#perhaps this is a clue as to what happened to the end of the nation

[realtis-historian-society]

Realtian Effect

Realtians valued individuality a lot within their history from their origins to their end. This has led to them having very drastic changes as they would become trendsetters and dominate global influence, especially as their technology advanced.

Below will detail the history that Realtian nobility made within their own nation and how it affected the general populace. It will also detail some traditions and general societal things among Realtis.

For the most part, Realtian nobility was considered to have a very busy life. There are records in almost every noble house (Except for Ninomae) of papers detailing trades and general commerce within their region.

On the outside, there was general piece, but multiple of the houses, including the royal family, did take part in the black market and some form of economy regulation there. I will most likely go into the underworld of Realtis another day as we are still researching and struggling to find out how it worked.

Realtians generally had very little wars within their long span of history and thus the noble houses would be idle. This would lead to them taking charge in creating new trends or bringing more extravagant shows to current and past trends.

Fashion

This is most evident with their fashion as they modernized their clothing very quickly while making extreme designs that took inspiration from their folk tales. Realtis would come to be known for looking the part of every other nations’ villains and would standardize dark dyes as a common ground.

The nobility would often travel to other nations and hire seamstresses and steamsters to design eccentric outfits. Realtians look to have a history of disrupting expectations especially when it comes to appearances. Androgynous fashion became especially popular within the Middle Years of the nation as cross dressing and drag shows rose in favor.

The most notable leaders in the fashion industry would be House Myv and House Opilant. Both houses worked in the textile industry and thus would create the fabrics that would be used to set the new standards within fashion.

Technology

For the most part, House Calvert were in charge of technological advancements with the purpose of keeping the nation’s capabilities as magical prowess decreased over time.

At the beginning the the Fernan era, Abel Calvert was born and would be considered a genius after being blessed by the Great Beast, Vanor. Alongside his sister, Cain, they would use their capabilities to make greater strides such as teleportation and communication devices.

This, in turn, would be given to those who could afford such items and create an increase in trade and relations with foreign nations as it became easier to travel and communicate with distant nations.

The nobility would use these items to host elaborate parties within a much shorter amount of time. With trade among the houses becoming easier, the economy began to blossom one more and spread to their outer influence on other nations.

Traditions

For major holidays that were celebrated by the whole nation, the Royal Palace would be in charge and host the numerous festivals. These festivals often included traditional dancing and games.

There were also many different regional holidays as certain areas had more contact with other nations and immigrants. Noble Houses within these areas would be in charge of hosting celebrations for the common folk.

(Holidays will be detailed later on.)

Instead of medals or physical rewards, titles would often be handed out to those of noble nature and achievement. One such example would be weddings where the two to be wedded are granted the title of ‘siveränni’ or the Realtian word for ‘sovereign‘.

Honesty was also a highly valued trait among society which is ironic, given the nature of noble society. This would most often lead to nobles being very brutally honest with those outside their nation which led to immediate culture shock which I can imagine to be quite funny. Either way, it became known as a saying, ‘Always ask a Realtian before you leave the home.’

Duels would be done with the weapon of choice for the duel. For most duels, it was customary for the weapons to be the same. Casual duels would be done with one hand on the weapon while it is stabbed in the ground, while formal duels would be done with both hands.

[hispg]

Between royalty and vows

Pairings: Prince! Leon x Fem! Reader

Summary: A forced marriage, a fate set in stone, nothing could change that.

In the world of royalty, there were no choices, only obligations to fulfill. What you didn't expect was to become engaged to a renowned prince, ready to succeed the lineage.

Until that moment, you still had some hope that everything would work out, maybe it wasn't so bad. But it would be a shame if your future husband had a mistress.

Wouldn't it?

Wc: 4.5k

Warnings: slow burn, angst, hurt/ comfort, cheating, arranged marriage, eventual smut, one-sided love, affairs, manipulative behavior from Leon, male chauvinism, misogyny (I'll put more once things start to progress).

Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |

An: Sorry for any grammar mistakes, it's late and i wanted to post.😭

Chapter 6: In your grasp

The day had already started off rather eclectic at the castle, with the servants working around the clock to finish the preparations for the ball that was to take place later.

Despite this, the day wasn't too busy for you, as the attention wasn't focused on you because of the ball. So you could say that everything was fine so far.

Since there was also an exquisite visitor at the castle, a close friend of the king. And someone who also had unshakeable power, worthy of a special reception.

Majesty Graham, also known as the imposing king of the United States, currently a nation with an enviable progression.

The visit had actually come as a surprise, as no one in the castle had expected the sudden appearance. The excuse was that important matters had to be sorted out with King Leonardo, matters that no one knew for sure what they were about, but they did seem to be important.

Despite the discretion that was maintained so that both Kings could talk, the walls had ears, literally. It wasn't hard to find some of the maidens sneaking into the corridors so that they could overhear the conversation.

After all, nothing about royalty could be kept secret for long, as old-fashioned as that may sound. That's the price you pay for being in the royal spotlight all the time.

And since the day was already too quiet for you, what could be better than listening to some of the maids' gossip? Surely you could understand why Majesty Graham was here in the first place.

So you did, taking slow, silent steps through the corridors, listening to the buzz coming from a more secluded corner, and then you saw the maids whispering among themselves, some smiling, others a little nervous, and some others seemed to be daydreaming. What could it be?

"God! Imagine what will happen to that man!" One of the servant girls exclaimed, looking at the others.

One of the others nodded before whispering, "Oh, what a silly idea! How can a man think of getting involved with a princess!"

So that's what it was about. You felt your heart shudder, so Ashley's father had found out about the hidden affair she was having. He just didn't know, who the man was, who subjected his daughter to this shamelessness. Oh, if he only knew.

"I heard! I heard Majesty Graham saying that he would even declare war if he found the culprit! He would be able to declare war on any kingdom!" One of the girls spoke up, putting her hand to her lips to show her exasperation at the situation.

All the others gasped, shaking their heads in denial. The ladies were just as exasperated as you were, and you couldn't help the look of confusion that appeared on your face.

How could this have happened? Leon wouldn't be so careless as to leave something out in the open like that, it wasn't something he would do. After all, it had been going on for years, so how could it have reached the majesty's ears?

You knew that King Leonardo would do his best to hide any clues that led to his son, he had the money and influence to do so. But how long would this situation remain under wraps? Perhaps this was the push to end the situation once and for all, and you were going to do everything possible to make it happen.

It might have been petty, but you couldn't let anything stand in the way of your marriage. That's what good brides did, they looked after their families and their husbands, so you were only doing the right thing.

If Ashley's father was still at the castle talking to King Leonard, then you could make a small appearance at this gathering. You even had the perfect idea of how to sneak into the room where the two men were talking, and it would also be the perfect cue to get Leon to put an end to this once and for all, or at least to get some respect from him.

But there was still something on your mind, would it be worth it? Would that be enough for Leon to see you as a woman? Or rather, as his wife?

You didn't know if it was right or wrong, but given the prince's latest attitudes lately, you couldn't let him keep doing whatever he wanted to you.

That kiss? It was able to send your emotions soaring, even though you wanted to deny it with all your soul, you couldn't even say that it had no effect on you.

Several times you found yourself wondering what it would be like if it were real, if it would feel like to have his lips on yours, even once, but you wanted it to be genuine. That it was something from inside his soul, that he felt something.

But you were already getting used to the idea that it was a silly dream, or maybe you'd have to sacrifice even more for this man, who knows, maybe with some little way out you could turn this situation in your favor?

And when several ideas started popping into your head, you had the brilliant idea of making this extramarital affair you had with Leon open, and you already knew perfectly well what the king's reaction would be.

The first thing that came to mind was the letter that Ashley had given Leon with the flowers, and you still had possession of that little letter. So why not give it to the king? Surely you could have imagined King Leon's furious reaction to knowing that his son was so indiscreet about this affair.

As you walked to your room, you saw a vase of flowers that had been placed in the hallway, they looked fresh, just so you could make your little scene even more intriguing. But of course you would only be the poor damsel in distress, the poor wife who was being betrayed.

Once you'd entered your chambers, you then went in search of the letter you'd kept so carefully. The same letter that made your blood boil just remembering the whole occasion. And you weren't just referring to the flowers you'd received, but to the situation as a whole.

And since Leon was basically inhibiting Chris's presence around you, it was only right to give him a taste of his own poison. You hid the letter in your hands, carrying the small, delicate vase of flowers in your hand, straight to the king's chambers. When you arrived at the entrance door, you straightened your posture and straightened your dress, making yourself perfectly presentable to the king.

It was then that you knocked twice on the door, only to be greeted with a 'come in' a few minutes later.

You did just that, with calm, elegant steps you made your way into the king's chamber. And there stood Majesty Graham, together with King Leonardo. You bowed politely to them both, looking at King Leonard as you held the flowers.

"Forgive the intrusion and indelicacy, Your Majesty. However, these flowers have arrived for the prince." You say, and your sentence was all it took for both men to raise their ears to hear what you had to say.

And of course you wouldn't come to talk to the most important man in the kingdom if you didn't have a reason to, and he was willing to listen to what you needed to say.

"There must have been some mistake." Leonardo said, getting up from his chair and walking over to you to inspect the flowers.

"No, Your Majesty. It even came with this little letter." You say as you hand over the piece of paper, and this makes Graham look at you both.

There was something in his gaze, and it wasn't from God. The man was already mounting his suspicions.

Leonardo then read the much-talked-about letter, his eyes widening and narrowing with every sentence, his face so red that you didn't know if he would be all right after finishing the letter. At the same moment, he looked at you, at Graham, who was already suspicious.

"I didn't understand the urgency, but the maids were in a hurry to give it to the prince." You said, in a tone that gave the perfect impression that you didn't know what it was really about.

And then you decided to add, "Oh, and there was also a certain discreetness."

That was the last straw for King Leonard to let out an audible sigh to control his nerves, and you felt the heavy gaze of Majesty Graham behind you. It was almost a silent conversation.

"Thank you, I'll give it to Leon as soon as he arrives." Leonardo says, not leaving you much room to say anything else.

You then understand that it's your time to leave, and you do so. The same bow you used to enter, you used to leave. Letting the heavy atmosphere remain between the two royals. As soon as you closed the door and left the room, you bumped into Ausdret, Leon's butler.

"Your Highness..." He says in a half bow, looking at you with a frown, as if he suspects something.

You reply with a polite smile, looking at him innocently.

"I was looking for you, princess, the prince asked me to announce his arrival." Ausdret said, and you immediately remembered that Leon had gone out for a horse ride, along with Chris. Another excuse not to leave you alone with the Duke.

"Right, where is he?" You asked, trying to hear what was going on in the King's chamber, but you could hear nothing but incomprehensible whispers.

"In his chambers, he made it clear that he wanted to see you." The butler added, making it clear that it wasn't a debate, if you didn't go to see the prince, he would come to you himself.

You just nodded and left for Leon's quarters. Since the kiss he gave you, something in the relationship had changed. Not that you could say he had any affection for you, but at least he seemed to be warmer.

Perhaps it was because the wedding was tomorrow and he wanted to make a good impression on the people attending, especially his father. At least you could use this as a small gap to try to patch up this doomed relationship, even though you have no idea what to expect, what the outcome will be.

Just as you were about to touch the handle to open the door, you heard footsteps behind you, they sounded like two people, and indeed they were. As soon as you turned around, you saw Ausdret and Leonardo, walking side by side.

Ausdret seemed to be trying to convince the king of something, and he was failing miserably, as for the king, well, his expression was as gloomy as the night. And it seemed that King Leonardo was not only walking to Leon's room, he was marching.

Each step seemed more furious than the last.

The man didn't even give you time to ask him anything, because he stormed into Leon's room himself, slamming the door shut while he talked to Leon about God knows what.

When you heard the door close, you felt so anxious that you couldn't contain yourself, and in the blink of an eye you were behind the door, listening to the conversation on the other side.

For a few minutes you only heard a few murmurs, until you could hear things clearly:

"For God's sake! Are you out of your mind?" You'd be polite to say that it wasn't a scream, as it was obviously one of the clearest shouts you'd heard in a while.

"How the hell did that get into your hands?" This time it was Leon's voice, which sounded indignant and surprised at the same time.

"No. Don't try to change the subject!" Leonardo's older voice echoed in the room once again.

Footsteps and footsteps, an uncomfortable silence, only for a loud voice to echo through the room once again.

"That's enough! This little antics of yours have gone far enough." The king's voice was serious, with no room for argument.

"Don't start. Don't ask me to-" Before he could finish, Leon's sentence was interrupted, just like that.

"It's not a request, it's an order." The king growled, his voice capable of sending shivers down your spine.

You could hear Leon trying to justify himself, but you couldn't hear anything properly, because Leornado was running over him every time, not letting the prince say anything other than a few mumbles.

"That's it! I don't want to hear any more about your recklessness! Put an end to this mess you've made of yourself!" Leonardo's sharp voice was unmistakable.

" Now then, father. I'm not a kid anymore-" And once again Leon was interrupted.

"Then act like a man! Honor what's between your legs. I won't let you destroy your future on a mere whim."

The next thing you heard was something heavy hitting the wall, it sounded like something similar to a punch.

"You're being irreverent, father." Leon says, you could sense the hatred in his voice just by his tone.

"Two days, and that's all you have to end any ties with that woman." The sentence took you aback, how far had it come? To the point where two monarchs had to argue about it.

Not only that, but Leonardo's abrupt intervention seemed to be firm, not something for the moment. He seemed destined to maintain the integrity of his kingdom.

"If you ever speak to that woman again, I will send you into exile!" You were stunned, not believing your own ears.

A father exiling his own son? It was an outrage! Was that your cue? Your chance? Or just a distraction? Something you were expecting too much.

"You wouldn't dare." It was Leon who dared to retort, despite everything, he still couldn't accept the whole situation.

Not least because he had always done everything he wanted, and now they were taking away one of the most important things he had in life.

"Don't try your luck, I hold your future in my hands." After that you heard footsteps heading for the door, and you were quick to move away and hide in a nearby corridor.

You managed to sneak into your room after all the mess, and spent the rest of the day there, thinking about the situation. What had you just done?

Afterwards, your temper rose considerably, as you honestly felt that you were being fair by playing the same game as Leon, in a fair and equal way to him.

At that moment you found yourself humming around the room, looking at yourself in the mirror as you wore that beautiful red dress, made by one of the most renowned seamstresses in the kingdom, and the dress was just as beautiful as you imagined. The fabric was soft and sophisticated, the top clinging to your upper body like a bodice. While the bottom was a large skirt, which, with all the underwire you were wearing, made it impossible not to notice how stunningly beautiful the dress was.

You didn't skimp on the jewelry either, you wore the most expensive ones you had, you were destined to be the center of attention tonight.

If not for Leon, then for Chris. Such a good person in the middle of such a mess, you couldn't let the Duke out of your sight that quickly.

When you were ready, you started towards the main hall, where Leon would be waiting for you. With light, graceful steps you made your way to the main hall, and at the same moment all eyes were on you.

The stunning princess, an almost angelic image.

And well, if your intention was to get Leon to gawk at you, well, you succeeded. He looked at you as if you were the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on.

And at the same moment, he moved towards the bottom of the stairs, wanting to get close to you quickly.

And you were drawn to him like a moth is drawn to light, you knew it would go wrong at some point that night, but you honestly couldn't care less.

Everything around you seemed to stop when you felt Leon's hand on yours, not before he pressed a kiss to the back of your hand, letting his lips linger there for a short while.

It was a magnetism you couldn't explain, sometimes it even sounded stupid, but something about Leon made you severely attracted to him somehow, even if he acted in an uncordial way, something about him was mesmerizing.

"You look stunning, princess." Leon said in a whisper, giving you that gallant smile that made you weak in the knees.

You didn't know if it was a lie, if he really meant it and thought it was so, but his affectionate way made you forget all the bad things that had already happened.

This time you let it go, not wanting to think too much about whether he was being sincere or not, maybe for one night it was worth forgetting. After all, it wasn't hard to deny that you were radiant, it wasn't hard to see that something had brightened your day.

But of course you also noticed that Leon was strangely calm, which was odd given what had happened before. It wasn't hard to guess that Leon was the type to never give up so easily, so something seemed uncommon about this situation.

Perhaps he had something in mind, or perhaps he had taken his father's threat as a bluff. But in any case, he was calm, peaceful, so at peace that it was a bit of a surprise.

But if it's going to be like this, there's nothing better than enjoying the small tenderness of such a moment.

As the two of you walked around the ball to talk to the nobles, you could see Leon's incessant gaze on you, he literally watched your every gesture and movement. You didn't know what it was, but he always kept his attention on you. Something about the way he looked at you made you feel butterflies blooming in your stomach. Looking into his eyes like that reminded you of the ocean, so beautiful but also so treacherous.

In the meantime you also caught a glimpse of Chris, who was in a corner talking to a lady. Probably those dames who were desperate to find a husband, you could tell by the way the girl giggled and touched his arm every now and then.

Seeing that you were looking at Chris, even smiling at him, Leon couldn't let that happen. As a man he had to uphold his honor, so without thinking too much he pulled you in to dance with him, not asking if you wanted to or not. He just did.

You looked at him in surprise, catching yourself frowning at his sudden attitude, as well as the intimate gesture of putting his hand on your waist, in one swift movement gluing his body against yours.

"I'm lucky to have you for a wife." Leon says, his voice echoing in your ears, his warm breath caressing your skin.

Was that a fallacy or an illusion? He didn't think you'd believe it that easily. But maybe... Just maybe.

"I can say the same for you, Your Highness." You say back, keeping your tone clipped, trying to hide the effect he was beginning to have on you.

But you couldn't hide your goosebumps, your flushed cheeks and that cursed accelerated respiration.

"You're not wearing the jewelry I gave you." He notes, taking the opportunity to twirl you around the room.

You didn't wear it by coincidence, you didn't think it matched the dress you chose for tonight. But apparently he saw it differently. An insult.

"I didn't think it suited the occasion, Your Highness." You say, and you saw his lips twitch when you called him Your Highness. So much formality, for your husband?

"You should, I told you I'd like you to wear it." Of course, his demands. How could you expect anything different?

"I don't remember, forgive me." Even though you tried, there was an undertone of stubbornness in your voice. And it didn't go unnoticed by him.

He put himself even closer to you, spinning you around and over at the dance, always keeping you in his grasp, in his arms. And even with all the anguish he caused you, he was so handsome, so easy to believe in, so tempting.

You got so lost in his expressions that you didn't even notice when he took you out of the main hall, away from the curious eyes that were there. In the blink of an eye you were in one of the corridors, his gaze looking deep into your soul.

"If there's one thing I appreciate, it's a woman's loyalty. Especially yours, dear wife." Leon says, his tone laced with a certain malice, something else that you couldn't quite put your finger on.

You didn't understand where the phrase came from, but you saw him glance briefly at Chris, who was on the other side of the dance. And of course you had already heard some buzz about your 'little escapade' with Chris, about the indecent things you two might have done. If only they'd known who the unfaithful one was.

"We can't ask something of someone if we can't be mutual." The words came out of your mouth in the blink of an eye, even you didn't fully expect it.

Leon's response was mockery, his face contorting into what looked like an expression of anger. But he was able to mask it afterwards.

How reckless of you to answer to your own husband, where was your manners? You should behave like a woman, not a tyrant.

"I didn't understand the insinuation, dear." He murmured, his tone so dark that it made something in you shiver.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to insult you." You said in the calmest, most innocent voice you could muster, feigning ignorance.

At that same moment, you felt Leon pushing you against the wall, both his hands gripped around your waist. You couldn't move even if you wanted to.

"Don't worry, I believe it was naïve of you." He says calmly, that look that was once cold becoming something more.

The haughty façade was giving way to his controlling and manipulative side. It wasn't in Leon's nature to accept things just like that, not now and not ever.

He gave a cynical little smile, pushing you a little further against the wall, his fingers tightening around your waist. The way he looked at you gave you such shivers.

It felt like you were looking at the ocean, that captivating shade of blue in his eyes, as if you were admiring the depths of the waters.

"There's something you should have learned by now, princess." He whispered, his voice bringing out something in you, a warmth rising in your body, a foreign feeling.

You found yourself blushing, biting your lip as you stared at him. And that feeling of warmth only increased when he moved closer, letting his lips linger on your ear.

"I always gamble to win," he said, making your goosebumps rise as he breathed on your ear, "and I always win."

It was the last thing he said, taking the opportunity to kiss your earlobe, you could see him smiling in the corner as he watched your reaction.

He had you in the palm of his hand at that moment, he knew that very well.

"There's always a first time for everything..." You manage to say back, trying somehow to be as bold as him.

But despite the harsh words, your expression gave you away completely. How could he take you seriously with you blushing so much? Your cheeks as red as strawberries. Or the way you, without the slightest intention, looked at him with sly eyes. As if you wanted to earn something.

All the reaction you got from him was a low chuckle, you felt his lips come down to your jaw, so close to your neck that he couldn't help himself, and he let your sweet smell into his nostrils.

"No, darling. I don't think you understand." He says more firmly, this time letting his free hand grip your chin, forcing your gaze to focus on him.

"I never lose. No matter what it costs me." This line of his could imply so many things, you felt your thinking was all out of place.

Was he doing it out of a sense of competition? Because he didn't want to lose to Chris? Or maybe because he wanted to have ownership over something that wasn't his. You.

He didn't like losing, and probably wanted to keep you in his clutches whatever the cost. If he had you in the palm of his hand, he'd have access to a more than healthy kingdom, just as if he had an obedient wife, he'd have no problems.

A wife who would give him heirs, stay with him in good and bad, in sickness and in health, waiting for him while he cared for the crowd. So perfect.

But oh, he was so wrong if he thought you would fulfill that role. So damn wrong.

As you looked at each other like that, you smiled a little, letting your hand rest on his forearm.

"We have something in common, Your Highness." You say calmly, looking at him tensely.

Once he opened his mouth to speak, you indelicately spoke over him, "I'm not in the habit of losing either."

That was that, the disagreement was more than exposed.

Cheeky, disdainful, petulant and impolite. That's how you were acting, far from any decency you had been taught.

You watched as Leon stuck his tongue in his teeth, glaring at you in a defiant manner.

"You need better manners, dear. Maybe you should remember how a woman should act." God knows how that sentence made your blood rise, but it did.

But the look in his eyes said so many things, it was so convincing, not least because he knew that you would be his tomorrow, whether you wanted to be or not.

Not least because he was your future husband, wasn't he?

The dance would continue, and so would the evening. The roles of husband and wife duly filled, painful words veiled in the sweetness of love.

You might have hated him, but there was no escape. So much so that you thought nothing of it, and once again he led you to dance in that ballroom.

The journey was far from over, as was all your frustration. Because he wouldn't let you leave his side.

No, you'd be with him all night. Romantic? Maybe to the blind eye of the real situation, but oh, that's what you're here for, isn't it?

Continue the theater, people are watching.

Taglist: @gollumsmygel, @quemmysworld, @loveoverdosing, @delulusimps, @d3jecteddoll, @kennedyleyy, @acriixys, @deredvv, @luminehallowss

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

What if, after dying at the end of Death Note, Light Yagami woke up in the body of Bella Swan just as she’s arriving in Forks?

"Ah, so this is Nothingness," Light muses to himself, having been told by Ryuk already that there is no afterlife for humans, that we each instead enter Mu, the great nothingness, and cease to exist. It's a lot more American and feminine than he expected.

Slowly, Light realizes he's actually been reincarnated. His ID tells him he's an American girl named Bella Swan, seventeen years old, from Phoenix Arizona. The year is also 2006, which oddly puts him back in time several years (Light died in 2010).

Even odder yet, he sees no signs of Kira, when Light was very much active during 2006 and had been for a few years by that point. While he knows Japan was very central to the Kira case, given it was confirmed he was in the Kanto region and thus likely Tokyo by L to the national public, America had been paying attention as had everyone else.

There wouldn't be no sign of him.

Light reluctantly has to conclude he's in a kind of parallel reality or perhaps a dream world (this dream world theory growing stronger when he learns that Bella Swan's father is the chief of police, who has similar qualities to his own father).

He's not sure how he feels about this.

Towards the end of his life he'd purposefully alienated himself from his family and then Kira had done the rest.

His father, who had always been a workaholic, became even more of one with the Kira case and then died believing Light was innocent.

Sayu was kidnapped by Mello and never the same afterwards.

His mother was left to deal with the aftermath of both his father's and now his own death. Leaving him to wonder, of course, what the task force decided to tell them of why Light didn't come home.

Now he's living someone else's life, and she's estranged from her family as well, having left the mother she'd always lived with and moving in with a father she appears to barely know.

"Am I being punished?" Light wonders to himself.

He gets to school and he's certain of it. There's some kind of yokai there, the Cullens, who look in their own way more inhuman than Ryuk. In Biology he's confronted by one and becomes certain it's intent on killing him when he has no access to any notebook and is in a much weaker, clumsier, body than he'd ever been in life.

When, however, instead of dying painfully he finds out Edward ran away...

Light finds himself mildly intrigued. Alright, this universe is annoying, his work was wiped away, he has no means of becoming Kira again, and it appears ayakashi/yokai/mononoke are pursuing him, but something here is happening and it could give him a clue as to what this world really is.

And Light finds himself playing a familiar game he played with many women before, charm Edward Cullen.

As Light's very quickly able to pinpoint what it is Edward wants in a woman, he avoids an untimely death, and canon proceeds unhindered until Light realizes. Oh no. This demon actually really does want a relationship with him while hungering for his blood. Light's read those folk stories.

Light takes the Paranoid Bella route until the Volturi alternative presents itself, and while hating the idea of being subservient to these warlords, he does appreciate the cause of murdering man eating demons and it gets him away from Edward.

[takeyaki]

lost echoes

shuri x fem!reader

summary: y/n and shuri were inseparable best friends, but an unexpected event causes a separation between them. perhaps y/n is involved in a dangerous mission or is believed to be dead. but shuri is determined to retrieve her no matter what.

warnings: light angst, hurt/comfort, fluff in the end :P

the sun hung low on the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the vibrant city of wakanda. its technological marvels and lush greenery were a testament to the nation's progress and prosperity, but even here, shadows could loom in unexpected places.

y/n, with her determined spirit and unyielding courage, had always been shuri's closest confidante. they had shared secrets, dreams, and countless adventures since their childhood. it was a bond forged not just in friendship but in their shared love for wakanda and its people.

before the mission that would tear them apart, they sat together on a secluded balcony, the evening breeze stirring the leaves of nearby plants.

"i can't believe you're leaving on this mission, y/n," shuri said, her voice tinged with concern. "it's dangerous, and i have a bad feeling about it."

y/n offered a reassuring smile. "i know it's risky, shuri, but wakanda needs us to gather information about those weapon dealers. you've seen the damage they can do. i promise i'll be careful."

shuri's expressive brown eyes bore into y/n's, her worry evident. "just come back to me, okay? you mean the world to me."

y/n reached out to hold shuri's hand, squeezing it gently. "i will, shuri. we've faced worse together, remember?"

little did they know that these would be their last moments together for a long time.

the mission had started like any other. y/n was an accomplished operative, and her skills were crucial to wakanda's security. yet, the danger this time was unparalleled, and the information she needed to gather was elusive.

weeks turned into months, and as time stretched on without any word from y/n, anxiety settled in shuri's heart like a stone. she couldn't focus on her inventions or her duties as the princess of wakanda. her thoughts were consumed by y/n's absence.

one evening, shuri approached okoye, the leader of the dora milaje, in a dimly lit room within the palace. her voice quivered with barely suppressed emotion as she spoke.

"okoye, i can't bear it any longer. i need to know what happened to y/n. i can't just sit here and do nothing."

okoye, stoic as ever, nodded in understanding. "i will find out what i can, your highness."

and so, the search for y/n began. okoye utilized her extensive network of contacts, infiltrating secret organizations, and gathering any snippet of information that could lead to y/n's whereabouts.

months turned into a year, and shuri's anguish grew with each passing day. she visited the balcony where they had last spoken, tracing her fingers along the railing and staring out into the night. the moon's soft glow offered her little comfort.

finally, one fateful night, okoye returned with a piece of news. y/n had been declared missing in action, presumed dead. her last mission had gone horribly wrong, and the trail had gone cold.

shuri refused to accept this bleak fate. "no, she can't be dead. i refuse to believe it."

okoye's eyes were sympathetic, but her words were matter-of-fact. "we have searched tirelessly, your highness, but the evidence is undeniable."

shuri's tears flowed freely as the weight of her grief bore down on her. "i can't lose her, okoye. i won't allow it."

determined to find closure, shuri requested access to the mission logs and y/n's personal effects. she poured over every detail, every report, and every message, searching for any clue that might prove y/n was still alive.

the more she dug, the more the pieces of the puzzle started to fit together. there were inconsistencies in the reports, encrypted messages that seemed to suggest y/n had been taken captive rather than killed. shuri's hope was rekindled.

———

under the soft, starlit canopy of the wakandan night, shuri and y/n sat side by side, the tranquility of the hidden cave surrounding them. their hands are inches away from each other. for a while, they simply enjoyed the serene silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

shuri cleared her throat, breaking the silence, but her voice was a gentle whisper, carrying a profound weight of emotions. "y/n, i want to tell you something i should have said a long time ago."

y/n turned to look at her, her eyes filled with curiosity and affection. "what is it, shuri?"

shuri took a deep breath, her gaze never leaving y/n's. "you've always been my best friend, my confidante, and my partner in every adventure we've undertaken. but what i haven't told you, what i've kept hidden in the depths of my heart, is that you mean more to me than anyone else ever could."

y/n's brow furrowed slightly, her expression a mix of surprise and curiosity. "shuri…"

shuri pressed on, her words heartfelt and sincere. "you're the light that brightens my darkest days, the strength that carries me through my toughest battles, and the laughter that fills my heart with joy. you're everything to me. y/n, i love you. i have loved you for as long as i can remember, and i can't imagine my life without you in it."

y/n's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her heart feeling as though it might burst with emotion. she reached up to cup shuri's face, her thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped shuri's eye. "shuri, i… i love you too. i've loved you for so long, and i never thought you could feel the same way."

shuri leaned into y/n's touch, her heart soaring with happiness. "y/n, you've always been the missing piece of my soul. i was a fool to keep my feelings hidden for so long. but now, i want you to know, to truly know, how much you mean to me."

their lips met in a tender, unhurried kiss, a silent promise of a love that had withstood the test of time and distance. the cave around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them, lost in the depth of their emotions and the truth of their love.

as they pulled away, shuri whispered, "y/n, you're the love of my life, and i promise you, from this day forward, i'll never let anything or anyone keep us apart again."

y/n's eyes shone with love and devotion as she replied, "and i promise you, shuri, that my heart belongs to you and you alone. no distance, no obstacle, can ever come between us again."

with their hearts entwined and their love declared, shuri and y/n knew that they had found something truly special, a love that was unbreakable, enduring, and destined to last for eternity.

———

the sun rose over wakanda, bathing the nation in a warm, golden glow once more. shuri and y/n emerged from the cave, hand in hand, ready to face the world together. their journey had been filled with pain and separation, but their love had endured, and they were finally reunited.

as they walked back to the palace, shuri couldn't help but smile, knowing that she had found her soulmate, and that their love was stronger than any obstacle. she whispered to y/n, "i love you more than anything in this world, and i will never let you go."

y/n's eyes sparkled with love and devotion as she replied, "and i love you, shuri, with all my heart. i will always be by your side."

their love story had been tested by time and distance, but it had emerged triumphant, a beacon of hope and strength for all of wakanda to see.

[skaruresonic]

I was going to make a broader overarching point about how IDW's version of the characters seem more interested in virtue-signalling than in proving their goodness through their deeds, but I got a bit tuckered out. Anyway. Tl;dr for the wall of text ahead: the games still win in this regard. By a landslide.

In Unleashed, Sonic can accept a sidequest from a little Mazuri girl named Yaya. Normally, Yaya is shy, perhaps even nonverbal, and will flee if you attempt to talk to her. It's rare to see her during the day, so when you spot her out in the open, cowering but attempting to communicate to the best of her ability, it's a clue that she wants something badly enough to risk her fears. After several false starts, Yaya manages to ask Sonic to get her a chocolate sundae. She doesn't explain why, nor do you immediately receive a reward when you give it to her. It's only later, after Yaya's mother recovers, that you learn the reason for her odd request. Mom was sick, and Yaya wanted to give her a sundae to help make her feel better. Despite avoiding you until now, she managed to swallow her fears for the sake of her mother.

It's sweet, as well as a humanizing moment for Yaya, her mother, and Sonic. As a good deed, it's nothing grand. Giving someone food when they're sick isn't nearly as lofty as air-dropping food to a nation in need, certainly, but in Unleashed, you at least see the tangible effect you've had on the people you helped. You just brightened the day of a mother and her daughter.

Through sidequests like these, Unleashed shows us that no act of kindness, however small or inconsequential seeming, is wasted.

Conversely, one of the... myriad reasons this panel rubs me the wrong way is that it achieves almost the opposite effect. The people of Mazuri are instead objectified. They're a monolith, a statistic, to help polish the Restoration's reputation to a sterling sheen. In this regard, they might as well be props.

We hear about this aid nearly secondhand, as it's something Silver, Blaze, and Jewel intend to do but haven't yet. All the scene is intended to do is make the Restoration look good, as though by mere dint of being called the Restoration, we couldn't put 2 and 2 together and figure it out.

The one time we're informed of their humanitarian aid, we're not shown it. So really, what was the point of bringing it up, if not to stroke the heroes' self-righteous boner?

Inaccuracies to the games aside (which is par for the course for the book), there's all sorts of... unsavory implications at play here. Blaze "was touring" Sonic's world when she happened upon Mazuri's plight. Because we're not given much detail other than "poor crops this season," we have to assume Blaze took some initiative to ease the situation.

Take a moment to think about this. Blaze hails from a water world. How would she know what constitutes sufficient crop failure to warrant shipping aid to a completely different clime than the one she's most familiar with? How does she know what "poor crop season" looks like in Mazuri? How does she know she doesn't have any biases about the way people in Mazuri should approach their agriculture? Does she understand they eat more than just crops, and sell fruit and broiled ibanga as well as confections? If this is her first time touring Sonic's world, how does she approach the government of its denizens? Did she do this respectfully? Did she confer with Mazuri's Elders? Did the people seek her help? Did they say Out Loud With Their Mouths that they'd accept her help, or did she presume their needs? We don't receive answers to any of those questions. She "was touring" the area when she saw a problem worth correcting. The thought starts and ends there. The people of Mazuri do not merit a voice or agency in the matter, because all that really matters here is that you know how virtuous Blaze, Jewel, and Silver are for helping the less fortunate in their time of need. (Which is really ironic, considering Surge calls Sonic out for speaking over her and Kit when they're standing right in front of him in the exact same issue.)

Add the connotations that Flynn frequently describes Blaze as "the imperial princess of the Sol Empire" instead of "duchess" or "guardian of the Sol Emeralds"... Marry them with the implication that she's butting into the business of a foreign nation when we don't know the specifics of their plight, they're just Objects to show us how virtuous our heroes are, and this whole onion of suckage starts to reek.

[ask-carmenpondiego]

Chapter 18: The Devil in the Details

M paced around his room which was fairly sparse of furniture. He already burnt through a solid pack of cigarettes since returning from his test run of the chronoskimmer and was well into his second pack. He pulled out his phone and patched through to the main computer, 079 pulling its face up on the screen. “Oh wonderful. You managed to spread my reach to your tiny slip of a mobile device. Could you make it any more cramped in here?” M growled, “I will stuff your stuck up assface into an ipod shuffle or worse if you keep it up. I need to go over the schematics on where I went.” The ai sighed as if it had something pressing that it was being pulled away from. It didnt. 079 pulled up the data code from the testing, giving a strong impression of if it had a body, it would be checking a watch and tapping its foot. M poured over the info and triple checked the details. “Everything is fucking correct for this world’s info. What the fuck happened that lead to that?!” 079 swirled its hair into a turban and had images of fortune telling items around its face “You know, I would tell you but I’ll give a little trivia factoid instead: I actually cannot see into the future. I’m a computer, not a psychic. I don’t even have a clue on what you even saw.” Red letters spelling CANCELLED were stamped across the turbaned ai face before returning to normal, wiping away the letters with a digital rag. “Yer no fuckin help.” M tossed the phone onto his bed and opened his window, leaning on the sill. “Perhaps what you saw was not what you saw?” 079 called out, muffled since the screen was face down against the comforter. M’s tentacle reached over and set it upright. “Elaborate.” M looked over his shoulder at his phone. “What you saw in one perspective was perhaps not the full story and you may have missed some key points. Ultimately, time will only tell. Its unadvisable to return to a time that you already visited, much less a time where current you and other you occupy the same time space. Time paradoxes still exist, you know.” M hissed at it through gritted teeth, “Yes I know time paradoxes still fucking exist! But HOW do I fucking change the event if I don’t know what fucking causes it?!” The phone was silent for a moment, “I’m sorry, was that rhetorical? I can’t quite understand the fragile folly of organic semi-intelligent beings. You could just let it happen rather than attempt to fix it and possibly bring about the resulting event faster.” M hung his head and flicked the cigarette butt out the window, “How the hell do you figure that?”

“I don’t. Again, I’m just a computer. I don’t give one iota of interest in what you do. Anything you do is your own fault in itself. In your words: I don’t give a shit.”

M ran his dark hands through his orange hair, “I’m going to have to tell Red.. can I even tell Red?” He points to the phone accusingly, “You just had to tell me that any fucking action I take could make it fucking happen faster! Now I can’t even fucking warn anyone!” In a very bored flat tone, 079 replied, “Oh no. I warned you against possible consequences for your actions that may or may not happen. What ever shall I do?”

“Report this to the TVA director, this is exactly what they have been looking for.” A small time desk jockey was reading a print-out of the timeline, noticing a new unauthorized time jump. He handed the print-out to a passing official who nodded and took the file containing the report. A short trip down the hall the official knocked on the director’s door, and entered upon permission. The director reviewed the file and started dialing the phone next to them. On the other end, a gentleman in a dark grey suit answered, thick files littered his desk from the MIB, ACME, SCP Foundation, United Nations Global Occult Coalition (UNGOC), G.R.U. Division Psychotronics (GRU-P), Earth Protection Force (EPF), Department of External Security (DXS), Federal Bureau of Control (FBC), Federal Bureau of Intervention(FBI), Federal Investigation Bureau(FIB), Foundation for Law and Government(FLAG), International Affairs Agency(IAA), the Wander Society and various other Interpol including Canterlot Royal Guard and Equestria’s global protection unit, all involving Carmen Pondiego and her VILE team.

The gentleman added the Time Variance Authority (TVA) file to his stack. “I see and this new variance is the confirmed beginning to our little thief problem? Understood. …..No, no. We already have eyes and ears on the entire group…… Oh yes, we have our contingency plan all set and planted, we just need to knock that first domino to put a bit of pressure on the situation…. Yes, just keep an eye on that variance timeline and let me know of any further splits or deviance… No, no, Thank YOU, Director. May prosperity raine upon you. Good bye.” A second gentleman with an umbrella hanging on his arm by the hook, seemingly a lower rank, stood in front of him. “Sir? If it has been confirmed for the beginning of the situation, then shouldn’t we eliminate the entirety as soon as possible? I mean, look how many unnaturals she has under her power. The reports say she gains more within a year or so and so does her reach.” The man at the desk tidies up and stacks the files and sets them aside. “No. There is a small chance this is the one who will lose it all and becomes a regular citizen again. We need to see if this time skip triggers anything. We have the safeguards in place. They just need to have the nerve to do what is demanded of them if the time comes. For now, we wait and gather more evidence against this Carmen Pondiego and her VILE team.”

A small red jet circles and lands on a dusty dirt patch outside a fortress ruin on an island on a lake by the southside mountains of Siberia. The fortress, once called Por-Bazhyn, sat undisturbed for many a year, though it currently looked like it was all filled in with dirt. The jet opens to let out its passengers, a few agents and Carmen. They headed to the main entrance and stopped just shy of the opening. Carmen looks at the blueprints and looks at a smaller opening about three yards to the side, “This is where we would typically enter but there had been damage to the interior entranceway further in where it just gives us a dead end. We’ll need to divert to the servants entrance over there.”

Once inside, they descend multiple flights to underground caverns and tunnels. Using their map, the group makes their way through twists and mazes, finally getting to a small open room with a deep drop in the center, the other side of the room was a chest, the walls were rough chiseled and some carvings have been broken away by time. The drop was just large enough that even an olympic jumper could not simply jump across. There used to be a rope bridge but has since rotted away.

Carmen nodded to Kiros who sank his claws into the wall and tested the weight of the grip. He then scaled across the chasm, making slight hand and footholds with his claws and hooked a line at the halfway mark and continued to cross the rest of the way, securing the line with a large pillar. Carmen and Lekir hook up their harnesses and attached the safety line before following exactly where Kiros had set his claws. Slowly making their way across, the girls didnt dare look down, Ninoga, staying on the entrance side of the room, was able to look down and see sharp staligmites growing up from the bottom of the chasm. “Nothing like an old fashioned temple heist with deadly drop offs for hobbies, huh?” Carmen chuckled, breathing hard as she hasn’t rock climbed in quite a while. Lekir shook her head, “You and I have different views on hobbies, I swear..” Ninoga tilted his head, “I thought we were getting things for a cure for Waldo?”

“We are, I was just saying this harkens back to when I was doing this for fun.” Carmen clarified, reaching the ledge. Lekir followed close behind as Carmen opened her pack to grab the extra rope and harness sets. She walked to the chiseled out shelf that holds the chest and checks for traps before picking up the chest which was surprisingly light. She frowned as she placed it near the harness set she was going to wrap it in and looked at the lock. The remains of the lock were already breaking away in her gloved hand in a pile of rusty dust. Kiros peers over, “Whats wrong?” Carmen shakes her head, “Its lighter than I expected..” Lekir comes over, shining her flashlight over for extra light since the room was very dimly lit by their larger lights they brought. “Well, we know we aren’t looking for coins and jewels, maybe it only holds a jar or something?” Carmen wipes the dust off her glove with her pants and proceeds to open the chest. With a yelp from both girls, the chest snapped back with a large set of teeth and a tentacle like tongue. They managed to scramble back out of chomping range just in time to see a red electric bolt shoot the chest from the side, blasting it into the wall with a crunch. Ninoga had sent the blast and called over “You guys ok?! I didn’t hit you, did I?” Carmen was catching her breath as Lekir waved over, “We’re good! Thanks!” Kiros was picking the broken pieces of wood apart, finding some meaty bits. “Should we save some for M as a snack?” He chuckled. “He’s gonna be sour he missed out on this.” He searches a bit more before finding a small scroll. “Here, I found something in the deep center.” Carmen reached for it, inspecting the type of parchment. “This is hide… its a rabbit hide!” She laughed, “Its the rabbit in the chest! So this is already the next clue.. This is awesome. Let’s get this back to HQ so we can figure out the next stop.” The girls carefully made their way back across the wall, having the two dragon types as watchers in case one of them fell, they could hoist them back up easily. They both made it without incident, with Kiros packing away some of the meat before scaling the wall, taking up the equipment he had set for the safety line.

After packing up the climbing equipment, the team made their way out of the tunnels and chambers and back towards the jet. They were met by a small group of militarized officials standing between them and their escape ride. The officials carried old looking bladed weapons as well as rods and had armored horses. The horses suddenly charged at the Agents, making the four scatter. One of the officials threw what looked like a bolas towards Kiros to which Lekir slid in and deflected with an ice spear she created, sending the bolas right back at the official, making him fall off the horse. The horse was startled and started to run with the official’s leg still stuck in a stirrup. Ninoga sent two officials flying with a good tail swipe while the last had gotten off of his horse to fight Carmen with close hand to hand combat. That didnt last long since Kiros picked him up from behind, tossing him to the wall as Lekir sent a smear of ice to hold him there like glue. Carmen was only a little cut up but she confirmed with a smile, they still have the loot.

They all piled back into the jet and set off to HQ, a fifth official that held back out of sight had made a call, “They have escaped. We could not detain them. I am sorry but we have failed to secure the scroll…. Sir? Please we will not fail again.. please no!” The official started begging before dark green vivianite crystals rapidly grew and speared through his body at all angles, severing organs and leaving nothing but shreds of flesh and bones between the multitudes of shards.

When they returned, Carmen was holding her torn red coat and had some cuts on her arms and side. Wally rushed up to her and held her close, making her wince, “Oh my Light! I’m glad you’re ok! I heard over the coms you needed a med kit! Do you need a hospital?!” Carmen pried him off, chuckling, “Nothing I’m not used to. This is why we train. I just got a few scrapes from some bladed guards. I just need some antibacterial gel and gauze. Its nothing! I don’t think these will even scar up.” Lekir laughs, “She’s the squishy out of all of us technically!” She slaps Carmen’s plush ass as if to demonstrate her plushness. The mare blushes and sighs about needing to sew her fabric coat yet again.

Asta nudged Wally’s arm a bit and he perked up as he remembered. “Oh! While you were gone, I went ahead and got you something. They didn’t have your bright red but maybe you will like this darker scarlet shade.” He handed her a box to which she took to the dinner table. Opening it, she grinned and chuckled as she lifted a brand new leather coat, a sleeker, lighter weighted design and had custom pockets on the inner lining and in the sleeves. She tried it on, wincing slightly as she moved, but overall had it on and it had fit perfectly. It even had a split back where her tail was able to freely peek out. She popped the collar and laid it bad down with ease and stuck her hands in every pocket she could find. “This is beautiful!! Thank you so much!!” She wrapped her arms around Wally and kissed him deeply. “Asta helped me with the sizing. She had to raid your closet for the right size. Now sadly they didn’t have a hat to match, so its just the coat for now.” He confessed, but she chuckled and put her hat onto his head. “Hats can be another time. Those can be a tough find anyway. But this is wonderful, thank you…oh! We also have good news! The chest had the next clue in it so we can go right to the duck that will lead us to the eggs! We’re almost there! We almost have you cured!”

Wally’s smile fell a split second as a worried look flashed. “I’m sure we will before it gets too bad.” M hung back and watched everything like a hawk, looking for any sign of the cause of such hatred he had seen on future Carmen’s face. It bothered him more than he expected, he wanted to say he didn’t care much about any of this just like 079 clearly stated as its own opinion. What M did find was that he was more attached to the whole team but moreso Carmen. As they joked, one thing was right, the majority of the team could handle a bullet or two and heal the next day. But Carmen was full mortal flesh and blood, no special powers, she couldn’t even use regular unicorn magic. Yet she dove into dangerous situations all the time with no regard for her own safety, as if she were one of them regardless of all the planning she does to keep everyone safe during their missions. And that bothered him even more since his test run.

He watched as she patched herself up all carefree, he puffed on his cigarette as he broods. It gnawed at his thoughts, he severely wanted both to go back to the future to figure it out but knew 079 had a very glaring and valid point. He thought about slipping off to the mech lab to tinker a bit more on the pod, seeing if he can alter something so its just not a time machine. He needed a distraction and his previous conversation of traveling to other universes may prove to be just the right project to give him that distraction.

A distraction did come to him, just in the form he didn’t expect. Carmen’s waterbottle was clear glass, yet the liquid had the absolute faintest blue glow, easily missed by casual glances. Perhaps 079 was right with his perception. He just needed more proof. He slinked off towards Carmen’s office as she laughed and had happy conversations with the others. She opened the scroll and showed the others. “Lets see what this thing says.” She laid it out on the table next to the coat box and tilted her head. Everyone gathered around for a view. “Is it supposed to be mostly blank?” The hide was indeed mostly blank, the bottom had a mountain ridge and a river and sporadic spots on the upper part that were either ink or tiny holes burnt through with a few sketch lines dashed in going a single direction. Otherwise it was very blank.

“Perhaps its a type of morse code?” Kiros rubbed his chin, Asta shook her head, “No, that was invented in the Amareicas in the 1830’s. And its not cuneiform.. the holes almost look like star alignments yet I dont recognize the placements but the other dots aren’t stars.” Carmen looked up and saw that M wasn’t there. She excused herself and went to search for him, finding him in her office, searching drawers and shelves.

“M, what’s going on? You’ve barely been around and more moody than usual since working on the chronoskimmer.” She inquired, setting her bottle on her desk as he was searching underneath for hidden compartments. He peeked up with a glare and his eyes darted to the water bottle and back to her, “Nice, acting stupid and oblivious right to my fuckin face.” Carmen furrowed her brow and lowered her ears, “Excuse me? But I have absolutely no idea what the hell you are going on about and I deserve an explanation for your behavior!” He stands and leans on the desk between them and whips the bottle across the room, smashing it against the wall. “THAT is what is going on. You have been way too easy going when it comes to your own safety, your cycles have been more intense, your pain tolerance is way too fucking high for a normal fucking pony, and your water always has a familiar blue glow to it. You’ve been fucking microdosing that fucking zydrate this whole fucking time! Now tell me where the rest of it is so I can fucking destroy it, you fucking junkhead!” She snarled at him and slapped his face to which he snapped his hand out and gripped her hair, slamming her head to the desk, “Don’t you FUCKING act all offended. Now I don’t give a fuck what withdrawal you suffer. Tonight you get clean for good and you never get high again. If you don’t listen to me out of fuckin fear, then at least do the fuckin curtesy of telling my brother that your so called happiness is a fucking lie. Fuck knows he deserves to hear the fuckin truth.” He growled as she struggled against his grip on her head as he held her down. “I will NOT let you go down a drug bender and do something you fucking regret!” She blinks and stops struggling for a moment, “What did you say?” She asked. His voice had a hint of unusual worry that she had caught. “I said I will not let you..”

“Yeah I heard that but you sound like you know something I dont..” He lets her up and avoids looking at her both out of fury and confrontation. “I’m not telling you. You are not supposed to know.”

She rubbed her head and walked around the desk, gripping his arm to turn him towards her, “Fuck that, you don’t get to assault me, accuse me of being a brainless addict AND withhold important information from me! Now tell me what you know!” He growls and grips both her arms, squeezing one of the deep cuts by accident, making her yelp. “I FUCKING CAN’T.”

“Why the hell not?!”

“Because I don’t know what fucking causes it!”

“It can’t be that bad. We’ve dealt with pretty bad shit.”

He shakes her a bit, “I saw you fucking die, okay?! It’s that fucking bad!”

The color drains from her face and she steps back from his grip. “When.. how?”

He sighs and puts one hand on his hip, the other running through his hair stressfully. “Three years, shot in Times Square.”

She let the information sink in, both hands on her hips, looking at the floor. She sighs and nods after a few silent moments, “Okay. Luckily the future is not set in stone. Let’s ban Times Square from our destinations. I’ll secure those guns my sister gave as a gift into the vault, far back so its hard to get them. And I really wish you didn’t smash my water. That was the last of the zydrate I had and boy, I could sure use some after that bomb you just dropped.” She looked at him, all coldly somber and turned to walk out of her office and back to the rest of the team. “We need your help to crack the riddle on that hide we brought back. Clean up your mess and join us when you’re done. I’m going to ice this bump on my head now and pour myself a stiff drink.”

[padfootagain]

The King and You (XVI)

Part XVI : The wardrobe

Hi everyone! Here I come with a new chapter for my Caspian fic!

I hope you like this chapter, it’s a little emotional but still sweet. We are also coming closer to the end, so… lots of things happening here! Tell me what you think of it!

****

Pairing: Caspian x reader

Warning: … a little sad?

Sum up: Somehow, Caspian stumbles out of Narnia and into your world. He’s utterly lost and has no idea how to get out of this world filled with scary toasters, strange carriages and a woman who literally knocks him off of his feet. But does he really want to find a way back?

Word count: 4784

It took you a few days to track down the position of the cottage that had once been owned by Digory Kirke.

It was Caspian’s first time on a train, and he liked it. So far, it was the most reassuring mean of transportation he had discovered in your world. It was fast, and yet, he felt safe.

Roger and Agatha were sharing whispers and giggles, like two teenagers in love. You didn’t fail to notice the way they were holding hands, sitting next to each other in the compartment.

You ate sandwiches and laughter for lunch, and for a while, the adventure that was your trip to the country side was enough for all of you to forget why you were heading there.

The new owners of the cottage had turned it into an Airbnb, which made everything simple. You would all stay at the cottage, which would give you time to explore the place, and especially the attic. Despite the fact that the cottage had changed owners several times, you were hoping that you could find some clues about Narnia there. Besides, you found no relatives to Digory Kirke left alive; this place where he had once lived seemed to be your only chance.

The cottage was on the outskirts of a small village, with a garden filled with heather, a bench and a tall apple tree. A stonewall encircled the property, and you smiled at the sight of the ancient house, made a little crooked by the years. The walls were of stone, the roof of grey tiles with moss covering the left part of it, the door was painted in a bright red shade. It felt welcoming, warm.

“It’s lovely, don’t you think?” Agatha asked Roger, while you struggled to open the little wooden gate to get into the garden.

“It is indeed. Charming, I would say,” the old gangster answered, tightening his hold on Agatha’s hand.

The inside of the cottage was pretty charming as well. It felt old despite the new kitchen counter and the large tv screen. There was a hearth and a warm carpet under a large sofa and an old armchair. A wooden table. A large library filled with old books with leathery covers. Upstairs, there were two bedrooms, one for Agatha and Roger, and one for Caspian and you.

You decided to get some rest that evening, and to explore the attic the next morning. There was no real rush, or at least, you didn’t want to be in a rush. Delaying meant spending one more evening with Caspian.

You had started doubting it all again, perhaps because you had never been fully convinced in the first place, perhaps because the closer Caspian got to leaving, the less you wanted it all to be real. You hated yourself for it. For wanting him to stay. It was selfish, yet, you kept on hoping…

You had offered to prepare some tea, but you didn’t notice when the kettle started to sing. You didn’t notice the sharp whistling sound, or Agatha calling for you, or the rain that had started to fall outside. Instead, you were lost in thought.

What if you left?

Ever since that afternoon at the National Gallery, the question tortured you. Caspian couldn’t stay, but what if you left with him? It sounded crazy, to leave it all behind. He had been clear about the fact that you wouldn’t be able to come back, ever again, to your world. How could you do that? It was crazy. To even think about abandoning your entire life, your friends, your family, just to follow a guy you had met only a month ago? That was outrageously crazy of you. Irresponsible. Stupid even. Completely and utterly reckless.

And yet, you hesitated still.

Because despite how crazy this whole story was, Caspian was real. What you felt for him was real. And you didn’t want it to end just yet…

But if you knew that he deeply cared about you, if you knew that Caspian had feelings for you, you were still unsure of their depth. He had never said I love you. He had implied it several times, but the words had never passed his lips. What did it mean? Did it mean that his feelings, though earnest, were not strong enough to be called love for now?

You were only brought back to earth when Roger walked into the kitchen, got the kettle and started pouring the boiling water into the cups. You were almost startled when he spoke.

“You seem very much worried, young lady.”

“Oh… I’m just tired, that’s all,” you lied.

Roger chuckled, shaking his head.

“Ha, this good old lie. I’m too old to fall for it. Why don’t you tell me what’s troubling you?”

He gave you some time to speak, but you remained silent. Upstairs, Caspian had set your suitcase next to the bed, and Agatha was unpacking her things.

“Is it about the boy leaving?”

You nodded.

“What did Agatha tell you about that?” you asked, unwilling to reveal too much about Narnia.

“Not that much, to be honest. Only that we needed to help this boy go home. And that he would have to go on his own.”

“Yeah… he’s going to leave soon. If all goes to plan, at least.”

“And there is no way for him to stay?”

You shook your head.

“There are people there… who depend on him. He can’t stay.”

“Then… why can’t you go?”

You shrugged, looking down at the floor.

“How could I leave my life, everything I’ve built… for a man I’ve met a mere month ago?”

“Do you not love him?”

“I do.”

“Then… it is merely a game of balance. You need to weigh your two options: do you love more the life you have here, or the life you could have with him?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure… leaving… it sounds crazy!”

But Roger gave you a sad smile.

“You know… I was about your age when I met Agatha. Prettiest girl I had ever seen,” he went on with a dreamy smile, but his expression was tainted with melancholia. “I was in love with her by the end of that day we spent together in Central Park. Madly in love with her. Had met her only three days before but… there was something about her I… I just knew. I knew she was it.”

He put away the kettle, watched in his mug as the tea leaves were tainted the water with a brownish, almost-red shade.

“But then… I was young, and mostly stupid. I was involved in some heavy stuff, the kind you can’t get out of. I was offered to go to Chicago for some time. Let’s call it ‘business’, although I’m sure you know that wasn’t all that there was there. I had to choose. And Agatha and I… we had been together for only a couple of months. It was dangerous to take her with me, and I knew it. When I told her about it, she said she would wait for me to come back. I told her not to. I went away. We didn’t stay in touch. When I came back ten years later, she was married with two kids.”

He looked at you again, withheld tears shining in his eyes.

“I have never regretted a decision in my life more than I regret this one. More than I regret letting her go so easily. I could have made it work. I could have dropped it, I could have found a way out. It wasn’t too late yet, I was involved, but I had many friends, and they would have allowed me to lead a normal life, under some conditions. I could have had it all. But the truth is, I wanted to go to Chicago. I wanted to get that money, I wanted to be someone important. If I had stopped for a minute, and truly thought about it… if I had truly weighed my options, I’m not sure I would have made the same choice.”

He rested a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“It’s your decision to take. But if you take the wrong one, you’ll have to own it. You’ll have to live with its weigh for the rest of your life. So… be careful. We only have one life, we can’t afford to waste it away.”

You didn’t answer. You didn’t have the strength to do so. Roger grabbed his mug of tea and Agatha’s and disappeared as quietly as he had come into the kitchen.

He didn’t notice Caspian hiding in the corridor.

********************************

It was barely midnight when you all went to bed. A long day would await with a new sunrise, and you reckoned that you were already going to bed way too late.

You took a shower, took your time to get ready for bed. You lied down there, under the safety of the heavy blankets, waiting for Caspian to be ready to bid you goodnight. He had slept by your side twice, after visiting the cemetery, but after that he had kept on leaving you alone at night. You guessed the intimacy of it was a little too much for him, and you got that. You had no doubts that he would still come to your bedroom to bid you goodnight, though. Drop a sweet kiss on your lips. Check that the covers kept you warm. Turn off the lights. And leave you to get lost in dreams that were always about him.

But this time, he didn’t. This time, when he walked in your room, already in a pair of red pyjamas, he stood by the bed, on the opposite side. You looked at him with a frown, and noticed that he was blushing.

“Can I… Can I stay with you tonight? I… I do not want to be alone.”

You gave him a warm smile, nodding in silence and pulling the covers to welcome him inside the bed. He smiled back, before lying by your side, the mattress caving under his weight. It was reassuring, to feel him there, by your side.

He reached for your hand.

“Thank you,” he whispered. “I… I did not want to be alone.”

“Are you okay? Is everything alright?”

He nodded, but he was a terrible liar. You insisted, and he turned to lie on his side so he would be facing you instead of the ceiling. You did the same. There was no light in the room but the faint silvery glow of the moon slipping in through the curtains, and the small lamp alit on your nightstand that painted the room in a yellowish glow. You gave him an encouraging smile, running your thumb across his knuckles in a soothing touch.

It made his heart swell, the sight of you like this. In your pyjamas, lying in bed, your hair already messy and a tender smile on your lips. Your fingers intertwined with his. The sound of your breathing filling up the room.

He reached up to brush his fingertips across your cheek.

“I know it will sound strange but… I feel… like I’m running out of time.”

He could hear it, your breathing stopping. A sharp intake of breath, and then nothing for a few seconds. You tried to smile, but the gesture remained quite sad.

“I do not mean to make you… feel bad or… I just… I feel like something is pulling me away,” he went on. “The same kind of feeling I felt that day in the forest when I left Narnia. Like I should get going. Like I should… Like I must go somewhere else. I do not know how to explain this. It is a strange feeling. Still… I do not want to be alone tonight. I want… I want to be with you, as much as I can.”

You nodded, failing at hiding the tears that glimmered at the corner of your eyes. Slowly, you moved to hold him tightly against you, and he wrapped his arms around your frame as well.

He breathed the sweet scent of your shampoo. Vanilla and apples and sunrises…

“Caspian… can you promise me something? Actually… actually two things…”

“Anything you want.”

“When you’re gone… I know it’s very selfish but… please, don’t forget about me. I… I don’t want you to forget about me. Ever. And I know it’s selfish, because… you’ll need to marry someone else, and I hope you find love and happiness but… but I know that I won’t forget about you. Ever. So don’t. Actually… I have something for you. Thought about giving it to you right before you would go but as you’re having this weird feeling…”

You pulled away to reach inside the drawer of your bedside table. There was a small packet there, closed with a purple ribbon. You offered it to Caspian in a slightly trembling hand, a shy expression on your features.

“I… I have no money. I do not have any gift for you,” Caspian mumbled, but you merely laughed at him.

“Take the goddamn gift, or I’ll give it to Roger.”

It was enough to make him laugh again.

“Do I have some competition?”

“You have no idea. Have you tasted his apple pie the other day at Agatha’s? That man owns my heart.”

Caspian chuckled, accepting your gift. You were shier again as he unfastened the ribbon, unfolded the fabric. He grinned at the sight of the necklace you had bought for him; the medallion hanging at the silver chain had the form of a ship.

“You said… you said you loved the sea. I thought it could make a token of good fortune. And then, maybe… it would help you remember me. I mean…”

But you were shushed by a warm pair of lips pressed against yours. You melted into Caspian’s arms again, holding tightly on his pyjama shirt. When he pulled away, both of you breathless, he brushed tenderly his nose against yours, making you giggle.

He took another close look at the jewel before putting it on.

“I love it. Thank you, so much… I will take it as a token of luck, indeed. But, Y/N… you did not need to buy me a present for me to remember you.”

He slowly shook his head, a tender glint in his eyes, even though he couldn’t hide that he found you rather silly at that moment.

“How can you imagine for even a second that I could ever forget you, Y/N?”

He ran his hand through your hair, pushing the strands back to look at you, to memorize your features, to make sure he would remember every detail, from the exact colour of your eyes, to the form of your lips…

“I will never forget you, my love. How could I ever forget anything about you at all?”

It was your time to kiss him tenderly, until he pulled away to ask you what was this other promise he had to make for you. He saw you biting on your lower lip, hesitate, but you shook your head. Now wasn’t the time. Now, the night was warm and felt safe. You were happy. You didn’t want to ask him about Narnia, about him leaving. You took his face in your hands to pull him back to you, to feel his lips against yours once more.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow. That’s enough promises for one day.”

He nodded, not willing to argue with you. Not tonight. Not now. Not when he held you so close to him he could feel your heart beating against his. Matching rhythms…

You saw him clenching his jaw. You heard his breathing quicken. You saw his fingers shaking slightly when he raised his hand to caress your upper arm. His eyes had darkened.

You narrowed your eyes at him, but he didn’t notice. He was staring at your lips instead of your eyes.

When he kissed you again, there was something more there. Something more passionate. Something that made you moan into his mouth, that made you press yourself against him harder, that made your hands fly up to his hair...

You were both breathless when you pulled away. You stared at him for a moment. He started to blush, but he didn’t pull away, didn’t let go of you.

“Would you be offended if I said that I…”

He interrupted himself, looking for the right words. But he couldn’t think straight anymore.

He wanted you too much for that…

“Would you be offended if I told you that I don’t want to sleep right now?”

You couldn’t refrain the chuckle that escaped your throat.

“Offended? No. No, I’m not offended. Especially when you say it in such an elegant way.”

“Do I?”

“But I thought it was not your way. I mean… in your world. The whole… having sex before getting married and all that?”

He blushed fiercely, but he didn’t back down.

“It is not our way, no.”

“But?”

“But we are not in Narnia. And I want you. Terribly so. Unbearably so.”

You struggled to swallow, feeling electricity running across your body, through every one of your nerves and muscles and bones…

“I don’t want you to regret that,” you managed to warn him despite your shaking voice.

He offered you a reassuring smile.

“Trust me… I will not regret this. I want to do it. I want to do it with you before I…”

He didn’t have the strength to finish his sentence. You didn’t need him to.

“Would you… What do you want?” he asked in a shaky voice.

But when you slowly approached your lips of his, he couldn’t help but close his eyes and tighten his hold on you.

“I… have been wanting to do this for a while now. I want you, Caspian. Terribly so. Unbearably so.”

He let a smile form on his lips before closing the gap between your mouths.

You would have needed a lot of sleep, considering the busy day ahead.

But you barely slept at all…

********************************************

The attic was full of dust and spiders.

The little lightbulb that hung there barely shed any light, you needed to bring your phones to see what was in there. Lots of boxes, a couple of wooden chests. You reckoned that you would have more chances to find something in one of these.

By your side, Caspian pushed away from his face a couple of cobwebs.

“Charming place,” he commented.

Behind him, Agatha sneezed because of the dust.

“It’ll take a while to go through all these,” Roger said, looking around to evaluate the amount of work to be done.

“We don’t really have any other option. We should get to work.”

Caspian nodded, picked up a random box and opened it, rummaging through whatever was inside. Soon, all of you were hard at work.

But all you could find were old papers, ragdolls, toys, pictures… all that belonged to owners of the cottage that lived there long after Digory Kirke had died.

By the end of the afternoon, you heaved a defeated sigh.

“I’ll take a break,” you announced, longing for some fresh air.

You were not surprised when Caspian followed you down the ladder, down the stairs, and into the garden.

None of you spoke until you were sitting on the wooden bench. The air was chilly, you had taken your coats to walk outside. You rested your head on his shoulder the second Caspian was seated by your side, and it made him chuckle fondly.

“I’m not sure we’re going to find anything here,” you said after a few minutes.

But Caspian didn’t answer. Instead, he wrapped his arm around you, bringing you closer to him. He dropped sweet kisses on your temple and in your hair. You closed your eyes, enjoying this peaceful moment. There was no sound emanating from human lives. No car, no shouts, no voices. Only the wind blowing in the naked branches of the apple tree under which you were seated. Only the few birds chirping now and then. And above all that, Caspian’s hand on your waist, the rhythm of his chest falling and rising as he breathed, his scent warm and comforting, familiar, mingled with the perfume of wet grass and heather beginning to bloom.

You could have lived like this, in this moment, forever…

“I heard you talking with Roger yesterday evening.”

You looked up at him, knowing perfectly well what he was talking about, what conversation he was referring to.

“You are still hesitating, are you not?” he added.

You nodded.

“I’m… weighing my options, like Roger said I should.”

He nodded, a look of deep hurt on his features.

“I… have promised you never to take a decision in your stead ever again, and I will not do so. But… I can tell you what I think you should do. And I think you should stay.”

He shook his head, staring at you. Staring at your eyes that he adored and seemed to capture his soul every time. Even more so since the previous night, he reckoned…

He could feel your lips on his again, your hands holding on his shoulders, your breath mingling with his so you would inhale the same air, your voice whispering his name…

He had to look away to focus once more on the present.

“You would not want me to come?” you asked him, voice fragile and shaking.

“Of course, I want you to come. I want to be with you, more than anything. But I can’t ask you to throw away your entire life, everything you’ve built here…”

“I don’t have that much though. Here, I mean. A few friends, no family… My apartment, painting… I could have all that with you as well.”

“It is your decision to take. But I think that… you would regret it if you came with me.”

You remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. You remembered this promise you wanted to ask from him the previous night, and reckoned it was time to talk about it with him.

“Can I ask you to promise me something?” you asked after a long silence.

“The same vow you wanted me to take last night? Of course, you can.”

You looked for the right way to say this, worried you would offend him. But the stakes were too high, you had to take the risk…

“Caspian… promise me that this story about Narnia is true.”

You saw him clenching his jaw for a second, because of the glint of pain that passed through his dark eyes, but also because of the flash of anger that appeared there. It shone only for a moment though, igniting his gaze for a mere second, before he would relax and look at you tenderly again.

It wasn’t your fault. You had no proof that he was telling the truth, it was a lot to take in. He couldn’t be mad about you doubting it all.

“I promise. It is the truth. You know everything.”

“You really are a King there?”

“Yes, I really am King.”

You nodded slowly, looking down at your feet.

“So… if I left with you… would you marry that woman you said would allow you to make a good alliance?”

“Of course not. I would marry you.”

“Even if it’s not the best for your people?”

“I would marry you.”

“So… I would be Queen?”

“Yes, you would be.”

“That’s… a lot of responsibilities, right? You… you’re not free to do what you want to, right?”

“It is a lot of responsibilities, yes. You would…lead Narnia with me. By my side. You would have many duties. Narnia would have to come first, always.”

You nodded slowly, taking it all in.

“Would I be able to paint still?”

Caspian gave you a tender smile.

“Of course. During your free time, you could keep on painting. You could do anything you want.”

“Do you have a lot of free time as a king?”

“Not that much, I’m afraid. Still… you could paint. Less so than you do now, though.”

Again, you nodded slowly.

And the truth was, you weren’t sure if you could do this. Be a Queen… you didn’t know how to be that. You were a painter. You were a mess, most of the time. How could you lead an entire people, a people you knew nothing about, when you were a mess yourself?

Caspian seemed to guess your thoughts, and his smile turned sad.

“I would help you at the beginning. I would guide you through it. I would be here for you. But I am not going to pretend that leading a people is easy. I will not pretend that my world is not entirely different from yours. That we do not live in castles and fight with swords and travel on horseback when you… you walked on the moon.”

He shook his head, tears glistening in his eyes while he looked up at the grey sky in an attempt to withhold them.

“Your life would be turned upside-down. Everything would change. Would you really do that just to be with me?”

“I love you,” you argued.

You realized then… it was the first time you spoke so plainly these words. Caspian gave you a tender smile, but he didn’t say it back, even if you wondered whether or not the gleam in his eyes revealed his true feelings for you. Still... it hurt that he didn't say it back.

“But love is not always enough, is it?”

You thought about his words while you rested your head against his shoulder again. He took your hand in yours, gave it a tender squeeze before intertwining your fingers together.

You wondered… could love be enough?

********************************

You found nothing that day in the attic. Caspian was surprisingly calm about it. When you asked him why, he answered with a shrug.

“I know we are at the right place. We merely need to find what is hidden here.”

You didn’t answer, didn’t contradict him, didn’t ask him how he could know. You knew that you would not fully understand, and you trusted him. Even though, deep inside, you hoped he was wrong.

You enjoyed a merry meal in the cottage. Roger had been cooking, and it was delicious. After a long time spent talking together, the two couples went their separate ways for the rest of the evening. You decided to go to bed early, to relax with a book (or rather some cuddles with Caspian but you pretended that you wanted to read in front of your friends) while Roger and Agatha lingered downstairs to watch TV. You thus got ready for bed, and then waited for Caspian while he was taking a shower, reading your book although you were unable to focus on the words written on the page while you impatiently thought about Caspian’s arms around you.

You didn’t notice the sound of the bathroom door opening once he had finished showering. You didn’t notice the sound of his naked feet walking across the floorboard. You didn’t notice when his footsteps stopped, when he froze in the middle of the small corridor. You didn’t notice when he looked inside Roger’s and Agatha’s bedroom with a strange fascination. You didn’t hear the thud of his dirty clothes falling onto the floor. You didn’t hear him walk inside the room, transfixed, staring…

He was staring at a wardrobe.

An old, wooden wardrobe with intricate carvings all over the surface. Strange creatures represented in the tender material. Caspian could barely breathe.

There was something about this wardrobe… something… something magnetic. Something that pulled him in.

When he rested his fingers on the doorknob, he was shaking.

He opened the door. A gush of wind blew out of the wardrobe, pushing in the room a few skeleton leaves that bumped into Caspian’s feet.

He took a deep breath. It smelled of… a distant fire. Trees. The strong smell of pine trees. Damp earth. And something sweet. Something… indescribable and yet familiar. A scent he would have recognized anywhere, even though he had never paid true attention to it. But then, he had spent a month breathing another air...

There was a dim light at the back of the empty wardrobe. He could see branches of pine trees and oaks a few steps away. The branches were painted with a dim golden light. There too, it was twilight.

Caspian was shaking when he breathed out a simple word, the word that described what was beyond the doors of this wardrobe.

“Narnia…”

[author-orchids]

This story came to me as inspiration from a @writing-prompt-s post.

As of now I am calling this story "The a

accursed Holy Sword" but I will most definitely change the name at some point because I already hate it as a name.

It takes place in a world that is mostly medieval in setting but I also want it to be kind of steampunkish

Here is a summary of what the story is going to be:

Bealinne lives in a nation that is constantly at war. She joins an organization that originally was only made to help refugees. (Do not ask me what this organization is called for I haven't a clue yet.) But it delves further and further into resistance work. They work to avoid more fighting in any way possible. When they get a tip that the kingdom is hiding a weapon that could cause mass destruction if used, they decide that they have to figure out what it is and how to stop it. However, it was a trap, it led to the capture of many resistance workers including Bealinne and Sebastian, the one who trained her for resistance work.

They are sentenced to execution for treason against the kingdom. There is a sword, ancient and having gone by many many names over time. In this time it is known as the Souldestroyer, for whoever tries to wield it instantly decays into a pile of ash. This sword is used for executions, not by decapitation, but the criminal is forced to hold the sword and the magic on the sword carries out their fate. But for some reason it seems as if the Souldestroyer has chosen Bealinne for some greater destiny, for she does not die when she is forced to grab the sword, death is possibly the farthest from what she experiences next.

The following is part 1 of The Accursed Holy Sword

I tremble as the person in front of me steps forward. Sebastian, my fellow resistance fighter. He’s the picture of serene calm, he reaches forward as if it’s a normal sword.

As if it’s a normal sword. As if we are not standing in line at death’s door. As if we hadn’t just watched practically everyone we work with die before our eyes. As if the mountain of dust at his feet was just that, dust. As if nothing has ever happened.

As if we had a chance to go on with our lives. He stood still, hand hovering just above the sword’s handle.

“Lynnie…” He starts.

“No…” The word barely a whisper from my hoarse throat.

“I need you to know,” he changed the position of his feet slightly, as if about to jump, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨? I think. “I need you to know how I feel about you.” He goes on.

“Don’t Seb, don’t talk like…” I find myself unable to finish, 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥. I go on internally. But it 𝗶𝘀 the end. He will grab that sword and he will be gone forever. My only solace is that I will be soon after him.

“I love you Lynnie.” His voice shakes as if with tears, but I can’t see his face. But I can picture it, his blue eyes shining with tears for the first time ever in my memory. A teardrop sliding down his pale skin.

“Get on with it traitor.” A guard hisses.

Traitor. How did I get here? To be a traitor? All I wanted was to save lives. Innocent people who deserved no death. But I guess you’re a traitor when you work for people and against power and profit.

“I will never forget you Lynnie, even in death I’ll never forget. And if we don’t end up together, be it in the next life or some kind of heaven, then I wish you all the love and happiness in the world. You deserve it.”

“You- you do too-” I manage to say.

“Me? No no no, I don’t deserve anything.” He cuts me off with a self deprecating laugh.

“Oh you two lovebirds, you and I both know that this isn’t the only way,” a different guard says condescendingly, “just tell us where all your little resistance buddies are, and once we round them all up you get to live.” He went on with a voice that dripped with contempt. “You would even get to share a cell together for the rest of your miserable lives, I’m sure they’d let you. Perhaps they’ll even let you free once you’ve served us enough use.”

“I would rather die a traitor!” Sebastian yelled, “Than live as a coward!” He finally grabbed onto that accursed sword at that moment, he began to lunge forward as he grabbed it.

A scream saws out of my throat. Everything seems to slow as I stare at him in horror. For half a second, he’s fine, barely inching forward in my slowed perception of time. I’m sure that if I’d been seeing things normally he’d be moving with that swift speed that he’s known for in the resistance.

In the next half of a second, I see the sword flash with that horrible black light before I notice that his bare feet begin to turn to gray ash. He lifts the sword in front of him as he moves.

“Sebastian!” I shriek.

Things move slightly faster now. The change from him to lifeless ash has reached the cuff of his too-short pants. He had the same prisoners uniform I do, drab gray cloths that don’t fit and are peppered with holes and no shoes.

A blink and things are moving of normal speed. The ash has overtaken his fluffy black hair. And it reaches his fingertips just a moment after he releases the sword, his momentum propelling it forward.

The sword knocks against the guard who tried to get us to rat out our allies. His armor is simple, as he clearly didn’t expect attack, simply a chestplate, gauntlets, a helmet, and plain leather over everything else. All other guards are dressed the same.

The guard catches the sword in his hands, out of reflex I assume. There’s only a split second as the sword lights up to see his face before he disappears into ash.

I don’t hear anything. I don’t see anything. I stopped processing it all the second Sebastian truly died. A cloud of dust in the air was all he was. And he loved me? How long? How long had he felt the same way I have and I was too foolish to notice. Maybe I always knew. Maybe I was afraid of things changing. That’s very likely. But it doesn’t matter now. Nothing matters. He’s dead and I am not far behind.

There is a ringing in my ears. I don’t come to my senses until I feel a hard shove against my back. All the guards stand in a circle around me, their hands all on the hilts of their swords. Did they think I was going to run? Or maybe that I was going to pull the same stunt Seb did and that their hands should be busy.

𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘺. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. I think to myself.

One guard is backing away from the sword that is now back on its pedestal, he’s holding something that looks not unlike a very large pair of tongs. Were they used to put the sword back? It’s not like it matters.

𝘿𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚. 𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚. I hear in my thoughts. But it’s not my voice. It sounds like someone is talking to me. 𝘖𝘩 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘵, I realize, 𝘐'𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺.

𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩. The voice tells me.

𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘦.

𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙜𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙗 m̶e̶ 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮. 𝙒𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙖𝙮.

𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘰, 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥.

I grab the sword, but it doesn’t flash with black light however. Instead, a hazy purple glow surrounds it. 𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙣𝙚. A golden light flashes from the blade as I feel a sudden feeling of absolute power surge in my veins.

[lifblogs]

A Tragedy: The First Page

Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Mature Word Count: 2245 Summary: The Gaang is attacked by a troop of firebenders, and Sokka suffers a severe injury from one of their tanks. WARNINGS: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Gore, Hallucinations, Suicidal Thoughts READ ON AO3

After a few weeks of dodging Fire Nation encampments within the Earth Kingdom it seemed like everyone was in the clear. Aang was very loudly practicing his earthbending with Toph, Katara her waterbending, and Sokka had been sharpening his weapons, trying to ignore all the benders for now. 

Maybe the earthbending was too intense, heavy and deafening, because next thing they knew they were surrounded.

Usually the Fire Nation encampments they happened across in this southern part of the Earth Kingdom were just foot soldiers, but tanks? Really?

While the benders of the group were doing their best to destroy the tanks, Sokka had ended up in the thick of things, doing his best to help out. There had been a few foot soldiers in the middle of the formation, and Sokka was just barely dodging blasts of fire. What he was good at was engaging those with spears, disarming them, or leaving them too stunned or injured to continue the fight.

Maybe something went wrong, maybe he somehow made himself more of a threat than they realized (he had taken down quite a lot of the spearmen and even some benders), but next thing he knew a tank was rattling towards him on those terrifying spoked wheels. Katara called his name, and jumped into the fray with him. She shot water at the tank and then turned that water to ice when it made contact. The front left wheel creaked, small cracks accompanied with it as ice began to break, but the tank was still coming on, the wheel turning, the ice perhaps not reaching deep enough. Sokka wasn’t the one in danger anymore.

It was Katara.

He lunged at her, using his body to push her out of the way of the tank. She fell, but thankfully into a spot of safety.

On his stomach, he smiled at her, glad she was okay.

That was all he had time to register before pain roared through his leg, and black took him.

***

There was screaming, explosions of fire, the creaking rattle and churn of moving tanks, THUDs of earth. And through all of it there were flashes of red, white. Pain. Pain. Pain.

Sokka saw a tank dangerously close to him, and it was rising up into the air on a sheet of ice, getting knocked over, falling with a thunderous crash. He smelled the acrid smoke of burning gears as wheels uselessly tried to move.

When the tank had been lifted up he had felt freed from something, but he didn’t know what.

Pain.

The battle came to him through too-loud sounds, and too-bright light, and he wanted to scream, wanted it all to stop, and when he opened his mouth to scream, he realized he was already doing so.

Katara rushed to his side, frightened tears building up in her eyes.

Sokka wanted to ask how bad it was, but didn’t have the words, wasn’t sure he’d understand language right now.

He didn’t.

His sister was speaking to him, and he didn’t have a clue as to what she was saying.

He was shuddering, shaking, and the world seemed to be going in and out, all while his stomach roiled. Sokka fought to keep down the meager breakfast he’d had, and wanted to roll on his side, get off his stomach, because oh, it hurt so bad! But when he tried to move, an animal-like screech rent the air, and it certainly wasn’t Momo.

Katara was kneeling by him, hands on him, rolling him back onto his stomach. Vibrating mumbles, and sobs left his lips, and he could barely breathe.

Black spots shone in his vision, and then there was cool water on him.

“Ahh!”

“Sorry, I’m sorry! Oh no, Sokka, I’m sorry, please just stay still.”

The water began to feel nice, and he could sense the energy his sister was using, but it almost felt useless, like all it did was relieve some of the pain.

At least it was enough for his body to calm, for the shaking to subside. But when it did that, he could take in more of what was wrong.

His right leg was crushed.

Tears rolled down Sokka’s cheeks into the dirt. He rested his head in his arms, and watched the battle through glassy eyes. Watched Toph and Aang take out what might’ve been the last tank, saw as Aang looked back at him, almost getting blasted with fire in the process, Toph yelling Twinkle Toes at him in warning, Toph resting more weight on her heels, surely sensing what was wrong with Sokka’s body.

This wasn’t real.

How could it be?

Sokka was a warrior. He couldn’t afford to be injured like this.

Before he realized it, Aang and Toph were there; Toph sitting on his left, giving him a playful punch in the arm, and telling him it’d be all right; Aang on his right beside Katara, going green around his mouth, even as he pulled off his belt and tied it around Sokka’s thigh, pulling it so tight that a new pain was added to his existence. Sokka screamed through gritted teeth. At least he wouldn’t bleed to death, he supposed (he hoped).

“How bad is it?” Sokka finally asked, voice raw from his previous screaming, from holding in sobs despite the pain relief Katara was providing.

“It looks bad,” Aang said, voice ominously low for a kid his age. “Really, really bad.”

“Thanks,” Sokka muttered, not sure he had the strength to put all the sarcasm he wished into that word.

“If I wrap his leg and make a splint we can get him on Appa, and maybe…”

“Maybe, what?”

Sokka knew what they weren’t saying. His leg had gotten run over by a Fire Nation tank. There was no going back from that.

“Maybe I’ll survive long enough to get it amputated.”

What would’ve been a silent moment was then punctuated by his heaving breaths, body fighting the healing Katara was doing her best to provide.

Toph: “Why don’t we amputate it right now?”

That was met with a bunch of arguing, and screeching, Momo even settling on Aang’s shoulder to join in.

Sokka tried to move, to at least prop himself up, but Aang pushed him back down to the ground, and Katara protested.

“Look!” Sokka shouted at them. “I knew the risks when I left home to help Aang, all right? I’m a soldier. Injuries like this happen.”

They did. He knew that. He’d seen horrible scarring, what remained of a soldier when the battles were over. This was the choice he’d made. He wasn’t a bender, wasn’t anyone powerful or special, but he had wanted to help Aang anyway. And he still wanted to.

Katara had a noticeable shudder to her voice—fear, exhaustion, sickness and revulsion from the wound—as she said, “I’ll… I’ll gather the herbs we need to render you unconscious, Sokka. Even”—a deep breath here—”if we decide we don’t need to amputate… I—I don’t want you awake for this.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled.

She took a deep breath, and even without seeing her, Sokka could sense the stillness in her, the strength she’d been building up stone by stone since their mother had been killed.

“Okay, Toph, Aang, when I move the water from his leg, you keep him still, and make sure he doesn’t choke on his vomit if he does throw up. He’s in shock, and he’s lost a lot of blood. I wouldn’t be surprised if his body is reacting to that. Ready?”

No, Sokka thought, miserably.

“Ready.”

“We’re on it.”

Katara didn’t count down, just removed her hands, removed the water.

Pain came shrieking back. What was even left of his leg to hurt? Shattered bone? Frayed nerves? Crushed muscles? Torn tendons and ligaments?

The shuddering came back in full force, and he sensed a hot pool of liquid around his leg, his foot. Was his foot still intact? It was hard to tell with so much pain.

Aang checked the tourniquet, and then possibly started rubbing his back. It was hard to tell when all his body wanted to focus on was how much he hurt. Oh, how he wanted to die.

Sokka had never wanted to die before. He was all about survival! That was him, the survival man!

He hadn’t wanted to die when his mother was killed, when his dad left for war, all the times he’d had to face down firebenders, the people who had decimated his tribe down to just a few measly families.

But here and now, he wanted to.

Why couldn’t the Fire Nation have finished the job with him? Why couldn’t Aang or Toph do it? Okay, Aang couldn’t because of being an Air Nomad, but surely Toph… She was tough enough.

Sokka barely considered how they’d mourn. He was too busy mourning right now, mourning the moments before the battle when he hadn’t known this pain, mourning walking on two legs, mourning just going about his day!

This was a tragedy. An absolute tragedy, and if his hiccuping sobs said anything, it was that he couldn’t handle it.

Sokka didn’t want to be a soldier anymore, didn’t want to defeat the Fire Nation. He just wanted to be in his dad’s arms, warm despite howling wind outside and temperatures that would freeze his nose off if he was out in the cold for more than two minutes. He wanted home, he wanted peace.

He didn’t want to lose his right leg!

Time stretched into an eternity, the pain mounting, the puddle of blood growing.

Through a black, pain-filled haze, Sokka saw his mother. She approached with a warm smile, and knelt by him with a wooden bowl in hand. She was so beautiful, beauty that couldn’t be replicated in anyone else, perhaps save for Katara. He realized when he looked at her face that it was Katara’s face—a sister, a mother. She felt his forehead, and his cheeks, ignoring the sweat and tears. She told him to drink from the bowl, told him he’d feel better.

Sokka gratefully let her help him drink, and he closed his eyes, imagining home, his mom, his dad, his sister. Everyone safe, even himself. He had a working right leg, and his dad was tickling it, baiting Sokka into some rough housing that their mom had always hated.

Sokka had to push against his dad’s face and decline, had to let his head fall into his mother’s hands.

Relieved, darkness took him.

***

Sokka came to on Appa, wind rustling through his sweaty hair that had come undone, drying it, leaving it cool against his scalp. It sought his skin through his clothes, but didn’t find any.

His right leg felt entirely numb, and Sokka was a bit worried, but mostly glad. Why was he glad? What had happened?

“Appa…” he mumbled, happy to be on his giant friend and in the air, safe, but also wishing to sink in to all that fur.

“He’s awake!” Katara cried.

Immediately she was at his side, holding his hand. Her hair was a mess, and her eyes were puffy and red, bloodshot.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Numb,” Sokka replied, mind wandering, reality leaving him as memories came back.

His leg. Oh, his leg!

Sokka tried to sit up, tried to look at his leg, but Katara gently pushed him back down, head resting against his bed roll as a make-shift pillow.

“You’re going to be okay,” Katara said.

Sokka ignored that, not sure if this was the lying of a healer wanting to comfort their patient, or the lie of a sister wanting her older brother to be all right (a lie she needed to tell herself).

He almost wanted to apologize, and to do so profusely. He was the oldest. She shouldn’t have to be the one looking out for him, but here she was, still holding his hand.

Sokka started to grow annoyed, but the emotion dissipated like a weak puff of cloud. He was too tired, too… He wasn’t sure. Something wasn’t precisely right.

“Can I have some water?”

“Of course!”

Katara helped him slowly drink from the water skin. She didn’t take it from him, just made sure he drank at it in tiny dribbles.

He pushed it away himself when his stomach began to feel a little too full.

“Do I still have my leg?” he asked.

To his relief Katara’s face didn’t crumple, and neither Aang nor Toph made any disheartened exclamations.

“You sure do!” Toph said.

Aang called back to them, “Katara used the water from the spirit oasis.”

“I couldn’t heal everything,” she said, “but most of what you need has been repaired, and the skin’s not broken anymore. Now you mostly just have a broken bone.”

Sokka was sure he almost fainted from relief.

“You’ll need regular healing sessions to feel better and to avoid permanent damage—though you may still have some of that—so—”

Sokka cut her off, doing his best to fling himself at her, and pull her into a hug. Katara held his weight, Sokka still a bit too tired from blood loss and the concoction she’d given him.

His tears flowed freely, wetting Katara’s dress.

“Thank you, Katara.”

They flew onwards, continuing their journey, and looking for a safe place to make camp for the night, the sun setting in orange bursts around them.

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Eye of the World! Chapter 14: The Stag and Lion

My reread continues! If you don't know the drill by now, let me clue you in: this is going to be chock full of spoilers for the whole damn Wheel of Time series and if you're not into those vibes you should find somewhere else to be! Not trying to be mean, just trying to help you help yourself. Those of you who do like spoilers are going to have to fend for yourselves though. I'm busy with the noobs.

Anyway, this chapter's icon is the Dragon's Fang again, reflecting the dream that Rand has this chapter courtesy of Ishamael. Pretty straightforward symbolism at this point.

Also, since it's not remotely relevant, I've decided that the Stag is the sign of some local nobility, either current or back from the pre-Andor days, and that's why it's mentioned alongside the nation's heraldic sign. Headcanons are fun!

With the winter we just had . . . well, as soon as it cleared enough for them to get down out of the mountains we were inundated—yes, that’s the word—inundated by men from the mines and smelters, all telling the most horrible tales. Wolves, and worse.

Have the Shadowspawn been spreading out beyond the Two Rivers? It might just be tall tales getting taller in the telling - that happens a lot in this story - but I wonder if maybe a few of these miners saw Trollocs coming out the wrong Waygates and trying to orient themselves. Maybe it was accident - I don't remember how well-marked the way to Manetheren was - or perhaps it was just a deliberate detour to escape Machin Shin.

“Oh, never you worry about them, Mistress Alys. They’re up to their usual tricks. Claim there’s an Aes Sedai in the town.” 

Considering how easy it is to recognize an Aes Sedai once you know the signs, it says nothing good about the Brown or Yellow Ajahs that a town like Baerlon, which isn't insignificant even if it is kinda the ass end of nowhere, could even make a plausible target for the tactic that Fitch describes.

A dozen tall, copper bathtubs sat in a circle on the tiled floor, which sloped down slightly to a drain in the center of the big stone-walled room. A thick towel, neatly folded, and a large cake of yellow soap sat on a stool behind each tub, and big black iron cauldrons of water stood heating over fires along one wall. On the opposite wall logs blazing in a deep fireplace added to the general warmth.

I have to say, based on the general wealth level of Baerlon and the lack of discomfort everyone has in disrobing in front of a total stranger, I'm a little surprised that there isn't just one large tub, like Moiraine and Lan share in the TV show. Lots of baths takes effort and resources and this is just one inn of no particular account on the edge of civilization.

“The Two Rivers,” Mat said, pronouncing each separate word distinctly. “It’s the Two Rivers. As for trouble, why—” “What do you mean, too?” Rand asked. “Is there some kind of trouble here?” Perrin, enjoying his soak, murmured, “Good! Good!” Thom raised himself back up a little, and opened his eyes.

Poor Thom, trying to relax and suddenly remembering he's the adult in a room with:

Samwise Gamgee trying to explain tubers

The main protagonist, who is always flailing into political shrewdness by dumb luck

And third guy, who has done almost nothing at this point to make Thom or even the reader think that he might be smarter than a dog with a head injury

Strange things in the mountains. I heard the other day there were Trollocs up in Saldaea.

Luckily for existence, Ara manages to out-stupid the boys by commenting that he heard rumors that the sun was going to set that evening. Mat could have told him everything about Trollocs in graphic detail and Ara wouldn't have been smart enough to repeat the story to anyone. That said, it's still for the best that Thom cuts him off.

“You just don’t tell them as well as Thom,” Rand cut him off hastily, and Perrin hopped in. “You keep adding in things, trying to make it better, and they never do.”

Oh thank goodness, Perrin can think on his feet. Guess I'll have to stop giving him shit for awhile now that Mat's officially established himself as the stupidest member of the party.

And if the Children of the Light heard Trollocs were after you, they’d be burning to get their hands on you. To them, it would be as much as naming you Darkfriend.

And this right here is what makes the Whitecloaks unquestionably the bad guys. When being pursued by the forces of darkness is proof positive that you are part of their ranks, there's nothing left but the witch hunt. It's really unfortunate, because whatever their opinions on channelers, the Whitecloaks are absolutely correct that Darkfriends have infiltrated every level of society (including their own!) and that they're a dangerous threat. They just go about the issue in the worst ways possible.

Just you put it in the front of your mind that we want no more attention than mice in a field. Concentrate on that. Moiraine wants to get you all to Tar Valon alive, and I will do it if it can be done, but if you bring any harm to her. . . .

This is exactly why Lan didn't want Egwene and probably didn't want to be dragging three boys around when they could have been focusing on one. He's worried that he and Moiraine are finally in too deep and while he welcomes that possibility for himself, he's much too attached to her (platonically) to be comfortable with the prospect of a bunch of idiot farmers bringing her down.

Naturally, Rand - the only one who hasn't been a target of his ire thus far - is the closest to being personally responsible for Moiraine's downfall out of anyone in the party.

When they left the bath chamber, Moiraine was standing at the end of the hall with a slender girl not much taller than herself. At least, Rand thought it was a girl, though her dark hair was cut short and she wore a man’s shirt and trousers. Moiraine said something, and the girl looked at the men sharply, then nodded to Moiraine and hurried away.

Can you just imagine an angry rant about how clothing isn't actually so gendered that pants would be universally masculine across 10,000 years of history so that I don't have to type it? You wanna do gender reversals, Jordan? Do a world where only women wear pants and dudes are rocking skirts. Call them kilts if you must, but come on. There's nothing intrinsically gendered about generic categories of clothing!

Also, hi Min. Lovely to see you.

He opened his mouth to apologize, but Egwene stiffened and turned her back before he could get a word out. Staring sullenly at her back, he swallowed what he had been going to say. All right, then. If she wants to be like that, there’s nothing I can do.

Bro she doesn't know an apology is coming and just doesn't want to hear your next rant.

“It isn’t what I would have laid before you a year ago, of course. Not nearly. The winter. Yes. The winter. My cellars are emptying out, and the market is all but bare. And who can blame the farm folk? Who? There’s certainly no telling when they’ll harvest another crop. No telling at all. It’s the wolves get the mutton and beef that should go on people’s tables, and. . . .”

The food crisis in Baerlon is a lot more severe than it is in the Two Rivers because of the huge population influx. Most farmers wouldn't be expecting their winter crops to be ready for harvest until the end of May (mid-Saven by the local calendar, two months off either way), if agriculture here is anything like North America and Europe. Frankly, it's a miracle that Baerlon didn't descend into a larger anarchy once summer came around.

“I suspect him no more than anyone else,” Lan replied. “But then, until we reach Tar Valon, I suspect everyone. There, I’ll suspect only half.”

Only a little overcautious, since a good third of Moiraine's sisters are evil.

“There, the news is better. No odd happenings, no strangers around who might be Myrddraal, certainly no Trollocs. And the Whitecloaks are busy trying to make trouble for Governor Adan because he won’t cooperate with them. They will not even notice us unless we advertise ourselves.”

A) Bad news, Rand will be advertising you, and

Also A) Jordan is hitting a lot of A names here in Baerlon. Moiraine and Lan go by Alys and Andra. The guard they talked to coming into town was Avin. The bath attendant was Ara. Now the governor is Adan! Eight a's in five names with a total of twenty letters.

S) Later he will pick a different letter to use fifteen million times and it will be the cause of much weeping and gnashing of teeth.

With the crowding at the inn there were only three rooms to be had, one for Moiraine and Egwene, and two to take the men. Rand found himself sharing with Lan and Thom, on the fourth floor at the back, close up under the overhanging eaves, with a single small window that overlooked the stableyard.

Considering that Lan and Thom both just dissed the boys for the trouble they'll be getting into, I'm surprised Mat and Perrin were allowed to have their own room. Maybe they were initially going to split one adult each but then Lan and Thom got in an argument about who deserved to have two boys and neither would back down from only rooming with the one least likely to give either a headache.

The stone hallway was dim and shadowy, and empty except for Rand. He could not tell where the light came from, what little there was of it; the gray walls were bare of candles or lamps, nothing at all to account for the faint glow that seemed to just be there. The air was still and dank, and somewhere in the distance water dripped with a steady, hollow plonk.

I'm going to say that this is a dreamshard and not T'A'R proper, since it is filled with implausibilities and impossibilities that don't really match how the World of Dreams renders the waking world.

One wall opened in a series of arches onto a gray stone balcony, and beyond that was a sky such as he had never seen. Striated clouds in blacks and grays, reds and oranges, streamed by as if storm winds drove them, weaving and interweaving endlessly. No one could ever have seen a sky like that; it could not exist.

Case in point. Yet... I will admit, this probably not an entirely alien sight in the Blight.

“Once more we meet face-to-face,” the man said and, just for an instant, his mouth and eyes became openings into endless caverns of flame.

Ishy's so excited he can't even keep his glamor going.

“You seem thirsty,” the man by the fire said. “Drink.” On the table was a goblet, shining gold and ornamented with rubies and amethysts. It had not been there before. He wished he could stop jumping. It was only a dream. His mouth felt like dust.

Is it poison? Something worse? It's hard to guess what the gambit here might actually have been, because even Jordan didn't know the rules at this point and he closed off most of the options once he did.

“Are you the one?” Ba’alzamon said suddenly. “You cannot hide it from me forever. You cannot even hide yourself from me, not on the highest mountain or in the deepest cave. I know you down to the smallest hair.”

It's an impressive contradiction. I know you intimately and I cannot recognize you. It's almost as if most reincarnations are complete reinventions of the person with only a few themes to follow them through the turning of the Wheel, Ish. It's almost like you can't possibly grow tired from incarnating because that's not something that even requires energy on your part. But please, keep pretending your extremist variant of nihilism is logically coherent.

“Are you expecting glory?” Ba’alzamon said. “Power? Did they tell you the Eye of the World would serve you? What glory or power is there for a puppet? The strings that move you have been centuries weaving. Your father was chosen by the White Tower, like a stallion roped and led to his business. Your mother was no more than a brood mare to their plans. And those plans lead to your death.”

Title drop! Ish is desperately trying to advertise the Blight's premier vacation destination, a green oasis in the midst of hell, a resort so exclusive you can only visit once, so book your reservation today, before the world ends! Not even stone cold nihilism can win against the love of money.

It's great reading this with hindsight because it shows how utterly and completely full of shit Ishamael is. He guesses that this is what happened, because it's what he would do, but the White Tower had nothing to do with Rand's conception, except that one Aes Sedai gave a Foretelling to his mother and let her do what she would with it. Her getting pregnant was the farthest thing from anyone's minds at the time, let alone with an Aiel clan chief.

The Amyrlin Seat will use you until you are consumed, just as Davian was used, and Yurian Stonebow, and Guaire Amalasan, and Raolin Darksbane. Just as Logain is being used.

And yet, it's possible that this is mostly true. Logain isn't being used by Siuan - she's trying to stabilize Ghealdan, not tear it apart, and she's not interested in False Dragons - but Guaire may well have been a project of Bonwhin Meraighdin, the Red Amyrlin who rose to power the year he declared himself. The others we don't know enough about, but Siuan and Moiraine react just oddly enough to Rand's accusation later that I think Ish is providing more truth than he had been.

“Fool, I have never been bound!”

I'd say that being free for 120 years out of 3,500, a mere 3% of the total, is still hella bound, Ishy. Still though, his own bragging is hella impressive. I strongly suspect that the Second Covenant was an era that was only a step or two down from the Age of Legends, and he wrecked that. Afterward, he ensured that the Seanchan would rise up and reinvent chattel slavery, which is hella evil on his part.

“Then go to the Aes Sedai. Go to the White Tower and tell them. Tell the Amyrlin Seat of this . . . dream.”

A smart play. I don't think Moiraine would have liked hearing about this dream, and Siuan less, but the truth is they still would have supported Rand to any degree short of his joining the Shadow. But Ish plants the doubt, and Moiraine's words last chapter give Rand little reason to think he'd survive this conversation.

With a snort he lay back. Were the dreams really bad enough for him to ask the help of an Aes Sedai? On the other hand, could anything he did now get him in any deeper? He had left the Two Rivers, come away with an Aes Sedai. But there had not been any choice, of course. So did he have any choice but to trust her? An Aes Sedai? It was as bad as the dreams, thinking about it.

See what I mean? Moiraine didn't just sink a ferry, she burned a bridge, and life is going to be a lot more unpleasant for everyone these next five books as a result. Let's see how that goes next time in "Strangers and Friends"!

[windblume-wishes]

Sumeru Trailer Analysis- My Thoughts

This is just an analysis of the latest Sumeru trailer, if you feel the need to add or correct me please do so in a kind manner. Hostility will not be tolerated to either myself or onto others.

“Everything in this world runs in a loop”, that saying is true, in a certain point of view. Time is much like a wheel, it goes around in a continuous loop, events repeating themselves in one way or another. In the book Tuck Everlasting written by Natalie Babbit, the opening words say something similar:

“Time is like a wheel. Turning and turning - never stopping. And the woods are the center; the hub of the wheel. It began the first week of summer, a strange and breathless time when accident, or fate, bring lives together. When people are led to do things, they've never done before. On this summer's day, not so very long ago, the wheel set lives in motion in mysterious ways.”

Time is very much like a loop, as Nahida says in her dialogue, it sets events into motion in mysterious ways, as it does normally for the Traveler. Fate binds lives together, that is as true as words can get, as we continue our journey as the traveler, fate has bound us to countless people in the the nations we previously traversed. As the saying from Tuck Everlasting goes, as the wheel turns and turns, so does time, the loop continues.

I truly believe that in the case of the traveler, or rather us, we are simply a part of something much bigger in this chapter. The mentions of time, dreams, and loops, when you put it into a new light, I think of potential time loops and events repeating themselves as they played out many years ago.

“As for the truth, that’s for you to find out.”

What do we need to find out? What is the truth? Is there a massive lie we have all been fed over the course of the story and now we learn the truth? My bets say yes, there will be a dark truth revealed to us and we need to uncover it. What it will be, I have a few ideas in mind but I’ll keep my lips zipped for good measure.

There is definitely something suspicious going on in Sumeru, those Dendro earpieces that prevent dreams from seeping their way into the minds of its locals seems like something of suspicion, is the truth hidden in those? Is that a clue?

Perhaps this has a clue, Dainslief mentions this in the Teyvat Story Chapter and it’s rather interesting.

According to Dain, 

“The God of Wisdom's enemy is wisdom itself, and the oasis of knowledge is a mirage in the desert of ignorance. In the city of scholars there is a push for folly, yet the God of Wisdom makes no argument against it.”

What if the tree we see is the “Tree of Life”?

What if the burning tree we see in the trailer is merely a vision of something that has happened in the past? What if it’s a vision of the future? I’m not entirely sure as of now, as there is little to no information about it. However, that does not mean some research cannot be done in the meantime.

The Tree of Life is mentioned in many forms of religion, it’s mentioned in the Bible and the Quran as a symbol of where the fruit of Knowledge and Immortality. Both share a similar story of the tree being where God or Allah, tells Adam and Eve they cannot eat the fruit of the tree, as the story goes, they disobey.

In the Quran, Allah sends Adam and Even to Earth, where they must live and learn to repent from their mistakes. However, Allah assures them that while on Earth they will have guidance. Thus, the Tree of Immortality in the Quran represents repenting and learning from one’s mistakes, as well as God’s mercy.

Now what I find interesting is that the Tree of Life symbolizes immortality but also Knowledge and what is Sumeru focused on? Knowledge. Sumeru prides itself on knowledge and wisdom so the tree that symbols immortality and knowledge being present does not seem far off to me in the slightest.

“Maybe I could offer you a bit of knowledge, and in return you can tell me your story. How ‘bout it?”

The Moon and the Sun

“In the end, I’m just the moon, the real sun is long gone…”

The Hindu texts state that the Moon is lit and nourished by the Sun, and that it is Moon where the divine nectar of immortality resides. In Puranas, Soma is sometimes also used to refer to Vishnu, Shiva (as Somanatha), Yama and Kubera.

I also found that; Chandra (Sanskrit: चन्द्र, romanized: Candra, lit. 'shining or moon'), also known as Soma (Sanskrit: सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) and Dikpala (guardians of the directions).

The moon, in Hindu mythology is associated with with the night, plants and vegetation. Plants and vegetation, and Sumeru’s element is Dendro, or plants and the vegetation which matches perfectly with Nahida’s voice line in the trailer.

That is when I knew I had to dig deeper, there is so much that could be tied into this.

The origin of Soma is traced back to the Hindu Vedic texts, where is he is the personification of a drink made from a plant with the same name. Scholars state that the plant had an important role in Vedic civilization and thus, the deity was one of the most important gods of the pantheon. In these Vedic texts, Soma is praised as the lord of plants and forests; the king of rivers and earth; and the father of the gods.

Is “Kusanali” or Nahida, supposed to represent Soma? I’m beginning to believe so, however there is definitely more to Nahida than what meets the eye, there is more meaning behind her and her character. That being said, we may just all have to wait and see in 3.0 what more there is about this mysterious new archon.

Cyno Fighting Al Haitham?

This may be just for the trailer, but something does tell me there is significance behind these two fighting in the desert. Dehya also makes an appearance during this particular scene, however she seems to be who stops their quarrel in the sands.

What could be the reason behind their fighting? Al Haitham seems to be rather fierce in his fighting towards Cyno, perhaps a disagreement arose between them, or perhaps one said something that offended the other? I am not sure, then again, this could be just the trailer and it has no real significance but it will be something to keep in mind for the upcoming chapter.

Cyno’s Design

Cyno has been a character of interest for quite some time now, almost instantly he caught the eye of many fans around the world and since then he’s only made one other appearance, the Genshin Impact Webtoon. Cyno’s design is complex and holds a unique beauty with meaning etched within it.

According to the Genshin Impact Wiki, Cyno's clothes appear to be inspired by traditional outfits that were worn during the Ancient Egyptian civilization. His headpiece resembles the head of Anubis, a jackal-headed deity, also known as the God of the mummification. The kilt-like garment Cyno wears is reminiscent of the Shendyt, which was a popular men's clothing, usually depicted on Ancient Egyptian commoners, rulers and even deities.

As it states, it’s heavily based on Anubis, the God of Mummification in Egyptian mythology. Coincidentally, the English prefix cyno is derived from the Ancient Greek κύων kúōn, "dog," which could be a reference to Anubis-like headdress. This is pure speculation, however that is not to say truth is not present behind it.

Now, who exactly was Anubis? What else does he do? The answer lies here, Anubis was a jackal-headed deity who presided over the embalming process and accompanied dead kings in the afterworld. When kings were being judged by Osiris, Anubis placed their hearts on one side of a scale and a feather (representing Maat) on the other.

Some may ask, “If Cyno is taking a design similar to Anubis, would he be evil?” No, heavens no, Anubis was not evil. Few things were as significant in this goal as the rituals maintaining the cycle of life, death, and afterlife. Therefore, Anubis was not evil but rather one of the most important gods who kept evil out of Egypt. In short, Anubis was a protector and it seems that Cyno may be one too.

Who is Nilou?

According to an article, she’s described as someone who “went off the beaten path,” pursuing the art form of dance despite living in a region that emphasizes wisdom and rationality. So far, that’s the only official information on her. The leaks, however, reveal a bit more about her combat and playstyle. First, Nilou is rumored to be a 5-Star Hydro Sword user. (Read here)

I will say this much, as much as I love her lovely design, I cannot help but feel as if it is slightly inappropriate and stereotyping one’s culture. I may not have an ounce of said ethnicity in me, but that cannot excuse how unfortunate it is that she was designed in such a historically inaccurate costume. It really disappoints me, I’m sure others will understand why I feel so as well, it is not rocket science but it seems that going the correct way is the “wrong way” according to HoYo at this point. Redesigning her is not an option at this point as they have released her fully, I do have high hopes in getting an event exclusive outfit that is a bit more accurate and appropriate. However, that is yet to be seen.

Overall, I am excited for this upcoming chapter, there is so much I’d like to learn more of and research more in depth later on. This was just a start of a project I plan on writing more of down the road if the time does so come. Who knows, dear travelers, I may end up doing more analysis posts for upcoming nations and their trailers.

Thank you,

- Windblume

[your-local-fools-treasury]

For the non-american ask set...

All of them pls >:)

Suffer <3

hold on- I fell asleep

uh

not gonna give too many explanations cuz that would take WAAAY too long

so

1. dripstone cave of Aggtelek

2. if by holidays the list meant like Christmas, then at home, if it meant summer break then I'm okay with whatever

3. nope, it did before 1920 but not anymore

4. Gulash soup

5. almost any/every older song, like "Petroleum lámpa"

6. I don't really like newer songs, they make me feel weird in a bad way

7. Megszentségteleníthetetlenkedéseitekért, (uhhhh ←stopped remembering words) lángos, cinege

8. not really, or at least never happened

9. haven't been to too many but Romania (more specifically Transylvania) is pretty cool and I guess I know about I a little more than other neighbouring countries

10. well that's though.. I don't swear soo uhh.. giving you a fun one that has no actual swear words hehe: Hogy a villamos szabja rád a rövidnadrágot!

11. uhhh... I don't have one... so I'll just.. got with basic answer of Sándor Petöfi

12. never seen any, the only time I encounter poems is in literature class

13. Name day, definitely name days. also pulling each others ears when it's their name day or their birthday (that one is only done in my family I think)

14. I think older cartoons were pretty good, don't think there's any new made here actually

15. the "lopásvédő törölköző" when on a beach is the main thing we can recognize each other in neighbouring countries lol

16. apparently people think we ride horses everywhere (???) which is just plain stupid and not true (multiple sources said this stereotype) — I do somewhat agree with us liking to drink. Like if someone is here as a guest for longer than an hour (and we rarely see the person) you can bet your life on someone asking them if they want some Pálinka

17. eh.. not really. I guess maybe like the very begging of it. Like how we got here and all

18. lol yeah. There's even a wikipedia article on the dialect. (szigetköz dialect)

19. I think it's fine, I mean... I may or may not had my room painted red, white and green for a while so I got no say in this... The emblem is near and I only hate the national anthem because I had to memorize the whole thing for class in middle school

20. I'm pretty sure either it's soccer or basketball

21. hmmm... túró rudi and Pálinka I guess

22. that our language is still alive somehow?? Like damn. I am ashamed of the fact that we're incredibly hateful and stubborn

23. Pálinka, next question

24. we hate on Belgium but that's a collective European thing. So I'd say uhh neighbouring countries..? + Russia perhaps..???

25. nah, in the end of the day I like it here

26. Fun fact! many times they shoot parts of movies here because it's way cheaper than others, yet architecturely it's still pretty nice I guess. It's always fun when parts of Budapest is in big movies lol

27. I don't have any

28. a near by city is literally dubbed as the "the city of rivers" so I guess. There's two major lakes but you can only go swim in lake Balaton (and lots of smaller lakes scattered all around). There are some mountains, but there are more plains than them. No favorite place

29. Not to my knowledge, no

30. from my moms mom side German, from her (my moms) dad's side Székely (no clue of the eng translation). And from my dads side, only guessing by our surname, we probably have ancestry from Slavic people (not sure if this is what the question was asking..

anyways, this took waaay too long and I'm not built for knowing stuff about this wretched place

(had to edit, forgot the 20th question)

[greyslasvegas]

Phlo studio

#Phlo studio update

Perhaps she will be the designer who is really able to take a stand against the dominant culture of disposability and the ravenous maw of the content monster created by TikTok and Instagram.Ĭertainly it would be a mistake to assume that Ms. Perhaps she will bypass the seasonal show wheel entirely for a new version of slow fashion, one that is altogether more sustainable. Philo’s history of chafing against the demands of the fashion system during both her 10 years at Celine and her five-year stint at Chloé, where she became the first designer at a major fashion brand to take a maternity leave. Philo’s home and where her Celine studio was located, despite the brand’s headquarters being in Paris.Īnd it’s not a big leap to guess that it may be created on the designer’s own schedule, given the emphasis on self-determination and given Ms. (Will it be only women’s wear? Women’s wear and men’s wear? Unisex?) In the meantime, however, a few clues were buried in the announcement.įor example, the line will be of “exceptional quality,” which is generally fashion-speak for the high luxury end of the pricing and materials spectrum. More information about what, exactly, Phoebe Philo-the-brand will be is promised in January. “I am very much looking forward to being back in touch with my audience and people everywhere.” She said little more. “Being in my studio and making once again has been both exciting and incredibly fulfilling,” Ms. Philo to retain control and “to govern and experiment” as she sees fit, according to the news release. Philo’s former employer, the luxury behemoth will have only a minority stake, allowing Ms. Though it will be partially backed by LVMH, Ms. Philo, 48, is finally putting her name where her aesthetic is, and introducing (yes) Phoebe Philo, an independent clothing and accessories line. Three and a half years after leaving her last post as artistic director of Celine, Ms. Phoebe Philo, the patron saint of dressing for the female gaze, the designer whose work convinced Joan Didion to pose for an ad and turned her customers into groupies, is returning to business.

#Phlo studio update

It's part of a larger law called the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, which requires convicted child molesters to be listed on a national Internet database and face a felony charge for failing to update their whereabouts.Listen? Do you hear that? It is the intake of breath after thousands of women’s fashion prayers are finally answered. In July, President Bush signed Masha's Law, which dramatically increases the fines and penalties for downloading kiddie porn. There are dozens of notices of other pending cases, a number that does not begin to reflect the actual number of potential defendants in criminal and civil cases. Nine other people have been convicted in federal court for downloading Masha's pictures. Masha's courage may now assist lawmakers as they look for ways to combat the growing child-porn industry.Īuthorities say one in five children is now approached by online predators in what Congress calls a multibillion-dollar industry. "If they tell somebody, it's going to change." "Even if they are afraid to tell somebody, no matter what they think is going to happen, it's going to be for the better," she said.

[chocoenvy]

Imagine, if you will, Darling who pops into Teyvat with lil fluffy wings. White as the fresh fallen snow and fuzzy soft! They can’t fly with em yet of course, but perhaps the longer they’re in Teyvat, the larger the wings get? The characters arguing over who gets to help preen Darlings wings, perhaps their faves get to keep a feather or two as a token of affection? And of course, awkward flying lessons XD

I honestly have no clue how long this has been in my inbox for but i decided one day to maybe answer some old asks/requests and this was one i thought would be fun to do and omfg was i right. This was so fun to write thank you for the ask and sorry it took me a year to answer <3

warnings: none! pure fluff

*~Nurture and Grow

Venti immediately puts himself up as the best candidate for helping you get used to your wings. I mean, he has a pair himself! Obviously he'd be the best to help you! Ei argues that Kujou Sara would also be a good candidate to help you, since she also has wings because she's a tengu warrior.

Since they're the only two that seem to have wings, and Sara can't leave Inazuma, you probably end up living in Inazuma with Venti traveling with you. There, the both of them take care of your wings.

Of course, if there's anybody you prefer they'll make accommodations for you! But to make things easier, your new home will be Inazuma. If you wish to bring anybody extra other than Venti, the Shogun will allow for it since it's you.

At first, your wings are small. Smaller than Sara's. There's no way you can fly with them. But everyone finds them so cute! They're so tiny and whenever you get excited they flutter with your heart. Yae Miko definitely has a hell of a time teasing you about them but it's all light-hearted! She just loves cooing as your wings flutter excitedly whenever you see something you like!

Or whenever you get nervous your wings tense and it's very obvious. One time, Yae Miko snuck up on you while you were walking around Inazuma City. You weren't expecting her one bit, but she had stopped by to check up on Yae publishing house. And why not pay a visit to her little angel while she was in town? (Get used to people calling you Angel because it's going to happen a lot) She grabbed your shoulder from behind, giggling as you jumped and your wings tensed and straightened out.

"Miko!" You pouted as your wings turned lax.

Still, your wings fluttered as she pat your head.

You, of course, reside in Tenshukaku. The best and safest place for you to live in all of Teyvat (that you're familiar with). Especially with the Shogun (or Ei) herself staying with you as much as she can. Which means that Ei gets to be with you quite a bit! She can always find time to be with you even crafted a meticulous schedule for you and her! (Of course, if you're bad with schedules like me, she'll keep this a secret from you so you don't stress yourself over it.)

Due to this, and their devotion to you, immediately they'll notice when your wings start to grow. It's a gradual change, but as the nations come to know you for who you are your wings expand with their devotion.

"So we must become more devout for their grace to become more powerful." The Shogun mused, nodding to herself, "I shall see to it then."

"What?" You muttered, a dazed and excited smile still plastered on your lips as you admired your growing wings in the mirror (they were still too small for you to see without a mirror).

"I shall double our devotion to you." The Shogun said, her eyes determined, "Therefor your wings will grow as will your power. Kujou."

Said general immediately straightened up, tearing herself away from your growing wings, "Yes Shogun?"

"See to it that more temples and shrines are built. Make sure people pray more as well." She ordered, "We must see to it that their wings grow to their full potential."

"Yes Shogun." She bowed and scurried off.

You called out, "Be back soon please! I need help with my wings, especially if they're going to grow bigger!"

Sara paused and the ghost of a smile played at her lips, "Yes, your excellency."

Due to the undying faith of Inazuma and the other nations, your wings grew quickly. Almost too quickly for Sara and Venti to keep up with but they managed.

Most mornings, you'd wake up with your wings sore and larger than you last remembered. The first time this happened you practically ran to the Shogun (Ei). Your wings were fluttering and large enough to actually catch on the wind. In fact, they were the size of wind gliders! You were giggling as you glided down the stairs, you were shaky and you fell a few times but that was fine! It was exhilarating being airborne!

When you had found the Shogun you immediately saw the shock as you ran into her, beaming.

Ei came out of her Plane almost immediately, excitedly stroking and fawning over your growing wings.

"I'm so glad our devotion is helping, your grace!" She beamed.

Later, when Sara and Venti saw they were ecstatic. Immediately they started comparing wing sizes with you. Venti's were still bigger than yours, but your wings were bigger than Sara's smaller wings! They were still smaller than her bigger pair though, but you were catching up!

They even considered holding a festival for your growing wings to which you said was unnecessary.

"I wanna feel the wind on them though!" You said, a hopeful smile adorning your face, your eyes dazed with hopeful glee.

"Of course!" Venti had nodded, ignoring the two women in the room, "What?" He exclaimed after they had given him dirty looks, "Feeling the wind on your wings is necessary for anything or anybody with them!"

You giggled at the scene but Ei allowed for you to go out. She decided not to accompany you because she was busy, plus she'd probably just be standing off to the side doing nothing if she was to accompany you three. You were in good hands - Sara's hands, not Venti's - so she let you go off without her with ease. Mostly ease, Venti was still traveling with you. But if anyone knew anything about wings it'd be him so Ei let it be.

A week later, your wings had another growth spurt (presumably because ships from Inazuma were now docking in other nations).

You woke up to your wings fucking sore but oh my god they were so big! Before they were the size of wind gliders, and they started to slowly grow to just a bit bigger. Now, after your newest growth spurt, they were even larger! If you held your arms out, they stretched past your fingers by over a meter!

Immediately, you do what you've been wanting to do since you first came here and got your wings. You hugged everyone with your wings! Starting with the Shogun and Ei, then Sara and Venti (your wings were now larger than Sara's!). After, Yae Miko, Ayaka, Ayato, Thoma. Then Yoimiya and those in the resistance and Itto.

Everyone you hugged felt eternally blessed and practically on cloud nine being wrapped up in your arms and wings.

But, it seemed as though your mission to hug everyone with your wings would be for naught.

"Ei! Ei!" You squealed, flying down the stairs (almost literally).

Immediately, the Shogun was at your side, "Yes your..." Her voice fell flat as even the puppet with no need for human emotion paused to stare.

"Look! Look! They're so big, they're bigger than me!" You spread your wings out, wincing a bit at the pain from how sore they were.

Gently, the shogun reached out to brush her fingers over the large feathers of your wings. A breath escaped her and a large, love-struck smile split her face.

"They're beautiful, your grace." Ei said lovingly, "If you ever need somewhere to practice flying, my plane is always open to you." She gently pat your head and brought you in for a hug.

Your wings, once so small on your back, now enveloped her whole. Just as Teyvat's love for you helped your wings grow, you'd love Teyvat and help it grow.

[abumbledbee]

Looking back on Phil's actions now that we know Wilbur lied to him

So if you haven't seen it yet, I recommend going and watching the first hour or so of Phil's stream from today, 5/3. He gives us some lore, which initially we expected to only be about Phil breaking the news to Fundy about Wilbur's revival. But halfway through Phil drops some news that has completely changed everything about his feelings and relationships with some key characters.

Phil has lived for years believing Tubbo was president of L'Manburg since Wilbur "left to start a new nation." Wilbur told him he passed along his title to Tubbo, his younger adoptive brother, and created Pogtopia as a new nation of its own.

Phil hears for 2 years of Wilbur's escapades through mail, which may or may not include him talking of Schlatt's changes to L'Manburg disguised as Tubbo's actions. He's given half-truths and psuedo-stories of what's happened. He has no idea there's a festival, or that Wilbur and Tommy were exiled, or that Tubbo was executed and lost his second canon life to Techno's hands at the order of Schlatt.

And after 2 years of continuous correspondence it goes silent. Phil, worried for his son, joins the server only to enter into a warzone. There's wreckage, broken potion bottles and worn armor everywhere, and upon whispers from his crows he finds Wilbur huddled alone in the button room seconds from devastation. In the end he can't fix what's been done, Wilbur is too far gone and he has no idea how long he's been this way, and he takes the matter into his own hands quite literally.

He's stuck in the server now, destined to live with his decision and tries to make the best of it. After all, he's got a grandson here to look after. And Tubbo. Tubbo is the only other person Phil has canonically confirmed he's raised, albeit somewhat reluctantly. Wilbur is his only biological son, but he took Tubbo in when he found him on the roadside. Tommy was sort of part of the household, but he says he raised himself and doesn't view Phil as a father figure, like Wilbur and Tubbo both have.

The start is rough, but he helps rebuild L'Manburg despite not knowing the full story of what happened, and Tubbo is so withdrawn into himself he doesn't explain a thing. Phil's left with nothing but the letters to think back on, and in the end draws the conclusion that Tubbo became corrupted, and was the reason for Wilbur's descent. He never learns about Tubbo's role as a spy, or the pain he suffered under Schlatt, or even him losing his second canon life to Phil's close friend Techno.

So when Phil finds out about the Butcher Army, of course he thinks it's too far. He has no reason to believe Techno is deserving of any of this, we don't even get confirmation of if he really knew what happened with the Withers after Wilbur died. As far as Phil seems to know, Techno helped Wilbur and then moved away after L'Manburg was blown up. It only helps to paint Tubbo in a terrible light, like a tyrant using his power to hurt innocent civilians, when in reality he was enacting justice for both himself and the nation he was forced into running. He seems like an unfeeling monster when he exiles Tommy for the good of the nation, when in reality he had no other choice.

It also means he doesn't understand the true connection between Tubbo and Tommy, and how it's been strengthened through their mutual trauma and experiences. So it feels ridiculous to him for Tommy to choose Tubbo over Techno after Techno admits he wants to destroy L'Manburg again. Phil can't see why it means so much to them, he doesn't know how hard they fought to take it back, the pain they suffered to reclaim and rebuild, for years.

And in the end he takes Techno's side because in regards to what he was told in Wilbur's letters, Tubbo wasn't fit to be a president. He was a monster, who abused his power and hurt others, and that's why he thought destroying L'Manburg would teach him a well-needed lesson. Even after it's chunk errored to the point of no return Phil keeps a very negative relationship with Tubbo, the two never crossing paths willingly until months later when Ranboo invites Phil and Fundy to meet Michael.

Phil takes his anger out on Fundy at one point during the visit and Tubbo asks why Phil isn't treating him the same way. At that point Phil tells him he hasn't forgotten and Tubbo's got a lot to do to make it up to him. When he first said this as a viewer it felt almost ridiculous, what would Tubbo possibly have to apologize for that couldn't be made up for with the annihilation of his country? But knowing now that he thinks Tubbo was at fault for Wilbur's downfall, for L'Manburg's first destruction? It makes so much more sense why he'd feel he was owed something.

A few days later the Syndicate investigate Snowchester and Tubbo complies completely, and in the end Phil praises him, saying it seems like he's "reformed" and made some changes. Again, looking back on it now with the knowledge that Phil thought Tubbo's been president for years and running L'Manburg into the ground? I can understand why he thought Tubbo needed to answer for things.

We ended the stream today finding out Phil knows hardly anything about the reality of L'Manburg and the SMP's history, and the biggest things he just found out are that Pogtopia was Wilbur's exile, Schlatt was the actual president who brought things to ruin, and that Tubbo was executed at some point during this time. He still has no clue Tubbo's true role in things, nor does he know who killed him.

I'm hoping with this train of plot we'll be getting a lot more of Phil piecing the puzzle that was Wilbur's time in exile together, and perhaps him finding out who took Tubbo's life and why. We also learned recently Ranboo doesn't know Tubbo died during the festival as Tubbo specifically left that part of the story out. It would be amazing to see them both finding out and confronting Techno about the truth.

Before this stream I've always considered myself a casual c!Philza anti. His motives didn't make sense to me, he felt cruel and over the top with what he did to Tubbo and L'Manburg. This stream has answered so many questions I didn't even know I had, and opened the door to many more questions that need to be answered.

[gamergirl929]

Thank You Autocorrect (Kristie Mewis x Reader)

A late night texting session before a major game against Sweden leads to an unintentional confession, one that leaves you wondering if you’d just ruined your friendship with Kristie Mewis... Or perhaps you turned it into something more? 

The hotel’s ceiling was far from interesting as you tried to sleep, the big game against Sweden the following day, a game that would determine if the USWNT were headed to the World Cup, or not.  

You jump at the feel of your phone vibrating beneath the bed’s covers, your heart racing.  

“Fuck.” You mumble as you search beneath the covers for your phone, finding the vibrating device moments later.  

A small smile stretches across your face when you see the name Kristie Mewis put in your phone for herself, AKA, The Better Mewis.  

“You’re still awake, aren’t you?”  

You smile.  

Sometimes you wondered if Kristie knew you better than you knew yourself, that’s what made hiding your crush on her so hard.  

She saw right through you, and you worried that one day, that would result in her finding out about the feelings you’d hidden since you first joined the Houston Dash.  

“You know me too well Mewis.”  

You lay back, your phone vibrating moments later.  

“Nervous?”  

You nod to yourself, typing a quick reply.  

“Again Mewis, you know me too well.”

After a few seconds your phone vibrates yet again.  

“If it makes you feel any better, I know you’re going to kick ass starting tomorrow.”  

You grin, your cheeks flushing a bright pink.  

Kristie always knew what to say to cheer you up, and currently, you were happy that the two of you weren’t in the same room considering you can’t wipe the stupid grin off your face.  

You glance away from your phone when Tierna shifts in the bed beside your own, your thumbs absent mindedly pressing keys in an attempt to write what you hope is a message thanking the woman on the other side of the screen.  

Just as you hit send you turn, your eyes widening in horror when you realize you hadn’t typed the message you intended to send, instead, you typed a message you’d only ever typed, but never sent to the older Mewis.  

“I love you Kris, you mean the world to me.”  

You stiffen, your heart racing, as you wait for a reply, sweat forming on your brow.  

You wait well into the night, but unfortunately all replies from the woman stop, something that terrifies you.  

What if you’d scared her off?  

The two of you were never the type to say that you loved one another, but now, there was no taking it back, according to the tiny checkmark beside your message, telling you that Kristie had indeed read the message.  

You drop your phone on the bed, your hands covering your flushed face.  

“What the fuck did I just do?”  

                                                            ***

The following morning the second your eyes lock with Kristie’s the two of you turn away from one another, missing the way the other blushes.  

You rub the back of your neck, unable to work up the nerve to look at her again.  

Your teammates curiously glance your way, noting the flush in not only your cheeks, but Kristie’s as well.  

“What’s that about?” Mallory whispers to Sam who shakes her head.  

“No clue.”  

Emily hums.  

“Want to bug Y/N until she tells us what’s up?” She asks the others with a smirk, and Kelley snorts.  

“Fuck yeah.”  

                                                            ***

Unfortunately, no matter how hard the two try they’re unable to get a scrap of information out of you, in fact, you remained absolutely silent on the way to the stadium, the feel of Kristie’s blue orbs boring into your back the entire way.  

The moment the bus screeches to a halt you’re on your feet, everyone watching worriedly as you rush off the bus before any of them can even move.  

“What was that about?” Alex asks, her brows furrowed and Kelley shrugs.  

“We tried to get whatever was bothering her out of her, but she wouldn’t budge.” 

Meanwhile towards the back of the bus, Sam turns towards Kristie, the blonde’s blue orbs still staring intently at the bus’s exit, as if hoping you’d reappear, but of course, you don’t.

“Kris?” Sam whispers, her older sister jumping as she turns towards her.  

“Ye-Yeah?” She stutters, clearing her throat and Sam frowns.  

“Are you alright?” She asks and Kristie nods, glancing yet again at the bus’s exit before turning back to her younger sister.  

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”  

                                                            ***

Kristie tried, and unfortunately failed to grab your attention during practice seeing as you’d done any and everything you could to avoid her.  

The first time she sees your eyes on her is during the National Anthem, the song playing in the background as you glance nervously her way, immediately turning away when her eyes catch yours.  

Kristie takes a deep breath, wanting nothing more than to talk about what had transpired the night before, but she couldn’t, right now, the two of you needed to focus on the career defining challenge before you, a challenge that would either make, or break your road to the World Cup.  

The anthem ends, the starters, and everyone on the bench huddling around one another for one final pep talk before taking the field.  

Kristie squeezes between you and Tobin, the blonde earning an arched brow from the forward who smiles when she realizes Kristie’s arm has slipped around your middle.  

You stiffen, your eyes as wide as saucers at the feel of Kristie’s arm slipping around you, the blonde giving you a squeeze.  

You zone out after that, your cheeks flushed as your hands meet in the middle, Kristie’s hand resting on top of yours as you all shout, USA, before you break up. 

Kristie’s arm doesn’t leave you, the woman tightening her hold on you until you turn her way, the woman’s blue orbs locking with your Y/E/C’s.  

“You’ve got this, good luck out there.” She whispers softly and you swallow hard. 

“Th-Thanks Kris.”  

Your eyes widen when her arm slips from around you, the blonde cupping your cheeks.  

She simply looks at you for a minute before she pushes herself up on her tiptoes, the blonde pressing a kiss to your forehead.  

“I believe in you.” She whispers against your flushed skin, pressing another kiss to the same spot before she releases you and jogs off field, leaving you frozen in place.  

You blink once, your throat bobbing as you turn your head towards the sidelines, immediately catching Kristie’s blue orbs on you, a smile stretching across her face.  

“Go!” She whispers yells, nodding towards the field where nearly everyone is already in place.  

You grimace before you sprint off and onto the field, rushing to get in place, Kristie watching you go with a grin.  

She wasn’t sure what would happen next, but she knew whatever happened she wanted you to be there.  

You skid to a halt once you reach the middle of the field, your heart racing in your chest. 

A grin stretches across your face at the prospect of what may happen further down the road with the older Mewis, but right now, you had a game to play, and you were more than ready to play it.

“Let’s do this.”