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denofbloodandlove · 1 year

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First Timer

Mandi looked at the store like some giant looming beast that she had to battle, never had she been to a sex shop and for good reason. The moment she even thought about sex her face flamed with heat, she was technically embarrassed. Not because of the act of sex, but because of what she enjoyed watching. Being only 21 and still a stupid virgin she had, one night, fell down a rabbit hole of aliens, tentacles, and ovipositors. They only person in the whole world that knew was her best friend JJ, who was as gay and happy as a bag of sunshine and rainbows but also the biggest slut that Mandi knew. He was the reason they were here at a place called OtherWorlds, a boutique for the weird and unusual. But according to the website that JJ found, totally normal for people like her. People who enjoyed the idea of monsters, suckers and knots filling up their bodies. JJ had wanted Mandi to be herself so, like a great best friend searched the world wide web and found this little nugget. Forced her in the car and drove the three hours it took to show up. “For fucks sake Mandi, walk in, it’s a sex shop not a fucking scorpion. Which, by the by, I think they have dildos that resemble the tail. Lets go!” JJ pushed Mandi over the curb and straight at the door. The tiny bell jingled as the door opened and Mandi stood frozen at the sight. JJ however ran right in and began looking. “Come on Mandi! It’s time you experiment!” He giggled as he held up a huge wiggly horse cock. Covering her face with her hands, Mandi shuffled her way towards JJ. “Would you stop that!” She whispered as JJ started to flick his wrist, making the soft cock go round in circles. “I think I need one of these for me girlie! Man this would feel great shoved in my ass!.” JJ exclaimed as a worker made their over with a grin on her face. “First time huh? We can always tell, either too shy or too excited. How can I help you guys? Looking for anything in particular?” Mandi began to shake her head, but JJ being who he was cut her off. “Yes, she needs tentacles. Ovipositors with the eggs that come with. A medium to large probably since she is……unused shall I say.” “Oh gods above JJ, really?! Tell everyone that I’ve never had sex why don’t you, jeez.” Mandi buried her face in her hands as JJ laughed, but the woman just smiled and took hold of Mandi. “I have the perfect stuff, come on. Most people come in here like this, first timers, shy because of what they like but its no biggie.” As Mandi followed the lady she looked on the walls. Dildos of massive sizes were displayed, some had giant heads with long thin bodies while some were reversed, had a slender head but a massive shaft. Some were so large it looked like it would split her in half. Gulping down what she knew was excitement she kept walking. How could she be excited about her feeling like she would be getting cut in two? Another section housed more horse cocks, small ones, medium, massive ones that looked like when fully inserted it could reach her throat. Near the horse cocks, were wolves. These too were in various sizes but they had knots as the bases. Some had multiple knots throughout the shaft, going from regular at the head, knot, shaft, bigger knot, shaft, and even bigger knot. Wouldn’t a person get stuck on that? How would her cunt feel so stretched out that she would literally be stuck on a cock. Mandi felt sweat trickle down her back at the thought. “You know I can tell what you’re thinking buy the looks on your face, you don’t hide your facial expressions well. My name is Nimmie, and yes the wolf cocks do feel amazing stuck inside of you. Too big to slide out but to big to push further in. Your pussy trapped on an immovable object, trust me, its worth it. Worth the pain. The dragon cocks are much the same without the knots.” Nimmie pointed towards a display case that housed a pleothra of muticolored dildos. Some were short and fat while others had what looked like scales in different layers to add a whole new feeling as it pushed against the walls of a pussy or ass. “But these are what you’re after. Yes?” Mandi looked over her shoulder as Nimmie pointed to a blue/black wall. Her mouth popped open as she saw so many different kinds of tentacle dildos. S-curved that ended in a point, short stubby ones that had a bulbous head, each one had different sized suckers on it, mimicking a real octopus. “But, I think your friend mentioned ovis, you’re more interested in the eggs and the feeling of them inside you, right? I’ve used one, fuck it was the best orgasm I’ve ever had. But that was our old stock we got some brand new ones no one has ever tried. They look amazing. Here.” Nimmie reached down and under a self, pulling out what looked like long slender tube with a short flat head on top. It was a dark mossy green that faded into yellow at the tip. Reading the package her eyes widened at the size. Nearly nine inches in length and at the widest nearly two inches at the base. But what intrigued her more was the carton that was attached to the underside of the plastic container that held the cock. “Its eggs! Look! Turn in over, each one is in their own cum, to give you that real effect. So what you do, theres twelve by the way. So what you do is you have to place the cock on the floor and through the opening at the tip of the cock, you just insert the eggs, push them all down and have your fun. As you fuck it, see the little button, you push that and the didlo will start to undulate and push the eggs into you, all that cum and eggs filling your cunt up. When you’re done, pop off and push the eggs out, and repeat as many times as you want. The cum, its some kind of new material that doesn’t wash away, like an egg sack thing. I dunno, but I can’t wait to try it myself..” Mandi turned the package over looking it over and listening to Nimmie talk about it. Fuck, but she was wet just imagining it. She had watched a porn with this woman who had something similar. The eggs had fallen out of her swollen cunt, falling to the ground in pleasurable ‘plops’. She wondered if they would sound the same falling out of her. And could she take all twelve at once? Mandi ran her hands over the eggs, thinking about where she could place it and fuck it. That was the moment JJ ran up to her, his arms filled with lube and cocks. “Get me outta here girlie before I go broke. You found something?” Nodding her head, she hid the ovi behind her and together they walked to the register. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “I know you got that egg thing girlie, call me after and tell me ALL about it! I for one am going shove these beautiful things up my ass.” JJ kissed Mandi on each cheek and left her standing at her door with the black bag in her hand. Excitement rode her. Mandi could feel her slick cunt, needy and ready to take in her first dildo. The apex of her thighs felt heavy with need yet hollow. It was like a low ache, one that was almost painful right behind her entrance. She could almost feel her own heartbeat in her pussy, each thump of her heart knocking at her tight entrance. Placing her phone down, she hit record and then began to undress. Throwing off her clothes, she knelt on the floor and positioned herself so she could watch her body take in the cock. Once everything was lined up correctly, she opened the plastic package with trembling fingers. The cock itself was soft and malleable, but at the thick base she could feel beads that would rotate upwards, she figured those were how the eggs would get pushed up and into her pussy. Next she opened the eggs. Sighing, Mandi reverently grabbed the first one. Nimmie was right, it felt as if the egg was encased in the same slime like substance a chicken egg was surrounded by. The clear like slime wiggled between her fingers as it slipped from her grip into palm after palm, her hands rotating to constantly catch it. Biting her bottom lip, Mandi held it to her face and it roll against her cheek. It felt so warm, almost as if the crate it was in kept them a certain temperature. Before she could think better of it, Mandi popped it into her mouth. The gel like casing rolled on her tongue and nearly down her throat. But the taste. It was like an aphrodisiac straight to her pussy. Juices flowed and coated her thighs as she leaned her head back and moaned, rolling the egg on her tongue and nearly down her throat. Gagging she coughed the egg up and into her hand. She’d definitely have to practice more on how to hold that in her mouth, maybe with the cock fucking her throat too. Mandi fingered the cocks opening and watched as the egg slide down and into the tube where the other 11 quickly followed. Taking a deep breath, Mandi ran her fingers through her swollen pussy, her clit was so enlarged it hurt, her fingers rubbed hard on her clit, eliciting a long low moan from her throat, then she squatted over the cock. Her back was against a wall and with wide eyes she watched herself slowly get impaled on the camera of her phone. Her tight pussy pushed against the head of the cock, opening her pushing against her maiden head. She watched in fascination as her cunt spread, allowing a foreign object to be inserted, thankfully the cock wasn’t giant at the tip, but she could feel the resistance of her flesh, pushing back, not wanting anything to push past her barrier. Her thighs burned as she lifted herself up slightly then fell back down a second time. This round pushed hard the cock breaking though and she let out a painful moan as the cock stretched her new flesh, up and down she moves, deeper and deeper her squats came as she fucked herself down nearly to the two inch base. Her pussy ached, burned as it stretched and tears welled in her eyes. It was too big! But she thought about those wolf cocks and getting stuck, widening her stance Mandi leaned back and placed her hands on the floor and moved her hips. Her pussy made sucking sounds as the cock moved in and out, deeper until she screamed in pain, fuck she wanted to get stuck, wanted this foreign cock with its eggs to seal her pussy as the eggs pumped into her. Tears gathered in her eyes as she moved her legs farther out, her knees hit the floor with a sharp thud and she sat, forcing her pussy to sit down all the way on the cock. Looking into her phone, she could see the skin stretched, her cunt swollen and red, her clit hard and ready for the slightest of touches to send her over the edge. Taking a deep breath, Mandi lifted one leg and felt her way around the base, finding that button Nimmie talked about. Pushing it down, the beads that sat at the base of the cock began to vibrate, rotate around and up. Her cunt tightened its grip and her body jerked as she rotated her hips. Fuck she could feel the eggs rising with the undulations of the beads.

“Fuck. Fuck, Fuck!” Mandi panted as her hand left the floor and slapped at her swollen clit in tandem. She felt the first egg explode from the cock and straight into her, she could feel it right against her cervix, followed by another, then another. Her hand slapped harder at her clit and as she moved she looked down at her flat belly, she watched as her skin moved, pushed out by the eggs filling her.

Her orgasm took root and she flung her head back and screamed. Pressure like never before built low in her belly as she came. Her hand never stopped slapping and rubbing her clit until it was too much and she lifted off the cock, her pussy releasing all her cum and juices in one great spasm. She watched in awe as she squirted, the eggs falling out of her one by one with a wet slimy pop. One after another she watched as she forced her pussy to push the remaining eggs out, each one slowly falling to the floor. Her pussy pulsed and her body trembled with aftershocks of the best fucking orgasm ever!

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“I’m telling you JJ I think I lost one! I have eleven eggs nit twelve! What happens if one is still inside me? What am I going to do? Go to the doctor and say hey doc by the way I fucked an alien dong, had its fake eggs shoved inside of me and now I lost one. Can you look in my cunt and tell me what you see?”

JJ just laughed, “It probably rolled under something so stop freaking out! But look we need to go back to that store, cause girl I done used all that lube and those dildos! I’m so gaped I could fit my fist in there!” Shaking her head, she finished her conversation with JJ, thinking that he was probably right. The eggs had come out at first so fast that she lost one. Had to be.

That night Mandi lay curled on her side, her thoughts on sleep, her mind drifting off into nothingness, she felt a soft, wet squelch come from between her thighs. Moaning in her sleep, her body thrashed about, wetness soaked her pussy and sheets as her legs spread by some unseen force. Through her sleep, pain had her eyes flip open and she screamed as e cunt stretched. Her knees bent and she rose on her elbows as she looked down her body. One long thick tentacle slide from her cunt. It was the same hues as the dildo, it slid from her pussy and onto her thigh, the rings of the suction cups molding to her flesh. Scrambling away, her body spasmed as the tentacle stayed stuck inside of her womb, the one long tentacle slithered off her thigh and moved up, the tip pushing through the slit of her wet core. The pointed tip flicked her clit hard enough to shock Mandi into pure pleasure.

“Ohmagod its real. Oh fuuuck its real.” Her voice went from a high-pitched scared cadence to a low, pleasurable moan. This is what she had fantasized about the first time she watched that damn porn. Her fantasy becoming a reality. The alien inside of her wiggled growing thicker, spreading her sunt much like the dildo did, stretching her to the point of pain, sealing tight. The tip of the tentacle slide back and forth on her clit, the suction cups moving languidly over her clit, sucking and releasing each time with each suction cup. The thick base shoved deep in her began to slither in and out, fucking her until she could no longer stand it, her orgasm tore through her body. Her body bowed off the bed, every muscle seized in pleasure and her cum flowed from her pussy in great rushes around the tentacle. Her breathing labored she lifted her head to watch the tentacle move and slither back into her cunt, her lower belly becoming slightly pooched out where it rested in her womb.

Would the other eleven eggs be the same? If they stayed in her would they hatch too? How many could she keep inside of her at once? She wanted to fond out. Would it be like that porn? A tentacle for every hole? Her mouth, ass and pussy all having one at the same time? Her pussy pulsed as her cum leaked from her open slit. There was only one way to find out. Jumping out of bed, she found the ovipositor, and began to pop the remaining eggs into the cock. Her belly wiggled in anticipation as she positioned her phone once more, then sank low on the cock, hoping that the other eleven eggs would too take root inside of her womb.

#sweetmisery #monster breeding #monster fucker #monsterkink #alien kink #alien fucker #alien breeding #tentacles #ovipositor

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damnredthing · 2 years

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Let’s get ready to ramble – SNW S1E01

This post – naturally – contains spoilers. If you haven’t seen the episode yet and do not want to read spoilers, please do not read any further.

This is not an episode review but rather just a bunch of ramblings which I've tried to at least sort a little bit into categories.

Many thanks go out to those of you who commented on my last post about how spoiler tags work. Thank you so much! I hope I get this done right. If not, set phasers to stun and shoot my butt. 😇

Season 1 – Episode 1 – Strange New Worlds

Pike’s inner demons

Pike’s inner demons haunt him much more than I had expected. He looks terribly sad and depressed in the beginning. He was literally hiding from everyone. I’d even go so far to say he suffers from PTSD. Pike must have appeared extremely out of character to Admiral Robert April when he was running even from him and then looking as miserable as he did. The way Pike looked at April when he was pushed to accept the mission… such a sad puppy, it melted my heart. Actually, it stabbed a dagger right through my heart.

He is in a state of self-doubt. He sees his crippled face wherever he looks. It’s haunting him. It distracts him to the point that people around him notice something is not right. For a Captain that is not a good base to work on, which Pike is very aware of as he tries to deny the mission in the first place. Even though it is a rescue mission for his friend and Number One, he fears he could fuck it up and endanger Una. He even said so when he told April “You don’t want me in command on that ship.”

Spock confronting Pike was inevitable. And of course Spock knew what Boreth is known for. He is the chief science officer for good reason. When Pike tells Spock about his experience and his fears, it stabbed a second dagger right through my heart. Anson is such a phenomenal actor. The way he pulls this off is amazing.

Later when the team rescues Una and she tells them what happened, Pike’s first reaction is to blame solely himself that a pre-warp civilization gained access to Starfleet’s modern technology when the Discovery warped to the future. The truth is this wasn’t his sole decision at all. It was a joint decision made by the Discovery crew together as a team. Sure, as the Captain he had the last say, but the mistake that happened as an aftermath is not his fault alone. Yet, he blames only himself, which pays into his self-doubts.

I suppose the next episodes still gonna deal with this dilemma. Pike seems to be distracted often, this could get him in trouble one day when he spaces off just when he should be sharp on his senses. Maybe that’ll be the turning point. A lesson sometimes needs to be learnt the hard way.

Wishlist - yay or nay

Reference is made to this post:

Pike being the hero – YAY! He rescues Una’s away team and is very brave when he screwed General Order One because that could have backfired and have him court martialed. With this risky decision and his incredible speech, he prevented the civilization from entering a devastating, mass-murdering war.

Let Pike be the alien in one episode – A little bit YAY, a little bit NAY. Not quite as how I wished for (but that doesn’t mean we’ll not get to see it one day), but the whole show starting out with a pre-warp civilization episode was interesting. That Pike screwed General Order One right in the first episode kinda torpedoes my wish a bit though. Maybe he’s not that hellbent on it as I assumed.

But on another note, how dare Anson looking that frickin’ awesome even when he’s turned into an alien. I mean… look at how he’s standing there, like a god damn model (I know he modelled a couple of times for the Esquire but still!).

Horses – YAY!!! And what a beautiful one! The way Pike was seeking comfort from her as Admiral April pushed him was just so sweet to see. You can clearly see that horses have a very special place in Pike’s heart. And all the time I imagined that the horsey was comfort whispering in Pike’s ear like “Who’s that dude? Why is he so pushy? I can kick him for you to make him go away. I really can! Maybe just a little bit? Please say yes. With just one hoof? Please let me help you, I love you.”

No Kirk please – That includes Sam Kirk. Again, I don’t want to see any Kirk in a Pike show until the very end of the show. And again, I also have nothing against the actor Dan Jeannotte. It’s the name dropping that annoys me. It also feels a bit like a power struggle between the producers and the fans (and we know who’s going to win). The fans campaigned for a Pike show, but the producers and especially Akiva claim that a Pike show had always been the plan. Of course if they claim that now, they can twist the show to whatever they want (well they can anyways) saying sure you fans wanted a Pike show, but so did we and as it was OUR original idea, we can do whatever WE want with it. So, let’s also add some Kirk and TOS and whatever else that distracts from Pike. Bleh.

Robert April - YES, YES, YES! This makes me so happy. I was actually hoping for a flashback episode in which Pike is commander again under April’s command. But having Admiral April as recurring role in the show is so much better. I feel he could be one of Pike’s most trusted people to help him through this crisis. After all April has known his protégé for many years and he knows him very well. Yet he doesn’t seem to be too pushy and accepts when Pike says no (like when he let the "it's classified" slip). I get the impression that April can be strict with Pike and if needed, issue orders (as we have seen) to get him to do what he’d otherwise try to weasel himself out of, but April would do so always in the best interest of his former Number One.

Gorn – YAY! I want them, and we’ll get them! We haven’t seen them yet, but they were mentioned already. To me it is obvious we gonna see them this season. That story around La’an needs more exploration.

Randoms

Pike gives me so hard Hell on Wheels vibes in the beginning of the episode. It’s like he’s all back again. Even his defiant behavior, it so felt like Cullen.

The magic of silver foxes is that the hair always looks different from different angles or hairdos. When Pike was in full Hell on Wheels mode, his hair actually looked much darker and not so silver foxy, especially when he talked to April.

You can see the ice moon Europa when Admiral April talks to Pike, Una and Spock in Jupiter space station. Europa is realistically displayed. If you look up actual photos of the moon, it pretty much looks exactly like that.

You can also see Jupiter’s giant maelstrom behind on one of the domes.

Now that Admiral April has learnt what happened to the Discovery, can Pike still pull the classified card?

People complain about windmills in the 23rd century. My counter question is why the heck would there not be any? They could still be there for nostalgia just as we also still have old frame houses, water mills or television towers. And besides that, why wouldn’t people still use wind energy in the 23rd century? Nature provides that all for free. There are also solar panels on the golden gate bridge if you look closely, because the sun delivers that energy for FREE as well.

La’an – She is going to be a badass. I also expect her to have above average strength which she’s been hiding to avoid her genetical enhanced inheritance getting uncovered. She’ll probably be forced to use her superior strength in order to rescue one of the crew members.

Chapel – I thought Ortegas would be the sassy one, but Chapel is giving her a run for her money.

Pike and M’Benga being old-time friends. I hope so much we’ll get the backstory of how this friendship started.

Pike’s wife/girl-friend – She is a Captain, okay. Captain Batel. Why not? They both know what they got themselves into when they joined Star Fleet. With both being Captains, there should be no potential conflict about the fact that they do not see each other for longer times. However, I sense a tragic episode in which something might happen to Captain Batel. Maybe we’ll even get to see an episode in which the Enterprise fights alongside Batel’s ship against a greater enemy. Captain Batel doesn’t look like she’s the woman who is in bed with Pike in that one episode (you know, the one that keeps triggering me). And that makes me all anxious again!

The soundtrack throughout the entire show is AMAZING! I sure hope they gonna release a soundtrack album. The theme song is growing on me more and more. Meanwhile I can already hum it. But my favorite sound piece of this episode is during the scene where Pike rides through the snow. It’s so beautiful and powerful and melancholic at the same time.

When Spock cannot bear the pain of the temporal genetic modification anymore, he screams in front of the startled civilians. After he looks up again, he not only looks like his Vulcan self, his hair is also magically like his normal Vulcan hairstyle again.

Remarkable Quotes

There were so many great ones in this episode, sorry that this is going to make this post incredibly long.

Admiral April: Your first officer doesn’t do downtime well, Chris. Mine used to be a lot like that.

Pike: 🙄

Pike: Send someone else. You don’t want me in command of that ship.

Admiral April: You’re getting us confused. You don’t want you in command.

Pike: 🥺

Pike: Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five year mission to explore Strange New Worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go, where no one has gone before.

Pike: Spock. *looks startled* Are y..y..you naked?

Spock: No, Captain.

T’Pring: No, Chris he’s not. He was about to be. It’s our special night.

Pike: S…ssssorry. 😟

Pike: This is your Captain. We’re a little early out of the gates, so I hope we didn’t catch anybody with your hair wet or your pants down.

Spock: Fascinating.

Pike: I’m all ears.

Spock: 😳

Pike: Figure of speech.

Spock: 🤨

Spock: As you know the Vulcans invented first contact.

Pike: As they never fail to remind us.

Pike: Doc! Please dispense some wisdom.

M’Benga: Okay. Never get the house dressing.

Chapel: Sedative first. Your body is going to undergo compressed, jury-rigged metamorphosis…. It’s painful.

Pike: Damn the ramparts, Doctor.

Chapel: 🤨

Pike: It means go ahead.

Chapel: Hang in there, sister.

Chief Kyle: Local clothing patterns have been downloaded into the buffer as well as universal translators and tricorders. Confirming no weapons?

Pike: Confirmed.

Chief Kyle: Setting you down somewhere with no foot traffic.

Pike: Just don’t lose my socks, Mr. Kyle.

*away team beaming down*

Pike: *looks around* Why is it always an alley?

Spock: Captain. Where are my pants?

Pike: *chuckles* When in Rome, Mr. Spock.

(meaning when in Rome, do as Romans do)

La’an: Captain, permission to act fast.

Pike: Granted.

La’an: Stay here. *fakes health issues to gain attention of two locals who rush to her aid*

La’an: Please, help me. *whimpers* Oh, my medication… over here.

Guy: Easy, easy.

La’an: His neck.

Guy: What?

La’an: *gestures neck pinch with her hand behind her back* His neck, his…

Spock: *neck pinching both guys* It is fortunate their musculature was responsive.

La’an: It’s fortunate you can finally take a hint.

Pike: 😯

*Kylian escaping from sickbay*

M’Benga & Chapel: Delta Scorpii Seven?

M’Benga: I’ll prep the booster, you catch the rabbit.

Chapel: Always give me the fun job.

M’Benga: Well, you’re my favorite.

Una: Captain? It’s quite a look!

Pike: Really? How about thank you for saving me?

Una: Somehow I figured you might.

Pike: Number One.

La’an and Una in synch: Yes Captain?

Pike: Err.. the original.

Spock: It is fortunate our route is empty.

Una: Can you not jinx it?

Spock: It is illogical to believe…

*locals exit the elevator and enter the room*

Pike: If we leave now, every death that follows is on our hands.

Spock: We cannot further influence the destiny of this world.

Pike: Meant or not, Spock. We already have. Our only option now is to influence it well.

Una: Chris, General Order One clearly states that we cannot inter…

Pike: Screw General Order One.

Pike: You remember when the elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers. The Kikuyu people of Kenya, Africa, on Earth, they teach us that lesson every day.

Leader Eldredth: You’ve given me a proverb, which is less useful than a stick. Whoever has the biggest stick wins.

Pike: *as he and Spock get arrested and guided out of the council’s hall* What good is a rule if you’re not willing to die for it? *pauses* Or break it. *turns around* Emergency communication from Captain Pike. Enterprise to lower orbit. Full visibility. Show ‘em what you got.

Spock: Captain?

Pike: Wait for it.

*Outside the sirens go off*

Pike: *shakes off the guard and walks back to Leader Eldredth* Just like you said, whoever has the biggest stick wins. *looks up through the window to look at the Enterprise in the sky* In this case, that is me.

Pike: Till our last moment, the future is what we make it.

Spock: If I may ask, Admiral. How did you convince Starfleet our actions did not violate General Order One?

Admiral April: I used a loophole. Since the council can’t acknowledge that the battle ever actually took place…

Spock: It cannot acknowledge how the people of Kiley 279 acquired warp.

Admiral April: Council’s not happy about it. They’re doubling down, renaming it the Prime Directive.

Pike: Well, that’ll never stick. 😏

Pike: Even in space, growth… sometimes remarkable growth, is possible.

Pike: Earth – the dust and sky – is my hearth. But Enterprise is my home.

#strange new worlds spoilers #snw spoilers #captain pike #christopher pike #anson mount #spock #ethan peck #una chin riley #number one #la'an noonien singh #admiral robert april #chief kyle #s1e01 #strange new worlds

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wishingstarinajar · 3 years

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I am going to ramble a bit but I will hide it under a cut because it's a bit long. It will be about the previous fandom I was active in around two years ago and how it affects me to this day. It's also about popularity and putting others on a pedestal.

If this sort of ramble isn't up your alley then feel very free to skip over this post! I don't mind. If you want to read more about it, just check under the cut.

The Franchise And Its Creators

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THE FRANCHISE AND ITS CREATORS Around mid-2014, I joined the Wakfu and Dofus fandoms, a small-ish fandom as a whole but popular in certain circles.

For those who don't know, Wakfu and Dofus are (online, console, mobile, figurine, card and board) games, comics, animated series, specials and movies created by a French studio named Ankama. These two franchises are intertwined with each other as they play out in the same universe but in different timelines. I myself dabbled around in the animated part of the fandom; I was a huge fan of the two series and the Dofus movie.

There was very little catering to the international part of the fandom when it came to the studio's attention and interactions. There were no English dubs or subtitles; international fans had to rely on English fan subtitles on ripped/pirated episodes of the show and movie, same for the franga/comics. Merch was hard to get. A lot of articles related to the shows and whatnot were in French only, which is understandable because it is a French-made product. But there's no denying that the international fanbase felt a little neglected back then.

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MY FANDOM JOURNEY

Because I was very interested in the lore of both franchises, I had to do a lot of digging and translating to be able to fully indulge in it all. I went full in! I dug deep, created OCs, art and also tried to write fanfiction. I also shared news and info about the series and movie; I ran a fan blog dedicated to sharing things with the international part of the fandom. I was also often approached about lore, particularly for a few of the canon characters and one of the races that play a role in the Wakfu franchise; the Eliatropes. It was fun, it felt good to help other fans out, it was nice to make friends and be creative with others about similar things.

Eventually, the character and art theft began. We all know this is a 'normal' part of fandoms, so I won't hammer too long on it. My issue with it was the fact that my main OC, a female Eliatrope, gathered a lot of attention because female Eliatropes were a rarity in the Wakfu franchise. They existed but didn't get a moment in the limelight, except for one that even received her own game (Islands of Wakfu) but it was so obscure that a lot of fans didn't know about its existence. My OC was somehow mistaken as canon by plenty of folks and many others started to use her as a template to create their own (female) Eliatrope OC. I didn't mind, as long as they weren't straight-up copies and I tried to be supportive by answering lore questions and give feedback whenever it was asked for it (which happened a lot). Of course, copying and theft happened more often than not; over the five years I was part of the fandom, I sent out almost a hundred DMCA reports for art and character theft (like true theft; I could handle some similarities or one-time occurrences). One particular case went to the extreme but I won't beat that dead horse any further; it brought me enough misery to last me half a lifetime, that's all I'll say on it. I kept a lot of the negative experiences behind closed doors and dealt with a lot of it quietly to not bother, worry or burden anyone else with any of it. I wanted a positive and supporting environment for my followers, even if the truth wasn't as pretty.

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ANKAMA'S STRUGGLE

Over the years, studio Ankama increased attempts to cater more to the international fanbase of its animated properties (articles in English, English dubs and subtitles, etc). However, the studio's struggle to garner the attention of international supporters (aka companies and sponsors) didn't go too smoothly, and to make matters worse, they were also struggling with finding a platform in France to broadcast the Wakfu series on after wishing to take a different and more mature direction. Ankama wanted more freedom with the Wakfu show, like less censorship, a serial rather than episodic, and it not being aimed at a young audience like its previous contractor demanded Wakfu to be. Ankama even turned to crowdfunding to get certain projects (like new Wakfu seasons) off the ground and let's just say that those crowdfunding projects are best described as tiny dumpster fires; they weren't pretty to watch. The first one was a disaster with plenty of displeased backers and the following crowdfunding attempts often didn't meet the end goal due to bad past experiences or the lack of interest.

Luckily, Netflix breathed some life into the international Wakfu fandom, which was great! But it was still received badly (mostly due to the awful English dub and sound mixing of the first two seasons and special) that the third season Netflix made possible was not getting the attention it deserved. It was also a rushed product due to financial and time constraints on Ankama's part. Netflix eventually declined a fourth season and it all fell a bit apart from there. Ankama turned to crowdfunding once more to try and make season 4 a reality. Last time I checked (which was quite a while ago), it did decently enough to make season 4 a reality. (Please don't ask me about it, I don't know anything about it.)

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THE PEDESTAL

While all this was happening behind the scenes, I was starting to struggle with the reputation I built up in the Wakfu and Dofus fandom over the few years I was a part of it. The best way to describe it is that I had grown exhausted.

Aside from dealing with the theft and answering people's questions daily, I wanted to be treated as an average fan but I kept getting put on a pedestal. People went as far as to call me by titles (like lady Wish and miss Wish) more often than not. To be called and treated as such made me feel alienated, like as if I wasn't considered real. I often asked to just be called Wish, no titles/formalities required, and that I wasn't as 'popular' as they believed, but the majority of the people didn't seem to listen. People were either afraid or refused to interact with me because they considered me 'too popular', or simply wanted nothing but my validation, feedback and/or free art. I also had my fair share of haters and people that didn't approve of my 'status' in the fandom. Join the club xD I wasn't very happy with it either.

I really started to dislike being called 'popular' because it had such a bad impact on the people around me (and my own mental wellbeing). Friends started to become jealous of the attention I garnered and it dragged me down every time. At times, it would turn toxic. It was never my intention to make my friends feel like they meant less because they surely didn't. To learn that they believed others were only friends with them or only looked at their art/writing because they were good friends with me hurt so much. It still does. I refuse to believe that was fully true because I was (and still am!) surrounded by very creative people and they all deserved as much attention as I was getting, at times more. I wish others saw it that way too.

I was also heavily chained down thanks to the role (model) I played in the fandom. Too many people (especially young ones) looked up to me and there were a lot of expectations that I felt forced to meet. I started to lose the energy for it, but if I dared to stray a little from the path, the pitchforks and torches would come out. It was very restricting.

In the end, I felt stuck. Things started to grow toxic. There was a point where I began to dislike the franchise because of the bad feelings it brought me. I couldn't even get myself to watch the series or movie anymore. I focused less and less on the canon side of things and more on my own ideas, which was one of the only comforts I really had left in the fandom. I started to shut myself off, which upset a lot of people. I am sorry for that, I wish it didn't happen that way but I was at my wits' end.

When I realized and also accepted that I was no longer enjoying myself with canon or fanon, I knew I had to move on or stuff would end badly. It was a very tough realization and decision to accept and make; I literally dedicated five years of my life to the fandom. I spent hours a day digging for info and news to translate and share, doing 'research' for my fanfics, answering questions, and whatnot. I truly lived the fandom day in and out. It was the first fandom I ever actively participated in to this degree. What the heck was I going to do without that?

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THE NOW

Abandoning the fandom was a scary step to take but not one I regret. I left the Wakfu and Dofus fandom behind me in late 2019. I feel freer now and so much happier. I no longer have the burden of expectations, being a lore guide or be forced to portray a certain role model weighing me down. I am no longer on that f*cking pedestal. I can finally explore interests that aren't exactly child-friendly without a big part of my following pummeling me down for it. (Don't worry, I always try my best to keep it in the appropriate places.)

Do I still like Wakfu/Dofus and all the stuff I've created with it? Yes, I do but I also want nothing more to do with it. Aside from the friends I've made there and also stuck around on my new adventures, I left the fandom behind me.

I still get approached at times about how my Wakfu OC, art and writing inspired someone and ask me if I could give them feedback for their own ideas or give them advice/information on Wakfu/lore. I am extremely humbled by it every time. It's great to see someone feeling inspired and be creative. However, I've moved on. I've left interacting with the Wakfu/Dofus fandom and fan-made stuff far behind me. I haven't touched it for almost two years and it shows on all the social media I share my art and writing on. I at times wish people could be considerate about the fact that I moved on but I also know and understand that not everyone knows my reasoning or my side of the story. I try not to be too harsh on it.

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MY ADVICE

I don't hate anyone for how things turned out; a lot of it was my own doing by not saying no or taking a stronger stand.

It did teach me a lot of things, especially about caring for my own well-being and putting others on pedestals. Please be mindful when you treat someone like others treated me before; it's not healthy, for yourself and the person you put on that high pedestal. Take everything in moderation and consideration, that's all. Everyone's human, everyone has feelings, and everyone deserves a sense of being. Even your favorite artists and content creators. Don't treat them like an otherwordly being that you have to worship.

In turn, if a fandom or something you enjoyed is making you unhappy nowadays, you owe it to yourself to make or find a change. Be good to yourself, always!

Thanks to anyone who read through this ramble. I needed to get this off my chest. I am not asking for advice, neither pity or whatever else. I just wanted to share my thoughts on past experiences because I have a feeling others might be going through something similar.

Thank you again, please take care.

#wish talks #wish rambles #edited with some format fixes

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notbecauseofvictories · 4 years

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Hi Sarah! My friend and I are starting a bookclub (as much as you can with two people who aren't pressed for deadlines) and I was wondering if you have any recommendations? (That is if you have time to rec anything!) We're starting off with Deathless and have Fitzgerald next in line somewhere but I def want to try to expand the genres we read and tbh from years of following you, I trust your judgement

I don’t...like giving recommendations? At least not directly, it seems like too much opportunity for getting it wrong. Everybody has their own tastes, after all, and even the best of friends don’t necessarily vibe with what you vibe with. (I’ve experienced this with multiple friends, so I know what I’m talking about.) Truly, one of the reasons that my whole “I’m going to get back into reading for pleasure!” push has been so successful is that I only bother with books that interest me, and stop reading when they fail to catch my attention.

But I’ve now read at least 60 books in 2020, which is approximately 60 more than I’ve read in the years prior, so I’m happy to share that. Below is my list of recent reads, beginning to end, along with a very short review---I keep this list in the notes app on my phone, so they have to be. Where I’ve talked about a book in a post, I’ve tried to link to it.

Peruse, and if something catches your interest I hope you enjoy!

2020 Reading List

Crazy Rich Asians series, Kevin Kwan (here)

Blackwater, Michael McDowell (here; pulpy horror and southern gothic in one novel; come for the monster but stay for the family drama.)

Fire and Hemlock, Diane Wynne Jones (here; weird and thoughtful, in ways I’m still thinking about)

The Secret History, Donna Tartt

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn (here; loved it! I can see why people glommed onto it)

Swamplandia!, Karen Russell (unfinished, I could not get past the first paragraph; just....no.)

Rules of Scoundrels series, Sarah MacLean (an enjoyable romp through classic romancelandia, though if you read through 4 back to back you realize that MacLean really only writes 1 type of relationship and 1 type of sexual encounter, though I do appreciate insisting that the hero go down first.)

The Bear and the Nightingale, Katherine Arden (here)

Dread Nation, Justine Ireland (great, put it with Stealing Thunder in terms of fun YA fantasy that makes everything less white and Eurocentric)

The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson (VERY good. haunting good.)

Tell My Horse, Zora Neale Hurston (I read an interesting critique of Hurston that said she stripped a lot of the radicalism out of black stories - these might be an example, or counterexample. I haven't decided yet.)

The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society, T. Kingfisher (fun!)

St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, Karen Russell (some of these short stories are wonderful; however, Swamplandia's inspiration is still unreadable, which is wild.)

17776, Jon Bois (made me cry. deeply human. A triumph of internet storytelling)

The Girl with All the Gifts, M. R. Carey (deeply enjoyable. the ending is a bittersweet kick in the teeth, and I really enjoyed the adults' relationships)

The Door in the Hedge and Other Stories, Robin McKinley (enjoyable, but never really resolved into anything.)

The Hero and the Crown, Robin McKinley (fun, but feels very early fantasy - or maybe I've just read too many of the subsequent knock-offs.)

Mrs. Caliban, Rachel Ingalls (weird little pulp novel.)

All Systems Red, Martha Wells (enjoyable, but I don't get the hype. won't be looking into the series unless opportunity arises.)

A People's History of Chicago, Kevin Coval (made me cry. bought a copy. am still thinking about it.)

The Sol Majestic, Ferrett Steinmetz (charming, a sf novel mostly about fine dining)

House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune (immensely enjoyable read, for all it feels like fic with the serial numbers filed off)

The Au Pair, Emma Rous (not bad, but felt like it wanted to be more than it is)

The Night Tiger, Yangsze Choo (preferred this to Ghost Bride; I enjoy a well-crafted mystery novel and this delivered)

The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula Le Guin (unfinished, I cannot fucking get into Le Guin and should really stop trying)

The Ghost Bride, Yangsze Choo (enjoyable, but not nearly as fun as Ghost Bride - the romance felt very disjointed, and could have used another round of editing)

Temptation's Darling, Johanna Lindsey (pure, unadulterated id in a romance novel, complete with a girl dressing as a boy to avoid detection)

Social Creature, Tara Isabella Burton (a strange, dark psychological portrait; really made a mark even though I can't quite put my finger on why)

The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins (slow at first, but picks up halfway through and builds nicely; a whiff of Gone Girl with the staggered perspectives building together)

Stealing Thunder, Alina Boyden (fun Tortall vibes, but set in Mughal India)

The Traitor Baru Cormorant; The Monster Baru Commorant, The Tyrant Baru Cormorant, Seth Dickinson (LOVE this, so much misery, terrible, ecstatic; more here)

This Is How You Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone (epistolary love poetry, vicious and lovely; more here)

The Elementals, Michael McDowell

Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (didn't like this one as much as I thought I would; narrator's contemporary voice was so jarring against the stylized world and action sequences read like the novelization for a video game; more here)

Finna, Nino Cipri (a fun little romp through interdimensional Ikea, if on the lighter side)

Magic for Liars, Sarah Gailey (engrossing, even if I could see every plot twist coming from a mile away)

Desdemona and the Deep, C. S. E. Cooney (enjoyed the weirdness & the fae bits, but very light fare)

A Blink of the Screen, Terry Pratchett (admittedly just read this for the Discworld bits)

A Memory Called Empire, Arkady Martine (not as good about politics and colonialism as Baru, but still a powerful book about The Empire, and EXTREMELY cool worldbuilding that manages to be wholly alien and yet never heavily expositional)

Blackfish City, Sam J. Miller (see my post)

Last Werewolf, Glen Duncan (didn't finish, got to to first explicit sex scene and couldn't get any further)

Prosper's Demon, KJ Parker (didn't work for me...felt like a short story that wanted to be fleshed out into a novel)

The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

His Majesty's Dragon, Naomi Novik (extremely fun, even for a reader who doesn't much like Napoleonic stories)

Three Parts Dead, Max Gladstone (fun romp - hard to believe that this is the same author as Time War though you can see glimmers of it in the imagery here)

A Scot in the Dark, Sarah MacLean (palette cleanser, she does write a good romance novel even it's basically the same romance novel over and over)

The Resurrectionist, E. B. Hudspeth (borrowed it on a whim one night, kept feeling like there was something I was supposed to /get/ about it, but never did - though I liked the Mutter Museum parallels)

Stories of Your Life and Others, Ted Chiang (he's a better ideas guy than a writer, though Hell Is The Absence of God made my skin prickle all over)

Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (fun, very much a throwback to my YA days of fairytale retellings, though obviously less European)

Four Roads Cross, Max Gladstone (it turns out I was a LOT more fond of Tara than I initially realized - plus this book had a good Pratchett-esque pacing and reliance on characterization)

Get in Trouble, Kelly Link (reading this after the Chiang was instructive - Link is such a better storyteller, better at prioritizing the human over the concept)

Gods Behaving Badly, Marie Phillips

Soulless; Changeless; Blameless, all by Gail Carriger (this series is basically a romance novel with some fantasy plot thrown in for fun; extremely charming and funny)

Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Marlon James (got about 1/3 of the way through and had to wave the white flag; will try again because I like the plot and the worldbuilding; the tone is just so hard to get through)

Pew, Catherine Lacey (a strange book, I'm still thinking about it; a good Southern book, though)

Nuremberg Diary, GM Gilbert (it took me two months to finish, and was worth it)

River of Teeth, Sarah Gailey (I wanted to like this one a lot more than I actually did; would have made a terrific movie but ultimately was not a great novel. Preferred Magic for Liars.)

Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (extremely fun, though more trippy than Gods and the plot didn't work as well for me - though it was very original)

The New Voices of Fantasy, Peter S. Beagle (collected anthology, with some favorites I've read before Ursula Vernon's "Jackalope Wives", "Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers" "The Husband Stitch"; others that were great new finds "Selkie Stories are for Losers" from Sofia Satamar and "A Kiss With Teeth" from Max Gladstone and "The Philosophers" from Adam Ehrlich Sachs)

#from the bookshelf #Anonymous

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volleyball-dontknowher · 4 years

Text

Save a horse... Bokuto x reader

Words: 3.2k

Warnings: NSFW, fingering, sex

Summary; You go to a costume party and see your boyfriend there having the time of his life

Requests are open!

Match-ups close at midnight!

A/N: I know this isn’t a request or anything like that but I wanted a me day so I took one, I had this idea in the bathroom at work the other day and had to write it

B: Are you going to the costume party tonight?

Y/N: Yep! Are you?

B: Duh,

B: Don’t spoil what you’re going to wear, I want it to be a surprise

B: See you at 7

B: Can’t wait to see you

B: I’m excited to see your costume

Y/N: Okay okay babe I’ll see you there

Tonight was one of Kuroo’s annual parties and this year Bokuto had gotten to help choose the theme, costume party. You knew that Kuroo’s parties only roughly followed the theme and it was just a good way for him to get drunk without having Kenma yell at him. The parties were always loud but always amazing and you were excited to see everyone’s costumes. You were worried this was going to be like the scene from mean girls and some people will be modest and the others sexy. You had no frame of reference because not even Bokuto (he was even the one helping set up the party) would tell you what costumes people were wearing. So you decided to go through your closet and find something an equal mix of cute and sexy so you could play it either way depending on who was there. You were the stereotypical cat, with cat ears, a skirt, and a low-cut tank top. Kuroo attracted all types of girls and so you never knew who he actually invited.

It was now 6:30 and you got dressed, did your hair, and then some quick makeup before heading to Kuroo’s. When you got there you could instantly tell that the party had already started and it was only 7:15, music was blaring and you could already hear voices talking loudly. You went up the door and froze for a moment, struck with a sudden fear that you were going to be completely out of place and underdressed, maybe you should just go home and change really quick, or just ask Kuroo for his volleyball jersey and be a player or just run to the store and get an alternative outfit or-

“Y/N! Glad you made it!” Hinata shouts before pulling you inside by your arm. Hinata was dressed as an alien which would put you off because that means you were dressed wrong but it’s Hinata and he honestly wears whatever he wants.

Entering the party with Hinata you are suddenly at ease, you see boys with their shirts off and girls practically in bikinis you were fine. Hinata caught a glance of someone else he knew and skipped off which left you completely alone. You scanned the room for Bokuto or Kuroo and you couldn’t find either of them so you made your way into the kitchen and grabbed a drink when a figure approached you from behind, you could tell that they were definitely not someone you knew by their looming presence and their lack of greeting upon seeing you. You slowly turned around and saw one of Kuroo’s old friends standing there staring at you with a full cup of spiked punch in hand.

“Hey,” he smirks at you in a manner that can only remind you of Flynn Rider, and he was roughly dressed as the Joker which only made his smile more distracting.

“Hi,” with a smile, he hadn’t done anything to deserve anything less and you couldn’t find anyone you knew and there was no harm in meeting new people. The two of you ended up chatting in the kitchen for several minutes when you hear a loud thud come from the living room, you both make your way out of the kitchen to see what happened, only to see that someone is already drunk and attempted to do a backflip off of the couch. Kuroo appears out of thin air and helps the person up and sits him on the couch. The Joker (you didn’t know his name) mutters something about the guy being a total dumbass which made you laugh as you turn to look up at him. You continue your conversation where it had left off, you two were currently debating whether or not Robin is hotter than Batman, and he made a really good point that Batman is rich and Robin isn’t but you couldn’t get over the whole old traumatized man thing. The two of you kept laughing with each other, but you kept looking for your boyfriend who was nowhere in sight and it had been over ten minutes now.

You excused yourself from the conversation with the Joker and found Kuroo and asked him if he had seen Bokuto recently and he shook his head at you but reassured you that he was here. It was weird to not have seen or heard from Bo this long during a party, he was always the life of events like this and you couldn’t imagine where he could be. You did a full lap of the living room and kitchen before slowly making your way up to Kuroo’s room. You knock quietly on the door and get no response so you slowly open the door to see that Bokuto is laying face down on the bed.

“Bo...;” you start as you get closer to him, “what’s wrong?” You know him well enough that something big has to be wrong for him to be upstairs like this.

He rolls over and looks at you sadly, “I lost my cowboy hat,” he frowns.

“What?” you exclaim clearly there must be a misunderstanding, he was not missing the party because of a hat.

He frowns at you, “I look dumb without my hat, I want to be a cowboy, not just a guy.” You can’t help but laugh at him, he’s clearly had a drink or two and was now hiding in Kuroo’s bedroom. You sit him up and give him a big kiss before whispering, “you look just like a cowboy to me,” and this perks him up immediately.

He smiles and jumps out of bed before giving you a giant kiss and telling you that you look “super hot,” and that he has a party to get back to. He is smiling as he pulls you onto the dance floor with him and instantly brings the mood in the room up by about a thousand percent. He is smiling and laughing as he drops it low and dances with you and everyone else around him. His energy is completely unbeatable but you got thirsty after a few songs and went to go get a drink from the kitchen and you couldn’t help but giggle when Bokuto followed you into the kitchen smiling at you happily. He had gotten hot on the dance floor and unbuttoned his flannel and boy did he look sexy. He was wearing jeans that hugged his bubble butt perfectly and then his abs were not showing and he was all sweaty and you couldn’t help but pull him into a kiss and run your hand down his defined chest. Bokuto instantly kissed you back before smiling at you before you went back to dancing together. You had gone through another several songs before you see the joker back on the dance floor making his way over to the two fo you. He starts dancing with everyone around you and joins in the little circle of people Bokuto had attracted.

Suddenly, Bokuto gets an idea and skips out of the circle for a minute to go do something, and you are left alone with the Joker and four other people, one of which being Kuroo and the other was Hinata. The Joker moves over to you and starts to get really close to you smiling as he dances with you and before he can get any closer Bokuto is right back with his hands on your hips smiling at you, which gave the Joker a clear message that you two were together. Bokuto wasn’t stupid, he knew that everyone in the room had their eyes on you and they were waiting for their moment to try and get a word in but he refused to let them get close to you. Girls came up to him and flirted with him all the time too, he was gorgeous, muscular, and funny, what else could girls want- a guy who’s single. Bokuto was amazing and subtly rejecting all of them and making them somehow all still in love with him but they also don’t ever ask him out again. You on the other hand when you were flirted with just kinda froze and looked to Bokuto for backup because you never knew how to react when someone told you that you were the brightest star in the galaxy or something cheesy like that and somehow he always did? But the Joker got the message and backed off and Bokuto turned you around before giving you the cheesiest smile you had ever seen and before you could ask him what he was planning he shooshed you. Then the speaker changed songs and Bokuto started laughing really hard and you had no idea what was going on until about thirty seconds when the songs went “Save a horse, ride a cowboy” and Bokuto gave you the biggest grin as he started to rub his hands up and down his sweat glistened chest and sway his hips to the music. He continued to sing along and dance at you and you can’t deny that you are incredibly turned on, he was a piece of art and he was just staring at you like you were the only person in the room. After he was done dancing at you to the goofy song he pulled you to his chest and whispered, “wanna ride a cowboy?” and you couldn’t form proper words to respond so you nodded your head and he wrapped his arms around your body and kissed the top of your head as he pulled the both of you off of the dance floor.

He went and said goodbye to Kuroo and the others before leading you out to his car and pushing you up against the hood, his hands instantly all over you as he kisses you feverishly. You notice how he presses his hips up onto yours and is quick to pull himself away and wink before opening the door for you and going to start the car. Once he was off of Kuroo’s street his hand instantly went to your thigh and started rubbing up and down your inner thigh, “you’re such a pretty kitten,” he coos, not letting his eyes leave the road. He keeps rubbing his hand further up your thighs and up the edge of your skirt. You squeeze your legs shut before letting out a little whimper “Bo,” you whine as you look at him while biting your lip. He doesn't respond to your words, instead, he pushes his fingers past your legs and starts to lightly rub up and down your panties feeling how wet you are.

You let out a little moan and can’t help but relax back into your seat as his fingers tease you through your panties. He knows you well enough to know that you are enjoying it, but you still have several minutes before you arrive home and he is going to use them all to his advantage.

“Panties off,” he says in with a slight country twang as his eyes stay glued onto the road.

You have no idea if he is serious or not so you just stare at him with wide eyes in shock before he grips your inner thigh harshly.

“Panties now kitten,” he coos at you and you focus your eyes straight on the road as you pull your panties off and slowly put them in his open palm. He smiles at you and tucks them into his shirt pocket before bringing his fingers to your now exposed cunt and pushes his middle finger directly onto your clit and starts rubbing harshly, you let out a surprised squeak before trying to clench your legs together embarrassed about how you were practically dripping for him, but he is one step ahead of you and uses his other fingers to keep your thighs from keeping him away. He adds another finger to your clit and spares a few glances over at your figure, admiring how sexy you with your legs spread open, mouth agape in the passenger seat of his car. It was a thrilling sight for both of you and when you saw him lick his lips as he pushed two fo his fingers into you you almost lost it, but as soon as you felt like you could orgasm you felt his hands leave you as he reached for his door handle- you were home. He smirked at you before quickly making his way around to your door and getting it for you as he smiled and told you “right this way ma’am” in his horrible country twang. You got into his apartment and immediately the two of you headed towards his bedroom, you were both incredibly needed and you wanted nothing more than to get to touch him. Once in his bedroom, you ended up stripped completely naked and Bo had everything but his shirt off by the time Bokuto had closed the door behind you. He gave your body a quick up and down before pulling you into a passionate and desperate kiss as he whispered that you were “so wet for him.” and that he is going to show you how wet he can really make you, just wait he is going to treat you so right, you will be screaming his name in minutes. As his tongue slid into your mouth you could feel his length pressing up against you and you wove your hand between the two fo you and started to lightly stroke it. Bokuto let out a long and deep moan as you continue to stroke him s his hands went to your breasts and started groping them and rolling your nipples between his fingers. He was absolutely on cloud nine but you could tell he was getting close and so could he, so he gripped your hand tightly and smirked at you. He stepped away from you, eyes fixed on your body as he licked his lips and climbed on the bed.

“Come on babe,” he teases you, “save a horse,” he smiles and you can’t help but turn bright red at what he was implying. You shyly made your way over to him and he gave you the biggest smile as you climbed on the bed, his hands helping you throw your leg over his chest and straddle his lap. “Ride a cowboy,” he smirks before sitting up and giving you a needy kiss.

You rub yourself against his length a few times causing the two of you to let out needy moans as you dig your fingertips into his chest to help keep yourself grounded. You lifted yourself up and sunk yourself down onto his length, grasping at his chest as he laid back down enjoying the view. You took a second to adjust before his hands were eagerly attached to your hips helping you raise and lower yourself onto his length. His head was instantly thrown back as he attempted to keep himself together. Once you got your rhythm you were both moaning and loud as your hands grabbed on to his biceps and chest trying to stabilize yourself on him as you sped up the pace. Bokuto was enjoying the sight of your tits bouncing as you fucked yourself on his length as your head was thrown back in pleasure from his length. His harshly flicked your nipples as he watched them get hard and sensitive between his fingers.

Bokuto was quickly approaching his orgasm but knew that you were getting there, but not fast enough, but not fast enough to ever finish. Bokuto decided to start lightly thrusting up into you matching your speed which helped him get more friction and increase the intensity between the two of you which caused you to start letting out breathy moans as you tried to get the friction needed to finish. It still wasn’t enough to get you to orgasm, so he pulled out and flipped the two of you over before pulling you up onto your hands and knees as he enters you from the back pushing in completely causing you to scream out his name as his length hit the deepest spots inside of you. His length hit every spot within you so perfectly that you were ready to cum within a few strokes but Bokuto knew you better than this and he wrapped his hand around your throat and pulled you back to his chest, “be a good girl and wait to cum into after I do, okay?”

You had no choice but to nod your head yes as he pressed your back against his chest as he pounded into you. He was moaning out a long string of curse words followed by your name repeatedly, you could tell he was close bt the way he let go of your throat and pushed you back onto all fours, mounting you once again. His hands dug into your hips as he hit inside of you so perfectly that you were ready to cum at any moment. The curse words turned into praises, “Fuck fuck Y/N Fuck your pussy takes me so nicely,” “fuck you were made for my cock” “you’re so fucking tight fuck” he moans out as he pulls out and finishes on your back before he leans back down and starts licking up and down your sensitive cunt, “cum y/n, now” he begs and you do. Your walls clench as you feel yourself finishing into Bokuto’s mouth as he licks you completely clean. Once you have ridden out your orgasm, Boktuo pulls off his flannel and wipes the cum off of your back with it before he goes and gets a washcloth to wipe the rest of you off with. “God damn kitten, you looked so fucking sexy,” he smiles while kissing you sweetly.

“So did you cowboy,” you smile at him and laughs before pulling you into a passionate kiss beginning round two.Let’s just say when you woke up in the morning Bokuto was wearing nothing besides his cowboy hat which he’d left on the table as he greeted you with a little kiss, “good morning cowgirl”

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lesbian-deadpool · 4 years

Text

Horses?

(Platonic) Loki Laufeyson x Reader

Words: 2,367

Warnings: Swearing, horse jokes, knives, playful threatening. I think that's it.

Request: For someone who wished to remain anonymous, for donating to the Australian bushfires.

Summary: The Trickster God got tricked. Now you gotta help him.

A/N: Bold and italics = Letter. It’s a lot less angsty that what I think you wanted... but I really hope you like it nonetheless.

(Not my GIF)

***

It was a knock at the door that originally woke you, making you jump up, and stalk to the door with your pistol raised.

You peered through the peephole and spotted nothing. You had heard a knock, you were sure of it. It couldn’t have been a dream.

“Great,” you said to yourself, beginning to unlock the door. As it was the only thing you could do, with being on the run and all. “Now I’m acting like the white person in a horror movie. See, Y/N, this is how people die.”

Yanking the door open, with your gun raised, you checked either side of the hallway of your apartment. Nothing. Surveying the floor. Nothing. Even going as far to check the ceiling. Still nothing.

You shook your head, with furrowed eyebrows, before pulling yourself back into your apartment and relocking the door.

“Must have been some kids messing around-” you mumbled to yourself... then, “-Oh my fucking, God!”

“Hell, Y/N.” Loki stood before you, in a black suit, and holding a cane in front of him. “How are you? It’s been some time.”

“I think you just made me piss myself.”

Loki gave you a mischievous smile at that.

“Oh, how I would have loved to see that.”

“Is that another one of your kinks, you greasy bastard?” you asked, eyes hard as you walked past him.

“Okay, so you’re still mad.”

“I’m still mad?!” you roared, “Of course I’m still fucking mad! You set me up for something I didn’t fucking do! Got me fired from S.H.I.E.L.D., and I’ve been on the run for the last six years!” Gripping his collar in your hands, you yanked him towards your face, to seave, “Now tell me, would you still be angry?”

It was a few moments before he spoke again.

And when he did. This was his “answer”.

“You can be quite frightening you know that?”

You pushed him away with a sigh.

“What do you want?”

“I need your help.”

You watched him for a few seconds.

He wasn’t being serious, was he?

He couldn’t be.

“You gotta be fucking kidding me, right now.”

As it would turn out, he was not.

***

“You’re obsessed with this glowy-ass-cube. And yet you lost it?”

“I didn’t... necessarily, ‘lose it’-”

“Oh, so what? It got stolen from you?” you laughed, “That’s so much worse! Aren’t you supposed to be the ‘Trickster God’? And yet someone stole from you!”

Loki glared at you as you continued to laugh until you were wheezing.

He waited until you had calmed down, and were wiping away your tears.

“You done?”

“For now.” You shrugged. “So. What did happen to the glorified building block?”

“It’s ‘The Tesseract’,” Loki clarified harshly, “And-” His sentence was finished off in a mumble.

“What?”

“A... cat... ate. It...” Loki struggled to say as if it was the hardest thing to do.

“A cat ate it?” you asked trying not to laugh again, “You sure it wasn’t a horse?”

“What?! Why would it be a horse?”

“Oh. No reason...” You took a second to make sure you were walking the right way along the busy New York sidewalk, before quickly turning your attention back to Loki. "Anyway. Cat's don't eat things like that."

"Well, this one did!"

Your jaw dropped when you saw the slight fear behind the demigod's eyes, all because of a little cat.

“Are you really scared of a tiny, baby puddy tat?” you asked with a pout.

“Things came out of its mouth.”

“Things?”

“Like tentacles.”

“... have... have you been watching a little too much henti?”

“What’s that?” Loki asked.

“Nothing,” you replied hastily. “Not that you probably wouldn't like it,” you muttered to yourself.

***

How you got onto the subject of your ex-partners. You didn’t know. But, here you were!

Loki looked off into the distance as he spoke, “Ah, I remember my first girlfriend-”

“Are you seriously beginning to monologue, right now? Didn’t think you were that much of a stereotypical villain.”

“-She was beautiful.”

“Horse. It was a horse, wasn't it?”

“She wasn’t a horse!” Loki yelled.

“... she was a horse,” you muttered in reply, nodding your head as Loki roared in frustration.

“Shh!” You placed a finger against your mouth. “It’s hunting kitty season. Remember?”

Loki grumbled at you in response. You had to say. Loki in full camo paint and laying upon the dirt ground, amongst the trees, was pretty funny. You never imagined Loki to be the type of person, to get down and dirty. But hey, when he has someone like you to push him to do it... he has no choice.

He wanted you to help.

And "help" is what he was getting.

You weren’t gonna do all the work.

Loki groaned. “What’s taking so long?! When will this cat get a fucking move on?!”

“Do you mean you what this cat to “giddy-up”?”

“I will kill you.”

Before you could utter your reply, with your mouth still open and your eyebrows scrunched, you listened to the whirring noise that was undoubtedly the sound of a remote-controlled, toy vehicle.

And you were right.

A green and orange monster truck was barreling its way towards you.

It made a sudden stop in-between yours and Loki's faces.

"See, this is your fault," Loki accused.

"Your fault."

You reached out and grabbed the letter, that Loki apparently didn't notice.

"Dear, Idiots-"

"Hey!”

“It’s not me, it’s the letter!” you yelled back. “Now, let me read it.” You cleared your throat, ruffling the paper in your hands.

“Dear, Idiots,” You raised a finger at Loki, indicating him not to interrupt you again. “You really think we don't know you're out there? ...”

“I thought you were supposed to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent?!”

“Yeah, I was!”

“You have two options. One. You can wait out there and my friend will come out to get you. Or Two. You can knock on the door, yourselves. You have five minutes.”

You hummed at the letter. “Welp! Let’s go knock on the door!”

“We’re not knocking on the door.”

“Listen, they already know we’re out here. So why prolong the inevitable?”

“You realise I have magic?” Loki asked, “Whoever comes out, I will be able to fight them.”

“And yet, you needed my help...” You let out a sigh. “Hey, you see that black car over there?” You pointed to the sleek black SUV. “That’s Nick Fury’s car.”

“What?! And you didn't think to tell me that?! Do you have any loyalty?!”

“Loyalty to you?! You really think we are friends? That I’m on your side?”

Loki said nothing, just processing your words. Before huffing and replying with, “We’re not knocking on the door.”

You only smiled at him.

***

“Ah, Y/L/N. Glad you made the right decision,” Fury greeted, opening the door, “And Loki. Sad to see you again.”

“Likewise.”

“God guys,” you began with a smile, making Fury’s eye narrow at you, knowing you well enough to know what you were about to do, “The sexual tension between you two is insane, I for one, am surprised that you haven pounced on each other yet.”

Fury rolled his eye at you and Loki opened his mouth to yell his reply, before a woman covered in what seemed to some sort of grease or oil, walked into view, and began talking.

“So... why were you spying on my house?”

“That!” Loki startled you, pointing at the ginger cat upon the stairs.

“Goose?”

“Oh, is that its name?!”

“Okay, why have you got a problem with my cat?” A blonde woman, also covered in grease, slid up behind you both.

“It stole from me.”

“The Tesseract,” You clarified, “Loki says it ate it with tentacles, apparently. I just think he was high.”

Scratching the purring gingers head, the blonde woman said, “Oh, so that’s where she got it from? You two.”

“Nope. Not me. Just him- Wait...” You paused. “Are you seriously not gonna deny the whole tentacle thing?”

“Why would we?” The first woman shrugged.

“Because-!... cat’s don’t do that!”

“She’s not actually a cat.”

“What?!”

“She’s an alien.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” Loki spoke.

“What?!” you yelled, “That does not make sense!”

Fury chuckled at your reaction, “There is so much you’ve missed.” He then turned to Loki. “You’re not getting the Tessaract back, by the way.”

“I need to sit down,” you whimpered before Loki could reply, “Alien cats? Would you believe it?” you continued to ask yourself, as you walked further into the house.

***

So, cats are aliens. Or aliens can look like cats rather. The Avengers broke up- But you knew that already. You had been severely out of the loop for the last six years, but not that out of the loop. Loki had faked his death. Of course, he did. The Avengers fought against some purple alien titan, in a country called Wakanda, and won. Without you. Not even an invite. How nice. They still didn't trust you... lovely.

The Avengers were pardoned from the government and left to live their lives.

And S.H.I.E.L.D. was thriving better than ever, especially now that H.Y.D.R.A. had been wiped out from the cooperation.

You were currently sat outside, with the “cat” named Goose, upon your lap, as you stroked through its fur. As you watched the slowly setting sun, over the treetops of Louisiana. It was a peaceful place, you had to admit that. Beautiful too. It made you wonder why you didn’t hide out here, while you were on the run.

“She likes you.”

You turned to peer over your shoulder, seeing Fury standing there with his arms crossed, also looking at the sunset.

“I guess you could call me the Flerken whisperer.” You smiled.

Fury had a smile on his own face before it fell, and he looked towards his feet. You were surprised. You had never seen Fury when he wasn’t sure of himself.

“I... I’m sorry.”

Okay. Now you were surprised and confused.

“I didn’t trust you when Loki framed you, and I should have. We all should have. And I’m sorry about that.”

“You can’t. You can’t just do that,” you told him, “You can’t just apologize, and expect me to be fine with that. I was a fugitive for six years. I lost all of my friends... I lost everything, Nick.”

“I know,” he nodded, “And I know I, and everyone else, has a lot of ass-kissing to do. But... I hope that this can be a good start.”

Fury moved to hand you something, which you cautiously took from his hand.

Your lips curved at the S.H.I.E.L.D. badge in your hand.

“You just have a surplus of these things on you at all times?”

He chuckled. “No. That one's mine... I just wanted to make a grand gesture. You’ll get yours when you come to headquarters... that is if you chose to accept your position again.”

“Has anyone ever told you, you’re like a father sometimes?”

“More than I’d like to admit.”

You chuckled at his words. “I want a promotion.”

“With the correct training, it’s yours.” Fury smiled down at you. “Will all your years away, you must need a lot of work to whip you back in shape.”

“Insulting.”

A booming laugh sounded from Fury, as he turned to walk back inside.

“See, you later. Agent.”

You jumped up before he could leave. “Wait.” He turned to face you, cocking an eyebrow in silent question. “I actually have something I won't propose to you.”

***

Not too long later, you were joined outside by Loki.

No longer confined to the rocking chair by your new-found friend, and instead choosing to hold onto the railing surrounding the porch, still gazing at the colourful sky.

“So...” he started, “Nicolas told me you recommended me for a position in S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“Well, actually, I recommended you for a position on the Avengers,” you corrected, “But I guess Fury wanted you to work your way through S.H.I.E.L.D. first- The rookie stuff, at least. I can’t say that he trust’s you.”

“I wouldn’t see why he would.”

“And you have to do it, I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer.”

“Then I suppose I have no other choice.”

“Damn straight.”

“... thank you,” Loki uttered sincerely.

“Hey, what are friend’s for?” You sighed, looking at the remnants of the sunset, with your hand still holding onto a smiling Loki’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. “So... what do you think about seeing Thor again? Say yay or nay,” you finished off, saying ‘nay’ like a horse.

You burst out laughing when Loki magically pulled a knife out of thin air, pointing it at you.

Yep. It seems like your life was finally turning around, for the better.

(Bonus Scene)

Four months later and thriving in your new life, back at S.H.I.E.L.D.. Well, technically the Avengers.

Yes, that's right. The Avengers.

That was Fury’s way of ‘a promotion’.

And you couldn’t be happier.

Especially as you laughed at the sight in front of you.

“Common, Loki! But your back into it! Clip-clop!” You clapped your hands, with the ‘clip-clop’, laughing brightly as you watched Loki ran an intense obstacle course, currently heaving a weighted dummy, as he sprinted across the field and towards the next task.

“How’s he doing?” Thor asked, sliding up beside you.

“He’s doing good. Luckily Fury appointed me, to whip him into shape.”

Thor hummed. gesturing to the course, he asked, “What’s next, after this?”

“Natasha agreed to spar with him.” Looking over you asked, “You gonna come watch his ass get kicked?”

“I wound not miss that for the world.”

You turned back to see Loki going too slow for your liking.

“Common! Faster! Don’t make me get out the whip!”

Loki stopped in the middle of crossing a balancing beam, staring deeply into your eyes, from across the field. And pulling four-

Count them.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

-Throwing knives from nowhere. Playfully threatening you, as you knew he would never try to actually hurt you. Thor laughing loudly beside you, as he did.

“How does it feel like being our honorary sibling?”

“I gotta say... feels pretty good.”

#original work #original fanfiction #fics for australia #please donate #australia bushfires #help australia #loki laufeyson x reader #loki laufeyson imagine #loki laufeyson #loki x reader #loki imagine #loki #marvel #MCU #tasty tasty tessaract

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kleptic-writes · 3 years

Text

Drop ‘Em Out (Let Me See Them Knockers)

“Well, this is a cover of the song “Drop ‘Em Out” by Wheeler Walker Jr,” Kara says to the camera, her striking blue eyes staring into the camera as if trying to get it across that she is really saying this to Lena. She hums a note, before pausing, and saying, “I really hope you enjoy this, Lena.”

Kara strums a chord again and hums for about two seconds. She takes a deep breath and nods to herself, her left leg starting to bounce up and down as if keeping time. Kara looks like a real musician.

A one-shot where Lena is having a dilemma surrounding Kara. But, to be honest, when is she not having a dilemma surrounding Kara?

Word Count: 2134 words

Rating: T--but talks about boobs, so... take that how you will.

Read It Below or on AO3.

Sam exits the elevator quickly, her heels tapping against the floor. Her long legs stride towards the door to the CEO's penthouse, the urge to run bubbling up from deep down within her soul. She pulls her spare key out of her pocket, hands shaking as she clicks the door open and walks inside.

She nods at Jess, who is sitting and scrolling through her phone on the couch. “I came as fast as I could,” Sam says, almost yelling as her eyebrows furrowing together with worry. “What do you mean that Lena is ‘having a moment?’ Is she alright?” she asks.

Jess leans closer to the taller woman, but her eyes glance towards the closed bedroom door. “Go in for yourself and talk to her,” she whispers. “There’s just no logic and reason going through her head right now.”

Sam sucks in a deep breath and nods, mentally preparing herself for the absolute worse. She turns on her heel and walks to the door of the bedroom, pushing it open to see Lena staring wide-mouthed at her computer screen. She obviously hasn’t changed for the day because she is still wearing her morning red silk robe—not that there is much of the day left.

It’s already 3:53 according to Sam’s phone.

Oh, this is a lot worse than what Sam thought. She sighs and steps further into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

“Lena?” Sam asks, turning around to fully survey the situation.

The young CEO glances up at her with a glazed look in her eyes.

Sam bites her lip, studying Lena for a second too long so that it passes over the point of ‘ I am being a great friend ’ and into ‘ I am a concerned mother looking over my child ’ territory. But, to be honest, Lena is acting very similar to when Ruby came home lamenting over how cute her crush was three weeks ago.

Sam frowns. “Is everything alright?” she asks, stepping closer into Lena’s personal space.

Lena shakes her head as if she were shaking the cobwebs free from all the crevices in her brain. Her bright green eyes finally land on Sam, her eyes widening to almost a humorous degree.

“Sam,” Lena says, her voice cracking like a teenage boy going through puberty. Sam frowns as this is so much worse than what she thought it would be. “I think it finally got through to Kara that I’ve been flirting with her,” the CEO squeaks.

Sam tilts her head. “Why do you say that?” She quickly glances around the room for any signs of romance: flowers, cards, anything . She looks back at the CEO and raises an eyebrow at Lena when nothing appears to Sam right away. Her eyes flicker down, briefly, to the computer before Lena, and a thought pops into her head that makes her shiver.

Did Kara send Lena a sex video?

Sam shakes her head, that would be ridiculous. Kara is in isolation according to Supergirl’s twitter page.

(“Lmao guys, I might have an alien virus!! I’ll keep you updated!!” it had said. Sam still balks every time she thinks about that. Who says LMAO when they have a potentially deadly virus?)

“Just start from the beginning, Lena,” Sam ends up saying, trying to coax the CEO into telling her what’s wrong.

“I am the product of a sordid love affair and my mother hates-”

“Lena.”

“Fine, fine,” Lena huffs and crosses her arms, staring Sam in the eye with obvious annoyance on her face. “It all started this morning when Kara and I were supposed to have our daily Zoom call with one another. She might’ve been exposed to an alien virus, you know.”

“I heard.” Sam feels her eye twitch.

“Anyway, this morning…”

Lena sips on her morning coffee while her fingers rapidly click against the spacebar of her computer, coaxing the machine to wake up for the day. It blinks awake and she quickly types in her password.

“I don’t need like a fucking novel,” Sam groans, her left hand flying up the air as a feeling of exasperation settles in her stomach. “Just tell me what happened!”

“I’m getting there,” Lena snaps, “Hold your horses.”

Lena hums and softly blows the steam away from her face as she refreshes her email inbox, waiting for Kara’s email to the Zoom room link.

She looks out the window, frowning when a red dart--sadly, not Supergirl--flashes across the sky. Must’ve been a bird or something. Oh, Lena misses Kara like a fish missing water.

Lena opens her phone and clicks on the texting conversation between her and Kara.

“where are you??” Lena types, before deleting, pausing, and looking out the window once again so she can think of a better text to send to her best friend. She bites her lip, every possible message running through her mind rapidly and slowly at the same time because this is Lena’s most anxious part of the day, despite what anyone else thinks.

She looks back to her phone and sucks in a breath, sending “are we still on for zoom?” to the blonde, quarantined superhero. “i can also do it later in the day if you can’t do it right now,” she adds in quick succession.

“Check your email! :D” Kara quickly responds not a second later, and Lena feels her heart flutter as she stares at the cute emoticon. It is so Kara. “But could we possibly Zoom later? I have some lab tests about to be done on me” and “I don’t want our time cut short” comes in two messages back to back.

“then why am i checking my email,” Lena almost asks, before deleting the message. She sighs, bringing her cup back up to her lips as her fingers fly to click the reload button. She clicks and anxiety starts to build in her stomach.

She frowns as an email from Kara loads with the title: Watch Me!!!

Sam puts her hands on her hips and looks up at the ceiling. “So,” she says, interrupting Lena’s story. “you’re freaking out slash mildly upset because you didn’t have your daily Zoom call?”

Lena sputters. “N-no,” she says while her eyes fly around the room rapidly as if the young CEO wouldn’t dare look her friend in the eye. Sam raises an eyebrow at the action and hums, trying to figure out what is going on.

“Let me just continue with my story, Sam,” Lena whines, “Then, you can offer your genius or whatever.”

“You’re damn right I’m going to offer my genius after all this,” Sam nods, motioning for Lena to continue, “please tell me more about why you’re so freaked out right now.”

“Well, I clicked on the email which had a YouTube link sitting inside...”

Lena almost chokes on her coffee once the video loads. Her green eyes squint together, amused, as she stares at Kara smiling widely into the camera.

The blonde is wearing an interesting outfit, to say the least, and it makes Lena wonder if Alex decided to get Kara’s clothes for her--but at a steep price. But, like always, Kara still looks like the perfect mix between hot and cute. Maybe it’s an alien thing.

Well, to put it plainly, Kara looks like a Cowboy. And, it is making Lena feel things .

Her taut white t-shirt is covered by a blue and red well-worn flannel, and a straw cowboy hat rests on top of her head with her blonde hair down and semi-wild. Since Kara isn’t wearing her glasses, she looks as if Supergirl decided to go to a rodeo and just fought an evil bucking alien.

“Hey, Lena,” Kara says, grinning into the camera. She reaches one of her hands up as if wanting to fix her glasses, but then coughs, and fixes her hat instead. “I haven’t seen you in person for a few weeks now,” the blonde muses, her blue eyes dropping to her lap as if extremely disappointed.

. “I really hate that,” she continues, “But, nevermind that. I have something to show you! Something that I hope--oh, golly--I hope you’ll like this.”

The CEO raises an eyebrow at the screen, silently wondering if Kara is going to use her superhearing to listen to Lena’s reaction.

“Anyway,” Kara continues, “I’ve had a lot of time on my hands recently. I’ve really enjoyed our Zoom calls, but they’re the only thing that I really look forward to nowadays. So, I decided to learn how to play some country music. One sec,” she stands and exits offscreen.

Lena bites down on her lower lip, slamming her eyes together so a groan doesn’t escape from her lips. Sure, Lena would love to watch Kara’s serenade from the DEO, but she doesn’t really care for country music.

“Well, here is a song that I hope that you enjoy,” Kara says, and Lena slowly opens her eyes. Kara is holding a guitar with a shit-eating grin on her face.

“Wait,” Sam interrupts again, “This all about a song . You’re freaking out over a song?”

“Let me tell my own story, Sam,” Lena sniffs, crossing her arms. “It makes more sense if you just listen.”

“Jeez, okay.”

Kara clears her throat, and strums such a beautiful chord that Lena suddenly gets the urge to listen to more country music--but, only if Kara will listen to it as well. Her blue eyes shimmer and shine almost as if she had caught stars and put them in her eyes.

“Well, this is a cover of the song “Drop ‘Em Out” by Wheeler Walker Jr,” Kara says to the camera, her eyes staring into the camera so she could get it across that she is really saying it to Lena while strumming another angelic chord. She hums, before pausing, and saying, “I really hope you enjoy this, Lena.”

Kara strums a chord again and hums for about two seconds. She takes a deep breath and nods to herself, her left leg starting to bounce up and down as if keeping time. Kara looks like a real musician.

Lena leans closer to the screen, enraptured by what she sees. Maybe after Kara gets out of Quarantine, Lena will just ask Kara to play guitar chords while the CEO happily (and hornily) drinks wine.

Kara plays another chord and opens her mouth, her bright voice echoing in the bedroom.

“Drop 'em out,” Kara’s voice is angelic, Lena thinks. “Let me see them titties. Gonna take a long look at those tig 'ol bitties. Areolas lookin' nice, nipples lookin' real pretty…”

Lena gasps, shock ricocheting throughout her entire body as she watches Kara… sing about boobs? Kara would never do that.

“Come on let me gander at your boobs.”

Scratch that. Kara wants to see her boobs..? What in the--

“No way that happened,” Sam says, rolling her eyes. “Kara can barely even say boobs, much less ‘titties.’ And that part with the Areolas? Bah!”

“She did,” Lena says, nodding her head. “I’ve been watching the video all morning in fact. Do you want to see it?”

Sam pauses, considering her choices very carefully. “I’m good,” she decides.

“Are you sure?” Lena asks, looking worried and unsure as if she were afraid that Sam doesn’t believe her. “All I have to do is just click--”

“Do not click that button,” Sam says, firmly, her hand almost slapping herself in the face. “I don’t want to hear it.”

Lena pauses, biting on her lip. “What do I do, Sam?” she asks, her voice small. “I’ve never been in this situation before.”

“Honey,” Sam sighs, “I don’t think anyone has been in this situation before. But you know what?” Lena perks up and stares at Sam with an extreme fascination. “You can do exactly what Kara told you to do… show her your boobs!”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Sam says, and then she hesitates. But, then she shrugs and agrees with herself that this might be the fastest course of action. “Yeah, show her your wonderful boobs.”

Lena nods. “Okay,” she says as if trying to psych herself up, “I will. I will show Kara my boobs. But,” she pauses staring at Sam with an extremely pitiful gaze, “I will only do it if you help me make sure that they look perfect. Help me with lighting and whatnot.”

Sam looks up at the ceiling and closes her eyes. The fate of her friend’s relationship is now in her hands, no matter how much she doesn’t want it to be. She sighs and looks back down at Lena.

“Sure,” she says, “Let’s make sure your boobs look great for Kara.”

“Our zoom call is at 4:30.”

“You will look like Kara’s personal cam star at 4:30, then.”

#supercorp #kara x lena #lena luthor #kara danvers #cowboy!kara #supercorp fanfic #this was a crackhead moment #should've been studying for finals but #here we are #samantha arias #she's also a key player in this

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careydodd · 3 years

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Would that we had.

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crusherthedoctor · 4 years

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When taking Lutrudis as a concept into account, it could be argued that the decision to have her live in a big, fairytale-like castle would be an unwise idea, maybe even counterintuitive, since a place so extravagant might undermine her intended loneliness and yearning for a more fulfilling life, adventure, and all that jazz before Sonic and company entered the picture. The last thing I’d want with Trudy would be to remind people of Chris “woe is me” Thorndyke and his rich kid mansion lifestyle. Not to mention that since some of the townspeople in Lime Shores can act rather ignorant (and in some cases, antagonistic) towards her, a lavish castle might also undermine the underdog nature of that particular setup.

Despite these concerns however, I felt confident with my plan, and I figured that as long as I knew what I was doing, readers would understand what I had in mind. I’ve explained in the past that a castle would better accommodate someone with her EDS, so right off the bat, you already have a practical justification for it. It also helps that whereas the accursed Thorndyke had his parents, friends, grandad, butler, etc etc etc etc... Trudy genuinely had no one to turn to before the heroes arrived for their intended vacation. So with that said, let’s examine this particular building for a bit, complete with pics for comparison’s sake, as well as a certain cavern full of Ethereal goodness that happens to be nearby...

Creating the Residence: Trudy’s Castle

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: The outside environment is not too subtly inspired by Autumn Plains from Spyro 2, better known to non-Spyro fans as my blog background.

A serene yet lonely autumnal forest backdrop, with a big stone castle smack dab in the center. It’s not one-to-one the same of course - instead of a pool, the front area boasts a lovely garden full of different flowers, and there’s also a lake nearby - but the mood is more or less what you see here.

However, this partly serves to contrast with what’s behind closed doors. As acknowledged in Beyond the Stars proper, the interior of the castle instead goes for a different and grander, yet equally inviting atmosphere when you take that first step inside. Instead of stone, you see marble and wood, and instead of grey and green, you have reds, creams, maroons, and golds (with a few complimentary blues and purples thanks to the flags hovering above).

As the lady herself mentions, Trudy discovered that the interior was in a state of disarray when she obtained it, and she was of the belief that a castle as beautiful and rich in history as this one deserved better than to be forgotten and wither away in the coming generations. The least she felt she could do was give it a modern, yet respectful redecoration, and give the old building a second, loving life in the process.

Yes, that means every spot of detail inside this castle was done single-handedly. Entirely on her lonesome. It took ages to complete, especially when taking her EDS into account, but she was determined to give the place its due, and lo and behold, the effort more than paid off. (You know, such levels of determination bring a blue hedgehog to mind...)

And that’s just the intended vision for the main hallway! We haven’t touched the other rooms yet! (Since a castle would have quite a lot of rooms, it goes without saying that for the sake of keeping this post from going even longer, we won’t be covering literally every single room... just the most important and/or most noteworthy ones. :o)

The bathroom can be described as a mix between the two examples below, combining the semi-medieval build of the former with the sky blue palette and general relaxing style of the latter.

Though that said, while the bath remains there for any guests to use, Trudy personally uses a shower since it’s more convenient for someone with her condition.

The kitchen (or as Sonic likes to call it, “the palace of chili dog magic”) mostly comes in cool browns and blacks, and its intended appearance is probably one of the more obvious combinations of old-timey and modern. It also has a slightly country aesthetic compared to the other rooms, because ha ha, horses, geddit.

The greenhouse at the back brings back the heavy amounts of green (well duh, the clue’s in the name, isn’t it?), while also providing contrast with the whiteness of the structure and architecture. Complete with giant arched windows, because of course.

And the segue point between the greenhouse and the rest of the castle looks something along these lines, at least with the way the building itself connects.

Even the chambers underneath the castle manage to look classy and clean. And just as well, since it’s where Tails parks the Tornado for the remainder of his time in Viridonia, once he FINALLY remembers to get it off the Lime Shore beach...

You know another benefit of such a spacious area? You get to turn it into a makeshift workshop for all your gadget needs, Tornado-related or otherwise. I’m sure that won’t come in handy at some point...

The guest bedroom is one of the most curious rooms of the lot, because even though it’s as nice and tidy as you’d expect, it’s also rather... muted compared to everywhere else. Perhaps Trudy felt no need to modify it further in any specific way, since no one had ever bothered to stop by anyway... until you-know-who and the gang.

And we can’t forget to mention our fair equine’s OWN bedroom now, can we? Her bedroom opts for darker colours, yet no less therapeutic, which includes the canopy bed that she rests in. You can actually see the general idea with the bedroom (and the outside of the castle for that matter) for yourself, in the Dame of the Daisy mini-comic, courtesy of my awesome friend @benignmilitancy.

Likewise, although this shot is currently incomplete (don’t worry, Benign is fine with me using it :P), meaning some details haven’t been added yet, you can also get a basic idea of how the balcony is supposed to look here, along with the complimentary view of Viridonia’s oceans.

So what kind of music would befit Trudy’s castle, you may ask? Well, taking every detail into account, we would need something that goes for that perfect mix of adventure, wonder, warmth... and a faint hint of sadness lurking beneath. Something that gets all four across, but not in a generic, run-of-the-mill orchestra sort of way. Something a little more ambient and down-to-earth, with a more unique and specific kind of intimacy. Something like...

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This would apply for when you’re inside, mind you. Outside the castle, the surrounding forest would have a theme of its own, though it would share that similar combination of melancholic friendliness. So for the outside, we would go with something more like...

youtube

Overall, the idea behind Trudy’s castle - aside from being her residence and looking enviously pretty - is to add to Trudy’s own character. It’s said that one’s home can say a lot about a person, and I made sure that every room shared a consistent narrative when reading between the lines. They may differ in shape, and they may even differ in colour, but the story is kept consistent at all times. We know that our girl is elegant, we know that our girl has slightly antiquated tastes... and we know that until the arrival of Sonic and Co, our girl was extremely lonely, and isolated by her peers, to the point of staving off said loneliness and isolation by making the place as lavishly detailed as it is in the first place. And just as the stony exterior hides the more fanciful interior, so too is there more to Trudy herself than at first glance.

Besides, not counting Eggman’s endless list of tributes to himself, we don’t often see the characters’ homes in the games, do we? We’ve seen Angel Island for Knuckles, the Space Colony A.R.K. for Shadow, that shack belonging to the Chaotix in Heroes, a few pads of varying consistency depending on the game (Tails’ workship in SA1 VS his house in Battle)... but not much more than that. And what better contrast to Sonic being something of a nomad, than by Trudy living a place like this?

But we’re not done just yet. Last but not least, we can’t forget that mysterious cave hiding down below, where countless amounts of Ethereal Crystals can be found undisturbed... You can bet that such a place would be suitably attention grabbing.

Since the crystals themselves come in practically every shade of the rainbow and then some, the resulting combination - specifically their reflecting shine - ends up painting the cavern walls with just as much colour.

It may feel a tad surreal and almost alien, to the point of being a little intimidating for some, arguably. But you know in your heart of hearts that as long as Eggman isn’t in the equation, there is no need to be fearful. After all, Trudy knows it better than anyone else, and although the crystals and their properties may hail from unknown, possibly uncomfortable origins, the horse herself continues to use them for wholly benevolent purposes.

Such a cavern would deserve a theme of its own, no? We’ll need something that drives home the point that the power within has no inherent morality, and can only be as good or as evil as the person using them. So although Trudy’s own intentions are firmly on the side of good, we’ll also need an added touch of minor eeriness lingering in the background, to represent the overarching threat and subsequent implications of Eggman dipping his own hands into the metaphorical Ethereal well, on top of its already unexplained otherworldliness...

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So yes, it’s quite a pleasant castle that Trudy has, eh?

But this isn’t the only castle that can be found in Viridonia...

Well, it used to be the only one of its kind on the island... until a certain doctor stopped by, decided to beat the horse at her own game, and create his own, darker counterpart in response... But we’ll get to that when we get to that, ho ho ho.

#Creating Viridonia #Sonic the Hedgehog #Fanfiction

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middleinthenight21 · 4 years

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Ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?

@ravenfan1242 I don't know what I would do without your help. I have told you.

You are incredibly beautiful 💕

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.

"So funny." Garfield smiled and Raven grimaced.

The demons smiled when they saw that they had lost, and the angels looked away from the pain.

"Why are you with me? "

The phrase came out hard and cold, as if she were asking a criminal why he decided on that life. She was tired and angry, tired of going through the uncertainty that his voice loved her so much and not meeting her expectations, of wondering what would become of Garfield if Terra hadn't died and wanted to get him out of her veins.

She clearly saw the disinterest; it was tattooed on his soul and he did not realize it.

If he gave her a reason to stay ...

Garfield looked up. "Excuse me?"

It's now or never.

"Maybe you should free me." She leaned against the counter. Her hands dug into the soft fabric of her clothing, like an anchor; She hadn't expected her heart to squeeze, she kept screaming, hitting the walls to stop it, but her mind reminded her that she was the girl who survived hell. Gathering her strength "Why are you with me? " She repeated.

Suddenly she's tired of building walls around the relationship to watch them fall repeatedly. She no longer wants to murmur that they are okay with others when they ignored each other, from having rowdy arguments only to end up coming back, offering flowers and hugs, as if that was enough to convince her, she had wasted whole nights trying to square their differences, watching the heavens and whispering to their gods to end all this.

She had been taught in stories that love should hurt, otherwise it wouldn't be worth it in the end. You get to know him, you fall in love, you suffer until you get your happy ending, cost and prize.

Fuck this love.

If he's playing, just let her know.

He sent her a painful look, put his cell phone aside "Rae…"

No, they would not do this again.

She stepped back.

Garfield stood up, smoothing down his pajamas, and for the first time in months she saw him take on a serious expression. He walked slowly, like stepping on needles and spread his hands trying to join them, but she moved away, shaking her head repeatedly.

"I love you. Rae please. " One of his hands caressed her cheek. He brushed her short hair behind her ear. "I love only you. Nobody else. "

She stepped back, pulling his hands away, and muttered, "You know it's not true."

She didn't realize how much it hurt until the words left her mouth. They became a curse, a truth that turned hearts to dust, but for Raven it is not an unusual sensation, more like hearing the last words of a condemned man.

She crossed her arms ignoring his face "We both know this was going to end like this. "

Garfield shook his head and put their foreheads together, she could no longer fight this. She saw his aura weaving into deep blue, a shade she didn't often see, but it wasn't the same as when a certain person died in his arms, it's not that sadness.

It was not the same.

Her green hair was soft, heshe smelled of shampoo made of plants, like a forest, and his breath of milk, like a cat; his hands cupped her cheeks being tender and soft. She almost melted, a part of her wanted to be left alone to receive his attention and affection, it told her stories of how they could rebuild and evolve, she would eat from the leftovers for a while longer until she realized that she is malnourished and sick.

Her father teased her about being too silly, laughed at Garfield and the situation.

"Come on, Raven. I love you and I want to be with you" he said. One of his hands went down to her jaw to trace her neck and settle on the nape of her neck, wanting them to get even closer. "Don't stop this. Don't do this to us. "

She closed her eyes tight.

Get out of this. It's now or never.

She pulled away, denying with a broken voice and tear-clouded eyes. Perhaps this was a weakness, a vicious cycle, for a long time he was her toxin, a drug that was destroying her every day, but she continued to cling to the pleasurable effects, dependence and habit helped her ignore the adverse factors.

Something that made you feel so good couldn't hurt you, right?

"I will not return to the same. We've been like this a long time, Gar" He looked at her; Her green eyes reflecting pain and she swears she'll miss having him so close. "Think about the future, you would be unhappy by my side; be honest you will never love me. We will be miserable together"

"Why are you doing this? "

Why was he acting like it was her fault? He knew what she was talking about, he saw what was hurting them. She gave the final blow, but that fight already started long ago.

The answer was clear "Because I'm not her. "

He stepped back, opening his mouth and closing it, unable to answer. Garfield was hurt, her words were like daggers and she felt terrible, but it is the truth; Raven is not Terra and is exhausted from pretending that he loves her.

For eight months she was a ghost, a specter threatening in the corners, Raven felt her presence unnoticeable in the eyes of the boy who swore he loved her; He was running after someone who would never belong to him and turned his torment on her, carrying her bound in chains with caresses. The chains wouldn't hurt until they hurt her wrists, his caresses turned into pins, and he would never admit that it was his fault.

Okay, she would accept it.

She didn't directly name Terra, but it's not a taboo in her mouth. After two years, the name of the former Titans member still hurt, it was a wound that would never heal for Garfield, perhaps it would live forever, nailed to his bones and running through his veins.

She hit him hard in a vulnerable spot and it felt wrong, like desecrating a holy temple, but she had no other way to show him the truth. Before they were dating, they were friends and Raven ruined everything.

His friendship, his love and companionship.

She bowed her head.

"Hey, sweetheart."

Dick smiles at the door and his girlfriend frowns, realizing something is wrong, but by then Raven is already gone.

A million thoughts go through her mind, like a whirlpool. When she opens the door to the roof of the tower the sky is a thick gray soup, there are no traces of the sun's rays, but the promise of a rain.

***

She always returned to Riva Street every time a memory haunted her.

Gotham has the charm of a Francisco de Goya painting, somewhat dark and twisted, it has Wayne Tower, a standard of progress for the city; Raven remembers her open mouth trying to analyze the immensity of the fortune and the power of the millionaire family of the city of the bat, Metropolis shone like the sun in summer, it was beautiful and wide, guarded by the most powerful hero in the world, but not compared to the magnificence of Wayne Tower, the Daily Planet looked like just one more figure blending in with the city, in her time in Azarath she was surrounded by incredible beauty and temples, Jump City was insignificant compared to the places she saw with her eyes, it was a city with the smell of a port, whose inhabitants depended on the coast and tourism.

Gotham has Wayne Tower, Metropolis tot Daily Planet, and Azarath had its temples, but none have Riva Street.

When Raven joined the Titans, she was a hurt and scared girl, who saw deaths, destruction, and dwelt in hell, loving a being who was unable to feel, value, and deserve love, but she had. That was her mistake.

She felt like a stranger, an invisible entity wandering the streets of a foreign city; She looked like a girl, but inside she felt much older. Starfire had shaken her hand, as if she needed a direction, held it so sweetly that she almost cried because she had been stroked long ago with the same kind of love.

Emotions came to her like the wind, it was a strong current that pushed her back almost releasing the hand of the alien princess, but she just whispered that she shouldn’t be scared. Raven had frowned because she probably thought she was shocked by the number of people roaming the streets and that couldn't be further from the truth.

Dick smiled at the scene. Even meters away, she sensed the warmth, how the hero's heart beat strongly, like a horse's trot and almost fell to the melted ground, she believed that it could not be more clear, it was obvious that he wanted the newly baptized leader of the Titans.

She grimaced, wanting to get away from this situation.

Raven did not want this familiarity, she did not deserve it after her choices. Sooner or later it would go wrong, the prophecy was set in stone, it was impossible to erase, and it was the first time that she seriously considered getting lost in the streets and disappearing forever.

Starfire led her by the hand towards a store, eager to try on an outfit she saw on a mannequin, but the girl's vision was focused on an alley, it did not seem part of the city with its buildings and gray streets. It was a corner with the cobblestone floor, small houses painted in different colors, square like match boxes with beautiful terraces adorned with flowers and plants. The restaurants served pizzas, spaghetti and all kinds of typical dishes, people gathered around tables chatting with their friends and families.

She watched people reading, laughing with their children and couples shaking hands.

The aura was tinged with pink, a color that she had never seen before in a concentration that made the sky seem like a sunset.

"If you want, we can go," Dick interjected.

She nodded, showing no emotion.

Years later, she continued to walk down Riva Street, that hidden alley that did not correspond to the city, just like her. Riva street was her, with its relaxed atmosphere, small family restaurants, ice cream parlors and bookstores, it was her secret, nobody knew how much she liked it.

Raven had started and finished books at this place. She created memories, like a buried capsule that few knew about.

It was too intimate.

She knew that her home was with her friends, the people she considers as family, who would die for her and would protect her with their life. It is not a place, but if she would ever settle it would be on this street.

Raven would lease an apartment on Riva Street, perhaps on the second floor of that bookstore with the unpronounceable name that specializes in classics and mystery novels; She would have a cat or dog as a pet who would walk by her side, read on the benches and it would feel great. She would rebuild her relationship with herself.

It was a nice dream.

She sat in a chair waiting for her coffee.

She took the book out of her bag. The first edition of The Raven glowed with its worn cover, it had become a symbol, a sign that her feelings must be thrown away in the trash, the moment she realized it and ran a hand over the object, stroking the bird image.

She frowned.

Her heart gave a painful beat, but she was not ill. She had been through this situation before; She knew this emotion and she was not going to allow it to continue.

How did it make a difference if she started liking him or it was dumb confusion at a low time?

Not that she had much experience around relationships. Her previous relationship was living proof, since then she had made a calculation, perhaps the outcome was not entirely her fault, but Raven tended to cling to people who would never feel the same way about her, loved and hoped they would return it. Her father, her demonic brothers, Garfield ...

Damian would only be one more number on her list. He was already having a bad time for her to have confusion, he didn't need any more drama in his life, where did she come in? Raven was going to destroy their relationship, she had to end it all.

It hadn't been long since she had ended it with Garfield, this couldn't happen to her now. It was just a passing taste, a flutter, and it would go away, like a butterfly.

Did her heart so quickly forget about Beast Boy? She almost shook her head, her words still got stuck when she saw him and she wished that she would confess the truth to him., Give a better explanation of why she abandoned him, because she left him before he did and left him pained on the sidewalk, but it is different, it is that kind of affection accompanied by bad memories, the one that asks for an apology and demands it.

With Damian it's different, it was stupid of him ...

She couldn't help but feel terrible. She felt like a bad person, wanting a friend was the worst thing that could happen to her. She had seen him for years as her best friend, they helped each other when they collapsed due to some circumstance and boy, they had., They talked about books and movies, they could sit down; share a tea and chat about a period of history. With Damian and she would respond with the same interest.

Random, she was going to ruin everything.

Don't feel, she told himself. Don't start, if you do you will want more. You are not that kind of girl.

He deserved a young daughter from a wealthy family, a Gotham princess, and even a model. If they didn't notice her best friend because of his attractiveness, they would because of what he represents. She heard that such powerful family practice was usual (like a novel), although she couldn't imagine Bruce Wayne agreeing with that.

Raven was but a half-breed, half human and demon; someone who was unaware of many terrestrial customs, an anonymous name that was forged from the depths of hell. An abomination, a protégé, destruction and the girl who became a hero hidden under a hood.

A strange sensation invaded her body, as if someone or something was watching her. The air was a mix of pink and green, which she had seen in few people; It is not a secret that Raven can see the aura, they would normally be tinted red, yellow, blue, purple to gold, but green was difficult to find.

She had only seen this shade of green on one person.

"Blessed chance."

She looked up, suppressing a shiver. Out of sheer inertia the book slid forward, almost ripped it from her fingers, and a chill ran through her entire spine, like a fleeting fire; appeared and left instantly.

What was he doing here?

If it wasn't for the voice, she wouldn't recognize him. Damian Wayne stood next to her with dark glasses over his eyes, a thin white scarf with black patterns, and his usual black t-shirt folded neatly to the elbows.

Titus appeared with his tongue sticking out, apparently tired and when he became aware of her presence, he approached flapping his tail. She smiled at the emotion of the dog and stroked him, he licked her hand up to her arm.

He sat down in a chair in front of her. She was surprised to see him leave the tower, since the drama on social networks he had not wanted to pronounce on anything with any of his identities.

Batman, the Justice League, and the Titans suggested solutions, from official statements to videos giving their reasons, but he dismissed it with one hand and focused on training. He didn't do any more, locked himself in and improved his techniques (in her opinion, he didn't need it), now he was he, in front of her showing most of his face.

Maybe Damian got tired, he was an active person, she was pretty sure that in the time they met didn't see a single day of laziness, he kept his hands busy; When he was not on patrol, he trained, when he did not train, he devoted himself to research, or he cleaned the room, sharpened his weapons, or contacted Wayne Manor asking for an update on the events there.

"You must keep an eye on your enemies as well as your allies"

"We are talking about your family, Damian" she replied.

"It does not matter"

She raised an eyebrow "I would ask you about the scarf, but I don't want to insult your taste."

"This scarf is made to make me invisible to the cameras."

She bit her lip to keep from laughing. Damian wouldn't appreciate laughter at his expense but she found it funny.

"Like a superpower?"

He rolled his eyes.

"It was designed by ..." He looked at the table, more specifically at the book interrupting what he was going to say. His eyes traveled from the object to Raven, as if trying to square two different things in a single scene and she never wanted to take it out of her bag. "It's from an online store” he corrected himself. " Now his voice was much more comfortable. "Many celebrities use it to make it impossible for paparazzi to take photos. "

She thought about it.

People had calmed down a bit, basically because Robin disappeared assigning missions in remote places, what surprised her most was that he did not protest. At first she had believed that negativity did not affect him, that he would turn off all opinions and focus on himself, but Damian had acted like a wounded animal, every time a camera pointed at his face he transformed into a more sullen version., He bit with his words when talking about his reputation and he left the Titans to be seen only in short periods of the day.

She had not seen him in a week.

"I didn't know you knew this place."

For a long time, she thought that Riva street was hers. It is not a crowded place, when you compete against luxury shops, festivals and fairs, a cobbled street taken from an old movie is not a great novelty.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Grayson said they wouldn't harass me here."

"Dick?"

Shrugged.

His shoulders had widened, and his muscles were protruding under the thin fabric, she was jealous that the material would embrace him highlighting the perfection of his body. His tanned skin darkened over the years from exposure to unprotected sunlight, he was strong, and he was acquiring new scars.

She looked at his hands, a collection of scars like silver threads running through his fingers, one of them going through his wrists. She wanted to know what had happened, to ask if it was hurting from the cold and if it really led the other way.

It was like a faded flower imprinted on his skin. A scar is a patch of skin that grows on a wound, insensitive to touch, but would he feel anything if she touched it?

Do not start.

"He named this street." Damian didn't seem very impressed, although his expressions are difficult to read. At first she found this frustrating, it reminded her of Batman's aura, a cloud that could not fade to see the true color, but his son was a green color like his eyes, but his exterior had been sculpted based on hard training, emotional manipulation, control and pain. The green is dull now, like dried moss. “He promised me that no one would bother me.”

She looked at the scarf.

"So that's just as a precaution and ... "

She was interrupted by the waiter carrying her coffee, a donut dusted in sugar and the house specialty, some delicious focaccias. She felt the tug of hunger in her stomach as the smell of olive and spices reached her nose.

Damian frowned.

"What? " She took a sip of the coffee; the drink was at its perfect point. The Costa restaurant is small, rustic with that stone façade and the chairs made of hand-carved wood; she felt the urge to defend it. "Yes, it is…"

"I didn't say anything." He grimaced. He would say it "I was just wondering why you were so quiet and serious in the Tower, while here you show more emotion to that donut than to the Titans,” he said.

He put the coffee aside.

He was right.

"You too have been silent."

Damian crossed his arms supporting his back. Titus played around a fountain, drinking the water and letting some children caress him, from here she felt the laughter and affectionate names that were dedicated to him and the animal bathed with love, its owner almost smiled. Almost.

Right now, he looks like he's getting his weapons ready for battle, his expression was determined and wild, and he must ...

"Is it because of Garfield?"

She steps back, and a bucket of cold water falls on her body.

"What? "

Uncertainty passed over her face and hardened her.

Why was he doing this? Raven sees a feeling, believes her powers have touched him, and would go deep, but instantly he blocks it entirely, his emotions and feelings painted under a dark canvas. He left her blind, only believing that her had the confidence to reveal a portion of himself.

She was surprised that he named her former partner, since he did not express interest in their relationship. Damian was non-sentimental; He would probably scoff at the honeyed explanations his older brother so badly wanted to get into his head; Jason would have a dirtier one, full of inordinate sex and add treason to it, just for the drama; Tim would give a talk about the chemical processes that were triggered when someone liked you, but he was not interested, he saw it as a necessity, a small distraction in his eternal crusade.

"Did you finish?"

As if that would explain everything, but what if it did? After the breakup with Garfield, she plunged into meditation, turning off her father's voice, but it followed her everywhere, repeating what she really was.

She became like thorns. If someone got close enough, they would only get a prick, there were no flowers in the first season or leaves in the summer, so she kept herself alone and promised that she would not be touched.

Garfield's face turned into punishment, if only she hadn't hurt him. It was too late, she is alert when he is close and knows why.

She really understood it.

Damian looked her in the eye. "I know it was a difficult breakup."

She looked down.

"It was. "

She did not lie, there was no need. Her affirmation was like a consolation, she just needed to let him go.

"I'm sorry. "

She raised her head. She never heard Gotham's bat son apologize to anyone, those phrases were not in his mouth, his tone was soft, like calm after a storm.

She smiled.

They shared a long look. At first, he looked serious, despite not wearing his Robin mask it felt like an eye mask, hiding the true emotion reflected in his eyes.

Damian smiled.

A dimple left on his cheek, and wrinkles formed around his eyes, making them look smaller, his expression softened, as if he had never been through torment. It was unlike any other smile she had ever seen, it was not arrogant, nor of victory or conceit; This was not the trained assassin destined to turn the world into a dystopia, he was not the angry and vengeful boy struggling to find a place next to his father, emerging as Robin, he was not the son of a famous billionaire, nor the hero that everyone hated, but Damian. It was soft and beautiful.

The first time he saw a genuine Damian Wayne smile was on Riva Street.

So, she knew she made a mistake and would never see Riva Street the same way. This street had represented intimacy, the beginnings and ends of novels, the best coffee she had ever tasted, flavors that she had not tried before, reflections and the smile on someone's lips. He had become entangled in her soul, the memories lost relevance compared to this moment and a feeling of fear of loss settled in her stomach, like a blow.

The story ends. Now.

Raven's smile disappeared from her face.

***

Raven had come up the stairs when the sun was barely caressing the mountains, a blanket hanging from her shoulders, a steaming tea floating behind her, and a book under her arm.

The roof of the Tower of the Titans gave a general view of the city. The blowing of the wind was strong, charging from the north, the color-degraded sky and a handful of stars remained in the sky.

Seagulls flew around the construction, squawking as if announcing the start of the day. The air was frozen, like sticking her head into a refrigerator and her nose was kissed by the cold.

Years ago, she read here, with the tranquility and amazement at dawn. Normally, the tower was full of noise, screaming, and disorder, making it impossible to read and struggling to find solitude around seven quirky teens, plus an alien princess with a tendency to incinerate food and her boyfriend with a highly activated parental sense.

It was a strange combination, but it works.

She sat on the floor wrapping the blanket around her shoulders holding back a shiver, sipped a shot of green tea, and watched the sunrise, amazed by the colors.

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

The pad of her fingers caressed the illustration, noticing the relief and ink of the illustration of the egg sitting on a wall with little Alice watching.

"Do you think it will disappear if you don't take it?"

Damian sat still in Robin's uniform; his face shows cuts and the purple colors began to manifest in the high point of his left cheek.

"What happened? "

"Patrol. "

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Always so expressive.

She watched him "You look tired. "

He snorts, but doesn't contradict her, and that's a confirmation. Damian had been behind a gang of robbers, and was recently called by Batman while away for two weeks; Photos surfaced in magazines and on social media about the charity event bringing the family together in honor of Martha Wayne, without However, if Bruce Wayne summoned him it would not be solely for that, the vigilante was having to contain the Joker.

Raven knew that it required the whole family.

When Damian arrived, he was angry and spent all his time on patrol, so he was living with his brothers and he needed to get rid of the teasing, arguments and annoyance.

Three days later she has him in front of her with his legs trembling and sweat dripping down his forehead.

"You should sleep," she recommended.

He clicks his tongue and his chest rises and falls. "When I was seven years old, I was awake for four days, just feeding on the vegetation of the place and the river water. This is nothing to me. "

She imagines a child abandoned in the middle of the forest, hungry and starving. It doesn't seem like an achievement.

She grimaces.

"What? "

She chose not to express it. He could take it as a criticism, or get irritated., Damian is not known for his tolerance of others' arguments, especially when it comes to his past, and equally who is she to argue about his story?

"Nothing. "

She reread the book.

All the king's horses

And all the king's men

Couldn't put Humpty

Together again.

"It's one of my favorite rhymes," he declares sleepily.

Raven grimaces.

He is looking at her, his eyes struggle to close, and she can see the struggle to stay seated… If only he wasn't so proud.

An impulse makes its way inside her and she thinks of the teenager who gave her a book. The one who appeared on Riva Street accompanied by his pet, who spoke about poetry and rhymes when tiredness is about to knock him down. She takes off the mask, it is soft and almost feels like a mass in her hands, he protests, but he is are just babbling.

"I'm going to hit Drake and-" "He can't tell enough; his head falls and heshe straightens his brow several times. Raven almost smiled. "Father and… They almost kidnapped Grayson…" He tries to formulate a complete sentence, but the voice simply leaves him. Before he falls to the floor, she gently grabs his arm and helps him lie down on the floor and balls her blanket into a pillow. "I like rhymes. "

Laughter echoes off the roof.

"Are you always so chatty in the morning?"

He growls.

"I must have a poem around here." She opened the book.

It is right in there

Betwixt and between

The orchard bare

And the orchard green,

When the boughs are right

In a flowery burst

Of pink and white,

That we fear the worst.

She took a breath to read the next paragraph when she was interrupted.

"Peril of Hope. Robert Frost. "

A memory greets her after years. When the world was almost over and her father had been inserted into the glass, she felt his stench emanating from that smallness, his power and evil in her palm, she could not be careless and silly like the last time; the world did not deserve destruction and her friends almost died, she agreed to stay in hell to protect them, but he convinced her as best he could, citing poetry by Robert Frost.

"You are full of surprises."

That permanent frown disappeared, and he buried his face in the blanket, closing his eyes.

She plunged into uncertainty for a few minutes.

She watched him sleep, muttering that she is not that girl and she would not fall so easily.

She drank her tea in one gulp.

He woke up an hour later, muttering and staggering to his room, he didn't go out all day.

Raven devoted herself to meditation, while Starfire and Dick trained together.

She could feel eyes from the other side of the room, even without opening her eyes she knew who it was. From a few meters she identified that aura and presence, the colors of his soul were a deep yellow like sand.

Garfield watched her apprehensively, as if aware of an unknown detail.

Her insides twisted like a worm, wanting to take his eyes off her. She just wants to push him away.

***

The next morning Robin appears on the roof, the next and subsequent.

Damian was there, she would have a new book waiting and she would feel that it became her new religion; They were like little children who shook their shoulders and tried to learn something new.

They don't talk much.

Raven drank her tea bathed in the rising rays of the sun behind the mountains, the wind would blow her hair in different directions and she would be covered by her thick blanket. She absorbed the silence when she watched him read Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens and Herman Melville after a night patrol where he hid from the eyes of the people.

No one has seen Damian Wayne in a month.

Robin is a vigilante who takes refuge in smoke and on missions with the Titans, would participate and walk away.

’’ Doesn't it bother you? ’” She asked one day pushed by bravery. Since the cancellation he was reserved, fleeing from the great masses and behaving like an invisible entity.

He didn't look up from his reading. "What are you talking about?"

’’ The hatred of people on the internet ’’

He frowned, processing her words. "The opinions of the despicable sheep are not worth it."

"You should print it on a card."

He smiled ‘’ ’I'm not an influencer, not a celebrity, Raven. I am a vigilante and did not need third party validation… I would just like to have privacy ’’

Raven understood that.

***

That morning it felt strange, like when you have a lump in your throat that is about to give way.

Damian had not returned for three days as he was on a mission with his brothers. Therefore, there were no conversations on the roof, books and herbal tea, lunches on Riva street and she realized how much she missed him. They did not spend all day together, she did not think about him for more than an hour, but she settled into her routine with those small and significant moments, they were pieces of her days that won against vacillations.

She was longing for more.

No one had to know.

In front of the Titans, two colleagues behaved as common as ever; there was a tacit agreement of silence between them. She discovered that she liked it that way. That she wanted that privacy, she said nothing, but she knew that for Damian's public life it is complicated that whatever they had was captured by a camera and exposed, stabbing the secret. Raven did not want to meet her face in teen magazines, or that they speculated around who she is, if she valued anything in her civil identity, it gave her a sense of normality.

Raven was terrified; her father's voice followed her every morning as she made her tea in the kitchen before going up to the roof. He brought back memories of her previous relationship, distant and sad green eyes, which made her feel so good she wouldn't have to tear him apart. With each fight she had a reason to leave Garfield and there were many, and she didn't want him anymore.

She knew he would never do anything to hurt her, she knew his heart and his intentions, but love can make you see roses instead of thorns. She only knew love in poems, books and performances, they said that love is a brilliant thing, but it is ardent. She always tried to see herself through the eyes of another person, it made her feel less dirty and that there was this story where after suffering there is a person waiting, with her heart in one hand and a smile painted on her face, like a pink brushstroke.

Maybe it only works on humans.

Now she thought that love was a golden cage, that makes you feel that you live in luxury and have all the comforts of the world, but you cannot go out without a fight, without facing the person who made you forget about yourself.

Her father was no longer using insults to destabilize her, he became crueler bringing memories that she was fighting to bury. It led her to the frustration, heartbreak, and anger she felt after the discussions, her mind formulating justifications and judgments, and her breakup.

Standing in the kitchen praying because she was doing well, not regretting and avoiding remembering this as a big one: what if?

She knew that it was her father taking advantage of her fear, but she could not help thinking that it was much better to look the truth in the eyes and that part of her is happy that Damian is not there.

She hoped that it would take him long enough to forget his smile, burn his presence on Riva Street and go up to the roof watching the sunset reading in silence, without feeling that something is missing. She felt he was getting under her skin, between the cuts of her past with something she has not known and does not know how to fight it; Damian takes what he wants, his defense mechanisms react in time.

She expects him to stay away days, weeks, months, and even years.

I am the only thing you have, ungrateful girl. I'm the only one who stays.

She growled and murmured a quick spell, dulling his voice.

She realized that she doesn't just want to have her father as her company, she still has friends who show her love, and they don't care about her love life just because of her condition. That thought brings her peace.

Raven lit the kettle. It is still night when she creeps into the kitchen in her pajamas, and the thin blanket around her shoulders like a makeshift cloak; she needed a tea to fully wake up, she still felt the tiredness in her body and her eyes closed when she leaned on the table.

She was ready to watch the sunrise alone and considered going back to sleep. With or without Damian it had become a habit, it was her, what did she gain by clinging as if he were an extension? She was sure that Damian would not like someone to consider him that way, she was also finished with that topic. She was better alone.

Someone cleared his throat.

She felt hesitation and fear. She turned, watching Garfield stand at the kitchen door, hesitating instead, as if fighting to run away or stay.

A heart beats.

It is like rereading a book with an unhappy ending, she had seen this a million times. She had already given up, but he came back every time she was healing and would be weak to fall under his love, as if that would fill her, even so, she felt that the end point had already been written.

She filled her cup with hot water "I left you the rest of the water, if you want. "

"Raven," Garfield scratches his hair, unsure. His head was down. "Can we talk? "

She shook your head.

"I woke up at five in the morning with a purpose." His eyes are marked by dark circles and puffy from lack of sleep. She gives in (just a little). "It will be a moment. "

The young woman sat down at the table holding her breath. Her hands traveled to the cup embracing the warmth, and she begged all the gods and spirits of Azarath not to end up in the same place as a month ago.

Aisha, the spinning spirit of Azarath's love and suffering is laughing at her. The monks illustrated her as a lonely old woman who lives in the high mountains, where the sun always shines, pulling the strings of love from mortals and immortals. She is temperamental, if she thought you were good, she could entangle your thread of love with others the easy way, her fingers would do the braid with details, but if she decided that you didn't deserve it, then she would make a tangle between love and suffering, condemning another innocent person; her tutors were afraid of her, they thought they had to atone for any offense against the spirit. She thinks Aisha hates her.

She remained silent, and inert.

The silence is uncomfortable, it keeps and brings conversations, memories and secrets.

"I'm sorry. "

He Frowned.

Raven raised an eyebrow, still surprised by what heshe was saying. On more than one occasion she imagined that at some point he would apologize, but she did not expect his voice to break, to feel the pain reflecting on his face.

She did not know what to say. She was never good at sharing her feelings.

He probably already knew that.

"I was a terrible boyfriend," he said. She is empathetic so she feels his conflicting emotions, but one of them predominates more than the others: Guilt. "You didn't deserve it."

She is about to speak, but he interrupts her with his hands up: "Let me finish, please" He keeps his eyes down. Her hands play with a napkin, folding and spreading the paper. "I wasted what we had. Don't think I didn't love you, in fact I did. I wish I could have loved you better. " He shrugs "I hurt you. "

She grimaced.

Beast Boy pursed his lips "Now you keep your guard high when I'm around you and I know why. I'm sorry for so many things and I understand if you don't want to have anything to do with me" His hands tremble. "Before we were dating, we were friends and I didn't think about you. I just want you to know that I come back to those mornings every day and I feel horrible about how I behaved. You didn't deserve everything I threw at you when you tried, the arguments, I ignored you for days to come back to your door asking for a chance and you forgave me. I really understand yes ... "

Before we were dating, we were friends ...

I'm the only thing you have, ungrateful girl.

She takes his hand, this time there are no artificial lights or contempt "I forgive you. "

Raven really says it. She does not want to live alone having her father as a constant, it would be a sad constant and now he is angry, insulting her and screaming because she is weak, gullible and stupid, yet she smiles.

He opens and closes his mouth, surprised "Really? "

She nods "It's not like I have any other choice, we live in the same place. "

Garfield laughs and exhales a big breath, touches his chest feeling his heart and snorts "God, I thought you were going to hate me. Maybe you would curse me for all eternity. "

She rolled her eyes.

"Maybe I will…"

"Let's be friends again!" He dances around the kitchen, ignoring her words. He turns to yellow and white again. "It's cool, baby. "

Raven stands up, deciding it's too much. She embraced the book and used her powers to make the cup levitate with her footsteps.

"You are so loud."

He is smiling.

She walks to the kitchen door to watch the sunrise, but he knocks on it and she turns around.

"What wrong? "

“You deserve someone who reads Shakespeare or something like that with you and kisses the ground where you step," Garfield smiles. "You may be half demon and your father is a monster, but not everything has to be suffering. Love is not pain, Rae. "

Again, she doesn't know what to say or do, so she nods.

When she leaves the kitchen, she realizes that the lump in her throat that she has been holding since she got up, no longer exists. She feels light, like dropping a load and all the bumps, cuts and infections are healing.

She still has her struggles but abandoning one she did not collapse. Sometimes getting rid of one makes the bag not explode.

She needed that talk.

She needed to let it go completely.

As she climbs the stairs to the roof, she feels the rays of the sun entering from the open door, the light wind on her face and the squawk of seagulls, agitated in the sky that is a beautiful combination of pinks, blues and golds.

Her steps are delicate, like the fall of a feather and she thinks of the crow as more than a bird that predicts tragedies, or its black feathers the consequence of the wrath of a god.

When she opens the door, she holds her breath. Sitting on the floor writing on a pad is Damian, dressed in his civilian clothes and a bruise above his eyebrow, he carries a coffee and frowns every time he sips his drink.

His hands are quick on the sheet of paper.

She didn't know he would be here; thought he’d be away for a couple more days.

"You are late. "

She does not answer.

"Selina had a daughter."

She raises her eyebrows.

"I thought your father had more than one girlfriend." Damian looks up for the first time. He frowns. "You know, Playboy. "

So, it wasn't just a mission with his brothers, the Bat family just got bigger. Honestly, she thought the world couldn't take another Wayne, but she was wrong.

He does not say anything.

Raven sits on the ground next to him, keeping her distance.

"How are you with the arrival of the new member? "

"Good. "

Oh.

"Congratulations. "

They remain silent and she thinks that is all the information that she is going to be able to obtain from Damian. She opens her poetry book right where she leaves the separator, which consists of a withered sheet.

"My father is happy, even if he doesn't say it" He continues writing, only this time it is slower. The pen in his hand runs smoothly, as if reflecting. "I thought Selina would be a strumpet, that she would give him carnal relief and then leave, but my father seems… comfortable. Dick says it makes him less intense. "

Dick.

For Azarath, Dick must be overflowing with joy.

"How is she? "

Damian grimaces.

"Pink. "

She laughs "Yes, I suppose all the babies at the beginning are. "

"Helena is small, like really small, so much so that my father fears that she will break if one of us carries her." When she is not crying, she is sleeping or eating" he pauses. "Selina says the first few months will be like this. "

She Smiled.

"What? " He asks defensively.

"You like her. "

He rolled his eyes.

"To be honest, my chips were on the end of their relationship, but she stayed." He shrugs. Damian makes it look like an unlikely result in an equation. "Drake and Grayson won. I suppose I are well. I can do nothing but endure. "

Raven laughs.

"It's not funny." His tone is not angry, he doesn't turn that red warning tone and she knows that everything is fine.

She looks down at the book and takes a sip of her tea.

She looked at Damian, who continued writing in his notebook; The sun's rays bathed his face, his skin is tan, and his green eyes roam the notebook, concentrating on whatever he wants to capture.

She closes your eyes and feels the taste of herbs in the mouth.

She feels his shoulders collide with her, it's a warm and dangerous pressure. Each of her molecules asks for more, and she shouldn't be allowing this, but she doesn't pull away, nor does she stop her heart from running wild.

No one has heard from Robin in two months and the internet is focused on the following drama.

Damian Wayne allows himself to be photographed, but the paparazzi are not interested in selling photos of a scarf to the big gossip magazines, so they disappear little by little.

Raven left a relationship behind and hesitantly asks: What is it about him here?

It is at this moment that he realizes that, if she bleeds, he would be the last to know.

#damirae #fanfiction #damian x raven #damian wayne #raven #dc animated universe

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ginnyzero · 3 years

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Completely Harmless Ch. 63

Completely Harmless An SSO SilverGlade Re-imagining Story (Or Fix it Fan Salt fic) By Ginny O.

When Lily and her friends wanted to buy horses and were directed to the Silverglade Manor and its myriad of problems, they didn’t expect to start a revolution. They were just a bunch a stable girls. Completely harmless. Right?

A/N: Things are only canon if I say they’re canon. Pre-Saving the Moorland Stables compliant for the most part. Posted in its entirety on my website. Posted in 2000 to 4000 word bits here. Rated T for Swearing Word Count 177,577

Chapter Sixty-Three Rescue Time (but First Needling Mr. Sands)

Lily took another slice of lasagna. “This is actually decent lasagna.”

Mr. Sands’ brow twitched.

“Did you get the recipe from Catherine?” Lily asked.

Alex and Justin left. Justin giving a tour guide type of spiel. Lily figured he wouldn’t s how Alex anyplace sensitive. Which was fine. They didn’t need to see anything sensitive.

Mr. Sands stared at Lily.

She continued to eat. “When are you going to tell that poor boy that you killed his mother’s friends?”

“He wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t.” Mr. Sands frowned. “His father hid his heritage from him.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure how telling anyone that your grandmother is the Baroness of your district but we can’t associate with her because your grandfather, her ex-husband is an immortal alien who wants to take over the world is going to go over well.” Lily licked the fork suggestively. “I mean, there are May December romances, and then there’s you.”

Sabine and Jessica snickered.

“You know quite a bit more than you should.”

“What can I say? I have a face that people trust.” Lily shrugged and continued to eat. “You smile. You nod. You let them talk. People love to talk about themselves. The Baroness though, she was a tougher nut to crack. She doesn’t do talk. She does actions. Deeds. So, was it something you did or didn’t do that tore you two apart?”

Mr. Sands snorted. “Don’t be foolish enough to think I had any feelings towards her. She was a means to an end, no more. She didn’t have what I needed.”

“Hmm, it’s interesting to me that you were able to contain Anne, but not Lisa.” Lily stuck the fork into the lasagna.

“Oh, they fought,” Jessica said.

Sabine smirked. “But not enough.”

“You don’t need a Dark Rider,” Lily mused. “So, why keep Anne imprisoned?”

“Elise is not my recruit.”

“Oh, contingency plans.” Lily nodded. The name Elise sounded familiar but she couldn’t place it off the top of her head. “Clever enough.” She finished her slice and set down her plate. “I’ll go catch up with Justin and Alex. They might need minding. And I’m the one they think is the flirt.” Lily pushed her hair back over her shoulder strutting from the room.

She found Alex and Justin pretty easily.

“Hanging out here all day sounds like a bore,” Alex said as they wandered around a large room.

“There are plans to be set in motion,” Justin said. “And it’s not that bad.”

“No place to ride. No elbow room. Everyone on top of each other.”

“Sounds kinky,” Lily spoke up.

Alex jumped. “Don’t do that, Lils.”

Lily checked her phone.

Alex strode away from Justin. “Wait, wait, wait. At least you know what you’re waiting for I suppose.” She jerked her head to one side.

Lily waited to make sure Justin had his eyes on Alex before looking where Alex had indicated. A book rested on a book stand.

“The day is important. All the generals agree that to do it early would only bring disaster. The Keepers are too fixated on their prophecy to be paying attention. And without the other Soul Riders, they can’t stop us even if they wanted to.”

Lily walked towards the book slowly.

“They’re down to one now,” Alex said and shifted her weight. She moved towards Justin. “We’re going to be together, no matter what, baby.”

“You and me against the world,” Justin said.

Alex rested her hands on his chest. “That’s right.”

Justin frowned and turned his head to look for Lily.

Alex put a hand on his cheek and turned his head back to look at her. “Justin, look at me. I’d burn the world for you. You used to feel the same. It’s still in her.” She rubbed a circle on his chest.

Lily snagged the book and stuck it in the back of her pants under her trench coat. “Do I need to tell you two to get a room?” She leaned against the stand.

Alex flushed. “Are any of these generals hot so we can get Lily her own May December romance?”

“Only one person can rule the world, Alex,” Lily said. “And it’s going to be me.”

“Yes, yes, all hail the Queen.”

“I keep moving up in the world,” Lily murmured.

“Empress even. We can be the Empress’ advisors.” Alex grinned. “Ruling sounds so tedious anyways. You need a champion. I take champion.”

Lily snorted.

Justin rolled his eyes. “Garnok is going to rule. Not us.”

“I guess I better figure out a way to kill Garnok,” Lily said dryly.

“Come on, you have to be here for one reason or another. Show me.” Alex took Justin’s hand and tugged him away.

“Fine, there’s a control room. I can show you that,” Justin said. “It’s just a bunch of screens and drones though. There probably isn’t anything very interesting going on.”

“But it will kill time,” Alex said.

“Ugh, don’t talk about killing time,” Lily groaned. “You want the entire world to fall out of whack.”

Alex winked at her and urged Justin forward.

Evergray polished the keystone with a rag. “Keystones truly are a thing of wonder. You wouldn’t think a thing of such humble origins would be able to part the veil of space and time.”

Linda double checked the tuning of the harp like Lily had shown her. It was mostly nerves. She turned her head.

Horse hooves clopped against the stone of the path echoing into the Dale.

But not one set of hooves, multiple.

Elizabeth Sunbeam, Rhiannon, Avalon and a host of druids in robes and hoods swept into the Dale on horses of all colors.

“What is going on here?” Elizabeth asked.

Avalon cleared his throat. “I told you to leave, brother.”

“Tsk, as if I listen very well,” Evergray said and coughed.

“Linda,” Elizabeth scolded. “I thought better of you. Evergray isn’t to be trusted. He’s a thief.”

Linda stood up holding the harp in her arms. “He’s been more honest than you have been.” She lifted her chin.

“What is that?” Rhiannon nodded at the stone in Evergray’s arms.

“You don’t know.” Evergray shook his head. “Twenty years and all the new recruits are base ignorant. This never would have happened while I was chief archivist.”

“Evergray, you have violated the terms of your exile,” Elizabeth said. “You were warned what would happen if you ever returned. We have come to take you into custody.”

“I see how you are, Elizabeth.” Evergray turned his head and coughed. He looked back at her. “You’ve come full circle then.”

Elizabeth flushed. “I don’t know what you mean.” She straightened on her horse.

“If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be so mad. Come, now, we haven’t actually answered your questions.”

More horse hooves echoed in the Dale, this time, they were alone.

A grey dapple horse with a white mane appeared at the end of the Dale.

The druids murmured and moved aside.

“Concorde,” they whispered and murmured to each other.

Concorde trotted between them. He lowered his head to Linda. “Soul Rider,” he murmured.

Linda pressed her forehead against his. “You’re safe and alive.”

“What do you need me to do?” Concorde asked.

“Make room, make room,” Evergray said. “I believe this is our cue.”

Linda quietly explained to Concorde the plan.

Alex had managed to wheedle Justin back to the horses.

“It’s time,” Lily said.

“Justin, baby, your lips look super chapped.” Alex grabbed his chin.

Justin tried to move his head. “They’re fine.”

“No. They’re definitely chapped. Can’t kiss you with chapped lips,” she said. She took out the chap stick and popped the lid off with one hand. “Hold still.”

Justin’s eyes widened and he leaned back. “Alex.”

She smeared it onto his lips before he could say anything else or get away.

Justin stilled and stared ahead barely blinking.

Lily reached into her saddlebag. “Catch,” she said and tossed potions at her.

Alex caught them and opened the first one over Saga’s rump. “There, there, boy, you’ll be yourself in no time.” She hurried over to the other horses.

Lily juggled the other three potions. She poured them over the backs.

“Last one,” Alex said.

Lily tossed it to her.

Alex poured it over the back of the horse.

Lily went for the halters. “Ten minutes, and counting,” she said.

Justin blinked and rubbed his eyes. “What happened? Where am I?” He looked around. “What’s wrong with Saga?”

“Saga’s going to be all right, give her a few minutes,” Alex darted over to him.

He stared at her. “Are you wearing lip stick?”

She flung her arms around his neck. “That’s my Justin,” she said tears in her eyes. “You aren’t going to do this to me ever again. No more mind control from evil grandfathers. You hear me Justin Moorland. I can’t go through this again.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “It’s all so fuzzy. Except there was lots of lasagna.”

Alex laughed and hiccupped. “Of course you remember the lasagna.”

“Tasted like mom’s,” Justin mumbled.

“Justin, I need you to help Lily get the horses to the gate.” Alex cupped his face. “Can you do that?”

“Sure,” Justin said. He rubbed his face. “I’m just, there’s this fog.”

Alex handed him the chap stick. “Apply if you think you need more.”

Justin looked at it. “For the record, my lips aren’t chapped.” His hand closed over it.

“Sure they aren’t.” Alex kissed his cheek. She went to Lily’s saddlebags and grabbed her tools and the keystone.

“Five minutes,” Lily said.

“On it.” Alex jogged off.

“Help me get them saddled. They probably won’t fight you.”

Justin nodded.

Together they saddled the horses who tried to move away, but the further time went, the less they fought.

Justin tightened the last girth as the first spell broke over the horses.

They tossed their heads and locked their legs.

“Easy, easy,” Lily said. “We’re going to get all of you out of here. Come on.” She grabbed the reins of Nimbus and two of the others.

Nimbus took charge.

Justin took the other horses including Saga.

Alex had the gate mechanism ripped open and was fitting the keystone inside fitting the wires to it.

Lily took the book out of her pants back and put it in her saddlebag.

Alex flipped switches.

Justin’s brow furrowed.

Alex pushed the lever up. The entire rig hummed. Purple energy swirled around.

“Stop!” Jessica shouted. “They’ve opened the gate!”

Lily got on her horse.

Alex selected a horse at random and mounted.

Justin got on Saga.

“Run!” Lily shouted and Nimbus vaulted forward jumping through the portal and running flat out, the two horses behind him.

Justin urged Saga forward. The other horse followed him.

Alex gave the running Dark Riders the finger and her horse, not willing to be left behind even if the way ahead was pink energy ran after the others.

They ran as fast as they could down the winding floating stone road, jumping the gaps and through the other portal.

Alex jumped through the portal into Pandoria. It fizzled and snapped shut behind her almost taking her horse’s tail.

Justin stared around. “Where are we?”

Lily moved into view, Nimbus’ wings pressed tight over her legs. His horn gleamed in the odd light. “Welcome to Pandoria.”

The Soul Horses moved into their positions at the bases of the statues. They looked upwards. Magic swirled around them and they became more than what they were. Starshine’s grey mane and tail turned electric blue, a crystal horn jutted from his head. The end of it gleamed with pink light.

At the base of his statue, magenta light filled the carvings making them grow brighter.

Meteor was no longer just red. He was the red of the Harvest Moon and scattered with crater markings with moving clouds. His mane and tail white gold and glowing. His beard curled under his chin.

The magenta light swelled in the carvings of the Moon Soul Horse Statue and lit up the Dale.

Tin Can stomped his hooves. They turned cloven, like a deer rather than a horse. Lightning swirled around his bronze body and crackled in his golden mane and tail jumping off in jagged sparks and spears.

The lightning jumped from him to his statue. It turned pink and crept up every leg and around the body lighting up the carvings.

Concorde spread his glowing white wings. His coat had turned silver with lighter white gold spots. A feather fell from his wings, drifted down and fell at the base of the statue. A rainbow flared around it and then it turned pink and disappeared. The carvings glowed pink.

Linda carefully shifted the keystone into place.

Magenta light swelled at the base of the broken statue and raced up the carvings of the stairs to the gate. Pink light swirled around like a galaxy, small at first but growing until it stabilized into a door.

Elizabeth’s voice sharpened. “Is that the Harp of Aideen?”

Linda cradled the harp in her arms. She moved to the base of the stairs and plucked the strings. And with the music, she sent her heart after it.

FOR THE ACCOMPANYING IMAGES PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE MY WATERMARK AND CONTACT INFORMATION. THANK YOU. I get it. Some of you might get excited and want to see this stuff in the game, especially the clothes, tack, and pets. However, the only way I want to see this in the game is if I get paid for it. If I see it in the game and I’m not paid for it, there will be hell to pay. You think I’m salty. I’d be angry. Personally, I’m not going to send this info to SSO. If you do, leave my contact information there! Don’t give them any excuses to steal.

Now, I’ll know you haven’t read this note if you leave me comments about how ‘salty’ I am about the game and if I hate it so much I should do something else. I am doing something else. It’s called Mystic Riders MMORPG Project. Mystic Riders however is a very baby phase game. You can check out our plans on the game dev blog. (Skills, Factions, Professions, Crafting, Mini-Games, 25+ horse breeds!) If you know anyone who would be interested and has money or contacts about game making, direct them to the blog.

#star stable #star stable online #sso #fan fic #jorvik reimagined #star stable salt #completely harmless #silverglade reimagined #the tension is amping upwards #many nods to ruth westside #One chapter left #and epilogue #did I forget to mention an epilogue #I like epilogues

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imagitory · 4 years

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HPHM Profile: Carewyn Cromwell

<<<updated: 12/6/2020 // original template by @hogwarts-misery >>>

“I can’t just live my life however I want! Maybe I want to — sometimes I want to — sometimes I want to so much that I think of just saying ‘forget the Cursed Vaults! Forget about R and their death threats and the fear and the not-knowing-what’s-coming!’ But...I can’t. As long as Jacob is out there — as long as I don’t know whether he’s alive or dead — whether he needs my help or not — how can I put myself first?! How can I justify chasing the Quidditch Cup, or joining the Dueling Club, or singing in the Frog Choir, when anything great I might do won’t mean a thing, without my brother there cheering me on whether I win or lose!? How can I fight for my dreams...while not knowing if Jacob will be able to share them with me? What sort of person would I be? What sort of disgusting — selfish — cowardly — terrible person would I be, if I abandoned him!? How could I face my mum again — face myself again — if I just threw my brother away?!”

[PROFILE]

NAME | Carewyn Lane Cromwell

NICKNAMES | Carey (by her friends, especially Bill, Charlie, and Tonks); Winnie (by her mother); Pip, Pippa (by Jacob); Cursebreaker (by Andre) [Note: In AUs, Jacob calls Carewyn “Wyn” instead of Pip, as “Pippa” is a reference to the Robert Browning poem “Pippa Passes,” which often doesn’t exist in other universes. XD]

GENDER | Female (cisgender)

SEXUAL / ROMANTIC ORIENTATION | Asexual / Panromantic

[PERSONALITY]

In some ways, Carewyn is an ideal heroine. A bright, compassionate girl, she often finds herself drawn to those less confident than her and feels the urge to protect and take care of them. Even when she was very little, she ended up “mothering” her older brother Jacob by encouraging him to eat and sleep more and offering advice, just as much as he often “fathered” her by inspiring her and shielding her from any perceived threats. But don’t mistake this young Cursebreaker for a saint -- Carewyn actually is an incredibly proud person who protects her fragile, sensitive heart with a hard shell of seemingly unbreakable confidence and cool insight. There is nothing she hates more than showing her insecurities and fears, and so she does her best to always look her best and put her best face forward no matter what, even around the people she cares about. This means that almost none of her many friends have any idea about the demons Carewyn is secretly fighting in her pursuit of the Cursed Vaults and her brother. Carewyn dresses the part for whatever situation she’s in, and she always feels most comfortable when she feels in control and believes she has the moral high ground -- admittedly her moral compass is pretty strong on its own, but she also buries any more selfish and meaner feelings she has as deep as she can, pushing herself to be the best, most moral person she can be, even if it’s difficult for her. She wants to be everything that everyone needs, and unfortunately that can result in Carewyn setting standards that are way too high for herself and secretly resenting and berating herself whenever she falls short, or worse not even participating in something she thinks she can’t put all of herself into or wouldn’t do well in. Her self-loathing is so strong that when something traumatic happens to her (such as Jacob’s disappearance or the death of Redacted), she can suffer from severe spells of depression where she neglects her own well-being and as a consequence forcibly removes herself from the people around her so as not to let others see her in such a terrible state. Because of her own high standards for herself, as well, Carewyn also can be judgmental of others, not being prone to change her mind about a person easily. When backed into a corner, Carewyn can freeze up, but when her own self-preservation or her loved ones are threatened, she can bite back really hard, though she’ll almost always regret losing control after the fact. Carewyn has a very organized mind and works best when she has a plan and knows where she’s going at any given time -- ambiguity and mystery are not this girl’s friends. This sadly can result in her being a real stick in the mud, which makes her an easy target for pranks and mischief. Fortunately, despite her overly serious attitude, Carewyn has a nice dry sense of humor and is a very passionate, driven person. In her fifth year, she was even made a Prefect largely due to her protective, nurturing instincts, though it’s good to note that that doesn’t make her a rule follower. Carewyn only respects rules and the people enforcing them if they have earned her respect and she sees the reasoning behind them. If there’s one thing Carewyn can’t stand, it’s condescension. Carewyn’s core interests are singing (her favorite wizard band is the Weird Sisters and her favorite Muggle band is the Eurythmics), Charms, magical history, and magical creatures.

[BIOGRAPHY]

DATE OF BIRTH | August 29, 1973 (Virgo)

BLOOD STATUS | Half-Blood

FAMILY INFO | Carewyn is the second child and only daughter of Evan Bach and Lane Cromwell. Carewyn’s mother Lane alienated her parents, younger brother, and older sisters -- a well-respected, but very overbearing magical family called the Cromwells -- upon moving to Wales and marrying Evan, who was a Muggle. Unfortunately Evan and Lane’s marriage took a turn for the worse after Jacob was born. Jacob’s magical abilities peeked through at an early age and were interpreted by Evan as deliberate misbehavior despite Lane’s best attempts to diffuse any tension. Nine years into their marriage, Evan and Lane were surprised by a late addition to the family -- their daughter, Carewyn. Rather than bringing Evan and Lane closer together, however, Carewyn’s arrival only seemed to drive Evan further away, as he already had had no instincts about how to be a father to Jacob and felt even less sure about how to raise a daughter. Deciding it was better to give up and just let Lane do what was best rather than mess up, Evan withdrew from Carewyn almost completely, leaving Lane and even his son Jacob to look after her. Fortunately Jacob, an nine-year-old boy at the time of Carewyn’s birth, adored his little sister immediately and went out of his way to coddle and protect her however he could. When Jacob turned 11 and received his Hogwarts letter, Lane was finally allowed by law to tell Evan about her magical heritage and the Wizarding World, but by that point, Evan and Lane’s marriage was so rocky that the revelation finally made it buckle and fall apart. Evan left his family that very night, leaving Lane heartbroken. Knowing her family would insist upon her returning to their estate in Yorkshire if she went to them for financial help, Lane instead charted out alone and raised her two children completely on her own while working as a magical historian and Runes expert. Although Lane, Jacob, and Carewyn lived in poverty for almost all of Jacob’s school career and Carewyn’s childhood, the Cromwells managed to dig their way out of debt a year before Jacob disappeared, now sitting on the perimeter of “lower-middle class.”

MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE | INFJ “The Advocate”

[MAGICAL ABILITIES]

WAND | Hornbeam and dragon heartstring, 11 inches, inflexible (broken by Rakepick) // Laurel and phoenix feather, 12 inches, unyielding (nicknamed her “Excalibur wand”)

BOGGART | Voldemort [Carewyn’s greatest fear is a threat she has no hope of overcoming, fighting, escaping, or controlling...which, yeah, is Voldemort in a nutshell!]

ANIMAGUS FORM (IF ANY) | Robin

PATRONUS | Abraxan Winged Horse

[AFFILIATION]

HOUSE | Slytherin

QUIDDITCH POSITION (IF ANY) | She prefers playing Chaser in Quidditch friendlies, but she’s been reluctant to commit to the Slytherin team due to her extreme focus on finding her brother and fear of letting Orion and the others down.

PREFECT? | Yup!

[ACADEMICS]

BEST CLASS(ES) | Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic (thanks to her mum!)

WORST CLASS(ES) | Transfiguration, Divination

OWL SCORES |

Charms - O

Transfiguration - O

Potions - O

Herbology - O

History of Magic - O

Care of Magical Creatures - O

Defense Against the Dark Arts - O

[RELATIONSHIPS]

PARTNERS |

Andre — In the beginning, Carewyn was completely and totally dedicated romantically to Andre, having attended the Celestial Ball and gone on two dates with him. In the darkest part of her heart, though she was a bit afraid that she wouldn’t be “exciting” enough for Andre in the long term, given that he’s always been quite popular and outgoing and she’s only really gotten any esteem at Hogwarts for being a Cursebreaker, which she didn’t really ever want to be. Add onto this some tension brought on by the All-Wizard Tournament where Andre got so obsessed with winning that he took help from his girlfriend and then flat-out didn’t even consider helping her in return and Carewyn’s severe trust issues, and soon the two had a lot of trouble communicating properly. When times were good, they had a lot of fun together, but if they ever weren’t, the two just couldn’t seem to connect and fix it as a team. Not long after the All-Wizard Tournament, Carewyn finally told Andre she needed a break, and after a talk, they decided it was better to end their romantic relationship and try just being friends again. Despite the break-up, they both remain incredibly fond of each other and respect each other deeply.

Chiara — In the beginning of my game-playing journey, I had considered matching Carewyn with Chiara in the long-term. Ever since they first met, Carewyn has both identified with and greatly admired Chiara. Even if Chiara has had such a rough life, she remains ever gentle, kind, and forgiving -- everything, in essence, that Carewyn wants and tries to be -- all without seemingly even trying. She’s never expected anything from Carewyn, no matter how big her reputation as a Cursebreaker has grown, and is always supportive of her choices. She even wants to Heal others, even if her werewolf form is so hell-bent on destruction and harm. Chiara, meanwhile, identifies with and admires Carewyn just as much for her nurturing, sensitive heart, and thinks she’s one of the bravest people she knows. She understands Carewyn’s self-loathing from a first-hand perspective since she struggles with it herself, but she can’t understand it in the sense that she sees Carewyn as a truly wonderful, strong person who should be able to love herself just as much as she loves others. Carewyn frequently spends time with Chiara in her Animagus form during the full moon to keep her company, singing sweet songs to brighten her darker nights. A Chiara/Carewyn ending would’ve been what I considered the “Peaceful” ending, AKA the “Soft uwu” ending -- but it also sort of struck me that the two’s personalities and demons were similar enough that there wouldn’t be as much chance for growth for both of them, and there wouldn’t be as much action or engaging contrast in their interactions, as they would both be pretty universally supportive of each other except when they’re blocking the other out “for their own good.” Even if Carewyn doesn’t end up with Chiara romantically, though, she cherishes her as a friend and would do anything to make her happy.

Diego — This option sort of came out of nowhere, but quickly developed from a crackship into a genuine ship for me, given that like Chiara, Diego would be able to bring some sunlight into Carewyn’s life and be a dependable partner who wouldn’t put high expectations on Carewyn’s shoulders. As for Carewyn, she finds Diego’s flirting absolutely hysterical. Part of this is because Carewyn herself is asexual, but she also just isn’t the sort to actively “flirt” with people. Funnily enough, however, Diego’s charm does end up endearing him to Carewyn anyway, though not for the reason it might charm others! Although she does find his behavior funny, she can still tell he’s sincerely trying to compliment the people he’s talking to, and he’s also amazingly modest despite his clear talent at wizard dueling. Add onto this that he likes dancing, and music-loving!Carewyn has found he’s an all-around pretty fun guy to spend time with. Diego also isn’t turned off in the slightest by Carewyn finding amusement in his flirting, either -- if anything, he finds it rather endearing, as Carewyn is usually so serious and he thinks she should laugh more often. A Diego/Carewyn ending would’ve been what I considered the “Fun” ending, AKA the “Romcom” ending -- but it also felt as though it was an ending that could only come to be and work well in peaceful times, with Diego not being as well-equipped in dealing with Carewyn’s darker spells or in dealing with more serious issues or deep heart-to-heart conversations.

Orion — This, after a lot of deliberation, is the final end-game ship I’ve decided for Carewyn post-Second-Wizarding-War. Orion really wasn’t what Carewyn expected out of a Quidditch captain when they first met in her third year and his fourth, but being related to two Ravenclaws, she actually finds his vague, philosophical bent kind of refreshing. It can still frustrate her sometimes due to her desire to plan ahead, but she sees how his off-kilter affect keeps others on their toes and, therefore, can shift control over a situation his way. (Rather appropriate display of cleverness, for a Slytherin.) Learning his backstory prompts a lot of empathy from Carewyn as well, given that she also didn’t have any real friends before attending Hogwarts, and she greatly admires how wise Orion has become both about himself and about life, even after going through what he’s gone through. After being on his team for that short time, Carewyn’s developed a lot of respect for Orion, and even after leaving, she’s remained very supportive of her house team and especially of Orion as their leader. Even if Carewyn’s not on the team, she keeps up with Quidditch not just out of love for the sport, but because of her desire to see Orion’s team do well. As for Orion, he got the sense they were kindred spirits ever since they first played side-by-side in the match against Hufflepuff and quietly laments that she’s never been a permanent member of his team. He frequently cites that Carewyn has “more fire than a Firecrab” -- although he can find it a bit overpowering at times, her passion was the thing that first sparked his interest in her, and over the years, Orion has come to see her as an equal, admiring her not just for that passion, but for her determination, courage, and selflessness. Orion and Carewyn are also both incredibly insightful, thoughtful, sensitive people who have the tendency to “create a family” out of their friends that they support and nurture in an almost parental manner. After Carewyn left the Slytherin team after the match against Hufflepuff, Orion attempted to persuade Carewyn to rejoin several times over the years due to his lingering fondness for her, even though he’s always respected her decision not to. It’s only after Carewyn returns to the team to help Slytherin win the Quidditch Cup for the first time in ten years and gets injured in the process that Orion learns that he and Carewyn have the same Patronus -- an Abraxan Winged Horse -- which, according to the old wives’ tale, suggests that they are soul mates. By then, however, Orion is set to graduate within weeks and he knows that Carewyn’s life is of course consumed with dealing with the Vaults. And so he decides not to pursue the chance of a relationship solely based on a superstition, however much he regrets his lack of action later. As adults, the two reconnect after the end of the Second Wizarding War and an unconventional romance starts between the two. This endgame ship gives Carewyn both things I wanted for her while shipping Chiara/Carewyn and Diego/Carewyn -- peace and fun -- while also matching her with someone who can bring some balance and positivity to her life and help her let go of her inner demons and yet who she can also defend, protect, and love with all of her fire. And because of their differences -- Orion being so chill, passive, and philosophical and Carewyn being so sensible, perfectionistic, and passionate -- they’ll constantly contrast and challenge each other too.

FRIENDS |

Bill — The Weasley family overall filled the void in Carewyn’s heart that Jacob left behind, none more so than Bill. Carewyn adores Bill like few others and supports him in his Cursebreaking 110%, to the extent that she probably would help him do it even if it didn’t involve the Cursed Vaults. Bill quasi-“adopts” Carewyn into his family pretty early on, but only grows closer to and fonder of her over time, as she’s the first person who he’s ever been able to lean on the way he always let his siblings lean on him. Bill’s accompanied Carewyn to every single Cursed Vault, and he is her right-hand man when it comes to who she’d pick to help her with something dangerous. By the time Bill’s graduated, the two stand on relatively equal footing despite their age gap, and after the death of Redacted, Bill and Carewyn solidly become each other’s best friend and confidante, leaning on and supporting each other more than anyone else. The rest of Carewyn’s friend group likes to jokingly refer to her and Bill as the “Mum” and “Dad” of the group, given their shared tendency to “parent” the others. Bill was the one who coined the nickname “Carey” for Carewyn, and the rest of her friend group has totally run with it since, none more so than Charlie and Tonks.

Charlie — If Bill is Carewyn’s surrogate big brother, Charlie is Carewyn’s twin brother from another mother. Carewyn loves talking about dragons with Charlie. (They’re just so cool!) Charlie and Carewyn also like playing in Quidditch friendlies together, even if they’re in different houses, and they can often be seen handling Prefect duties together. Ever since Charlie, Bill, and Carewyn went into the Portrait Vault with Ben and Merula, the two Weasley boys and Carewyn have been closer than ever. Charlie and Carewyn in particular have latched onto each other in Bill’s absence, given how close both of them were to him. As adults post-Hogwarts, Charlie frequently crashes on Carewyn’s couch whenever he flies in for a visit from Romania, if his mother doesn’t insist upon him staying at the Burrow. Charlie and Carewyn refer to themselves as a pair as “Fireballs,” because Chinese Fireballs are the only dragons known to live among their own kind -- and so the word represents how Charlie and Carewyn see each other as kindred spirits.

Rowan — Rowan was Carewyn’s first friend at Hogwarts, but recently they’ve sort of been growing apart, due to Rowan’s extreme focus on academics and Carewyn’s extreme focus on finding her brother. For Carewyn, it feels like she’s changed a lot in five years -- starting as the shunned younger sister of the delinquent Jacob Cromwell and growing into a renowned Cursebreaker who has learned so much and made so many different friends and now tries to protect Hogwarts and her fellow students however she can -- while Rowan has rigidly stayed put where she was, remaining as studious and socially awkward as ever. Carewyn doesn’t resent Rowan for this -- on the contrary, she’s always admired Rowan’s single-minded ambition to be the youngest professor in Hogwarts history, damn what anyone else says, and wishes she had the luxury of chasing her own dreams that doggedly. But at the same time, Carewyn wouldn’t have felt good about herself, if she’d stayed the way she’d been when she first arrived. She sees herself as having been weaker, less competent, and less capable back then, while Rowan was always so brilliant and both emotionally and intellectually ahead of everyone else. Rowan and Carewyn have grown into very different people over the last five years, but Carewyn still loves and treasures Rowan like few people in the world as her first real friend and the friend that in some ways she wishes she could be more like.

Talbott — The two at first didn’t see eye-to-eye at all, given that Talbott tends to hide most of his positive emotions at first and Carewyn hides her negative emotions constantly --- but once the ice broke between them, the two really connected and became good friends. Carewyn loves Talbott’s sense of humor and was also pleasantly surprised to find out what a great writer he is! She often volunteers to read whatever he’s working on, which kind of weirds Talbott out, but he secretly is happy she likes his stuff. When Carewyn wants some peace, she’ll take some time to fly around in her robin Animagus form, and she always loves it when Talbott joins her for a flight around the grounds. Carewyn often sings little tweeted songs the entire way, and even if Talbott teases her for it, he does actually really enjoy it. Post-Hogwarts they work together a lot, as Talbott is an Auror and Carewyn is a lawyer.

Ben — Ben was one of the very first people who Carewyn took under her wing, and even now, she remains a bit protective of him. She was always really proud whenever he expressed more courage and initiative in the past, but with the advent of sixth year, Ben has grown a lot more reckless and blunt, to the extent he could easily get himself into a dangerous situation and get hurt. Carewyn isn’t sure at all how to react to the development, but she doesn’t like it -- not one bit. Ben himself is struggling with how much Carewyn wants to look at him as someone to protect while never letting anyone else do the same for her. Because he’s known her longer than most, he’s seen Carewyn’s own dramatic transformation from a quiet, but overemotional little girl into a micromanaging, fussing, stoic, confident Mama Bear, and as much as he’s glad Carewyn’s gotten more confidence, he laments being on equal footing with his friend and feeling like he could help her as much as she helps him. Once they get their emotions and issues sorted, Ben and Carewyn become closer than ever, to the point that he, Merula, Charlie, and Bill are co-leader of the Circle of Khanna with Carewyn.

Barnaby — At first Carewyn couldn’t help but look down on Barnaby a bit given how dim he could be, but once he agreed to help her, she was surprised by how sincere and sweet he really was. Soon enough she felt her protective instincts kick in, and now she’s incredibly encouraging and supportive of him. These days you can usually see them chatting excitedly about magical creatures together in class -- Carewyn’s really happy to see Barnaby succeeding in Care of Magical Creatures as well as enjoying it, and Barnaby loves it whenever Carewyn sings to the creatures they’re working with in order to soothe them.

Jae — Although their personalities are pretty diametrically opposed, even down to house placement, Carewyn gets along pretty well with Jae. She doesn’t entirely see the appeal of him dealing with shadier merchandise, but he still agreed to help her when she needed to go to Knockturn Alley despite the risks and he’s a pretty sharp, resourceful person. Carewyn mostly just thinks he should push himself more, rather than just be content with where he’s at. After learning how much Jae likes cooking, Carewyn has enjoyed spending time with him in the kitchens whenever she wants to try out a new recipe.

Penny — Carewyn was actually a bit startled when popular Penny first took an interest in her in their first year. In their fifth year, Carewyn grew a bit more protective of Penny with the Portrait Curse capturing her younger sister, Beatrice -- now that Beatrice and Penny have started to grow apart, however, Carewyn now finds herself stuck between them, feeling sympathy for Beatrice’s position but still valuing her friendship with Penny.

Liz — Carewyn and Liz’s friendship is a bit more casual than others, but they’ve really connected well thanks to their shared interest in magical creatures. You can usually see Carewyn hanging out with her, Charlie, and Barnaby in Care of Magical Creatures.

Badeea — Art buddies! Carewyn is very encouraging of Badeea’s artistic talent, and the two love talking about music and Charms together.

Tonks — Carewyn greatly admires Tonks’s wish to be an Auror and loves how funny her imitations can be, but more often than not ends up being the butt of one of Tonks’s pranks.

Tulip — Like Tonks, Tulip loves pranking Carewyn. A LOT. Carewyn doesn’t find most of her jokes that funny, but can’t stay that mad at her.

Fred and George — Carewyn has only just met the twins, but she can already tell they’re going to be a handful. But they’re Bill and Charlie’s brothers, so in Carewyn’s mind, they are already family, so she feels a bit of protectiveness toward them.

Cedric — When Carewyn met Cedric, her first reaction was immense pity, given how much attention he’d managed to accrue in his first year alone when he clearly didn’t feel like he deserved it. Cedric reminds Carewyn of herself in first and second year, when she was still so shy and insecure whenever people would talk about her, so the Slytherin Prefect feels a lot of compassion for Cedric. She sort of hopes everyone will lay off him a bit so he can just have a normal school life without so much pressure.

Percy — Carewyn hadn’t thought she’d ever encounter someone that she would consider a stick-in-the-mud...until she met Percy Weasley. His rat Scabbers is kind of cute, though -- when he doesn’t bite!

Skye — Carewyn appreciates all of the help Skye gave her when she first started playing in Quidditch friendlies, but at present, she’s not talking to Skye, thanks to her going off and starting unfounded rumors about the Ravenclaw Beater, Erika Rath, the way that people spread rumors about Carewyn when she first started at Hogwarts. NOT COOL, SKYE. Orion deserves better than to deal with that sort of drama!!

Murphy — Both he and Carewyn are planners, and that’s great...but Murphy only plays Wizard Chess, a game he’s great at and Carewyn is terrible at, and that’s not so great.

Professor McGonagall — The Deputy Headmistress is by far the professor Carewyn respects above all others. Even if she finds her class very challenging, she gives every assignment her all because of how much she respects McGonagall and wants to impress her. McGonagall herself nurtures a soft spot for Carewyn, even despite her being in Slytherin, due to her strong moral streak and desire to protect others.

Professor Flitwick — Charms is Carewyn’s best and favorite class, and Flitwick is a large reason why. Carewyn also really admires Flitwick’s talent in wizard dueling and is always thrilled to learn new dueling spells from him. Flitwick had a soft spot for Carewyn’s brother Jacob back in the day, since Jacob was in his house, and he’s nurtured a similar soft spot for Carewyn because of her great talent in and enthusiasm for Charms.

Professor Kettleburn — Carewyn adores Care of Magical Creatures and, by extension, Professor Kettleburn. She just really doesn’t want to lose as many body parts or clothing pieces as he has. Kettleburn always enjoys when Carewyn sings to the creatures in his class -- he finds it incredibly creative and entertaining.

Hagrid — Carewyn loves Fang SO MUCH. And Hagrid too. Just not his rock cakes. And Hagrid...well, Carewyn’s just so tiny, but with such a big heart!

FOES |

Rakepick — Pre-Portrait Vault, Carewyn didn’t trust Rakepick as far as she can throw her, largely because she couldn’t get a good fix on her. Even Snape, who Carewyn clashes with at times, seems to have a wonky code of honor (META: largely because she is a Slytherin and -- more notably -- is at school before she could see how terribly he treats Harry and Neville!), but Carewyn wasn’t even sure if she could ascribe that to Rakepick. Her initial judgment seems to have been justified, given how Rakepick acted in the Portrait Vault -- but Rakepick’s betrayal, which was somehow even worse than Carewyn could’ve imagined, has only served to make the young Slytherin feel less sure on her feet, as she’s started to connect the dots and realize that her comrades may have trusted Rakepick for the some of the same reasons that they’ve trusted Carewyn herself. Rakepick and Carewyn have encouraged the others, but have also never trusted them with their true feelings or motives, and they both led them into danger all because of their desire to get to the Cursed Vaults. Although they pursued the Vaults for different reasons, they were both relentless, resourceful, stubborn and proud in their pursuit -- and in enlisting others to help them in that pursuit, they were both responsible for every terrible thing that ensued from it.

Ismelda — Carewyn really doesn’t like her intense interest in pain and suffering -- like...at all. Even if she might put on a strong, unflappable face, Carewyn is way too big of a bleeding heart to enjoy death or pain. Ismelda also considering using a Love Potion on Barnaby soured Carewyn to her quite a bit, though Carewyn is glad Ismelda changed her mind and they were able to come to some sort of a truce.

Merula — Their rivalry was much more intense when they were younger and Merula was actively bullying Ben and Rowan -- nowadays Carewyn just uses her help when it’s useful and ignores her when she’s being her usual awful self. After seeking counsel from her mother and Rowan, Carewyn was even nice enough to give Merula her spot on the Frog Choir, even if she’d really wanted it herself. Although Rowan staying constant and unchanging throughout the years is something Carewyn admires in her, however, she absolutely loathes the quality when it’s expressed in Merula. At the end of year 5, she and Merula came to something of a truce, but with the start of their sixth year, Merula’s taken a couple giant steps back in her evolution, which greatly frustrates and disappoints Carewyn. Carewyn wouldn’t ever call Merula her friend, but...well, she’d still been happy to see Merula had actually been able to prove her a little wrong and become a slightly better person. It’s awful to see her regress after going through that slight improvement.

Professor Dumbledore — Although Dumbledore is an amazingly powerful wizard with a very amiable attitude, over the years Carewyn has gotten very, very frustrated with how much she’s told to stop trying to deal with the Vaults. On top of that, the Headmaster of Hogwarts frequently obfuscates things a bit too much for Carewyn’s liking. She can sense that he is trying to be helpful, but that in a way makes things all the more frustrating, as she finds his methods so phenomenally misguided. Carewyn tries to conceal just how low her opinion of the man has fallen, but in truth she’s become rather resentful of him.

Emily — Oh gosh. Given how fond Carewyn is of Bill and how ridiculously condescending and prone to bullying Emily can be, Carewyn understandably despises her. She hates her more than she ever hated Merula.

PETS (IF ANY) | Mimi (orange tabby cat), Sir Robin the Brave (toad), Lune (bat), Balto (Cruppy)

ANIMAL PRESERVE (IF ANY) | Wicket the Niffler; Tumnus the Porlock; Arjuna the Abraxan; Belle the Fairy; Esmeralda the Welsh Green; Leila the Thestral, Peter Quill the Knarl; Apollo the Hippogriff; Barnaby Jr. the Bowtruckle

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typewriterghcst · 3 years

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Title: A Very Small Wish Fandom: The Cat Returns Characters: Baron, Muta, Toto, Haru, plus some OCs Rating: PGish maybe?? Words: 4724 Summary: A pleading request from a parent whose daughter has been cursed by a resentful witch is nothing truly out of the ordinary for the Cat Bureau— in fact, it might be so common so as to be routine— so why does something feel inherently off about this particular one? Notes: Third chapter of six of a Secret Santa gift for @deedee-sunflowers. It’s about here that the chapters start getting a bit long hhh. Tho I think they end up a little shorter again eventually Anyway, the first task. A lot of different influences went into these parts of the story, and I hope they’re not too blatant or distracting, aha ;; Also, I forgot! I drew a very small doodle of the little patchwork creatures which feature in this chapter, if anyone’s interested `~`;;

Ch. 3: The Sown Forest

The Sown Forest is near deathly silent, or… perhaps at least it feels that it should be, but the crunching of the snow under their collective feet and an ever-present rumbling ambiance akin to a distant earthquake means there’s little true silence to be had. And even without that unexpected ambient background, something about the place doesn’t feel quite right. In every direction grow thin, white trees, scattered haphazardly and yet also in just the right formation to make the forest seem far too organized, tidy. Patterned.

No matter where they look, the horizon stretches out over an immeasurable distance, and the white of the sky and that of the level, milky ground meld into one. Only the wispy, bare branches of the trees break up the monotony of the landscape.

“Well,” Baron finally thinks to remark, “The bright red of a holly berry is likely to stick out like a rather sore thumb in this environment, isn’t it?”

“Sure, if you can find the one dumb enough to grow right now,” Muta grumbles, burying his nose into the warmth of the scarf wrapped around his neck and grumpily huddling further into his coat.

“Now, let’s not lose faith so early, Muta. Should we remain positive and keep a cool head about this, we’re sure to succeed.”

“Yeah, that’s what you always say…” More grousing.

“We have only a limited amount of time to triumph over all three of these challenges, and I believe we’ll cover more ground if we split up into groups. Muta, Miss Haru— the two of you start in that direction. Mr. Vanya and I shall take the opposite. Toto, see if you can discern anything from the sky.”

“A berry— even a patch of berries, might be difficult to spot from an aerial view,” Toto responds as a gentle caution. “Even in such a uniform environment.”

“I know, but there’s no harm in trying anyhow.”

Toto nods. Then, more firmly than before, “And how do you propose we find this spot again to inevitably reconvene?”

Ah, bless Toto again, Haru thinks to herself briefly, because Baron looks rather comically bemused by this question, and she and Muta and Toto (if possibly even Vanya, the newcomer that he is) know that this very important piece of information had not occurred to him while putting together his impromptu plan. He gives a pensive noise, one hand going to his chin as the other is planted on his hip.

Eventually, he glances at the trees surrounding them, appearing to have been struck by inspiration, and then removes his hat.

Wordlessly, he hangs it on one of the nearest branches, positioning it just so so it won’t slip off or blow away (though there’s not been even the slightest whisper of wind since they’d arrived).

“Here we are. We’ll all meet back here in an hour— keep an eye on your own footprints. They’re all four of them different, and they should help to distinguish our separate paths.”

Something in Vanya’s gaze gleams as he looks to Baron’s hanging hat, though he ultimately turns away from it to rejoin the group. Instead, he hops like a particularly excited toddler to Haru and Muta (well, Haru, to be more truthful). In one of his paws is what appears to be a skewered snake or worm, which he wastes no time in handing sloppily to the teen, much to her dismay.

“For good luck! This is a traditional Oostal charm good for finding tricky things. And we need all the good luck we can get!”

Haru looks swiftly to Muta for assistance, but the cat is leaning away from her with an expression that speaks to no less than utter baffled disgust. Well. Strained gratitude it is, then, it seems.

“O-Ohh… You’re right, that’s a good idea— th-thank you.”

Vanya beams in a manner eerily reminiscent of the Cat King before scampering back over to his place beside Baron (and it’s only through their long shared history with the cat figurine that Toto and Muta both glean the subtle apprehension in his own expression, that he is mutely waiting in terror for the fox to hand him one of these traditional charms as well). Vanya neglects to do so, however, and Baron’s subdued trepidation is gone almost as soon as it’d revealed itself.

“Remember— one hour. If all else fails, Toto at least should be able to reunite us.”

With that decided, they start off in their opposite directions, Toto taking wing into the sky.

&&&

It’s terribly easy to become disoriented in the Sown Forest, Haru and Muta quickly find out. If not for their own footprints, they swiftly agree they’d have long since been wandering in tight circles and not even realized it. The seamless boundary between land and sky and tree has Haru occasionally feeling rather like she’s walking on a spinning top which also wobbles across the table.

She eventually places the skewered… animal Vanya had given her down beneath a tree, shooting Muta an injured look when he comments on it.

“Looking a gift horse in the mouth, chicky? Didn’t think you had it in ya,” he cracks with a sardonic laugh.

“I’ll pick it back up before we head back to the others! He’ll never even know. B-Because there’s no reason for me to actually carry it with me the whole time we’re looking…”

“I’m just picking on ya. You dropping that thing is gonna do wonders for my nose. Smells like a spoiled fish.” Then, with an annoyed huff, he continues, “I woulda thrown it at him— try to give me some stinky dead thing on a stick—”

“Come on, he’s not that bad,” Haru tries, but she knows she doesn’t sound all that convinced herself. And Muta’s not about to let it go without comment, either.

“You don’t sound so sure to me, kid.”

Haru turns in her spot on her heel, feeling lost and restless in a hard-to-define way. The Sown Forest is devoid of rocks and bushes entirely; it’s nothing but thin scraggly trees, and she would never have imagined before now that to scour such a nebulous landscape might prove to be so exasperating. Where does one search for a pop of color when there are no hiding places?

“...do you get… kind of a weird feeling from Vanya..?”

“Yeah,” Muta doesn’t hesitate to respond sourly. “He’s a tiny, annoying puffball with a bad laugh.”

“N— No, I mean— like an uneasy feeling. Like something is… um, off.”

“Probably ‘cause something is off about him. I don’t trust that puffball.”

The relief Haru gains from such a simple sentence is near indeterminable. She almost leaps in victory.

“I knew it couldn’t be just me! Well, and Toto, maybe, but he was more mum on the whole thing. You know how he is.”

“A gargoyle of few words, yeah, I guess. Real annoying, if you ask me. It’d be a lot easier if everyone just said what they mean instead of hanging on to secrets to keep the peace.”

Distantly, Haru gets the distinct impression this complaint has roots beyond the borders of the current situation, and she’s not sure what to say to it.

Muta, also, seems similarly surprised at himself, and in the end, he chooses to bulldoze past it, circling a few trees in the silence and eventually speaking up, “...Anyway, this Vanya creature pipsqueak is fishy, an’ I don’t like him. I don’t know what he is. Something old. And this place is, too.”

“What about Baron? Do you think he’s being careful enough? He’s wandering around alone with Vanya right now…”

“Eh, Baron’s kind of a soft-hearted ham sometimes, but he’s no peabrain. He’ll be fine.”

“Is that really the best you can do to reassure me..?”

“What? I dunno what to tell you, chicky, it’s the truth.”

“Yeah, but a little more optimism wouldn’t have hurt,” Haru mumbles plaintively.

“If you want, ya could bust on to the scene and rescue him from the puffball to pay him back. Hey, maybe he’ll start crushing on you, then.”

Oh, that calls for a heated blush. Haru stares down at the snow-covered ground of the Sown Forest, hands balled loosely into fists at her sides, though she’s trying desperately to play it all cool. Unfortunately, she’s never been much of an actor.

“He’s my friend— of course I don’t want him to get hurt.”

Muta’s response of the beginnings of a chaffing laugh is not well-received; Haru spins around to protest, but—

Something comes shuffling into their space from behind a nearby tree. And something is all Haru can think to describe it as— smaller even than Vanya and Siree, with a long, snuffling snout and a soft, bean bag body. The tiny creature lacks arms or wings of any kind, giving it an awkward, waddling gait. Missing also are eyes and any noticeable ears.

Yet the strangest thing is that it appears to have been sewn together out of scraps of colorfully-patterned fabric, much like a quilt. (It triggers a memory of her mother’s handiwork, in fact, and the very idea of her mother back at home, in the real world, throws Oostal’s alienness into stark relief. She’s so terribly far from home.)

Muta and Haru watch the little thing waddle between them and then down the way from them in silence before looking back to each other.

“What is it, Muta?” Haru asks. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“What, you never had a stuffed animal before?”

“Stuffed animals don’t walk, Muta,” Haru responds with a huff.

“Eh, shows what you know.”

Whatever response Haru might have had to this lazy red herring abruptly trails off, because the funny little creature, having paused for a brief moment, now drops its floppy snout onto the ground and continues on in a faintly opposite direction, snorting softly the whole way.

“It must be one of the rumored inhabitants of the Sown Forest, right?”

“Yeh. Bet it’ll lead us to those rumored holly berries, too, if we’re careful about it.”

“Now you’re starting to sound like Baron.”

Muta darts out from beside her with a faint derisive groan. “Remind me to scratch you later for that one.”

&&&

Following a colorful (albeit very small) waddling quilt animal through an otherwise blinding array of white snow and sky proves to be astonishingly more difficult than either Muta or Haru would have expected. More than once they somehow lose sight of the thing, only to have to stop and strain their ears for its characteristic snuffling breaths.

“It has two little stick legs and waddles like a sedated duck,” Muta complains at one point when they’ve lost it again. “How do we keep losin’ track of it?!”

“Hold on— Muta, I hear it again. It sounds really close.” Then, after a few seconds spent listening, she adds, “...Actually, it… sounds a little like it’s eating something, doesn’t it?”

This is all Muta seems to need to hear before turning on his heel and starting the opposite way.

“Where are you going?” Haru calls after him.

“I’m out!” He hollers back. “Nothing good comes outta anything that involves weird creatures feasting on stuff, I don’t care what it’s actually— woah!!”

“What is it— Muta, what’s wrong?” Haru dashes in the direction of his voice, fearing the worst. Yet she finds him with little difficulty, and in one piece, poised in the same horrified position a housewife might take were she confronted with a trail of muddy footprints across a formerly pristine linoleum floor.

At his feet, so close he could stretch out a paw and tip the little thing over were he so inclined, is the patchwork animal they’d been struggling to track… and the good luck charm Haru had abandoned earlier, which appears a little worse for the wear.

Muta dashes behind her with an unsteady gait, complaining the entire way. “Ughh, it’s even worse than what I was thinking—!”

“Come on, it’s not that bad,” Haru tries, even as she takes a repulsed step back at the faint sound of tearing meat and flinches. “...it’s still pretty bad, though.”

It’s as they’re watching from a couple paces away that the little thing lifts its ostensible head to… well, scrutinize them, Haru supposes, though it lacks the eyes to do so. Perhaps there is another, hidden sense that allows it to see in a less traditional manner.

Your trade is acceptable.

Haru can’t quite place it, how she Knows that this is what the creature before Muta and her is communicating, as it hadn’t spoken aloud, nor does she hear the words echoing in her mind as one might expect of a bizarre display of telepathy. Yet, still, the resounding statement is clear.

“O-Oh—” She starts, and her voice is like an echoing gunshot in the silence of the forest, which leads her to whisper her next words, “We’re, um, glad you like it.”

Then, as they watch, it drops its head again and continues tearing delicate slivers off the charm, seemingly oblivious to their presence again.

“Well, now what?” Muta says at her feet. He’s still eyeing the patchwork creature with no small measure of antipathy, but he’s at least not subtly hiding behind Haru anymore.

“I guess we… wait for it to finish..?”

“Great.” Muta sits down with an annoyed huff. “Doesn’t it know we’re on a tight schedule here?”

Haru laughs, but it’s tinged with a speck of nervousness.

If not for the unmistakable noise of flapping wings over the ever present hum of the forest, the resultant wind would certainly give Toto’s arrival away— there’s been not even the barest hint of a breeze since they’ve been searching. The crow perches atop a nearby tangle of branches, cocking his head in a distinctly avian fashion at the creature they’ve run across.

“Ha, looks like you’ve found one of the inhabitants.”

“What was your first clue?”

“The quilt creature down there, mostly.”

Muta, again feeling indirectly bested, only grumbles lowly to himself and crosses his arms. Instead, Haru speaks up.

“It’s taking this good luck charm as a trade for the berry. At least, that’s what it sounded like to me. I guess it’ll… um, show us the way once it’s finished..? I’m not sure how it works.”

“Sounds plausible to me. Baron and Vanya are some ways off in that direction,” Toto also adds, gesturing with his wing. “I’ll go to let them know they can stop searching, and bring them here. Be right back!”

Haru and Muta watch him take off, and for a little while until he’s too far in the distance for them to make out, before turning back to their… companions. It seems in their distraction, more of the little quilt animals had arrived, attracted no doubt by the scent of the ‘good luck charm’ Haru had laid down before the tree.

“They really like this icky stuff, don’t they?” Haru muses in an almost-laugh.

Muta pokes one of them on the top of its soft head, causing it to lose its balance and fall to the side. Grudgingly, he sets it rightside up again. “...Guess that little pipsqueak knew what he was talking about, after all.”

&&&

Elsewhere, Toto’s return trip hits an unforeseen, somewhat bizarre snag.

“The Very Pretty Vanya Creature does not fly through the air like an unsolicited blown kiss!”

Baron and Toto share a puzzled, if slightly frazzled, look between them.

“Mr. Vanya, I sympathize if it’s a matter of a… ah, disdain for heights, but the time limit with which we’ve been burdened is perpetually ticking down, and we ought to do all we can to minimize wasted time,” Baron first tries.

“I’m a very careful flier, too. I promise you’ll have your feet on solid ground in no time at all,” Toto also adds.

But Vanya only shakes his head. “It is no matter of fear!” He begins in a manner that says fear is exactly the matter. “It is the principle! Pretty Vanya has no wings. He was meant to stay on the ground.”

It seemed there would be no convincing him. Baron turns to Toto.

“Toto, do you think then that you could fly a little ways overhead and guide us to the others? If we hurry, perhaps we’ll still make good time.”

Before them, Vanya wrings his paws fretfully before finally throwing one arm across his eyes and crying out, “Pretty Vanya must be left behind! He is the millstone dragging everyone else down!”

“N-Now— Mr. Vanya, please, don’t despair—”

“The Most Helpful Bureau must leave me behind,” Vanya insists again, this time without his face hidden, fixing Baron with a determined look. “I said it before, didn’t I? The Pretty Vanya Creature will meet you there in no time, because he is very fast.”

Faced with Vanya’s clear obstinate refusal and the added stress of a ticking clock, it doesn’t take long for Baron to give in, though the veneer of reluctance lingers over him still.

“V… Very well, Mr. Vanya. If you do insist. We’ll go on without you.”

"You will. But there's no reason to worry. It'll be all okay!"

"...Yes. Of course. Be careful."

As they’re flying away, Toto speaks up. “Do you think he’ll make it?”

Baron seems reluctant to answer, gaze distant and unfocused. Coupled with his stilted posture, it gives him the look of someone who is quite diligently trying to avoid jumping to an unpleasant conclusion.

“...It doesn’t matter,” he eventually responds quietly. “I suppose it’s not something which overtly needs his presence.”

“What about covertly?”

“Then we shall hope for the best.”

&&&

True to Toto’s ultimately fruitless attempts at reassurance, it seems only a matter of seconds when they have their feet back on solid ground, spotting Muta and Haru from the air easily enough and touching down just shy of them in the hopes of not startling the by now bristling crowd of tiny quilted animals surrounding the other two.

“Eh? Where’s the pipsqueak?”

“He chose to find his own way to our location,” Baron first explains in his impeccable manner.

“Scared of heights,” is Toto’s more honest addition.

Muta turns back to the quilt animals with an unimpressed scowl. “Figures. Just make us do all the dirty work.”

“Now, Muta, a genuine fear of heights is nothing to brush off.”

“Yeah, if it’s genuine…” Mumbled under his breath, but distinct enough for them all to hear, and that Baron (nor the other two) step in to offer a defense is telling… but also serves at least to inform them all that they’re all four on the same page.

“What about these little guys? Have they brought up the trade or the berry again?”

“No. I think they wanted to finish off the, um… trade first,” Haru says, looking from Baron and Toto to the gathering of quilt animals scattered about before them. She sits crouched on her haunches with her elbows on her thighs, gazing out at their odd companions with the same detached but amiable curiosity one might reserve for a child’s play.

“Can they really stretch out that one sticky charm enough for this many to have a bite of it?” She eventually notes with some incredulous amusement.

“They’re sure gonna try,” Muta snorts.

Finally, as they watch, in the distance it looks as if there are languid waves in the sea of brightly-colored patchwork, divots in the throng that speak to the movement of only a few individuals while the others part to let them pass.

It doesn’t take long; they soon find themselves approached for an apparent audience with a… particularly diminutive individual which separates from the group, one which also appears to have been adorned with a tattered shawl thrown over its body, which trails like a leaden weight after it (though upon closer inspection, this threadbare train is simply part of the little thing’s frame).

Some of the seams on its patchwork appear to be coming undone. Distantly, Haru wonders what will happen should they truly do so, and— quite swiftly derails her own thoughts before they can wander down distressing paths.

Strikingly, also, unlike the others, this one has been endowed with an eye— a single coffee-colored iris in startlingly familiar, human-shaped white sclera. Situated somewhat strangely off-centered atop its tapered, drooping head, it stares vacantly ahead, half-lidded.

The four of them feel themselves scrutinized by this seeming elder; even Muta has no complaint to offer in an attempt to hurry the process along.

Only one.

Haru can’t quite place it, how she Knows that this is what the little creature before them all is communicating, as it hadn’t spoken aloud, nor does she hear the words echoing in her mind as one might expect of a bizarre display of telepathy. Yet, still, the resounding caveat is clear.

Baron nods stiffly, appearing to have been caught off-guard in the same way the rest of them had. “Yes. Just the one.”

The quilt-like creature responds with some erratic, floppy movements that vaguely resemble an affirmative nod before placing the tapered end of its cloth snout into Baron’s hands, where it drops a single round, bright red berry. It’s about the size of a particularly plump blueberry, though it seems quite larger in Baron’s gloved hands. Seemingly satisfied, the little animal turns then, and begins to waddle away.

“Thank you,” Haru thinks to call after it.

Not too far into the future, they will all four find themselves remembering this particular phrase and wonder furiously why such an innocuous one seemed to have such a profound effect upon the Sown Forest’s minuscule inhabitants. For now, however, it’s little more than a curiosity, when the creature abruptly stops with an accompanying jerk, and then goes quite still.

The others surrounding them, too, copy this one’s motions.

“Uhh, I don’t like the look of that—” Muta starts, but he’s rather abruptly cut off by a hoarse, low-pitched bark which echoes through their surroundings. The four of them instinctively back up in alarm, a sentiment which only grows upon witnessing the little things begin convulsing, tossing their heads into the air and then back down, all the while emitting those same short roars like a baleful staccato.

“That’s loud—”

“I think it’s time we took our leave,” Baron says (he makes a motion to steady his hat, only to belatedly realize he’d left it behind). He’d liked that hat.

No sooner have they turned on their collective tails and fled that the Sown Forest’s inhabitants scuttle and crawl after them in whatever way they can, and despite their obvious disadvantages, the little things are startlingly adept at keeping up with them. Haru doesn’t have the nerve to give their pursuers the thorough, lingering look she wants, too intent on making sure her pounding steps remain even and sound, but the tight-knit mob’s thunderous pursuit is impossible to mistake. It’s not long before panicked discouragement sets in. To everyone’s surprise, it’s Baron who speaks up first.

“We won’t be outrunning them on foot—”

“Good thing we have a gargoyle chicken, then, isn’t it?!” Muta snaps, then calls to said ‘gargoyle chicken,’ “Hey, birdbrain—!”

“Toto’s many good and admirable things, Muta, but I doubt even he is strong enough to carry a full-grown human—”

Haru, overhearing this, burns with the inclination to wildly apologize, all too aware of the cracks of the trees and the deafening crunch of packed snow behind them. She bows her head in remorse, feeling fervently in this moment that her decision to tag along really had been a mistake. She’s so close to contemplating how far she might get should she separate from the group and divert the creatures away… when she notices something rather strange.

“Wait—” Haru gasps, glancing down to herself in a bewildered fashion, so much so that for a fleeting second she stops in her tracks and has to be tugged along by Baron. “I’m not the same size I was— when did I get this small—?!”

Baron sounds just as bewildered when he answers, though he at least moves past it, “Let’s not kick a gift horse, now— Toto!”

“Got it!”

If Toto at all struggles with the effort to carry all three of them, even if Haru has been unexplainably shrunken, then he’s quite gifted with hiding it. He takes off into the air with them, far above the swarming quilt creatures, with no less agility than he usually does, and Baron and Haru spend the next few moments surveying the horde raptly.

“Ya just had to thank them, didn’t you?” Comes Muta’s complaint from his not altogether eager spot in Toto’s talons.

“I was just trying to be polite!” Haru counters just as plaintively, but even she sounds at least a little remorseful. “What kind of place takes words of gratitude as an offense..?”

“They don’t show any signs of slowing down,” Baron notes.

“Are they really gonna chase us all the way to the border?! They barely have the legs to run! You really steamed them with that gratitude BS, chicky.”

“I didn’t mean to,” Haru laments.

“We know you didn’t, Haru, “ Toto tries to reassure.

“Ah, it’s Vanya,” Baron says with a nod in the fox’s direction; he looks quite small (smaller than usual, that is) from their height, rapidly looking between them in the air and the horde of… well, what look to be furious blankets swarming the forest below them. He’s motioning frantically to them to come closer, to land as quickly as they can.

“Is he crazy?! There’s no way we’re landing that close to the forest— if he doesn’t make a break for it, he’s gonna get smothered, too,” Muta says.

Seemingly as an exasperated response to their stubbornness, Vanya points to the forest behind them with an agitated zealousness, or, perhaps more specifically, the perimeter which is teeming with untold numbers of the tiny quilt creatures. The vast majority of them pace behind the line of trees, fretful and overwrought; the unfortunate few that have accidentally tumbled beyond it lie scattered and twitching on the snow-covered ground like marooned fish.

“What’s wrong with them..?”

“Looks like they can’t go beyond the trees,” Toto guesses.

When they land, still uneasy from the agitated mass of patchwork continuing to obsessively tread back and forth just a scant stone’s throw away, Vanya is swift to bound over to them, practically throwing himself at Baron and wrapping his arms around the Creation. If Baron had appeared disconcerted at the mere possibility of being given one of Vanya’s messy luck charms, he’s downright alarmed when being in no uncertain terms ‘glomped’ by the same creature.

“You made it! Pretty Vanya was worried!”

“What’s wrong with the forest’s inhabitants, Vanya?”

Vanya lets Baron go (much to his evident relief) and cants his head in thought. “The Sown Forest exists as a powerful transformative milieu. Stay too long and one becomes part of it. The inhabitants can’t leave it.”

“What will happen to the ones that accidentally fell out of bounds?” Haru asks, glancing to the small number of quilt animals still lying pitifully just out of reach of the border of trees.

“They will die,” Vanya answers with a shrug. “Eventually.”

“But that’s awful! Can’t we just push them back into the forest..? Will they go back to normal then?”

“Yes.” Vanya sounds confused.

“Then that’s what I’ll do,” Haru says, starting for the border with a marked lack of hesitation. “There aren’t that many— it shouldn’t take long, should it?”

“Even less with assistance,” Baron agrees shortly, following after her.

“I guess we’re doing this now.” Muta, as well, trails after the two with a sullen grumble.

“Cheer up, kitty, exercise is good for you.”

“Don’t make me cook you.”

Behind them, Vanya, still holding Baron’s hat as if it were a priceless artifact, watches them leave with a hard to define look, moving just a foot or two from side to side (but never so much as a half-step forward). His tail twitches and flutters in a manner quite reminiscent of an inquisitive squirrel, with the searching mien to accompany it, but he ultimately says nothing and seems to content himself with killing time.

#the cat returns #secret santa

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ketchupsupreme · 4 years

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Conversations with Dead Planets

Cassie

My name is Cassie.

The last name doesn't matter. Hadn't mattered for nearly three years. For three years, my friends and I had fought a secret war against the Yeerks, a parasitic alien race that took control of your body by entering through your ear and wrapping itself around your brain. They could be in anyone: your parents, your mailman, your teacher anyone. We called them Controllers. The only way we had been able to fight them was through Andalite technology that gave us the ability to morph into any animal we touched. I had been a dolphin, a horse, a orca. It was amazing. The battles… not so much. My friends and later the younger brother of the Andalite who gave us the power became the Animorphs.

The technology that gave us this power had been lost until a kid named David found the blue box. We gave David the ability to morph and he was one of us until he betrayed us and we had to take care of him. The morphing power was our only advantage against the Yeerks. That and the fact that until very recently they didn't know who we were. They had thought we were rogue Andalite bandits. When they found out that we were human, we had to get our families out. We were successful...except for Jake our leader. We had been too late to get his family out and his brother Tom, who had been a Controller since the very beginning, infested his own parents. None of the Yeerks had the ability to morph except for one: Visser One, the only Yeerk who had ever taken an Andalite host and with it the power to morph. Until now. Because of me.

In our most recent battle, in an effort to stop Jake (my sorta boyfriend) from killing his brother Tom I had allowed Tom to get away with the blue box. I don't know why, I just knew that I couldn't let Jake kill his own brother. After all that we had been through, the countless battles, the countless deaths, this last one seemed to monstrous for even us. I couldn't let Jake do it. So in order to stop him I had bit him while I was in my wolf morph, resulting in Jake hitting me across the face… as a tiger. With tiger sized paws.

I knew why he had done it. Surprise. Anger. Now he could barely look at me. In his eyes I was a traitor. I wasn't so sure, but I knew that I didn't want to be around him or any of the other Animorphs. When we got back to the free Hork-Bajir valley, I split off from the group, avoiding my best friend Rachel’s eyes as I headed for the tree line.

“Cassie!” I heard her yell as I ran further into the forest. As I ran, a certain picture floated to the top of my mind. I could feel my nails start getting thicker and longer as fur sprouted all around my body. Ax, our only actual Andalite member and the younger brother of the Andalite who had given us the morphing power, had told us that I was what the Andalites called an estreen, someone who could control how they morphed. When my friends morphed, it was not a pretty sight. Legs exploded out of them, eyeballs formed, beaks appeared on human faces. As the wolf whose DNA was apart of me rose out of my human body, near the end of it, I looked almost like one of those old Hollywood werewolves until the morph finished and I became a complete wolf.

I ran, pushing my legs to the extreme as I ran away, jumping over fallen trees, making hairpin turns as I let the wolf take me over. I reached the top of a hill, coming to a dead stop as I let the moon wash over me, feeling the cool wind blow through my fur.

Why had I done it? Why had I given Tom the morphing cube? With it, our only advantage was gone. If this fight had happened a few weeks earlier, we would have lost the cube before we ever created the Auxiliary Animorphs.

The Auxiliary Animorphs. Another one of my ideas. When our backs had been up against the wall, when we needed more warriors, more Animorphs, we had the dilemma of not knowing who was or wasn't a Controller. We couldn't recruit our parents. They had to be kids. Kids thay the Yeerks would never touch. Kids that the Yeerks believed to be powerless. That's when I had the idea: we would recruit disabled kids.

What was wrong with me? The Cassie that had entered this war would have never done this. When my father found out about this plan, he looked at me like I was a stranger, someone he didn't even recognize. To be completely honest? I wasn't so sure I recognized myself. I had done so many things in this war, killed so many people, all in the name of defending my planet. No one forced me to. No one held a gun against my head and told me I had to be an Animorph. That had been my choice. I had quit once, when I wasn't sure if I had killed a Hork-Bajir before or after Jake signaled the retreat. I could have ended it then. Been a normal girl again.

But then came Karen and Aftran. Aftran had been a Yeerk in the head of a little girl named Karen. She had found out our secret, and began stalking me. After a few days in the woods together, in exchange for Karen’s freedom, I agreed to morph a caterpillar permanently so long as Aftran never took another host again. See that's the drawback about morphing. If you stayed in the morph for more than two hours, you were stuck permanently. A nothlit. It had happened to Tobias, one of the members of our group, and it had happened to me.

Why wasn't I still in the body of a caterpillar though? Well according to Ax, since the caterpillar naturally morphed into a butterfly, it reset the morphing clock, allowing me to escape the blind fate of the caterpillar. I eventually saved Aftran from the Yeerks themselves, giving her the power to morph as long as she chose one morph and stayed in it forever. She was still out there, swimming in the ocean as a humpback whale.

She had finished her fight. I was still in it. As the Drode had once called me, I was Cassie, the Killer with a Conscious. What would I give if this stupid war had never happened, if my biggest problem in the world was still feeding the ducks their pills or wondering if Jake liked me back? I would give anything.

“Anything, you say?” a voice behind me drawled.

I turned around quickly, losing balance as my now human legs tangled around each other. When had I morphed back to human?

“Who’s there?” I called into the forest, trying to peer into the darkness with my weak, human eyes.

“It is I Cassie. Do you not recognize me Cassie the hypocrite? Never a killer… except for when she is.”

Immediately goosebumps popped up all over my skin. Only one being had ever called me that.

“The Drode,” I said calmly, my terror hidden beneath my calm exterior.

“Yes, it is I,” it said, bowing before me with a flourish. “My master, the great and powerful Crayak heard your wishes and sent me down here to grant it. Unlike that meddling twit, the Elimist, the great and powerful Crayak can grant you what you most truly desire.”

He began circling me, whispering to me all of my most secret desires.

“No more lies Cassie.”

“No more death Cassie.”

“No more wondering whether what you just did was right and wrong.”

“No more wondering whether Rachel will die in a future battle.”

“No more of Jake feeling like you betrayed him.”

My breathing was coming out rapid and shallow. Yes I wanted all of this. How many times had I woken up, a cold sweat covering my skin from the nightmares. From seeing Rachel, fierce, loyal, brave Rachel, devoured by Taxxons, not even in her human form. How many times had I lied to my parents and they never questioned it because to them I’m their sweet innocent Cassie. Or rather, I had been. Until very recently, I had lied to them almost every day for the past three years.

My father thought I was a monster. I didn’t know if any of the other Animorphs had told him it was my idea to recruit James and the other disabled children. When we had left for that mission though, he had stared at me as if I was a stranger, no longer the sweet innocent Cassie. That Cassie had died the first time we went to the Yeerk pool. When I had taken my first life. I had been just thirteen.

What if the Drode could do as Crayak promised? Change everything so this war never happened? So that Jake, a man trapped in the body of a sixteen year old boy, could grow up without the weight of the world hanging around his neck. Rachel would never have to feel as if we were using her to clean up our messes. David would have never happened. Marco would have grown up with his mother. Ax would still have his brother. Tobias--

Tobias. If the Yeerks never came to Earth, that would mean that Elfangor, Ax’s older brother and the one who gave us our powers and told us about the Yeerks, would have never come to Earth and he would have never met Loren, Tobias’ mother. Tobias would have never been born. I opened my mouth to protest. The Drode cut me off before one word even passed my lips.

“Do not worry, Saint Cassie. Your feathered friend will still be born. The all powerful Crayak will see to it that the deceased prince becomes a nothlit. Tobias will have a loving father and mother and never want for anything. He will never know hardship, never be afraid, never wonder why his mother left him. He will be happy.”

I almost cried. When he had been human, Tobias was trapped in between two homes that had made it clear he would not be missed if he disappeared. As a matter of fact, when he had become a nothlit, Neither his aunt or uncle cared very much. I don’t think they even put in a missing persons report. Didn’t Tobias deserve this?

“Why did Crayak send you to me,” I asked, my voice thick with emotion. “Why didn’t he go to Jake? I know he hates Jake, but Jake should be making this decision. Not me.”

The Drode smiled, his odd bird shaped head almost trembling with glee.

“Therein lies the catch, Horsewoman of the Apocalypse,” the Drode said, turning Marco’s one-off name for me into something cruel. “In order for Crayak to do this, Jake the Yeerk Killer must be sacrificed.”

The blood drained from my face. Jake wouldn’t be there. He would be dead. No. I would never let that happen. Jake was my-- I mean Jake was the one thing that made sense in this world. I lo--.

“And you must be the one to kill him.”

I turned on the Drode, my fist hurtling towards his face. Except that there was no fist. It was a paw, half morphed and quickly completing the transformation into full wolf.

“Before you say no Cassie the Hypocrite, let me show you something.”

The sky above me bloomed into images. I saw myself, my thirteen year old self, laughing, clinging onto Rachel’s arm as she dragged me across the mall, her eyes searching for the words “sale.”. Marco, funny Marco, pointing at me as his mother dragged him into their car, the words “tree-hugger” forming as his mom slammed the car door.

“He’ll be by tomorrow Cassie,” Eva laughed, her eyes kind and empty of the harsh truths that the former Visser One had left her with. “Thank you again for tutoring him!”

Another image, this one of Tobias and I, bloomed. We were camping, his father telling my father and us about planets far away. Planets that held giant bladed gentle creatures who peeled and ate bark. Of carnivorous worms that ate everything in sight. Finally, with a gentleness in his eyes, he told us of four legged beings who had four eyes and a blade at the end of their tail. “Gentle creatures,” he seemed to say. “Kind of uppity, but in a lovable way.” I was the only one who noticed the tear slip out of his eye.

“All of this could be real Cassie,” the Drode whispered in my ear. “You know what you have to do.” He waved his hand towards a dark spot in the clearing.

Jake appeared. He seemed confused at first, scanning the area. Then he saw me. His eyes narrowed, his mouth twisting in an ugly snarl.

“Cassie.”

<Get out of here Jake,> I said, my thought-speak filled with worry.

“Don’t worry. I don’t want to be anywhere near you,” he said, his voice filled with derision.

<Jake. Please. Get out of here.> I could not stop the fear from entering my voice.

He must have heard it because instantly his eyes softened, the boy general forgetting his current anger. For right now, he was my Jake again.

“Cassie? What’s wrong?” he said, his voice filled with concern.

“Casssssiiieeee… all of that can be yours. Just tear his throat out out. Don’t let him morph.” The Drode’s voice tangled all around me.

“Cassie,” Jake said again, this time dropping to the ground to be eye level with me. I could see the black stripes rippling across his features, his face bulging and eye color changing as he began morphing into the tiger I had seen him become so many times.His hand dropped as it became a paw. I felt that paw striking me across the face. His anger.

“One life for everyone else. A free galaxy. No more slaves. No more Yeerks. Just kill Jake Berenson and all of this can be yours.”

Suddenly Jake was human again, frozen aside from his eyes, which looked around, the panic settling in his eyes.

“KILL. HIM.”

Never. No matter what had happened between me and Jake, I could never kill him. I loved him. Nothing in this world was worth Jake’s life. Even if what the Drode promised was true, it came at too horrible a price. The price would be Jake’s life… and my humanity.

In an instant I turned on the Drode, my jaws aching for his throat. He disappeared, his laughter filling my ears as Jake also disappeared.

“Oh Cassie, too good for even her planet. One day soon you will wish for the great Crayak to offer you this again. When a friend falls in battle… you will wish for him. And he shall not appear. He will let you enjoy the spoils of your kindness.”

With a final laugh, his presence vanished. I demorphed, the cool winds rustling the trees. Nothing had changed. But Jake was still alive. And soon, this war would be over one way or another. As I stared at the sky above me, a Bug fighter flew across the crescent moon.

#animorphs #cassie #jake berenson #drode #crayak #andalite #yeerks

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tcmmysheiby · 5 years

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stress management: john shelby. [smut]

Request: Yes - Hi! I was wondering if you could please write a smutty John story where the reader (who is a maid in Tommy's home and also has feelings for John) helps him relieve some tension after the "Do this, John. Do that, John." scene? Word Count: 3341 words. Authors Note/Warnings: Ok, this took so long to write but here we go! Prepare for breeding kink, rough smut, dirty talk, rough basically idk. Requests are open but they will be closing soon so get them in while you can!

You understood the risks of being infatuated with your boss's sibling yet you found yourself crossing the line far too many times. You often told yourself that it was nothing but a bit of fun, that John would eventually get bored of sneaking around with his nephews' nanny and would move on with someone who could provide him with stability. There were times though when you would find yourself thinking of John before you slept, picturing the future the two of you could have together if it was acceptable to date such a feared and dangerous man.

It wasn’t just Tommy that got in the way of the relationship blossoming, your parents were just another added factor which halted the growing relationship before it could even start. They had been completely against you working for Tommy Shelby, claiming that it would not look good to future employees if you had been associated with a well-known criminal but their tune changed when you received your first wage, the judgement was still there, just better hidden than before.

Secret kisses when no-one was looking was the only form of affection you received from John when everybody else was over at the Shelby’s for either meetings, family dinners or celebrations. A few stolen kisses shared when John went up to spend some time with his favourite nephew, an excuse to spend some time with his favourite girl. John had snuck you away during the wedding for a couple of hours, business over-taking Tommy’s mind so he didn’t notice the sudden disappearance of his nanny and younger brother but Tommy was not a fool and he knew everything that was going on underneath his roof.

Tommy had made a few comments to John, light remarks that indicated that something was going on between John and yourself but John never picked up on them and when Tommy questioned him and asked why he was staying over so much, John would just shrug his shoulders and claim that he had missed his brother and wanted to spend time with him. Every single night though, John would sneak off to your room in the middle of the night where he would stay until the early hours of the morning, touches exchanged and pleasure given as he gave you the best you had ever had.

You loved John and he loved you but things were not ideal. The death of Grace had changed things drastically. All of your time was now with Charlie, Tommy still struggling to face his son due to the guilt he felt and seeing John had become your second priority. The house was quieter and everyone felt lonely, Grace the only person in the Shelby family [apart from John] to make you feel like you were one of them, more of a friend than an employee. Even though you were also grieving the loss of Grace, you had to focus on your job and you couldn’t have John distracting you all the time.

You stayed away from him when he came around to check on his older brother, taking Charlie up to see the horses so you didn’t have to face your secret lover. It was guilt that you felt the most but you couldn’t bring yourself to face him, terrified that you would only find yourself falling deeper for John and you weren’t prepared for the heartbreak you would feel when the relationship officially came to an end.

Loud shouting that came from Tommy’s office was your first sign that John was in the house, his voice bellowing through the hallways as he continued his screaming match with his brother. All you wanted to do was listen in and comfort John, the anger in his voice noticeable as he tried to get his point across to Tommy to no avail.

The sound of Tommy’s office door slamming shut had you wandering out of one of the downstairs rooms and into the hallway, secretly hoping and praying that John would turn the corner as he attempted to find you and as if God was on your side, it was only a minute later that you heard the familiar footsteps of John. Too engrossed in the argument he had shared with Tommy, he barely noticed you in the doorway of one of the rooms until you spoke up and even then, he barely recognised your voice.

“Who has upset you?” you asked, body turning to follow John’s as he stormed down the hallway, his footsteps heavy against the wooden floors. “John - “

“Fuck off,” he snapped, anger getting the better at him as he turned his fury towards you without even realising. Slowly backing away, you furrowed your eyebrows before nodding once, fully accepting that John know hated you because of your distant mood. John’s movements stopped suddenly as he turned around to face you, his pace quick again as he jogged towards you and pulled you against his body. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that, really didn’t, would never tell you to fuck off, not you,” he mumbled as he backed you against the wall, open-mouthed kisses pressed to your cheeks and the side of your mouth. “Just so fucked off with Tommy thinking that he knows best all the time. Just because he’s the leader doesn’t mean he knows everything because he fucking doesn’t.”

“Tommy is grieving,” you replied, subconsciously moving your hand upwards to cradle John’s cheek. It was inappropriate probably but it had been so long since he had touched you and you had touched him, all down to you wanting to create some distance. “Don’t be angry at him because I’m sure he doesn’t mean whatever he’s said.”

“I understand that but I’m his fucking brother, you know?”

“I know but just remember that you are better than him, John.”

John sniffled and looked down at the ground, his fury slowly vanishing just from being around you. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered, mouth moving to kiss the palm of your hand that was still pressed against his warm cheek. “I’ve needed you so much this past week.”

“I’ve missed you too, John,” you admitted, destroying everything that you had told yourself over the last few weeks. Maybe you had always known that you would go running back to John the moment he made any type of contact with you. “I’ve finished work for the day, someone else has taken over.”

“Oh, have they now?” John smirked as he pressed his body further into yours. “Known you long enough now to know when you want something, doll.”

Under John’s stare, you found yourself heating up as you tried to vocalise the words you were thinking about. “I just think that I could possibly help you get rid of some of this stress and anger that’s built up.”

“Tell me how.”

You loved it when John made you beg for it, the words spoken alien to you but you would do whatever John wanted. After every intimate time together, you had found yourself opening up to John more and more, sexually and non-sexually. It had gotten to the point where he knew you better than anybody else ever had, every secret of yours shared with John as the sun rose in the morning and reality came crashing back down on the two of you.

“Well, would it be rude of me to suck your cock right now?”

John smiled as his hand tightened around your arm, fully pressing your back against the wallpaper. “I don’t think it would rude at all. In fact, I think it would take away all of my worries and maybe, just maybe, I might return the favour and get on my knees for you.”

You moaned at John’s words, you back arching at just the thought of having John’s tongue and fingers. “I need you to fuck me, John.”

“Want to be fucked, do you?” John chuckled darkly as his hands ran down your body, the weight of his hands pushing you against the wall in the middle of the hallway. “What happened to the sweet girl who stumbled into Tommy’s office about a year ago, hey? You hardly had any experience but I still begged Tommy to hire you.”

“John - “

“Thought you was the prettiest thing in the world, could hardly talk when you were around,” he admitted, eyes soft as he leaned down to kiss you sweetly. “You are the light of my life, you know? And I’m going to make us public soon, want everyone to know that you’re my girl.”

A shriek came from your body as John gripped his hands in your hair, dragging you down to the floor in front of him before you could even think of a response to his sweet comments. You fell down with a thud and John was worried for a second but the wide grin on your face and the way your tongue licked along your bottom lip, already desperate for how his cock would feel down his throat, told John that he didn’t need to worry about a thing.

Both of you were fully aware that someone could walk down the hallway at any given moment and see the two of you together, exposing the secret that you had managed to keep tucked away for months on end. Maybe a part of you, like John, wanted someone to see the two of you together so you wouldn’t have to keep sneaking around like school children.

“I wanted you from the moment I saw you, John. Kept waiting for you to make a move,” you told him after he had ordered you to start unbuttoning his slacks. “Do you know how many times I’ve fucked myself while thinking of you? I think everyone in the maid quarters knows that I’m yours, they’ve all heard me scream your name at three in the morning.” John wasn’t responding to your comments, too eager to get his cock out of his briefs and into your mouth. “I want to be yours John, I want to be the girl you come and fuck when you’ve come back from a job, want you to take me on the kitchen table - “

You were cut off by John’s cock sliding down your throat, no warning given. “You are mine; doll and I’m going to prove it to you.”

Your mouth wrapped around John’s cock was a feeling you had missed dearly. His taste was heavenly on your tongue as you worked your way around him, teasing in an attempt to get a reaction from John. His eyes looked down on you, wordlessly telling you to stop acting like a brat and get on with the job in hand. John moved along your tongue relentlessly, his moans and groans encouraging you to spit and suck without stopping or taking a breath. The sound of you gagging had John bucking his hips, his mouth partially open as he tried not to cry out loud and bring attention to the fact, he was getting his cock sucked in the middle of the hallway.

Two of your fingers tapping against John’s thighs, signalling that you needed to be released so you could breathe, had John pulling out and giving you the chance to get your breath back. “Bet your soaked, aren’t you?” he asked, the hand that wasn’t in your hair wrapping around his cock so it would remain hard while you collected yourself. The wooden floorboards were battering your knees but you ignored the pain as you looked up at John, your eyes enlarged as you watched his hand move up and down his cock with ease due to your spit. “Want me back in your mouth?” he asked, hips moving forward until the tip of him was pressed against your closed lips. “Be a good girl now.”

Your jaw dropped as you allowed John entry again but this time, he took charge, his hand wrapped around your locks as he moved his cock along your throat. The taste of him lingered at the back of your throat, a reminder of what was to come when you got John to the edge of his orgasm and brought him the sweet release he had been craving for weeks, his hand just not sufficient enough after having your mouth for so many months.

“Needed your mouth so much darling, all I keep thinking about,” he groaned, eyes squeezing shut when you reached your hand up to grab what your mouth couldn’t handle. “I need to be inside of you though, love.”

Lipstick stains around his length had John moaning out, the sight of you fully willing to take his cock in the middle of a public environment sending his mind hazy. John’s smile was almost angelic as he glanced down at you, wishing he could take a photo of you when you had his cock stuffed down your throat and your make-up was ruined from the fucking you had received.

Your lips were darkened and wet with saliva when you pulled back to look up at John, a look in your eyes that he had learnt to read over the previous months. “Want me to fuck you now?” he asked, grinning when you slipped the head of John’s cock into your mouth and nodded around it, licking his slit to emphasises your action.

Hollowing your cheeks, you took John down your throat a few more times before looking up at him again. “Fuck me, John.”

“Meet me upstairs,” he ordered, holding his hand out kindly as he helped you up from your knees and into his body. “Give us a kiss first though,” he grinned widely, hands moving to your waist so he could lift you up slightly. His mouth moved to settle over yours, the kiss sloppy, wet and full of tongue as the two of you just appreciated being in each other’s company for the first time in a few weeks. “Upstairs, now.”

Your uniform and undergarments were thrown against the floor of your bedroom before you moved to lay down on your bed, fully spread out as you waited for John to make his way through the magnificent house. He had done this before and had left you waiting for him for over an hour, a cruel tease was John and as much as you loved it at times, there was moments when you wanted him to hurry up and take you.

During the secret nights you spent together, you had learnt the pattern of John’s footsteps and you knew when he was approaching the bedroom, your heart racing with every footstep as you prepared yourself.

“Look at you, look like an absolute angel,” he complimented, his accent darker as his need for a release grew stronger with everything passing second. “Would have you spread out for me every single day if I could.”

“You can.”

Eyes were stuck on John as you watched him undress, the sound of his belt dropping to the floor sending a shiver through your body as you thought about all the times, he had bent you over desks and punished you with his belt. In your eyes, there was no better feeling than the next day when you would sit down and the marks would hurt, a beautiful reminder of the time you had spent with John and another mark on your skin which showed that you were his.

“On your hands and knees, darling and no fucking speaking unless I give you permission,” John replied, keen to get inside of you. “Fuck, knew you were soaked,” he mumbled in admiration, his hand pulling your hips upwards until your cheek was pressed into the bedsheets. Your mind swirled with thoughts as you moved your hips downwards hoping that your wetness would soak his cock a little and he would give in without a second thought. “You know how you wanted me to make you mine?” he asked, his hand tapping your thigh a signal that you could answer the question.

“Yeah.”

“You going to’ have my baby, darlin’?” John asked as he moved his cock along your slit, the feeling of your wetness around him enough to have him softly moaning. “Going to let me fill you up with my cum, hey?”

All rational thoughts out of the window, all you could do was nod and agree with John. Talks of getting married and having children had been mentioned before but only briefly but you were not against the idea. “Give me a baby, make me a Shelby woman.”

“I’m going to put this cum where it belongs,” he softly whispers, his firm hand running around the curves of your ass, sad at the lack of red marks from his belt. “Bet you’d look fucking beautiful pregnant - I know you would, princess.”

“I’ll be yours,” you respond, not meaning to speak but lacking remorse when John harshly pulls on your hair signalling for you to quieten down. Defiance ran through you though and all you wanted to do was let John know how you felt. “I need you to make me a proper Shelby woman, make me yours forever.” Somehow managing to rip your grip away from John, you turned your body to look at him dead in the eyes as you spoke. “I want us.”

John wrapped one hand around your throat as he dragged you up, your back pressed against his chest. His grip tightened around your neck for a second as he entered his cock, not soft and passionate but rough and full of desperation. “Then I’ll make you mine.” John’s thrusts are relentless, his words broken up as whimpers slip from his mouth and the noise contrasts perfectly to the filth that spills out of him whenever he speaks. “Make you mine forever and ever.”

John’s hips snapping against your ass had you screaming out and not bothered that anyone could overhear and run straight back to Tommy to tell him what was occurring. His breath was hot on your ear as he whispered filth and promises, sinful words that you would repeat in your head when you were alone with nothing but your fingers and the thought of John.

“You always take my cock so well,” John praised, his head buried in your neck where he left kisses and marks that you would struggle to cover the next day. “My girl, yeah? Mine.”

The anger from the argument with Tommy finally came out to play as John bent you back over, his fingers sure to leave bruises on your skin from where he was holding you still to stop you from flying forwards with every thrust of his hips. You moaned John’s names like a prayer with every thrust, your lines blurred as you looked up at the ceiling and allowed pleasure to take over your body.

John’s thrusts got harsher and more brutal as he brought himself and you closer to the brink, the two of you desperate for a release. Stopping for a moment, John pulled out and twisted your body around so you were laid on your back, your skin shining under the light and your hair flat on the bed sheets.

John’s head moved to your neck as his thrusts resumed, his teeth sinking into your skin whenever it felt particularly good. John usually tried to be careful with the marks that he left on your body but he was to in the moment and he couldn’t care less if Tommy spotted them and questioned you, he just wanted everyone to know that you were his girl.

“I love you,” John whispered, his mouth against yours. “I love you so much.”

You breathed out heavily as you placed both of your hands-on John’s face, moving his head so he was looking at your directly. His thrusts didn’t stop but he was sure his heart did when he looked at you properly, an absolute blessing to John who couldn’t get over you.

“And I love you.”

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