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thr-333 · 2 months

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My sincerest apologies for this vent, but I just have to say it for the One and a Half Futures Au.

I can’t stop thinking about what the guys would feel if they lost the war for a second time and Leon dies in the process - likely saving everyone else at the cost of his own life- with the survivors of the resistance ending up in a post-movie timeline.

They find out that Leo’s original plan to save Raph and stop the Krang has worked, and that all these years and sacrifices during the course of the second resistance were all for naught.

They had the solution right in front of them, and they threw it to the ashes. They could have spared everyone so much suffering if only they listened to Leon instead of siding with the future one. They could have saved Raph, Leon, got their old lives back and Casey would have lived free from war… But nope! They took Future Leo’s side and let Leon take the pain all these years for nothing.

Half-Future timeline Donnie is extra protective of current timeline’s Leo. He knows he’s not his original twin, and that these new Leo and Raph are not replacements for the brothers they’ve lost, but he feels so guilty for taking Future Leo’s side over his own twin and unwittingly enabling the abuse that followed that Donnie goes feral if Future Leo dares to be within a 10 feet radius distance from current Leo. Donnie hisses. He growls and bares his teeth. He makes it clear that Future Leo is NOT to come close or interact with new Leo in any way, and no amount of validation is going to keep Donnie quiet this time. Future Leo already screwed up one version of Leo. Like hell will Donnie let it happen again!

And thing is… Future Leo IS genuinely remorseful for everything. To think he could have solved everything he strived for if only he let Leon do his thing. Man, the guilt for screwing up not just one time line, but TWO?!

And he really wants to make amends. He knows it won’t fix anything, he has no right to, and it will never undo the damage he’s caused, but he does want to apologise, especially to Leo, even if he’s not the same turtle. He genuinely wants to help Leo be a good leader in the right way, but Donnie makes it clear that if F!Leo dares to come anywhere near current Leo, he’ll bite his head off.

The present family has no idea how to navigate this whole situation - provided they don’t know all the details of what transpired in the other timeline - and now current Leo is stuck in the weirdest custody battle ever.

There. I’m done. I apologise again for the venting. Bye!🏃💨

You know what? Screw it, I was probably never going to finish the comic up to this point anyway.

Good news! You're right! Better news, Leon survives!

They end up going back to the past(to an alternate timeline I suppose) after Leo manages to save everyone from the Kraang attack. There's no Kraang, no war, just the crushing realization of one man's decisions.

How you describe Donnie is exactly how Leon would be with his younger self. Old man Leo is not allowed anywhere near the kid.

And yes he does feel guilty. He was able to overcome his guilt in the second timeline by pushing it all onto Leon. Now he goes back in time and discovers not only would Leon have saved the world, but that Leo was the one that actively stopped him.

He needs to apologize, he knows he does. But he doesn't think he deserves to. Ultimately isn't it better to let Leon focus all his anger onto him so Leon can live his life free of guilt?(It's not, but when this man reaches rock bottom he grabs a shovel and keeps on digging)

No one in the family knows how to deal with this. They have future versions of themselves running around(There would be four versions of Casey jr alone!). With three Leos. The future family knew Leon's relationship with Leo wasn't great but they're starting to suspect there's more to it with how hostile he is about letting Leo anywhere near his young counterpart.

#did I reveal this extremely important plot point in a meme?#yes #and I was always going to #thank you for the ask #I was genuinely about to abandon this au #One and a Half futures #oaahf #rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #save rise of the tmnt #future leo #save rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise #tmnt #f!leo #future leo au #rottmnt future leo

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solo-by-choice · 2 months

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alright, so would my fave survive castle Dracula? For the sake of @canyourfavesurvivecastledracula I'm doing Josh Lyman from The West Wing myself. Although I've only seen the show once and am not super... sure of my ability to remember enough minutiae to do this but I'm trying anywayyy

uh, no. He'd die. lol.

He wouldn't take the crucifix. He's not a superstitious person for the most part so I think he'd just find everyone freaking out about him going to the castle to be ridiculous. He's also Jewish. If he did take the crucifix, it would be to get the lady to stop bothering him and then he certainly wouldn't wear it.

He is technically a lawyer. I guess. He doesn't practice law, though, and I don't think he ever has. I suppose he could, but you know what let's not get into this because then I'll start questioning what an American from the late 90s/early naughts is doing in this story... (If Josh were from 1897 I suppose he'd be from Europe in the first place, but not England, and I'm having trouble imagining Dracula going to all this trouble to move to idk Poland or whatever.)

anyway

So maybe Josh doesn't make it past the shaving scene.

If he does, I think he might be able to keep alive for a while. He's good at talking; he could keep Dracula entertained as a conversation partner. The biggest issue might be his documented inability to be civil with people he doesn't like. He might be better at faking it with someone who has a (metaphorical) gun to his head, but we have no data on that kind of situation.

I doubt he'd put up with Dracula's weird touchy-feely habits. I'm not sure what he'd do about it, but I just don't think he'd be as fun to toy with as poor Jonathan because he wouldn't have Victorian manners preventing him from calling Dracula's behavior out. Which of course means Dracula won't put up with him as long.

If anyone's expecting him home on time, it's Donna. And presumably his boss is either Leo or Bartlett. (Sorry I'm thinking too much about transposing the cast of west wing into Dracula rather than assuming everything is the same in Josh's life which I think is how you're supposed to do this. So whyy is the deputy white house chief of staff bringing real estate paperwork to a count in Romania? oh nvm) Unfortunately I'm betting none of these people know shorthand, so Josh can't try and send them secret messages.

I do think Donna would recognize any letter that wasn't written in Josh's voice, but what good would that do them?

Does Josh get eaten by the Girlies? I guess the real question is whether Dracula saves him. I don't think Dracula would find Josh as fun a plaything as he did Jonathan. By this point Josh has probably started loudly demanding to be allowed to leave, is climbing the walls in boredom in every way but literally and has read every English book Dracula owns and taught himself basic Romanian. Josh's no genius, but he's smart and has the energy level of a working dog. He needs enrichment! Anyway Dracula probably thinks he's really annoying and maybe he lets his roommates bite him.

Unfortunately for him, Vampire!Josh is also annoying. But if they could get past that, Josh could do a great job running Dracula's take-over of his new country. Wants to be the guy the guy relies on, after all. America won't know what's hit it.

#tww #dracula #goofyness #i tried my best!#i think josh would be fun as a vampire and not just bc of my gay crush on him #getting this finished before you disappear for lent!

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fruitcoops · 4 months

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Solstice Sweetheart

Happy Secret Santa, Elise! This was such a fun prompt to tackle, and I hope you find as much joy in the New Year as these three <3 O'Darwin belong to @lumosinlove and the Cold Brewed Enchantments/ witchy coffeeshop genderbend AU is credited to the server's lovely minds!

Nat inhaled.

Bottles on the table—mostly. Repurposed jars held most of their previous contents, and those had been scattered to kingdom come since the night began. As they should be, of course. He could think of nothing worse than a mediocre solstice party. Awkwardness was born and bred in the cliquey little huddles of a party gone wrong.

Nat exhaled.

None of that, now. The house was still standing. People had fun. Out-of-control spellwork had been kept to a dull roar, even after the firewhiskey made an appearance. He could feel, deep in his soul, that it had been a good night.

Glass chimed in the other room. Kasey, if Nat had to guess. That sound had the hallmarks of her careful handling all over it. Alex was somewhere on the stairs if the heavy footsteps were any indication. If she was untangling the streamers from the banister, Nat was going to…he didn’t even know, anymore. He had spent the better part of a year since Alex’s arrival in their little town trying to figure out what the hell was going on between his girlfriend and the gorgeous new girl, with naught but a spinning head to show for it.

They knew each other. Kasey had told him that much. The dulled gray-blue of her tone said more than words could.

Soft humming floated through the empty doorframe. The gentle rasp of Alex’s voice had such a lovely color to it, like fresh maple syrup or crystalline honey. It glowed against the jewel tones of the rest of her—rich, curling clues tucked in tight next to sparking reds.

Kasey’s braid caught the light when she turned, only just visible through the kitchen doorway. Nat had loved that about their house since the first day; so few doors to still the air. Something was always in motion, always making noise. He wished Kasey could see it—the brilliance of sound, the cool shades of her voice—but she just seemed to like it so much when he described it.

And maybe that was something just for him to cherish. Their life clung to the ceiling corners like cobwebs. Words and music and laughter. A snippet of Kasey singing ‘happy birthday’ had been lingering in the dining room window since the summer.

“Winter!”

An electric blue comet zipped from the stairs to the kitchen sink.

“What?” came the mossy wave of Kasey’s answer.

“Knutty promised pastries for us tomorrow! She’s trying new recipes. Needs extra mouths.”

Alex would need more hands if she was trying to text Leo and clean at the same time. Nat gathered an armful of empty bottles off the table and dumped them into the recycling bin before turning to the staircase, where one sneaker-clad foot was barely visible through the slats in the railing.

“New recipes?” he asked.

Alex’s face popped into view. Still freckled, even in the dead of winter. Nat felt his stomach perform a funny little flip-flop over itself at her bright smile. “Oh, hey!”

Orange and gold fireworks, crackling about her head. “Thanks for cleaning that up.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it.” Alex’s vague wave sent a curlicue of taupe his way. His mouth tanged with citrus when it reached him. “Least I can do.”

“None of the other guests stayed to help,” Nat pointed out, bending to collect a few paper crowns.

“None of the other guests are as gracious as me.” Her smile was quick and mischievous, but genuine. How often had Nat thought the same of its owner? “Get up here, Music Man. Where’s your solstice sweetheart?”

“Downstairs, with the dishes.”

Alex pulled a face that made her pointed nose wrinkle. “I told her I’d handle those.”

“Clearly it worked,” Nat teased. “Don’t feel too bad. You know how she gets around the solstice.”

A test. Just a teeny-tiny-itty-bitty maybe of a test. Alex’s fond smile was far and away the best answer. “Yeah,” she said, darting a grin toward Nat. “You’re a lucky one, Darcy. It ain’t easy being a seasonal delight.”

“I think she’s pretty great all year.”

“Good answer.”

It was times like this when Nat wondered if Alex could see what he saw. Or at least, if she understood. Dark topaz eyes ticked along the path of pensive purple.

Alex had been speaking in purple a lot, lately. He knew why. Even without his gift, he’d be a fool to miss the way she reached, hesitated, ached for Kasey now that their distance could be measured in inches instead of borders. It pulled at them both, torn edges of the past snagging on the present. He knew what it felt like to match himself to Kasey’s steady keel and let her draw him through her oceans. Alex spoke like someone who had swum those waters before, unafraid that Kasey would ever close the ice around her.

Nat…wanted that. For himself, and a laughed morning, Music Man held in golden parentheses, but more than that, for Kasey. She deserved so much. He could give so much. But if Alex had ridden out the storm and found harbor in Kasey’s heart enough to linger after all these years, Nat would be worse than a fool to let that fall away for his own sake. He could love them both.

Did.

Would.

“Nathaniel.”

“Alexandra.”

“You’re thinking at me.”

“You’re in love with my girlfriend.”

Alex’s hands never stuttered on the loops of ribbon. “Yes.”

Butter yellow. A pastel, more tender than her heavy saturation, but unyielding. “You didn’t stay here just to be a good guest.”

“No.”

Dandelion cradled in blush pink. “You’re in love with me.”

“Yes.”

She didn’t whisper. He didn’t know why he thought she would. Alex never whispered. She was far too vibrant for it to do any good. It didn’t matter if she was banging on their door to drag them out for a taste of Leo’s kitchen witchery or falling asleep on their throw pillows in her fox form—wherever Alex was, the world grew brighter.

“You should tell her,” Nat said.

“I won’t get in the way of what you have.”

“You won’t,” he agreed. It had lacked the fuzzy edges of a question, but that didn’t matter. Anything, as long as she understood.

“It’s—” The maroon undercurrent of her voice curdled mauve. Her gaze fell on him with the weight of a feather alighting on the water. “It was before you. I let her go. It’s okay.”

“Alexandra.” An old joke between them, perhaps too flirty for simple friends. Nat propped his chin on the end of the railing and made sure she was looking, really looking, before he continued. “I’m in love with my girlfriend, and I’m more in love with you every time you come by, and I’m pretty sure our solstice sweetheart has been head over heels for you since the day you met.”

Alex’s lips pressed together, but the smile ticking at the corners betrayed her.

“It seems like a waste to sit here and be sad on the stairs when Kasey Winter is in the kitchen and waiting for you to say something,” he finished quietly.

His heart should be racing. His stomach should be in knots, all aflutter the way it had been when he first asked Kasey out. But with Alex looking at him like she could hardly believe the marvel of her ears, he found only calm waiting.

“Yes.”

Crimson bloomed around the word. Alex was so sure of herself—Nat thought he might love that most about her, from not-so-sneaky tips stuffed into her sister’s café jar to her utter confidence that whatever new drink she brought to their doorstep would be the most delicious thing they had ever tasted. She was unfailingly correct. His eyes flickered to her mouth.

“What are you waiting for?” she challenged.

“Kasey first.” She deserved so much.

Alex’s smile grew, and she pushed herself up with a “don’t have to tell me twice” that flashed peacock through the stairwell. Peacock, like Kasey’s laughter on the first day of winter when her magic was thick and strong in her veins. Nat was pretty sure some part of his heart beat just to hear that sound and watch it coat their home.

He was already reaching for the ribbon where she left off when Alex’s hand closed around his wrist and dragged him after her. He couldn’t help a laugh and didn’t particularly want to—turquoise shimmered ahead of them where Kasey was singing along to the record player under her breath. What a thing to have waiting.

“Winter.”

Kasey looked up, a casserole dish held in both hands under the warm water. Her eyes darted between them; a golden brow arched. “What did you…”

It took two steps for Alex to close the distance between them. She shut the faucet off and took Kasey’s hands from the sink, holding her wrists between them without a care for the water dripping on them both. “Please?” came the lilac-soft request.

Any other time of year, and Kasey might have questioned it.

The solstice lined her in threads of gold and blue. Her cheeks were round and flushed pink with power, and her hands were steady despite the anticipation that quickened her breath when she looked to Nat, then back to Alex, then to Nat once more. “You spoke?”

“Yeah.”

Kasey leaned in and kissed her without a moment’s hesitation.

Nat watched Alex’s ribs expand to accommodate a deep breath in—tiny crystals of ice began budding in the water droplets on Kasey’s skin as she cupped her hands around the back of Alex’s head and exhaled, long enough for steam to billow up between them. It was kind of the season to let everyone else see how much of a wonder she was.

“Mmm, wait wait wait,” Alex hummed when Kasey began pulling away. She closed her hands around Kasey’s forearms without a care for the chill and kissed the smile from her lips in a burst. “Storm girl,” she whispered with periwinkle fondness that made Kasey blush. Her thumb traced the peony-pink of her cheekbones and Nat steadied himself on the countertop. “Gods and fae, I missed you.”

Nat loved her when she was a chattering fox on their couch, and loved her when she was tall and kind and warm in every word. He loved her when her booming reds mingled with Kasey’s mellow blue in harmony so perfect it struck him silent, just to listen and watch for a second longer.

“Nathaniel!”

When Alex pulled away to launch herself into his arms with a laugh so bright and happy he could see it through closed eyes, he thought he might love her so much he’d burst with it. The solstice was the time of greatest and best change for them. He could think of no better way to start anew than with Alex beside them.

#natalie darcy #kasey winter #alex o'hara #o'darwin #sweater weather #lumosinlove #my fic #fanfic #coldbrewed enchanments #witchy genderbend au #secret santa 2023 #winter solstice

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misteria247 · 1 year

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Oroku siblings have me in a grip once again-

When Karai had fallen into the mutagen due to Shredder's trap, she'd known that she wouldn't be able to escape. That from the moment she'd been caught that her ex master and father would end up winning this round. After all Shredder had struck at the perfect time, taking Karai when Leo, her little brother was still recovering from the near death injuries that Shredder had given him nearly seven months ago. Despite her little brother waking up from his five month coma two months ago, he still wasn't fully up to get back in the battlefield against Shredder and the Foot clan. So she'd known that she wasn't going to make it, even though she'd watched her little brother fight ruthlessly, desperately trying to get to her, she'd known that it'd all be for naught.

Yet she didn't know just how badly Leo would react to this.

As Karai's cage was plunged into the bright teal substance she'd managed to catch a glimpse of her little brother's face. Had managed to see the horror and terror on it, had managed to hear him, his voice cracking and rattling still from his injuries, screaming out to her:

"KARAI-!!"

He'd sounded so young in that moment, so vulnerable and afraid and nothing like the silent, deadly ninja that she'd grown up with and trained with since they were children. It's something that echoed in her head when she'd been submerged into the mutagen, the last coherent thought she'd had before her thoughts were consumed by rage, fear and pain.

Leo on the other hand had seemingly frozen in his place, unable to look away from the horrific scene of his older sister, his best friend and his most treasured partner in crime disappear into the mutagen. He didn't even think about it, his vision tunneling as he went to go after her, to save her from it. Leo didn't hear his supposed brothers voices yelling out his name, didn't hear the rat's horrified anguish scream at watching his daughter disappear. All that went through his head at that moment was:

'Not her, anyone but her. Please not my sister, don't take her away from me, don't leave me alone-'

Leo didn't even notice the mutant that came out of the sludge, a rather large white snake. Didn't hear the furious, terrified pained hisses that came from his mutated older sister, who was now gone and unable to identify between friend or foe. Leo didn't notice any of it, his vision blurring due to his vision tunneling and hadn't realized that Karai was coming towards him her fangs bared to bite him and surely kill him with her toxic venom. But the others did notice it, they noticed it and screamed at Leo to stop, to not go any further but he didn't heed them. So the turtle closest to him had bolted after him and in a surprisingly strong and firm grip tugged Leo in the opposite direction, away from Karai.

Away from his beloved older sister who was hurting and who needed him at that moment.

So Leo lashed out, digging his claws into the scaly flesh that was holding him and dragging him away. He didn't hear the pained yelp that came from behind him, right in his ear, didn't feel the blood that welled up from the arms that encircled his frame, refusing to let him go despite their arms being quite literally torn to shreds by the Oroku son. Leo didn't even notice just how time had gone by, only that he and Karai were going further and further apart from one another, that Karai who needed him was now nothing more than a small image that finally disappeared from his vision. Her pained, wrathful hisses echoing in the place before they went silent. Leo didn't even know that he and the others were now currently outside, the harsh night air biting into his frame as he continued to struggle against the hold on him, the hold that refused to let him go. It wouldn't be until the group were in the Shell Raiser and were driving away from the place, finally getting through to Leo and cementing the fact that Karai was officially gone, that he'd let her down and failed her that Leo would completely break down.

Wails, broken and heart wrenching would fill that vehicle, the fight that was once in Leo completely dying out and being replaced with a broken, bitter acceptance that would tear him apart and leave a vile taste in his mouth. Leo didn't even flinch when he felt those same arms, the ones that he'd been tearing up holding him in a comforting way, the voice shushing him softly and telling him that it was going to be okay. Instead he clung somewhat, his body shaking the entire way to the Hamato clan's lair. When they finally get back Leo is in a somewhat daze, not really with the group as he's too busy trying to process the horrifying events he'd just been through. Instead he moves straight towards the guest room that he'd been given, moving on autopilot before he disappears from the group. None of them follow after him.

It wouldn't be until a few hours later that Leo would hear a small knock on the door, a small childish voice coming from the other side asking him if it was okay to come in that Leo would figure out who had dragged him out of the situation. When the youngest Hamato boy comes into the room, baring the gift of a sandwich and a small smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes that the Oroku would catch sight of Mikey's arms, and feel his breathe catch.

Bandages, white, clean and new decorated Mikey's arms and hands. Newly applied for newly acquired wounds.

Wounds that Leo in his panicked state had inflicted onto the orange turtle.

Leo can only stare at that moment, as the fuzzy memories of a few hours ago became a bit clearer. The voice that had spoken to him, that arms that had grabbed him when he'd recklessly went to try and help Karai had belonged to Mikey. And at that moment all sorts of feelings hit Leo ranging from guilt, to horror to confusion and before he could even think about it more he opens his mouth:

"Why?"

It's a question that makes Mikey pause and it's a question he knows the answer to. Leo looks at the younger turtle, who's staring at him with a saddened yet knowing look. Mikey gives him another smile, handing him his sandwich and sitting himself down next to the older turtle, staring straight into Leo's soul with a sincerity that took him back a few steps mentally that Mikey answers:

"Cuz you're my brother and I love you. We'd already lost Karai today and had lost you once before. We couldn't lose you again Leo. Not now and not ever, we're family and I'll always be there to help you, even when you don't realize it."

And hearing it, hearing that blunt yet gentle honesty from Mikey makes Leo's throat go tight because it's been years since someone other than Karai and Shinigami had spoken to him like that. Had spoken to him so openly and honestly. And before Leo knows it he's apologizing over and over again, apologizing for losing himself and for hurting Mikey in that moment and with each apology Mikey just brushes him off and tells him that it's alright and that he's already forgiven him and that their brothers and father have as well. Promising Leo that they'd get the eldest Oroku back, that they'd get her back to normal.

Leo knows that he and Mikey are nowhere near friends, much less brothers at the time being yet.......

With Mikey giving him that understanding, loving smile, Leo had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before he could consider such a possibility.

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valeriefauxnom · 2 months

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Scaling Removed Scenes

So, even if I use most the content I type, or am at very least able to repurpose scene ideas, sometimes things just don't quite make it into the cut. It might be for characterization, the tone a section had that is now at contrast with the rest of the chapter (as me, who tends to write random interesting bits of several upcoming chapters in the future and then strings things together, cannot exactly foresee where the plot is), or just because a better idea popped up. (Yes, you are also reading this right in that I am a 'pantser' flying by the seat of my pants with ideas vaguely glued together as I stitch things together! ...I'm not good at outlines.)

The point remains: this is things that aren't Scaling 'canon' or congruent. And despite it all, some of these are snippets or, rarely, basically fully polished segments that no longer fit. So instead of letting them rot forever in my drafted works, I figured I'd at least try and put some of them somewhere as maybe a fun little thing for anyone interested to see What Could Have Been.

Here's one, which with the latest chapter is out of the running. My first draft and ideas for this section involved the Trio of Eldest Siblings being the ones to face an even angrier Mids, and it would have been much earlier in the chapter. As things developed, it was ultimately thrown out for quite a few reasons. For one, Euden Tower Defense and resulting drama had not yet entered my mind. It also felt like a bit too...productive for a single section, in that Mids is giving incredibly huge pieces to the puzzle all in once, even if he might be a bit looser with info when mad. Combined with other things, it was eventually 'repurposed' into Leo's encounter(s) with Midgardsormr. You'll see shades of elements here and there!

That being said, I'm not exactly sure what to do with these little bits and pieces. This is probably the biggest piece I can think of that is truly out of the realm of possibility now. I'm not sure whether to just post 'em on Tumblr for easy finding so they don't get lost in my own drafts or posting them to a new single work on AO3 or something, with chapters dividing the different failed sections. What might work best/be preferred for any readers here, for convenience or something?

Without any ado, though, now that that's out of the way, here's the section in question, a full 2.7k that had developed wings but nevertheless failed to fly enough to make the Cut!

“And then, before I could explain his behavior to Father as nothing more than dismay that Father was hewing closer to the core of the matter, Father dismissed me as if I were naught more than a schoolboy throwing a temper tantrum! Infuriating. We just might have had some answers by now, but Father’s saccharine tendencies nipped it in the bud and allowed Euden to escape yet again from answering any uncomfortable topic.” Leonidas said as he relayed his experience with Father and Euden last night, only pausing to angrily sip his tea.

“One question: were you acting as a ‘schoolboy throwing a temper tantrum’, o wizened, most temperate elder brother, or at least resembling one enough that Father strayed closer to caution than boldness in assuming Euden’s intentions? You do have a certain…vigor in you that can oft make it appear you are feeling more intensely about a matter than you actually are.” Phares said, jovial to Leonidas’ annoyance.

Chelle hummed in agreement. “With the fire in his mere recounting of last night’s events, I too would struggle to blame Father for erring on the side of caution when interpreting your interpretations.”

“Perhaps I ought to head posthaste to Valkaheim, if that is how I am appreciated here, and leave you to figure out the truth all alone. First you disregard me and my orders, only to deride me as if I were a petulant, emotional child.” Leonidas huffed at their light teasing as the trio of eldest siblings gathered once again to consult with each other over tea.

“Winter is not due for how many months, and yet brother dearest is already wishing to abandon us to frigid winter to enjoy the warmth of Valkaheim? How cruel and cold, much as my elder brother’s heart, it seems!” Chelle exclaimed with faux hurt. They all knew Leonidas was merely expressing exasperation at not getting his way yet again, instead an actual threat to return to his city as he did for all winters. It wasn't as if Chelle would be here for winter either, more than happy to return to Chanzelia to escape the freeze as well.

“Oh yes, how very devastating, his willingness to leave his infirm, sickly brother to the capital, trusting that he won’t even be able to hold a coup in the meantime…” Phares joined right in the teasing with a hand clutching his chest and blatantly lying. While far from the raw physical strength Leonidas or Valyx could muster, he wasn’t exactly infirm now, either, and a master of all forms of the lance aside.

“As if you wish the throne, anyways… We’d have an easier time convincing you to remain in a library for a year than maintain the throne for half that.” Well, that too, as Leonidas pointed out. Phares was more than content to stay holed up in his study or wandering the world in search of truth and science, making his words mere bluster. The one singular time Leonidas and Father had both been struck ill by an illness for a few days enough to demand a regent, Phares made his displeasure acting as such clear enough by his sulking.

“Hm, that actually might be a pleasant reprieve from-”

They were interrupted when a sudden strong breeze sent wind whipping across the courtyard. Chelle had to rapidly snatch her fan off the table before it could be carried away. Looking to the sky, baffled by the sudden change in wind, they soon had an answer.

Midgardsormr had returned to the castle, and he was evidently interested in coming to land in their courtyard.

They watched in silence as the dragon slammed onto the ground much louder than necessary, each formulating their own idea about the situation.

“Heiritors of dragonblood, what have you done to Euden?! Answer me or your lives might be considered forfeit!” The dragon all but roared, staring them down with all the fury of a powerful Greatwyrm.

Leonidas stood up. The rest of them followed, but Leonidas held out an arm in a signal to stay behind him. “Explain what you mean, wyrm. We’ve done nothing. Whatever you mean, it was not our act.”

His words sounded cold as ever, but the remaining siblings could tell he was preparing himself for a fight. Even the causal omission of ‘Great’ in front of ‘wyrm’ would be considered severely disrespectful. To do so in front of an angry dragon was tantamount to begging for a fight.

“Then you mean to claim you have nothing to do with his current status? He had fled. Escaped as planned from you, and so I departed to track him down and rejoin him. Only after some time searching did I feel his mana again echoing back to this very castle and just outside, this time ever-so-much-weaker. It is clear you, as the connecting factor, did something drastic to incapacitate him!” With every huff, verdant tendrils of wind mana cascaded out his mouth and nostrils, a passive reminder of the power dragons commanded by virtue of their creation.

“The only thing our family has done of late, Greatwyrm, was save him from being preyed upon by fiends and dying from shapeshifting rebound. He’s currently being treated to the best of our capacity and with all kindness possible.” Phares said in a more placating tone than Leo’s harsher rejection.

“Clearly a lie. It was you who first imprisoned him into this castle, and halted him from shapeshifting! Evidently, now that he reclaimed his ability, you must resort to other methods now that the accursed collar is nullified from his efforts. Exactly what I would have come to expect from such conniving siblings who seemed to seek nothing less than his complete annihilation at times!” Though the Greatwyrm appeared calmer by actually being willing to hear them out, he was still obviously angry, judging by the way his tail thrashed about and knocked over things at random.

Despite the more pressing concern trying to calm down a Greatwyrm from attempting murder (and one that would likely succeed against at least one of them), Midgardsormr’s words sent their heads spinning as they processed.

First, the dragon had implied that Euden had shared with him that they were siblings before he saw fit to reveal the same to Father, as well as plotting escape with him. Second, Midgardsormr seemed to believe they sought Euden’s ‘annihilation’ and spoke as if he had a history with them longer than a month or two. Whatever could that mean or have originated from? Had Euden and him truly been speaking so dramatically of affairs here? It hadn’t seemed like it, the one time they partially overheard a discussion of theirs… Though they admittedly were speaking secretively in their utilization of Draconic, a nearly dead language that even dragons seldom used for anything beyond ancient literature and magic study.

“Greatwyrm, if you are truly so unable to take our words for what they are, I implore you, by all means, visit your pactbound yourself to see with your own eyes that he is not being mistreated. We know not what you are referring to, but it is not our wish to see relations soured between the Kingdom and the Greatwyrms.” Chelle offered, testing the waters by calling Midgardsormr and Euden ‘pactbound’ to gauge his reaction.

The dragon fell silent then, failing to provide a reaction as he maintained his stare as if he were weighing their souls. “...I will hold you to your offer, dragonblood.” He held his snout up high in the air for a minute, before he abruptly took to the air again.

“...He looks like he’s going to our bedrooms,” Phares said as he observed the dragon’s flight, “They must be pacted after all or otherwise engaged in some sort of bond. Tracking down the mana of a shapeshift is one thing, but to be able to pinpoint his location like this suggests a deeper connection. Even Uranus wouldn’t be able to pin my exact location, and we’re essentially in lockstep.”

“Phooey. My hair is all messed up now.” Chelle said instead as she tried to school it into a neater semblance of its former glory.

Leonidas’ hair was similarly messed up, though he did not seem to care aside from moving it away from his eyes. “Pick up your slackened jaws and lances, guards. The threat is not gone. Sister, Brother, you may wish to go inside. If the beast is to attack, let him claw through the walls to do so, preferably when you are armed.”

Midgardsormr’s strong wind and strong…verbiage had made some of the guards drop their weaponry in shock.

“And let you engage in diplomacy, when you’re already mentally strategizing how to fight a Greatwyrm? Perish the thought. If we run, he could just as easily take that as confirmation we feared his wrath when he discovered something.” Chelle dismissed, taking her seat again as if a dragon did not just threaten that he might take their lives.

Phares hummed in agreement. “Besides, we did just invite him inside. There would be a fair probability his hypothetical rampage would commence there. We simply must pray we’ve given no accidental cause for Midgardsormr to interpret as neglectful.”

They then sat in mostly silence despite the gravity of the situation, their previous discussion tabled. The only marker of some time passing was the increasing presence of guards entering the courtyard, no doubt responding to frantic calls to arms regarding a hostile dragon in the place only to find it empty.

But finally, Midgardsormr could be seen in the skies once more, landing again, this time with a more reasonable slam. He graciously chose to ignore the few guards that nervously pointed their spears in his general direction to focus upon them again.

“I will acknowledge that your current story appears to be veracity, kin of dragonblood. Euden is yet asleep, but all that I could gather from others suggested your words to be true. For once.” The bluster in the wind and his mood seemed to die down.

They could only be pleased the dragon was of the sort able to calm himself when proven wrong, though he was not pleased about it. Many dragons, much as humans, struggled to accept any notion of faultiness and many a cautionary story ended with a dragon going on a rampage only to find out their driving reason was incorrect.

“Our thanks for listening to us, Honorable Greatywrm. Please, if there is aught more you might like to hear to clarify the situation since your departure, do ask.” Chelle said in her smooth tone that served to soothe ruffled feathers (or scales) and cravats alike, eager to further iron out any misunderstandings and perhaps win back some goodwill.

The dragon looked more contemplative at that. “...How did you find out that he was your kin? The environs were richly decorated and well-guarded in such a way that suggests you live near his new quarters, no? What caused his change of scenery from being secreted away above the castle as little more than a prisoner?”

“He revealed it to our father, though not particularly freely. It was a miracle we’ve gotten that much out of him despite that being the most logical conclusion since the first day he stepped inside the castle, and even that reportedly set him crying and pulling out his own feather. Utterly ridiculous.” Leonidas responded, shaking his head with distaste.

The dragon sighed. “...Feather? Whatever is going on with you?” He muttered, lost in thought, “...All I know of Euden would not correlate to most behavior you and your servants consistently described. Still, know that I will not break the bonds of trust placed upon me and thus will not speak of his secrets.” Sage as reputed, Midgardsormr had already deduced the likely request that he share information with them if he were truly so concerned and preemptively responded.

“Then,” Phares swallowed, buying time to think of a way to phrase his inquiry, “...If you cannot, is someone else who might? We’re increasingly at our wits’ end trying to find out anything that might help him. As soon as things look to be improving, something backslides him three steps before seemingly without rhyme or reason as he refuses to explain.”

“...There exists none who could share his life story, anymore. They are gone. The sole keepers are him and myself, and even I know not all.”

They paused at that plain confirmation that they had no hope of finding any record or person that knew of Euden aside from those presently within the confines of their current location. However many were that could have before, they were likely dead if that was how Midgardsormr addressed them.

“Ah. I see…”

“All fine and well, but do you seriously intend us to twiddle our thumbs and gently try to prod him into revealing another scrap of info, only then to have to wait another month before any notable progress can be made again and trust he doesn’t find a way to die or maim himself accidentally in the meantime? That is the pattern of late, and one that cannot be allowed to continue. If you profess care enough to open yourself up to attack from the entire kingdom, I would remind you of the consequences of silence.” Leonidas said, not falling into Phares’ melancholic mood so easily.

“Dearest brothers, this was supposed to be an opportunity to answer questions of the dragon, not ask them, regardless of your points.” Chelle reminded.

“I intend to honor the trust placed in me, little ember, especially as I am the only one whom he can rely upon now,” the Windwyrm dismissed, flicking his tail in displeasure, “Control your fire before it sparks the wrong blaze. Regardless, there is little I wish to ask that I could receive an adequate response for. I will permit you to continue your inquiries as I see fit.”

The diminutive appellation of Leonidas as a ‘little ember’ had him cross his arms in distaste, -also probably from the reminder he had no true control whether the dragon stayed to listen at all.

“Then, Windwyrm, if you will not enlighten the darkness, advice on how to illuminate it ourselves would be helpful. We’ve any number of scattered facts, but connecting them into a singular narrative is proving most difficult.”

“...I will speak with him as soon as he has awoken before I do anything more. But I will leave you with two pieces of advice: Euden, as most every living creature, is more helpful when met with kindness than not.”

“Windwyrm: we’ve tried making most every concession allowed either for his health or per our lord Father’s orders. We would struggle to think of aught other kindness one could provide. He asks for near nothing, and so nothing we provide.” Chelle protested, incensed at the implication they were meeting him with unkindness.

It was uncanny, how so many dragons could hold so still for so long. Had they not known, one could have taken Midgardsormr as a very fancy, exorbitantly expensive sculpture. “...And have you considered your mere presence is its own form of torment to him? Therein lies my second piece of advice: regardless of how illogical it may be, the least likely answer is more often the closer one to your answers.”

“Illogical in what-”

Before Phares could finish, Midgardsormr took off yet again abruptly as he first came, deciding the conversation was over.

“...Well, that was certainly interesting. A pity he grew tired of questioning so quickly. I had many things I might like to ask about.” Phares blinked, interrupted in the middle of his question and left watching the dragon go.

“Nothing like a touch of mortal peril to enliven one’s afternoon, hm? Though, Leo-Leo, I must say, how dashing to come to your siblings’ aid! I’d almost begun to believe you were devolving into a crude brute with no sense of chivalry!”

“How is it that you can turn to jape so quickly in the wake of what just transpired? Do you fools even realize the precariousness of that situation? Regardless, I simply did not wish you to be in my way if the dragon were inclined to attack. That is all.”

“Mm-hm…” Two skeptical voices sounded, sharing a knowing look. Oh yes, that likely was part of the reason, but they both knew it was not the entirety.

Phares took a sip of tea, as if they were not in potentially mortal peril not five minutes ago. “In any case, permit me to share my own curious findings I’ve been meaning to before I announce the same to our sibling in question, obtained thanks to the Lightwyrm and Nedrick…”

---

#scaling the walls of a mystery #my writing #Lost Scales #ha. I'm keeping that one if I post any others.#In any case I hope someone might enjoy seeing the 'what ifs' of Scaling!#The story has shifted trajectory from this but elements do remain that have not quite emerged. Make of that what you will!#Even if the section isn't 'canon' some of the headcanon still is.#Like in this case Leo's and Chelle's flight to their cities for winter is my explanation of how they split their time/duties #(It's my way of stealthily patching the incongruity with the mention that Leo and Chelle aren't normally around in the epilogue!)

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disrcpairs · 3 months

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hear ye hear ye — the riverlands welcomes LORD THEON BLACKTYDE of BLACKTYDE. king matthos baratheon is glad that the thirty four year old appears to be chivalrous and he shall overlook that it’s said they are also domineering, as long as they are glad to celebrate peace in the seven kingdoms. fortunately for them, matthos remains oblivious that they aren’t happy with his reign.

* 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 .

full name : theon blacktyde nickname ( s ) : the nightflyer age : thirty four gender + pronouns : cis man , he + him height : six feet , four inches nameday : august sixteenth , leo sexuality : demiromantic , demisexual marital status : complicated, technically single status : lord of blacktyde

* 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬 .

tbd.

* 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 .

knows of strife, the struggle of a culture battered down til almost no longer whole. knows of sacrifice of a father gone to the drowned god in glory yet too soon. knows of the sacrifice of a mother fighting to make ends meet, powerful in own right to know that one must demand and take rather than wait for the handouts that would not come. attempts made to keep her children shielded from the war for naught as raids continued. the claws she tried to dig into her children thrown off to reaping with intent to meet the drowned god as their father had while bringing many down with them.

the nightflyer passed from generation of the blacktyde brood given to theon, others of his father's fleet distributed amongst his siblings. the reaping has not stopped, infamous title bestowed onto his head. battle fierce, apathetic to any captured as there was no consideration given to them. terror upon the seas, eyes murky blue as the domain that theon thrived in. few that spoke to the blacktyde aside from crew hand picked and grown under his tutelage know of the melancholy that clings to his bones, soft in demeanor and tone.

all reigns must come to an end, allegiance changed upon loyalty and he holds none to the greyjoys. left to suffer from inflicted war that could have been stopped before the deaths of many theon loathes the position the islands has fallen to. to be ashamed of their nature, he will not. fight he had too young to experience in its prime he longs for now but not against the mainlanders he pays little mind to.

#conquest.intro #* ⧼ introduction ⧽ — 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐎𝐍 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐓𝐘𝐃𝐄.

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universestreasures · 6 months

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@enterpainment (Yuya)

He had heard everything, every single word the two young and naive children had spoken to what they believed to be in secret. Nothing in this house went unnoticed by the one who went by "King" in Pandora for too long. Especially not anything that might interfere with his own plans that he had been working on meticulously for years in the shadows, plans to overthrow his father and make the Akaba House into what it had always should have been.

It's why he had formed Pandora in secret. It was why he continuously worked with others in the shadows. It was why he kept up appearances, so no one would suspect anything. Any slight miscalculation or unwarranted move by anyone might jeopardize this chess match he is essentially playing with his father, well-intentioned or not. And that included, sad to say, the proposed efforts of one of her half-sisters and her own dragonic retainer to try and fix things themselves.

Such fools they both were, driven by unrealistic feelings of hope that simply 'talking it out' or 'showing him what he was doing was wrong' was going to change the mind of a monster like Leo Akaba. Yuzu should know better than to try by now. She's seen what happens when one outwardly speaks out against the ruler of this house. Serena's engagement was no doubt partially due to her rebellious nature, a way to punish her for defying her father. Reiji is certain of that. That kind of retaliation was what made his father a dangerous man, and why he had done all he can to not get on his bad side unless his own plans to stop him be all but for naught.

Though, Reiji supposes he can't fully place the blame on Yuzu for this development. She was emotionally charged and was given a soothing and hopeful thought that dried her tears. It only made natural sense she'd change her tune somewhat. No, the blame lie with the red and green dragon clown who had first proposed this idea, the most odd of the five brothers the Akaba Family had taken in by far: Yuya.

Reiji had a hand in creating the technology that kept the dragonic brothers true nature hidden, and was tasked by his father to make sure the tech was functioning properly after the incident with Rin's dragon. So, it only made sense he knew quite a bit about them, especially since he's taken interest in them towards his own plans considering the Pale Moon Circus was on his radar too. Yuya was...different from his so called 'brothers'. Not only was he youngest, but a scan of his DNA they had taken during initial testing when creating the collars revealed he isn't blood-related to the others at all. Considering dragons don't exactly play along with anyone outside of their kin, he finds this 'adopted' situation most puzzling.

Another interesting note was how he knew of 'magic tricks', a human talent, prior to his arrival. What was even more interesting was, form what he's observed of the young whelp's performances, they were eerily similar in tone and style to that of his estranged uncle who resided in the Eden House. Reiji has learned that often things in this world are not coincidences, but he has yet to been able to confirm that for himself. The Eden House does not exactly have the best relationship with the Akaba's, for obvious reasons. It was a hunch he would have to verify when the opportunity arose, such as his father's departure from the house to attend the summit in a few days time that would leave his uncle in charge in the stead of his aunt.

For the time being, he will do his best to deal with the current situation in such a manor where his role in this is kept once again a secret. Reiji does not trust any of his siblings or their retainers apart from Shun with what he really does behind his closed doors every day, and Yuya has shown nothing to earn his trust either. It was unfortunate he was to essentially trample over the hopefull image the two had created, but for the sake of the greater good, it was what must be done.

His hands had already been stained and he's been seen as the villain more often than not by others. What was one more person calling him the 'bad guy'?

As soon as Yuzu had slipped into her room to settle in for the evening, Reiji makes his presence known in the hallway to the young whelp before he could follow after her. His signature red scarf blew in the wind of the open window, the moonlight framing him in an intense but mysterious light as he approached.

"Pardon the intrusion, but I'm afraid I cannot let you tend to your mistress for the evening until an important matter is resolved. I have heard reports of the chokers you and your brothers had been issued malfunctioning on more than one occasion recently. That is something we cannot have occur again, for reasons I'm sure you're aware." A reminder regarding what was at stake for disobedience was sure to help Yuya comply to his orders. The last thing he needs right now is to make a scene at this hour.

"I have been tasked by Lord Akaba to ensure everything is in proper working order. So, would you please come with me to the workshop so that I can inspect yours? This won't take much time, and you'll be returned to her as soon as I am finished. I assure you."

#enterpainment (Yuya)#💎 D/D/D Treasure (Reiji Akaba)#💎 D/D/D's Home Of Magical Nobility (Reiji Nobles Of Nature AU)#tw long post #(QUITE A BIT OF THIS WAS LORE DUMP AND GETTING INTO DA MUSE MODE. BUT I HOPE ITS ENOUGH TO WORK WITH #(REIJI USING THE COLLAR THING AS AN EXCUSE TO GET YUA ALONE WHILE ALSO CHECKING ON IT LOL

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