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exitpursuedbyavulcan · 11 months

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Denouement (Aegon II Targaryen x Reader)

Art by the lovely and talented: @barbiedragon be sure to take a look at the moodboard at then end, too!

When the daughter of Lord Swann is sent to King’s Landing to find a match to improve her family’s damaged reputation, Prince Aegon is eager to learn whether she takes after her famous cousin, the Black Swann of Lys. But he learns more than he ever wanted to - about her, and himself.

Pairing: Aegon II Targaryen x House Swann!Reader

Warnings: attempted sexual assault, attempted rape/non-con, Aegon swears a bunch

This is my submission for the @hotd-bigbang ! Shout out to everyone who participated, especially @ewanmitchellcrumbs for being an amazing organizer!

Denouement

Aegon was sprawled across his bed, entirely unclothed and clutching a mostly empty bottle of wine. How much of the wine he had drunk, and how much of it had sloshed down his chin and chest to dampen the sheets below him, he neither knew nor cared.

He had planned to go back to Fleabottom and find a cheap cunt or two to relieve him of his frustrations. Yet every time he tried to get off the bed, it was like some invisible force pushed him back down into the mattress. He simply could not get up if he tried – and he did try.

Well, he tried once.

But it was hot, and the wine was very good. Besides, there were plenty of women in the Red Keep for him to choose from, even though they wouldn’t be quite as easy as the whores. He decided that after a short nap, he’d go find one. Or perhaps one would come to him – it was about the time of day when a maid or two would come to replace his bedding, after all.

He was just about to doze off into a dream of forever burying himself in some woman’s soft, enormous breasts when trumpets blared from the courtyard below, startling him so much that his poor wine bottle tumbled to the floor and broke apart.

“Oh, fuck off!” he shouted to no one in particular.

The blaring noise had set his ears ringing and his head aching, making it entirely impossible for him to now find sleep. He slung his arm over his eyes and let out a protracted groan of extreme displeasure. What was supposed to be a relaxing day of drinking and fucking was now thoroughly ruined.

More noise began to float up to his window from the courtyard. Infuriated and somewhat vengeful, Aegon crawled across the bed and draped himself over its edge to grab another bottle of wine – this one empty, but intact. He had it raised behind his head, ready to send it through the window when he finally heard what the voice in the courtyard was saying.

The Lord Matthos Swann, and his daughter, Lady Swann.

Swann… Aegon knew that name somehow. It prickled something in his memory that he was, at this moment, too drunk to reach. But the prickling was enough to bother him, enough to make him drop his bottle and slump back into his sheets, close his eyes, and try to sort through the chaotic workings of his mind.

He did not know why this particular piece of information was so important for him to remember, but it felt important nevertheless. So much so that when two little maids came to change his bedding, Aegon shouted at them to leave rather than attempt to bring one of them into his bed.

Helaena came and went, reminding him that there was to be a welcome feast for the noble houses that were just arriving in the capital, and he was expected to attend. He rolled over and clamped his pillow around his head, and she soon left.

It was not until the sun had nearly set and the wine had nearly faded from his blood that Aegon howled with triumph as he sat bolt upright and threw his pillow in the air in glee.

“Johanna Swann!” he exclaimed as he fell onto his back, a wide grin on his face as he stared at his ceiling, remembering the bawdy tales he’d heard of the Black Swan of Lys.

He had only been a babe when Lady Johanna was kidnapped by pirates of the triarchy. They’d asked for a ransom from her uncle, but he refused, and she was then sold as a courtesan in the most infamously libidinous city in the world. Since then, she had become the most powerful person in the city, all thanks to her apparently magical cunt. Every so often, her latest doings would appear in the gossip of the Red Keep.

Oh, how some of those tales titillated Aegon when he was young. He had even encountered a small portrait of Johanna, hung in a place of honor at one of his former favorite brothels as if she were a goddess.

But it couldn’t be Johanna herself, he realized with no small amount of disappointment. She would have been announced on her own, not as merely the daughter of Lord Swann.

Who was it, then? A cousin, a sister, or maybe some distant relation brought into the family to try and repair their reputation?

Whoever it was, Aegon instantly decided that he not only needed to meet her, but he would have to sample her as well, to determine whether Johanna’s prowess was her achievement alone, or if it was a skill this new Lady Swann would possess, too.

When Aegon arrived in the Great Hall, his hair was still visibly damp from dunking his head into the cold water of his washbasin in a hasty attempt to make himself at least somewhat presentable. The formal introductions had already finished, and the meal was halfway over. He received a quiet scolding from his mother as he slipped into his seat, but she seemed relieved that he’d shown up at all, so it could have been much worse.

His father, as always, ignored him entirely. Not even a look of greeting to his firstborn son.

As soon as he sat, Helaena turned to him and held out a stuffed beetle that she’d snuck into the Great Hall. It must have been a new one, for he had not seen it before. It had black and white stripes that extended across its body from tail to antennae, save for one white patch with only a circle of black in it. With its neat appearance and long antennae, it was very nearly elegant – for a bug.

“Very pretty, Hel,” he whispered, giving her the best smile he could when he was looking at an insect just before eating.

Helaena smiled back, pride shining in her eyes. Then her face went blank, and her hands tremored slightly. She’d had episodes like this before, even when she was too young to speak. It was during these that she rambled nonsensical words that Aegon could never understand.

“Black and white, death and life, evil and good,” she whispered. “Neither triumph. All fades to gray.”

Aegon cringed slightly, usually her ramblings weren’t so negative. They usually made him feel uncomfortable, but something about these particular words greatly disturbed him. He shivered, as if a cold wind brushed against the back of his neck. He gave Helaena a weak smile and turned to his food.

It took him a while – and half a chicken, two rolls of bread slathered with butter, and a pile of vegetables that he only ate so his mother wouldn’t scold him – to brush off the last of his unsettlement and finally look across the gathered nobles scattered at the four great tables that had been set in the Great Hall.

Unfortunately, he looked up just as servants were moving those tables to make room for a dance floor, and what was a smattering of bright colors soon became a whirling, twirling mass of more colors than Aegon could count or name. Reds, blues, greens, oranges, obnoxiously bright yellows, and even a few pinks and purples all swirling together in an ostentatious and nauseating display.

However, it made it easier for Aegon to spot his target for the night. For though she did wear a gown to match the heraldry of her house, the Swann colors were simply black and white.

Aegon’s wine-blurred vision cleared as he finally set eyes on her.

This young Lady Swann was beautiful.

And yet she bore little resemblance to the depiction of the Black Swan that he’d seen in the brothel. Her coloring was different, her features softer, and her eyes – demurely downcast – far kinder.

Despite her beauty, there was not a single hint of a seductress in her.

Her gown proved as much. It was finely made and surely expensive, but there far too much of it – a neckline more prudish than even his mother’s, long voluminous sleeves that hid her hands, and a puffy mountain of skirts that left her figure a mystery.

One that Aegon was not quite sure was worth solving.

Still, his curiosity was piqued. At least enough to keep an eye on her while he perused what were certainly easier options.

Nearly every detail he learned about her was a disappointment. She was very intelligent. She was pious. She was obedient – although that was something he could turn into an asset. Even her sobriquet, ‘The White Swan,’ was dull. ‘The Black Swan’ was far more intriguing. A white swan was just an ordinary bird.

She was nothing like her more famous cousin. Or sister. He still hadn’t figured that out.

What was the point of coming here, then? Aegon supposed he at least looked nice and clean for when he inevitably snuck out to the Street of Silk. The girls were always more pleasant when he was clean.

“You appear unusually deep in thought, brother.”

Indeed, he had been so busy deciding where on the Street he wanted to go tonight that he didn’t see Aemond approaching until he spoke.

Aegon scowled and took a long drink from his wine to give himself time to concoct an answer. “Just observing the new arrivals.”

“Observing them for what purpose, exactly?” Aemond asked, looking briefly at Helaena, who was still sitting in her chair and not-so subtly playing with whatever insect she had brought with her.

Aegon narrowed his eyes as he understood the implication behind that glance. Why must Aemond always harp on about this if Helaena herself didn’t give a shit?

“I may be a married man, but that does not mean I cannot appreciate beauty when I see it.”

“If only you stopped at mere appreciation.”

“At least I am able to comprehend the beauty of a woman, and possess the skills to do something about it,” Aegon snapped back. A low blow, perhaps, not that he cared all that much if he hurt Aemond’s feelings. If he even had them.

But Aemond did not snap back, nor did he retreat to sulk on his own or to dote on Helaena. He sighed and turned back to the crowd. “Many young ladies arrived today. Is there one in particular who has caught your eye?”

Aegon’s brows rose in surprise. Not since their trip to the Steet of Silk on Aemond’s thirteenth nameday had he asked his elder brother about women. Or even really mentioned one – at least, not one that they weren’t related to. He even once said that he never wanted to see another person naked ever again.

“And why do you care, Aemond?” Aegon noted the glimmer of resigned frustration on his brother’s face and broke into a wide smile. “Oh! Have mother and Otto finally declared that you must find a bride?”

“Hmm.”

“Aha! That means yes!” Aegon exclaimed. Perhaps coming here would not be a waste, if he had the opportunity to watch Aemond attempt to flirt with various ladies. “Did you actually think you could remain unmarried forever?”

Aemond sighed. “One can hope. Will you please answer my question now?”

Looking back at the dancing crowd, Aegon considered the question. There was a lovely brunette in a shiny green dress. A stunning blonde in red. A girl with piercing blue eyes wearing pink. And one young lady with the most magnificent breasts he’d ever seen threatening to spill from her yellow dress at any moment.

Yet even with all the delicious treats in front of him, his eyes kept going back to the girl in black and white standing to the side of the dancefloor, smiling at the dancers, but never joined. She had a very soft smile, her pretty lips curving ever so gently.

He knew she would never let him taste those lips.

But that didn’t mean she had to go to waste. A lovely, intelligent, pious girl who likely had as little interest in the art of the bed as Aemond might make a perfect pair. Though when Aegon turned back to his brother and opened his mouth, he could not say it.

Aemond raised a brow expectantly.

“Well, her, obviously!” Aegon pointed to the girl in pink with the blue eyes, then tapped Aemond’s eyepatch. “You’d match.”

There was a tense silence between them, Aemond scowling down at Aegon for a long moment before turning and stalking off without another word.

Aegon laughed to himself before turning back to Lady Swann across the Great Hall. There were objectively more beautiful women who would likely leap at the chance to gain his favor by joining him in his bed. Many of them in the very room where he stood. Yet he was most drawn to her.

Why had she captivated him so?

More importantly, how could he get rid of this feeling?

He forced himself to turn away, pour more wine in his goblet, and down the entire thing. The alcohol helped clear his mind as it settled in his stomach. Fully back in his comfortably intoxicated glaze, he was finally able to think.

The answer was simple: he just needed to take her once, confirm that there was truly no reason for this strange, involuntary obsession. Then he would move on to the next conquest – most likely that girl in yellow with the massive breasts.

Yes, it was that simple. It had to be.

Lady Swann excused herself from the feast early, leaving alongside those guests whose hair had long since gone gray. Her father only allowed it because she claimed the music and bright colors of the ballroom was beginning to hurt her head. In truth, she had simply tired of it all.

Crowds of such size had always overwhelmed her. Not for ordinary shyness, she quite enjoyed the company of others. That ended the moment she found out that the quick glances people gave her were not for the desire to know her, but for their curiosity about her – if she had been influenced in any way by her infamous cousin.

It did not matter that she had been only an infant when Johanna was captured and had had no contact with her since. Every so often, Johanna would send her father a letter, which was either ignored or thrown in the fire.

As a child, Lady Swann often wished that she knew her cousin. That Johanna hadn’t been kidnapped. That her father had paid her ransom. That some gallant knight had travelled to Lys to rescue her. That she herself had not grown up as the only child in Stonehelm.

No god granted her wishes. Nor the stars, nor the sun or moon, not even the Weirwood tree she had once visited at some keep her father took her to which she no longer remembered the location or name of.

So, she was alone. Sometimes, her father’s visitors would bring their own children, and she would ask them as many questions as she could before they left. She wanted to know everything about them – where they lived, what they did for fun, and what they did with their other friends. They always had other friends at home.

When her father told her they were coming to court for a few moons turns, she had been thrilled. Finally, she would be able to spend more than a few days with people her own age, get to hear stories from all over the realm, perhaps even make actual friends – ones who would not leave after only a few days.

But when they arrived, the stares were immediate. The disdain at her father for not paying his niece’s ransom. The pity for her, and the curiosity about whether she had been somehow corrupted by her cousin.

Making friends would not be as easy as she thought.

Worse, it seemed none of the young men even wanted to be friends with her. They were far more interested in courting her, and many of them were so persistent that it nearly scared her. And while the young women were polite, it was without much sincerity. They all looked at her in suspicion when they thought she wasn’t looking.

So, she feigned a headache and left the feast early.

Her father had remained behind. There were more lords and merchants he still wanted to talk to, it seemed. She had the sense that he would do far more to secure her betrothal than she herself would. Though she was at peace with that, she still hoped her future husband would be relatively kind and from an interesting place.

Suddenly, she realized that she had been so deep in her thoughts that she had wandered somewhere unfamiliar - in the intersection of two dark corridors. All the halls of the Red Keep looked practically identical, but she still had the sense that she had never been there before. There weren’t any windows nearby, so she did not even know what part of the castle she was in.

She stood there for a moment, wondering which pathway to take, when she heard soft footsteps behind her. She turned to face what she expected to be a servant who could direct her back to her rooms but froze when she saw who it really was.

Prince Aegon.

He looked different than he had at the feast. His distant, morose expression was gone, replaced by a sly smile and a low brow over hooded purple eyes. Even when she was still, he continued approaching, like a cat stalking a mouse.

Gods, her father had warned her about this. Had told her to stay away from the prince, and any other man who approached her like that.

She should run, she told herself. But where would she go? She didn’t know where she was, or how to get back to her rooms. Surely the prince knew the halls better than her and was likely much faster.

Her fear held her in place and numbed her enough that she didn’t feel it when the prince wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her into a dark alcove partway down one of the halls. Nor did she feel the cool stone against her back when he pushed her against the wall and pressed himself close to her.

“My dear Lady Swann,” he purred, his voice low and melodic, even when laced with darkness. “You’ve driven me absolutely mad tonight, and yet you would be so cruel as to leave without apologizing?”

What was he talking about? They hadn’t spoken at the feast. He wasn’t even there when she was introduced to the royal family. How could she have possibly offended him?

“I am sorry, my prince,” she whispered, her voice seeming foreign. “For whatever I did to make you feel this way, I am very sorry.”

He let out a laugh that sounded half like a purr as he brought his face close to hers. He ran his nose along her cheek until his mouth was a hair’s breadth away from her ear. His breath was hot and reeked of wine. “How sweet of you to apologize, my lady. Though I am still not quite satisfied. But I know a way you can make it up to me…”

All the blood left her body, leaving her hardly more than a shell. This was exactly what her father had warned her about – what she feared most about coming to the palace.

Still, she could not run. The prince was far stronger than her, and she knew her legs would betray her if she tried.

No one was coming to save her, and she could not save herself.

She bowed her head and prayed to the gods who had never answered her. Though she expected nothing from them, she hoped at least one of them would watch, so she didn’t have to endure this alone. Perhaps they would even pity her.

When she finished her prayer, she willed her body to relax. Prince Aegon made a soft sound of surprise and pulled her flush against him. One hand rose to roughly cradle her face, while the other floated down to her hip. A possessive and entirely unmannerly touch.

“Please, my prince,” she begged. “Do what you must, I will not fight you. I simply ask that you are gentle with me, and that you not leave marks upon my body. I do not want my father to know my shame.”

She felt the prince’s body stiffen, his grip around her waist so tight her breathing shallowed.

Then he released her and stepped away.

After a moment to regain her breath, she raised her head to look at the prince. He stood several steps away from her, frowning. His eyes were distant, his confusion clear. He met her gaze and shook his head slightly.

“I…” He looked almost disgusted. At what, she did not know. In fear of what he may yet do to her, she remained still, only lowering her eyes.

He scoffed, then sighed, then he left.

She counted his steps as he retreated. Ten… twenty… thirty… She reached 47 before the sound was too distant for her to hear.

Still, she did not move. Her mind raced as she tried to process every strange thing that had just happened. Her fear. The dark look in the prince’s eyes. His breath against her cheek. His grip on her– both hard and soft. How he had stepped away from her with near revulsion on his face.

While she was grateful that he had done nothing but briefly hold her, she did not understand why. Though, did it really matter, so long as she was unharmed and unspoiled?

It may have been a single minute, or many hours, but finally, Lady Swann pulled away from the wall and once again began to wander, eventually finding her way back to her rooms.

She did not sleep that night.

Aegon was sprawled across his bed, still clothed and clutching a still corked bottle of wine. There was not a chance he would make it to the Street of Silk that night, not when he could not bring himself to open the wine or undress himself.

All he could do was think about Lady fucking Swann.

The way she had so entirely captured his attention. How her dress swayed as she wandered through the castle halls. The shock in her gorgeous eyes as she realized that he was the one following her. The way her body felt against his. The soft whisper of her voice. Her words…

What the fuck did those words do to him?

Most of the women he’d approached like that had fought him – screamed, tried to push him away, or hit and scratched him, or sometimes all of it. She’d not fought him at all. She’d practically gone limp in his arms, then gave him permission to do whatever he wanted to her, so long as he didn’t leave a mark.

It was that last bit that got to him – the no marks. He’d never cared what bruises or scratches he’d left on the women he fucked. Never even looked to see if there were any before either leaving or dismissing them.

But with her… the thought of leaving marks on her confused him.

In part, it excited him. Some buried territorial instinct, perhaps because of the dragon blood that was said to run in his veins, practically preened at the idea of claiming her so thoroughly. He wanted everyone to know that she was his. It was a feeling he’d never had with any of his previous partners.

The other part, however, imagined her covered in red and purple marks and grew furious. No one and nothing – not even him – should be allowed to hurt her in any way. She was too pure, too innocent. She was a perfect white swan, and he would let no one sully her.

He just couldn't figure out why he felt that way.

Since he first learned he could, Aegon had fucked as many women as he possibly could – women of all ages, shapes, and temperaments. He had never cared for any of them in this way. Except, of course, Helaena. But even that wasn’t an exact match to what he felt now.

With Helaena, his protectiveness was because she was his sister. He loved her, and wanted to care for her, but it wasn’t a romantic love. Hells, there wasn’t even lust between them. Their children were only conceived because they knew it was expected of them. It was a struggle each time, even for Aegon.

Yet he felt so much for this girl he’d barely met, who he had very nearly dishonored, and he didn’t know what to do about it.

Still, Aegon would try. And the first step was to take care of his painfully hard cock, which had been fully at attention since he first saw his Lady Swann smile.

For two weeks, Aegon fucked as often as he could. Serving girls, noble ladies, professional whores, and even his fist when needed. None of it brought him the satisfaction he sought – the end of whatever it was he felt for Lady Swann.

It didn’t help that he saw her so often. She was at every meal and event, and even sometimes in an obscure part of the keep that he had been sure would be safe from her.

And there were always other men flirting with her. Handsome lordlings, overconfident heirs, even a few gnarled old lechers. He should have expected it, as it was clear her father brought her to the capital to find a husband, but each time he saw another man make her smile, or brush his hand with hers, or even so much as look at her with lust in his eyes, he wanted to run them through and spit on their corpses.

His rides on Sunfyre grew longer, farther, and more furious. It was not uncommon now for great bursts of golden flame to appear in the skies around King’s Landing.

Finally, Aegon broke. After sixteen days of desperate drinking, flying, and fucking, he simply could not take another moment of this turmoil. He looked out the window for a moment, letting the bright sun set his resolve, and set out to confront his tormentor.

Each afternoon, all the eligible young ladies staying at the Red Keep and in the surrounding estate houses gathered in the courtyard of the Weirwood Tree so the bachelors seeking a wife knew where to find them. Reluctantly, Lady Swann joined them.

By now, many of the women had already fully captured the attention of at least one man, so the gatherings were thankfully not as frantic as that first feast had been. And since no men had decided to focus their wooing efforts on her, she was able to simply relax with her back against the Weirwood, watch its leaves sway, and attempt to capture their beauty in her sketchbook. All in all, it was a rather peaceful way for her to spend her afternoons.

Until Prince Aegon again came looking for her.

The soft noises of conversation immediately halted, drawing her attention away from her current study of the many veins within a fallen red leaf. She looked up and saw the prince pushing aside lords and ladies alike as he stomped towards her.

He did not look like he had that night. Then, his gaze was full of lust. Now, those violet eyes only held anger. Terrible, bone chilling anger.

Several of those gathered in the courtyard fled. More still stayed, positioning themselves far enough away to satisfy decorum, but close enough that they would be able to hear everything. Though it was, in the end, unnecessary.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” The prince roared – so loudly that several birds left their perches in the tree and flew out of sight.

She was speechless, her heart pounding so fast and hard she was sure he could hear it.

“Answer me!” the prince shouted, now so close to her that she could see nothing but him. His reddened eyes, his flushed cheeks, and the furious set of his brow.

Her lips fell open, and she stumbled over her own name as she gave it to him.

“You know that’s not what I mean, girl,” Prince Aegon sighed, pursing his lips and pressing her harder into the tree. “What did you do to me?”

“My prince, I have done nothing to you,” she pled, tears spilling from her eyes. Distantly, she heard yet more people leaving the courtyard, some of them wondering aloud if they should fetch a guard, or perhaps the queen.

“What are you?” It was like he hadn’t heard her words at all. “Some kind of witch, here to ruin me? Did Rhaenyra send you to destroy my reputation so she could ensure she takes the throne?”

She was so frightened that her mind was muddled, and in her frantic search for safety, she reached out and grabbed the first thing she could find. Unfortunately, that thing was Prince Aegon’s tunic.

He blanched and looked down at her fingers clutching the worn green fabric. When he faced her again, he did not look so angry – he looked almost afraid. “What are you doing to me?”

Lady Swann suppressed a sob and pulled her hands away. “I don’t know what you mean, my prince, please.”

The prince shook his head, finally taking a step back. “What you said to me… I don’t understand it. Why did you say it? What did it mean?”

“I…” She thought back to that night, the only time she had spoken to him, when she had said so little. “I wanted you to not hurt me, that is all.”

He frowned, his brows knitted together. “But you didn’t fight back. Why?”

“What could I have done to stop you?”

“But you didn’t even try,” he nearly begged. “Why didn’t you try?”

“Because my father warned me about you,” she answered, now savoring the grounding bit of the tree’s rough bark behind her. That pain was far more pleasant than this conversation. “I thought it would be… easier if I let you take what you wanted.”

Prince Aegon just stared at her. Not making a move to move closer or touch her. Like the very idea of someone near-willingly giving him what he wanted was unbelievable.

“I’m sorry,” she said, hardly believing it. Why did she feel the need to apologize to the man who had very nearly assaulted her, and who was now no doubt causing irreparable damage to her reputation. But there was something in his eyes that made pity wrench her heart. He was a wounded animal, and she could not let it die. “I’m sorry for making you feel like this way. And I’m sorry for whoever else hurt you to make you behave in this way.”

That was the wrong thing to say.

The rage returned to his eyes, and he reached out to seize her shoulders, pressing her against the Weirwood tree until she was certain her dress would tear. “I don’t need your fucking pity,” he hissed.

He shoved her once, then stepped away. “I don’t need anything from a whore like you!”

The gathered crowd poorly hid their gasps of surprise, and not so subtly watched the prince as he stomped out of the courtyard, somehow even angrier than he had been when he arrived. But they made no attempt to hide their stares when they turned back to Lady Swann. She could practically see the gossip forming in their heads.

Not wanting to hear their speculations, she fled from the courtyard.

At least now, she might not have to marry. For no one would want her after what Prince Aegon said.

Aegon was sick of sprawling out on his bed to contemplate the pile of dog shit that was his life. So, he let himself slide ungracefully to the floor, taking his fur blanket and an overstuffed bed with him.

Instinctively, he reached for a bottle of wine from the small crate he kept by his bedside. Alas, it was empty. He’d finished it all the day before and had therefore been so drunk he had not remembered to tell a servant to restock it.

It was probably for the best. He did not deserve the holy ecstasy a truly expensive bottle of Arbor Red brought him. Not after what he’d said to Lady Swann that afternoon.

How could he be so fucking stupid?

The obvious answer was that he was, in fact, fucking stupid. Yet it still felt like something beyond that. Something within him – the feelings he could not rid himself of – had taken away what little sense he still had, and stoked the fire of his anger until he could hardly see for his rage.

If he was a better man, he would apologize. But he was not a better man. He wasn’t even a good man – perhaps he never had been. Perhaps he was incapable of being a good man. Though, a truly bad man would not have considered that he should apologize.

Nor would a truly bad man be haunted by the warmth that bloomed in his chest whenever he remembered her final words. ‘I’m sorry for whoever else hurt you to make you behave in this way.’

As he gazed at the moon through his window, he had a revelation that utterly terrified him, down to his very bones – Lady Swann’s pity felt better than anything anyone else had felt for him.

Lady Swann had not been expecting anyone to call on her. Not a single suitor had called on her the evening prior, not after what happened between her and Prince Aegon. So when her lady’s maid announced she had a visitor, she was entirely unprepared. Her dress was old, but the most comfortable she owned, her hair had been left unbraided, and her eyes were still red from weeping.

What she was most unprepared for was seeing that her visitor was none other than Prince Aegon himself.

Quickly, and despite the fear welling in her gut, she curtsied. When she stood, she did not look him in the eye. “Welcome, my prince,” she greeted, wishing that her voice was not so wavering. “It is an honor to have you visit me.”

He laughed, a rich, deep sound. “Your manners are very fine, lady. But I do not delude myself in knowing that you are neither honored nor pleased to see me.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that. He was right, of course, but his words were almost… kind? Or at the very least, not rude. Just when she opened her mouth to reply, he spoke again.

“Please, allow me to begin.” He waited for her to nod her approval before continuing. “I have come to apologize for my behavior. I have been quite rude to you – though that is a mild way of putting it.”

The prince sighed and let his shoulders droop slightly. “Your first impression of me could not have been worse. It was wrong and cruel of me to pursue you the way I did that first night. I apologize sincerely for that, though I know that is a great insult to forgive.”

“I most especially want to apologize for what I said yesterday. My words were harsh and spoken only in anger. I should not have said them in the first place, and certainly not in front of so many witnesses.” He wrung his hands, dropping his gaze to the floor. “I do not expect you to forgive me, but I hope that you will not allow my abhorrent behavior to ruin your visit. And I will take every measure to quell the rumors surrounding our encounter yesterday.”

Lady Swann was more surprised than she had been when she saw him first walk into the room. Not only had he apologized, but it seemed sincere, and almost eloquent. He was right, that forgiveness would not come today. Perhaps not ever. Yet she could not find it in her heart to hate him. At least, not yet.

“Why did you do it?” The question burst from her unconsciously. But she had to know.

Prince Aegon again sighed, then ran a hand through his unkempt, greasy hair. “As for why I followed you, there’s not a good excuse, I simply wanted to have you. At first, it was to see if you were as skilled as your sister… or cousin? The Black Swan, I mean.”

She felt her cheeks flush at the mention. Her stranger of a cousin would never stop haunting her. “She is my cousin.”

“Right, well,” he stared intently at her shoes peeking out from under the too short hem of her dress. “I wanted to find that out, but also, you were simply beautiful that night. And you are now, too, of course! But at the feast, I truly could not take my eyes off you. I needed you.”

“And yet you did not take me, as you have so many other women.”

“Yes, well…” He finally looked in her eyes again, but looked away not a moment later. “It was what you said, about not wanting me to leave marks. None had ever asked me that before, and imagining you bruised was simply too much for me. I could not bring myself to do it.

“But then, I couldn’t get you out of my head. Even when I was with…” his flush faded into a blanche, “No matter what I did, I could not stop thinking of you. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before, so I was, honestly, frightened. I let my fear turn to anger and my anger turn on you. I’m sorry.”

Lady Swann was silent, not knowing how to respond to the prince. He apparently took it as a sign she wanted him to continue.

“Then what you said, about someone hurting me and making me this way, that frightened me, too.” He laughed, the sound pained and inauthentic. “Because I don’t believe anyone made me this way, I’m just… rotten.”

At that, she finally found her words. “No one is rotten from the beginning,” she said, quoting something her Septa had once told her. “Everyone in born good, it is what happens to them and what they experience that rots them.”

Prince Aegon smiled. “That is a sweet sentiment, but I don’t think I agree. I cannot remember a single moment where I felt good.”

“For that, I am very sorry. That is something no one should feel.”

He looked at her intensely, as though she held some long-sought answers. “It is a bad feeling, yes. Though, you make me feel like not all of me is rotten. Like there is some shred of me that still longs for goodness. And you are so good…”

She smiled softly, unsure why a small thrill went through her at the words. “We have spoked very little; how can I make you feel that way?”

“I don’t know… but, if you are willing, I would very much like to find out why. And I don’t want to lose this feeling. If you would allow it, may I call on you again?”

There was something different in his eyes. Something that she only now noticed, as his eyes were no longer clouded by rage or lust. A great sadness – an eternal sadness. Like an entire ocean of tears, or an immortal grief.

She wanted to chase that sadness away. So, she inclined her head to hide her smile. “I will allow it, my prince.”

“Please, I would prefer you use my name.” He blushed nearly scarlet as he made the request, and smiled bashfully.

“Very well. I will allow you to visit me again, Aegon.”

Prince Aegon and Lady Swann began their friendship sitting in stuffed chairs on opposite sides of her solar. He was careful not to do or say anything that could be possibly misconstrued as a romantic or sexual advance. He wanted her to feel safe and comfortable. Most of all, he wanted her to like him. It didn’t matter if she ever felt the same longing he felt for her, so long as he could be near her, he was content.

After three turns of the moon, they began sitting on the couch together – but as far apart as they could be. Slowly, as she began to feel more comfortable looking him in the eyes, smiling at him, or even laughing at something he said, he began to return the gestures. He even grew comfortable enough to start trying to make her smile or laugh. Even though his heart sank every time he saw it, knowing he would never get to kiss it away.

After five more moon’s turns, they began to move closer. An inch every few days, until their legs were nearly touching. Aegon had to suppress the shiver than raced through his body each time they accidentally touched.

By the next moon’s turn, they hardly ever sat without touching – much to his delight. Some days, she would rest her head on his shoulder. Others, he would lie with his head in her lap. And on rare occasions, they laid across the couch together, with Aegon’s arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close.

He could almost be content with just this, not being able to kiss or touch her as he truly wanted to. But he knew it would one day disappear. She would marry, he would never see her again, and he would go right back to the way he was before her.

So, he cherished their afternoons together while he could. They never spoke about anything of consequence, but still, Aegon left her each day feeling happier than he had when he walked into her solar. And a little sad, for he knew he wouldn’t get to talk to her until the next day, and that one day, the conversation would be their last.

It usually took him at least a week to realize that they had spoken about something of consequence. Lady Swann had hidden a revelation she had somewhere within her gentle words, having figured out the source of his buried anger or a wrong that was done to him. Aegon never understood immediately, but once he did, he ran back to her the next day to talk more about how she knew, and what he could do to fix it.

He eventually came to privately call their meetings ‘good man lessons,’ for even though they never spoke of ancient philosophy or even religious morality, Lady Swan had a way of making him see more clearly the mistakes he had made and how he could be a better man.

He also came to privately calling her ‘hontītsos.’ Little bird. His little bird. The White Swan who sat on his shoulder and whispered her wisdom into his ear. Perhaps not the best metaphor, as swans were far too large to perch on his shoulder, and notoriously violent. But since it was only between them, he did not feel the need to come up with something cleverer.

As their friendship neared the end of its first year, he genuinely thought he’d been doing better. A better friend. A better brother. A better husband and father. A better son.

That had been his folly.

At the evening meal one night, he had spoken to his father. He tried to speak to him in the same way Lady Swann spoke to him when they first struck up their friendship, simply asking about the king’s day and if anything interesting happened.

Then the king called him ‘Daemon.’

His own father did not recognize him – his firstborn son.

He supposed it was to be expected. After all, the old man was decrepit and half-rotted beneath his gaudy golden mask. Surely that decay would have extended to his mind by now, if it hadn’t long ago. But still, it stung.

Aegon was the son his father had dreamed of, according to his mother. The boy fated to wear the conqueror’s crown. It seemed Viserys had forgotten that dream as well. He never forgot Rhaenyra. Only Aegon and his full-blooded siblings.

It was a hurt Aegon thought he was accustomed to. He remembered so clearly how his father had all but ignored him when he was young, especially once Rhaenyra’s bastards came along. He attempted to befriended the little runts to draw his father’s attention – to no avail. Though, he had been quite a shit in his youth.

Still, he had thought all his efforts to become a better man would make his father notice him, perhaps finally see him as a suitable son and or even an heir. He felt so foolish to think that. But he was comforted, in some small part, that he would talk to Lady Swann about it the next day. Then she would make him feel better. She would make him feel like the man he was trying so desperately to be.

The hours he had to wait to be beside her again were hell, but finally, he found himself once more lounging on a couch in her solar, his legs hanging over the armrest while his head was laid in Lady Swann’s lap. Her fingers combing through his hair was absolute bliss. Though they halted when he blurted out the sentence that had been clanging in his head since dinner the night before.

“You don’t want to be king?” she asked in disbelief, raising her brows in surprise.

Aegon smiled at the expression, she looked so pretty today. He nodded up at her. “To save my family, I would do it. But no, it is not what I would choose for myself.”

A short silence passed before she responded. He loved that, how she thought so carefully before speaking every time. “What would you choose for yourself, if you were given the chance?”

The question weighed on him like an anvil of iron on his chest. He had never even considered another option before. It had always been either become king, or be killed by Rhaenyra to eliminate any threats to her throne.

“I don’t know really,” he finally answered. “I never let myself think about it for too long.”

“Think about it now, then.”

He both loved and loathed how she challenged him. Of course, he knew it was good for him, but some days he just wanted to relax and bask in her very presence. She was the only comfort, save for his children, that he had found in this godsforsaken place. At least, since he had stopped drinking and fucking with abandon. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to the Street of Silk or had drunk more than a single goblet of wine at a meal.

“I’d leave Westeros,” he declared. “There are too many memories here. To many reminders.”

She thought about her answer for a moment, her eyes narrowing in the adorable way they always did when she was thinking very hard. “Wouldn’t you miss your family?”

“Yes, of course.” He began to truly think about the possibility, of how it would happen – How he could make it happen. “Perhaps I could take Helaena and the children with me. She would be glad to leave court, and the children are young enough that they wouldn’t remember anything before we left. Mother and Aemond wouldn’t leave, nor Daeron. But I would write to them often. More to mother than my brothers.

“I think I’d go to Braavos. I want to see that big statue they have and experience the cold. And I’d like to have my own boat to navigate the canals. That would be fun. I could be a fisherman! Though I’d have to first learn to fish… fisherman go out in the mornings, don’t they?” He looked up at her for confirmation. Of course, she would know, she knew everything, it seemed.

“I believe so,” she said with a mischievous smile. It was not one she wore often, but one he savored each time he saw it. “Which means you would have to learn to wake quite early. Do you think you could do so?”

“I could!” He feigned offense, but he knew she was right. Even now that his routine had changed, he still often didn’t wake until the sun was well into the sky. “But I’d have to find something to do the rest of the day. Hmm…”

Aegon stared at the ceiling, imagining what he could do if he was free of his obligations, if he would finally be able to do what he wanted. “I could learn to paint? Yes, I think I’d like that – to be able to create something beautiful. All by myself.”

She smiled down at him, curling a lock of his hair around her finger. The smile was genuine, he could tell, but laced with sadness. “That sounds like a wonderful life.”

“Of course, I would only go if you went with me.” He had not meant to say it. He didn’t want to scare her, not after spending so long rebuilding what he had broken with his first words to her. And yet, it was true. If he was imagining a perfect life, it would be incomplete without her there beside him.

“Aegon, I…” her smile had faded, leaving her looking down at him with wide, sad eyes.

“I would be too scared to be alone,” he said, raising himself from her lap so he could look her in the eyes. The temptation to reach out and take her hand was immense, but he resisted – he had already fucked this up enough today. “I’d need someone to talk to. Helaena and the children… I love them, but I can’t talk to them. Not in the way I do with you.”

She was silent for a long while – far longer than Aegon was really comfortable with. Then, she finally said the best thing he’d ever heard.

“I think I would like that, too.”

SWANN POV: After she tells him that her father would take her home soon, Aegon admits to LS that he loves her, and wishes that he’d met her before he’d been forced to marry Helaena because he loves her. Aegon comes up with an idea to keep her in King’s Landing

Lady Swann sighed in contentment as she laid upon the couch with Aegon in comfortable silence. She had not wanted to let their conversation end – not today. So, they sent for their evening meal to be delivered to her solar and continued to talk.

By now, Aegon’s eyes were closed as he rested his head in her lap while she absentmindedly traced the patterns of embroidery on his tunic, considering how impossible she once would have found the arrangement when she first came to the Red Keep. He had been so cruel to her those first weeks. She had been afraid of him. And now, she could not imagine life without him.

Did it make her weak, that she could forgive what he had done to her, and what he had tried to do? Perhaps she should have shouted his wrongdoings from the top of the highest tower, but she didn’t. And she could not bring herself to regret it.

“Hontītsos?”

She let out a pleased hum at the sound of the nickname, especially when his voice was so deep and gravelly from exhaustion. “Yes, my prince?”

Aegon opened his eyes, the peace fading from his face as he looked into her eyes. He looked unsure, almost afraid. It was a look she had not seen since he first came to her asking for her friendship and aid. She hoped it would vanish soon. She did not want to end this night sadly.

“Am I a good man?”

Her hand immediately stopped in its path as she considered the question.

“You have a good heart, Aegon,” she said, resuming her gentle caresses.

Aegon frowned. “That is not the same thing.”

“No, it is not.” She placed one hand over his heart, feeling it falter and race, and the other on his cheek to ensure his gaze remained on her. “You have done terrible, wicked things. Things that a good man would not do.”

He nodded, all too aware of his past evils. She watched his eyes glaze as he remembered his past misdeeds and knew how sharply his regrets pained him. His chin wobbled as he looked back up at her, tears slipping out of his eyes. “Will I always be wicked?”

“No,” she assured, wiping away his tears. “But when you act on what your good heart tells you to do, when you atone for the wickedness of your past, I believe you will become a good man.”

He smiled as his tears fell, leaving shining pathways on his face. She could not resist tracing them with her little finger.

“I think I am in love with you, hontītsos.”

Her heart skipped a beat, then another, before it began to beat again.

“You only ‘think?’ you’re in love with me?” She tried to keep her voice light and bordering on humor, but she did not think she succeeded.

“Well… I have never felt love before, so I don’t know what it’s like.” Aegon said, like he was talking about the simplest thing in the world. “But I think what I feel when I see you, or hear your voice, or feel your touch… I think that might be love.”

Perhaps she had fallen asleep on the couch, and this was some wild dream. “I would describe to you what love feels like, but I am afraid I don’t know myself. I have only ever read of how love feels.”

“Then tell me what you have read, please. I need to know.”

She did not look at him as she recalled what she’d read in her favorite storybook. “When you love someone, you feel it in your heart. It feels like it can only truly beat when you are with the person you love, and when you are apart, it aches for them.”

At last, she looked back at Aegon. “Is that what you feel?”

There was no hint of hesitation or doubt on his face when he smiled. “Yes. That is exactly what I feel.”

Again, her heart stopped. But her mind raced. This was real. Aegon had just declared his love for her. The man who had tried to take her virginity unwilling and publicly called her a whore, now he loved her.

Why did that fact make her so happy?

In the past months, he had become so much more than that man who had so easily made her miserable. He had practically become a new man. That man, she liked very, very much. It had been so easy to define love while she was looking at him. Was that because…?

“I feel that way, too.” Her words were soft and unconfident, but Aegon beamed at her, nevertheless. “But I –”

“No!” he raised a hand to cup her cheek. “No buts. Buts mean something is wrong, and how can anything be wrong right now?”

“My father is taking me back to Stonehelm in ten days.”

SWANN POV: Aegon tells Lady Swann that Aemond has agreed to their proposal. Overjoyed, she kisses him, and they make love for the first time.

“I need you to propose to Lady Swann,” Aegon told Aemond as he prepared for his morning training with Criston Cole.

Aemond stared back at him with a face like stone. How could he be so damn menacing with only one eye?

“And why do you need that?” Aemond turned his back on his brother as he spoke, carefully selecting a weapon from a table full of dozens of knives, daggers, swords, axes, and a few weapons Aegon could not name.

It may not have been the best idea to ask for this favor when there were so many weapons around.

Aegon sighed, “Because her father will take her home if she does not find a marriage within the next nine days.”

Aemond faced him again, staring at him as he ran his nail along the edge of his sword. “And why does that matter to you, brother?”

Bastard. Aemond had grown from an annoying twat to a despicable bastard – though he would never say that out loud. “She…” he sputtered. “She has become a close friend. She does not want to leave the capital, so I am trying to do her a favor.”

“So, I must marry her, rather than any other man within the city?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Can you stop asking me so many questions?”

“I will if you answer me.”

“Fuck you,” Aegon grumbled. Though Aemond didn’t react, it was clear he’d heard it. “It’s because… it would be a beneficial arrangement for both of you.”

Aemond cocked his head. “How would it be beneficial for me?”

“You said you would stop asking questions.”

“Your answer prompted more.”

“I hate you so much,” Aegon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He was already sweating in the morning heat, yet Aemond looked perfectly comfortable and dry. “It would benefit you because it would stop mother and Otto from hounding you to find a bride. And you wouldn’t be expected to perform the normal duties of a husband.”

At that, Aemond raised a suspicious brow. “What duties are you referring to?”

With a smirk, Aegon whispered, “Your duties in the bedchamber.”

His eye widening, Aemond glanced around the training yard and lowered his voice to not be heard. “We would still be expected to produce an heir.”

“Ah, but there is another way to seed her with Valyrian stock, dear brother,” Aegon said with a triumphant waggle of his brows.

Aemond said nothing for a moment, then gave the barest hint of a smile. “I had my suspicions. Thank you for confirming them.”

“So, you’ll do it?”

“I will.” Aemond sheathed his sword and began walking away. “Would you convey the proposal to her, I think she would enjoy it more coming from you.”

Lady Swann had been sitting on the same spot on the couch for so long that the cushion below her had sunk several inches. She simply could not move. Now when, at any moment, Aegon could walk through the door and change her life forever.

The sun had reached its peak when he finally appeared, a broad smile across his face.

“Aemond agreed?”

“He did.”

She did not know what possessed her, but she threw herself off the couch and into his arms, crashing her lips against his. The kiss was sloppy and unskilled, but full of hunger and passion. She figured that Aegon wasn’t put off by her lack of experience by the way he growled into her mouth.

He forced her to pull away to catch her breath, which was a good thing, as she would have gladly kissed him until she suffocated. With a smile, he brushed her hair away from her face and pressed his forehead to his.

“Why Lady Swann,” he teased. “How improper you are. Shouldn’t you wait to give me your virtue until after you’ve married my brother?”

She did not wait, much to Aegon’s delight. She gladly allowed him to show her everything he’d ever learned about pleasing a woman. To his surprise, he even discovered some new tricks in his time with her.

They spent every night together, making love until they fell asleep in each other’s arms. Aegon introduced her to his children and Helaena, who were all immediately taken with her. As if there was any other possibility. And eventually, he became proficient in pretending that he was not about to stab Aemond when he saw him standing next to her, holding her hand as was proper for a betrothed pair. Eventually.

Aegon was happier than he had ever been. It was wonderful.

And it all fell to shit so fast.

The sniveling bastard who had taken Aemond’s eye was officially declared the true heir of Driftmark. After, the king commanded a family dinner, which had gone about as well as Aegon expected – though he did not think it would be Aemond who struck the final blow.

Then, the king did the kindest thing he’d ever done for his younger children, and promptly died. The relief was short-lived, however. Otto and his mother sent guards to pull him out of Lady Swann’s arm and truss him up for his coronation, which had somehow been even worse than the dinner.

Lady Swann had been inconsolable that night, distraught that Rhaenys and her dragon had come so close to killing him. Aegon promised the next day would be better, but it was not. Otto smashed her betrothal to Aemond so he could make a more advantageous match in preparation for the war Aegon actually prayed would not occur.

Aemond struck the final blow there, too. Killing little Luke Velaryon in the dark skies above Storm’s End. At least the betrothal with one of Lord Baratheon’s daughters remained secure.

But that slight would not go unpunished. Mere weeks later, assassins had entered the keep, and slew Jaehaerys, Aegon’s heir. Right in front of his mother and siblings. It was truly a war then.

No one could know what would happen, and no one was safe.

Aegon had already endured the loss of one of the people he loved the most, he could not endure it again. So, his remaining children, Jaehaera and Maelor, were sent away for their safety.

As was Lady Swann.

She had fought him fiercely. But their relationship was still not publicly known, and if the news somehow came out, she would no doubt be Daemon and Rhaenyra’s first target. It was for that same reason that Aegon forbade her from contacting him. He would send messages when he could – he had worked out an extensive, illogical route with Grand Maester Orwyle that would make them impossible to track. Even then, the messages would be few.

Eventually, she agreed to go. Only after Aegon had broken down in tears in front of her, begging her in a way entirely unbecoming of a king. But she had to be safe.

So, six days after the loss of his son, Aegon stood in his rooms – his old room, now – and looked down at the courtyard and his beloved got in her wheelhouse and went far away.

My love,

It had been less than a moons turn, and already, I miss you desperately. I hope you have settled back into Stonehelm well, and that you are safe and comfortable. Though I am glad you are safe, I still find myself aching for your voice, your smile, your touch. Getting them back is my greatest motivation to win this war.

As much as I do miss you, I told you that I would only contact you when it was necessary, and I will hold to that. In ten days, Aemond and I will be flying to Rook’s Rest to join the siege. It is our hope that this will draw Rhaenyra or Daemon, or perhaps both, to come to their ally’s rescue. If all goes well, which I am confident it will, we will cripple the Blacks so thoroughly that the war will be all but won.

Pray for me, darling. Though I am confident, this is my first battle, and I admit that I do feel somewhat nervous. But only slightly! You know your love is a brave, strong man, and I do not want you to think otherwise.

With luck, I will see you soon, my hontītsos,

Aegon

Everything hurt.

Aegon was burning – one moment with fire, the next with ice, as if he was torn between two hells.

It was hard to tell what hurt the most. Was it the ringing in his ears, echoing unending through his head? Was it the way his every breath seemed to shatter his bones anew? Or was it the impossibly heavy weight upon his left arm that felt like it was made purely from the God’s wrath?

He did not have time to decide before the world faded to black. It was almost a relief – but not one long lived.

His pain had not lessened in however long he’d been in a dreamless sleep. In fact, it seemed worse.

No longer was he frozen with the pain; his eyes screwed shut of their own accord. When he awoke, the bright light of whatever hell the gods had condemned him to shone bright as the fires of the sun itself.

There were others in this hell, whispering around him, but he could only make out their shapes against the brightness. We’re they his fellow damned, or his tormentors?

That question was answered when a searing pain ripped through his arm, worsening the agony it was already providing him.

Aegon screamed. A sound to wake both demons and angels.

They were cutting through him, slicing his flesh away bit by bit. When they had fully disassembled him, would they put him back together only to start again?

Oh gods, he was not in the hells.

His eyes finally adjusted to the brightness, and he wished he was in the hells. But no, that was Grand Maester Orwyle standing above him, a small, sharp knife in his hand. There was some Maester in training beside him, looking nearly ill as he held up a great bowl.

Aemond. Aemond was there, standing in the corner next to their grandsire and Larys Strong. They all stared at him in both fear and disgust. Aegon could swear he even saw a tear run down Aemond’s cheek.

Worst of all, his mother was there, kneeling by his bedside, his right hand clasped in hers as she wept and prayed.

Each slice of Orwyle’s knife brought a new agony, sending images racing through his mind with every pounding heartbeat.

The walls of Rook’s Rest rising on the horizon. A great army was below him. The shape forming in the distance, growing closer with each beat of its wing.

For a moment, he caught a glimpse of read scales. Caraxes? Had Daemon come? Was it he who had done this to Aegon?

No, not Caraxes. Meleys. Princess Rhaenys had done this to him. He remembered now. The sickening sound of claws ripping through scales. Sunfyre’s horrible howls of pain. Fire. Blood. Death.

What happened to Rhaenys? Had they killed her, or had she escaped? Aegon vaguely saw the massive form of Vhagar racing towards him. Perhaps after he and Sunfyre had fallen, Aemond had finished her off.

Gods, Sunfyre. Where was he? Was he as hurt as Aegon was? Who was tending to his wounds?

His throat burned as he struggled to force breath and words out, but eventually, he succeeded.

“Sunfyre… alive?”

It was Aemond who finally responded. “Yes, he is alive. He is fine, brother. Do not worry for him.”

Funny, Aegon thought, how his genius brother could somehow be such a terrible liar. It was a wonder how anyone believed his engagement to Lady Swann to be genuine.

Lady Swann.

Was she here? Did she know what happened to him? Was she on her way to King’s Landing to be by her side? Was she safe?

“Hontītsos…?”

Again, Aemond answered, his voice hesitant and words vague. “She is safe, should I send for her?”

“No!” The shout sent throbbing pain echoing through him like the ringing of a bell. “She can’t see! She can’t see!”

He did not know what he looked like, but he knew it couldn’t be pleasant. She could not see him like this, broken and pitiful. Not until he was strong once again.

His mother was asking rapid questions. Who was ‘hontītsos?’ Why did her sons worry for her safety? Why couldn’t she see him?

Instinctively, Aegon turned away from her, seeking to escape the questions which he could not answer.

It was a mistake.

He finally saw what Orwyle was doing to cause him such pain.

The skin of his left arm had gone silver, the metal shining beneath the blood and soot stains. No, not silver, steel.

His fucking armor has melted into his skin.

Now, Orwyle was carving it off, bit by bit, as though he was selecting the finest cuts of meat from a roast.

Aegon screamed anew, and he did not stop until darkness again swept him into a merciful dreamless sleep.

My Dearest Lady Swann,

My brother asked me not to write to you, but I could not reconcile myself with keeping you ignorant of this. I know it may cause you pain, and for that, I apologize. But you deserve this knowledge.

I am sure that, by now, you have received news of the battle at Rook’s Rest, or if not, that it will arrive soon. The battle was a great victory, as we were able to end the threat of at least one of my half-sister’s dragonriders. It is a shame, however, to lose a dragon as magnificent as Meleys.

Apologies, that is not the purpose of this message.

In the battle, Aegon was gravely wounded. I will spare you the details, as I have no desire to cause you further distress. However, I will tell that the Maesters say it is quite likely he will live, though they fear complete recovery impossible.

For now, he is confined to his bed and given a substantial amount of milk of the poppy to keep the worst of his pains away. But he is not well, and likely will not be for some time. It is for this reason that the Small Council has bestowed upon me the title of Prince Regent and Protector of the Realm, so that Aegon may focus on his recovery rather than the fight for his throne.

I will continue to urge him to write to you, but I cannot guarantee my success. When I spoke with him of you, he was quite adamant that you could not know the severity of his injuries. I tried to counsel him otherwise, but he stood firm. I believe he fears how you would react if you saw him in his current state. He would not want to frighten you or face your revulsion – which I have told him is not something you could ever feel for him.

If I cannot convince him to write to you, I will take up the duty myself. I know how dearly you care for each other, and I would be remiss if your only remaining connection was severed. As with Aegon’s messages, mine will likely be infrequent and brief. But they will come, my lady, I assure you of that.

I hope you remain well. I will pray for you and Aegon both.

With best wishes,

Prince Regent Aemond Targaryen, Protector of the Realm

Lady Swann ran to Stonehelm’s Sept, the letter still in hand as she fell to the marble floors. There she stayed until the sun had set and then threatened to rise again, praying and weeping. She was sure that if Aegon died, she would die too.

Aemond sent her no good news. There were small victories, yes. But they were far outweighed by tragedy.

Helaena was still not recovering from her grief.

Nor was Sunfyre recovering from his injuries.

Maelor was dead.

Jaehaera missing.

Cole had been killed.

King’s Landing was taken, Aegon’s whereabouts a secret.

That was the last letter she received from her former betrothed. It was not until weeks later that she learned why: Aemond had been killed at the God’s Eye, and he took Daemon with him into the lake’s cold depths, along with both their dragons.

She was truly alone now, and she did not even know where Aegon was, or if he was still alive.

Her routine became nothing more than spending each day praying in the Sept. She ate only at dawn and then again whenever she finally returned to her rooms – sometimes at dusk, sometimes while the moon was still high in the sky.

It was a shell of a life, but it suited her. She was, herself, a shell of a woman.

Until finally the news came – in a letter written in a familiar hand.

Aegon was alive, and on his way back to King’s Landing from Dragonstone, where he had been since fleeing the castle. He had captured Rhaenyra, and with Sunfyre as his weapon, finally ended the war.

He was coming home, and he asked that she join him as soon as she was able.

…Though we are victorious, I do not find myself feeling so. But it is my hope, that once you are back in my arms, all will truly be righted…

She was in a wheelhouse by the next morning.

The landscapes of the Stormlands and Crownlands passed through the windows of Lady Swann’s wheelhouse in a blur. Though the journey to the capital took just over two weeks, it seemed to her that it passed in mere moments – though some days it felt like an eternity.

King’s Landing itself was little more than a mass of pale stone and red tile, the Red Keep only a mountain of rusty brick.

There was only one thing that mattered to her, one word that repeated in her head like the ringing of bells – Aegon, Aegon, Aegon.

The queen, or the former queen, greeted her in the bailey, or at least she thought she did. Others may have been there as well. But she’s paid no attention to them. She burst through the great doors as quickly as she could.

She ran through the labyrinthine halls of the keep with little care of who saw her or who was in her way. Thankfully, most leapt out of her way the moment they saw her. Only one person, a young servant girl she recognized, even spoke to her. She was grateful for the girl, for she had shouted that Aegon was now in the King’s chambers – he had not yet been moved when she left.

So, she found herself at the carved wooden doors of the the King’s chambers. Doors she had never passed through before. Doors which were the only barrier between her and her love.

Only a moment’s hesitation passed until she swung those mighty doors open.

Aegon.

Someone must have told him she had arrived, for he was waiting for her by the eastern window, framed in gold by the setting sun. He was seated in a large chair with two wheels upon its sides, his legs covered with a heavily embroidered blanket. His eyes still shone as brightly as she remembered, their corners wrinkled slightly as he smiled.

But that smile wavered, and his eyes filled with tears. For a moment, he reached out to her.

“They’re all gone,” he wept. His voice was rasping, and weaker than it had been. But the agony in his words was clear as glass.

She ran to him, kneeling at his feet and took both his hands – one precisely as it had been when she left, one now gnarled and scarred – and placed them on her cheeks. To let him feel her warmth, her tears, her life, which he himself had ensured.

“I’m still here, my love,” she whispered. “I’m still here, and I will never leave you again.”

Aegon gripped her tighter as he lowered his head, placing a gentle kiss to her temple before resting his brow against hers. “You’re here. You’re alive… thank the fucking gods.”

She laughed for a moment, until tears overtook her as well, and she simply held him and wept with him.

It was long enough for the sun to complete its descent before Aegon finally broke their embrace. He pulled away, his hands still cradling her face, and smiled sadly. “I am so sorry you must see me like this, hontītsos. You deserve more than a broken man.”

Her brow furrowed in anger. How dare he think such cruelty about himself?

“You are anything but broken,” she insisted, holding his wounded hand in her own. “You bear scars, yes, but you have not been broken. You have survived what would have killed other men three times over, what would have driven them mad. I do not see a broken man before me, I see a man stronger than anything. A man I love with all I am.”

Aegon gave her a watery smile, obviously struggling to hold back more tears. His mouth twitched like he wanted to speak, but it took him long minutes to finally do so. “I only survived it all because I knew I must live to see you, at least one last time.”

“I am here now, and you will see me every day for the rest of our lives. I promise.” She would ensure it, even if she had to move mountains to make it true. They would never lose each other again.

She placed her hands over his and lowered them to cup her neck – exactly as he’d liked it when he kissed her. Then, she put one hand on his hip, and the other on his scarred cheek. “Does this hurt?”

He let out a breath laugh and shook his head. “No. I fact, the feeling is distant, as if it’s hardly there.”

“So, will you feel it if I kiss you?”

“I think there is only one way to find out, hontītsos.”

She dove for his lips without hesitation, kissing him with all the pent-up love or more than a year gone by since she’d last had this opportunity. His lips felt exactly the same – thank the gods – though there were moments when her nose would brush against the raised skin of his scars and remind her of what had happened to him. But those memories only made her kiss him harder, deeper. She never wanted to stop.

It was Aegon who pulled away. Only slightly, so there was just enough space between them for him to speak. “Marry me, my lady Swann.”

Her mouth fell open in surprise. She never thought she would ever hear those words for him. It had always been impossible. But now…

“You need a new queen,” she whispered in realization.

Aegon nodded solemnly. “And new heirs.”

“Jaehaera isn’t your heir?”

He laughed, though there was no joy in his eyes. Only grief. “After all that’s happened, I would have to be incredibly stupid to try naming a girl as my heir.”

She supposed it was true. Though there were few Targaryens left to contest the choice if he made it. Still, he wanted to marry her.

There were no more false betrothals, no more sneaking around the castle, no more lying to everyone about how they truly felt about each other. At last, they would be able to publicly declare their love for each other, to sleep in the same bed without fear of someone finding them, to be able to finally do everything they wanted to do, together.

It was far beyond the paltry dreams they’d allowed themselves. It was perfect.

“Of course I will marry you, Aegon. Nothing would make me happier.”

He kissed her again, and they did not stop until the morning.

Only a few days later, Aegon sat alone in the same wheelhouse that had once taken him to his coronation – what he’d thought to be his final damning. Perhaps it had been, but it was hard to feel like a damned man that day.

For it was the day he was to make Lady Swann his lady wife.

The morning of his wedding to Helaena, he’d gotten so drunk that Aemond had to keep him standing through the ceremony. If only he could still have them with him, to laugh about the memory.

He would not get drunk today. He wanted to remember every detail of this glorious day – the day that would forever seal his victory in this horrid conflict.

Though, perhaps he would take one or two sips of the wine bottle someone had put in the wheelhouse, just to calm his nerves. He truly feared that she would look so beautiful that he would forget his vows, or burst into tears, or even just faint at the sight of her.

So, he took one sip, then another, then stopped himself. He did not want to over-imbibe when he had not done so for so long. It would not do to appear out of sorts at his wedding. This would be a happy day.

The wheelhouse was halfway up the serpentine steps when he felt the first pains.

At first, it was easy to dismiss it as the result of nerves, or the winding ride, or even the burn of the wine in his throat.

But then it got worse. So, so much worse.

It started in his stomach, then spread to his chest. From there, it radiated through all his limbs and climbed up his throat with teeth and claws and rage.

He was burning again. But there was no fire. He was burning from the inside.

By the time he realized it was poison, he no longer had the strength to call for help.

He fell back in his seat, the goblet tumbling to the ground and spilling the tainted wine over the floorboards. Already, his breath was becoming shallow, his vision blurring, and his body numbing.

But he did not think of who had done this to him, or why. What did it matter? It was done.

One last word escaped his lips, one last thought echoed in his fading mind.

Aegon whispered her name as he realized he would not get to see her in her wedding gown.

Then he died.

Lady Swann knelt on the stones of the middle bailey, her white gown stained with tears and dirt and blood. Everything was perfect, and then it wasn’t.

The screaming of the footman had drawn them from within the Sept. Every person who saw what lay within the wheelhouse also began screaming. Except for her.

She just knelt there, unable to even climb into the wheelhouse to sit beside him – his body.

His skin had gone gray, a fowl, unnatural color. Veins were visible beneath his skin, a darker shade of grey. As if his very blood had turned to stone. There was no color on him at all, save for the lovely violet of his eyes, and the horrible stain of red spilling from his mouth.

Someone was saying her name. Whispering it. Crying it. Screaming it. But it was distant – as if it were being said across the narrow sea. And the sound of her name, the once familiar letters and syllables, now seemed foreign. Like it no longer truly meant anything. Like it no longer belonged to her.

She had been called so many things. The White Swan. Prince Aemond’s betrothed, then that poor spurned girl. The future queen. Hontītsos.

What would they call her now?

It didn’t matter. She knew who she was.

She was the girl who loved Aegon Targaryen.

But Aegon was dead.

#aegon ii targaryen #aegon targaryen x reader #aegon x reader #aegon x oc #aegon ii fic #aegon ii x reader #aegon ii x oc #aegon ii fanfic #aegon ii #hotd #hotd fanfic #hotd big bang #house of the dragon big bang #denouement

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yellowocaballero · 10 months

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One of the many things that I've been doing instead of writing are these damn manwha binges and Villain To Kill is literally so funny. The comic premise is straightforward action, think Tokyo Ghoul meets Solo Leveling - local Genetically Superpowered Superhero Cop working for corrupt Hero Organization gets #betrayed and #murdered and is reincarnated into the body of a Genetically Superpowered Villain Teenager so now he has to join up with all the other villain superpower people to get justice.

It's so 5/10. Cassian is extremely OP and the story isn't well-written enough to pull that off well. The worldbuilding is so incredibly nonsensical and weak that it falls apart if you think about it for more than five minutes (tried to write fic for it and failed because I would have had to rework the entire world - which, I could have, but that's a lot of effort for Villain to Kill). The plot is mostly any OP action hero plot where guy gets increasingly powerful by fighting increasingly powerful guys. Cassian himself has almost nothing going on internally, to the point of elegance. And it is somehow the gayest manwha I've ever read.

It's the fucking character designs. And like its narrative but it's the fucking 100/10 character designs. The entire cast's design and characters slam. There's not that much depth but we don't care. You know if we don't like somebody if they look vaguely straight, and you know that we like somebody if they look like they were set to tumble dry in the queerness washing machine. The (great!) women are high femme or hard butch. The corrupt institution assassinated a man Cassian loved and framed & murdered him, at which point he was adopted by a rag-tag bunch of flamboyant homosexuals deemed unacceptable and undesired by society who all teamed up and decided to villainize society in exclusively funny ways and spend most of their time gossiping or hacking the Pentagon. An AFAB character dresses as a man and goes by he/him pronouns half the time for no good reason. Cassian is physiologically incapable of thinking about anything but violence so the heartwarming found family scenario's going over his head, but his Painfully Het Hero Foil Indoctrinated Into Homophobia caught the found family ball and now he's dancing in their gay bars and dressing in drag. There's only a few characters who are explicitly gay but this is gayer than that.

I talked a while back about how important a decent supporting cast is to a good story, and this is yet again good proof. Looking at this, I think I'd go further and say - it's an action manwha, we're reading it for a reason, we don't need character-driven story arcs or really complex characters. I think it's just charisma. A story can go really far on characters with charisma.

TV Shows that are carried on the lead actor (Columbo I love you) - it's because the actor has charisma. You watch it to see the actor hang out being himself. That's way way harder to do in fiction, but I think that "a complex character" isn't necessarily a "charismatic character". I'd rather have a cast of only charismatic characters rather than only complex ones. A story of any genre needs a strong cast of charismatic characters. They can be deep or they can just be chaotic lesbians. Charisma invests the reader in the story and the characters. It's simple but it's really powerful. And it is fucking hilarious how sometimes all you need to do on that front is "Rupaul this shit".

I can't genuinely recommend Villain to Kill and this is not a recommendation. But random stuff always interests me like this, and I really had no idea that I would read 120ch of a manwha bc the designs fuck so hard. Also, like, this is queerest manwha I've ever read. Somehow. Fucking somehow.

#I have never given a shit about a supporting cast manwha character but #Driver I love you every time you're on panel im like ':D DRIVER!'#i'll tag it #villain to kill #for visibility but this rly isn't intended as a criticism #It feels like we're finally getting canon homosexuality but in a lot of media canon gays have the queerness drained out of them #what's gayer? gay sex? or being ostracized by society for being cooler and sexier and more interesting than they are?#even the Hero Cops we like are kinda fruity just in a neoliberal way #my asks #my posts

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chasthewriter · 9 months

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Smg3 x an s/o whos just as silly as Mario

Like dumb dumb silly goof ball type

Causing chaos everywhere they go, even when they are oblivious that they caused the chaos

Hope you have fun writing this! 💗

Ooooh, ive been waiting for something like this..ehehehehehe

Smg3 x a very chaotic and stupid s/o

He doesn’t really remember how it happened, how he fell for you..

Maybe it was the blaring sound of car alarms, maybe is was the way you casually rolled from your burning car which you and beautifully parked in the dead center of a tree. But either way, after the initial shock, he was smitten

Now, he does have experience (i mean the guy IS friends with Mario), so he deals with this stuff on a day to day basis. Though…he ISNT used to it following him home when its late. Like- sure- maybe Mario will bother him in the dead of night, but that’s relatively rare nowadays (Smg4 thank you for keeping that dumbass at bay)

But really- Like- okay- he’ll be streaming, Eggdog happily sleeping next to his feet. And he’ll hear a crash from the cafe area upstairs, and he’ll be like “oh goddammit, what could it be.” So he goes upstairs..

AND HE JUST- FINDS YOU, AND FUCKING EVERYTHING IS JUST ON FIRE.

Confusion.avi

Honestly when your out an about he starts putting a “hazardous.” Sign on you, like a makeshift necklace. He GENUINELY feels like its needed.

At one point, he turned his back and when he looked back, you had somehow gambled all of Marios organs on the dark web….by accident???

You confuse and scare him, but at the same time, he just- finds you super attractive for the very same reasons you scare him.

Just means you’ll help better in his totally evil plans!!

Though all the consequences you bring by breathing makes it just a little bit harder to have nice dates…

He’ll deal with it for you… <3

Yet again, a bit shorter but whatever!! Still getting into the writing swing, ive been sick lately!! Hope you liked it anyway :3

#new writers on tumblr #smg4 #x reader #super mario #smg4 fanfic #smg4 smg3 #smg4 x reader

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bilyashvili · 5 months

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TAKE A CHANCE(Part 2)

Pairing: Phoebe Spengler/Spider-Woman!reader

Word count: 1.5k

Summary: After the events in Summerville, Phoebe, and others moved to New York, where they continued to catch ghosts and stuff, but in addition, a superhero appeared in the city and Phoebe got to meet her in person...

Y/N hastily picked up her backpack, then shot one of her webs into the nearest building. Not forgetting to take one last glance at Phoebe she pulled the web and swiftly swayed away, disappearing behind the skyscrapers.

After finally landing around the corner, she turned invisible and slowly sneaked up closer, assessing the situation. Robbery of a medium-sized grocery store, she watched 5 armed men slowly walking out of the store with cash and some stuff. Robberies weren't uncommon in New York, but then she noticed their clothes. Tracksuit mafia. The largest organized criminal group in the whole city. No matter how many got caught, there still was so many of them, but what's more, they often somehow managed to escape from jail. “Dumb, but tough” she noted to herself, before knocking the firearms out of the two of them. As expected, they started to look around chaotically and swearing, while looking for her. Seconds and with two precised hooks one of them lies unconscious. She sighed, as she became visible again and focused on her sixth sense, dodging a flurry of punches now.

Ten minutes passed and the remaining two dropped everything and just ran to their big van. “Retreating to base!” One of them shouted. Y/N perked up. Base...? No way she'd let them go and follow later, so she decided to catch them and beat its location out of the last conscious guy, which was pretty easy. After a while, he began to move around, trying to free himself from the web, as she noticed a small notebook falling out of his pocket. “Interesting...” she whispered, picking it up, then skimmed through the pages, before throwing it in her backpack for more detailed study later at home. Then, she nodded to herself and looked around, thinking where exactly this base was and knocking out the last guy as well, before leaving the scene for police.

///

After a while, her patrol was over. She landed in one of her trusted spots, well hidden from prying eyes, not so far from her home and got changed there. After examining herself for any wounds, as she didn't find any big or visible, Y/N peacefully made her way to her front door and walked in. Her parents were already back from work, so she greeted them and went straight to her room, locking it. She pulled out the contents of her backpack on the writing table and firstly checked the suit for any damage, then reloaded web shooters and put everything in her stash. Then some routine: have a dinner, clean the house, do the dishes.

While humming the song she was currently listening to Y/N thought about today and surely that base wasn't the only thing running through her mind. Y/N knew she had seen Phoebe before, but couldn't remember where, just until checking today's news. “No way...” She paused TV and took a closer look. Her eyes were sparkling now, as she was totally sure it's the same Phoebe.

///

The next morning didn't start good for Phoebe, she was forced to stay at home, while others went on a call again. She was home alone now and there was still plenty of time before their meeting in the park, so Phoebe decided to read a book and then visit Podcast and Dr. Ray at Ray's Occult Books.

///

She'd just hang out for a few hours, before going home. Time passed quickly and Phoebe thought she should probably head to the park now to don't be late. She didn't really know why, but in addition to her excitement, a hint of nervousness was following her. While walking to the same spot, she simultaneously thought about what they could talk about and how to answer possible questions.

The park was empty, as Phoebe's been sitting there alone for a while, she started to overthink why Y/N wasn't here yet. Maybe, she got ambushed and was hurt or even... dead, or simply Y/N just found her boring and didn't want to meet her ever again. These thoughts were bothering her, right until she spotted the silhouette fastly swinging towards her. Phoebe straightened her back and a small smile grew on her face. Y/N landed nearby and greeted Phoebe with hello. “Hope, I'm not too late” she sat on a free seat across from Phoebe. “There's really a lot of muggers today.” She babbled then. Phoebe waved a bit and looked at Y/N. “Hi! It's okay, so... Should we get started?” Y/N would just nod, as Phoebe moved one of her pawns. They were just chatting about everything, then Y/N brought up something she really wanted to ask her. “Y'know, I actually saw you on the news yesterday... You're a Ghostbuster, aren't you?” Phoebe looked up from the board and could feel Y/N's curious look through her mask. “Well, yes, I am.” she shrugged, remembering her situation now. “This is really cool!” Y/N exclaimed excitedly, leaning a little closer. “We're colleagues, you know? Well, sort of” Phoebe chuckled, but still kept looking at the board. “Yeah... But I'm not so sure about it now” her voice was still, however the mind was flooded. “Hm, why?” Y/N looked right at Phoebe, waiting for her to continue. Phoebe frozed a bit. The inexplicable urge to tell Y/N what happened, how much unfair it was and that her family didn't seem to care was somewhat overflowing, so she just let it happen.

///

Phoebe told everything, as she sighed and looked up at Y/N. There was some silence, until Y/N processed everything and then groaned with frustration “This is so dumb.” Y/N looked away and when she met Phoebe's awaiting glance, startled a bit. “I- I mean, well, Peck hates me as well. When I got bitten, I was 14 myself and what do you think he did?” she made a pause. “He made the police to issue a damn warrant for my arrest for a whole 2 months!” Phoebe chuckled at Y/N's gestures. “And what'd you do then?” She was genuinely happy at the thought, she might've found someone, who could really understand, moreover kind of relate to her. ”Well, I just took a chance every time I could and when the city needed me the most, I neutralised the Rhino guy” she remembered that day, like one of the toughest, even though she managed to weaken him and capture right before the police's arrival. “Take a chance” Phoebe kept this in mind. “You just gotta prove again and again what you're capable of and eventually Peck won't be able to reproach you. He's a hypocrite, who...” Phoebe chuckled. “Wants to get elected again.” They said at the same time and then giggled.

///

It's been some time and they ended up walking to Phoebe's place, whilst still chatting. Y/N could sense, that Phoebe was genuinely nice person, as they both seemed to have fun together as well, even though there was some awkwardness between them. Y/N thought she could start considering her as a friend. Maybe, she could even reveal her identity to her someday? She probably was getting ahead of herself, but for now, they were just having fun, as Phoebe made a small tour around the fire station and they were in her room now.

They heard several knocks and watched the door slightly opening, letting in some light. “Phoebe, we're back!” Phoebe's mom said, as she was standing in her room now. “Were you talking to someone?” She said, while looking around. “Um, no?” Phoebe glanced at the chair Y/N was sitting moments ago. “I was listening to an audiobook on my phone” She looked at her mom now. “Oh, okay... We were just about to cook the dinner. Are you okay with lasagna?” She was done looking around, as she just looked at Phoebe. “Yeah, it's okay” Phoebe was still mad at her, but hid it well, as she didn't want to argue just now. “Alright then... Bye” She left the room and closed the door behind. Phoebe started to look around and quietly called Y/N once, before finally looking up and seeing Y/N clinging onto the ceiling, as she watched her slowly getting down. “Phew” They both sighed with relief and looked at eachother. There was some awkward silence now. “Um, could you tell me what's the time?” Y/N spoke up first. “Oh, sure” Phoebe took her phone, checking the time. It was almost 7 p.m. Y/N perked up. “Oh, well, I actually have some places to be right now, so...” She pointed at the window, before turning around. “Wait!” Phoebe exclaimed, while standing up. Y/N turned back and looked at her questionly. “What did the Milky Way say to the Andromeda Galaxy?” Phoebe made a pause, as Y/N tilted her head a bit. “Nothing. There's no sound in space” Phoebe stood awkwardly, then she heard Y/N snorting softly under her mask, which made her smile herself. After a while she spoke up. “Heh, I got it. And I'd love to hear more of these sometime” She said, before opening the window and sitting on its frame, facing Phoebe's big grin. “Well, I'll- I'll be prepared” She bit her inner cheek. “Byeee” Y/N saluted and leaned back, disappearing from the sight. Phoebe then walked towards the window and saw her swaying away.

PART 1 PART 2

#phoebe spengler #phoebe spengler x reader #phoebe spengler x spider woman!reader #phoebe spengler x fem!reader #crossover #ghostbusters: frozen empire #ghostbusters

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mako-neexu · 1 year

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from anon of @nasuversekinkmeme: gudako is trapped in a singularity/lostbelt/situation which can only be escaped by relaxing and taking at least one goddamn break

There it was, written in the sky, in words made from a jet’s smoke: “The Singularity can only be solved when the Master of Chaldea relaxes to the fullest.”

“P.S. There’s no tricks here, Senpai. Just do what is written above, teehee~”

Actually, Mash was in on this. She was to be the guide for Senpai as the Servants organized the facilities with them as its host and even went this far to create a singularity. Normally, she’d be opposed to it…

But Senpai has been running herself ragged to the point where it reminded her of Doctor Roman’s exhaustion. It really hurts seeing her push herself even farther after defeating ORT.

Each minute Singularity spawned, each time she’s got silver and golden apples to spare, she threw herself in simulations and battles to earn them mana and replenishable resources while in the destination.

Even King Hassan and Edmond Dantes (who rose from Senpai’s shadow that one time she was eating in the cafeteria late at night. Mash definitely walked in on them like that.) advised her to rest!

Yet, she just smiled it off.

Senpai’s body collapsing in the middle of a fight was the last straw, with the dark circles under her eyes pushing it.

BB had been the one to tell her that the Operation: Just Fucking Sleep was in the works last week, and she even produced a brochure and a manual for her to memorize. Of course, Mash had been skeptical. But even BB, BB was seriously concerned for Senpai’s well-being.

So here they were, in a large resort complete with a theme park, vast fields of different flowers and forests, several restaurants, other buildings, and they somehow managed to fit the Tokyo Dome too. Overall, it both looked chaotic and organized at the same time.

Mash looked at Ritsuka brightly, who was forced to wear new casual attire mystic codes along with her, “So, Senpai, there’s a map and some VIP passes over there. Shall we see what to enjoy first?”

Ritsuka’s response was to yawn and tap on her communicator, “Hold on a sec, Mash.” And she tapped on her communicator, only to see static. “We’re cut off from Chaldea? The magical energy isn’t that dense though? I think it’s just around 40%-ish”

…It seriously was concerning that Senpai can gauge the mana density alone even without the help of their detectors.

“A-Anyways, Senpai,” Mash held her hand and led her to a small table containing their passes and maps. “Yesterday, I heard you wanted to see a boyband from some of the male Servants? We didn’t get the chance to see them much during that time with Miss Crane after all. And look, Senpai! There’s even hot springs located in the north-east!”

Mash was trying her best.

She really, really was trying to make Ritsuka’s attention go to the more interesting ones, the ones she was sure she wanted to see. Like Mandricardo, Kintoki, Fergus and others forming a band, enjoying the beach without ANYTHING going wrong.

There’s an observatory with Erice and Voyager managing it, and there’s another theater dedicated to plays and classical music, with Mozart, Marie, and Salieri managing it (barely, uh, considering their relationship).

The streets and sights were also built close to Senpai’s hometown with a few modifications from Servants that make it both look different yet the same. Heck, there’s even NPCs to help make it an experience where it’s not completely a ghost town with only them to enjoy it.

There’s even lucky spots to roll gacha on (definitely not blessed with Merlin and Lady Avalon’s magic) to which would ease the pain of losing all the crystals Senpai saved in her phone.

But no. Ritsuka’s gaze was fixated on the top left corner of the map, where a bright-pink and evil looking double ‘B’ was pasted on an ordinary looking building.

Senpai waved her hand and hummed, “Let’s do that later, Mash. Let’s see first what BB really wants from us. Last time she did something like this, we were stuck in a time loop.”

Noooo- that would defeat the purpose of the Singularity!

“Oberon is running a hot dog stand, Senpai.” She blurted out, trying to find a way to loosen Ritsuka up.

But she only laughed and took a swig of her energy drink (where did she get that??? Mash swore that was the brand of energy drink more potent than pure acid) “Pfft- shit, let’s bully him with Castoria later, lol. Let’s see him after we determine our next course of action to get the Grail.”

Mash pouted, “But Senpai, BB already said it in the sky to relax-”

And then she started making her way down the hill they were on, Ritsuka turned her back and grinned, “And don’t worry! I’ve got plenty of apples in store just in case we need to farm some currency again. Also, I saw a shop there that sells eight hundred Proof of Hero and a fuckton of Gems!? There’s a bonus three million QP every item too! Gah, I seriously need it for Ordeal Call!”

…And Senpai, who was used to grinding to the point of making sure her things to exchange were at least in the ten-thousands if the shop has just a few of what they need, and then there’s here, where it’s basically paradise…Mash realized something:

They were never gonna get out of here, huh?

#fgo #fate grand order #mash kyrielight #guda #fujimaru ritsuka #mako: disappears into the void

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masterqwertster · 5 months

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For the spell hurt/comfort prompts, might I veer a bit off the given list and request some Dunamancy Shit with Reality Break (or any other fitting Dunamancy spell) for Ashton and any other character(s) you feel like?

(Also, sorry to hear about your D&D group ghosting you and hope you get to play soon!)

God. I hope so too. Because I’m about one more week of this uncommunicative bullshit away from saying “Peace! Good luck finding a way to play without me (the person who’s been organizing this group and hosting sessions at my house despite not being the GM)” Like, I understand life is full of surprises and can get in the way, but if I can’t get a simple “yes, no, maybe” out of these people in a timely manner about whether or not we’re playing (at my house!) any given week, I’m just done at this point. (Sorry about the rant, but this is a frustratingly on-going problem) Anyways, I did invite any spell, so let's go! Looking at this spell, it looks like the “Find Out” half of “Fuck Around” in the depths of Ashton’s half-beacon brain. Or from sending Ashton off the deep end as they draw from their dunamis chaos void of a brain.

Reality Break

(8th Level Conjuration/Chronourgy Dunamancy)

You shatter the barriers between realities and timelines, thrusting a creature within 60 feet into turmoil and madness. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or it can't take reactions until the spell ends (Concentration 1 minute). The affected target must also roll a d10 at the start of each of its turns; the number rolled determines what happens to the target as shown on the Reality Break Effects table.

At the end of each of its turns, the affected target can repeat the Wisdom saving throw, ending the spell on itself on a success

Reality Break Effects:

1-2: Vision of the Far Realm. The target takes 6d12 psychic damage, and it is stunned until the end of the turn

3-5: Rending Rift. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d12 force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save.

6-8: Wormhole. The target is teleported, along with everything it is wearing and carrying, up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see. The target also takes 10d12 force damage and is knocked prone.

9-10: Chill of the Dark Void. The target takes 10d12 cold damage, and it is blinded until the end of the turn.

Ashton can feel it, beneath the furious quaking earth of their being, curled under and around and through their mind: the void that is everything and nothing.

He's used to feeling it spit sparks with a battle rage. A barrage of fireworks firing from his head to bend and twist the world around him. The chaotic, fundamental building blocks of reality swayed by this power that is somehow his. Familiar and directable once it starts.

But this is different.

Deeper, stronger. A clinging net of power welling up to be cast. It's not meant to bend reality in their favor, to help and support. It is the void set to rend and destroy. This is the end of everything.

And it is at Ashton's command.

He casts, letting the void tear its way up the mental connection to rend Liliana, who is trying to fucking punish him for the fact that Bells Hells was caught, that Imogen is in danger and under the eyes of fucking Ludinus himself and the Weave Mind. As if Ashton isn't fucking pissed (scared out of their fucking mind) and looking to get Imogen out along with all of Bells Hells.

Liliana reels back, screeching in pain, ice crystals forming across her eyelids and extremities as Ashton's dunamis destroys the warmth within her body.

A face so like yet unlike their friend's bares teeth in their direction, not quite locking-on to them through the frosty obscurement, and an angry dagger of thought pierces their mind.

It hurts, but what doesn't fucking hurt in Ashton? They just give her an unseen toothy grin in turn, flexing their chaotic magic against her once more, causing the ice crystals to thicken as they destroy more of her vital warmth.

This time, as Liliana uncurls from the pain, electricity unfurls from her body as well to dance across Ashton's enchained form. It's unpleasant as fuck, especially with the way it clings to the gold embedded in their left side, making their muscles convulse.

Though as the ice crackles away from Liliana's eyes, they widen in some sort of shock or horror. Liliana's body locks in tension, arrested by whatever Ashton's chaos magic is showing her (he thinks he can glimpse it, and it's fucking horrifying and mind-breaking). He gives a testing yank to his chains, but they're not giving.

Ashton watches as Liliana's body loosens, only to gather frost once more as his magic surges once again.

"I've had enough of you," she growls, lightning crackling around her hands.

It's strong, this Lightning Bolt, screaming through their body, bouncing along the golden veins. Ashton's vision goes white with the brightness and the pain. They keep their grip on the dunamancy writhing around Liliana as their body judders under the electrical pulses.

They're left panting a hanging from their chains in the aftermath.

"Had enough?" Liliana pants herself, blood dripping down her face from a nosebleed, from skin chapped and split by the cold of the void.

His heavy head lifts to meet her gaze, a manic grin pulling at his lips. "Have you? 'Cause I can keep going."

And they push on the power surrounding her, making it surge once more, vague visions of horror flicking at the back of their mind and obviously at the forefront of hers, stunning her once more.

Another yank on the chains, another failure to get free.

Ashton's powers twist against her, a portal sucking Liliana up from her position at the door to spit her back out within Ashton's reach with enough force to leave her winded on the ground, an arm grotesquely bent out of shape.

"Looking pretty rough there," Ashton taunts, testing their chains and finding enough just enough slack in them.

Liliana growls in response as she struggles to her feet, and psychic force bursts through Ashton's mind, clouding it, but they manage to shake it off with a snarl. And they can see fear gathering in her eyes as she realizes that it didn't blank their mind and break their concentration on the chaotic magic ravaging her.

Ashton grins, bloody and feral as he digs into that well of power and gets his brain sparking. Time stirs, blurring red and blue around him. And Ashton surges forward against his chains, causing them to break, so he can clock Liliana in her stupid fucking face.

It's so fucking satisfying to watch her drop to the ground. Ashton has wanted to punch a parent for so fucking long, and this one time he's gotten to do it, he knocked her right the fuck out.

There's a temptation with that body lying on the ground to end her. Liliana Temult is in way too fucking deep to rely on. She's a danger to him and all of Bells Hells.

...But Imogen would be sad if they did. And she could still be useful as an inside source of information.

So he rolls her unconscious form, happily pocketing some healing potions and magical items, before setting off to find and rescue the rest of his people.

I did roll for this. That's part of the fun! I gave the Liliana a +1 on her Wisdom and 300 health to scale with Otohan's roughly 500 (Fighter d10 to Sorcerer d6) and a spell DC of 20. Original Save: 8+1=Fail. 9 on the Table. 79 cold damage and blinded for the round. 15+1=Fail. Mind Sliver on Ashton Save: 4+1=Fail. 14 psychic damage. Nat 20 on the Concentration check. (Liliana is allowed to use the spell since she was already poking into Ashton's head so she kind of knew where he is/didn't need line-of-sight) 2nd Round: 10 on the Table. 52 cold damage and blinded for the round. 2+1=Fail. Shock Flare (4th Level) on Ashton Save: 12+9-2=Fail. 19 lightning damage and can't take a reaction until the next turn. 14+6-3=Success on Concentration. 3rd Round: 1 on the Table. 31 halved to 15 psychic damage because Aberrant Mind Sorcerers are resistant at Level 6 and stunned for the round. 9+1=Fail. Ashton vs Chains: Looking for a Nat 20, got 7. 4th Round: 10 on the Table. 64 cold damage and blind for the round. 6+1=Fail. Lightning Bolt (7th Level) on Ashton Save: (allowed a regular because he's Restrained but she's Blinded) 17+3=Save. 51 halved to 25 lightning damage. 18=9+Success on Concentration. 5th Round: 1 on the Table. 36 halved to 18 psychic damage and stunned for the round. 2+1=Fail. Ashton vs Chains: 5 6th Round: 8 on the Table. 52 force damage and knocked prone. 7+1=Fail. Synaptic Static on Ashton: Nat 20 on the save. 17 halved to 8 psychic damage. 5+9=Success on Concentration. Raging Punch: Nat 20 to hit. 1+4Str+5Prof+3Rage=13 doubled to 26 bludgeoning.

#MQ&A #spell hurt/comfort prompt #MQfic #ashton greymoore #liliana temult

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nagoyish · 1 month

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In this garage, it’s clear that organization takes a backseat—if there’s even room for a backseat. Yet somehow, everything seems to have its own chaotic charm. 🛠️🚗

このガレージでは、整理整頓は二の次のようです…いや、そもそも座席があるか��うかも怪しい。でも不思議と、全てが自分の居場所を見つけているようなカオスな魅力が漂っています。🔧🚙

#nagoya #streetphotography #ricohgr #ricohgr3 #japan

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asspinkie · 6 months

Text

Tav Character Worksheet

thank you for the tag @hybernating-bear <333

i'm doing my dark urge because she is my favorite! and also because i don't have a tav yet who has a developed enough background to share. i don't have a ton of photos bc i am lazy by nature but this is her:

Name: Finwe (because I am a fringe Tolkien fan and it sounded cool)

Sexuality: Bisexual

Pronouns: She/her

O T H E R

Family: She's a Bhaalspawn so her biological family is Orin the deranged as fuck and Bhaal. Not a great lineup, but she has strong familial companionship with her travelling companions.

Birthplace: Created by Bhaal!

Job: Pregame - murdering the innocent citizens of Baldur's Gate. During game - amnesiac ranger that's gonna save that stupid fucking city if it kills her.

Phobia: spiders. god, why are there so many of them in the underdark.

Guilty Pleasure: Uhm. Thinking about Raphael probably. But also, since leaving the Cult of Bhaal and forging her own identity, she's been trying out a lot of mundane things. Her favorites (which make her feel instinctually guilty because they're not murdery) are 1. saying out of pocket things to the other patrons of the rowdy mermaid to try to get astarion to laugh. he does not. and 2. eating so many baked goods

Hobbies: Doing something hilarious at every opportunity to piss off astarion. She's also trying to learn to play the lute but none of the criticism has been,,, constructive so far.

(sorry if the image quality is terrible! i am not tech smart)

M O R A L S

Alignment: Chaotic good I think? I spent the game picking the funniest (most likely to get her into fights) dialogue options and helping people. Shithead energy for real.

Sins: Death is a necessity and Finwe isn't afraid to be its arbiter if it accomplishes her goals. She takes things too personally and acts impulsively, but is often too stubborn to admit when she's wrong. She can also be on the manipulative side if it serves her purposes.

Virtues: She'll help anyone who asks (if their morals align with hers). She's also fiercely protective of her friends and will go to bat for them if they're threatened in any way.

(^the weed in baldur's gate just hits different apparently) (i just can't take good screenshots)

THIS OR THAT

Introverted / Extroverted

Organized / Disorganized (she spends hours on camp inventory with lae'zel. clipboard and everything)

Close Minded / Open Minded

Calm / Anxious / Restless

Disagreeable / Agreeable / In between

Patient / Impatient / In between

Outspoken / Reserved / In between

Leader / Follower / Flexible (she can and will drag everyone into danger. the only time she steps aside is when its their business - she won't make personal choices for anyone she cares about).

Empathetic / Unempathetic / In between

Optimist / Pessimist / Realist (has a lot of stupid hope that somehow pays off every time?)

Traditional / Modern / In between (this means gender roles i think?? the first person she encountered with amnesia was lae'zel. women are god to her.)

Hardworking / Lazy / In between (often accidentally hard-working because she doesn't ever think long enough to strategize and thus ends up doing everything the hard way)

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

OTP: Astarion, but she's also involved with Halsin.

Other ships: She is a little bit in love with everyone (someone new, Hozier vibes), but if she had to pair with someone else it would be Lae'zel.

Brotp: Her best friend, ride or die, is Lae'zel. they will fuck you up together.

Notp: She's not the best of friends with Gale or Shadowheart. Because she definitely led them both on and is incredibly evasive by nature, so things are a bit awkward now. She also absolutely hates mizora.

thanks again for the tag!! i had a lot of fun with this. i don't really tag, so if you want to do this, feel free!

#asspinkie philosophizes

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elialys · 1 year

Text

P/O - Gravity

Now I know how weak you are.

The drink Olivia pours herself is too generous, but she’s past caring. Heavy glass in hand, she’s about to leave the kitchen when her eyes fall on her discarded phone, on the counter. The screen is cracked, a result of Newton carelessly dropping it to the ground after hanging up on her, earlier today.

The device might actually be more damaged than she initially thought, only now seeing a couple of notifications, a missed call and a text message. Even through the cracks in the screen, she sees that both are from Peter.

Nothing urgent, his text reads, which he’d sent five minutes after the missed call, more than an hour ago. I’ll see you in the morning.

He would indeed see her in the morning, in less than twelve hours at this point—unless new horrors sprang again in the middle of the night, as they often do. Despite his reassurance that the call wasn’t about anything urgent, she’s already grabbed her landline phone, pressing the third number.

As she waits for him to pick up, she carefully sits on her couch with her glass, although she’s yet to take a sip from it. Somehow, drinking whiskey when she’s about to talk to Peter feels a little too on the nose.

“You didn’t have to call back,” he says in way of greeting. “For a moment there, I actually thought you might be sleeping.”

Against all hopes, Olivia feels herself smiling a little. She almost replies something just as cheeky, only to find that she doesn’t have it in her to banter, right now.

“Sorry to disappoint,” is all she manages, not trying to conceal the weariness from her voice. “I’m not even gonna ask why you’re not sleeping.”

Even through the phone, she can hear music playing in the background on his side of the line.

“Yeah, that’s not happening any time soon, if it all, tonight,” he says, just as wearily.

She hears something else, then, some buzzing further in the distance.

“Is Walter…baking?” she deduces from the noise.

“Describing what he’s doing as ‘baking’ would be pushing it. He’s got ingredients, and he’s plugged in most of the appliances we own, but it’s…well. Chaotic is one word for it. I offered to help, but after getting snapped at three times in less than five minutes, I started feeling like I was ten again, so I retreated. I’ve now taken refuge in the stairs, and all I can do is hope for the best.”

She easily pictures him sitting in the middle of that staircase, a spot she guesses he chose because it’s further away from the kitchen and its many noises, while being close enough for him to leap into action at a moment’s notice.

Is there more smooching in this chapter? Read and find out 😏

#peter x olivia #polivia #fringe #fringe fanfic #olivia dunham #peter bishop #slow burning my OTP like there's no tomorrow and I'm having a blast

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swiftlydolphin13 · 1 year

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ok swifties i put my writing skills to an eras fanfic yes you read that correctly

My attempt an an eras fanfic lol Lol my fanfic era haha

[Based some elements on alef vernons eras art, specifically tayrealm/eras swords, this fan fic is non-canon to alef vernons work (unless you decide to get inspo from some of these scenes/stories, which i dont mind!!!) Just a big, for-fun, non-profit swiftie contribution to the fandom!!!! All stories are here on tumblr for free!!! For all the swifties (: and....Taylor??? (': ]

YUP AND SETTING IS THE LOVER HOUSE

~CHAPTER 1~

"Its been a long time coming!!!" Lover exhaled at the sight of her first order of crunchwrapped burritos rep had plopped on the table.

"You owe me, Love" rep uttered dryly, through a smile.

"Ha." chuffing coyly, lover could see right through rep, as always, knowing her edge was just for show. "I cant make any promises, but ill make you a drink." she grinned, and shyly dragged the warm package close to her.

"FOOD????" A disasterous cacophany of cowboy boots stomped down the spiral staircase. A Barely brushed, half-haggardly stumbling, debut.

"Not for you 'bu!" Rep waved over to her. "But sharing is caring!!!" debut exclaimed, "y'all know i was the first to move in here but the perks??? Dryer than snakeskin in the sahara desert. cant i get, like, special dibs on food????"

" 'Bu is right, sharing is caring!" lover scrunched her face in endearment toward debut. After all, being the youngest of the bunch, she rarely goes out too much on her own, and is always looking from the Outside. "get over here."

Wild curls, reveling in their early morning pre-brush reign, rattled and bounced as debut skipped across the living room into the kitchen.

"I ordered double,... Triple actually. i knew you and fearless would catch me now," lover winked.

"Fearless is asleep, but you can eat upstairs and bring her breakfast in bed this morning...."

"....Like a princess!" lover and debut chimed in unison.

'Bu beamed. She always had a soft spot for lover. After all. Shell never forget when she asked for all her old journals and had them organized and read out. She always had something wise to say about debuts wild shenanigans. She saw debut's wild fire almost as much as….

"HAS ANYONE SEEN THE BUTTERFLY I LEFT ON THE WINDOWSILL!?"

jars clattering and clanging can be heard from the kitchen, but its origins are far from it.

"Folklore what did you bring in the house THIS TIME!?" Rep exclaimed.

"IT WAS A RARE MORPH!" Her Footsteps slow ombre toward the kitchen, clatter and clinking of jars accompanied her.

she appeared with her typically umkept hair, yet somehow still harmonious with her tattered nightgown, always trailed by moss or leaves, despite always swearing she slept in the house the entire time (almost, at least)

"I found a rare dead monarch morph yesterday and left it by the windowsill, i hadnt preserved it yet cause i was due to go out to get some more supplies… Have any of you seen it…?"

"Listen i may be the snake of the group but i havent seen your butterfly, fol."

"Damn it!!! It was rare!!!! "

"I was THERE!" red skittered down the stairs to defend folklores lost claim.

red can usually be seen trailing behind folklore, Jittery and in endearingly awkward humor, in her squirrel pattern pijamas or squirrel morph, gathering up nuts of the chaotic kind.

"I remember it all too well... she placed it on the window sill last night."

Debut uttered a small squeak and looked at lover, while pointing to speak now's room.

Folklore caught the subtleties.

" speak now took my butterfly?"

"No…" Rep caught on.

Low rumbling Sounds emerged from speaknow's room.

"Oh…."

" its her time of month, isnt it?"

Smoke rose from the cat door as it slowly creaked open….. Scratches were heard from the door that seemed like a small pet. But Who emerged was far from it… a dragon, barely fitting the size of the door nonetheless.

"Yup" all said in unison.

"Looks like you skip breakfast today speak," Rep said.

"Yall never get me my cravings before they start!!! " she explained through her chewing. "So i had to resort to folklores room!!!" Speak rumbled, before coughing up some ash over folklore.

Omg Sorry!!! Morning voice :(

Nah, folklore waved a hand in the air. "Im covered in dirt anyways."

"But….i didnt eat the butterfly, swear. a muffled, cronching speak insisted. "Snacked on some of the wisterias though. Sorry :("

"Thats okay, i planted those for you :)"

Speak now: ……(:

"Well, then if you didnt then…."

Sounds of heaving were very audiably going down the stairs.

"Speak- speakn-n now isnt the only enchanted one here …" debut stuttered.

Yeah, we got merideth olivia, benji thats taken care of by…

An auburn cat emerges, looking sickly.

"Evermore…"

"EVERMORE YOU KNOW THOSE ARE POISONOUS!" folklore exclaimed.

"reeellalaax, im not THAT fucked in the head." evermore said through the coughs, " the butterfly? Oh thats GONE," evermore explained.

"Emergency spell last night, i have to show up for work today, and i cant show up to work LIKE THIS, im a monster on my time of month you know….. im not some fae that sprout wings once a month," she glared at folklore playfully.

"Ha, ha." Well, in MY OPINION… you should show up to work in whatever form of your nature."

"Im just as dignified;" evermore adds. but the spring lunar cycles are always that damn season for allergies…."

Folklore teased a smile. "Either way, i guess you cant pass my wrath this time."

Evermore took out a small jar of ember sap and took a sip. Smoke suddenly filled the room as a golden orb appeared around evermore, growing until she returned to her human form again.

"Thats MUCH BETTER." evermore straightened her terra cotta tone dress adjusting the frills and evergreen cape. "a temporary potion, but...As a high sorceress you think i'd get used to this by now, but im ashamed im probably still fucked in the head. I'll never remember to prep for these spring allergies."

Eras fanfic (updated 3/31/23)

-CHAPTER 2: JUMP THEN FALL-

Now that the dust had settled, the eras scattered to their respective morning dues.

Debut skittered upstairs with the breakfast burrito lover gave her and her plus one, eager to share it with her room neighbor.

Debut slowly peeked into fearless' room slowly creeped near her bed and… "…FEARLESS! BURRITO!!!"

fearless' wild curls covered her whole face, looking like a golden shrub that took over the sheets.

Debut tossed the burrito over any way, getting absorbed in the golden shrub.

"The scent should wake you up sleepyhead!!! commiting to the princess motif, arent you?"

"Mmmmhhh… whats going on…???"

Her mind caught up to the added warmth over her shoulder, and felt for its location without raising her face.

"Cmon!!! We can eat together by the patio. My burritos already getting cold!!!

Fearless finally turned over, sighing. Shes always one of the last to wake in the mornings, but was hardly ever grouchy. She tossed her hair out of her own face, and beamed deviously at debut.

"Its speak nows enchanted week right? Her time of month?"

"Yeah. She was the center of folklores butterfly fiasco this morning… Until it was evermore….."

"But thats a great excuse…." Fearless smiled.

" ....to have her fire our burritos."

debut burst out with a laugh "see ive always liked the way you think," "RACE YOU TO THE BATHROOM??? looks like ill win this time i got a head start!!!!"

"NOT ON MY WATCH !!!!" fearless sprang out of bed, and suddenly two wild golden streaks lined the hallways.

thinking they reached the bathroom, they burst in .

They bumped into the newest member of the family, and her room

Oh where are YOU TWO little rascals up to???

Ooohhh sorry midnights!!!!! We keep forgetting this rooms repurposed." Fearless looks flushed as she and debut look at eachother.

"No worries," midnights assured. She quickly turned to the erratically tweaking and ticking artisan grandmother clock she had been working on.

Ever since she moved in, Midnights room has been an enigma. Always hearing a plethora of creaks, tuning and turning gears in the middle of the night. None of the eras ever took the time to ask what was going on, and only assumed that midnights never desired to be bothered by such a question.

Now… debut and fearless wouldnt had dared step in hadnt they been serendipitously distracted by their competition… But now that they were here….

debut backed and turned away, with fearless hesitantly… turning back.

"What-…. Whatcha workin' on????"

Clinks and tinkering sounds of a pleaseant volume accompanied their conversation.

Ohhh, just a bit for a trip im taking…

"Ooohh!!!! Where are you going?? " fearless asked.

Debut tapped fearless on the shoulder. " more like when…. "

Suddenly what fearless hadnt noticed took form around her. A moving board of Maps of several time periods of each era mapped out on its cork wall, along with various equations, calculations and mysterious locations.

The room in fact was leviathan, ceilings raised up higher than the roof of the lover house itself, as well as its shape greatly mismatching. Rounded, it looked like a library belonging to an old castle rather than the refurbished bathroom fearless and debut had mistaken it for previously. walls stacked with books upon books, wooden bookshelves with a coat of midnight blue yet with edges fading. despite midnights new addition, it was as if time ran its course over them. wood embedded dividers of each section, portruding as intricate wooden carvings, lines parallelling then intertwining and streaking in parallell yet again. The heart beat of time echoing through the ceiling taken from a cathedral. The whole ambiance crisp, yet cold, as if the air from the room originated from elsewhere, as if midnights room was enchanted itself.

"Can we uhh… Take a look at your room??? Uh, weve never been here before and … It looks pretty neat." Fearless voice echoed, bouncing off the cielings. She mustered up some more confidence quickly, upon detecting midnights chilled nature.

"Sure, just dont touch anything."

Midnights spoke in a calm yet slightly stern voice, carring wisdom effortlessly with each intonation. A voice that could get even Fearless and debuts' fire to settle.

"Okay, " debut and fearless agreed.

The motioned across the room to a far corner, that had aisles of ancient looking artifacts that seemed engulfed in lore and story.

Debut and fearless could not resist, swords of different eras displayed, each with its set place to rest.

"Wow…. I never knew we had this much stuff…" Debut said in a hushed tone, in awe of the sythe before her.

"Omg look!!! Theres one for evermore and folklore too!! ….woah…. Does that mean i have one too??"

Fearless pitter pattered ahead of debut to the second aisle, And caught the glint of a golden sword..

"LOOK, Debut!! I HAVE ONE!!!!"

Debut caught up with fearless , careful to stay a safe distance from the swords.

"Lookk this is soooo cool and look you have one!!!"

Fearless' sword looked like an intricate key, while debuts looked mirrored like the surface of a lake.

She leaned in for a closer look.

"This is so neat…. " fearless' voice seemed to trail off.

"Yeah. I never knew we had this… Pretty cool. We can look more later though fearless, im actually kind of hungry…."

"Me… Tooo…." Fearless was entranced by the gleaming glint of her sword, which suddenly started glowing.

Oh my gosh, YOURE glowing!

"Yeah, its cool, the sword is doing that !!"

"No, YOURE GLOWING!"

fearless looked at her own hands and arms. Slowly, the glow overtook her whole form and brightened, enveloping her in golden light, glowing just under brightness that you could still see fearless astonishment.

"Debut!!!! Whats happening!!!"

"I dont know!!!"

From the bottom up, fearless started disintegrating, becoming golden glitter flecks that began to funnel into the fearless sword.

"FEARLESS OH MY GOD!!! MIDNIGHTS!!!"

Midnights overheard the commotion and sprang to the scene in the back of the room, taking a few moments to reach the far corner where fearless sword was.

Skittering through the last aisle, midnights exclaimed " I told you not to touch anything!!!"

"We didnt!!!" Debut and fearless said in unison, before a partly departed fearless wholly dissapeared into embellished gleams of light, warping into the center of the fearless sword.

"FEARLESS!!!!!"

debut cried. " WHAT HAPPENED TO HER!! SHE DIED DEAD, IM SURE SHE DIED DEAD!!!"

"You NEED to calm down, debut" midnights somberly put her hand on her shoulder

" i shouldve taken this into the equation..."

"What do you mean??"

Well…. Quantum entanglement. You wouldnt-

Debuts eyes glared for awnsers.

Midnights sighed. " you know that each of you have a ceartain quality to you that makes you unique right?"

"Yeah."

"And like attracts like?"

"Yeeeahh...???" Debuts brows furrowed.

"Well what if i told you... ive been masterminding with other versions of each of you that exist through space time???"

"Uhhh… Wouldnt you need PERMISSION FOR THAT???"

"well…. Thats the thing…. I didnt have time to ask for permission…."

What do you mean??? Are we in trouble???

….sort of…? You have…. A chance to be locked in this house forever if i hadnt stepped in…. Well. Except lover.

Permission was taken from us…why is just lover safe??? Whats so special about lover??? (except the fact that she is literally my MOTHER compared to y'all. Debut thinks to herself.)

"Its…. A lot to explain." The important thing for you to know is that where fearless is, is safe…. Shell be taken care of, by … Herself."

"WHAT!? SHES TRAPPED THERE ALL ALONE??? OH MY GOD HOW COULD YOU!!"

"Debut please! Im telling you… Shes not alone…. Shes with herself…. Her other self….."

-CHAPTER 3 THE FEARLESS REALM-

HEY GUYS…? where- where am i…???? Guys????"

An eerie silence filled the grass clearing.

Fearless plopped on the grass, limbs still spread as she then sat up.

A grumbling noise caught her attention.

"…Damn it. I never got to eat the breakfast burrito. "

"Yeah im never getting outta here."

"You could always touch grass" a voice echoed from the shrubbery.

"i AM touching grass." fearlessly immediately awnsered but quickly realized ... Who- what? This this strangers tomfoolery was untimely. fearless snapped, "Are you saying that literally touching grass is not enough??? what do you want me to do, eat it???"

"Sure, thats what i'd do"

Out of the bushes arrived, perhaps just in time…

"A white horse!?"

Yeah yeah, get on. Its not too late, she winked.

"Hmmm. Red taught me not to just get on any white horse though…"

"Ohh, but im not just any white horse."

The horse began to Emit an off white aura gruadually shining brighter in intensity as she clopped closer to fearless.

"More GLOWING? im getting in trouble again." fearless backed away slightly, still sitting on the soft grass, gripping it in anxiousness.

A white orb enveloped the horse, and out from it appeared a tall blonde woman, much older than fearless.

Why do you look like..?

"Hi, im you, (uh, your, version.)"

Taylors version?? What do you mean??

"Well…. Thats not important right now, i just need to get you somewhere safe so … Just follow me."

Fearless tv took fearless' hand leading her into the deeper forest.

Fearless tv whistled, and upon doing so, a heard of white horses galloped to her.

She approached one of them and mounted, and extended her hand to fearless.

You couldnt trust me back there, how about now?

She took her hand and said " well why would i trust a white horse ive never seen before???"

"Hmmm… Red taught you well…. But sometimes… The road is trecherous, and theres no choice so you better hold on!!!"

…."Heyah!"

The herd of white horses picked up great speed, something fearless was usually used to, but in this big new world without her old friends around, she definately felt more unsure of everything."

The forest eventually cleared, and what was before her was a castle, a tower at the center.

"Were home." fearless tv sighed.

Two cats lined the door immediately.

"Fearless tv where HAVE you been? 5 minutes late to dinner again!" Screeched a demanding Meredith.

"Calm down Meredith" Benjamin pleaded. its always like this with you, cant you trust her a bit? She gives us The best pets in the Tayrealm, have a little faith."

"There's literally MULTIPLES of her now? and she still manages to be late." Meredith scoffed.

Fearless tv sighed, leaning over the cats.

"....Hey guys." She beamed, smiling with her eyes.

"Wheres ....?"

"Oh, shes already eaten all the jars full of the enchanted honey from the evermore tree you gathered, and went out for more."

"She travelled that far AGAIN?" Fearless exclaimed.

Benjamin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we keep telling her its an addiction, but she says she has it """under control""" air quoting with his paws.

rustling from the leaves near the castle entrance caught all of their eyes, fearless tv already rolling hers for days expecting what was to be.

"De-de-de-de HEY GUYS ITS DIBBLES"

A honey-ridden, sticky cat appears, holding many jars in her sling pack.

"Oh dibbles…. Honey…" fearless tv sighed affectionately. Lets get you cleaned up… Oh dear."

Fearless stood there, onlooking the ordeal.

Olivia, or dibbles , as she was known, teetered a few steps before falling into her back; looking like a fuzzy honey-glazed seal.

Fearless tv slowly picked up the drunk cat, and extended her now sticky hand due to olivias shenanigans, but quickly retracted realizing fearless would rather stay honeyless. She nodded her head in the direction of inside.

"Come in, fearless, after all my home is your home," she winked.

Fearless modestly stepped in, and took a gander at all the trinkets inside.

awards lined the shelves…. From fearless eras past… Fearless walked slowly around them, wondering how they too reside here. "This must be some weird mirror dimension…." She said to herself.

"Looking at all those ceartainly makes you feel nostalgic doesnt it?" Fearless tv peeked from the washroom.

"Yeah…. So are you like a doppleganger or something???"

"Eh…. Sort of" fearless tv replied "i mean…. Yeah."

"….like an older doppleganger… Lets just say youve needed to revisit your past a little bit …. In the future."

"Oohhh why? Did all the fans love fearless that MUCH?"

"….WELL…. well, you know what yeah actually. Its why you could revisit them the way you did" fearless tv winked.

Light from the washroom caught her shirt, partially wet from olivia wrestling her way into the bathtub. Light streaked eyes, which held a great more deal of knowing over fearless, yet held the same fired embers, still hot, but emitting a golden love. instead of wearing her usual dress a men's blouse was worn…. From a love story older than time.

"Anyways… I think its best ill explain a bit more over dinner… What would you like?"

"It all seems all warped over here…" Fearless pondered for a moment. "youre older, well…. Im…. Uh.. Youre older..? This is confusing."

Fearless tv cracked a smile. "Bet."

"but…. everything seems clocked back like a gazillion years…. But well…..

Do y'all have chicken tenders???"

-To be updated-

Updated 4/2/23

-Chapter 3- FROZEN BEHIND GLASS

Back in the lover house, midnights had called a meeting amoungst all the eras as to brief them of the happenings in her bedroom. She left a note on the door with a joke they all make when theres a problem to take the edge off of the suspense, at least until they had all gathered around. All the eras congregated in the kitchen over a bit of a meal, some sugar cookies with the last scrape of the chai icing folklore had made for her and evermores small at-home baking business. (Speak now had devoured the other 13 batches earlier that morning, in typical dragon fashion). With debut trailing behind her, wide eyed with unceartainty, midnights tapped the edge of a champagne glass, refrencing the notes on the doors all the eras recognized…. There was a problem. a champagne problem.

"What did FOLKLORE do this time?????"

Rep always assumed folkore brought some other mythical creature into the house AGAIN.

"WHY ARE YOU COMPLAINING REP? we have a literal DRAGON in our kitchen and youre a SNAKE."

Rep hissed. but im a HOUSE snake and speak now isnt always covered in enchanted moss and pollen that brings up evermores allergies at springtime. She waved.

"YEAH! and then i just stay cooped up in my room with em trying to make another spell for every new moss and pollen variety folklore encounters!….. Not that…. I mind hovering over my cauldron, but you know, a bit of ATTENTION WOULD BE NICE!!!"

"calm DOWN," Lover interviened. "Youre just mad you couldnt go on our long pond trip for folklore's birthday three summers ago."

"And what if i am??? WHAT DID I GET ON MY BIRTHDAY WHEN YALL GOT BACK? ALLERGIES."

Folklore chimed in slowly…. "evermore…??? Ive been dabbling in some magic lately and…. " she handed her a golden sap elixr with wisteria and diced leaves of sweet tea."

Evermore examined the jar with her keen Sylvan Eyes. "Folkore…!?!?? this is an expert level spell. Where did you learn to do this!!??"

"Yy- your books?" She smiled cautiously.

Evermores expression of confusion swerved into relived realization. " i KNEW i wasnt crazy! i could TELL you were in my room! my allergies were extra bad this month!…. You… Made this for me???"

Folkore shyly nodded, looking at the floor and then up at evermore. "Surprise?"

Evermore screwed open the jar, and the sweetest mangle of sweet tea and wisteria, with notes of clover nectar filled the room so quickly evermore knew it was perfectly enchanted. So much so, the entire room let out a delighted sigh over its agrestal scent.

Evermore took a small sip. "Oh my goodness, its sweet like honey, its perfectly made? Ive been trying for a whole year for this to cure my allergies. How did yo--"

"You just got to know where to find them…. It wasnt in your book but ….The wisterias by the lakes are the most potent, sweet tea growing from seven feet are the crispest. plant them and in three summers time you pick them, when the moon and saturn are conjunct." She smiled.

Red side eyed evermore. "I knew you could never stay ALLERGIC to AWESOMENESS!!!, haha. Youre perfect for eachother! "

"Sisters! Twin fire signs! Four blue eyes! " Red added, shoving evermore playfully and bursting into a giggle.

evermore blushed, emitting a warm, slightly silly-feeling smile.

".....WELL IM GLAD THIS FAMILY DISPUTE IS SETTLED." rep looked over at midnights. "now for what were REALLY here for."

Rep, having the notiriety of skillfully re-directing the tangents of the household, could have done this at any time, however, she secretly still enjoys folklore and evermores endearing interactions.

"Well, now that were all here." midnights tapped the champagne glass three more times. Dragon sized munching noises accompanied the suspense.

"This champagne problem is a … Little more complex than tree sap, unfortunately."

"Listen, I know everyone loves ur pop-girlie a** rn but its not just cottagecore tree sap" said evermore, backing up folklores skill of the craft.

"…your right, sorry" midnights added. "Well, our dilemma here may span over a few more minutes than expected… Or years… Depending…. On uh…. Time zone differences."

"Oohhh oooh!!! Are we travelling !!!?? " red erupted. Shes been raving about going to london for months, lover silently scheming along with her, sticking brochures under everyones door this entire summer.

"No red we ARENT going to london." Rep closed her eyes asking for patience.

"But its FUNdon!" Lover and red rose in unison.

"No… I mean yes BUT LISTEN TO MIDNIGHTS! THERE IS A CHAMPAGNE PROBLEM ! we!!! will!!! Travel !!! Later !!!!"

"You know what, exactly," midnights said. "We are travelling now, later."

" that makes no sense." Reps eyes narrowed.

"Well…. ive been working on something. I hadnt since told you, because i havent beta tested it yet, but it looks like there might not be much… Uh,… Time."

"Okay, so where are we going? Its gotta be new york right? this whole plot sounds like it could totally take place in new york, not to brag but….im a street rat. i know the streets like the back of my hand" 1989 scoffed smugly, waving her hand in the air, refrencing the time 1989s streetrat form saved all evermores wand and unbound spellbook pages from the subway tracks.

"Its not where, yall….dont you see?? Someone is missing….."

"Oh shit, i cant believe we started without fearless! She must be sleeping again."

"Hmmmmm ….. Sort of????" Debut looked at midnights nervously.

Red scoffed. "Hah. Shes definately in SOME other dimension thats for sure"

" yeah, actually she is uhmmm SHE GOT WARPED INTO MIDNIGHTS SWORD…. WELL NOT MIDNIGHTS…. the fearless sword, like, she has one."

"A sword? Who let a CHILD interact with a sword!?" Rep exclaimed.

"Well!!!! Like!!!! We were in midnights room and… and she said for us not to touch and we didnt and!!!!! It just !!!! " debut reenacted the whole ordeal, guiding her hand along her body, making a 'schloop' sound for when fearless faded away.

"Be fucking for real 'Bu, where the fuck did she go!?" Rep, as edgy as she was, probably felt the most protective of all of the eras, due to her time in….. Well… we do not speak of that.

Midnights added to debuts explanation. "Uh, yeah… I havent really said much about myself have i well… Uh… Being a time keeper… I have access to all of time space via grandmother clocks…. And… a couple of swords….assigned to each era. I didnt think they would be activated this early…"

"Broooooooo i thought you were just fixing up old shit!" 1989 erupted nervously.

"Well im in charge of fixing up all of you sooo....well, actually saving."

"HAH" rep cackled covering her mouth. even she gave into that tease.

composing herself, a cold chill ran over her upon absorbing midnights words. "Wait… Were all in trouble??"

"Yeah… Well ...except Lover, folklore and evermore."

Red turned to lover and folkmore. "Why is it when theres this much trouble its never you three?"

"Conflict avoidant i guess??" Lover shrugged.

"Not with THAT tracklist, Miss americana." 1989 said.

"So what do we do about fearless?" Speak now asked.

"Well fearless is safe," midnights reassured. "…For now. But we dont have that much time. If the swords began activating now, the darkness must be settling in the realm sooner than i thought" midnights' gaze looked distant.

"…. Darkness??? realm??? Oh boy we ALL know THIS is going to some Wonderland …" 1989 rolled her eyes.

Rep grew silent. She had suddenly gotten nauseous, and wondered if she added too much icing to her sugar cookies. She also considered that all this was way too much to take in.

One of the youngest gone who knows where, no where to be seen, the newest of the bunch keeping some long held family secret. She got up from her chair and …. Froze.

Rep???? Are you okay???

No awnser.

Crystals began to form under reps feet, creating a glass chrysalis around her.

"REP!!!" lover sprang from the table.

Midnights stopped lover in her tracks. "No, dont touch her. Not even i know what could happen if you do. Back away."

"I can fire her up and thaw her out!!!" Speak now gleaned in with an idea

"Ill look in my magic books for these symptoms!!!!" Evermore exclaimed.

"there has to be something we can do!!!"

Debut, despite being the youngest… Sat with a cold stomach, piecing the occurance together in her mind.

"Midnights….. Is this… The darkness??"

"Im afraid so, 'Bu. " midnights sadness colored her tone, worry settled in on her face.

"Wh- what can we do???" Lover hoped that the awnser as clear as traffic lights.

"I dont…. Exactly know." Midnights solemnly awnsered. "I have an idea about whats happening, but i cant be too sure. As much as im your resident mastermind….My craft… Is a mysterious one."

"HEY! i found something!!!" Evermore shouted running down the stairs with an open book.

"Its called the *glass* darkness." Evermore explained. No one knows where it originates from officially, but it seems it has something to do with overtaking everything it encounters as its own, mercilessly. It doesnt exactly say if its deadly or not….

It seems like its just…. An eternal trap… So i guess… That counts as deadly right???"

"Ugh, we dont have time for this!!! We had plans!!! I wanted to just stay home all day today and have fun with rep in her snake form ): " folklore sighed.

"do you really wanna talk about time in times like these!?" evermore exclaimed we cant let this damage reputation."

"Well we actually DO need to talk about time. " lover noted. "How long does this last? Is there anything in there on how to stop the glass from forming?"

"Well…." Evermore flipped through the pages. "Hmmm… There. It talks about… Different versions…. Of us???"

"But wait arent we all just different versions of eachother??" 1989 asked.

"Yes yes… BUT! Parallell worlds…. Different parallel versions of us could help reverse this!!!!"

"dopplegangers!?" Red exclaimed. "well it looks like well be trying to find ourselves…AGAIN."

"So are the swords how we.. Uh… Find them?" 1989 looked over to midnights.

"Yes, " midnights expression seemed to have softened a bit, with reassurance that the whole gang was in on the efforts to reclaim the homes harmony.

"The swords are portals to respective locations within the Tayrealm. Each of you must find your parallel version and meet them in their respective castles. From there, we can figure out a way to stop the glass darkness from overtaking their realm, and the outer world."

"Does this mean that reps realm is ...?"

Evermore flipped through more pages. "Oh No…"

-CHAPTER 5- ARE YOU READY FOR IT?

- updated 4/4 -4/5 while clowning lol-

"I hope they arent too crispy" fearless tv spoke softly as she turned to set the dish of freshly made chicken tenders on the table.

"Ooooh finally im starving!!!!" Fearless beamed.

"Ketchup" both fearless asked and fearless tv offered in unison.

"Woah," fearless said through an impatient mouthful. "you really are my doppleganger!"

Fearless tv quietly smiled and passed the ketchup. She hadnt really said much about how finding fearless again after all these years made her feel. An all encompassing warmth that only her girlhood could bring to her. Incredible to be able to look at oneself through a further lens, only to feel that fire is still going strong.

" aahh that hits the spot! Here! Have one! Or are you like a weird hologram that doesnt eat?"

"No, ill surely eat," fearless tv replied, still smiling with her eyes at fearless' brash remarks. Spunky, that one, She thought, knowing all too well that ferocious hunger.

Fearless tv sat herself at the table with her own first batch, as well as a second plate, forseeing the future as fearless went in for seconds.

"well i cant believe i didnt trust you," fearless said through a mouthful. " this place is great! I wonder what else is around here…"

Fearless tv dipped a tender in her own small ketchup saucer. "Well we got quite a queendom…. Its grown so large over the years…. And im insanely grateful… We have quite a few new landmasses of the emerging from the sea of consciousness the past few years, so the queendom is as happy and busy as ever… We even got a new bookstore."

"BOOKSTORE!?" fearless already jumped up in excitement.

"Yup. run by a doctorate!" Fearless tv winked.

"OH MY GOD LETS GO." fearless already imagined the plethora of love stories sitting in the shelves.

"Hmmm… Well the path there is relatively safe…. No where near the…"

"LETS GO LETS GO!!!" fearless insisted.

"Very well." Fearless tv agreed. "Finish your tenders, then we can go."

"Okay MOTHER." fearless teased.

"I guess i could be wise enough…" Fearless tv laughed.

"But you know whos wiser….." Fearless tv gleaned. " She could definately help us figure out why youre here…."

"You know it !!!! And how to get back!!!" Fearless said through chomping the last bite of chicken tenders , playing into the fact she was DEFINATELY not distracted by chicken tenders and a promise of checking out love stories.

Fearless tv grew silently sad about fearless leaving, but insisted she should visit under more correct circumstances every now and then.

"You know, i dont mind you visiting any time after to listen to old CDs" fearless tv chimed, while getting up from her seat and sprucing up her table. fearless already spruced up and ready to go, replied

"sure! So far im loving it here, im not sure why midnights kept this a secret for so long…."

Fearless tv hid her concern, back turned to fearless as she was washing the last ketchup saucer.

"Okay, are you ready for it?"

"Yeah!!! Race you to the door!"

"Oh you WOULD know i cant resist a good race" Fearless tv gave a daring look and both skittered to the front door and into the front yard.

"HEY HEY HEY where are YALL going in such a rush?" Merideth asked.

"Bookstore…. for some….. Research."

"Oh so youre going to gi find out what happened to re-"

Fearless tv quickly shut benjamins muzzle.

"Shes having a GOOD time. I dont want her to worry too much. You know how i get - when she gets- uh, when we get…how i used to get…. when theres a risk of getting in trouble."

"Oh, rightyo." Benjamin agreed.

fearless mounted on a horse a lot more daringly this time, "hey fearless you ready? I cant wait to RACE YOU!" fearless squeaked, well fed and with a new hunger for adventure, now that she gained some trust in fearless tv.

"Youre going to have to follow me fearless…" fearless tv reminded her " you… Dont know the way."

"Ooo, right. Can we go fast?"

"Alright" fearless tv caved. She mounted on her own horse this time.

"Heah!" They galloped, through the winding trails, to Dr. Tay's bookstore. The road there wasnt as trecherous, with enough paths made through the kingdom, brush had been cleared for most connections to major sites, and in times like these, Dr. Taylors bookstore had been the center of attention.

They got off their horses and entered the seeminly small, quaint bookstore, with an everpresent scent of chai tea and baked goods from its in house bakery run by….

"Folkmore!?" What are you guys doing here????

Fearless tv leaned in for a close whisper, they arent your folkmore , fearless. Over here, theyre called woodvale and november." She winked.

"But they look …. Well i suppose a BIT different." She added

Lets just say, nothing much has changed for them, theyve just arrived from the sea of consiousness recently…. By a new boat. Theyre like pseudonyms of….Hmm well… I suppose theyve grown a bit. maybe a couple of bonus tracks…."

"Would they recognize me!?" Fearless asked noticing this was a bit more trippy for fearless.

"Sure they will, they know i have a younger version, even if you havent been here before (:"

"Heyyy fearless!!!!" Woodvale chimed. Weve been expec- "

"Haha we had no idea you were coming!!!!" November budged in.

"Smoooooooth, guys…. " fearless tv rolled her cerulean eyes. " i shouldve known y'all wouldve slipped through the cracks."

"Maybe if you would have PREPPED US PROPERLY we wouldnt have SLIPPED." woodvale remarked.

Fearless tv sighed. "To be fair i mightve ran it by too quickly… "

"Anyways…."

"Guys im right here." Fearless added. " i guess you told them i was coming…. You knew??? Did you….did you summon me when i got too close to the sword or something?"

"Uhh well… "

"Yess actually," woodvale added. "She took the opportunity you got close enough to-"

November quickly placed her sleeve over woodvales ever-open yap. "ENOUGH WOODVALE CAN YOU NOT KEEP A SECRET?" november shoved her other sleeve over woodvales face.

"Would you like some tea?? Cookies??? On us!"

"We just a-"

"Ooh free dessert ? How COULD you say no!" Fearless interruped.

"Well, now that the secrets out, were going to have to sit down for this anyway," fearless tv said.

Fearless tv solemnly looked at fearless, waiting, leaning over the bakery's glass display. The most quintessentially innocent scene, a childlike eagerness, tunneled vision, a wild expression, The scent of the bakery an etheral manifestation of this endearing sweetness. She Watched as Fearless pressed the side of her face over the bakery glass. " oooohhh its warm, hehe" she remarked with a silly smile.

Her heart ached for fearless' potential fate, as, those qualities resided in her still. despite existing alongside more knowledge and wisdom, these qualities were still precious and delicate on their own. so many let that enthusiasm decay away, replaced by stoic ambivilance. knowing these qualities tarnish so easily, she silently vowed to protect fearless at all costs.

Woodvale returned with a freshbaked batch of chai cookies and november brought in a small teaset, with a squeaking teapot.

"Well have these set up for you at the table" Follow us…"

The tables, on the farside of the bookstore, were reached through a labrynth of book shevles. Fearless took a passing glance at each title, gleaming, twinkling in a gilded gold rush.

…books were tabbed by the names of 'tay realm artifacts'….' the glass darkness'….'quantum entanglement.' …

5/15 update:

Fearless eagerly seated herself in the chair by the glass, overlooking all of tayrealm, as november and woodvale placed their tea and cookies on the table.

"Bone apple tea!" Woodvale and november said in unison.

Dr. Taylor will be with you in a moment, woodvale reassured.

"Oh great!" Fearless exclaimed. "Im starving"

"We just ate a few-"

"THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO FEARLESS TV, a girls gotta eat!!!!!" Fearless exclaimed before devouring a three layered self-stacked cookie sandwich.

Fearless tv sighed and smiled, endearingly teasing a side eye.

"So…." Fearless said with a mouth full. "Whatcha here for? Seems you know something i dont, im all ears , who do we have to fight?"

Fearless tv slightly chuckled before returning to a somber expression. Well…

"Hey!" a voice appeared from the shelves. It was Dr. Taylor , in her regal violet study gown, holding a book, complete with a sling pack of quill, gel and fountain pens.

"Youre just in time," fearless tv said.

" sorry i took so long…. The new surge of lost books….we've needed much help…" Dr. Taylor's voice trailed off. Trailing a longside her, was another taylor, of which a specific name had not been apparant. She wore a green red and yellow striped shirt, and glittery orange shorts, with green snakeskin boots. On her chest read an empty name tag saying "its me hi!" Fearless guessed she was nameless, an npc or something, she thought.

Nameless taylor tilted her face away from the bookpile she straggled , freeing one hand to wave hi.

Fearless tv and fearless smiled and silently waved.

Dr taylor took one book from the top of the pile that nameless taylor was carrying. Dr. Taylor's eyes shifted to fearless and softened in to a sweeter welcoming expression. "Well this should help….."

Dr. Taylor opened up the large book, with sparks flying all over the place. A holographic map of tayrealm appeared before their eyes. Fearless tv watched fearless eyes take in the magic book with the most hungry eyes she had ever seen, except her own, of course.

Well if you see here, Dr taylor pointed at a tower somewhere near what looked like a swamp.

"That was the epicenter. The towers bridges began crumbling and reputation castle has been inaccessible ever since…. But whatever caused rep castle to crumble….. Is spreading…..a darkness, that spread all the artayfacts all over tayrealm. the natural karma of tayrealm responded by creating alternate versions of ourselves, the taylors versions. in our creation we knew our goal was to summon all of our alternate versions back into tayrealm, to help us retrieve all the artayfact gems to restore complete harmony in our world."

"So…. You summoned me here to find some rocks?" Fearless said between chewing.

This is serious fearless…. If we dont restore the gems, all your friends in your world will be trapped behind glass…. Forever." Fearless tv's brows furrowed.

"What!?" So wait!? Where are the rest of the girls?"

"Well , apparantly safe, for now, Dr. Taylor continued. The darkness has only reached reputation castle for now."

"So…. What happened to rep?" Fearless voice began to grow quieter.

"Shes….frozen Behind glass. But theres a way to unfreeze her, and if we gather all the gems before the darkness spreads we can keep it from happening to the rest of you all in the outside world." Fearless tv reassured.

"Oh my gosh!! Okay." Fearless stood up. Then lets go get the rest of the albums here right now!!! cant you all just summon them or something?"

"Well its not that simple…" Dr taylor added. You know you got here through getting too close to the sword. The rest of the girls need to get really close….

-CHAPTER 6- LET THE GAMES BEGIN

to be updated

, 4/6 update: ooopppps i skipped to latrr in the story story cause i got ideas so read only if you dont care for , ill. be writing the in-between eventually.

All the taylors entered the center of the circle, and held hands. With all the artayfacts in their places, midnights entered the center of the circle, where one last place lay for her sword. She placed her atayfact. A mirror, locked in an upright placement, on the side. She then finally locked her last sythe In place. Lights engulf all the eras in their respecive colors… all of them slowly desintegrating into light .

"omg its happening again!" Fearless exclaimed.

"Were going back home?" Fearless asked.

"actually, i dont know," midnights replied. I havent seen that far out yet…. It freaks me out. The only reason i have years ahead of me planned out is cause, you know, i have to. But this time….

Debut looked ahead of her toward red and 1989. already pure light, like holograms, they began to blend together, and in turn look like hybrid versions of eachother.

"Red you look different! Uh well 1989 uuhm ??? "

The now blended red/1989 looked at their outfit and beamed.

"Okay but this is kind of a slay, why didnt we ever try this before!?"

"You did. Its giving january 2014" debut snickered.

Red and 1989 now one, wearing 1989s typical skirt with a button up collar blouse red typically wears, sporting 1989s sunglasses, reds ponytail, and a city style bag to match.

"Hey! Thats not fair! I wanna try that!" Speak now bursted, and turned to folklore.

Folklore, sensing shed been targeted, looked daringly back at speak now

"Bring it."

A transluscent flower crowned dragon emerged adorned with wisteria and sweet tea leaves.

Speak now/folklore paused, then yelled.

"You ate my ACORNS!? well now you cant keep any secrets from me with my access to your….our memory?"

Rep cackled. " holy shit thats gold , maybe this is the ONE thing that will keep yall from your shenanigans in the house hold."

"…Or cause more of it." lover laughed.

Rep turned to lover. "Hey, our aesthetics are so opposite this…. Just might work."

Rep and lover collided, and out emerged a rainbow snakeskin, cornelia, and street wear adorned rep/lover.

Fearless glanced at evermore. " oooh ooh!!! Me next!!!"

Evermore gently hugged fearless, a plaid princess dress emerged, lined with with gold, slightly resembling evermores button coat, with the buttons like gems from a gold rush. (Note from the author: gold rush RIGHTS!!!)

Evermore/fearless emitted a cozy smile (:

Debut, the but-last one standing as a singlet, gazed at the ever-wise midnights. She wondered of all the secrets , gazing from her eyes looking out for her, the various journeys through timelines adorned by what-ifs or maybes, if-thens and then-whats, only-ifs, and if-onlys, carried on in some conglomerate of a semblance of peace, at least, in destiny and fate and….

karma cat walked up to debut, brushing her warm black fur against her leg, purring.. Debut crouched for a moment to meet the cats ember eyes…

Karma…. I know everyone is excited for me.. And i am too… I love this… but…….."

"Im scared."

"This feels….. like a death. I've only known this, but still…. The yearning, " debut looked at midnights.

"…it stays."

Karma cat's purring accompanied the glittering chime sounds, of which in this very moment was like debut could hear every stray fleck of light surrounding the great castle room.

"….will….Will i make it?? Will i make it out …alive?"

Karma cat , eyes flashing a warm orange glow, placed her chin on debuts leg. I know your future…can be a vast and somewhat ominous abyss, but i have always been there, guiding it. You can make it. Youre young. youre talented. I see it in you. And most importantly, this is You… Trying. And For every spider web and paper airplane flying, ill be there. there is daylight…. Starlight…. Even In the most ominous of midnights."

Debut smiled with tears welling up in her eyes. She passed one last pet over karma, sending good wishes so that all of her, her daring, her innocence, her kind heart and thin skin, would be safe. That all of her would stay in tact… And should she ever break… She would find her pieces again. Hopefully gaining new ones for compensation.

She slowly walked up to midnights and smiled. She turned for one last look at karma, who had been sitting, tail swishing, in a calm, metronome fashion."

"Remember, you're never on your own, kid."

Purrs still heard from where debut stood, it was taken as the softest most honored blessing one could have. She turned again to midnights.

Midnights looked at those eager eyes, her own, glimmering in a watery nostalgia. The youngest Fire and the wisest, actually not much different despite experience, embraced together .

All the hybrid eras glimmered as pure light before meeting at the center infront of the mirror and…

She opened her eyes.

She looked down at her arms and hands in surprise and somehow utter relief, as a feeling of wholeness overtook her for the first time since rep era…. No, it was even better.

In its place, after all the toils and spoils, and all the oils before her… It was nice… to get to a place where you can just… Rest in the knowing that, the gems broken apart had not only been put together, but added to. A bracelet laced her wrist, glittering in the starlight. All the eras, including her versions, in their bejeweled state of grace.

In the mirror in front of her, She sees her incarnations, all 12 of her previous eras, flashing before her, crowds becoming larger and larger as time went on, flashing eyes on her brighter and brighter, until the darkness, confusing and painful, took its slithering shape, and then again… spider webs, in some ways…hard to look back on even now… yet…then there it was, daylight, once again. A reclamation of time. A sparkling forest, and then a glittery night sky….the ultimate priority of sweet nothing. the ebb and flow of one lifetime, of yet all of it like she had lived multiple incarnations of herself. The firefly imbued forest and star stroked sky solidified in the mirrors background, informing her where shed been transported to. strings that were once invisible, flickered and and flashed and danced in the dark, designing a familiar figure in the night sky.

The archer.

The mirror fading away from its montage of the past, retuned to the present in its reflection. And There, in focus, were all the eras, both flashy and subdued, firey yet whimsical… Yet… in her merged state she was just…

Taylor Alison Swift, born December 13th, 1989. to a mama and papa swift, surrounded by the scent of pine and myrrh of Pennsylvania, the first holy ground. A Sagittarius, she was born the archer…. And the prey, in her many lifetimes of one. Slain as a witch , but in turn bullseyeing a koi fish in a dive bar on the east side. in her merged state …. the ultimate reflection of a sweet nothing.

…barefoot and not necessarily outwardly flashy, Taylor wandered through the night forest the mirror transported her to. as if hiding in plain sight, she wore a comfortable everyday wear dress with a small-flower pattern on it, on other days she would be in the mood for a knit sweater with some jeans. Even on nice summer dinner-nights, the mood a simple yet stylish embellished blouse perhaps not warrented to set herself apart from a bustling crowd, yet one of the many wandering geode minds with gem encrusted secrets idling about in New York City. Her hair unruly and untamed, a bit like fearless debuts and speak nows… No make up, this is the taylor the cats and the koi fish, strung out of sight, see in the morning, with scarlet, maroon impressions of where her bedsheets have been on her face. Calm, yet undone, bangs curling up in all sorts of directions rebelliously, like folklore and evermore. At times compelled to wearing flashy things like 1989 lover and midnights, and getting excited about fall fashion like red. Compelled to dream of love stories, to enshrine and embellish child-like awe in violet sparkling nights and sparks; wonderstruck meetings with those who had been once held dear in her previous incarnations, dreaming of familiar souls masked in unfamiliar faces, with every love story, whether of romance or friendship, beginning with their eyes whispering "have we met?"

This is the taylor where all the eras come from, the taylor up at night, fiddling with instruments, exploring facets of herself to duplicate and bring life to. The taylor that hungers for the thrill of the songwriting cloud visiting her in these hours that create new landmasses in the tayrealm, bubbling and crumbling into existence out of the sea of tayconsciousness (as well as a midnight appetite guiding her, feral, to the fridge chomping on chai cookies… less like a human and more like a racoon). Still a mirrorball, showered in attention and care from her koi, and her friends, snickering and gregarious, hours on the phone, with one of the only quirks being her stopping only for huddling in a corner with her voice memo app. Not necessarily a mythical creature at first glance; perhaps you wouldn't have noticed her, had her face not been memorized by millions. but maybe, so much as her tall presence and exceptionally friendly aura would have great magnetism alone, whether she had been known by almost the entire world or not. perhaps in an alternate timeline, had her name not gone up in lights…She would open a small family record store business in nashville, known by the locals to be the friendliest and most welcoming, perhaps a tourist destination, with songwriting classes on thursdays and fridays. (instead of big music distribution annoucements..)

All in all… in any case… very much at her core the same, a tall eager blonde girl at a bookstore (perhaps online ones these days…(:), devouring 800 page books on folklore or esoterics, going on for hours about the favorite words she keeps in her 'favorite word' folder on her desktop, going on about fantasy or mystery series (or documentaries of the feline kind) shed watch hours on the tv whilst laying in bed with her cats. Seeing her like this, you would wonder how the world could forget she was feeling, delicate and thin skinned. And imperfect. Assuming, unassuming, saying too much or too little, too active or too passive. Under all the flashing lights now, it may become buried sometimes. not an unstoppable leviathan, repeatedly shot through the heart yet immortal, or a name on a brand, rebranding and rebranding… But a spirit meeting the bone…. Trained to get along. Someone with feelings of hunger, cold, desire, Need.

A someone, like anyone, and like anyone, extrordinary.

( note from the author: welp. THAT last sentence killed my songwriters block NICELY. OKAY. NOTED. quite a peculiar origin story for THAT lyric. we carry on.)

-to be updated-

#swifties #Swiftie #taylor swift #Evermore #Folklore #Speak now #taylor swift fearless #Taylor swift red #Taylurking

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srorgana1 · 1 year

Text

Invocation

Paring: Vampire Kylo/Hunter Rey

Warnings: Dark Themes (apporaching Dead Dove, you have been warned), Supernatural/Paranormal, Blood, Violence, Gore, Death, NSFW 18+, Sexual Content, Psychological and Physical Torture, Kidnapping, Hatred towards organized religion, Pain, Major/Minor character death/injury, Demonic Possession

Chapter Twenty One

In his 853 years of existence, if anyone told him he would here, he would have laughed. But yet here he was, in a large duel headed shower with an enchanting and intoxicating woman about to face his demons head on. The thought swirled in his mind as he watched her rinse her hair.

She is the epitome of light. So open and accepting. He honestly expected her to run when she saw his dark curse, but she surprised him yet again. She is not only staying but offered to help him through what will be the hardest thing he has ever done.

After their shower, they dressed and planned over tea and jammy dodgers. He told her of his failed attempts as she prepped their room with all possible provisions. He made her promise if something happened and he was truly lost to the Darkness, she would take matters into her own hands and end him.

She agreed with watery eyes, telling him not to think like that. The air was heavy with anticipation as they ate a meal and locked themselves away. She kept the lights low and kissed him softly, telling him she was here for him no matter what.

She kept herself close but not too close as it started. The act of taking the ring off was benign but the physical response wasn’t. He screamed and writhed on the bed, bleeding from multiple injuries he had received during his lifetime. He felt he was finally living his death, giving his magick the opportunity to meld his powers together at long last.

Even though it was excruciating, this time was so different from his previous attempts. This time he had hope, somehow knowing he wasn’t alone made it tolerable. He could feel her magick around him, her lovely light signature swirling and calming his chaotic one. He finally collapsed onto the bloody sheets, his skin painfully tight as his skin stitched his wounds together once more. He somehow already knew they would be scars now.

He opens his eyes to see Rey with a washcloth and some water for him. He watches her eyes follow the scar on his face. He clears his dry parched throat. “I received this during our last battle. The Guard utilize re-fashioned Angel blades, their magick twisted for demon use. Pryde surprised me” he says through ragged breathes as he shakily pulled himself up.

She nods as she holds him steady, wiping the blood from his skin as he drank. “Well I like it” she says kissing his forehead and cheek. Setting down the cup, he holds her close just enjoying her simply being here. She hums and kisses his neck. “Does it feel different to you?” she says softly.

He takes a moment to assess his magick. It’s familiar but different. He can still feel darkness but its muted, swirled perfectly with his own natural magick. “Yes, yes it does, but not in a bad way” he croaks, clearing his still dry throat.

She smiles at him, shifting out of his hold. “You’re magick has always been intoxicating but now it’s just even more so” she says, shivering slightly. Rey shifts back from him, removing her loose tank top and revealing her breasts to him. His eyes widen as he can smell her blood and arousal even more now.

“You need to feed Kylo, I can feel it” she says softly as she runs her hand through his sweaty hair. He nods, wrapping himself around her once more. The hunger is different, like he is finally in control of his vamparic gifts instead of them ruling him. He kisses her, hoping it shows her how much he appreciates what she has done for him.

She sighs as he lowers them down onto the bed where he was made anew. He kisses and worships her. She moans and begs for him as their magick pulses and swirls around them like never before. He hits him that their magick had melded when she gasped at a particular deep thrust, able to feel her pleasure as well as his own. He opened his eyes and met hers, asking her a nonverbal question.

Her eyes widened as she nodded, gasping again as he took her mouth with a fierce kiss. They had done it. Their magick had become one, just as Mara had foretold. Her chant of his name in his head spurs him to move to her neck, nipping and sucking as she got closer and closer to the edge. A nonverbal whisper of “Be with me” was all it took for both of them to fall off the edge.

---

Kylo holds her in his lap, his bare chest at her back as he instructed to her how to channel her energy to an external form. His hand squeezes her breast as the other keeps her in place as he rubs his erection slowly against her. Her focus falters as her arousal spikes once more.

“Focus Rey” he says. Her eyes flutter slightly at the feeling of his mouth at her shoulder. She can feel their combined magick swirling as she tries to focus again. He kisses her again, those addictive lips making her mind float to this morning when he worshiped her making her cum over and over before biting and feeding from her thigh. She shivers at the memory.

“Rey” he growls in her head, his voice deep and seductive. She smiles, loving he can see her thoughts. It seemed like such an easy transition for her. Their magick was melded, why not their minds?

While she enjoyed feeling so much more of him, she wasn’t expecting the visions. The first one scared her awake, crying uncontrollably at the visual of Kylo shivering on a cot in a barrack, nursing an infected wound. The vision changed to him sometime in the 17th century, bloody and fangs barred as crazed townsfolk ran towards him with all kinds of weapons.

He woke instantly, concerned over the overwhelming spikes she was emitting. She asked what was happening and why she was seeing so many horrible things. He kissed her, telling her his theory of that they developed a psychic connection, now able to see each others memories and hear each others thoughts. He holds her as she sniffles into his shoulder, sending waves of calming energy to her while humming a soft melody in her head.

They discuss at length and agreed that whatever is seen is simply their magick continuing the connection process. The melding of two into one. He told her what he has seen so far as well, of her time at the orphanage and The Order. He shared with her the vision he had of her escaping the purges, hiding amongst nature as her court was wiped out.

He dreams made sense now. She had seen snippets of it before but now her magick was free she could see the whole thing. How her mother kissed her head and told her to run to the sacred circles, telling her they would protect her. How her father hugged her and told her he loved her before pushing her out the back door.

He held her in his arms as she processed this. She felt a strange sense of closure. She had been looking for answers for so long and through him she found them. She knows who she is now.

They were cuddled in bed when he brought up Qui-Gon. “Do you know who he is?” he asked softly. “No not really. They said he was from The Order and that he was sent to get me. He disappeared shortly after I started my training” she whispers into his chest.

“He was an Ethereal, like Mara and Windu. He was known to be a great Seer. He was also opinionated and was often at odds with Luke” he says as he runs his hand through her hair. “He was the first to speak of the prophecy. They say he left to find those who were lost.”

Her mind reels with questions, trying to figure out why Qui-Gon would have any interest in her. Her thoughts are interrupted by Kylo replaying Mara’s reading in her mind. “He may have known cyar’ika. I cannot confirm that but there had to be a reason for him to search you out.” She nods, burrowing more into him.

He brings her to the present with a quick nip of his fangs. “Do it cyar’ika” he says. She closes her eyes and focuses on making a small orb of energy in her hands. Picturing it in her mind, she wills it into existence. She hears him hum in her ear. “Rey, open your eyes” he says his fingers softly descending down her abdomen.

She opens her eyes and gasps at the orb she visualized in her mind floating in front of her. It’s magnificent. It swirls and sparks and her hands. She turns her head, unsure really of what to do next as his fingers reach their destination, stroking her lightly

She shuts her eyes, whining and gasping at his touch, her hips begging to move. “You did so well Rey. But you need to keep focused even through distractions” he says smirking “maybe I should…” “No!” she shouts, flinging the energy ball towards the wall, imploding on impact. It doesn’t destroy it but leaves a mark, the charred smoking streaks apparent on the dull gray paint.

He captures her mouth, devouring her as he enters her quickly. She keens into his mouth as he fucks her, loving how her walls squeeze him tightly. He grabs her neck, squeezing lightly as he lets their magick lead him. She gasps and moans, their mutual pleasure building. He growls as his fangs descent.

Kylo sweeps his finger against her clit one more time as she clamps down on him, her orgasm overtaking her. He bites her shoulder, her blood coating his tongue. He groans at the combined feeling. He licks again as she grips his hair, keeping him close.

A vision suddenly flashes before his eyes. He sees a dark forest at dusk. He smells pine resin, decomposing leaves and smoking firewood. He hears chanting, turning to see dark cloaked figures amongst the trees.

The vision changes to a dark room. He hears a dark laugh come through the chanting. The hooded figures part reveling a man is sitting atop a dark throne. He looks up and stares at Kylo with bright gold eyes, smiling wickedly before looking off to the side at a discarded body. No, no it can’t be…

He gasps, pulling his fangs out of Rey quickly. She hisses in pain as her hips stop their movement. He can feel their combined release drip down but he’s too focused on what he just experienced. He pants hard, squeezing his eyes shut as he removes his hand from her neck. “Kylo what, what happened?” she says breathlessly.

He looks down at her mangled shoulder, deciding to focus on her skin then her question. He has to process this. He takes his time licking her wound gone. She sighs at his attention, but turns as much as she can to look at him.

“Kylo” she says again, her hand running through his sweaty hair. He finally looks at her, her beautiful face dewy and pinked “I saw something” he murmurs, running a hand down her spine. She shifts off him, making him groan as she reaches for his button down. She slings it on and sits back down on his messy lap.

“What did you see Kylo?” she asks. He sighs knowing he cannot hide it, not from her. “I saw the Dark Throne. I saw Him. He’s ready to return” he says as he holds her close. “But there is more isn’t there?” she whispers.

The vision of her lifeless body replays in his mind. “I saw you” he says lowly. He hears her breath catch as he lets her see the vision. “I won’t let this happen cyar’ika, I promise you” he says, squeezing her gently. “I know that Kylo” she responds, laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around him. She shuts her eyes, hiding her own horrid vision from him.

They stay there for a while until Rey speaks. “I feel like I’m ready Kylo. Obviously this is a sign of things to come and we need to return.” He nods and loosens his hold. “I agree, but I have to say I will miss having you all to myself” he says smirking.

She smiles as her magick sparkles. “You’ll always have me Kylo. We just have be careful” she says, giving him a light kiss. He hums as he peppers her face with kisses, making her giggle. “As long as you end up in my bed every night, we can make that work.” She nods with a final loud laugh.

“Go get cleaned up Rey, I’ll text the team” he says as she stands, tapping her ass playfully. She smiles as she turns, leaving him alone. He wills his phone to his hand, sighing at the amount of messages that are waiting for him. Through the emails and missed calls, he sees a text from Vicrul.

Jessica had a vision. We need to talk. Text when you can.

He hopes she didn’t see what he did. He will not lose Rey. For once his magick felt calm and not at war inside of him and it’s because of her. He opens the messenger app and types a response. We are ready. We will see you soon.

#adam driver #knights of ren #kylo ren au #kylo ren #star wars au #reylo smut #kylo x rey #kylo ren x rey #hunter rey #reylo #vampire kylo #vampire au #reylo fanfic #kylo ren fanfic #a03 fanfic #adam douglas driver #starwarsficnetwork #Spotify

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secondjulia · 2 years

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In the last decade of the nineteenth century, nightmares and dreams proliferated at a rate that astonished even the waking world.

A portion of this increase was likely due to the rate of change that had overtaken much of the world — a rate which had been building for centuries but which had now quite thoroughly exploded. Another portion of the blame probably rested with the stubborn and chaotic thoughts flying through the head of the king of dreams and nightmares.

Dream needed to work.

He did not need Hob.

Dream had banished any doubt of this when he stormed away from their last centennial meeting. And any disobedient doubts that insisted on creeping back in when his guard was down were swiftly ignored as he redoubled his focus on crafting the Dreaming's new inhabitants.

And on charting his options from here.

The latter, at least, was a simple line of thought to entertain. Dream would just have to find a new human. That was all there was to it. Just for a night. Maybe a life. No indefinite bargains this time, no reason to involve Death. Maybe Dream didn't have to go back to the way he'd done things before, but he wouldn't let them go on like they had with Hob. He would never again fall to the embarrassing depths of needing a person.

He was Endless, and from now on, he would remember that.

Surely there were humans who would be willing to make a bargain for just one lifetime — seventy, eighty years? Maybe less. Despite the rapid rate of progress which had buoyed many in the waking world, in some places lifespans had taken quite a nosedive. Perhaps Dream could offer lovely, nightly escapes into the Dreaming for a mere twenty or thirty years. They could meet every decade or half-decade, and he might take only a few drops — he would certainly not avail himself of their life story, nor any pleasure outside the bounds of the strictly necessary act. Dream would be on his guard this time around, careful not to stray too close, become entangled, become vulnerable. And in return the human would get beautiful fantasies to soften their harsh, short lives.

Even the predator in him recoiled at the thought. It sounded sad. But Dream had tried it Death's way! Yes, some aspects had worked. In some respects, he had built some small reserve of strength. But oh, how weak it had also made him!

The wild thing inside him was still protesting his hasty exit in 1889, which was the reason Dream had been hesitant to return to the waking world and put any of his alternative plans to work yet. But it did not matter. He had forced so much out of Hob in 1789 that the human blood still sang quietly in his veins (when he had need of them.) It would be quite some time before his fracturing self-control would demand another drink.

Instead, as 1899 came to a close and the new century loomed over Earth, Dream spent more and more of his time on his work.

Dream tilted his head and long claws grew from the shape in front of him. It was a dark cloudy thing, the shape of fear and loneliness, now with glittering ivory points at the ends of its hands, points that would hurt—

"Why not just make them all mirrors?" a familiar voice drawled.

Dream whirled. He glowered down at Desire, who had somehow found a way to sprawl languidly on a jagged black rock on the shores of Nightmare. Dreamers had been dashed on that rock. Fish had been beached on it, gasping for breath. His sibling made it look like the most luxurious throne.

Dream shot an annoyed look from his creation to his sibling. "It is the isolation and destruction of this world's current industrial phase."

"Of course it is." Desire's scarlet smile stretched, baring blinding white teeth.......

Chapter 7 of Thy Fearful Symmetry is up on Ao3

#Like instead of Death setting Dream straight its Desire and they're vampires #Dream of the Endless #Hob Gadling #Dreamling #Desire of the Endless #Vampire AU #fanfiction #neil gaiman #ao3 #the sandman

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romadine · 3 months

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To Conclude a Long-time Nightmare

Summary:

Ichika was unable to sleep that night.

Her thoughts began to drift away from herself to her brother and the Black Bulls.

Post-birthday fic that I wasn't able to upload.

To read the Oneshot:

Ichika was unable to sleep that night.

The moon was obscured with clouds, faintly illuminating a dreadful color of black and grey. The chirping of insects wasn't a great help at all. They used to sound like a lullaby, yet it now felt like a chaotic buzz plaguing her ears.

Blanket tossed aside, she sat up and recalled what had transpired since then.

She and Sukehiro were able to make amends, hence she started visiting him at least once a year. That was the goal. Somehow, for the past few months of her recurring visits, they could make up for the time they lost by bonding through sparring, eating, and bickering. Those reminded her of the good ol’ days. Now that she had returned though, her living quarters felt palpably foreign to her despite being gone for only a month.

It was difficult to find sleep, especially when one dreaded it the most. Ichika hugged her knees closer and bowed her head. She tried to be fine really. She kept convincing herself that and sometimes it worked. She was able to have a good time with her brother and had a serious talk with him. However, being fine shouldn't involve suddenly zoning out in the middle of the party. Being fine shouldn't feel suffocating especially at night. Being fine shouldn't involve a bloodied katana and lifeless corpses flashing before her at unexpected times. Being fine shouldn't bring forth nightmares after another. Being fine was what she wasn't good at.

She felt as if she deserved this. Innocent people were gone because of an irrefutable mistake, a drug-induced rampage. She mourned for what future they've lost, for what they could've gained. Loneliness crept its way into her heart and she'd lost count of the times it won. Such a moment included this night, lying in a fetal position.

No one should know of this. This was her burden to bear. Hers to carry. Her brother shouldn't be held down any further just because of her. But on rare occasions like this night, she desperately wished for her dreams of the past to whither and leave her alone. Who would want to be haunted by that incident? She was nothing short of her father. She was a murderer. Would it help if she repeatedly chanted that she didn't want any of that?

She was drenched in cold sweat, her palms being a little shaky, and her throat parched. It made her recall that fight against a stupid Boogeyman. Only this time was the lesser evil and that she could move by breathing evenly.

Wanting to divert her attention, she raised her eyes to clear her blurry vision until her gaze landed on a specific item.

Ichika crawled towards it without even turning the lights on. In an attempt to see clearly, she rubbed her eyes only to find out tears soaking a part of her robe, perhaps those were the drops she felt earlier. Putting that realization aside, what she she stumbled upon was a mini komainu replica statue placed on what seemed like a wooden table. She bought it from the market. A merchant advertised it as a great gift for warding off nightmares.

Slowly, she was able to see its whole form. She was no artist so she couldn't help but critique it. It was like a dog carved on a stone. Nothing impressive, just expensive if she was to be honest.

"You're not doing your job." Her voice was hoarse as she reprimanded it for its uselessness. She shouldn't have been enticed to buy it. Looking back made the idea of having it even more absurd.

She slowly stepped back away from it but for whatever forsaken universe there was, her toe got hit against the corner of the table's feet. She hissed in pain, falling a bit and hitting her elbow next.

Everyone who knew her was aware that if there was something Ichika wasn't, it was being clumsy. She might not be as elegant as the higher authorities were, but she was surefire graceful as hell. Spending time with the Black Bulls made her careless, it seemed.

Thinking of which had her spotting a clueless-looking box at the side.

"..."

She remembered this. This was where she placed the souvenirs Sukehiro had given her. Pain forgotten, she went for it and latched it open.

Inside was a set of Speed cards,

a frozen cupcake (how the hell that didn't expire?),

a delicate newly transformed brush (she was sure it used to be a mirror before),

a small wand with a blue dragon emblem on it,

a dead stink rainbow-colored bug,

a portrait of Marie,

a miniature wine,

a green flower,

a bird feather,

a toy house shaped like a bull,

a girl version of delinquent glasses...

The list of weird stuff went on but nothing could beat the last one. Ever. It was a terrifying doll that was supposed to resemble her.

While Ichika silently concurred that she was intimidating, she couldn't bring herself to be that horrendous. The right eye looked as if it would burst any given moment soon, the lips were sewn on a thin thread line, and the hair... Oh don't even let her get started on the hair.

It was eerie looking that it would undoubtedly scare even the most heinous creatures in the underworld. It was quite amusing really. Ichika smiled at the thought. Heh, it would probably be more useful in scaring unwanted thoughts and memories away.

She took the doll referred to as tiny-friendly-Ichika-san, and placed it on her small tabletop.

There.

It sat there as if it had intentions of biting her head off should she plan to approach it. Was she like that? Okay, maybe the doll really seemed like her, not that she would openly admit it.

Granted it was dark and the moonlight was all too faintly dispersed, a few shadows emerged reminding her that light still existed albeit appearing unlikely. Funny how she managed to find deeper meaning of what supposed to be a regular occurrence. It reminded her of a certain someone, who just like her was also struggling against his demons. How was he now anyway?

A hit of nostalgia hit her.

Memories of working with the Seven Ryuzen, being useful to others, and helping bring about a change to reuniting with her brother countered her feelings of nausea and void.

Ryu-sama told her that she tend to forget what she gained and have in the midst of her silence. No one could replace her dead clan, but the people she met along the way cleared up the path for her. She wasn't a mushy person but she knew the feeling do being adored and loved by someone. She had her brother, her friends, her career. Reminiscing those moments felt like a summer's embrace. All wrapped up in a warm sensation. Her lips quivering at the thought of never meeting them had she continued to waste away, drowning in sorrow.

She wasn't alone this time.

Against the tides of horrid pasts.

Of second chances and redemption.

To slumber at ease whilst wishing for the departed to rest in bliss.

That night, it was quite symbolic that a mere peculiar doll guarded her from the onslaught of traumatic pasts. No talisman, no yoryoku, or whatsoever.

To conclude, on top of buried trash laid the komainu.

A/N: For you who have lost someone or something dear to you, you are not alone.

#yami ichika #ichika yami #yami sukehiro #black clover #hurt/comfort #ao3 fanfic #ao3 #midnight #found family

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zobralolz · 10 months

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FULL STOP I HATE STAR WARS BUT THE SEQUELS GAVE ME A THOUGHT

I don’t read the lore, past the movies I don’t know if there’s anything official addressing what happens after rise of skywalker, but thinking though its events, it gave me some thoughts about force users, and the fact that everything is just… gone…

So starting with episode 7, the least important one, Rey is set on her adventure, and the first order just fuckin’ WRECKS the new republic by destroying several worlds, so now there’s just… no central government anymore… Neato.

Now for the real sauce, episode 8 the last Jedi, Luke, the last full Jedi, is dead by the end, Rey barely has any training, and the first order just lost its leader and is about to collapse, but we see with Broom boy that more people with force powers continue to be born, but haven’t had any guidance, since Kylo is the only real Sith, and Luke hasn’t been taking on any trainers save for Rey, along with this the manuscripts for the Jedi are gone. For all intents and purposes the Jedi are dead by the end of this movie.

Now in episode 9, the worst one, Rey has been trained by Leila so now she’s a competent force user, and a “Jedi” but by the end she doesn’t identify herself as a Jedi, she’s just Rey Skywalker. On the other hand, Palpatine and his whole Goth club, and Kylo, are all gone, all dead, everyone’s dead coolio. So, much like how the Jedi died in the last movie, the Sith are well on truly gone as an organization now (Unless somehow palpatine returns, again). So now aside from Rey, there’s now longer the labels of Jedi, or Sith, to guid young force users, and to teach them how to balance their force powers. Along with this, the resistance might be taking up being the space government, but they were already small to begin with at the start, so the galaxy is still gonna be a FUCKIN MESS.

So my point is, unlike with the post OG trilogy, where there was at least Luke “I’m a Jedi, like my father before me” Skywalker to guide people, post sequels we just have Rey. So that means, in a newly chaotic universe with no central connection between all of them. Along with this, we have kids like Broom boy who will continue to be born, and develop their abilities, on their own. These children will have to rediscover and reconnect with the force, and form their own identities and connections with the force outside of the direct teachings of either Sith or Jedi, there will be legends, and maybe records of these people, and some might try to bring them back, but there’s also the potential for force users, wholly disconnected from those organizations to exist and form their own identities and cultures within the force. Right now have reached what could basically be called the dark ages of the Star Wars universe, and there is SO MUCH POTENTIAL, for stories to be told where maybe a force user like broom boy who only knows legends of the force needs to make his own identities as a Jedi, on his own, and find a way to create his own identity, and meet with more people like him, in a whole knew form truly seperate from the Jedi order of old…

Idk im tired, and i thought it was a cool idea when I realized there was no confirmed Jedi or Sith aside from Rey, post ROS, and yet broom boy still exists, and probably has no idea how to make a lightsaber, or why the dark side of the force is bad or whatever, he could literally become anything because so much of the Last Jedi was literally never built upon in ROS.

#star wars #sequel trilogy #rey skywalker #headcannons #thoughts #ranting #personal rant #idk man

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wozman23 · 11 months

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Alan Wake II - My Spiral into Its Madness

[THERE WILL BE SPOILERS HERE. AND THEORIES SURROUNDING THE ENDING. IF YOU PLAN ON PLAYING ALAN WAKE II, DON'T READ THIS. GO PLAY IT!!!]

After trudging through every square inch of The Dark Place, credits have rolled on Alan Wake II, and the platinum trophy is mine! It's such a phenomenal game! It's got so many qualities and small details that make it such.

First off, after a decade of hoping for a sequel, I'm just so happy that it has finally come to fruition! And I'm so pleased that its... RETURN... was in such a superb manner. Director Sam Lake himself said that he's “happy” that this is the Alan Wake II we got. It wasn't Remedy's first draft. Both Quantum Break and Control spun off of Alan Wake failed sequel concepts. Over the last 13 years Remedy has honed their skills, and introduced and iterated on many concepts since the original Alan Wake. And the result here is a culmination of all those years of hard work.

Connected universes and multiverses are hip right now. This has been a concept in video games for quite some time, with people suggesting that merely an Easter egg like a newspaper mentioning a “deadly virus” in Uncharted 3 means that The Last of Us and Uncharted coexist. Some people even go as far as to say that because there's also a Precursor Orb collectible in Uncharted, Jak & Daxter also reside in that universe. At a certain point, it becomes a bit absurd. But Remedy has really found unique and interesting ways to tackle the concept of a shared universe that always feels organic and never forced.

Remedy doesn't own all of its IP, particularly Max Payne or Quantum Break. Yet they've found creative ways to incorporate characters and ideas from both of those franchises. And it feels as if these plans have been in place since their Alan Wake's inception, if not earlier. I never played their Max Payne games (only Max Payne 3) but I'm hoping the talks of them remaking them changes that. Because I'm really excited to see not only what they were about, but how they'll almost uncertainly tie even more things to their connected universe.

Alex Casey is certainly a nod to Max Payne. They share many similarities, even down to the Sam Lake likeness. Yet within Alan Wake, he's also just the lead character of Alan's past novels. Does he even really exist? Was he simply birthed into the world by Alan's writing? Multiple times, events contradict themselves so that were never really sure what the truth is. And I think that's one of the most fascinating things about the Alan Wake franchise, and their other works by extension. Every single character in the world is a walking contradiction, an enigma. Alan Wake, Thomas Zane, Alex Casey, Saga Anderson, The Anderson brothers, Tim Breaker... every character intertwines like a chaotic ball of yarn.

I think this is never more clear than with Thomas Zane. At face value, he's an auteur, a muti-hyphenate, who became trapped in the Dark Place after his own events at Cauldron Lake. In the original game, he acts as Alan's guiding force, often a deus ex machina. Who or what exactly he is or was was one of my biggest questions entering the sequel. I'm still not sure. Oddly, he looks just like Alan. Ahti, an eccentric character we'll talk about later, even refers to Alan as Tom. And much of Tom's work is credited to Alan Wake, either through their Americanized names, or Finnish names. It wouldn't be crazy to say that Tom doesn’t even exist, and is merely a plot device, a character created by Alan himself to deal with his own situation. Yet somehow the inverse could also be completely true. Maybe Tom created Alan to deal with his own trials of being trapped in the Dark Place. Maybe he wants Alan to replace him in The Dark Place...? Then there's the Clicker, a switch that apparently was cut off of a lamp that Tom had, that Alan also had a kid to help him combat his own fears of the dark. It's also known as an OOP – an object of power – thanks to Control's Federal Bureau of Control, postulated to somehow act as the key to making written art come true. The ambiguity and overlapping with everything is both intriguing and maddening. And that nebulousness is exactly why I love Alan Wake and Remedy so much.

The same questioning could be applied to every other character. Has everything just been created by Alan to deal with his situation? Is that situation even real, or all in Alan's head? How do you tell the truth from the lies? At the end of the original game, The Dark Presence, manifested as Barbara Jagger, tries to convince Alan that his entire world is a delusion, a ruse created by him so that he doesn't have to deal with the fact that he was actually the one responsible for the death of his wife. It's a short interaction, and it's brushed off by Alan as an attempt by her to stop him from defeating her, but who's to say that it's not the truth? Maybe everything we're playing is merely a dream. Maybe Alan's bad temper or addictions either drove her away or got her killed...

Alan Wake II really doesn't answer a lot of questions. It more-so just doubles down on this approach of contradictions and confusion. I'm really no more certain who Alan, Tom, and Alice are, or whether or not they even all exist. And now we've just added more characters and more questions.

I tried to go in blind. I really only knew that Alan was in The Dark Place and there was a second playable character, Saga Anderson. I feel like I put a few details together early in the game as to who we were interacting with. I knew we'd be running into Tom. Yet despite knowing Saga's name, her lineage reveal took me by complete surprise! I think the differences in race from the Anderson brothers made me never even consider that. However, because of it, I do have a theory on one of the game's biggest unanswered questions: Who is Saga's father?

Mr. Door, Warlin, is a wild card. We really don't know anything about how he operates or what his motives are. But I have some theories! Some of which I came to. Others which I agree with after falling down the rabbit hole of internet debates. Warlin is Saga's father. There's really not much to go on. Tor and Door himself say a few things that seem to suggest it. Then there's the man researching Door, Tim Breaker, played by Shawn Ashmore – who also gave his likeness to the lead in Quantum Break, Jack Joyce. I don't remember a lot about Quantum Break, but his use of white boards can't be coincidence. Nor can his name which is one character shy of “time breaker.” This has to be another situation of skirting IP. Tim does have family in the world of Alan Wake via the Breaker family in the Bright Falls Sheriff Office. Are these two characters one in the same, mirror images in opposing universes? I'm curious to finding out more about this as well, and what role Tim plays in everything.

The internet also helped with with a few theories as well. Early on, Tim mentions a “redhead.” I assumed it was a reference to Jesse Faden, the protagonist from Control. But it would also reference Beth Wilder from Quantum Break. In these situations, both characters share character models, which isn't unheard of for multiple project from video game studios. But here it just feels like it has to mean more. Could they also be multidimensional counterparts? Clearly as is the case with Casey and Breaker, names don't have to be the same. Yet the person essentially is.

Then on the flip side of things, you have characters who don't look alike, but feel like they're counterparts as well. Mr. Door and Quantum Break's Mr. Hatch share some interesting similarities. Door... Hatch...synonymous...? The unfortunate thing here is that I'd assume Mr. Door was originally intended for Lance Reddick, the actor who played Mr. Martin Hatch, before his untimely death. (Lance is mentioned in the credits.) But a recast was required. Again Martin... Warlin... all to similar as well...?

One thing is for sure: I need to play Quantum Break again.

Details like that also make me consider some other absurd theories. Are Alan and Tom counterparts from differing dimensions? Perhaps either Alan or Tom doesn't truly belong in the dimension we're witnessing. Maybe that crossing of universes is responsible for so much of the chaos, similar to the show Fringe... which also featured multiple dimensions and Lance Reddick. Let's make it canon!

Ahti probably knows, and he's perhaps the most interesting character at this point. Appearing first in Control, as a janitor, he seems to be omnipresent and all knowing. He reminds me a lot of Tom from the original game. The janitor trope has come up many times before: Neil Flynn in Scrubs, Mop Girl in Disenchantment, Ahti... what's that about? Now, finding his way into the world of Alan Wake, he just creates more questions, straddling the line between eccentric old Finnish man and god. Him singing was great. Actor Martti Suosalo who portrays him won a BAFTA for his role in Control, and deserves so much praise here as well. I just watched a podcast with Sam Lake talking about how talented he is as an actor and singer in Finland.

Maybe I need to replay Control as well... There's also so much lore here about Altered World Events, Objects of Power, and parautilitarians to further explore. As well as plenty of direct references to Alan Wake that may now be a bit more enlightening. But back to the the all knowing and the omnipresent.

The Old Gods of Asgard occupied that role in the original game, and still do somewhat. Here we learn that they're immune to the effects of Alan's writing, and by extension so is Saga. While her mother, Freya, is dead in this time line, she would certainly be as well, should she or one of her doubles appear.

I love The Old Gods of Asgard so much, as characters. I'm curious to see what's in store for them considering the conclusion of the game. But I mainly like them for the musical contributions that come from the real life band Poets of the Fall! Remedy has done a terrific job commissioning music throughout the franchise. The songs that served as transitions between chapters in the first game were great. Here, they're even better! Not only is the Old Gods stuff amazing, but the other collection of artists really impressed even though they're outside of my typical genre of choice: rock. I'm not even sure what genre to put a lot of the stuff in. Many of the tracks feel kind of industrially, like a female version of Nine Inch Nails, or maybe Billie Eilish. And their excellence makes me want to explore more artist in that vein.

I talked about this last time when I wrote about Alan Wake. More games need to commission musicians to create unique songs for them. Everything here feels custom crafted for Alan Wake. Similarly, one of my other favorite games, Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy - which I'm still hoping somehow gets a sequel after nearly 20 years - also commissioned a band, Cold, to write the song "In My Mind," and it was also perfectly executed.

I think Remedy's dedication to partnering the project with excellent music is also indicative of another of the strengths of Alan Wake II. It's a story about an artist, that values artist. The overall art direction is beautiful despite it dire and macabre tone. It's intermingled with beauty. I just read today on twitter about how all of the graffiti scattered throughout The Dark Place was created in collaboration with graffiti artist, Irwin Suimuri. So many times, the art and artists in games do not get the credit they deserve, so it's lovely to see people appreciating some of the finer details in this large project.

This reliance on art and sound really comes to a head at the point that many are calling the game's best moment: it's musical section. Apparently it was almost cut because it was hard to execute, but Sam stubbornly stuck to his guns and made sure it shined. I had a grin on my face the entire time, especially watching both Alan and Sam dance. (Was it Casey or Sam himself since he's also appeared in the world?)

The first game had glimpses of humor, mainly through the comic relief that Alan's agent, Barry, provided. Because of that, he's one of my favorite comic characters in all of gaming. One of my only disappointments with Alan Wake II is that he never appears. Yet somehow the game is even funnier. It's also far darker and more gruesome. So that dichotomy is even more impressive.

There were also the Koskela Brothers, who made some genuinely gut bustingly funny videos. Jaakko's fumbling of the pronunciation of quinceañera was probably the most hilarious moment in the game. Their inclusion was much appreciated. And there's the whole other rabbit hole to go down about their parallel to the Huotari Well incident which makes one wonder who or what is exactly real in the world. Plus, the town of Watery and Coffee World were great additions as well. There's nothing better than a decrepit theme park. Pat Maine had some fun, odd radio shows as well, obsessing over Wendy Davis and her Family Beef Jerky. Hickory teriyaki! It could be that he's losing it, or maybe like the Anderson family, he's immune to the changes in the story and remembering the past.

Another common praise that I see coming up time and time again is how the game seems to project a love for Finland, and feel Finnish. The platinum trophy itself is labeled "Sisu," which is defined by Wikipedia as "a Finnish concept described as stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness... to express their national character. It is generally considered not to have a literal equivalent in English. In contemporary psychology, sisu is shown to have both beneficial and harmful sides which can be measured using a designated scale."

The Koskela Brothers, Ahti often slipping into Finnish and singing "Yötön Yö," Wake and Zane sometimes being referred to as Seine and Viekko. It all makes me want to move to Finland, or at the very least, learn the language just to see if they've tried or try to slip anything past us English speakers.

Another thing I did know was that the game was going to stray from its original design quite a bit, which was a concern for me going in. There was a lot more emphasis on exploration (and thankfully less collectibles). Combat wasn't as center stage as the original either, with encounters feeling fewer and farther between, in favor of new, unique investigating and writing mechanics. Overall it didn't feel anywhere near as action driven, and because of that combat seemed a bit more one dimensional. While there were probably just as many weapons, and more choices for explosives, it didn't feel as if the game was encouraging you to experiment with the combat mechanics as much. So I mainly relied of my favorite guns, and the occasional flare. Wolves, which were a scrapped enemy type from the first game were present, but with their middling execution, I think I'd have preferred keeping the uniqueness of the various possessed objects the original had, whether they were beams or barrels, or a menacing tractor or train. One feature that I'm glad got axed though was the driving mechanics, which were very unrefined in the original. I did really enjoy the inclusion of audiovisual “jump scares.” On more than one occasion I got spooked. And the atmosphere, particularly in the Overlaps, where worlds felt as if they were blending together was a really cool touch. I do think I'd have still been okay with a form more similar to the original, but I do know some criticized it. The changes did really encourage me to really take my time with everything. I tried to explore every nook and cranny over my leisurely 31 hour play though. Letting the game breathe more gave it a nice ebb and flow. I often didn't want to put it down, staying up way past my bedtime, exchanging my enjoyment within it for the tiredness I'd face the next day at work. I managed to find nearly every collectible, solve every rhyme, and close out most of Saga's cases. There were a few things I used the internet to track down, I missed petting one deer, and a few cases weren't closed. But I enjoyed every second of it! I also really enjoyed Alan's portrayal in this installment. In the first game, he was unwavering and pretty clear headed. But 13 years in The Dark Place and with The Dark Presence - regardless of how long it has felt to him - really started driving him mad. We started to see cracks. I assume even the smallest details are crafted by Sam Lake. I felt like the Alan Wake is and has always been Scratch twist was brilliant. There's this back and forth about who is who, and who is writing Return, and even Initiation. And early on to me it felt like Alan's flowery prose was swapped for clunkier lines of thought and sentence fragments. I thought, "Boy, Scratch is such a shit writer." Turns out, it's probably just Alan going crazy, or his mind being invaded by The Dark Presence. At some point it's also mentioned that no one has ever returned from Cauldron Lake unaffected, which should have been some foreshadowing that the real Alan was never going to return completely as himself. Yet up until seconds before Scratch escaped from his jail cell, I assumed an unaffected Alan. Then later, there's the ultimate payoff that the two are one-in-the-same when it's revealed that the thing tormenting Alice is actually not Alan's doppelganger who made it to her reality, but just Alan bleeding into that dimension.

It's not very often that I finish a game and question what the hell I'm going to do next. I've got Super Mario Bros. Wonder ready to go. Jusant is ready on Game Pass. And Spider-Man 2 - which despite being from my all-time favorite developer - which got put on the back burner because I wanted to prioritize Alan Wake II, should be on the way since I picked it up a few days ago thanks to Wario64 mentioning a sale online. But I really don't want to play anything right now. Its a odd phenomenon that happens every so often after a truly great game. I saw someone else online say this as well. The only other time I can think of this happening in recent memory is with The Last of Us, a series I regard as the best ever. I'm kind of sad Alan Wake has now come and gone. In listening to the soundtrack afterwards, I began to weep seconds into RAKEL's "Follow You into the Dark." It's nearly an alien feeling for me. But the finality of finishing up the game and being so grateful for it existence really got to me. And I think those companion music pieces probably exemplify best what makes the game so damn great. Whereas most games feel like games comprised of various works of art, broken down into chunks like art design, sound design, visual effects, etc., Alan Wake II feels like the inverse. It's a collection of beautiful works of art, like custom songs, and custom graffiti, and all of those other more mundane components that go into making a game, that somehow work together to form this amazing game with a riveting story.

I'm sure I'll pick up one of those other games soon. With Mario I expect a series of levels of varing degrees of difficulty. It's a tried and true formula that we've seen in gaming for 30+ years, with a fresh coat of paint. With Spider-Man 2 I expect the modern AAA game: fancy graphics and effects, a large open world, and plenty of side missions to keep me busy and extend play time. It will be Spider-Man 1 with a few more bells and whistles. In both cases, those experiences will probably be fairly "game-y." By contrast, Alan Wake II was created with such a bold vision, reckless ambition, and an overall love that made it feel completely unique, transcendental of video games, and more like an experience than a cliche video game.

Right now all I want to do is talk about Alan Wake II, and go down the rabbit hole of reading about others' experiences with it and their own theories.

It's such a treasure. It definitely wouldn't exist in its current state had it come out around 2013. The wait was horrendous. But like Sam, I'm so happy it exists in 2023. The thirteen years it took felt like an eternity. But during that eternity Remedy continued to toil away at quietly adding more to the Alan Wake lore even when they were busy with other projects, not working directly on the franchise. Alan Wake II feels like a great sequel that builds upon the strengths of a great game. But it also feels like it contains great elements from the projects that they've held us over with since the original. The seamless blend of live action videos feels like the evolution of ideas in Quantum Break. And the connected universe idea pulls heavily from Control. Without those games, Alan Wake II may just not have been quite as special as it turned out to be.

That being said, I hope it performs well commercially, enough to justify a sequel within a much shorter time period. Because I'm so obsessed with the world, and Remedy's grand schemes. I'd like to know who Mr. Door, Tim Breaker, and Ahti actually are. I'd like to get a better idea of what their motives are, as well as those of Tom. I'd like to see what the crazy old Old Gods are up to. I'd like to know if Logan is okay. I'd like to see if Alan and Alice can triumph and return to a normal life. I'd like to know if the Bookers, the latest artists to visit Bright Falls, will play a larger role. I'd like to learn more about all the cool little details and ways that Alan Wake, Control, Quantum Break, and Max Payne intersect. I don't expect much of that to actually be answered, because a lot of the fun of the franchise is pondering the unknowns and unknowables. So maybe I'm really just looking forward to another riveting story, more great music and art, and even more questions that make me wonder what the hell is really going on.

BRING ON ALAN WAK3!!! Hopefully before I'm 53.

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