#i was gonna go for camo green but i want something bright so then its like 'wtf is this counter guardian wearing'

[otaku-tactician]

FGO OC (initial sketches)

they are a counter guardian who become servant (like EMIYA)

she has nicknames such as 'divine vanguard', 'the hero conqueror', 'lionheart of the back lines' but they are all just dramatizations of their job LOL

stage 1 and 2 ascension

i aimed for a design for a lot of pockets as counter guardians offer a lot of support, so i can imagine they need to take a lot with them. as for the imagery of spikes, that has links to their death, as well as their inner issues (hence why the spikes are around their neck and ears). but the whole vibe is 'yoo why u trying to make a grungy survival outfit a sexy waifu outfit'

they have goggles cuz alaya sends counter guardians to war fronts worldwide, so they need that protection.

stage 1 is their early days of trying to be what a counter hero is expected to be (according to her)

stage 2 is when her ass keep on getting beat on the battlefield and experiencing hells so she stop giving a fuck about looking neat

final ascension

this outfit represents their last living day as a counter guardian. their jacket and top are ripped. their collar is high and hair messy. with each ascension their look becomes increasingly disheveled, showcasing their liberation but also rapid descent to their eventual death (the spikes and decreasing amount of clothes on her body are part of that symbolism). THEY ALSO HAVE NOT MANY POCKETS LEFT :(

this form could be spikier....but it's okay. this fa represents 'exposing one's true self'. no more needing to be presentable, especially not in the face of death.

close-up images

from left to right is how their appearance changes with each ascension. as you can see her hair becomes increasingly messy and less combed back, they also become more smug seeing as all caution was thrown to the wind in their last moments.

[bella-spil]

Fall In Line

Yours and Natasha’s story about how you escaped H.Y.D.R.A.

Warnings:mentions of violence, violence, abuse, ANGST, small amount of fluff, Natasha being a funny but annoying badass.  And You kicking some serious ASSSS.

Word Count: 3.5k

Taglist: (Lmk if you wanna join!) @wednesday-add-em​ @angrythingstarlight​ @sea040561​ @kmuir1​

A/N: first time writing for Natasha Romanoff, lmk how I did.  Feedback is appreciated!  And this is based on the song “Fall In Line” by Christina Aguilera feat. Demi Lovato(I get chills everytime I hear the song, its so fucking good).  Btw, in the story the lyrics r a bit out of order, to fit with the story better, so don't get pissed at me😬

Little girls, listen closely

'Cause no one told me

But you deserve to know

That in this world, you are not beholden

The smell of wild flowers filled the air.  Sunshine poured on your soft skin.  Your long, beautiful hair was swaying in the light breeze.  And your smile was contagious, so much so that your friend was grinning with you.

You and Natasha were sitting in a field, watching the white, fluffy clouds make shapes to be determined by your imagination.  You were putting daisies and dandelions in each other's hair.  You were both having such a fun time together.  You and Natasha were laughing and smiling so much that you were leaning on each other for support, and comfort.

You and Natasha lived in an orphanage in Russia together.  You met when you were about three years old, and now, the two of you now were about six.  And you had become friends so quickly and had become so inseparable that you both would scream till the caretaker’s ears bled.  And they were forced to keep you two together.  The orphanage was so overcrowded that two little girls running out into a field was the least of their concerns.  Besides, the two of you liked a little fun now and then.  

As you were giggling and fooling around in the field, you never noticed two peculiar men sneaking up on you.  They wore black pants, black boots and black shirts, so they looked like living shadows.  And they had scary masks from a horror movie covering their faces.  And they were both carrying heavy rifles in their hands, making them look all the more terrifying. 

Their steps were muffled by the sounds of children laughing, the perfect opportunity to take you both away.  They grabbed you and Natasha.  You were both clinging onto the flowers in your hands, shaking and trembling with fear.  The air wasn’t so happy and cheerful anymore and the sky turned a somber gray.  

Natasha and you were screaming your hearts out, like your lives depended on it, and sadly, they did.  You kicked and punched as hard as you could, but nothing you did was affecting the man holding you in his arms.  Natasha was screaming your name, as if you could do something mindblowing to help one another, but it was useless.  And soon the field of flowers and sunny skies became a distant, almost forgotten memory.   

~~~

All the youth in the world will not save you from growing older

And all the truth in the girl is too precious to be stolen from her

It's just the way it is

Maybe it's never gonna change

Days turns into months.  Months turned into years.  You barely had a concept of time anymore.  You barely realized that you had physically changed.  You weren't a six year old orphan anymore.  You were an adult, trained assassin, working for the most feared organization in the world: H.Y.D.R.A.  

As was your friend, Natasha, but you haven’t talked to her since you were kids.  The place had a rule for no prisoners to talk to one another.  When you were in your first years of training you would smile at one another if you happened to pass one another in the dark and gloomy hallways.  Now, you guys didn’t even bother to look up from the floors.  

Unbeknownst to you, H.Y.D.R.A. was making you a killing machine.  You never questioned what the guards did to you, since you knew it would come at a severe punishment.  You learned a lot of things while training.  You were now fluent in Russian.  Since you were a girl when they first found you, you didn’t fully understand the language yet, but now, you knew every single word in the language.  You were also fluent in English, Romanian, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and Latin.  

You learned basic and advanced hand to hand combat skills.  And you were trained by the best in the business.  The Soldat.  The Winter Soldier.  The man lost in time.  He trained you in what the guards called “The Red Room.”  The Soldier trained you in hand to hand combat, firearms, other weapons and other special necessities for missions.  He did his job well, and he transformed you.  

But Natasha became what they wanted her to be quicker than you.  H.Y.D.R.A. dubbed her the first “Black Widow,” with you second.  You and Natasha would spar against each other, but you barely recognized the fact that you used to be friends.  That past, at least you thought, would never come back.  

You did go on missions together, but only 5 times out of all the countless missions you went on.  But most of your missions were solo, easier for you to concentrate on your target.  And sometimes you were accompanied by the legendary Winter Soldier, only if H.Y.D.R.A. didn’t think you would be able to handle it on your own, or with Natasha.  And you never failed a mission once, since you knew what would happen if you did.     

You do not owe them

Your body and your soul

Two, three

Right, two, three

Shut your mouth

Stick your ass out for me (oh)

March, two, three

One, two, three

Who told you you're allowed to think? (yeah)

You were lying in your cot, staring at the oh so entertaining ceiling, memorising the cracks and ridges that only few would spot the details of.  Your hair was splayed out on your pillow.  You were wearing pajamas, although they really weren’t, you just called them that.  They were gray, or maybe a camo-like green?, but you couldn’t really tell from the light hanging over your cell.  Your cell was a gate, on all four sides, allowing for privacy whatsoever, and allowing the guards constant surveillance.  As if the cameras watching your every move weren't enough.  There were even signs on the outside of your cell that said “Cells are under constant video/audio surveillance,” making it feel as if there were millions of eyes on you.

You barely paid attention as you were taken out of your cell and into a training room.  Two soldiers escorted you on the way there.  You changed your clothes in your normal mission outfit.  It was a leather leotard, with an ammo belt and a knife holster.  You were also covered by a leather jacket, also holding tons of more weapons inside.  And you had a gun holster on your thigh, giving you a sexy yet deadly appearance.  

Your feet shuffled on the ground as you made your way to a special room.  One you had never been in before.  But your eyes were glued to the floor, even though you couldn’t see the door in front of you, you had memorised the floorplan of the building, so you always knew where you were.  But now it is different.

Cameras were covering the room.  There were cameras on stands, tables, walls.  Everywhere.  There was a white wall behind you, probably for you to stand in front of.  You guessed they were going to have you film something.  Maybe a weapons demonstration or a fighting video.  The lights on the ceiling were so bright, that they made your eyes stay glued to the floor even more.  

But before you could even comprehend what was going on, the soldiers standing on either side of you now turned you.  Now, you were facing the soldier to the right while your back was facing the soldier on your left.  

The soldier on your right had applied pressure to your gut, making you stick your ass out at the soldier behind you.  Your arms were just lying there beside you, but the soldier behind you had now changed that.  He grabbed your elbows, backing you arch your back even more.  Your arms were in an “L” shape, the soldier holding them not loosening his grip on them.  Then the soldier in front you made one final move.  Since your head was looking at the floor still, he roughly grabbed your chin, making your eyes move from the ground to his spooky mask.  

Then, in one swift motion, both of the guards had turned you back to the cameras.  Your eyes looked down once more, before eyeing the camera right in front of you.  Your eyes, clouded with numbness, looked blankly at the cameras in the room, watching your every move.  

Then, the guard on your left gave you a gun.  A loaded 22-Magnum.  Then he pointed to the left side of the room, where there was a giant bullseye, waiting for you to put bullet holes in it.  The guard on your left did that same thing, handing you another pistol and pointing to another target, this time on his side.  Then they both moved out of the way for you to do your thing.  

You made sure they were both out of the way before you started shooting your intended targets.  A thought crossed your head, that you should just shoot the guards and make a run for it.  But, many cons floated into your head at the same time.  For starters, there were more guards in the building so you wouldn’t stand a chance alone.  Two, you would most certainly need help, but with Natasha a prisoner as well, you would need to plan a way for you to get her and yourself out of there safely.  

As soon as your thoughts evaporated out from your skull, you imagined the targets as the soldiers, wishing that you could just escape from this hellhole.  

Your precision is unmatched.  Only one person could rival you: Natasha.  Only one person outmatched you: The Winter Soldier.  But you were on top right now.  You didn’t even have to look at the targets to get a perfect bullseye on both sides.  Your anger was rising in you as you imagined taking down all of H.Y.D.R.A.  Your determination was showing as you paid more attention to your aim, making sure you wouldn’t miss one shot.  Cause you would mentally hurt yourself, saying you were trained for this and that you shouldn’t miss even one.  But you would all be physically hurt, by H.Y.D.R.A.  

Then you did a superb move, one that would make even the Soldat envy you.  You tossed both guns behind your back, timing the throw so that you could catch both guns with ease, and you spun around in a circle, your left foot pivoting like a ballerina. (Fun fact: you also trained in ballet when you were younger.  The people training you said that it would make you more limber, flexible, and a harder opponent.)  You were being recorded, so you wanted to show H.Y.D.R.A. who exactly they were messing with.  You caught the gun tossed by your right hand and it held it in your left and vice versa.  You got down on your left knee and crossed your arms in front of you, pointing the weapons at the targets once more.   You aimed and fired, and you could hear a pin drop after the sounds of gunfire and the smell of ammo subsided.  

You looked to your left and right and were pleased with the results.  You didn’t look for long though, you knew you were so good and you didn’t need proof.  You blew the smoke coming out of the guns, trying to look like a badass, and it just got the guards agitated that you were wasting time.  So they took the guns away from you before you did something, and carried you back to your cell.  And you began hatching a plan in your head, one to save yourself and your friend.

~~~

Show some skin, make him want you

'Cause God forbid you

Know your own way home

And ask yourself why it matters

Who it flatters

You're more than flesh and bones

Natasha found herself in the same room as you.  Hours later though.  She was training against some pewny soldiers, so she was pretty bored and unimpressed the whole time.  Her red hair was straightened, up to her shoulders, and split down the middle.  She was wearing her signature black catsuit, the one that had tasers attached to the cuffs of her wrists and the one that made her look super curvy and sexy.  

The guards did the same things they did to your body.  But once they were finished, they didn’t give her guns or targets.  They gave her dummies to fight against, to show off her hand-to-hand combat skills for the cameras.  

Natasha liked to have fun, a lot more than you did.  It was her idea to go out to that field all those years ago.  And she still had fun while she was being trained to be an deadly assassin. 

Her type of fun was to tease the soldiers.  Not with words, no.  With movements, physical gestures.  Nothing too serious though.  It was often biting her lip while trying to find the eyes underneath those masks.  Or batting her eyelashes, sticking her hips out, whatever she wanted.  

The guards put up with it, mostly because they liked when she did this and it was something that they could get used to.  But they would never tell.

Today was a little different though.  As she was preparing her tasers and grabbing a pocket knife from her holster, she made noises, explicit noises.  When she was getting her knife, she made it seem as if it was stuck in its holster.  So she moaned, quite loudly, just enough to get the guards attention but quiet enough so that the cameras didn’t pick it up.  She also made one final move before giving the ok.  She lowered the zipper, the one that exposed her breasts.  She lowered it just enough to be eye catching, but not so revealing.  

She got the satisfaction she was hoping for, much to her pleasure.  She caught the guards tilt their heads just a bit, not to be noticed by a normal person.  But when you work for H.Y.D.R.A., nothing ever goes by unnoticed, especially by Natasha.  

She smirked as she delivered blow after blow to the punching bags, tasing them, kicking them, doing whatever she could to impress the people that would be watching her in the future.  She grunted and groaned as she moved, getting some frustration out of her system.  One punch sent the dummy flying across the room.  That was definitely enough to leave a mark.  So, once the guards saw that she stopped moving, they took her back to her cell, just like you.  Natasha had all her fun for today, or so she thought.

~~~

It's just the way it is

Maybe it's never gonna change

But I got a mind to show my strength

And I got a right to speak my mind

Later that night, a plan had formed in your head.  And now was the perfect time to strike.

You had gotten up to use the bathroom, accompanied by one guard, not two this time.  He opened your cell gate for you and followed you inside.  Normally guards let you walk into your cell by yourself.  But as soon as he entered, you knew what he was doing, and now was the time to set your plan in motion.

He pushed your shoulders back, making you sit on your bed.  You sat down on your cot, pretending to be oblivious to his intentions.  He hovered over you for a couple of seconds, before slowly moving closer and closer to you.  

You were in chains, chains that were handcuffs to your wrists and feet, attached by a long chain down the middle.  Giving him the perfect opportunity to show you who is boss.

He started to lean closer to you.  He placed his hands on your shoulders, but now it was your turn to be in control.  You elbowed him on his side and then punched him in the stomach.  He had his mask on, so you couldn't hit him in the face, to your disappointment.  Then you stood up and kneed him in the groin.  He fell to the ground, allowing you to straddle his hips.  You did so and strangled him.  With both of your hands.  His body flinched for a couple more seconds and then he fell limp in your grip.  You quickly made your way off of him and grabbed his key card, to help move around the building more carefully.  By now, the guards watching the cameras saw you and sent more soldiers down to put you in your place.

But you headed to get your outfit, getting ready to fight the battle ahead.  With one last cock of your 22-Magnum, to show it was loaded, you headed out, ready to save you and your friend.

~~~

It's just the way it is

Maybe it's never gonna change

But I got a mind to show my strength

And I got a right to speak my mind

And I'm gonna pay for this

They're gonna burn me at the stake

But I got a fire in my veins

I wasn't made to fall in line

I wasn't made to leave my fate

I'm never gonna fall in line, oh

Natasha had no clue what was going on.  She was just going to the bathroom.  In her catsuit, in chains identical to yours, accompanied by one guard.  As she was walking down the hallway back to her cell, she heard footsteps behind her.  Not from the guard, but they sounded like heels, silentos to be exact.  “Y/N,” she thought.  As she heard your steps get louder, she knew what was going to happen.  She cracked her knuckles, letting you know she was ready.  

You walked closer to Natasha, and it was show time.  Natasha elbowed the guard in the stomach and he doubled over in pain.  As he was clutching his stomach, you stole the taser he had in his pocket and used it on him.  He fell to the ground and was knocked out cold.   

As soon as you used the taser on him, you took the keys from the previous guard and used one of the keys to unlock Natasha from her cuffs.  

You guys just had to walk a little bit further and then you were free.  Free from this hellhole.  Free from this life of torture and killing and suffering.  Now the two of you could actually live.  

All the guards H.Y.D.R.A. had in the building had gone up against you, so there was nobody left to fight.  And it made it easier and faster to escape.

You found a ladder leading up to an entrance in the ceiling.  A not so secret entrance.  Natasha headed up the ladder first and you were close behind.  But as she disappeared from the ladder, you gave one last look at the hallway.  At the memories you had here.  You were a completely different person than when you first came here.  You were a child.  Now, you are a young adult.  Now you were free, not an assassin who wasn’t able to choose when to kill.  Now you were free, with your best friend by your side.

But you had one thought, almost preventing you from being happy about your new life.  The Soldat.  He was still here, still being tortured, abused, being a living science experiment.  You felt bad for him.  You knew he was being made into a killing machine for decades now, and it pained you to think if that was you.  You would probably give up fighting the Winter Soldier mentality and just kill yourself.  To see him fight it for such a long amount of time was heroic for you.  If you and Natasha could get out of here, you knew he would.  And you hoped he would escape someday.  He deserved it, the world and more.

Your thoughts were interrupted as you heard Natasha calling your name from the surface.

“Coming!” you said, following the ladder up to the ground above you.

You realized how surreal everything was about the world above.  You and Natasha had resurfaced back to the place you were taken all those years ago.  It was deja vu.  The sky was the bright blue it had been on the day you left, the clouds were just as puffy and white, the trees were just as strong and tough, the flowers were just as colorful and vibrant.  

You both felt like you walked into a dream, but it wasn’t a dream.  It was a long forgotten memory.

But as you both realized you escaped, you both beamed at each other.  You guys smiled for the first time in years.  And it felt amazing.  You grabbed each other in a tight embrace, one that was long overdue.  And you just stayed like that for hours.  You gave each other eskimo kisses here and there, but you just needed to feel each other after all those years for not being able to say a word to each other and not being able to hug one another.  No words were said.  All the words were being said in the longest hug you had ever given and received.  

[lokimostly]

Home from War (Ch.7/8)

James Conrad x Reader Word Count: 4,521 Warnings: descriptions of injury/blood, needles, character death, angst Fic Summary: One year after you lost the love of your life, a last-minute decision changes everything you thought you knew. Now only one question remains: how to make it out alive, and return home from war?

A/N: None, and that should scare you. Enjoy! <3 

Prequel Series | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Eight (Epilogue)

Without Conrad, trekking through the jungle was even harder than you’d anticipated. Finding someone to support your physical weight was easy enough. The emotional weight of being apart from him was something different entirely. Your heart was aching at the thought of him: the soft accent of his voice, his sharp jaw and blue-green eyes. The tenderness in his touch despite the calluses of his hands. The curve of his lips when he gave you that small, secret smile only you were allowed to see.

So much lost time to make up for between you two. You silently resolved that if you ever got off this island, you’d kiss those lips for days.

The group stopped to rest. Slivko and Mills to make a splint for your leg, so that you could walk on your own – albeit at a limp. Your mobility wouldn’t be possible without the morphine, either, and you were down to your last dose.

Just one more thing to worry about, you thought.

The sunlight was growing dim as you hiked further uphill. As the sun set, the trees around you turned red and orange. The morphine was beginning to wear off, too, and faster than you desired. Every step became more and more difficult, more painful. Quite frankly, you were sick and tired of pain. 

The distorted warbling of the Sea Stallion’s broken speakers echoed through the forest like the voice of a ghost. The closer you came, the louder it got, until finally you spotted the green and orange helicopter through the foliage. 

“Gather up everything you can, including those seismic charges,” Colonel Packard ordered. “They got his attention the first time.”

The soldiers got to work. Slivko helped you sit down inside the helicopter, which seemed mostly intact. It was full of crates and barrels of seismic charges and napalm, secured in place by a frayed net. Slivko jumped up onto the platform, stepping through the boxes and looking around. 

Mills stood outside and stared at the contents of the Sea Stallion, unenthused. “This is a bad idea,” He muttered.

“Let’s just get on with it,” Cole replied, ducking his head and climbing inside.

Slivko came back with your medical bag– a small, camo duffle with a red cross on the side. You unzipped it and gasped in relief, finding everything exactly where you’d put it: in particular, more morphine. You found the bag of painkillers, acquired a needle, and administered another shot to your thigh with practiced efficiency. 

Slivko watched on, pushing up his red headband. “How often do you take the injections?” He asked. His voice held a notable tone of worry.

You glanced up at him. “Every four hours.”

His brow furrowed.“But it’s only been… two and a half since the last time. Maybe three.”

“Don’t worry about it, Sliv,” you said casually, returning the needle to its case and examining the rest of the bag’s contents. There was gauze, antiseptic, bandages, atabrine, and more than enough morphine to see you through until you got off the island. It was an enormous relief.

Slivko put his hands on his hips and watched the soldiers roll the barrels of napalm down the platform, carrying them down the hill. He turned back to you. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing to the atabrine.

“It’s for malaria. I gave you your shot before we left,” you replied easily. Slivko had always felt like a little brother, for whom you had a good deal of patience and affection, so you didn’t mind his questions. 

“And that?” he asked, gesturing to a bottle of clear fluid with an orange cap.

“That’s naloxone. It’s in case of opioid overdose,” you said. You paused, pressing your lips together and thinking for a moment before beckoning for Slivko to sit down. “C’mere. I’ll show you.”

He sat down. You pulled out an empty needle and twisted the naloxone open, handing it to him. “Have you used a needle before?”

“Yeah, but not in my arm, or anything.”

“That’s fine. Naloxone works intramuscularly, so you can inject it into other places. It just doesn’t take effect as quickly as it would through a vein.” You pointed to the side of your leg, where you’d been self-administering morphine, to your shoulder, and other common points of injection.

“Besides,” you added, “I don’t think I want you messing with my veins. You might punch through one. No offense.” 

“None taken,” he smiled, before his expression turned more serious. “But…. you’re not gonna overdose, are you?”

You shook your head. “Don’t worry,” You began putting the contents back into your bag. “It’s just good for you to know. I can’t be the only one who knows all this.”

But that wasn’t entirely true. You were cutting it close with the morphine and you knew it. 

There were several factors that determined your wellbeing, and very few of them within your control. Pain would only slow you down, and if you were slow, you wouldn’t survive – even more than that, the makeshift splint needed to hold. Any wrong move, bad fall, or general upset could shift the bone out of place and cut off your femoral artery. If that happened, it would only be a matter of minutes before you bled to death.

Even by mediating the pain and treading carefully, you had to face facts. Your chances of survival were at a record low.

~

Conrad and Weaver stood on the precipice of a cliff, looking down at the river below. Night had fallen some hours ago. The moonlight, bright and cold, illuminated the water through the fog, casting everything in a misty blue glow.

Conrad exhaled softly and forced himself to focus. He was having a hard time distracting himself from thoughts of you, and it showed – he’d taken more wrong turns than he could count, missed and misread signs that led the group in wrong directions. Finally he snapped out of it long enough to find the river, and now tried once more to force his thoughts away from you. 

��The boat must be around that bend,” he said, pointing. Weaver nodded, raising her camera. The shutter clicked.

Conrad heard Weaver’s breath snag in her throat and looked over. She lowered her camera slowly and the two of them watched, wordless, as Kong tread slowly past, almost close enough to touch. He paid them no mind. The creature really was a giant – standing as tall as the mountains around him, every step shaking the earth. But unlike Colonel Packard’s thinking, they both knew the truth: that the giant was by no means evil, merely a king in his own domain, in which you were all trespassers.

Breathing quietly, Conrad’s eyes followed the direction of Kong’s path. With a sudden feeling of dread, he knew exactly where Kong was headed: to the bursts of explosions in the distance, lighting up the blue night with fiery clouds of orange and red.

Kong let out a roar of anger, his giant teeth bared. Conrad’s throat tightened in fear. Colonel Packard was trying to draw Kong out, and you were there with him– which meant you were in mortal danger.

Conrad turned and began heading down the mountain. Weaver spun, following him as fast as she could. 

“What are you doing?” She shouted, leaping precariously from boulder to boulder, struggling to keep up.

“We have to go– now!” He responded, landing on flat ground and sprinting through the trees. He couldn’t keep himself from you any longer – not when he might be the only one who could save you.

~

You stood in the grass behind a wall of fire, watching the seismic charges go off in clouds of orange and red. Packard was adamant about drawing Kong out, despite everyone else’s inhibitions. Were you in better shape, you might’ve considered a coup de tat. Now, however, you were in no condition to do anything of the sort. 

Despite how anxious you felt, your heartbeat was unnaturally slow. The constant injections were beginning to show their uglier side effects: fatigue, blurred vision, nausea. At the moment, you had no time to worry about it. 

Beside you, Mills practically vibrated with fear as Kong came into sight. He roared again once he spotted your group, and stormed through the water just like Colonel Packard had planned. Your hands adjusted their grip on your gun and you resisted the strong urge to flee. 

For what wasn’t the first time, you wished Conrad were here with you.

~

Conrad and Weaver came running down the mountain so fast that they almost tumbled when they reached the rest of the group.

“Don’t shoot!” Conrad shouted to Brooks.

Brooks lowered his with an exasperated expression. “Conrad, where are we going?”

“You three need to go back to the boat,” Conrad said, leaning on his knees to catch his breath. He pointed with one hand. “It’s that way. Wait for us till dawn. If we’re not back by then …” he shook his head, swallowing. “Just go.”

Brooks scoffed. “You ain’t gotta twist my arm.” He picked up his bag and headed down the mountain, followed by the geologist San. 

“Wait, where are you two going?” Marlow asked, rising to his feet.

Conrad and Weaver exchanged a glance.

“We’re going to save Kong,” she replied, nodding resolutely.

And Y/N, Conrad thought grimly. 

Marlow smiled. “Not without me, pal.”

~

You watched as trees fell like windblown grass beneath Kong’s feet. He stopped a hundred yards from your company, staring intently at Packard, who stood in front of you with a fiery torch in hand. The air was charged with electricity, waiting for a lightning strike.

Then he charged.

You and the other soldiers faltered backwards as he came closer, stumbling over your feet. Colonel Packard, however, stood still as stone. He watched Kong storm through the water, shaking the earth with his roar, and he waited. And waited.

And then he through his torch into the water.

The napalm that had been poured onto the surface of the water by Slivko and the other soldiers lit up, engulfing the giant monster in flames. 

You watched, horrified, as Kong let out a roar of pain. He struggled to fight through the flames before their heat engulfed him and he disappeared from view. Your fellow soldiers had similar expressions on their faces – terror mixed with sympathy. He didn’t deserve this.

Packard was completely enthralled by the Kong’s roars of pain. A mad grin was stuck to his face, stretched from ear to ear and completely manic.

He’d lost it.

Suddenly, Kong came through the fire again with renewed anger, and flung the boiling water at the riverbank. You shrieked and tried to duck away from the flames, falling backwards. You fell hard against the ground as your surroundings lit up in flames. A few of the soldiers immediately succumbed to fiery deaths. Their screams of agony filled your ears as a different fire burned in your leg, burning with renewed pain. 

Then Kong fell. 

Overcome by the fumes and the fire, his body came crashing down on the shore and the ground shuddered beneath his weight.

You tried to stand and gasped at the fresh wave of throbbing pain as it hit your body. Your bone had obviously shifted. You strained forward and peeled away the bandage with shaking hands, fearing the worst– that your artery had been cut off.

The world didn’t stop for you, and neither did Colonel Packard. “Men! Place your charges!” he shouted. “It’s time to show Kong that man is king!” 

“Armed one,” Mills said, as he turned on the charges.

“Armed two,” came another.

You grimaced at the sight of fresh blood on your skin, swallowing another wave of discomfort mixed with relief. Your wound had reopened, but it didn’t look like the artery had burst.

“Armed three,” Slivko said, looking at you with an expression of are you okay?

You didn’t see it. You were entirely focused on unzipping your bag as quickly as possible, finding a roll of gauze and wrapping your leg. Your hands found the fresh gauze when Conrad and Weaver charged through the trees and into the clearing.

“Packard!” Conrad shouted. Your eyes snapped up, and you froze. 

Packard looked up slowly, detonator in hand. Conrad raised his rifle, chest heaving, and pointed it at Packard.

The other soldiers raised their guns at him automatically. The sound of several firearms cocking at once made your heart jump into your throat. Your hands stilled, half-finished with their work, as you watched the scene unfold: the man you loved held at gunpoint by half a dozen soldiers.

Slivko stood next to you, his eyes darting back and forth as he struggled to stay composed. Seeing the hesitance in his face and the fumbling of his fingers put him in a different light: he was no soldier. Only a kid. 

Marlow appeared out of nowhere, catching Reles and Slivko by surprise. He pointed his pistol at Slivko, raising his eyebrows when Slivko’s aim left Conrad for Marlow instead. “I asked you fellas nice the first time,” he pointed out. 

“We don’t want to fight here, Packard,” Conrad said. His eyes flickered momentarily to you before he focused on the Colonel again.

“This thing brought us down!” Colonel Packard argued, pointing the detonator at the lifeless body of Kong strewn halfway up the bank. “It killed my men!” 

“Kong was just defending his territory!” Conrad snapped, exasperated and desperate. 

“We are soldiers!” Packard’s eyes twitched and his lips curled as the last threads of his sanity unravelled. “We do the dirty work, so our families and our countrymen don’t have to be afraid! They shouldn’t even know a thing like this exists!” 

“You’ve lost your mind,” Conrad said, shaking his head and breathing heavily. He took one hand off his rifle, holding it out. “Put that detonator down.”

Time stood still. Slivko sniffed audibly as he struggled to keep his aim straight, blinking the sweat out of his eyes. The moon hung in the sky while the fire burned in patches of grass, setting everyone’s silhouettes in blue and orange light. Nobody moved.

Packard’s face contorted in a snarl and he pressed the button on the detonator. It whined, rising in pitch as the countdown ticked.

“Stop!” Weaver shouted, breaking the terrible silence. “The world is bigger than this.”

“Bitch, please!” Packard scoffed indignantly. “Slivko, get her out of here!” 

But Slivko didn’t move. His hands were shaking violently as his eyes darted from face to face, the scales weighing heavy in his mind. He glanced at you in confusion and fear. You nodded, giving him a pointed look: Trust yourself.

“You know it’s the wrong thing to do, son,” Marlow encouraged gently.

Slivko stared at him for a beat of silence. You saw the moment when his eyes solidified, and he reached a decision.

Slivko turned his rifle on Packard. “P-put it down, sir,” he stammered, as bravely as he could.

Packard automatically reached for his gun.

“Packard!” Conrad urged. The Colonel froze, like he’d been knocked out of a stupor, and slowly let go of his pistol. 

Everyone lowered their guns, save for Conrad, who kept it pointed at Packard. You allowed yourself to relax by a fraction, gathering up the gauze in your hands. 

At that moment, the water in front of you began to bubble and smoke. There was a giant surge from beneath the river. A geiser of water shot up into the air. It evaporated into clouds of mist, moving away with the wind, and revealing the cause of the eruption: a Skull Crawler like you’d never seen, three times larger than the others.

“That’s the big one,” Marlow choked.

So much for a moment of safety.

“Fall back,” Conrad ordered. Nobody moved. “GO!” He shouted. This time, Slivko and the others obeyed, taking off into the trees. Only you, Packard, and Conrad remained.

The giant Skull Crawler’s throat clicked and warbled as its raised its head to look at the night sky, which was turning from blue to rosy with the dawn. It howled.

Conrad’s heart stalled in his chest. He turned to Packard and held out his hand, beckoning for him to run. “Colonel,” he urged desperately. The Skull Crawler howled again, loud enough to burst your eardrums. 

“Sir!” He shouted.

Packard didn’t move.

Conrad waited until he couldn’t anymore, his eyes darting between you and Packard until finally he shook his head and left him where he stood. He ran, scooping you up with one arm and grabbing your bag with the other. You shrieked at the sudden movement, clinging to him for dear life.

“Kong’s down, let’s go!”

You broke through the trees and Conrad set you down, chest heaving. You stumbled, holding onto him and blinking hard. There were white specks floating around your eyes, blurring your vision.

Conrad glanced down at your leg: the bandage was half-wrapped and reddening, hanging in tatters. He dropped to his knees, letting you lean against him while he tied it secure. His large hands shook with adrenaline, but they moved carefully so that he wouldn’t hurt you by mistake; Even in the most dire moment, he was tender in his care and conscious of your pain.

He tied the bandage off and lifted you up again, more carefully this time, and nodded to one of the nearby hills. “This is the edge of the island,” he said. “Weaver, get up on those rocks and fire a flare. With any luck, Brooks’ll see it.” 

There was the sound of something big coming through the forest behind you, and everyone jumped. Your breath shuddered and you tightened your grip around his shoulders. 

“We’ll buy you time,” Conrad promised. Weaver nodded and took off. Conrad adjusted his grip on you and beckoned for the others to follow him, heading into the wetland. “This way.”

You locked your arms around his neck as he ran alongside the bank, swallowing the pain of every jolting step. Behind you, you could hear the roars and crashes of the two monsters coming together in epic battle – but honestly, you didn’t care. All you were focused on was staying awake and hanging onto Conrad as he plunged into the water, wading towards the edge of the island.

You closed your eyes and buried your face in the crook of Conrad’s neck, wishing yourself away from it all. You were so tired: tired of pain, tired of running from things that wanted to eat you, and very tired of hiding your affection for the man you loved. Your heart beat slow and steady in your chest, and you breathed in deep. He smelled like home. 

You heard a sudden burst of gunfire and raised your head. Marlow’s boat come into sight around the bend: Brooks was at the helm, firing away at the machine gun anchored to the front of the boat.

“Come on! Let’s go!” Conrad urged, directing everyone towards the boat. The two monsters were fighting too close for comfort, sending shockwaves through the water that made it difficult to board.

Conrad lifted you up onto the deck and you pulled yourself into a sitting position, your legs hanging off the side. You grabbed Slivko’s hand and pulled him up, reaching for Mills. Your bandage was looking worse now – deep red and caked with dirt. The pain was beginning to sharpen like a blade, growing less dull with every stroke against the whetstone. 

You had no tolerance for it. Opening up your backpack, you pulled a syringe from its case and injected another dose of morphine without thinking.  

Conrad was lifting himself onto the boat, his muscular arms flexed, when the gun stalled and stopped firing. Brooks fumbled with the controls, trying to start it up again. 

Marlow pushed him aside. “I got it! She’s temperamental- watch out!” 

Suddenly, the Skull Crawler was coming towards the boat, undeterred by the ship now that the gun wasn’t working. You face paled and you grabbed Conrad’s hand automatically as anxiety rose in your chest and your throat constricted in fear. You noticed the absence of Kong to distract the monster from you.

You scanned the wetlands, finding Kong struggling to break free from the wreckage of several freight ships. Their anchoring chains were wrapped around him, holding him down in the water. He roared. Step by step, the Skull Crawler came closer. One by one, the chain links snapped.

Just before the Skull Crawler was within tail-swinging distance you heard Weaver’s flare gun fire again. The flare landed right in the Skull Crawler’s eye socket, exploding on impact. It screamed, raking its own claws across its face to try and dislodge the burning flare.

“Clear!” Marlow shouted, finally unjamming the gun. The rapid fire resumed, and you relaxed slightly.

The Skull Crawler howled in anger and snarled at you, coming towards the boat despite the array of bullets.

You felt Conrad’s hand leave yours. He pushed away from the boat without a word of warning, sprinting through the water.

“James!” You screamed, ripping at your own throat. The Skull Crawler’s massive head turned, and it followed him, leaving you and the boat behind.

Before you could move, Kong freed himself from the chains and threw something – a rusted freight propeller – lodging it in the Skull Crawler’s side. It fell with a deafening screech.

Conrad stopped running, gasping for breath and watching the two monsters resume their fight. They wrestled across the wetlands, dealing blow after blow with deadly intent, but neither could bring down the other. 

Your head was swimming. The cacophony of noise constantly vibrating through your body was making you sick to your stomach. Despite the humidity, your skin was covered in a thin, cold sweat.

Kong threw the Skull Crawler against one of the mountains and sent an avalanche of rocks into the water. You heard Weaver scream across the valley and turned, watching her fall through the air before she hit the water.

Your nurse’s instincts kicked in and you felt a sudden surge of adrenaline. “Head for shore!” You shouted frantically, snatching up your bag and bracing yourself as the boat sped up and turned. When it was a few yards away from solid ground, you dropped into the water, moving as fast as you could. The monsters kept fighting, sending huge waves across the wetlands that helped push you forward.

Conrad shouted across the water, catching up to you as you fought towards dry ground. “What are you doing?”

“Helping!” You responded, dragging your bad leg and coming up onto the shore unsteadily, duffle bag in hand. Conrad came up behind you and lifted you up, surging out of the water. 

You pulled away from his grasp and dropped to the ground in front of Weaver, who laid unconscious halfway on the shore. You pushed her hair away from her face and checked for vitals. 

She wasn’t breathing.

You took a pulse check with shaking hands and began CPR, pumping on her chest. As you tried to restart her heart, your own heartbeat felt dangerously slow. You were seeing double, but it was inconsequential– what mattered now was keeping Weaver alive.

Somewhere in the moment, the fighting had stopped. Everything around you was far too quiet– there was only the sound of your shallow breathing, and Conrad’s footsteps as he returned with Weaver’s camera in hand. 

Suddenly Weaver lurched upwards and you caught her, helping her onto her side as she coughed up water and choked on air. 

“Easy, just breathe,” you heard yourself murmuring, but it didn’t sound like you – your own voice was distorted and far away in your ears.

Weaver coughed. Her brown eyes blinked and came into focus, looking up at your face. When they did, her eyebrows pulled together. 

“L/N?” She asked, her voice laced with worry.

You opened your mouth to respond, but couldn’t find your words. It was like your tongue had turned to lead. You began to lose your grip.

Too little blood, too many injections – and the thought occurred to you too late.

“L/N?” Weaver repeated urgently. Her eyes darted from your face to your leg– the bandage was drenched with crimson. She looked up at Conrad desperately. “She’s falling–”

He caught you in his arms. “Y/N, Y/N, stay with us,” he urged, pushing your hair from your face. Weaver’s eyes filled with panicked tears and she stood up on wobbly legs, waving to the boat. “Help! Over here!”

Conrad lifted you up and ran towards the water. Slivko helped pull you onto the deck and lay you down on the surface. Your breathing was shallow. You could barely feel your heart pumping away in your chest. Your grasp on consciousness hung by a thread.

“What happened?” someone asked. 

“I don’t know,” Weaver’s voice came, sounding muffled and distorted. “She ... and then–” 

“–lost too much blood–”

“–find the bag–” 

“–nalo-something, there–” 

“Hang on,” Conrad’s voice came, like a gentle wave over the sand, pulling you back to reality. You could feel him holding you in his lap, the panicked rising and falling of his chest, the tender touch of his hands on your arms. The smell of sandalwood and smoke. Everything about him felt like home. 

Conrad watched your beautiful eyes unfocus and come back as you tried to stay awake. You were still fighting, bless your heart. Conrad’s chest tightened and he swallowed thickly, pushing down a wave of emotion. He tightened his grip around you, whispering assurances as Slivko shuffled through your bag. Your head fell back against his shoulder and you let out a shaky, jagged breath.

Conrad slid one hand down your arm and wrapped his hand around your wrist, feeling your pulse. He prayed silently to anyone who was listening: not her. Please. 

Slivko worked fast as his hands would allow, uncapping the orange bottle from your bag. Weaver helped, pulling away the splint and unwrapping your bloody bandage.

Conrad stroked your hand, feeling the coldness of your skin, the almost-indiscernible slowness of your pulse. Tears filled his eyes and he inhaled quickly, willing them away.

“You remember my promise?” He said, loud enough for you alone to hear. His normally steady, accented voice trembled with emotion. “We’re going home. You and I. Wherever you want to go, I’ll follow.” His lips trembled and he raised your hand to his lips, pressing a kiss against your palm. 

“It’ll be alright,” he whispered, kissing the top of your head and fighting against his tears. His heart felt wrenched and pulled apart. “We’re going home.” 

You didn’t respond. Your eyes had closed, your breath scarce and fading fast. You were somewhere far away: somewhere deep and dark and painless, dreaming of the man you’d lost and found again, the man holding you in his arms while you faded, whose voice you could hardly hear. Dreaming of coming home. 

But they say no man comes home from war. Not really. 

--

Tag List (OPEN): @tarynkauai, @jessiejunebug, @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi, @fire-in-her-veinz, @daylight-swiftie, @un-consider-it, @torntaltos, @majahu, @et-puto, @kinghiddlestonanddixon, @awesomefandomsunited, @damalseer, @uinen-ulmiel, @fire-in-her-veinz, @naspter1129, @fandomdarlings, @embracingtom, @alina-margaret, @bthtallmadge2, @larryspantaloons, @lady-loki-ren, @captainsherlockwinchester110283, @holacherrycola90, @indelwen-of-mirkwood, @marveloushiddleston, @ladybugsfanfics, @egos-r-life

[dahliawolfe]

Prey pts 1&2

original horror/thriller 

I look up at the tall spire of the ivy covered building and feel a light smile tug at my lips. I’ve been waiting for this day my whole life. Craine University is the place I’ve dreamed of coming for a long time. It has the best Literature program in the country. And I’m lucky to be here.  Very lucky. Only about one percent of the people who apply get into CU. And I’m one of this year’s one percent. The campus is larger than I thought, sitting in the forest on a sprawling plot of green land. Trees are in full bloom all around the campus, and flowers poke up in raised beds on various areas all around. All the buildings are old, ivy covered, brick, and solid oak. The sidewalks are cobblestone, and even stepping through the front gates feels like stepping back in time two centuries.

…

My dorm is in Liberty Hall, and my boots thud against the solid hardwood floor as I make my way up the winding staircase. The electronic lock on the door seems almost out of place here. Nonetheless, it beeps as I slide my keycard into it. The oak door creaks open with a whine, revealing a spacious room. A couch and two chairs decorate a common living area, while three doors line the perimeter. The chalk board on the front of one reads, “Alessandria”, and I assume that she’s my roommate. The door on the on the other side of the common area has a blank chalkboard on the door, and the door in the center of the room is cracked open, revealing a bathroom. I make my way to the room on the far left, it’s tucked next to a little kitchen and breakfast nook area. This door doesn’t creak like the last, instead, it pops open and swings with a soft whoosh. My eyes strain against the darkness of the room in an attempt to memorize its contents.

“Hey,” a cheery, accented voice chirps from behind me, nearly making me yelp.

“Fuck!” I exclaim, clutching my chest and turning to look at who spoke to me. A mocha skinned girl with gorgeous caramel and chocolate curls and warm coffee colored eyes smiles at me widely.

“I’m Lessa,” she says with a chuckle. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s ok. I’m Ryder. Ryder Fox” I give a lame wave and a crooked grin.

“Nice to meet you, Ryder,” Lessa replies, nodding reverently. An awkward silence falls between us, before Lessa chirps again.

“I was gonna head out to the cafeteria. You want to come along?”

“Oh, no thanks. I have to…” I look around helplessly. I’m not a people person, so I really don’t want to trek across campus with somebody I barely know. “I have to unpack,” I conclude, motioning to my bedroom.

“Yeah, of course. Well, see ya!” Lessa declares before making a beeline for the front door. I watched her go before heading to my room. I flip the light on, to be greeted with exposed brick wall, hardwood floors, and a wrought iron bed atop an ornate rug in the center of the room. A window seat and large window, stand on the other side of the room next to a set of French doors that lead to a balcony.

I toss my duffle bag onto the floor and sit down on the bed. The window and doors are blocked by heavy, blackout curtains, but I have a feeling that a lot of natural light will flow into the room when I get rid of them. A small wardrobe stands in place of a closet, and a white desk and wooden office chair decorate the corner of the room. Honestly, this room is more impressive than I thought it would be. I’d toured other dorms when I was still in high school, and to say that they were disappointing, was an understatement. This one was almost homey.

…

I make quick work of unpacking my clothes and head down to my car to grab the boxes I had stored in the back. The student parking area is across campus, and I knew that I’d need to make more than one trip, but at least it was a nice day. The sun was shining, and a nice breeze blew through the pine trees surrounding campus.

…

I’m lugging the box with my bedding and decorations up the cobblestone walkway, and it’s hotter than I’d originally thought. Sweat is dripping down my back; sticking my long, strawberry blonde hair to the back of my neck and forcing my bare thighs to stick together and peel apart in an uncomfortable process.

“You look like you could use some help,” a male voice speaks. I look up to see a guy with raven hair and five o’clock shadow smirking down at me.

“Uhh…No, I’m ok. Thanks though.” I try to move past him, but he steps in the way.

“I’m Aiden, and I’m heading to Liberty. Just let me help you out.”

I freeze. “How do you know I’m in Liberty?” I demand, feeling the sweat on my back turn to ice. I shift my weight, ready to drop the box if need be.

“Take it easy. I’m in Liberty. I saw you come in and head up to your room. It’s not a big deal. Now, are you going to let me help you, or not?”

I feel myself calm slightly, but I’m still on edge. “No. I got it thanks.” He smirks before bowing and stepping out of my way.

“See ya around. You coming to the block party tonight?” The university was hosting a campus-wide party for everyone to get to know their future classmates. I shake my head and shift the box, which seems to be growing heavier every second.

“Nah, not really my thing.” He nods, gives me another smirk and walks away without another word. “Well, that was creepy as hell. I look forward to living with him,” I mumble as I continue on my way.

…

The air conditioning hits my face in a welcomed woosh as I enter the lobby of Liberty. I trudge up the stairs, seriously considering leaving the rest of my boxes in my Jeep for the night, but I’d like to get everything put away before classes start on Monday, so I don’t have much time. I wrangle my key from my pocket and finally manage to get into our room. I left my inside door open, knowing that I’d be bringing heavy boxes up, and that I wouldn’t have any hands left to turn the tricky, old door knob. I step inside of my room and drop the box on the floor, sighing in relief when it’s no longer in my arms. A warm breeze catches my attention, and I see something move in the corner of my eye. I snap my head up to see that the curtains over the balcony doors are blowing in the wind. I didn’t open the balcony door, did I? A chill goes down my spine as I scan the room. Once I’ve convinced myself that no one is there with me, I go and shut the door, locking it. I must have opened it and forgotten. It’s been a whirlwind of a day, and I guess I’m a little absent minded. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right.

Pt. 2 Suspicions

I’ve just gotten out of the shower and am sitting on my bed, robe covering me, and damp hair trailing down my back when someone knocks at my room door.

“Uhh, come in?” I call, making sure that I’m at least semi-presentable. Lessa comes in with a bright smile and a pretty blonde-haired girl in tow.

“Hi, Ryder! This is my girlfriend, Tamra. Tamra, this is my roomie, Ryder,” Lessa chirps, sending a warm smile to both me and her girlfriend.

“Oh! Nice to meet you,” I reply, hurrying to stand and shake her hand. She seems like the friendly and open sort. Her ash blonde hair is chopped into an undercut, and her sapphire eyes sparkle with joy. It’s pretty obvious that these two are in love. Their body language screams complete comfort in each other’s presence. “I’m Ryder Fox.”

“Tamra O’Brien,” she replies with a slow, honeyed drawl.

“Do you go here too?” I ask, lamely, trying to act normal. Interaction with new people isn’t exactly my forte.

“Oh, no. I’m in Harvard.”

“She’s pre-law!” Lessa blurts with pride. Tamra chuckles.

“Yeah, what she said,” she adds, wrapping her arm over Lessa’s hips.

“That’s amazing! Do you enjoy it?”

Tamra shrugs. “I like the ethics portion. The actual law stuff is a little dry.” I chuckle.

“Yeah, I’d imagine.”

“Tam and I wanted to know if you wanted to join us at the block party tonight.”

“Umm…I actually wasn’t planning on going.”

“Oh, come on. It might be fun. Plus, it would be cool to get to know Lessa’s roomie,” Tamra adds, a grin tugging at her lips.

“Uhh…”

“Pleeease,” Lessa begs, looking up at me with big eyes.

“Ok. Sure. Why not? Give me five to get dressed?”

“Absolutely! We’ll be in the living room!”

Tamra offers me a grateful smile and quietly closes the door behind them. I turn to look at my newly stocked closet, pondering what I want to wear. Finally, I decide on a pair of worn denim short, a camo crop top, and some Vans. I twist my hair into a sloppy braid, grab my stuff and head out to meet the happy couple.

…

I’m in line for a corn dog when someone taps me on the shoulder. I turn to see Aiden. He nods and gives me a cocky smirk.

“Thought you didn’t do parties, Little Red,” he teases, tugging on the end of my braid. I scowl.

“Well, first; don’t call me that. And second; I’m here with some friends.” I shrug and turn back around. I hear him laugh.

“I’m glad you’re here. These stiffs were starting to bore me.”

“I’m not here for you,” I reply, before giving the concession worker my order and collecting my napkins and condiments.

“Buuuut…We are here together…” I open my mouth to protest, but he raises his hand to cut me off. “Or at the very least, we’re here at the same time. So, we could hang out.”

“I’m here with my friends,” I say, pointing to Tamra and Lessa, who are waiting for me at a nearby table.

“Great. You can introduce me,” Aiden replies. I sigh.

“Fine. I’ll be over there. Come over when you get your food,” I concede, gathering my snacks and making my way to the table. Tamra gives me a little grin.

“Who’s the boy-toy?” she teases.

I roll my eyes. “That’s Aiden. Is it ok if he comes to sit with us?” I ask.

“Sure!” Lessa replies, scooting her chair closer to Tamra, making room for an extra chair. I drag one over and sit in the other, tucking into my food.

Aiden roughly drops his plate before turning his chair around backwards and taking a seat straddling it. I narrow my eyes at him. He has serious issues.

“Aiden, this is my roommate, Lessa, and her girlfriend, Tamra. This is Aiden, guys.”

“Hi! Nice to meet you!” Lessa exclaims. Tamra simply nods at him.

Aiden nods back at the both of them and begins stuffing his face.

…

“Funnel cake?” Aiden asks almost an hour later. We’ve actually been having a good time. He’s not as terrible as his first impression would make you believe. I turn to him from laughing at something Tamra just said and nod.

“Thanks,” I reply, taking a piece and popping it in my mouth. “Oh, wow. This is good,” I exclaim, diving in for another piece.

“Yup. But it’s not as sweet as you,” Aiden quips, shooting a wink my way. We all burst into fits of giggles and Aiden gives a smile. The moment is interrupted by all the lights on the north side of the campus going out simultaneously. The only sound remaining in the courtyard is the sound of people moving nervously around in their chairs.

“What the hell?” Aiden growls.

“Blown fuse?” I theorize, reaching to switch on my phone’s flashlight. That’s when it happens. The scream comes. The blood curdling, ear piercing, heart stopping scream. I shine my light around us, and the beam is broken when a girl runs into the courtyard covered in blood.

“He’s dead!” she exclaims.

[onouwu]

Hunter in Training (Dark story)

Terra woke up to the sound of crunching leaves beneath her skin. Her eyes opened wide, startled as she looked around and saw an unfamiliar forest surrounding her while the dawn sun peeked up from beyond the trees, she was completely naked from head to toe. Her arm went across her chests to quickly cover herself in case someone saw her but nobody was around. Her body was sticky from a slight sweat. As she held herself up, she tried to recall what happened last night - running through her memories of going to the bar with her friends for her 25th birthday. They joked around and got drunk, one by one they left to go home. She remembered being alone for the last hour. Nothing strange happened and nothing memorable happened on her way home. As a matter of fact, she couldn't remember going home. She had started heading out and one last person bought her a drink. it was a woman, a short lanky geeky looking gal with round glasses and a slight southern drawl. She took a sip and the rest... "Anyone here?" Terra called out nervously. Over and over she kept trying to think past that sip she took in hopes of some rational explanation for what happened. As her mind kept drawing blanks and reality set in, her stomach started to churn, her heart began pounding relentlessly. An ominous feeling washed over her in a chilling wave going down her body - it felt like the world started falling apart under her shaky legs, causing her breaths to quiver and escalate around that hammering in her chest and against her arm. The feeling of utter terror from the realization that a stranger stripped and left her there - that she was vulnerable, naked and helpless and probably wasn't alone. The unwanted explanation for what happened slowly setting in forced her to move anywhere but there in the open. Without anywhere looking any safer, she started running towards the trees nearest to her away from this wide open and exposed grassy space to the comfort and cover of the forest, sitting between a bush and a tree so that she could stop her head from spinning and wonder where she was and why, what might have happened to her. Despite the lush green scenery she noticed that it was oddly quiet. not a single animal to be seen, not even your usual squirrel or bird in this seemingly endless forest. It didn't help her mind stop racing at all. It all seemed to look the same and there were no mountains or distinct features to be seen beyond the tall redwood trees and dense bushes. "If this is a joke it's not funny!" she yelled out in an angry tone followed by heavy quivering breaths in desperation that it would all make sense and someone would stop this charade. sweat starting to bead down her now flushed, pink accented, pale skin as the forest became brighter and warmer, making her jet black hair stick to her shoulders. Before she could really even catch her breath, a loud gunshot and the snap of bark breaking from the tree behind her made her heart freeze in terror. Without a moment's hesitation, Terra ran deep and aimlessly into the trees to lose whatever was shooting at her, pushing herself as hard as her body could muster. She ran so fast that she started to trip and fall only to get right back up and run further. there was nothing but trees for minutes that seemed like hours, panting and sweating she kept going but nothing looked any different. After what felt like miles of distance into nowhere, she had to take a break. Her lungs couldn't draw in enough air, her heart was racing and pounding harder than she had ever felt, and legs were covered in cuts from stepping in bushes and tripping. A river caught her eye a little in the distance but the open and uncovered territory seemed so ominous. She couldn't even begin to know who her captors might be, running before she could see them. She could only hope that lake led to something... anything at all besides more forest. Before she could second guess it She got up and bolted downstream within the forest alongside the lake, keeping track of it as she went. Dawn turned into full daylight she could see something else... There was a tall blue sign among the leaves further in the forest. Finally a sign of life. Having not seen her captors for a while she felt comfortable enough to sprint lightly toward it. Her pale skin was drenched in sweat and her legs and feet covered in cuts. She wanted so badly to scream for help but she kept her mouth shut as she reached the end of trees to find a road, not wanting to be found. "Thank god" she let out in a quavering sigh of relief. She approached the sign but for some reason there wasn't a building... If anything the sight was nerve wracking, Why is there a gas station sign with no building? she asked herself. "Ow" She let out as something hit her side, looking down to see a small metal shaft sticking out from her hip. Her eyes widened in terror but as soon as her legs began to move in attempt to run away she fell flat on her stomach. Her heart's pounding sent the paralytic toxin through her body within seconds. Every muscle inside of her felt useless and weak. She desperately tried to pull herself up but her arms shook beneath her and sent her to the ground. She could hear footsteps behind her but her body was useless to flee. The only muscle in her that worked was the one frantically trying to feed the others and it was slowing too. “See, that aim's gettin' better, missy" a rough southern woman's voice spoke as the crunching of leaves got closer. A hard boot pushed Terra's immobile body on its back so she could stare up at the rather tall black and sturdy female figure in camouflage. "Gonna do the honors?" She asked her companion who walked up beside her. A young and wiry woman in a similar set of camos wearing glasses. The girl pulled out a large buck knife which made Terra muster all the strength she could to attempt crawling back. "What are you doing here, please stop it!" Terra was shocked and terrified as the hood and jackets came off and she saw that unmistakable face, the same she stared at from above her cup last night. "No. Don't take too much time. that stuff only lasts long enough to gut 'em" The woman seemed to completely ignore Terra, bored and monotone in expression. "Yes ma'am" "Y'know, there ain't no people within miles of this place. it's all private property" The dark skinned woman said to Terra with a bright and excited smile while she leaned down and her partner gave her the knife. The large knife seemed more fitting in her hands than in her partner's. She had a disarming smile with long black kinky hair that went past her shoulders. "Please, you don't have to do this, I won't tell anyone I was here if you just let me go!" Terra said in desperation. Her body was getting a little stronger but not nearly enough to escape. As she moved back the woman grabbed her right arm and pulled it under the fold of her knee then sat on it. The other woman then grabbing her left arm and pinning it beneath her knees. "Oooh boy, I think I picked out a feisty one! I'm gonna have fun with this'n!" Terra tried to struggle but to no avail. Her arms pinned with only enough room to swerve her chest around. Her legs barely had the strength to move. "You're making this too fun, honey." "Cut it out will ya? Just gut 'er. You gotta start looking for harder ones to chase down or this is gonna get boring real quick." the woman across from her seemed pressed for time and disappointed. "Why?! Please let..." Terra yelled out before a handkerchief was shoved hard in her mouth by Alice, pushing her head back in the process. The woman seemed completely unaffected by the situation as if Terra wasn't even there. "Naw, I ain't never hunted like this before; give me a break, Alice. This is my first time and she's a real cutie." The tall black woman smiled down at Terra while her hand ran over her chest. This time her touch was much more gentle than the last. Her hand was heavy and calloused and her arm was thick like that of someone who made a living off of physical labor. The woman seemed to take notice to her pounding heart as if to feel for the motion between her fast heaving breaths, resting her hand heavily over the left side of her chest. Terra wiggled and tried to yell but nothing came out except muffled noises beyond the handkerchief. The woman's hand followed her movements but never left and effortlessly pushed her body flat against the leaves. "Whatever, just, you know I got a real busy schedule. When you're on your own time you can play with 'em however ya want" "I know, I know, so this I'm not used to. Help me out here. What's the easy way, miss expert hunter." "Well first ya wanna tie her up." The woman laid the heavy blade on Terra's exposed chest before grabbing a length of rope from her belt and tying a knot around her wrist - keeping it pinned under her knee. She then grabbed Terra's other arm, allowing Alice to get up. Finally she pulled Terra's arms together and pinned them down. Her grip was strong and assertive, completely unhindered by Terra's struggling before finishing the other knot. "You can do her feet if ya want but I think you're good" Alice then grabbed the knife from her chest. Two soft fingers pressed against Terra's diaphragm beneath her sternum. She could feel her heart pounding hard against them as they lingered. "Okay, Jani. ya wanna cut beneath the sternum and down the belly. Once ya got her open, you're gonna reach in and feel for a firm tube right below her neck, that's her esophagus. Once ya got it, get your knife in there and cut that open then run your knife along the back of it and pull. Got it? You pull it all out in one go." All during the explanation Terra felt completely helpless. Her head was too tired to look up as the knife danced around her body in the process of explaining what to do before being placed back over her chest. "Here, let me get you started" Alice let out in a bit of frustration as Jani seemed interested in taking her time. Terra then felt blade's edge pressing into her body, leaving a sharp, searing pain in its trail from beneath her sternum to her navel, making her groan in muffled agony. "There ya go." Alice let out impatiently. Within seconds the blade had passed by three or so times. Terra couldn't imagine what she might see looking down, and didn't have the strength or desire to lift her head to see what just happened to her body. Her fears reinforced, however, as Alice placed the knife back on her heaving chest - It was warm and it was dripping wet, she could feel the warm liquid pooling on her sternum and running down underneath her right breast. "Yer a pushy one ain't ya, darlin'" Jani said as she waited a moment and picked up the knife. Terra could feel a sharp pressure below her diaphragm before it suddenly became hard... then impossible to breathe. "Goddamn, look at it go, Alice. Ain't that amazing?" Jani pulled upward on Terra's sternum, with her other hand gently running a couple of her fingers over the lively muscle. Her hand filling Terra's chest and exploring the helpless organ within its pericardium. Terra could just barely see Jani's arm tensing and relaxing rhythmically before she pulled it out of her chest and held open the split in her diaphragm, "The only thing amazing is that she's still alive. I'd have thought hypovolemic or neurogenic shock would have had her out by now" Alice ran her fingers over Terra's face, studying her barely conscious expression. "Here", Alice smiled and slit the pericardium open carefully, then spread open it with her fingers, running her hand beneath the organ to display the pumping mass for Jani's eyes. By now it was beating slower and more erratically in her cupped fingers as Terra's blood pressure was dropping dramatically. "That's her heart, see it? - I'll have to work on that sedative some more so this doesn't happen. Until then, I can't do anything until you complete the course, okay?" Jani was entranced, watching the woman's heart struggle to beat and squirm in Alice's hand in full view - the muscle barely pumping at this point in slow dying pulses. annoyed at being rushed she snapped back "Yeah, yeah, alright." "Good" Alice replied, determined to get to the next step and complete her job. Terra could suddenly feel a deep and heavy pressure in her chest. Her head stopped throbbing as the pulse was stolen from her body. Alice harshly squeezed the life out of the object of Jani's amusement in front of her. Its struggling subsided completely as she seemed to take her frustration out on the soft and weak muscle in her cruel and unrelenting grip. the poor woman's body finally fell limp. "What'd ya do that for?" Jani said in disappointment, Alice's hand leaving the heart still and lifeless. "So we can get this show on the road."

[haunterrr]

Because no one would ask anyways

1: How tall or short do you wish you were? 5'4" - 5'6" 2: What’s your dream pet? (Real or not) A fox 3: Do you have a favorite clothing style? A huge mix of goth and punk styles 4: What was your favorite video game growing up? LOZ OOT or Mario Kart 5: What three things/people do you think of most each day: Ghost, music, story ideas 6: If you had a warning label, what would yours say? Isn't as shy once you get to know. Swears a lot. Like A LOT. 7: What is your opinion on [insert person/thing here]? I have many opinions on many things like most people. This was meant to be sent by random people, but alas no one would actually ask me anything lol 8: What is your Greek personality type? [Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric, or Melancholic] Results are in, I'm Melancholic by a landslide 9: Are you ticklish? Yeah, please don't :c 10: Are you allergic to anything? Seasonal allergies is about it. 11: What’s your sexuality? I like people. 12: Do you prefer tea, coffee, or cocoa? Depends on the mood I'm in and what kind each are. Turners Iced Tea, Dunkin Iced Coffee, Hot cocoa is better cold to me 13: Are you a cat or dog person? I like both, but I usually gravitate towards cats 14: Would you rather be a vampire, elf, or merperson? That's a cruel question. Vampire I suppose. 15: Do you have a favorite Youtuber? Not particulary anymore. My interests are too eclectic these days. 16: How tall are you? 5'8" so says the doctor, but I feel like a giant. 17: If you had to change your name, what would you change it to? That's tough... Samantha is an ok name, so I haven't been too unhappy with it. Just too many people with that name. 18: How much do you weigh? I'm actually unsure of this currently. I've been told I look like I lost a lot of weight though. 19: Do you believe in ghosts/spirits? Yes. 20: Do you like space or the ocean more? They both intrigue and terrify me at the same time. I was obsessed with space as a child though. 21: Are you religious? No. 22: Pet peeves? I have misophonia so please do not chew and slurp and crunch food loudly. :c 23: Would you rather be nocturnal or diurnal [opposite of nocturnal]? I'm pretty nocturnal already and always have been. I prefer it. 24: Favorite constellation? Cassiopeia 25: Favorite star? Betelgeuse 26: Do you like ball-jointed dolls? They're kind of cool. Some dolls freak me the hell out. 27: Any phobias or fears? Well I saw final destination 2 in middle school and yeah fuck driving by those big ass trucks. 28: Do you think global warming is real? Yes. 29: Do you believe in reincarnation? It is interesting to think about, but eh. 30: Favorite movie? There are so many good movies out there. Fried Green Tomatoes, Interview with the Vampire, Spirited Away, Girl Interrupted, American Psycho, Dracula, Pride and Prejudice 2005, and more. 31: Do you get scared easily? Not usually, but if I do I try not to let it show. 32: How many pets have you own in your lifetime? At least 16 and I'm not even going to try and count how many god damn fish I had. I shit you not they were all named Bubbles. 33: Blog rate? n/a 34: What is a color that calms you? Green 35: Where would you like to travel and/or live? I want to see so many places. Traveling is in my nature. As for living... somewhere that isn't here. 36: Where were you born? Jacksonville, Florida 37: What is your eye color? Silver blue with bright gold rings around my pupils 38: Introvert or extrovert? Introvert 39: Do you believe in horoscopes and zodiacs? They're just a fun thing to look into 40: Hugs or kisses? Depends on how I'm feeling. I've been told I'm good with both c; 41: Who is someone you would like to see/visit right now? A few musicians I have in mind. It would be cool to just talk to them. Other than that an old friend that lives out in Arizona. 42: Who is someone you love deeply? I'm not sure. 43: Any piercings you want? A few I have in mind right now, but it would be pointless with my current job. 44: Do you like tattoos and piercings? Love, love, love. 45: Do you smoke or have you ever done so? I used to smoke cigs, but I was a broke lady and also I like to smell good. 46: Talk about your crush, if you have one! Oh god. They are person of many talents. Their voice makes me so happy. 47: What is a sound you really hate? Chewing 48: A sound you really love? Page turning and also whispers 49: Can you do a backflip? I wish. I used to be able to when I still did dance. 50: Can you do the splits? Nah. 51: Favorite actor and/or actress? I can't decide right now. 52: Favorite movie? This was already asked... 53: How are you feeling right now? I feel pretty good. I've got some tunes playing, so I'm happy. 54: What color would you like your hair to be right now? Something different. Right now I've got inches of roots and the ends are red. 55: When did you feel happiest? I usually feel happiest at a concert getting lost in the music with the crowd. 56: Something that calms you down? Music or reading 57: Have any mental disorders? Anxiety and depression 58: What does your URL mean? Not much. I was having a hard time finding a url name I liked that wasn't taken. 59: What three words describe you the most? Heart, sad, passionate 60: Do you believe in evolution? Yes 61: What makes you unfollow a blog? Usually too much NSFW content or if their interests change into something I sadly do not care about/ 62: What makes you follow a blog? Similar interests... 63: Favorite kind of person: Passionate, kind, able to make me laugh 64: Favorite animal(s): Fox 65: Name three of your favorite blogs. I like spookyloop, ringrose, and moralvirus 66: Favorite emoticon: idk 67: Favorite meme: I honestly die at memes of Ghost 68: What is your MBTI personality type? INFJ 69: What is your star sign? Sagittarius 70: Can your dog roll over on command, if you have a dog? uhh 71: What outfit out of all your clothes do you like to wear the most? This pretty lacy cardigan kimino that buttons in the front on the chest and goes to my feet, black skinnies, black booties, and my black wide brimmed hat. 72: Post a selfie or two? ehh. they're already on my blog. 73: Do you have platform shoes? Nope. Like I need more height. 74: What is one random but interesting fact about yourself? I don't think I'm all that interesting sooo 75: Can you do a front flip? Probably not 76: Do you like birds? They're okay. Depends on the bird. 77: Do you like to swim? I love it. 78: Is swimming or ice skating more fun to you? swimming 79: Something you wish didn’t exist: Being a slave to the man 80: Some thing you wish did exist: Unlimited money so I can go see my favorite bands... :X 81: Piercings you have? Industrial, stretched lobes, navel 82: Something you really enjoy doing: getting lost in music 83: Favorite person to talk to: Probably an old high school friend. We used to go to a park all the time and sit under the pavillion and just talk about anything and everything. I miss those days 84: What was your first impression of Tumblr? It was a little intense, this was back in 2009/2010. It was hard to get started. 85: How many followers do you have? On this blog 32, on my old one 1500 86: Can you run a mile within ten minutes? Yes, under that actually. 87: Do your socks always match? Usually. Can't go wrong when all you have is black socks 88: Can you touch your toes and keep your legs straight completely? Not anymore 89: What are your birthstones? Topaz 90: If you were an animal, which one would you be? A fox. How many times will I mention this animal lol 91: If a flower could aesthetically represent you, what kind would it be? Yikes, I don't think any represent me. 92: A store you hate? Probably Walmart even though I shop there 93: How many cups of coffee can you drink in one day? My caffeine intake knows no bounds 94: Would you rather be able to fly or read minds? Flying would be pretty fucking cool 95: Do you like to wear camo? Not at all 96: Winter or summer? FALL! 97: How long can you hold your breath for? I don't know. 98: Least favorite person? That bitch ass Trump 99: Someone you look up to: I can't say their name 100: A store you love? I used to love going to the shops down in Southside that weren't chain stores. 101: Favorite type of shoes? Combat boots, booties, high tops 102: Where do you live? Pittsburgh, PA 103: Are you a vegetarian or vegan? No 104: What is your favorite mineral or gem? Emeralds are pretty 105: Do you drink milk? Nope. I don't like it much. 106: Do you like bugs? Depends on the kind. 107: Do you like spiders? They're okay 108: Something you get paranoid about? People not actually liking me and pretending to 109: Can you draw: I used to be decent at it, but after I broke my hand years ago its never been the same 110: Nosiest question you have ever been asked? I guess intimate questions about my body and anything sexual 111: A question you hate being asked? "What's wrong?" my face apparently 112: Ever been bitten by a spider? Yes quite a few times. Not a fan. 113: Do you like the sound of waves at the beach? Its calming 114: Do you prefer cloudy or sunny days? Cloudy. I burn too easily. 115: Someone you’d like to kiss or cuddle right now: :X 116: Favorite cloud type: Cumulonimbus 117: What color do you wish the sky was? I love the night sky... so I think its fine how it is currently. 118: Do you have freckles? Yes. They used to be more prominent as a child though. 119: Favorite thing about a person: Physically: Eyes/mouth Personality: Watching them talk passionately about an interest and their humor 120: Fruits or vegetables? Both. Love me both 121: Something you want to do right now: Find someone to drive and listen to music with and talk about whatever. 122: Is the ocean or sky prettier? I think they compliment each other quite well 123: Sweet or sour foods? For food I prefer savory but for candies I love sour 124: Bright or dim lights? Ah, that's gonna depend. Dim lights are super cozy though 125: Do you believe in a certain magical creature? Not really. 126: Something you hate about Tumblr: How people attack one another and chase people off for simple mistakes 127: Something you love about Tumblr: Finding people with similar interests who share great content 128: What do you think about the least? I guess me getting old cause it freaks me out 129: What would you want written on your tombstone? I'm not sure I will have one, but I'm sure someone else could think of something better I could 130: Who would you like to punch in the face right now? Not anyone in particular 131: What is something you love but also hate about yourself? My daydreaming 132: Do you smile with your teeth showing for pictures? I usually don't like to. I mean my teeth aren't fucked up or anything. I just have a weird smile. 133: Computer or TV? Computer 134: Do you like roller coasters? I love them. I dissociated on one at Six Flags once. It was an interesting experience. 135: Do you get motion sickness or seasickness? Not usually. 136: Are your ears lobed or attached? lobed 137: Do you believe in karma? I don't know if its karma exactly. Its just more cause and effect. 138: On a scale of 1-10, how attractive would you say you are? 4 139: What nicknames do you have/have had? Sam (not a fan), Sammie, Princess (mom), Sweet Pea (dad), Plum (uncle), randoms like to call me Red. I don't have many interesting ones. 140: Did you have any pretend or imaginary friends? I didn't have any growing up. I just day dreamed a lot. 141: Have you ever seen a therapist/shrink? Yes. My childhood one was my favorite. 142: Would you say you are a good or bad influence to others? For the most part good I think? 143: Do you prefer giving or receiving gifts/help? I like to give gifts most. 144: What makes you angry? People that try to control me and take advantage of me. 145: How many languages do you speak fluently? Just one sadly - English. I was decent in Spanish years ago but never kept up with it. Today I helped a deaf man fairly well at work, so I want to pick up ASL again and maybe some other languages. 146: Do you prefer boys, girls, and/or non-binaries? As I stated before. I like people. <3 147: Are you androgynous? I can be. 148: Favorite physical thing about yourself: There is nothing I particularly like. How sad is that? 149: Favorite thing about your personality: My humor I suppose 150: Name three people you would like to talk to right now in person. ******, JT, and Amanda 151: If you could go back into time and live in one era, which would you choose? It was definitely not a healthy era but the Victorian fashion was pretty rad. The OG punks and goths were cool too. 152: Do you like BuzzFeed? not really. 153: How did you meet your spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend/partner? - 154: Do you like to kiss others’ foreheads or hands for platonic reasons? I'll kiss one friends cheek or top of their head, but usually no one else because I don't think a lot of people like that. 155: Do you like to play with others’ hair? I do. 156: What embarrasses you? Myself, oh also being put on the spot randomly 157: Something that makes you nervous/anxious: A whole hell of a lot of things. 158: Biggest lie you have ever told: "I'm fine." 159: How many people are you following? on this blog 329, my other blog is at 3000 160: How many posts do you have on your blog(s)? 664, other 40k 161: How many drafts do you have on your blog(s)? 0 162: How many likes do you have on your blog(s)? 46, other 15k 163: Last time you cried and why: Today because of a beautiful song 164: Do you have long or short hair? Long. Its nearly to my waist 165: Longest your hair has ever been: As it is right now 166: Why do you like, dislike, or have neutral feelings about religon? Organized religion is bullshit. It causes more problems than it helps in my opinion. 167: Do you really care how the universe and world was created? Its interesting to think about for sure 168: Do you like to wear makeup? I do. 169: Can you stand on your hands or head for more than thirty seconds? Probably not anymore 170: Did you answer the questions you were asked truthfully? Yep

[cptsdofficial]

1-170 : * )

 Ask me! I'll answer honestly jesus fucking hell here we go

1: How tall or short do you wish you were? tbh i’m pretty ok with my height maybe like one (1) inch taller2: What’s your dream pet? (Real or not) i want a sphynx cat shgdhg3: Do you have a favorite clothing style? i like all kinds of styles’ Aesthetic but mine is wearing the same ten t shirts over and over4: What was your favorite video game growing up? Ocarina of Time5: What three things/people do you think of most each day: Jacob, dying and going to sleep6: If you had a warning label, what would yours say? emotionally unstable7: What is your opinion on [insert person/thing here]? i Hate candy corn its Disgusting8: What is your Greek personality type? [Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric, or Melancholic] melancholic have u seen my blog9: Are you ticklish? yea10: Are you allergic to anything? I’m allergic to Nut11: What’s your sexuality? people who give me attention12: Do you prefer tea, coffee, or cocoa? coffee13: Are you a cat or dog person? i like both but! probably more dog14: Would you rather be a vampire, elf, or merperson? vampire15: Do you have a favorite Youtuber? youtube is a sin16: How tall are you? 5′8?17: If you had to change your name, what would you change it to? i chose my name lol bye18: How much do you weigh? [Only ask this if you know the user doesn’t mind!] too much lol19: Do you believe in ghosts/spirits? idk not really but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯20: Do you like space or the ocean more? space!21: Are you religious? no22: Pet peeves? being alive

23: Would you rather be nocturnal or diurnal [opposite of nocturnal]? nocturnal

24: Favorite constellation? don’t have one25: Favorite star? don’t have one26: Do you like ball-jointed dolls? no?27: Any phobias or fears? bugs28: Do you think global warming is real? who am i trump29: Do you believe in reincarnation? idk i don’t really Believe in it that much but i don’t believe against it30: Favorite movie? Totoro probably

31: Do you get scared easily? pretty much32: How many pets have you own in your lifetime? idk a few34: What is a color that calms you? green or purple35: Where would you like to travel and/or live? i wanna visit Japan36: Where were you born? Indiana37: What is your eye color? brown38: Introvert or extrovert? introvert39: Do you believe in horoscopes and zodiacs? not really but i still read them40: Hugs or kisses? neither lol

41: Who is someone you would like to see/visit right now? god42: Who is someone you love deeply? jacob43: Any piercings you want? no44: Do you like tattoos and piercings? on other people yeah, i kinda want tattoos45: Do you smoke or have you eiver done so? smoke what lol i’m kidding yeah46: Talk about your crush, if you have one! no47: What is a sound you really hate? me talking48: A sound you really love? cronch49: Can you do a backflip? who am i sportacus50: Can you do the splits? no51: Favorite actor and/or actress? Samira Wiley!52: Favorite movie? whys this on here twice bye53: How are you feeling right now? like i still have 120 questions to go54: What color would you like your hair to be right now? what it is55: When did you feel happiest? with @cruelknives56: Something that calms you down? I’ve never once been calm in my life57: Have any mental disorders? [Only ask this if you know the user doesn’t mind!] lol58: What does your URL mean? it means i’m a borderline and i’m also an ass59: What three words describe you the most? Bad Awful Theworst 60: Do you believe in evolution? it doesn’t matter if u believe in it or not it’s still tru lol61: What makes you unfollow a blog? everything62: What makes you follow a blog? bad content63: Favorite kind of person: Jacob64: Favorite animal(s): idk but i have rats65: Name three of your favorite blogs. mine66: Favorite emoticon: i’m on desktop but the sparkle or the bee67: Favorite meme: all memes are bad68: What is your MBTI personality type? infp!69: What is your star sign? cancer71: What outfit out of all your clothes do you like to wear the most? the same ones72: Post a selfie or two? http://generallyqueer.tumblr.com/tagged/my-face73: Do you have platform shoes? no 74: What is one random but interesting fact about yourself? my head hurts75: Can you do a front flip? no76: Do you like birds? yea77: Do you like to swim? i used to but now dysphoria78: Is swimming or ice skating more fun to you? swimming79: Something you wish didn’t exist: me lol80: Some thing you wish did exist: money in my wallet81: Piercings you have? only my ears82: Something you really enjoy doing: sleeping83: Favorite person to talk to: Jacob84: What was your first impression of Tumblr? bad85: How many followers do you have? on this blog, 19986: Can you run a mile within ten minutes? hwo is this someone healthy87: Do your socks always match? my socks haven’t matched in eight years88: Can you touch your toes and keep your legs straight completely? idk buut i’m not gonna try89: What are your birthstones? pearl and alexandrite!90: If you were an animal, which one would you be? frog91: If a flower could aesthetically represent you, what kind would it be? i.. don’t kno somebody tell me my aesthetic flower92: A store you hate? all of them93: How many cups of coffee can you drink in one day? is that a challenge94: Would you rather be able to fly or read minds? fly cause my brain is enough95: Do you like to wear camo? never in my life96: Winter or summer? neither97: How long can you hold your breath for? don’t know not gonna try98: Least favorite person? me lol  jake99: Someone you look up to: death himself100: A store you love? idk pac sun

101: Favorite type of shoes high tops102: Where do you live? florida103: Are you a vegetarian or vegan? If so, why? no104: What is your favorite mineral or gem? rose quartz probably!105: Do you drink milk? yea106: Do you like bugs? No!107: Do you like spiders? No!!!!108: Something you get paranoid about? being alive lol109: Can you draw: technically yes110: Nosiest question you have ever been asked? idk111: A question you hate being asked? to describe myself112: Ever been bitten by a spider? idk113: Do you like the sound of waves at the beach? yea114: Do you prefer cloudy or sunny days? cloudy115: Someone you’d like to kiss or cuddle right now: mothman116: Favorite cloud type: idk117: What color do you wish the sky was? idk118: Do you have freckles? no119: Favorite thing about a person: gives me attention120: Fruits or vegetables? fruit121: Something you want to do right now: stop answering these122: Is the ocean or sky prettier? sky123: Sweet or sour foods? sweet124: Bright or dim lights? dim125: Do you believe in a certain magical creature? me126: Something you hate about Tumblr: www.tumblr.com127: Something you love about Tumblr: validation128: What do you think about the least? idk129: What would you want written on your tombstone? it was lit fam130: Who would you like to punch in the face right now? myself131: What is something you love but also hate about yourself? my entire appearance 132: Do you smile with your teeth showing for pictures? rarely133: Computer or TV? computer134: Do you like roller coasters? yea135: Do you get motion sickness or seasickness? not that often136: Are your ears lobed or attached? lobed137: Do you believe in karma? kind of138: On a scale of 1-10, how attractive would you say you are? -1 but also 11139: What nicknames do you have/have had? who140: Did you have any pretend or imaginary friends? not really141: Have you ever seen a therapist/shrink? no142: Would you say you are a good or bad influence to others? lol i influence people143: Do you prefer giving or receiving gifts/help? giving144: What makes you angry waking up every day145: How many languages do you speak fluently? 1146: Do you prefer boys, girls, and/or non-binaries? tbh who knows I lean towards mostly nb people and male-aligned ppl i think?? but i’m probably also aro so?? god147: Are you androgynous? I try148: Favorite physical thing about yourself: eyelashes149: Favorite thing about your personality: my 2 personality disorders150: Name three people you would like to talk to right now in person. no one

151: If you could go back into time and live in one era, which would you choose? dinosuars so i could get destroyed by that meteor152: Do you like BuzzFeed? no154: Do you like to kiss others’ foreheads or hands for platonic reasons? no cause i don’t really touch people lol155: Do you like to play with others’ hair? no156: What embarrasses you? being alive157: Something that makes you nervous/anxious: being alive158: Biggest lie you have ever told: i convinced my mom i was stabbed when i was seven159: How many people are you following? 205160: How many posts do you have on your blog(s)? 1,400161: How many drafts do you have on your blog(s)? 9162: How many likes do you have on your blog(s)? 195163: Last time you cried and why: today because my rat was mad at me164: Do you have long or short hair? short165: Longest your hair has ever been: like down to my ass it was bad166: Why do you like, dislike, or have neutral feelings about religon? I mean, i have opinions on religion as a whole (i’m not religious myself) but really idc, i just respect everyone’s beliefs167: Do you really care how the universe and world was created? tbh? not really168: Do you like to wear makeup? no169: Can you stand on your hands or head for more than thirty seconds? no170: Did you answer the questions you were asked truthfully? yea

[i-sold-my-soul-to-loki-blog]

Chapter 2: The Devil Is My Witness

Hell wasn’t normally a nice place. It was hot, cramped and open flames and lava rivers were everywhere. On the celestial safety scale, it ranked a solid 2 outta 10. That being said the main palace was a stunning and comfortable place. The walls floors and roof was made of either carved obsidian or marble. Colored polished crystals and stones adorned the lights and windows giving it a sacred feeling angels so loved.

The main throne was made from cast silver and ancient demon blades. Sitting in it was Morningstar himself and a little ember demon kit. He was stroking its back and feeding it some kind of meat. She really didn’t want to know what kind.

“Ah, you are here. No need to worry I know it wasn’t you who made the deal to enter heaven. I also know it wasn’t you who stole my brother’s sword. However, I do need your help getting it back.” He took off his sunglasses revealing a pair of ruby red eyes and deep abyssal black wings.

“Now time for proper introductions. I’ve wanted to do this since the first day we met but a fallen angel can’t be too careful. I’m Lucifer Morningstar, welcome to Hell.” His smile was warm and revealed a pair of long almost vampiric fangs. She could almost believe he fathered that race, almost.

“Now I know what you’re thinking. You can’t be the devil you’re too nice and way too handsome. Doesn’t he have goat legs and horns? I assure you I am Satan or Lucifer or the Devil whatever you want to call me I am in fact he.” He stood and gave a dramatic bow. He looked eager as he Awaited their response.

“Actually…” Loki started. “What she is thinking is dear fates why am I surrounded by these crazy drama club goths.” He gave her his best disapproving stare. “I resent that remark by the way. You see this is why I can’t take her places, such a disobedient wolf.” he smiled toward Lucifer as if it was a running joke between the two Gods.

“No.” She interjected. “This is why I can’t have nice things. I meet a lovely semi-normal person who isn’t trying to burn down the town, send me on crazy errands, seduce half the population or trying to start a war and have a decent camaraderie with and he turns out to be an angel. But not just any angel he’s the adorable non-uptight human acting fallen one. Honestly can’t I just meet a nice vampire or maybe a swamp mermaid hell I’ll settle for a dragon at this point.” Her rant lasted longer than she’d have liked but it was getting really annoying her lack of suitable suitors. In true male fashion however they missed the point.

“You think he’s adorable yet I’m just meh.” Loki sounded offended.

“You like having me as a friend?” She could’ve sworn she saw a tear. “I’ve never had friends before, can I please keep you as one.” Damn, he sounded so dang sincere.

“It’s not like you being the Devil changes anything. My best friends are Loki god of Mischief and Hades lord of the dead. Trust me Arch Angel Lucifer will fit right in with this crowd.” She gave him a pat on the shoulder. Yeah her friends were a weird group.

“When did you befriend Hades?” They asked in unison. Loki completely missing the God of Mischief is my best friend part.

“A few years ago during the whole Hammer of Thor incident. I had to retrieve water from the Phlegethon to appease the dragon Gajeel. Struck a deal with Hades so me, him, Hel and Xolotl occasionally get together for tea and trade stories about our respective pantheons. Yes Loki, since you don’t hang with the Norse deities you are considered mine by default.”

The two seemed fascinated by this little tidbit. Hades and Hel don’t talk to anyone yet this little wolf succeeded. Of course, it was no surprise, he was prone to sending her off to do random tasks he couldn’t which required a certain amount of finesse and trust building. Still, it was a bit disconcerting that she had these strong allies he had no clue about.

If she wanted it would be easy to wriggle out of her contract. Especially now that Lucifer was among those friends. He was considered the God of bargains and deals by most of the other Gods. Loki stared at her, silently praying that she wouldn’t choose to leave.

“I know what you are thinking trickster and I have no plans of breaking our little deal. It’s far too much fun being able to roam anywhere in the nine realms without bothering a dimensional sorcerer or sorceress. Besides as troublesome as these jobs of yours are they do past the time between bouts of boredom.” The words were thrown out rather absentmindedly as she studied the group of demons that wandered in.

He could never understand how she handled demokyn so easily. Most of them were either nauseating to look at or to smell, this group was the rare ones that were both. Of course like most celestial beings, if you could call them that, they could take human form. The thing was that unless it was necessary they refused to. He really wished that wasn’t the case right now.

The largest pair of demons were a sickly green color, covered with large bulky scales they had mostly serpentine bodies. They had the chest of a bodybuilder and where their feet should have been were two spiny clusters that seemed to drag the creatures across the floor. They had no hands and instead used their anglerfish like jaws to each hold an arm of their captive. They smelt like rotten desert carrion.

The other three were humanish in looks. Their skin, however, was marbled with shades of red orange and yellow. Their hands and feet were webbed and red fins protruded from their arms, legs and backs. In place of hair were red and orange banded spines that seemed to go well with their bright golden eyes. Like the others they had the jaws of deep sea fish. Their scent however was in a much more charming burnt leather range.

Their captive however seemed like your average human. Tan skin, black hair, brown eyes, two arms, two legs and a bit on the skinny side. He wore a red and orange camo catsuit. He looked a bit worse for the wear but if he had been running around Hell it could’ve been worse. No surprise Skye and Lucifer seemed to know him.

“Is that GREG? Mr. I’m going to kill all the vampires in Romania GREG. Mr. Let me wear your pelt as a trophy GREG.” By the way she said his name he could tell Greg was no a friend.

“Yes.” the Devil responded. “After you caught the guy trying to kill off my precious Nephilim son Asreal I had him brought down here and thrown in the rivers of fury. The five you see before you are lava nymphs. Well except for the guards those are hell born Naga, a gift from my middle eastern partner.”

He seemed so casual about it. Oh yeah don’t mind him I just had the guy drug down here to torture for eternity. It's no big deal really. Just gonna drown in him the fury bled from wronged men. Of course he couldn’t judge, he once turned a human who threatened Nami into a rabbit, gave him immortality and set him loose in a building full of hungry kitsune.

“Okay then.” That’s his lycan and her confused acceptance of the vengeful acts of scorned Gods. “why is he currently in here then?” Straight to the point, good girl.

“You see…” One of the Lava nymphs started.

“An angel came and said they needed his help tracking something or someone down.” The center one continued.

“Since he was cursed by the Dimensional Witch Eternity he can hop between worlds but will only land in the most guarded place in that world.” the third finished.

“The angel thought that if the sword was missing it’d be heavily guarded and they would send him in to scout the place. If he got killed the process he’d just return to us and report.” They said in unison. The naga nodded in agreement causing their teeth to dig into Greg’s arms. Blood started to run onto the marble floor in a steady stream. Hungry calls could be heard throughout the palace.

“What did the Angel look like?” Lucifer asked as he walked towards the human. His red eyes had turned a sickly yellow shade. Black scales replaced the feathers on his wings and a long dragon like tail flashed into view. The not so subtle reminder that when an angel falls it becomes a Demon King.

“It was tall but looked almost completely human. The eyes were like mercury and golden wings were blinding though they had black stripes. It chose a dark-skinned suit, like maybe a Jamaican but was built like a pro boxer. Unlike most it didn’t seem bothered by the air down here, in fact, it was smiling.” The nymphs shuddered.

“It seems my dear brother Michael paid us a visit. It is his sword after all. Still what he says goes even if this traitorous bastard doesn’t deserve to be let go.” He pulled the human from the Nagas jaws causing a fresh spray of blood to coat the walls and floor.

The sound he made couldn’t have been human but it came from one. His cries of pain only caused the distant howls of hunger to grow louder and move closer. Slithering and tapping could be heard on the windows outside. Something resembling a gulper eel with wings flashed into view outside.

Loki took a few steps closer to Skye for comfort. She moved them both a good two feet further from Greg. As did his escort party. A large growl rattled the building and several of the demons retreated from view outside.

“Loki, speaking one Celestial being to another, can I trust you to return this filth to me once the blade is found.” his voice was a low whisper that bounced of the walls and chilled him to his bones.

“Considering I don’t want him, to begin with, I’ll happily return him to you the moment he is no longer of use.” He forced himself to swallow as the urge to throw up became stronger.

He turned toward his lycan for comfort but found only seething hatred in her eyes. Usually, they were a light blue, the color of the fjords, sometimes like glaciers in the winter. Right now, however, they were a deep navy, like waves during a storm. She was fighting down the inner demon that made lycans, lycans. No doubt it had something to do with Lucifer’s current mood, the calls of the demokyn outside and Greg’s pleased smirk.

“Skye luna Starshadow do you swear that no matter what this soul will be returned to where it belongs?” He was full on Demon King now, Greg little more then a chew toy in the grasp of a Great White. Charcoal black skin was covered in red Enochian script in complex patterns. Black bat like wings with red stripes stretched behind him. A long black reptilian tail wrapped around the throne, blood red barbs carving grooves in the floor. Large elk like antlers graced his head, each branch ending in a barbed point.

“The devils as my witness I will drag him back here myself.” Her usual calm voice was little more than a snarl.

“Good now begone. We’ll catch up after.” with a puff of black sooty smoke they found themselves in the heart of Helheim.