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eleventhdoctorsangel · 8 months

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Never wanted you to hate me

I’ve spent most of my life with the pirate hunter known as Roronoa Zoro. I owe him with my life. He saved me. Ever since then I’ve been helping him. I often will get used as bait to help with the latest bounty Zoro is hunting. But never am I ever at risk of any harm. Zoro always makes sure of that. There been a few times where he actually came close to killing a few guys that he wasn’t hunting because they either touched me or hurt me.

Now we got roped into helping this kid who is very determined on becoming king of the pirates and finding the one piece. Both Zoro and I were trying to rest while Nami was still working on getting the safe open. Unlike Luffy we are giving her space and quiet to work. We have a bet going to see how long it is before she throws him overboard. Finally I heard the sound of it clicking open. I could hear Zoro getting up. “Let me know if there is anything interesting enough for me to get up will you please.” I said. “Or I can drag you.” Zoro said. “Yeah you and I both know that you won’t.” I said. “Whatever.” Zoro said as he squeezed my hips making me laugh a little. “Hate you.” I said. “No you don’t.” Zoro said. “The night is not over yet.” I said.

I could hear Nami let out a frustration sigh. What did Luffy do now. I sat up to the three of them walking in. “The seas are divided into four quadrants. East blue, North blue, West, South. This strip of land that circles the globe is called the red line and this band across is the grand line. A treacherous stretch of ocean with bigger islands, bigger cities, bigger pirates. Flush with riches and ripe for the picking.” Nami said. “And that’s where we’re going to find the one piece.” Luffy said. “I’ve taken out a lot of pirates looking for that thing. What is it? Like a big diamond or something?” Zoro said. “It’s Gold Roger’s treasure. He hid it somewhere in the grand line. All in one piece.” Luffy said. “If you believe the story. I could say the same thing without proof you’re just going off a story.” I said. “See she gets it. It’s a myth. The reason no one’s found it in 22 years is that it doesn’t exist.” Nami said. “Can’t wait to see the look on the two of yours faces when we find it.” Luffy said. “Alright if we find it I’ll eat your hat.” I said. The look on Luffy’s face was priceless. “Kidding. I know that hat means a lot to you.” I said as an explosion went off causing me to jump a little. “Is that the marines?” Zoro asked. “How did they find us?” Nami asked. We all walked out to see a red cloud above us. “This smoke smells weird.” Luffy said. As I started to breathe in the smoke I started to get lightheaded. I leaned against the side of the ship. I fell to my knees then it all went black.

No one’s POV

The smoke was clean as the pirate clown buggy and the crew of freaks climbed onto the small ship. Three of the four people were outside while the fourth was inside. Two males and two females. Buggy walked over to one of the girls. She was laying on her side some of her hair was covering her face. Buggy bent down and gently brushed the hair from her face. “You want us to put her with the others?” One of the crew members asked. “No I have a special role for her. No one is allowed to harm her if any of you so as much pluck a hair from her head even if it’s by accident you’re dead.” Buggy said as he picked up the girl from the ground and started to carry her off the ship. He carried her onto his ship taking her to his living quarters and gently laid her down on his bed.

Buggy went to grab a special outfit that he had been saving. He went to get a female crew member to get her changed. He could be a monster but he’s not that much of a monster. But he did stand outside of the room to make sure that none of the other male crew members tried to look. It was only a few minutes later that the female crew member left. He walked back into his room and over to the girl. “I have to admit that this outfit looks cuter on you than I thought it would have.” Buggy said tracing a hand down the side of her face.

End of No One’s POV

I could feel someone poking me. “Come on now wakey wakey.” The voice said. “Luffy stop poking me.” I said swatting the hand away. “Sorry but I’m not Luffy. Now come on and open your eyes I would like to see what color eyes you have.” The voice said. I groan as I moved my head away. “Come on now I don’t want to have to get mad but I will if you don’t open your eyes.” The voice said. I opened my eyes to see a clown holding me close to him I let out a gasp as I tried to get away but he held on to my upper arms in a very tight grip. “Now don’t you have some beautiful eyes.” He said grabbing me by the chin. I looked around for the others but I couldn’t see them. “Looking for your friends. Don’t worry you’re see them in a few minutes. I just decided that you should have a special role in todays show.” He said. “If you hurt me my friend will kill you.” I said. Which only made him laugh. “Kill me. Your friend can try but they will be the one who ends up dead.” He said. At the same time I started to hear circus music. “Come on now the fans await.” He said as he started to pull me with him.

That when I glanced down and saw that I wasn’t wearing my normal clothes but now a revealing circus outfit. With this guy and how handys he’s being if Zoro gets one look at him Zoro will kill this guy if they didn’t take Zoro swords from him. I could hear the crowd yelling but it sounded off. Like they were being forced to. “Great they messed this up again. I wanted you’re first introduction to go perfect.” He said. I just forced a smile as he pulled me along with him. “No. No, no, no, no. Stop clapping! No.” He said as we started to walk in the ring. I was focusing on trying not to trip with how much my legs were shaking. “It’s all wrong.” He said stepping in the ring using one arm to pick me up by the waist. I look around to see if I could see the others and thankfully I finally could. Just like I guessed I could see the rage in Zoros eyes. Both Nami and Luffy had to put their arms out to keep Zoro from storming over. I shook my head slightly at him to let him know that now wasn’t the best time to attack. “The spotlight was late. You completely missed our entrance.” He said as he motioned for the spotlight to be put on us. It was very quickly put on us. “And where oh where was the dancing lion?” He asked as we walked over to a guy in a lion costume. Which made the guy look away in fear. “Hey I know you. I saw your wanted poster in Shells Town. You’re the clown guy. Um uh binky right?” Luff said. “Buggy. Buggy the clown. Buggy the flashy fool. Buggy the genius jester.” Buggy said as pulled me along closer to the others. “Wow. You have a lot of names. I bet everyone in the east blue knows who you are.” Luffy said. I heard everyone gasp and the hold he had on me was let go. “What did you just say?” Buggy asked. “Just that everyone knows who you are.” Luffy said again.

Buggy rushed over to Luffy grabbing him by the face. “Nose! Are you making fun of my nose?” Buggy asked. “Well I wasn’t. But now that you mention it is that thing for real?” Luffy said as he raised a hand to touch Buggy’s nose. Which Buggy was quick to slap away. “What’s real is I’ve been scheming for months to steal that map from old axe hand moron.” Buggy said pushing Luffy away. He looked to Nami to see if she caught his joke. “Only to find out that I was upstaged by four little nobodies who stole it from right under my no. No! It’s in my head now.” Buggy said letting out a groan. I put my hand to my mouth trying not to laugh. “Hey! I’m not a nobody. I’m Monkey D Luffy. And I will be king of the pirates.” Luffy said. Which made Buggy start to laugh. “Oh! Now that’s funny.” Buggy said. Which made the crowd nervous laugh again but Buggy motioned them to stop. “My bounty poster graces the marquee of every marine outpost for miles. And my menagerie of outcasts and freaks is the most dreaded pirate crew the east blue has ever known.. Expect her. I hope you don’t mind if I take her off your hands because I would like to keep her. I am destined to find the one piece. And when I do. I will be king and she will be my queen.” Buggy said as he looked at me. I could feel the tears well up in my eyes as I looked over to the others. “No you wont cause I’m gonna find it first.” Luffy said. “You? Don’t make me laugh.” Buggy said. The crowd started to laugh. “I said don’t make me laugh!” Buggy said as he turned to look at them. “Alright listen up. I’m Roronoa Zoro. Drop your weapons now, give me the girl back and I may let you live.” Zoro said as he walked closer to Buggy. Which then made Buggy grab me pulling me into him laughing. “Ladies and gentlemen we have a celebrity in our midst. Too bad I hate sharing the spotlight.” Buggy said putting his chin on my shoulder. As again the spotlight was put back on the two of us. “Now maybe we should skip right to the finale.” Buggy said pulling out four knives holding them close to my face. I tried to get away but that only worsen his grip. “My freaks put quite a bit of rehearsal time into this little abduction. And if I can’t reward them with that map I supposed I’ll have to offer them a pound of flesh instead.” Buggy said. I started to think about what he just said. I knew that the pound of flesh wouldn’t come from me since he seems dead set on keeping me.

That’s when Nami stepped up. “Wait. Wait. What if I have something else to offer you? Something more valuable than the map? What if I give you a new freak for your crew? A rare talent. The most spectacular act in all the East Blue. Beside you of course.” Nami said. “Go on.” Buggy said. Nami quickly yanked off Luffy hat throwing high in the air. Which made Luffy stretch his arm to grab it. But as Buggy was distracted his grip on me was loosened. I took that as my chance to try to get away. I tried to run to Zoro but Buggy caught my wrist pulling me back to him. “Try that again sweetheart and I’m afraid I might have to hurt.” Buggy said. “You touch her and I will kill you where you stand.” Zoro said. Buggy looked at him and laughed as he dragged me away.

“Now if I let you go do you promise to behave.” Buggy said. “Yes I promise.” I said. “Good girl.” Buggy said pinching my cheek. Buggy pulled an orange from his pocket and started peeling it with one of the knives and started to eat it. Two members of his crew dragged Nami back as she tried to escape by revealing Luffy’s powers. “What did you do to their town? You destroyed everything!” Nami said. “Not everything. I let ‘em keep their hands.” Buggy said. As the crowd clapped. “Okay. Here end the theatrics. I know one of you three has my map and I’m gonna get it back. What was it you said rubber boy? That it was in a safe place? Don’t look so surprised. I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere. So please make our guest uncomfortable in the green room.” Buggy said. I watched as Zoro and Nami were dragged away but Luffy wasn’t. “I am gonna have a chat with my stretchy new pal.” Buggy said laughing. Luffy looked over to me. “Don’t look at her. She’s not part of your crew anymore now is she.” Buggy said. “I just want to know if she is okay.” Luffy said. “She’s fine aren’t you sweetheart.” Buggy said. “I want to hear it from her.” Luffy said. I was honestly scared to answer what if Buggy hurts me if I do. I looked over to Buggy who smiled. “Well aren’t you a good girl. Looking to you’re future king for approver to answer. Go ahead.” Buggy said. “I’m okay Luffy they or Buggy haven’t hurt me.” I said. “See I told you she was fine. Now where were we.” Buggy said.

I watched as they put Luffy on a rack and made a poor town person stretch Luffy out. The more Luffy was stretched out he began to scream laugh. I wonder how far he could actually stretch guess I might find out. “I want you to think of this like an artistic exercise because pain leads to art. And art reveals truth. But there’s only one truth I need from this exercise. Where is my map.” Buggy asked as he walked over to Luffy. “Truthfully? I’m.. I’m kind of hungry. Don’t circuses have cotton candy?” Luffy asked. I let out a sigh. Not the time Luffy. Buggy laughed then let out a groan. “What could you possibly need that map for anyways? You won’t last five minutes in the grand line.” Buggy said. “I already told you. I’m gonna be king of the pir.” Luffy said. “Boring! Let’s go another ten feet.” Buggy said. The town person did as he was told. “You can stretch me all you want. I can do this all day.” Luffy said. “I’m not asking the right questions. We need to go deeper get you out of your comfort zone. What makes a boy want to grow up to be King of the pirates? Who are you trying to impress? A lost love? An absent parent? Or was it someone that you worshiped? A false idol. That’s it.” Buggy said and yanked off Luffy hat. “Hey give me back my hat!” Luffy yelled. Buggy walked over and placed Luffy hat on my head. I could see Luffy relax a little since I was now wearing his hat. “I used to know a pirate that wore a hat just like this. Red haired Shanks.” Buggy said. “You knew Shank’s?” Luffy asked. “Ginger? Three scars left eye?” Buggy asked motioning to his left eye. So they both knew the same guy. “We served together on a pirate crew when we were about your age. For a time I even thought we were friends. Until he betrayed me. Just like all the others. He wanted to keep ME out of the spotlight! He wanted to keep my star from shining too brightly! Is that what he did to you rubber boy? Did shanks betray you too?” Buggy said. “Don’t talk about him that way.” Luffy said. “Ah. Now we are finally getting to the truth. Stretch him until he breaks.” Buggy said. “Please don’t make me do this.” The town person begged. “I invite you to take part in the splendor that is my show and this is how you repay me? With a no?” Buggy said. “You’ve destroyed our town. Made us your prisoners. Isn’t that enough?” The town person said. “Well maybe you’d prefer it If I threw one of your constituents on the rank instead.” Buggy said as he walked to the crowd. No no no. Quick think of something. “Wait!” I yelled. Which made Buggy stopped. “Yes.” Buggy said as he looked at me. “Pirates like to claim their treasure right?” I said. “Go on.” Buggy said putting a hand under his chin. “You said yourself that I belong to you now therefor I’m technically your treasure right. Don’t you have to claim me so no one else can take me away from you.” I said. “I like were this is going.” Buggy said. “Then do it right now. Carve your initial on me. If I don’t make a sound then you have to promise that you won’t have any of these towns people. But if I do.” I said but couldn’t finished the last sentence. Buggy seemed to think about it for a minute. “Alright fine I agree to your terms now come here.” Buggy said motioning for me to come to him. “Y/n don’t.” Luffy said. “Shut up!” Buggy said. “It’s okay Luffy.” I said as I walked over to Buggy.

When I got over to Buggy he pulled out a knife and started lightly tracing it around my body. “Where oh where should I leave my initial. Oh I know.” Buggy has he moved the knife to my upper right breast. But before he started he kiss me right there. “Now remember sweetheart not a sound because if you don’t someone is about to get tall fast.” Buggy said. “Just do it.” I said. As Buggy carved his initial on me I bit my lip to stop me from crying out in pain. If we get out of this Zoro will definitely make his death a slow and painful one. It only took a couple of minutes before Buggy was done. “Well well sweetheart you managed to do it. But how about next I claim you in a different way.” Buggy said he put a cloth on the wound to prevent blood from getting on the outfit then putting an arm around my waist pulling me into him. “Boogie I’m warning you.” Luffy said. “It’s Buggy! And you’re warning me? Now that’s a laugh. I said that’s a laugh.” Buggy said. As the crowd forced a laugh. Then Luffy managed to free himself. As Luffy got up he glared at Buggy. “Put her down.” Luffy said. “But why? She’s having such great time. Aren’t you sweetheart?” Buggy said grabbing my face. But what he did next shocked and scared me. He kissed me on the lips. It only lasted a few seconds before he pulled away. “Yes. The best Buggy. I never want to leave you Buggy.” Buggy said trying to inmate my voice. The Luffy stretched back his arm. “Gum Gum pistol!” Luffy yelled and punched off Buggy’s head. I let out a terrified scream as I could see that there was no blood and worst of all Buggy’s body was still moving. Buggy’s head landed on a woman’s lap in the crowd which caused more screaming. “Hi. Well well well looks like we have something else in common.” Buggy said as his head returned back to his body. “You ate a devils fruit?” Luffy asked. “The chop chop fruit. So you can slice me and you dice me but I’ll always put myself back together again.” Buggy said as he stripped himself of the coat he wearing. He gently put it around my shoulders. Then I watched as he chopped himself into six different pieces then went back to normal. “Want to see what else I can do?” Buggy asked as he made a motion to his hand. His hand was gone but it tapped Luffy on the shoulder squeezing another bomb like thing that the same kind of smoke from earlier came out. His detached hand punched Luffy in the face and flipped him off. “Luffy.” I said as I tried to rush to his side but Buggy stopped me. “I don’t think so sweetheart. My crew will take care of him.” Buggy said. “What are you going to do to him?” I asked. “I’m going to put him in my tank of doom.” Buggy said.

*Meanwhile with Zoro and Nami*

“So are you and her together?” Nami asked as she was working on picking the lock on the cage she was being kept in. “No we’re not. We’re not together like that.” Zoro said. “Then what’s the deal between you two. I mean I saw the way you acted when we saw that clown had his hands on her. You were ready to kill him on sight. You might say you don’t care about her but your actions when she’s in danger say a different story.” Nami said. “I never said I don’t care about her. Don’t ever say I don’t care about her again. Just because I don’t care about her in that way doesn’t mean I will never care about her.” Zoro said. “Alright fine geez. Then what’s the story between you two?” Nami said. “She reminds me of a friend I used to know. I couldn’t save or protect my friend back then but I can do that for her.” Zoro said. “That surprisely sweet coming from you.” Nami said. “Shut up.” Zoro said. Right then the two of them heard a terrified scream coming from Y/n. Which made Zoro immediately went back to trying to break the ropes. “Hurry the hell up now.” Zoro said. “Yeah.” Nami said as she started to work quicker and picking the lock.

*Back to Y/n*

I watched as Luffy was put in a tank as water slowly filled the tank then I saw seaweed. “Is this seawater?” I asked. “Why yes it is sweetheart. You see if you eat a devil’s fruit you might gain a power like yours truly and rubber boy here but just a few splashes of seawater will take that all of that away.” Buggy said. “Oh.” I said. Come on Luffy wake back up please. I don’t want to deal with him by myself. Yes the towns people are still watching but what if he tries something their too afraid of him to stop him and I don’t know where Zoro and Nami were taken to or if anything happened to them. But I could feel him looking at me. “What?” I asked as I looked to the ground. “You’re scared of me aren’t you sweetheart.” Buggy said. “I’m not scared of you.” I said. “Then how come you won’t look at me.” Buggy said. “You kidnapped me and my friends, you destroyed these people’s town and you’re now holding them against their will. You hurt Luffy. I don’t know what you’re doing to Zoro and Nami they could be dead for all I know.” I said. “Well their not dead.” Buggy said. “How can I believe you. I haven’t got any proof that you would tell me the truth.” I said. “But you did forget to mention that.” Buggy said motioning to where the cloth was. “I did that because I didn’t want you to hurt anyone.” I said. Then I could see Luffy start to wake up. “Looks like Luffy is waking up.” I said. Buggy kissed the side of my head but I couldn’t help but smile just a little. “Do my eyes deceive me or did I see a little smile.” Buggy said. “Just go.” I said but Buggy took Luffy hat off my head taking it with him. I watched as Luffy tried to break the glass but failed. “Don’t bother. It’s seawater. Hardly seems fair. All those wonderful powers rendered useless from a few splashes. Of course you could always give me my map. If you don’t want to die alone in this tank.” Buggy said walking over to the tank and kneeled in front of it. “My crew.” Luffy said. “Your crew? You means the ones that abandoned you? Just like Shanks did. I did that make you sad?” Buggy said. “They will come back for us.” Luffy said as he looked at me. “No one’s coming for you. I already made myself clear about her. She stays with me. Your only chance is to turn over that map and if you do I may have a very special place on my crew just for you. Think about how happy she’ll be to at least have someone she already knows and she won’t have to be around all new people. Ain’t that right sweetheart.” Buggy said tossing Luffy’s hat to the side. I watched as Luffy struggled to get up as Buggy copied his movement. “Never.” Luffy said. “Why not!” Buggy yelled and hit the tank then grabbed his hand in pain. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Which made Buggy glare at me. I just smirked and flipped him off. “You’re an outcast just like the rest of us. A freak, scorned and abandoned! Join me and you can serve the man who will become the king of the pirates. When I have that map I will find the one piece and then everyone will know my name. And they’ll love me.” Buggy said but he at end he looked at me. “You can’t make people or her love you. Just like you can’t make them smile. I’ll never give you that map.” Luffy said. “Well then I guess it’s curtains for you.” Buggy said walking back over to the tank. “No wait Buggy please don’t.” I said standing in front of him. “I’m getting sick of you interfering in my show.” Buggy said as he roughly pushed me away. I landed on my side roughly making me cry out in pain. I looked and saw more water pouring into the tank at a faster rate.

Buggy walked away from the tank and went to pick up Luffy hat pulling a piece of straw from it. “Don’t touch my hat!” Luffy yelled. “What was that? I. I couldn’t hear you over all the drowning.” Buggy said. I slowly got up as I did my side started to hurt. I now saw that Luffy was under the water now. “You want out? You know the price you have to pay.” Buggy said. Luffy smiled and tapped on the glass. I turned around and saw Nami as she threw her staff towards the tank making it crack. If she was okay then Zoro is too then we can leave and I will never have to see Buggy again. The tank started to break more as Buggy looked around. “Where are my freaks!” Buggy said. Then I saw Zoro. “They’re not coming.” Zoro said. “Zoro.” I said as I ran towards him but I felt a hand grab me pulling me back. This fucking clown. “Did I say you can leave me.” Buggy said roughly yanking me around. “I don’t fucking care. I don’t want to spend a single fucking second longer near you.” I said fighting his grip. I heard the glass break and went the amount of water that came from the tank it knocked both of us off our feet. But it was seawater so it should have the same effect on Buggy.

Buggy’s grip on me loosened enough for me to get away from him. I look to see Luffy coughing up the map. I had to grabbed it before Buggy. I got up and rushed over grabbing it. But I was yanked to the ground and Buggy climbed on top of me. “Thanks sweetheart. Because you got me my map I can forgive that little outburst of yours.” Buggy said as he took the map from me. “Screw you.” I said. “Well since your friend is back to watch that sounds like a great idea.” Buggy said pulling me up from the ground. Buggy looked between me and the map laughing and then buried his face in my neck. Both Nami and Zoro walked towards us. “You want a piece of me? Let’s see what you got. You better move sweetheart I would hate for you to get hurt.” Buggy said as he let me go. I rushed over to Luffy. “Are you okay?” I asked as I helped him up. “I’ll be fine. What about you?” Luffy asked. “I just want to leave and never have to see this clown again.” I said. “No.” Luffy said quietly. I looked to see Nami and Zoro being knocked to the side as Buggy put himself back together looking towards the two of us as Luffy pushed me behind him. “Ah. Would you look at that? Somebody escaped my tank of doom. Well I’ll be back to finish you off. Right after I tear apart your sad excuse for a crew.” Buggy said laughing. “You can dump seawater on me and I’ll let it slide. But don’t you ever threaten or hurt my friends” Luffy said as he punched Buggy in the stomach causing a piece to fly off then return making Buggy wink at us. “I’ll find the map can you handle him.” I whispered to Luffy. “Go.” Luffy whispered back. I slowly made my way out from behind him as Buggy pulled out knives. “So you want die first? Be my guest.” Buggy said as he pulled himself apart. I got down until I was out of danger. “Chop chop cannon!” Buggy yelled as the pieces started to fly towards Luffy. I started to quickly look around for the map. “Hey.” A voice said quietly. I looked to see a boy point just off to the side at the map. “Thanks kid.” I said rushing over to grab it. “Nami! The crates!” Luffy yelled. I ran to the other side of the ring helping trap pieces of Buggy in crates. I smiled when I saw Zoro stab pieces of Buggy.

With help from Nami all that was left of Buggy was his feet, hands and his head. “What have you done to me?” Buggy asked. “Cut you down to size.” Luffy said. Honestly Buggy really looked funny. “The one piece will never be yours. You’re just a sad lonely little boy wearing another man’s hat!” Buggy said. “I know exactly who I am. I’m Monkey D. Luffy. And I’m going to be king of the pirates.” Luffy said stretching both arms back. I couldn’t help but smile. “Gum Gum.” Luffy yelled. “Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! No no no! Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait” Buggy yelled. “Bazooka!” Luffy yelled launching the rest of Buggy out of the big top.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I ran over and hugged Luffy. Luffy hugged me back. “Found the map.” I said as I handed it to him as Nami and Zoro walked over to us. I pretty much launched myself into Zoro arms as he held me close to him. “Are you okay?” Zoro said into my ear. “I will be.” I said. “Let’s get out of this clown show.” Zoro said as he let me go and started to walk me out. But stopped when Luffy put a hand on his shoulder. “Still one more thing we have to do.” Luffy said as we looked to the towns people. We start to get the people unchained. After I unchained the boy that pointed out the map he hugged me. I smiled and hugged him back.

As a thank you from preventing Buggy from harming them they managed to find me a changed of clothes so I didn’t have to wear the outfit that Buggy had me wear. They also tried to give us a little food but Luffy refused to take it. I was the first one to go back to the ship as started getting things ready to leave. I waved back to the towns people as we sailed away. I knew I should talk with Zoro about what happened to me but I wasn’t sure if I was ready yet. I sat near the front of the ship as I watched Nami fix Luffy hat. “Almost finished.” Nami said. Then she hands him his hat back. “You fixed it. Thanks.” Luffy said with a smile. “Well you said it was your treasure right?” Nami said then walked away. “Is every day gonna be this crazy with you?” Zoro asked. “Shanks always said that if the path to what you want seems too easy then you’re on the wrong path.” Luffy said. “I really like that.” I said. “This shanks guy sounds all right.” Zoro said. Luffy came over to stand on the railing of the front of the ship. “Next stop the grand line.” Luffy said as he pointed out to the open sea. I smiled as I shook my head. Zoro motioned me to come over to him. “Wish me luck Luffy.” I said as I got up. “He’s not mad with you if that’s what you’re thinking he was just really worried about you.” Luffy said. I smiled then walked over to Zoro sitting next to him.

“What to tell me how you got that.” Zoro said. “You saw that?” I asked. Zoro nodded. “He wanted to hurt one of the towns people I wasn’t going to let him do that. They were innocent Zoro. I know that you might have been okay with something like that but I’m not like you. I rather it be me that got hurt before one of them.” I said. “It was still a very stupid thing for you to do.” Zoro said. “He kissed me too.” I said. “I’m definitely killing that fucking clown next time I see him.” Zoro said. I laughed and put my head on his shoulder. “Did you he do anything else to you. I heard you scream.” Zoro said. “Oh that was when we saw that he has similar powers to Luffy. He punched off his head while he still had a grip on me but I didn’t get hurt.” I said. “Not going to lie it was creepy seeing it for the first time. Anything else?” Zoro said. I bit my lip as tears filled my eyes. “What is it? You know that what ever it is that I will never be upset or angry at you.” Zoro said. “I know. After he craved his initial on me he said wanted to claim me in that way.” I said as could feel him tense up. Then he went quiet. “Please don’t go quiet on me. You know I hate when you do that.” I said as I picked my head up to look at him. “I promise to you that next time we see that clown I will kill him.” Zoro said. I threw my arms around his shoulders as I buried my face in next as I started to cry. “It’s okay I got you. You’re safe.” Zoro said as he held me close to him holding me as I cried.

For the rest of the day Zoro didn’t want me to leave his sight even though we on the ship and couldn’t really go anywhere. “You should try to get some rest.” Zoro said. “I’m okay right now.” I said. “I wasn’t asking.” Zoro said. “Alright fine I’m going.” I said as I got up going inside laying down. I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep. I tossed and turned for what seems like forever before I finally managed to fall asleep.

#buggy the clown imagine #buggy x reader #buggy imagine #opla buggy imagine #opla buggy x reader #opla buggy #kelsee's works #do not reblog unless it's from me

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misguidedasgardian · 9 months

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Storm's End

HOTD MASTERLIST

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Niece!Strong!Reader

Summary: your mother sends you to Storm’s End to rally Lord Borros Baratheon for your side, but your uncle arrived there before you

Warnings: Cursing, use of the word bastard, angst, heavy, canon level incest, thoughts about dying, mentions of bedding, and more, dark fic, Aemond is unhinged, mention's of children maiming, mentions of virginity loss and blood. READER MIGHT BE DEAD, OR MAYBE DEPENDS, COMPLETELY UP TO YOU, dragon's death though :(

+18 MINORS DNI

Wordcount: 3.5 k

Notes: I know this has been done before, but… this is my way to look at it. You are the daughter of Rhaenyra, she sends you to Storm’s End instead of Luke, and this is what ensues

You know you should have turned back the moment your dragon took flight away from Dragonstone.

There was something in the air

Grandmother Rhaenys, and your dear brothers flying by your side soothed you, made you remember you were not alone, but they soon parted way with you, Jace went North, as did Lucerys, Rhaenys went west, and you continued south

Towards Storm’s End

Those stormy clouds in the horizon must have been your first dark omen, but you didn’t pay attention to them, or to anything else really

Your mind was set

You had begged your mother to let you helped her, so she send you to the closest place, a short fly, a message delivered, and then you could return.

But what were you going to say?

you wanted to believe your mother’s words, that Lord Borros was going to be honored to receive you there, you were a young princess, no real threat, only a messenger, he was going to respect you, you were going to say your piece, and then you were going to take his answer back to your mother, as easy as that.

You held tightly onto your dragon’s reins as you flew amidst a cloud with rain within, getting you drenched within second

Karnax, under you, roared softly, feeling your uneasiness, trying to make you feel safer, and you did.

It was not relief what you felt when you saw the tall tower of Storm’s End in the horizon, it actually felt like your stomach had turned on itself, but that is the second sign you decided to ignore

Karnax was small, bigger than Arrax and a bit than Vermax, but he was still small enough to land in the outer courtyard, and you did

Your saddle was wet, and you slid right off of it, landing heavily with your boots in the ground.

You jumped when the light of a thunder brightened the sky for just a second, and then moments later the thunderous sound made the floor shake.

Karnax whined when you touched him, trying to soothe him, he was nervous, and soon you learnt why

Another, even louder, more monstrous sound made you flinch, and when you looked over the huge defensive walls of the castle, there she was. Vhagar raised her head, dwarfing the constructions covering her, growling as a warning.

She was indeed the largest and most dangerous dragon in the world

And she was here

That means that Aemond was also

Probably doing the same thing as you, trying to rally Lord Borros to his cause, to his side

To the Usurpers

The prospect of seeing your uncle made you tremble in fear, you had always been afraid of him, ever since he lost his eye, even more so after the last time you saw him

You have eavesdropped a conversation in which he had asked for your hand in marriage and Rhaenyra had crudely rejected him, he did not reacted well

It did not help that it was the same day of the Driftmark trials

He had frighten you so much your mother send you back the same night, only a few weeks away

“Sobes Karnax, Lykyri”, you whispered soothingly, patting her snout, he whined, worried, but it was too late now, you couldn’t back down, you wondered if you were trying to calm him, or expected that he would sooth you back.

So ignoring your body, mind, heart, soul, dragons, the weather and everything in existence around you, you decided to walk towards the guards guarding the entrance to the Castle

“I have a message for Lord Borros from Queen Rhaenyra”, you said quickly, before you lose your momentum, they barely nodded and started walking, you followed suit, trying to fix your drenched clothes

The Storm had catched up with you.

You could still hear it raging behind you as you entered the main hall of the castle of the Baratheons, you had never been here before, and it amazed you the immensity of it, it was rounded and at least three stories tall, ending in a huge vault over your heads, front here you could see multiple passages leading to the rest of the construction, but you could look no more

“The Princess (Y/N) Velaryon”, presented the guard, “Daughter of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen”

Queen

You thought bitterly, as you found Lord Borros seated on his throne.

But your gaze was immediately taken away

Aemond

He stood at the side of the throne, standing straight by one of Borros’ daughters, as he heard your name he immediately turned

He looked dangerous

Dresses head to toe in black leather, his hair combed perfectly, the eyepatch cutting his face in half

You wondered if he could notice you trembling from that far

You guessed he could since he looked terribly amused at your presence, his naturally curved lips smirked.

But you didn't came here for him, you turned your gaze towards to the Lord of the Stormlands

“Lord Borros, I brought you a message from my mother, the Queen”, you didn’t realize you had a stone inside your throat until now, almost choking in our own words, you were thankful for the acoustic of the place or else nobody could have heard you

“Yet early this day I received an envoy from the king”, he said then, “so which is it? King or Queen? the House of the dragon doesn’t seem to know who rules it”, he was already crossed with someone or something and you cursed yourself for being so weak, sounded so pathetically

And then he laughed at his own joke and you shook, perhaps he was laughing at you

You looked fleetingly at Aemond

Perhaps to make sure he stood where he was

He frightened you

You begged the gods to make him stay there, as he stood, unmovable like the statues of Dragonstone

“What’s your mother’s message?”, the Lord of Storm’s End did not take well to your distraction, so you tried your best to reach with your arm and this one not to shake, to prove to everyone there, to Lord Borro’s daughters, him, your uncle, and the court, how scared you were

A soldier took your message hastily and gave it to the Lord

He sighed, frustrated, and call in the maester

In a silly second you thought fleetingly of your brother’s giggles when you tell them the rumors were true and indeed Lord Borros didn’t know how to read, you remembered fleetingly that you suggested it was because he had hit himself many times on the head while jousting

But you shook those thoughts away, when you felt the small hairs in the back of your hair stand up, as Aemond’s deep gaze was on you

For a second, only the wind making the stones whistle as sing could be heard, and then the ruffling of paper the maester made while reading the letter.

Your uncle’s gaze didn’t leave you for a second, so you tried to look away from him, only stealing glances to make sure he hadn't move

That he was still several feet away from you, with people in between you

You didn't want him near you

He frightened you

He hated you

You knew this

“Remind me of my father’s oaths?”, asked Borros, enraged, you turned to look at him, scared, “King Aegon at least came with an offer, my banners and swords for a marriage pact”

Poor girl, you thought briefly

“If I do what your mother bids, who of my household will you marry, girl? uh?”

“My lord…”, you could turn this around, you could, you needed to try, to explain, to plead to his honor, “I’m not free to marry, I’m already betrothed to Cregan Stark”, you said, and you were not completely lying, your big brother was flying North now with the proposal in his hand

Aemond hummed mockingly at your words, so your gaze landed on him again.

He still was amused, even more so now, you shook in your place, trembling like a leaf in the autumn winds

“So you come with empty hands”, said Borros, more angry than before, “go home pup, and tell your mother the Lord of Storm’s End is not some dog she can whistle up in need to set against her enemies”, he said rapidly

You had failed

You tried to swallow your tears as the stone in your throat but you just couldn’t do it

“I shall take your answer to the Queen, My Lord”, you whimpered, and when you looked at the pity in the daughters’ faces you realized your voice did sounded broken and defeated

Weak

You turned to leave, sad because you failed, but relieved that this had come to an end

“Wait”, you trembled in your place, stopping immediately at your uncle’s call.

You turned slowly, fearfully, to look back at him

“My lady Strong”

You whimpered

“Uncle?’, you were acknowledging him, but it sounded more like a question

Weak

“Did you really think you could just fly upon the realms, trying to steal my brother’s throne at no cost?”

You are the thieves

But the words never reached your lips, instead you wanted to hide your head between your shoulders, almost feeling ashamed

That much power Aemond had over you, the power to make you feel like you were in the wrong, and he was in the right

Ever since that night

When your little brother took his eye

The girl by his side took a step back, like giving him space, and that made you take a step back, less and less things could protect you from your uncle, your hand instinctively went to the pommel of the short sword your stepfather Daemon had begged you to carry, you didn’t know how to use it, but nonetheless… it couldn’t hurt

“I will not fight with you uncle, I came as a messenger”, you said, your voice, again, broken, weak, with fear and sadness

You had failed

“A fight would be little challenge”, he said dismissively

“I’m aware”, you admitted, if it came to blows, you stood no chance against his incredible skill with the sword, even if you meant a fight with words filled with poison

“No…”, his hand went to his eyepatch, and form one single movement he took it out of his face, revealing a sapphire where his eyeball should be

You whimpered, taking a step back

It had taken you by surprise, not that you found him monstrous, or anything, it was just… incredible

“...You brother is indebted to me”

You really wished, in the bottom of your heart, that he would have let this go, if not for your brother, for himself, but he didn’t he hasn't, and that made him so incredible dark, resentful, twisted and mean

And that is what you were most afraid of

“It was an accident…”

“I want you to pay instead”, you whined, taking a step back

“I have nothing…”

“A small payment in blood will suffice…”, you looked at Lord Borros, alarmed, he clearly was not meant for THAT, did he? Did he plan on slaying you there where you stood?, in front of all this people?

“...I will not breed you”, a single tear escaped your eye at his crude words, “I plan on gifting our bloodied sheets to your mother”, you looked back at the Lord of Storm’s End and he looked back at you, concerned

This was the man supposed to wed one of his daughters

“No!”, you cried, in defense of yourself

“So you are a craven as well as a traitor, as your brothers…”

“Not here!”, Borros finally intervened, but still you could not breathe, you were terrified

You never wanted to believe the gazes your uncle gave you were ones of desire, and dark intentions of bedding you, you never thought…

“GIVE YOURSELF TO ME, OR I WILL TAKE YOU BASTARD!”, you shrieked as he advanced on you with certain and long steps, you stumbled backwards trying to prevent him getting near you

“NOT IN MY HALL!”, the thunderous voice of Borros made him stop in his tracks, “the girl came as an envoy, I will not have bloodshed of any kind beneath my roof”

Lord Borros’ words came of little comfort, not when your uncle had taken a dagger of his belt and was threatening you with it, the storm outside, the lightning made his sapphire gleam meanly

“Take the princess back to her dragon, now!”, commanded Lord Borros and you, giving a titanic effort, managed to walk (and not sprint at high speed) out of the hall

Aemond watched you go and smirked, making the dagger dance in his hand

You were his to take

He looked back at the girl he had begun to court to notice she was far away from him now, clearly scared of him

“I will be back shortly to resume negotiations”, he said meanly

“Don’t bother”, said Floris, standing now next to a guard, she would not like to be courted by him now, “I’m not interested in a man that is pure bark and no bite”

When you stepped outside, the storm was raging, you were drenched in second, wet from head to toes, but you couldn’t paid no mind to such things now

Karnax felt your fear, how frightening you were and he advanced towards you whining and growling desperate

“Lykiri Karnax” [calm], “gūrogon īlva hen kesīr” [take us out of here]

Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong, you let your tears fall freely now that nobody could notice nor see you, another Lightning broke the skies from afar and when you turned…

Vhagar was gone

There was no way he could have left before you, it couldn’t, it wasn’t possible

He was in negotiations with the Baratheons, you had to go, so he wouldn’t catch you.

You thought he was going to let you be, because it had been your brother who took his eye, not you

Oh how wrong you were

“Why?”, you cried, trying to make sense of it all as you climbed onto your dragon’s saddle, “Sobes, Karnax”, you called, he growled but obeyed you, he also wanted to get out of here.

You needed to get back to your mother, to Dragonstone, to your brothers and stepfather, they needed you, but you somehow knew that wasn’t going to be possible, a crippling fear took a hold in your body, you felt like you could barely move, your body being so tense.

The rain hit your face with strength, the highers you flied, you only secured your staps tightly and held into your reins hardly

Karnax flapped his wings with difficulty, but he succeeded in keep flying, you wanted to relax, you were flying away from Storm’s End, the Baratheons, your uncle, everyone, but something told you it wasn’t going to be that easy

You wanted Karnax to fly faster, an uneasy feeling settling in your stomach

You whimpered in fear

something was wrong, terribly wrong

You felt a low growl coming from above and you cried, lowering your head, not wanting to face it, face him, and what he was going to do to you once he had you within his grasp

He was coming for you

And the moment you took to the skies, you raised the bet, he was not simply going to take you now, he couldn't not flying like this...

He rode the largest dragon in the world and you one of the smallest

You grabbed into your reigns and hoped Karnax would fly faster, but you couldn’t ask more of him of what you were already asking

You gained the courage to look up and you got a glimpse of a large looming shadow over you

Why?, you whimpered, crying harder, and Karnax growled

Why you?, you loved him once, you were friends, you played, and read together as kids, you had promised you could share little Karnax, and he had agreed.

But he got his own dragon, the largest in the world, and from that moment he pushed you aside and called you a bastard despite your Targaryen features and the fact that he had never called you that

He almost killed your brothers and then Luke took his eye.

After what transcurred in Driftmark with the Queen and your mom Aemond had come to your room in the hour of the bat, you woke up with a knife in your cheek and him over you, his hand in your throat

You never knew why he had come to your chambers and not luke’s or jace’s

He always knew you were the weakest one

You were a woman, he was a man

You looked ahead and shrieked once again when you saw Vhagar coming at you amongst the dark stormy clouds, at full speed

“NO!”, she changed her trajectory, going up in the last second, her feet and claws passing right by you, you could even feel them passing right by your head

Please

You were going to die

You could hear Aemond’s laugh, ricocheting amongst the clouds

He was amused by you

He hated you

And now he was going to kill you.

Karnax growled, scared too out of his mind, you could feel him, deep in your gut, the pure and sheer instinct to fight or fly kicking in, and both of you opting for the latter

just when you thought you had lost him, you heard the flap of huge wings behind you, you turned to look, and Vhagar huge open jaws appeared trough the storm, ready to swallow you whole.

But Karnax was fast, and Vhagar liked to play with her food

“I see you!”, you heard from behind, and the sound that Vhagar’s jaws made when they close grabbing into thin air made your skin prickle, “Libōnos”, [bastard]

Your body was tense as a bow, you could barely feel your legs that were tightened around your saddle, the water, despite your leather cape, has got under the clothes, and froze you all over, that you felt like you were made of ice, you could barely move, your fingers were not going to survive this even if you did

Vhagar was still behind you as you commanded your dragon to fly downwards, to gain speed

You made him turn and twist in the air, but to no avail, the monstrous Vhagar had her eyes set on her prey and she was not going to let go, you use your whole body and strength to pull her to make her change her trajectory from one moment to another, she might be bigger, but you were faster

Deep down you knew it was all going to be for nothing

He was coming for you

He hated you

And you could hear his sick laugh as he was laughing in your ear

You soon could make out the sea under you and as you looked to your left there was a cliff splitted in two, a risk in the middle, you had a change, you might be able to flight in between, but Vhagar wouldn’t

Your dragon read your mind and went there, seeking refuge

It has worked, you looked back to see VHagar fighting to make her heavy body fly upwards, your uncle’s grunts cut trough the air reaching you, it was insane

He was insane

He had a grudge for 8 years, boiling and simmering in rage, anger, and sadness, and you were the one that was going to get the worst of it

You felt relieved even, that it was you and not sweet Lucerys

Better you than him

“JĒMELÃ GÊLŸNI ENKÂ!”, he screamed [you owe me a debt], “BYKA!”, little one

Karnax flied diligently through the cliffs and rocks, you looked up and he was still there, chasing you, looming over you

“I lied!”, you heard then, “I will give you my bastard”, a pain spread through your chest, all your sorrow, pain, fear, exploding, taking a hold on your body, preventing you from breathing properly, even with the skies falling upon your head, with your life in your uncle’s hands.

You screamed when Karnax again flew in open skies as the protection of the cliff was taken away. It was a scream of agony, frustration, and fear

Oh so much fear

But the gods, or whomever, granted you a small mercy, the clouds were thick and the sea was a few feet under you, they concealed you from your predator chasing you.

You took a shaky, long breath, despite the lump in your throat present since you left Dragonstone

You needed to get yourself together

Keep flying North, soon the skies will clear, you couldn’t let fear control you….

Fear

The last thing you heard was Vhagar growling, and Karnax high screeched when the biggest dragon in the world sank her teeth in him, catching his legs and tail, completely destroying him.

“AH!”, you barely got a scream yourself, she didn’t catch you, but so did half your dragon, now dead.

“VHAGAR! NO! NO VHAGAR!”, is the last thing you heard

The next?

The white noise of water, all around you, the cold grasping you, hugging you tightly, not letting you move as the water moved around you taking you prisoner

For better or worse, Vhagar’s had completely destroyed the saddle, releasing you, and now you were there, by a gift or a curse from the gods, amongst the dark tides of Shipwreck bay, sinking slowly, finally you didn’t feel more fear, only the instinct to survive.

You were a true Velaryon at last.

#misguidedhouse #aemond the kinslayer #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen x alys rivers #aemond x oc #aemond targaryen #misguidedhotd #house of the dragon #hbo house of the dragon #house targaryen #targaryen!reader #aemond one eye #aemond x reader #hotd aemond #aemond fanfiction #prince aemond #house of the dragon aemond

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breelandwalker · 10 months

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Buck Moon - July 3, 2023

Put on your flower crowns and your dancing shoes, it's time for the Buck Moon!

Buck Moon

The Buck Moon is the name given to the full moon in the month of July and is called this because at this time of year, the antlers on male deer are at the height of growth and impressiveness. This month also marks the first supermoon of the year!

Other European names for the July moon include Hay Moon and Wort Moon. North American Indigenous names for this moon include Salmon Moon (Tlingit), Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe).

The West Abenaki also call this the Thunder Moon in reference to the often-stormy summer weather. (This one is my personal favorite and the name appears in lunar calendars just as often as the Buck Moon.)

What Does It Mean For Witches?

The July full moon continues June's template of planning for the future, this time with a focus on your passions and ambitions. Reflect on what you've accomplished so far this year and plan your next step.

Dream big and plan big, but don't give in to reckless urgency. Summer (and capitalist grind culture) gives us the urge to Go Go Go. Despite all this, it's important to take time to rest and recharge, lest we find ourselves burning out and losing our motivation.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

Celebrate your victories and revel in the abundance of the summer season. If you're inclined to do so, take a page from the deer and do a bit of prancing around a bonfire or your favorite flower arbor with some festive flowery headgear.

Go exploring! Find a local park or garden and take a stroll among the greenery, or use TV and the internet to explore and learn about faraway places. This is another opportune time to go and check out pick-your-own farms and farmers markets as well. Sharpen your foraging and plant identification skills while you're out and about!

If you're tending a garden, harvest some herbs and investigate what you can make with them. Whether it's seasoning for meals, homemade botanical products, or just helpful spell ingredients, many herbs and flowers have a plethora of uses. As an exercise, select three plants growing in your garden, research their magical correspondences and botanical properties, and try to think of as many ways as possible to use each one for witchcraft and for practical purposes.

(Safety Note: Always clean and prepare home-harvested herbs properly before using them for kitchen, bath, or medical preparations. Always consult a doctor before trying an herbal treatment and take all allergies, medications, and pre-existing conditions into account. Please also note that while herbal treatments can be helpful, it can have negative interactions and side effects just like any other medication, and it is not meant to be a replacement for modern medical care.)

Apart from the usual full-moon festivities, I've always found this is an excellent time for weather-witching. Summer weather is notoriously fickle, but it is also highly malleable - one recalls that old American Southern epithet of, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."

If you're hoping to bring some rain to water your garden or break the back of a heat wave, this may be the time to do it. My personal favorite folk magic ritual for rain-calling involves going outside with a broom and a bucket of water, using the broom to scatter drops of water over your yard, and shouting up to the clouds, "SEE? IT'S NOT HARD!"

Make sure you take local weather patterns into account and try to draw on existing fronts and nearby precipitation to get the desired result. And keep in mind that with weather magic, less is more and one casting is enough. Asking for too much or asking too often can produce undesirable results. And if you manage to make it rain, be sure to collect some for moon water!

If you're interested in weather-witching, I highly recommend checking out this masterpost by @stormbornwitch for a number of excellent articles and suggestions.

Happy Buck Moon, witches! 🌕🦌

Further Reading:

Buck Moon: Full Moon in July 2023, The Old Farmer's Almanac

Buck Moon 2023: The Awesome Spiritual Meaning of July's Full Moon, Amanda Brethauer, The Peculiar Brunette

The Hearth Witch's Garden Herbal, Anna Franklin, Llewellyn Publications, 2023.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison

(If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

#witch community #full moon #moon magic #lunar magic #witchblr #witchcraft #buck moon #thunder moon #weather magic #pagan #lunar calendar

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bsd-bibliophile · 8 months

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Happy Birthday Miyazawa Kenji-sensei!

To celebrate Miyazawa Kenji’s birthday here are his top three quotes from my blog:

Quote #3:

"I’m no longer afraid, even of a darkness, as fathomless as that is. I’m sure true happiness can even be found within it. Let’s search for it, however long it takes, or however far we must go."

- Miyazawa Kenji, “Night on the Galactic Railroad”

Quote #2:

You who go through rice paddies in the rain, you who hurry toward leviathan woods, you who walk into the gloom of clouds and mountains, fasten up your raincoat, damn it.

- Miyazawa Kenji, “Traveler” from Miyazawa Kenji: Selections

Quote #1:

Be not defeated by the rain, Nor let the wind prove your better. Succumb not to the snows of winter. Nor be bested by the heat of summer.

Be strong in body. Unfettered by desire. Not enticed to anger. Cultivate a quiet joy. Count yourself last in everything. Put others before you. Watch well and listen closely. Hold the learned lessons dear.

A thatch-roof house, in a meadow, nestled in a pine grove’s shade.

A handful of rice, some miso, and a few vegetables to suffice for the day.

If, to the East, a child lies sick: Go forth and nurse him to health. If, to the West, an old lady stands exhausted: Go forth, and relieve her of burden. If, to the South, a man lies dying: Go forth with words of courage to dispel his fear. If, to the North, an argument or fight ensues: Go forth and beg them stop such a waste of effort and of spirit.

In times of drought, shed tears of sympathy. In summers cold, walk in concern and empathy.

Stand aloof of the unknowing masses: Better dismissed as useless than flattered as a “Great Man”.

This is my goal, the person I strive to become.

- Miyazawa Kenji, “Ame ni mo makezu” (”Be not Defeated by the Rain”)

#miyazawa kenji #japanese literature #bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs #bsd #happy birthday miyazawa kenji #2023

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noxhawthorne · 2 months

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Flickerbeat: Prologue

Note: there are some things referred to in the prologue that you won’t know (mostly the names of guns in the future). Those will be accompanied by illustrations in the final novel.

The stargazer fish is an interesting little guy. One wouldn’t necessarily call them physically beautiful like some of their other fish friends, with two bulbous eyes on top of their heads and the complexion of mottled mold. They’re an ambush fish, meaning they hide on the ocean floor, watching their prey. Poisoned spines are their weapon, but there’s another interesting aspect of the nightmarish fish. It has organs in its head capable of producing up to fifty volts of electricity, making it a deadly predator.

In the Philippine Sea, in the year 2052, there was more than one type of stargazer. While the fish hid in the dark depths of a black sea, the U.S.S. Pensacola cut through the surface, churning water and sea foam in its wake. It was an aircraft carrier, one that held over four-thousand Navy and Marine Corps personnel, and that was powered by a shoddy nuclear reactor that could go at any moment (at least that’s what engineers had been saying for the past five years… and yet she was afloat). The Pensacola had been assigned to watch for enemy activity in the area, the enemy being the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Following the second Korean War, in which the North Korean regime was dismantled, it was believed that many of the country’s weapon supply caches were moved to allied nations, hidden from the hands of the United States government. Since then, a silent war had been raging between East and West, one made up of subtle threats and espionage. That was the Pensacola’s assignment. Survey the area for enemy activity.

Of the personnel on board, most were asleep in their racks, the sheets stiff and mattress thin. After a day on board, the scratchy cloth-covered rack felt like a cloud of heavenly comfort.

However, not everyone was resting peacefully. On the flight deck, standing in the midst of the salty sea air, were a dozen sailors and their leader, one of five Force Reconnaissance Marines on board, a tall and intimidating man that went by the callsign ‘Jaws’. The sailors were performing maintenance on an experimental aircraft, the latest attempt by the U.S. military to create a combat-ready stealth jet. Meanwhile, Jaws was peering through a pair of night vision spectacles, head on a constant swivel as he watched for movement on the horizon, an XRS-52 in hand and loaded.

However, it was below deck, in the Hangar Bay - a large room with only two walls, the other two open to the night air - that the second type of stargazer could be found.

Scarlet Adams, callsign ‘Stargazer’.

Another one of the unlucky few on the night shift, she too had watch orders, her main focus being unidentified vessels. She was to look over the dark ocean, watching for any potential enemy ships coming within range of the Pensacola. This wasn’t her first time, having stood in the exact spot nearly a dozen times since leaving Amnia Bay, and it wasn’t that bad of an assignment. At this hour, the Hangar was quiet, leaving the slosh of the ocean’s wake to fill her ears. Various aircraft and a few gray shipping containers filled the otherwise empty space, the normally white fluorescent lights replaced by dim red ones.

Scarlet leaned against the frame of an open wall, though it wasn’t the sea that she was watching. It was the stars, vibrant this far out from the light pollution of civilization. Prior to joining the Corps, Scarlet had studied astronomy, igniting her passion for the celestial cosmos. She intended to further pursue her studies, but… well, the Butterfly Effect cut her time in academia short.

The catalyst was a simple request: to borrow a pen. It had been the beginning of her fourth year astronomy course, stuffed in a musty class room twelve other students. The walls had been covered in maps of the stars, with dusty bookshelves lining the bottom. If Scarlet focused hard enough, she could still smell that room, even nearly two years later.

She had been focusing on an assignment, diligently preparing it to be turned in, blocking out all other sights and sounds. It was a tap on her shoulder that gained her attention, and she quickly turned to see a familiar face. Jack Halifax, a transfer student from across the country. He had only been at the university for a few weeks, and seemed to be the ‘class clown’ type. The professor would often bring up a Holo-Graphic of the stars, using a laser pointer to circle each cluster he was speaking about. When this happened, Jack would take out his own laser pointer, and discreetly use it to mess with the professor. It was funny in a way, but always annoyed Scarlet to know end.

“Can I borrow a pen?” he had whispered, holding his up to show the clearly empty ink cell.

Scarlet, being ever prepared, reached into her bag and gave him a new one, not thinking much of it. He thanked her, and returned to the assignment.

When class had finished, Jack returned the pen with a small piece of paper wrapped around it. All it said was ‘Dinner?’ with a phone number below it. Call her sappy, but Scarlet fell for it, deciding to give this guy a chance. What could go wrong, after all?

One date turned to two, then two to four, and, before they knew it, the two had fallen head-over-heels for one another. It was a love that tamed Jack, yet freed Scarlet, opening her up to adventures she never fathomed. They were seemingly inseparable, a bonded pair that clung to one another.

So, when Jack expressed interest in joining the Marine Corps, Scarlet found herself eager to go with him. Not as a military wife, but as a fellow Marine, one that no longer feared her own death, but the death of her lover. She knew the pain of being alone all too well, having never known her father, while her mother died in a car crash when Scarlet was young. She’d been alone most of her life, and it had felt normal. Now that she had experienced the warm of Jack’s presence, the thought of reliving that emptiness sickened her. So, when Jack went to the recruitment center, Scarlet tagged along. By the end, they both had a one way ticket to Officer Candidate School.

During their training, it was determined by higher ranking officers that both would excellent candidates for Force Reconnaissance, having a knack for gathering information and being talented marksman. When offered the chance to take the Basic Reconnaissance Course and attend Marine Special Operations School, Jack accepted without hesitation. Scarlet, on the other hand, was apprehensive, having hoped to become a pilot instead. However, it was the excitement she saw glinting in Jack’s eyes that convinced her to join him once more.

Prior to the second Korean War, call signs were mainly used for aviators. However, following the capture, extortion, and subsequent execution of Reconnaissance officers by North Korea in 2038, it was determined that call signs were necessary for anyone serving with a secret security clearance. The enemy couldn’t know who was working Recon if their names weren’t used, and that was who they targeted to most.

Scarlet gave Jack his call sign — ‘Jackalope’, a nickname she’d given him back in college. Because of her astronomy degree, and her affinity for gazing up at the night sky during drills, she was dubbed ‘Stargazer’.

In the quiet Hangar, Scarlet was doing much the same, this time admiring the Orion constellation. If she had been performing her duties, she might’ve seen the silhouette sneaking up behind her, each step deliberate, planned. Instead, she was startled out of her thoughts when two hands gently slid around her waist, giving her a soft squeeze.

“Hey, lil’ Stargazer,” the voice of Jack whispered in her ear, breath hot and smelling of stale coffee.

Scarlet relaxed, leaning back against the man who held her, a content smile gracing her lips.

“You’re supposed to be on watch,” she said, though her tone had no malice, but rather a slight laugh.

“So are you,” Jack countered, his lips moving down, skirting the skin of her neck.

“I am!”

Jack pulled Scarlet in closer, resting his chin on her shoulder. His presence was more soothing to her than the stars.

“Sure you are,” he muttered knowingly, kissing behind her ear, “which one were you looking at?”

He knew her too well, aware of her tendency to focus on a particular star rather than the cluster that the sky offered.

“Meissa,” she responded, “it’s bright tonight.”

“Show it to me,” he whispered with a tone that sent goosebumps rising across Scarlet’s skin.

“You, uh, you know where it is. Professor Weldon covered that.”

“Mm, you know I never paid attention,” Jack said, his fingertips caressing her waist, “my eyes were always on something else…”

Scarlet could feel herself melting in Jack’s arms, this kind of physical touch having been foreign to her prior to their relationship. Her heart was beating a little faster.

Raising her hand up, she pointed to the sky.

“Well… well, you see Orion’s Belt?”

Jack made a sound of affirmation, his eyes following where Scarlet pointed. She moved her hand up further, tracing the invisible lines of the constellation.

“Go up on either side… those two stars are Betelgeuse and Bellatrix…”

“Mmhm,” Jack mumbled, kissing her neck.

“You’re not even looking,” Scarlet said, quietly gasping when she felt a gentle bite on the sensitive skin of her throat.

“Of course I am… keep going.”

Scarlet hesitated, savoring the slight sting from his teeth.

“And then… then the one above them, in the middle… that’s Meissa.”

Jack hummed, nodding, “Almost as brilliant as you.”

Scarlet felt her face begin to heat up, a light pink hue filling them. Her lips twisted into a lovestruck smile. Twisting in his arms, she turned to face Jack, finding her look mirrored back. She cupped his cheeks, reaching up to gently kiss him. Soft lips caressed her own, reciprocating the love received.

As the kiss broke, Scarlet sighed in content. She had never felt as safe as she did with him. There was never any pretending, no fear of judgement, just… acceptance, something she had yearned for, something she had never experienced. She was accustomed to being the outcast, the last chosen in gym class, the only one without a valentine. Alone. She had always been alone.

It was then that a twinge of sadness tugged at her heart, a common occurrence since joining the Marines. One that Jack was familiar with, easily recognizing the shift in her demeanor.

“In your head again?” he asked, knowing her all too well.

She nodded, a slight sting burning her eyes. Without another word, Jack pulled Scarlet into a tight embrace, rubbing her back as he held her.

“Three more years,” he said, “then it’s you and me.”

“I know,” Scarlet whispered, burying her face in his chest.

The truth was, Scarlet didn’t want to be a Marine. She wanted to be with Jack, by his side wherever he went. She wanted a quiet home and an average life. Simplicity, comfort, and the knowledge that Jack, too, was happy and safe. That’s what she wanted, not watching for the enemy through the darkness of night, or traveling the oceans on a dying ship. She wanted peace. As she stood there in Jack’s arms, eyes closed, she could almost feel it.

It didn’t last long, as Scarlet suddenly registered a low buzz. Her face scrunched as she listened to it, trying to separate the crashing waves from the sound. It was becoming louder, almost like a bee buzzing near her ear. Lifting her head from Jack’s chest, she looked at him in confusion. From the look on his face, she could tell he heard the same sound.

“What is that?” Scarlet asked, turning to look out over the dark sea.

A loud rumble shook the ship, causing Scarlet to grab ahold of the wall’s edge. It was accompanied by squealing and incoherent shouts from the flight deck.

Scarlet looked to Jack, both of them wide-eyed.

“The reactor,” she muttered.

Springing into action, Scarlet ran towards the hatch, prepared to wake the crew for evacuation. She was stopped when Jack caught her by the wrist. Looking back at him, she was prepared to rip her arm away. That changed when she saw the grave expression painted across his face.

With a grim tone, Jack spoke, “That wasn’t the reactor.”

———

Atop the flight deck, a strange aircraft was powering down. It was as big as a cargo plane, yet built like a stealth fighter jet, sleek in its design. The sailors gathered around the back of the craft, where the only obvious exit was. Jaws was on pointe, aiming his rifle at the cargo hold. There were no identifiable markings on the aircraft, but it clearly did not belong on board.

Suddenly, the latch released, and the hold’s door slowly began to open. Jaws’ grip tightened, the full force of his focus on whoever was trespassing. However, as the door lowered, no discernible figures could be made out. Instead, they saw that the interior was unlit, whatever or whoever was inside hidden by the shadows.

Jaws, not known for his patience, grit his teeth and shouted, “This is a United States Naval vessel! State your intentions!”

Silence. The sailors started to shift, looking at each other nervously, their hands clamming up around their rifles.

Then, out of the darkness came a spark, and a small flame illuminated a black gloved hand.

“Intentions,” Jaws shouted, growing more enraged by the moment.

The hand lifted the flame, bringing it up to the tip of a cigarette. Beyond that, the sailors and Jaws could make out a pair of chapped lips, and two circular lenses above, barely reflecting the flickering fire.

———

Scarlet and Jack remained silent, the buzz having stopped after the ship shook. They stared at each other, frozen in place, unsure of what to do. If it *had* been the reactor, alarms should be going off, signaling an evacuation and imminent rescue from other vessels in the area. However, the only sound either could hear was the gentle lapping of waves against the ship.

That quickly changed as gunfire rang out, accompanied by shouts and screams of agony.

“Shit, get the rest of Recon up,” Scarlet said, an edge of panic to her voice.

She sprinted to where her rifle laid, near a hatch that led up to the flight deck. Picking up her weapon, she was about to pull open the hatch, when she suddenly stopped.

Jack was about twenty feet behind her, watching in confusion as she pressed her ear to the door.

“Scarlet? What —“

Scarlet shushed him. There was a consistent *thud, thud, thud* going down the ladder, getting louder as it came closer. It sounded similar to a ball rolling down a set of stairs. Then, there was a heavy *clunk* as it hit the hatch.

Silence.

*Beep.*

Suddenly, a small explosion split open the hatch, sending Scarlet flying backwards with the force. A chunk of metal slammed against her head, leaving a deep gash that ran across her cheek, blood spilling from the wound. She went limp.

“Scarlet,” Jack shouted, running to where her body laid. He knelt down, panic rushing through him as he searched for her pulse. Relief ran through him as he found the rhythmic beat, and saw her fading in and out of consciousness, but it was short lived as a new sound came from the smokey ladderwell. It was the sound of footsteps, slow and deliberate.

Grabbing the collar of Scarlet’s uniform, Jack began to drag her to the port-side opening. He kept looking to the exposed ladderwell, watching as a pair of legs came into view. With each step, more of the person was revealed. It was someone in a black combat uniform, holding a white DE-52. As they reached the last step, Jack could see a cigarette hanging from the person’s lips, the rest of their face covered by a matte black mask. It was smooth, featureless, except for two black lenses over the eyes.

Reaching the opening, Jack quickly took off his dog tags, putting them around Scarlet’s neck. He had a dreadful feeling he knew how this would end.

*Bang!*

A fiery pain radiated through Jack’s shoulder, a bullet cracking the bone. It went through to the other side, hitting the wall and leaving a small dent. Blood quickly soaked his uniform, tacky and thick. The wound left him weak, though his determination to give Scarlet a shot at survival made him push through the searing pain.

As the masked man approached, Jack gave one final shove, rolling Scarlet’s body over the side of the ship. He watched as she landed in the water, crashing through the inky black sea. Jack never considered himself a religious man, but in that moment, he prayed for her rescue.

———

Just below the surface, Scarlet could barely see the Pensacola through her blurred vision. A black tunnel was beginning to surround her vision, but she could make out moving blobs above her. She heard the muffled sound of gunfire, along with the sight of a quick, bright flash. One of the blobs fell on the extended Hangar Bay deck, barely visible at the edge.

Then, black.

#nox hawthorne #scifi writing #scarlet adams #science fiction #scifi #Jack Halifax #tw blood #tw gun violence #writing #writeblr #writer #writers on tumblr

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pigeonleap · 3 months

Text

map for my story, featuring full color and Clan borders! I've been having a lot of fun with this. Please send any questions in asks, I would love to talk about it!

Notes under cut

setting is the Colorado Rockies but obviously I have made up everything here

this is kind of a side view so that you can see mountains better so you can't see a lot of Blizzard's plains. Off to the right is what the cats call a "town" because they haven't seen one, it's really a couple ranches that have cats at them.

A lot of the place names are possessive (e.g. Eagle's Meadow) which means they're named after important members of the Clans' history.

Storm has a bigger territory than Blizzard, mostly due to access - Blizzard has more plains off to the east and is obstructed by mountains to the west, though they're expanding in that direction.

Neither territory is big. I am not good with scale but it's not meant to look like a ton of acreage: this is because the cats face heavy predation, with the woods full of almost every large North American carnivore you could think of. The clans are both small in population.

The unclaimed land from Cloud's Tooth to Sky's Heart will probably remain unclaimed and serves as a sort of political buffer. It's also just not great land. No one wants the freakin' Tempest Drop, and Thunder Ridge is very dangerous too.

You'll notice there is no designated sacred place of worship. StarClan is unlike canon in my story, which I may go into later. StormClan is extremely pious, but BlizzardClan doesn't care all that much because they have a lower rate of clairvoyants. Storm cats travel to the summit of the Cloud's Tooth to prove themselves as a Prophet, because they're extra. And, you know, the Stars will not let you survive the journey if you're not worthy, which can be interpreted however you want! Maybe your Prophet-to-be was just not a good hiker!

Besides the ranch "Human Town" to the east, and the long-abandoned Thunder Ridge, there is no human intervention in the area for many miles. Thunder Ridge, a steep backbone of boulders with not enough switchbacks, proved to be too dangerous (three guesses how) for humans after a tragic accident, and the trail was closed.

Lots of elk in the Colorado Rockies! The Clans respect elk and consider it a great honor that their river is named after the large and majestic animals. This would be flattering for elk if they knew about it, probably.

#warrior cats #warriors #wc #warriors ocs #oc #oc map #map #blackflood #rowanleaf #i need a name for this so bad #thinking maybe “summer thunder”#tentatively tagging #summer thunder

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dark-elf-writes · 2 months

Note

Reno: You were just on patrol with him. Less than a minute ago. Which direction did he go?

Trooper knowing damn well Cloud scrambled straight up the wall and hauled ass into the vent: I’m not sure my classes on identifying North, South, East, and West covered this particular direction.

Reno: what does that even mean!?!?????

Trooper: I am about 45% sure he is in the Shinra building.

Reno: You were patrolling the 59th floor with him thirty seconds ago.

Trooper: 42% sure he is in the Shinra building.

Reno: HOW THE FUC-

#the elf talks #ff7 #hide and seek au

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mapping-elysium · 1 month

Text

Let's start this off right with one of the most notable lore-dumps in the game, the Plaza Rain Shivers check.

In the west

Stairs to the water

Sea Fortress > Bay of Revachol > Sky scrapers of La Delta

What’s down the shore?

Defunct R+E building > Abandoned Church > Coal City

In the east

Industrial Harbor (Locked) > La Drisienne - King Dris’ Passengers Harbour > River Distributary > Couron > “The Class Divide”

In the north

Whirling Yard > Capeside apartments

“Standing in the rain, looking north, where jamrock rock city stretches inland”

In the south

Traffic jam, roundabout, statue > Road ascends to 8/81 (ghetto beneath) > Jamrock

OTHER NOTES

Where do i live?

On a street there that flows like a muddy river in the snow, with fire traps rising on either side. A film rental opens its doors to the rain, an armoured motor carriage rushes past the corner where you used to walk together... Suddenly, the hair on your back rises.

“YOU CANNOT RETURN”

SOURCE MATERIAL BENEATH THE CUT

Shivers - All around you, rain falls on the great city of Revachol. Rain drips from the eaves and floods the gutters, washing the filth away.

Shivers - The spring thaw must be here. The snow is melting...

You - What am I doing?

Shivers - Looking up at the sky, cold water dripping from your hair.

You - What do I see?

Shivers - Grey sky like great battleships, clouds colliding with one another. Rain falls down on the world.

You - How does it feel?

Shivers - Your shirt sticks to your chest. The shoulders of your disco blazer grow heavy. The cold finds its way in under your skin. You shiver, and the city shivers with you.

Composure - You're not dressed for this weather. You should get an overcoat, or a patrol cloak.

You - What is in the west?

Shivers - Sheets of rain over the water. A flight of stairs leading into the ocean. Wave after wave washing the coast of Martinaise, with its motorboats and gently swaying reeds.

Shivers - The ruins of a half-sunken seafort crumble on an inlet. Beyond the Bay of Revachol, ghosts rise into the sky.

You - Who are you, ghosts?

Shivers - The skyscrapers of La Delta, the financial district. Faint golden light seeps from the office windows.

Inland Empire - Will you ever go there?

You - Will I?

Shivers - No. You are just one of the hundreds of thousands who watch them rise across the bay from Martinaise every day.

You - What is down the shore?

Shivers - Urban coastline, rain dripping off eternite-covered roofs. Cinder blocks left over from half-finished construction. A defunct research and development building once seized by revolutionaries. An old wooden church stands on stilts above the water.

You - And beyond that?

Shivers - Coal City, end of all lines.

You - Run your fingers through your dampened hair.

Shivers - Your hair is an oily mess flecked with ash from neighbouring coal plants. Smoke stacks rise somewhere in the distance.

You - What's in the east?

Shivers - The great gates of the industrial harbour are locked. A chill runs down your back. You shudder like an animal trying to shake water from its hide.

You - Clench your teeth to stop shuddering.

Shivers - Behind the gates -- heaps of supply crates. Red and blue metal shipping containers slick with rain. The Greater Revachol Industrial Harbour is an artificial mountain range. Immense wealth resides within, and immeasurable poverty in its shadow.

You - And before that?

Shivers - You -- on the Martinaise plaza. A small dot looking up at the sky. Droplets form on your eyelashes.

You - And beyond that?

Shivers - La Drisienne, King Dris's Passenger Harbour. Cruise ships flanked by dock arms. Cranes watching over the mouth of the river distributary.

You - What is across the distributary?

Shivers - Couron, the lower middle class. Distributary after distributary cuts the city blocks in half. Seven-story buildings trail off into the rain.

You - What is beyond the Couron?

Shivers - A silvery curtain of rain over the houses. The class divide.

Rhetoric - You have never been there. They don't need the law east of the river.

You - What's in the north?

Shivers - Capeside apartments -- tower blocks crowd one another, 4.46 mm bullets still lodged in their war-torn stone walls.

Shivers - Hallways collapsed from the mortar hits of a war that was lost long ago. Clotheslines go to waste in the rain. Radios play.

Rhetoric - The morning news.

You - And closer to here?

Shivers - A yard. Rain falls onto the roof of a woodshed. Filthy water pools around a body. Droplets of rain slip from the dead man's cold cheeks.

You - What's in the south?

Shivers - A traffic jam. Rain thrumming on the roofs of motor vehicles. Inside, drivers watch water streaming down their windshields. The statue of a king shudders, he too is cold. The canal bridge has been raised.

You - What's on the other side?

Shivers - The road ascends; a raised motorway loops above the ghetto. Beneath its concrete columns -- a sea of rooftops, woodwork, and tar stretches northward. Four-story buildings as far as the rain can fall. The snows melt in Jamrock.

You - What is Jamrock?

Shivers - Revachol is the capital of the world. Jamrock is the capital of Revachol. Droplets form on your eyelashes.

Inland Empire - It's home.

You - Why am I not there?

Shivers - To be in Martinaise, where no one goes. At the run-off point of a long-forgotten canal, in the whitest part of town. In the shadow of the day the Revolution failed.

You - What am I doing here?

Shivers - Standing in the rain, looking north, where Jamrock Rock City stretches inland.

You - Where do I live?

Shivers - On a street there that flows like a muddy river in the snow, with fire traps rising on either side. A film rental opens its doors to the rain, an armoured motor carriage rushes past the corner where you used to walk together... Suddenly, the hair on your back rises.

Shivers - YOU CANNOT RETURN.

You - "Motherfucker." [Finish thought.]

#disco elysium #map project #shivers #inland empire #revachol #jamrock #martinaise #couron #coal city

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necarion · 8 months

Text

I like finding words where you go "I wonder what the etymology on this is" and as far back as the reconstructions manage, the word means the same thing.

Like, "horse" derives from PIE *ḱr̥sós (“vehicle”), from PIE *ḱers- (“to run”). So somewhere in the record, someone saw a running thing and said "I could ride that". Or "squirrel" comes from Greek σκίουρος (skíouros) "shadow-tail"

In contrast, you have "cow":*

From Middle English cou, cu, from Old English cū (“cow”), from Proto-West Germanic *kū, from Proto-Germanic *kūz (“cow”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws (“cow”).

So as far back as we can tell, our ancestor saw a cow and went "yup, that's a cow".

Some of the same things happen for basic words like "fire", "water", "sun" (but not "sky", which seems to go back and forth with the meaning of "cloud"). Which makes sense. Super basic words are most likely to be preserved. It's just interesting to see which ones ended up getting Darkmok'd along the way.

*The entire Indo-European language family is in agreement that, yes, that is a cow.

Cognate with Sanskrit गो (go), Ancient Greek βοῦς (boûs), Persian گاو‎ (gâv)), Latvian govs (“cow”), Proto-Slavic *govędo (Serbo-Croatian govedo, Russian говядина (govjadina) ("beef")), Scots coo (“cow”), North Frisian ko, kø (“cow”), West Frisian ko (“cow”), Dutch koe (“cow”), Low German Koh, Koo, Kau (“cow”), German Kuh (“cow”), Swedish ko (“cow”), Norwegian ku (“cow”), Icelandic kýr (“cow”), Latin bōs (“ox, bull, cow”), Armenian կով (kov, “cow”).

The Sumerian word is also close enough that linguists think it is related. But nobody is entirely sure which direction the borrowing would have gone (from the Sumerian language to an early Proto-Indo-European, or the other way around).

#language #linguistics #cow #pie

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ace-donovan · 2 months

Text

Eli and Ace were huddled over the desk in the office. This office was empty apart from them, but Eli was speaking on the phone to someone, pointing at various entries to the blueprint that laid before them. Eli had skilled himself in being the face of the West Side Crew, under Ace’s request, but he still made sure that his decisions were the ones that Ace would give on his own. He glanced at Ace as he tried to narrow down the entryways they should take in the siege. “Tripp, you and Dallas need to enter on the north side of the courtyard. Let Sawyer and Tommy go through the west,” Eli said, getting a quick glance at Ace before finishing. “Yeah, let me know when it’s finished. Okay, bye.”

Ending the call, Eli let out a sigh and sat down in the chair in front of the desk, letting Ace sit behind it where he belonged. “What’s got you worried?” Ace questioned his second in command, seeing the concern shadowing the man’s mouth.

Eli perched himself on the edge of his chair, his eyes staring at the blueprints yet again. “I’m always worried about missions. Yeah, it's a clean sweep but still.”

Ace nodded, understanding what he meant. He too was looking at the prints again, wondering if there was a better route instead. But deep in his gut, he knew they had planned the best course for his men to sneak into the building without being detected by any of the Los Lobos. “I wouldn’t have said anything differently than you, Eli.”

This seemed to help improve Eli’s nerves. “Thanks, boss,” he whispered, exhaling now. “Yeah, you’re right. They’ll be in and out. It’s just recon anyways.”

Nearly twenty minutes passed before Eli’s phone started ringing. A loud sigh of relief came from his mouth as he pulled the phone to his ear. “Did everything go according to plan?” Eli asked.

“Oh, fuck, man!” Tripp shouted into the phone, panting erratically, it sounded like he was fleeing on foot.

“—whoa, what’s wrong?”

“Deucalion was there!” Tripp said frantically, “Dallas, come on man!”

“Deucalion?” Eli said loudly. Now Ace was up on his feet, immediately at Eli’s side. His eyes were fixed on his friend’s troubled face. Unable to contain himself, Ace captured the phone and spoke directly to Tripp.

“Tripp, I need you to take a breath and tell me what happened. Deucalion was there?” Ace could hear Tripp slowing to a walk, still breathless but he was trying to calm himself. The sound of someone else gasping from behind was heard. He assumed it was Dallas.

“They were there, all his lieutenants. It wasn’t just a ghost crew. They were having some kind of meeting or something, I don’t know! Dallas and I barely got in the place and then we heard gunshots. Sawyer and Tommy… they’re dead, Ace. They killed them.”

An audible gasp could be heard from Ace as he sat down in the chair, giving Eli the phone now. Ace didn’t bother listening to the remainder of the conversation. He wanted nothing but silence for now. His head was filled with questions and doubts. Two of his men were lost. Not just dead but lost…forever. They would never retrieve their bodies. The Los Lobos would desecrate their remains in unimaginable ways. Ace felt a wave of grief slamming against his chest and he lost his breath for a moment. Eyes burning from tears, he took out his phone to make two phone calls.

◈◈◈◈◈◈

Members of the gang drifted to the sea house to celebrate and mourn the lives of their fallen friends. Ace and Eli had been at the house for nearly a day and a half now. They prepared the food for the wake, modified the defenses in case of retaliation from the other gang, and made sure there was clean linen in every bedroom in case some of the members wanted to stay for the night.

Ace was staring out the window at the gray clouds that swirled together in the vast sky. It was a good day for a wake, in all poetic senses. The thought made Ace swallow the bile that tried to rise in his mouth. He let out a sigh as he heard the approaching footsteps of Eli. “I’m sorry, Eli,” Ace whispered, turning around to face his friend who looked like he had aged ten years over the last four days. “You shouldn’t have to deal with this as the leader,” Ace explained, shaking his head. “I can take charge.”

Eli shook his head “You have more at stake than me,” he whispered, trying to be brave. “I will not let you down. Ever.”

Ace pulled his friend into his arms and hugged him tightly. “I know you won’t.” He let go of Eli and ran his hand across his brow, wiping the sweat beads away. Uncomfortably, he tugged at the suit he wore. “It’s hot as fuck here, let’s get the AC on.” With a nod, Eli turned and headed away from his leader.

Ace resumed his stare out of the window, but this time he did not look at the clouds, instead he was watching the headlights of the black limousine that climbed up the curved driveway. Ace swallowed hard, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself to meet the widows of Sawyer and Tommy. As he walked out of the house, he called over his shoulder to Eli to join him. Today would be a very hard day for him but he could not imagine that pain and grief that Ana and Lisa felt.

#(ace x 10)

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misslili265 · 2 years

Text

WELCOME TO THE... PART 11 / YANDERE KIMETSU BOYS SERIES

Kagaya Ubuyashiki

SO IT'S GONNA BE ALMOST ALL THE BOYS IN KIMETSU.

TEAM KAGAYA ( ALL THE MALES HASHIRAS)

THE BOYS Tanjiro | Zenitsu | Inosuke| Genya

🛡 In this context none of the characters are married or minors all of them are adults.

⚠️WARNING: THIS IS A YANDERE SO YOU CAN SEE DARK THEMES

UBUYASHIKI X F.READER

Ubuyashiki is watching the beautiful front garden as his feet touch the wooden floor beneath his sole, it's a warm day, the birds are flying, coloring the skies in a romantic bale, the bees praising the flowers, everything in his sight it's so beautiful.

At the same time, the breeze invites the black locks of his, exactly like a wild black panther that walks through the night, to dance to the command of the wind.

He has only the initial symptoms of the disease that he has run in his family for centuries. So he still he can still admire the picture and landscapes around him.

He thought that he saw everything about beauty and horror in this world, but... is it?

He is awaiting the arrival of his future wife from the oficial family's bride who will be presented to him soon. She is from a distant place and belongs to a noble and wealthy family, she was selected especially for him.

He is imagining what she looks like, her face, hair and details like these, and her personality. Still going through his thoughts, behind him, while still keeping his eyes on the fountain of water that falls from his garden and spills out with the filling of the bamboos, he is listening the water drops as the light paint it around with beautiful colors.

"- Master, she's here." He is warned.

He smiles slightly to himself, and going to welcome her, he trades steps calmly towards the fate that has apparently been sealed.

He finally sees her, she has white hair and expressive eyes, but… something was not expected, no definitely not...Kagaya didn't count on her would obviously bringing to fill the needs of a wealthy lady, the chaperone that is YOU.

All he had to do, was accept the deal the family has accepted for generations. But looking away from his future wife figure, he couldn't help but look at you.

Your eyes, oh, your eyes, how can they look like of the most glitter of precious jewels? How is your face different from anything he's seen so far, so unique? Your gracefulness, the way you move, he should be on the lookout for the bride-to-be, but no… his heart took the command now and for the first time Kagaya felt something greater than the purpose of his life for fades away from everything you are.

He was able to speak to his future wife, but he was thinking how to include you on it, as an informal conversation, and persuasively he begins to invoke you for the dialogue. As you answer your name, your voice makes Ubuyashiki shiver, and your name was just the spice that he needs. What are his thoughts? "Of course she would have a adorable name, just like her."

Everything in front of him, north, south, east or west was clouded in his eyes, you are all there is now absorbing everything around. Ubuyashiki has been possessed by your essence.

Skillfully using the wisdom he has, he tells how even close to his abode there are onis attacking people.

The future wife is uncomfortable with these words. And Ubuyashiki's extreme formality towards her, who seems to insist on her rejecting him, he made no effort to be desirable or charming to her eyes. But there are still a few days left before you and your mistress must depart. But... Kagaya has other plans for you. As he said to himself, what if I wrote my own fate? Make my own destiny? In one of the moments when Ubuyashiki's "future" wife is resting sleeping in some place away, so you can take a rest and now you are sitting on the amazing gardem, admiring the landscape that it's just breathtaking.

And for Kagaya who is at the same time staring at you, realizes, you are all that was missing in all this beauty , like the most exquisite flower. You need made part of it.

For a moment when you feel that you are being watched, you turn to the direction that your instincts calls you. And watching it, you can see, shining eyes and lips smiling at the same time to you, as if they know something you don't, but anyway you smile back.

He could totally feel inside of him, you ripped him to the bones, he is on his knees begging for mercy inside of his chest, the feeling it's just so strong. And he just can't help, he doesn't shy away from looking at your whole being and inside you. He has no doubt, you was born to belong to him.

On the last day, the bride decides not to accept be his wife, obviously...well... Kagaya worked hard on it, being subliminally obnoxious about how she "would" have to be the perfect wife, fulfilling duties and all. On purpose he was being nasty. So she could not nurture any affection for him and decides to leave.

While this, you, the escort, mysteriously disappeared! You cannot be found.

The ex future wife is looking for you, but with no success.

Ubuyashiki with a sad look, placing a hand on her shoulder, shakeing his head, as he close his eyes, telling everything by his "sad" behavior.

She covers her mouth in shock, you are death! She got the message, still with a lost look, she leaves in silence and never returns to that dark place.

Watching her leave, Kagaya smiles inside and out, and knows exactly where to go now.

You're in a comfortable room full of everything you would want or not, and you wake up slowly, and your eyes little by little capture the lavender-colored gaze devouring every detail of you.

You look at him confused. And with a weak voice you say. "- I remember drinking something and then I have no memories."

Ubuyashiki's soft voice starts to "explain" to you...

"- Dear y/n as I can see you're surely not used to the drinks from the banquet we made in this region, yesterday, I made sure you could recover away from any disturbance. But y/n, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your master decided to reject me, and also informed me that as you were absent at the time of serving her, she would leave you here. But I don't think it's fair that you, someone so loyal, should be treated in such a way, definitely not."

When you found yourself staring at him, he just give his final blow, Kagaya's light and delicate hands, were already on your face, to comfort you, the feeling was so soft.

He smiled. At this point this same smile, the beautiful eyes in contrast with the beautiful black threads that he possessed, had already snatched your being. And to consummate that all your thoughts were the same as his, gently with the velvet voice he caresses your existence.

"- It seems that both of us we were abandoned. My sweet y/n, I want you to know that I will protect you, unlike others. After all, we have each other now. "

You sit on your bed where, as a result, your bodies approach.

In a sigh you answer. "- Thank you."

He doesn't answer in words, but his hands and arms are now around you, his smell, his touch, his magic on you, took you away. And looking into your eyes, he don't want to wait anymore, you have the power to bring out his most mischievous side. He already broke the hourglass, and by fight against the time, he brings his lips together until they meet.

You let yourself be kissed, Ubuyashiki is hallucinated tasting your lips, oh it's a thousand times tastier that he could ever imagine, you're not even close to knowing what he would be capable of from now on to keep you in his arms, he grab your face as if he never will let go, and he won't. And you... well, you just dive in with him. After all, no strengths exists in your being against him. You are his now...

Glad you didn't know how it ended up in Kagaya Ubuyashiki's tender embrace.

Isn't that right, Ms. Ubuyashiki? You were the chosen one.

Next one: Gyomei

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anniesocsandgeneralstore · 6 months

Text

deep dark valley | rhett abbott x oc, time travel au

Summary: A year ago, Rebecca Abbott went missing. Now, Rhett is nowhere to be found. The Amelia County Sheriff's Department has put together a search party. One of the volunteers: Tessa Abernathy. But it takes more than searching on horseback for her to find him out in the west pasture. (wc: 3631)

Warnings: background ocs, 🕳 the hole 🕳, language, a bit of a cliffhanger and a flashforward

✎……To start off falltober on a slightly spooky note: the time travel au! I'm really liking how this story is going so far. Please let me know your thoughts and if you want me to continue this! I have so many thoughts and ideas!

✎……MAIN MASTERLIST || FALLTOBER MASTERLIST

Don’t go out in the fields at night, Where the black sky opens at your feet And swallows you whole A god with a sickle, tearing through time Don’t go out in the fields at night, You’ll disappear without a trace Not to be found, not to be home And come back later Not completely whole Don’t go out in the fields at night, Unless you want To risk your life

Rhett Abbott went missing three days ago. Sent out to check the fences on his family’s ranch on Wednesday and he never came back. The Abbotts thought he was just off doing what Rhett did — drinking or bedding some girl he didn’t know for a few days. So they didn’t call the police until he had been missing for a full forty-eight hours. Worry starting to settle in when they finally seemed to notice that his truck was still parked up by the barn just north of the house.

The sheriff put out a call that a search party should gather at the Abbott ranch at two o’clock after the missing person’s report was finalized and an initial investigation had been underway. Rhett was still out on Abbott land somewhere, of that much the police were certain. Possibly hurt. And he needed to be found fast before anything worse happened to him out there — the weather forecast showing his impending doom as a great storm cloud approached the region.

Tessa Abernathy, along with her father and mother, answered that call. Arriving at the Abbott ranch with their horses in tow to search the land as best they could.

Tessa couldn’t imagine what Royal and Cece must have been going through. It wasn’t even a year ago that their daughter-in-law Rebecca went missing on their land. Went out for a walk to cool off one night and never came back home. Her father, the cynic he sometimes was, said it was a little suspicious that another person just disappeared on their property. He wondered if they should just start digging instead of looking for that boy alive.

His wife and daughter both told him to stop talking like that. His defensive what? making them double down on their efforts.

“You went t’school with’im, didn’ya, Tess?” her mom asked as she peered into the back bench seat where her daughter sat with her knees scrunched up.

“Yeah,” she answered, unable to look at either of them as she turned her head to look out the window, watching the endless Wyoming landscape zoom past. “Graduated the same year. I — I hope he’s okay.”

“M’sure he’s fine. Jus’got a little lost s’all.”

“On’is own land? That don’t happen! Unless he’s drunk…”

“Nate! Will you quit!” her mom hissed, hitting her husband lightly on the arm with a pointed look back at Tessa.

It wasn’t like she was close to Rhett. She barely spoke two words to him in school and not a single one after graduation. Their friend groups didn’t mix and she stopped doing rodeo stuff. They might have lived in the same small town with not much to do, but the two of them just never seemed to cross paths. Still, a pit, an open maw that gnawed at her insides, had opened up in her gut when she heard the news that he was missing. It hadn’t gone away since and only worsened when they turned into the drive that branched off into the Tillerson and Abbott ranch entrances. The simple rought iron gate with that circled A looming over them like some omen she didn’t understand and didn’t want to.

What anguish the Abbotts must be experiencing, what worry. What tears had been shed. And what if Rhett was out there somewhere? Injured and alone. Hungry and cold. It made her guts twist up and her teeth sink into her bottom lip. Hand reflexivly curling around the bag she brought. Filled with a fresh bottle of water, food, and a first aid kit — just in case she found him. Just in case he needed it.

Tessa hadn’t prayed since she was a little girl and her parents still dragged her to church every Sunday. But she closed her eyes and spoke to the Lord then as their truck pulled up to the Abbott ranch house.

Please let him be out there. Let him be okay. Let someone, anyone, find him.

Her father killed the engine and they all climbed out of the truck. The sheriff and deputy were already there, standing on the Abbotts porch talking with Royal and Perry. Cece was out in the yard, talking to a few other women. There were about twenty people there already. All with their four-wheelers and gators and horses to aid them in their search of the expansive land. The sky was growing dark, greyed over in cloud, a wind blowing in from the east.

That storm was coming in faster than anyone expected.

When Cece noticed them, she wrapped her cardigan tighter around herself, and approached with a tight smile.

“Thank you f’r comin’,” she almost whispered as she wrapped Tessa’s mom up in a hug.

Her dad patted her on the back, all skeptism gone as he said, “‘Course. Can’t even imagine. Anythin’ else we c’n do t’help — jus’let us know.”

“I’ppreciate that,” Cece said as she pulled away from the embrace.

Then she caught sight of Tessa still standing by the truck, hands stuffed in her Carhartt pockets, trying to blend into the background. But there Cece was. Walking up to her with tears in her eyes and the wind blowing her brown hair across her wrinkled face.

“Thank you,” she said as she took Tessa by the shoulder firmly.

What do you say to someone who keeps losing family left and right? What do you say to a mother whose son is gone — and might be gone forever? Tessa surely didn’t know as words and phrases that all seemed cliche and insincere rolled and tumbled on her tongue until they all felt like a knotted mess in her throat. Clogging her up until all that came out was:

“N-No problem.”

That definitely wasn’t the right thing to say. But Cece didn’t seem to mind. She only smiled and gave her shoulder another squeeze. Then let go to talk to her parents some more. Tessa heaved a sigh of relief as she slipped away, turning on her heel to check on the horses in the trailer.

A few minutes past two, the sheriff rounded up the search party and gave designated zones of land for people to search. The Abernathys and the Brownings were going to search the west pasture until dark. The section of their land that Royal said Rhett was supposed to be checking the fences of — that butted up against Tillerson property.

None of the Abbotts’ neighbors showed up to help with the search. Not even Luke, who seemed to be the only one with his head on straight. But neither Royal or Cece seemed to mind. It was probably best that they stayed away, considering the two families' history of bickering and petty squabbling that Tessa only heard in gossip her parents liked to share around the kitchen table.

At the sheriff’s call for everyone to head out, Tessa mounted her horse.

Peaches stamped her feet and whinnied softly as Tessa settled into the saddle, a loose hold on the reigns. Her horse was excited to explore the new land, having not gotten off her own family’s ranch much since Tessa retired from barrel racing some years ago. With a click of her tongue and a light kick of her heel into Peaches’ side, they were off at a trot towards the west pasture.

No one spoke. Abernathys on their horses and Brownings on their four-wheelers. A heavy tension in the air that could nearly be touched. Nothing to fill the silence save for the high-pitched whine of the small engines and the distant sounds of thunder. Tessa looked to the east, one hand on her thigh as she guided Peaches forward. The clouds were still a few miles out, but they were dark as night, lightning already shooting out. The wind whipped at her face. It even smelled like a storm.

“Y’all go north from’ere! We’ll go south!” Mr. Browning shouted over the noise.

The three Abernathys nodded, and turned their horses to the north. Into pasture that seemed neverending. And after only a few minutes of riding together, they split off as well.

Tessa veered even more north, towards the treeline. The trees felt like a logical place for him to be. If he got injured and lost his horse, it would provide at least some cover from the elements. Her eyes darted this way and that, focused on the ground, never stopping for long, just enough to make sure there was no sign of Rhett. Picking over the land slowly. She hoped and prayed for the toe of a boot, a scrap of blue jean, or a flash of flannel amongst the dried leaves and ferns and long grasses. Hoped that she would recognize it if she did see it.

But so far, there was nothing.

Nothing but empty fields and silence and an incoming storm that would surely cut their search short.

Sighing, Tessa looked up from the ground for the first time in ages. Her parents and their horses were nowhere in sight. How long had she been looking? How far away were they? A knot formed in the pit of her stomach, her hands tightening around the reins as Peaches shifted anxiously. Tessa didn’t like being alone out here. With the grey and infinite sky, the unsettling howling of the wind, a missing person nowhere to be found.

Only a mile ahead, she could see the fence line, barbed wire and thick posts, that separated the Abbott land from the Tillersons. Hopefully, if she followed the fence line and headed south from there, she would run into her parents eventually. She guided Peaches in that direction and took off at a faster pace than she had been going previously, eyes still scanning the ground for any sign of Rhett despite her discomfort.

Suddenly, a hum filled the air. It sounded nearly mechanical — but also animalistic. Otherworldly, coming from a certain point but also coming from everywhere all at once. It made a shiver run up Tessa’s spine like a finger of ice as she turned her head towards what sounded like the source of the noise. Just a little further north. What appeared to be nothing.

But what if it was Rhett?

What if he had heard the same strange noise just before he disappeared?

Tessa pushed down her fears, wrestled them into a pit at the very center of her gut that sat heavy and insistent, as she got down from Peaches’ back. She wasn’t about to run off because she was scared. Rhett needed help, and this noise could lead her right to him. So she walked forward. Leaving Peaches behind.

The humming got louder the further she walked. And when she got to the source, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her veins felt frozen. Her lungs seized up, her chest heaving. And despite every instinct telling her to turn back, get back on her horse and run — she couldn’t move.

A horrible void was laid out before her. Large and gaping and utterly black. A dust floated and danced just on the surface. The hum was coming from deep within. Gentle and continuous. It was shaped like a perfectly circular hole in the ground. With no sign of a bottom at the end of it. Just great consuming blackness and swirling dust. Like the opposite of the sun, it seemed to sap what was left of the light trying to stream through the clouds. Casting the field in shadows that stretched and stretched to meet their maker at the center of it all. Even the noise of the wind and the coming storm and small creatures thriving in the tall grass ceased.

And the void, humming and consuming, called to her.

Her feet moved of their own accord, unable to resist as they carried her forward towards the hole.

Standing mere inches from it now, she could feel the pull of it. The tug that drew in the light and the shadows and the noise. It pulled at her gut. It wanted to take her as well. Another step forward, and she was at the edge. Like standing on a cliff.

Run, run, run — get away everything inside her screamed. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked deep into the void just past the tips of her boots. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as the wind blew past her. All around her. But the hum of the inky blackness sang just for her. She felt herself leaning forward.

Then Peaches whinnied somewhere behind her. Tessa turned sharply — and suddenly she was falling back.

Infinite cold. Infinite darkness. Nothing and everything all at once. There was no ground beneath her and no sky above. Floating through a nothingness that cradled her on all sides with a hum. Because it wasn’t falling. Not quite. Tessa felt there would be no end to this. She would spend the rest of time and space surrounded by void. Consumed. Gone forever.

Just like Rebecca.

Just like Rhett.

Wait.

Grass.

Grass beneath her palm. She was touching grass. No longer falling down but crawling up. A desperation filled her to be free of the inky dark and cold, as she dug her fingers into the earth and pulled with all her strength. A gasp escaping past her lips as her head broke through the void and she was staring up into pale blue sky. Like she was finally breaking through the surface of water.

Then a hand wrapped around her wrist and tugged her up. Tessa cried out as she was yanked belly first onto the grass. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. Like she had been holding her breath for too long. There was a ringing in her ears that wouldn’t stop. And the sun — the sun felt so bright after what felt like an eternity, an entire life age of the earth spent in darkness.

She was then rolled onto her back, a pressure and weight placed on her cheek. There was a muffled voice, like listening to someone through a wall. She tried to open her eyes; blinked against the harsh light of the sun. But quickly, the form of someone’s face was taking shape.

Rhett Abbott’s face.

“R-Rhe…?” she tried, but the sound of his name came out heavy on her tongue.

Blue eyes looked down at her with concern pulling his brows down over them. His chin and jaw were covered in a layer of scruff. And his hair…It seemed longer than in the picture the sheriff passed out. His face looked harder too. Like he had seen things he shouldn’t — or more than he should have.

“Hey, hey, c’you hear me? Y’r gonna be alright. We just gotta…” He trailed off as he looked away from her. Then his expression dropped. “No, no, no, no! Not again! Shit — fuck! Come on! Fuck!”

His face disappeared from her sight completely. The weight of what she could only assume was his hand falling away from her face.

She could look up at the sky without squinting at least. Pale blue. The color of early morning. Not a storm cloud in sight. How long was she…Gone? Where even were they?

The only way to find out is if she sat up and got her bearings. Even if all she really wanted to do was go to sleep and try and pretend this was all just some bad dream her friends would think was crazy. But this couldn’t have been a dream. The grass was damp beneath her, wetting her clothes and sending a chill over her skin. It poked into her bare hands. She could smell smoke and hay off in the distance. Those things didn’t happen in dreams.

So she pulled herself up into a sitting position with a groan, blinking hard to further adjust to the light.

Rhett was sitting beside her. Elbows over his knees with his head hung low against his chest. Her brow furrowed as she took in his attire. Brown pants and worn, dusty boots; suspenders and a white button up that looked too big for him. Not his usual style if she remembered him right — or remembered what century they were in for that matter.

“Wha —” she tried to ask, but her voice cracked. She coughed and tried again. “What’s goin’ on?”

“I’ve been stuck’ere for six months,” Rhett grumbled, not even looking up at her as he spoke. “‘N’now y’r stuck too.”

“Rhett…Y’ve been missin’ for three days…?”

He finally turned his head to look at her, brows furrowed as he ticked his jaw to one side. “Guess that makes sense. Considerin’ when it fuckin’ spat us out.”

Drawing his hands over his face with a sigh, Tessa only became more confused. Besides the sudden change in weather, and maybe the sudden change in the time of day (and his clothes and the fact she just fell into a black hole and Rhett Abbott pulled her out of it), everything seemed normal. They even appeared to be in the same field as the one she found that hole in, which was gone now. No hum and no all-consuming darkness. But now that she looked around…There were more trees surrounding them than she remembered. And when did that hill rising to the east with the little log cabin sitting on top, get there?

“I don’understand…” she said with a slow shake of her head as she looked around.

“I don’understand much either. But what I do know s’that I fell n’a hole six months ago n’climbed out of it here — in this field. N’now y’re here. So, same thing must’a happened t’you,” he replied, blunt and bitter.

“I — yeah. I-I guess so. I’s out on y’r family’s land…Lookin’ for ya.” His head jerked over to look at her with an expression she couldn’t quite read. “Didn’know I’d have t’fall n’a black hole n’order t’find ya, though.”

A small smile quirked at the corner of his mouth, but then he looked away again with a shake of his head. “M’sorry. This…Shit…It ain’t gonna be easy.”

“What?” she asked, a sudden and acute fear gripping at her heart.

“That hole didn’jus’ spit us out n’a different place. It spat us out n’a different time.”

Grass beneath her palm. She was touching grass. No longer falling down but crawling up. A desperation filled her to be free of the inky dark and cold, as she dug her fingers into the earth and pulled with all her strength. Which she knew there wasn’t much left of. A gasp escaped past her lips as her head broke through the void and she was staring up into brilliant blue sky. Like she was finally breaking through the surface of water.

Her other hand found purchase in the dirt and she pulled. With a cry and a soft groan, she landed belly fist onto the grass. Gasping for breath, her lungs feeling like they were on fire, she rolled over onto her back.

At least the sky felt familiar. At least her body didn’t ache like she thought it would. Like it did before she jumped. She did wonder though, as she laid there trying to adjust, how she was going to get up from the ground. She was pretty sure she hadn’t gotten down in the dirt for twenty-odd years.

Distantly, like from a different room of the house, she heard a groan and a thud as another body crawled out of the black void. She felt his presence at her side, like he was always supposed to be, solid and warm. Tessa smiled.

Good. He made it too.

She turned her head to the side and opened her eyes.

What she saw was not what she expected.

It was a picture of herself. Young and beautiful. The glass protecting it stained from rain and sun, leaned up against a lone fence post. The large picture was surrounded by smaller ones. Wilted flowers. Crosses. Teddy bears. Wreaths. And candles long burnt out. Tessa craned her neck to see what else was there. On another fence post was a picture of Rhett. Handsome as the day he pulled her out of that hole with his lips pressed into a thin line. He didn’t have as many things surrounding his picture, but still, there were flowers and candles and a few belt buckles strewn around.

No. It couldn’t be. It wouldn’t spit them back out right where they left off.

Would it?

Tessa turned her head towards where Rhett lay beside her and her chest heaved. Her heart raced in her chest. Her limbs felt heavy.

Handsome as the day he pulled her out of that hole. Unburdended by time and years upon years of hard work. Strong and lean. Before she even knew she was moving, Tessa rolled over onto her side and leaned against his chest. She took his smooth face between her hands, hands ungnarled with no wrinkles in sight, as a shaky breath escaped her.

Rhett opened his eyes, blue and dark as an oncoming storm. Blinked against the harsh light after infinite darkness. And then widened at the sight of her.

“Sunshine?” he whispered, fingers curling around her waist.

She smiled down at him, tears stinging her eyes. “This ain’t gonna be easy.”

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#oc: tessa abernathy #fic: deep dark valley #fd: outer range #time travel au #rhett abbott #rhett abbott x oc #rhett abbott fanfiction #rhett abbott fanfic #rhett abbott fic #rhett abbott imagine #outer range #outer range fic #outer range imagine #outer range oc #new fic #rhett abbott x tessa abernathy #lewis pullman #falltober23

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luminouslumity · 2 years

Text

Here's the backstory of the Pilgrims in accordance to the novel. Because at this point, I might as well!

SŪN WÙKŌNG (孫悟空)

The monkey, the myth, the legend himself!

On the continent of East Pūrvavideha in the country of Àolái (傲來) atop Huāguǒshān (花果山)—Flower-Fruit Mountain—there lived monkey who hatched from stone, and being the only one in his troop to be brave (or impulsive) enough to rush through the local waterfall—what would become Shuǐlián Dòng (水帘洞), or Water-Curtain Cave—he's subsequently made the Hóuwáng (猴王), or Monkey King.

Years later, due to having an existential crises, he decides to go find the secret to immortality and eventually encounters an immortal named Pútí Zǔshī (菩提祖师), Patriarch Subodhi, whom Wùkōng would train under for ten years. Under his tutelage, the Monkey King received lessons on—among other things—human language and etiquette, calligraphy, philosophy, and magic. It was also Subodhi who gave Wùkōng his name, giving the following explanation:

"Though your features are not the most attractive, you do resemble a pignolia-eating monkey (husun). This gives me the idea of taking a surname for you from your appearance. I intended to call you by the name Hu. If I drop the animal radical from this word, what’s left is a compound made up of the two characters, gu and yue. Gu means aged and yue means female, but an aged female cannot reproduce. Therefore, it is better to give you the surname of Sun. If I drop the animal radical from this word, what we have left is the compound of zi and xi. Zi means a boy and xi means a baby, and that name exactly accords with the fundamental Doctrine of the Baby Boy. So your surname will be Sun."

The Patriarch said, “Within my tradition are twelve characters that have been used to name the pupils according to their divisions. You are one who belongs to the tenth generation."

"Which twelve characters are they?" asked the Monkey King.

The Patriarch replied, "They are: wide (guang), great (da), wise (zhi), intelligence (hui), true (zhen), conforming (ru), nature (xing), sea (hai), sharp (ying), wake-to (wu), complete (yuan), and awakening (jue). Your rank falls precisely on the word 'wake-to' (wu). You will hence be given the religious name ‘Wake-to-the-Void’ (wukong). All right?"

"Splendid! Splendid!" said the Monkey King, laughing. "Henceforth I shall be called Sun Wukong."

Eventually, Subodhi sent Sūn Wùkōng away after the monkey displayed his new transformation powers to his fellow disciples, but not before making him promise to not tell anyone where he had learned his abilities from.

Later, after returning to Flower Fruit Mountain and stopping the demon from further terrorizing their home, Sūn Wùkōng then travels to the East Sea for a weapon. Of course he soon obtains his famous golden staff—Rúyì Jīn Gū Bàng (如意金箍棒)—from Áo Guāng (敖光), but as for the rest of the items, he gets the phoenix-feathered cap—Fèngchìzǐjinguān (鳳翅紫金冠)—from Áo Qīn (敖欽), Dragon of the South, the cloud-stepping shoes—Ǒusībùyúnlǚ (藕絲步雲履)—from Áo Shùn (敖順), Dragon of the North, and the golden chainmail—Suǒ Zi Huángjīn Jiǎ (鎖子黃金甲)—from Áo Rùn, Dragon of the West.

Later, Monkey manages to cheat death itself by scratching out his name as well as those belonging to several other monkeys from one of the ledgers of the dead.

Finally grabbing the attention of the Jade Emperor, Wùkōng gets tasked by Heaven to become their BìMǎWēn (弼馬溫), the overseer of the imperial dragon-horses, in order to keep him out of trouble. And to his credit, he does an excellent job at it; as a result of this position, horses in general end up fearing and respecting him.

But then when Sūn Wùkōng realizes just how low of a position he's actually in, he abandons his post, proclaims himself Qítiān Dàshèng (齐天大圣)—Great Sage Equal to Heaven—and soon enough, he's at war with the entirety of the Celestial Host and later ends up becoming even more immortal than he already was. Long story short, he's soon bested by Buddha and gets trapped under Five Phases Mountain, Wǔhángshān (五行山), for the next five hundred years.

After being freed, he's given the Jīngūquān (金箍圈) to wear on his head to ensure his good behavior.

TÁNG SĀNZÀNG (唐三藏)

Based on a real monk of the same name, Táng Xuánzàng (唐玄奘)—courtesy name Sēng (唐僧)—also called Táng Sānzàng or Tripiṭaka, was born to a man named Chén Guāngruǐ (陳光蕊) and a chief minister's daughter named Yīn Wēnjiāo (殷溫嬌), and even before going on the pilgrimage, this man has never known peace for very long. And neither have his parents.

For starters, in his first life, he was known as Jinchan Zi (金蝉子)—Golden Cicada—the second disciple of Buddha, but was so inattentive towards the lessons that he eventually entered a cycle of reincarnation as punishment; by the time he's born to the Chens, he'd already been through ten previous lives.

And then it gets worse.

Having been made governor of Jiāngzhōu (江州) shortly after the wedding, Chén Guāngruǐ and Yīn Wēnjiāo began to travel to their new home, only for Guāngruǐ to be killed by the boatmen who were supposed to take them there because one of them—Liú Hóng (劉洪)—wanted Wēnjiāo for himself. Fortunately, Guāngruǐ body is found by a yaksha loyal to the local Dragon King of Hóngjiāngkǒu (洪江口), whom Guāngruǐ had previously rescued while said Dragon King had been in the guise of a fish; repaying kindness with kindness, Guāngruǐ's soul was allowed to stay with the king until the time came for it to reunite with his body, which was given a preservative pearl so it wouldn't decay.

Meanwhile, after giving birth to a son, Wēnjiāo sends her baby down the river to save him from being killed by Liú Hóng, having been promised by the celestials that she'd be reunited with her family one day. This son is then found by Monk Fǎmíng (法明) of Jīnshān Temple (金山寺) and given the nickname Jiāng Liú (江流), River Float, as well as the religious name Xuánzàng, and after eighteen years of being oblivious to his true identity, he finally reunites with his mother and grandparents, gets Liú Hóng arrested, and then reunites with his father afterwards.

Anastasia AU, anyone?

Anyway, he's later selected to go on a journey to India, called Tiānzhú (天竺), to retrieve a set of Buddhist scriptures, becomes sworn brothers with Emperor Tàizōng (唐太宗) himself before leaving, and then eventually meets a certain mystic monkey who's been trapped under a mountain for five hundred years.

ÁO LIÈ (敖烈)

Known as the Third Jade Dragon Prince and the White Dragon Horse, the son of Áo Rùn is never actually given a name in the original novel, but Liè is the most common in adaptations, and that's when he's given a name at all. But no matter what, his story remains more or less the same throughout—due to inadvertently setting his father's pearls and palace on fire, Áo Rùn reported him to the Jade Emperor, who sentenced him to be executed, but not before having Ao Liè lashed three hundred times first.

But of course, Liè was ultimately saved by Guānyīn a few days before he was set to be executed and was then tasked by her to carry Táng Sānzàng to the West before having his horns and scales taken off, only to regain them at the end of the journey. Being the second of the group Táng Sānzàng would meet, the encounter happens due to Liè eating the monk's original horse and a fight with Sun Wukong ensues until the matter gets resolved with Guānyīn's help.

Technically, he's never counted as an official disciple in the original book and neither Zhū Bājiè and Sha Wujing even realize Liè isn't a regular horse until two months after joining the group.

Other than that, Liè doesn't really do much as far as the original book is concerned, save for two instances. One is sometime after Sun Wukong had been banished the first time and everyone else in the group had been indisposed in some way by Huáng Páo Guài (黃袍怪), Yellow Robe Demon.

Everyone, that is, except for Áo Liè!

In order to save Sānzàng from this latest threat, he disguises himself as a palace maiden, tries to stab the demon while performing a sword dance and... loses. To the point of getting his leg injured.

It's okay, he did his best.

So Zhū Bājiè soon finds him hiding out, and after the pig demon attempts to quit the journey altogether, Áo Liè proceeds to give him one hell of a call out while also showing just how much faith he has in Sūn Wùkōng.

Once again, to quote the Anthony Yu translation (side note for those unfamiliar with Yu, Bājiè's name is given a literal translation, hence Eight Rules):

Idiot mounted the clouds quickly and went back to the city; in a little while, he reached the post-house. The moon was bright and people had become quiet at this time, but he searched the corridors in vain to find any trace of his master. All he saw was the white horse lying there: his whole body was soaked and on one of his hind legs was the mark of a bruise about the size of a pan. "This is doubly unfortunate!" said Eight Rules, greatly startled. "This loser hasn’t traveled. Why is he sweating like that, and with a bruise on his leg? It must be that some evil men have robbed our master, wounding the horse in the process."

The white horse recognized that it was Eight Rules; assuming human speech suddenly, he called out: "Elder Brother!" Idiot was so shaken that he fell on the ground. Pulling himself up, he was about to dash outside when the white horse caught hold of the monk’s robe by his teeth, saying again, "Elder Brother, don’t be afraid of me."

Idiot was so shaken that he fell on the ground. Pulling himself up, he was about to dash outside when the white horse caught hold of the monk’s robe by his teeth, saying again, "Elder Brother, don’t be afraid of me."

"Brother,' said Eight Rules, still shaking, "why are you talking today? When you talk like that, it has to mean that some great misfortune is about to befall us."

The little dragon said, "Did you know that Master had landed in a terrible ordeal?"

"No, I didn’t," said Eight Rules.

The little dragon said, "Of course, you didn't! You and Sha Monk were flaunting your abilities before the king, thinking that you could capture the demon and be rewarded for your merit. You didn't expect that the demon was so powerful and you were the ones no doubt who were beaten. At least one of you could have returned to give us the news, but there was not one word from either of you. That monster-spirit had changed himself into a handsome scholar and broken into the court to present himself to the king as an imperial relative. Our master was changed by him into a ferocious striped tiger, who was then taken captive by the officials and locked up in an iron cage in one of the palace chambers. When I heard how Master suffered, my heart felt as if it had been stabbed by a sword. But you were gone for nearly two days, and I was afraid that any further delay might mean that Master would be killed. So I had no choice but to change back into my dragon body to go and try to rescue him. When I reached the court, I couldn't find Master, but I met the monster in the Silver Peace Palace. I changed into the form of a palace maid, trying to deceive him. He asked me to do a sword dance, during which I tried to slash him. He escaped my blow and defeated me instead with a candelabrum. I tried desperately to hit him when I threw the sword at him, but he caught it instead and gave me a blow on my hind leg with that candelabrum. I dived into the imperial moat and saved my life; the bruise on my leg was caused by the candelabrum."

When Eight Rules heard these words, he said, "Is that all true?"

"You think I'm deceiving you?" said the little dragon.

Eight Rules asked, "What are we going to do? What are we going to do? Can you move at all?"

"If I can," said the little dragon, "what then?"

"If you can move at all," said Eight Rules, "move into the ocean then. Old Hog will pole the luggage back to the Old Gao Village to pick up my wife again."

When the little dragon heard this, he clamped his mouth onto Eight Rules's shirt and refused to let go. As tears fell from his eyes, he said, "Elder Brother, you mustn't become indolent."

"Why not?" said Eight Rules. "Brother Sha has already been caught by him, and I can't beat him. If we don't scatter now, what are we waiting for?"

The little dragon thought for some time before he spoke again, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Elder Brother, don't mention the word scatter. If you want to save Master, you have to go and ask a person to come here."

"Who is that?" asked Eight Rules.

The little dragon said, "You'd better hurry and mount the clouds to go to the Flower-Fruit Mountain, so that you can invite our Big Brother, Pilgrim Sun, to come back. Most certainly he has dharma power great enough to subdue this fiend and rescue Master, avenging at the same time the shame of our defeat."

"Brother," said Eight Rules, "let me go ask someone else. That monkey and I are not on the best of terms, you know. When he killed that Lady White Bone back there on the White Tiger Ridge, he was mad at me already for wheedling Master into reciting the Tight-Fillet Spell. I was just being frivolous, and I didn’t think that the old priest would really recite it and even banish him. I don't know how he hates me now, and I'm certain also that he won’t come back. Suppose we have a little argument then: that funeral staff of his is pretty heavy, you know. If he doesn't know any better at that moment and gives me a few strokes, you think I'll be able to live?"

The little dragon said, “He won't hit you, because he is a kind and just Monkey King. When you see him, don't say that Master is in peril; just tell him that Master is thinking of him and deceive him into coming. When he gets here and sees what's happening, he will not get mad. He will want most certainly to have it out with the monster-spirit instead. Then the demon will surely be caught and Master will be saved."

"All right, all right!" said Eight Rules. "You are so dedicated. If I don't go, it'll mean that I’m not dedicated. I'll go, and if indeed Pilgrim consents to come, I'll return with him. But if he is unwilling, then don't expect me, because I won't be coming back either."

"Go! Go!" said the little dragon. “He will certainly come."

Clearly the dragon is the true unsung hero of this story.

As for the second instance, long story short, Sūn Wùkōng wanted to make what he ended up calling the Elixer of Black Gold for an ailing king and needed Liè's help—in his horse form—for one of the ingredients.

ZHŪ BĀJIÈ (豬八戒)

Originally holding the Heavenly title of Tiānpéng Yuánshuài (天篷元帅)—Marshall of the Heavenly Reeds—Zhū Wùnéng (猪悟能)—also known as Zhū Gāngliè (猪刚鬛) and Zhū Bājiè, and often given called Idiot, dāizi (呆子), was punished via reincarnation because he'd attempted to seduce the moon goddess Cháng'é (嫦娥), a massive no-no! In certain retellings, such as the 1996 version, this is expanded to him going through many lifetimes of tragic romances. Regardless, his soul eventually passes through the womb of a sow by accident, thus becoming the pig demon we know him as today.

The second of Táng Sānzàng's disciples, Zhū Wùnéng joins the pilgrimage after he kidnaps and marries a young woman from a wealthy family in Gāolǎozhuāng (高老莊) named Gāo Cuìlán (高翠蘭). Disguising himself as Cuìlán, Sūn Wùkōng eventually defeats Wùnéng in battle and he becomes a disciple afterwards, earning the name Bājiè (referring to the first eight of the ten Buddhist commandments) in the process.

Glutenous and selfish, Zhū Bājiè is often at odds with Sūn Wùkōng and also tries to find reasons to quit the pilgrimage on more than one occasion. His weapon is known as jiǔchǐdīngpá (九齒釘耙), the Nine-Toothed Rake.

SHĀ WÙJÌNG (沙悟淨)

And last but not least, Shā Wùjìng! Once Juǎnlián Dàjiàng (捲簾大將), or Curtain-Raising General, in Heaven, Wùjìng was banished after he carelessly broke a crystal cup during the Festival of Immortal Peaches, and as such, was not only banished to the Mortal Realm as punishment, but was also sent flying swords to stab him every week. Growing desperate, he soon starts to eat any traveler who passes by his territory. Taking mercy upon him, Guānyīn tasks him with also accompanying the Táng Monk on his mission.

Eventually, the other pilgrims encounter Wùjìng, Wùkōng fights him for a bit, and then after that gets resolved, our heroes, having finally assembled, are all ready to carry on with their journey to the West. He also carries a staff.

You all know the rest: they traveled for the fourteen years in total (as opposed to the eighteen years it took the real Táng Xuánzàng), got the scriptures, Sānzàng completely forgot his promise to a turtle to ask Buddha about how much longer it would take for him to regain human form and so the Pilgrims were forced to swim to shore after being thrown overboard (no one ever say that older books can't be hilarious), and then they were all granted titles upon returning home: Táng Sānzàng and Sūn Wùkōng are made Zhāntán Gōngdé Fuó (旃檀功德佛) and Dòu Zhànshèng Fó (鬥戰勝佛), or Buddha of Candana Merit and Buddha Victorious in Strife, respectively, Zhū Bājiè is named Jìngtán Shǐzhě (淨壇使者), or Cleanser of the Altars, Shā Wùjìng becomes Jīnshēn Luóhàn (金身羅漢), or Golden-Bodied Arhat, and Ao Liè gets promoted to Bābùtiān Lóngmǎ (八部天龍馬), or Dragon Horse of the Eight Heavenly Sections.

#journey to the west #jttw #monkie kid #lego monkie kid #lmk #sun wukong #monkey king #tang sanzang #white dragon horse #zhu bajie #sha wujing

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naushtheaspiringauthor · 28 days

Text

~Child Of The Storm~

Nikolai Lantsov x OC

Image by - @brokendreamtale2

Warnings- mentions of what happened to Baghra, slight mention of poisoning

A/N- I'm feeding y'all with the lil convos😼😼let me know if you'd like to be added or removed from the taglist!

Taglist- @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @sirisuorionblack @nadeleine123n @marauders-wife @evelyndane @el-de-phi

Ch-51 ~The monastery~

Upon entering the room, Anaya looked around with a wide-eyed gaze. The place was truly impressive.

It's not even a room, she realized. They were standing at the top of a hollowed-out mountain. She now understood that the frost fingers were actually enormous bronze columns cast in the shapes of people and creatures. They towered above them, bracketing huge panels of glass that looked out on the ocean of cloud below. The glass was so clear that it gave the space an daunting sense of openness, as if she could walk straight through and fall down into the abyss.

The room was teeming with people. Some bunched in groups where drafting tables and bits of machinery had been set up. Others were marking crates of supplies in a kind of makeshift warehouse.

Another area had been set aside for training. Soldiers sparred with dulled swords while others summoned Squaller winds or cast Inferni flame. Through the glass, Anaya could see terraces protruding in four directions, giant spikes like compass points, north, south, east, west. Two had been set aside for target practice.

This place had no comparison to the White Cathedral. Unlike that hellhole, this place was bustling with life. Anaya had never thought she would miss being among people so much.

“So much glass” She heard Alina whisper

“But no frost,” Mal noted.

Anaya found herself wondering the same, but David spoke out her conclusion before she could.

“Heated pipes” he said. “They’re in the floor. Probably embedded in the columns too.”

“There are boilers beneath us,” Nikolai said. “The whole place runs on melted snow and steam heat. The problem is fuel, but I’ve been stockpiling coal.”

“For how long?” Anaya asked

“Two years. We started repairs when I had the lower caverns turned into hangars. It’s not an ideal vacation spot, but sometimes you just want to get away.”

.............................................................................

Anaya was given a room that she was entirely grateful for. She was glad to have a place to herself. It wasn’t as big as her quarters at the Little Palace but it was nice enough. And more so, as she was finally in a place with windows. She changed out of her dirty clothes and put on a fresh pair that had been left on the bedside table for her. She went outside after she finished brushing her hair.

However upon going out, she found out that Sergei had apparently let Genya’s name slip, something they’d agreed not to do. Even though he was still grieving, he’d done a massive thing and had basically jeopardized their position with Nikolai.

A group of soldiers with blue armbands were making attempting to arrest Genya but David was standing by her side. Tolya and Tamar had blocked the soldiers’ way and the rest of them arrayed behind them. Anaya couldn’t see Sergei anywhere, which she believed was better since she would’ve strangled him if he'd been there.

“She’s here!” Nadia called when she caught sight of Alina approaching.

She went straight to Genya. “The King is waiting,” said one of the guards.

“Let him wait.” Zoya snapped back

Alina put her arm around Genya’s shoulders, leading her a little back. Anaya could hear her and Mal attempting to console Genya.

"The king demands her presence right this moment, they can't just-" one of the guards began

"She will present herself to the King when she is ready" Anaya cut him off, her voice having a familiar old jaggedness.

The three of them shortly returned to the group. David looked questioningly at Genya, and she reached out to take his hand.

“We’re ready,” Alina said to the soldiers. Mal and the twins fell into step beside them, but Alina held up a warning hand to the rest of them.

“Stay here,” she said, then added quietly, “and keep alert.”

Genya had conspired with the Darkling and had gone against the throne, even though she didn’t have much of a choice, though no one would ever be considering that. And she’d somehow attempted to poison the King. Surely he wouldn’t have liked the idea of her being alive.

When they’d come back down the hall, David was murmuring to Genya about the properties of vegetable alkaloids and such. Genya appeared bolder and far more relieved than she’d been before leaving, which displayed that she might’ve not been charged with anything.

When Anaya had finally got the opportunity, she asked Genya as to what had happened. And she told her about how she poisoned the King, and how Nikolai had literally forced the King to write an abdication letter and exiled both him and the Queen to the southern colonies.

“Quite bold of him” Anaya spoke at the news. “But I’m glad you’re alright” she said to Genya pleasantly

“I’m grateful to Nikolai for it. I’m surprised but he’s actually a lot better than this family. And, he even seems to care for the way he dresses” She chuckled

After Genya pointed it out, Anaya also thought of how no matter the situation, the boy’s clothing was always immaculate.

“Well, if given the opportunity I’d be looking immensely endearing as well” She shrugged. “Not that I don’t do right now” she added defensively

Genya chuckled at her statement, “Really?” she raised an eyebrow, grinning

“Oh please, have you seen me in midnight blue?” Anaya said in a dramatic voice

“Maybe once this is over, I can have you try something in the colour and we’ll see for ourselves yeah?”

“Sure yeah” Anaya lifted a shoulder

…………...........................................................................

Anaya walked through the halls of the Spinning Wheel. She'd soon learned that the place had originally been a monastery of Sankt Demyan and had been an abandoned observatory until Nikolai had found a use for it.

The view of the massive mountains was quite daunting because of the height at which they were. However, she found herself being able to relax as it was far peaceful here, and it even provided her with the illusion of safety.

Anaya was observing the various sections of the place from the terrace when she heard a voice from behind.

“I believe you’re quite intrigued by this place” She turned around to see Nikolai in a long overcoat with his blonde hair shining in the sunlight.

“Well, it is quite impressive what you’ve transformed this place into” she said, raising her eyebrows

“Ah I know I’m very impressive” he began grinning

Anaya rolled her eyes, “Not you, just your work” she said

“Eh we’ll get there” he winced

She spoke after a short moment as a thought struck her mind, “Did you bring Baghra here?” she asked.

She'd heard of what the Darkling had done to her. How he'd punished her for attempting to save Alina. Though she'd heard from Alina that she'd asked Nikolai to take Baghra with him.

“Oh yeah. And I'm very much regretting it” Nikolai chuckled

“Ah so you've had the pleasure of conversing with her?” She raised an eyebrow

“She is a menace” He responded dramatically. “I wonder what method of torture she's found for Alina now”.

“Oh I'm sure it's far worse than her previous ones” she frowned

Anaya looked around at the massive glass windows as she began to wonder. "What kind of glass is this? It appears far durable than normal glass" she asked

Nikolai's face lightened up on her question. "It's actually not normal glass" he began with great enthusiasm. "I'll show you" he paced towards one of the windows. Anaya fell into step with him, paying close attention to his words.

"Instead of the usual alkaline silicate composition, it has potassium nitrate in high quantities, making it a lot more durable" he explained, gesturing to the window.

"Impressive" Anaya said, utterly fascinated

"It is" He beamed. "I was also intrigued by their structure when I first visited this place, so I did some research. It's truly impressive how well-built a monastery is" he paced around the windows as he continued.

Anaya was paying close attention to his words, when she noticed the significant number of people gathered near one of the terraces. She could pick out Harshaw's red hair amidst the crowd, and Oncat perched up on his shoulder. Zoya was standing behind him.

"What are they looking at?" She wondered, loud enough for Nikolai's attention to turn to her.

"Let's see for ourselves" He said.

They strode forward to find the crowd gathered around Alina, who was attempting to hack off the peak of a mountain by forming the cut.

She caught a glimpse of Baghra standing with her stick in her hand and a little boy by her side. Upon seeing Baghra, she realized how true Alina had been. Her smooth and flauless skin now appeared wrinkled and old and her shiny black hair had wholly turned gray. She appeared as if she'd aged several decades in the matter of a few months.

But the most noticeable and startling change was in her eyes. The irises that were once a gleaming black, now appeared hazy and clouded.

He has blinded her, Anaya realized with a slight tremor. She knew that the Darkling wouldn't have liked the idea of his mother assisting Alina in escaping, but she truly hadn't expected him to do something like this to his own mother.

Despite knowing one to be a monster, you can never truly anticipate as to what extents they might go to.

“It’s too far,” She heard Alina grumble. “And it’s huge.”

“It is not too far" Baghra sneered. “You are as much there as you are here. The same things that make the mountain make you. It has no lungs, so let it breathe with you. It has no pulse, so give it your heartbeat. That is the essence of the Small Science.” She thumped the girl with her stick. “Stop huffing like a wild boar. Breathe the way I taught you, contained, even.”

Alina's face brimmed with embarrassment at her words. The woman had clearly not been devoid of her venomous words.

She closed her eyes and in a brief moment, lashed out with the Cut. It struck the side of the mountain, sending a sheet of ice and rock tumbling with a dull roar. A cheer went up from the crowd.

“Hmph,” said Baghra. “They’d clap for a dancing monkey.”

“All depends on the monkey,” Nikolai chimed in . “And the dance.”

“Better?” Baghra asked the boy.

“A little,” he spoke grudgingly.

“A lot!” Alina protested. “I hit it, didn’t I?”

“I didn’t ask you to hit it, I told you to take its head off. Again.” Baghra said

“Ten coins says she doesn’t make it,” called one of Nikolai’s rogue Grisha.

“Twenty says she does,” shouted Adrik loyally

“Thirty says she can hit the one behind it.” Mal spoke, leaning against the archway, his arms crossed. “That peak is over five miles away,” Alina protested “More like six,” he said Alina focused her attention back on the mountain. When she brought her arm down, the arc she made shone bright as it pierced through the haze of the clouds. There was an echoing thunder at a distance. The sky seemed to vibrate. Slowly, the top of the far mountain began to move.

It slid inexorably to the side, snow and rock cascading down its face, leaving a perfect diagonal line where a peak had once been.

The crowd began to whoop and cheer. Anaya gave Alina an amused grin as her gaze met with hers.

The little boy was jumping up and down, crowing, “She did it! She did it!”

Anaya then glanced at Baghra again. She needed an answer for something that'd been nagging at her brain for a long while.

#nikolai lanstov x reader #nikolai lantsov x reader #nikolai lantsov x oc #nikolai lantsov fanfiction

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rotworld · 7 months

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8: Roadkill

(previous)

the drift has changed. you set off on your next job and run into some trouble.

->sexually explicit. contains noncon, mild gore, gangbang, mild feral behavior, mention of breeding

The shift is a shimmering oil spill across the sky. Horizons tremble. Clouds spin. Rain from another world drizzles the roads, leaving quivering stains behind. Compass Hill’s children name constellations that will never exist again: Butterfly Eating Bird, Flying Seegris, Srivin Who Ate His Lovers. You bask in the tendriled shadow of a creature that is not there. The Drift stabilizes with the startling swiftness of a door slamming shut. The gray dawn comes.

Compass Hill’s couriers are those children who could not weave—grown now, fiercely loyal to the Singer and the haven he made. Some have gone home and found only disappointment. Some have not dared to try. The tug at the heart grows weaker, they say. Someday, they truly believe there will be no pull at all. Only the whisper of wind through silk and the scent of mulberries. But for now, they help you, plucking those old, unwanted threads to see where they lead.

Rivermouth is up north. Splitrock Junction is just west of there. The University is a fair distance southeast. You share an egg basket, the fragrant shells painted with edible floral art. The girl comes running to see you one more time, trailed at a distance by other children who have yet to grow their wings. She hands you a thin, handwoven cord long enough to make a necklace. You recognize the colors immediately; it’s her hopesilk.

“You made this?” you ask her. She nods proudly. “It’s beautiful. You should keep it, it’s very valuable.”

She shakes her head. “Take,” she insists. “Make more later.” She sits with you and the couriers for a while, enjoying the warm breeze and weak, watery light. Her hair has been washed and braided, little butterfly-shaped clips keeping her bangs out of her eyes. She looks so much more at ease than when you first met her, but also older. The roads have left their mark. “Go home?”

“Maybe,” you say. Home is west now, so far west that your map isn’t big enough to mark it.

She walks you back to your car. The Song is a mournful farewell, a keening that rolls through town. The Singer is waiting for you. He’s brought more food than you need. He presses his mandibles against your forehead and helps you load your car. A new egg box for the front seat. A new bag of dried meat and salty snacks in the back. A heavy box slid into the trunk, bound for the University.

“Painsilk shipment. They paid in advance,” he hums. “There’s anchorware in the box to keep it in one piece, in case you get stuck in a shift.”

“Thank you. I’ll try to visit again soon.”

He takes your hand and squeezes it gently. Your missing finger no longer aches, properly cleaned and healed, no longer hidden. The Singer touches the spot where something used to be with aching tenderness, bringing it to his hand to kiss. “Be safe. I’ll wait for the road to bring you back to me.”

You pass through a different gate on your way out. Chiffon is there to nuzzle against you one last time and wish you well. The colorful silks of Compass Hill wither and fade in your rearview mirror, vanishing into the gray. Home is west, says the heart. You try to conjure a fantasy of homecoming but you can’t picture the town, can’t even imagine what the people would look like. You take a deep breath, wipe your eyes, and keep driving.

[NOW PLAYING ON THE RADIO: KEEP THE STREETS EMPTY FOR ME BY FEVER RAY]

The road going south is smooth and peaceful, but there’s a lingering sense of unease. The car feels too quiet somehow. Something is missing. You find yourself glancing into the backseat every so often, staring at the empty space, the seatbelt no longer being worn. No curious eyes look back at you. No one scribbles softly on your map, or shares your snacks. She was only with you for a few days and she was so quiet and unobtrusive, but you’re keenly aware of where she used to be, the spot that was hers.

You’d never had company before, you realize. Some couriers offer the occasional taxi service but you’ve never taken work like that. Too much trouble, you thought, too uncomfortable having someone in your space, someone else to look after and take into consideration. You’re used to stopping on your own schedule, rationing your food for a single person. Any deviation didn’t seem feasible.

Loneliness is a bad trait for couriers. Unproductive. The silence won’t feel so heavy after a while, you think. You’ll stop looking back for a face that isn’t there.

The scenery changes. Rocky terrain turns to smooth, rolling hills. The trees thicken, clustered at the narrowing roadside. You’re in a town with dizzying suddenness, a lost and overgrown place. Vines strangle a flickering streetlamp. Old, crumbling houses appear and vanish in the distance like mirages in the fog. This is Verlinda again, a town in the throes of being devoured by ravenous forest. You drive slowly and watch for moving shadows. Something is shrieking in the fog.

There’s a car in the ditch. You slow down even further. It’s compact, bags and boxes stacked against the back window; probably another courier. There are no skid marks off the road but the driver side door is hanging open. Pulled over, jumped out in a hurry? It doesn’t look like it’s been there too long. It’s not rusted or overgrown like the rest of the city. Just up the road, you find scraps of clothing and a crescent of splattered blood.

Something screams again. You turn the corner and your headlights sweep across a body lying in the grass. It’s a woman. Her blouse is ripped open and one of her legs is twisted and mangled, a glistening mess of blood, bone and shredded denim. You pull over but not beside her, putting some distance between the two of you. She writhes in your rearview mirror, trying to pull herself out of the ditch.

“Help me! Please help me!” she wails. Your fingers curl around the door handle but you hesitate. She’s either a courier, or the mimic that ate her.

You look at her again in the mirror, thoughts racing. If she’s the driver of the car you saw earlier, she would’ve seen something just like this, you think, would’ve seen somebody injured lying near the road and stopped to help. It might’ve lunged at her when she was close enough. It might’ve chased her a while, might’ve wandered off to wait for her to bleed out for an easier kill. She might be dying, cold and alone, on the side of the road.

She looks human. She’s solid, her shape stable, not warping or transparent. She’s talking to you—begging you to help her. “Please help me, please!” she cries, and is the simple repetition from fear and delirium or a restricted vocabulary, not understanding what she’s saying but knowing other things have said it? If she’s a mimic, she must be a crywolf. You won’t see anything unusual until you’re within arm’s reach, and by then it’ll be too late.

Suddenly, it’s quiet. She’s no longer screaming. She’s not even moving. You get out of the car and she’s lying there, nearly motionless. Her shoulders rise and sink with weak, shallow breaths. She’s thrown herself forward on her stomach and tried to crawl towards you, but she didn’t make it far. You hear her wheeze, wet, rattling breaths trapped in her throat. You don’t have much for medical supplies but you could be there, at least. You could sit with her, hold her hand.

You have a vivid memory of being young, so young you don’t think you should remember it—of being out here, along the road. Of lying in the grass. Of cars whizzing past, wind that rocked your small body and sent you sprawling, too weak to lift yourself. Sometimes you have dreams about that instead of forgetting how to breathe.

You step closer. She tries to lift her head but she just shivers, shoulders twitching, and gives up. A miserable sound comes out of her and you’re going to her without thinking about the consequences, without caution.

You’re halfway there when something else, something you didn’t hear coming, didn’t see in the underbrush, lurches out of the trees behind her. She twists and screeches and starts to come apart, splitting into sharp, drooling maws, no longer a woman but coils of flesh and teeth. The crywolf is like a snake with mouths for scales, hissing and contorting itself to lunge at the new threat.

It’s badly outmatched. The thing from the trees is far larger. You see a blur of legs, a centipede’s worth of hooves stomping and stampeding, antlers like forest canopy, and you are sprinting back to your car. The roar of your car’s engine struggles to drown out the unsettling sounds behind you, the nightmarish squealing of a frightened crywolf.

You almost swerve when you see a deer. It’s not quite in the road, just grazing beside it. You don’t want to slow down but there’s another one up ahead, a couple standing on a grass bank watching you go by. The next one is right in front of you, staring directly into your headlights with shining eyes and large antlers still fuzzy with velvet. It’s agitated, pawing the road with its hoof. You try to edge around it, pulling very slowly into the other lane. It rams against the side of your car and there’s a terrifying, breathless moment as you lurch in your seat where you aren’t sure if you’re about to tip over and end up trapped in an overturned vehicle.

The thundering footsteps of a colossal beast shake the ground and rattle your windows. You’re afraid to look in the rearview mirror. You hear hoofbeats—enough for a whole herd of deer. A dark shadow falls across you, an enormous shape blotting out the sky. Clutching the steering wheel, you turn to look out the window and it’s—

just a man.

There is no looming shadow. No enormous beast. But you feel it, even if you can’t see it. There’s a chill in the air, the instinctive terror of staring down something that could easily outrun you. The man is unusually tall but not monstrous. He has to bend slightly, tilt his head so he can peer into your window, one arm braced above it. He glares at you disinterestedly, occasionally glancing off into the distance as though he’d rather be doing something else. His hair is long, tumbling in unkempt tangles down his back. He’s not wearing a shirt.

You’ve never seen him before, but you’ve heard enough stories to know you’re looking at the Verlinda Stag.

He taps his index finger against your window. The nail is curved like a wolf claw. His hand is slick with fresh blood all the way up to his wrist. “Courier,” he says, voice low and rough like gravel. “We need to talk.”

“I didn’t hit anyone,” you insist.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Reluctantly, you roll the window down. There’s more blood freckling his face and splashed down his chest, a wide, arcing spray of red dripping all the way down his hips and—

He’s not wearing anything, you realize. Not just a shirt. No pants or shoes, either. By the time you realize you’ve been staring, he’s stuck his arm through the window and unlocked your door. You’re yanked outside and slammed into the pavement without a word, lying in the glare of your own headlights. Footsteps close in around you. There were deer here earlier, you’re sure of it, but all you see is people. Men with irritated scowls and curious smiles, just as naked as the Stag and visibly excited.

You make yourself sit up in a hurry. The Stag crouches beside you, catching your shoulder before you can stand. “Where are you from?” he asks, sneering. “And where are you going?”

“West. Somewhere west. I’m going to the University.”

You’re not sure he’s even listening. He’s looking up, past you, and you hear someone going through your car. One of the men passes him your map. He scrutinizes it briefly, scoffing, then hands it back. “You’re going to do something for me,” he says. They’re rummaging around in your trunk now, moving things around. You try to look back and see what’s going on, but the Stag catches your chin and makes you look at him. “I’m giving you something very important. You’re going to deliver it to the University. You’re going to take it straight to Dr. Loyola at the College of Medicine. If you don’t, I’ll know.”

You nod quickly. The Stag nods at someone behind you and you hear the trunk slam shut. His hand drops from your chin but it’s on your shoulder again, firm enough that you know he doesn’t want you moving. “Is there…something else?” you ask nervously. You’re aware that you’re surrounded again, the other men milling around, standing in a wide circle around the two of you. They’re talking quietly, whispering sometimes. They keep looking at you with hunger in their eyes.

“You should’ve known that was a crywolf,” the Stag says.

You avoid his gaze. “I figured it might be.”

“I know. You reeked of fear. But you still got out of your car. Talked yourself into ignoring your instincts.” He shoves you suddenly and you’re on your back, pinned there by his hand on your sternum. “Desperation,” he says the word with disgust, “is going to get you killed, courier. I can’t have you doing something stupid when you’re making a delivery for me. If it doesn’t make it to its destination, I’ll be very upset.”

“It will, I swear it will!”

He lifts his hand only for one of the other men to take his place. This one is smaller, his build more slender, and he keeps a hand on your throat to choke you whenever you start to squirm, the other tugging at your pants. The Stag stands and begins to pace around you, just outside the circle of eager faces looming above you. “You will,” he agrees. “But it doesn’t hurt to make sure.”

The man on top of you works his hands into your clothes. You flinch when he touches you, rough, calloused fingers stroking you hard and fast. He leans in, inhaling against your neck, and then he laughs. “Ohh…this one’s been here recently,” he says. “Smells like rabbit.” You try to buck him off again and his thumb digs into your windpipe. Your hands go instinctively to his wrist, trying to scratch him, pry him off. One of the others is there, kneeling by your face. He pins both of your hands above your head.

The Stag leers at you. “Rabbit, eh? We don’t have to go easy on you, then, do we?”

They let you keep your shirt on, stripping only your lower half. The road is cold and hard against the backs of your legs. The man on top of you watches tears fill your eyes with a condescending smile, stroking his hardening cock. “It’s not gonna be so bad,” he assures you. “We’re just gonna mark you. Anything with a brain’ll smell Verlinda all over you. Keep you nice and safe and protected.”

You shake your head desperately. “Please just let me go. I’ll go straight to the University. I won’t take any detours, I swear, I’ll be fast—”

“Will you hurry the fuck up?” one of the others snaps. It’s the one holding your wrists, one large, clawed hand trapping both yours. “Stop jacking off and fuck them, we don’t have all day.”

The one on top of you laughs. He bites his lip watching you twist and try to kick him away, easily catching one of your ankles. “Don’t do that,” he scolds you. “By the end of this, I’ll be your favorite. You’ll beg me to have a turn again.” You wheeze when he surges forward, bending you nearly in half. He hooks your knees over his shoulders and you feel his tip at your entrance, rubbing and prodding.

He goes agonizingly slowly. Every thrust is shallow and teasing, just kissing your hole. When he starts to push, it’s with the same infuriating patience, gentle motions that give you time to breathe, adjust, and feel everything. The wind is cold on your skin but his skin is scalding. The pavement digs into your back. He rests his palms on either side of your head, savoring every small gasp and whimper.

“What’s it like to fuck a human?” one of them jeers.

“Mm…tight.” His next thrust is harder, squeezing the head of his cock inside. “And they smell good. Makes my mouth water.”

The Stag saunters back into view, circling behind the man on top of you with his claws trailing over his bare shoulders. For just a moment, his silhouette seems larger, crowned with arching antler shapes. “They’re not just human, Garvan. Not just of this world. Little lost thing doesn’t know where they’re from.”

“Ohh?” Garvan grins as he leans in, resting his weight on top of you. He rocks forward and you feel him sink deeper, more of his length pushing past your resistance. “Poor thing. Does this one have to go? We could keep them. You don’t have a mate for the season, do you?” He withdraws to the tip and then slams into you, making you keen. All that gentleness is suddenly gone. His pace is slow and brutal, deep, pounding thrusts that scrape your back against the concrete.

The Stag hums thoughtfully. You’re barely aware of the sound over your own panting and gasping, Garvan’s moans, the harsh slap of skin on skin. “Hmm. You’re right, I don’t. But I can’t keep every cute thing that wanders into my territory, tempting as it is.”

Garvan hilts inside you and rests there, grinding his hips in a slow circle. To your horror, a bolt of pleasure shoots up your spine. Maybe you can’t hold your voice in, or maybe he scents your arousal; he knows. You see his smile widen, feel his cock twitch inside you. “That’s alright. Verlinda’s a big place. You’ll be back before long, won’t you, courier? Back here, under me…”

Slowly, he pulls out. You expect another harsh thrust but then he’s letting your legs down, stroking himself over your chest. He never looks away from you, holding your gaze with half-lidded eyes and a sick, delirious smile, until he throws his head back with a curse. Cum splatters your skin and he doesn’t stop until he’s wrung himself dry, emptying everything has onto your thighs and stomach.

“Next time I’ll fuck you properly,” he groans. “In my den…during my rut…breed you all night long.”

There's barely time to struggle before someone else takes his place and you're being flipped over, shoved onto your belly with somebody heavier on top of you. "You're gonna share, right, Garvan? Not gonna keep 'em all to yourself." You're dragged partially upright and wince, skinning your knees on the road. The next one is not slow or gentle. A hand grabs a fistful of your hair and pulls just as he slams inside you in one merciless thrust.

The sight of them surrounding you, all sharp teeth and glinting eyes, makes a whimper slip out involuntarily. They're all watching. Pleasuring themselves to your pain and humiliation, eager to be the next to tear you apart. The Stag takes the spot directly in front of you, hooking his fingers beneath your chin. It's hard to focus on him when someone's slamming into you from behind. "You look good on your knees, courier. But you'd look even better in your own skin." The Stag drags his claw over your lips, tracing the shape of your mouth. "Come find us again when your teeth come in. I want to taste the real you."

You don't know how long they take you like that, ravaging you in the middle of the road. You scratch up your palms on the asphalt trying to crawl away, your knees raw and bleeding. One will mount you, fuck you senseless, and then finish across your ass or back. Your vision swims and your head feels hazy. Your insides are sore and your body is a bloodied canvas from raking claws and nipping teeth. The Stag is always there, stroking your hair or dragging his claws down your back. When the others have finished, panting and satisfied all around you, he forces you up onto your knees and takes your throat.

You don't fight him. You don't have the strength. Your arms are sore and weak, dangling limp at your sides as he holds you by the back of the head and fucks your mouth. You choke on his girth, jaw stretched uncomfortably. You look up at him through blurry, tear-filled eyes and that makes him worse, more excited and demanding. He slams into your throat all the way to the base, balls slapping your chin, and then he holds you there. Your throat spasms and your nails dig weakly into his thighs. You can't breathe.

"Shhh." He strokes your head like he's soothing a startled animal. "Relax. You did well. Just take it." His hips jerk and you feel him cumming, thick and bitter on your tongue. You try to pull away and his grip tights, claws digging into your scalp in warning. You don't have to ask; you know he wants you to swallow. He hushes you again when you gag, gently pressing his fingers into the side of your neck in massaging motions. You're surprised at how much it relaxes you, melting against him. You swallow and his eyes follow the movement of your throat, his cock twitching against your tongue.

“I can almost feel it,” he murmurs. The pads of his fingers rub up and down your throat, massaging something tender beneath the skin. “Right here, deep down…there you are, courier.” When he steps back, you collapse on your hands and knees. You’re cold and in pain, sick to your stomach. Garvan offers you your clothes, chuckling when you snatch them from him.

They leave you there without a word. The men split off in different directions. The Stag cross your headlights, stepping off the road. You see him slip between the trees. That paralyzing feeling of being beheld by something so much larger and stronger, being pinned by its gaze, finally fades away.

(next)

#rotpeach writes #goretober #the drift

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