#the one locating has piebaldism on their head and hands :]

[dokupine]

clown to clown echolocation

[cyberrat]

65th Batch Of Fics: 3rd Fill

Hanzo/Cole – Minotaur AU – Part 48 – They're putting their plan into motion.

---

Hanzo’s heart is pounding wildly which amuses him to no end. He’s let Cole fuck him at so many different and public locations that he would think getting to spread his legs in the conference room should not even ping on his radar, yet it seems that there is still some type of magic connected to the space.

There is something to be said about many generations of his family having conducted themselves very honorably and respectable (and absolutely despicable) in these four walls. It gives him just that extra kick as he sits down on the edge of the large table the Elders would sit around, splitting his kimono apart to show Cole how he is wearing nothing underneath.

Just an easy treat for him to grab and partake in after he’s finally come back from the mission that the Elders have sent him on.

Cole’s dark eyes are fixated on him with a single-minded focus that Hanzo enjoys very much. He likes being the center of attention. Especially Cole’s attention. The bull is lowering his head a little, not quite close enough to reach out and touch. He’s waiting for permission, the sweet boy…

Hanzo curls his fingers at him and he takes a step forward, then another one, standing still like a well-trained puppydog once Hanzo stops urging him closer. There’s no sound outside the conference room. Yet. But that will change soon, he is quite certain.

Genji is there standing guard… probably trying to listen in, after his shockingly lewd display the other time. It excites Hanzo even more.

He reaches out and curls a single finger into the golden hoop pierced through Cole’s broad nose. He doesn’t pull yet but he can tell that Cole is still like a young colt, just waiting for the smallest invitation that yes, he is allowed to cover Hanzo with his body and try to dry fuck his big piebald dick into him.

That same big cock that had shocked and somewhat terrified Hanzo so long ago… seeing him caught in a big cage in the stables.

And now he can’t wait to have that monster crammed into him any chance he gets.

“Your duties will change as of today… you are aware, yes?” Hanzo croons as he spreads his legs and reaches between them with his free hand. He cups his balls and lifts them a little just to let Cole see the barest wet glint of the slick he’s pumped into himself earlier. Preparing himself to get grunt fucked by his bull.

He knows that Cole has seen what he’s supposed to see when his big ears flick strong enough that Hanzo can feel a gust of wind tickling along his arm.

“In the future you will consult with me before obeying any of the Elders’ orders, yes?”

Cole hums low in confirmation. For him it sounds like a suppressed moo which amuses and excites Hanzo in equal measures. It tends to hit home that he is indeed letting himself get fucked by a creature that is half human, half animal.

And he loves every second of it.

He loves… him.

Hanzo licks his lips, his heart beating so fast – only for Cole to know when he puts his large palm against Hanzo’s chest. He looks satisfied with what he is feeling. Hanzo tugs on the nose ring and Cole steps closer, pushing between Hanzo’s legs and leaning forward until he can brace himself on the sturdy table behind him. Enveloping him with his large, warm body. He smells like a clean stable… warm and thick and comforting.

Everything Hanzo needs.

“We will be workin’ together,” Cole drawls, his warm breath fanning over Hanzo’s upturned face. “I ain’t hoppin’ loops for anybody but you.”

Hanzo nods, his throat gone so very dry all of a sudden while he stares up at Cole, utterly fascinated by him all over again.

He feels drunk with power; especially when he reaches down and curls his fingers around Cole’s dick. It’s so fat and warm… The skin is silky against his slowly stroking fingers, reminding him that despite how Cole looks like, he can bleed just as easily as anybody else…

“C’mere,” Cole croons, tipping Hanzo’s head back even further and licking over his throat and chin with his broad, warm tongue. Distracting him from how he moves even closer so he can nudge his crown between his cheeks.

He manhandles Hanzo much like he had done back in the stable: without any shyness or concerns. His arm curls around his back to reposition him until he can easily push into him in a nice little nudge that sets Hanzo’s nerve endings alight in the best way possible.

He’s addicted to the feeling of getting manhandled by Cole, even though he does not like how he has to touch up on his make-up so often because the bull routinely licks it off…

It’s a small price to pay for feeling so filled to the brim that the pressure starting up between his hips makes him start to feel antsy. Like he has to bear down and push him back out.

Hanzo closes his eyes and curls his legs around Cole’s sturdy hips, fingers digging against his shoulders and the short fur there. It’s not enough to really grab him, but that’s what his horns are for once he really gets going and fucks Hanzo so hard that his teeth clack together and he can feel his cock knocking against his diaphragm-

He’s completely forgotten about why they’re doing this here of all places by the time the door suddenly opens to the sight of several angry looking Elders. Hanzo glances over to them, barely able to keep from drooling as he’s getting dicked and Cole pushes his cock even deeper into him somehow. He can feel his stomach bulging with it which is an alien feeling all on its own.

He doesn’t really need to see his brother standing behind the Elders, grinning like a Cheshire cat and giving him an excited thumbs up… but at least it does remind him of why they’re all in this situation to begin with.

.oOo.

Genji is standing guard in front of the boring room, as he usually thinks of it whenever he happens to walk past. Nothing exciting has ever happened in there, after all; not exciting for him, at least.

Which has changed today, obviously. He’s sporting an erection that he’s got no hopes of hiding just listening in on the sounds floating out to him.

He honestly just wants to watch, but he promised Hanzo to make sure that their risky little plan would even work, so he stands there, waiting for the Elders to finally appear…

When they finally do, Genji doesn’t really need to do anything to get them angry and riled up. It’s just how members of the Shimada Clan usually react to him which he finds pretty funny in and off itself.

He only half-heartedly tries to keep the door shut, not fighting them overly much before shrugging and letting them storm in, ready to watch the fireworks explode.

[three-words-or-less]

How to write Roach (and other horses)

I’ve seen a LOT of fics starring Roach. And it’s amazing, I love how this fandom just accepted a horse as an important character and went with it. I’d like to help the writers out and give some tips about writing horses! So, here we go:

physical limitations of a horse:

two riders won’t fit in a saddle simultaneously (except if one of them is a very small child). a second rider won’t fit in front of the saddle as the saddle is located directly behind the neck of the horse. so the only way for a horse to carry two riders is one sitting behind the saddle as we saw in the djinn episode

however it’s not a good idea to frequently ride in tandem as it’s very hard on the horse’s back

about what a horse can or can’t carry: generally, it’s best to avoid the horse carrying above 20% of its body weight frequently. that includes the rider and the equipment. an average horse weighs about 500 kg, or 1100 lbs (though draft horses can be over twice the weight, but they’re not really built for riding). so 100 kg or 220 lbs is already quite a lot for a horse. obviously those are modern day standards based on modern knowledge and and historically horses used to carry quite a bit more

horse height is measured in hands. an average horse is around 14-17 hands or 140-170 cm, though they can be significantly smaller or larger. Geralt is quite tall so Roach is probably somewhere around 170 cm, or 17 hands

horses have a really large field of vision to their sides, but have a blind spot directly behind and directly in front of them

a top speed of a horse is around 70 km/h, or 44 mph. note this is a top speed of a horse specifically bred for going fast, for a very short time 

the average speed of a galloping horse is 40-50 km/h, or 25-30 mph

the gaits are walk, trot, canter and gallop. walk is slow-paced (about the same speed as human walk or slightly faster) and comfortable to ride. trot is faster but usually quite uncomfortable, being quite bouncy. it depends a lot on the horse, though. canter is generally faster than trot, is similar to gallop but slower, and actually more comfortable for the rider than trot. canter is the gait we see in ep5 when Geralt first brings Jaskier to Chireadan. a horse can also alter its speed within a gait, so, for example, fast trot can be faster than slow canter

a horse can move at slow pace for a really long time, but only run at full speed for a short time. the most a horse can gallop at full speed is around 3-4 km, or 2-3 miles

80-100 km, or 50-60 miles in a day is a long distance for a horse to travel though doable. 50 km, or 30 miles in a day is more realistic, less if the terrain is difficult

some pointers about the gear: 

 the horse wears a bridle when ridden. usually, the bridle has a metal mouthpiece called a bit. the part that the rider holds is called reins (not reigns. a king reigns. the bridle has reins) and the reins are connected to the bit from the both sides. the reins are gently used for steering and stopping/slowing down. a rider can let go of the reins while riding and they will hang against the horse’s neck, though if the horse lower its head, the reins may slip over the head to the ground (I can totally see that happening to Jaskier if he’s riding)

alternatively, the horse can wear a halter. that’s what we see on Roach in ep6, when they’re preparing to leave for the mountain. halters aren’t generally used for riding, they lack the bit and are simpler but sturdier. they are used for tying or leading the horse. the lead rope is attached to the halter under the horse’s chin

the saddle bags are placed behind the saddle on both sides and should be evenly filled

the saddle is secured in place by a girth, which needs to be properly tightened. not tight enough girth can cause the saddle rolling to the side. you can use this to add some nice drama to your story!

the rider’s feet are placed in stirrups. they can slip through the stirrups, which can potentially be really dangerous if the rider falls off the horse and gets dragged behind with the foot stuck in the stirrup. drama potential, again!

random things:

a horse’s snout is called a muzzle. it’s very velvety soft and lovely. it’s also extremely flexible as well as sensitive, horses actually are able to differentiate between plants and tell which ones are edible with their muzzle. if you give a (well-behaved) horse a treat, she’ll gently pick it up from your palm with her lips and it will tickle a bit

Netflix Roach is chestnut in color. game Roach is bay. some other horse colors are black and brown (duh), grey (the shade can vary greatly), palomino (golden), buckskin (golden with black mane and tail), dun (sandy), piebald (large black and white patches). true white horses are extremely rare, white-looking horses are usually white greys

some horses mentioned in The Witcher 3 are Nilfgaardian black (”from the purest Nilfgaardian stock”), Redanian chestnut (”a pureblood Redanian. gallant steed, but too headstrong for my taste. difficult to control”) and Zerrikanian bay (”Zerrikanians are reputed to have incredible stamina”)

limping in a horse is called lameness. a horse can go lame for a ton of reasons and it’s quite common. even a horseshoe coming off can make some horses lame

a horse can kick really hard, easily hard enough to kill someone. horses are also able to kick incredibly high, even someone on the head, and are really precise with their kicks. a horse can kick with its front legs too, it’s called striking. kicking with back legs is usually defensive or fearful behavior while striking is full on aggression. horses can also bite or even grab people with their teeth but it’s really uncommon

sometimes horses can also kick on accident, like knocking someone with their front hooves when rearing or trying to kick off a fly but kicking a person instead. that can happen easily if someone stands in their blind spot

horses get spooked easily. when spooked, they usually rear or jump to their side and it’s easy to lose balance and fall off. a spooked horse can also bolt, which means galloping uncontrollably at full speed

horses don’t neigh a lot. it’s really not that common. the most common sounds are nicker (a soft sound, often heard when a horse is happy to see its owner), snort (usually means contentment), or whinny (when the horse is spooked)

an angry or frightened horse flattens its ears back towards its neck. its called ear pinning

horses are extremely smart. they’re able to tell human facial expressions apart, recognise other horses and people even after years of separation, and learn very well. they’re not dogs, though, so they won’t sniff stuff out

many horses will try and grab a bite of grass or leaves when riding at slow pace. stubborn ones may also stop to nibble on an especially delicious patch of grass

This ended up being quite a list, but I really hope someone will find this useful! Let’s make our favorite equine that little bit more well-written!

[remmushound]

Chapter 9 - Dinner Drama!

Summary: The Splintersons have a look around the home and then try to enjoy their dinner with their hosts.

Tags: @brightlotusmoon @scentedcandlecryptid @selfindulgenz @digitl-art-monstr @ilo-artistry

After a swift perimeter check to ease their nerves, the visitors finally started to settle into the lair. It was still so new, so enclosed, that Leo couldn’t see himself being comfortable any time soon. Not until he could confidently locate all the exits, and all the entrances, and where weapons were stored. Not until everything was as secure and as open as his lair was. It wasn’t his right to change the place, but it was his right to not feel comfortable when there were so many places enemies could be hiding unseen. So many dark corners, concealed cubbies that could be hiding threats. So much potential for danger.

When Leo got an opportunity alone with Leonardo, he immediately knew what he wanted to ask. “Hey Leonardo, is your Raph still… you know, calling the shots?”

Leonardo had been anticipating that question all day. He gave a pointedly loud sigh and rolled his eyes as he slumped around to be facing his counterpart, “You ask that every time we see each other. You know that?”

Leo felt his cheek grow hot and his head shrank slightly. Trying to save face, he was quick to defend himself. “Well— a lot can change in six months!”

“Six months…” Leonardo sighed again, and this time it was more genuine and heavy. The revelation of just how long it had been washed over him like an icy bucket of water. Yes, it had been six months, hadn’t it? The time seemed to slip away from him. “Yeah… and a lot has changed. But that hasn’t.”

“I just figured… your whole situation would have changed by now. Especially with you boys growing up.” Leo made an effort to explain, awkward now that he knew he was wrong in his assumption. And he had been so certain too! Since he and his brothers had arrived, Leonardo was acting so confident, so much like a leader! Had Leo just imagined all that?

“Well you figured wrong.” Leonardo said, and now his voice had a defensive edge, “Raphael is just as capable as ever. He is and will always be our leader. Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, no, not at all!” Leo put his hands up in an offering of peace, “i was just wondering.”

“Yeah.” Leonardo made sure to side-check Leo as he passed, “Sure you were.”

~~~

“Hey little Mike, you got a minute?” Raph waved at the smaller version of his brother.

Michelangelo looked back, and then skipped over to Raph while humming a happy, upbeat tune. “You’re really risking it all by calling me little again~! What do you need?”

“Er…” It took Raph a second to brush past the threat laced into the happy voice, “Just… y’know… I saw a pool during the tour and was wonderin’ if it was recreational or jus’ for training?”

“Well we usually swim laps in it for warmups, but I don’t see why you couldn’t swim whenever. We got floaties if you need ‘em! Mine have sharks on them!”

Raph grinned. “Do they now?”

Michelangelo nodded eagerly. “Yeah! I’m not allowed to go in the pool without them cause I can’t swim so good.”

“Aw.” Raph nodded along, “That’s too bad.”

“Yeah! I‘m too heavy— I sink like a rock! Can you swim?”

“Eh, more or less.” Raph gave a so-so motion. “If my life depended on it, sure. Never really had much access to water that wasn’t a cesspool or Amazon river.” He shivered at the memory of being dropped in the water, the current pulling him and his brothers along like they were little more than skipping stones.

“Oo! Sounds fun!” Michelangelo chirped, “But do be mindful of Piebald; she likes to swim in there sometimes!”

“Piebald?”

“Oh, she’s a mutant goldfish. She was dad’s pet, but then we flushed her and she mutated and then pretended to hunt us with a hook, but it was really all just an elaborate prank from her and dad to punish us for lying.”

Raph stared. “Oh.”

“Yeah, but she’s totally nice now and not at all sadistic and revenge-driven! No worries.”

“Wasn’t worried at all.” Raph lied.

~~~

After their quick assessment, Leonardo and Donnie had come to the decision that Mikey needed the simplest medicine of all: rest. Raphael had been more than happy to stay with Mikey until the turtles could adjust to the new environment, but exactly when that would happen was anyone's guess. Mikey was sat in Raphael’s bed, wrapped in the snappers heaviest comfort blanket and hugging Cheech as he listened to the snapper chatter with all the joy of a child. Klunk had settled in and was sleeping on Mikey’s lap in a tight orange ball, purring to his hearts content.

“Oh oh oh!” Mikey chirped quickly, “Tell me more about the capybara tell me more about the capybaraaa!”

“His name’s Todd.” Raphael indulged, “He owns a puppy farm in the woods near here.”

“Puppies..” Mikey sniffled softly and hugged Cheech tighter, “This day just keeps getting better and better. Are he and the mantis friends?”

“Todd’s friends with everyone.” Raphael answered.

“Oh my gaaaawwdd…” Mikey fell back down on his carapace, laughing weakly as he stared up at the ceiling. “That’s awesome…”

Raph moved to carefully reposition Cheech in a way that Mikey could still hug him while laying down, fixing the blanket and pillows to make sure the shinobi was as comfortable as possible. Mikey’s eyes were closed now, the stuffed bear drawn to his chest as he laid peacefully. Raphael stood slowly and made his way to the door.

The moment Raphael’s hand touched the handle, Mikey sat up straight. “Where are you going?”

“Oh— sorry. I thought you were asleep.” Raphael said, and he returned to Mikey’s side.

Mikey settled back into the bed, cuddling deeper into the blankets and giving a series of high pitched chirps that eventually faded to nothing. Raphael gave it a few more minutes before slowly getting up and going to leave again.

Like Dracula out of his coffin, Mikey sat up again and spoke so suddenly that Raphael couldn’t help but flinch. “What about the other mutants?”

Raphael took a deep breath as he spun around on his heels to face the turtle who still wasn’t asleep. “What do you wanna about them?”

Mikey grinned. “Everything!”

***


Donnie didn't think anything could top him meeting Shelldon that night— and then he saw Donatello’s lab for the first time. The beautifully artistic designs mixed with a generally futuristic style made for a gorgeous display of technological genius . Just like Donnie’s own lab, Donatello had several screens activated at once, scanners and alarms and traps all set to be activated at the simple trip of a sensor. The entire room was lit up in a peculiar violet hue, almost as if it was under one big black light. If that was the case, then Donatello certainly kept his room spotless.

“Oh my kami…” Donnie gulped, his eyes emeralds in the darkness. “Can I live here? I wanna live here…”

“You gotta pay rent.” Donatello said.

“I’d give anything to have my lab like this!”

“Would you give your right cornea?” Donatello leaned against the wall.

“Eh, my eyes are useless. I would give up a kidney or a gallbladder though.” 

“I’ll grab the bone saw.”

“I’ll sign the consent form…”

***

“Dinner is served!” Michelangelo presented a simple dish of pizza gyoza to the table; one could say it was just homemade pizza rolls, but that ruined the magic! Besides, they were more doughy like a dumpling than anything crunchy. 

The two families were gathered around and eager to eat, seated around two tables that had been pressed together to make enough room for ten diners; each set of brothers were on opposite sides of the table, while the heads of the table were reserved for the Splinter’s. The absence of one of the two fathers didn't go unnoticed.

“Itadakimasu.” Splinter said to the proud Michelangelo, “The food looks delicious. Won’t your father be joining us?”

Another chill came to the room. Another exchange of unsettled looked.

“Dad asked not to be disturbed.” Leonardo said simply.

The Hamato family turned their eyes to their food, working with the same mind to scarf down the gyoja as fast as possible, filling their mouths so they wouldn’t have to speak. The Splinterson family took the same opportunity to look around at each other, all but Mikey having the same, constricted looks on their faces; Mikey was already lost in his own mind, his eyes blank as he smiled and shoveled the offered dinner into his mouth.

“Surely your father would prefer to eat his supper while it is still hot?” Splinter insisted.

Raphael stood abruptly. His plastron bumped into the table and made the dishes clink and glasses splash with the force of his motion, but chair screaming as it was pushed back.

“You know what? You’re right.” Raphael hurried to gather another plate and pile it with gyoji, his eyes avoiding Splinter’s as he piled the dinner on a tray with freshly brewed tea. “I’ll bring this to him right away.”

When Raphael left, he took the conversation with him. He returned minutes later but the air of the room remained quiet and tense. Eager to break the silence, Leo finished off the last of his gyoji.

“Gochi sou sama deshita.” He said, and bowed to Michelangelo, “And while I am thankful for your hospitality— we all are— this isn’t a social visit. We really need to get back to our world. Can your gift do that, Donatello?”

“Should be able to.” Donatello said with a nod, “It was designed for two trips, here and back.”

“Great, then what are we waiting for?” Leo looked around for an answer but no one offered one, “Those creatures are still in our world, could be targeting our people, our city!”

“We need a plan first Leo.” Donnie tried to reason, “We can’t just run in blind.”

“Then we should be planning instead of just hanging out!”

“Can’t plan on an empty stomach.” Michelangelo said, pointing his chopsticks at Leo. “We’re eating!”

A sharp hiss came from Leo’s throat. “Don’t. Point. It’s rude.”

Michelangelo put his chopsticks back down and shrank away from the violent hiss, the retreat as instinctual to him as going into his shell.

“Leonardo…” Splinter tried to reason, “Please settle down and allow us to have a nice supper before discussing.”

“But we need to discuss this now!”

Leo’s disobedience of his father made his brothers gasp, Raph pulling back slightly while Mikey even broke out of his minds wandering to tune back in. Leo flinched at his backtalk and fell into a quick, clumsy bow.

“Shitsurei shimashita, sensei.” Leo said in a low voice before regaining his composure, “I just feel like these guys aren’t taking this situation seriously.”

“And I feel like you expect us to pull a solution out of our asses.” Leonardo hissed back.

“Now now, there’s no need for vulgarity…” Splinter tried.

“I’m not suggesting that you have the answers, I suggesting we need to find them instead of doing house tours!” Leo snarled back.

“If you don’t like it, you can get out.” Leonardo didn't back down.

“Leo, it’s fine, cool it.” Donnie tried to mediate, grabbing a hold of his brother’s arm; he was almost convinced Leo might lunge over the table at his smaller counterpart if this went on for much longer.

“I am cool!” Leo pulled his arm free, knocking Donnie back in the process. That got Raph involved, the box turtle standing up ready to confront his brother. Before he got so much as a word out, however…

“Everybody COOL IT!” Raphael slammed his fists down on the table.

The table splintered under Raphael’s slamming weight, chips of wood flying out like dangerous projectiles. The words, with all the force of a hurricane knocking trees out from their roots, brought a silent stalemate. Raphael looked pissed. His eyes were white, entire body like a taut wire that would snap at the slightest breaths. His nostrils flares, and when he had screamed, white, foaming spittle flew across the table. Now, it dripped down his lopsided jaw and chin.

“Not another word.” Raphael said, this time calmer as he left the table once more. All eyes followed him to the doorway to find a small, gray rat standing there watching them.

Yoshi’s mouth was pulled down in a tight frown, eyes glossy. His paws, shaky as they were, held his tray of dirty dishes that he had been intent on cleaning; for now, he just… stared. His fur seemed several shades paler, his hair tangled and unkept, and though it was hard to tell through the clothes. he looked skinny. The mutant looked around at the table, at the turtles and the rat he had paid many visits to, but when his eyes passed over them they held no recollection. No memory. Just dark confusion, empty and cold.

“Dad…” Leonardo said softly, but at Raphael’s threatening chuff, Leonardo said nothing more.

“Hey pops— here, let me get that for you…” Raphael took the tray from his father and hurried over to throw them haphazardly into the sink. He came back after, his massive hand completely engulfing Yoshi’s back to guide the old rat away away. Yoshi followed the snapper at a slow gait, though his feet dragged as if they were made of the heaviest lead and it took a while for him to get anywhere. “Come on, let’s get you back to bed okay?”

Everyone watched as the father and son disappeared out of the dining room, none of them daring to breathe, nonetheless utter a word.

[gumnut-logic]

Love and Sacrifice wip (cont.)

From here

Gordon’s face was pale when they reached the comms room. Alan was absent having flown Brains to the mainland that morning. There was no doubt John had called them back, but they weren’t here now.

It was probably for the best.

Gordon’s expression of concern the moment he set eyes on Virgil, could only be ignored to a point.

But as he stood in front of John’s hologram, it was with Scott on his right and Gordon on his left, and he straightened his posture, drawing strength from his brothers’ presence.

John spared him a worried glance, not unlike Gordon’s, but dove into the topic regardless.

“She’s being held in an abandoned palm plantation on one of the smaller islands north of Java.” A holographic map appeared momentarily, zooming in to the suspect island, down to the level where a series of ramshackle buildings scattered over a couple of hectares. A single silver icon flashed in the centre of the largest building.

Virgil stared at it.

“I’ve been able to hack their security system.” His brother fiddled with a control and a video image appeared next to the map.

Virgil tensed and flinched as a hand gently caught his wrist. Scott offering just that touch of comfort mixed with restraint.

Kayo.

Her eyes were closed, her face etched with pain, and piebald with bruising. One eye couldn’t open and her lip was split enough to leave smudges of blood across her mouth where she had been hit.

A man was talking to her, demanding something, but they had no sound and his back was to the camera.

All four of them flinched as he suddenly kicked their sister in the shin, startling her.

The hand on Virgil’s wrist tightened as he took a step forward.

Kayo.

And Scott was saying something.

“We go in hard and fast. Thunderbird One and Two are not equipped for stealth. Gordon, you will take Thunderbird S and while Virgil and I provide distraction and support, you will get her out.”

“FAB.”

And Virgil was suddenly reminded of the strength of the two military men beside him.

“Deploy camo and land TBS here, enter through the windows. The building is minimally populated and Virg and I will aim to empty it further. Your extraction route should back track your entrance route. If that is not viable, we’ll take you out through the roof. John, you’re on overwatch.” Scott took in a breath. “Guys, I know this isn’t our usual method of operation, but these are unusual circumstances. They’ve taken one of ours and quite frankly, I don’t trust the GDF to act fast enough, so that leaves us.” The hand on Virgil’s wrist squeezed gently.

The video feed cut out at a signal from Scott and Virgil was left staring at the blinking icon.

Hang on, Kayo, we’re coming.

-o-o-o-

Virgil operated like a possessed automaton.

Despite the situation, Gordon found it creepy. His brother said nothing more than was absolutely necessary, he operated smoothly, fast and efficient.

But there was something missing, as if he had switched off part of himself to function.

He didn’t have time to speak to Scott, but he knew something was wrong, something serious and it was related to Kayo.

The flight to Jakarta was deadly quiet.

Thunderbird S was a familiar yet uncomfortable sight. The lack of his sister’s presence marked even more by her empty ‘bird.

Virgil, after helping Gordon with preflight, reached out and touched her fuselage with his fingers. The expression on his face was lost.

Gordon placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “We’ll get her out, Virgil. We will.”

Virgil didn’t look at him, his voice rough. “Yes, we will.” He let his hand drop to his side. He finally turned to Gordon, his expression intense. “Fly safe.” And he turned back to his ‘bird, the automaton well in control.

-o-o-o-

Thunderbirds One and Two hit the plantation’s airspace loud and hard. They came in from opposite directions, their mere presence shaking the palm trees and rattling windows. The buildings were old and more than one window fell from its pane.

John had reported no anti-aircraft munitions on the site. That didn’t stop the rough dressed inhabitants from shooting their guns at the ‘birds. The chances of damage were small, but Virgil grit his teeth anyway.

Shortly after One and Two’s entrance, S ghosted in under their radar, the ripple of her camouflage barely noticeable even to the brothers.

She landed beside the main building, Gordon’s figure seen appearing from nowhere and dashing into the structure.

“I’m in.”

And Virgil pulled the roof off one of the outer buildings.

Scott did the same on the other side of the property.

And then Virgil started chopping up an empty storage barn with his laser.

The whole plantation was in an uproar, armed men running, firing at the Thunderbirds. There was a lot of yelling.

Virgil cared for none of it.

Kayo was in the central building and everything in his body ached to get to her. To get her out.

“Uh, Thunderbird One? These aren’t terrorists.” Gordon’s voice was worried.

“What?” Scott echoed Virgil.

“Well, they are, but this is the Hood. I’ve seen several of his stupid henchmen already.”

Virgil’s blood ran cold. Her uncle, the bastard who had taken so much from them already.

Thunderbird Two spun on her axis and started carving up another building, the red of her cutting laser violent in the sunlight.

It was taking too long.

“Gordon, what’s the hold up?”

There was a pause, but then his younger brother answered, a little out of breath. “Having some difficulty getting to her. I think we’ve lost what little surprise we had. The bastard knows us too-” There was a gasp over the line and a groan.

“Gordon!”

No answer.

“Scott!”

“Stay in position, Virgil.”

Scott!”

“No!”

Then another signal came in. “Oh my, it is International Rescue to the rescue. Thank you so much for delivering your equipment to me.” A smarmy chuckle. “And now I have two operatives to add to my collection. Though I would like a couple more. After all, it is good policy to collect them all.”

Virgil’s knuckles clenched white on the steering yoke. “Scott, please.”

His brother didn’t answer immediately, and it gave him hope.

“Go in through the roof. Two has the equipment. Make it fast.”

“FAB.”

Thunderbird Two spun, her VTOL raking the air. Her laser struck out again, slicing a decent sized hole in the roof of the main building, and cutting all the way through the floors to the point where Kayo’s signal...he blinked...and now Gordon’s icon flickered on his hologram.

Thunderbird One darted around him, causing a moat of havoc to prevent any approach.

Setting his ‘bird to remote and auto, Virgil scrambled down to the bay and lowered himself and the rescue rig through the hole in the roof. The winch ran hot as he lowered it faster than  he ever had.

She was down there. Gordon was down there.

The rig hit a solid surface with a clunk.

In darkness.

-o-o-o-

He didn’t hesitate, flicking on his shoulder light, illuminating the room.

Kayo was tied to a pole at the end of the room. Gordon was slumped unconscious at her feet.

Her one open eye was wide and frightened in the stark light. She shook her head violently, the gag in her mouth muffling whatever it was she was trying to say.

“Well, well, well. Operative number three has arrived.” The voice came from above, in the darkness. Virgil looked up, directing the light towards the voice. The Hood stood on some kind of mezzanine high above.

With a gun aimed directly at Virgil.

“Which one are you? Pilot of Thunderbird Two perhaps? Vincent? Vernon?” A smirk. “Virgil Tracy.”

Virgil flicked his light to his cutting laser, aimed, and fired.

In the retina induced afterimage there was a yelp and the sound of the gun clattering to the floor beside him.

He took the opportunity and moved.

Setting his lamp on dim, enough to see, but not blind, he strode over to Kayo and began tackling the knots holding her hands to the pole.

-o-o-o-

She heard him before she saw him. She could hear the familiar roar of Thunderbird Two far overhead and she greeted it with both hope and fear. A moment later, she was blinded by the red arc of a cutting laser slicing into the building.

A soft circle of light lit the floor.

Followed by the rescue rig.

And Virgil.

As always, the name meant safety.

But he wasn’t safe here.

She knew her uncle was here somewhere. There was an overhead ledge or mezzanine to this room. She couldn’t see him, but she knew he was there.

Waiting.

Please, Virgil, no.

The gag prevented her from saying anything intelligible, so she was reduced to moaning at him and shaking her head as his lamp light landed on her.

At the sound of her uncle’s voice, she thought that this was it, she was going to see her brother shot in front of her. She screamed into the gag.

But there was another bright slice of red, a yelp, a clatter of a dropped weapon in front of her and he was there, his ever familiar aftershave in her nostrils as he leant around her, grabbing at her bound hands.

“Move away.” Her uncle had recovered himself somewhere above them in the darkness. She yelled into her gag again.

Virgil kept pulling at her bonds.

A gun fired and Virgil flinched towards her, a gasp forced from him.

Virgil!

But then his eyes, half in shadow latched onto hers and he continued to pull at the knots. “We have to go.”

The gun fired again, and this time she felt it impact his body. He shuddered, stumbling forward a step into her space. He almost fell, his groan hot on her cheek.

But her hands were free.

She steadied him, but darted around him, and leaning down grabbed the gun she knew had fallen there.

She located the shadow of her uncle and fired.

He dropped with only the sound of his body hitting the floor.

It ends here, Uncle. No more.

She turned back to Virgil, only to find he wasn’t where she left him.

“Gordon?” His voice was almost a whisper, his dim lamp staggering off to the right.

She followed him. “Virgil?”

“Gordon is here.” And his lamp brightened as he searched, moments later landing on his little brother, limp and discarded in the corner of the room.

Kayo drew in a sharp breath at the sight of her unconscious young brother, limping over to him to assess his condition. “He’s out cold.”

“John?” Virgil’s voice was trembling.

“Virgil, what happened? You’re bleeding.”

“Gordon? Vitals?”

“Unconscious but all signs are that he is stable. You are not.”

And as if to illustrate his brother’s comment, Virgil began to tip sideways. “We need to get out of here.” There was the sound of feet running in the hallways outside the room. “Hurry.”

Kayo grabbed Gordon, staggering under his weight until she could get him into a proper hold. Her abused body complained extensively, but she ignored it.

Virgil staggered towards the rescue rig, clinging to it for support when he reached it and accessing his wrist remote. Kayo deposited Gordon in one of the harnesses and secured him before turning to her rescuer. “Come and sit down.”

He looked as if to protest, but yet another waver had him listing sideways, so he obeyed, letting her hold his arm as he lowered himself painfully into the harness beside her.

For a moment she thought he might pass out, but his eyes latched onto hers before he activated the winch to recall.

She paid no attention to the body on the mezzanine as they rose through the ceiling.

He had made his choice.

And she had made hers.

-o-o-o-

[ainawgsd]

The Lipizzan or Lipizzaner is a breed of horse closely associated with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, where they demonstrate the haute école or "high school" movements of classical dressage, including the highly controlled, stylized jumps and other movements known as the "airs above the ground." The horses at the Spanish Riding School are trained using traditional methods that date back hundreds of years, based on the principles of classical dressage. Aside from the rare solid-colored horse (usually bay or black), most Lipizzans are gray. Like all gray horses, they have black skin, dark eyes, and as adult horses, a white hair coat. Gray horses, including Lipizzans, are born dark—usually bay or black—and become lighter each year as the graying process takes place, with the process being complete at between 6 and 10 years of age.

The Lipizzan breed dates back to the 16th century, when it was developed with the support of the Habsburg nobility. The breed takes its name from one of the earliest stud farms established, located near the Karst Plateau village of Lipica (spelled "Lipizza" in Italian), in modern-day Slovenia. The breed has been endangered numerous times by warfare sweeping Europe, including during the War of the First Coalition, World War I and World War II. The rescue of the Lipizzans during World War II by American troops was made famous by the Disney movie Miracle of the White Stallions. Along with the Disney movie, Lipizzans have also starred or played supporting roles in many movies, TV shows, books and other media.

Today, eight stallions are recognized as the foundation bloodstock of the breed, all foaled the late 18th and early 19th centuries. All modern Lipizzans trace their bloodlines to these eight stallions, and all breeding stallions have included in their name the name of the foundation sire of their bloodline. There are also classic mare lines, with up to 35 recognized by various breed registries. The majority of horses are registered through the member organizations of the Lipizzan International Federation, which covers almost 11,000 horses in 19 countries and at 9 state studs in Europe. The majority of Lipizzans reside in Europe, with smaller numbers in the Americas, Africa and Australia. Generally gray in color, the Lipizzan is a muscular breed that matures slowly and is long-lived.

Most Lipizzans measure between 15 to 16 hands. However, horses bred that are closer to the original carriage-horse type are taller, approaching 16.1 hands. Lipizzans have a long head, with a straight or slightly convex profile. Until the 18th century, Lipizzans had other coat colors, including dun, bay, chestnut, black, piebald and skewbald. However, gray is a dominant gene. Gray was the color preferred by the royal family, and so the color was emphasized in breeding practices. Thus, in a small breed population when the color was deliberately selected as a desirable feature, it came to be the color of the overwhelming majority of Lipizzan horses. However, it is a long-standing tradition for the Spanish Riding School to have at least one bay Lipizzan stallion in residence, and this tradition is continued through the present day.

[cyberrat]

54th Batch Of Fics: 7th Fill

Hanzo/Cole – Minotaur AU – Part 21 – Plot – Cole explains himself, and then spends his first night outside a cage in quite a while.

---

Hanzo has sat down on the edge of the walkway and is quietly looking at the Minotaur in front of him.

“You had originally corrected me, saying that your name is Jesse. So that had been a lie?”

Cole nods, slowly sitting down in the grass. He plays with a few blades of it before pulling one out with a precision that has Hanzo feel warm all over again and puts it between his thick lips.

“Yup. I wanted t’ see how that goes over with ya. And I needed a conversation starter.”

He looks past Hanzo, his ears still for once and slightly tilted back.

“I’ve gone through a few hands since they snatched me up from back home. Got a new name every single damn time.”

There’s bitterness swinging along those words and Hanzo can’t blame him for it. This is his third name within his short stay on the estate alone, after all.

He looks down at his hands, slowly turning them this way and the other. They are still dark from soot and the dirt he had dug his fingers into while Cole had speared him on his cock so intimately…

“And now? Is Cole your true name, or yet another test of my intentions towards you?”

“It is my true name. Came up with it all on my own.” Here he sounds smug, leaning back and bracing himself on the ground, one hand patting his huge chest.

“Why would you tell me now, though?” Hanzo narrows his eyes at him searchingly, trying to find out what is going through Cole’s head.

A name shouldn’t change anything, really, but it still makes him feel like his world has tilted a little on its axis. Like he is looking at Cole in a completely new light.

You have been whispering a completely wrong name while pleasuring yourself, after all…

Hanzo ducks his head a little to hide the redness of his ears with his hair falling in front of them.

“I figured that it’d be good now. I’ll stay here for a while, after all. And with me gettin’ to go out of that damn cage… You deserve a little treat as well.”

Hanzo huffs. He stands up from his perch on the walkway. Standing like that he is just about eye level with a seated Cole.

“I see. What you are trying to say is in a very roundabout way is that you trust me.”

Cole flicks one ear, one of his large, dark eyes narrowing a little as he turns his head and shrewdly looks at Hanzo from the side. “I can, can’t I?”

Hanzo nods.

“Yes. You can. And about you getting out of that cage… how would you like…” he pauses for but a moment, feeling self-conscious with Cole staring at him like that, but pushing on either way. “How would you like staying in my rooms for now? Until we find a better suited location, that is…”

He is not sure if Cole can even grin, but it sure feels like it when he shifts forward just enough to blow his hot breath over Hanzo’s neck, causing his hair to flutter from his cherry red ear in the process.

“Lead the way. I will be right behind you.”

God… the pictures that little sentence evokes. Hanzo inhales deeply and turns away from him to not be made a fool for longer, stalking in the opposite direction his brother had taken earlier and listening to the soft thump of Cole following behind.

.oOo.

It is a lot easier to have Cole in his personal space than he would have thought. The hulking beast… minotaur, is a strange sight indeed in his own well organized personal space… but not an unwelcome one.

By the end of the day, Hanzo has ordered for most of the unused bedding in the estate to be brought to his rooms so that they may build a comfortable bed for a minotaur. He sits on his own and watches as Cole arranges what has been brought to him, the flickering light of the candle playing weird tricks on his piebald fur until Hanzo has to turn and click on the lamp on his bedside table just to make sure that the irregular spots really do not crawl from place to place all on their own.

Eventually, as Cole sits down to inspect his work, he clears his throat to pull his attention.

“I would like to suggest a few things now that we have… elevated your status around here.”

“To what, pray tell, have I been elevated?” Cole asks with a slow drawl that sounds just short of sardonic. His dark eyes seem to seize Hanzo up, waiting for him to put his foot in his mouth.

“I… don’t know that yet,” he replies after a moment of contemplation, figuring being honest would be the best. “We will have to see. But… as you are being undoubtedly associated directly with me-” he refuses to flush when thinking about how many servants have seen him getting mounted by Cole… and how many more have been told about it in great detail, “I suggest that a little… glow-up is in order.”

Cole’s large ears flick. He tries to remain unconcerned but Hanzo can tell that he is… curious, if a bit unnerved. “I don’t understand what that means.”

“I am talking about clothes. And shoes.”

Cole’s head immediately turns toward Hanzo’s closet which he has nudged open suddenly at one point, just quietly perusing Hanzo’s garments while Hanzo had sat there, feeling weird and hot under the collar.

Instead of commenting on the split in Hanzo’s closet – one side dominated by dark, impeccable suits and the other by colorful, beautiful robes – he says: “I do not have the same feet as you. In case you haven’t noticed.”

“I was thinking about calling a farrier. Give you something akin to the horseshoes.”

Cole thoughtfully scratches his chin at that.

“I will think about it and let you know when I’ve come to a conclusion.”

.o.

Hanzo has a nighttime routine, though having an audience while going through it is… highly unusual to the point of disturbing.

Cole doesn’t let him out of his sight for a second, though he does not once ask what the Hell Hanzo is even doing as he sits down in front of his vanity and begins to carefully brush his hair after coming back from the bathroom.

Part of him had thought Cole would follow him to watch him scrub the grime and… other things off his body, but he didn’t, instead staying in his place and looking thoughtful in his own right.

Whatever he is thinking about so hard while watching Hanzo carefully put creams on his face and putting his hair up so it won’t tangle hopelessly during the night…

Hanzo is sure, sooner or later he will tell him.

For now, he goes to sleep with the knowledge that their enemies have been eradicated once more… and the scent of Cole’s warm body in his nose, listening to him shift around until he found a good position to come to rest in.