#they are the flower that blooms in the battlefield ok?

[mistydeyes]

𝓲𝔃𝔃𝓲𝓮'𝓼 𝓯𝓲𝓬 𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼

summary: an ongoing list of all my favorite fics (updated daily)! please check these amazing writers out and support their work <3

btw! if there’s any ones i forgot to add/haven’t read plz message me! i always love new content (especially for gaz :))

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general

platonic ☕🧸📋🧋🍪

5 times you took care of 141 and one time they took care of you by @keys-hellscape-1020 - platonic!141 x medic!reader this one is so cute! the 141 boys show their appreciation for the unit's medic by taking care of them :)

incorrect cod quotes by @skylarsblue - okay this one is HILARIOUS read to see the absolute insanity that goes on in the 141

unwind by @python333 - platonic!141 x gn!reader hehe i requested this! but in this absolutely beautiful fic, you help the 141 unwind by making their favorite coffee and tea

fluff 🎀🪞🩰🦢🕯️

civilian spouse by @undeadcannibal - 141 x civvie! reader one of my favorites! read how the boys meet their civilian significant other

saved civilian invites the 141 on a date by @benevolentwarfare - hero!141 x civvie! reader you ask to meet them again after they saved you!

141 reacting to the reader who likes to read smut by @gardeningtool4skullboy - 141 x soldier!reader the title says it all!

seeing the reader's face in public by @ghostssweetgirl - 141, könig, roach, and alex x soldier!reader you wear a mask while on duty and no one has seen you unmasked. they barely can recognize you in public (and try to flirt)!

where do they live by @yourvirtualgoddessforlife - 141, könig, graves, alejandro and rudy x reader amazing descriptions of where you would live with each one of them &lt;3

the 141 with a successful s/o by @l0velylecter - 141 x reader the descriptions in this one are absolutely beautiful! read about how you both show your appreciations for one another ;)

angst/sad💔😢😭❤️‍🩹🤧

how they react when you die by @buckysmith - 141, alejandro, and graves x reader okay this one broke my heart! if you want a good cry, read how they would react if you died

amnesia by @roosterr - 141 x reader - one of my requests that was beautifully answered! read how the 141 reacts to you getting injured then waking up from a coma without amnesia

gaz

fluff 🎀🪞🩰🦢🕯️

on the house by @yjhariani - gaz x civvie!reader ONE OF THE BEST MEET CUTES w my love <3 read about you and gaz getting set up on a date

you are in love by @euovennia - gaz x reader based on the taylor swift song, follow along as you and gaz fall in love :))

a lazy evening by @vesper-tinus- gaz x reader ABSOLUTE FLUFF as you spend an evening with gaz at home

meet cute - birdie by @ghouljams - cowboy!gaz x reader (name: birdie) cowboy gaz meets the local teacher and she helps him get some supplies for the ranch! they have an entire series for cowboy!141 I highly recommend reading!!

gossamer silk smiles by @halcyone-of-the-sea - gaz x florist!reader literally so adorable with the flowers and the nods to greek mythology! you run a florist shop and a young man comes in last minute, what how your relationship blooms as he keeps visiting

ghost

platonic ☕🧸📋🧋🍪

immunity to being tased by @rileyslibrary - ghost x soldier!reader this is hilarious, what's ghost's reaction when you have a surprising immunity to being tased?

fluff 🎀🪞🩰🦢🕯️

helen x simon series by @mvtthewmurdvck - ghost x fem!medic!reader ok, if you haven't read this then what are you doing? this series follows our two lovebirds on the battlefield and through life (this is so worth the read and there's so much content from the creator!)

be gentle, man! by @rileyslibrary - ghost x fem!soldier!reader this is a two part series that goes through the antics of going undercover with the team! read until the end of part ii for a funny little soap moment

leather sketchbook by @dyslexicbatxz - artist!ghost x medic!reader what happens when ghost loses his sketch book with drawings of you?

ghost's love language by @saint-johnny - simon x reader a fluffy little piece where simon checks out a book at the library about the five different love languages

the little things by @halfmoth-halfman - simon x medic!reader there's something going on between simon and the unit's medic, soap is determined to find out

dad!simon by @lundenloves - simon x reader (established relationship) YK I JUST HAD TO INCLUDE THIS ONE! some of the best descriptions of simon ever, read about how he interacts with you and the two daughters you have together

angst/sad💔😢😭❤️‍🩹🤧

anyone got a lighter? by @yjhariani - ghost x soldier!reader okay not spoiling this one but my heart broke from this short read

white bandages, the process of healing by @nsharks - ghost x soldier!reader part two of a three part series, read about your tumultuous relationship with the masked man

simon after a divorce by @l0velylecter - ghost x soldier!reader the title says it all, don't look for a happy ending here

price

fluff 🎀🪞🩰🦢🕯️

meeting civilian reader by @nrdmssgs - price x fem!civvie!reader you and price both find yourself on a vacation away from work

5 reasons you cried while pregnant by @gh0stlyfixation - price x afab!reader ONE OF THE BEST this is so funny and also has a series with ghost and soap's wives. see what price has to deal with when you're pregnant with your first child

karma by @stormiwaves - price x afab!reader you go undercover dressed to the nines and price gets jealous when he sees you flirting with the target

soap

angst/sad💔😢😭❤️‍🩹🤧

counting magpies, one for sorrow by @halfmoth-halfman - soap x reader i'm not going to spoil this one either but get some tissues ready BC THIS IS SO SAD

alejandro

fluff 🎀🪞🩰🦢🕯️

late for dinner by @ragingbookdragon - alejandro x fem!reader uh oh, alejandro is in trouble with the missus! this one is so cute

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[king-maven-calore]

Oh please, please, please share your headcanons for ptolemus and wren. They're my faves and I'm starved for content of any kind lol!

My time has come...

Ptolemus has a lot of tattoos. He's a relatively chill dude, not like hyper violent at all times. If his first reaction is to resort to aggression, it is because that's how he was raised. Not as much of a misanthropist as his sister in the beginning of the books, but since he doesn't gain any further alliances (other than those close to his heart) by the end of them, he does end up surpassing her. Grows restless when bored, but he's easily entertained by casual human cruelty. Lots of bro type buddies but the only one he can stand and respects is Cal. (Yes, I'll push my Cal/Tolly bros agenda to the grave bc it's ridiculous VA didn't give Cal friends wtf. Also bc of ~angst~ and ✨drama✨ purposes) Reformed manwhore. When they were children he would nick his finger or scrape his knees on purpose to have an excuse to talk to Wren.

"You know my mom/uncle/cousin could heal this way faster, right?" she would ask, struggling to perform the most basic things since her powers hadn't "bloomed" yet.

Tolly would just stare dumbly at her and try to act tough like. "You were the closest I could find 🙄. Work faster." And add a "Please 🥺" after she gives him a cut the bullshit look.

Enter Wren, deeply compassionate but bound by duty for better or for worse (at least at the beginning). Academic queen. Despite growing up in the silver court, she resents the excess of violence they indulge in. Good friends with Elane. If she wasn't naturally a healer she might have made a good spy because she's great at picking up details and reading people. Not a fan of Ptolemus whole macho act. Doesn't bat an eyelash when he aggressively flirts with her as they grow older, or at his finely crafted attempts at seduction. Like cornering her against a bookshelf and reaching a book for her while looking at her with the full force of his panty-dropper gaze.

"Anatomy, uh? Need help to study that? I may know a perfect specimen of the male sex 😏."

To which she replies without batting an eyelash. "I already have a corpse on the dissecting table, thanks." Ducks under his arm and goes away. But secretly she's having a heart attack.

(Only simp men allowed in this house btw) Ptolemus grows increasingly frustrated, angry, and infatuated with her; she's just so enthralling when her hands delicately restore that which has been wounded, when they make whole what's missing. And he gets this feeling, like when they were kids, that he needs her in his life. That, despite her solid character, she's the softness he can't even allow himself to crave. And she's way too beautiful. Wren is so gorgeous it actually hurts (quoting TS)

Wren sees too more of the boy, almost man, that's nothing but a perfectly sharpened knife for his father to use at will. She sees the tender love he has for his sister beneath a shallow cold exterior. She wants to dive in the depths of the emotions he's been so well taught to hide, to go under the metaphorical scar tissue (bc in reality they don't have those) and reach the soft flesh, the beating heart. Wren wonders what it would be like to accept the dagger inside her heart, to allow herself the possible wound of a fling with such a ruthless man. Also, undeniably, he is a perfect specimen, especially when he's covered in his rivals' blood, face twisted in a wicked smirk.

Things finally change between them when she has to restore his hand after the events of KC. As she works, all pretenses are gone. He's just glad to have an excuse to have her close, glad they are on the same side of the war, it would have been a nightmare to be parted from her. And Wren gets to see the side of him she always knew was there. With her abilities she may restore his hand, but by coming together they restore each other's souls 🥺. And they make such a hot couple.

...K I just realized this isn't exactly what you asked... so sorry anon. I got carried away. I love them 😬

[unloved-cadillac]

Secrets of the Forest

Something I came up with since I started reading Beren and Lúthien.

After being injured on field, Levi wakes up in a comfy cottage deep in the forest. He has never heard of people living in there because of the threat of Titans. But to Levi’s surprise, it’s not people, but Elves.

As the Titan ran towards Levi’s horse, Levi activated his gear and slayed the nape of the beast. But being caught up, another Titan comes from behind and slams Levi into a tree. Gears broken and swords broken, Levi was convinced this was the end. As the hand of the Titan moved to grab him, something slayed it. Levi’s eyes started to close and he could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness but not until he saw a glimpse of h/c hair.

=================================

Levi’s eyes start to open but were quickly closed as the light shone too brightly in his face. Am I dead? He wondered. He could feel his stomach, covered in bandages and a sweet aroma around him. He forcefully opens his eyes and sees that he is in a cottage. Dried hay as a roof and few funiture. He sees his coat and shirt neatly folded on a chair which pleased him a bit. At least whoever lived here knew how to keep tidy. Levi wakes up,still in pain and looks outside. His eyes widen at the scene.

It was a little stream with some people and children playing. There were roses and daffodils in bloom, which were odd since this wasn’t the season for them, each growing in different parts of the year.

“You shouldn’t be up. Your wounds aren’t healed yet.” A beautiful voice tells him. Levi turns to the source and his eyes widen. She was...beautiful. Like, abnormally beautiful. Her h/c hair was put up with a few curls falling from it. But it seemed familiar. She was dressed in a green and yellow robe, very long. So long it dragged while she walked. She had a jug in her hands. “What am I doing here?”, Levi asked. “Well, you were going to be eaten by a Titan. Luckily I killed it before it did. But before I could call out to you, you lost consciousness.”,the mystery woman tells him as she pours water into a bowl. “Please. Come and lay back down. Your back wounds are still raw and would not heal yet. You shouldn’t be up.” She pleads with him. Levi was still unconvinced. “Who are you?” She smiles. What a pain she thought. “I’m Y/n Randar.” She answered sweetly. Levi nods his head and makes his way back to the bed. He laid down and Y/n tended to his wounds. Her touch, was gentle. It did not seem like warrior hands. “So if you killed the Titan, doesn’t that make you some kind of soldier?” Levi asks her as she wraps his hand. “Yes. But I’m still in training. Just some basic things, really.” She replies. Levi watches her intently. Y/n lifts her head to catch him watching her. “It’s not nice to stare.” She tells him. He quickly looks away and she chuckles. “It’s also rude to not tell your savior your name. Or should I just call you Mr Grumpy?”, she jokes. Levi looks at her and scoffs. “Tch. Name’s Levi. Levi Ackerman.” He answers. “That’s a beautiful name, Levi. As much as I love it, I love Mr Grumpy more.” She laughs at him. It sounded like music. Levi takes another look at her. As she tucks her hair behind her ear, he notices it. A pointed ear. “Why are your ears pointed? And why are you living in a forest infested with Titans?” Levi asks seriously. Y/n widens her eyes at his seriousness. She clears her throat and smiles. “I’m an Elf. We have been living here for years, protecting the forest.” “An elf?,” Levi starts to say,”I didn’t know they existed. Erwin spoke about them but I thought he was full of shit.” “Your friend Erwin sounds educated. You should listen to him more.” Y/n says. Tch. “Ok,Mr Grumpy, I’m going to make some healing tea for you. Don’t move around too much, okay?” “I’m not going to answer to that name” Levi pouts. “Hahahaha oh, Levi. I’m teasing. Okay, L e v i?” She drags his name at the end which earns a glare from said man. She laughs and goes outside. Elves? What the fuck is going on?

A few days have passed and Levi could finally walk outside the cottage. Putting on a robe that was left for him by Y/n, he opens the door and steps outside. It was warm. Like the middle of the day. Many children were playing by the stream and many were picking flowers. Levi looks around and his eyes land on the woman that saved his life. Y/n was currently sitting down with a child on her lap while she was manipulating the flowers to make a flower crown. In the sunlight, her skin glowed. Her smile was as radiant as the sun and her eyes, golden. Just like the rays. Levi feels himself smile a bit but stops as soon as she sees him. Y/n smiles at him and lift the child and walks towards him. “Hello Mr Grumpy. How are you feeling?”, Y/n asks him. “I thought I told you to stop calling me that, brat”, Levi says and looks away. “Brat”, the little child mimicks his words earning a laugh from Y/n. “Oh my heavens. Lux learnt a new word.”, she catches her breath. “Is he your kid?”, Levi asks curiously. “No. He is my little nephew. He loves the outdoors. But his power is starting to show. Hydrokinesis.” “What’s that?” “The power to manipulate water.”, Y/n answers him. Levi merly nods. Y/n puts Lux down and he walks to his mom. “You do know that nobody knows you exist outside this forest.” Levi tells her. She giggles. “Yes. I know. We have kept it a secret for a long time. But those Titans. Oh how many Elvish lives were taken by them. My father being one of them. But not by an ordinary one. It was hairy. Like some kind of...ape? I don’t know. But what I do know is that he took my father and ripped him into pieces. Right in front of my eyes.”, Y/n explains to Levi, as she recalls the memory,voice filled with rage but face devoid of any emotion. Levi’s breath hitches. Zeke. “I know of whom you speak of. He killed Erwin too.” Levi says, earning a shocked look from Y/n. She didn’t know Erwin was dead. Levi spoke so highly of him. How he was a commander that came once in a lifetime and how he rescued Levi and his friends from “the underground.” “Oh Levi. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”, she tells him. “Don’t be. How could you? I never told you.” He says looking at the sun. She frowns and looks away too. It’s quiet but then Levi breaks the silence. “I’m gonna kill him. For you and me. That’s a promise.”, Levi tells her. She smiles. She knew he meant it. But she couldn’t help her next comment. “You should heal up first, Mr grumpy.” “Tch. Seriously? Still with that name? Are you ever going to give it up?” He asks a bit annoyed. “Never.”

Almost a week had passed, and Y/n and Levi make their way to a tree by the lake. Y/n and Levi had grown very close since that day. When she showed him the tree and the lake, he moved in to kiss her. Luckily for him, she returned with a smile. He knew she felt the same way he did. Those lingering touches she gave when she changed his bandages and applied her ointment on his wounds and the way she looked at him. It’s wasn’t the doctor-patient look anymore. It was that lover look. It was also the way he would catch her staring as he sat down where the kids were playing with his hair and putting flowers in it. It was like they had a little family together. Now, the young couple were sitting underneath their tree, with Levi’s head resting on Y/n’s lap while holding her left hand while her right brushed through his hair. He sighed and closed his eyes. Her touch was really magical, especially since it was just her. No magic involved. “I’m gonna have to leave soon”, Levi says softly as he slowly opens his eyes to look at her. “I know”, Y/n whispers as she leaves a kiss on his forehead. “I know”. “But I don’t want to. I want to stay here. With you. I feel at peace here.” Levi explains, voice filled with hope. “Levi..I want you to stay too. But we both know you can’t. You gave a promise to humanity. To Erwin. To me. They need you.”, Yn softly explains while his eyes close in understanding. “Yeah...I know. But I can dream, right?” Levi asks. She smiles. “Yes. Yes you can” she replies. “Let’s just stay here. For a few more minutes. I want to remember what it’s like to not have the weight of the world on my shoulders for while. Can we do that?” He asks as he opens his eyes. She looks down at his face and nods. And so they laid there and until the morning sun rose.

Goodbyes were never the best. Today, Levi was planning to leave. But before he left, he wanted to tell Y/n that he loved her. She needed to know, in case he never made it back from the battlefield. Levi put on his shirt and cravat and looks for his jacket. Surprisingly he couldn’t find it. He swore he saw it there yesterday. Levi puts on his broken gear anyway and makes his way out of the cottage. He looks around to find Y/n and when his eyes land on her, there it was. His Scouting Corps jacket, with the Wings of Freedom jacket big on the back. She looked more like an angel than Elf to him. Y/n was showing the little elves and friends it and they looked in amazement. Lux saw Levi and ran to him, hugging his legs. “Pwease Wevi. Don’t weave.”, the little elf tells Levi. He could feel his heart squish in cuteness. He looks at Y/n and she smiles. But he knew it was a sad one, because that smile didn’t reach her eyes. Levi looks down at Lux. “Don’t worry, Lux. I’ll be back.”, Levi tells him. “Pwomise?” Lux asks. Levi eyes widen a bit. He knew he couldn’t make that promise. He couldn’t even promise Y/n he would make it back. He didn’t know what to say but luckily Y/n stepped in. “Okay Lux. Go to your mom.” Lux let’s go of Levi and runs to his mom. “Nice jacket”, Levi tells her. “Oh. I just wanted to use it. It seems comfy.”, Y/n chuckles. She was about to take it off when he stopped her. “Leave it on. I’ll take it when I leave. You said you wanted to give me something?”, he asks her. “Oh yes. Come with me.” She takes his hand and leads him. They walk together to the stables. There was Levi’s horse, eating hay happily. “Hey, boy. You saved him too?”, Levi asks Y/n. She nods. “Of course. When you got knocked out your horse was around you somewhere. He is lucky no Titan didn’t eat him. Like his rider.” She teases. Levi smirks. “Yeah. Come on, boy. Let’s go.” He puts on his horses harness and Y/n takes him to the exit of the village. “Levi, listen to me now.”, Y/n tells him as they make their way to the exit,”Once you leave here, you can’t come back without an Elf accompanying you. It will be like this place never existed. But just because it isn’t there doesn’t mean I can’t see you.”, she explains to him. All he does is nod. He doesn’t want to speak to her just yet. He might not leave. He might just say fuck it and stay with her. He knew that was impossible though. So before they could leave , Levi turns to Y/n. “Y/n. I never thanked you for saving me. You brought me here and showed me a new world. Thank you. For everything.”,Levi tells her. Y/n smiles. “Oh that reminds me. I have something for you.” She says as she takes out a necklace from her neck. Y/n takes it and puts it around his neck. “What’s this?” He asks her. “Protection.”, she tells he. Y/n takes his hand in hers and looks up to him. She just wanted to memorize his face for a while longer. She doesn’t know when she might see it again. She runs her hands along his cheek. His blue eyes that shone grey. His onyx hair and his stone face. His lips. Her hand runs along his jaw, down to his neck. He catches her looking at his lips and he closes the gap between them. They melt together, savoring each other. This wasn’t an ordinary kiss. It was a goodbye kiss. None of them wanted to say it, but it was reality. Levi had to save humanity.

After a few minutes, they pull apart, the need for oxygen becoming too great. Levi rests his forehead on hers as the breath into each other. Now he had to tell her. “Y/n, I-“, he starts. “No.”,Y/n stops him as she puts her finger on his lips,”No. Don’t say it. Not now. Not when we might never see each other again. Come back. Come back and tell me those three words I desperately want to hear. But come back to me. Don’t make me miss you more than I already am.”, she whispers, afraid that if she spoke louder her tears with come crashing down. It was falling already and Levi carefully cups her cheek and wipes them away. “I will come back to you.”, Levi says sternly. She sniffs and looks at him, smiling. “You better.”

And just like that, he left. He walked through that gate and when he looked back, he couldn’t see her. As he rode and he could smell her scent on his jacket. That chain that she gave him close to his heart. Levi rode as fast as he could and luckily for him, it was early morning so no Titans were here. Levi made it back to base and everyone was so happy and relived. Humanity’s Strongest was back. “Levi! Oh my god. I thought I lost you too!”, Hange exclaims and hugs him. He hugs back, a rare thing for everyone to see. Hange pulls away. “Where have you been? You look like you were reborn.” Hange jokes. “Don’t worry about it. Now, where’s Zeke?”

[beidousbunny]

aaaa okok uhmmm

i had a couple of ideas while i was making them

she is kind of,,, ok? with the fatui?

like, they don't hate them, but she doesn't adore them either

just in the sweet neutral spot, aka "im ok with them as long as they don't bother me"

her vision isn't originally hers!!

it's from their deseased father

it's funny because it was an accident, she just touched it by accident and it got reactivated

they wonder why tho,,,,

she is something like a mercenary too

for the right amount of mora they erase anyone from the map

her smol body is speed and flexible so theyre really skilled in the battlefield

their elemental skill is very similar to xiao's, but with electro and they launch the targets upwards

their elemental burst activates a blooming electro flower under the enemies hit, it deals continuous electro damage until the flower starts decaying and disappears [it lasts like 10 seconds]

and uhhh

she's like 5'0 so tiny bebi

they also have fangs because i love fangs

i can't think abt anything else atm, ill updste you later if you wish jshxkdhx

AAAAAAA I LOVE THEM SO MUCHHHHHH SOBSOB fangs 🥺🥺🥺 small electro bb im sobbing

and yes literally tell me everything!!! i love them!!

[passionbooties]

title. do not let this moment pass pairing. nejiten rating. t for teen vibes wordcount. 2.9k  summary. Neji is here. He is real. He is tangible. In that moment, Tenten breaks and realizes that she cannot let another moment pass her by. She will follow her impulse to consume, to devour, to be greedy. Because Neji is alive. And that, is what matters.

ao3 link ! or read below !

I. 

Tenten’s body moves before her mind can catch up. 

All she’s thinking is that Neji is hurt. Hurt so badly. Impaled. And she’s gone right for his side. With Naruto holding onto him. Their eyes meet, and her breath catches. At this moment Naruto looks so young.

Younger than he should. A boy in a warzone holding onto the form of his dying friend. 

And she feels so young and so old at the same time. Her throat is already raw even though she hasn’t made a sound apart from Neji’s name being torn from her mouth when she witnessed him get hurt. 

They’ve been hurt before. Of course, that’s their lifestyle. To be a ninja is to deal pain and deal with pain. All the times she’s tended to his wounds, and he to hers, flash through her mind at rapid speed. Scratches and bruises, where some were deeper than others. But they always managed to find one another by campfire or moonlight, and patch up any wound that came their way.

And death, they’ve seen death. What shinobi  hasn’t? What shinobi made their mark on the world without dealing death and dealing with death in return?

But it’s in this moment where she is watching Neji die, where their eyes meet and she can’t help but say, “Don’t go” all wrecked and broken, that the reality of their world hits.

They are kids asked to be soldiers. They are kids asked to die for their people. They are kids who can never really be kids because before they could walk they had to run. Before they could learn how to count they had to learn how to fight. She’s wielding kunai before pencils and summon seals before spelling. 

It feels so wrong. The biles sky rockets. 

“Don’t go,” she drops to her knees and grasps onto his hand that becomes colder with any second. “Don’t go! Neji I swear if you die I’m dragging you back from heaven or hell! You can’t go .” 

“Tenten,” Naruto rasps beside her but she doesn’t look at him. Her eyes are set on Neji, who smiles at her so weakly. 

“I am content, if this is how I must go out.” Neji starts, and Tenten makes a rather choked sound. 

“Don’t. Don’t talk. You have to s-save your strength. Ok? Some, some medics are on the way. Ok? So you have to-you have to stay,” alive. You have to stay alive until then. She wants to say but the words get trapped in her throat. 

She looks desperately at Naruto, who looks equally horrified and at a loss. And if Naruto felt lost, felt seemingly defeated, then Neji… Neji was going to. 

“I,” Naruto goes to speak and then stops. His eyes widen, then shuts as if he’s speaking to himself and Tenten is trying to not think about how every second they’re here and a medic is not on the way, Neji is dying. When his eyes snap open, there’s a renewed sense of determination-harried and fried at the edges, but with hope . “I think I can save him.”

“ Please ,” is the only word that comes out of her mouth as Naruto lays Neji on the ground.

Lee joins. He’s yelling Neji’s name to kingdom come as Tenten watches Naruto become cloaked in fiery red chakra. She bites her lip and reaches out for Lee’s hand, who clutches onto hers with a fierce grip. 

“Naruto thinks he can save Neji,” Tenten says.

“He will,” Lee says so resolutely that Tenten couldn’t do anything other than nod, and believe. 

Soon, the red chakra flowing from Naruto’s body envelops Neji. It bubbles and hisses and Tenten can’t help but stare and pray. Pray and pray that this will work. That whatever miracle Naruto is attempting to make in the middle of a warzone would bloom from the cracks like flowers after the winter. She prays and she prays and then finally, she sees it. 

The breakthrough.

The color in Neji’s face returns. The wound, gaping, starts to close as if being stitched back inch by inch. She watches through her tears enrapt at the vision of Naruto healing Neji. Bringing him back from the brink of death. By the time the others arise Neji is able to sit. His wound is gone, like it never left. 

Neji’s eyes are wide. Like he can’t believe he’s here and not crossing the bridge to the afterlife. He looks at Naruto, who smiles at him all sunny and bright and tired. Lee is the first to move, running over and barreling Neji into his arms. Neji is shocked, but he takes it. Holds onto Lee feverently. 

Tenten hears a gasp and looks behind her, only now realizing that Hinata was there the entire time. With tears down her face and relief shaking at her shoulders. Tenten swallows, because if she opens her mouth she’ll wail. And it’s been a blessing that during battle they’ve even had this time at all to process and work through navigating death.

Then, their eyes meet. 

Neji looks at her, and Tenten looks back as if Neji is a whole new world. And he is. In that moment, she leans forward to join the hug. Squeezes both her teammates tightly, and swears that when she goes back into battle she will fight and fight and fight so that they do not have to repeat this anytime soon. 

II. 

Tenten hadn’t expected to see Neji at the training grounds so late.

Then again, she hadn’t expected to be out so late either. Though that was a lie. The training grounds had seen more of her in the past few weeks than her own bed. No one at the academy had taught them when they were kids what war could do after it was over. How war never really left you even though you have left the battlefield.

Tenten could still see the bodies. She could still feel the blood on her skin and the dirt under her nails. She could still picture Neji impaled, nearly lifeless, nearly dead every time she closed her eyes and prayed for sleep to take her. 

So the training grounds became her new nightly routine. It was simple. She’d work herself until her bones felt weary and her eyes became heavy. Then she’d crawl into bed and sleep into the midday and attempt some normalcy after a nice bowl of breakfast.

For now, it was a doable routine. The healthiest? Probably not. But Ino had already made her promise several times to stop by the clinic to see someone sometime soon about her insomnia. Until then, throwing kunai into anything she could on the grounds would suffice.

But to see Neji was not a part of the plan, nor the routine.

They hadn’t seen each other much since the war. Life went on too fast, with everyone being pulled into different directions to help rebuild and replan and rethink what the future was going to look like now that they were entering an era of peace and prosperity.

When she last saw Neji he was recuperating in the hospital. While Naruto’s chakra did miracles in healing the wound, it wasn’t a complete fix. He still had to see a doctor for additional care. Lee and Tenten and Gai had stopped to see him multiple times, of course. But once Neji was healthy enough to leave, the Hyuuga household had taken hold of him. Since then, it was hard to find time to see Neji.

“You’re out late,” Tenten attempts to be casual, and ignores the way her heart constricts when Neji pauses in his movements to look at her. 

Alive. Alive. Real, and here , she thinks.

“As are you. Why aren’t you asleep?”

“I don’t think you have the right to ask me that question since you’re also here too,” Neji had such a way of saying things as if he himself also wasn’t guilty of the same thing. Tenten can barely hold back rolling her eyes, though it’s in fond exasperation at best. “ You at the very least should be resting.”

Neji frowns, “I’m well rested. Too rested.” he flexes his hands into fists. Tenten gets it. She does, because she feels so energetic it’s maddening. It’s not even good energy. It’s restless, chaotic, war tuned energy that doesn’t know where to go now that things have dulled down. 

That’s why they’re here in the first place, after all. 

“Yeah,” she nods, eyes dropping to the floor. “I get what you mean.”

“Well, if you’re here. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t make use of our time.” Neji fixes his stance into a ready pose, hands raised ready to fight. 

Tenten’s eyebrows spark up, “You wanna spar?”

“No. I want to bare our souls under the pale moonlight with only the stars to bear witness to our souls’ vulnerability.”

“Hey! Watch yourself, Neji. I was only making sure because I wanted to give you a second chance to rethink your decision!”

She gets into stance herself, and the smirk Neji gives her in response does something to her. A shock, all the way down to her toes. She blinks. And recognizes how her heart rate spikes slightly-not in the usual anticipation of a good fight. Or maybe that, and then some. 

“Nothing to reconsider,” Neji says. “Come, Tenten. We don’t have all night.”

Sparring with Neji was always-electric. That’s the only way Tenten can feel about the way her skin buzzes and her cheeks are flushed. The way their bodies mesh and clash in a way that can only occur from years of watching one another fight, learning how the other moves, and working in tandem for so long. 

Neji moves so gracefully while Tenten’s always been a heavy hitter. Her taijutsu was good, but Neji’s was better. And while he never held back with her, because that would make her mad that he wouldn’t use his all against her regardless of their skill levels, she knew Neji was adjusting for Tenten with each blow. 

“Not bad,” Neji goads. 

Tenten meets his gaze with a slightly wild grin, “Shut up.” 

When she brings out her seals and summons her weapons, the sparring ramps up in electricity. She brings out a staff, twirling it around until she rests at her ready stance. Neji tilts his head, intrigued, and mirrors her stance. They both move at the same time, staff meeting gentle fists. They move in synergy, in practiced synchronization. 

But there’s an edge to each hit. Barely under the surface as they clash. Tenten gets a few hits. Some to her side, to her arms. She’ll feel those for days, and she thinks rather distantly how just a few months ago she was worried an enemy would pierce her to the point she’d never feel again. 

The thought disappears though because she blocks a kick from Neji. 

They go for what seems like hours until Tenten has the end of the staff pointed under Neji’s chin. They’re both breathing heavily with satisfied smiles mirroring one another. 

“I’m pretty good, huh?” Tenten teases. 

“Shut up.” 

III. 

She’s not sure when this becomes part of her routine, meeting Neji at night to spar, but she finds that she looks forward to the restlessness that creeps under her skin when she tries to go to bed.

Neji never holds back. And that’s good, because Tenten never liked to be limited. Not once, not atll. With Neji, she could go all out. He always met her halfway and then pushed her to go even further. 

They’d fight until one of them was either pinned or too tired to continue. They flip flopped between using weapons and taijutsu. To making up silly competitions like who could get the most bullseye on the target practice dummies. 

Neji had the byakugan, sure, but Tenten had excellent aim. You can’t bloodline that. 

“Alright. That makes the score between us seven to six.” Tenten sits on top of a tree branch while Neji rests down below. “With me being the seven, of course. Since I’m the best.”

“Your low sweep kick was uncalled for,” Neji scoffs, folding his arms. “If you hadn’t caught me off guard I would have had you.”

“Would have. But didn’t. You sound like quite the sore loser!”

Neji clicks his tongue in disapproval and Tenten laughs. Laughs harder than she anticipates, or wants. When she jumps down from the tree she’s still laughing. So hard her sides hurt. Doubled over, laughing and laughing until Neji breaks the chain. 

“Are … you crying?”

Tears were running down her face, streaming as she laughed. Coming out more broken, more relieved, more tired, more … something. This could have turned out to not be her life. In another universe, in another time, Neji would be buried. Dead. Gone. They wouldn’t be able to spar like this? They wouldn’t be able to have this moment where they’re both avoiding demons that are coming for them in their sleep, and so they find each other because they both knew without having to say anything at all what the other was running from.

Yes, she’s crying. She’s crying between the bubbles of laughter not because she wanted to. But because somewhere, somewhere deep, is crying with relief that she can have this moment where Neji is here and real and alive. 

“Tenten-” Neji starts again, softly, and she throws herself at him. He stumbles from the weight, and the two end up on the ground with Tenten sobbing into Neji’s chest. 

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she gasps into his shirt. Over and over again. “I’m so glad you’re alive. Neji, Neji, Neji.” 

There’s a moment and then, Tenten feels Neji’s arms wrap around her. Feels his breath near her neck, hot and soft and quiet. “I am here. And I’m not going anywhere,” he responds, among a litany of other promises and words Tenten can’t quite catch through her tears. 

They lay like that until Tenten realizes how embarrassing this must be. Pushed to the ground by his teammate but not in a fighting way. She pushes herself up until she’s hovering. Looking down at Neji who is looking up at her in return. She feels his hands on her waist, and there’s heat pooling at her cheeks because . . . this feels intimate. 

He must feel it too, because his hands move so fast and his cheeks also turn red. “I-I’m sorry,” he clears his throat and looks away. 

Then something clicks. Something breaks. And Tenten gets this thought in her head that she should kiss him. She should kiss him over and over until his breath is on her tongue and his lips are the only thing she can remember. She should kiss him because he is alive and this moment may not happen again. 

War has taught her to be desperate and greedy and impulsive. To never hesitate when there are people in your lives who may be violently ripped away from you by death. 

“Neji,” her voice grows quiet and foreign to her own ears. Covered in some sense of heat and emotion she’s not sure of what to call. Her heart picks up in speed, hammering loudly. He looks back at her, and Tenten feels his breath hitch when she leans down to kiss him. 

He tenses under her. Which makes her flinch. Shit. No, she should-this wasn’t how-but then, he relaxes. He kisses her back. Their kiss is soft, and gentle. A test, as they both become aware and attuned and adjust to the reality that they’re kissing on the grounds of the training field. 

She pulls back, her cheeks still warm. Neji is searching, looking for something, as is she. 

“I have wanted to do that for…ever.”

“Oh?” Neji’s eyebrows rise to his hairline. 

Tenten scrunches up her face, “Ew, don’t say it like that. Gods, this is embarrassing. I hadn’t planned-”

“We can kiss again.”

“Huh?”

“I said…” Neji looks like he wants to sink into the floor. Tenten will be right behind him. “Kissing-that. We can do that again.”

“.... Oh.”

“Ew stop-” and she descends, devouring whatever else he might have said. This second kiss is less hesitant. Not when Tenten has so much to say that she doesn’t have the words to vocalize. So she hopes Neji gets it all with the way she kisses him as if she may never get the chance to again. 

This time, Neji’s hands do hold her hips. And she gasps from the sensation. Neji takes the chance to slip his tongue in slightly, in question. Asking if that was alright, if a deepening of the kiss would be allowed. Tenten responds with her tongue. A little hesitant, but eager. She’s never done this, and it’s clear that neither has Neji.

But together, they’re learning the shapes of each other’s mouths. How to kiss, albeit a little sloppy and novice but with passion. A desperation that can be tasted on both of their tongues. They kiss and kiss. Tenten breaks the kiss again, but only to pepper Neji’s face in kisses. On his forehead, on his nose, on his cheeks. To his lips, where she nibbles on his bottom lip before going back for more. Over and over. She melts on top of him, and Neji holds her with such a tightness. She feels more anchored than she has in weeks. 

Neji pulls back next. His lips are swollen and red and there’s this possessiveness that comes over Tenten knowing that she made his lips look like that. Enjoying the fact that she has. Wanting to know when and how she can make his lips look like that every time, everyday. 

“I’m glad you’re alive,” she says again after moments of silence. 

Neji only smiles, with his red glistened lips. “Likewise.” 

[ignatzcatz]

hello fellas have an otacon arc analysis (mgs4) thats way too long and really not that interesting

edit: ok i guess this is an overall MGS4 post bc i added a bit about flower symbolism :////

The TLDR: 

I love otacons arc as a character, i think it was really well developed and ultimately one of the best in the series, and was disappointed by mgs4′s treatment of it.

otacon's entire arc was based on not making the same mistakes as his parents, learning from his past mistakes, and, knowing a huge theme of metal gear is the fragility of TRUST, seems smart enough to know when he's being duped. 

Having a random encounter with naomi not only destroys the character points we know to be crucial to otacon as a character, but also completely trashes the “fragility of trust” theme that underlies the series as a whole.

(DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying the right narrative decision was to get with snake bc thats not the point - what I’m suggesting ultimately is that, when you remove the naomi points entirely from mgs4, the character arc comes to a natural and satisfying conclusion.)

Buckle up youtubers:

From the story up until MGS4, we can derive a few character points, directly or indirectly based on the themes enforced by overall canon: 

Otacon: 

doesnt want to make the same mistakes as his parents (generational sins theme)

thrives around people he can 100% trust and don’t bullshit him, someone he's built up trust with for a long time (fragility of trust theme).

unlikely to want a biological kid due to his own beliefs that he's broken and his bloodline is ""bad”" (generational sins and breaking the cycle of history again)

Some justifications: 

I think the first point is obvious - I dont know if he ever found out what happened to his mom, but lets just take this one for granted and say that he knows, in part or in full, his mom’s actions and his dad’s actions to a certain extent and actively has tried to “do good” for the world. In MGS1, that attempt is misguided, but he deliberately shys away from knowingly enacting harm. Thats his schtick. He’s determined to Figure Out the Right Thing and face it head on, unlike his dad. 

Considering his past interactions with julie (abuse), emma (betrayed him in mgs2 as an adult) and his dad (betrayal?/abuse) and whatever lies he was told to trick him into building Metal Gear (willful ignorance or otherwise aside) - it establishes that he has a crucial need for trust that he shares with Snake. It’s why, fundamentally, they work well together. 

this ones a bit of a reach for me if we’re going through the canonical timeline of events: however, we know the extent of his self-deprecation and self-isolation even through MGS4 and (implicitly) MGRR. He monologued in mgs2 concerning how he was learning “how to love” - implying that he hadn’t known “how” before, and kind of puts a new perspective on his whole “can love bloom on the battlefield” bit.  

Conclusion: The reason why Snake and Otacon work so well together and trust each other is because both have been so thoroughly betrayed before. Its a foundational common understanding of trust.  (on a separate point, i think thats why snake is so “weirdly friendly” to otacon in their encounters in mgs1 - once he realized that otacon was actually experiencing the same kind of authoritative betrayal HE himself had gone through at around the same age, he seems more sympathetic than anything)

TLDR: The fragility of trust is is already a huge theme throughout the series anyway, so it would make sense that it is embodied in primary protags.

So why are you annoyed by fiction , dipshit? 

Otacon gettin’ some with naomi makes no narrative sense, arc-wise or as a standalone event. Naomi betrayed Snake (which he would’ve heard about from MGS1) TWICE before gettin with otacon! Seems unlikely he’d trust her especially when she’s inadvertently killed Snake or is in the Process Of Doing So. 

WHAT IS IN CHARACTER: otacon changing his glasses & his appearances because a very hot older woman (and maternal figure who acts briefly as sunnys step-mom) asked him to. She said he looks cuter with them off and he removes them because he is incredibly insecure in himself (although, curiously, never really super insecure looks-wise: but lets be devils advocate and say its plausible, even tho in mgs4 he’s p cute). At this point in time, snake is very deliberately pushing otacon away and distancing himself. I think its reasonable to conclude that a very emotionally-driven character would seek out any form of positive interaction During These Trying Times. 

WHAT IS SEVERELY OUT OF CHARACTER: otacon gettin' with a lady he just met, a woman who had betrayed all of them in the first game. In addition to that, taking into account his past with julie, it doesnt make any character-based sense. Naomi deliberately and un-subtlely was trying to take the stepmom role into sunny’s life. She absolutely reeked of betrayal and was more than a little creepy. She was deliberately and calculatedly coldly “flirty(?)” towards otacon. If that didnt ring any "julie" bells in his head idk what would’ve. 

Why would have eliminating the plot points with Naomi entirely worked out in a solid and satisfying character arc?

Because at this point Otacon HAS a de-facto daughter now - he’s built a family!

And, if we’re to take post-creds Mgs4 audio at face value, he actively strives for this family to stay together, OUTSIDE of the Philanthropy objectives. 

 It DOES make sense that he built a non-biological family, because (of his own admission!!!) he personally believes that his bloodline is kind of shitty and ruined. So it would be in character that he’d be happy with not having biological kids! 

His whole motivation is to NOT be like his dad, and NOT make the same mistakes as his parents. So, whether consciously or not, him achieving this goal makes sense- where Strangelove failed to have the family she wanted with The Boss, Otacon was able to ultimately succeed. 

But no, we get a really predictable Naomi betrayal. And we’re supposed to think otacon cried over her? that the emo sad-boy lyrics LOVE THEME was meant for HER? hello? 

So, TLDR: 

1. Otacon did not make the same mistakes as his parents: he ultimately fulfilled what they BOTH failed to do - he strived to face his problems head-on and succeeded in building a loving family. 

2. Otacon managed to accomplish these goals by learning how to trust people who’ve EARNED it - he’s not naive by the end of the series, and learned that trust is something not to be given, but EARNED. 

3. Didn’t have a biological kid, and, judging by MGRR’s very brief mention of him, had no intention to do so. 

4. Better yet - he managed to raise a successful daughter that he adopted, which ties super well into the theme of DNA not determining who you are or your destiny. If you haven’t read that one post on closing the loop of pain, go read it here. Otacon had a lot of problems with his “shitty” bloodline: this deliberate step to have him adopt a child and raise her to be as kind as him (a non-DNA trait)  is really a cool choice. 

ok thank you for reading im gonna fuck off now until i can think of smth better

---------------------------- 

EDIT: I forgot this excellent post here smh my head: 

https://howmanyspaghetti.tumblr.com/post/190225215866/hello-i-know-its-old-so-this-is-kind-of-a-long

------- Im gonna add on a little to this while im here!------

Buckle up, Two! 

The post linked above mentions flower imagery: which im a huge fan of ! 

The blue rose is imagery associated with solid snake - although the rose is traditionally a symbol of romance, the blue rose is not a naturally produced rose, is considered a rare flower symbol, and, taken literally, represents a sign of unattainable or elusive love. By itself, it’s bold symbolism of a manmade fabrication of something organic. 

But there’s two things to note about this particular imagery, and it relates to the post above - 

1. The blue rose is really only mentioned as a standalone image in the novel (as far as I know - if its mentioned more than once in the MGS4 game please let me know). Point being, in the game its directly coupled with another reference: the beauty and the beast, in which a rose in a glass case slowly deteriorates. This acts as a kind of visual timer marking end of the Beast - unless he’s rescued by true love or whatever to make him human again. (interesting how one of the first conversations snake + otacon have has them mention the term “bloom”  specifically as well - very plant associated.) 

Snake doesn’t just mention the fable of Beauty and the Beast as a whole work, but specifies the ending of the story. This links Otacon to be as equally associated with the story of the rose as Snake is - think on that . . ..wew lads.....

2. Maybe this doesnt mean anything, but flower imagery doesnt really occur all that often in the game series. The Sun Star flower (hope, renewal, innocence) is associated with The Boss in a very exclusive way - when used alongside Big Boss’s appearance, it’s always in a way meant to evoke the Boss and her death event, not Big Boss alone. 

(big boss’s exclusive symbolism is the butterfly - one that venom fails to catch in his hallucinations. Venom’s, I would argue, is probably the (synthetic) diamond. I don’t think they thought about Liquid’s symbolism all too much.)  

It’s not like Venom or Liquid or Big Boss have their own exclusive flower symbolism - only Solid Snake has a unique flower symbolism. And even he’s directly linked to the Sun Star flower as well - The game ends with him, alone, in a graveyard with the field of Sun Stars. He’s the one to have closed “the loop” mentioned in the post above.

The “next generation” is represented by his adopted daughter Sunny: and the post-credits conversation trophy is called “old sun”. He’s the end, the sunset, of a loop of pain The Boss started, and Sunny the sunrise of a new generation. Not only that, but Snake started his own legacy with a Rose, a symbolism already bearing the idea of love, human connection, and relationships in its own symbolism. 

im sure nobody on the writing team actually thought about it this much, but i like drawing flowers so if you see these around you’ll know whats going on . sad really 

[theshatteredrose]

Fighting For You (Chapter 9) - Trials of Mana Fanfiction

AN: Sorry for the wait, but here’s the second last chapter for you all to enjoy~

Chapter 9:

Hawkeye panted quietly as he waited impatiently for the knight to finally fall, in an overly dramatically manner, to their knees and crumble into nothingness. Those knights were a tough bunch, alright. Especially with that annoying shield.

But when they weren’t taking a battle stance, they were slow and cumbersome. Just meandering around the battlefield without much focus. Made it easy to simply slip behind them and attack their backs. They were completely vulnerable there.

That reminded him. When they got out of this dump and back to their mission, he needed to keep a close eye on Duran’s backside. Ah, he meant back. Ya know, being valuable-vulnerable there!

After a few short, but still agonisingly long seconds, the knight finally succumbed to defeat and dissipated in a plume of dark purple smoke.

And there on the floor, somehow glinting despite the lack of light, was a silver key.

Finally, his third key.

“We mustn’t delay! We need to return to Duran immediately!”

Hawkeye jumped at Undine’s sudden voice causing his ears to ring. He soon uttered a sigh, however. He wasn’t used to having Elementals chittering away in his head, piping up unexpectedly. How did Duran put up with them?

“No time!” Undine chimed in again. “Hurry!”

The obvious panic in her voice prompted Hawkeye to tense, his grip on his weapons tightening. Had something already happened to Duran?

“Several flowers have already blossomed.”

What? Damn it!

Hawkeye snatched up the key and placed it into his pocket with the other two keys. As he turned and sprinted down the windowless hallway, he kept one hand on his pocket to ensure the safety of the keys, and the other wielding his knife. Just in case some idiot decided to stand in his way.

He really wasn’t in the mood for any surprises.

The hallway was agonizingly long. No windows. Just half hanging, ruined portraits and a ratty, torn red carpet. It was unsettling to think that these halls were the ones that Duran had endured in his nightmares.

The door at the end of the hall was closed, but Hawkeye had no trouble throwing it open and stepping out onto the landing.

“Hey, sorry for the wait, but I’m back~”

“Me too! Back with keys!”

Hawkeye had wanted to make a grand entrance, but he didn’t mind sharing the limelight with Kevin.

Still entangled within the vines and chains, Duran managed to defy his bindings enough to twist around to look over at them. His face was surprisingly pale and he looked unnervingly tired. But he did have a relieved smile on his face.

However, he suddenly tensed and grew ridged as he threw his head back. And released a scream of pain.

That…was a sound he had never, ever heard from Duran before.

“What? What happened?” Hawkeye demanded, swallowing back his panic as he leapt down the stairs.

In a flash of light, Faerie quickly appeared and fluttered hastily over to him. “It’s the flowers! They’re draining him of his energy! Oh, if only Dryad was here. She could remove them…”

What? Had Duran been in pain the entire time?!

As Duran fell limp against his bindings, allowing them to restrain him without struggle, the sound of sharp, quick footsteps was heard. The resounding metal clang with each step revealed that whoever was approaching at a brisk, determined pace wore a heavy suit of armour.

Another knight?

“I didn’t expect you two to actually succeed…”

Hawkeye unsheathed his knives and immediately narrowed in on the direction of the voice. Just as he had suspected, a knight in a mishmash of coloured armour. They, likely that of a man, stood in the foyer before the opened entrance doors and several feet from where Duran was being held.

“And who’s that supposed to be?” Hawkeye muttered as Kevin bristled next to him.

“Agnar,” Faerie explained, her voice a mix of fear and surprising bitterness. “The one responsible for all of this.”

Was he now?

“Hey. We've got the keys. How do we use them to release Duran? Tell me!”

Agnar stood stock still. Unnaturally so. "That's something for you to work out. Better do it quickly.”

Just as he said that, Duran uttered another pained scream. Chains rattled and vines rustled before the sound of harsh panting followed.

Despite knowing to never turn his back to an enemy, Hawkeye whirled around and stared up at Duran.

He really wished he hadn’t.

A light sheen of sweat dampened his skin. Beads dripping along his arms. His face was flushed, and yet was still pale. His breathing was short, harsh as he hung limply, submissively against his bindings.

And his eyes…his eyes were hazy, glazed over. Likely in a desperate attempt to focus on speaking with the Elementals. To ignore the pain.

The see him in such a state. To hear him scream…how much pain was he in?

How many flowers were left to bloom?

“Don’t understand,” Kevin said, his voice both confused but angry. “Why? Why are you hurting Duran?”

“Because he is a swordsman.”

Hawkeye faltered. Was that it? “Why such hatred for swordsmen?”

Agnar shook his head, the helmet rattling unnervingly with the movement. “It is not the swordsmen I detest. I loathe the ones who pull the strings of knights. Those who demand knights and soldiers to devote their lives for the selfishness of others. By taking away the knights, these selfish leaders are forced to fight their own battles. Forced to face their responsibilities on their own. Face the consequences of their own actions and not force them upon others.”

“Ok, so…” Hawkeye drawled, high-key sceptical. “You’re making those people pay by taking away their knights?”

“Don’t…don’t lie,” Duran suddenly stated, his voice tired but still holding a sense of determination. “You’re bitter because you’ve lost your skills as a swordsman, so you’re actively stealing those skills from others.”

Wait, what?

“No, can’t do that!” Kevin shook his head frantically, angrily. “Duran’s skills are his! Not yours! He trained hard himself. He’s strong.”

A flash of blue from the corner of his eye prompted Hawkeye’s instincts turn in its direction. While in the short process of turning, a loud scream was heard once more. And he immediately knew what it was.

A flower had bloomed.

“No, that’s the seventh flower…” Faerie whispered, on the verge of tears. She soon turned her fear into anger and she whirled around to face Agnar. Though she was far from intimidating, her voice was still heartbreaking. “Stop it! You’re going to kill him!”

“Death is far better than a life of slavery,” Agnar responded coldly, callously.

“You don’t have the right to make that decision!”

Hawkeye would have launched himself at the guy if he hadn’t heard the low growl from his right. He risked a quick glance in Kevin’s direction, immediately recognising that he was trembling. Twitching. His hands clenching and unclenching.

“No,” he muttered with a harsh shake of his head. “No, won’t let it. Won’t let you take Duran. I won’t.”

Kevin suddenly threw his head back on a growl as he transformed into his beastman form. “I won’t!”

Before anyone could react, including the stoic Agnar, Kevin lunged forward.

And delivered a powerful, and oh-so satisfying punch to the guy’s helmet.

Agnar flew backwards several feet, the metal of his arms scraping and clanging as he slammed into the solid wall behind him. He slid down the cracked wall to the ground, clearly stunned. He sluggishly reached for his sword that rested upon his back and staggered to his feet.

Kevin, however, wasn’t satisfied with a single punch.

He was angry. To put it mildly.

Perfect. Time for Hawkeye get to work, too!

“Kevin!”

Kevin suddenly reached behind him and snatched a small leather sachet. “Here!” he shouted as he threw the bag at him.

Hawkeye instinctively caught it, trusting that it contained the keys he had gathered. He spun on his heel just as Duran released yet another ear-splitting, heart-wrenching scream of pain.

Damn it, that was the eighth flower to bloom!

Just five more to go. He couldn’t waste any more time!

“Hold on!” Hawkeye shouted up at Duran as he paused before the flowerbed of vines and chains. “I’ll figure this out!”

Somehow…

Listlessly, Duran continued to breathe raggedly as he turned his head slightly to the side to look down at him. Though he was in obvious pain, though he looked pale, though his eyes were glazed and unable to focused; he somehow managed to give him a small smile.

“Don’t…Don’t worry about me. Do what you have to do. Th-there’s still a few more flowers left to bloom.”

That…

Idiot. Trying to act brave when he was in pain.

Where could the locks be?!

“Th-they came from the flower bed,” Duran panted breathlessly. “Check…check there.”

Hawkeye wasn’t fond of gardening, but he was used to digging through dirt in order to find hidden treasure.

With the use of his knife, Hawkeye hastily slashed at the grass and flowers, stabbing at the dirt in a précised, searching manner. Hoping desperately that he would hear the sound and feel the impact of something solid.

…Aha, found one!

Stabbing his knife into the dirt, Hawkeye grasped the chain with both hands and pulled with all his might. The chain only gave away slightly, but it was enough to reveal a familiar and oh-so incredibly relieving sight of a pad lock.

It was a normal looking padlock. Silver and flawless. Other than the number and, surprisingly, a name. He didn’t know who Leonhart was, but he knew what the number stood for.

With one hand on the chain, the other hastily dug through his pocket. He had found the number five key himself.

Hawkeye wasted no time grasping the key and shoving it forcibly into the padlock. It slid into place easily and as he turned it sharply, there was a satisfying click. And the lock popped open with barely a noise.

The chain then dissipated into a display of shimmering white light. As it did so, Hawkeye heard a small sigh of relief from Duran above him.

Finally!

Ok. Just had to do that six more times and Duran should be free of the chains. The vines? Well, hopefully with the chains gone, they’ll be easier to deal with.

Hastily digging through the ground around the other six chains, Hawkeye felt the vines cut through his gloves, breaking the skin in cuts and scrapes. But he ignored the mild stinging sensation. It was nothing compared to the pain that Duran had suffered through already.

Two more flowers had bloomed as Hawkeye removed four chains. Though it was hard not to look up toward Duran, he kept his head down. And focused at the task at hand.

Only two chains left.

Three flowers left.

As Hawkeye focused on getting the second last key out of his pocket, he heard a loud crash behind him. Abruptly remembering that Kevin was engaging Agnar in a fight, he risked a quick glance over his shoulder.

And smirked.

Kevin had a hold of Agnar’s leg and was effortlessly hurling him around. Literally. Slamming him into the floor, breaking a few floorboards. Throwing him into walls, breaking yet more plaster.

Hawkeye wanted to laugh at the sight. Kevin was honestly pummelling the ever-loving crap out of Agnar. Totally warranted. And a shame he couldn’t participate. By the time he got Duran freed and checked on him, the battle was likely to be over.

With the sixth chain dealt with, Hawkeye hurried over to the seventh. Which, ironically was labelled as seven, too. It appeared to be the main chain. The one that was most restricting.

Just one more left.

Blood from the cuts on his hands smeared the otherwise flawless silver lock. He paid little mind to the name engraved upon the metal and hastily slid the key inside. He half expected some kind of resistance. Something just to scream them over because that was what enemies like Agnar tended to do.

Instead, and thankfully, the key clicked into place readily. And the chain dissipated in the seconds following.

Finally! Only the vines left!

Grasping both of his knives, Hawkeye leapt to his feet. With a series of well-aimed slashes, he cut through the vines effortlessly. As his knives cut through the vines, they turned black and slowly disintegrated into ash.

And finally, Duran was free.

Hawkeye winced when Duran fell to the ground in a rather undignified heap, lying on his back as he breathed heavily. He was unlikely to have been hurt from the fall, though. If he could survive being shot out of a canon without a scrape, them a seven-foot drop should be a piece of cake.

Still, Hawkeye scrambled over to him and slipped his arm around his shoulders. “You ok?” he asked as he helped Duran to sit up.

Duran didn’t answer at first. Too busy trying to catch his breath and gather his wits. He then did something quite surprising; he turned toward him and though it appeared to take a lot of effort, slipped his arms around his neck. And clung onto him as he rested his chin upon his shoulder and leaned heavily against. “Hawkeye, thank you.”

Hawkeye didn’t hesitate in hugging Duran back. “Don’t mention it.”

“You may have released him, but this is far from over!”

Agnar’s shrilled voice caused Hawkeye to wince and for Duran to tense in his arms. Hawkeye kept an arm around Duran’s waist as the swordsman leaned back slightly to look over in the direction they heard Agnar’s voice.

Despite the pure pummelling he had received from Kevin, the dints and scrapes in his armour a clear physical sign of that, Agnar was still on his feet.

The guy was tough, no denying that.

“I will have his skills,” Agnar threatened lowly. “I will have him.”

Hawkeye swallowed back a growl as he unconsciously pulled Duran closer toward him. “Not a chance.”

“Kevin, take him outside!” Faerie suddenly instructed frantically. “His power is contained within this mansion!”

“On it!” Kevin quickly returned.

“This isn’t over!” Agnar bellowed. Clearly enraged, and yet there was no denying the hint of fear in his voice.

“Yes it is!” Kevin simply retorted.

With barely a pause, Kevin dug his claws into the Agnar’s chest plate, piercing the metal easily. He then did a half turn and hurled the armoured knight over his shoulder. And out the opened front doors of the mansion. The rattling of metal and steel was heard as Agnar unceremoniously rolled and tumbled along the grass and dirt outside.

With another loud growl, Kevin wasted no time in jumping out after him to continue the battle.

Honestly, that kid was something else.

As he helped Duran to his feet, the swordsman suddenly snared one of his hands with his. “Hawkeye, your hands…”

For the umpteenth time in the last five minutes, Hawkeye winced. The cuts on his hands had thankfully clotted, so wasn’t bleeding fresh blood. Allowing him to nonchalantly dismiss Duran’s guilt. “Don’t worry about that. Worry about yourself for once.”

Duran stubbornly shook his head as he reached down and picked up his sword. “I’ll worry about that later,” he said and drew in a long intake of air before releasing it slowly. “Come on, we’ve got an enemy to fight. Can’t let Kevin have all the fun.”

“You got it~”

[raptarii]

(Because I need to write something at 1 am no editing we die like men)

Jhavi pulled Quinn by the arm back into the med bay, ignoring the burning sensation on her fingertips and the scorch marks on the floor that Quinn's feet leave behind. The sylvari was agitated by a simple question, one that wasn't even remotely personal, but one that make the Thirdborn jump from the bed and sprint out, covering herself in fire like how she'd normally do in battle. "Why can't you tell me what's wrong?!" Jhavi hissed, tightening her grip on the sylvari, who was slowly cooling off in a literal sense, "You can't just keep avoiding people when they get worried about you! That's the last thing we need out here!"

Quinn pressed her lips together, attempting to rip her arm from Jhavi's grasp- to no avail. The sylvari didn't want to answer. Just wanted to push the norn out with a gale of wind and rest her body again; though even a simple spell like that might hurt something. "Nothing is wrong. I'll be fine, I always have, Jorasdottir--"

"No you won't! You went limp in the middle of the battlefield!" Jhavi pressed, a bit more concerned.

"The battle was over." She'd plainly state, ignoring the tearing feeling on the back of her skull.

"That's not the point, Quinn! You've done this after every big battle we've had! The Fraenir? The assaults on Drakkar?"

Quinn would- against her better judgement- slip away in a ball of lightning, reappearing on the other side of the bed, clinging to it and restraining herself from writhing in pain. "Jorasdottir, I fail to see your point."

Jhavi frowned, seeing the Slayer of Kralkatorrik and a renowned sylvari mage on her knees, almost clinging to life from a small spell. "I think you do."

And that was the straw that broke the dolyak's back. Quinn paused, her entire body- save for her quivering shoulders- went stiff. If it were anyone else, they'd be sobbing. But not the Thirdborn. "I'm terrified I'll break, Jhavi. My own magic, strong and volatile, is a double edged sword."

The norn helped move the sylvari onto the bed, careful as possible to not hurt the weakened Commander. Quinn continued, "I never wanted to let any of you know that I'm weak. Or that you need to protect me." The sylvari practically spat, "But... I'm afraid I'll break. One spell at the wrong time, and I may--"

"Stop." Jhavi pressed her hand against Quinn's mouth, leading Quinn to look up confused in response. "Just because you're vulnerable doesn't mean you're weak." Her hand would move to hold the sylvari's cheek, her thumb running along the indent in the bark. "But you're not alone out here. You can ask for help when you need it."

Quinn's glow would slowly light up more as they both sat in the awkward silence. She assumed it was a social cue, "Of course, Jorasdottir."

The norn pat the sylvari's cheek and headed out of the med bay, which was still barren. "If I catch you meditating in the middle of a blizzard again, I will chain you to a bed, Quinn."

When the door shut, Quinn would brush her fingers against where Jhavi's hand had been, feeling a small flower blooming in a crack in her bark. Quinn plucked it, throwing it to the side and ignoring any subtext behind it.

The elementalist did however think to herself, I may call Jorasdottir's bluff on the bed chaining. I haven't been out meditating in a long while.

(OK that's it its now 2 am and I had Thoughts)

[evilrubberducke]

Read You Like a Book

A fluff filled IzuMina story about dorks and dates. Not too much to say besides that. I hope you enjoy.

Summary: In the midst of a lovely date, Mina discovers that Izuku might just be paying more attention to her than she ever realized.

Also on AO3!

“Midoriiiiiii, you lied to me!” Mina whined as she took in the building before her.

The Csilla Book Emporium was the largest bookstore she’d ever seen, spanning nearly a block in length and several stories in height, all filled to the brim with books of every sort. Supposedly they had every book under the sun, and if you couldn’t find it on their shelves they would have it sent there in just a few days. Under normal circumstances, Mina would have been happy to spend the afternoon there with Izuku.

It was the sign out front, proudly advertising their “First day of summer textbook/workbook sale!” that gave her pause.

“I didn’t lie!” He protested, though he seemed to be having trouble keeping eye contact with her. “I told you I wanted to take you somewhere fun. This is fun!”

“It’s schoolwork Midori.” she put on her best pout, a technique which had improved dramatically since they had started dating. He was a sucker for a good pout, and if you used puppy dog eyes as well, it was a surefire way to get what you wanted.

“I know, but if we get it done now, we won’t have to worry about it later.” He was holding surprisingly firm under her gaze, only shifting a little bit as he spoke.

She held out for a long moment, but eventually she was the one that cracked first. “Fiiiiine. But I’m holding you to your word. You’re taking me out somewhere fun after this.”

He smiled at that. “Ok. We’ll go anywhere you want.”

She shook her head. “Nuh uh. You don’t get out of it that easy. I came here to be wooed, only to be bait and switched. You’ve got to earn your way back into my good graces, and that starts with coming up with somewhere nice to take me.”

At that, Izuku began to resemble the boy she remembered from their first year at UA. The ball of perpetually frightened energy who couldn’t keep himself from muttering about Heroes every few minutes. She’d almost forgotten how cute he could be when he was off balance like this. These days he seemed like he could take anyone on without even flinching, and the smile he always wore reminded her enough of All Might that she had started to give Todoroki’s crackpot theories some real consideration.

His muttering now a soothing background noise, Mina pulled her boyfriend into the bookstore.

---

The pair had headed straight into the workbook section, competing with several other students for precious space and even more precious deals.

Izuku proved surprisingly adept at claiming space among the crowd. He didn’t really fight for space so much as slip through the gaps between people, pulling Mina along behind him. When she asked he claimed he had learned from watching his mother navigate sales at the grocery store which he would only describe as ‘cut throat’.

She could tell he was taking their task seriously, as he didn’t even notice the amount of attention they were getting from the other patrons. The crowd had quickly clocked the presence of UA students, and from there it was only a quick jump to recognizing UA’s rising power couple.

Mina was a little embarrassed by the whole situation. Some enterprising reporter (read nosey snitch) had snuck into the back halls during their second sports festival. They had caught a picture of her and Izuku cuddling between matches, and ran a story about ‘Love Blooming on the Battlefield’. With her and Izuku both placing in the top five for the festival, people had quickly started to call them a power couple, and comparing them to UA’s previous big three.

It was odd to think that she now possessed  a following. Sure, it was a select following but it was still a strange experience. She’d even had someone come up and ask for her autograph the other day. It really made the fact that she was a hero feel real to her.

At least they were being left alone. There were whispers, and more than a few intrigued looks thrown their way, but no one tried to disturb them. Mina wasn’t sure if it was due to respect for their status, not wanting to miss a workbook they were looking for, or if they were intimidated by Izuku’s intense focus as he hunted for whatever it was he was searching for.

No matter the reason, Mina took the opportunity to browse with Izuku. Much as she was loath to admit it, having the extra books would be useful for their studying, something she knew Izuku would manage to corral her into at some point this summer. Resigned to her fate, she rolled up her sleeves and got to searching.

---

It still amazed her how astute Izuku could be. Every workbook he grabbed was for a subject she was struggling with, or had scored poorly on in their last exam. She hadn't even discussed the exam with him, too disappointed in her own performance. Sure, a C was better than she had been doing at the start of the year, some would even call it a great improvement. It just didn’t feel like one when compared to the rest of the class. With three perfect scores, one by Izuku himself, and several more As, it just left her feeling like she was falling behind with every step.

She’d tried he best, she really had. But in the end the concepts refused to stick in her head no matter how much she studied.

She sighed as she hefted a math workbook up and glared at the cover. It was so frustrating to be praised for her excellent combat skills, only to be lambasted week after week over something she just couldn’t seem to master.

She looked up as Izuku squeezed her hand absentmindedly, while he debated the value of two texts of his own. Even so deep in his own head, his muttering going full bore, a part of him was still making sure she was okay.

It warmed her heart in a way she couldn't even begin to describe. She returned the squeeze and cuddled closer to him. It was hard to be sad with his warmth leaking into her.

---

“I-I’m sorry it’s not much.” Izuku apologized. I couldn’t think of anywhere else to go.”

They were in a cafe just off Mustafu’s main shopping street. It was a cozy place, run by a small family who were more concerned with making sure their customers were satisfied than with making a profit. Entering the business felt like stepping into the home of a long lost relative. A few patrons waited in line, and more were seated at tables around the cafe, but it didn’t seem crowded in the slightest.

“It’s perfect Midori.” Mina said.

It really was too. Mina had heard about this place from Uraraka a few weeks ago. Apparently the pink cheeked girl had stumbled across it during one of her patrols with Ryuku. Since then, she had been singing the praises of the cafe, calling it a hidden gem of Mustafu.

Mina was inclined to agree. The menu was smaller than most of the popular cafes that she had been to, but it felt like it was curated rather than limited. Each of them had a cute name, and a small little blurb about how it could help your mood. Ever since she had heard Uraraka mention it, she had wanted to come here.

She just didn’t remember telling Izuku about it.

“But...how did you know I wanted to come here?” She asked, confused.

“You were talking about how you wanted to go here with Uraraka the other day, weren’t you?” It was more of a question than an answer.

She cast her mind back to the conversation in question. They’d been chatting in the common room, taking a break from homework to have a quick snack. Izuku had been there of course, he’d been helping her study since before they had even started officially dating, but she was sure he hadn’t been paying attention. He’d been in one of his muttering fits, focused on creating a new super move.

Now that she thought about it, this wasn’t the first time he’d known something about her without her having to state it. For instance, the time he’d shown up with flowers for her mother’s birthday even though she’d only told Toru about it. Or when he’d switched to buying her cherry sparkling water instead of lemon when she got tired of the flavor.

But it wasn’t for everything. When they were planning a surprise party for Todoroki, Izuku had come close to forgetting about it, despite being there for the planning meeting.

And then it hit her. The thread connecting his random fact acquisition was her. It was like some part of his mind was paying attention to what she was saying, or even just thinking about, despite the other 90% being occupied.

It was only just a theory, but now she wanted to test it.

“Midori, do you know what my favorite movie is?”

The sudden shift in topic seemed to take him by surprise, but he recovered quickly. “Umm, The Princess Bride, right?”

It was absolutely right. She considered it a guilty pleasure, and most definitely hadn’t watched it with anyone from UA. After all, she had a reputation as the dorm’s number one horror buff to maintain.

It was...odd to realize that he knew her so well without even seeming to try. She knew plenty of stuff about her boyfriend of course, but it was different with Izuku. He wore his heart on his sleeve in so many ways. It was easy to tell what he liked, from his favorite hero to his favorite foods. Even his more subtle tastes were obvious when you looked, though not everyone seemed to be able to take the hints. Just a few weeks before, Kirishima had dragged Izuku to a raunchy comedy with the rest of the guys in the class. She wasn’t sure exactly what he saw, but Izuku had looked vaguely traumatized by the experience.

He was easy to please, always happy to help or to listen to her talk, completely able to entertain himself if she left him alone, and an all around sweety. He would be the most low maintenance boyfriend in the world, if it weren’t for his insistence on self sacrifice.

She was pulled from her musings when they reached the front of the line. She had already made her choice when she had first seen the menu, but Izuku had waffled for a while. When he finally chose his drink, it was all she could do to hold back a snort. The woman who took their order seemed surprised, but after looking him over, she nodded once and punched the request in.

The “Little Hero” was clearly meant for children, a chocolaty affair with a generous helping of whipped cream on the top. When Izuku finally laid eyes on his drink, his brow scrunched up in confusion, and Mina finally lost it, cackling softly at her boyfriend’s misstep.

Izuku did his best imitation of a strawberry while he meekly accepted his drink and made a beeline for the table they had picked out and Mina followed him, still recovering from her bout of mirth.

The seats they had managed to get were hidden slightly from the rest of the cafe by a large potted plant. Mina appreciated the bit of privacy that it afforded them. She didn’t really care about being watched, but she did enjoy having a bit more alone time with her boyfriend.

“Enjoying your drink?” She teased as he took a tentative sip. The barista had really gone all out, adding chocolate shavings as well as sprinkles and a stick of cinnamon to the top of what Mina was sure was an unhealthy amount of whipped cream. Her own drink was fairly simple by comparison. An Iced coffee with some cinnamon to give it some extra flavoring, with a small heart drawn in the cream for her, which was a nice little touch.

“It...it’s pretty good.” Izuku said timidly, eyes firmly fixed on the table in front of him.

“Apparently!” She said with a chuckle. When he lifted his head up to look at her, she could see that a bit of whipped cream had lodged itself at the end of his nose. Combined with the confused and slightly embarrassed look on his face, it made for an insanely cute picture. Mina was half tempted to whip out her phone to commemorate the moment, but decided against it.

Instead she reached across the table and deftly wiped the offending spot away. Then on a whim, she took a moment to run her thumb along his cheek.

Izuku relaxed into her touch, his eyes closing as he sighed in contentment.

Mina felt her heart skip a beat. She was sure in that moment that she was the luckiest girl in the world. Izuku was beyond strong, incredibly smart, and so dedicated she was sure he would crawl through hell on bloody hands and knees if it meant saving someone in trouble. And here he was, melting like putty in her hands simply because he enjoyed being around her.

It made her feel truly special.

--

They didn’t get any studying done that day, much to Izuku’s chagrin. Instead, they spent the day wandering Mustafu to see if they could find any other hidden gems like the cafe. It wasn’t a productive day, but it was a pleasant one. A day spent in easy company was just what the pair had needed after the stress of UA. And at the end of the day, they were both perfectly content to fall asleep in the arms of the one person in the world who could read them like a book.

[maresyluna]

Returning to Family

A cool breeze rustled the treetops in Elwynn, a sort of whispered hush that dared to disrupt the sleepy morning hours. The horse’s trots emerged from that hushing sound and it traveled down the road from Stormwind toward the farmlands by the river. The horse moved confidently, familiar with the road it walked on. Its rider, however, was not.

Alessandro wrapped his tattered blue cloak around him, his demeanor rather down, his hands trembling as he grabbed the reins tightly. He had been back from the battlefields for two weeks, but this was the first time he was going to see his sister. She still believed that he was still out fighting, but she would be surprised today. 

He arrived at the farm and he led his horse into a pen in the barn. The animals in the barn moved a bit, recognizing the familiar man. Then, he made his trek to the family home, where he saw the flowers outside blooming and the pinwheels spinning gently. Bells tinkled in the breeze and Alessandro slowly walked up to the steps, each step causing him more anxiety. It was suddenly difficult to breathe and he gripped at the cloak at his chest and a hand leaned against the door frame.

He could hear the groans of men and the cries of many who had seen their fellow brothers at arms fall. He could hear the King calling them back and the crashing barrels of blight that spread the burning fumes and ooze throughout the land. He could smell the rancid stench of death and he could see the eyes of deceased fighters staring at him as they rose from the green-tainted ground. Alessandro gasped for breath, his eyes shut tightly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

“Alex?”

Alessandro opened his eyes and looked up, his golden-brown eyes peeking from behind long dark strands of hair. His sister was standing behind the open door, tears forming in her eyes. He managed a smile and tried to take a deep breath. “Lucy…”

The dark-haired woman ran out of the doorway and hugged her brother tightly. “Blessed Light, you’re home!” She kissed his face and hugged him again. “I hadn’t heard from you and we heard so many …horrific stories. I didn’t know where you were. Oh, thank the Light! Come inside!” Lucrezia tugged at her brother’s arm and pulled him inside. “Mark! Mark, it’s Alex!”

Two children ran into the room. “Uncle Alex!” cried Anton, reaching out to hug the knight. The little girl ran toward him too, wanting to get picked up. Alessandro smiled and picked the little girl who wrapped her little arms around him. Alessandro reached out and hugged Anton. The little boy smiled until he saw the knight’s hands. “Ew! What happened to your hands?” He moved away from his uncle, curiously yet rudely pondering twisted web-like designs on his hands. The little girl turned to look at the hands and her finger traced one of the web-like design, but she did not react the way her brother did. 

“It’s…nothing,” Alessandro said, gently placing the little girl down on the floor. Frightened, the little boy took his sister’s hand and pulled her away from their uncle. Alessandro sighed and sat at the dinner table. Lucrezia sat beside Alessandro and she reached out to look at his hands. “What happened?” she asked, her eyes widening.

“It…was an accident. I’m…I’m fine,” he said quickly.

“Accident? Alex, your cloak is in shambles! Alex, what happened to you?”

“War, Lucy. War happened.”

Lucrezia rose and walked to a cabinet where she took a large box from within. “I was waiting for you to return so that I could give you this.” She placed the box in front of him and sat nearby. Alessandro opened the box and saw a blue cloak, just like the one he wore. Alessandro smiled and looked at his sister. 

“Thank you.”

Lucrezia took the cloak and removed his tattered one, replacing it with the new one. “There. You look presentable, although your hair needs a trim and your beard….yikes.” She smiled at her joke, but Alessandro’s pained look on his face ended it all too quickly. With the children in the other room with their father, Lucrezia leaned closer to her brother. “What happened?”

Alessandro glanced at the other room and he sighed. “It was bad, Lucy. The burning of the Great Tree, the Battle for Lordaeron…bad.” Bad was an understatement, but he was not able to put into words what he had seen and felt. “I lost a lot of friends and fellow soldiers. I…I wasn’t able to save them all.” He closed his eyes and he saw green, bright green that seemed to get closer to him. 

Lucrezia noticed that he began to shake and then he jumped a bit. “But you’re not there anymore, Alex.”

“But I am, Lucy…every day, here…” He tapped his head with his damaged hands. He looked at his hands and placed them on the table. “And here. I wasn’t able to rescue him…” He looked away and sighed. “I lost so many people, Lucy.”

“Alex, it’s war. Of course people will die…”

“I was supposed to help them!”

Lucrezia reached out and touched his hurt hands. Alessandro winced and he shook his head, trying to tell her not to touch her. She did, nonetheless. Her fingers wrapped around her brother’s hands and she felt as he collapsed onto the table. She quickly moved closer to him and she supported his fragile form as the knight cried on her shoulder. “It’s ok, Alex. You’re safe now.” She held her brother for a moment and wiped the tears from his face. 

“I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I can’t breathe,” he whispered. 

His sister hugged him tightly, her own tears falling onto the table. She had brief flashes of memories when she last held her brother this way. Their mother had just passed and Alessandro felt so guilty. “Thank the Light you are back home,” she said gently. She heard her brother scoff at her words and her eyebrows lifted a bit. 

“The Light didn’t save them that day…” 

Lucrezia worried about her brother’s mental state, but she did not want to anger him nor frighten him, so she simply kissed his head and held him. She remembered his dog. “Rusty is out in the back, waiting for you.” Alessandro did not move. “Have you seen Elena? Does she know you’re back?”

He shook his head. “I’m…afraid to see her.”

“Alex, you should see her. I’m sure she would calm your nerves. She may even be horribly worried about you, especially if you haven’t spoken to her.”

“What if I am a disappointment to her?” he whispered.

Lucrezia chuckled softly. “How could you be a disappointment to anyone?” She reached across the table and placed her hands on her brother’s face. “Listen to me, Alex: you are a blessing to this wretched world. You make everyone’s day a little better, which is a lot more than we can say about others out there. We need people like you, but right now, you need us to help you feel better. Go see Elena.”

“And if she doesn’t want to see me anymore?” Alessandro said softly, his heart breaking unnecessarily. 

“Then she has missed out on a wonderful man, and you will find another woman who will appreciate you for who you are in your heart. But as of now, you have no idea what her reaction will be. Go.”

The children and Lucrezia’s husband walked into the room and the little girl climbed onto her uncle’s lap. She examined his hands and looked at Alessandro. “You okay?”

The knight smiled at the little girl and nodded. “I will be, Brianna. Thank you for caring, love.” The family gathered around the table and shortly after, they ate dinner, celebrating the fact that Alessandro had survived his time out in the field and he was alive and well.

(mention: @elena-lambourne

[another-sonic-blog]

Hey, is it ok to ask for a short shadamy fanfic where Amy finds out about Shadow doing flower arrangements and she helps him out with planting roses?

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         It hasn’t been long ever since she found out that Shadow loved gardening. The first time she found out that Shadow secretly visited her garden, she didn’t know how to react. She wanted to get out of her house and asked him if he needed anything from her. However, the moment Amy saw Shadow kneel down and take one of her roses so carefully, she stopped completely to admire this soft side of him. Shadow didn’t stay longer than two minutes and as soon as he took a quick gaze at her garden, he left, holding the red rose in his hands.

   This happened more often, Shadow made sure to know Amy was out of her house before going to see her garden. He was wrong most of the times, however, and without his awareness, Amy just let him wander around her garden, looking out at the flowers and even sometimes taking them.

   Three months passed just like that and Amy finally built the courage to follow Shadow to his home. She just wonders why Shadow wanted so many flowers for? Why come see her garden so often?

   She was well known in the secrets of ‘the following someone quietly’ and although she wasn’t too proud of it, it for sure came in handy. She wasn’t surprised at the location on his house, it was in the middle of the forest and at the beginning, no light could go through the massive forest. However, Shadow had placed his small comfortable looking house in somewhere special. Nearby a small waterfall, where trees weren’t as high and plenty of sunlight could go through their leaves. Vegetation was a natural cause around the area, the calming sound of water going down the cascade’s rock made the picture almost too perfect as it wasn’t real.  

   Amy saw Shadow entering his house, and of course, Amy couldn’t help but to notice the beautiful garden surrounding his house. However, as soon Shadow entered, he came out. A bit different, Amy was hidden in a bush but even she could tell that Shadow was wearing gloves, and a small hat to protect his eyes from the sunlight. Not only that but around his waist was a tight belt in which you could find all types of gardening tools. Shadow was holding a small flower packet, in which contained ‘Roses seeds’. Amy saw him do every step of the plating right, but the location and the amount of water or soil wasn’t the proper one. Roses were really hard to conceive, and you had to be very persistent in you wanted beautiful roses.

   Amy wanted to go to him, but she figured that coming randomly out of nowhere would upset him. She decided to back away and come another time to see his process.

and she did.

Sadly, what she found wasn’t pleasant. She found a disappointed look on Shadow’s face as soon as he saw that as soon his roses began to grow, they perished. She didn’t know why, but that sight wasn’t something she wanted to see…never. Shadow was a hedgehog who had already suffered enough and if growing roses could bring him any sense of happiness, then Amy would make sure that Shadow gets his roses. She waited until he wasn’t home anymore to get ready with her plans.

First, she didn’t want to make it too obvious that she was there. So she decided to plant the new seeds in the same place Shadow did. This time, she made sure there was the proper amount of soil and water. The tough part would be coming once in a while and properly give water to the plants and of course, any plant needed love and attention, so at least 5 minutes of talking to them would the trick.

   Time passed by like that, Amy and Shadow constantly visiting each other’s gardens. November was about to end and Amy expected for Shadow’s new roses to bloom any second now. She couldn’t wait and see his expression once they were in full bloom.

“Well, It will be a while before I see you again”

   Amy took a small glimpse in the window as she saw Shadow talking to her roses.  He then runs off. When she heard that, she was confused and wonder behind the meaning behind his words.

Shadow didn’t come back until spring.

.

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.

.

   When he came back, he went straight to Amy’s house. In his recent G.U.N mission he discovers how much he missed the moments he could see Amy’s roses. Since it was Spring, he expected to see a beautiful garden, full of different kinds of flowers with all kinds of shapes and smells. However, there was no words that could express how melancholy Shadow felt when he saw Amy’s garden completely dead. At this point, Shadow didn’t care and he entered Amy’s house. He looked around and he didn’t find her. Shadow wasn’t close to Amy, but still, he cared for her. He had seen her many times on the battlefield and his respect for her grew more and more. Not only that but he also felt guilty for coming to her house uninvited all of those times. He had grown to like her, he learns a lot from watching her plant flowers and it was time to pay her back. Shadow looked through the whole city in vain, the only place he hasn’t checked was his home. He didn’t think he was there, but there was no harm in checking.

He didn’t found Amy, instead, he found a full grown garden, full of lilies, tulips and all types of flowers he could think of. He looked around amazed at the fact that there roses as well. He was so amazed by it that Shadow didn’t take notice of Amy slowly making his way to hide again. Seeing Shadow happy was all that she ever wanted to see and that small smirk on his face could make the most depressing weather into a vast sunshine. That’s how Amy felt at the moment, something warmed her heart and Shadow’s as well.

   Amy backed away slowly but then she stepped into a branch, making it break in two while making a small ‘cracking’ sound. That was enough to break Shadow ’s trance and Shadow turned around to find Amy’s failure in hiding.

   They both didn’t know what to say. That moment between them was a heavy one and neither of them didn’t know how to break it.

“You were the one who did all of this?, Shadow asked as he took a quick glance at his new garden.

“…yes…I am sorry for intruding your home”, Amy was blushing and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.

“It’s ok…I actually will go to your house too and see your garden…even steal some roses”

“Now that you mention that…why would you do that? Like why steal my roses?”

“…I make flowers arrangements…I have recently opened a flower shop but many clients would ask for roses…I was ever able to grow them”

   That made a lot of sense now. Amy had let her garden die so she could focus on Shadow’s. She felt sad at first, but seeing that her work would bring happiness not only to Shadow but to other people, it was all worth it.

“I am sorry about your garden and for all the struggle…it most of been hard keep the flowers alive through winter”, Shadow got closer to Amy, he wanted to show his gratitude to her in any way possible. He imagined Amy coming every day with a thermal light to keep warm the flowers. Walking down a heavy path of snow and struggling with the cold. She had done all of that for him and even if the flowers wouldn’t come out the way he wanted, just the thought that someone would go that far for him made him feel…happy. Like someone actually cared enough for him to go to those lengths. It made his heart warm and the feeling inside of him could not be explained with words.

“I won’t lie to you…it was tough”, Amy giggle a bit and Shadow gave her a smile in which Amy appreciated fully.

   It was quiet again, and for a moment they didn’t want to part ways. They knew that the moment they parted ways, it will be the moment that whatever they had going on will be the end.

“Well, I guess I will get going now…gotta start working again on my own garden”

“Yeah…I need to start doing some arrangements…I was away for too long”

“Yes…well…I will see you around then?”

“Yes”

   Amy picked up her right hand and she waved it side to side and strangely Shadow did the same. She wasn’t sure she will see him again, but she was happy knowing that she brought him some sense of happiness in his life.

“Wait!”

   Amy was already about to enter the forest when she heard Shadow’s voice, stopping her in her tracks.

“Yes?”, she turned around slowly. Her heart skipped a bit, the sunlight reflecting in the flower’s petals, the sound of water running down the rocks and Shadow’s nervous smirk made the scene magical, like the ones she would only read in books…

“Would you like to…um…work with me?”

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A/N: I tried to make this as short as possible hehe, I hope this somewhat what you wanted and if not, I can always remake it, just let me know! I wasn’t completely satisfied with this, so I won’t mind. Thanks for this cute prompt`

If anyone had any requests, I am always open! So just come by and drop a message~

[xserpx]

The Glorious Lilac

Ok, this should definitely have happened yesterday, but can I take this opportunity to talk about the lilac in Night Watch? Because honestly...

THE LILAC.

Yes, it’s a symbol of remembrance for the forgotten watchmen, the hopes they had, the camaraderie they shared, and the tragedy of their story. But what gets me every time I reread the book is that the lilac is even more than that. It’s a lot more than that. A harbinger of death, the spirit of Ankh-Morpork, a symbol of revolution and revolution...

Ok, ok.

For starters, not only is a sprig of lilac the way that Vimes et al remember their fallen friends, but in the context of the book itself, lilac is also constantly, constantly, foreshadowing their doom, and in a way, that doom happens because of it. Perhaps in a universe where the lilac bloomed at a different time of year, things would have turned out differently.

There are a few of these disquieting, environmental harbingers throughout the book - the humidity before the storm, the talk of unrest before we ever see any fighting in the streets - but only the lilac buds on the trees is present (as t’were) in the past and in the future.

And I’ve always loved the way that Vimes tends to smell lilac flowers before he sees them. Those first few pages, it’s all about the nostalgic smell. "The scent rolled over him...” “He sniffed at it. He stood for a moment, staring at nothing,” “He twirled the sprig of lilac in his fingers, and smelled again the heady smell.” “It went with the lilac, scent and song together”.

Similarly, our introduction to the lilac plumes is as amorphous as their scent. We first learn that lilac is used to commemorate something when we see Vimes and Vetinari wearing the sprigs, and it’s given emphasis by Colon’s reaction to Ping’s questions. But crucially, we don’t learn why they wear lilac, and that ignorance persists until:

“‘I recall a battle once,’ said Dai Dickens, looking up at a tree. ‘In history, it was.’ ... And now, Vimes thought, it ends.”

Everything comes full circle.

For a fleeting second, Vimes truly believes that he’ll be able to change the story, but it’s May 25th, and the lilac is in bloom as it is every year, and once the flowers are picked he realises there’s no going back. He can alter so much, he can sacrifice everything, but he can’t change the nature of those irrepressible little flowers. The revolution ends, and the watchmen die. He was there, and all that’s left is the memory, and the lilac. As Vimes tells Ned Coates:

“Don’t put your trust in revolutions. They always come round again. That’s why they’re called revolutions. People die, and nothing changes.”

I also think lilac is the best way that Pterry tackles both meanings of revolution in one beautiful metaphor. Lilacs, like most flowers, are cyclical - they come and go every year - and they serve as an annual reminder to Vimes:

“Overhead, a lilac tree was in bloom. He stared. Damn! Damn! Damn! Every year he forgot. Well, no. He never forgot. He just put the memories away, like old silverware that you didn't want to tarnish. And every year they came back, sharp and sparkling, and stabbed him in the heart.”

But if you pay attention to the way Pterry describes lilac in general, he talks about its growth and resilience, which is uncannily evocative of not only the revolution and social changes, but also the general progression that’s happened in the city over the years:

“Up against one wall, lilac trees were growing. That is, at some point in the past a lilac had been planted there, and had given rise, as lilac will, to hundreds of whippy suckers, so that what had once been one stem was now a thicket. Every branch was covered in pale mauve blooms.“

And it’s this why this quote (from when he’s in the past) is fast becoming my absolute favourite:

“Lilac was common in the city. It was vigorous and hard to kill and had to be. The flower buds were noticeably swelling. He stood and stared, as a man might stare at an old battlefield…“

In those four sentences, Pratchett manages to bring so many themes together. I mean, let me rephrase this: Lilac - like ideas, protesters, entrepreneurial spirit, and all the little things and people working day after day, and even Vimes himself - is common in Ankh-Morpork. And lilac - like the city, and ideas, and protesters, and entrepreneurial spirit, all those people working day to day, and again, Vimes - is vigorous and hard to kill, and it has to be. “Little wheels must spin so the machine can turn”/”When we break down, it all breaks down.” The flower buds are noticeably swelling, forces are in motion, the city is progressing, revolution is looming, the story is beginning. Vimes looks up, and he sees memories that haven’t happened yet, and graves that won’t be dug for a few days yet. He sees both the future and the past, and it’s all in the lilac. (And if you go back to the quote at the end, Dai Dickens looks at the lilac and literally does remember an old battle... ‘in history, it was...’ jfc THIS BOOK)

I just... It’s breath-taking.

I really don’t think I’ll ever stop being blown away by the way Terry Pratchett managed to explore the themes of past, future, history, change, remembrance, and progress the way he did in this book, nor the way he took something as simple as a plume of lilac - common in the city, not a “proper” memorial, not a tableau in bronze - and made it so meaningful to so many people, that we could all hold it up in honour of him.

[goldbasar]

Heloo!! Ok so the ships: . Ysayle x Estinien (asdfghjkl.

aaa nice! thanks for the ask THOSE ARE SOME NICE SHIPS YOU GOT THERE (I will get to stormblood soon...and to the other asks as well. I need to sleep :’) ) 

estinien/ysayle (

I consider this ship’s feelings: Mutual(-y...they had too little time but I think they were getting there) | Mixed | Strange | Awkward | Platonic | Sibling-like | One-sided | They don’t really like each other |

I’d consider the relationship: Healthy | Awkward | Abusive | Doesn’t work properly | They’d never get together |they could’ve been such a good couple that I’d definitely consider ~healthy~ if they came to work on it, there was some mutual understanding beginning to bloom there, but alas, the game had different plans

General Opinion:gdi everytime I think my absolute love for them has calmed down, I only need to rewatch the 3.0 trip to fall for them even more. I think their dynamic is super interesting, ESPECIALLY because their ideas were so fundamentally different at first, but their journey together with the wol and alphinaud made them form a bond regardless, and a lot of comments from Estinien’s side show that he did care and started to show that more openly (subtle, but definitely there! I just replayed 3.0), so I definitely think that they could’ve been a thing if but given more time. They both grew out of their views and ways and found that despite their fundamental difference (peace seeker vs. vengeance seeker) they were more similar than they thought they would be. And don’t talk to me about the flower bouquet.

thancred/y’shtola

I consider this ship’s feelings: Mutual | Mixed | Strange | Awkward | Platonic | Sibling-like | One-sided | They don’t really like each other |

I’d consider the relationship: Healthy | Awkward | Abusive | Doesn’t work properly | They’d never get together |

General Opinion:I see where this ship comes from, I totally do, but I don’t really ship them romantically? (I generally have a hard time shipping y’shtola with anyone) Come to think of it, I rarely ship within the Scions, at least our main npc members. they all feel so platonic to me, but I definitely don’t mind any ships either! 

carvallain/rhoswen

I consider this ship’s feelings: Mutual | Mixed | Strange | Awkward | Platonic | Sibling-like | One-sided | They don’t really like each other |

I’d consider the relationship: Healthy (they could be!) | Awkward | Abusive | Doesn’t work properly | They’d never get together |

General Opinion: PASSIONATE LOVE FOR THIS SHIP AHOY so ok let me explain: I CAN see Carvallain liking her back but he’s still not there seeing it. yet the way he teases her is, imo, quite unusual for his antics bc he’s so obvious about it being fun to him, DESPITE HOW ARROGANT HE SOUNDS SOMETIMES. (about his lovely little elezen wife, that’s an ENG translation only thing and wasn’t there in JP, so I tend to...ignore it). Rhoswen OBVIOUSLY has a crush on him and I love the tidbits the devs give us in side quests and 1.0. the valentione’s event 2014, the postmoogle quest (carvallain STAMMERING and walking away immediatly as “this is a waste of time” when anselm and fiebras assume they’re dating), the CUL quests, and last but not least the Tales from the Calamity bit about Carvallain riding into the battlefield to rescue a raging Rhoswen, FORCING HER INTO RETREAT in the face of chaos and destruction. just saying. (bonus: actual former highest house son paired with short foul-mouthed midlander pirate captain )

[theyellowsubmarinefanremakeblog]

Part 11

(Cut to the Blue Meanies charging across the landscape. The sub arrives just as the Pepperlanders are preparing themselves for musical battle.)

George: There’s a war on, here.

John: Then brothers in war, to the skirmish. Must we 'ence? 

Other John: Shall we 'ence?

Paul: Let's not waste anymore time sitting on the 'ence. BEATLES TO BATTLE! CHAAAARGE!

(Ringo blows a fanfare on his trumpet. They then proceed to courageously leap into the fray... and are chased by the Meanies.)

Ringo: AHH! The battle’s come to the Beatles!

(One Stormblueper brings along a bulldog.)

John: We're surrounded.

Ringo: Nice dog, though.

(As the Beatles and SPLHCB confuse the dog, cometh another song.)

SONG: Hey Bulldog

Sheepdog, standing in the rain Bullfrog, doing it again Some kind of happiness is Measured out in miles What makes you think you're Something special when you smile

Childlike no one understands Jackknife in your sweaty hands Some kind of innocence is Measured out in years You don't know what it's like To listen to your fears

You can talk to me You can talk to me You can talk to me If you're lonely, you can talk to me

Big man (yeah) walking in the park Wigwam frightened of the dark Some kind of solitude is Measured out in you You think you know me, but you haven't got a clue

You can talk to me You can talk to me You can talk to me If you're lonely, you can talk to me

Hey hey

Roar

Hey, bulldog (hey bulldog)

Woof

Hey, bulldog Hey, bulldog Hey, bulldog

Hey man

Whats up brother?

Roof

What do ya say

I say, roof

You know any more?

Ah ah (you got it, that's it, you had it) That's it man, wo ho, that's it, you got it

Woah

Look at me man, I only had ten children

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ha ha ha ha Quiet, quiet (ok) Quiet Hey, bulldog, hey bulldog

Paul: Look! Reinforcements!

John: That’s what we need. Sgt. Pepper, reinforce our music!

(And so, the final battle begins as the Pepperlanders, with the Beatles and Sgt. Pepper’s Band playing, advance.)

Cerulio: DO SOMETHING!

(Max lies down on his belly and plays dead. Frank the Stormblueper throws up his hands.)

Frank the Stormblueper: That’s it! That does it! I’m OFF! I’m done, ya hear?! I’ve had enough! I’m going back to bed! (leaves)

Cerulio: GET BACK HERE, YOU SPINELESS TWIT!

(The Pepperlanders begin to fight back against the Meanies. Cerulio whips out his pistol, points and shoots... but a flower pops out. He throws it to the ground, grabs a machine gun from the nearest Stormblueper, and opens fire, but even more flowers come out of the barrel.)

Cerulio: IT’S NO USE! THE BULLETS ARE JUST BURSTING INTO BLOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

(He then throws the gun to the ground and begins to strangle the Meanie he got it from. Meanwhile, as we see a Pepperlander playing a marching band drum and kicking a Meanie while goosestepping, Clef, Charles, Princess Pepper, Jeremy and Vannessa all jump down from the Rhapsody.)

Pepper: GERONIMO!

(They land and join the battle. A bunch of Meanies rush toward Clef and Charles, who make a run for it, but are cornered. Thinking quick, Clef grabs a large flower, cocks it like a shotgun and points it at their adversaries.)

Clef: All right, nobluey move! This thing’s loaded. I’ll let ya have it! 

(The Meanies scream girlishly and retreat, while Clef twirls the flower. Cobalt runs up to Vannessa and kicks her. Her response is to take out a didgeridoo. Cobalt takes one look, then tears like heck across the battlefield, Vannessa chasing after him. A Stormblueper and a Pepperlander run towards each other, as if about to fight. The Pepperlander suddenly turns tail and flees, while the Stormblueper skids to a stop. The Meanie stops in front of a big Pepperlander who squashes him between his cymbals. A commentator watches from the sidelines.)

Commentator: Oh my GOD, this is exciting! Pepperland is on a roll, while the Meanies... (Cut to a traumatized Stormblueper on the ground in a fetal position, sucking his thumb.) Well, they’re not having much luck, there.

(Princess Pepper is confronted by a group of Meanies, one of whom has a rapier. Meanwhile, a group of Pepperlanders, led by the Lord Mayor, roll in a cannon and light the fuse. Instead of a cannonball, a cluster of music notes shoot out and blast the Meanies, sending them flying with a bowling pin sound effect.)

Lord Mayor: Wonderful!

(A crowd of Pepperlanders scatter as Shyaman drives a blue battletank onto the battlefield. He sees a discarded triangle.)

Shyaman: Ha HA! Do you really think that will stop ME? 

(He attempts to run over it, but as soon as the wheel touches the instrument, BOOM! The tank explodes, leaving him sitting in a scorched crater, singed and still holding the controls. He coughs up a smoke ring. The triangle is untouched. Aboard the submarine, Coco searches for one particular button.)

Coco: This has gotta be the amplifiers!

(She presses the button. Immediately, the sub shoots upwards, leaving Coco behind. She watches as it vanishes into the etherium.) 

Coco: (sheepishly) Maybe not.

(Back with Clef, Charles and Jeremy...)

Clef: Quick, put your book on fisticuffs to work!

Jeremy: Ah, yes! My tome on pugilism! It comes in most handy! The results, just dandy!

(Jeremy takes out a fighting handbook and runs up to a Stormblueper.)

Jeremy: Hello, Blue Meanio! If I may... Ahem! Left to the nostril, right uppercut, right to the eyebrow, left to the gut!

(He throws a punch, but ends up missing and running into an apple tree.)

Stormblueper: Nice try!

(The apple comes loose and falls, hitting the Stormblueper on the head and knocking him out. Ringo runs to Jeremy’s aid.)

 Ringo: Jeremy!

(Jeremy looks at the unconscious Meanie and smiles. He jumps to his feet.)

Jeremy: Come on, Ringo! (skips off confidently)

Blue Meanie: RUN AWAY!

Blue Meanies: RUN AWAY!/Run!/ HAAAALLLLPP!!!

(The Blue Meanies are finally forced into a retreat as the Pepperlanders cheer in victory. Cerulio tries to rally them back into battle.)

Cerulio: Get back! GET BACK! Once more unto the breach, dear Meanies! You’re advancing the wrong way! Retreat backwards, you FOOLS!!! Get back there NOW!!! I’m not losing this nation-

(He is run over by a herd of frightened Meanies. After they’ve passed, he breaks down crying.)

Cerulio: (sobs) My kingdom for a horse! (wails)

(Who should come across Cerulio but Jeremy, who stops once he sees the miserable prince. Cerulio stops once he sees Jeremy, then dons a Slasher Smile.)

Cerulio: I think I’ll tear him up into little pieces.

Jeremy: Oh, he does, doesn’t he?

Cerulio: I think I’ll make a blue burger out of him.

Jeremy: Ha-ha, I don’t care what you think!

(Just as Jeremy is about to throw another punch, he is grabbed by Cerulio, who holds him up by the tail.)

Cerulio: Oh, you don’t, eh? We’ll soon see about that!

(Vannessa, seeing this, runs over and tries to pry Jeremy free of Cerulio’s clutches.)

Vannessa: Leave him alone, you big bully!!!

(Cerulio just snarls and throws her aside before attempting to punch Jeremy. However, the boob grabs onto the Blaumiesen’s leg.)

Jeremy: He does in truth seem quite annoyed. Some reference material, be-be-before I’m destroyed!

Cerulio: ENOUGH POETRY! I’m going to blue-pencil you, FOREVER!!!

(He succeeds in pulling Jeremy off of himself, holding him by the scruff of his neck. Jeremy reads from “1001 Ways to Defeat a Meanie”.)

Jeremy: Where ground is soft most often grows... Arise! Arise! Arouse, a rose! 

(He pokes the tip of Cerulio’s nose, and in an instant, a pink rose pops up on the spot.)

Jeremy: Ah, a rosy nose??

(Cerulio, enraged, throws him to the ground.)

Cerulio: SPEAK YOUR LAST PIECE!!!

Jeremy: Piece, Peace! Supplant the doom and the gloom. (dodges Cerulio as he pounces) Turn off what is sour. Turn into a flower and bloom, bloom, BLOOM!

(So saying, Jeremy pokes the screaming Cerulio here, there, everywhere. Wherever he touches, pink roses pop up, until finally...)

Cerulio: CAAAAARRNAAAAAAATIIIOOOOOOOOONNNNS!!!

(...Cerulio is covered with flowers. He lets out a final scream upon seeing himself.)

Ringo: First time I saw that Nowhere Man… That nobody, I knew he was somebody.

John: You’re right.

Cerulio: NOT SO FAST! (holds up a detonator) Need I remind you that there are BOMBS under this land?! (The Pepperlanders look terrified.)

Vannessa: Actually, I disconnected them before I rescued Jeremy. You push that thing and nothing happens. (The Pepperlanders are relieved.)

Cerulio: ...I don’t believe you! Once I push this, we’ll all get blown TO KINGDOM COME!

(There is a dead silence. The Beatles are not really worried at all.)

Cerulio: Very well. For the honor and glory of all of WATERBLOO!

(He pushes the button on the device. Max cringes. After a few seconds, still nothing has happened. Max cracks open one eye and looks around. Cerulio looks worried.)

Cerulio: (weakly) Ka-boooooom!

(He breaks down again. The Pepperlanders cheer.)

Lord Mayor: They’re beaten! They won’t violate our land ever again!

(Suddenly, a familiar voice rings out.)

Rita: There’s been a violation here! I’m taking Old Fred to court for desertion!

Fred: Aw, Rita, I was coming back to you!

Rita: I don’t mean deserting me, Old Fred. I mean deserting that!

(She gestures to the towed Rhapsody.)

Lord Mayor: Holy crescendo! Our national monument! How can we get it back?

Rita: Pay the fine. I want Old Fred’s hand.

Lord Mayor: Right or left?

Rita: Both, in marriage.

Coco: Well, dang!

Fred: That fine’s fine with me!

(The couple turn to leave.)

Fred: Ta-ta, Lord Mayor!

Lord Mayor: Wait, Young Fred! You’ve got to conduct the victory concert! Who else could lead it?

(The Beatles come over.)

Paul: What happened to Old Fred?

Lord Mayor: I had to trade him for a yellow submarine.

Ringo: Somebody got swindled.

George: It’s back and look at Rita’s meter!

(The meter says “LOVE”.)

Lord Mayor: What a mess. Who could possibly lead the concert now?

(Cut to Clef onstage.)

Clef: Aw man, am I gonna make this introduction. Ladies and gentlemen...

(A little man dressed in brown and pink, and wearing a hat saying “OLD BOOB”, steps onstage next to him.)

Jeremy: Ad hoc, ad loc and quid pro quo...

Clef: Wh-JEREMY?

Jeremy: Yes?

Clef: You can do that, too? Why didn’t you tell me?

Jeremy: You didn’t ask!

Clef: ...Anyway! Ladies and gentlemen, playing alongside Sgt. Pepper, direct from somewhere else, where they are absolutely something else, we’d like to present our four guest soloists: our friends! Take it away, guys!

(The audience cheers, and with Jeremy conducting, two bands begin to play.)

SONG: Yellow Submarine

In the town where I was born Lived a man who sailed to sea And he told us of his life In the land of submarines So we sailed up to the sun Till we found a sea of green And we lived beneath the waves In our yellow submarine

We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine

And our friends are all aboard Many more of them live next door And the band begins to play

We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine

(Full speed ahead Mr. Boatswain, full speed ahead Full speed ahead it is, Sergeant. Cut the cable, drop the cable Aye, Sir, aye Captain, captain)

As we live a life of ease Every one of us has all we need Sky of blue and sea of green In our yellow submarine

We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine