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rallis-fatalis · 2 years

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The Price of Freedom - Chapter 2

It has been somewhere between 2 and 3 years since I produced my first chapter of Astrath's story, their first steps into Gielinor. I had hoped one day that story would continue but as life does, things kept popping up to get in the way of writing. So, I am very excited to finally share chapter 2, and even though it isn't as impactful or dramatic as the first chapter, I'm excited for what this means going into the future and to finally get back on this project.

“So if I understand this correctly, I give you these gold discs and you give me some of your food for sale, yes?”

“Uh… Yes, sir, that’s how shopping works…”

“Incredible. Then I would like to give you 40 of these coins for two of those large brightly colored fish. What did you call them again? Bass?”

“Yes, sir… Let me package those for you.”

“This is truly incredible, isn’t it, Rojaw?”

“Raaar!”

Astrath and Rojaw found themselves in a fisherman’s shop against a beach in a town known as Catherby. After fleeing Ardougne and their hiding spot in the goblin infested caverns, the two dragons fled northeast through a forest. Were they not so worried about recapture, they might have stopped to look at the magical shimmering trees, the stony temple with its statues of heroes, the ominous dark castle against the ocean, the buzzing bee hives stacked in nice rows that smelled of honey, but they did not stop for anything. Their minds only processed the need to escape to safety.

They only took a break once they reached a new town, a place by the shore called Catherby. It was a small town that reeked of fish and held shouting merchants exclaiming something or other about pineapples and a place called Karamja. As the pair walked into town, everyone stared and whispered and pointed. It put Astrath on edge. What, had these people never seen a dragon before? But the odd behavior did not deter them, though it did perhaps make them want to leave sooner rather than later.

The two dragons stopped for food and to admire the ocean for the first time in their lives. The wide expanse of blue skies and waters stole Astrath’s breath, and they couldn’t help but watch the waves ebb and flow as they tickled the dragon’s claws.

The fisherman came back with two large bass wrapped in brown parchment and Astrath handed over 40 gold coins. Rojaw whined and licked his lips at the scent of food.

“Thank you, sir,” Astrath bowed. “I have one more request, if that is acceptable. Do you know where I might receive help writing and sending a letter?”

………

Astrath and Rojaw sat back in the sand, watching the waves as they ate their food. Rojaw had charred his bass to a crisp and was currently ripping through it and making a mess on the beach. Astrath practiced using their fire and carefully cooked theirs until it was nice and crispy. They ate their lunch much more politely.

The black dragon smiled as they took a bite. “Sometimes, when the morning is quiet and the city has not yet awoken, you can hear the river north of the manor gurgling quietly. And sometimes, when guests come to visit Lord Krawley’s collection, you can smell the scent of salt on their clothing that lingered as they crossed the sea. Mari had described rivers and oceans and lakes to me before, but never would I have thought it would be this big.”

Rojaw stopped his shredding and chewing to look thoughtfully at the ocean for a moment before going back to his food. Astrath snorted. “I suppose you’re too young to really care. Being stuck in that cage for 33 years… I feel like I have missed so much.” A strong wave rushed up to foam at the black dragon’s feet and they reveled in the feeling of sinking their toes in the wet sand. As the wave receded, a chipped scallop shell was left behind. Astrath picked it up and looked it over. “Such a simple thing, a shell, and yet I have never seen one before. Only the education the Krawleys and Marianne gave me allow me to identify it. But they could not tell me it was smooth to the touch or shone like a dragon horn.” They put the shell down in the sand and let the granules run through their fingers. “They could not tell me of the grittiness of the sand or the saltine flavor of the air. They could not give me this freedom, this life.”

The fire drake at their side chirped in confusion at their new friend’s rambling, but the black dragon did not speak again. Instead they thought of the letter they had sent off. With the help of a townsperson and a few gold pieces, they were able to send and mail a letter to the Ardougne maid and butler hiring agency, and hopefully it would reach the hands of Marianne. They apologized for missing the rendezvous and informed her of their plan, to find help and return to free the rest of the Krawley zoo, and wished her well. They did not specify where they were going, not that they knew in the first place, just in case the letter fell into the wrong hands.

‘I suppose I will need to learn how to read and write if I wish to keep Mari updated,’ Astrath thought as they finished off their lunch. Lord Krawley had given the dragon a surprisingly good education, all things considered, but he failed to teach the dragon reading and writing and never let the beast even touch a book or pen. Perhaps that would be Astrath’s first goal after freeing their companions.

‘And find my parents… Where could those monsters have sent you two? I’ll tear the answer out of Franz’s throat if I have to.’

Finding their parents, saving those still left trapped in the zoo, understanding this new wild world, learning to read and write, keeping their freedom, Astrath has only been outside their confines for mere hours and they were already starting to get overwhelmed. A brisk wind snapped their mind back to the present. The dragon shuddered and looked to the east. A large mountain range rested against the far end of the beach. Snow smothered the massive mountain range, despite the warm weather. Astrath crunched down the rest of their fish with a thought.

“Rojaw, I think we should cross this mountain.”

Rojaw chirped and looked at the mountain. He lowered his head at the sight of the cold.

“It looks hard to traverse and rather large. I think we would be safer on the other side. It would be harder for any of Krawley’s guards or hired hands to find us. They might think we would head on an easier path.”

Rojaw growled uncertainly, but Astrath’s mind was made up. They slung the sack Marianne gave them over their shoulder and dusted and wriggled the sand out of their clothing and armor.

“Prepare for a cold trek, friend.”

……..

The two dragons stood at the foot of the path leading into the mountains. Even this far below, the cold wind was fierce. Rojaw whined. This didn’t seem like a good idea.

“Well, unfortunately I don’t think there’s another way around,” Astrath said. “And if this deters someone as fiery as you, I’m sure it will scare off anyone on our tail too.” The black dragon patted Rojaw’s head and the drake smiled.

At the foot of the mountain, the path branched. To the left lay the treacherous road into the frozen mountains. But to the right seemed to be a road that circled around the peaks safely. The two dragons followed the road only to find it destroyed by a landslide. Rocks and earth from the mountain collapsed the ledge, destroying the road with it, and crumbled into an immovable mass onto the far edge of the Catherby beach. Astrath studied the landslide. It didn’t look climbable.

“Think you could fly over it?” they asked their companion.

Rojaw fluttered his wings but the little drake could not take off.

Astrath sighed. “You can’t fly either? What a shameful pair of dragons.” They gave their wings a sad glance, the silver starry scales in the webbing sparkling. “33 years and I’ve never even so much as seen my own wings. This little pile of stones should be easy for a dragon to fly over. Just a hop and a jump and they’d be on the other side… I suppose learning how to fly will be added to my list of things to learn.”

Rojaw chirped excitedly. He wanted to learn too!

Astrath turned back to follow the road up the mountain. Every step the two took, the colder the air grew. The wind howled and chilled them quickly. Astrath huddled under their clothes and armor, but it did little to keep them warm. They gurgled up a flame to try and keep them warm from inside, which seemed to help at least a bit. Rojaw tried to do the same but couldn’t hold the flame for long and hiccuped sparks as he walked.

A different kind of howl joined in with the wind as they began the first steep snowy incline. Rojaw froze and whined to Astrath. “That sounds like a wolf,” Astrath told him. “They are large four legged mammals with thick fur and a mean bite. Mari told me about them and sometimes you can hear their howling from the Ardougne zoo. Be careful. Where there’s one, there’s many.”

Rojaw whined and huddled closer to Astrath’s leg.

The snow crunched underfoot as they trekked, the fluff getting deeper and deeper the farther they went. The dragons’ feet sank as they walked. The two found themselves growing very tired and cold very quickly. Astrath was starting to wish they’d brought along those god awful boots Lord Krawley made them wear. The dragon couldn’t feel their toes! They knew snow was cold but they never expected it to be this cold, nor this exhausting to walk through.

Rojaw hiccuped more fire and wiggled to warm himself. The wind whipped more strongly. The metal of Astrath’s armor had begun to frost over and freeze their scales underneath. Pins and needles crawled under their skin and their muscles grew tight and their movement slowed. Up ahead, the road led into a cavern. Icicles shimmered from the ceiling so it must have been cold inside, but it had to be warmer than shuffling through the freezing wind in shin high snow. Astrath steered Rojaw toward the cave. Immediately, the rocky walls shielded them from the wind and the snow became solid unburdened ground. The pair breathed a sigh of relief.

Astrath leaned against a wall and slid down. “Let’s rest for a moment.” They strained and spat a ball of fire before them. Rojaw rolled into the flames with a happy huff. They swallowed the rest of their flame and focused on keeping themself warm from inside. “I didn’t expect it to be this cold. It’s never snowed or been this windy and cold at the zoo. I suppose in that aspect, the Krawley’s kept us safe.” The dragon growled at the comment. “I don’t think we’re even at the peak yet. I hope it’s not much farther to the other side.”

Rojaw chirped and jumped into Astrath’s lap. The black dragon huffed and wrapped their arms around the small drake. The little dragon was very warm, like a heavy sun heated rock. “Now that’s not fair. You’re as warm as the sun and I’m freezing my tail and toes off!” Rojaw barked happily and wagged his tail. “You’re always warm? Perhaps it’s a fire drake thing then. I won’t say I’m not jealous.”

The drake laughed and snuggled into the black dragon’s lap. Astrath closed their eyes and sank into the warmth of their companion. For a moment, they felt themselves drifting off, the exhaustion from the hike so far and the comfort of Rojaw making them nod off. A howl, much louder than before, shook both of the dragons awake. Rojaw looked at Astrath worriedly and the dragon patted the drake’s head.

“The wolves are closer. We should keep going.”

The two continued their trek through the mountain. The icy cave was indeed more comfortable than the mountain face, with the protection from the windchill, but the cold still pierced Astrath’s scales. They couldn’t shake the feeling of exhaustion and found their steps getting more sluggish and hard to take. They tried to take their mind off the feeling by looking around the cavern. Icy stalactites shimmered in the darkness like crystal rain frozen in the sky. Powder snow peppered the ground, adding a splash of brightness to the otherwise deep-colored earth. The light of Rojaw’s flaming hiccups reflected off the icy walls, casting the cavern in a beautiful display of colors. Astrath couldn’t stop their jaw from dropping in awe. Was the entire world as beautiful as the ocean with its beaches and the mountain with its crystal snow?

Howling wind echoed up ahead and light pierced the dark cavern. It seemed their trek would have to continue out in the wind and deep snow once more. The dragons braced themselves for the chill. The sky was much darker than before. Astrath looked up to find clouds beginning to cover the sun and rocky points standing tall around them, helping to block out the sunlight. The snow was deeper than before, but thankfully the rocky peaks blocked most of the wind. The path sloped upward nearly to the height of the peaks and leveled out.

“That must be the top of the mountain!” Astrath said excitedly. They trudged faster, eager to reach the halfway point. Rojaw jumped along just as excitedly, and when the two dragons reached the mountain zenith, the view took their breath away.

Snow fell from the dark clouds above like a cascade of icy starlight, blanketing the mountains and the land to the north and east in cold powder. The sunbreak beyond the clouds made the snow below shine and illuminated the wide expanse of green that stretched away from the icy mountain range. Lush trees peppered the rolling fields of grass, as did buildings and rivers. The dragons could make out a town down below to the east. It seemed small and peaceful, and full of nature. Specks that were presumably people milled about or lounged by the river or under the trees, oddly shaped creatures accompanying many. It even smelled wonderful, the scent of sweet grass and flower pollen drifting toward the mountain to settle on the dragons’ noses. The beautiful town and vibrant nature stretched all the way to the horizon, until it disappeared into the darkness of a mountain’s shadow far away to the north.

“The town down there looks far more inviting than Ardougne, doesn’t it?” Astrath asked their companion. Rojaw chirped excitedly and hopped in the snow.

Astrath shuddered in the cold. “Let’s get down there and out of this chill.”

Rojaw nodded in agreement.

The little fire drake bounced ahead, looking around for a way down. He leapt into a large pile of snow with a flop, completely disappearing into the snow. Astrath hid a smile as a red dragon head popped out of the fluff, head topped with snow like whipped cream.

Astrath came over and dusted the snow off. They looked over the snow pile and saw the path continued ahead, though it was certainly going to be hard to trek through. The black dragon hefted Rojaw out of the snow and placed him on their shoulders.

“You’ll get buried otherwise,” Astrath said. “Don’t fall off.”

Rojaw huffed with determination and clutched Astrath’s shoulder pauldrons tightly.

The trek down felt easier with the path heading at a steady decline instead of incline, but it was apparent nothing had been down this path in a very long time. The shuffling through piles of snow was exhausting. Astrath huffed and puffed as they carried the fire drake along. Each step through the cold blurred their vision and made their limbs ache. Pins and needles crawled under their scales like invisible bugs biting at their skin. Their eyelids grew heavier and harder to keep open.

Eventually, the heavy snow blockade thinned until the path was its normal self again. The path branched in two now, one that continued down the mountain and one that led into a cavern. The low gurgle of a river could be heard inside.

Astrath nearly dropped Rojaw with exhaustion as they removed the fire drake from their shoulders. “I need to rest,” they muttered and headed into the cave. Rojaw whimpered sympathetically and followed behind.

The moment the black dragon was out of the cold and against the cavern wall, they slid to the ground with an unceremonious huff. Their double layer of Marianne’s clothing and stolen House Krawley armor and cloth did little to stave off the chill that ran deep. Rojaw sniffed their companion and spat as close to a fire as they could manage at the black dragon. The warm flicker felt like the incredible heat of the sun amidst this severe cold, but it did little to help.

The black dragon patted Rojaw’s head comfortingly. “I’m just tired, don’t worry. Maybe the last day and a half are finally catching up to me. A little rest and I’ll be good to go. We’re almost there.”

The fire drake whimpered and hopped into Astrath’s lap. They curled up like a cat and settled in. Astrath sighed in relief through their nose. The little dragon felt like a heated blanket.

‘No fair you get to be this warm while I freeze,’ they thought, too tired to say it aloud.

For an eternity, or perhaps just a handful of moments, the pair of dragons rested in the cave. The wind picked up a bit outside and began to howl. As the howling got louder, Astrath, with eyes shut, thought to themself how good timing it was that they hunkered down in this cave before the wind picked up too much. On and off, the howling wind picked up in volume until it sounded like an orchestra of banshees. But as soon as it came, it vanished again, and the dragon drifted into sleep. But once again, the wind picked up its song just as they were about to doze. This time it growled like an angry dragon, ready to strike…

But wind doesn’t growl.

Astrath’s eyes shot open, and before them was a pack of wolves, huge and terrifying and furious. Six or seven massive white-furred beasts snarled at the dragons, teeth gnashing and claws ready to strike. They had unfortunately chosen to rest in what was now apparent as a wolf den.

Astrath gripped the snoozing fire drake tightly, eliciting a whine from the small dragon.

“Stay quiet,” Astrath whispered harshly. “And look.”

Rojaw carefully opened his eyes and glanced across the way. He held back a shriek of fear. These wolves could eat the fire drake in a single bite they were so large. Astrath slowly reached for the twin swords strapped to their back. The lead wolf took a step forward and snarled. Astrath froze.

“Maybe a little fire then?” they whispered, giving Rojaw a glance. The fire drake understood and began to build up as much fire as he could. Astrath breathed in. These wolves didn’t know who they were messing with.

In a flash, Astrath sprang from the floor, aches and chill forgotten. Rojaw flared up beside them. In unison, the dragons leaned back and let loose an inferno! …Or rather, a decent enough fire and a paltry excuse of sparks. Rojaw lit the floor before the wolves ablaze, startling the pack a moment. Astrath however coughed up only dragonsmoke and hacked and wheezed in pain.

‘Where’s my fire?!’ their mind screamed.

Rojaw screamed in fear as two of the wolves leapt through the already dwindling blaze and attacked Astrath. The dragon could not even yell as the wolves grabbed their limbs and began to bite and tear. Rojaw screeched and summoned forth another blaze of fire while Astrath raked their claws across one wolf’s side. The wounded hound howled in pain and let go, but just as quickly was replaced by another wolf that braved the embers of the initial blaze. Rojaw let loose his fire, scaring the wolves enough to give Astrath a moment to grab their weapons.

The black dragon kicked away the attacking beasts and unsheathed their twin blades, crystal glittering in the sunlit ice. They swiped at the wolves in a show of intimidation, but found their own moves to be slow and clunky, nothing like their years of methodical practice as a guard of House Krawley. The lithe blades felt as heavy as thick warhammers and Astrath struggled to hold them aloft, let alone swing them.

‘Why am I so weak?! What is happening?!’

They hardly heard Rojaw shriek as two wolves pounced on the black dragon. Astrath managed to swipe at one, landing a sickening blow to the wolf’s abdomen. It fell and did not rise again. But the other beast latched onto the dragon’s arm and dragged them down to the ground. Another wolf pounced and attempted to latch its fangs in the back of Astrath’s neck. Rojaw spat a dollop of fire at the beast, singeing its fur. Rojaw panted hard. He had never had to use so much fire at once before and he was feeling drained.

The wolf still locked onto Astrath’s arm shook its head, shredding through the double layer of clothing and digging into the scales beneath. Astrath bashed the wolf’s skull with the hilt of one sword, but the beast did not let go. Instead it dragged the dragon toward the nearby river they had heard gurgling before. They tossed the dragon into the frigid waters and more wolves ran over to stand over the flailing beast. Astrath coughed and sputtered as the icy river sank its claws into their muscles and froze them solid. The dragon tensed involuntarily and froze, literally and figuratively, until they could no longer move. They gasped as they felt their body begin to shut down, and all too suddenly, their swords fell away with the current of the river, and their body slumped in the icy waters, and their eyes fell shut to blackness. The last thing they heard was Rojaw screaming and a splash…

___________________________________________________________________________

It was so cold… Everything was so cold… And everything hurt… So much… Why was everything so dark and cold and painful? What was happening? …Were they dead? Was death nothing but cold harsh blackness? If it was, perhaps they should have tried a little harder to kill Franz that day. He deserved it.

Franz… The Krawleys… It was what, two days of freedom before their demise? What a sad life, to live 33 years as a prisoner only to perish on the second day of freedom. And to what? Wolves, was it? That couldn’t be the way they died. Not like that, not yet. They hadn’t even found their parents, or learned to fly, or seen the world beyond their cage, or freed the others like themself, or–.

Warmth began to spread and chase away the cold. The darkness began to lighten, just a bit. For a moment, all these horrible thoughts ceased and nothing remained but the feeling of heat. Maybe, just maybe, forgetting everything for a while and settling into that warmth would be a good idea…

…

A moment passed, or perhaps a day or a week or even an entire year, some unknown amount of time in the pit of dark nothingness where all was cold and shadowed and miserable. That horrid realm was choking and all-encapsulating and the end of things; and then, all at once, it was gone like a bad dream. Instead of the cold, a softness and warmth surrounded them like a nest of feathers. The darkness skittered away to reveal a soft glowing light, dimmed against eyes lidded with the end of sleep. Where there was once nothing there was now the soft sound of peaceful snoring, the songs of birds, the sway of trees and leaves in the breeze, gentle footsteps pattering against a hard floor. What was this? What was going on?

A weighted warmth shifted, bringing back to the land of the living one very beaten and exhausted dragon.

Astrath opened their eyes, expecting the frigid cave and pack of wolves and iced river flow they had fallen to. But instead now they found themself gazing up at a wooden ceiling. The icy mountain was replaced by a hut of warm browns and vibrant greens. Astrath blinked slowly, trying to clear the sleep from their eyes. What happened? This wasn’t the icy cave.

The warmth shifted once more and Astrath finally gave notice to Rojaw sleeping soundly on their blanketed legs. Their friend had some bandages wrapped about him but otherwise seemed fine. The black dragon brought a heavy tired hand to their face and noticed it too was bandaged. Their arm hurt to move.

Astrath let their arm slide back under the warm covers and sighed through their nose. So they had been rescued, it seemed. Who on Gielinor would be brave, or foolish, enough to rescue two draconic beasts from a pack of wolves deep in an icy mountain? They would surely want something in return, and Astrath had little. Perhaps it would be good to leave sooner than later.

Just as they thought this, a door on the opposite end of the room gently swung open. Astrath closed their eyes so as to look asleep, but subtly cracked open one eye to spy on the visitor.

A man walked through the door, shuffling quietly in light robes of white and pale green-blue. He looked perhaps 40, dark brown hair turning gray in some spots. His beard was colored much the same way, reminding Astrath of the skunk that once snuck into the Krawley’s zoo one dusk. He moved about the room quietly, courteous and respectful of his sleeping guests.

Astrath watched carefully. They knew all too well to be wary of humans and they were in a rather vulnerable position weak, hurt, and bedridden. The black dragon watched as the man sifted through a drawer for bandage wrappings. Astrath closed their eye as the man shuffled over to the dragons in bed. The dragon almost growled as the man placed the back of his hand against Astrath’s forehead with a thoughtful hum. He gave an approving huff and moved toward the foot of the bed. Astrath could feel their companion awaken and shift at their feet. Rojaw yawned and chirped loudly.

“You seem energetic. Good, good. Now if only your friend would awaken too.”

Rojaw chirped and Astrath was shocked to hear the little fire drake purr. If Rojaw trusted him…

“His friend is awake.”

Astrath could hear they startled the man as his feet hopped in shock. Rojaw squealed in delight and leapt onto the dragon’s chest and began to nuzzle their face.

The black dragon nuzzled back, opening their eyes for real this time. They were met with a bright orange dragon face and shimmering blue eyes and a human standing by with a subdued smile.

Astrath gently herded the fire drake off them, over to their side, and eyed the man before them. He didn’t look particularly strong, and he seemed to walk with a small limp, hence the shuffling. The dragon may have been weak and tired but if needed they could easily fight and run from such a weak human.

“Wonderful,” the man said in quiet excitement. “And equally wonderful you can speak! That will make things easier.” He gave a little bow. “My name is Silenthe. I was the one that saved you from an untimely end. Imagine my surprise finding a pair of dragons floating down the White Ice River on a casual foraging trip! I’ve been looking after you for about three days now, and I must say I was starting to grow worried over your fate. Seeing you awake is truly a blessing.”

Astrath was in shock over the news. “It’s been three days? How…?”

“Your friend here woke up much faster than yourself.” Rojaw perked up in response. “He was warm and awake by the first day. But you… you remained quite frigid. I was beginning to worry the blankets and hot water weren’t helping. The cold is rather dangerous, you know, especially for something such as yourself.”

“The only danger we encountered were those wolves,” Astrath growled. Rojaw nodded in agreement. “Were it not for them we wouldn’t be in this predicament. Though, I do thank you for the help. It was kind.”

“Ah, the white wolves,” Silenthe said in understanding. “They have indeed been the source of many deaths in the village. A recent sadness has been the loss of our newest summoning apprentice. Truly tragic. But for you two, given what you are, the cold itself would prove to be far more deadly, and prove it did!”

“The cold?” Astrath snorted. “It wasn’t the snowfall or wind that did this to me!” They motioned to the dirtied bandages on their bitten arm. “It was the mountain beasts!”

Rojaw squawked loudly and flicked his head toward his bandaged wing.

Silenthe hummed to himself thoughtfully. “How curious. You seem to know little about yourself.” Astrath opened their mouth to refute the insult, but the man continued to speak. “Tell me, during your hike into the mountains, did you perhaps feel sluggish, your mind perhaps not as sharp? I imagine a pack of hounds would be a mere inconvenience to a pair of fearsome dragons. So how indeed did they fell you?”

Astrath snorted angrily. “As you say, it was cold. I could not fight as well in that cold. Even my fire–!” The black dragon growled remembering their failure.

“Your fire went out, didn’t it?” Silenthe guessed. Astrath looked at the man in shock. “I know quite a bit about your kind. We do live next to denning dragons after all. When a dragon grows too cold, their body begins to shut down. They enter a state of hibernation, beginning with their muscles and mind slowing and stiffening. Then their fire burns out. And finally, they sleep and unfortunately, they usually do not awaken again. You are very lucky to have survived that day.”

The black dragon shook their head. “You’re telling me that a little snow, a little chill on the winter breeze, could kill us?! I don’t believe that for a moment!”

“Your friend here, perhaps not. He seems to have a fiery spirit about him.” Rojaw chirped and pranced in a circle. “You, however, are not so endowed. A breeze, as you put it, won’t kill you, no. But another trip into the mountains like that without proper protection and you will most certainly not make it out alive.”

Astrath growled low. They didn’t want to believe this nonsense, but they couldn’t deny this man’s words. In the cold, Astrath did indeed feel slower, stupider, weaker. It was as if the cold sapped their fire, their life, from their body. It was awful, and they hoped to never feel such a thing again. They gave Rojaw a careful glance. At least the little fire drake seemed safe and sound. Even the bandaged wolf wounds seemed to have healed well enough already, the little dragon prancing around as if he didn’t feel a thing.

The black dragon sighed through their nose and sank into the bedcovers. “What a sad joke that a human knows more about dragons than an actual dragon. I thank you anyway for the information and help you have given. I shall have to take care if I ever head into the snow again. Now then, I suppose we should get going.”

Rojaw chirped excitedly and wiggled his tail. Before Astrath could slide out of the bed, the man stopped them.

“Whoa there! You two can’t leave yet! I assume by your lack of supplies and the appearance of your gear you are an adventurer. You most certainly can not continue your adventure with wounds like yours. Please, rest, gather your strength. You owe me nothing and have no need to rush away.”

Silenthe picked up Rojaw and placed him in a bundle by Astrath’s side. The fire drake whined but cuddled next to their friend in a ball of warmth. The man unfurled a roll of bandages he removed from a drawer earlier and cut away a long length.

“If you would hold out your arm so I can change the bandages please, dragon.”

Astrath eyed the man but huffed and agreed. It felt weird accepting help from a stranger, especially for no gain on their part. But if he was willing to help, the dragon supposed they could play along. Though they wouldn’t admit it, as Silenthe unwrapped the old gauze and cleaned the wolf wounds and bound them in cloth again, it did feel strange but nice to be taken care of. Gods know the Krawleys never did, not in this kind way.

As Silenthe finished, Astrath delicately tucked themselves under the blankets. “...Thank you. If I could pay you for your kindness, you will find gold pieces in the small pouch of mine you have laid on your table.”

“Nonsense,” Silenthe waved off. “We in Taverley come to the aid of any in need and expect nothing in return. Now I shall make supper and leave you to rest, dragon.”

“Astrath,” they corrected. “And this little one is Rojaw.”

“Astrath and Rojaw… How wonderful to officially meet you. I will be downstairs. Please holler if you need anything.” And with a sweep of his robes, Silenthe was gone, leaving the pair of dragons alone in their silence.

The black dragon absentmindedly stroked Rojaw like one would a pet cat as they lost themselves in their thoughts. Rojaw purred and nuzzled into Astrath’s hand.

After a moment, Astrath spoke. “I wonder if they’re all like that…” they mumbled. Rojaw chirped in confusion, startling Astrath back to reality. “Oh, I didn’t mean to speak aloud. I was just thinking… Thinking if most all humans are like Mari or Silenthe or the residents of Catherby, more kind than cruel, just people being people, instead of Lord Krawley and his ilk. Are these beings inherently good or bad? What do you think, Rojaw?”

The fire drake in question was not inclined to think about so deep a question, and instead nibbled at the tip of his tail with a grumble. Astrath snorted and roughly yet playfully rubbed the little dragon’s head.

“Oh, nevermind, you. You’re too young to care anyway.” The black dragon could feel their eyelids growing heavy once more, some of the chill of the mountains remaining under their scales. “Will you keep watch while I rest, my valiant guard-drake?”

Rojaw jumped up and flared out his wings, wisps of fire floating from his nostrils. Be it wolves, men, or the gods themselves, this drake would protect his friend from all! Astrath smiled and curled into a more familiar position and fell fast asleep. Their little guard-drake couldn’t help but follow suit soon after.

_________________________________________________________________

By early the next day, Astrath and Rojaw felt strong enough to leave the bed and explore their new surroundings. The hut they were housed in was very natural, carved of wood and covered with living plantlife. A potted plant escaped through an open window downstairs and climbed up the wall, reaching for the roof. The pot was more a formality at this point as the roots escaped through the cracks and found purchase in the floor in some places.

Downstairs was as homely as the floor above, with only a small kitchen and dining area. That was where the dragons ate with their host, a wonderful smelling chicken noodle soup and fresh bread rolls. It felt so odd to be dining and talking with a human like an equal. Silenthe told the dragons details about their rescue, including having to jump into the cold river to snag their swords and supplies. Astrath noted the set of robes hung up in the sun by the window to dry alongside their pack full of belongings on a table drying similarly. Silenthe could feel the awkwardness and embarrassment radiating off the black dragon and assured them the rescue really was no trouble. Astrath didn’t understand how a human could be so selfless and it felt weird to the dragon, but a good kind of weird. They had to know if others were like this too.

After their chat and food with Silenthe, Astrath and Rojaw had a look about the town, Taverley the town of Guthixian druids, and were in awe over how completely different from Ardougne it was. The place lived in harmony with nature, plantlife as abundant, if not more so, than man-made structures. Animals of all shapes and sizes roamed freely, from bright orange-red birds fluttering through the trees, to dogs of every breed begging for pets, to even geckos and monkeys and squirrels and more skittering around every corner to get into mischief.

Rojaw squealed in delight as a monkey hung down from a tree and tugged the fire drake’s tail to signal play. The dragon hopped off and scrambled up the tree to play a game of tag. Astrath laughed to themself and continued their walk through the town.

‘Beasts live freely here, not bound by collars or chains or cages,’ they thought. ‘They live in harmony with humans and nature. Is this the norm of the world? Was my prison just an outlier?’

A shimmering white and cornflower blue wolf crashed through a bush, a fat rabbit in maw. Astrath growled and reached for a sword that was not there, blades left behind in Silenthe’s room. Momentarily after, a young robed man with a necklace of wolf teeth crashed through the same bush, chasing after the hound.

“Come, my wolf, heel! Heel! Please listen to me!”

The wolf stopped, turned to the young man, and smiled, tongue lolling.

“Good girl. Now can I have the rabbit please?”

The wolf brought the dead rabbit close to the ground, but as the man came close to grab it, the wolf raised her head and pulled the rabbit away. The man whined and the wolf put her head down and rump up in the air as if to play and ran off once more.

The young man groaned. “Ugh, man… I summoned a really wild one today.” He stomped after the hound, muttering about ‘familiars’ and ‘summoning.’

“What on Gielinor was that about?” Astrath mumbled.

“Summoning practice, my friend.”

Astrath turned toward the voice. An older man in bright green robes with a stark white beard and head of hair was kneeling by a sapling plotted in the ground. He had a heavy green cape hung over his shoulders. He did not rise, instead remaining focused on the plant.

“It’s a skill native to this village, the ability to summon spirits of nature from another world to aid us. It’s a rather difficult skill to learn, and many apprentices practice with wolves. They are the easiest familiar to begin with due to our proximity to the White Wolf Mountains. Honestly, at your appearance I first thought you might have been someone’s summoned dragon. But you look a bit too corporeal for that.”

The dragon thought on this. “How interesting. I’ve never heard of such a skill before. Can you summon great beasts of battle as well?”

“Of course,” the gardening man said. “But that is not practiced here. We use familiars for peaceful means and only the masters are strong enough to summon and command a warrior’s spirit. If you’re interested, you should meet Pikkupstix in the hut by the gate to the east. He is our summoning master.”

“Perhaps I will. Thank you, sir.”

The man nodded and Astrath continued their walk.

The town was truly a picturesque place. The smells of greens, the gurgling of the river nearby, the rummaging of creatures in the leaves of trees, the friendliness of the townfolk even despite Astrath’s outward appearance. Why couldn’t they have been born here, in this town with its friendly humans and wild animals roaming free?

A giddy monkey howled as Rojaw ungracefully flopped out of a tree. Branches shoved themselves under the bandages on his wingarms and leaves floated down the land around him like a fairy ring. Astrath smiled and helped the little drake up with their one good arm.

“Come, friend, we should return to Silenthe’s to thank him once more. He has brought us to a truly miraculous paradise.”

Rojaw agreed with the sentiment. This town was magical, and he really felt like he belonged in this verdant village.

Astrath hefted the drake under one arm and sauntered back to their host’s hut with a smile and a feeling as warm as a flame burning in their chest. Perhaps they would start a new life here, learn how the world works and how to be the best version of themselves they could be in this new wide world. They could learn how to read and write and fly and so many things! They could understand perhaps the peace of humankind in this town, as opposed to their matching cruelty the dragon had grown to know and expect. They could begin to think of a plan for finding their parents!

And perhaps… They might visit the master summoner and learn how to unleash devastating hell upon the Krawley Manor and give the city of Ardougne a day that would go down in history as one they would never forget…

#rs3 #runescape #my writes #oc tag

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shculley · 9 months

Text

Top 100 Albums of 2022

100. Guerrilla Toss - Famously Alive

99. Romero - Turn It On!

98. Battle Ave. - I Saw the Egg

97. Silverbacks - Archive Material

96. Gang of Youths - Angel In Realtime

95. Jana Horn - Optimism

94. Sunflower Bean - Headful of Sugar

93. Spiral Stairs - Medley Attack

92. Disq - Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet

91. Widowspeak - The Jacket

90. Anxious - Little Green House

89. Holy Fawn - Dimensional Bleed

88. Ty Segall - Hello, Hi

87. Kevin Morby - This Is a Photograph

86. The Dead Tongues - Dust

85. Phoenix - Alpha Zulu

84. Preoccupations - Arrangements

83. Perfume Genius - Ugly Season

82. Wild Pink - ILYSM

81. Nick Hakim - COMETA

80. Toro y Moi - Mahal

79. Peel Dream Magazine - Pad

78. Titus Andronicus - The Will To Live

77. Built To Spill - When the Wind Forgets Your Name

76. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava

75. Martin Courtney - Magic Sign

74. Caracara - New Preoccupations

73. Duster - Together

72. Tony Molina - In the Fade

71. Jack White - Fear of the Dawn

70. String Machine - Hallelujah Hell Yeah

69. Horsegirl - Versions of Modern Performance

68. Cloakroom - Dissolution Wave

67. Band of Horses - Things Are Great

66. Drowse - Wane Into It

65. Sam Prekop, John McEntire - Sons Of

64. Daniel Bachman - Almanac Behind

63. Death Cab for Cutie - Asphalt Meadows

62. Cass McCombs - Heartmind

61. Young Jesus - Shepherd Head

60. Wilco - Cruel Country

59. Cola - Deep In View

58. Mount Kimbie - MK3.5 Die Cuts / City Planning

57. black midi - Hellfire

56. Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork

55. Florist - Florist

54. S.C.A.B. - S.C.A.B.

53. Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

52. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Changes

51. Show Me the Body - Trouble the Water

50. Daphni - Cherry

49. of Montreal - Freewave Lucifer f<ck f^ck f>ck

48. Pinegrove - 11:11

47. Dehd - Blue Skies

46. Spoon - Lucifer on the Sofa

45. Daniel Rossen - You Belong There

44. Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B

43. Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To the Sky

42. Tomberlin - I Don’t Know Who Needs To Hear This...

41. Babehoven - Light Moving Time

40. Joyce Manner - 40 oz. to Fresno

39. Arcade Fire - We

38. Yard Act - The Overload

37. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Endless Rooms

36. Papercuts - Past Life Regression

35. Bonny Light Horseman - Rolling Golden Holy

34. Thee Oh Sees - A Foul Form

33. The Range - Mercury

32. Gold Panda - The Work

31. Hot Chip - Freakout/Release

30. High Vis - Blending

29. Nilufer Yanya - Painless

28. Aldous Harding - Warm Chris

27. Bloc Party - Alpha Games

26. SPICE - Viv

25. Destroyer - Labyrinthitis

24. Kurt Vile - (watch my moves)

23. Spiritualized - Everything Was Beautiful

22. Animal Collective - Time Skiffs

21. Crime of Passing - Crime of Passing

20. Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia

19. Drugdealer - Hiding in Plain Sight

18. Belle and Sebastian - A Bit of Previous

17. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Omnium Gatherum

16. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cool It Down

15. caroline - caroline

14. MJ Lenderman - Boat Songs

13. Beach House - Once Twice Melody

12. The Smile - A Light for Attracting Attention

11. Arctic Monkeys - The Car

10. Alvvays - Blue Rev

9. Cate Le Bon - Pompeii

8. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You

7. Friendship - Love the Stranger

6. Wet Leg - Wet Leg

5. Panda Bear, Sonic Boom - Reset

4. Real Lies - Lad Ash

3. Alex G - God Save the Animals

2. Knifeplay - Animal Drowning

1. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There

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news4usonline · 1 year

Text

Clippers continue dominance over Lakers

LOS ANGELES (News4usonline) - Los Angeles may be a Lakers town, but the Clippers don’t give a twit. The Los Angeles Clippers have that chip on their shoulders because they’ve now beaten the Los Angeles Lakers 11 straight times. That is not something that you sweep under the rug. The Clippers, quite simply, have the Lakers' number. The Clippers’ 125-118 win against the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena was just the latest beatdown Tyronn Lue’s ballclub has handed the purple and gold. With Paul George missing the game while nursing himself back to health. Lue got solid contributions from just about everyone he had on the floor against the Lakers.

Team depth showed itself to be a valuable tool for the Clippers to use now and in the postseason. Led by Norman Powell’s 27 points, the Clippers had six players score in double-figures. The bench of the Clippers outscored their peers, 55-25. “We definitely can be good,” Lue said after the game in postgame comments. “We gotta clean up some things and just defensively just too lax. We score, I think we scored four times, and they came back and scored, we didn’t get matched up. Gave up four threes, things like that can’t happen. Some misassignments versus switches, we didn't switch the right way. We didn’t call out the switch, so we gave up a lot of points on our mistakes. And so, if we clean those up, like you said, we can be a real dangerous team going into the playoffs." MY OH MY KAWHI pic.twitter.com/uRK6LXSUhq— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 6, 2023 LeBron James or not, the Lakers just can’t shake or get over the top of the Clippers. James scored a team-high 33 points for the Lakers, with 30 coming after halftime. It wasn’t enough. The three points that James scored in the first half were reflective of the team playing back-to-back road games. The night before the Lakers prevailed against Utah in overtime. “It was tough,” said James. “One of the tougher games we had this year. Just coming off a road trip, and even though this is a road game, getting back late last night after an overtime game. It was a tough game for us obviously starting the first half. Playing Lakers basketball, we had some good spurts. It was one of those schedule conflicts. Definitely got the best of us tonight.” Both the Clippers and Lakers had a lot riding on their April 5 game. The two Southland teams and vying Western Conference Pacific Division rivals played this game trying to establish a good spot heading into the NBA playoffs. Coming into the game, the Clippers had beaten the Lakers 10 straight times. As much as this is clearly a Lakers town due to the high volume of headliners, Hall of Famers and stars the team has had as well as the number of championships won (17), the Clippers have been a thorn for them. The two teams entered this matchup locked in a near dead heat with each as both sported identical 41-38 records. The Clippers walked into the contest as the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers came in right behind them as the No. 7 seed. The win put the Clippers at No. 5.

If the season were to end today, the Clippers would be matched up against the No. 4 Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers, holding at No. 7, would lock horns with the Sacramento Kings (No.3), a team no one wants to see in the first round. The Clippers came out right out of the game in the first quarter, dropping buckets left and right, racing to a 15-3 lead on their way to a 37-point scoring period. The Lakers made a nice run to get back into the game, even briefly taking the lead at one point. That would be about all of the highlights the Lakers had in the first half as Kawhi Leonard and his 17 points saw to it that the Clippers maintained their double-digit lead going into halftime. The Clippers went into intermission with a 71-52 lead. Kawhi Leonard, who scored 25 points, talked afterward about the early jump the Clippers got on the Lakers. “We came out with energy early,” Leonard said. “We were able to secure a win being up you know 15, 20 points early. That’s always big in the NBA. If you’re up early, it’s always a comeback in this day of age with the three-point shot. So, I seen that we kept our foot on the pedal and we were able to secure a win and keep our lead throughout the whole game.” Read the full article

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funneyheehooman · 3 years

Text

Shapeshifter c!dream and end-born c!dream my beloved <33

/rp

Imagine this lil blob being brought into the world and the first thing he shapeshifts into is these tall black creatures that live in the same plane as him. But instead when he tries to shapeshift somethings are wrong, instead of his fur being black it's a pure white. As well instead of purple eyes his are a bright green.

His horns are a bit too long and he's much shorter than the others (dont tell him that tho, he gets a bit pissy).

That's until he's allowed to visit the overworld and he travels much (maybe with his fellow immortal brother foolish-) he tries to transform into different animals and species but none of them are perfect replicas. Theres always something off either it be the colors, maybe one appendage too much, but he tries his best.

That's until one day- he meets a stranded pirate captain. Not only does she take him and his brother in, but she teaches them how to live and how to survive.

And for the first time, he's able to shapeshift into something almost perfect from the source.

It was shock for Puffy to find instead of a white enderman, was instead a little sheep hybrid such as herself one morning. With hair a perfect brown seemingly a mix of her dark brown and white wool. As well two tiny bumps that barely resembled her own horns.

But seeing a smile so excited directed towards her, she couldn't help but feel pride for her little duckling..

In the prison however, the only two he would see was Sam and Quackity...

Sam wouldnt say anything when he noticed how Dreams white hair turned more green and mossy..

Or how tufts of yellow feathers started showing up on his shoulders and back after Quackitys visits...

Or how the cracks in his face only showed how little the shapeshifter was holding it together.

The one thing he wouldn't lose were the horns.. but Quackity made quick with those his first couple of visits.

It wasn't until Techno showed up that made things a little more bearable. Maybe it starts with his hair becoming a light shade of pink, or how his misshapen feet start to resemble hooves once again, and the cracks start to chip less..

It was something at least.

#wrow #wasnt planning to go with the angst train but here i am #shapeshifter c!dream my absolute beloved<3 #there's just so many possibilities when it comes to it #and hell it works with the other dreams as well #dreams as a species ftw lol #dreamwastaken #dreamsmp #c!dream #c!dream positive #c!puffy #captain puffy #techno #technoblade #c!quackity #c!sam

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lostonehero · 4 years

Text

Wally is certain q-Victor at this point is going crazy, or he is uncomfortable where they are working. Its been a month of trying to find the source of the ash smell behind the church, and even with all the soil samples deep ditches, and even several rainstorms the smell persists.

"Are you sure you're ok, you keep looking behind you like something is going to get you." Wally sighs filling the hole back up. "Not everyone is out to get you even with what conspiracies you believe in."

Wally coukd barely hear the response since Victor seemed more standoffish, and small out of his hero persona. Granted the man was taller then him, he just looked like he was lost sometimes. He was also jumpy, not in the way a paranoid person was, but more like a survivor of abuse was.

"I'm not fond of churches." Victor says in a quiet voice.

Wally pauses not wanting to tempt fate asking why, but the curiosity ate away at his hesitation. "Why? Did your family make you go every Sunday?"

Victor turned around and approached Wally, and suddenly Wally felt really small and scared.

"I didn't have a family. My mom was a victim of rape and she was forced to give me up and sent away." Victor pauses seemingly unsure of what to say next. "The church I grew up in wasn't the best." He swallows and his face is a mix of sadness and fear.

Wally was taken aback, he didn't expect for Victor to tell him something that personal. He really was getting more nervous feeling like he shouldn't know this. He opens his mouth trying to think of the right words and he can't. He can only ask a question. "Want to get some food?"

.........

Victors thoughts were racing a mile a minute. Why did he tell Wally that? Why did he even feel comfortable enough to talk about himself? They were coworkers, not friends. He didn't have friends, just a aunt and a uncle who found him by accident. Why did he tell him, and why did he agree to a meal after the fact, they both stunk of ash with no idea why, and this isn't the first time Wally has asked him to eat after a day of searching. Well first he chalked it up to Wally having a very fast metabolism due to his speed, but it wasn't just food sometimes he asked to see a movie, or even watch him song in hub city.

Wally was planning something for him, and he didn't know why he was following along. It could be a trap for all he knew. Vic sighed and took another bite from his burger.

"So Vic do you have any new theories why the ash smell persist?" Wally asks breaking the silence Vic was using to stew in his own thoughts.

He looks up swallowing and just sighs. "It doesn't make any sense we have looked at every angle. Even doused the entire place with water. We know that the smell stops in a 33 feet diameter around the church, yet the church...." he stops as a uncomfortable feeling drenched him. "The church isn't even corrupt as far as I researched, they even chip in for taxes which they are exempt from."

Wally gives Victor a look. "You looked into the church?"

"I don't trust the church as a institution, nor as a separate entity." Victor growls trying to get his thoughts in order before he spoke again. "I told you I have had bad experiences with them."

Wally pauses and takes a French fry from Victor's plate and slowly munches on it. "So we are back to square one?"

Vic nods and pushes his plate away leaving his burger half finished. He didn't feel comfortable with a mystery that didn't lead anywhere even with a lot of effort. It didn't sit right with him. He looked up and watched Wally eat his food that he left. This had become common place after a long day together, he didn't know if he like that this was becoming a habit.

..........

Wally was on watchtower duty and he swore he could feel eyes on him at all times. He couldn't understand how Vic handles the rumor mill that spins just about him. Now Wally is the talk of the tower, the flash and question working together for over a month now. Everyone is treating this like a scandal.

"Wally how many times do I need to tell you to keep your elbows off the control table." A stern voice alerts Wally to the possibility that the heavy sighing wasn't his own.

"Oh Bats hey I wasn't slacking off." He gives a hearty fake laugh

Batman for all his dark persona sounded more like a disappointed dad dealing with unruly children. "Wally why have you been working with the Question? I understand the smell of ash in that area is concerning but there is no source and you shouldn't have gotten him involved."

Wally shrinks back feeling like a kid getting a lecture on why smoking is bad for you. He takes a deep breath then gives a heavy sigh. "Just because you have no information on him like you do on everyone else in the league doesn't mean he is dangerous besides I actually know his name and face." As soon as that came out of his mouth he wanted to stuff the words back in.

"You saw his face?"

"What no, you misheard Bats." Wally failed trying to lie getting the attetion of the boy scout in the room.

"You mean excuse my rudeness, that crackpot theorist. You actually saw his face Wally?" Superman came closer to the pair inserting himself into the conversation.

Wally wished he was anywhere but here at this moment. "You know what I forgot something or other.... uh bye." And he ran for his life to the cafeteria spotting Vic sitting with the three heros he seem to have befriended.

.......

"Que so is it true you've been hanging out with the flash?" Huntress smiles under her mask enjoying the new gossip around the watchtower.

Victor looked up, but nobody could tell in his mask. "Helena we are working on a case of a ask smell that lingers even after rain. I highly doubt the rumors are as scandalous as you seem to think."

Black canary didn't seem to buy this answer from what Victor could see. His eyes then trailed to Green arrow who looked like he was trying not to seem interested but he was failing at that. Vic gave a heavy sigh.

"Oh so there is more?" Helena smirks. "Spill the tea Que, I didn't know you swung for the other team."

If they could see his face they woukd see confusion. "This isn't a sports game Helena, we are coworkers."

Now all three of them were giving him a look. He didn't bring up the concept of sports into the conversation. Why were they acting like he was the crazy one?

"Que that isn't what she meant." Dinah gave a odd look. "She meant that you are into men."

"I don't understand why my homksexuality is a part of the conversation now." Vic sighs rubbing his temples. "When I asked for help on this issue I didn't think you guys would make it a conversation on my sexuality."

Victor just sighed and got up. "I appreciate the confirmation that you also smell the ash in that area, but besides that you guys aren't helping." He frowns under his mask. "I thought I was clear that I enjoyed men when I rejected your offer for a date Helena."

"I honestly just thought I wasn't your type, I guess I wasn't completely off." Helena sighs sliding a 20$ to Oliver.

Dinah mirrored the action, and Oliver just smiles. "See i can bet proper Question. By the way are we still on for sports this weekend?"

"You mean a loud argument over the game that consist of nothing but physical combat masked poorly as a popular staple of American culture to make the black market rich with gambling, then yes." Vic nods and leaves but smacks into Wally.

"Shoot sorry V-Question yeah Question I'mlateandreallyneedtogo." He speeds off leaving Victor's notes on the ground where they fell.

The three heroes behind Victor shared a look of shock when he turned to face them. It only took the beginning of another name to the Question for there faces to light up in recognition.

"YOU GAVE HIM YOUR NAME." The three shouted causing the cafeteria to erupt in loud conversation.

Victor had many things to regret now, more so half his notes are covered in a spilled soda making them useless, and he needed to find a new lead, and maybe take a break from staying in the watchtower.

........

Its been a week since that incident, Victor was in his own apartment trying to salvage his notes. He was exhausted more so then normal. Maybe it was because he hasn't been sleeping, or maybe its because his own skin feels tight from suppressing his demonic side, and not letting his other parts out. He stands up and just walks to his bed and faceplants into his bed.

He hear his window open, and he didn't really care for who came through it. "Still punishing yourself, or did you forget to release your other form again."

"Micheal get out of my apartment." Victor really did not need a visit from his uncle.

Micheal takes a feather and stabs it into Victor's back causing black horns sprout and curl like ram horns on Victor's skull along with black spines down his spine to a long black tail with a purple flame on the end, which wasn't anything to the large boney black wings that erupted from his back knocking over his lamp, and theory board creating a mess in the surprisingly spotless apartment.

"Feeling better tired eyes?" Micheal says taking out a flask. "So I actually followed up with the thing you asked me to do, and what I can tell you is." He takes a large swig of his flask. "Is that you are fucking lucky you haven't been caught."

That actually got Victor to sit up curling his wings around him like a cloak. "Caught? Micheal what are you talking about?"

"Well if you ask me there's been many angels on high alert in that area, something uh something about the realms being thin or some shit." Micheal shrugs.

Victor sighs and cringes at the smell of alcohol coming off the angel. "Why should I believe you? You're nothing but a drunkard who dwells on the past."

Micheal raises his brow and gets a crude smile on his face. "Oh my you met someone there."

"He's just a coworker from the watchtower nothing special." Victor lays back down

And the smile leaves Micheal's face. "Right well uh since I'm here want to play some chess?"

Victor glances back at the drunk, and just sighs. Micheal was a ruined man when they met, Gabriel was a much better conversationalist, and wasn't so crude. They were the closest he ever got to a family he guessed, but it still hurt that they still hid things from him like he was some sort of child who hasn't gone through ages of abuse and had to grow up fast. They only found him by accident on the street.

"Kid i can see the gears moving in your head." Micheal forces him to sit up and summons a chess board and pieces and a table to set it down on. "If I win you eat and shower, you win I'll leave."

Victor frowns, it was always the same bet with him, and he always let Micheal win. Maybe he did have a soft spot for the drunk even if he reeks. Besides he gave him some good information regarding this case. He needed to be more careful, and maybe use Wally in his place that could work better for both to solve the mystery. Thats a great idea he should inform Wally at once. When did he start calling Wally, Wally, and not the flash or coworker in his mind.

"Checkmate." Michael's voice threw Victor back into reality. "What kind of food you want kid?"

"What? Oh uh something healthy i guess." Victor hums getting lost in his thoughts again.

Micheal gave a look to the younger man full of concern and maybe a bit if hope.

.......

Micheal might be a drunk, and desperately wants to be fallen, but he still cared for his nephew. He watched Victor invest himself in a text conversation with someone he had gotten trust enough to give his name, face, and even number to. Maybe he was finally able to move foward and trust.

"So who the lucky man you're after." Micheal smiled seeing Vic sputter and hiss his wings spreading out in protest embarrassment.

"He is a coworker we've been looking at that area you keep telling me is off limits, so Wally investigates and I take the the research." Vic huffs and looks away.

Micheal knew he was only one of the few who was close enough to Victor to get him to feel safe enough to get riled up. However this new man in the picture has got Victor to keep a stupid smile on his face. He knows its been about a week since his last visit, but Victor looks healthier, well he looks like he has been eating better. Without the benefit of his inhuman nature he would be skin and bone.

Micheal sighs to himself taking another drink, his thoughts drifting to the boys mother his sister. He still hasn't even told him who his mother is, does this make him bad? Probably. But when Victor told them both that he was forced to watch the tapes of his mom being violated and giving birth, that alone made his blood boil. So they look after Victor, they may of found him a bit too late but hey better then nothing.

"What no witty retort? You seem off today Micheal, you've been staring at your flask more then drinking it." Victor frowns taking the empty plates and cleaning them.

Micheal sighs. "This place looks too clean Victor, its like you don't even live here." He looks back towards Victor who has a frown on his face.

"Are you actually worried that I'm looking into the ash place?"

Micheal wasn't expecting that question, nor the quiet meek tone Victor used when asking. "Well yeah everybody up in the clouds is freaking out about it. I just don't want to see you in the crossfire. A human like your so called coworker wouldn't matter to them. You being well mostly demon however would." Micheal grimaced his flask is empty. He could just refill it but he didn't have the energy today.

Micheal watched Victor pause drying off the dishes. "Should I thank you for caring?"

Micheal shakes his head "nah I'm just trying to be your guardian angel" he gives a crude smile making Victor give a small one in return.

Thats all he needed before he headed to another bar for the night. "Goodnight kid"

Victor just waved him goodbye and shut the window closed behind him.

#victor sage #vic sage #the question #question #the flash #wally west #dcau #dc comic #dc #superman #batman #green arrow #black canary #huntress #long post

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kerra-and-company · 3 years

Note

How about 33 for the Drabble prompts :3c

It's been forever, it feels like, but I finally had time to write things, so here you go and thanks so much for the ask @mystery-salad! :3 This is my first time writing from Casca's POV, but I think it turned out all right!

Warnings: mention of injuries/blood, imprisonment, being very pissed off

33. "I'd like to see you try."

The chains were heavy, and they dug into her wrists. Honestly, it surprised Casca that they’d bothered to chain her.

I wonder if Weylon told them to watch out for me. She grinned a grin full of blood and chipped teeth, remembering a particularly well-placed kick she’d managed to give him. I hope it hurt.

She’d been knocked out for a while, so she had no idea where exactly she was. What she did know was that it was uncomfortably warm and that she was in a very small bubble of stone and fire, chained to the floor. Two charr, one with a mace and one with a nasty-looking hammer, stood guard.

She spat once to clear her mouth, staining the sandy dirt reddish brown. “Hey, cinder brains! Where’s my ‘bandmate?”

All she got in return was a low snarl and a “Shut your mouth” from Hammer.

Casca smirked. Wrong answer, buddy. She might not have her staff, but that never stopped her from causing trouble before.

She flicked her wrists, summoning two small illusions—mini-Cascas that she’d perfected as a cub and could summon easy as breathing. They raced unaffected through the fire and stood in front of each guard. One illusion stuck out its tiny tongue.

“I asked you a question, assholes!” she shouted as her illusions dodged the guards’ strikes, occasionally poking at them with small swords. They weren’t powerful enough to truly harm the guards, but they could irritate the hell out of them. “Got an answer yet?”

Mace growled. “Just you wait, Ash trash. When Scorchfur gets his hands on you—”

“Whoever that is, he sure as shit isn’t going to kill me, or I’d be dead already,” Casca said. “And I can handle pain.” She leaned back, affecting nonchalance as she watched the spectacle of pink sparks and frustrated charr. “You, on the other hand, can’t even handle a chained-up female. Whatever would Gaheron think?”

Twin growls now, closer to roars as they abandoned the mini-Cascas entirely to focus on her. But they didn’t approach, remaining outside the flames and hefting their weapons high. The illusions vanished with a flash of light as Casca released them.

“Aw, what’s the matter?” she teased, a smirk on her face. “Can’t get in? Not shamans, huh? Too bad for you.”

“They might not be shamans,” a deep voice rumbled from the dark hallway past the guards, “but I am.”

“Shaman Scorchfur!” The guards whipped around and saluted in unison.

Scorchfur was imposing, but not overly so, at least not to Casca, who only looked at him long enough to see the flames dripping from his hands. She was much more focused on the figure at Scorchfur’s side—Weylon. She felt her gaze harden.

“Hmm.” The shaman looked her over. “Unimpressive.”

“Good thing I wasn’t trying to impress you,” Casca replied.

Scorchfur just snorted, but Weylon stalked up to the flame-bars of her prison. “Be polite.”

“Or what, traitor?”

Weylon bared his teeth. “Or you won’t enjoy your stay here.”

Casca laughed. It was not a nice sound. “My stay. Sure.” She leaned towards him, singeing her whiskers and pulling the chains taut. “Here’s what’s going to happen. I am going to get free, and when I do, I am going to break off your other horn and shove it down your throat.”

A genuine chuckle left Weylon’s mouth, and Casca really wanted to punch him. “I’d like to see you try.”

She did her best to put all the venom coiled in her gut into her voice. “No. You really, really wouldn’t.”

He shrugged and stepped back. The shaman studied her again.

“She,” he said to Weylon, “will indeed be an excellent example. Well done.”

Weylon snapped into a salute. “Yes, sir!”

“Example of what?” Casca snapped, but she got no response. Instead, the two turned around and began heading out of the cavern.

“HEY! At least answer one damn question: where’s my ‘bandmate? What did you do with Brook?”

They continued walking.

“STORMBLADE!” Casca roared, tugging at the chains. “Answer me, NOW!”

They disappeared around a corner, and Casca was left behind, seething. Mace and Hammer resumed their positions, putting their backs to her once more.

I will find them, she vowed silently. I will. And I will make you regret this.

#casca shadowstorm #weylon stormblade #gw2 #my fics #foxholemonster #mystery-salad #featuring part of the reason that the surviving members of the storm warband do Not care for weylon #he was most definitely a full-on asshole at this point in the timeline

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too-old-4-toys · 4 years

Photo

Some of you guys may not know, but my interest in American Girl dolls (Kit & Ruthie in particular) has caused me to discover other interesting hobbies and make new friends. One such interest is in records, specifically 78rpm records. Above are shots of my His Masters Voice (HMV) 101 gramophone from around 1928-1930. It’s an acoustic wind up portable player meaning it doesn’t use electricity at all! Instead you wind the machine each time you want to play a record! 78rpm records play at 78 revolutions per minute, you might have seen a vinyl record before but these aren’t the same! Vinyl records almost always play at 33 1/3 rpm or 45 rpm.

Here you can see their size compared! Also, 78rpm records aren’t made of vinyl but instead of a material called “shellac”. Shellac is much thicker and heavier than vinyl and it’s almost like holding stone! Vinyl is bendy but can shatter, shellac is hard but can chip. You should never play shellac on a vinyl player and you should never play vinyl on a shellac player, you will ruin them!

Kit can’t wait for Christmas and is listening to one of my Christmas records with Ruthie! Kit would have listened to 78 records in the 1930s as 33 1/3 rpm (or sometimes known as LPs, or Long Play records) weren’t made until much later (about the 1940s/50s). 78s only hold one song per side. This record player was much more popular in places like England and Australia but that doesn’t mean they didn’t exist in America too. These players are loud and there is no headphone jack or sound nob! Oh no! The only official way to make it quieter is by using “soft tone” needles vs “loud tone” needles. The needles look like nails but are made of much softer metal. However, an unofficial way of making a player quieter is by “putting a sock in it”! Have you ever heard that phrase before? Well this is where it came from. See that hole right there on the left of the player? That’s the “horn”, on ones that weren’t portable before they were actual golden horns but on this one it’s just a open “box”. If you stick a rolled up sock or other material in it, it will “dampen” the sound. When I play my records I almost always have to do this. Kit really should do the same but she’s a rebel! I have so many records in my new growing collection, many from the 1920s and 30s. I think they’re super neat and if you do too, say so. Reply or message me anytime. In the meanwhile, Kit, Ruthie and I will wind up the machine and put on another record.

#american girl #american girl doll #kit kittredge #Ruthie Smithens #records #shellac #78rpm #78 records #78rpm records #phonograph #gramaphone

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ravenbloodau · 4 years

Text

In the Case of Love

If one could say how the flew..How their feet acted like their wings and their outstretched arms waved to the song that filled the arena.

If feathers had been braided into their hair, and beads wrapped around their waist, one would be inclined to think that they were a Goddess of Flight.

But alas, that was not the case, nay, they were dancing effortlessly in nothing more than a loose pair of pants and a tank top.

The golden rays of dying daylight seemed to make their blonde hair glow like the fires they had been raised amongst, and the light reflected like storms in their grey-blue gaze.

"C'mon Sekt'Fa!" They called to the pale blue alien, "You've got to try this!"

Sekt'Fa stepped into the circle of dancing humans, and was whisked away by the one who had called out.

They only ever went by the name of Riverstone, or just River for short. Sekt'Fa never understood why, they seemed to be just fine as "Riley," but he did his best to accommodate his new ally.

They danced gracefully, as Sekt'Fa managed to stumble awkwardly through the steps, being pulled this way and that by the human.

Until they pulled him down to face them directly. He felt his face flush a rich violet as the temptation crossed his mind.

Riverstone paused as the music around the two swelled. Sekt'Fa knelt down, and pulled them in, not thinking as they hugged the human tight.

He was terrified, blushing like a human woman would at a genuine compliment from her peers.

"River...I..." River's arms wrapped around him before he could finish.

"I love you too, Sekt'Fa," Their voice was like a silken flower petal, drifting across the music as it slowly calmed to this quiet melody.

People were hushing one another as thousands of memories flooded Sekt'Fa's mind.

Each time River had joked with him, taught him about human culture, told him why things happened on earth the way they did.

Each time River had helped him, had asked him for help, had provided information, had given him a chance at a new experience, had helped him relive an old one.

River's feeling didn't come out of nowhere, Sekt'Fa knew that, but part of him still couldn't see why a human of all beings would love him.

"River, is...This is love?" Sekt'Fa wasn't sure, the fluttering feeling in their gut was startling them. This was anxiety for humans?

Emotions seemed to flood from every corner as the music seemed to swell again as River let go of Sekt'Fa.

They stepped back as he did. He was shaking, staring, still blushing, his horns glowing with a bright, pure white light.

"It feels different for everyone, but yes," River told him plainly, "There's no need to be scared of it."

"Feels.. strange," Sekt'Fa could barely speak in the moment, simply watching the human as they stepped toward him again, holding out their hand.

"You've been taught you conceal your feelings, maybe it's time you acted on them," River offered, "Even if for just an evening."

Sekt'Fa smiled, his limbs reaching out to River, brushing a stray strand of hair out of their face.

"Let us dance, Riverstone," Sekt'Fa beamed as River's smile widened.

And in an instant, Sekt'Fa found his movements to flow like the wind amongst the tress, like a river running freely.

He had lost his inhibition, and felt fully what the music stirred. More often than not, that paralleled with River's movements, and the duet moved in syncrisoty.

Spinning, twirling, lifting River to the stars, laughing, smiling.

Overwhelmed by the freedom of feeling, but being enlightened, feeling joyous because of it.

Never had Sekt'Fa felt like this before, never had it seemed so pure, so perfect to feel like the humans.

Holding River up during the finalé, his impulses got the best of him and ..

He kissed them.

*He kissed them.*

And they....*Reciprocated.*

The crowd cheered, and in parting Sekt'Fa's eyes went wide. River was blushing, but smiling, and started laughing.

He started laughing with them, hugging them close and spinning with them in his arms.

It felt like nothing could bring him down.

That was six months ago...

Now the feathers had fallen, and Sekt'Fa was watching the footage in a court of law organized by the High Council.

"How do you plea?" The Judge asked and Sekt'Fa looked over at the beaten and bloodied Riverstone. They looked defeated, tried, and deeply saddened.

"Not guilty," Sekt'Fa told the Judge as a surge of confidence echoed in his voice.

Those witnessing the trial started murmuring, as the Jury looked to one another.

"Why?" The evidence was impartial, it did not care as to how the couple felt, nor how other people felt. The video was the truth to the courts, untouched by the faults of mortals.

"Because, Your Honor, is it illegal to fall in love?" Sekt'Fa began his defense, "It is illegal to fall for a soul similar to your own, to give heed to the emotions that drive a moment, a passion, a link to another person, no matter their species?"

The Judge leaned in, listening contently now, "Go on, where are you taking this argument, Sekt'Fa?"

"Your Honor, my point is why suppress what is brought out by other species? By other beings unlike ourselves? Why forbid something as pure as love, understanding and compassion? If fear is the enemy, then hope is our ally, and hope often comes from love," Sekt'Fa turned the teachings of the High Council on them, looking to the Jury, "If you felt how I felt in that moment, you would have done the same, you would have seen the same. The world opened up to me in that moment, I felt powerful, safe, and hopeful. I understood humanity and what it meant in those precious moments. If you wish to kill me for gaining that perspective, that beautiful knowledge and wonderful freedom, fine. I would happily die knowing what I know rather than living a century never having experienced it at all."

The whole court started chattering, astonished by such a bold statement. Riverstone looked up, shocked by the statement as well.

"Sekt'Fa..Sekt'Fa please," Riverstone's voice dropped out of their throat as tears welled in their eyes.

"Are you saying that you'd rather die than follow protocol?" The Judge jeered at Sekt'Fa, "Disgusting."

"In this instance, yes."

"NO! NO HE'S NOT IT'S MY FAULT! I...I tempted him into it, I called him out into the dance and asked him to let go, you-you saw it!" River called to the Judge, "It's my fault, he shouldn't have to stand trial just to protect me."

The Jury started murmuring amongst themselves as the crowd went silent. The Judge watched as Riverstone started crying, repeating how it was their fault, *and their fault alone* that Sekt'Fa lost control, that he felt compelled to disobey.

Sekt'Fa watched in horror as they sealed their fate while releasing his to go on for years longer.

"River?" He asked nearing tears himself, "Riverstone, you know you're lying."

"Riley-" River winced, "You seem compelled to protect your fellow defendant from punishment, why?" One of the Jury members asked and River sighed.

The Judge watched, listening as Sekt'Fa started looking wildly around for a way out. His heart was pounding, he couldn't focus. Whatever came out of River's mouth next would either get them killed, banished, or set free.

And he couldn't bank on 66% to 33% odds.

"I love him, I really do. And when you love something, you set it free, when you love someone you'd do anything to see them safe, happy, protected, you'd do anything, even risk your own life to ensure theirs continues. I love Sekt'Fa so I will do anything for him, even if it means I should die," Riverstone's quiet admission got the audience awwing softly, couples moved closer together, nodding in agreement.

The Judge blinked, tears misting in their own eyes as they looked over the two.

"You both make excellent points, we will have a brief recess for the Jury to decide on the verdict," The Judge dismissed the Court, "We will return in three hours."

Three long hours passed, nerves chipping away at both Sekt'Fa and Riverstone.

When the Court returned, Sekt'Fa and Riverstone were sat next to one another.

A Jury member stood up, holding a piece of paper.

The Judge rose alongside them. That was *never* a good sign.

"This court was summoned to re-evaluate the consequences and legality of interspecies relationship laws that the High Council had put into place," The Judge had changed what the court was summoned for, "The Jury had decided the verdict for this Court, if you would, ma'am."

"Thank you, your Honor. We, the Jury, find both defendants," She paused and cracked the warmest smile she could, "Not Guilty, and to be cleared of all charges."

The cuffs came off and again this feeling..These feelings of freedom, of joy overwhelmed Sekt'Fa.

River looked to him and instantaneously they hugged one another, rocking and elated to be free.

"Now, with this verdict, we find the laws against interspecies relationships to be unjust and cruel. This case will serve as an example in favor of future relations between species," The Judge closed out the Court, "Sekt'Fa, Riley Riverstone, have you anything to add to the record?"

River stood up, and loudly declared, "Love as boldly as you proclaim justice, and fight as passionately as you protect!"

Sekt'Fa beamed as River sat back down.

"Sekt'Fa?"

Sekt'Fa stood up, beaming, and spoke his mind as bravely as he could.

"The wings of fate smile upon us all today, as feathers of memories may fall, so to shall we know that hope can only grow within our universe," Sekt'Fa proclaimed.

The courtroom cleared out with those statements, and as Sekt'Fa and Riverstone left, a swell of music seemed to grow in the room around them.

#writing #aliens #writers on tumblr #sci fi story #sci fi #space fiction #science fiction #court case #deadnaming #love #a fight for love #dancing #kissing #cursing #tears #shouting

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dark-infatuation · 4 years

Note

...you know exactly what we came here to ask. - X, Gem & Mun

Yes dear, I am well aware~

1. What’s one animal you wish you could have as a pet but can’t?

Once upon a time, I would’ve said a dragon~ Now, I suppose any sort of big cat. A melanistic lion would be quite magnificent, don’t you think?

2. Favorite thing to wear to sleep?

Usually, it ends up being flannel pajama pants, with or without a shirt, doesn’t matter. But, I do have a set of silk pajamas that feel rather nice

3. What song really gets you going?

That’s a good question. I’m not very up to date with modern music. But the song ‘Endgame’ from the musical Chess is very good.

4. Where do you usually eat your meals?

Preferably, at the kitchen table. Though I do admit I have a habit of sitting on the kitchen island to eat

5. Favorite meal: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Breakfast

6. Most embarrassing habit?

Uh, yes, well, I have been disconnected from society for quite some time, and I’m afraid my slang isn’t very up to date. I try not use slang as a general rule, but there are occasions where I can slip and say something that truly shows my age

7. Chocolate or fruity candy?

Chocolate, no question

8. Soft or hard tacos?

Soft

9. Worst way to break up a fight?

Participating in said fight, solves nothing

10. Best thing to say in an elevator of strangers?

Shift a pair of demon horns onto my head and boom “Going down?”

11. What color/design are your bedsheets?

Plain black, though the comforter has a nice black and white patterning I’m not sure how to describe. Swirls mixed with paisley?

12. Any hidden talents?

I don’t think it’s hidden anymore, but I can play the piano quite well

13. Favorite thing to drink out of (mug, glass, etc.)?

Mug

14. Socks or bare feet around the house?

Bare feet

15. Favorite board game?

Monopoly

16. Do you sleep with the fan on or off?

Off, I’m cold enough as is

17. Heat on or keep it cold with lots of layers?

Depends on my mood, but usually ends up being both with how big the manor is

18. Do you sing in the shower?

Yes

19. Favorite song to belt out at the top of your lungs when you’re alone?

......‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’

20. Last thing you cried about?

.....Everything, really. Everything that happened that night.

21. At what age did you first have alcohol?

When we were 7, but it was also a very different time back then.

22. Relationship status?

I’d say I’m taken, wouldn’t you, Xanthias~?

23. What’s the most amount of money you’ve spent on a single item of clothing?

Oh I can end up spending quite a lot on my suits. I think my most expensive one was...somewhere in the $30,000 range?

24. What do you typically wear to formal events?

Suits

25. Favorite memory?

............I’d rather not say. Time has made the moment bitter, but...it had been quite beautiful while it lasted

26. Gum or breath mints?

Mints

27. Favorite shoes?

I don’t have a favorite. I have very few pairs, and all of them are the same.

28. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

The list, my dear, is longer than I’d ever care to admit

29. What is the natural state of your hair?

Usually in my eyes, which is quite annoying

30. Have you ever had braces?

31. Most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?

Go to that stupid party

32. Most embarrassing thing your parents have caught you doing?

Our parents were never around to catch us doing anything

33. Last time you had an orgasm?

This morning, isn’t that right, Xanthias~

34. Celebrity crush(es)?

None, I’m not sure who the modern celebrities are

35. Windows or Mac?

......Pardon?

36. How old were you when you learned to ride a bike?

...I’ll be honest, neither of us ever learned

37. Makeup or natural?

I’ll always prefer a little makeup, no matter the body

38. What color do you wear the most?

Black

39. Favorite season?

Spring

40. Umbrella or rain coat?

Umbrella

41. Have you ever fallen out of a tree?

Yes, quite a few times as a child

42. First car you ever owned?

A Ford Model T

43. What time do you usually go to bed?

That relative

44. Are you a competitive person?

Yes

45. Least favorite color?

I’m not sure I dislike any color, though perhaps yellow

46. First pet you’ve ever owned?

Does Samuel count?

47. Sweet or salty?

Sweet

48. Favorite pasta dish?

Chicken and broccoli alfredo

49. Favorite kind of chips?

Are Pringles still around? I like those

50. Talk about something you’re passionate about.

I -- suppose I’m rather fond of music. I used to hoard records, still do, actually. And I used to write my own songs, for the piano. Never wrote any of them down, however. I didn’t like them to feel so concrete. I liked to experiment with my music

51. What are some of your hobbies?

I...I’m afraid I haven’t allowed any to flourish.

52. Caffeine? If so, what kind?

Coffee or tea

53. Favorite kind of pizza?

I don’t believe I’ve ever had it...?

54. Fast food or sit-down restaurant?

A sit-down restaurant

55. Lots of acquaintances or a handful of close friends?

Close friends

56. Something that ruins your appetite?

In terms of food? Or mannerisms? For food, any type of squash I dislike, and in terms of mannerisms, open-mouthed chewing tends to repulse me

57. Favorite labels about you?

‘Mysterious’, ‘terrifying’, ‘attractive’. I’m aware that’s not the intention of the question, but those are still labels

58. Are you a religious person?

59. Night out with a bunch of friends in public or night in with one friend having deep conversations?

Deep conversations with a friend

60. What size shoe do you wear?

How is this relevant...?

61. Favorite thing about yourself?

I...suppose my charm. It can be quite useful

62. Have you ever told someone you loved them first?

Yes

63. Have you ever had sex on the first date?

Yes

64. Heroes or villains?

Villains

65. Favorite fruit?

Pomegranate

66. Least favorite fruit?

Plum

67. Favorite vegetable?

Broccoli

68. Least favorite vegetable?

...Is squash a vegetable?

69. How many plates can you eat at a buffet?

Usually just one or two, plus a dessert

70. Favorite dessert?

......Admittedly, I will eat virtually anything with chocolate, though those dark chocolates filled with raspberry creme are divine

71. Do you play any sports?

Not at all

72. Age you learned how to swim?

I can’t remember my exact age, but we were children

73. Tell a funny story.

You’ve never seen Damien pine, when we were kids, he had a crush on a boy. His face would get so red whenever he could so much as see this boy, and he’d get that dreamy look on his face, and not watch where he was going, so one tiiiIIIIIIII -- THAT’S ENOUGH

74. What’s one interesting thing about your culture?

My culture? I don’t -- I’m not sure -- I don’t know all that’s happened in the world, I don’t know how culture has possibly changed over the years, I can’t confidently say what would be ‘interesting’ about modern culture

75. What’s one annoying thing about your culture?

......One thing I have a feeling hasn’t changed is that we claim to be inclusive, yet racism and homophobia and hate crimes prevail

76. What job would you be terrible at?

Anything that required a bedside manner

77. Would you rather watch a TV show or a movie?

A movie

78. What’s your favorite compliment to give?

My dear, I am not a pick-up line generator with a sole goal to get into someone’s pants. My compliments, when I give them, are sincere, and vary from person to person

79. What’s your favorite compliment to receive?

I can admit I can be rather vain. Anything complimenting my looks I enjoy

80. Has your opinion changed on something recently?

Technology. It really has come a long way, hasn’t it?

81. Do you always order the same thing at a restaurant or order something different each time?

I tend to be a creature of habit

82. What’s something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet?

Hmm...I’ve always wanted to try and learn to draw. A friend of mine used to be quite good at it, and I’ve always been a little jealous of his seemingly innate skill

83. If you could learn to do anything right now, what would it be?

Switch between male and female bodies myself

84. Favorite physical feature about yourself?

My scar. As painful as it was, it’s quite beautiful, don’t you think?

85. Least favorite physical feature about yourself?

My dear, as a whole I despise this body. It’s not my own, it’s broken, but...it’s all I have

86. What’s one amazing thing you did that nobody was around to see?

I summoned the...thing, that’s in this body with us. Of course, only Damien was around to see it, and it...ended unpleasantly, but it was quite the feat.

87. If you could change your height, would you?

For my female body? Yes, I’d like to make myself a little taller in that form, but I’m quite content with the male body’s height

88. What’s something you would rate 10/10?

Music, any kind

89. Heels or flats?

Heels

90. What’s something you wish you had more knowledge about?

There’s a lot of things I wish I had more knowledge about, the list goes on

91. Would you want to be famous?

I used to be, in a sense. The public eye is quite taxing. Nowadays, I prefer the shadows

92. What’s something you would get arrested for?

Murder

93. What’s your spirit animal?

I’d like to think it’d be a lion

94. What’s the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to you?

You, Xanthias

95. Are you the type to have an organized mess, or no mess at all?

There’s a fine line between ‘organized’ and ‘organized chaos’. It depends which of us is doing the organizing

96. Do you tend to make decisions based on the past, present, or future?

I try to take all into account

97. Are you a planner or a more spontaneous person?

I’d like to say I’m a planner, but history tends to disagree

98. Thoughts on the oxford comma?

A needed grammatical tool

99. What do you hope never changes?

Having other people with me. After experiencing company for the first time in...60 years, I don’t think I could go back to isolation

100. How would you celebrate your 100th birthday?

I’m afraid that’s already come and passed. I can’t even remember my birthday, so undoubtedly it was uneventful, and spent alone.

#wraithik-vampire #Dark

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