Garrick and the heart.

“You and I – we have both ascended beyond mundane humanity!” Garrick cried. “Why be enemies after all? We're the only two people who understand what it means to transcend the mundane and live in a world of fantasy!”

The reaper raised her scythe.

“What do you want?!” Garrick demanded. “Whatever it is, you and I can surely find out how to obtain it – or create it! You and I can have anything we desire!”

Still, the reaper did not answer.

Garrick grimaced. “Very well,” he said. “If you want to waste your abilities protecting these… these humans… then you can die alongside them.”

Several branches of Yggdrasil began to move. They extended, more like tentacles than wood, and lurched forwards towards the reaper. They surrounded her; hands ready to grasp their prey.

The scythe swung twice, tearing away the branches. The reaper continued to advance.

“Fine. Yggdrasil, it is time!” Garrick cried. “All of your children - as many as are ready - release them now!”

Waves rippled along the sea of leaves. A single leaf lifted upwards, curling around air. Then, like a magician’s cloak, it flapped back down, revealing a pumpkin dryad. Unlike the ones Tsukiko had fought previously, this dryad was made out of ten pumpkins, each one larger and more vicious-looking than ever before.

More leaves lifted up and fluttered away.

Garrick’s eyes grew wild with excitement as he watched the dryads appear. A snapdragon with three heads spat a breath of seed bullets to the sky. A woman made of ivy extended angelic wings from her shoulders. A hot pepper dryad three times larger than a normal ape lumbered across the leaves. Several leaves came together to reveal a six-legged apple tree creature.

“I can hardly believe it...” Garrick awed. “I knew that Yggdrasil’s presence would bolster our forces, but to be able to spawn so many dryads so quickly… this is exactly what we needed.”

He extended his arms and raised his voice, commands echoing to his new army.

“Dryads! Kill this reaper - this magician. Then, the circus below. They are no longer a threat to us, but make them pay for what they’ve done to the dryads who came before you. This world shall become a paradise of fantasy.”

Garrick gave a glance towards the dark shadow of a girl, now surrounded by a continuously-increasing swarm of dryads.

“I regret that I’ll have to dispose of something as fantastical as you, Specimen Delta.”

Another slash of the scythe.

The pumpkin dryad fell, splattering guts across the otherwise untainted leaves.

The snapdragon fired seeds, but they were deflected by its target’s metallic palm. A single slash tore all three heads from their necks.

Garrick stared in horror as the reaper’s scythe shone again and again. She moved through the horde undeterred, leaving a path of plant destruction behind her.

Finally, Garrick found himself staring death in the eyes.

“You - “

She swung the scythe, striking Garrick in the abdomen. It provided no resistance; the scythe sliced through both Garrick and the heart in a single, effortless slash.

The last things Garrick saw were the countless leaves of Yggdrasil; their green fading away to a dull brown, then a ghastly grey.

It had only taken a moment. Only a few minutes had passed since Tsukiko began walking her way to the top of the tree. And now, it was over – Garrick and Yggdrasil were dead.

Galen and Vercingetorix watched as the trunk and roots of Yggdrasil lost their colour. The vivid green around them turned to a dull grey; the tree withering and dying before them.

“She did it,” Vercingetorix said, his voice transcending awe to pure disbelief.

“I... I guess she did,” Galen agreed. He looked up to the sky, finally seeing Tsukiko. She stepped down through the air, still as easily as the ghost lions had.

Finally, Tsukiko reached the ground once again. She dropped her silver scythe Niddhoggr on the pavement. The tip of the blade bounced off the ground, loosening the wires on the sword. They began to recede, revealing the original sword underneath. As they passed through over the scabbard, Gary became visible too. He finally relinquished his bite on the katana's hilt. The wires arced back up into the bottom of Tsukiko's robe. The scythe was gone; Gary slithered away from Shiba Kariki and its scabbard as if nothing had happened.

Before the snake could get too far, Galen scooped him up and held him to his shoulder. Vercingetorix stepped closer to Galen; he held out his finger to the snake and smiled as Gary gave him an affectionate lick. Galen barely noticed; he was focused intently on Tsukiko. She stood away from them, facing the last vestiges of the sun. She was but a vaguely Tsukiko-shaped shadow, no different than what stretched across the ground in front of Galen's feet.

“You did it, Tsukiko,” Galen said, trying to sound cheerful. “Now you can deactivate that robe. Let's all go back to the circus.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Galen saw Vercingetorix shake his head.

“Death is eternal, Galen. I'm not sure she can deactivate that robe,” Vercingetorix said.

“What are you talking about?” Galen demanded.

“Think back to the other Religalia,” said Vercingetorix. “All of them enshroud the wearer with utter fantasy, like an actor being immersed in their character. They become something impossible. But the other Religalia still allow their wearers to be visible; even the Tank Top keeps Tsukiko's head uncovered.”

Vercingetorix gave a solemn look to Tsukiko and the Death Robe.

“That robe has removed Tsukiko entirely from the world. None of her former self shines through.”

Galen realized in horror that Vercingetorix might be right. Tsukiko made no effort to come back to them; she still stared intently at the sunset behind them.

“I'm sorry, Galen,” said Vercingetorix. “But I believe that, if Tsukiko was able to activate the Robe, she must have known the cost. I believe she willingly sacrificed her future to destroy Yggdrasil, and save humanity forever.”

Finally, the sun disappeared completely. Galen wasn't sure if he had accepted the gravity of what Vercingetorix was explaining to him. He was distracted – Tsukiko began to move again.

She grabbed the outer edges of the robe's hood and pulled. She flapped the robe up over her head, then flung the garment onto the ground.

“Ah,” said Vercingetorix, scratching his chin. “I didn't think she'd just be able to take off the robe like that. Interesting.”

“Interesting?!” Galen demanded.

It was clear that Tsukiko's body was no longer covered by the Death Robe's metal armour. As she turned back to Vercingetorix and Galen, a wave of relief washed over Galen; her mask was also gone.

Tsukiko took a moment to mess with her hair; her blonde streak fell out of the constricted knot the Death Robe's mask had put it in, back over her right eye where it belonged. Then she gathered up the robe and Shiba Kariki.

“I know we were keeping track of the number of dryads we killed,” Tsukiko said, jerking her thumb at the tree. “But personally, I think the goddamn tree of life counts for more than one. What do you think?”

Galen could hardly believe it; Tsukiko's voice was perfectly normal. There was none of the chill that the skeletal mask had forced upon her.

“Galen?” Tsukiko asked. She waved her hand in front of his face. “Hello?” She paused. “Oh hey, Gary!” She picked the snake up off Galen's shoulder. “Never eat my sword again, okay? That was scary.”

Galen didn't know what to say, so he simply grabbed Tsukiko in a tight hug. Tsukiko was caught off-guard at first, but remembered the terrifying feeling of wearing the Robe. What felt like a dream was beginning to fade from her memory, as most dreams did when she woke up. She could imagine Garrick and Yggdrasil's heart, but the words he spoke were almost completely forgotten.

None of that mattered to Tsukiko now. She hugged Galen back, just happy to know that this moment was real – and so too were the moments from here on.

Of course, knowing what was real and what was fantasy did not mean that Tsukiko had to choose reality for the rest of her life.

It had taken a while, much longer than Tsukiko had wanted. Knowledge of the dryads and Alesia's involvement in their battle went public, and so Vercingetorix's time as of late had been spent more in interviews and questioning than managing the circus. Finally, however, he'd found the time to get the show back on the road, and now Tsukiko stood backstage once again.

There wasn't a single empty seat, even in Alesia's largest stage. Being known as the stage magician who saved the world had given Tsukiko, and the circus itself, quite the boost in popularity. Tsukiko vowed to give them a show amazing enough to repay that.

She checked her watch. It was 8:59. A proper show began with proper tantalization, so if Galen were to be trusted, she had another two minutes to examine her props.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Galen's deep announcer voice bellowed, no more than a second later. “I don't know about anyone else, but my watch says it's 9:00 on the nose. And so, without even an instant of ado, let's get this show on the road.”

Tsukiko shook her head, but couldn't hold back a smile as Galen introduced her. This was where she belonged, after all; a fantasy that she owned, one she understood, and one through which she could lead her treasured audience.

She gave a glance towards the Tank Top and its hat, sitting neatly on a recreation of Freya's inescapable box. This was her intended finale for the night.

All right, Tsukiko admitted. I don't own or understand the entire fantasy. That's fine by me.

Galen's introduction had ended. Tsukiko stepped out from the curtain, into the blinding spotlights of center stage. The last whispers of the audience stopped, eagerly allowing Tsukiko to lead them from the mundane into the impossible.

[medusanaut]

Three Modern Men Chap. 1

This is a ficlet of Gramanderbone (aka Graves x Newt x Credence). 

This is a Modern No-Maj AU (Graves is a VERY successful business man, Newt is a zoologist, and Credence is a painter) where the three are living in Manhattan together, working their respective jobs, and loving each other. It's a story about the way that they approach being in a poly relationship and learning to open up to each other while dealing with a sometimes difficult society.

Thank you to the lovely @imagaypotatoe for beta reading and editing! :)

Rated E because although there might be some non-sexual chapters, the sexual chapters will be graphic. This story DOES have BDSM elements to it.

Disclaimer: Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is a trademark of J.K. Rowling, and Warner Brothers, but this story and any original characters added to it are copyright 2017 by Mingus1 and geekytrashcan, all rights reserved.

Chapter 1: Art, Animals, and Tech:

Newt Scamander opened the door to the penthouse of the apartment building he called home, gently tossing his keys in the bowl near the door with a quiet clatter. He heard the lovely deep singing voice of one Robert Smith, echoing down the hallway from what he assumed was the studio. Shifting his hands from the handle of the carrier he had brought in, Newt wrapped his arms around the object’s underbelly, holding the small kennel carefully. He used his foot to close front door, made his way down the hallway, and peeked his head into the studio, chirping “Cre, I’m home.”

“Hi, babe,” The younger man, twenty four, and currently dressed all in black- black skinny jeans, black shirt, black eyeliner- save for his facial studs which were in silver- an Earl (a piercing through skin on the bridge of the nose), and cyber bites (two piercings: one in his philtrum and the other right below his lower lip)-, who was currently kneeling on the floor in the room, waved. Short blobs of blue, green, and mottled red peppered the pale flesh of the boy, streaking his skin and clothing with a colorful palette that complimented his appearance. Though messy and currently in disarray, Credence’s appearance suited that of a painter, of an artist, and the look was both endearing and attractive  “Percy’s coming home a little late today, long meeting.” He chuckled and then turned his music off, “I would come and give you a kiss, but I’m covered in paint. I don’t want to get you covered in it too.” He placed his brushes into the large mason jar that sat beside his piece, water opaque from the pigments floating in it, “H-how was your day?”

Newt nodded, “Good. Gregor’s coming to live with us for awhile until he, well actually she, recovers from her dystocia surgery. He needs some special care.”

“Newtttttt.”

“Yes, babe?” Newt asked as he leaned against the doorframe.

Credence laughed, “I don’t know what that is.” He frequently teased Newt because sometimes Newt would go on tangent about things that no one else knew and he would suspect that the other person knew what he was going on.

Newt shook his head, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to confuse you.” Credence urged him along by nodding and giving him a curious look. Newt bit his lower lip, “surgery to remove retained follicles or eggs, it was the latter for Gregor. Hence, why we found out that Gregor was actually female. The blockage was caused due to poor husbandry as the people he was taken from had hidden him in their closet in indecent housing due to the new reptile laws that prevent green tree pythons in homes. I need to go put him in the extra large cage. I’ll be back.”

He turned to leave, trotting a few steps in the direction of his office, or more commonly known as “Newt’s House Of Reptiles and Other Creatures”.

The younger man got up from the floor and then took a running start and ended up slipping on the tarp on the floor of his art room, that protected the wood floor from obscene amount of paint that would have ended up on the floor.

He heard the carrier being put down in the hall, and moments later saw Newt scramble his way past the studio’s door, a concerned look prominent upon his face,, “Cre? You alright?”

Credence laughed and started getting back on his feet, digits pushing against the stained tarp, more color smearing along his skin slickly, “Yeah, yeah I’m fine. Can I come and help?” He started to wipe his hands off with a paint covered rag, cleaning off the messy markings that coated his fingers, palms, and wrist, pursuing Newt as he did so.

“Yes, if you started dinner. Did you do that for Mr. Graves?” Newt questioned, putting his hands on his hips.

Credence nodded, slowly slipping into his submissive mindset, he was ready for his masters to take over for the rest of the night, he wanted it, “Yes. It’s in the oven, sir.”

Newt smiled and pushed his hand through Credence’s black hair, admiring the slight waves that had come in since Percival and him had finally decided to let him grow out his hair a little, “Good boy. Mr. Graves is gonna be happy when he gets home. We have such a good boy. Don’t we?”

Credence smiled and nodded, “Yes, sir.”

Newt’s fingers carded through Credence’s hair once more, relishing the sensation as his slender digits ran along the silk locks “Alright, I suppose that you can come help.”

Credence’s face lit up and he followed Newt down the hallway to ‘Newt’s House of Reptiles and Other Creatures’. Before turning into the room, they stopped in the restroom and washed their hands, for of course, sanitation is key in all health care, especially in reptile care as it prevents the spread of salmonella.  After, Newt grabbed the carrier that he had put down in order to check on Credence earlier, and then guided Credence into his office.

The office was a very large room with a large desk to one side and and all the other walls lined with a variety of different sized enclosures for all types of animals. Some sat unoccupied so that patients from work could stay at his home and receive round-the-clock care after surgery or a serious injury, such as a infection.

Credence was never not in awe when he went into Newt’s office, especially so since he was not allowed entrance unless he explicitly asked for permission, or if there was an emergency. Despite the fact that the young man had been in the zoologist’s office many times prior, the vast amounts of differing species never failed to amaze him. Even creatures that could not be privately owned, by law,  in the city of New York were included in Newt’s menagerie, but since he was a licensed zoologist, Newt was granted permission to adopt the unique, rare reptiles that otherwise would have no place to call home. He had received several special permits in order to keep the animals, and since the city did not want to start killing massive amounts of reptiles and amphibians, they were happy to grant Newt legal allowance to care for the exotic animals. Although Newt loved lots of different types of animals, having worked with quite a variety at the local zoo, he had a special affinity for reptiles and amphibians, particularly as they were becoming banned throughout New York City. The majority of his collection consisted of the the cold-blooded families, though he also had three ferrets. Two of these ferrets, one, a cinnamon male,named Xander, and a female Sable named Stacy, had been rescued from a family that had had to give them up due to a ban enacted in their area. The third was a young black-footed girl named Carly, born through a project that was attempting to reestablish the black-footed ferret population in the wild; noble conservation effort. Newt had been, and still was, a part of the project, and when the juvenile female had been born she was not only the runt, but also deaf. It was due to her being deaf that the project decided they needed to home her, as living in the wild would be too difficult for her, and so Newt had taken her into his care.

The huge cage that housed the ferrets was right next to his desk, but often he let them roam around the house with him. They were all house broken and thusly did not make a mess, they enjoyed playing with Credence and cuddling in his lap and make happy little dooks, a low, chuckling sound. As long as all the other cages were shut and the art studio was closed, they would be allowed to roam around with Credence too.

Everything was placed in the room in a particular manner, snakes at the top, then large insect eaters, then smaller insect eaters, all in sliding door enclosures that were off the ground so that when the ferrets ran around, they wouldn’t get into trouble. For the larger snakes, the biggest he currently housed was an Epicrates cenchria cenchria, more commonly known as the Brazilian rainbow boa, named Bruce, he had a larger more vertical enclosures, on top of tables, which were at the far end of the room.

“Alright, let’s start with José,” Newt said as he hurried over to his cricket hutch and opened it and started selecting the cricket for José’s meal, placing them in a small cup. Once he had selected the desired amount, he dusted them with the needed nutrient powders and then took the cup over to one of the larger, more vertical enclosures which housed his carpet chameleon, another rescue.

Credence watched with fascination as Newt swiftly opened the enclosures door and then placed the cup of live crickets inside the cage in José’s favorite feeding spot.

Even though Credence had seen the tasks that Newt performed on almost a daily basis, he was still gobsmacked every single time.

Newt then put Gregor, a Morelia viridis- green tree python, into her new enclosure which had been prepared that morning.

He put some food in the ferret cage and then Credence followed Newt to Bernard’s enclosure. Bernard was a three year old Tiliqua scincoides intermedia, more commonly known as blue tongued skink.

“Cre, I’m gonna need you to hold him for a little bit while I spot clean. Can you do that for me?”

Credence nodded and Bernard was placed in his hands as Newt spot cleaned the tank, a process that meant cleaning the tank of any sort of waste or uneaten food.

Credence watched as Bernard attempted to crawl up his arms, laughing and keeping his hands close to Bernard in case he began to fall or slip

Newt finished cleaning and then took the large water dish for refilling. When he brought it back, Bernard was happily perched on Credence’s shoulder, Credence's wary hands hovering near the skink for fear that he might fall.

Newt put the dish back in the cage and then took Bernard from Credence’s shoulder and put him back in the enclosure.

The red haired man then proceeded to fill the other two snakes’ dishes, his Heterodon nasicus- a Western Hognose named Mina, and then his normal Python regius- a Ball Python named Sally.

Finally he checked on Midas his Pogona vitticeps- a Bearded Dragon, spot cleaned his tank, gave him fresh water, and then put a batch of crickets in the cage.

Newt then returned to José, seeing that he had eaten all of his crickets and then removed the dish and placed it in the drawer of the table under the enclosure.

“Can I take Carly out, Newt?” Credence asked as he wrapped his arms around Newt’s waist from behind, pressing a soft kiss to the back of the redhead’s neck.

Newt pretended to think about it for a moment, biting his lip gently, “If you wash your hands and check the dinner.

Credence nodded and went rushing out of the room, quicking washing his hands in the powder room, subsequently dashing to check upon dinner, which still had a good thirty minutes of cooking until it was finished, finally rushing back into the Newt’s office.

Newt was taking the bowl that had previously held food out of Mida’s cage as Credence came back, glancing over his shoulder at the other as he screeched to a halt.

Credence opened the ferret cage and allowed the three rambunctious children out.

He was greeted with many a dook as they came down the little ramp and then ran as quickly as they could into Credence’s lap.

When Newt had finished, he sat behind Credence, the boy between his legs. He pressed a kiss on Credence’s upper spine tattoo, a small work of ink of a hyper realistic USB port, a small symbol next to it, then a few millimeters below was an mic port with a small sleep symbol on the left, and even further  below was another mic port with a small fork and knife symbol on the left.

Carly was running about on the floor playing an interesting game of fetch with Credence, and Newt was happy that she was running about and having fun. Credence had taken to her rather quickly and she seemed to really enjoy being with him as well.

A voice sounded from the hallway, “Credence, Newt?”

Credence got up off the floor and started running down the hall, the ferret clan running after him.

Newt slowly stood up and followed Credence, finding him kneeling at Graves’ side, as he should be, “Evening, honey.” Newt pressed a kiss to Percy’s lips, “How was work, love?”

One of Percy’s hands rested on the small of Newt’s back, the other  stroking Credence’s hair, “It was alright. How are my boys?”

“Good.” Newt responded as he also placed a hand in Credence’s hair.

They both stroked Credence’s hair as ferrets ran around Credence.Carly stood with her front paws on his knee, waiting for attention.

Percival tapped his thigh and Credence rested his chin on the spot, and Graves pressed two of his fingers against Credence’s lips and then started forcing those two fingers inside the twenty-four year old’s mouth, “Newt, was he well behaved?” Percy said, shifting into his persona of Mr. Graves.

Newt’s hand slid to Credence’s shoulder, “He was very good. He came on my rounds with me, and started dinner.”

“Such a good boy, Credence.” Graves praised as he removed his fingers. “Now, go strip and put on our favorite outfit, once you’re done, come back and finish dinner.” He pressed a kiss to Credence’s forehead, “Go be a good boy.”

Credence got up, the ferrets following, and then he put them back in their cage, then heading to the main bedroom.

Due to their consensual agreement, they shared one king sized bed, one large walk in closet, and one huge bathroom with a very large tub and shower, topped with two sinks. However, there was a separate bedroom with an attached bathroom for nights when one of them really needed some time alone, and then another bedroom that was never touched unless they had guests, which was very rare.

Credence knelt on the carpet of the room and then proceeded to slip his cloths off in front of the mirror hung on the inside of the closet door. His shirt first came off and he carefully checked himself over, nipple piercings glinting in the light. Those had been the first piercings that Mr. Graves and Mr. Scamander had wanted him to get. They had thought of the idea together and then had approached Credence and made it an option. His Sirs made everything an option, until it was implemented, and everything was up for discussion as to whether it was permanent to semi-permanent. If it was a light limit that was allowed to be tested, Mr. Graves and Mr. Scamander always asked beforehand, as should be done. He was in their care. At times even Newt found himself in Mr. Graves’ care.

They had come up with a list of terms that distinguished their parts of the relationship. Percival was the “top dominant” in their house, meaning that he only dominated and did not submit. Newt was the “mid dominate” as he dominated Credence both one-on-one and in their typical threesome most of the time, however he was also a “high submissive” meaning that he submitted to Mr. Graves in both one-on-one and also sometimes in their threesomes, meanwhile Credence was the “bottom submissive” as he only liked to submit.

Credence’s nimble fingers toyed with the pendent that always hung around his neck. The small object was a symbol of Graves’ and Scamander’s affection and ownership, what others in the BDSM scene would call a day collar. He felt slutty as he slipped off his pants and the black lace panties that he wore on that particular day.

Credence loved his personal style (as did Newt and Percy), but he really liked dressing in his pure white chemise that he wore whenever his masters were home. It was such a stark contrast to his normal goth style.

He went into the attached bathroom and cleaned his makeup off, and then checked his vertical madison piercing, glinting metal prominent along his upper and lower clavicle, smooth, cool.. His hands then ran down his sides and he smiled, feeling beautiful with the healing bruises from the previous day's punishment upon his torso.

After making sure that all his makeup was off his face, he sauntered back into the bedroom and slipped into his creamy white silk chemise.

Once it was on, he looked at himself in the mirror and smiled, he loved the way that his nipple piercings showed through the fabric slightly, and the way that the chemises fabric felt on his skin, silky and soft. The dress cut high enough so it was revealing his smooth legs and the ball joint tattoos on his knees and ankles. He loved the way he looked in it, like a sultry little vixen.

Meanwhile in the sitting room, Newt and Percival cuddled on the couch, “He’s a good boy. He’s learning very well,” Percival’s fingers carded through Newt’s hair, “I think that we need to give him some more restrictions and rules though.”

Newt nodded, “I agree. He has learned rather quickly, and he could always do with a little more restraint. Maybe no clothes in the home when we’re here?”

Percival nodded, “That sounds nice and reasonable, save when we have company.”

“Percy, we never have company.”

Percival’s chin rose and fell, and he held his lover’s hand, “He is quite gorgeous though.”

Newt smiled sweetly as his fingers trailed along Percy’s knuckles, “He’s very dashing, that’s for sure.” Newt took a moment to think and then spoke again, “I like this new hairstyle he has, but I think that it’s something that he needs to earn. Say he were to break protocol, then we could potentially have that be grounds for him to go back to the bowl cut and back to no clothes in the house no matter what the situation? It seemed to lower his status a little bit further when we originally held him to that, and we both know that he loves the humiliation of not being in control. Needless to say we do have his explicit permission to make changes to the way he looks whenever we like, and I think we need to seize that control back again.”

Percival pondered it for a moment, “I like that idea. He must learn that he can have things taken away and that he needs to earn them back. He’ll do well, as he did before. I’ll bring it up at this evening when we are getting ready for bed.”

Newt smiled and turned and pressed a kiss to Percival’s cheek as Credence came skidding into the kitchen, he took the dinner out of the oven, and then hurried over to his masters.

Credence knelt on the floor next to the couch and rested his head on Newt’s knee. He sat there looking like a gorgeous doll, perfect posture, hands dainty rested on his knees. Newt’s hand fell into Credence’s soft hair, “What do you want to tell us?” Newt asked, his voice soft.

Credence closed his eyes for a brief moment, leaning into Newt’s loving touches, “Dinner is ready, sirs.”

Newt smiled and pressed a kiss to Credence’s head and then carded his fingers through the younger man’s hair, “Did you set the table, darling?” Credence let his head nod slowly, “You’ve been a very good boy today.”

“Alright, let’s go eat.” Percival suggested, starving since he had been at work for nearly 10 hours and had just barely scraped together breakfast that morning. Credence sat up straight, Newt then stood, and finally Graves did as well, “Alright, up.” Percival commanded as he patted the side of his leg.

Credence followed them into the dining room which housed a very long table, only one end had place settings, two in total.

Credence then went into the kitchen and brought the food out, placing the food on his master’s plates and then putting some on his plate which was then put on the floor between Newt and Percival’s seats. Next, he carefully filled their glasses with wine, Credence wasn’t allowed to drink and so he placed the bottle on the table close to Newt and Percival so that they could share it.

For the most part Credence not being allowed to drink was due to medical reasons and so it had then been a built in rule with his rule of “don’t do anything that will jeopardize your health”. However, he did not mind it when his partner’s drank, in fact, he enjoyed watching them pleasurably indulge in a beer or a glass of whisky or wine.

Percival pointed to Credence’s plate, and the boy knelt in front of it, awaiting instruction and so he was expecting it when Percival gave him the “wait” signal- a hand in the stop position.

He waited to start until Percival and Newt had begun dining, and he ate away following their conversation, remaining quiet as he heard about their trials and tribulations of the day.

Percival’s company had sold a rather large deal earlier that day, and so he was going to get some time off in the following weeks before he was going to have to head to Paris for a very important, international meeting. He was a CEO for a company called Magitech which specialized in important technological software, and the creation of new devices. In the past ten years, Percival had worked up from an administrative position all the way up to a CEO, from working part time in an Italian restaurant to dining with the company’s owner, a rather vile woman named Seraphina Piquery, who Percival despised. Paradoxically, it was thanks to her that Percival was employed and able to keep the apartment for his partners and him. On this particular day, she had met with Percival about some rather large decisions that the company was looking at, and she had remarked on a photo of Newt and Credence that was on his desk. People at work knew that Percival was gay and it was no secret that he was in a permanent, closed relationship with two other men. No one really cared about his personal affairs, or if they did, they didn’t say anything. Percival didn’t mind what people thought about his partners, he loved them and they were important to him and no one’s opinion could change that.

When Percival was in the middle of talking about his day, he took a pause and Credence crawled under the table and then placed his head in between Percival’s thighs and whimpered.

“And so I said-” Percival heard a whimper and he looked between his legs to see Credence looking up at him, “What’s wrong, Cre?” His fingers combed through Credence’s soft hair, “What’s wrong?” He almost cooed.

“Water?” Credence’s lower lip trembled a little to give some added effect.

Newt snickered, watching Percival succumb to Credence’s move; both him and Percy were known to fall for the young man’s obscene lips, especially tempted when they shook like fall leaves.

Percival’s thumb ran over Credence’s lips, “Go back to your spot, and finish your dinner while I get you some water.”

Credence returned to his spot, and Percival got up to go to the kitchen.

Newt had continued to eat and he finished as Credence neared the finish line of his meal.

The youngest man finished his meal just as Percival returned and sat down in his chair and handed Credence a sippy cup of water.

Even though Credence was a fully grown adult, he was a near professional at spilling his drinks when he ate on the floor, and so Percival and Newt had decided that it would be in their floor’s best interest to have Credence drink out of the the toddler training cup whenever he was in submissive mode as he typically sat on the floor.

Credence reached his hands out, “Please, sir. May I have it, sir?”  

Percival nodded and handed him the black cup, and Credence started downing the water quickly. He had specific rules about the amount of water that he was supposed to drink. His masters required eighty ounces per day, spaced out throughout the day so that he remained hydrated.

Newt looked at Credence sternly, “Credence? Did you forget something?”

Credence looked up at Percival from the ground, lip trembling, “Thank you, Mr. Graves.”

Newt’s hand cupped his chin and turned his head gently so that they were making eye contact, “Good boy, now finish your water and we’ll take you to the bedroom.

Credence drank his water at a rapid pace and soon his cup and plate along with his masters’ were abandoned on the table as Credence strolled behind Newt and Percival to the bedroom.

When they arrived, Newt and Percival went inside as Credence stripped the chemise off in order to follow the rule of the bedroom, no clothes unless it’s a short trip or clothes are asked for. He folded the dress very carefully as to not wrinkle it and then carried it with two hands inside the bedroom. He put it on top of the dresser and then proceeded to kneel at the side of the bed.

Percival came up from behind and he pressed his large hands to Credence’s shoulders squeezing ever so gently, “Newt. Why don’t you come over here and we’ll give him something to remember us by for the next week. Do you want that you filthy whore?”

Credence nodded very quickly, “Yes, sir.” His voice was rather high from excitement.

Newt slipped in front of him and sat on the edge of the bed, “Stand up and bend over.”

The youngest man did as he was told and stood up and bent over, but Graves wasn’t satisfied, he gave a smack to Credence’s ass cheek, “Put his cock in your mouth,” he shoved the twenty-four year old’s head down and Credence’s mouth filled with Newt’s cock. Newt shuddered as Graves forced Credence down to the base for a second, before allowing Credence to come up and begin to suck Newt off. As Credence worked on blowing Newt, Graves went to the cabinet and pulled out their huge bottle of lube, he lubed up his cock and then proceeded to spread Credence’s ass cheek and start pushing in very slowly.

Newt pulled lightly on Credence’s nipple barbells as Graves finished pushing himself inside, “You’re very tight today” Graves gripped the boy’s pale hips, fingers pressing so hard that red spots formed, “you know that we like you when you’re tight. You feel like a virgin every fuckin’ time.” He thrust his hips, pounding into Credence hard. Credence let out a muffled whimper as Graves proceeded to fuck him, hand in the boy’s hair so that he was pushing Credence onto Newt’s cock, “That’s right suck your master’s cock.”

Newt pinched Credence’s nipples as he watched Credence’s expressions. His face was flushed and he looked like the perfect little slave with his master’s dick in his mouth, saliva started to seep out of the sides of his mouth as he let out a muffled moan of ecstasy.

Graves pulled out and tugged Credence’s hair so that Newt’s dick popped out of his mouth, “Go stand in the corner,” Newt delivered a light slap to the boy’s cheek, pointed to their empty corner, and Credence hurriedly went to where he was directed.

Graves went to their cabinet and got out a long length of rope, “Tie him up, baby,” He handed Newt the rope, and Newt smiled as Graves brought out a ball gag.

Graves pulled the boy's hair so that he was looking at the ceiling as Newt guided him to kneel. Newt bound his arms behind his body in a elaborate design as Graves’ put his face next to Credence's ear, “Be a good boy and we'll let you cum,” his lips grazed Credence’s ear and then he held the ball gag in front of Credence’s face, “We’re gonna get you all nice and quiet.” Graves cupped his chin and then squeezed Credence’s cheeks in order to open his mouth, “You tap your foot twice and we’ll stop.”

Credence nodded and then Graves went ahead and put the ball gag into Credence’s mouth, fastening it at the back of the boy’s head.

“Stand.” Newt commanded as he gave a pull to Credence’s hair.

He did so and was spun around and pushed against the wall as he noticed that Graves held a hitachi wand. He gasped as Graves begun to work the wands handle into the rope design over Credence’s stomach, Credence was so erect that the tip of his cock was pressing against his stomach and so the tip of the wand was resting on it already. When Graves turned it on he gasped and his right leg shook from the vibrations.

They then left him in the corner, this was Credence’s favorite part, and then Graves and Newt begun making out and stripping each other’s clothes off. Graves began giving Newt oral, sucking the British man’s cock with an incredible speed and intensity.

As Newt felt himself pushed to the edge, Graves pulled himself off Newt’s cock and then they continued stroking themselves as they walked up to Credence and watched him writhe in anticipation, coming nearly simultaneously onto Credence’s chest.

Credence fell into his climax soon after and nearly collapsed on the floor in exhaustion, but Graves had been expecting it so he had caught him before he hit the floor. They turned the wand off and Newt brought it into their bathroom and rested it on the counter and then returned with a glass of very cold water as Graves took the ball gag from Credence’s mouth and then wiped the drool that was covering his mouth, chin, neck, and even his chest off with a soft towel and then cleaned his skin as Newt untied him.

“You were so good today, baby.” Graves said as he held the exhausted boy in his arms. “Such a good boy.”

Credence smiled softly against Percival’s skin, “Thank you, masters.”

“It was our pleasure,” Percival said as he picked the boy up and carried him to the bed.

Once he was in bed, Newt gave him a glass of water and pressed a kiss to Credence’s forehead, “So, good.”

Credence smiled, he loved the praise that he received when he was a good boy.

Newt used a moist towelette to wipe down Credence’s chest as Graves cleaned their toys and put them back in the collection.

Within the next thirteen minutes, they were all in bed, Credence in the middle as usual, spooned by Newt, and with his face pressed to Percival’s chest.

They had said their ‘I love you’s and Credence fell asleep with Newt stroking his hair and Percy’s heart beat soothing him.

“We forgot to ask about the other rules.” Newt remembered suddenly.

Percy yawned, “Newt, we’ll talk to him about it tomorrow. He’s totally asleep. It can wait.”

Newt pressed his lips to Percy’s, “Today was a good day,”

Percy nodded, “It was wonderful.”

First chapter done! I’ve already started a second!

[amphibianmom4-blog]

5 Lessons About Green Snakes You Can Learn From Superheroes

The decapitated head of a dead serpent can still bite, even hours after death. These types of bites typically contain significant amounts of poison.

Snakes had back legs for 70 million years prior to shedding them.

What is thought about the most "harmful" snake relies on both a details nation's health care as well as the schedule of antivenom adhering to a bite. Based on these requirements, the most unsafe serpent in the globe is the saw-scaled viper, which attacks as well as kills more individuals every year than any other serpent.

Snakes survive on all over on Earth except Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, as well as the North as well as South Poles.a

Of the approximately 725 varieties of poisonous snakes worldwide, 250 can eliminate a human with one bite.

Serpents progressed from a four-legged reptilian ancestor-- more than likely a little, tunneling, land-bound reptile-- about 100 million years earlier. Some snakes, such as pythons as well as boas, still have traces of back legs.

Researchers believe humans are predisoposed to be afraid snakesThe worry of serpents (ophiophobia or herpetophobia) is just one of one of the most common phobias worldwide. Roughly 1/3 of all grown-up humans are ophidiophobic, which suggests that people have an inherent, evolutionary concern of snakes.

The top 5 most venomous snakes in the world are the inland taipan, the eastern brown serpent, the coastal taipan, the tiger snake, and the black tiger snake.

The warmer a snake's body, the more quickly it can absorb its prey. Typically, it takes 3-- 5 days for a snake to digest its meal. For large snakes, such as the anaconda, food digestion can take weeks.

Some animals, such as the Mongoose, are unsusceptible to snake poison.

To avoid killers, some serpents can poop whenever they desire. They make themselves so dirty and also stinky that killers will flee.

The heaviest snake in the globe is the anaconda. It weighs over 595 pounds (270 kg) as well as can grow to over 30 feet (9m) long. It has been recognized to consume caimans, capybaras, and also jaguars.

The Brahminy Blind Serpent, or flowerpot serpent, is the only snake species composed of entirely females as well as, because of this, does not require a mate to recreate. It is also the most prevalent terrestrial snake in the globe.

If an individual suddenly developed into a serpent, they would be about 4 times longer than they are currently and also only a few inches thick. While humans have 24 ribs, some snakes can have more than 400.

The most advanced snake species in the world is thought to be the black mamba. It has the most extremely evolved poison distribution system of any snake in the world. It can strike as much as 12 times in a row, however just one bite suffices to kill a Additional hints grown up male.

While the inland taipan is the globe's most poisonous serpent, it is actually rather shy and placid The inland taipan is the globe's most toxic serpent, meaning it has both the most harmful venom and also it injects the most venom when it attacks. Its poison cavities hold enough poison to eliminate up to 80 individuals.

The death adder has the fastest strike of any snake in the world. It can attack, infuse venom, and also go back to striking placement in under 0.15 seconds.

While serpents do not have outside ears or eardrums, their skin, muscles, and bones lug audio resonances to their internal ears.

Some serpents have actually been understood to take off after eating a big dish. A 13-foot python blew up after it attempted to eat a 6-foot alligator.

The word "snake" is from the Proto-Indo-European root * sneg-, implying "to crawl, slipping thing." Words "snake" is from the Proto-Indo-European root * serp-, meaning "to crawl, slip."

Rattlesnake rattles are made from rings of keratin, which is the same product as human hair and also finger nails. A rattler will certainly include a new ring each time it drops its skin.

Some snakes have more than 200 teeth. The teeth aren't made use of for eating however they aim in reverse to stop prey from leaving the snake's throat.

There have to do with 500 genera and also 3,000 different species of serpents. All of them are killers.

Conservationist Paul Rosolie attempted to be the first person to make it through being ingested by an anaconda in 2014. He was using a particularly designed carbon fiber suit furnished with a breathing system, electronic cameras, as well as a communication system, he eventually called off his feat when he felt like the anaconda was damaging his arm as it tightened its hold around his body.

There are five acknowledged varieties of flying snakes. Growing up to 4 feet, some kinds can glide up to 330 feet through the air.

Ranges cover fully of a serpent's body, also its eyes. Scales are thick, hard pieces of skin made from keratin, which coincides product human nails and hair are made from.

One of the most common serpent in North America is the garter (gardener) serpent. This serpent is likewise Massachusetts's state reptile. While formerly thought to be nonvenomous, garter serpents do, as a matter of fact, create a moderate neurotoxic venom that is safe to human beings.

Serpents do not believe water like animals do. Rather, they dunk their snouts undersea and use their throats to pump water into their stomachs.

A snake's fangs generally last about 6-- 10 weeks. When a fang wears out, a brand-new one expands in its location.

A serpent's tongue is a wonder of natureBecause the end of a serpent's tongue is forked, the two suggestions taste different quantities of chemicals. Essentially, a snake "smells in stereo" and can even tell which direction a scent is originating from. It recognizes aromas on its tongue utilizing pits in the roofing of its mouth called the Jacobson's organ.

The amount of food a serpent consumes figures out the number of children it will certainly have. The Arafura documents serpent consumes the least and also lays simply one egg every years.

While smaller snakes, such a tree- or- ground-dwelling serpents, use their tongues to follow the scent trails of victim (such as spiders, birds, as well as various other snakes). Bigger serpents, such as boas, have actually heat-sensing body organs called labial (lip) pits in their snouts.

Snakes normally need to consume only 6-- 30 meals annually to be healthy and balanced.

Serpents like to push roadways and also rocky areas since stones as well as rocks soak up heat from the sun, which heats them. Basking on these surface areas warms up a snake quickly so it can move. If the temperature level gets to listed below 50 ° Fahrenheit, a serpent's body does not function effectively.

The Mozambique spewing cobra can spew poison over 8 feet away. It can spew from any kind of placement, including pushing the ground or elevated up. It prefers to go for its victim's eyes.

Snakes can not eat, so they must swallow their food whole. They are able to extend their mouths extremely vast since they have an extremely versatile reduced jaw. Snakes can consume various other animals that are 75%-- 100% larger than their very own bodies.

To keep from choking on huge victim, a serpent will certainly press the end of its throat, or windpipe, out of its mouth, comparable to the means a snorkel functions.

The Gaboon viper has the longest fangs of any type of serpent, reaching regarding 2 inches (5 centimeters) long.

Anacondas can hold their breath for up to 10 mins under water. In addition, comparable to crocodiles, anacondas have eyes and also nostrils that can jab over the water's surface to enhance their stealth and also hunting expertise.

The lengthiest serpent ever before tape-recorded is the reticulated python. It can get to over 33 feet long, which allows sufficient to ingest a pig, a deer, and even an individual.

Sea snakes with their paddle-shaped tails can dive over 300 feet right into the sea.

If a serpent is intimidated not long after a meal, it will usually spew its food so it can rapidly get away the regarded danger. A snake's digestion system can dissolve everything but a target's hair, plumes, as well as claws.

Serpents sleep with their eyes open. Serpents do not have eyelids; instead, a solitary clear range called a brille secures their eyes. The majority of snakes see effectively, particularly if the object is moving.

The world's lengthiest poisonous serpent is the king cobra from Asia. It can grow up to 18 feet, rear practically as high as a person, grumble loudly, and inject sufficient poison to eliminate an elephant.

The king cobra is believed to be among the most smart of all snakes. Additionally, unlike a lot of serpents, who do neglect their young, king cobras beware parents who safeguard and also shield their eggs from opponents.

Not all snakes have fangs-- only those that eliminate their prey with venom have them. When their fangs are not in use, they fold them back into the roofing of the mouth (except for the coral snake, whose fangs do not fold back).

Some poisonous snakes have died after attacking and poisoning themselves by mistake.

Elephant trunk snakes are practically entirely water. They can not crawl due to the fact that they do not have the wide scales in the stomach that help other snakes proceed land. Instead, elephant trunk snakes have large bumpy ranges to keep slippery fish and also constrict them underwater.

The fastest recognized serpent is the thread serpent. It has to do with 4 inches long and survives on the island of Barbados in the Caribbean. It is claimed to be as "slim as pastas" and it feeds mainly on termites and also larvae.

In 2009, a farm worker in East Africa made it through a legendary 3-hour battle with a 12-foot python after accidentally stepping on the huge snake. It curled around the man and carried him right into a tree. The man covered his t shirt over the serpent's mouth to prevent it from ingesting him, as well as he was finally rescued by police after calling for help on his cell phone.

The venom from a Brazilian pit viper is made use of in a medication to treat hypertension.

Human sufferers might quit taking a breath just 30 minutes after being attacked by a cobraThe word "cobra" indicates "hooded." Some cobras have large places on the back of their hood that resemble eyes to make them appear intimating also from behind.

Some desert snakes, such as the African rock python, rest throughout the most popular parts of the desert summer. This summer season sleep resembles hibernation as well as is called "aestivation.".

The black mamba is the globe's fastest snake and the globe's second-longest poisonous serpent in the globe, after the king cobra. Its poison is extremely poisonous, and without anti-venom, death in human beings typically occurs within 7-- 15 hours.

Although a serpent's development rate slows down as it gets older, a serpent never stops growing.

While a serpent can not hear the music of a serpent charmer, the serpent reacts to the vibrations of the charmer's touching foot or to the movement of the flute.

Most snakes are not dangerous to human beings and also they help stabilize the ecological community by keeping the populace of rats, computer mice, and also birds in control.

The largest snake fossil ever discovered is the Titanoboa. It lived over 60 million years ago and also reached over 50 feet (15 meters) long. It evaluated more than 20 individuals and ate crocodiles and also gigantic tortoises.

Two-headed snakes are rareTwo-headed snakes resemble conjoined twins: an embryo starts to split to create identical twins, but the process does not end up. Such snakes rarely survive in the wild because the two heads have duplicate senses, they contest food, as well as one head might attempt to eat the various other head. [20]

Serpents can be organized into 2 sections: primitive serpents as well as true (normal) serpents. Primitive snakes-- such as blind serpents, worm snakes, and thread serpents-- stand for the earliest kinds of serpents.

The oldest composed record that explains serpents remains in the Brooklyn Papyrus, which is a medical papyrus dating from old Egypt (450 B.C.).

Approximately 70% of snakes lay eggs. Those that lay eggs are called oviparous. The other 30% of serpents stay in cooler climates as well as give birth to live young since it is as well chilly for eggs outside the body to develop and also hatch.

Many serpents have actually a lengthened right lung, several have a smaller left lung, and also a couple of even have a third lung. They do not have a sense of taste, and a lot of their body organs are arranged linearly.

One of the most rare as well as endangered snake is the St. Lucia racer. There are just 18 to 100 of these snakes left.

Serpents kill over 40,000 people a year-- though, with unreported occurrences, the total might be over 100,000. About fifty percent of these deaths remain in India.

In some societies, eating serpents is thought about a delicacy. Serpent soup has actually been a popular Cantonese special for over 2,000 years.

In some Eastern countries, it is thought that consuming the blood of serpents, especially the cobra, will certainly increase sex-related virility. The blood is normally drained pipes from an online snake and then mixed with alcohol.

In the United States, fewer than 1 in 37,500 individuals are bitten by poisonous serpents each year (7,000-- 8,000 attacks per year), and just 1 in 50 million individuals will pass away from snake bite (5-- 6 casualties annually). In the UNITED STATE, a person is 9 times more likely to pass away from being struck by lightening than to pass away from a venomous snakebite.

An individual is nine times more likely to die from being struck by lightning than to pass away of venomous snakebite. Some members of the U.S. Military Special Forces are instructed to eliminate and also consume serpents throughout their survival training, which has actually gained them the label "Snake Eaters.".

One of the terrific accomplishments of the famous Greek hero Perseus was to eliminate Medusa, a women monster whose hair consisted of writhing, poisonous serpents.

The sign of the snake is one of one of the most prevalent and earliest cultural icons in background. Serpents typically represent the duality of good and evil and of life and also death.

Since serpents shed their skin, they are commonly icons of regeneration, improvement, and recovery. For instance, Asclepius, the god of medicine, carries a team surrounded by a snake.

The snake has actually held numerous significances throughout history. For example, The Egyptians watched the snake as representing nobility and deity. In the Jewish rabbinical tradition and in Hinduism, it stands for sex-related passion and also need. And also the Romans analyzed the snake as a sign of everlasting love.

Anacondas mate every other year and even lessAnacondas mate in a big "reproducing sphere." The sphere includes 1 woman and nearly 12 males. They stay in a "breeding round" for as much as a month.

Depending on the varieties, serpents can live from 4 to over 25 years.

Endangered serpents include the San Francisco garter serpent, eastern indigo serpent, the king cobra, as well as Dumeril's boa.

A strange, new "mad snake disease" creates hostage pythons and boas to tie themselves in knots. Other signs and symptoms include "stargazing," which is when serpents gaze upwards for long periods of time. Snake experts believe a rodent virus causes the fatal condition.