#is the several ony twice?

[quitealotofsodapop]

"Pigsy! Pigsy, you won't believe it!" Mei was gasping as she burst into the shop, "We need to get out of here ASAP, Pigsy!"

"Whoa, whoa... what the- Mei! You're supposed to be out on delivery! I have twenty orders out!"

"And ignore be out doing them, Pigsy-buddy, but we got bigger problems right now!"

"BIGGER THAN OUR BUSINESS!? Mei, I'm not paying you to laze about!"

"MK and I got attacked, Pigman!" Mei snapped, pulling the mentioned cub closer. The moment the words were out of her mouth, Shihou tensed, fur visibly bristling.

"You were what!?" Shihou hissed, jumping to his feet. Mei winced, realizing MK's parent was in the room and now, rightfully, upset. "MEI, WHAT HAPPENED!? WHERE'S MK!?"

Mei shuffled a bit, showing the younger monkey clinging to her back. He looked a bit shaken, but was otherwise okay. In fact, as soon as he saw Shihou, he brightened up considerably and excitedly chirped a greeting. Shihou bathed a sigh of relief at the sight of his child up until he noticed the item MK had wrapped his tail around. Almost instantly his face became white as a ghost.

"Me..." Shihou's voice was shaky as he stumbled back a bit, "What... does MK have?"

"A freaky staff thing." Mei explained, "The GPS on the delivery app glitches out or something and we ended up devouring into some weird construction lot with a big tree and this weird gold staff sticking out of the dirt under it. There was some demons there talking about free some Bull King!"

"Are you saying that's the legendary Ruyi Jingu Bang!?" Tang interrupted, eyes glinting as he looked over the staff. Upon closer inspection, it was more evidently clear that this was either the actual staff or a very convincing replica, having the golden bands and etching all across it. "It's certainly convincing enough... but if that's the case MK should be able to lift it. It's said ony the Monkey King is able to lift the staff."

"Either way, those weird bull demons attacked us because MK picked it up!" Mei explained, "I'm telling you, it's THE Monkey King's staff! It was twice the size it is now when MK picked it up, but now it's the size of some toy want prop!"

"Well if they want it, I don't want MK having it." Shihou's voice was hard as he glared at the staff, "Whether it's the 'real' Ruyi Jingu Bang or not, someone wants it bad enough to attack a child over it."

Mei nodded, turning to her little brother figure who had since jumped from her back and was showing the staff's ability to grow and shrink for Tang, who looked about ready to pass out.

"MK, buddy. That isn't a toy, we need to put it down now."

MK paused in his play and looked her up and down and then at the staff before pouting.

"No! The bad guys want it! We need to keep Monkey King's staff away form the bad guys!"

"Xiaotian, put it down." Shihou firmly told his son, "Mei is right, that isn't a toy! It's not a game."

"NO!"

What followed next was a temperamental argument between MK and his father as they went back and forth, arguing over the staff that went on for almost an hour as everyone present tried to get the dangerous weapon away fromt he child. Eventually MK go so upset he swung the staff and accidentally destroyed a part of the bar, at which point Shibou finally had enough.

"ENOUGH!" Shihou yelled as he snatched the staff from MK's hands, "This ISN'T a toy, MK! You could hurt someone with it!"

Silence met the shop as Tang tried to comprehend what he was seeing. Shihou standing there with the legendary staff of the Monkey King in his hands, a staff only the legendary god is said to be able to lift.

'Or...The legendary Great Sage's son.'

It seemed impossible but there's no other explanation Tang could think of for not one but two monkey demons would be able to lift the legendary staff, especially since Mei and Pigsy had both tried to grab the staff from MK's hands only for them to be forced to drop it from how heavy the thing was, leaving several cracks in the floor. Yet Shihou, who was so pregnant he wasn't supposed to lift so much as a carton of milk, is able to lift it with ease as if it was a feather. Shihou himself seemed to freeze as if realizing what he did, glancing at the staff in his hands with a strange glint in his eyes before very obviously pretending it too was far too heavy for him. Unfortunately, it appears Shihou isn't as good an actor as his legend implied, it was far too late and everyone had already seen him lift it.

"Shihou..." Tang's voice was choked, "Are you... is it really...!?"

"NO! No I... it's isn't ehat it looks like!" Ahihou stammered, all but throwing the staff to the floor. Notably, while it had been so heavy it cracked the floor before, not a single scratch formed when Ahihou had dropped it, "I don't know why it..."

"Shihou i think we both know that's a lie..." Pigsy's gruff voice broke through, eyes glaring down at the staff, "So I need to ask ya, is that thing what I think it is?"

"It..." Shihou looked conflicted before his shoulders drooped, defeated, "It is."

Pigsy sucked in a breath as Tang felt all the breath punching out of his lungs. He'd thought he'd know Shihou, but if what he's saying is true then... his best friend and the father of the student he'd been looking after this past year had been none other than his idol! Shihou was Sun Wukong!!

"So what does that mean?" Mei asked, "Who were those guys who attacked us!?"

"The Demon Bull Family. When the staff was lifted, it would have released the seal on the Demon Bull King. No doubt the others with him were his wife and child." Shihou's voice was dull, a sense of despair ringing in it, "Now that they're free, MK and I will never be able to live in peace. They'll hunt us down relentlessly and drag every lowlife ein all the realms with them."

Prev.

Aww yeeeah! More Marbled Egg writing! Always a joy!

Mei reasonably freaking out and MK clinging to her back like a little koala (or in this case little monkey) <3

"Shihou" trying his best to stay calm but firm about the situation, his facade of a normal monkey demon breaking when MK nearly hurts someone with the Staff.

Pigsy catching on quickly that his best customer (Tang barely counts) is some sort of legend thats chosen to hide this whole time.

And Wukong's sheer despair thinking that he and MK will never be safe now that DBK is released. Not even considering that his former sworn brother would show them mercy.

MK most likely sneaks out during the last part to confront DBK on his own. He doesn't want his baba to be sad/worried about all of this anymore. He's either gonna beat up the Demon Bull king himself, or find a way to make friends as long as it makes his baba happy again.

Mei: "Uhh... where's MK??" All the adults: "EHHH!?" Shihou/Wukong, face severe: "Mountain. Armor. NOW." Pigsy, understanding: "I know a guy with a boat who can help."

[pokedawriter]

winged!reader x Inazuma!Men

Gn!reader

Prompt: You (literally) crash land into Inazuma boys' lives

Itto and Gorou

content warning: asleep for long time/coma, injuries (no vivid descriptions)

Arataki Itto

He's out in the rain looking for the fiercest Onikabuto ("only the strongest beetles will be out during the rain! That's how we know they're the best"). He thinks he's found a good one and is about to grab it when...

*SLAM* You fall out of the sky and crash land onto him

He's thrown onto the ground and he's about to yell at you for "your deal" when he realizes you are completely out and smell a little... smokey?

Damm, you must have been cooking something good (you were zapped by lightning mid-air)

He takes you to Granny Oni and she helps nurse you back to health

When you wake up, Itto is playing with your wings, which earns him a feathered and an actual slap

Granny Oni eventually explains the situation and you apologize, saying you are in their debt

Itto decides to take full advantage of this and drags you to meet with his gang to help them out with "gang stuff" as the newest member of the Arataki Gang (you have been awake for maybe an hour at this point? You have no idea what's going on)

Gang stuff is pretty simple - wander the street playing with the kids, competing for candy

You return to Granny Oni's house that night exhausted from a full day of laughter and fun

Granny Oni invites you to stay for as long as you like and you happily take her up on that offer

Over the next few months, you and Kuki try (and fail) to keep the gang out of trouble (you got arrested once or twice too)

You enjoy your days of eating ramen with the boys, taking odd jobs to earn mora and messing around until sunset

Once you're able to fly again, Itto has you help him find the best Onikabuto and you learn the art of Beetle Battles

You're also a fan-favorite among the kids, as you're great at tag thanks to your birds-eye view

You even take the kids and the gang flying (you don't go very high above the ground, just holding their hands in yours as you glide down a hill)

Several times, Kuki has found the gang nestled under your wings, everyone peacefully sleeping

You can't help but fall in-love with Itto's carefree yet kind nature and you try to flirt with him but he's completely oblivious to it

"I'm looking handsome today? I look handsome everyday! Thanks for noticing. You look great too! Hey, by the way can we reach that Onikabuto up there?"

Kuki eventually takes pity on you and tells Itto straight that you like him romantically

He's never really thought about anyone that way before, but now...

You laughter makes the butterflies in his stomach flutter, your smile makes him blush furiously, and his heart skips a beat when he see your stretch those pretty wings in the morning

Oh, he's got it bad

You've given up at this point (you still love him, but you think he's too oblivious to ever notice), so when he's stumbling over his words while his face his complete red... it's now your turn to be oblivious and confused

Kuki can only smack her forehead with her hand

Eventually, he musters up the courage to get you a bouquet of flowers (wildflowers that he carefully picked) and confesses to you (with the rest of the gang hiding in the bushes near by for moral support)

You, of course, say yes and the gang jumps out of the bushes to celebrate

"It's time to PAR-TAY!!! Let's go get ramen to celebrate!"

Gorou

He's on a patrol with his men when they see something fall from the sky and crash into the shrubbery ahead

They rush over and find you, unconscious with one wing bent at an awkward angle

Gorou and his men carry you back to base carefully, making sure not to run into any specters on the way back, and leave you under the careful care of the medics

Since he found you, Gorou feels responsible for your recovery and well-being, and will check in on your everyday after he's done with his duties or during meals

He'll brush your hair and feathers (he hates it when his fur gets messy, so he bets having nest hair will help you feel more comfortable when you wake up), and he'll always correct the blanket if it has slipped at all

Maybe it's because you're asleep, or maybe its because you're a stranger but he feels like he can tell you anything. He'll chat with you about his day and vent to you about his problems. He knows you're not listening, but it's nice being able to talk with someone

Except... you are listening. You're not able to respond but you can hear him

A couple weeks go by and your eyes flutter open. You have a bit of a headache, but you manage to sit up despite feeling quite week

You look down and Gorou is asleep, sitting next to your bed, hand holding yours

Despite never seeing him before, you recognize him as the voice that spoke to you while you were unconscious (not many people talk about their tails and ears after all)

You gently pat him on the head and he slowly stirs awake

Both of your hearts flutter when you first make eye-contact

He'll shoot upwards and run to get a medic to check on you while he gets you a warm meal

He's a bit too busy (embarrassed) to visit you the rest of the day, but he does check in on you the next day, bringing you your meal

Finally, you're able to chat while you're awake and he's very embarrassed now that you tell him you remember what he said (but he's also very touched that you remember too)

When you're well enough, he'll take you on walks around the camp and introduce you to his soldiers

You even train with him a bit to get your strength back and he helps you come up with a routine to exercise and strengthen your body

You become one of his men and they welcome you whole-heartedly, helping you train (a pack sticks together after all)

When you finally can fly again, the whole camp can hear the joyful yells and hollers of your squad mates celebrating

Though you can't pick most of your team members up, you can carry Gorou on your back, which gives him an amazing birds-eye view of the battlefield

You get the nickname of "the pointy-eared general's wings"

You help him realize that his smaller size can be an asset on the field, since you can pick him up, allowing his men to see him more easily and for him to see the battle better

The more you practice together, the more in-sync and closer you become, the high altitude preventing anyone from possibly hearing your conversations

He loves those flights with you, his tail wagging rapidly (despite his embarrassment and attempts to stop it)

Eventually, you meet Kokomi and she sees the way you look at each other (Gorou's tail will always wag when you come into view)

Gorou will ask her for help coming up with ideas on how to confess to you and they draft up an idea

He takes you mountaineering (he climbs while you fly) and at the top of the mountain peak he pulls out a bouquet of flowers

With a very red face he asks if you will be his partner

You of course say yes and his tail wags uncontrollably

"Thank you for helping me to find the best in me! I promise to take care of you"

[haechanhues]

Author’s Confessions

your best friend's best friend offers his services as you keep complaining about your lack of… sexual gratification.

this is just a thank you to everyone who took the time out of their days and lives to read 'And Now, Us'. These are just some behind-the-scenes moments and a few ideas that have been scrapped or what not.

masterlist

taglist : @harunade @yukisroom97 @haesluvr @choizzn @lovetyong @kukkurookkoo @t-102 @jeonghansshitester @haechansssun @miniature-tragedy @nctdreamchaser @tenjyucat @chan-yeoldelling @ant-onie @toroufriteh @queenrachelpink @tywritesstuff @meowtella @gomdoleemyson @karmasbestie @berries-n-blues @sundamariis @minkyuncutie @kodasity @bbambidorii @sibwol @jae-n0 @99outros @haechskiss @tynlvr @yesohhsehun

THANK YOU

To the taglist : oh my god there were so many of you I was so surprised but I hope you enjoyed it <3 It really motivated me to keep going sometimes.

Anyone who reblogged, commented, liked and read I'm so incredibly thankful for you.

This is my first smau with smut so I was going to be stressed but I wasn't as stressed as I thought I would be.

ORIGINALLY

This was a fic I intended for Lee Know and I might still write his version but I don't know.

The massive angsty space in the middle of the fic was supposed to be due to Haechan's jealousy. But I tweaked it a little and all of a sudden it was really fun to make Y/N the villain. I was very much spurred by everyone's comments too.

Chapter twenty seven was also supposed to be a smut scene but I thought a good old conversation would be okay (and I was also severely busy and barely had time to write) but I will probably write a bonus one day that includes smut if anyone is interested!

But this story deviated so often from how I wanted it to go. Sometimes it was because of format (I like adding 9 slides every chapter) but also the comments as I said really got to me; due to my chronic shit stirrer-ness I played the part which made them super frustrating as a couple and Y/N as a whole.

Not anyone's fault but my own btw and tbh it made them really fun to write despite the fact I wanted them to be a couple you'd ship no matter what. But there was a few of you that wanted Y/N to practically drop dead.

At one stage I could barely seem them as a couple - maybe personal stress got in the way? I don't know. You can kind of see when these thoughts are happening to me, especially those who have been here since the start. Or you might not have realised - let me know. But it's actually very fun.

There's a scene based on Liar and His Lover (the Japanese movie) so if you've seen it..! Or plan on watching it....

Quiz What was the first chapter in which we (as an audience) can see Jisung's contact name on Y/N's phone for the first time?

And the answer for everyone that can't be assed : way too long in the story.

Also the friend group was supposed to near oblivious about Haechan and Y/N's sexual relationship, but they knew about her and Mark. I don't know how that was going to work exactly but every now and then Chenle would make comments and Haechan would allude to it so often it was hard not to be so like 'yeah they fucked, so what?' about it.

Haechan, a very jealous man but also strangely very secure in his relationship.

I didn't even realise I had made some sort of love-hate relationship between Chenle and Jaemin until I was at the part where Jaemin left his exams early and Chenle made him feel better. I tried to reel that in a bit - their relationship was never supposed to be a parallel to whatever Haechan and Y/N were having. They were purely banter.

Mark's Y/N's YES MAN though if you couldn't tell.

What happens next? Nothing noteworthy. They do go through problems every now and then like any other relationship. They break up once or twice but it always ends in tears and over silly little things. What they went through in the smau is always more hurtful.

Y/N attends therapy! Discussing her fears and processing her behaviours because she still exhibits them in her relationship and she doesn’t want to lose him. One day she’ll proudly announce to the table that he’s the love of her life.

Haechan attended therapy too for awhile - just for the hurt he went through. He went to four sessions before deciding not to go anymore - stating that he can move forward on his own. Or that he has a great friend group that has his back as well as his sister in law to help him if he needs it.

You didnt hear it from me but five or so years into the future - he’s looking at rings and taking notes. But you bet she’s going to ruin it with a joke (and cry in the shower because she loves him so much).

If you were expecting to read more smut, I'm so sorry. We're in the same boat! But I hope you enjoyed it anyway.

Again, thanks so much for reading!

author's note : this is the shortest 'author's confessions' i've ever done but again, i want to thank you all for sticking it out with me these couple of months.

[qballqueue]

I haven't watched anime (or any show, really) for a while, but fuck man, Undead Girl Murder Farce really got me hooked, and I think it's mostly down to its two lead characters.

Like, yeah, the premise of the show itself is good. It's fucking excellent; a pair of Japanese yokai travel to Europe to solve Monster Crime™ is an instant grab for fans of horror, paranormal, and mystery (of which I am all three), but from episode to episode I keep finding myself drawn specifically to the main duo and their antics.

First you have Tsugaru, a man who, thanks to being half-oni, will have his life cut prematurely. But rather than him being mopey, he's decided to just have a good time while it lasts. If the candle is burning twice as fast anyways, he's going to make sure it burns twice as bright no matter the circumstance.

And on the other hand you have Aya. Unlike Tsugaru, she's immortal, but has decided--now that she's a severed head--that life isn't worth living without a body. It's a cold and logical decision that she only changes her mind about once Tsugaru convinces her that there's a chance to get her body back.

And despite their very, very different circumstances and methods of thought, what makes them the most entertaining to me is how similar they are.

Both of their perspectives give them a sort of detachment to the world, because for both of them (for different reasons) anything that happens, no matter how shocking or tragic, is only temporary. Which leaves them free to react to almost any situation however they want. This is best demonstrated through their shared interest in gallows humour.

That last one in particular is of note, because that bit they're doing happens in the middle of them questioning a man about his dead wife.

And it's not just that they make jokes in dire circumstances; they laugh at each other's jokes too, showing appreciation for the other's sense of humour.

We're only seven episodes in at the time of writing, but it also seems so far like they're both good examples of static character arcs. In other words, they're characters that don't necessarily develop a lot over the course of the story, but do develop the world around them through their actions. Another good example of a character like that is Sherlock Holmes, which is a hell of a coincidence because he's also a character in this show. But it makes sense for Tsugaru and Aya because of their detachment. They can't really be shaped by the world if they're rarely affected by anything in it.

The issue that typically arises from characters like that (at least I find) is that, without becoming interesting over the course of the story, static characters need to start their stories by being interesting, which Tsugaru and Aya both do extremely effectively. We haven't gotten a ton of their backstories yet, but it's pretty clear from everything they do and everything they say what kind of people they are and how they think, and that is fantastic character writing.

TL;DR: watch Undead Girl Murder Farce (or Undead Murder Farce? The anime seems to have dropped 'girl' from the title) because it's really fucking good.

[only-lonely-stars]

Orange is the New Black (Chapter 2 - Doppelgängers)

[Chapter 1] // [Chapter 2 - you are here!] // [Chapter 3] – (FFN) (AO3)

Part of @ninjago-fic-fest!

Summary:

A rift opens in the sky above Ninjago City just as Cole continues his track record of falling from tall places. The place he wakes up in isn't the same as the one in which he fell... and who's the kid with a man bun who looks just like him?

Chapter summary:

Cole receives a few mediocre explanations and meets some "new" people.

Cole stared at the teenage boy in front of him. “Uh… care to run that by me again?”

‘Cole’ glared at him. “You’re not the Black Ninja. So who are you? Are you impersonating me?”

“No! Dude, you’ve got it all wrong.”

The boy scoffed. “Garmadon put you up to this, didn’t he?”

“Garmadon? Woah, woah, woah. I’m not working with him!” Cole crossed his arms. “Now I’m sure something weird is going on.”

“Yeah, it’s weird that you’re impersonating me!”

“No, not that kind of weird!” Cole laughed in disbelief. “Geez, kid. You gotta believe me here, I’ve already said it twice. I am not trying to impersonate you. How do I explain… it’s like I’m from an alternate dimension, okay?”

The boy scoffed, but before he could argue the shorter boy piped up, “That’s impossible. There are no alternate dimensions.”

“Actually, there are! There’s sixteen. Yours must be one of them.” Cole reached out a hand to shake his. “What’s your name, kid?”

The boy was hesitant, but he shook it. “...Lloyd.”

“Lloyd Garmadon?”

“Yeah. But I’m not like him, honest!” The boy looked on edge, close to panic. “Trust me, I don’t want to be a warlord and attack the city all the time. I don’t even live with him. I just want to be a normal teenager!”

“Woah, chill!” Cole put his hands on the kid’s shoulders, ignoring how the other Cole gave him the stink-eye. “I believe you. I’ve got a Lloyd back home, and he’s not like his dad either. Our Garmadon even turned good, if you can believe it.”

Cole scoffed. “That’s not possible.”

“It is, but that’s irrelevant.”

Lloyd laughed, but it sounded a little hysterical. “My dad is an evil warlord. He cries lava! I couldn’t do that, even if I tried.” 

“Oookay, so ours doesn’t do that, but he really did get better!” It seemed convenient to leave out the part where the evil version of Garmadon had been resurrected as an Oni monster, so Cole ignored it. “Anyway, that’s not so important. Are you a ninja too? If you guys are both ninja, do you have a team? Maybe a teacher?”

Lloyd and ‘Cole’ looked at each other before Lloyd spoke. “My uncle, Master Wu, teaches us. We can bring you to see him.”

“Yeah, that’s great! I’d love to. Maybe he knows how I can get home.”

It was wishful thinking, and Cole knew it, but it would have to do. If Wu didn’t know what to do, he didn’t want to think about what kind of trouble he’d be in.

Besides, this world was weird. Seeing Wu would really help. It wasn’t as good as talking to his own Wu, but it was something. Cole already missed him… and the rest of the team too, even though he’d barely been separated from them.

These days, any time apart was like a wound.

—

On the walk to the Secret Ninja Force’s base, Cole learned several important details.

One: The other Cole wasn’t quite the same as him. For one, his last name was Hence, not Brookstone. Cole wasn’t used to hearing his mother’s maiden name so much, but it helped to just call the other him ‘Hence’ instead of his own name. Hence didn’t seem to mind it too much, besides the odd eye-roll.

Two: Dragons didn’t exist in this world. At all. The only dragon either Lloyd or Hence knew about was Lloyd’s dragon mech, which obviously didn’t count.

Three: The Ninja kept their identities secret here. Why? Because Lord Garmadon didn’t seem to know who his son really was, and apparently, no one wanted him to know. There wasn’t a prophecy, so they could keep this going indefinitely. 

Cole remembered Garmadon being a pretty good dad when it counted, always showing up when he was needed most. Apparently in this world, he was a warlord and a deadbeat. Already, Cole’s opinion of him was in the dumps.

It was a crazy hour or so, all told, but Cole felt like he was pretty caught up on the differences… until they arrived at the Secret Ninja Force’s warehouse base.

Hence and Lloyd brought him in through the back door, expertly disguised by a neon yellow sign.

WARNING: RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS!

In Cole’s opinion, it was not the best hiding place.

Lloyd pushed open the door, the two gestured for Cole to enter, and Hence flanked him from behind. They came out next to a bank of bright red lockers, of the type Cole remembered from Marty Oppenheimer’s School for Performing Arts. The back was messy, filled with video game consoles and mis-matched furniture, with a clunky old refrigerator in one corner.

The rest of the warehouse was an enormous garage with a retractable ceiling, filled with six incredible mechs.

Cole was grinning at the thought of driving one when four teenagers suddenly showed up in front of him, the first skidding to a stop in front of the other three.

“Lloyd!” A brown-haired boy dressed all in red with a bandaged temple reached out and hugged him. “Hey, Green!”

Lloyd laughed softly, hugging back for a moment. “Kai, hey, what’s up.”

“Dude, we’ve been waiting for you!” Kai was about to say more when a girl stepped up, pulling out a knife from somewhere Cole couldn’t see. 

“Who are you?!” 

The rest of the teenagers gasped, but Cole snickered. “Hi. Nya, right?”

“How do you know my name?!”

“Because I know you!” Cole snickered more, glancing at Hence. “C’mon Hence, help a doppelgänger out here.”

Hence rolled his eyes, but he stepped forward and leaned one arm on Cole’s shoulder. “Guys, this is me from another dimension.” 

Four pairs of wide eyes watched them in disbelief. “What?!”

Cole snickered, even as the team crowded around and gaped at him. Their versions of Kai and Jay were curious, though Jay seemed oddly shy, and Kai had no problem with touching him and messing with his hair and gi. Cole let him, feeling oddly nostalgic. It felt like when Wu had been going through his ‘fussy toddler’ stage.

Their version of Zane– oddly robotic and with a stiff smile on his face, but with the same piercing blue eyes– trundled over and looked him up and down. “You are not a cool teenager like us!”

“Nope. Sorry, buddy, I’m almost twenty-seven years old.”

“How does it feel to be a geriatric ninja?”

Cole laughed. “Geriatric? Who are you calling geriatric, tin can?”

Other Zane turned his head in confusion. “I am not a tin can. I am a regular, teenage ninja.”

Before Cole could push it any further, he was interrupted by the quiet voice of Jay. “Why are you carrying so many weapons? What if someone sees you and figures out you’re a ninja?”

“Because it’s not an issue?”

“But ninja are supposed to keep their identities secret,” Jay insisted, slowly seeming to become more confident as he realized Cole wasn’t about to snap and eat him… or whatever weirdness this Jay expected. He couldn’t be too different, even if he was quiet, and Cole knew Jay well enough to know he never had a quiet moment inside his mind.

So Cole launched into his explanation, telling the story of how he’d arrived. The rift, landing on the football field, meeting Hence and Lloyd. It felt like telling a story to a bunch of school kids who sat on the floor with rapt attention, listened closely, and asked all their burning questions.

He didn’t mind it. Not really.

Even if Lloyd was fidgeting and pulling on his hoodie strings like he did when he was nervous. Jay buried his face in his bright orange scarf so he could barely be seen. Kai had scratches all over, most of them without bandages. Nya toyed with a knife. Zane sat too still and smiled too widely. Hence, most normal of them all, didn’t seem to be able to sit still at all. 

The whole world was knobbly and scratchy and bumpy and wrong. 

When he got to the end of the story, Cole took a deep breath and delivered his summary. “So, I’m stranded in your version of Ninjago. I think you guys are probably my only ticket back, so I need your help.”

The teenagers looked amongst themselves as Lloyd spoke for the group. “We don’t really know anything that could help.”

Before Cole could speak, he was cut off.

“Then it is a good thing I do.”

A chorus responded to the interrupting voice. “Master Wu!”

Cole looked around for the source of the voice. He found it above him, the ninja master sitting on a railing near the ceiling. Upon eye contact, he leaped from his perch, sprung off a wall, and landed as nimbly as a cat on the cement floor.

Master Wu looked at Cole with calculating eyes, shrewdness hidden under a faint layer of secrets. It was at that moment Cole knew he was truly Sensei Wu, no matter what he did or said. Only Wu could look like that. 

Wu folded his hands behind his back, his shoulders seeming a little strange as he did so. “Students, who have you brought to your secret base?”

The whole team began to protest at once, giving excuses.

“We didn’t bring him here!”

“It was Lloyd’s idea!”

“He just showed up!”

“Master, he said he’s me–”

“We are just clueless teens, Master.”

At last, Lloyd spoke over the cacophony. “Master, he says he’s another version of Cole! Cole and I didn’t know what to do.”

“Cole?” Wu raised an eyebrow, glancing at Lloyd and Hence. “So that is why you brought him here.”

“I didn’t know what else to do. He’s a ninja too, and he knows all of our names. He’s not a real stranger.”

Wu scrutinized Cole with the watchfulness Cole remembered from his first few weeks of ninja training. Seeing weak points, exploiting them for students’ benefits and drinking far too much tea… it was all present in this wizened man’s face, staring him down from where he stood. “You’re right, he is not a real stranger. Who did you train under, young man?”

“Uh… under you, Master. My version of you. It was a long time ago, I’ve been a master ninja for years.”

Wu hummed, then nodded several times. “How did you arrive here?”

Deep down, Cole suppressed a sigh. Would he have to explain the story again in full? “I just fell through a rift in spacetime. It was magenta, it looked like this place. Then I arrived, and I want to go home already.”

Wu brushed off his homesickness. Instead of sympathizing, he pulled a wooden staff out from behind him. He put it to his lips, and as Cole watched in amazement, began beatboxing and playing it like a flute. A short rendition of The Score’s “Going Home” came through, somehow sounding right despite lacking every background instrument.

Cole glanced at the rest of the team, who seemed frustrated as they rolled their eyes and shook their heads. Secretly, he wished for a camera. If only his brothers could see this Master Wu!

“Master,” Lloyd complained as Wu was coming to the end of the tune, “What do we do? We don’t know how to get Co– him home!”

Wu, finishing his ditty, brought the flute down on Lloyd’s head with a quiet thwack. “You interrupted my music. Not very ninja of you.”

“This isn’t a very ninja situation!”

“Not important. Not my problem.” Wu turned to Cole with a grave expression. “Yes, we must send you home. I know of a magical device which will return you to your own realm.”

“Really?” Cole laughed in delight. “Talk about fast.”

“Not so fast, young ninja.”

“Young?” Kai sputtered. “He’s older than all of us!”

“Hush. We must travel a long, long way… to the Wanderlust Woods.” Wu pointed toward the back wall of the warehouse with his staff. “That way, on the other side of the island.”

“We’re on an island?” Cole frowned, glancing around as if the unseen scenery could help him verify the claim. “I guess we can take the Bounty, or maybe mechs…?”

“No!” Wu now brought the flute down on Cole’s head, a thwack making his scalp sting for just a minute. “‘Cool mechs are weapons first, not vehicles. We will walk. It is not far.”

The teenage ninja all groaned. “Come on, Master, we can’t be gone that long!”

“Today is Thursday. We will go after your classes end tomorrow.”

“Master,” Zane commented, with little emotion, “we have homework.”

“And what will our parents think?” Jay added. “My mom said we’re going to the flea market this weekend…”

“You will figure out something to tell them.” Wu shook his head, clearly not amused by his students’ excuses. “Not my problem. You are ninja, you will need to find a way for yourselves to remain secret. You do not need my help.”

The six teenagers groaned, but they didn’t argue any more. Instead, they turned to talk amongst themselves. Cole heard snippets of whispered conversation, mentioning clones and call it a sleepover at my place and are we sure this is a good idea?

He tuned them out, deciding to talk to Master Wu instead. He opened his mouth to speak, only for Wu to cut him off.

“You have no place to stay here.”

Cole blinked twice. “Uh… yeah. That’s what I was going to ask you about– one of a few things.”

“Come to my ship, the Destiny’s Bounty. You will stay with me.” Wu turned and gestured with his staff, walking to the other side of the warehouse and its great bay doors. “Come. Let them decide for themselves.”

After a moment of hesitation, Cole followed him. “Yes, Master.” 

[blizzardsuplex]

So, I actually made a RS/AC relationship meta post...thanks @christiancagesupporter for the sign that was a live sex celebration joke, and also @scissormedaddyass for not telling me to stop.

So, imagine a relationship that goes something like this: there’re two guys who’ve known each other pretty well a long time. They’re into some similar things, like music and craft beer and their mutual profession, which paved the way for their initial bond despite some initially obvious differences between them (like age and experience in said mutual profession). They have quite a few differences in personality, too—the starkest one being, probably, that one of them prefers to go with the flow, taking opportunities when they come; the other has been on that grindset since day one.

Still, they’re pretty close. When Roddy (the generally more passive one) moves on in his career, the other hugs and kisses him in public. When Adam, the generally more active one, moves on in his career and gets himself into trouble, the other comes out of nowhere to save him. They’ve had their disagreements (explosive ones), but overall things are good—kind of blue oni and red oni, as TV Tropes might say.

Then Adam gets another chance to pull himself up the ladder—not only further, but to the very top of the profession they both hold dear. He wants this (to be the best, and to be adored for it) more than anything, and will do anything to get there. This includes concocting a plan so elaborate it’s almost comedic: get close to the person on the current rung (Max), find out his weaknesses, and destroy him before any official confrontation. When several wrenches are thrown into his plans, he quickly pivots to not only play kingmaker (to someone who now owes him and is someone he's won against before) but get petty revenge on the man now-deposed, who he blames for plans going awry.

Now, as we all know, Adam is a manipulative asshole. He has backstabbed people close to him more than once and will probably backstab many more. In fact, he’s backstabbed or has planned to backstab Roddy himself at least twice. But Roddy is actually a significant part of Adam’s current plan. Adam’s mark, you see, is distrustful and wary about any attempts to get close to him. An attempt at a straight shot through to the heart would probably fail. Could Roddy (and some others) be a smokescreen, causing a distraction while the other pieces fall into place?

And, you know what? Without a second thought, Roddy does it. In fact, Roddy does it with such aplomb people around them genuinely wonder if he’s gone insane—and then outright believe it, after he continues to do it for months. He has a public tantrum in his hometown. He pretends to be delusional enough to outright attempt to kidnap Adam for weeks. Adam, again in public, verbally tears him down and disavows any bond they previously had (in favor of his new “friend”, of course).

But why does Roddy agree to go through these lengths? The simple answer is probably “emotional manipulation”, and you wouldn’t even be wrong about that…to a point. What makes Adam Cole such an effective manipulator is that he makes his feelings seem so real, and he does that by committing to actually feeling them. As Drea @shes-a-voodoo-child has pointed out recently, any love and affection he feels towards those he’s close to is actually kind of genuine—as long as those he loves know their place, which is to say he’s the one on top and running the show (as she said: just ask Kyle O’Reilly). In that case, then, yes: there’s at least some manipulation going on.

Roddy knows this though, doesn’t he? Why, then, does he seem to keep falling for it? Is he forgetful, stupid, or a total simp? I think part of it is his personality; besides being more laidback when it comes to grand-scale ambition, which Adam has in spades, thanks to Personal Issues™ he also craves the love and attention Adam liberally provides (again, as long as the status quo remains how the latter likes it).

But the interesting thing is that this love isn’t just portioned and given to him like treats for a dog, something to ensure loyalty: Roddy decided to be loyal first, and as such actively works for it. It’s more a salary than anything else—which is to say that when he chose to receive it he also knew exactly what kind of person he was going to work for, just like he actively chose to play the fool for months on end. After 10+ years of knowing the guy, he’s not blind to or delusional about Adam’s nature or demands. Definitely I don’t think he wants to “fix him”. He’s just someone whose math of the costs and benefits of being close to and associating with Adam Cole has come out with him gaining more than he’s losing. He’s made his choice, and in that way he’s kind of using Adam, too.

Also, to be honest? People (myself included) focus a bit more on why Roddy continues to stick by Adam; not a lot of people think about why Adam continues to keep Roddy around beyond a general "he's useful for now". Recognition in a relationship is a two-way street, and so (besides genuinely sharing interests and such) Adam definitely has figured out, and probably even likes, the truth: that Roddy can be as big of a prick as him. It’s not in the same way; Roddy’s brand of dickishness is more out in the open, but because of that they complement each other well. Heel synergy, you might say.

In fact, they just complement each other in general: being gifted at talking versus being gifted in-ring, a leader versus a follower, being evasive versus being direct. That they just “click” in these way probably contributes to the sense they just have fun doing things together—even if that “thing” is “heartlessly destroying Max’s world in front of everyone he knows and those watching at home”. And, of course, they don’t really challenge each other, which does wonders for their egos (both sort of fragile/easily set off in different ways).

Basically: there still a power imbalance/lack of equality in their relationship? Yeah—but the power is more or less being willingly given, and not as one-sidedly as it may initially appear. Do they enable each other’s worst habits/tendencies? Yeah—but in part it’s because they’re so used to and accepting of each other, flaws and all, which can be kind of wholesome depending on how you look at it. Are they toxic bfs as heels? Hell yeah (no buts).

Tl;dr: Roderick Strong and Adam Cole are mutually evil bros. They both know what they’ve gotten themselves into and exactly what kind of person they’ve chosen (for now) to stick with—and they more or less like and/or accept who they’re sticking with. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk that will probably be refuted when we see them interact or something moving forward

[scottoro-ramblings]

Continuing with my series of Tarot Card illustrations that I did for my His Majesty the Worm setting conversion to the Dungeon Meshi world. Back to the short lived races with the Ogres, who once ruled by virtue of thier brawn but have starved down to shell of thier former selves.

Lore below!

Ogres (Oni)

Bigger is rarely better, the bleached bones of the long dead ogre empire is proof enough of that.

Ogres, or Oni as they are called in the eastern archipelago, were once amongst the mightiest races in the world. Their vast strength allowed them to build massive monuments and forts which still underlay most of the worlds grandest cities. Their ancient warriors continue to feature in legends and tall tales as unstoppable conquerors or ghoulish monsters.

In light of all this, their current condition is rather pathetic. There are only two small pockets of this race of giants left, one in the far north of the western continent, the other on a scattering of islands in the eastern archipelago. The reason for their fall is the same as their rise, their very biology.

Fall of an Empire

Ogres are indisputably the tallest and strongest race in the world, standing at least a head higher than tall men with the strength of two dwarves. But those massive frames require a lot of food, so even in good years ogre farmers are on the edge of famine. The old empire got around this by forcing smaller races to feed them, but their mighty appetites made them weak to sieges and supply chain distribution. As rebels became more organized they found they could field armies twice the size as their foes with the supplies they normally gave in tribute to the Ogres. And those numbers mattered, for while an Ogre warrior could overpower any single smaller foe, they died just as swiftly as anyone when outnumbered and outflanked.

What remained of the ogres retreated to the small defensible pockets where they remain today, or integrated and interbred with the tall-men who now ruled the area. To this day there are several lineages of unusually large tall-men who claim descent from Ogres. Some elven scholars go as far to claim this is the reason for the overall height of all tall-men, but this idea is heavily disputed

Oni of the Eastern Archipelago

While most ogres on the western continent live simple lives as herdsmen in small villages, the oni of the eastern archipelago have a far more complex relationship with their neighbors. Tall-men make up the vast majority of the population and interact little with other races, so to them Oni are a dangerous and exotic people. While in most of the world ogres are considered human, in the eastern archipelago that term solely applies to tall-men, and the oni do not receive the rights afforded to human inhabitants.

Despite this fear and alienation the strength of oni is greatly admired. Nobles have oni bodyguards, and traditional oni wrestling has been adapted into sumo wrestling, which enjoys popularity across the islands. With ogre communities so closed off, an oni accompanying a noble is just about the only way one can see the world. But this admiration also causes issues for the oni. Tall-man warriors display trophy skulls taken from battles with oni warriors to prove their martial lineage, often provoking fights to get a chance to prove their skill, and demand for oni gladiators and servants fuels a robust trade in oni slaves.

Ogre Names

In the old empire ogre empire ogres had surnames, dynasties and titles, but in a world where the largest ogre settlements are less then a hundred strong they are just not needed anymore. In fact these days most ogres just follow the naming conventions of nearby tall-men, but a few stick to the old ways.

Traditional ogre names are one short word, adding at most the name of their parent when more distinction is required. For example if there are two ogres in a village named Org one may be called Org Surk's-Son. Slightly different names are popular with oni due to their long isolation, but they follow the same general scheme.

Ogre male names Bentul, Dhal, Forurk, Grendal, Lundal, Mulhn, Nolug, Og, Org, Poulag, Reag, Surk, Trog, Ur, Uraldal

Ogre female names Bahyag, Brienag, Burl, Burral, Das, Fornag, Lond, Loreh, Onag, Os, Pos, Ral, Rhas, Ulnag, Ulreh

Oni male names Bentu, Dahali, Dai, Doji, Dokka, Ludai, Mulnu, Oai, Po, Rei, Surkai, Suro, Tro, Ura, Uradalo

Oni female names Baha, Birei, Buri, Dashi, Hoji, Lorei, Mu, Oshi, Osu, Poju, Rala, Rashu, Suri, Uluna, Ulurei

Ogre Kin

Ogres have two main distinct groups, the western ogres and the oni of the eastern archipelago, though the distinction between them is largely their surroundings. Both groups have similar strengths and struggles, and are so few in number that any further delineations lose meaning.

*Below are the His Majesty the Worm Game Mechanics, so if you are just here for the headcanon feel free to stop*

Kin Talent: Ravenous Strength

Ogres are not fast or subtle but when it comes to raw strength they are unmatched. At the start of a challenge round you may discard any non swords card and draw another card, repeating until you gain a swords card. You may do this as long as you have non-swords cards.

Such massive strength requires great nourishment, you must eat two rations every time you break bread to avoid becoming Stressed from starving.

Arete

Ogres gain arete by preforming the following deeds:

Defeating three or more foes unaided

Reclaiming a relic of the ancient ogre empire

Representing your guild in a negotiation with a powerful figure

When an ogre accomplishes all three arete triggers, they gain the following talent:

Ogre arete talent: Ancient Glory

Your mighty feats have earned you one of the epithets granted to legendary ogres of the past. They can range from simple adjectives like “powerful,” or “swift-footed,” to full descriptions of feats like “shepherd of the people,” and “who marshals the highlands to victory.” When that epithet would be relevant to a test of fate, similar to a motif, you test with favor.

Ogre role-playing concepts

Ogres are too heavy for riding animals, and generally have trouble seeing domestic animals as anything but food.

The old ogre language did not have first person pronouns, requiring a speaker to always refer to themselves by their name. Ogres often carry this linguistic quirk into other languages.

Ogres traditionally use massive iron clubs in combat, which are meticulously maintained down the years. Even today many ogre families have clubs that are rumored to date back to the old empire.

There is a superstition that an Ogre’s strength is stored in their horns and sharp canines. Thus many ogres trying to seem less threatening will file down their horns and teeth.

Ogre ruins and monuments can found pretty much everywhere, often the sturdy foundation of modern settlements.

How do you feel when you see these ruins? Proud? Curious? Perhaps jealous of your people's former place in the world?

Ogres are rare and barely travel outside their tiny homelands

You are likely far from home, what brought you here?

[agereninjas]

Rereading headcanons and I’m really curious about how Oni Lloyd regressing went down.

YESS I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO ASK!!!! (also I just recently went through my inbox so sorry I didn't see it earlier)

From the moment he rushed to his room, Kai knew something was up with Lloyd. He watched over Cole and Nya as they played in the living room(They were both regressed, and Jay would be playing too if he wasn't napping).

He waited impatiently until Zane and Pixal walked in, then immediately rushed out of the room, mumbling a quick, "I'm gonna check on Lloyd." To the caregivers as he walked. He headed towards Lloyd's room, and once he was close enough, he heard quiet sobs coming from the room. He knocked on the door twice, getting a little yet animalistic 'eep!' in return. He hesitantly opened the door. "Lloyd...?"

He saw a giant, gold-colored creature with four arms and a long tail with a tuff of blonde fur on its end trying to hide under Lloyd's blankets, it took only a split second for Kai to realize that it was Lloyd, but he was in his oni form. Lloyd's purple eyes were filled with tears, and they only kept pouring as he looked at Kai. He had a thumb in his mouth and a chewed-up pacifier beside his bed, no doubt ruined by Lloyd's sharp teeth.

Kai rushed over, running his hands through Lloyd's fur-like hair. "Shh, shh, Lloyd, it's okay. Shh, oh, baby..." He whispered, kissing the top of Lloyd's head. He faintly noticed the bottom set of Lloyd's arms clutch the blankets, and then Lloyd lifted Kai and held him close like he was one of Lloyd's several plushies. He couldn't find it in his heart to try and get Lloyd to put him down.

"Hey, Lloyd...You doing okay, bud?" He asked. Lloyd shook his head in response, curling into the blankets more. "Aw, you poor little oni...How about we go see the others, and you can relax with them? Would that make you feel better?" Kai proposed, chuckling as he saw Lloyd's pointy ears go upwards in a happy way. His tail wagged a bit, and he wiped away his tears and nodded.

Kai was let free of Lloyd's arms, and so he led the large, regressed oni to the living room of the monastery. Pixal and Zane were the first to notice Lloyd since the littles were too focused on their toys. Before anyone could do anything irrational, Kai protectively stood in front of Lloyd. "Hey, it's okay, he isn't dangerous. He's just...really stressed right now." Kai explained, Cole and Nya turned their heads over and gasped at Lloyd.

"Lloyd's huge!" Nya excitedly said, grinning with joy while Cole stared in awe. Lloyd smiled and hesitantly walked to them. Kai, Pixal, and Zane watched carefully as Lloyd joined Nya and Cole's playing, he was handed some toys and gladly played with them while the three watched.

[ineffable-masquerade]

omega strikers characters: who does and doesn't have ADHD?

Imma tell u who I think does and doesn't have ADHD in omega strikers. This is based off my dumbass opinion so don't take things I say seriously tho if u do disagree plz tell me what u think

Julliete: Yeah she definitely has ADHD. Hyperfixating on corestrike that much must be due to something

Kai: The fact that his secondary is literally just a speed boost makes me think he doesn't like waiting, so I'm going to say probably.

Estelle: Probably does not have ADHD. Very patient and doesn't hyperfixate on anything.

Dubu: Unknown. He is a hamster. Non human or oni characters cannot be described with human mental disorders.

Atlas: Probably the only character who would not be distracted by a butterfly besides maybe Estelle or octavia who would probably be distracted by how pretty it looks rather than the fact that it's moving. The only character that has zero chance of having ADHD.

Drek'ar: Unknown due to not being a human or oni. Again, see dubu for explanation.

Juno: Unknown. She is a literal mass of slime. See dubu for explanation

Rune: Used to have ADHD before being possessed by a demon from obscura. Kinda messed with his brain a little.

X: Probably brags about the fact that he has several mental disorders, most definitely has ADHD.

Era: She likes butterflies. I feel like I don't have to explain further. She definitely has ADHD.

Luna: C'mon, you know the answer.

Ai.Mi: She was born from ADHD. Molded by it. She comes from the very fabric that is ADHD. She is ADHD cuz she is internet.

Asher: Neurotypical people don't just go gambling without reading the laws and win enough that you get reported to the police, likely has ADHD.

Zentaro: Does not have ADHD. He's just a calm, collected, and cool kid with a sword.

Rasmus: Unknown. Serious exposure to omega probably altered his mind a lot, so I'd say the omega exposure gave him ADHD or worsened ADHD that he already had. He is very tunnel-visioned on his experiments and would probably confuse a butterfly for a cup of coffee if he was thirsty enough.

Vyce: Oddly enough I don't think she has ADHD. Just cuz she likes rock and has a very energetic personality, she doesn't really seem like she has it due to being able to focus on stuff and not really hyperfixating on anything. Side note: Though she probably does drink a lot and has likely kissed the entire adult female portion of the cast at least twice. Maybe has kissed X on accident once.

Octavia: This bitch screams ADHD. Constantly on social media and burning bridges to close people in her life just to pursue something she takes extreme interest in? I am 110% sure that she has ADHD.

Finii: A kid who is bored all the time? Hyper obsesses over bunnies as you can see from her outfit? Literally became a magician just so that she wouldn't be bored all the time? This kid needs some medication imo, definitely has ADHD and her parents need to realize that.

anyways das it I tried to go in order of the characters from memory but i probably messed up somewhere before Ai.Mi and after Drek'ar. lmk your thoughts on this if u see this plz

[fionnaskyborn]

🖥️,🚢,🥊,🎉,⭐,🎧 for the halo ask?

HEYA PIOTR!!! Sorry for keeping you waiting! ^^"

🖥️ - favourite AI?

Basic answer, Cortana. Honest answer, Virgil (if the combination of the Superintendent AI and Quick To Adjust counts as an answer) and Isabel. Those two are incredibly dear to me. And, of course, I can't leave out my beloved Auntie Dot. I get all in my feels about her because of how much emotion she shows for a "dumb" AI at times. It's not much, and it's very subtle wherever it *can* be seen - outside of her Firefight voicelines, anyway - but it's there, and it matters to me a lot. In a world where your class is severely stunted in the Having Feelings Of Any Kind department, especially when compared to your "smart" peers, imagine being the one urging your commander to get help despite not being... *wired* to do so. One warning is sufficient, yet you warn multiple times. Sorry, in this house we love Auntie Dot. Her firefight voicelines are also quaint and full of charm and I implore anyone reading this to give those a listen if they haven't.

🚢 - favourite UNSC ship?

Oof, this is a hard one. I'll be answering these by subclasses since that's the only way I can start singling out stuff - if you told me to pick an Ultimate Favorite Ship, we'd be here forever. Let's start with the dropships, for example. I *adore* the Albatross' design, and- oh, wait, this is about *singular* ships, isn't it. Oh, well, I won't be erasing my previous words. I am partial to the Spirit Of Fire due to it being a retrofitted colony ship. Reminds me of the Titans in Titanfall, who were used to help with terraforming planets and gathering vast amounts of crops and such before they were turned into war machines.

🥊 - who are you beating the shit out of?

Huh. Another difficult one, but in a different way. If you asked me at the very beginning of my Halo journey, my answer would've been Dr. Halsey. I've seen the light since, though. Halo is a bit of a strange case for me because if we ignore the obvious answer of Captain Ingridson and non-answers like everyone who has ever worked at ONI, there aren't many people that I can name from the top of my head I'd want to throw hands with. Maybe it's time for a re-read of some books or Halopedia pages. With that said, the final answer is Jun. And that one guy from the latest Flood short story who didn't listen to his ship AI. He's pissed me off so bad I don't even remember his name, but fuck 'im in particular.

🎉 - share your favourite character headcanon

Here's a very mundane one, and a personal favorite - Noble Six is very fond of cats.

⭐ - share your favourite piece of halo lore

I'm grateful I got this question twice because I get to discuss various things. At the risk of it being too broad of an answer, I will say that one of my favorite aspects of Halo lore is the politics of future humanity. I haven't seen a lot of people talk about the Koslovics and Friedens and the Interplanetary War in general - though, granted, before the Mythos came out in 2016, they were only mentioned on Bungie's site and the Halo timeline on Xbox.com. I'm glad Mythos gave us some names to work with, but I can't help but yearn for more pre-Human-Covenant War political lore outside of the "Innies vs the UNSC" struggle. Do not get me started on the Colonial Military Authority and how the UNSC absorbed and dismantled them and the differences in the ways the two organizations operate.

🎧 - song you associate a halo character with

My custom tag for Noble Six is "Unknown Soldier". Yes, like the Breaking Benjamin song. Six and that song go hand in hand for me.

[galionne-speeding]

Okay, since you asked to send asks. I've been trying to get a proper understanding of the Sonic mythology for the longest time.

As in what exactly classifies as gods, demons, demigods etc. I'm still not exactly sure if the Zeti would be classified as supernatural beings or just a species. Like so far they're kinda in between for me.

That being said I would love to know your thoughts on them. Do you see them more as demons/other supernatural beings or more so as just funky rainbow fellas who kinda look like Onis if you squint? (Also I know they're supposed to be Onis in Japanese, but I see it more as just a name in this situation since they're clearly not the proper yokai, so the question still stands)

Species.

The way I see them and with all the headcanons I've written or need to write about them, I see the Zeti as a regular species. There is nothing supernatural about them- at least not in Zeti as a whole. Some of them like Zor can do weird funky magic stuff, but that's on an individual level.

And I agree, in universe they are not Onis or Ogres ; they're not yokai, they're not mythological creatures. They're just a bunch of technicolor dudes (gender neutral) living on their funky little planetoid.

That being said, one of my headcanons is that Zeti and Mobians went to war with each other in the (very) distant past. And with most Mobians averaging around 100cm/3ft tall, you can imagine how terrifying being faced with a roaring horned beast twice their size would be. So I'd like to think that perhaps, if Onis and Ogres exist as tales and myths in the Sonic universe, they were inspired by old stories of the war against Zeti. Descriptions passed down through generations become more and more fantastical ; memories told as stories morph into legends of demons from another world.

So yeah, I view the Zeti as a regular species. However, I think it would be really cool if this regular species that was seen once by Mobians several millenia ago and then disappeared possibly inspired myths and legends and transformed into entirely new creatures in in-universe folklore.

[snowlilly]

Sorry for the random ask but have you talked about your oni oc lore anywhere? I’ve seen them a bit on your art blog and they seem very fun!!

Oh boy

Physical Traits

Oni grow a lot larger than humans. While the height of an adult human ranges between 150-210 cm (4'11"-6'10"), Oni are usually 230-290 cm (7'7"-9'6") tall. Their lifespan is about twice as long as humans, so they can get up to 200 years old. They also take twice as long to age though, so Oni don't reach adulthood until they're about 35 years old. Each Oni has two horns that are a bit darker shade than their skin color. Their shapes can vary a lot, but remain more or less consistent in the same family. The size, however, depends on the climate they live in: they're rather small in cold regions, while they get quite large in hotter areas. The horns grow their whole life, and moving to a place with different temperatures can change their growth speed as well. Aside from their horns, their hair is also a unique trait, as Oni are the only humanoids that have naturally white hair. Most Oni live in one of two large regions: the icefields in the north, or the desertlands in the south. Icefield Oni are generally sturdier and have thicker body hair, while desertland Oni are taller and slenderer. Their bodies can adapt well to extreme temperatures, but being exposed to rapid changes takes quite  the toll on them, so they rarely travel far away.

Culture and traditions

Like all humanoids, Oni are able to have magic powers, but with far fewer numbers than humans. Because of the low amount of mages, there are next to no resources for cultivating their abilities, and magic isn't as controversial a topic as among humans. Oni are particularly proud of their horns. They value them as much as their own life; damaging them is a disgrace. However, they may sever one of their horns to give it to someone else, as symbol of wanting to share their life with that person. This is most commonly done for marriage proposals, but it can also be a platonic gesture. Cutting off one's horn is a decision not to be rashly made, and many Oni wait well into their hundreds until offering it to someone. After accepting it, the recipient should keep it close to them at all times, so the horns are often crafted into accessories and passed down as heirlooms. It is said that the missing horn does not grow back if it has been given to the "right one". (This is merely a superstition. The horns always grow back; some Oni file the regrowing horn off to keep up appearances.) Apart from their color, Oni horns are not much different from those of horned animals, and thus hold little value to humans. But there seem to be a few human eccentrics who would pay a fair sum for Oni horns, with little regard to how they were aquired...

Individual Characters

Side A: Vallheim

Kaori (48)

One of the Elite fighters of the Volcano Arena, and also a successful musician. With her popularity in both fields, she is probably the most famous Oni living among humans.

"Ao" (37)

Kaori's younger brother who was forced sent by his parents to Vallheim for his sister to look after him. Perpetually moody and overdramatic. And no, he didn't give his left horn to someone else.

Side B: [city name still pending sorry]

Shiki (55)

A young man who left the icefields shortly after becoming an adult, much to his family's dismay. Although he is gentle and well-mannered, he sometimes acts without thinking, which has caused him all sorts of trouble in the past. His left horn is currently regrowing after he gave it to his wife.

"Surya" (8)

Shiki's child. Surya's mother is a human, so their skin and horn color don't match, and so far, they've been aging and growing like a normal human. Bright and energetic, Surya is friendly to everyone around. The other kids at school seem to think they're weird though, and not just because of their horns...

Mari (59)

Mari is a construction worker. Her horns have been going through quite the growth spurt since she moved to a warmer region, and she nonchalantly "gives them a trim" once in a while so they don't get in the way while working. Has been lectured by her friends quite few times for this. One of Shiki's friends.

Camille (67)

Camille is one of the few mages among Oni, and moved to a human city to study magic. One of Shiki's friends.

Lagura (46)

Lagura usually doesn't say a lot. He evidently left the desertlands at a pretty early age, but never really said why. One of Shiki's friends.

Shigure (94)

A blacksmith from the north. He strongly believes that doing things old school is the superior way. Some of his views seem a bit too "old school", though... One of Shiki's friends.

[chunibyo-x-sorcerer]

After Ichiji took off, it was time to begin the mission. They need to find the people responsible for this mess. Daichi saw Kumoshin's weapon of choice. It would be described as a baseball bat, but that couldn't be it. Upon further inspection, it's a weapon that an Oni carries when the rangers are fighting against. Daichi blinks as he turns to look at the weapon now. Is that freaking kanabo?! Holy crap! He is going to use that to bash some heads!

Scary but freaking cool! Daichi beams at this. he wonders what kind of power this thing has. It might break through anything!

But first...Kumoshin turned around and faced Daichi as he had something to say to him.

"Kumoshin?" He said his name with a questioning look. It is more than just a few words from him that Daichi has ever heard him say. Kumoshin advises that when he talks; he should listen. No questions asked. No exceptions from the way he told him that. He can't explain it but he has to trust him.

Daichi can't help but nod at his request, "Uh, sure..." He said as Eito is sitting on top of his head, listening to this conversation.

"I don' know how many times I've saved someone from taking a fat whack to the face 'cause they rushed in."

"......" Daichi stares at Kumoshin with a shocked look as if he is in disbelief, but internally, the flame sorcerer is processing his words through an imaginary printer.

Does that mean...he thinks I might be getting in his way?! Daichi wonders what he did wrong. He has done nothing wrong. Yet.

Wait...what if he heard about him from other students and teachers, given his track record of causing big accidents during his missions?

Daichi covers his mouth, gasping a little. Oh crap. That has to be it. Kumoshin is saying this because he thinks I might not be able to handle this mission. Crap, what I should do?" He sees the squeeze on the handle of the kanabo, making him think twice when he hears that squeak makes him tremble a bit. Yeah, right, I can't argue with him!!! He might whack me with that kanabo if I did that! But I can't let him handle this by himself. I mean...that would be a pretty shitty thing to do! I'm no quitter!

Then he heard Kumoshin say something, getting him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Wait...you can find them?" Daichi asked.

A distance from where Kumoshin and Daichi are. Four people are gathering around as they were doing something, and a huge body that is moving slowly as if it is pushing something. Some sort of debris. Several blocks, almost like a half-mile.

Is it smart to bring the case? Yes. But after a while, it'll just end up getting in the way. Kumoshin has done this before and things were fine. Why would this be any different? He nodded back to Ichiji. But before Kumoshin slid the case back into the car, he leaned back into the cabin to lay the black box across the seat. He unbuckles its clasps to reveal a large kanabo.

The handle wrapped in worn, black leather with golden embroidery of intricate patterns. The body of tarnished silver, covered in flat pyramid spikes. At the butt of the hilt carved into its metal are the characters to represent the name: Crashing Fang.

Kumoshin slid the case across the seat, and pulled himself out before shutting the door again. The head of the kanabo rested between the tips of his shoes, hands perched on the handles tip. He gave one last bow with his head as Ichiji took off.

The young man snapped his attention back to Daichi. Some words were lost, he lightly pushed his brows together to fill in the blanks. Gotta find em'? Check. That's easy. He nodded his head in response.

"I will tell you now," he finally broke the silence. "If I tell you to stop, please listen." Kumoshin's voice flat and stern. Even if it may seem out of nowhere, this is for Daichi's own good. He's caught a few other partners off guard when grabbing their shirts and shoving them out of the way. He meant nothing malicious-- more so being over protective. Kumoshin has the foresight most don't, he has to take advantage of it as much as possible. Shouting warnings defeats all purpose of avoiding danger.

"I can't explain it right now, but trust me." He swung the kanabo up to rest on top of his shoulder. With a hefty thunk, the cursed tool found its resting spot into the crook of his neck.

"I don' know how many times I've saved someone from taking a fat whack to the face 'cause they rushed in."

Not like he has room to speak... he's the reckless one when working alone. Maybe it's because he can see things before they come at him; actual techniques would come later anyway... for the most part.

Kumoshin wrung his hand across the leather handle. The squeak of the material sounded from his tightening squeeze before he began to lead the way. Once they work with each other more, maybe he'll be his wild self, but first impressions come first in this line of work. Earning trust with allies is a must. It's time for him to be responsible.

"Don' worry about finding them. I can do that easy," Kumoshin spoke. He lazily slid the kanabo across his traps, and hung his arms over it to take the weight off of one shoulder. The metal stung his bare skin from the biting wind. Maybe it would have been a good idea to have kept the case on him... oh well. Or he could have worn a thicker jacket.

[catsvrsdogscatswin]

Higurashi Month 2023, Day 20: Without

Higurashi Month prompts archive: AO3 

Being given to a Catholic private school with all the expectations of a human sacrifice –never to return, never to be thought of again– had had some… effects, on Shion as she grew up.

Nothing too damaging, of course. Just…

Displacement.

That, she thought, was the right word for it, and oh, what a wretched and insidious thing it was, how clever Oni-Baba's plan to sever her from her legacy.

Shion was sent to a place where Western thought, Western ideas, Christian religion predominated. She was taught to kneel when approaching the holy part of a sanctuary, using the right knee to genuflect before the sacred image, rather than bow twice, clap twice, and then bow again. She was as adept with fork and knife as she was chopsticks, knew the proper way to wear skirts and knot a tie as well as how to fold a kimono and obi.

She knew of her own cultural rituals, of the proper way to approach a shrine in her family, but they were like leaves from a past autumn in her memory, faded and fragile.

These two worlds ran through her like the foundation lines of a loom, and Oni-Baba sending her to St. Lucia's year after year thickened one and thinned the other, patiently wearing away Shion's connection to her home. If Oni-Baba had her way, by the time Shion graduated she would be garishly Western in all her ways and thoughts, unable to take over the deep, subtle intricacies of the family tradition even if she tried. When she returned home, no one would know her ways, and she would not know theirs.

Shion is not particularly resentful of this –no more and no less than she resents nearly everything Oni-Baba has done to her out of that damn sense of familial duty– but she does resent, in some small way, the persistent subtle effort to rob her of her heritage. She is Japanese, born and bred, and yet Oni-Baba and St. Lucia's are trying to turn her into something she's not.

This place –this stuffy little miniature garden of a school– is trying to snip the line between Shion and her past, erode the differences between her and them. Those from elsewhere, the outsiders that even now Hinamizawa still hates: that is what they're trying to turn her into.

And it's working.

It's working, because Shion will be graciously allowed to return to Hinamizawa for school breaks or family holidays and she will briefly feel strange, alien inside her own home. For a scant few days or hours, until she slips back into her own skin, she will feel displaced, like these people with familiar faces are putting on some strange paper façade of customs and history that she does not quite understand anymore.

Did she ever truly know these ways, or has she merely forgotten them due to long years away?

Shion doesn't know, and that is almost worse than the confusion and displacement. Are these sights and actions familiar because she remembers a dim, dim ghost of them from her childhood, when she was still allowed to stay at Oni-Baba's side and guided gently through the steps, or are they merely familiar because she's seen them from a distance several times before?

She doesn't know.

She doesn't know, and she hates the not-knowing as a microcosm of all that this has done to her. Shion is not a member of Hinamizawa anymore, not fully, not truly, and yet where else is she supposed to belong? Not the school, where she is shunned by her peers and looked down upon by her teachers. Not outside Hinamizawa, because the place still calls to her all the same, as haunting and persistent as a siren's melody beneath the waves.

She is displaced, cast adrift, and there is no healing that severance inside her.

[verymuchimmortalcat]

To Have Several first Meetings

Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month Day 1: Meeting for the first time

ao3

@maribat-bdbwm

Marinette had known she was adopted since she had been twelve and had a project about genetics in school. Her parents had explained to her that her mother had given her up for adoption since she wasn’t in a situation to take care of her and didn’t think her father would be able to. Marinette’s mother had passed away soon after and while Tom and Sabine had her father’s information neither of them had ever contacted him. They left the option up to Marinette, and at the time she hadn’t cared, she had two loving parents and she was happy.

.oOo.

Marinette meets Batman for the first time when she’s 14. Wonder Woman had been in contact with them from the beginning of the hawkmoth situation, but after Heroes Day Batman insists on speaking to the them. As they enter the Watch Tower she can feel Cat Noir buzzing with excitement next to her. She’d laugh but she’s too nervous to do so.

Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are waiting for them. Marinette’s glad there aren’t more heroes around, Cat Noir looks like he might explode in excitement. They sit down at the table and Batman speaks first, “You need training.”

She’s well aware of that, but the way Batman says it irritates her, but she ignores it. She’s here because Diana asked, and because Batman is right about their lack of training.

Superman speaks up then, “We can help you with that. You can use Titans Tower for your training-”

“-And due to the nature of the threat you face, the two of you and the rest of your team is welcome there anytime.”

Marinette doesn’t point out that the rest of them are temporary heroes, it will probably alarm them more. She knows Cat Noir is probably jumping at the offer but she wants to know “why?”

Batman’s the one to speak, “if you’re going to protect Paris, then you’re going to need to be trained well.”

Marinette doesn’t know why Batman has a sudden vested interest in Paris’s safety but she’s going to go along with it. They do need the training and it will be nice to talk to more heroes their age.

“And the Justice League won’t interfere in Paris?”

“No.”

“None of them? You have a very large team and not all of them are here at the moment.”

“I will ensure everyone is informed.”

Marinette drops it, Batman sounds sincere.

.oOo.

Cat Noir and Ladybug make their first appearance in Titans tower that weekend. Cyborg and Nightwing are the ones waiting for them. They meet a lot of heroes. There’s Robin, Red Robin, Superboy, Wonder Girl, Kid flash, Solstice, Ravager, Beast Boy, Raven and apparently there are more of them usually but those are the ones she meets.

Civilian names are a whole another thing. Ladybug, Cat Noir and the Bats don’t share theirs but then there are the others. Cassie of course doesn’t have a secret identity. And Kon, Bart, Kiran, Rose and Gar don’t really mind telling another super hero. It’s a bit weird how forthcoming they are with their identities, Marinette’s had the no sharing identities rule hammered into her head for over a year now, and meeting the Teen Titans is making her question that rule.

As time passes and the miraculous team grows larger and the heroes become permanent, Titans Tower becomes steadily more occupied during weekends and training relaxes into hanging out.

They still train of course, the bats help with figuring out hawkmoth and Mayura’s identities, pretty much everyone helps with the actual fighting, and Raven helps with the more magical aspects. She meets pretty much all of the teenage superhero community over the course of a year. It’s pretty cool.

.oOo.

About a year after they start their training, they figure out Hawkmoth is Gabriel Agreste and Mayura’s Nathalie Sancouer. It’s not surprising but she knows they’re all worried how it’s going to affect Adrien, who as they learn is Cat Noir.

Marinette is fifteen when Hawkmoth’s reign over Paris ends.

Paris celebrates for days. But Marinette can’t bring herself to feel anything anymore. It’s not that she hasn’t been dealing with her emotions with the constant trips to the tower it’s just not letting herself feel anything in Paris becomes normal.

Her parents start to get worried and as much as she would love to calm down their fears she can’t. Luka, Juleka and Alya are the ones who join forces to convince her to reach out to her biological father.

When she gives in and asks her parents, they give her his contact information happily, assuming that’s what had been bothering her all this time. Marinette doesn’t correct them.

It takes Marinette a few weeks to call him but she does call him.

.oOo.

It turns out he already knew about her; he had just figured waiting until she was older was the better approach. Marinette wasn’t really sure what to make of that but he had invited her to his house in Gotham to spend a week getting to know him and the rest of his children.

Marinette accepts his offer happily. It would be nice to learn more about her father and his family (beyond what her research turned up with, Gotham reporters didn’t seem very sensible), and get out of Paris for a while.

.oOo.

Marinette is met by M. Pennyworth, who’s their butler, at the airport. Her parents had let her come on her own after M. Wayne had assured them that she would be safe. There had still been an unnecessarily large number of people to send her off at the airport, though.

Their ride to Wayne Manor is filled with a good amount of nervous rambling, from Marinette’s part. Alfred (he had insisted upon being called so) asks her about school and friends and Marinette goes on a lot of tangents as she talks about everyone in Paris.

There several people waiting at the entrance when they reach the Manor. If she wasn’t anxious about meeting her family, she would probably be more amazed at the beauty of the Manor and the surrounding grounds.

She waves awkwardly at them and says, “hi, I’m Marinette.”

The shortest boy among them, Damian she believes, turns away and walks back into the Manor. Her father turns as if to follow him but he’s stopped by the second tallest of her siblings, Marinette doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to the idea of siblings but she finds she quite likes it, “I’ll go check on Damian. Bye Marinette, see you around.”

She waves at him silently and all of them fall into silence, Alfred having left them. Would it be too late to turn away now?

There aren’t enough pictures of Bruce Wayne’s children on the internet, with the exception of Tim Wayne, for her to recognise all of them but she's pretty sure the one who finally breaks the silence is Jason Todd, returning from the dead created more than enough reading material for her research.

“I'm leaving. Nice to meet ya,” and then heads off. None of the others seem to think it’s strange, so she doesn’t dwell on it.

Mr. Wayne clears his throat and says, “we should probably head inside.”

“Truly one of your brighter ideas B,” Tim says and the other two laugh. They introduce themselves as Cass and Duke once they’re inside and Mr. Wayne tells her she can call him B or Bruce like the others do or whatever she’s comfortable with, Marinette nods in reply. And then she’s being dragged along to somewhere deep in the Manor by her new siblings and they’re talking about some kind of prank war that they’re apparently in the middle of.

Marinette grins. This is bound to be interesting.

[juniperjellyfish]

Ninjago headcanons because my alarm goes off in two hours and I don’t think I’ll be sleeping anytime soon

Kai is very hot/cold resistant. If it’s super cold outside, you can watch steam rise from his body

Cole gives everyone nicknames. Kai is HairGel. Nya is WaterLily. Jay is ZapTrap/MotorMouth/HalfStack. Zane is Popsicle. Pixal is just Pix because she doesn’t really like nicknames and Cole respects that.

Lloyd calls everyone Buddy

Zane has the sass of my nine year old little sister who wears her baby crown proudly

Pixal sees herself as a lesser being than the other ninja, and has identity issues

Nya struggles with depression

Whenever Jay gets excited, sparks fly off of him, and there’s been times when he accidentally shocked Nya when he kissed her.

Speaking of Jay, he is covered in lightning scars

Cole can play the violin!

Kai is a homophobic bisexual

Master Wu feels guilty about making the ninja team in the first place because he sees how he has added so much hardship to their lives, he doesn’t realize that at the end of the day, the ninja love what they do

Except lloyd. If he could retire, he would

Lloyd has enhanced hearing, vision, smell, etc because of his Oni/dragon blood

Lloyd suffers from chronic migraines (I have these so he gets them too)

Jay used to be the tallest of the ninja, but now he’s the second shortest and thus the nickname “HalfStack

KAI HAS FRECKLES

Dareth does crack (long story)

Pixal has a smal crush on Nya, but she won’t say anything because of Jay

Jay reads fanfiction about himself

Wu doesn’t allow the ninja to have alcohol, but Kai has secret stash on the hydro bounty

Jay wants kids one day

The ninja got so sick of the electric chicken that they made Lightning chicken nuggets

Nadakhan is gay

Mr. F has a reputation if ya know what I mean

Cole plays DND with the Upply twice a month. Vania is the DM

Ultra Violet and Kilo are distant descendants of Oni and the people from the first realm

Akita thinks furries are cultural appropriation

Cole hates heights and hasn’t really gone mountain climbing since his fall

Skylor and Benthomaar are besties

Skylor had never seen a dog while living on Chen’s island, so when she saw one for the first time, she freaked out and thought it was a monster

Christofern is now Christotree

Jay and Nya are the only ones that can remember Skybound. Whenever they tell someone the story, they forget within the hour because of magic

Lloyd got his blonde hair because of genetics. No one cheated, no hair dye, so sun bleaching. Just basic genetics

Jay’s birth mom cheated on Cliff and got pregnant, so cliff walked out on her and she abandoned Jay because she couldn’t take care of him.

Kai’s brown hair is a recessive gene

Nya doesn’t like drinking water, because she can feel its energy traveling into her body and it grosses her out

Ronin has almost asked Misako out

Pixal likes butterflies

Lloyd loves to read

If pixal was a human, she would have vitiligo that somewhat resembles her purple markings

Cole and forest green eyes

Lloyd loves root beer

Nya’s powers have been permanently weaker since coming back from the sea and it gives her severe anger issues

Cole occasionally walks into walls and doors because he forgets he’s not a ghost

Cole can see ghosts

Cole is the group therapist

Kai realized he was bi when he saw Cole do the glow worm song

Every Friday, the group does a movie night

Jay loves his buff gf

Cole likes to paint

Jay likes to draw

Kai made everyone weapons for their birthday

If Kai is mad, he starts smoking. No- not like that- like smoke rises from his body