#ruby lightning count: 4/5

[infiernogarde]

starter - @inheirit

Hikaru knows there's no one there to use her rarely-used spell so, she practiced aiming on it as she did it upwards where no one gets hurt of its power, asides from limited use of five, now four. The glove she wore was the main source of her magic, after all.

Her eyes tilted to a girl with a red sweater in the middle of the incantation that she had to stop immediately.

"I, uh just trying to test my magic. Yeah, magic..." Awkward situation aside, well she's just trying it. "I didn't hurt anyone and you, right?"

Least Ruby Lightning was indeed her strongest spell, unfair aside with her friends with three spells and four.

[penny-the-pissed-poltergeist]

RWBY volume 5 character shorts "Rewatch", I never got around to these when I had watch through the show originally, but I'm doing them now because this series is at least semi-comprehensive. RWDE/critical opinions ahead, you have been warned.

Weiss Character short

.Wow they actually made an original songs for these shorts, and this one's song "Path to Isolation" is damn good, you can hear Casey's improvements that are just from her not being like 15 anymore.

.Weiss actually wears her ponytail straight instead of to the side, this represents the fact she hasn't outwardly rebelled yet. There's also the lack of her scar so can instantly tell this is the past.

.The fight choreography (especially by the standards of the fuckass volume this short is attached to) is really good. Give it to the equivalent of the color trailers for this point in time to have near trailer level fights.

.Take in all of Weiss's fencer/ballerina/spellblade style, because it's gonna get pretty overshadowed by her summons real soon.

.Weiss has always had a bigger weakness to getting disarmed then even Ruby, at least Ruby can run away with her speed. her throwing her sword is really dumb even by the standards of Rule Of Cool and the only reason she fails is because she gets disarmed afterward for unrelated reasons.

.This is the last of Winter we'll be seeing for a while, as in 3 years IRL. They set up her being in Mistral and then have her leave before literally anything can come of it... Why?

.That's really cold Winter, even if it's kinda true.

.I do like this being a flashback via dream, but this let's you easily see how the modelers inflated Weiss's tits between vol 3-4 for literally no reason.

Blake character short

.Wow they actually managed to make menagerie look and feel crowded this time, good job team. Also wish the shows lighting was this good. (I know shorts take less resources then full episodes but still)

.So Blake and Sun are doing cop shit, looking for this (Probably) White Fang reptile guy. And if this is WF business, I don't trust the characters or this show's judgement on what should count as criminal.

.Okay, I'll get to the real point of this Blake Short, Ilia... Look, I like Ilia, but between this and the Black trailer being as much about Adam as it is about Blake, it makes Blake feel lesser then the rest of the main cast almost.

.Ilia talking about how nice it is to pass as human to Blake, who hasn't started wearing her bow yet. I can put two and two together here.

.I also feel the need to point out that past Blake has no belly button... Test tube baby.

.Okay causing a runaway carriage was a shitty thing to do, somebody could've gotten hurt random unnamed reptile guy!

.So Ilia is in the wrong for "Checks notes" punching racists who actively laughed at people (including her own parents) dying?

.Lightning Lash can shoot apparently, why does Ilia never use this later?

.I know we'll get more later, but I really enjoy Blake/Ilia's little rivalry, it's gay as hell but what rivalries aren't?

.Nobody can convince me that Smile isn't badass.

Yang Character short

.WOW the new engine is not doing Yang's vol1-3 outfit any favors

.I guess this hand-to-hand training sets up the "Arc" they give Ruby later, she can still block a few strikes so she isn't complete garbage at it.

.Yang's voice sounds a bored compared to vol1-3, 4-6 have thematic reasons for it but this a flashback so...

.Ignite is probably the worst out of the songs in these shorts, it doesn't tell us anything new about Yang as a character, doesn't really apply to what happening in the short, and while kinda catchy, it will never be I Burn. Hey, at least it references the Yellow trailer poem.

.While the Beowolves have never looked better before volume 4 IMO, I wish they'd kept the roundness of the Ursa's face. It does look more like a bear skull, but still doesn't read nearly as well as a bear to me, for whatever reason.

.People say Yang aura broke here, but visually and with the subtitles we know it's just flickering.

.The actual impact of the big hits this fight are really good, It FEELS like a nice, punchy anime battle, with the mass destruction and shock-waves.

."I've always got your back, sis"... Ignoring anything that happens in later volumes, I like how this contrasts Winter in Weiss's short. (God when I get to volume 9)

[rozie-gray]

Vampire Masquerade

(My first time posting on Tumblr)

The ballroom is bare and devoid of people, not even the musicians who were meant to play the music were present as thunder rolls down the valley with lightning flashing through the windows of the old castle. A lone count stands in the marble ballroom, waiting for his lover to come. On a stormy night when the winds threaten to shatter the glass, he heeds no mind as he watches the ticking hands of the clock.

With long dark hair like ebony waves and eyes red like glinting rubies; his handsome face exudes the air of an aristocrat from a time long gone and a beast of yore that thirsts for blood. He has a perfectly chiseled body like that of Adonis from myth, scarred with wounds and scars from battles ages past, clothed in the rich black and red finery of a nobleman. Caressing the gilded crystal goblet in his hand, he dared to take a sip of the red liquid but held himself back.

Not now. Especially not tonight.

The heavy slam of the door took his attention, revealing a figure dressed in a luxurious white ball gown wearing an ornate ivory masque. Long golden hair hung freely from their head, adorned with clips made of silver and diamonds. Petite hands and slender arms, hidden by the silken gloves and garment, betray the smallness of their owner. And that beautiful slender neck, rosy and free from blemishes, tempted the count to forsake the dance and ravish them shamelessly right then and there.

Suddenly, the storm outside that scourged the valley gradually softened into a shower. Mia silently crossed the room as they approached the count and curtseyed. The count returned the gesture and bowed deeply as he offered his hand to the blonde. Mia took the count’s hand as the music played from the empty chamber. Soft candlelight lit the gloom with their dim flames as the count and his lover started to dance.

1… 2…

The count had his eyes on Mia as his ruby eyes stared longingly at his partner in the dim candlelight but he could still see them, clear as day.

3… 4…

Mia had their eyes on the uncrowned lord of shadow. Golden eyes watched in trepidation and excitement as their eyes locked and their feet danced.

5… 6…

The flames on the candles flickered as the shadows around them grew. The rain outside has abated and the winds subsided but the darkness still reigned.

7… 8…

The dance is nearing its close and Mia is out of breath. The count only chuckled and slowed his steps with a smile, revealing two pointed fangs.

9… 10…

The dance has ended and the music ceased. The blonde stared at the count’s charming love-struck eyes as the lord is hypnotized by the blonde’s golden purity. Mia cupped his hands towards the vampire’s face and kissed him softly yet deeply. Never did the old count, in his immortal years, felt such a moment of blissful eternity.

Reluctantly breaking the kiss, the count clasped his hands on top of the blonde’s tightly. He wanted to make them his and shelter them from the world’s cruelties. God made him a monster and humanity shunned him for being different. He already loved once before but it broke his heart when they left. He learned to be cold and heartless yet his heart beat once more when Mia entered the castle and stayed with him.

But could this beloved angel that he so coveted love him as he admires them?

Lyra left him for another and was left alone because he is a vampire. He did not ask to be one but fate willed it against him.

Stewing in his thoughts, the man slowly turned away to leave in his own fear and insecurities and released Mia’s hand. But the lithe dancer grabbed the vampire’s hand in worry. Taking off the masque, Mia pleaded with his golden eyes to the man to stay with him.

If humanity rejected the count, humanity hounded the blonde as if he were something ethereal.

Mia is no angel yet people would treat him like one. Found on the doorstep of the nunnery on a somber summer morning, he was raised by the sisters as a child of charity. But as he grew, his beauty blossomed to resemble that of a woman’s and it was the envy of the womenfolk. Being dressed in the habit of the nuns, an angel was rumored to have descended among them.

But his ethereal beauty is both a blessing and a curse. No matter how much he was given, his heart remained empty as it yearned for the free and the unknown.

Despite being an orphan, he was offered the hands of kings but he refused to leave the silent cloister where he was raised. Until the archbishop came. When he fled from the convent and entered the castle, he felt free. First meeting the count, he felt fear for the vampire. But as time passed, what he found is another lonely soul just like himself.

Taking the count’s hand to his chest, Mia assured the count that he wanted him. Revealing his slender neck, he offered his purity as he wrung his arms around the count’s in an embrace.

“Ich Liebe Dich, Mein Alphonse,” whispered the blonde.

Hesitantly, Count Alphonse bit into the supple flesh. The blonde gasped in shock as the man sucked at the nape of his neck but he lets the count drink.

Mia’s blood tasted sweet and Alphonse felt like he had drunk the finest wine in all of Germany. It is addictingly delicious. He drank deeply before he released his fangs from the blonde.

Tired from the ordeal, the blonde tried to stand but drooped. The count caught them and cradled them in his arms. Mia lovingly held the vampire’s cheek with a weak smile before their vision blurred and failing strength forced them to sleep.

Alphonse carried Mia in his arms and walked down the empty halls to the west wing. Dawn slowly arrives on the horizon as the skies turn blue and Alphonse entered his chambers. Closing the curtains, he lay down on the bed and stared at the sleeping man’s face before he slumbered. “Ich Liebe Dich, Mein Goldene Blume.”

[msb-lair]

Dragon: Lucian - Wildclaw Cirrus Male XYY

First Record Second Record Third Record

(Smirch scroll applied on 2024-04-08) (Tri-Color Scatterscroll x34) (Cirrus scroll applied on 2025-05-27) (Chorus scroll applied on 2025-05-27) (Choir scroll applied on 2025-05-27) (Blossom scroll applied on 2025-05-27)

Purchased For: 950,000 treasure Hatched On: 2013-11-05 ID: 1205178

Parentage: Quateara/Citroen Flight: Lightning

Primary: Grey Ruby Tiger Basic Chorus Secondary: Navy Thicket Shimmer Basic Choir Tertiary: Goldenrod Thicket Basic Smirch Basic Blossom Eyes: Common

Comments: Time to start a new scatterscroll project, as the previous one hit tree colours I’m willing to work with last Monday, and is now lounging in hibernal waiting on a new breed to come along. Found this first-two-million-dragons guy going at a price I was willing to pay. He’s continuing the ongoing tradition of most of my scatterscroll projects needing smirch thrown at them so I can see the tertiary colour.

May keep him as a wildclaw after he rolls colours I like; I have very few of them and am currently trying to increase my percentage of modern dragon breeds.

Nope, he's becoming Cirrus. His primary is just a little outside the colour range I usually look at for tree dragons, so I'm not counting him as one, but it's close enough for breeding purposes.

Lucian is the name he came with.

Original Colours: Grey-Navy-Goldenrod Scatterscroll #1 (2024-04-08): Garnet-Jungle-Oilslick Scatterscroll #2 (2024-04-15): Raspberry-Eggplant-Cantaloupe Scatterscroll #3 (2024-04-22): Cinnamon-Red-Periwinkle Scatterscroll #4 (2024-04-29): Shale-Ivory-Jungle Scatterscroll #5 (2024-05-06): Amber-Tarnish-Crimson Scatterscroll #6 (2024-05-13): Carrot-Mint-Pear Scatterscroll #7 (2024-05-20): Aqua-Overcast-Sky Scatterscroll #8 (2024-05-27): Moss-Bubblegum-Algae Scatterscroll #9 (2024-06-03): Buttercup-Ruby-White Scatterscroll #10 (2024-06-10): Smoke-Antique-Chartreuse Scatterscroll #11 (2024-06-17): Pink-Sand-Berry Scatterscroll #12 (2024-06-24): Slate-Marigold-Clay Scatterscroll #13 (2024-07-01): Latte-Navy-Brown Scatterscroll #14 (2024-07-08): Denim-Buttercup-Tarnish Scatterscroll #15 (2024-07-15): Plum-Cornflower-Leaf Scatterscroll #16 (2024-07-22): Maroon-Obsidian-Thistle Scatterscroll #17 (2024-07-29): Cerulean-Abyss-Garnet Scatterscroll #18 (2024-08-05): Shadow-Chocolate-Buttercup Scatterscroll #19 (2024-08-14): Teal-Orange-Lemon Scatterscroll #20 (2024-08-21): Cream-Moss-Red Scatterscroll #21 (2024-09-02): Mantis-Peach-Metals Scatterscroll #22 (2024-09-16): Terracotta-Platinum-Silver Scatterscroll #23 (2024-09-24): Orchid-Honey-Mint Scatterscroll #24 (2024-10-08): Indigo-Platinum-Swamp Scatterscroll #25 (2024-10-14): Gold-Spruce-Magenta Scatterscroll #26 (2024-10-21): Banana-Dirt-Crimson Scatterscroll #27 (2024-10-28): Smoke-Lead-Terracotta Scatterscroll #28 (2024-11-04): Tomato-Ivory-Lavender Scatterscroll #29 (2024-11-11): Mist-Tangerine-Sunshine Scatterscroll #30 (2024-11-18): Tangerine-Olive-Grapefruit Scatterscroll #31 (2024-11-25): Fern-Umber-Flint Scatterscroll #32 (2025-01-27): Orange-Steel-Fog Scatterscroll #33 (2025-02-09): Orchid-Pearl-Periwinkle Scatterscroll #34 (2024-02-17): Ruby-Thicket-Thicket

Apparel: TBD

Familiar: Girin

Progeny Testing: 

[Test] Luciel

Broods: 

Mated with Luciel on 2025-05-27, 4 eggs [Clutch]

Bred with Luciel on 2025-06-16, 2 eggs [Clutch]

[let-it-raines]

I Hope We Never See October (6/?)

When his personal life and football career go up in flames, Killian Jones escapes England for America, finding seclusion in Martha’s Vineyard in order to hide from his demons. It’s a fresh start, or at the very least a paused moment in his life, and all he needs is a few months alone to allow his heart to heal. He doesn’t count on meeting Emma Swan.

Emma’s life depends on tourists who come to the island every summer. It’s how she makes her money working in restaurants and clubs across the vineyard, but every year, she cannot wait until autumn comes and her life returns to normal. She especially cannot wait for Killian Jones to leave.

Rating: Mature

ao3: Beginning | Current

Tumblr: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

August

“I come bearing food.”

No one responds, and Emma knows there has to be at least five people in this house. And while David and Mary Margaret live in a really nice place thanks to Mary Margaret’s dad, it’s not so big that no one can hear her when she walks in the front door.

“Hello?” she repeats, shifting the bags of food in her arms. She’s got approximately eight hundred pounds of appetizers in her car, and she needs help carrying them in. “Hello, it’s me, the lowly caterer. Should I have used a separate entrance than the front, or is someone as lowly as me allowed to use that one? What if the neighbors see?”

Still, no answer, and Emma walks down the hallway until she’s in the kitchen. Every inch of the countertop is covered with food, drinks, cutlery, and the works. It’s an organized mess, much like Mary Margaret herself, and Emma puts the bags she’s carrying on the kitchen table before looking out the window to the pool.

“Oh my God,” she whispers to herself. “Like, oh my God.”

Killian Jones is standing on the pool house roof with what looks like garland or bubble lights or some kind of string object, and David is standing below him to...catch him. It looks like David is there to catch Killian.

Emma pushes open the French double doors and steps outside. “What the hell is happening here?”

Killian drops one of the strings he’s holding, causing David to move to catch it, and Emma swears she sees Killian’s life flash before her eyes before he catches himself on the flattest part of the roof.

“Bloody hell, Swan,” he gasps, out of breath, “warn a man.”

“Consider yourself warned.” She closes the door behind her and crosses her arms over her chest. It’s ridiculously hot out today, and she can already feel the sweat gathering down her back and underneath her bikini top. “What are you doing here so early?”

“Ah, well,” Killian starts as he picks up the dropped string of lights and starts adjusting them again, “I ran into Dave here at the market, we got to talking, and since I had nothing else to do, I’ve agreed to risk my life to hang his lights.”

“He’s more nimble than I am,” David says, like that explains all of this.

“Trust me, mate, Emma knows that.”

“Oh my God,” Emma whispers to herself as Killian and David keep talking, not paying her any attention.

Emma opens the door back and steps inside, away from the madness. She doesn’t know what’s happening out there, and she doesn’t want to know. Some things are better left not talked about or questioned, and this is definitely one of those things. She knows her friends all know Killian. The night at the bar where he met Mary Margaret and Ruby really snowballed things, and it’s fine. It is. She swears it’s fine. Except.

Except, well, they usually never meet the people she’s sleeping with. They’ve met her boyfriends, if only because it was nearly impossible to keep them away after so long, and they liked...Graham. They really liked Graham, not so much the others, and Emma feels the exact same way. But her casual flings, like with Killian, her friends don’t meet them. They don’t meet them, and they really don’t invite them to their big almost end of summer parties. They don’t ask them to help hang they string lights and get ice. She bets they asked him to get ice.

What is happening?

This is…this is a lot, and Emma doesn’t know how to feel about it.

She doesn’t know how to feel about a lot of things, mostly Killian Jones, but there are other things included in there. Those things just aren’t quite so in her face.

Shit.

When Mary Margaret invited him to the party a few weeks ago, Emma was fine with it. It’s just a party. There are going to be a lot of people here, and what was the harm in inviting one more? Besides, it’s not like she could have said no when Mary Margaret asked. That would have been rude, and despite what a few select people say, Emma is not rude.

Emma picks at a grape on the counter, popping it in her mouth, and then gets another one as she watches David and Killian outside. Killian takes another string of lights from David and hooks them over a nail on the roof.

He’s different from her past few flings. They’re usually as big of a mess as she is, and while she assumes Killian is as well, she doesn’t know enough about him to truly know. They’ve got a pretty good deal with their one personal question of the day thing. She knows it’s usually more than that, little things coming out in bed or when he stops by the Blue Dog, but she has comfort in being able to veto any question that gets a little too personal.

If Emma could have a veto in most things in life, it’d be a hell of a lot easier.

Emma grabs another grape and then starts unpacking the food she brought. Mary Margaret must have run to the store to get something else, but Emma knows how she’ll want to arrange things. She’s been to enough Nolan parties to know what happens. If she focuses on this, she’ll be able to ignore the man outside and all the pesky little thoughts in her head.

“Swan,” Killian says from behind her, and Emma lets out a little curse. “What are you doing, love?”

“Helping out in the air conditioning instead of outside.”

He hums and steps up behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist as his scruff scratches her neck. It’s a contrast to the softness of his lips that are running down the side of her throat. Arousal rises in her veins, quick like lightning, and it continues when one of his hands glides down her body and cups her ass as he presses against her.

“Killian,” she whispers, biting her bottom lip, “this is not the place for this.”

“What? Your friends’ kitchen isn’t the place for us to have a little fun?”

“No,” she laughs as she tilts her neck to give him more space, “it’s not. They may know we’re sleeping together, but I don’t think they want to witness it.”

He laughs and twists her around. His fingers skim her collarbone, lifting up the strap of her bikini. “I like this.”

“You’re such a man.” She pushes against his chest and moves away, going back to arranging the charcuterie boards. Multiple. “I’m sorry David roped you into helping. You could have said no.”

“It’s fine. Can I help you in here?”

She wants to say no, to send him back outside, but it might be nice to have company that’s okay sitting in silence with her. The rest of the day is going to be filled with people celebrating the near end of summer, even if it tends to linger for another month midway into September, and Emma could use a little quiet time before the chaos.

“If you could slice those apples for me, that would be great.”

“Aye, love, no problem.”

They work in silence setting up the boards. Killian catches on quickly, copying her arrangements, and eventually Mary Margaret comes home with more fruit and cheese and a car full of hamburger buns. She takes one look at the mess in her kitchen, has a bit of a meltdown, but then Ruby shows up with Mulan and it all starts coming together enough for everything to calm down.

For about five minutes before the neighbors start showing up with their own food and alcohol, and suddenly all the quiet, familiar voices are drowned out by loud new ones. Emma pours herself a glass of lemonade and sinks into a corner of the kitchen before moving outside. It’s miserably hot, the sun warming her skin immediately, but she knows it’ll cool soon. Until then, she finds her spot in a rattan chair in the shade, curling her legs up with her, and she watches as more and more people begin to filter in.

Emma doesn’t know how any two people have this many friends. She keeps a small circle, and they’ve been around for years. She’s slow to trust after spending her entire childhood in foster care, and while she likes to think her past doesn’t define her, she knows sometimes it does. Right now, when she’s cornering herself off while everyone else is having fun, she knows it’s a time where some old demons are knocking at the unlocked door waiting to get in.

She twists the lock and tells them to go away. She doesn’t need this today.

Ruby jumps into the pool, splashing everyone around her, and Emma laughs to herself. Ruby is one of the people that’s allowed in her head, and sometimes when Emma thinks her life is falling apart, she remembers being eighteen years old, desperate for food and a place to stay, and Ruby and Granny taking her in. they gave her a job and a place to stay because Ruby told Granny she would throw a fit if she didn’t take Emma in. So, it was a threat, sure, but it worked.

It’s good. Emma’s life is good. It’s messy and confusing, but it’s good.

Mostly.

Killian walks toward her, tilting his head in question, and she nods, scooting over on the cushion to give him room. Killian takes it, his thigh warm against hers, and then offers her a beer.

“No thanks. Not quite late enough in the day for me to want something to drink. I’ve got to save it all for when David starts telling the bad jokes once he’s finished cooking and can get plastered.” Killian chuckles then puts the bottle down on the grass. “What? You don’t want it either?”

“No.” He wraps his arm around her, letting it lightly fall on her shoulder. His fingertips pull on the ends of her hair, and a shiver runs down her spine. She’s always loved when people play with her hair. “It’s too early for me to be drinking as well. I try to stay away from the stuff when I can.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“Have you now?”

Emma nods and leans a little further into him. She shouldn’t. This all feels a little too couple-like, but she does anyway. “You tend not to drink and when you do, you’re very calculated. You don’t just drink a bunch of wine like I will. It’s almost like you measure it out, literally.”

Killian clicks his tongue and yanks on her hair a little more before he draws his nail over the bare skin of her arm. He doesn’t answer, though. He stays silent, so Emma pulls her legs up and curls into herself while staying next to Killian. Ruby is jumping in the pool again, and Mary Margaret is walking around the pool with a platter of appetizers Emma brought from the Blue Dog.

When Killian still doesn’t answer, Emma decides to change the subject.

“So, tell me, how did you end up being some kind of soccer superstar?”

Killian chuckles and scratches at his chin. “Ah, that’s a long story.”

“I’ve got time. I don’t plan on giving up this chair any time soon. And it’s my one legitimate personal question of the day, so answer or veto.”

His brow raises, like it’s tempting her to take back her statement. She doesn’t. She must be really good at asking the worst questions possible today. They never really talk about what he used to do for a living, mostly because she doesn’t care, but she never thought it would be a sensitive subject. Then again, she should know better. She’s got enough sensitive subjects herself.

She waits for the veto, but it never comes.

“My mum got me into it as something to do after school to keep me active, and I loved it, mostly because Liam, my brother, did it too.” Killian smiles, one of his more genuine ones, and Emma leans back to get a better look at him. She likes the little lines around his eyes much better than the ones around hers. “Long story short, I was bloody good, my father learned there was a way to bet on children’s matches, and he kept me in it to make money. I nearly quit when I found out about it, but then I was too invested in the camps and in training. I loved it, and by some miracle, I ended up being able to do it for a living. I got the dream.”

“So why’d you stop?”

He laughs, but she can tell he finds nothing about this funny, especially when his fingers tighten around her arm. “Well, my brother died, I fell apart, and by professional standards, I was too old to have any kind of time to redeem myself. I nearly drank myself to death, which answers your earlier question, so I’m careful about how much I consume now. That’s actually why I came here...to get away from it all.”

That was...that was much more than Emma was expecting, and she doesn’t know what to say. That’s a common theme in her life. She knows what she feels, but she doesn’t have a damn clue how to express it. So she leans over and wraps her arm around Killian, matching him, and presses up until she can slowly glide her lips over his. It’s soft and sweet, just a taste of how they usually kiss, and she knows it goes against every rule she has for herself.

He’s leaving soon.

This is okay because he’s leaving soon, and when they leave, Emma rarely has to worry about the consequences.

“I wanted to be a ballerina when I was a kid,” she says against his lips, foreheads pressed together. “I never took a class or owned a tutu, but all I wanted was to be able to do the Nutcracker dance because that’s what they did at the community theater. I didn’t have any money as a kid, and I just thought it was the most luxurious thing in the world.”

Emma pulls back. She can’t believe she said any of that, but she did. It’s out there, one tiny piece of the gigantic, five-thousand-piece puzzle that is her life.

“You would have made a hell of a ballerina with those legs of yours, Swan. What an apt last name as well. It could have been a match made in heaven.”

“Ha,” she scoffs, getting up from the chair. “You haven’t seen me dance. Unless it’s, like, in a club where all I really have to do is grind my body on a man, I can’t do it.”

“It’s easy. All you need is a partner who knows what he's doing.”

“And what if I want to be a soloist?”

His brows go up at that. “Well, then you need a teacher because apparently you make a poor excuse for a dancer.”

Killian stands from the chair, and in two quick steps, he’s next to her with his hands on her ass lifting her up. She doesn’t register what’s happening quickly enough for her legs to go dead, and by the time she’s in the air over his shoulder, she doesn’t care enough to fight what’s coming.

It’s a party, she reminds herself, might as well have a good time.

“Get my phone out of my back pocket before you throw me in, would ya?” she asks, and Killian slips his hand in and gets her phone. “Thank you. I’m totally getting back at you for this later.”

Killian stops as Ruby wolf whistles, Mary Margaret gasps, David chuckles, and everyone else starts whispering about whether or not Killian is actually going to throw her in.

He does.

The water is cold at first, like a shock to the system, but by the time she rises to the surface, it’s just the burst of energy that she needed. Killian is sitting at the edge of the water smirking, and yeah, she’s definitely got to get him back for this later.

-/-

-/-

@qualitycoffeethings @marrtinski @klynn-stormz @scarletslippers @elizabeethan @jrob64 @therealstartraveller776 @thejollyroger-writer @galadriel26 @galaxyzxstark @idristardis @karenfrommisthaven @teamhook @searchingwardrobes @jamif @shireness-says @ultimiflos @onepunintendid @bluewildcatfanatic @superchocovian @killianswannn @carpedzem @captainkillianswanjones @mayquita @mariakov81 @jennjenn615 @onceuponaprincessworld @a-faekindagirl @scientificapricot @xellewoods @ultraluckycatnd @stahlop @kmomof4 @tiganasummertree @singersdd @tornadoamy @cluttermind @andiirivera @itsfabianadocarmo @captain-emmajones @ilovemesomekillianjones @taylrsversion @dramioneswan @jonesfandomfanatic @wefoundloveunderthelight @gloriousfemaleworrier @spartanguard @snowbellewells

[the-local-siren]

Pact Boon: Pact of the Ring

Not all relationships between Warlock and Patron are created equal. Those who acquire this pact boon quickly find that out. Your Patron gifts with a ring that is unique to them.Perhaps the glistening emeralds of the feywild, scorching rubies from the Nine Hells or a glistening obsidian that shines like the foreboding night sky. The more extravagant the ring the more valued the warlock is. After all not every Patron seeks merely another soul or slave.

Pact of the Ring: Upon acquiring the ring you gain +1 to your AC and savings throws as if you were under the Warding Bond spell. However, instead of gaining damage resistance you instead gain immunity to the charmed and frightened condition.

If this ring is destroyed you may summon it again onto your finger after a one hour ritual. If another creature attempts to wear this ring it will burn them dealing 5d10 fire damage refusing to let them wear it.

Eldritch Invocations:

Opal Opulence- Prerequisite Pact of the Ring Your ring gains a beautiful opal as one of it’s gemstones. You learn the Bane spell and this does not count against your total of Warlock spells known. While maintaining concentration for this spell, you are under the effects of the Bless spell.

Engagement Ring- Prerequisite Pact of the Ring, Warlock level 13 Your ring acquires a platinum band that replaces the previous one. Upon being attacked you may use your reaction to activate this feature. Upon doing so you gain the damage resistance feature from the Warding Bond spell. This effect lasts for one minute. You cannot use this feature again until after a long rest.

Loyalty- Prerequisite Pact of the Ring, Warlock level 17 Upon reaching half your maximum you may use your action to briefly summon your patron in a desperate plea. Upon being summoned the sheer presence of your Patron cause all hostile creatures within 60ft to take 10d10 damage. The damage type ignores resistances and treats immunities as resistances. Each Patron also supplies an additional effect. After you use this feature you cannot do so again until after a long rest.

Fiend Patron- Deals fire damage, all hostile creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or else be frightened for one hour.

Archfey Patron-  Roll one 1d8 and the damage is chosen from the result from one of the listed damage types. Hostile creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or else be charmed for one hour. 1.Acid 2.Cold 3.Fire 4.Force 5.Lightning 6.Poison 7.Psychic 8.Thunder

Great Old One Patron- Deals psychic damage. Additionally all hostile creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw or else suffer from an effect of long term madness.

Hexblade- Deals a choice of magical slashing, piercing or bludgeoning damage. Additionally any hostile creature wielding a weapon must make an attack roll against themselves.

Celestial- Deals radiant damage. All friendly creatures have 5d10 hitpoints restored

Undying- Deals necrotic damage. Additionally all creatures that have died in no less than 24 hours are reanimated as if by the Animate Dead Spell. This effect lasts for one minute afterwards the undead turn to ash.

[dragons-bones]

FFXIV: A Touch of Midnight

Wolmeric Week #5: Home

A/N: OKAY THIS SHOULDN’T MAKE ANYONE CRY. \o/

Day 1 || Day 2 || Day 3 || Day 4 || Day 5 || Day 6 || Day 7 || Bonus!

RATING: G WORD COUNT: 1512 WARNINGS: None! Cross-posted to AO3

---

Near to midnight and Borel Manor was still and quiet, the only sound the steady ticking of the grandfather chronometer that sat in the entrance foyer and could be heard in nearly every room of the building. Hersande and Baptistaux had kept a few oil lamps on for her, creating a small illuminated path up to the master bedroom, and Synnove smiled softly as she picked up the lamp on the pier table next to the front doors.

The carbuncles rubbed against her legs—Tyr her hip, Ivar her knee, Galette her shin, and the twins her ankles—and then beelined right for the stairs in a mass of softly glowing aetheric fur and tails. As Ivar bounded upstairs first, Galette picked up a yawning Roksana while Tyr gently scruffed Amandina, who took the opportunity as she dangled to rub her eyes with her paws before ascending after their ruby brother. Their summoner followed more sedately, turning off the remaining lamps as she passed, carefully grasping the bannister as she climbed upward.

Her quintet of children quietly chittered their goodnights to her (poor little Roksana’s aetheric harmonic came out a barely intelligible mumble, and Amandina’s was broken by the huge yaaaaawn her jaw cracked on), and then headed further down the hall to their room. Synnove blew a kiss after them and turned for the master bedroom, undoing the toggles of her jacket as she walked. When she reached the door, she grasped the handle and gently turned it, then pushed the door open slowly so the hinges wouldn’t creak in protest. For all the oiling Baptistaux did, age and the cold still conspired to the render the manor potentially loud in the middle of the night.

But tonight, the door swung open smoothly with barely a whisper, and she slid inside, setting the lamp on an end table and her pack on the floor next to her vanity. As she slid her jacket off, carefully draping it over the vanity’s matching chair, she turned towards the bed, another smile on her face—and blinked, her brow furrowing.

…Where was Aymeric?

Her eyes darted around the shadowed bedroom as she thought. It was—it was definitely Fireday, and her knight was supposed to be focused on Parliamentary matters this week instead of military. He had even groused to her about his upcoming meeting with the Counts de Durandaire and Dzemael—his least favorite combination of the Heads of the High Houses—and Master Aucheforne of the House of Commons over their linkpearl at lunch. Even if he forgot to call her again if he was kept late, Norlaise would absolutely tattle on him, so Aymeric should be home, but there was no handsome elezen waiting for her in their bed.

A quiet but firm mew got her attention.

Synnove looked down to meet the solemn blue gaze of Lady Crème. The Ala Kharan queen sat primly at her feet, long fluffy tail curled demurely over her paws, and mewed again, insistently.

She crouched down and gently brushed her knuckles between the cat’s ears. “Good evening, my lady,” she crooned. “Could you tell me where your most devoted servant is?”

Lady Crème squinted her eyes shut for a moment, accepting the attention as her due, and then headbutted her hand and stood, padding gracefully from the room. Synnove turned off the oil lamp and obediently followed.

The true lady of Borel Manor led her down the hall—quite dark now, but the white of Lady Crème’s fur was a beacon that kept her from unintentionally veering off course and stubbing her toes—in the opposite direction of the carbuncles’ room, and came to a stop next to the stairs leading up to the third floor. Synnove sighed, shaking her head, and bent down to gently heft the Ala Kharan cat into her arms. “Oh, dear,” she murmured to Lady Crème, “it must have been a bad day.”

Lady Crème mrowled her agreement, and softly papped her cheek with a paw.

As with many Ishgardian noble houses, Borel Manor had been built up rather than out, a specific luxury for the families who had claimed plots in open air, a rarity now even in the Pillars. And the Borels had always been a relatively small family; for the past two generations, it was the first and second floors that saw the most use—even Hersande and Baptistaux’s bedroom was on the second floor, in a discreet corner easily accessed by the back staircase down to the kitchens and stillroom—with the third floor opened only if more guest rooms were necessary. The fourth floor was the attic space, with some spillover storage rooms on the third, and but it had been up there that she and Aymeric had worked to convert one of the attics into a cozy little hideaway when they needed more privacy, or quiet.

Synnove tucked Lady Crème more firmly into the crook of her arm and ascended the stairs to the third floor, then walked down the hallway and turned into another to reach the stairs up to the attics. (Not for the first time, she cursed whichever Borel ancestor had so thoroughly torn apart the manor interior and arranged the stairwells at the ends of whichever halls they had wanted.) The fourth-floor landing was claustrophobic, utterly pitch black, but small enough at least that flailing out her free hand had it smacking into the door of the refurbished attic. Hissing at the lance of pain from her unhappy knuckles, she slid her hand along the door until she found the handle and could pull the latch.

Dimmed light spilled out onto the landing, the attic’s new lightning-crystal powered chandelier turned to its lowest setting. It was more than enough for her purpose, at least, and Synnove stepped inside, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.

Immediately visible, in the comfortable alcove bed on the opposite end of the room, was Aymeric, back to the door, shoulders rigid with tension. A sympathetic hiss escaped her lips, and she carefully set Lady Crème on the floor. The old queen chirped and sat, beginning to wash her paw, as the Highlander tiptoed closer to the alcove.

Synnove leaned over Aymeric, reaching out to gently brush her fingers through his hair. Her knight grunted and cracked a bloodshot eye open to look at her; pain lines radiated from the corners of his eyes and mouth, and he was unusually pale. She made another sympathetic, a croon this time, and very carefully crawled over him into the alcove bed, laying down on her side and cupping his cheek.

“Oh, darling,” she said sadly, pitching her voice as low as possible without having to resort to a raspy whisper that would just grate on his ears, “how long have you had this migraine?”

“Mid-afternoon,” Aymeric said, grimacing and very, very slowly, began to ilm closer to her. “It began as a regular headache, but it exploded after my meeting ended. Was able to come home early, and I came up here to attempt to sleep it off.”

“Didn’t go well, I see,” Synnove murmured, wiggling the rest of the way forward until her knight could shove his face into her neck with a gusty sigh. She threw one arm around his shoulder and dug her fingers into the base of his neck, and wedged the other arm beneath his head as a makeshift pillow while threading those fingers into his hair and slowly petting his head. Aymeric groaned, partially relaxing into her hold.

“Was stupid,” he muttered. “Should have eaten first, especially since it was Baptistaux and Hersande’s night off. Woke up a bell or two ago, I think; couldn’t move. Hurt too much.”

She kissed his forehead and cuddled him closer, continuing to massage and stroke his head in the spots that usually helped release some of the tension. Her poor Aymeric; he’d likely need to take the day tomorrow to finish recovering. He rarely had a migraine this bad, but it was always awful when they struck, and so far, they had proved infuriatingly resistant to potions.

A trill caught her attention, and Lady Crème leapt into the alcove, landing so lightly the bedding didn’t dip at all. She sniffed curiously at Aymeric’s hair, and Synnove felt her beloved twitch—and then Lady Crème very gently draped herself atop Aymeric’s head (and Synnove’s hand), curling her paws under herself, and began purring ferociously.

Aymeric made a noise of surprise, and then an enormous sigh of aching relief escaped him, warming her throat and clavicles as he turned into boneless mush in her arms. Synnove smiled and worked her hand free so she could lay it on Lady Crème’s back while the other now pet the top of her knight’s spine.

“Good girl,” she said to the cat, who squinted her blue eyes shut at the compliment.

“Thank you both,” Aymeric said with a yawn.

“Welcome, darling.”

Mrowl.

And together, both of the Lord Commander’s ladies lulled him into a comfortable sleep.

[spikebhm]

Oooo you're a Pokemon fan? Can you name some of your favourites? Here's mine Eevee and all apart from the fairy shite Eeveelutions, Psyduck (a underrated one but was my late mother's favourite) Ho-oh (love that bird) all of the water starters, Shaymin (my late mother again loved flowers) Arceus (a very cool legendary and I so want Legends Arceus out NOW haha) and that's all I can think about for now. Also promise me one thing that you will always love your mother, because I miss mine deeply :'(!

Oooh, I totally am!! Growing up, Pokemon was THE thing on the playgrounds! It was one of those games that helped me learn German actually so I am thankful for the existence of this game series for a multitude of reasons and this is certainly one of the major points!!!

Some of my favorites ... oof. That is difficult but I try my best!

Just as a side note, my favorite edition is Pokemon Ruby for the Gamebody Advance! It was the first pokemon game that I bought from my own money and I ordered it from the US!

I think I'll go from generation to generation!

Gen 1: Certainly Pikachu! Just incredibly adorable and I thought wielding the power of lightning was incredibly impressive to me!

Gen 2: That one is difficult but I thought it was MIND blowing to me that they've introduced pre-stages and new evolutions to already established pokemon. At that time, people were SO hyped for things like steelix and all the baby pokemon. But I think Scizor is still taking the cake for me for coolest, newest design! But a runner up would've been Espeon/Umbreon !

Gen 3: Aaaah, my favorite edition. Hands down, my favorite Pokemon(s) are ...

Snorunt and Glalie!! Yes! Indeed! Super unusual but when I got them, they were both the cutest and then evolving to one of the fiercest looking monsters! I was a big fan of Glalie because his head reminds me of a japanese super mech which show I watched called Getter Robo! Look him up, the resemblance is uncanny!

Gen 4: I gotta give it to Honchkrow, what a great design! Not much to say about that except the fact that I love the dandy hat!

Gen 5: There is something about Ramoth that gives me big kaiju vibes, a Mothra-type pokemon is just super cool in my opinion and it took me some time to find out how to get this pokemon!

Gen 6: Greninja! Also a super cool design and a great starter to pick! I didn't get the "fantasy rpg character" design they went with, like the three starter pokemon representing typical rpg classes? But I guess ninja counts as thief?! Weird, game freak, really weird lol.

Gen 7: This gen has SOOO many great designs!!! But I am pretty sure it's Salazzle, especially the shiny version is a really cool pokemon and it took me ages to get one :)

Gen 8: .... really difficult because I didn't find a lot of Pokemon from this edition were really good?? The closest one is a bit of a cop-out because it's an evolution of a Gen 1 pokemon and it's Sirfetch’d! Just a really neat idea!

Thank you for your anon! You also have a really neat list of picks there! Arceus is indeed a really cool legendary and I think probably one of my most favorite too :)

[lunavadash-creates]

Knifey’s curiosity mode: ON

Let’s begin with number 15 then 20, 21. 22, 23. And I would LOVE to know answers on numbers 24, 28, 29, 30, 50 and also 55, 56, 57, 58. If it’s not too much I also like questions number 62, 63, 66, 67, 71 (whatever it means), 81, 87, 88, 90, 93 and 98!

YES, I am really curious. I hope it’s still rather curiosity and not being nosey. I don’t want to push any boundaries. If you don’t want to or not have time for answering them please feel free to ignore them!

And yes, now you will spend years on answering to my asks. Mwahaha.

🔪

Ha! Thank you for those, lemme answer them! I'll hide them under this funny cut because I feel it's sooo long! 15. Favourite book you read as a school assignment Felix, Net and Nika and a gang of invisible people and Anne of Green Gables

20. prefered place to write My laptop or phone. I hate writing in notebooks!

21. obsession from childhood I still love animals and plush toys! Also Pokemons!

22. Role model To be honest I have never looked at people in that way. So I guess I don't really have a role model.

23. Strange habit I chew on my hair of play with it when I'm nervous or lost in thought :c it's also a bad habit!

24. Favourite crystal Does it include stones in general? Because my favourite one is Night of Cairo. If not then I love amethysts, sapphires and rubies. My grandpa gave me a box with 9 different crystals years ago, and amethyst is beautiful.

28. 5 songs to describe you Oh lord that one is difficult. Seasons by Dragonforce, The Game by Dragonforce, Castle of Glass by Linkin Park, We Don't Have To Dance by Andy Black and Demons by Imagine Dragons

29. Best way to bond with me Just talk. I'm always happy to talk with people. I like people who are not afraid to talk about their passions but also know how to listen. Like I'd prefer to talk about idk your favourite aliens than some weather small talk. I love sharing passions!

30.Places that you find sacred Forests. I go to the forests a few times a year and it's always a magical experience. I always go there very early (like 4am) and it's at the same so loud and so quiet. I love them.

50. What made you laugh the hardest you ever have. Honestly, it's not hard to make me laugh. There were many occasions when I was laughing so hard I thought I would pass out!

55. Favourite fairy-tale About how Mr. Twardowski made a deal with the Devil! In exchange for his soul, he forced the Devil to make the craziest stuff like building a perfect castle out of sand and such. And in the end, he decided that the Devil can take his soul but only in Rome! He thought that since he never planned to go to Italy he was safe but Devil then killed him in the inn called Rome.

56. Favourite tradition Huh... I don't know? I think I don't really have a favourite tradition

57. 3 biggest struggles you overcome I had 5 surgeries so let's count them all in

58. 4 talents you're proud of having Honesty I don't think I have that many? I like my writing and that's all.

62. 7 characters you relate to Gods so many?! I never actually related to any character (same with role models) because when I see a character I mostly think about how to change the story or what kind of s/o give them in my head. So honestly I don't think I can actually think of any character I can relate to.

63. 5 songs you would play in your club I'm blue by Eiffel 65, Dragostea din tei by O-Zone, We will rock you by Queen, Bohemian Rapsody by Freddie Mercury, Don't stop the music by Rihanna

66. Fawouire Flowers Lily of the valley! Honestly, I love all the flowers (purple the most and yellow the least) but generally, I love them all.

67. Good Luck Charms I have my necklace with 4 leaf clover i got from my parents for my 18 birthday. It's my biggest treasure, good luck charm and most important and valuable thing i own

71. Last favourite pattern I don't know? I don't really like Ogee pattern

81. Fireflies or lightning bugs I THOUGHT IT'S THE SAME THING WITH DIFFERENT NAME????? *break for googling stuff* THEY ARE THE SAME THING

87. Greatest fear Loneliness

88. Greatest wish For my parents and friends to be happy (yes Knfey, that includes you, I want you to be happy)

90. Luckiest Mistake Hmmm.... Honestly I don't know??? I don't remember having any?

93. NIcknames Oh well... Bordelmama or Fairy Gay Mother (esp by people I write rp with lol)

98.Favourite historical Era Muromachi!

Thank you Knifey1 I had fun answering them! And you know I'm like an open book. I don't really hide much except from some of my ideas or such. But now I'm curious to ask you some! Would you let me? 👀 If yes then: 1,2,315,18,21,24,29,36,38,48,55,56,61,66,6786,88 :D Feel free to answer them dearest! Now I'll go to sleep so hopefully I can answer rest of your ask tomorrow. I have the last one request of yours to finish!

[dmsden]

Location, Location, Location - The Undertower of Bailin’s Point

Hullo, Gentle Reader, and welcome to another “Five-Room Dungeon” style adventure. This time, we’re going to set the fun for a group of 5 3rd level adventurers and tie it directly to our main campaign plot in the Angel of Chaos storyline.

The people of Bailin’s Point have a problem. There’s an old ruined watchtower that used to guard their river port, but it fell long ago during the fall of the Keeps, and now it’s reputed to be haunted. No one’s had an issue with it until recently, when eerie sounds and lights were seen coming from it at midnight. They are afraid some foul evil is afoot. They beg the PCs to look, and try to bribe them by telling them that no one’s set foot in the place except a few local youngsters who dare each other. One of them, however, came out with a golden armband set with rubies, so it’s likely there are other treasures.

The fact is, there is a treasure...quite a good one. Depending on your campaign, this could be a magic-item from table F or even G (rare, but not unheard of). You might make this a Sentinel Shield, Bracers of Archery, Gauntlets of Ogre Power, or even a +2 weapon (preferably one with a cool history attached to it). I recommend deciding on something that will be particularly awesome for one of the players who hasn’t gotten a decent magic item yet. If your party’s fighter is attached to fighting with an uncommon weapon like a trident or a flail, maybe make it that.

The point is, Adziel, our major villain, or one of their lieutenants, has gotten wind of it ans wants to claim it. To this end, they’ve dispatched several corrupted angelic agents to go and get it for their war effort. Such an item could be devastating in the hands of a powerful enemy.

“Room” 1: The Tower -  This is the central, ground floor of the ruined tower. Barakiel, a corrupted angel (use the stats of a bearded devil), and his loyal canine companion Niriven (use the stats of a Hell Hound, but change its immunity and bonus damage to Radiant rather than Fire), are investigating the way into the dungeon below the tower.  Niriven is laying down in the middle of the room but has a passive Perception of 15 and rolls Perception with Advantage. Barakiel has a parchment that says, in Celestial, “The storm will wither hope, but winter will bring joy. Shun corruption at all costs, but flame guides the way. Venom begets only venom, but force can sometimes open a barrier.”

Barakiel will first attempt to dissuade the characters from bothering him, but, if necessary, he will not hesitate to attack them with Niriven at his side. He is utterly convinced of the rightness of Adziel’s cause (although he will not mention Adziel or what he is doing here.) “I have my orders,” he will say sadly, as he attacks. As he dies, he says, “The Angel shall hear of this!”

“Room” 2: The Way Forward - Once they have defeated Barakiel and Niriven (both of whom will vanish in golden light when they are slain, as they return to their home plane), they can examine the room. There are six pillars that once held the roof up (although now they are exposed to the elements). Each one has a rune inscribed on it. An Arcana check (DC 10) will reveal that they are the runes for various elements. They are spaced evenly around the room, with each rune facing a different one. Starting at the north, they are Cold, Poison, Fire, Lightning, Force, and Acid. Each one is detailed below.

The Cold rune radiates Evocation magic. If anyone casts a spell at it that does cold damage or otherwise finds a clever way to bring cold energy to it, it will heal everyone within 30 feet for 2d8 hit points. This only works once per 24 hours.

The Poison rune radiates Conjuration magic. If anyone pours poison on it, casts a spell that does Poison damage on it, or otherwise introduces a poison element to it, it emits a 15′ cone of poison gas that does 2d12 damage (or half on a DC 12 Constitution save).

The Fire rune radiates Abjuration magic. If anyone touches a torch to it, casts a spell that does fire damage, or otherwise introduces fire to it, it will open the first lock to the undertower. The PCs hear a very audible click and can now see there is a round hatch set in the center of the tower floor. If the second lock is already open, then the hatch will unlock completely.

The Lightning rune radiates Necromantic magic. If someone somehow introduces lightning to the rune, or casts a spell that does Lightning damage on it, the Rune makes a +6 ranged attack on them. If it hits, this works identically to a Ray of Enfeeblement, but the effect will fade after 1 hour.

The Force rune radiates Abjuration magic. If anyone casts a spell that does Force damage or if anyone strikes the rune with a weapon for the equivalent of 10 or more damage, the second lock to the undertower is opened. The PCs hear a very audible click and can now see there is a round hatch set in the center of the tower floor. If the first lock is already open, then the hatch will unlock completely.

The Acid rune radiates no magic, and there is no effect for messing around with it. It is a total red herring.

The area immediately below the tower is actually empty. There’s evidence that it was a barracks of some kind. In one direction is the dungeon, and in the other is the vault.

“Room” 3: The Dungeon - The cells have long since rusted to ruin, but their inhabitants, who died starving after the tower fell, have an unlife, and they want to punish the living. Two zombies and an ogre zombie should give the players a decent but not difficult fight.

“Room” 4: The Vault - Here, there are five spirits - the sworn protectors of the treasure. They are bound by their oaths not to give up the treasure unless it is to those worthy of it. This is a skill challenge, where the PCs will need 8 successes before getting 3 failures. If they have a cleric or paladin of a good-aligned god, this counts as two automatic successes. If anyone is of the Noble background and speaks of their lineage or is of the Folk Hero or Soldier background and speaks of their heroic exploits, this counts as two automatic successes. Skills like Persuasion and Performance can be used well here (are are easy DCs of 12). Deception is an automatic failure, as the afterlife lets them see through such paltry tricks, and Intimidation is hard at best with a DC 20. Other skills could be used, depending on the DMs thoughts. If the challenge is failed, the spirits become angered. “You are unworthy, and you shall join us in death!” They attack, using the stats of specters. If the party retreats for more than one hour, any defeated specters return.

“Room” 5: The Treasure - The PCs find the reward, including the magic-item mentioned at the beginning. They also find the tower’s material wealth, including 2,200 cp, 1,300 sp, 100 gp, and 7 gems worth 50 gp each. Appropriate skills might tell them something about the magic-item they found, but common sense might tell them that taking it is going to make them a target for whoever this “Angel” is that was mentioned by their earlier foe. Perhaps this lead will bring them into the overall plot of the Angel of Chaos, at your discretion.

Note: It’s super easy to divorce this adventure from the Angel of Chaos plot. Just have the monsters in the first scene be a bearded devil and a hell hound, perhaps bound by the defenders of the fort. The devil will bargain to try and be freed (someone needs to wipe out the specters below), attacking savagely if the PCs refuse. The scrap of paper with the clue could then be something they find with Perception checks, or the devil might offer it to them if they agree to work with him.

[davidmann95]

You've said before that your favourite Superman theme is the one from the Fleischer cartoons - how would you rank the rest?

Before anything else, the most honorable of mentions to all music directly associated with All-Might in My Hero Academia: while running into the minor technical roadblock of not being about him, those are absolutely the definitive modern Superman pieces.

10. Supergirl’s Superman theme

Filler, generic inspiring hero stuff, big trumpet blares overcompensating for the reedy little bells in the background and general lack of inspiration. I can’t imagine this is what his theme is going to remain in Superman & Lois proper, and certainly hope not; I’m not even asking for another lightning-in-a-bottle moment like their instantly iconic Flash leitmotif, they’ve already shown their proficiency with this specific sort of thing with the main Supergirl theme.

9. Somebody Save Me

IT COUNTS. Look, it is trash as the day is long, but it is inextricably linked with Smallville, its lyrics aren’t ill-fitting to the struggles of the character, and it was a completely unironic delight when it was used in Elseworlds.

8. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

It’s charming and has a sense of ‘time to settle in for some good times with your ‘ol pal Superman!’ good-naturedness to it, but it feels a little deliberately corny in ways I don’t click with.

7. The New Adventures of Superman

Here, on the other hand, we have ourselves some authentic cornball. Is it great? No. Does it let us know that HE’S SU, PER-MAN, SUPER-, SUPER-, SU-PER-MAN? Yes.

6. Ruby Spears Superman

Ghhuhhhhhh. John Williams from some lesser alternative dimension, technically well-done but disconcerting in how it makes it impossible not to think about listening to a better version. I can’t rank it lower because it technically still is that theme, but let’s move on.

5. Superman The Animated Series

Now we’re into the good stuff; while it doesn’t feel quite as big as a Superman theme should, and it strains hard at the end to last the full duration of the clip show, it’s a fun, propulsive piece that really emphasizes him as an adventure character.

4. The Adventures of Superman

It shows its age a bit too much for me to rank it higher - especially when it feels so close to my #1 pick, which does the same basic kind of thing better - but the circus show charm of it is undeniable.

3. Man of Steel

This baby goes HARD, and in large part it pays off. It lacks the lightness to work as an all-purpose Superman theme, I think, but for the ‘first flight’ scene it was used for it was perfect, really conveying the majesty of the moment.

2. Superman (1978)

The standard bearer, literally the first result if you look up ‘Superman theme song’. The joy, the adventure, it’s all there - while arguably a little TOO magesterial to suit his baseline day-to-day escapades, for his silver screen day-saving they couldn’t have done better.

1. Superman (Fleischer Cartoons)

Sweeping and triumphant without forgetting the fun and thrills of its subject, the model on which the rest of these were built to varying degrees, it’s an entire Superman adventure in a single song; you can practically feel him wink at the audience at the end. Of its time, yes, but in the way that holds up, and I’d love to see a modern theme taking its cues predominantly from this, or even just an update the way the Williams track has gotten. I’ll cop to ‘78 as the superior piece of musical composition, but this to me is the one that sounds most like Superman.

[realbodyrevolution]

Practical Guide for Body Acceptance

By Real Body Revolution

I hear this question a lot – “How do I begin to accept my body?” or “Where do I start?” If you’re asking this question, you may already intellectually understand body acceptance and even support it (particularly for other people), but how do you apply it to your own life? How do you take theory and put it into practice? Here’s what worked for me and I sincerely hope it will help you. Remember, the journey will be different for each traveller, but maybe this will get you going in the right direction!  

1.     Learn! Understanding the social context and history of beauty standards was very empowering for me. It helped me realize that this isn’t a “me” issue. I am not alone in this and the self-loathing I’ve been feeling was generated externally and had been nurtured since early childhood. I also discovered that all this “thin = health” stuff is BS, along with dieting and weight loss in general. The messaging we keep receiving from this War on Obesity is not in line with the science and is actually more like a faith-based religion that irrationally hates fat. Here’s a list of books that were pivotal in my journey: Body Acceptance Arsenal. Check your library if funds are tight!

2.     Update your internal beauty standard. This is the idea of beauty you hold in your mind, shaped by decades of external influence and formed by seeing the same unrealistic, unattainable versions of beauty over and over again, until you believe that it’s the only way to be beautiful. It’s not.   To update your internal beauty standard, you can use my Tumblr or any others that regularly post images of diverse bodies.  I created my Tumblr to serve as a library of images that do not conform to traditional beauty standards with the purpose of nurturing body acceptance and updating the viewer's internal beauty standards to include a diverse range of bodies. This is a counter measure to the millions of messages we are exposed to daily so please, check in often to maintain a more inclusive view of beauty for yourself and others.

Also, curate your social media feed by unsubscribing from accounts that promote traditional beauty standards. You’ve seen enough of this to last a life time and will continue to be exposed to it on the daily just from magazine covers at grocery store checkouts to billboards when you’re walking to work so, no need to see it on your feed. Subscribe instead to accounts that promote body acceptance or diverse imagery. Here are some suggestions of people to follow (it’s not an exhaustive list at all, just something to get you started): https://www.verywellmind.com/body-positive-influencers-4165953 I also recommend: Christy Harrison, Fat Girl Flow, Margie Plus, Dexter Mayfield, Yulianna Yussef, Baddie Winkle, Ruby Roxx and Advanced Style.

3.     Create a support system of like-minded individuals. You can do this by sharing what you’re learning by those around you, but not everyone in your life will be receptive to this (sadly). So I would suggest joining some online support groups, like on Facebook. Make sure the groups are diet-free zones and for every body.

4.     Start healing your relationship with food and ditch diet culture for good. If you do the readings I suggested, you will learn the truth about dieting. Knowing the truth isn’t enough though, you have to actively break-up with diet culture. Throw out your scale and if you can’t stomach doing that yet, get someone to hide it for you. Out of sight, out of mind. I would also strongly suggest exploring and practicing Intuitive Eating. There are a lot of great resources out there for this, but my favorites are The F*ck It Diet book and Julie Duffy Dillon’s podcast “Love, Food”.

5.     Rebuild your self-worth. Being beautiful is not rent you owe the world for existing and your appearance and weight do not define your worth.  What I’ve found super helpful is developing an inner nurturing voice to counter my inner critic. I wrote a separate post on how to do this here: Silencing Your Inner Critic and Developing a Nurturing Voice to Replace It.

6.     Practice self-compassion. Touch yourself lovingly, especially the parts of your body you’re disconnected from or feel the most animosity towards. Stroke these parts softly and say loving things to them while you do it. For me, it was my tummy. I started referring to it as my marshmallow and thanking it for turning food into energy and keeping me alive.  Treat yourself the way you would treat a loved one or a child and stop punishing yourself! For example, don’t wear or hang on to clothes that are too tight for your current body and remind you constantly that you’ve gained weight. Self-care can mean doing a closet purge. Get rid of your “skinny jeans” because they are a daily subconcious message that you’re “hoping to get into them again some day”. Go through everything, try it on. If it doesn’t fit, it comes out of the closet. You can either purge these items or tuck them away in a storage bin. Replenish your wardrobe with items that fit (the size doesn’t matter, only the fit) and that make you feel confident. If you’re on a budget, you can do this process one item at a time, as you can afford it.

7.     Let go of the dream of future weight loss. This part was the hardest for me and I went through a grieving process when I had to finally let go of some future skinny version of me. One thing I did is write down all the things that I imagined being thinner would get me in life and then address each of those things individually. For example, one thing I identified was that I had this fantasy of wearing a bikini on the beach with confidence. Turns out, I can wear a bikini on the beach at any size if I have internal confidence. Also.. what beaches am I even dreaming about? Tbh, I don’t even like the beach and have no strong desire to go to one regardless of what size I’m in – I don’t do well with heat, sand, water in my face or sharks. A lot of the fantasies I had in my head about being thin had never been challenged before and did not hold up to scrutiny so were surprisingly easy to demolish.

8.     Face your internalized fat phobia. It can be a really uncomfortable process, but you need to face your deepest, darkest, hidden feelings about fatness. For me, body acceptance was okay for everyone else, just not for me. I still (secretly) wished I was thinner. I still (secretly) felt like my fat body wasn’t worthy as it was. Similar to the process above, I wrote out everything I was telling myself about what fat means for me. One thing that came out of it was the fear of not being attractive to others. Here’s the thing I now know with certainty - I don’t want to be chosen by others for what I look like. I flat out do not respect people who body shame or dismiss people based on appearance. And I recognize appearance changes with age, so anyone choosing me based on my appearance is only choosing how I look in that moment – it’s a temporary, superficial choice. So why would I invest my time and energy into someone like that? The one thing I can count on in life is that my body will change over time and with age, so I will not commit for less than unconditional love. Also, quality over quantity! If you are conventionally beautiful, you may have more people chasing after you.. but what kind of people are they? And how exhausting and frustrating would be it be to have to sort through all these superficial, shallow people who only like you for what you look like? In my humble opinion, it’s not a benefit, it’s a time waster. I now look at being fat as a super power when it comes to relationships of any kind – my fatness will expose someone’s fat phobia, shallowness or body shaming tendencies lightning fast and I don’t have to waste any more time with them.  

9.     Stop comparing yourself to others! Comparison is the thief of joy and another person’s beauty is not the absence of your own. A useful metaphor is to think about flowers. There is a huge range of diversity among flowers. All different shapes, colors, sizes and formations. All beautiful in their own way. And people all have different tastes when it comes to flowers - some prefer calla lilies, others prefer the black bat flower. Remember: “A rose can never be a sunflower and a sunflower can never be a rose… all flowers are beautiful in their own way and that’s like women too” – Miranda Kerr. Take this a step further and actively lift other people up on a daily basis. This can be people you know or complete strangers. If you see someone walk by with a killer outfit, tell them you love it. If your friend is considering dieting, tell them they are worthy exactly as they are – no diet necessary.  This can help move you beyond jealous feelings caused by comparison and help you develop an appreciation for others instead of competition.  

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Keep in mind that this journey is tough and requires effort. You’ve been bound in self-loathing for decades and it all has to be undone, one knot at a time. It’ll feel daunting and will be full of ups and downs. While you are healing your relationship with your body and food, you will probably be triggered often. Whenever this happened to me, I would use the trigger as a tool to show me what I still needed to work on because part of why it bothered me was because I believed it was true (otherwise, I would have dismissed it as rudeness or ignorance on someone else’s part). To move beyond feeling triggered or discouraged, do something to remind you of your goal of body acceptance and your worth (listen to a podcast, view some diverse images, reach out to your online support group, re-read one of the books in the list, etc).

You can do this. <3 

[razorblade180]

Lasting Embers pt30 Finale:What comes next

[Jaune’s House]

Jaune:*opens door* Finally home! Gosh it feels like we’ve been gone forever but it’s only been a few hours. Yujin what do you want for- *turns around* lunch?

Yujin:*face down on the couch* I’m not hungry. *sniff*

Jaune:But you haven’t eaten today. *sits next to her*You okay?

Yujin:Yeah, I’m fun; for once I’m crying happy tears. Things worked out fine. For once I feel....calm.

Jaune:I’m glad to hear it sweetie. Seeing you hurt was killing.

Yujin:*grabs hand* Thanks for tolerating me through all this. I know I didn’t make this week easy on you; not to mention the entire thirteen days she was here.

Jaune:It wasn’t all bad and I didn’t think you were a problem. Honestly I’m sorry for not helping you through this m- *pulled down*

Yujin:*hugging him* None of that! The time for being bummed is over! You’re wonderful, sweet, kind, and I’m grateful for you.

Jaune:Hehe, it’s been forever since you hugged me like this. I kinda miss them.

Yujin:*pulls out journal* Well from what I’ve read so far about myself, two year old me hugged you a lot. Also we took naps on the couch.

Jaune:Trying to recreate simpler times?

Yujin:Nah, just cherishing the people I have......around.....

Those words cut through the haze of her promise to Nora that almost slipped her mind. Suddenly her heart starts to weigh heavy as things are put into perspective.

Jaune:Yujin?

Yujin:Dad.....I’ve always had you around. Not just you but Gramdma and Gramps. Adam’s been around more than he’s had to be as well; sure I’ve felt lonely but was never alone. Right now though....I bet Tenzen is feeling real loneliness. He never brought it up though; all he did was help me.

Jaune:..........

Jaune:Wanna go back to Vale?

Yujin:*nods* By myself though; can you make lunch for three while I’m gone?

Jaune:*smiles* Not a problem.

[Vale]

Tenzen:*watching old dance videos*........

*knock knock knock*

Yujin:Tenzen? Are you home? *opening door* Sorry to let myself in but your mom gave me a-

She was at a lost for words. For as long as she’s known her best friend she’d think that he had nothing else to surprise her with. Yujin was wrong though; it dawned on her that there’s plenty she hasn’t seen him do. Crying was one of these things but not anymore. The sight of it once however was enough for to know she never wanted to see it again. Without another thought she rushes to his side and holds him close.

Tenzen:Gotta hand it to you Jin, I was knew you were strong but living without knowing how a parent is doing? It has only been a few hours and it’s already torture.

Yujin:Don’t worry, it’ll get easier. You’ll have me just like I’ve had you. Not just that but my dad even thinks you should stay with us until you head to Beacon.

Tenzen:I’m not going......

Yujin:Huh?

Tenzen:I’m not going to take the exam this time around. Too much has happened for me to focus. Besides, what’s the point if you’re going to wait a year? Going without you doesn’t feel right *holds her tighter* honestly nothing without you feels right.

Yujin:*red*........You should know better to say things like that after recent events. Don’t get a girl’s hopes up; especially when you’re a flirt. Can we just...deal with all that stuff when everything feels less....complicated? *chuckles*

Tenzen:*chuckles* My bad guess I’m a little emotional.

Yujin:I know how that feels. Well Beacon or not, you’re living with us now. Think of it as training for dorm room life. Next year we’ll blow everyone out of the water.

Tenzen:That.....sounds wonderful.

Yujin:Let’s go home. From now on we’ll stop looking back and-

[Ship]

Jael:*staring at the water*

Blake:Looks like she’s gotten her sea legs.

Jacquelyn:I’m sure her mind is just busy with other things to care. She hasn’t said a word since we left. I know I should probably give her space but.....sigh who knows what she’s thinking.

Sun:Blake and I can talk to her.

Blake:What? I’m not sure if- *dragged over* wait! Sun!!!

Sun:Hey kiddo, getting used to the ocean?

Jael:Not really......it still makes me bad. Can’t really tell though since I was already feeling pretty awful. It’s not about my father either.

Blake:Really? What’s on your mind then.

Jael....*turns around* Can you two train me fight?

Blake:What?

Sun:I’m with her, what?

Jael:Dad isn’t here to train me anymore and frankly both mom and sis tend to hold back. *holds chest* I know it’s practically impossible to surpass my physical limitations, even so I want to try. Beacon is going to be the hardest challenge I ever faced; I need every advantage if I’m going to keep up with the rest. So....*bows* I’d be honored if I could learn from both High Leaders!

Sun:*eyes widened* Hey what’s with the bowing!? We’re all family here; can’t speak for Blake but I’ll help train you.

Jael:Thank you! *looks at Blake* what about you?

Blake:I mean I’ll busy now that I’m taking over full time. Not to mention I never mentored someone before....

Sun:Aw come on. The Benevolent Shadow, Blake Belladonna herself is nervous of having a student? I’m sure it’s easier than leading an organization. Besides, you got me to help!

Sienna:Vacou’s favorite son.....

Ilia:The Ray of Hope.....

Jacquelyn:Fourth High Leader in history and second High Leader of The Guiding Light....

Jael:Creator of the Sinister Shadow organization....

Everyone:*points at Blake* finish it off!

Blake:*red*........My husband, Sun Wukong.

Sun:That’s me!!! You know I always got your back. *extends hand* we can totally be mentors.

Blake:*smiles* I guess I could give it a-

Jael:Sweet! Can’t wait to show you what I’m made of.

To Blake’s surprise, the young girl literally went sky high with excitement; floating above the ship with her arms casually folded. It’s almost like she was on a sky hammock.

Jacquelyn:Thank you for that.

Sun:No problem! Who knows, we could be training the next High Leader.

Blake:Or the next leader of an uprising....Sorry to be so negative but at the train station-

Jacquelyn:I felt it too...... I don’t want to believe my daughter will go down the exact same path of her father but I’m not naive enough to think she’s growing up perfectly. Jael is only fifteen though; hopefully it’s just teen angst. Watch her closely please?

Blake:Of course, Jael has the benefit of having grateful people around her. It takes a village right?

Jael:*staring at clouds*(Just you watch dad, I’m gonna show the world just how impressive it is being your kid. I promise I’ll-)

[Location Unknown]

Somewhere in Remnant near Salem’s old territories Ruby and the gang lay in wait on a rock pillar just big enough for all of them. It’s nighttime and rain is pouring down on them with thunder roaring through the area at a deafening rate. Each of the battled hardened heroes stare into the distance as a massive wave of black, red, and white approaches from the ground and sky. Grimm and cultist slowly make their way step by step with only the thought of complete destruction on their mind.

Adam:I think your planned worked Ruby. This better be all the bases coming at us or I think I might lose it.

Yang:Even if it is we still have to visit each one to make sure. No stone is being left unturned.

Weiss:Ruby I’ve followed a lot of your crazy plans through the years.

Ruby:.....But?

Weiss:No that was it. This one is up there but not the craziest.

Ruby:To be fair, Adam helped make this plan.

Adam:We all don’t want to be away from home for an indefinite amount of years so why not lure them to us? We’ll carve chunks out of their group piece by piece.

Raven:*eyes glowing* This enough rain? The grounds pretty soaked.

Weiss:It’s perfect; might want to easy it up a little just so we can see.

Nora:Your sword charged or do I need to hit again?

Adam:It’s fine *glowing red* and not a moment too soon; they’re within range.

Ruby:Everyone perfectly clear with the plan? I’ve said it for months but I gotta make sure.

Yang:We got the timing down no problem.

Weiss:You better have it down packed. Freezer burn with a ten second delay after I land and then another ten seconds when you fight.

Yang:I know how to count Weiss, my grades were overall higher than yours.

Weiss:If we live through this I’m taking you down a peg for that.

Adam:Stay within three feet of Yang or I might get zapped?

Raven and Nora:Yep..... *channeling lightning*

Adam:*inhales*.....got it......

Ruby:Alright everyone, let’s kick some ass. *flies up into clouds* 1...2...3...4...5...*closes eyes*

Raven:1...2...3...*fires lightning ball*

Nora:1...2...3...*fires lightning ball*

Weiss:1...2...3...4...5...6...7 *launches off a glyph*

Yang:......1-

Adam:After she lands.

Yang:I know I was just messing around hehe

Cult Master:Are we sure they’re here?

Cult Thug:Yes master Seymour. The trail lead this way.

Seymour:Then where the hell are they!? They’ll pay for the murder of my son Jericho and his entire-

He couldn’t get the rest of threat out. Before he got the chance the dual lightning attacks fond their way to the soaked ground and stunning anything on the ground as the electricity jumped from cult member to grimm alike. As it faded Weiss came slamming down on the ground with her sword stabbed into it. A thin sheet of instantaneously spread for miles thanks to the rain. Now all enemies stood immobile as their feet became trapped.

Seymour:What the hell is this!? A giant ice rink!?

Weiss:Close, it’s a mirror.....*looks up* you know what those can do right?

Seymour:*looks up* Oh no......

Ruby:*eyes glowing and staring at her reflection* Say cheese.....

Her silver eyes activate and bounce off the icy surface. The world itself seems to go completely white as everything becomes blinding for a moment. When it clears, cult members still standing are left in complete shock and pain as the sea of grimm they controlled now is crippled severely. Stone and smoke now make the land seem like forgotten ruins. Seymour quickly reaches for Weiss but is blown back by an intense wave of steam;Yang landed right on time.

Weiss:*Running away* (Alright, time for phase 2. Give me a little time you guys.)

Cult thugs:Damn! We can’t see!!!!

Seymour:*spots glowing light* The light is the brawlers hair! WIPE HER OUT!

Yang:*punches thug* 6...7...8...9...*jumps up high* 10!

A portal from Raven appears but out of it comes a massive horizontal moon slice that sweeps the area. Adam proceeds to jump through and gets back to back with Yang.

Yang:I’ll be honest, I was waiting for a betrayal or something.

Adam:I’ve known about your family for years. Why would I wait until now?

Yang:I don’t know, shock and awe?

Adam:*chuckles* and people think I’m paranoid. On your left....

Yang:*blocks an arrow* Thanks.....*shoots flare* I thought more would survive the attack.

Adam:Well they migh be more in the back. This fog doesn’t do us too many favors.

Yang:It’s buying us time. Just stay close and- Right!!!

An Ursa comes rushing at them with its jaw wide opened. Before it reaches them though a pink lightning bolt strikes it down instantly.

Nora:I really hope I didn’t hit them. All I can see from here is a bright light.

Raven:Just keep the strikes three feet away. I’ll handle the Nevermores. You get more accurate hits if you-

Nora:*strikes hundreds of grimm with one bolt* Hehehe

Raven:.....That works too.

Seymour:Agh, this is a set up! Status report!!!!

Cult Hunter:We’re scattered and losing ground fast! What are your orders?

Seymour:Crap......the dragon should be here shortly. Just in case though, go back to head quarters and tell them about this situation.

Cult Hunter:You sure that’s a good idea? It could be breached as well.

Seymour:We would’ve heard it was. Mountain Glenn is too massive just for anyone to search through. Jumps-Agh! *looks down* what?

A bloody sickle forces it’s way through the mans stomach. His vision starts to blur as he falls to his. The image of the young huntsman fades away slowly; turning into a woman with dark skin and green hair. Her eyes dancing with satisfaction at her accomplishment.

Seymour:How......? Our intel said-

Emerald:Thieves and mercenaries know how to make you think what we want you to think. Didn’t get the chance to properly pay your son Jericho back; I wouldn’t miss this for the world. This more than makes up for it. Mountain Glenn was it? *grabs scroll* You guys get that?

Mercury:*in an airship* Crystal..... we’ll scope it out.

Ren:See all of you there.

Seymour:All of you.....are still....gonna die....

Emerald:You’re still alive huh? About to curse me with your dying breath?

Seymour:You’re not worth it.....you might cut us down but.....no way you all will survive. The proof.......is in the sky.

Emerald:*looks in the distance* Sigh....you said dragon, not dragons.

Three heavily armored dragons make their way over at alarming speed. Each one bigger than the one at Beacon. Their screams shake the area.

Yang:Oh I know that sound.

Adam:Think we can take them?

Yang:I mean I’m kinda a dragon myself you know?

Adam:.......

Yang:Sorry.....a little nervous. *grabs scroll* Ruby, please tell me Weiss is ready?

Ruby:*smirking* You think you’re ready Weiss?

Weiss:Yeah.....

Seymour:Your fate is-*starts shivering* c...cold!?

A gust of cold air pushes the fog away. All humans on the battle field slowly stop as their breath becomes visible and a shadow looms over them. All cultists drop their weapons in disbelief at the sight of their enemies standing under their own dragon of Weiss’s creation; complete with it spawning it’s own grimm. The huntress herself stands on its head proudly and with an ice tiara for nothing other than to show off.

Weiss:I think I’m ready.

Seymour:........ *clenches teeth*

Emerald:Don’t feel bad. Plenty have tried to keep these people down; me including. That’s the thing about people like them, they do their best work when all seems lost. Cinder learned the hard way; Salem learned the hard way. *points out gun* Now you do too....

bang!!

Many grimm start to slow down and lose the mind control either running away or staying; enticed by the fear of the numerous cult members why now are drastically caught off guard.

Yang:What’s wrong!? Not gonna make the first move!? *cracks knuckles*

Adam:We’re more than happy to. Should’ve known you were in hot water when you us two on the same side.

Yang:Just say the word Ruby.

Ruby:*smiling* The honor is all yours sis.

Yang:*eyes glow* All right everyone, phase 3-

“keep moving forward.....”

[mymelonerboner]

It’s Pink Season! - Chapter 2 - A JoJo OC Fanfic

(i should preface this by giving this fic some context – this fic took four OCs of four different people (one of them is me!) from a JoJo discord server that i hold especially dear to my heart. i set myself the challenge of taking these characters from wildly different imaginations and trying to piece together a cohesive story where they all interact with each other. to the owners of these OCs, i hope i’ll do them justice. this fic is estimated to last 4/5 chapters, and depending on my free time, maybe i’ll do something like this again with more OCs from other people, who knows :) anyways hope you guys enjoy what i’ve got so far!)

Rémi - belongs to Quality Queen @qualitiddy

Kyra - belongs to Kyrare @kyrare

Claudia - belongs to Sweet Kurage @sweetkurage

Francis Miller - belongs to meee! @mymelonerboner

Chapter 2 Word Count: 2,194

—————————— 

*     *     *     CHAPTER 2     *     *     *

"LA VACHE! SHUT UP! I'M TRYING!" 

Rémi swung the wheel hard to the right, but screeches and smoke gave away the fact that it wasn't going to be quite enough. Kyra had to act fast. She gritted her teeth in frustration as she braced herself for an undoubtedly painful experience.

"STEEL PANTHER!"

From her torso, the upper body of a feline figure emerged. Dark metallic silver glinted with ferocious animosity against a panther-like physique as the figure stretched its metal wings out, letting out a guttural hiss. Kyra's stand pressed one paw against the dashboard of the sedan, before phasing another paw through the floor of the car, contacting the speeding asphalt of the road below it. Kyra hissed in pain as she felt the sensation of the asphalt scraping against her stand's palm.

In a split second, the sedan burst with a light blueish glow surrounding the whole vehicle, before the pulsating light flowed straight into the point of the ground that the phantom panther was pressing its paw against. With a deafening crack, the asphalt below the sedan broke into pieces, nudging the sedan ever so slightly more to the right, and the sedan seemed to slow down tremendously, as though most of the energy of the hurtling car just vanished, like water spilled from a cup. It was enough to make the sedan brush past the mysterious figure on the motorcycle.

Right after, the sedan slammed head first into something solid behind the motorcycle, denting the bonnet of the car.

"I'M TRY- FUCK! OW!" Rémi shrieked as his head jolted into the SPW-branded Super-Deluxe-High-Comfort™ airbags of the sedan. Kyra sighed in relief. Whatever it was they hit, she managed to divert enough energy in time to make the crash relatively mild.

But what was it that they hit?

Kyra peered through the slightly cracked windshield. There was nothing in front of the car. It was as though the bonnet was dented by some invisible pole.

The trio crawled out of the damaged sedan, each eyeing the mysterious biker with caution. The gleam of the biker's helmet visor masked their face and gave them an aura of anonymous danger. The helmet, from afar, somewhat resembled the look of a brown aviator hat with goggles. Kyra shot a glance at the others. A slight swarm of mist was already forming and circling around Rémi's feet in defensive anticipation. Claudia wore a look of terrified concern.

"What quick wits ya have, Kyra Furyia." An unfamiliar, male voice rasped from the biker. With a quick gesture from the biker, the seemingly empty space in front of the damaged sedan bonnet suddenly appeared to melt and morph into a slightly dented lamppost. "If you were just a split second slower, you fellas would've been totalled by that crash."

"Why thank you, kind gentleman." Kyra shot back in pompous sarcasm. "You know my name. That means you've done your research. I think it's safe to assume you know about our stand powers too."

The biker chuckled. "Not bad, cat lady. You're right, I know all about your stand, Steel Panther, and its energy redirection powers." He lifted a gloved finger towards Rémi. "I also know about you, Rémi Martin, and your copying ability. However…" The biker slowly cocked his head towards Claudia. "This girl… don't think I've seen her before. She a stand user?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." Rémi spat. "I'll tell you this much, helmet - you're not very good at hiding your powers. I've already figured out how your stand works."

Kyra lifted a brow. Already?

"Kyra, look." Rémi pointed at a green-themed restaurant just a few meters away. "The invisibility, the unfamiliar surroundings… there must be only one explanation." Kyra peered at the restaurant and read the large, white block letters right above its entrance.

Five Guys!

"You're right, Rémi!" Kyra gasped. "I've never seen a green Five Guys in my life. Wow, this was way easier than I thought." Kyra smirked as she lifted a metal-clawed finger towards the biker. "Good sir, your stand ability… is to change the colour of objects, isn't it?"

The biker snorted. "Congratu-fucking-lations, you guys have eyes." With a grandiose wave of the hand, he gestured to the all the wrongly-coloured walls, windows and pavements surrounding the trio. 

"Isn't it funny how much we people depend on colour? When you see a car drive past you, your first thought is never gonna be 'Oh, that was a flat-topped car', or 'Oh, that was a Volkswagen'. More likely, you're gonna go 'Oh, that was a blue car'. Same thing applies for many things. Animals, buildings, walls… it's the first way you recognise something. Mess with colour a little and suddenly everything looks foreign. It's evolution, y'see. Colour has been the warning system for predators and prey since the dawn of eyeballs. It tells you what's food, what's poison, what's danger, what's safety. Colour is everywhere."

In a seamless motion, a figure emerged from behind the biker. Humanoid in appearance, but coloured head to toe in a brilliant pink hue, skin as smooth as rubber with vastly contrasting, bizarre patterns strewn across its body in random spots like lazy patchwork, all made with different hues of pink, purple and magenta. It donned what looked like the apron of a painter, and where there should be forearms, instead there were what looked like two paintball guns attached directly at the elbows.

"My name is Francis Miller, and my stand, Pink Season, can control the colour of any object it shoots!" 

Kyra couldn't hold back an impudent snort. "Colour. Colour. Well gee fuckin' golly, I'm *dye*ing to know how dangerous that's gonna be." She cackled at her joke. "Whatcha' gonna do, paint me to death? Mulberry sunburst my ass into- OW FUCK!"

With lightning speed reaction time, Kyra used a metal claw to slice through a paintball that was hurtling right into her abdomen at mach speed. The capsule split into two, splattering a dark blue hue against her torso, leftover shell debris scraping her green sweater and leaving minor tears. 

"...Well, that was huemiliating." Kyra smirked through her panting.

"This is bad! That stand has long-range capabilities." Rémi gritted his teeth. "Claudia, stick close. Those paintballs look dangerous at that speed."

"Hey prick, you better turn this shit on my sweater back to green right now!" Kyra hissed as she picked up a discarded beer can on the ground with one hand and pressed her other hand, shielded with her armour-like paw-glove, against a nearby lamppost. The lamppost flickered on and off momentarily, emitting a yellowish glow from its steel base which flowed into the beer can. Blue sparks began to fly out of its aluminium skin. With the proficiency of a pitcher, she flung the charged beer can straight towards the biker. The biker didn't move a muscle, simply silently watching as the beer can sped closer towards him.

Only for the can to narrowly missed the biker's visor by an inch. It tumbled against the ground behind him, letting out a loud electrical discharge as it contacted a manhole cover.

Wha… That was impossible. Kyra never missed a target. Countless years of intensive training assured her of that. She took everything into account, wind velocity, wrist posture, amount of centrifugal spin…

Francis burst into an obnoxiously raspy, wheezing laugh. "What magic some simple contouring and shading can do! I coloured the walls and road in between us to look like I was just a bit further from you than I actually was. I know your modus operandi, Kyra! I knew you would try that move!"

Optical illusions!? Shit! This is bad. 

Francis was still wheezing and hacking from his half-laugh-half-choking. "You had the fucking balls to underestimate me. But now I know somethin', Kyra. You may have the sharp senses of a cat, but your eyes are still human. You're weak to my power! PINK SEASON!" And with a wild gesture, both the biker and his stand slowly began to melt into thin air, splotches of nothingness spreading like an oil spill across their whole bodies. In a matter of seconds, they both completely vanished. In alarm, Kyra backed up to where Rémi and Claudia were huddled, eyes peeled on the surroundings for the invisible biker.

"Rémi! Look out!" Claudia exclaimed. Rémi's eyes widened, bracing himself for an attack. He drew a breath, preparing his spiritual energy.

"IMITATION OF LIFE!"

And with that cry, light greyish wisps of mist gushed out from Rémi's feet, swirling around in front of him and taking on a vaguely humanoid shape. At where its "head" should be, two large, beady, solid red eyes flitted open, glowing with a brilliant ruby hue. This misty form lightly planted a "palm" against the asphalt road with a feather's touch, and immediately, the coarse, hardened, blackened texture of the asphalt spread up the misty shape's "arm" and across its "chest", eventually encapsulating its entire "body". Upon completion of this transformation, the now hardened figure disassembled itself into a cloud of rocky particles, swarming around the body of Rémi, before settling against his skin and body to form an asphalt suit of armour, complete with a dark-grey-tinged translucent facemask that still displayed his face well enough.

Split seconds after this asphalt armour settled, Rémi was immediately hit across the left check with a speeding paintball, splattering a vibrant green colour against his asphalt exterior, starkly contrasting its dull blackish look. The force of the paintball was enough to make Rémi's head jerk to the side in a dizzying way.

"Woah! You alright kid?" Kyra exclaimed.

"I'm fine! I activated my stand in time." Rémi cracked his neck to soothe the pain of the concussion. "More importantly, that shot revealed his location! I know where to attack now!" With a roar, Rémi darted into the direction the paintball came from.

"Wait, no! Slow down!" Claudia called out to him.

Suddenly, Rémi dropped down through the seemingly solid ground with a surprised shriek. In instinctive panic, he managed to catch a grip on the edge of the "hole" with his asphalt fingers.

"Rémi!" Both Kyra and Claudia screamed after him.

A raspy voice from the thin air broke into an ugly chortle. "I removed that manhole's cover in advance and coloured its interior to match the road. I knew you two had close-range type stands. One of you guys were gonna try to bumrush me, so I just positioned myself in front of that hole. You think I'd be some kinda dumbass to just give away my position like that?"

With some effort, Rémi pulled himself out of the manhole and hurried back to the group, eyes darting about wildly as he tried to figure out where Francis was going to strike next. Kyra narrowed her eyes at him, then at Claudia. It was Claudia she was worried about the most. Her defensive capabilities were practically null. There was only one reason Francis still hadn’t targeted her yet, and it was because he still didn’t know what she could do. 

Kyra shifted her focus to Francis, or wherever she was wildy guessing he was going to be. He was cunning. He was prepared. He even had traces of tar on his clothes to mask his scent against the road. Kyra bit her lip in frustration, admitting in a pit of her heart that Francis was right, and she had underestimated him. It wasn’t just a matter of controlling colours, it was a matter of controlling perception. To not even know whether you can trust your own eyes… Is there any way to defeat such a stand user? Any way to even land a blow on this bastard, if you can’t even tell where he’s-

“Rémi! Two meters to your left, eight o’ clock!” Claudia suddenly yelled, pointing to an empty space next to Rémi. Kyra widened her eyes. Dia, how the fuck!?

Rémi wasted no time. Without missing a heartbeat, he leaped to where Claudia had directed and with a cry, slammed an asphalt fist straight into the empty space. A loud, satisfying thud resonated as Francis flew backwards from the rocky impact straight into his visor, shards of fortified glass, plastic and multicoloured dye mixed with blood spurting into the air as his camouflage wore off. Kyra let out a yelp of triumph mixed with confusion as she watched the biker and his stand tumble backwards against the road.

But it was far from over. The biker shuddered, and slowly but surely propped himself up. Through one cracked lens of the helmet visor, he eyed the young Spanish girl with a look of murderous intent.

“Y...you saw through it. You, girl… Claudia, was it? You saw through my optical illusions…” Francis hacked out a blob of spit and blood against the road. “I was wondering how you kept warning your friends of my moves. You… you are a stand user after all.” His cold gaze trailed from Claudia to her surroundings, the buildings, the road, the sky.

And in his visible eye, there was a gleam of realisation, and then triumphant satisfaction.

*     *     *     END OF CHAPTER 2     *     *     *

[hopeduckling13]

Find My Way Back To You: Chapter 33

Summary:  Hope Swan-Jones is the product of the product of true love and her true love, so her having very powerful magic was always in the cards. Luckily she lives in a town where everyone is very familiar with magic, so nothing can go wrong, can it?

Or so everyone thought, but then one day as a newborn Hope accidently travels back in time with her mother Emma.

How will the past population of Storybrooke react to their Savior having another kid and being married? And more importantly will the Savior and her baby daughter find a way back home to all of their loved ones?

- - -

Catch Up:

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14857127/chapters/34395467

FF.NET: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12964592/1/Find-My-Way-Back-To-You

Tumblr: [Prologue] [Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6] [Chapter 7] [Chapter 8] [Chapter 9] [Chapter 10] [Chapter 11] [Chapter 12] [Chapter 13] [Chapter 14] [Chapter 15] [Chapter 16] [Chapter 17] [Chapter 18] [Chapter 19] [Chapter 20] [Chapter 21] [Chapter 22] [Chapter 23] [Chapter 24] [Chapter 25] [Chapter 26] [Chapter 27] [Chapter 28] [Chapter 29] [Chapter 30] [Chapter 31] [Chapter 32]

Reblog to be tagged in future chapters

Taglist: @capswantrue @captainoffantasy @momontheice @youlxlshit

~~~ EMMA’S POV ~~~

When Hook joined me at Granny’s earlier, I never would’ve thought he’d order my favorite food for himself. Usually, he just pulls a face at my meals and mentions a million times how unhealthy it all is.

I’m sure that’s still going to happen.

Ruby really needs to hurry up with his order, I’m sure it’ll be interesting and funny once it arrives. I’m really looking forward to it.

Or maybe the three-hundred years old pirate, sitting across from me will actually enjoy modern food. Who knows? He is full of surprises sometimes after all. I never imagined that we’d be friends either. Back when my future self told me, that we will be, I was really shocked and didn’t want to believe her. But she is right. We do get along well - once we sort of got to know each other anyway.

He isn’t that bad, really, if you can see past the constant innuendoes and flirtations. It’s not like he’s being serious after all. It’s just how he acts with everyone, and once I realized that I was okay with it.

Knowing that he’s not in love with me at all helped me accept him as a friend. We’re not awkward around each other any longer ever since I figured out that piece of information.

Ruby suddenly arrives back at our table and sets down Hook’s food and hot cocoa in front of him, effectively drowning out all of my thoughts. The fun’s about to start!

Apparently, I’m not the only one who’s curious here, seeing as Ruby doesn’t leave once she set down the food. She stays right next to our table, looking at Hook with a smirk. He smiles at her for a moment. “Thank you, lass.”

I don’t know what’s happening, but suddenly my blood runs cold and I can’t help but think back to that time Hook was in the hospital. He flirted with Ruby back there, too. The only difference is, that this time she doesn’t roll her eyes. Is there something going on here?

A moment passes until Ruby smirks once more and walks away. “Enjoy the food, captain.”

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to me. They both are the biggest flirts this town has to offer. Of course, they would eventually end up flirting with each other. It only makes sense.

The only thing that does not make any sense is, that I feel a clench in my heart. Why does this seem to bother me? I don’t care what they do in their spare time. I should be glad right? Hook being interested in Ruby means he really doesn’t have feelings for me. That’s a good thing.

I should be happy about it, but somehow I’m not.

~~~ HOOK’S POV ~~~

The wolf girl brings my food out - if you can actually call this junk, food. Why did I decide to order it again? Ah, right. Because it’s Swan’s favorite. This woman will be the bloody death of me.

I raise my head up from the plate to glance at Emma, when I notice Ruby is still standing there, looking at me in amusement.

“Thank you, lass.” I tell her, hoping she’ll take the clue and leave. I can’t risk her saying anything to Swan about me ordering this meal just because I want to bond with her.

Luckily, the wolf girl takes the hint and smirks at me one last time before she eventually walks back to the counter.

I  move my gaze back to Swan and am surprised to see her all stiff and pale. What the bloody hell is going on? Is she sick? Is she okay?

“Everything alright, Swan?” I try hard to keep the worry out of my voice, but I’m not sure it really works that well. Let’s just hope Swan doesn’t catch on to it. It would surely send her running once again. I can’t let that happen. We’re just getting along. I can’t lose her again, especially not, if I want to help my sweet baby daughter get home. She’s counting on me and I won’t let her down. Not ever.

Something in her shifts as sudden as a lightning strike. Emma relaxes again. She gives me a soft smile and a nod. I can tell that the smile is fake. She is an open book after all. At least to me. But I don’t comment on it, no matter how much I wish I could. I won’t push my luck. That’s not a good idea when it to my Swan.

She is easily freaked, but who could really blame her? She had to go through so much, and she was all alone for the first 28 years of her life. And still, unlike me, she never gave in to darkness. She stayed true to herself.

She’s the strongest person, that I know.

“So, how’s the food.” She motions her head towards my untouched plate. I give her a smile and pick up an onion ring. I put it into my mouth and as I chew, I must admit that it doesn’t taste half as bad as I thought. I then take a bite from the grilled cheese.

Swan was right. This does taste pretty good. How could I have ever doubted her?

“It’s good.” I say to her with a bright smile on my face. I can’t believe we have this in common, too. I always just assumed that we bond easily because of our similar pasts, but looks like we have more things in common than I thought.

“Just ‘good’?” Emma raises an eyebrow - or tries to do so. But both of her eyebrows just raise up in the process. Was she trying to do my infamous eyebrow-raise?

“Very good, Swan. I love it.” Not as much as I love you, but that was to be expected. Nothing could ever compare to my love for Emma Swan, to be completely honest.

She smiles brightly at that and we continue to eat our meal in silence.

Once both our plates and cups are empty, Swan gives me another small smile. “I gotta get back to work. Cora won’t turn up on her own, I fear.”

“Then, I won’t keep you any longer from it.” I say.

Emma seems to be lost in her thoughts for a moment before she continues speaking. “Actually, why don’t you join me on patrol? Driving around town isn’t the most exciting thing to do. Some company would be nice and you know Cora, so you might be able to help. Only if you want to, of course.”

“I’m in.”

I can’t believe Swan just invited me to spend more time with her. Am I already making progress?

I get up and put down some doubloons to cover our meal. Swan surprisingly doesn’t complain about me paying for both of our meals.

Then, we both walk towards the door and leave the diner. In the doorway, we run into her mother.

“Emma! I was just picking up some food for your father and I. Do you want anything?” She looks at her daughter with a smile.

“Oh, no it’s fine. Hook and I already ate. We’re going on patrol now.” Swan answers. That also seems to be the moment her mother first realizes I’m here. She looks over to me and her eyes narrow.

“Since when do you go on patrol with Hook?” I can tell she tries to remain calm, but her cold voice betrays her. It seems the lady Snow doesn’t approve of me spending time with Emma. It’s probably the whole pirate thing, but maybe if I help them find Cora, they’ll realize that I’m not just a pirate, but also someone who is willing to become a better man for Emma. Someone who is worthy of her love.

“He knows Cora, so he could be helpful.” Emma says, also rather coldly. “If you excuse us now. We gotta get back to work.”

[styomi]

Fifteen study dates | 15-day prompt challenge | Sweet Pea/OC | Day 5

AN: I’ve been inspired by a bit of rain here and this chapter is more autumn aesthetic than any of the previous ones xD Let me know how you like it :D

Info:

Fandom: Riverdale Pairing: Sweet Pea/OC Rating: T Word count:1284 Chapter count: 5/15

                                        Autumn time is picnic time

Sweet Pea knocked on the front door of the Wolfe house, before reminding himself that he wasn’t at the trailer park and rang the doorbell. As he was waiting for Ruby to get there, despite the fact that she’d told him numerous times to let himself in if nobody opened it, Sweet Pea shrugged off his Serpents’ jacket. It was warm for an autumn day. Too warm for a leather jacket, especially coupled with his usual shirt and flannel combo. Then, the door swung open.

“Sweet Pea?” Jo Wolfe was standing there, his mouth stained with something that looked suspiciously like blood. Sweet Pea took a step back. He might’ve been taller than Jo, but he wouldn’t like to be pitted against the man in a fight. He’d heard quite a few stories about the Lone Wolf of South High from back in the day. Mostly, they were retold at the Wyrm in gest, now that Jo was a resident of Riverdale once more. Yet, Sweet Pea didn’t want to poke that sleeping Navy SEAL, unless he had to. “What’re you doing here?”

“Um, Ruby invited me over to study,” Sweet Pea’s eyes were still glued to the substance dripping from Jo’s mouth. It was blood-red and positively terrifying. “sir.” The biker quickly added.

“Do I have something on my-“ Jo’s hand went up, wiping at the side of his mouth, and it came back red like blood had been smeared on his knuckles. Sweet Pea suddenly remembered a nightmare he’d had of Ruby’s father chasing him down the Wolfe house driveway. “Oh. That’s unfortunate,” Jo licked the red substance. “I’m trying to recreate this recipe Lisa used to make, strawberry jelly something, but I think it’s just coming out as some cheap version of a Halloween decoration.” The man shrugged and laughed at his own ineptitude in the kitchen. But, to Sweet Pea, the image of Ruby’s father trying to cook, which was a running gag in their family since his retirement from the army, was even more terrifying. Kitchens had multiple knife drawers, after all.

“I’m certain that you’ll figure it out, sir,” Sweet Pea was glad that his voice sounded completely normal despite his growing panic. With Ruby in between them, he managed to get along with Jo fairly well. But, she often mediated those encounters like a court-appointed counselor or something. “Is Ruby home?” Jo stopped trying to wipe his hand on the edge of his already stained shirt.

“I’m sorry, she isn’t. Left an hour ago. I think she went to that picnic area in Fox Forest?” Sweet Pea nodded, pulling his phone out to call the girl and ask her what in the world was she thinking when she left him to the mercy of her father. “You can just go and surprise her, though?” Jo smiled at him and Sweet Pea was torn between running and accepting it as a peaceful action. “She had her books with her.”

“I think I’ll do that,” Sweet Pea nodded. “Thank you, sir.” Jo still had a smile on his face.

“You’re good for her, you know?” Ruby’s father said, making Sweet Pea’s eyebrows rise. “She’s finally found someone more reckless than she is. Forces her to reassess and take care of both herself and you. It’s a good thing, I promise,” Jo added once he saw the disbelief on the biker’s face. “I went through the same thing,” then, Jo’s expression changed and he literally lit up. “Hang on a second, let me give you some stuff to take up there.” Sweet Pea didn’t dare deny the man.

And, that was how the tall Serpent ended up trekking his way up the dirt road which led from the Wolfe house and into the Fox Forest, with a cooler in his hands. He felt positively mortified, seeing as the thing was an obnoxious, hot pink color, but he couldn’t exactly say no to Jo. After following the man’s instructions as to which way to go without too much trouble, Sweet Pea found himself in the middle of the forest, a large loop of the road coming up ahead. In the middle of the half circle was a small picnic area. Wooden tables and benches, a few swings, seesaws and an old-school merry-go-round. It looked pretty nice and quite nostalgic from his perspective.

Sweet Pea spotted Ruby easily enough. She was sitting at one of the tables, books, and notebooks all around her, head thrown back and pen in hand. So, deciding to be a bit of an ass in return for her bailing on their study date, he snuck up behind her slowly. Ruby had her eyes closed and she seemed to be enjoying the sun on her face. Sweet Pea spotted that she was working on her English Lit essay, about halfway done. He bent down, right at her ear level, and made his move.

“Boo.” The simple word, spoken in a low tone, along with his hot breath on her ear, had Ruby jumping up from her seat. Unfortunately for Sweet Pea, that meant that her forehead collided with his with a loud sound, making them both gasp and groan.

“Oh my God!” the girl exclaimed, dropping her pen to hold onto her head. “Jesus, sasquatch! What did you do that for?” she rubbed the red spot before letting it go. Sweet Pea, on the other hand, stood stunned. “Are you alright?” Instantly, her hands were at his forehead, feeling the sore spot.

“I’m fine,” he snapped out of his shock. “And, that was for forgetting our study session, running off to the woods and leaving me to face your father.” Ruby winced. She loved teasing him about this and that, but even she wasn’t so cruel as to leave him in a bind intentionally.

“I’m sorry I forgot,” she pulled him down to her height by the lapels of his flannel shirt and kissed the sore spot on his forehead. “The weather was so nice that I decided to head out to this spot for a bit. I guess I forgot to check the time.” She giggled.

“Dumbass tater tot,” Sweet Pea shot back and slid on the bench next to her. “Here, your father sent this.” He placed the hot pink cooler on the table in front of them.

“Oh, picnic food!” Ruby instantly perked up. She opened it and started rummaging.

“How much coffee have you had?” Sweet Pea asked, noting her peppy behavior. His Ruby wasn’t like that. She was the calm before the storm. The thunder and lightning rumbling right under the cool surface. This excited little beast appeared only when chocolate was mentioned, or after a large amount of coffee was consumed.

“Um… Three cups?” She asked nobody in particular, starting to take out different snacks from the cooler, along with two cans of soda.

“In the past hour?” Sweet Pea sarcastically asked.

“Before I left, sooo… Past three hours?” Ruby’s smirk told him that she was messing with him, as usual. She never backed down from a good verbal battle.

“I want compensation for having to deal with caffeinated Ruby.” Grumbled the biker. Instantly, Ruby closed the cooler and her hands found purchase on his shoulders. From her position with her knees on the bench, she was taller than him for once, giving their kiss a new angle.

“Enough compensation?” She asked breathlessly when they finally untangled tongues.

“Not nearly.” Sweet Pea pulled her back and onto his lap with a gentle hand at her waist, swallowing her giggle with his mouth. He figured that he’d enjoy the loving before Ruby realized that he hadn’t even started his English Lit essay.

That’s all for now, folks!

If you’d like to be added on the tag list, let me know :)

You can find the previous parts here:

Day 1: A way to memorize Day 2: How to prepare for a study date (?) like a proper gentleman Day 3: With proper motivation, anything is possible Day 4:  PG13 PDA sugar can be good motivation  Day 6: It’s best when we can compete Day 7:  Master of procrastination and his jailer Day 8: Take me anywhere, everywhere, away from here   Day 9:  Dirty French for beginners   Day 10:  I need… sleep?… no, you…   Day 11:  Delirium   Day 12: Stay still for me   Day 13:  Debate? Apparently, a turn-on   Day 14: Two-seater and Chinese   Day 15:  Unintentional intentions  

Hope you enjoyed!