#It seems all undead are now dragons wonder how that happen | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

welshoot · 3 months

Text

Twisted Wonderland and The Black Cauldron

This theory honestly seemed so far-fetched when I first came up with it before Twisted Wonderland got localized, but I felt like writing this so here we are.

There might just be a connection between Twisted Wonderland and The Black Cauldron (film or novel). Before I get into the wild theorizing/analysis I would like to say that this post will contain major spoilers for the book and film of The Black Cauldron as well as for Twisted Wonderland, so proceed at your own risk. Also, this is going to be very long, so be forewarned

This entire theory comes completely from this image:

This is the mirror chamber from Twisted Wonderland, a room we seem to keep coming back to in terms of potential lore importance. I don’t really know why, but when I saw this image for the first time my mind immediately flew back to this:

I guess it’s something about the green stuff coming out the thing up top that reminds me of the titular black cauldron from one of Disney’s worst performing films, The Black Cauldron (1985).

Now, The Black Cauldron (1985) is a bit of a dark spot on the history of Disney’s animated movies. All in all, it is generally forgotten and most everyone likes to pretend it doesn’t exist because of how poorly it performed when it came out compared to the amount of money Disney sank into it (at a $44 million it cost more than $40 million budget of The Little Mermaid [1989]). But, notably, The Black Cauldron (1985) also contains one of Disney’s most terrifying villains. The Horned King.

Now, if you’ve never seen the movie or read the book, the Horned King intended to use the titular black cauldron to unleash an undead, immortal army and intends to become “A god between mortal men” (quote from the disney wiki page for the man himself). Interestingly, considering he’s wanting to amass an undead army, the Horned King is quite skeletal himself. Outside of that, there is very little known about this character. He is very mysterious, very evil, and is implied to have magical powers though he hardly ever uses them. An additional point of interest for the sake of this theory is the fact that the castle of the Horned King is in horrible shape. Sort of ramshackle if you will.

The film version of this villain is very different from the book version. The book version is not the primary antagonist, rather he is the antagonist's champion warrior until death. With that said though, he is still quite ominous. No one knows his name and his title comes from the horned mask he wears. In the book he doesn’t seem quite human and is rather bestial. Another potentially interesting point is that, in the film, his goons are identical to Maleficent's and he is connected to dragons.

Now, for this theory, the Horned King may or may not come into play, but the black cauldron itself is important. In both the book and the movie, the only way to destroy the black cauldron (and it is evil and needs to be destroyed so that the undead/immortal army can’t be made) is for a willing sacrifice to go into it and die. While in the movie, the sacrifice is saved this is not the case in the book.

Now, the whole undead immortal army thing makes me wonder about the overblot monsters. We know from Ignihyde that the blot monsters can exist after the death of their host which makes them a sort of undead immortal monster. They also seem to be wholly obsessed with magic, and the magic mirror of NRC is suggested to be incredibly unique and very magical. So, if the green thingie under the mirror is the cauldron, it might be possible that the overblots are happening to form an undead/immortal army that will obey whoever holds that mirror simply because they themselves want the magical power of the mirror. In such a case, the only way to stop such an army would be to destroy the cauldron (i.e. give it a willing sacrifice). The only question is, who?

In the Disney film, the willing sacrifice (who was brought back to life because it is a kid’s move, albeit a sort of creepy one) was Gurgi. He sacrificed himself so that the protagonist (Taran) wouldn’t sacrifice himself to save his friends. Gurgi was, simply put, an ever hungry, greedy about food, cowardly, and cheerful but annoying sidekick to the lead. It’s never really explained what, exactly, Gurgi is but h had blue eyes and was small and fluffy. Here’s a picture:

Now, we have to consider Grim here. Small animal companion, constantly hungry and greedy for food, fairly cheerful but with a penchant for being annoying, has blue eyes, and we don’t really know what he is. If the theory that each character in Twisted Wonderland has two inspirations (one heroic and one villainous) is true, then Gurgi may very well be part of Grim’s inspiration. And if that’s the case he would be a likely candidate for the willing sacrifice. If that is the case, the situation would probably have something to do with stopping the Prefect from sacrificing themselves (or something).

In the book version of things the sacrifice is the jerkish, second prince Ellidyr. He is not revived and he sacrifices himself as a way of making atonement. Character-wise, he is the edgy character for the book, though notably he is also a more complicated character for the series. He is also incredibly strong for unexplained reasons, has a deeply hidden sense of honor, and if he sets himself a goal he will see it through. And, as a final character note, he is the foil to the protagonist of the tale.

Now, Ellidyr’s character can match up with several different individuals in Twisted Wonderland, making it hard to say who any other potential willing sacrifice candidates might be. It could be Leona, a rather jerkish second prince, but he would need a specific reason. It could also be a tie-in to whoever’s hand the player took at the start of the game. However, there is one final option who is present simply due to the virtue of their placement in the story. The Prefect.

While everyone else has shades of villainy, the Prefect is implied to be the most upstanding person at NRC, though they may manipulate others if they feel forced (Octavinelle Chapter and forcing Leona’s hand into helping). As such, their position as outsider in a world with no identifiable way home and resident nice person does unfortunately put them squarely on the chopping block as a sacrifice. Especially since it is implied that they are becoming friends with the various characters at NRC.

There is also the idea of: does someone even want to create any army of overblot monsters? And, to be honest, I really don't even want to consider the implications of such a thing or go into to trying to figuring the who and why of that question, plus this post is already pretty long.

In the end, this is just a wild theory that I thought was rather intriguing since I personally think it would be very amusing if Twisted Wonderland made use of Disney’s black sheep movie in such a pivotal way for the plot. With that said, I highly doubt such a thing will come to pass, though I would find it incredibly amusing.

#Twisted wonderland #The black cauldron #Twst #Twisted wonderland theory #analysis #The black cauldron (1985)#Disney movie #Disney #theory #mywritings #The Black Cauldron book #Chronicles of Prydain #disney tw #The Horned King #Gurgi #Prefect

24 notes · View notes

tokiro07 · 11 months

Text

Undead Unluck ch.161 thoughts

[Enter the Dragon]

Tozuka, when I asked for “falling action” I didn’t mean the action of falling that we saw last week, I meant a moment to reflect on the events of the preceding arc. I really want an opportunity for Phil to interact with the group outside of the moments of tension, where we can see what kind of person he usually is and the life he usually leads. I’m sure we’ll get that sooner or later, I’m just a little sad that we’re jumping straight into the next arc

HOWEVER!!! This next arc is immediately shaping up to be a very exciting one!!! As you may have seen in the tag, folks are super excited to see the return of Shen, and to top it off, Mei is alive in this timeline!! I’m not entirely sure, but she seems to be older! She looks to be drawn about the same height and build as Fuuko, suggesting that she’s somewhere between 15 and 18 if I had to estimate. I guessed several reviews ago that Shen’s backstory likely happened in 2003 with him being about 13 so that he’d be 30 in 2020, but since his age was never established, he could feasibly be any age, probably pushing 40 if he’s around 18 in 1999. I guess he could have been born early this time, but I’m always hesitant to make that guess

The real significance to Mei being older here, though, is what it means for Shen’s backstory: SHEN DIDN’T DROP HER!!! Feng never pitted Shen and Mei against each other, he never pushed Mei over the cliff, and Shen never got Mei killed with Untruth! Not to say that they won’t end up in that scenario during this arc, but the two of them got to actually grow up together, and it’s all thanks to Fuuko!

Fuuko becoming the object of Feng’s obsession has led to him completely changing his interactions with Shen, though to what extent we can only guess for now. We know he still plans to kill Shen to prove to Fuuko that he’s stronger, but he still needs to raise him to become strong enough that doing so holds meaning. I can’t imagine that they’re on necessarily better terms, but at least murderous revenge isn’t on the table this time

Mei says that Shen needs to be saved, presumably from himself if I had to guess. I figure he’s gotten obsessed with being the strongest for some other reason than avenging Mei this time, and he’s pushing himself to a dangerous degree. Maybe it has something to do with Mui, this time? She’s almost definitely going to be coming into play during this arc (if for no other reason than convenience) so having her be a key player in Shen’s new backstory would be a helpful way to reintroduce her to the current loop

Fuuko’s fight with Mei also served as a great appetizer for this upcoming tournament arc, with Fuuko showing off a new Unluck technique! Using her long hair, she wraps it around her arms as bracers while also forming blades that should look familiar to everyone! They’re almost identical to Andy’s Dead Blades, further demonstrating not only Fuuko’s growth, but Andy’s continued influence on her! Makes me excited to see how Undead has evolved over the last four billion years, likely with some inspiration from Andy’s desire to see Fuuko

Jumping forward to the tournament, LOOK AT THOSE OUTFITS!!! Fuuko and Yusai really pull off those uniforms, and for some reason, I’m really liking how Billy looks. Maybe it’s wearing the jacket as a cape, maybe it’s that big ol’ smile, or maybe it’s because I’ve always had a bit of a thing for that style of pants, but that’s a good lookin’ man right there

Feng’s expression when he sees Fuuko is also pretty fun. I know it’s a self-indulgent read, but there’s...a weird sense of romanticism to anyone being that excited to see another person. I guess this is the feeling people get with hateships? Or yanderes? ...Huh, Fuuko pairs really easily with people whose appearances belie their ages, doesn’t she? Andy, Gina, Feng...wonder what’s gonna happen with Ruin...

As for how this arc is going to go, I’m hoping we get to have a little bit of time with Yusai specifically, as I feel like we haven’t gotten nearly enough development for her. Honestly, since she was the elderly master type like Feng previously, I can see her having a good rapport with Feng

Before I finish up, I want to just touch on the little details real quick, as I am wont to do

I’m glad to see that even without his sense of taste (I assume), Phil is able to eat thanks to Entruster. Wasn’t as much of a downside as it was presented to be, I guess!

Sean closing his eyes when he smiles turned him invisible. It’s always fun to see Tozuka pay attention to that, I’d probably end up forgetting half the time if it were me

Continuing Tozuka’s love of Gundam, the announcer for the tournament is a pastiche of the announcer from G Gundam, right down to the eyepatch and mustache

...Where did Gina get a smartphone in 1999?

While I’ve obviously been loving every arc in this loop (and every arc prior), I think this might be the most excited that the first chapter of an arc has gotten me for what’s to come since chapter 1! I anticipate it won’t actually be a tournament arc, but Negator vs. Negator is always the most fun match-up type for me personally, so any battles we get here are sure to be great! See y’all next week!

#undead unluck #fouryearsandananime #4y1a reviews

9 notes · View notes

mrslittletall · 3 years

Note

how bout 30 for Ornstein n Tempest/Smough

it seems to fit them :>

Title: Foul Wind Fandom: Dark Souls Characters: Dragon Slayer Ornstein/Chosen Undead Word Count: 1.291 AO3-Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34178455

Summary: Ornstein got some food poisoning. Luckily, Tempest is there to help him feel better.

(Author's note: I had the choice between Tempest or Smough, but I ultimately decided to go with Tempest, because I already used Smough in prompt 14. It was so much fun writing them like this, thanks for the request ^^)

Prompt 30: Food poisoning/Allergies.) @sicktember

“I told you eating pudding with garlic would be a bad idea.”

Tempest was currently standing next to Ornstein, holding his ponytail while the dragon slayer was busy puking his guts out. There really wasn’t a nicer way to say it, it made Tempest feel sick just by listening to it and he didn’t even had to eat anything anymore.

“It was… fine… when I ate it… three days… ago…”, Ornstein choked out when his body gave him a small break, only for him to gag even more violently into the privy. Tempest almost felt sorry for the inanimate thing, until he remembered that it probably had seen a lot worse things in its lifetime.

“Well, and why did you think a pudding would still be fine after three days? I forgot to put it away, it just stood there and has obviously gotten bad.”, Tempest murmured, punctuating his sentence with a rakish hand gesture, which Ornstein couldn’t see with his head buried in the privy.

“Was hungry…”, Ornstein managed between waves of vomit, “You slept… didn’t want to wake…”

“I am UNDEAD, Ornstein!”, Tempest piped up. “I only sleep so that I don’t have to be alone at night! You could have woken me!”

Ornstein’s gagging and retching stopped, but he didn’t reply to Tempest. He breathed heavily and leaned against the wall.

“Is it over, Ornstein?”, Tempest asked, doubting it. An upset stomach normally would need a few hours to calm down. Tempest got his answer when Ornstein suddenly clutched his stomach and then pretty much kicked him out.

“Little Storm, LEAVE!”, he said and shut the door to the privy. Tempest could only wince in sympathy when he heard the sounds. He knew that Ornstein would be mortified if he knew that Tempest had stayed around and listened, so he left. He got a bucket and carried it to Ornstein’s room, then he went to Smough’s herbal garden.

“With him having such heavy symptoms, chamomile should help…”, Tempest murmured and searched for the white coloured blossoms. It was a good thing that he made sure to take care of the garden whenever they were in Anor Londo. He found a few dried up blossoms and took them to the kitchen.

He took a kettle and filled it with some water, then he prepared the chamomile to be steeped while he waited for the water to cook. As he was busy, he could see how Ornstein staggered along the kitchen. Oh, he was looking pale and sweaty and not good at all. Tempest wondered a bit why he had decided to leave the privy though.

“Little Storm, why… did you leave….”, Ornstein asked once he noticed Tempest in the kitchen.

“Because you told me to leave, remember, you dork?”, Tempest said half jokingly, but felt bad about it right away, even though Ornstein called him an idiot regularly. He was clearly not feeling well.

“I made some tea.”, he said, filling the prepared tea pot with the currently hot water. “It still needs to steep though. Come, we'll get you to bed in the meantime.”

“I don’t know if this… is a good.. idea.”, Ornstein said, clasping a hand in front of his mouth, suppressing a gag.

“I put a bucket in your bedroom.”, Tempest said. “You will certainly feel better when you lie on a soft mattress instead of the hard floor in front of the privy.”

Ornstein didn’t seem to have strength to argue and so he simply followed Tempest, who took the dragon slayer’s hand and led him to his bedroom. Right after they entered, Ornstein swallowed thickly.

“Little Storm, I-”, was all he got out as warning before he got sick again. Tempest had never acted so fast in his life ever before, holding the bucket in front of Ornstein before the floor could get stained.

“It’s not the first time I have seen you vomit but it is certainly the worst you ever got sick.”, Tempest said as he held Ornstein’s ponytail out of the way again. He wrinkled his nose at the smell, garlic smelled even more extreme when it came back up again.

“I am regretting… things.”, Ornstein brought out between waves of nausea, then buried his head in the bucket again, making sounds that Tempest never thought were possible to come from Ornstein.

“Well, I don’t regret having wiped up your puddle the first time it happened.”, Tempest grinned at the memory, back when he and Ornstein still had hated each other. When Ornstein had a remark for this, he either kept it to himself or was too busy puking to talk.

After Ornstein was done for the moment, Tempest watched as he stumbled into bed and looked at the ceiling. “I feel horrible…”, he murmured.

“It will be over soon. I will get the tea, that might help calm your stomach down.”

And if the tea would fail, it at least would help get all the bad stuff out of Ornstein’s stomach faster.

Tempest returned to the kitchen and got the tea pot along with a tea cup. When he returned, Ornstein was still staring at the ceiling. At least there didn’t seem to be new vomit in the bucket.

“Here is your tea, Ornstein.”, Tempest said, putting the tea pot on the small table and preparing to pour it into the brought cup, but Ornstein stopped him.

“Little Storm, wait… can you get… the tea cup out of my luggage…?”

“Um, alright.”, Tempest said and searched through Ornstein’s luggage. He found the tea cup easily, marvelling a bit at it. It was shaped like a dragon and the handle was the tail.

“What a fitting cup for you.”, he grinned and poured the tea into it, handing it to Ornstein. The dragon slayer just stared at it but made no move actually drinking it.

“I don’t feel safe drinking this…”, he said.

“Ornstein, you have to.”, Tempest said. “You must already be dehydrated. Even if it comes out again, it is better than to not drink anything. Try at least. For me.”

Ornstein glanced at him and then slowly drank from the cup. Very very slowly indeed. At least he got some liquids back inside of him.

“This cup was a gift…”, Ornstein suddenly said. “It’s… it’s kind of comforting for me. I often would… drink out of it while sick…”

It was rare for Ornstein to share things about his past, especially such things which were about how he had felt weak. Tempest enjoyed these quiet moments, he enjoyed it when Ornstein shared more of who he really was with him.

“I hope it manages to make you feel better then.”, Tempest said.

Ornstein nodded at his words and continued to drink the tea. For a while, Tempest thought that it was over, but then Ornstein suddenly doubled over, gasping. “It’s starting again!” and spent the next half hour puking his guts out again.

This cycle continued for several hours. Once the sun set and the moon rose instead, a full moon like every night in Anor Londo, Ornstein hadn’t puked or hadn’t had to run to the privy for a full hour anymore.

“I think it’s better….”, he murmured.

“Well then.”, Tempest smiled, not looking forward to cleaning out two buckets full of vomit now, “I’ll go and cook you some oatmeal.”

“Do you really think I should eat something…”, Ornstein asked, his face expressing nothing but uncertainty.

“It can’t hurt to try.”, Tempest said. “Besides, if it really gets bad again… I’ll find a third bucket.”

(Author's note: And that was the eleventh fill for sicktember. Only one more to go. I loved writing this one, I hope you enjoyed ^^)

#sicktember 2021 #prompt 30: food poisoning #dark souls #chosen undead #dragon slayer ornstein #orndead #oc tempest #fanfiction #emetophobia cw #littlewritesstuff

15 notes · View notes

thecagedsong · 3 years

Text

Forgotten Light: Chapter 1: The Key of Forgetting

“Seth, I need to be the one to do it,” Kendra said. “Let’s be honest, your abilities are way more useful in managing Wyrmroost. I have the feeling that…that everyone else wants you to be the one to lose your memories. We’re being played by someone, even now.”

“Kens, I’m not a dragon tamer, without you, I can’t do anything here,” Seth said, gripping the key in his pocket. “When the statues wake up, we’re probably going to need some of that good old diplomacy you can do to explain what happened here. I just irritate everyone. We need to think bigger.”

“I am thinking bigger,” Kendra said, pulling him short before they were in unlocking distance of the door, “The fairy queen has my back. The fairies won’t lead me astray, not really, but without your memories, you won’t know how to keep your head around demons and the undead. One of them already offered to teach you, back in the Path of Dreams, and you would have said yes without your memories. You just felt what it was like to have your memories wiped, you’ll be able to help me figure things out better than I could help you.”

Seth’s eyes went to the pouch at her waist, “You’d forget Bracken, I’m not going to let you throw away the best boyfriend you’ll probably ever have. You have terrible taste.”

“Shut up,” she said, flushing.

She held out the bag of gales, Bracken’s first horn, and the caretaker’s medallion from around her neck. Kendra shoved the items at him, letting them drop, and Seth fumbled to catch them. While he did that, she took the key from his pocket. “Bracken isn’t really my boyfriend, and he’s immortal. If anyone can figure out how to make me like him again, he has the time. And it’s not like it took me forever to fall for him in the first place.”

“You can’t do that, that’s my trick!” Seth complained. He looked like he was contemplating the success of doing the exact same thing to her.

“Ronodin wants Bracken’s horn, don’t let him have it. I won’t be a good keeper without my memories.” She searched her brain for other important information. “A demon put a mark on me, if the demons Talizar, Batoosa, or Vez Radim approach you and offer help, I have it on another demon’s word that they hate the dragons enough to make sure you succeed. Don’t do it, unless there are literally no other options. You don’t need more demon friends.”

Seth quickly tucked the items into his emergency kit, “We don’t have time to wrestle over this, give me the key, Celebrant is on his way.”

“I love you Seth,” she said, “We’re trying to save the world. It’s my turn to pay the price. I’ve gotten out of this pretty well so far, people like to give me things.”

“I’m supposed to pay the price,” he said, his eyes looking teary, “I’m your stupid younger brother.”

“And I’m your protective older sister,” she trumped. His shoulders slumped in resignation, and she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead. By the time she relearned when to do that, he’d be taller than her. “Find a way to fix me if you can, don’t let me abandon you or the preserve. I’ll still be me, and I’ll still want to help people. Sorry to leave you alone for the last bit. Tell everyone I love them, and don’t let Mom or Dad flip out too badly.”

“At least if we did make a huge mistake somewhere,” Seth said, “You won’t remember it. Less guilt that way.”

“I’m choosing to do this,” Kendra asserted, “The Wizenstone sounds pretty beefed, it might be able to bring my memories back. I could be gone for only a couple of minutes if we do this right. Oh, the rod. If you get it, stretch it out to something, say ‘begone’, and the thing you’re pointing at goes far away. There’s a scary demon guarding the stone, it probably needs to be used on that.”

“I do everything wrong,” he protested weakly, one last shot, making a lame grab for the key. She held it out of his reach.

“No, you don’t. I don’t say it nearly enough, but you’ve done amazing things, you make me proud, and when we’re up against the end of the world, I want you up front. I love you most,” she promised, her voice breaking, “even if I forget about it for a little while.”

There was a clattering from the stairwell, and Seth turned to look while she went for the keyhole. It slid in on the second try, and she had just a moment to wonder if it would hurt before it clicked home.

She slumped against the door in front of her, the room spinning. It passed and she got back on her feet, muscles sore for some reason.

She looked down, but she wasn’t in exercise clothes, though she seemed to be sweaty and dirty. She didn’t recognize the clothes she was wearing. Or the body she was wearing, which seemed to be teenage girl. What had she been doing? She looked around, saw a concerned boy in what appeared to be an old and groady castle. Where was she?

She tried to remember how she got here. Then she tried to remember anything at all. She was a teenager, but who was her family? Her parents? Everyone had parents. But not her.

She didn’t even have a name.

“Kendra? Are you okay?” the boy asked. He seemed worried about her, had one arm outstretched, but nothing seemed familiar. Maybe he saw how bad she looked, saw her collapse against the door, and decided to help her out.

Or maybe she did know him, clearly her memory was having problems right now. Was her name Kendra? He seemed a little young to walk in the same social circles as her.

Who was she? And who was the man coming up behind him?

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11

A/N: thanks to everyone who liked this idea and wanted me to post. It’s always nerve racking posting a new story, but I’m pretty proud of this one. I started this fic at the beginning of the pandemic, and I hope to finish this one before the fifth book comes out. Have fun reading! EDIT: Shortened it and added the title!

#Fablehaven #dragon watch #Forgotten Light #Kendra Sorenson #Seth Sorenson #If anyone who follows me doesn't want to see these posts #block Forgotten Light #Yes #you are supposed to dislike Ronodin manipulating Kendra

50 notes · View notes

bonniebird · 4 years

Text

Halloween Event

Read early on Wattpad

Read early on AO3

“Great! The blood-sucking Brady Bunch!” - Jacob Black

“Do you have any other emergency werewolf contacts?” - Stiles Stilinski

“Every day is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us.” - Jace Wayland

“During the day, I don’t believe in ghosts. At night, I’m a little more open -minded.” - Tate Langdon

@joeynihil and Peter Rumancek’s Halloween ~ Moodboard

“You don’t know much about magic.” - Nick Scratch

“When you turn to a bat, where do your clothes go?” - Spike

“And now it’s time to send in our cute little secret weapon.” - Ivar Ragnarsson

Halloween with Eric Coulter {Moodboard}

“She used to tell me that a full moon was when mysterious things happen and wishes come true.” - Ivar Ragnarsson

“What an excellent day for an exorcism.”- Peter Hale

“Blah blah, vampire emergency, blah” - Rebekah Mikaelson & Theo Raeken

“You are too precious for words, why I could just… eat you alive!” - Hvitserk Ragnarsson

“So is the devil, Halloween Santa?” - Lucifer Morningstar

“I’ve got the devil in me!” - Lucifer Morningstar

“I always wonder if it’s better to bury two bodies in one place or spread them around. I’m sure there’s a right answer, but I never want to meet the person who knows it.“ - Maze / Lucifer Morningstar

“What is this guy, Witch-ipedia?” - John Constantine

“You only have one super power, and it is your breasts.” - Elijah Mikaelson

“It’s Halloween; everyone’s entitled to one good scare.” - Eric Northman

“Stop calling it a haunted house. It’s not even scary.“ - Seeley Booth

“I know you’re joking, but on the off chance you aren’t, no.” - Victor Zsasz

“Every day is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us.” - Eric Coulter

“Those guys at the impound. Did they really smash my car?” - Dean Winchester

“I’m the guy that’s gonna save your ass.” - Eric Coulter

Halloween with Theo Raeken moodboard - Theo Raeken

“You can’t commit crime on Halloween!” - Barbara Kean

“I do believe in killing the messenger. Know why? Because it sends a message.” - Mick Rory

“It’s so sweet. He looks just like a little entrée.” - Ripper!Stefan Salvatore

“During the day, I don’t believe in ghosts. At night, I’m a little more open-minded.” - Harley Quinn

“If this is a joke, I’ll kill you!” - Eric Coulter

“So, what can a teen wolf do?” - Cora Hale

“It’s Halloween; everyone’s entitled to one good scare.” - Aziraphale {Good Omens}

“The witches are coming.” - Bonnie Bennett

“I know that you hate Halloween, but stick with me, and I promise you, you will love it.” - Nick Scratch

“Shh, I’m Googling sex spells.” - Madison Montgomery

“I am, what psychiatrists call, alpha male.” - Eric Coulter

“Aren’t you worried that, one day, all the forest animals are gonna band together and fight back?” - Jacob Black

“Bitch, I will eat you!” - Spike {BtVS}

“You know how I think Halloween is for jerks? Well, this Halloween, I was the jerk. I’m sorry about tonight.” - Leonard Snart

“You really are a witch.” - Jace Wayland

“I’m the guy that’s gonna save your ass.” - Jace Wayland

“I am, what psychiatrists call, alpha male.” - Klaus Mikaelson

“Vampires pretending to be humans pretending to be vampires … How avant-garde!” - Klaus Mikaelson

“Shh, I’m Googling sex spells.” - Stefan Salvatore

“Shh, I’m Googling sex spells.” - John Constantine

“Are you ready for some Halloween fun?“ - Eric Coulter

“She annoyed me, so I killed her and buried her in the yard.” - Eric Coulter

“I’m supposed to call you first when I find a dead body?” - Peter Hale

“Can someone kill him again, please?” - Kol Mikaelson

“I’ll be a good little witch.” - Theo Raeken

“I just think a lot of undead roaming the streets could lead to problems. For instance, farmers’ markets selling actual farmers.” - Theo Raeken

“Shh, I’m Googling sex spells.” - Theo Raeken

“There’s a monster outside my room. Can I have a glass of water?” - Jasper Hale

“I am, what psychiatrists call, alpha male.” - Eric Coulter

“You really are a witch.” - Geralt of Rivia

“Shh, I’m Googling sex spells.” - Eric Northman

“If this is a joke, I’ll kill you!” - Barbara Kean

"This is my costume. I’m a homicidal maniac. They look just like everyone else.” - Rosa Diaz

“Well, as someone at a high risk for a spook-related death, thank you.” - John Constantine

“Dear Diary, a chipmunk asked me my name today.” - Klaus Mikaelson

“I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ.“ - Gina Linetti

“You’re horrific and you are hired.“ - Jerome Valeska

“I am commanding. Calmly, but commanding. No more witchcraft.” - Maze Smith

“I am, what psychiatrists call, alpha male.” - Eric Coulter

“Have you picked out a costume yet?“ - Maze Smith

“Well, as someone at a high risk for a spook-related death, thank you.” - Harvey Bullock

“I’m just sitting here. Feeling like the devil.” - Damon Salvatore

“Shh, I’m Googling sex spells.” - Eric Northman

“No, you weren’t part of this. Get back over to the loser side, loser.” - Winn Schott

“I need help carving these pumpkins.” - Temperance Brennan

“I’m the guy that’s gonna save your ass.” - Anakin Skywalker

“This is ridiculous! What could be scarier than one of us?” - John Shelby

“There’s no such thing!” - Elizabeth Swann

“I am, what psychiatrists call, alpha male.” - Gina Linetti

“Bitch, I will eat you!” - Victor Zsasz

“Okay, all right, now. Come on, no one died, alright? Look, there may have been some maiming, okay? A little mangling, but no death! That’s what I call an important distinction.” - Zelda Spellman

“She annoyed me, so I killed her and buried her in the yard.” - Barbara Kean

“Yeah, well, you being happy isn’t really a big priority of mine, since you stabbed me twenty times with knives.” - Victor Zsasz

“It’s kind of ironic. The more care you put into a murder, the harsher society judges you.” - Jerome Valeska

“No, it’s not! That’s just something mortals say to make themselves feel better.” - Lilith / Madam Satan

“Welcome to my nightmare, I think you’re going to like it.” - Jerome Valeska

“Stop calling it a haunted house. It’s not even scary.” - Ava Sharpe

“I died in a trapeze accident?” - Jake Peralta

“Okay, all right, now. Come on, no one died, alright? Look, there may have been some maiming, okay? A little mangling, but no death! That’s what I call an important distinction.” - Lucien Castle

“It’s Halloweek. I do the full seven days.” - Rosa Diaz

“If this is a joke, I’ll kill you!” - Jason Todd

“Vampires are real. They’re usually not the cape-wearing, "mwah-hah-hah-ing” types, but rather people with ordinary jobs who just happen to consume blood.“- Jasper Hale

“We came, we saw, we kicked its ass.” - Eric Coulter

“I always wonder if it’s better to bury two bodies in one place or spread them around. I’m sure there’s a right answer, but I never want to meet the person who knows it.“ - Elijah Mikaelson

Roman Godfrey Halloween ~ moodboard

@joeynihil and Sabrina Spellman Halloween ~ Moodboard

“Do you have any other emergency werewolf contacts?”- Derek Hale

“I need help carving these pumpkins.”- Derek Hale

“Those guys at the impound. Did they really smash my car?” - Dean Winchester

“We came, we saw, we kicked its ass.” - Rebekah Mikaelson & Theo Raeken

“I see something in your future. Something… frightening.“ - Bonnie Bennett

“There’s a monster outside my room. Can I have a glass of water?”

“Every day is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us.” - Ripper!Stefan Salvatore

“No, it’s not! That’s just something mortals say to make themselves feel better.” - Jace Wayland

“This is ridiculous! What could be scarier than one of us?” - The Mikaelson Family

“If I have to hear doppelgänger one more time, I’m going to have to learn how to spell it.” - Elijah Mikaelson

“In this whole wide wicked world the only thing you have to be afraid of is me.” - Kol Mikaelson

“Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story.” - Gina Linetti

“You only have one super power, and it is your breasts.” - Rosa Diaz

"I have never met a vampire personally, but I don’t know what might happen tomorrow.” - Theo Raeken

“You seem to be doing so well without witchcraft.” - Nick Scratch

“I always wonder if it’s better to bury two bodies in one place or spread them around. I’m sure there’s a right answer, but I never want to meet the person who knows it.“ - Halfdan the Black

“You know how I think Halloween is for jerks? Well, this Halloween, I was the jerk. I’m sorry about tonight.” - Lydia Martin

“They’re embarrassed about their spells not working anymore.” - Malia Tate

“Blah blah, vampire emergency, blah” - Bella Swan

“Do you have any other emergency werewolf contacts?” - Peter Rumancek

“Can someone kill him again, please?” - Peter Hale

“I have a heart. I keep it in a jar on my desk.” - Katherine Pierce

“Shh, I’m Googling sex spells.” - John Constantine

"It’s the witching hour somewhere.” - Jughead Jones

“People think if they put on a costume they can just get away with anything they want. Halloween is Christmas for jerks.” - Ray Palmer

“Please tell me you did that for dramatic effect.” - Jacob Black

“Can someone kill him again, please?” - Emmett Cullen

“I must go in. The fog is rising.” - Arman the Dragon

“I knew something came through the portal.” - Ivar Ragnarsson

“Well, we can’t start killing people. We’re getting life back to normal. And killing people isn’t normal, sweetheart.“ - Nora Darhk

“Are you eating raw pumpkin with a spoon?” - Sweet Pea

“You know what they say about (Town). No one who dies here ever really dies.” - Jughead Jones

"I want to stab you to death, and then play around with your blood." - Sweet Pea

“I'll come to the party, but I'm not dressing up.” - Sweet Pea

“I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that any weirdo wearing a mask is never friendly.” - Sweet Pea

“Hand over the candy, old dude, or we egg your house.” - Sweet Pea & Jughead Jones

“Time for the real Halloween show to begin.” - Sweet Pea

“Should I be concerned about you causing me any trouble?“ - Sweet Pea

“Danger doesn’t lurk at every corner. It’s just hanging out, waiting for fear and horror to show up.” - Jughead Jones

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” - Sweet Pea

“Time for the real Halloween show to begin.” - Dorcas Night

“She used to tell me that a full moon was when mysterious things happen and wishes come true.” - Dorcas Night

“Who hired you? Who do you work for, the pizza man?” - Damon Salvatore

Halloween with Jughead Jones {Moodboard}

“Are you possessed? Again?” - Stiles Stilinski

“Does my costume look spooky to you?” - Sweet Pea

“I need help carving these pumpkins.“ - Tommy Shelby

“Shh, I’m Googling sex spells.” - Theo Raeken and Rebekah Mikaelson

Halloween with Vanessa Ives {Moodboard}

Halloween with Samantha Stephens {Moodboard}

Halloween with Toni Topaz {Moodboard}

Halloween with Sweet Pea {Moodboard}

Halloween with Cheryl Blossom {Moodboard}

Halloween with Betty Cooper {Moodboard}

“During the day, I don’t believe in ghosts. At night, I’m a little more open-minded.” - Seely Booth

“Vampires pretending to be humans pretending to be vampires … How avant-garde!” - Eric Northman

“I know that you hate Halloween, but stick with me, and I promise you, you will love it.” - Amaya Jiwe

“You seem to be doing so well without witchcraft.” Clary Fray & Allison Argent

“First rule of witch club: don’t talk about witch club.” - Madam Satan / Lilith

“Who hired you? Who do you work for, the pizza man?” - Zari Tomaz

“She used to tell me that a full moon was when mysterious things happen and wishes come true.” - Peter Rumancek

“Happy Halloween, asshole!“ - Rosa Diaz

“Hello, something scary happening!“ - Kyle Reese

“We sent (Y/N) to the Ghost World to save the day again.” - Allison Argent

“If she realizes that we’re killing people for food and not for God, she might not like us anymore.” - Vampire!Ivar Ragnarsson & Roman Godfrey

“We can have our own Halloween here.” - Roman Godfrey

“You are too precious for words, why I could just… eat you alive!” - Ivar Ragnarsson

“Have you come to sing pumpkin carols?” - Sweet Pea

“How was I to know? It was just floating by.“ - Sweet Pea

“It’s Halloween! Everyone gets a chance to be someone else, let their hair down for awhile.” - Sweet Pea

“You only have one super power, and it is your breasts.” - Elena Gilbert

“Yeah, well, you being happy isn’t really a big priority of mine, since you stabbed me twenty times with knives.” - Sweet Pea

Halloween with Marko {Moodboard}

“I know that you hate Halloween, but stick with me, and I promise you, you will love it.” - Sweet Pea

“I know that you hate Halloween, but stick with me, and I promise you, you will love it.” - David (The Lost Boys)

“I’m the guy that’s gonna save your ass.” - David (The Lost Boys)

“I’m supposed to call you first when I find a dead body?” - Sweet Pea

“Aren’t you worried that, one day, all the forest animals are gonna band together and fight back?” - Sam Emerson

“Good. No fangs yet. You’re doing fine. Your ears aren’t even pointed yet.” - Scott McCall

“You are too precious for words, why I could just… eat you alive!” - David (The Lost Boys)

“Yeah, well, you being happy isn’t really a big priority of mine, since you stabbed me twenty times with knives.” - Brett Talbot

“Are you possessed? Again?” - Peter Hale

“We don’t like you. Now, shut up and help us.” - Eric Northman

“What is this guy, Witch-ipedia?” - Eric Northman

“Shh, I’m Googling sex spells.” - Nick Scratch

“Vampires are real. They’re usually not the cape-wearing, "mwah-hah-hah-ing” types, but rather people with ordinary jobs who just happen to consume blood.“ - Dorcas Night

"This is my costume. I’m a homicidal maniac. They look just like everyone else.” - Tommy Shelby

“Hasn't anyone told you, second hand smoke kills.“ - Prudence Blackwood

“I know you’re joking, but on the off chance you aren’t, no.” - Klaus Mikaelson

“We sent (Y/N) to the Ghost World to save the day again.” - Theo Raeken & Rebekah Mikaelson

“Just because it's a love story doesn't mean it can't have a decapitation or two.” - Klaus Mikaelson

“You seem to be doing so well without witchcraft.” - Allison Argent & Nick Scratch

“You are too precious for words, why I could just… eat you alive!” - Damon Salvatore

#halloween2020 #bonniebird #halloween #masterlist #halloween 2020

354 notes · View notes

dragonrajafanfiction · 3 years

Text

The Trieste Venture but with the MC added (Part One)

How the Trieste adventure should have gone in the game.

"They ...... they're coming!" Lu Mingfei said hoarsely.

You and Chu Zihang looked out from the observation window below. Scarlet water mist gushed out of the ruined ground. The dragon blood flowing from it rushed up, and from the cracks in the ground crawled slender living creatures, their bodies glowing with a metallic sheen, their pupils a hideous gold. Because they had slumbered so long, they couldn’t swim up yet. They creeped on the sea bed, crawling, wriggling their slender lower body. But after being nourished by the dragon's blood, their bodies immediately regained the strength of the ancient era. As they crawled they sprang up, swinging their long tails to float upwards rapidly. They passed by the side of the Trieste, but did not cast even a glance at the metal object with the lights on. Their eyes were on the endless darkness above. Hundreds and thousands of them finally broke free from the seal of bondage and were about to return to the human world.

"Snake tail people. Mermaids." Chu Zihang said softly, "This is not a pureblood dragon species. They were also human-dragon hybrids. This is not the city of the dragon race, it was built by the ancestors of the hybrids!"

"It's like a dragon ascending to heaven." Lu Mingfei murmured.

In the upper view, countless slender shadows were striving to swing their long tails, and the lava illuminated their bodies as they came together like golden whirlpools.

"When they rise all the way to the surface, this will get tricky. If even one of things were captured by the media, tomorrow every newspaper in the world will make it a headline." Caesar said, "But it's not our business anymore. Leave it to those Japanese. It's time for their support team to come into play. Our job is just to level the place. Whether it's the Lenin, the Embryo or Takamagahara. The very existence of such things is trouble."

"The deep-sea walking suits can only support five minutes at most." Chu Zihang said, "I'll have the Trieste lowered a bit."

"That's enough time." Caesar squeezed himself into the pressurized compartment on the side of the cockpit, swiveled around and snapped the 10 meter thick hatch shut.

Outside is an incredibly ultra-high pressure environment, and Caesar couldn’t use a diving suit without being crushed. So instead he was in another robotic submersible made of thick metal, spherical and pressurized. But even with this, his time is quite limited. Caesar gripped the operating handle of the metal arm firmly and blew into the microphone in the helmet: "Chu Zihang, try the communication device."

"I can hear you very clearly here, can you hear me?" Chu Zihang tapped the microphone in the cockpit.

"The call works well," Caesar paused, "Aren't you also a proud man?"

Chu Zihang froze.

"It's just that you're proud in a different way than I am." Caesar added, "Although you're uncomfortable when you're proud, if you weren't proud, you wouldn't deserve to be seen as an opponent by me at all. Those old guys in my family want to target you, but that matter has nothing to do with me. Don't think I would use those kinds of underhanded tactics against you. If it's my death and your life, just keep living so proudly … don't be defeated by the bastards I despise."

You’re not sure what they’re referring to exactly so you ask Zihang directly. “You were targeted by Caesar’s family?”

“It’s a long story.” Chu Zihang muttered, still focused on the device.

“MC! You’re not crying! That’s a good sign!” Caesar’s teasing voice came through in your ears.

You scowl at the monitor. “I never cry for any of my friends.”

“You do it when you sleep.”

Your jaw clenched and your hands balled into fists.

Lu Mingfei audibly gasped. If his head swiveled on his neck any faster, it might snap. “No way! You two… No way!”

“Nothing happened between us!” You growl at Lu Mingfei, before turning back to the image of Caesar in the monitor. “Why are you listening outside my bedroom, you creep? I’ll try not to cry for you then. I should be out there. You’re responsible for your own death.” You didn’t mean to speak so bitterly. But you never really had time to mourn, so your grief rapidly progressed from shock to denial to anger. But Caesar only chuckled, amused to get a rise out of you even at a time like this.

　　The moment the pressurized nozzle spewed out the zeppelin gear, Chu Zihang saw Caesar in the gear put his hand into the spherical helmet and gave him a thumbs up, not knowing it meant "victory".

Caesar slowly descended in the water, occasionally brushing by newborn mermaids. The ruin was like a gateway to Hell. Now that door to the underworld is open, the souls are desperate to escape. The mermaids are no longer in their right mind, but they still retain their beastly instincts, as if all of them have a premonition of destruction, and they are desperately fleeing from this desperate situation, not attacking anything along the way. Caesar couldn't figure out how the guardians could have sensed that Takamagahara would be destroyed by a nuclear explosion. That’s obviously not something they would be able to do.

Some of these long-dead hybrid species were intact, others were mutilated. Their preservation was similar to the mummification process but used more powerful alchemical techniques that sealed their vitality in immortal bodies. Some of them were missing half of their heads, others had pierced abdominal cavities, seemingly the remains left after a brutal battlefield, which the alchemists of the ancient world used as raw material. Caesar thought of the battlefield carvings he had seen on a birdhouse, as if that battle had really happened in history, and perhaps it was what finally destroyed the city.

In the light of gas mines and lava, the nuclear powerhouse that would be used to blow up the ruin and the Lenin were in clear view. The narrow nuclear powerhouse pitched in a pile of lung snails not far from the Lenin, millions of them writhing beside it. Caesar dropped into the pile of lung snails, and the tiny creatures were steadily dislodging themselves from the Lenin, hitting the zeppelin suit with a dull thud. Struggling to maneuver his awkward prosthetic limbs back to a standing position, Caesar trudged through the pile of lung snails, inching closer to the nuclear powerhouse. The currents were too chaotic for him to float forward, so he didn't dare release the lead weight on his zeppelin rig, and had to stick to the seabed like this, somewhere between walking and crawling. There was a constant stream of mermaids passing above his head. How many of them had been revived, a few thousand or tens of thousands? Caesar could not count them. In this underworld at the height of the day countless undead were buried underground. These mermaid hybrids seem to have directly inherited the civilization of the dragon, completely unlike humans.

The Zeppelin suit is already working over-capacity -- the pressure is overloaded, the output is overloaded, and the lighting inside the helmet keeps flashing out. If not protected by the ultra-high-pressure saline inside the suit, Caesar would have been bleeding internally, but the ultra-high-pressure saline also made his eyes bloodshot and made it difficult to breathe. He had eyes only for the nuclear powerhouse less than ten meters away, but to crawl through ten meters in the waist-deep pile of lung snails, he gradually wondered if he could do it.

His vision was getting blurry. The effects of high pressure are the most obvious on vision. The target in his sight began to appear ghostly. He started to feel a severe headache. His metal prosthetic limbs were slipping in the pile of lung snails, as if he was struggling in a mudslide and could be swallowed up at any moment.

Caesar closed his eyes and released the Scythe Itachi. Few people know that his hearing ability is not an aid. It’s a sixth sense even more effective than vision. The scythes hovered and danced in the sea, and Caesar was surprised to find the field expanded to an unprecedented extent. The sea was an excellent conductor of sound, and the loss of sonic transmission was less than in the air. Caesar could now see that the ancient buildings that had collapsed had thousands of black bells hanging from them. In the days when Takamagahara stood on the earth, the wind must have drowned the whole city in bells.

But in the sea, the bells emitted sound is beyond the range of normal human hearing ultra-low frequency. If he had not released the scythe then Caesar would not have been able to hear this magical music. Heavy ancient ultra-low frequency sound with the sea current through the ruins, Caesar immersed in the ancient music, imagining that the Takamagahara was on dry land. Thousands of bells were turning in the wind, and the tide of sound was ebbing and flowing in the city, tidal wave after tidal wave. He had never "heard" such a vast city.

"Come in, Caesar! Come in, Caesar! Answer! Answer!" Chu yelled.

Three minutes after ejecting from the deep submersible, Caesar lay in a pile of lung snails. His last action was to cling to a pile of lung snails, and from the camera inside his helmet, look at the pleasant smile remaining on his face.

No answer. Life monitoring equipment showed that he still has a heartbeat, but he had completely lost consciousness. You turn your eyes from the monitor. You can’t bear to look. Renata… Anton… Vera…

Did you have to watch Caesar die too?

Chu Zihang muted the microphone, took off the headset and handed it to you, staring into your eyes: "Remember, since the nuclear power module is detached, Sumeru can no longer monitor the data of its operation, underwater communication must rely on the cable."

You refuse to accept it. “What are you doing? You’re not going to go out there and die too, are you? Caesar said we all have to stay here!”

"What do you mean? I don't understand!" Lu Mingfei shook his head in bewilderment.

Chu Zihang doesn’t respond to you but presses the device into your hand. "It means that if you don't tell Gen-kun about what’s happening, he doesn't know if the nuclear power module has been ignited again. If I fail to bring Caesar back, you tell Gen-kun that the ignition has been successful, but not that you cannot recover me and Caesar, so that he can recover you immediately. Gen-kun cannot verify the result of the ignition, he can only choose to bring you back. If he knows you’re still here and the nuclear module is not ignited, he will ask one of you to stay in the deep submersible and the other to get out of the cabin."

“Zihang, let me go out there. H-hey!”

Chu Zihang put the headset on your head, "Don't say too much, and don't argue with me out of embarrassment. Just like Caesar does not want to sacrifice himself to save you and me out of the cabin, Chisei’s pride does not allow him to drive us out of the cabin."

You pull the headset off. “This is bullshit! Did you hear anything I said before to Caesar? Why aren’t you listening to me?”

"My pride also does not allow me to let a lower grade out of the cabin." Chu Zihang ignored the headset you held out, "If we don't make it back, you're the leader of the dive team."

“Isn’t Lu Mingfei my senior?” Your gaze shifts from Chu Zihang to Lu Mingfei.

Lu Mingfei sat limp on the chair, eyes innocent like a small raccoon, and you realize that Chu Zihang was right. Never once had you ever seen Lu Mingfei ever fend for himself in a pinch. He always seemed lost with the eyes of a small raccoon. If anything happened to Chu Zihang and you, Lu Mingfei would be fish bait.

The Dark-haired senior turned to Lu Mingfei. "Answer me sincerely, are you still unable to forget Nono?"

“Huh?” You asked.

Lu Mingfei lowered his head: "Yes, but I can't do anything about it, I just try not to think about it."

"If you're the only one of the three of us to escape, don't feel guilty about it. It's not your fault that Caesar and I had an accident. Try again to see if you can impress Nono. I always think she's actually a very weak girl inside. Losing Caesar will be very sad, right?" Chu Zihang walked towards the pressurized cabin, "You still have a goal to achieve, unlike me, I have nothing to aim for."

Your eyes returned to Lu Mingfei with a brand new sense of disgust. Was he seriously lusting after Caesar’s fiancée, planning to take his place at her side now that he’s going to die? If you knew that was the case, then you would have been happy to let Lu Mingfei out there to get eaten by lung snails!

"Brother, did you like the little dragon lady?" Lu Mingfei asked in a numb voice.

"So you call her the Little Dragon Lady?" He turned to you and said, “I know there’s a lot you don’t understand, but you will in time. Thank you for caring for him.” Chu Zihang snapped the door of the pressure chamber shut behind him.

When Lu Mingfei turns to look at you, he doesn’t even react to the deep despising look you’re giving him. He just sighs.

“You’re an asshole.” You snarl at him, biting the words out.

“I know…” He grumbles. “You don’t have to tell me.

#Dragon Raja

24 notes · View notes

skylanders-after-the-end · 3 years

Text

A new Nightmare begins

Kaos and Glumshanks were face to face with Kaossandra, who had inexplicably escaped her imprisonment from within the mirror.

“Mother!? How is this possible?” Kaos looked over to Glumshanks who could only shrug his shoulders as the slender woman approached the two. “You were supposed to stay in that mirror forever!”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you Kaos.” Kaossandra patted her much shorter son on the head while observing the main hall inside the family castle. “Unfortunately, even I do not know how this could happen. I was inside the mirror, dreading my fate as usual, when suddenly the glass broke and it crashed down. Then you arrived.”

Kaos turned around as his mother kept admiring all the objects and furniture which have been just out of her reach for such a long time. “So, you didn’t free yourself?”

“If I could, I would have done so years ago.” Kaossandra turned to one of the windows, allowing her to get a good view of the castle garden. “But this is something different. I can feel it.”

Glumshanks, who clutched onto Kaos’ shoulders, couldn’t tear his eyes away from the woman. “And what’s that, mistress Kaossandra?”

“My powers are weakened, despite not using them for such a long time.” Kaossandra was brooding. “Perhaps… no it cannot be.”

“What cannot be?” Kaos moved away from Glumshanks to better hear what his mother had to say.

“My powers stem from no other source than the Darkness itself, as do yours.” Hearing that, Kaos looked up to the symbol on his forehead which was briefly taken from him by said Darkness once. He knew what she was talking about. “But it’s more than just a power source, it’s a being. If it so desires, it can take our powers in an instant. The only reason it doesn’t is because it needs accomplices and hosts ever since it’s been banished by the Ancients.”

Kaos thought about that, but something didn’t add up. “That can’t be right! When I set the Darkness free and the Skylanders defeated it, my powers were still there! I mean it took a while to get them back, but still!”

“That’s because you can’t just defeat the Darkness, you fool!” Kaossandra hissed at her spawn. “The Skylanders have no idea what they’re up against. The Darkness is far more powerful than anything this world has to offer! They might have been able to destroy its physical form temporarily, but the true Darkness will always remain.”

“Then where is it now?” Kaos was curious but also nervous about what might happen if that dangerous threat was ever to return.

“I don’t know, I can’t connect with it like I used to. That’s anything but a good sign.” Kaossandra thoughtfully looked out the window, wondering why all of this was happening now. “It looks like the Darkness has other plans for the Skylands. One that doesn’t include us.”

Kaos gulped and Glumshanks began to tremble as they all gazed through the single window in front of Kaossandra.

One week has passed since Hex’ and Malefor’s ambush on the Academy. Even though the witch surrendered and destroyed Malefor before more harm was done, the Skylanders lost a beloved ally during the battle. Not to mention that Kaos managed to escape as well.

Spyro was lying in his bed staring up at the ceiling. He didn’t feel like getting up today. He hasn’t been feeling like getting up on any of the last few days in fact, but he had to. After a long sigh, the dragon pushed himself up, put his feet on the ground and left his room. He walked through the Academy where he was greeted by his many companions. The leader didn’t return more than a dry “Morning” and some nods. In front of the main entrance, Spyro stopped and looked to his left. He saw Cynder’s monument which was built after her unfortunate passing. In the center was a portrait of the Undead Skylander with black and purple flowers adorning it and some lit candles underneath. Even though it was there to honor and remember her, it always made Spyro feel like his heart was being pierced with a dagger.

“Hey.” Stealth Elf walked up to her friend as her sight went towards the shrine. She let out a heavy sigh. “I really wish that didn’t have to be there.”

At first Spyro had the obscure thought that the elf was suggesting that there shouldn’t be anything to honor their fallen friend, but he quickly realized that she actually meant there shouldn’t have to be anything to honor her in the first place. “Yeah, me too.” They looked at the memorial for a few more moments before continuing their path together. “What’s the plan for today?”

Stealth Elf pulled out a piece of paper which she used to write down all the assignments of the day. It was crumpled and the words were messily scribbled, but it was good enough for her to read it. “There have been reports about the Kaos situation. Some activity at his family castle, so it’s safe to assume that he’s returned there.”

Spyro nodded. “That’s good to hear, then we have to send a team.”

Stealth Elf continued. “Besides that, there were a few evil minions sighted that we should take care of. No Golden Queen though, it seems Sprocket really got the job done.”

“I sure hope so.” Even though the technician told them that she buried the queen beneath her palace, none of them knew that she survived. “Anything else?”

“One last thing…” Stealth Elf was hesitant about that point, but she didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. “Someone needs to check on the villains at Cloudcracker Prison. The Trap Masters have taken some time off after making sure they were all locked up again, but an inspection is overdue.”

Spyro remembered how most of the prisoners had to be released and kept inside the cafeteria in order to make room for the possessed Skylanders until that was resolved. “That won’t be a problem, I can go and check on them-”

“All of them.” Stealth Elf put emphasis on all. Spyro went silent and had an empty stare. He wanted to say something but just couldn’t. When he opened his mouth, the Life Skylander stopped him. “Nightfall already said she’d go. I know you can’t see her yet.”

Spyro closed his mouth again and nodded. “Thanks.” He didn’t look the elf in the eyes anymore and just kept walking straight ahead.

Northwest from the Academy only a few islands away was the infamous Cloudcracker Prison standing in its full crystalline glory. It was currently holding more villains than ever before, ranging from the sinister Doom Raiders to the smallest of greebles. Below the many floors and cells was one dark room hidden in the lower part of the building. It was a big, cave-like area with a dome-shaped forcefield in its center. Inside it was the now mortal Hex, leaning against the solid blue wall of energy.

After giving up all her powers and ending Malefor once and for all, the witch was transported to the prison and locked inside that highly secured room. The Skylanders didn’t want to take any risks since she got closer to defeating them than any other villain before.

During the seemingly endless silence, the only door leading inside the room opened and Nightfall entered. Hex tilted her head slightly to see the dreadwalker through her messy black hair before turning her sight to the floor again. Neither of them talked. Nightfall approached the forcefield and stared at Hex for a good while. “Do you need anything?” The Supercharger’s raspy voice echoed through the room.

“As if you care.” Hex responded dryly, not even bothering to give the Dark Skylander another look.

“You’re a mortal again, you have to drink and eat.” Nightfall didn’t say that out of sympathy, she made it clear that she was just following orders.

“I’m well aware of that.” Hex finally moved her head again before staring back at the ground. “And why did they send you? Do they think that I would talk to someone who’s just like me?”

“I’m nothing like you!” Nightfall hissed.

“You aren’t?” Hex asked with a hint of sarcasm. “You aren’t an outsider? You don’t distance yourself from everyone around you?” Hex remembered how Nightfall was one of the few Skylanders she communicated with from time to time, exactly because of their similarities. “I dare to say that you were closer to me than anyone else. Anyone but…”

“Enough of this, witch!” Nightfall interrupted Hex and had to fight the urge to storm off without fulfilling her duty. “What you did was more than enough to show me what kind of person you really are. And I think nothing of that kind!” Despite Nightfall’s aloof and sometimes antisocial behavior, she did have a strong sense of justice and knew right from wrong. “I sympathized with you before because I thought you were like me. Restrained and quiet, but also loyal. Now I know that you’re nothing but a hate-filled and wicked person!” Hex had nothing to say in response, perhaps because it was true. “I’ll send a meal your way, even though you’re not even deserving of that.”

The dreadwalker turned around and left without another word. Hex remained sitting on the floor, her knees bent and her arms on top of them. She didn’t know if she would ever see the blue skies or floating islands again, but what the witch did know is that she did what she considered to be right for her.

Meanwhile at the Academy hospital on top of one of the many beds was an impatient Wild Storm. A week has passed since he was taken out by a mysterious dart out of nowhere and Whirlwind demanded another checkup. The knight was tapping his armored fingers onto the steel bed frame, eager to finally get a result.

After another minute the hybrid entered the room. “So, Wild Storm.” The Air Skylander began whilst holding a wooden board with her paw. “There are still some traces of the venom which was injected into your body and nearly made you unconscious, however you endured it very well and don’t have anything to worry about anymore. I must say I’m impressed by how quickly and easily your body processed it.”

When the head of the hospital says something like that it must mean something. “Thank you, Whirlwind.” The Sensei turned to the ledge of the bed and stared at her with his glowing eyes inside his mask. “Do you know what exactly that was?”

“Well, it was a paralyzing toxin commonly found in nightshades and other nocturnal plants. I can’t tell you where it came from but maybe it would help to inspect whatever hit you.” Whirlwind didn’t find anything unusual on the knight when he was brought in, so she was curious about what happened. “Tidepool was the one to bring you here, maybe you should ask her.”

Wild Storm nodded before Whirlwind excused herself. He really should talk to Tidepool, not only about this but also everything else that’s been going on between the two. They haven’t properly spoken in months and when Wild Storm lost control Tidepool suddenly confessed that she loved him. Even though he was in his beast form and his memory was cloudy, that is the part he remembers most clearly.

Wild Storm soon left the hospital and went to look for Tidepool. He spotted Boom Bloom nearby and approached her to find out that the quickshot should be in her room. The Air Skylander followed the advice and entered the long hallway with several Skylanders’ rooms. Eventually, he reached Tidepool’s. Everyone had their own personal doorplate attached so they would know whose room it was. Tidepool’s was a gorgeous depiction of the ocean with sea creatures like squids and whales just like the ones that aid her in battle. He knocked on the door and after hearing a neutral “come in”, the knight slowly entered.

When Tidepool turned around and saw the familiar figure she froze in place. Wild Storm closed the door behind him before the two stood still and stared at each other. “Wild… what brings you here?” Tidepool already knew the answer, but she didn’t know what else to say.

“I wanted to talk to you.” Wild Storm began.

“I wanted to talk to you too, actually.” Tidepool responded with the same intention, which lead to another moment of tense silence. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“It definitely has.” Wild Storm never wanted to cut his friend off like that, but he saw no other way to keep the beast inside him away from her. “I wanted to ask if you know what happened that day when I… lost control.”

“Oh…” Tidepool expected to hear such a question, but she wasn’t quite prepared. She was nervous. She didn’t know if he remembered anything. If he remembered what she said. “You want to know why you ended up in the hospital I assume?”

The knight nodded and sat onto a wooden chair in the corner of the room.

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about as well.” The Water Skylander turned around to grab something. She held it in her hand and moved it closer to Wild Storm for him to see. “You got hit by this dart and almost became unconscious. I guess because you were in your beast form you took it pretty well, but anyone else would have been down for hours.”

“Whirlwind told me that, but it sounds like you know more about this.” Wild Storm observed Tidepool as her expression was getting more nervous and her eyes focused on the small missile. “Do you know where the dart came from?”

“I have an idea, yes.” Tidepool turned around again and took a deep breath as her back was facing the Air Skylander. “That’s why I have to go away for a while.”

Wild Storm was caught off guard. “What?”

The Water Sensei turned back around holding her two squid guns, only that they were missing the grips, so they were just regular squids. “I know this is sudden and I can’t tell you what it is, but there’s something I must do.” She looked down at her marine pets in her arms as they turned their heads to look back at her. “I also want to ask you for a favor.”

Wild Storm didn’t understand what was going on, but he wanted to help his friend, nonetheless. “What is it?”

Tidpeool took a step forward and moved her squids towards the knight. “Can you look after them while I’m gone? I can’t take them with me, it’s too dangerous. I would ask someone else but… you’re the one I trust the most.”

Wild Storm stared at the two squids and then at Tidepool again. He never really knew those animals as anything other than weapons, but after giving it some thought he took them into his arms, despite the slimy feeling. “Of course, I would love to.” He observed the squids while they were gently moving across his arms before looking back at his friend who had a saddened but also certain look on her face. “But Tidepool, where are you going?”

“I really wish I could tell you, but I can’t.” The Sensei was hoping that this wouldn’t upset the knight, but his willingness to care for the squids gave her confidence. “Any word about this mission could put you and every other Skylander in danger, I can’t do that to you. You have to trust me.”

Wild Storm was looking deep into Tidepool’s eyes, he can’t remember the last time that has happened. He knew her well, despite their recent hardship, and he knew that she could take care of herself. “I trust you.” Tidpeool’s mouth formed a smile and she pet her squids goodbye. “Just promise me that you’ll be careful.”

“Always.” Tidepool responded and her eyes met those of Wild Storm again. “I don’t know when I can come back, it might take months, even a year, but you can’t tell anyone about this. If someone asks just tell them that I’m on a longer journey and I will be back later, hopefully no one will notice.”

Wild Storm nodded and had to twist his hands to prevent the squids from falling down. “And what about these two? Is there anything I have to know?”

“Don’t worry, they can take care of themselves. I just want you to keep an eye on them, so they don’t get into trouble.” The Water Skylander gave her pets a stern look before they nodded to assure her that they’ll behave.

“If they’re as tough as their owner then I have nothing to worry about.” The Senseis smiled before another wave of awkward silence washed over them. Wild Storm thought if there was anything else he had to say. Ultimately, only one thing came to his mind. “I’ll miss you Tide.”

Tidepool looked at Wild Storm and felt her heart beating inside her chest. A part of her just wanted to hug him and confess her feelings all over again. Her love towards him hasn’t changed, even if he still didn’t know it. However, she had to hide it again because she knew that this was more important than that. “I’ll miss you too.”

After those words the friends hugged each other one last time before Tidepool stepped out of the room, threw Wild Storm one more look, and closed the door, not knowing when she would come back. The knight stayed in her room and sat on the bed with the squids clinging onto his arms. “Guess it’s just you and me now.” This was not what Wild Storm expected when he came here, but he could tell that whatever Tidepool had to do was important. He hoped that they could finally spend time together again so he could confess that he loved her too. But he would have to wait, just like Tidepool did.

The next day was an exciting one for the Skylanders. Eon’s niece Aurora was gone for several months on a mission to look for remaining portals connected to Earth, and she has finally returned. An entire crowd of Skylanders was eagerly waiting at the port until her airship arrived. When Aurora opened the door and stepped outside, she was greeted by loud cheering and clapping. With a smile the Sensei got off the ship and rejoined all her friends and allies. Even though she had many things to share, there was one person she wanted to talk to before anyone else.

Master Eon was sitting inside his office, busy with some overdue paperwork. Suddenly someone knocked on the door. “Enter.” The spirit answered bleakly, unaware of who just entered the room.

When Eon lifted his head, he was at a loss for words. Even though he was expecting his niece to come back home any day now, he was still shocked to finally see her again. “Hey uncle.”

“Aurora!” The relatives were about to go in for a hug, but then stopped themselves. “It’s… wonderful to see you again.” They awkwardly stood in front of each other since they were unable to hug due to Eon’s ghostly state.

“It’s good to see you too!” Aurora sighed while looking at the ghost of her uncle. It’s been years since the attack that destroyed his body and she missed hugging him and feeling some kind of physical contact to her last family member, but she was eternally grateful that he was still there in the first place. “There are so many things I have to tell you!”

“Then do tell!” Eon said with glee as he magically pulled out the chair in front of his desk for Aurora to sit on.

After the swashbuckler told Eon all about her journey and the portals she’s discovered, he was impressed to hear that there are in fact still some active portals which could potentially transport the Skylanders back to Earth. Of course, there was no need for that after the Skylanders were freed from their imprisonment on the foreign planet and managed to return to Skylands for good.

“It was amazing uncle, I have never even seen some of the places I went to!” Something not many Skylanders knew was that Aurora has spent many years lost in another realm. She only managed to escape alongside the other Light and Dark Skylanders after the destruction of Cloudcracker Prison which released them from their respective realms. “I only remember all those books and drawings that we used to have years ago, but I never thought I’d see those places for myself! And how much they’ve changed!” The Sensei was as excited as a child.

“I’m glad that you had the opportunity to visit them.” Eon was the happiest he’s been in a long time. He was desperately looking for his niece after her disappearance, many years of hopeless searching. When she then finally returned, he was already a spirit and felt like he could never have the same bond with her again, but they tried making the best of it. However, Eon’s smile faded into a frown as he had some bad news to share. “There’s something you need to know.”

Aurora was curious. “What is it?” Before Eon could answer, the Light Skylander guessed it herself. “Oh, you mean what happened with Hex? The entire Skylands have heard about it! I can’t believe she would do something like that-”

“There was something else.” Eon hated to interrupt his niece and tell her something even worse, but she had to know. “During Hex’ ambush when some Skylanders were corrupted, Kaos managed to escape.”

Aurora went silent. Her family had a long and complicated history with that of Kaos’ and his escape could only mean trouble. “Well, then we’ll just take him down like we always do. Right?”

“It’s not only him this time.” Now came the part Eon feared the most. In the last few days, he has felt unsettled, a familiar feeling. He tried to figure out what it was and used his powers to look for a connection until he finally knew. “Kaossandra is free as well.”

This time Aurora was not only quiet, but visibly shocked, almost afraid. “Ka- Kaossandra?” The Sensei’s mind was rushing as she recalled all the stories she had heard about the dark Portal Mistress. “But she’s been trapped in that mirror for years, how…”

“I don’t know, but I can sense that she broke out of it. Her aura has no equal.” Eon has a past with Kaossandra, but he preferred to not talk about it, even with his niece. “I’m not sure what her and Kaos are up to, but with everything that’s happened recently I have reason to believe that we need to brace ourselves for the worst.”

Aurora slowly nodded, still lost in thoughts. “I understand.” She slowly raised herself up from the chair and made her way to the door, completely absent-minded. “I will get back to training as soon as I can and… I will watch out.”

As she closed the door behind her, Aurora reached into the collar of her armor with Eon’s face engraved on it. She pulled out a necklace with a small golden key attached to it. She looked at it for a few moments and sighed before hiding it inside her armor again and walking along.

Eon remained in his office for the rest of the day and couldn’t help but worry. He thought about the past year and everything that’s happened. The betrayal of the reformed villains and Snap Shot, Malefor’s return, Hex’ curse. It almost made Eon doubt the trust he has in his loyal Skylanders. All those events reminded him so much of the past, where he was betrayed by Kaossandra as well.

The day came to an end and the Academy progressively shut down. After Aurora’s return and all the exciting news everyone was tired and ready for bed. Tuff Luck had just finished her patrol at Cloudcracker Prison and was heading to the Life Realm where she would enjoy the vast and untouched nature.

As the Life Trap Master was strolling through the Academy, she heard something nearby. There was no one else there besides two guards at the main entrance, but she was too far away to be hearing them. There it was again. The feline swiftly summoned her Traptanium warblades and listened carefully. She heard something behind her and turned around whilst swinging her blades, but she didn’t strike anything. Before she could move another inch, a cloaked figure appeared right in front of her. The Trap Master furiously looked into its face and what she saw terrified her. The figure wore a gruesome mask with glowing blue eyes which stared right into the Trap Master’s soul. Before she could attack the intruder, Tuff Luck’s jade green eyes were suddenly filled with a light blue fog. The Life Skylander stood there like a statue, she couldn’t move and her weapons fell to the ground. The figure in front of her calmly walked away and turned into thin air, disappearing from the Academy.

Tuff Luck found herself on a grassy field. The last thing she remembered was seeing that strange figure at the Academy, but now she was on this small, isolated island surrounded by a pitch-black sky. Even though there was no source of light to be found, she could see herself and the grass underneath her as clear as day. When she looked further a forest appeared right in front of her, but instead of the usual joy she experienced seeing a forest, she gasped in horror. The trees and plants were slowly decaying and falling apart, as if a plague was passing right through them. Tuff Luck was terrified as the decaying forest began to spread until she was surrounded by it. This was her biggest fear, for all the nature in Skylands to die off. The feline ran away but there was no end to the forest, she just kept on screaming and running in agony. While she was experiencing all that in her head, Tuff Luck’s body was standing still at the Academy, her foggy blue eyes staring into the distance. It was nothing but a shell, while Tuff Luck’s mind was hopelessly lost.

#skylanders #skylanders after the end #skylanders ate #ate #chapter 3 #kaos #kaossandra #spyro #hex #nightfall #aurora #eon #tuff luck #original story #fanfiction

14 notes · View notes

adamarks · 5 years

Text

If one more person says simon snow should lose his wings i’m gonna lose my goddamn mind: a meta

Alright you guys, I’ve had ENOUGH. Simon cannot lose his wings unless you want him to break up with Baz, and this is why.

Let’s start with Baz.

This analysis is obviously Simon-based, and yes i’ll get there, but first we need to look at the biggest key we’ve been given to what Simon’s wings could possibly mean subtextually and metaphorically for the story at large. That key is: Baz’s vampirism.

Baz being a vampire is constantly compared to/mentioned in tandem with his queerness in Carry On. In his first chapters, what are the three most important traits that we learn about him?

he’s a drama queen

he’s a vampire

he’s hopelessly in love with simon snow

If you boil his character down until he’s basically just a stick figure, that’s what he is: an over dramatic vampire in love with Simon Snow.

We’ve all read the books, we all know this, and we all know he’s much more than that. What of it?

What’s important is that Baz’s vampirism is treated almost the exact same as his homosexuality.

Hiding it from everyone, being ashamed of it, knowing what you are but being terrified of it. His dad being “definitely more disappointed in my queerness than my undeadness.”

I mean, holy shit, let’s look at this bit in Carry on from Chapter 51:

“I think if I got married, to a girl from a good family, my father wouldn’t even care that I’m queer. “

This scene really hits, because how many times have you wondered “What if I was straight? Maybe this thing wouldn’t be as bad?” “What if i was just a straight poc?” “What if I was only gay and not trans?” “What if I was only disabled and not gay on top of it?” What if, what if, what if. Would my life be easier? you wonder. Would I get hurt less? Would people treat me better?

If Carry On is about self-realization, then Wayward Son is about the struggle of self-acceptance.

Baz going to Las Vegas and meeting Lamb probably seemed familiar for some of you people that are LGBT+. It’s how you feel when you’re from a small town and you go to a big city like New York or Orlando or LA for the first time and you see gay people all around you. Flamboyantly gay! Gay people holding hands! Gay people kissing! Trans people that don’t fit the gender norms! Older trans ladies just walking down the street!

It’s exciting, it’s exhilarating. Your baby-gay brain is so confused because no one’s giving them dirty looks. They don’t look nervous or ashamed. Is this allowed?

The party in the penthouse is glamorous and beautiful and alluring and none of the humans there are scared or look like they’re in real danger. It’s because they aren’t. None of those vampires are there to kill people.

This is where Baz’s fear of his own nature comes in. Let’s hear it for all you homosexuals in the crowd that are/have been terrified of being predatory. Of turning the gender you’ve been told all of your life you’re not supposed to want into pieces of meat. You feel ashamed for wanting physical intimacy. You feel wrong for wanting emotional intimacy.

Lamb is the older gay that you meet/learn about/watch on youtube or whatever that makes you learn that no, you’re not inherently evil. Lamb is the queer history, the queer movies, the queer people that you discover that make you learn that “no, i’m not bad. I’m not broken. I’m beautiful. I’m beautiful.”

Baz thinking the sight of Lamb drinking that guy’s blood being alluring and beautiful is crucial to his arc. Baz needs to see that all of him is beautiful.

So homosexuality = Baz being a vampire? How in the flying fuck does this have anything to do with Simon?

Remember, Baz is our key. His struggles have been happening since book one. Simon just gained his “creature” status at the end of Carry On. He’s new to this. Which means we’re new to the subtext. Which means: let’s dive on into the next big point.

Our Big Bisexual Boy

Whatever label you choose to use for Simon is up to you. As long as we all agree he likes more than one gender then it’s whatevs. I’m going to be using the word bisexual for this meta, though.

We’re all well aware that Simon is Struggling with his bisexuality in this book.

“I still haven’t sorted out whether I’m still attracted to women or whether I ever was, or whether I’m some kind of Baz-only-sexual. But the cleavage at this place is abundant, and I’m not mad about it.”

(taken from chapter 21)

Like....... y’know. We know. It’s... we get it.

The important part of that quote is that it’s at the Ren Faire. The Ren Faire is the first time Simon’s had his wings out in public since god-knows-when, if ever. This is also the first time he really considers kissing Baz in the book. Kissing Baz in Public.

Any of you that have been to Pride probably got a little bit of the warm fuzzies during this scene. The faire brought back such deep memories of my first pride it was a little bit emotional. I talked to random people, people ran around in rainbow outfits. There was body paint! Stupid hats! Weird dye jobs! The classic pride-flag-as-a-cape look! I talked to so many people and

“Everyone here is so friendly.”

(also taken from chapter 21)

Everyone was so nice to me.

Baz feels right at home; Simon is all smiles. The only one not having a blast is Penny and she’s (I’m sorry, Penny) the token straight friend in these books.

I don’t know how Rainbow did it, but she made me relive my first pride through Simon, and I’ll never not be grateful for that.

“Today I’m someone else entirely. Today I’m just a bloke with fake red wings.”

The Pride/Ren Faire parallels were pretty obvious, but I wanna get a little further into the whole “wings = being bisexual” thing.

We’ve established with Baz that being a magical creature or whatnot is Gay, but while Baz is fully magical, Simon’s “half-normal.” Kind of. It’s a weird situation there but half-normal works for the argument.

“’Smells like dragon... but also smells like iron. Another abomination!’”

(chapter 35)

Now the word “abomination” is really fucking unfortunate in this context, but biphobia exists so idk man. I’m gonna start talking in gay/straight terms and I absolutely know bisexuality isn’t half-gay half-straight but we’re talking in metaphors and i’ll tie it together at the end so just stick with me, okay?

He’s part dragon, part Normal (kind of). Simon’s not like Baz where he’s absolutely, 100% a vampire. He has traits of dragons and humans. This is why it’s so bad that he hates his wings half the time. They are part of him. They may not be “normal” and he may have to hide them, but he can’t just cut off the gay part. Our queerness doesn’t define us, but it’s a defining feature.

Penny says she wouldn’t be her if she wasn’t a mage. Simon wouldn’t be Simon if he wasn’t bi.

The mistake Simon and almost everyone else makes during this book is that they think of his wings as these separate entities. There is no gay part and straight part of Simon Snow. All of him is Simon. From the tips of his toes to the tops of his wings, all of him is Simon. He might’ve discovered this part of himself during a tragic point in his life, but that doesn’t mean it has to be something bad. It doesn’t have to be something tainted.

Sometimes you discover things about yourself during the hardest moments of your life. When you’re already down in the dirt, beaten and bruised, sometimes a mirror is put in front of you and you realize something. You realize you’re trans. You realize you’re gay. And sometimes you resent those realizations because they came to you at the worst possible time. “This is just one more thing on my plate,” you think.

This series is about reclaiming the things that where taken from you by the ones that hurt you.

Simon’s going to have to learn to love his wings, because even though they remind him of something that hurts-- hurts more than anything-- they’re part of him. They are him, as much as the rest of his body is. Simon’s going to have to forgive himself, and learn to love himself for all that he is.

Because all that he is is beautiful.

We all know it; it’s time for him to understand that.

All right, bitches. Let’s get to the bit we all REALLY care about. this is the one that really fucks me up my dudes. Because it’s Brutal. But anyways here we go.

His wings are the Big Baz Love

What are the two things that Simon’s considering cutting off in this book?

“That’s what I’m going to say when I break up with Baz.”

“Dr. Wellbelove said he could remove the wings. And the tail. Whenever I’m ready.”

(Chapter 2, Epilogue)

Yikes!

My guys..... Simon and Baz don’t kiss unless Simon’s wings are out.

I truly do not understand how some of you are out here saying Simon’s gonna lose his wings I really don’t. It’s stressful. I’m stressed. Ms. Rainbow Rowell, you have me stressed.

His Wings! Are! His Love!

On Love’s Light Wings!

Goatman dances his nasty little fingers all over the bridge that is Baz’s ass? Wings out, uses his tail to help kill the guy. Lamb is hitting on Baz too much?

“’Spell my wings off.’”

(Chapter 45)

In the airport, when a lady is giving them the “don’t be gay” stink eye he immediately checks to make sure his tail is hidden.

Baz can’t spell his wings off, guys.

Baz can’t spell his wings away.

“’Snow needs you to cast your angel spell on him. I hid his wings for breakfast, but they’re still there.’“

(Chapter 19)

In Chapter 41, the biggest kiss scene we get, Simon wraps his wings around Baz to hold him. He’s embracing him in his love guys. Guys.

Have you people noticed how i’m suddenly less articulate? It’s because i’m in crisis. Set me on fire I wouldn’t notice. I’ve been living with this terrible knowledge.

The first scene we finally see them kiss is after the scene at the Ren Faire when Simon’s wings are finally out and he finally got to fly.

“Simon catches up with me and traps me against the car. He’s kissing me before I see it coming.”

Simon is so dtf in this scene Penny throws a water bottle at them, and it hits him in the wing.

“’So hot,’ Simon Says. ‘Got to see you fight without picking a fight with you myself.’

Bunce throws a plastic bottle over my shoulder, and it smacks Simon in the wing.”

(Chapter 22)

She had to smack him right in the love for him to calm down, my dudes, my guys. Do you realize how hard it was for me to annotate this goddamn book with this knowledge? Every. Single. Time. Simon stretches a wing or flaps them around it’s about Baz. It gets to the point where you have to put the book down or you’re gonna explode.

Simon’s wings are always out around Lamb. He’s jealous as hell and he hates that motherfucker’s guts. The only real injuries Simon sustains in this book are to his wings and they’re almost always when Baz gets hurt too.

When did Simon get his wings? Only a day after he first kissed Baz.

Simon’s love for Baz is so big and so obnoxious he can’t hide it. His wings and tail have spikes, because that’s all Simon knows. He’s rough around the edges, he’s been hurt, he’s been used.

He’s never been in love before.

His love is spiky; it’s loud. It’s hotrod red and you can’t miss it when it’s out. Baz can’t see it, because Simon’s tucked it away. He hasn’t flown with it. He hasn’t wrapped it around Baz in so long. He doesn’t know how to handle a love this big, where to put it, when to unfurl it.

Simon gets jealous. He gets scared. He’s insecure. He wants so dearly to finally give to someone instead of feeling like he’s just giving in. Like he’s still just taking from Baz.

What do you do with wings?

How do you find somewhere safe to fly?

The Resolution.

I said earlier that if Carry On is a story of self-discovery, Wayward Son is a story of self-acceptance.

Simon has to love himself, and learn that his love for Baz is a good thing. As he accepts himself (and his dragon powers evolve go read my dragon simon meta it’s good.) he’s going to start to shine.

This is a story being told to us with nothing but love. This is a story about a boy that’s his own worst enemy-- as all of us often are. It’s so scary to accept our wings. It’s so scary to accept our fangs. Especially when they’ve come out of such a hideous occurrence.

We need to accept these dark times and acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, we were made more beautiful because of them. Maybe the light we give after we’ve been in darkness is more vibrant, because we know how scary the dark is. The things that happened to us were horrible, and hideous, and terrifying, but we aren’t. We’re different from how we were before, but we’re still beautiful.

Simon Snow is going to accept himself.

Simon Snow is going to accept his past.

Simon Snow is going to finally, finally tell Baz he loves him.

And for the first time, Simon Snow is going to see that he’s beautiful.

If you’ve liked this meta you should also check out this one where i explain how they’re finally gonna get their relationship together. Also the one about the scarf

Special thank you to @singerofsimplesongs for listening to me howl and screech about this damn thing.

Tagging some people that might be interested!

@neck-mole @watfordwallflower @carrybits @theflyingpeach @fight-surrender @shitty-posty-times @wisest-girl @slaying-fictional-dragons @gucciglitzy

#carry on #wayward son #any way the wind blows #rainbow rowell #simon snow #snowbaz #baz pitch #Penelope Bunce #tyrannus basilton grimm pitch #tyrannus basilton pitch #wayward son spoilers #meta #wayward son meta #carry on meta #this will end in flames #agatha wellbelove

4K notes · View notes

chronicallylatetotheparty · 3 years

Text

Watching (the Adventures of) Merlin season one on Netflix

Episode One: The Dragon's Call

. . . I feel like going to the capital of the kingdom indiscriminately slaughtering magic users wasn't the best idea.

Why? Well, that guy did just get executed.

And now his mom is mad. You tell that sorry excuse for a king, witch lady.

I don't like Uther, in case it was unclear.

Wait... if you could teleport why not just grab your son and ditch before he loses his head? Literally.

Oh, wow. Arthur is a dick.

Morgana. We have no choice but to stan tbh.

Dragon, you're really rubbing me the wrong way.

That's right Merlin! We need more than Because Destiny Says So!

Where did the spiderwebs come from? That sleeping spell gives me Sleeping Beauty vibes.

Ah, yes. The old drop-the- chandelier-on-the-villain trick. :(

If she went after Uther instead of Arthur I would have no complaints.

Manservant? You call that a reward for saving your son?

Episode Two: Valiant

Snake!Shield

Oh, he's gonna- Yup, dead. That's what happens when you deal with knights who cheat.

Where did that guy even get a magic shield in the first place?

Is there a thriving magic black market or something?

I love Guin.

. . . I feel like Sir Valiant didn't think this through. If bite marks are visible.

Ugh, you're the worst Uther.

It's only the second episode! Did you forget who saved your son already?

Stop being a jerk Arthur.

Lol. Merlin bringing a dog statue to life in order to practice for the Snake!Shield.

Bye Valiant!

Episode Three: The Mark of Nimueh

Whatcha up to with that egg, new witch lady?

You gonna poison the water of all of Camelot? Seems like a jerk move.

Dang that's a lot of dead bodies...

No, I like Guin's dad!

Yes! Cure him Merlin!

No! Stop arresting Guin, Uther!

You tell him, Morgana!

That plague monster that hatched from witch lady's egg is creepy.

Dead monster!

Arthur is kinda oblivious to Merlin's magic ngl.

Yay! Guin's free!

What do you know about witch lady Nimueh, Uther? Hmm? Why she want you dead? Besides the obvious reasons.

Episode Four: The Poisoned Chalice

Wow, Nimueh really doesn't like Merlin saving the day.

Wow, Nimueh really orchestrated an entire diplomatic incident in order to kill Merlin while also ensuring Camelot is destroyed by its neighbor. Impressive.

I really like Merlin and Guin's friendship.

Dang. Merlin really drank poison in order to save Arthur.

Merlin saved Arthur's life, Uther! Let him return the favor!

Oh, wow. Arthur really disobeyed his father in order to save Merlin's life.

I didn't know Merlin could cast spells while deathly delirious. And several miles away from him too.

Uther you b****! The antidote is right there! Let Arthur save his friend!

Putting your own son in a cell is such a jerk move.

At least Arthur and Guin manage to sneak the antidote to Merlin.

Quick aside: Internet spoilers say Uther needs to die for Arthur to complete his himbofication- I mean character development. So, if you could get on with that? Thanks!

Episode Five: Lancelot

Wow, that's a very CGI griffin.

Lancelot is so precious- Uh, I mean effective! Saving Merlin and all.

I know, Guin. I know.

Always thought it was a stupid rule to only let nobles be knights.

You're really going to commit magical forgery for someone you just met, Merlin?

I mean, Lancelot is earnest, hardworking, modest, kind despite his tragic backstory and it's his childhood dream to be a knight...

Yeah, I'd commit magical forgery too.

Lol, knocked you on your ass didn't he Arthur? (The second time at least)

I don't remember griffins being man-eaters!

Uther stop arresting people! Ugh, you're such a classist.

Let Lancelot help fight the griffin, Arthur! You need all the help you can get!

Well okay letting him go was nice of you.

Lancelot-Merlin tag team!

Wow. Lancelot really strode in with Camelot's singular braincell by figuring out Merlin has magic.

(The bar is low, okay.)

No, don't take away the braincell! Stay! The griffin was a team effort!

Okay, Lancelot's lawful good tendencies are a little annoying but, hey, nobody's perfect.

Episode Six: A Remedy to Cure All Ills

Edwin, no. Leave Morgana alone.

Oh, beetles! Curse beetles! That's not creepy at all.

Gaius how do you know Edwin?

What diabolical plot are you hatching Edwin? Oh, you're replacing Gaius in the royal court. That's kinda rude.

Merlin's so happy meeting another magic user that isn't trying to kill him (yet).

Le gasp! Uther's purge killed Edwin's parents? WhO cOuLd HaVe fOreSeEn tHis!?

But seriously. No wonder Edwin wants Uther dead.

I know Edwin blackmailed Gaius with exposing Merlin but he also wants to kill Uther!

That gives him a pass in my book.

Gaius no. Let Uther die.

Edwin stop trying to kill Gaius! You're going to-

Yup, here comes Merlin and-

Edwin's dead :(

Well he was trying to overthrow the kingdom. That's... bad... I guess.

Episode Seven: The Gates of Avalon

That title is misleading. It's more of a natural portal/magic lake type thing.

Arthur saves a father and daughter from bandits (Which they hired but shhh)

And they immediately try to put a love spell on Arthur

For human sacrifice purposes of course

Idk why the Sidhe want a human prince's soul -look at him, you don't know where he's been- but that's the price for readmission

I wonder how the dad killed one of his own kind? Was it an accident or...?

Exiling the daughter too makes me suspicious of Avalon's justice system

Evil laugh is a bit out of place for someone who is trying to restore his daughter's immortality

(They are so whiny about being mortal. Hey, we put up with it all the time!)

The fairy-like Sidhe moving in accelerated time so they just look like tiny orbs of light was an interesting touch. The blue faces and razor sharp teeth is not a good look for them, lol

They make Arthur ask to be married ('cause it takes a while for the love spell to go into full blown mind control or something)

Prompting Uther to threaten to kill both of them

(I feel like they didn't think this through)

Morgana admonishes Uther for being the worst

He replies that first love rarely lasts and that Arthur is inexperienced in such things. Plus that Arthur only met the girl yesterday

... I can't believe Uther is the voice of reason this episode

He doesn't get any points though. Due to the whole "threatening to execution his son's 'crush' " thing

The daughter is having second thoughts about using Arthur as a human sacrifice

Dear old dad puts those to rest and they try drowning Arthur in the lake that is/is the portal to, Avalon

Merlin's really leaning into the whole "Cool motive. Still murder.", thing huh?

Like, he did NOT hesitate to blow up both of them

Episode Eight: The Beginning of the End

Why do magic users keep going to Camelot!? The king is trying to KILL YOU!

Wow, this grown ass man is threatened by a literal child... I hate Uther so much

Morgana is the MVP of this episode. I love her

Protect that druid kid!

I feel like you're being paranoid Uther

You tell him Morgana!

Dragon, no. Stop prophesying death and destruction.

Wow, this grown ass dragon is threatened by a literal child...

Aaaand Morgana got caught sneaking the kid out of the city :(

Uther she is your adopted daughter! Stop putting people in cells!

Arthur is gonna sneak him out now?

While Morgana distracts the king?

Yes, excellent. What could possibly-

Merlin stop listening to that destiny dragon! Hearing his voice in your head is no basis for trust!

Cutting it close... Yay! They made it!

Mordred!? MORDRED!?

THAT little boy is Mordred!?

... Okay, I'm more inclined to believe the destiny dragon now

Still think letting him die would be a dick move

Episode Nine: Excalibur

What're you up to with that tomb Nimueh?

Oh! It's some kind of undead knight. Yes.

Throwing down the gauntlet. Pfft! Always thought that was a stupid idea.

Also: that Black Knight literally crashed your party!

Ugh, knights.

Nimueh if you can just teleport into the heart of Camelot while Uther is alone why don't you just stab him? Grab one of those pointy things he likes so much and stab him in the back. Easy peasy!

Stealing this joke but Don't do evil magic kids. It fries your brain cells.

Wait, the Black Knight is Uther's brother-in-law!?

Arthur's mother died in childbirth!?

Uther asked Nimueh to use her magic so he could have Arthur!?

Equivalent Exchange!?

Uther went on a genocidal rampage because he didn't bother with the instruction manual of ancient and powerful magic!?

Actually, that last one is not surprising at all.

I can't believe they're using the Wife in the Fridge trope. That appliance hasn't even been invented yet!

Ooh, Merlin's going to use his magic to destroy the Black Knight so Arthur doesn't have to fight him

As he's killed two knights already

Aaaaand, yup, he's still there. His cloak didn't even catch fire...

Arthur stop being a bastard. It doesn't suit you

Dragon forged sword! DRAGON FORGED SWORD!

Only Arthur can wield it. Yup, got it. How could this possibly go wrong?

Uther drugged Arthur and took his place in the fight... I have mixed feelings about this.

Wait, the dragon was very specific about only Arthur using that super special sword! Oh, snap.

Well at least the Black Knight is dead. Again.

Oh, dragon is not happy.

I know the dragon said "where no mortal soul could find it" but are you sure you wanna throw it into Avalon, Merlin?

Those people were gonna suck Arthur's soul out of his body

Episode Ten: The Moment of Truth

The way this episode title just lies to your face like that...

Oh, you're Merlin's mother! Thought we had an anime protagonists type thing going on

I... would like to say Uther is being unreasonable when he decides not to cross borders to get rid of some bandits. But I can totally see everyone hating him so that's a no go.

Lady, you were in a whole different kingdom. Why for the love of Merlin did you send him to Camelot!?

We're off to save the village! Morgana and Guin are coming too!

A wild Arthur appears!

Morgana better at swordplay than Arthur confirmed!

Merlin! I didn't know you had friends!

Granted he's a bit rough around the edges but

Okay. If it were literally anyone else besides Arthur. I'd say he was right about lords and knights being useless snobs.

Actually. He's right about lords and knights being useless snobs. Ah, that felt great.

Wow, the homosexual subtext is strong with this one.

The girls can tell Arthur came for Merlin.

But get your foot out of his face! I don't care how royal it is!

Look at Guin over here calling out Arthur for being a dick

And talking him into letting the women fight. She's on a roll

Aw, Merlin's friend died. :(

And he took credit for Merlin's tornado (so Arthur wouldn't find out about Merlin's magic)

Episode Eleven: The Labyrinth of Gedref

Lol, that unicorn could use a haircut.

No, Arthur. I said a haircut not an arrow to the chest!

Bad things? What kind of bad things Gaius?

Uther what's the point of having an expert in magical lore if you're not going to listen to him!

And all the crops are dead. Fantastic.

I know it's a magic thing but stating outright that the blight only targets edible plants is still really unsettling.

And the water's turned to sand. Great.

Who're you and how come Merlin is the only magic user that can't teleport?

What kind of tests mister Keeper of the Unicorns, sir?

Arthur I know you don't want to believe it's your fault... But it's totally your fault.

Uther no. People are starving.

You tell him Arthur.

Oh, the "theif" was a test!

Aaaaand he failed the second one. :(

Merlin's got a lot of faith in Arthur.

It's interesting how the Keeper can only direct the curse caused by the unicorn's death. Or rather the trials surrounding the curse, but can't break it himself.

Unicorns have some powerful magic.

The Labyrinth was barely on screen for five minutes! Surely something with Unicorn in the title would be more appropriate?

Arthur drinking a poisoned cup so Merlin could live?

That's some strong parallels right there.

The Keeper of the Unicorns is such a troll! Sleeping potion, hah!

The day is saved, Arthur lies to Uther's face about killing the Keeper and the unicorn resurrects itself.

Still needs a haircut though.

Episode Twelve: To Kill the King

Whatcha up to Guin's dad?

Oh that guy isn't suspicious at all.

You didn't think it was shady when he asked to meet in the middle of the night!?

Philosopher's Stone!?

Wow, the guards found him quickly.

What- No! Don't arrest Guin's dad!

Uther, he's a blacksmith! Stop being paranoid!

Will you stop executing people!? That inn keeper didn't know that guy was a dangerous sorcerer!

No, nononononono! He surrendered! Why did you do that!? Guin's father was important to Morgana!

That's why she gave him the key!

Dragon has his priorities straight.

Shut up, Merlin. You literally blew up a father and daughter for trying to kill one(1) person. (No really, you could see their hands flying off.)

Morgana deserves a little murder. As a treat.

Yes! Get him! Kill the bastard!

No! Why would you make GUIN say that!? Who are you and what have you done with Guin!?🔪🔪

UGH, he literally committed genocide!

The "that would make me as bad as he is" DOES NOT APPLY!

What- Oh, he still has the fairy's staff.

No. Stop it! Let Uther die!

Oh, God, Uther is such an abusive piece of GARBAGE!

Stop! Don't fall for it Morgana!

*sees dagger being pushed closer to Uther's "heart"* Yes! Yes! YES!

*Morgana saves him* NO!

NO!

NOOOOOO!

*inarticulate ranting in the background*

Episode Thirteen:

Okay, the cgi might be getting a little better 'cause the Questing Beast is freaky

Old religion? What is that? And how come it's conveniently absent from the previous episodes?

Dang, they really here just casually gaslighting Morgana like that 😡

Merlin you know Morgana has visions! You couldn't have been a little more careful? She warned you. Now look at Arthur, he's got the heroic death disease

Granted that thing does seem like a handful

Why do you only act like a father when it's a matter of life and death? Why can't you be a father literally any other time!?

"The old religion is the magic of the Earth itself."

Well that sounds fascinating, dragon. Are you going to elaborate? No? Later then?

Soooooo, is the old religion actually a religion or is it a magic? It's really unclear...

"You will be a better king than your father could ever hope to be." Guin, you're back!

I expected a place called the Isle of the Blessed to be less... creepy

Nimueh! Whatcha up to girl? Plotting the demise of a kingdom? Not today it seems

Oh there some Equivalent Exchange type nonsense going on is there?

Arthur you were supposed to be in a coma not listening to Guin!

Oh. Oh, no.

Merlin saying goodbye as he prepares to trade his life for his mother's is 😢😭

Wow, that dragon really knew Nimueh would give Merlin's mother the curse and didn't say anything. The little b*****!

No wonder Merlin's mad at him. Stop breathing fire at him! It's your own fault!

Gaius, no! Not the dead mentor trope!

"You stood by and watched as our friends died." Damn, Nimueh isn't pulling her punches.

Merlin vs Nimueh! Ready? Fight!

Anime protagonist power up! Dang, Nimueh's dead... I feel like that wasn't supposed to happen.

At least no one else is dying. Since Nimueh's death appeased the Equivalent Exchange laws of the old religion.

#bbc merlin #bbc arthur #bbc uther #bbc morgana #bbc's merlin

23 notes · View notes

frostios · 3 years

Text

Last session notes of the elysium campaign for me! (combination of the previous session and this one) me and emmy are officially done with this campaign but i will still def be drawing and writing and talking about the gorzones for as long as i love them <3 (forever)

We interrogate the changelings and hear the name ‘F-Man’ for the first time, Kilgon drafting up a magical contract that has them keeping the group safe and leading us to Freedon’s captive fathers, and the punishment for not doing so is blindness, deafness, and the disabling of their changing. They sign it, and we follow them to a cornfield, Joemin messing with a few kids we pass. Cranberi notices there’s definitely something watching the group from further in. We get to a shitty wooden shed surrounded by people, and the changelings attempt to keep a fight from breaking out.

We go into the shed. The changelings open up an unfamiliar-colored portal (not to hell) and they invite us in. We don’t go, and can’t stop them from jumping through. However Freedon finds a loose floorboard and pries it up, finding a ladder underneath. The gang follows him down, finding multiple cells full of people, including the dads, surrounded by bandits. We get the dads out super easily and debate on freeing everyone else. We do, the bandits just sort of allowing it, and guide everyone back up.

The bandits outside stop us, one of them talking like Whisper 2.0, and Barnaby Dimension Doors the former prisoners away.

Initiative starts, Freedon getting in a good hit with his new sword, until Kilgon puts a charm on all the bandits that has them running after a gem he has. We free the prisoners – they might recognize Freedon, but we’re not sure – and we talk to the Dads.

They’re surprised to see Freedon and ask where he’s been. Freedon tells them – with all of us listening in – that the aasimar F-Man was his employer and he worked with them to kill the emperor. When they ask, Freedon tells them what’s been happening at their home with Alyyz visiting and the changelings taking over their lives. It’s a pretty emotional moment.

When Cran tells them the town is going to be attacked soon, they ask if it’s possible to defend it. Freedon says it’s not, and they ask about what he’s been through.

We walk into the house and are greeted by Alyyz, who goes to draw up a bath for the Dads. We think it might be a good idea to move the three of them away, and Alyyz says she’ll just move everyone to her home in Felu.

As a group we go to talk outside, and Freedon brings up trying to fight against F-Man’s plan. We agree to try. We wonder where Jonathan is, Ria saying she has no clue, and Joemin escapes the group to go find him. He finds footprints indicating he had walked away and probably summoned his bird to fly somewhere, and is likely not in town anymore.

Freedon helps cook, and we all end up gathering around Nami as she waits for Joemin to show back up. A long talk about everyone’s favorite foods and how Nami’s teeth are actually a mutation ensues. Eventually Kilgon calls Joemin, simultaneously teaching Cran how phones work.

Joemin comes running back shouting at Kilgon to turn off the phone, but when we try teaching him how it works he throws it at Kilgon and tries to run away. It doesn’t work. This brings up the various items we’ve gotten as gifts so far, specifically Cranberi’s Bag Of Teeth (one of which she gave to Bonemeal already) and both Joemin and Ria ask if they could have one. Cranberi refuses Ria, but give Joemin a ruby-veined red dragon fang that he uses as an offering to the Wild Mother and now keeps on his person.

Session ends.

We begin our defense of the town by splitting into two groups: Nami, Cranberi, and Ria on one side with Freedon, Barnaby, Kilgon, and Kisia on the other. Joemin keeps watch between the groups. The first attack comes as a scouting party on the girl’s side – Ria finally gets to fight! – and they take care of it pretty easily, getting intel from the last person standing (whose name is Ruby) about the maybe-forty people waiting to attack later on.

On the other side of town, the party is approached by F-Man himself. He talks at Freedon, asking him if they really expect to kill him, and Freedon agrees… honestly, no. But the fight starts anyway.

It goes on for a LONG while. The gang just keeps hitting him, even when they’ve summoned their Insect Plague and Undead, ultimately flickering out of existence. Before they do, they seem to… heal Freedon? For some ungodly reason? And while the healing goes on, Freedon gets a vision of Lial looking pretty upset on his dumb demon throne.

The fight is over. Freedon and Barnaby are… tired. They’re tired. So after this, it’s retirement.

Session ends.

#frosti talks dnd #elysium dnd #elysium session notes #shout out to anyone who's shown any interest in this little campaign yall are the real ones

8 notes · View notes

rikalovesrice · 3 years

Text

Douxie x Reader (#2) - About You!/Remarkable

Reader : Has a difficult home life. You live in the shadow of your popular, straight-A, athletic older sister and often go unnoticed by your parents. You wonder if there’s more to your life, if you’ll ever be more than a forgotten child. If you’ll ever be more than what your parents see you as, what your sister sees you as...what everyone seem to see you as : Unremarkable.

Then....You meet Hisirdoux Casperan. And one night when you were particularly upset with things at home, you went for a late night stroll and saw him...You discovered that things definitely aren’t as they seem.

And, well....The rest is history!

You’re a pizza delivery girl part-time, often using your scooter after hours and not damaging it at all to assist Douxie, Archie, and Zoe in their late night hunts. You allowed Douxie to take it for a spin one night. Yea, never again. (Explaining all the damage to your manager was a nightmare like Douxie can’t drive anything except a magic ship)

You carry your dad’s old metal baseball bat for good measure (cause, you know, you’re not a freaking wizard).

And so.....

- After dropping off your last pizza, you check the time on your phone. It’s about an hour before Douxie’s shift as Benoit’s ends. You’ve made it a small tradition to hang out there until it’s time to roll. So you cruise over, park your scooter, and head inside, one server already starting to make your usual. You greet everyone kindly as you take a seat on the couch.

- Douxie backs out of the kitchen door with trays full of food and milkshakes. As always, he acknowledges you with a smile. And as always, your heart skips a beat.

- You pass the time by reading a novel you got from Arcane Books, sipping on your hazelnut latte made with almond milk. You feel a light tap on your head and look up from your book to see Douxie leaning his arms on the back of the couch. They’re about to start shutting it down so Doux is gonna start cleaning. You lend a hand, picking up trash wherever you see it.

- For good reason, Douxie allows himself to be the last to leave the cafe every night. You’re texting Zoe when one of Douxie’s co-workers, putting on his jacket to leave, speaks to you.

- “So how long have you guys been dating?”

- Your fingers freeze and you look up, confused. “Um...Dating? Who’s dating?”

- “Uh, you and Doux? You’re always comin’ in and waiting for him, aren’t ya?”

- You hope the co-worker can’t see the heat blossoming across your cheeks. You honestly hadn’t thought about how this looks, you coming in here every night for past week or so and staying until closing. Always leaving with Douxie like...

- “N-no! It’s not like that. We’re just friends.” You hope you sound convincing because it’s true. “Us and two other friends like hanging out after work, is all. Nothing else!”

- There’s a small pang in your heart but you quickly sweep it aside.

- “What are you talking about?” Douxie walks over, looking ready to head out for the night.

- “Uh, n-nothing!” you say, smiling through the awkwardness. Feeling and ignoring the co-worker’s suspicious gaze, you stand up and move to Douxie’s side. “Um, ready to go?”

- “Um...Yea.” Douxie’s a bit perturbed, noticing that you’re flustered as you brush past him and hurry out the door.

- Making the coast is clear, you two round the cafe and head into the near pitch darkness of the alley. Douxie secures his bracelet and wills a ball of blue light to form in his palm, bathing the alleyway in soft light. You retrieve your dad’s baseball bat from behind a trashcan. At the concrete back of various shops, where rows of alleyways converge, Zoe and Archie are waiting.

- You give Zoe a hug and Archie a couple scratches behind his ears.

- The typical arrangement : You drive, Zoe’s tiny self sits on the pizza box behind you, and Douxie rides on Archie, who’s shapeshifted into a horse.

- It’s quiet. Way too quiet. And then, before Zoe can finish yelling your name, something slams into the scooter. You nearly bang your head on the wall as you’re thrown out of your seat and onto the ground. Zoe’s already back on her feet, volts of pink lightning sparking between her fingers.

- You slowly but purposefully get back on your feet, groaning and your head spinning, and set the scooter back upright. Douxie and Archie, now a dragon, are in front of you, shielding you from the threat.

- You hear the bone-chilling sound of congested snarls, wheezing, and clicks. Under the glow of magic, you see the faint shape of white, cloudy, veiny eyes like the undead. Thick dribble oozing from a wide, crooked mouth crowded with rows of needle-like teeth. Claws like icicles for fingers. A tail thicker than your entire body thrashing against the ground so hard you feel your bones tremble. You wonder why the creatures seems to be getting louder. And then, to your horror as you look to the side, you realize there’s two of them.

- “Ghouls...,” Douxie says, the word shaking and breathy, laced with terror. The runes circling Douxie’s bracelet glow brighter. “(Name), you need to get out of here. Now.”

- “Wait, what? No, I’m not leaving you guys!” You take hold of your bat.

- “You don’t understand, (Name),” Zoe says, sounding just as grim. “These are ghouls. And all they want is human fle-”

- The ghouls lurch forward, bashing their disfigured faces into a blue barrier of Douxie’s magic. They rake violently at the barrier and their mouths snap wildly, spit flying, growling and gurgling.

- “Go, (Name)!!” The force and urgency of Douxie’s voice coupled with how hideous and frightening the ghouls really are have you mounting back on your scooter and taking off in the opposite direction. “Go with her, Arch! Keep her safe!”

- The barrier breaks and the ghouls begin to clamber after you. Douxie isn’t having any of that and he quickly subdues one with a rope of magic, engulfing the monster in blue flames for good measure. Zoe surges forward, pink electricity flaring around her, and zaps the second ghoul into submission.

- Archie’s flying beside you. “What’s going on? What are those things?” You’d seen plenty of scary monsters now but those abominations were a whole other level of horrifying.

- “Ghouls,” Archie says, anxiously looking back. “They consume and crave human flesh and only human flesh. We must get you to safety!”

- You felt your insides turn to ice. Two adults and one teenage boy had mysteriously and recently disappeared without a trace. Nothing left of them except splatters of their blood. And as the fear of being the next victim crawled under your skin, you screeched to a stop as something leapt from above, landing heavily in front of you. The terror spikes tenfold. A third one.

- Archie immediately goes on the offense, blasting the ghoul with fire before shapeshifting into a bear, tackling the foul creature. “You must go, (Name)!” Archie claws the ghoul in the face. It retaliates with its teeth, biting Archie in the shoulder.

- You speed your scooter past the scuffle. But hearing Archie’s pained cries, you heart clenches and you know you can’t leave him. The ghoul has Archie pinned to the ground, mouth still latched onto and claws raining down on him.

- “Stop it!” you screech, head pulsing wildly with adrenaline as you rush the ghoul with your bat, swinging as hard as you can into its head. It’s enough for the thing to reel back and let Archie go. And definitely enough to make it angrier. Your stomach plummets when it turns its attention to you, but you stand your ground, brandishing your bat. “Leave Archie alone! It’s me you want!!”

- The ghoul howls and goes for you. You don’t know what’s happening. Somehow, you manage to avoid the first couple of swings of its claws. The next things you know, you’re on your side on the ground, your right arm suddenly wet and warm. There’s horrible ringing in your ears. The world is spinning. In fact, you almost don’t even notice the ghoul above you opening its mouth wide, ready to finish you off. Then there’s fire. Fire and fire and fire. It just keeps going and the ghoul tumbles away from you, writhing and yowling.

- An exhausted Archie shapeshifts back to his smaller dragon form and hovers over you. “(Name)...! Oh no...Oh no!” Archie nuzzles your face. You moan, trying to turn over but Archie carefully lays a paw on you. “Don’t move, (Name). You’re...You’re badly injured...”

- “So...are...you...M’sorry...” You can’t really hear yourself. Lacerations are evident by patches of wet, sticky fur. There’s a cut over one of Archie’s eyes. You black out for a second. And when you wake up again, you’re in someone’s arms. A black sweatshirt against your cheek. A skull necklace. The smell of old paper and cats and burnt cloves.

“(Name)...,” Douxie says, cupping your cheek, his golden eyes wide and swimming. “(Name), you’re going to be alright. I’ve got you...I’ve got you.”

- For some reason, as soon as you register Douxie’s face, your eyes burn with tears.

- “M’sorry....I’m sorry....I...I...” You couldn’t do anything. You got in the way. What were you even thinking? Idiot. Useless. Just...useless as always.

- “Shhh, love,” Douxie whispers, brushing hair out of your face. “It’s alright. Hold still for me.” His bracelet glows and magic swirls around his hand. Douxie murmurs an incantation, touching his fingertips to your head, then to your arm. You sigh in relief as the pain begins to lessen, relaxing further into Douxie’s arms, your head lolling against his chest.

- Douxie grips you closer to himself. “I’m sorry...I’m sorry. I couldn’t...” Seeing you in this state, he’s reminded in one second centuries of loss. Of bloodshed and violence. Of people fading, drifting away right in front of him. And now you....

- “She’ll be fine, Doux,” Zoe says, resting a hand on his shoulder. “This...This isn’t anyone’s fault. It’s not your fault.”

- “I’m sorry,” Archie says. “I couldn’t protect her...”

- “No, Arch, you saved her,” Douxie says, finishing his healing spell. Douxie holds you closer still. He doesn’t quite understand the squeeze in his heart looking at your sleeping face. You’re so frail. So small in his arms. So, so vulnerable to the dangers lurking in Arcadia compared to himself and Zoe and Archie. And yet...

- “She just about gave her life for me,” Archie whispers, pressing his nose against your temple.

- “You’re so strong,” Douxie whispers above you. “So...remarkable. And you don’t even know it.” Douxie lifts you up, cradling you close. “Let’s get her home.”

Aaaaaaand you decide to take a break from the hunts. Because you’re feeling low and worthless, and also cause Douxie’s worried sick. But after getting into an argument with your materialistic, vain, and conceited sister, you rush out into the night, baseball bat in hand, and end up bashing a monster in the face. Because you don’t want to be like her, even if you feel worthless.

- “(Name)?!” Douxie says, rushing over to you, already scared for your safety. “W-what are you doing? Are you sure you want to -”

- “It’s okay,” you say, meeting Douxie’s eyes. “I know...I know I can’t do much. But I can at least do this!” You swing at a monster just as it jumps at Douxie’s back, sending it sprawling. Huffing and puffing, you manage a smile. “I’ll do this... with you.”

And Douxie knows you will. He knows you can.

He knows, he sees, how remarkable you truly are.

#spellcasterdouxie's gifs are the BEST #okay yea this was really long #I may as well write a fic at this point lol #I hope this wasn't horrible #writing is haaaaard but i try #Douxie being a worried and protective boi #the best wizard boi #The idea was that ghouls would go for your flesh over Doux's or Zoe's since you're a human-human #So yea they zeroed in on ya #Archie's also the best boi #I have a headcanon that shapeshifting into a larger dragon is difficult for him #Hence why he doesn't do it right away #These are fun though #Love imagining Douxie being a precious oblivious boyfriend #what a sweetie #I wanted Douxie and Reader to share the hardships of feeling unappreciated and not good enough #It's cute cause they both see the greatness in each other #ahhhhh #BURNT CLOVES #tales of arcadia #douxie x reader #hisirdoux casperan #toa zoe #toa archie #toa wizards #Whatever you do don't think about all the loss and pain and suffering Douxie's had to endure for the past 900 years #What its done to his mental health and how he had to learn how to cope with it but it's still so hard for him at times and -#Love how relatable Douxie is in so many ways #it's a slow burrrrrrnnnn #Douxie has Adrien Agreste levels of obliviousness I swear

37 notes · View notes

queenaeducan-writes · 3 years

Text

Healing Hands

Fandom: Elder Scrolls, Skyrim, 3DNPCs/Interesting NPCs Pairing: Rumarin x Eilonwy Rating: General Audiences Words: 2k

Repost of a work that’s since been deleted on Tumblr. Rumarin is a character from 3DNPCs and not in any way my OC!

Read it here on AO3.

For weeks they’d been travelling together, now. Sharing food and shelter, stories and songs. It had been an experience, to put it delicately. She’d come to Skyrim seeking knowledge, but had found a friend instead. Eilonwy watched him sit by the newly lit fire, trying his new ward out. As his hand unflexed a frail shield manifested, causing his arm to tremble until the ward broke. “You are improving,” Eilonwy said gently.

The other high elf scoffed. “At least it’s big enough to shield my head, now. I suppose my innards will simply have to fend for themselves.” He was smiling as he nodded his head toward her, looking at her hands. “In the meantime I can cower behind yours. They’re big enough for the two of us.”

She laughed, stifling it with her hand. Whenever he made her laugh she’d always snort something terrible. It was not the sort of noise a woman of her age ought to be making, especially not on account of a man. “You assume I will remember to cast them.”

“That is true. Though I like the strategy we’ve worked out. You go in, hands blazing, towering over your foes, and I swoop in and finish them off!” Rumarin swept his hand over the fire, slashing the air with an imaginary conjured blade. “It works surprisingly well.”

All over Skyrim they had walked, all in the hopes of teaching him a new spell. They’d visited healers, eccentrics, and even the undead. Each time they failed, it had always been her who seemed more upset about it. Rumarin laughed it off with a joke, while she stewed about it for hours. A good teacher did not dismiss a student because they required a different style of teaching. It was difficult to tell how serious Rumarin was about learning new spells, but he had travelled across Skyrim and back to learn one. That required dedication.

Eilonwy traced her fingers over the fabric of her robes, pulling at the frayed ends. “May I ask you a question?” she said, moving around the campfire until she caught his gaze. “We went from border to border trying to find a mage that could teach you, yet in all that time you never thought to ask me. Why?” She’d asked herself that question for a while now, ever since they’d met Valgus at the sign of the Steed. It didn’t make sense to her, but then again many things about Rumarin didn’t make sense to her.

“I did ask for your help, remember? You blasted me with lightning. I still don’t have any feeling in my left foot,” he replied evasively. “Thank you for that, by the way.”

“Before that, though,” she pressed him.

“When we met you wouldn’t shut up about the College, I didn’t think you would be able to offer me anything.” Eilonwy knew she ought not to be hurt by that, that by now she ought to have thicker skin. Still, it stung a little.

“I came to the College to seek a safe haven, for research. There are a few hundred years of magic-using before them. My first spells I didn’t learn from tomes, I repeated their names and effects. I told myself again and again that I could walk on water, until the spell was the only thing in my mind, and my words became true.” She still remembered what it felt like, to feel her foot touch the water, but not sink. Two steps later and she sank faster than a rock, but for that one moment she thought herself the most powerful mage in the world. “The spell you learned today will save your life one day, especially if you keep following me. If you’re willing, I can help you learn more.”

Rumarin’s attention had returned to his hand, contemplating it with an expression rarely seen on the blade binder’s face. “No tomes?”

“None.”

“Fine, but if it doesn’t work then you pay me 100 septims. No, you treat me to a meal. And the next time you drag my up High Hrothgar you’ll have to give me a piggyback ride.”

“It’s a deal,” she said. “We shall start tomorrow.”

* * *

When Eilonwy had told him they were starting tomorrow, he had imagined that meant they’d be starting bright and early. He was surprised to find that by the time he stirred, she’d packed half the camp away. It wasn’t like her to back out of a promise, which was lucky because half of her life seemed to be made of them. It was always ‘I’ll find your lost amulet’ or 'I’ll kill the bandits’ with her. She’d kept every one so far, as far as he could tell the only two promises left unfulfilled were saving Nirn and, well, teaching him a spell.

“Are we leaving?” he asked. “I always find it easier to learn when there’s a beer at hand, don’t you think-”

“When we stop for the night, then we can begin. In the meantime, it gives you time to practise your ward spell. Master that, and I’ll determine where we can go from there,” she explained, slipping her blue robes on over her clothes. She was always so matter-of-fact with him, as if she were compensating for his… his everything. There were days when Rumarin wanted to get her drunk, just to see what embarrassing thoughts she kept hidden under lock and key.

“Yes, Ms. Eilonwy,” he said with a smirk, shrugging on his knock-off college robes.

They were on the road within the hour, their camp strapped to the back of the sturdy palamino that Eilonwy had steadfastly refused to name. He’d taken to calling it Apple, anyway. When they were walking it was mostly him who did the talking, he liked to think his jokes brought life to the frosty tundras of Skyrim. Of course, here in the Rift there was already plenty of life to be had, but Rumarin didn’t see much harm in adding to it.

Eilonwy had taken a liking to his jokes right away, even the bad ones. It had been ages since someone had laughed at the punchline to 'Have you seen a healer?’. He had been in the midst of forming a comment about the forest when the first arrow whizzed by them. “Would it be too much to ask for one leisurely stroll through the forest that doesn’t end with a bloodbath?” he moaned.

His companion already had a fireball at the ready, throwing it into the face of the first bandit who stepped into her line of sight. “It seems like the perfect time for you to try out that ward spell of yours,” she said, before charging off. He lost sight of her fast. The bandits came out of the trees from both sides, they were on him in seconds. Apple turned tail and fled, the horse had even less appetite for battle than he. A bandit swung at him from his left, and he’d barely enough time to cast a ward spell as the mace connected with his shield. It shattered in an instant, and he remembered what that Tolfdir had told the apprentice mages. Cast the spell before you need it. Right.

He stepped out of the way of the bandit’s next strike. Conjuring a blade, Rumarin couldn’t help but smile as he swung at his foe’s chest. The bandits had probably been expecting another spell weaver, not another sword to cross blades with. He was ready for the next strike, his ward up well before the mace clashed against it. It was nerve-wracking to see a spiked ball of death mere inches from his arm. As he took the opportunity to stab, he found himself wondering if there was a way to make wards more solid looking.

His blade found the weak point in the bandit’s armor. He didn’t have to guess if that was it for the bandit or not, the look in his eyes said it all. Rumarin pulled out his sword, and slashed it across the bandit’s throat. He never knew if he did it out of pity, or habit. He didn’t have time to dwell on it, as there were others that had to be dealt with. Some fled, he liked to think it was he that frightened them, and not the fireballs that exploded in their faces. The ones that remained soon met the end of his sword.

As the bandits dispersed, he began to think about finding their horse. Hopefully it hadn’t stampeded into a den of frostbite spiders in its haste. Or worse, a dragon. It had happened before, it was a miracle poor Apple still lived to tell the tale.

A cry grabbed his attention, however, and in seconds he forgot about the horse. “Eilonwy?” he called, seeing nothing but trees on either side. A bolt of lightning caught his eye, and he ran towards it. Another bandit lay against the ground, the smell of burnt hair overpowered the smell of blood. Not a few yards away Eilonwy lay, propped up by a tree. She clutched her side, blood seeping between golden fingers. “What happened?”

“She snuck up on me,” Eilonwy muttered, avoiding his gaze.

Rumarin managed a smile, though it felt more forced than his usual grin. “Well, not everyone can be as skilled with wards as I am. Luckily, you’re better at about everything else. Heal up, I think Apple’s half-way to Whiterun by now.”

“I can’t.”

“Can’t?”

“Ran out of magicka.”

“Er, here, maybe we have a potion.”

Eilonwy attempted what he thought was supposed to be a smile. It looked more like a grimace. She looked at him, eyes squinting from the midday sun. “When I told you I felt like we’d forgotten to pick something up in Riften…”

Rumarin felt the blood drain from his face. He’d had the rug pulled out from under him before, but never like this. “Shor’s Stone isn’t too far down the road. I could-”

“You need to do it.”

“The horse could probably heal you better than I can.” The joke fell a little flat, but it was hard to think of anything when all he could see was blood on her robes.

“Rumarin.”

“I’ll try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll give you a week to recover before I expect that piggyback ride.” He saw the crows feet in the corner of her eyes crease, and he knew she was smiling.

It had been so much easier when she was the one using a spell on him. There wasn’t any time to tell her jokes about the long-term effects of this one paltry restoration spell. No time to tease her and tell her that she’d probably fall in love with him after this, and if she did he wouldn’t blame her. Women liked the sensitive types, and healers went hand-in-hand with sensitivity.

He held his hand over the wound, trying to remember what it felt like when she felt him. It always felt… warm. It felt stupid to compare it to a hug when their bodies never met, but it was the first thing that came to mind. Rumarin traced his teeth with his tongue, concentrating on that feeling, no matter how stupid it was. After a moment he felt a tingling in his fingers. He heard a tiny jingling sound, like there were small bells ringing in the palms of his hands. The wound on Eilonwy’s side began to close, growing together like it had never been split in the first place. Surprise lit up the bladebinder’s face, and before he could even finish he looked at her, beaming. “You should get injured like this more often! That way I’ll have it mastered in no–” As quickly as the magic had come, it was gone. No sooner than that, he saw her her skin start to bruise a brownish-pink, like the wound had opened up again inside.

Eilonwy didn’t seem put off, however. From her pack she pulled out a tiny blue bottle, and chugged it down. In a flash the bruise was gone, leaving nothing but smooth golden skin behind. “But you- I, did you do this on purpose?”

“No,” she replied, sitting up a little straighter. “Er, yes and no. The bandit did get me, but before I lost my strength I managed to find this on her person.” Eilonwy waved the empty bottle in her hand. “I thought I’d use it as a learning opportunity. It saved me the trouble of staging something else later." Rumarin let out something that was somewhere between a scoff and a sigh, sinking onto his knees. "I was afraid you would catch on. After observing how quickly you learned to use a ward in a controlled, but dangerous environment, I thought it only natural to apply the same to healing spells.”

“You’re…” Words failed him. He had known the mage had a reckless side, every adventure did, but this?

“You’re a healer,” she said. Eilonwy stood carefully, using the tree to balance. A second later her hand reached out to him, waiting for him to take it.

“I am, aren’t I?” he said. Grasping her hand, she pulled him up. Rumarin barely had a moment to steady himself when she pulled again, this time into a hug. After the nonstop action of the past five minutes or so, it was a refreshing change of pace.

“I’m proud of you. Sorry if I, er, if I scared you.”

The nice thing about Eilonwy was that he knew she was being genuine, whether he deserved the comments or not. “I wasn’t scared,” he said, already feeling his predisposition for jokes returning. “Maybe I was a bit… concerned.” She giggled, pulling back to smile at him.

“Does this mean that you’ll buy me dinner at the next town we pass?” she asked, her hands slowly letting go of him.

“I think that part of the deal only extended to me.”

“In that case maybe I’ll have to teach you another spell. While I was lying there I thought about riding through the entrance to the Greybeard’s temple on your shoulders.”

His ears had to be deceiving him, was that a joke? “I’ll consider it.”

Eilonwy laughed again, beginning to walk back towards the path. “I can even incorporate it into your training. I happen to know a few feather spells…”

“Ask me again later,” Rumarin said as he placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her towards where Apple had run. “I need to recover from the trauma of this last lesson first.”

#fandom: elder scrolls #fandom: skyrim #fandom: 3dnpc #character: rumarin #character: eilonwy #pairing: rumarin x eilonwy

5 notes · View notes

laurawritesandgames · 4 years

Text

For Beetlelands Week 2020

Title: Write Like the Wind

Fandom: Beetlejuice (Musical)

Rating: T

Ships: Beetlejuice/Adam/Barbara

Prompt: One Bed

Summary: Adam wants to do something for nerd-kind now that he has ghostly powers. Beetlejuice and Barbara help out. Spoilers for The Winds of Winter.

When Beetlejuice returned from the Netherworld, he came back powerful. Barbara wasn’t exactly sure how—the story changed with each telling.

But he returned with enough power to teleport her and Adam pretty much anywhere he could visualize. Thanks to Google Street View, he could visualize quite a few things.

Being able to teleport was very helpful when Adam had a specific request.

The ghosts and demon appeared inside a very fancy home, with sunlight streaming in the windows. Beetlejuice was hovering between Barbara and Adam, holding their hands. Barbara suspected this wasn’t strictly part of his teleportation ability, but it was a nice excuse to hold hands.

The demon shimmered in and out briefly, wincing.

“Everything okay?” Barbara asked.

“Teleporting all the way to New Mexico is a lot. We’re definitely gonna need to stop by a bolt-hole on the way back.” According to Beetlejuice, undead travellers could recharge in places with a lot of “death energy”—graveyards, usually, or famous battlefields.

The clicking of a keyboard drew the three of them to an office where a large, grey-haired man sat in front of his computer.

Adam sucked in a breath. “There he is,” he whispered.

Beetlejuice rolled his eyes. “Sexy, you’re dead. He can’t hear you.” Sure enough, the writer hadn’t turned around at the sound of Beetlejuice’s voice.

“Oh.” Adam looked a bit disappointed. “I guess I just assumed that he’d be attuned to the supernatural. He’s a master of the sci-fi/fantasy genre! Anyway, let’s go see what he’s working on.” He crossed his fingers as the three of them huddled around the author’s computer screen.

Barbara felt a bit awkward reading over someone’s shoulder, and looked politely aside. She’d never gotten into sci-fi and fantasy the way Adam had; he’d know better than she would what they were looking at.

Her husband’s face fell. “Wild Cards?!” he spluttered. “Wild freaking Cards! I know he only edits the anthologies, but they’re a distraction!” He ran his hands through his hair. “Just write the books, George!”

“I can take over his computer and threaten to start deleting files until the books are done!” Beetlejuice crowed. “Make it seem like he’s got a computer virus!”

Adam’s gaze flicked between Beetlejuice and the author’s computer a few times.

Barbara cleared her throat.

“No, of course not,” Adam said quickly. “Thanks for saving me from myself, sweetie.” He kissed her cheek. He focused on the author, holding out his hand. “Sorry about this.”

The author stopped what he was doing. He saved then exited out of the document. Adam searched through the computer files for a moment then made the author open up a document titled The Winds of Winter.

The document opened after a few moments. ‘Want to pick up where you left off?’ Word asked helpfully, and the author clicked on it. There were a bunch of unfamiliar words and names on the page that showed up.

No sense in me reading this. Barbara decided to look around a famous author’s office. She’d expected him to have a bunch of memorabilia from the TV show, but the furnishings were really quite ordinary. Unsurprisingly, there were a lot of bookshelves filled with books.

There was silence from the author, whose fingers were poised over the keyboard.

“C’mon, Sexy, get writing.” Beetlejuice hovered in mid-air, bobbing slightly. He was also eyeing the author’s office, but he was probably wondering where to put spiders.

“Er, there’s no way I can give him partial control, can I? I can’t write the next book!”

“Not how it works, newb.”

Adam sighed. “Okay. Um, my thoughts definitely won’t be his, but maybe I can make a start. Barbara, you took that course in creative writing in college, right? Do you have any tips?” Adam was an amazing man with many good qualities, but pure creativity wasn’t one of them.

“I can try, but I wasn’t writing award-winning fantasy novels back in college.” Barbara dredged up some memories of the TV show. “Maybe you should make the White Walkers show up! You know, inject some tension.”

“It’s an Arianne Martel chapter.”

Barbara had no idea what that meant. “Um…have a dragon show up?”

“I appreciate the thought, but Arianne is going to treat with Young Griff, and the entire point is that he’s a supposed Targaryen that doesn’t have dragons.”

Beetlejuice spoke up. “Have some brothers and sisters bone. Shove a little smut in there.”

“Not only does that not work in this chapter, I’m also not comfortable with that.”

“Or skip to a Dany chapter,” Barbara suggested. “I just want good things for her. How’s she doing, anyway?”

“Not well.” Adam made the author pull up a Dany chapter. He watched the blinking cursor for a few moments, frowning in thought.

Beetlejuice added, “You could write a bunch of dialogue in what’s basically a white room and see where it takes you. That’s an A-plus writing strategy, right there.”

Adam sighed, rubbing his forehead. After a few more moments of intense concentration, he looked away from the computer screen.

The author shook his head, blinking a few times.

“Maybe just having the document open will prompt him to write?” Adam asked hopefully.

The author closed out of The Winds of Winter and went back to a document called Wild Cards_edits.

Adam’s shoulders slumped.

Beetlejuice hovered closer. “Just casually mentioning that we can take out the phone, snap some pics of these new chapters, and threaten to leak them if he doesn’t write the books.”

“Photos of chapters over his shoulder?” Barbara said. “That’s pretty terrifying.”

The demon chuckled darkly.

“Ah. And that was exactly the point.” Beetlejuice might have changed a lot since his return from the Netherworld, but his love of fear and chaos that wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“No, Beetlejuice,” Adam said. “It wouldn’t work anyway. What kind of writing would you get if someone was bullied into it?”

“Bleh, you’re no fun. Where to next, Sexy? That Rothfuss guy?”

“Let’s just go home.”

“Have to make a quick stop first, but okay.” Beetlejuice grabbed their hands and teleported them away.

They landed in someplace pitch black. Beetlejuice lit a match of neon green fire, revealing a small underground crypt barely large enough for the three of them. Every surface was draped with dust and cobwebs. A half-open coffin showed patchy, stained velvet. If there was a door to this crypt, the match didn’t reveal it.

Beetlejuice tilted his head. “Ahhh, that’s better.” He frowned slightly, as if listening to something. Barbara couldn’t hear anything. “Yep, think it’s still sandworm free! Lemme just recharge for a while.”

“You’ve been here before?” she asked.

“Nah, but I saw drawings from some ghost hunters back in the Netherworld. Ghost hunters can go topside to bring ghosts back, and they need places to rest, too.”

“So, ghost hunters are ghosts who hunt other ghosts?”

“Yeah, and they’re the worst. The Bureau of the Dead won’t let anyone go topside unless they’re a boot-licker. But it was good to know a few of their tricks when I got banished up here.”

Barbara glanced at Adam, who normally would’ve loved Netherworld lore. It wasn’t every day that Beetlejuice opened up about a place that was, in his words, “total Meh-ville.” But Adam wasn’t even listening. The gloomy atmosphere of the crypt fit his gloomy expression perfectly.

“Hey,” Barbara said softly. When Adam turned her way, she squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out the way you wanted it to.”

“I guess art just has to happen at its own pace. You can’t force it. I just feel bad for all the other dead readers who’ll never get to read the end of the series. All they’ll have is the TV show’s ending.” He snorted in disgust.

“Maybe you planted a seed. Who knows? Inspiration is a funny thing.”

“And there’s always fanfic,” Beetlejuice added.

“It’s not the same,” Adam said with a sigh.

“Heh, speaking of fanfic….” Beetlejuice hopped into the coffin. “Oh noooo. There’s only one bed!”

Barbara and Adam stared at him. She had no idea what he was talking about.

Beetlejuice huffed. “Oh, come on. None of you ever read a romance fic? Hell, a romance novel?”

“No,” Adam said.

“Not really my thing,” Barbara added. She was a fan of biographies and autobiographies of famous people, personally. “And, also? Not a bed. It’s a coffin. And sleeping in a coffin is also not my thing.”

“Jesus, so picky.” Beetlejuice snapped his fingers, and the coffin became their bed at home. “Get over here.” He hesitated then said, “Please.” Barbara and Adam had had conversations with him about asking instead of demanding; happily, it looked like those conversations were sticking.

Beetlejuice had just done them a huge favour, and a little cuddling might cheer Adam up. Barbara went to join Beetlejuice, shooting a questioning glance at Adam. He followed them, though he was still brooding.

She and Beetlejuice let Adam slide between them as the three sorted themselves out. (Sometimes, Beetlejuice would throw in extra limbs or a few clones just for the added challenge.) After some scooching and wriggling, Barbara’s cheek rested on Adam’s shoulder as she stroked his chest gently and held his left hand. Beetlejuice had one arm over the two of them and was, for some reason, nibbling on Adam’s hair, which sometimes became kissing the top of his head. After a while, you got used to a certain amount of weirdness.

Gradually, Adam began to relax. First, the tension left his shoulders. Then, he cracked his neck and his jaw untightened. (He’d needed to wear a mouthguard when he slept when he was alive. He was always grinding his teeth.)

“Maybe…” he murmured. “Maybe I could write the ending to the books. It’ll be fanfic, but it’ll be something, at least. I can work on that project while the Deetzes are asleep. I’ve never written fic before, but I could try. It’s not like I need to eat or sleep. And I’ve been looking for a new project ever since I finished the model.” His model of the town had a place of pride in the attic, which the Maitlands had cleaned out and repurposed into an arts and crafts room. They still kept up with their hobbies, but they had fewer now that they were busy rehabilitating Beetlejuice and parenting Lydia.

“I’m sure it’ll be great, hon.” Barbara kissed his cheek. “I’ll help however I can.”

“And I can tell you all about what fic tropes you can put in!” Beetlejuice said. “Or what fic tropes we can do ourselves.” He must’ve been thinking about some sexual ones, for he chortled and squeezed Adam’s butt. “Gotta keep the rating PG-13 for Beetlelands Week, but…you know which ones.” He winked at no one in particular, it seemed. Sometimes, he pretended he had an audience; Barbara and Adam just ignored it.

Beetlejuice moved to nuzzling Adam’s throat. After a few moments, he began patting Barbara’s hair.

Barbara giggled. “Aren’t you supposed to be recharging?”

“It’s called multitasking, baby.” Idly, he commented, “Shit, fluff is hard to end. How do you even end something that by its nature has low stakes and minimal conflict?”

What was he talking about? Barbara shrugged.

Adam thoughtfully said, “Maybe with a kiss?”

“Hah!” Barbara couldn’t help but grin when Beetlejuice laughed like that. This wasn’t an evil cackle or a dark chuckle, but an open, cheerful sound that she’d been hearing more and more since they’d started dating. “Perfect! You’re so ready to be a fic writer, Sexy!”

Beetlejuice kissed Adam on the lips, and the cuddling in a false bed in an underground crypt continued.

Not for the first time, Barbara reflected, My afterlife is so weird.

But it did have its perks.

#beetlelandsweek2020 #beetlejuice the musical #beetlejuice #beetlelands #adam maitland #barbara maitland #adam x barbara x beetlejuice

47 notes · View notes

ensorciels · 3 years

Text

Say Hello to my Little Friend || Self-para

TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of violence, death, fire, bad jokes, burns and burning, biting,

𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄: Azim Patel 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: Petting Zoo, Equinox Fair

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: Azim gets saved by an unlikely pair and an equally unlikely friendship blooms.

Azim had been having a rip roaring good time. Until the Strigoi attacked. Many fair goers mobilized to fight off the Strigoi and protect those who couldn’t fight themselves, but it seemed that Strigoi were having the upper hand. He knew how strong Dhampir were, even Dragons would give a Strigoi a run for their money. Why were they having trouble? No sooner had that thought crossed his mind that Azim was slammed into with such force he was thrown into the petting zoo. The dirt did not make for a soft landing. His groan was met with a pair of loud mocking laughs from a pair of Strigoi. He assumed one of them was the one to hit him.

“Told you I could send him farther than fifteen feet! Pay up!”

That they were so casual, so nonchalant pissed Azim off more than being tackled did. While they were yucking it up at his expense he reached for a coin in his pocket. One he already enchanted with some serious bad luck. “Yeah yeah so hilarious. Who said undead psychopaths didn’t have a sense of humor,” he spoke with sarcasm dripping on every word. With more effort than he cared to admit Azim lifted himself off the ground. Thankfully only having a couple of scrapes. For now.

“A prize for the big man.” Azim said as he tossed the coin at the Strigoi. The bigger one caught it with a confused look. Both of them looked at each other and begun their laughter again.

“I haven’t laughed this hard since Montreal, Chet.” the other, Chet nodded in agreement. “Same, Brett.” His fist clenched. Usually the magic would’ve kicked in by now. Sure luck magic tended to take a little time or it’s effects were too subtle to really notice. However Azim was hoping that Lady Luck would smile on him once more and make this bad luck potent. Nothing happened. Both of the strigoi shrugged and proceeded to stalk towards him. This wasn’t the end. Couldn’t be the end for one Azim Patel.

SNAP. CRASH.

All three of them shot open their eyes as something, or someone let out the most unearthly sound. Az couldn’t help the grin from his face. Luck wouldn’t abandon him. However unlike the explosion of bad luck he was expecting Az watched a chicken flew from the barn towards Chet’s face. The strigoi letting out a surprised sound while the chicken pecked at him. It didn’t last long as he grabbed the bird by it’s feathers and tossed him at Azim. The magician catching the critter before it fell.

“You fucking piece of shit. No one makes a fool of me.” Chet growled. He charged straight him faster than Azim’s eyes could keep up. The chicken let out one little ‘bakaw’ before fire came from it’s beak. Burning Chet alive. While his buddy Brett watched in shock and rage. Once the bird’s fire stopped Az was grabbed by his neck and held against the barn. Wood cracking behind him, some of the splinters being shoved hard against his skin that some penetrated. “Biggest and last mistake you will ever make magician.” Brett knocked the chicken across the petting zoo.

On instinct Az threw a punch at the strigoi’s face, but with a smirk the guy caught his wrist. “I enjoy it when my food willingly bares their skin for me.” Brett opened his mouth that Azim would say was reminiscent of a snake about to strike at it’s food. And he used to love snakes. Yet before the strigoi to could bite his arm another crash came. Even thought Brett made sure the chicken couldn’t help Azim out again the strigoi didn’t bet on their being TWO chickens at this petting zoo. It blasted fire at the strigoi immediately. Catching Azim’s arm in the blast and he howled in pain, kicking himself free he crumpled to the ground as Brett died as his friend did. Chicken fried.

Cool dirt felt wonderful on his burns. Azim almost didn’t want to move. Then again he found himself unable to as two chicken made themselves comfortable on his chest. His vision was coming and going, but he looked up at the two birds anyway. “I’m calling you Bill and you’re Ted. You better work on your cute faces cause we’ll have to convince Desi to let me keep you two.” If he didn’t die here.

Before he passed out from the pain, his vision slowly going dark Azim heard the sounds of howls in the distance and a dark brown wolf hovering over him.

#thread with azim #self para with azim #event para [say hello to my little friend]#death tw #violence tw #burning tw

3 notes · View notes

anistarrose · 4 years

Text

Fear The Reaper A Lot, Actually (TAZ Balance AU)

AO3

Summary: In the aftermath of the catastrophe at the Miller Lab, Kravitz strikes a deal with his bounties. Their crimes against death will be forgiven if they can bring in two specific liches for arrest…

But unfortunately, those liches are named Lup and Barry J. Bluejeans.

Characters: Kravitz, Taako, Barry Bluejeans, Angus McDonald, Magnus Burnsides, Merle Highchurch, Noelle | No-3113, The Raven Queen, misc. BoB cameos

Relationships: Taakitz, Angus McDonald & Taako, Barry Bluejeans & Kravitz

I posted the second of three scenes in this chapter on Tumblr in January, not really expecting to continue it at the time, but it was well-received there, and I realized that I actually have a lot more ideas for this AU than I expected! This fic has been in the works for months, and I’m simultaneously so excited, nervous, and relieved to get it out of my mind and into the world.

That said, there is one other person who’s read this fic before, and that’s @fexiled! They’ve been an awesome (and patient) beta reader, and I’m incredibly grateful to them for all their advice, typo-catching, and encouragement!

***

Kravitz couldn’t even begin to fathom what kind of sinister agenda would possibly bring a lich to a train station, but he’d intercepted Barry J. Bluejeans in stranger places than Rockport. If he was after any other bounty, he’d be worried about the nearby masses of civilians on holiday getting caught in the crossfire, or worse, being used as hostages — but with Barry, he never knew what to worry about.

Barry, for his part, didn’t seem fazed by the prospect of facing down the Grim Reaper in a transportation hub staffed entirely by identical clones of Tom Bodett, and he addressed Kravitz calmly and amiably:

“Ah, there you are. Hope you didn’t have a ticket for the Rockport Limited, ‘cause it left a couple minutes ago.”

“I have a magical sapphire scythe that lets me teleport anywhere on the Material or Astral Planes,” Kravitz replied. “Why would I need train tickets?”

Barry chuckled — nervously? Awkwardly? Without a visible face beneath his hood, he was difficult to read. “I dunno, leisure? In case I got on a train and you wanted to follow me, but legally?”

Kravitz narrowed his eyes. Barry was normally talkative for a lich, but today, he seemed especially affable… not to mention unsurprised by Kravitz’s appearance. “Were you expecting me to follow you here?”

“You’ve followed me stranger places,” Barry reminded him. “Graveyards for dragons, necromancy conventions, the actual moon that isn’t just a secret society’s headquarters… point is, I kinda figured the ticket counter at a train station wouldn’t stop you.”

Kravitz adjusted his grip on his scythe, channelling a spark of the Raven Queen’s power to scan the area for magical traps. There were none.

“I don’t have any tricks this time,” Barry promised him, his hooded void of a face still frustratingly impossible to read. “No sabotage, no moon ogres. I just want to talk.”

A pigeon landed on the ground between them, pecking at a dropped sandwich without any acknowledgement of the two undead entities that could each obliterate it in a second.

“Let’s say I humor you, in the interest of not catching an innocent bird in the crossfire,” Kravitz replied. “What would you want to talk about?”

“I’m realizing this isn’t gonna sound that sincere, but… an apology. And a warning.”

“What world do you come from, where it’s appropriate to follow an apology with a threat? Are you going to, I don’t know, imprison my soul if I don’t forgive you?”

“The world I come from has nothing to do with it.” The lights beneath Barry’s hood flickered erratically, but he kept his composure. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for wasting so much of your time. You could be out there stopping evil necromancers, but I’ve been leading you on a wild goose chase for a decade, and I’m genuinely sorry about that. I’m sorry that I can’t do the things I need to do or save the things I need to save without being undead, and making what I can only assume is a gigantic bureaucratic mess for the Astral Plane.”

Kravitz sighed. “Are you hinting that I should just give up forever on chasing you, because you’re not evil? Do you really expect me to believe that, coming from a lich?”

“Well, I wasn’t counting on it, but that would be nice,” Barry admitted. “The thing is, whether you believe me isn’t going to matter a whole lot in… let’s see, at the rate we’re going, I doubt it’ll take much more than a year. You’re gonna have a bigger problem on your hands — and if you want even a slim chance of surviving it, you and your goddess and every plane in this system will need to be prepared.”

Kravitz eyed a clock on the station wall. “Keep making threats like that, and you’ll have thirty seconds to explain yourself before I end this conversation.”

Barry held up his hands. “Wait, wait, let me clarify — that wasn’t me threatening you! That’s me knowing what’s coming, and not wanting to see it obliterate this entire universe! I — I see, now, how that could get misinterpreted — but I promise, I’m not making this up just to mess with you! You have the ability to warn the Astral Plane, to warn the Raven Queen and by extension all the gods in the Celestial Plane, so that they can prepare for this and stand a fighting chance —”

“Excuse me, gentlemen? Is there anything I can help you with?”

A Tom Bodett approached them, completely unfazed by the lich and the reaper staring each other down of the Rockport Limited boarding platform, and Kravitz couldn’t help but wonder how frequently the humble employees of the train station had to deal with the undead making a scene.

“Stay back, mortal!” he shouted, twirling his scythe and jumping between the Barry and the poor, almost certainly underpaid Tom. “This is an arrest of one of the most dangerous death criminals in Faerun —”

But Barry had already vanished into thin air, leaving behind only the faintest wisp of red smoke, and Kravitz held back a curse.

This always happened one way or another, every damn time Kravitz had encountered Barry in the past decade. Barry had been right about one thing — he’d wasted an astronomical amount of Kravitz’s time over the years.

“Well, I guess that takes care of that,” Tom declared brightly, as if he caused distractions that allowed ultrapowerful death criminals to escape justice every day. “He was making quite a scene — any idea what his deal was?”

Kravitz shook his head. “Just a lich playing mind games. As liches are wont to do, you know.”

At least, I hope that’s all Barry is, he thought with a shiver. But if he wants to give me a reason to believe him, then… well, he can do it from a cell in the Eternal Stockade.

***

“Hey, Reaper Man! I’ve got an idea for you!” Taako called out. Something about the gleam in his eye piqued Kravitz’s curiosity, even though hearing out ideas from death criminals was an objectively unwise idea.

“Do tell, then,” Kravitz replied, and the mischievous smile on Taako’s face expanded into a toothy grin.

“You hunt down a lot of different bounties, right? And Lucas and Maureen and Noelle, they can’t possibly be the worst criminals on your naughty list, can they?”

“Naughty list? What is he, Santa?” Magnus snickered. “I guess it is technically still Candlenights…”

“Today has been a Day with a capital D,” Kravitz warned Taako, “and I’m not in the mood to hear an argument about why I should let them go because morality is relative —”

“Cool your collarbones, Skeletor, I may have come here to get the Philosopher’s Stone, but I’m no philosopher. I was just thinking: what if we tracked down one of your bigger bounties for you? You let some harmless death criminals go, we bring you a really evil one in return, you collect a big old bounty and also get to see my charming face again! Doesn’t that deal sound like a winner?”

“In practice, it just sounds like a good way to get double-crossed — but in theory, it would be quite a bargain, I’ll grant you that.” Kravitz mentally ran through his list of bounties, almost immediately focusing on one particular lich that had vexed him for years. “And I have to admit, I’d love nothing more than seeing you three take a crack at bringing in Barry J. Bluejeans —”

The second Barry’s name was uttered, Taako let out a wheezy laugh like a congested elephant, and Magnus and Merle weren’t far behind, guffawing so heartily that they fogged up the insides of their null suit helmets.

“I laughed at that name once just like you, but when you’ve been hunting him for years to no avail, it won’t seem so funny anymore!” Kravitz warned them. “He’s easily in the top five most dangerous liches in Faerun, not to mention the number one most elusive!”

“Barry’s a LICH?!” Magnus chortled, as Merle doubled over clutching his stomach and Taako rolled around on the floor in hysterics.

“All that time in Phandalin, we were at the mercy of an evil undead overlord and we didn’t even know it!” Taako cackled, evidently not too troubled by the revelation. “Fuck, we’re lucky to even be alive!”

That caught Kravitz off guard. “Wait, you’ve met Barry Bluejeans?”

“And lived to tell the tale!” Merle boasted. “We could totally do it again, by the way!”

“Hang on, Merle,” Noelle interrupted. “Was this what you meant earlier? When you said you were friends with a couple of liches?”

Merle blinked. “When did I say that?”

“Never mind.” Noelle sighed, then turned to Kravitz. “There’s gotta be some mistake. Some kinda identity confusion. The Bluejeans I met in Phandalin, he — he was a good man. He tried to keep us hidden while he fought off that awful dwarf, that dwarf that was setting everything on fire as far as the eye could see. Mister Bluejeans was so reassuring, and so brave — if anything, I’d call him a hero, not some horrible undead monster.”

“That doesn’t really sound like our Barry,” Merle said. “He was kind of an ass. Told me to stab myself with a rusty fork.”

As his bounties squabbled among themselves over the true nature of Barry Bluejeans, Kravitz took the opportunity to pray to the Raven Queen.

Your Majesty, if these criminals think they can really track down such a dangerous lich… would taking their offer be the right choice? Or am I about to be scammed?

The reply was immediate, as if the Raven Queen had already been observing the Miller Lab intently and contemplating the situation for herself. I cannot make this decision for you, Kravitz. But I trust your judgement.

Thank you, milady. Kravitz collected himself, and announced his terms.

“I’ll tell you what. One lich isn’t quite enough to sell me on this deal… but two liches would be, especially if the latter of the two hasn’t been detected in over a decade. If you bring me the both of them in the next two months, everyone involved in this whole Miller debacle goes free — but if you fail, I come to collect all your souls. You still up for this deal?”

Magnus looked like he wants to ask for clarification, but before he could get a word out, Taako casually declared:

“Sure, dude, we’re up for it. Who’s the second lich, other than Barry?”

“Her name is Lup, and she was last sensed in the general vicinity of Wave Echo Cave ten years ago,” Kravitz replied with a smile. “That’s all I know about her, so that’s all the information you get, too. Good luck!”

***

“You’ve got two months to capture a couple of liches? And if you don’t, the Grim Reaper will take your souls?!”

“Shh, not so loud!” Magnus hissed, pressing a finger to Angus’s mouth. “Do you want everyone on the moon to hear?”

Angus glanced around the cafeteria. Exempting him and the three Reclaimers, it was completely empty aside from a few discarded, tattered Candlenights decorations. “Have you at least told the Director about this?”

Magnus smiled sheepishly. “Uh, it never seemed like the right time to bring it up.”

“Carey knew because she was there, but she didn’t seem too keen on being the one to break the news,” Taako elaborated. “Can’t say I blame her.”

Angus sighed. “And your new robot friend, Noelle. Is her soul a part of this bargain, too?”

Magnus nodded. “Yeah. We promised her we’d take care of it, so she’s hanging with the Regulators now —”

“And I bet Lucas Miller isn’t even dead after all, is he?”

“Perceptive as ever, Agnes,” Taako confirmed. “Maureen really did die, though. She went back to the Astral Plane.”

Angus took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, a gesture that made him look far older than ten. “No offense, sirs, but why didn’t just gamble with the Grim Reaper for your souls like normal people? You might’ve actually had a chance at succeeding, that way!”

“Huh,” muttered Magnus. “Good question…”

“Yeah, Taako, why didn’t we just gamble for our souls like normal people?” Merle echoed.

Taako shrugged. “I dunno. I guess I just thought that Kravitz guy sounded pretty okay, like he’d give us a reasonable bargain…”

“Reasonable? He made Magnus chop my damn arm off!”

“Arguing isn't going to get us anywhere, sirs,” Angus spoke up. He hoped he was putting on a calm facade, even though his feet were trembling in his shoes. “Did Kravitz tell you anything about these liches? Names? Locations of recent sightings?”

“Already jotted down all the details for you, my little man,” Taako answered, handing Angus a single sheet of paper. “Didn’t want to forget anything that would help you work your boy detective magic.”

“As if you could ever forget Barry Bluejeans!” Magnus scoffed.

“A lich named Barry Bluejeans? That can’t be right…” Angus took a look at the sheet, titled “Case File” in loopy cursive letters and broken up into two subsections:

Lich #1

Name: Barry Bluejeans

Last seen: The circular glass mistake formerly known as Phandalin, a couple months ago

Weaknesses: Gerblins (unless that was a cunning play so we’d let our guard down), pants that aren’t made of denim, the temptation to party and drink while other people do his job for him

Other information: Used to be Gundren’s bodyguard, and didn’t do a very good job — but who could blame him? That dwarf was an even bigger asshole than he was.

Lich #2

Name: Lup

Last seen: Wave Echo Cave, 10 years ago

Weaknesses: I don’t know, probably holy water or something

Other information: Zilch

Each section was accompanied by an illustration. Barry’s was a cartoonish drawing of a skeleton with jeans, glasses, and a mullet, while Lup’s was simply a series of question marks. At the bottom of the page, Taako had written: Now have at it, Caleb Cleveland Junior!

“…You really have a lot of faith in me, don’t you, sirs?” Angus asked quietly.

Taako shrugged awkwardly, as Magnus replied:

“Well, we know you’re way better at this than us. And you know that’s not exactly a high bar to clear, but you’re obviously our best shot.”

Angus took a deep breath. “Do you remember the reaper’s exact terms? Were there any loopholes we could exploit?”

“Were there?” Magnus mused, tugging at one of his sideburns. “Does anyone remember what he said?”

“Why are you looking at me?” Merle asked, prompting a laugh from Taako.

“Well, in that case…” Angus took a deep breath. “I guess I’ll interview Carey and Noelle to make sure we’re not missing anything, but we shouldn’t count on being able to cheat the deal. Do you think we could book a transport sphere down to Wave Echo Cave tomorrow morning, to go search for leads?”

“Should be no problem,” Taako told him. “Back to our old stomping grounds! I can hardly wait!”

“Reliving our old mistakes! Hooray!” Merle cheered sarcastically, and with that, the Reclaimers all sauntered back to their dorms with easygoing attitudes that Angus could hardly believe.

How are you all so cavalier about dying? he thought. How can you bear to joke about this situation?

And what will I do, if I can’t help you find these liches?

***

Notes:

I really appreciate people commenting on/reblogging this fic, especially for this first chapter! There's absolutely no obligation to do so, of course, but it would mean a lot <3

For what might be the first time in my life, I already have a surplus of chapters written, so the update schedule should remain consistent for at least a month or two (fingers crossed). Since this chapter was on the shorter side and included a scene I posted months ago, I think I’ll post Chapter 2 in a week, then switch to updating every other week from Chapter 3 onwards. (Probably still on Tuesday evenings, plus or minus 24 hours.)

Also, I’d just like to give a shoutout to Angus McDonald for always, always ending up with a bigger role in my fics than I expect when I start writing! But I’m glad he managed to sneak his way into this one, because there’s a bunch more Angus scenes coming up that I can’t imagine this fic without!

#taz #taz balance #taakitz #taako taaco #kravitz taz #barry bluejeans #magnus burnsides #merle highchurch #no-3113 #lup taaco #the raven queen #taz balance spoilers #rosalia writes fic #fic: FTRALA

89 notes · View notes