#and i said father u are a little creature u lied to me this whole time u really did want the shirt

[worldchampionpeccobagnaia]

somebody stop my father from buying toprak merch

#the money my dad has spent on this man…….. #there are toprak fuckers among us and he is one of them #literally this man complained ENDLESSLEY ad Nauseum i tell you abt how ugly topraks champion shirt was and then i bought it for him and he #he loves it #it’s his new fave shirt #and i said father u are a little creature u lied to me this whole time u really did want the shirt #and his excuse is that he now only wants it bc it’s a ‘collectors item’ #ok sir explain your 5 other toprak shirts then #explain why u have been spending ur money on tr 54 shirts hmmmm sir pls explain

[antigoneidk]

u tell nikki bout your pregnancy but u are a bit afraid of her reaction with tom

"I'm pregnant"|t.h.

a/n: thank you so much for your request💜

warnings: none:)

_

It was positive. The pregnancy test in your hands turned out positive. You were a whole mess with so many emotions. First of all your heart couldn't stop beating from all the happiness you felt, that a little baby was growing slowly in your belly, a baby that you and your lovely boyfriend had made. Enthusiasm suddenly kicked in, already anticipating the moment you would hold this small creature in your hands for the first time, the first kiss he would take from you, all of the love you would give him not wanting nothing in return.

You placed the palms of your hands in your stomach and checked out yourself in the mirror in front of you turning to the side, imagining your belly bigger in just a few months. You smiled at your self and let out a breath from your chest.

But what if Tom didn't want the baby? You never talked about this topic, it wasn't in your future plans. He was always sweet to you, loving, caring, respectful, always listening eager to solve every problem on your path. However a baby wasn't the same. Maybe he would leave you all alone not wanting anything related to the baby.

You couldn't think of that scenario. That wasn't him for sure, but you didn't know how he would react to this huge responsibility he had to take just like you.

And besides that, how both of your parents would handle the news? If he would be by your side, it could be a little better and easier, yet it could be difficult with no help at all from your family.

The doorbell stopped all of your thoughts. You wiped some tears that managed to escape from your eyes, hid the test under the sink and made your way to the door with a smile on your lips.

"Hi" you heard your -soon to be- mother in law telling you as her arms hugged your body with warmth.

"Hello" you replied taking a step back and making room for her to step inside before leading her to your living room offering a cup of tea for the both of you.

Moments later the both you were discussing many things, making jokes or talking about your boyfriend's embarrassing stories he wouldn't tell you. And even though you had a really good time with her, your pregnancy you unexpectedly found out hours ago didn't leave your mind for a second, distracting you from the present many times. That didn't go unnoticed by the woman next to you.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing just a little headache" you lied but you knew that you were a pretty bad liar and it showed by the way your eyes were looking down on your feet, your hands intertwined.

"You can tell me y/n"

KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT

"Well, it's something that I-I mean i have no clue how to start" you giggled nervously"Its just that I learnt something today that-woah" you stopped to think for a second. She couldn't be the first one to know, Ton should be although she was looking through your eyes making it hard for you to lie to her or make something up just so you can get away for now.

"Go on talk to me, let your thoughts" she encouraged you.

"I don't know if I should though" your half smile made the situation even more awkward for you.

"Why?"

"I mean-yeah I think that Tom has to first" you shyly glanced at her. "Its something between him and I" you bit your lower lip anxiously but smiled anyway.

"I won't tell anyone. You can trust me and maybe I can help, you can't guys break up after all these years, I'm sure it's a misunderstanding-"

"What?" you interrupted her with lifting your hand at the air in front of the mouth, opening your eyes quick confused. "No no! That the opposite if what I want to tell him." you saw her chest getting back down as her eyes shut for a moment and her lips pushed to one another. "You thought that I wanted to break up with him?"she nodded her head laughing." No way I can leave him, I love him with my whole soul you know that!"

"Then what's wrong my love?"

"I'm scared that he'll run away after- you know. Why is this hard?" you asked yourself with your hands in your head. You were now scared for her reaction, cause you knew that you had to tell her now. You desired to scream with all your powers and let the whole world know that you had Tom's baby inside you, a kid that will have all the live from its mother for sure. But the rest of them?

"Y/n what is wrong with you? Tell me please can't you see that you need help? Come on" her hand touched your shoulder while she came closer to you.

"I'm pregnant" you said without thinking. When you realised it you covered your mouth, eyes wide open focused on the woman to your side looking at you in shock.

"What?" she whispered under her breath, already her eyes filling with tears.

"Please please I understand if you don't want the baby it's okay- I mean- I'm not good at this" you cried out. She stood there still in her seat with out talking but staring at your face. You were terrified that she will be saying words that would hurt you. You were both too young to start a family at this age, a lot of things were waiting for you outside, parties, traveling, wandering. But you always wanted to start a family with him, he was the one you imagined as the father of your children and no one else.

Nikki out of nowhere grabbed you by your shoulders and held you closer to her, rubbing your back and letting her tears ran down. "You just made me the happiest mother in the world" she said to you and kissed your cheeks leaving a lipstick stain having the two of you laugh.

"Really?"

"Of course darling! What did you act like that?"

"I was just scared that you might not want the baby cause of our ages"

"Tom is right you can be dumb sometimes" she squeezed you tighter into her arms and continued. "Why would we want that? We all love you and especially Tom. He would be so excited I know that" she smiled at you again and after a couple of seconds you did too letting your tears as well as her. "And as for me I couldn't be more grateful for this."

"Baby I'm home" you heard his voice from far away. You watched his mother as she let go of you and making her way to her son.

PLEASE DO NOT SAY IT PLEASE DO NOT SAY IT

"My boy" that was the only sentence she said and hugged her son. His arms crossed her body while his laughter came to your ears and you swore you felt something in your belly moving. IT'S TOO EARLY FOR THIS

"Hey mum! Are you okay?" you smiled back at him and enjoyed the view of them hugging at the same time you wondered how he would react to the news that you had no idea how to present to him.

#tomholland #tom holland x #tom holland x y/n #tom holland x you #tom holland x reader #tom holland fluff #tom holland fic #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland imagine #tom holland imagines #tom holland #tom holland au

[antihero-writings]

The Only Fight--Young Ben Solo | Kylo Ren/Star Wars Sequel Trilogy fic (full fic!)

Fic Title: The Only Fight

Fic Synopsis: Waking or sleeping, Ben Solo has been fighting the darkness within him ever since he was a child

Notes:

I’ve been wishing i had more Kylo Ren fics on my dash, please feel free to send me prompts/asks and let me know what sorts of Kylo Ren--especially young Ben Solo-- fics you’d like to see (once I get some time to write)! Or just message me to chat about Kylo Ren, here or on my main blog!! I’ve been looking for more friends in the Reylo fandom!!

Fic:

All Ben knows is that he has to run.

The little boy’s breathing is short, his heart racing, his hair falling about his face. The snow crunches and crumbles beneath his feet, the cold biting into his skin. The darkness threatens to take him into its consuming grasp, hold him tight and never let go.

Maybe he should let it.

He does not know how long he has been running, where he is now, or where he will end up. Nor does he know what he is running from. All there is is the act of running, and the fear that set it in motion.

Fear. Fear heightening his senses, making every stagnant shadow into patient monsters; waiting for him to come to close, come close so they can pick him up, swallow him whole.

He doesn’t wait in return, doesn’t wait to see if they’re real; he assumes they are.

But nothing reaches out with bloody claws, nothing taunts him, or roars in his ears. The only sound in this snowy forest is his own frantic gasps for air—(but he doesn’t feel like he’s breathing)—and that is monstrous enough.

Ben falls to the ground. He tries to crawl, to get back up, but his legs refuse to answer his commands.

The darkness, at last, now that Ben is on the ground, now that he cannot escape, takes on form, and steps before him.

Ben is just a child, he will never win against the hosts of darkness. Never win.

Or at least, his mind repeats it, like some sick prayer; You’re nothing.

The creature—no, the person—‘s face is obscured, whether by a cloak, a mask, or his own blurred perception, is itself another unclarity.

Everything is a little off, a little unclear, like he’s looking through the dusty viewfinder of his uncle’s macrobinoculars. Like he’s making it up as he goes along.

In the dim light Ben can’t tell whether the cloak is brown or black.

There is a whole spectrum between those two colors.

A sound penetrates the shadows, and with it, a light.

The lightsaber gleams in the dark. It is not, however the warm, saving grace of lamplight come to save him from the surrounding black. Rather it gathers its energy from the dark around it, amplifies the shadows, and the terror they provide. It hums, a crackling, red-soaked lullaby. Like an escaped convict of the old world, singing to himself in an empty cave the words to an even emptier old imperial march, telling himself he will be king again.

Red. Black. White. One day, the only colors he’ll see in.

Ben doesn’t even have the strength, or time, to ask Who are you? What are you? What do you want with me?

It doesn’t matter anyways. He knows, he knows exactly why this person has come: they have been hunting him down for a long time, and that lightsaber is about to break his too-fragile heart—the heart he hasn’t had time to harden and protect yet.

The only thing he dares to do is shut his eyes, and catch a breath, hold it in his lungs, try to grasp tight enough it won’t be stolen away.

“Ben,” the shadow taunts with a deep, crackling, familiar, unfamiliar voice, and the figure is so tall …or maybe Ben is just too young…“Oh poor little Ben,” it speaks with mock-pity, “Who will save you now?”

The little boy tries to swallow, tries to think of something to say, his tongue and mind searching for one strand of hope reach out and grab with his words.

He has no weapon of his own. His words are his only sword. So he must choose the strongest ones.

So…what are the strongest words? Defiance? Emotion? Insults? Truths? Lies? Will he fight the shadows with light or darkness?

There is power in silence too, but his tongue will not sit still. So, with a nervous sort of pride he says,

“My father will come. H-He’ll come to save me.”

The figure laughs.

Then, to Ben’s surprise, they power down the saber and crouch down. But he soon finds the reason is because worse than their taunts, worse than the violent promise of the lightsaber, is the feeling of their gloved finger on his chin. Their face is indistinguishable even now, close. And they say, with only a glint of empathy, hidden under six feet of of malice,

“Poor little Ben…all alone in the world.”

He swallows.

Is he? Is he all alone? What if Father isn’t coming? What if Mother isn’t coming? What if Uncle Luke isn’t coming? What if he, and this thing, and these snowy woods are all that is real in the end?

They take their hand away, the mocking tenderness left behind for slander;

“You think Han Solo will come to your rescue? You think that arrogant wretch will be your savior?” he laughed, “I am sorry to say.”—and Ben has been around enough adults to know they wasn’t sorry at all—“He will leave you on your own…everyone will. Han Solo can’t save you.”

The boy’s hands clench into shaky fists. “N-No! NO!” Ben cries out, so lonely, so afraid, so lost.

The figure head tilts ever so slightly. “You’re so sure… why?”

“Because…Because he’s my father—”

“And that’s what father’s do?” they scoff. “Just because he is your father doesn’t mean he’ll always be there. There are some darknesses we must face alone. Best to realize this earlier on…it’ll save you the pain of betrayal later.”

Ben’s expression is set. His small frame can barely contain all the anger running through him.

They tilt Ben’s chin higher, as if appraising him as some fine item for auction. He swallows. “You cling so tightly to the light. Wouldn’t it be easier just to give in?”

“U-Uncle Luke says—”

“Skywalker. I should have known…Did he ever tell you of your grandfather?”

Ben chooses silence this time.

“And what if even he, this perfect hero…isn’t what he seems? What if even he turns against you one day…What would you do!”

“No…NO! Uncle Luke would never do that!”

“Quiet!” The figure barks, looking around wildly, exchanging the gentle touch close to Ben’s face for the lightsaber again—at which Ben cries out in fear, and attempts to scramble away but I cant move!

A voice comes from the trees nearby. “You’re the one who shouldn’t be so chatty.”

The footsteps of the new figure fall between the shivering boy on the ground, and the shadow which hovers above him.

“He’s just a boy. What do you want with him?”

“What use would you have for him? He is just a boy.”

“Use? He’s not a tool, or a toy! He is a person!”

The attacker whirls his lightsaber tauntingly, “He has his grandfather’s blood in him. Someday he could become something great. But not like this; Not sniveling on the ground.”

“He could be something great. He will be. But not led by you. Go. Leave him alone.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Lightsabers draw, splash paint across the night, colors flash, sending shocks through him, and cracks of sound through the air and ground.

Ben looks away.

Thunder and light in the middle of the night, the villain may have fallen, but the child is caught in the middle—between the fire, and the shadows it casts on the wall—

And they die.

And in the moment he dies Ben realizes just how alive he is.

Light from the stars—which they promise he will travel to, someday—pools on the floor of his bedroom, dripping from the window, crawling through the dark to the child.

There is nothing more in the room but cloth and metal; pillows and toys, empty and unliving. The world is silent. But the noise of the dream still fills his head. Tells him, though he knows not what something is in the room with him. Telling him, no mater why, he must feel uneasy, even now that he is safe.

And there is nothing more unsettling than a silent room to a noisy mind.

So, with hyperventilating heart, Ben sits up in the quiet.

He does not, however, rest within the emptiness.

He tries not to shiver.

He fails.

He tries to close his eyes, to shut it all out.

It only makes his mind louder.

There’s nothing here. I’m alone. I’m alone. Comes the first chorus.

I’m so very alone. I’m all alone, just like that thing said, and no one will save me—! Is the refrain.

He tries to tell himself the darkness is not reaching out at him.

He fails.

As he moves to flee from his nightmares.

Something moves on the shelf.

And he runs.

“Mommy! Daddy!” he cries, attempting to knock down the door to their bedroom with feeble hands, but ends up sliding down it, falling to the floor in a heap of tears.

It’s only a moment before light extends its hands in friendly greeting from the bottom of the door. Footsteps, and the door opens to reveal the worried and sleepy face of his mother, brown hair falling about her waist.

“Ben?” she runs a hand over her tired expression, “What’s wrong?”

“I-I was—there was—Momma he was gonna kill me—!“ Ben heaves.

“Oh...You had a nightmare, didn’t you?” Leia kneels down before her son.

Han’s face appears in the doorway beside her.

His mother rubs her hand soothingly along her son’s back, crooning, “It’s alright.” She lifts him up in her arms, then runs her hands through his hair as he cries, “Shh…it’s alright. You’re going to be okay.”

“Yeah, it’s okay, Ben,” Han tries to comfort. She sits on the bed, placing him on her lap. He leans his head onto her chest, continuing to cry, as Han joins them. “It was just a bad dream.”

It takes a moment before Ben is able to whimper through the sobs, looking at his dad through the wind and fire,

“H-He told me y-you wouldn’t be there…he said you couldn’t save me…”

“What?” Han sits down next to him, “Who told you that?” he laughs a little, “Who does he think he is, ‘can’t save you’?” he scoffs, “You think this asshole”—Leia gave him a reproving look—“er, jerk, would be able to take on the fastest pilot in the galaxy? I bet he’d take one look at me and piss his pants. You really think your cunning, genius, incredibly handsome dad can’t save you?”

Leia rolls her eyes. Ben almost smiles.

Han smiles back. “That’s not true, son. That’s just not true. I’ll be there; I’ll always be right here.” He cups his son’s cheek.

“Y-You promise?” Ben asks, sniffling, tear-stained eyes bright and yearning.

“Yeah. Sure. Of course. Of course I promise.”

Ben tries to smile but sorrow is so strong in him—as though it’s trying to penetrate his soul and claim it for its own forever after.

Ben’s mind races, unfinished images falling like rain inside his head. They pool on the dual pathways that lead to Woods of Fear, and the Town called Love, and trickle down into the deepest parts of his soul.

“You’re gonna be okay, sweetheart, you’re gonna be just fine.” Leia smiles, trying to find the antidote the poison of the dream, “When I was little, I used to have all sorts of dreams.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. I used to have these dreams about my mother and father all the time. Some of them were nice, but… there were others that scared me.”

“I didn’t know that.” Han spoke.

“Just be thankful you have a mother and father to run to,” she twisted a strand of hair in around her fingers, “not everyone is so lucky.”

“But you’ll always be there for me, right? You’ll protect me?”

“Of course,” she kissed his head.

But our nightmares never go away. Not really. Not completely. Not when they’re real/from the force)…

They say the war’s over, but, in him, it feels like it’s just beginning.

And it is.

Legacy. It always sounds so hopeful to those leaving it. The promise of a better world. But to a child who is this legacy…it becomes quite the toll on the bridge of life. And Ben had this burden worst of all; An uncle who persisted in the light, whose legacy was stars and starships, and saving the galaxy, who made heroism look so easy. A mother whose legacy was kingdoms, republics, who was a princess, though not one in some tower waiting to be rescued. And a father whose legacy was never giving up, always smuggling something, who never checked twice, and always shot first. And a grandfather whose legacy was empires, and black-strewn halls and masks, and bloodstained names, strong with the force, which attuned his heart to darkest parts of it. The blood of all of them spilled beneath his skin, running a race in his veins, pulling him in different directions. And the name of an old hermit whose legacy was the knights and the chivalry of an old forgotten world. He knows not which voice is the tempter and which is the voice calling him home.

All these conflicting legacies, so much pressure to stay in the light, and one single string of dark, there like a rope rescuing him from a cave he’s fallen into, and the expectation that he’ll live up to them all somehow…What can be left in and of him but war?

Peace is not as simple as it seems. Peace is often harder, because while peace is easy to shatter into war, it’s nearly impossible to pick up the pieces of war and put them back together as peace again. There are always little wars in the cracks. It’s unfortunate that he was born on one of those cracks.

If only he hadn’t grown up. Every child stops idealizing their parents at some point. If only it weren’t those words from the dream that echoed in his head, if only they hadn’t started to sound more and more true, until they were the only thing he believed in.

If only he had realized he didn’t have to choose just one. Just one side, just one legacy. And just part of one. If only he realized that he didn’t have to choose between being the hero, the prince, the rascal, the master, and the lord. That he could be them all at once.

And if only the light hadn’t given in to that single moment of fear, proving everything said in his dreams right.

Maybe he’d still be Ben.

#kylo ren #ben solo #young ben solo #star wars #star wars sequels #star wars sequel trilogy #star wars force awakens #star wars last jedi #force awakens #last jedi #rise of skywalker #han solo #leia organa #princess leia #general organa #star wars fandom #kylo ren fanfiction #kylo ren fic #ben solo fanfiction #ben solo fic #kylo ren fanfic #ben solo fanfic #the last jedi #the force awakens #star wars fanfiction #antihero writings #star wars fic #star wars fanfic #writblr #fanfiction writers on tumblr

[disembowel-me]

Remember how I said I wasn’t going to write any Ramsay/Reek stuff? Well, I lied. 

Nonconsensual toe sucking, talk of rape, humiliation, unsanitary/scent kink, lots of broken Reek inner monologue. Inspired by @gibilynx ‘s absolutely amazing piece and the absurd amount of fanfiction I’ve been reading lately

-

Reek had been instructed to wait in Ramsay’s private chamber, and so wait he did.

He had been there since morning. He hadn’t been given a task besides wait, so he had spent the day dozing on and off as he would in the kennels, but here he was granted the privilege of a bed made of soft carpet furs and a warm fireplace. 

‘Warm’ did not do it justice. It heated Reek thoroughly, down to his core. It was rare that he was allowed to spend this much time in such a luxurious place where he did not belong, especially alone. He did not deserve it, but Ramsay had given it to him anyway. Reek curled up tighter on the floor, half whimpering, half humming to himself. It felt so good. He had such a kind Master. 

The thump of footsteps approached and quickly excitement lept up Reek's throat. He shot up, ignoring the protesting of his body. It could just be a servant, but judging by the steps, it was... 

The door opened with a loud creak and Ramsay Bolton stood in the doorway. He was tall and intimidating, even more so with Reek on the ground. His mere presence was commanding and powerful and Reek couldn’t help but shake before his Lord. The thick cloak clasped around his neck billowed around him as he strode forward. 

“Reek! My sweet Reek. Did you miss me while I was away?” Ramsay reached down with his hand- his strong, meaty hands, so large and powerful compared to Reek- and caressed Reek’s face, giving him a little scritch under the chin. Reek melted into the touch, nuzzling the large hand. They were stained with something dark and dry and a little smudged off onto Reek’s cheek.

“Yes, m’lord,” he murmured into Ramsay’s touch, so grateful for it. It soothed his pain and enveloped him with warmth, kindness, affection. Things he so desperately craved and loved to receive from his Master. “I missed you so.” His voice was quiet and rough from months of misuse and dehydration.

Ramsay hummed approvingly and lingered for a moment longer with his thumb rubbing his pet’s cheek before pulling away and taking long strides toward his reclining furniture in front of the fireplace. Reek followed the comfort of his hand as far as he could but did not dare to grab for it. Never would think of it. No, he knew better than that. He watched Ramsay strip layer after layer of clothing off as he sometimes did after a long day, but he left his pants and boots on. Then, he sat down, and motion for Reek to come closer.

He obeyed, finding his place kneeling at his Master’s feet. His frail knees popped and screamed; all of his joints protested the motion every time, every time he would squat or stand or rise from an uneasy slumber they would buckle and strain and he felt as though they would give out any day now, but they never had. Perhaps it was by the mercy of his Lord, his discipline and love and punishments that held him together in functioning order. He was grateful. He wasn’t sure how he would serve, how he could serve once they finally did give out. What would happen to him when he truly could no longer command his legs to stand on his own?

He didn’t want to think about it.

With his nose close to his Master’s feet, he could smell the forest on his boots. He hadn’t told Reek what he was doing when he had fetched him from the kennels, simply that he wanted him to wait for him in his room. Reek didn’t mind, quite the opposite. Ramsay’s room was warm, so warm compared to the chilly drafts and cold floor of the kennels, and the soft rugs he would lay on were so much easier on his bones. Perhaps Ramsay had gone out for a hunt today? Or spent the day in the dungeons, flaying some poor soul of all his secrets? Maybe he had attended his father with some political matters? That was unlikely, seeing as Ramsay was in a good mood. It didn’t matter either way. He was here now with him.

The scent on his boots was reassuring. Reek liked it. It was deep and mildly musty, the aroma of earth and soft leather and sweet decaying things of the ground gently wafting pleasantly to his nostrils. They were things of the dirt. Like... Like him.

Reek quickly pushed the traitorous thought from his mind. There was no way he could compare in any with his Lord’s boots. He cringed and chided himself internally for thinking it. Sometimes he couldn’t help from finding kinship in his Lord. It was greedy and selfish, but he really, truly, could not help himself. If Ramsay could read his mind, surely he would flay him for being so presumptuous. Reek almost wished he would. Flaying had always fixed bad behavior, as extreme of a measure it was, and it hurt Reek so to debase his Master by daring equate the two of them in any way. It didn’t matter if he was the only one who would ever know, it still was treacherous.

Reek reeked. It was who he was; what he was. His Lord’s boots covered in shit would be the finest perfume compared to Reek’s daily stench. His fingers twitched, but if Ramsay saw any signs of his pet’s inner turmoil, he didn’t show it.

“I’ve had a terribly long day, Reek. Do you know what a lord like me goes through in a day?”

Once upon a time, he had known. A different man had known. But that man was long dead, and Reek’s mind was empty save for what his Lord decided for him. Sometimes Ramsay would drag him along for the day, but it was so rarely Reek could not remember and could not even guess. “I know not, my lord,” he replied.

Ramsay chuckled. “I thought not.” He stared down at his creature for a moment and sucked in a breath as if he was going to rant to it about his day, but then stayed quiet, deciding against it. He let out the breath in a deep sigh. His heavy body sank down into the furniture. “I have been on my feet all day and they ache.”

Reek knew the ache. His whole body ached, all the time. From raw wounds in tender skin to cold pangs that constantly shook through his bones. He could not remember a time he wasn’t in pain. It was as much part of him as his loyalty to Ramsay. “That’s terrible, m’lord. ‘M sorry.” He offered his sympathies earnestly. That his great Lord was in pain… that was unacceptable. “Would you have me do something to help?” His dry throat was quickly degrading his voice to a rasp.

“So sweet, my Reek…” Ramsay mused. “What would you do?”

Reek paused for a moment. No matter how many times Ramsay turned the questions back on him, he struggled every time. Luckily, this question was easy, and a wrong answer here likely wouldn’t provoke Ramsay. “I… could massage them?” He offered, looking to his Master for approval before motioning to grab a booted foot.“

Ramsay almost snickered and nodded. “Go on, then.”

Reek tried to unlace Ramsay’s boots quickly, but they were tied tightly with a large knot that he had to pick at painfully with his constantly trembling fingers. Once the laces were free and Reek pulled the tongue loose, he firmly grabbed the heel and toe of the boot (as firmly as he was able, anyway) and pulled. He set the boot out of the way, reached up his Lord’s pant leg to get at the top of his sock, and had it peeled halfway off before the smell wafted up to his nostrils. Thick and sour, it clung to Reek with every breath. He had to focus on not grimacing. Was this what Ramsay dealt with every time he summoned Reek? His heart both swelled and shrank at the thought. He was a revolting creature, but his Master loved him dearly anyway.

He continued to remove the woolen sock, still damp. From melted snow or Ramsay’s sweat, Reek did not know. He tucked it next to the boot. Then he again reached down to hold his Lord’s foot in his lap between both hands.

“Oh, but… I forgot.”

Both Reek and Ramsay, so far, had been in a good mood tonight. A rare occurrence. But at those four innocent words, terror struck Reek and his body froze up.

Ramsay peered down at his creature, tone condescending and gleeful and cruel all at the same time. “Remind me: how many fingers do you have?”

“...My lord?” Reek blinked in confusion, fear slowly gripping his throat like clawing fingers. “How many…?”

A thick hand smacked the side of his head and grabbed one of Reek’s fragile wrists. “You really are dense, aren’t you?” Ramsay chided and splayed open the mutilated hand. “Look, Reek.”

Look he did. He looked at his ugly, maimed appendage, held up and spread out in the light. He didn’t want to look. He didn’t want to see the painfully thin fingers, disgusting grey and calloused skin stretched over bone and bulging joints. He didn’t want to see the stumps, leftovers of what used to be. He didn’t want to, but Ramsay said to, so he looked.

Ramsay’s eyes looked so cold. “One…” He tapped Reek’s pinky. “Two…” He tapped Reek’s middle finger. Tears pricked Reek’s eyes as he realized what Ramsay was doing. Shame flooded him at his foolishness. “Three!” Ramsay tapped his thumb. “You have three fingers on this hand, Reek. How do you expect to massage a foot effectively with three fingers?”

Reek quickly diverted his gaze to the floor. If shame were a tangible thing, it would be fuming from his ears. His voice was low now, and even more quiet. He wasn’t sure Ramsay could even hear him. “Wh… What would you have me do instead, m’lord?”

A wicked grin split Ramsay’s thick lips. “Put them in your mouth.”

Reek very nearly dropped the foot in his grip. “M- M’lord?” He stammered. Surely... his Lord Ramsay Bolton wasn’t serious. Surely it was a jest. But while those icy grey eyes were smiling when Reek looked upon his dear Master’s face, it was clear he was not joking.

“You can’t very well use your useless fingers. So use your mouth. It still works, does it not?”

A hot flush of embarrassment colored Reek’s ashen skin pink. If there was any trace left of the man he used to be, it came out when Ramsay would use his mouth. He would not fight, had not fought Ramsay in a long time, but he would still weep as dignity he didn’t realize he had was torn from him.

It did not happen often. Ramsay had many far prettier, better smelling whores to fuck, but ‘none cry as pitifully as you,’ Ramsay had once said to him. It was true- Reek would whine and sob and cry and cry until he could not see or breath and snot and tears and drool all mixed together to flow down his lips along Ramsay’s cock. His jaw and throat would ache and the cloying taste of his seed would stick to the roof of Reek’s mouth for days until he was given food to replace it. 

It was horrifically shameful, and Reek tried not to think about it as he lifted the foot of his Master to his mouth. Staring down his nose at it, it smelled even stronger now. His toes were just like the rest of him: long and large and pudgy, hair growing thickly on the knuckles. The skin on the bottom was wrinkled from stewing all day in his sweat. That... was going in his mouth. Ramsay really wanted him to... Was making him...

Slowly, he drew in his face closer until his lips were almost touching them. He could taste the stink in the back of his throat. Reek tried not to wrinkle his nose too hard in disgust. It wasn’t the worst thing he’d had in his mouth, far from it. Why was he having such a hard time?

“What is it, Reek? Why do you hesitate?” Ramsay had his eyebrows cocked. “Do you not appreciate your filthy paws being allowed to touch me?”

No, he tried to say, but it was like his lips were stuck shut. I am grateful.

“Or...” Ramsay’s tone darkened. “Is it that you think you’re too good for this?” He began to lean forward.

“N-no!” Reek managed to stammer out, dread filling him at the mere idea.  “No, m’lord! Never! I-”

He- what? What was he going to say? What should he say? He reeled for words but his mind was blank, a jumbled mess of thoughts that made no sense. Stupid Reek. Dimwitted Reek. That’s what Ramsay would say. With every passing moment, fear seized Reek further. Tongue-tied. It wasn’t often he couldn’t find words to speak; usually, he was able to manage even the simplest of replies. Even the dumbest dogs could bark. But now, all Reek could do was stare mouth agape.

Mouth...

With little more thought, Reek hastily shoved two of Ramsay’s toes into his open mouth. Ramsay laughed and sunk back down to a reclining position.

A few seconds passed in silence before Ramsay prompted him to continue. “Well? Are you going to just hold them there?”

Reek made some sort of humiliated sound, high-pitched and curt, and first moved his tongue. Mindful of his broken teeth’s sharp edges, he moved position to better lick the whorls and water wrinkles on the bottom of Ramsay’s toe. He had cut himself on his teeth before- he had also cut his Lord Ramsay on his teeth before. That was not a mistake either of them wanted him to repeat.

Strangely, the taste wasn’t as bad as the smell, which Reek was grateful for. In some aspects, it wasn’t unlike having a finger in his mouth. The mild salty taste was… similar, if not fouler, more pronounced. In other aspects, it was wildly different. Hair did not grow quite like that on fingers, and fingers weren’t shaped like that, not at all. The fat, short appendages felt so strange in the soft, sensitive tissues of his mouth.

An awful thought crept up in Reek’s mind. If he were to suck on one of his finger nubs, would he be able to tell the difference from a toe?

...If Ramsay took all his fingers, would he be rendered a four-legged creature?

He didn’t entertain the thought long enough to contemplate the answer. Instead, he shoved it back far, far into the depths of his mind and replaced it by moving his lips and, with an obscene slurp, he sucked on the two toes in his mouth. The space between them prevented any significant suction from forming and Reek continued to drool, slurping and sucking it noisily back up the best he could. 

This seemed to please Ramsay greatly. “Gooood dog,” he cooed. “Good Reek. So eager to please your master, are you?”

Reek whimpered and nodded in agreement. Yes. By the gods, how he despaired at the thought of was he was doing and he wasn’t sure how much hotter his body could get without bursting into flames, but yes. He still wanted to please. As long as Ramsay was happy…

“Open your eyes and look at me.”

Reek whimpered again. He hadn't even realized they were closed, didn't know for how long. Would Ramsay beat him for that later? He hoped not. The thought made him quiver and shake and he had to force it out of his head if he hoped to keep functioning. Instead, he focused on his Master's face, dark hair and pale eyes. Ramsay was smiling, amused it seemed, but Reek kept his gaze low and submissive.

“Lick the top, Reek.” When Reek gave the slope of Ramsay's foot a tentative lick, he was quick to correct him. “No, more than that! Use your whole tongue. None of that ‘just the tip’ nonsense.” Reek whined quietly and tried again, laving the bulk of his tongue over the skin, and again when that wasn't enough, grunting and straining to push out enough of his tongue to satisfy Ramsay. “Now, those two toes right there.”

Reek made a sound high in his throat and moved to suck Ramsay’s little toes. He realized he was gasping; he noticed large globs of saliva were covering the ones previously in his mouth and was dripping onto the floor. A fresh wave of indignity washed over him. What was he doing this for again? To... to massage his Lord’s feet? Was that what this was?

He almost wished Ramsay would fuck his mouth instead. 

#asoiaf #thramsay #ramsay/reek #ramsay bolton #reek asoiaf #theon greyjoy #when i say an absurd amount of fanfic i mean it #i havent been able to stop thinking about them #its BAD #i dont know why im on such a feet kick #(HA get it) #maybe its the spring fever #makes me weak for feet #feet / #my writing

[hollow-sortilege-blog]

               ☆ﾟ*・ﾟWoah is that NATHAN MEYER ? I’ve heard they’re a witch ( Dark ) originally from North Carolina. They came here because of the death of their father and they’ve been here for one year. As a 24 year-old, I’m sure they’re skilled. Someone told me they’re disinterested and scrutinizing but I think they’re calm and adaptive. I can’t help but think of wispy cigarette smoke, photos faded at the edges and half burnt letters never sent when I look at them.

                            [Intro] [Wanted Connections] [Blackwater Coven]

[History]

Childhood was chaos for Nathan. The first years of it were spent tucked away within the confines of his mother’s coven; a strange mix of hedge witches and those who practiced far bloodier dark arts in the shadowy cover of the deep Appalachian mountains. There eeriness of the place, of the people, was something that ingrained itself into Nathan himself, his eccentric nature is grounded in the oddity of the world he was born into. And within it his mother and father were always at war with each other, he really has no idea how they managed to accomplish having three children before his mother disappeared entirely from his life and took his younger sister with her. Truthfully he was raised more by his grandmother, a strange old woman with an uneasy amount of secrets and conviction that Nathan was certainly more like his mother than the rest of the Meyers’ brood.

Shortly after his mother left the family his father also decided he wanted nothing more to do with the coven as he had always been an outsider to it for marrying into the family. A witch whose power was cultivated in turning luck in his favor he settled himself and the boys on the west coast. It was a good fit for him and Nathan’s older brother, the family certainly found fortune there through gambling. Life became excess, wanting for nothing, and while they thrived, somehow, Nathan didn’t. His disinterest remained, gradually become a sort of venom between himself and his father until he was constantly earning the vicious reprimand and anger of the man. Nothing felt right to him, or real, not the world he’d left behind nor the one he had come to live in where magic was hidden away and life revolved around status he found incredibly bland.

The life of a rich socialite had some benefits, true, but nothing that ever lasted out long in stirring Nathan’s interest. With his father’s temper growing shorter as the years passed harsh words became the norm and he distanced himself more and more. With his older brother already absent much of the time in chasing his own vices there was no more buffer from the battlefield that was home. Nathan kept himself entertained with his camera, the only real grounding point in his life, with distraction and ghosted in around expectations until the day his father fell ill. As life became an endless blur of medical terms and treatments that always fell short of working Nathan skirted the edges while the best doctors and nurses could buy failed. It was a perplexing thing to witness, the man who had been the childhood monster in his own life wasting away. Something about it felt almost like vindication. His efforts to care for the man were an endless round of accusations, it seemed the bad blood was meant to carry until the very end and finally Nathan simply left, unable to stomach being there anymore.  

His early twenties found Nathan wandering, gravitating back towards the hills and the secrets held there. His grandmother welcomed him back warmly and even if he didn’t feel as though he belonged in that place anymore it was a needed escape. Her lessons were perplexing, at times seemingly nonsensical, but there was a truth to them that dug under his skin. Magic, she insisted, was a great deal of intention and power came from places that were not always sound. Some of the secrets she told him were straight out of a nightmare, unfair and chilly.

Nathan still isn’t sure if his own hatred of his father was partly to blame for the illness that slowly killed the man, surely it couldn’t have been. But that was something of a turning point for him with the news that he had finally died, the funeral, the wall that had come between himself and his brother over his absence in the final months of their father’s illness, so much had dissolved around him.

When he left that time it was with no intention of coming back, the nagging knowledge shared by his grandmother tormenting him and lost in the idea that maybe he would find what he needed.

Headcanons

[Personal]

Nathan is a creature of vices, he practically has an ever-changing list of them. Some of the constants tend to be his terrible habit of chain smoking, his interest in bad horror movies and watching them all night rather than sleeping, spending more time with his camera than he does actual people, and collecting the sort of oddities that most people consider macabre or bizarre. He is entirely unaffected by how other people view his habits, unless they purposely push his buttons. In those cases it’s entirely fair game to purposely make them uncomfortable in his presence.

He has absolutely no desire to live on campus but since he has no choice in the matter, and he certainly did try to bribe the staff to let him live alone, he has attempted to make the best of sharing his space with other people. Which of course means he tends to keep to his own room, he’s not exactly unfriendly, just solitary by nature and it’s still a habit.

Don’t touch his camera, he gets a little moody when it comes to that. It’s an old, fickle beast and deserves a certain amount of respect, obviously. Along the same lines his roommates, assuming they ever venture past his bedroom door, will get something thrown at them if they try to mess with any of the literal dozens of photos that amass on his walls. Again, that’s a very personal matter.

While it really didn’t endear him to his father with the news, Nathan came out as gay in his latter teens. Needless to say he spent most of his formative years sexually testing the waters under the glow of the city lights well outside the scrutiny of people who knew him otherwise. His scattering of relationships reads fairly typical, breakups and shattered attempts mostly due to his own lack of desire to  

He really isn’t the looming (seriously, he’s 6′4″), unsettling presence that seems to be most peoples’ first impression. Usually because he spends a great deal of time studying people around him more than directly interacting with them; it doesn’t mean he lacks any desire to be around people though. Actually, quite the opposite in that Nathan wants connections with others to help him stay grounded, but he’s never really had much in the way of healthy interactions with people aside from his brother and grandmother most of his life.

Generally he’s fairly even natured about most things, nearly to the point of being disconnected. His morality isn’t cut and dry, he views good and evil as purely circumstantial rather than anything set just the same as he thinks the idea that any one person is truly one or the other as ridiculous.

[Magic]

Nathan didn’t attend college to decipher what his magic is and where that power lies, he’s well aware of it and knows its’ rooted in decay and ruin. He enrolled to gain a better grasp of magic outside his own, hunting for the means to both control his unpredictable power and undo some of the bindings to old spells that were placed in his childhood. Said magic works on both organic and inorganic materials but he doesn’t test it much if avoidable; decay is a vicious and unforgiving element by design and as much as he knows how powerful it could make him the idea of the effects of those spells is a bit unnerving.

The coven he was born into, Blackwater, was one with very old traditions and rites, some of which would be very questionable by the standards of most witches. Obviously not information he shares with others because of this fact. Nathan was educated, to a degree, by his grandmother who was somewhat of an elder leader within the coven. When he returned there later in his twenties he discovered the reason why she stepped in to teach him.

There are two specific rites within the coven that Nathan was part of early in his life without being aware of until he discovered later one;

Binding Power Rite

Within the Blackwater coven power is something that is widely believed to be connected to intent and the life of a witch themselves. So any very promising children, or specifically ones who also were subject to Blood Binding rites, are linked to their own magic on a deeper level than many witches. It grants them an early and stronger connection to the well of power but at a trade of sorts. The same magic requires a sacrifice, one of the witch themselves. Their lives are shorter than expected, their own magic taking more than the usual burden in use and the expectation is that eventually the magic will drive the witch to either pass the rite one to their next generation or suffer it driving them to the point of destroying themselves.

Nathan’s magic, very much like his mother’s power, will likely cause his sanity to decay with time. He is aware of this, it is a nagging fear in the back of his thoughts after seeing the wild changes and strange actions of his mother growing up and knowing the woman likely was nearly lost of madness by the time his younger sister was born. He’s hopeful that learning more about magic as a whole will give him the key to avoid that fate himself.

Blood Binding Rite

One of the darker rites of the coven involves the burden of an old trade for magic being passed onward. It is a rite that involves the children of a witch, specifically one who they choose to carry that connection to the coven’s initial pace for magic from darker arcane forces. Nathan’s mother was already suffering some of the madness of her own magic by the time she gave birth to him and picked him for the rite. It was a point of argument between his parents, and ultimately part of the reason his father always kept him at a distance, but a necessity of sorts. The only known way to keep a witch from an elder line within the coven from being slowly devoured by their own magic, the burden is passed onward to the child then to carry. In turn the expectation is that the child will grow to be one of the more valued members of the coven, held in high regard, and one day continue the rite with children of their own blood.

Being fully aware of the rite and having no intention of doing the same, Nathan knows it only furthers his chances of losing his sanity but he cannot see himself having children. It was a bitter discovery to make, something that outside of his control, but one he can do little about.

#elysium:intro #nathan [intro] #abuse tw #mental illness tw #death tw #neglect tw #smoking tw

[nikky-the-writer]

The verdict

Son of Ragnar x Reader

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

Masterlist

Summary: AU

Reader is a Goddess and one of Odins best warriors, but when something bad happens, she is forced to run away.

Warning: blood, cursing

You could feel it, you didn’t belong in the place where you were now. Not even opening your eyes you knew that you were still trapped in the place which took a lot from you. It wasn’t your first time on Midgard, but you swore to your late mother that it was the last time, but now you were there again. Practically banished from your home. You knew that you had to open your eyes at one point. Trying to convince yourself that it was all an illusion was too foolish for you to even think about it. Tracing the wound on your head with the tip of your index finger you knew that somebody took you. Somebody helped you, but the main question on your mind wasn’t who, but why. Why would anyone do that for a complete stranger? Not feeling your necklace you realized, probably somebody who wanted something from you.

Opening your eyes you were met with a dime light of a small wooden home. Getting up you winced in pain. ˝You should rest.˝ Looking at the source of the voice you were met with a woman. Her dirty blond hair reached to her hips slightly decorated with flowers. ˝Where is it?˝ You whispered through your teeth trying to sustain the pain. ˝What?˝ ˝My necklace!˝ She stepped back as you yelled. ˝Calm down, it’s here somewhere. He put it….˝ She was going through your clothes that were placed on the table, but it seemed that she couldn’t find it. ˝Who? Who brought me here?˝ ˝Floki˝, she said loud enough for you to hear still searching. ˝Floki...Where is he?˝ ˝On the pier, outside.˝ She pointed with her hand towards the door. Walking past her you silently cursed as the rough fabric was scraping your skin. You didn’t remember to ask her for her name not sure if you had already met her. She did seem nice, but that compelled you the last time, you spent half of your life regretting that. Stepping outside you were met with fresh air. Breathing deeply you relaxed smelling the nature. You could even taste the salt in the air as you were getting closer to the man on the pier. You could hear his whispers like he was praying so you decided to speak up. ˝You should know that they don’t listen.˝ ˝What?˝ ˝They do not listen for your requests, Gods only search for compliments.˝ As he stood up you noticed that he was holding your stone in his hand. ˝I wasn’t requesting anything. I was being grateful.˝ He moved closer to you. The skin around his eyes was black, it remained you of the dried blood after a battle. ˝Why am I here?˝ ˝You know why.˝ He said pointing a finger at you smiling. ˝No, I don’t.˝ You didn’t know what he knew so you tried to be cautious. ˝You do. Before you passed out you saw me Y/N. You said my name.˝ He sat down on the wood placed by the little cabin and you followed doing the same. ˝I am grateful to the Gods because they brought you back.  They brought you back to u..to me.˝ He caught himself almost forgetting about the faith of his friend. ˝Ragnar is...˝ ˝I know.˝ You cut him off, not wanting to hear those words, it was enough for you to see it. ˝Don’t get me wrong….˝ He licked his bottom lip turning to face you. ˝...I...I couldn’t be happier but how can you look the same? How can you be here?˝ ˝It’s complicated.˝ ˝Is it really? Is it as complicated as the reason because of which you just disappeared? I’m ashamed to admit, but he was the one who held onto you longer than I did. You were our friend. He searched for you for so long, but the winters were passing by and he was losing hope. How could you do that to him, to us?˝ It surprised you that the whole time he was talking he didn’t let his emotions to be seen on his face. Although, you didn't miss the anger in his eyes,  mostly regret and you didn’t know about what exactly. ˝You wouldn’t believe, no matter how strong your faith is.˝ ˝But I do, I believe in who you are. I know, I just know. You are his daughter. Tell me am I wrong. You are a Goddess˝ You stayed silent and that was his answer. The smile returned to his face with enthusiasm. ˝ Ragnar thought that I was crazy. He couldn’t understand it, but I could feel it, I just knew it.˝ ˝But how did you know?˝ ˝Just as yesterday before I saw you there was light. Light that only Gods can create.˝ As you were staring at him, at the flame in his eyes the guilt started to consume you and your heart was betraying you. Once he was your friend, just as Ragnar, but you lied to them just as you blamed them for what happened in your absence from Asgard. You were at Midgard when you should’ve been home and everything that happened on Asgard during that time made you resentful towards every living creature on Midgard. ˝He was killed because of me˝ The smile on Floki’s face disappeared instantly. He knew about whom you were talking about and that’s why he got up creating distance between you. A Million thoughts went through his head as he heard you saying those words. He couldn’t understand if you were confessing to him that you were a traitor or that he died for you. Because just as he found you, maybe Ragnar also did, he was gone for so many years. ˝You pray to Odin, to the all mighty father. To the one that controls everything. The thing is he doesn’t just control everything, he controls everyone. Your every victory, every death, every birth. Just as he destroyed Ragnar. He favored him for a while. He made sure that he would come to the top sending his own warriors to him, just as he send me then. But he wasn’t with him at the end. I couldn’t let Ragnar kill himself or to just die as no one. When the time came, he could already see the golden gates before him, but I closed them.˝ ˝You didn’t let him to Valhalla...˝ He murmured in disbelief. ˝He dishonored himself and his family, he didn't deserve to be there, so I fixed it. He died with a meaning and now he feasts with my friends and my mother.˝ ˝Why do you resent Odin? ˝ ˝Do you know what is associated with me as a Goddess?˝ ˝Of course...˝ He played with the stone putting it in the air catching the rays of the sun. ˝….death and magic are not strangers to you.˝ You could hear bitterns in his voice as he mentioned death, probably because of the death of his daughter. ˝But I cannot bring the dead back to life as much as I would like to. I can’t do it.˝ Placing your hand in his he looked in your eyes. ˝Ragnar told me about your daughter….Angrboda….˝ You whispered not wanting to bring him pain, but he had to know. ˝I didn’t took her. I do not choose which Midgardian will die. I can kill them, but I don’t. I do not play games, I’m a warrior not a bystander. I kill with my hands, with my sword.˝ ˝That doesn't change what happened.˝ ˝No, it doesn’t Floki, but you have to embrace it. She is safe now, far from the harm, just as Ragnar.˝ ˝I hope.˝ His voice was silent. He seemed different than before. Seeing that he was still thinking about his daughter you tried to move his thoughts on the other subject. ˝That woman inside is she the one who I think she is?˝ ˝Helga.˝ ˝I don’t believe you. You were so entranced by her, I’m happy that you made it work.˝ ˝She is responsible for that.˝ He smiled lightly which brought a smile on your face. ˝You know that Ragnar has sons. You were really close to him maybe...˝ ˝What?!˝ You didn’t even realize that your voice was higher than before. ˝What?˝ He looked confused and seeing your confusion made him even more confused so he decided to finish saying: ˝You could find some comfort inside them. They are ….well some of them are at least slightly like him. If you merge all of their personalities together I think that you would find Ragnar’s.˝ ˝Is his eldest son at least the half of the king that Ragnar was before he left?˝ ˝All of his sons are princes.˝ ˝So his wife is a queen, then?˝ You asked curiously because to be honest after you took Ragnar with you even before that, you decided not to look at Midgard anymore. So whenever you would go to see Heimdall you would be conflicted, wanting to know what was happening, but also trying to let go. ˝She is dead.˝ ˝Alright, if his sons are still princes, who is on the throne. If there are no volunteers I could do it. I could take a break from being a warrior because at the moment I’m not ready to fight.˝ ˝So what, you would be a queen for a week?˝ Floki asked not able to control his giggles. ˝A week? No, you old man. I need just a few days and I will be like new. I didn’t say that I would be a queen for a long time, I’m just curious, I have never really sat on the throne. I had a chance, but I never took it. My father told me once when you taste that kind of power you are never able to let it go. You would always be hungry for more and that’s why I never did it. I never put myself in the place to want something because then nobody can manipulate you.˝ You smiled sadly and Floki noticed. ˝What happened to you?˝ ˝When you think that you have nothing to lose you actually have, you are not even aware of it. I thought that if I never craved for something, there won’t be anything that I’ll need, but I was wrong. I had a lot to lose. I lost my mother and then my father was taken from me, I thought after everything at least I have loyalty left and I was wrong. I’m here because I’m wanted dead. First time in my life I have nothing.˝ ˝You have me, you have Helga and you could always have Ragnar’s sons beside you if you chose that.˝ Floki put a hand around your shoulders and you two stayed like that until the sun started to decent on the horizon. He was right that you had him, but you were conflicted because you didn’t want to stay on Midgard, on the place where everyone is Odin’s pawn with the exception of few.

˝Are you sure about this?˝ You asked for a thousand time as you were handed one of Helga’s dresses. ˝Yeah, you should meet them and see how Kattegat changed.˝ Floki was persistent. You said that you would like to know what kind of men has Ragnar’s sons grown up. After you declined his offer of telling you exactly who they were, Floki said that you should go to the Great hall. He explained to you that there will be a feast and you didn’t know what to say. You were fearless, but you hated crowds of people that you didn’t know. On Asgard, you felt most comfortable with those among who you fought. You could be manipulative like your father, but you never were because you refused to pretend that you were someone that you weren’t and your father told you that one day that will get you killed.

A/N: Thank you for reading!! Tell me if you want to be added or removed from the tag list

Tag list:

@skeletoresinthebasement, @zadyalyss, @alphabet-baby, @som3thingcr3ative, @sweetvengeancee, @no-fate-but-what-we-make, @asenseofadventure, @human-dorito, @ally22042000, @haukrhjarta, @irishhiggins, @tinymoonshine, @alwaysandforeverfangirl,

@seremedyxiii, @radi0active-thoughts, @ballerinafairyprincess, @titty-teetee, @unicorntrooper, @fuckthatfeeling,  @the-greatest-1919, @evieatepies,

@shield-maiden-from-outer-space, @alexa040004

@anarchy-is-coming

#ivar x reader #vikings floki #helga vikings #ivar the boneless #ivar ragnarsson #ivar imagine #ivar the boneless imagine #hvitserk imagine #hvitserk x reader #vikings #vikings imagine #vikings x reader #vikings au

[starwrite-er]

El Libro De La Vida [Prologue] - Poe Dameron x Reader (x Kylo Ren)

Request: The book of life au where poe is manolo and kylo is joaquin. Reader of course is maria and bb8 can be chuy. Someone please write this.

A/N: that wasn’t really a request but somebody on anon sent it to @fandom-writes asking for someone to write it so here it is lmao anyway if u haven’t seen The Book Of Life then I 100% recommend it go watch it now it’s on netflix. uhhh endgame relationship here is pretty obvious if u’ve seen the movie. Obvs various character roles and stuff have been altered for the Purpose™ of this fic. ALSO THIS WAS JUST GONNA BE A FUN LITTLE THING BUT AHAH??? WHOOPS???? IT GOT IN DEPTH™

Tags: @fandom-writes @the-new-fanfic-order @disapearing-act @badwolfandtimelords @xxassbuttsophiaxx @ladyaphmeow @memyselfandwifi

A More Important Note: Of course, Día De Los Muertos is a very important holiday, and if I have said anything at all in this story that could in anyway insult or offend anyone or the original story, please tell me so I can make necessary changes.

 “This is the Book of Life.”

 "All the world is made of stories, and all of those stories are right here.“

 "Long ago, in the center of Mexico, was the quaint little town of San Angel.”

 "And naturally, directly below it lay the Land of the Remembered, a festive and magic place for those who lived on in the memories of their loved ones!“

 "And below that lies the Land of the Forgotten. The sad and lonely destination for those poor souls who are no longer remembered.”

 "But, before I can properly begin this story, you must meet the magical rulers of these two realms.“

 "That is La Muerta. She is made out of sweet sugar candy. She loves all mankind, and believes their hearts are pure and true.”

 "And that is Xibalba. That charming rascal thinks mankind is not so pure, just like him. He’s made out of tar and everything icky in the whole world.“

 "And that is the Candlemaker. He keeps everything in balance. He is made out of wax and has a beard full of clouds.”

 "See all these wooden figures here? They represent real people in our story, just like you and me.“

 "And so our story begins, on the day that the people of Mexico call the Day of the Dead, and on this particular Day of the Dead, after centuries of being banished, Xibalba had had enough.”

 Perched on the rooftops, Xibalba and La Muerta watch as the people of San Angel celebrate the Day of the Dead, spying for the subjects of their newest wager after Xibalba had made the mistake of complaining about the land he rules.

 "Ah, look there, my love. A classic mortal dilemma,“ The dark creature known as Xibalba points to three children. "Two boys. Best friends, no less.”

 "Oh, in love with the same girl.“ The beautiful La Muerta finishes, catching sight of a young soldier, a young guitarist, and a young maiden.

 "I believe we have our wager. Which boy will marry her?” Xibalba decides, his choice already in mind.

 "Very well. We will each choose one of those boys as our champion.“ La Muerta continues. Floating down from the rooftops, the pair transform into more unsuspecting figures.

 "Well, let’s go wish them luck.” Xibalba says, disguised as an old man, taking the arm of La Muerta, disguised as an old woman covered by a shawl.

 As the children subjected to this wager part ways to find the grave of their ancestors, the two rulers of this festive day also part ways, seeking out their champion.

 "Kind people, may I please have a bit of your bread? I am so hungry.“ La Muerta hobbles over to the grave of Shara Bey. Gathered around is the Dameron family, a family of well known bullfighters, though the heart of the youngest can be found elsewhere. The family take notice of the old woman, Kes watching his son waste no time in aiding the woman.

 "I’m sure Mama would want you to have it,” The young Poe Dameron says, smiling kindly at the woman as he offers her a loaf of bread. The boy, La Muerta’s chosen champion, turns to his father. “Right, Papa?” Kes Dameron smiles and nods, reassuring the boy.

 "Thank you, my dear. In return, you have my blessing,“ The disguised ruler of the Land of the Remembered tells the young Poe, her words holding more weight than one might know. "May your heart be always pure and courageous.”

 "What do we say, Poe?“ Kes prompts his son.

 "Thank you, señora. Thank you.” The sweet boy says. Distanced from the grave of the late Shara Bey stands the young Ben Solo, watching his friend.

 "Oh, Poe. Always giving stuff away for free,“ He says, shaking his head before turning to the extravagant grave he honours. This boy does not have the same humility that his best friend does. "Right, Grandfather?”

 A dark laugh echoes through the walls of the tomb, alerting the young Ben Solo of an intruder. Though his morals may be questionable, his desire to prove himself pushes him forth into the darkness, leaving him at the mercy of whoever lurks there. A child, after all, cannot defend themselves when armed only with a wooden sword.

 "Young sir, may I please have some of your bread? I’m so hungry.“ An old man comes forth from the shadows, causing Ben to stumble backwards in surprise and fear. This man is Xibalba, approaching with the same request as his love. Ben Solo, however, quickly regains his composure, and with it comes the sense of entitlement.

 "This bread is for my grandfather,” He says, mocking the old man as he stabs a loaf with his fake sword, taking a bite. “And it’s delicious.”

 "Well, perhaps you would consider a trade?“ Xibalba offers despite knowing that cheating like this would enrage La Muerta. Oh well. He’ll do whatever it takes for his chosen champion to win. The ruler of the Land of the Forgotten reveals a medal, glowing faintly with an eerie, green magic. Ben Solo, however, is unimpressed, having seen something such as that many times before. "This is no ordinary medal, my boy. As long as you wear it, you cannot be hurt, and it will give you immeasurable courage. But, keep it hidden. There is a bandit king that will stop at nothing to get it back.” Ben’s greed and desire drives him to snatch the medal from the man’s hands, tossing him the half eaten loaf of bread in return.

 Ben gasps in recognition at the mention of a bandit king, but when he turns to face the man again, he has vanished, leaving nothing but a sinister laugh lost in the wind.

 Returning to the rooftop of the tall tower, Xibalba joins the waiting La Muerta, believing that his deviousness has ensured him his victory.

 "So, if my boy marries the girl, I will finally rule the Land of the Remembered.“ Xibalba finalises his terms, returned to his unearthly form.

 "And if my boy marries the girl, you will…” La Muerta pauses, stroking her love’s cheek and smiling as sweetly as the sugar she’s made of. But this ethereal woman has not forgotten the past, and she pulls harshly on Xibalba’s beard, her glare made of daggers. “You will stop interfering with the affairs of man!”

 Though Xibalba protests this, at the thought of returning to eternity in the Land of the Forgotten, he accept’s his love’s terms. “Very well, my dear. By the ancient rules, the wager is set.”

 And illuminated by the light of the moon and the candle-lit graves, the pair of gods shook hands.

 “And so the greatest wager in history began: Poe versus Ben for the hand of Y/N.”

#fic: eldlv #my work #poe dameron #poe dameron x reader #kylo ren #kylo ren x reader #ben solo #ben solo x reader #tbol au #star wars #star wars x reader

[horoscoups]

mingyu x aquarius in a fairytale au? :3

i got wayyy to into this,,, sorry it took so long! i originally wrote a different au but it had 80+ bullets so i had to erase the whole idea lol // i tried making this gender neutral 

being a merperson near a kingdom by the sea, you would always sit on the rocks near the beach and just watch the lives on the land

you would have to hide everytime the prince of the kingdom went outside into the castle’s garden because the garden had a clear view of the whole beach

all the other mermaids and mermen thought you were so weird for being entranced with human life (since you were aquarius and all) and your father would always warn you NOT to go out of water

haha jokes on u dad aquarius are rebellious

but you got a little too close to the beach one day and the waves were too strong for you to swim away and the next thing you knew you felt sand under your hands and your purple tail was suddenly two bare legs

panic panic panic

the birds on the beach also freaked out next to you, squaking like crazy trying to alarm other sea creatures that a merperson has just crossed the barrier between water and land

hearing such chaos outside near the beach, the prince curiously walked to the garden and his confusion raised by a hundred percent when saw you, a naked person shushing the birds outside his castle

“GUARDS”

your head snapped to the voice, and both of your eyes widened at the sight of each other

his curiousity got the better of him and he ran towards you, calling out to you

“your royal highness! what’s wrong, are you alright?”

“ahhh,,, haha nothing cheol i was just playing a game on you guys” the prince replied while trying to cover you from the guards’ view with his body

fortunately the guards believed him, and left him with a simple curse under their breath and the prince sighedand turned around to see you lying on the ground trying to crawl to the beach and he was like “hey, stop!”

you froze and tried to stand up but your knees gave out since your legs were too weak and the prince, by instinct, reached out to steady you

but he turned as red as a tomato when he noticed you were completely naked and he removed his white long sleeve button up and helped you into the shirt

“okay so….. who exactly are you?”

you avoided both his eyes and his question, not wanting to tell him anything as you covered your chest with the shirt

“are you gonna answer or am i going to have to call the guards again?”

“no- wAit” you quickly looked at him but you were met with a cocky smirk on his face

your mouth turned into a frown and was like “i’m (y/n)….…. and uh… i don’t remember how i got here” (ofc you lied)

he narrowed his eyes at you but nodded anyway; “i’m mingyu”

noticing you were shivering, mingyu sighed and nodded again like “i’ll take you inside, cmon”

he hid you from the guards walking around the castle and led you to his bedroom and you just sat there on his bed while he paced around the room thinking on what to do with you

he was debating in his head whether he should take you to the guards and lock you up or if he should just try hiding you in his room while he thinks what to do with you later but when he saw you playing around curiously with the candles on his bedside table he decided that you weren’t dangerous enough for him to lock you up and was like

“stay here”

mingyu comes back with one of his sibling’s spare clothes and hands it to you like “you smell like fish so go bathe and change into this when you’re done”

“b-bathe??” you stutter but he shoves you into his bathroom anyway while filling the bath up for you

you tried remembering what a bath was when you read this book with a bunch of human words from the sunken ship you found a few weeks ago but you couldn’t remember so when mingyu walked out and closed the door you dipped your toe into the water

THUD

mingyu immediately freaked out when he heard that sound from the bathroom and he quickly walked in and saw you inside the bath with water spilling onto the floor everywhere and your lower stomach connecting to a bright, shining, purple tail

your eyes went wide when you saw mingyu walk in like “wait i can eXPLAIN” and he was all “yo-you’re…. you’re a mERPERSON?”

the shirt had fallen off your chest again and he got all flustered and said “ok when i get you out of there you are telling me EVERYTHING”

so he helped you get out of the bath and into actual clothes

and that’s how you found yourself spilling your life story to the prince of the kingdom, kim mingyu

after a few days you were getting used to walking so you always blabbered about how much you loved humans and how you wanted to see the land surrounding the castle when you two were hanging out in his room 

so mingyu told his parents one day that he met the kid of a fisherman and they became close friends and wanted to introduce his friend to his parents

the dinner (kind of?) went smoothly 

except you didn’t know how to use utensils and the king and queen gave each other strange looks when they saw you using your fork to brush your hair but nonetheless they liked you and it wasn’t weird to them when they saw you and mingyu walking around the kingdom together

you were so happy to be walking through the streets filled with people 

mingyu knew that he was being a bit wreckless while watched you jump from stall to stall but what did he do that wasn’t wreckless so he ignored the thought and smiled at how humanitarian you were

guard!chan was with you guys and he eyed mingyu like “you like them don’t you” and mingyu got so flustered like “whAT- no what makes you think that psh no i don’t uh you’re crazy”

but when mingyu saw you playing with some villager kids he couldn’t help but admit to guard!chan that hey maybe he did like you

“but just a little okay not a lot”

“……sure”

#admin fran #seventeen #ascoups #seventeen au #seventeen scenarios #mingyu au #mingyu scenario #mingyu

[ecotone99]

[HR] The Croaks are Coming

sweet tea

Braahnk. Braahnk.

“The Croaks are coming.”

Mortimer rocked back in the rickety chair. Took another swig of sweet tea. The breeze blowing through the porch cooled his leathered skin during the midsummer's night.

“Ain't no such thing as Croaks, Papaw.”

Little Averitt says he doesn't believe. But his wide eyes and his goosebumps betray his words.

“They're just bullfrogs.” Averitt continued.

The boy's grandfather turned to him.

“There're bullfrogs out there for sure. Cicadas and 'gators. Cottonmouths too.”

They scanned the swamp that stretches out beyond the front porch. There's plenty out there that could kill a man.

Braahnk.

This time Averitt jumped. Mortimer let out a chuckle. Averitt climbed off the floor and edged closer to his Papaw.

“You gotta be careful this year, boy. You're finally ripe.”

“They don't take little boys away!”

With defiance, Averitt belted out his words. They say the Croaks only snatch children of at least eight years. Averitt's never seen it happen. He's never been friends with older kids either. Mortimer enjoys toying with his grandson, but he knows Averitt had better stay close to home this summer. The Croaks aren't too concerned with the child's belief system. A lack of belief didn't keep Mortimer's friend safe. Nor his brother. Of course, everyone in the small town of Henry believes the boys ran away. That they do believe.

Braahnk.

“Is it time for bed yet?”

Averitt's getting awfully fidgety. Even more fidgety than an eight year old ought to be. Mortimer throws another gulp of sweet tea down the hatch. A few cubes of ice rattle around the empty jar. He stands to stretch. Back pops like a corn cob thrown on dying embers.

“I suppose it is, boy.”

biscuits and gravy

“Averitt, get down here! Breakfast's ready!”

Eleanor didn't believe. She's had to listen to her husband talk about Croaks her whole marriage. Sure, she didn't meet Mortimer until later in life. And she didn't grow up in Henry. But she's the best Grandma Averitt could ask for. She treats him like her own. Treats him to fluffy, buttery, cathead biscuits topped with her famous sausage gravy for breakfast. Half-asleep, Averitt makes his way downstairs.

“Did Papaw keep you up late again last night?”

Mortimer's not going to let Averitt answer this one.

“I wouldn't dare such a thing, Ellie!”

Averitt flashes a grin.

“We heard the Croaks last night, Grandma!”

That lights her up.

“What did I tell you about fillin' that boy's head with lies!”

“Aw, they was just bullfrogs is all.”

“But you told me--”

Mortimer won't let his grandson protest. Now's not the time. Gotta let Eleanor get off to the neighbor's house. Too many goats to milk and not enough hands. Eleanor heads to the wash basin to clean up. Scrubbing dishes, she's still hot. She's spouting off to no one in particular, but Mortimer sure can hear it. She dries the last dish, washes her hands, and heads for the front door. Pauses. Turns.

“Don't scare the poor boy, Mort.”

She walks over to Averitt and plants a wet kiss on his cheek. He's not too keen on grandma-kisses, but accepts her affection. She's going to be late. Eleanor turns and heads out the door.

Mortimer walks over to the window. Watches her walk down the dirt road. Once Eleanor is a sufficient distance he turns back to Averitt.

“You better believe those were Croaks, boy! Every ten years. Middle of summer they come.”

Only by accident of birth did Averitt miss the last Pickin'. He's more curious to hear the tale again under the safety of daylight. Mortimer and Avery sop their plates clean and head outside.

No breeze today. The oppressive heat does a number on Mortimer. He finds his seat and pulls out a handkerchief to fan himself. Averitt plops down at the edge of the porch, feet dangling over the side. Grass hasn't been mowed in a while and the taller weeds graze against Averitt's calves. Averitt's eager to listen. Sweat's already forming on Mortimer's brow. He wipes with the 'kerchief and resumes fanning. He begins the tale:

“The Pickin's been going on for longer than Henry's been a town. Every ten years they come. Middle of summer. We never know when exactly. It always varies by a couple days. But they'll be here this year. They'll be here soon. And every ten years we hear the same excuses. So-and-so ran away. Charles was killed by his father.”

Mortimer pauses. Charles was his friend. He's remembering.

“Mr. Haddick didn't kill his boy! He loved Charles. He'd do anything for that boy. Anything.”

Averitt turns to look at his Papaw. Mortimer tries to hide it, but Averitt catches the handkerchief swat a tear from the corner of the old man's eye. Averitt doesn't acknowledge it. He knows better. Turns back around. Kicks at one of the weeds.

Mortimer composes himself.

“The Croaks are horrible creatures. They'll snatch you from your bed. From the porch. From your parents' arm--”

He sees the boy twitch. Shouldn't have said that. Averitt's parents both died a couple years back. Mortimer continues.

“But they love to hunt in the swamp. You don't venture out to the swamp this summer. Not to fetch a ball that was tossed too hard. Not cause someone dared you. You shouldn't even want to leave this porch this year. The Pickin' will happen soon.”

What little hair Averitt has on the back of his neck begins to rise. He wants to hear more.

“Tell me what they look like Papaw”

Mortimer wipes more sweat away. His 'kerchief is soaked now. Keeps trying to fan himself regardless.

“They look like bullfrogs, for sure. Sound like 'em too. But you know when you hear a Croak calling you. Sends a chill down your spine. Mesmerizes you. You only hear a Croak call once. They enchant you. You lie in bed, sheets pulled to your nose. Stare at the ceiling, not daring to move a limb. The Croaks are coming. You know they're out there. You know they're Pickin'. You know you're next. But when you hear it, when you hear the call, all fear leaves your body. Your soul detaches from the flesh and is lifted from the bed sheets. Braahnk. The call is a sweet melody now, divorced from the one that draws you closer. The Croaks are coming.

They lurk in the swamps. They wait in the shadows. And they hunt at night. Slick skin the color of moss. A bullfrog's body, hundred times over. Tall as I was before gravity took its toll. Then it smiles at you. Teeth like daggers, you'd welcome a rattler's fangs deep in your flesh rather than look any longer. But by the time you see the smile you're already gone.

Then it hops. Feet like a grizzly pound the ground, claws dig deep into the soft mud. The call brings you closer. Then it pounces. Like a cougar it grabs you, fangs sink in deep. They drag you deep into the swamp. You'll never be seen from again. They take you back home. Back to the Other World."

Mortimer looks down at the floor. He stops rocking in his old chair. He pauses. Thinking.

"We don't speak of the Other World.”

The comforting embrace of the sun's rays isn't warm enough to stop the cold tingle running up Averitt's spine. Too scared to move.

Mortimer cups his hands round his lips:

“Braahnk.”

Averitt falls off the porch. He whips his head around to see Mortimer cackling.

“Papaw!”

Still laughing,

“I think it's time we head inside. The shade we're under now ain't doing us no good.”

whiskey

Wrapped up in a blanket, Eleanor has her nose in a book. Mortimer's not concerned with the title, some sappy romance he reckons.

“How do you stand being covered up like that?!”

Even inside, even at night, Mortimer is still fanning himself. He lifts his glass of whiskey to his lips. Draws in slowly. He doesn't drink like he used to, but the burn helps him get as much sleep as he can. The house is still.

“Why don't you go check on Averitt?”

Eleanor doesn't look up from her book; she just wants Mortimer to leave her in peace. He obliges. Takes the stairs carefully. The bones of the house are getting weak and he doesn't want to wake the boy.

The door is cracked slightly, a sliver of moonlight illuminates the hallway. Mortimer pokes his head in. Averitt's not in his bed. Mortimer coaxes the door open.

“Boy, get away from that wind--”

Braahnk.

The breath leaves his body. Cemented to the floor, his veins freeze.

Averitt tumbles out the window.

Life fills Mortimer's body once again. He runs to the window. With a thud, a shadow plops into the yard. It comes closer to his grandson.

Mortimer turns and runs for Eleanor.

“Eleanor, Eleanor! The Croaks are c--”

He makes it to the top of the steps and in his confusion trips. He tumbles, house slippers over head, down the stairs. With a crack, his skull meets the solid oak wall.

“Mortie!”

Eleanor drops her book and rushes to her husband. The trickle of blood slowly flows down the step.

She runs upstairs to find an empty room and an open window. She rushes to the window, scans the yard. Nothing.

ice water

“Drink up.”

Eleanor's neighbor passes her a glass of ice water. Hands still shaking, Eleanor accepts. Thankfully her neighbor has one of the few phones in town. Eleanor hurried over as fast as she could. The officer sitting across the table from the two wraps up the interview.

“We'll find Averitt. I promise. He's the second child this week to run away. For the time being, I suggest you stay here. When you're ready, we can help you prepare for Mortimer's funeral.”

submitted by /u/tyler6986 [link] [comments] via Blogger https://ift.tt/2xDLIiX

#Blogger #Story

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 96

from trips to tombstone and china to spring festivals

 Tezca: "--and this is where they would put gigantic boulders onto people accused of being witches until they confess...or die. Or something else."

Anya: "..." *snapping pics*

mio: m-m-may i sit down? *she looks pale*

kirara: !! of course, meme, get her something to drink.

Meme: "On it!" *rushes to a vendor stand*

Tezca: OwO; "...Was it something _I_ said?"

mio: d-dont worry sir, it's just me.

tsugumi: are you sure?

mio: yeah, you all go on ahead, i-i'll catch up.

Meme: "I'll stay with you."

mio: t-thanks.... *sits down*

Meme: *smiles* "It's...not too bad here. Spring flowers are budding."

mio: yeah....sorry, it just....got a bit gruesome for me... *shaking a bit* i-i've seen blood and stuff before but...

Meme: "..." *nods* "I know...Directly..."

mio: .....*lays her head on meme's lap*

Meme: "..." *strokes her head, hums*

mio:...i-i think i'll be o-ok now...w-want to wait for the others?

Meme: *smiles* "Okay."

-elsewhere-

Kunikida: *yawns, wakes up from his nap--and discovers--* "..." *HE'S BURIED IN THE SAND*

kenji: ^^

aya: he awakes!

-the sand has been built to look like a mermaid body-

Kunikida: .\\\\.;;

Kyoka: *phone photo snap*

ranpo: nice tail.

Kyoka: "Ha."

atsushi: there's already a few comments on it.

yosano: [that's a nice look for you]

Dazai: [oh beauty, sing your siren song to me~<3]

kinako: [dude, that's rad]

Kunikida: -_-#"This is mortifying...I would grade this 'art' as a C."

sylvia: ...

Kyoka: "...So, it's under the C?"

aya: >3< *stiffling a laugh*

atsushi: *giggles*

ranpo: *pushes a button on his phone, playing a fail horn sound*

Kunikida: "GET ME OUT."

-elsewhere-

Asher: *locked in their room*

-...silence-

Asher: "Hmph." *lies back in bed, takes off headphones, opens flip phone* *texts* [hey]

izumi: [whats up? ^^ ]

Asher: [nothing] "..." [got roped in by classmates for movies]

izumi: [how was it?]

Asher: "..." [i don't get axel's film taste]

izumi: [what did u watch?]

Asher: [diamondhead rick and the heckpit. how many nut-shots can u fit into one film?]

izumi: [never heard of it tbh]

Asher: [sophomoric bro stuff]

izumi: [will take ur word 4 it haha]

Asher: "..." *smiling despite themselves* [how's your day been?]

izumi: [didnt pass the soul perception test =3= ]

Asher: "..." [oh. sorry.]

izumi: [cant be helped i guess]

Asher: [are u happy u tried?]

izumi: [i guess so]

Asher: "..." [well i am. i didn't want to come to this school at first]

izumi: [oh]

Asher: [so doing something uncomfortable even if i don't succeed at it is something i'm used to]

izumi: ...

Asher: [at least u tried]

izumi: [thnx]

Asher: [see u on monday?]

izumi: [u bet]

Asher: [cool. night]

-elsewhere-

liz: *still walking forwards*

Kid: *following, rubbing his arm*

liz: you gonna be ok, kid?

Kid: "I-I don't know...This was supposed to be for fun...Now, they're back..."

liz: they always seem to be in hiding somewhere....damn bastards.

Inui: *glances* "...You can stop glaring for a minute--I didn't know about this."

liz: no one's blaming you for anything.

Inui: "Tch...I've heard that before..."

Santiago: "When you've been a troublemaker ever since you showed up--no one wants you in town..."

inui: i dont even live in town directly, i just live on the outskirts, or is that illegal somehow?

Santiago: "Even that's too close! You're a nuisance, and worse, a witch--hardly any different than whatever a Kishin is..."

inui: oh here we go again, just because some of us sided with madness, suddenly we're _all_ evil. i've been hearing this bullshit for decades now.

Santiago: "Maybe if your kind would fix the mess your kind caused! But nope, you're just a troll, trying to embarrass people!"

inui: i'm just trying to live my life without trouble, and yet, you insist on bringing it to my doorstep with your racism and piss-poor attitude.

Santiago: "BECAUSE YOU MADE ME AND MY SISTER LOOK LIKE FOOLS! YES, I HATE PEOPLE LIKE YOU! And I'm sick of it! I'm sick of being mocked by you, having my sister dealing with bullshit from pervy men, and I just want to find whoever is killing people in this town! And all you do is think everything is a joke!"

inui: is it an apology you want?

Santiago: "Wh-What?! ...I-I don't know!"

inui: i mean, before the whole tar and feather incident, what did i, or any other witch, do to you to piss you off so much, huh?

Santiago: "I mean, look at me! You think I wanted this stupid weapon form?"

inui: ...

liz: ....

Patty: "...But you're a freaking cannon!"

Santiago: "WITHOUT A FREAKING MEISTER!" *slams her fist against a cave wall*

liz: so? there's plenty of autonomous weapons out there.

Santiago: "Have you seen the blowback from one shot? I fire, I don't know what building I will run into, or what cliff I'll fall off of...I have really big cannonballs!"

Patty: "..." *covering her mouth, suppressing her laughs*

inui: no comment.

liz: .....i think i see something.

Kid: *holding his head* "..."

liz: do you have your pills?

Kid: "Y-Yes..."

liz: better take one, just in case...

Kid: "O-Okay..." *opens the container...*

Santiago: "???"

liz:....guess we have a lot to explain to you about, well, all of this, huh?

Santiago: *sighs* "Seems like it...This is above my pay grade..."

-elsewhere-

mito: *walking into chuuya's room*

Chuuya: *curled up, hugging a pillow*

mito: *tries to jump onto the bed--but overshoots and hits the edge of the mattress* O^O

Chuuya: "..." *picks Mito up*

mito: *paws at his face* mii.

Chuuya: "..." *sad smile*

mito: *mewl*

Chuuya: *lies down, pets Mito*

mito: *purrs*

Chuuya: "You're still here..."

mito: *nuzzle*

Chuuya: "Mito..." *stroke*

Mito: =w=

Chuuya: *sniffs* "G-Good kitty..."

mito: zzz

Chuuya: *small sob*

{Chuuya: *holding his head* "Ugh...My aching head..."}

{rain: mr nakahara? are you alright?}

{Chuuya: *groans* "It's too bright..."}

{rain: would you like some coffee to make you feel better?}

{Chuuya: "Black..."}

{rain: ok, i-i-i'll be right back!}

Chuuya: *sighs*

mito: *purrs*

Chuuya: *scratches behind Mito's ear*

-elsewhere-

Relan: *signing* <How has the move been?>

rita: <pretty well so far. miss iris showed us where our rooms would be>

Relan: <That's good. Is it to your liking?>

rita: *nods* ^^

Petra: *setting up a bookcase*

-elsewhere-

Yohei: *sets Toru down*

toru: ba.

chie: he's getting so big already.

Yohei: "Healthy, growing boy..."

toru: hai mammy

chie: hi sweetie. *forehead kiss*

Yohei: *smiles, rubs his head*

-elsewhere-

Patty: *looking at the walls* "..."

liz: i think i see something up ahead.

Kid: "...Be ready..."

liz: *nods*

Santiago: "..." *looking forward*

Inui: *cracks her knuckles* "You ever deal with these people before?"

liz: more times than we can count.

Inui: "Weaknesses?"

liz: just hit as hard as you can

Inui: *smirks* "Then I think a cannon will be useful."

Santiago: "!!!!" >\\\\>;;;

-soon, they enter a room...-

liz: *covers her nose* urk-

Kid: "This is...This substance feels like a thousand souls..."

*Someone moves in the shadows*

???: it seems we have some unwelcomed guests, doctor.

liz: ?!

Kid: "?!!!"

-there is a man in a gas mask and a young girl in ceremonial robes-

Gas Mask Doctor: "Ah, ahead of schedule."

girl: i wonder, what are we to do with them?

Santiago: "!!! You! What was your name...That missing person poster..."

girl: oh?

Santiago: "What was it...Lena Ocura!"

lena: that would be correct, miss officer.

Santiago: "THAT'S OFFICER SANTIAGO! And people were worried sick about you! Come on, I'm taking you home--"

lena: hehehe...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! ah....people? worried about me? what kind of fool do you take me for? *her eyes widen intensly* my own father treated me like a plaything, as did his friends. and no one in school even knew i was alive. i had no one to look after me. i was on the verge of despair...but then, the madness found me, and saved me.

Santiago: "?!!!"

Inui: "...Welp. This one's a goner."

liz: pretty typical kishinite.

lena: that's high priestess to you!

liz: yeah yeah, let's get this over with.

lena: *glares* doctor. i think it's time to introduce them to your new pet...

Kid: "Liz...Patty...I will need your support on this..."

liz: you already had it. *gun mode*

Patty: "Right-o!" *assumes her gun mode*

Kid: *proud smile*

Santiago: "..."

Gas Mask Doctor: "So soon? Darn...I haven't trained them well..."

lena: are you questioning me?

Gas Mask Doctor: "...Nah, I'm happy to keep my liver." *smashes a button*

-a metal door begins to open-

Inui: "???"

-a tall, emaciated figure steps out from the door. it seems to have a pair of goat horns on its head, and its face resembles a horse skull-

creature: *SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*

Inui: "..."

Santiago: "?!!!"

Kid: *small gasp*

Patty: "LOOK AT ITS HORNS!"

lena: skinstalker, eliminate them.

skinstalker: *SCREEEEEE* *rushes at them*

Kid: *aims, fires--*

-BANG BANG-

skinstalker: *stumbles back, then lunges again*

Gas Mask Doctor: "Quite the show. Still, I had hoped to do more tests..."

lena: get the serum and let's leave-

*Something loud is heard--like wheels rolling against moving earth*

Inui: *riding atop Santiago in cannon mode* "ONWARD, GOOD STEED!"

Santiago: -_-#

lena: ??!! WHAT?!

*BLAST! BOOM! BANG!*

lena: GAH!

Gas Mask Doctor: "?!!!" *dodging, hitting the ground and desperately grabbing at folders of notes*

Santiago: "I'M GONNA WRECK YOU ALL, YOU LITTLE--"

lena: *over talkie* we need reinforcements! now!

skinstalker: *grabs kid and throws him at santiago*

Kid: "GAH!" *crashes into the side of Santiago, sending them both into the wall--*

-CRASH-

Inui: "?!" *leaps off in time, landing in a three-point pose in front of Lena* "..."

scientist: !!!

Santiago: *back in human form* @~@

priest: ?!

prisoner: marlene! you came to get us out of here!

Santiago: *shakes her head, looks* "?!!! How did you all--N-Nevermind! Stand back--I'm blowing you out of there!"

priest: *takes out dagger* you wont be going anywhere.

Santiago: "...Cute." *transforms her head into a cannon, aims--*

priest: .x.

*BLAMMO!*

*But the force of the blast knocks back Santiago, again, into a wall*

Santiago: @~@

-the priest is just a mess on the wall, and the prisoners are escaping-

Kid: *back on his feet, rushing towards Lena and the Doctor* "You are under arrest! By the authority of the DWMA--"

lena: you think we've been beaten so easily? you may capture us now, but there will be others to take my place.

liz: yeah, yeah, save the cliché monologues for someone who cares.

Kid: *aims*

skinstalker: *charges* *SCREEEEEE*

Kid: "GRK!" *swings, fires again at the Skinstalker*

lena: *runs*

Inui: *tries to bring down the the dirt--then spots Santiago passed out and Kid fighting* "..." *sighs* *moves her arm like a punch through the air--sending a pile of sand smashing into the Skinstalker*

-the skinstalker is smashed into the vat, and begins disintegrating-

Doctor: "That could've gone better..."

lena: have i failed my duties here? will i be forsaken? i cant go back to my old life! i wont go back! i'd rather die than go back! *she's shaking*

Doctor: *running with her...then picks her up* "No time for self-doubt! You can beat yourself up later!" *is searching through their pockets for some device*

liz: inui? mind giving us an exit??

Inui: "On it!" *picks up Santiago, opens her fist, pulling apart the earth above to reveal moonlight*

liz: everyone let's go!

Inui: *raises the dirt like a platform*

Doctor: *pulls out a small cylinder with a button* "There it is!" *presses it--and a jetpack explodes out of the back of their jacket, propelling them and Lena forward*

lena: >~<

-outside-

Marlee: O_O

officer john: ._.; *was in the middle of some night golfing*

Santiago: *passed out* X__X

Marlee: "..." *kicks Santiago*

Kid: "Damn it...Again..."

prisoner 1: are we out?

liz: kid? are you ok?

Kid: "...Just disappointed."

liz: ....*pats his back* still, we saved these people. that's something, right?

Kid: *weak smile, nods*

officer john: what the heck happened?!

Santiago: *holding her head* "Ow...Could this beast stop kicking me?!"

officer john: *goes over to her* easy now, easy...

Inui: *petting Marlee* "Good girl..."

-later, after the prisoners were returned home, and the others made it back into town-

Patty: *asleep on Liz's lap*

liz: *pets her head*

Kid: *calling on the Mirror* "And that's the report, Father."

lord death: sounds like you had quite the busy night tonight.

Kid: "...What are they planning?"

lord death: i'm not sure as of yet. but at least most of the scientists and cultists were caught and taken for questioning, and a warrant has been made on the two that escaped.

Kid: *nods* "Thank you."

lord death: so what will you do now?

Kid: "Well, we did come to sight-see--if-if that's okay?"

lord death: of course it's ok! dont forget to bring souvenirs~!

Kid: ^^ "Of course!"

lord death: also, dont you have a certain someone to give a call to~?

Kid: "Of-Of course! Good night, Father."

lord death: good night kiddo. *waves*

Kid: *ends the call* *calls up Stocking*

stocking: hey kiddo, i was just about to call you up!

Kid: "It's good to hear your voice."

stocking: so what's up with you in tombstone?

Kid: "...We had a serious mission. But we're safe."

stocking: oh jeez.

Kid: "But we're fine...We'll be visiting sites soon."

stocking: that should be fun. ^^

Kid: *nods* "I could bring home some rock candy for you..."

stocking: i would love that, kiddo~

Kid: "Okay, I will! How is your mother?"

stocking: well, we have a due date now.

Kid: "So soon!"

stocking: i know.

Kid: "I'll be home by then...Have you scheduled time off?"

stocking: yeah.

Kid: "Good, good...How do you feel?"

stocking: i'm kind of excited. i told mom we'd help with the baby if she needs it. is that ok with you?

Kid: "Of course! It'll be like when Shiori was born."

stocking: ^^

Kid: *smiles* "...I love you."

stocking: i love you too. sleep well.

Kid: "You too. Good night."

-morning-

Arthur: *kicking in his sleep*

shinra: zzzzz

Ogun: *yawns, shifts quietly out of his sleeping bag and steps outside*

nozomi: *taking notes*

Ogun: "Nozomi? What're you doing?"

nozomi: oh, good morning, ogun. i was just writing down some notes.

Ogun: *looking around* "About what?"

nozomi: about our findings mostly. captain pan said we'd likely reach our destination sometime within the week.

Ogun: "Long trip, huh?"

nozomi: yeah.

Ogun: "It'll be good to check out another spot--but after what that fox spirit said..."

nozomi: ...i think we'll make it.

Ogun: "..." *nods* "Right."

nozomi: *smiles*

Ogun: *smiles back* "So, what have you noticed?"

-elsewhere-

*Kid, Liz, and Patty stand in front of a display of crude steampunk audio-animatronic figures*

liz: wow.

Animatronic 1: *scratchy robotic voice* "We-Welcome to the Tombstone His-His-His-His--"

Museum Employee: *slaps Animatronic 1 on the back*

Animatronic 1: "Historama!!!!" OWO

Patty: Q_Q "Oh, God, the robot uprising would have to start here..."

Kid: "..."

liz: and now i'm getting flashbacks of that pizzaria.

Animatronic 1: "Here we have interesting be-be-bemusements and attrac-shee-ons, from the 360 theater m-movie, narrated by Walter Brennan, to a fully automated diorama of the famous gun fights in this gre-gre-great c-c-city!"

employee 2: dan, give nobel a call and have her come out and fix these darn things.

-elsewhere-

Dan: -___-; "That call's going to take most of the afternoon--you know that, right?"

employee 2: just get it done

Dan: *grumbles, presses his finger into the holes in the rotary phone* "Why don't the buttons work on this phone, though?"

-elsewhere-

Justin: *kneeling, praying*

oriko: *also praying*

Justin: "..." *lifts his head, looks up*

oriko: ...

Justin: "...How was it?"

oriko: peaceful...nostalgic

Justin: *nods* "I think I understand."

oriko: *wipes her eyes*

Justin: "..." *pats her shoulder*

oriko: thank you.

Justin: *nods* "You're welcome. If I can make lodging or anything easier for you, I want to help."

oriko: ok

-elsewhere-

Anya: "They even have a reenactment where you get to make your own colonial meal!"

tsugumi: that sounds tasty!

mio: it kinda does.

Meme: "Should be fun! Especially making the dessert."

Tezca: "Just remember--you also have to churn the butter, rotate the fowl..."

ao: *nods*

Anya: *suddenly in old colonial attire* "Then let's begin!"

mio:...h-how did she even...

-elsewhere-

Kyoka: "I warned you about sunscreen..."

ranpo: =3= *burnt*

sylvia: *hiding under an umbrella* QAQ;;;;

Kunikida: "Atsushi, buy some aloe..." *hands him money* "Return with change and a receipt."

atsushi: yessir!

-elsewhere-

Santiago: *holding ice to her head*

officer john: rough night, eh?

Santiago: "You saw it...Jeez, I hit the wall so hard..."

officer john: should i call up my sister?

Santiago: *sigh* "Yeah. Need to let her know I'm fine."

officer: i meant _my_ sister. she's a doctor.

Santiago: -_-# "Fine, that too."

-elsewhere-

teal haired woman: *runs in* *panting* s-sorry, my alarm clock bit the dust.

ango: good morning, tsujimura.

Taneda: *sets out cups for tea*

'bubblegum': so, how's the ankle?

'bowl cut': yeah mizuki, you were out of commission for a while.

mizuki: im much better now, thank you.

Ango: "Onto business..." *passes out file folders*

mizuki: *looks at folder*

*Inside is a map with different cities circled*

mizuki: hmm...

Ango: "We have had reports about recent incidents involving ability users..."

mizuki: *examines the photos*

Ango: "Reports vary as to what happened, but the outcome is clear: ability users are dying."

mizuki: !!

Ango: "Now we're going to find out why."

'bubblegum': what all do we know?

Ango: "Oddly enough, in more than one case, the ability was seen being used--before the user was killed."

mizuki: ....

Ango: "I want to see what these victims had in common..."

mizuki: *nods*

Taneda: "Also, if I may, I think you may want to look at certain individuals with an interest in eliminating ability users..."

mizuki: like dostoyevsky?

Taneda: *nods*

'bowlcut': we still dont know where he is.

Taneda: *shakes his head*

mizuki: so what now?

Taneda: "I suggest some old-fashion leg-work: speak to some previous contacts of ability serial killers..."

-elsewhere-

Kid: *sitting with the Thompsons in a mine-cart slow-moving amusement ride at the museum* "Look! It's a to-scale replica of the Showdown at the OK Corral!" *taking photos with his phone*

liz: ^^

Patty: "It's not even real fire, though--it's just paper with smoke blowing up underneath! Can't they add real flames? And projection tech?"

Kid: -_-#### "Don't ruin this for me..."

Patty: OxO;

-elsewhere-

Spirit: *looking up at the stained glass* "Oh, nice..."

sachiko: it's lovely, isnt it?

Spirit: "Yes!" *stands in the light* "Look at the colors!" *pulls her towards him*

sachiko: *smiles*

Spirit: "So..." *small dance with her* "Is this the spot for us?"

sachiko: i think so.

Spirit: "Let's sign the contract!"

-elsewhere-

katya: *looking at her cards* hmmm...

Akutagawa: "..." *poker face*

Gin: *mask on*

hirotsu: it's already down to the final 4.

Walter: *watching* "I still think Magic would've been more inclusive..."

katya:..hmm.....call.

Akutagawa: "Hmph." *sets down his cards*

Gin: *whines* T~T

Tachihara: "BAM!" *throws down his cards*

katya:....*raises a brow*

Gin: "?! Hey! My hand is better than yours!"

Akutagawa: -_-;

katya: tch- *puts down her cards* straight flush.

Tachihara: "DAMN!"

Gin: T___T

Akutagawa: "Hmph."

katya: nyehe~

Tachihara: "And I was saving it up for a gift..." Q___Q

hans: he does realize they're playing with play money, right?

Walter: "Shh...He's really getting into it!"

Kafka: *holding one of the dollars* "...Did you draw your face on this?"

-elsewhere-

Damon: *on stage* Q_Q

teacher: *watching*

Damon: "Th-The s-s-sum of the square r-r-r-roots of any two sides of an...eye...eye..."

student: is he gonna pass out?

Damon: "Um, teacher? I don't know how to pronounce this word..." >_<

teacher: do you need help?

Damon: *nod nod* *shows the script* *the word is 'Isosceles'*

teacher: it's eye-saw-sah-leeze.

Damon: "Thank you. 'The sum of the square roots of any two sides of an...eye-saw-sah-leeze triangle is equal to the square root of the remaining side...'"

teacher: *claps* very good! i actually know a little phrase to help me remember it. 'i saw the leaves'. it rhymes, see?

Damon: OwO; "...'I saw the leaves'?"

teacher: 'i saw the leaves', isosceles. see?

Damon: "...Oh...I-I'll try that." ^^;

-elsewhere-

kyouko: hey, check this out.

Rin: "???"

-it seems to be a poster for the walpurgisnight festival-

kyouko: guess that explains all the commotion in town.

Rin: "True. What's the plan?"

kyouko: guess we'll be at the festival in a few days. and there's a huge parade at the end.

Rin: "...They got food?"

kyouko: what festival doesnt have food?

Rin: "Then I'm trying everything!"

-elsewhere-

*Just about everyone is now in old colonial attire*

Tezca: ^w^ *still wearing the bear mask but in a colonial outfit*

ao: the clothes back then were certainly simplistic.

esther: that's how it was in those days.

Meme: *scratching* >x<

Anya: *pumping water* ^w^

mio: =~= i'm gonna die of sweating in this thing.

Anya: "Hence the water!" *holds up a silver pitcher of it...it looks really dirty*

mio: ._.;

Tezca: "Historical accuracy!"

Tour Guide: "So, where you lot from?"

kirara: death city, nevada.

Tour Guide: "Wowy, long trip. What brings you out here? Our delicious honey-dipped biscuits?"

kirara: cultural lessons and a visit to the DWMA salem branch.

Tour Guide: "Neat! And that thing is your pet." *points at...Tezca*

kirara: -_-; he's a teacher.

Tour Guide: "??? Huh. You know, my sister told me they had a teacher at her school that was a donkey, but that was just for math."

tsugumi: ?

Anya: "...The teacher sounds like an ass."

mio: ..................*facepalm*

kirara: -______________-;;;;

Tezca: *clears his throat* "_I_ make the corny jokes around here, little missy!"

Enrique: *rings the bell loudly* "GOH!"

-elsewhere-

Kid: "Okay, thirty paces, turn, then fire!"

Patty: *determined face*

liz: ....

Kid: "1, 2, 3, 4--"

Patty: *marching away from Liz*

liz: *sigh*

Patty: "Better get ready to lose, Sis! I'm picking where we're getting lunch!"

liz: sure sure.

Kid: "--28, 29--FIRE!"

-POINK POINK-

liz: *corked* ow! >.<

Patty: "BOO-YAH! We're eating at 'Vaca Verde'!"

-elsewhere-

shiemi: *humming and making flower crowns*

Shima: "That's a cute one! These for the festival?"

shiemi: mmhmm!

izumo: *putting one on*

Bon: "Well, that's festive." *picks one up hesitantly*

shiemi: ^^ unagi, do you want to try one on?

unagi: y-yes.

shiemi: *puts it on her*

unagi:... .///. p-pretty...

Bon: "It'll help you fit in. Right, traitor--"

Shima: *already hiding behind Izumo*

izumo: *elbows shima*

unagi: ??

shiemi: unagi, want to help me pick more flowers for the crowns?

unagi: *shiny eyes* yes please. *follows her*

Shima: "Phew!"

-elsewhere-

Kid: *holding up a green salsa burrito* "Aside from the terrifying ordeal underground, this is a charming tourist trap."

liz: yeah, it sure is.

Patty: "And we got to meet new people!" *points* "See?"

liz: *glances* !!! isnt that dr john?!

Kid: "?!!!"

Patty: "What's up, Doc?!"

Dr. John: "!!! Oh--I thought I'd find you here..."

liz: what brings you to tombstone, doctor?

Dr. John: "My brother called me in to check on someone..."

liz: your brother?

Dr. John: "Andy and I are fraternal twins."

liz: oh, you mean officer john?

Dr. John: "Yes." ^^; "But I got turned around..."

liz: want us to help?

Dr. John: "That would be wonderful!"

-elsewhere-

Tachihara: *strolling through pages on a phone*

*He seems to be looking at jewelry*

bessy: *peeeeeeek*

Tachihara: "Hmm...Maybe that--AH!" *falls off the couch when spotting Bessy*

bessy: are you ok, mister?

Tachihara: ._.; "F-Fine!" *pockets his phone* "H-How are you, little...um...what's-your-name?"

bessy: bessy dean.

Tachihara: "Okay, Bessy...Um...Say, I don't suppose you're good at listening, are you?"

bessy: *sits down and stares at him*

Tachihara: "You ever hear what the adults talk about?"

bessy: i dunno.

Tachihara: "Do you know Miss Higuchi?"

bessy: yeah, she's really nice. she reads to us sometimes too. ^^

Tachihara: "Yeah? What kinds of things does she read to you all?"

bessy: my favorite is goodnight moon. ^^

Tachihara: "Oh, that one's good...She is a cool person."

bessy: and miss gin's really cool too!

Tachihara: ^^;;; "Yeah...She feeling okay?"

bessy: i think so, why?

Tachihara: "N-No reason. I think I get on her nerves sometimes."

-elsewhere-

Asher: *seated in class* "So, more guest speakers?"

izumi: looks like it.

Hiro: *standing in front of the class, nervous* "H-H-H-Hell-Hello..."

Black Star: "SPEAK UP! THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

EF: hello everyone. *smiles*

tsubaki: *nods*

Zeke: *raises his hand* "Excuse me! Which of you are weapons?"

ef: myself and miss nakatsukasa.

axel: cool.

Yafeu: "WHAT ARE YOUR WEAPON FORMS?!"

Asher: *covering their ears* =_=;

EF: well, i'm a butterfly knife and well, miss tsubaki is.

hibiki: one of those dark arm weapons, right?

tsubaki: y-yes.

Duncan (Collar Student): "I mean, it's obvious, right? She's from the famous Nakatsukasa Clan, capable of multiple weapon forms."

tsubaki: that's right.

Duncan: *smug look*

Saria: "How do you do partial transformations? I have difficulty doing that with just a limb..."

tsubaki: it takes a lot of practice. usually it requires a lot of focus and visualization before it just comes naturally.

Saria: "Oh..."

Asher: "How do you visualize? Does drawing help?"

tsubaki: i suppose so.

Zeke: "So if we draw ourselves with laser beams and visualize that, we'll get that to our weapon form?"

tsubaki: well i think it's pre-determined automatically. ^^;

Kazue (Ninja): *raises hand* "Black Star, how do you perform the proper assassination--"

Black Star: "RUSH IN, KICK DOWN THE DOOR, MAKE A BIG SCENE, AND SHOW THEM ALL WHO IS BOSS!"

tsubaki: *sweatdrop*

EF: *sweatdrop* i thought maybe he would have mellowed out a little through the school years.

Hiro: T~T "No one has a question for me...He must've relapsed, having returned here to the old haunting grounds..."

EF: ^^;

naho: *pokes her head in* OwO~?

Black Star: "???"

naho: *waves*

Black Star: "Um..." *wave*

blinding bangs girl: oh. you.

naho: ?? oh hi, genny!

genny (blinding bangs): 7-7;

Kanin (Burly Notetaker): "??? You know her?"

genny: she's an online friend. and a major fujoshi.

naho: <w<;

Kanin: "...A what?"

genny: best not to ask.

Black Star: "Don't you have classes, Naho?"

naho: oh right! see ya! *runs off* .....

Duncan: "Tch. What a weird girl--"

Black Star: *already grabbing Duncan by the collar* "YOU WANT TO SAY THAT TO MY FACE?!"

naho: ....

???: *trying to walk by* "Oh...Ex-Excuse me." ^^;

naho: that boy...with the collar...

???: "...??? Who?"

naho: *serious face* he'd be a perfect uke.

mitsuba: uh....huh...

???: O\\\\\O;;;;

naho: RIGHT! CLASS! GTG! *RUNS*

Yoichi: "...What the actual fluffernutter was that?"

mitsuba: typical death city weirdness.

-elsewhere-

Santiago: =_=; "This is embarrassing..."

amanda: well, better to get it looked at than to let it get infected.

Santiago: *grumbles* "Whatever you say..." *whimper*

amanda:..mar, are you ok?

Santiago: "This week has sucked..."

amanda: need some coffee?

Santiago: *nod nod* "Sugar."

-elsewhere-

Arthur: *looking through binoculars*

shinra: man, it just goes on for ages...

tamaki: TT^TT i miss my mom...

nozomi: *pat pat*

tamaki: *SNIFF* thanks nozomi.

Arthur: "We'll be home before you know it. This trip to Avalon can't take much longer. Plus, time moves more slowly there."

-distant rumble-

Ogun: "...What was that?"

shinra: thunder?

Takeru: "Without lightning?"

-rumble rumble-

Pan: *driving* "Hmmm..." *looks at the ground*

*CRASH*

shinra: WHAT THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR?!

???: *ROAR*

worm 2: *GODZILLA ROAR*

???: <HELP!>

Ogun: "?!" *looks around*

tamaki: what the heck was that?!

shinra: *jumps out of the truck and flies out*

Ogun: "Wait for me!" *grabs his board...*

shinra: *surveying*

???: <HEEEEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEE!!!!>

shinra: !!! (is that...a mole?)

*It is a mole, carrying a big bag*

Mole: Q______Q <WAAAAAH!>

shinra: !!! *flies down and picks the mole and bag up and drops it onto the truck*

nozomi: oh!

fang-hua: ah!

Mole: Q~Q <Wh-What?! Flying humans now?! This is not normal!>

fang-hua: <please, try to calm down. what's going on?>

Mole: <I invaded the worms' den when trying to get my food and--...Wait--you aren't surprised I'm talking?>

tamaki: <we're from death city. most of us anyway.>

Arthur: <It's killer.>

Mole: "..." <You all seem odd. And have...fire abilities?>

fang-hua: <yes.>

Mole: <Oh! Then you can help me escape the awful sandworm trying to steal my food!> *proudly holds up a bag--*

nozomi: *looks inside*

*It's full of potatoes*

tamaki: ah!

Arthur: "...Oh poop."

Mole: "??? 'Poop'?" <What do you-->

*LOUD INHUMAN SCREAM*

juria: AH! FUCKING HELL!!

Mole: OvO;;; <Um...Who is that-->

*Takeru starts throttling the Mole*

Takeru: <THIIIIIIEF! YOU STOLE MY FAMILY'S POTATOES!!!>

nozomi: takeru, please calm down!!

Takeru: <THE POTATO IS A NOBLE TUBER, NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, YOU THIEF, THIEF, THIEF!!!>

Mole: @~@ <STOP HIM! HE'S GOING TO KILL ME!!!>

*CRASH*

tamaki: EEK!

shinra: hey! sand worm! *blows raspberries* over here!!

worm 2: *ROOOOOAR!!*

Sand Worm 1: *chases*

tamaki: mr paaaan! DRIVE!!!

Pan: "What does it look like I'm doing?" *does a drift to avoid Worm 2*

shinra: ogun, you got a plan?

Ogun: "You mind distracting while I pierce it?" *summons a lance*

shinra: you can count on me!

worm 2: *chasing after them*

Ogun: "Yoruba Blacksmith!" *summons more lances, following the worm, trying to constrain its path*

shinra: *leading the worms away from the truck*

Ogun: "Now to scare them away!" *fires a few lances at the worms*

worm 2: *SCREEEE*

Ogun: "Now head off, wormie!"

worm 2: *SCREEEEEEEE!!!*

Worm 1: *starts to retreat--diving into the ground and rocking the earth*

tamaki: go! go!

Pan: *hits the gas*

-elsewhere-

Meme: *playing with a hoop and a stick* "WEEEE!"

mio: *stares at her stick awkwardly*

Meme: ^w^ "Roll it down the hill!"

tsugumi: ^^

*Someone clutching a bag of groceries walks by, muttering*

???: "Oh dear..."

girl: *following her*

Meme: "WHOOPS!" *misses the hoop, as she heads towards the two...*

girl: !!

???: "!!!" *falls down, dropping her bag*

girl: !! teacher!

???: "Ow..."

Meme: "Oh! I'm sorry..."

girl: *helping the older woman up, glaring at meme*

Meme: "..." *downcast*

???: "L-Let's go...I'm cold..."

mio: ....

girl: right away. *walks away*

???: *muttering to herself*

Meme: "...Sorry..."

mio: *pap pap*

???: "..." *whispers* "Did you sense it on them?"

girl: yeah.

???: "Keep your eyes open--we can't have them interfere."

-elsewhere-

*At a clothing store, there's a man looking at kimonos*

clerk: might i help you, sir? ^^

Man: "Yes. I'm afraid I don't know what to wear to the upcoming festival...I'm not as familiar with fashion here in Death City." ^^;

clerk: well, the walpurgisnight festival is usually a festival for more western style clothes, like they wear in europe. such as suits and dresses.

Man: "Oh, I see. I thought given the Japanese aesthetic of the city...Well, I would like to see a suit, then."

*There's a mother and her young daughter walking by*

little girl: *humming, wearing a flower crown* ^^

Man: "..."

{Man: "Careful, sweetie!"}

{rosemary: ok, papa!}

{Man: *smiles, as he watches her picking flowers*}

{rosemary: hehe ^^ *smiles*}

Man: *wipes his eyes*

clerk: sir?

Man: *wipes with a handkerchief* "S-Sorry--allergies get to me this time of year." TwT;

-elsewhere-

Mole: *panting, collapsed on their back* <Phew! Finally safe...I was so scared I would die back there...>

shinra: well, we seemed to get away from those worms for now...

fang-hua: *to the mole* <are you from around here?>

Mole: <No! That's one reason I got lost! I left home to find more food, and on the way back, I fell into the sandworm pit...>

fang-hua: <where are you from, then?>

Mole: <...> >_>; <I shouldn't say...We have enough problems. I mean, you all seem nice enough...>

nozomi: …<do you know about the 'tear in space'? or the adora burst?>

Mole: <Y-Yeah? It's one reason I'm like this...> *thumbs at their flaming tail* <And it lets me talk.> *proud* <I bet you've never seen a talking mole before.>

-silence-

shinra: <i never saw a mole with flame abilities.>

Mole: QwQ;

Pan: <Plenty of talking animals where we are.>

Mole: Q__Q

nozomi: *pat pat*

*SHNICK*

*FWOOM*

*POSE*

Mole: Q_Q "?!"

Ogun: <WE GOT CHASED BECAUSE OF YOU!>

Arthur: <SHOW US WHERE THE DRAGONS ARE!>

Takeru: <GIVE ME BACK MY POTATOES, YOU THIEF!>

tamaki: guys, calm down! you're scaring them!

fang-hua: ok, calm down, calm down everyone.

Mole: *hides behind Nozomi* >_<;;;

shinra: <why did you steal those potatoes? and where are you taking them back to?>

Mole: <We're running out of food back home! These--These...What are they called...Thieves! That's it! These thieves just keep taking what is ours! We have no food left! So I had to find food further away! None here in the Wasteland--and I kept going until I found these amazing tubers...> *rubs his face against a potato* =w=

shinra: <thieves, huh?>

Mole: <Yes...It's so awful there. Our Oasis is under attack.>

shinra: *looks at the others*

tamaki: <oasis?>

Mole: <Y-Yes...> *shivers, rubs their arms*

Pan: *looks up* "It'll be night soon..."

nozomi: <do you know a place for us to camp?>

Mole: *looks up* <!!! I know someone who does!> *waves* <Beauty!>

nozomi: ??

-a crow flies down-

beauty: <hello, schop.>

Ogun: "..." <'Alive'?>

shinra: *gulp*

beauty: ...<well, i do know of a place where they'll be alright. just follow us.

-elsewhere-

Dr. John: "There you go!"

amanda: ^^

Santiago: "Thanks...Hurts a little less."

officer john: thanks again, mel. ^^

Dr. John: "You're welcome, Andy." *soft nudge on his shoulder* "You taking care of yourself?"

officer john: yeah.

Dr. John: *nods* "Good--can't let you have too much of that good food here."

-elsewhere-

Zeke: "--and they were so cool! Black Star just went *WHAM!* and Tsubaki was *SLICE*, then Hiro just swung that knife around all *WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH*!"

Asher: *eating, saying nothing*

Saria: ^^;

axel: yeah, that was so epic!

Yafeu: "IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO DO ALL THAT STUFF!" *slams his fist on the table, shaking it* "I CAN'T WAIT TO GET INTO THE FIELD!!!"

hibiki: mmhmm.

Asher: "Tch. The only thing we're ready for are those jobs for NOT students."

izumi: which is why we have to do our best, right?

Asher: "...Yeah." =_=;

Saria: "Our cheerleader!"

izumi: ??

Saria: "You're full of optimism, Izumi..."

izumi: you think so?

Asher: "Sounds about right."

Zeke: *nod nod*

izumi: ^^;

Duncan: "Tch. Must you all be so loud?"

Kanin: *picking at his salad, looking disappointed*

genny: you alright?

Kanin: ^^; "Just trying a different diet."

genny: ah.

Kazue: *trying to put food with chopsticks through their mask--and failing* O_O;

loop hair: OwO~?

Kanin: "Any jobs anyone is taking?"

-elsewhere-

Viktor: *pokes a stick at the fire*

Pan: *passes the bag of marshmallows*

tamaki: ^w^

Schop: "..."

Bird 2: *CAW*

beauty: <so you're searching for the adora burst in the oasis?>

shinra: <so far, it's our only other lead.>

Pan: <How do you speak Chinese? Are you related to witches?>

beauty: *shakes her head* <it's because of the oasis.>

Pan: <You keep saying that--what Oasis? How does it let you talk human?>

Schop: <It's a long story...But the Oasis is our home in this desert, away from this arid land. It is plentiful with food...That must be why those thieves came. The human, riding a horse on fire...>

shinra: <did this person have a hood?>

Schop: <??? Yes?>

shinra: <want us to help get your oasis back?>

tamaki: *glances at lights in the distance*

Schop: <?! Hey! Don't underestimate me--I'm one tenacious mole!> *shows off a tiny flicker on his hand*

tamaki: do you see that?

nozomi: ??

tamaki: *points to the lights*

fang-hua: captain pan, do we have binoculars?

Pan: *hands them*

Schop: "..." *shakes*

fang-hua:...!!! infernals!

shinra: all of them?!

Ogun: "?! Oh no..."

tamaki: they dont seem to notice us, though...

beauty: they've been wandering the wasteland for over 250 years now.

Takeru: <They survived that long?>

Schop: *shaking still*

beauty: *she nods*

shinra: we should put them to rest.

beauty: there's far too many of them for you to handle all on your own. even if you do manage to put most of them to rest, their numbers will overwhelm you eventually.

Arthur: "We have a nun--that's all we need."

tamaki:.... *goes to a small area on the edge of the campfire's light and prays*

Arthur: "..." *sighs*

tamaki:....i hope that at least helped them...

Schop: <...> *looks at Shinra* <...Could you help? Would you?>

shinra: *nods* <of course. that's what heroes do.>

Schop: "???" < 'Hero'?>

shinra: *he nods and smiles* ^^

Schop: <...I'm not sure I understand.>

shinra: <we help put the infernals to rest in death city all the time. i'm sure we can help you get back your oasis.>

Schop: <And that's what a 'hero' is?>

shinra: <it's a lot to explain...>

Schop: <I can imagine...I still have difficulties with the words.>

-elsewhere-

soul: *helping damon review his lines for the play* aaand go.

Damon: "...I haven't got a brain...only straw."

soul: *nods and smiles*

Damon: *smiles back, nods* "But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?"

soul: *claps*

becky: that was great, damon!

Damon: ^\\\\^; "I-I don't know how I'm going to do..."

soul: do you want to keep practicing a little more?

Damon: "Yes!"

soul: ok, and afterwards, we can get some mcdonalds.

Damon: *shiny eyes*

becky: yay!

-elsewhere-

Kid: *looking at the town* *pleased sigh*

liz: *packing*

-text message on kid's phone-

Patty: *holding the cow stuffed animal* "Moo moo moo!"

Kid: "???" *checks*

stocking: [hey kiddo <3 when u gonna be back?]

Kid: *smiles* [late tonight--1 am if traffic holds]

stocking: [glad 2 hear. will be waiting 4 u ;) ]

Kid: ^\\\\^ [excellent! love u]

stocking: [love u 2 <3]

*A knock on the hotel door*

liz: *looks through the peep hole*

*Looks to be Inui*

liz: inui? what brings you here?

Inui: "Wanted to see you kiddos off."

Marlee: *nudging Patty*

Patty: *pet pet* ^^

liz: ah, well thanks.

Inui: "...You be careful around those Kishin-things."

liz: we will.

Inui: "Also, keep at it." *pats Liz's belly*

liz: ??? ….. O/////O;;

-elsewhere-

Anya: "Okay, enjoy!" *sets out plates*

mio: *nom* mm, these are some good mashed potatoes!

Anya: "All farm-grown ingredients! The garlic helps..."

Meme: *picking at her food* "..."

tsugumi: ?? meme?

Meme: "S-Sorry...It tastes great." ^^;

mio: ....

Tezca: "...How about after dinner I teach you some old songs from the era? I only know them in Portuguese, but you can hum along..."

ao: that sounds lovely! ^^

Meme: "O-Okay..."

-elsewhere-

kim: hey goph, how's the float looking?

Gopher: "I could use more yellow flowers."

kim: got it!

Jacqueline: "It's turning out really well." *looks at the blueprint*

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: "You're doing great!"

sonia: *pedaling*

Chuuya: *points* "See?!"

kouyou: ^^

Chuuya: "She's really taken to it..." *proud smile*

kouyou: indeed she has.

Chuuya: "...I'm glad she is growing up."

kouyou: *nods*

Chuuya: "...Just this moment..."

kouyou: *listening*

Chuuya: "...If I could take each happy moment, and just have those in a row..."

kouyou: ....

Chuuya: "...Sorry. Just being corny."

kouyou: *pat pat*

Chuuya: *rubs his eyes*

sonia: *pedals up to them* papa?

Chuuya: "??? Yes, Sonia?"

sonia: *lifts her arms, wanting to be picked up*

Chuuya: *smiles, picks her up*

sonia: *hug*

kouyou: *snaps a pic* so sweet. ^^

Chuuya: ^^

sonia: *forehead kiss* love you, papa.

Chuuya: "Love you too, sweetie."

-elsewhere-

Kid: *opens the door*

lord death: welcome home!

Kid: ^^ "Hello, Father." *drops his suitcase*

lord death: *HUG*

Kid: ^\\\^ *pat pat

lord death: oh, stocking said she wanted to see you in your room then.

Kid: O\\\w\\\O;; "...Yes, well, I'll report the mission tomorrow, then?"

lord death: *he nods*

liz: i'll handle it from here. you go on ahead, kiddo.

Kid: *practically sprinting*

liz: ... ^^;

Kid: *opens the door*

stocking: *in a sexy saloon girl costume* welcome home~<3

Kid: O\\\\\O "..." *small moan*

stocking: hehe~ *finger curl*

Kid: *shuts the door behind him, practically crawling up to her* "I-I think I'll need something..."

stocking: oh~?

Kid: *puts on his own cowboy hat, smiles* "I think tonight is a lot of knocking boots..."

stocking: hmhmhm~ *pulls him close by his tie*

Kid: "Mmm~ Stocking...You're incredible..." *passes a hand along the tassels on her vest*

stocking: ah~ *whispers* tonight, i want you to completely fucking wreck me.

Kid: *holds her close, inhaling deeply* =\\\\= "We have to make up for lost time~"

stocking: *kisses him*

Kid: "Hmmm!" *pins her wrists to the mattress*

stocking: mmn~ god, i missed this so much.

Kid: "Yes--I yearned to be by your side every night..." *kisses along her ear*

stocking: ahhh~ you know, the vibrators dont compare to the real thing~

Kid: "Oh~? Was my saloon girl busy while I was out~?"

stocking: i was lonely without you here with me.... *hugs* im so happy you're home.

Kid: *hug, strokes her back* "I'm sorry...but I'm home now. And so happy..."

stocking: mmm... *holds him close* i love you so much, kid.

Kid: "I love you, too, Stocking...and I want to fill every day for you with all the happiness I can..."

stocking: *smiles and nuzzles her nose against his* ^////^

Kid: "Heh heh..." *nuzzles*

-morning-

fang-hua: <so how far is the oasis?>

Schop: *points* <Just above that rock wall at the horizon...>

shinra: hmm...

beauty: *flies up*

shinra: *follows*

Pan: *calling after them* "Careful! We don't know what we're facing!"

shinra: *nods*

nozomi: *checking the readings* seems the air quality is good here.

Schop: <Did you encounter those weird visions in the Wasteland?>

tamaki: <well, we do have gasmasks on to protect us from the gas, so...>

Schop: <That's good--she warned us to avoid those parts of the earth, too.>

tamaki: ?? 'she?'

Schop: <...The mysterious woman who protected us, years ago.>

shinra: hey guys! you should check this out! it's a whole 'nother forest over here!

Ogun: "Hang on! Some of us can't fly as well as you..." *uses his lances on his board to fly up*

shinra: *looking around* ...!!!!!! no way....

tamaki: wait up! *crouch, butt shake and jumps up the wall*

Schop: <...> *looks at Nozomi* <Your nun is a cat?>

nozomi: ^^; <well...>

Ogun: *reaches the top* "Jeez, you're right--look at those trees!" *looking around, not noticing Shinra's shock*

shinra: .....

tamaki: *phew* wow, how are we gonna get the others up past this-....shinra? are you ok?

shinra: *points*

Ogun: *looks* "...?!"

tamaki: ?? what are you looking a-.... !!!

-in the distance, is a structure like the amaterasu-

Ogun: "What...is that doing here?"

juria: oooi! what's going on up there?!

tamaki: you guys arent gonna believe this! i-it's an amaterasu!

Pan: "???"

juria: hah?

Schop: <Tiramisu?>

tamaki: get on up here and check this out!

-and so-

nozomi: it's...hard to believe, but no mistaking it...

juria: why the hell is that even out here?

fang-hua: in any case, we should investigate.

Schop: *hiding behind the rocks, sniffing the air* Q_Q <I-I smell them...>

tamaki: ...

Ogun: <'Them'?>

Schop: <Those thieves...>

shinra:... <let's head down then.>

Schop: <Okay...I'll lead you. But don't think you can talk through to them--they don't talk to us.>

shinra: *nod*

Schop: <We go northwest...>

-elsewhere-

Older Woman: *checking a jar*

girl: so what all else do we need, teacher?

Older Woman: "Waiting for the blooms to finish growing--we'll need one."

girl: *she nods, looking out the window*

*There's a potted plant on the windowsill*

-elsewhere-

Wes: *hug*

liz: *smooch* ^^

Wes: "I'm grateful...If you had been hurt..."

liz: im ok...

Wes: *nods* "Sorry...Just get worried. Some of these missions are dangerous."

liz:...*nods*

Wes: *rubs her hand*

-elsewhere-

Damon: *muttering his lines, re-reading them*

teacher: *puts a hand up to their ear, trying to hear him*

Damon: "...Pardon me, this way is a very nice way."

girl: who said that?

boy: *in a dog suit* -_-; bark bark.

girl: oh dont be silly, toto, scarecrows dont talk.

Damon: *pointing another way* "It's pleasant down that way, too!"

girl: that's funny, wasnt he pointing the other way?

Damon: ^^ "Of course, people do go both ways--" *points in both directions, crossing his arms*

teacher: *claps* well done! ^^

Student: "Scarecrow is dumb! And so is Damon!"

Damon: "???"

becky: *PUNCH*

teacher: miss evans!

Damon: ^^; "I mean, the Scarecrow is actually smart--'cause the play is ironic. Plus, my sister is strong..."

becky: and dont let me catch you saying that stuff about my brother again! >XP

Student: *rubbing their injured arm* O_o;;;;; "...The Evans kids are crazy."

teacher: *drags becky and the student to the principal* honestly, such behavior...

becky: >~<

girl: do you think they'll be ok?

boy: does this mean i can take the suit off now? it's making me itch everywhere.

Damon: "...I'm sorry you got stuck with it." ^^;

-elsewhere-

Rin: "Looking good, Shiemi!"

shiemi: thank you. ^^

madoka: ^^

Yukio: "..."

shiemi: oh, hi yuki. ^^

Yukio: "Hello, Shiemi..." *nods*

shiemi: want to check out the festival grounds?

madoka: sounds great!

Yukio: "...Sure?"

shiemi: great! ^^

Bon: "Would you watch where you're stepping?!"

izumo: then dont stand so close to me!

Bon: "I'M NOT TRYING TO! IT'S JUST CROWDED!"

madoka: ._. the festival only just started today....

*There is literally no one else near Bon*

Bon: "... ... ..."

izumo: .....

Rin: "...Oooooooo--"

izumo: s-shut up, okumura! >///<#

Bon: "YEAH, SHUT YOUR DUMB FACE!" -\\\\\-###

-elsewhere-

Arthur: *looking, looks at the trees* "...What kind of tree is that?" *points*

shinra: *looking around*

*It's not a tree--it's a tree growing around a car*

Ogun: "...Well, it's not a pedes-tree-an."

nozomi: *chuckles*

Ogun: ^^;

shinra: what the heck..? *examines the car*

*Looks rather old...*

shinra: hey pan, did they have cars 250 years ago?

Pan: "Is it attached to a horse?"

shinra: doesnt look like it.

nozomi: *examining the car*

Viktor: "That's just anachronistic. Odd bit of history..."

tamaki: *peers inside*

*looks like a bird inside*

tamaki: *steps back* woah!

Takeru: "?! I think that's a crested ibis--almost extinct..."

tamaki:..we should leave them be, then.

Ibis: *looks to be sitting on something...*

nozomi: ....?? *notices something*

-it doesnt look like the other trees in the area. looks almost as if it were manmade-

Arthur: "Are these 250 years old?"

-growls-

shinra: ???

Schop: "Th-The Pillars were set up as a warning--that the Thieves claim this as their territory!"

shinra: *looking around*

tamaki: *HISSSS*

*It sounds like...barking?*

nozomi: ?? .... !!!!

*It's Infernal dogs--animals made into Flame Monsters*

shinra: now that's just fucked up.

infernal dog: *tries to bite him*

shinra: QxQ;;; bad dog! sit!

tamaki: *praying* ashes to ashes, let your souls return to the flames. ratomu!

Arthur: *slicing the dogs*

Takeru: *one is biting him* "Owie! Bad dog!" *shaking him off*

tamaki: *tail whip* ratomu!

Infernal Dog: *yelps, running away*

shinra: ......

???: <Protect...>

shinra: ??? *glances at the amaterasu like structure* (what was...?)

Schop: <I warned you about those Thieves!>

Ogun: "..."

Takeru: "..."

shinra: did you guys hear that voice just now?

Ogun: "Yeah--this guy just called <dogs> <thieves>!"

Schop: "???" <Oh...> ^^; <I'm still working on the language...>

shinra: no, not that, something from there *points*

Arthur: "...Oh, I get it--" *aims Excalibur, fully charged, at Shinra's neck*

shinra: OxO

-CHOP-

tamaki: he's fine, arthur.....you are ok, right shinra?

shinra: i-i think so...

Arthur: *face-down in the mud*

Ogun: "So...Adora Link?"

shinra: most likely.

-elsewhere-

Zeke: *passes the basketball*

axel: yeah! haha!

Yafeu: *rushing at Axel*

axel: *toss*

Asher: *catches...just stands there*

izumi: come on! pass it here!

Asher: *tosses to Izumi* "Fine."

izumi: *dribbling the ball*

Saria: *blocking* >_<

genny: ..

Duncan: "I'm open!" *standing underneath his own net*

lei-lei: (loop braids girl) ^^

Kanin: *wearing a headband and an old-fashion basketball jersey* O_O;

hibiki: over here!

izumi: *toss*

Kanin: *just lifts up his arms*

-nice catch-

Kanin: "..." *tosses into the net*

lei-lei: great job!

Kanin: ^^; "Thanks..."

Duncan: "I helped too!"

Asher: "...How does someone get that big?"

genny:...*shrug*

Zeke: "Milk."

-elsewhere-

Kid: *whistling*

shiori: *drinks from a juicebox*

Kid: "Tasty?"

shiori: mmhmm

Kid: "What would you like to do next?"

shiori: playground?

Kid: "Sure! Swings?"

shiori: yeah!

Kid: "Maybe you'll get even higher than last time, see the tops of the trees and their blossoms."

shiori: ^^

Kid: *grabs Shiori's shoes* "Remember how I tie your shoes?"

shiori: help?

Kid: "Sure!" *puts one shoe on...* "We make the tree roots..." *ties the first knot...*

-elsewhere-

Zeke: "Good game!" *fist bump*

axel: yea-heah! ^^

izumi: phew...

Asher: *lying on the bench* "Zzz..."

hibiki: *drinking from the fountain*

lukas: im exhausted from just watching you all.

Duncan: *basketball imprint on his face* X-X

-elsewhere-

Poe: *singing lightly*

karl: *snoozing on his shoulders* =w=

Poe: *stroke stroke* >w< ("Fluffy!")

rowena: ^^

Poe: ^^; "How was your meeting?"

rowena: it went quite well. one of miss warren’s friends is trying to start a petition in true cross to start up a divination class.

Poe: "Oh? What would it be like?"

rowena: i suppose it would involve tarot readings and tea leaf readings and such. ^^

Poe: "Maybe you'll find a teacher for it..."

rowena: *she nods*

-elsewhere-

fang-hua: <so, about this 'god' of yours...?>

Schop: <Our god gave us this Oasis...>

fang-hua: *listening*

Schop: <One day, shortly after the Great Disaster, she arrived...>

fang-hua:....

Schop: <She was clad in black, coming through this wasteland...We didn't know whether she was a threat--but we were starving...How could we fight against her if she was there to hurt us?>

tamaki: <what happened then?>

Schop: <Then she said she would rebuild this world--starting with us.>

fang-hua: <rebuild?>

Schop: <After the Disaster, we had no food...But when she gave us this...> *points to his tail* <...I no longer felt hunger.>

tamaki: <do you know where she is now?>

Schop: "..." *points at the other Amaterasu*

shinra: .....

Schop: <She built our god...saved our lives...She will come back...>

nozomi:.....??

shinra: ?? *looks in the distance*

*Something is shifting through the trees*

shinra: hello?

???: *growl*

shinra: ._.;

*A hooded figure appears*

shinra: !!!!!

juria: ah hell.

Ogun: "A human? Out here?"

shinra: *steps back* uhhh....guys?

*The figure's hood falls back, revealing--*

Infernal: "OUUUAAAAAHHHA"

juria: *flame gauntlets on*

Takeru: "EEP!"

tamaki: *runs in* return to the burning flames! *tail slash* ratomu!

Viktor: Q__Q "AAAAAH!"

shinra: hold on! *flies over to him*

*Viktor is flung towards--*

Viktor: "BURIED WOODEN SPIKES?!"

shinra *NICE CATCH* OwO;;; *gulp*

Viktor: Q____Q

shinra: for a moment, i thought your goose was cooked.

Viktor: T~T "Please don't say it like that...How did I survive this long..."

juria: *punches through one infernal*

*BARK BARK BARK*

tamaki: we got more coming!

Pan: *blows into his whistle*

*A dog rushes at Shinra--until a fiery lance descends in front of it*

shinra: nice save, ogun! *thumbs up*

Ogun: "No problem--now kick their asses!"

Infernal: "..." <Humans...>

fang-hua: ?!

Infernal: <Why are you here...?>

shinra: so it's another talking one, huh?

Ogun: "So, it has half a brain...”

Infernal: <Leave...or be sacrificed...>

shinra: <what are you talking about?>

Pan: <And why do you want the Shintai's regenerative power?>

Infernal: <'Regenerative'? No... It’s power is destructive!>

shinra: ??!! <what?>

Schop: <Liar! She regenerated our home!>

shinra: (is that why giovanni was searching for the key to the amaterasu? at least iris has it with her...)

Infernal: *cackles* <With that power, soon we will-->

*SLICE*

Arthur: "..." <No mercy.>

shinra: <like hell we'll let you people use it to destroy anything!>

Ogun: "So, what crazy plan do you think they were going to say before Arthur went Marie Antoinette on them?"

shinra: i think they wish to use this shintai for destroying something, whatever it is, it's not good...

Schop: <At least you avoided their leader...>

shinra: <their leader?>

Schop: <His name is Tempeh. He runs with others in cloaks, but you can recognize him by those ears.> *imitates with his claws...devil horns*

shinra: !!!!!!!

Ogun: "Oh no..."

Takeru: Q_Q

Schop: <??? You don't like big ears?>

shinra: <those werent ears. they're horns.>

Schop: <...Is that bad?>

shinra: <horned infernals are really, really dangerous.>

Schop: <...> *gulp* <They keep coming here. Killing us. Hunting for their stones...>

nozomi: <stones?>

Schop: *nods* <Flat stones, chipped away.>

shinra: ....<do you know where tempeh is?>

Schop: <He keeps his followers around God...>

shinra: <then we'll just have to lure him out.>

Pan: <Our mission is to explore the cause for the Adora Burst--I think we should be checking this 'God.' I am not interested in fighting against a Demon.>

shinra: well, if the demon is inside, then drawing him out is our best option while you look inside.

tamaki: he has a point.

juria: yeah, i dont mind fighting a few infernals. *cracks knuckles* otherwise i'll get rusty…

Pan: *sigh* "Fortunate to have some of our most fight-happy members here..." *looks at Schop* <Lead us to God.>

-elsewhere-

*A man looks at the flower floats*

Man: "Hmm...Remarkable work."

worker: thank you.

Man: "How many flowers does this one use?"

worker: i'd estimate about, ah.....over 200.

Man: "That's a lot of seed-growing." ^^

worker: indeed.

Man: "Keep up the good work." *pat pat*

-elsewhere-

Sakuya: ._.; "You okay?"

naho: hmm?

Sakuya: "You seemed concerned a few days ago. Someone bothering you at school?"

naho: not really, why?

Sakuya: "Just curious..." *hands her a wrapped bag* "Your new book arrived."

naho: YAY! ^w^

Sakuya: ^^; "Enjoy..."

-elsewhere-

Free: *scratching behind his ear*

milia: *looking around*

Free: "What'd you like?" *points at the flavors*

milia: can i get the strawberry? OvO

Free: "Sure thing! I think I'll go with the...No, not chocolate, I'll go with caramel. Excuse me? We'd like to order..."

kyouko: ok, what'll it be?

Free: "One strawberry, one caramel, please."

kyouko: coming right up.

Free: *looks outside* "Want to have the ice cream outside?"

milia: *nods* ^^

Free: *drops a tip into the jar, takes the cups--*

Kuro: *staying in the shadows under the tarp* =_=;

milia: ??

Kuro: "Too hot...Tired...Dying..."

milia: are you ok?

Kuro: "The sun..." *crawls more into the shadows, pants*

mahiru: dont mind him, he's tired. ^^;

milia: oooh.

Free: "...'Kay." *sits down with Milia* "Don't stare at the weird cat-hoodie man..."

-elsewhere-

Walter: *sets down his charcoal* "Okay...I think it's done!"

sonia: *peeeeeks*

Walter: *looks to be drawing the tree outside*

sonia: it looks really nice, mr walter.

Walter: "D'aw, I was hoping--thank you! It helps to practice..."

sonia: what did you want to be when you grew up?

Walter: "...Huh...Well, when I was really tiny, I think an animator or firefighter."

sonia: ah.

Walter: "Then I figured out I'm pretty good at observation, so I went into surveillance and just kept learning other things, like drawing, typing, programming, PhotoShop..."

sonia: *nods*

Walter: "What do you think you'll do?"

sonia: =A=; i hardly even know how to ride a bike. i'm still just a little kid, and i have no idea what skills i even have on me.

Walter: OwO; "...It doesn't hurt to dream about it?"

sonia: i guess...

-elsewhere-

Viktor: <Um...Beauty? Is this the right path?>

*Beauty is nesting in Viktor's hair*

beauty: yes. it's not that far now.

Schop: *sniffing around* <Those thieves--er...Um...'dogs' have a strong scent here...They can't be far.>

shinra:......

nozomi: wait, i see something.

-seems to be a door-

Arthur: "You think it goes somewhere?"

shinra: inside the shintai most likely...

Pan: "We need to investigate inside..."

fang-hua: *nods*

shinra: ogun, tamaki, juria, takeru and i will keep a watch outside.

Arthur: "I'll go inside to guard the investigators."

nozomi: *nods*

Pan: "And stay quiet so not to attract attention."

shinra: we'll try to.

Pan: "Okay." *blows his whistle*

shinra: >~< (YOU HYPOCRITE!)

Schop: *SHHH!*

Pan: ._.; "...Sorry."

-and so-

Viktor: *holding a flashlight*

nozomi: it's surprisingly clean in here.

fang-hua: yeah, you'd think a 250+ year old structure would have a bit of dust inside it...

Arthur: "Likely gnomes."

fang-hua:...*sweatdrop* right....

*Sounds like metal rustling...*

nozomi: ?! *turns*

*A metal shutter has slammed shut*

nozomi: !!!!

shinra: !!! ah heck.

Ogun: "They found us..."

tamaki: *battle stance*

*Cloaked figures emerge from the shadows*

juria: heh, alright. *flame gauntlets on*

Figure 1: <Intruders...>

shinra: ..... <i'm guessing you're tempeh?>

Tempeh: <Who are you?>

juria: <the group that's about to fuck you up, that’s who.>

Figure 2: *grabs Juria from behind* <LANGUAGE!>

juria: *grabs the figure’s arms and tosses them over her*

Figure 3: *GROWLS, rushing at Shinra*

shinra: HYAH!

Figure 3: *flame claws grab Shinra by the ankle*

shinra: !!!

Ogun: *TACKLE*

shinra: woah! thanks man!

Ogun: "Any time..." *tosses a lance behind Shinra, nailing a Fire Dog to a tree*

tamaki: ratomu!

Fire Dog: *evaporates*

shinra: <why are you trying to cause destruction? these animals did nothing to you!>

Tempeh: *chuckles* <Sorry...But to me...> *summons a fireball* <You're all just animals to me!>

shinra: !!

*The fireball rises--then splits into pieces, descending like meteors*

Tempeh: <I'LL BURN IT ALL!>

shinra: !!!! *dodging*

Schop: *hanging onto Shinra* Q_Q

Takeru: "EEK!" *trying to fling fire missiles back, knocking some fireballs away--but into the trees*

juria: *grabs one infernal by the head and slams it into the ground*

Infernal 4: *SCREAMS INTO THE GROUND--shooting up fire under the rocks*

Schop: <HEY! DON'T DESTROY THE FOREST, TOO!> D : <

shinra: <sorry.>

Schop: -^-

Ogun: <This jackass has a death wish...> *tosses another lance--*

Tempeh: *catches it*

Ogun: "?!!!"

juria: what the fuck?!

Tempeh: <...> *grins* <You have no idea...> *tosses it towards Juria*

juria: *dodge* heh, you're really...really...beginning to piss me off.

Takeru: <Um...Sir? Why are you doing this?>

Ogun: "WHY ARE YOU BEING NICE TO HIM?!"

Tempeh: "..." <I want to die.>

tamaki: <then please, let us put you to rest!>

Tempeh: "..." *points at Juria* <Her. Let her try.>

juria: alright then. i'm gonna enjoy this! *THROWS A PUNCH*

*CRACK*

juria: *SCREAMS* FUCK!!

Ogun: "Juria!"

Tempeh: *taps his chest* <No matter your flame, it is not strong enough to kill me...But her...> *looks up at the Shintai* <Your 'god' can.>

juria: shit...at least i still have my left, you cant kill an oni so easily, after all...

shinra: ....

Tempeh: <She was made to destroy...With the flame my follows are creating inside, tapping into the shintai's power, will create an explosion that should reach...How far? Maybe to Qingdao.>

Takeru: <!!!! No!>

tamaki: <you're really willing to risk innocent people's lives, just to die?!>

Tempeh: <I will go to Heaven! And there, I will have all that was taken from me--including my servants! You, priestess--you could serve me!>

tamaki: *flips him off* <SCREW OFF, OLD MAN!>

Tempeh: <SINCE WHEN HAVE PRIESTESSES BEEN SO POORLY MANNERED IN THE LAST 250 YEARS?!> >_<###

shinra: <she's rather unorthodox, to be fair->

tamaki: GET BENT, KUSAKABE!!

Schop: <JUST DIE ALONE, YOU BIG-EAR FREAK!>

shinra: still, we'll need a lot of firepower...come on, think, shinra, think...

*FWOOM*

shinra: ?!

-inside-

nozomi: *examining the tablets*

Pan: "Numbers?"

nozomi: ah! i recognize these numbers!

Viktor: "Really?"

Arthur: "It's pi."

fang-hua: really?

nozomi: arthur! you know pi too?! *shiny eyes*

Arthur: "I'm a Knight of the Round Table: I know all things round."

nozomi:....

fang-hua:....what?

nozomi:.....*facepalm*

Pan: *sad whistle*

Viktor: "...Um, no offense, but pi is 3.14, not 3.41..."

nozomi: actually, there is more to pi than 3.14, you see the number's in pi- *ramble ramble ramble*

Arthur: "..." *already walking away* "It's the hundred thousandth's place..."

fang-hua: *sweatdrop* she really knows her stuff, huh?

Pan: "At least someone does..."

Viktor: ^\\\\^;

-outside-

Ogun: "Shinra! Snap out of it!"

shinra: hu-huh? wha?

Ogun: *tossing lances at remaining Infernals* "You zoning out again?! Was it that link?"

shinra: i think so, but it didnt seem as homicidal as the last time.

Takeru: "...Yay?" *swinging arms to knock back Infernals*

tamaki: *DOUBLE TAIL SLASH*

Ogun: "Come on, Shinra--while she starts the prayer!" *tosses more lances*

shinra: right!

tamaki: burning soul, ashen smoke, the soul that desires release, ashes to ashes, may thy soul return to the flames. ratomu!

Ogun: *runs at one, shoving into their chest--* "Yoruba Forge!" *shoves more into the remaining Infernals--then lifts his arm to increase their heat*

Infernals: *SCREAMING*

Ogun: "...Riveting."

shinra: nice one. *thumbs up*

Tempeh: <...> *shaking*

juria: *slams two infernals heads together*

Tempeh: <M-My servants...Stop...Stop!>

tamaki: <we're only trying to help put them to rest!>

Tempeh: <I'LL PUT YOU TO REST!> *rushes forward*

tamaki: !!!!

Tempeh: *pulls back his hand--then thrusts it forward--*

*SLICE, CRUNCH*

tamaki: !!!!!!!!!!

Takeru: "..." *coughs* "...Ow..."

tamaki: TAKERU!

Tempeh: *withdraws his arm* <That's one animal put down-->

tamaki: why you-!!!

-nine fiery tails appear-

~CAT-O-NINE TAILS!~

Tempeh: "?!!!"

tamaki: *charges at him* MREOW!

Tempeh: *knocked back by the force of her blow*

Takeru: *collapsed*

shinra: takeru, dont you die, patti's gonna kill us if you die!

Takeru: "...'Die'? But...I'm fine?" *sits up*

shinra: ._. b-but how-

*The hole in his jacket...starts to re-assemble?!*

shinra: .____. WHAT THE-?!

Takeru: ^^; "I guess that clothing Patty had made for me helped..."

shinra:.....what?

{Patty: "Show it to him!"}

{felisia: here, this sweater will keep you warm and protected from harm. it's also inflammable~ ^^}

{Takeru: QwQ "This is so kind--thank you!"}

{Patty: ^w^ "This way if someone stabbed you through the chest, you won't die!"}

shinra:.......better not to ask.

Takeru: "In any case, the worst is over--"

*BARK BARK BARK*

shinra: aw dangit.

*Dogs rush at Takeru, grabbing onto each of limbs*

Takeru: Q___Q;

shinra: *kicks them away* FUCK OFF, FIDO!

Takeru: "I can only regenerate clothes, not limbs!" *tosses two dogs*

tamaki: hyah!

Tempeh: *struggling to get up* <Damn you...Can't you let me have this...Not for me...but for God!>

shinra: <we're not about to let innocent people be killed.>

Tempeh: <If they are innocent, God will welcome them to Heaven! But you? There's only Hell for you!> *summons a scythe...*

shinra: *takes a stance*

Tempeh: <Your souls are mine!> *swings the fire scythe*

shinra: woah! (hey, whoever that adora link was just now, please help!)

???: <Protect...>

shinra: *looks at the shintai*

-inside-

*BA-THUMP BA-THUMP BA-THUMP*

fang-hua: ?? is that a heartbeat?

nozomi: *looks down the corridor* .....

Pan: *looks...* "An inner chamber?"

fang-hua: now how do we get in there?

beauty: *BEAK SLICE*

Viktor: "...Huh." <That's helpful!>

beauty: <just dont break anything in there.>

Pan: "Hmm...This chamber has boards around it, likely increasing the sound of each vibration..."

fang-hua: hmm.... *looks up* ?? an arrow?

Viktor: "...Arrow?"

-there are 9 other arrows on a pedestal-

Arthur: "A white arrow, fitted into the space above the door, like a key in a lock..."

Viktor: "..." *shakes*

nozomi:...viktor? are you alright?

Viktor: "Vibrations like heartbeats...White feather arrows...Genkoku...S-Sacrifices!"

nozomi: what are you talking about?

Viktor: "There's a human in here--a human sacrifice!"

nozomi: ??!!!

fang-hua: a human?

Viktor: *nods* "Likely the traveler Schop saw..."

-outside-

shinra: (so, you're this 'god' schop mentioned, huh?)

*It's dark...A face emerges...*

Woman: "..." *shakes her head 'no'*

shinra: (then, who are you?)

Woman: (Not a god...A willful sacrifice...)

shinra: ?!

Woman: (I came here, knowing I could use this power to restore...)

tamaki: *slice slice*

Woman: (Why did you call to me?)

shinra: (please, help me fight this demon.)

juria: oi, ogun!

Ogun: *taking off his jacket* "I think we need to give Shinra some time..."

tamaki: good call.

Ogun: *pulls off his shirt, as flames snake off his fists and around his arms* *flame tattoos cover him* "Flamy Ink..."

Tempeh: "?!!"

Ogun: *his fist collides with Tempeh's face--and instantly sends him sailing across the ground towards Juria*

juria: *PAWNCH*

Tempeh: *slow motion "WWWWWWAAAAAAHHHHH--* *knocked into the dirt*

tamaki: wow.

juria: huh, not bad at all. if things were different, you'd make a great addition to the hell blaze gang.

Ogun: >_>; "Yeah, I'll pass..." *shoves Tempeh at Juria with another punch*

shinra: (so will you help us? schop and the others are waiting for you.)

Woman: (With what? My power is focused on maintaining the restoration of this Oasis...I have only enough power for one second of your time.)

shinra: .....*grin* (a second is all i'll need)

Woman: (What can you do?)

shinra: (whatever it takes to protect this place.) .... (you have the adora burst too, right?)

Woman: (Yes.)

shinra: (something about you is like the preacher from the ashen flame...what are you, exactly?)

Woman: (I am no different than you.)

shinra: ....

Ogun: *panting, swinging--and missing Tempeh*

shinra: (ok, i'm ready.)

Woman: (Then I bestow onto you...Divine Protection.)

shinra: ok, here goes nothing! *charges*

*Everything is motionless...Tempeh stands, ready to pierce Ogun's heart*

shinra: *rushes in and kicks* HAH!!

*Tempeh's body immediately sails up to the sky and across the Wasteland*

shinra: *jumps up and...*

-…-

shinra:....(am i....floating??)

*The Wasteland is below him...but the Oasis is gone!*

shinra: ?!?!?! (WHERE THE FUCK AM I?????!!!!)

*It's windy below...There's one cloaked figure below...*

shinra: ??

Cloak: *clutching a staff, walking* *pants* <...Why, God...>

shinra: ?? (is that...?)

*It's Tempeh, 250 years ago*

Tempeh: <The Great Disaster took all from me...My fortune, my home...my wife...my daughter...>

shinra: .........

Tempeh: <Why was I the only to survive...I hate this...I hate it all!> *slams his staff against the ground*

-fwoom-

-a figure emerges....the preacher-

preacher: ......

Tempeh: "!!!" *falls to his knees* "Wh-Who...?"

preacher:....*she says nothing. she just smiles*

Tempeh: <...God?>

shinra: (so then the preacher came from the tear in space...?)

Tempeh: *clasps his hand* <Lord! I beg you! Return to me that which the fire took!>

preacher:... *takes a bug from off her sleeve, and places it upon tempeh*

shinra: !!!!!

Tempeh: <??? What--URK!>

preacher: *walks away*

Tempeh: *panting--before he screams, clutching his face*

shinra: !!!! (so he lost everything in the disaster....)

Tempeh: *his eyes are ripped apart as horns form from them, a fire emerging from the center of his face...and he laughs*

shinra:... *he is slowly returning back to the present, tears falling*

Woman: (You cry?)

shinra: !! *rubs his eyes* (y-yeah....i'm still only human, i guess...)

Woman: *nods* (He is not the last to fall for her deception...)

shinra:.....(sho....inka....)

Woman: *nods* (A charlatan, playing God, infecting religions with lies...)

shinra:....(are you....from the tear in space as well?)

Woman: (...I spent an eternity in Adora...)

shinra: .....

Woman: (That 'preacher' and their bug awoke the Burst within me...I followed her here, brought by the will of that Shintai...to create, not destroy.)

shinra: hmm.....

Woman: (She has deceived your world to imagine her as the God of many religions...I do not have much more time--my energy is running out...Thank you...)

shinra: ....(any time)

-CRASH-

tamaki: !!!

shinra: *he fell through some trees to the ground*

Ogun: *collapsed on his back, panting* "H-Hey...Just drop on in...Heh."

tamaki: what the heck happened just now?

shinra: a lot....mm....*he collapses to his knees and vomits before passing out*

Takeru: "!!! Oh no!"

tamaki: *runs over to him*....h-he's alright, he's just fainted....

????: my, my, my~ i was wondering what all the ruckus was~

juria: ??

Ogun: *sits up* "?!"

kii-tan: hello, little humans~

Ogun: -_-# "How long have you been there?"

kii-tan: a while, enjoying the show. hope you dont mind~ fufufu~ oh, and hello to you too, schop-schop~ ^^

Schop: >3< <Stop that!>

-the door opens-

Pan: "What was that noise?!"

Viktor: "??? Did you fight or something?"

nozomi: is everything alri-....... !!!!!!!!!! o-o-o-OGUN! Y-Y-YOU'RE NAKED!!! >/////< *covers her eyes*

Ogun: O\\\\\O "I-I still have my pants on!"

nozomi: *hands him his coat* h-h-here! >////< y-you'll get cold!

fang-hua: ....hey, what's wrong with shinra?

tamaki: *she explains the situation*

kii-tan: *yawwwn....* hmm~? *glances at pan* *tiny blush*

Pan: "???"

Ogun: >\\\\<;;;

Viktor: *frowning*

tamaki: so what did you find inside the shintai?

Arthur: <We think it's her...>

Schop: <...> Q_Q

-later that afternoon-

shinra: ......*places a hand on the door* thank you...

Pan: *looking on*

*silence*

juria: so they're using human beings with adora burst to power these things?

Viktor: "It's the only explanation that makes sense, based on previous history I read...Maybe even that one woman who keeps talking to Shinra..."

shinra:.......*shaking*

Pan: "And who is to say she went in willingly? This traveler who approached Schop and the animals went in on her own--but what did the Church do? Or Haijima? Or even...our own forces?"

shinra: .....

{hitohashira me: *screaming*}

Ogun: "...Shinra..." *pat pat*

shinra: *wipes eyes* i-i'm gonna be ok...cant go breaking down and crying over every little thing, r-right? *tries to smile*

Ogun: "...Heh. Hero's smile?"

shinra: yeah.

nozomi: so how does 'pi' come into play with this?

shinra: not sure, but we know the preacher's plan, now. sacrificing the 9 remaining adora users in the amaterasu and re-create the disaster from 250 years ago. we know where the first 6 are, we just have to find the remaining 4.

Arthur: *walking around* "...I mean, this is a round facility...And pi is the ratio of the circumference to diameter, like a magic number, maybe the 'Pillars' are pi..."

Takeru: "How do we find the remaining four? We all don't have the Link, and investigations don't seem to be getting us very far..."

shinra: maybe me and mikami's psychic dreams might come into play to help? it's a stretch, but it's the best we got.

Ogun: "This kind of news could shake the foundation of Death City...again."

Pan: "So we better be discreet. This information does not leave this group, except to your commander, Shinra."

Viktor: "..."

shinra: understood.

nozomi: right.

Schop: *carrying a small satchel* <Nozomi, a little help?> *holds up the bag*

nozomi: <ah, right.> *helping to carry the bag*

Takeru: -^- <What do you want, potato thief?>

tamaki: takeru, dont be rude to schop.

Takeru: -3-

nozomi: ^^

Schop: <I'm sorry for stealing your tubers, so now that we got our Oasis back, I gathered these. They don't have the same flavor, but maybe it'll feed you?>

Takeru: *studies one, bites in--* "MMMM!"

Schop: ^^;

Pan: *looks around* "I think we had best head back to our vehicle..." *looks at Kii-tan*

kii-tan: you know, i can show you a shortcut through the mountains to get you to yao-ming~ *wink*

Pan: "???" <And I should trust you why?>

kii-tan: <even though i dont care too much for humans, your group did keep me entertained, so i figured i'd pay you back~ fufu~>

Pan: "..." >\\\>; "If you aren't lying, it'll be helpful."

kii-tan: would you rather risk the sand worms?

tamaki:... alright, we'll take your word for it.

Ogun: "Will we need gasmasks?"

nozomi: we better wear them just to be safe.

Pan: *nods*

Viktor: *hands them out*

Arthur: "Come along, Shinra..."

Schop: "..." *climbs up on Shinra's shoulder* <How is she?>

shinra: <i think she seems to be doing well...>

Schop: QwQ <...Thanks.>

shinra: <so what will you do now?>

Schop: <...Wait for her return, and protect this land.>

shinra: .....<you do your best, ok?> *smiles*

Schop: <...Will you come back? Maybe explain more what a 'hero' does?>

shinra: <maybe someday.>

Schop: ^w^ <Okay. I'll keep digging until I'm strong enough to fight them! And if I'm not, I'll find you to help me get stronger!>

shinra: <sounds good.>

Pan: <It would take us about 2 days to get back to Qingdao. How much time will this short cut save us?>

kii-tan: about a few hours.

Pan: "Hmm..." *gets into the driver's seat*

-elsewhere-

axel: *nom*

Asher: *walks by*

axel: jellybean?

Asher: "...Those are akin to death."

axel: i keep them in my pockets, what's in yours?

Asher: "...My wallet? Tissues?"

axel: oh?

Asher: "Why? You have something more interesting than diabetes-in-a-bag?"

axel: i once kept a lizard in my pocket one day during 6th grade.

Asher: "...It get out?"

axel: i just fed him sunflower seeds. megatron's pretty chill. that was the lizard's name, btw.

Asher: "..." *small laugh* "Not 'Dino-Bot'?"

axel: how about 'eletro-rex'? nah, that sounds like a pokemon......*writing something down*

Asher: "??? What are you...?"

axel: taking notes to send to the pokemon company.

Asher: ._.; "...Um...You think they read them?"

axel: who knows.

-elsewhere-

Kid: *walking hand-in-hand with Stocking* ^w^

stocking: hehe~ ^^

Kid: "This is so perfect...Just you and me..."

stocking: enjoying the festival. *smiles*

Kid: "Seeing how colorful everything is~"

stocking: ^^~<3

Man: "Excuse me, Miss! Miss!"

stocking: ??

Man: "I need a favor!"

stocking: *looks at kid*

Kid: "???"

Man: *smirks* "Could you suck my--"

-PUNCH-

Kid: ^^;

stocking: but sir, you seem to be doing a good job at it yourself~ ^^

Kid: "Excellent work!"

Man: X-X

stocking: look at that, kid. some people just cant bother to throw out their trash. so rude.

Kid: "Want to dump it?"

stocking: on three?

Kid: "1...2..."

stocking: hup!

-into the trash he goes-

stocking: marvelous.

Kid: "Perfect~"

stocking: can we get ice cream now~?

Kid: "All the flavors you want~"

-elsewhere-

sonia: ...

Chuuya: *washing plates*

sonia: *peeeek*

Chuuya: *smiles* "How's my little girl?"

sonia: doing homework.

Chuuya: "How is it?"

sonia: ok....*looks out the window*

Chuuya: "Anything you need help with?" *looks as well*

sonia: .....do you think we'll be able to go back into the city someday?

Chuuya: "..." *smiles* "Of course." *pats her head*

sonia:.....

Chuuya: "Care to go for a walk after you finish?"

sonia: ok.

Chuuya: "Okay...We'll look at the blossoms."

sonia:...*small smile*

Chuuya: "Now, finish up..." *sets down a bowl of fruit*

-elsewhere-

Benimaru: *reading a book*

kirei: *laying down, rubbing her stomach*

Benimaru: "??? Kirei?"

kirei: hmm?

Benimaru: "Are you well?"

kirei: *she nods*

Benimaru: "..." *lies down beside her*

kirei: mmm....

Benimaru: "..." *rests a hand over her stomach*

kirei: *holds his hand*

Benimaru: *buries his forehead in her shoulder, holds her hand*

-elsewhere-

Ogun: *looking out the window* "..."

nozomi: *resting on his shoulder*

Ogun: "..." *pats her shoulder*

nozomi: *sleepy smile*

Ogun: *small smile*

Pan: *driving...yawns*

fang-hua: want me to take over?

Pan: *nods* "Yes, thank you..." *pulls over, steps out, stretches*

kii-tan: still able to catch up~?

Pan: "??? Catch up? You mean our hours back home?"

kii-tan: i suppose sooo. hope i'm not going too fast for you~ *wink*

Pan: "..." *folds his arms* "What is with you? You don't strike me as how the others described speaking with you in that cave."

kii-tan: i was rather bored in there. i've been around for a very long time, so i tend to get bored easy, so i enjoy finding things to entertain myself.

Pan: "...And how long have you been around to be bored?"

kii-tan: quite a long time....*she looks at him*

Pan: *stares at her* "...Oh."

kii-tan: you know, if circumstances were different, you'd make a fine mate~ *wink*

Pan: O\\\\\O "...Are we even the same species?"

-inside the truck-

Arthur: "..." *looks at Tamaki*

tamaki: zzzz

shinra: *snoring*

juria: zzzzz.....

Arthur: "..." *leans back, looking up*

-elsewhere-

Kyoka: "Sylvia, did you want to go out?"

sylvia: i-is that a-alright?

Kyoka: "Sure. Would you like company?"

sylvia: *nod nod*

Kyoka: "Very well...Let's take a walk. Hungry?"

sylvia:...*nod nod*

Kyoka: "Let's get tofu."

sylvia: o-ok.

Kyoka: *picks up a wallet* "Then I can show you some games and the Ferris wheel."

sylvia: ...

Kyoka: *opens the door* "...Ready?"

sylvia: ...o-ok...

Kyoka: "..." *puts on gloves, offers her hand*

sylvia:...*takes her hand* .///.

Kyoka: ^^ *guides her down the stairs*

-elsewhere-

Inka: "So...How many 'Pillars' are there?"

guruna: i thiiiiiink 10?

Inka: "And how many are left to find?"

guruna:....4 maybe? 6 including the two we havent captured yet.

Inka: "And how do you intend to do that?" *leans back, looking up*

guruna:....*shrug*

Inka: "I see...So, you do anything for fun?"

guruna: oh yes! jonah and i like to play pranks on the senior members, kururu~

Inka: "...Even Charon?"

guruna: he's fun to mess with, kururururu~ ^^

sasori: that sounds....rather bad for your health... *sweatdrop*

Inka: "..." *grabs Guruna's hands, shiny eyes* "Let's do it!"

sasori: =A=

-elsewhere-

Dr. John: "And that was the trip..."

sachiko: that's nice you got to visit your brother, melinda. *smiles*

Dr. John: *nods* "I'm glad he's well." ^^

sachiko: *nod nod*

Dr. John: "How goes wedding plans?"

sachiko: going great, the wedding will be sometime in the summer.

Dr. John: "D'aw! How's the venue?"

sachiko: it looks quite beautiful.

Dr. John: "You deserve it."

sachiko:...*smiles*

Dr. John: "And the honeymoon?"

sachiko: who knows.

Dr. John: "One step at a time, then."

-elsewhere-

Hibana: *looking at an old photograph* "..."

hanako: *peeek*

*It looks like Hibana and Iris as children, along with other nuns*

hanako: is that you and aunt iris, mom?

Hibana: *nods* "Yes, dear. And those were our sisters."

hanako: that's a looooot of sisters.

Hibana: *laughs* "That's what nuns are called."

hanako: oh?

Hibana: *nods* "It's a close relationship, in worship of...God."

hanako: ??

Hibana: "...Sorry. Just thinking..."

hanako: ....is that what rino means when she says 'goddammit'?

Hibana: "..." ^^; "No, sweetie, that's what Rino says when she's upset. Let me go make sure she's alright..." *cracks her knuckles*

hanako: ok, mommy. ^^

Hibana: *walks away* "Oh, Rino~" ^^#

Rino: "..." *running*

-elsewhere-

Kyoka: "Nervous?"

sylvia: .~. *nods*

Kyoka: "Don't worry--the Ferris Wheel is safe."

sylvia: *gulps* i-it looks rather h-high up...

Kyoka: "But sturdy. I promise."

sylvia: ....

Kyoka: "..." *pat pat* "I won't let anything happen."

sylvia: o-o-ok...*follows her*

Kyoka: *holds her hand, helping her onto the Wheel car*

Hyde: "Stay seated during the ride, you two!"

sylvia: *gingerly steps in*

Kyoka: *sits across* *smiles*

sylvia: .////.;;;;

Kyoka: *points* "You can see the top of the Academy."

sylvia: oh wow...

Kyoka: ^^

sylvia: .....

Kyoka: "...I'm proud of you."

sylvia:...t-...thank you....*she's crying*

Kyoka: "..." *hug*

sylvia: !!!!! o////o m-m-m-m-ii-isss kyoukaaaa???

Kyoka: "It's okay...You can cry."

sylvia: uu....*she just breaks down*

Kyoka: *pats her head, hums*

-after reaching the ground-

sylvia: *there's tears and snot all on her face* m-may i *sniff* h-have some tissues?

Kyoka: *offers a handkerchief*

sylvia: *wiping herself up as best as she can*

Kyoka: *rubs her back* "It's okay..."

sylvia: *hic*

???: are you alright?

Kyoka: "???"

mami: *gives a warm smile*

sylvia: !!! *wipes her face*

Crona: "???" *pops up from behind Mami*

sylvia: um...uhhhh.... uhhhhhhhh....

Crona: "Hello. You're at the Academy, yes?"

sylvia: t-the d-d-dwma? y-yes... *looks down, nervous*

Crona: ^^; "How was the Ferris Wheel?"

sylvia: *looks at kyouka*

Kyoka: "Enjoyable."

mami: that's good to hear. ^^

Crona: "...I'm Crona."

sylvia: s-syl..via...

Crona: "It is nice to meet you." ^^

mami: ^^

Kyoka: "...Where were you headed? I was thinking of getting ginger ale."

mami: well, there's actually a little cafe not far from here we wanted to check out. 'the vortex cafe'.

Kyoka: "We work near there."

mami: oh?

Kyoka: "It is quite nice. Just be careful around the redhead."

mami: we'll keep that in mind. ^^; (is kyouko working there now too?)

Crona: "M-Maybe some ice cream?" *smiles*

mami: sure. ^^

-elsewhere-

Lucy: "And the mixer has 4 speeds."

kyouko: *nods*

Lucy: "Any questions?" *adjusts her own apron*

kyouko: i think i'm good, ma'am.

Lucy: ^^; " 'Lucy' is fine, Miss Kyouko."

kyouko: alright then.

*Door chime rings*

Lucy: "Ready to begin?"

kyouko: *nods*

*Lucy looks to see who came in--*

Lucy: "..." -______-;;;;;

Dazai: "Hello~"

kyouko: ?? hi, welcome to the vortex cafe, may we take your seat today?

Dazai: "Oh, I know where mine is--I wrote my name on it!"

kyouko: ?? for real?

Dazai: *turns--he has his name on the bottom of his pants*

kyouko:..........................................*gives a weird look to lucy*

Lucy: -_-# "Please sit your backside down, make your order quick, pay, and tip our new waitress generously."

Dazai: ^^ "Just put it on my tab."

Lucy: >_<###

kyouko: oh one more thing *intense look* dont you dare waste any food or so help me, you will be regretting it.

Dazai: QwQ "..." *squeaks* "Y-Yes, ma'am..."

-morning-

Ling: *looking through the forest trees* <???>

jin: <see anything?>

Ling: <I'm not sure you'd believe me if I told you...>

jin: ??

*An engine is heard*

Ling: *points* <See for yourself.>

jin: ??.. !! <dad! come see this!>

Mr. Huo: <??? ... !!! Oh my...Fang-Hua!> *runs up*

Ling: *laughs, follows*

fang-hua: *hugs*

Mr. Huo: *group hug with kids* <I'm so glad you're safe!>

shinra: <hi mr huo.>

Mr. Huo: <Hello, um, Shinra, yes? How did you get back?>

shinra: <it's kind of a long story.>

-fang-hua explains all she is able to reveal to them, minus the sacrifices-

Ling: <Wow...Sister, you were inside while the fight happened?>

fang-hua: <yeah, but in a nutshell, the exploration was a success>

mrs huo: <that's glad to hear.> *smiles to the group* <the things you left here for us to look after are in the guest room for you>

tamaki: <thank you very much, ma'am.>

Ogun: <Thank you, ma'am. Is there a place to get a bath?>

Arthur: <Yes, Shinra's feet smell like spoiled soup.>

shinra: >3<#

mrs huo: <why yes, there is a spring not far from here.>

Ogun: <Just point us in that direction.> ^^

Pan: "..."

-elsewhere-

sonia: happy birthday, papa.

Chuuya: "Ah, thank you." *hug*

sonia: ^^ i think my birthday was in september?

katya: yeah, the 20th of september.

Chuuya: "Yes...We'll have a good party, then."

sonia: ok.

Chuuya: "..." *pats her head* "Let's start with some breakfast."

sonia: ok. aunt leo said she'd teach me how to make 'syrniki'? i think they're like cheese pancakes?

Chuuya: "That sounds delicious!"

sonia: i've never had them before, but aunt leo says they're really yummy.

Chuuya: "Worth a try."

-elsewhere-

Jacqueline: "I think we're about done with the float."

kim: awesome! this will look so great tomorrow!

Jacqueline: ^^ "Good work, everyone!"

-elsewhere-

felisia: *in the waiting room*

Mephisto: *pacing* Q_Q

stocking: it's gonna be ok, mom.

Kid: *seated wth them*

felisia: thank you. i'm kind of nervous, w-when i gave birth to you, it was cold and dark and i was all alone and scared-

stocking: shhh, it's ok, just breathe, the people here are professionals and you're in good hands.

felisia:...o-ok...

Dr. John: "I'm here...Sorry. Felisia, let's get you to your room."

felisia: thank you. *follows*

stocking: the room's really nice and cozy.

Mephisto: "Only the best..."

stocking: think of it like a little hotel room. ^^

felisia: *she nods*

Kid: "... ... ..." *adjusts a painting on the wall*

stocking: ^^;

Mephisto: "Just don't go crazy, Kid."

Kid: -3- *sets down Felisia's overnight bags*

-elsewhere-

Kunikida: "Atsushi, review this." *hands him folders without turning around, thumbing through cabinets*

atsushi: *examines folders*

*looks to be reports from a few nations...*

atsushi: hmm... *examining reports*

*Look to be some murders and suicides...*

atsushi:......

Kunikida: "Pattern?" *not looking at him*

atsushi: most of them died from their own ability?

Kunikida: "..." *sighs, nods*

atsushi: hmmm....there's a connection, there has to be...

Kunikida: "That's what I hope we find...Look up abilities we have on record."

atsushi: yes sir.

Kunikida: *pinches the bridge of his nose*

atsushi:...are you alright?

Kunikida: "...I want this solved."

atsushi: *he nods*

Kunikida: "...Do your best."

atsushi: i will.

-elsewhere-

Ogun: *splashes water on his face*

Arthur: *shoves Shinra into the spring*

Pan: *looking into the forest* "..."

shinra: >3< .... sir?

Pan: "...Sorry. I'll be right back." *walks into the forest*

shinra: he's been acting weird since the shintai...

Ogun: "What do you think is up with him?"

Takeru: "He was acting odd since that kitsune..."

shinra:... ._. you dont think-

Arthur: "???"

Ogun: "...I mean, the Captain is kind of closed off..."

shinra: -he fell for the kitsune lady?!

Ogun: ._.;

Takeru: "...She wants to wet his whistle?"

shinra: D8

Arthur: -_-#

Ogun: "...Dude, your girlfriend is rubbing off on you."

-in the forest-

Pan: "..." *sits on a tree stump*

kii-tan: so you waited here for me~?

Pan: "...Hello. We need to talk."

kii-tan: ....

Pan: "...I need to understand some things. I tend to be a methodical thinker, so forgive me if I am inquisitive."

kii-tan: sure, sure.

Pan: "So, not human. Gods? Spirits?"

kii-tan: a spirit might fit the bill

Pan: "Hmm...Age?"

kii-tan: a few hundred years at least.

Pan: "...The things you must have seen...The people you must have met..."

kii-tan: *she nods* once upon a time, i was once a queen, and then when i was found out, i was split into three foxes. i dont know where my two sisters went.

Pan: "That answers my next question, about whether there are others like you...Do you remember much about being Queen?"

kii-tan: bits and pieces. and yes, other fox spirits do exist. most of us keep to ourselves, though some do show themselves to others.

Pan: "Like to those children...Why?"

kii-tan: like schop, i was trying to help the oasis. i suppose i get along better with animals than i do with humans.

Pan: "...You seemed to get along with us."

kii-tan: well, you did keep me entertained a while, so thank you for that~

Pan: "That was all?"

kii-tan: perhaps~ i tend to go by my whims, that's just how i am.

Pan: "And did those 'whims' ever...bring you close to someone?"

kii-tan: why do you ask~?

Pan: "...Did you ever have someone like that? Or...a 'mate'?"

kii-tan: ....a few times. does that make you jealous~?

Pan: "Hardly...Just confused, I guess. If you had a mate, it's not like you procreated...Did you?"

kii-tan: ......

Pan: "..." *clears his throat* "Sorry. I over-stepped."

kii-tan: it's fine. no skin off my nose.

Pan: "..." *walks up to her*

kii-tan: ??

Pan: *stares into her eyes, just standing in front of her* "..."

kii-tan:..........so do you want to screw or what?

Pan: "..." *grabs her wrist*

kii-tan: OwO well arent you bold?

-ELSEWHERE-

Mr. Huo: <...You'll be returning to Death City soon...>

fang-hua: <yeah.>

Mr. Huo: <...> *rubs his eyes*

fang-hua:.... *hugs*

Mr. Huo: *hug, pat pat*

fang-hua: <i'll be sure to write to you all.>

Mr. Huo: *nods* <Please do...You're so smart...Please, be safe.>

fang-hua: <i will.>

-elsewhere-

Ling: *shiny eyes, listening intently* <And then you put the Infernal's soul to rest, Sister Kotatsu?>

tamaki: <that's right! i think i did quite a good service.> ^^

nozomi: ^^;

Ling: <That's so cool! And Miss Juria, how is your wrist?>

juria: <had worse.>

Ling: <Do you need some ice?>

-elsewhere-

Saria: "Your mom is working late again, Izumi?" *today's sweater: a sunflower with sunglasses*

izumi: yeah.

Saria: "If you ever need anything, my dad is a great cook."

izumi: i'll keep that in mind.

Saria: ^^ *looks around* "...Hmm."

izumi: ??

hibiki: whats up?

Saria: "Oh? Um, nothing..." ^\\\^;

-elsewhere-

Mephisto: *walking*

stocking: ...want to check out the festival?

Mephisto: *shaking his head* "No...I think my place is with your mother."

stocking:...ok then.

Mephisto: *smiles* "Could you bring your mother something sweet?"

stocking: of course.

Mephisto: "..." *hug*

stocking *hug* love you, dad.

Mephisto: "Love you, sweetie."

-elsewhere-

Benimaru: "..." *pacing*

kabuki: commander?

Benimaru: "...Yes?"

kabuki: you seem on edge.

Benimaru: "...Hmph. Hardly more than usual...Okay, maybe a bit more."

kabuki: want to discuss it over tea?

Benimaru: "...Very well."

-elsewhere-

Joker: "I need you to find someone for me..."

izzy: oh? and what's in it for us?

Joker: "Ever wanted to make a Fire Pope shit bricks?"

izzy:....what

Joker: -_-; "Read between the lines. I need someone people to go bother the Church of the Sun."

izzy: really now?

lust oni: this is quite a task~

Mantis: *clicks tongue* "A challenge..."

izzy: what do the rest of you think?

pixie: well if we're getting paid for this, it better be good~ hehe~

Pride Oni: "We cannot let ourselves be defeated!"

taoka: it shall be done.

hyouga: well, a job's a job.

Nate: -_-; "Don't think we need help from you and...whoever you hang out with." *glances behind Joker*

ivy: *glares*

Mantis: *growls*

nailfile: *not even looking at them* now now, no need to go picking fights with customers.

Joker: "Agreed. Now, I need you to scope out the main church..."

-elsewhere-

Ling: *sets out bowls of rice* <We're almost done with dinner.>

shinra: <thanks for the meal!>

Takeru: ^w^ *nom*

Mr. Huo: <Of course! You'll need energy for the long trip home.>

Ogun: *passes bowl of rice*

nozomi: thanks. ^^

Arthur: *passes fish to Tamaki*

tamaki: *nyom*

Viktor: *fiddling with a tracker* <How was the pond?>

shinra: the spring? it was nice.

Arthur: <Shinra just dove right in.>

shinra: D8<

Mr. Huo: <??? Where is your captain?>

shinra:...i dont know.

-elsewhere-

Rin: *setting up flowers*

shiemi: looking good. ^^

Rin: "Thanks! This festival looks to be blooming!"

shiemi: ^^

Shima: *pops up behind Shiemi* "But is this all too thorny?"

izumo: =A= *PUNCH* enough puns.

Bon: "Don't find them appealing?"

izumo: shush.

Bon: *smirks, keeps peeling an apple*

Rin: "Ha."

izumo: i will stab you both in your sleep.

Rin: ._.;;;

Bon: "Joke's on you--I'm a light sleeper."

Shima: X_X

konekomaru: ._.;

unagi: is this normal?

konekomaru: i dont even know anymore.

Rin: "We're all buds here--just some good-natured teasing." ^^ "Besides, Shima had it coming."

unagi: ???

izumo: want to check out some of the stands, unagi?

unagi: yes please.

Bon: "We still need someone for the dunk tank."

Rin: "..."

Bon: "..."

Shima: X_X

-elsewhere-

Belkia: "--so if they're all named after flowers, this festival should be for us!"

naho: ~?

Sakuya: "It doesn't work that way. Otherwise, every toilet would be for you."

Belkia: "... ... ...HEY! I JUST GOT THAT!" >3<

naho: ???

tsubaki: ^^; regardless, let's just enjoy the festival today.

lilac: o-ok...

Black Star: "Here's some money--go catch goldfish."

-elsewhere-

Kid: "How is she?"

stocking: she seems to be doing well. she's really nervous, though...

Kid: *nods* "I imagine an expecting mother would...Did her doctor say anything to be concerned about?"

stocking: i dont think so, so good news.

Kid: "Indeed..." *holds her hand*

stocking: mmm... i wonder if i'll be as nervous when we have children of our own...

Kid: "!!! ...We'll know when we get there, yes?" *smiles*

stocking: yeah...*nuzzles up to him*

Kid: =\\\\= *puts an arm around her*

-elsewhere-

Yumi: "And for you..." *hands a rose to Lord Death*

lord death: d'aww~ *smooch*

Yumi: ^\\\^ "It suits you..."

-elsewhere-

Walter: "Neat-o flower crown!"

etta: hehe~ ^^

Kafka: *walks by--stops* "??? What's that for?"

leroux: hm?

Walter: "Just getting into the Spring Festival mood!"

-elsewhere-

Gopher: *falls onto the couch*

eibon: *cooking* busy day?

Gopher: *nods* "But successful." ^w^ "It feels great to do something...*yawn* creative." =w=

eibon: *smiles* dinner will be ready in 30 minutes.

Gopher: "Thank you, sir..." *hugs a pillow* =w=

-elsewhere-

Akitaru: "...'Joseph'?"

Vulcan: " 'Joseph.'"

Takehisa: " 'Joseph'?"

Vulcan: *nods*

Relan: "...That's just weird."

iris: is that your first name or your last name?

Vulcan: "Yes."

iris:...

-elsewhere-

Pan: *enters the village, alone...walks to the van*

fang-hua: captain? are you alright?

Pan: "Hmm? Oh. Sorry. Didn't notice you." *smiles...but it looks awkward*

fang-hua: ....

Pan: "...I assume everyone already ate?"

fang-hua: yeah.

Pan: "...That's a shame."

fang-hua: ??

Pan: "..." *sits in the driver's seat, rests his head on the steering wheel*

-elsewhere-

#death city days

[ecotone99]

[HR] A Wholly Superior Creature - Part III:

Part III: The Partner

It was close to nine when we pulled up to Roger's house.

We marched up the sidewalk to the front door. I knocked twice, then rang the doorbell.

The door opened. Roger was there in the empty space. I barely recognized him. While he was on the job he'd always been clean-shaven, now he'd opted for sporting a white, unkempt beard. His brown eyes regarded me heavily. I could see the gears working behind them. He looked at Father Daniel.

"Well shit," he said, his face grim.

"I know," I said.

Father Daniel looked at me curiously.

"I always thought it'd be the German Lutherans that got you."

"My Irish grandmother would spin in her grave," I said.

Roger and I both smiled at each other at the same time, finally cutting the artificial tension for Father Daniel.

"Roger Dale," he said.

"Father Daniel," the priest replied.

They shook hands.

"Sorry to knock so late. Is my girlfriend already in bed?"

"She's in the den, leaning toward knocking off, but I bet she perks right up seeing you."

He ushered us inside and closed the door.

Even though I'd only visited a couple of times, Roger's place always felt comfortable to me. Some people have houses that feel like spaces where they reside, but Carol and Roger had a home that felt warm, lived in.

Stepping across the threshold into the den, just opposite the hallway, I saw Carol pulling herself from the couch into her wheelchair. Her long, silver hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and when she looked up at me, she flashed a smile that belied a woman in her late fifties.

"There's my girl," I said. We met in the center of the den and I leaned down and gave her a hug. She squeezed me tightly around the shoulders.

"Sam Maxwell, what on Earth are you doing here?"

"Needed to chat with your bum husband. I see you finally got him working in that yard."

She rolled her eyes. "It only took thirty-four years."

"You're a saint for staying in the fight that long."

"Don't I know--" she looked over my shoulder at the gaunt Priest who entered behind me. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Honey," Roger said, as he stepped into the den. "This is Father Daniel."

Carol looked at me with a curious smirk.

"It isn't what it looks like," I said. "he's helping me on a case. Speaking of, mind if I borrow the old man for a few minutes?"

She slapped me on the leg playfully. "Have him as long as you like, I get plenty of him these days."

"You've never had it better," Roger said.

She spun her chair toward the kitchen. "I'll put on some coffee. You boys, please, have a seat."

Daniel and I took two armchairs and turned them to face the couch where Roger sat. I started in. "That beard is something else."

Roger chuckled. "Retirement is something else. Carol likes it, so what the hell, right?"

I nodded. "I wish this was more of a social call, but it isn't."

Roger's smile faded, his brow wrinkled. The gears were turning again, a small excitement leaked into his voice. "Case giving you trouble?"

"Have something I want to show you, but first, I wanted to ask you about one that you had before I signed on. Does the name Diana Mueller ring a bell?"

Roger leaned back against the couch, all his mirth vanished beneath the cold, taciturn features I'd known for all the years we worked together. His eyes slashed over to the kitchen.

"It does," he said. "hold on a sec would you?"

"Sure," I said.

"Roger," Father Daniel said. "Do you mind if I smoke my pipe?"

"That's fine," he said quickly, his eyes looking back over at the kitchen doorway.

I watched the priest pluck his pipe from his coat. He meticulously thumbed black strands of tobacco into the bowl, then struck a match with his thumb and lit the pipe. The vanilla aroma filled the den.

Carol rolled into the room, a sterling platter set across her lap where three steaming cups sat. Roger got up and gently grabbed the platter. "You know," he said. "I love you more and more every day."

She slanted her gaze at him, and in that quiet moment, I saw years of worry pass between them—an unspoken understanding.

He leaned down and she kissed him on the cheek. "Don't stay up too late, and don't bring any of it to bed with you."

"I know the rules."

Carol peered around Roger. "I'll leave you gentlemen to it."

Wheeling herself out of the room, she paused and put a hand on my shoulder. "We have lots of time to fill, Sammy. Try to visit sometime when it doesn't involve the shit he's trying to leave behind."

I patted her hand gently. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Father," she said. "Nice meeting you."

She wheeled out of the den, down the hallway. Roger watched her the whole way as he held the platter in his hands. He didn't move until he heard the bedroom door close.

"Diana Mueller," he said, as he set the platter onto the coffee table between us. "Have things gotten so slow that Donnell has you working the cold cases?"

I shook my head. "Wish that was it."

He grabbed a cup, took a sip. He set the cup down and let out a long, hard sigh. When he looked back up at me I saw the piercing, owl-like gaze in front of one of the most powerful intellects I'd ever encountered.

"Show me," he said.

I did.

The priest smoked his pipe in silence as we let Roger sift through Courtney's case file.

Watching Roger work through a file is a lot like watching a surgeon perform a life-saving procedure. I could think like a killer when I needed to, but Roger, he could become one.

"If memory serves, Father, you worked with Donnell on a few crimes related to the occult, correct?"

"I did," the priest said.

"Okay, Dan," Roger said when he was done with the folio. "Tell me what the symbols mean."

The priest recounted what he'd told me in his office.

"Faceless Children. Five-thousand year old cults. San Cicaro is in a free fall."

"All due respect, Roger," Father Daniel said. "It isn't just the city, it's the world. All we can do is slow its descent."

"That's a pretty fatalistic for a priest, don't you think?" I said.

"My faith doesn't blind me to the evidence of our present reality, Detective. God alone has the power to save the world. Men like us can only do our best to protect those who inhabit it."

Roger and I just stared at him.

"What I mean," he added. "is the fate of the world plays little role in deciding whether to try and save it or not. If darkness is the ultimate end for all mankind, that means it falls to people such as us to anchor humanity to the ebbing sunlight. Even if it's just a moment, an hour, or an eternity; for me, each of those is a victory worth my life's full service."

"Well you won't hear that sermon in a church," Roger said.

"Shame," I pushed in. "might actually do some good." I turned back to Roger. "You took over Ortega's case, but Mike said you hit a brick wall."

Roger scratched his beard. "In the Mueller case we were able to track the assailant's bloody footsteps to a manhole. Detective Ortega would spend hours, days down there by himself, trying to find anything to determine some kind of direction. Couple of the fellas took Ortega out one night for drinks, try to get his mind off the case, but he wouldn't drink a drop. Honestly, that was probably for the best, some of the things he was saying while sober didn't make too much sense."

"What kind of things," Father Daniel asked.

"He said that he could hear whispers down in those tunnels under San Cicaro. In his suicide note he said that the whispers followed him home."

"That wasn't in the case file." I said.

"Damn right it wasn't. After he died, I took over the case and went down for one last look in the sewer. He'd scrawled lines on a maintenance map where the whispers were the loudest," Roger said, his eyes darting from the kitchen to me, down the hallway, then back to me again.

Father Daniel leaned forward in his chair and plucked the pipe from his mouth, probing. "You heard the whispers too."

"I didn't."

It's a hell of a thing the first time someone you trust lies to your face. "Roger..." I let the word breathe.

"Sam, you and I were partners for a long time. For that time you were the second most important person in the world to me, Carol being the first. I saw what those sounds did to Brian Ortega, and I'd be damned if I were going to let them do that to me" He shook his head. "It weighs hard on me to know that my inaction may have led Ms. Davidson to a horrific death all these years later, but I am confident that for me all those years ago, I made the right decision to walk away from the sounds I heard down in that god-forsaken sewer."

I swallowed my disappointment in Roger and put on my professional face. "There wasn't a map in the file."

"I didn't want what happened to Ortega to happen to anyone else."

"Oh, Roger, tell me you didn't--"

"The minute came home that day."

"Destroying evidence," I said through gritted teeth.

"Careful, kid." He hadn't called me that since my first week on the job, and it cut more deeply than it had all those years ago. "The most precious thing you ever lost on the job was a watch. Ortega left behind a wife and three kids. I wasn't going to leave Carol a widow."

Father Daniel cut in. "Do you remember where you heard the whispering most clearly?"

"Yes," Roger said, then shot a hot gaze at the priest. He knew what was coming.

I lost my patience. "Out with it, Roger."

"It's at the intersection of Ellison and Bass. University district."

"And underground? Do you remember the directions?"

He let out an unhappy chuckle. "You won't need them, Sam. Just follow the voices."

submitted by /u/csauthor [link] [comments] via Blogger https://ift.tt/2Gl8vBo

#Blogger #Story