#yokai set my beloved

[transient-winds]

Do you ever just sit down and think about the logistics of a Wind Breaker Jidaigeki AU?

How almost every one of our beloved deliquents would have their original dark hair colors except for Umemiya and Sakura? How Sakura's ostracization would be hella worse, some may even call him an oni or yokai due to his hair and eyes? He'd be treated as a hinin (非人, hi-nin lit. non-human) and would take the first chance he gets to run to a remote/rural part of Japan. (Reminiscent to how Mizu was treated in Blue Eyed Samurai.)

I wouldn't be surprised if on his journey, he'd pick up some skills by observing practicing swordsmen in the distance and picking up a fallen sword in battlefields or via stealing.

I would also like to say that he might cover his hair to stay lowkey, but the belief that Sakura would not hide who he is even if it killed him is fighting against the idea.

Sakura coming across Makochi, a rural village isolated from the capital, must've been a too-good-to-be-true dream and terrifying experience. The first village to ever welcome his presence? And the people aren't disgusted by his appearance? Wth, he's was literally there to find out if the rumors of a group called Bofurin were accepting of bloodlust wayward swordsmen.

[Edit: Forgot to mention; while Sakura might be skilled with the sword and has experience, I'd like to point out he isn't officially a samurai. If I'm going to be setting this AU during Feudal Japan, there's a lot more chances of Sakura becoming one (if rumors be true) rather than if this was set during the Edo period (where restrictions on swordsmen became stricter), but it's on the fewer side. Considering he's a social pariah, those chances become slimer. However, perhaps being Makochi can change that? I still need to do more research 😭 but I'm terrified of entering that sphere with the current debates of Yasuke (Nobunaga's retainer) on whether or not he's a samurai. Wish me luck y'all 🤞]

My idea of Bofurin in this AU would probably be a group of ronin (浪人, rōnin lit. wandering man; samurai who no longer had master or severed ties with his family/clan) who came together to protect Makochi. They probably had a lord ruling over Makochi beforehand and either died or was killed, and his remaining vassals (likely Umemiya and the rest) decided to take up the mantle of protecting the village. It would be interesting if Takiishi's group were the ones to kill the lord of Makochi for reasons (I'm not entirely sure of myself yet and neither do the characters) and later left with Endo and Noroshi in toe.

–

I'll definitely be writing more for this au, probably work out some kinks and have a proper setting of the time period since its kind of all over the place. Or I could mix match the time periods and be a catch all for just feudal Japan, and go for an inaccurate historical fiction type 😭. Maybe draw up some character designs too, emphasis on maybe. The research on this is gonna be killer, I swear and I'll probably go into a rabbit hole of knowledge that wouldn't even be necessary to the AU 😭.

If someone wants to brainrot this idea with me, feel free to cuz I would love to hear everyone else's thoughts and ideas on this.

[of-stars-and-foxes]

Hello, I am Ace, also known as the Star of the Stars of the Stars, a world-famous celebrity, as well as a Kamen Rider. He/It please, though I don't care what gendered terms you use for me. I am a faller from a place called Japan. You can ask me questions, if you'd like. I don't mind. Don't ask me about wishes, or refer to me or my friends as circus animals. If you have information about Arceus, I would like to know, for personal reasons.

I have two Pokemon at this time, my Kantonian vulpix Kohaku-Chan (She/Her) and my Unovian zorua Tori-Chan (She/It).

Hi! I'm Neon! I'm a popular streamer back home. I'm a faller from Japan, just like Ace is, and I'm one of his qpr partners. I use She/Meow/Love pronouns. You can ask me questions too, and I'm more honest than Ace is when answering questions. I have five Pokemon at the moment, my mimikyu Mimi-Chan (She/Her), and four others that are rescues I helped save from Team GO Rocket, so I don't know when I'll introduce them.

//OOC, General trigger warnings, Condensed character bios, and Tags under the cut

//OOC: Condensed Character Bios: Ace | Neon

The Mod for this account uses She/They. Mod is 21, but would prefer if you kept NSFW asks to a minimum. You can be mean if you want. Ace might lie, and as such there is a tag to signify this out of character.

General trigger warnings for discussions of: loss of free will, child abuse, potential end of the world, life or death games, and reincarnation.

There will be spoilers for Kamen Rider Geats as this blog goes on. This is set post-everything (show, all movies, all extras), if you know the media and are curious. Yes, the old blog (starofthestarsofthestars) got deleted- but we are back up and running.

Tags:

#mail received - asks #party posting - posts about their pokemon #fox pasts - lore posts #yokai friends - posts about Ace's friends ("A", his kouhai and someone it calls the traveler) #//liar fox who lies - Mod's tag to scold Ace for lying (you might see this a lot-) #away from fox's eyes - posts Ace can't see, but you can ask about #beloveds tag - tag about Ace's qpr partners ("B" and Neon) #cat speech - posts made by Neon #MMM: Doomsday - MMM with Ace (1,000 years into the future) #MMM: Her - MMM with ???

[mrfeenysmustache]

When Mother Nature Speaks

@crescent-dreams Gift Exchange Day!!! My gift is a ficlet and matching art for @rainandyarn!!

Summary: They are breaking convention and all of polite society is talking.

Also read on: AO3

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

It was raining at her wedding.

She watched the rivulets trail down the window, ignored the whispers- she was good at ignoring whispers- and simply tried to spot a break in the clouds.

Maybe it would stop long enough to say her vows and stop the whispers.

When she’d turned down a proposal from the Hojo family, one that had been whispered about for years, she’d caused a shockwave of gossip and speculation to ripple through society.

Everyone had been so certain, even her family, that their houses would be joined once and for all, the two most influential human houses in all the realms.

The power and prestige would be unmatchable, and they’d been planning this match from the minute Kagome was born, just two years after the youngest Hojo heir.

She played along as she had believed he was a perfectly acceptable match, and she was happy and content to be Hojo’s wife.

And then she’d met Sesshomaru.

Thunder cracked loud and sharp, tapering off into a shaky rumble as lightning flashed bright across the sky.

The whispers behind her increased, and her nerves began to fray.

Perhaps they’d been right all along?

Perhaps she was making a foolish decision, one cursed by fate and the gods themselves?

But how could love so deep and pure be cursed in any way?

She’d met yokai before for sure.

Romantic intermingling was mostly taboo, though now and again those in lower social spheres would do so.

It was nearly unheard of in her circles, though, not that she understood why.

They would all dance and drink and dine together, flashing their wealth and sharing gossip, but marriage deals and arrangements rarely crossed those lines.

Sesshomaru had been traveling for a long time, certainly before she’d reached the appropriate age to enter society, and it was his return from his distant learning and training that changed her life.

He’d walked into the ball with his father and suddenly everything in her life that had once seemed important withered and rotted away.

Her heart had twisted so hard she’d almost fainted, but she’d held it together and slowly drifted off to the refreshment tables for a sip of water.

She waved off concern of her friends with reassuring smiles, pretended to listen to conversation with well placed giggles, and tried to hide the way her entire body wanted to fly apart when the object of her distractions gently touched the inside of her elbow.

“Will you dance with me?” He asked, his cool, even tone washing over her with unexpected warmth, and nodded, breathless and unable to speak.

He’d spun her around the floor, under the golden candlelight and into his heart, and she knew then that the trappings of her previous life and the one she’d been prepared for would no longer suffice.

As was usual, their courting time was short, and the proposal was as scandalous as it was unexpected.

But she didn’t mind the whispers.

Until today.

“An omen. We knew this was a cursed union, and Mother Nature confirms it!” She heard from human and demon alike from the moment of the announcement, and those whispers increased ten fold as she watched the rain wash away her carefully set up ceremony.

She wasn’t usually superstitious but… what if….

A familiar grasp on her elbow drew her attention from the window, and she gazed up into beloved golden eyes.

“We will not melt.” Sesshomaru said in that quiet but firm way he had, and she grinned as he pulled her out into the rain.

They ran together to the flower strung tree, and the priest followed, bewildered and bedraggled.

“Make it quick!” Sesshomaru shouted above the thunder, and he skipped the fluff and went straight to the vows.

The rain washed away her tears of happiness at hearing Sesshomaru pledge to be hers, and she choked out her vow to be his just in time for him to sweep her up and kiss her hard and deep on the mouth in front of their guests, still sheltered safely inside but watching from the windows and doors.

There were gasps, twitterings, even cheers, but they melted into the mud with her newly sprouted doubts as her heart reaffirmed everything she’d ever known.

As he stole her every breath with a toe curling kiss hot enough to incinerate everyone’s proper graces, the clouds broke apart and the rain lightened to a sweet, spring shower, a sunbeam spilling over their faces.

Mother Nature had indeed come, and she’d come to confirm what she truly already knew…

She was meant to be right where she was.

[2af-afterdark]

Looks like that other BL game Velvet React is ending in June. Never did very well and apparently there was some NTR drama and quite honestly I’m not surprised it’s ending.

While I feel bad for the people that enjoyed that game, I personally never played it. I just never had much interest in it. It sucks when a game shuts down though :/ Unless someone documented the contents, it will likely become lost media some day.

Also, while I am not an NTR fan, I don't kink shame. Some people are into that and power to the people if they found a game that was willing to cater to them. Although, idk what the drama was, so I can't have a real opinion on it. All I can really say is that you gotta know who your fans are. If you are catering to freaks (affectionate) then you gotta make sure they are actually in your audience. If you want something more vanilla, make sure you have the romance crowd following you. If the game wasn't set up to welcome NTR, that was a huge misstep on their part.

If you noticed, a few of the 'male lead' games on EROLABS have vanished. I don't even recall what the other one was called, but there used to be seven games. I don't expect yokai legends to last long either. Hell, even the 'female lead' games tend to vanish pretty regularly. It seems they cycle out the low performers pretty regularly.

Nu: Carnival is their #1 game over all, so that one is pretty safe. Noctilucent, despite very few people seeming to talk about it on the social media platforms I use, is currently at #8. What in Hell is Bad? is at #11, so its probably safe as long as it doesn't drop.

Sorry, I got off topic, but... yeah. Sucks for Velvet React players. Let this be a reminder to use all that mobile games are the worst games to get invested in because they can vanish at any moment and you will have nothing left, even if you sunk hours into them. We all live in fear of the day the servers go offline. I wish more companies would release their mobile games on actual councils or PCs once they were done with them so they didn't just vanish. Blood Domination my beloved

[plothooksinc]

For NRFTW prompts; this may or may not be a bit of a stretch since it's outside of the POVs in the original fic, but I'd just love to see what happened when April's parents were at Run of the Mill. I think it would be really funny to see Senior Hueso getting increasingly more exasperated.

Either that, or seeing the dinner that was promised at the end of NRFTW. I do always love me some found family fluff.

Honestly, both would be great, but even seeing just one of those would absolutely make my day.

You're in luck, actually! I chose Hueso, but the prompter after you asked for the dinner |D so I guess I'll write that next!

Fair warning for this: I do not know Spanish. I have thus used it sparingly. If anyone else knows Spanish and I have it wrong, please tell me and I will course correct.

They were closed.  They’d been closed for days, but the announcement that the lockdown was officially over had been just a few hours ago, and so perhaps it was lucky that Hueso had decided to check in on his beloved restaurant to see if it had survived the surface invasion intact.  He had high hopes, given its highly secretive entrance to the mundane world, but he also needed to take inventory of his kitchen because the lockdown had been unexpected, to say the least, and some of his more delicate ingredients would not have survived a four day absence of care.

Perhaps it was also lucky that Hop had come with him, lured by the promise of double pay, to help him clean out the pantry and set any issues to rights.  Because when the yokai popped into existence in the middle of his dining room—complete with two shell-shocked, dark-skinned humans—Hueso himself was not at ground zero.  And he was not their first impression.  And a fluffy, wide-eyed black and white rabbit yokai was perhaps less terrifying to two panicked humans than a skeleton in a fedora.  Hueso was not convinced that, had he been the first point of contact, the woman would not have tried to run him through with her knife.  

For all the good it would do her.  But… details.

Instead, he bolted out of the kitchen to the sound of multiple screams, stopping short at the counter to see Hop on the floor with both arms over his head, his feet thumping a pattern on the ground—and a woman breathing hard in a pair of blue jeans and an orange shirt and dark, wild curly hair that reminded him of someone else.  He couldn’t work out if the man holding onto her shoulders was cowering or merely holding her back, they both seemed so terrified, but at least the knife in the woman’s hands wasn’t actually in use.  Held in a death grip, maybe, but—

Mayhem, he did recognise.  Because the traitorous little yokai hopped from the woman’s shoulder onto his counter, stared at him pointedly, and then vanished. 

Which drew all attention in the room his way. 

And if the screaming had been loud before…

For a moment, he considered turning on his heel and walking back into the kitchen, locking the door behind him.  It was so tempting. But he had a duty of care to Hop, and he should probably… do something about the humans in his Yokai Only (With One Exception) establishment.

“I’ll thank you to stop yelling,” he said irritably.  “Nobody is going to hurt you.  You will perhaps tell me why you are here, yes?”

The knife swung in his direction, the woman’s expression fierce, and Hop took the opportunity to scoot away from the couple, jamming himself into the corner instead.  Hueso sighed.  “No trust.  Senora, this is a pizzeria, not a death trap.  That’s next door.  If you put the knife down and take a seat, I will fetch you some soothing tea and you can explain to me why you have appeared without warning when we are closed.”

The woman blinked at him, and then her gaze travelled across the menu boards behind him, and her eyes widened.  Thankfully, she finally lowered the knife. 

“…Run of the Mill?” she said, sounding dazed.  “I know this place.”

He stiffened.  “How so?”

“My daughter... orders from here?”

Ah.  That would be why she looked so familiar to him, then.  Hueso adjusted his fedora and graciously kept his sigh to himself.  “Your daughter has good taste.  In pizza, if not in company.”  That was mostly a lie; the boys weren’t that bad, but he wasn’t about to admit that.  “However, she is not here today, and so my question still stands.  Why did Mayhem bring you to my closed establishment?”

“Oh, good,” the man at her back murmured, and he smiled in a way that suggested he was not, in fact, happy at all.  “April and Mayhem have both been here before.  Isn’t that great, honey?  Hmm?”

“Wait, that’s not important,” said the woman—Mrs O’Neil, he would assume until told otherwise.  To his great annoyance, she swung the knife up again.  “You have to send us back.  We left her there, you took us away—“

“I took you nowhere,” Hueso snapped, both from impatience and the realisation that something untoward had possibly happened.  He just wanted to check on his restaurant, but apparently that was not in the cards today.  “If you listened, I said the furry creature with you—“

“Mayhem,” Mr O’Neil muttered.  “I think that’s right.  The… nice skeleton man is just as surprised as we are.”

His fingers squeezed into her shoulders, and she lowered the knife again.  Hueso raised an eyebrow at her, wondering if she’d just threaten him again in a moment—she seemed the type.  But Mrs O’Neil looked tired, and had begun to shake.  Definitely something terrible had happened.  Besides their sudden appearance here.

Now, he did sigh.

“Hop, go home,” he said wearily.  “I will pay you until the end of the evening as promised.  The two of you, please.  Sit down.”

---------

Hop was a good kitchen hand but otherwise terribly anxious and hadn’t needed to be told twice to leave; by the time Hueso came back from the kitchen with tea, he was gone.  Hueso eyed the corner where he’d squished himself in case the woman had somehow gone crazy in his absence, but there was no sign of violence and the couple was now sitting at the corner booth, though they both seemed as rigid as corpses.  It was as if they were expecting the booth to come alive and eat them whole.  (He… would refrain about joking about that sort of thing.  They might actually believe him.  And one day, it might not actually be a joke, given some of his clientele.) 

The knife sat on the table with the blade facing away from the edge.  It was as close to a truce as he suspected they could manage, and he placed the tray on the table, amused as they stared at it suspiciously. 

“You will be reassured to note my tea is a mundane herb for soothing the nerves and likely something you are familiar with,” he said blandly.  “Just as I’m sure you are already familiar with pizza.  This is a normal restaurant, for all intents and purposes.”

They didn’t need to know about the delicate ingredients.  Not unless he decided he didn’t like them.  The jury was still out; for one thing, the knife.  The yelling.  His restaurant being closed.  But on the other side of the equation, they were related to April, who had thus far been a surprisingly tolerable human guest. 

They were also traumatized, and once he listened to their slightly incoherent attempts to tell him what had happened—tripping over each other in their haste to talk about alien zombie creatures—he realised Mayhem had brought them here to save their lives.  He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.  Surely, there were other places Mayhem would consider safer than a yokai restaurant.

Well.  Small mercy that at least the dining room had not been open at the time.

Mrs O’Neil took a sniff of her tea with a cautious face, and then pulled back in surprise.  “Chamomile?”

“And a touch of honey.”

“Oh.  I wouldn’t have thought—“

“I can assure you, Senora, that many yokai tastes run quite similarly to those of humans.  Like pizza, for example.  Consider that you are sitting in a pizzeria.”

The look she gave him was actually irritated.  “I was going to say it’s weird to find chamomile in a pizzeria.”

“…ah.”  Well.  Perhaps, when she wasn’t panicking, she was a reasonable woman.  He tipped his hat.  “My apologies.  It is actually a blend for my own personal use.”

“Why are you Spanish?” Mr O’Neil asked abruptly, and Hueso stared. 

“…I beg your pardon?”

“Hon,” his wife said tiredly, “You can’t just go around asking random skeletons why they’re Spanish—“

“It’s a valid question,” he insisted, but his expression was sheepish.  “You said yokai.  Yokai are Japanese in origin.”

“In origin,” Hueso repeated back pointedly.  “A very, very long time ago.  It is an adopted term for many of us.  Your daughter has been consorting with yokai for more than a year now; I am surprised to find the two of you so ignorant.”

“…she what.”

…ah. 

Well, if April was going to send her parents to him, what was he meant to assume?  Hueso rubbed his fingers against his skull, trying not to hold it against them when they flinched at the click of his knuckles.

“Let’s start over.”

--------

Their first cup of tea settled their nerves enough that they thanked him politely for his hospitality, though Hueso noted tiredly their gratitude came with shell-shocked expressions, and he wondered how much of this they would retain later.  The woman asked him if April had friends here—while her husband tried for the fourth time to call his daughter—and Hueso gave a faint shrug.  He may have only a slight regret about accidentally throwing April under the bus, but Frankie’s daughter and the turtle boys were another story.  Now that he knew how little they knew, it was time to keep his distance:  he left them to continue their phone calls and vanished into the kitchen.

He was just putting a pizza into the oven when his kitchen door slammed open, and Hueso ground his teeth at the sight of Mrs O’Neil bursting into his kitchen looking upset all over again. 

“Senora—“

“You don’t have a front door,” she said shrilly.  “Why don’t you have a front door?”

Ah.  They’d tried to leave.  He could understand this particular panic, and he straightened.  “Senora, this is a non-human establishment.  As such, there is no door that any casual tourist can just walk through.  Imagine the upset.”  He raised an eyebrow.  “Imagine if they all had knives.”

“They wouldn’t be carrying knives!”

“That is… reassuring?”

Her mouth opened and closed, and then she ran a hand down her face, face suddenly so tired.  “Guns.  They’d be carrying guns.”

“Less reassuring.  Also an odd tangent.” He blinked.  “This may be a strange question given the circumstances, but are you—“

“I’m fine,” she muttered.  “I was trying to protest and then I realised you had a point.”

“Gracias.”

“No, but—sorry for bursting into your kitchen—“

“And again.”

“—but we really need to leave.”  Her hands twisted into her shirt.  “April isn’t answering her phone and we’ve tried, we’ve tried a lot, we’ve left messages, and we left her there and there are zombies, can you please let us out?  There’s another way to leave, right?”

There was, of course.   There were three ways out, and he wasn’t particularly inclined to show her any of them for a variety of reasons.  First and foremost was the safety and privacy of his family and his livelihood.  The O’Neils seemed like decent people, but they were still human and he’d only just met them.  Giving them the mystical keys to get in and out of his restaurant—or allowing them to see where it was in New York—was not something he was willing to commit to just yet. 

Another reason, of course, was plain common sense.

“Senora, the little furry yokai brought you here for a reason,” he said gently.  “Did April ask him to bring you?”

“Yes,” she said heavily.  “But—“

“Then you didn’t leave her there.  She made you go.  And most likely for the reason that she can hold her own far better when she does not have to worry about you as well.”  He’d never seen April fight, but he knew the company she kept.  It stood to reason.  “Though I am curious as to why she sent you to my restaurant.”

“She told Mayhem to take us somewhere safe.” 

“Ah.”  Then this was a choice of Mayhem’s.  The next time the little yokai came in, they were going to have words.  Or at least… pointed stares.  “You seem to be quite familiar with Mayhem, at least.”

“We knew he wasn’t, uh, quite a cat or a dog.  And there are mutants out there,” she said awkwardly.  “I figured he was a mutant animal of some kind, but… yokai, huh?”

He relaxed a little, leaning back against the counter.  “You do not have a problem with mutants?”

“Well, I don’t know any, except for—well, no.” She folded her arms.  “If Mayhem’s a yokai, then I’ve never met one.  But they’re just people, right?”

A good attitude to have.  He raised an eyebrow.  “As are yokai.  But you drew a knife on my kitchen hand.”

She had the grace to look sheepish—for all of half a second before she straightened against the door, ticking off points on her fingers, voice incredibly polite.  “First, I already had the knife out because I was under attack by zombies.  Second, I’ve never teleported in my life, and switching out a zombie for a sudden furry rabbit guy didn’t do wonders for my anxiety.  I didn’t stab him.  I would have stabbed a zombie.”

“I am glad you are such a discerning knife wielder,” he said dryly, and was rewarded with the small upward tick of her mouth.  Ah.  He was beginning to like her.

“I’m sorry I frightened him, though.”

“I will pass on your apology.” He tapped his finger on the edge of the oven.  “Senora, I know you wish to leave, and I do not wish to spite you.  But I feel it is best that you stay here for the moment.  Your daughter…” He hesitated, but he’d already thrown April under the bus once, and he doubted very much her parents would still remain ignorant after this evening regardless.  “I imagine she already has much experience in dealing with such issues.  One assumes she knows where you are and will come to collect you.”

She was quiet a long moment, dark eyes sizing him up, and the faint smile faded.  “And if I insist?”

“Then I would think you are remarkably foolish.”

“But would you keep us here?”

He sighed, throwing a hand in the air with some impatience.  “I am not a jailer.  I will find some way of returning you home.”  He just—didn’t really want to.  But Hueso wasn’t about to take a pair of humans prisoner, either.  “Consider this also, however:  by the time you return home, it will be too late regardless.  Your apartment is some distance from here.”

She blinked.  “You know where we live?”

“Your daughter orders from us,” he reminded her.

“…are your delivery boys also yokai?”

“Girls, actually.  And yes.”  Cloaked for the outside world, but nevertheless.

“…huh.”

It was a thoughtful huh, and she sagged against the wall, running a hand through her hair.  It made the curls stand up at awkward, frizzed angles, and he suspected his heated kitchen was doing her no favours.  “What do you suggest?”

He gestured toward the oven.  “Sit and recover yourselves.  Have a meal.  It’s likely either Mayhem or your daughter will come looking for you.  Honour April’s attempt to keep you safe and stay safe.  If she still cannot be reached—“

Mrs O’Neil straightened suddenly, cutting him off.  “Do you know who Donnie is?”

That…was unexpected. 

He stared at her, mouth open for a moment, before he clicked his jaw shut.  “Out of curiosity, why do you ask?”

“Before we left,” she said steadily.  “She was yelling at him over her—uh, watch.  I think she was asking for help.  We can’t reach her on the phone, so—“

Ah.  This he could work with, and he wished it had come up sooner.  But he could hardly blame them for the stresses of the evening.  Perhaps he could help more directly after all.

“Donnie is a customer of mine,” he said.  “Go back to your seat, Senora.  I do not have his number, but I do have his brother’s.  I will try and reach him for you.”

---------

Leonardo was not picking up his phone. 

This was somewhat surprising, as Hueso had a long history of having to grit his teeth when calling the boy, because his reaction was always, always over-enthusiastic and immediate and what’s up, Bone Man? and I knew I was your favourite and sometimes he wished that he had Raphael’s number instead, but Leo had insisted they were ‘mejor amigos’ (and Hueso regretted answering his questions on various Spanish words) and he was the one who forced his phone into Hueso’s face first. 

He left a message.  It was simple.  The situation was too complex for more.

Pepino.  Call me.  Immediately.

Surprising, but when he thought about it, if the boys were at April’s apartment dealing with an apparent zombie situation (zombies?  Really?  Not that he doubted the O’Neils, but zombies?) they were perhaps too busy for phone calls.  He fetched the pizza from the oven and carved it up into slices.  Only Mrs O’Neil was at the booth, looking even more frazzled and now exhausted, but she looked up as he slid the pizza onto the table on its wooden platter.

Then she peered at the pizza with the sudden interest of a woman who has just remembered she is starving, and she reached forward for a slice immediately.  “Wait, is this—“

“Spicy chicken.  Extra sauce.”

“How did you know?”

“We have had this conversation three times now,” he said with amusement, and she huffed a small laugh.  “Again—“

“My daughter orders from you, yeah, I got it.”

“And I know what her favourite is when she eats here.  I had to assume this one was either your favourite or your husband’s.”  He paused.  “Where is he, by the way?”

“Oh… he went to find your restroom.”  She took a bite and leaned back, pointing across the room, speaking with her mouth full.  “An’ got distracted on t’way back.”

That could be alarming.  His restroom was perfectly average, but the hallway down to it was lined with multiple artworks and posters and news articles that were largely from the Hidden City.  Including a picture of April with Sunita and Frankie, which he hoped very much that the man did not see.  He was fresh out of explanations he desired to give.

Fortunately, it seemed Mr O’Neil had been distracted by something much more mundane, if more important to Hueso than the contents of the hallway combined.  He was stooped by the model ship on its stand, eyeing it with obvious delight, and Hueso decided that perhaps both of April’s parents were not, in fact, bad people.

“I have left a message,” he told Mrs O’Neil.  “Donnie is… very much a foolish teenager, but he and his brothers are more than adequate to help your daughter deal with any trouble.  It won’t be long.”  (He wasn’t used to calling the boy Donnie, but it was wise not to give her even more information.  Hueso was a restaurant owner big on confidentiality and wished to stay in his lane.  April could deal with that tangle.)

She swallowed before answering this time.  “Thank you.  Uh…”

And she glanced back at the signs on the counter as if looking for inspiration, and that’s when he realised he hadn’t introduced himself. 

“You can call me Senor Hueso.”

She mouthed something for a brief moment—he suspected it was bone from the confused look on her face—and then she smiled tiredly. 

“Carol O’Neil.  My husband’s name is August.”

“A pleasure.”

Well.  That was stretching it.  But they could certainly be worse company.

---------

Leonardo still wasn’t answering his phone.

---------

“You speak Spanish?”

“Si, Senor.  August too, but not as fluently.”

“He is still looking at my ship.”

“He loves boats.  Or ships.  Whichever.  He has a collection at home.”

“Ah.  Is he a sailor?”

“Not since he was a teenager.  You?”

“For a while.  Then I decided to turn my gaze towards more…. legitimate business.”

“Oh.  What, were you a, uh.  Smuggler?”

“Not quite.”

“…you weren’t a, um…”

“Pirate?  Yes.”

“Oh!   I was thinking something more… skeletal.”

“…Senora.  I assure you that I am not now, nor have I ever been… Santa Muerte.  A ‘Grim Reaper’.”

“I guess that was a stupid question.”

“A little, yes.”

“…”

“…”

“…wait.  Piracy?”

“Of course.  I obtain media illegally all the time.”

“Oh, that’s a relief.  Really?”

“No.”

---------

It had been hours.  Now he was worried. 

He would deny it for the rest of his bony life, of course. 

---------

The O’Neils had passed from shock to exhausted complacency back to a growing urgency the more time passed, and Hueso found himself wishing Leonardo did not know portal magic, because then he would perhaps have an address for delivery that he could pay a visit to.  April was not answering her phone. Leonardo was not answering his.  Mayhem had failed to reappear.  Something had clearly gone amiss and, aside from the humans growing more agitated in his dining room, Hueso’s mind was filling with terrible images of dead teenagers.  Or zombie teenagers, or—

They were good customers.  They paid well.  That was his only concern.

(He was lying to himself.)

The chamomile tea had been swapped out for spirits; just enough to settle nerves, because he wasn’t about to have two agitated and drunk humans on his premises.  As it was, they were both back at the table, Carol tapping an uneven rhythm on the table with her fingers and beginning to stare off into the middle distance, and August kept glancing between Hueso and the walls of his establishment.  Perhaps he was wondering whether there was a secret door he could find if he looked hard enough.  Unless he suddenly developed mystic vision, unlikely.

Their growing fear was perfectly understandable.  He felt a little like he was harmonizing with them.  Hueso leaned against his counter, tapping at his phone, and sighed.

“Ten minutes,” he said quietly.  “I will call again.  If I hear nothing…”

…if he heard nothing, he did not know what to do.  Did he just blindfold them until he could turn them out onto the street, let them go scurrying back home to a potentially tragic scene?  He pondered visiting the apartment himself, but there was precious little point to it; not this late in the game.  He’d left his swashbuckling days well behind him in any case.

“Ten minutes and we leave,” Carol said flatly, knuckles whitening as she curled her hands on the table.  “One way or another.”

Hueso gritted his teeth for a moment, fighting back a withering response.  She was within her rights, and he had already said he would not be a jailer.  There was very little else he could do about the situation, and it frustrated him.

Leonardo needed to call back right now and make a terrible joke at him, so he could yell at him for his terrible sense of humour and his terrible Spanish and for worrying April’s parents, and then he could wash his hands of the whole thing and go home to sleep in relief.  (He thought perhaps that if they called back now he might even make them pizza on the house.)

“Ten minutes,” he said, voice quiet.  “And then I will escort you off the premises and wish you the best.  But give me ten minutes.”

Carol sagged against the table and gave him a watery smile.

---------

Ten minutes later the youngest turtle answered the phone, sounding breathless and cautious, and Senor Hueso thanked every god who might be listening, leaned against the counter, and tried not to panic that it was the wrong turtle. 

“Michelangelo.  Where is Pepino?”  He saw the O’Neils straighten out of the corner of his eye, turning toward him with hopeful faces. 

“Yeah, sorry, Senor Hueso!  He’s not allowed to have his phone right now, kind of doctor’s orders.”

“He is concussed?”  His alarm rose.  “Did the zombies hurt him?”

“Zom--?  Oh!  No!  No, he wasn’t there for that, this was, uh, earlier.”  Mikey was quiet for a moment, then spoke even more brightly, but Hueso could hear the strain underlying it.  “He’s okay, promise!   Just gotta rest up, that’s all.  Do you want me to take a message for you?”

Earlier probably meant during the invasion itself, and many people were hurt in the upper city—he wondered now if he should have perhaps reached out to Leonardo and his family to offer them sanctuary on the other side of the lockdown.  There was nothing he could do about it now, so he moved on, trying to keep his voice level.  “No.  If he is hurt, leave him be.  Please tell me you know where April O’Neil is.”

“…yeees?”  He sounded confused.  “Why would you—OMIGOSH.”  Hueso jerked the phone away from his ear.  “And you know about the zombies.  Are the O’Neils with you?”

“They are here, yes,” he snapped.  “And they are very stressed and eating me out of house and home.”

He heard August protest softly from across the room.  “Hey, now—“

“Oh, don’t be like that, you big softy.”  The strain was gone from Mikey’s voice.  Now he just sounded utterly relieved.  “No way you didn’t just feed them yourself out of the goodness of your bones.  But that’s great!  We didn’t know where Mayhem had taken them, April’s been really worried.”

“She is safe?”

“Safe and sound.”

He glanced over to the O’Neils and gave them a slight nod, and then turned away again as Carol gave a small, aborted sob.  “Then if you please, Michelangelo, put her on the line?  I will hand the phone over to Mr O’Neil.”

“You got it, BM.”

August was already standing, a hand on his wife’s shoulder.  Hueso handed him the phone.

Then he vanished back into his kitchen, shutting the door behind him and eyeing the oven and what ingredients he had.  Pizza; nothing fancy given they were closed, but if he wasn’t mistaken, he was about to have more guests.  And baking them would give him something to do far, far away from the two humans currently having a breakdown in his front room.

Soon, they would all be gone and he could go home and things would return back to some version of normal. 

(The only thing he was relieved about, of course.)

---------

April arrived via ostentatious pink portal, bruised and scuffed and accompanied by the Hidden City’s Most Wanted and promptly threw herself into her parents’ arms, both of whom seemed far too overjoyed to see her to remark on the way she arrived and the company she was keeping.

Hueso stared at Draxum. 

Draxum stared back, arms folded. 

Hueso dumped a stack of pizza boxes on the counter and sidled off to his hallway while the joyous reunion was happening (“Baby, your face!”), and carefully yanked a Wanted poster off the wall, crumpling it in one hand. 

There was quiet for a moment.  And then he heard Carol, voice heavy with disbelief. 

“Barry?”

“Hello, Carol.”  Draxum was extremely casual, examining his knuckles.

“But you—but he--you used a—you’re our neighbour!”

Dios mio.  Hueso would pretend he never heard that.  Instead, he strolled back up, rumpled paper carefully shoved into a pocket.  “Carol, please do not tell me you somehow thought he was human.”

“I could pass for human,” Draxum grumbled.

“Ah, yes, because human legs all bend the wrong way like that.”

“Yeah, okay, enough,” April interrupted, voice small, still latched onto her father as Carol examined her bandaged nose.  “Mom, uh, I’m guessing we really need to talk, so—“

“You do, and I would like to sleep,” Hueso said, shoving his stack of carefully prepared pizzas into Draxum’s empty arms.  To his credit, the caprid yokai merely took them with a long-suffering look and then promptly used them to hide his face.  “And I am so done with revelations tonight.  Please have any further life-changing conversations somewhere that is not my restaurant.  We are, after all, closed.”

April grinned tiredly at him.  “Sorry.  But thanks, Senor Hueso.  I appreciate it, I know it was…a lot.”

Ah.  Well.  He softened, just a little.  “You are welcome. Just do not make a habit of either visiting after hours or zombie attacks.”

“Thaaat, I think we can do.”

“So you say,” Draxum muttered dryly, and then glared as April kicked him in the shin.

“None of that, Barry.  C’mon, Portal Express.  Can you take us to, uh, Central Park?”

“If I must.”

“Wait,” August interrupted, eyeing the portal that was still open with no small amount of nerves.  “Do we have to go through that?”

Whatever the answer was, Hueso didn’t care to hear it.  He swept into the kitchen and snapped the door shut behind him decisively, wiping down the counters.  He didn’t care if Draxum bodily dragged them through the portal at this point; he just wanted to return to the quiet evening he had been looking forward to before all this.

That being said, he would admit to himself he was glad that everyone had turned out to be okay.  Well.  Minus Leonardo, who was apparently hurt badly enough that he wasn’t allowed to have his phone this many days after the invasion.  But Michelangelo said he would be fine—

He paused in his cleaning to dash a quick text off to the boy, and then finished closing down his kitchen in peace.

---------

BoneMan: Pepino.  When you are entirely done lazing around, please call.  You still owe me a shift for the restaurant damage, you can’t get out of it that easily.

He might care a little.

---------

(He returned to the dining room later to wipe down the table and found a folded serviette with words scrawled on it in what looked like lipstick, and he flipped it over to read.

Thank you for everything.  We’ll tell no one.

- Carol

Well.

They seemed like decent people.  Perhaps he would see them again.)

[st4rryyyuniverse]

..RISEEE OF THE — (DR !!)

MISCALENOUS !!

— AFFILIATIONS !!

— |★| A small baking business owner. I make the sweets and pastries and deliver them for a living.

— |☆| I am in a photography club.

— |★| Commission artist.

— |☆| Guitarist.

— HOBBIES !!

— |☆| Stargazing.

— |★| Writing.

— |☆| Drawing.

— |★| Exploring.

— |☆| Guitar playing.

— |★| Cooking.

— |☆| Baking.

— SKILLS !!

— |★| I know how to play the guitar pretty decently.

— |☆| I am pretty good at baking, both sweet and savory

— |★| I do have a creative mindset when it comes to writing.

— |☆| I am good at solving math problems and can do a pretty decent job when it comes to calculating.

— |★| I am pretty analytical whenever it comes to stuff that I enjoy and I'm also able to give informative feedback to someone else rambles.

— |☆| Can hold information and small details in mind, unimportant or not.

— |★| I am able to memorize perfectly the lyrics, producers, and the people who worked on my favourite songs and such.

— |☆| I can take good pictures, both my phone and my photo camera.

— |★| I am quite skilled at adapting different artstyles pretty quickly.

— |☆| I'm a pretty fast and accurate typer.

— |★| I've got a photographic memory.

— |☆| I am quite the fast runner and I am a pretty good hider.

— SPECIAL INTERESTS !!

— |★| Astronomy & Stars.

— |☆| Science.

— |★| Geology.

— |☆| Baking.

— |★| Food.

— |☆| Photography.

— |★| Yokai Culture.

— |☆| Learning about mutations.

— |★| G/t.

— FAVOURITE STUFF !!

— |★| My favourite type of theme is the star and cosmic theme.

— |☆| My favourite type of food is spicy food.

— |★| My favourite desserts are lemon cake, waffles, brownies and oatmeal bars.

— |☆| I adore loud music and my favourite bands are 'Set It Off' , 'Get Scared' and 'Fall Out Boy'.

— |★| I love rainy and cold days.

— |☆| Winter is my favourite season.

— |★| Quite. Spaces. My. Beloved.

— |☆| Sitting on a friend's shoulder while in my shrunken form.

— HATED STUFF !!

— |★| I despise loud/too many noises.

— |☆| I hate getting sweaty.

— |★| Wet clothes are a huge no no.

— |☆| Bland meals.

— |★| Misinformation and inaccuracy.

— |☆| Shrinking down unexpectedly.

— |★| Being picked up without consent while im in my shrunken form. Though it depends on the person as well.

— |☆| Sudden changes in plans.

— |★| Not being able/allowed to help.

— |☆| Shutdowns and meltdowns.

— |★| Injustice.

— |☆| Mean people.

— POSSESSIONS !!

— |★| Acoustic guitar.

— |☆| Noise cancelling headphones.

— |★| Star shaped earrings.

— |☆| Photography and video camera.

— |★| Many comfortable and fitting clothes.

— |☆| Astronomy journal.

— |★| Baking journal.

— |☆| Lyric Journal.

— |★| A pastel blue star-shaped back-pack.

— |☆| Multiple space themed puzzles.

|★| DIVIDERS BY: @aquazero !!

|★| BASIC INFO | ABILITIES | RELATIONSHIPS !!

[nuikasa]

Are there any other funky god guys around, or just Tsukasa? (i.e. if the others who got cards from that set have something like that too) It's been shown that Nene isn't, so maybe there's other reincarnation fellas other than Rui? I don't know I'm sorry this au gives me life-

Ah, I think I've been inquired about this before on TikTok, I honestly don't have any intentions of adding more Gods in the story, my intention with this history is to show how an exiled God as Tsukasa can find happiness in the mundane modern era and find peace with his past mistakes. The set my eyes are on with relation to this au it's more related to once lifetime pandemonium than the set from where Dragonkasa comes from, for fun purposes than anything and to give some headaches to my beloved dragon but that's all lmao.

I think the story it's quite simple if you ask my opinion because there's nothing else than just a silly dragon trying to find a way to forgive himself and accepting that he is allowed to be happy as well after so many years of trying to stop feeling anything about it, Rui will be his pilar in this journey of self discovery, the same way Tsukasa was for Rui in the game.

But since we are at this, there's someone who will appear in the future that can resemble as something similar as a god but isn't one, for plot purposes, he will appear to help Tsukasa to find the last answer to his questions but haha for now there's nothing drawn about it and it's on the making. There gonna be other stuff too, mayhaps I'll add complement stories to the au to explore that side too but nothing beyond yokais or devil spirits appearing on the story to make Tsukasa face some adversities but that's all.

Hopefully this will answer your question! thank you so much for sending one and don't apologize, your question is quite welcome to me, if you have more, you can always send another ask to me.

[olibuns]

When ur a fucking PUPY

[nazrigar]

Smaugust 2022 - Monsters of Mythology, Science Fantasy Edition

So! For this Smaugust, I basically revisit my Pantheons setting, and decided to do some Science Fantasy interpretations of mythologies beasties. Pantheons is essentially a what-if scenario in the future, where gods and mortals walk alongside one another, and by extension, mythology’s monsters.

Batch 1: Chaoskampf-Level Giants

- Gonggong/Kanghui: An insane dragon representing the Devonian Mass Extinction, not satisfied being a giant water elemental, wants to learn the secrets of human-god magic.

- Behemoth: A Cosmic T.rex Guardian of a titanic planet where many of the major monsters of the Galaxy originates from. As a representation of the K-Pg extinction event, his fists are usually all that’s needed to obliterate anything, but a energy laser is always convenient!

- Niddhogg: A snarky, short tempered cosmic Spinosaurus that can tear through the fabric of space, entering in-and-out of Yggdrasil, snapping up planets in his maw. He less represents ONE extinction, and more how extinction can come in anytime.

- Orochi: Once a mighty Yokai that represented the Anthropocene Extinction Event, he’s now reduced to a ghost trapped in Amaterasu’s sword, Kusanagi.

Batch 2: “True” Dragons

- The Red Dragon of Wales: A guardian of the realm of the Arthurian realm called Avalon, beloved by all. (Avalon is a mix between The British Isles, France and Iberia, aka the areas where

- The Cuelebre: The Golden Dragon, who found out that you can get more treasure by selling booze rather trying to raid and hoard gold.

- Illuyaka: A Great Electric Eel, who USED to be a big shot, but his confidence was absolutely crushed after losing to Tarhunz, the Hittite Storm God (well... one of them. They have a lot).

- Zmeya Gorynishche: An evil slaving dragon who haunts mortals after having lost her pups, and now leads a band of monstrous pirates.

Batch 3: Great Shapeshifters

- Kukulcan/Quetzalcoatl: A Grand Beast that’s also the head of multiple pantheons, he’s actually pretty pleasant. Doesn’t like Tezcatlipoca much though.

- Fafnir: A mobster dwarf AND a dragon. Don’t make him mad, lest he feels peckish, so be sure to be on time to pay back those loans...

- Nammu/Tiamat: Both a queen and a literal monster, she revels in being both the highest authority in the Mesopotamian Pantheon AND a giant monster feared by all. She loves picking on Marduk.

- Rahab/Sandalphon: A Cherubim who was once a mighty dragon-looking angel, feared by many, until she interacted more and more with the galaxy, and decided, in her heart, she’d feel more comfortable having a more humanoid form. She can still shapeshift to the dragon form however, when it’s convenient.

[hanafubukki]

*Slides in in a paint me like one of your French girl poses*

Hello beloved Hana, tis I, your Frenchiest fry, Convert Anon💜

It has been a while since I have graced your inbox, but I return💜

Also not be rereading your Ramadan series like 🥺🥺🥺

I am aggressively grabbing and smooching their foreheads and hugging them

I also currently have a protesting cat with me because there was a boy who wouldn’t stop being naughty and is currently meowing into my armpit sadly(awkward but also hilarious in person) and licking my arm in an attempt to escape and cause more chaos

Also me rereading some of our old convos have me like 🥺🥺🥺😭💜💜💜🥹🥹🥹

I am setting up camp in your inbox because I will always return, one way, or another, and yes you can imagine what the boys had to do in Vargas Camp is me currently, pitching up a tent and fishing and making a little fire so I can boil some water for some tea

Also surprisingly learned today that a half and half with regular Arizona tea is pretty good

Also learned that I have a favourite flavour of BBQ sauce when one of the other ones I like just didn’t hit right(It’s the Sweet Vidalia Onion flavour that is my fav)

Also looking back at our convos have me looking up baby names because gosh dang it do I love ship kids and also those posts where their kids come from the future and see their parents and it’s all cute and fluffy and dang it do I want to make my own posts like that

But alas I am too shy to not do it out of anon so if I do make it i’d really just be sending it to you

Also with book six and has me with a death grip with worms about the Idia ship kids but also with the Manhwa au and Yokai au have me some worms with Leona and ship kids on that end and just andkdkd

Fluffy cuteness

Also I am doing my not quite daily bullying to you to give Lilia daughter a name or at least think of one

Love,

Convert Anon💜

Hello Convert Anon 💙💞🌺

Welcome back to my inbox, I hope you’re okay with stick drawings because that’s the best I can do when drawing people 😂😂

Ahhh so happy you’re still enjoying my Ramadan series 🥹🙏 I had a plan to do another series, but more mini/shorter this year, but it has been so crazy for me. With school and then Ramadan, and other things. I did have a part of part 1 written…maybe I can finish that 🤔

Lolol awww kitty wants freedom but don’t let him escape. He might cause you as much trouble as grim 😂💕

I love visiting my old posts and rereading what was sent to me so you’re more than welcome always hit up my inbox 💕💕 and don’t worry I won’t dress up like a maniac like vargas and harass you 🤣🤣

I never had half and half with Arizona 👀 what does it taste like? I don’t think I had that kind of bbq sauce before either. I’ll have to check it out 💞🙌

OMG YES I LOVE LOVE LOVE SHIP KIDS ABD TIME TRAVEL TROPES SIGN ME UP WJSJDND and you’re more than welcome to always hit me up with those. Any aus are always wonderful with ship kids.

I was literally thinking about one with my Daughter with lilia and time travel the other day. Don’t worry she will get a name…eventually 😂😂

XOXOXO 💕💕

Hana

[yourfavmagicpiano]

A lil ninjago thing I wrote after Seabound. Since Crystalized ended, I thought “why not post it?”

——————

“But Father!”

“No, Hikari. If I did not a owe a favor to Wu, those ninja would not even be allowed a single step into my territory, let alone in this palace.” The ancient tengu put a gentle hand on his adoptive daughter’s shoulder as they walked.

“Human beings are dangerous, unpredictable, and fickle. You should stay in your room. I’ll have Yuri bring you dinner tonight.”

“But IM a human! And I’m not like that, am I?” The white haired princess huffed, crossing her arms.

Kuutamo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Of course not, because you were not raised by them. You were raised with the honor of the tengu. In spirit, you *are* a tengu, and more importantly, my daughter.”

Hikari looked away, considering his words.

“You’re right, I’m sorry, father. It’s just…I’ve never SEEN another human before! I’m so curious! Is it true that one of them is the grandson of the first spinjitzu master?!”

The old bird entity chuckled, patting her head.

“So he claims. If it is true, he’s a lot…younger…than I would have expected for one so powerful.”

“Young? HOW young?”

“Hm…not much older than you. Him and his company.”

“Huh?! He calls himself a master so young?!”

“Things are different outside of our domain, my child…” Kuutamo mused, stroking at his chin before stopping outside of Hikari’s room.

“Goodnight, my child. May your dreams be as peaceful as the first blossoms of spring.”

The girl chuckled in response.

“Goodnight Dad. Have fun at your banquet.” Hikari stepped inside her room, removing her butterfly hair ornaments before laying on her bed.

“The grandson of the first spinjitzu master…Hm…” she hummed, turning to look outside her window. Down below, her father’s soldiers left their barracks to watch over the palace during the upcoming banquet.

Once the majority had cleared, Hikari opened the window and carefully began her descent downwards, hidden by the night’s dark. Her feet touched ground just behind the barracks, leaving her completely alone. The white haired princess pulled a small lock pick from the inner pocket of her kimono, silently opening the locked doors. She checked her surroundings, ensuring she hadnt been heard before entering. Her eyes immediately fell on an unaccompanied set of armor that belonged to one of the many soldiers serving her father.

“Hm. Surely the owner won’t mind if I borrow this for a little while…”

——————

Lloyd and his friends sat down at the banquet table, looking up at the powerful Daitengu hosting them, and the green ninja felt blessed that the demigod was an ally and not someone they’d have to fight. How Sensei Wu had convinced Lord Kuutamo to have them was beyond him, but his presence alone made Lloyd feel small.

“Ahem…Lord Kuutamo. We would like to thank you for having us, and for hearing our woes.” He bowed deeply, feeling yellow eyes scanning over him.

“Your master and I were great friends when we were young. I still have much respect for him, even if we took different paths.” The large bird man spike so deeply, yet so calmly. Lloyd couldn’t help but wonder what history Kuutamo shared with Sensei Wu, or if it would even be safe to ask. He REALLY didn’t want to get on the bad side of the king of a race if demigods that controlled the weather and wind and several other nasty yokai.

Before he could contemplate further, the daitengu spoke again.

“Master Lloyd, I understand you and your brethren have suffered a great loss…”

“NYA!” Jay spoke up. Out of them all, Nya’s disappearance has hit him and Kai the hardest.

“My fiancé! She became one with the sea! We want her back!”

The banquet hall fell silent, all eyes on Jay. Kai grabbed the blue ninja by the shoulder and forced him to sit down.

“Ahhh…apologies, Lord Kuutamo.” Jay let out a panicked apology.

“Hm…Jay, was it? I empathize with you. Many years ago, a harsh sickness claimed the life of my beloved Chitose…my wife.”

Kuutamo’s voice became softer, a deep sadness compared to his normally composed and unreadable tone.

“Even now, I’m not sure if I can ever truly move on from her lose. She was my Nya, if I may draw comparison.”

“Lord Kuutamo…I…I’m so sorry for your loss…” Lloyd empathized, remembering the death of his father. That is until…no, don’t think about it. Don’t think about the sons of Garmadon, don’t think about Harumi.

“I wish I could help you, but…the journey would be perilous, and I am an old man. You would need a guide, one capable of keeping up with you.” Kuutamo addressed the ninja. “But I have a solution. I have many valiant warriors at my aid. If you would be so kind, I would like to give them a chance to prove themselves.”

“How would they do that?” Lloyd questioned.

“By besting one of you in battle.”

The gathered ninja exchanged looks, shocked by the proposal. In a silent mutual agreement, Lloyd spoke back up.

“We accept. I shall challenge your warriors.”

Once the banquet had come to a close, Kuutamo guided the ninja outside the the training grounds of the army. Lloyd stood on one end, the many soldiers of the daitengu standing outside the ring on the other. Even with the distance, he could hear faint whispers from the collective group.

Kuutamo’s voice boomed, silencing them.

“My soldiers, you are gathered here as a test of your skills in battle. Which of you will stand out from your peers, and take the green ninja, son of the first spinjitzu master, in a fight?”

The army stayed silent, staring at the green suited teen. All seemed hesitant to step forward.

“Uhh…come on guys, I promise I don’t bite” Lloyd joked, hoping to break the tension.

From the crowd, one soldier stepped forward, taking a bo staff and stepping into the ring.

Lloyd couldn’t tell if he was having a hard time seeing because of the night, but the masked soldier seemed…slimmer…than the others. He shrugged it off, picking up his own bo staff and approaching his opponent. They met in the middle of the ring, deeply bowing to eachother before the fight.

“My lord, I dedicate this fight to you!” The soldier spoke up, taking an offensive position.

“May you fight with honor…” the daitengu gave a nod of approval. “始める!”

Lloyd brought his staff up, deflecting a strike from his opponent.

“Striking without warning? Doesn’t seem fair.” He smugged.

His opponent only glared back at him, cold and calculating.

“Not much of a talker? That’s okay.” He went for a strike, only to be swiftly blocked. The longer they battled, the more Lloyd couldnt help but admire his opponent’s skill. He’d heard stories that the tengu were masters of martial arts, and the legends seemed to be true. His silent adversary was every bit of a fierce warrior as the he’d expected, maybe even more. However…something about those eyes behind the mask gave him a feeling of familiarity. Deja vu?

Their staffs continued to clash, neither of them giving in. Lloyd studied each movement, waiting for the right moment to strike. He could hear his friends cheering him on from the sideline, and the army cheering for the peer behind him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a seemingly human looking woman rush to Kuutamo’s side, her neck stretching out to whisper in his ear.

As shocking of sight as that was, he noticed that his opponent seemed more shocked, leaving themselves wide open. Seizing the opportunity, Lloyd went for a strike to the chest. His opponent shifted position at the last moment, receiving a hard strike accross the face that sent their mask flying off and his opponent to slightly stumble back.

For a moment, Lloyd thought he’d won, until he got a good look at his opponent’s face…and felt his blood turn cold. No…no there’s no way it’s her! She DIED when the building collapsed! How is she here?! Was he imagining things?!

His hands started shaking, looking at the face of the girl he both loved and despised.

“H…Harumi?”

She tilted her head in confusion, before using her staff to sweep his legs before delivering a kick into his chest. Everything felt like it was in slow motion, but Lloyd’s thoughts were racing as his back hit the ground.

The entire arena seemed to simultaneously gasp, before falling silent.

“Harumi”, or at least what looked like her, looked towards Lord Kuutamo, turning sheepish under his cold gaze.

“H-Hey dad. I guess I win?”

[silversims]

Tag 9 people you would like to get to know / catch up with

Well seeing as I’ve been tagged twice in the last week-- xD

Last Song you listened to: Dearly Beloved ~ Daughtry. A: The song I have set as my alarm in the mornings. B: Crystal Gen 9′s theme song (yes I’m that far ahead in my basic outline) C: An anthem for the past...three years or so now. So don't look back now We've come too far To look back now To look back now Last TV Show you watched: Um. I haven’t watched any shows in...years now? Lemme think. If streaming counts, Sailor Moon Crystal/Bleach: The Thousand Year Blood War back when that started but no longer. If you’re talking cable box, pff, cut that cord in 2009. Currently Watching: Nothing whatsoever. I ain’t got the time, what’s available is not to my tastes even if I had the time...nah.  Currently Reading: The Red Winter trilogy by Annette Marie; more specifically Book 2, Dark Tempest.   “If Emi is sure of anything, it's that kami—the gods—are good, and yokai—the earth spirits—are evil. But when she saves the life of a fox shapeshifter, the truths of her world start to crumble. And the treachery of the gods runs deep...” It’s actually quite good, with good pacing and a heroine that doesn’t just sit idly by and wait for things to happen, even when even she realizes she’s in over her head. I know it has a happy ending (I’m the kind of person who checks the last chapters before she gets into a book, haha) but it’s holding me pretty well so far! Current Obsession: I rotate between a few, heh. >> Currently stuck deep into outlining Crystal, but also a retelling of Kingdom Hearts on my main and making friendship bracelets as therapy. Such fun! Special thanks to Tawnie (@siminycricket) and Diana (@wannabecatwriter) for the tag and all their love for Crystal over the months.  I tag...everyone who wants to do this! I purposefully keep off the social side of Simblr, but you’re all gems and if you wanna have a fun little break I can highly recommend posts like this. See you tomorrow, lovelies!

[afreakingdork]

Currently having massive brain rot about tact!donnie and beloved in an Avatar type of story with tact!donnie in a role similar to Jake and beloved being in a role like Neytiri as a yokai

It literally wont leave my brain ive begun thinking of songs and scenes for it and the setting—

This sounds like you my friend have a new fanfic on your hands 👀 I look forward to reading it~

[disneytva]

Disney Announces Tons Of New Shows And Movies For Disney+ For Their 2022/2023 Lineup

Disney Has Annnounced Via #DisneyAprilFoolsInvestorDay New Show And Movies From Disney Branded Television This For Their 2021-2022 Lineup

MOVIES

Big City Greens The Movie: A European Adventure Q4 2023

Cricket has always wondered where his place in the world is but when his beloved pet Phoenix is mistaken by a Interpol police dog,The Green Family most go trought all Europe to find her the problems arrive when during a misuderstanding at Italy The Green Family, Remy and Gloria become Europe’s Most Wanted family! 

Fish Hooks University Q2 2023 When a new tank arrives at Bud’s Pets during the summer season in anticipation for the first day of collegue, the gang discovers the freedom that is the ocean and now the gang Milo, Bea And Oscar must figure out to save their friends from Fresh Water town and be free on the Ocean

Billy Dilley’s Super Duper Subterranean Summer Movie Q3 2023 Billy Dilley has been wondered that now his life most be perfect now that he is trapped in Subterratania but when a evil conquering empire is set to destroy Subterratania, Billy Dilley, Marsha and Zeke most find their own courage to save thei r other hometown and find a way to return to the surface!

The Ghost And Molly McGee Movie: Scratch’s Origins Q4 2022 Molly McGee and Scratch have been friends for a year since the curse started but on the friendniversary party a evil team captures Scratch to use him for a ritual for a powerful sorceress, Molly McGee most team up with two criminal YoKai's to rescue him in the journey Molly most learn how to amend fences with the Yokai’s and save her friend before its to late filled with music and a epic friendship tale

SERIES

GwenPool Q4 2022

Disney+ presents the amazing,butt-kickery and what you know PR team this PR can be better BTW anywhoo...... in this epic tales of the young Gwendolyn Poole (Voiced By  Noël Wells ) we will showcase her origins and her epic tales as henchman and to being part of her team The West Coast Avengers Gwenpool is a production of Disney Television Animation And Powerhouse Animation In Assosiation With Marvel

Lockjaw And The Pet Avengers Q2 2023

Lockjaw (Jack McBrayer) an oversized dog and pet of the Inhuman Royal Family, finds the Mind Gem, which increases the animal's intelligence togheter with his new friends The cat Hairball, the diminutive dragon Lockheed, the falcon Redwing, the frog Throg, and the puppy Ms. Lion will  save the pet world from dangers set in the same events as popular MCU title Lockjaw And The Pet Avengers  is a production of Disney Television Animation And  Studio La Cachette  In Assosiation With Marvel

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Q1 2023 Young  Doreen ( Amanda Michalka) begins her college career at Empire State University, majoring in computer science. Upon arriving, she ends up fighting Kraven the Hunter, who was lashing out at the local squirrels including Tippy Toe when Galactus is coming to earth she most train and learn how is to become the strongest hero of earth The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is a production of Disney Television Animation And Studio Mir In Assosiation With Marvel

Ferdinand Tales Q3 2023 Ferdinand would much rather smell the flowers than butt heads with the other cows after the events of The Academy nominated film Ferdinand most help his other friends and Lupe in finding their own you’s after being in La Casa Del Toro for a long time Ferdinand Tales is a production of Disney Television Animation And 20th Television Animation

House Of Mouse Revisited Q4 2023 It’s been 25th Years since Mickey Mouse and his friends operated a dinner theater club in downtown ToonTown. now things have changed as the family got bigger with heroes, stormtroopers, Muppets and Naʼvi ‘s. Oswald The Lucky Rabbit who gets inspired by those old times decides to open on Oh My Disney’s section a new House Of Mouse these time featuring new cartoons from the rabbit causing hijinks!  Who's that knockin' at the House of Mouse? We're all knockin' at the House of Mouse

House Of Mouse Revisited is a production of Disney Television Animation And Mercury Filmworks

Esmerald And Her Big Great Idea From The World Of Phineas And Ferb, Milo Murphy’s Law & Hamster And Gretel Danville has seen everything from Aliens, Heroes,Alternate Versions Of Themselves etc... but that dosn’t bother Esmerald (Sofia Carson) but her life as a collegue starter might change when a Spaceship with the Galaxy’s most dangerous criminals crashes in her backyard, after learning the sinister plans of the gang, Esmerald will use one of her big great ideas as she will try to make them learn that earth is fun and that in reality crimes like that can be reformed! Esmerald And Her Big Great Idea Is The First Serialized Series By The Makers Of Phineas And Ferb and is a production of Disney Television Animation

[ayatoscupid]

💫💫💫 please please! (i'd love a fun fact about ayato, i actually don't know a whole lot about him yet!)

AGH!!!! my beloved, my #1 !! i will 100% talk abt him and give u all the deets (maybe not all of them . but ill give u deets)

ill put it under cut bc this is LONG!! and will be a lotta observation and speculation bc we dont get a lot of ayato other than from festival events 🥹 hoyoverse whyd u give us such an interesting man n not have him show up more!!!! now ppl think hes boring!!!!! >:( its ok lol more for me

but Anyway!! one of the most notable things youll learn about ayato is his views on loyalty: he is ALL about loyalty. not just for others’ loyalty towards him, but his loyalty towards others as well. this man has nothing but pure dedication towards the clan n the commission, willing to do Anything for the benefit of his clan and those he deems worthy of his loyalty. u see this when u find out he had a hand in helping kazuha escape, and that he smuggled the watatsumi army into tenshukaku for his sister

he is also a Very observant and cunning man- his plans in irodori fes were to unveil to kazuha and ayaka the truth about the raiden gokaden (he knew what happened when scara was in the warehouse to scour thru kaedehara belongings), and from this current event [SPOILER ALERT!!!] he knew about the yokai who set up akitsu yuugei and held the test of courage to help them get people to play it (which is so sweet!! honestly!!). its like he has eyes all over inazuma- which, with the shuumatsuban, he probably does

which is why i Constantly think about how terrifying it would be if he was your enemy

he may be all polite and sweet to save face- he is a man high up in the hierarchy, after all- but official works have told us time and time again that he is NOT afraid to use underhanded techniques to get his way, or to do what he feels is right, and there is a Lot more to him than he shows. it’s honestly great that he seems to be a “good guy” morally and that we’re friends with him- if he were an enemy i think we’d have a very different view on him

(ngl? controversial opinion. he has the same voice actors as otto from honkai for a reason- there r similarities here ok. HGKRBFKRJFJ i hate otto tho 😔)

a man who, after losing his parents, rose to bring his clan up from the absolute brink of collapse and made it not only in a stable position- but in the tri-commission is 100% not to be messed with. he is smart, tactful and cunning, and he always has something up his sleeve to turn the tables in his favour.

‘"What exactly is he up to?" is usually what people are thinking after all is said and done.

However, now that everyone has a piece of that pie, perhaps what is on Kamisato Ayato's mind isn't so important.’

this Always rings in my head whenever i think deeper into ayatos character. it was what first intrigued me to him honestly- i fell in love with him after seeing his burst (ik.. not immune to pretty man.. lol) but i already thought he was interesting from his official introduction. n god he rly is!!!! and i wanna see more of it!!!! both in irodori and this festival i was always 🤯 whenever i find out the true motive behind ayato’s plans. he’s so SMART and SNEAKY!!!!

ik its easy to think of ayato as a handsome, loyal, cheeky but sweet family man bc that’s how he’s written as ingame- the writers r usually in favour with most charas’ good sides than more nuanced writing (they changed this up heavily w/ scara, which i Really appreciate) so it’s no surprise that ayato was written like this as well (that and the heavy npc focus in his sq- i liked it but i get why others didnt LOL)

but! lets not forget how constantly we’re reminded of how crafty and mischievous he can be :squint: and lets not forget how lucky we are to be on his good side LMAO

oh god ok this was SUUUUPER long. i think im done. i just love him. if he showed up more this wld be even longer. maybe i shld thank hyv he doesnt show up that often cries

[one-piecee]

#ONEPIECE1032

Back again with another One Piece chapter, and this one has a little bit more Zoro fighting King, so that was nice... anywho let's get into it.

Chapter title: Oden's Beloved Sword

The chapter starts off with the aftermath of chapter 1030 (before we dove into Sanji and his ever-changin body) when Kanjuro, in his last final act, set free a 'flame yokai' (=which is, sort of, a supernatural monster/spirit in japanese mythology)

"Yōkai (妖怪, "strange apparition") are a class of supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folklore."

Everyone, including Marco and Izo, are seen running away from the flame nobody is sure how to stop it from exploding in the island and burning it all down. CP0 are seen trying to attack Robin and Brook, but the flame stops them and then they attack Apoo and X Drake...

But they both stand up at the end, facing off against both of the CP0 on the loose... is this a hint that it will be CP0 vs. Drake and Apoo? I'm not sure how to feel about that... actually scratch that, if we do end up getting CP0 vs. these two I would admittedly be a little disappointed as I had hoped Brook would do something against them...

So that takes most of the chapter...

then we get to the good stuff.

Zoro fighting King.

All I can say initially is, Oda can't stop finding ways to beat nature and create new dinosaur moves... The things he got these dinosaurs doing...

I mean first we got Sasaki (flying six) with his helicopter move...

Queen and whatever this was:

And to complete the set we have King and him... pulling his face back? And shooting beam like shots that Zoro can't cut...

Now I just wonder what Oda will have Kaido do.

We move on! Zoro uses the great dragon twister to try and cut King,

but King ends up using his wings as protection and Zoro is unable to cut him. Here's where Twitter makes some interesting points... Zoro used this same attack against Kaido and ended up actually cutting him, but it seemingly has no effect on King. Some people have made several arguments:

1. Zoro being unable to cut King, is somehow connected to King being Lunarian (thick skin?)

Which explains why Zoro needed to know what King is and how he, for example, can keep the flames on his back alive even if it has nothing to do with his devil fruit...

..."if I don't know what he is"

To combat this many raised the point that it doesn't really make sense because Kaido's skin should be thicker and yet Zoro managed to cut him... and so they say that

2. Enma isn't lending Zoro enough strength

When Zoro cut Kaido he proclaimed that he was trying to bring out as much power from Enma as possible, and right now Enma might not be lending Zoro the power needed to cut King

This is what happens after the attack too...

Of course not a lot of people liked this idea, because they thought they were saying that Enma was "carrying" Zoro...

I think it has to do with both to be honest... There's no point in, well, making it a point that King is Lunarian and have Zoro question what he is in the first place unless you plan to make a big deal out of it (or just fuel the zoro-is-racist allegations 😂). However, I do think that Zoro needs to tap into Enma's powers more. This doesn't imply that Zoro is any lesser, or weaker, without Enma, but Enma is just a power that Zoro needs to control right now. If Zoro wasn't strong he wouldn't have been able to wield Enma in the first place. Now he needs to know how to really tap into Enma's full potential...

Another reason people bring up for Enma acting up now is that Enma sensed...

HIYORI!

Coming back as Komurasaki to (hopefully!) trick Orochi and be the one to kill him (Remember she said: "I really wish I could kill Orochi with my own hands")

And I'm not sure,,, but I don't think there's a break next week... hopefully. probably. let's see.