#just watched a man fell a boar in a single punch

[girlmaster132]

Rosaria x Female Reader: Hidden In the Shadows

Rated: Mature

Words: 4k

Warning: Kidnapping, Death

First-Person POV:

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Mondstadt is such a beautiful place, the kind people, the breathtaking views. It is known as the city of wind and freedom. And for someone like me, it's the finest place to steal.

The Windblume festival has also begun doubling the number of people in the streets. My excitement reached its peak. I strode inside Mondstadt, flower wreaths and decorations welcomed me. I walked on a smooth blue carpet that reached the center.

Relief rushed through me knowing that this place has bad security. Knowing that most members of the Knights of Favonius are incompetent and lazy asshats, stealing here would be a breeze.

I smirked and watched the crowd form in the town center. Good Hunter has released a new dish and everyone's going crazy. I wore my hood and approached the nearest table. Golden Chicken Burger had a fragrant smell that could reach all the way here.

I sat in a chair and observed the potential victims. My other "friends" were doing their own business in the corners of Mondstadt. I wasn't on heavy duty today, so the simplest thing could be the greatest treasure.

I shifted my view to different people studying their clothing. A child wearing a flower headband, a man with booze, I saw a woman with a pouch of mora just hanging at her belt. I laid my eyes on the price and studied a route in this massive crowd. I stood up and quietly approached her.

I pretended to whistle and accidentally bumped into her. I swiftly swiped the mora on her belt and grinned hastily hiding the heavy pouch in my jacket.

"I'm sorry dear, I apologize for being ever so clumsy," I bowed down.

"Oh, no worries! A lot are excited for the food a lot of people bumped into me already."

"Well of I go, hope you have a nice lunch!" I winked and strutted away. I felt the bulge in my jacket symbolizing my success. I stretched and got ready to go back to base, I left Monstadt while giving empty smiles to whoever passed me.

My boots crunched at the grass, I strayed off the path and entered the woods. Boars and birds roam around. The sun was starting to set and after a few more steps I arrived at our camp. Some greeted me and when I entered the tent, I was met with devious smiles. The smiles of sinners, "Welcome back capt. Got anything worthwhile?"

I threw the pouch of mora and he clumsily caught it. "I did most of the work last raid, better not expect me to give you more than that." The rats rapidly took the pouch and fought over it. The coins dropped like heavy rain, clanking on the table, some even fell on the ground. They scattered around the room collecting the precious mora.

"This would be 5000 Mora. Nice catch capt."

She handed me a few coins, "Nah I don't need that, keep it for yourself. I'm fine with the food and shelter y'all provide me," I yawned and stretched. I walked around the room and observed the map of Mondstadt.

"Where are you going? It's night, the best time to get treasure. But you already did your share for this week?" I scoffed and

"You don't need to know." I sighed and stood up, "I'm going to the usual. See ya lads."

...

The moon glowed amidst the dark sky. The breeze was gentle and the town was silent. The lights gave a warm atmosphere as I walked to the cathedral. Thieves are sinners meant to be punished. It's ironic that I visit the church every night. I walked around the entrance and looked at the mountains.

Dragonspine was seen, I wonder how my fellow Treasure hoarders were holding up there.

I reached the back and stared blankly at the graves, there was a man singing lullabies. I eyed him and sat down at the stairs and waited for my friend to come. I blanked out and leaned at the huge door. The door opened quietly and I met with her.

"Tsk, stop sitting there like a homeless person and come in already." I blushed and laughed. A light blue color sparkled on her clothes.

Cryo Vision

...

The floors creak as I slowly approached the room. The windows glistened the moonlight. I tiptoed through the hall and kept looking back at the window I went in.

Desperate for a place to stay in, the treasure hoarders are my last chance. I strained my breaths through my pounding heart. In the hall were three rooms. I chose the door beside me, my hand wandered to my pocket and took a pin out. I knelt and unlocked the door. There Infront of me is an empty and dusty room. There were boxes stacked against each other and a sole table inside.

I walked towards the boxes and opened them. Coughing from the dust. Inside were broken bottles and cans. I pushed the box away, there needs to be something worthwhile here or I'm dead. I scanned the boxes and crawled to the table.

I ruffled at the table contemplating if I should hurry up or take this slow. I opened the drawers, piles of paper were in there. I stumbled and covered my mouth. I looked back and there were still no signs of people coming in. I gazed back at the table

The light from the window reflected a circle orb that caught my eye. I scrambled to it and took the papers above it away.

A Pyro Vision

It had no color or life, its owner must be dead. I sharply inhaled and grinned. I took the vision and fiddled with it. Relief surged through me, I'd finally get home and be able to attain Mora once I sold this.

"Oh, sweet mother of the archons! I'm saved!" I looked up into the ceiling and kissed the vision. Suddenly I heard stomping noises from the first floor. I quickly pushed the vision into my pocket and ran outside. I locked the door from the inside and slowly closed it. My heartbeat was faster as the footsteps were getting close.

I hastily jumped out of the window and harshly fell to the ground. My knees trembled and I stumbled. I picked myself up and stared at the pyro vision in my hand. I took a headstart and ran away passing the homes of Springvale.

I reached the forest, took out the map the treasure hoarders gave me. I followed the location running through the trees in the dark. I advanced and found the location. It was an empty camp with no sign of life or a fire source. I saw a girl a little bit older than me sitting under a tree staring at the darkness.

"Do you need help?" I whispered. I saw the table had food, cold but still food. I took a piece of bread and handed it to her. Getting near I got a better look at her. She was frail and her body was skinny. Her mouth had blood on it.

"I think you'd be needing that more than I do kid," She said with a raspy voice. I gazed upon her empty eyes. "You also shouldn't be here... I think you got the wrong location kid."

"Why not? The Treasure Hoarders led me towards here," I took out the map and showed it to her.

"Get out of here now those assholes tricked you!"

"Tricked me! W-what are you talking about?"

"You are nowhere near the Treasure Hoarders land. You're in the territory of the Ace Onyx if I were you I'd take this bread in my hand and have your last supper here." I paled when I heard people near us.

"Well, well, well what do we have here? You caught a new bitch?" I shivered and looked back. A punch met with my face and I fell down. I rubbed my face as my eyes got watery. The girl watched silently. "I wonder how this one would sell in the market." He loomed over me holding my face as he observed me.

"It'll be worth a fortune boss!"

He let go of my face and raised a hand. I covered my eyes and waited for the inevitable. The girl ran up with unbelievable speed as she roughly pushed him forward making him stumble. I gulped as the devilish eyes surrounded us.

"Lay a hand on her and I will kill all of you worthless scum!"

"Ya' talk big for a slave that knows no remorse and has killed countless innocent lives. You've taken all my dirty work and followed all my orders like a dog on a leash. Are ya' sure that you aren't part of this so-called worthless scum?" He smirked. I shakily stood up and walked backward, I looked back ready to escape.

"I am sick and tired of following your orders, getting innocent people involved just to survive and live a life. I'd rather die right here right now."

"K-kid let's go!" I took her hand pulling her towards me, yet she stood there unwavering. She glared at them with fire coursing through her soul.

"Fleeing makes you a traitor, and traitors can only earn their freedom through victory in combat," He raised his hand signaling the other bandits to stop. He took a dagger and threw it at her feet, she glanced back at me. Even if that hate wasn't towards me, it was enough to freeze to the core. "Well, come on then! Kill me, and you can leave this place. I'm long in the tooth now, while you've got youth on your side. You can do this, can't ya?"

She halted me from running away. I saw a smirk on her face. Like she was confident she was about to win. I sat back down on the ground as I watched the fight begin.

The girl twirled the dagger on her hand as her eyes were fixated on their leader. She inhaled and was quick on her feet; she struck upwards, slashing his shoulder. He prepared a jab which she dodged and elbowed him in return.

She ripped through his clothes, striking every opportunity she got. Every attack is driven by hate and rage, showing no remorse. This didn't even seem close to a fair fight. The leader was bleeding through several wounds. She didn't stop there, Her strength was admirable; she flipped him over and he roughly collided with the land.

She took him by his hair and brought him up. She stabbed him right in the heart, taking the knife out. The leader coughed out blood as she hit him in the face with the hilt of the dagger. She pushed his head down and didn't hesitate to stab him at the back of his head multiple times before he fell to the ground. She breathes out slowly, not even a single sweat dropped from her forehead.

She smeared her hand over the bloody head and disgustingly licked it. An eerie silence as everyone watched in horror. I breathe out and fog is released out of my mouth. I saw that the place was starting to get cold. The sky darkened and clouds swirled above her.

Something glowed in the sky. I squinted and gasped. A cryo vision slowly descended from the sky. My eyes widened as it fell into her hands. The bandits stood there trembling and terrified. They have no chance of winning against a person that has killed their leader. Let alone received a vision from the gods.

"Anyone else?" She pointed the dagger at them. Cryo manifested on the weapon.

Knights arrived at the scene and the bandits fought them. The girl took my hand and attempted to flee. We ran as fast as we could until we were out of sight, giving me enough time to do something. I crouched down and started digging in the ground.

"What are you doing?"

"None of your business—" More knights came in surrounding and trapping us. I hurried and threw the unused vision on the ground. I quickly stood up and stomped on it hiding it from the knights.

I hyperventilated and felt arms wrapped around me. I looked at her, she wasn't scared or startled at all. Men pointed their swords at us and instead of attacking us the knights just kept us in place. I covered my ears at all the screaming happening. Knights against the bandits, I saw sparks of different colors appear, symbolizing that the vision holders arrived and wiped everyone clean.

"Come on you two," The knight calmly said. Rosaria didn't falter, mostly because we're surrounded by knights and vision wielders far more superior and stronger than us. They locked up our hands with chains. They led us to a carriage in front of us. I gasped at the result of the fight.

Pools of blood surrounded them, huge deep cuts with oozing ichor out. Some were burnt and others had their eyes opened. The lifeless figures made my stomach churn as I stopped the non-existent food from going up out of my mouth. I froze with fear as the knights opened the carriage and helped us in.

I sat there traumatized that visions of those poor souls kept popping up in my head as if it won't leave me alone until I die.

"Rosaria," She quietly said.

"What?"

"My name's Rosaria." Silence overtook us, the carriage door closed and it started moving. "The nearest place we can stay is at Mondstadt. It's our only way of surviving. So if I were you, I'd like you to stay put and accept your fate."

Everything went hazy and I felt lightheaded. I relaxed and laid down on the floor. Everything has been so exhausting that I fell asleep.

...

I opened my eyes blinking multiple times with the sun blinding me.

We were both in the same cell, Rosaria was quietly fumbling around her newly acquired vision. And I was playing with my chains. Her wounds healed up quicker than I thought. I had a bandage up on my face after that punch.

We heard the door open and clanks of armor echoed around the cells. Knights escorted a tall man with them. He was looking down at us and I felt a tinge of intimidation radiate from him.

One of the knights took the key out and opened the rusty gate of our cell. Rosaria tensed as the man walked in. He crouched down to our level and surprisingly gave a warm smile.

"I am Varka Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius. I've heard about you two caught at the site of the Ace Onyx last night. You two seem young—"

"I'm talking to no creep."

He chuckles, "oh no you got it all wrong. I would never do anything bad to you children. Instead, I suggest that you go to the Cathedral and be cleansed by the light of our archon. You still have the chance to turn your fate around and live a normal life," Varka said.

"And what exactly— you want us to be nuns?"

"Indeed, I believe with all my heart you two would be reformed."

I noticed he was more inclined towards Rosaria. I have a feeling He deemed her more dangerous than me for having a vision.

I'd do anything to give me a temporary home.

"We accept."

...

A few days later I returned to the site of the fight. Everything was empty now, the bodies, the camp are gone. The place has been cleaned and a few animals were roaming around. I dug up the ground and found the vision I hid. I glared at it not knowing if I should feel happy that I saved a soul or to sell it to get back to my old ways.

"You all tricked me!" I yelled surprising the assholes.

"How the fuck did you survive?"

I tossed the unused vision at them. Their eyes widened, visions are hard to get. Unused ones are rare, and being able to steal them is rarer.

"W-what happened to the Ace Onyx group?"

"Whatever the fuck that group is they're gone! I was there to witness the Knights of Favonius kill each and every one of them!"

"They're gone?" They said with shock plastered amongst their faces.

"What? What's so special about them?" I asked while shifting my view to each one of them.

"They're our enemy faction, we've been battling for territory and power ever since. If they're gone that means..."

"We're the strongest faction in Mondstadt and Liyue."

"Does that mean?"

After the oh so meaningful conversation they immediately accepted me. They even paid a huge sum of mora for the unused vision I gave them. They celebrated that night and I rose the ranks quicker than I thought I would.

This is the life.

3 Years Later

It was a busy day, I walked up the stairs headed to the cathedral. I wonder how Rosaria is? Balancing my life as a treasure hoarder and commoner. I walked up the stairs.

"Miss Rosaria, please, show a little more circumspection in your actions! You are a member of the Church. How is it appropriate that you simply never turn up for hymn practice?" I overheard sister Ophila shouting.

"Please calm down, Sister Ophila. Miss Rosaria, I'm told that you have never attended a single one of your compulsory classes. Is that so?"

"Yes," Rosaria deadpanned.

"Mother Maria, please look at this... Rosaria's theological essay is an utter mess!" A sister chided while showing her a piece of paper. Sister Ophila took it and read it with a contorted look.

"Miss Rosaria, if I may ask frankly... do you intend to do any work at all here at the Church?" She asked while looking melancholic.

"No. I've already found other work." The sisters sighed in unison. Rosaria never showed so much as a hint of anxiety in any of these exchanges.

"Fine, miss Rosaria we'll let this pass this time but please take your next duties seriously." Rosaria bowed and the sisters left. I stood there as awkwardness filled the air.

"Hey Y/N I know you've been watching there. I could hear you a mile away," She glanced at me. I laughed at their antics. "Sorry, you had to see that. That was embarrassing."

"No, it's fine! I'm just worried maybe with all this work you're doing, you might not be feeling well," I said while scratching my head.

"You ask me that as if you didn't leave the church. I should be asking how are you?" She trudged away and I followed her.

"I'm fine really, I don't understand why they won't let you leave but here I am strolling around Mondstadt freely. Also, the additional fact that you're the one with the vision and I'm a useless person."

"You're nowhere useless to me," She muttered. Rosaria was forced to stay in the church by Varka. I still have no idea why he was so hellbent on the idea that Rosaria would be a nun and would reform. It's been three years and she's the same as ever.

We both reached the edge of the cathedral and sat at the edge of the cliff. We watched as the moon rose and the city turned calm. Rosaria took a cigarette out and started to smoke.

"What do you plan to do with your life?" I stretched.

"If the church wasn't so disdainful and bigoted I would like to do many things. I'd also want to spend my life and be with..." she trailed off.

"What did the church do again that's stopping you from doing what you want?" She glared at me and I scrunched my brows. "What?"

"You're denser than the dense. Stupid even. Whatever," She stood up and rolled her eyes.

"Hey?! Don't say all of that and then leave me hanging! Did I do something wrong?!" I ran up to her and grabbed my hand. She pulled me in and kissed my cheek.

"That kind of dense, you blundering buffoon," She scoffed and walked away. My mouth was wide open and I was dumbfounded.

...

Present

We entered the church and I yawned.

"How are you and what did you do today?"

"Oh you know, the usual. I was roaming around Starsnatch cliff to watch its amazing views."

"Was it a lovely sight?"

"Yeah—"

She used her elemental skill and teleported behind me. She hit my feet and I fell down. She tugged my shoulder and tossed me, sending me flying to the wall. I hit the wall with a thud as I groan and rub my back. The ice crawled up behind my back and my body slowed down. Her hand grabbed my neck and pulled me up. She glared at me with a burning hatred that pierced my soul.

"Treasure hoarders always get on my nerves. I can't believe you're the infamous Y/N. The brat that leads the group of treasure hoarders that terrorized Springvale for an entire month. I can't believe you're a vicious rat that's been hiding under our noses. How dare you betray me and my trust?"

I struggled to breathe and felt her hand trembling. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If she was trying to make me feel bad, she was doing the right thing.

"Are you that "thing" my fellow treasure hoarders kept talking about?"

"It seems like you misunderstood me from the start. I may have been a friend to you, but I've been working for the church at night. Skewing and finding the threats of Mondstadt." I held her hand struggling for freedom, "Though I'd kill them the moment I catch them." She leaned in and we were face to face.

"Well, what are you going to do? Are you going to kill me now?"

"No, I'm going to do something better." She opened her mouth and I felt fangs bite into my neck and I wince in pain. She held me in place while she sucked on my blood. I breathed heavily and the world around me went hazy. Lightheaded, she pulled out and licked my neck. Chills ran down my spine and body. She shoved me down to the floor and smirked. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

I panted heavily and lifted a hand up to my neck. To check if I was dreaming or not, I smeared blood across my neck and looked at my hand.

"Y-you're a vampire! I thought they died whenever the rays of sunlight hit them! Does being inside a church not hurt you?"

"Oh, poor kitten do you seriously believe in those silly fairy tales? You've been my friend for a few years by now, yet a dense idiot like you hasn't caught on to the fact that I wasn't a normal human at all."

"How long did you know that I was part of the Treasure Hoarders?"

"I've known since the past month you've led your little buddies to attack Springvale. I am quite impressed that you've deceived me. But you've also angered me! But I can give you the luxury of freedom, I can spare you," She chuckles. "I'm quite starved. I would surely like to drain you right here right now. I've been waiting for a reason to do this." I gulped and looked at her eyes as she licked her lips.

"No... I will give back everything! Everything I stole! Just spare me!"

"How about we make a deal? I won't turn you into the Knights of Favonius. In exchange for something."

"I'll do anything! Calm down!"

"For someone as sinful as you, every night we meet here and I'll take a little bit of you."

I panted heavily and dreaded the future.

"So what's your choice? To rot in a cell for the rest of your life, or to give me something of yours every night? I promise I won't take much and you'd live." She smiled sadistically.

"Fine... I'll do it."

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Author's Note: I uh post in wattpad too- https://www.wattpad.com/story/264619512-genshin-impact-oneshots-x-readers-x-characters

[smol-and-trashy]

Sylvix Vore Fic (FE3H)

A/N: This is probably mega OOC, but I fell in love with both Sylvain and Felix during my first playthrough of FE3H and been itching for a vore fic featuring them. It’s probably more accurate to read this as platonic due to my inability to write anything remotely romantic... This was also inspired by @sinfromlokislair‘s Sylvix fic, theirs is a lot better tbh haha.. Vomit warning, so if that makes you squeemish, please leave now! Enjoy :) 

_____________________

Felix growled as he shoves off the giant finger, wishing this oaf wasn’t the first person who offered help. While Sylvain would disagree, it wasn’t entirely his fault that he was in this position. The blast of magic was directed towards their professor and Felix, standing behind her, found himself foolishly taking the hit. He expected a lot of things to happen, well aware of the effects of taking a direct hit to dark magic, but being reduced to the size of a field mouse was not one of them. Now, he has to pay the price of the curse. 

Felix pinched the bridge of his nose, he expected something like this happening to Sylvain, the reckless skirt-chaser, but himself? He was usually more collect in battle. He sighs, regret still weighing heavily over him, but he had more pressing matters to tend to, specifically regarding the man before him. He looks up: Sylvain Jose Gautier loomed over Felix in all his self-proclaimed glory, Felix swallows. Goddess, he was gargantuan, his chest taking up most of Felix’s line of view and he has to crank his neck far back just to peer up in his friend’s eyes and feel like an equal in conversation. Bubbles of fear and humiliation rose up inside the smaller, but he represses those feelings, swiftly replacing them with indignation. “For the last time, Sylvain, quit poking me.” “Sorry, sorry, it’s just that you’re so tiny and cute! I really can’t help myself.” Sylvain laughs a little, folding both hands behind his head. “Insatiable, as always,” Felix mutters under his breath. If Sylvain heard, he gave no indication, instead, grabbing Felix without a single warning. As the tree-sized fingers close around his waist, Felix soon finds himself face-to-face with his ginormous friend; bemused, Sylvain simply watches as the smaller struggles in his grip. “Let me go, Sylvain!” he squawks, trying to pry those fingers off him. Really, the man had no concept of personal space. “Mm, I could, but,” Sylvain leans forward with his elbow still on the table, drawing closer to Felix. Fruitlessly trying to maneuver his legs and kick at Sylvain’s too-close face, he stops; scowling as he notices his own reflection in those amber eyes, and at last, Sylvain pulls back. “This is all too much fun!” he winks. “Hilarious, now let me down, you oaf.” Felix says flatly, “I would rather dual the boar than being stuck here with you.” “Really? Because most ladies would love to be in your shoes, Fe.” Felix squirmed a little in the redhead’s grip, not fancying himself so high. “Let them. At least you would finally leave me alone.” Sylvain leans on his arm, a cocky grin adorning his lips, “Ouch, don’t be like that! Least now, you can’t refuse to get dinner with me.” The raven-head rolls his eyes at the reminder of Sylvain’s countless dinner invitations, most of which he had turned down in favor of training. “Forcing me to eat with you, would you stoop so low?” Sylvain says nothing, only flashing a sly smirk and hoists Felix a few inches higher, just above his nose. Felix unwittingly tenses up, he's much too high and Sylvain was taking this joke further than he'd like. He curses while digging his nails into his friend's skin, trying to force himself to be lowered. Yet, the other refuses to budge. He can't tell if Sylvain thought of this as one big joke or if he was really this careless. "You incorrigible---" "Aw, c'mon Fe, you’re just cute enough to eat!” Sylvain interrupts smugly, dangling Felix over his wide-open mouth; He wasn’t seriously going to drop him, but it was all too easy to get a rise out of him. Felix’s heart pounds furiously against his chest as he’s forced to peer into Sylvain’s awaiting maw. Sharp white teeth that could easily bite him in half taunt him while that wet tongue twitches and Felix doesn’t even want to think what is beyond that dark, pulsing throat. It was repulsive, everything. Despite himself, Felix couldn’t stop staring. Is this what prey feel when they’re about to be eaten? Strangely enamored? He frowns, choosing not to dwell on it, and instead, averting his eyes to the door, he was no damsel, but a piece of him wishes for Ingrid or even the boar to pay Sylvain an unexpected visit. Relief sweeps through him as those lips close, “Tell me, do you have a death wish, Sylvain?” he growls, but the older man’s lips quirk upwards, evidently amused. As Sylvain opens his mouth to make a quip—- “Sylvain!” Ingrid barges into the room, and in an instant, he loses his grip on Felix, barely able to make out the tiny man’s objections as he falls straight towards the gaping throat. Sylvain’s jaws snap shut, and the obtrusion at the back of his throat causes him to swallow, purely out of reflex. Fuck. All traces of coy playfulness disappear instantly as he feels the tiny body make its way down his throat. He sits there, in cold shock, as Felix drops into his stomach. The heavy, humid air hits him, and Felix lies absolutely still, paralyzed with disbelief. This can’t be real. That half-wit did not just swallow me. Felix’s heart pounds in his ears as he wipes the slime off his face. The chamber wasn’t as dark as he anticipated, in fact, he could see the wrinkled pinkish walls fairly well. His own stomach turns as thick chyme splashes on him, and before he’s able to gain some semblance of footing, he’s thrown at the opposing wall. More liquid soaks him, and Felix thrashes aimlessly, the only coherent thought going through his mind is ‘I need to get out of here.’ He rushes to the nearest wall, cursing at Sylvain for taking his swords beforehand, and punches at the wall. No reaction. Not a wince, not a protest to stop, nothing. The chamber groans and convulses, but there’s no direct response from Sylvain. Felix clenches his fist, and despite the heat, he feels an icy chill plunge into his veins; no, he must persist. He’s trained on hours end, he can make Sylvain notice him. As Felix is about to inflict another punch to the walls, he hears a familiar voice around him, pushing down the squicked feeling of hearing his childhood friend in such a ubiquitous manner, he pauses to listen. Sylvain stands up and freezes, a nervous chuckle arises from his throat, “I-Ingrid! To what do I owe the pleasure of—“ “You know how many messes of yours I had to clean up for the past week?” He blanches as Ingrid wastes no time in berating him for his less than reputable behavior, “You promised that you would cease your philandering ways, but I heard from Ashe, of all people, that you were—-“ she pauses, Sylvain was almost hunched over, sickly pale with his arms twisted around his stomach, “Are you okay? You look unwell.” At that, Sylvain straightens up, “Ah, yeah, yeah, just ate something bad earlier,” he winces as he earns a nasty kick from Felix, “nothing some rest can’t fix!” Ingrid’s concerned expression only deepens, she purses her lips, but Sylvain, armed with a charming smile, puts a hand on her shoulder, “Honestly, Ingrid, I’m fine. But it’s cute of you to get all worked up over me! Y’know, maybe a kiss on the cheek would help?” The blonde shoves his hand off, rolling her eyes, “I’m not…Take care of yourself, Sylvain,” she sighs, turning around and finally shutting the door behind her. Alone in his room, Sylvain gingerly presses a hand on his belly, earning sharp kick in retaliation. His mouth suddenly feels like it was filled with cotton, and finding himself at a rare loss of words, Sylvain racks his brain for the right thing to say, for something to say. “You alright in there?” he mentally slaps himself after the words come out of his mouth. How utterly stupid he must sound. “Am I alright in here?” Felix repeats incredulously, blood boiling with every ticking second, “Did you really just ask the man who’s stewing away in your filthy guts if he’s ‘alright in there?’ What the hell do you think?” Sylvain swallows and finally sits down on his bed, trying to control an incoming rush of vertigo. He runs a hand through his hair, slicking the ruddy strands back into place, and sighs. “You’re right, I-I’m sorry, Felix. You’re not… melting in there, are you?” His heart-rate begins to pick up, thumping wildly in his chest like a caged bird. “Oh Goddess, you need to let me know if anything is happening!” “As you should be,” Felix says while checking out his arm. His once white sleeves are stained from the juices, but he’s feeling no burning effects. Not to say the acids wouldn’t be activated when Sylvain eats something—-other than himself. “It looks like I’m fine, for now.” “Good, let’s get you out of there.” He’s met with an affirmative hum, and Sylvain plants himself on the floor, firmly pressing both hands on his stomach. Tiny fingers tap on the bottom of his belly and now wholly aware of it. The feeling is entirely alien, almost ticklish; he automatically heaves, offhandedly noting the room getting warmer as sweat gathers on his forehand. Bile creeps at the bottom of his throat, and Sylvain dry heaves once again, “C’mon…” he murmurs. His stomach groans louder, noisily protesting the shrunken being inside, and his fingers slam on the hardwood, curling instantly. As his guts twist and turn in itself, he grimaces, wishing for a drink to aid him in this uncomfortable process. Sylvain’s eyes widen as he gags, only able to retch out strands of saliva. There is a distinct lack of a certain sharp-tongued mercenary.   “No…Why didn’t it work?” he whispers, clutching at his middle. “Sylvain…” Felix’s voice is dangerously low, and Sylvain was sure that if he hadn’t removed the former’s weapons, his insides would have been lacerated mercilessly. Even though they’d been friends since childhood, even though they made a promise, there was no way Felix would let himself die such a humiliating death. Felix glares up at the tight sphincter from above, it’s much too high to force open, but maybe if Sylvain was lying down… He pauses, out of nowhere, acids begin to bubble and churn. The stomach gurgles louder, and suddenly, he’s thrown from wall-to-wall, hardly getting a chance to catch his breath. A god-awful groan resonates around him, and his head gets submerged under the liquid; everything flies by too quickly; this was it, this was how he was going to go down. He can’t breathe; one moment his lungs are filled with acids, and the next, he finds himself splayed on a squishy surface. Felix coughs and gasps for air, for a split second, he really thought he was done for. Arm slung over his head, he almost doesn’t notice the shadow looming over him or the fast pulse below, rivaling his own. He needs a good minute to recoup himself as he breathes slowly to even his heart-rate. Finally removing his arm, he looks above. Felix’s breath hitches as the thundering vibrations of Sylvain saying something reverberates through his body; nearly admonishing himself for such a pathetic reaction, he realizes the words aren’t registering. “—-about this, yeah?” Felix catches the tail-end of whatever the redhead was trying to say. “Alright.” and for the first time since this ordeal, there’s no bite behind his words, only thinly veiled exhaustion as he finds himself slumped against Sylvain’s index finger. He just wants to return to normal and forget this day ever happened.

[ohgoddard]

Fist of Fire.11.Arc-1-end.

Cloaked bodies huddle in the dark, in the time before sunrise. In the middle of an empty parking lot in a part of the city that no one goes to in any regularity, the meeting was clandestine and secure. From a corner covered in shadows, a man wearing a three piece suit and a tophat emerges, brandishing a cane. He looks quite pleased with himself, overlooking the group.

“I assume,” the man spoke with smug satisfaction, “all is ready for the big event?” 

“Yes, Lord Emesh.” A voice came from one of the taller cloaked people, a dry gravely tongue. One by one they all took off their hoods, revealing themselves. A teenaged boy with golden hair, three huge lizards, and a simple old man with spectacles. The old man spoke, in a southern drawl reminiscent of a slave owner, “Although we are very confused as to why you are not appearing in person. Is this not the perfect time to unveil yourself to the world, Lord Emesh?”

Emesh clicked his tongue and slowly tilted his head towards the old man, who quickly bowed his head. “ Phantom, now is in fact not the time for me to appear. My precious has not finished growing, and I fear that a premature opening would bring unwanted attention from abroad. I do not want both Omegaman and All-Might attacking me, do I? It's not a fight even I could win.”

The mention of Omegaman shuddered the three lizard people, and the old man now known as Phantom bowed his head deeper. “My deepest apologies, Lord.” Emesh gave a single hmph before turning to the boy with the golden hair. “Now, you are the lynchpin of this operation. The others will run interference along with the other nobodies I recruited to distract the other heroes. But you? You will carry out the job.”

The boy bowed his head. When he looked up, he wore a smile upon his face.

“I will not disappoint you, father.”

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Jade was not expecting the venue for his tournament to be as large as it was.

“WELLLLLCOME EVERYBODY TO THE SOUTH-EAST HERO CONFERENCE!” A voice roared from loudspeakers placed all around the largest stadium Jade has ever set foot in and thousands of voices screamed from packed seats. There were people wearing jerseys, people wearing hero merch, music blaring from speakers all over the place. Confetti was being shot into the air as three heroes flew at sonic speeds over the stadium, creating a huge boom. The crowd only got larger.

And Jade stood there dumbfounded. Riley walked up to her, and put her hands up to her eyes to see better. “Damn, turnouts a bit big this year. Was only about 90% this last year. Must be a champ coming.” A marching band was on the field playing a tune that was loud and inspiring, and acrobats were jumping into flaming hoops made by pyromancers below. It was an experience completely foreign to Jade. “Why..Why are there so many?!” “You don’t know?”

The students were standing in a box room above the rest of the stadium with a huge glass window looking down at the rings and fields below. Ricardo had just walked in on RIley and Jade talking and had overheard Jade’s plea for help.“This is one of the three hero conferences before the championships. It's like a college football game, but bigger. Scouts from all over the country come here to recruit people they see from the games, and the games only get more intense when you get out of the highschool circuit and into the college. Some people even go professional and go onto the HCL and play the sport as a living.” Jade was gobsmacked; she did not know of this beforehand. “Most people don’t watch the Highschool circuit, except for one bit.” And just as he speaking-

“ATTENTION AUDIENCE! IT IS TIME FOR THE FIRST EVENT OF THE HIGHSCHOOL CIRCUIT!” A voice sounded off from the loudspeakers and the crowd roared, screaming and cheering. The band on the field started peeling out, the acrobats following suit. The crowds started to chant, “Coaches! Coaches! Coaches!” The loudspeaker rang out once more, “Can the coaches of the highschool circuit please take the field.” The crowd cheered, and from a distance Jade could see five people walk out of a corridor. The announcer started reading off the names, “Representing New Orleans High, it’s Bayou Queen! From Nashville Academy it is Bluegrass! From Chattanooga Academy its Lakeside! From..” as the names were read off, sections of the stadium would cheer accordingly. The biggest cheers thus far came for the Little Rock High coach, Jungle King. However everyone was starting to notice something. “Where is Reverse?” Jade started to ask, but was once again interrupted by the loudspeaker. “AND! Making their first appearance in the circuit it is the Atlanta Hero Academy with their coach,” and as he spoke a streak of blue and white whizzed into the stadium creating a huge boom. Dust clouds flew everywhere, and when cleared the crowd saw standing in the middle..”REVERRRRRRRRRRSE!” The stadium exploded. Cheers and chants carried throughout all sections of the crowd. Reverse was dressed in bright white, red, and gold. He looked like a titan carved of marble, and his posing did nothing to dissuade the notion.“That’s right ladies and Gentlemen, Reverse! Savior of the President’s Daughter, the Knight of Mt. St. Helens, the defender of Boston!” The crowd was chanting his name and only died down when Reverse did a motion towards them. “Folks, this coach fight is going to be a doozy! Now, for any newcomers out there, let me explain the rules.”

The coaches started to go into seperate corners of the stadium, each doing small stretches. Reverse was just leaning against the wall. “To decide which school goes first in choosing the brackets, the coaches must duke it out! In order of who goes down last to first is how it goes. Normally, the games are set before they even begin but this time it's anyone's bet. We only have one returning coach from last year in Lakeside, so we need to see how well he holds up!”

The coaches were all eyeing each other.  Ricardo continued explaining,”It is no secret that coaches for the school must be trained in hand to hand combat on a professional level before they can coach. It's so the school does not lose face in the ring. So they hire coaches more for punching other coaches than teaching the kids proper. However, the AHA decided that Reverse needed no supplementary coach for this part of the match.” Ricardo chuckles. “The coaches are now in place, and are waiting for the mark to go!” Jade and the rest of the AHA crew, even Emily, were pressing their face to the glass in anticipation. Then, a loud buzzer sounded and the coaches were off. Reverse did not move however. What’s his game plan? Jade thought.

Lakeside rushed in and summoned a large stream of water from the grates on the stadium floor and shot it at Bluegrass. Bluegrass ducked and weaved away from the blast and punched the earth, causing ripples of vines and plants to follow in a jagged pattern to the feet of Lakeside. The vines shot from the floor and lashed at Lakeside, who fell over. He sent another splash of water at Bluegrass who thought he could take it. But the water had small rocks in them and went at high speeds all around his face and neck, causing small but oozing cuts everywhere. Meanwhile, Bayou Queen and Jungle King had just finished their fight. Jungle King had jumped over a beam of darkness shot from the Queen’s hands and delivered a strong hook into her jaw, causing her to crumble to the ground like a wet paper bag. Jungle King’s gaze turned towards Reverse, who was still leaning against the wall. He shook his head at Jungle King, who made no advances towards him. The king was instead blindsided by the coach from Birmingham PowerSchool, Kintay. She grappled onto him like a child riding a bear, bolts of electricity jolting out of her and going into the King. He jumped in the air and fell on his back, nearly crushing the coach had she not jumped off at the last second. The King turned to fight her only to be hit in the face with a stream of water, temporarily blinding him. With the combined water and electricity now, King was being electrocuted. That is, he would have had Kintay not also shot a bolt of electricity at Lakeside and gotten him too, making him out for the count. His body fell to the side of Bluegrass, who he had taken care of earlier. King, now no longer being soaked, leveled his shoulder and charged Kintay, who was unfortunately not lucky enough to dodge him this time. She was thrown against the wall and fell to the ground unconscious. Which left only Jungle King and Reverse in the stadium. 

Reverse walked forward, and took off the helmet of his coach uniform, letting his face and short cut hair show to the whole crowd. Jungle King gave a low chuckle and readied himself against Reverse. “Never thought I’d get a chance to fight you again, after you put me away six years ago.” Reverse’s face was stone, making no reaction. “I’m surprised,'' he said as he tossed his helmet to the ground, “they hire convicts as teachers in the state of Arkansas. Especially convicts who’ve killed.” The crowd was so loud, not a soul could hear what they were talking about to each other. All they could see were the two men circling each other. Jungle King was a huge, 7 foot 3 inches 360 pound man of muscle in a wife beater. His skin was a golden bronze and his hair was in a mohawk. One could describe his face as a wild boar with no tusks’.

“Well, it was easy for me when it happened then, now there should be no different this time.” Jungle King charged Reverse and delivered a mighty left hook into his body which .. did nothing. Reverse stood there, unmoved. The crowd went silent. Even Jungle King took a step back, in surprise. 

“You just don’t learn.” Reverse simply walked forward and within a second delivered an uppercut to the behemoth’s body and he went flying into the air and outside the stadium walls. The crowd once again exploded.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! NOT SINCE THE DAYS OF OMEGAMAN HAD WE SEEN SUCH POWER IN THE SPORT!” The band was now in the stands and was now playing a tune to hype the crowd up as Reverse retrieved his helmet, turned around to face the cameras all along the stadium edge, and gave a little wink. And as the stadium was cheering he walked into the corridor he came out of. Jade stood still in their room, speechless as the rest of them. “He went so easy on us in practice…” John muttered under his breath. Not even two seconds later, the man himself appeared in the room.

“Man, that was some fight. I'm pooped yall. I ran here from the hotel after sleeping in jeeeeez.” Reverse sauntered over to a couch in the box room and crashed down on it, putting his feet on the armrest on the other side. Riley walked up to him, sat in a chair next to the couch and put her hands on her knees. “So, who’s gonna go first?” Reverse yawned and scratched his face. “Jade. She’s gonna fight this telekinetic kid. So uh, good luck kid. All of you go change into your gear.” In just a few seconds, Reverse had shaken Jade twice.

A few minutes later, Jade was down in a corridor leading out into the field, facing another corridor across the way from her. Standing with her was Reverse, who stood rather mightily. “All you have to do is throw fire at em, he can’t concentrate on more than one thing. Just don’t get caught in his grasp and you should be good.” Jade was shaking a small amount, the nervousness getting to her. She had already vomited in a nearby trash can, her nerves running rampant. “Don’t worry, you won’t get hurt too much. If anything, this is great practice for you. “ Jade gave a sideways look at Reverse. “That doesn't help my nerves.” “Well, don’t say I didn’t try.” A buzzer sounded from outside the corridor , and it called for the contestants to take the field. Jade gulped and Reverse pushed her out of the corridor, to the sound of screaming and cheering.

There would be three fights this round, so that they can get through the fights faster. Jade saw three giant concrete platforms on the field, with their contestants approaching them. Jade didn’t pay much attention to the other contestants, instead focusing on the boy approaching her. He was slim, smug faced, and jauntily walking teenager with a short dollop of golden hair on his head. He was dressed in the purple and green on black suit of the New Orleans School, with a popped collar. “CONTESTANTS! TAKE THE PLATFORM!” Jade stepped up to the platform, and was now mere yards away from her opponent. The boy is about her height, and his hands are in his pocket. His face is plain, spotless and essentially featureless aside from his golden yellow hair atop his head. His teeth were a shining pearly-white. Reverse was looking at the large screens around the stadium, and was hit with a hint of familiarity when looking at the boy. His hair, why does it look so familiar?

“CONTESTANTS! ON YOUR MARK!” The competitors took their fighting stances, except for Jade and the golden haired boy. Jade was far too taken aback by his non-chalantness to take form. What did Reverse say about his power? Her mind was racing, trying her hardest to remember his words. Only pulling up memories of the bus ride with Riley and coach fight.

“GET SET!” The golden haired boy spoke, in a voice that sounded like a love song.”Don’t worry, you won’t have to fight very long.” Jade’s blood ran cold. “GO!”

Then the stadium exploded. This time not with the cheers and screaming of joy, but with shrapnel and cries for help. The contestants run for cover, save for Jade, who just stands there in shock. Reverse sees this and starts to run towards her, him realizing what's going on. 

But he was too late. The golden boy raised his hand at him and, miles away he was still only a few yards away, was forced into the ground by an unseeable force. Jade started to run towards him, her arms glowing with the sun energy within her, but soon found herself wrapped in the same bands that held Reverse.

“Oh no, that's not going to happen. You’re going to stay for the show. And I'm leaving with the girl.” Reverse was livid, his body heaving with anger and the energy within him. Jade was dripping puddles of burning energy and could only watch in anger and desperation as all around her explosions happened. The box rooms were on fire, the stands were frantic with other explosions. The heroes who were on guard are seen being easily bested by huge lizard people. An old man is seen floating in the middle of everything, pointing at locations and explosions happening. Heroes would rush in only for another lizard man to appear out of  nowhere. The crowds were halted from leaving the stadium by the fallen rubble collapsing the exits.

Then, a voice echoed throughout the whole stadium. “IT'S BEEN FAR TOO LONG, REVERSE!”

The large sports casting screen at the end of the stadium lit up, baring the face of a man in a suit and tophat, smiling cruelly. He sported several scars across his face, with a notable dent in the right side of his head. His evil grin was accented by disgusting yellow teeth and his eyes with heavy bags under them shone with red evil fury. A strand of dirty blonde hair dangled down his crooked nose, between his eyes. The whole stadium was held still by an invisible force. “I would not try to escape civilians. You will find yourself cubed, No, no I do not come here today to kill. Although, I might make an exception.” While he was speaking, the boy in golden hair walked up to Jade, grabbed her arms , and started pulling her like a balloon at a state fair, away from Reverse. He was seething with hatred, a faint light coming off of him now. “Emesh…” Reverse muttered underneath his breath. The man on the TV gave a hearty laugh, as by driving the civilians who were in his clutch began to pull from their stopping points, now circling above in the air in varying poses of escape. “Reverse, I thought you finally bit it in Boston, after I let loose that plant beast. But no, you always had a penchant for survival. Did you run away again?” The faint light around Reverse was now growing brighter. “I am frankly surprised you are knowledgeable of my new name. You never were the smartest of the group.” Jade and the golden boy were out of his sight. He would have to deal with that later.. He has to save all these people now. “I think a punishment is in order. For daring to live after I tried to kill you, I will now drop all these people from the sky. A fitting exchange, isn't it?” He started to cackle, as the people began to slowly stop spinning and then.. Fall.

Then an earth shattering explosion was heard, causing a huge dust cloud to appear in the middle of the field. “Phantom! Did you kill him?! THAT WAS FOR ME!” The old man was whipped in front of the screen, and was babbling. “Nonono-no. I did not do that!” “I did it.”

The dust was split down the half as a cyclone of air shot from its origin, a bright light standing tall. Around the light were the thousands of people who were in the air, and the unconscious bodies of the lizard men. In the four seconds after the explosions, Reverse grabbed all the people out of the air and took out the lizard men. And was still raring to go, the bright white light still beaming out of him. “Where are you Emesh? Are you too afraid of being beaten twice? Of being broken and humiliated within the decade?” Emesh screamed into the screen, causing earthquakes.”hHOW?!” The beam of light that was Reverse stood there, stalwart against the man on the screen. The ground around Reverse was slowly decaying, turning grass into dust. 

“I could always break your chains, Emesh. When you were still Planeteer. You were never stronger than me.” Emesh laughed. “ Oh really? Care to wager?” Suddenly the stadium started to shake and the giant screen caved in, creating condensed points of iron and television screens. The old man floating nearby was also sucked in, screaming that he was suddenly silenced as he was crushed in the mess of mass until the ball exploded.

In its place was a floating man with a three piece suit, a tophat, and a cane.

“Would you wish to put your life on the line?”

Reverse leapt from the stadium at lightning speeds and delivered a punch into the face of Emesh, traveling hundreds of feet in the air doing so. Emesh flew backwards and slammed into a concrete wall of the stadium. Reverse landed on an exposed girder from the scoreboard, standing resolute still. “I have ten years of regret in me, ten years of what ifs. Because of you. I would put my life on the line if it meant you don’t get to have yours.” Emesh shot from the hole he was thrown into, and launched a part of the stadium with him. Entire rows of seats and concrete chunks slammed against Reverse, only causing him to glow brighter.

Emesh was floating still, a look of fear creeping across his face. He knew he could not win against Reverse.. Why had he let his ego bring him out here? A drive to wipe away those we wronged him? Whatever it was, he could not die now. He was so far away from his goal.

Emesh spread his hands wide and the ground shook, creating a great tear in the earth where pillars of molten rock started to pour out. “Look familiar?” The cries for help reached Reverse’s ears as he remembered the tons of civilians down at the stadium floor. He was torn. End Emesh and cause  thousands to be killed, or let him go and allow millions to die. Just as he was about to decide, a voice came from the field. “Don’t worry! We got this!” He turned to see Riley and his class carrying people to the corridors in the stadium side,along with other competitors and the coaches moving rubble to carry to injured and moving people out.

Emesh hated the community that he had to fight. While Reverse was distracted, he launched a pillar of lava at him from the crack in the ground, hitting him straight in the back. “Just like Victor! The same trick carries such great merit!” He began to cackle, but was stopped when a bright white glowing fist struck him in the chest. Emesh was thrown hundreds of feet into the air before righting himself. Standing atop the wall where Emesh was floating was Reverse, still glowing bright white. The space around his body was dark because of his presence,he illuminated so much light. “This ends today, Emesh.” The sky begins to turn red and dark clouds start to roll in from nowhere. “I would have no other way, you mistake!” 

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Jade ws being pulled down a series of hallways in the stadium, each one echoing with the sounds of explosions and shakes. The golden boy was holding her arm and moving through the labyrinth of tunnels. I need to get out of here, and fast! Jade had been struggling the entire time in their mental grasp of the golden boy. She had been unable to get out, but she noticed something. His brow was becoming more and more tense, and the sweat was pouring off of him.  His concentration is waning.. If I can surprise him I bet I can break his will! Jade began to concentrate on her right arm, the arm that the golden boy was holding, and tried to focus all her power on it. She steadied her hasty breathing , then -

“FUCK!” the golden boy yelled as his hand caught fire with solar energy and he let go of Jade, her hitting the floor. He turned to look at her with vitriol in his eyes. “You burnt my hand you BITCH!” He pointed at her and the pipes on the wall of the utility corridor he was pulling her down began to bend and pull from their place. Jade, however, tapped into something. In her concentration and desperation to escape, a latent power clicked. Her eyes glazed over in gold and she lashed her arms as if whipping someone, a beam of light shooting from her hand and creating a rope. The rope went around the golden boy and he screamed in pain as the rope began to burn his clothing. He jerked his head to the side and a pipe flew from the wall, steam pouring out. Jade let go of her rope in surprise, and had to dodge another pipe being thrown at her head. She raised her hand again and shot a bolt of light from it, its radiance illuminating the steam as it sailed down the hallway. And also giving away the position of the golden boy. The golden boy lunged at her, scratching her face. He punched Jade in the gut and she fell to the ground. Jade turned over and grabbed his head in both of her hands, and summoned her flaming arms. He began to cry out in pain as the sides of his head burned. He shoved her off and stumbled away. He turned to her.

“You’re not worth it… my face.. My hair! I don’t care if my dad wants you for his dumb plan! It’ll work anyways. Just you see!” Jade raised her hand to shoot another bolt of light but was halted when the boy raised his hand and collapsed the ceiling in front of her, separating them. He then turned tail and ran, his hands still clutching his face. Jade was about to pursue, but the shuddering corridor reminded her of Reverse and Jade started running the opposite way to try and find a way back to him. 

It took her a while, but she came back to the corridor that led into the stadium, and was shown a devastating picture. Competitors were guiding people out of the stadium which was now a huge tear in the ground with gushing lava pouring out of it. And in the air, a glowing ball of energy was fighting an increasingly erratic moving flying man. Jade was watching a fight for the ages.

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Reverse lunged at Emesh and finally made contact. He grappled onto his legs and started climbing up the three piece suit. Emesh raised his cane to smack him, but as it got close to Reverse’s body it disintegrated. Reverse raised his right fist and punched Emesh into the ground. His body went flying towards the Earth, Reverse not too far behind. As he was falling, Reverse raised his arm in the air. Emesh hit the ground, and was struggling to stand when he looked up. He saw the rapidly approaching Reverse and raised both his hands to stop him in the air. Reverse’s descent did not cease, only slow. Flames started to form around his forward fist, like a meteor entering the atmosphere. “Must...not….let.you..win!” Emesh shouted as blood started to pour out of his eyes and nose. 

“This is for Victor.” 

Reverse kicked his legs into the other and a force propelled him into Emesh, who screamed in fear as he approached.

Hikers along the Appalachian trail would report seeing a bright light appear on the distance. The people of Charleston would say they thought a nuke dropped. But what happened was that Reverse delivered one kiloton of energy into the body of Emesh. The explosion was immaculate, the stadium now gone entirely. A crater now stood where it once stood.

And at the center of the crater was Reverse, on his stomach, unmoving.

End Arc 1.

[stardancereivor]

XX. Judgment - what moment in your character’s life history matured them the most? Their “coming of age” so to speak.

“It is difficult to say which one singular moment in my life has shaped me, given the longevity of my life thus far. I am almost one hundred years old; I have experienced much in my life. However, there is also much I still have not, given the nature of my culture. There are those younger than myself who have experienced the same experiences I have, or perhaps more. There are these moments, when I try to be a giver of sage advice, that help me grow. When I try to advise someone and they say ‘you have never experienced this, you cannot help me’. It is a moment that gives me pause. Because it is true, I have never experienced these things they are saying, so how am I to truly aid them? Coming to age, maturity. It is not just one event. It is a culmination of all events. A child of ten, while lacking the full development of a man of twenty-five, can have a similar maturity based on what they have experienced in their lifetimes. Of course, the same also works in reverse.

A moment of growth and maturity for me was the day I first met my brother,  Erolvur. I was thirteen, it was a time of literal maturity and coming of age, when the thirteen-year-old jacks of my village were picked up by the Wood Warders to begin their duties and training. Being tthirteen I could not entirely grasp the concept of no longer being able to play with some of my friends, and also why my apparent elder brother who I was just now meeting for the first time was taking them away. I thought him to be a terrible person. I hit him, and I ran away. I could have died that night. But my brother came to rescue me, a man I had just punched and perhaps broken the nose of minutes within meeting him, came to save me. I had a moment of maturity that night; I calmed down, I apologized, and I learned. 

My first relationship was big for me. I was young, excited, and not entirely certain what I was doing. I thought I was in love, I did everything she wanted to make her happy. It was a blissful few moons.. and then she and I spent time with another happy couple, and I saw their interactions, and something changed in myself. I was not in love, I barely knew anything about my partner. At the time I blamed her, though now I realize it was my fault. I found that to be a moment of growth, as at the time I felt I was justified in eventually leaving her. Why stay with someone who does not make me happy? Why sacrifice my happiness for another?

Of course, I know better now.

My first day of training was a big moment for me. When I was given my first bow and arrow, and then later given my first spear, and then later given my first chakram. When I learned the basics of hunting, and then dancing, and then fighting to tie it all together. It was incredible. When I was given my first bow and quiver, I felt like an adult. At first I actually tried to brush off the adults trying to teach me, and it worked for the first.. four attempts or so? Eventually I gave up and let one of them instruct me. I never hit very well on the target those first few days, but it motivated me to continue improving until I hit the center of the practice target. Spears were the same way. I had already begun learning how to dance, and when I danced I sometimes used a staff, and thus when I was given a spear I very nearly hurt myself in my attempts to show off. I learned to be more careful that day, and that arrogance could get me hurt, or killed. I also continued to grow stronger each and every day. I learned tracking, hunting, fighting. Everything.

The day I realized my love for the stars changed me. I became both a gentler and fiercer person. My passion erupted, my dancing improved, my worship began. My love for the stars is also what enabled me to leave home, to learn more about them, and to meet the friends and family I have made today.

My first hunt! My first lone hunt. I was finally ready to be on my own. I brought back three boars by the end of it. All on my own. I remember how proud I was, how proud everyone was. It is a moment I will never forget.

When I realized I truly loved someone outside of myself, it was an eye opener. I cared for someone, I loved them. And I would do anything to protect them. Even, apparently, step in front of their punch to take the force of their swing instead of someone else. He is.. he is grieving… and I find myself floundering in trying to help him.

Loss.. there was a time I lost a hunting partner. We.. we were young, and though we had done many hunts at this point… we made mistakes. She took a misstep. She slipped, she fell. It.. it gored her, and then threw her down off the side into the brush below. I was nigh inconsolable at the time. Was it my fault? I had provoked the beast, but it was an effort between the two of us. We had agreed to it. We had planned. We had done it hundreds of times! Hundreds.. but I watched her die. I heard her scream. I heard her breath cut short, leave her. Her life. I watched it..

I held out some sort of hope that perhaps she had survived, merely lay injured. I searched for her. I searched, and I searched. And then I found her. She was laying there, already cold, pale in a pool of her own blood. Her eyes. Her eyes were still open. I swear they were looking right at me. For a moment I thought she was still alive, and it was terrifying. But I picked her up, I carried her home. In my grief I begged them to help her, to fix her. She could be fixed, yes? Her cold, hardening body had to be forcibly taken from me as I fought to keep her. She was so cold. She needed to be warmed, that was all.

I was told that night something I will never forget. It perhaps translates better in Vieran, but.. there is nothing we can do for the lost, the dead. They are gone, and they are suffering no longer. Their body is an empty vessel we must care for, but there is nothing we can do to fix or help them. It is the living, the ones left behind, who endure the suffering. It is they who must be helped, who must be cared for, or they too will certainly be lost.

There are.. more. Recently, I have experienced… not.. great things. I have experienced loss twice more. I have been given a wake up call. I almost lost the one I love. But.. but they are moments of growth. I never thought I would..

There is never just.. one moment where a person grows, never one singular ‘coming of age’, one instant where that person immediately changes. It is a series of little moments, big events, instants. Each and every single one is a page in a person’s story. A chapter. A volume. It is never just one instant..”

[trackerkitsune]

Prompt #18: Reviving a Wilted Flower

FFXIV Write Challenge Prompt #18: Wilt Rating: Explicit Warnings: references to past sexual abuse (non-explicit), violence, nunh kink and knotting

Summary: F’rhuza Nunh has taken exception to the way the L tribe treats Tydan; he decides to keep the Tia. 

present for @listens-to-all-miqo and their soft boy Tydan <3

F'rhuza growls at the upstart who has walked himself into his territory, demanding his guest just because the Nunh wants his bedwarmer back and the Tia wants to fuck him as well - the older Nunh can smell the desire on him and bares his teeth slightly. Where he had been coming out of that flirty, seductive shell and showing the sweet man behind it, L'tydan has gone quiet and even paler than normal as he slips back into it and goes to assist his fellow Tia.

"...Let me get this strrraight one more time," the Nunh growls through his teeth, blocking L'tydan from going to the uppity Tia with an arm. He knows F'zuula is stood behind with his bow ready. Time for a lesson. His growl reverberates into his words. "You insult my darrrling huntrrresses, insult my son who is leader of the tribe, and you insist that I prrresent our much rrrrespected guest to you so that you can…?" 

"Return him to the L tribe's current Nunh so he can resume his duties and be punished for running away," the mouthy brat postures as he speaks, far too used to abusing his position in the L tribe. F'rhuza, for all his usually peaceable nature, is furious at the disrespect. He draws back an arm and punches the smug kit in the face, even as L'tydan's face falls. 

The Nunh hauls the younger miqo'te up by his shirt. "What's this mouthy kit's name?" Tydan runs a hand up his arm, looking up at him from his shoulder.

"Pray put L'jahro down," he purrs, slipping into that simpering that F'rhuza had just gotten him out of doing even as he answers the question. "I can entertain you better, sir…" 

The tall Nunh practically cringes from the obviously put on nature of the flirting, seeing it come more awkwardly to the smaller man now that he's just barely begun to trust him - after a good couple of weeks of refusing the offers of bedding him and treating him the same as any other in his tribe. His tail fluffs in anger and disgust; is this how L'tydan survives with the L tribe's Nunh? 

"Put my heir down, F'rhuza Nunh, and hand over L'tydan." It seems he'll get to find out. The purple haired seeker tilts his head, adjusting his grip and moving his hand to L'jahro's throat.

"L'xayv Nunh, was it?" He challenges calmly, feeling Tydan hiss at him that he's doing something stupid. "I've a prrroposition for you and your heir." This is something that needs worded carefully if he's to get what he's aiming for out of it.

He sets the previously mouthy tia on his feet, crossing his arms. "Your heir is safe - for now. Take him, leave and I'll have one of my women bring out some food from our stores for your tribe and kits, as I had already agreed with your other Tia here since your stores are not very high. In exchange… I would be much obliged with the young man's continued presence here." He can feel the sudden tension from L'tydan, though the man makes it somehow look like he's surprised and flattered. "He's such a good bedwarmer, I'd miss his skills far too much," he lies through his teeth, hating the way the words taste on his tongue but making his expression seem sincere. "And I'm certain we could supply your tribe with extra resources in future in return?" 

It's a bold attempt, but F'rhuza never got anywhere by being timid. He can smell Tydan's sudden stress, compounded by the way L'jahro is staring at him, and forces down the protective growl that wants out. 

Tydan is slowly coming unstuck as he's unsure of where he stands suddenly. It's easy to deal with L'xayv, to manipulate his situation to his advantage… Though L'jahro is a nightmare in his life. 

F'rhuza is still a relatively unknown entity to him, and the taller man has thrown him off his usual way of coping with his situation over the weeks he's managed to spend with the F tribe. He knows at the very least that he can't afford to show any possible enjoyment of being here. Neither of his tribe mates would allow it, considering he's so useless for almost anything to do with the tribe that he's sure his life is their entertainment.

"Ah…" he steps in front of F'rhuza, batting his eyelashes coyly. "Surely, you would understand if my Nunh needs my company? I-"

"Your deal is... acceptable, I suppose, since he can't even hunt," L'xayv interrupts, looking sour. L'jahro's expression is thunderous; all the more amusing to F'rhuza that he won't be able to fuck his fellow Tia behind his leader's back. It's so obvious that it stings his nose and he wonders at how the tribe functions if this is rife within. He feels Tydan wilt against his arm, catching his meager weight easily while the Tia processes what's just gone on over his head.

Regardless of that, he has to honour the agreement he's just made and signals to some of the huntresses, having them bring out what appears to the now stunned L'jahro to be half of a massive boar. It's symbolic, it's an unspoken insult - and F'rhuza is all sharp teeth and a wide grin as he watches them growl under their breaths and accept it somewhat gracefully. It's going to be funny watching them get it back to their tribe.

The Nunh gently sits Tydan down, patting his ears affectionately. His ear flicks as his eldest walks up behind him.

"Dad… did what I think happened, actually happen?" F'zuula is used to his father's antics but this is a step further than what he's ever seen him pull off. F'rhuza looks over his shoulder and grins, nodding proudly as his tail curls. 

"Yes, yes it did." He's about to elaborate further when Tydan speaks up.

"You… traded a boar for me…" the shorter seeker is on his feet in a second, visibly irate - and confused by the entire exchange. "You traded food for a  'bedwarmer' when you haven't even fucked me?!"  The Nunh is quiet for a moment, letting him finish and noticing how the Tia begins to draw back like he's expecting to be hit, his brain catching up that he's just snapped at someone higher in the tribe than him. F'rhuza shrugs, reaching out and pulling the other seeker against him. He rubs a cheek over his head fondly.

"Well, I could hardly let him know I actually enjoy your company for other reasons, could I? He'd have definitely wanted to take you back with him if I'd shown a single ounce of care for you." He steps back slightly, taps the shorter miqo'te's cheek lightly. "Mind your language round the kits," he reprimands him softly, noticing his three year old daughter nearby and definitely listening in to what's being said.

The pale haired seeker startles at the light tap, his odd eyes showing absolute confusion still as the F tribe makes so little sense compared to what he's used to. He turns and walks off with a lump in his throat, storming his way into the Nunh's tent where he's been staying before F'rhuza can see him cry. He's been completely thrown by the man from the start of his stay here, not a single advance accepted by him or his Tia - and it only confuses him more that the supposedly vicious boar tribe only has one of age Tia, the next oldest being fifteen summers and still learning to hunt. He's not used to being treated like this and it makes it hard. He feels a bit lost, cut adrift with no direction without his usual purpose - though being a plaything is hardly much to live for, part of his brain whispers.

The flap moves and he wills back the wetness in his eyes, seeing the tall figure of the Nunh. He aims for a smile, though it comes out sad and strained. "I'm in a bit of a sorry state for sex, I'm afraid." It's a humourless joke but F'rhuza indulges him with a chuckle nonetheless, coming to sit by him, and begins to strip off bits of leather armour. "...You've put your tribe through a lot for someone who can't even survive on their own any more," falls out of Tydan's mouth as he looks down. 

"It seems to be a habit of my tribe," the taller seeker admits, smirking softly. "I was fourteen summers when my Nunh exiled me from the tribe I was born in. A too young Tia, half starved and unable to hunt for himself, alone and delirious when I practically fell into the boar tribe's territory. Skinnier than you, even - and they took me in, raised me into a decent Tia and then a Nunh." He places a hand lightly on the smaller man's back and feels him cringe and tense. When he does nothing else, Tydan slowly relaxes. 

"So you pity me."

"No. I pity that they took away your strength, certainly," his hands slides down the Tia's arm, tracing where muscles had once been. "But I do not pity you. You have survived whereas I nearly died. You have my respect, Tydan." He rolls his shoulders as he feels the stunned stare on his ears. A hand grasps his wrist, pulls and he follows to find himself near covering the other miqo'te. He tilts his head, red eyes focused on vulnerable pale purple and green. 

"Fuck me, please," Tydan asks him, meaning everything instead of flirting in that hollow way of his. "...Show me how someone takes a person they respect. Let me experience that at least once in my life." F'rhuza gazes at him for a long moment, softens and cleaves to his wishes. 

"Alright," he purrs, standing and without warning picking Tydan up. The Tia yelps in surprise at the ease with which he's lifted, being deposited on the Nunh's bed with care and looked over with an appreciative gaze. He shoves a hand in the taller man's face frantically as he leans down.

"W-Wait!! I… need… some rules," he bites his lip, flustered when out of control like this. F'rhuza sets a knee next to his legs and nuzzles him.

"Go rrright ahead," he invites, purring in a tone that calms the Tia.

"Right… N-No biting," he gasps as the bigger seeker kisses up his shoulder and neck, feeling his clothing being slowly slid off. "No… no inviting F'zuula to join-"

"Not happening anyway," he's interrupted by a possessive growl and he wonders if his head is swimming or if that's just F'rhuza's scent.

"Okay… and, don't ask about any…"

"Scars," the Nunh finishes for him, "I can guess, don't worry." He soothes the sting of his knowing by stripping Tydan down to his underwear - and pauses at the harness under his clothes. There's a second where his dislike of L'xayv turns to absolute hatred, but his cock makes its approval known by pressing against his clothes and his ears lower. "You mind keeping this on for now?" He asks the white haired miqo'te, watching his face twist in displeasure. "Trust me, Tydan…"

"I do and that's the worst part of this," he growls unhappily, reaching to pull of F'rhuza's clothes with deft hands.

His tail flicks up in surprise as the Nunh pulls him into a kiss while letting him work, a whine coming from him as he submits to it and opens his mouth to be plundered thoroughly. "Handsome, prrretty Tydan," F'rhuza coos and pushes him onto his back on the furs and blankets of his bedroll, fingers tracing strong paths downwards as he follows them with his lips and teeth. Nipples nipped and lapped at, causing the Tia to arch upwards with a sigh. F'rhuza maps down his smooth belly with kisses on every ilm of skin he can reach, hands already on Tydan's hips and squeezing gently. 

"H-Hey," Tydan complains, "this… isn't needed… you can just… oh fuck!" His legs come up and grip either side of the Nunh's head as his cock's engulfed in wet warmth, slamming his head back as the taller man sucks and licks him to full mast. "Shit… F'rhuza Nunh, sir… ah?" He lifts his head to find out why his dick is suddenly cold to see the Nunh's red eyes narrowed at him. His ears tilt back and he swallows nervously. Is he about to be punished? He trembles as he's leaned over - and kissed sweetly. 

"Not 'sir', Tydan," the man coos, "call me Rhuza, sweet." His tension melts away, leaving him boneless under the Nunh.

"Rhuza, Rhuza!" The paler seeker can only mewl as he's surrounded by warmth again, bucking helplessly at the strong suction. He's not used to being on the receiving end, and he's dragged over the edge embarrassingly quickly with a cry. His chest heaves as he watches F'rhuza sit up and lick his lips clean. "I should be... doing that for you," he eventually speaks, breathless. He feels like he owes the Nunh, should be the one doing the sucking and worshipping rather than being the one receiving it.

"But you taste so good," the larger seeker grins, watching the hint of a blush cross his bed partner's face. He relents from his teasing, beckoning Tydan over with a fond smile. "You can suck me if you want." He watches the Tia right himself and crawl over to his lap, lifting his hips to aid removing his underwear.

Tydan sucks in a breath as he sees the size of the Nunh's cock, imagines it splitting him wide open, and moans as he smells F'rhuza's musk. His pupils dilate and he purrs himself as he takes the head into his mouth, settling himself between the man's powerful legs as his eyes go half lidded and he finally feels somewhat in control. His new Nunh's dick makes his jaw ache just a bit (his brain screams that his Nunh is still L'xayv but he forces it back), and he purrs more at the weight of it. Heavy, thick, virile and safe, the taste tells him - this is not a man who will force or hurt him, even though he already knows it. 

He gets to work, sealing his lips around the flesh and bobbing, whining as he tastes precum on his tongue. Plenty of it as well, he has to keep swallowing as he sucks. Is the Nunh close to his rut season? Tydan's a little apprehensive to find out. He whines as he's pulled off the thick length, digging his nails in so he can't be moved as easily.

"Rhuza," he complains, "let me finish you off…" The Nunh chuckles breathlessly, ruffling his hair.

"Hmm… no, I want to come inside you, Tydan." He leans back against the solid board at the back of the bedroll, holding his hands out to him. One holds a bottle of oil that Tydan recognises; it's what F'huza uses to keep his armour supple. Three of the opposite hand's fingers are already slick.

"You want me to ride you? Nunh," he purrs, straddling his lap and barely getting situated before the taller seeker lifts him up. "Ah-mm!" He's kissed silent as a hand slips under his tail, the appendage lifting straight up his back in open invitation when a finger probes at his ass carefully. It's foreign, as most things when it comes to how he's being treated. The finger slides inside, followed by the second and he shudders as the Nunh begins to prep him. His own member is hard again already, and he pulls back from the kiss to breathe. 

"R… Rhuza… You don't have to - gods that's so good - I can take it without… nnnhh…" He has to give up protesting when it feels this good for him, even if he feels he doesn't deserve it. "Fuck, me, please just take me, I-I need you inside me!" His face is ablaze as he shouts it, though the only response he gets is the fingers leaving him wide and empty. He opens his eyes, panting, to see F'rhuza steadying his hips and gazing at him with open fondness.

"Take what you need then, Tydan," the man tempts him, and he follows it.

Sinking down on the Nunh's length is an exquisite feeling for once, rather than pain. Being prepped makes so much difference that he has to stop and savour it for a few seconds, a moan caught in his throat when F'rhuza is hilted deep in his body. There's some discomfort, but that fades under the touch of his Nunh's hands rubbing circles in the tensed muscles of his back. His Nunh. Rhuza. He sighs the man's name contently, letting him hold him up for a few minutes.

He's not felt painless sex for ages with how the viper tribe have treated him and handed him round, and basks in the novelty of it, spurred to lift his hips and sink down again with a happy moan. His brain is scrambled, letting him think about nothing but enjoying riding the larger seeker, hands flexing on his shoulders as he stabilizes himself on each thrust down that presses the large cock deep inside him.

F'rhuza enjoys the sounds coming from his partner, smirking playfully in a way that has Tydan's eyes widening when he gets a better grip on the smaller man's hips and thrusts up into him as he presses down. The white haired miqo'te cries out in surprise and pleasure as he's abruptly sheathed fully again.

"Rhuza!! Ohgods do that again-" he nearly collapses against the Nunh's chest, clutching tight on his shoulders and burying his face in his neck. His tail curls upwards over his back in deference to F'rhuza. "Please, please fuck me hard," he whines, feeling the man tuck his chin over him protectively and purr deeply. "I can take it, fuck me hard!"

With such a heartfelt plea, who is F'rhuza to deny Tydan what he wants? Another whine escapes the Tia and he soothes him, crooning gently as he tilts his hips and thrusts, rocking him each time.

"Gladly, prrretty," he purrs breathlessly, nuzzling his hair, ears, nudging his head up to steal his breath again. His hips thrust hard and deep, drawing moans and cries from Tydan along with sweet begging. The smaller man is so tight that he doesn't last too long, pulling Tydan down flush with his body and grinding as he bows his head. 

"Nnn-nno, no no no no, Rhuza, don't bite!" The pale haired Seeker panics, feeling teeth brush along his shoulder and squeezes his eyes shut, nails digging in as he can't pull away. One of the straps of his harness pulls tight and he whimpers, expecting the pain of a mating bite any second. There's none but he has no time to question it as there's a harsh thrust under him and it pushes him into another orgasm. His hips are pulled down tight and held, and his tail tugged. F'rhuza gets bigger inside him and he cries out as his brain seizes, feeling himself being spilled inside.

"Nonono not the knot! Don't knot me, he'll punish me-I?" he's babbling when the Nunh coos and purrs deep, petting his ears and holding him close, stroking a hand down his back to further soothe him. 

"It's okay, Tydan," F'rhuza reassures him, "come on, breathe sweetling. Handsome pretty sweet man. You're good, so good." His fingers run up and down the smaller man's back, soft affectionate touches that settle him down and make him wilt and curl into his neck. The soft sounds of crying surface after a moment and the Nunh thrums deeper in his chest, soft chuffs escaping his throat as he praises him without words. It makes Tydan feel safe and his tears dry.

---

[ecotone99]

[SF] Matilda and the Golden Fleece

Matilda and Mama Bear exited the mind of a woman broken by her own lack of maternal instincts. They fell downward as the slipped passed the door, and landed in heap: facedown upon a wooden floor. They had fell into the consciousness of Desdemona and became entrapped in her grief: for she had lost her husband known as the famed Doctor Lyon. Matilda burst down door as she used limp legs as a battering ram, and the pair found the Goddess weeping in empty room once more. Matilda asked the child to leave them be, as she informed her sister that she had ordered the capture and concealment of the Lyon before giving her chance to come to her aid. Matilda wept and agreed that she didn’t deserve to be called her sister: for she had abandoned the young woman with Hera to destroy.

Matilda informed her sister that she had cursed the Lyon until infinity: to be slain if their niece Mama Bear ever fell at the hand of Athena. The Goddess abruptly stopped her tears unexpectedly and began to laugh in a scary way Matilda had never heard. She began to crawl away from her sister, as she realized she were the most evil incarnate of the memory Matilda had created. She informed the imposter that she knew that she were wicked, as she had lied and attempted to trick Matilda into believing she would exist without her beloved Lyon. This lie had once belonged to Matilda, as she had once declared that she couldn’t exist without the Viking and or Kness. She knew she were wicked only for need to want these men, and that her evil was the female independence that “caused” sexual assault. Matilda chose to love men and their bodies out of conscience, as she feared caring for anyone other than herself would cause her to commit suicide.

She did not blame her love for absurdity on anyone but herself, and so Matilda had finally learned humility. Matilda continued to inform her towering adversary: that she had found and killed the original Lyon hidden in her sisters memories. The woman began to stomp and scream as she mourned what she now felt to be true: Matilda had used hologram to trick the woman of his presence. Matilda now sat up and looked in the direction of the woman as she held herself to a wall crying to herself. Matilda had only hoped she’d never have to activate such curse, but the woman and her prejudice and selfish ignorance had only worsened her nieces sadness. Matilda knew this sadness too well, as her sisters used to naked meanhearted jokes in regard to her different melanin compositions. Even when Matilda told her sister that such jokes hurt beyond that of Athena’s fist: the woman proved her loyalty was only spent towards spreading apathy. The woman would continue to call her sister a cartoon character or a burden until Matilda finally gained the courage to finally commit suicide.

Matilda needn’t ruin the imagination of her readers with the details of that day, and so she carried on with her battlefield speech. She informed her sister that she had wrote manuscript to unburden her heart, and to continue to fight battles: even though nobody had asked. Matilda knew her sister were wicked in her inability to care about anything but herself, and so Matilda had been forced to prove that her actions held fatal consequences. She yelled at her sister as she wept: Your sister beat me endlessly and the scariest part was seeing your face as I lost consciousness, and accepting I was probably going to never wake up. You make mean jokes and act as though I’m not allowed to defend myself: the way Athena would sucker punch her...without chance. Matilda informed her that she were no longer her sister: as she refused to admit she had finally successfully committed suicide.

Matilda explained how she had hid the loved ones of her enemies on another plane, and only her presence would gather the spirits lost. The Goddess would be jealous of anything that held pulse, and so she began to slice at the throat of her sister as she hysterically yelled for her to shut up. Matilda now had a ribbon to guard her open lacerations, and so the beastly woman became more enraged. Matilda took weapon of silver and gold to weave her epic tale, as she no longer had a recognizable voice. She set forth in the still of the night: working alongside the woman she had just widowed. Matilda needn’t slay the monster: for she was not hers to destroy.

Matilda would sit and ease her dreams as she acclimated to the false world that held them prison. She bowed at her feet as she stirred her jealousy: for her sister required “extra” attention as a cripple. Matilda would combat her need to spread other-ism by simply being herself,and watched as the woman grew vitriol with her need to make others agree that Matilda were not a person: arguing that she didn’t deserve love or anything to call her own. Their Papa had once informed Matilda: watch your sister. An odd request since Matilda were often teased for being a sissy and petite. She now understood it had only been because they had been trapped in their memories, as the famed Doctor Lyons seemed to have forgotten her husband. Matilda had sought her out specifically: for her ability to process advanced mathematics, and ended up inception-ed, as her sister let a Boar loose in her boredom. Matilda had instructed her niece to shoot a Lyon, but didn’t specify which one...since the two were not married in the non-zero. The poor girl had covered her own eyes with the static, as she now apologized endlessly for having followed command of her Captain. Matilda would take full accountability for the slaughter: for she had set out with the intention to resume her bloodthirsty ways, reminded by the anger of inaction: forced to destroy.

Matilda knew her sister wouldn’t ever care if she claimed to have been a murder, as it would mean: calling her youngest sibling...a person. She sat and waited with her sister, as their cat Chandler used her Ancient magic; to resurrect the Lyon that had been prematurely forced to its death: his only sin...being complicit. Matilda finally grew tired of her own self-wallowing and began to introduce herself to her long-lost sister: realizing the woman had cursed her single the more she spoke. Desdemona would boast of her invisible husband and become annoyed that Matilda needn’t to brag endlessly aboot her Kness. She fell jealous that the woman were strong in spirit, and content in only knowing of her Kness: happy that she had found him at all. Matilda had once wished that she were sixty-two: if only to prove that her love would always find her: no matter the age, and so cursed herself. Matilda began staring at doors: waiting for him to knock and declare his love once more. It were evident that if he ever appeared: it’d mean he had found out her secret and felt some sort of guilt: that she had attempted suicide.

Matilda could never find the words in the moment, and so she used her dreams to make enough moments. She had written a story after nightmares unending, and watching in horror as they had come to be true: the woman forever haunted by the things she allowed to transpire. Matilda told her sister of her blind love for Kness with a pure and honest heart, but knew her dreams were always attempting to tell her something. She informed her sister she had dreamt of Marrying the Indigenous Warrior, and they blushed by how tall he appeared to both of them. Matilda knew she could never marry him: for she had nightmares of their toxic love. She would be walking along marble in stride to her love, as their togas whipped dangerously behind them and they’d always begin to argue over things unknown. The man had finally broke her heart, as he humiliated his wife publicly: asking her not to touch him...finally breaking his facade, as he turned his back to her and called her a freak. To this memory she remembered asking for council upon Mount Olympus: begging to start up machine...with the hopes that it would erase her memories or better. Matilda had started her new life by ending one... thousands of years ago: to suicide.

Such awful dreams haunted Matilda: whenever she lay next to her love, and so she had forced herself to let him go. Her inability to tell him of her physical pain shadowed... by her need to prove she had been right. Matilda cared not... that her sister ridiculed her for being single: only that she refused to call her a person worthy of love. She watched as her sister wasted her day away and laughed about her ability to avoid accountability. Their Papa had called her the Queen of doing nothing for good reason. Matilda had been dubbed the Queen of nothing: for she held her nose high and wore rags fit for boys. Pious with toxic masculinity and lacking accountability. Athena had been the Queen of War: for her love of fighting outweighed accountability. Matilda now accepted her fate: watching as the pieces fell together in a poem. Their evil were unchecked: for this...Matilda had cursed the steel chariots they drove, as they honked endlessly to announce the arrival of wicked words and intentions. Such silly tactics were used as replacement for violence, as the men and women in her life fell ill in depression: their honking a nuisance that misconstrued their self-image over time. Matilda would find remedy to this. Eventually. In the meantime...she worked only on herself, as she had finally decided to live: no longer looking to hurt those she loved by committing suicide.

submitted by /u/Artemis-VI_VI_VI [link] [comments] via Blogger http://bit.ly/2WBGf81

[rohirric-hunter]

Another fun bonus to the wandering background NPCs: If you go to the edge of a settlement and attack an enemy, there's a non-zero chance that while you're fighting it some random townsperson is going to run out there and punch it to death with their bare hands