#i have a couple more i think are nice like fjord/caleb but these are the ones i like ACTIVELY ship

[arcticwaters]

self indulgent, always wanted to draw all my ships but glad i waited until c3 established itself more

bonus:

[archersxartxblog]

Home for the Holidays part 2

Part One Part three

okay here's part two for you.

Fjord and Caleb get to see their mother again...this time in the flesh

--

Zisu smiled as she felt the wind on her face as she stood at the front of the ferry. It had been so long since she felt the wind against her skin, glass just wasn't the same.

But what she was really excited for was just on the horizon.

A school on the ocean. Who would have ever thought such a thing? 

It was crazy. Really. 

Fjord liked to call the place Rapture whenever he brought it up in conversation, because most of the school was underwater.

And all of it just off the coast of Castelia City. 

Still too far for her liking, but closer than some of the other regions her boys travelled too.

The sound of footsteps approaching caught her attention, and she glanced over to see Ingo joining her at the bow. “We should be making port within the hour.” he called, his voice easily able to cut through the wind, a hand on his hat to keep the wind from taking it.

“Good!” She smiled, reaching out and taking his hand, pulling him close. “I don't think I could wait any longer than that.”

Technically, the plan had been to wait at the port for the boys to come across on the ferry. but Zisu just couldn't wait and managed to convince Ingo to let them cross over on the ferry so they spend more time with them.

“you didn't message them to tell them we're coming, did you?” She asked, hugging him tight. 

“No” Ingo shook his head, leaning against her. “I was not sure how to explain the current situation to them. So as far as they know, we are waiting for them back at Castelia City port.”

“Good, I want to surprise them.” Zisu hummed, resting her chin on top of his hat, watching as the Blueberry Academy slowly got closer and closer.

“I am sure they will be quite surprised, as was I this morning. And let us not forget you nearly gave poor Emmet a heart attack.”

“And he was fine in the end. He can be a bit overly dramatic.” Zisu tried not to laugh as he remembered her encounter with the young twin that morning. Poor Emmet, he had honestly thought that someone had broken into their house while he was in the bathroom, and it had taken both herself and Ingo to calm him down and keep him from sending Eelektross at her… like that Eel could do much to her, she knew all his dirty little secrets after all. “But let's just hope they’re not that surprised.”

—

As the ferry docked at the school, the couple were quick to make their way to the Blueberry academy’s courtyard, where the walls were higher and there was more protection from the wind blowing off the cold ocean.

Whoever thought a school in the Ocean off the coast of Unova was a great idea, obviously didn’t take winter in consideration. Even the EX-Pearl Clan Warden seemed to be bothered by the bitter wind coming off the ocean. 

But once they entered the courtyard things became much more bearable with the wind no longer threatening to knock them off the pier thanks to the high walls surrounding it.

Wind aside, the school was in fact very nice, its focus on battles clear by the arena in the center surrounded by bleachers. This court had clearly been used frequently, as she could see deep marks in the ground that could have only been left by a Pokemon battle. 

As Ingo walked over to the desk in front of the school to ask about their kids, Zisu found herself standing in the center of the arena, her heart pounding in her chest. Memories of her past life as head of the Dojo back at Jubilife village, back when it had just been starting out, started to flutter to life. 

The battles between herself and Akari, and the battles that she and Ingo had shared. 

She had stood on a court just like this, as both a trainer and a pokemon. Pokemon battles had become her life and afterlife. If not for them she would have never met Ingo and her life would have been oh so dull.

She almost wished she had her old team with her now, so she could challenge Ingo to one more battle just for old times sake, but alas it was best not to push her luck. She had gotten her wish to be human once more and that would do.

“The Boys should be up any second.” Ingo’s voice broke through her thoughts as he walked back over to her, taking her hand in his. “They are just meeting with a few friends and they will be right. We can’t go inside but we are welcome to wait out here for them.”

“At least we’re out of the wind.” Zisu sighed, looking up at the clear sky, and for a moment a nervous thought started to creep into her mind. “Ingo…”

“Hm?”

“Do you think… they’ll even know who I am?” it was something that had crossed her mind before, the thought of her boys not being able to recognize her. It had happened before, but that was before they had known she was Chandelure. 

They had been so young when they had been taken from her, she honestly wondered if they even remembered what she looked like. She had been with them longer as Chandelure than she had as Zisu. she wasn’t sure she would be able to blame them if all they saw was a stranger. Heck, even she barely recognized the face in the mirror this morning.

“I do not think you have anything to worry about when it comes to Caleb” Ingo gave a slight chuckle “He has been able to pick you out of old photographs from history textbooks since he was very small.”

She smiled a bit at that, yes, she recalled how excited he would get every time he spotted an old history text from Hisui, and how sad he was when he started to realize the time gap between them. He’d started to get a bit better when he learned that she was Chandelure. 

Yes she was sure her oldest would recognize her right away.

“As for Fjord…” Ingo hummed, closing his eyes in thought.

Truth be told, Fjord was the one she was really worried about. He had barely been a year old before he was whisked away to the future. There was very little chance of him remembering her face. He only really knew her as Chandelure.

And yet Ingo gave her hand a gentle squeeze, bringing her attention back to him as he gave her a soft smile.

“While Fjord may give pause, I am sure he will recognize you in his own way.” he smiled. “Sometimes the heart remembers more than the mind…speaking from experience.”

Zisu felt her eyes start to water at his words, the tears burning her frostbitten skin so she was quick to wipe them away. “Damn it Ingo, don’t go making me cry like this. It’s colder than a Froslass’s kiss out here.” she laughed, as she wiped her face with her sleeve, before looking up back over at him and smiling. “But thank you.” 

And without warning she leaned down and gave him a small kiss on the nose, laughing to herself as his face turned bright red.

Even after all these years, he was still so easy to flusher.

Before another word could be spoken, the doors to the school opened up and a group of students came out, all them pulling along bags and suitcases, ready to head to the mainland and chatting about their Holiday plans.

Zisu felt her heart flutter as she spotted her boys at the head of the pack. Fjord sat in his wheelchair as he pushed himself along by handlebars on the wheels. And his Brother Caleb just behind him pulling their suitcases along as he chatted with Lacey and Drayton.

Well, time to make themselves known.

“Hey Boys!” Zisu called out, taking a few steps forward and trying to sound as casual as possible. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass the two in front of their friends. “Hope you don’t mind, but your Dad and I came to pick you two up.” She didn’t want the two other students asking her boys any awkward questions. 

She was just a mom, out with her husband, picking up her kids from school.

Caleb looked right at her, whatever he was about to say to Lacey died as his mouth fell open and his expression went blank. The suitcases hit the ground hard as he lost his grip on them, continuing to stare.

“Mom?” Caleb had never been as loud as Ingo, and yet even as he whispered the word, Zisu could have sworn she could hear him loud and clear.

She let go of Ingo’s hands, and opened her arms wide, and Caleb wasted no time charging towards her. Tackling her like a Tauros and hugging her as tightly as a Bewear. An embrace she gladly returned as she nearly lifted the 14 year old off his feet.”Caleb, my little snuggle bug. I’ve missed you so much.” she muttered into his hair as she spun him around. Only setting him down when she started to feel his tears sweep into her shirt. “Shush, it’s okay.” he tried to soothe, wiping away the tears so they would not freeze to his face.

“But Mom, How? Why?” the oldest stuttered, clearly trying to understand everything he was seeing. But now was not the time for that.

“It’s okay, we can talk about it when we get home.” she smiled, kissing his forehead and motioning for him to go join his father, as her gaze turned to her youngest.

Poor Fjord had been sat there dumb founded he looked from Zisu to his brother, looking like he he wasn’t sure as to what to do. 

But when their eyes met, he seemed to come to a decision.

If Caleb had come at her like a Tauros, then Fjord had come at her like a Dreepy shot from a Dragapult’s horn, his wheelchair allowing him to gain more momentum before he flung himself out of the seat towards her and into Zisu’s waiting arms.

His chair clattered to the ground, as Zisu held him tightly to her chest, pressing a kiss to his cheek and pushing back his hair so that she could see both his eyes. “Fjord! How’s my tough little Litwick? I missed you so much that I don’t even want to put you down!” she spun around with the boy in her arms, the whole time enjoying the sound of his laughter. 

“Mom, did you get a new haircut while we were gone!” Fjord joked, looking up at her with a silly grin on his face as he kept his arms wrapped around her neck. 

“Oh so glad you noticed.” Zisu couldn’t help but add to it, “ but enough about that, You two need to tell me all about your trip to Hoenn. I wanna see those badges.”

“I’ve got our badge cases in our bags, I can show you guys once we’re on the ferry.” Caleb chipped in, having finally calmed down enough to go retrieve their suitcases. “But we managed to beat the elite four.”

“Bravo! That is not an easy feat. we should stop off at Castelia City for some cones to celebrate.” Ingo added as he righted Fjord’s wheelchair and helped Caleb with their begs as they headed back towards the Ferry.

The whole time Zisu smiled, still carrying Fjord in her arms.

It was still hard to believe but this was real…and she had worried for nothing.

[thessalian]

Thess vs Cosplayers

The one thing I didn't talk about when I was talking about MCM Comic Con was the cosplayers. I generally enjoy watching the cosplayers for a number of reasons. I mean, obviously it's just generally fun to see how into things people get, but also it's a good way to gauge general trends in terms of characters etc. So I look out for the stuff I know and go from there.

Critical Role was obviously very heavily represented, cosplayers spreading their efforts over all three campaigns. However, I think Vox Machina got the most overall coverage, and there were a lot of instances where you could tell when someone was doing the TLoVM versions and when they were doing the original campaign version. I think Keyleth and Scanlan got the most overall coverage from the Vox Machina campaign, with Vex, Vax, and Percy not far behind. I saw a couple of good Pikes and exactly one Grog. Also one Arkhan, one Delilah, one Sylas (not a pairing) and a Raven Queen. Oh, and two Trinkets, leaving aside the Vexes who were carrying Trinket plushes (or in one case, had a specially made Trinket-shaped wheelchair rest). For the Mighty Nein, Jester was entirely the front-runner, followed not-very-closely by Yasha, Caleb, and Mollymauk. There were more Veths than Notts, if you see what I mean, and one of the Veths was with her partner, who was dressed as Yeza. I saw a couple of Fjords, a couple of Beaus, and one Caduceus. For NPCs, apart from the aforementioned Yeza, there were a few Esseks and an awful lot of Avantikas. Also one Professor Thaddeus. Then there were Bell's Hells, and Laudna was the clear leader on that particular scoreboard, with Imogen a relatively close second. A fair few Ashtons, some with exceptionally good headpieces and even better hammers. A few really nicely done Fearnes. One Orym, one Chetney, and while I didn't see anyone specifically cosplaying FCG, there were a couple of people who made puppet-FCGs. Thinking about it, I even saw a couple of Bertrands. And, while not directly CR cosplay, one Deadpool cosplayer who had a Gilmore's Glorious Goods bathrobe on over their costume for the CR group photos.

Of course, with the popularity of Baldur's Gate 3 and the entire cast being present at MCM Comic Con, there were a lot of Baldur's Gate 3 cosplays. In terms of which characters got the most attention, Astarion won by a country mile. Marion actually expressed a bit of surprise at Astarion's popularity just because she'd been given to understand that he was a bit of a shit, and then I had to explain the concept of a "poor little meow-meow" and that Astarion was basically Zevran Aranai but amplified ... and then I had to explain Zevran and I finally just gave up and stuck with "Sometimes they like the shitheels and also his cosplay is one of the easiest to do". Anyway, there were some really impressive Astarions. Runner-up was Shadowheart, and Karlach was a distant third. I saw a couple of Gales, one Halsin, a really impressive Lae'zel, and I think a Minthara. Also a few people I'm pretty sure were cosplaying their own Tavs, and the most impressive fucking illithid costume I could have imagined. Wyll and Jaheira were not represented anywhere that I saw, which is a shame. I did see an Isobel, though. And I would have loved to see what some of those cosplayers did with Dame Aylin, but not that I saw this year.

Going more into the generalities! On the subject of video games, there were a few Links and Zeldas, a lot of Princess Peaches and a fairly impressive number of Marios and Luigis. (There was a steampunk Mario and Luigi pairing that was really cool.) There was the Classic Horror Quartet - a group consisting of Freddy Kreuger, Ghostface, Jason, and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre person. I was really gratified to see an Aloy. There's this one elderly couple who has been at MCM Comic Con every year I've been there, and they do the most impressive Warhammer 40K cosplay - the "We put their picture in our advertising for the convention" kind of impressive. (And those two have to be in their sixties at minimum so anyone who says this shit is only for kids needs to get a clue.) These were not the only WH40K cosplayers, but the most impressive - though there was someone in White Templar cosplay that did give them a bit of a run for their money. Obviously a lot of One Piece, given the live action series coming out. A few Disney princesses (and one Snow White's Wicked Stepmother circa 1937). A lot of Spider-men, obviously, of varying iterations - a couple of Spider-Punks, a gratifying number of Spider-Gwens, and so many different iterations of Spider-Man from Across the Spider-Verse.

Side note: between that and the penis-bearers who cosplayed Deadpool in body-stocking instead of crafted body armour, I desperately wanted to hold a sign recommending that those people look into the concept of a dance belt. So many dick-prints. A few avoided it by doing like Miles Morales in the earlier parts of Into the Spider-Verse and wearing shorts over their tights, but the rest ... yeah. So many dick-prints.

Star Wars, obviously. A couple of Leias, a few Reys, and SO MANY MANDOS. Mostly Din Djarin, obviously, but the occasional Boba Fett, Bo Katan and Sabine Wren. A few Anakins, like maybe two Obi-Wans, a couple of Heras, one really impressive Kanan, one equally impressive Ahsoka, one Dagobah-training-montage!Luke with a Yoda backpack puppet, and like two Revans. Also a lot of Darths, but not necessarily all the ones most people know about. I mean, sure, a fair few Vaders and a couple of Mauls, but also Darth Malgus and one really impressive Darth Nihilus. There were also several members of Imperial military, including a Moff Gideon complete with Darksaber and an Assistant Director Krennick. There were a couple of more generic Star Wars aliens too - a Duros bounty hunter and a couple of impressive Twi'leks.

The one thing that felt almost conspicuous in its absence? No Dragon Age. No Mass Effect. I mean, we had a couple of Homestuck characters and we didn't get one Morrigan or Zevran or Varric? Maybe all the cosplayers are waiting for DA4. Good luck to them; Bioware seems to be having another of those Development Hell moments.

Anyway, there was way too much great cosplay to list it all, and I probably missed some good ones along the way, but those were the highlights for me - well, the recognisable highlights, since there were a lot of really impressive cosplays but since I'm not huge into most anime I have no idea what they were cosplaying that was so impressive. And no, there are no pictures. I thought about it, but honestly, trying to balance cane and camera felt like a lost cause and they probably would have come out badly anyway.

[rogue-bard]

The starting deadline had been his first gray hair. As a ginger person, it took him quite a lot longer than Fjord, who had started going all 'silver fox' by the sweet age of 20, and even Veth, who had just begun showing off a silver fringe around last year. He was, as far as he knew, the very last one. (Yasha and Essek didn't count in this comparison, for obvious reasons, and Caduceus disqualified based on dietary reasons...) But no matter how long it lasted, they had destroyed his last chance to save his parents in Aeor, and with it the only possibility to stop times' ever advancing gravitational pull on his very own sword of Damocles. There was the Time Stop spell though, and sometimes, Caleb had walked in on Essek, late at night, or early in the morning, when humans can be reasonably expected to be fast asleep, buried in Dunamancy books that specialized on time. It could have been nothing. Time was Essek's specialty, as he kept reminding Caleb. But maybe Essek, too, was trying to look for a way to stop time, in a very particular, partial way. And somehow, that thought hurt even more than pretending the Drow didn't care. Essek was making plans of torturing his lover by inviting Jester to arrive a week early for Caleb's fifty-fifth birthday – “You know she would love to help with preparations, and you will do everything in your spell book's power to finagle your way out of having to celebrate, which I won't allow this year.” – when it was there: In the mirror, in between red and orange and ginger. Caleb stared at it. “Do you think we should move Jester's and Fjord's room next to Veth's and Yeza's until everyone else arrives?” Essek's voice from the room next doors shook him out of his stupor. He sounded so lost in thought about something so mundane... Caleb twisted the thin, white strand around his palm. “Yes, we should,” he said, as he ripped as hard as he could. Only his birthday. They had still time until after his birthday. He wasn't gonna drop dead in front of his ever-young boyfriend because of a gray hair. He didn't need to leave Essek right now. Plus, when the Nein were there, on his birthday, and staying over until at least a couple of days after, Essek wouldn't be alone. Yeah. He shouldn't be alone. That was the whole point. “I think they will appreciate not being alone on the third floor.” Essek poked his head in, and Caleb saw his fanged smile in the mirror as he tried to hide the tiny sliver of gray in his hand like Essek would see it as the proof of betrayal that it was. He forced a smile on his own face, but it make his cheeks hurt. “As will you, I'm sure.” Essek let out a huff that was almost a laugh. “I could never alone,” he said. “Not when I am with you.” His cheeks still hurt. But now his eyes stung, too.

“Caaaay-leeeeb!” Jester, as usual, was very versed in using her outside voice, right next to his ear. “Oh my gosh, you're sooo old now!” He winced a bit. Weird, he was used to her voice, wasn't he? And his ears weren't bad, but they also were not what they used to be. “I am exactly one day older than 55,” he answered her warily. “Yupp, birthday's over now, birthday boy,” Veth nodded. “I'm sorry if we're in the way of you two love-birds celebrating it in a more private way.” She grinned at Essek who was standing next to him, their shoulders not even touching, but for some reason, Veth acted as if they were digging for each other's tonsils with their tongues. (As she does.) When nobody else dignified her remark with a reaction, Jester squealed: “Like making tiny ginger Drow babies that float and have really good hair and a weird accent!” “Or, you know, just fucking,” Veth shrugged. “Yeah, I don't think making babies works that way, Jester,” Fjord hummed, imperturbable by now to Veth's crass language or his wife's antics. Caduceus smiled down at the Half-Orc, a tiny glint of mischief in his eyes: “How can you be so sure?” And of course, Kingsley was right there with him: “Exactly! With two wizards, you never know. Might make tiny cat babies trying to figure out how to explode a house.” “Or explode a library trying to make soup,” Beau added flatly. “That was one time, Beauregard,” Caleb cut in at the same time as Essek said: “I still am very sorry about that. I hope you told the Soul as much.” The monk shrugged. “'s fine. Was more fun than I had there in a week.” “Also since you always come in disguise, they don't really know who you are and you can still come back and visit us and go look at books,” Yasha tried to cheer him up. “Very nice,” Veth said and gave them a thumbs up. “But back to fucking.” In the corner of his eye, Caleb could see Fjord facepalm. The blue Tiefling on his arm wasn't as merciful however: “Yes, tell us if you can make tiny floatie Eslebs! ...Cayseks?” “Through fucking,” Veth added with a nod. She was clearly trying to get a rise out of either of them. Yeza might have been looking apologetic, but he was very clearly relieved that for once, he wasn't the victim of his wife's brutal teasing. Caleb wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of blushing, but he assumed that he wasn't her prime target anyway, since he was pretty shameless when it came to these things. “I think it might be time for bed for me,” he simply said and was already turning around when he felt someone grip his wrist. When he turned to look, Essek leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek, but only to disguise the whisper in his ear: “Do not dare leave me alone with them while they are in this mood!” He couldn't help but laugh, throwing Essek's clever ruse of faking a kiss to be subtle about his plea to the wind. “You could come with me,” he suggested. “Always,” Essek promised. Leaving tonight would be cruel, Caleb decided. Maybe he shouldn't leave Essek here with them, when they would needle him day and night about what might have transpired between them that had made Caleb leave. And Essek would be sitting up while they slept, mulling over their questions, thinking that he must have missed the clues, and that it was ultimately his fault. When in reality, it was just the inevitability of Essek finding him dead in bed one day, if he stayed for too long. But even though he tried to leave early so that Essek would remember him as the man he fell in love with, rather than a geriatric, he still had years if he wanted to. He could wait a few months. “Have fun fucking!”, Jester yelled after them and while Essek refused to turn around, Caleb just gave her a wary: “Ja, sure”.

Oh look! It’s a continuation of my last ficlet from this post! And I turned it into a ~5k fanfic! (read the whole thing on ao3 here)

[mayasaura]

The lovely Gideon and Yasha art that you reblogged a bit ago is giving me so many Critical Role crossover feelings <3 I feel like Gideon would be a little put off by Jester's peppy cheeriness but would love her terrible dirty jokes. And she and Beau would get along right away - Beau's really cool and an incredibly skilled fighter and seems to genuinely like her and she doesn’t really know what to do with that but it’s nice??? I think Caleb and Harrow would understand each other too in a way.

Gideon Nav Is Not Immune To Jester Lavorre 😂

I think Gideon would fall head over heels in love with Jester, at least for a little while. She leads with her heart, and loving Jester is basically a rite of passage at this point. Especially for lonely isolated people who crave kindness and connection but feel deep down like they don't deserve it. She'd be completely overwhelmed by her at first, but give her a few days to get used to it and a couple of hugs, and she'd be a goner. Jester is a kind person who sincerely wants to make people feel good about themselves and doesn't want anything in return. It would take a long time for Gideon to trust that, but it wouldn't take her long at all to respond to it. Especially if Jester has given up on the cult thing already.

Late campaign Beau would mentor Gideon, early campaign Beau would butt heads with her. Either way they would end up in the fighting pit, and Gideon would think Beau was extremely cool.

Fjord meanwhile has a weakness for orphans looking for somewhere to belong, and is a natural born lesbian's wingman. Dark horse brotp, he and Gideon could have some very nice heart to hearts.

Caleb and Harrow, it depends some on when in their character development they meet. Caleb would see himself in her, but how he felt about that would depend on where he's at. Early campaign Caleb would see Harrow as a threat, and be frustrated with the rest of the group for not taking it seriously enough because of her youth. Caleb knows exactly how dangerous a powerful teenager can be. Late campaign Caleb would want to help her, but depending on where Harrow is in her character development, he may struggle to connect with her. Caleb can be a little condescending, and Harrow despises being condescended to. They would have some very interesting conversations.

If Nott/Veth decides Harrow is a joint project with Caleb, now that I'd love to see. Harrow has never seen a goblin before, so Nott would be fascinating to her, and Nott has a proven weakness for guilt-ridden emotionally tortured wizards. And that's before you factor in the shared drowning motifs, the way they're both disgusted by their own existences, how they both feel like they ought to be dead but will fight like cornered animals to survive anyway, and how deep down Harrow craves parental affection and Nott is a mother trying to fill a child-shaped hole in her life. Veth would be less intense in her connection with Harrow. Partially because Veth is less intense in general, partially because she has her family back, and doesn't have that emotional energy looking for a home anymore. That said, she's still the same basic person and could easily get attached. And Veth would be a much more comforting presence for Harrow than Nott. She'd probably take to maternal concern a lot better from a small round woman a decade older than her than from a small green creature with claws and protruding fangs. If the Nein met Harrow and Gideon together (or even better, met one of them first and helped them find the other) I would pay actual cash money to see Veth go full yenta on them.

Then there's Caduceus. He would be polite about it, but the necromancy would be a Thing. His fur would stand on end every time Harrow entered a room. Not out of personal distaste for her, but because she's a conduit for something so clearly Unnatural and fundamentally opposed to the Wild Mother. Gideon would mostly just find him confusing.

Molly would get along better with Gideon than with Harrow. They'd both sense his bullshit, but Gideon would be cool with it and Harrow would be Highly Suspicious. Gideon would be drawn his kindness, his stories, and how eager he is to share the world and all its riches. He'd love introducing her to new foods, textures, and experiences. Maybe too many new experiences. 🤣 Harrow otoh would be deeply offended by his philosophy that the past is dead and doesn't matter, and think he was obscene on every level.

Best for last, Yasha. Yasha is also going last because I think she'd relate equally well to both Harrow and Gideon. Gideon, obviously, big sword warrior women who learned early that violence is the best path to being acknowledged and valued, but are too used to being used. Harrow is less obvious on the surface, but one of Yasha’s main themes is grief and guilt, and learning how to live again past it. Yasha would have a lot to say that Harrow after the end of Harrow the Ninth might need to hear. Like, 'she died for you, and you feel like it's your fault, and I know how impossible that feels to live with, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that happened to you.' and 'I know there is nothing I can say to make it better, but I know some of what you're feeling and want you to know you don't have to be alone for it. If you want to be alone, I'll go, but otherwise I would like to just sit here for a while.' and 'Can you tell me about her?'.

[angelsndragons]

since all the cool kids are doing it, here’s my wishlist/prediction/whatever for c3. i assume the cast will all be taking up new classes they haven’t played in the main campaigns, let’s go:

ashley johnson as the party face. i don’t even care if she’s playing a charisma based class, let her have this please. if i get nothing else, i will be satisfied.

in that same vein, let laura have her first choice class, she has earned it.

sam and travis play actual sibling characters. look, the dynamic that developed between veth and fjord is hysterical and i want those murder sibling vibes to continue, ok.

two people play an established married or divorced couple. any two of them could pull it off but i would love to see sam and liam or taliesin and marisha.

more gender fuckery, please. at least two people play a character whose gender identity doesn’t match their own.

class wise:

sam as a cleric. omg, sam as a cleric, please. this dude loves his friends, loves taking care of their characters, loves fucking with matt, and loves fucking with laura. cleric would let him do all of that at once. twilight cleric in particular plays to sam’s aoe/precision placement/precision timing strengths and would follow the trend of “yeah, that thing that kept fucking us over last campaign, i’m nullifying it” that the cast has going.

for reference, the twilight cleric’s channel divinity can end the charm or frightened conditions on any chosen creature who ends their turn within 30ft of the twilight cleric. twilight clerics also get leomund’s tiny hut at 5th level and we all know how clutch that spell is.

 liam as a druid. let the man make his own animal voices, please. we all love sheepleb and apeleb and everything else he did with caleb’s polymorph, let him do that all campaign please. if i had to choose a druid subclass for him, i could see him enjoying the dreams or stars circles.

marisha plays a paladin. okay, seriously, marisha loves tanking and hitting hard and providing some battlefield control, paladin would be perfect for her.

travis likes characters with chonky hit points, above average to high ac, and he has learned how to handle spell work. i therefore propose he take a second cleric slot, maybe forge or tempest for their heavy armor proficiency and nice little melee goodies.

i would also love to see travis play an order of the lycan blood hunter. live your werewolf dreams, dude. just maybe stick with a bow for the lower levels, okay.

laura as a bladesinger wizard. hear me out. she loves smashing things and loves casting big, fun spells. being a bladesinger would let her have the best of both worlds. contrary to eadwulf and astrid’s sad performances, bladesingers can be quite threatening if you build them right.

alternatively, laura as a way of mercy monk. i think she would be quite cool playing that.

honestly, i don’t have a particular class i want to see taliesin tackle more than others; i’m just excited to see his new character concept and backstory. he seems to enjoy dps, having a little magic on the side, and keeping at range. honestly, i think it’s time to add sorcerer back into the critical role mix and i think he could do a great job with it.

as already stated, all i want for ashley is for her to be the party face, regardless of class or stats.

[primrose-path-of-dalliance]

@trueblue-escapist this one got long! :) (edit: now on ao3)

It was by sheer fortune that the message arrived while he was dining at Beau and Yasha's home.

They were trying some of the latter's experimental recipes. Fortunately Yasha had progressed very well in the last several months; this was now the fourth meal Caleb had been over for since Beau declared her love's attempts at Empire foods to be reliably nonpoisonous.

He was comfortable, speculating with Beau over her recent visit to Shattengrod. So when Jester began speaking in his head, he almost dropped his fork.

With strained panting—"Caleb, we need some help."

Caleb’s thoughts immediately went to static. He held up a hand as her voice continued, eyes wide, and both Beau and Yasha fell quiet with concern.

"There’s a lot of fishy people and I have, um. One diamond. We’re on the ship. Hope you aren’t busy—"

Abrupt cut-off. No continuation. He shot a look across the table to the other two, and they seemed to instantly read the tension on his face for what it was. They darted from their seats as he replied, "I am with Beau and Yasha. Hang in there, please. We’re coming."

"Sword?" called Yasha from another room.

"Sword. Beau," Caleb shouted, his adrenaline spiking with every second they were still here, "diamonds?"

"One," came her terse response. "I got it."

He stood up. The chair legs screeched against Beau and Yasha’s nice hardwood. Dug a hand through his hair and pulled half of it out of the tie.

Next he slapped his hands together. A strand of amber formed from his pinched thumbs and middle fingers as he drew them apart. Gods, his trembling hands shook the arcane thread. Ten seconds since Jester’s message.

"Essek," Caleb said to the thread, which vibrated with each word. "If you aren’t busy and have the spells. Retrieve Caduceus if you could and bring him to the Nein Heroez. It’s urgent. And diamonds," he added hastily. The thread dissipated.

Yasha and Beau emerged together from the hall with weapons in hand as the reply came: "I will contact Caduceus, then, and keep you updated. Hopefully I can be of aid. Stay safe, Caleb."

Caleb closed his eyes for a single breath and tried to absorb Essek’s soft, controlled caution.

They were coming. They would be okay.

Without needing to look, he held his hands to Yasha and Beau. "Uk’otoa is being an exceptional nuisance."

Beau scowled and said, "I fucking told Fjord to do something with that ball"—and they were off.

***

Jester woke up to what felt like a giant spike piercing through her head, or maybe a handaxe being sunk into her skull—but if it kept going forever instead of happening in an instant. Her stomach felt like a tiny pool of boiling acid that the ship kept rocking back and forth.

She moaned, curling up harder and pressing the heels of her hands to her temples. It didn’t really help, but the pulsing pain eased a little over some time.

"Arty?" she eventually managed.

"I’m so sorry, my dear," murmured his low voice by her ear. "I came as quickly as I could."

"It’s okay. Water?"

She felt a small weasel tongue lick her cheek, then retreat.

After about a minute of measured, careful breathing through the migraine, Jester heard a door crack open and winced from the brighter light now shining in from the hallway.

"Sorry," whispered a familiar voice, and Jester might have started crying at the sound of his Zemnian accent if she wasn’t already teary-eyed from pain.

The door closed, dimming the room again to its singular lantern.

She did her best to uncurl as Caleb set down a bowl and cup on the small table nearby and brought over a chair to her bedside. He reached for his neck, too, and a crimson weasel slipped into his hands.

"Thanks," she said as he returned Sprinkle to her shoulder.

"Of course. Would you like help sitting up?"

"Please."

She had to rest her head on Caleb’s shoulder for a minute when sitting up gave her a rush of a dizzy spell. His hand had rubbed up and down her arm. He smelled like sweat and fish guts and leather.

Eventually Jester had her back against the wall and the cup of water in her hands as she took a careful sip.

"Everyone’s alright," began Caleb, voice still hushed in consideration of her headache. "We took care of them all shortly after you went down, and Fjord was able to heal you a little bit. Essek arrived with Caduceus not long after."

"That’s good."

She closed her eyes and sipped more water. The warm weight of Sprinkle was draped around her neck.

Gods. Jester loved her friends so much.

"Where is everyone? Where’s Fjord?" she asked.

"Out on the deck cleaning up and figuring out what to do next," came the wry response. "Beau gave Fjord a piece of her mind about that orb. Caduceus suggested to try hiding it in the Happy Fun Ball."

"Aw, man. That’s a really good idea."

"Ja. So we are figuring out who will take it in there and where to put it."

She nodded sluggishly, eyes still closed.

"I’m sorry," said Caleb after a long moment. "Do you want to sleep?"

"No. I'm just tired."

That last word came out with a bit more... a bit more than Jester had intended to say it with. She chewed the inside of her cheek and took a sip of water.

She could feel Caleb's gaze on her. "Is it something you would like to talk about?"

The headache continued to pulse in her temples. She stared down into her cup, at the water sloshing side to side from the rocking of the ship. "If you guys are going to Yussa's later, I want to come with. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Mama."

"Of course."

Jester breathed in and out and continued, "It's been a year and I think I'm sick of sailing."

"Ah."

"I mean, there's been so many cool things. The Lucidian Ocean is huge. One time we saw a sea horse that was big enough to ride on. And the port cities we've visited have all been beautiful. But most of the time it's just this boat. And less Arty. And Uk'otoa attacking us for the cloven crystal. I can't even prank people whenever I get bored because it's all the same people, and it's way less fun to keep pranking the same people over and over again."

Caleb made a considering noise. She sipped water, chewing the inside of her cheek some more.

Slowly he asked, "Are you... thinking of staying with your mother for a while?"

"Maybe."

Peaceful silence. They listened to the sounds of wood creaking and the ocean undulating. Jester felt the shittiness of her body continue to ease, and she set down the water to take a sniff at the bowl instead. Some stew, still warm.

As she had a cautious taste, Caleb said, "Hey."

She brought down the bowl and looked at him.

"Would you like to see something cool?"

"Of course I would like to see something cool, Caleb."

His smile as she sat up with anticipation and set down the bowl was very welcome—and a pretty cool sight already. But she watched him pull out a piece of wool and rub it between two fingers, and all of a sudden there was a cat in his lap and another cat on his shoulders.

Jester gasped, hands flying to her face. "Are those your cats?"

The smile on his face only got bigger and warmer as he looked down at the illusory one in his lap cleaning its brown-and-white face. "Yes. This one is Gretel, she is still somewhat a kitten. The other one is Mac, which is short for mackerel because he was eating one from a rubbish heap when I found him."

"Oh my god, Caleb, that’s so adorable." She beamed and leaned in to wiggle her fingers at illusion-Gretel, cooing without caring that it wasn’t the real cat.

He rubbed the wool in his hand and illusion-Gretel began to purr loudly.

She could feel the dimples in her cheeks from grinning. "I love them."

"They will both be very glad to hear that and will eagerly exploit your love to make you spoil them."

"Well, of course I’ll spoil them, they’re so perfect."

Caleb’s smile eased into something soft. "Would you like to meet them in person, then? Before you return to the Nein Heroez?"

The excitement welling up inside Jester faltered.

Oh, right.

She twisted her fingers together, fixing her gaze on the blood crusted in the space between them and beneath her nails. "Um. Yeah, I would love to, Caleb. But probably I'm not going to come back here."

No response except a careful inhale.

She picked at a bloodied crease in her palm and continued, "Fjord and I talked a couple weeks ago. It wasn't like an argument or anything, don't worry! We're one hundred and ten per cent still best friends who love each other and everything, you know? But he loves being captain of the Nein Heroez and doesn't really plan on stopping anytime soon. Or doing anything else. And I want to do more. The world's so big, and there's like a dozen other planes I could see, Arty promised he'd show me around the Feywild—"

Caleb's long-fingered hand placed itself on top of her fidgeting ones, and Jester's rambling mouth fell silent. The illusory cats were gone.

"It's fine, Jester," he said. She looked up at his furrowed brow and crooked smile. "I understand."

Deep breath in and out. Jester returned a similar smile. "Yeah."

Seeming reassured, he leaned back in his chair and seemed to look off elsewhere, his brow still furrowed in thought.

In the lull, she took up the bowl of stew again with more relish. The weight of the news she'd been ignoring had lifted from her shoulders, and with it some of her worries. She hadn't known how people would react. The more reasonable voice in her mind figured that everyone would take the relationship change with ease, reminding her of Yasha's advice in Eiselcross a year ago. The louder, more anxious voice had stressed over whether any of them might judge her for being a bad girlfriend.

Apropos of nothing, gaze still a little distant, Caleb said, "Essek and I are in a relationship."

Halfway through a sip of the stew, Jester's mouth fell open. "Really?"

His lips twitched at the squeal in her voice. "Ja."

She smiled, said, "Aw, I'm happy for you two," and returned to her stew to try and stamp down the sudden, strange sense of instability overtaking her. Like her heart found itself stuck in the second between missing the next step down the stairs and falling.

"Thank you. I am telling you this, though, because Essek and I have had... somewhat of a similar conversation." His eyes flickered to meet her startled gaze briefly, and she saw a bittersweet wryness in them. "Neither of us expect the other to be, well. Committed. My whole self, more or less, is dedicated to my home. I want to make it a better place. Essek has very different goals in mind for his future. We love each other, but between my life and his constant vagrancy, it would be unfair to expect us to stay the same. And, you know. I don't have as much time as he does, anyway."

Jester had the bowl of stew in her lap now, unable to stop staring at Caleb. He finally seemed to notice her attention and awkwardly fixed his eyes on a spot of the wall somewhere to her right and up.

In her chest, time started again. Jester's heart safely found the next step instead of taking a tumble down the stairs.

"Thank you, Caleb," she said softly.

He returned to looking at her properly, and the renewed warmth in his expression helped resettle Jester's sense of the world even further. "I'm sure your mother could be much more reassuring."

"Maybe, but it's you."

Caleb went a little pink. The flush was still visible to Jester's eyes in the dim room. Thank the gods that the warmth in her own cheeks would be much harder for him to notice.

That was enough conversation for her at the moment. She shoved the bowl of stew back against her mouth.

(send me a brief widojest prompt!)

[utilitycaster]

Oh man, now I'm DYING to see your perspective about the High Richter Heist incident and the convo the Nein had in the tavern afterwards. There was soooo much fandom angst over that. 🤣

You know, that's interesting on a couple levels because I did not realize there was that much fandom angst and also I had to look up the tavern conversation in the transcripts because I honestly couldn't remember it. Like, again, wasn't really in the online fandom yet, but I don't remember this feeling blown out of proportion on Talks the way I did bowlgate so I don't have much of a take on the fandom response itself. I think that's for a couple of reasons:

1. I think this was a much more confrontational scene with a much more physical threat that wasn't really resolved then and there (it was, much later on) and therefore it's a little more justified that people would react.

2. This happened earlier on in the campaign and we knew even less about the two characters at that time so it was much more speculative.

3. The Zauberspire was attacked immediately after and they found a Kyrn warrior in the sewers so like, there was other stuff to talk about on Talks.

4. I made a post...last week I think (time is a weird soup) about how, for no apparent reason, Liam seems to attract people who either HATE his characters (and sometimes him) or people who think his characters (and sometimes him) can do absolutely no wrong ever and both of those sides will come up with wild-ass conspiracies that ignore, you know, canon. The same is true to a slightly lesser degree for Marisha and her characters, and it is not, as far as I have seen, true for any other cast members, and I do not know why this is but I give all those people a wide berth because all of them on both sides have terrible nonsense meta to justify their nonsense, creep me out with their utter lack of parasocial boundaries, or both. Which is to say Beau and Caleb interactions blew up in ways others didn't, I think, because of that.

Anyway, all that aside Fjord was at least mostly in the right, and Caleb said as much later.

To give the summary for anyone who's read this far going "what the fuck are you talking about": during the theft of the High Richter's mansion, Caleb went to steal a scroll and Fjord summoned his sword, telling Caleb to leave no trace. Nott then pulled her crossbow on Fjord, who started getting ready to cast Eldritch Blast, but then the High Richter came back, Ulog used the bead of fireball taking out him and the High Richter, the towers got attacked, and so the whole situation did not so much as resolve as got interrupted by like 5 things. Also it didn't matter than the scroll was missing because the High Richter was dead.

Then, in the next episode, after the party had escaped, seen the towers, had their encounter with the Kryn soldier, stolen the beacon, dealt with Dolan and Horris, and Caleb chose to spend the night in the basement of the Leaky Tap guarding the beacon, at which point the party had a discussion with Nott about Caleb's choice to steal.

Fjord, Molly, and Beau all agreed that Caleb and Nott were in the wrong - that stealing a scroll was an extra clue that could have put them in danger, and in fact did delay their exit. (Jester was pretty neutral on the whole thing, in that she both trusted Caleb and Nott but also felt hurt by a lot of what Nott said in response).

It's again a choice that makes sense for all the characters! Fjord, Molly, and Beau all had pretty strong beliefs regarding sticking by your crew, and Caleb and Nott at the time were pretty sketchy! Fjord was definitely very aggressive, but it was an extremely time-sensitive situation (ie, you can't take 10 minutes to hash this out mid-heist) and being very aggressive was a flaw Fjord had earlier in the same way Caleb was sketchy. Both had control issues and were secretive and chronic liars, and I think both of them realized their similarities early on but weren't able to talk through it in a healthy manner for a long time. Meanwhile, of course the chronically broke wizard whose only goal at the time was to learn to bend reality is going to steal any spell scrolls he can find and damn the consequences. Like, when I say Fjord was in the right I do mean in that context he was looking out for the group and sticking to the plan, and Caleb was endangering the others, but also I can't fault either of them for acting the way they did.

I feel that this didn't come up so much in fandom later because it got addressed very directly with the characters, both during the heist in Uthodurn and on the boat after the party in Nicodranas, in which Fjord admitted to his control issues and Caleb to his untrustworthiness.

But like, again...if someone cannot comprehend that characters in a show might sometimes disagree in ways that would not be used as a good example of behavior on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, they should probably not be watching a genre that is known for like, tons of violence. "Can't we all just get along" is a nice sentiment in real life, but man does it make for terrible TV.

[out-there-so-it-isnt-just-me]

Hey guys...I have an idea if you aren't sad enough yet. I was struck by a painful comparison sort of crossover idea. It would never be canon, but  I'm mourning the end of Campaign Two, and I want to be sad and over-dramatic. Essek, but as Eliza from Hamilton in “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.” But, it’s for the entire Mighty Nien. Some of the lyrics are so on point for a poor Essek who will probably outlive all of his friends (Elves still generally live longer than Firbolgs by a good 200 years). Anyway, enjoy.

MN

Every other founding father's story gets told

It occurs to Essek, during one of the many periods without one of the Mighty Nein (the time that he dwells on them the most), how unfair their whole situation is. They saved all of Exandria, and no one knows. They are amazing, and odd, and frustrating, and no one knows. They will die loved deeply, but not widely. He knows they prefer it that way, all things considered. But, everyone else who saves all of Exandria becomes legends, while the people he loves best will be forgotten, remembered only by him.

And that. That sounds unbearable. 

So, in-between the times he sees the Mighty Nein, he begins to gather accounts. He writes down stories from those they helped, or simply left an impression on.  The people who have met the Mighty Nein have an air about them that he gets good at detecting. They attracted the oddballs and the outcasts. And if they're entirely normal (whatever that means), then they usually get a certain twitch if you ask for stories about interesting strangers. About half the time, a certain blue tiefling pops up in them. He almost has a heart attack when he hears  “go fuck yourself,” in Jester’s cheerful voice, when he knows Jester isn’t anywhere near there. He ends up getting the kenku’s story, and the voices of his friends are weaved into it. Essek thinks the Mighty Nein are the best people in the world, in their own rambunctious way. Part of him wants the world to love them as he does, or at least have the option to. Everyone should have a chance to get to know them, even if it's just through tales. The world would be a better place for it.

...And when you're gone, who remembers your name?

Who keeps your flame? 

Who tells your story?

Who tells your story?

Who tells your story?

Once there is only him and Caduceus left, this becomes a more prominent part of how he spends his time. After...after a long, long period of mourning. He has so much life left to live without most of the people who made it worth living.

I put myself back in the narrative

I stop wasting time on tears

I live another 50(0) years

He stops hiding his past and bears his sins and his story to the world. Essek tells his story so their story can be appreciated to the fullest; his part in their story emphasizes the depth of their compassion and chaos. He tells his story, but not as himself. Essek continues to drift from town to town under a vast number of aliases. Everywhere he goes, he spreads his stories of his friends, some serious, most silly. He disguises himself so he can stay alive to do a little more good, tell a few more stories, to truly live the life his friends wanted for him.

...I try to make sense of your thousands of pages of writings

You really do write like you're running out of time.

Eventually, he gets his hands on some of Beau’s journals, Jester’s diaries, and Caleb’s research. Well, he always had the research, but he gets to the point where he can share it with the world. He slowly begins to share and explain their thoughts and personalities with excerpts from those. Maybe he also has letters that he shares parts of (though most of those, those words specifically for him, he keeps to himself, for himself). He wonders if they'd be angry at him for spilling their private thoughts. But neither Beau nor Jester filtered their thoughts very much in the first place, and he keeps anything truly painful out of the public eye. Caleb, well, Caleb was always about sharing his knowledge and research, provided it wasn't dangerous. And they were all dead anyway.  One of the last things they told him was to be happy. And talking about his friends, learning more about his friends even after they were long dead, that made him the happiest he'd been in a while. So he hoped they wouldn’t begrudge him this small joy he’d managed to grasp and forgive him, should it be necessary.

I rely on Angelica

While she's alive, we tell your story

She is buried in Trinity Church near you

When I needed her most, she was right on time

Caduceus isn’t particularly interested in being well known or famous, but he never shies away from telling a story about any of his friends. Plus, he thinks it’s a good project for Essek. It's a way to continue to show his love for them and keep them alive in the only way they can be now. When Caduceus eventually passes away, he joins the eight other graves (Veth refused to be buried apart from Yeza) that lay in a tucked-away corner of the Blooming Grove. There is one space left, nestled between where Caleb and Jester lay, but it will be empty for a long time yet.

And I'm still not through

I ask myself, what would you do if you had more time...

...You could have done so much more if you only had time

And when my time is up, have I done enough?

Will they tell your story?

He keeps adding to his tale; he stretches it longer and longer with every shred he can remember. But, even his memory, as long as it is, runs out eventually. And their story finally ends, but he doesn't. He throws himself into activities that remind him of them. He does a lot of gardening ( mostly tea, poisonous plants, and flowers). He teaches children some rudimentary dunamancy in his spare time, for Caleb. He messes around with alchemy a little. Eventually, he publishes the last of the research that he and Caleb worked on together; ones that took him decades to solve by himself. He even finds himself drawing a surprising amount of dicks on random surfaces near the very end.

Oh, can I show you what I'm proudest of?

...I help to raise hundreds of children

I get to see them growing up

The time that doesn’t go towards his now worrying amount of hobbies, he spends doing what he has done since the beginning: caring for the Mighty Nien’s true legacy. He looks after and visits their children. He takes care of descendants of Luc, of Jester and Fjord, of the random teenager that Beau and Yasha seemed to adopt completely on accident, of TJ, of the Clays, and of a lovechild of Kingsley’s that found out who his father was and then somehow found Essek himself to learn about him. In an embarrassing show of sentimentality, Essek always keeps at least one offspring of Caleb's very first cat. There is a very funny story about Caleb thinking the animal was spayed when it was, in fact, not. He visits the different generations every couple of years or so (he has a schedule). The drow makes sure they know the stories of their ancestors, the adventures of the Mighty Nien; he tells them it's all real. He gives them ways to contact him if they’re in danger, or need any kind of help really ( he has funds to spare at this point). Every once in a while, a few of them will get it in their heads to write him yearly updates. It’s nice.

In their eyes, I see you, Alexander

I see you every time

And when my time is up

Have I done enough?

Will they tell your story?

It is strange and painful to see the attitude and mannerisms of the Nein in the descendants who have never met them. It is wonderful too. His stories of the Mighty Nein have become well-known tales that no one can decide how much is truth and how much is fiction (it’s true, it’s all somehow, hilariously true). He preserved them in his own way, in the right way (time travel is something he thinks of with a growing hunger the more years pass between when he last laid eyes on his friends). But in these men, these women, these children, they are truly alive.

One little half-orc girl has Jester’s mischievous eyes and infectious joy. Another halfling man squints just like Veth when she's trying to figure out if someone is bullshitting her. There’s a boy who charmingly bumbles his way through most social encounters, as Fjord did. A firbolg woman who has Caduceus gentle smile. A tiefling girl with all the audacious bravado of Kingsley. A man with eyes just as piercing as Beau’s, and a tongue just as sharp. Even Yasha’s kind and gentle demeanor somehow shines through in one small boy, despite her having no direct descendants. He gets to see these flashes of his friends in those who survive them, and it thrills him as much as it cuts him. (Sometimes, when the current cat has ruined some item of his, the pleased look it wears resembles the quiet glee Caleb exuded after he pulled a successful prank, but he’s pretty sure that’s just fanciful thinking.)

One of the last things Essek does before he dies is fully publish, in print, the entire tale of the Mighty Nein. How they came together, every person they helped along the way. The love, the loss, the kindness, the chaos, every moment he could recall or record was put into this one account (necessarily stretched out into several separate books). There is only one set, and he hands it over to the Library of the Cobalt Soul in Rexxentrum. Then he goes on his lonely way.

Oh, I can't wait to see you again

It's only a matter of time

There are now ten graves, each one as unique as its owner, nestled in a small corner of the Blooming Grove. One grave has the dirt still fresh around it. And somewhere, beyond the Divine Gate, there are cheers and laughs and cries of joy as the Mighty Nien become the Mighty Nine once more.

fin.

MN

It’s my head-canon that by the time Essek dies he’s practically a mythical figure among the select families he looks after. It's  to the point that in certain locations ( that have a lot of Nein remnants) he becomes a local legend, the guardian angel of nien (no spelling specified and with no real distinction of what that means), with skin like the night sky who drifts (literally) through towns and helps those who meet a certain requirement, unknown to the general populus. There are rumors that certain people have bestowed upon them a token they could use to call upon the angel’s aid. Of course, the people who have the tokens (sending stones or something similar. IDK how he would get that many wondrous items, but I focus on satisfying narrative not, like, plausibility) know Essek and know that he has died and that the tokens no longer work, but for a while they keep them as heirlooms, to show the love of one drow wizard for the friends he had long, long ago. Eventually, one of Veth’s descendants sells off their set because sending stones are worth A LOT, and the money seemed more practical. They have their stories; those are enough. 

And before anyone complains about the Kingsley bit, I felt compelled to add a smidgen of Kingsley content because Essek loves Jester and Jester’s with Fjord and Kingsley is with both of them for years. I’m sure they get to know each other well enough that seeing traits of Kingsley is vaguely nostalgic and warming, even if it lacks the depth and love he feels for everyone else. Also, there’s no convincing me that Molly/Kingsley doesn’t have at least one illegitimate child running around from various trysts, he was basically the Scanlan of this campaign. It goes with the hedonistic vibe he gives off.

Also, is it normal that I completely designed the Nein’s burial site in my head because I did? Like I imagine they’re all spaced out in a circle. It’s almost like a stone gazebo but there’s not really a roof; it’s just a group of nine pillars that support a stone circle. The entrance is the Traveler’s door with dicks around the edge, and each of the nine pillars/supports is designed to look the knowing mistresses staff. The stone circle is covered in carvings of storm clouds and lightning. Wires are strung across the center of the stone circle to form the symbol of the Cobalt Soul. Not that you can see the wires, because vines have been grown all around them. Once you step through the Traveler’s gate, you’ll find yourself on some kind of rough mosaic floor, with depictions of a peacock, a pyramid, a snake, a sun, a moon, and (oddly) a pirate ship. The mosaic is made up of buttons of various materials and shapes. In the center is a saltwater pool/spring (depending on how magical we can get idk) and floating above it is an eternal flame encased in some sort of dunamancy magic that doesn’t  actually exist that keeps it floating and eternal. Look I'm running out of ideas.

I can’t imagine what everyone’s grave marker would be, but I’m pretty sure Yasha’s is a simple stone that says "YASHA NYDOORIN: wife of Zuella and Beauregard Lionette," and the place where’s she’s buried is just covered in wildflowers that spread outside of the gazebo to encircle the structure entirely up to the gate. Also, everyone has a stone tarot card by their grave with the picture and designation that Molly gave them. Beyond that grows a weirdly dense thicket of trees and bushes that make finding the Nein's resting place rather hard. It’s said only the descendants of the Nein’s family or those favored by the Wildmother (or Traveler, Or Ioun, or Storm Lord) can find their way to them. And one tree, directly behind Yasha, is dead, struck by lightning who knows how long ago. 

And they’re buried in this order: Yeza/Veth, Caleb, Essek, Jester, Ford, Kingsley, Yasha, Beau, Cad. I know there’s a good chance that a) Kingsley would just eff off and die somewhere unknown and b) Cad would probably want to be buried with the rest of his family, but shhh let me dream.

[tick-fic-nick]

What are friends for?

SPOILERS FOR C2 E141!!!!

Summary: Essek has a bad dream, but he also has friends who take care of him

Warnings: tickling, nightmare stuff, angst

The true fight had begun.

Everything went tense.

His mind swirled with different possibilities, different options, and different endings.

The city was beneath them, and it all had happened so fast. Each of his new allies falling unconscious or worse. Caleb under a fallen building, or whatever it was. He pulled him out, willing it to happen.

When he looked up again, the final blow had been dealt, and.... it was over.

He looked around and his friends who most of which were looking worse for ware... but still standing.

After that, his mind was muddled, feeling the effects of the battle they barely won.

Lucien mangled body lay on the ground, ripped down the middle. The living surrounded him, in a puddle of the their own tears, and Esseks too. He felt his face for wet finding a small stream trickling down his face. He pulled away his finger from his face looking at the red that laced his index.

Shocked he brought his other hand up to his face, the same red coming back. He looked back up to where his friends were, only to see them all laying motionless on the ground in front of them, taking a step back instinctually.

A hand arose from the flesh, grabbing his leg and pulling him down into the city. He could feel himself sinking deeper and deeper. His arms trying to pull at the flesh, but could never grab hold. The ground came up to meet his shoulders.

But then everything stopped.

He was stuck. And it was getting tighter. His chest compressed slowly. Tunnel vision appeared into his periphery. But voice spoke out, and walked toward him.

"Thelyss, don't think you'll get away that easy"

The familiar Zemnian voice crept under his skin. Not the one he'd come accustomed to over the last week. The one he'd try to separate away from. A horrible, wicked man that came closer into view.

Trent. He felt his face contort from panic, to blood curdling fear.

"Why the long face? Wait, don't tell me," the noise from the boot got louder before he felt the bottom of it pressed against his cheek. The force of the boot made him ache.

"You let yourself become weak with these fools," he took a beat to laugh "well don't worry. There's a special place to watch their execution."

Essek tried to scream but nothing came out of his mouth. He tried to do anything, but each movement seemed to sink him further into the ground. But anywhere was better than with him. So he struggled and struggled, only sinking more and more until he completely submerged into the city.

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

Jester and caleb had volunteered to take watch for the first couple hours that night. Sure, they were at the Clay's temple of the Wildmother, but after Trent attacked them, they made sure to keep a close watch at night.

Rain softly drizzled down, tapping the windows and thatch roof, causing for most, a sound sleep. Though Caleb noticed Essek in his trace, to have scrunched his brow. Tapping Jester, he then pointed at their drow friend who hovered off the ground, not but a couple feet away.

Jester leaned over and whispered "maybe he's dreaming"

"I'm not sure... he could be"

"He's probably having freaky dream sex, right now" She winked

"Probably... but if he's not having a good time, then we should wake him, ya?"

"But aren't you supposed to like, not wake up someone who's have freaky kinky dream sex?"

"No, that's for sleep walking."

Jester scoots closer to caleb "Cay-Leb! Who do you think he's having süper freaky kinky dream sex with?" She pokes him repeatedly into his side for playful emphasis.

He bats at her hands, with a slight smile at his lips "shh! Don't get too loud, and im not talking about this with you" He continues to watch Essek, even through Jesters inappropriate questions.

The drow in question, twitches. Once, twice, five times, and curls into himself slightly. After a few seconds his hovering stops, falling slowly to the ground. But still siting up in his trance. Caleb grabs Jesters hands lightly and holds them causing her to quiet slightly, just enough to hear a almost silent squeak that comes from the drow in question.

Caleb's face had recognition on it before he quietly whispered to Jester who had the same look grace her features "he's having a bad dream."

They both stood and walked to Essek, flanking him on either side. When they both got situated, almost about ready to wake him, his eyes shot open. A gasp and a sob found it way into his throat, and his arms hugged his middle.

Jester found herself scooting closer putting an arm behind his back, and he other arm onto of his knee. "Essek!" She whispered "Essek are you alright?"

He looked to her a little shaken, and realized the wet on his face. He chose not to wipe it. "Y-yes Jester. It is alright, im fine, just a little bad dream, no cause for alarm." He finally looked towards caleb.

"Stange..." started Caleb "I didn't know drow could dream, let alone have nightmares"

"...yes, normally we don't, however, if we are tired enough in our nightly trance we can slip into sleep and thats is when we dream."

There was a slight silence. Jester started to run her hand across his shoulders and upper back. "Well do you want to talk about it?"

The thought crossed his mind but he couldn't bother them with this. They had already helped him so much. "Ah, no Jester. That won't be necessary..." He couldn't help but Glace slightly at the figure in the corner with the permanent bindings.

Feeling a third hand on him he looked at Caleb who had a put on hand on his shoulder. "Well you know, Thelyss... you need to learn how to relax."

A small tired chuckle escaped Essek "Yes, it is something that I've found I need to work on."

Jester spoke up in a quiet genuine voice "I can help you right now, only if you want to."

Normally, he wouldn't say yes, normally he wouldn't let people this close into his bubble and normally he wouldn't let people see him so vulnerable. However, he could trust these people. These people were his friends who only wanted the best for him. Would it be rude to say no? He took a breathe and looked between them both before saying "I suppose... if you are offering."

Jester's concern, turned into a wide smile squeezing him slightly. She scooted away "ok, so my Mama would do this with me whenever I had a bad dream. Now lay down right here." She patted on her thigh.

He begrudgingly followed her command, slightly embarrassed. Facing away from her, he lay curled onto his side, with her thigh as his pillow. "Is... is this what I am supposed to do?"

"You perfect! Now I'm going to rub your back, is that okay?"

"...yes"

"Ok" her fingers gently began to glide on Esseks upper back, sometimes using her nails. However he didn't relax into her touch, quite the opposite. The muscles she barely touched would twitch under her. "Essek you need to relax"

His voice peaked through shaking slightly. "ssorry Jester, it uh... just tickles is all." At his admittance, Jester saw the skin around his cheeks become a darker shade, without light she couldn't see the color but she already knew he was blushing.

"Essek~ you never told us you were ticklish" her fingers now more deliberately searched for sensitive skin, not enough to make him laugh, but just to keep him tittering. She needed to relax him after all.

"J-Jester! Plehease ihi" He kept his plea quiet and soft, but his body shook slightly. His neck scrunched up and a smile plastered onto his face. His hand brought up to hold his mouth shut, to not wake the others.

Caleb spoke up "Mr. Thelyss, it'd be better for you if you just relaxed, she's not going to wake everyone up just to tickles you to bits"

Just as the muscles in his neck and shoulders loosened, he felt something begin to trace around his ear. Squeaky quiet giggles escaped him as his upper body balled up. "Nonononoho! Eheheh ehe jeeheehsteher! Please!" His hands came up to bat at what he thought was her other hand but was the tip of her tail.

Jester immediately stopped tracing, both with her hand and tail, instead rubbed away the tickly feeling, almost massaged. His muscles instinctually softened as his giggles murmured down. "Sorry essek I didn't know your ears were that ticklish"

Butterflies swirled in his stomach making him shiver, from her accidentally tease. "It is alright Jester." He sat up from his position composing himself and not making eye contact with her or caleb (though he wouldn't see him anyway.) He felt more heavy than he did before. "It seems that your..." He paused looking for the right words "peculiar method for relaxation has worked"

"Sorry that it was too tickly, oh and don't worry we won't tell anyone that your like süper ticklish Essek"

He just blushed with a nod, hoping that she was telling the truth "Well I will try and find rest then." Before he could stand up he felt a hand on his forearm. His eyes landing on Caleb.

"I know that sleep is most restful when surrounded by friends" he then felt Jester put her hand on his mid back.

"Yeah, essek stay here with us"

Looking between them, he sighed slightly "alright" settling back down, he took up his trance position, this time not floating.

Slowly falling into trance. This time however no nightmares.

He awoke a couple hours later, most of his friends still asleep. One of which Caleb was leaning against him. Jester had found her place against Fjord, who was in fact awake. Along with Caduceus. It's was nice. Peaceful even.

This next week wouldn't be too bad he thought.

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

Finally did it!

(Authors note, I forgot that elves/drow don't sleep but I kinda made it work out in the end, also I tried to make caleb as awkward as possible so I hope I succeeded.)

[poesparakeet-fics]

Here you go, you thirsty beasts.

This one got long so it’s a 2 parter! It’s SFW, so enjoy it at the link or here in the post.

Chapters: 1/2 Fandom: Critical Role (Web Series) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Caduceus Clay & The Mighty Nein, Caduceus Clay & Jester Lavorre, Caduceus Clay & Mollymauk Tealeaf, Caduceus Clay & Yasha Characters: Caduceus Clay, Jester Lavorre, Mollymauk Tealeaf, Yasha (Critical Role), Nott | Veth Brenatto Additional Tags: Tickling, Revenge, Shrinking, wild magic mishaps, safeword, Teasing Summary:

Caduceus has made a habit of tickling some of his companions, be it as a cheer-up, a settle-down or a playful punishment. When a mishap with some wild magic makes his smaller than his friends, a few decide to get a little revenge.

FIC

Caduceus didn’t mind arcane magic most of the time, after all, Caleb used his with great expertise.  But he was getting real tired of wild magic, real fast. 

When Jester had cast her guiding bolt she’d gotten butterflies, for Mother’s sake. He’d tried to heal Fjord and saw everything around him start to stretch and grow. They kept fighting, of course. It wasn’t until the last of the shrieking horrors was lying dead that he realized what had actually happened. 

The world hadn’t grown, he had shrunk. Which was, to be fair, easier to deal with. Still, he was feeling pretty sorry for himself as he sat with his feet dangling from the side of their kitchen table, now only a few inches taller than Veth.

A visiting Shadowhand was peering at Caduceus with a small frown on his face before scratching his head and sighing. 

“Alright. The bad news is, I don’t think we can dispel it. Jester said you tried a restoration spell?”

Caduceus nodded glumly. 

“Well the good news is, it will almost certainly wear off. The spell is using energy to maintain this form in you, it will run out of that energy eventually. But… I cannot tell you how long it will last. Based on the rate of decay I would guess a few days but that is some conjecture on my part.”

Caduceus let out a sigh. 

“Thank you for your help, Essek. I guess I’ll just have to live with my current… uh… change in perspective for the time being.”

“Yes, a good attitude to keep. I’m sure it’s been a long time since you were that small.”

“Huh. Yeah, I guess I would have been a baby. Maybe I’ll ask Veth for pointers.”

“I think that all of her advice will involve climbing, Herr Clay. You might need to make your own way.” Caleb chuckled from his seat nearby. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He had been watching Caduceus like he was a puzzle, but now he was smiling, having been assured that the situation wasn’t too serious.

“Yeah, you might be right.”

Caduceus hopped off the table, turning to see Caleb smothering a little half smile. Caduceus pointed a finger accusingly.

“You cut that out.”

“I’m very sorry. It’s just… it is very cute.”

…

“Caduceus, can I hug you?”

Yasha had walked through covered in rainwater not ten minutes before, but she’d returned in dry clothes. Caduceus, about halfway through drinking a now comically large mug of tea, looked up to meet her gaze. He could see the little haunt of loneliness in her eyes that sometimes creeped in, even in a house full of lovers.

“Yeah, of course.” 

He put his tea down carefully before hopping off his seat. He started to pass her into the living room, but Yasha sat at the table and pulled him into her lap instead.

“Woah!”

“Sorry!” Yasha rushed out, “I didn’t mean to surprise you! You were lighter than I thought you’d be!”

“It’s OK,” Caduceus assured her, “I’m just not used to being picked up.”

Yasha wrapped him up in her arms. “Is this alright?”

He relaxed as she coiled herself around him, face buried in his soft hair. 

“Yeah. That’s very nice.” Being held so literally felt old and new at the same time.

Yasha nuzzled his head. “I’ve wanted to do this since you shrunk. I love you when you’re big, but it’s so nice to get to squeeze you for once!”

Caduceus chuckled. “It’s nice to be squeezed, honestly.”

“And you’re so cute! I just want to eat you up! Omnomnom!”

Caduceus felt his whole spine twist on instinct when Yasha gnawed playfully at the back of his neck.

“No-ho!” He squeeked, so high pitched that both of them froze in shock. 

“Aw, Caduceus…”

“... It would be really unfair to tickle me. Just because you’re bigger than me now--” He was cut off when he had to press his lips together to smother another peel of laughter.

Yasha grinned with her teeth still pressed against his skin.

“I dunno, you tickle the others plenty.”

“Because they need it!”

“Hehe. I think that’s probably true, but they never get you back because you’re always so scared of hurting them by accident. Isn’t that because you’re bigger than them?”

She blew a raspberry on the side of his neck that made him squeal far too loud. He heard approaching footsteps. 

“No no no nonono!” He squeaked when he realized what they meant.

Jester bounded through the door first, magnetically drawn to any ticklish sounds in her vicinity. She stopped in her tracks when she walked into the kitchen to see a smiling Yasha with a giggling fun-sized firbolg in her lap, now curled in a desperate little ball within her embrace to avoid the fingers pinching at his tummy.

“Oh my goodness, is little Caduceus ticklish?”

“Nohoho!” Caduceus tried to plead or run, but his laughter was blocking the former and a meaty arm was blocking the latter.

“Mmhmm,” Yasha answered with one hand clawing his belly, not even out of breath for the effort she was expanding to thwart his escape, “I think big Caduceus is too, he’s just easier to tickle now.”

Molly and Veth stumbled in behind Jester. Molly had a grin on his face, coming to stand behind her and rest his chin on her shoulder. His eyes narrowed.

“Hey, he’s being real loud, eh?”

“Huh?” Jester answered.

“Well, it seems like he might need to settle down a little.”

“Ooh,” Jester giggled, “I think you’re right Molly!”

Caduceus felt a cold chill splash down his back. Sure, he’d seen this coming, but it didn’t stop the escalation of shivery, giggly panic through his system. And running was not working out for him.

“Well,” Molly purred, “Isn’t it lucky that we have such well established guidelines for getting someone to settle down.”

Caduceus switched gears, climbing further into Yasha’s lap instead and clinging to her shoulders.

“Please! Don’t let them get me!”

“I dunno…” Yasha teased as the tieflings stalked closer.

“No! Yasha, they’ll kill me!”

“Oh, don’t worry, I won’t let them kill you. But you do deserve this just a little, don’t you?” Yasha lowered her voice, all but whispering in his velvety ear, “Don’t forget, licorice works for you too.”

Caduceus whimpered. Ok, so did he deserve it? Yes. Probably. A little. Had there been a few times where he’d tickled a tiefling to pieces less because they needed to settle down and more because it was fun? Maybe. Perhaps. A couple of times, tops.

He took a deep breath to try and steel himself, shutting his eyes tight in the hopes that not seeing them coming would somehow save him. Yasha chuckled in his ear, seeming to sense his acceptance of this fate. 

“Heh. OK,” she whispered in his ear.

Fingers as strong as barrel bands gripped his ankles and Yasha stood up. The world spun. Balance upended, Caduceus eye’s shot open to see the devilish forms of his approaching friends as they cheered Yasha on, only upside- down. Yasha was hanging him by his ankles. 

“Don’t be too mean or I’m eating tief toes for dinner, got it? He’s not used to it.”

Molly’s smile became razor sharp and Jester clapped her hands. Caduceus could only hug himself and try to keep his shirt from falling over his head. 

“Not used to getting a taste of his own medicine, you mean? Seems to me that should be corrected.” Molly purred.

"Ah! Can we please talk about this?" Caduceus asked, the tiniest hint of a whine making its way into his usually rumbling voice.

"You can talk all you want, Caduceus!" Jester bent over to put her face next to his. She gave him a teasing wink before planting a sweet little kiss on his cheek.

"Veth?" He asked, looking pleadingly at his fellow (currently) small creature, "Solidarity? Please?"

Veth just laughed at him. "Nah."

"But you're going to help us though, right Veth?" Jester asked, voice full of mischief. "When will you get the chance to tickle Caduceus again?"

"Heh. Nah." The halfling answered, strolling out of the room. "I'm good, thanks." 

"Humph." Jester pouted for a moment, but it quickly morphed into a wicked little smile as she reached out to tickle Caduceus' long velvety ears.

"Ahhahaha- hehe- ha... no... no... MOLLY GET AWAY FROM THERE!"

The other tiefling cackled with glee, pinching Caduceus' knees. The firbolg’s legs pumped on reflex, his body wiggling like a worm on a hook. 

"So loud! You're not settled yet, love, just relax."

"I wahahahas born settled!"

"Oh reeeally? Jester teased him, hands jumping up to poke and pinch at his ribs, effortlessly dodging any attempt he made to block her. "Then why are you so loud and wiggly, huh?"

'B-because you- eeheeheehee! Tiheheheckles!"

"Does it?" Molly taunted, dropping down to Jester's level and fluttering his hands across his belly. 

"Yehehes!"

"Excellent!" Molly cheered, before grabbing the hem of Caduceus' shirt and yanking it down over his head. 

Caduceus squawked, temporarily blinded by the homespun linen that was now tangled around his elbows. He started to fight with it, trying to push it down (up?) again to cover his downy torso, for all the good it was doing. Then he felt a cool pair of lips press against his belly, and he squealed before Jester could even begin.

Ppppbbbbtt

“Aaaaiii! NahahaHAA! STAHAP!”

Caduceus’ pleas fell on deaf ears, Jester only pausing long enough to take a deep breath and giggle to herself before she hit him again. 

"Yes! Wish I could grow a beard just for this, you fuzzy bastard." Molly crowed.

Caduceus whimpered frantically, his shirt somehow transformed into an impossible maze that kept him blinded and defenseless.

An ominous silence was followed by a deadly double attack made Caduceus’ voice crack with the force of his squeal. “AHAaaA! LICORICE!”

The both backed off right away, leaving Caduceus dizzy and catching his breath. Jester started to help him get untangled from his shirt. Molly grinned down at him before taking a deep, threatening breath to make Caduceus shriek in anticipatory panic.

Molly didn’t get a chance to make good. In one more dizzying instant Caduceus was set upright on his feet, watching Yasha chase Molly out of the room. 

“WHAT did I say?”

“C-come on I wasn’t gonna do it! Yasha! Please! He threatens me like that all the-- Nooo!”

Jester chuckled at Caduceus’ dazed expression, pulling him into a cuddle where they stood. 

“You OK Caduceus?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

“That’s good. It was fun to tickle you for a change!”

“Well I’m glad it was fun, because when I’m big again there are going to be consequences.” 

Jester just giggled at him, then tugged him to sit on a chair and put his tea cup back in his hands with a kiss on his cheek.

[widobravely]

What point in their character arcs do you think Caleb and Jester need to get to in order to work as a couple? Or what do they need to overcome? Or are they ready?

I left this in my inbox for a bit to think about it, but really, when I saw the question I knew my answer already.

First of all: Widojest could not happen as long as Caleb hid the truth of his past from Jester. His murder of his parents is too big a thing to hide. So while I hoped and dreamed and wanted for like, eighty episodes, I knew it wasn't going to happen until he was honest.

AND THEN! LO AND BEHOLD. He was! He told the entire Nein! Admittedly he kept out the part about his memory being modified (likely because Caleb just loves to make things harder on himself believes that whether or not his parents were traitors, he STILL made the decision to kill them. And that is unforgivable), but still! He told Jester!

And of course Jester immediately reassures him, immediately hugs him. It's "Oh Jester, I am glad you see the good in me" all over again.

It's over. No more secrets. It's like taking off his bandages and showing them his scars all over again, but deeper this time. More honest. Now if we could just get someone to realize why Caleb is uncomfortable with his friends having residuum tattoos--

Now, as for Jester, well, she does not have such a dark backstory, but I think for me she needs to verbalize (preferably to her mother), first, that love is not like the smut books. It isn't all smoldering looks and hot buff men. And first love, as many of us know, is not always best love. (If someone here has married/dated their first love, chime in--I wanna know your story!)

Why verbalize, preferably to her mother? Because I believe Marion was integral to Jester believing in one love all these years. I mean, how romantic, staying single forever because the father of your child fucked off, right. It's a lovely story, a great narrative, but it makes for shit living, sometimes.

I want Jester to tell her mother: I thought I loved someone, but it turns out I don't. I'm sorry, Mama, I wanted a one true love like you had.

And then of course Marion says something very nice and wise and comforting. And you know, personally, I wouldn't much mind if Babenon and Marion caught up with each other and realized that they are indeed two different people from who they used to be, and they simply aren't in love anymore. (Marion more than Babenon, I think; Babenon doesn't seem to be pining, for me. But then, I doubt that them not getting back together is a story that's going to happen, Jester wants it too much. In the words of Matthew Mercer: You're Jester, I'll allow it.)

I do think that some level of Jester making it clear to the rest of the M9 that her interest in Fjord is done is necessary to Widojest. (Looking at you, Veth.) It would also signal to Caleb that oh dear, oh my, is there a chance she could actually grow to return his feelings? Watch Caleb panic and self-sabotage.

As for the actual getting together: I would like them to dance. I have a theory that Caleb isn't going to dance with Jester until Trent Ikithon's soul has passed through the Raven Queen's hands. Just a little theory. May write a fic about it, who knows.

[ofsinnersandsaints]

Pebbles and Sparky

rating: G

word count: 3955

one shot

Fjord knows where Sabian is, and after a long and drawn out negotiation with the Plank King, the Mighty Nein is allowed 24 hours to find Sabian, get their business done, then get off the island.

Or, Fjord and Jester corner Sabian and scare the shit out of him in order to get the answers Fjord desperately needs

Special shout-out to @humble-wayside-flower for the nickname Sabian has for Fjord 😘

AO3

Fjord sat next to Jester in the inn’s dining room with the rest of the Mighty Nein around them as they tried to decide the best way to get to Sabian.

They were on Darktow, having been able to barter their way back onto the island after getting exiled months before. The Plank King had given them 24 hours to take of their business and get off, but if they made any noise, or were in any way disruptive, they would have the entirety of the pirate community after them.

Keeping their heads down and not making a wave wasn’t exactly the Mighty Nein’s strong suit.

Jester had scried on Sabian once they were at the inn, and had been able to narrow his location to a particularly raucous bar in the middle of town. Fjord was worried the second his old crewmate spotted him, he’d run, so they needed a way to figure out where he was and what he was planning.

“I’ll go in,” Beau offered, leaning forward with her tankard in hand. “Get a lay of the land, see if I can get eyes on him. I’m a criminal, I’ll fit in.”

“Hey,” Jester cut in, clearly offended. “We’re all criminals, Beau. We were pirates.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Beau apologized. “But that’s like, water criminals. I’m also a land criminal, I’ll just go in like I’m a wine smuggler. Give me twenty minutes.”

Two minutes of debate later the group agreed to let Beau in go alone, but Veth would trail her and keep in contact with her via message spell so if anything happened, the group could come to her aid.

“Stay safe,” Fjord encouraged as Beau adjusted her cloak, before they’d landed she’d switched it from the Cobalt blue to the plain brown to better fit in.

With a nod, and a quick squeeze of Yasha’s hand, Beau left. Jester scooted her chair closer to his and reached over to take his hand, her body pressed against his. “How are you doing?”

“It’s weird,” he admitted. “Been running towards this for a year, and suddenly I’m a couple of minutes from seeing him again.”

“It’ll be over soon,” she reminded him. “And then you don’t ever have to look back again.”

Fjord wished he could be that optimistic. “Your mouth to the Wild Mother’s ears.”

“I know,” she dug into her backpack. “I’ll draw tarot cards for you.”

He smiled as she pulled out her deck and shuffled them. Fjord didn’t particularly believe in tarot cards, but she loved doing it so much he wasn’t about to dampen her fun by telling her that. And it was fun to see her get so excited about the cards she drew, about finding meaning in them. The way he figured it, it wasn’t much different than him meditating or Caduceus doing communion.

When she looked for answers, this where she found them, and occasionally she found them for him too.

“Cut,” he told her because they’d done this half a dozen times by now.

“Okay, this is for the past,” Jester turned the card over. “Ooooh, it’s the Bed & the Hearth.”

Despite the fact they’d been together for months now he still blushed when she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at him. “The bed is up which means rest and comfort, but the fact that it’s empty means there’s decisions to be made. Which you’ve done,” she reminded him. “We’re here, we’re looking for Sabian. The next one is the present.”

He told her when to cut the cards. “This is a good card! It’s the Sword & Shield.”

According to Jester, every card was a good one, or an interesting one, but Fjord played along. He threw his arm along the back of her chair. “What does it mean?”

“It means,” she stared as she turned the pages in her little book to find the right section. She read a couple of sentences before hitting him on the leg, proof of her excitement. “The shield is up which means you’re standing up for your beliefs. It’s an indication of protectiveness, but it can also mean you’re under attack.”

Fjord didn’t believe in tarot cards, but shit did they get it right sometimes. “I don’t suppose those cards tell you whether or not I’ll succeed?”

“We’ll do a card for the future, that’ll tell us.”

He looked over her shoulder as she revealed the last card. “Storm & Sun, haven’t we seen that one before?”

Jester nodded, “The storm was up last time, but this time it’s the sun.”

“Sun is good?”

“Unless you’re Yasha, she wants to get this card with the storm up. But for you,” she quickly read the paragraph and he watched the slow smile curve across her face. “Healing, progress, and overcoming hardship. It’s good, Fjord.”

She leaned forward and kissed him. “We’re going to be okay.”

“Well, then.” Oddly enough, the knowledge and her certainty made him feel better. “Here’s to being good.”

Jester spent the remaining time doing Yasha and Caduceus’ tarot cards, and just on time Beau walked into the dining room looking confused and maybe a little angry. Veth came in a step behind her, grinning like an idiot.

“You okay there, first mate?”

Beau sat down and drank almost an entire tankard before she looked at him. “He hit on me.”

Fjord smiled at the confused and slightly offended tone to her voice. “Is he still alive?”

“Yes,” she assured him with a roll of her eyes. “He didn’t even use a good pick up line. Does that shit actually for dudes?”

He shrugged, “Sabian’s always done well with the ladies, but I always thought he was a dick. He was a one and done kind of guy.”

“He’s slick,” Beau judged. “And not in the good way. His accent sounded kind of like your old voice, but less drawl, and more clipped. I don’t like him.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Seven of us,” Caleb corrected. “What did you gather from him?”

“He didn’t give away much, but he’s not here for anything good, I can promise you that.” She reached out and took some food from Caleb’s plate. “He’s got a meeting for later though. When I turned him down he hit on some guy at the bar and they made arrangements to meet up in thirty minutes.”

“They’re going back to Sabian’s place,” Veth added. “That would be a good place to corner him.”

“We can all go,” Caleb offered. “A united front.”

“Yeah, and I’ll hide in the shadows and put a bolt in his ass if he so much as sneezes,” Veth added gleefully.

Fjord smiled, but shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, and I’d feel better knowing you lot were hovering nearby. But…But if it’s alright with everyone, I’d like to talk to him one-on-one to start.”

“I’m going with you,” Jester announced, her narrowed eyes daring him to argue with her.

“Of course you are.” Her expression immediately softened, grinning as if she’d just won an argument he’d had no intention of starting. “If anything goes down, Jester can send an SOS.”

Caleb and Beau looked at each other and after a moment they both nodded. “Okay, but we’ll stay close by, just in case. Ja?”

Fjord nodded and grabbed Jester’s hand as they both stood up. “We’ll talk soon.”

Together he and Jester walked towards where Beau and last seen Sabian. Apparently he’d been living here for a while, which meant there was a better than good chance he’d been here during their brief visit before. What would he have done if he’d known?

“Do we have a game plan?”

Fjord snorted at the question, “No. Should we?”

“Beau would probably have come up with one,” Jester shrugged, but she didn’t seem particularly concerned.

“Probably shouldn’t start out with punching him.”

“Probably not,” she agreed. “We can try being nice.”

He thought about it for a second before shaking his head. “No, he wouldn’t buy it.”

“Then we play it by ear,” she decided. “We’ll see what his reaction to seeing you is.”

“I’m kind of hoping he shits his pants.”

Jester laughed and swung their intertwined hands back and forth. “Me two. Get it? Two.”

“Excellent pun.”

“I thought so. Do you think he knows about the bounty hunter?”

“Probably not, Kotho seemed pretty damn good at her job.”

“Then we’ll definitely have the element of surprise.”

Fjord nodded and kept an eye out for the people leaving the nondescript building a couple doors down from the bar. It only took a few minutes for the half elf to emerge, instantly recognizable with his dark skin and easy swagger. It was bizarre to see Sabian so unchanged.

The past few months had utterly change Fjord, he was stronger, better, and yet Sabian looked almost exactly as he had the morning of the shipwreck. Lean and rangy, he was stronger than he looked and quicker than anyone else on the Tide’s Breath.

Fjord walked along the sidewalk, Jester at his side, and then crossed the street to put himself in Sabian’s way. The half-elf orphan with a quick simile and shuttered eyes widened when he realized who he was looking at.

“Well, well. If it isn’t my old buddy.” Fjord watched as Sabian took in the entire scene, saw those dark eyes dart around as if to make sure there weren’t more people hiding in the shadows. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Sabian’s charm was almost a match for his own, but Fjord immediately caught deception in the casual greeting. Whatever Sabian felt, whatever he’d planned for the night, he was jut a little scared at the sight of Fjord suddenly in front of him. “Nice to see you survived.”

“You as well,” he smirked and tucked his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels. “Not scars, I hope?”

He had three, but Sabian he said, “Nothing I couldn’t survive.”

“Seems you found some treasure at the bottom of the ocean,” Sabian pointed out as he looked at Jester. “Sabian Flint, at your service.”

Jester’s voice was flat as she met the sailor’s eyes. “Charmed, I’m sure.”

Fjord barely held back at a laugh at her response. Instead he took a step towards his old acquaintance. “I have some questions to ask you.”

Sabian shook his head. “It’s in the past, let it go.”

“Let it go?” Fjord demanded, anger rising to the surface at the sheer lack of concern in Sabian’s voice. “Those sailors died, they’re gone, men we served with, worked shoulder to shoulder with for years. They had people who loved them, who miss them, and they deserve answers. I deserve answers.”

“Calm down, Pebbles.”

The nickname wasn’t new, and neither was the patronizing tone, but Fjord was more than willing to let it slide off his back. His girlfriend apparently had other ideas, as he saw a flash of blue out of the corner of his eye. He barely had a chance to wrap his arm around Jester’s waist before she socked Sabian in front of a crowd.

“He’s not worth it, Jessie.”

She struggled for a second, and they both knew if she wanted to she could escape, but she eventually settled. “It’s Captain Tusktooth, you asshole.”

Sabian smiled, as if he was looking at a small kitten showing its claws. Fjord was more than a little tempted to release his grip on Jester and let her beat him to a pulp, but it might be a better idea to let him think they were weak. The Mighty Nein would prove Sabian wrong if it came down to it.

“Captain, huh? Got a ship of your own?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, but didn’t elaborate. He didn’t want to give Sabian any more information than was strictly necessary. “And a crew. None of whom would stab each other and then blow up the ship.”

“You really don’t understand,” Sabian shook his head as if disappointed in Fjord. “And you never will.”

“I understand more than you think.”

“And yet you still felt the need to track me down to ask me questions? You’re as clueless as you’ve always been, Pebbles. But you know what they say, ignorance is bliss. Enjoy your bliss, and your lady friend, and stay out of my way.”

Fjord watched Sabian turn around to walk away, and he couldn’t think of anything to say to stop him. Aside from physically detaining him, there wasn’t much he could do.

“What did he promise you?” Jester asked to Sabian’s retreating back. “For every soul Uk’otoa gets, he gives you a little more power?”

Sabian stopped walking, his entire body seeming to have frozen in place. Slowly, he turned to face them both. “Excuse me?”

Jester snorted and crossed her arms in front of her. “You think you’re the only person who knows about the snea snake? Because you’re not.”

“He can’t be that high up,” Fjord added. He had no idea how Jester had connected those dots, but now that she’d said it, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t realized the possibility sooner. “He probably doesn’t even know about the orbs.”

“Oh, definitely not.”

“What do you know about Uk’otoa?” Sabian asked, but Fjord was drawn to the way Sabian’s fingers had begun to move. He recognized those movements, they’d been instinctual to him after surviving the ocean.

Sabian knew magic.

Before his former crewmate could do whatever he planned, Fjord cast a spell of his own. Throwing out the magic towards Sabian before he could do any damage to himself or Jester.

“What did you do?” Sabian demanded. His voice was strained and Fjord could all but see the muscles tighten as Sabian attempted to fight against the paralyzation which had suddenly come over him.

“I cast hold person,” Fjord explained matter-of-factly.

“Impressive,” Jester complimented him. “He can escape from it though, can’t he?”

“That’s what I’ve got you for.”

Jester’s grin was bright and eager as she patted the axe at her side. “I’ve been wanting to hit him for a while now.”

“Let’s get him out of the open though.” They hadn’t made a scene yet, but it was only a matter of time before someone noticed Sabian couldn’t move. “I don’t want anyone helping this piece of shit.”

“No problem,” Jester picked up Sabian by the waist and Fjord laughed so hard he was pretty sure he pulled something in his rib. “Come on, Sparky.”

She carried him down an alleyway as Fjord followed her. “Fuck, I wish the rest of the crew could see this.”

Jester grinned over her shoulder as she set Sabian back down, still paralyzed but anger and embarrassment darkening his cheeks.

“You dumbass half-orc,” Sabian roared. “I’ll get out of this and then you’ll regret ever finding me.”

“Shut up or I’ll make you shut up,” Jester warned and the look in her eye must have been enough of a warning because while Sabian still threw daggers from his eyes, he didn’t say anything else.

“If we try to take him back to the ship like this, he’ll call for help,” Fjord pointed out, fully aware Sabian could hear them.

“We can stick him in the bag of holding and take him back to the ship.”

“He might die in there,” Fjord pointed out casually.

“He’s got at least ten minutes,” Jester reminded him, voice pragmatic. “But we are in the middle of Darktow, so it might take longer than that. We’d have to walk fast.”

“And work up a sweat?” Fjord asked, feigning disgust. “No, thank you.”

“Good point,” Jester chewed on her lip as if she was deep in thought. “I mean, if he dies I can always bring him back. Or we could just cast speak with the dead and get our answers that way. We don’t actually need him alive.”

Fjord nodded, fully aware Jester was playing to the growing fear in Sabian’s eyes. He wanted to kiss her, but he figured now probably wasn’t the time. Instead, he held out his open palm and summoned the Star-Razor. Turning to face Sabian he put the sword to the half-elf’s neck, putting just enough pressure on the skin for Sabian to feel it. “You’re going to come with me, and you’re going to cooperate.”

“Why the hell would I do that?”

“Because if you don’t, I’ll kill you.”

“We both will,” Jester corrected helpfully. “We like to do couple things together like get revenge on dumb, small dicked cowards like yourself.”

Sabian’s eyes flitted from Jester to Fjord, confusion mixing with a growing sense of fear. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”

  “Holy shit, that’s him?” Beau asked as Yasha tied up Sabian in one of the storage rooms on the lower decks.

“Yeah,” Fjord nodded. “Yasha, could you maybe gag him too?”

“Love too,” Yasha answered, and passed over two different pieces of cloth before finding a dirty rag and shoving it in Sabian’s mouth.

Fjord was going to buy her a hundred flowers for that alone.

“Hold on, I don’t want him to hear us talking.” Jester turned and cast a quick spell, “There. I cast silence on him, now he can’t hear us and even better we won’t be able to hear him.”

“Thanks,” Fjord ran a hand down her back. “We should get the rest of the Nein down here. I don’t want to go far in case he manages to get out of those manacles.”

“I’ll get the others,” Beau offered, then turned towards the stairs and shouted at the top of her lungs for rest of the group. With a triumphant grin she looked back to Fjord. “There, they should be here in a second.”

“I think you destroyed one of my ear drums.”

Beau shrugged and didn’t even pretend to hide her grin, but good as her word, the other three members of the Mighty Nein came below decks. “You bellowed, Beau?”

“Fjord and Jester kidnapped Sabian-“

“Sparky,” Jester corrected. “We’re calling him Sparky now because he was rude to Fjord.”

“Cool,” Beau acknowledged. “And now I guess we’re going to interrogate him. Is that the plan?”

“We didn’t really plan much further than bringing him to the ship,” Fjord admitted. “But I think Jester figured out why Sabian did what he did.”

“I think Uk’otoa got to him,” Jester explained. “Or maybe Avantika? Possibly Vandran, but either way I think Sabian found out there was a powerful sea god who could give him powers, and what better way to prove your allegiance than to gift him with a dozen drowned sailors?”

“You think he blew up the boat to get in Uk’otoa’s good graces?”

“What other reason would he have had?” Jester asked Veth.

“She’s right,” Caduceus nodded. “It was just a merchant ship, wasn’t it? There was no strategic reason to bring it down, and you said the ship was practically empty, didn’t you Fjord?”

“Yeah, we were on our way to pick up cargo.”

“And it’s not like Sabian had insurance on the ship. There was no reason to bring down the Tide’s Breath except to kill everyone on board.”

“He’s not very powerful,” Fjord pointed out. “If he’s got magic, he doesn’t have a lot of it.”

“Power comes from experience,” Caleb explained. “If he’s been hiding out on the island since the sinking, then he’s not exactly testing his boundaries.”

“Coward,” Beau muttered.

“That’s what I said!” Jester laughed. “I also said he has a small dick, but I don’t know that personally.”

“He looks like a guy with a small dick,” Yasha nodded sagely. “Probably can’t hold his liquor either.”

Beau leaned over to look at Sabian. “You’re totally right, babe.”

“So what are we going to do with him?” Veth asked, refocusing the conversation. “Cause if we have to share our rations with a prisoner he’s not getting any of mine.”

“The Plank King gave us 24 hours to take care of our business, and while I think Jester’s right about why, I still have a lot of questions. After that, I think we should give him over to the locals and let them deal with him.”

“They can’t have good opinions about men who kill their fellow crew members,” Caleb agreed. “They’ll exact their own justice.”

“Hopefully the same kind of justice they gave Avantika,” Jester muttered. “But hopefully this time he doesn’t creepily climb over our ship as an undead sea witch.”

Veth shivered at the memory. “The less we can have that happen, the better.”

“Someone make a scary ‘let’s kill him’ gesture,” Jester ordered and without missing a beat Yasha drew her thumb across her neck and then looked directly at Sabian.

“That should not have been as sexy as it was,” Beau commented and Fjord rolled his eyes.

“Keep it in your pants, Beau.”

She glared at him and then they both just grinned.

“Okay, I’m going to talk to him, see what info I can get.” He looked down at Jester, “Mind being my muscle for a little bit longer?”

Jester put her hand over her heart and looked incredibly sincere as she looked him in the eye. “It would be my honor, Fjord.”

“Let us know if you need any help,” Caduceus offered. “I don’t think I’d be any good at interrogating a live person, but it might be interesting to find out.”

A chuckle rippled through the group and then they dispersed.

“Ready?” Jester asked.

“One thing first.” Fjord tugged Jester out of Sabian’s eyeline and leaned down to kiss her. Jester rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him back, both of them just taking the moment before Fjord eventually pulled away.

“What was that for?” Jester asked.

“I need a reason?”

She smiled and shook her head. “Not normally, no. But that felt like it had a reason.”

“Just… thanks for having my back.”

“Anytime,” she promised. “Now, let’s get Sparky to pee his pants.”

Fjord waited until he stopped laughing before walking into the room. “Mind getting rid of the spell?”

“Oh, right.” Jester waved her hand and they could suddenly hear the grunting of Sabian fighting against the binds and gag.

“Before we let you have your say, there’s a couple things I want you to hear.” Fjord once again made the Star Razor appear and he rested the tip against the wood of the floor and spun it around idly. “I’d like to have answers, it would make everything quite a bit easier, but the thing is: I’ve lived without answers for a while now, and I think I could live the rest of my life without them.”

Sabian’s eyes darted behind him, and without looking Fjord knew Jester and created her serrated lollipop, the slightly purple glow reflecting off his sword was easily recognizable. “So the thing is, I could kill you, and move on. Eventually, I’ll forgot about you and the fish will eat you, and there will be no evidence you ever existed. Or…”

Tearing his eyes away from the terrifying spiritual candy, Sabian narrowed his eyes at Fjord. “Or what?”

“Or you could tell us what we want to know and go back to Darktow. As long as you don’t leave, we’ll let you live. Otherwise?” Fjord picked up the sword and swung it around. “I’m going to see how many times I can cut you before you beg for mercy.”

“Who the fuck are you?”

Fjord stepped forward, all the confidence and self-assurance he’d faked in the past now real, and smiled slow and wicked. “The lady already told you, I’m Captain Tusktooth. And you’re going to tell me what I want to know.”

[hyperionshipping]

A small present

A/N: I've had this in my head for a little bit now. Don't and when this is set, I just wanted to write a soft couple thing for me and Caleb!

Ship: Tricks x Caleb Widogast

With Nott in tow, Caleb had been using the few days of downtime between travel to shop. Originally, it had been to stock up on things he needed. Paper and ink, incense, and things for his spells. But then, Fjord mentioned he'd seen a bookstore. That's where Caleb and Nott had ended up.

Caleb flipped though a few books, skimming the pages. He had already told Nott these were just normal books. She seemed slightly less interested, but still asked if Caleb saw any he liked. Caleb shook his head and continued walking around the small bookstore. Eventually, he left. "We should get back to the tavern." Nott nodded.

"Are you sure? No more shops you need go-to go too? Fjord did say once we leave here, we probably would be awhile."

"Ja, I'm good. I have everything I could need." as the two walked, they passed a smaller jewelers shop. Nott immediately stopped, small hand grabbing at Caleb's coat.

"Caleb, look." her eyes seemed bigger, "do you see those?" Caleb looked through the window. He saw gems, and the faint glitter of rings.

"I do," he looked back towards Nott. "We can go in if you want? Just to look, though."

"Yes. Just to...look." Nott pulled her hood up as Caleb walked to the door and held it open for her.

Nott felt like a little kid. Her yellow eyes were darting around. The shopkeeper was eyeing her, but Caleb trusted Nott enough. He knew everything in here would be far too pricey for him, but if Nott wanted something, he'd have gotten it for her. Still, he started to look, too.

Caleb wasn't seeing anything. Just things he'd never be able to afford. Suddenly, though, his eyes stopped on a much simpler ring. A thin metal band, shaped like a music note. It curled, so one note was full, and the other was open. "Tricks would…" Caleb licked his lips, walking to the counter. "Excuse me, the- can I look at one of the rings?"

"Of course!" the shopkeeper replied. "What one?" Caleb pointed to the music note ring, and the shopkeeper grabbed it for him. Caleb took it in his hands. It was light, and small. Shined nicely. It was at this time Nott noticed Caleb had something.

"How much- how much is this one?" Caleb asked.

"That'll be 30 gold. A great gift for anyone who likes music. And one of our cheaper options." the shopkeeper said, eyeing Caleb up and down.

"What do you have, Caleb?" Nott asked, and Caleb turned to show her.

"Do you think Tricks would like it?" he asked her.

"Oh! He'd love that, Caleb." Caleb nodded, and turned back to the shopkeeper. Truly, he didn't have the gold to spare. But, he wanted to do this. He paid the shopkeeper, who took the ring back and put it in a small box to hold it. It was a smooth box, one with a ribbon tied into a bow closing it.

As Caleb and Nott left, he had a soft blush on his cheeks thinking about actually giving Tricks the gift. Nott assured him it'd go well.

***

"Wait, Tricks," Caleb stopped the tiefling, who had been planning to go out. "I-uh-" he reached in his coat, holding the small box. "I want to give you this." Tricks gasped softly, tail rising upwards.

"Oh, Caleb! You didn't need to get me anything. Thank you," he pulled on the bow, opening the box carefully. A small purr escaped him as he looked at the ring. "I love it! Oh, this is so fitting." Tricks took it out of the box, putting it on his ring finger, and then holding his hand out, fingers stretched out to really look at it. He purred happily, and Caleb began to smile.

Tricks placed the box down, arms wrapping around Caleb. Caleb took a moment to hug him back. Tricks then pulled back from the hug slightly, suddenly kissing Caleb gently on his lips. Caleb's face grew hot, but he returned it. Tricks was beaming then. "Again, thank you, Sunshine. You really didn't need to do this." Tricks said softly.

"I am always thinking of you Tricks, this is just another way to show that. I wanted to get it for you." Tricks hugged him again, tightly this time.

"I love you, Caleb. You're the best thing that's happened to me." he kissed the bottom of his jaw.

"You mean very much to me Tricks, I want you to always be able to see that." Caleb said, arms back around him. Normally, reviving this much contact, he would have pulled away by now. But being hugged or kissed by Tricks always felt warm to him. Tricks laughed softly, and it was music to his ears.

The whole thing brought Caleb so much comfort. Even after they stopped hugging, Tricks held his hand. And as they joined the party, everyone could tell Caleb seemed just a bit happier. And so did Tricks.

[minister-for-femslash]

Here

Summary: After Jester tells the Nein what she saw while scrying, Yasha and Beau try to deal with how they feel about this latest revelation and find themselves leaning on each other in order to do so. 

Pairing: Beau/Yasha

Word Count: 2,646

Warnings: Spoilers up to and including Campaign 2 Episode 111

There's silence as Jester finishes telling them what she saw. Molly. Several looks pass between them, full of worry and concern, and maybe a hint of fear, but none of them speak, none of them know what to say.

Beau feels Yasha's grip tighten, her fingers squeezing so much that it hurts. There are obvious tears in Yasha's eyes and Beau makes a decision.

“We need a minute.” Beau turns and the two of them walk away from the rest of the Nein. Nobody tries to stop them and when they're far enough away, with the rain falling heavily down upon them, they reach for each other, holding each other tight.

They stay there for a while, slowly sinking further into the other's embrace, until eventually the rest of the Nein begin to talk, to make plans, their voices rising just enough to make Beau and Yasha pull back, and when Jester makes her way over to them a few moments later they've parted completely, a clear gap between them.

“Caleb thinks we should head back to Zadash, at least until we can figure out where Molly is or what he's doing. Are you okay with that?”

Beau waits, giving Yasha the chance to speak but when she says nothing, Beau nods her head. She takes Yasha's hand once again and the two of them follow Jester back to the rest of the group.

Caleb is already drawing the teleportation circle on the ground. He looks up at her, his eyes asking a thousand questions; questions that Beau doesn't have the answers for, at least not yet, so instead she glances Yasha and subtly shakes her head and Caleb quickly turns away, finishing the rest of the circle, and they all step through.

Caleb makes the mansion for them again. Yasha quickly heads to her room, her hand sliding away from Beau's, leaving her feeling empty and a little alone, but if Yasha needs some time then Beau can understand that and so she stands back, watching as Caleb and Veth show Yeza and Luc around, Luc's obvious excitement over everything, but especially the cats managing, somehow to bring a slight smile to Beau's lips.

“Honey, would you like to see our bedroom?” Veth asks Yeza, with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Beau decides that maybe it's time for her to go to bed as well and with a mutter of a word she floats upwards.

Caleb intercepts her before she can reach her door.

“Beauregard.”

“Yeah.”

“I just wanted to say I'm sorry, for pushing for us to -” he sighs and averts his gaze - “go and talk to Molly. I understand how upsetting his death was for you, for all of us, and in the moment I didn't see that what I was suggesting hurt you.”

“It's okay. It looks like it was a good thing we went.”

“I was hoping to apologize to Yasha as well, but she's already gone to bed. Maybe I'll wait and talk to her tomorrow.”

“That's probably a good idea. 'Night Caleb.”

“Goodnight Beau.”

He begins to walk away, only to stop. He keeps his back to her as he stares down through the towers, focusing on Jester, Fjord and Caduceus who are still sitting in the dining room. “Do you think it's him?”

Beau takes a moment, she already knows the answer, but she takes the moment anyway, because she needs it, because she knows the words will taste like ash on her tongue. “No. I don't think it's Molly.”

“Me neither.” Caleb walks away.

Beau steps into her room and closes the door behind her. She heads straight for the writing desk and pulls out her mountain of notebooks, determined to write about what just happened, what it means and how it connects to the other threads she's trying to pull together, but all she can manage is a few sentences. Her mind should be swimming, buzzing with the new information but instead it's empty, like all the thoughts have been drained out of her, by confusion, by grief, by the uncertainty of what happens next, and after an hour of sitting and staring at an almost blank piece of paper she gives up, snapping her pencil until three pieces and tossing them onto the desk.

She decides to train instead, pummeling the punching bag, trying to expel whatever it is that she's feeling in a frenzy of sweat, pain and eventually exhaustion.

When her limbs are sore and her brain more fuzzy than when she started, she crashes down onto her bed. Her eyes close and her body sinks into the mattress. Sleep will come in a matter of moments, or it would if there wasn't a knock at that exact moment. It's so gentle that Beau almost doesn't hear it, but she's glad she does because when she drags her tired body to the door she finds Yasha on the other side.

“Hi,” Beau says.

“Hey. I erm... Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, no. I was still awake. Are you... Do you need something?”

“I can't sleep.”

“Oh. Do you... Do you want to come in?” Beau asks.

“Please, if that's okay.”

“Sure.”

Yasha steps inside and after giving her a few moments to change her mind, Beau slowly closes the door, her mouth going a little dry at the thought that the two of them are alone. She stands back and watches as Yasha moves around the room, finally coming to a stop at the fireplace, that roars into life, and staring into the flames.

“Do you want something to eat?” Beau asks. “You haven't eaten much today.”

“Neither have you.”

“Okay, so lets tell the cats to bring us up some pancakes, and that is not the weirdest thing that I've ever said, if you can believe that.”

“I can believe it, and pancakes would be nice.”

“Or I have pocket bacon? Do you want some pocket bacon?” Beau quickly rummages through her pockets, grabs a couple of strips of bacon, and holds them out for Yasha.

“Thank you.”

Beau asks the cats to bring them up some pancakes and it's as weird as she thought it would be, then her and Yasha settle down in front of the fire.

“Beau, why do you keep bacon in your pockets? Is there a reason?”

“I just really like bacon,” Beau says with a smile, but it's a smile that Yasha doesn't return. “I started doing it back in Kamordah. I had a pretty major fight with my dad and so I left, I just walked right out of the door. I stayed away for about a day, but I was cold and lonely, and honestly starving, so I went back which my dad loved because it proved his whole everything I do is to protect you and therefore it's okay stuff he has going on.”

“He wasn't worried?”

Beau shrug her shoulders. “My mom was worried.” She goes quiet for a moment, actually contemplating the question; if her father was worried then he didn't show it, but she likes to think, no, she wants to hope he was.

“Beau.”

The gentle touch of Yasha's hand on her arm is enough to pull her from her contemplation and she looks up.

“Sorry,” Beau says.

“So, what about the bacon?”

“Oh yeah, I erm, I realised that there were going to be times when I just needed to get out of that house, to just run away and I wasn't always going to know when that was, so I started keeping things I might need to stay away longer, like food, on me. Bacon tastes the best, so pocket bacon.” Beau smiles again and this time Yasha returns it, slowly, but she does return it.

“You know -” Yasha's hand is still on Beau's shoulder, she moves it down, her fingers brushing against the fabric of Beau's robe, until she reaches her hand and grasps it - “you don't have to run from us.”

“I know.”

“Ever.” Yasha's grip on her hand tightens.

“I know.”

“So why did you put that bacon in your pocket last night? You're not planning to...”

“No. No, of course not. Yasha -” Beau shifts forward in her chair - “I'm here with you. For you. With you.” The words come so easily, easier than any words ever have before. “I'm here. I'm not going anywhere.”

“Good. That's good.”

Yasha moves forward and for a moment, this small microsecond, Beau is certain that both of them are leaning in at the same time. She holds her breath, a slight quiver on the back of her neck as her eyes close and she waits for what seems at this point inevitable. She can feel Yasha's breath on her lips and her stomach tightens.

The moment is ripped from them by the sound of a soft meow and a gentle tap on metal. The warmth of Yasha's breath disappears and after a moment Beau opens her eyes. Their pancakes have arrived.

Beau takes the pancakes from the ginger cat and thanks them, once again struck by the weirdness of it all. She places the plate on the table between them and Yasha quick digs in. Beau takes a few bites herself but she mostly allows Yasha to eat. Instead she stares up at the stain glass window just above the fire; the image of the Mighty Nein staring out over the fields of the Empire. Beau is in the middle, with Jester and Yasha on either side of her, then Caleb and Veth on the left, Fjord and Caduceus on the right. There's no Molly.

Beau doesn't think that Caleb meant anything by it, he probably didn't want to bring back painful memories, but now, after what they know, his absence from the scene is far too obvious. She wonders if Caleb would mind if she asked for Molly to be added, and then decides against it, choosing to wait until they know what's happened to him.

“It's beautiful,” Yasha says. Most of the pancakes are gone, there are just a few left and she pushes the plate towards Beau to finish.

“What?”

“The window, it's beautiful.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Does it move?”

“No, I don't think it does.”

“Oh.”

“That's okay. I kind of prefer it this way.” Beau thinks it's a deliberate choice by Caleb, to create this static moment of happiness, of togetherness that will never change and never disappear. He knows her so well.

Yasha yawns. She tries to hide it but Beau sees.

“Maybe we should try to get some sleep.”

Yasha averts her gaze. “I don't think I want to be alone right now.”

“That's okay, you can, erm, you can -” Beau stutters slightly when Yasha looks up at her and there's a moment of anticipation as they stare each other - “stay here. I mean, only if you want, but you could stay here, maybe. The bed is big enough for, erm, or you could take the bed and I could take the floor or something.”

“I'd like that.” Yasha stands.

Beau hesitates, her hands gripping onto the arms of the chair.

“Is the mirror still above your bed?”

Beau laughs. “I actually haven't had a chance to look yet.”

“Then we should look.”

Yasha disappears into the bedroom and Beau smiles to herself before she stands up and follows her. Yasha's already on the bed by the time Beau gets there, her eyes closed, her boots kicked onto the floor. Beau joins her. She gently sits on the side of the bed and after a quick glance at Yasha and a bite of her own lip she lies down.

The blue rope hangs down and Beau pulls, the curtain sliding away and she's staring at the reflection of the two of them, lying side by side. There's a gap between them, less than an inch, most wouldn't notice, but to Beau it's obvious.

Beau stares at the reflection of Yasha's face; at her hair splayed out across the pillow, at the sharpness of her jaw line, the softness of her lips. Yasha's eyes slowly open and Beau is struck by how beautiful and how bright, despite the sadness, they are. She closes the gap between them, the back of their hands brushing together.

“Do you intend to use it?” Yasha asks.

“I don't know, probably. I mean Caleb went to all this trouble, it would be rude not to and if you can find the right person then this sort of thing can be, well, fun.”

“Any thoughts on who?”

“What?”

I know you've had...” Yasha trails off.

Beau thinks about Keg, and about Reani, and Tori, and while she can imagine all of them being invited into the tower (even Tori), and she can also imagine them being invited into her room, but what she can't imagine is any of them making it here, lying beside her on this bed. Not now.

“Right now, the only person I feel comfortable having in here is you.”

They stare at each other in the mirror.

“That's good, because I like it here. Caleb did a really good job.”

“Yeah, he did.”

“We should do something nice for him, to say thank you. Maybe we could get him some books or some nice parchment and a quill, just a little something to show he's appreciated, you know. He might need it after seeing Trent again.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“We could go tomorrow,” Yasha says. “We have a couple of days before we have to go and see Vess DeRogna.”

Beau feels her stomach tighten. She pulls her gaze away from the mirror, no longer satisfied with just Yasha's reflection and rolls onto her side. “Yasha, are we talking about Caleb because you don't want to talk about Molly?”

“Is that okay?”

Beau wants to say yes. It very much feels like the right answer because it's the answer Yasha wants, but there's this tiny part of her, this small voice in the back of her head begging her not to say it. “I don't know. But if you did want to talk about him then I'm happy to listen.”

Beau stares at Yasha, watching as she takes a breath, and another, and another, and just as Beau thinks she isn't going to get an answer, Yasha also rolls onto her side and they're staring at each other.

“Do you think Cree is forcing him to go somewhere?”

“Jester said that he seemed willing. That he was smiling.”

“You don't think it's him, do you?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I can't imagine Molly coming back and him not doing everything he could to find you, to let you know. He cared about you too much not to.”

“Even at end?”

“What do you mean?”

“What if he remembers and he hates me?”

“Yasha, why would...”

“Because I'm the reason he's dead. I could've stopped them from taking us. I should've stopped them, because if I had, you wouldn't have gone after them and Molly wouldn't be dead. It's my fault, why wouldn't he hate me?”

“Yasha, nobody ever blamed you for what happened. The Iron Fucks could've got the drop on any of us, Molly certainly never blamed you. There are a lot of things I didn't know about Molly, clearly, but one thing that I'm certain of is that Molly would never hate you. He loved you.” Beau places her hand on Yasha's shoulders.

“Thank you, Beau,”Yasha says, but there are clearly tears in her eyes.

“And whatever happens next I'm here, okay.” Beau's hand slides from Yasha's shoulder up to the back of her neck and pulls her into a hug. Yasha's hands grab at her waist and the two of them hold each other until sleep eventually takes them.

[violet-t-9]

Check in on my (not very realistic) wish list for episode 139

1. Nobody dies in the potential battle against Lucien/the Somnovem? I will be fine with temporary unconciousness but please nobody actually dies? Will they even fight? What was going on with the cliffhanger? I have so many questions!

Hey nobody died! Nobody even went unconscious. Can't believe we have a part 2 to this epic boss fight. This showdown is awesome! At least we know what will happen next episode.

2. The group uses their new eye powers for something (group telepathy will be hilarious, especially accidental) or just in general goof off with their new eyes.

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now

3. Beau or Caleb discover more new eye functions that we have not seen before (antimagic cone anyone? Does the eye location have any meaning? Lucien’s was also on the chest right?)

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now. If the locations mean anything, so far it's not revealed.

4. We get to see more of the party members’ new powers/abilities since they levelled up and got a long rest! Let’s gooo.

MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH thanks Cad. It's a new power we haven't seen before! Caleb knows gravity fissure now, apparently! Fjord and Veth also considered using new abilities before the break. Jester used contagion on Lucien! It was a nice try.

5. They get some sort of contact with/update from the material plane (i.e. their family, Yussa, or anybody else I guess just not Trent please), it’s been a while I wonder what’s going on over there. Has Jester’s parent trap succeeded fully yet? Has the assembly been investigated yet? Has Yussa figured out what the Nein did with his emergency exit gift? How are Yeza and Luc doing in the crime bar? Is the Dynasty looking into Essek? So many possibilities.

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now

6. The M9 succeed in stopping the city from going to the material plane and find a way to potentially destroy it by the end of the episode.

It appears that them plane shifting the crest away actually does ensure that the city cannot return to the material plane, that's great news! Also, I assume destroying Lucien would be a good first step to destroying the city.

7. Beau and Yasha continue to fight like the power couple they are and to indulge in PDA in the flesh horror city (because why not). Bonus: we find out Yasha’s plans for Beau’s red cape/the cape is used by Beau in the episode.

The discussion between Beau, Yasha and Veth LMAO. Oh NO Yasha is fighting Beau again - that natural 1 though! The miss! Another natural 1! The power of love!!!! Yasha also used the battle cry to protect Beau!

8. Fjord and Jester continue to be domestic and supportive of each other in these trying times because they are great. Bonus: more Sprinkle/Artagan mentions or interactions.

Jester and Fjord starting strong with the dirty/natural 20's! Also "I'd rather you wear it" "Fjord, it's so expensive!" They are so cute. Ayy Sprinkle/Artagan both got fed the Heroes' Feast! The excitement over the ring finally working lol. "Imma cast it at 4th level" lol Jester really tried her best to remove his slow and it worked!

9. Obligatory wish for Essek’s fancy dunamancy or magical items (Bonus: STILL hoping to see more high-damage AOE offensive spells that Essek has never cast because of the party placement, dark star anybody?).

The trapped haste spell MmmMm. GRAVITY FISSURE YAY hot spell flavour is hot. THANK YOU for that dispel magic on Yasha Essek you are the best. Nice magic missile but he is out in the open oh nO he is charmed oh no is he going to dark star the party?? Wheww thank you Caleb for the dispel, at fifth level too! He was so going to dark star Lucien if Cad was not pulled.

10. Obligatory wish for Caleb’s polymorph spell on himself or a party member. Actually, let’s expand to any party member’s polymorph! Give me those sweet polymorph interactions.

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now

11. The party tries to reach Lucien by mentioning Molly and Lucien actually having a physical reaction to their words.

Wow that was a physical reaction alright, definitely to Jester and Caleb's mention of Molly's name. Jester's song also had an effect. Everybody is trying yay! Well, it was worth a try. BEAU'S bonus action Gustuv talk made him lose a legendary action WOW. Fjord's, Caleb's attempt also succeeded. In round 2, Beau removed 1 legendary action, followed by Jester

12. Obligatory wish for Essek’s room in the tower (it will stay until it happens).

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now

13. Obligatory wish for Cad being a MVP in and out of combat because he always is.

CAD what a good pep talk I love you. Path to the grave and also the reaction war caster blight, very nice.

14. I NEED MORE RP PLEASE like last week’s high intensity combat was fun but I miss one-on-one conversations give them to me thank you. Longer conversations are even better.

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now, however there was a lot of Molly RP involved.

15. Everybody being super freaked out/creeped out by the terrible flesh city thanks to Matt’s wonderfully detailed and awesome descriptions.

The damaged state of the city, how it leans towards Lucien's cocoon thing and Lucien's transformation... OH NO the stalks not the tentacle stalks.

16.  At least one of the party members get mind-influenced/charmed by some effect during the combat (well at least Caleb’s got mind blank and Veth got intellect fortress, but I would be surprised if there was no mind shenanigans).

Well, I knew it would happen. Gaudius, the eye of longing/love that did not affect Beau DID charm Yasha with a failed wis save and Yasha attacked Beau, again. However thanks to Essek it didn't last long!

17. Somebody check in a bit on Essek’s mental state because he is clearly not entirely desensitized as seen from last episode. At least he got a full rest so physically he is fine (just squishy, like wizards are).

Hey Essek got to open up a little bit before their final fight, so that was great.

18. Caleb uses more fire or his customized spells or just any cool spells in general I guess because what’s sexier than wizards NOTHING I’m still hyped from last week.

Gravity fissure already?? Sweet max damage, despite the save! Caleb you can literally just copy any spell you see cast can't you, high int wizard I love you. Also the use of that potion and the scroll were pretty smart too.

19. We learn more about Lucien’s motives and what he is actually trying to do, or more about the Somnovem’s different? motives because I was very confused last episode. Lucien wants to “parent” the Somnovem by bombing them with 10 intuit charges, like okay are you sure you are not trying to kill them? Then again, if that doesn’t severely damage the Somnovem I don’t know what will.

Well we now know that Lucien has all the Somnovem power inside himself now and is still very much wanting to bring back the city - at least he can't right now because of the threshold crest they got rid of last session. This clarifies a lot. I guess the "parenting" was to weaken the Somnovem for him to absorb them all into himself?

20. Obligatory wish for everyone to remain relatively happy and alive by the end of the episode except Lucien, and the episode ends on a terrifying cliffhanger as always.

I mean, should have known that Lucien cannot be killed in 1 session. Otherwise though, what an episode! What a session! Absolutely amazing.

Bonus:

ESSEK IS MAKING A JOKE LMAO I can't with this man, he is also giving everybody spells/gifts, cute - I guess wizards all have the save love language.

CALEB IS ABOVE 100 HP thank you Jester for that 17 roll from Heroes' Feast! I knew you'd do it. The feast was so crucial in their combat too, what a queen. Caleb always be covering his friends in his anti-aberration cone, and burning Lucien's legendary reactions. Great moves.

Veth are you... horny for Lucien??? LMAO

OH NO Gaudius on Essek this is the alternative Essek bossfight timeline OH NO but at the same time YES the angst- oh nvm Caleb thanks lol.

Extra - combat notes for my record:

Saves minus # eyes

Elatis - Excitement, pulling the target 120 ft towards Lucien + eye.

Ira - Rage, fireball effect AOE damage.

Fastidan - Disgust (wilting dull green) necrotic damage

Luctus - Grief (Dex save), slow spell effect.

Timorei - fear effect, but negated by Heroes' feast immunity.

Culpasi - guilt (Con save) disadvantage on saving throws +...

Miramus - (wis save)

Vigilan - the eye that moves/emanates the anti-magic cone

Gaudius - (wis save) charm effect

WHAT A FIGHT! I can't wait for part 2 and hopefully that's Lucien's final form. I did not think that the Molly influence will have such a profound effect, but I sure am glad it did! Everyone was so amazing in this combat, I love it all.