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penelopepine · 11 days

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Little Purple Stars

Part 1 Part 2

Ghost x FemReader x Soap

Content: Soulmate AU, fluff, no angst

Everyone had a soulmate; whether that connection was platonic or romantic was entirely up to those involved. Some people even had multiple soulmates, like you did, which wasn’t that uncommon. It happens whenever a person turns 20 yrs old. They are suddenly able to draw on themselves, and have the picture appear on the skin of your soulmate.

You had two soulmates; one of them rarely ever drew on themselves, and if they did it was only with a black pen. Usually said drawing would also be a little black heart next to something that you or your other soulmate drew. You’ve always called this soulmate, Moon.

On the other hand soulmate number two, or Sun as you called them, was much more open and was constantly drawing little doodles all over themselves.

Sun and Moon; basic maybe, but you’ve always felt that it fits them perfectly.

It was your third time entering the Olympics and you couldn’t be more excited. You’re first year you unfortunately didn’t place, second year you won the bronze, and this year you were aiming for the gold. Most of all though, win or lose you hoped that by the end of today you will have made contact with your soulmates.

While getting ready for today you had drawn little stars in various shades of purple around your eyes, making them resemble freckles. Drawing on your face was generally frowned upon, but when events that are going to be televised all around the world exceptions are made.

You tried to give them a hint to watch the Olympics today by drawing the Olympics rings and a TV, but realistically you knew there was no way they could watch the entirety of the broadcast. Even if they did turn it on they could very easily miss your appearance. The only thing you could do now was hope that the two individuals with matching purple stars were watching.

Ghost watched as every little star slowly appeared on Soap's face knowing that his face looked the same only that the stars on his face were covered by the mask. It wasn’t until Gaz walked in the office as well and asked about them did Soap even know they were there.

“What do you mean I have stars?”

“Yeah on your face,” Gaz pulls out his phone and quickly takes a photo before showing it to the Scot.

“You knew they were there and you weren’t going to say anything?” Soap turns to face Ghost with a playful grin, “Well now you gotta take off the mask; I can’t be the only one walking around here with star freckles.”

“In your dreams MacTavish.”

Gaz chuckles at the two of them before he sits down in an empty seat, “So I know you didn’t do this,” pointing to Soap, “and you definitely didn’t do this. Can I ask why lucky number three decided to do this?” Directing his question towards the lieutenant.

“I assume it has something to do with the Olympics.”

“Aye, they drew that symbol yesterday didn’t they. I guess that was their way of giving us a warning for this; must be for some kind of watch party,” Soap guessed.

“Sounds like my kind of party, the ice skaters are performing in just a bit and I don’t plan to miss it.” Gaz holds his phone showing them the Olympic broadcast already up on his phone before popping in one of his earbuds.

“I didn’t take you for someone who would enjoy watching figure skating; all it is is watching people move on the ice innit?” Ghost questions, he’s never had any interest in the Olympics before. It was never something he had time to sit down and watch.

“We can go to an ice skating rink ourselves, and watch Soap try to skate if you want to watch more chaotic skating.”

“Oi, I didn’t even say anything, don’t go dragging me into this!”

“You were gonna say something and that’s enough for me!”

“Yeah yeah whatever,” Soap turns back to the paperwork he had been working on, “I’d like to see you try and skate. Let’s see who’s laughing then.”

The men chuckle to themselves and all of them focus on items in their hands. It wouldn’t be until an hour had passed that the silence amongst them was broken.

Gaz’s sudden gasp drew both Ghost and Soap’s attention to him.

“What happened mate; a skater fell down?” Ghost asks with slight amusement in his voice. He couldn’t imagine himself getting this worked up over anything as simple as ice skating. Continuing to watch as Gaz doesn’t say anything; simply sitting in his seat with his mouth slightly hung open.

“Gaz?” Soap questions as he steps towards him.

Very suddenly Gaz shoots up and steps towards him as well, grabbing Soap’s face once he is close enough. Holding up his phone and looking frantically between the two.

“Aye, wha’ the fuck do you think you’re doing!” Soap swats Gaz’s hand away from his face, “Didn’t your mum ever teach you about personal space.”

“Look!”

Soap focusing on Gaz’s phone to see what had the man so worked up. On the screen was a woman dressed in purple elegantly dancing on the ice, but what really caught his attention was the fact that she too had purple star freckles on her face; ones that matched his perfectly. “Oh fuck; Ghost!”

Ghost couldn’t believe what he was seeing for a moment. They had finally found their missing piece. Watching her dance and spin on ice he suddenly understood why people would enjoy watching this. She looks ethereal.

Looking at Soap he sees an awestruck look in his eyes. He won’t admit but the stars are quite cute on him; on both of them. How on earth did he end up with these two incredibly beautiful and talented people as his soulmates?

Later all three men are huddled together over the phone watching the award ceremony. The room had gotten embarrassingly loud when it became clear that you had won; Price had charged into the room asking them what had them all yelling for. He had luckily understood when the situation was explained by a sheepish soap, who was definitely making the most noise out of everyone. He was quick to get his energy back though once Price had left the room.

“We have to let the lass know we know we saw her!” Soap rushes to the desk pulling out multi colored pens; waving them towards Ghost.

You had done it! You had really done it; the gold was yours! Standing on the first place podium next to the other medalist you couldn’t help but wonder if your soulmates are watching you. You hope they were proud of you if they had seen your performance.

Trying to subtly check any exposed skin for any kind of sign or acknowledgement that you had been seen, and to your great delight you had been. The sun and moon had found their star.

There on your wrist was a drawing of a gold medal and right next to it was a little black heart.

They had seen you, they knew who you were. That thought both excited and terrified you. The only thing to do now was wait for them to show themselves; to find you.

Stepping down from the podium, and making your way off the ice you give your wrist a kiss and wave towards the cameras.

#simon riley x reader #simon riley x you #soap x reader #ghost x reader x soap #john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #kyle gaz garrick #x reader #fem reader #soulmates #john soap mctavish x reader

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ageingfangirl2 · 7 months

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Welcome Home! Shanks (OPLA)

You only see Shanks once a year, and when you do you like to take care of him. Shanks x Female Reader fluff :) You wanted more Shanks so here he is!

SHANKS

'Captain we're here!' Yasopp calls out, knocking on my quarter's door.

After spending a year at sea it was always nice to come back to Prisluake, a small island we'd discovered by chance. It became known as The Lake of the Princesses because the town revolved around a lake and there were lots of attractive women which being a pirate crew meant some good times.

Everyone on the island was friendly, there were places to restock the ship and plenty of good food and drink. But there was one extraordinary person I insisted on coming back to see even if I had to use the guise of restocking the ship as an excuse.

y/n owned a small place just off the docks that had some of the best fish dishes I and my crew had ever tasted, but it wasn't just the food that drew me in three years ago. y/n had a twinkle in their eye that lit up when I told them stories, a warm smile that put everyone at ease and a friendly demeanour that made you want to be around them.

I let out a yawn, we'd had some rough weather on the way here so sleep had become almost impossible, but that wouldn't stop me from reuniting with y/n. I pick up a wooden box containing a gift for y/n and head out of my quarters. Even though y/n had never left their island they were obsessed with maps and compasses, so I made sure to get them a new compass each time we came through.

I didn't need to tell the crew what to do, we were a well-oiled machine, so I left them to their own devices and headed off the ship. The first thing I noticed was the closed sign on y/n's place, then again it was still the morning and they didn't open until the afternoon so I'd find them at their house.

Before I can even knock on the front door it swings open revealing a very happy and beautiful y/n, 'I thought you were due yesterday, welcome back.'

Another yawn escapes my lips, 'rough seas. Were you worried about me?'

y/n blushes slightly and shakes their head, 'No...you can take care of yourself Shanks...come inside...'

I walk inside and place the wooden box down, only to have y/n throw themselves at me and kiss me on the lips. For a second tiredness leaves me and I fully embrace y/n, keeping my arm around their waist to secure them and kissing back with equal neediness.

y/n pulls back, 'How long are you here for?'

I rest my forehead against theirs, 'we don't have anywhere to be so short while, why?'

y/n smirks, 'Good, because if I'm being honest you look like hell in the nicest way possible, so all this can wait a day.'

Now those were not the words I expected to come out of y/n's lips but I can't help but throw my head back and laugh. y/n was warm and friendly, but had a sharp tongue and wasn't afraid to speak their mind which made being around them just that bit more exciting.

'Thanks. Then I'm going to bed, and you're coming with me.'

y/n shakes their head and pats my hair, 'No. You should have a bath first.'

This was a priceless interaction, and I can't help but continue laughing as I carry y/n towards their bathroom, 'okay, but if I pass out and drown, that's on you.'

y/n must have got word the ship was coming because the bath was already run. I place them down and they start undressing me, being gentle around my lost arm because I was still getting used to it even though the incident with Luffy was over a year ago. When I first came back to y/n they fawned over me and I'd be lying if I didn't like the attention, and knew they were special when they kissed the scarred stub and called me brave. After a couple of drinks, they called me stupid but went back to lavishing me with praise.

I slip into the warm water and y/n comes up behind me and kneels down, 'you treat me well y/n,' I say, in more of a whisper, letting the water soothe my aching muscles.

y/n hums, 'Everyone needs a little TLC Shanks.'

I close my eyes as they start to wash my hair, and let out a sigh of contentment when y/n massages my scalp. After they are done I open my eyes and turn my head to meet their eyes, 'you really are special to me y/n.'

y/n's smile reaches their eyes, and despite my dripping wet hair, I bring up my hand to cup their chin and kiss them tenderly on the lips. y/n's cheeks were a bright shade of red as I moved my thumb over their cheek in a caress, 'God you've got me hooked captain.'

After some more soft kisses, y/n washed my whole body, and if I wasn't in awe and tired I might just have pulled y/n into the tub with me to feel more of their touch on my body. But they said earlier we had time to do that, but right now I was at ease being taken care of.

y/n helps me out of the tub, but before they can get a towel on me I scoop them up in arms and march out of the bathroom with a squirming and giggling y/n in my arms, '...stop Shanks...' y/n slaps my bare chest.'

We enter the bedroom and I put y/n down on the end of the bed, their now damp clothes clinging to them, 'see I stopped.'

y/n rolls their eyes and gets off the bed, 'You're one a kind Shanks. Now get yourself in bed,' they demand but sound playful.

y/n pulls the sheets back and I put my hand on my chest, 'how am I meant to sleep with you talking dirty?' I joke.

I climb into the bed and am surprised when y/n joins me, pulling the sheet over the two of us, 'I'll stay until you're asleep. Then when you wake up I'll cook you a nice meal and you can do whatever you want to me. Deal?'

I pull y/n against my chest and smirk, 'You drive a hard bargain but you have a deal.'

It wasn't until I shut my eyes and felt y/n tracing lines across my chest that the full weight of tiredness took over. I guess I could sleep for a couple of hours.

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cup1dt3a · 1 year

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Wanna Doodle With Me?

Summary: In the middle of another long lecture from your teacher the infamous Leech twin Floyd notices you drawing in your sketchbook and now wants you to draw more so he can watch. So will you keep the big scary eel entertained?💖

“ As for what happened yesterday with the sub I am very disappointed in this class and embarrassed that….” Your teacher stressed to the class.

For yesterday everyone hadn’t been on their “ best behavior” while the teacher was out and so a bad note from the sub was left. So now as your upset teacher rants on about respect and some other things you just draw in your sketchbook. You were and weren’t really listening, but thankfully your seat was far in the back. With no one to bother you while you drew in your sketchbook. No one except the infamous Leech twin. Floyd Leech. For some reason instead of sitting near his brother he decided to sit right next to you. Not that you minded that much but with his unpredictable mood swings you feared for what his moody self would do.

Soon forgetting about the moody twin as you hovered over your drawing. Now peaking holes into the thick paper as you anxiously traced your lines shading in any of the smaller or more detailed places you hadn’t noticed. Along with the heterochromia eyes peering down right at your drawing. With very much peaked interest in every stroke of your pen. As your pen danced along the guidelines you placed a sudden raspy voice whispered. Along with a sudden tapping on your cheek.

“ Hey….Hey…Shrimpy…Shrimp-chan~.” The recognizable voice called out with an undeniable hint of mischief in it.

Looking up from your project Floyd with his head laid right next your elbow and his gemed pens tip now tapping onto your nose from your head turning.

“ Whatcha doin?” His now honeyed voice questioned. With a tilt to his head and signature wide grim.

“ Nothing” you sighed softly pushing his pen down to the desk.

“ That’s nothing?” He questioned again now pointing his finger at your rough drafted sketch.

Sighing as he was now starting to pout with his bottom lip out. Acting like you had just told him he had told him he had to eat his vegetables before dessert.

Now flatly commenting “ Your being so boring right now! I just wanted to be nice.”

He now sat up with a slight slouch crossing his arms on the wooden desk. Now only bearing short annoyed glances at you for being so “ mean” to him when all he wanted to do was socialize. What a hard life for the poor menacing eel.

“What do you want Floyd?” You sighed out in defeat as he now grinned wildly holding up a messy drawing of many shrimp.

Some of them were either big, small, or vey disfigured. He proudly displayed his masterpiece as if it was better than the Mona Lisa. But other than the many-many shrimp there were also a few octopus and eels. But what mostly caught your attention was the eel and shrimp at the bottom. It looked as if the poorly drawn eel was either strangling,hugging , or the twin’s favorite thing to do squeezing its poor captive shrimp. A mystery that will never be solved. But the poorly drawn sea creatures were oddly very cute.

“ Cute…let me guess I’m the little shrimp over here huh?” You joked pointing to the eel’s captive shrimp in the corner.

The mans smile only got wider as he happily grinned from ear to ear nodding. Happy that you guessed his drawing right.

“ And that must be you…strangling me?” you chuckled pointing at the eel.

The artist quietly scoffed looking sad and offended you would even say that. With a fake sad face and even a fake single tear running down his pale skin.

“ Shrimpy I would never!” He gasped throwing an arm over his head while dramatically turning away from you.

You both giggled at the each other for a little trying to keep your volume in check. Almost failing as the teacher snapped his head over to the two of you while you tried to not burst out laughing at him. The teacher only quirked an eyebrow as he went back to his exaggerated rant towards the class. Leaving you and the eel to go back to clowning around. He then sighed with his laughter coming to an end. Making your laughs of joy soon calm down into a few short chuckles of awkwardness as he stared you right in the eye. He then slowly moved closer to you popping your personal space bubble faster than a Karen. Only to start scaring you as he then quietly spoke up into your ear. Fanning your sensitive ear with his hot shallow breaths tickling it.

“Besides what fun would it be to strangle you when I could just squeeze you everywhere I want to~?” He questioned with a tilt to his head now backing away from you seeing that the lecture was finally over.

Along with whatever the hell just happened in that short timespan of 30 seconds. As it settled into your mind on reply along with your heart’s constant rapid beating he finally yawned stretching out looking over at you.

“ I’m bored now…”

“ Wanna doodle with me? Come on we were just having so much fun~ ❤︎”

Hope you’re all having a good day/night and enjoyed this!

Sincerely ~ Cup1dT3a༺♥︎༻

#floyd twst #floyd leech #TWST #gender neutral reader #floyd leech x reader #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #Fluff #twst fluff #twst wonderland #eel boi #arts n crafts

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enchxanting · 1 year

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our love is god [ethan landry]

read part 2 here || all parts

pairing: ethan landry x fem!reader

warnings: nothing yet but this fic is heathers-inspired, so be warned for the future.

author's note: hi guys, long time lurker first time poster. this is my first time WRITING fic so feel free to leave any critique. also i don't know if i did the cut right lol i have a lot planned and hope you like!

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Dear Diary,

I should’ve never let Mindy convince me to start this operation.

Sure, it’s nice to have a steady cash flow, but nothing is more aggravating than everyone and their mother asking for doctor’s notes, report cards, prescriptions, and absence notes when I’m just trying to make it to fourth-period math. When I was ten, I expected to use my Nancy-Drew-inspired skills to unearth hidden staircases or find whistling statues, not help someone’s checked-out mom get a Xanax.

Yet I forged three (3) permission slips today. Why? Because, next to mysteries, I love the sweet smell of cash in the morning. Yesterday, I added $150 to the rainy day fund. Hopefully, when the weather’s right, I'll be inspired to buy a car and ditch Woodsboro. This town is fucked, alright. Just ask Chad, Mindy, Sam, or–

“Tara! Jesus Christ!” I rub my leg where her sneaker connected. “What’s your damage?”

“Are you done, Shakespeare? You said you’d get lunch with me like, fifteen minutes ago.”

Tara isn’t so great with patience. But, again, I am not so great at keeping track of time. “Yeah, whatever,” I say. “Let’s go see what they’ve cooked up for us today.”

I follow her through the winding path of tables, chairs, and teenage bodies. As we go, I collect bills from outstretched hands and replace them with papers of varying sizes. Tara turns to smirk at me. “What was the event this time?”

“Oh, you know. It’s report card season, and this school is not known for its stellar GPAs.”

“We just have you to thank for keeping it floating below a 3.0,” she teases. “Tell me, Y/N. Does all that extra brainpower of yours get used up matching the way people dot their i’s and cross their t’s?”

I roll my eyes at her. “Sure, Tara. Let’s just get some lunch. I’m seriously starving.”

We grab trays and join the line, aimlessly chattering about the day. Tara’s been my friend since the beginning of the year when I was the only new kid in a town struck by tragedy. We were the only new buyers in Woodsboro over the summer. The rest are still empty, the memory of last year’s Ghostface attacks having driven out long-time residents.

What’s surprising, though, is that the so-called “Woodsboro Four” are still here. Sure, Sam, Tara, Mindy, and Chad mostly stick together, but despite the terrible tragedy that they witnessed, they let me and Annika, Mindy’s current girlfriend, into their lives. I could never measure up to that. I’m just glad they want to be my friend.

I’m taken out of my musings on friendship when I feel someone’s eyes on my back. Without turning around, I recite my usual speech. “$5 for report cards, $10 for prescriptions and absence notes, and an extra $5 for rush fees.”

“Woah, um, tempting, but I’m not looking for any forgery.”

Confused, I turn around to put a face to an unfamiliar voice. The guy’s tall, almost as tall as Chad, with curly brown hair and brown eyes that widen when I meet them. “Sorry, I was just going to get my lunch, but you dropped some cash back here.”

For some reason, my voice is not working. All I can do is look up at him, suddenly captivated by how shy he seems to be. When I pause for a few moments too long, Tara reaches around and takes the money from his hand. “Uh, thanks. I’m sure my friend here appreciates it. Usually she’s more talkative.”

“Oh, god, yeah, sorry,” I finally get out, stumbling over my words. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Suddenly, I think he remembers to be bashful and walks away without another word.

When he’s gone, Tara laughs. “God, Y/N, drool much? I’ve never seen you like that before.”

I flush red. “Whatever, Tara, you’re the worst.” I give her a playful shove and walk off to buy my lunch. I hand the money to the cashier, but all I can think about are those big, brown eyes, and I know I’m fucked.

#ethan landry #ethan landry x y/n #ethan landry x reader #scream 6 #scream 2023 #jack champion #heathers #heathers au #high school au #ethan landry fanfiction

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rocknroll7575 · 2 months

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Knight of Olympus: Titans Lullaby - Chapter 2: Hard Lessons

Forgot to post this here yesterday!!! Sorry! But please enjoy Chapter 2!

XXX

The next day, as the campers were eating Jaune was informed about what his duties would be as the new Combat Instructor. He was to train them on how to fight and use their weapons properly, that part was more for the new arrivals, as well as helping them learn strategy, work together, and so forth.

Jaune was a little nervous but he calmed himself and he walked over to the armory, where he found his set of armor, as well as the rest of his clothes, so he put on his old shirt, and then the rest of his armor, and once he was fully dressed, he walked over to the weapons and he found a whole bunch of swords, spears, daggers, bows, and shields.

Jaune sorted through a bunch of swords till he found the right one, the weight of it was good and the balance was perfect. It was no Crocea Mors, but it would have to do. He strapped the sword to his side and then looked for a shield, fitting each one around his arms until he found the right one, and it too felt perfect, it was a little too round for his taste but a shield was a shield.

He looked at his schedule and that's when he saw that he had 5 cabins after breakfast ended.

He was going to have the Zeus, Posiden, Ares, Aphrodite, and Hephestus cabins, which seemed like a lot at first till he remembered that Chiron had told him Percy and Thalia were the only children in the Zeus and Posiden cabins.

As he waited, he had come up with a rather interesting way to test his own strength against the campers as well as get a feel for where they were in terms of Combat, and later he'd just have to do what Ms. Goodwitch did and pit them against each other in one and one combat at determine who needed help and who was rather good, but could still use improvement.

Finally, the campers arrived at the Armory and Jauje smiled at them as they gathered around him, he, of course, saw Percy as well as Thalia.

Once they all were in their respective cabins, Jaune decided it was time for introductions.

"Hello everyone, my name is Jaune Arc, and I will be your new combat instructor,"

Quickly a hand rose for a question.

Jaune looked at them, "Yes...?"

"Drew Tanaka," Drew replied, "I was wondering what God is your parent?"

Jaune smiled awkwardly, "Well, truthfully, I don't have a godly parent, I'm fully human!" Jaune said with a smile.

"But then how are you in camp? Mortals can't pass through the barrier," came the voice of Clarisse.

"Well that's because I'm not from your world," Jaune replied. "I'm a human from a completely different world, kind of like those superhero comics where some are from a different universe,"

Every Camper was shocked and that's when the uproar began, as they all scrambled to ask him a million questions.

Jaune smiled, "Alright! Alright! Settle down now, I'll answer all your questions on one condition..." Jaune began with a smirk, "The best fighters of each Cabin have to knock me off the amphitheater," Jaune said.

"Why there?" Percy asked.

Jaune looked at him with a smile, "Because there's more to today's lesson than just trying to get answers outta me," He said, "Now all of you get suited up and meet me there," Jaune said as he walked away.

As the kids were getting ready, Jaune walked over to the amphitheater, and as he did, he couldn't help but think about his new position now, he was going to be training kids now, who her half his age. Not to mention he would also be accompanying them on a few adventures, so not only was he training them, but he would be responsible for their safety as well.

Was he truly up for the task?

Jaune groaned slightly, "Ugh, is this how Ms. Goodwitch felt about us?" He asked himself.

After a brisk walk, he arrived at the amphitheater and not too long after he arrived, so too did the cabins. Jaune asked them all to sit at the seats and he watched as they all sat down and faced him.

"Good, now that you're all here, I think it's time to tell you what the first part of the training exercise will be," Jaune told them. "So as I've already said, each Cabin will choose their best fighter, said fighter along with the other fighters from the other cabins, will have to work together to push me off the theater or to make me yield,"

Clarisse chuckled, "Sounds easy enough," She said.

Jaune smirked, "But there are rules during this fight," He said. "One, no powers. Two, I'll let you all formulate a plan of attack before starting. Three, and this is important, if either one of you is knocked from the amphitheater, then you all lose and will be forced into my position while another set of fighters will attack you, understood?"

There was silence but the most nodded in agreement and understanding.

Jaune nodded, "Good, now of course, Percy and Thaila are already chosen, as for Ares, Aphrodite, and Hephestus, please choose your best fighters to come up,"

Thalia and Percy got up on stage with their respective weapons and were waiting for the other cabins, but in an instant, it seemed that Ares already had their pick.

"We choose Clarisse!" Said one of the boys from her cabin.

Clarisse got on stage with her spear and had a smug look on her face as she stood next to Thalia and Percy, which Jaine noticed didn't make Percy too happy.

A minute later, Hephestus had their pick.

"Charles Beckendorf will represent us!" Said a girl.

Charles stepped forward, dressed in his armor with a large Warhammer, but it wasn't as big as Nora's.

Jaune smiled at the young man as he walked onto the stage and gave Percy a high five.

Finally, after a good minute, Aphrodite had their pick, which turned out to be Drew, as she stepped forward, daggers in hand and wearing some light armor.

Jaune looked at the five with a smile, "Alright, you guys got 10 minutes to figure out a plan of attack starting... now!"

The five grouped up and Jaune watched them, and he saw that out of all of them, it seemed like Clarisse was the one arguing the most, dismissing a lot of Percy or Thalia's plans, and seemed to be the most stubborn and hit headed one of them all and seeing this, Jaune knew he could use it to his advantage.

The group broke apart and they all took a fighting stance while forming a half circle around Jaune, which made the blond smile, knowing the plan, but wondering who would strike first.

Acting quickly, both Thalia and Clarisse charged forward and trusted their spears at him from opposite ends of the half circle. Jaune quickly backed up from their attacks and smirked.

"Come on, can't the daughter of the God of War do better than that?" Jaune asked as he looked at Clarisse.

Jaune then saw Drew slide under their spears and quickly get up and run toward him. Jaune blocked one stroke with his shield and another with his sword, leaving her open to a kick to the gut from Jaune that sent her on her back.

Then, rushing at him were Percy and Charles, Percy was the first to get close and quickly tried to slash at Jaune but Jaune blocked with his shield and pushed Percy's sword away and then used the shield to strike the young boy in the chest.

Charles then rushed in and raised his Warhammer over his head and brought it down, but Jaune sidestepped the attack and the Warhammer struck the ground, causing a few cracks. Jaune then kicked out Charles's leg, causing the large boy to fall backward hard.

Jaune then saw Thalia and Clarisse charged in once more. Thalia was first and she thrust her spear forward, but Jaune managed to deflect the attack with his shield and then struck Thalia in the gut with the pommel of his sword, causing her to heeld over, and when Clarisse charged in and thrust her spear, aimed directly at his chest, but Jaune sidestepped the attack, turned the blade around and just like with Thalia, he used the pommel to strike her in the chest, causing her to grunt in pain and kneel on the ground.

Jaune stood over the Demigods with a smirk, "Is this what you Demigods are capable of? I Gotta say, kind of disappointed, I mean, I'm just a regular human, I expected more," Jaune told them. 'Rile them up, see if they can keep their cool, mostly Clairesse, see if they can salvage this and devise a better plan,' Jaune told himself.

They all slowly got back up and Drew looked at Percy and Thalia, "Any ideas?" She asked.

"We need to-"

Clarisse got up and glared at Jaune, picking up her spear, "What we need to is simple... rip him to shreds!" She cried as she ran ahead.

"Clarisse! Wait!" Percy cried.

Drew rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Gods damn it!"

Jaune dodged an attack aimed for his head, then ducked under it as she swung, and he backed up, Clarisse pulled her spear back and aimed for his right foot, but Jaune saw this and raised his foot as she stabbed the ground and Jaune quickly broke the head of the spear off.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Clarisse cried as she looked at her 2nd broken spear.

Now that she was distracted, Jaune knocked the rest of the spear out of her hand and put his blade right in front of her face. Clarisse froze up and her eyes widened, while at the same time, the others didn't move, as they realized the situation they were in.

However, acting quickly, Thalia used her foot to kick up her spear, grab it, and throw it at Jaune. Seeing the flying weapon, Jaune was forced to back away, giving Clarisse the chance to back away as well as allowing Percy to charge at Jaune with Drew behind him.

Jaune prepared himself and when Percy came in and swung at Jaune, he blocked it with his sword then saw Drew coming in, so he pushed Percy away and turned to Drew and swung at her, but she managed to block it with her daggers, but Jaune then used his shield to jab her in her rib, and then he kicked her away again, he quickly turned back to Percy and saw him coming swinging at him again, but Jaune blocked it, and Percy pulled back to swing again.

the two were now locked into a duel, with each one simply hitting the other's sword, Jaune looked around him and noticed that he was close to the edge of the amphitheater and realized Percy had pushed him in this direction on purpose, and that was when he saw Charles coming in with his Warhammer and quickly blocked it with his shield, and the blow rattled Jaune's arm but he pushed it away just in time to block another of Percy's swings and pushed him away.

Thalia then appeared and she thrusted her spear right at Jaune's chest, hitting him, but when she looked at his face, he seemed unfazed, which confused her. Jaune then smiled at her and he decided to drop his shield and grab ahold of her spear, pulling her in when she was close, he grabbed her by the collar of her jacket, and with all his strength he threw her toward the edge, causing her to roll on the ground and fall off the stage.

Seeing Thaila fall off, the others knew that they had just lost.

Jaune smiled as he walked over to the edge and saw Thalia getting up and dusting herself off. "You alright?" Jaune asked.

Thalia looked at him with a smirk, "You mean besides my shattered pride? I'm fine," she said.

Jaune nodded, "That's the spirit," Jaune told her as he held out his hand for her to take and help her get back on stage.

"Where'd you learn to fight like that, Jaune?" Percy asked.

Jaune turned around and looked at the son of Posiden with a smile, "My home world," Jaune replied. "Where I come from, we are taught to fight more than one enemy, because the creatures we fight sometimes hunt in packs,"

"That's pretty cool," Percy said with a smile.

Thalia nodded, "But what I wanna know is why you seemed unfazed by my attack, I hit you square in the chest with my spear man," she said.

Jaune smiled, "That's because of my Aura," Jaune said, "It's a representation of my soul and also a shield, it protects me from from any physical harm as long as it's not too damaged and breaks, but it also heals some small wounds,"

"That's amazing!" Drew said. "What else can it do?" She asked.

"Well it also helps boost my physical strength, speed, and stamina," Jaune said, "Then, there's my Semblance-"

"Wait, you have a 2nd power?" Charles asked.

Jaune nodded, "Yeah, it's called a semblance," Jaine replied. "We have to unlock it but each one is different, mine, for example, boosts my Aura to a far higher extent than anyone else in my world," Jaune said.

Hearing all this Clarisse stepped forward with a scowl, "Didn't you say no powers!? How is it fair you were using yours!?" She asked.

Jaune looked at her with a smile, "Well, you see, I wasn't using my Semblance at all, and Aura is kind of instinctive, like breathing, you don't think, you just do," Jaune replied. "So my Aura just immediately turned on when I saw Thalia's hit coming and it protected me, plus the reason I said no powers for you is because I wanted to see what you can do physically, I was told Percy and Thalia both have powers, but I didn't know about the rest of you, so I wasn't gonna take the chance,"

Charles nodded, "Makes sense, but just so you know in the future, I don't have any powers like Percy or Thalia, I'm simply resistant to extreme levels of heat," Charles told him.

"Kind of the same for me," Drew said. "The most I can do is see through Illisions, what with my mom being the Goddess of Beauty, she can tell when someone or something is fake," Drew told him.

"As for Clarisse-" Percy began with a smirk.

Hearing him begin to talk and mention her name, the daughter of the god of war turned to the son of Posiden with a glare, "Watch it Prissy! You don't know if I have powers or not!" She growled.

"Do?" Jaune asked with a raised brow.

"...No,"

Jaune nodded, "Noted, anyway, now can any of you tell me what you did wrong? And I'd also love to hear an answer from those seated if they have one," Jaune said.

Charles was the first to speak, "We underestimated you," He said, "We thought we had the advantage with our large numbers and we assumed you weren't as strong or as skilled as us in combat since you were a human," Charles said.

"Very good, Charles," Jaune said with a smirk,

Hearing his full name, Charles got a bit embarrassed, "Uh... just Charlie please, it's what my friends call me," Charles said

Jaune nodded, "Right," he said, looking back at the rest, "Anything else?" He asked.

"We had a chance to regroup and figure out a new plan after you wiped the floor with us in the first part of the training exercise," Percy said.

Jaune nodded, "You did, but you wanna tell me why you didn't have the chance?" He asked.

"Because someone let their anger get to them," Thalia said, eyeing Clarisse.

Clarisse growled as she glared at the daughter of Zeus.

Jaune nodded, "Correct," He said as he turned to Clarisse, "You need to learn to control your anger, it can be a tool, but don't let it control you," He told her.

Clarisse glared at him, "And what would you know about that?"

Jaune looked at her with a small glare, "I let anger get the best of me and it nearly cost me a friend's life," Jaune told her. He then sheathed his sword and walked up to her and he saw her move back a little before he was right in front of her, "I'm going to let you know this now because you are a good fighter, Clarisse, and you still have room to grow, but never, never, think you are better than anyone else, because the moment you think you are, you lose," Jaune told her before turning away.

With that, the day continued, as Jaune forced the losers to fight against five opponents, and he watched as Clarisse was able to win, it seemed like she took what he said to heart, trying to stay calm while fighting multiple opponents.

Jaune also watched them and made sure they were staying safe and not going overboard and as he watched them, he failed to notice bright orange eyes that burned like the coals of a fire, and then there was a whisper in his ear.

"Tonight... come... dear knight..."

Jaune turned around quickly but he saw no one, just the still-burning embers of a dead fire. There was no one there, not a soul, at least, that's what most would think, but that was untrue... there was always someone there.

After all, there had to be someone kindling the fire...

XXX

Later that night, Jaune sat with Chiron and Mr. D, who were playing a game of poker, one which the Centaur was losing terribly, Jaune looked at both of their cards and smiled, knowing that Chiron was in danger of losing a lot of money.

Trying to distract the god, Chiron turned to Jaune with a brow, "So, Jaune, how were the kids today?" Chiron asked.

Jaune shrugged, "Good, they all seem to be doing good, but I'll be honest, there are a few that need improvement, emotionally and mentally," Jaune replied. "But they all seem to be doing well, and a few surprised me that you never seemed to mention,"

"Oh?" The god asked, "Who may I ask?"

"Drew Tanaka, Charlie Beckendorf, Will Solace, The Stoll brothers, Katie Gardner, and... I think that about it," Jaune said, "They are pretty good fighters and with different talents, I mean, Drew can see through illusions, Will has great healing capabilities, and the Stolls are so smart that if they put their pranks to battle they'd be unstoppable, and Katie can control plants if trained right, they could be just as good as Percy and the others, I even offered them more training later tonight," He told them.

Chiron smiled, "That is good to hear, but I also have to ask, how are you adjusting here at Camp?" Chiron asked.

Jaune smiled, "Pretty good, and Annabeth and Percy have been informing me about your world, which is great honestly, there are a few similarities between Earth and Remnant, well, except you guys don't have Faunus walking around,"

"Faunus?" Mr. D asked.

Jaune chuckled, "I'll tell you about them later, but anyway, I think I got a few students who want some late-night training," Jaune said with a smirk.

Chiron chuckled and nodded, and Mr. D simply stared at his cards, waiting for Chiron to make the move. Jaune left the cabin, but once he did and the door closed behind him, he felt something was off in the air, and he looked around and that's when he saw her.

She had bright auburn hair and eyes that glowed like burning coals, for a split second, he could've sworn he had seen Cinder and was about to attack, however, the woman gave off a more... loving presence.

She wore a red flaming cloak and a white toga-like shirt that exposed a bit of her stomach and had gold designs as well, however, she also wore a white tube dress with similar golden designs on her shirt, she wore no shoes, leaving her feet exposed to the elements.

"Hello, Jaune Arc, a pleasure to see you again," She said.

Jaune was a bit confused as to who she was, "I'm sorry... but I don't think we've met," Jaune told her.

The woman smiled softly, "We have, I'm simply easy to look past," She said.

"Then forgive me for forgetting you," Jaune said. "I just can't believe I never saw someone as... well as beautiful as you," he said with a slight blush.

The woman chuckled with a soft smile, "You are not the first to say that, Jaune Arc," She said. "I am Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth and I have come to you, to see the fire I saw for only mere moments,"

Jaune was confused as to what she meant, "Excuse me?" He asked, "Fire?"

Hestia nodded, "Yes, a fire," She said as she closed the distance between them.

Jaune wanted to step back, afraid she might try something, however, he couldn't, not because she had some power over him or something, but because he sensed nothing but warmth, kindness, and love, radiating off of Hesita.

She grabbed him by the face and pulled him close, her burning eyes stared into his deep blue ones and that's when she saw it, the fire she had seen in his very soul.

"Such a beautiful flame," She said. "In all my years not once had I thought I'd see another flame... so similar,"

Jaune's brow raised in confusion, "A similar flame?" Jaune asked.

Hestia nodded, "Indeed," She replied. "You have a flame only I have, a flame of a protector, a flame that carries the burden of others, yes, a strong flame indeed, but so many little flames dancing around it, glowing bright with each emotion... oh my... how cruel,"

"What?" Jaune asked.

"Penny," Hestia said

Hearing her name, Jaune recoiled and looked at Hestia with wide eyes. "H-How do you know-?"

"The flame of guilt burns bright in you," She replied. "Do not fret, Jaune Arc, It was her choice,"

Jaune looked down with sadness, "And I was the only person who could help her make that choice... she didn't deserve to die..."

Hestia smiled, "Who said she is dead?"

Jaune looked up at her quickly, with confusion and wide eyes. "What!?" He asked.

"I sense the flame of every living being, Jaune Arc, and when two new and powerful flames appear so suddenly in my world, I am the first to know," Hestia said

Jaune was shocked, he couldn't believe it, there was no way, no way that Penny was alive... and yet, he had to take the chance.

"Where is she!? Is she safe!? How'd she get here!?" Jaune asked as he stepped toward the Goddess.

Hestia giggled, "Please, calm down, Jaune Arc," She said. "I only know that she is safe," She said.

Jaune looked at her, "And are you sure it's Penny?" She asked.

"She has hair like the color of bronze and eyes as green as emeralds," Hestia said.

Jaune slowly nodded, sounding like Penny to him, but he began to wonder how she was alive, how she survived... what he did, but then he began to wonder if he even had the right to find her. Did she even want him to be the one to find her? He had taken her life... to him, it didn't matter if it was her choice or not... he had done the unthinkable.

But he still had to try.

"Where is she, Lady Hestia?" Jaune asked.

Hestia smiled and pointed behind him, "It seems you may get your answer,"

Jaune turned around only to see a floating corpse behind him and his body froze in shock as the body floated toward him, if Jaune remembered correctly, she was the Oracle, and it seemed that she had a prophecy for him.

Green mist spawned out of her mouth and in the mist, a shape appeared, he recognized the shape as none other than Cinder Fall. Jaune was stunned to see her very image in the fog and nearly charged at the image before remembering that it was simply fake, why the fog decided to take her image was unknown, but the faux Cinder began to speak.

"To the Knight, who bears a broken heart and two bloody hands"

"Come and fight, and seek the place with the whitest sands"

"Travel southwest, and you shall find the banished mother"

"Like all the rest, face to face with the one who shall become another,"

"Find the blade, and Hades will make you a deal,"

"Accept the trade, and two fates you shall seal"

"Atop the oldest mount, you will beat the mad titan bloody"

"12 by your count, and a king's name you shall muddy"

Hearing such a long prophecy, Hestia smiled, knowing the very long journey ahead of him. "It seems you have been given a quest, Jaune Arc," she told him.

The mock Cinder Fall burst apart and green mist receded into the Oracle and her body floated back up in the attic, and watching the whole thing from the front door was Chiron and Mr. D in shock.

"Well..." Mr. D began, "That was something new, never thought she could leave the attic,"

Chiron looked to Jaune, "She has given you a prophecy?" He asked.

Jaune nodded.

Chiron nodded, "Very well then, come inside and we shall discuss what she said, and tomorrow, we shall gather the head of the cabins and send you forth on your quest," Chiron told him.

Jaune nodded and he turned himself to speak with Hestia, but when he looked to where she once stood, she was gone, but then he heard a faint whisper.

"Gifts will come soon... my champion,"

Jaune was a bit unnerved by her disembodied voice, but he knew that she meant him no harm.

He turned back and walked toward the cabin with Chiron and the two, along with Mr. D, discussed the prophecy the Oracle had given him, however, unknown to the three adults, three others had overheard the Prophecy that had been spoken that night.

XXX

It seems Hestia has taken an interest in our hero and he has been given a quest so early!? Wonder what is going to happen on this Quest and who might join him?

Better yet, what do you think the prophecy means?

#rwby #percy jackon and the olympians #pjo fanfic #rwby fanfiction #percy jackson fanfiction #rwby x pjo #crossover #jaune arc #percy jackson #thalia grace #charlie beckendorf #drew tanaka #will solace #pjo hestia #dionysus pjo #chiron #camp half blood

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noodyl-blasstal · 6 months

Text

Obvious Plant - Day 4

Day 4 of @taznovembercelebration I drew the "plant" prompt, and drew a second ("bakery AU") to contextualise it

Read below or on Ao3, and find yesterday's here.

"Have you worked out how to ask out the hot florist yet?" Lup says, ducking into the kitchen.

"Taako doesn't know to whom you're referring." Taako replies tartly. How dare she level any accusations against him, in all his innocence, when she's mooning over the guy who runs the denim emporium. He has never once stared longingly at Kravitz, never even dreamed about giving him free cookies just to see him make his pleased face and praise Taako for his ingenuity.

"Oh, so Taako isn't at all interested to know that Barry gave cha’girl Kravitz's number because of the WhatsApp chat I’m setting up for people who run the businesses at the IPRE mall?" Lup peers round the kitchen door to gauge Taako's reaction.

So maybe that piques Taako's interest a little, because he truly wants to know but he's not rewarding her with the knowledge. Taako keeps his face impassive. "Obviously it's interesting, for business reasons."

"Oh for business reasons, is it? Do you have some business thoughts you'd like to share with him?"

"I do actually. Good ones. Great ones."

Lup looks at him intently. He keeps his mouth shut. She raises her eyebrows, gives him the look.

"I'm more interested in your sudden decision to spend more time talking to the dinguses we work near. You really want Grant to be able to message you after hours as well as stopping in to complain about people not wanting to spend $20 on his magic juice?" Taako's on the offensive now. He's got suspicions is the thing, big, likely accurate suspicions.

"I think it's important, you know, as a member of the sales community."

"As a member of the 'wants to fuck the denim man’ club." Taako mutters it, but she still hears. She always hears, he swears she can read his mind sometimes. It's not fair that she got extra twin powers.

"It's not about Barry."

"Oh, so you know exactly who I'm talking about?"

"There's only one shop which just sells denim, Taako, it was pure deduction."

Taako takes his turn to wait, silence works better on Lup than it does on him. She panics and fills it, he’s pretty much immune to the compulsion.

"No one else has anything denim. Who else would I assume it was?"

Taako side eyes her and keeps his mouth firmly shut.

"I asked for his number and then I panicked, alright? Is that what you want to hear?"

"You did what?" It’s impressive, actually, he’d assumed it was going to take years for her to finally pluck up the courage to start the steps of asking Barry out.

"I was being brave!" She says, defensively.

"Until you panicked and made up a fake reason and he thought it was true and now you have to get everyone else's numbers and actually engage with them?"

Lup thunks her head against the door frame. "He looked confused about why I was asking."

"I'm confused about why you were asking!"

"Shut up. You like him too."

"Taako does not want to fuck Barold J. Bluejeans of the Bluejeans Emporium!" How dare she? Taako wants to fuck plant goth Kravitz... McKravitz(??? Note to self, find out surname), thank you very much.

"I didn't say you did, just that you like him. He said you'd gone round a few times."

Traitor. How dare he mention anything about Taako to anyone? Clearly Barry couldn't be trusted. Taako needed to re-evaluate their friendship general acquaintance-ship.

"He's nice, isn't he?" Lup retreats from the safety of the kitchen, eyes shining with the joy of torturing Taako with her inability to be normal about this man. Or, you know, love and affection or whatever. She plonks herself down on the sofa next to Taako, jostling him in the process, definitely and absolutely on purpose. "Just, he's really kind. I like kind. But he's funny too, and so smart, and, well, you've seen his ass in those jeans."

Taako shoves her sideways. "No!! Gross. Illegal. You are, henceforth, forbidden from mentioning Bluejeans Butt ever ever again."

"You know I'm right though." Lup cackles from her prone position. She doesn’t even seem the teensiest bit sorry.

Taako grimaces in reply, he’s not sure she notices, but it helps cleanse him.

“So you have a choice, brother mine - wanna join the group chat?”

“Absolutely not. I don’t want to engage with anyone en masse, especially not the dinguses we surrounded ourselves with when we got the bakery. It should have come with a warning.”

“You don’t want to join even though Barry messaged Kravitz to check, and Kravitz said I could add him to the group, and that means you’ll be able to show off in the group chat until he messages you privately?”

The wheels in Taako’s brain turned quickly. “Fine… but I’m doing it for business purposes. For the good of the bakery! It’s a brave sacrifice.”

“Uh huh.” Lup wriggles and grabs her phone from her pocket. A few taps later and his is buzzing away on the bedside table.

Lup de Lup: Cake Hard with a Vengeance

Welcome Takko, everyone.

Barold of the Bluejeans Variety

Hail and well met!

What a complete nerd. (How dare he use their secret greeting without Taako’s permission.)

Magnuscles: Chairs and Dog Training

Hey Taako! So good to see you here!

Taako still wasn’t entirely sure how the puppy, gym, and woodworking combination business functioned and made money, but Magnus always seemed busy. Maybe he trained the dogs to be still enough for people to bench them?

Kravitz: Raven’s Plants

Welcome, Taako

Lup snorts and taps at her phone again.

Lup de Lup: Cake Hard with a Vengeance

Oh good, you’re online Krav! Taako’s actually got some business propositions to discuss with you.

“I have some fucking what now?” Taako’s going to murder her right to death.

Lup smiles, too wide and painfully innocent, “that’s what you said, Taako, remember? You’re joining for business purposes, you have some ideas that you wanted to share with him.”

Taako’s phone buzzes again.

Kravitz

Hi Taako,

I thought it was sensible to message you individually about the business propositions.

What are you thinking?

Kravitz.

Taako was screwed, royally boned, in fact.

“He messaged me.”

“Good. That’s what I thought he’d do. He’s very efficient.” Lup says, cheerfully, happily, as if it isn’t a problem, as if she hasn’t just shoved him off a cliff without a parachute or a dinghy or whatever sounds worse and like more of a betrayal of her beloved brother.

“He messaged me about my business proposition.”

“You said you had a business idea, a good one, a great one!” Lup sounds too sweet for her to be anything but fucking with him right now. “Wait! You… you weren’t lying were you Taako? I’m shocked, shocked and astounded! I thought you were going to revolutionise the field of cake plants.”

“We are, actually.” Taako stands up and stomps out of the room. They will, too. Just as soon as he figures out how.

–

“Did you reply to Kravitz yet?” Lup flops down on his bed next to him.

“You didn’t knock.”

“You never do.”

“It’s different.”

“How exactly is it different?”

“I’m having feelings.”

“And I don’t have feelings?”

“It’s different.”

“Because you are a uniquely tortured creation?”

“Because you opened the door and kicked me through it and then laughed at me about it while I tried to claw my way back out of the pit but you didn’t offer me a ladder.”

“I think you might have mixed your metaphors there.”

“Nope, it’s a pit with a door. A fancy pit, for fancy boys.”

“Well I don’t have a ladder to throw down.”

“Hmm.” Taako takes out his phone. “I guess in that case.” He taps at the screen. “I’d better pull you down with me.” Taako hits send.

Taako: Cake Hard with a Vengeance

Thanks everyone. Glad Lup set this group up so I could talk business with Kravitz and she could proposition Barold too.

Taako: Cake Hard with a Vengeance

About business, obviously.

“Taako!” Lup stares at her phone, mouth hanging open in shock.

“Welcome to the pit!”

Lup’s phone buzzes in her hand. “He messaged me. About my proposition. He’s excited about working together.”

“Great. Now you can just tell him what your idea is.”

“I… I don’t… I didn’t.”

“Once again, welcome to the pit!”

“Fuck.” Lup pauses. “I like that he messaged me.”

“I like that plant goth messaged me.”

They lie side by side, sigh in tandem, and stare up at the constellation of elderly glow in the dark stars plastered on Taako’s ceiling.

“Plant brownies?”

“Illegal.”

“Not that kind of plants!”

There’s another pause.

“Is jookies anything?”

Taako wants to scoff, he does, but... “Fuck. I think it actually is.”

“HA! Suck it!” Lup leaps off the bed and performs a triumphant victory lap. “I’m out of the pit, bye loser!” She flips him a final finger before diving out of the door.

It’s fine. Taako can think of something. Cakes and plants, flowers, cakes. Flower cakes… cake flowers…

Taako

You bet your sweet butt Taako has a business proposal for you.

Kravitz

My sweet butt? Been paying it a lot of attention have you?

Shit. He wasn’t supposed to ask questions, he was just supposed to tell Taako what a genius he was.

Taako

Stay on topic Kraveroo, cha’boy’s about to make us millionaires. Hear me out: cake bouquets.

Kravitz

I think they’re a thing already?

Taako

Nuh uh.

Kravitz

I mean, yuh huh.

Kravitz, rude bitch that he is, sends a link to a Google result page. Maybe they are a thing, maybe Taako should have checked.

Taako

I don’t see any copyright. Or any sign that you already offer the service.

Taako

Or is this your way of saying you don’t want to work with Taako?

Kravitz

Not no to working together, no to saying I don’t want to work with you, because I want to work with you, I’d love to.

Kravitz

Cake bouquets, sounds great! Good! Original, even!

Kravitz

Why don’t we meet up to discuss the plans?

Kravitz

Over dinner?

Kravitz

Unless you have plans for dinner?

Taako

Are we going on a date, Kravitz?

Kravitz

We can be? If you’d like to be?

Kravitz

Or it can be a business date

Kravitz

Business meeting

Kravitz

An appropriate thing for colleagues to do.

Kravitz

Colleagues who don’t want to date.

Taako

You don’t want to date Taako?

Kravitz

Now I didn’t say that, did I?

Kravitz

Unless you don’t want to date.

Kravitz

In which case, no

Taako rolls onto his stomach and kicks his feet up. This idiot gets so flustered every time they talk, it’s hard not to mess with him, but he’s going to try.

Taako

Taako certainly didn’t say that - dinner sounds great.

Taako

But more importantly, I’ve had another great idea:

Taako

You could sell pots for plants.

Kravitz

Incredible! Another great idea.

Taako

Have you considered that on Valentines day people might like to buy roses?

Kravitz

Revolutionary! Do you have any other great ideas?

Taako

You’ll have to find out at dinner, stud.

#TAZNC #taz november celebration #Noodyl Writes #Taako #Kravitz #Taakitz #Blupjeans #Jookies

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foreveranevilregal · 7 months

Text

Encantober Day 8: Question

Based off a wonderful fanart someone drew a while ago. I don't remember who the artist is and can't find the post, but all credit to them for the idea and thanks for the inspiration!

“What a day,” Pepa groaned, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

Julieta hummed her agreement. “At least it’s finally over.”

“Don’t forget, tomorrow we have a big test, so make sure you go over-“ The rest of their teacher’s instructions were drowned out in the overlapping chatter of their fellow students.

“Study what?” Julieta frowned. “I didn’t hear what she said.”

Meanwhile, Pepa looked horrorstricken. “We have a test tomorrow?” She squeaked as they were pushed out the door by the wave of students.

Julieta nodded. “Señora Sanchez mentioned it yesterday. Wait, were you not at school yesterday? Where were you?”

Pepa shifted the bag to her other shoulder. “I had crop duty.” She rolled her eyes. “If I’d only known we were having a test, it would have been way easier to make it rain.” She mimed crying, pulling her fingers down her cheeks.

Julieta studied her sympathetically. “I just wish we’d heard what was going to be on the test.” She let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t have time to go over everything we learned since the last test. Especially since I have to make my afternoon rounds before dinner. Unless we figure out what’s on it, we’re done for.”

Pepa was scowling as Julieta talked, but her expression cleared when she was done. “It’s almost like…we need a way to see the future?” She suggested, eyes glinting deviously.

Julieta clapped her hands joyfully. “Oh, Pepa, you’re a genius!” She squeezed Pepa in a tight hug.

The church bells chimed the time.

Julieta yelped. “I have to go! Let’s meet up after dinner.” She ran down the road leading home.

After dinner, the two girls waited by Bruno’s room, hoping to ambush him. They hadn’t seen him at dinner, but that wasn’t so unusual. People needed help from their gifts at any time of day, including during meals and school. Mamá said it was their duty to be helpful and share the magical gifts they were given, because why else would they have them? So they missed some meals and days of school here and there. Helping the town was more important.

“Where is he?” Pepa hissed from her hiding place. “I thought he’d be back by now.”

Julieta shrugged. “I haven’t seen him all day.” Her brow furrowed in thought. “Wait…did you see him at school?”

“I don’t think so.” Pepa wracked her brain. “You were there yesterday; did you see him?”

Julieta shook her head, lips tightening in worry. “Come to think of it…I haven’t seen him at school since a couple days ago.”

Pepa winced. “That’s all the more reason to find him.” She gasped, eyes going wide. “You don’t think he…” Her eyes darted towards the door significantly.

Julieta covered her mouth but recovered quickly. “Only one way to find out.” She knocked on the door, quietly but decisively.

No one answered. The girls stood at the door waiting for so long, Julieta had raised her hand to knock again, when it flew open in their faces.

“Eh?” Bruno stood there, wearing a rumpled ruana. “What are you guys doing here?”

Julieta lowered her fist. “Bruno.” The relief was evident in her voice. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

He rolled his eyes. “You sound like mamá.”

“Do you?” She persisted, voice growing shriller.

“Easy.” Bruno covered a long yawn with his hand. “No, I don’t know what time it is. I’ve kind of been sleeping.”

“Were you sleeping all day?” Pepa asked incredulously.

Bruno appeared taken aback. “All day? Is it night already?”

Julieta rested her forehead in her hand, letting out a long sigh. “Bruno…you missed school. You missed dinner. We haven’t seen you since yesterday. What happened?”

Bruno groaned. “You know how everyone’s been getting engaged lately?”

“Tell me about it,” Pepa huffed. “I’ve had no less than a dozen people ask me to make sure the weather was good on their wedding day. As if I’ll remember when it’s so far away!”

Julieta placed a hand on her shoulder gently. “Yes, we know.” She waved her hand, prompting him to continue talking.

“Well they’ve all been asking me for visions of how their marriages are going to turn out. Let me tell you, it is not easy trying to have that many visions on demand!” He crossed his arms, the gesture rumpling his ruana even more. “That’s why I’ve been sleeping so much. I’m exhausted!”

Julieta winced, exchanging a look with Pepa. “We’re sorry to hear that, Bruno.”

Bruno narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing them. “Why do I get the feeling you didn’t just come to check up on me?”

Pepa bounced from foot to foot, pressing her lips shut before bursting out, “Señora Sanchez said we’re having a test tomorrow, except neither of us know what’s on it because we’ve been missing school due to gift duty and we were hoping you could tell us what was going to be on the test?” The words tumbled out all at once until she ran out of breath.

Bruno scratched his head, confused. “How am I supposed to know? I haven’t even been at school all week!”

Pepa glared at him, letting out a disbelieving noise. “You…can see…the future.” She gritted out impatiently.

“Oh. Right.” Bruno rubbed his arm nervously. “Sorry, I just woke up.”

“Has your gift woken up yet?”

“What Pepa means,” Julieta cut in with a pointed look at Pepa, “is, do you feel up to having another vision? Don’t worry, this one isn’t as important. No disasters will happen if you can’t.”

“Speak for yourself,” Pepa muttered darkly. “Pretty sure mamá will have some disasters in store for me if I fail another math test.”

Bruno stepped aside, opening the door wider. “Seeing as I spent all day sleeping, I should be okay for something like this.”

He waited for Julieta to pass before adding to Pepa out of the corner of his mouth, “Besides, my butt is on the line here too. I don’t even know what we learned this week.”

Pepa snorted, following Julieta to a wide area in the middle of the room. “Is that…sand?” She eyed the small green pile distastefully.

“It helps me with my visions,” Bruno explained. “The visions end up- well, you’ll see.” He tidied up the sand into a neater pile and joined his sisters. “Okay, we have to hold hands.”

Skeptical, the two girls extended their hands to take his.

Bruno shifted their huddle so the sand was in the middle of them. “Now we have to ask for what we want to see. What was the question again?”

“What’s going to be on Señora Sanchez’s test tomorrow?” Pepa reminded him, raising her voice anxiously.

“Right.” He squeezed his eyes closed and repeated the question. “What’s going to be on Señora Sanchez’s test tomorrow?” He yelled, his voice hard to hear over the sudden rush of wind surrounding them.

The wind picked up the sand, swirling it around them.

Julieta and Pepa eyed it apprehensively. “What does that mean?”

Bruno’s eyes flew open, glowing green. “Uh…it looks like squiggles?” He offered.

“That’s not helpful!”

Slowly, the sand squiggles rearranged to form…

“Numbers. There’s definitely going to be numbers.”

“We knew that, Bruno; it’s a math test,” Julieta snapped. “But what lesson?”

A longer squiggle snaked around some of the numbers, forming a sideways upside-down capital L shape.

Bruno squinted. “It looks like-“

“Long division.” Julieta swallowed hard.

“Long division?” Pepa groaned. “I’m awful at long division. How am I going to learn it in time?”

“Don’t worry, you can look at my notes,” Julieta reassured her. She dropped her siblings’ hands. “Come on, we need to go study.”

The sand had crystallized into a glowing green plaque showing the topic of their math test. Bruno held it out towards his sisters. “Here, if you want it.”

“No need, I remember.” Julieta hugged him quickly. “Thanks, Bruno!”

“Yeah, thanks, Bruno,” Pepa echoed the sentiment.

“Good luck studying, guys.” Bruno walked them towards his door.

Julieta paused. “You’re not going to study?”

Bruno smacked his forehead. “I completely forgot I have to take this test too.”

“Ay, Bruno.” Julieta shook her head in mock disappointment. “It’s okay, I can share with you too.”

He exhaled in relief. “Thanks, Juli.”

“Come on, guys.” Pepa tugged their sleeves. “We’d better get started.”

It was going to be a long night.

#pepa madrigal #julieta madrigal #bruno madrigal #madrigal triplets #encantober #encantober 2023 #question #foreveranevilregal writes #writing encanto #sorry guys i really can't find the post #if anyone knows what i'm talking about feel free to link it!#i love writing the triplets so much #anyway sorry if it wasn't okay to use the idea #but it seemed really funny

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footprintsinthesxnd · 6 months

Text

The Good Die Young

Masterlist

Warnings: mentions of graphic themes, war, injury, weapons, sexual images, language, 18+. Pairings: Jake Seresin × f!reader. Disclaimer: This is a series reflecting on the true events of the US Marines in WW2. All of the characters are fictional and not based off are original characters (except for Jake Seresin) and they are not representations of the real, brave men who fought in WW2. I have tried to make all the events in this series as accurate as possible but please bare in mind this is fanfiction and i have added/ changed certain things to fit with this.

December 1943

Dearest Jake,

I can’t believe it has been four months since you left us. It feels like only yesterday that you were here, safe in my arms. I can’t even begin to imagine what you are going through. I hear reports on the news and from the papers that things are bad but I believe no man can sum up what it is like if he had not been in the war himself. I have seen the brotherhood you have formed first-hand and the love that you share for each other. I only hope your love for each other is enough to get you through what is to come.

The papers bring the never-ending news of the war. I am kept busy with new articles. The latest being the death toll. With each name and age I write down my heart breaks a little more. I fear that most of them are no more than boys - just children really. Not even old enough to buy alcohol and yet they are old enough to fight for a war they do not understand. I fear that this war is far from over, I wish I could bring better news on that front.

We are both doing well here though. My tiny bump has started to show and Fern keeps making fun that soon my clothes will not fit me but I do not mind. This little one is a part of you that I carry with me always and will continue to do so until you return to me and we can be a family at last.

I hope you can celebrate Christmas wherever you are. I don’t have many plans for Christmas, it doesn’t seem right celebrating it when you are stuck in some foxhole or on a ship god knows where.

My heart aches for you, my love. I pray each night for your safe return.

Yours always

Y/n

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To my dearest Y/n,

You do not know how much relief I felt to receive your letter. Your words are my light in these dark times.

Christmas here on the ship is not the same as at home. We had a hearty Christmas dinner and sang some carols but I’d much rather have been with you than stuck here. As you can imagine, the company of George and Frank for Christmas Day doesn’t compare to you.

Edward drew me a picture of you for Christmas. The picture you sent me ended up getting coffee split on it by Frank one morning and was ruined. He’s drawn you almost from memory. I never realised how good of an artist he was but his talents are wasted here. Now I can cherish a drawing of you, close to my heart as always.

I hope you're safe this Christmas. I hope you can enjoy it with your friends and if I don’t get to write to you again, I hope you have a good new year.

I miss you Y/n. I miss you every day but just know that you are what gets me through each day, the thought of you and our child is all I need to help me through.

Yours always

Jake

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Britain - December 1943

Jake flinched, smacking his neck as he killed another mosquito. “Fucking things!” He protested as George laughed at him, the cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth.

“What ‘ave you got to laugh about Lover Boy? Still writing letters to Florence?” Jake craned his neck to see the letter but George quickly stuffed it into his pocket, along with the drawing of Florence that Edward had done for Christmas. “None of your damn business, Cowboy.”

It turned out that Edwards' gift to everyone had been a drawing. Most of them were of the girls they loved but for Johnny, Edward had drawn his spaniel, Daphne. Johnny was over the moon and was no longer bothered by the others' teasing when it came to Daphne. ‘You’ll see what I mean when you meet her boys. She’s quite the catch.’

The pair laughed as George stood to help Jake tie the last rope for their canopy around the tree, it wasn’t much but at least it would keep the worst of the rain off them. The hope of keeping dry in the jungle was limited and once the rain began, the heavens opened and it poured for hours. Most nights Jake barely slept, too busy watching the rain fall and listening to the noise of the forest to sleep.

“What are you reprobates doing?” Frank boomed, jokingly stalking over to his fellow Marines. “You think it’s funny so you.” He wiggled his eyebrows at the pair, a new cigarette balanced behind his ear ‘For later’ he always said but it would often fall out and be lost somewhere along the way.

Jake only laughed, “Don’t worry Sarge, you're still number one.” Frank laughed, smacking Jake on the back heartily.

“Congratulations Cowboy, looks like the Marine Corps did make something out of you after all.”

Jake shook his head. He’d recently been promoted to Staff Sergeant and it had brought with it a never-ending string of teasing comments from his friends, all meant in the usual joking fashion.

“How’s that girl of yours doing?” Frank asked smugly. He’d been the first to find out Y/n was pregnant and after the initial congratulations he followed with a never ending line of ‘Bun in the Oven’ jokes.

“Should have put a ring on her first, Cowboy.” Really though Frank was happy for him, the thought of a baby filled the group with hope for the future.

“Well I’m sorry to break up the party fellas but just because you're on machine guns doesn’t mean you're missing out on the patrol. Mortar squads are going too so I want you two with Shorty and Mary.”

“You got it, Harvard,” Jake swung his Springfield over his shoulder, lending George a hand and pulling him to his feet. “Let’s go catch us some Japs.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rain trickled down through the canopy, soaking the thin, mesh blanket that covered the lower half of Jake’s body. He groaned, rolling onto his side and watching as a single stream of water dripped into the large, muddy swell that surrounded the tent. The murky water reflected the moon, rippling it across the puddle with each gust of wind. Jake watched it sadly, wondering whether Y/n were looking at the same moon. He often wondered what she was doing, whether she would be eating breakfast or going to work or out with her friends. His life here felt so distant from the life he had with her.

“JAPS! THEIR COMING!” It always amazes Jake what came after those three words. Men dashed to their posts half awake, half-dressed and unable to form a coherent sentence but could fire off a round of mortars like it was nothing. Jake grabbed the barrel of the Browning Machine Gun whilst George posited the baseplate along the tree line. Neither of them cared how wet they were getting now, their helmets creating a shield against the worst of the rain but still allowed it to run over the rim and straight down their backs, soaking down into their trousers.

“MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!” Jake and George sat in complete silence, their eyes scanning the tree line at the edge of the clearing. Jake could hear his heart beating loudly in his ear, the rhythmic thudding keeping in time with his breathing.

“THEIR HERE!” And with that, the bullets start flying. Jake let out a cry as he squeezed the trigger, allowing the short burst of ammunition to fly into the darkness, an orange glow lighting the treeline as the bullets were fed through the gun. Between the shouts of other Marines, mortar pounding the earth and the gunfire Jake could hear his heartbeat increasing in time with the Browning's fire.

The fight was almost over before it began. “CEASE FIRE!” Jake’s ears were ringing, he rested his head against George’s shoulder who hugged him back. He never realised the bond he’d have between him and his fellow machine gunner but he could imagine being here without him. He pulled out his padded glove, lifting the now burning hot barrel of the machine gun from the plate. Jake wouldn’t be surprised if they’d need a replacement barrel for it soon, the number of rounds it had fired for them over time was impressive if not hellish at the same time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Y/n,

I am afraid to say we lost Johnny last week. There was an attack in the middle of the night. I don’t know how it happened but I found him the next morning when we were clearing the bodies. I’ve never lost one of my friends before but to see him so lifeless, so deathly pale. Y/n I don’t know how any of us are going to make it out alive.

The group hasn’t been the same since. Frank is in a foul mood, he blames himself I think but he doesn’t want to admit that. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. The damn Japs will have hell to pay the next time How Company gets near them.

He had the picture of Daphne clasped in his fingers. I’ve kept it. I wasn’t able to throw it away so I sent it with this letter. I hope you will keep it safe for me.

We’ve left New Britain now. I don’t know where we are going but our group is stretched thin. We look worse each day and I don’t know how much more of this we can stand to take.

George is doing alright. He and I keep to ourselves mostly. He writes to Florence often and she writes back. He’s officially invited us to his wedding back in the States when the war is over. I don’t know where you want to live after the war but maybe we could visit my hometown while we are there. I know my Ma would love to meet you, she’s heard all about you (only good things I promise)

I miss you Y/n. I’ll miss you until you're in my arms again.

Yours always

Jake

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#the good die young #jake seresin au #ww2 jake seresin #jake seresin x reader #the pacific

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lovedrunkheadcanons · 7 months

Text

Chapter Contents

(Arranged Marriage Fic) Read on AO3

RATED M

The clock struck five in the morning. Contaminated test tubes and beakers were wet in the sink. A bright green bar nearing 65% completion was loading on a large computer screen surrounded by monitors. Shoko was busy in her lab, observing a single drop of blood, splotched between two thin slides under a beaming microscope. She hadn't left work since yesterday. You’d think after all these years hunkered down in the school’s basement like an obsessive recluse, she’d be used to the loneliness. She could already hear poor Ghost yowling for his breakfast, but there was no room for pause. The blood sample results from the New National Theater had finally come back, but Shoko was only interested in one.

The jujutsu doctor’s lips drew together in concentration, suspending the tail end of a depleted cigarette. Screw resolutions. This was far more important than her respiratory health. Her findings so far were not as she’d hoped. The red blood cell count was starkly lesser than last week. She reckoned about a third of them had vitiated in that timeframe, even with the aid of reverse curse technique, but how? How? The discovery troubled her. She would start from scratch again if need be. After all, there was still more testing to be done.

Exhausted, Shoko wiped the beads of sweat off her brow and smothered her depleted cigarette in the ashtray. The computer monitors increased to 66%. She just prayed her hypothesis did not hold the truth.

Nanami Kento removed the strainer of brewed oolong leaves from the Royal Copenhagen he had sitting on a tray; a teapot and two cups with matching saucers, Blue Fluted Full Lace. They were heirlooms once owned by his late great uncle, who subsequently died of a stroke three years ago; another Henriksen lost. He had no wife or children and his mother didn’t want them, despite their value, so she bequeathed the china over to him. Not that he ever had a reason to use it. The full set of plates and fine tableware cost more than his apartment lease. He mostly kept the novelties for decoration. And perhaps nostalgia.

But not today.

Today he had a guest.

Nanami closed the lid on his uncle’s Copenhagen teapot and lifted the tray to walk back inside the living room of his small, one-bedroom sized apartment. It wasn’t the grandest place in the world, nor the cheapest. He could afford a much bigger unit if he wished, yet the space was well accommodated. It was furnished with all the essentials befitting of a bachelor; functional kitchen appliances, a washing machine and dryer, a brand new air conditioning system, and modern furniture. He had picked the farthest unit down the hall, so he wouldn’t be subjected to the loud elevator cranking up and down the many floors. It allowed him some peace and quiet in this bustling, wayward city known as Tokyo, granted, if you ignored the endless stream of ambulance sirens, blaring jumbotrons, and cries for help.

The part-time Jujutsu sorcerer entered his living room and acknowledged his guest sitting on the sofa.

“I apologize for bringing you out here like I did. I’m usually not this spontaneous.”

Nanami set the tray down along the coffee table and handed his guest a teacup. Hannah smiled at her host warmly and took the blue and white china from his hand. The porcelain clashed with the pink roses on her dress.

“Not at all, it’s perfectly alright,” she assured him. “I hear you’ve been busy with work, so this is me intruding on your time.” She looked down at the coffee table. “Anyway, I hope you like the rødgrød. Satoru mentioned you were Danish, so...”

Nanami sat down on the leather armchair, opposite her, and glanced at the small portable crockpot she had brought atop the table. Rødgrød med fløde was as much part of the Danish diet as cheeseburgers and fries were to the American. People preferred eating the berry porridge with custard or poured over freshly baked bread. Everyone loved it. Nanami hadn’t tasted the dessert since he was a young boy visiting his grandparents on holiday. Hannah had used raspberries and cherries for hers; exactly how his mormor used to make it. The tarter, the better.

Well, there were those waves of nostalgia hitting him again. He’d sample a bite later.

Satoru had dropped his wife off at his place that afternoon and hurried to go “run some errands.” Whatever that meant. Nanami had no choice but to leave the office. As ever, the Six Eyed moron liked to make things difficult and keep his whereabouts elusive, in addition to getting his lineage wrong.

“A quarter Danish,” Nanami clarified, loosening the lavender silk tie around his neck. He hadn’t been allotted time to change out of his business attire. “My grandfather was born and raised in Denmark, however my grandmother is Swedish.”

Hannah looked positively delighted.

“Ah, a Swede and a Dane,” she exclaimed. It would explain his blond hair. “That’s quite a match. The closest I got to living in Denmark was Germany. Did your grandparents ever alternate between countries?”

“For a time,” the quarter Dane replied. “But my grandmother has lived alone in Aarhus since my grandfather’s passing. I still get Christmas cards from her every year. She’ll be ninety-one this October.”

Unable to stop herself, Hannah heard the word “Christmas” and blurted the next question out loud without thinking.

“Oh. So you’re Christian?”

She could see the tug pull on the corner of his lips, barely noticeable to the untrained eye, and instantly regretted it. He was so cool, you’d think he hadn’t reacted at all. The quarter Dane shook his head. “Mom had me baptized in the Lutheran church as a baby to appease my grandfather, but the buck stopped there. She wasn’t very religious and I myself hold no beliefs.”

Hannah felt her cheeks burn hotter than the tea she was sipping, flushed with embarrassment. Her shoulders sagged. Of course he wasn’t Christian. What a foolish thing to expect? She felt awkward.

“I see,” she said rather sheepishly. “Please, forgive me. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

Nanami nodded understandingly. He thought it wasn’t dumb of her to ask, but with introductions out of the way, they had official matters to attend to.

“Satoru said you had some information about a possible Sukuna finger.”

Hannah nervously tucked a strand of long auburn hair behind her ear, lowering the expensive Copenhagen in her lap.

“Yes,” she said, swallowing her tea and straightening her bad posture. “I think I know where one is.”

Nanami leaned back against the armchair and crossed his legs, hands folded patiently in his lap. His eyes never wavered.

“I’m listening.”

Hannah coughed. “Well, you see,” she began, trying to decide where to start. “I think nothing of them at first. My dreams - er visions - are often quite,” she searched for the adjective, “sporadic, if you know what I mean. But lately I’ve been having a recurring dream.”

“A recurring dream.” Nanami quirked a pencil thin, blond eyebrow. “I’m guessing that’s a dead giveaway?”

Hannah let slip a dry laugh. “You’d be correct. In my experience, whenever a dream is recurring, it’s usually indicative of a vision.”

“What has the vision shown you?”

“It’s hard to describe,” she continued, squinting her eyes as though aiming for a moving target that refused to stay still. “I don’t know why, but it always begins with me…drowning. I’m ever so slowly sinking towards the bottom.” She closed her eyes for a second, trying to imagine the nightmare in her mind. “It’s very dark and murky, so I can’t see anything. I’m terrified out of my wits. I try to kick and swim my way back up to the surface, except someone, or rather something, has me by the ankles and won’t let go. I fight and struggle to free myself, but I can’t. It isn’t until my lungs give out that I finally look down and…” she stopped for a second.

“Go on,” Nanami coaxed gently, waiting in silence. He wasn’t going to force her to talk, if she didn’t want to.

“Eyes,” the seer said, own eyes flitting open. She took a much needed breath from the horrid memory. “Four glowing, scarlet eyes staring at me from the black. That’s it. That’s all I see. Then the vision pivots.”

“Pivots?”

Hannah took a sip of oolong before humming in agreement. “I’m shown a film reel of things. Places, I think. I can’t remember what they are, but there is one feature that stands out from all the rest.”

Nanami also took a sip of tea. “Like what?”

Hannah placed her teacup on the coffee table and used her fingers to “draw” an invisible picture for him. “A massive red o-torii, floating above a large body of water.”

The quarter Dane’s brow narrowed ever so slightly. He knew what place she was referring to.

“Itsukushima Shrine,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

“Yes,” Hannah sighed. “Satoru showed me a picture of it when I told him. It’s the exact same gate. He then mentioned you were working on a secret case and that I should speak to you immediately.”

Well, it’s not so secret anymore, Nanami thought, holding his tongue. Now he understood why Satoru had been so adamant the two of them talk, but hell, what a pain in the ass. The white haired dolt could’ve explained all this on the phone, or typed a quick text, instead of wasting he and his wife’s time. Even though she was a lovely person, both inside and out. Reminded him a bit like Haibara; her kindness and selflessness towards others.

But a tad miffed by this new flux of information, Nanami rose from his leather chair, teacup in hand, and walked over to the large window overlooking Shibuya Crossing, the thousands of city nerdowells commuting below, crammed like sardines.

“In the last four weeks, a total of eighteen people have been reported missing from the shrine,” he said, staring monotonously out the apartment window. “Evidence suggests it’s curse related. I and a few other sorcerers have been called in to investigate the disturbance.”

“Then perhaps this is your lucky break,” Hannah added, hoping to shed some light on the subject.

The quasi-business man continued looking out the apartment, almost like he wasn’t listening (but of course he was). “Itsukushima Shrine is a popular tourist destination in Miyajima. We’ll be fighting heavy crowds if we search during the day. Curse activity tends to worsen at night, but then there’s high and low tide to contest with. Your presence might also be needed. Could get dangerous.” He was listing all the potential roadblocks ahead.

“Can’t we disperse the crowds at least?” was Hannah’s suggestion. “Close the shrine off to tourists?”

Nanami hummed deeply in thought. Things were never that simple. He at last turned away from the window. “You’re sure this is a vision?”

Hannah shrugged. “More sure than not.”

“And you think a Sukuna finger is hiding somewhere at the bottom of Hiroshima Bay?”

The seer frowned. She felt her confidence wane at his scrutiny. “It’s the only lead I have.”

Confined to his thoughts, Nanami walked back towards the coffee table, relinquishing his empty teacup and saucer, and plopped back down in the leather chair, hand in his chin. A disconcerted expression became him, though his eyes were fixed on the Royal Copenhagen. Hannah thought he looked far older than his real age said on paper. He was handsome, she decided, with golden blonde hair and mixed Scandinavian features, but in a battle-hardened, wise kind of way. Forever pensive and stoic, like he had crossed the river Styx and managed to survive the harrowing ordeal, but only just so. Even without the bloody cleaver knife in his hand from that night at the opera, she could tell he wasn’t much for taking days and nights off. Kento Nanami was certainly a man operating under a lot of stress.

“I can’t name anyone on the top of my head with a water curse technique,” he vexed tiredly, observing the porcelain tea set. “A diving team will have to be dispatched. Damn. It’s always a risk when we get non-sorcerers involved.”

“But maybe we won’t have to,” Hannah said, complexion brightening. “Because as it were, I know someone who might be able to help us. That is, if we can persuade her.”

Nanami’s hand fell to his lap, eyes raised. “Her?”

Hannah rested her teacup on the coffee table and hurriedly rummaged through her dress pocket for a folded piece of paper. She offered it to him.

“Her.”

Feeling pessimistic, Nanami took the paper and slowly opened it. His eyes landed on the contact’s name above, and thus the part-time jujutsu sorcerer’s face tensed into a shrewd scowl. He exhaled loudly through his nose.

A bowl of that rødgrød didn’t seem like such a bad fix all of a sudden.

Neither did some brandy.

Chapter Contents

#gojo takes a wife #jujutsu kaisen #jjk #jjk fanfic #gojo x oc #satoru gojo #nanami kento #jujutsu kaisen nanami #satoru x oc #romance #gojo satoru

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thefinalcinderella · 10 months

Text

Tsurune Book 3 Chapter 3 - The Song of Naru (Part 1)

Things that happened in this chapter

- Yotube drama

- Mustaches

Watch Ooku guys!

Glossary here

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1. Nakiryuu means “crying dragon” and it’s a common motif in Buddhist temples

2. I don’t know what this means. I think it’s some kind of Japanese wordplay that flew over my head

3. Oogiri is “a form of comedy that focuses on improvisation by providing a funny answer on the spot for a question or thematic topic”

Previous | Next

Haneina High School’s Asahina was eating an onigiri.

He had spread out a picnic blanket in the courtyard during the bright afternoon and was eating lunch. Next to him, Eddie was stuffing his cheeks with triangular onigiris. Before studying abroad, he had learned of the existence of onigiri after watching a Japanese historical drama, and now he was captivated by them. Every day he thought about what to use for the filling, and today’s filling was kiwi fruit.

When Asahina was on a school trip in elementary school, he saw that only his onigiris were cylindrical while everyone else’s were triangle-shaped and thought, Huh? Why am I the only one who’s different? He asked his mother about it after he returned home, and she told him that she was from Kansai and that onigiri had always been made like this back home. Apparently, it was easier to pack in a lunch box.

There was an unpleasant scraping sound, and Asahina stopped eating.

“Ow, I bit the inside of my mouth.”

“If you bite the inside of your mouth, that is your body’s way of informing you that you are eating too much and it doesn’t wish to eat anymore.”

“Really?”

A quick internet search revealed that when the body was in poor condition, such as fatigue or poor physical condition, it was difficult to control jaw movement well. It said to get plenty of rest and get in shape. It had a point. Last night, he had been too focused on video editing and didn’t get enough sleep. Eating too much—he did have second helpings of Wan-Nyan cheese curry at the place he visited yesterday.

The Haneina second-year Asahina You and American exchange student Eddie Fox were Yotubers who ran the channel “Yumihiki Douji” together, and they were well-received. The standard orange kyudo uniform was Haneina’s color. They also had customized orange bows and arrows, all of which were uniquely theirs.

Anyways, it was “aesthetic.” Rather than kyudo that emphasizes spirituality, they aimed for kyudo that people could enjoy watching.

On today’s practice, Asahina wore a pongee kimono as he drew his bow. When he learned that the kyudo wear he usually wore was training wear and that people wore kimono in formal occasions, he started to collect kimonos. It was said that patterns weren’t allowed and solid colors were OK, but finding those were difficult. Kimonos were expensive, so most of them were recycled items, and washable polyester materials were tried as well.

Their videos were almost completely ignored as soon as they were uploaded, and after a while they were filled with comments like “their shooting form is terrible,” “they’re so bad,” “that hairstyle is so ugly,” and “you’re disrespecting kyudo.” But since it was for class, they updated every week, and positive comments like “I look forward to it every week” and “Same same. I learned so much from them.” As they took in the opinions and feedback of the viewers, their archery skills also improved. Recently, their collaboration project with a channel about Japan became trending.

One day, someone wrote in the comment section, “I started kyudo because I admired Zen in the Art of Archery. Can everyone in Japan do what Awa-sensei did?” It was a request from a foreign viewer.

Shooting a target in the dark.

Two arrows were shot in the dark. The first one pierced the center of the target, and the second one split the first one down the middle, the shaft halved in order to reach the center. This was a superhuman feat. Asahina had also heard this story from his grandfather when he was young, and it remained somewhere in the back of his mind. He would love to attempt it. Even if he didn’t hit the center, he would probably hit the target at least.

The results were terrible. He couldn’t see the target at all after turning off the lights in the target area. They tried lighting mosquito repelling incense, but they only produced faint white trails of smoke and he couldn’t find his aim. When they went to pick up the arrows, they found that the arrows had avoided the targets and pierced the azuchi at an angle, or landed right in front of them. It looked like a battlefield. Now he knew how much he usually relied on his eyesight.

He had considered trying again during daytime, but it was no use in the first place. If you could aim and hit, then you’d already hit. The shape of the bow, which had existed since the beginning of time, had changed, and despite the difference in materials, it had reached a point where it couldn’t be changed anymore. And now it had reached the present. The Japanese bow, which had been imbued with the lives of generations of bow makers, was a tool that even the wisdom of mankind couldn’t yet control.

That was why the bow chose the wielder. What should one do to be chosen?

Asahina gave a big stretch.

“Haa, ‘don’t do today what you can do tomorrow.’ Tomorrow is fine, so let’s think about it tomorrow.”

“’Tis a Turkish proverb. This humble one takes it to mean, ‘Do it today because you may not be able to do it tomorrow,’” Eddie said.

“Really?”

Can’t be helped. They were going to stay at the kyudojo until nighttime today as well.

He heard the gathering bell. He listened to the nostalgic sound that tinted the sky an azure color.

On that day, Asahina and Eddie were at the temple gate.

The two walked along the cobblestone path to the main hall. Two dragons were painted on the ceiling of this temple, and when they clapped their hands in prayer right below them, there was an echo like the roaring of dragons. They were called nakiryuu. (1) In fact, the two of them met in this nakiryuu room, and moreover, it was in a dream. Their conversation went something like, “It’s been a while. When was it, a few hundred years ago?” “Well then, shall we go all out?” When they actually met each other at school, they were both silent, wondering if this was a continuation of the dream.

There was a fellow second-year of the Haneina kyudo club standing in the temple.

“You guys really like the nakiryuu room, don’t you,” the fierce-looking Matsuda said.

“I guess so,” Asahina answered.

“I don’t really know what the dragon’s expression is like, but the resonating sound when you clap your hands together feels good.”

Matsuda was poor-sighted. He couldn’t see the outlines of things very well, but he had a great ability to sense the presence and feelings of people. He could tell that Asahina and Eddie had an unusual relationship, but he thought that it was something that must not be mentioned. He liked watching their red and gold hair sway, so he quietly stayed by their side. The three of them chatted with each other a lot, and right now Matsuda was putting his hand on Eddie’s shoulder. He felt an unfounded sense of security that these two sun-colored people would never treat him like a freak or exclude him.

On the other hand, the fourth member of Haneina’s kyudo club, Kanuma, was a man who went at his own pace and didn’t care about anything. He was obsessed with haikus, and when he started thinking about them, he often got lost in his own world and froze in the middle of conversations. Incidentally, his haiku skills were mediocre.

Even right now, he was muttering to the temple wall.

“Maybe a line about dragons? It’s even more difficult if the motif is mundane.”

“Kanuma, have you composed a poem? I’d like to collaborate with you on a haiku and kyudo project for the next Yumihiki Douji video,” Asahina asked. “Yeah,” Kanuma answered.

“Kanuma, I want to ride the dragon on the ceiling. Can you help me?” Matsuda asked, and was answered with “Yeah.” No matter what was said to him, he only answered, “Yeah.” Eddie threw in the towel. “This is hopeless.”

There was another person glued to the wall. More precisely, a boy was staring at the patterns on the wall.

Igarashi had a nickname: the Gardening Prince. He grew various plants, took precious care of them, and drew them. His bows and arrows were decorated with a profusion of flower drawings, and at competitions, the people of other schools let out gasps of admiration when they saw his bow and arrows.

After imprinting the pattern on the wall into his eyes, he looked at Asahina.

“I saw the last Yumihiki Douji. There was another comment from ‘that guy.’ Is everything alright?”

“Oh, you’re talking about ‘Tetsi’ right?”

“They write complaints in other people’s comment section every time. Isn’t that like going into other people’s houses and renting a room?”

As their views increased, someone calling themselves “Seigi no Tetsui” would write things like, “Kyudo is a traditional Japanese martial art” and “What kind of kyudoka would have red or blond hair? If you’re Japanese, dye your hair black like a Japanese.”

Eddie waved his own blond ponytail at Matsuda.

“My blond hair is my natural hair, and I am not Japanese, but American, so how about that?”

“It’s an old trick to throw in mistakes on purpose to get people to bite, isn’t it? Don’t get lured in.”

“As you say. I shall ignore it.”

Kanuma, who they thought wasn’t listening, turned around, gave a thumbs-up and grinned.

The Yotube channel “Yumihiki Douji” was Asahina and Eddie’s channel, but it was actually run by the six of them: Matsuda, Kanuma, Igarashi, and Coach Tsuchiya.

When the five exited the temple gate, they heard the laughter of elementary schoolers on their way home from school.

It happened at the end of the holidays.

A protest was posted on several channels set up by Haneina students with the title “Attention Haneina High School.” The writer was Tetsi, or “Seigi no Tetsui.”

Your school is making students selfish and egotistical in the name of freedom. Since children are immature beings, adults should firmly admonish them to follow the rules of the world. Someone who isn’t disciplined in that way would commit foolish acts later in life. The behavior of the kyudo club is especially unbearable to watch. Kyudo uniforms are white. This should be stopped immediately. They are a disgrace to kyudoka—.

Because the school was named, a staff meeting was held.

The principal said, “Our school’s educational philosophy is to ‘cultivate people with reading comprehension and communication skills.’ Listen carefully, think for yourself, and share your opinions. Communicate calmly with people who have different opinions. Videos are the place to practice these things. First, Tsuchiya-sensei will show the students an example. I shall take responsibility. Do it to the best of your ability.”

The next day, Coach Tsuchiya stood in front of a camera.

“To everyone who watches this channel, thank you for your continued support. My name is Tsuchiya Ena, a teacher at Haneina High School, as well as the coach for the kyudo club. Recently, we received the following comment. As a faculty member, I sincerely apologize for my poor choice of words. From now on, I would like to choose my words more carefully. Regarding kyudo uniforms, in accordance with competition rules, we wear white during tournaments and only colored clothing during practice. We appreciate your understanding.”

The next day, a new video channel was opened. The owner was Tetsi. There was a black sheet covering their entire body, and they were wearing a Noh mask. Their voice was also modified.

“It’s one thing if you’re university students, but it’s deplorable for high school students to wear orange. It’s a lax mindset. There’s something you should do before worrying about your clothes. You should study harder. Are you going to destroy the traditions that kyudoka have cultivated over centuries?”

After this, Yumihiki Douji and Tetsi continued to post responses to each other’s videos.

――There is no basis for claiming that the students in our club aren’t diligent in their studies. The school will not publish data that only extracts the grades of some students. That is your delusion. Also, there is no reason why this is acceptable for university students but not for high school students. The white kyudo wear we wear for competitions is practice wear, and kimono is worn on formal occasions. By wearing kimono on a daily basis, the students are trained to avoid careless blunders in formal situations.

――Who does this young woman think she is? What kind of university did you go to? Don’t tell me you’re from an F-ranked school. A school that would hire such a bottom-of-the-barrel girl is clearly not worth anything. What a stupid school. There’s no point in talking to you. Get me the principal.

――The university you graduated from has nothing to do with your kyudo ability. In the past, there apparently used to be a section on the examination form where you must fill in your last place of education, but this has already been eliminated. The precept of our school is “learning from the past.” We visit the old to learn the new. You can’t break the mold if you don’t know it. We respect the teachings of our predecessors.

――Where’s the respect? You should respect your elders. I’m senior to you.

――I said the old, but predecessors aren’t necessarily older people, and just because someone is older does not mean they are superior. It’s just a way to honor a person’s achievements.

The videos were clipped and spread widely, and a controversy arose as to what color kyudo gi should be.

“It should be white.” “No, green should be OK as well.” “White, black, and navy blue are fine, but fluorescents are going too far, aren’t they? It’s too bright for the eyes.” “What color should I buy if it’s not white? Can I dye it lavender or something?” “Who’s this Tsucchi? Can the coach be my girlfriend?” “At my school, if you buy a different color, you’ll have to buy a new one, but I don’t have the money.” “I’m in the table tennis club, but I get more motivated when I chose a gi that stood out.” “The length of the sleeves is just right for kyudo gi, aren’t they?” “Tsucchi and Tetsi together make Tsutecchi.” “My dad’s Chicchi.” “The bow’s micchi is kewacchi.” (2)

It was a flood of words that was pretty much just an oogiri. (3)

Asahina raised his hands.

“Hey, Tsucchi, let’s stop responding to Tetsi, okay? This is taking over the channel. Our channel name is Yumihiki Douji, right? The adults are butting in too much.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I just got so mad when my adorable students got criticized.”

One day, Tetsi’s disguise got peeled off.

They wrote, “You guys should just shoot your bows quietly.”

Their comment section became a huge mess.

“It’s not ‘shooting a bow,’ it’s ‘drawing a bow.’ Saying you’re shooting a bow means you’re making a bow. If you’re an archer, that should have been the first thing they taught you.” “You’ve never referred to their shooting forms at all, have you? Maybe you don’t know the Eight Stages of Shooting at all? You’re not an archer at all, are you, Tetsi?”

The identification people showed up and very easily found Tetsi’s identity. Tetsi was a female office worker, a classmate of Tsucchi’s from the same university, and had zero kyudo experience. An hour later, all her videos were deleted, and Tetsi’s account was gone.

She was just an outsider who was stirring things up by using words she heard somewhere to provoke them. The flood that had been blocked by the dam continued to flow, and all the talk about what the color of kyudo gi should be got lost somewhere in the middle. Just what was all that fuss about?

The pair returned to normal operations.

“Hello, this is Asahina of ‘Yumihiki Douji.’”

“This humble one is called Eddie.”

“She, or rather, Coach Tsuchiya is working hard as a teacher, her main job. It’s encouraging, so if you like, please give her a high rating.”

The Kazemai High School kyudo club was continuing to work hard at practice today.

After the training camp, when everyone put on their hakama, there was a feeling of “this is what an archer is,” and they felt somewhat proud.

Tommy-sensei was holding a box. He pulled out small kasumi-mato from within. They were handmade by him, and the frame was made from the cores of duct tape.

“Now then, everyone, let’s use these mini targets today. For those who hit the target, I will give them a present along with this mini target.”

Tommy-sensei pointed to Masa-san, who was wearing a silver mustache. He was holding five “fake mustaches” in different colors.

Masa-san stroked the ends of his outward-curling mustache.

“If you put this on, you’ll become an archer like Tommy-sensei.”

Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo clasped their fingers in a prayer-like pose.

“I would just love to have the pink mustache. I shall do my best.”

“I guess I’d go for the light blue.”

“Black is classic. No, white might be fine too.”

The girls were excited for some reason and were choosing the color of their mustaches.

The mini targets really did look small once they were placed on the azuchi and the archers stood at the shooting line. They were smaller than the kinmato used for celebrations.

The first-years were standing in front of the targets. Nanao quickly put on his headband and was ready to go.

“I have to give it a try, don’t I? I’ll shoot through your heart!”

Several girls fainted in the stands.

While they were waiting for their turn, Keyaki and Kanbayashi were chatting. It was about the recent video incident.

“I’m glad that Asahina and Eddie from ‘Yumihiki Douji’ have recovered from this. I was thinking of unsubscribing if it became a channel for watching Tsucchi,” Keyaki said.

“If someone asked me what color I want my gi to be next time, I’ll go with white if possible. White is safe and effortless,” Kanbayashi said.

“I heard that most of the girls in the Kirisaki kyudo club were navy blue hakama in the summer. I thought that they were required to wear navy blue gi, but I was told that they run on a merit system and have no specific rules on what to wear.”

“I don’t think people who want to stand out in the first place would choose kyudo as their club activity. Archers gravitate towards the world of wabi-sabi and mania than dazzling luxury… It’s more that we prefer the austere and understated.”

While they were talking, arrows were being shot one after another, but without success. They were allowed to shoot the mini targets as many times as they wanted to within the time they were given, so everyone was going through their arrows.

In the fourth round, a beginner first-year successfully hit the target. Cheers erupted, and when the round was finished, everyone rushed forwards. They took back the mini target with the arrow in it and handed it to the person who shot it. They were moved to tears.

Time was up when each person had finished shooting up to four arrows.

In the end, only the first-year, Ryouhei, and Shiragiku were able to successfully hit the mini targets, while all the others were disappointed.

Kaito silently pulled out his arrows. His two arrows had pierced the azuchi around the mini target, as though avoiding it.

“If it had been the usual target, I would have landed all my arrows. To think I didn’t land a single hit…my training’s not enough.”

After returning from retrieving his arrows, Nanao took off his headband.

“Even when everyone didn’t hit the mini target, they’re closer to the center than usual. It’s strange.”

“So does that mean it’s possible to hit an arrow in the center if you’re conscious of it?”

Next to him, Seiya smiled daringly.

“But you’ll never become a master if you keep aiming and hitting at the target. You haven’t trained enough, have you.”

“Gaah, this is just full of contradictions.”

Minato was looking at the upper right, as though he was thinking about something.

“It’s like you’re looking, but you aren’t looking, and it’s like you’re not looking, but you are in fact looking. In kyudo and zazen, you don’t stare at a single point, but vaguely look with half-open eyes.”

Hearing that, Ryouhei approached Minato and Seiya from behind.

“I learned that in kendo. If you don’t focus on a single point and vaguely look at the whole body, you can quickly sense your opponent’s movements before anyone else. Basically, they’re telling you to not get caught up in the information coming in through your eyes.”

Masa-san was standing behind all of them.

“You guys noticed something important. Kendo and kyudo are both martial arts, so they have a lot in common. Takuan Osho left behind the phrase ‘kenzen ichinyo,’ where ichinyo means the state of being one. In English, it’s explained as ‘The sword and zen are one.’”

Keyakia and Kanbayashi had both stopped cleaning and were leaning forward to listening. Himuro was of course unmoving.

“First of all, you have to get used to it. As you gain experience, you accumulate data, and your body learns trends and countermoves. The ultimate goal is to be able to draw a bow in the same way no matter when, where, or under what circumstances. Well, I also had a tough time getting there as well.”

Keyaki became at a loss upon hearing that.

“If even Masa-san says it’s difficult, I wonder when I’ll be able to do it.”

“Don’t rush, don’t rush. Miyamoto Musashi also wrote in the Book of Five Rings, ‘See to it that you temper yourself with one thousand days of practice, and refine yourself with ten thousand days of training.’ Have you learned the essence of ‘No-Look Shooting’ of the Kazemai-ryuu? Now, take these as a souvenir.”

Tommy-sensei prepared slightly smaller mustaches as participation prizes. They were handed out when practice was over, and everyone wore them on the way home.

The next day, people started calling the kyudo club, the “Mustache Club.”

Tsucchi, a.k.a. Haneina High School faculty member Tsuchiya Ena, was being followed by a suspicious person.

The suspicious person was dressed in baggy clothing, and wearing a mask and a hat pulled deeply over their face. She had been followed by people in the past, but this one seemed particularly persistent. They followed her to work and back home every day.

“Tsucchi, shouldn’t you tell the police about this soon?” Asahina said.

“It is as Asahina said,” Eddie said.

“Mm, thank you. But some people get mad when you involve the police, so I’ll observe the situation for a few more days. Maybe they’ll get tired of it soon.”

“We understand, but if anything should happen, please notify us immediately.”

It happened on her day off.

When she finished shopping and passed through the crowd, she sensed someone following her. When she increased her speed, they got even closer and she could hear their heavy breathing behind her. It made her feel so sick that she finally couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Hey, who are you? Are you Tetsi? Stop this. If you have something to say, show your face!”

Suddenly, the suspicious person attacked her. She quickly got onto the defensive and dodged, but since she was wearing heels that day, her feet got caught on the unevenness of the ground, causing her to stumble.

Crap, she thought, covering her face, but no impact came. When she slowly opened one eye, she saw a man catching the fist of her attacker.

The tall man spoke.

“I know you’re following this person. I’m willing to go to the police with this.”

The wrist he grabbed was thin—the suspicious person was a young woman.

The woman threw out her back and prostrated herself on the ground.

She was screaming.

“I’ve cancelled my phone, but I’ve still been getting a lot of phone calls at work, and the girls I used to be friendly with won’t even talk to me anymore, so there’s no place for me anymore! My life is all messed up because of that woman!”

“This is called reaping what you sow, and in Buddhism, it’s called karmic justice. However, the reaction to a single karma is only once, and it isn’t a chain reaction.”

Tetsi slammed her hat and mask to the ground. She looked just like an ordinary woman, so she didn’t look like the type to write such coarse words. Her hands tore at her hair.

“But, isn’t it unfair!? In university, I tried to talk to Tsucchi, but I got ignored, you know!? She was active in kyudo, everyone makes a fuss over her on Yotube for being a beautiful woman, and she can say whatever she wants to say! Even though we’re the same age, she’s the only one who ever got help, and I got left alone because I’m not cute! After rewriting it over and over and sending it to the planning committee, they rejected it, saying that it was ‘a proposal that was too womanly. Do it again.’ Does that mean I can’t be trusted without a title!?”

She started talking to herself.

Aah, this is such a pain. I don’t remember being approached by her. I worked hard at kyudo, and I have nothing to do with her not doing well at work. Either get back at your boss or quit. Just as Tsucchi was thinking that, the man bent down.

“I don’t know about other men, but all women look beautiful to me. Please raise your head.”

Tetsi looked up as instructed. The man continued.

“You don’t need to change your appearance or title. Just stop belittling yourself. You don’t have to beat anyone to live.”

“…Are you a Buddhist priest? Your head isn’t shaved, so maybe you’re wearing a wig? Ah, I’m so sorry!”

“…How about using that imagination to change jobs to become a screenwriter?”

What’s with this skit?

Don’t tell me that this is some kind of hidden camera prank?

While Tsucchi was thinking this, the man picked up the fallen bag and hat and handed them to Tetsi. He looked as though he was about withdraw at any moment.

“Please wait! Just who are you?”

The man turned around. “I’m just a Shinto priest passing by. You’re Ena-senpai, huh. It’s a good name. I’m rooting for you.”

That was all he said before he quickly left.

Tetsi also said “I’m sorry” and left, leaving Tsucchi all alone.

Oi oi, isn’t he too much of a smooth talker?

Not a Buddhist priest, but Shinto? How incredibly shady.

She could still understand where Tetsi was coming from. That was because Tsucchi also had similar experiences, such as being made fun of because “she’s just a woman,” being sexually harassed and groped on the train. She had the appearance of a woman but was a middle-aged man on the inside, so she just beat them all up. In addition, she was called “Ena-senpai.” Not many people called her that.

She searched her past memories and came across a person with a similar face.

When she was a third year in high school, the start of the awards ceremony was delayed. It was said that the name of the archer who won the kyudo boys’ competition, the one who hit with all his arrows, was different. Because he had used his old name when he entered, so he took part in the tournament under that name. It was dealt with without issue, although it appeared to have been pointed out from within.

She remembered that remarkable ochi. In another tournament, when Tsucchi was about to have her arm grabbed by her male junior, the taller boy made a loud sound that scared off the younger boy.

After that, she thought that the reason why she couldn’t find his name in the student tournaments was because his last name had changed, but she never saw his face at the venues. The remarkable ochi had disappeared.

If she remembered correctly, his name was difficult to read.

His name was—.

As Tsucchi picked up her phone, thunder sounded in the distance.

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#tsurune #tsurune translation

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quincyhorst · 8 months

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Inazuma Eleven Whiteboard but make it Red Matador

Ok. To give some context. Yesterday, tumblr user @ // marmolao opened up a public Ina11 whiteboard. It seemed pretty fun, even if I was a bit afraid at first of joining.

...But then the impulses won, and I drew Redomata's best duo :') (Plus an autism creature to warmup).

I thought Pedro and Igor would be lonely here at first, but then............... This Rafael appeared. So beautiful, I love it 😭🦇

I replied to it with some other RM defenders (?

"LOOK TONI, A VAMPIRE!!!"

"José, its the 30th time you've made vampure jokes with Rafa, leave him alone"

I left for a while, AND THEN I GOT SURPRISED WITH THIS HUGE QUERARDO ART AAAAAAA 🦁💖

"SHUT UP EVERYONE, I DON'T HEAR MY ESPAÑITA'S HYMN"

I would have put like 23091234 reaction images but the truth is I was on a hurry so I replied the best way I can. With cute animals :3

Oh btw apparently somebody wants to turn him into a furry bc of my lion doodle. If a furry Que appears by your dash, then I'm proud to be the reason why <3

In other news, I also found a doodle by @ // eky11 - @ // eky-13 about Joan. 🫡

And as somebody who is researcing about Catalunya/Valencia/Baleric Islands... I got an idea for a reply :3

"Me and the bros speaking in Catalan to confuse everyone else in the team"

...There's also this other Rafael too:

"The only one on the team who says -illo" (Andalusian dialect)

At the moment I'm queuing this, I'm making some more doodles, as I officially have the mission to draw EVERYONE from Redomata here 💪 If any other doodles appear, I'll put them on a separate post, but that's it for now.

Thank you for anyone who has filled this corner with such beautiful art!!! It makes my day so much 💕💕💕 Because the whiteboard is anonymous I cannot see who made each doodle, BUUUUT if you want to claim credit for anything here just hmu :D I'd love to mention you!

Oh, and if anyone else is interested on joining...

#inazuma eleven #red matador #pedro moreno #igor freire #rafael lópez #querardo naval #joan nadal #tagging everyone who has appeared here so far

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coyotiii17 · 11 months

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Some sketches of my Outlast Trials persona, because in my latest shitposts I actually just drew myself and not the character I play as. I mean, I made her to kinda look like me, but I don't have cool short hair and I'm not cool in general... So she's bascially me I only can wish to become one day lmaooo

Here's also the sketch I made yesterday after a very panful round. It was basically "Kill the snitch", but exam version, which was much harder, because why not. My teammates and I were dying almost all the time, but this one player was just a badass and helping everyone. I was trying to help too, but I think I was mainly on the way. Somehow we all ended up alive and the last thing to do was to escape the trial, but sadly two other players died along the way and one of them was this badass player that did such a good job with saving everyone. AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW BAD I FELT. Because I got D grade and I passed that exam, but I felt like I don't deserve this win. But in the end there wasn't anything I could do and I almost died myself. So basically I drew my character just sitting with her positive grade and crying, because she knows she didn't earn it and she left behind someone who truly deserved it :') The Outlast Trials is breaking my heart I swear-

#the outlast trials #the outlast trials persona #the outlast trials oc #outlast #red barrels #art #artist #sketch #digitalart #fanart #outlast fanart #the outlast trials fanart

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quibbs126 · 1 year

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Okay, I originally started making this over 2 weeks ago, but I got sidetracked and never finished it, but I went back yesterday to draw more of it

Basically I just wanted to draw Dark Choco and his past relationships with other characters

First off I drew him with Caramel Arrow Cookie, with him mentoring her in how to use a bow. I’ve kind of already covered how I see their relationship in an older artwork, but basically I see them having a pseudo older brother/younger sister relationship, while Dark Choco also acted as sort of a mentor to her

Next we have Dark Choco and Royal Berry, whom I also see them having a sibling sort of relationship (basically Dark Choco went out and just collected siblings like Pokémon, intentionally or not). While Dark Choco is older, here they’re both at least teenagers, Royal Berry’s just short. Initially they met simply because their parents were friends (I imagine Hollyberry and Dark Cacao probably kept the most in touch out of the Ancients post-Dark Flour War, but that’s just going off what I can gather so far), with Royal Berry befriending the shy Dark Choco Cookie, and later on they remained close friends, despite Royal Berry not being very enthusiastic about fighting or going on dangerous adventures (though that didn’t stop Dark Choco from occasionally roping him into shenanigans). Dark Choco just liked his friend, and he also provided a different perspective, considering everyone he knows in the Dark Cacao Kingdom is a warrior just like him. Dark Choco also acted as a bit of a wingman for Royal Berry when it came to Jungleberry, a young knight in the Hollyberry Kingdom, helping hype Royal Berry up and give him the confidence to ask her out, to which she agreed. Unfortunately Dark Choco just stopped coming over, after an incident in the Dark Cacao Kingdom that Royal Berry never got the details of as his mother never really told him, so he’s not sure what happened to his old friend. As for Dark Choco he wonders how Royal Berry is doing now (he’s unaware that he and Jungleberry got married and they had kids, he was only there for the first and maybe second date)

Then last night I drew Dark Choco and Second Watcher, which I finished earlier today. For the sake of simplicity I’m gonna call Second Watcher here Toffee Cookie, though I’m not sure if that’s my final name for him? (Also side note I just learned today that toffee is essentially caramel (well not really but it’s similar). For some reason I always thought it tasted more like coffee or honey, and thus a flavor I didn’t like. But I do like caramel, so I might actually try it sometime)

So initially I didn’t think much of Second Watcher, other than the fact that I’ve seen his name pop up quite a bit on here, which was a bit odd for a minor NPC. But upon looking again at that loading screen with Dark Cacao Cookie and a freshly baked Dark Choco Cookie, I noticed that the random Cookie holding Dark Choco Cookie was first off a man given the stubble, but also looked uncannily similar to Second Watcher Cookie, to the point where they might be the same person, and the Wiki at least seems to think so too (I’m aware the Wiki isn’t official or anything, but it is an interesting thing to point out). And that intrigued me, because he doesn’t look like a soldier or anything, he looks more like a nursemaid. Now how on earth did he go from a nursemaid to the second in command of the Watchers, the guard of the kingdom? There’s clearly a story there, so I came up with one of my own

So Toffee Cookie here was initially indeed a nursemaid for the prince (which good for him for breaking gender roles), and was basically his primary caretaker in stead of Dark Cacao Cookie (I don’t think Dark Cacao was a neglectful or absent father, it’s just that he’s a king with important duties and he can’t spend all his time looking after his son, and in seeming lack of another parent, he needs someone else to take care of Dark Choco). Dark Choco Cookie saw Toffee Cookie as sort of a secondary parental figure, sort of like Lancer and Rouxls Kaard from Deltarune? Only Toffee sees Dark Choco like a son as well, even if he knows he isn’t

Anyways, so one particular night, when Dark Cacao Cookie was absent from the Citadel as he was dealing with matters in distant reaches of the kingdom, there was an assassination attempt on the prince. They created a ruckus with the Wall, causing the guards to focus their attention on whatever was attacking them outside, diverting and distracting them so that they could get to their target. Toffee Cookie went to Dark Choco’s room to make sure he was unharmed or he wasn’t scared by all this (keep in mind Dark Choco’s not very old here, he’s like 4-5 in Cookie terms), only to find assassins trying to attack him. Thankfully, Toffee had combat training, as is required of any Dark Cacaoian, and on instinct he pulled out a concealed dagger and attacked the assassin closest to Dark Choco, picking him up and fleeing the room. The assassins eventually cornered them and so Toffee stood his ground and fended off their attackers with his dagger until help might arrive. This is how Toffee Cookie lost his eye, as is evident in the picture. Eventually the soldiers realized the deception and after taking care of the threat to their Wall, went on a desperate search to find the prince, hoping they weren’t too late. They eventually found Toffee Cookie, stained with his own jam and the jam of the assassins, surrounded by dead or unconscious assassins, fighting off the ones still remaining. They were able to get rid of the final assassins, and the attack was finally over. They found the prince unscathed, though clearly terrified from everything, and he was clinging on to Toffee Cookie for dear life, refusing to leave his side, even after Toffee Cookie collapsed from exhaustion and his wounds, staying by his side as the healers worked on him and into the next morning. Dark Cacao quickly came back after hearing of the incident and was relieved to find his son unharmed. Toffee Cookie was praised for his tenacity and even offered a spot on the Watchers, but he declined due to his current loyalty being to the safety of the prince, even if he wanted to join them. This made Dark Choco determined to work twice as hard at his training, so that he’d be able to take care of himself and Toffee Cookie would be able to join the Watchers like he wanted, and some years later, when Dark Choco was older, Toffee Cookie joined the Watchers, and eventually became Second Watcher Cookie. Not sure if he was originally First Watcher but stepped down when Caramel Arrow Cookie got promoted or if he only got as far as Second Watcher

Also side note I like the idea of Second Watcher being Caramel Arrow’s father, whether biological or not, so there’s more fuel for Dark Choco and Caramel Arrow being siblings

Originally I was gonna draw the two after the incident, with Dark Choco promising to train even harder so that Toffee can join the Watchers, but that would have required dialogue, and also I wanted to draw this scene more

There were gonna be more, but I either don’t remember who they were gonna be with, or it just didn’t fit with the stuff I was drawing, mainly relationships from post Strawberry Jam Sword

For example, I was gonna draw him meeting Purple Yam Cookie during that tournament, only for me to stumble across my old post talking about Dark Choco’s connection to both Milk Cookie and Purple Yam Cookie, and I realized that based on what Purple Yam Cookie says (the fact that “the Dark Choco Cookie he met didn’t know how to smile”, despite the fact that Young Prince Dark Choco Cookie’s sprites almost all show him smiling, other than anger or defeat/exhaustion sprites, implying that he used to smile a lot, and that he “didn’t wear flimsy clean armor”, despite us knowing Dark Choco wore that armor even during his attack on Dark Cacao Cookie), Purple Yam Cookie must have only met Dark Choco Cookie after the Strawberry Jam Sword.

Edit: So I’ve been told that Purple Yam actually probably met Dark Choco before the Strawberry Jam Sword, for the reasons listed here (I’m trying to link it), so what I say here might be moot. Ah well, I still didn’t draw more than an unfinished sketch

But anyways yeah I ended up cropping the canvas short because I couldn’t think of any more and I just wanted to finish this piece

Writing this I think some other ones I was going to draw were Jungleberry (mutual respect as fighters) and his first encounter with Milk, but oh well

Anyways, hope you enjoy!

#I like the idea that in AUs where Dark Cacao is absent from Dark Choco’s childhood for whatever reason #Second Watcher becomes his new dad #also I found out Dark Cacao and Second Watcher are shipped together sometimes and I do find that interesting #sorry Second Watcher has been the only one on my mind recently as I drew the other two 2 weeks ago #oh yeah also I was planning of drawing one with Dark Cacao but only in the middle #but I didn’t have enough to fit that in so I didn’t do that #I feel like I had more to say but I can’t remember what #cookie run kingdom #dark choco cookie #caramel arrow cookie #royal berry cookie #second watcher cookie #also while I know Ovenbreak itself isn’t canon to Kingdom a lot of elements of backstories seem to carry over #so I feel like this explanation for Purple Yam and Dark Choco still holds up #my art #cw blood #I knew there was something I forgot to tag

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