#what a magickal lad

[maziecrazycloud]

HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY Jimmy Page! 🐉🌞🎸

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To the lad of all lads🫡, dragon prince, guitar slinger, dark lord of rock…yadayada… you have many a nickname! Last year I wrote a novel, so this year all I will say is this:

Thank you for being my muse???? In a way? and inspiring my artistic craft to the zenith always. Your creativity and tenacity is super inspiring, and your music quite literally shaped me into who I am today. 80 years is a long time, and there is so much you have created that is quite remarkable. Its so wonderful to see what has come of it! Keep being that funky lad with a penchant for the magickal. Heres my ode to you, pal!

- Mazie🌞☁️🍂

(Also the dragon is literally Jimmy as a dragon so enjoy?? You know im always on that magickal shit)

[nehswritesstuffs]

Siblings of Water

If all my years of reading One Piece has taught me anything it’s A) remember minor characters, and B) always check for a shown corpse.

6211 words; set post-Wano but also pre-whatever-the-flip nonsense our lads are in at the moment; if something like this ever went down I would freaking scream and idk if anyone in a five mile radius would survive; we need more good blood-siblings in this series because as of this posting the best blood-siblings have been, like, the Ryugu royals and two sets of Wano sibs unless I’m missing someone don’t try to lie to me about any Charlotte shenanigans (though really this has the side-effect of tons of adoptive siblings/found family that are excellent and I admit I am greedy and want it all); one of the most sensible and natural real-world equivalent languages for Law to probably speak is Northern Low Saxon you can’t change my mind I’m not getting out of this chair this has little to do with the fic but it is important to me; we also need Trafalgar Family angst so here we are; this is my 200th fic on FFN and that’s not only pretty cool but my 20th fic was also my first One Piece fic and that was even well before these jokers showed up in the story so idk what that says about a lot of things

Siblings of Water; After their adventures in Wano, the Heart Pirates stumble a quiet island that holds a very jarring surprise for their captain.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Nuh-uh; you’re coming with us,” she said. She was standing in the doorway to his cabin, completely not-caring that he was giving her an absolutely murderous look from his position reclined on his bed.

“It’s festival season—I’m not going,” he replied. He tried to look as though he was going back to the highly academic tome of Magicks and Poshuns of Wano and Her Dauters, though in reality, he was simply trying to hide a copy of Sora, Warrior of the Sea from everyone’s prying eyes.

“You were barely at any of the parties in Wano.”

“I was obliged to attend in a nominal and symbolic manner,” he countered. “I’m all festivaled out.”

“Yeah, where you were there for five minutes before wandering off.”

“I enjoy wandering.”

“Wander the festival.”

“I can’t be guaranteed there shall be other adults there.”

“We’ll be there.”

“I know.”

Narrowing her eyes, Ikkaku made an extremely executive decision and stepped into the cabin and grabbed onto Law’s ear, tugging until he closed the book and got out of the bed. She pulled him through the submarine—to the shock of all their crewmates lingering just outside in the corridor—until she had him above deck and down the gangplank and on solid ground again.

“Now, you are going to go with us to the festival, and you are going to enjoy yourself, and you aren’t going to use wandering as an excuse to make your way back here,” she demanded. The rest of the Heart Pirates watched from atop deck, wondering whose will was going to win this time.

“It still doesn’t mean I want to,” he growled.

Ikkaku crossed her arms across her chest, unfazed. “Bepo!”

“Yes, ma’am…?”

“You’re in charge of making sure Law stays out here!” she said. The bear blanched.

“Now that’s not entirely fair,” Law noted.

“It’s fair,” she reasoned. “Stay with us, you’ll be fine. Try to run away and you’re getting sat on by an ass full of fur and Electro that also happens to have you wrapped around his little claw.”

“I am not.”

“We all are and you know this.”

A beat.

“I hate you.”

“You need to touch grass more often, you weird hermit-man.”

“I just touched a lot of grass for an extended period of time, thank you.”

“More often, dweebus.” She then glanced over at the rest of the crew, who shivered in response. “Let’s go, lads! Fun awaits!”

“…but what if someone tries to steal the Tang?” Law asked. Bepo walked up to him and put a comforting paw on his shoulder.

“No one other than Ikka can get the thing started properly,” he grimaced. “Sorry, but, we’re stuck.”

“We were able to work it before she joined up.”

“That was before she made the modifications. It’s mostly anti-theft measures, but if we’re the thieves…”

“I should have left you all on Strawhat-ya’s deck like orphan puppies.”

Bepo didn’t respond to that, which only made Law sigh in resignation.

“Okay, yeah, I’d never do that.”

“Glad you’re aware.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Festivals always made Law feel extremely uncomfortable. It reminded him of a time when he would rather study than anything else, sending a searing pang of guilt ripping through his heart. It all reminded him of then, of them, and he was doing his best to seem as disaffected as possible while still trying to figure out a way to speed-chess his way back to the Tang without any repercussions.

Well, at least the beer was decent. It was actual beer at that—Wano had fine native brewing traditions, but none of them resulted in beer. Law found himself huddled over a tankard of stuff leagues better than whatever swill it was that Kaido imported as his crew held him hostage in a picnic area, with them taking up two whole tables on one end, while a band set up on the other end near a stage. Stalls boxed in the varying picnickers and festival-goers alike, which made the particular pirate captain skittish.

“Relax,” Ikkaku smirked into her own beer. It was her first; Law’s third. “You look like a cornered cat.”

“I feel like a cornered cat,” he scowled. Bepo brought over another pile of soft pretzels for the table, which Law wordlessly shambled into bits with ease. Maybe he could get away with wanting to go back in another hour… “Whatever happened to a captain’s veto?”

“It’s because the captain knows that I could have either pulled him by the ear, or the earrings.” Ikkaku popped a bit of pretzel into her mouth and nodded—not bad. “Besides, it’s quality time with just us. It’s been a while since it was just us, all together, no other weirdos in the mix.”

“Yeah, come on, Cap,” Penguin chuckled. “You know, this is why you don’t get laid.”

Shachi choked on his pretzel bite so badly that Law had to get it out.

“Can we please save talk of my non-existent love life for, oh, I don’t know: never?” Law growled.

“All I know is that you’re Emperor material and got nothing to show for it,” Penguin noted. “You could be slaying anything you wanted, as much as you wanted.”

“I hate this conversation.”

“Our captain doesn’t seem like the ‘slaying’ type, though,” Clione offered.

“I really hate this conversation.”

“Yeah,” Penguin nodded, “you’re right—we’d need to recruit whomever it is to the crew, just so they can get to know each other first, then we let them on private shore leave.”

“I swear if this conversation goes on any further I am going to put up the biggest Room I can and drop you in the ocean.”

“You’re in luck, grumpass,” Ikkaku said. She pointed at the stage. “Looks like someone’s coming up to talk—she’s got a transponder snail.” Sure enough, most of the picnic area went quiet, waiting for the person that Law was flat-out refusing to look at out of sheer principle.

“Hi everyone!” a cheery woman said into her Den Den, voice amplified by the tiny snail. “For those of you visiting today, my name is Milla, and I’m one of the island’s resident doctors and chairwoman of this year’s festival!” She paused to let people clap, during which Shachi whistled lowly.

“Oooh, she’s a cutie,” he noted.

“…and probably too smart to be taken in by your dumb ass,” Penguin chortled. The pair kept elbowing one another as the chairwoman continued.

“I just wanted to extend a very warm welcome and thank you from the rest of the committee and island to you,” she said. “Festivals are one of the things that really keeps us going here in the Grand Line, punctuating our seasons in a way that the weather is incapable of doing. It was the same in the town where I grew up, in an icy Blue far away from here, though for different reasons, of course.”

“Huh… she’s from the North?” Hakugan wondered. Despite the fact Law was the one who rolled his eyes, it was Ikkaku who replied.

“The South Blue’s cold too, you know,” she said. She patted Law’s forearm, feeling that his muscles and tendons were tight under his shirt as he held the ale tankard. “Relax.”

“Festivals… really aren’t my thing…”

“You tried that—now stop being so tense and just enjoy some time out of the fart-box.”

“Now,” the chairwoman said, “I’ll sing you a song from that sea to officially open up our festivities. It’s an old one, but it has always warmed my heart after all these years. The music’s not the same, so bear with us, please, if you heard it before. Alright! Hit it!”

The music was slow at first, haunting and eerie—something very out-of-sorts for an otherwise-bright festival. It twisted and turned and reached deep into the crowd that was barely able to contain its excitement. The Heart Pirates mostly gave the chairwoman their attention, the entire orchestra silent except for a singular violin. Then another joined in, then a piano, and finally, the chairwoman herself in words just barely familiar to the Hearts. The North dripped from her voice as she sang a ballad of old heroes and exciting tales; a song of heartbreak and death; a tale of life and what horrors it brought. After the following chorus, the orchestra picked the tempo up slightly, bringing more instruments into the fray.

“Are you alright, Captain?” Ikkaku wondered. The Heart Pirates all looked at Law and saw that he was deathly pale, as though he was sitting across from a ghost instead of Uni. His hands—always surgeon-steady—were trembling and he was chewing on his lower lip.

Adjusting slightly, Law turned so that he could see the festival chairwoman as she continued her song. His eyes went wide and his breath hitched—no… it couldn’t be…

The very image of his mother stood atop the stage.

“Law…? Hellllooooo…” Penguin waved his hand in front of his captain’s face, failing to break him from the trance. “Oh, shit, this isn’t good.”

“Do you think maybe they sang this back where he’s from?” Clione asked. The crew at-large did not know much, but they did know better than to say the White City’s name aloud.

“Why else would he behave this way?” Shachi frowned. He tried snapping his fingers next to their captain’s ear—nothing. “We’re gonna have to take evasive action if this doesn’t stop.”

Then, suddenly, Law stood up, facing the stage and the chairwoman on it. He stared at her, eyes now resolute, watching her as she finished the chorus. His standing there was not out of place, as there were still many around and in the seating areas who were milling about and moving from stalls to tables, yet there was no one else who proceeded to do what he did upon the next verse and an additional strengthening of the tempo…

...Trafalgar Law started singing.

Heart Pirates and villagers alike began to stare, wondering about how he knew this song. His crew’s jaws all dropped at the sound of his singing voice; low and clear, it was one that invoked the idea that he might have even had training at one point—when in the hell did their captain sit with a vocal coach?!

As he continued to sing, Law began to walk up towards the stage. The festival chairwoman saw him and skipped a line of verse, though quickly collected herself and pretended to beckon him up to share the microphone snail with her. They reached the chorus and the band picked up the tempo again, the song now fully becoming cheerful and vibrant and full.

“I’m sorry,” Bepo squeaked, slackjawed, “but in all my years of knowing the captain, this is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I think this is the weirdest thing any of us have ever seen,” Shachi replied, “and we literally just helped take down two Emperors and an authoritarian regime.”

“He’s smiling,” Ikkaku marveled. “Holy shit he’s smiling… and no one’s about to die.”

“I… don’t feel safe,” Jean Bart muttered. His smaller crewmates all unanimously agreed—there was something that did not feel right about this entire thing, as though their captain might have been in a trance, or in some grave danger.

“Oh, no, he’s dancing,” Shachi groaned. The acute sense of horror that set in amongst his and the other Hearts’ very souls was palpable. “None of this is right. They replaced the captain with a fake…”

“It might be he never found the opportunity before…?” Bepo offered.

“The opportunity to folk dance?!”

“Oh, sorry…”

One more round of the chorus and the song ended, with Law and the chairwoman laughing while taking their bow together. The Hearts watched as their captain ducked down and whispered something in the woman’s ear, her expression startled as she took him by the hand and dragged him off the stage.

“Let’s give him fifteen minutes,” Penguin decided. “If this isn’t resolved by then, we’re going to have to take evasive action and get him back to the Tang for a debrief.”

“What if she’s killed him by then?” Uni asked. Penguin shrugged.

“Maybe Straw Hat’s accepting applications…?”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Still completely stunned, Law allowed himself to be dragged throughout the backways of the festival by the chairwoman. She hid their path behind stalls and tents as she ducked into a small tent, which was occupied by some other festival officials.

“I need to question this man,” she said firmly. The other two looked at each other, then at her.

“He knew the song,” one noted. “That was a pretty neat trick you pulled.”

“Yeah, and I need to talk to him about it, because random people here just don’t know near-extinct folk songs from the North Blue,” the chairwoman frowned. The other two shrugged at that and left, promising that they would not be disturbed. Once they were out, the chairwoman muttered lowly as she drew the flaps, making it so no one saw them either.

“You know,” Law stated in Northern, “I could honestly say the same thing about you.” He watched as the chairwoman spun on her heel to look at him and he felt an intense sadness creep over him again. This woman, wearing his mother’s face, able to sing a song he hadn’t heard in over fifteen years… it was a sick joke.

“Say it again,” she demanded. “What did you say on the stage?” He exhaled heavily

“I am the Law, you are the Lam.” He watched as her face went pale at the words. “You called yourself something else though…”

“Milla—it’s what I go by thanks to… you know… our name being dangerous.” She watched as he pulled off his hat and scratched at his scalp. Tears began to form in her eyes and her voice grew strained, croaking. “I… thought I forgot what Dad looked like… but he just looked like you.”

“…and you look like Mom.”

“Really…?”

“Yeah.”

The two siblings stood there in the tent awkwardly until Law quietly opened his arms, allowing his sister to crash into a hug. They both cried as they held each other, neither wanting to let go, nor wholly believing it was real.

“Lami… I thought you died.”

“I thought you died, Law,” she replied. “I saw what was left of your classmates… the Sister’s habit… I thought you were already taken away and buried.”

“No one severely hurt me, not physically, but I did get out to the countryside in one of the carts,” he admitted quietly. “When I got back to the hospital, it was in flames, so I did what I could to survive.” He held her at arm’s length and marveled at the fact they were even there. “How did you get out?”

“There was a man who came in before the fire and took me and some of the other kids; they probably would have taken you too had you stayed,” she explained. She then hesitated, wondering how to continue. “What do you know about a place called Punk Hazard?”

“More than I should,” he said lowly.

“We were taken there by the man from the hospital. He said that he was in charge of a program under Dr. Vegapunk meant to cure us, make us better. There was a doctor on the team who knew Dad and she started on me first, since my case was the most severe.” Tears were now streaming down her face in earnest. “She took it all out of me, Law! It was as if it never happened!”

“What did she do? What happened to the rest of the children? What…?”

She shook her head.

“After it was proven I was fully cured, she was killed for the Devil Fruit power that she used to do it, and all of us kids ordered destroyed as evidence. I only survived because her son, one of the nurses, smuggled me out.” She had to brace herself by holding onto the back of a chair. “Sorry… just… the very fact you’re alive right now and we’re talking… I…”

“Lami, my name has been all over the papers—I have one of the highest current bounties of all pirates—how did you not know I was alive?”

“I read medical journals, not the newspaper,” she defended. “Close I get is my coworkers leave me the comics section.”

“I have bounty posters.”

“I have literally been here the past five years, becoming a resident doctor and pouring my heart and soul into this place. If it happened during that, then I don’t know what to tell you.”

“That’s another thing,” Law noted. “Since when were you interested in being a doctor? I last saw you when you were five and you wanted to be a unicorn when you grew up.”

Lami shifted uncomfortably. “Like I said: I thought you were dead.”

He shook his head, a laugh on his lips. “Then you’re going to love what they call me.” A newspaper caught his eye and he picked it up; yes, it was the most recent edition. He found the bounty posters hidden inside and took out his own, passing it to her. She blanched as she read it, realizing exactly what it was her brother had become.

“‘Surgeon of Death’,” she read aloud. “Then you became a doctor too…? Just like Mom and Dad…?”

“At first I really just wanted to kill and destroy as much as I could after leaving Flevance, but by the time I had been cured, something had shifted.” He then looked at Lami, eyebrow raised. “How did the doctor on Punk Hazard cure you?”

“Devil Fruit,” she shrugged. “A twitch of her fingers and she could take me apart bit by bit without it hurting. She could even take things out of me without opening me up. Never did learn what it was called… but that doesn’t matter, because the Government I’m sure has it now, having a crony use it to make Pacifistas or something equally as horrible.”

Law shook his head and quietly opened a Room that surrounded her. “I wouldn’t say that.” He disassembled her right arm and she gasped, completely taken aback. “It must have slipped from their fingers, but I hear that it ended up in good hands.” He put her back together and she started to sob uncontrollably. She didn’t even resist when he pulled her into another hug, feeling more like they were children again than anything.

Then, without warning, Lami stopped making sound.

It wasn’t as though she stopped crying—oh no, she was still sobbing, borderline violently in fact—but as far as making noise? Completely quiet. He stared at her in silence, only to realize something: the entire time they had been in the tent, there was no audible evidence that they were in the middle of a festival.

“Lami?” She looked up at him and froze, realizing what had happened.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she sniffled. “I’m usually much better at controlling that.” She cringed as her brother grew gravely serious, as though everything relied on her answer to his next question.

“Since when have you been able to use a Devil Fruit?”

“Since I was about… I don’t remember… eleven…? Twelve…? I wasn’t paying attention because I was studying while traveling—thought it was a fancy apple.” It then hit her that he got her to unknowingly out herself, to which she scowled. “How could you tell it was a Fruit and not something else?”

“The man who saved me had your Devil Fruit,” he said. Law went to the tent flaps and looked outside—he couldn’t hear a thing until he psychically stuck his head out, retreating quickly. “I had no will to live, and then… he stole me from a pretty dangerous place too.”

“Then maybe, somehow, they both knew that we had to live in order to meet one another again… to give our names back their meaning.”

Law simply held out his hand, Lami staring at it warily. “Will you come with us, then? We could use a tactical advantage like you.”

“…but I’m not good at fighting.”

“…but you are good at this.” Law gestured with both arms at the tent surrounding them. “How long is the festival?”

“Until tomorrow night.”

“Think about it—we can afford to relax for another day.” He held out his hand again. “At least come meet my crew…?”

“Later; I’ve got… oh, shit, I’ve got things to do for the festival!” Lami panicked and went to exit the tent, only for her to be met with Shachi catching them as he was walking by. He started shouting at the two of them—despite the unknown silence—with Lami backing into the tent again as he approached.

“—and furthermore—!” He paused as he stepped over the threshold of the tent, blinking in confusion. “What the hell just happened? Where’s all the noise?”

“Nagi Nagi no Mi—Calm Calm Fruit—I can literally negate noise okay bye!” Lami skirted around Shachi and ran out of the tent, the noise barrier lifting as she went. Shachi watched her leave, then stared at Law curiously.

“What was that…?”

“Long story.”

“I’ve been around you for long enough—I got time.”

“Longer than we’ve known each other.”

“That’s… a long time.”

“Indeed.” The pair walked together back to where the rest of the crew was waiting nervously, all eyeing their captain in an attempt to figure out what happened. Law downed the remainder of his beer in one go and placed the tankard back on the table. “Drank, sang, danced; I think I’ve touched enough grass to earn the right to go back to the Tang.”

“I’ll agree with that,” Ikkaku nodded. They all watched as he stormed away, stride a bit too quick for normal. “Shit—looks like someone’s going to be grumpy all night. Let’s give him a bit, then grill him good.”

“That sounds dangerous,” Bepo grimaced.

“It’s what we have available to us, or else no one is going to enjoy this festival,” she shrugged. She popped a bit of pretzel in her mouth and sighed dramatically—traveling with a bunch of men certainly was tiresome sometimes.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The very moment that Law returned back to the Polar Tang, he went directly into his cabin and locked the door behind him. It did not matter that he literally had the entire ship to himself—only when he was inside the safety of his private quarters did he break down and allow himself to sob in earnest, curled up on his bunk and allowing himself a weakness he rarely indulged in, for what was the captain of a pirate crew except for strong?

Hours passed and Law laid there, his entire body shaking in trepidation. After all these years, all this time, his sister was alive. She was here, in the Grand Line, and alive.

Trafalgar D. Water Lami was alive.

Two of them survived.

After everything that tried to silence them over the years, they were still alive.

Fuck, he couldn’t stop thinking that word.

Alive.

Suddenly, he was restless. Law quickly stood and began pacing in his tiny cabin. Rarely had he felt as though he was going to bounce off the fucking walls, but that’s where he was, and he needed to calm down. He stopped in the middle of the room and looked at his hands, remembering what it was she had said earlier.

…I… thought I forgot what Dad looked like…

A weight dropped in his stomach.

…but he looked just like you.

Slowly, Law turned towards the mirror that was hanging in his sliver of a washroom. His mouth felt very dry all of a sudden as the face staring back at him stripped away the very thing he did his best to not address all these years. He grabbed onto his chair and shakily leaned on it—fuck, oh fuck, why did this hurt? Why was this so hard? His chest felt tight as he reached for a box sitting on a shelf, gingerly placing it on the desk before opening it. He pulled out a pair of charred eyeglass frames and shakily put them on, the thin metal burnished and lens-less, confirming everything bearing down on him. His eyesight blurred as tears distorted it, knowing that she assured him of the cruel joke that he had been terrified of all these years.

He really did look like their dad.

“Captain…?” It was Hakugan, pounding at the door, startling Law as he took the frames off in a panic. “Captain, you’ve got a visitor!”

“Don’t fuck with me,” he growled.

“That’s why Penguin sent me, because I don’t do that shit, apparently.”

Law put the eyeglass frames back in the box and placed it back in the box. He took a deep breath and opened the door, seeing the unchanging expression of his crewmate’s mask. “Who is it?”

“That lady you were singing with; she’s insisting we let her talk with you.”

“Is she in the Tang?”

“No; top deck.”

“Then I’m going to need you, Clione, and Bepo to run crowd control and make sure that no one bothers us.”

“Shachi says she’s got a Devil Fruit…”

“It’s a silencer, nothing more.” He waited until Hakugan stepped aside before heading up towards the roof of the ship. There was Lami, standing by the gangplank, a knapsack over her shoulder and a duffle bag in her hand as the rest of the crew gawked at her. Law calmly walked up to her, hearing the noise of the crew fade away as he entered her space. “That was fast.”

“They recognized you,” she said simply. “My committee members might have pulled a coup and voted to relieve me of my duties so I can go sail with my brother.”

“Do they…?”

“One says we look alike, but I don’t think that at all,” she laughed weakly. “They don’t think we’re eloping at least.”

“Well, that’s good,” he shuddered. He could feel a presence behind him, who he knew to be Bepo not only due to Haki and long-friendship with the bear, but also due to the way his sister’s eyes lit up. “What is it, Bepo?”

“I’m sorry, but, what’s going on…?”

“Oh, yeah, the rest of you are here,” Law frowned. He turned towards the rest of the crew and motioned towards Lami. “She’s staying.”

“Uh… Captain…?” Shachi said warily. “Why is the island’s festival chairwoman staying?”

“Lami’s staying with us for a while,” Law stated, leaving no further room for comment. “Ikkaku, it looks like you’re getting a women’s quarters after all.”

“Yes!” the aforementioned engineer grinned as she pumped her fist. “Keep asking and good things will come!”

“You know that, statistically-speaking, it was only a matter of time before another woman started traveling with us,” Uni stated. “Women are half the world.”

“Yeah, but for some reason there’s only a fraction of us on the seas, let alone the Grand Line,” she fired back. “So, Lami, was it? You and I need to talk about how we’re going to build this room, because it’s going to be a very important haven when these dweebs start doing shit like running around naked on laundry day or when they decide to induce shedding on Bepo or start playing Rivet, Rivet, Better Skip It…”

“You’re just jealous that you never win because you suck,” Penguin smirked.

“I ‘suck’ because, reportedly, ‘fuck you’,” Ikkaku sneered, using liberal amounts of air-quotes. She then grabbed onto Lami’s upper arm and pulled her along, disappearing into the bowels of the Tang. The rest of the crew simply stared at Law.

“I thought we were only really recruiting people from the North Blue,” Uni mentioned. “Y’know, barring Bepo and Jean Bart.”

“She is.”

“She knew a song, Captain—that doesn’t prove anything.”

“It proves more than you know.”

“Was she from Flevance?” Everyone looked over at Jean Bart, who seemed reserved in his accusation, making the large man seem so incredibly timid. No one else said a word, instead turning their attention towards their captain.

Instead of responding verbally, Law simply went down beneath the deck, finding where Ikkaku had dragged Lami off to; they were in the mess hall, the former having pulled out an impressive set of schematics that were boggling the younger’s mind.

“You sure you’re alright like this?” he asked. She glanced up at him, very clearly as though she knew the blueprints were over her head.

“I think so…” She ran her fingers over a cutaway illustration and her brow furrowed. “I can do complicated surgeries and can identify any humanoid organ by sight alone, but this…”

“She’s like a surgeon, but for a ship, in a way,” Law shrugged. “What we do with people, she does with metal.”

“Then you’re also a doctor?” Ikkaku noted. “Nice. You and the captain will make a good team then.” She waggled her eyes at Law, who scowled at her grouchily.

“Lami is my sister,” he said, deciding to cut that off at the bud. Ikkaku froze in place, letting the information wash over her before slowly nodding.

“Does anyone else know this?”

“No.”

“Is anyone else allowed to know this?”

“The crew is, yeah, but remember: they are a bunch of dumbasses.”

“True enough.” She then glanced over at Lami, who seemed to be flushing pink in embarrassment. “Anything else I need to know about?”

“I ate a Devil Fruit that makes everything quiet and I love reading Sora, Warrior of the Sea and festivals are literally my favorite thing ever and have been since I was little.”

“That actually explains a lot,” Ikkaku chuckled. She gave Law a shit-eating grin, one that sent a chill down his spine. “Don’t worry, Captain; we’ll take care of your little sister, not a problem.”

“LITTLE SISTER?!”

The three turned towards the doorway to find the rest of the crew standing by the mess hall’s entrance, jaws dropped in astonishment. Penguin and Shachi were so moved, even, that they both started crying.

“You came through for us and got the crew a cute little sister after all!” Shachi sobbed.

“Yeah, Captain! We’ll treat her just as we would our own little sister!” Penguin added tearfully.

“Neither of you have a sister, which begs many a question,” Law deadpanned.

“Not to mention how in the hell they’ve been treating me all these years,” Ikkaku griped. Lami went and surprised them both, along with the entire rest of the crew, by going between them and bowing at the waist.

“Thank you for taking such good care of my brother all these years!” she said. When she straightened, her eyes were glassy and red-rimmed. “It’s been my dream to find someone from Flevance again, and for it to be my brother… you have no idea what it means to me!”

“Big brothers are the best, aren’t they?” Bepo asked cheerfully. Lami mirrored his smile despite the tears leaking down her face.

“They really are! Especially when you haven’t seen them in a long time!”

Bepo brought Lami into a tight hug and the rest of the Hearts cheered—a new younger sister! The captain’s younger sister at that! Things really were looking up.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Pudding had long ago accepted the fact that she was a hostage, waiting to be rescued. In fact, she was perfectly fine with the idea that she was perfectly helpless until at least one of her siblings arrived. Was it going to be an enjoyable reunion? Probably not. What she also knew, however, was that the two men that made up her guard were complete and utter thugs.

“Mommy’s dead—she ain’t gonna help ya,” the guard on the left grinned. She felt the undying urge to take a shower just from him looking at her.

“I have more powerful people behind me than just my mother, if you’re that set on her dying,” she huffed. “Katakuri is a very protective older brother, I’ll have you know.”

“If he can bother hunting down one little lamb while the rest of the flock is panicking in the power vacuum?” Right chuckled. “I doubt. Mommy and Uncle Kaido kinda played into our commodore’s hands.”

“Hmm… I doubt.”

“Oh, you’re gonna doubt a lot of shit once the commodore’s done with you, girlie,” Left chortled.

Ugh. So fucking cringe.

Just then, Pudding noticed that as the two guards moved to better face—and therefore better taunt—her, two women came into view. One with curly hair and the other with hair pulled back in a neat bun, they both were motioning for her to keep quiet. Neither of them seemed to give off the same vibe as the rest of the crew, so Pudding decided to play along. Well, how bad could it get?

“Uh-huh, sure, as though he’d even know what to do with me.”

Without making a sound, both women moved behind the guards, the one with the curly hair hitting them in the back of the head with an oversized wrench to knock them out. The other woman grabbed the keys and unlocked the cell, the keys refusing to make even a single clinking noise. She approached Pudding and touched her pointer and middle finger to the teen’s lips before beginning to work on the restraints.

“Charlotte Pudding, I presume?”

“…and to whom do I owe this rescue?” she asked. “You don’t look like you’re from the Family.”

“Let’s just say we don’t think that a cute kid like you should be with these gross molesters-in-waiting,” the curly-haired woman smirked. She gave Pudding a wink, then a pistol. “I’m Ikkaku, this is Lami. Our captain’s providing us a distraction as we speak.”

“…and how do I know that I’m not walking right from one den of crazies into another?” Pudding asked. The two older women glanced at each other and shrugged.

“I swear on my belching metal baby, the Polar Tang, that we’re actually pretty decent,” Ikkaku claimed.

“…and I swear on my Hippocratic Oath that I would not do anything to provoke harm, nor allow senseless acts to be committed towards anyone under my care, which you now are,” Lami stated.

“So, really, we’re weird, but in an ‘everyone is weird’ sense,” Ikkaku shrugged, “or a ‘our gruff captain is a secret comic book nerd’ sort of sense.”

“I have over eighty siblings—I think I can handle that,” Pudding deadpanned. She tied up her skirt and turned all three eyes towards her rescuers. “Want to cause some trouble on the way out?”

“You sure that’s fine to do with the crew of your mother’s killer?” Ikkaku wondered, eyebrow raised. Pudding simply shrugged.

“It’s either cause some trouble with you two, or…” she grimaced at the sight of her prior jailers, “I get into trouble with these guys. My options aren’t exactly great right now.”

“Then maybe it’s a good thing that we put extra bunks in the women’s quarters after all,” Lami nodded. She then quickly looked over Pudding with a glance—they didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“No…” The young Charlotte looked at her rescuers cautiously. “You seem pretty calm.”

“Regarding what?” Ikkaku asked. An explosion went off on the other side of the wall, shaking the room they were in. “That’s just the rest of the losers we sail with—nothing more.”

“No, I mean…” She hesitated, not really knowing how to broach the topic she kept so long a secret. “You aren’t freaked out over my eyes.”

“I’m literally one of two known survivors of a mass poisoning event that everyone else thought was a plague, so you’re in luck: we know what it’s like to be stared at by assholes,” Lami shrugged. “Besides, that eye of yours reads Poneglyphs, correct?”

“Supposedly…”

“Then you’re going to love what we’ve got waiting for you.” Lami gestured towards the door with her head as another rumble shook them, though not quite as violently. “How ‘bout it? Prove to your family you can do something without them?”

“…and what makes you think I have that sort of family…?”

“You said it yourself, kid: you’ve got over eighty siblings.” Ikkaku nervously eyed what she hoped was not the ballast tank and laughed awkwardly. “C’mon ladies, we should really get out of here before our cover’s blown!”

Another rumble rocked the ship and the three got going, headed back towards the miniature docking sub and away from the mess. They got out and Ikkaku sent a pulse through the water, letting Shachi and Penguin know it was alright to begin attacking the ship in earnest.

Mission accomplished.

[gavamont]

What did you do. The local wizard council is demanding I incapacitate and bring you in for trial. I don't even work for them why would they ask me?

-The Iron Wizard

Apparently they’ve decided HAVING FUN is illegal. Me and the lads ( @ratazom ) just wanted to drink deep of the Pandemonium Pool’s water and see what chaos magicks happen. Woke up a few hours later, a town was on fire, and we were wearing boots made of wood from a sacred gnome tree. But if that’s a crime, I’ll proudly be a criminal.

[veiledfox]

An Experiment Most Marvelous [ I ]

Cold, dark, still, stale, discolored.

".... K-....."

Was she truly going to do this? Was she really going to risk her life by diving into these waters? She could remember her notes from when she had tested the Abyss' curse.

Do not test sixth layer curse, under any circumstances, unless unavoidable.

"L... .yu-..."

This could kill her, it killed many others before her certainly. She didn't have what was necessary for her to be able to pass the barrier below normally. So this was the only way, wasn't it?

".ady ....sh-"

To take this dive, swim over ten feet down, then rise again? Test if her body had adapted to this Realm in her countless hours spent here, or if she would be bestowed a blessing without it's demanded sacrifice? To see if her life would be spared, save for some disfiguration or transformation instead of death?

"Lad- Kyu-..i"

She hardly feared death before, something like this would've been a worrying thing, sure, but never had she gotten such cold feet like this. Could she do it? Could she take this step in her existence within this Realm? Could she risk her life now with so many who loved her across the many Realms she'd been to beyond this one?

"Lady Kyuushi!"

Hotaru's voice finally got through to the Kitsune, making her jump a little at how abrupt it seemed. Snapped free from her spiraling thoughts, made to realize how fast her heart was racing. Closing her eyes and taking some deep, slow breaths as she raises a hand to let the Doll know she was aware of her. A moment later, feeling herself calmed at least somewhat, opening her gaze to turn it to the Woman.

"Yes, Hotaru?"

"The Sovreign of Dawn has arrived. On his own. He's keeping his distance so far, as we requested. Do you wish to proceed?"

Do not test sixth layer curse, under any circumstances, unless unavoidable.

Looking to the water that had filled in the vile pit where the horrid scientist had once conducted his most vile experiments, Kyuushi couldn't help but think back to that night so long ago. To the fight she witnessed between the White Whistle behind her, and the delving party of youngsters. To how much of a beast the Lord of Dawn had become on that night, in that body, thanks to the 'blessing' he had been given.

Another minute, filled with the Kitsune taking slow, deep, controlled breaths to calm herself and focus her mind. Gesturing part way through for Hotaru to begin removing what parts of her clothing she wished to keep in tact. The hat atop her head, the long dark coat with the fur-linned neck, the vest she wore over her shirt, a utility belt around her hips. Leaving Kyuushi in nothing more than a white button-up shirt, and her black, scale-clad pants which she began to work off on her own.

The Doll taking each piece, she folds them one by one and sets them aside within the overturned hat. Keeping them neat, safe from whatever was about to occur. A simple action, but one that the Redhead would thank with a small nod as she opens her eyes again.

"I'm ready." Plain, simple, trying her best to keep herself in check as she starts to shift and ready her body to move.

A soft glow coming from Hotaru's hands beside her, a soft hum and warmth coating her body briefly. Then brighter displays as a transparent, Magick-fueled monitor of various health statistics is formed in the air above them both. A soft ping emitting from it in rythem, in time with her heart still beating a little faster than normal.

"It would seem the Lady Kitsune is rather stressed, no?" Bondrewd's deep, mechanically tainted voice bursting out from behind them. Making Kyuushi glance up at the reading of her current state, noticing her cortisol listed higher than it normally would be.

Do not test sixth layer curse, under any circumstances, unless unavoidable.

"I surely need not remind the Lord of Dawn, a White Whistle Delver of this Abyss, what returning from the Sixth Layer would do to a normal person." She responds rather quickly and simply, hearing a short chuckling from the armor-clad Scientist. A sound that, in this moment, she couldn't help but just despise hearing.

"Of course not, Madam Kyuushi. I meant no harm or disrespect by speaking up, merely making an observation. Something that, as a man of Science, is rather natural for me to do, no?"

"I suppose... though I will request that you please shut up and just watch quietly. Save your commentary for after I'm back up here and whatever happens has... happened. Oh, and of course, stay exactly where you are, as we requested. You will only be allowed closer if the worst outcome starts to occur, and you have some method of helping keep me alive."

"Of course, as you wish."

He spoke again... of course he spoke again, it made sense for him to speak to agree to her request, but she couldn't stop herself from groaning. Regardless, she turned her focus back to the task at hand. To this dive she was about to take.

Do not test sixth layer curse-

One more deep breath, long, careful. Hold. Jump. Water, cold, rushing past her body as she pushes in and through. Hands and arms parting, pushing her down as her eyes open. Darkness below, only faint hints of the remnants of Bondrewd's tests at the bottom. Looking back toward the surface, she could see that diving in had taken her a few feet in already.

under any circumstances

Turning down again, she continues to push and tread her way deeper. To carve through the water, kicking behind her, doing her best to mentally keep her depth in mind. Five feet between her and the surface. Eight. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Fourty. Fifty. Fifty-five... she slows down.

Do not test sixth layer curse, under any circumstances, unless unavoidable.

Collecting herself again, she pushes onward. Five feet further, sixty meters down into the waters of the Sea of Corpses. Just like the Sovreign's horrid tests subjected so many to. Drawing close to the bottom of the pit, to the remains of his subjects, to what was left of the Ido Front's core that had come crashing down in that battle so long ago.

It was... intimidating, being down here. Knowing what happened when people would rise from these depths, despite it still being part of the Fifth Layer. It trully seemed to be that, beyond the surface of the waters, the curse grew stronger. Grew to match that of the Sixth Layer proper. Of the curse of the Capital of the Unreturned. That which would kill all who dared face it, or 'bless them' with a new form should the conditions be right.

Turning her attention to the surface again, she thinks back to her notes. To how the five layers of the curse had affected her prior.

First layer: dizziness and nausea after ascending ten meters.

So far down, she knew she'd be subject to such layer of the curse practically right as she starts to ascend. But it was too late to hesitate now, she only had so much oxygen, and she had forbidden Hotaru from diving down here regardless what would happen. She had to surface soon, she would work on such now. Twisting her body and moving her limbs to start pushing her way up through the waters again. Only managing a meter before her head was already starting to spin and her stomach churned.

Second Layer : Strong nausea, headaches, numbness in limbs.

A few feet more, five feet, eight, ten. Needles in her fingers, pounding in her head, vision blurring briefly. Kyuushi could feel her stomach lurch already, pain shooting throughout her body as it was subject to the curse. The back of her head starting to tingle, though she did her best to push through it all and start channeling her healing Magicks to attempt counteracting whatever she could of the effects.

Third Layer: Vertigo, audio and visual hallucinations.

Twelve feet. Fifteen. Eighteen. Her direction drifting slightly, beginning to turn herself toward the wall instead of continuing straight up. A faint chiming bell, clearly heard despite the waters around her. Her name being called, in the voice of her Mother... No, she had to focus, to continue, to push onward and upward. She could feel the warmth of her Magicks, feel the symptoms of the curse relaxing even if only minimally.

"Keep going." Her Mother... words of encouragement from the hallucinations?

Fourth Layer: Intense pain throughout the body, and spontaneous bleeding from orifices.

Twenty. Twenty-five. Thirty. Her mind straining to keep herself on the right course and her healing Magicks active. Thirty-three. Thirty-five. Thirty-si-pain. Every where, every inch of her body, discomfort, pain, buzzing, throbbing, searing. It hurt to move, hurt to think. The water getting warmer around her, she could already feel, with blood beginning to seep from her. Clearly able to feel her nose as one source of such life essence.

Yet none of these were as bad as they had been in the past, perhaps her Magicks were truly providing aid? If such was true, she had to hurry. Her Magick could only do so much to help her, and it would only last so long. She had to reach the surface, or at the very least get as close as she could as possible to allow Hotaru to be able to retrieve her.

Fifth layer: Complete sensory deprivation, causing confusion, and subsequently leading to self-harm.

Thirty-two. Thirty-Five. Fourty. Fourty-five. The pain and nausea was growing stronger, she was starting to hear sourceless voices, cries of beasts that weren't meant to be under the water let alone in this Realm. Feel her chest seizing, her stomach lurching, warmth beginning to seep around her eye. Fifty feet... nothing. Dark, quiet, cold, empty.

This was the final stretch, the worst of them, she could tell it was the effect of the Fifth Layer. All senses lost, sight, tough, hearing, smell, taste. She couldn't feel her body, and yet she still had so far to swim to reach the surface... or had she reached it already? She couldn't tell, all she had left was her thoughts, or... were they even her own...

A twitch...? Feeling, touch, cold. Sound, dull, droning. Sight, vague blurry, mere abstract shapes. Her healing Magicks had trully gotten stronger after growing her seventh and eigth tails, if this was their doing. A part of the Kitsune wondered what was going on, but she knew she couldn't hang onto such a thought. Not here, not now, not when she was still submerged. Even with how dull it was, she could feel the stinging pain of trying to move her body at all. Of continuing to push through the waters as much as she could.

But... how much farther was it...? How much farther until the surface? Was she going the right way? Judging by the ever so faint light she could actually perceive, it seemed like she was. She just had to trust it, trust herself, push on...

Do not test Sixth Layer: Loss of humanity or death. Or under specific conditions, the Blessing under any circumstances.

Further, further, more and more she pushed through the waters as much as she could. Her body burning in bain, mind reeling, chest and stomach twisting and turning, throat tightening. Yet, at the same time, everything was fading. All feeling, all sight, all sound. Nothing was left untouched by the Fifth Layer's Curse. Thankfully it was gradual, with her healing actively in use, but it wouldn't help for too much longer.

It became excrutiatingly clear just how little time she had left of her Magicks slowing the curse's effect on her. A painful crack somewhere in her body, a twisting sensation somewhere else, her whole body beginning to feel like it was burning even through the fading senses. From what little she could tell, her movements were becoming eratic, uncontrolled, desparate.

Her senses would slip away, leaving her with nothing more than pain. Searing, brutal, horrid pain that felt like she was being torn appart. Was she screaming? Was she even conscious? Was she still in the water, or had she gotten close enough to the surface to be pulled free? She couldn't think, couldn't even will herself to breathe from what she could tell.

Nothing but pain.

Pain.

Pain.

P̸̵̵̸̴̦͖̟̙̙̪̟͎͛̓̓̾͛̾̓͜A̴̵̵̸̵̡͍̞͍̼̠͇̺͛͌͋̽͛̓̀͜͠I̴̸̸̴̵͉͚̪̟̪͇͕͓͖̾̽̽̐͆̚͝͠N̴̸̴̵̵̢̡͓̼͚̠̦͕̐̓̈́̔̓͛͘͝͠

[necrosin]

IN THE EXTENSIVE LIST OF QUESTIONABLE THINGS THAT DORIAN HAS DONE IN HIS LIFE, THIS —— well, hardly registers whatsoever, quite frankly, considering his moderately to highly wild youth, followed by his definitely wild young adulthood, followed by —— you get the picture, no? all the same, he supposes that hovering, not skulking because he DOES NOT SKULK, thank you, around an encampment of people who would sooner spit on his shoes than extend a genuine hand ( and, yes, spitting on one’s shoes is a grave insult, dorian LIKES HIS SHOES VERY MUCH, thank you, though these are quite as worn as he has ever managed to make shes ) in solidarity or whatnot doesn’t truly register on a list of questionable things to do. it’s, oh, maybe a few paces away from making it on the list.

what a shame.

all the same, he’s quite used to not quite fitting in, so that is nothing new, nor are the looks of abject suspicion being thrown his way, nor is the vaguest thought that perhaps he is making quite the grand mistake —— he’s done plenty of questionable things, obviously. but perhaps the combination thereof is making him a touch more —— no, not nervous. DORIAN OF HOUSE PAVUS has never been nervous a day in his life, but there is a certain trepidation and ——

a boy. a boy? young man? it registers somewhere in the back of his mind that this is the lad who had arrived a touch too late to warn them of the incoming templars, because he has a near perfect memory, and then it registers that THIS BOY IS ALSO SKUKLING. no, no, not skulking : hovering.

❝ —— ah, you’ve made it out of that mess alive, i nearly thought we’d lost you in all of the MESS, ❞ might as well speak to one of the few who's also hovering, considering that dorian may very well perish away if he’s left without anyone to speak to for too long, and the lovely magick-cursed shining beacon in the darkness is nowhere to be seen.  ❝ you’re all in one piece, i presume? ❞

ah, but nothing can ever be so simple in his life, can it? ❝  oh, i'm nobody.  nobody at all.  just pretend you never saw me.   ❞  ——  @spirestar​

well that —— is strange, and he couldn’t help but squint just a bit, arms crossing as he looks at the boy / lad / young man, and is it just him or is the weave of the fade warping oddly around him? shame he has naught a soul to ask.  ❝ not to alarm you, but last time i spoke to nobody who was clearly visible to me, i was speaking to a recently departed spirit, ❞ and, hm, there’s something almost —— but surely not. dorian knew a corpse or spirit when he saw one, and —— well.

❝ now, now, if we’re to hover on the outskirts of this encampment whilst everyone is fluttering about, we might as well get to know each other, no? ❞

[kokorowoutsu]

-- RP: @skullboneandunown

skullboneandunown:

He heads for the portal, and pauses as Ashe begins pelting him with questions. "....He is...alive. He channeled the energies of the Sanctum Sanctorums reactor, the Infinity Engine. His arms are greatly damaged by the sheer amount of power. But, when you get there, I'm certain Doctor Strange will explain it better. But, I must go now. Until next we meet, old friend." With that, he walks through the portal, and back to his proper place and time. Mewtwo watches him leave, and he turns to face Ashe. "It seems we all have some stories to tell. But Morgan is correct, it's time we all leave this place." He teleports the Paradox Beasts with him to the surface, and they all stare at the plains with curiosity on their faces. It has been some time since they last saw all this. Mewtwo stares up at the sky, and begins to focus on the Sanctum. "I will teleport our...friends to the ranch at the same time I'll take us to the Sanctum. Be advised, the head of security is a bit...abrasive to new arrivals." With that, they all disappear in a flash, and find themselves in what seems like the lobby of a space station. He leads them along, past members of the Ultra Recon Squad from Alola, and some people, presumably from other realities...until a mechanical voice booms out to them. "Ultron commands that you halt!" A rather intimidating robot stands in front of them, red LED eyes glowing a bit menacingly. "I am Ultron-Sigma, head of Security aboard the Sanctum Sanctorum. Foreign entities will identify themselves and state their purpose here!" Mewtwo holds his arms out, blocking Ashe and Leon from Ultron. "They are Ashe Grandcrest, and her mate Leon. They are close friends to the Sorcerer Supreme Ultron, check your database. They're here to check on his well being." The machine ponders his response, before stepping to the side and letting them pass. "Identities confirmed. Proceed to the medical lab on level three." After a few more moments of travel, Mewtwo turns to the pair once they reach the medical lad Donovan is in. "Apologies. He's a survivor from a destroyed by an incursion. He's one of a few variants of a machine who chose to protect organic life, instead of destroy it like most variants. He's become protective of the Sanctum as a result. But nevertheless, here we are."

As they're led to the the entrance of the Sanctum, the fact they're stopped by a robot has Ashe and Leon acting on instinct to want to pull out the sword and grimoire, but they stop as Mewtwo protects them, explaining it all. She waits for the robot to leave before hurrying after the legendary. "Even so, he almost got a spell and a sword thrown at him." Ashe's fighting instincts had been honed as had Leon's. That being said, the two had a much more fight or flight aura about them, as well as a bit more mature at that... maybe.

Ashe could feel Donovan's aura and she raced past Mewtwo with Leon hot on her heels. The two stop at the door and once it slides open, both are at his side. The sound of beads jingle from Ashe as she stares in horror at his arms. "You're still the fucking idiot I knew from six years ago..." She sighs shakily and without hesitation pulls out her grimoire from thin air. Leon steps back, holding out his arm to stop Mewtwo. "Best not to disturb her." He warned. With that, the fae energy Ashe once exuded all on her own was contained, balanced, as she began a chant;

"Wounds open and raw, wounds like the roots of a tree... Gather here your magicks old and ancient o' deer of the world tree and grant this shield respite. Mend his cracks with your salve made from the ashes of the great beast of the sky."

From her grimoire came forth magicks that laced over his wounds, filling them in like glue to hold together a teacup, healing from the inside out and taking his pain away as best they could. Having called on Xerneas and Ho-oh, she held her own, offering their energy wells some of her magic in turn as payment.

[sleepyowlwrites]

What would 1-3 sentence summaries of your wips look like?

City Story: young man attempts to deal with emotional trauma by getting physically violent. conveniently, a young woman has some people after her that require that sort of approach. inconveniently, emotional introspection is happening anyway.

Summon Story: plucky young lad did not sign up to be engulfed in a sudden and subtle war over absolutely nothing but with massive stakes nonetheless. his little questing party also didn't sign up for it but it turns out they are all linked to this annoyingly clever villain they're up against. and the thing is, plucky young lad is the protagonist, so into the war he goes.

Youth Story: ten teenagers have emotions and sometimes talk about them. they also have superpowers, which are not important, and very particular personalities and flaws, which are. over the course of one school year, they all grow up a little, or at least grow closer.

Guild Story: there are always more magical shenanigans to be had, even when you think you've used up all the opportunities.

Thief Story: impossibility is merely improbability, and we're going to steal that thing anyway. for fun! and profit!

Magick Story: this mystery would be easier to solve if the solvers didn't keep forgetting that they were trying to do that in the first place, and hey, how come they keep forgetting about that? and where did her magick go? and when did his magick come?

Mercenary Story: mercenary crew and princess quest to find her half-brother prince, but find lots of treachery and betrayal instead! also there is trauma to resolve. also, oh, so THAT'S where the prince was?

thanks for asking, dear Celadon

[punkscowardschampions]

Cali & Ronali

Ali: [Private at Carly, clearly not the second we leave this Halloween party but still early enough that you will have these messages whenever you wake up tomorrow]

Ali: 🌄⏰🐦🪱🐓🌄

Ali: ☕️👸 how was the rest of the party, vvitch?

Carly: no need to ? how it went for u 🧜🏼‍♀️🔮

Carly: mustve proper lured the lad to his death for me to get a text out of you

Ali: Ugh, as if it wasn’t shaming enough how 🌃 n 🌇 the mood is with me, I’m always the cliche of turning into the WORST friend 💔

Carly: nah you’re the best

Carly: & hey now no talk of shame or cliches before youre 💔 @ me for what I turned into

Ali: You’re the one turning them all into 🐸🐸🐸s

Ali: no shame in your game 🧙‍♀️🔮

Carly: if I had myself some real 🔮💜🧿💙

Carly: but fuck us talking about my 😢😭 always

Carly: you’re 🥰🌹😁🌞🌻

Ali: there’s always room for every 🌈☀️⛅️☁️❄️💨💧☔️

Ali: but if I have to come back and knock some teeth out, I will be doing double for them ruining both our weekends 

Ali: [send a picture of whatever stop you’ve hit so far]

Carly: sure but theres not for every ➡️⬅️⬆️⬇️↗️↘️↙️↖️

Carly: dont you dare fetch yourself back here til hes work on or we’ll be the ones having a fall out baby

Ali: Promise?

Ali: because 🥰🌹😁🌞🌻

Carly: 🐸🐸🐸’ll still be where i left em when youre after doing your own spells 

Carly: & I’ll be grand

Ali: Mosey was on one, I know that much

Ali: was basically hiding from him when Johnny found me

Carly: yea he wanted me to find you myself 1st but I said no like

Ali: well, he was only after that because he got embarrassed in the chat 🙄

Ali: not at all transparent and very flattering, boy

Carly: i offered him 🧟‍♀️💚 but he was off the poor girl soon as she showed herself, weren’t gonna drop it had to be u

Ali: He’d think it a power move

Ali: at least you made sure she still had a time worth coming out for

Carly: aw she’s so cute & ill not see her again now hes acting the gobshite 🥺👋

Ali: him not reckoning he can chat me up himself is hilarious though, as well as true but never thought I’d see the day with that ego

Carly: have to do everything myself but ah i reckon its a decent habit to get into w how things was left

Ali: You can invite 🧟‍♀️ over, you know where she worked

Ali: shop shouldn’t be packed up and gone quite yet

Carly: idk i dont have his ego

Ali: you were getting on great though

Carly: wes meant to be talking about how youre getting on w yer man there

Ali: Oh, right 😋

Ali: it’s weird, we’ve barely talked about it even

Carly: course no, he’d only be after saying something about it if u hurt him never shut the boy up then but when its he done wrong to you theres another story & closed 📙🧡

Carly: did he at least trouble himself to say some of what I taught you?

Ali: Loads

Ali: We’ll have to have more lessons but I got some of it 

Ali: I don’t think any of it was an apology, no, like but he said some things that are as good as, to me anyway 

Carly: 😁💛🌞💛

Carly: I was 🙏💙🔮💜🤞🌠 on everything I could

Ali: Your magick worked, baby

Ali: He’s never been that real with me 

Carly: yours 🧜🏼‍♀️🧚‍♀️👼👸🏼👩🏼‍🎤🧙🏼‍♀️

Carly: unlike mine it never fails

Ali: the 🐸 just like being slimy 🐸s, it’s 1000000% them

Ali: Do you reckon I’m to believe him, if he says he hasn’t slept with anyone since then?

Carly: I’d

Carly: hes not been 1 to whore himself round like moses even back in the day before you was bringing yourself round

Ali: I did believe him when he said it, s’only talking about it now I realised I might’ve not but fuck it, I do

Carly: be his way to go about 🥺💔😢💔😭 from that there night w the full knowing of what hed lost himself hes no dope for all he is

Ali: He thought I’d got with Caleb and/or Drew, that was obvious, however trashed I was that night, and how mortifying the reread was

Carly: yea you was hammered enough to want to let him 💭 it til that went wrong

Carly: I shouldve had your phone off you I’m sorry

Ali: 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ I should’ve thought of a less pathetic plan to get his attention in the first place

Ali: It’s all over now and he’s so 🙃

Ali: We understand how to do this better

Carly: off timing can send the best to the bad but it’s on your side now

Carly: fate decided he had to lose u for proper for a bit to decide he for proper wanted you too 💫💞

Ali: So what are we to decide for you and Moses, is it a yes or is it a no

Ali: or a maybe

Carly: theres no me & moses

Carly: forces intervened to show me what he for proper 💭 of me & its not 💫💞 ill never unknow it even though he don't know I do

Ali: What do you know 🐇

Carly: I cant be telling you cos you’ll 💪🥊🤕

Carly: he can keep his 🦷🦷 to keep you 🥰🌹😁🌞🌻 idc youre away thats what matters

Ali: I know you can handle yourself as well as him

Ali: I promise I won’t 💪🥊🤕 until I’m naturally in the same place as him

Carly: it hurt so much idc how im still here to be 😶💙

Ali: no 🥺

Carly: how am I to look @ myself? 

Ali: You’re perfect, in every way I can think of

Ali: he’s been on some absolute gobshite nonsense if he’s made you think any different

Carly: hes a point what he said in the group on ros bday about how thick I am, must be

Ali: his only point was being a cunt, often is

Carly: & ive always said hes not that bad, there then I am stupid for not knowing already he reckons im [whatever he said when he rated her horrifically]

Ali: who did he say that shit to?

Ali: For it to get back to you

Carly: all the lads

Carly: I thought he liked me for what he liked me for at least but turns out ive - craic & nothing to offer nobody like

Ali: He’s a freak who’s rating every sexual experience he has against his own made-up ranking and scale

Ali: it’s meant to be personal, and different, not comparable, he’s just wrong from the start

Ali: as well as a total, total cunt who doesn’t care if the girls he sleeps with hears this shit

Carly: yea well im not meant to have the knowing, forget i said a word, k?

Ali: but you do, if he tells every lad who he can, he’s aware that’s a possibility

Carly: its only a 😢☔️😭 day for me don’t let it ☁️ yours

Ali: don’t let him ☁️ you

Carly: ive got 🍭🍬 left still i’ll be grand when the sugar rush hits same as last night

Ali: You’d never done it before, how many times has he? He’s the only one with anything to be worrying about

Carly: idk idc

Carly: our tally stops on [idk what the number of times you’ve slept with this boy is, I dread to think] 

Ali: 🍭🍬 are gonna treat you better than that moron

Carly: 🥳✨🎇🎊⚡️🎆🎉

Carly: have your own fun baby dont bother yourself w me

Ali: I’m always gonna, it’s not optional

Carly: nor is keeping that boy waiting ⌚️⏱⏲⏰⌛️⏳

Carly: not for me when he hates me enough

Ali: I won’t tell him any of this, you said you weren’t to know

Ali: Moses deserves revenge but if that’s not what you want then 😶 I swear

Carly: johno wouldnt smack him for calling me worse I know that

Carly: not his fave you are 🍀🐇🌠

Ali: I don’t need his opinion on this, it’s clear and there’s right and there’s wrong

Ali: imagine the fuss if you compared him and Ro, except you’d literally never do that because you’re a nice person

Carly: theres no comparison how you said

Carly: it was only different how they are

Ali: That’s how it should be, even I know that and my tally is just the one right now

Carly: but what a 1

Carly: theres no comparison but you chose better

Ali: He’s as mean to you

Ali: it does make me a bad friend

Carly: long as hes not to you again

Ali: he was worried about me when we went away, that’s more than I can say for my parents so

Carly: & hes making you happy which is all I want for u ever

Ali: I’ll try and have all the self-respect if he’s not again and walk away 😤

Carly: johnos learnt you’re not gonna have to walk yourself nowhere no more

Ali: God I love this bike 🥴

Carly: you know he loves u when he lets you on the front to have a  drive of it instead of only the back 🙏💙🔮💜🤞🌠

Ali: …

Carly: my god

Carly: youre not coming back, I’m to never see you again

Ali: Sounds like you’re doubting my riding ability 

Carly: I’m saying watch he don’t drive you past no 💒💍

Ali: Now you know he’d never 😏

Carly: hed have no girl driving him, johno I know

Carly: to be sure cant doubt your other riding ability at all 🍆🔮💜

Ali: only for a 🤏

Ali: Was going to say now he’s seen my own bike but just sounds like some weird euphemism 😹

Carly: 😅

Carly: i love when people reckon theyre up to something gas calling me a bike but it just sounds cute 🚲💐

Ali: The insults just don’t hit like they used to, I swear, if it was at least 😅 I’d have to pretend to be slightly offended for ‘em

Carly: I’ll give it a lash thinking of some decent when u leave me here cos youre away 💒💍

Ali: Behave yourself, not even old enough to get myself the pill

Carly: do you need it? Ill send [her mum] off soon as youre back like

Ali: I think it’ll be too late but we can try

Ali: I’m not, I’d be able to tell 🔮

Carly: I’ll busy myself w magic of my own to try & keep u safe how hes not, must be I love u more 

Ali: No doubt about it 💙💜

Carly: ill miss you 🥺❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🥺

Ali: He’s got work like you said, can only keep him that long 

Ali: will we not go to school and have a day to ourselves

Carly: [her mum] swears herself by gin & a hot bath so thats a date there or we can take ourselves off up the mountain & roll you down?

Ali: gravitys sure to save me 😵‍💫

Carly: i’d save you baby

Ali: 🥺

Carly: will we go get new clothes for bonfire night? youve some english in u we can celebrate it

Ali: 🔥🦋👠🍄🦔💃🥁🧨🪓🍁👢🍎🧚🍂🦊🪐🔥

Ali: we gotta

Carly: @ your house or are you to tell ro cos he’ll listen to you?

Ali: See the mood anyone @ mine is in by then… 

Carly: ah fuck you’ll be in disgrace for your 💒💍 true enough

Ali: Might be that my ma will think it’s a killer idea if it gets Ro interested, girl Ro, btw

Carly: I can’t w em having the same name, I’ll have to call her something else, it’s been said when me & he celebrated his bday together I’d be 😳🍨

Ali: 🤣

Ali: We can invite boy Ro, and Bart, they’d both come

Carly: might be he’ll be after seeing or bringing his girl idk

Ali: I saw the 😘 but Idk who she is, do I?

Carly: I think her name’s [something it either is or isn’t but unlike Moses we genuinely think it is and aren’t just trying to be funny or shady] but thats all I know of her

Ali: The more the merrier, anyway, the guestlist is lacking these days

Carly: long as I can party w my 👶 fave

Ali: 💛🎇😈🎆💛

Ali: He’s guaranteed to be there, he can’t make an excuse yet

Carly: what we dressing him up as?

Ali: Gonna need a Guy for the bonfire

Carly: aw 👶🧨💥

Ali: He’ll love the threat of violence, for sure

Ali: That’s settled

Carly: you said u 👀 the 💋💓🥰💘 whatd u 💭 to 🤠🤎? 

Ali: Hmm, he’s very considerate, I’d say

Ali: would be better in a private setting, undoubtedly, without all the 💬

Carly: yea

Ali: What are you 💭 of 🤠🤎?

Carly: i told him he was to keep seeing this girl cos he was telling me to keep myself from moses but maybe I was not to

Carly: things still dont feel the same between me & ro for my getting myself involved idk

Ali: You were only pointing out it wasn’t his place, that’s what I would 💭 if I were him

Ali: They never do anything they don’t want to do, yeah

Carly: it was him told me about the ratings

Ali: Oh

Ali: did it feel like he was telling you like a friend or that he was trying to be a dick with it like Moses?

Carly: he was being nice to me before & he didnt wanna say but I’d not shut up about it

Ali: It would make sense for him caring about you going with Moses, him knowing and not liking that he rates you all

Carly: ive never known him as 😤😠 @ me, yea 😡🤬

Ali: I think he likes you

Carly: what?

Carly: no

Ali: Hmm, I’m keeping my 👀 peeled

Carly: why do u think hed like me?

Ali: If he was just a friend looking out for you, he wouldn’t need to be all 😤😠😡🤬

Ali: Ro wouldn’t be, would he?

Carly: ro never is

Ali: Right

Carly: he said im to behave more like a sister though

Carly: he cant like me if hes saying that

Ali: Okay, odd choice of words

Ali: but you know he’s not meant to like you, he’s Johnny’s brother, like

Carly: k true

Ali: It would add up, I’m not saying 100% but he would’ve joined in harder after the whole birthday thing, I think, if he didn’t like you

Carly: he troubled himself when I was crying

Carly: oh 

Ali: yeah

Ali: Do you like him?

Carly: idk hes always slagging me, 1st to, ive never ever 💭

Carly: god i told him to keep on w that girl he’ll think im a massive bitch if he likes me & im there like hey cute couple yous

Ali: Nah, you don’t have to like him back, little awkward, sure but you’re not obligated

Carly: ive just remembered ive gone on about girls hes fucked too 😳🍨 wow

Ali: 😶

Carly: im chucking myself in the bonfire like 

Ali: you’ll do no such thing, the costume’ll be off

Carly: hes been trying to help me this entire time 🥺 & what did I do? I hate myself 🤢🤮

Ali: He’s been far from perfect, if it was obvious, you wouldn’t have said any of those things

Ali: and you’ll be more embarrassed than him at this point

Carly: 🍭🍬 would kick in this minute

Ali: breathe, baby

Carly: 😵‍💫

Ali: There’s not a thing for you to worry about, if he does like you, it’s a mostly nice thing and you can handle it, if he doesn’t, then there’s nothing for you to think on now

Carly: & you’ll keep an eye how you said?

Carly: I don’t wanna make it no worse for the poor lad than I’ve already either way

Ali: Of course

Ali: you aren’t going to, you were just clueless, which is obviously how he wanted it, in fairness

Carly: i feel bad for being when I’m meant to know these boys better than most & it turns out I dont

Ali: I think that’s growing up

Ali: none of us know each other as well as we’d think

Carly: promise we know each other though

Ali: ‘course

Ali: We’re not claiming to know each other since 👶👶s though

Ali: sometimes I think they’re the people you know the least

Carly: yea, I reckon youre 🎯 w that 1

Ali: Sorry, downer

Ali: you wouldn’t know I was 😍🥰😘

Carly: i was who started it sorry

Ali: don’t be sorry, I’ll have to prepare for the comedown of leaving him 

Carly: ill bring the 🌈🌞 when youre 😢☔️😭 swear

Ali: ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Carly: whatever ive to take

Ali: Makes a case for showing at school just to get the plug but nah

Ali: we don’t need them, got our own fun of rolling me down hills and into baths to contend with

Carly: I love you

Carly: it’ll be fun 🤞❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤞

Ali: Always, angel

Carly: but go have loads w out me 1st 😍🥰😘

Ali: I can’t stop

Ali: I will find you when I’m back 

Carly: til he finds u on his lunch break sure

Ali: 🙏🙏🙏

Ali: think I’ll go insane if he tries to leave me waiting

Carly: hed b insane to

Ali: I know I can’t message him, he’ll be fuming

Carly: youll have no need trust me im not clueless on that

Ali: It isn’t going to be two months, not again

Carly: itll not be 2 days ⌚️⏱⏲⏰⌛️⏳

Carly: youll be counting it in hours

Ali: I just love him

Carly: I know baby & we both do he loves u too

Ali: He likes me a lot

Carly: k if thats what you wanna act like I said

Ali: That’s just what he says

Carly: well he would

Ali: I don’t see it as a copout, he says it like he means it

Carly: its no copout course he means it same as what he cant say & s’only to show in what he does

Ali: I’m glad he’s only 16, that we have time

Carly: youve donkey’s for it to be unreal

Ali: 🤎🤎🚀🍯🐺🔑🎠🥾⚡️🎲🍭☄️🤎

Ali: I need to invite him back over mine, erase that memory with it

Carly: soon as

Carly: have him do all he did cept this time hes to stay

Ali: 🤔 and make sure I pick up his clothes from the stairs this time, note to self

Carly: yea 😅

Ali: Poor, poor Thomas

Carly: whats he to dress up as? I’ll ask him while youre too busy to talk to me no more

Ali: replaced, shocking behaviour 😚

Carly: yours 

Carly: im here behaving as a wifey waiting on u back

Ali: We all knew I behaved shockingly

Ali: 😎🤘

Carly: y your my forever & ever fave 🐅🧡 dont change 🐆🖤

Ali: and you’re why I’ll come back, even though I could let him drive and drive until we’re 🌊

Carly: 🥺 will I 😢😭 til youre back for the want of u?

Ali: you mustn’t, you’ve got so many outfits to plan

Carly: & lads to keep myself from

Ali: I’ll plot my revenge he’ll not even know is from us

Carly: no youre busy

Ali: when there’s room in my head for it

Ali: have to drive sometimes if we’re to reach [however far yous are going]

Carly: u heard me theres donkey’s before u need room in your head for nothing else quit your driving too far ahead of yourself

Ali: 🥺💛💛 okay

Carly: or ill have the outfit back on & put you under a spell like

Ali: I’m so under it

Carly: grand, thats more as it should be

Carly: 🤎🤎🚀🍯🐺🔑🎠🥾⚡️🎲🍭☄️🤎

Ali: 💀 RIP me

Carly: youre living too 🥰🌹😁🌞🌻 to die & sure the bikes too fast as well 💨🌠🚀☄️

Ali: There’s too much left to see and feel

Carly: so on ye go 💜🧚❤️🐞🍃💚🐝💛👼🏼💙🦋🧡

Ronan: [@ Ali at some point when she vanishes from this party and has been gone long enough for him to notice that isn’t like at a stalker level of where is she?]

Ronan: Hey

Ronan: you reckoning on hiding yourself all night?

Ali: [When you really did]

Ali: 👻 antics are seasonally appropriate but still proper bad craic

Ronan: Mosey and his bad craic’s not so scary

Ronan: and he gave it up to take Carls off before long, you know

Ali: Ah, don’t you be putting it about that I’m scared of that boy

Ronan: What was it happened? Too many sweets?

Ronan: she said you’re not feeling yourself when I saw her the now but not you

Ali: This time of year does make me think about my sister and brother

Ali: ended up needing some peace and quiet, like

Ronan: Yeah ‘course

Ronan: I should’ve reckoned on that, but we know where each other is if you need something else, you’ve only to say and I’ll bring it ‘round there, no bother

Ali: You’re a good mate, too good of one to subject to a deep and meaningful about all my bullshit but I’ll keep that in mind

Ali: how was the rest then, what did I miss?

Ronan: [tell her the kind of stories you always get from teen parties, nothing too drama I’m sure because you’re trying to cheer her, more like silly antics from friends and peeps she’d also know]

Ali: 😅

Ali: I saw your 🎆

Ronan: Ah well, I had myself crossed you would, knowing how much you like ‘em

Ali: A fellow pyro after my own heart

Ronan: Party’s to go with a bang, eh? Or how much of one would it be, like?

Ali: Do yous have any left? Speaking of

Ronan: Some, but I can get more if needs

Ali: Might be having my own little shindig next weekend, providing my parents aren’t on at me over this or that

Ronan: At yours? I’ve never had an invite there before when the rest are in

Ali: You don’t have to, but they’re not total dickheads, I swear

Ronan: Are your parents going to be about?

Ali: It’s bonfire night, you know, food, sparklers, that kind of family-friendly content

Ronan: So they’re about and you’re after me meeting them?

Ali: Oh my God, don’t make it sound like that 🙄😳

Ali: Carls and Bart are invited too, obviously

Ronan: Right then, we’ll all of us come

Ali: 😁

Ali: and bring fireworks, lots of

Ronan: Many as we can all of us carry, swear

Ali: My little brother will be made up 🤩

Ronan: Mine act up for ‘em too, I don’t know how it is there’s any left or they’ve fingers

Ali: Do not let him help, whatever he tries to say, no sense yet that one

Ronan: Come on, he’ll not have sense ‘til he learns it, and I’ll not let him get himself blown to bits

Ali: He’s 3, boyo

Ali: take it up with my ma, if you’re so inclined 😉

Ronan: Be a grand impression to make on her that would, I’ll behave decent, don’t you worry

Ali: I’m not, they’re pretty chill and you’re a good boy really

Ronan: I’ll really try

Ali: aw shucks

Ali: Don’t try too hard, they’ll be after replacing me with you

Ronan: You couldn’t be replaced by nobody

Ali: FINE, I’ll make [something swag she has clearly made before that is somehow seasonably appropriate, you get my vibe lol]

Ronan: Fireworks for [this thing]’s a fair enough trade

Ali: Fireworks and compliments, you’re out of pocket

Ronan: Only called you irreplaceable, barely even counts as 

Ali: True… thought you said you were trying

Ronan: At the weekend

Ronan: you can’t expect it morning after

Ali: You’re only at your full potential on a 🌕 I know

Ronan: Yeah, might be

Ali: You remembered to declaw and defur yourself yet?

Ronan: [a selfie there is no need of except his blatant crush]

Ali: 👋🐺 

Ali: Your costume was sick 

Ronan: Shop was cool, shame Mosey boy got that girl out of it for nothing but weren’t a wasted trip for me, can’t say that

Ronan: you looked best out of everyone though and you never went down

Ali: Sure she’ll survive without his attentions, be better for it no doubt

Ali: I’d been planning ages

Ronan: Could tell, it proper showed

Ali: Cheers 🧜‍♀️🌊💚

Ali: Bit gutted I accidentally matched Mosey, no meet-cute like Bartley and that lass

Ronan: Was bad luck for you

Ronan: thought I’d had a touch of my own turning Carls onto girls herself ‘til she set me and herself straight going with him again

Ali: You dope 😅 she were only cheering her for bothering to come out, like you said

Ronan: I don’t know, seemed more to me

Ali: Really?

Ali: I mean, if she ended up going with Moses, easy way to get his attention 🤷‍♀️

Ronan: True, it’ll be that

Ali: Did you think 🧟‍♀️ was cute?

Ronan: Mosey and Carls both being all over her she must’ve had something going on, but I never noticed what

Ali: Me either

Ronan: Be green for days her, who’s after troubling themselves scrubbing her back? A job and a half I’m not signing up for

Ali: Be alright if she was still working in that shop, not fuck knows where now

Ronan: I was told [somewhere it’s hilariously inappropriate for her to still be green, for the lols, soz girl]

Ali: 😱😱😱 Makes me wanna rock up and see, that does

Ronan: I’ll take you now

Ali: Ah, can’t

Ronan: Why? She might’ve got it all off tomorrow

Ali: Not at home atm

Ronan: She’ll probably be working ‘til [a time] when are you? I’ll come for you and we can go over

Ali: On an adventure 🌄

Ali: Photographic evidence if you go, please

Ronan: I’ll be on my way to go get a selfie with her

Ali: Can see what you reckon in the cold light of day

Ronan: Can’t be falling out with Carls over it, took ages for us to be friends again

Ali: I’m so glad you’re sorted though

Ronan: And me

Ali: You handled it good

Ronan: You reckon? Cheers

Ali: Trust, I’d feel insanely awkward in the middle if you hadn’t

Ronan: Trust, I don’t want it to be like that, for none of us

Ali: None of us do, that’s why we get on so well

Ronan: Yeah

Ali: We’re alright, aren’t we?

Ronan: What do you mean? ‘Course we are

Ali: Just checking, wouldn’t want my party dip to have you holding a grudge

Ronan: I should’ve checked on you better myself, seen you was alright

Ali: Nah, not at all

Ronan: I’ll be able to keep a closer eye on you at the next

Ali: Well, that’s true

Ali: can’t get quite as hectic but we’ll try

Ronan: It’ll be good

Ali: Match your behaviour, yeah

Ronan: You’re not promising to be?

Ali: Where’s my incentive to do that?

Ronan: I can’t say I know what that word is, not going school no more

Ali: 😏 I’m not promising, is the long and short of it

Ronan: You want me to make you, is why, is it?

Ali: 😆 Shut up, you

Ronan: Yeah, you’re after me giving you something to behave, I’ve worked it out

Ali: You’re such a wind-up, you sound like your brother

Ronan: Me? You with your big words and wanting of presents

Ali: Touche 😬

Ronan: We don’t neither of us need to follow his way for nothing

Ali: I’m certainly not planning to, don’t you worry

Ronan: I’m not, you go your own, have since I’ve known you

Ali: And I’d only ever compare you to Moses to take the piss, not to be an absolute bitch, promise

Ronan: He goes his own too, less of a compliment in it there

Ali: Was going to say you’re too fair for your own good

Ronan: But he’s still my brother, end of the day

Ali: Yeah, can’t pick ‘em, I get it

Ronan: And he might grow up out of it, others have

Ali: There’s always time for that

Ronan: Time for Carly to walk away from him

Ali: She’s done with him

Ronan: She’s said?

Ali: Yeah, I’ve spoken to her

Ali: Unsurprising he managed to fuck it up again, obviously

Ronan: How do you know she means it when there’s been a before?

Ali: I can’t see the future that well but she’s even more upset with him right now so

Ronan: Least he’ll not be there at your party, can’t tempt her back

Ali: Couldn’t imagine he’d be after no invite

Ronan: I could, how he were looking for you last night

Ali: That’s probably mostly because Johnny called him a cunt, looking for ways to win back some rep, or whatever nonsense

Ronan: And he’ll still be trying, didn’t manage to win nothing sleeping with Carls, not to John Boy

Ali: Either way, he’s not invited to have no [whatever we said we’re making]

Ronan: He don’t have no clue where you live to crash it

Ali: Thank God

Ronan: I’d not tell him, nor would she

Ali: Do you know if Bartley likes Carly?

Ronan: Likes? I’ve to check I saw what I reckon you wrote

Ali: I know, but don’t you think he dislikes her a little TOO hard? Think about it

Ronan: Johno don’t like her that hard, they’re brothers, there’s sense he’d follow feeling the same, we’re all of us meant to

Ali: I suppose so

Ronan: That why he’s invited? 

Ali: No, he’s just pretty chill too

Ronan: I don’t reckon he likes that girl Mosey brought over to him

Ali: No, duh, that was just him looking for more ways to piss Johnny off

Ali: sure she’s nice and all but

Ronan: But he don’t bother himself with most girls, now I’m thinking how you said to

Ali: He probably likes someone then, even if it ain’t Carls 💭

Ronan: I can’t remember when he has before last night, ages then

Ali: Don’t tell him, will you, I’m just wondering out loud

Ronan: And me, you’ve started me off

Ali: Don’t 🤯 boy

Ronan: Who else’d he like?

Ronan: [just suggesting some girls it could be lol]

Ali: Do you boys not talk?

Ronan: He don’t talk about that ‘cept to join in with how the others are, might be there’s good reason if he’s after her

Ali: Do you join in?

Ronan: When I have to, there’s no getting out of it some of the time

Ali: Yeah, boys will be boys

Ronan: It’s harmless, more or less

Ali: It’s what you do, anyway

Ronan: Don’t girls?

Ali: Sure, some do

Ronan: Nothing’s been said about you

Ali: I’m not worried about myself, you’re alright

Ali: what’s there to be said, anyway?

Ronan: Carls isn’t worried about herself neither

Ali: Must be all good then

Ronan: Look, I don’t know why you’re off with me for this

Ali: I’m not just change the subject, it’s not your fault

Ronan: What aren’t you telling me?

Ali: I said I wouldn’t 🤐

Ronan: Ali

Ali: Don’t first name me, Mr Serious

Ali: it’s okay, it’s handled

Ronan: Quit your leaving me out of what’s to be handled

Ali: I told you she’s upset with Moses, connect those dots, think of the many reasons that could be

Ali: that’s all you need to know, and why she’s done with him

Ronan: Fuck, who told her?

Ronan: he can’t have done

Ali: Surprisingly not, hardly outside of his remit but nah

Ali: I don’t know, I wasn’t there when she found out

Ronan: She never said where she heard it?

Ali: She doesn’t want a fuss, it’s embarrassing enough

Ronan: Yeah, why she weren’t to know

Ali: If you chat shit, you can’t assume it isn’t going to be heard by other people

Ronan: Jesus, how’s she?

Ali: Crappy, you could try and cheer her up without making it dead obvious you know

Ali: as I can’t get home to be there quick enough

Ronan: I’ll get myself over to see her

Ali: Good man

Ronan: I’ll try, like

Ronan: to be less of a messer

Ali: You’re not the only one

Ronan: Don’t mean it’s cool for me to be one of

Ali: No, not really but it’s your life and your shit to figure out

Ronan: It’s not easy living here

Ali: There’s plenty of expectation

Ronan: Nor having him for a brother, but you know we’re not the same

Ali: Of course, it’s his rating system, not yours

Ronan: I treat her as decent as I can

Ali: I know that too, so does she

Ronan: Are we alright? 

Ali: Yes, we’re all good, Ro

Ronan: I’ll be going to cheer up Carly then

Ali: I appreciate it, I’ll be back Monday, she’s got that planned and booked in

Ronan: I’m gonna be about ‘til work sends me off

Ali: Maybe I’ll see you then, if we happen to catch each other

Ronan: Maybe

Ali: Are we alright?

Ronan: I asked you, how am I to have the answer? I don’t

Ali: I haven’t been judgy about your locker room talk, what you have to do to fit in

Ronan: No, but you’re still mad about it

Ali: I can’t change my worldview to think it’s alright, doesn’t mean we need to fight

Ronan: I can’t fight with all of the lads about theirs, not all the time

Ali: I understand that

Ronan: You don’t, you’ve no clue how it is

Ali: I didn’t say I’ve been through it, I know that you do, the toll it can take

Ronan: There’s just constant grief and aggro for not calling her a whore or wanting her to leave

Ali: You’ve a part to play

Ronan: It was meant to get better for doing what Moses said to on my birthday, but it’s not

Ali: like you said, no one is going to be satisfied until she’s gone

Ronan: Her ma won’t, she’s stuck ‘round this long

Ali: God knows why

Ronan: What am I to do?

Ali: Why would I have the answer? If only, like

Ronan: You’re smart, smarter than me

Ali: I’m not, and it’s about your life and what you have to do for yourself, I couldn’t begin to tell you

Ronan: I’ll go to Carly, it’s all there is to do at the minute

Ali: It’s a start, isn’t it

Ronan: See you Monday, maybe

Ali: I’m sorry you’re stressed out now too, I wish I could help

Ronan: You’ve a point, it’s not your problem

Ali: I didn’t mean it how that sounds, I care, I just don’t know what you can or should do

Ronan: Yeah, I know

Ali: Okay, I’ll let you go then

Ronan: Later, like

[yzeltia]

FFXIVWRITE Day 26: Break a Leg

Characters: Lyse Hext, Jannie Eyradoux

Summary: Jannie catches up with Lyse after some time apart

Rating: T, for Teen

Notes: Dragging U'rahn is an Olympic sport

"Owie! Oh! Careful Jannie!"

Lyse flinched as Jannie tightened a bandage around her leg. The Elzen smiled at her clean wrappings, carefully taping it despite the young woman's squirming. "There. We'll let it compress overnight to ensure it's set properly then we'll magick it the rest of the way there in the morning."

Miss Hext nodded, blushing a bit as she looked at her bandage. "I'm sorry. I intended your visit to be leisurely and I found a way to make you have to work."

"Think nothing of it dear. I've longed for the simple days of tending to your scrapes and having Papalymo fret about."

The girl smiled, nodding. "He was ever the worrywart, wasn't he."

"Indeed," Jannie answered, putting away the first aid kit, "I remember a time you picked when an onerous marmot came after you. You of course knocked it out, but then more kept coming. I thought he might have a heart attack seeing you swarmed by the creatures but it just turned out you'd brushed up against one of the honey hives near Hawthorne and they just wanted to lick it off you."

Lyse laughed then winced as the shaking vibrated into her leg. "How are the others?"

"Unchanged. I think we're all rather relieved to have a bit of a respite...except for maybe the adventure hungry Miqo'te boys."

"G'raha does not seem to be able to sit still. And U'rahn...I wonder does he still fancy me?"

Jannie drew back in shock, hand clutching her necklace for a moment. "That is a jest...right?"

"Perhaps not. He was very endearing. Y'shtola has pointed out to me that I have the power to fluster others. I think it might be easier courting a friend rather than any of these green boys playing soldier."

The Elzen took in a breath. "By the Fury...," she breathed out. "Surely there are others...I...I apologize I'm not sure I have the faculties to discuss what a terrible match that would be. Better a pretend soldier then a pretend Nuhn."

Lyse let out another loud laugh, watching Jannie fret. "Ow..oh...Your expression is worth the pain. I could never, would never..."

Jannie narrowed her eyes at the girl then smiled as she swallowed a laugh. "You laugh but your humors both align. It's not so far removed from reality that you might fancy a strong young lad like him."

"Perish the thought."

"It's in the flames of Thal already."

Calming down, Lyse raised her good leg and hugged at her knee. "This really takes me back. When I'd get sick in Gridania you'd sit at my bedside with Papalymo and tend to me until I was well. We'd read stories together while he'd cook my favorite meals... It felt sort of like having parents again...Did you ever know I was not Yda?"

Jannie closed her eyes for a moment then shook her head. "I did not. I only knew you were a strong young woman that had to grow up all too fast. Papalymo kept your secrets well."

Sighing, the Elzen gently brushed her hands through Lyse's hair then coaxed her onto her back. "I believe it is time for young heads of state to rest. Tomorrow is not lost. We can run around Ala Mhigo all you want after I finish healing your leg. I'll fetch a pitcher of water should you get thirsty in the night."

"But - I wished to go over our recent instructure plans. I think you'll find that we borrowed heavily from Ishgard's reformation and wanted to see what you thought."

"And here I was thinking you just intended to take me shopping and show off your apparent suitors. Still, I want you to rest through tomorrow. Threaten me with a good time on the morrow."

"Oh! But-"

"I won't hear it. Rest."

With that Jannie rose and motherly kissed the young woman's forehead before departing to do as she said. Wandering through the hall, she stopped at a new portrait, finding Papalymo sternly staring down at her. Smiling, she touched his painted hand."She walks true my love..."

[turtletotem]

Want ten chapters of my novel?

I have now updated my Patreon novel with its tenth chapter, along with a PDF that includes all the chapters posted so far. Which means that if you sign up as my patron, which is $2, you can get all ten chapters at once, to keep!

I still haven't come up with a title for the darn thing, but this is the story where the prince and princess get married to force an end to the war between their kingdoms, after she semi-accidentally takes him prisoner in battle. :D The first chapter is free for anyone to read on Patreon, and here's a sneak peek!

.

"Come down from there, my lord Prince." The bodyguard's voice drifted up the considerable distance from the ground to the top of the supply wagon, almost lost in the sound of Alti's own breath and drumming heart. "Please, my lord Prince."

Alti executed one last turn-and-flip so as to land at the very edge of the wagon, and grinned down at his guard. "Shield, I am in no more danger here than on stage."

"It's a moving wagon. Indulge me, my lord Prince."

Alti wiped sweat from his forehead and began drawing one foot up as far behind him as it would reach. "You know I would, old friend, but it's far too warm a day to practice inside a wagon, and if I do it on the ground, the wagons will leave me behind!"

"Perhaps practice can wait, then." Shield's stout figure jostled inside his armor as he trotted alongside the wagon, sweat giving an extra sheen to his silvery skin.

"I suppose I could practice this part of the act instead," Alti said, pulling three throwing knives free of his waistband and doing a butterfly kick as he juggled them.

Shield made a choked noise. "Lad, do you know what your parents would do to me if any harm came to you on this foolhardy jaunt—"

"My parents have plenty more sons where I came from." Still, Alti sighed and flipped the knives back into their sheaths. It was unfair to tease Shield too much; as a magically-created vassal, his core purpose of guarding Alti's safety could never be relaxed or ignored. All the same, Alti did need to practice—they'd be arriving at the front in a day or two, and he wasn't happy with his performance at the last camp, for all that it seemed to go over well enough.

"Maybe the supply train could stop for a rest," Alti wheedled. "Then I could practice on the ground and everyone, I'm sure, would be much happier for a rest!"

Shield hissed between his teeth. "There'll be no stopping along this stretch, my lord Prince. We shouldn't have come this way at all."

"Don't get so worked up about it, Shield," Alti said, and really, it must be awful to be a vassal, always so anxious about everything. "We hadn't any choice about it, for one thing, with the road washed out, so it's no use worrying. But anyway this area's been under Sedilan control for weeks!"

"Aye, and Drohaini control for weeks before that, and then us again before that, and then them again—it's the way the land lays, it's impossible to keep good hold of it. I won't draw an easy breath until we're out of these hills entirely."

Alti sighed, dropping down to swing one foot off the edge of the wagon, and magicked an apple out of nothing to peel with one of his knives. It wouldn't do anything for hunger, but he wasn't really hungry anyway, he just wanted to taste it.

"I still say it's improper, anyway," Shield grumbled, "for a Prince of Sedila to be running about dressed like a temple dancer."

"I could only wish to be as beautiful and talented a dancer as those Called by the goddess of love—unless you are impugning Mahana's chosen?"

Shield rolled his eyes. "They have their honored place, my lord Prince, and you have yours, which ought never to have included performing for the eyes of the masses, much less risking your neck to do so—"

That was when they first heard the screaming.

Alti had put little stock in tales of the inhuman battle cry of the Drohaini, but it was everything he'd been told and more—an eerie, echoing wail, almost beautiful, that froze his breath and lifted every hair on his skin.

The wagon jolted to a stop, knocking Alti half-off the edge, as everyone in the supply train spent a precious second listening in dawning terror.

Then the Drohaini came into view, dark horses and white armor spilling over the crest of the hill, with a wave of arrows flying before them like a cloud.

Hanging half-off the wagon, some panicked instinct drove Alti back up onto the roof—a mad chance that likely saved his life, as arrows studded the ground where he would have landed.

Shield fell with a choked cry, an arrow jutting from the unarmored joint at his throat.

People were screaming, shouting, running, drawing weapons and dragging wounded friends, and for long incomprehensible seconds all Alti could do was stare down at the body of what had been his guard and protector all his life.

The commander of the supply train was shouting orders, trying to direct the noncombatant performers into and under the wagons, while the soldiers gathered to meet the enemy.

I should do something, Alti thought. I'm the prince, I should do something—at the very least I should hide so I don't get killed—but his body refused to move, plastered flat against the roof of the wagon even as another volley of arrows landed around him.

Then the wave of Drohaini slammed into the haphazard wall that was the supply train's defenders, and what was already chaos became nightmare.

Some Drohaini were caught by the line of Sedilan defends, but others cut right through, thundering into the midst of the wagons. One kicked in the door of the wagon nearest Alti, where a few dancers were hiding, and Alti found himself on his feet before he knew it, a throwing knife already flying from his hand. It lodged in the soldier's back, toppling him from his horse with a cry.

More soldiers, hot on their comrade's heels, looked round in alarm, and pointed up at Alti. One flicked a hand, sending a magicked ball of nothing-good speeding his way.

Alti flattened against the roof again, and rolled, dropping off the opposite edge—straight onto another soldier.

"Hey!"

Alti still had a knife in his hand. He twisted in the startled soldier's grasp, leaving a line of scarlet across arms and chest until the man released him with a howl of pain. By then the others had rounded the wagon—he ducked one, kicked another, and blinded them all (perhaps permanently) with a blast of white light that gave him time to scramble back up to the roof of the wagon. From there he leapt to the next roof, and the next, and up the flagpole that waved Sedila's colors from the top of the tallest wagon, where he clung tightly, unsure if the tremor throughout his body was his own terror or the imminent collapse of the thin pole.

Spread out below him was a massacre.

The Sedilan soldiers were reduced to a pocket here and there, surrounded and fighting back to back, while Drohaini pulled dancers, cooks and pageboys out of their hiding places and gathered them at swords' point against the wagons. A muledriver who tried to fight back was slashed viciously across the face and left bleeding on the ground. Alti caught sight of the train commander, just as his pocket of soldiers collapsed, disappearing under flashing swords.

I can stop this. The thought held its own deep and particular terror, yet it stilled the fluttering panic in his gut. I am a prince of Sedila and I can stop this.

"We surrender!" he shouted, as loud as his lungs would shout. He tore at the flimsy turquoise bolero that was almost all he wore at present, aside from beads and ribbons—it made for a lousy flag of surrender, but it would have to do—and waved it above his head. "Put up your arms! We surrender!"

The Drohaini who heard him stopped, reached to stay their comrades' hands, spread the word—and the Sedilans collapsed in relief and despair, screams dying down into ragged weeping.

A rider in blood-spattered white armor, declared as commander by a helm with a gleaming white horsehair tail, approached the flagpole and called up to him.

"And who are you, boy, to declare surrender?"

The pole was creaking and splintering under his hands; rather than fall, Alti dropped, landing hard but in a controlled crouch before the commander's horse. Neither commander nor horse shied from the movement, he noticed, though several surrounding soldiers tensed and readied their steel. The commander put out a hand to keep them back.

Alti drew himself up to his full, unimpressive height. "I am Alti Reizanda of Sedila," he said. "Fourth son of the Royal House."

"Well." The commander pulled off his—no, her—helmet, exposing mussed and frazzled red-gold braids, and a face no older than Alti's own. "Isn't that interesting."

[silesseti]

[ TELL ] Share stories around the fire. Lately, children have made a game out of whispering a story into their friend’s ear, who has to retell the story to the best of their ability to their friend, and so on. When the story finally reaches the end of the “convoy,” it’s often a completely new story.

It passed from one pair of lips to her ear, and the expression that the tale pulled to her face was nothing short of intrigued. With trepidation~~~ and a giggle locked behind humored lips~~~ she turned to the next person she could find.

Great.

"Crusaders above." A whisper, a comment, a silent plea to let this go smoothly. Thus, her tale begins... or, rather, what she knew of the tale.

"It is said that every..."

What had the little boy said? Every Hallow's Eve? Every final week of the month? Oh, pity!

"...every eve of the season's holiday, a phantom roams the academy's... library? Yes, library~~~ looming, lingering, awaiting the next poor soul to seek a ghost's tale." How easy was he to make jump? Could she make him jump? "...And when the next book was cracked open by an unwitting thrill-seeker- " Like how she used to sneak up on Eldigan, her hands smacked his shoulders, hoping to startle him. "ＢＡＨ !"

"They were claimed by the ghost! Phantom-ized by magicks, never to be heard from thereafter!"

//via midsommar pt. 1; still accepting!

Lachesis is starting to get good at souring his mood. Lewyn jumps, at the sound of her BAH!, the color long-since drained from his face. Just what kind of story is this?! Books enslaving men, ghosts claiming the bodies of mortals—that kind of feeling is all too real to him. Sometimes he wonders if he’s been enslaved by his book, never mind the fact that it’s probably all the way in Jugdral.

That kind of thing wouldn’t have a finite range anyways.

“Crusaders above, lass!” Bard shouts, more than disturbed, “This is supposed to be a kid’s game, not some excuse to give me a heart attack…” He’ll live, even if that heart will race for the next half-hour. It takes a few moments of sitting there—heaving breaths in through his nostrils and out from his mouth—for him to remember that he has to pass this on. Great.

“Mind if I, er… Make a few adjustments? Just don’t think we ought to be tellin’ kids they’ll be stolen by a ghost… Not when we have so many clinging to our heels…” His tone grows somber with the passing of that thought, no longer just scared, but desolate. It’s true. As survivors of a great calamity, there’s a heavy burden of guilt they must bear. Doubly so for Lewyn, who has already failed Silesse before, and is beside himself about having to abandon it again. If he could take the place of any of those ghosts… If he could let one of his old comrades use his body instead… He would. In a heartbeat. 

But he’s stalled long enough. The poor lad next to him is starting to grow impatient with how long he’s been made to wait. Lewyn shakes off the idea, waving his hand near his face to communicate that he’ll be alright. He leans in low, cups a hand over his mouth, and the story passes on…

“It is said that every eve of the season’s holiday, a phantom roams the academy’s… classrooms? Yeah, classrooms…”

[elizabethrobertajones]

Okay, here's yesterday's, briefly interrupted by VERY upsetting fever dreams so I need this stupid happy place with the stupid rabbit :)

I have no relevant pictures so have a photo from early on, when the group chat was fiercely arguing about who Galvin ought to be shipped with and coming up with heinous matches for my poor lad, and I settled it with the declaration that they were just about weird enough for each other so this was the final word. The conclusion was that Urianger has the huge sideburns and Galvin has the goatee so together when they kiss there's 1 full beard.

Consult/Treasure

“What thinkest thou… of mine appearance?”

Galvin slowly unstuck his dry tongue from the roof of his mouth. No words immediately came to mind. He had seen Thancred’s smirk as they drew close the Bookman’s Shelves but he had not known how to read it at the time, with all the strange and turbulent emotions the Gunbreaker had invented since last they’d met. Now he was certain why but it availed him little in the onslaught of Urianger’s bared shoulders and arms, the glittering gems cascading over his robes weak and dull in comparison to seeing his gentle, teasing smile and his eyes uncovered and sparkling at Galvin in good humour.

Possibly, he deserved this, though that was not going to settle between his ears in any form of life lesson.

“You do know there’s no night sky here?” Galvin croaked.

Urianger laughed quietly. “A challenge most intriguing ‘pon taking up the astrometer. There lieth ways around the problem.” He gestured one of the starglobes sitting on a nearby table, where it had been initially indistinguishably important from the rest of the vast amounts of clutter thereupon. An apple balanced precariously atop it, presumably pixie mischief rather than a commentary on the shape of the universe.

“I think you may be the only person who makes things as hard on themselves as I do,” Galvin mused fondly. His determination to master Black Magick while Summoning came as easily as breathing certainly had not eased his adventures, nor helped him feel as more than a liability in many of the grandest fights credited to the great Warrior of Light others vaunted him as. No sooner had he drawn his ley lines than they were washed away in the tumult of battle…

“You still avoideth the answer to mine question – most elusive and secretive of you.” Urianger had drifted closer, close enough that Galvin could examine the stars on his chest in close detail if he just – he had stepped closer himself.

He reached out and idly lifted one and let it fall back against the soft dark satin. Ran the back of his knuckles over the fabric to see if it was as silken as it looked. Urianger sucked in a breath, and Galvin placed his palm over one of the gems.

“It looks expensive… I could steal these right off you.”

“Could thee?”

Galvin looked up and smiled, collecting all the chains of golden stars in his hand, and giving them a playful tug. “If you let me.”

A cough from across the room startled them both, and they looked around to see Thancred attempting his best to look like he was merely browsing a distant bookshelf. “When you’re quite done,” he grumbled.

Galvin stepped back, head swimming. “You look fine,” he said loudly. “Just… fine.”

As he stumbled away to deal with – with whatever he was supposed to be doing instead of this, Urianger was smiling to himself, deep pink on his cheeks, and smoothing the front of his gown rather smugly.

[pupils-askblog]

Gooey lad, what are the extents of the transforming stuff? Have you learnt a lot?

"I've learned quite a lot, most of it came naturally, at least it felt so. I'm still learning the transformation magick, quite obviously, but I've found out how to transform into other people, I just can't bring out my true forme. The fellow students tend to make Ijiraq jokes regarding it..."

"...I can never understand where they get that from."

[bones-weary]

Character Name: Mr. Remy Bonhomme (Bones) Title/occupation: Servant of Foxgarden Manor (de la Croix household) Magick Status: Mundus

Biography: TW - Abuse, murder

In another life, the Bonhomme household were a prosperous noble family, with the means to send their only son to train under the finest chefs in all of France.

In this life, the fortune had long been spent lost on gambling debts, and the destitute couple sold their only son to pirates for a sack of coin.

The crew did not bother to learn the name of their new cabin boy. He was at the bottom of the hierarchy and treated as such. Abused and starved, the crewmates got a kick of the malnourished lad sucking on the discarded bones of their meals. And thus, he was bestowed the name Bones.

Bones was a clever boy, though. He watched and learned what it took to become a true pirate. As he grew older, his skills sharpened and he began to pull his weight in a way that garnered respect, rather than scorn. He learned under the ship's chef, and took over when his mentor was killed in a raid gone wrong.

By the time he was a young adult, he had become a fully fledged member of the crew, as skilled with a knife in the kitchen as a knife in a duel. He participated in the various crimes his crew committed, knowing that to do otherwise would be a death wish. Still, he tried to bestow mercy or give small graces where he thought he could get away with it, especially when it came to feeding their captives.

This went on for decades. Bones was sure he would live and die as a pirate, his freedom always under the thumb of the captain who'd bought him. Then came Yvette Toussaint. A lady and sorceress of French nobility, nobody was sure where she came from or what her intentions were. She just showed up at the docks and offered to buy the ship's chef for an inordinate amount of money, far more than he'd initially been sold for. And thus, he was bought again.

Yvette cleaned him up so he could become her personal chef and servant. She asked for his name--his real name--and thus once more was Remy Bonhomme. He still didn't understand and she refused to explain. For a time, he seemed to be your average servant of nobility, cooking for the gentry.

But eventually, it became clear why she'd sought him of all people. Yvette was a lady of ambition, and she was willing to do whatever it took to rise through the ranks. When Baron de la Croix began having an affair with Yvette's sister, she saw an opportunity and provided Bones with an offer--if he helped her poison the Baroness, she would give him something his captain never did. The opportunity to buy his freedom.

In the end, it was hardly the most immoral thing he'd done in his life. The Baroness de la Croix passed under "mysterious circumstances", and Yvette's sister married in as the new Baroness, birthing a daughter, Laurette.

The years would go by. Yvette traveled the world, doing whatever she could to raise herself and her various family members to the position she believed they deserved. Bones did whatever dirty work was asked for him, while continuing to save up money for his freedom.

In the end, her sister was a lost cause, but Yvette saw great potential in her niece, Laurette. With the season coming up, it would be possible for the young girl to match with someone far above her station, and bring glory to the family name. She moved into Foxgarden Manor, where she has been tutoring her niece in the ways of nobility and sorcery alike.

Bones meanwhile has taken his position as servant, cooking for the manor and doing whatever other tasks are assigned of him. He spends his free time as a rake for the various men in 'ton, including the lord of the very house he works for. Although the gentry know him as Mr. Bonhomme, and his lovers as Remy, he still goes by Bones by fellow common folk and those of the underground.

He's almost saved enough to free himself and leave behind this life to live one he's only ever dreamed. But with so much on the line, will his lady call on him for one last deadly mission?

[shinennohane]

Kinktober 2023 Masterpost

The whole series on AO3.

Day 1: Pegging - A Night in Ishgard (Alphinaud/Mono)

Being stuck in Ishgard, or rather the reason for it, often causes Alphinaud to sulk in his room at night. On one of these nights, Mono just so happens to want to snuggle up to him, and maybe he thinks up a way to help liven the poor Elezen up.

Day 2: Roleplay - Can't Fall Asleep Without You (Alphinaud/Mono)

Yet another night is spent with Alphinaud coming home late. Something that should have been easy to deal with, but Mono still can't sleep without him. Whatever will ne do to find comfort.

Day 3: Boot Worship - The Study (Fourchenault/Alphinaud)

There is one major rule in the Leveilleur Estate that must be followed without question. Alphinaud breaks that rule.

Day 4: Rimming - Perks of the Growth Spurt (Estinien/Alphinaud)

After disappearing to have his growth spurt, Alphinaud missed his friends, Estinien most of all. Meteor, well aware of Alphinaud quiet crush on Estinien, orchestrates a reunion between the two of them in the background. How will Estinien react to his comrade's new body?

Day 5: Omorashi - Oopsie in the Woods (Alphinaud/Mono)

Mono has a difficult time knowing when nir body needs something from nem until ne's about to burst. This includes peeing. And ne does not like relieving nemself out-of-doors.

Day 6: Frottage - A Pretty Face Mistaken (Estinien/Alphinaud)

Turning into the Carline Canopy for the evening, Estinien spots the most beautiful Elezen he has ever seen in his life. While he may not recognise him at first, he is indeed someone Estinien knows, and Estinien does not find out until after his attempts to bed the lad.

Day 7: Waxplay - Fun With Wax (Alphinaud/Mono)

Alphinaud needs some downtime after work, and Mono is more than willing to give him things to play with. Like candles.

Day 8: Breeding - Estinien's Fantasies (Estinien/Alphinaud)

Estinien keeps having dreams about Alphinaud. Extremely compromising dreams.

Day 9: Lactation - Mono's Milk (Alphinaud/Mono)

Alphinaud discovers just how sweet Mono's breast milk is.

Day 10: Praise Kink - A Creative Mind (Alphinaud/Mono)

Being disabled was difficult, and it bore into Mono's self-esteem. Alphinaud tries to pinpoint what kind of praises get nem going, while trying not to come off like a total schmuck. They make it work.

Day 11: Petplay - A Good Puppy (Alphinaud/Mono)

Mono and Alphinaud explore more of their sex lives, and find out just how much of a good boy Alphinaud is.

Day 12: Medical Play - Burned and Battered (Alphinaud/Mono)

Alphinaud takes care of Mono after ne comes home injured. He is none too happy about it and makes it known.

Day 13: Size Difference - I'm Bigger than I Used to Be (Alphinaud/Mono)

After having his growth spurt, Alphinaud still has to get uses to how much larger he is. Thankfully, Mono's into it.

Day 14: Orgasm Denial - A Suitable Distraction (Alphinaud/Mono)

After being pissed off at the Studium, Alphinaud tries his best to make Mono feel better.

Day 15: Temperature Play - Hot and Cold Dance (Mono/Alphinaud)

Mono likes to take charge sometimes. This night, Mono wants to practise some magicks on Alphy.

Day 16: Gags - Put a Sock in It (Alphinaud/Mono)

Alphinaud wants to have sex with Mono, but he doesn't want him to wake up the whole camp. He gets an idea going through his bag.

Day 17: Threesome - Caravan Type of Morning (Estinien/Alphinaud/Mono)

Estinien decided to travel to Garlemald with Alphinaud and Mono. The three of them end up fooling around in Mono's new motorised caravan one cold morning.

Day 18: Spanking - Clingy (Alphinaud/Mono)

Mono misses Alphinaud when he leaves for Garlemald. They both need to learn to cope with the feelings they're left with.

Day 19: Uniform - Something about Uniforms (Alphinaud/Mono)

Since starting at the Studium, Mono has started to feel overwhelmed. Not so interested in studying, ne still has to sequester nemself away in Alphinaud's room. It's difficult for nem to study anyroad, what with how hot and bothered Alphinaud gets while seeing nem in nir uniform.

Day 20: Mind Control - Making a Bad Wife into a Good Servant (Alphinaud/Mono)

Mono wants Alphinaud to totally take over nir mind and force nem into complete submissions. He loves his pretty little Lalafell, of course, so he's willing to do anything. Under the guise that he's breaking in his new wife.

Day 21: Tickling - Tickling to Feel Better (Alphinaud/Mono)

Trying to enjoy a rainy afternoon left Alphinaud upset after thinking too much about his "poor" relationship with Alisaie, so Mono's thinks up something new they can try out to distract him.

Day 22: Bondage - Rope Lalafell (Alphinaud/Mono)

After staring at the mirror too long, Mono can't help but feel weird and gross. Alphinaud figures out what's wrong, and tried his best to help nem feel better about nemself.

Day 23: Collaring - Gifts of Leather (Alphinaud/Mono)

Alphinaud gives Mono a collar as a gift, much to nir surprise and delight.

Day 24: Sex Toys - Vibrators are a Gift (Alphinaud/Mono)

Alphinaud brings along a special toy for Mono while they wait out the ride to Old Sharlayan.

Day 25: Pregnancy - Mono's Growing Belly (Alphinaud/Mono)

Alphinaud finds Mono's large belly very attractive. Such was the result of sporting twins.

Day 26: Masturbation - Heatwave (Alphinaud/Mono)

Alphinaud gets hot and bothered by Mono wearing clothes that leave little to the imagination. Blame the Gridanian heatwave.

Day 27: Emetophilia - A Thing for Vomit (Alphinaud/Mono)

Mono's sick and Alphinaud's enjoying himself.

Day 28: Body Worship - You're Beautiful (Alphinaud/Mono)

Alphinaud appreciates Mono's body while they bathe together. After coming back from a fight with a few too many bruises.

Day 29: Incest - Under the Desk (Fourchenault/Alphinaud)

Sneaking into Fourchenault's office to ask him some important questions meant that Alphinaud was not supposed to be in there. To avoid being caught by one of his father's colleagues, he hides under his father's desk. Unfortunately for him, Alphinaud lacks some self control.

Day 30: Sounding - A Special Gift for Alphinaud (Mono/Alphinaud)

Mono has a gift for Alphinaud, to expand their toy collection. He needed to be able to sit back and relax, too.

Day 31: Your Pick (Incest) - Can't Study (Alisaie/Alphinaud)

Alisaie helps her brother out after he can't focus on his studies.

[cinderella-gurei]

he'd thought to check his son in the dead of night - and though such a task would be usually down to his mother, sylvestre would find peace in seeing the boy comfortable in bed, fast asleep and dreaming of only great greagor knows what. a world ruled by dragons perhaps? more-than-likely - a world ruled by those dolls he seems so keen on toiling with.

he edges open the door, leans his head inside - is honestly surprised to see olivier not fast asleep but instead up, his doll in hand and words shared.

"olivier-" the blonde shifts through the darkness, offers his son a half-concerned look. late into the night and yet the lad speaks to his dolls? should sylvestre feel concern or do these childish spoils simply allude him? "my son, you ought to be aslumber-" he nestles himself beside his child, eases his cane to the floor as he lowers himself to the boy's height - one hand held atop olivier's shoulder "a future emperor shan't play with dolls 'til dead of night. come - to bed with you."

Time flew by, he was unsure of when it was that he had been sent back to his chambers to rest. He was tired for sure, but the call of his 'imaginary friend' had a harsher grip on him that he was unable to ignore. What was a minute or two of play? After all, the words his friend said were enough to keep him entertained, in a trance of secrets and magicks that the kid didn't know much about. To him, it was all fun and games, though it also tasted like escapism and dreams. He quite liked it -- especially when his parents were too busy to give him attention.

The friend asks of the kingdom; the kid's father and mother, and the boy answers. The door opens quietly and the boy keeps eyes on his toy, uncaring for whomever had entered the room. He jiggled the toy's little arms as if he were holding hands with it, prisoner of words he didn't bother to decipher.

He hears his name in the voice of a familiar figure and he only glances for a second before turning back to his toy. He'd continue playing, he could still hear the little soldier talk to him, locking him back into that enticing promise of darkly innocent fun. And just as he continues jingling, an imaginary adventure unfolding, he feels his father's firm hand over his shoulder. That's the exact moment when he finally notices the man has reached his side and the spell seems to lower, hazel eyes turning over to his father, exposing a tired expression.

"But I'm not done yet... There's still much I have to share and more I have to see." And even though he complains with an irritated whimper, a hand goes to one of his eyes as he gently scratches it. "Would you like to talk with him, too, Father? He is quite interested in you."