#relic family ..hit with words of saving

[savinggod]

Properly save with property groups

Save urself with personal properties

And properties grouped money

And incage in arcades rooms

And sims talki

Save im humanity code smart

[bella-rose29]

Anthony Lockwood x reader master list

Key:

❤️ - happy/fluff

💙 - sad/angst

💛 - platonic ship

💚 - gn!reader

💜 - author's favourite

Late Night, 2.8k words

lockwood x fem!reader Y/n just wants Anthony Lockwood to go to sleep for once; he's starting to look more like a raccoon than a human being. ❤️

Little Kipps miniseries, 5.4k words

part one, part two, part three lockwood x fem!kipps!reader Lockwood had no idea just how lovely somebody related to Quill Kipps could be. ❤️

Idiot, 9.4k words

lockwood x fem!reader (requested by anon): Y/n L/n and Anthony Lockwood were childhood best friends, up until the point she walked out on him after an argument. A few years later, and many cases of Y/n and her Fittes team saving Lockwood and co's asses, can they figure out their differences? ❤️

Puppy, 3.5k words

lockwood x fem!reader (requested by anon): Anthony Lockwood has a girlfriend, but nobody else knows that. Convenient for him when, on a night out after a difficult case, Kipps bets money that Lockwood can't get a kiss out of the pretty bartender who just so happens to be the aforementioned girlfriend. Unfortunately, Lockwood is quite drunk. ❤️💜

Relic (wo)man, 2.7k words

lockwood x fem!relic hunter!reader (requested by @superpositvecloudshipper): what about a relic hunter fem reader x Anthony lockwood where reader fights lockwood over an important relic in doing so he pulls off her hood revealing she's a girl which shocks him she runs off leaving relic with him, few days later she turns up at his door very much injured and he immediately helps her then asks why she came and she tells him she has nowhere else to go (all her family is dead expect her dad who is like the most dangerous relic hunter) ❤️

Hopeless Romantics, 1.7k words

lockwood x fem!reader Lockwood and the reader's relationship through various hopelessly romantic dates ❤️

You Shall Go to the Ball!, 9.8k words

lockwood x fem!reader (requested by anon): Hey, I don't know if you accept requests, but I have one. Reader(she is George's sister) accompanies Lockwood&co to the ball at Fittes and she is jealous when she sees Lockwood talking to the girl (maybe reader enemy or something)most of the time. She decides to interrupt the conversation and introduces herself as his wife, while showing the ring Lucy gave her, explaining what to do. A long chapter please😊 ❤️ and a tiny bit of 💙

Pretty, 3.4k words

lockwood x gn!reader (requested by anon): Saw your post about Lockwood ideas so here's one! Reader and Lockwood have an extremely close call on a case and in the heat of the moment, Lockwood ends up kissing the reader. ❤️💚

‘tis the damn season, 10.4k words

lockwood x fem!reader (requested by anon): can I request a Lockwood x fem reader based on tis the damn season by Taylor swift? Absolutely no happy ending to this one 💙💙💙 and a tiny bit of ❤️, 💜 'tis the damn season cut scenes - a belle christmas treat

Bite Me - Vampire au (ongoing series, will be updated when Deck the Halls is complete)

THIS IS GOING TO BE AN 18+ FIC Vampire!Lockwood x fem!vampire!reader link is for the series master list, but currently there is only the prologue up there <3

Deck the Halls (and not your partner) series (completed), 54.3k words

lockwood x fem!reader When a phone call with Y/n's mother goes wrong, she ends up needing to bring someone home to pretend to be her boyfriend for three days in the English countryside. With only a short amount of time before she needs to leave, her only option is her boss Anthony Lockwood. The only problem is, she hates her boss. And he hates her. Christmas will be interesting this year, especially when a snowstorm hits and blocks all transport. ❤️ and a little bit of 💙 later on (but mostly just ❤️), 💜💜💜

Reverse damsel in distress situation (head canons)

prince!lockwood x fem!knight!reader ❤️ part 2 - gn!knight!reader ❤️💚

You can what?!, 2k words

lockwood x cousin!reader, locklyle (requested by anon): Hey! If you’re still taking requests, can I request platonic Lockwood x reader (cousin) who finds out reader can communicate with like, weaker ghosts 💛💚 

Happy New Year, 1.7k words

lockwood x fem!reader I just felt like writing this, but reader and lockwood and co spend New Years together (and a kiss) ❤️

beautiful people, 2.1k words

lockwood x gn!reader requested by anon: hi hi! Can I request Anthony Lockwood x reader fic inspired by the song beautiful people by ed Sheeran? ❤️💚

The Greatest Thing, 4.2k words

lockwood x fem!reader requested by anon: Hi, I love the way you write! I was wondering (if requests are still open) if you could write a Lockwood x reader where reader's mother died when she was little for some reason, and by taking on a case reader and Lockwood find themselves having to fight the ghost of reader's mother ? And maybe even Lockwood calming Reader down after the mission? Feel free to change parts. (btw: sorry if English is terrible, I'm Italian, English is not my native language) ❤️ and a little bit of 💙

paper rings, 10.2k words

lockwood x fem!reader based on the Taylor Swift song, featuring a lot of innuendos and mildly explicit content, but pretty much just pure fluff ❤️ and nothing else really, 💜

college au

domestic sweetness (mini series), (completed) 10.5k

lockwood x fem!reader requested by @oblivious-idiot: HI BELLE MY BELOVED you told me to make a formal request so!! can i request a lockwood x fem!reader - domestic sweetness, cooking for each other, lockwood giving reader his jumper, that kind of thing  feel free to go as wild and fluffy as you like hehe ❤️ 💜

illicit affairs 1.7k

lockwood x gn!reader (but there's like no reader) based on the Taylor swift song, NOT happy, I repeat!!! NOT happy!!! 💙💙💙 (it's very sad ok) 💚

[unfriendlywriter]

Chapter 5: The Vanishing Point

pairing: Draco Malfoy x OC synopsis: Selene Volant and Draco Malfoy have been inseparable since childhood, bound by family ties and quiet understanding. But sixth year changes everything. As Draco is pulled into a dangerous task, he pushes everyone away—including her. Refusing to abandon him, Selene offers silent support, seeing the cracks beneath his cold facade. Somewhere between whispered reassurances and stolen moments, friendship turns into something more. But with war looming and choices growing harder, they must decide—can love survive in a world built to tear them apart? tags: romantic, mystery, friends to lovers, slow burn, angst author's note: NEXT CHAPTER

The candlelit corridors of Hogwarts were nearly silent at this hour, save for the occasional flickering torch and the distant rustling of tapestries in the draft. Selene Volant pulled her cloak tighter around her, pressing herself against the cool stone wall as a suit of armor let out a low creak. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, but her mind was made up.

Draco had been slipping away too often, and she wasn’t blind. He was exhausted—hollowed out by something he refused to share. And Selene, stubborn as she was, had never been one to sit back and watch the people she cared about unravel alone.

So she followed him.

Draco moved with careful precision, his pale blond head ducked low as he weaved through the castle’s empty corridors. Even from a distance, Selene could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands curled into fists at his sides.

She had been watching for weeks—the way he barely touched his food, how he snapped at Crabbe and Goyle more than usual, how even Pansy’s incessant doting seemed to irritate him. But it was the way he pushed her away that hurt the most.

They had never kept secrets.

Not since childhood, when their families would gather at the Malfoy estate, and they would race through the hedge maze, Draco always two steps ahead but never letting her lose sight of him. We’ll always have each other, he had said back then.

So why was he trying so hard to lose her now?

Selene tightened her grip on her wand as Draco turned down a familiar hallway. Her stomach twisted.

The Room of Requirement.

She waited, breath held, as Draco paced three times in front of the blank stretch of wall. Within seconds, a door materialized.

Selene barely had time to slip in behind him before it closed.

The room was vast, towering shelves stacked with forgotten relics and broken furniture stretching endlessly. Dust hung thick in the air, swirling in the dim glow of candlelight.

And in the center of it all stood an enormous, ancient cabinet.

Selene’s breath caught.

She wasn’t as politically involved as her family, but she had been raised among Purebloods, had overheard hushed conversations between her parents and their associates. She knew what Vanishing Cabinets could do.

Draco stepped toward it, running his fingers over the worn wood. His touch was careful, reverent, but his expression was taut with frustration. Then, without warning, he slammed his fist against the side of it.

The crack of impact shattered the silence.

Selene flinched.

“I know you’re there,” Draco said, his voice sharp and cold—so unlike the boy she knew. “Come out.”

Her heart stuttered, but she stepped forward, folding her arms as if she hadn’t just been caught spying. “You shouldn’t hit antiques, Draco. It’s a very poor way to fix them.”

His expression darkened. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Well, neither should you,” she countered, arching a brow. “Want to tell me why you’re sneaking off at odd hours to fix an old cabinet?”

Draco turned away, raking a hand through his hair. “Go back to your dorm, Selene.”

“No.”

His jaw clenched. “This isn’t a game.”

“I know it’s not,” she said, stepping closer.

Something in her voice made him falter.

For a moment, the only sound in the room was their breathing, heavy with unspoken words.

Then—

“You remember last summer?” she asked, her tone quieter now.

Draco frowned. “What?”

Selene took another step forward. “At the manor. The hedge maze.”

His expression flickered—just for a second, just enough for her to see past the mask he wore now.

The summer air was thick with the scent of roses and trimmed hedges, the sun hanging low in the sky, casting long golden shadows over the sprawling Malfoy estate. The hedge maze stood at the far end of the manicured gardens, its towering green walls stretching high, a labyrinth of twists and turns designed to ensnare and challenge.

Selene grinned as she glanced at Draco beside her, his pale hair catching the last light of the evening. “One lap through the maze. First one to the fountain wins.”

Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes. “You do realize I’ve memorized every turn in this thing, don’t you?”

Selene smirked. “Then you won’t mind giving me a head start.”

Before he could protest, she took off, her laughter ringing through the maze as she sprinted into the entrance.

“Oi! That’s cheating, Volant!” Draco’s voice was both exasperated and amused, and within seconds, she heard the sound of his footsteps pounding against the grass as he chased after her.

Selene ducked around a corner, her heart racing with exhilaration. The cool shade of the hedges brought relief from the lingering summer heat, but the thrill of the race burned in her veins. She turned left, then right, trying to remember which way led to the center.

“Are you even trying?” Draco’s voice called from somewhere behind her. “At this rate, I’ll be waiting at the fountain with a drink in hand.”

Selene didn’t bother answering—she was too busy running, trying to ignore the ache in her legs as she pushed herself forward. But then—

A dead end.

She spun around just as Draco rounded the corner, his smirk already victorious. “Oh, this is embarrassing,” he drawled, stepping closer. “And here I thought you’d actually make me work for it.”

Selene scowled but didn’t wait for him to gloat. She shoved past him, darting in the opposite direction, hoping to lose him again.

But Draco was faster.

He caught her wrist, yanking her backward with just enough force to throw her off balance. Selene let out a startled yelp as she tumbled to the ground, pulling Draco down with her. They landed in a heap on the soft grass, laughter spilling from both of them as the thrill of the chase melted into something lighter, something familiar.

For a long moment, they simply lay there, breathing hard, staring up at the sky through the gaps in the hedges. The sun had dipped lower now, the first hints of dusk settling over the manor grounds.

Selene turned her head to look at him. His chest still rose and fell quickly from the run, his platinum hair was slightly mussed, and there was a rare, unguarded softness in his expression.

“We’ll always have this,” she murmured, the warmth of the evening settling deep in her bones. “Moments like these.”

Draco’s gaze flickered to hers, something unreadable flashing in his storm-grey eyes. Then, so quietly she almost missed it, he said, “We’ll always have each other.”

Selene’s breath caught, just for a second.

It wasn’t the words themselves that made her heart skip—it was the way he said them. With certainty. As if no matter what the future held, no matter how much their world changed, this—they—would always remain the same.

A beat of silence stretched between them before Draco abruptly sat up, dusting off his robes like the moment hadn’t just settled into her skin like an unspoken promise.

“Come on,” he said, offering her a hand. “We’re calling it a draw, or else we’ll be stuck in here all night.”

Selene rolled her eyes but took his hand anyway, letting him pull her up. As they made their way out of the maze together, side by side, she wondered if he really believed the words he had just said.

Because she did.

And she hoped—desperately—that they would still hold true when summer was nothing but a memory.

Draco exhaled sharply, the memory settling between them.

Selene searched his face. “You weren’t alone then. You don’t have to be now.”

His fists clenched at his sides, and for the first time since she had entered the room, she saw it—the cracks. The exhaustion, the weight pressing down on him, the fear he would never admit.

“I can’t—” His voice was strained. “You don’t understand.”

Selene reached out, hesitant but firm, brushing her fingers against his wrist.

“Then make me understand.”

Draco’s breath hitched. His gaze flickered to her hand—her fingers warm against his ice-cold skin—then to her face, searching.

The air between them felt fragile, stretched thin by everything left unsaid.

“Selene,” he whispered, and for the first time in months, her name didn’t sound like a dismissal. It sounded like a plea.

She squeezed his wrist gently, grounding him. “I’m not leaving, Draco.”

For a long moment, he didn’t speak. But then—so subtly she almost missed it—he nodded.

And for now, that was enough.

[w3tn3t]

[2021 Mortal Kombat Movie AU]

I think Shang Tsung granted Bi-Han his immortality after he killed Hanzo & the Shirai Ryu, so this time Bi-Han adds one more thing to their agreement: his brother will also become immortal. (Kuai Liang is probably the only thing he feels something for)

He wants Kuai to fight beside him, but Kuai can't bear to see what his brother has become in action so Bi-Han convinces Shang Tsung to let him go and live his life, even if he's not happy about it. Bi-Han is capable and vicious enough to do whatever the sorcerer asks of him on his own.

So Kuai spends centuries in different countries, doing different jobs, eventually settling down somewhere in America. Maybe he owns a farm, lol. Living in a remote location would help him go unnoticed on how he's not aging. All the while, Bi-Han keeps an eye on him from afar, getting rid of people who get too close to blowing Kuai's cover, not that he knows about it.

Anyway, after Cole escapes Bi-Han for the first time, Shang Tsung decides to play dirty and has Bi-Han bring Kuai Liang into the fold. He glamors a kombatant mark onto Kuai and has him run into Sonya while "escaping" Bi-Han. He joins her, Cole and Kano from there on. He strikes up a friendship with Sonya, but it's Cole he really hits it off with. Kuai was already doubting his mission but it's getting worse every moment.

They do the whole arcana thing, and the defenders are kind of put off when he "unlocks" his ice powers, but he's nothing like the creeping menace Bi-Han is so they write it off.

Kuai does his best to support Cole as he tries and fails to unlock his. Having lived so long without regular human contact, Kuai can come off as a bit intense, but he makes up for it with how earnest and genuine he is. (Cole might be starting to doubt his sexuality, a little.)

Kano still betrays the team but he runs into Kuai when he's about to destroy the relic that keeps up the force field. Kuai has a change of heart and attempts to stop Kano, but they destroy the relic anyways during their fight. Kano gives Kuai "a chance", to keep what happened to himself as long as he won't get in Kano's way again. Afraid of what the sorcerer will do, Kuai goes with Kano. He stands by Bi-Han's side before the defenders, to the tune of betrayed shouts. Sonya seems angriest while Cole is just disappointed.

The next time he's seen again is in the final scene with Bi-Han. Allison and Emily are still frozen, but the reason they aren't completely encased in a block of ice like Bi-Han might've done by himself is Kuai's coaxing. They can still be saved by design.

Hanzo's appearance was a bit funny imo, so I'd turn that into just him "possessing" Cole to a degree, or enhancing his abilities/guiding him like Sento does for Kenshi. Even with all that, Bi-Han gets Cole into a "say your last words" position. So Cole does a bit of a BotR speech that finally gives Kuai the push he needs and he turns on Bi-Han. He freezes Bi-Han solid but has to keep at it lest Bi-Han break free. He tells Cole to tend to his family, and that he'll deal with Bi-Han.

The defenders arrive, thaw Allison and Emily and get out of there, reluctantly leaving Kuai behind. The rest goes as normal.

After Shang Tsung is defeated, Bi-Han and Kuai go missing. The good ending is the brothers' lifespans becoming normal in the absence of Shang Tsung (if they were 30 they still have like 40 years to live), and Kuai taking steps to rehabilitate Bi-Han. Maybe his path crosses with Cole again, someday.

The sad ending is the brothers perishing immediately without Shang Tsung's magic, lol

(I wanted to make Kuai the Kitana to Cole's Lui Kang but the plot had a mind of its own, lol)

[mccncreatures]

White Knuckles

The Lockwood mansion loomed, a silent witness to the tragedies that had befallen its inhabitants. Asher Lockwood stood in the foyer, his hands clenching and unclenching as he surveyed the room. Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight streaming through the large windows, settling on the once-polished surfaces. The house, which had once been filled with laughter and life, now felt like a mausoleum, each object a relic of a happier past.

Asher’s eyes fell on the grand staircase, the memories of running up and down those steps with Kaya flooding back. Kaya, who had disappeared along with Hope and Ingrid. The uncertainty of her fate gnawed at him, an ever-present ache that compounded his grief.

He moved into the living room, where photographs lined the mantel. He picked up a framed picture of his parents, Tyler and Jules Lockwood, their smiles frozen in time. His father’s strong, confident presence contrasted sharply with the image Asher had of him in his mind: always angry, always disappointed. Tyler had never missed an opportunity to remind Asher that he wasn’t living up to the Lockwood name, that he was too soft, too weak.

“Why can’t you just pull it together? You think you’re the only one with problems?” Tyler’s voice echoed in Asher’s mind. “You’re a Lockwood. Start acting like one.”

Asher’s grip tightened on the frame until his knuckles turned white. The frustration and resentment he felt toward his father simmered beneath the surface, mingling with his overwhelming grief. He set the photo down and moved to the couch, where a box of his mother’s belongings sat waiting to be sorted.

Jules had been his sanctuary, the one who understood him, who saw his emotions not as a weakness but as a strength. She had talked him through countless panic attacks in high school, her soothing voice a balm to his frayed nerves.

“Breathe, Ash,” she would say, her hand warm on his back. “In and out. You’re safe. I’m here.”

Now, she was gone, and he felt adrift without her steady presence. He picked up a knitted shawl from the box, bringing it to his face and inhaling deeply. The faint scent of her perfume lingered, bringing a fresh wave of tears to his eyes.

He dropped the shawl and clutched at his chest as the familiar tightness began to set in. His breath came in short, shallow gasps, and his vision blurred. He stumbled forward, collapsing onto the floor as the walls seemed to close in around him.

“Mom... Dad... Kaya...” he choked out, his voice barely a whisper. The panic rose like a tidal wave, threatening to pull him under.

His father’s harsh words mingled with memories of his mother’s comforting touch, the conflicting emotions tearing him apart. He could almost hear Tyler’s voice, criticizing him even now. “Get a grip, Asher. Panic attacks…. We don’t panic. We push through. We rise above. Grow up.”

The panic attack hit him full force. His body trembled, his heart raced, and a cold sweat broke out on his skin. He curled into a ball, his fingers digging into palms as he tried to breathe. But the air seemed thick and unyielding, and he felt like he was suffocating.

Through the fog of his panic, he heard his mother’s voice again. “Breathe, Ash. Focus on your breath. In and out. You’re safe. I’m here.” Even the times where Kaya would find him beneath the staircase after a bad game knowing what waited at home. “Asher, I’ve got you. I promise.”

Clinging to those memories, Asher forced himself to take a deep breath. In and out. Slowly, deliberately. He focused on the rhythm, grounding himself in the sensation. The panic didn’t disappear, but it began to ebb, the tightness in his chest loosening ever so slightly.

After what felt like an eternity, he sat up, his breaths still ragged but more controlled. He wiped at his face, his hands coming away wet with tears. The house was silent, save for the faint ticking of a clock on the mantel.

Asher looked around the room, taking in the remnants of his family’s life. The task of sorting through their belongings felt overwhelming, but he knew he couldn’t let it paralyze him. He had to keep moving, for his mother, for Kaya, and for himself.

With renewed determination, Asher pushed himself to his feet. He picked up the shawl again, this time folding it carefully and placing it back in the box. One step at a time, he told himself. He would get through this, for his mother’s memory and for the hope that one day, he would find Kaya and bring her home.

[strykingback]

In terms of canon-divergence what is different in your canon of RWBY with the additions of your OC's?

Okay so massive canon-divergence incoming.

Starting with Volume five.

My take on Lionheart is yes, he is a coward because he used one of the questions of the Relic of Knowledge because as stated in his bio. He was incredibly prideful and bit off more than he could chew, however despite assisting the Scions of Salem he did send the Hunters of Mistral away from Mistral discreetly after overhearing what Tyrian and Hazel plans to do with them.

Adam isnt some psychotic incel. He's lost and misguided and is prepared to do what he can to make humans understand that the Faunus will not kneel to such idiocy any more.

Raven did not kill the former Spring Maiden, but is traumatized by her death when a young Cinder had killed the Spring Maiden which was only but a child which Raven could only see Yang in her eyes therefore she would have to keep her distance from her family making Yang understand why Raven "left" and confirms why she always felt a pair of eyes around her.

Yang actually is herself from Volume 2 to 3. and doesnt treat anyone like an A-hole making puns wherever she can. Just a bit more locked in when it comes to fights or situations. Louvel, Yang, Vernal, and Raven will be fighting Cinder together but Vernal sacrifices herself to save Yang. Which Raven sees her mouth Vernals final words to her being: "Be a good mother to her." as this sends Raven into a fury prompting in herself and Yang getting injured but not enough to take them out of the fight. Louvel unleashes his fury on Cinder which results in him getting a fatal injury but he unlocks his passive semblance which results in an opening being given to Yang and Raven to finish Cinder off as Mother and Daughter.

Salem makes an appearance not by Emeralds semblance going into overdrive and "congratulates" the reunited RWBY and BLCK for gaining one of the Relics..but confirms that the real battle begins her. as Louvel passes out from the pain hitting him all at once as he was in an adrenlaine rush.

Volume 6: No Race to Atlas Arc yet. Buuuut. Louvel, Sun, Yang, Ilia, Lie-Ren, and Blade travel to the Neo-Shinbaori base to repair Louvels damaged katana.

Corona, Blake, Ruby, Weiss, Nora, Kazura, Outsider and Pyrrha travel to Mistrals criminal underground to end a war for supremacy over the criminal underground.

Volume 7- RWBY, SPNL, and BLCKOUT all get separated Yang, Louvel, Ruby, Blade, Qrow, and Ozpin/Oscar along with Maria all find out the truth behind Ozpin with Ozpins consent.

Ozpin confirms that he seeks to finally be free from the cycle of life and death and how he had to see many generations of Hunters who he gave the Special Mission to fall.. except for Summer Rose who came incredibly close.

Sun, Pyrrha, Nora, Lie-Ren, Corona, Kazura, Weiss, Blake, and Hermes are rescued by Cashmere and is taken to the Ruins of Light where they meet the Titan of Benevolence Exaltia. As she explains Ozpins past and how she knows him. WHile at the same time she and Cashmere heals Hermes of his mind. May do a drabble about that.

Maria actually teach Ruby more about her Silver Eyes powers and reveals that using too much of its power is risky.

Ruby and friends are confronted by Colonel Cordovin but the General of Argus explains that due to a massive Grimm being around Argus all travel to Atlas has been cut-off until further notice. Which prompts Ruby and friends to try and help as best as they can and after a few days they are confronted by one of the Seats of Vanity, Orochi.

Who beats them all down and states that he just nees to do is make a sound loud of enough to awaken the Titan udnerneath Argus which he summons Perseus the Titan of the Seas.

this prompts Colonel Cordovin into fighting.

Sorry I may need to make another post for this.

[c0unt3rc0m84t]

So the following is my opinion on the Loki S2 finale spoilers ahead.

So I've been seeing people call Lokis finale act selfless and he went from most selfish to most selfless and I have to disagree heavily at least for my perception.

Loki started selfish but not as bad as everyone else claims. He got Thor delayed coronation because either he wanted the throne or he wanted Thor to grow first and save Asgard from someone not ready for the throne. As the movie goes along Loki discovers why he's the least favorite and why they treat him differently and he snaps. He becomes angry and bitter. With one revelation his world cracks and he knows he's a bargaining chip with Laufey and now he doesn't trust anyone because there's a millenia old cosmic joke on him. Even his mother was in on it and admits it. The one person he thought he could trust. So he massacres the Frost Giants and Laufey because he wants to be loved and trusted by his family. He wants it proven that he's good enough. That he's more than another stolen relic but he also hates himself and it seems like an act of self hatred. They hated the frost giants, they hate him so burn it all. Then the golden child returns seeking his righteous throne that he doesn't deserve. A few days on Earth and suddenly he's some wise being? He appears and reveals what Lokis done. He's ruining everything so he doubles down and goes to annihilate the frost giants and then the idiot goes and ruins it. All he wants is the same love that Thor got. The love he was denied. He's always been less than but if he can do this and wipe out their worst enemies, his blood then maybe he'll be worth it. But Thor wins. Odin saves them. Loki begs and pleads, "I could have done it father! For you! For all of us!" And the worst things that ice runt shivering in the cold could hear after all he's done, "No, Loki." And with one sentence he realizes it'll never be enough, he never will. And he lets go. He casts himself into that void ready for it all to end. He's a monster and everyone fears the monster that parents tell their children about at night.

Then he's tortured and doing Thanos bidding. There's no saving him and no one wants to. Thor appears to take him home and instead of wondering what happened he immediately attacks him and yells at him. He suffered so much and he might as well get the throne since now he knows no one will love him. All he can do for himself is get a throne. But now it's just spite and anger. They ruined his plan, rejected him so he will take a throne. He will rule like he should have been allowed. If Thor hadn't been in his way or he hadn't been stolen.

Then he's defeated and returned to Asgard where once again he's greeted by Odin. Once again he's reminded how not his son he is. He did exactly what Odin would do and he's punished for it. Humans are fleeting and an easy species to conquer so why shouldn't he. But no Odin can't let his slave get the throne and locks him in the dungeon. He never had a chance and he's angry and bitter. He feels he has no one, he barely trusts his mother. She lied too. They all did. She tries to reach him, and get him to be honest with himself. He stays true, Odin isn't his father. "Then am I not your mother?" That's the question that hits the child right in his heart. He has a choice, accept his weakness and love her or let his anger and disdain and hatred for Odin and Thor win. "You're not." He says reluctantly and painfully. "Always so perceptive of everyone but yourself." The last words he ever hears her utter to him. She sees his pain and knows the child she cared for is still there. He's told she's died (whether he knows he caused it is unknown I believe) and he loses it. The last person he could ever care for and trust. The one person hevcwred for. She's gone. He's angry and broken and he seizes the chance to make her murderers pay albeit with the fun of jesting Thor. So he fakes his death (also he literally saved Jane and idk if he did it cause he liked her or cause he still unfortunately cared for his brother). Anyways his death is faked so time to remove Odin. He takes the throne and Asgard prospers for years until...

Thor shows up again and ruins his plans. He'd gotten rid of Heimdall, he was good and then ruined again. He's dragged to go find Odin and it seems that they've mellowed a bit while they travel to Odin. Then Odin finally gives Loki validation and acceptance and love... but only in his final moments. Hela appears and Loki saves him and Thor but are thrown to Sakaar. Loki has favor with the Grandmaster (ever the opportunist) and plans to get Thor off world (because he does care unfortunately). But then he sees an opportunity again and he can't deny himself because he only has himself to rely on. He can't chance it. He'll throw Thor not because he wants to but because he needs to. But then he realizes that he doesn't have to keep putting himself first and Thor finally had shown he cared and Loki accepts (albeit rushed fuck Ragnarok) his love for Thor and Asgard so he goes to save them. He takes the role of savior and saves them all (and grabs the tesseract because self preservation bitch).

Loki saves them all then Thanos appears and he knows what he's capable of. So he tries (knows he's likely to fail but fuck it what more could he lose) to kill Thanos. He can't lose Thor so he loses his life.

Then TVA Loki discovers it all processes a lot and then tries to trick the TVA and get back to Thor all while gaining more power for himself. So he goes and manipulates and claims what opportunities he can and ends up befriending Mobius and once again offered with opportunity or a real connection he chooses opportunity and self preservation

So he meets Sylvie. He sees her and gets to know her and falls for her because she's just like him in her own way but she's different. She's someone on his level and he grows to care for her. They actually have meaningful conversations and it's actually stimulating. It's thought provoking. He falls for her because she's special. Then the TVA captures them and Loki has finally found a connection he doesn't want to lose. He's found companionship and someone he can rely on (kinda). Then Mobius interrogates him and while at first he doesn't believe him eventually he does. Mobius trusts him and is pruned because he trusted him. Loki lost his friend but he has Sylvie and he cares for her and then he's ripped away from her too.

He appears at the end of time surrounded by himself and he realizes that they are forced to be villains and to be alone and to lose. If they can seek connection, pruned. If they get power, pruned. If they are any form of not dastardly they are pruned. They are destined for this and it's heartbreaking. And ever the rebellious trickster he is he fights back. He seeks the audience with the timekeeper so he may take hold of his destiny. He refuses to have strings pulling him. So he and Sylvie work together to get to He Who Remains and this is where he realizes that yet again his connection is fake. That to everyone else he is untrustworthy and unlovable. He tells her he does not care about a throne, he tries to tell her she's not alone and he understands (prolly what he needs to hear most people say to others what they themselves need to hear). He doesn't care about a throne, he just wants her to be okay. He finally chooses connection over self preservation (well besides for when he saved Jane and then Thor in Infinity War but who cares)

They fight, he admits his love and he's cast aside. He then suffers through a reality where none of his friends know him. He's alone again and he's seeking Mobius desperately his best friend left. He explains it all and Mobius accepts and helps him. He's not upset at him for failing he just wants to help him.

So they go through the season trying to save everyone. Loki wants to find Sylvie, to know what happened, but to also know if she cares at all about him. She wants a life. She cares more about living her life after millenia of running and hiding in Apocalypses. Who can really blame her. But Loki needs her help and she needs her life. He knows he can't make her help him and they go their separate ways. So he and Mobius go on their adventure and Loki tries to be a good friend and ask him real questions and be to him what he was to Loki. They find Timely and Renslayer and Loki fights Sylvie again. He fights the person who made him truly choose connection over self preservation. She's hellbent to kill Timely but Loki finally has other people he cares about and he won't lose everyone else. She betrayed him and he understands but he won't lose everyone, not again. He's lost his world before, never again. But eventually she helps him and they go to save the loom. But it's too late. Timely dies and then everyone is wiped.

Loki ends up alone timeslipping again. He's dragged to his friends, he sees who they are supposed to be and he learns that his connections aren't just weakness. His connections end up being his guiding light and he saves everyone. He talks to Sylvie and she makes him confront that. He knows she's being selfish and she knows he is too. So she makes him admit it. He wants his friends back. He saves his friends and goes back to the loom. He doesn't care about all of reality, he cares about the people who care about him.

He learns and endures and gets them where they need. He learns that the loom won't work and then learns why. HWR always had a plan. If Loki wants everyone safe he has to kill Sylvie. He has to kill the person who made him capable of getting to this point. So he refuses. He beats HWR at his own game.

He goes to talk to Sylvie and explain what's happening. She tells him what she believes and it's what gets him to do what works to save everyone he cares for. They have to have free will. They have to fight back. If he kills her they'll never have that. Loki knows he doesn't want to let anyone make another call for him it's what's happened all eternity and he knows Lokis are always tortured. So he listens and finds another way. He goes to talk to him most reliable and consistent person. Mobius tells him what Mobius needed to know. He tells him what Loki needs to know. That the glorious purpose he wanted to make all the pain he suffered worth it, what Odin wanted, what Thanos made him seek, what he sought when he had no one, that its more pain for his already tortured soul. Loki knows that Lokis are destined to lose but they always survive. He makes the hard call. He wants his friends safe. He wants everyone he loves in all existence safe, even if it hurts. So he knows what he has to do. He takes one last look at them all then one last look at the 2 people who made it truly possible. "For you. For all of us." He breaks the loom, gathers the dying timelines and breathes life into the multiverse and sits alone atop his glorious purpose. It was never about everyone. It was always about him, and what he wanted. He knew there was no way to get what he wanted, so he did the next best thing he could. He saved his friends and took the heavy crown of his glorious purpose because at least then he can see them and know they're okay and safe. He saved the people who saved him. Everyone else was just convenient.

[tinamarieoneword]

The Philadelphia Flyers Saved My Saturday

The Philadelphia Flyers hockey team became my Saturday salvation.  The day was the darkest and dreariest of the year thus far, frankly, since winter began.  The forecasters called for the first significant snowfall of the season, but with the temps still a few degrees too high, a frigid and steady rain settled in over the Delaware Valley which collided with the post-holiday-empty atmosphere in an ever-so-perfect storm of bleakness.  If you live in the Northeast, your options are few and easily can fall into the “stay in the house, cook, organize closets, put away Christmas decorations” doldrums.  Philadelphia sports are a healthier alternative, especially with teenage sons in the house collecting older adolescent dust on their unshaven chin stubble, basking in the nothingness of their umpteenth week at home between college semesters.  Rousing them out of the basement, off of video gaming, mindless scrolling, was made more seductive through the promise of first row seats at the 1pm Flyers game.  There have been murmurings of late about a “rising” from our neglected step-child South Philly sports team.  Relegated to the back seat of popularity as Philly sports fans have been distracted by winning seasons in football, baseball, and basketball, ice hockey fans have suffered from neglect.  After laying dormant and barely registering a pulse since 2010, suddenly word of a Flyers resurrection has been reported in hushed tones and hopeful cocktail party conversations.  Could it be?  Is it possible the ice is melting on the frosty, Han Solo-like glory of yesteryear?  Well, our family was about to find out.  We raided our closets to get ready, brushed away the moth balls on our sweatshirts and jerseys.  Look, this relic is from 2010!  Or maybe 1997!  Could this be ‘85 hoodie?  Before the term “hoodie” entered the pop culture lexicon?  The Flyers haven’t updated their logo in, well, ever, so you can dig out the tired, the tattered, the hungry of your merch and still be socially acceptable in the stands.  In Philly, when it comes to the Flyers, flashes of orange are a necessity.  Even if you’re attempting the “middle aged, fashion-forward mom of older teens but still a Philly fan just trying not to look like my older teens with a jersey” look, orange is a non-negotiable.  And lucky for me, I proudly pulled a shock flame orange sweater out of hiding, black jeans, white turtleneck, and black Converse.  Lady fan lite.  My eighteen year old, never knowing a time in his personal history when the Flyers were an actual thing, had not even a t-shirt in their name.  A stop at the rally shop was in his future.

It was 12pm when we arrived at the Wells Fargo Center just as the snowflakes were getting fat and the gray sky darkened and took on a more menacing shade of “January, I’ve arrived”.  We located our seats as the teams were hitting practice pucks and marveled immediately at the majesty that is front row center ice spectating in the NHL.  It is a treat beyond treats to be able to almost see the wisdom teeth of players as they chase the puck, crash into each other like Army soldiers in the sandbox, and race like monster speed demons on those tiny little blades.  One thing my son noticed was the sheer size of hockey players.  “Mom, they’re massive!”, was the reaction from the wide-eyed college boy as a Calgary Flame passed by us after a practice shot in a flash of red Bounty Man on skates.  He was right.  Television doesn’t quite capture the largess of the healthy looking young that populate the NHL these days.  Except when they smile.  Still true that some still don’t have teeth.  Hockey still sends chills up my spine that way.  You can be casually admiring a muscular young athlete's perfect bone structure  and masculinity only to have him meet your gaze with a goofy smile like a six month old baby, all gums.  The game is physical, aggressive, tough, and manly.  Testosterone on ice.  Sitting up front, we got all the glory of the plexiglass slam show.  Every few minutes a gaggle of players would grind each other, their sticks, and the puck right into the glass six inches from our faces like a head on collision, with our own self-imposed whiplash to match.  What a thrill! And wake-up!  To be in the game as we were, to almost feel the icy flecks of the rink on our faces and have hands ready to catch a wayward, high-flying puck is a privilege I, and my son, had never known.  He was getting into it and asked for a sweatshirt, bright orange.  He slipped it over his head quick and proud.  In the last few years, Philly sports and their winning ways have morphed this South Jersey born and bred sapling into a Philly guy, with all the agony, ecstasy, and crater-like chip on his shoulder that comes with it.  It helped that the Flyers were playing excellent hockey this day.  It also helped that we were so close to the goal and could capture the minutiae of the tiny puck’s slippery trajectory into that goal not one, not two, but three times. It somehow snuck through the Flames’ goalie and seven hundred pounds of Transformer-like leg pads.  Score, score, score.  Flyers fans erupted each time with characteristic Philadelphia rejoicing, attitude, joyful arrogance, and over-exuberant confidence (Stanley Cup this year!).  The cherry on top, though, is the brawling.  My son wanted to see a hockey fight and he got his wish.  In fact, he actually got several.  Jumpy, wound up, trash talking guys landing punches, piling into heaps, faces smeared into the glass with helmets popping off and referees grasping collars of oppositional gorillas.  The fans roared and, although the NHL doesn’t let blood spill anymore, they allow for the pressure valve to be released just enough for the sake of theatrics and keeping the game’s integrity of intensity.  

In between periods, my son noticed the orange flags hanging high in the rafters of ancient Flyers Stanley Cup history.  It was 1973, ,1974, 1975 when the Broad Street Bullies carved their loveable niche into Philadelphia sports history with their brazen, tough guy, blue collar victorious circus on ice and raw, toothless, winning grins.  My dad loved the Flyers and he is the reason I even know the history.  I was an infant when they tore through the town winning the hearts of everyone in Philadelphia and its environs.  My father was a South Jersey boy, like my son, but he was just as intoxicated by the masculinity of the sport and the blood-spilling it required to win. Dad regarded sports, facts, and history much like a statistician.  My son is equally analytical.  My father talked about the Broad Street Bullies throughout my childhood and here, the grandson he would never meet, is just as enthralled as he was, front row, center ice, fifty years later.  Dad would have loved this.  Sitting next to my son, contemplating that in my mind, made me happy.  I felt that by encouraging my son’s enthusiasm, I played a part in honoring some small sliver of dad’s immortality.  I immaturely shunned sports as a young girl.  I was too feminine, too girly, too ungrateful to the meaning and philosophy of athletics.  It took me a little longer to come around.  But come around, I have, and by witnessing my sons carrying on the sports crazed tradition in my father’s stead, I have gained an exhilarating appreciation for the way sports can excite, engage, and make miracles.     Grandfather and grandson united that day amidst the brawls, the flying ice, the gummy grins, and the fightin’ will to win, if only in my own memory and mind.  Dad never got to see it, but the magic we make in our heads is fairly or unfairly saved for those of us that still walk the earth, wanting to weave the flashes of our days and experiences into a kind of therapeutic poetry. I don’t know about the Stanley Cup this year but one mother’s cup was filled last Saturday. Thank you, Philadelphia Flyers.                

[greensaplinggrace]

nothing will ever hit harder than realizing dutch was always like that. that he didn’t actually change or go insane. that he always had that in him - the cruelty and the violence and the bigotry. that in the end he was all talk, because back when things were good for him he could talk. he could preach and pat himself on the back for being so morally superior and he could stroke his own ego by ‘saving’ all the unfortunates, feeling unique because these outcasts weren’t accepted by anybody else but him. but it didn’t actually amount to anything.

all those things you once respected him for saying - calling the gang family and arthur his son and defending the native americans and telling the gang to never leave love aside and his support of equality and his criticisms of society and privilege and corruption and power - all of it comes to nothing. it means nothing. it becomes ashes in his mouth. because in the end he betrays his family and he abandons his son and he irrevocably harms the native americans and he does leave love aside, he does prove himself to be an oppressive white man when it comes down to it and he does revel in his power and his title and he does become corrupted as he demands unquestioning loyalty and faith in the same way those he claims to oppose do.

and goddamn he was always like this. but when it was good it never showed, not truly, not in ways that were noticeable. and he’s a tarot card because what he is now and what he was then are the same but when circumstances change so do the worst parts of you come forth. and your true self is revealed. and that’s what happened to dutch. and it hurts because everything he preached he betrayed and everyone who loved him and who he claimed to love he abandoned. and in the end everything he built and everything he said meant nothing. it was all for nothing. the people he used and abused and manipulated became nothing to him. and he’s just smoke. he’s not a martyr. he’s not a relic. he’s not like arthur or hamish or john. he’s just words in the fucking wind.

[knight-dwx-09]

RWBY : Silent Knight Island

The sound of the campfire hissing can be heard through the cold night.

Jaune was sitting in front of a campfire while Neo was sleeping beside him with her head on his shoulder.

Jaune wasn't wearing his armor anymore. Now he just wear his high collar black shirt exposing a little bit of his chest, a red sash around his waist, dark navy jeans, and dark brown boots.

While Neo lose her jacket. She still wear her white vest-style top that was strapless and cropped exposing her midriff, gray scarf, Roman's hat, white pant, and black and white spat-style ankle boots.

They had stuck on this island for 9 months and still didn't find a way out.

Jaune stirred the fire with a stick to make sure the fire didn't burn out. He grab more stick from his side and throw them into the fire as he watched the embers swirling in the air. He wonder how all of this was happening.

It's funny when he think about his dream, he always thought he would just enroll at Beacon where skilled huntsman and huntress train, trained for 4 years and graduated, make friends and maybe try to find a girlfriend in those time. After that, maybe he will go on a mission with his girlfriend and save the innocent like his ancestor, and finally settled down somewhere with his wife and have four kids or more.

What he didn't thought was, get thrown into a forest, get bullied, the fall of Beacon happen, his partner push him away and died, fighting in a war against the queen of Grimm who is immortal and has a family issue, meet a centuries-old wizard who was married to the queen of Grimm and has a ability to hop from one body to another when he died and has the same family issue with her, losing his friends, have a trauma and working together with an assassin girl (girlfriend) who had tried to kill his friends before.

His eyes wander to the sleeping girl beside him and back to the fire. He wondered how the last one came to be.

Flaskback

When he reached the beach, he see a girl with pink and brown hair found kneeling on the beach. He then realized that the girl was Neo, the girl who tries to kill his friends and steal the relic of knowledge. Her clothes are still the same as when he fight her except the hat and her weapon was missing.

At first, he was on guard and cautious, ready to fight at any time. But the sound someone sniffles stop him right in his track, surprising him slightly. He squinted his eyes to try see the girl better, to see what's going on. He watched as her body somewhat trembling and hand on her face. It causes some confusion inside the boy mind, feeling complicated about what he will do next.

Then against his logic side telling him to fight the assassin girl, he decided to try to sneakily walk forwards to observe up close without his weapon ready. As he advanced forward slowly, he accidentally step on a stick, alerted her and turning around to face him, and what he found make him loss for words. Her eyes filled to the brim with tears, they were hollow and full of grief, like his eyes when Pyrrha dies and right now.

He can't see an evil girl who wanted to kill his friends anymore, now he see a girl who had lost someone important and now grieving.

That didn't last for long as she suddenly fractured like glass in thin air. He looked around to find where she went but he can't find her. In a instant, she appeared again in front of him, startling him, and swung her fist wildly at him. He was too surprised to block the punches, hitting him right in the stomach, and it doesn't hurt much. He mean it's still hurt but it was nothing when she kick his ass at atlas. She continue to hitting his chest and legs... like an emotional girl who was angry about the world and want to let out her anger... just like him. So he let her hit him as much as she want, he still block the punches and kicks that aim at his face and private part though.

After a few minutes of standing there and taking the hits, he noticed her punches and kicks had become considered slower and weaker than before. He guessed she was getting tired from everything, so he reach out to grab her wrist and pull her to a hug. At first, she stiffened at the sudden hug and then she struggled in his arm.

"Is okay to let it out, you have lost something important to you and you are in pain... So is okay for you to let it out." His hug get tightened but wasn't enough to hurt her. He began to rub her back in a conforming manner

She gradually stopped struggling and just trembling in place. Slowly, tears emerged from her eyes again. She didn't want to cry in front of her enemy nor she want to show weakness. But... she can't handle it anymore. From losing her partner, getting betrayed, and losing one thing that reminds her of Roman. It was just too much for her.

She cried like a normal girl, even if he can't hear her crying, he can feel her sadness, her pain. She hugged him back and hide her face in his chest, he just stand there and stay with her until she felt better.

After he let her wept into his clothes, she some what calm down and just sniffing a little bit. He let go of her and stared at her puffy, pink and brown eyes, her cheeks were flushed from crying. He didn't want to admit it but she look kinda cute.

"So why are you crying?" He asked.

She looked up and glared at him suspiciously, her eyes were pink and brown like her hair. Despite knowing she can beat his ass with ease, her puffy eyes make her look like a little girl.

"Look, I won't try to attack you now. I just want to help you." He said softly, trying to make her to open herself.

Her glared slightly drop but she still hold distrust.

He sighed and stared directly at her. "I won't lie to you, I too still don't trust you. You tried to kill my friends, took the relic of knowledge, one of the reasons for the fall of Atlas, and probably kill a lot of people too, in spite of that, you also look like had gone through something bad and I don't know why, I just want to help You."

Her eyes flicker down at the ground, seemingly to contemplate either tell him or not. She sighed and make a hand sign, eyes didn't move to meet his.

'I lost my hat.'

She thought he won't understand at all but to her surprise, he understood her.

"So you want to find your hat?" He asked.

She looked up at him and blinked suddenly at the response, he let out a small chuckles.

"Welp, when you have seven sister, you sometimes will learn a weird skill." He suddenly gain a nonchalantly smile.

He remember when he learned to speak in sign while he was a kid. He use this skill to do secret mission like grab some snacks and drinks with his sister look out for their parents. They would gestured him if their parent are close or not. He smiled slightly at that moment.

She become even more surprised when she hear he has 7 sister.

He would laugh at her surprise but he didn't want to get stabbed. "Anyway, come on we need to find your hat before it get dark." He wave his hand for her to follow him.

At first, she hesitated but in the end she followed him closely behind.

It took the whole morning and evening to find her hat. They first search around the beach and below the giant seashell. After there wasn't anything there, both girl and boy went into the forest and hunt it. Neo was so happy when he found it stuck in one of the tree, so happy that she stole the hat from his hands immediately and hugged it, she snuggled it to her chest.

He let out a chuckle when he see her action. She look like a small girl that got a present that they want. It seem like she had heard his laugh base how she out of the blue shoot out a death glare, making him stop. He still didn't want to get stab.

As she put on the hat, she turned around and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" He called out.

Turning around, she pointed at him and herself and both fingers get farther and farther away. Understanding what she meant, he asked a different question.

"Why?" Thought he already know the reason, they were an enemy and now that he no longer have any used, it make sense to leave.

She just pointed the hat on her head for the answer.

"So do you have already found a place to rest?" He asked with an eyebrow raise.

Her hand didn't move to tell him and looked away, not having the boldness to tell him. Surmising that she didn't found any place to rest.

"Follow me, I had found a place where we can camp for now." He gestured her to follow him again.

She stared suspiciously at him once again, reading to attack or run away.

He sighed. "I already told you I won't attack you."

She the produced a perfect copy of Ruby, scaring him as he tensed slightly and his breath halt for a moment. Fortunately, she didn't notice as she glanced over the surroundings with guard somewhat up, expecting the red hood girl to appear from the bushes. He gathered his strength to speak up and ignored the image in his head.

"So you know, I haven't see any of my friends yet so I am alone now." He stated, it may be a dumb decision, telling her that information and making him look like a easy target. However, he still need something to gain her trust.

And he was right, she was surprised to hear it and thought he was stupid or something. Looking at the ground, her mind went through every benefit and drawback if she tag along, she then gives him an answer by nodding her head.

Jaune smiled happily. "Great. And while you follow, if you see any white rabbit with horn please kill it and grab it with us."

She tilted her head, giving a look that question him why and what.

"Because they taste good and easily to kill. They have this horn on their head and cover in white fur... wait a second. What did you eat yesterday?" He looked at Neo wide eyes.

She pointed the red and purple berries in the bush

"You eat the berries?" His eyes widen even bigger.

She nodded.

"And you didn't feel anything bad or feeling sick after you eat it?" Jaune let his eyes to roam at her body, to see if anything was out of ordinary.

She nodded again.

He doesn't know if she brave or just plain stupid. The latter one is unlikely because she smart enough to stole the relic and escape with it. Maybe she was too emotional to think and she was feeling hungry too. Yeah, that was probably the answer, she did attack him sloppily and let him hugged her.

He still make an another note in his mind that the red and purple berries are safe to eat, the others? Further research was needed.

Jaune's head shook up and down slightly as he walked away. "Alright, we can grab the berries with us and we can also try to use it as bait but we still need to eat some meat."

She nodded once again for the final time, agreeing what he had said and walking together into the woods.

Along the journey, they did found quite a lot of rabbits using the berries as the bait. And with the help of Neo the hunt become much easier. Jaune will become the distraction while she kill them from behind with a stick that she found. In the end, they got 10 rabbits to eat and safe it for later.

He needed to turn some leftover meat into jerky he had learn when he was younger.

Jaune was embarrassed to say this but he get a little lost while searching for a rabbit. Thank Oum he get lucky to find the right track to his base before Neo find out.

At the camp, he relight the campfire straight away and set up 4 rabbits on a stick near it. Soon after it's ready, both finish the meal with satisfied burps.

As the both of them sat a few feet away, the light of the world began to dimmer away and the world darkening.

"Is better if you go to sleep first." Jaune told Neo.

She frowned at his suggestion.

'So you can take advantages of me while I asleep?' Her hands began to roam around, searching for something to defend herself.

He put his hand up in surrender.

"Calm down, I won't do anything while you are asleep"

'How can I trust you?'

"I promised on my name that I won't do anything to you while you are asleep and An Arc never goes back on their word."

Not believing his word, she scowled like a cat.

Geez she is really paranoid like a mister fluffy huh?

He closed his eyes and shrugged. "It's up to you if you want to sleep or not, but you look so tired that you can drop anytime soon. I just suggest it and if you don't want to listen to me is your funeral. I will stay awake for a few hours."

Neo huffed and looked away. Jaune just rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders again. After a few minutes just sitting there and did nothing, he could see her slowly dozing off, her head began to wobble up and down slowly with half-lidded eyes.

Despite not wanting to sleep, her body was too tired to stay awake. He watched as she closed her eyes and goes to sleep quietly. After he was sure she was asleep and there weren't any monsters nearby, he get up and walked away.

He's already get used to only sleep for a few hours before when Ruby was still in the RNJR team, so this wasn't too much for his body to handle.

For the time being, he'll train his hand-to-hand combat and use his shield as a weapon. He can't really use his sword anymore because it's broken. Furthermore, every times he tries to use it, the image of Penny's dead body flash in his mind, stopping him.

Even though he's not at the Yang level skill, at least he was much better than Ruby. And he need to improve it even further.

He stopped in the middle of nowhere, the place was a good place without any obstacles to hinder him and monsters nearby. Taking a deep breath, he punched the air.

—————————

"Hey." Jaune walked up as Neo was waking up. The sun can be seen floating in the sky, illuminating everything around them.

She didn't respond, not recognizing him or everything. She blinked lazily, head go round and round until her vision adapt. She slammed her feet down and scrambles, and get into a fight mode when her eyes stop at him. It appears she had forgotten.

Jaune show a blank look, not afraid or bother explain it again as he put his ass down. It took a second for her to recollect her sense, flopping back where she slept.

It became silent, so silent that small winds sounded like a hurricane. Neo grabbed her stick to draw something on the dirt, it look like a stick version of him, with a banana for the head.

Frowning a little at the art, Jaune looked around to find something, maybe to ease the situation.

"So how did you get here?" Maybe she fall down by accident or one of the RWBY accidentally knock her down.

Neo's eyes flickered up to him and back down. 'Cinder betrayed me'

"Oh..."

That explains why she is really paranoid.

Now, the atmosphere was even more dense than ever thank to his stupid topic. Thinking of another subject, he stumbled on a question that could possibly help him to be aware about her goal and character.

"Why did you want to kill Ruby?" He suddenly asked.

Neo was surprised at the question and his boldness, though does it even matter if he know the reason? It's not something she changed him or benefits him at all.

'Because she killed Roman.'

He looked at her, confusion clear in his eyes. Ruby kill a person, there's no way that happen. It's like convincing Yang to cut her hair, it mean it's literally impossible for it to happen. He then remember the story Ruby told him about how Roman died.

"Ruby didn't kill Roman! the Grimm did it!"

'So what? She was the one who sent me away from him and get him killed. Beside, I can't technically take revenge against Grimm.' She sarcastically rolled her eyes.

"What about Cinder?"

She gave him a questionable stare as he continued.

"Cinder is the one that bring the Grimm to Vale! She is the reason why Roman die! She also betrayed you if you forgot about that."

'No, I didn't forget about the fact I got used like a tool and get thrown away similar to it. Beside, I already tried to kill her but she was too strong for me to kill.' She scowled.

"So... you just resorted to killing Ruby because she was much easier to kill!?" Jaune asked, almost feeling shocked by the sheer absurdity of her logic. "Even if you killed Ruby, what would you do after that? Will you just run away and become a master thief in other kingdoms? But, would you feel satisfied?"

'What do you mean?' Her eyes narrowed.

"Because you know, deep down in your heart, you too want to kill Cinder badly just like me. You yearn for her death, and your heart wouldn't feel content at just killing Ruby...No... this wasn't about Ruby at all. You just want something, a goal, a reason to keep living. And after your original goal was out of reach, you tried to find another one, am I right?"

If stares can kill a person, he would die a few time as he hit a landmine. She throws the stick with so much force that it breaks at the impact, giving a death stare. She stand up in a swift motion and walk forwards, stopping right in front of him, eyes filled with anger.

The sheer difference make her stared up to him while he stared down on her.

'Why should I work together with you?' He could see vein pooping on her hands, like she was holding back her rage to kill him. And yet, he didn't halt.

"Either you stay here and probably died in here alone, even if you somehow get out from here, you don’t have a place to stay, Cinder betrayed you and my friends will attack you on sight. In the end, you have nowhere to go to." He said without any fear in his voice, wondering where all that confidence come from, he pushed forward. "Or you can take my hand and work together with me to get of here and take revenge against Cinder?" His hand stretched out for her, waiting for her response. By the look at it, she wasn't convinced with his effort as she didn't move at all.

"Look, you don't need to trust me or become a good guy, you just need to work together with me for now so we can take revenge against her. Beside, like some book I read a long time ago "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". You hate Cinder and so am I. At least I can trust that. After that, you can leave like nothing had happened."

Thusly, he can see her fingers twitch, slowly getting into the bait. He know that she hate Cinder, even more now after the accident. So he will used that to gain a new help. And with that, she took his hand.

'Fine I will work together with you... for now.’ She then glared murderously at him, gripping his hand with enormous strength. ‘But if I see anything that show any betrayal I will cut your neck.'

Jaune know that isn't a threat but a oath.

"I promise."

—————————

"Ruby?" Jaune called out at the red reaper, who was in front of them.

"Jaune?" Ruby didn't believe her eyes, her first friend in Beacon was here. How did he get here? Did he come back? Did he also fall? She thought she would never see him or the rest of the team JNPR since 4 days ago of entering this place

Before they can hug, Jaune felt something dangerous beside him as Neo glared at Ruby.

The bloodlust was leaking out of her, it's so much he can practically hear and feel what she was thinking.

Jaune grabbed her hand and pull her closer to him, holding her stomach with both of his hands as she struggled in his hold. He even amp himself to make sure she couldn't do anything.

"Remember our promise." With that one sentence, she stopped her attempt and grumbled away, not like she can say anything to let them know but her body language sold her out.

Positive she won't do anything, he let go of her. The grumpy assassin girl just walk off and sits near a tree, frowning as she stares at both teens.

"Jaune..." Ruby called out.

Jaune looked at her to see a confused red reaper and it made sense for her. He, a huntsman who protect Remnant from the angry Grimm and their queen, was with an assassin girl that kill people. It would be a little weird sight.

"Why are you with her?" Ruby stared at Neo confusedly.

"Don't worry about her, she is with me." He explained, stunning her for a moment before give her thoughts on the situation.

"She is an enemy! She tried to kill me! She help in the destruction of Altas and Vale! She even tried to kill you, everyone, and Yang!" She argued. "How can you trust her after everything has happened?"

She make a good point, a lot of life had been lost in those two kingdoms. Even more, Pyrrha and Penny are one of those lives that had been taken. He has every right to kill her right now or when she's asleep...

"She was betrayed by Cinder and she's out for her now so we aren't enemies anymore, more like business partners. And we need all the helping hands now, we can't be too picky with our choices right now." He reasoned with her.

She may be a criminal that had help the queen of Grimm, she also has grudges against Cinder and she went through a lot too. He doesn't know if she deserves it, but he will give her a second chance.

Ruby was speechless, her eyes slipped down the ground, puzzles. "You're right." She grudgingly admits it, some part of her didn't want to but what he'd said was true, they do need all the allies they can get.

After that, both awkwardly stood there silently, neither of them try to start up a conversation, not knowing what to say anymore.

"So how are you?" Ruby asked, trying to turn the conversation so they can speak more easily.

"Good... what's with the mouse there?"Jaune awkwardly rubbed his neck as he pointed the tiny mouse in her hood.

"Oh... its name is little."

"Really? That's its name?"

"Ruby was the one that give that name!" Little yelled proudly.

It took a second for Jaune to register that the mouse just talk and chuckled. It didn't surprise him, well a little but he already prepared to face something weird in this island.

"You and your nickname."

"Hey!" Ruby punched lightly at his shoulder, but giggling soon after.

Both teen feel less uncomfortable than before, smiling at each other. Ruby was glad Jaune was safe and she meet him again. Walking alone and not knowing how her friends were really concerning.

The thought of her partner and friends flashed in her mind, wondering about their well being. She didn't want asked or make the whole situation more Grimm, she just want to know.

"Hey Jaune?" Ruby called out.

"Yeah?" Jaune looked back happily.

"Are Penny and Weiss okay?"

His body stiffened up at that one question, he can feel his heartbeat skipped a beat and breath hitched which Ruby noticed and started to look anxiously too.

He had thought of lying to her but that didn't go well for Ozpin, creating cracks in their trust in him, like he had any. He chose to tell her, even if that mean making her hate him cause she deserved the truth and not a lie.

"Ruby..."

"What is it?"

"There's something you need to know about Penny." A dread entered her, heart drop when she heard Penny's name. A furry of red rose flutter the area as Ruby slam into Jaune and hold his hands tightly.

"What happened to her!? Did Cinder killed her!?" She was practically yelled at him, demanding for the answer.

"... I killed her..."

...

"What?" She whispered, not understanding what he just said. Or maybe, it's her heart, refusing to acknowledge the truth.

"When I got there, I didn't see you, Blake, or Yang. Weiss, Penny, and I fought Cinder and Penny got badly injured. I tried to heal her, I really did... But... there wasn't enough time. Cinder had already grabbed the relic and the place could be destroyed at any time and... Penny... she asked me to do it..." Jaune trailed off, not having the strength to continue.

But Ruby understood, eyes wide open, uneven breathing, body slightly shaken. She feel the world had become quiet, replaying those words like a broken record, then something fractured in her mind.

Something whispers in her ears, it feels wrong, evil, even malicious, she can't grasp what they were saying but her body starts to move by itself.

"Why..."

"Ruby?..." Jaune looked up wryly, fearing what she would say.

"We just got her back! And you killed her just like that!?" Her eyes began to let out silver light as she screamed, even the surrounding and the sky changed into a slightly darker tone which only Neo noticed it.

Jaune staggered back like Ruby just hit him with her words like a sword, feeling shame, he looked away with nothing to say back.

"Penny just achieved her dream, to become a real girl. And she can't enjoy it because of you! We can't even bring her back anymore since she is a human! Would you kill your friends if they asked you to do it? No! You help them and save them no matter what!..." She glanced up to him, hatred filled her eyes with something dark in it. "You said you don't have talent? Well, it seems like you have a talent to get everyone close to you killed!"

It hurt.

"You're not a friend, you're just a murderer like her!" She shouted as she pointed at Neo who was glaring at her.

Jaune tried to say something, do something, anything. However, all the sound stuck in his mouth and his body can't even move a single inch.

Everything she had said hurt him, his heart breaking into tiny pieces. However, was she telling the truth? Everyone he had met before now was hurting or died. He hadn't talked to Penny before and she was alive again, but after they talked, she was killed soon after... and never come back ever again... Was he really cursed? His heart did its best to reject everything, telling himself that it wasn't his fault as Ruby delivered one final nail into the coffin.

"Just go away from my sight and don't come near me ever again!!!" She yelled angrily at him, breathing heavily and glaring as she finished. Her eyes start to shine brightly before it stop abruptly, a dart mist clouding those once innocent silver eyes, unnoticed by everyone.

The room was dead silent, not a single word from any of them like everyone had become mute as it began to rain faintly.

"Come on Neo..." He called out quietly as he walked away with Neo following behind. Before she left Ruby Alone completely, she glanced back once more. She watched as Ruby fell to her knees, crying in her palms as the tiny mouse tried to comfort her.

She would be lying if she said that the defeat and suffering look on her face wasn't satisfied and fill her with some twisted enjoyment.

As they get further and further away from Ruby, Neo noticed that Jaune wasn't stopping at all nor slowing down.

She snatched him by hand, putting an end to his pace. Neo recoiled slightly, almost letting his hand go when he stared back.

"... I'm fine." He smiled, removing her hand. "Let's go back and hunt more food for now, we will explore the place some time later." His legs move forward for the second time and leave Neo with her thoughts.

She noticed something different, his smile were almost like a mask and the eyes were different too. Those once dark blue eyes like the sea that fill with a small amount of light in them now were dull and flat, like a murky water that was lifeless. There wasn't any hate or regret, just empty.

She just watched as he went deeper into the forest before following closely behind.

—————————

It has been 1 and a half month since they last saw Ruby.

Everything was okay, they got a stable food and water source, a few base built in a different section they can stay depending on which they were in, and they even killed some of the mythical beast that had tried to eat them in the forest. Most of it resembled an insect which can be found in Remmant. From the smallest one like a bee as big as a human child and the biggest one they fought was a spider as big as a house.

Most of it were easy as pie thank to their combine efforts and semblance. He would distract and tank their strikes. She then attack them in their weak spot. If the situation call for it, he will amp her and make a lot of clone of her to attack them or just straight up rain down a freaking giant sword through them.

Although, they only do it in a desperate moment. Both didn't want for their combat skill to become more rustier thank to the combo attack. Despite having an overpower semblance, they're still just a semblance that need Aura to fuel, which protect them from any attack and heal their wounds. It's best if they can fight without relying to it too much.

He also tried to cook some of them with Neo looked in disgust as he did so. There were a lot of it that were poisonous, the poor bunny didn't survive, and some were downright taste horrible, like someone vomit on it and drenched it with toilet water. And of course, it's his idea to eat it so he was the one that tried it first. Let's just say, his taste buds wasn't the same for weeks.

At least, a few of it were okay to eat and didn't taste like shit. Another thing to add into the beast they can eat category.

"Neo! Get back here!" Jaune screamed at the ice cream theme girl as he used everything he got to chase her. Neo just let out her tongue and run away again.

You may wonder why they are playing cat and mouse game. Well... let's just said Neo had found the candy land which Jaune found before and started to eat everything like there's no tomorrow.

"You need to stop eat everything! It's bad for your health and tooth!" He shouted with every he got, running after her like she just stoled something important from him.

Neo turned around and face him with a giant sign which she had created from her semblance.

'NEVER!!!' It's the only thing written on it before breaking apart like glass along with it.

Jaune skidded across the cream and scanned the area. Without any luck, he let out tired sigh and opt to stand by until she finished her cravings.

She can be really annoying and troublesome, did whatever she want and whenever. Though, she still help him in some difficulty and carry her side of the bargain.

And that's enough for him.

Neo suddenly sprint across his vision and back where they come from and seem to be in panic. Confused, he turned towards the opposite direction she was running to and he met with hordes of monsters made of sweet? Grabbing a page from his temporary partner, he book it.

"WHY THERE IS AN ARMY OF GIANT CANDY MONSTER CHASING YOU?!?"

—————————

"Ouch!" Jaune yelped out as something sharp poke his butt.

He twisted his whole body to face with the culprit who was smirking and holding a weapon in hands, Neo and her favorite umbrella, Hush.

At last, the weapon she had been using in the past for killing now it's back to the master.

It was in the middle of a group of wolf's home, where around 20 wolves stay and live. The first moment Neo recognized her stuff, she dragged him down in the middle of it and fought the whole tribe.

And now, she was so thrill about it that she'd been using it on him, for 30 minutes.

"You really need to stop poking my butt." He rubbed his poor ass from the abuse it had taken.

Neo pouted cutely, holding the weapon as if it was her baby and stomping the ground.

*Sigh* "I know you are happy that you got your weapon back and want to used it as soon as possible, but you don't have to use it on my ass either." He stated in annoyance, he may have Aura to stop it but it's still a pain in the ass, figuratively and literally. "Just wait alright, you can use it when we fight or see a monster."

And just like that, the bushes abruptly rustled as monsters from different types and race, appearing one by one and surrounding them like a hungry beast. Jaune and Neo's eyes met for a second and back at the monsters, first have dead eyes while the latter have excitement look.

"Look at that, it seem like you're gonna use it now." He stretched his body and get into a position. "Let's wipe them out Neo."

She grinned insanely with hush swipe to the left, ready for the massacre. She seem really excited about all of this.

—————————

"What do you want to do after killing Cinder?" Jaune suddenly speak up, standing above one of the dead monster and clothes covered in different colours of blood to some degree.

Neo gives a side glance as she stab one of the monster's head.

"I mean, your goal right now is to end her right?" He questioned which she nodded. "And after that what? Do you have an end goal or something?"

At first, a money bag materialised in her hand which he had understood, she then slashed at the poor wolf's head, cleaving it cleanly and smiling softly toward Jaune.

"K-killing and robbing?" He stuttered in shock.

She gives a quick happy nod before continuing stabbing others and freeing them from their suffering. He's really worried about her future now.

"Huh... beside becoming a murderer and a thief, you must have any other habits, right...?" He begged slightly, feeling uncomfortable with her saying that easily.

She cheekily press her palm against her cheek and tilts her head, like she was thinking about it.

She then found it.

She created an ice cream in her hand and showed it to Jaune with a smile.

"You love ice cream?" He examined the food in her hand to see if it had any other meaning as she nodded cheerfully.

Now that he thinks about it, she does like sweet treats, especially those cold and sweet food. After they have become a little stronger to fight the monster in there, both of them would come back time and time to have a sweet snack together.

"How about opening up an Ice cream shop then?" He proposed.

She pointed at herself, flabbergasted at his idea as she make "me?" Expression. Everyone too will react the same way, she's a well know criminal in the whole Remmant. If they saw her into an Ice cream shop, the cops will be coming in the store like there's a sale was going on.

"You can open one in a village or somewhere that wasn't too populated. So that way, nobody knows where or who you are. You can sell and eat ice cream peacefully." He explained.

She suddenly became quite, eyes swerved away and into the distance like she was deep in thought.

She suddenly gained a glint in her eyes like a little kid found a new toy to play with as she smiled with her teeth. It cause Jaune to shiver in fear, feeling that he just made a big mistake.

What did she just think of?

—————————

"Look out!" Jaune yelled out with urgency in his voice.

Neo listened to his warning without any hesitation and jumped to the left, barely dodging in time as a giant red and white cobra emerged from the trees and tries to take a bite of her whole body. She landed beside him as both examine their opponents with cautious as the snake spiraled up.

The giant snake was bigger than anything they had ever face, it was as long as the tower Beacon with scars filled its body and one over its eyes. Red scales covering its entire body with no gaps to speak of.

"I will grab his attention while you wait and strike!" He exclaimed, staring the beast to examine it even further.

Neo nodded in acknowledgement before disappearing into thin air as glass shards. The snake suddenly surveyed between the tree as if there was someone there, but a rock hit its head, causing it to look at Jaune with its slit eyes and hissed, throwing more rock at its head as he pointed at himself.

"Hey ugly! you are fighting with me!" He taunted.

The provocation works, it whip its tail in an instant at Jaune which he block it with his shield and both of his hands. The shock travel through his hand and the rest of his body, skidding a few feet away.

It was more powerful than he thought. but it's not something he wasn't expecting from the monster on the island as he continued with the taunt. Neo watched on from behind the tree and at the back of their enemy as it tried to tear her partner into pieces. At one moment, it smashed itself deep into the ground when it try to eat him alive, thinking it's an opening, she darted forward silently and leapt toward the head, aiming her sword down to stab it straight through for the brain.

Without warning, the beast twisted its head at her and let out a purple smoke out of its mouth, shocking her as she covered herself with Hush, engulfing her entire form without any trace left behind.

"Neo!" Jaune screamed in panic, realizing his partner was near the snake and she has been found.

A sound of glass breaking come from behind him, snapping back around, he see Neo on the ground, slightly coughing the smoke but alright nevertheless to his relief. He hurriedly goes to her side and onto his knees, patting her back and examining her body to see if it's poison or not.

"Are you alright? Are you in pain?" He asked worriedly.

She opened one of her eyes and raised a hand shakily.

'I'm mostly fine but my body is hard to move. Seem like not only those gas is poisonous but it paralyzed me too.' She finished before her hand drop down, almost unmoving.

He turned around at the giant snake approaching them and back to her, deciding a choice he would take next. He slip his arms under her leg and back, pulling her up into a princess hold and running away with her.

He jump and weave through terrain with the monster behind them, slithering closer and closer to them, destroying everything in its path. He aware they were too slow from the sound get lauder and lauder, if it catches up, they were dead, so he Amplified his own aura and Neo's to escalate his speed significantly.

The snake had noticed its prey was getting smaller and smaller from its view, not wanting them to escape, it once again discharged its poison breath attack.

The miasma was gaining on them rapidly, it may be even faster than Ruby while using her semblance. Hearing the smoke, he looked back to see the gas was right behind him and any second he too would get poison. Jaune stopped out of the blue, burying his feet into the ground, and hurled Neo as far away as he can from him as the gas covered him in seconds just like it did to her.

She looked in horror at the smoke growing thicker. A feeling of dread entered her, creating a pit in her stomach while an image of a dead Jaune, laying on the ground, unmoving and lifeless emerged into her mind. She gritted her teeth as she tried to crawl her way back with her right arm, disregarding her own safety or the danger it can pose to her body. Until her own body had stopped moving anymore, laying helplessly and powerless on the ground.

She doesn't know why she was feeling despair for the Arc boy but the thought of him dying scared her. She just prayed, hoping that he would come out alive.

The snake coiled high above into the air, miasma slowly coming out, gazing down at its prey. Before it can get closer, something move from the corner of its eyes. Jaune appeared from the gas, running towards him at high speed, cheeks slightly puff as he swung his shield forward.

It turned its body to the side to let the shield miss the target and smash its tail to his side, sending him rolling on the ground a few feet away. He use his hand and feet to stop himself by sinking his finger into the dirt and charging back.

He did everything he could, dodge, strike, analyze, and amp, but those were useless against the monster. It easily tank his attack, strike him, and gradually killing him. It was just playing with him like a toy, not seeing him as a threat. And what he can get from those fail attempts was that he can't hurt it with his fist or shield, as every time he hit it, there's not a scratch left behind.

All the air had leave his lungs at this moment, suffocating him into unconsciousness. In instinct, he opened his mouth, taking a deep breath to desperately fill his lung with the air he needed and coughing when the poison entered his body.

He felt nauseous and in pain instantly, his strength soon gradually left him like there's a hole inside his body. It took everything he had to just stay upright. He needed something to help him, running away wasn't an option anymore, he must kill it now or never and he required something to help him. In search for a weapon, his eyes landed on the family heirloom.

He began to tense at the sight of it, images of Penny's dead body and all of his friends Look at him in hatred, haunting him like a ghost... He shut his eyes tight, he can't do it, he can't use it, he wasn't worthy to wield anymore. But if he doesn't, both he and Neo will be kill and he doesn't want that to happen. He need to do something, looking on the broken sword once again and slowly approaches to it with hesitation and tremble.

For the last time, please help me one more time.

His hand grips around the handle and pulls it out from his hand, the sheath unfolds, the sharp edge extending out into a longsword. Holding it with both hands beside him, he looked on with determination.

With the mythical beast, feeling to end the game, decides to propel itself, opening its mouth monstrously possible to eat him whole. With the last bit of strength, Jaune ducked down, allowing it to pass him without any harm. He then took the momentum of his enemy to his advantage by bringing out his sword and swing it, slicing into its scales.

The pain of sword cutting its way into the body made know, looking at the fresh wounds on the lower half and back on Jaune, anger by the fact this weakling had injured the king.

Jaune felt his strike was too shallow, the weight was really off and the empty space inside it throw him off. Losing most of the blade really make it awkward to use it, like he was using a new weapon that's broken. However, it can cut through the armor and that's the only thing he need now.

It lunged at him and Jaune jumped back, striking its side and wounding it. It turn swiftly and keep going for the attack, charging and letting out a quick slash with its body as Jaune tanked or dodged it and slicing back at it.

They stopped after a few minutes fighting as they have a staredown contest with each other. Both were wounded but Jaune had it worse than the snake who have minor injuries and cuts. Aura almost gone, chest plate was missing, legs were trembling like leaf, hands was beginning to refuse to listen anymore, everything look blurry, and every beat of the heart hurt even more. He knew that he was at the last leg, if he couldn't end it now, he would die, Neo too would die and he couldn't allow it. He mustered every bit of his strength he had left, pushing his body and aura even more as he get into a stance for one more strike.

Sensing danger for the first time in this battle, it faltered back slightly before noticing something, it just feel fear at the lowly being, afraid enough to make the king of snakes fall back, it angered the snake greatly as it lashed out. Jaune was startled for a second before raising his sword to block the assault, the movements were too unpredictable and wild to escape as its body struck him and destroyed everything nearby, trees, mushrooms, rocks, and the ground were demolished as dirt cloud began to form around. After minutes of rampage, it stopped when it couldn't feel the boy anymore, confused, it looked back where he was a second ago.

The small human was gone and there're footprints on the dirt. Alarm by the answer, it scanned the surrounding for the knight instantly before sensing something above. It looked up and see a silhouette of man from the mix clouds of dirt and poison, growing bigger and bigger.

Jaune come out flying in the air at high speed with his sword in his right hand, shocking the beast as he crashed onto its head and staggering it. He grabbed it by the scales and immediately went for the brain while the beast was still disorients from the collision. The sword was hurled down with every he got left and collided, only for it to get rebounded off the scales which horrified him.

Slamming the sword down over and over again in persistent to meet with the same result. While the snake just watch on the futile and meaningless struggle after it regained focus and trashed around to get him off.

Soon, he can feel his body losing its strength and pain spreading through, eyesight becomes hazy, eyelids heavy, grip become loosen even more on the scales and the sword was almost out of his clutch.

He was tired and hurt, he has been fighting monsters for months and carrying trauma that weight him down for years. He just want to go back home to take rest and let the pain and suffering to melt away. Maybe, he can stop trying and let others to deal with everything, he's pretty much useless in a fight so what's the point? Closing his eyes for minutes won't hurt anyone anyway... He suddenly gripped harder on the handle and the beast's scale.

The snake suddenly felt a cold and dark presence, putting an end to its movement as a sudden urge to run away creeps its way into the snake, to escape immediately from this weird being, the bloodlust emitted from this prey like something in the abyss stared quietly at it, ready to kill at anytime. However, its pride of the king won't allowed it to do so.

The poison miasma being poured out even further, submerging the area and him into deadly smoke. Blood vessel bulging out on Jaune's body as blood arising out of his eyes, nose, and mouth. He feel the agony increased, stabbing his body like a hot knife and lava flowing into his vein. It then smashed its head to the ground and tree, hurting him even further as his aura tried to protect as best as it can. And yet, he gritted his teeth, enduring through the suffering and forced himself to fight on.

He wasn't a fighter and he know this. He's the weakest of weak among the group and always sit on the sidelines while his friends deal with most the problem. It becomes even more clearly after he unlocked his semblance, a semblance to heal and buff others. At first, he was glad to have that power, a power that can protect his friends and people around him.

However, he was completely wrong. Even with it, he couldn't save them from Cinder or Salem not matter what he did. He then realized, nothing had change, he was still the weak Jaune Arc when he got into Beacon, sitting on the sidelines while his friends risking their life in the war.

And he doesn't want that to keep going. He want to change, to become someone who can protect them. Can he stop? Of course not, he need to keep moving on.

He was a support and he know this, however this time he won't stay by and let his friends die, he will become a fighter and grow stronger to save them not matter what the obstacle was, even if that means fighting the gods and that's a promise.

A sudden but a similar feeling crawl into his soul, it's parallel to the one he feel at his first meet with Grimm. Without warning, his body light up in white Aura, blinding the creature momentarily as a white gauntlet engulfed both of his hands. The sharp-edge of its tips pierced through the tough scales and breaking it like it was nothing.

The snake felt a sharp pain on the head, snapping its attention back towards the attacker. The presence it once felt come back with a more sinister feeling in it when the sight of the prey come into view. His eyes had become completely white with slight red tint tainted them, vein covered his face, mouth wide open and teeth showing like a savage animal.

A heavy pressure weighted on the beast, trembling at the presence of the beings, no... a monster who was on top of its head. It didn't do anything or more like couldn't as if every part of its body had stopped listening, leaving the king of snakes as a helpless prey like Neo and Jaune once before.

Jaune raised the broken heirloom up high to the side and with a shine, a white aura construct overlay the blade like a coat. Without missing a beat, he swings the sword to the snake head, slicing the head of the rest of the body cleanly and cutting into the dirt slightly just from the force of his strength as blue blood spatter out, overlaying the dirt and himself.

Both of the snake's body part and Jaune plummeted down and crashed onto the ground, creating a loud thump noise. The snake lay there, unmoving and lifeless.

While Jaune, who was barely on his last leg and at his knees from the fall, still holding on the handle with his trembling hand for a moment longer, not sure what he should do next before letting it go and pushed down with both hand and staggered to his feet, breathing raggedly and coughing at the same time.

As the smoke diminishes, Neo caught the vision of the bloody blonde, standing on the giant snake's corpse. His clothes had soaked the blood and hug tightly to his muscles, his long yellow hair swept back and mix with blood as the blue liquid running down on his face, eyes halfway closed because of exhaustion.

Her chest suddenly burned in warmth, her heartbeat rose a bit, butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the sight of him. Looking down at her chest and place a shaky palm over, she wondered why she was suddenly feeling like this, was she sick? Did the poison cause this emotions? She doesn't know. Her eyes wander back to the boy, heat in her cheeks as she found herself staring at him with the warmth and butterflies increasing ever so slightly, knowing that he was alright.

However, not everything were alright.

Feeling something had dripped out his nose, Jaune looked down to find red liquid, his blood, slowly leaking out. More blood began to expel extremely fast from the mouth.

His vision falling closer and closer to the ground as his head landed to the side, his body felt cold and without any energy. The last thing he saw was Neo's horrified expression as darkness take over.

Not yet...

—————————

A crackling of fire and heat of it can be felt, awoken Jaune and slowly opened his eyes to see a giant light in front of him which change to a normal campfire as his eyes adjust to the surroundings. He was back at one of their base, the world around him were dark with the only light source was the fire. He tried his best to move but fail as his body still refused to listen, deciding to just move his neck and scanned the area, he found Neo, sitting on a tree, face down with distress paint over her face

"Hey..." He said weakly.

The word's effect was immediately, gaining Neo attention as she became shock at his awakening. She didn't do anything, just a moment with a pause before began her sign language.

'How are you?' She looked worriedly.

"Still can't move too much but a lot better." Looking at his hand as he tried to move it, only met with a twitching finger. Still, at least he wasn't in pain anymore. "How long have I been out for?" He brings his head up to gaze her.

She brings 8 of her fingers up, indicating he had been in a coma for 8 hours. He nodded as he just laid back against the tree, reflecting about the last battle they had encountered so he can improved their battle strategy if they engaged with another monster. It was especially at the last moment, about the gauntlet and sword made of aura he had produced. He wondered if he can recreated it again to help him in a fight and lack of offense, though It used a ton of aura, he felt his aura just went to drain just like that when he did it.

He then took notice of the gaze he was getting from the girl, turning his head and face with her trouble look.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She looked away in doubt for a second and back to him.

'Why are you doing all of this?'

"Do what?" He raised an eyebrow.

'Try to help me and make me work together with you. Even go as far to protect me with your life.' She questioned.

"I mean, you save me a whole lot more before. I just want to even the score you know." He said jokily.

'Just answer my question... please.' She said instantly without room for any joke.

He stared without saying anything before answering it. "To make sure you won't kill my friends." He said easily with a shrug.

She narrowed her eyes and construct a medium size note in her hands. There was a lot of time she need to speak with him about their plan for the future and killing Cinder, and most of it would take quite a long time if she did her sign language to tell him. She usually use her scroll to speak by using the voice function before but they didn't have those in there. To deal with that problem, he gives her idea to create some book or paper and just make the word manifest so he can see it much easier and faster, and it worked.

'Don't lie to me... If you really want to protect your friends, it's better for you to just kill me to make sure I won't be a danger to them anymore but you didn't do that. You also didn't have to help me or risk your life for me but you did, and not only that you told me to stay with you, help me found my weapon for me, and let me sleep without you doing anything to me.' She stand up.

'I help the destruction of Beacon, I stole from people, I kill people and torture them, I not a good person.' She take one step closer and another with each word. At this point, she was in front of him. She looked down on him as he looked up to her.

'So tell me why... why did you save me?' She asked, almost desperately.

His eyes glanced up at her before dropping to the red sash around his waist.

"Because like you... I lost someone who was important to me, Someone who believe in me and tries to help me. But that person is gone, it hurt my heart to know the person isn't alive because I'm too weak to prevent it." His trembling hand petted the sash slowly with a sad look.

The memories of him and Pyrrha train together came into his mind, a memory of her that still stung him even after he had accepted the reality.

He focused on her eyes again with a melancholy smile. "So believe me when I say I understand your pain."

She was shocked by his answer, but also furious. Squeezing her hands until it becomes white and aura protected it from hurting itself. He dare to compare his life to her own, who did he think he was, he doesn't know about her life or what she've had been through. She grabbed by his collar and kneeling down to his eye level, startling him.

'So it's because you pity me?' The words began to manifested on the note in his right hand.

'So what if you know my pain? Do you think I will just become your friend because you lost your little friend and protecting me? Welp, screw you! I had known Roman longer than your red hair partner! We went through a lot! Save each other!... You will never understand how I feel.' She finished as she put her index finger on his chest.

He didn't reply or let out a word, staring to her eyes with hurt fill in his eyes. Her chest suddenly ached out of nowhere but still keeping her firm expression, she erased the note and spin around to take rest or do something else, at least to keep her busy from this talk.

"You are right." Jaune finally answered back.

Neo looked back in disbelief, not expecting that answer from the blond idiot that care so much about his partner.

"I have only know Pyrrha for 10 months and that hurt me a lot. I can't phantom how much it pained you... losing someone that care about you and you care about them for a long time..." He gazed back with a sad look. "But I want to help you and carry some of your pain."

Neo just glared at him for moments without saying anything. The atmosphere was so intense that a knife can cut it through like jelly. And yet, he didn't backdown or wilt under her gaze. She turn around all of a sudden and walk away with a huff.

Jaune watched her, grabbing her weapon and disappearing into the woods. He assumed she will go out and kill more weaker beast or rabbit, to let out some steam. He didn't follow her because he trust her despite that sound really dumb. Leaning his back against the tree and gazing the skies, his mind wondered back to the conversation with one thought lingering inside.

Did I do the right thing?

—————————

A few days later after the talk, they just have small conversations with small answers or while they were hunting for food. He tried to start a conversation but she didn't even bat an eyes at him or tell anything about herself. Maybe she was still angry at him about his "I know how you feel" comment earlier.

"Neo..." He called out for her.

She didn't answer or look back at him, walking along the road as if she was alone in the world. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, not knowing what or how to close the diverge between them.

Running his mind to some past memories with his sister, he tried to find something that could help him now. Even though she was a killer or an assassin who help the destruction of two kingdoms, she still a girl after all.

And he got 2 ways which may aid him in this mission. First, it's give her sweets or some kind of gift she would appreciate. But, they were in a island where there weren't any shop to buy a present. He could go back to the candy-land and let her eat it... even so, it was on the other side of the island which they need to travel back through the mushroom section where they fought the giant snake. Not only was it dangerous, the journey would take days before they can arrived.

The second one, was to distract her from the memories that make her infuriated by doing something fun. Then, he need to say sorry and fix everything in that time. This one was much easier and quicker to do so he chose this one. Still, the question stands even now, how will he divert it from her mind.

Wondering the method in order to do that, a glimpse of white stuff made of water caught his eyes as an idea struck him. And it was a very, very bad idea which may cost him his life and make it even worse. Despite his mind telling him to not do it, he proceeds with the plan, hoping he would succeed and survive.

As Neo strolling the place, her mind replayed at that moment. That goodie two shoes hero, who try to replace Roman. They may have partnered up to kill Cinder and work together for now, he just a business partner and no more than that. After they killed Cinder, they will go to separate way and never met again... Although that's what she was telling herself.

To be honest, her chest aches when she yelled at him, even on her hunting spree and the present. She couldn't get his pained expression out of her mind not matter what she did, the pain was always there, lurking her everywhere she go.

A small part of her didn't want to see him go and leave her alone again, in the dark and cold world, the thought of him slowly get farther and farther because of her made her chest tighten until it hurt. It infuriated her so much, she just wanted to know why she was feeling like this.

Something soft and cold suddenly hit right beside her head, knocking the thought away. She stood there, froze and try register what just had happen. She slowly turned her head at the victim that will get stabbed for throwing something at her.

Neo then faces against the blonde fool, standing on snow with his hand outstretch like he just had thrown something. A nervous smile invade his features as she give him the dirty look.

He raised his hand in surrender and smiled awkwardly.

"I am sorry..." He responded as he brings his shoulder up slightly.

Neo was completely silent, not just because she was mute, she didn't do anything for a brief moment. Making him more scared than before, a quiet girl who was angry was more dangerous and scary than a loud girl who was angry. Well, technically she always quiet but that doesn't change it.

A mischievous smile take hold of her face, sending a cold shiver run down his spine as she break like glass. He turned his head around and keep his guard up for anything come at him.

Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he looked back at lightning speed. A pale black hair woman standing behind him. A right eye was hanging around with blood coming of it like tears and empty in the other one, despite there weren't any eyes in any of it, there were red irises on both of the eye sockets, gazing at his very soul. Her cheeks were ripped open like she was smiling creepily 24 hours and showing the inside of her mouth. Her left arm was missing, gut coming out and through her white sundress.

She open her mouth and mouthed one word.

'Boo.'

A weird looking blue birds flew away from the surrounding area as a girl screamed loudly through out the island.

Jaune placed one of his hand on top on his heart and the other against the tree. His heart was beating like crazy, taking a small and fast breath to calm himself and his mind. The image of the scary woman still remain in his mind.

"Neo! don't do that ever again." He exclaimed with his hand that was on the tree pointed at her, she smirked teasingly for the reply. Well, it's what he wanted for and he paid the price for doing so.

Feeling something land on his shoulder, his head turned to the side and stared at the snow resting on his shoulder. He looked up and see the snow on the tree gradually falling down. More and more of it become loose as he can only said one thing.

"Oh poop..." After he open his mouth, the snow immediately buried him and gobble his form up, like Ruby eats her cookies.

Neo was stunned to do anything, she get into a crouch position, hands over her mouth, trying to hold the laugh but failed. She was too distracted to notice that Jaune had dig himself out of the pile of snow, giving her some threatening but harmless look.

As she keep giggling, another snow hit her on her back. Stopping her laughter and looked back at him. He was out of his prison white snow, standing there with a smirk on his face that look like he's ready to do something.

"Let's have a snowball fight, not aura or semblance. Just the two of us and the snow around here." He exclaimed, snowballs ready in his hand.

She stands there quietly briefly before smirked back for a response.

Jaune and Neo started their snowball fight, throwing snow at each other. Or more like the beat down of him. Her small frame and flexibility allow her to dodge everything he throw, her aim were also very sharp, hitting the target almost all the time. However, his stamina and endurance allowed him to take it and throw twice as much of snow.

Some enjoyment and happiness spread through them, smiling as they did so.

After hours of playing.

They're on the ground, breathing heavily with a delight smiled on their face. Not a word from either of them, just laying there and taking some rest.

Neo was fine of doing that, it was the first in a long time she have fun, and her chest wasn't aching, like the pain wasn't there anymore and was replaced by a calm and warm feeling. Though, the blonde knight cut the stillness between them and speak something

"I'm sorry..." Jaune began, making her looked in confusion.

"I'm not Roman, your partner in crime, I can't replace him in your heart. I also haven't done anything to gain your trust, I'm aware about that fact..." He looked to the side and their eyes met. "But I want to let you know, you can talk to me and share your pain with me if you want." He smiled softly.

They stared at each other for a moment, with Jaune's heartbeat increasing ever so slightly. Even though it was only a couple of seconds for her. For him, it was like hours, waiting nervously for her answer like everything, his survival and Remmant was depend on this one answer. She let out a tired sigh and smiled a bit at him.

'Sure... not like I have any other choice. You would still try and befriend me even if I say no, am I right?' She signed and grinned like she already know the answer.

Jaune just smiled happily.

—————————

As time goes since their talk, they become more and more closer than before.

She even began to open herself to him. They talk to each other about past and family. Neo even tell him about her old family, with how they abused her and only using her for their own benefits. It make his blood boil in rage, well until she told him that Roman had save her from that hell and give her something to live. She then begin to tell some adventures she had with Roman

It make him realize that Roman isn't a really bad guy, well he's still a bad guy, stealing a lot of money and kill some people. However, he only do it because he need the money to live with Neo, and some for his selfish greed too of course. And the people he kill were bad people, a really, really bad people that took pleasure from hurting other people in worst possible ways. He was against killing people of course but if he must do it to protect himself or Neo, he will do it immediately. His respect for Roman skyrocketed to the point he feel like he can be a great friend.

He also tell her about his own family and life. If Neo can speak, she would laughed like a hyena at the part where he tell that his sister dressed him up like a girl on many occasion. Well, her body was shaking and she was holding her stomach. Indicating that she did find it hilarious, and he was glad that he can make her laugh like that, it fills him with warmth feeling.

She love to mess with him. Either by poking him in the butt with her umbrella or using her semblance to scare him, making him scream like a little girl. She would always give him a mischievous smile at the end of the prank. He doesn't know why but in the past, every time she smiled like that, his heart skip a beat with a slightest tinge of red on his cheek as he looked away in embarrassment. Now, he just feel happy every moment of it and burst out laughing along with her.

Although, as much as she cause him trouble almost everyday and didn't want to admit it, she still care about him. When they're facing a tough opponent, she could've just left when the situation in dire but she didn't. She stay throughout the fight and save him on numerous occasions, and scold him for doing something really dangerous and stupid. He was happy to see this side of her.

He soon got attached to her kind and sassy attitude, laughing together when he got prank or telling an embarrassing story of each other, feeling worry when she got hurt, feeling anger towards the beast that did it, and feeling relief when she was alright. Everything about her made his heart calm and safe, filling it with some happiness he never thought of receiving after Penny's death, wanting to stay by her side even more.

But... does he deserve it? Deserve this happiness and a great partner like Neo?

All he has ever done was hurting his friends and killing them because of his incompetent. Will it happen to Neo too? Will his clumsiness harm her in any shape or way? Will she fade away from his life, leaving him alone again because of his weakness? The question hurt his soul and leaves a hollowness in his heart.

Despite that, he still keep going forward and fight. He can't stop or give up yet cause he made a promise to himself. Even if that mean jumping into hell itself.

At least he still have Neo with him.

—————————

On a cold and windy night.

Jaune sat on watch, keeping an eye out for any danger. With no clear danger present, he glanced at Neo's prone form as she slept with her back to him. Certain it was safe, and Neo was deep in her sleep, he stood up and left to begin his nightly training. Unaware that the girl was slowly get up and look at his direction with an uncertain look on her face.

After reaching his destination, he stretched his joints before bringing up his hand and clenched it to a fist with a serious look on his face. He send a quick right and left jab into the air, uppercut and left hook, and roundhouse kick. Every punches and kicks let out wind currents as the grass get slightly blown away. He would sometimes jump to the side or ducked down like he was dodging an attack.

He did this without any break or rest for a moment. He just keep punching, kicking, and dodging to build and train his body, pushing well over its limit.

Using his semblance to energize himself to stay awake and keep going. He found out after 1 week that aura can make the user less tired, and with the help of his semblance, he effectively can work for almost 24 hours without any sleep. Well, He still need around 1-2 hours of rest per a day or two to function normally.

He didn't do it just because for their safety or to grow stronger. It's for keeping out the nightmares he have been keep experienced in his sleep after he killed Penny. He still can't look Croceo Mors without seeing Penny's dead body and her lifeless eyes.

He kept doing this for 7 and a half month and maybe even longer if not for that one day that made the destructive lifestyle come to a stop.

As Jaune fighting some imaginary opponents, the sound of bush rustling send a signal to him. Turning around to face the danger with his hand covered with white armor of aura, ready to strike whatever that thing was. However, he calm down once he saw it's Neo coming out of the forest, the aura on his hands disappeared and letting out a sigh of relief. That relief immediately turn into worry when he see the trouble look on her face.

"What's wrong Neo? Another nightmares? can't sleep?" He asked with concern clear in his voice as he got in front of her.

She shake her head, making Jaune a bit confused.

"So why are you awake?" He run his eyes through their surrounding, to make sure there weren't any danger he just miss.

'This isn't healthy.' She signed.

"What do you mean?" He was more confused as he looked back at the assassin.

'All of this.' She gestured around them. 'Train every night and push your body without rest.'

Jaune sighed, remembering the argument he once had with someone in the Atlas, telling him that his training routine was harmful to his body.

"I need to get stronger." He argued back.

'But it will cause the opposite, it will cause more harm to your body than good.' She tried to reason with him, but it's futile.

"I have my semblance to heal everything so you don't need to worry about it." He waved it off.

She gritted her teeth but still continue on. 'You also need to stop doing something dangerous like take the enemies head on or take a dangerous hit for me.' She can feel her frustration slowly rising.

"I have big aura reserve and my semblance, I will be fine if I a take few hit." Once again, he shrugged her worried again.

'Why couldn't you just listen to me?!' She clutched her hand tightly, her frustrate was now reached at the limit by how stubborn he was, she just went him to listen.

"I need to protect you." He answered.

'Protect me? What about your life?' She isn't some kid that need to be take care of or to be protect, she can do it by herself like she always does when she's alone, but the answer from him shook her very being.

"My life isn't worth for anything." He simply tell her.

Neo was frozen in place with shock expression. She was shock not because of the fact he just said that or how easily he said. But the way he said it was like someone when people see Grimm as a monster or huntsman and huntress as a protector, acceptance. Like it's a normal thing and already accepted it as the truth.

*SLAP*

Suddenly, a sound of flesh hitting another flesh run through the air. He now was facing to his right, his left cheek was burning red with pain but his aura immediately heal the bruises, for how small Neo it's, she can hit really hard. Jaune turn back to Neo slowly with his hollow eyes. Her whole face was red and teeth clenched together to the point her mouth was twitching with her right hand stretch out. She look like she was about to explode.

She then did something that left him dumbfounded. She suddenly grab him by the collar to pull him down, and grasp the back of his head and pull him closer to her face. Soon his eyes widened in shock as she pressed her lips against his, closing her eyes as she did so.

He was surprised at first but slowly melt into the kiss as he closed his eyes too. He instinctively hold her waist and pull her closer to his body. He felt her breast press against his chest, they were soft even beneath the fabric.

Her tongue tried to enter his mouth, pushing it against his lips, so he let her in. Their tongues wrestle hungrily against each other with Neo winning the fight. She gently brushes his hair with her delicate small fingertips while he hold her waist to feel her body. They wanted air to breathe but not at the cost of stopping.

Finally, they broke the kiss, leaving a trail of saliva. They were breathing heavily as they stared to each other eyes with pure love and affection in their eyes before looking away from each other with a blush. The beating of his heart resonated loudly in his ears as he can taste ice cream from her lips, not knowing Neo was also in the same condition. But there was one thing in his mind that he want to ask her.

Jaune swallowed a lump in his throat and gathered his courage. He turn back to her and began to speak.

"D-do you l-love me Neo?" He flustered the words horribly.

He winced at his stutter.

Damn my awkwardness for striking me now of all the time, why now?

She was fidgeting around like a teenager girl that had a crush and was speaking in front of him, this was so weird to look at because she was Neo, a girl that will kick everyone's ass or kill them if they call her a midget or small. He never see her like this when they work together or sleep. She begin to create some notebook from her semblance and words begin to appear. He stayed silent as he looked at what she wanted to say to him.

'When I first see you in Beacon... I thought you are just a weak and useless kid who can't do anything and will probably die in the real world...' She looked away nervously when the word was written, there's a hint of shame on her face. But Jaune can't argue with that fact, he was the weakest in the whole Beacon because unlike everyone else, he had no prior huntsman training. Hell, he doesn't know what aura was until he got into Beacon and his late partner unlocked it. A memory still stung him till this very day, wonder if he didn't go to Beacon, would Pyrrha get a good partner and survive?

She take a deep breath before looking back to him with a small smile. 'But when I see you now, I see a kind, strong, and brave man that will do anything for their friends, who would change fate itself to make sure his friends were okay.' As each word appeared on the note, the smile slowly turn into a sad one.

'Slowly, I feel something for you, is it love? Lust? Or other emotions? I don't know what's the feeling that I felt for you... But I told myself that you hate me... that you didn't want anything to do with me... because of me your life become miserable... because of me a lot of people around you get hurt... because of me your best friend hate you... because of me you had to kill your friend... hell, because of me your partner was taken away from you...' Her hand began to tremble. 'I tried to bury it... hoping this felling just went away already... because I don't deserve your love... however, it just won't go away'

'Every time you hug me when I had a nightmares, smiled at me, make me laugh, the feelings just keep growing stronger and stronger to the point I can't ignored it anymore...' She look up to him with tears staining her face, trying her best to smiled.

'Every time you hug me, I feel safe and warm inside... every time you smile at me, I feel a butterfly flutter in my stomach... every time you make me laugh, I feel like I was at home... call me selfish... but I want to be always be your side in the future forever.' She smiled lovingly at him, despite the tears on her face.

But the smile abruptly vanished from her face, eyes wandering to the ground in pain. He reached out his hand in concern and was slapped away, soon more words appeared on the note.

'After Roman death... I was so lost and fill with rage, I wanted to kill the person that kill him even it cost my life. I was so blind with rage that I was easily lied, betrayed, get used like a tool, like my parent did once before... After everything had happen, I was ready to give up and die right there and then... But you save me, giving me hope and another reason to live.' The words stop appearing for a second before they continue.

'It pain my heart when I hear you say... you don't care about your own life. Do you have the slightest idea how I feel when I see you always push yourself to your limit without caring about your health, takes every attack to just protect me. Or the times when you ignored your wounds or got seriously hurt and almost died.' Neo whole body began to tremble as she gripped the note tightly, crack appears on it.

'I can't lose another person that I care about, not after Roman...'She looked up to him, a new tears forming in her eyes and began to fall and land to the dirt with a quavering mouth. 'If I lose you too... it will break my soul forever...'

Her left hand tugged at his shirt slightly, making his whole body tensed like a rock. 'Don't you remember... what you had said to me on that snowfield... that I can talk to you and share my pain with you if I want?... You can also do it with me...'Her gripped firmly, looking down with her hair cover her eyes as the sound of Sniffle can be heard.

'So please... Don't push me away...'

Jaune just stood there, emotionless and words lost in his throat as Neo silently cried and wiping the tears away. He tried to comprehend what she just said. surprised by the fact how much he meant to her and she was also in love with him and he didn't know it all this time. He's really a dense person huh? He glanced over at Neo again, she had already let go of him as she's wiping the tears from her face with her arms.

The look of her sorrowful and in pain tuck on his heartstring. He doesn't know why it hurt his heart but he doesn't want to see that emotions on her face ever again. Soon, his eyes regain some of its light back.

On instinct, he take 1 step forward and envelope her into a big hug. Neo tensed at the sudden hug and her breath was caught for a second. It become silent for a moment, not knowing what to do or say but Jaune began to speak.

"I'm sorry for making you worried and hurting you... But I just can't let anyone else dies because of me... I am so afraid... that if I just take a rest or stop for a second... I can't get up anymore and cause more pain and death around me... This feeling won't disappear so that's why I can't stop yet." Neo was about to slap him again, thinking that he was too stubborn to see how much he meant to her, but his next statement stop her from doing it.

"However, I will stop this nightly training and train less for now on, I will also try to take care of myself better if that is what you want... But, I will still protect you and train together. Is that okay?" Feeling it's was enough, she nodded as she hugged back, still looking at the ground. They didn't say anything for a moment and let the noise from nature fill their ears, Jaune then began to speak again.

"And Neo... about your feeling for me..." He tried to bring up the confession, Neo's cheeks began to flushed as she jump a little in his arms, if she has her voice she would let out a surprise but cute "Kyaa!!!". She was too emotional that she accidentally let that out. She promptly bury her face into his chest in embarrassment... still slightly gazing up at him, waiting for his answer. His heart melted a little at the sight, she look just like a small kitten.

Knowing there's no way out, he shared his thoughts.

"At first, I saw you on Cinder side... I thought of you as someone that's only after power... A girl who will do anything just to get what they want, even sacrifice other... and your partner... So I hold no trust in you, hating your very existence because I thought you are just like her" every word that came out from his mouth was breaking her heart pieces to pieces, she can only grip tightly and press her face against his chest as he can feel his shirts become a little bit moist.

Jaune gently caressed her right cheek and make her looked up to him. A tender pink and white eyes stared back in anguish and sadness with tears raining down from them and quivering mouth. He can feel his soul get pierced by a imaginary javelin and his heart tighten to the point it's starting to hurt.

He takes a deep breath and stare deep into her beautiful and captivating eyes before continue. "But when I saw you at the beach, I realize that you are nothing like Cinder. You're just a girl who had lost someone important and consumed by grief and regret. The more I interact with you, see your smile, your kind and soft side. I saw a fun and caring girl who loves messing with me, and will always look out for my sake and won't betray me, not matter what." He said with a smile as her eyes widen in shock and slight hope in them while Jaune was still in dilemma.

He doesn't know if it's alright for him to do this, to start something with Neo. This will affect their relationship forever, if things don't work out or something had happen to one of them, it will cause divergence and scar over them. And Pyrrha also love him but she had died because of him, and her death has forever burn into his soul like a ghost haunted him, reminding his failure. For a long time, he thought he was still in love with his late partner, that no one can fill that hole. However...

"I also feel strongly for you." Jaune said, her heart skip a beat at that word.

He now know that he wasn't in love with Pyrrha like her. When they kissed, there wasn't any spark or anything, it just made him slightly uncomfortable. She loved him like a lover but he saw her as a family, he loved her like a big sister who always there to help and protect him. No... he has always knows this from the beginning, he just tried to love her. The reason why he tried to lie to himself was because he felts he would betray her, because he didn't give her his answers. But he can't keep up with the lies anymore.

He liked Neo, there's not denying it anymore. Unlike his kiss with his old partner, he felt something from it, like it just click in his mind, feeling that she was more than just a friend.

"I don't know what I feel about you... is it love? Is it lust? Or other feeling... I also don't know... and I'm afraid with all of this, afraid to know that you love me, afraid to know that there's a chance that I have a romantic feeling for you, afraid to start something with you... afraid of losing you..." her hands began to grip tighter on his back.

"But I do know something that I want..." He began, tightening the hug but not to the point of hurting or causing discomfort, closing his eyes and resting his chin on her head as he let out the words. "I want to stand by your side until the end of time." He finished, she didn't reply or write anything, dropping the note and letting it shatter as the sound of cold wind swaying the trees fill the air. Neo slowly melts into the hug, wrapping her arms around him. They stay there for a while, still hugging and enjoying each other presences to their heart's content under the moonlight.

Present

He can't help but let a small smile tugged at his lips, their first encounter properly, their talk, their fight, and their confession. He remembers it all.

If someone had said that they will go out with each other when they first meet, both will look at that person like there's something wrong with them.

But now, she had become one if not the most important things that happened in his life, she was the shining sun in his darkest moments, she save him and he wouldn't trade her for the world.

Petting her head slowly in a comforting manner. She smiled at the touch, snuggling closer and wrapping her tiny hands around him.

He then kissed her temple, causing her to giggle silently. He didn't realize that a smile also had invaded his face as he pulled her closer.

Gazing to the dark sky as more of the embers from the fire twist and swirl in the air and stars shining in the sky, wondering about the future will hold for them.

"But no matter what the future hold for us, we will face it together." Gazing onward the dark and beautiful night.

[discordapples]

PT. 7 Third Wheel

Word count: 1.7k (7 mins read)

Characters: Sebastian Sallow, Livia Novik, Ominis Gaunt.

Summary

Sebastian introduces Livia to Ominis. Ominis is roped into his friends' schemes to steal a relic from headmaster Black's office, while Sebastian senses this quest is only the beginning of a journey that is utterly and solemnly up to no good.

Read the seventh chapter below.

Sebastian | Hogwarts, Late August, 1893.

It is well past curfew when Sebastian and Livia make it to the Slytherin common room. Aside from the occasional glance around, Livia appears unbothered by the fact they are trampling through a few rules. 

Drifting from her, the same perfume that trailed Sebastian into his dreams last night. It bled out into the morning, too, as if a piece of her had been wedged between gum and teeth for him to pathetically suck on when the need for another hit arose.

What is it with this girl?

Is it the cutting wit? Her wand game? The hint of a Slavic accent leaching out when she speaks his name? The way her scant smiles feel deserved—earned?

Sebastian needs to focus on something else than the itch she leaves in his mind… And avoiding being caught is just as effective as a cold shower.

The living room is empty, save for the hiss of flames, and Sebastian steers left towards the stairwell. Together, they tiptoe up, silent as graves, and come to the dorm Sebastian shares with Ominis.

He opens the door and peers inside to find his friend sitting at the desk, hunched over a pile of books. 

“Late, as always,” Ominis chides him. “You’ll be grateful to know that while you were playing with your wand, I located the book you were after in the restricted section.”

“Playing with my wand?” 

The innuendo snatches a smirk from Sebastian. Next to him, Livia’s lips curl upwards likewise. 

Ominis turns on his chair, and for a moment, Sebastian thinks he can smell his shirt’s burned fibers or the irony tang of blood on it, but it’s neither the fire nor the blood Ominis sinks his teeth into… “Who are you with?”

How does he know? How does he always know?

Livia’s back stitches itself to the door, as if she regrets outstaying her welcome. 

In response, Sebastian slumps on his bed hoping to iron out the pleats tension has made in the Ravenclaw’s composure with his nonchalance. “Livia Novik, this is Ominis Gaunt. Don’t let his blind guy act fool you… He only does it to soften womanly hearts.”

“She shouldn’t be here,” Ominis hisses. “She’s not Slytherin, and it’s way past curfew.”

Sebastian cannot help but roll his eyes. This, too, Ominis has learned to taste on the air. “Haven’t you realized after eight years that the argument about breaking rules isn’t really a deterrent to me?”

“I’m well aware you’re a lost cause, but maybe she isn’t.”

“I feel a little embarrassed to say,” Livia chimes in gingerly, “but I don’t mind either.”

An odd pride shrugs into Sebastian’s chest. Livia’s clay is soft for the crime, and he wonders just how far she will go to get what she wants—how much her aspirations shape her.

“Fuck’s sake…” Ominis sighs in exasperation. “And here I thought this eighth year would be a quiet one. Should’ve insisted I’d bunk with someone else…”

“Oh, stop whining,” Sebastian derides him. “You’re embarrassing me in front of our guest.”

“A guest that shouldn’t be here…”

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Ominis.” Livia’s apologetic tone finds the dents in the wizard’s armor and he sheds it swiftly, rising from his chair and extending a hand in her direction.

“I didn’t mean to be rude,” he says. “Please forgive me.”

To Livia’s untrained eye, the gesture might seem friendly—almost penitent—but Sebastian knows better.

The little Gaunt boy that hunkered down through his family’s relentless spates of magical torture has found an inclination of his own for the meek and the complacent.

An ironic penchant Sebastian has kept himself from bringing before Ominis’ attention or else jeopardize their friendship.

Unaware of the wicked thoughts that, Sebastian is sure, don’t fail to materialize in Ominis’ mind, Livia shakes the hand offered and parts with a coy smile. “No harm done,” she says candidly before turning to Sebastian. “Now I believe you had me risk detention for a reason?”

“There are many reasons I’d have you risk detention,” he says playfully. “The first is so I have company. The second, to make good on my promise to include Ominis in my adventures, and the third being to have a private place where we can discuss the allegedly brilliant plan you enticed me with earlier, Livia Novik.” He stretches on his bed, his hands cradling his skull. “How does the saying goes? To zap three birds with one spell?”

“To kill two birds with one stone,” Livia and Ominis correct him in unison.

“See?” Sebastian sneers, “You two are already getting along like two beets in a pond.”

“Two peas in a pod…” Ominis feels compelled to rectify. 

Sebastian waves him dismissively. “Whatever… So, what’s this plan of yours, new girl?”

Livia leans against his disorderly desk. Will the pages of Sebastian’s notebook drink her scent and torment him with it when he expects it the least? Livia gives this thought no leeway to swell in Sebastian’s mind when she asks him: “Will you call me new girl for much longer?”

Ominis disgorges a sarcastic chuckle. “He will.”

“Another clause to add to our contract, then,” Livia adds.

 The word takes Sebastian by surprise. “Contract?”

“Spilling all my secrets before two Slytherin boys seems like a very asinine thing to do, wouldn’t you agree?” She crosses her arms before her chest, her eyes steeling. The stare she drags on Sebastian electrifies his chine. “I will reveal the plan to you as we go and if you prove trustworthy. We jest, we caper, we banter, and it’s all in good fun, but I’m not in Hogwarts to fawn over the Quidditch team, fuck through a cortege of boys or to learn how to cast myself out of a paper sack… I’m here to resurrect my brother, and if you two are all talk no walk, I’ll find the Promissum Mortis on my own.”

Ominis frowns. “Resurrection?” 

So does Sebastian. “A cortege of boys?”

Livia is all ice and no honey. “Are you with me, or did I risk detention for nothing?”

“I was with you the moment you cast that Confringo on Reyes, new girl.” Sebastian cracks his knuckles with a smirk. “I know now, it would be unwise to anger you.”

They turn to Ominis, both their gazes cutting enough to make the Slytherin’s brow hike. “I’m not as eager as Sebastian to walk on smoldering charcoals, but I’m not a snitch either. Time will tell if you’re likewise trustworthy, Livia Novik.”

“Acceptable terms,” she replies.

“So?” Sebastian uproots himself from his bunk bed, smoothing his trousers. “It seems like the perfect hour to snatch headmaster Black from the arms of his wet dreams, wouldn’t you say?”

* * *

The Grimfire, Livia Novik tells them, is a silver candle bristling with sharp needles. A thing you can only hold while wearing the Grimweave Gauntlet.

However comical the artefacts’ monikers seem to Sebastian, they aren’t half as absurd as the plan the Ravenclaw comes up with.

“Can you remind me why Ominis is so instrumental to your plan when he wasn’t even slightly enthused about the prospect of stealing from the headmaster?” He asks her as she discards her cloak and leaves it on Sebastian’s desk.

“Are you envious, Sebastian?” Ominis asks him, and his tone is enough a taunt to force Sebastian to inhale deeply through his nose. 

“I’m merely questioning your motives, Ominis…”

“You are quite vocal about your detention record and how… visited it has been,” Livia explains. “Black will believe me too fast if I pretend you nearly assaulted me after you got drunk.”

“Besides, I’m a Gaunt,” Ominis remarks, hammering on the nail of Sebastian’s coffin. “The headmaster won’t risk angering my father without trying to defuse the situation first, whereas he’d commit you to Azkaban without an afterthought if you as much as sneezed on her.”

“Don’t be so smug, Ominis,” Sebastian scowls. “Your bravery will deflate the second Black’s blade hovers above your neck.”

“How you underestimate me…”

“Boys,” Livia interjects, scissoring through the thread of their budding rivalry in one quick snip. “I’d love to be surrendered back to my feathery bed before the dawn rolls in, so could you focus a little?”

Sebastian graces her with a cynical smile as he kiss-feeds her plan back to her to show his assiduity. “Ominis tries to force his way on you. You make a scene and wake half the castle with your shouts, so Professor Weasley will have no choice but to bring you two into Black’s office. As Ominis wields his threats about like Ashwood would his dick, you steal the relic, and while you two are having a blast, I sneak into the restricted section to get my hands on Dovetail’s book. Seems to me like I’m the one doing all the heavy lifting…”

“Perhaps you’d choose Azkaban?” Ominis suggests. “The result would be the same for us, except we wouldn’t have to contend with your whining.”

Before Sebastian can think to retaliate, Livia clears her throat. “Or I could run to Black myself and tell him both of you sequestered me here. You already have my cloak in your possession and it would be a trifle for me to tear holes in my own clothes, muss my hair and make my eyes water.” She flaunts a triumphant smile about. The kind Sebastian aches to stare at as she twists it around his cock. “Which one will it be, chaps?”

“You do have the mind of a Slytherin,” Ominis remarks. “At least it’s one thing Sebastian didn’t lie about. Shall we?”

Leaving the dorm, they traipse through the common room, then spill out into the deserted corridor. 

The moisture of the dungeons clings to Sebastian’s nape and raises hairs on his arms. Somewhere deep inside of him, something rouses. A disquieting unrest that settles in his skull, like a viper in tall grass, waiting for a trespasser to sink its fangs in.

The walls have eyes, perhaps, and there, between the cracks in the timeworn mortar, sidle half a thousand secrets. Hogwarts’ secrets. 

His mother’s voice carries from a moment long lost. The shade of a reminiscence that, in its slow trickle, is more potent than any strychnine:

There are wonderful things hidden behind Hogwarts’ skin, if you know only where to find the loose stitch. But there are sinister things, too. For there could be no light without darkness, and no gold without its weight in coal.

[the-insomniac-emporium]

Serenade (Daniela Dimitrescu/Reader) Pt. 11

Fandom: Resident Evil: Village Rating: T for language Warnings: Nope! Notes: Here we are, a breath away from the end. This features not one, but FOUR songs written by myself. If you only choose to listen to one of them, listen to the final one (Cradle of Heaven), as it is a duet I wrote specifically for this fanfiction, as something that the reader wrote to play together with Daniela. The links to these songs will be within the fanfiction itself, at relevant times. Past Chapters: Pt. 1: Nocturne, Pt. 2: Overture, Pt. 3: Accelerando, Pt. 4: Toccata, Pt. 5: Poco a Poco, Pt. 6: Elegy, Pt. 7: Harmony, Pt. 8: Obbligato, Pt. 9: Berceuse, Pt. 10b: Hymn AMAB

Chapter 11: Cadence

(Cadence: Two chords that mark the end of a song)

The stage is set, the lights are dimmed, your heart pounds within your chest, and the world is yours. Soon, it will be Daniela’s. She is right by your side, as ever, hand gently taking hold of your own. There’s a silent reassurance in her grip, a reminder that the two of you have overcome a plethora of challenges. A promise that this will be no different. Both of you take a deep breath, in sync, before exchanging a quick kiss. All of your hard work has been leading up to the coming moments. Although you are beyond confident in your lover’s abilities, there is a shadow of doubt in the back of your mind. Not for her sake, but surrounding the expectations held by her mother, the standard against which you would be measured.

“Come hell or high water, Songbird, I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise,” Daniela whispers, squeezing your hand again, eyes unblinking as they stare into yours. “You’ve made every right choice, worked harder than anyone I know, and there is nothing more I can ask of you… except another kiss to celebrate afterwards, that is.” Giggling in response gives you the moment you need to relax, nerves fading into the background of your mind. “Now let’s put on a show the likes of which my mother has never seen, mhmm?”

THREE HOURS EARLIER:

“Here, you can borrow my brooch. It’s been in the family for generations, since before we even came to the village, passed down starting with an ancestor who crafted it himself, from materials he scavenged while fleeing his home country,” Daphne rambles, helping you attach the jewelry to your shirt. Thankfully, her hands do not tremble nearly as much as yours have been for the past hour. “I’m more than sure that Lady Daniela will tell you this much, but I feel the need to repeat just how good you look right now. I don’t know where the hell they’ve been hiding this version of our uniform, but damn do I wish I could get one for my next date with Ygritte. Seriously, if you can get one in my size, please do me that favor.”

“Anything for my best friend. Especially after all the times you’ve saved my ass these past few months,” you reply, pausing to give her shoulder an affectionate pat. If not for her constant interference running, someone would have certainly found out about your relationship with Daniela. “Speaking of that… of my life being on the line, I mean… no matter what happens today, no matter what Lady Dimitrescu decides, take care of yourself. You’ve gambled with your own blood to keep me safe, but what I’ve done, what I’ve risked, those were my choices. My consequences. The last thing I’d ever want is for you to pay for them, somehow.”

Rolling her eyes, Daphne gives you a playful shove to the chest, before smoothing out the fabric of your dress uniform. Now she refuses to meet your gaze, a familiar mistiness taking over her brown eyes.

“Nobody around here is stupid enough to think you’ll die today. You managed to get Lady Daniela, of all people, to stay focused long enough to learn some absolutely beautiful pieces of music. You have proved, time and time again, that you are a talented musician, teacher, and ‘servant’. So get out there and kick some metaphorical ass, my friend, because you are ready,” she finally says, offering you what seems to be a handshake. But as soon as your hand meets hers, she’s pulling you in for a hug, holding you tight for a solid minute. When at last you part, you give her what may very well be the last smile she’d ever see gracing your lips.

---------------------------

A hand’s edge against xer forehead, parallel to the ground, kept perfectly flat. From anyone else, it would be mockery. From xer? Honest salute, solidarity in a traditional form, accompanied by a sharp-toothed grin. Mimicking the expression, you wave at Ava, glad to see that xe would be awake for your concert. After your first night with your girlfriend, Daphne had helped arrange for someone to be your “cover story” for sleeping outside of your usual quarters. With Daniela’s input (and jealousy), only one candidate had revealed themselves, in the form of a (conveniently) mute butler with an inconsistent schedule, love of mischief, and somehow the respect of the Dimitrescu family. Now, xe appeared ready to escort you to the location of your trial by fire.

“Are you sure our mutual friend won’t be upset to see the two of us together?” You teased, knowing full well that Ava was one of the only people that Daniela trusted 100% around you. In response, xe gives an exaggerated shrug, then quickly links xer arm with your own. Together you march onwards to your destiny, amused by the way xe practically skipped down the hallway. Maybe there was a certain wisdom to xer shenanigans, a carefree philosophy that encouraged laughter in the face of death, and you embraced the thought with a smile.

Before long, however, the two of you encounter another unlikely pair headed towards the same destination: Lady Cassandra, looking somewhat embarrassed, with an unfamiliar maiden at her side. Their hands are clutching each other desperately, although neither of them dares to look at the other. Instead they both watch you closely from where they’ve paused in the corridor. Oddly unfazed, Ava gives them a short bow of acknowledgement, earning xer a brief nod from Cassandra. Seeming eager to move on, she addresses you quickly before gesturing for you to keep walking.

“Good luck. Don’t fuck this up for Daniela, or I’ll never hear the end of it,” she growls, doing her best to downplay her obvious concern. Wanting to let her keep up with her facade, you merely give a nod as you resume walking towards the concert stage. Soft footsteps behind you let you know that the strange pair are accompanying you. Still walking alongside you, Ava repeatedly glances behind you, putting out xer hands in the shape of a heart, giggling all the while. If you didn’t know any better, you would almost assume that xe wanted to get hit by Cassandra.

“Ava, please calm down. If you’re not careful, she’ll throw something at you. If she does that, you’ll probably dodge, and then I’ll probably end up getting hit, and then I’ll miss the concert, Lady Dimitrescu will kill me as punishment, Daniela will be sad and whiny about it, and none of you will have any peace for, like, a month. Three weeks, bare mims,” you tease, nudging xer in the ribs. Emphasizing a pout, xe sends one last look at Cassandra and her ‘friend’ (whose hand she was still holding onto like a lifeline), mouthing words you couldn’t parse. Based on the way Cassandra groans, it was something ridiculously cheesy. Regardless, xe behaves the rest of the way there…

ONE MINUTE TO SHOWTIME:

“I love you, Firefly, and I know that you’re going to do absolutely amazing out there. I’m so proud of you,” you murmur, pressing a feather-light kiss to Daniela’s cheek. As dearly as you wish to stay behind the curtain, in her arms, you know that the show was inevitable. With one last nod to your beloved, you part the fabric shielding you, stepping into the spotlight. Imaginary crowds grow hushed at your appearance, a sea of faces greeting you warmly. In truth, there are but five members in this audience, each gazing upon you with veiled interest. Donning you best presentation persona, you set this final act in motion. “Lady Dimitrescu, Lady Cassandra, Lady Bela, and Mx. Caldwell, it brings me great pleasure to present to you, on this day, a concert performed by your own Lady Daniela. For three months now I have acted as her instructor, and these three months have been, perhaps, the most rewarding of my entire life. I could not possibly be any more proud of her than I already am. Now, without further ado… let us begin!”

Stepping to the side, a tug of a rope has the curtains parting entirely, revealing your beloved, waiting ready at the piano. All at once your audience (including Cassandra’s partner, acting as a mere servant in the background) sits up with wide smiles. They look Daniela over, taking in the sight of her fanciest dress, and the way her eyes light up with joy. By the time her fingers begin dancing away at the keys, there is not a single ounce of anxiety in your entire soul. This first song is a relic from your past, a representation of an abandoned idea, yet she plays it like a celebration. It’s fast, hits hard, a bold take right out of the gate. Admittedly, it is also somewhat short. Nonetheless, it serves its purpose, igniting a spark of excitement in those present. Once the song ends, Daniela is surprised by the intensity of her family’s applause. In the back of her mind, she trembles with excitement, knowing that the best was yet to come.

Riding this wave of pride, she immediately settles into the next song, something slower but far grander. Affection thrums inside your chest as you watch your pupil perfectly execute another piece. You can only imagine what her mother must be feeling, to see just how far her daughter has come in such a short amount of time. A quick glance in Alcina’s direction reveals the barest hints towards her being impressed. For now that was enough to satisfy you. Soon enough her face would twist in surprise, as the second song ended, and a new face steps up onto the stage: Lady Bela. Wordlessly she retrieves her violin from the back of the stage, then turns to the front with a mischievous smile.

“Now, a duet! Presenting the ever-talented Lady Bela, to join Lady Daniela for a rendition of an original song, dubbed ‘Northern Lights’. Enjoy!” You call out, before once more taking your place at the side. While Daniela did not need you to count her in for her solo performances, this feels ever so slightly more important, and as such you do your best to conduct for the duration of the song. If either of the performers need it, they hide it well. Honestly, you weren’t sure if your girlfriend had looked your way even a single time so far. ‘Twas incredible to witness her. Akin to a siren, near glowing, taking to the stage as if born to grace its center. Even with Bela working her own magic, Daniela is ever the star. Together they weave a lovely song, notes rising high into the air, swirling around an enchanted audience.

When it ends, both performers give a bow, as if the entire affair had come to a close. Without hinting at what was to come, you switch places with the eldest Dimitrescu daughter. A deep breath rattles your ribcage as you find your center, reaching out to take Daniela’s hand, the two of you raising your arms upward in a display of union. For the first time this evening, Lady Alcina narrows her eyes in what feels like disapproval. But you pay her no mind. Instead you sit alongside your beloved, quietly settling into your practiced position.

There is no introduction for this song. No announcement, no showmanship, nor even a countdown into the symphony. Simply, like exhaling a breath, the two of you start to play. Your phrases echo hers, and vice versa, calling and answering, accompanying all the while, natural as anything holy in the wild. ‘Tis the second shortest song of the night, only long enough to showcase the degree of your partnership with Daniela. As the song crescendos into an ending, you manage to meet the gaze of your employer. Perhaps it is merely an illusion of hope, or a reflection of lights above, but you swear you see tears in her eyes.

“Outstanding, incredible,” she praises, rising to her feet alongside her other daughters, clapping all the while. Once again you rise to your feet, hand clasped with Daniela’s, bowing as deeply as you can manage. Before you can even process what’s happening, your girlfriend is being pulled away from you, swept up into the arms of her mother. Desperation digs like a knife into your heart, as you ache to celebrate with her, but you remain ever in the guise of a professional. “You did amazing, my dear. I cannot begin to describe how proud I am.” The family gathers around each other, buzzing with affection fit to make the hardest of hearts melt. You are left on the outside, awkwardly waiting, without a hint of acknowledgment.

Even if this concert was a measure of your skill as a teacher, Lady Dimitrescu had never bothered to consider you more than another servant. This night was about Daniela. About your secret girlfriend, the brightest star in all the skies. That is not something that bothers you, nor does it surprise you. All that makes you wish to weep is the desire to kiss her. To sweep her into your arms, with celebratory kisses, singing her name as a praise to higher powers. In the end, it takes several minutes for Daniela to pull away enough to move back to you, and even then she cannot give you the reaction she yearns for.

“I’ll come by to talk to you tonight, I promise,” she whispers, as she gives you the weakest hug you have ever felt. Then she is returning to her family, clinging to her mother with a massive grin. Soon enough you are left alone on stage, quiet surrounding you, mixed feelings gnawing at the pit of your stomach. Something feels… wrong. You cannot put a name to it. No one has hinted to you what your beloved has planned, for none but her even have a clue. As soon as she is alone with her mother, as soon as she has the smallest sliver of an opportunity, she knows what she must do. “Mother… we need to talk. I... I have a confession to make.”

[rachetmath]

Favorite (Characters)

Ruby: *barges in* RatchetMath!

Me: What is it Ruby?

Ruby: You’re showing favoritism.

Me: Okay. And?

Ruby: You need to stop. Why not draw us for once?

Me: Hm, maybe because I like Jaune more. Hell I like Penny and Neo more than you or your team.

Ruby: Why?!

Me: Because your team is horrible.

Ruby: So is team JNPR!

Me: Yeah, but only because they have to follow you. They have some individuality but we don’t explore that as much. Plus, your team would be dead without them. But you know what Ruby, I would rather draw Yang, Blake or any other character except Weiss than you right now.

Ruby: What?! But I’m-

Me: The main character that barely does main character things. Woman, Salem was in Atlas! Why was she not your top priority? Why was James your problem?

Ruby: Um well…

Me: Ruby, she knows your mother! She might know what happened to her! I get Yang was some levels your mom but shouldn’t learning what happened to your actual mom be just as important? Especially after that dark memory.

Ruby: That is true.

Me: You have silver eyes but you still don’t know how to use them. There was army of grimm around Mantle and that would have been good practice. And a better solution than Ren.

Ruby: But then I be overpowered.

Me: No. Ruby your silver eyes only work on one person. If someone sneaks up on you or doesn’t care about that light you give off then, you’re dead. Maria is proof on that.

Ruby: Um..

Me: Plus, the question that everyone in the audience could have an answer to is whether your silver eyes can even work on Salem. In all honesty, it proves the writer don’t keep track of the characters and their personalities to where they fit together in story. You know what I have been making skits, trying to be funny but… the jokes died. Look guys I-I’m sorry but… let me explain.

1. Ruby and Blake should have stayed in Mantle. Why?

1. Salem is the main villian. She knows Ruby’s mother. You know the same mother who left for a mission and didn’t come back. The same mother, who Ruby knows nothing about while everyone seems to have different perspectives of her. Or has a better clue on who she is, than Ruby herself. Plus wasn’t Salem after her too? She basically would be killing two birds with one stone by kidnapping Oscar and giving Ruby a reason to see her. That way Ruby isn’t assuming what happened to her mother. Let Salem antagonize Ruby. (Question: Can silver eyes work on Salem?)

2. Perfect training for silver eyes. Let’s face it, Ren proved to us he can mask a bunch of people without Jaune’s help. All he needed was concentration. However, Ruby is more effective because silver eyes seem to be able to destroy multiple grimm on sight. And with lives on the line that gives Ruby plenty of reason to start using them.

3. Ren calling Ruby out on her issues. Look I loved how Ren was willing to tell the truth, but him revealing Jaune cheated Beacon was… weak. Reason being it relates to Jaune’s character and Ren still follows Jaune’s orders. However, Ruby, who is supposed to be a prodigy because she came to Beacon two years ahead of her class, has not proven once that she is worthy of such praise. The only reason-The ONLY reason Ruby was enrolled into Beacon was her silver eyes. Ruby even in volume one has been nothing but liability. Initiations, she almost dies from a Stinger. Stake out, she almost got run over by a truck and it ended in failure. First mission, she gets kidnapped and almost destroyed a city block. Roman, a man with no semblance or aura continues to beat her four times in a row. And it gets worse. Ruby almost got her uncle killed. She was the first to get knocked out by Emerald. Almost dies by a robot and Godzilla. And the moment she arrived in Atlas her first move was to lie to James. She didn’t even try to stop Tyrian when she saw him. She had her gun with her too. Ren is not her sister, he might as well tell her the facts so she can do better.

4.  Blake is Faunus. Mantle hates faunuses. Why not have Blake help them to prove faunuses are people too? Let Blake represent her people. I mean Velvet and Sun represent faunses more than she does her whole existence. Blake also can relate to Ren’s problem. How? Blake was a part of the White Fang, so there were expectations she had to fulfill. Especially when trying to measure up to Adam. However, she explains the longer she was in the White Fang, the more she found out how messed up and extremely bias it was. Including with Adam to the point she decided to leave. She even states she was lucky that Yang even forgave her after all the trouble she caused her. Blake challenged her bias nature, and it made her stronger for it. Blake would be basically telling Ren the more he tries to live up to someone else’s expectations, without seeing their flaws, the more he loses touch with himself and everyone around him.

5.  Oscar shouldn’t have been able break out of Salem on his own: I’m sorry but… Oscar got beat up. Took a magic beam to the chest. Had to switch between him and Ozpin and mind you he had no aura to help him. He should be tired and unable to move. (In my opinion, this kid was given too much screen time. At first I was worried about him but now I’m wondering why was I worrying at all.)

2. Jaune and Yang should have gone to Atlas.

1. Penny is basically Pyrrha in the opposite light. Penny’s special because she’s a robot with a soul, a mind of her own and an attitude to prove it. She is just as human as everyone else, but no one seems to treat her as such. James only sees her as something of a weapon. Pietro treats her like child even though she’s more mature than the rest of the female cast, except Maria. And now with maiden powers, everyone is out casting Penny even more. Jaune is perfect for her because he has experience with this kind of issue. However, he would’ve had to take different route to the situation considering his failure with Pyrrha last time they had discussion on maiden powers or responsibilities (Destiny.).

2. Jaune already has been a part of maiden business since volume three. His reason to be with Penny would be make sure she doesn’t meet the same fate as Pyrrha or Amber. Not just for himself but for others around him. Especially since Cinder was in Atlas and is willing to hunt her down for the maiden powers. And James was willing to turn Penny into a soulless machine to follow his every command. (Actually, Watts is more a fault considering he hates Pietro.). James and Cinder are also opposite to Jaune in some ways.  James earned his position and earned respect from his military. Jaune on the other hand cheated, and unlike James might not have everybody’s respect. Cinder treats her allies like tools. And with power she just consumes and gives nothing return. Jaune however treats his allies like family. And instead of just taking power he gives power to others around him. He’s the reason Cinder has maiden powers. So, him making it his personal mission to make sure Cinder doesn’t get more power only increases his resolve to protect Penny. (Especially since he already had to kill her in the canon finale.)  In other words, James and Cinder purposed a challenge to Jaune. Can he pervert history from repeating itself? Can he really protect the maiden powers? Is he truly worthy of being a huntsman? What is he willing to risk in achieving his goal? (Also let’s be clear. Hazel beat Oscar down for the password to the relic. James shot the kid and was willing to let him fall to his death. Qrow intentionally punched the kid.  I don’t care if it was for Ozpin, he still punched Oscar. Lion before even knowing Oscar was Ozpin reincarnation was already about kill him anyways. All Jaune did was push him to a wall. Yes, Jaune still would have hurt Oscar, but he didn’t. He walked away.)  

3.  A lot of the situations could’ve been avoided or mattered if Jaune was there. Don’t believe me? Well let me explain. Was Ruby the only option when sneaking pass Central Command? No, because they had Weiss, Nora and Penny. Weiss could have done a freezer burn like in her fight with Marrow. Or Nora could have thrown her grenades and Penny just shoots them before the hit the ground or damage anything. Both causing a smoke screen, so no one sees them. Plus, they were already caught by using Pietro credentials. Did Nora need to get knocked out for the team to escape? No. If she had Jaune with her they could’ve one caused an EMP wave being Jaune has gravity and Nora has lightning. Or two, if Nora still went through with it, Jaune would have healed her immediately. Penny lifting and keeping the arena in place. If Jaune and Weiss were with her then once Amity was in position, Weiss with Jaune’s assistances can keep it place so Penny can come back inside and the whole video could be played. Also, Pietro would know what was going on with his daughter and can properly explain how to fix her. (Better than Jaune healing her.)

4. Nora’s whole character is knowing who she is without Ren right? Then why not just have her lead the evacuation once she’s done with Atlas? Why not have her and Yang work together along with the happy huntress to evacuate Mantle? Especially if their friends disappeared to save Oscar. (And before ya’ll tell me they can’t do it….. Yang, blocked a punch from a mech, held off a Manticore, and has a semblance that literally lets her take damage and dish it back five times harder. Nora who literally crushed Weiss and Yang in a food fight. Knocked a giant horse down on its knee. And knocked Hazel away.  Are you seriously saying these girls are not enough to take on a few little tigers? Come on!) If the whole point of Nora’s character development was finding out more about herself then let Nora try something without Ren. Let her call the shots. Let her take charge. Give her a character. (Hell don’t stop there. Have her interact with other characters. Like Jaune. Yang. Weiss. Or anyone other character than Ren. Let them tell her what they think about her. Let Nora be a solution to a character’s struggle. Ya’ll make it sound like Nora has no friends.)

5. All Yang needed was a break from Ruby and Blake. In all honesty Yang should have been the one to see the hounds face and kill it. Why? Well Ruby is Yang’s sister and only reminder of her nonblood related mother. And Blake is her girlfriend. And if we saw the hound’s face, we know it’s not just a silver eyed person. It’s also a faunus. This will give her a reason to protect both her loved ones because by seeing the hound she knows Salem intention with Ruby and want to keep her, and Blake from meeting the same fate of being turned into monsters. Yang should’ve been the 2nd to 4th member of team RWBY to fall. Why? One, a Yang vs Neo fight. Two, Cinder and Neo both wanted Ruby dead. So why not get rid of Ruby first? The fights would have been more thrilling and seeing the character, the show is named after, presumed to be dead would have added stakes and tension to the fight. (Also let me say this. Why is it, that the only great display of the maiden powers I’ve ever seen, was from Amber and not the maidens, as of now, Winter, Raven, and Cinder? The maiden powers are basically magic right? Why isn’t Cinder using any other element than fire?)

6. Weiss was completely useless. Look, as the saying goes, “You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.” And when it came to Weiss and family, she has little to no clue of what it is nor deserves it. Weiss should have been more of an inspiration for Whitley to do right. How? By simply talking to him. What reason would she have other than Mantle? Simple, he’s her brother and she started off like him. Beacon, she was a brat. She was arrogant. And more importantly a jerk. Blake ran because of her racist attitude. Ruby literally had to impress her to prove she can be leader. Even though Weiss is not leadership martial herself.  Plus, hearing May and how she and her family never resolved their issues should inspire Weiss to not repeat that mistake. And guess what, her mom, Willow, the drinker of the family, wasn’t wrong. Both her and Winter left Whitley alone. Klein wasn’t there for him either. All Whitley had was his father. So Weiss, actually acting like his sister and trying to help him allows him to feel less alone. Instead Weiss was complete Jacque through out the entire volume.  

And that’s all.  Look I know I should have seen this coming but I had to say it.  Volume 8 could’ve been good. The problem was.

1.       Characters are not placed well within the story.

2.       We lost track of who said characters are.

3.       The ships are in the way.

4.       Being dumb for the plot. (Sometimes it’s necessary.)

[tokoyamisstuff]

Dark Side Of The Moon Ch. 2 - Dark! Loki x Reader

Chapter 2: “On The Run”

Chapter Summary: Even though you can’t help feeling drawn to the lunatic that looks like your deceased lover, you try to surpress your feelings and flee to find your friends.

Warnings: Loki is fucking crazy, Violence, Torture, Jotun! Loki, Mentions of Death, Abuse, Unhealthy Relationship, Mentions of Rape

Words: 3360

[Story Masterlist]

Masterlist to my other works right ->Here<-

“And the shark, it has tears,

And they run down its face.

But the shark lives in the water -

So the teardrops one can’t see.”

- Rammstein - Haifisch

Taglist: @winterglcw​ @commonintrest​ @emmojoy​ @satansbra @just-someone-who-likes-to-write​​

“She died through my hands.”

That sentence replayed over and over in your head, forming a continuous loop as you silently formed those words with your own lips.

“It’s not him!” you called out to yourself, since your reason had seemingly disappeared ever  since you first saw the person that was a perfect copy of the man you once loved.

You were rolling around on the bare floor, shivering as you softly punched your head to not get lost in thought again. The emperor didn’t even have the basic decency to give you any clothes back, only having the Citauri throw you into an old dungeon to keep you prisoner - or whatever he’d plan to do with you.

That man was so different of your Loki.

And the timeline both of you were currently in had exceeded your worst expectations, making you wonder if fate just wanted to torment you.

In this universe, Thanos never even got so far as to collect all of the Infinity Stones. Loki Laufeyson had won the battle of New York and took over this world, then somehow double-crossed and killed the Titan. So right now, he possessed the power of the Tesseract, as well as the Cascet of Ancient Winters. For what reason he kept that Jotun relic was unknown, probably out of nostalgic sentiment you assumed.

Afterwards, the God of Mischief had killed his brother Thor in bad blood, as well as torturing Natasha - the exact way he threatened her back in your world, when he was in his cell. Clint was still his servant, as it seemed. You had seen him when they took you to his cell.

He couldn’t get rid of all the Avengers, however - even though their current location was unknown. They were in hiding for many years now, probably trying to get their hands on the other Infinity Stones. 

Also noticeable was the fact that this universe had neither Hela, nor Captain Marvel - so one good and one bad thing to compensate for each other. Not that they’d be a match for Loki in his current form anyway...

And there was no Dr. Strange on this version of Earth, your last bit hope to escape disappearing as you learned about this fact.

That much was all you had learned by now, mainly through tricking and manipulating some of your guards into giving you information.

All in all, you only knew for sure was that this world’s Loki was a terribly trong, murderous sociopath, intoxicated by power and loneliness.

And you had become the focus of the little emotion left in him.

It was hard trying to surpress all the voices and memory submerging in your mind. So there was nothing left for you except for rolling up into a ball, lying on the cold floor as you prepared to be washed over with sadness and guilt once again.

_____

“Would you help me recieve the greatest honor by becoming mine and mine only, Lady Y/N?”

How could you ever forget this moment?

Back on the Asgardian refugee ship, your Loki had asked you that very question, now popping up in your mind once again.

Every detail was still as bright as daylight, preserved deep into your heart.

You clearly remembered the small, green box he had summoned out of thin air, presenting you a plain but still incredibly beautiful ring. The golden piece of jewlery formed a snake eating itself - a symbol of infinity and wholeness.

It was just his way of being thoughtful.

“I-I prepared this a while go, to be precize...but I never thought of being worthy” he had stammered and you found yourself speechless, admiring that very scene playing in front of your eyes. “A-Anyway, after all that happened, I realized that all moments I spent happy, were when I was with you. I don’t want to lose you again, Y/N! And I feared, well...that it might be too late to ask someday.”

It was most unjust that this most blissful moment would be interrupted by a great rumbling shaking through the whole spaceship - and even before Thor would crash Loki’s proposal, both of you were aware just what kind of danger you would have to face soon:

Thanos.

Your numbers had already been decimated by Ragnarok, all that’s left being some civilian refugees, injured and traumatized. The only ones capable of fighting left were Loki, Thor, Heimdall, you and the Hulk.

Yet all of your struggles were to no avail, only able to watch and scream and bag at the Titan, so he’d at least spare those innocent lives as he mercilessly slaughtered woman and children alike.

“Fucking monster!” Pulling out a gun, your mind went completely blank as you gave it some last, desperate attempt to save or avenge just anyone.

No bullet would even come close enough to pierce his skin, as Ebony Maw would deflect them to hit yourself and people close to you. “I’m not the only one you should see responsible for this outcome” Thanos scoffed.

“What do you mea-” Your voice got swallowed by a pained groan as you saw Loki, kneeling in front of Thanos and revealing the one thing he was after:

The Tesseract.

“You......took it?!?” The only thing managing to escape your throat was a high-pitched yell as Loki’s face contorted in disappointment and regret - just now realizing that he had put you all in danger.

They would’ve never went after you if it wasn’t for him. He had doomed his race, failed you and what was left of his family.

“How could you put us all in danger?! I thought you had changed! You swore it with your life, Loki! That you loved me more than you desired power!”

No answer.

Instead, the god would prepare one of his speeches, directing words of undying fidelity at Thanos and his arms. And even though it was meant to be lies, a play to make the threat feel save, every single word hit your heart like knives.

“How could I ever marry someone like you?!” feeling as if Loki most recent, selfish act was suffocating you, you could only whisper - yet he understood very clearly, the facade dropping in an instant.  “I-I hate you...traitor...”

If only you knew that those would be the last words you’d ever direct at him...

Loki materializes a dagger, desperately trying to make up for his biggest mistake yet, and at least save you, the light of his cursed existence, and the only thing he had ever done in his life full of wrongs.

But Thanos looked right through the charade from the very beginning, using the stones to trap Loki in their hold - and then, grabbing the god’s throat.

“You have what you want, Thanos!” Thor tried to bargain, “There’s even less than half of my race left. Please, just let us go!”

“Oh, I will” he spoke stony, then shifting his attention to the god in his hands. “But first, I’ll do you a favor and erase that disgraceful pest all of you were too weak to take care of.”

As he was struggling for air, gasping uncontrollably as he tried to free his neck from the Giant, Loki’s glare wandered to you - and when your eyes met, both of your hearts skipped a beat.

He smiled. In the face of death, the last thing he wanted you to remember was the good things after all.

And seeing the ring on your finger, how couldn’t he? Loki knew you were about to say yes - and knowing this was more than enough for someone like him.

After all, the God of Mischief was used to happiness being taken away from him as soon as he thought it to be okay to open up to someone.

But you were safe. That’s all that counted for him!

It was like his eyes were telling you “It’s gonna be alright. I’m sorry, Y/N...I love you.”

You don’t remember much after that, having a mental breakdown as you had to watch the love of your life perish - and forever thinking about how you had turned him down just seconds before.

A part of you had died with him back then.

_____

The creaking sound of the cell’s door made you jump from your dream - but the person which entered was one you had never seen before.

A monster.

It’s silhouette very much resembled Loki, yet his skin was painted in a dark shade of blue, with thin linings carved across his whole body. He had fangs and even horns coming out of his temple to add at that.

The beast’s eyes were shining in a threatening red, glistering contrastful in the dark hallway. But the worst were those black irises, absent of any form of compassion - there seemed to be only rage, confusion and hate.

“Fuck!” you screamed, terrified and fearing for your life. Shuffling until your back hit the wall of a corner of the room, you defendingly put your arms in front of yourself. “Go away! Don’t to-ouch me!”

Loki cleared his voice as he put the Casket away, not making any efforts to revert his outer appearance back to ‘normal’. He had admired it on his way to your cell, like he’d do many times a day when he was reminiscing about the day he learned about his heritage...

...and how he had killed Odin, his adoptive father, with that very relic, afterwards clearing the universe of that despiseful race of the Jotunn - making him the last of his kind.

“Oh my” a dark voice finally declared, “Seems like ‘your’ Loki never dared to show you his true form. Pathetic.”

No, that wasn’t completely true. Your lover had at least told you back then. But when did you ever have the time to talk things over and heal, being dragged from one fight to another?!

The Jotunn felt great joy as he towered over you, gleefully watching your naked body cowering to his knees, covered in goosebumps and shaking heavily. Your breath was clearly visible while you tried to cover your shame as best as you could, wary glare never leaving the abomination that was just lurking right in front of you.

“Wha- OUCH!” you hissed as the Frost Giant took ahold of your wrist, monitoring the pain spreading across your face as his touch would frostburn any skin he was touching with ease.

Loki grinned menacingly as he let go off of you, admiring his handywork as the first layer of your skin had already died, crumbling away to reveal your pink flesh.

“Oh, how I missed that” he explained, much to your surprise ripping a piece of his own clothing apart to cover the wound with it. “Your kind is so easily broken. It’s always fascinating to watch.”

“Just kill me already, you freak!”

Well, Loki had in fact spent hours after hours thinking about how to handle you, and yet he couldn’t decide. Obviously he would’ve killed you right away if it was otherwise, but he still had a soft spot for you somewhere deep in his heart, after all.

And it upset him more than he’d ever admit. So he tried to assert his dominance, to ease the feeling of weakness and loss of control.

“I’m only doing you a favor, woman.” The god would touch your cheek, making you flinch away - but this time, it wouldn’t hurt. Never would he dare to scar this most beautiful face!

“The man you loved was just the same as me, yet it seemed he wasn’t completely honest with you. What you are seeing right now is the form of a Frost Giant...the monstrosity you chose to love.”

“L-Loki…”

It was no surprise that he saw tears filling the rim of your eyes - yet out of a whim, you pulled your arms around his neck, tears wetting his robe. He gasped, unable to act in any way as he stiffened in the pose.

That was by far not the reaction he had been expecting - and he surprised you as well. You had thought him to instantly shove you away, beat you agaib or even bite - but he just kneeled there, not daring to make a move.

"Why?” Now his voice was much softer, pained even. “I’m a monster. I hurt you. So why?”

“I’m so sorry” you whimpered, words being interrupted by heavy sobbing. “I try to fight it, I really do. But I just can’t, I-I”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“How could I be? It’s you, Loki...no matter what you look like.” Eventually, you’d face him again, wiping the tears out of your face when for another moment, you made yourself forget that this was a completely different person. “I was just surprised, that’s all. Letting me see this form out of nowhere...”

“Y/N, I’m not the same as him” he retorted, knowing very well what it’s like to lose oneself in daydreams and illusions to ease the pain of loss. His sight wandered around the room instead of your face, stating “I did horrendous things, dear. Tormented and killed countless. It’s unforgiveable.”

“So did he” you stated, even though you knew those two Loki’s couldn’t be compared. “And you should already know: I feel dead inside, ever since he died.”

“You really loved him, didn’t you?” When you nodded confidently, Loki sighed ashamed, reluctantly touching your wrist again. A warm magic would flow through you, healing the wound in no time. “I wish she had felt the same for me...”

For a while, both of you were plainly sitting in uncomfortable silence, with Loki even lending you his cloak to warm yourself up.

“It’s not him” you told yourself once again. “It’s not him. It’s not him. IT’S NOT HIM!!! That man is dangerous and instable. He can’t be trusted!”

And then, finally, you dared asking, cutting through the thick air:

“What exactly happened to me, in this world?”

Loki’s face contorted in agony, rubbing his face as if in deep pain. “Is this really necessary? I already told you. She died because of me.”

“More details would be nice” you retorted bluntly, not really caring if he was to have a violent outburst again. Curiosity got the better of you at that moment.

The emperor’s voice was low and husky, and just now you realized how damn tired he looked - with dark rings under his eyes, and more pale than you had ever remembered him.

The weight of his sins sure had taken a stroll on that sensitive man.

"I saw the ring” he uttered deeply affected, “That’s something I could only dream of. Thinking about it, I think she never really loved me in the first place. Or maybe she just grew tired of my lies. Understandable, I have to admit...”

“Yes, it was quite the opposite, even” he continued after a long, strained breath of his. “She hated me. Joined the Avengers and tried to kill me, several times. Only years later I learned about the truth: Already far in the past, back on Asgard, she betrayed me. After I fell off the Bifrost, she thought myself dead - and consoled herself by bedding my brother. I had to kill him, I-I-I just had to!”

Loki’s hands were shaking so frantically you could feel it from over there, mad eyes darting over your physique to take in your reaction. “After they finally lost, I took her prisoner. Seven months of trying to make her mine, no matter the methods. Mind-controlling her would not be satisfying. So I tortured her, played games with her sanity, and- I’d rather not speak about how else I violated her.”

“You, wha-” Now you were the one shivering in horrid anticipation, “You raped me...?”

No answer. Instead he just finished this disastrous story.

“One day, I went to her cell like I always did. I hoped once her mind was broken she’d stop struggling to be mine. But she never did. You Y/N’s are quite the fighters, as it seems.”

“Wha- wwhat happened to me...I mean, ‘her’?”

A loud whine escaped his vocal cords as he hit the wall right next to your face, making you suck in a pained breath.

“She used her chains to hang herself. There was nothing I could do. Ever since then I knew I’m cursed to inflict pain on anything I hold dear.”

"D-Don’t give me that self-pitying bullshit” you wanted to shout at his face - but the cramping in your heart as well as the hyperventillation made talking impossible.

How could one do something like that to a person they claimed to love?!

“Go” you whimpered, already shuffling away from him and he could hear anguish and fear drop out of every vocal, and he realized you were having a panic attack. “Please!”

Loki closed his eyes, letting out one last, deep sigh. He knew he owed you that much.

“Very well.”

That whole night, you spent crying and screaming to your hearts avail, unable to process your current situation and newfound knowledge.

So that would be your life from now on? Being hurt mentally and physically, frostburnt and hurt and violated against your will - all while looking at a face that remembered you of happier days?

Never!

Things were just like that evil Loki said: You are a fighter!

And if you couldn’t help that crazy man, you would at least help yourself! The Avengers are still out there, somewhere. You needed to escape and help them!

How could you have been so blind all those years?

Loki - your Loki - would have never wanted to you give up. He’d want you to survive and live your life to it’s fullest, trying to make the best out of everything you’ve got.

Just like he always did. That much you had learned from him.

“I’m sorry, Loki. If I die, I can’t even remember you...I love you…”

Breaking out succeeded faster than you could ever think it would take - because when you’d finally get out of your fetal courl and wandered across the cell, you realized Loki didn’t properly close the heavy steel door back when he rushed away from you.

“It’s not him. There’s no helping that man. I have to find my friends, I-”

Still shocked and scared and traumatized, you didn’t even realize that someone was watching you, not even questioning that the hallways were oddly empty.

You sneaked out of an open window, bare feet feeling the morning dew as you shook away Lokis cloak and ran as fast as your feet could carry you.

There was it - the fence.

No one could tell you what kind of world would await you outside of that property as you swiftly avoided some guards, rushing through the all so beautiful garden.

But as soon as you reached out to climb the railing, you felt someone balling a fist in your hair, harshly holding you back and causing you to stumble and fall.

“I thought you to be different…” an all too familiar voice grumbled. Loki didn’t even want to hear any apology or excuse, kicking your guts so heavily that you had to throw up, cramping on the ground.

“Don’t you dare to run away ever again!” he now yelled furiously, "She tried it too...so damn.many.times…!”

But before you could even respond, he suddenly began to cry uncontrollably. “I thought you would stay. Do you think I like to do this?!”

His voice was laced with grief and regret, yet he kept on forming countless bruises on your body. “Why can’t you fucking love me, hel?!”

You didn’t know how long his violent crying fit lasted, with him weeping as he let off some steam on your helpless self.

There was no trace of the hurt, regretful man left you talked to in your cell earlier. After being finished, having reclaimed a fraction of composure, Loki pressed your face in between his hands, ripping on your mangled body to face him.

“Fate gifted me another chance to possess you, Y/N. And I will form you into a magnificent pet, I promise.”

_______

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[goatpaste]

evil mane six you say... im listening👀

e! yeah this is like from a nearly 6+ year old AU of mine from when i originally into mlp and stuff 

lil cringe but i really wantd to update it because i liked some design/story concept from it

some of the basic world building for this AU was that the Crystal Empire never disappeared and went on to basically be the cantorlot of this universe, and ponies relied on a crystal based technology system and magic became less of a focus as crystal magic was something everyone could use.

Sombra is a good king of the empire, with a large happy family. Dear friends to the wizards of cantorlot, Celestia and Luna. Sombra also made of the elements of harmony in my AU but this is about these bad bitches

twilight in my AU was a unicorn who looked up to the wizards of Cantorlot and wished to train under their wings. she learned many powerful spells from them and the books of great unicorns.

however Twilight became obsessed after learning of the elements of harmony, an ancient relic that had gone into slumber years ago claiming it wouldnt return until it was needed. however twilight thought herself to be smarter and able to force it out of hiding so that Equestria could have a boost in magic believing it would further society to have another source of power.

Twilight had no idea what she was working with and began to work behind the backs of celestia and luna. Tuning into Lord Tireks ability to absorb magic she used it for herself to drawn out the magic of the elements. However she was rejected and the spell turned on her, turning her to a monstery figure would mind could only think of taking the elements powers.

Shining armor was there with her when it happened trying to stop her, but instead became apart of the magical rejection. Only his body was effected and he was forced to stand by and watch his sisters mind become corrupted. Now she is locked in tarturus with Shinning armor as the doors gaurds, hoping they can find a way to heal her. 

Rarity is much like her normal self, the only difference is she much more work focused and lives in the crystal empire. She was so goal oriented that she had no friends and simply went day to day working herself to the bone trying to make each dress better than the last. 

it drove her made when she began to believe her style was becoming repetitive and she simple would do anything to get out of her runt. so she left the empire and went out into the snow around the kingdom seeking out an old mine full of unique and beautiful stones. 

Little would she know she would come across a locked away evil that would take over her mind, feeding on her greed and want to be the best. she would act much as normal Sombra, taking over the crystal empire and demanding the most beautiful stones and jewelry and gowns of the people. it would be this event that would set the new elements into motion, king sombra and friends stopping rarity. (id like to thing her villian name could be oddity...)

when i originally designed these villian designs pinkie was defiantly meant to take over nightmare moons place. 

Pinkie pie’s family lives in the crystal empire, as crystal farmers. Pinkie pie herself would work at the castle as a party planner from planning the birthdays of sombras children, to grand galas to diplomatic brunches. She is close friends with Princess Ivory.

However when rarity took over Pinkie pie was held captive as a jester for rarity. some believe the close contact with a creature radiating darkness infected pinkie pie. because there was hardly any build up, just one day Pinkie pie seemed to snap. right in the middle of a party she went berserk and began to destroy everything. The royal court chose to let her off assuming she was sick or had a sugar crash, the list of what it could be was endless. Pinkie pie word return again to throw Princess Ivory’s party and nearly kill her. Pinkie pie would have no memory of what she did only to come concious and learn she was banished from the court and to ever see Ivory again. it broke Pinkie’s heart and it was a moment of weakness. her mind was clouded and she turned into a monster of a mare named ‘The Timeless Party’ and planned to party the whole planet to its core until it could party no more.

with the new found elements of harmony powers pinkie pie was saved, she hasnt returned to the castle but still gets note from Ivory despite refusing to see her out of fear of hurting her. 

Rainbow dash was a clouddale pony, she never left the city and happily worked at the weather factory and thinking of the day she would be a wonderbolt. Until the day she lost her wings, she could no longer fly like other pegasus and began to adjust to her new life. she moved to the ground and became a park ranger. she lived a happy simple life coming to enjoy the new experiences that came her way that she never thought she would thought she would enjoy.

Until a stroke of misfortune hit her, literally hit her. A bolt of lightning hit her and she swore she died, Until she  awoke and found she wasn't. instead she was covered in dark rolling clouds that she could manipulate and shape to her will. 

Rainbow dash found she could fly again and faster than ever before and with no fear of lightning or hail. the weather knelled to her. little did she know with the use of her power she brought on violent storms, floods and lightning made forest fires. Rainbow dash chose to stop her new powers until she could get them under control, but found this itch like a voice in the dark parts of her mind. telling her to let go and enjoy her powers, they were a gift after all.

it wasnt long until rainbow dash changed and seemed to no longer care about her damages. with this came the ancient unicorn, Starswirl the bearded. An old unicorn of old equestria would had frozen his aging to ensure his students could full take over for him one day. however star swirl was full of himself and could never see the bigger picture. He would freeze rainbow dash in ice and leave her in the cold mountains. 

with the story reaching tarturus shining could over hear twilight talking about starswirl and asking shining armor if he really thought rainbow dash was the villian and if starswirl choices were truly for the best. 

Fluttershy lives in ponyville outskirts but ponyville in this world is mostly underwater and a tourist town for the large spa/hotspring resort run by and supported by a colony of seaponies and sirens. 

Fluttershy barely patreons there except to quietly get a spa once a month. and leaves without a world.

she still works with animals but mostly runs a pet cemetery for animals that drowned in the local waters or potentially eaten by rouge sea creatures. Fluttershy sadly would die in her own cemetery having fallen and hit her head on a tombstone. 

however after not being found she would be reclaimed and returned to the living by the earth. believing she was given a second chance and was not one with the earth Fluttershy didn’t notice that it was darkness that brought her back.  Fluttershy didn’t question her need to send the world back to a state when animals thrived and ponies were scares.

(a villian name i had for her was Queen Pangea)

With the mostly underwater Ponyville in this AU applejack comes from a family of both seaponies and sirens. herself mostly taking after the siren side of the family. She comes from a farming family of seaweed farmers that contributes to the spa and Ponyville’s many economy source. 

Applejack’s colony would suffer a infection of darkness that effected a good chunk of the siren population including a bunch of applejacks family and herself. It started with it switching on and off were they would go into schooling frenzies and attack wildlife or other seaponies and sirens. Ponies began to speak bad of sirens believing them to be showing their true nature, which only pushed applejack over the edge. she would begin hunting the waters and destroying other seaponies livelihoods and the things the spa required, even running off guest.

Starswirl has plans to take care of the siren colony that has begun to terrorize ponyville, and shining armor questions if he really has the best choices in mind and wonders if the sirens are at all like his sister and need help. 

[elstreem]

ALBW Roleswap AU...thing?

Trying to write about this idea where it's Hyrule that got devastated and so Link seeks help from Ravio and Hilda in Lorule. Long post, but here's what I've written about it. I don't think I'm gonna do anything more substantial for it, but it's fun writing this.

Here's a google docs version that's prolly easier to read: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ar_f6wXBTeY3DGfWeM667QqwvyS-2GfrlZTMCcKQ6BY/edit?usp=sharing

ALBW AU: The Appointed Knight and the Feral Hero

Among the realms created by the Divine mothers, two were tied like the two sides of a coin - both fair kingdoms, with a royal family who protected the sacred relic, Triforce. The Triforce was the sum of the Goddesses’ powers left in these realms, and was even said to be able to grant wishes, leading some to seek its power...unbeknownst to the guardians of the Triforce, it also serves as the cornerstone of their respective realms. No one knows what would happen if the Triforce was broken in some form, for it has never happened before…

As mentioned, the Triforce was left in two particular realms, so close and yet far from each other. The realm bathed in warm sunlight was called Hyrule, while the realm under the cover of soothing darkness was called Lorule. Without knowing of it, the denizens of these two realms prospered similarly to each other. But they were never able to meet, save for when a slight distortion in time and space would show times and places through mirrors and reflections. Only a passing mystery, and were it not for a grievous calamity, perhaps there would never have been a time when Hyrule would need aid from Lorule…

-----------------

The clamor of war rang loudly throughout Hyrule Castle. The castle was besieged by terrible forces, slavering monsters and twisted ghouls, howling as they clashed with the soldiers of Hyrule. Men shouted and attacked, hoping to defend their kingdom to the last. However, this was not where the real battle was to be found. In the chaos, there was only one place of stillness - the castle sanctuary, where the princess stood and her knight stood against the demon king, who had risen again. Behind the two protectors of the kingdom, the Triforce shone with a radiant light. “Hand over the Triforce,” Ganon rumbled, hands flexed around a trident. The princess stretched out a hand, tapping into her magical heritage. Link readied his blade and shield - they would never let this monster ruin the world with the Triforce’s power. Never.

The battle began, trident slashing, magic weaving, sword and shield parrying. Link and Zelda fought desperately against the strength of Ganon, who shrugged off their attacks as though it could only annoy him. With a roar, Ganon swatted away Link, the young Hylian’s slight frame getting thrown into the wall with force to crack his bones. Zelda cried out, but she did not waver - even as Ganon lunged forward to lay his hands on the Triforce, she spun around and reached for the relic herself.

“Oh goddesses, protect us!” Zelda wished with all her heart, but even as her words tapped into the Triforce’s power, Ganon’s own hand had reached the relic.

Even while bloodied and bruised, and screaming from the effort, Link got up, trying to move, desperate, as Ganon wished for Hyrule’s destruction.

The two wishes, opposite to each other, warred within the activated relic. Link tried to run, to reach for Zelda even as the Triforce shattered with explosive power, with blinding light pouring out of it.

In those terrible last moments, Link saw the princess turn to him, her form becoming rigid. Ganon too, had stopped - and Link found his own consciousness dimming, burning with only one thought. He had failed his home.

-------------------

The sun was yet to rise and all was still in the dark hours preceding dawn.

Or so it was supposed to be, if it weren’t for the angry yells of a woman and a sound of scurrying feet.

The village Blacksmith groaned and hauled himself up from his bed, drearily wiping a hand across his face as his wife rushed into the room.

“Now what is this ruckus all about!?” the Blacksmith complained.

“The stinking thief is back! I told you to report it to the castle, but no, you just had to wait for proof! Well, here’s the proof you want!” the hassled woman said sharply, and she grabbed hold of her husband’s arm and fairly dragged him outside, causing a string of complaints. She ignored the fact that he was barefoot and still in his sleeping clothes and hurried him into the cold air of the early morning. She paused very briefly to grab a fresh torch, and continued along. When she stopped, the Blacksmith was not in the most agreeable mood, but even he could see the damage.

The pots they used for storing water and grains were smashed, and their little garden that had once been full of promising vegetables had been ransacked. But even with the messy scene one could see paw prints in the dirt.

“What was it?” the Blacksmith asked, taking the torch from his wife. He knelt to take a closer look at the destruction.

She sniffed and crossed her arms. “I wasn’t sure - I just heard the sounds of a pot getting smashed and I rushed on over here. I only caught it running away, but it looked beastly, all matted fur and glowing eyes - ugh!”

It would be no match for you in your state, the Blacksmith thought, and he hid a grin. Keeping a straight face, he stood up again and said, “Well, I’ll call on our neighbor to help. No need to alert the Castle.”

She gave a disbelieving snort. “That lad is good for nothing but lounging around!”

“But still, he’s the appointed knight of the realm. Go on inside dear, that is enough trouble for one morning,” the Blacksmith said.

After putting on work clothes and making sure that everything was secured, the Blacksmith walked on over to a house on a hill, keeping his eyes peeled for any lurking creatures. However, upon reaching the house, the man gave a groan - of all the mornings he made this trip, today was the miraculous day the appointed knight was not sleeping in. The house was dark and a piece of paper was tacked to the door. The paper read:

“If you’re looking for me, I’m at the Castle!” - Knight of the Realm, Ravio.

--------------------------------

Morning came and went, the sun’s rays bringing cheer and light to the land. Within the Castle’s kitchen, the maids and cooks were bustling about, preparing food for lunch. But in the middle of all this activity, a boy was sitting still, snacking on an apple as he idled the time away.

“Surely you have business to do, Ravio?” one of the exasperated cooks asked, watching Ravio take another apple from the kitchen’s stores and eat it.

“I’m in the business of filling my energy up after an early morning training!” Ravio said, grinning as much as he could with a mouthful of apple.

“...right,” the cook muttered. Sure, Ravio had been in the castle before dawn’s light, but all the staff saw of him was him taking a nap in the knight’s training room.

A page popped into the castle kitchens, and seeing Ravio, marched up to him. Ravio’s grin slid off his face as he saw the page’s gleeful look. He knew what that meant.

“Her Grace, Princess Hilda, commands the Knight of the Realm to the Counsel Room!” the page said as loudly as possible. The nearby kitchen staff snickered as Ravio stood up and wiped the apple juice off his face.

Ravio might not fear monsters, but he had a healthy fear of his closest friend.

-------

"I tell you, your Grace, something has been ferreting around, stealing food and making a ruckus. The missus reckons it’s some sort of beast from what she saw. Maybe a wolf? But then again…"

"There are no wolves in Lorule."

"Exactly!"

"Well, wolves or no wolves, if it is disturbing the peace our appointed knight of the realm should be looking into it," Princess Hilda of Lorule said.

Her crimson eyes flicked over to said knight of the realm, even if he wasn't acting like it. Ravio might have looked the part, wearing armor stamped with the royal sigil of Lorule. It was an impressive enough sight that most never minded the lack of a sword at his back. However, instead of standing at duty, he was slouching, idly tugging at his scarf and wishing the audience would be over.

Hilda cleared her throat and tapped her staff on the ground, making Ravio jump nervously. As carefree as he was, he did not like testing Hilda's temper.

"Yess, your Grace?" Ravio asked.

"The Blacksmith brought his problem personally to the castle, Ravio. And I say, you must look into it this time," Hilda said, emphasizing her last two words.

Ravio groaned. Hilda was annoyed that the Blacksmith had to bring this problem up personally. Okay, so he was the knight of the realm, but that did not mean he had to solve every problem his neighbors had, right?

Then again, it seemed like a monster was involved.

~~~~~~~

The bushes underneath the trees rustled, and as Ravio followed close, he saw a pair of eyes looking out at him from the shadows. They glowed as they caught the light, and Ravio hesitated - human eyes did not glow like that, which could only mean this was a monster.

He quickly grabbed his Hookshot, and fired - the claw shot through the air. The beast leapt clear, but was too slow by just a second and caught a glancing blow. Ravio heard a yelp, and some footsteps going away. Ravio gave chase - even a glancing blow from a Hookshot was enough to give the most hardened monster some pause. And a pause was all he needed for another shot, and whatever his faults, Ravio had a good eye. Again the Hookshot pierced the air, and this time he scored a direct hit. Ravio knew it from the way the Hookshot had struck.

He hurried after the beast and came into the circle of trees, where he found something lying limp on the ground.

"Got you," Ravio murmured to himself, grabbing his bow. He readied an arrow at the beast, and was about to loose the projectile when the beast twitched and groaned - but the groan did not sound at all beastly.

Ravio dropped the bow and came close - yes, now that he was near he could see a hand peeking out from underneath some clothing. Perhaps a humanoid monster? But in the next moment he heard a soft whisper, and the creature went still. Ravio dropped to his knees beside the figure and turned him over, gasping at what he found. The "monster" was a lad his age, covered in a dirty old cloak. He couldn't see much of the boy's face as it was covered in grime and dirty blonde hair that spilled over one side of his face, but it was definitely a human.

"Hey! Can you hear me?"

All he got as a response was a sigh. Ravio's blood went cold, remembering how the boy had gone still. Ravio dropped his head onto the boy's chest, and listened hard - it was faint, but there was breath and a heartbeat within him.

Moving quickly, Ravio pulled up a bottle of Red Potion and carefully tipped it to the boy's lips - he was unresponsive at first, but when Ravio put a drop of potion to his lips, the lad's tongue licked it away. Very, very carefully, Ravio put a small amount to the boy's mouth, and he swallowed it. In this way, the boy finished the bottle of red potion, which brought back some color to his face.

"Hey, hold on, okay? Stay with me, here," Ravio said. He slung the boy's arm over his shoulders, and putting his own arm around the boy's hip, he stood up. The boy's head leaned limply into Ravio's shoulder, and Ravio fought the urge to sneeze - the guy smelled bad - like he'd been sleeping in the wilds and rolled through mud, kind of bad.

The lad was dead weight, and Ravio had a hard time pulling him along. It was with relief that Ravio heard the Blacksmith calling.

"Ahoy! What have you got there? The beast?"

"Nah, I clobbered the beast good, it should stay away. But I found a stranger, he clearly needs help," Ravio reported. The knight's normally jolly tone was urgent and the Blacksmith knew he wasn't goofing around.

"Alright, here I go! Phew, this one needs a bath," the Blacksmith grunted as he scooped the boy up easily.

"And a good meal - he feels almost dead," Ravio panted, relieved at having the weight off his shoulders.

"Bother, the house is full of weapons to be shipped - we should put him in your house, yeah?" the Blacksmith said.

"Mine!?" Ravio said in dismay.

"Of course. You helped him, you have to see it through," the Blacksmith said.

"Oh, I guess. He better pay rent," Ravio muttered.

For all of Ravio's words he was anxious for the boy and was relieved when the Blacksmith put him into his own bed.

~~~~~~

The boy wandered back inside, shrugging off his cloak. Ravio looked up with a smile and then gasped in surprise - with the grime wiped away, he could have sworn the face he was looking at was his own.

Well, not quite - the stranger's hair was blond and his eyes were blue. Also, he had seriously dark bags under his eyes and hollow cheeks, like he had missed many good meals and nights of sleep.

"Whoa - wow, this is a shocker - talk about seeing your twin," Ravio said.

The boy looked blankly at him.

"…look .are you really just speechless with shock all the time?" Ravio asked.

The boy shifted his feet uncomfortably.

"Well, nothing for it. Here, maybe some food will loosen you up. You look faint with hunger," Ravio said.

The boy nodded gratefully, and dropped himself into one of the chairs at the table.

Ravio brought out a plate, filled with goods from the castle - bread, butter, fried eggs and apple slices. He had a feeling that the boy was hungry, and he was right - though the lad tried to restrain himself for politeness, he gulped down the meal as if famished. Ravio busied himself with cleaning his kitchen, which was a little dusty.

“Well, you look much better now that you had a bite or ten in you,” Ravio said as the boy set down his spoon and fork with a sigh.

~~~~~~~~~

"Well Ravio, have you considered one thing?"

"What?" Ravio asked, shifting uncomfortably at seeing Hilda's raised eyebrow.

"That maybe…you're talking way too much to give space," Hilda said tartly.

"Hey!" Ravio said in indignation. Hilda didn't show any outward signs of amusement, but Ravio knew her long enough to know that her eyes were smiling at the joke. It almost made the little jab worth it.

"Anyway, I shall go see this stranger, see if I can loosen his tongue," Hilda said.

The response however, was far more dramatic than the two expected. On seeing Hilda enter the room, the boy's eyes widened, and he hurriedly dropped to one knee and put his hand on his chest in a knight's bow. Hilda and Ravio traded glances.

"Please stand, good sir. I heard from Ravio about your appearance…but please, tell us more about yourself," Hilda said.

The boy raised his head, but looked down again and sadly shook his head. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but no words came out. He raised his hands and folded them in front of his throat.

"Ah, so you cannot speak…I'm sorry to have asked it without consideration," Hilda said.

The boy shook his head as if trying to reassure her there was no offense.

~~~~~~~~

A stone statue stood inside the blasted courtyard. Even petrified, the beauty of the strange lass was not marred at all - her form perfectly captured in rock. She would have looked lovely if it weren't for the expression of horror on her face. The wolf circled the statue, and Ravio read a great sadness in Link's blue eyes.

Ravio drew close and saw, among the petrified waves of the lass's hair, a crown, and her dress bore a banner displaying a royal crest similar to Lorule's.

The wolf sat down, facing the statue, before raising his head and giving off a lonely howl.

--------

Aaaand that's it. I have a few more ideas to toss into this (Link and Ravio searching for the lost Master Sword of Lorule? Hilda facing off against Ganon?) but I highly doubt I can add anything more weighty to this. I don't even have a proper explanation for why Link turns into a wolf (though in my mind, what's happened to Hyrule is a similar situation to the Twilight, where time has stopped and the souls of Hylians are left as wandering, dazed wraiths.) I might post other writing scraps if I feel like it?