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nikkoliferous · 4 years

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Phase One: Thor

Since I was looking up my past live-blog of the novel and realising how annoying and repetitive reading through it all is because of my having structured it as a bunch of reblogs, I’ve decided to organize it all into one long-ass post instead. In case anyone else wants to read it in the future. Or in case I decide to re-read it. Because I’m hilarious. 😅

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO

My Hilarious Yet Wrathful Overview Of Phase One: Thor, Redux

—

If your son who’s to become king requires a babysitter to not screw it all up and also the idea of him being king is stressful enough to put you into a coma, maybe, uh… reconsider doing that? Just a thought.

But you see here why Odin was so deadset on Thor becoming king, despite him being ill-suited for the role. It’s not about what’s best for Asgard; it’s about personal legacy. Thor is Odin’s mini me, and Loki is very much not. There are places within the text where Odin laments Thor “lacking his father’s wisdom” (he’s definitely inherited your humility, though, Odin!), but he hopes for Thor to grow into a “wise king” like himself. Whereas he holds no such illusions (lol, pun) that Loki will ever take after him.

now with tag commentary! #this scene is in the script and both novelizations #(though in reading this novel seems to just be a more complete version of the junior novel? #idk i'm confused because they're supposedly written by different authors but so far the text is identical) #and it drives me insane each time i read it

“Haha, I’m a warmongering piece of shit, isn’t it funny?”

I know, I know. I try to cut Asgard some slack for being such a militaristic culture because social changes happen slowly and when you live for thousands of years per generation, it makes sense that your views on things like war would be regressive. The text says Odin has ruled Asgard for tens of thousands of years (so much for taking Loki’s “give or take 5,000 years” line literally; sure, the Odinsleep would have extended Odin’s lifespan, but by that much? Idk).

Still, fuck Odin. Especially since he’ll eventually try to shame Loki for doing the same thing he’s fucking boasting about here. And on a much smaller scale too.

…is it, though?

I actually think Loki’s relationship with being the centre of attention is really interesting in its complexity and we don’t discuss it enough. I’ve said this before, but he strikes me as the sort of person who craves attention but also wouldn’t really know what to do with it if he had it. He craves it as a result of neglect, because he’s never been shown recognition or validation. This is why he seems to revel in it in Stuttgart, even in (or maybe especially in?) his brainwashed state. But he also frequently comes across as pretty introverted and has horrible self-esteem, so I think on another level, sustained, genuine attention would make him feel kind of uncomfortable. Loki seems to believe that in order to be loved or respected, he has to literally be Thor, though. And Thor has always been the centre of attention, so for Loki, attention is synonymous with respect.

I find Loki’s relationship with wanting attention especially fascinating because I too both crave and fear it. As a borderline, I need it. When no one is paying attention to me, I lose my sense of identity. I feel as though I literally cease to exist. It’s excruciatingly painful. And yet, I have no authentic sense of self; I’m just a chameleon, and the closer people get to me, the more likely it is they’ll see behind my mask. They’ll realise it’s all a show and that I’m actually no one. And then they’ll leave. I can’t help wondering if that’s how Loki feels sometimes too.

Wait, what? You mean goat. His horns are shaped like a goat’s. This is a ram:

This is a goat:

This is Loki:

Do you see now? They’re like a goat. Not a ram. Not a cow. A GOAT.

This book was written before Ragnarok was a thing, so it may be unfair to connect the two, but it still seems worth noting that it was Thor who reduced Loki to being no more than a trickster to begin with. “You could be more,” my ass. Loki’s problem has never been that he was one-dimensional; it was always that the people in his life, including Thor, refused to see any other dimensions to him. Which makes those words particularly cruel—as if they aren’t cruel enough already, what with the physical torture and all.

Always happy to have cause to point out that

Loki was on Thor clean-up duty their whole lives; he certainly was not trying to kill Thor.

People like to point to Loki’s attempted genocide of the Jötnar and attempted(-ish? lol) conquest of Earth as proof that he’s some kind of violent maniac. But in a little place I like to call reality, Loki was historically far less aggressive and bloodthirsty than his peers.

Question: why is one conqueror evil and the other is righteously entitled to ruling over the Nine Realms?

Asgardian exceptionalism FTW

I can’t even begin to imagine what would lead you to expect such a thing, Odin. 😂

Uh, ‘cause it is?? And also their planet is MELTING without it??

This is all only within the first two chapters, btw. Lmao

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“Looking for answers,” my foot.

YOU WOULD THINK SO, WOULDN’T YOU??

#i mean unless you knew heimdall #he only commits treason on days that end in y

—

What’d I say? Thor clean-up dutyyyyy

Just wanna remind everyone that this

is why he’s smiling during this scene

because it makes me laugh every time. 😂

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My heart breaks every time I remember that second excerpt because literally ALL OF IT happened to him when he survived falling through the wormhole. My poor boy. 😭

But also of note… Loki gets cold (and also does not like being cold). This interests me because 1) as many are aware, the prevalent headcanon that Loki has a low body temperature irritates me and 2) it possibly(?) lends weight to the theory that he may not be fully Jötun, whether by virtue of his birth or Odin’s spell.

Haha, look at this Feminist Icon™ trying to take credit for his female friend’s accomplishments! Truly inspiring.

#for some reason the ragnarok lovers have somehow decided that thor is both a feminist and lesbian icon #whatever that means 🤷‍♀️ #and i'm still trying very hard to figure out why #is it literally just because he *says* he respects women or whatever in that dumb rambly conversation with valkyrie?

Ooh… you were so close to getting the point, Volstagg. So close. Take your tongue off Odin’s boot for just a couple minutes longer.

Also, the author just forgot the name of the Casket. How did this book get published? 😂

JUST LOOKING FOR ANSWERS, HUH?

Because fuck Loki, amirite? He, uh… he’s a prince too, you know.

Also… Fandral, you dweeb 😂

…am I reading too much into this, or did Odin just literally forget that Loki exists?

On the other hand, the author also seemed to forget Loki existed for most of this chapter, so who knows. 🤷‍♀️

lmao @ Jane immediately trying to convince herself she’s too rational to be attracted to a stranger

Honestly, though, big mood.

Just your periodic reminder that Thor’s sycophantic friends KNEW Loki was right and decided to throw him under the bus anyway.

Just as I’ve always said: That was it. That was their ENTIRE rationale. That Loki *could* have done it, therefore he must have. Please tell me these people have nothing to do with Asgard’s justice system.

…lol, jk, Asgard has no justice system.

Ok, first of all, no.

Second: thank you, Fandral. You’re a self-absorbed cad, but also evidently Thor’s least stupid friend.

Thirdly, how…? First, it was, “Loki arranged all this because he’s jealous of Thor.” Now they’ve suddenly jumped all the way to, “All of Asgard is in danger.” What exactly does Sif think Loki is planning? He’s gonna, what… assassinate Odin and then sell Asgard to the Jötnar?

—

Please stop hurting me.

Just so there’s no confusion: this one sentence explains everything Loki did for the rest of the movie. It explains how a person who has been historically non-aggressive suddenly transforms into a warmonger. To prove himself a real Asgardian, like his brother and father and grandfather.

—

…why did Odin fall into the Odinsleep in two completely different scenes in this book? I’m super confused.

Also, we really need to talk about how cruel it is of Marvel to keep forcing Loki to prove his loyalty again and again and again when he’s been doing so almost literally since we met him. And by “we need to talk about it”, I mean I need to tie Kevin Feige and co. to a chair and spend a minimum of five hours lecturing them on how poorly they understand their own fucking character.

Let’s just be clear here: they’re talking about Loki. They’re saying Loki, their LEGITIMATE king, is an enemy of Asgard, based on evidence so paper-thin it’s practically invisible. Just… please, let that sink in. Take a moment to appreciate how utterly fucked up that is.

I’m sorry (not really), but Thor was so much funnier before Ragnarok.

This scene has always kind of bugged me. If Odin removed Thor’s powers, how come he can still control the weather? Confusing.

So what exactly was Thor’s plan anyway, before he realised he couldn’t lift Mjölnir? He was just gonna call on Heimdall to help him commit treason AGAIN, show up on Asgard against the expressed command of his king, and… Odin would just shrug and be like, “You got me, son! I guess I can’t keep you down. Welcome home!”?

…I mean, I guess that more or less is what happened in the end, but it’s hard to imagine it would have still gone down that way without all the stuff that happened with Loki. Idk.

#look what i'm saying is... thor is not exactly a thinking person #no one on asgard is a thinking person #except loki but he's crazy now so he's also thinking somewhat poorly lol

Cool, Thor. Now imagine feeling that way for ONE THOUSAND YEARS and develop a little fucking empathy for your brother.

But you won’t.

You’ll brush off his feelings of worthlessness as “imagined slights”. 😒

Nice that somebody knows how the royal line of succession works, I guess…

That sound you hear? Yeah, that’s just my heart breaking. NBD.

First, they mislabelled it the Casket of Eternal Winters. Now it’s the Cask of Ancient Winters. Author must have been thirsty when they wrote this. Lol

Look, not to nitpick, but this is not the recommended procedure when you see a storm that you don’t believe is of supernatural origin coming. I’m just saying. Lol

Uh… ‘cause he is?? And your pals are committing treason AGAIN, Thor, so it technically is responding to a threat to Asgard. Just FYI.

Anyways, this is an important point that doesn’t get made often enough. People want to act like Loki illegally usurped the throne somehow, but even without the deleted scene that explicitly shows Frigga passing rulership to him (a scene which is, for some reason, entirely skipped over in this book, but whatever), understand this: Loki could not have controlled the Destroyer unless he was legitimately King of Asgard. The fact that he’s able to do so is irrefutable proof that his rulership is valid.

lmao you little shit

So… here’s my issue with this scene (and with Thor as a character): He always assumes that Loki’s acting out specifically to hurt him. That Loki’s entire life and thought process revolves around Thor. He does it in this scene, he does it in The Avengers… it’s just a chronic thing with Thor. Everything is viewed through the lens of Loki inexplicably hating him.

But that’s… just not accurate. Yes, Loki harbours a lot of jealousy towards Thor. But that’s not what’s happening in this scene. Loki is not trying to kill Thor here because he wants him dead; he’s doing it because Thor (and his friends) are getting in the way of Loki completing his ultimate goal. Loki tried to solve this problem non-violently, by lying about Odin being dead. It’s Thor’s friends who all but forced his hand by going behind his back and trying to bring Thor back to Asgard against Loki’s (and Odin’s!) direct orders.

For all the humility he’s learned in the past few days, this entire speech is still really all about Thor. About assuming that Loki’s doing this for personal reasons, because he holds a grudge against Thor for some unknown reason. This is implicit in his request to “take [my life] and end this.” It never even occurs to him that his friends are traitors to the Crown and Loki, as King of Asgard, is perhaps justified in pursuing them.

It also needs to be acknowledged that Thor’s apology here is hollow, even if it’s ultimately coming from his heart, because he has no idea what he’s apologising for. “Whatever I have done to wrong you” is not an apology. An apology addresses specific hurtful actions taken and commits to not repeating those mistakes in the future. Thor cannot commit to not repeating the hurtful things he’s done, because he doesn’t know what he’s done. Despite his best intentions, what Thor is doing here is actually kind of manipulative. He’s not addressing any substantive issue between the two of them; he’s just trying to talk Loki down. And it ultimately fails not because Loki doesn’t care or because he wants Thor dead, but because it doesn’t actually change anything.

Finally and only semi-relatedly, we should maybe at some point talk about the fact that Loki, who is stated to be a master tactician, has displayed a weird pattern of hardly ever being as lethal as he could be. He freezes Heimdall in place instead of killing him outright; he backhands Thor with the Destroyer instead of incinerating him; he, well… *gestures vaguely at almost the entirety of the first Avengers movie* Anytime the violence is even a little bit personal, he seems to hedge. Odd behaviour for somebody who’s supposedly super evil.

I’m sorry, I know I’ve pointed it out at least a hundred times before, but I just can’t encounter this scene in any form without taking a moment to appreciate how underrated and hilarious it is.

I also genuinely wonder how many Ragnarok stans who have accused me of having no sense of humour, have failed to laugh at moments like this one. Kinda feel like if you need to have the comedy spoonfed to you in the form of ass jokes, maybe you’re the one whose sense of humour is lacking. 🤷‍♀️

Let’s be super clear: this is not what happened. Loki did not betray Odin; he was betrayed by Odin. He did not open Asgard to its enemies; he attempted, misguidedly, to destroy Asgard’s enemies. And he most certainly did not commit suicide out of a sense of guilt.

I’m not saying Loki did nothing wrong, nor am I saying he feels no regret for the lives he has taken. What I’m saying is there’s no indication that he believes he betrayed Odin or Asgard in the process. Which makes perfect sense, because he didn’t. Everything he tried to do was for Odin and Asgard. It was misguided and horrible, yes, but it can hardly be classified as a betrayal.

The insurmountable burden on Loki is not that he did terrible things, but that no matter what he does or how hard he tries, Odin will never look at him with anything but contempt. Consider once more these passages from the very beginning of the book, at Thor’s coronation:

—

Consider that this book goes to great pains to point out that Odin favours Thor because Thor is a warrior like him. And yet even when Loki embraces that, even when he acts more war-like than ever before, Odin rejects him— just as he always has.

There is a reason why this moment is the last time Loki will ever call Odin his father. Because he realises once and for all that, no, nothing he tries will ever be good enough; no, Odin won’t ever look at him with pride. That is Loki’s burden. That is why he lets go.

The epilogue is really just two pages of making me want to vomit.

There’s your party where Thor and a certain subset of the fandom insist that Loki was mourned. There’s barely an indication here that anyone even perceives his demise as a negative thing.

“[Sif] could see Frigga thought [Loki was dead] as well” also contradicts the tie-in comic for TDW, so I don’t know what the author is on about there. Unlike the majority of Marvel comics, the tie-in comics are canon to the MCU, so it’s a bizarre statement to make.

COULD YOU SMEAR THE DEAD* ABUSE VICTIM A LITTLE HARDER, PLEASE? Fucking hell.

No matter how many times I encounter this scene, in whatever format, I still fail to become desensitized to how disgusting it is. I realise there’s a good chance that whatever version of events Thor has been told was twisted at best; but how you can look at a man whose son has just committed suicide under any circumstances and say there will never be a better father than that guy, is utterly beyond my capacity to understand.

And Odin’s “you’ve already made me proud” line just feels like extra salt in the wound because, again, Loki let go because he realized Odin would never say those words to him. And yet they come so damn easily when it’s Thor.

Fuck this entire family so much. I think I hate them more than Loki does. Sometimes I wonder what he would think about that. How he would react to knowing that not only is he actually loved, but that he’s so loved that people are genuinely furious at the way he’s been mistreated. That there are people who regularly devolve into full-on rants because they just can’t contain how much anger they have towards the people who hurt him. I think he’d have a hard time wrapping his head around that concept, tbh.

Anyways, to end on a not-completely-depressing note, I’m still waiting for someone at Marvel to explain how Loki knew what Thor said in this scene after plummeting into a wormhole. ‘Cause he references this conversation as Fauxdin at the end of TDW. So like… ?? Did he steal Odin’s memories before he erased them? Because that would be… kind of neat, actually. And very clever. Not entirely ethical, of course, but it’s Odin, so fuck ethics.

WELP, THAT’S IT. Thanks for following along with my dumbassery, hope you enjoyed yourselves. Lol

#phase one: thor #loki meta #thor meta #odin's a+ parenting #frigga's b+ parenting #topic: thor and loki's broken relationship #loki #thor #heimdall #lady sif #the warriors 3 #jane foster #ragnarok cinematic universe #mcu #topic: asgardian hypocrisy #topic: asgardian militarism #topic: odin's family dynamic

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piermanwalter · 3 years

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Thinking about the Bayonetta MGR crossover and it’s basically console wars and Mac vs PC with actual human bodies.

It’s the year 2085 and LumenOS by Lighthouse Biotechnology is the most popular engine for coding brain-machine interfaces. It’s biggest competitor, UmbraOS by Left Hand Cybernetics, became free and open source after the Lighthouse and Left Hand CEOs married each other, causing a stock market panic and both of them getting voted off their board of directors for conflict of interest and insider trading reasons. This loss of good leadership eventually led to both companies going bankrupt. To stay open, Lighthouse was purchased by Ithavoll Group. Meanwhile, Left Hand chose to go out of business and posted its source code on the internet as a final goodbye.

Both engines are coded on the intricate but infuriating fuzzy-logic focused programming language Enochian and are very similar in function if not in construction. Most of their differences come from distribution policies.

LumenOS is suited for bringing injured and incapacitated people to working condition as quickly as possible. To avoid trauma, most commercially available Lumen software is built with emotion inhibition and memory suppression. It can be argued that Lumen uses the human brain as hardware to run its own processes instead of preserving the original person, but it can also be argued that people don’t want to remember getting hit by a truck, or being trapped in a burning house, or years of failed cancer treatments.

Regardless of moral implications, because full body cyborgs running on Lumen can walk and talk within days or surgery, while other BMI engines take years of physical therapy to regain normal function, many medical providers and individuals choose Lumen.

Lumen is mostly used by Ithavoll and its subsidiaries, since licensing fees for outsiders has been raised to 80 million dollars a year. This insane entry price ensures Lumen-running products are consistently high quality, but are also becoming increasingly inaccessible.

UmbraOS was originally suited for accurately simulating and enhancing all human senses, but after 30 years of being open source, it’s now used for whatever fuck shit you can get away with. Countless Umbra scripts can be found for free, but there’s no guarantee any of them will be useable. For every treasure like the flight skills and reaction time of a dragonfly or the ability to toggle the taste of hot nachos on and off, there are a thousand scripts that give you diabetes and force you to email your credit card information to make it stop. Lord help you if your UmbraOS implant is connected to WiFi.

Because the engine is open source, many BMI programmers get their start on Umbra, which has indirect benefits for other Enochian-based engines. Even for skilled programmers, it’s considered best practice to carefully curate your own custom pile of scripts other people made to run your body with, because no single person can do it all alone. It’s also considered dishonorable to charge money for Umbra scripts if you aren’t custom-making it for a single person.

Although Umbra is sketchy and often dangerous, many people unable to afford more legit procedures rely on secondhand implants running Umbra to survive.

Following a period of extended global peace and stability, many cyborg paramilitary organisations, and the various other companies supporting that industry, have gone out of business.

Cardinal Ventures LLC, once famous for actually affording a legal Lumen license and building bespoke bodies for its enforcers, was barely able to limp along using clout gained from eradicating other mercenaries during the United States Civil War II, but tensions in upper management reached a breaking point when one cofounder, Lucifer, fought the other cofounder, Jubileus, sent her into a coma, and went into hiding.

Now the de facto leader, Fortitudo tried to keep Cardinal together. He isn’t exactly stupid, but his expertise lies more with melting enemy cyborgs into slag and less in running a business. To avoid falling into inescapable debt, and also tempted by promises to revive Jubileus, and also because vintage cyborgs are vulnerable to parts trafficking gangs, Fortitudo sold Cardinal to Ithavoll Group.

Initially, the deal was very good since it was made in Vigrid, whose European laws of cyborg personhood were a lot more generous than American laws, which were written in response to repeated ninja and metal gear crises, and also that one time a US senator’s medical nanomachines went haywire and tragically caused him to go insane.

The deal worsened when it was revealed that the deal was technically made in Isla del Sol, an autonomous region in Vigrid that’s basically a corporate dictatorship. The laws changed and now all Lumen-running cyborgs involved with the deal are legally not human and belong to Ithavoll. With constant Lumen software updates, Fortitudo is literally incapable of feeling too bad about it, but his panic and betrayal come out in more indirect ways. To be fair to Ithavoll, Fortitudo is now in charge of the largest private cyborg army in the world, composed of other companies Ithavoll purchased and dissolved, including Laguna Homefront Solutions, Paradiso Augmetics, and the aforementioned Lighthouse Biotechnology.

At the center of Isla del Sol, the Ithavoll Building is at constant risk of terrorist attack. An individual of unclear origins was converted into a cyborg based off one of Cardinal’s prototypes and tasked to patrol the upper levels. Temperantia’s primary purpose is to do post-disaster search and rescue, aid building evacuation by making his own exits, but can also fight off attackers if needed. Since he has to be in the upper levels anyway, Temperantia argued that might as well get a regular job there. Ithavoll’s CEO Balder gave him an office job as a joke, but Temperantia did well and eventually worked his way up to Ithavoll Building Assistant HR Manager.

Built after the acquisition, Temperantia has no memories of Cardinal while it was independent, and doesn’t really get the rest of Cardinal’s devotion to Jubileus, but goes along with it to make his coworkers happy. Fortitudo initially saw him as a bastardisation of the Temperantia he once worked with, who ruins Cardinal’s military legacy by being a clueless civilian. They become work friends after Temperantia rips a gatling gun off a UG helicopter and shoots the entire convoy down with it from the Ithavoll Building roof.

Despite his horrifying strength and enormous uncanny mechanical body, Temperantia would prefer to be known as the guy who loves enamel pins and stringently enforces office dress code.

What could drive trained and made killers to sell their rights to a corporation for protection? Inferno is a black market criminal organisation that hunts cyborgs for parts. Catering both to filthy rich collectors and those too poor to afford legit implants, Inferno traps people in insidious contracts by converting the desperately injured into cyborgs whether they truly want it or not, then foisting debts so huge upon them that it can only be paid by acting as spies and informants to find rare and expensive cyborgs. If the debt grows too large or goes unpaid for too long, Inferno recoups their costs.

Typically, once a contractor finds a rare cyborg, they call a local Inferno agent to do the dirty work. Even worse, the contractor has to pay for all the expenses Inferno sustained to kill their target, meaning if the target escapes before the agent gets there, raises law enforcement attention, or is extremely dangerous, the debt may end up even greater.

Experienced contractors eventually learn to corner and incapacitate their targets themselves before calling Inferno. Some of them are so skilled at balancing on the knife’s edge of debt and respect that they leverage their contract into having their own private cyborg hit squad for life.

After many cyborg PMCs went bankrupt, Inferno gorged on newly weakened victims and flooded the black market with cyborg parts. However, to sustain the same profits now that the easy prey is gone, Inferno contractors now have to go after even rarer and more protected cyborgs to avoid debt murder.

Bayonetta was dredged from the bottom of a lake and restored by Inferno, incurring huge debts. Combined with Inferno debts she apparently sustained before she drowned and lost her memory, Bayonetta is forced to infiltrate Vigrid to go after the most expensive targets, Cardinals, or else Inferno will tear her apart.

#bayonetta #metal gear rising revengeance #graphic injuries #cyberpunk #politics #this is basically fanfiction

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it-begins-with-rain · 5 years

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Asian TV Recommendations: Masterpost

I’ve decided to consolidate my Asian TV Recommendations to a single post!

*Updated 10/04/2020: Dance of the Phoenix, The Lost Tomb, Reunion: The Sound of the Providence

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A Love So Beautiful

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Can the pure love of 17-year-olds endure through all the challenges of college and adulthood?

Chen Xiao Xi and Jiang Chen are high school friends and neighbors who grew up together. Xiao Xi is happy-go-lucky and doesn’t like to study much but she has a talent for drawing. Jiang Chen is popular for his good looks and high grades, but is cold and indifferent to other people.

Their friends include swimmer Wu Bo Song, who will do anything for XiaoXi, the dorky and over-confident gamer Lu Yang, and Lin Jing Xiao, the most beautiful girl in school (who Lu Yang is hopelessly in love with).

How will the realities of life shape the friendships and love lives of these young adults?

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Abyss (Netflix Original)

Language: Korean

Abyss is a spherical orb that has the power to raise the dead- with a kick: If you were a good person, you are resurrected younger and more attractive. If you were a bad person, your body could change into any form (generally you are at least decades older).

This is all well and good, until kind-hearted (yet unattractive) Cha Min is resurrected as a young hottie and given the Abyss. He finds an old man dead in the road and uses it to save him- unwittingly resurrecting a violent serial killer on his way to murder Cha Min’s best friend and lifelong crush, Criminal Prosecutor Se Yeon.

Cha Min resurrects the vain and petty Se Yeon (who returns to a body identical to her professional rival) and together they must hunt down the murderer- whatever his new face may be.

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Arang and the Magistrate // The Tale of Arang

Language: Korean

The foolhardy ghost of a young woman seeks to discover the truth behind her unjust death and meets a magistrate named Eun-oh, who has the ability to see ghosts.

She is in possession of a distinct hairpin given to Eun-Oh’s missing mother- meaning Arang was holding it when she died. Eun-Oh and Arang’s search for her memories and his mother will become the focus of gods and ghouls alike.

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Ashes of Love // Heavy Sweetness, Ash-Like Frost

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Jin Mi is the secret lovechild of the Flower Deity and the Water Immortal, conceived before the Flower Deity suffers a fatal wound.

The deity gives birth to a baby girl (Jin Mi) on her deathbed, and foresees the infant will face a terrible trial by her 10,000th year. To save her from her fate, the Flower Deity gives Jin Mi a pill that makes it impossible for her to ever feel romantic love. Upon her death, she forbids anyone in the Flower Kingdom from revealing the fact that she had a child.

Several thousand years later, Jin Mi is a bumbling little fairy trapped in The Water Mirror- a gilded prison where low-level fairies can live in peace. Jin Mi believes she is a small Grape Fairy, and lives a happy (if not dull) life within the Mirror with her friends.

When a charred bird falls from the heavens into the Water Mirror, Jin Mi decides to eat save the poor little ‘crow’-- who in reality is Xu Feng, the mighty phoenix son of the Heavenly Emperor. Her decision to not eat save the Fire God will put them at the heart of plots and schemes, romances and adventures spanning the Flower Kingdom, Heavenly Realm, Demon Kingdom, and the Realm of Mortals.

**Trigger Warning: Contains reference to off-camera sexual assault.**

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Because This is My First Life

Language: Korean

Nam Se-Hee is a single man in his early 30's. A highly logical and anti-social man, he is constantly pressured by his family to find a woman and marry her- something he has no interest in whatsoever. The only things that matter in Se-Hee’s life are his cat and working so that he can pay off the mortgage on his house in 30 years.

Yoon Ji-Ho is a single woman in her early 30's. An assistant drama writer, she has lofty dreams and barely two pennies to rub together. The home she and her brother live in is cramped and small- doubly so once she finds out her brother has been living with a wife he never told her about. Ji-Ho is forced out of her home and- due to her financial situation- moves in with a “young woman” she’s only met via text- Nam Se-Hee.

Events unfold that will force Ji-Ho and Se-Hee into a corner from which they can only find one way out:: Enter into a strictly contracted marriage, absent love, romance, or sex, and keep up their ruse around family and friends for a period of two years.

But as time goes on, the cold and robotic Se-Hee and hopeless Ji-Ho begin to develop feelings for one another beyond that of a Landlord and a Tenant. It is only too easy for them to slip into the roles of Husband and Wife.

**Trigger Warning: On-Camera attempted rape, numerous instances of sexual harassment and non-rape assault (ie, groping)**

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Cunning Single Lady

Language: Korean

Na Aera, a woman left with crippling debt after divorcing her husband, learns her ex has become a millionaire off a mobile app she inspired during their time together. She forms a plot to seduce her ex husband, re-marry him, and then take him for half his new net-worth. Her ex is well aware of this plot, and has been waiting for a chance to get some closure of his own for their abrupt split.

There are two questions the pair must find the answer together: How do you scheme against someone if you accidentally fall in love with them again? And why did Na Aera really decide to leave her husband in the first place?

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Dance of the Phoenix

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Feng Wu, a former genius girl in the Junwu Continent, was attacked by her old enemy Zuo Qingluan. In the attack, she lost not only her memories and abilities, but her “phoenix blood” which made her powerful.

In order to save Feng Wu her secret tutor, Master Mu Jiuzhou (a hero thought long dead whose soul is bound inside a ring Feng Wu wears around her neck), exhausted his vitality and fell into a deep coma.

The forces Master Mu Jiuzhou were trying to keep at bay are roiling again, readying for war unless Feng Wu can recover her memories, her power, and survive long enough to release him from the ring.

But if Feng Wu at full power couldn’t stop the evil Zhuo Qingluan’s attack and save herself, what chance does “normal person” Feng Wu have?

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Dear Judge // Your Honor

Language: Korean

Han Soo-Ho and Han Kang-Ho were born as identical twins, but live totally different lives.

Han Soo-Ho is a seemingly righteous judge, respected by all and beloved by his mother no matter how cold and dismissive he is. He is corrupt to his core and sells desired sentences to major corporations, no matter who gets hurt in the crossfire.

Han Kang-Ho, raised in his brother’s shadow, is a petty criminal with 5 separate prison terms under his belt. He flaunts the law and lives an angry and miserable life as the nobody his mother tells him he is.

When Han Soo-Ho is abducted by people intent on getting their own brand of justice, it coincides with Kang-Ho needing somewhere to hide. He secretly takes his brother’s place as a judge. He intends to just cut and run, but begins to fall for judicial intern Song So-Eun, whose blind faith in the justice system is both misguided and infectious.

Han Kang-Ho, once considered trash by his own family, suddenly finds himself highly respected and admired. As a veteran of the criminal justice system he knows every trick and trap, but will he use his knowledge to rake in the dough like his corrupt brother, or will he wield his newfound power to bring mercy to the law?

**Trigger Warning: Contains partially on-camera rape, references to rape, assault, and themes of assault-related PTSD**

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Fairyland Lovers

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Bai Qi is a “spiritual doctor” who travels the world to rid spirits of their obsessions and stop them from becoming monsters. Eons ago he himself was at the threshold of becoming an Evil Spirit, and was saved by a Divine Warrior who helped him find a way to move past his darkness before tragically losing her life.

Isolated from the world and alone with a sprig of his lost love’s peach tree, Bai Qi meets the sunny but hapless actress Lin Xia. Not only does the tree come to life in her presence- and not only can she use the tools left behind by his lost lover- she also has the same face.

Curious, Bai Qi enters into a co-habitation agreement with Lin Xia and she helps him cleanse souls before they can turn into Evil Spirits. As their lives intersect, a memory that Bai Qi sealed away for over ten thousand years begins to surface.

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Flower of Evil

Language: Korean

Baek Hee-Sung seems like the perfect husband.

A craftsman, his hard work allowed his metal-working studio to flourish and he provides a good life for his wife, Detective Cha Ji-Won, and their young daughter. But behind his perfectly sculpted mask hides a dark secret that even his wife does not know:

Baek Hee-Sung is really Do Min-Soo, a boy believed to have aided his father in a series of grizzly serial-murders 18 years ago.

Unfortunately, secrets have a way of coming out, and as a homicide detective, it is Cha Ji-Won’s job to uncover as many of them as she can. A murderer strikes, leaving behind all the hallmarks of the murders committed by Do Min-Soo’s father. Ji-Won finds herself on a dark path that could destroy the very foundations of her happy life.

Who is Baek Hee-Sung? What really happened eighteen years ago? And what will Cha Ji-Won do once she realizes just who she is married to?

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Guardian

Language: Chinese

Super-Detective Zhao Yunlan meets university professor (and powerful supernatural being) Shen Wei and the two men are instantly drawn together by a past one cannot forget and a future the other cannot guess. As they grow closer, they find themselves at the heart of a high-stakes supernatural battle between unknown enemies.

Will the heroic duo’s unique talents- and special bond- be enough to help them outwit the forces of darkness?

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Handsome Siblings (2020 Netflix Edition)

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Hua Wuque is a pillar of righteousness and virtue, the only male disciple of the powerful Yihua Palace cultivation clan. An orphan, he was taken in by the clan leader and her sister and raised with only one goal in life: to find and kill Jiang Xiaoyu, a mighty villain and enemy of Yihua Palace.

So who is Jiang Xiaoyu? Also known as Xiaoyu’er, Jiang Xiaoyu is an orphan himself- the same age as Hua Wuque in fact- raised by the five most feared and hated villains in the world within the confines of the Wicked Canyon. Into Jiang Xiaoyu the villains poured their knowledge, tricks, and ruthlessness, seeking to create the ultimate villain. There is only one problem: As he was raised in the Wicked Canyon and surrounded by nothing but villains, Jiang Xiaoyu mostly uses his abilities to… harm villains and protect the weak.

When Jiang Xiaoyu comes of age and leaves the Wicked Canyon (or rather, becomes too much of a trickster for the villains to handle anymore), Hua Wuque is unleashed to venture from Yihua Palace and hunt down his enemy.

But how could someone kept confined in the Wicked Canyon for the first 18 years of his life be a threat to Yihua Palace? And why must Hua Wuque be the one to kill him (under direction that Jiang Xiaoyu cannot die naturally, be killed by someone else, or kill himself)?

There is a piece of the story Jiang Xiaoyu and Hua Wuque do not know: they are orphans of the same tragedy, in which the divine hero Jiang Feng spurned the love of both leaders of Yihua Palace for a beautiful servant named Hua Yuenu. Hua Yuenu was forced to commit suicide and Jiang Feng killed himself rather than submit to the Ladies of Yihua–

Leaving behind newborn (non-identical) twin sons.

Yihua Palace’s plot is a simple (if OTT) act of vengeance against Jiang Feng’s memory:: Force one brother to murder the other, then reveal to Hua Wuque the sin he has committed and let it drive the boy insane.

Will the truth come out before Wuque finds and kills Xiaoyu, or will the evil Ladies of Yihua Palace finally have the vengeance they have waited for for over 18 years? As Wuque and Xiaoyu’s paths cross more and more they strike up an unlikely friendship, even knowing there is no escaping their dark fate.

**Trigger Warning: Later episodes include off-camera sexual assault and on-camera depictions of near-rape.**

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Hello, My Twenties

Language: Korean

With different personalities, life goals, and taste in men, five female college students become housemates in a shared residence called Belle Epoque.

Trigger Warning: Season 1 contains scenes of abuse and forced confinement; Season 2 deals with severe PTSD.

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Hi My Sweetheart

Language: Taiwanese-Mandarin

Xue Hai is a kindhearted (and extremely wealthy) but naïve man who has been sheltered by his big sisters his entire life. He decides to go to college in China- where no one knows him- under the name Da Lang and with the image of a poor scholarship student. There Xue Hai meets the dominant, friendless, and rebellious Bao Zhu. Naturally the two fall in love, but after 4 years together, just as he’s going to reveal his identity and propose, Bao Zhu viciously dumps him.

Fast forward three more years. Xue Hai has transformed himself into a handsome but ruthless playboy who treats women as nothing more than toys to be used and cast aside. When he chances across Bao Zhu once more, he decides to launch a campaign to destroy her heart as thoroughly and mercilessly as she did his.

Except Xue Hai is missing one important piece of their love story: Bao Zhu only left him to protect him from her domineering mother, and she has been searching for her beloved Da Lang ever since.

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Hit the Top // The Best Hit

Language: Korean

A free-spirited idol vanishes in the early 90s and reappears in 2017 where he is given a second chance to mend his previous relationships, form a bond with a son he never knew existed, and perhaps solve his own suspected murder before fate throws him back where he belongs.

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Hotel Del Luna

Language: Korean

Nestled deep in the heart of Seoul’s thriving downtown sits a mysterious hotel, the likes of which no one has ever seen before. Old beyond measure, the building has stood for millennia, an ever-present testament to the fact that things are not always what they seem.

The Hotel Del Luna is the final place on this earth lost souls pass through before they move on to the other side. For centuries the hotel has been under the control of Man Wol- a greedy and suspicious immortal.

When the multi-faced goddess of Fate plants a human in her path to take over as Manager of the hotel, she gives him a task: discover the truth of Man Wol’s grudge and heal her weary soul before Man Wol succumbs to past hatreds and destroys herself forever.

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The King’s Avatar

Language: Mandarin Chinese

In the online multiplayer game Glory, Ye Xiu is well known as the undisputed master of professional sports- though no one outside of the professional teams actually knows what he looks like as he hides his face from media and fans. A player since he was a child- and raised largely in professional player training camps- Ye Xiu has no understanding of the outside world.

Halfway through the season, the money-hungry company behind his team, Excellency Era, forces him out and replaces him with an undisciplined hot-shot. Penniless and with nowhere to go, Ye Xiu crosses the street and enters the Happy Internet Cafe. The owner is a diehard fan of the mysterious Ye Xiu, and hires Ye Qiu as an IT manager not for his experience, but for his shared love of the game.

When Glory launches their tenth server, Ye Qiu throws himself into the game once more. Equipped with ten years of gaming experience, memories of an unfinished pledge to a dead friend, and an incomplete self-made weapon, Ye Qiu will rise from the ashes, forge a new team, and take back his crown.

**This drama sees actor Yang-Yang once again assume the role of Legendary Gamer, as he played previously in ‘Love O2O’ (Recommended below)

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The Lost Tomb**

Language: Mandarin Chinese

50 years ago, a group of Changsha grave robbers known as the “Mystic Nine” dug out manuscripts of the location of treasures from the Warring States period, but soon after almost the entire group was hunted down and slaughtered.

In the present, the young grandchild of the sole survivor, Wu Xie, discovers a secret within his grandfather's notes as well as half of a silk manuscript that may reveal the location of the lost tomb. But there is one problem- the other half of the manuscript is held by a shady organization of tomb raiders eager to break in and steal whatever cultural relics are inside the tomb.

Wu Xie has a "National Treasure” moment and decides that in order to stop the objects in the tomb from vanishing into the black market he will break in first and recover whatever is inside (’I’m going to steal the Declaration of Independence...’).

Wu Xie is helped on his journey by his beloved “Third Uncle” Wu Sanxing, his uncle’s right hand man Panzi, and the mysterious Xiao Ge - a tomb raider who seems to know of traps before they are sprung and whose hand has been mutilated in a way not seen among tomb robbing families in over a century.

They expected to find a lost tomb, perhaps chase away some thieves, and learn about an exciting piece of lost history. What they did not expect was for the tomb to strike back, the dead to rise, and the past to fight and keep what secrets it holds.

Who exactly are this alternate group of tomb robbers? What are they searching for? What exactly is protecting the tomb? Whose side is Xiao Ge truly on? And- most crucially- can Wu Xie survive long enough to find the answers?

** This recommendation is part of a broader series of shows and movies, all adapted from “The Gravedigger’s Notebook” and its sequels::

The Lost Tomb (2015)

The Lost Tomb 2: Explore With the Note (2016)

Time Raiders (2016 movie)

The Mystic Nine (2016)

Tomb of the Sea (2018)

Reunion: The Sound of the Providence (which gets its own recommendation below; 2019-2020)

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Love O2O

Language: Mandarin Chinese

** O = letter, not number

Wei-Wei has both beauty and brains. A computer goddess, she aspires to be an online game developer. In her spare time, she plays her favorite online game ‘A Chinese Ghost Story’- where she has made a name for herself as the top female player on the entire server.

After her online husband dumps her, she gets a message from legendary player Yixiao Naihe- asking to become her online husband (marriages in-game offer certain benefits and quest lines single players cannot achieve).

Little does Wei-Wei know that Yixiao Naihe is also her college senior and the most desired man on campus, Xiao Nai.

Will their online chemistry lead to a real-life romance? Yes. Of course it will. It’s in the title.

** Can’t get enough of Xiao Nai (Yang-Yang) as the Legendary Gamer? Check out his new show ‘The King’s Avatar’ (Recommended above).

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My Roommate is a Detective

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Shanghai in 1925 is caught between gang leaders and the European powers colonizing China.

A resourceful young police officer named Qiao Chu Sheng is on the trail of a brutal but devious killer. Realizing that the police force will need some extra help with this difficult case, he decides to form an elite crime-busting detective team. He reaches out Lu Yao, a Cambridge graduate a slick con-man.

Qiao Chu Sheng has learned that Lu Yao has remarkable powers of deduction and a brilliant mind – and believes he can help crack this difficult case. To round off the team, he enlists the help of Bai You Ning, a focused young female reporter for a daily newspaper. A free-thinking, independent young woman, she has a strong sense of justice – and pledges to help catch the killer.

The trio form a small detective squad that specializes in solving strange and unsettling murder mysteries.

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Mystic Pop-Up Bar

Language: Korean

Mystic Pop-up Bar tells the story of a mysterious outdoor drinking establishment run by an ill-tempered woman named Wol Joo, an innocent part-time employee named Han Kang Bae, and a former afterlife detective known as Chief Gwi who visit customers in their dreams to help resolve their problems.

To atone for a devastating mistake in her past life, Wol-Joo must aleviate the suffering of 100,000 individuals. After 500 years the counter stands at 99,990, but the impatient judges of the afterlife are tired of Wol-Joo’s bad attitude and increasing hatred of humanity.

She now has just one month to save 10 people, or else her soul will be destroyed forever.

**It’s worth noting the heavy similarities between Mystic Pop-Up Bar and Hotel Del Luna, though it should be said that Mystic Pop Up Bar’s script was finished first while Hotel Del Luna was made more quickly. The similarities between the two shows appears to be coincidental.

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Oh My Emperor

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Fei-Fei, a young doctor, is wounded in an accident and finds herself trapped in the ancient and mystical nation of Huang Dao. The people of Huang Dao are ruled by a king born of the stars- the physical embodiment of one of the twelve zodiac constellations. To keep discord from arising among the people, the Twelve Zodiac Masters govern together to keep the peace.

But a thirteenth sign has been forcibly subjugated, it’s Lord executed, and its people scattered to the wind. The lost sign- Ophiuchus- is rising once more- and Fei-Fei is its (unwilling) Master.

It only complicates matters slightly that Fei-Fei finds herself between the handsome and charming Master of Aquarius and his nephew- the cold Master of Capricorn (who is also the Emperor). Can Fei-Fei keep her identity secret long enough to solve the mystery of the Ophiuchus purge- or is Huang Dao doomed to destruction?

**This drama is a showpiece for members of the Chinese pop group X-Nine, do not judge it by the same standards as a traditional drama. Showpiece dramas tend to be a bit silly.

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Oh My Ghost

Language: Korean

Soon-Ae is the ghost of a woman who died a virgin. Believing getting laid is her only chance to move on before she becomes an evil spirit, she possesses the body of Bong Sun- an introvert with extremely low self esteem.

Acknowledging it isn’t an ideal arrangement, Soon-Ae decides help Bong Sun and focuses her seductive attentions on the man Bong Sun is secretly in love with. Bong Sun reluctantly agrees, hoping Soon-Ae’s influence will make her more outgoing and self-assured.

There are two problems with the girls’ plan once it goes into motion: Bong Sun’s colleagues worry she has had a mental breakdown and refuse to take advantage of her; and the longer Soon-Ae is in Bong Sun’s body the more she remembers of her own brutal assault and murder.

Soon-Ae’s unfinished business might have more to do with justice than tapping a hot chef, but can she solve her murder without putting Bong Sun in danger?

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Psychopath’s Diary

Language: Korean

In the wrong place at the wrong time, kind-hearted and timid Dong Shik plays witness to a gruesome murder. As if that weren’t bad enough, he stumbles across the killer’s diary-a horrible record of his heinous crimes and the psychotic ramblings of a narcissistic sociopath.

Chased by the killer, Dong Shik runs into traffic and is hit by a police officer. After waking up from a brief coma, Dong Shik is left with 2 things: total amnesia, and the murderer’s diary. Dong Shik mistakes himself for the serial killer, and his personality begins to twist.

Can a timid man become a monster? What of the actual serial killer? With no diary to ground him, it’s only a matter of time before the killer loses what little control he once had.

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Reunion: The Sound of the Providence**

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Wu Xie, “Fatty” Wang Pangzi, and the quasi-immortal tomb raider Xiao Ge (AKA Zheng Qiling, Kylin, and “Poker Face”) have faced many dangerous tombs together over the past twelve years.

Now, it is time for them to go on their last great adventure as the so-called “Iron Triangle” before Wu Xie sets off on the journey all must eventually make: death. He always thought his end would come in a dangerous tomb, but instead it will be lung cancer that claims his life. With only 3-4 months left to live, Wu Xie hides the truth of his illness from his friends and family, revealing the truth only to Xiao Ge.

Once upon a time, Wu Xie was told that when a man meets his death he must do so with a clear conscience. But something has been weighing on Wu Xie- his Third Uncle’s disappearance at the end of their first adventure. Right on time, a message from his long lost uncle appears, setting Wu Xie on a desperate mission to find him before the cancer eating away at his body destroys him at last.

This will most likely be Wu Xie’s final journey, but he will do anything in his power to make sure his friends and family will be safe long after his time is up. In the final 3-4 months of Wu Xie’s life he will seek to unravel the mystery of the “Thunder City”- starting with the most dangerous tomb he’s ever explored, The South Sea King’s Tomb.

The sound of thunder hides a secret men have killed for, but is there really a way to hear the words of gods within it? Someone clearly thought so, but who? Is Uncle Sanxing still alive, or is someone in the shadows guiding Wu Xie to them?

Wu Xie’s enemies thought he was dangerous before, but now he is a dying man with a mission. There is no telling what lengths he will go to in order to achieve his goals. He might just manage to die in a tomb after all...

** This recommendation is just the latest installment in an entire series of stories adapted from “The Gravedigger’s Notebook” and related novels::

The Lost Tomb (2015)

The Lost Tomb 2: Explore With the Note (2016)

Time Raiders (2016 movie)

The Mystic Nine (2016)

Tomb of the Sea (2018)

Reunion: The Sound of the Providence (2019-2020)

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The Romance of Tiger and Rose

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Chen Xiao Qian has dedicated her life to making her dream of becoming a well-respected screenwriter come true. Standing on the production set of sweeping dramas she penned through endless blood, sweat, and tears, Xiao Qian can hardly believe what she is seeing: her work, come to life!

Except it isn’t a set. And her work truly has come to life.

Her script is a simple one: the heirs of two rival cities who seek to destroy one another enter into a doomed romance that will lead to endless betrayals and a war that will kill the male lead, Han Shuo.

There is just one problem- Xiao Qian wakes in the body of Han Shuo’s first wife on the day he will murder her! The only way for Xiao Qian to return to this world is to survive the story, but in keeping herself alive longer the script begins to change, and Han Shuo begins to fall in love with the wrong person.

At first it is easy for Xiao Qian to keep herself alive- just go along with the script! But the story wants to return to the original plot, which means characters who should be friends become enemies, enemies become friends, and Xiao Qian might not live long enough to find her way home.

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Secret Healer // Mirror of the Witch

Language: Korean

Once upon a time an evil shaman helped the Crown Princess conceive twins- but into the Princess’ womb she also cast a dark curse capable of destroying the nation. Her plans were thwarted by her former mentor- who at the command of the Princess consolidated the curse from two twins into just one- the female child. The world believes the shaman destroyed the princess, burning the baby in holy flame to purge the curse- but instead he decides to raise her and try to help her break the curse upon her.

If she dies before the curse is lifted, it will unleash hell and destroy the nation. To break the curse she must fulfill wishes- but the evil shaman’s life is bound to the curse she cast so long ago. As the curse starts to break, she realizes the child is not as dead as she was lead to believe and begins a campaign to root her out and destroy her.

The princess forms a bond with a young scholar who becomes entangled in the princess’ curse and will stop at nothing to help free her. Her curse carries a catch though: Anyone she loves will die... and anyone who loves her will also perish.

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Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

Language: Korean

A freakishly strong- but totally sweet- woman is caught between the love of her arrogant but handsome boss and her disinterested lifelong crush.

Her boss wants her to embrace her supernatural strength and use it proudly, but she loves that her crush treats her like someone weak and in need of protection. Bong Soon will have to chose for herself if she will suppress her strength for her childhood crush or unleash herself to protect those she loves.

A murderer prowling the streets might make that decision for her though...

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The Untamed

Language: Mandarin Chinese

On the cliffs of the Nightless City, upon defeating his enemies in a bloody slaughter, the cruel and vicious Yiling Patriarch- Wei Wuxian- threw himself to his death.

Sixteen years later, he is resurrected by a madman and given a second chance to right what went so terribly wrong long ago. Wei Wuxian reunites with the honorable, righteous, and stern Lan Wangji- his confidant, soulmate, and best friend.

How can someone as upstanding as Lan Wangji befriend the monstrous and hated Yiling Patriarch? What turned the happy and popular Wei Wuxian into the man who slaughtered thousands at Nightless by weaponizing the souls of the dead?

And what terrible secret was Wuxian resurrected to unearth?

The past is not always what it seems, and there is no clean line between right and wrong.

**This story is told in two sections: Episode 2 enters a 30-episode flashback sequence showing Wei Wuxian’s path from popular youth to the monster upon the Cliffs of Nightless, with the first 1.5 episodes, and the last 20, dealing with the “present”. Don’t worry if you’re lost when the show starts, that is by design.

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You’re Beautiful

Language: Korean

Go Mi Nyeo has only one goal in life: To take her final vows and become a nun. Her twin brother, Go Mi Nam, desires nothing more than the life of an idol so that he can use his fame to find their missing mother.

Go Mi Nam’s dream is in jeopardy after a botched surgery and his twin must put her life on hold to quite literally step into his shoes and cover for her brother.

She joins the band A.N.JELL and quickly ends up on the bad side of their more devil-like leader. Can Go Mi Nyeo hide her true identity from her band-mates long enough for her brother to return?

No. No she cannot. By the end of the first day all but one- the goofy and loving Jeremy- know that she is no man... But they let her think she’s fooled them. It’s funnier that way.

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W: Two Worlds

Language: Korean

Is it possible to live in the same place at the same time, but in a completely different dimension?

Yeon Joo is a second-year cardiothoracic resident doctor. Her father, creator of the world famous web series ‘W’ suddenly disappears one day. While searching for him Yeon Joo finds a strange man covered in blood and only barely manages to resuscitate him before the words “To Be Continued” flash across her vision and he disappears.

When she returns, there is a new chapter of her father’s blockbuster series available online- one that features a doctor with her exact name and clothing saving a man covered in blood...

Where is Yeon Joo’s father? How is the story updating itself? As she is dragged into the world of ‘W’ with increasing frequency Yeon Joo and the story’s leading man, Kang Chul, must answer the most important question of all:

Is it possible something from that world escaped into this one?

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Well Intended Love (Season 1: Drama Version)

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Seasons 1 and 2 of “Well Intended Love” feature the same stars playing the same characters, but the storylines are alternate-universes of one another telling the story from a different genre. Each season is its own wholly contained entity that does not impact- and is not impacted by- the other season in any way.

A third-rate actress with leukemia becomes entangled with the handsome but cold CEO Ling.

In order to receive a bone marrow transplant and contniue her career as an actress, Xia Lin enters into a secret marriage with Ling Yi Zhou. Despite the conspiracies and misunderstandings they encounter, the two begin to find true love.

But one question nags at Xia Lin’s mind:: Why did the cold, controlling, and distant Ling YiZhou need her to play the role of wife?

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Well Intended Love (Season 2: Rom-Com Version)

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Rising TV superstar Xia Lin finds herself embroiled in scandal after a run-in with business mogul Ling Yizhou at a party. To clear up any misunderstandings the two prepare a joint press conference-- where Xia Lin is stunned by Ling Yizhou’s statement that the two are- in fact- an engaged couple.

Ling Yizhou convinces Xia Lin to play fiancee for a period of one year, after which they can go their separate ways. To save face in front of her fans, Xia Lin agrees. She gradually begins to fall for the lovable and doting Ling Yizhou.

Someone works in the shadows to destroy everything Ling Yizhou holds dear- and the closer he gets to the heart of the conspiracy, the more he realizes Xia Lin may have a target on her back as well.

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What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim

Language: Korean

Can you be so self-absorbed that you have no idea what’s truly going on around you? Yeong Joon is Vice President of his family-owned company, Yoomyung Group. He is so narcissistic that he doesn’t pay attention to what his trusty secretary Kim Mi So is trying to tell him most of the time.

After nine years of making Yeong Joon look good and stroking his very large ego, Mi So decides to quit her job, citing a desire for a life outside of work and the chance to fall in love. Yeong Joon does not take the disruption of his routine well, and decides the only logical course of action is to make Mi So fall in love with him, thus guaranteeing she will stay by his side.

A dark secret from Yeong Joon’s past may hold the key to why he can’t let her go, but will Mi So stick around long enough to discover the truth?

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chistrike · 3 years

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TIFA LOCKHART AS A KOREAN - CODED CHARACTER; A STUDY

NIBELHEIM: A MOUNTAINOUS VILLAGE, FAR OFF FROM MIDGAR yet still under the control of SHINRA out of necessity. As Tifa’s hometown, it has served as a place of nurture, though not much else. As Zach & Cloud have joked, “A Mako Reactor outside of MIDGAR usually means… nothing else out there.” –it was a simple village if you ignored the touches of SHINRA. Because of this, the next generations were displaced as they grew up and could only look to midgar and SHINRA for work to provide.

JEJU ISLAND: A KOREAN MOUNTAINOUS ISLAND, ALSO COLONIZED BY JAPAN during the annexation of 1910-1945. away from the start of industrialization of seoul (then, hanseong) the island consisted of villages and a more isolated way of life– till the intrusion of the Japanese Imperial Army. Because of the proximity of Jeju island and Japan, many of the people were forcibly displaced as kidnapped or coerced slave laborers for the industrial imperial japanese army.

HEADCANON: TIFA’S MOTHER: A COURAGEOUS DIVER, LOVING MOTHER. in a village in the mountains, the people of Nibelheim had to be creative and resourceful in their way of life. as a way of living, some women found themselves as divers and fishermen. Naturally, they made for better divers and the women-dominated profession grew into a supportive community.

HAENYEO: THE LIVELIHOOD OF JEJU ISLAND, WOMEN DIVERS WHO HOLD THEIR BREATH FOR OVER 3 MINUTES, HARVESTING UNDER THE SEA FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. I’ve always been so interested in Haenyeo since I saw a monument made for them in Jeju and while I was thinking about how Tifa was Korean-coded, I couldn’t help myself as imagine Tifa’s mother as a diver. I just imagine her as an active woman who wanted to be out and about along with being a loving mother and wife.

THE NIBELHEIM INCIDENT: A TRAGIC MASSACRE AND THE DESOLATION OF THE VILLAGE. though the accident was outside of Shinra’s hands, justice calls for RESPONSIBILITY. Nibelhiem is covered up and never heard from again. Host to the JENOVA project, conducted by Hojo – which brought forth projects of torture, experimentations, and madness set the scene for chaos in Nibelheim– a convenience for Shinra to have these research projects outside of MIDGAR in order to have complete control of any experiments gone array. That chaos would ONLY be subjected to an unsuspecting village of innocents. A scene of a peaceful cover-up.

JEJU MASSACRE: FREE OF JAPANESE OCCUPATION AT JAPAN’S DEFEAT AT THE END OF WWII– U.S. forces quickly split korea in two, in order to appease USSR forces, and both countries took their piece of Korea (the US taking the south in order to ensure ‘security’ of the capital). With heavy forces of freedom fighting done in North Korea against the Japanese Imperial Army, the people looked to elect the leader of the freedom fighters Kim Il Sung as their first president. The South had a rigged election and dictator put in place by the U.S. with Sygman Rhee as their first ruler. As the people of JEJU ISLAND protested for solidarity and sovereignty, supporting the communist movements of land reform and education of the North– the US backed forces massacred anyone thought to be harboring communist sentiment, resulting in the cover up of 30,000 deaths. while whispers of the massacre circulated, the mass uncovering of the tragic events only occurred decades later in the 2000′s.

MT NIBEL: A PASSAGE FOR THE DEAD. At 8 years old Tifa loses her mother to a tragic diving accident. In her grief, Tifa decides to follow her soul out to Mt Nibel, as it is believed to be the only place for the dead to pass through to the living world. Falling off a bridge, Tifa remains in a coma for seven days.

HALLA SAN: THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN SOUTH KOREA, RESIDING ON JEJU ISLAND. Much of the partisan fighting that occurred during the war against the US backed police/military force and the communist freedom fighters, happened up towards Mt Halla. Many surviving villagers at the time tell stories of warnings of the mountain, that whoever goes up– never end up coming back down. With 10% of Jeju’s population being massacred, sighting of ghosts were widespread through the grief of loss.

AVALANCHE: THE ECO-’TERRORIST’ INSURGENT ANTI - SHINRA GROUP. labeled as an organization out to cause disorder by aligning with WUTAI, a country that opposed Shinra ( though now is under their mercy through their defeat after the wutai wars). IN REALITY: AVALANCHE is an eco-revolutionary militia, set on dismantling the corrupt, fascist and capitalist monopoly: SHINRA from killing the world for their benefit.

UIBYEONG or RIGHTEOUS ARMIES: Throughout of much Korean history, cells of Righteous Armies (civilian militias) have popped up and survived throughout multiple invasions from China and Japan. Throughout the period of political turmoil of Joseon (Korea) before the Japanese Occupation, these civilian militias surged with activity in order to assert their independence.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT, YURIM? It’s important because there are many Japanese companies who like to play with the idea of a fascist / capitalist corporation/government in media but still are very messy with how they involve race in these games. FF/7 does a better job at this but COULD STILL BE BETTER. The game easily focuses on the classism divide but does nothing more than adding a few POC / POC-coded characters to cover up where its lacking. So, I’m trying to add more complexity. Also, I feel the need to justify this because there will be people who’ll believe I’m a k/oreaboo or something and only want to use a Korean fc for Tifa when the truth is... i care so deeply about tifa and writing her as a Korean-coded character. I connected with her so closely for a reason.

#⭐ ㅤ ㅤ ( ㅤ NARRATIVELY SPEAKING ﹐ ㅤ ) ㅤ ㅤ — ㅤ ㅤ headcanon ㅤ .#queue.#i know ive posted this so many times but HEY its important to my tifa so it needs to be here LOL

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elmidol · 4 years

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Sed Non Obligant

Three Blind Tooke Part Three Death Is An Art

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Three Blind Tooke

Part Three: Death is an Art

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Sed Non Obligant

For with you, I am now one;

For with you, our life has begun.

Transitioning from limitations on social interaction to pursuing the company of multiple individuals threatened to wreak havoc on your nerves. There were some of those beings that you did not worry how they would react to your prolonged absence. Others, though, you were unsure how awkward things would be in those first several minutes. Would they make any scathing remarks? You thrust aside those thoughts, opted to seek out the former persuasion of folks, and thus were able to breathe. One such being was absent from the planet; Rey had returned from the world of her birth only to be called away to assist in some matter of piracy. Due to her abilities in the Force and the planet that had been targeted by the pirates, she was more welcome than the newly instated galactic law enforcement--nevertheless, Dameron had gone along with her, albeit unofficially and as a partner rather than in any position of authority.

Prior to his death, while you had felt a kinship with Vicrul, it had been different than the bond that you shared with Ap’lek or even with Cardo. There was a portion of him lost to you now that you would never touch, never know; in the same way, there were parts of you that he would not know. When he had held your hand by the edge of the pool, that squeeze of reassurance, of understanding, that had simultaneously been a farewell and greeting. It was Vicrul that you sought, though you were aware that Kuruk was with him at the time.

Floral and fruit scents wafted through the room the moment that the doors parted to permit you entrance. You inhaled deeply, allowed your eyes to close, and gave yourself the opportunity to remember the planet of your birth, your childhood. Things dead and lost, memories that opened doors for your future. Peace settled within you. Reopening your eyes, you studied the potted plants in the nursery. Kuruk observed you from one of the corners of the room. He wore his normal attire, whereas Vicrul had removed his helmet and a layer of his clothing. You nodded in Kuruk’s direction, and he returned the greeting before gesturing with his head towards the other Knight of Ren.

Heart thudding in your chest, you pressed one hand to your heart and closed the distance that had remained. Vicrul gave a grunt of acknowledgment as you drew up to his side. His organic arm twitched, meanwhile he squeezed a mechanical fist around a bag of soil. You heaved a sigh, understanding him though he had not spoken, not yet. You did not pity him, and that was likely why he did not pull away from you when you touched a hand to his upper arm while saying a soft hi.

“It’s quiet here.” There was no joy in his words, although you would not say that there was resentment either. Boredom perhaps. He was struggling to find his place in this galaxy, which was what would have occurred even if he had not lost a limb. The two of you were, in essence, in the same boat.

You reached forward to toy with the leaves of a plant. The action, the feel of what you had touched, sent a series of tingles running along your spine. “Do you feel caged?” In answer to your question, Vicrul held both of his hands palms up in front of himself. He stared at their surfaces then curled the two limbs into loose fists. His body was the cage, these new limitations obstacles that he would overcome. An end to the war left him with little to take his frustrations out on. “There will be missions of some sort.”

“Rules.” You barely managed to contain the snort; a choked sound erupted from you, earning Vicrul’s full attention. From his position, Kuruk swiped the back of his hand along the lower half of his face, as though he was also stifling proof of amusement. He may have been agreeing with his fellow Knight of Ren. For how long had they traveled among the stars without being forced to abide by laws? They had a reputation, one that had taken years to develop. This adjustment period would be more difficult for them than it was for you.

That was, strangely, humbling.

You lingered in the nursery for the remainder of the shift that Kuruk and Vicrul were taking to care for the plants. Afterwards the three of you walked together towards the medical facility in which Cardo received his scheduled therapy for the damaged nerves in his right hand and left foot. The injuries had not been enough to keep him down, however he battled occasional numbness. This was not much of an issue when it came to his hand, though his foot losing feeling was not something he had yet grown used to. You did not know a lot regarding the treatments that he was receiving, and you did not pry.

Ushar had joined Cardo for the session, which allowed you to meet with the pair at the same time. You felt more of the nervousness that had started to bubble forth again die down. These men were a part of your family--and while family could disappoint you, that was not the case with them and you. “You’re looking well.” Not a jab, more a statement. You could barely remember when last you had stood face to face with Cardo, or even face-to-mask. It was a blur, a swirl of moments that had elapsed after you had come back from death.

“I’m trying,” you replied. There were not a lot of other ways to explain it. You were not unwell, however you could not say that you were well in the general sense. The path you had decided to take was getting you there. A small smile tugged at your lips, and Cardo relaxed upon noticing it. “There are so many decisions to be made. Things to figure out.”

“War is swift, yet so is peace.” Swift or fleeting, which would be the more correct term? You hoped it was the former. Nodding, you drew closer to Ushar so as to give the physician in the room enough space to finish their task before leaving to tend to other patients. “Politics were not part of my plan.”

Oh, how you felt those words on a deep level. Understanding that politics were involved in war, it remained different than being actively political in the sense of attending meetings. Action versus discussion. One of the offers that had been extended to you for a future had been to serve as an aide to politicians that your mother knew. As before, you had no interest in that. Less interest, you thought while observing the four Knights interacting.

Trudgen would join them in time; the medically induced coma had had the side effect of plaguing him with night terrors since he had woken. You wondered--without fully wishing to know--what sorts of things so bothered him that Trudgen had become more reclusive. That his sleep pattern was disturbed enough to have physical side effects. He had requested that you meet with him one-on-one later, and you planned to do so within the coming hours of that same day. In the meanwhile, you watched his fellow Knights of Ren and resisted the urge to ask them for how to prepare for the upcoming meeting. This was no stranger. It would be okay, you told yourself.

And it was.

The pair of you met outdoors rather than inside, and you found yourself pleased with the arrangement. Trudgen’s desire for fresh air was one that you shared. The two of you sat together under a large tree that was native to the planet, its branches stretched far and providing ample shade from the bright sunlight. You toyed with a flower that fluttered down from the tree, rolling its petals between your fingers while looking at the Knight of Ren’s helmeted visage. He wore his usual armor, his weapon within reach despite the peace that the planet was enjoying.

“How many offers did you receive?” His voice did not break. Trudgen sounded little different than he had the last time you had spoken with him. In reply to his question, you first took a moment to consider what proposals had been extended to you regarding potential futures.

You relinquished your hold on the flower and watched as it fluttered away on the light breeze that stirred the cloth of your shirt. “Eight, technically speaking.” He grunted at that. “There were only ever three that seemed honest to me, that felt as though they were meant for me personally.” You paused to observe Truden, who cocked his head to the side. “One of those, to help gather remnants of Naboo and to write the tales I grew up with as a child, that can coincide with another offer. That was the one I thought about the most.”

“What does your mother think about that?” Teasing but honest, genuine curiosity. It made you chuckle, your eyebrows rising as you remembered her face when you had mentioned your decision. She had not been displeased nor hurt; if anything, the two of you seemed to understand one another more. With the war over, the two of you had been able to communicate things that had been looming over your heads. “When you wear that expression, it’s obvious that the two of you are one.” It was one of the highest compliments that you could be paid, where before you would have shrunk from such a comparison. You felt a warmth permeating throughout your entire being. The Knights of Ren understood Kylo so well, and for any of them to see that the two of you were one meant more than when others realized it.

“It wouldn’t make sense to do anything else though,” you said at last, wrapping your arms around your legs. Conversation died away for a while after those words were spoken. Trudgen tensed multiple times during the silence, which prompted you to start talking. He listened to another tale that you had learned during your schooling on Naboo, although this story had not originated on your birth planet. It was one that Trudgen was familiar with, a fact that you learned when he commented on an upcoming element. You nearly stopped, feeling rather self-conscious and unsure if he was interested at all in you continuing. At his urging, you did finish the entire story.

The two of you did not part for the remainder of the day; he accompanied you on your visit to Ap’lek, who was in the process of studying laws on planets that Kylo’s presence had been requested. These texts had been provided by your mother, and you recognized a number of them from when she had hoped to secure you a job as an aide. Millicent released a loud meow at Trudgen. She slunk along his legs, weaving through them then returning to Ap’lek, whom she had clearly adopted as master. It was much the same as how the akk dog had formed a bond with Kylo and you. Where normally the creature would bond with a single being, this was more proof for you that you did indeed share a soul with Kylo, that the two of you had all along been on a path of self-destruction. Millicent nudged Ap’lek with her head, and you saw in him a flicker of utter peace that you knew on a deep level.

You moved over to the pair, kneeling down and stroking Millicent’s ears. She leaned into your touch. While petting her, you thought of the assortment of electronic pets that you had collected. They were in a box within the quarters that you shared with Kylo, a box that was easily stored on a ship when it was time to leave the planet. The plants, on the other hand, would remain behind in the nursery with the exception of two smaller ones that were transportable. One belonged to you, the other to Vicrul. Millicent and the akk dog would join you as well. The Knights of Ren--they would never not be that--and Kylo, that was where you would go. Wherever fate took them, you were along for the ride. Along the way, you could complete your task of writing the tales from Naboo. You could collect relics. Most important of all, you would be with those you cared for.

Even your mother, much to your surprise, had voiced her support after listening to how you had spoken of your decision, of your thoughts on the matter. Due to the political nature of Kylo Ren’s position, your paths would cross many times with your mother. That was something that you quite liked. Having her support, having her in your life while being able to make your own decisions, to forge your own path, to be yourself.

Scooping Millicent up into your arms, you cuddled her to your chest and let yourself smile. Ap’lek noticed this within seconds. “Where’s your dog?”

“With Finn, I think. I’m seeing him later.” That was still another bonus to your choice; Finn planned to study more regarding the Force with the Knights and Kylo between lessons with Rey. You were not losing anyone, not really. Poe was another familiar face you would see. Rose had signed on to assist in ensuring equipment was up to date.

The children that had been studying the Force with the Order of Ren had returned to their families until the academies devoted to teaching them how to wield the Force were completed. The older students had copies of texts that Rey and Kylo had acquired, albeit the basics. Anything advanced would be too much of a risk. There would be no Jedi, no Sith. Just the Force, a balance within it. An acceptance of the Dark and the Light, which the heroes of the Rebellion had not fully achieved. It was this that instilled in you more hope, that allowed you to believe this peace might be real.

It was not perfect. There were pirates, there were criminals. There was no galactic war. That was the difference. That was why hope was spreading in a much greater capacity than it had before.

Learning from the past, Kylo was not going to demilitarise completely as the New Republic had done--that had allowed the First Order to rise from the ashes of the Empire. All in a single lifetime, two great wars. For some, three great wars in just one lifetime; the Clone Wars were not that ancient. You almost whistled at the thought.

Instead you were drawn out of your thoughts by Millicent squirming to get away so that she could climb onto the datapad that Ap’lek had just laid out. He dragged her off the device, much to her chagrin, and scratched under her chin as he read. Trudgen had since taken a seat next to you. He, from what you could tell, liked the noise, the company. You liked to think that once you all set out, there would be more improvements.

“Have you read this one?” Ap’lek asked, drawing your gaze off of Trudgen. You tilted your head as you considered the text that was displayed then gave a nonverbal response indicating the negative. “Hmm.” That noise reminded you of Kylo, who had also been reading more texts on the matters. They were both rather dutiful students even if they were bored out of their minds. That dedication, though, was what caused others to respect them.

“What planet is that for?” By way of response, he scrolled backwards in the text until the name was visible to you. It was something from Wild Space as far as you could tell, not a planet that you readily recognized. “Interesting.” This was in reference to the first paragraph, which you skimmed through. Trudgen chuckled, and Ap’lek sighed again.

Hours later, when you were with Finn, you curled against the akk dog’s side. It was pleased to be in your company, which had been a rare occurrence since you had returned to life. More often than not the akk dog had remained near to Kylo since you preferred solitude. You ran a hand under its chin, sighing in contentment. Finn stretched his arms above his head before stifling a yawn. His training was taxing mentally as well as physically, although this was in part because he was helping some of the children on the planet that were Force sensitive. He rather enjoyed that.

It was nice, you thought, that there had been not a second’s worth of awkwardness when you had entered the room. Finn had greeted you as though the pair of you had spoken just the previous day if not earlier in the morning or afternoon. You did not have to pretend with him. Finn saw the hesitation in you, the ever-present threat of being overwhelmed, and he did not pry. He had been forced to adjust to a new life all too fast when he had left the First Order.

“Have you heard from Rey?” you asked him. If you reached out, you might have been able to feel her in the Force. Finn would more easily be able to do so due to his natural abilities and the bond that he had with her. You imagined that they communicated with one another in that way from time to time, although it would not be often; that would drain the two of them, which could give the criminals that Rey pursued the upperhand. Finn nodded, revealing that he had spoken with her via commlink a standard hour before you had arrived. She was wrapping up with the mission that she had undertaken. The target had jumped to a new sector in space, one that did welcome those under Dameron’s command. “That’s good.”

“Yeah.” He grinned widely. “Poe said to tell you that he’s open to give you more flying lessons any time. You pick things up easily.”

“So do you,” you teased, mirroring his smile. He could fly basic speeders and smaller ships, however Finn did not have any desire to pursue those skills or any dreams of flying a vessel such as the Millennium Falcon. That he was leaving to his friends. To your friends. Your smile lost some of its length, and your hand paused in its stroking movement on the akk dog’s chin. “Finn?” He hummed acknowledgment whilst nodding, urging you to speak, letting you know that he was listening and that he would not say anything that would make you regret opening up to him. “Sometimes I don’t feel real. I used to have those moments before everything happened. Even before I joined the Resistance. It’s just more pronounced with this. I feel as though I’m not me, I’m just pretending.”

You knew that there was a proper name for that: imposter syndrome. Speaking in a more technical sense did nothing to lessen the weight of what you felt. It made it too clinical, too cold. It simplified things and made you feel like a statistic.

Finn reached for your hand, slipping yours into his and giving you a squeeze that you quickly, readily returned. The friendship that you shared with him was one of the elements of life that made it worth living. Where other relationships of the past had helped you to become who you were, Finn was one of those individuals that played a part in who you would transition into, just as you were the same for him. The pair of you understood one another, complemented each other in a different way than how Kylo and you were. He touched and saw your soul without being your soul.

You released a breath, thinking how Kylo had revealed to you that he had sensed something in Finn when they had been on Jakku together. That was after you had been captured, you remembered. Finn had confirmed that he, too, had felt the connection. It was similar though different than what he had with you. The way the two men explained it, they felt things in the Force that you could not. Instead of hating this as you had in the past, it sent a new warmth through you. There were mysteries in the galaxy. There were new discoveries to be made. The war was not the entirety of your life.

“Hey…” His voice trailed off as you turned your head to meet his gaze. “I… You know, as a stormtrooper--I never interacted with you.” You nodded, aware of this already. “When I learned more about you, how you were his prisoner, I wondered if you resented the fact that I helped Poe escape but not you.”

A laugh erupted from you before you could stop it, and you could have sworn Finn was blushing at your amusement. “Sorry. I just--no, it’s funny, because I hated the Force at that point but I prayed… I prayed that Poe would get away. You helped do that. You helped answer my prayers. You helped me regain a sense of hope. You touched my life in a good way without knowing it.”

He audibly swallowed, his throat bobbing. You smiled at him, your expression soft and one of appreciation for his presence, for who he was. This man and Rey had both offered you hope before you had met them. Their existence had saved your life, had saved Kylo’s, had saved the soul that you shared. You squeezed his hand once more, and Finn returned the gesture. Relief overcame his expression. The guilt he had harbored, no matter how small, was washed away.

The akk dog leapt up to its feet, behaving in a manner that exposed its excitement. Finn grunted in understanding while you rose to greet Kylo as he entered. The exhaustion that so often showed on his face after conducting political business was absent. He handed the datachip he had been carrying to Finn. Next he turned to you, setting one hand on your upper arm while touching the top of the akk dog’s head with the other. You said a quick farewell, aware that you would see Finn in the early hours of morning, and allowed Kylo Ren to lead you away. The akk dog followed along without any prompting.

“All of the Knights survived,” you said. This was not the first time that the words had left you. Kylo nodded all the same, not annoyed. You slipped your hand against his, the backs of your limbs touching. If you had needed him to hold your hand to be more grounded, that would have happened. It was not a necessity. The contact, small as it was, was perfect. Each brush with every step a reminder that the two of you were together. “We’ve all changed though. We’re still changing.”

“We are adjusting, which you are rather skilled at.” The compliment made your heart flutter. It was not just the words, but the meaning behind them. Kylo admired your ability to adapt, he had said so countless times. No matter how often you accomplished this feat, he was left in awe when next you succeeded. It was not that he doubted that you would succeed on any of those occurrences. The simple things in life were sometimes the most important, the most marvelous of all. Like the stars that one gazed upon in the sky, the stars that appeared each and every night.

When the war had ended, Kylo had given you two separate offers, one based on the words that he had spoken to your mother, promising to return you to her. He had, you had told him, already done that. For the rest, it was your decision to make. To remain with her or to go with him. Whichever was to be the case, the pair of you would not separate. For the past few days, he had prepared himself for you to remain behind in part due to the fact that your mother’s offer for a job had been extended after he had given you the option to remain behind. He knew how worn the war had made you, that dying had made you.

“Like the Knights, politics aren’t my favorite,” you said teasingly. He half turned his head, his eyes darting about your face as he took in your features. Even if you traveled with him, politics played a role. You twitched your fingers, threading them through his though you did not hook them together. It was a passing union. As you began to draw your hand back to yourself, he shifted his and rethreaded your fingers together, hooking them into a loose embrace. Your palms were not touching, but that did not matter. “Kylo.”

He tugged, steering you in a new direction that would lead to one of the more secluded gardens that the owner of the building had given Kylo access to. There was no official name yet for the position that Kylo was in. He rejected the idea of being referred to as Emperor. Supreme Leader no longer held any appeal, although for the time being that was what many continued to call him. He accepted it without a word, at least not publicly. Kylo had voiced his thoughts with you on the issue, how he felt detached from those labels.

There was time to breathe between the meetings with politicians. Moments that the two of you were able to share and be yourselves. To just be.

You entered the garden, which had a gazebo that Kylo led you towards. Vines crawled along its sides. Blossoms grew from them, many of the buds not yet in bloom. There were seasons, which made you happy. You stood within the gazebo with Kylo, facing him and memorizing the scars on his face. The moles. The flecks of color in his eyes.

“You’ve never wanted a title.” You had not thought much about that; whatever title he took on, it would change how others referred to you. Had he been keen on emperor then you would have been empress. You shook your head, agreeing that you did not desire any title like that. “Names are fleeting for you.”

Ryoo-bud. Tooka. Tooke. Supernova. KS. Prisoner. Glitterstim. Fate. Wife. Daughter.

“For you as well.” He dipped his chin.

Ben. Creature. Monster. Commander. Supreme Leader. Master of the Knights of Ren. Husband. Son.

Kylo spoke your name. You reached up with both of your hands to cup his face. Your thumbs traced his lips, which parted then pushed together as he kissed their pads. This was a Kylo that few were able to see. Fully exposed, baring himself by dropping all emotional defenses. He stared into your eyes as you stared into his. Seeing each other. The rest of reality dropped away until there were just the two of you. The sun, the moon, the planets, the stars. Everything existed within you, composed of those who had touched your lives.

“It doesn’t matter what they call us, not really.” Words could not define what the two of you were, who the two of you were.

At one point, while in turmoil, he would have brought the galaxy down to its knees, quaking in fear. Now it bowed in admiration for all that he had overcome.

“We’ll be together.” You dropped your voice. “Nothing will stand in our way.” His eyes pinched in the corners at your teasing, and you grinned. He knew that you were not mocking him, not being cruel. “I can focus on creating, on breathing life into the remnants of Naboo and other planets, people that would otherwise be lost. At the same time, I’m going to be with you. Helping you. Whatever you need. We determine our fate--together.”

No one else could do that, no one could choose it for you. Regardless of what they thought of you, what they called you. Only your choices would matter. Kylo bent down and kissed you. “Yes, we will.” And he said your name once more, breathing more life into you, completing you again, as he always did simply by existing. As you did for him. One soul, which could not and would not die. Together throughout all of time.

[the end]

#three blind tooke #death is an art #kylo ren x reader #kylo x reader #kylo ren fanfic #kylo ren imagine #kylo ren x you #kylo x you #final chapter

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multiverseforger · 4 years

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In 1999, Lee sold Wildstorm to DC Comics, and ownership of all Wildstorm characters, including Grifter, transferred to DC Comics. His backstory and continuity remained the same, however, until DC's 2011 relaunch of their entire comics line, The New 52, which rebooted the continuity for most of its characters. Since then, the character has starred in his own DC series, and has also made appearances in numerous other DC titles, such as Voodoo, Legion Lost, Team 7, Animal Man and Deathstroke.

The character has been voiced by Colin O'Meara in Wild C.A.T.s, and Danny Jacobs in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.

Publication history

Fictional character biographyEdit

Team 7Edit

From a young age, Cole Cash took part in his con man father Jacob Winston "Win" Cash's various grifts, until Cole witnessed his father's apparent murder at the hands of mobster Sam Del Gracci.[6] Cole's mother went on to marry Del Gracci, who regularly beat Cole,[7] while also doting on Cole's younger brother Max.[8] As a teenager, Cole ran away from home and became the getaway driver for a crew of robbers.[9] When his fellow criminals turned violent, Cole intervened, saving the life of F.B.I. agent Joseph Brockmeyer.[10] He was apprehended, and Brockmeyer gave him the choice of either joining the clandestine agency known as International Operations or go to jail.[9] Cole joined I.O.,[10] and received training from future Team 7 teammate Marc Slayton[11] (who would eventually become the hero known as Backlash), as well as former members of I.O.'s previous covert operations team, Team 6.[10][12] At some point, Cole may have been a part of the Army's Special Forces.[13]

Cole joined Team 7, being given the codename Deadeye.[14] The group was deliberately exposed to an experimental chemical called the Gen Factor, which activated a variety of psi powers in them, but which also detrimentally affected their mental health. After the experiment the survivors were classified as Gen 12. Cole suspected that, in fact, high-ranking I.O. officers were behind the experiment, while they claimed that it was an unknown chemical weapon. Cole grew more and more disgruntled with I.O.'s manipulations and secrecy and rebelled against teammates John Lynch and Slayton, particularly after Slayton killed an innocent scientist Cole had tried to rescue during a mission in Leningrad, which Slayton had done on their I.O. superiors' orders.[15]

Most of Team 7 quit I.O. and went into hiding after they became aware that Craven was interested in using their children, the Gen¹³, who were believed to have inherited their fathers' powers, as weapons.[16]

Cole struck out on his own, eventually crossing paths with the ancient Kherubim warrior Zealot. They fell in love, and she took the unprecedented measure of teaching him, a man, the ways of the Coda, the warrior order she had once belonged to. Her Coda-teachings stabilized Cole's sanity and removed what remained of his psionic powers.[9] Cole and Zealot fought their own private war against members of the Daemonite race, as well as the Coda, Cole first taking the codename Grifter.

Wildcats and Grifter solo seriesEdit

Cole and Zealot's relationship eventually came to an end, though they remained partners. Both eventually joined the Daemonite hunting team, the WildC.A.T.s.[17][18] Cole still loved Zealot, though he was unwilling to rekindle their relationship, since he thought doing so would only bring him pain.[19] In order to stop two Daemonite lords from acquiring a spaceship which could be used to destroy or conquer Earth, the WildC.A.T.s allied themselves with Hightower, a Daemonite who had killed Grifter's friend Lonely.[20] Grifter voiced his objections and, once WildC.A.T.s founder Jacob Marlowe threatened to kick Grifter out of the team, Cole chose instead to quit on the spot.[21] During the scramble for control of the spaceship, Grifter killed Hightower, avenging Lonely.[22] The ship's self-destruct sequence was activated, however, and the other WildC.A.T.s were forced to enter it and try to defuse it. They succeeded, resulting in the ship entering warpspace, taking it and the WildC.A.T.s back to Khera, while Earth's post-human population, including Grifter, believed the team dead.[22]

While another iteration of the WildC.A.T.s was created shortly thereafter, which included Cole's brother Max, operating under the codename Condition Red,[23] Grifter opted to operate independently, eventually becoming a mercenary once again. Cole, with help from special agent Brockmeyer and I.O. officer and friend Alicia Turner, managed to get Del Gracci on tape confessing to Cole's father's murder.[6] Grifter eventually found out from Max that his father had faked his own death,[8] and confronted Winston in New Orleans. Winston revealed that he had stolen money from the Mafia, and had faked his own death to escape retaliation from the mob.[24] Win tried to manipulate Grifter into protecting him from a man he had partnered on a con with and had come to the conclusion that Win was exploiting him. Grifter realized that his father was did not love him, and was a psychopath who was trying to use him.[24] Cole then unraveled Win's latest con, threatened to kill him if he ever came to Cole's attention again and let him escape before the police arrived.[24]

The WildC.A.T.s eventually returned from Khera, and Grifter rejoined the team.[25] Cole still had feelings for Zealot, and was particularly hurt when Zealot and John Colt, who had previously been Spartan until Colt's memories and personality implanted in him resurfaced, briefly rekindled their relationship.[25] Cole and John Colt both insisted Zealot choose between them and, though she was initially unwilling to deal with the situation,[26][27] she eventually decided she needed to choose in order to preserve the team's cohesion, and initially chose Colt out of a sense of loyalty as a Kherubim,[27] eventually parting ways with him.[28] Grifter began trying to seize the reins of the WildC.A.T.s[27] and eventually became their leader[29] during a period of time in which the team gained new members, including Olympia Atreidae, and Max Cash rejoined. Max was eventually murdered by a Coda assassin, and Grifter considered killing her in revenge, though Olympia, who had developed feelings for Max,[30] murdered the assassin before the situation could come to a head.[31]

After going their separate ways for a period of time, the Wildcats were reformed, only to disband once again after Zealot's apparent death during a mission.[32] Grifter spent some time operating once more as a mercenary, before joining a new iteration of the Wildcats, formed to take down a mysterious figure with ties to the Kherubims and Daemonites called Kenyan.[33] By this point, the John Colt identity had receded[34] and Spartan's original personality had returned, and, as members of the new Wildcats team, Spartan and Grifter maintained a good working relationship, though Grifter seemed to hold some antipathy towards him.[35] Around this time, Cole attended Team 7 member Alex Fairchild's funeral with other still living members of the team, Lynch and Jackson Dane, as well as the members of Gen¹³, which includes Fairchild's daughters Caitlin Fairchild and Roxanne Spaulding.[36]

Grifter teamed-up with Backlash to help a group of animal-human hybrids called the Kindred. Tensions between the two remained high over what had occurred in Leningrad. Cole eventually came to the conclusion that Marc had changed, and opted to forgive him, and the two parted as friends.[37]

Cole went on to have an encounter with Zealot, discovering she was alive, and managed to attain some closure.[38] Spartan, now calling himself Jack Marlowe, came to an understanding with Cole, the two realizing they were like family,[38] and would continue to work together in the future.

Point Blank, Wildcats 3.0 and SleeperEdit

After Team 7 field leader John Lynch was shot in the head, leaving him in a coma, Cole investigated the attack on Lynch,[39] eventually coming to the conclusion that former WildC.A.T.S. member turned traitor Tao was involved in it.[40] Cole discovered that Tao had created an organization made up of post-human criminals,[41] and that Lynch had placed an undercover I.O. agent, Holden Carver in the organization, and vowed to help him leave the organization and clear his name.[42] Tao eventually revealed that he had manipulated and brainwashed Cole into shooting Lynch, and then promptly forgetting about it. Tao then proceeded to erase this knowledge from Cole's mind once again, leaving him unaware of his role in Lynch's attack and Carver's status as an undercover agent.[42]

During a mission for Jack Marlowe, Cole's legs were shattered by a FBI agent. Therefore, he could no longer operate as Marlowe's field agent. He trained accountant Edwin Dolby (Grifter) to take his place. Dolby turned out to be unsuitable for the violent life that Grifter planned for him and resigned from Halo. After Marlowe apologized to him, he rejoined, but strictly as an accountant. Grifter remodeled the robotic body of former teammate Ladytron as a remote-controlled body for himself.[43][volume & issue needed]

Several months later, Grifter's legs were healed, a side effect of the dormant Gen-factor according to I.O. scientists. John Lynch, who had woken from his coma, restored Cole's memory. Cole was sent to take down Tao and working together with double-agent Holden Carver, Tao's organization was completely dismantled and Tao was imprisoned.[44][volume & issue needed]

He later joined a makeshift team of former Wildcats to confront the assassin Nemesis.[45][volume & issue needed][volume & issue needed]

World's End

The Wildcats reformed after a near-extinction event nearly destroyed planet Earth. Grifter eventually left the team to join The Authority,[46] and went on to enter into a romantic relationship with Flint.[47]

Other versionsEdit

FlashpointEdit

In the alternate timeline of the 2011 "Flashpoint" storyline, Grifter is the leader of the United Kingdom's resistance movement against the Amazons.[48] In a flashback, Grifter assembles Team 7 to battle against Muslim extremists in the Middle East, until they were killed. Grifter was saved by Penny Black (Britannia) and escapes from the Middle East. While Grifter was recovering, the United Kingdom is invaded by the Amazons. Grifter assembles the Resistance to fight against the Amazons. In the present, Lois Lane is rescued by the Resistance from a camp just before she is converted into an Amazon. It is revealed that the Resistance were helping to find Penny's armor prototype at Westminster, as it could turn the war around. While the Resistance are headed towards Westminster, Resistance member Miss Hyde betrays them and contacts the Female Furies. She then tries to make the Resistance surrender by holding a knife to the throat of Lois.[49] However, Miss Hyde regains control of the body and fights the Amazons, allowing the Resistance to gain the upper hand. After they escape the Westminster Palace, Grifter gathers with Britannia, who has then recovered her armor and found a group of released prisoners. The two then lead the Resistance in an all-out battle against the Amazons.[50] Grifter and the Resistance arrive to attack in the Atlantean/Amazon war, and Grifter heralds their arrival by helping Batman take down Black Manta. Grifter is killed in battle by Enchantress who is then killed by Superman.[51]

The New 52Edit

With The New 52, the 2011 relaunch of all of DC Comics' series that immediately followed "Flashpoint", Grifter is established to be a former U.S. Army Special Ops soldier who deserted and became a con-artist.[52] During one of his latest cons, Cole Cash is assaulted and abducted by Daemonites, aliens who can "possess" human bodies. Cash is held for 17 days, while a Daemonite attempts to take possession of his body. For unknown reasons Cole wakens prematurely, aborting the transfer and leaving him with the ability to overhear the telepathic communication of Daemonites. He subsequently hijacks a plane and kills several Daemonites disguised as humans resulting in him being wanted for crimes and terrorism. Cash is now wanted by several intelligence agencies and his brother Max, also a military special operative, is tasked with apprehending him. Furthermore, the Daemonites also wish to retrieve Cash in order to maintain their secrecy. On the run from his many pursuers, Cash dons a costume from a costume shop in order to conceal his identity.[53]

The Wild StormEdit

Once a decorated soldier recruited by I.O. as yet another PMC in their ranks, Cole Cash had previously entered John Lynch's Thunderbook Program where he received Gen' Active implants that changed him into a post-human.[54]

He later faked his own death after making contact with Lord Emp, masking his desertion as a disastrous mission gone awry.[55] In the years that followed he came under the tutelage of Emp's fellow alien refugee, Zannah/Lucy Blaze and learned new combat techniques.[56] After the incident where Angie Spica saved his life, Jacob Marlowe, CEO of HALO Industries, commissioned Cole's services in order to find her before I.O. did.

Grifter, Kenesha/Savant and Adrianna/Void (operating as a rogue Wild C.A.T. cell) planned how to best bring Spica in, having surmised she was currently hiding at an old I.O. station at Camp Hero, Montauk.[57]

The three C.A.T.s used Void's transport method to warp themselves instantly to the safe-house. Adrianna tries to calm the visibly alarmed fugitive, while Cole urges her to come with them to a truly safe haven. But they all come under fire due to interception by an I.O Black Razor C.A.T (Covert Action Team) tasked with retrieving their wayward tech and Spica's murder. In the ensuing battle, Grifter employs steady gunplay while Spica charges up her cybernetic suit and makes a hasty retreat.[58]

Cole manages to dispatch the Razor team but finds Ms. Tereshkova downed by a piece of glass shrapnel sticking out of her temple. Scant seconds later a C.A.T troops he'd shot prepared to use his last grenade. Kenehsa removed the shrapnel piece from Void's noggin just in time for her to warp them out.[59]

Nonplussed that the mission was a failure, Kenesha and Cole bicker back and forth. Void decides to head out and find their missing charge on her own, without backup from a paramilitary group this time.[59]

Upon their return, Cole and Kenesha express their gratitude to Void. Angie is still worried about I.O. finding her especially considering they're stationed so close to their headquarters (Cole is hiding out in Brooklyn).[60] Back at home base, Cash wondered why Adrianna enjoyed reading a daily newspaper over digital news, when they received a call from John Colt. Colt was undercover within the Hightower locale belonging to I.O's invention & engineering division, but he had been compromised. He needed a quick exfiltration before I.O. security apprehended him, as his computer snooping had triggered shield protocols that blocked Void's transmatter teleportation and an impending general alarm. Cole was able to guide him to an open spot where he could jump privately before enemy agents tagged him. John revealed his intel concerned Machine Telepathy, a program in which phone apps, mobile programs or wireless appliances could read the minds of their users and transmit them to IO's servers.[61]

Angela wakes from a nap, and scans all of her new friends with her stolen tech, seeing that Mr. Colt and Kenesha are as alien as Jacob under their human skin)s. The C.A.T's speculate about the possibility that I.O. has discovered that the owner'M

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dragonshoard · 5 years

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@markala5

(Because the thread was getting too long i made a new one // I’m sorry for any typos ;( I’m super tired lol)

I agree with the fact that she is super stubborn. She’s set on not only creating an alternative for the extermination Hell goes through each year but also proving herself to her father and the people of Hell in general. It would definitely be something inherent to angel!Charlie because she aches for people to care about her and people to care about.

She’s definitely developed her own sense of self after all these years, but the problem is that it’s based off of validity from people around her which IS NOT HEALTHYYY. It’s actually really sad. She’ll be her perky self and be immediately shut down by the people around her. She may be willing to brawl, but she’s just as likely to shut down.

Long post is long so I’m putting it under read more

On the thing about apathy. I find it an interesting concept with this world. There is a certain level of Apathy to Hell but its the type where everything is super active and violent, just everyone is super blase about it. There’s the half of hell actively always looking for a fight/power and the other half that just sort of... exists in misery.

As an angel who not only needs people around them but also NEEDS a purpose, it’s an extremely toxic environment. With the system you’re describing... just ow. I can only imagine how many times Charlie has nearly faded and just what needed to be done to get her back.

Like, Vaggie is a recent development (not even 10 years) and there hasn’t been anyone else around Charlie that would function as a support other than her parents, possibly.

(I’m still shocked that Vaggie only died in 2014. She’s super young but comes off as acting like one of the oldest - I genuinely thought she had been childhood friends with Charlie lol)

I’d imagine that instead of fading away, it would be more like she falls into a coma (I need Disney references, she’s literally a Disney princess). And I’d like to think that its more like a self generative state because, again, been established that you can’t exactly die naturally in Hell (or Heaven, presumably). Longest she’s slept would probably me... probably a year? It’s been established that Lilith and Charlie have a close relationship, so I’m thinking that most of the time it’s Lilith bringing her back after the fact and supporting her. There was one time where her father showed he cared enough (the time she slept for a year - he was even nice enough to preen her feathers) but he went back to being mostly apathetic after that (jealousy is no good :/).

Because even people with the strongest sense of self and will power will crash in that environment. Lilith would definitely be her number one supporter until Vaggie (and especially how now Lilith is very busy in canon time), but it wouldn’t be enough (especially when flocks typically have around 10-15 people).

She’d fight for as long as she could. Towards the end of the “cycle” (about to go to sleep) it would be the hardest for her not to sing and her passive song would be the strongest and most violent/desperate (enough that even her Dad can vaguely hear it and typically starts preparing her room). At this point it would be the hardest to keep her angelic features in so she starts isolating herself, speeding up the process. Her song would come out stuttery (imagine the first song in the pilot - constantly singing that one but in between sobs) and she’d try to stay awake but would fall asleep each time.

And when she wakes up her song would be bright, loud and optimistic, determined to break the circle (it never works).

Alastor would have no clue that this happens so the first time she goes through it after meeting him, he is beyond curious. He knows little about angel biology, only bits and pieces he’s picked up over the years. He spends the two weeks she spends sleeping taking care of her and feeling out her (for once) peaceful song.

(I do the same. Making myself sad should be a professional job lol)

Charlie displays steel and passion on her shoulders just as clearly as her insecurities. Alastor was drawn to her from first song, tbh. There was something about it that he found fascinating and when he actually met her she was far more interesting. To be frank though, I’d imagine that initially she reminds him of the type of people he would hunt when he was alive. Meeting her, it would kind of reinforce that because he doesn’t really see her thinking for herself. The more he would get to know her, the more he’d see that she is truly someone born of Hell and the more interesting she becomes to him. She’ll say some things that are so blatantly inhuman that it’ll just make him double take.

She would be an itinerary of knowledge for horrible things (like how to kill, how to torture people, etc) but she doesn’t use or like any of it. It’s just a result of living with her family and in Hell as a general concept. I’m kind of imagining a young Charlie being forced to sit through executions and torture sessions either performed or ordered by her father (maybe even forced to do it herself).

....ok i went on a tangent whoops.

And YES SHE ASSOCIATES HELL AS HERS ALL HERS. This is canon. Actual canon. She doesn’t care about silly turf wars, doesn’t care about who is on whose side. They’re all hers. I remember reading in the wiki that she takes the approach of treating rehabilitating sinners like children. I think this would come in here.

It would kill her to lose so many souls so constantly but, holy hell, she’s also getting just as many people daily so she’s constantly hearing new songs join the already mixed and jumbled song. It would be really distracting and sometimes interferes with her higher process thinking.

But you gotta admit the angel part of her would be super confused at all the killing because, technically, it’s her own kind that’s killing off her people. One half of her would be screaming “WHY WHY WHY DO THIS KIN WHY ARE YOU HURTING ME” while the other half is screaming for blood and respite.

And yeah, being unable to do anything about it and no matter how much her Mom tries to calm her down and how thick the walls of her bunker are, it doesn’t stop her from hearing the screaming and sheer devastation. Coming out after the fact is draining and she spends at least a day or so crying and singing her heart out (her voice practically broken at this point from her own screaming). Her skin would be especially ill-fit but there’s no part of her angel half willing enough to show itself. It’s akin to feeling like you’re swimming in a sweater that’s three sizes too big.

....she is totally a lion. She has the mane for it despite identifying as female xD

Tbh honest, when I first thought of angels in this universe and what not, I likened them to being a species in which you’re one or you’re not. So a hybridization like Charlie is not only rare, but unstable. Her demon and angel halves fight for dominance and, eventually, one half will win and there’s no going back from there. Omg CHARLIE BEING THE FIRST SURVIVING CHILD IS SO SAD. NOOOOO ;((((((

Charlie goes underground during the extermination for a good reason lol. As she gets older, her instincts would severely change. The older she gets (and the more powerful), the more prone she is to fighting back. By the time canon comes around, she has to be chained during the extermination and Lucifer or Lilith have to be there to make sure she doesn’t break out of the chains.

Charlie is aware of this and so she would be terrified af when her friends suggested they get together during the extermination for support. By this point, Charlie is starting to feel more stable and feels that she might actually be able to control herself better with her flock surrounding her.

Alastor probably wouldn’t know about it until he shows up out of nowhere and sees them barricading the hotel and is like wtf are you all doing. He side eyes the chains that Charlie sneaks past her flock. He immediately decides that it would be a splendid and fun idea to join them. Vaggie tries to deny him, but Charlie is quick to agree, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn’t have to be chained.

She sticks close to him when the clock hits midnight and the angels descend. The chains were a precautionary measure and in between Alastor and her flock, she thought that she wouldn’t have needed them but she was WRONG.

Somehow, Charlie manages to hold herself back until an angel shows up at her door. A part of her is whimpering cousin-friend-family-brother-sister while another part of her knew what exactly this meant.and was screaming in the only way she knew how to tell the angel to GO AWAY.

But yeah, they don’t and they get messed up and Charlie ends up revealing her eldritch form to her friends (other than Alastor who has already seen her in this form by this point). Alastor would definitely draw her into a duet to bring her back to herself.

During this Alastor would be so excited to see his angel kill an actual angel. Sadly (to him) they end up getting away. The feathers clenched in her hands were trophies of another kind. He wanted to pin and frame the wing in one of her clawed hands.

But it’s still kind of a horrible moment too because the extermination is still happening and Charlie can still hear and feel her people dying. She’d be crying to tell him to make it stop and all he could really do is sing quietly to her, emphasizing his own song to try and mute some of the carnage.

But if there’s anything Alastor can do, it’s talk and talk about everything but nothing.

FUTURE LA MUERTE/XIBALBA AND ADAMS COUPLE VIBES AHHHHH. I support this so much. I see them in the future as a fairly antagonistic and competitive couple I don’t know why (so kind of like La Muerte and Xibabla xD). They love each other more than anything but, at the same time, they can only handle each other in contained doses. There would of course be the honeymoon period, but eventually when they settle, their personalities and morals combat each other quite a bit. Both of them are unyielding in their beliefs and unwillingness to change so it would cause some clashing.

Can’t live with em, can’t live without em’.

They would be that couple that’s always singing and dancing though, from tango to intense and dramatic songs to slow ballroom. It would annoy everyone around them and Charlie would feel some embarrassment at first but, in the end, absolutely love it.

Lol this was all very very great :DDDDD I feel you. I feel like I’ve written a fic but its great xD

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel charlie #charlastor #hazbin hotel alastor #hazbinh #origin #markala5 #long post #angel!Charlie

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theadmiringbog · 4 years

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Routinely sleeping less than six or seven hours a night demolishes your immune system, more than doubling your risk of cancer. Insufficient sleep is a key lifestyle factor determining whether or not you will develop Alzheimer’s disease. Inadequate sleep—even moderate reductions for just one week—disrupts blood sugar levels so profoundly that you would be classified as pre-diabetic. Short sleeping increases the likelihood of your coronary arteries becoming blocked and brittle, setting you on a path toward cardiovascular disease, stroke, and congestive heart failure. Fitting Charlotte Brontë’s prophetic wisdom that “a ruffled mind makes a restless pillow,” sleep disruption further contributes to all major psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, and suicidality.

Too little sleep swells concentrations of a hormone that makes you feel hungry while suppressing a companion hormone that otherwise signals food satisfaction. Despite being full, you still want to eat more. It’s a proven recipe for weight gain in sleep-deficient adults and children alike.

imagine the birth of your first child.

At the hospital, the doctor enters the room and says, “Congratulations, it’s a healthy baby boy. We’ve completed all of the preliminary tests and everything looks good.” She smiles reassuringly and starts walking toward the door. However, before exiting the room she turns around and says, “There is just one thing. From this moment forth, and for the rest of your child’s entire life, he will repeatedly and routinely lapse into a state of apparent coma. It might even resemble death at times. And while his body lies still his mind will often be filled with stunning, bizarre hallucinations. This state will consume one-third of his life and I have absolutely no idea why he’ll do it, or what it is for. Good luck!”

Sleep enriches a diversity of functions, including our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions and choices. Benevolently servicing our psychological health, sleep recalibrates our emotional brain circuits, allowing us to navigate next-day social and psychological challenges with cool-headed composure.

Dreaming provides a unique suite of benefits to all species fortunate enough to experience it, humans included. Among these gifts are a consoling neurochemical bath that mollifies painful memories and a virtual reality space in which the brain melds past and present knowledge, inspiring creativity.

Most unfortunately, owls are more chronically sleep-deprived, having to wake up with the larks, but not being able to fall asleep until far later in the evening. Owls are thus often forced to burn the proverbial candle at both ends.

Melatonin is the voice of the timing official that says “Runners, on your mark,” and then fires the starting pistol that triggers the race. That timing official (melatonin) governs when the race (sleep) begins, but does not participate in the race. In this analogy, the sprinters themselves are other brain regions and processes that actively generate sleep. Melatonin corrals these sleep-generating regions of the brain to the starting line of bedtime. Melatonin simply provides the official instruction to commence the event of sleep, but does not participate in the sleep race itself.

For every day you are in a different time zone, your suprachiasmatic nucleus can only readjust by about one hour. It therefore took me about eight days to readjust to London time after having been in San Francisco, since London is eight hours ahead of San Francisco.

When shut off from any outside world influences, our natural circadian rhythm is innately longer than one day—about twenty-four hours and fifteen minutes.

Your twenty-four-hour circadian rhythm is the first of the two factors determining wake and sleep. The second is sleep pressure.

At this very moment, a chemical called adenosine is building up in your brain. It will continue to increase in concentration with every waking minute that elapses. The longer you are awake, the more adenosine will accumulate. Think of adenosine as a chemical barometer that continuously registers the amount of elapsed time since you woke up this morning.

Before bed, you diligently set your alarm for 6:00 a.m. Miraculously, however, you woke up at 5:58 a.m., unassisted, right before the alarm. Your brain, it seems, is still capable of logging time with quite remarkable precision while asleep.

REM sleep, in which brain activity was almost identical to that when we are awake, was intimately connected to the experience we call dreaming, and is often described as dream sleep.

The cerebral war between the two is won and lost every ninety minutes, ruled first by NREM sleep, followed by the comeback of REM sleep.

REM sleep ushers you into a preposterous theater wherein you are treated to a bizarre, highly associative carnival of autobiographical themes. When it comes to information processing, think of the wake state principally as reception (experiencing and constantly learning the world around you), NREM sleep as reflection (storing and strengthening those raw ingredients of new facts and skills), and REM sleep as integration (interconnecting these raw ingredients with each other, with all past experiences, and, in doing so, building an ever more accurate model of how the world works, including innovative insights and problem-solving abilities).

We’d be carried to bed, slumbering and unaware, by those older siblings or parents who could stay awake. The reason is not simply that children need more sleep than their older siblings or parents, but also that the circadian rhythm of a young child runs on an earlier schedule. Children therefore become sleepy earlier and wake up earlier than their adult parents. Adolescent teenagers, however, have a different circadian rhythm from their young siblings. During puberty, the timing of the suprachiasmatic nucleus is shifted progressively forward: a change that is common across all adolescents, irrespective of culture or geography. So far forward, in fact, it passes even the timing of their adult parents.

As a nine-year-old, the circadian rhythm would have the child asleep by around nine p.m., driven in part by the rising tide of melatonin at this time in children. By the time that same individual has reached sixteen years of age, their circadian rhythm has undergone a dramatic shift forward in its cycling phase. The rising tide of melatonin, and the instruction of darkness and sleep, is many hours away. As a consequence, the sixteen-year-old will usually have no interest in sleeping at nine p.m. Instead, peak wakefulness is usually still in play at that hour. By the time the parents are getting tired, as their circadian rhythms take a downturn and melatonin release instructs sleep—perhaps around ten or eleven p.m., their teenager can still be wide awake. A few more hours must pass before the circadian rhythm of a teenage brain begins to shut down alertness and allow for easy, sound sleep to begin.

If this remains perplexing to parents, a different way to frame and perhaps appreciate the mismatch is this: asking your teenage son or daughter to go to bed and fall asleep at ten p.m. is the circadian equivalent of asking you, their parent, to go to sleep at seven or eight p.m.

Furthermore, asking that same teenager to wake up at seven the next morning and function with intellect, grace, and good mood is the equivalent of asking you, their parent, to do the same at four or five a.m.

There was once an education policy in the US known as “No child left behind.” Based on scientific evidence, a new policy has rightly been suggested by my colleague Dr. Mary Carskadon: “No child needs caffeine.”

As you enter your fourth decade of life, there is a palpable reduction in the electrical quantity and quality of that deep NREM sleep. You obtain fewer hours of deep sleep, and those deep NREM brainwaves become smaller, less powerful, and fewer in number. Passing into your mid- and late forties, age will have stripped you of 60 to 70 percent of the deep sleep you were enjoying as a young teenager. By the time you reach seventy years old, you will have lost 80 to 90 percent of your youthful deep sleep.

The older we get, the more frequently we wake up throughout the night. There are many causes, including interacting medications and diseases, but chief among them is a weakened bladder. Older adults therefore visit the bathroom more frequently at night. Reducing fluid intake in the mid- and late evening can help, but it is not a cure-all. Due

... sleep efficiency, defined as the percent of time you were asleep while in bed. If you spent eight hours in bed, and slept for all eight of those hours, your sleep efficiency would be 100 percent. If you slept just four of those eight hours, your sleep efficiency would be 50 percent. As healthy teenagers, we enjoyed a sleep efficiency of about 95 percent. As a reference anchor, most sleep doctors consider good-quality sleep to involve a sleep efficiency of 90 percent or above. By the time we reach our eighties, sleep efficiency has often dropped below 70 or 80 percent; 70 to 80 percent may sound reasonable until you realize that, within an eight-hour period in bed, it means you will spend as much as one to one and a half hours awake.

In sharp contrast to adolescents, seniors commonly experience a regression in sleep timing, leading to earlier and earlier bedtimes. The cause is an earlier evening release and peak of melatonin as we get older, instructing an earlier start time for sleep. Restaurants in retirement communities have long known of this age-related shift in bedtime preference, epitomized (and accommodated) by the “early-bird special.”

But what seems like an innocent doze has a damaging consequence. The early-evening snooze will jettison precious sleep pressure, clearing away the sleepiness power of adenosine that had been steadily building throughout the day. Several hours later, when that older individual gets into bed and tries to fall asleep, they may not have enough sleep pressure to fall asleep quickly, or stay asleep as easily.

Older adults who want to shift their bedtimes to a later hour should get bright-light exposure in the late-afternoon hours. I am not, however, suggesting that older adults stop exercising in the morning. Exercise can help solidify good sleep, especially in the elderly. Instead, I advise two modifications for seniors. First, wear sunglasses during morning exercise outdoors. This will reduce the influence of morning light being sent to your suprachiasmatic clock that would otherwise keep you on an early-to-rise schedule. Second, go back outside in the late afternoon for sunlight exposure, but this time do not wear sunglasses. Make sure to wear sun protection of some sort, such as a hat, but leave the sunglasses at home. Plentiful later-afternoon daylight will help delay the evening release of melatonin, helping push the timing of sleep to a later hour. Older

AMAZING BREAKTHROUGH! Scientists have discovered a revolutionary new treatment that makes you live longer. It enhances your memory and makes you more creative. It makes you look more attractive. It keeps you slim and lowers food cravings. It protects you from cancer and dementia. It wards off colds and the flu. It lowers your risk of heart attacks and stroke, not to mention diabetes. You’ll even feel happier, less depressed, and less anxious. Are you interested?

Sleep is the universal health care provider: whatever the physical or mental ailment, sleep has a prescription it can dispense.

Sleep before learning refreshes our ability to initially make new memories. It does so each and every night. While we are awake, the brain is constantly acquiring and absorbing novel information (intentionally or otherwise).

The second benefit of sleep for memory comes after learning, one that effectively clicks the “save” button on those newly created files. In doing so, sleep protects newly acquired information, affording immunity against forgetting: an operation called consolidation.

We had observed a real-estate transaction that takes place each night when we sleep. Fitting the notion of a long-wave radio signal that carries information across large geographical distances, the slow brainwaves of deep NREM had served as a courier service, transporting memory packets from a temporary storage hold (hippocampus) to a more secure, permanent home (the cortex). In doing so, sleep had helped future-proof those memories.

your brain will continue to improve skill memories in the absence of any further practice. It is really quite magical. Yet, that delayed, “offline” learning occurs exclusively across a period of sleep, and not across equivalent time periods spent awake, regardless of whether the time awake or time asleep comes first. Practice does not make perfect. It is practice, followed by a night of sleep, that leads to perfection.

The 100-meter sprint superstar Usain Bolt has, on many occasions, taken naps in the hours before breaking the world record, and before Olympic finals in which he won gold. Our own studies support his wisdom: daytime naps that contain sufficient numbers of sleep spindles also offer significant motor skill memory improvement, together with a restoring benefit on perceived energy and reduced muscle fatigue.

A final benefit of sleep for memory is arguably the most remarkable of all: creativity. Sleep provides a nighttime theater in which your brain

a momentary lapse in concentration, called a microsleep.

chronically sleep restricted, defined as getting less than seven hours of sleep a night on a routine basis.

During a microsleep, your brain becomes blind to the outside world for a brief moment—and not just the visual domain, but in all channels of perception. Most of the time you have no awareness of the event. More problematic is that your decisive control of motor actions, such as those necessary for operating a steering wheel or a brake pedal, will momentarily cease. As a result, you don’t need to fall asleep for ten to fifteen seconds to die while driving. Two seconds will do it. A two-second microsleep at 30 mph with a modest angle of drift can result in your vehicle transitioning entirely from one lane to the next. This includes into oncoming traffic. Should this happen

Don’t take naps after 3 p.m.

Sleep experts recommend that, if you have problems falling asleep, you should get an hour of exposure to morning sunlight and turn down the lights before bedtime.

#Why We Sleep #books

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cyn2k · 5 years

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Sherlock Fic Recs (mostly lesser-known)

All right, I’ve recommended individual fics from time to time,and I certainly reblog fic rec lists, but this is the first time I’ve tried to assemble a Sherlock rec list of my own. I’m trying to select stories I’ve not seen often (or ever) on other lists for this, and they are in no particular order. Mind the tags. Nearly all are end-game Johnlock, although a couple are more gen.

Since this is my first time writing a fic rec list, please let me know if you enjoyed it.

A Telling Touch - by MikayoToudaiji, 91K, E, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

Post-Reichenbach. After Sherlock’s death, John manages to get himself re-enlisted and is sent back to war. But when two series of gruesome murders link home and outland together, John is suddenly faced with more battles than he could have imagined. A Reunion, multi-chapter, case fic.

This is one of my go-to fics. John is grieving the loss of Sherlock and back in the army, this time in Syria, courtesy of Mycroft, when he is called home due to the mysterious death of Irene Adler. Irene was the latest victim of a serial killer, but she has managed to leave John a mysterious message. Sherlock does eventually return, but badly injured. There’s a fascinating case fic, a very different and totally platonic Mary Morstan, Sebastian Moran makes an appearance, and a Mummy Holmes who’s absolutely lovely. I find this story so emotionally rewarding, on many levels.

Follow My Voice - by flawedamythyst, 9K, T, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

Sherlock's voice is all John has.

John is in a coma, and his only link back to the world is Sherlock’s voice. Told mostly from John’s perspective, the payoff when John finally wakes up is lovely.

Meeting Clara - by BlueSkye12, 2K, G, no pairings (pre-Johnlock, perhaps, if you squint)

John and Sherlock have a chance meeting with John's former sister-in-law and Sherlock learns a thing or two about John's return from Afghanistan.

Sherlock learns exactly how much damage John suffered from the bullet that brought him to London and that fateful meeting at St. Bart’s. Clara is very protective of John, even if he’s no longer her brother-in-law.

Bitter Sweet - by distantstarlight, 17K, E, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

Alpha John Watson is a retired army doctor with a chance to acquire an omega mate. He meets the most unusual omega he’s ever encountered.

A somewhat unusual take on A/B/O dynamics, where alphas need to have a use in life, either with a satisfactory career or as a parent to the next generation. Omegas, including Sherlock, are bought at auction, which some may find disturbing, but there’s no indications of maltreatment on anyone’s part. It’s Sherlock who has all the power in this relationship, although he’s deleted the reasons why. John may have to pay the price for that.

The Art of Seduction series - by flawedamythyst, 97K across 6 works, T to E, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/Jim Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes/many OMCs, John Watson/OMC, Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade

Sherlock ran a website called The Science Of Seduction, on which he gave advice on the best ways to get laid, wrote blog entries detailing the results of his various sexual 'experiments' and generally contributed to the stereotype of 'every gay man is a sex-mad playboy'. John avoided the thing like the plague. AU in which Sherlock treats sex like he does crime in canon. Inspired by Queer As Folk UK, but it very quickly went its own way.

I love this series. Sherlock is obsessed, not with crime, but with sex. John is his flatmate and pretty much the only gay man in London with whom Sherlock has not slept. John pines, Sherlock sleeps with most of gay London, and they all go dancing every weekend. Then Jim shows up and ruins everything. Or does he?

Semper Fidelis - by Blind_Author, 57K, M, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mycroft Holmes/Anthea

Written for a prompt. Moriarty frames John and "Anthea" of betrayals which cause both of the Holmes brothers to cut them off. Cue BAMF!John and BAMF!"Anthea" doing their best to clear their names.

John and Anthea go on the run after they are both framed the same day. They protect one another and bond over the idiocy of their respective Holmeses. Both are in established, if hidden, relationships. They bond while on the run.

Evidence of Human Life - by thesardine, 17K, E, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

Sherlock's sanity deteriorates while he and John are stranded on a deserted island.

I basically summed this up in my personal bookmark as: Sherlock and John on a deserted island. They hunt seals, Sherlock periodically goes nuts, and they start having sex.

This Doesn’t Feel Like Falling - by Dark3Star, 148K, E, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, pre Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade

When he fell from St. Barts, Sherlock knew he loved John Watson. John couldn't love him back (or so he thinks). Now that he's back from the dead things are back to normal... sort of. When a serial killer targets increasingly high profile gay couples Sherlock is on the case. With a, possibly ill-advised, plan Sherlock and John go undercover as a couple to uncover the truth.

Part 1 of a series, although this is by far the largest part. Your classic “married for a case” trope, taken to the extreme. There’s a decent case fic, a lot of mutual pining, and some interesting wedding planning. Heed the warnings, there are some pretty graphic depictions of violence when they finally confront the murderer.

The Secret Identity of John Watson - by scifigrl47, 27K, G, John Watson/OFC (but don’t let that scare you!)

Taken out of context, John Watson leads a terrifying life. You have to wonder what those poor women he dates thinks of it, especially if John decides to try keeping one away from Sherlock, and Sherlock decides that it'd be best if he could get rid of her. After all, Mycroft's taught him a thing or two about removing potential 'problems.'

Told from the point of view of the bank girl John saves and then dates. Guys, I am a total Johnlock shipper, and so is everyone else in this crack-fest, although they aren’t actually together. Samantha and her girlfriends are an absolute riot, and their impressions of both John and Sherlock are hysterical.

Small Steps - by crossroadrain, 16K, unrated, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

"It's John's birthday and all his army buddies have got him a prostitute for a laugh.

A/B/O fic, where Sherlock is an unwilling omega stripper hired to entertain for John’s birthday get-together with a bunch of his army buddies. When John takes him aside to protect him from his army buddies, he learns something more is going on. The writing is a little uneven, because the writer is not a native English speaker, but the story is quite good.

Endings - by Purple_Slippers_18, 3K, T, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

Fifty years. Eighteen thousand two hundred and sixty two days. It was a long time to be alive, never mind the thirty-four years Sherlock had breathed before he'd met John, which the man in question most certainly did not. As far as Sherlock was concerned, his life – the one whose memories he hoarded like a dragon protecting caverns of stolen gold – began on that serendipitous January afternoon when two strangers met in the research labs at St. Bart's.

Not for those who can’t deal with MCD or find assisted suicide disturbing, but they’re so in love here. Retirement!Lock.

Body Language - by CeruleanDarkangelis,2K, T Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

There is a language to dancing; a call-and-response from one body to another. Even with the poncy kind of dancing I knew he was versed in, the kind that requires classes and counting and rules, there is communication between bodies. Watching him now, I’m more than pleased to discover that he understands my dialect as well.

This is just 2K of absolutely hot dancing seduction. There’s a follow-up fic, Touch Me, about what happens when they get home

Blind series - by inspiration_assaulted, 19K across 3 works, G to T, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

Lt John Watson, 25, will do just about anything to stay in the Army, even if it means marrying a man he's never met. It's only for two years, and he'll probably be in Afghanistan the whole time. How much can his life really change?

Mycroft arranges a marriage between Sherlock and John, allowing John to stay in the army and Sherlock to pay for rehab. They write each other letters, but have never met. I originally read this story on FF.net and loved it. I was delighted to find it on AO3, which is easier on my eyes.

Words of One Syllable and At A Loss- GwendolynnFiction, 101K across 2 works on FF.net, M, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

The landmine at Baskerville leaves Sherlock deafened. Unable to stand living without his friend John agrees to learn to sign, but foreign languages cannot be learned in a void. Sherlock helps John learn to sign by finally learning to talk to him.

This was one of my early favorites when I first started reading Sherlock stories on fanfiction.net. The author has slightly different versions up on AO3, but I find these much more enjoyable, as their relationship just seems to work better. The followup story is what happens during the Moriarty trial and after the fall, when Sherlock has to return unexpectedly after John goes missing.

The Otter and the Hedgehog - by Trinity Fire, 23K on FF.net, T, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade.

Just when John and Sherlock think they have time to rest after a case, they get an unexpected surprise... Unexpected, yes, and fluffy!

This is a little uneven, and has a very awkward, very weird self-insert OC, but Sherlock the otter wandering around the flat tucking John the hedgehog into his scarf to carry him everywhere is just too cute!

Letters to a Soldier - by Pakmai, 70K on FF.net, T, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

Captain John Watson is a soldier in Afghanistan. Sherlock Holmes has just been admitted to a drug rehab facility, assigned to write a letter to an unknown soldier. He doesn't expect to get a letter back from someone as interesting as John. John doesn't expect to get letter from a recovering drug addict. Together they form an unlikely friendship through letters.

I’ll admit, it’s been a while since I read this one, but this series turned me into a big fan of epistolary fics. The follow-up fic, Letters to a High-Functioning Sociopath, finished after I’d stopped reading regularly on FF, so I admit I don’t know how the series ended.

Flare - by iMusicalMinji, 6K on FF.net, T, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

John has a lot to learn about an elusive species when he ends up living with one. Like how he doesn't have to change under a full moon, how he is fireproof even if he cannot breathe fire himself, and how he loves the doctor. MythicalCreature!AU

A sweet dragon!Lock story, with some parental elements. Sherlock’s hoard made me laugh, and then I thought about it and it made sense.

#johnlock fic recs #Sherlock #bbc sherlock #johnlock

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missjosie27 · 5 years

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Year 1 Part 6- Halloween

Hey guys,

Been awhile since an update so I hope you like this chapter which is actually one of the longest I’ve ever written. I hope it sheds some more depth on David’s character as well as Chiara :) Enjoy!

David Grant had never been one to care much about personal popularity, but he supposed that an improved standing among the populace wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

News of his winning duel against Merula spread like wildfire around the school. And though he had lost a chunk of house points and ended with a weeks’ worth of detention, the benefits far outweighed the negatives. For one, he had earned the older Gryffindors respect as he received several ‘nice jobs’ or ‘way to go, mate’ from them over the course of the next couple of weeks. Bill Weasley was especially proud when he was told of the outcome.

“Always knew you could do it, Dave,” he said with a wink. “Keep it up and you’ll be the best duelist in the whole school before long.”

It wasn’t just Bill and the older students that sang his praises, however. As David soon found out, it paid to have someone Penny Haywood become your friend. She was in the know not just with her own house, but pretty much everyone. What was even more incredible was that her gossip was never mean spirited or used to talk badly about someone. It was akin to a nonstop news cycle, a column of a school newspaper that reported a feed of stories every day for the public to consume. People naturally gravitated towards her for almost anything and it was refreshing to see someone so kindhearted use their talents for higher purposes.

David enjoyed getting to know Penny immensely, and she seemed to reciprocate that feeling. But an added benefit was also getting to know some of the others within her inner circle, particularly the Hufflepuff. The young Gryffindor had heard others speak dismissively about the House of the Badger, but he personally thought they were the most admirable of any among Hogwarts. For one, there was Nymphadora Tonks, a talented, good natured witch who was always good for a laugh despite having a bit of a clumsy streak. By far her most intriguing aspect was her bubble gum pink hair and her status as a Metamorphagus, someone who could change their appearance at will and a rarity even in the wizarding world. Needless to say, she was constantly earning herself lectures and detentions from her professors.

There was also Diego Caplan, a promising duelist and self proclaimed best dancer at Hogwarts, though no one had actually seen him actually do so. His confidence could be mistaken for arrogance, but one never had a conversation with Diego without the subject of honor, which was extremely important. A Spaniard by birth (his family had moved to England after the British Civil War) and naturally friendly, though some would say flirtatious, he was essentially the opposite of Merula when it came to fighting- principled and fair, values he held dear.

Last but not least, was Chiara Lobosca, one of the most laid back people David had ever met in his life. A kind hearted soul, as well as soft spoken, Chiara had a way with people that surpassed even the most perceptive of their age. Often able to see through a person’s emotions, she offered sensible counsel and was good for a quip when you least expected it. Though slightly paler (Diego had the best tan among the fair skinned Anglo-Saxons) than most, she sported silvery-platinum blonde hair along with deep, brown eyes that were filled with radiance and light every time you looked at them. So it came as a puzzle one day in Herbology when she not only seemed afraid, but slightly irritable.

It was the eve of Halloween, and Hogwarts was abuzz with chatter and excitement, especially among the first years, who had yet to experience a Halloween Feast. As a result, none of the Gryffindors or Hufflepuffs were very focused on their wormwood plants.

“This year’s feast is going to be amazing,” Penny told him enthusiastically as they applied the proper amount of fertilizer to their plant. “You should see the pumpkins Hagrid grew this year.”

“From what I hear, you could fit inside of one!” Rowan added. “They’re huge!”

“What are you looking forward to the most, David?” Penny asked.

The young Gryffindor couldn’t help but smile as he watered his plant. It had been a long time since his family had done anything for the holiday and he was very much looking forward to seeing what Hogwarts had to offer.

“Well, nothing beats an evening with your friends, right?” he said answered. “At the same time, I can’t say I’m not looking forward to eating all the sweets I can get my hands on. Mum’s pretty strict at home about what we eat.”

“Nothing like a sugar induced coma to bring out the holiday spirit,” Tonks laughed. “Also seeing as I’m half blood, I thought I might introduce a little ‘muggle’ tradition into this year’s festivities.”

Rowan and David looked at each other in confusion. Being largely of pure blood, they didn’t have a large of a grasp on anything muggle related.

“What do you mean?”

“Muggles have a tradition on Halloween of dressing up in costume and going from house to house where people give you free candy,” Ben Copper explained, passing along the water bucket. “I used to do that all the time as a kid with my family. Of course, I wasn’t the best person to take trick or treating, I always got too scared.”

“Right you are, Ben,” Tonks snickered. “Only I’m focusing more on the ‘trick’ aspect of things if you know what I mean.”

She immediately transformed into Snape and began doing a crude yet hilarious imitation.

“Mr. Grant what are you doing? Ten points from Gryffindor. Mr. Khanna, you incompetent nincompoop, I need ten jars of picked rats brains now on the double. Is that dust on your robes Miss Haywood. How can you properly brew a potion with dust on your robes? This is unacceptable.”

Laughter rang out among the group before Professor Sprout put an end to it.

“Miss Tonks, as amusing as your impersonations are, I will be forced to give you detention on the Halloween Feast should you continue them in my class, is that clear?”

Tonks immediately shifted back into her regular form, a sheepish grin plastered on her face.

“Sorry, Professor. Won’t happen again.”

“Yes, and I’m sure I’ll believe it the next fifteen times you say it. Anyway, focus class. Your wormwood leaves need to be cut and preserved before end of the period. No dilly dallying, please.”

Still chuckling from the impersonation, David couldn’t help but tease his friend.

“Nice one, Nymphadora.”

Tonks’s hair briefly flashed orange before settling back to bubble gum pink.

“Do not ever say that horrid name again or I will end you, David Grant.”

“You realize I just say it to get a reaction out of you, right? And that no matter how horrid it’s still your first name?” he laughed, ducking Tonks’s swipe at his head.

“What about you, Chiara?” Penny turned towards the silver haired girl. “What are you looking forward to most?”

But there was no response, as Chiara continued to stare at her plant as though it were something from outer space.

“Hello, Chiara?”

Still no response, with only the sound of trimming leaves filling the silence of Greenhouse one.

“Chiara?”

“WHAT?”

The irritation behind the answer only served to puzzle the rest of the group even more as the Hufflepuff took on a look of shame at her outburst.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you guys.

The period ended with the sound of the courtyard bell before she could expound further, and she immediately ran off to the confusion of everyone.

“What’s with her?” David asked aloud.

“No idea,” Penny said, concern in her voice. “I’ve never seen her snap like that before.”

“Probably just daydreaming about the feast,” Tonks shrugged. “That’s what everyone’s thinking about anyway.”

“I’ll hand in her wormwood leaves,” Rowan offered scooping up the leaves in his hands. “She’ll miss her marks otherwise.”

David had a hunch that whatever was bothering Chiara went beyond a simple feast.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Herbology that day was followed by lunch and that meant two things: giant sandwiches and leftover newspapers that others had left behind, that usually being the Daily Prophet.

For most teen and preteen students, the main political news of the day held little interest. However, in the past week a series of headlines had grabbed the attention of kid and adult alike: that of Fenrir Greyback.

Known throughout the country as the most savage and feared werewolf in Great Britain, Greyback had been heavily rumored to be aligned with Voldemort during the war and responsible for a number of attacks on both adults and children alike. However, he was never caught and had continued to elude capture since the downfall of the Dark Lord, thereby continuing to threaten the populace with his presence.

But that wasn’t the scariest part. In the past couple months, his attacks had grown closer and closer to Hogwarts, leaving many to wonder if the school was next on his list.

“How on earth have they not caught him by now?” Tonks asked, as the hodgepodge of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs began chowing down. “You’d think someone who attracts that much negative attention would be simple for the Aurors to track down.”

“It’s not that simple, Tonks,” Bill Weasley interjected, sitting down next to David, grabbing the newspaper and reading it. “Rogue werewolves are notoriously difficult to capture. My dad says they often go into hiding and form their own groups to avoid persecution. Perfect recruiting opportunity for someone like Greyback. He’s got so many hiding places that by the time he attacks it’s often too late.”

“There are rumors he’s going to attack Hogwarts, is that true?” Ben asked worriedly.

“I don’t think so,” Bill reassured, realizing he had put some of the group on edge. “He’d never attack Hogwarts with Dumbledore around.”

“They say he targets children,” David said quietly. “More so than anyone else. Mum and Dad wouldn’t let Jacob and I out of the house during one of his sprees in 1979. What better place than the school that holds almost all of the country’s young wizards?”

It was then that he noticed two things: that Penny had a strangely dark look on her face and that Chiara looked highly uncomfortable.

“Penny, are you okay?”

“I hate werewolves,” she said with a bitterness David had never heard her use before.

“They’re not all like Greyback,” Chiara spoke up now, injecting herself into the conversation. “Many manage their condition just fine without hurting anyone.”

This raised some eyebrows.

“And how would you know?” Rowan asked.

Chiara gazed down again at her plate, which she hadn’t touched, suddenly appearing very pale.

“Never mind, forget I said anything.”

Before anyone could press the topic further, Hagrid arrived and interrupted, which in David’s opinion was most welcome.

“Afternoon, everyone! I hope yer all excited fer the feast tomorrow!”

“We certainly are, Hagrid,” David smiled. “Your pumpkins are brilliant, by the way.”

But the false cheer couldn’t hide the slight pall that cast over the group.

“Thank ya, Dave. But I can’t but notice yer lot seem a bit down. What’s the trouble?”

“Fenrir Greyback,” David answered. “People are worried he might attack Hogwarts.”

Realization lit up in Hagrid’s beetle eyes as he immediately tried to reassure the young students.

“Ahhh, Greyback. Don’t you go worrin ‘bout him, alrigh’? He’s a savage tha’ one, but he wouldn’t dare attack Hogwarts with Dumbledore around.”

“That’s what I tried to say,” Bill shrugged half apologetically. “I probably shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“I understand you’re concerned, but nothin’s going ter happen. You should be focusin’ on the feast. It’ll take yer minds off things.”

He placed a hand on David’s shoulder, nearly causing him to collapse from the weight.

“Believe it er not, werewolves aren’t all tha’ bad. I’ve known a few in my day tha’ were good hones’ folk.”

“They’re all just a bunch of disgusting, mindless, killers!” Penny burst out, slamming her fork into a tray of shepherd’s pie.

That brought another uncomfortable silence before surprisingly Albus Dumbledore came up to the podium with a surprise announcement.

“Wait, since when does Dumbledore address during lunch?” David asked aloud.

“He doesn’t,” Bill affirmed. “At least I’ve never seen him do that. Must be important.”

Though not every student was present, the Great Hall was full enough that the message would be spread soon afterwards by those not in attendance.

“May I have your attention, please?” his deep, booming voice echoed throughout room, instantly silencing any idle chatter. “I apologize for interrupting your lunch and for not being able to gather the entire student body for this announcement. Nevertheless, it was quite last minute, and I must inform you of what has just been decided.

“As some of you may be aware, Fenrir Greyback has recently been active in this area and has been rumored to be planning an attack on Hogwarts. I can assure you that will not happen. However, the Ministry has been insistent that they station a member of the Werewolf Capture Unit from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at least until the full moon.”

It was subtle, but Dumbledore’s lips tightened slightly, indicating whomever they sent was not particularly adequate or welcome.

“May I please introduce, Mr. Cecil Lee,” The Headmaster said, side stepping to allow a tall man with a handlebar mustache and an awkward demeanor step to the podium.

One glance was all anyone needed to know why Dumbledore did not seem pleased with the decision. Cecil Lee was goofy in appearance- purple robes, white gloves, with matching trousers and a top hat with a chin strap. Adding insult to injury was his bumptious way of speaking that indicated he was not the brightest candle in the room.

“Good day to you students of Hogwarts. I am Cecil Lee of the Werewolf Capture Unit. I understand many of you may be feeling afraid or ‘struck with the fear’ to use the euphonium. But I can assure you, I am here to protect you from and destroy the bloodthirsty beasts that threaten this fine institution. If you have any information regarding werewolves or anything similar, please inform me immediately.”

There was a smattering of uninspired applause as Lee puffed himself up proudly, unaware of just how little the students respected him.

“Well, we’re doomed,” David joked. “Was nice knowing all of you.”

“He’s not related to Barnaby Lee, is he?” Tonks asked. “That big Slytherin bloke who can barely remember to talk and breathe at the same time?”

“His uncle,” Bill affirmed. “And if he’s anything like Barnaby, I may have to join David and draw up a will.”

“Come on, it can’t be that bad, right?” Rowan tried to offer with some sense of optimism. “I’ve read about Hogwarts extensively. It’s protected by a whole series of powerful spells and ancient magic. How would a werewolf get in here anyway?”

No one said anything as it was not a prospect anyone wanted to think about. Werewolves were the scourge of wizarding society. To be bitten and become one was a fate worse than death to many. Add in the most savage werewolf to exist in centuries, no one wad feeling very safe at the moment.

It was then that Chiara pushed her plate forward, declaring, “I’m not hungry” and hurrying away from the table.

No one seemed to notice that much, as the anxiety among the group was too high to think of much else besides the possibility of Greyback storming through the doors and turning every single one of them. But David kept his gaze fixed on Chiara even as she walked out of sight. She was definitely acting funny. And though it may have been a trick of the light, did she seem paler than usual?

All in all, it was shaping up to be one frightful Halloween.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But the true drama surrounding the holiday was not revealed until the next day and even then, quite by accident. It began with a mix up in Potions. Classes had been moved forward by a few hours that day in order to give the students some preparation before the feast and therefore, they had Potions in the morning instead of the afternoon. What started out as a simple day of brewing a simple Wiggenweld Potion turned into a minor disaster when Barnaby drank some of it before it had finished settling.

“Professor Snape, I think I’m going to-”

He finished his sentence by hurling all over the floor to the disgust of everyone present. Needless to say, the Potions Master was not pleased.

“Mr. Lee, this is the third time this year you have botched a brew by illicitly swallowing a substance toxic to the human body. Should I extend the list of ingredients you aren’t to touch? Or perhaps merely all cauldrons and sharp objects will do.”

Barnaby didn’t answer, the pain in his stomach too acute to reply. Snape waved his wand, vanishing the vomit and pointed towards the Slytherin half of the room.

“Miss Murk, escort him to the hospital wing. The rest of you, finish your potions and leave a sample on my desk. I have no more patience for this foolishness.”

David and Rowan did as ordered, quickly bottling their Wiggenweld Potion in an effort to leave as soon as possible. You did not want to be around Snape for long when he was in a foul mood.

Before he could leave, however, he was called back.

“Grant. Come here.”

Cursing his bad luck, David reluctantly approached the Potion Master’s desk.

I probably brewed it wrong and is going to dock more points, he thought resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

“Yes, sir?” he said, gazing into the cold black eyes of his Professor. “Was there something wrong with the potion?”

“Your Wiggenweld was adequate, Grant, that is not the issue here. Now cease talking and listen carefully.”

Pulling out a brown goblet of what looked like recently brewed potion, Snape placed it on the desk carefully and edged it towards the young Gryffindor.

“I am required to ensure Mr. Lee’s unfortunate mishap has not melted his intestines. While I go to the Hospital Wing, you are to bring this to Miss Lobosca. I believe you are familiar with her.”

“Yes, but-”

“Do not ask questions,” he snapped. “The less your feeble mind knows, the better Grant. You are merely to give this to her and go about your day. Am I quite clear?”

Half tempted to say something cheeky, David nevertheless resisted and took the goblet.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. I consider this a task easy enough even for you not to botch. I expect to hear Miss Lobosca has received this potion without spilling a single drop. Now, be gone.”

Without another word, David carefully grabbed the goblet and headed towards the Hufflepuff common room. He didn’t know precisely where it was, but he was aware that it was somewhere near the kitchens in the basement. That’s where he would go first.

Maybe I’ll also find out what’s bothering her

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

David had been traversing the basement for a good fifteen minutes. He wasn’t precisely sure where the entrance was, information like that was pretty tight lipped but he didn’t need to know. The Hufflepuffs would be returning from Transfiguration in just a few minutes in order to get ready for their last class of the day before the start of the feast. He just hoped Chiara was among them. He didn’t want to be carrying around a goblet of potion all day long.

Thankfully, his patience was rewarded when he saw a crowd of a half dozen first years approach from the left and Chiara was among them. But before he could even so much as take a step he was confronted by a rather cross looking fifth year prefect.

“What are you doing down here, Gryffindor?” the prefect asked with a degree of hostility. David couldn’t help but notice how dark and penetrating her eyes were, as if they were gazing into your very soul which was highly disconcerting.

“Aren’t Hufflepuffs supposed to be more polite?” he joked in an attempt at humor. It sailed right over her head, unfortunately.

“I’ll ask again, Gryffindor. What are you doing here?”

“Well I was going to try and put bulbadox powder inside of your bed, but I guess you caught me so that plan’s out the window.”

She didn’t like that at all.

“I have half a mind to put you in detention for the rest of the year.”

“Well, shit. There go my plans to become a professional dancer.”

David supposed he shouldn’t push it too far, but in his mind there was a difference between an authority figure like Dumbledore or McGonagall and a prefect with a stick up their arse. In the case of the latter, he saw no reason to treat them any more seriously than any other student, especially a person like this.

Before the prefect could actually give him year long detention, however, Chiara intervened in the nick of time.

“Jane, it’s okay. He’s my friend.”

Thankfully, it was enough to fend off any more questions.

“Ask him what he wants and make sure he leaves as soon as possible,” she said sternly, the soulless eyes gazing into him once more as if to say, ‘or else’. And she stormed off down the hall.

“Nice to meet you too,” David muttered as she left while Chiara laughed.

“You’re lucky, Dave. I haven’t seen many people go toe to toe with Jane like that and live to tell the tale.”

“I can’t believe that monster is your prefect,” he said shaking his head.

“She’s the scariest thing in this school sometimes,” Chiara admitted. “Every one of the younger students are afraid of her. It’s the eyes, really.”

“I know what I’ll be having nightmares of tonight.”

After sharing another laugh, it was time to get down to business.

“But really though, Dave, why are you all the way down here near the kitchens?”

He picked up the goblet of potion that he had set on the ground and showed it to her.

“Snape told me to bring you this. I have no idea what it is, he wouldn’t tell me. I assume he wouldn’t intentionally try to poison you.”

It was a joke of course, but something within Chiara’s blue eyes seemed to shatter.

“W-wait, he wasn’t supposed to give me that until later tonight. W-why did he give it to you?”

That definitely piqued his interest several notches. So, Snape was making a potion for Chiara that she didn’t want anyone else to know about? Why?

“That Barnaby bloke accidentally swallowed unfinished Wiggenweld potion and he had to take him to the hospital wing. He basically ordered me to take this to you.”

Chiara looked fearful and also incredibly hesitant. It seemed as though part of her wanted to take the potion but another part was telling her to knock it out of his hand.

“What’s going, Chiara?” he asked seriously. “The past couple days you’ve been pretty on edge. That’s not like you.”

Tears began to well up in her eyes and David wasn’t sure if he had unintendedly offended her and was prepared to apologize. But before he could, she spoke as though something was about to burst out of her.

“I have to tell you something,” she said in barely more than a whisper. “But you have to promise me you’ll keep it a secret.”

“Okay-”

“Promise me!” she urged, a flash of great fear crossing her normally calm, porcelain features. “No one else can know.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” David assured her and he sat the goblet down once more and brought her into a hug. “Now what’s on your mind.”

Sighing softly, Chiara looked directly into his eyes.

“I’m not what you think I am, Dave. I’m….a werewolf.”

David blinked a few times before doing a double take.

“Wait….what?”

“Please don’t make any jokes,” she pleaded with him. “Nothing about this is funny. I wouldn’t pull your leg on something like that.”

“No, no I swear I’m not making light of this,” he said putting his hands up in the air. “I just…don’t know what to do really. It’s the last thing I was expecting you to say.”

Chiara put her back to the wall and slowly began to slide down.

“It’s the last thing anyone expects me to say. Only a handful of people know and you’re the first person I’ve ever told at Hogwarts. I can’t tell Penny and the others though. You saw how much she hated werewolves. If she or anyone else found out, she’d tell everyone and I’d be expelled for sure. You know how popular she is.”

David rested himself by the wall next to her. This was all a bit overwhelming but despite the revelation no part of him saw a bloodthirsty killer in front of him, just Chiara looking incredibly upset and in need of a friend. Werewolf or not, he wasn’t about to abandon her in the cold.

“Why don’t we start from the beginning,” he said with what he hoped was a comforting tone. “Does Dumbledore know about this?”

“He’s the one that made it possible for me to even come here,” Chiara affirmed. “He said he’s had werewolf students in the past and could take necessary precautions so I could have a necessary education. But my story goes farther back than that.”

“Tell me everything. I want to know.”

Chiara gave him a smile.

“You really are an amazing friend, David. It’s actually more complicated than you know.”

She cleared her throat and began to explain.

“My family isn’t English by birth as you can probably tell by my last name. Mum and Dad were born in Italy to wealthy families but they fled during the second World War because the muggle government was trying to round up those with magic and turn them into weapons. My grandmother spits whenever the name ‘Mussolini’ is mentioned in the house,” she added with a chuckle.

“Anyway, they settled here as refugees and managed to make a life for themselves. They became British citizens under the Ministry, got married and ended up having me. One of those happily ever after stories.”

“But…”

David didn’t need too much context to know there was a ‘but’. Happily ever after stories didn’t tend to last long. He knew from experience.

“The Civil War in this country began under You Know Who and people were being tortured and blackmailed left and right by Death Eaters. My family is extremely wealthy and they came knocking on the door one day for money to help finance their cause. They thought us being Italian might make us more susceptible to their tricks and lies. Well needless to say, Mum and Dad weren’t having any of it and slammed the door in their faces. But I don’t think they truly grasped the danger of having defied You Know Who. They had seen and lived through Grindlewald and thought he was nothing more than a fraudulent copycat.”

“But he wasn’t,” David spoke factually. Anyone who had lived through that time knew just how terrible the Dark Lord had been at the height of his power.

“No, he was much more,” Chiara said sadly. “When my parents refused to help him, he sent Greyback after me knowing full well my parents were naïve enough to believe he wouldn’t retaliate.”

“How old were you?”

“Seven. I was old enough to remember too. Some get bitten when they’re toddlers. They don’t remember what it’s like to be fully human. I do. He broke into the house one night when everyone least expected it. The rest is history.”

Listening to the story tugged on David’s heartstrings and he suddenly grabbed Chiara’s hand in his.

“I don’t know what to say except that I’m sorry,” he said, giving it a light squeeze. “I can’t imagine what it must be like to go through something like that.”

“I’m actually lucky,” she admitted to his surprise. “Most werewolves live in poverty and can’t afford any kind of treatment. My family has money and therefore we’ve found ways to lessen the effects of my condition.”

She pointed towards the goblet of potion he had been carrying.

“That, is what is known as the wolfsbane potion. It was invented only three years ago and it isn’t widely known. Partially because the ingredients are expensive and the potion is quite difficult to make, but essentially it allows me to keep my mind when I transform so I don’t hurt anyone. Most werewolves are highly dangerous around humans, but the wolfsbane potion alleviates the worst of the symptoms.”

“I see,” David said picking up the goblet and handing it to her. “And I take it your family pays for the ingredients while Snape brews it for you every month.”

“Exactly. I have to take it once a week before the full moon for it to work properly. Tonight is the last night.”

She took a massive swig from the goblet and instantly made a face.

“Blecch! It also tastes terrible just so you know. Don’t ever become a werewolf, Dave.”

“Right, because that’s the worst part, right? Not the body hair or the paws, but the horrible tasting potion that keeps you from losing your mind. Though I suppose I could live with the fleas.”

Chiara began laughing again, the sparkle returning to her eyes.

“You’re always good with a joke, Dave. Thank you. But this goes beyond my personal problems as a werewolf. Fenrir Greyback is coming tonight. I know it.”

“How do you know? Just because the papers and the Ministry-”

“For once they’re right, but not for the reasons you think,” Chiara interrupted. “Greyback is coming for me. He’s been after me since the day I was bitten. Not only that but it gives him an opportunity to bite and infect more people. Bill Weasley was right at lunch today, he tries to infect as many children as possible so he can alienate them from the mainstream wizarding world and turn them against it. That’s why he’s been attacking so close to here lately.”

The whole conversation just took on a brand new meaning with that information and David’s heart skipped a beat.

“You mean, you know for sure he’s coming here tonight. Not just because of you but so he can attack the entire student body?”

“He will if given the opportunity. I can’t let that happen.”

“Well then we need to tell Dumbledore or one of the Professors,” David declared before Chiara pulled on his arm shaking her head.

“They already know, and they can’t do anything more than they already have,” she told him.

“There’s always the magnificent brilliance of Cecil Lee.”

“Cut it out, Dave. You don’t even want to know how savage Fenrir Greyback is in real life. As far as I’m concerned, I’m responsible for putting the whole school in danger. It’s my job to make it right.”

“You’re only a first year, how are you supposed to fend him off?”

“Werewolves are a lot stronger than humans,” she explained. “The evening before every full moon, Madam Pomfrey takes me down to the edge of the Forbidden Forest so I can transform away from the student body. When Greyback comes, I’ll be ready to drive him off.”

“You sound more like a Gryffindor than a Hufflepuff right now,” David tried to point out to her. “Seriously, you can’t think you can do this by yourself. Even when you’re in wolf form. At least get some help.”

“You’re the only person that knows my secret,” Chiara said. “I can’t ask any of the older students because they’d just try to get me thrown out. I have to do this by myself.”

“Chiara, you’re not thinking properly,” David said to her, adopting his most serious tone he saved for situations like these. “If you won’t tell anyone else, at least let me help you.”

She appraised him before saying.

“David, I would never forgive myself if you were bitten or worse…”

“And I would never forgive myself I let you try and fend off a bunch of werewolves by yourself.”

A small smile adorned her soft features.

“Alright. If you insist.”

“On one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You allow me to bring backup.”

That immediately brought the fear back into Chiara’s face.

“No! Dave, you can’t…”

“I’m not telling anyone except Tonks and Rowan. Penny and everyone else won’t find out, I promise. But if we’re taking on Fenrir Greyback, it’ll take a solid team to bring him down. And I know I can trust those guys. I promise, we won’t let you down.”

Chiara considered this for a couple of seconds before letting out a relenting sigh.

“Okay, David. I trust you on this,” she picked up the goblet again and polished off the rest of the potion before continuing. “Here’s what we’re going to do…”

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When David told his two friends the news, they reacted better than he originally anticipated.

“So that’s why she was acting so weird all week,” Tonks said, rubbing her chin.

“It definitely makes sense,” agreed Rowan. “Though I admit I had about twenty seven other theories before believing she was a werewolf.”

David had managed to find them both at a late lunch hour after their later classes were finished and had gathered them into a huddle in one of the more private corridors so they could chat. He was pleased neither one had any inclination to rat her out, with Tonks exclaiming she thought it was neat and Rowan commenting on it in his usual bookworm manner. The real trick was convincing them to go along with Chiara’s plan.

“You can’t tell anyone though,” David continued to remind them. “Only Dumbledore and the Professors were supposed to know. If word gets out around the student body, she might get kicked out.”

“Consider our lips sealed, Dave,” Tonks said, making a zipper motion across her mouth.

“So what do we do?” Rowan asked. “I don’t know the exact odds of three first years defeating a fully-grown werewolf, but they probably aren’t good.”

“You’re right,” David said. “But it won’t just be us. Chiara told me Madam Pomfrey takes her down to the Forbidden Forest each month to transform. When she does, she’ll be a werewolf, but her mind will be intact. We’ll meet her there a half hour before sunset. If we can hold Greyback off long enough, he might give up the fight.”

“No offense, David,” Tonks said to him skeptically. “But I don’t think Greyback is the type to just give up so easily.”

“Probably not,” he admitted. “But maybe we can buy time. At the very least, he won’t get any closer to Hogwarts.”

He leaned them in closer, making one last appeal.

“Look, this isn’t about going into some half-mad situation just to get our jollies. I don’t care about that. I care about Chiara and making sure she’s safe. I know you two do as well.”

Tonks and Rowan looked each other for brief moment.

“We aren’t just half mad for doing this, we’re completely bonkers,” Tonks said. “Even so, I’ll go. For Chiara.”

“Me too,” Rowan agreed. “I’m not going to leave my best friend, or any of you out in the cold.”

David nodded, knowing he could entrust the two of them to show up when it counted. It wasn’t going to be easy, but if what Chiara said was true, they couldn’t stand idlely by and do nothing.

“You sure we shouldn’t get more people, Dave?” his best friend asked. “Why not ask Penny?”

“Rowan, for someone so book smart you really are thick sometimes,” Tonks told him, eyebrow raised. “You saw the way she reacted towards werewolves. She would go ballistic if she found out Chiara was one.”

The sound of glass breaking echoed behind them. David had tried to warn his metamorphagus friend but alas, it was too late. Penny had heard everything from Tonks’ last sentence.

“What were you saying about being thick?” Rowan shot back at her.

“I-I…tell me I didn’t just hear that,” Penny stammered, the contents of the potion she was carrying long forgotten on the floor.

“Penny, just let us explain…” David tried to reason with her.

“Explain?! What else is there to explain?! Here I am trying to find you before the feast only to find out you’re planning some conspiracy with a bloody werewolf?!”

“You better take off,” he muttered to Rowan and Tonks. “Meet me at six by the courtyard.”

They obliged, leaving David to clean up the damage, which was mainly preventing Penny from doing anything rash. When the blonde girl tried to brush past him, he stopped her.

“Penny, stop.”

“Let go of me, Dave!”

“Not until you promise to keep Chiara’s secret.”

Deep pain flushed into her bright blue eyes as she wrenched herself from David’s grip.

“You would allow a werewolf to walk around at Hogwarts, ready to kill someone at a moment’s notice?!”

David knew he didn’t much a leg to stand on at the moment, but he had never known Penny to be this irrational about anything.

“That’s not right and you know it,” he said to her as she continued to try and go around him. “Chiara isn’t a killer. She’s nothing like Greyback or any of the other werewolves that try to hurt people.”

“I’m not taking any chances! You weren’t there the day it happened!”

Now he was utterly confused.

“When what happened?”

“When I was eight, I stayed out past sunset playing with a friend when a werewolf attacked us. It missed me but it got her instead. I ran to get my mom, but by the time she got there it was too late…and she was dead.”

It was then Penny stopped struggling and broke down crying into David’s arms.

“I’ve never forgotten that day,” she sobbed into his shoulder. “And I’ll never forget that a werewolf took her away from me.”

For the second time that day, David found himself playing the role of counselor to a friend in need. Hardly an area he was familiar with, but adopted nonetheless.

“Penny,” he said, holding her tight in his arms. “There’s nothing I could say or do to alleviate that pain you feel. I’m sorry. Truly I am. But Chiara wasn’t the one who killed your friend. In fact, Greyback was the one who made her this way. This is a chance to help her and make things right. Please, the best thing you can do to honor your friend’s memory, is by helping us take down the savage bastard who’s threatening Hogwarts as we speak.”

Penny sniffed, drying out her eyes, unsure of what to say. David, perhaps foolishly, decided to leave the decision in her hands.

“I’m not going to stop you, anymore, okay?” he said to her, letting go of her body. “You do what you feel is best. But I think you know deep down what the right thing to do is. At the very least, don’t tell the rest of the students about Chiara’s condition.”

Unable to remain in the corridor any longer, the blonde Hufflepuff made her exit.

“I’m sorry, Dave,” she whispered, bolting down the hallway and towards the kitchens where the Hufflepuff common room lay.

David sighed, supposing that if Penny was going to rat them out, he had no control over it now. The best thing to do was to prepare as best he could before six and hope for the best.

Feeling a fair amount of guilt, he made his way back to his own common room.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The hours came and went and before long, six o’clock had arrived. At this point in the year, the days were quite a bit shorter, so they were rather short on time before the sun went down and the inevitable occurred.

Thankfully and to his slight surprise, David and Rowan received no visits from any professor to stop them from what they were about to attempt, which meant at the very least, Penny hadn’t told anyone yet. That theory was confirmed when Tonks arrived at the courtyard only minutes after them.

“Glad you made it, Tonks,” David told her. “Have you seen Penny?”

She shook her pink haired head.

“Nope. In fact, no one’s seen her for a couple of hours. She must be hiding somewhere.”

“Well let’s just get to the edge of the forest quick as we can. Madam Pomfrey should have finished escorting her by now. Everyone’s too distracted by the feast to notice us.”

“Let’s go then.”

Silently as they could and without wizarding robes to slow them down, the trio quietly descended the steps down onto the grass of the training grounds. They continued onward, down past Hagrid’s Hut, past the center for Care of Magical Creatures class, right down to the border of the Forbidden Forest. By the time they got there, the light had faded considerably from the sky, the canopy of towering trees becoming a shadow looming over them.

“Where is she?” Tonks asked, scanning around. “It’s getting harder to see.”

“Right here,” came a reply.

Out stepped Chiara from behind one of the trees. Contrary to everything else around here, she seemed to glow as though her body was anticipating the coming of the full moon.

“You kept your word,” she said to David, giving him a hug.

“Well you know me, words are pretty much all I got.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Tonks asked her. “David told us, well everything really. I promise, we won’t tell anyone.”

Except of course for Penny, David thought irritably, but now was certainly not the time to bring that up.

“To be honest I’m quite scared,” Chiara admitted. “But I do appreciate you all coming down here to help and for keeping my secret.”

“Do we even have a plan?” Rowan interjected. “Or are we just waiting for Greyback to just…show up?”

“Hit him with everything you got,” the Hufflepuff told everyone. “Especially after he transforms. I’ll be there to help but I can only do so much. This will have to be a combined effort.”

“And you know he’ll be coming through the Forbidden Forest?” David asked. They never really went over that part of the scenario that thoroughly.

“It’s the only place near Hogwarts grounds he can hide undetected. I’m quite sure he’ll be coming through those trees.”

That brought a tense silence between the four. A calm before the storm that was coming.

“I may be in Gryffindor,” Rowan said, swallowing. “But I’ve never felt less brave in my life.”

“Bravery isn’t about not being scared, Rowan,” Tonks told him. “It’s about doing what needs to be done in spite of being scared.”

“Maybe you should have been sorted into Gryffindor,” David teased her.

“My mum left a fanatical pure blood house to marry a muggle born during the height of the war,” she explained her face hardening. “If that isn’t bravery, I don’t know what is.”

“You’re all brave,” Chiara said quietly. “That being said, you’re going to want to stay away from me during my transformation. I’ll still have my mind, but they’re not exactly…pleasant to witness. Nor is it pleasant to experience.”

“I’m sure,” David nodded. “We’ll keep a safe distance.”

“I can’t emphasize it enough,” Chiara said to them, urgency in her voice. “Even with the wolfsbane potion I could still potentially infect you by accident. I would never forgive myself if that happened.”

Nodding the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff trio took out their wands and took stances. By estimation, they only had fifteen minutes until the rising of the moon.

A hushed, deep quiet seemed to spread from the essence of the forest itself, as though containing some hidden, unspeakable evil yet to be unleashed. The dread was so rampant throughout David’s body, he found had barely any saliva in his mouth.

“Maybe it was a false alarm,” Rowan said hopefully. “Maybe we can go back to the feast.”

“We can’t go anywhere until the moon rises,” David said, not lowering his wand. “If no one shows up by then, we’ll go back and tell Dumbledore.”

A few more minutes passed and still nothing. Personally, the young Gryffindor was more than hoping nothing came of this little excursion himself. He preferred the safety of the castle to being in this extremely vulnerable position. But he would not run, not until he knew Chiara was safe.

Just as he thought Rowan may be right, footsteps could be heard from the forest. Heavy ones, lumbering heavily through the autumn underbrush. Though the darkness was nearly complete now, what emerged from the forest was none other than the most hated werewolf and man alike in Britain. Grayish, brown hair slicked back across his head, matted, untamed whiskers roamed across his face. The fingernails were filthy and caked with a combination of dirt and blood, sharpened into deadly points. He wore a large overcoat, trousers and black boots. But by far the most terrifying aspect of this man, was the savage look upon his face; the face of an unremorseful killer.

Fenrir Greyback.

“My, my,” came the growl of his deep tenor. “Don’t we all look delicious tonight.”

David, though quite frightened at this point, held his wand steady, as did Rowan and Tonks. Chiara stood on a hill five feet behind them, looking defiant as possible.

“Take one step closer and I blast you to pieces,” David warned him, though he did not have the capability and Greyback knew it.

“A little morsel like you?” he laughed horribly. “Hardly.”

He turned his attention towards his true target.

“Miss Lobosca, how nice to see you again. Still denying your inner wolf I see.”

“I don’t deny it,” she said defiantly. “I just don’t let it turn me into a cannibalistic monster like you.”

(Rowan whimpered. “Did she just say cannibal?”)

“Same old Chiara,” he said shaking his mane of a head. “Constantly runnin away from what you truly are. If you had joined my pack all those years ago when I bit ya, you woulda known that by now.”

“Save the speech,” Chiara cut across him. “I’m not joining you. Not now, not ever.”

“Oh but perhaps your three friends here, will,” Greyback leered, licking his lips. “I could use my pound of flesh as always, but why kill when I could simply add to my pack?”

“Not happening, ugly,” David said, shifting his stance to block Chiara from view.

“You children are so naïve,” Greyback purred in a disturbing sort of way. “You take comfort in your homes, the walls that surround you, totally unaware of the monsters that await just outside the door. Chiara learned that well enough and so will you. As I discovered long ago, the essence of power isn’t the man, it’s the beast that resides in all of us. All it takes is one bite to bring it out.”

Licking his teeth, which were much sharper than the average human’s, he gave a toothy smile.

“Hogwarts is ripe for the picking,” he continued. “Mark my words, this is just the beginnin’ of the reckoning that’s to come.”

“Yes that’s all well and good,” David shot back, having little patience for Greyback’s sinister speeches. “But the fact remains that there are four of us and only one of you.”

But that only brought another horrid laugh from the werewolf.

“Dave, maybe you should stop antagonizing him,” Tonks suggested, no irony lost in her voice.

“You didn’t think it was just me tonight, did ya?” he taunted. “No doubt Lobosca told you I was coming. But I also brought a couple friends. After all, what kind of leader would I be if I didn’t let my pack sample the feast as well?”

Out of the shadows, two more men came into view, and these were far scragglier and unhealthier looking than Greyback. Thin, with raggedy clothes and unkempt hair, they held the same ravenous look their leader did, the mark of those who had gave up their humanity a long time ago and would take comfort in whatever solace they could find.

“Now that we’re all here, I’d say it’s time to get acquainted with the full moon, shall we?”

Indeed, the moment of reckoning had arrived. As the thin, wispy clouds parted, the light of the full moon shone down upon both parties. Only then, did David realize just how much trouble they were in.

“Oh, shit.”

Greyback and his followers began to grunt as they sank to their knees, joints and muscles popping, twisting, and extending, each one growing steadily larger as their anatomy altered to suit their soon to be wolfish forms.

But David, while keeping an eye on the enemy in front couldn’t resist sneaking a glance to the girl he was protecting in the back. And what he saw indeed horrified him.

Greyback and company were merely breathing and grunting but Chiara was screaming as the transformation began to affect her too.

“D-David,” she said through clenched teeth that were quickly becoming fangs. “D-don’t forget who I-I am.”

That was the last human sentence she uttered before the transformation began to spread more rapidly. As with Greyback, her joints popped and creaked uncomfortably as her limbs lengthened and her feet and hands curled into paws. Her clothes ripped as a powerful, yet slightly hunched spine emerged from her backside. Her silvery hair retreated, while thick brown fur started to cover her body. Finally, her face began to morph and push forward as it completed its trajectory into a snout.

Staring back at them all was no longer Chiara Lobosca, but a full-fledged werewolf with luminous yellow eyes. It was one of the most terrifying sights he had ever seen.

“Okay, I think it’s safe to say I’ll be having nightmares from now on,” Rowan announced shakily.

“Yeah, if you live to actually have nightmares!” Tonks shouted. “Dave! Pay attention.”

The young Gryffindor was so preoccupied as to whether or not the mind of Chiara was still inside the beast, he had temporarily forgotten Greyback and his men, who were now fully realized werewolves themselves.

“Duck!”

David had to roll over as one of the beasts leapt towards them, jaws primed for biting any organ or limb it found.

Drawing himself into a stance, he soon realized that taking the traditional route would not work against the unpredictable savagery of a werewolf. No, this would require a different kind of fighting.

“We have to be quicker than them!” he said to Tonks and Rowan who were casting whatever spells they knew to keep their adversaries away. “Anticipate the attack and move accordingly.”

“And how do we do that?!” Rowan cried, sending a trip jinx towards his werewolf.

“Don’t think. Just do,” David said to him. “Tonks, use your powers if you have to.”

They obliged and went to work. Though still chaotic, their strategy began to pay off. Despite only knowing a handful of spells, some of the more powerful ones were enough to slow down and drive back the werewolves, especially in a tandem. They would often switch targets to ensure no one was caught off guard, standing in a semi circle to watch the other’s backs.

“Keep at it!” David shouted over the growls and whimpers and sending a leg locker curse towards one of them. “If we can hold them off-”

But werewolves appeared to be smarter than at first glance, as the largest one (Greyback) launched himself from one angle towards Tonks while another ignored Rowan and went towards her from the other side. The Hufflepuff aimed a curse at one and caught in the shoulder but didn’t have time to face the other one. In other words, she was toast.

That is until a jet of purple light streamed out of nowhere, hitting the werewolf in the shoulder, sending a cascade of blood pouring from the wound as it hit the ground with a yelp.

“Who in the name of Agrippa was that?” Rowan asked aloud.

David, still facing his own werewolf, couldn’t be sure, but the moon was bright enough to illuminate a figure with two platted braids.

“No…Penny?”

“Sorry I’m late,” she said running over. “Come on, everyone cast the cutting charm.”

“Where on earth did you learn that?!” Tonks asked, barely able to catch her breath after the near miss on her life.

“It’s dead useful when you’re sewing,” Penny answered, a battle ready smile on her face. “Also brilliant at taking down werewolves apparently.”

“Incantation?” Rowan inquired.

“Diffindo,” came the reply. “Let’s get this next one.”

They concentrated all their energies on the second werewolf, sending carefully aimed cutting charms at the creature’s fur, legs, and arms. Though not everything was a precise hit, the blood loss was great enough to weaken it significantly. Finally, it fell to the ground in a whimper, licking its wounds, snarling but taken out of action.

However, in their combined efforts to take it down. They had been blinded to the fact that the biggest of them all had circled around to the left and was prepared to launch itself straight at them.

With an almighty roar, it reared back and took a massive swipe at the four first years, causing David to fall over and land awkwardly on his knee, his wand rolling over somewhere in the grass.

“ARGH!”

Though the beast had missed, he was primed and ready for another attack and David had no means to protect himself. The rest of his friends were still reeling and had no time to react or defend their fallen comrade. He simply put up his hands and waited for the inevitable bloody pain to come.

Except it never did.

Opening his eyes, he saw something miraculous. The wolf that was Chiara was battling Greyback one on one, viciously biting, scratching and clawing the bigger male with everything it had. That’s when David realized that the wolfsbane potion had worked and that Chiara, despite being in her wolf form was defending him from harm.

“I don’t believe it,” Penny said in awe. “Is that-”

“It is,” David answered for her as she handed him back his wand. “Chiara’s protecting us.”

So awed the four first years were, they followed the fight with mesmerized gazes. She was easy to spot due to her lighter coloration and her smaller size. Only then did they see why Greyback was so feared, he was huge and twice as big as the average man in his wolf form. The fact that Chiara was keeping up gave them elation.

“We’ve done our jobs,” Rowan told them. “This is where we need to get a Professor.”

“But we can’t just leave her there with Greyback!” Tonks pointed out. “What if she gets hurt?”

That fear was realized as the male werewolf grabbed the smaller one and threw her head hard into a tree at the edge of the forest, causing her to fall unconscious.

“Can we get a professor, now?” Rowan asked again, panic in his voice as the creature noticed them and began another charge. Even with four of them, they were woefully unprepared for another attack with David’s injured knee and their wits out of focus. For a third time, he thought they might actually be done for.

‘Incarcerous’ yelled out a strong, masculine voice.

Ropes conjured out of nowhere wrapping themselves around Greyback causing him to fall flat on his face while he continued to roar and snarl incoherently.

Looking around wildly, David’s eyes finally settled on a tall, white bearded figure wearing purple robes.

“Dumbledore,” he breathed.

They were saved. Three, beaten down, exhausted werewolves were no match for the most powerful wizard in existence, even for one as aggressive as Fenrir Greyback. When one of the other wounded wolves attempted another charge, Dumbledore’s eyes flashed, flicking his wand like a whip and sending the beast flying backwards and onto the hard ground. This time, he would not be getting up.

‘Stupefy’ came the squeaky command of Professor Flitwick, knocking out the third. Ropes were secured around all three within seconds. The battle was finally over.

“Good work, Professor,” came the bumbling voice of Cecil Lee. “But I believed you missed one.”

He pointed his wand at the prone form of Chiara before Penny stood up and blocked his path.

“Don’t touch her! She saved us!”

Cecil looked completely bewildered, even in the dark.

“What? Saved you?”

“I’m afraid I must concur with Miss Haywood,” came Dumbledore’s light, but firm voice. “That particular werewolf is under my care here at Hogwarts. I will not allow you to capture her Mr. Lee.”

“But-”

“Answers will come,” he assured the utterly perplexed man. “But for now, I think we need to ensure none of our students have been seriously injured. Madam Pomfrey will want to give them a lookover. Minerva, please alert the Ministry to the capture of Fenrir Greyback and two of his followers. Severus, will you escort them to the holding cells until Aurors arrive?”

He and the remaining professors moved quickly. Thankfully, none of them were too banged up other than David’s knee, which felt more like a minor sprain than broken.

Rowan helped him up.

“Can you walk?”

“I think so,” David said, putting enough weight on his knee so that he could at least stand. “Nothing Madam Pomfrey can’t fix.”

Rowan supported him just in case he needed it. There was pain there, but it was not unbearable. All in all, they were extraordinarily fortunate to be alive. Tonks echoed that sentiment as they were escorted back up to the castle.

“Is it just me, or are we bloody lucky as hell?”

“Language Miss Tonks,” Professor Sprout admonished. “Although I daresay you’re right. What you all did was the height of foolishness.”

She paused, giving the group of four a look of admiration.

“It was also one of the bravest, most noble acts I’ve seen in my years at Hogwarts.”

“Indeed, you are right Pomona,” Dumbledore acknowledged. “I would like to get the full story myself.”

David initially thought the Headmaster might be angry with him, especially so soon after his duel with Merula, but even within the darkness there was a definite twinkling in his eyes as he spoke.

Well at the very least, I won’t be expelled

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Madam Pomfrey, always cautious and protective of students in her care, thankfully didn’t need much to fix David’s knee or the minor cut on Tonks’s shoulder. As such, she would not require them to spend the night. Since their injuries were minor, Dumbledore was allowed to ask questions at will and by the time he finished hearing the story, the normally calm, stoic Headmaster looked sufficiently impressed.

“The four of you have done something incredibly important tonight. You not only miraculously fended of Fenrir Greyback and his pack for over half an hour, but more importantly, defended a friend in need, a girl who is quite vulnerable due to her condition.”

His face did turn serious, however.

“That being said, I would ask that if something of this nature comes to your attention once more, please defer the matter to myself or one of the Professors. If any one you were to have been killed or infected with lycanthropy, the consequences would have been quite dire.”

“We understand, Professor,” David nodded. “I guess we felt like there was no other choice. Chiara felt she had no choice as well.”

“Understandable,” the old man mused. “But as young Gryffindors are apt to learn, bravery does not entail looking for trouble.”

It was meant to be an admonishment, but the twinkling was back in his blue eyes.

“And for you Hufflepuffs: loyalty and honor do not have to be your burden to bear alone. Telling a Professor would have been acting in Chiara’s best interests even if she did not believe it at the time.”

Tonks and Penny indicated they understood as well.

“That being said, you have both been exemplary examples for your houses and for the school. I will ensure the Minister knows of your contributions tonight. And fifty points to each of you for outstanding heroism.”

The foursome couldn’t resist giving each other excited looks, but there was still one more question burning in David’s mind.

“Sir, where is Chiara? Will she be alright?”

“Miss Lobosca is in an undisclosed but secure location where she is being tended to,” Dumbledore assured them. “As you know by now, the wolfsbane potion has kept her harmless. By the sun’s rise she will be human once more.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

“You are welcome. The feast is still ongoing and underway. When Madam Pomfrey gives you permission, you may rejoin it.”

The old man gave one more smile before exiting the Hospital Wing and leaving them to talk amongst themselves.

“Barely a scratch on us and a hundred points for each of our houses? I’d call this a successful night,” Tonks said, leaning back in her chair.

“A successful night does not include nearly losing your lives to Fenrir Greyback and a pack of werewolves, Miss Tonks,” Madam Pomfrey admonished, coming over to give them one last checkup. “Any further recklessness will result in having to stay overnight as punishment.”

“Sooo…you’re saying we can go?” she asked with a toothy grin.

Madam Pomfrey sighed heavily.

“Yes, all of you may go. And I do pray that your visits to my ward are infrequent.”

“You’ll probably be seeing me within a week, I’m dead clumsy.”

“Miss Tonks…”

“Right, going.”

Chuckling to himself David rose from his bed and followed the rest of his friends out of the door to join the rest of the school at the feast. But there was one last loose end he needed to tie up.

“Penny, wait.”

She needed to know the full weight of what she had done tonight, or even perhaps what she had not done.

“What is it, Dave?”

“We’re all alive because of you. You came to help us despite what happened all those years ago. I can’t thank you enough.”

Penny suddenly hung her head in shame.

“It wasn’t a hard decision to make once I managed to look past my own feelings. I’m just sorry I didn’t come to your aid sooner.”

“No one could blame you for feeling the way you did,” he comforted her.

“I’m still terrified of werewolves you know,” she admitted. “That hasn’t changed. But you’re right about Chiara. I’ve lived with her all this time without knowing what she was until now. It doesn’t change who she is as a person. I should have realized that.”

“It’s over now,” David smiled at her. “She’s safe as is her secret.” He paused before adding. “You’re not going to tell right?”

“Really, Dave?”

“Hehe, sorry.”

“That’s one piece of gossip I know I have no desire to share,” she laughed. “Come on, let’s go to the feast together.”

“Right behind you.”

But there was one more secret to be revealed. For the second time that month, David could hear the echoes of a conversation outside the hall. And the voices were awfully familiar.

“Can you hear that?”

Penny nodded, indicating that she could. Both of them strained against the crack in the door to hear more accurately.

“…cannot understand why you let the boy get away with these things,” came the annoyed tone of Severus Snape. “Exploding cauldrons, dueling on school grounds, taking on the most dangerous werewolf in Britain. What’s next? Is he going to seek out a mountain troll in his first year as well?”

“Severus,” came the soft reply of Professor Dumbledore. “Much of what you rail against was circumstance. I do not believe David Grant looks for trouble. On the contrary, trouble tends to find him. You have not prevented the Snyde girl from continually antagonizing him.”

David could not see what was going on, but he was positive Snape was bristling at the minor rebuke.

“It is more than an issue with Miss Snyde. What if he discovers the cursed vaults? What then? Will we have to endure another Grant sibling manhunt to find them and thereby endangering the school itself?”

“As far as I know, he still does not know of their true existence or nature. He is a very talented wizard, Severus especially for an eleven year old. Indeed, we are fortunate we have prevented the student body from finding out little more than rumor.”

“He would not be the first talented first year to go astray,” Snape reminded him slowly. “You know that Albus. Should the vaults be discovered, it could be a catastrophe.”

“There is no use worrying in what has not yet happened or perhaps never will,” Dumbledore responded a little more firmly. “In any case, continue to ward away any student from going near the vaults. Indeed, I have begun to conduct an investigation of my own on that front.”

“Very well.”

“Come now, Severus. The feast awaits. And I hear the entertainment is particularly amusing this year.”

The conversation had ended, but the once more, the gears of David Grant’s mind began to turn as Penny looked at him with a silent request for answers.

She could not have known that he was just as lost as she was.

#hogwarts mystery #hphm #mc #chiara lobosca #penny haywood #nymphadora tonks #diego caplan #rowan khanna #ben copper #bill weasley #david grant #fanfiction #harry potter

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