#Forbidden city artworks

[flexingtyger99]

Exodia, The Forbidden One

#exodia #yugioh #anime #manga #duel monsters #yugi moto #yami yugi #pharaoh atem #pop culture #artwork #illustration #it’s time to duel #Exodia the forbidden one #the pharoah #battle city

[barefoot-a-pregnant]

First Snow embraces forbidden City

by Lilian Ye

#artworks #forbidden city #chinese #drawings #artist

[oneatlatime]

City of Walls and Secrets

I am also once again saving the commentary for a rewatch.

I still think rock trains are neat but their inefficiencies hurt my brain. The friction! They should at least install dynamic braking.

That's big. This show has really confined itself to the hinterlands so far, so this is really novel. I had no clue anything this big existed in the Avatar universe.

Complete nitpick time! Given that earthbending is a thing that exists, why bother making things out of stone with individual tiles like this?

Single most threatening musical sting of the whole show so far goes to an overly smiley tour guide.

Wow! I hate this lady already!

"Oh, Ba Sing Se has many walls! There are the ones outside, protecting us, and the ones inside, protecting us from smelly poors!"

"In case someone brings home a lady friend!" Do you know your nephew AT ALL?

Both Iroh and Zuko are right. Life does happen everywhere and without your permission. But, the city is also remarkably prison-like.

He got them jobs in an afternoon. AN AFTERNOON. Stop it Iroh, you're making me feel inadequate.

Once a fuckboy, always a fuckboy. This particular leopard can't change his spots, no matter how he tries to dress up his actions in a new law-abiding veneer. I feel sorry for Smellerbee. Her faith in her leader isn't exactly being rewarded.

So... is there a law on the books that makes being a firebender illegal in Ba Sing Se? Because the head-in-the-sand vibe I'm getting from Judy makes me think that the average citizen doesn't even know there's a reason to dislike the Fire Nation. Iroh and Zuko could probably bend as openly as a waterbender or an earthbender could here.

This whole being handled thing must be dredging up some pretty nasty feelings for Toph. This is specifically what she left behind.

Speaking of precisely targeted torture, Judy is engineered to be as irritating to Sokka as possible. Man of action versus Lady of script.

What a productive use of time! What an exemplary case of turning over a new leaf!

Iroh buddy I have news for you regarding the ingredients of tea.

That's like the nicest thing a member of the Fire Nation royal family has said all year.

How to get Iroh's ass in gear: Step 1: Make insulting tea. Step 2: There is no step 2.

I thought that little thingy in the background was one of those electricity things.

The attention to detail in this show is stupid. There's a moving reflection of the carriage in the water as it goes past.

Hi forbidden city!

Ba Sing Se has a morality police?

I've already run out of patience with the city and I'm 7 minutes in. I haven't even made it to a commercial break yet!

Their house is cute but the veranda is so substantial that it's probably really dark inside. Also there's a pumpkin hood ornament on the roof.

I don't think you can stop there for a month. Have you guys forgotten the now-doubled ticking clock? Eclipse and comet?

Oh ok we're doing 1984 now. Damn. This show goes places.

I stand corrected. Everyone knows about the war and would be appropriately non-welcoming to firebending. But not openly. This could be like one of those Bugs Bunny bits where he traps someone in societal rules. If someone told a firebender not to bend, all they would have to do to get the guy off their case would be to ask why they aren't supposed to be firebending. What's the guy going to say, because there's a war on?

Shout out to Pong for doing the Gaang a solid and providing the only useful info since they've arrived.

There is something very Gollum-like about Jet, crouched in laundry on a roof in the dark, talking to his stolen spark rocks.

Sokka. Feet off the artwork.

Time for Toph to weaponise her oppressive upbringing and out-fancy the fancies in the name of ending the war.

Aang can master an element in a couple of months but a qualified expert declared manners to be beyond him.

I just realised that Sokka and Katara don't have a last name.

Sneaking into a Bear's (JUST Bear's) birthday party may be the single least violent infiltration attempt in the show so far.

Smellerbee is very articulate, and it's rare that this show spells out its themes so obviously. No metaphors, just "you're obsessed. It's not healthy." And Jet still doesn't get it. Maybe Smellerbee should have tried metaphors.

Normally glowy green stuff is bad news, but all of Ba Sing Se's green lighting is surprisingly cozy.

Sometimes, rarely but sometimes, Zuko has to put up with a lot of nonsense.

A raise? Did I miss a timeskip?

Busting in to a local business, yelling about the enemy, pulling out a lethal weapon: How to Look Sane, A Guide by Jet.

Customers, amirite?

I guess the Bei Fongs are too minor as nobles?

"You don't know what I had to do to get seats this near the bear!" but I want to.

I know this guy's voice from something.

Momo ghost plan. I want it.

Pretty funny that the busboys plan works better than the fancy ladies plan. Goes to show you should always play to your strengths.

Get de-wheated punk.

I'm not sure I've rooted for Zuko this wholeheartedly since The Storm.

Jet be like.

Judy is not good at her job. Like really not good. Her insistence on getting out of there before they cause a scene caused the scene. Nice going!

The music slowing down when Judy's face falls is really effective.

You ever get the feeling that it should be Aang who ran away to the circus rather than Ty Lee?

Actually a travelling circus would be a great way to be, and remain, an incognito airbender. Aang should have done that rather than frozen himself. Ok I'm not sure how much say he had in that, but you know what I mean.

For the first time in his life, Zuko has people take his side. It's too bad that it's based on a lie, but it must feel nice.

I would have preferred if Zuko had a clean win against Jet - they're both great with swords, but I thought Zuko was better - but an assist from the funky hat police works too.

I'm getting some funky vibes from the funky hat police.

Bye! I won't miss you!

The face on the guy on the left is the funniest part of this episode.

Now these are some funky hats.

I know this scene is supposed to be scary and tense and action-packed, but I can't get over the fact that the king just did a drive by. They carried him in one side and out the other. This concludes the King's presence at his Bear's birthday party. He's a very busy man, you see.

Long Fang's title keeps getting fancier.

Brain washing crops up quite a lot in kids' cartoons. This is not the first time I've seen this plot beat.

Forget the Fire Lord. Forget the Fire Nation. Long Fang just threatened Appa. Long Fang has to die now.

The Judys are replaceable. Given everything else this city seems ok with, they're probably disposable too. Yikes!

Final Thoughts

This episode was probably the most expository I've seen this season. Maybe even the whole show. It was a big infodump with barely any humour. Actually that's wrong; there was humour, but not to my taste.

Jet is infuriating as usual. I think the writers are going for the villainous decay trope, because smooth-talking season one Jet hasn't reappeared once.

I feel really sorry for Smellerbee and the archer guy. I wonder if they even wanted to go to Ba Sing Se in the first place.

Once again, for the third episode in a row, Zuko is one of, if not the, most reasonable character. Season one shouty Zuko is gone. Is this what I think it is? Has Zuko really turned a corner? If so, I'm liking (rather, disliking less) this new Zuko. This is good. I'm also surprised, because in my experience, if you want to domesticate someone, you don't put them in a customer-facing role. That will have the opposite effect and make them turn feral.

Iroh is having too much fun. It's good for him to have something of his own going on. I think he's been in Zuko wrangling mode 24/7 for the last two? three? years, so he definitely deserves to pursue his own interests for a bit. But I can't see Zuko being a tea boy for long before he's back to needing wrangling.

What's the long term plan though? Are Zuko and Iroh going to live the rest of their lives in Ba Sing Se? Are they waiting for something? Are Iroh and Zuko functionally dead, with Lee and Mushi taking their place?

I will give the show credit for finally coming up with and antagonistic force that Aang & company can't just bend or talk into submission. Bureaucratic tomfoolery covering for authoritarian censorship and information suppression and re-education was not something I'd ever have expected in this show, because it's a little too much like the real world, if you know what I mean.

I don't like seeing our heroes unable to triumph, so this episode was kind of uncomfortable to watch. It felt off the whole way through, which I credit to that creepy music box tune that played throughout. The soundtrack of this episode was a cut above what I usually hear in this show. I noticed it more than I usually do, and I mean that in a good way.

As someone who'd be lucky to pass as a busboy, upper class intrigue and social games stuff doesn't do it for me, so this wasn't an episode I was going to enjoy anyway. I preferred the B plot with Zuko and Iroh, for the sheer absurdity of the concept. Imagine you're in 1950s London, having barely survived the Blitz, and you come across Himmler working in a pub. It's so odd that it almost wraps back around to normal again.

I didn't find this episode very enjoyable. I don't like the forced inactivity that's been imposed on the Gaang. The humour was not to my taste. The worldbuilding was substantial, but - probably thanks to Joo Dee, whose name I've definitely been misspelling - it felt inorganic, like a lecture. Which the writers do lampshade by making Joo Dee sound like one of those audio guide things you rent from tourist attractions. But lampshading a fault does not make a fault go away.

Thanks to what happens to Jet, I know that the people of Ba Sing Se don't dare even think about the war, for their own safety. But after spending more than half a season being shown every type of refugee and victim of war in other parts of the Earth Kingdom, I could not bring myself to give a flying fuck over Pong's concern for keeping his house. The city is frustrating, the officials are frustrating, their priorities are beyond frustrating. Zuko was right when he said he didn't want to make a life there, although I did find the lower ring where Zuko and Iroh are to be far more comfortable than the high ring where the gaang is.

This episode makes me want to bite something.

And still no Appa.

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender #city of walls and secrets

[kachikirby]

NEW SD GUNDAM GAIDEN WORK HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED

So, first is the little intro about this work. It's a new entry banner called SD Gundam Gaiden NEO. (The Knight Gundam series is separated into different banners that each series falls under. The previous one was New Testament SD Gundam Gaiden.)

The motif for this series is the 2022 Gundam series Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury.

The title of this first entry is "The Forbidden Magic" and this first arc is "Shrine Maiden of the Dragon God".

I'll be translating stuff from the snippet on the P-Bandai page. (VPN needed to access it from outside Japan)

STORY

Many years ago, the Benerit Clan wiped out the Dragon Village. However, some villagers, mainly children, were able to flee into the deep forest. It has been said that mysterious magic since ancient times has been hidden there…

In the Benerit Clan, which destroyed the Dragon Village and built a city in the remaining wasteland, a struggle for supremacy was underway among the young chiefs of the three families. The control of that power spread to the surrounding area, and the people of the Dragon Village are once again discovered by the Benerit Clan.

Under orders from the head chief, Delling, the elites of the three families approached the silent forest…

CARD LIST

In numbered order: (1-01, 1-02, 1-03, and so on.)

Knight Gundam Lfrith VS Knight Beguir-Beu

Knight Gundam Lfrith

Knight Gundam Lfrith Jr.

Elder Cardo

Warrior Nadim

Summoner Elnora

Soldier Heingra

Knight Beguir-Beu

Magic Knight Aerial

Mage Suletta

Summoner Prospera

Spirit Spirit Geist

Spirit IceBurn

Sprit Ericht

Shrine Maiden Miorine

Warrior Demi Trainer

Hunter Demi Trainer

Hunter Keinanji

Hunter Chuchu

Blacksmith Nika

Shopkeeper Martin

Waitress Lilique, Aliya

Monster Goblin Kapell-Kuu

Monster Orc Clibarri

Monster Bear Azrawan

Monster Killer Hosler II

Soldier Demi Garrison

Warrior Dilanza

Fencer Heindree

Mage Zowort

Noble Knight Dilanza

Noble Knight Michaelis

Noble Knight Gundam Pharact

Monster Pharact Dragon

Noble Knight Guel

Noble Knight Shaddiq

Noble Knight Elan

Chief Delling

Shaman Nugen, Kal, Nevola, Golneri

Item - Shrine Maiden's Tomato

Revealed Individual Card Translations

Magic Knight Gundam Aerial

"Water, Fire, lend me your strength! Magic Sword Gunbit Rondo!"

Welder of the Magic Sword Escutcheon

Mage Suletta

"If you move forward you gain two, if you run you gain one...I-I'll protect you!"

Dragon Village Mage

Shrine Maiden Miorine

"I made this tomato. Eat this, and you'll definitely win!"

Shrine maiden who worships the dragon

Noble Knight Dilanza

"I'll correct the ignorance of these hicks!"

Unites the Warriors of the Benerit Clan's Jeturk Family

Noble Knight Guel

"I'll get the priestess, I'll get the chief's position, I'll get it all, I'll show you!"

Benerit Clan, Next Head of the Jeturk Family

Noble Knight Gundam Pharact

"I can expose your true form."

Unites the Mages of the Benerit Clan's Peil Family

Noble Knight Elan

"I'd like to hear more about you."

Benerit Clan, Next Head of the Peil Family

Noble Knight Michaelis

"The dragon's shrine maiden is still alive? This is getting interesting."

Unites the Fencers of the Benerit Clan's Grasley Family

Noble Knight Shaddiq

"If you're a survivor of that village, I won't leave you alone."

Benerit Clan, Next Head of the Grasley Family

Additional art

Current Thoughts

I hope these aren't the final card artwork because it looks a bit bland with the default silver background. The ones with gradient look a bit better, but they are nowhere near as the fully rendered backgrounds in New Testament or previous works.

They do not give a gender, but I feel like Aerial is male here and idk how to feel about it. The card list does mention Ericht separately as a spirit, so that kind of alleviates my concerns. I just don't know how to feel about it.

The first chapter is Shrine Maiden of the Dragon God, which likely refers to Mio.

One of the spirits is Spirit Geist, which is one of Roux's main summoned Spirits in Kikoushin Densetsu, which makes me think this is in the Dabat Kingdom, but at the same time, I'm not sure since we've yet to learn where and when in the SD Gundam Gaiden timeline this takes place in.

It would make sense to have a story that takes place in that kingdom's area, since Seikihei Monogatari is the only one whose yet to have a post-Saddrac Knight Saga era work connected to it.

#sd gundam gaiden neo #the forbidden magic #sd gundam #gundam the witch from mercury #sd gundam translation

[animentality]

last playthrough i noticed gorty has a piano in his office at wyrms rock. think he actually plays it?

part of me thinks he couldnt so much as put two notes together and its just there to look fancy and expensive, which is funnier and maybe more in character, but the romantic in me keeps thinking about him genuinely being able to play it, and good at it too. not sure where or when he’d have learned but hes got the steady hands for it anyway

also him playing it for durge, of course. amnesiac durge catching themself humming a tune that they cant remember ever having heard before, and then later they find out its a song gortash used to play a lot when they were together

Don't fucking do that to me, anon, I'd be dead on the floor.

The Dark Urge expresses an admiration for Orin's "artwork."

I wonder if maybe the Dark Urge wishes they were more artistic themselves. They're very efficient and practical.

They wouldn't have an eye for art, or music.

Which is why it's kind of sad to me, to imagine a bard Dark Urge?

Imagine loving music and wanting to grow up to play music for people...and then you find out you're a murderous demigod.

Like ouch.

No symphony orchestra in the upper city for you!

But as for whether or not Gortash knows how to play...realistically, it's just there to make him feel like he's one of those snotty nobles, born with a silver spoon in their mouth, all knowing how to play at least one instrument from childhood.

But romantically?

i'm with you, anon.

Gortash learns ONE song, that he can play for the Dark Urge, and it is awful, it's soooo off tune, it's awkward and he's terrible.

But the Dark Urge is transfixed, because they have never stopped to enjoy music before. And they can't hear the mistakes.

They just hear a man playing a song for them, and only them.

No gods between them. No trail of corpses or blood or plans for the invasion of the sword coast.

Just two people, sitting in his office, one badly playing the piano, the other listening and wishing they could speak into existence the forbidden thoughts and feelings racing through their heart, but knowing better.

Also, let's go wild.

Everyone seems to headcanon Gortash inviting the Dark Urge to come talk to him privately.

He invites them in and he's playing that fucking song.

and they recognize it as something they have hummed to themselves, heard late at night, when they were between conscious and unconscious.

maybe it's even a song they hum to themselves in broken melodies and forgotten harmonies when they're feeling particularly uncontrollable or murderous, because gortash was the only one who ever knew how to manage your urge.

ahhhh.

anon, stop giving me fic ideas.

you won't like what happens.

#durgetash #baldurs gate 3 #bg

[thesistersarcheron]

Pairing: Feysand Rating: E Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Angst, Fluff, Smut, AU - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers Summary: Driven by instinct in the split-second after the mating bond snaps, Rhys abducts Feyre from the balcony overlooking the Middle during their goodbyes.

And now that Feyre has seen Velaris—and witnessed Rhysand break down sobbing in another female’s arms, spouting some nonsense about mating bonds—she is forbidden to leave the city and return home to Tamlin and the Spring Court. Forbidden, that is, until the Inner Circle unanimously agrees that she is not a threat to the security and secrecy of their beloved City of Starlight. 

Read the prologue and the first chapter on AO3 now! Snippet below the cut.

The roaring in Feyre’s ear was not entirely formed of fear.

The world descended into darkness and wind so furious that it ripped her hair out of its braid. The blackness pressed in, terrifying and not unlike the blackness of her cell, until her lungs burned with it. Rhys’s arm tightened around her as she stiffened, and twinkling pinpricks of light faded and blurred as they wheeled by.

And then Feyre was blinking hard as the darkness disappeared and sunlight pierced her eyes, squinting through the blinding light at…

At a house. A simple, comfortable hallway in an ordinary house.

The walls were paneled with warm wood and dotted with artwork. A plush runner lay underfoot, its fibers so red that she couldn’t look at it for more than a second before her stomach churned. It stretched from the frosted glass doors at one end of the hallway, leading outside and out of sight, down the long hallway. To her left, a staircase stretched upward into a second story; she glanced up the stairs, and the walls above were papered in a soft, placid shade of blue.

Feyre didn’t know what she was expecting when Rhys grabbed her. Blood, maybe. Chains. Eternal darkness punctuated by agonized screaming, the shadows only parting for the teeth and claws that ripped through them and into their night-blind victims.

Not cerulean walls and a well-worn couch and—she craned her neck to peer deeper into the parlor—a rather mediocre painting of a glassy lake beneath a star-flecked sky.

A muffled shriek from somewhere above them split the air.

#feyre #rhysand #feysand #feyre archeron #my fics #delicate #a court of thorns and roses #a court of thorns and roses fic #acotar #morrigan #mor

[heathenblood667]

Kali, the Dark Mother is one of India's most popular goddesses. Her picture and idol is found in many homes. Calcutta is her temple city and likely derives its name from the Anglicised phrase Kali-Ghat or "Steps of Kali." The Goddess of Cemeteries was thought to thrive on blood. Goat blood rather than human blood was sacrificed to her and it still is in some parts of India.

Kali's blackness symbolises Her comprehensive nature, as in black all colours merge. Just as all colours disappear in black, so all names and forms disappear in Her (Mahanirvana Tantra). Black can also represent the absence of colour, signifying the nature of Kali as ultimate reality. Either way, Kali's colour symbolises Her transcendence of all form.

Kali's nudity has similar meaning. She is described as garbed in space or sky clad. In Her primordial nakedness, She is free from all covering of illusion. Her nudity represents totally illumined consciousness. Kali is the bright fire of truth, not hidden by the trappings of ignorance.

Kali is full-breasted. As our Mother, She creates endlessly. Her garland of fifty human heads, each representing one of the fifty letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, symbolises knowledge and wisdom. Her girdle of severed human hands are the principal instruments of work and signify the action of karma. The binding effects of karma are overcome by devotion to Kali. She blesses devotees by cutting us free from the cycle of karma. Her white teeth are symbolic of purity and Her red tongue shows that She consumes all things and enjoys tasting what society regards as forbidden, Her indiscriminate enjoyment of all the world's flavours.

Kali's four arms represent the complete circle of creation and destruction. Her right hands, making the sign of fear not and conferring boons, represent Her creative aspect. Her left hands, holding a bloodied sword and a severed demon head, represent her destructive aspect. The bloodied sword and severed head symbolise the destruction of ignorance and the dawn of knowledge. The sword is the sword of knowledge, that cuts through ignorance and destroys false consciousness (the severed head). Her three eyes represent the sun, moon and fire, with which She observes the past, present and future.

Goddess Ma Kali by KT Gravatt Artworks!

[wheelchair-wizard]

Irish Mythology

VOL 8. Cliodhna. Queen of the Banshees.

Clíodhna: Queen of the Banshees

In the verdant hills of South Munster, where the veil between our world and the Otherworld is gossamer-thin, Clíodhna reigned supreme. Her ethereal beauty was whispered across the emerald landscapes, and her name echoed in the rustling leaves of ancient oaks. But Clíodhna was no ordinary banshee; she was a goddess entwined with both sorrow and desire.

The Three Birds of Clíodhna:

Three birds accompanied Clíodhna—a trio of feathered emissaries whose plumage shimmered like rainbows. Their melodious songs held the power to heal, and their wings bore them across the realms. These avian companions feasted on apples from an otherworldly tree, their beaks stained crimson by the fruit’s magic. When they sang, the air itself danced to their tune, and mortals who heard their harmonies were blessed or cursed, depending on fate’s whims.

The Forbidden Love:

Clíodhna’s heart, though steeped in mystery, was not immune to love. Her gaze fell upon Ciabhán, a mortal man of courage and grace. Ciabhán’s eyes mirrored the sea, and his laughter echoed through the cliffs. When he hunted in the forests, Clíodhna would wait for him by the shore, her silver hair catching moonbeams. Their clandestine meetings transcended the boundaries of existence—a banshee and a mortal, entangled in a love that defied the cosmic order.

Manannán Mac Lir’s Music:

One fateful evening, as Clíodhna lay on the rocky shore, lulled by the rhythmic waves, Manannán Mac Lir, the enigmatic Sea God, emerged from the depths. His harp strings sang of forgotten memories, of lost cities beneath the waves, and of love that spanned millennia. Clíodhna listened, her heartstrings resonating with each haunting note. Manannán’s melodies summoned a colossal wave—the very essence of Tonn Chlíodhna, “Clíodhna’s Wave.” It rose, a liquid titan, and swept her away.

The Diverging Legends:

Legends diverge at this juncture. Some say Clíodhna drowned, her form merging with the ocean’s embrace. She became the guardian of shipwrecks, her mournful cries echoing through storms. Others insist that she transformed into a swan, her feathers iridescent, her song both melancholic and hopeful. As a swan, she glided upon the waves, her eyes reflecting the moon’s silver path.

Carrig-Cleena: The Palace Beneath the Sea:

Her palace, hidden within a pile of ancient rocks near Mallow, bore her name—Carrig-Cleena. Its walls shimmered like mother-of-pearl, and its halls resonated with the whispers of lost lovers. Clíodhna’s memory lingered in the salt-laden air, in the cries of seabirds, and in the hearts of those who dared to listen. The Blarney Stone, kissed by countless pilgrims seeking eloquence, was said to have formed from a fragment of Clíodhna’s magical rock.

And so, Clíodhna, Queen of the Banshees, dances between realms—a paradox of love and lamentation. Her story, like the sea, remains both mysterious and eternal, etched into the cliffs and carried by the tides.

Note: Clíodhna’s tale is a delicate thread woven into Ireland’s rich mythology, a reminder that love transcends even the boundaries of life and death.

Christy,

Male, Husband, Dad, Family man, Friendly, Easygoing.

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[redstringraven]

some lil OC tidbits using a server template! i wanna start sharing and talking about them a bit more outside of my artwork just... both as a form of documentation and also because it makes me happy. c:

---*---

Cassia Dubois five random facts:

mains boo in most, if not all, mario games. if boo's not an option, she mains peach or yoshi.

a nervous laugher; will start giggling when nervous or unsure how to handle a situation. this has mixed results.

gives nicknames to basically everyone. if you're a friend in any form or fashion, you will get a few nicknames unique to you. (i.e., mikey's nicknames are 'tangerine', 'champ', and 'jell-o').

will sometimes text exclusively in emojis. leo can never decipher it, and sometimes it drives raph up a wall (she does this on purpose).

professional french fry thief.

favorite food: snickerdoodles or pretzels dipped in cool whip least favorite food: anything with the texture of cottage cheese cause of stress: having an inconsistent friend group at school; after the triceraton invasion, she worries about her dad a lot while he travels for work (he's a train conductor) a quote I associate with them: "cooler than a strawberry shake~!"

---*---

Nyxram five random facts

would not participate in the battle nexus despite that she'd most certainly win; she doesn't enjoy "combat for sport".

can fluently speak a handful of languages throughout the galaxy and can understand/read several more.

favorite third-earth instrument is the harp.

lowkey fascinated by third-earth's older technology (gramophones, steam-engine trains, etc) but unimpressed by the modern technology.

currently training traximus; she worries that, as the rebellion's leader, he'll quickly get targets on his back from other triceratons who disagree with the shift in power or from outside parties looking to further stir the current power vacuum.

favorite food: whatever the triceraton equivalent of a warm bagel with cream cheese is least favorite food: pizza (sorry, mikey); anything fried, swimming in grease, or generally unhealthy cause of stress: her past, her future, her parents a quote i associate with them: "no one will know the violence it took to become this gentle"

---*---

Gwyneth five random facts

can mimic bilelon* bugles well enough that they'll sometimes call back to her.

on third-earth she leans into she/her pronouns for simplicity's sake but is genderqueer given liáfsini's approach of the subject, as well as the galaxy's lack of a binary.

is the 'younger twin' and, therefore, considered the parasitic spirit. she was consistently shunned by other liáfsians and forbidden to participate in ceremonies or druidic practices.

arguably a better climber than the boys due to a childhood spent in the woods and exploring old liáfsian ruins. could parkour the city in her sleep.

enjoys sketching and gardening but rarely gets to indulge in either due to consistently being on guard/on the run. her art-style is more realism leaning, and the lines weave into each other as though she never lifts the pencil from paper.

favorite food: liáfsian equivalent of barmbrack least favorite food: isn't picky; food is food as long as it won't kill her cause of stress: darach; a loss of her own identity due to survival; her unshaken determination to get ash back in a body a quote i associate with them: "the woods are lovely, dark and deep. but i have promises to keep, and miles to go before i sleep, and miles to go before i sleep."

---*---

Aislinn five random facts

will rarely reveal she's sentient before she or gwyn deem someone trustworthy; often plays 'inanimate' and is always listening and watching; it's made her a bit of a gossip.

loves watching soap operas with master splinter and discussing the episodes with him afterward.

is the 'older twin' and, therefore, considered the original spirit. despite still being viewed as an ill-omen, she was not shunned as severely as gwyn. though sometimes invited to ceremonies or allowed access to other community practices, ash refused to participate if gwyn couldn't.

on third-earth, she leans more into she/her pronouns for simplicity's sake along with gwyn but does also seem to prefer femme-leaning gender identities galaxy-wide; more of a demi-girl.

both ash and gwyn can perform a liáfsian take on kulning, which they used not only to call to the bilelon and sithóran**, but also to locate each other while exploring the woods as kids; ash's is much more in line with traditional kulning, which is to say it's higher in pitch and is more melodic. gwyn's is lower in pitch and a bit more melancholic/haunting. in the extremely rare situation gwyn and ash get separated in present time, ash will kuln as a way to signal to gwyn without fully giving away her sentience or presence in the weapon.

favorite food: liáfsian equivalent of barmbrack least favorite food: doesn't remember cause of stress: darach; being physically dead; consistently worried about gwyn's mental and physical well-being a quote i associate with them: "i was with you before we were even born."

---*---

*bilelon are a sacred fae-fauna in liáfsini; they vaguely resemble elk **sithóran are fauna in liáfsini; they vaguely resemble maned wolves

#tmnt oc #tmnt 2003 oc #;tmnt oc: cassia dubois #;tmnt oc: nyxram #;tmnt oc: gwyneth #;tmnt oc: aislinn #[ i just love my silly band of ocs okay... ] #[ auhgh ]

[satoshi-mochida]

SaGa Emerald Beyond announced for PS5, PS4, Switch, PC, iOS, and Android

Gematsu Source

Square Enix has announced SaGa Emerald Beyond for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, PC, iOS, and Android. It will launch digitally in early 2024 worldwide.

Here is the official press release information:

SaGa Emerald Beyond is an all-new original adventure in the acclaimed SaGa RPG franchise. Featuring music from iconic series composer Kenji Ito and artwork from acclaimed illustrator Satoshi Kuramochi, SaGa Emerald Beyond brings together the core combat and free-form scenario elements of the beloved RPG franchise to deliver the ultimate SaGa experience to fans and newcomers alike. SaGa Emerald Beyond features an eclectic cast of heroes from vastly different worlds, with five distinct and dramatic stories to experience. Players will select any of the six protagonists to begin their story with, and guided by mysterious emerald waves, will explore 17 strikingly beautiful worlds where you can meet a diverse cast of races, including monsters, mechs, and vampires, forging their own story. SaGa Emerald Beyond expands on the free-form scenario system the SaGa franchise is renowned for, offering the player the greatest amount of freedom to shape their own story to date, with each tale branching outwards based on their choices and actions. The game also features strategic turn-based combat system, offering the best iteration of the SaGa franchise’s combat. Players can choose to begin their story as one of the following protagonists. Each possesses the rare ability to see emerald waves that present choices of their destinies:

Tsunanori Mido – A man who can manipulate kugutsu, or animated puppets, which protect the barrier around his home, Miyako City. When the city is plagued by all kinds of supernatural phenomena, Tsunanori embarks on a journey to other worlds to find four elemental spirits in order to restore order to the spiritual realm.

Ameya – A witch-in-training who visits Miyako City and lives in secret as a schoolgirl as a part of her graduation exam. After Ameya is attacked by an unknown man, she loses practically all of her magical power and must find a way to regain what was lost and pass her final exam.

Siugnas – An immortal vampire who rules over Yomi, a world shrouded in darkness, as the Dismal King. However, after being betrayed and driven from his throne, Siugnas finds himself in Brighthome—the gathering place of dead warriors—and must set out on a journey to recover his powers alongside the other warriors in his squadron.

Diva No.5 – A songstress mech designed to sing and dance from the world of Avalon. After singing a forbidden song, however, Diva’s memory and singing functionality are sealed away, causing her to lose her livelihood and music itself. In her despair, Diva discards her “human” body and, going with the flow, accepts an invitation from a secret society, leaving Avalon behind.

Bonnie and Formina – Two new recruits and partners on the Capitol City police force who are investigating an assassination attempt on the President. With a key person of interest’s claim that the president is a traitor and a mysterious triangle piece as their only clues, they set off on a journey through other worlds to uncover the hidden truth behind the incident.

And here is the game’s store description:

About

The latest standalone entry in the SaGa franchise, SaGa Emerald Beyond, brings together the very best elements of the beloved series to offer each player their own unique gameplay experience. Make use of glimmers and combos in battle; meet a diverse cast of races, including monsters, mechs, and vampires; and experience your very own story, created through your choices and actions.

Distant Worlds Woven Together

Travel to 17 unique worlds from the Junction, either led by the hand of destiny or by a path forged by your own choices. Discover the completely different cultures and landscapes, ranging from a densly developed forest of skyscrapers and a green and lucious habitat covered in plantlife to a world governed by five witches, or one ruled by vampires–just to name a few of the distict settings.

An Eclectic Cast of Protagonists

Six leading characters, all from diverse backgrounds and with vastly different goals, set out on their journey in five unique story arcs. They venture to the myriad of worlds for their very personal reasons: One, a human on a mission to protect the barrier defending his city; another, a witch trying to regain her lost magic while maintaining her disguise as a schoolgirl; and yet another, a vampire lord out to regain his crown and reclaim the throne as the rightful king of his world. Even Selecting the same protagonist for a second—or third or fourth—playthrough will lead to completely new events and stories, a completely fresh path and experience.

A Story of Your Very Own Making

SaGa Emerald Beyond has the greatest number of branching plots of any game in the SaGa series. The story branches abundantly depending on your choices and actions. Every time you visit a world, the story will evolve, allowing the protagonist and player alike to discover new possibilities. As the story unfolds in this way it becomes a tale all your own, not only affecting the path you walk but also the multiple potential endings that await each protagonist.

Battles where a Single Choice Can Change Everything

SaGa Emerald Beyond further refines the highly strategic Timeline Battles the SaGa franchise has been long renowned for. With series mainstays such as the skill to spontaneous acquire abilities through the Glimmer system, tactical ally placement known as Formations, and United Attacks that enable individual skills to connect together to form devastating chain attacks, it offers the best iteration of SaGa‘s turn-based combat to date. The new combat system adds more drama than ever before, allowing you to support party members, interrupt enemy actions, and use United Attacks by strategically manipulating the order of ally actions. The characters that join you, the weapons you wield, your party formation, and your tactics in battle—everything is up to you!

Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first screenshots at the gallery. Visit the official website here.

Announce Trailer

English

Japanese

#SaGa Emerald Beyond #SaGa Series #Square Enix #Nintendo Switch #PS4 #PS5 #Steam #RPG #Gematsu #Youtube

[legiomiam]

Author and WIP Introduction

My Name is J. Lynnell I am a nonbinary author of color. I mainly write Science Fiction/Fantasy stories with the general rating being 18+. I have been writing for almost 2 decades now, and I also have poems published in The Midnight Collection Vol. 2 Dark Harvest. Which you can read CHRYSANTHEMUM: a hanahaki inspired poem of the acceptance and death of unrequited love {CW: Contemplation of suicide, Death}, UNTITLED IN DEATH: a poem dedicated to the beauty of nature and in death we return to the earth {CW: Death}, and the third poem COMPROMISE: a poem on the inevitable end that awaits us all {CW: Death}.

My About Me can be found HERE

I can also be found of Twitter and Instagram

I am also available for commissions if someone wants and I've started an ART TAG that I will update with my artwork.

(I'll have an updated list of tags here at a later date)

On to my projects:

Dark Fantsy + Romance: Adult A story set against the backdrop of a centuries old conflict between those without magic, Vampyres, and those with magic, Fae. This Dark And Divine Place is the first book in it's series that introduces us to Rashka, sister to Empress Ivette Ananulli and her husband Emperor Seung Ananulli, of the last Great Vampyre Empire that is not fully under the Consul's control. When an entire clan is murdered in the dead of night the Counsul is called to convene. Along the way Rashka is mistaken for her sister and taken, with little hope of her survival none of the Counsul members wish to waste time nor their resources to find her. Except for the Fae representatives, who offer up one of their own to search for her.

Note: This story is an enemies to lovers slow burn with explicit sexual content. It's also not a "will they?" story but a "how did they?" one. This series was started well after I had started trying to draft the Cursed Children and I decided I should tell the parents story before the children's.

{Full WIP Intro} {Series Intro} {WIP Page} {Characters}

*MILD SPOILERS FOR TDADP*

Dark (Urban) Fantasy: Adult The passing of several years find Rashka and Bahram with a growing family, and the knowledge that they each made a bargain— a selfish bargain. Ones that they decided to keep from their children including their eldest. Reign, who's life is not only coveted by darker forces that linger behind false companionship, but also set with a bounty for being the outcome of her parents' forbidden union. Unknown to her, as Reign finds herself having to reap the retribution of her parents actions, her own siblings are forced to take their own punishments in their search to free her from her own prison.

Note: This is the sequel series to TDADP, it takes place several years after the first series and spans a good length of time into a "modern" age. It's told from a multi pov of each of the children, with the main story following Reign and the other siblings each getting a story f their own that ties in. The stories of the children in of themselves are much darker than TDADP .

{Full WIP Intro} {Series Intro} {WIP Page} {Characters}

Dystopian/Cyberpunk: Adult She has to remember who she is. Not what the night terrors trick her into believing. Her name is Alexia Volkova, she fluctuates between the high rise of city life among the neon lights and towers made of reflective glass, and the slums of a worn down remodeled complex paid for in cash with no name on the lease. That's how it's always been, the terrors signaling the oncoming lapse in her suppressants. The need for more comes with the involvement in a mass murder in more than one location across the sectors of New Haven and a run in with the lead investigator.

Note: This idea is as old as TDADP and one that reddit had called a "Resident-Evil-knock-off" {derogatory} so I named the main love interest Leon because I could. A story told by very unreliable narrators and very morally grey characters.

{Full WIP Intro} {Series Intro} {WIP Page} {Characters}

Urban Fantasy: Adult Their bloodlines came with rules, a set of laws they must abide by set by their founders— first of their name— written into their very bones. To be honored and upheld. Savina Starling had obeyed those laws until now, when the greatest law to her was broken. Songbirds shall not murder other Songbirds. With the sacrifice of her family she not only returned to claim a throne that was not hers by law, but to take vengeance with the help of the devil by her side.

Note: This was born from an idea where a cult misinterprets a blood sacrifice and that the person who's blood is spilled on a summoning sigil is the one bound to the demon it summons, and if the idea had a baby with my disappointment at the staleness of some of my once upon a time favorite monster/demon/human stories.

{Full WIP Intro} {Series Intro} {WIP Page} {Characters}

Paranormal Mystery + Romance: Adult Hector Del Bosque an up and coming opera lead ready to star in his first headlining show after the success of his first role becomes a suspect for the murder of his on (and off) stage lover and costar. With the show put to a halt as the understudies are all scared off from taking the leading role. Enter one peculiar lead, Evelynn Delacroix Desbois, her too wide eyes seems to stare through Hector— through most things even as she takes the stage to practice, haunting is what comes to mind. Different than the dutiful servant and almost bodyguard, Reyes, that hovers around her when not talking to staff. Haunting and stubborn against the onslaught of threats.

Note: This honestly was supposed to be POTO inspired and sorta is but not really. It also has a poly relationship as the main romance. Though not the only work I have listed that has a poly romance as the main one.

{Full WIP Intro} {WIP Page} {Characters}

Fantasy: Adult There was power to be had in a name and that is why Brooke Vale chose his carefully, that was the deal after all. His uncle let him flee with his life his own if he never uttered his given name to anyone. Years have passed and the sprawling forest surrounding the once thriving kingdom has taken over as a deadly setting to a cruel tyranny. When old faces come to beg for Brooke to challenge his cousin for the throne he not-so-politely declines. The kingdom of Treyalla had done without him for twelve years what is another sixty more? His only answer is to find the rightful prince, the heir to the king his own very own parents usurped the throne from. Their only lead? Is within that very forest where the old gods slumber and their guide is a girl all too willing to keep their secrets.

Note: This story has been a long one in the making and while nothing it down solid it is a series that is either going to be a trilogy with each book following a different set of characters all woven together or just like Godly Ruins.

{Full WIP Intro} {Series Intro} {WIP Page} {Characters}

The following are WIPs that are not at the forefront of my current projects but still there (any that are tba/coming soon are ones that I just don't have a coherent plot to go with):

Our Multiple Lives Told Through A Single Set Of Eyes: When a woman takes a job as a companion to an elderly man his interests are stories and although skeptical of the new hire he asks her for a story unlike any other. And what better story can she tell of a young woman and the devil she married, sold her soul to, and escaped. A devil that is still hunting down his missing bride.

What Awaits Us In The Dark Of The Sea: The daughter of a merchant upon the news of her betrothal to a man she never met, a betrothal that had been set in stone after tragedy struck her family, decides that the very waters that had claimed not only her father's vast fortune just weeks earlier but her mother and oldest sister's lives when she was a child could have her too. Only she awakens soaked on the beach with a circle of small rings branded on her thigh. A claiming of the creatures that drown men and women. But it vanishes as if it was nothing more than her imagination the very day her intended knocks on the doors to have her hand.

Untitled haunted painting: a couple move into a house in a small town, beautiful even the portrait of the original owners remains on the mantle in the grand room. Even as eyes follow the couple as they go about their lives.

Untitled possible thief story: (more to come)

Fall With Me/Rise For You (duology): When the fiancée of the village's local priest finds a wounded angel in the rafters she keeps it her own secret and what starts as an uneasy friendship turns into an affair

Untitled Circus novel: (coming soon)

Untitled mafia novel: An "FBI" agent that is bought by the mafia covers up a witnesses murder as the local serial killer's work and the killer isn't happy. So unhappy that the agent's new wife becomes a target.

Untitled shadow monster novel: (TBA it's my I support women's wrongs novel)

#author introduction #wip introduction #writeblr introduction #writing community

[thegreatwicked]

Shadows of Deception - Chapter Fifteen

The Great Wicked

Summary: In Gotham City, a world of secrets and danger, Belladonna finds herself embroiled in a web of crime when she becomes a witness to illicit activities at Roman Sions' exclusive club, Masquerade Noir. Instead of eliminating her, Roman sees an opportunity and spares her life, forming an unconventional alliance. They pose as a couple, using each other as alibis to deceive the police. But as they delve deeper into their charade, their connection intensifies, blurring the lines between reality and deception. As desire and danger collide, they discover unexpected love in the midst of a thrilling and forbidden affair.

Rating: Explicit; graphic depictions of sex and violence

Pairing: Roman Sionis/OFC; Belladonna Black, slight Zsasz/OFC if enough interest.

She Knows It by Steven Rodriguez

Roman sat back in a plush chair outside the glass-walled conference room, his dark eyes fixed on the meeting taking place inside. Ever stare at something for too long before your mind just takes it and runs with it? Or you say a word too many times until it loses all meaning? That was how Roman was feeling.

With each passing moment he sat in that chair ‘people watching’ his mind wandered further. The conference room began to look less like a conference room and more like a giant fish tank with its floor-to-ceiling glass walls and bland artwork that was supposed to be thought-provoking but only induced boredom. And let's not forget the generic, mass-produced paintings that were meant to add some color but ended up blending into the beige office walls perfectly. So stimulating.

The ergonomic design of the chairs in the room was reminiscent of strange coral furniture one might find in a fish tank. The potted plants in the corners probably aimed to add some vitality to the sterile environment, which likely saw many long hours and late nights without exposure to any natural stimuli.

Yes, the longer he looked the more it looked like a fish tank. 

The men in their suits became a school of angelfish, drifting aimlessly. The women with their bright colored high fashion frocks like Discus fish effortlessly floating through the water. 

And there, in the center of it all, perched on the table leafing through papers and glancing back at her laptop was Belladonna. Her inky-black hair flowing loosely, cascading down her shoulders like the elegant fins of a betta fish. Dressed in the black jacket, and silver jewelry that Roman had delivered for her that morning made for a striking contrast against that only solidified his odd comparison. Beautiful and elegant. And just like a female beta fish, she seemed to furrow her brow when approached by her male colleagues - he was well acquainted with the difference between her ‘resting bitch face’ and her ‘are you that fucking stupid’ expressions to know that her colegues were not impressing her with theri smart deas. 

Why was he comparing the woman he wanted to fuck to a fish? He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Goddamn it, Cobblepot.” He muttered under his breath, refocusing his attention on the conference room and trying to shake off his annoyance.

Fuck he hated fish.

Roman couldn't understand why people would choose to have fish as pets. 

Fish were about the most ridiculous idea for a pet Roman could think of, but people loved them. Maybe because they were cheap and easy to dispose of when they inevitably died - just a quick flush down the toilet. Some people went for the more exotic options like lionfish, piranhas and even electric eels. But at least those were interesting, lionfish were venomous, electric eels looked scary as fuck and he could certainly see the benefits of having something like piranhas floating nearby. Perfect for getting rid of unwanted guests...or bodies.

Roman didn’t personally like fish. In fact he thought they made horrifically boring bets and he had little interest in pets in the first place. He didn’t even have any as a kid. Though that might have been due to his parents not having any faith in Roman not using them as target practice or something. 

Bit extreme. He didn’t hate animals, he just found them like he found most living things; clingy and annoying. 

He looked back to Belladonna adjusting her glasses and combing a hand through her hair. He liked those glasses on her, he’d have to see if he could convince her to wear a sexy little pencil skirt, then he could live out the sexy librarian thing again, the first time it was for the novelty of it. Not because he particularly liked the woman but hey, a fantasy was a fantasy.

Betafish weren’t boring. 

Hell, females could be so aggressive that they would attack males, nip at them to establish dominance and it could result in injury and even death.

God, he loved a woman who wasn’t afraid to take a bite out of him. It was what he found fascinating about Belladonna, she was afraid of him, no doubt, but she didn’t act like it. Hell, she’d put a gun in his hand and all but dared him to shoot her. Fuck the woman had some balls, her temper flaring like the vibrant fins of a betta.

They were some of the most common fish in aquariums, but commonality didn’t mean less interesting. Hell, diamonds were as common as taxis but that didn’t stop everyone from falling all over themselves saving two months salary for one. Bettas in particular were well liked for their beauty, intelligence and their spunky personalities.

The problem was that most people didn't know how to properly care for them or keep them happy. Instead, they would see these stunning creatures and impulsively buy them, only to place them in tiny fish bowls that were unfit for their needs. Her shabby loft came to mind, a place far below her worth. She'd chosen to keep a low profile, to avoid the limelight that should have been hers. 

Eventually the shimmer in their scales would fade and they’d more than likely be forgotten about. Not Belladonna, she shimmered in a dark room.

Roman blinked, suddenly aware that his mind had been drifting into an almost absurd fantasy about fish. He scowled at the thought, silently cursing Oswald Cobblepot again for filling his head with such useless information. The man had a penchant for talking endlessly about his various collections and interests, and naturally, in his years of knowing Oswald Cobblepot he’d been forced to absorb information about things he didn’t care about whenever they spoke. 

Cobblepot had a thing for penguins and naturally with his collections of oddities at the Cyrus Pinkney Natural History Museum. He also collected seemingly useless information, which he then forced upon Roman in their younger years.

Roman knew far too much about fish for his own personal liking: including tips on how to care for betta fish.

He shook his head, his thoughts went to some strange places when his mind was stagnant like it was currently. 

His fingers tapped impatiently against his leg, the urge to barge into the meeting growing stronger by the second. But he knew she would bear the brunt of those consequences and then he’d be subject to hers. And while Roman was sure he could turn that frustration into something a little more fun with most people, Belladonna wasn’t most people. He sighed, forcing himself to remain seated.

He needed to get a gameboy or something, watching the meeting Belladonna was stuck in wasn’t good for his IQ, he could feel it dropping by the second. And by this point it had to have dropped at least by thirty points, because he’d been waiting for thirty minutes. 

Once he’d focused on their moving lips it had gotten a little bit better, he couldn’t quite read lips but he could make out some words:

"Emergency... Urgent... Expensive… Client… Fired…" Roman whispered under his breath, catching a few words. Roman's eyes flicked to Zsasz, who stood beside him with an air of stoic indifference. "You picking up anything useful?" he asked in a low voice.

“Nope.”

Zsasz shook his head, but Roman wasn’t surprised, he noticed that the man's gaze seemed to be following Belladonna's assistant, Daisy, as she moved around the room. Fair enough, he was Zsasz’s boss, not his goddamned babysitter, it he wanted to eye fuck Daisy; let him. Someone should.

She was too tiny for Romans taste anyway, he liked curves, hips, breasts. Daisy was just too petite for his taste. But judging by the way Zsasz was watching her, it didn’t seem to bother him.

Back to the meeting, it didn’t seem to be wrapping up or getting any better. He knew from the way her brow furrowed and the tenseness in her shoulders that whatever was the topic of discussion wasn’t a very pleasant one. It didn’t look like she was bearing the brunt of anyone's wrath but rather she was trying to untangle a mess. She hadn’t even noticed him there on the chair in the small waiting area and he hadn’t really said or done anything because at first watching her had been somewhat fascinating. Then he made the comparison of the conference room looking like an aquarium and then… Shit. He needed to stop this.

Roman checked his watch again, scowling. Thirty-five minutes now with no sign of the meeting ending. Roman's fingers went back to tapping impatiently on the arm of his chair as he watched Belladonna continue her heated conversation with her boss. 

She threw up her hands, clearly exasperated. His fingers tightened on the armrests of his chair. 

Maybe she finally felt his gaze on her but he seemed to catch Belladonna's attention and she looked at him, he winked at her and she at least smirked at his little flirtatious charm, but she was still clearly strained by the weight of the conversation she was having. 

He knew that look well, it was the look of someone who was surrounded by incompetence or someone who was forced to fix something that wasn’t their problem to begin with. Roman gestured with a nod of his head, urging her to join him outside the conference room. But she only shook her head softly, her expression remaining serious, before turning her attention back to her boss. 

Pulling out his phone, Roman quickly typed a message. 

'Problem, angel?' 

As he hit send, his eyes flicked to Daisy, who often had Belladonna’s cell in her possession, glanced at the notification. She offered Roman a little wave hand, held up a finger then showed the text to Belladonna, and after a brief pause, Belladonna texted back, as her eyes darted back and forth from the phone to whomever was talking 

'Can't talk.'

"Damn it," Roman muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening. 

Well, he couldn’t necessarily be angry, it wasn’t like she was ignoring him. But he still wasn’t wild about being sidelined. He wanted her undivided attention, not this nonsense with clients and deadlines. Frustrated but simply too stubborn to quit, he decided to try another approach and texted Daisy instead. 

‘Everything alright, Daisy? Your latte is getting warm.’

She was sitting at the conference table looking up from a laptop then looking at her phone, her eyes met his as she read the message, and she offered Roman and Zsasz an appreciative smile. They could see the tension in her shoulders begin to ease, if only slightly.

She seemed in a far better mood than Belladonna and offered a smile and twirled her finger around her temple to convey the insanity of what was currently happening. Roman chuckled.

‘Everything alright Daisy?’

She looked like she was struggling to put her thoughts into words and after a minute she got up, whispered something to Belladonna, who looked back and forth between Daisy, Roman, and her boss before giving a small, almost imperceptible nod.

"Finally," Roman murmured, as Daisy excused herself from the conference room. 

The moment the door swung open, a cacophony of raised voices spilled out into the waiting room, as predicted, it wasn’t good.

Daisy emerged looking utterly relieved to be free from the chaos within. As she approached Roman, he got to his feet and held out her iced green tea latte, from the way she was looking at the cold drink one might be tempted to think that Roman was holding out a winning lotto ticket. She gratefully accepted the drink and a quick sip seemed to energize her a bit.

​​"Thank you," Daisy said gratefully, wrapping her hands around the cold cup and taking a long sip. Her expression softened, and she let out a frazzled breath, trying to shake off the tension that clung to her like a second skin.

Zsasz watched the exchange with an amused glint in his eyes, leaning casually against the wall. He gave Daisy a playful wink, which elicited a small smile from her before Roman's deep voice cut through the lingering tension.

“Daisy, Daisy… What’s got my girls so worked up?” She smiled at Romans' endearing ‘his girls’ note. “Bad day?”

She shook her head, “It’s one for the books, that’s for sure.” She took another sip, ��Falls into the category of ‘its not our fault but it is our problem’ kind of thing.”

"What's going on?" Roman asked, charming concern coloring his voice.

"It's been absolute chaos since this morning," She began, sweeping a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Long story short, we had a huge post-fashion week photo shoot scheduled with the Gotham Literary Society, but there was some sort of paperwork snafu with the permits. Now we're out of a location and scrambling to find one to accommodate the client."

“Yes, I read about that, the site’s just been restored after a two year long renovation.” Roman added casually. Daisy nodded and emphatically gestured with her hand in confirmation as she took another sip of her coffee.

“Exactly! We need to find another location by tomorrow or we might lose the client, Lauren is pissed and well, everyone is scrambling to figure something out." She explained, frustration creasing her brow. "Her bosses are breathing down her neck, which means she’s breathing down our necks. There's talk that if we lose this client, several people might lose their jobs. It’s literally no one’s fault but someone’s gotta pay, right?" She glanced back at the conference room, worry etched in her features. "We're trying to find a place for the shoot, but it's practically impossible because most popular locations are booked already and have been for months. It's the week after fashion week, after all."

“Big client?” 

“Huge,” She looked around and lowered her voice, “Adrian Blackwood.” Romans face lit up in recognition. “He just debuted his entire collection and lets just say he had other offers for people to work with, we need to figure this thing out but we’re running out of time. He’s expecting the details to be confirmed by the end of the day which is officially in,” She paused and looked at her watch, “Six hours. Any place worth booking is booked out and any place available isn’t worth the trouble.”

"Are you or Belladonna's jobs at risk?" Roman's concern for their well-being was palpable, his fingers tapping against the side of his leg as he awaited Daisy's response.

She hesitated, biting her lip. "I'm not sure. Belladonna might be okay, but I can't say the same for myself. Assistants get fired all the time, we’re a dime a dozen but I’m pretty sure Belladonna would march out with me while giving them all the stiffest middle finger ever.”

Roman scoffed, of that, he had no doubts. Despite Belladonna’s claims of not having any friends, she was loyal, he’d only recently seen just how loyal.

"We can't have that," He said, shaking his head. He looked back at the chaotic conference room, his gaze finding Belladonna's once more. Roman furrowed his brow in thought before an idea struck him. "Daisy, I think I can help," He declared. "Tell her to come speak with me."

Daisy seemed uncertain, glancing between Roman and the ongoing chaos inside the meeting room. She took a deep breath, seemingly weighing the potential consequences, briefly opening her mouth to try and argue but Roman insisted and his tone of confidence seemed to convince Daisy it was worth the interruption. Finally, she shrugged, an air of ‘fuck it’ in her demeanor. 

"What's the worst that could happen?" With that, she turned on her heel and made her way back into the lion's den to relay Roman's message to Belladonna.

Again when the doors opened the tense tone of their words floated out, she whispered to Belladonna who looked between Roman and Daisy, confusion evident on her face. He was pretty sure she was telling Daisy she wasn’t going anywhere but Daisy appeared insistent. And she must have convinced her because Belladonna let out a sigh, rolled her shoulders and reluctantly approached her boss. 

They talked for a minute and her boss didn’t look very happy, clearly unimpressed by Roman's presence, waved her hand dismissively. But after a minute and some vague gesturing with her hands she conceded and Belladonna strode out of the conference room, back rigid and heels clicking sharply against the tiled floor. Roman watched her approach, noting the tension in her shoulders and the tight set of her jaw. She wasn’t happy by any means, though she was doing her best to conceal it but the irritation was simply radiating off her.

"Ok, Daisy said you needed to talk to me. Make it quick, Roman, I’m kind of in the middle of something." She snapped, her patience wearing thin.

“I can see that,” He wore something of a smug smile and after a silence long enough to start to get on her nerves, he spoke again before she could bite back with something smart. "Daisy was just telling me about your little predicament. It seems you're in need of a new location for your photoshoot, and quickly.”

"Yes," she replied tersely, impatience and exasperation seeping through her words. "But can we please get to the point? My boss is already in a pissy mood and I’m pretty sure I’m next on the chopping block if I don’t get my ass back in there."

"Question?" He said, clearly not bothered by her eagerness to wrap up their conversation.

"Fine, what's your question?" His leisurely questioning was starting to grate on her nerves, and she couldn't help but glance back to her boss, who seemed to be keeping a watchful eye on their conversation.

"Am I a joke to you?" Roman tilted his head looking both disappointed and confused. Sort of reminded her of a puppy with its ears half up and half down trying to suss out a high-pitched sound.

Belladonna stared at him, confused. "What?”

"Use my club," 

Belladonna stared at Roman, her dark eyes wide in surprise. "Use your club?" Momentarily thrown off balance by his unexpected offer.

"Yes," he said, his voice low and smooth. "It's mine to do with as I see fit, it’s empty during the day, and should have more than enough space to accommodate your shoot. You can use the space however you need.” Roman smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. “and you can vouch for its legitimacy since it's up-to-date with all the necessary permits and licenses."

"Would that help?" he asked, a hint of smugness creeping into his voice.

"Yes, it would," Belladonna admittedly a bit lost for words

She hesitated, shifting on her feet. The offer would solve all her problems for the shoot and might even put her in a better spot for work. She’d obviously need to run it by her boss.

As if reading her mind, Roman gestured towards the conference room.

"Go. Run it by your boss." Roman said with a playful flick of his wrist, shooing her away as if she were a mischievous cat lingering too long by the cream. His dark eyes twinkled with amusement at her hesitation, a side of him few got to witness. "Do you need a slap on that gorgeous ass to get you moving?"

Her eyes flashed with something sharp, but she bit back a retort and turned on her heel, striding back toward the conference room before Roman could follow through with what she hoped was only a joke. As she spoke to her boss, he could see the shock register on her boss’s face. She glanced at Roman, then back to Belladonna then back to Roman, who allowed himself a triumphant smile, knowing he was about to be the hero.

Belladonna motioned for Roman to join them, trying not to let her surprise – or her gratitude – show too openly. As he stepped through the door, the room seemed to hold its breath in anticipation. All eyes were on him, but this time, he was not the source of any problems. In fact, he was the solution – a role that felt surprisingly gratifying. With his charming smile and easy manner, he greeted Belladonna's boss.

“Ms. Preston, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” His smooth tone eased the tension in the room as effectively as a tranquilizer. 

"Mr. Sionis, this is a pleasant surprise," Laura said, her demeanor considerably improved as she reached out to shake Romans’ outstretched hand. 

“Oh, please, Roman is fine.” 

"Belladonna here, tells me you're interested in leasing out your club for our shoot." She crossed her arms over her chest, head tilted as though she wasn’t sure she bought it. 

Surely there had to be more to it, right? 

“Leasing? Oh, not at all. Can’t have a face this gorgeous wearing anything other than a smile.” Roman's gaze drifted to Belladonna before turning back to Laura. "I'm more than willing to assist, by providing my space free of charge," He responded smoothly. "It won't be a problem."

Laura was one of the most assertive people Belladonna knew, never one to be told what to do, never one to let a man swoop in and save the day… Yet, here they were… Either the situation was worse than Belladonna had initially thought and Laura couldn’t afford to lose this client, or her boss too, was drawn in by Romans’ charm, she wouldn’t be the first or the last. Hell, it happened to Belladonna more times than she could count.

Laura eyed Roman skeptically, her expression guarded "So let me get this straight, Mr. Sionis. You're offering us the use of your club; one of the most exclusive night spots in Gotham for our shoot, free of charge?"

Roman nodded, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips. "That's correct, Laura. Consider it my contribution to the arts."

Laura shook her head incredulously. "Well, I'm afraid I can't accept your offer without some form of compensation. Your club is a prime location, and we can't just take advantage of it for free." Laura stood clicking her pen several times as she contemplated her next move. "But, you know, Roman," She began, "I think we could generate some fantastic publicity for your club through the shoot. If you’re unwilling to accept monetary compensation, maybe some good publicity in the fashion industry might suffice."

"Oh? How so?" 

A smirk played on his lips as if he didn’t understand what Laura was proposing, he knew damn well. But he was at least smart enough to know that he had to let her feel like she had a say in this whole thing.

"Well, I have it on good authority that the designer behind the collection is a huge fan of your club. Since your club would be the backdrop it seems wholly inappropriate if we don’t see the man of the hour. And I happen to know for a fact that the designer has a fantastic piece that only a man like yourself could do justice to.” Roman's ego swelled at the thought of being part of a fashion shoot. “It would be great exposure for both the club and the collection."

"I like the sound of that," he replied, nodding thoughtfully. "But one condition."

Laura raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what's that?"

"Belladonna does the shoot," Roman declared, his gaze drifting to where Belladonna stood, sorting through fabric samples. "She's got the skill, the eye. She'll be perfect."

Belladonna's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden turn of events. She opened her mouth to object, but before she could speak, Laura cut in.

"I think that's a fantastic idea," Laura said, flashing a quick smile at Belladonna. "It would add a personal touch to the campaign. We all know Belladonna has quite the eye for male beauty,"

Belladonna hesitated for a moment, then nodded, reluctantly agreeing. She knew she didn't have much choice in the matter.

"Great," Roman said, extending his hand. "It's settled then."

"On behalf of the entire team, thank you, Roman. And I look forward to the proofs,” She turned to Belladonna, “Don’t let me down, Belladonna. This goes well and I think you’ll have earned that bonus we talked about.”

“You got it, Laura,” She replied coolly.

“Alright, then let’s go make the client happy, I'll let him know about the change of venue, I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.” Roman offered her a card from his jacket pocket.

Roman extended his hand, sealing the agreement with a firm handshake. "My pleasure, Laura. I hope you’ll find time to stop by, and if your client has any questions, don't hesitate to give them my card. I'm always happy to accommodate."

As the bubble of stress burst open like a fragile balloon, the aquarium fish seemed to have taken a cue swimming away. Daisy wrapped Roman in a hug that could rival the strength of an ant and crowned him a lifesaver, before following the other fish out of the conference room. Belladonna collapsed onto the table, hands rubbing her temples in relief… or maybe just exhaustion at the fact that it was only noon. Roman playfully nudged her with his foot, 

“Look at me on my white horse, saving the day!” He mused so proudly, “Seems it got you a bit of cred with your boss, didn’t it? And what was that, something about a bonus too?”

“And now I have an entire shoot to direct.” She replied with a tired smirk and a nod. “And yeah, she’s been dangling that bonus since the beginning of the year.”

He shrugged, prowling closer, caging her in with his arms as he braced them on the table behind her. The scent of his cologne enveloped her, dark and sensual. 

“I’m sure you’ll manage just fine.” He paused, “You’re welcome by the way.”

She tilted her head at his playful remark, giving his belt a tug, pulling him into a kiss. Her lips brushed his several times, by now they were both used to the stares and quick little instances of phones being pulled out during his lunchtime visits. 

“Thank you.”

“You know angel, I have to say, I think these conference room meetings are starting to grow on me, I’m finding them very stimulating…”

“Keep it in your pants, Sionis, mama’s working.” His eyebrows shot up at that one, and his chest inhaled a deep controlling breath.

“Easy kitten, don’t forget who holds the cards here.”

“Let's see them.” Her mood had considerably improved but Roman found that was usually the case after he kissed her, “Full house beats a flush.”

Roman shook his head, a half-smile playing on his lips as he held out her coffee. Today, it was different - her usual rose-infused mocha, but iced. The cool container melted against her skin as she took it from him, the condensation leaving small droplets on her fingertips. 

"The girl at the shop insisted you try it iced with the warming weather," Roman explained, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"And you actually took her suggestion? Shocking," She replied, taking a whiff of the sweet aroma before taking a tentative sip. 

"Jokes on her, if you don't like it I'm burning that little cafe to the ground..." Despite his playful threat, she could tell Roman was only half serious. But the drink was surprisingly delicious, and she couldn't help but wear a pleasantly surprised expression as she took another sip. 

“Good?” He asked with a smug look, she held the drink out to him but he shook his head, so she took another sip and leaned forward to give him a kiss, slipping her tongue past his lips for a rose-infused mocha-flavored kiss. He seemed a little more interested in tasting the coffee now.

"And so the little coffee shop that could, lives another day... Have you eaten?" His concern might have been slightly pandering but it was still kind of cute.

Roman looked hard at her searching for any signs of deceit, Belladonna seemed very unamused at now having two people inquiring as to her dietary needs. “Been too busy.”

Roman reached into the small brown bag that had gone unnoticed until now, revealing a box of french macarons that were almost too beautiful to devour. After careful consideration, he chose a bright pink one adorned with delicate swirls and a sprinkle of glitter. The aroma of rich chocolate mousse wafted through the air as he playfully commanded:

"Open up." 

Belladonna licked her lips in anticipation before parting them to accept the treat. She nipped at his fingers, savoring the velvety texture of the macaron and the warmth of his skin against her lips. As she chewed, Roman chuckled and shook his head.

 "What am I going to do with you, kitten? Tie you down and force you to eat?" Belladonna shrugged nonchalantly, enjoying the banter between them as well as how Romans eyes did that thing again; where they flared up and there was a little surge of something dark trying to get out.

“Don’t tempt me with a good time.”

At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to drag him into the nearest closet.

Professionalism be damned.

“Kitten, don’t test daddy’s patience…” He warned her with a growl, his voice low and dangerous.

Belladonna wasn’t quite sure what came over her but she couldn’t stop the words that slipped past her lips. 

“I’m sorry, daddy.”

He jerked her forward into a hard kiss, and she was pretty sure she could feel that last little strand of his self-control pulled taut ready to snap as his tongue delved into her mouth and his hands slipped over her ass, lifting her onto the table. Standing between her legs, he pressed himself against her, feeling the heat of their bodies meld together. A guttural groan escaped his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers tickling the nape of his neck.

Oh, this naughty little kitten of his…

“You like to tease me, don’t you, Kitten?” His voice was gravelly and strained in between kisses, panting heavily before finally breaking away just long enough to speak a few words.

“I’m about five seconds from dragging you into an empty office and bending that sweet ass over a desk, Belladonna, and I don’t care who hears." He kissed her again, harder this time, “You wanna play like that? Call me daddy?” He grinned a wolfish lear against her lips, “I’ll make you fucking scream it.”

A knock at the glass window pulled them both from the edge of the abyss they were standing on, looking over to the windows, Zsasz stood with his back to them, he had knocked on the glass, and several people in passing were hurrying away. No doubt they must have snapped a few pictures that would be splashed over the tabloids and gossip rags tomorrow, hell, maybe even today, it was still early.

“Kitten,” His deep voice rumbled through the air, causing her heart to skip a beat. He paused and straightened his perfectly-tailored jacket, his piercing blue eyes scanning the room before landing on her. 

“One of these days I’m not gonna care how many people are around, and if you get fired, I’ll just get you another job somewhere else.”

“My office is down the hall.” She tried to maintain a professional demeanor but felt her cheeks flush under his intense gaze.

“Temping as that is, Angel,” He used her nickname with a hint of amusement in his voice, “I did come for more than just your afternoon coffee and to check to make sure you’ve eaten.”

“Has something happened with the cops?” Her curiosity was piqued by his serious tone.

“No,” His expression turned grave, “Does the name Maria Lopez mean anything to you?”

She furrowed her brow, trying to recall any information about the name. After a minute of concentration, she shook her head. 

“No,” she answered honestly.

“No one? Not a teacher, a maid, a friend, nobody?”

“No, I didn’t get along with most of my teachers. Our maids were mostly Italian or Greek, and after what happened with Olivia, I didn’t have many friends. Plus, my father wouldn’t allow anyone with even a hint of Hispanic heritage near me,” 

Roman looked confused by this revelation. 

“His best friend was Spanish,” she continued, “They had some kind of falling out between their families a long time ago. My father saw anyone with Hispanic blood as someone not to be trusted.” Roman nodded in understanding; he knew the type of person her father was. “Why do you ask?”

Roman hesitated before offering up what he knew, “If I tell you this, you do nothing. Do you understand me?” 

His voice took on that hard quality again, the one that readied her fight or flight instinct, he was serious. She nodded slowly, but he looked expectantly.

"Okay, I promise. What's going on? Who is Maria Lopez?" She asked.

He lowered his voice, “I think that’s the alias your mother has been using.”

Her jaw dropped. “You found her?”

He shook his head. "Not yet. I'm still verifying some things, but I needed to know if that name meant anything to you."

"If it's an alias my father chose for her, I never would've known to look for it." Understanding dawned on Roman's face as he nodded. "Where is she?" She demanded, feeling a surge of hope mixed with fear.

"I can't say for sure," He admitted.

“I don’t believe you.” His eyes sharpened. "You wouldn't ask me something like this if you didn't have reason to believe she was out there."

He was amused by her straight talk and she was right, fact was he had a lot more than he let on. 

“Maybe I do have something. But,” She visibly deflated, “Nothing happens until I can verify what I’m looking at.” He seized her chin, “You do nothing. You don’t even so much as Google that name, do you hear me, Belladonna Black?”

She hadn’t been called by her full name in years and the way Roman said it… Well, it had her wondering if she could change his mind about the whole office rendezvous.

“You’re really gonna find her?” He was trying to be serious and maybe a bit intimidating but she didn’t see it, she saw him assembling pieces to a puzzle she hadn’t even been able to find pieces to in four years. 

“I said I would. Anyone jumping the gun could result in more blood spilled. Do you remember what we talked about the other night after Stan left?” She nodded and gave a feint, ‘Yeah’ It was easy in the span of an evening with Thai takeout and sleeping in the safety of his cozy bed to forget just how real the game they were playing was. 

“Do you understand me?”

“Yes.” She took hold of his hand that gripped her chin and kissed it. 

“Alright. You’re going to finish out your day and I’m picking you up at eight, not a moment later. Any other work you have to do will have to be done remotely, understand me?” 

“You kidding, I’m a hero by association today, it won’t be hard to leave by eight.”

“Be ready.” She nodded, “Now, I need to be going, Angel. I have some errands to run and before you ask; don’t.”

Roman pulled her in for one more kiss, his hands settling on her hips, maybe a little lower than might have been appropriate for a goodbye kiss but she didn’t seem to mind. It was slow and leisurely, a gentle exploration of her mouth and she could feel the warmth of his wet tongue teasing the seam of her lips. With a satisfied 'Mmm' and a heavy restrained sigh, Roman pulled back, leaving her wanting more. But before she could protest, in Roman fashion he kissed the palm of her hand, his lips lingering for a moment before he left the box of macarons on the conference table, a gesture of sweetness in contrast to his confident and seductive demeanor.

“Eat up kitten, but not too much. We’re going out tonight.”

The hands of the clock on the wall had inched closer to six pm, casting long shadows across the nearly deserted office. Belladonna, now left to her own devices after sending Daisy home with Lloyd, focused intently on her task at hand: finalizing preparations for tomorrow's shoot. The responsibility of running it all loomed over her, a weight she now bore thanks to Roman's influence.

Belladonna adjusted her glasses and diligently worked through the shot list, making necessary adjustments and confirming equipment availability. She double-checked every detail, ensuring that everything would be in working order for the big day. Somehow knowing Roman would be there not only watching but participating made her a bit anxious.

Her gaze momentarily drifted to the corner of her desk where the mostly empty box of macarons caught her eye. A small smile played on her lips as she recalled Roman's 'doting boyfriend' act earlier that day. She reached for the box, taking out the last one; a chocolate and pistachio macaron, and lifted it to her nose, inhaling its sweet aroma.

She’d never say it outloud but the Roman made one hell of a fake boyfriend when he tried, almost fooled her, before taking a satisfying bite.

As she chewed, her mind wandered back to Roman—his enigmatic presence and the powerful connections he held. She was putting a lot of trust in him, the feminist in her didn’t like how dependant on him she was and she felt a pang of unease. But at this point Roman had had multipl opportunities to either cut her loose or let her die and each time he did neither. 

The clock continued to tick away, marking the passage of time as she worked tirelessly to ensure tomorrow's shoot would go off without a hitch. And all the while, Roman Sionis' presence continued to linger in the back of her mind.

She redirected her attention to the list of garments for tomorrow's shoot, pulling out the photo of the piece Roman would be modeling, an intricately detailed, dark and alluring outfit that seemed to perfectly match his enigmatic persona.

"Damn, he is going to look incredible in this," Belladonna whispered under her breath, feeling a sudden surge of excitement at the prospect of capturing him on camera. 

The past week had been a whirlwind, and despite the chaos and danger, but oddly enough she felt perfectly safe. And the notion of Roman being close by while she worked, working in his club was oddly comforting.

She still knew practically nothing about him, and their entire relationship seemed to be built on a foundation of dependency and manipulation. 

Slumping into her chair she stared at the open search engine on her laptop thinking back to the last time she Googled him and how she didn't find much. At the time it had been disheartening but now she had more information on him, especially after her conversation with Cobblepot. She has a better idea of what to look for. She decided to try again, beginning her search at Gotham Preparatory School for Boys. 

As she browsed through the website, with some quick math she found the graduating classes section and quickly calculated which year Roman would have graduated. Once she located his year, her eyes were immediately drawn to his graduation picture – stone-faced, serious, and undeniably gorgeous. 

She studied the class photo, she noticed the space that people seemed to give Roman, as though he was a shark among a school of fish. It only confirmed Cobblepot's description of him – magnetic yet unnerving. People were afraid of him even at only eighteen. 

"Roman Sionis, man of mystery…”

Roman wasn’t Valedictorian and hadn't received any special awards or honors. However, his grades must have been decent enough for him to participate in extracurricular activities, and he was a busy boy. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise as she read the list – debate team, high-ranking chess competitor, social clubs, polo, squash, fencing, boxing, equestrianism, and swimming. 

None of those sounded like Roman but given the prestigious nature of the school, she suspected his parents likely had something to do with Roman’s busy schedule; something she could relate to. The thing that surprised her the most was the chess thing, she didn’t see Roman as having the patience for that sort of thing but by all accounts, he was very good.

"Of course, they'd want their son involved in everything," she mused, thinking of how similar Roman's upbringing seemed to her own.

Though she knew she should focus on the upcoming photo shoot, the enigma of Roman Sionis proved too enticing to resist. 

She clicked further into the archives next, finding a treasure trove of photos featuring Roman in his school uniform. The crisp white shirt and sharp black blazer and his immaculately styled hair seemed to be precursors to his current love for suits. Even as a teenager, he exuded an air of confidence and danger that was undeniably attractive. His stern expression, reminiscent of a young James Dean or Clint Eastwood, gave him a "resting bastard face" that somehow only served to heighten his appeal.

"Damn," she whispered to herself, unable to look away from the smoldering intensity in his eyes. Many of his photos possessed the quality to them that his eyes seemed to follow you wherever you went.

There was an alumni section dedicated to post-high school achievements like colleges, civic honors, and prominent family legacies where Roman was mentioned as a successful club owner, nothing more. There was no mention of any continuing connection with the school, but it did lead her to a page dedicated to significant contributors – including Roman's father, Richard Sionis.

Richard's gray hair betrayed his age, though there was still a strong resemblance between him and his son. Unlike Roman, Richard wore a smile in his pictures – but it appeared rehearsed and artificial, reminding Belladonna of the way her own father would grin for the cameras. It was clear that Roman had inherited his father's good looks, but there was something more genuine in his features, less tired and fake than the elder Sionis.

Belladonna continued to read about Richard's long-standing support of the school, noting his service on the board of trustees and involvement in numerous fundraisers. It seemed that the Sionis family had a history of influence and power, making her wonder what role Roman's upbringing played in shaping the man he had become.

Who was Roman Sionis before he became Roman Sionis?

She stared at the screen, not ready to pack it in just yet.

She didn’t know if he went to college or where to look and she really had no idea what happened to him after he graduated, only that at some point his family had severed all ties with him and Roman had begun a criminal life. He had mentioned he’d done time in Blackgate, but she wasn’t sure of the reason. The criminal stuff didn’t bother her at this point, she mostly wanted to know about his family drama. Because personal family drama was irritating, someone else’s family drama was entertainment.

"Alright then," She muttered under her breath, typing in the keywords ‘Roman Sionis’ and ‘Blackgate’ then hitting enter.

Over a dozen arrest records appeared on the screen, and Belladonna felt her heart tighten in her chest. Most of the records showed Roman posting bail up until he was twenty-one, but then the pattern changed. The bail postings stopped, and he started doing more time in jail. She suspected this may have been when his parents severed ties with him, but she couldn't find anything concrete to prove it. 

Not surprising, a family like his was likely to have as many skeletons in their closets as hers did and like hers; they stayed locked up tight away from prying eyes.

She clicked on the last arrest record, dating back to when Roman was twenty-three. Her stomach churned as the mugshot revealed several injuries to his face – a black and slightly swelling eye, bloodied cheeks, and a split lip. He looked like he had been beaten very badly, yet his smug expression remained intact, as if daring the world to knock him down further.

"God, Roman..." 

Despite his injuries, there was something about his defiant gaze that made her feel a flicker of admiration. It was clear that Roman refused to be broken, even when the odds were against him. She could practically hear him boasting ‘You should see the other guy.’

Aggravated assault, property damage, trespassing, criminal menacing, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of illegal weapons, resisting arrest, and battery – it was an extensive rap sheet that painted a portrait of a man prone to violence and chaos. 

"Roman, you really don't make things easy, do you?" Belladonna muttered under her breath, feeling a strange mix of concern and fascination. 

As she researched further into the dates of his arrests, Belladonna stumbled upon the court case where Roman was tried for these numerous charges. Limited to a mid-tier lawyer, she expected him to suffer the consequences of his actions, yet one by one, he managed to beat most of the charges. It seemed as though evidence had conveniently disappeared or witnesses had mysteriously chosen not to step forward.

"Interesting," She mused, intrigued by the power Roman appeared to wield even in his darkest moments. "How did you manage all of this?"

Her search eventually led her to the final charge that stuck: tax evasion. The out-of-place accusation left her puzzled, as it seemed far removed from the violent nature of the other crimes.

"Tax evasion? That's what they got you on, Roman?" Belladonna shook her head, disbelief etched across her face. Frustration gnawed at her as she tried to find more information on the bizarre charge but came up empty-handed. “Well, the permits make a little more sense now…”

The courtroom photos were grainy, like a lower quality paparazzi shot. His expression was one of pure disgust and irritation as he stood before the judge, his dark eyes blazing with barely restrained fury. The gavel came down, sealing his fate: three years in Blackgate Penitentiary.

She couldn't find anything on Roman's prison stint without hiring a private investigator or formally requesting court documents and that required the Freedom of Information Act which was time consuming and could be expensive and it wasn’t exactly subtle. And for some reason, she didn't want Roman to know she was digging into his past.

Her eyes narrowed as she typed in a new search query – this time focusing on Roman's initial arrest that had landed him in Blackgate Penitentiary. As she skimmed the articles, she discovered it was tied to an assault case against a local criminal named Tony Zucco.

"Tony Zucco?" 

A feeling of déjà vu washed over her. She knew the name sounded familiar but couldn't quite place it. Frustrated, she opened a new tab and quickly Googled the man.

As the search results loaded, Belladonna found herself staring at a squeaky clean image of Tony Zucco – a self-made man from Old Gotham with a very old school mafia gangster look to him. He looked like the type of man her father surrounded himself with. 

The more she searched, the less information she seemed to find about the altercation between Roman and Tony. It was as if their conflict had been purposefully scrubbed from the internet. However, one detail remained consistent throughout the scarce information available – Roman had lost the fight, but not without causing some serious damage.

"Damn," Belladonna breathed out.

What did Tony Zucco do to earn Roman’s wrath? What could have possibly ignited such a violent confrontation between the two? Her instincts told her it wasn’t exactly a fight over a seat at the bar.

The case was open and shut. As far as she could tell, he’d done his three years and he was released on the date, not a day more or less. There were a few pictures from paparazzi’s of Roman after his release and he looked harder, features darker and sharper, grittier. But she couldn’t imagine that three years of prison was easy on a man like Roman who had known luxury his whole life.

Gotham was almost pretty at sunset, if you didn’t think about all the scum that came out at night, the fading sunlight doused the area in hues of orange and gold. Roman lounged against the hood of his sleek black Maserati, scrolling through his tablet. A smirk played on his lips as if he were watching a thrilling episode of his favorite show, waiting to see what would unfold next. 

Zsasz, Roman's loyal assistant, stood beside him, taking a drag from a cigarette and exhaling a cloud of smoke into the air. For once not wearing his jacket in a departure of his professional look, he wore a shoulder holster but it didn’t hold a gun. No, where a small firearm usually sat tucked against a mans side instead was the scabbard of a very large knife. Scars on his arms on full display since no one was around to be scared by them, besides when it came to nightfall in Gotham, the scarier you looked, the less likely people were to fuck with you and there weren’t many men who looked scarier than Zsasz. 

"Tell me she's asking better questions this time," Zsasz asked in a monotone voice with a hint of reservation. 

“She started with my old prep school this time." Roman said, his eyes never leaving the tablet. "Nobody ever thinks keyloggers are useful until they are," 

“I prefer a more hands on approach.”

Roman chuckled, nodding in agreement. "You think she’ll find my list of extracurriculars impressive?"

“Hell no. Squash is dumb, and polo is for spoiled rich pussies," Zsasz countered, blowing out another puff of smoke. Zsasz scoffed. 

A bark of laughter escaped Roman. "You do remember I played Polo, right?." Zsasz shot him a sideways glance, the hint of a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “

Zsasz's lips quirked. "Wasn't calling you a pussy." 

"Damn right I’m not." 

Roman's attention returned to the tablet, watching in real time as Belladonna uncovered more and more of his sordid past. Part of him relished the thought of her reaction. The rest rankled at her audacity to dig into his business but he had done just that too her so he couldn’t blame her much. Still, pretty stupid to think she could dig into him and he not know. He knew about her previous day of Googling after his little adventure at the docks with Cobblepots men and he’s watched as she searched up his old school.

He had to give it to her, she’d gone right back to work after he’d left and he was pleased to see that she didn’t Google the name Maria Lopez, just as she’s promised not to. Nope. But she did take a second shot at Googling him. Her first attempt at digging into Romans past hadn’t yielded much, turns out when you write in the name ‘Roman Sionis’ into Google it’s mostly just papparazzi pictures and a few articles on his club. Roman had paid good money to make sure those articles on his arrest and his younger years were at least seven pages back in the search results. You couldn’t erase a criminal past but you could make it harder to find. 

He admired Belladonna's tenacity. She was resourceful, stubborn, and unafraid to dig into his past. Those traits only served to make her more attractive to him.

"Let's see what else she has up her sleeve," Roman murmured, his finger swiping across the tablet screen. 

A wicked grin spreading across his face as he noticed Belladonna had uncovered his criminal record. 

"Ah, there it is. She's finally found my rap sheet," He said, his voice low and amused.

"Should've been her first step," Zsasz commented, looking over Roman's shoulder at the screen. 

"Oh come on now, give the kid a break. She's new at this."

"True," Zsasz chuckled, leaning back against the car hood. "I’ll give her this, she’s has handled everything so far like an old-school mafia woman. Haven’t seen tears from her once."

“Thank God for that, I can’t stand seeing women cry.” Roman agreed, his admiration for Belladonna growing with each passing moment "Indeed, she's been a champ,"

Flicking through the rest of the information she'd gathered, he spotted something that caught his attention. 

"Look here, she's found Tony Zucco's name."

"Tony Zucco?" Zsasz mused, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "She won't find much. He's been out of the game since you shut him down.”

"Ah, yes. Good ol' Tony," Roman sighed nostalgically, a distant look in his eyes as if recalling a fond memory. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Not the least of which was the scar on his shoulder,courtsey of Zsasz's loyalty. Roman met his gaze. 

"Good shot, by the way. The ladies seem to like the scars." 

Zsasz's lips quirked again. "Following orders.” Zsasz reminded him with a sly grin as he flicked the ashes off his cigarette. “What else has she dug up?" 

Roman scrolled through the contents of the laptop. "She found the shooting at the club." His mouth twisted. "Hard to believe that lazy bastard was in business for so long, Tony never seemed to understand the value of paying your people what they’re worth..."

Zsasz chimed in. "You had a better employee retention program." 

"I did at that." Roman said smugly. They both chuckled, enjoying the memory that many would probably find deeply suspicious or deeply unsettling.

"Yeah, poor Tony never saw it coming. Shame you didn't kill him," Zsasz said casually. "Could've gotten the club for cheap if there had been a death on the property." 

"True," Roman mused, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction at the thought. “A little restraint goes a long way Zsasz…”

His laugh died and Roman's eyes narrowed to slits as he zoomed in on an article that Belladonna was currently browsing. It was a piece the Gotham Times had published shortly after the shooting—one he'd somehow overlooked until now. The street lights flickered above, casting eerie shadows across his face as he scrutinized the text.

"Zsasz," Roman said, his voice low and dangerous. "Take a look at this and tell me what you see."

Zsasz took the tablet from Roman, his pale eyes scanning the screen with a growing sense of unease. He glanced back at Roman, his voice tense with anticipation. "Two very irritating names.”

"This makes it two times now," Roman muttered, a note of irritation lacing his voice.

"Two?"

"First, we miss Belladonna's hypoglycemia diagnosis," Roman said, tossing the tablet aside where it landed with a soft thud on the leather couch. “Now this.”

"Ah," Zsasz nodded slowly, his lips twitching into an almost-smile. "A determined woman does better research than the FBI. Maybe you should take Belladonna out for a nice dinner, thank her properly for her detective skills."

Roman's expression softened at the mention of dinner. The thought of her resourcefulness brought a rare sense of warmth to his chest. 

"Dinner?" he echoed, considering the idea. His hand instinctively reached up to adjust the cuff of his immaculately tailored suit.

Roman considered it. 

"Taking a half-Italian woman to an Italian restaurant... is that too cliché?" Roman inquired, the corner of his mouth quirked upwards in a semblance of amusement.

"Boss," Zsasz replied with a deadpan delivery, "clichés are clichés for a reason. But if you want something different, I know a place. Turkish."

"That little hole in the wall joint in the Bowery?" Roman's tone shifted with intrigue.

Zsasz gave a single nod. "That's the one."

"Karnıyarık," Roman mused aloud, a hint of hunger creeping into his voice as he remembered the savor of well-spiced eggplant and minced meat. "That does sound good."

"And don't get me started on the büyükanne's baklava." Zsasz's eyes gleamed with a rare spark of enthusiasm. "Better than any of those fancy restaurants, hands down."

Dinner was a good next step but there was a new loose end to tie up. Roman's amusement faded as he glared at the article again, picking out the names that had drawn his ire—Ramirez and Craven. The detectives first on scene after he'd been shot. 

Roman sneered at the article, muttering under his breath, "So that's why you've got it out for me..." 

His mind raced with thoughts of revenge and calculated moves, feeling the weight of their names pressing down on him. 

"This changes things," Roman said, the gears turning in his head. He looked at Zsasz with a new sense of urgency. 

"What do you want to do about it?" Zsasz asked calmly. 

"Call up the lawyers and our inside man. I want everything on Ramirez and Craven by Monday." 

"Got it, boss," Zsasz replied, nodding in agreement. His fingers were already reaching for his phone, ready to make contact and set things into motion. “You wanna wait on Metropolis? Left that doctor in pretty rough shape, he might talk, might not.”

“No, I think we’ve properly motivated the good doctor to keep his mouth shut. But let’s not take any chances, keep our travel plans as scheduled. And look into that other thing, I want that sorted by the time we leave, make sure she has everything she needs.”

"Now what?" he asked, curious about Roman's next move.

Roman's mind buzzed with plans and contingencies, the dark machinery of his intellect churning relentlessly. Craven and Ramirez had been the proverbial annoying thorn in his side since this whole damn thing started. He’d have figured out exactly what their beef with him was sooner or later but thanks to his little detective, it was sooner and he’d have to make sure he thanked her properly, wouldn’t he?

But he’d also have to tell her he’d been spying on her at work as well as her home, which really shouldn’t surprise her at this point. Well, she’d get over it.

The neon glow of the city reflected in Roman's dark eyes as he glanced at his watch, the ticking seconds a reminder that time was always moving. 

"Time to go pick up my angel from work." 

He pocketed the tablet and slid off the hood of the Maserati with predatory grace. Zsasz looked up from his phone call, nodding in understanding. Neither spoke of the growing reality, which was that Belladonna was quickly becoming a more central influence in Romans life, which made her dangerous.

Her beauty and courage had captivated him from their first meeting, and he found himself craving her presence more and more each day. 

"Boss, everything's set," Zsasz said, interrupting Roman's thoughts as he hung up the phone. "Our guys will get us what we need."

"Good," Roman replied, his voice low and intense. "We'll find out exactly what those bastards are playing at, and put an end to it. But for now… let's focus on something far more pleasant." He smirked, enjoying the idea of spending time with Belladonna, even if only for a brief reprieve from the darkness that consumed his world. “I’m hungry.”

When faced with virtually no information about Tony Zucco aside from his sterling reputation within the community and the many mentionings of his hand in local businesses, Bealladonna’s bullshit detector started going off. Jaded or not, a wise man once said if something seemed too good to be true then it was.

When one word didn’t work, she opted to cross reference the name of Tony Zucco with Roman Sionis and then she found it.

The words "shooting" and "Masquerade Noir" had caught her attention, and as she read, she began to piece together a story that had unfolded just months after Roman's release from prison.

The article detailed an incendent that had unfolded at the location that would later become Roman’s club, he had been looking at the building with a leasing agent when Tony Zucco and his men showed up.

The statement of the leasing agent told of how Roman instructed her to flee and call the police and when she ran Tony’s men persued her. She imagined Roman's tall, dark frame acting as a barrier between the fleeing woman and Zucco's thugs. Roman then inteviened and tackled one fo the men by throwing punches but was qickly overwhelmed when he second man attacked Roman from behind. The witness report stated she saw Roman taking a severe beating on his knees before she went for help.

Roman out-numbered two to one, those seemed like his kind of odds. The image of his strong, muscular body entangled in a vicious fight made her shiver with both fear and admiration. It was compelling but something about it just wasn’t right. Where was Zsasz? She hadn’t bothered to look up anything about Zsasz, that one she had been a little afraid to look into.

The article continued stating by the time the police had arraived the two men were dead from gunshot wounds, Tony Zucco was shot in the chest but still alive and Roman was shot in the shoulder. She could almost hear the gunshots echoing through the empty building as Roman and Zucco traded fire.

Her breath caught in her throat as she envisioned Roman wounded and bleeding. She thought back to earlier that morning when she’d caught sight of him with that towel draped around his waist. She’d seen a few scars, one in particular on his shoulder, it had looked like a bullet but she couldn't tell from where she was.

As she absorbed the information, she could almost see the scene play out in her mind: Roman, bloodied but unbowed, bringing down the older man before collapsing into unconsciousness. It wasn't long after this brutal exchange that the police arrived, taking both men to Gotham General Hospital for treatment.

"Both men were treated and held in medical hold with armed police officers until they cold be taken to the GCPD." She read further. 

While there was push from Zucco’s attourney to have Roman thrown back into Blackgate for the shooting and there was a potential civil lawsuit against him, the judge had ruled that Roman was out numbered, out gunned and he acted in reasonable self defense. 

"Tony Zucco was sentenced to ten years for conspiracy to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal conspiracy, and criminal solicitation. " 

It had been, as far as she could tell, a slam dunk case mostly thanks to the severity of Romans injuries and the leasing agent who had witnessed the whole ordeal. She had stepped forward offering testimony, ultimately clearing Roman Sionis of any wrongdoing.

She moved from one article to another that talked about Tony Zucco’s release several years ago and he hadn’t been mentioned that much since, choosing to keep a quiet profile until almost all mention of him stopped. And a price reduction of several hundred thousand dollars had left the building vacant, which Roman swooped in to purchase it months later.

"Masquerade Noir opens its doors... quickly becoming Gotham's hottest night spot," She read aloud, her voice tinged with disbelief. The club had been born from violence, yet now thrived with people fighting to get in.

"Roman Sionis: Behind the Mystery" – another article title caught her eye, and she clicked on it eagerly. Scrolling through the text, she absorbed every detail there were interviews with staff, patrons, all speaking very highly of Roman as an employer who ran an immaculate ship. Didn’t tolerate any shady activity and overall, all who set foot inside his doors reported they loved the experience and felt safe and eager to return even if a martini cost almost twenty five dollars.

"From violence to prospering into an icon of the city; one thing is certain – he has built an empire from nothing, and many are drawn to the allure of his power and charm."

The sudden buzz of the intercom jolted Belladonna from her thoughts, her heart pounding in her chest. 

"Miss Black, Mr. Sionis is in the lobby to pick you up," The security guards voice came through the speaker.

"Thank you, tell him I’ll be right down." She managed to reply, quickly shutting down her laptop and packing her bag. 

As she stepped out of her office and made her way to the lobby, she considered what she might say to him, or even if she’d say anything at all. He’d never forbade her from looking into his past, never warned her not to go digging and what kind of idiot would she be if she didn’t at least do some light Googling into a man that she was growing more intimately connected with? Hell, she was all but sleeping with him at this point, she was living with him. 

Her steps slowed as she entered the elevator and waited for it to carry her to the first floor. He did, however, tell her to ask fewer questions or learn to look the other way. 

"Angel," 

Roman's deep voice called as he saw her, his eyes alight with a mix of desire and possessiveness and he wore a smile that could charm the devil himself. He crossed the distance between them in a few swift strides, pulling her into an unusually passionate kiss that caught her off guard. There was no one here aside from the security guard who wasn’t even watching, why the show? Something put him in a good mood. 

"Hi.” She said a little breathlessly.

He ushered her toward his black Maserati parked outside, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back. "Hungry?"

"Actually, yeah." She replied, her previous queries now pushed to the back burner after that kiss and the prospect of dinner. She wondered what he had in mind but before she could ask he answered that with a question of his own.

"Ever had Turkish?" Roman asked, his dark eyes glinting with amusement.

She wasn’t sure what it was but something had put him in a very good mood, it was hard to find any hint of those little tendrils of darkness that usually clung to him. It was then that she registered his question and her lips curled in distaste, the memory of her father's rants about 'those damned Turks' still fresh even after all these years. 

"No, of course not." She said it with an almost laugh, as if it was the dumbest question she’d been asked.

Roman's gaze sharpened, and she could almost hear the unspoken reprimand. “Excuse me?’ Who's never had Turkish in this cultural melting pot of a city? It’s almost offensive.”

“Sorry?” She shrugged. "Did you forget I'm half Greek and my father is something of a xenophobe?" She replied, unable to keep the slightly defensive note from her voice.

"What's that got to do with food?" He asked perplexed as the car pulled away from the curb.

Belladonna bit her lip. Did Roman really need her to explain her father's deep seeded, outdated, cultural hatred? She thought it was pretty self explanatory. On the other hand it was just as plausible for Roman to harbor no real hate for anyone unless they crossed him in which case that was most certainly a ‘case by case’ basis. He also seemed like an ‘I hate everybody equally’ type of man. He was a total social butterfly, floating between different groups without a care in the world. Old grudges and racial tensions didn't seem to faze him at all, personal grudges? Well, that was likely different.

"Turkish food," She finally said. "Greece and Turkey have been enemies for centuries,” She managed. "Ever since the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople in 1453, there's been bad blood between the nations. Even now they're still not exactly friends-"

"Despite both being NATO allies..." Roman interjected, one dark brow arched knowingly. 

His mention of something so political surprised her, Roman was smart but she didn’t really think of him as ‘politics smart.’ She had never thought of him as someone who paid attention to politics, let alone casually mention it. But in a way, it did make a certain kind of sense, the politics of crime.

"Just because someone is an ally, doesn't make them friends." 

She froze, hearing the echo of their own intricate affiliation in those words. The playful atmosphere evaporated, replaced by an awkward tension. 

Without warning, Roman's hand reached out to cup her chin and he silenced any concerns she had with a deep, passionate kiss. His lips moved slowly over hers, lulling her into a relaxed state, slow, smoldering, possessive and hungry. When he pulled away, she was left breathless, her mind pleasantly unfocused. 

"Trust me, you're gonna love it," He purred, low and seductive, his thumb stroking over her lower lip. 

He didn't acknowledge her earlier words or the uneasy parallel she had drawn between them. If her comment bothered him, he didn't let it show. 

“Was your father that much of a bigot to keep you from trying some of the most delicious food known to man?” Roman's disbelief was evident in his tone, and it surprised her. She had never thought of him as a foodie but he seemed all riled up over it.

“Roman, what do you think?” She asked dryly.

"Come on," he said. "Time you tried some Turkish delight."

“That jello thing that little prick Edmund liked from the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe?”

Roman rolled his eyes, and scoffed. “You know classic children's fantasy literature but you’ve never had Turkish?”

“You mean, ‘I know classic Christian biblical propaganda?’ Then yes, I do. I went to an all girls Catholic school, remember?”

A sly smile crossed Roman's face. “Oh, Angel, trust me. That’s a detail I’ve never forgotten.”

Just an hour ago she’d read through as much of Romans criminal history as she could find, she was still no closer to discovering what it was that happened between his family and him. She didn’t for one second buy the fact that he’d done three years for tax evasion or that there was no validity to any of the other charges against him. 

He did it. She was sure. 

And she knew for a fact that the shooting that took place in his club couldn’t have been as simple as the article had made it out to be. 

Roman protecting a curiously present leasing agent when someone he had a sketchy past with had just happen to show up? Not for a second.

She couldn't explain it, but somehow Roman had found a way to get away with murder and attempted murder. And now, he was doing it again with Jimmy. Even more unsettling, she was helping him - at times, even enjoying it. She could hardly believe how comfortable she had become in his presence, especially since learning to read him better. As they drove through the streets of Gotham, for what was sounding more and more like a real date, Roman wore something that hovered between a smile and a smirk. His hand rested possessively on her thigh, thumb gently grazing her leg through the fabric of her jeans. Electric sparks shooting between their bodies like lightning bolts. She couldn't deny the thrill she felt being by his side, despite the danger and moral ambiguity of their actions together.

Roman was a man of many qualities, but at the forefront of it all was his ability to survive. She couldn't imagine how much blood he must have shed to get to where he was. Despite knowing he was dangerous and having witnessed his quick fire temper firsthand, and even being mildly on the receiving end a few times. She was drawn to him. 

Everything about this man should have sent her running and screaming.

But it didn’t. 

First he’d spared her life, then he’d saved her life more than once, called down an armed assault when she’d been in danger and nearly declared war with another criminal over her. Yet, here he was, sitting beside her, taking her to dinner after a long workday, to try something new. She wasn’t bothered by his touch, in fact, she craved it. Despite the red flags every Cosmo had ever told her to look for and run from there was a warmth emanating from those flags, like a bullet-proof, blood red blanket. 

Roman Sionis was a pit bull. An angry dog with a penchant for biting and slicing off ears. Dropping bodies where it pleased him and something about that knowledge set every nerve of hers on fire. 

He was a criminal. A killer with blood on his hands. And a psychopath with violence in his heart. And if there was a God in heaven, let him help her because she was falling for him.

I woke up a little early so here's a happy surprise for you guys! So, we got a little more insight into Roman's past, eh? Anyone else get the impression we're missing some information???? Belladonna does. Hope you guys liked this chapter, I know I'm teasing you guys mercilessly but stick with me I PROMISE YOU the smut is coming in the next chapter or two, it just depends on pacing but it will be worth it! Y'all have stuck with me this far just hang on a little longer. I need to work on a few one-shots but I have the next chapter mostly planned out so it shouldn't take quite as long. I also had some family in town so writing was put on the back burner for a little bit.

I'm really loving how this story is coming together and I really appreciate everyone's support, especially my mysterious anonymous questioner who checks in on me, I don't know who you are but I appreciate you! Comments and interaction comes from such a small group so the feedback and check-ins really do keep me motivated!

How do you guys like the new look fo the story??? I finally got Canva Premium so I think I'll be playing around with some more fun stuff like the bars and dividers. You guys know what to do, reblog with those crazy tags, comment and like! Reblogs are the best way to circulate work on Tumblr so we can reach more Toxic Fangirls! And speaking of which a big welcome to a new potential member of the Roman Sionis Toxic Love Fangirl Club who is actually a pretty damn good writer her/their damnself! Looking at you @gilverrwrites and my other toxic fangirls too! @hereticpriest @daenerys-skywalker @tarrenterror25 @supernatural-lover and @keffirinneYou guys are my cheer squad!

Have a great day, let me know what you all think, and stay toxic.

#roman sionis smut #fake relationship #fanfiction is life #original character #close proximity #slightly toxic #slight power imbalance #medium burn romance #shadows of deception #belladonna black #belladonna fucking black #i have too many fanfictions #roman sionis toxic love fangirl club #black mask smut #black mask #black mask fanfiction #roman sionis #roman sionis x original female character #simping for the bad guy #dc #dc fandom #dc birds of prey #there will be smut #romansionisfanfiction #romansionissmut #dark romance #ewan mcgregor characters #alternate universe #yandere #roman sionis has anger issues

[lowkeydeveloper]

Little Legend (old project)

Howdy Tumblr! Here's an old project I made called...

-= Little Legend =-

Unfortunately It's no longer being worked on, but It was so fun to create back in 2022 (I think). It gave me some of my most memorable experiences within both game creation and interactions with other devs! It was quite a big moment for me too since this was the first game I created my very own music and artwork!

-- About The Game --

The game follows a lost little traveler trying to make their way home after getting lost and trapped within a cave. It's an adventure game focusing on collecting items and objects for others in order to gain reputation points with fun and elaborate twists & mini-games to keep you on your toes. With enough reputation you can progress to the next area!

If you want to see a full showcase on what was in the demo, I uploaded a video a while back going through it!

-= SHOWCASE =-

-- Quests --

This is Alice's Bar, one of the areas within Sewer City that you can find a main story quest!

This is a perfect example of the menu systems within the game, this showcases the dialog system, menu and quests that would have been in the game.

-- Inventory --

Here is a testing area, just a hallway and a room. Inside though is a train ticket? How mysterious!

You can see the item-to-inventory system here, any item you pick up would be put into an array with it's description and title already generated using a dictionary that would store the relevant information!

-= MUSIC =-

All the music is made by me! I created everything myself, it was one of my first times using FL Studios so my skills have definitely improved since then but I still think these are not bad :)

I won't upload all the tracks in the demo since there are quite a few (I did plan on finishing the game and had those creative juices flowing at the time lol.) I will give you some good examples though!

-- Title Theme --

-- Ambiance Tracks --

-- Battle Themes --

-= My Thoughts =-

What do you think? I do miss working on the game, it was definitely more of a passion project of mine so I hope to return someday and re-create it inside a better engine such as Godot or Unity. It could 100% be improved in so many ways, such as the animations and overall level design (two of the things I struggled with the most back then!)

Would you like to see this return someday? I would love to hear any questions about the project or if you are curious about anything, let me know! :D

#old project #old work #little legend #indie games #indie dev #indie developer #game design #game development #indie game dev #video games #video game music #game ost #ost #Youtube

[sam-glade]

Happy STS! Let's talk about secrets. Do your characters or world have them? Are they considered a good thing or bad? Who in your cast is most likely to spill one? ♥️

Oh, Tori, you've activated an info dump - thank you💜

Answering for Days of Dusk:

Does the world have secrets?

Let me start with introducing you to merchants of whispers.

They're information brokers who specialise in a particular area - be it a geographical area, like a city, a county, or a princedom, or a topic, e.g. current events and politics (the Shadow), precious artworks and antiques (the Fox), lower social classes (the Tawny Owl), or curses and forbidden arcane knowledge (the Newt). These are the most famous ones, operating a little bit like the Dread Pirate Roberts in The Princess Bride. If one gets 'dethroned', someone else (usually the one doing the dethroning) will assume their identity. There are of course some minor and law-abiding merchants of whispers, who'll find you information like 'who does a plot of land belong to' or 'which rival merchant is looking to diversify', but they don't make for a good story, so we'll leave them be.

The Shadow is the most famous of them all, with the most robust network. They're to the world of twilight what the Prince of Light is in the sunlit world. Not officially a ruler, but without a doubt the most powerful figure with vast resources to get their way.

The Shadow is also the one wearing the Cloak of Shadow - one of the legendary four cloaks, imbued with the Weaveress's power. It will hide them in plain sight, make them disappear in the blink of an eye, and on the off-chance you know where they are and look directly at them, you still won't be able to see/hear/smell/etc. any recognisable detail about them. So, of course, it's a target painted on their back and the aspirational goal of any ambitious merchant of whispers.

They trade in secrets, which the aristocracy and other influential figures would like to keep to themselves, so there's a bit of an arms race between the two groups. Obviously using private messengers instead of the postal system is a must, but on top of that there are various developments such as tamper-proof wax which will change colour if someone tried to deform it once it set. There are methods of encryption complicated enough that by the time it's broken, the information is no longer relevant.

The insidious part of the merchants' of whispers mode of operation is that they never steal - they'll break in, copy the information, and exit quietly, so quite often you won't even know that you've been compromised.

It's almost a game or a competition between the government and the criminal underworld, believed to be bound by rules of honour - and so it is. It's a precarious balance, but to an extent it prevents the princes from squabbling among themselves at the expense of their subjects.

However.

There are also secrets that have never been written anywhere - so the merchants of whispers can't discover them. These are known only to the people who remember the Sun King when he walked the Earth. That includes the princes. They're the only group who knows that beliefs tangibly shape reality, and yes, of course they use it to maintain power.

Military secrets

Many of my characters are part of the Intelligence and Internal Security Corps of the Army, so they also deal with a lot of classified information and need to keep their mouth shut. Erya is the Captain General of IntSec, Varré her second in command, Gullin and Catnip are both brigadiers - so that's the top 4 in the chain of command.

Catnip in particular is responsible for gathering information. Her powers allow her to control small animals, who spy for her, which makes her an invaluable asset. And while she is the gossip queen, she knows very well what she should and shouldn't talk about, being the oldest and most tenured officer in the entire corps.

The most guarded secret there is that the Army can stop ruptures from appearing completely. No more threat to the population. No more people eaten by the Dark Ones. Buuuut if they did it, the whole institution wouldn't have a reason to exist, so...🤐

(Fun fact: being the nerd that I am, I've figured out access controls to the military archives, based on Bell-La Padula Model, and somehow managed to make it relevant to the plot...)

Are secrets considered a good thing or bad?

Neither. They're more like tokens or commodities, which can be traded and exchanged.

Do my characters have secrets?

Every. Single. One.

The two with the most world-shattering secrets are probably Erya and Ianim.

Who in your cast is most likely to spill one?

Lissan. Everyone other than him is very well-trained and used to dealing with either state or military secrets. So of course he's the one to run head-first into them on regular basis😅

If you made it this far:

Books 2 and 3 of DoD (The Prince's Shadow, Prodigal Children), answer what happens when the Shadow and the Prince of Light fall for each other. What will they choose, having the balance of the entire realm at stake?

Days of Dusk taglist (please message me to +/-): @acertainmoshke @another-white-void @cee-grice @cljordan-imperium @elshells @poetinprose

#sunblessed realm #sts #ask and i shall answer #info dump #merchants of whispers #the prince's shadow #thinking of doing it for NaNoWriMo this year

[archon-of-cyberspace]

Star Rail: Franz Kafka and Gnosticism? Absolutely! First lore thoughts.

Playing Star Rail and reading Pistis Sophia so y'all don't have to. Additional intel in links.

First things first.

That Kafka lady is named after Franz Kafka…

…and her supposed hobby and doings at the beginning of the game reference two of his writings — The City Coat of Arms and The Metamorphosis.

The City Coat of Arms is the story about the creation of the Tower of Babel.

Know where do we see the tower? The Destruction path, followed by our protagonist. The condensed power called Collapsing Sky is the free boost they receive, with its artwork looking like this:

Just so happens, The Tower is also a tarot card, and let me quote Cyberpunk 2077 Tarot Card Journal here:

The Tower is an omen of radical change, chaos and destruction. The lightning striking The Tower signifies a return to the old order that lies buried under the ruins, and a new order that will rise from it. It is a symbol of tragedy, apocalypse, and self-destruction.

The Metamorphosis reference is, however, very loose.

It's anime-inspired game, after all. What you need to know, though, is that Franz Kafka declared himself an atheist…

…while Kafka lady did some pretty Gnostic stuff.

I say hi to all my fellow Genshin Impact players here. Listen up, it's important. In Pistis Sophia — Gnostic text considered classic — the Aeon (!) after whom the book got its title, goes through some kind of confusing and scary metamorphosis. She's eventually escorted back home by two archangels, her light (brightness, wisdom) being poured back to her body. In Star Rail, lady Kafka is accompanied by someone else and puts light (?) into Trailblazer's body. Again. Because our protagonist recognizes her.

Now back to Pistis Sophia. Sophia meets her true savior (spoiler: it's Jesus), who tells her she'll go three more times through the cycle of losing power and getting it back the same way it just had happened. What does that mean for us, players? It is an indicator the cycle we're going through now, definitely isn't the first. Either the second or the third, depending how creators develop Star Rail's plot and ending.

Star Rail mixes Pistis Sophia and the Hymn of the Pearl together.

I hope everyone remembers the Battle Pass cutscene in Genshin Impact, because that's what the Hymn of the Pearl is. And it nicely explains the amnesia stuff. Gnostics value forbidden knowledge beyond anything else; basically you're a sinner for not knowing shit, but at the same time you're temporarily safe from this burden and open to experience new things. Whether you like it or not.

While we're still in topic, take a look at Trailblazer's attire — hooded coat in earthly colors with golden/yellow accents. These colors are highly valued in: Christianity, Gnosticism and Chinese culture. While brown and grey are associated with being grounded, passing and other depressing (or not) things, yellow used to be a color reserved for imperial family.

Automatons attacking us on the space station may reference archons.

Not archons we know from Genshin Impact, but creatures described in Pistis Sophia. Wicked, annoying, and doing everything in their power to slow us down. In the book they're not destroyed completely, and so we'll see more of them in game.

#Honkai: Star Rail #lore thoughts #lore theories #Gnosticism

[yegarts]

Indigenous Framework Art Collection unveiled at City Hall 

Indigenous Framework Logo by Tashina Makokis.

The City of Edmonton’s Indigenous Framework was built on years of dialogue with Indigenous communities, while seeking to answer the question, "How can the City of Edmonton best support and build strong relationships with Indigenous Peoples in Edmonton,”  These conversations included formal and informal relationships with Elders, community Knowledge Keepers, and Indigenous youth, as well as information gathering from research and discussions with municipal and community leaders, service providers, and academic professionals.  

In 2019, Indigenous artists Melissa-Jo (MJ) Belcourt Moses, Brad Crowfoot, Dawn Marie Marchand and Lana Whiskeyjack were invited by the City of Edmonton to capture the spirit of the Indigenous Framework community conversations and tell a story through creation of a visual art piece. The collection of completed artworks embody how City leaders and staff should strive to honour the spirit of kinship, the Indigenous Framework roles and commitments, and how to be a good relative to each other and to the land. The public display of the Indigenous Framework art collection in City Hall is a direct response to the Indigenous Framework, Truth and Reconciliation Commission and MMIWG2S+ commitments and actions to ensure the resurgence of Indigenous cultures and histories in city spaces. 

As the artworks are unveiled at City Hall, we asked the participating artists and Jaimy Miller, Director of Indigenous Relations at the City of Edmonton, to reflect on their work and what it means to be involved in this project.  

PISISKAPAHTAM (to notice and observe or watch) by Lana Whiskeyjack. Photos by Dwayne Martineau.

Your artworks were all inspired and informed by the results of the community engagement process for the Indigenous Framework. What about that process and what you learned, made its way into your individual work?   

Lana: As the community members gathered to share about PISISKAPAHTAM, I listened and responded through live painting. Their stories of cultural memories braiding in their experiences of racism, violence, and poverty in the city provoked my experiences as nehiyaw iskwew. Our collective stories were translated through the colours and images. 

MJ: I started my art piece just prior to Covid–19. Feeling the pressure to get it finished, I asked my niece Bella Stonehouse to sort beads for the 14 rows. Time was limited, so my friends Debbie Houle and Sherryl Sewepagaham offered to thread beads. Half-way through the threading and stitching, news of Covid struck and we were forbidden to be in close quarters. My social work-bee came to an end. Sheryl brought me some toilet paper, and with masks to cover our faces, we bumped elbows goodbye. 

Under the strains and confines to the Covid outbreak I learned that my strongest ties to the Indigenous arts community emerged from my long-standing connections and friendships. 

Overall connection to community is the significance that comes from the creation of the art itself, people coming together, assisting, and contributing what they can do to complete the work. Though we were not able to meet, I still felt supported and encouraged to complete my piece. 

Dawn Marie: I recreated the facilitation notes and flip charts of the community engagement process. When I looked at it, I looked for themes and recurring statements until the structure presented itself. It’s all their words just reorganized. Upon reviewing all the support materials, it was clear that the conversations at the various tables centred around four main themes; financial support, staff/training, ombudsman/advocacy office and culturally safe space/s.  

Several symbols such as horses and hoof prints symbolize concerns and barriers brought forward by Indigenous community members like financial support and sustainable funding. The movement of horses, for example, represents how the City must collaborate with Indigenous communities in Edmonton to ensure actions reflect diverse voices and perspectives. Other symbols like the circles represent the need for continuous education and training and self-reflection of personal beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions leading to action against racism towards Indigenous Peoples. The intent of the artwork is for City staff to put these teachings into practice in the workplace. For a deeper understanding, there is an artwork guide on the City’s Indigenous Framework webpage. 

Brad: One of the themes that came out of the community engagement was Treaty. One point made was, Treaty was the original framework, and this inspired me to use the kohkum scarf and the colours: yellow, blue and green. For as long as the sun shines, the river flows and the green grass grows. We are all treaty people.   

ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ Amiskwaciy-wâskahikan by MJ Belcourt-Moses. Photos by Dwayne Martineau.

What does it mean to you as an artist to have your artwork on display in City Hall?   

Lana: As a nehiyaw iskwew visual storyteller, my intention is to contribute to the diverse decolonial stories of courage for our future generations. To have the municipal leadership collectively agree to provide City Hall walls to carry the collective visual stories of Indigenous peoples is an act of reconciliation. 

MJ: It’s an honour and a privilege to represent my ancestral ties through a creative lens that ties me to land. Presenting my perspective to a wider audience about our relationship to land and stories connect us to where we are from and who resides within these parameters. We are here, tied to place we call home ᐅᑳᐁᐧᒫᐊᐧᐢᑭᕀ [okâwîmâwaskiy] -- mother earth. It is my hope that the 7th generation still has beauty to breathe deeply in.   

Brad: For someone who was born and raised in Edmonton and to see City Hall host numerous events and have many very talented artists on display and their work showcased. I feel honoured to be apart of them and to see my work alongside the other artists who contributed to this project. It gives you a feeling of validation as an artist.   

City as an Advocate by Dawn Marie Marchand. Photos by Dwayne Martineau.

What message about the Indigenous Framework do you want to share with our arts and cultural communities? 

Lana: The amount of mental, emotional, and physical labour to collect, share and mobilize these stories of Indigenous relatives is a great gift to the city. I am proud to live in a city that listens and governs with action to create good relations for our future generations.    

Dawn Marie: I’m grateful that there was a well-rounded engagement process. 

MJ: Connection is vital... get to know each other. Go to an art exhibit, buy some Indigenous art, listen/read Indigenous storytellers, have tea with an Elder. If we are visitors to these lands or if this is the land of our forefathers, we must show respect for the giving and sharing. 

Brad: My art piece has bit of the past with the kohkom scarf, a symbol of how Indigenous peoples adopted the Ukrainian scarf as their own showing great respect towards the Ukrainian community. Parts of the present with the Beaver Hills House Park art installation shows the City of Edmonton working with Indigenous communities to showcase our art in public displays. I added the seven teachings, to look into the future with an Indigenous lens if we want true reconciliation. 

Jaimy: The Indigenous Framework was developed through a co-creative process with community members, organizational partners, and Elders, youth, and artists. Working with Indigenous artists presented a wonderful opportunity to capture the intentions, the feelings, and the statements of community in a visual representation. Their artwork is a reflection of community, of our city, and speaks to the four roles that the city of Edmonton is striving to live out - to be a listener, a partner, a connector, and an advocate and to build positive meaningful relationships with Indigenous peoples in Edmonton. 

One of our commitments in the Indigenous Framework is to create safe welcoming spaces for and with Indigenous people, and to ensure that Indigenous communities see themselves reflected in city spaces and places. Art plays a fundamental role in creating a sense of place, identity, and connection to community.   

Heart Beat of a Nation by Brad Crowfoot. Photos by Dwayne Martineau.

Is there anything else you wish to share?   

Lana: Please be a better relative. Nohkom would say, “Speaking, walking, talking and supporting with kindness is one the best ways to being a better human.” 

Dawn Marie: Thanks for the chance to show alternative ways to knowing and showing story. 

Brad: I would like to thank MacEwan University for this opportunity to be involved in this project. Even the community engagement was held there, where I met and listened to what people had to say. I included the Poundmakers Singers, a photo that was taken as they sang for MacEwan’s unveiling of their Treaty 6 marker.   

Jaimy: I am so thrilled to see these artworks have a home in City Hall and be displayed for all Edmontonians and all leaders now and in the future that will walk through these halls. I hope that people will take the time to view the art and reflect on the gifts of the artists, and the messages within their art. And of course, I encourage people to read the Indigenous Framework at edmonton.ca/indigenousframework 

About the artists 

Lana Whiskeyjack 

Dr. Lana Whiskeyjack is nehiyaw iskwew (Cree woman) scholartist (scholar and artist) from Saddle Lake Cree Nation and is an associate professor in the Department of Women's and Gender Studies in the Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta.  Dr. Whiskeyjack demonstrates innovative interdisciplinary knowledge translation and mobilization through arts-based practices, community-engaged research, scholarship services and teaching. As a graduate from the first Indigenous governed educational institution in North America and former Indian Residential School, in the iyiniw pimâtisiwin kiskeyihtamowin doctoral program at University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quill, she has an excellent record of research/creative dissemination that is grounded within nêhiyaw (Cree) ceremony, nêhiyawêwin (Cree language) and nêhiyaw worldview. 

Dawn Marie Marchand 

Dawn Marie Marchand is a member of Cold Lake First Nation in Treaty Six territory. cîpêhcakwawêw-iskwêw (Blue Horse Spirit Woman) is a Cree and Metis artist, educator, advocate, author, writer, speaker, and mother.  Her many noted accomplishments include Circle of Courage Coordinator for the Alberta Indigenous Games in 2011, Co-founder and lead organizer of Cree8 Success Conference in 2012, art installations for the Edmonton Folk Festival in 2013 called “Monto���; Edmonton City Hall in 2014 during the Truth and Reconciliation Gathering “A Place to Hang your Stories”; co-producing the Walrus Talks-Aboriginal City art components in 2015, “Edmonton Treaty 6 Soccer ball”; and Redx Talk “Art is the Medicine” in 2016; and an installation called “The Longest Journey” as part of the Nuit Blanche Festival in 2018. She received an Aboriginal Role Model Award for Art in 2017, during her term as the First Indigenous Artist In Residence for the City of Edmonton, facilitated the Indigenous Artist Market Collective engagement and launch in 2018. In mid 2019, she relocated to Smoky Lake, AB. Since then she has had work installed in Concordia College, Indigenous Knowledge and Research Centre, Stanley Milner EPL, PÎYÊSÎW WÂSKÂHIKAN. She has had her work projected as part of Dreamspeakers Light Strikes in numerous locations including Dubai and has recently had work projected as part of the Land Acknowledgment during the Junos celebrations in 2023. She was the artist consultant for Punctuate! Theatre's "First Métis Man of Odessa" which is currently touring nationwide. She continues to advocate for removing systemic barriers for Indigenous artists across Canada.

MJ Belcourt Moses 

MJ is a traditional Métis artist, certified Native Cultural Art instructor and most recently served as Indigenous Art Consultant for Fort Edmonton Park and Indigenous Curator for the Edmonton Public Library. In 2019, MJ served as an Indigenous Artist in Residency with the City of Edmonton. 

“I have a keen interest in the promotion and education of Indigenous Arts that relate to our cultural life locally, provincially and nationally… Indigenous People rich contribution to Canada’s history and heritage reflects perseverance, strength and resilience - Art celebrates the achievements.” 

Brad Crowfoot 

Brad Crowfoot is a Blackfoot and Navajo multi-media artist, born and raised in Edmonton.  He’s been active within the arts scene for almost 20 years and is known for capturing Indigenous arts, culture and entertainment through photography and digital media. He went to school for Arts and Cultural Management at MacEwan University and was involved with kihêw waciston as part of the Indigenous Student Council Executives. He got involved with the City of Edmonton and the Indigenous Framework to help showcase the City as a partner.  

#edmonton #yegarts #yeg #yegpublicart #indigenous art #city hall #IndigenousFramework