#i wonder what their names are in this universe. probably like. lucy. and. lucy 2

[relatable-pictures-of-lemongrab]

im so back

#fionna and cake spoilers #adventure time #lemongrab #lemongrab 2 #and you know what. #lady lemongrab #i wonder what their names are in this universe. probably like. lucy. and. lucy 2 #when i say i cannot stop staring at this. i threw my hands on my head and grinned like an idiot for a solid hour after i saw them.

[maswritingblog]

The Arrangement - Part Six

Summary: Lucy navigates her emotions and Marcus has a surprise.

Warnings: Conversations about pregnancy, Smut (18+ ONLY), Emotions.

A/N: Surprise! I'm so sorry it took so long to get this posted. I realized today that part five was posted in December 2022 and that's absolutely insane. Thank you to everyone who has been waiting patiently for this, and to those who still engage with me and my content even as I haven't been posting. I appreciate you all, and I hope you enjoy.

A/N 2: This is a reader fic but I have chosen a random name for the reader as that is the way I like to write. I give no descriptions of the reader, so feel free to picture "Lucy" any way you want!

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Friends raising a kid together.

That was the deal.

And yet as Lucy sat in her car in Marcus’s driveway waiting for him to arrive, she found herself questioning everything. What happened next? Where did they stand now that she was pregnant? They’d agreed to an arrangement to conceive, and they had done so, but she hadn’t expected things to change so much in the process. Maybe it was foolish of her to assume that she would be able to sleep with her friend for several weeks without developing feelings; maybe it was foolish to assume she could get through this and come out on the other side the same.

Part of her wondered if Marcus felt any different about her. He tended to wear his emotions on his sleeve and get caught up in them easily, but somehow she wasn’t sure where she stood with him. Either he’d learned to hide his emotions better than he let on, or he didn’t feel anything new for her at all. Maybe he was better suited for this type of arrangement than she was, surprising as that may be.

The crunch of tires on the pavement alerted her to his arrival and she took a few deep breaths to pull herself together.

“Okay, you can do this, Luce,” she whispered to herself in the rearview mirror. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

Sighing softly, she stepped out of her car and followed Marcus up the driveway to his front door. He held the takeout bag in one hand as he slid the key into the lock and opened the door. As much as she was looking forward to some pancakes to cure her sweets craving, part of her wanted to take the bag and leave before she had to have an awkward conversation.

She followed him inside, kicking off her shoes and hanging her jacket as she usually did. Marcus placed the food on the coffee table before taking off his own shoes and coat. Lucy went to the kitchen for plates and cutlery and brought them into the living room.

“I got those strawberries you like.” He commented as he sat on the couch, loosening his tie until he could pull it over his head, ruffling his hair in the process.

“Mmm, thank you.”

Lucy kneeled on the floor on the opposite side of the table and opened the takeout bag, the sweet smell of pancakes hitting her nose. Although it made her salivate, the smell of Marcus’s bacon that followed immediately made her stomach turn.

“Oh, god.” She gasped, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth.

Marcus’s eyebrows furrowed deeply. “What’s wrong? You okay?” he asked urgently.

Swallowing thickly, she nodded. “Sorry, I guess bacon is off limits now.”

Standing, he reached into the bag and pulled out the container with the offending meat and took it into the kitchen without a word. When he came back, he had a glass of water that he held out to her.

“Sorry,” she swallowed again, taking the water to wash down the taste of bile in her throat.

He shook his head. “Don’t apologize. I had a friend who couldn’t stand the smell of cooked meat when she was pregnant. We’ll just have to figure out what sets you off and what doesn’t.”

She should have known he’d be understanding; there was no universe where Marcus Pike wasn’t understanding and attentive to the ones he cared about. It was probably only going to be amplified now that she was pregnant. She wasn’t sure why that overwhelmed her.

“Pancakes still sound good?” He asked, reaching into the bag for the container. “Or I guess ‘smell good’?”

“Thankfully, yes.”

They ate in silence for a bit. Lucy wondered what was going through his mind, wondered if it was anything close to what she had been thinking about in the car. Did she even need to bring it up to him? Or was he under a completely different impression? She supposed the only way to find out was to ask, but that seemed so terrifying.

“What are you thinking about?” Marcus finally broke the silence.

Lucy hummed around her bite of pancake. “Hmm?”

He set his fork down in his empty take out container and gave her his full attention. “Luce, you’ve got your thinking face on. What’s up?”

Well, shit. She had hoped she could avoid any awkward conversation tonight, but she forgot how attentive he could be, how much he paid attention.

Maybe she could avoid talking about that though.

Shrugging, she pushed the last bite of pancake through the sticky syrup on the bottom of the container. “Big changes. Easy to have a lot on your mind.” She hoped the vague answer would be enough.

She should have known better. Marcus nodded slowly, eyes flickering over her face as he studied her closely. Finally, he leveled her with a soft yet serious stare. “Lucy.”

It was just her name, but she could tell he knew there was something more to it by the way he said it. She could feel anxiety bubbling inside her at the thought of explaining to him what was on her mind. But she knew she needed to behave like an actual adult and speak with him instead of keeping it bottled up.

When she didn’t respond right away, Marcus’s brow furrowed. “You’re not…you’re not having second thoughts, are you?” he asked, his voice small as if the thought terrified him.

Lucy’s eyes widened. That had never crossed her mind, there was no way she’d back out of this situation; she would never do that to him. Shaking her head, she rose from her spot on the floor and moved to sit beside him on the couch, her hands reaching out to grasp his arm.

“Marcus, no. No second thoughts, no regrets, nothing. I’m having this baby…we’re having this baby.” She reassured him, holding his gaze so he would know she meant every word.

His deep brown eyes softened as the worry lessened, but he wasn’t completely reassured. “Then what’s going on, Luce? You look like something is bothering you.”

She sighed. There was no way to avoid it…but how did she ease into the subject?

“It’s not bothering me, it’s just something I started thinking about after the appointment.”

He nodded slowly, listening intently like he always did.

“I was just thinking about what the pregnancy means…for us.”

His brow furrowed again. “For us?”

“Okay,” Sighing again, she rose from the couch and began to pace the space in front of the coffee table. “I don’t want to make this weird or uncomfortable. I mean, we’re going to be raising a kid together and I don’t want to make that harder…” she was rambling now. “It’s just…maybe I don’t want this to just be friends raising a kid together. And that’s something I have to think about, because I knew what the deal was when we started this, and just because I feel differently doesn’t mean you do.”

How had she gone from deciding to put up boundaries to protect herself from getting hurt to confessing her feelings to him? Had those pancakes been laced with truth serum or something? Or was it just looking into Marcus’s kind eyes that had her willing to spill all her secrets? Maybe it was the hormones.

And now she’d probably made things awkward. How would he react to her confession? Would he let her down gently in the way only Marcus Pike could, or would he not know what to say and she’d have to leave and hope he just let her pretend none of this happened?

When she turned to pace back towards the front door, Marcus was suddenly there with his hands on her shoulders. “Lucy, take a breath.” He spoke softly.

She nodded, inhaled slowly, and reminded herself that she wasn’t just one person anymore.

He gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. “Good?”

“Yeah.”

There was a beat of silence. “Lucy, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Maybe she could play dumb her way out of this. “W-What do you think I’m saying?”

“That you have feelings for me.”

Well, nevermind.

She took in a deep breath before meeting his eyes, trying her best to not let her hormones get the best of her. Her eyes burned with unshed tears at the idea of him rejecting her, even if he did it nicely.

“Yeah, I think I do.” She whispered, feeling so small as she did so. “But…I understand that isn’t what you signed up for, so don’t worry about—”

“—Lucy,” he interrupted, his hands moving to cup her face. He let out an incredulous laugh, shaking his head slowly. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I have been trying so hard to not let you see that this has changed things for me. I didn’t want to make you upset, but I think maybe I got in over my head with this arrangement. I don’t know why I thought that I could do this without falling more in love with you than I already was.”

She felt a lightening bolt shoot through her. “Y-You’re in love with me?” she gasped, the tears she had been fighting back prickling the corners of her eyes.

“I think since the moment I met you.” He murmured, thumb brushing back and forth on the apple of her cheek.

She didn’t know how to respond to that. He’d been in love with her the entire time, and here she was trying to hide her feelings to spare him any awkwardness. She let out a small, surprised laugh before reaching up to grip the collar of his shirt to tug his lips down to hers.

His arms dropped to wind around her waist, pulling her body flush against his as he deepened the kiss.

This had gone much better than she had expected and while they’d need to have an actual conversation about whatever they were at some point, she was more than happy to take this moment for what it was. Talk could come later; they had plenty of time for that.

She started backing towards the hallway, pulling him with her.

“What about your pancakes?” he chuckled, his mouth still pressed against hers like he couldn’t bear the thought of letting her go.

“Screw the pancakes.”

They stumbled down the hallway, Lucy’s fingers beginning to undo the buttons on his shirt and his began pulling her blouse from where it was tucked in her pants. As they reached his bedroom, she pushed his shirt off his shoulders and then lifted her arms to allow him to pull hers over her head.

They both made quick work of their pants and then she’d barely gotten her bra off before he was kissing her again. He stepped forward, leading her back towards the bed like they were dancing. He broke away to pull the blankets back on the bed and then they tumbled onto the mattress as their legs tangled, both laughing in surprise.

“Sorry, sorry.” He chuckled as he did his best to not land right on top of her.

Instead of responding, she pulled his mouth back down to hers and moving her legs to wrap them around his hips, letting out a soft moan as his hips met hers and she felt his hardness press against where she was already throbbing.

They’d had a lot of sex, but this felt different. Maybe it was because of her hormones, or maybe it was because they’d just confessed their love for each other. There was always something more special about being intimate with someone she cared deeply about, and knowing he cared for her just the same made it even more special.

He grinded against her and they moaned into each other’s mouths at the feeling. Lucy reached down to tug at his briefs and he propped himself up on one hand to help her push them down his hips. Once they were low enough he could kick them off, he sat up on his knees and helped her pull her underwear down her legs before slinging them over his shoulder to disappear somewhere across the room.

Lucy couldn’t hold in the giggle that came out at that, and she shook her head at him. Yeah, this was the man she had fallen in love with.

Marcus leaned down to press kisses to her stomach, lingering for a second on her lower abdomen before trailing kisses up the valley between her breasts. His lips found the spot he knew she liked behind her ear as his body slotted against hers.

Lucy’s hands trailed down his sides, nails raking his skin lightly the way she knew he liked. He groaned against her skin, hips involuntarily grinding against hers on reflex. She reached between their bodies and took ahold of him, turning her head to capture his mouth as he moaned. She took that moment to position him at her entrance, waiting for him to press his hips forward to press his tip in before she let go. Her hand came up to thread through his hair, tugging lightly at the roots as he slid deeper inside.

She could never get over the feeling of him, and she was grateful he didn’t want this to end; she was pretty sure he’d ruined her wanting any other man inside her.

They moaned into the kiss as he sheathed himself fully. She expected him to keep going, but then he pulled back to look down at her, his hips unmoving.

Her brow furrowed. “You okay?” she asked, still breathless from the feeling of being full.

Marcus’s hand came up to brush a strand of hair off her face, eyes softening as he studied her features.

“Marcus?”

His thumb brushed over her lower lip as he took a deep breath. “I love you.” He murmured softly, his voice thick.

Lucy’s heart skipped in her chest. It was one thing to hear him say he had fallen in love with her, and another to have him look deeply in her eyes and say those three little words. They hit her like a freight train. The hand that had been tangled in his hair moved to cup his jaw. “I love you, too.” She whispered.

He gave her that big grin she loved so much and leaned down to press a quick kiss to her lips, pulling back only far enough to lock eyes with her, his nose brushing against hers.

He shifted his hips, eyes never leaving hers as he pulled out and then pushed back in slowly. This wasn’t like they had done before; this wasn’t just sex.

They were making love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I know this probably felt finite, but I promise this is not the end! I just felt like that was the perfect end to part six, but I have more parts planned!

Tag List: Strikethrough means it wouldn't let me tag you.

The Arrangement: @moonlightburned @rebel-fanfare @supernaturalgirl20 @thevoiceinyourheadx @prideandpascal @nicolethered @littlemousedroid @theamuz @missminkylove @what-iwish-you-knew @amb11 @vanemando15 @paige96 @cleverusername027 @emilianamason @diaryofkali @thirddeadlysin @pedr0swh0r3 @we-were-owls

All current & future fics: @absurdthirst @sherala007 @athalien @hopeamarsu @adancedivasmom @gooddaykate @hotchlover @amneris21 @harriedandharassed @gzzzla

Please let me know if you want to be added or removed on the tag list or change your username in my tag list by visiting this link!

#the arrangement #marcus pike #pedro pascal #marcus pike fic #marcus pike smut #pedro pascal smut #mywriting #pedro pascal fic #the mentalist #marcus pike x reader

[whackdreamer]

Whack’s Black Clover headcanons, theories, meta-, ramblings or whatchamacallit (2).

About Chapter 326

I’m not going to advertise ABD again here but he was right regarding the awakening of Asta and Liebe’s union mode. One point I completely agreed with in his video about the last chapter but I didn’t expect that Asta would see Liebe’s memories this soon.

I wonder if Asta will end up using the mistletoe sword against Lucibear- I mean Lucifero. The dark magic has been effective against him before but in the end Asta’s antimagic is still the ‘super effective’ attribute against devils, so it seems. So like with what happened during the Dante fight and taking Yami’s katana it could possibly happen in this fight.

Forget what happened to the 4 fighters in this chap. WHAT HAPPENED TO MEREO!? Dear Mereo, either you die… or live long enough to become a fire spirit yourself.

With what Luci did to Yami and Nacht, the dude’s gonna catch Whack’s fangs! I’m prepared to travel dimensions just to snap all of his horns and shove them into his ass— (*cough* *cough* Does he even have an ass though??? Alright that’s enough, back to the story)

Future predictions.

After this arc, I could feel that it is headed toward the plot of 4th Zogratis’ ideology of acquiring undying bodies. AND! Depending on the event if Asta will indeed die as per Julius’ prediction, if Asta does die then un-die(is this even a word!?) because of “shounen protag syndrome-plot armor magic” this would further prove the point that undying humans are indeed possible. (I also have a theory on how this could potentially happen, so if somehow my prediction about it is right then it's not actually a complete plot armor nonsense. Tabata has laid down certain elements to make it happen.)

With the potential 4th Zogratis arc I have a hunch that Grey will finally be even more relevant in that part. Grey’s backstory is still incomplete. Her name is still unknown and her magic is really special. Grey is currently the BC universe’s ultimate healer. If anyone knows Jojo Bizzare Adventure, she’s basically like Giorno. Her transmutation magic is actually op, and potentially groundbreaking. This girl is closest to achieving what the 4th Zogratis wanted- an undying body. She can transmute organic material as shown when she healed Gauche. Healing magic in BC is said to be only able to accelerate regeneration and not regrow lost limbs. By converting inorganic material and change it into living cells it’s as if she can recreate cells and quite possibly artificial bodies. I’m pushing it but potentially she could create something like a homunculus in Fullmetal Alchemist. Sally can create human clones too, but needs Rades to put souls into them.

So yeah, Grey arc next pls!

Endnotes

I don't know if anyone else felt the same. But this current arc is giving me Yuyu Hakusho vibes. Plus the nerdy side of Tabata is all over the magic techniques. I've read Hungry Joker way, way, back and his hints of science fiction are here in BC.

The MC in Hungry Joker has gravity abilities. Following Einstein’s theory of relativity, gravity affects both space and time. Luci being the most powerful one makes sense. But don’t make me explain this, I barely understand the science talk. However, story-wise it could explain how it would take both the space devil(Beelzebub) and the time devil to go against the gravity devil(Lucifero) to match him in power.

Basically what I’m saying is.... the space-time devils may be conspiring against gravity. Sounds like a probable scenario....

#black clover #black clover theory #whack talks

[sapphicscholar]

I've been rereading some of your fics, and with you saying prompts are open, I gotta ask, update on director sanvers v with Alex as the hinge? Absolutely no pressure, esp cause it seems you wanna branch out a bit more, but damn if I've wondered how they are doing

Hey there! Probably won't get to a whole fic about these three anytime soon, but perhaps you'd enjoy a few random headcanons about how things have been going? (also I've been feeling particularly attached to them of late after seeing TLW Gen Q really drop the ball on their attempt at poly stories :/ )

- Alex is still the hinge partner; Maggie's not seeing anyone else, but she's really enjoying having a bit more time for herself and the community garden plot she got (after 2 years on the waiting list); Lucy went back to the law after Marsdin's new legislation hit the books, and she splits the time she's not holed up in her office with Alex and Vasquez (who she's still dating and still refusing to go camping with; no matter how good at it she can be, it doesn't make it something she wants to do)

- Superfriends game nights have pretty much abandoned certain games like charades, pictionary, and taboo because even with a "no Danvers sisters on one team" rule, no one stands a chance, and it always came down to Alex and Maggie vs. Lucy and Vasquez. Winn campaigned hard for them to try DND (dammit, he's always wanted to DM a big campaign), and once he had Brainy and Nia on his side, he managed to sway the whole group. (Alex was the most resistant, but she was finally swayed with the promise that she could design her own weaponry.) Kara proposed that they play in the Sky High universe, and it was just ridiculous enough for everyone to agree. Lucy and Maggie both voluntarily chose to be classified as sidekicks, and they've bonded over pitching the most ridiculous schemes that only their random sidekick powers can facilitate, supers be damned, and Lucy's got a +7 on charisma that pretty much guarantees she always gets her way. (Their characters are now dating, and they tease Alex about how much she blushes at seeing them flirt.)

- Maggie and Vasquez joke a lot about buying a row of houses so that they don't have to build commute time into their massive shared calendar anymore. It was a running joke until they found a massive duplex on the outskirts of town with enough space for Maggie to garden up front and a big fenced-in backyard, which feels more and more important by the day as Alex keeps spamming the group chat with 90lb mutts in need of a loving home, and everyone's fairly certain that they'll be at a 1:1 human:dog ratio before long. The house needs a million and one repairs, but dammit, they've got tool belts and a bit of knowledge and an extensive history of YouTube searches about "how to x," and they're making it work. (Plus, Kara's handy in a pinch. Like when they need someone to lift the house up just enough to peek at the foundations...)

- Technically the houses are divided, but they've installed an inside door that's almost never locked. Besides, the good kitchen is on one side, and the better living room set up is on the other, so it's only fair that they keep an open passage readily available. (After Gertrude gets a brother who Alex names Harold to the surprise of no one in the house and the confusion of everyone in the neighborhood, they take down the door entirely. Apparently doggy doors don't work too well for 110 lb great pyrenees mixes barreling through them at 25mph.) On Saturdays, Vasquez, Lucy, and Maggie pile into the good living room and watch college football, while Alex and Kara head out to brunch for some well-deserved sister time, though once basketball season starts Alex is the first one in front of that TV. The neighbors aren't really up to speed with what's going on with the house and its residents (Maggie's overheard multiple people swearing that only 3 women live there, plus one neighbor who's convinced that every last one of the superfriends has a bedroom in the house), but they're welcoming enough regardless. (Except Terry, but Joan, the elderly woman next door, assures them that Terry "doesn't have much going on up there, if you know what I mean.") Besides, what really matters is that they win the neighborhood Halloween decorating contest. Every. Single. Year.

#ask me #anon #director sanvers #headcanons #supergirl #fanfic #fluff

[chilling-seavey]

OKAY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BLURB THAT I FORGOT TO ASK:

1- what is clementines cutie little baby’s name? I MUST KNOW Because IT WASNT MENTIONED

2- ALSO Clementine is out here making more money than Winston who’s in LAW so I need the secrets, I need the tea *gets notepad ready* what does Clementine do professionally?

3- my personal bias against Xavier’s name makes me like him a little less than Winston and Anthony (hence the very restricted amount of words spent talking about him in my reblog ahah) but now that u did tell me that daniel is a little eh about xavier and I was wondering why-

1 - Since I won't be writing about the girls' future families, I never bothered to pick a name lol. Although I feel like she'd be named something with soft, regal, unique vibes...like Anastasia or Genevieve some shit idk

2 - Sis a fancy fancy lawyer 😌 she met Winston at her first internship after all. Never thought about what branch of law...maybe family law or something...that could be a full circle moment. Winston probably stuck as an intern or whatever a bit longer than she did which is why she was making more than him at that point. Dw the pay gap still exists in this universe unfortunately so once he worked up to her standing too she was back to being second pfhfh

3 - Ohhh that's all explained HERE where Daniel is first 'introduced' to Xavier...he found out about him last and always kinda held this grudge. Not to mention that Xavier is a few years older than Lucy and was once of her first year dance instructors. Daniel's just extra *narrows eyes* at the poor mans...drives Lucy freaking crazy

#anything but mine #randomlimelightxxx 🧡

[carminite-wyrm]

Hero-of-Kvatch!Nyx AU, Part 2!

aka, Nyx continues to not have a great time in the tunnels beneath the Imperial Prison.

Again, story under the cut.

Part 1

The most ridiculous part of this whole matter, Nyx decided, was not the not-daemons (the creatures had certainly looked the part, but they hadn’t disappeared into a cloud of miasma after he’d killed them) he had encountered in the tunnels as he made his way out of the prison. It was the fact that no one had commented on both his injuries, or his tattered uniform that was very much not fitting the ‘high fantasy novel’ aesthetic he was also wrapping his head around.

Even as the brisk pace that the elderly man – who was apparently Uriel Septim VII, the Emperor of the nation Nyx now found himself in – and his entourage set through the tunnels did wonders for working out the lingering stiffness in his body, (as did the vaguely nightmarish path earlier full of the largest rats Nyx had ever seen), Nyx found his mind starting to spiral off into multiple tangents, trying to process the wealth of information he had already managed to gather.

He had died, that was almost an undeniable fact. And then he had awoken in what he was now absolutely certain was a different universe, to find himself in a cell that he was shortly released from by the Emperor of the land of Tamriel, who was fleeing cultist-assassins who had most likely already claimed the lives of his heirs. On top of all of that, the Emperor (and Nyx, apparently), were mixed up in some sort of shared fate or prophecy, that likely had to do with the gods of this realm if Nyx was understanding things correctly.

Nyx was fervently doing his best to try and ignore how the situation was rather similar to what he had just lived in his own world. It had been almost too easy for him to slip back into the role of a bodyguard and defender of a King, to the point that one of the guards, Baurus, had given him several suspicious looks when he had found their group once again, and introduced himself as Nyx.

He silently cursed the lack of his kukris, the weight of the short sword he had found in the tunnels slightly awkward in his hand, as he fended off one of the strange assassins that were chasing their group, the blade nevertheless good enough to sink through a chink in his opponent’s armour. Even the slightest drop of magic to blast some of them away faster would have been useful, but he was fairly certain that the magic he once had was now gone. Dead and gone, vanished when Regis’ body had-

He grit his teeth, shoving that thought away along with the dead body that slid off his blade.

Even if this Emperor Uriel was supposedly meant to die at some point in the coming future, Nyx would do his best to help him avoid that ‘fate’. Quite frankly, he’d had enough of talks of fate and destiny, and the fact that the Emperor looked about as resigned to his fate as Regis had been-

The group halted as they found the way to the sewers to be barred, and Nyx suddenly had a sinking feeling. He readied his sword, just in time for one of the guards– Blades, the Emperor had called them –to call out that it was a trap. He followed them as they tried a side passage, only to find that it was a dead end.

“Wait here with the Emperor,” One of the Blades ordered, as the sound of assassins entering the previous chamber grew louder. “Guard him with your life!”

And before Nyx could even muster up a shred of disagreement, that perhaps leaving their Emperor with a man who they had previously thought to be a criminal, and also visibly injured even if he wasn’t actively bleeding or burning to death was a terrible idea, the two Blades had rushed off to engage the assassins.

“Well, at least this room is somewhat defensible,” Nyx sighed, readying his sword as he briefly gave the room a once-over to see if there was something he could use to barricade the entrance. Finding nothing, he instead took up a post by the doorway, readying his sword. Once confident that he’d be able to see any danger that would appear, he turned his attention back to the Emperor, only to find an amulet with a bright red gem being held out to him.

“…Isn’t that yours?” Nyx asked, a sinking feeling starting to settle into his stomach. This was starting to look very, very, familiar. “Why-“

The Emperor’s eyes were startlingly clear, and kind, as he explained that this would be where he was to die, and that he wished for Nyx to not only take his amulet, but find his last son, a secret son that only another man named Jauffre knew the location of.

“This amulet…it isn’t just some family heirloom, is it?”

The Emperor shook his head. “It is the Amulet of Kings, and must pass to the last of the Dragon’s Blood.”

“…Don’t tell me this contains some sort of great power that only someone blood-related to you can wield, a power that was granted to you by a dragon god. And that it will help to end a world-ending calamity.”

“That…is exactly it.” The Emperor gave him a curious look. “That is not common knowledge.”

“I…I’m not quite sure how to explain it.” Nyx admitted. “It’s…a long story.”

“Take the Amulet, and then in the little time we have left, I would hear what you can tell of your story. Your fate lies past the moment of my death, I do not worry that you will fall with the Amulet.”

Nyx glanced around the room, finding it still clear of danger for the time being, even if the sounds of fighting had moved ever so slightly closer to them. He slowly took the Amulet, tucking it away in one of the pockets in his uniform.

“So…Would you believe me if I said that I’m not from this world? Or universe, probably.” Nyx began. “And that I had died, then woken up in that cell, and then a few minutes later you and your guards showed up.”

The Emperor’s eyebrows creased in thought, before he nodded slowly. “The ways of the Divines are mysterious indeed. But you are here, as I have foreseen. Your origins, or your past deeds, do not concern me.”

“I’ve already lived through this!” Nyx blurted out, before he realised that probably wouldn’t make sense without some level of explanation. “I mean, the events leading up to my death, are startlingly similar to what’s happening right now!”

He agitatedly twisted one of his braids in his free hand, decidedly not looking in the direction of the Emperor.

“You are afraid.” Nyx snapped around to stare at the other man.

“I-“

“Even though we have only just met, and yet you still care enough to fear the consequences my death will bring.”

“I just. Don’t want to fail to protect another person. I don’t want your guards, your Blades, to also fail to protect someone they swore to keep safe.” Nyx muttered.

“Oh.” The Emperor sighed, and briefly closed his eyes. There was a sudden presence in the room, ever so slight and yet Nyx could sense it, almost vibrating through the vein-like scars on his arm, the feeling similar to the rush of power that he had felt when confronting the old Kings of Lucis when he had put on the Ring.

The Emperor opened his eyes once again as the moment passed, and looked straight at Nyx, his gaze this time almost as piercing as Regis’ had been when he had spoken up for Nyx in front of the old Kings.

“Your kindness, and dedication, is a gift in these dark times. I am honoured to have met you, Nyx Ulric, and to have been granted the knowledge of the weight you bore before you were brought here. I regret the fate that has been passed onto you, so soon after your sacrifice in your old world, but, I have faith that you will not only face it, but also surpass the expectations laid upon you by the Gods. After all, this new life you have gained will not be without its blessings.”

“Wait, what do you mean-“

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a now-familiar flare of red magic, and broke off as he spun around to meet the assassin, the enemy’s mace rattling against the blade he just managed to bring up in time. The two traded blows furiously, moving across the room as Nyx attempted to use his free arm to gesture or herd the Emperor back away from danger.

Nyx hissed in pain as the mace briefly slid past his guard, the sharp edges of the weapon slicing sharp lines through the side of his uniform. The enchantments that had once been imbued into the fabric clearly had not survived his appearance in this world, though that was not surprising, given how they had hinged on Lucis Caelum magic anyways. He stumbled back a few steps from the impact, and ducked as the mace came down at his head once again. This assassin was clearly a cut above the others they had encountered earlier, Nyx thought, briefly eyeing the cracked stone where the mace had hit.

The assassin cackled, and moved to attack again, when Nyx heard the sound of stone grinding against stone. He looked around for the source of the noise, and spotted, in that half-second, a figure in red robes, wearing an even-more ornate set of black armour, a wickedly-long dagger in his hand. And that figure was stepping out of a passage that had just opened up, right next to where the Emperor was standing.

Instinctively, he flung his sword at the assassin, bracing himself for the pulling sensation of a warp. And then he remembered.

He no longer had the ability to warp.

“Shit!” He yelled, now scrambling under the first assassin as he tried to reach the new assassin in time, trying to reach the Emperor before– and why was he just standing there?! – the new assassin struck.

His fingers had just skimmed the edges of the hilt of his sword, other hand outstretched to try and push the Emperor or the assassin out of the way, when he saw the knife sink into the Emperor’s heart.

He watched as the Emperor toppled to the ground, the assassin’s knife dripping blood onto the stones. He heard, more than saw, as one of the guards appeared in the doorway and gave an anguished cry.

And then the assassins were attacking them again, and he had no time to further process the situation as he and the guard – Baurus – ended up fighting back-to-back, a grieving desperation in Baurus’ attacks as together, they managed to kill those last two assassins.

There was silence, finally, as the last assassin slowly bled out on the ground, and Nyx watched with blurry eyes as Baurus fell to his knees next to the corpse of his Emperor.

#ffxv #tes oblivion #nyx ulric #uriel septim #hok!nyx au #ficlet #carminite writes #can we get an f in the chat for baurus #and yes this will be a fixit its just that there is angst first

[melchron]

Nightmare Time Episode 1 Thoughts

Ok. It took me about an hour but I think I can develop some thoughts on Nightmare Time. I'm just gonna type as I think so events will be all out of order.

My mom decided to watch it with me last minute so that was nice. She doesn't remember much from the Hatchetfield shows but she enjoyed this anyways.

The Knok Twist made me mad and happy at the same time. I have adopted all of Joey's soft boy characters and now I have to send my new son back for being a defective creep. But also Ted is hilarious, I kind of missed him (just a little though), and it was a nice twist.

Was Konk fully naked the whole time? Was he at least wearing pants or shorts or something?

Every entrance Robert made as Hidgens killed me. When he kicked down the door but had to scoot into frame with his leg still up, I died.

His dramatic Hidgens reveal made me squeal. I knew he was coming but I love how his reveal was dramatic anyway. It was like he went "Oh they want Hidgens? Time to Hidgens harder than ever."

Angela was so good as Lucy. I love how she is nothing like Lex. I love seeing more if her acting range. She is so talented.

I think I might like Ted now. Like before he was fine. I know people were obsessed with him but I was one of those jerks being like "They only like him because of SSN and their weird CharTed ship. He was funny in SSN but he's not that great. He's just fine. (I never said any of this to anyone. People can like what they like no matter my opinion. I kept my negative thoughts to myself.) I don't know what happened here but I think I like him. Still not obsessed but he's pretty cool. Maybe I'm still trying to have Konk idk.

I knew Hidgens was insane before but know he's absolutely unhinged. Before he was crazy like "A musical world is my dream and I want it. You think I'm crazy? Well it would also bring world peace so there I justified it. My actions are actually helping and not at all selfish." And now it's like "I will murder to make my musical. No justification here. I am absolutely selfish and I don't care."

How, when, and why did Ted decide to join Hidgens on his crazy plan?

I wonder how CharTed shippers feel about Lucy.

Bill is back and I'm loosing it!!

When did Alice get so moody? I know we didn't see much of her in TGWDLM but she seemed chill. I know denying doing drugs while underaged isn't the goodest possible thing but she seemed like she was a rule follower. I'm not mad at this Alice and I don't think it's bad, it's just different than what I imagined.

Bill is trying his best and I love him.

James's Blinky voice is cool and I love it.

James's bowtie was effected by the green screen background and that was funny to me.

I can't wait to meet Ziggy.

TED HAS A LITTLE BROTHER?! AND HE'S NERDY?! I WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THEY'RE DYNAMIC SO BAD!! NAME? LASTNAMES? MORE PLEASE!!

Bill saying he loves Alice but doesn't like her hit different. I had a friend whose mom said that to her as jokes and now I do the same to my brother. It was weird hearing someone be serious and then the person they said it to got actually hurt.

Is Snigglette ok? Do they sniggles have their own minds? I always thought they had a hivemind too. Why is there a Papa Sniggle? Did he birth them (Male sniggles can probably give birth we don't know) does every god in Drowsy Town have their own brand of sniggles? Where did the original sniggle come from? Is Papa the original? Who birthed him? Do the sniggles decided which god they want to follow. Do they have to follow whoever their Papa follows? Is Papa just a Smurfs reference and I'm overthinking his importance to sniggle lore? I have so many questions.

Do Wiggly and Blinky coexist or is this a different universe?

Can I get a date for whe this takes place? Like a month drop would be good.

Deb being an artist and Alice being a playwright made me extremely happy. Just two creative girls loving each other. Can we get a script drop? I will pay money?

Can we get a Blinky doll drop? I will pay money.

Matt did such an amazing job scoring the whole thing. Everything he played set the perfect mood.

Jeff is one of the most talented people I know of. All of the songs were so good. OMG that intro gave me chills in the trailer and everyone singing was so beautiful I love it.

I am obsessed with the Blinky song. James, Curt, and Jeff is now one of my new favorite harmonies I love their voices together.

Was the Becky Barnes tree thing a reference to their little Irish girl Becky who didn't come down for supper? If so, how does Hidgens now about Becky's childhood? How does Hidgens know Becky? Is she actually Irish?

How did Ted know about Lucy falling?

Why was this so spooky? I love horror movies and this actually had horror movie vibes. TGWDLM and Black Friday had its moments and they were spooky but I never got chills from them. I got chills from this.

What was Jon's character? Was he a sniggles or just some guy that was under Blinky's control? Either way he was creepy. He was just so eerily normal.

I wonder if in universe they were actually swearing in the Blinky song. Imagine parents just being like "I don't know what this is but I think it's supposed to be for kids. Oh well, their enjoying it so idc."

Surprise Jaime appearance was appreciated.

Everyone is absolute royalty but Corey and James are the kings.

Bill got a happy ending. It's what he deserved. Wait.....WE GOT A HAPPY HATCHETFIELD ENDING!!!!!

I think those are all of my thoughts. I absolutely love this and am most definitely buying tickets for 2 and 3.

#nightmare time #starkid #hatchetfield #the hatchetfield ape-man #watcher world #mel thinks thoughts

[medea10]

My Review of Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni GOU

(a.k.a. When They Cry Gou)

I know what you’re thinking. Why the heck am I reviewing this anime again? I’ve already written a review in 2009 and re-polished it in 2016. (Here it is BTW) I’ve made my point on who I like, hate, what ships are worthy, and poked fun at all the deaths that happened throughout the series. I think some time has passed that I should say some thoughts on this…um, story. After all, Higurashi is one of my favorite animes.

STORY: Ah shit, here we go again!

Higurashi or When They Cry is about a boy named Keiichi Maebara who recently moved to a place called Hinamizawa. And ever since moving to this town, he’s found his days are filled with fun mischief with fellow friends Rena Ryuuguu, Satoko Hojo, Mion Sonozaki, and Rika Furude. But little does Keiichi know that there’s a little murder mystery that surrounds the town. During a town festival known as Watanagashi (or Cotton Drifting), there’s usually one or two people that go missing or turn up dead. And this year, Keiichi is next. So let’s relive the horrors that plague the town of Hinamizawa and…

One episode later.

Wait, what the…?! It’s episode 2, why are we seeing Hanyuu? I don’t remember that in the manga. The visual! THE VISUAL! WHAT THE FUCK?! ISN’T THIS SUPPOSED TO BE A REBOOT? WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY IS THERE AN ADULT RIKA?! WAIT, IS THAT ADULT RIKA OR BERN? IS THIS GOING TO BE THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE TO THE WITCHES OF UMINEKO?! THE SHADOWS IN THE OPENING ARE TOO FAMILIAR FROM OTHER WORKS! Ryukishi07, you magnificent, fucking troll master for keeping this hidden until the second episode’s air date!

Many of us did not see this coming. When they announced a new Higurashi series that was going to be done by a different studio, many of us speculated whether this was going to be a reboot or a sequel. But then we got the PV trailers and it looked like we were going to get a reboot to correct the mistakes Studio Deen made years ago. Rika’s head doesn’t look like its gonna snap off because her body is so small in comparison. Improvements! I mean, they showed everything we were already used to like the yandere girls, the original soundtrack, the original freakin’ cast, and death by baseball bat. Hell, the first episode ended with an Eiko Shimamiya song! It was on track to being a reboot! A better looking reboot!

Here in lies the sequel aspect! After episode one, we get a scene that isn’t usually seen until the Kai part of Higurashi (a good 4-5 arcs away). And they give away the secret that Rika Furude is repeating the timeline of June 1983 over and over because she keeps dying. And as the series progresses, you notice little things different from the original series. Many of the well-known storylines end much differently than what you remember. Instead of Keiichi killing Rena and Mion with a baseball bat, you’ve got Rena going psycho on Keiichi. And Rika’s fate is somehow worse than the stories of the original series. So let’s head back to Hinamizawa to hear the cicadas cry and watch a murder mystery unfold.

THE SUB: All the original voice actors have returned to voice their respected roles. Perfection in a nutshell!

LICENSING: You’ve gotta be shitting me!

As I’ve mentioned years ago in my review, the original Higurashi anime went through a turbulent time being licensed in the states. It was originally licensed and dubbed by Geneon. But once Geneon collapsed, FUNimation licensed it and did absolutely fuck all with it. Geneon could only manage to squeak out one season. At this point, FUNimation was picking up titles that Geneon used to have before it fell under including Familiar of Zero, Kyou Kara Maou, and yes, Higurashi. All of these titles mentioned here were done absolutely nothing with despite having cult followings, second seasons, and OVA’s.

A year or two after licensing it, the license expired for Higurashi. For nearly six years, the only copies you could get were out of print and estimating at $500 at the very least for a full collection. Single DVD’s could be found in rare shops, but it would take like 13 years to complete the fucking collection if you did it that way. And that was only for the first season. Second season, the best all of us could do was bootleg DVD’s from Japan Town or fansubs with glaring errors for the best season to Higurashi. We had to deal with this shit until Sentai Filmworks licensed and released the first 2 seasons and the Rei OVA’s.

AND NOW YOU’RE TELLING ME FUNIMATION IS CLAIMING HIGURASHI ALL FOR THEMSELVES?!

Where the shit was this love 10 years ago when we were asking politely to release Kai? People ignorantly blew Higurashi off for years because season two was never released in the states until 2016 because they thought the damn anime ended after Rena held up the school. I’m already irritated with FUNimation after the Interspecies Reviewers debacle and I’m still quite butt-hurt over them re-releasing Nichijou with a dub to make a quick buck. Licensing Higurashi just brings back old anger. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy Higurashi is legally licensed and can be seen on at the very least Hulu. It’s just that I hold grudges and this was a big one.

THE DUB: Holy…um, okay! This is a rather big gulp to take in. As I’ve repeatedly mentioned in past reviews, the Higurashi dub was a mixed bag of okay, bad, and oh gasperts kill it with fire. So, not great! The good folks at Geneon (before bankrupting in America) dubbed the first season with a good chunk of folks that put their fake names to the credits. Again, not great! To me, there were some aspects of Megan Hollingshed, Mela Lee, and Grant George’s performances of Mion, Rena, and Keiichi that were okay. SOME! John Snyder and Karen Strassmen as Ooishi and Takano were the best out of that dub. Everything else was just irredeemable! It needed a redub, an overhaul, and a spit-shine. For years, I’ve wondered who would be the dream cast. Sentai Filmworks unfortunately never dubbed the remaining seasons when they released them. Would Luci Christian be the heavenly voice to do Rika Furude? Could we get Hilary Haag to do Satoko? Okay, that never came to pass.

This dub is a breath of fresh air. Rika doesn’t sound like Mihoshi. Satoko doesn’t sound fake, Keiichi doesn’t sound like a weird Sonic the Hedgehog. It’s perfect. ESPECIALLY BRITTANY LAUDA AS SATOKO! I knew the second she was cast as Satoko that she was going to excel the fuck out of this role. And I was not disappointed! The only voice I’m still not quite used to is Michelle Rojas as the Sonozaki twins. Probably because I was somewhat okay with Megan Hollingshed’s voice in the 2006 version that it’ll take some time! And we FINALLY got a voice for Hanyuu. I am super excited that Xanthe Huynh is the voice and I know she’ll do great with this role! With all of that said, here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

*Keiichi is now played by Khoi Dao (known for Kiriyama on March Comes in Like a Lion, Murata on Demon Slayer, Chaka on Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Pt. 3, and Iskhan on SAO: Alicization)

*Rena is now played by Emi Lo

*Mion/Shion is now played by Michelle Rojas (known for Shizu Delta on Overlord, Touka on Assassination Classroom, Minase on Psycho Pass, Kanan on Love Live Sunshine, and Kusakai on Keijo!!!!!!!!)

*Rika is now played by Apphia Yu (known for Rio on Assassination Classroom, Marie on Black Clover, You on Love Live Sunshine, Victorique on Gosick, Natsumi on Danganronpa 3, and Laki on Fairy Tail)

*Satoko is now played by Brittany Lauda (known for Riko on Made in Abyss, Meidri on Interspecies Reviewers, Lessar on Index III, and Ichigo on Darling in the FranXX)

*Hanyuu is played by Xanthe Huynh (known for Menma on Anohana, Haru on Persona 5, Hanayo on Love Live, Hidomi on FLCL: Progressive, PallaPalla on Sailor Moon Super S [redub], and Sachi on SAO)

ANY CHANGES IN YOUR HATE-O-RADE:

Okay Medea, let-a-rip!

*inhales and exhales*

Teppei Hojo is trash. He is ultimate trash. This fucker needs to be murdered in every timeline. He is a turd in a Glenn Quagmire shirt. Him and his wife are trash. And when this pile of trash is cheating on that pile of trash, he sleeps with peak trash named Ritsuko. Teppei Hojo needs to die in every timeline. Whenever Keiichi bashes this cum-burger’s head in with a blunt instrument, I scream at the top of my lungs, “DIE SCUM, DIE”! And nothing, I repeat, NOTHING will change my opinion of Teppei Hojo.

Episode 23.

Oh, fuck you Higurashi Gou!

MUSIC: Okay, thank you for proving me wrong. I did not despise the opening theme. Having Higurashi with no Eiko Shimamiya is like having Pokemon with no Rika Matsumoto. Or Rozen Maiden with no ALI PROJECT. But this new opening is fine by my standards.

That’s right, get the niceness of the review before I get angry down below.

THESE TIMELOOPS: Rika tries to find solutions to end her time-loop in June 1983. Much like the original series, we follow stories from the Onikakushi-hen, Watanagashi-hen, and Tatarigoroshi-hen arcs (the first three stories to Higurashi, although now these have different names). However, all of these arcs have different endings. And after a positive turnaround with Satoko escaping from her abusive uncle, shit goes south when Detective Ooishi, who up to this point has never suffered under the Hinamizawa Syndrome or died a painful death goes on a murderous rampage. Higurashi style! That means, he’s after Rika Furude, will slaughter anyone in his way, and scratching his neck because he sees maggots (part of the hallucination effect).

What the shit? Ooishi for the most part has been a great guy. With the exception of the Tatarigoroshi-hen storyline, he was a nice guy! In the limbo with Hanyuu, Rika now remembers who has killed her. Every time Rika dies up to this point, she never remembers who was the cause of her demise. Hanyuu implanted that power to remember the deaths and a clue for Rika to use and then she disappears.

Now seriously, imagine Rika’s plight here. She has been repeating the month of June 1983 for over a hundred years. And each of these times she repeats, she’s horribly murdered. Rika got the shit-end of the deal in the murder department in the original series, including being dissected on while alive. Then, leaving her bloody, naked corpse out in the open of the Oyashiro altar! She’s tired of this shit! She wants to live a happy life away from Hinamizawa. She wants to grow older, become a teenager, and have fun. And this series made it worse by having her die four times in one episode. Not just that, but murdered by the most unexpected people including Akasaka, Chief Kimiyoshi, Mion’s mother Akane, and Keiichi. Keiichi has never killed Rika in any of the timelines up to this point. He has killed Mion and Rena, but never Rika. Keiichi loves Rika! Welcome back to A Million Ways to Die in Hinamizawa.

I’ll just add decapitation, drowning in a lake, set on fire, drowning in a sewage pipe, and death by…um…

Alexa, play Chandelier by Sia.

ENDING: We all know by now that in the original series, Miyo Takano is the betrayer and the reason behind all the murders during the Cotton Drifting Festival. This time, it’s someone closer to Rika that’s causing Rika so much pain. After we watched the worst kinds of murders happen to Rika, the episode after gave us our answer. Satoko, Rika’s friend and confidant is not happy that Rika is turning her back on Oyashiro and Hinamizawa. All the while pulling out her intestines!

Oh Higurashi, don’t stop being gory!

Yes, Satoko is aware of past timelines much like Rika and is almost on a god-like state. So what the hell happened to her? I know Satoko’s past has been a cluster-fuck of horror with her brother disappearing, her parents dying, and every form of abuse from her uncle. But she was able to prevail after all that. After surviving 1983, a lot has changed in Hinamizawa. The three big families of Hinamizawa put an end to the Cotton Drifting Festival and claiming there is no curse of Oyashiro. Mion and Shion moved on and are going to high school. And Rika decides she wants to move away from this village. By attending St. Lucia! And she wants to do this with Satoko.

Oh, if you don’t recall St. Lucia, Shion attended this academy until she escaped during the Meakashi-hen arc. It was also the same school that Ange from Umineko attended. But of course Ange attended it in the 90’s and we are clearly in the 80’s. Moving on!

Rika and Satoko studied their butts off for years and their hard work paid off as both were admitted into St. Lucia. Now Rika was able to prevail and fit in with everyone. Satoko on the other hand couldn’t do the same as her grades took a dip, her manners are atrocious, and she doesn’t seem to fit in with anyone. And this caused a drift between Rika and Satoko! And so during a trip to Hinamizawa, Satoko went to the old shrine where she ended up getting sent to that limbo place Rika and Hanyuu were at many times before. There, she meets Eua (God, I hope that really isn’t her name). She’s much like Hanyuu except a lot more condescending. Oh, and she’s that mysterious shadow during the opening theme. She bestows the power to Satoko of reviving on death and returning to a certain point in time. In the hopes that Satoko is able to stop Rika from going to St. Lucia! But Rika is not going to budge. She wants out of Hinamizawa no matter what. And Satoko just wants to be with her friend no matter what. Satoko is even shown Rika’s past and still no dent in…Okay, this is bugging the fuck outta me. Pause the Ending portion!

MY GRIPES WITH SATOKO: Satoko, girl, the fuck is wrong with you?! I know Rika is like your main chick and everything, but for fuck’s sake loosen the grip you have with Rika. This season has changed you and not for the better. You made a connection with ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS from Hinamizawa. Big connections! At least in the original series you did. Look at your moments with Keiichi and Shion. Are you just going to shove them off? And what really sets me off is that Satoko literally had the opportunity to learn about Rika’s hundred year’s loop of death. And feels nothing about it! Only that it’s a challenge to break her herself! God damn, at the end of season one, Keiichi learned the truth and he was remorseful. This bitch doesn’t care that her friends were murdered in such a way. And Rika’s been shot in the head, had a live dissection performed on her, and other forms of torture…AND IT DOESN’T FAZE SATOKO!

I know in my original Higurashi review, I felt sorry for Satoko as she did seem to get the short-end of the stick living in Hinamizawa. I mean, her parents died right in front of her, she suffered abuse from her uncle, abuse from her aunt, ostrisized by the town for years, and a myriad of all types of shit to befall her. But Higurashi Gou has ruined this character. Rika didn’t really do anything wrong to Satoko. She didn’t snitch on her when Satoko got in trouble. She offered help to Satoko when she thought her grades were slipping. Satoko just held onto this petty vendetta. Satoko acted like Rika sexually assaulted her and have two other people gang rape her while drugging her. Okay, that’s a call for revenge, not your petty shit.

YOU SEE WHERE I’M AT WITH YOU SATOKO?! Your actions are so bad that you have me siding with the protagonist from Redo of Healer.

REDO.

OF.

HEALER!!!

I’m done with you! Girl, bye! We now return you to my talk about the ending already in progress.

BACK TO THE ENDING: Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Yeah, Satoko is leaving a bad impression on many of us who have been following the Higurashi story for years. And it just gets worse as she uses her new power for petty shit and abusing it at that. I mean, we saw Rika use her power in order to find a way to live past June 1983. Satoko is just using that shit to win some games and have things go her way. What else could this series bless us with? How about an epiphany from Teppei Hojo?

What?!

Teppei changes for the better.

What?!

Look, I admit that these moments with Teppei and Satoko were tame compared to the shit she’s pulled in the last several episodes. But this is Teppei Hojo! The same guy that used Satoko as his personal punching bag! The same guy who fleeced Rena’s father! The same guy many of us who cheer every time we see him on a moped because we know someone’s going to bash his head in with a baseball bat. Even my best friend knows how I am with this guy. When she gave me Higurashi free swag, I took everything except for Teppei. I don’t take trash. So seeing him so remorseful makes me…conflicted.

So now Satoko’s got things turned around for her. Her uncle has…changed?! Add to that, her God-like power. Satoko decides to change the past for her own advantage. This includes changing one of the biggest stories in Higurashi Kai with the kids vs. Miyo Takano. If Rika doesn’t experience the pain in those timelines, she won’t think about leaving Hinamizawa. And if she doesn’t leave Hinamizawa, she’ll stay with Satoko forever.

Oh what a tangled web of crazy Higurashi Gou was! I gotta tell you, Higurashi got me excited all the way up until we learn it was Satoko. And then it went straight to Hell. They turned Satoko into a straight-up selfish monster. Totally unlike the Satoko we’ve all grown to love in the original series. Yes, Satoko had those moments where, yeah, you would want to throw a chair at her and beat her ass with it. But that was only temporary! You would always see the good in Satoko despite that mischievous laugh and those episodes in Higurashi Rei. And God help me, I was a shipper of Rika x Satoko 10 years ago. Not a big one, but a supporter of it. Now, I would rather support Amourshipping from Pokemon than root for this. And I despise the living fuck out of Amourshipping. That should tell you something!

If original Satoko were bestowed the powers from Eua, I think things would be different. Satoko would probably use her powers to prevent all the bad stuff from happening to her friends and to her brother Satoshi. I mean, my goodness, not once did I see her think, hey maybe I should find a way to help my ailing brother. Change a few timelines, make him all better! And of course, feel sympathy for Rika’s plight. Do it for Rika’s sake, not your own selfish desires! Rika has died horrificly for hundreds of years. And I seriously just can’t get over Satoko’s reaction to that when she learned the truth. Instead, she wants to treat Rika like a caged bird. Best friend my ass!

Now can Higurashi SOTSU fix the hot mess of Satoko? Time will only tell! And good on them for having Higurashi air in the summertime. Summertime is for Higurashi! Autum is for Umineko. Speaking of, it’s been since 2009. Any chance you want to give Umineko the old reboot or sequel it sorely needs? Oh forget it! My likeness for this season is conflicted. I was annoyed by it, but I didn’t fully hate it. It’s just that last arc with Satoko really burned my beans. And I’m sure a lot of you all feel the same way.

Guys, if you want to watch Higurashi Gou, do yourselves a favor and watch the original series first. Let that swirl around your heads for a while. I know the creator tricked us at the beginning of this series thinking it was going to be an honest-to-God retelling. It is not! It is a sequel. And a sequel that isn’t based off a game or manga of all things. So fans are jumping into this with eyes closed! And if you’re a fan of Satoko Hojo, I’m sorry. I’m just sorry.

If you want to check out Higurashi Gou, it is available to watch on FUNimation and Hulu. But please, if you haven’t watched the original series, go to HI-DIVE now and watch “When They Cry” and “When They Cry Kai”. I think you can manage without watching any of the OVA’s.

I’d rather watch that Kira OVA where the fanservice is thin, you can practically lick off the whipped cream from the Sonozaki’s tit.

That should tell you something if I’m starting to say something nice about Higurashi Kira.

See you in a few months when Higurashi SOTSU comes out.

#anime review #Higurashi no Naku Koro ni #higurashi no naku koro ni gou #When they cry #when they cry gou #Rika Furude #satoko hojo #mion sonozaki #keiichi maebara #hanyuu #rena ryuugu #miyo takano #eua #teppei hojo

[arbysfightcam]

i just found you and 1) thought u had stolen one of my names (lucy and lynn are close) 2) discovered that we're both genderfluid and bi (pog!!!) 3) learned you use neopronouns as well (ALSO POG!) and 4) you shift! that's so cool, i want to do it but i don't know anything about it lmao

Looong post ahead I am so sorry

TW: suicide mention, respawning/permanently shifting mention, and reality shifting negativity

Hi hi!!! I really love the name Lucy because of the Lucille Ball so the name Lucy brings back wonderful memories of my childhood. My name Lynn comes from my middle name because it’s the most androgynous part of my name that I could find. I like the name Aegis too (aye-gis hard g).

And broooo hell yeah I’m Genderfluid; I’m mostly nonbinary as I mostly feel outside of the binary most days, but some days I feel more boyish or girlish or some days not even a gender at all.

Yeah I do use neopronouns!! And when I say all pronouns I mean you can all me it, kit/kitself (example there are loads of neopronouns like that) and even emoji pronouns! Although I do have preferred they/their/them and xe/xir/xem. So if you end up calling me something different it’s okay! It’s a pronoun in my book

Below is reality shifting

I suggest @fuckingrealityshifting @shifting-lark and @shifting-inspos (sorry for the tags but you guys came to mind) for more information on shifting and how to do it. If you want to dive right into some communities I suggest asking Guts (shifting-inspos) for a Minecraft server they made awhile back (although it’s shifters only so if you decide not to become a shifter then I’m sorry!) and for a coffeehouse dr that Lark made (it’s like a dr for all the shifters to commune!) then ask @chaos-bb for the link!

(Both are discord chats)

There are loads of people with different drs and where they want to shift to. There’s a small community of Dream SMP shifters, One Piece, and etc! I particularly want to shift to Bungou Stray Dogs. The most famous Desired Realities are MHA and Harry Potter.

Essentially shifting is moving your present consciousness into another reality where you also exist. This is not the act of “making up” a reality but narrowing in where you actually exist. Like there are desired realities where you exist as yourself but in that reality. This goes for alternate realties where you probably are doing the opposite of what you’re doing right now, book realities, television realities, anything and everything that has the potential to be its own universe.

It sounds crazy because of the unlimited possibilities and of the use of multidimensional planes (not the right word but anything goes for right now) but it’s true! It’s alright to be skeptic and it’s okay to even not believe in it after this post.

A lot of people like comparing lucid dreaming, maladaptive daydreaming, and reality shifting but that’s simply not true. Lucid Dreaming is taking control of your dream state and where everything isn’t real, while reality shifting is taking your consciousness to a real place that is your desired reality.

Maladaptive Daydreaming happens when you’re awake, conscious, and sometimes you have control over it. I have MD (also known as MaDD) and not that. Plus it’s daydreaming and reality shifting is not.

Although I haven’t shifted (and I don’t plan to try for a little while) I know that it’s real. To me it feels real, and it’s not hurting me because I’m genuinely happy with my life here in this reality.

Since you are new, and if you do further research I will say this. Respawning is the act of killing yourself (and in some cases some say killing your soul) to go to your Desired reality. This is highly toxic and untrue no matter what anyone tells you. Some will even try to say in a delicate manner that it’s permanently shifting; which is the same thing as respawning.

I highly suggest that you do not support creators that support that idea and do not dive into the act of that yourself, but I’m not the parent of you and I have no say in what you do. I do however want you to be safe when researching.

That said reality shifting is 100% safe. There’s just that side that takes it a bit too far and turns it into something it’s not.

If you do make a shifting blog (my main is actually @lynnthegarbagebin!!) then please share it I’d love to shout you out!! The community is nice and everyone is welcoming.

Hopefully this helps and I hope this is well articulated!!

#shiftblr #reality shifting #desired reality #current reality #shifting community #tw suicide mention #tw shifting negativity #tw respawning #tw permanently shifting

[mirkwoodshewolf]

My life, The Doctor; 10th Doctor x Nurse!reader

*Author’s note*

Hey guys I know it’s been awhile but I finally decided to work on another story outside the Queen/BoRhap fandom. Now this request came from @originalposter96 idk if this is your user name anymore but I hope you’ll be able to see it.

NOW WARNING HERE I AM NOT A DOCTOR OR A NURSE!!! So I know absolutely NOTHING about surgeries or anything like that, so this may seem as lazy writing (sorry) but I hope you all still enjoy this fic. So since this does involve the reader being a Nurse there is a hospital involved, surgeries, blood, removing bullets, gunshots, and a slight trigger warning for Domestic violence (not between the Doctor and reader just some side characters).

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things​

@waddles03​

@psychosupernatural​

@dancingcoolcat​

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​

@ixchel-9275​

__________________________________________________________

There have been many wonderous places I’ve been to, many wonderful people and creatures I’ve met.  They all come and go in my life, whether through my adventures or by time itself all beings enter my life one way or another.  But throughout all my previous lives, every single being in the Universe that I had ever known, one person was above and beyond special.

Her name was (Y/n) (L/n).  And she—is and will always be the love of my life.

For a human she was extremely clever, sharp as a whip, but she was also kind, loyal, and the one thing about her is that she never gives up on anyone.  As a Head nurse—oh did I forget to mention that? Yes my (y/n) is one of the best Nurses in all of England.  

Anyone in her time or even in the future when she finally becomes an M.D. will tell you that she is one of the best.  In fact she finds out future cures for worldwide pandemics (of course sometimes her board would deny her research and billions of people perish. Rotten bastards).  Anyways, my (y/n) truly is one of a kind amongst the humans and I am glad to have met her.

And won’t she be surprised when she sees me.  It had been awhile since I had last seen her (maybe since the day she graduated medical school just a year ago her time) and now with the Cybermen and Daleks taken care of, now’s a good a time to go see her.

I set the coordinates for her time period and flipped the switch allowing the TARDIS to activate and soon going through time and space.

*My POV*

April 14th, 2015, 10:05pm.  It had been a long day.  5 surgeries, 3 MRI scans, a cancer treatment report, and 2 women in labor later, I was just about to drop right there on the floor.  I was thankful that in like 20min. my shift was gonna be over.

“You look like you’re about to drop dead right on the spot.” I snapped out of my sleepy stage to see my good friend Chrissie Lang.  She and I had graduated from the same Med school together, and had most of the same classes together.  She and I are each other’s support system cause in this line or work—it can take a toll on you.

I remember this one time this woman came in at 6 months pregnant bleeding profusely from her legs.  We both knew that she was suffering a miscarriage so we told to do what her Doctor told us to do, but by the end of it Chrissie was completely destroyed. She always wanted to be a mum and seeing something like that happen made her fearful for even trying to go for a baby with her and her boyfriend.

So for the next ten minutes after helping the woman out, Chrissie and I just held onto each other and shed our tears before we had to brush it off and move onto the next case we had.  For those that say being a Doctor or a Nurse is the easiest job to do, they’re liars. The job can hit you not just physically, but mentally as well.

“After 2 days of not sleeping, I just might. Put on my tombstone (Y/n) (l/n). Died with a heart of gold and a stomach of caffeine.”

“That’s true cause I swear girl, you’re probably the most caffeine addicted person I’ve ever met.”

“I can stop whenever I want, these are just choices.” We both chuckled softly.

“Excuse me ladies, but would you mind helping me with something?” a familiar voice said to me.  We both turned to our right and standing there with a bouquet of my favorite color of carnations was the Doctor.

“Of course, what can we do for you sir?” asked Chrissie.

“Hey Chris, why don’t you let me handle this?” I suggested.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, besides you’re about to clock out sooner than me, you go on and head home. I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay, see you later (n/n).” she bid the Doctor good evening and he did the same. Once Chrissie left the lobby, I turned towards the Doctor smiling widely as he did the same.

I immediately embraced him and he picked me up and twirled me around, the two of us laughing together.

“Oh I swear every time I come back, you get more beautiful.” He said as he set me down.

“I’m just happy you got to come back at all.” I said as I cupped his face in my hands. His eyes grew soft as he placed his hands over mine.

“I know what I do is dangerous, but you know why I do what I do.” I nodded in understandment.

“I mean hell it wouldn’t be any different if you were human and worked as a police officer or a fireman. Hell we humans live in a dangerous world, anything could kill us.”

“Which is what makes me the Doctor.”

“It does indeed.” I stroked his cheek with my thumb and that’s when he reached for the bouquet he had set down on the front desk and he presented it to me. “You always know just how to cheer me up.”

“Figured you might’ve had a long, rough day. Thought a little color could be used to brighten up your day.”

“It sure did, thank you my love.”

“Anything for you my life.”

That was a thing between us.  When we first started dating each other, we had a little code/nickname for each other. I call the Doctor ‘my love’ because ever since he literally dropped from the sky onto my doorstep, he’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met.

He’s quirky, bit of a goofball, can sometimes blow his top but that’s only when something really dangerous happens and he’s under stress (yeah I’ve traveled with him a couple of times during my time at Med school), but he’s also loyal, brave, beyond clever, and he always puts everyone else, especially the human race above himself.  For the last of his species, he’s an incredibly selfless person.

He calls me ‘his life’ because whenever things get too hard for him, since he and I have been through some rough stuff due to our day to day life, I always try my best to comfort him.  I know that he’s lost people, just like I have on a job, and it’s not an easy thing to get pass.

So we both try to be each other’s support system.  We know there is always loss in the world, but the thing is to not let that be the driving point that always controls your life.  You can use it to make you stronger, not let it drag you down any further.

“So how has my brave Dr. (L/n) been since I last saw her?”

“You know I’m not a Doctor yet, I still gotta go through the nursing program and then rise up in the ranks before I finally get it.”

“Oh rubbish, you should’ve been a Doctor right as you graduated.”

“Yeah well not according to the chief here.” I muttered annoyedly.

“Honestly though, that old fool wouldn’t know a good doctor if it turned around and bit him in the arse.” I shushed him but couldn’t help myself from giggling softly.

“You can be so cruel sometimes you know that?” he playfully shrugged.

“Only when it comes to people who hurt you.” he wrapped his arms around me and pecked my cheek. “How much longer till your shift ends?” I turned to the clock and responded.

“10 minutes. But…..I could clock out a little early since there hasn’t been a call.”

“Playing hooky ehh? You cheeky little minx.” He grinned like the Cheshire cat. As we leaned closer to each other about to kiss, the doors suddenly burst open and a frantic voice called out.

“HELP! HELP! MY BROTHER NEEDS HELP! HELP!” a blonde woman around her mid 30’s came in holding her brother who looked to be around the same age as her.  Quite possible they might’ve been twins cause I could see some similarities on the both of them.  Her brother was completely covered in blood and his lips were blue from blood loss.

“Okay Miss calm down. I NEED A STRECHER STAT!!” soon enough the nurses who were still here for the nightshift ran off as I walked towards the two siblings. “What happened?”

“My ex-boyfriend jumped us. He thought—he thought my brother was a new boyfriend of mine and he—he—oh god this is my f-fault!”

“No, no, no Miss this is not your fault.” As I tried to calm her down, the stretcher bed soon came in and a group of nurses helped the man on his back and began cutting away his shirt.

“I’m seeing 3 bullet wounds to the chest and one on his abdomen. Let’s move him!” I get onto the top right of him as we wheel him into the OR to save his life while another nurse stayed behind with the sister to calm her down.

I washed my hands and arms frantically and thoroughly before getting my shrubs and mask on.  Already the destine nurses, assistants and now our head Doctor, Dr. Murphy came in and he said.

“What have we got?”

“Four shots in the upper body, two in the lower. He might’ve lost a pint of blood at least.” Answered Nurse Yasmin.

“Maybe 2-3. His BP is dropping fast.” Added one of the male Nurses, Derek.

“Okay, any of those bullets rupture an organ?” asked Dr. Murphy.

“The one in his lower abdomen is just a centimeter before hitting his small intestine. If we don’t get that bullet out first he could bleed out internally.”

“Okay keep an eye on his BP. I need fluids, scalpels, suction tubs, retractors……”

“Lucy….”the man groaned out.

“(L/n), do your thing.” Said Dr. Murphy.  I nodded and came up to the man and said.

“Sir? Sir can you hear me?”

“Yes. Where—where am I?”

“You’re at the hospital. Your sister brought you in. Don’t worry she’s okay and told us what happened.”

“Good….good……She’s safe. I—I’d never forgive myself if—” he started fading out.

“Hey, hey, hey sir, sir stay with me now. What’s your name? Can you tell me your name?”

“Barry.”

“Okay Barry, I’m (Y/n) (l/n). My team and I are gonna help you but you need to stay with me for just a bit. Don’t give up on me.”

“It hurts….it hurts so badly.”

“I know, I know.”

“Give him a shot of morphine to numb the pain.” Dr. Murphy ordered.  Suzie got the morphine bag and needle ready and slowly stuck the needle into his left arm.  Barry hissed and I said to him.

“This’ll help lessen the pain. You won’t feel the pain as we try to get the bullets out of you Barry. But you gotta stay with me, okay?”

“I’ll—try……” he mumbled tiredly.  I placed my hand on his cheek and looked up at his vitals and saw his BP was continuing to drop and his heartbeat was going down.

As I looked around me, frantically Dr. Murphy and all the nurses were working together trying to get all the bullets out of him one by one, less we risk him bleeding out as two teams tried to work out a single bullet.  With the main one near his intestines cleared, Dr. Murphy and Nurse Helen worked on getting the few out of his upper chest.

All the while Barry kept groaning every now and then and his eyes were fading fast.

“Barry. Barry hey look at me boy. If you can’t do this for yourself, do it for your sister. From what she said about who had done this to you, you need to stay alive for her. What you did was heroic, but don’t let her see that that selfish son of a bitch won. She needs you, your family needs you.”

“I got the blood transfusion he now needs. Thankfully, we had our last bag of B+ in the storage bin.” A young male nurse who had only worked here for a year, Cody exclaimed as he came through the doors.

“Alright, start the transfusion now! We just got the last bullet out and his BP is dropping faster and faster!”

“You hear me Barry? We’re getting you your life back. But it’s gonna be up to you now. Don’t let him be the victor, not tonight! You hear me?” he groaned and looked right up at me and he whispered groggily to me.

“Why do you care so much?” I took a deep breath in and said as I stroked the hair from his face.

“Because so many people everywhere are already dying every day. Some because time has run out on them, others for serving their country, but there are the odds of people dying for now reason whatsoever. Or for stupid reasons that shouldn’t be a reason why someone should have to die, especially if it’s protecting their family member from some arsehole who can’t tell the meaning of the word No. Now your sister is out there waiting for you, if she loses you, she’ll have lost her Ace. Her only friend that has stuck by her through whatever it was that her ex-boyfriend did to her.”

“He…..always was a……selfish prick!” he coughed out.

“I’ll bet he was. But she survived him, and now you’ve got to survive too. Don’t give him that satisfaction that he took a life tonight. Can you do that for me?” he nodded softly and whispered out again.

“You’d make a great motivational speaker.”

“I was on the debate team back in secondary school. If you wanna hear more, you’ll just have to stick around Earth for a little while longer.” After his final stitches were in place, the blood transfusion began and it was then Dr. Murphy had Cody, Darren, and Helen wheel him into ICU.  From there, Barry would be monitored 24/7 till he woke up from his post-surgery coma.

Dr. Murphy took off his mask and gloves before turning to me and he said to me.

“Nice job keeping him talking.”

“Just doing my job sir.”

*Doctor’s POV*

Unaware to anyone else, I had snuck into the upper levels to witness the surgery in progress.  I watched as (y/n) stayed right by the young man’s side and kept giving him encouragement to stay alive.  But not for himself, for his sister.

This. Is why she would one day go down in the medical books as the world’s greatest Female doctor’s.  She always put the lives of the people her patient’s love over their own, then psychologically, the patient’s bodies would continue to fight on until finally they would find the strength to recover.

Of course she will have her failures cause that’s life.  You can’t save everyone but you can work harder at saving the ones you can save in the future.  She doesn’t let one failure get her down, that’s sometimes the curse of being a Doctor. When you lose people, it can really affect you. Even when those closest to you are the ones you lose.  Believe me I’ve been there millions of times throughout my 10 life cycles (she’s lucky she’ll only deal with one).

By morning, the lad Barry managed to make a full recovery.  His sister, Lucy repeatedly thanked all the doctors and nurses who helped out with saving her brother before giving her statement to the police.

I waited outside by the TARDIS for my beloved Doctor to clock out, and when she finally came out the poor dear looked exhausted.  I extended my arms out for her and she gave me a tired smile before collapsing into my arms.

“Just when I thought I could get at least one early night in.” her voice muffled against my trench coat but I still managed to hear her.  I softly laughed and rocked her gently as I assured her.

“I know, but hey if you hadn’t been here, that young man would’ve died.”

“Oh you know it was Dr. Murphy as well as a few other nurses that actually did the real operation to save him.”

“True, but you were just as important if not more. You kept him awake and talking.” I shrugged tiredly agree-to-disagreeing. “Now then, I think after a night like that, and from lack of sleep these past couple of days you deserve to be pampered and see the wonders of the galaxy.”

“How did you—”

“Besides the bags under your eyes, I’ve seen the amount of Starbucks cups at your apartment.” She groaned embarrassingly.  God this girl and her coffee addiction, truthfully I never understood why humans choose that as their beverage of choice.  I myself prefer a good Earl grey or even sometimes Jasmine tea but ugh that horrible bland stuff they call coffee?! Never. Again. Will that drink touch my taste buds.

“Care to show me the wonders of time and space?”

“Need a pick me up boost?” she nodded.  I kicked open the doors of the TARDIS and hopped inside before extending my hand out to her saying, “First question is though; do you trust me?”

“Always my love.” She replied with that loving soft smile of hers as she took my hand.

“Then brace yourself my life, because I’m going to show you the sound of the Universe.”

“You mean…..”

“Indeed I do my love, the Music of the Spheres.” Her smile grew wider and I pulled her into the TARDIS before shutting the doors behind her and together the two of us ran towards the consoles of the TARDIS and I punched in the coordinates and soon we took off for the Music of the Spheres.

And who knows where our next adventure would lead after that? So long as I got my love, my life, my Doctor with me by my side.

#doctor who #doctor who fanfic #doctor who fanfiction #doctor who fandom #10th doctor #10th doctor x reader #10th doctor imagine #10th doctor imagines #10th doctor fanfic #doctor who imagines #doctor who imagine #10th doctor fanfiction #doctor who fluff #10th doctor fluff #david tennet #dr. who #dr. who fandom #dr who fandom #dr who fanfic #dr who fanfiction #dr. who fanfiction #dr. who imagine #dr. who imagines

[hutchhitched]

Social Commentary in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Part III

Part 3. Yeah… There’s a whole lot going on in the last third of the book, and I may have had to put it down a few times because I got really excited about how she wove the new book with the original trilogy. I know some people thought Part 3 was over the top, but I found it purposeful and deliberately on the nose, and I think that’s why it works. If you want to see my thoughts on the rest of the book, here are the links to Part 1 and Part 2.

 Major spoilers below:

Tagging some who asked me to and/or are interested: @the-tesseract-wrinkling-time​, @shesasurvivor​, @everlarkedalways​, @xerxia31​, @infinitegraces​, @panemposts, and @endlessnightlock​. Some others are tagged throughout.

 Before we move on to Part 3, I have to backtrack to something from Part 2 I forgot to include in the previous meta (I blame being up till 7 am and only getting four hours of sleep for that). In Chapter 18, Reaper stabs and rips the Panem flag and then uses it to cover the fallen tributes. The reaction of the mentors is shock and horror that the flag has been treated in such a manner. There’s a lot to unpack here. First, desecration of the flag in the US (and I’d guess most other countries, too) is almost always guaranteed to get a reaction. There have been attempts to pass a constitutional amendment to make it a federal crime to burn the flag. Others argue burning the flag is something protected as freedom of speech. Yet, official guidelines for how to treat the flag are broken all the time by letting it touch the ground, not lighting it, not taking it down during inclement weather, and turning it into a massive symbol of patriotism by holding it horizontally on a football field. I saw someone make reference to the outrage against NFL players kneeling during the national anthem as being disrespectful to the flag (even though that was a suggestion of a military veteran, as opposed to sitting during the anthem instead) rather than being outraged at the actions those players were protesting (police brutality against African American men). So, who is it that rips down the flag? Reaper, the tribute from District 11. Rue and Thresh were District 11, as were Chaff and Seeder. All were portrayed in the movies by African American actors. It’s fairly clear in the books that it’s a predominately black district. In other words, it’s likely Reaper is also a black man who tears down the flag of a country that oppresses him so he can provide cover and give dignity to the dead tributes. Now, think about it from a “rebel” perspective, and imagine that’s a Confederate flag that was ripped down. I know in the books that the Districts are the rebels and the Panem flag is more connected to the Capitol, but still. The debate over the (mostly successful) removal of the Confederate flag from former slave states has raged in the US in the past decade. Probably the most famous image of that debate is when a black woman climbed the flagpole at the South Carolina Statehouse and ripped down the flag. Remove the flag of the government that oppresses you, which is what Reaper does.

 Something I find really interesting is the lack of technology in this book. Panem obviously has advanced technology, but it’s not nearly as present as it is in the trilogy. I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume that’s a result of the depressed economy, and by the time we get to the 74th Hunger Games, the economy in the Capitol has recovered and been used to develop new technologies and products that make life easier for citizens. That’s a post-World War II/1950s consumerism analogy if I’ve ever seen one. Post World War II affluence in the United States was a major factor in the development of new weapons and technology. Because American workers were making more and had savings and wages rose 100% between 1945 and 1968, Americans spent more, bought more, and paid more income tax. The solidification of capitalism as America’s economic system helped the US “win” the Cold War against the Soviets. Because Americans made more and were subsequently taxed more, the government had more money to develop new weapons and technologies. The first computer, the hydrogen bomb, vaccines for polio and smallpox, NASA, and the development of ICBMs all took place during this era. A strong economy typically makes people think the nation/government is strong. Not coincidentally, an early counterculture developed during the 1950s that protested against increased consumerism and senseless spending. The Beats/Beatniks/Beat Generation disliked that Americans spent so much money on frivolous things while others (African Americans, the rural poor, and so on) suffered. Sounds a lot like the Capitol citizens who spent lavishly and didn’t care about the districts. As a slight aside, Allen Ginsberg, one of the Beat Generation’s poets, wrote Howl, which calls out capitalism and repression. I wrote The Cry for @promptsinpanem’s prompt Howl in homage to that. Someday, I might actually expand it.

 In Part 2, I wasn’t sure who had the power, and I really couldn’t figure out Highbottom. That’s mostly cleared up for me by the end of the book. I was intrigued by Pluribus Bell’s (many bells, I love it!) story about Highbottom and Snow’s father before Snow left for District 12. It was the seed that let me hope we’d get more information, and we did. Crassus Xanthos Snow is Snow’s father. Crassus was a member of the First Triumvirate (Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus) and helped transition the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire (from pre to post Hunger Games). He also gained power and influence as a soldier during the slave uprising of Spartacus (became a hero during a rebel uprising). Also, Xanthos is a city in Turkey that’s been conquered repeatedly but always recovers (Snow lands on top!). Highbottom’s first name is Casca, who was one of Caesar’s best friends, but he ends up being the first person to stab Caesar during his assassination. The break in the relationship between the two men is clearly why Highbottom turns on (young) Snow, and the explanation about how the Hunger Games come to be is a pretty big allegory to the betrayal of Crassus (Caesar) by Casca. Also, that explains why Highbottom didn’t ever really seem to be supportive of the Games, even though he was credited as their creator. ( @everlvrks)

 There are a lot of references to Roman names and places in this book and the trilogy. The Capitol seems pretty obsessed with the Classics and wants to reflect that type of lifestyle and elitism. During grad school, one of the books I had to read discussed the obsession America’s Founding Fathers (Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson, and so on) had with the Classics. They emulated Greek and Roman ideals. The District of Columbia (Washington, DC) is named after the Roman goddess of Liberty. Jefferson’s and Washington’s homes use classical architecture like domes and columns and many of the federal buildings (the Capital and White House) reflect that. Add on the Washington Monument (an obelisk—which are found all over in the ancient world) and the columns of the Lincoln Memorial and the dome and columns of the Jefferson Memorial, and well… The Founding Fathers were Deists who revered the Classics, which is why I (a religious historian) always laugh when people tell me the US was founded on religion. Yeah, and the Civil War wasn’t fought over slavery, either.

 Before this book, I would never have thought about Snow having a history with District 12 or a stint as a peacekeeper. I even looked ahead to the title for Part 3 and still didn’t realize that was going to happen, but it makes sense. First, Snow seems to have known Katniss much better than can really be explained. Her hunting outside the fence and her escapes to the Lake were never really solitary because he knew the area. He’d been there before. He’d visited Lucy Gray in the Seam, been to the meadow, and so on. Some people may see that as too much, but it absolutely fits with the draconian oversight of the Capitol during Katniss’ time, and it indicates why Snow was so intrigued and obsessed with her. Second, Snow’s experience in the military would have worked wonders for his political career. He won the Hunger Games, served as peacekeeper, visited the districts, became the youngest person to qualify for officer training, and went to the university. That’s a stellar resumé for a budding politician. Clearly, he was exceptional. Terrible, but exceptional (which is said about super-villain Voldemort in Harry Potter, too).

 I had to stop and put the book down and wiggle with glee when the tree appeared in the distance. I didn’t think we’d get the actual Hanging Tree in the book, but that might have been the most thrilling part for me. It wasn’t overt. She didn’t name it. She just set the scene, but I knew what it was. And then to have the hanging and the man yell out to his “love” and the mockingjays pick up his cry and for Snow to see a mockingjay and immediately hate it… Oh, good night, nurse. It’s just too much. That’s when I made this post. I’ll admit, I have a thing for lone, massive trees. My dad has one on his farm, and there’s a huge, very old Burr oak that’s a local tourist attraction close to where I went to college. I felt like I was driving down the road and seeing it rise from the distance, which I did way too many times during undergrad and grad school.

 References to the Covey having traveled and planning to again travel north were clear indicators that District 13 was alive and well (sorry for the on the nose pun) even back then. It seems obvious to me that Snow kept that information in the back of his mind as he took power and anticipated an eventual attack from there. The fact that his family’s fortune was destroyed in District 13 makes it even more appropriate that the final rebellion came from there, too.

 I didn’t like Lucy Gray in the first two parts of the book, and I’m still not completely taken with her. There’s just something about her I don’t quite trust, and I’m not convinced she was completely in love with Snow. Sejanus thinks she is, but I’m also not sure I trust him to be the most perceptive person either. I’ve discussed this briefly already with some others, but I’m still on the fence about her. I acknowledge that she doesn’t have the same power as Snow does, so it’s not possible by definition for her to play him, but I do think she’s manipulative. Peeta is, too, so that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does indicate she’s not exactly who she says she is. Lucy Gray’s job as a performer gives me even more pause because her living is made by putting on a show, by performing, by convincing an audience that what she’s doing is authentic. For lack of a better way to put it—If Lucy Gray is a performer, how would Snow ever know what’s real and what’s not real? Sound familiar? (This part’s for you, @lovely-tothe-bone.)

 The songs:

Deep in the Meadow—It’s a lot disconcerting that Katniss’ lullaby to her sister is a song Snow’s heard before out of the mouth of the woman he once loved. Equally disturbing to know that he’s been in the meadow, and I really thought that the song was going to be about Lucy Gray and Snow together there. I’m glad it stayed a lullaby and not a love song. I think it’s fabulous that Katniss and Peeta reclaim the meadow for themselves as a place where their daughter dances. It’s a little bit (a lot) poetic.

 The Hanging Tree—Well, now that we know where that story comes from, I like it even more. The only part of the book I didn’t really like was Snow thinking he had something figured out and then rethinking and then changing his mind and so on. There was a little bit too much of that as he tried to decipher song lyrics, and particularly with this song.

 The public domain songs—I grew up singing these songs (although with some slightly different words), so they all brought a smile to my face. Probably my favorite rendition of Keep on the Sunny Side is from the movie Oh Brother! Where Art Thou? The entire soundtrack is very bluegrass, and good bluegrass is delightful. And it’s nice to know what the Valley Song really is.

 Unnamed—Okay, so my favorite was the first one at the Hob (pp. 362-364). I’m no songwriter, but I could hear the tune, and it was very Lumineers (maybe crossed with the Dixie Chicks?). Upbeat and peppy and feel good, all the way. I also find it interesting that music and concerts are outlawed in District 12 once there’s a new base commander. An allegory on the tendency to cut art programs first? On the power of art as a motivation for action? Both?

 Which brings us to the star-crossed lovers of District 12, or something. Obviously, this brings up images of Katniss and Peeta, but probably the most famous reference is in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with the star-crossed lovers taking their lives. That’s often read as them being fated to die, which is something Snow seems to follow. He mentions his destiny and fate many times and doesn’t do a very good job of recognizing his choices. There’s one time during the Games when he resolves to do the right thing, but otherwise, no. Shakespeare does also say in Julius Caesar that the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves (which John Greene used in his book title). Snow doesn’t want to take responsibility for what he does. He chooses to follow the rules instead of what is right. He’s legalistic instead of ethical. There’re a lot of philosophical and religious undertones to that, but I’ll let that float for a while.

 On page 386, Lucy Gray tells Snow, “You’re mine and I’m yours. It’s written in the stars.” I’ll be honest, I almost dropped the book when I read that. In Catching Fire, Katniss says the same thing about Gale, but she doesn’t end up with him. They aren’t fated. She ends up with Peeta, who she chooses to love. I should have known from that point that Lucy Gray and Snow would not end up together, but I still wasn’t sure how that was going to happen. I really did think she was going to break up with him or betray him somehow because that was the only thing I could think of that would make him stop loving her and turn into what he becomes. A broken heart is a really good reason for revenge, but what actually happens so much worse. ( @mtk4fun  and @norbertsmom )

 Snow and Lucy Gray decide to run away together, just like Katniss and Gale were going to in the original trilogy. Lucy Gray is worried the mayor’s going to kill her, and Snow doesn’t want to live without her. Except he realizes really quickly that he doesn’t like life on the run. It’s beneath him. He deserves better. He’s entitled to and fated for more, he thinks. On top of that, he’s passed the officer’s training exam, and suddenly there’s a way out of the pit into which he’s fallen. And then he lies to Lucy Gray.

 Lucy Gray’s said all along the most important thing to her is trust, and then he lies to her. He doesn’t tell her he had a hand in turning in Sejanus. He doesn’t tell her because he’s afraid of losing her, which is a selfish reason, not one to spare her feelings or to protect her. He lies to protect himself. By the time they get to the cabin at the lake, he’s decided he’s not going with her, and she’s realized he’s lied to her. And then the weapon he used to commit murder (for her or him?) is there. Snow snaps quickly after that. There’s a metaphor, I’m sure about him losing his hold on reality and self-control when he’s past the boundaries of civilization, but he falls really, really quickly. He goes from wanting to tell her he’s changed his mind to attempting to murder her. The only thing that really stops him is the snake bite, which is not fatal, but reminds me why I didn’t trust Lucy Gale. Was it deliberate? Did she leave him on purpose? Does she escape him, or does he manage to cut her down? Either way, he doesn’t choose love. Love, which is a selfless act, isn’t his end game. He chooses himself. He chooses being selfish and looking out for himself instead of others. He doesn’t like being vulnerable. He clinically plans to marry someone he doesn’t love, so he never feels exposed again. In short, he makes the opposite choice Katniss does, and that makes all the difference.

 A few other things because this is way too long at this point:

 Peacekeepers: Boot camp for peacekeepers was interesting and strongly resembles the process of the military stripping down differences and making each soldier part of a machine. Haircuts, uniforms, routines, and so on are all about stripping away his identity, and he hates every second of it. He’s too good for that, and there’s entitlement all over the place. That’s very different from the peacekeepers from the districts who join the military as a way out of poverty. I mean, Snow does, too, but only because he’s forced.

 Betrayal: Recording Sejanus and Snow justifying it was hard to read. It was harder to read about the execution. And then to have the Plinths take Snow in after he returns to the Capitol is absolutely the worst. Despicable behavior.

 Poisoning Highbottom: It doesn’t surprise me, and it’s exactly what the rumors in the original books were. Snow kills his rivals to ascend.

 Snow’s role in the Games: The Hunger Games change dramatically between the 10th and the 74th. It’s clear Snow has a significant role in how and why that happens. The tributes aren’t caged and are housed in luxury. The cattle cars are replaced with a high-speed train with lots of food. The tributes get stylists and prep teams instead of being unwashed and dirty. In other words, the treatment of tributes becomes more humane, which becomes even more problematic. At least Lucy Gray knew she was being offered up as a sacrifice. No one lied to her about what she was. The implementation of these ways to fatten the lambs up for slaughter is horrific and cruel and very Snow.

 Finally, the purpose of the Hunger Games changes for Snow by the time we get to the end of the book. They are no longer just a way to punish the districts. They’re a way to exert controlled warfare instead of a messy war between the Capitol and the districts. It’s still kids being forced to kill kids. The tributes are still kids in cages. They’re still “not from here.” The Capitol kids are to be protected, but the parents in the poor areas aren’t able to take care of their own. It’s all deliberate. Collins doesn’t pull punches about the treatment of migrant children in cages or the murder of schoolchildren. What she does is point out that we don’t really mean what we say about protecting children. We’re only outraged for our own, not for those who are different. Suzanne Collins doesn’t have time for white privilege, American elitism, tyrannical government, excessive capitalism, or excuses, and her book reads that way. I loved every word of it.

#tbosas #tbosas spoilers #balladspoilers #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #meta #hunger games meta #spoilers #book spoilers #really #long post

[eowylesbian]

RULES: Answer 30 questions and tag 20 blogs you are contractually obligated to know better (answers under the cut to avoid a long post lmao)

@bishopsknifetrick tagged me in this ty atlas!!

i definitely won't be able to tag 20 ppl and ofc no pressure if u don't want to do it: @carbonbased000 @setting-in-a-honeymoon @afandomplace @queenoffakers @soup--punk and anyone who sees this!!

name/nickname: lucy or luce!

gender: probably female

star sign: leo!

height: 5'3ish, haven't measured myself in a long time so that's just an estimate

time: 9:44am

birthday: august 19th 2005

favourite bands: fall out boy, paramore, arctic monkeys, most fueled by ramen/dcd2 bands from the early 2000s, idkhow, green day, meet me at the altar, the last shadow puppets, doll skin, vial

favourite solo artists: pj harvey, david bowie, hozier, phoebe bridgers, hayley williams’ solo stuff and patrick stump’s solo stuff

song stuck in my head: grow up by vial

last film: the truman show

last show: grey's anatomy

when i made this blog: i originally made it 2-3 years ago i think, i was abt 12 closer to 3 years, and it was a sims blog lmao but about 7 months ago i moved my fob sideblog here bc i never used this one

what i post: literally whatever tf i want lmao i rb rob/pmore posts a lot and occasionally make those lyric comparison posts or just. vent into the void of tumblr

last thing i googled: robert smith bc my dad and i were listening to the cure and dad wanted to know what part of england he’s from (it’s blackpool, in case you were wondering)

other blogs: the old version of this blog and a couple unused sideblogs bc im holding possible urls lmao

do i get asks: hardly ever :(

why i chose my url: it was originally andyoucanget-whatyouwant after a line in favourite record by fob but someone in an ask said they always read it as andy you can get what you want so i added an extra y for fun lol. thinking about changing it again bc she’s Long 

following: like 109 or something

followers: i think just over 300

average hours of sleep: 7-8ish, sometimes 9 or sometimes like 5, and im always tired no matter what

lucky number: idk if i have one but i like 7 and 21

instruments: tried to learn bass but it did not go well...also kind of want to try guitar but im worried the same thing will happen :/

what i am wearing: fleecy penguin pyjama trousers, a grey turtleneck and a purple fleece pyjama top (nothing but style for my online classes)

dream trip: australia, germany, chicago, the list goes on

favourite food: pizza. always.

nationality: irish :)

favourite song: all time favourite is disloyal order of water buffaloes by fall out boy but atm i can’t get enough of r u mine by arctic monkeys

last book read: god not even sure, i never read anymore

top three fictional universes i’d like to live in: idk abt top 3 but probably the one in my Head that is far too complicated to explain and is slightly embarrassing

favourite colour: ab/ap blue, mania purple and pine green

[yesokayiknow]

can i hear some of your thoughts on the year that never was?

uh ye okay here’s some unconnected thoughts:

There Should Be More Things Said About It. specifically the aftermath. i would like many many fics that have martha (& jack & the joneses & lucy & various unit staff) dealing with the trauma bc I Want To See Them Grow I Want To See Them Heal

martha refused another trip, and rightly so, but i like to think that she meets up with twelve for tea sometimes, and he just. listens (he hasn’t worked out yet whether he should tell her about the person in his basement. he’s weighing the pros & cons)

personally i don’t think that like. the whole year of the universe was erased, i think that it was only earth that got rewound, so its a year out of sync with the rest of the universe (well, probably a lot more than a year, considering how much shit various time lords have stirred up around here). mainly bc the universe(s) is Big and earth is like. less than microscopic, and i think time wouldn’t be affected by such a small rip

i think that amy remembers it, in some way or other. she can remember things that others can’t after all (and, of course, depending on when exactly she dies, she may have lived through it twice). i don’t think that river can remember, bc river’s childhood was a cycle of memory wipes and unwritten moments and things that never happened, & i think her mind must’ve gotten good at papering over the cracks (i do wonder how many versions of her were on earth at the time though)

(idk how clara’s memory works, bc it seems to be pretty self healing, but she did see a LOT in name of the doctor, including the ytnw. clara exiting the doctor’s timestream now able to remember what happened would be o o f & f u n)

rose 🤝 martha; losing a year of their life bc of the doctor (you judge how inadvertently)

martha wasn’t the only one of the doctor’s companions to spend a large period of time being constantly hunted & having to remain undercover from an oppressive psychic force, & then having nearly nobody else on earth remember it (& ooh boy i could talk all day abt hm how ~funny~ it is that that experience sure happened to the doctor’s (then) only 2 main black companions), and i like to think that bill visits her sometimes. it’s always good to have someone else who can in some way understand what you went through

#asks #anon #doctor who #martha jones #hey u ever think abt how a black lesbian had to spend ~months hiding her true self from the entire world or else she'd be killed #you ever think abt how that's something she went thru #bc i do & then i get angry #(i have an au where rose & tentoo somehow end up collecting all of the alt versions of the doctor's future companions #that world's martha's a lot happier) #Anonymous

[riverswater]

The rules are to shuffle one of your playlists and for the first 3 songs that play, you have to write 3 fic prompts around those songs.

@halosboat @non-binharry and @essercipertuttienonperse tagged me to do this, thank you so much!!! Was looking forward for this one 🥰

I shuffled the music in my normal library, don't make fun of me I have like 4 songs on my phone fjdhks (warning: last one contains a suicide attempt)

1. Green Day - Minority -> this has very cheerful/happy/subversive vibes, it think it would be nice to have a siiiimple fic where Harry and Louis meet during a march/protest, maybe Pride or maybe something about some political things I'll figure out. They dance a bit together, meet each other's friends, then depending on how serious the march is they could end up in a pub/club together (and drunkenly snogging and exchanging phone numbers) or in political group to discuss stuff (where they argue about a lot of stuff but agree on more of it so that's okay, and grow to know each other as lovers as well).

2. Le Luci della Centrale Elettrica - Coprifuoco -> this is as sweet as melancholic, so it makes sense for this to be a Ziam. Zayn and Liam have always been best friends, they grew up together in a small town went to school together ecc ecc. Zayn wins a scholarship for a prestigious university, but this means he will have to say goodbye to his family and to Liam. Zayn has spent the last couple of years being well in love with him, but everything they had was too perfect to mess up with, so he didn't dare to do anything. He packed to go to uni and didn't look back, sure that a 'clean' break would be the best thing, but just broke both of their hearts in the process. They don't meet again until Zayn graduates and goes back to live with his parents for the summer: there, with flowers all around, so many new things to learn about each other, sitting beneath the shadows of trees and looking at their childhood spaces, they will reconnect again, to then discover they both were hopelessly in love with each other. They always have been. Some confusion sparks from both of them, but it's quickly put past them: they probably never fell of out of this love, too strong and real to forget, and by the end of the summer they're finally together.

3. Twenty One Pilots - Taxi Cab -> (tw suicide attempt) explicitly following the lyrics from this wonderful song: this starts with Louis attempting suicide. He then wakes up in the back of a cab, and he's sure he's hallucinating, until the man who is driving calls him by his name. Louis can't see his face, but the man tells him that his moments hasn't come yet, and that there's still some wonderful things waiting for him. Louis wakes up again, realizes he's still alive and he can remember perfectly whatever happened in the cab. This makes him bitter as fuck though, but he's decided to... Try this out, and see what possibly could await for him. He gets his degree, starts writing books like he always wanted to, gets a certain grade of fame, his life starts to thrive. He's then sure to have whatever the man in the cab was talking about, but... There's still something that doesn't feel complete. That something appears in the form of a pensive journalist during his new book conference: the questions he asks him are pointed, interesting, and once the conference is done their work duties are over, so Louis has to approaches him. Has to. And ask him some questions back, the first ones just there, then in front of a coffee, then in front of a dinner, then just in bed, when it's just the two of them. Louis' books get a little bit lighter and Harry's work less suffocating, and both of their lives turn on their axis to fit them perfectly. Louis will tell him about the man in the cab, one day, and will be sure to add, it's all of this that was waiting for me.

I tag: @whatagreatproblemtohave @moonshinelouis @herefortommo @angelichl @dontdropthatthunthunthun @bigsparrowharry @watermelonsugarhii @malik-payne @reunitezouis @verseziam @loveonniall I know it's a lot of people but I'm curioussss! Also I tag anyone else who wants to!

#I'm not trying to romanticize suicide not at all #But the song is explicitly about that and I think it's always worth it to see what will come next to you #Hope I didn't upset anyoneeee #Feel free to ignore but I'm so curious about everyone's work! #Tag games #Fic prompts #Tw suicide attempt

[coffeebased]

Hey! Wikathon na! I’ve started reading Relocations by Karen Tongson, about a third through now, but I had to take a little detour through Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir like I said I would. I’ve finished reading HtN but I’m not quite done experiencing it, so I’ll probably pick Relocations back up tomorrow.

But here’s what I read in July! What’s a segue?

1. Haikyu!! Volume 44 and 45 by Haruichi Furudate

A chance event triggered Shouyou Hinata’s love for volleyball. His club had no members, but somehow persevered and finally made it into its very first and final regular match of middle school, where it was steamrolled by Tobio Kageyama, a superstar player known as “King of the Court.”

Vowing revenge, Hinata applied to the Karasuno High School volleyball club… only to come face-to-face with his hated rival, Kageyama!

And with those two volumes, Haikyū has ended. I’m really glad that my cousin got me to catch up to the series because being a part of the sheer joy and love that’s poured out the fandom these past few months has been refreshing to my spirit. I enjoyed the way Furudate brought the series to its conclusion, by giving all the characters a future and room to grow. I hope to hear more from him in the upcoming years.

  2. Looking for Group by Alexis Hall

I read Looking for Group because I was reading up on Alexis Hall in anticipation of Boyfriend Material, which I will talk about later, and saw the synopsis:

So, yeah, I play Heroes of Legend, y’know, the MMO. I’m not like obsessed or addicted or anything. It’s just a game. Anyway, there was this girl in my guild who I really liked because she was funny and nerdy and a great healer. Of course, my mates thought it was hilarious I was into someone I’d met online. And they thought it was even more hilarious when she turned out to be a boy IRL. But the joke’s on them because I still really like him.

And now that we’re together, it’s going pretty well. Except sometimes I think Kit—that’s his name, sorry I didn’t mention that—spends way too much time in HoL. I know he has friends in the guild, but he has me now, and my friends, and everyone knows people you meet online aren’t real. I mean. Not Kit. Kit’s real. Obviously.

Oh, I’m Drew, by the way. This is sort of my story. About how I messed up some stuff and figured out some stuff. And fell in love and stuff.

And I knew that I had to read it. Immediately.

I enjoyed it way too much. The characters were adorable, the conflict was done well, the geeky gamer wrapper was AMAZING and the author never dropped the ball on integrating the online game into the narrative. It was very readable and I enjoyed the atmosphere of the book immensely. I also may have spent a heady week or so thinking of playing WoW, but I avoided that temptation. Made me miss uni too, and the way my friends and I would spend countless hours with each other.

  3. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Wanted: One (fake) boyfriend Practically perfect in every way

Luc O’Donnell is tangentially–and reluctantly–famous. His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he’s never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad’s making a comeback, Luc’s back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.

To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship…and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He’s a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he’s never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.

But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that’s when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don’t ever want to let them go.

I came into this book with high expectations after Looking for Group, and my expectations were mostly met. The few issues I had were ultimately negligible, probably cultural differences or conventions of a genre that I’m not familiar with. The characters were strong, and I found the book funny. I know it sounds as though I’m damning it with faint praise, so I’ll say it plainly: it was an enjoyable read and I was totally invested in the romance. I think it’ll make a really good film as well.

4. The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya

Everyone talks about falling in love, but falling in friendship can be just as captivating. When Neela Devaki’s song is covered by internet-famous artist Rukmini, the two musicians meet and a transformative friendship begins. But as Rukmini’s star rises and Neela’s stagnates, jealousy and self-doubt creep in. With a single tweet, their friendship implodes, one career is destroyed, and the two women find themselves at the center of an internet firestorm.

Celebrated multidisciplinary artist Vivek Shraya’s second novel is a stirring examination of making art in the modern era, a love letter to brown women, an authentic glimpse into the music industry, and a nuanced exploration of the promise and peril of being seen.

If you’re a millennial and if you’ve ever had complicated friendships, this book will ring really true for most of it, I think. I kept wincing at the characters’ actions and “mistakes”, recognising them as things I or my friends have done, but there are portions of the story that I found inaccessible because Neela, the main character, just seems really opaque even when they’re the ones speaking. The music Shraya made as a companion to the book slaps and can be found here.

  5. Empowered 11 by Adam Warren

Costumed crimefighter Empowered finds herself the desperate prey of a maniacal supervillain whose godlike powers have turned an entire city of suprahumans against her.

Not good! Outnumbered and under siege, aided only by a hero’s ghost, can Emp survive the relentless onslaught long enough to free her enslaved teammates and loved ones, or is this–*gulp*–The End?

From comics overlord Adam Warren comes Empowered, the acclaimed sexy superhero comedy–except when it isn’t, as in this volume’s no-nonsense, wall-to-wall brawl guaranteed to bring tears to the eye and fists to the face!

Warren’s tying up a lot of loose ends and answering a lot of questions and I’m wondering if that means Empowered‘s ending soon. I haven’t seen any info regarding this, even though the words “The End” are right there in the summary, because comic books always lean on the whole the hero could die! thing, and more often than not they never do. But Emp has come so far in the past 11 volumes, and I think that she’s ready to confront a lot of the stuff that Warren’s only hinted at in the past. Most of Empowered is about how Emp deals with failure and how she rises above it, and recently it’s become about how other people have failed her, rather than how she has failed, and how she deserves better. I’m worried about her, but at least we are another volume’s worth of evidence for the Emp/Thugboy/Ninjette OT3.

  6. Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

The iconic author of the bestselling phenomenon Crazy Rich Asians returns with a glittering tale of love and longing as a young woman finds herself torn between two worlds–the WASP establishment of her father’s family and George Zao, a man she is desperately trying to avoid falling in love with.

On her very first morning on the jewel-like island of Capri, Lucie Churchill sets eyes on George Zao and she instantly can’t stand him. She can’t stand it when he gallantly offers to trade hotel rooms with her so that she can have the view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, she can’t stand that he knows more about Curzio Malaparte than she does, and she really can’t stand it when he kisses her in the darkness of the ancient ruins of a Roman villa and they are caught by her snobbish, disapproving cousin, Charlotte. “Your mother is Chinese so it’s no surprise you’d be attracted to someone like him,” Charlotte teases. Daughter of an American-born-Chinese mother and blue-blooded New York father, Lucie has always sublimated the Asian side of herself in favor of the white side, and she adamantly denies having feelings for George. But several years later, when George unexpectedly appears in East Hampton where Lucie is weekending with her new fiancé, Lucie finds herself drawn to George again. Soon, Lucy is spinning a web of deceit that involves her family, her fiancé, the co-op board of her Fifth Avenue apartment, and ultimately herself as she tries mightily to deny George entry into her world–and her heart. Moving between summer playgrounds of privilege, peppered with decadent food and extravagant fashion, Sex and Vanity is a truly modern love story, a daring homage to A Room with a View, and a brilliantly funny comedy of manners set between two cultures.

This was the third romance novel I read in July, and that’s honestly the highest concentration of romance novel I’ve ever had in my life. I know that I’m supposed to find romance novels like super kilig and stuff, but so far I am just very anxious for romance novel protagonists all the time. I think that the whole thing about the romance novels I have read is that they’re mostly about how deeply anxious people learn how to allow themselves to be loved and that is tough! I wanted to protect Lucie all the time! I was Invested in her Welfare, and I don’t think I cared about Rachel Chu from Crazy Rich Asians half as much, even if you condensed all my attachment from the entire trilogy. Also, small spoiler, there is a hint that Sex and Vanity is in the same universe as Crazy Rich Asians, which I think is awesome.

  6. Trust Exercise by Susan Choi

Pulitzer Finalist Susan Choi’s narrative-upending novel about what happens when a first love between high school students is interrupted by the attentions of a charismatic teacher

In an American suburb in the early 1980s, students at a highly competitive performing arts high school struggle and thrive in a rarified bubble, ambitiously pursuing music, movement, Shakespeare, and, particularly, their acting classes. When within this striving “Brotherhood of the Arts,” two freshmen, David and Sarah, fall headlong into love, their passion does not go unnoticed—or untoyed with—by anyone, especially not by their charismatic acting teacher, Mr. Kingsley.

The outside world of family life and economic status, of academic pressure and of their future adult lives, fails to penetrate this school’s walls—until it does, in a shocking spiral of events that catapults the action forward in time and flips the premise upside-down. What the reader believes to have happened to David and Sarah and their friends is not entirely true—though it’s not false, either. It takes until the book’s stunning coda for the final piece of the puzzle to fall into place—revealing truths that will resonate long after the final sentence.

As captivating and tender as it is surprising, Trust Exercise will incite heated conversations about fiction and truth, friendships and loyalties, and will leave readers with wiser understandings of the true capacities of adolescents and of the powers and responsibilities of adults.

This is a book I could not stop reading and I felt gross after I finished it. I think that I enjoyed it and that the narrative flips were well-done and it was engaging, but Choi writes teenage trauma in 3D, and you can smell her scumbag characters. Very good will never read again unless looking to feel bad.

  Re-read:

Temeraire: His Majesty’s Dragon, Throne of Jade, Black Powder War, andEmpire of Ivory by Naomi Novik

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors ride mighty fighting dragons, bred for size or speed. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes the precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Captain Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future – and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

I started re-reading it because I wanted to introduce it to my girlfriend, and I outpaced her very quickly, and selfishly. She’s still at the beginning fourth of Throne of Jade, and I feel like I blinked and gulped down four of the books in quick succession. I had to stop myself after Empire, in a very belated effort to sync up to my gf’s progress. The series is amazing, and I don’t know if I’ll ever read one like Temeraire again. Being able to revisit it should be enough, really, because every time I do it’s as though I’m caught up in a strong and wonderful wind that fills me up with delight and awe. Novik’s starting a new series this September, and I hope it’s just as good.

    That’s it for July! I’m probably going to do two books at a time for my Wikathon posts, just to keep things fresh and current, so keep a weather eye out for those posts!

  July, next verse, same as the first Hey! Wikathon na! I've started reading Relocations by Karen Tongson, about a third through now, but I had to take a little detour through…

#books #books 2 #reading #reading 2

[shelbyshoe]

Fairies After Dark

Chapter 1

Natsu, a Horde vampire, desires nothing more than to find his father and leave his brother behind. Lucy, an immortal Valkyrie, just needs to get this Horde bounty off her head. Doesn’t help the assassin after her is a gorgeous vampire with cherry pink hair.

Rated: M (sexual content, violence, and harsh language)

Words: 6713

Chapter 2, Chapter 3

FF.net link here.

NALU set in the Immortals After Dark universe by Kresley Cole. I highly recommend the book series. Check out the wiki for more information. Not required to understand the story, but recommended as the universe is fantastic. Hope you enjoy!

Let’s see, if I move my dinner to next Wednesday, and push sewing day for my man skin quilt to Thursday, then I’m all booked. Sorry to disappoint you. 

-Lucy Heartfilia (AKA Lucy the Celestial Valkyrie)

You know, I love what you've done to the place. I miss the viscera hanging from the ceiling though. 

-Natsu Dragneel (AKA Natsu the Salamander)

The woman in Natsu's arms ground her sex against him, her heart slammed to the beat of the music. He fed in the shadows of the club and didn't look forward to the effect of the alcohol she consumed. No need for him to seduce this woman. She took one look at his perfect form, frozen with immortality at the age of twenty-two, and pursued him mercilessly. She pushed back her mane of dark black hair and slid a hand to the hem of her small tight dress, lifting it for him. He felt no pleasure in her arousal. With his immortality came the cease of his heartbeat and the loss of lust. To this day, he cursed himself for saving himself for his bride, an unknown woman who would one day blood him and bring his heart slamming to life in his frigid chest. He leaned into the woman and ran his lips against her jaw sliding down to her neck. When he tasted her skin, as tempting as Hades’ pomegranate, she moaned against his lips. Natsu opened his mouth, his fangs sharpened like tiny blades. He teased a nick in her flesh— blood beading to the surface. From the small contact, she went boneless in his arms. Her head lulled to the side to allow him better access, and her eyes slid shut. As he sank his fangs into her, she writhed against him. He would be spinning after this. When he had his fill, he licked away the last drops of blood and lay her on one of the V.I.P. couches in the corner. Her chest rose and fell in slumber. He would not drink her to the quick, never could, as doing so caused maddening bloodlust.

Natsu stumbled through the crowd. His head was light from the alcohol and the rush of taking from the flesh of a human. Unlike the Forebearer vampires, who rejected the act, he found the experience wonderful and closest to sex he could have in his current state. The music was too loud for his sensitive ears as he ambled toward an exit. The surrounding mortals, oblivious to what he was, couldn't sense the other immortals that found themselves lost in the throes of passion and music alongside them. A few other vampires took women into dark corners. He nodded toward a rage demon he knew on his way out. To his benefit, in his thousands of years of life, he collected many allies in the Lore and just as many enemies. Loreans, immortals, lived among mortals and remained hidden in fear of the Gods' wrath if exposed. 

The bouncer eyed him on his way out of the club. Natsu, accustomed to this look from the man, flashed him his thousand-watt smile. A few humans in line followed him with their eyes. They raked their gazes across his body. Their breath lifted into the air with the cold so enamored they did not notice air never left his lips. He veered toward an alley to trace away from the bustle of the city. His body blinked out of existence and he found himself in the mountains of Fiore, his home.

His room was just how he left it. A mountain of mess spread out across the room. Clothes littered the floor, tomes of dragons from Lore and collections of maps stacked beneath the castle window, and small trinkets of gems and stones littered along a shelf. His cluttered desk pressed against the stone wall. Maps and journals spread across the surface and more collected trinkets. Anything he could get his hands on to find his father he kept in his room. Last known locations sprawled across the pinboard behind his desk. The paper clippings never showed his name, but always held his signature, Igneel the King of Fire. His space was a haven away from prying eyes. The curtains closed, but he could see the overcast sky hiding the moon. He slid them open to reveal the town below. Fiore, an immortal hub and trading port, bustled beneath his window's gaze.

"I knew I sensed you." Natsu whipped his head toward the door. Gajeel leaned against the frame with a look of disgust.

"Knock, won't you?" Natsu said.

"Why? Jerkin in here, Salamander? Hiding your bride in all this shit?" Gajeel enjoyed using Natsu's age-old name and gestured toward the piles of books and treasures he collected over the years.

"I wish. If you wanted to watch, you just had to ask." He gave a smile that forced the man to cringe.

"Gross. I just came to tell you Sting needs you downstairs."

"What does the heir want now?" Gajeel shrugged, his lean muscles tensed. He didn't hate Gajeel, but he didn't like him either. An enemy vampire turned ally was unpredictable. However, when it came to their hatred for Sting, they got along. Sting's father, Weisslogia the Cruel, killed in battle had led to Sting's current place as the ruler of their sect of Horde vampires. Rumors say Sting assassinated the ancient Vampire himself for the seat, and one day he could seize the throne of all the Horde.

"Fuck if I know." Gajeel straightened in the doorway. He stood much taller than Natsu and madness simmered just behind his eyes. Natsu knew the man in front of him drank to the quick more times than he originally let on. Sometimes, Natsu saw his gaze wander and his eyes glass over in a red haze with an intruding memory of one of his victims. Some vampires collected them with the taste of blood from the flesh. Only when they killed during the act did the thirst begin, and one's mind lost, their eyes burning bright red. Natsu didn't drink from mortals often, but he needed to let off some steam somehow. When Gajeel's claws appeared more entertaining than their conversation, he walked out to the hall, and Natsu followed. The castle halls, his home since the disappearance of his father, loomed in the still darkness. When a Forebearer found him centuries ago, a vampire named Gray, he had wandered the globe in search of Igneel. It took little time for them to argue about everything. Natsu sought nothing more than to be free and forbearing the flesh was not a part of freedom. Gray had urged him to join for protection, and he agreed safety was important in the Lore. The Horde, the next best thing, suited him fine in that regard.

The throne room changed since Sting's father's death. The usual adornment of corpses and blood, that drained through the floor, replaced by books and classy goblets of blood mead.

"Your heinie-ness," Natsu said with an exaggerated bow. Sting scowled from over the book he read. He heard Gajeel snigger from behind him. Sting closed the book with a snap. His claws lengthened across the book's leather.

"I've asked you both not to use that name." Sting's red eyes bore into Gajeel.

"What do you need?" Natsu asked.

"I have been informed tonight that one of ours was slain in your jurisdiction." Fuck. Natsu shrugged. 

"I wasn't aware anyone was sent into my area."

"Maybe, if you weren't whoring around, you would have sensed them," Sting said. His voice continuously business and cold. Natsu didn't know how old Sting was, but the heir liked to act ancient. The older a vampire, the stronger they were. Natsu suspected Sting was younger than he let on. Natsu never asked or hung it over his head, but he could have taken the throne. Sting and his father had not been blood-related after all, and Natsu's strength far surpassed Sting's. However, he found himself far too focused on locating Igneel to take on such a tiresome responsibility.

"You know, I love what you've done to the place. I miss the viscera hanging from the ceiling though," Natsu said pointing toward the chandelier that now hung in its place.

"Don't change the subject." Sting gripped the throne until the metal armrests folded like paper beneath his palms. If Natsu possessed a heartbeat, it would have pounded from the waves of power Sting gave off.

"Who kicked the bucket?" Natsu made sure to keep his face unexpressive. Sting visibly cooled, though his eyes still burned with bloodlust.

"The Minstrel."

"That ancient? Who had the power to bring him down?" Rufus Lore, also known as the Minstrel Who Sings to the Red Moon, was one of the oldest Horde vampires blessed with memory manipulation. Taking on an old bloodlust vampire would have been quite the undertaking.

"I don't know, but I need you to find out." Who would slay such an old and powerful male?

"Fine, I assume you want me to kill them. They can't be too strong. Rufus was always a little wooo if you know what I mean." Natsu twirled a finger around his temple for emphasis. the Minstrel's eyes were bright red from the memories accumulated over a long-life and lost lucidity from what he saw. Rumor had it, he couldn't tell the difference between his memories and theirs. His memory manipulation said to get him through the worst of it. Sting sneered at Natsu's gesture. Probably, hit a sore spot with all the bloodlust the man currently felt.

"I'll be going then." Natsu turned to the exit.

"Before you go, Natsu," Sting said, a smug expression on his lips. "Your brother wants to see you." Natsu's body tensed at the reminder of his brother's existence. The current king of the Horde, just as ruthless and crazed as any other bloodlust vampire, had a few centuries over Natsu. Sting knew his name but referred to him as Natsu's brother to piss him off. Zeref, the vampire known as the Black Wizard, killed the previous king of the Horde. Rightfully killing the king or wiping out the lineage obtained you the seat on the Horde throne. Beside him stood Rogue, Sting's best friend. Natsu loathed him too and didn't know how he got along with Sting so well— they were opposites. Natsu left the castle doors to slam behind him. Sounds drifted up from the town below. He could feel the breeze over his skin, but he could not breathe in the crisp air.

"Fuck that guy," Gajeel said behind him leaning against the closed doors.

"What do you want?" Natsu found himself in a touchy mood.

"To see if you need help with this killer. I'm suspicious."

"Why? Everyone hates vampires in the Lore." It was true that vampires were on everyone's hit list, but other Loreans steered away from ancients like the Minstrel.

"There is no current war or reason to pursue someone so powerful. It just smells fishy to me."

"Then go look into it yourself. I have to go." Natsu did not look forward to his talk with his brother.

"Ain't gotta be a dick about it." Gajeel shrugged and traced away. Natsu followed suit and traced to the Horde castle on their vampiric plane. He stood inside a familiar sitting room. Natsu hated everything about the black castle, the expensive furniture, and the old world feel. A soft fire lit the fireplace and two cups of blood mead sat on a small table beside facing chairs. He sensed another presence in the room.

"Why am I not surprised you knew I'd come to this room?" What little time he stayed in his brother's care he spent in this room pondering over Igneel's disappearance.

"Hello, Natsu." Zeref ambled to a chair before the fireplace and took one of the cups in hand. His red eyes glowing in the darkness, black hair tousled, his skin was gaunt, and his eyes rimmed with lost sleep. Zeref always wore older regal clothing that made him look expensive, but they now looked wrinkled and worn. Natsu stood firmly and crossed his arms.

"What do you want?" He didn't want to stay any longer than he had to.

"Come, sit with me, brother." Natsu winced at the familiar tone in his voice.

"Don't pretend you know me." Zeref never desired a relationship before his adoptive father's disappearance. Natsu didn't know he had a brother until he froze in his immortality. Zeref peered over the side of the large chair and gave him a sharp look.

"Humor me." He placed a lot of power into the command. As much as Natsu wanted to fight him on it, he knew he couldn't leave until he did as Zeref said. He peered at the fireplace. Zeref had either been stupid or confident that Natsu wouldn't use the fire against him. Most vampires had gifts, and Natsu was no different. The fire manipulation gave him his age-old name, Salamander. He sank into the chair across from him.

"You look like shit," Natsu said. Zeref gave him a sharp look before the vampire drained his cup.

"Always lovely to speak to you, little brother." This time, Natsu held his tongue over the mention of their relation. Zeref stared into Natsu's eyes in the unnerving way a cat stares down a fish. "I've looked better."

"Something keeping you up at daylight?" Natsu didn't want to come here and fight with him, no matter how weak he was. The power had always rippled off Zeref like no other he knew. He hated to admit it, but he was grateful Zeref appeared to want to fix their relationship as siblings. Fighting him would prove to be a challenge— one that he would one day take on.

"Isn't there always something that keeps a king from sleep?" He grinned at Natsu shifting his empty cup from one hand to another. His eyes pulled away to stare into the flames. "You don't drink." Natsu's cup of blood mead sat untouched between them.

"I don't drink from a cup I didn't pour."

"Smart, but I have no reason to poison you."

"What do you want, Zeref?" The flames flickered across his red eyes, his focus on something that wasn't Natsu. "Zeref?"

"One day you will know the things that keep me awake," Zeref said. Part of Natsu wanted the man before him dead and reveled in his weakened state, but part of him remained interested in the things that plagued him. Zeref's eyes came back into focus, his face stern "But for now, I heard there was a killing in your jurisdiction."

"Always to remind me of my failures."

"That's not my intention. I wanted to warn you about something." It was the first time Natsu could see Zeref's genuine concern for his wellbeing.

"About the killing?"

"Our oracle has lost sight of you. I worry about you, brother. It is the Accession after all." The Accession happened every five hundred years, a checks-and-balances system for immortals, so killing and mating were soon to ensue. This time, Zeref looked up at Natsu with the furrowed brow of a troubled sibling. "Whoever has killed Rufus the Minstrel may be the very death of you." 

♡♡♡

"Damn Cana to hell," Lucy said between gritted teeth.

"If you keep wiggling, I'll be making these worse," Levy said. With steady hands, she cleaned the gaping wound on Lucy's arm. Lucy arrived at the witch's coven that evening with blood running down her arm, chest, and a smile on her face. Her mood soon soured with the news of the bounty on her head. No one kills an ancient Horde vampire and escapes without consequence.

"Now, I'll have the whole Horde after me."

"Don't you want to kill them all anyway?" Levy cleaned the last of the blood around the wound. Because of her immortality, the cut already began to close.

"Yes, but not all at once!" Lucy could hear the other witches gathered downstairs. Levy had invited her best friend in, threw the bottle of blue nail polish over her shoulder to Juvia, who caught it without taking her eyes off Friday the 13th playing on the TV in the living room, and grabbed the first aid. Lucy's intrusion, not the first time and not the last.

"Why did Cana want you to kill the Minstrel?" Levy wrapped the last bandage around Lucy's arm and packed up the first aid.

"She won a bunch of money in some bet and said she'd pay me for the kill." Levy rolled her eyes but smirked.

"Who would let kooky Cana, the All-knowing soothsayer, in on a bet?"

"Erza didn't want to leave anyone out." Reliving the moment Cana won, and Erza's face transforming into pure regret, amused Lucy.

"Of course, she didn't. Well, did you at least get the money from Cana?"

"Turns out she wasn't entirely lucid when she told me she'd pay for the kill. She couldn't even remember winning the money. I brought her his fangs and everything." Lucy sighed leaning her head back on one of the coven's many beanbag chairs in Levy's room. The room itself plain with few personal effects. When the witch wasn't going back to her bedroom, finding comfort in the upstairs study, the coven told her to just move her stuff there. Levy stood with the first aid in her arms. Lucy pulled a small plastic bag, with fangs inside, out of her pocket and held them up to her friend. "You can have them. Maybe, decorate this abandoned room with them, Levy the Bookworm."

"Levy the All-powerful you mean!" Lucy was grateful for the Valkyrie's alliance with the witches. She often found herself in the cheerful purple Victorian house. The smell of herbs drifted through the house, up to the stairs that wound through the heart, and to the study at the topmost room. The lively coven was calming to Lucy. She didn't hate living with her sisters in Val Hall, but she appreciated the break from the drama and screaming Valkyrie. "Do you want a warding spell?" Levy asked over her shoulder dipping into the small bathroom across the hall. Lucy groaned and struggled to stand from the beanbag chair. She no longer felt the sting of her wounds, sure they already healed, and would remove the bandages later.

"No, I can't go running behind a warding spell. If my sisters thought I was hiding from the Horde, they would chew me out for the rest of eternity." The Valkyrie were all related as sisters or half-sisters, sharing two of their three parents. If it wasn't for the ancient living Book of Lore, no one would believe they came from three parents. When a maiden warrior cries out for courage, the gods Freya and Woden heed her call and strike her with lightning, saving her. They preserve her courage in the form of a daughter, an immortal Valkyrie. Lucy could not dishonor her mother's courage by hiding behind a magical barrier.

Lucy shoved the fangs into her pocket and leaned against the bathroom door. Levy placed the first aid kit back in its rightful place underneath the sink and rummaged through a container of nail polish. She pulled out a purple color and held it up to the light. "I should let you get back," Lucy said. Levy ambled passed her to the hall and waited for her friend to follow.

"You're not staying? It's a horror movie night!"

"Nah, I'm going to take these bad boys to Erol's and see if anyone has a bounty out for this chump." Lucy patted her pocket where the fangs sat like lead. Levy shrugged and padded down the stairs toward the living area. The sounds of conversation and high-pitched orchestral death music came to a crescendo as they went.

"Don't go upstairs, you dummy!" one witch said followed by a resounding groan from all the women.

"Juvia doesn't think that was clever." The screams of said dummy were no more, and the music was quiet.

"You're always welcome here, Lu," Levy said and turned to the rest of the coven. Lucy waved to everyone and left.

Lucy hadn’t been to Erol’s in a long time. The bar nestled in the party district, the same place she had killed the Minstrel. Loreans from all over came to loosen up and make business deals. She heard the bar before she saw it. The neon sign flickered, and the door swung open. A pair of male shapeshifters stomped out laughing, their eyes glowing bright green in the night. They eyed her when she came into view. All Loreans were beautiful— came with the immortal territory. These shapeshifters were no exception.

"Be careful, little fey," one said, his voice low and attractive. She would normally chat them up, but tonight she was on a mission. "There's a demoness in there with quite the attitude." She waved over her shoulder at the warning. Most mistook Valkyries for fey because of their pointed ears. Lucy didn't correct them, as her problems were bigger than a couple of shapeshifters mistaking her for a fey. She pushed through the door and found a group of Lykae at a table near the entrance. One of them she knew and waved her over.

"What are you doing here, Lucy?" Laxus asked. For a moment, as he drank in the sight of her, his usual gray eyes shifted to the bright blue of the Lykae clan.

"Looking for a bounty to claim." She nodded a greeting toward the rest of the table to be polite. "Know of a Minstrel?"

"That ancient vamp? Looking to take him on?" Laxus' grin widened. "Need any help with that?"

"No need," she said and removed the plastic bag from her pocket. "I already took him out." One of the Lykae whistled low.

"Damn, Valkyrie, out for revenge?" one of them asked.

"No, why?"

"Only someone out for revenge would look to get the entire Horde after them for one measly bounty." Lucy internally kicked herself for the same reason and would outwardly kick Cana when she saw her again.

"I was promised money, but my client bowed out."

"I don't blame them," Laxus said eyeing the fangs, "Good luck finding anyone who gets involved with a Horde target." Lucy shrugged and slid the fangs back into her pocket.

"This is the Lore, Laxus. I'm sure someone out there is crazy enough to have a bounty out for the leech." Laxus nodded and tipped a beer glass up to his lips.

"Always welcome to spend some time with us Lykae." His eyes flashed an icy blue. The look was quite the compliment, but she never felt that way toward Laxus, and he never pushed for her interest since she wasn't his mate. The muscular Scots rounded the table with their flashing eyes and wolfish grins. If she was a Lykae's mate, she wouldn't be very upset. Didn't hurt that rumors said they had the highest stamina in the Lore with whispers of mind-blowing sex.

"Thank you, Laxus. I'll have to stop by the Lykae compound one of these days." Lucy was thankful again for the Valkyrie's many alliances and waved at the table on her way to the bar.

"Lucy!" a sweet and boisterous voice called from a table close to the bar. A small silver-haired woman waved her over. Beside her sat a large muscular man and a smaller woman with short silver hair. All of them looked to be related. She guessed they were demons, as the man's horns wrapped around the sides of his head like all the other demons she knew. Horns were a show of power and extremely sensitive to the touch.

"Do I know—"

"Erza asked us to find you here. I'm Mira, this is my sister Lisanna, and brother Elfman." Lucy took the chair that Mira slid out for her.

"How do you know Erza?"

"We go way back. She told me not to tell you, but she wanted me to help you with some leech."

"Of course, she did." Erza was one of the eldest and like a mother to everyone, except Cana. Not surprising that she looked after Lucy.

"No need, I already killed him." She tossed the fangs on the table. She tired of them burning a hole in her pocket. Lisanna's face morphed into disgust.

"Did you have to pull his fangs out?" she asked. Lucy allowed herself to grin with pride.

"How else was I supposed to have proof of my kill?" Most of the sisters kept proof of their kills like trophies. Erza's collection remained the largest. Her row of fangs longer than her assortment of armor. Lisanna's eyes widened in surprise, and Mira laughed.

"I like you, Valkyrie. Erza was right, you are a troublemaker. She knew you would be able to kill him. She wanted me to help you with the bounty."

"Why would you do that?"

"I'd like to do business in the future," she said eyeing her brother, who shrank under her gaze. "If our family requires a little muscle, we'd like help from the Valkyrie."

"Sure, what are the terms—" A large demon bumped into a tiny barmaid and sent her to the floor. The demon spared her not a glance and sat at the bar ordering demon brew. Elfman tensed and Lisanna rose from the table to help the barmaid clean the mess. Mira rolled her eyes at her brother and opened her mouth to speak to the demon at the bar.

"Are you going to say you're sorry?" Elfman asked. His voice was loud but shaky and unpracticed. His eyes glinted in malicious inky black.

"What did you say?"

"You just rammed into her. You should apologize." Elfman stood to confront him. Mira's mouth hung open and her eyes widened. Lucy believed this was an uncommon behavior.

"Don't worry about it," the barmaid said to Lisanna, "I'm just an inferi. I'm used to it."

"That's ridiculous. Of course, I'll help you," Lisanna said. The barmaid's light brown hair fell in her face. Other than the rags she wore, she appeared pretty and buxom. Lucy felt bad for her. Inferi were sorceri who had their root power stolen from them and rendered them a slave to the sorcery who took it from them. The owner of this inferi was nowhere in sight. Lucy had only encountered a few sorceri in her life. This woman must be telling the truth. Sorceri wore armor and masks, and this inferi didn't even have any jewelry on. Most of them were masters of poisons and kept them hidden inside their jewelry and armor. The sorceri took these from her to keep her helpless. The idea sickened Lucy. Whoever owned this one, treated them poorly.

Another crash resounded in the bar. Elfman shoved the demon and demanded an apology for the barmaid, who was shrinking by the second trying in vain to cease Lisanna's help. Both demon's horns straightened preparing to fight. Lucy didn't wish to get in the middle of a demon fight and scooted away.

"You will do as he says," Mira said with a death grip on the demon's wrist. He gritted his teeth, his brow furrowed in pain. His silence earned him another squeeze to which he grunted. Mira moved quick enough for Lucy not to have noticed when she left the table. "Now," she ordered. The demon glared up at Elfman and eyed the inferi on the ground.

"I'm— ugh, go fuck yourself demoness." This was the wrong answer. Mira grasped his wrist and threw him on his back. The wooden floor splintered beneath him. Her appearance changed, her hair wild and untamed, her eyes darkened to pitch black, and her outfit skintight and more suited for one of the Death Demon clan. With each kill, they would become stronger, and Mira appeared ready to bathe in the blood of her enemies with acquired strength. The shapeshifters were right, a demoness raged inside. The demon on the floor mumbled something unintelligible into the wooden and passed out. Mira morphed back to the shapely and kind woman Lucy first met. Lisanna, undisturbed by the commotion, took everything from the barmaid and carried it high above her head all on one hand toward the bar. When she gazed up at her brother, she patted him on the shoulder with a grin.

"Congrats, brother," she said and disappeared behind the bar. Elfman's eyes too had turned pitch-black, but Lucy did not sense rage when he stared down at the inferi on the floor.

"Well would you look at that," Mira said tossing her head back to laugh at the sight. "We'll talk later, Lucy. I'll be sending you the bounty money." She grabbed the fangs from the table and slipped them into her dress. She turned all her attention to the barmaid on the floor and helped her up. "What's your name?" she asked the woman.

"Evergreen."

Lucy said goodbye to the siblings and happily made her way out of the bar. She hoped the sorceri who claimed Evergreen's powers had a written will, as the demon siblings were going to rip them limb from limb.

The fangs out of her pocket, Lucy felt free to do whatever she wanted. She strolled toward a night club she heard about a few times from other Loreans looking for a party. Dancing sounded like an effective way to relax, yet something else drew her that she couldn't place.

♡♡♡

Natsu traced to the familiar alleyway and leaned against the cool brick wall. The Minstrel's killer could be anywhere by now, but he just wanted to lose himself in a soft throat. The beat from the club muffled where he stood. As soon as the bouncer saw Natsu, the man glared in his direction.

"Aw come on, Charlie—"

"It's Brad."

"Okay, Ben. Listen, you want to let me in." Natsu grinned up at the mortal. Every word dripped with power as he stared him down. Whatever the man saw in Natsu's face made him move to the side for him to enter. "Thanks, Bryan." He patted the bouncer on the shoulder and sauntered through the club doors. The sounds and sensations bombarded him as soon as he entered, but one presence stood out. He couldn't make out what direction it was coming from, but it was intoxicating. Their heartbeat like a pounding drum in his ears, a calm in the storm of people. Natsu circled toward the bar, scanning the crowd on the dance floor. Immortals packed in everywhere inside the club. The live DJ bobbed his head to the bass.

"We have to talk." The deep voice slid beside him at the bar.

"Not interested, Gray." Natsu didn’t need to look beside him to know who spoke. The vampire’s presence irritated him as much as his voice. The heartbeat from before grew louder and just as quickly vanished from his earshot.

"There's still time, Natsu. You're not filled with bloodlust yet." Gray stood stiff as a board with discomfort beneath the red hue of the bar light. He wore a white coat with fur around the hood. Gray's eyes trained around him. Observant ass.

"I'll pass." Gray never showed his face in Natsu's jurisdiction. This night just kept getting worse. "I have some business to attend to right now."

"Surely, you are around bloodlust vampires. You know how they have lost their minds, and you still plan to take from the flesh?"

"Look, I already told you I want nothing to do with the Forebearers. I want my freedom."

"Do you have that now?" Natsu, on edge before, wanted to cause some violence. The building would look wonderful covered in his flames. The fire rose in his throat with the image. Gray wasn't off base. There was no freedom in this world and even the Horde had rules. Associating himself with Zeref enraged him, but he needed protection and his brother proved useful.

"What if I told you I have a lead on your father?" Natsu's eyes snapped to Gray.

"How do you know—"

"Just come with me. Join us and I can help you," Gray said, "Or would you rather take orders from your brother?" Natsu grabbed the man's collar in his heated grip and pushed him against the bar. When Natsu flashed the bartender a glare, the human backed off from the ruckus.

"Looking into me?"

"Of course." Gray's serene expression pissed Natsu off the most. The bastard was cocky, knew he could take him, and had information on his lineage.

"Why do you want me so badly?"

"It's the accession, Natsu. We need everyone we can get." Natsu's grip loosened.

"I'm on no one's side." The presence and loud heartbeat, that intrigued him before, slammed loud in his ears. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of golden hair. He twisted to look for them.

"What is it?" Gray raised a brow.

"This conversation is over," Natsu said, body screaming to leave and find the owner of the sound. Gray eyed him curiously but didn't try to stop him. Natsu pushed club-goers out of the way. The presence brought him to the back of the building, and like a man possessed he followed. An intoxicated woman grabbed him and attempted to pull him toward the dance floor. On a normal night, he would have guided her to a dark corner, but he couldn't get the presence out of his head. The flash of gold hair piqued his curiosity. With his acute hearing, he heard the back-door slam shut behind someone taking the heartbeat with them. He all but shoved the woman off him and elbowed his way toward the door. The rush of outside air whipped his cherry hair into his eyes. He slid a hand through to tame the strands. The door opened to a back alley. A woman made her way toward the street, her long blonde hair brushed from side to side against her ample bottom. Her heart sang in his ears.

"Hey, wait," Natsu said. She stopped and turned her head to eye him— and eye him she did. Her caramel gaze raked his body, and unlike the humans from before, it left him with a shiver down his spine. He stood a little taller under her inspection.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Who are you?"

"Interesting pick-up line," she said raising a brow. The mystery woman smiled forcing him to grin back. She tilted her head a little more. A long braid at the front of her hair fell over her shoulder and revealed a pointed ear. He could only assume she was fey, a ruthless race known as master archers, but she lacked a bow. He spotted a curled-up whip and a strange set of golden keys snug against her shapely hip. She was a mystery that intrigued him.

"Meeting someone?" He imagined her meeting with a man and felt his body tense with the possibility.

"What's it to you?" She turned to fully face him. He cursed softly at her figure. Her hips met a slim waist and ample breasts that nearly spilled out of her top.

"Hoping to be the one you meet," he said. She crossed her arms and tapped her chin with a slender finger tipped with a tiny painted claw.

"Let's see, if I move my dinner to next Wednesday," she said running her finger across an invisible list, "and push sewing day for my man skin quilt to Thursday, then I'm all booked. Sorry to disappoint you." His cheeks ached from how much he smiled at her. Her wit so far, the most attractive thing about her.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"You first."

"I'm Natsu Dragneel." He closed the gap between them.

"And what are you Dragneel?" She eyed him again at closer proximity. Natsu straightened with her appraisal, for whatever reason he wished to impress her.

"Ah-ah, I answered your question. Now, answer mine."

"Lucy Heartfilia." Her name was just as beautiful as she was. From so close, her heart sped up in his ears. Lucy was enthralling.

"What do you think I am?"

"Ah-ah," she said stepping toward him, "I answered your question."

"Guess." His voice was a command and came out lower than he expected. She raised a brow in response.

"Okay, I'll bite. Either a demon or a leech." She pointed toward his mouth; her eyes locked on his lips. "You have fangs." Be still his heart, she was witty and observant.

"Whatever you want me to be as long as I can take you out." He wanted to do more than just take Lucy out on a date. He imagined taking her throat in his castle room, her heart pounding as loudly as her moans in his ears. "Could take you anywhere you want to go. I've traveled the world."

"Tricky. Demons and vampires can trace."

"I feel like you enjoy challenges as much as I do. Tell me what you think I am, and I'll confirm or deny." A sly grin spread across her lips and she leaned in closer. She eyed him again, taking longer over his exposed arms and shoulders.

"Demon," she said with a hopeful note. He crossed his arms over his chest in an "x" and made a buzzer sound with a smile.

"Incorrect." All at once her eyes widened, and she took a few steps back.

"I better be going." Natsu dropped his arms in his confusion. While most Loreans weren't fond of vampires, they tolerated the ones without the red haze of bloodlust. Natsu's, he knew, were clear. This one wasn't a fan, as she called vampires "leeches."

"Why in a hurry?" Even though her body was beginning to turn away from him, her eyes still darted to his mouth. She turned toward the street. "Wait, did I do something wrong?" he asked. Natsu couldn't stop his hand from darting out to take her arm gently. Her skin like the comfort of fire against his as he took his first breath after centuries without the need. The air chilled his unpracticed lungs. His long-dormant heart spurred to life. The feeling nothing that he could remember from his childhood with a heartbeat. He pulled her towards him. A breath escaped her in a rush, and he took in the scent of her arousal— better than he ever dreamed. Her breaths labored with the rise and fall of her breasts and her chest flushed under his gaze. After all this time he had found her, like a gift from the gods themselves, his bride.

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