#Hope you get a golem in heaven my boy

[skelletime]

He’s a great pirate, he’s just got to warm up first.

#foolish gamers #foolish gamers fanart #foolish is my favorite pirate #Hope you get a golem in heaven my boy #doodling #sketchy shark man #karl is a mid pirate #biased #He's so jolly #hope he doesn't tragically die in an explosion #pirates are surprisingly emotional

[j4gm]

TOGETHER AGAIN SPOILERS

A thread of lore, Easter eggs, episode connections, and background details from Adventure Time: Distant Lands: Together Again! Let me know if I missed anything! This is adapted from my original Twitter thread.

Keep reading ⬇️⬇️⬇️

1. I was expecting them to perhaps do a classic style title sequence for this episode, but I wasn't expecting them to straight up use the original title sequence. The only difference is this final screen saying "Distant Lands".

2. The background of the title cards is also the hill from the title sequence.

3. The ice cream having "50 flavours" and having an image of an enlightened soul is an obvious reference to the 50th Dead World as we see it later in the episode.

4. Continuing with the metaphor, the dirt in the ice cream could be a parallel to the fact that Jake's Nirvana actually wasn't perfect, because his inaction was allowing for injustice to perpetuate.

5. This whole scene feels immediately slightly off. Finn has his Scarlet sword and is out on a classic Ice King adventure, but he speaks in his grown voice and all the slang feels much more forced than it did in the real season one. Turns out this was deliberate.

6. The snow golem speaks with a baby voice like it did in the pilot episode, even though in canon it has a deeper voice. This further hints that something is not quite right.

7. The first major break in continuity is these snow golems resembling Uncle Gumbald and Peace Master, who Finn didn't meet until later in his life.

8. LSP sitting on Finn's head like this is reminiscent of Pen Ward's piece for the 2018 Ble crew zine.

9. Finn being given the choice of helping somebody but ending up helping everybody reminds me of "Memories of Boom Boom Mountain". It's the kind of resolution that wouldn't happen so much in the late seasons of the show, which helps make this scene feel even further out of place.

10. Jake is half frozen by Ice King in pretty much the exact same way as he was in "Prisoners of Love", and even has a very similar line.

11. The Snail is seen here. The crew have said that the Snail has been deliberately left out of previous Distant Lands specials, so its placement here is another very deliberate hint that this whole sequence is "trying too hard" to be like the early seasons.

12. The book "Mind Games" appears a couple of times, as seen in several previous episodes of Adventure Time. The first is as Finn is approaching the library in his dream. It also appears as one of the items in Finn's backpack later.

13. Jake is hurt when Finn fist bumps him with his metal arm, revealing that this scene is not real. This is also a callback to the title sequences of "Islands" and "Elements".

14. A whole bunch of familiar skeletons are seen in the bird's nest: Dirt Beer Guy, Abracadaniel, Me-Mow, Lemongrab, Mr. Pig, and the Snail again. This doesn't necessarily mean that all these characters are dead, since this scene is just a hallucination.

15. Old Man Finn! He's still got the chest tattoo of Jake, and this time we know that Jake is dead, so the theory that Jake died before "Obsidian" seems pretty likely. He looks similar to his old man design from "Puhoy", with the same facial hair.

16. There are several cameos of familiar characters who apparently died at the same time as Finn. The first is this duck, who previously appeared in "Ocarina".

17. The second is Donny, from the episode... uh, "Donny".

18. This goblin guy is an unnamed background character from “The Silent King”.

19. This old lady first appeared in "The Enchiridion", way back in season one. Old ladies are a species in the Land of Ooo, so I guess she wasn't actually very old back then, given she just about outlived Finn.

20. This is the cobbler who first appears in "His Hero". Amazing that he lived so long given all the trouble he got into in that episode.

21. Land of the Dead! This place was first seen in season two's "Death in Bloom", and now we are finally learning its actual purpose. It's a sort of gateway and hub to all of the other dead worlds.

22. There are some more minor cameos at the gates: a house person from "Donny", a soft person from "Gut Grinder", and a wood person from "When Wedding Bells Thaw". And, of course, the gate guardian himself from “Death in Bloom”.

23. Finn completely ignores the gate guardian in the same way he did in Death in Bloom. This also has the convenient effect of not having to reveal how Finn died, leaving it up to the audience's imagination.

24. Mr. Fox! We already knew he would die at some point because BMO had his skull in the finale.

25. Finn has his design from the first Distant Lands poster in this scene. Turns out it's young Finn in old Finn's clothes. But they gave him a shirt in the poster so you wouldn't be able to see the tattoo.

26. The clapping that Finn does while he's looking for Jake is a callback to "James Baxter the Horse", when Jake tells Finn to listen for that same rhythm if they are killed and need to find each other in the afterlife.

27. Mr. Fox talks about a "past life quotient", suggesting that there might be some kind of limit to how many times somebody can reincarnate. Finn's reincarnations are also seen in this scene; a callback to "The Vault", and confirmation that reincarnations share the same soul.

28. Boobafina, the goose who Mr. Fox was in love with in his debut episode “Storytelling”, apparently reincarnated into a tugboat. We've already seen that objects can have souls in the episode "Ghost Fly".

29. Finn is initially assigned to the 37th Dead World, which is the same one that Jake went to when he died in "Sons of Mars". We can only guess at what the other numbers on the ticket mean ;)

30. Tiffany! Despite several lucky escapes throughout his life, Tiffany has finally died. I like the use of this imagery to express Finn's conflicted feelings about him.

31. The 50th Dead World has long been established as the "highest" dead world, and the one synonymous with Heaven within Adventure Time's universe. It was first mentioned in "Ghost Princess" back in season three.

32. It's unclear what happens to souls which are destroyed within the dead worlds. It is a similar question to asking what happened to the ghosts that were killed in "Ghost Fly".

33. Death doesn't speak at all in Together Again because his voice actor, Miguel Ferrer, passed away in 2017 long before production began.

34. Finn phases through New Death when he tries to attack him, just like what happened way back in "Death in Bloom".

35. The 30th Dead World contains Tree Trunks as well as many of her love interests; Mr. Pig, her alien husband from "High Strangeness", Danny and Randy who first appeared in "Apple Wedding", and several more who we don't recognise, including at least one who presents as a woman.

36. Literally yelled when these two showed up. Joshua calls Finn a crybaby, which is a callback to "Dad's Dungeon".

37. The wall of weapons in Joshua and Margaret's house includes the iconic Demon Blood Sword, which was broken in "Play Date", as well as Margaret's auto-loading crossbow from "Joshua & Margaret Investigations".

38. Jermaine is sidelined a few times through the episode, in reference to his attitude in "Jermaine" where he feels that Finn and Jake were always their parents' favourites. I would have hoped things would be a bit better by now.

39. Fern gets name dropped while Finn and Jake are reuniting. A shame he doesn't actually show up in the episode.

40. In this scene, Finn says "What time is it?" This is a very subtle reference to the 2010 cartoon "Adventure Time".

41. In a couple of shots during this fight scene it looks like Jake might have a tattoo. It seems like it only becomes visible when he stretches out his arm.

42. New Death's amulet in this scene resembles parts of the Lich's cape, foreshadowing his influence on New Death.

43. There are several more cameos in the 50th Dead World: Booshy from "High Strangeness", one of the Marshmallow Kids from "Scamps", and Ghost Princess and Clarence, who were seen ascending to the 50th Dead World in "Ghost Princess".

44. Finn didn't interact with Booshy in "High Strangeness", but it seems they must have met at some point before they both died because Finn knows his name.

45. It seems like people in the 1st Dead World are slowly melted away until they become part of the landscape. Nasty.

46. Lots more cameos in this scene: a gnome from "Power Animal", a gnome from "The Enchiridion", a Bath Boy from "The Vault", Blagertha from "Love Games", Maja the Sky Witch, a troll from "Dungeon", Chocoberry, Choose Goose, Wyatt, a spiky person from "Gut Grinder", and possibly more.

47. Tiffany's insults are consistently nonsensical and amazing, as they were in the original series.

48. The Candy Kingdom looks extremely different. Peppermint Butler is wearing the crown so he might be in charge now, which is supported by the kingdom's very magical-looking augmentations. It’s not clear whether Finn and Jake were expecting to find Princess Bubblegum or Peppermint Butler, since both have the initials “PB” and both could be going by the title of “Princess”. Perhaps Peps and Bubblegum share the princess duties now that PB is living with Marceline more of the time.

49. Peppermint Butler has a "Boss" mug, although it's not the same colour as the one from "Obsidian".

50. Jake's ghost has the same design as he did when BMO killed him in "Ghost Fly". I also absolutely love Finn's ghost. This scene establishes that ghosts are just visitors to the mortal plane from the dead worlds.

51. Life has only appeared in animated shorts before now. Namely, "The Gift That Reaps Giving" which establishes her relationship with Death, and "Frog Seasons: Winter". This episode gives her a concrete place within Adventure Time's pantheon: she is in charge of reincarnation.

52. A translation of Life’s angry French dialogue by Shado: “After all I did for that boy. After all I did for him. No, it's not possible. It's not possible no, that... that makes me so mad but it's not possible.”

53. We finally have in-universe confirmation that Shoko's tiger is a previous life of Jake. This was previously confirmed by one of the writers, but wasn't canon until now.

54. I feel like Finn pulled off Shoko's look even better than Shoko did. I wonder whether Finn has gained the memories of his past lives now that he’s dead.

55. No Easter egg here, just want to appreciate this image.

56. There is an elemental symbol on the wall here, as seen in "Jelly Beans Have Power".

57. Tiffany's dramatic internal monologue is a recurring gag, as is his habit of nearly dying from falling into holes.

58. The Jake suit makes a cameo in the fight against New Death. It was last seen in the episode "Reboot”.

59. Finn's backpack contains a few familiar items: the t-shirt with the pocket from "It Came from the Nightosphere", Finn's underwear from "Little Dude" and other episodes, and a copy of Mind Games as I've already mentioned.

60. The Lich's Hand is present in the background of Death's... death scene. This is probably the unseen "friend" who New Death keeps talking about.

61. The Lich's menacing monologues often begin with a single command. Previously they have included "Fall" and "Stop". This time, the command is "Burn".

62. Jake uses the word "boingloings", which is a callback all the way to "Hitman" in the third season.

63. Jake's blue shape-shifter form from "Abstract" appears very briefly during his fight with Finn.

64. Finn's lumpy space person form also makes an appearance. This design was last seen all the way back in the second episode of the entire show, "Trouble in Lumpy Space".

65. Jake steps on the Lich's hand in a very similar way to how he stepped on Ash in "Memory of a Memory", which is itself a Monty Python reference.

66. The credits include a dedication to a few AT cast and crew who have passed away. Polly Lou Livingston was the voice of Tree Trunks. Miguel Ferrer was the voice of Death. Michel Lyman and Maureen Mlynarczyk were both sheet timers on the original series. Rest in peace.

67. The message that Finn and Jake write out on the ouija board is "BUTT", which Peppermint Butler takes as a distress signal. This message is also used as a distress signal by the Hot Dog Knights in "The Limit".

68. Peppermint Butler's reversed dialogue from the scene where he makes contact with Finn and Jake is "Kee-Oth Rama Pancake", the spell from “Dad's Dungeon” for banishing demons.

69. That appears to be President Porpoise with all of Tree Trunks’ other lovers.

70. In this scene, Life is humming part of "Lonely Bones", the song which Death tried to record for her in her debut short "The Gift That Reaps Giving". It's hard to notice because it's so brief.

71. Finn and Jake's cover is blown while in the Land of the Dead because Jake loudly farts, which also happened in "Death in Bloom".

72. The place where Mr. Fox explains the perception mechanics of the afterlife is the exact same location as the River of Forgetfulness from "Death in Bloom", which, as it turns out, was imaginary.

These are sort of out of order at the end because I was adding stuff to the Twitter thread as it got discovered. That’s all for now!

#adventure time #together again #finn the human #jake the dog #lorepost

[legendofzelda4life]

You... You What?!?!

Bro these aint even in a pattern anymore lol. Anyway, yall can have this because of the new BOTW trailer Wild and Sky angst… Lessgo… ig…?

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“When do you think Wild will come back?” Wind asked for what must’ve been the tenth time since the champion had left. Sky took in a heavy sigh.

“I don’t know, Wind. But remember, time in his Hyrule passes much slower, so maybe he doesn’t think he’s been gone long” That’s what he hoped at least. Each day without Fi’s presence on his back was another day of anxiety that almost felt crippling.

Sometimes, he’d hold the sword’s hilt when he felt anxious. His adventure was quite lonely at times but Fi was there from start to finish, always calming him when he’d start to panic.

But now…?

Now Fi wasn’t with him. Sky was now a ball of worries.

The constantly tired hero got barely any sleep now and would sometimes even take double shifts for watch.

“Portal!” The traveller’s voice cut Sky from his thoughts as he gazed upon the portal ahead of them.

“Let’s just get this over with.” Time said, guiding Sky by the shoulder through the portal

“Where…?” Four trailed off.

“Where in the - by the heavens above and all that is holy, what in the FUCK is that?!?!” Legend exclaimed, pointing at the green figure in front of them.

“A hinox?” Hyrule questioned, never having seen one for himself.

“Made of rock? Surely not. It’s more of a golem?” Warriors added in a suggestion. Before anyone else could speak, it’s gaze landed on them.

One singular, giant, red eye was the most notable thing. Two huge white stones for shoulders, floating arms, the dash for the boys.

Wait…

“It’s running at us!” “We’re well aware, captain!” “Guys, focus!” Voices rang within seconds but before it could reach them…

drip, drip

“Was that fire?” Whoever asked got a disapproving look from Legend, Sky could feel it in the air.

“Wild?” “He’s not here, Wind.” “No! Wild!”

Everyone looked towards the source of fire.

Is that…?

A canon?

No one spoke as Wild made quick work of the enemy, never once using the sword on his back.

“Hey, guys.” Wild said, rubbing his neck.

“What did you do to your arm?!?” Wild chuckled in response. “I’m fine, Twi.” “By the goddess above, no you’re not.”

After Twilight hogged Wild for a bit, everyone got to say their hellos.

Then Wild’s eyes met Sky’s…

Not a pretty sight.

The champion’s bright cerulean eyes flashed with fear. “Sky… I’m so sorry.”

“What for?” Sky questioned, embracing Wild.

That’s when he felt it.

Sky quickly stepped back, confusion evident in his features. “I- I broke it, properly this time…”

“You what!?”

Wild looked away from Sky, slowly unsheathing the master sword, regret in his eyes.

Everyone audibly gasped.

Sky, however, was silent. Mixes of rage, confusion, and guilt streamed through him; rage because Wild broke the sword, the confusion asking how, but guilt because he knew Wild didn’t even want to take it.

“How did it…?” Sky asked softly.

“Zel- Flora and I were exploring the catacombs, Ganondorf’s body was down there. The malice it-” Wild shuddered, “there was so much of it. It grabbed the sword. Flora fell into the darkness. The body, it…” Wild trailed off, not wanting to remember what happened.

“Ganondorf? You said you only had a Ganon.” Hyrule carefully tested the waters. “That’s what I thought but this guy… He has a sword wound in his chest. Those catacombs are over ten-thousand years old and yet he stayed alive through sheer fucking will power. Well that and the spirit that now houses its energy in my arm.” Wild laughed a little.

“I’m sorry, a sword wound in its chest?” “Mhm.” Twilight’s face visibly paled. “No way…” The rancher seemed very offset but Wild’s attention was soon directed back to Sky.

“Fi, I don’t know if you can hear me anymore but; I promise Wild will fix you, okay? You’re going to be okay.” Sky’s eyes were full of tears as he spoke, looking over every imperfection in the sword.

Suddenly, the sword - or rather, what remained of it - glowed with a soft chime. Sky let tears fall. “Yeah, you did.” Wild sat down next to him. “What are you talking to her about?” He inquired. “She asked if she fulfilled the promise to guide those after me well enough. She really thinks she’s done for, Wild.”

“You don’t know what my adventure is!” Wild had it dawn on him, gaining everyone else’s attention once more. “I have to go to different shrines to fix the sword so I can save Zelda. Infuse it with sacred energy or something like that.”

“Where are they?” Legend was actually interested? Something new every day I guess.

“One up here in the sky, one in the lands of Hyrule, another in the oceans of Hyrule, and the last in the deepest part of the catacombs.”

“We’re in the skies?” Sky looked around, finally taking in the scenery around them. It seems they were.

Within a second, the boy born in the clouds stood up, sword at Wild’s throat.

“You hurt Fi again; I can and I will throw you off this island.” Wild swore Sky’s eyes flashed with lightning for a second before he turned soft again. “Understand me, Wild?” The champion quickly nodded.

Now for the next question…

“Hey, Wild, how do we get down?”

Oh…

Shit...

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Wasn’t really too much angst was it? Idk i had a good idea but now im tired and also the characters went off script so this is not my fault /hj

Feel free to leave requests. Your requests must include: Characters (2+) Type/genre/category (fluff, angst, etc) Platonic or not

I will write only about Zelda or Lu characters, not whole other fandoms. Willing to do aus or reader/oc inserts

#linked universe #wild linked universe #sky linked universe #wind linked universe #hyrule linked universe #legend linked universe #twilight linked universe #time linked universe #four linked universe #warriors linked universe

[chaseatinydream]

pirate king (35) || atz

You’re standing on the forecastle deck of the ship, watching as bow slices through the waves.

The ship skims over the choppy waters smoothly, but you’re so lost in thought you don’t even notice how some of the boys are lingering at the forecastle deck stairs, glancing at you worriedly as they speak in hushed voices.

You haven’t said a word since you woke up from unconsciousness a day ago, heading straight to Captain’s cabin and begging him to let you travel to the spot the map indicated. Hongjoong hadn’t hesitated to agree, but he couldn’t help but be concerned at the heavy look on your face, as if there was a massive weight on your shoulders.

Confusion settles on your mind like sea fog that refuses to lift. You have so many unanswered questions that confuse you to no end.

Golems were supposed to be made out of clay, but you were made of flesh and blood. You didn’t know how it was possible, perhaps the heart that the man had given you in your dreams did truly change you into a human being, but then why would he do so?

He warned you about something… How they didn’t understand? Who was they? You remembered from your dreams your previous self had said something about not telling them because they wouldn’t understand, but who was they and why would they not understand? Why would they think you were trapped?

What was the plan he had been talking about? Did your previous self agree to something with him? And why was he so happy that you had gotten a name? Your previous self must have had a name as well. How did he make you forget what he was? He…

Then you pause in confusion at your own train of thought.

What he is… not his name.

Why did you think such a weird thing?

“Chin Hae?”

You’re startled out of your thoughts to see your master standing at your side, Yunho and Wooyoung trailing behind him like lost puppies. The air is starting to get cold, you realise, and you shiver a little. Wooyoung takes your hand and puts it in his pocket, fingers stroking soothingly along the back of your hand.

“Thanks, Wooyoung-hyung.” You say. The head gunner is obviously worried, but he forces his face into a cute pout as he looks at your unbound hair flying with the wind, one hand reaching up to brush the errant strands from your forehead.

“You’ve stopped wearing the hairpin.” He says a little sadly as his hand falls back to his side, the shackles on his wrists jingling slightly. You feel guilty for a moment, fingers brushing the hairpin where it’s secured in your belt once more.

“Yeah… after that kid stole it, I’m not sure I dare to wear it in my hair. I can’t afford to lose it.” You tell him and he gives you an uneasy smile, torn between understanding why you want to keep it safe and wanting to see you wear it. Before he can say anything more though, Yunho glances at the expanse of sea before you.

“We’re reaching soon, aren’t we?” His voice is unusually grim. You can see the sky starting to darken, way too fast for it to be any sort of natural storm. The sea waves are starting to get more choppy and rough, and the deck is pitching and rolling more dangerously than what you’re used to. San almost loses his balance at one violent heave of the deck but Yunho catches him with the reflexes of a cat, sharp eyes focusing on what lies ahead.

Sharp, rocky outcrops break the horizon just slightly, black shapes jutting out from the sea. You swallow nervously as you glimpse the lightning flashing above head, before the rolling thunder startles you into a jump. Wooyoung steadies you by the arms before you pitch yourself into the sea in fright, wincing himself against the volume of it. It sounds like cannonfire right next to your head and for a moment, your ears ring as if there are bells swinging back and forth in your skull.

San gulps as he looks forward. “So… that’s the sea witch’s lair, huh?”

“Yes.” Yeosang answers from behind and all four of you whirl around to look at the navigator, who’s just joined you on the forecastle deck, boots stepping unevenly on the deck as he fights to keep his balance. He grips the railing tight, surveying the jagged rocks before you with a grim expression. “I can’t believe that map was right. No one has ever made such a detailed map of the sea witch’s lair before.”

You chew your lower lip as you recall who exactly had given you the map. Who on earth is that mysterious man? How did he know where the sea witch’s lair would be? How can he change form, from a man to a boy? What exactly is he?

“Only people in great desperation can find the sea witch, as her lair lies hidden in a magical realm of the sea in which mortals cannot find. The entrance is rumoured to be off the coast of several uninhabited islands in the Atlantic, guarded by the sirens and fierce tidal straits rip through the waters, smashing any ship that dares pass through.” Yeosang recites from memory, fingers tightening around the bulwarks. You can see the muscles in his shoulders wound tight from nerves. “Well… this definitely fits the description.”

You’re terrified too.

Wooyoung squeezes your hand tightly. We’ll be fine.

You nod, trying to calm your racing heart.

I hope so.

The island draws closer and suddenly tumultuous winds are whipping around the ship, unbridled and unchecked like wild horses, causing the ship to heave to the side. Your heart drops in your chest as you hear the creaking of the main mast and you whirl around to stare at it in horror.

“Wooyoung, Yunho, Chin Hae, to the ropes! Lower the mainsail before our mast breaks!” You hear Mingi shout over the storm gale, and just when you open your mouth to answer him, you taste rainwater on your tongue.

You glance upwards in shock and the heavens open, rain slashing down upon you and drenching you to the bone in mere seconds. The ship pitches and rocks side to side like a toy boat being tossed about on the waves, but Wooyoung manages to catch onto the bulwarks, pulling you into his chest.

San isn’t so lucky, however. Your mouth opens in a scream as you watch your master nearly get tossed over the side to the waves before Yunho catches him by the back of the shirt. Relief floods you, but you know this storm is far from over.

“Thank you!” San screams over the sharp whistling of the wind, but Yunho shakes his head grimly, sopping wet hair plastered to his forehead.

“Don’t thank me just yet.” He says in a sombre tone, face just as dark as the sky above him. He turns to you and Wooyoung. “Can you two manage the sails while I make sure San and Yeosang get to the sickbay safe?”

Wooyoung nods, body swaying with the violent movements of the ship. “We got it.”

You see the navigator clinging onto the railing, much like you and Wooyoung are, shivering from the freezing winds. Yunho grabs Yeosang by the scruff of the neck as well, holding two humans under his arm as he drags them down the forecastle deck stairs.

Then the ship pitches wildly once more out of nowhere and you hear a crash on the main deck, followed by shouts of pain and surprise from Yunho, Yeosang and San. You wince in sympathy.

“Ouch.”

Wooyoung shakes his head, yanking you forward by the arm. “Now’s not the time to worry about that!” The two of you dash across the deck, slipping and sliding on the wet floorboards and struggling to stay on your feet from the bucking motions of the ship, but you eventually reach the main mast, panting for breath.

Your partner glances back at you as his hands secure themselves tightly to the rigging. “You alright, Chin Hae-”

But before he can finish his squestion, the ship is rolled by a mountainous wave. A wall of water crashes into your body and you feel as if you’ve been punched by a giant fist, for a moment you briefly wonder if the ship has already capsized as you’re submerged in the sea. Through the chaos and unearthly, ghostly screams you hear, your fingers cling on tight to the rigging, refusing to let go.

If you do let go, you’re dead.

Then the water falls away and you’re gasping for air like a fish out of the sea, completely exhausted from the experience as you wipe your eyes with the back of your sleeve and spit seawater from your mouth. The deck floods and foams with water and you see several other of your crew mates struggling to gain their bearings as they recover from the massive wave.

“The sea witch’s magic must be interfering with Captain’s blessing.” Wooyoung spits, before he reaches over and shakes you. “Chin Hae, we need to get to furl the mainsail! Hurry!”

You snap out of your shock from the near death experience and immediately begin scaling the rigging as fast as you can. Hand over hand, you fall into the familiar motion of climbing the mast, even if this time the ropes are whipping around beneath you. Wooyoung is much faster, sliding up the ropes with so much ease he looks like he’s gliding, but even you can see the way his knuckles are clenched tight, the tight set of his jaw shows you the strain he’s under.

When he reaches the top, he reaches down to help you up, and then the two of you are clinging to the main mast as it swings about violently in the wind.

If you thought the deck had been pitching around like mad, it was nothing compared to the top of the mast. For a moment, nausea crests in you and you nearly throw up, but then you force it down and glance at Wooyoung.

He shouts something, but it’s lost over the roar of the storm. You see another wave crest over the ship and sweep across the deck, nearly washing a man overboard. Your captain stands at the wheel, battling the fierce undercurrents as he fights to keep the ship on course.

The sea is black and boiling beneath you, white froth outlining the massive waves as they pummel the ship from all directions. You’ve never seen the ocean act this way in all your time at sea, but then again, this must be the fearsome work of the witch.

“-hin Hae! Chin Hae!” You hear Wooyoung’s voice and glance at him, his face is pale and bloodless but his jaw is set in determination. “We’ve got to undo the ropes! You take one side and I’ll take the other!”

You nod grimly.

Then the two of you move to the halyards, knowing that you have to unsnag the ropes caught there to drop the sail. The wind howls in your ears, blocking out all sound, but you focus on your goal and continue inching towards the block and tackle, drawing a short knife from your belt to cut the rope free.

Your fingers are numb from the cold and from terror, but you put the blade’s edge against the rope and saw as fast as you can. The wind tugs at you and your clothes, a thousand invisible hands trying to pull you into the sea. You can only brace yourself the best you can and continue your work, to your elation, you feel the fibres snapping one by one beneath the knife.

Finally, the rope splits and the yardarm drops, the sail furling of its own accord. You and Wooyoung meet each other’s eyes and exchange sighs of relief, but it’s short lived.

Because the ship is hit by another massive wave, bigger than the first two, and you’re jerked off the yardarm.

For a moment, you’re suspended in mid air. The ship. The sky. The sail. The sea. They all swirl around you as you plummet down, and in your ears, like a distant cry, you can hear Wooyoung scream your name.

“Chin Hae!”

Then something catches you roughly by the shirt and drags you into the rigging, which your hands instinctively grab onto, your heart racing a million miles an hour as you try to snap out of your shock.

“You’re lucky I caught you!” Yunho shouts over the roar of the wind, clinging onto the ropes right next to you. You barely manage a nod, still lacking the capacity of mind to form words to thank him properly for saving your life. You’ll be grateful later.

“Let’s get down.” The battlemaster calls and you nod, desperate to get back to the relative safety of the deck. You slide down the ropes as fast as you can, holding onto them desperately. Your feet touch wood and it takes every ounce of self control not to kiss the deck out of sheer happiness.

Then Wooyoung is next to you and pulls you into his chest, arms wrapping around you tightly as you finally start to sob, your tears mixing with the rain until you can’t tell which is which, he whispers soothing words into your ears as his hand strokes your hair. Yunho joins the two of you, hugging both of you to his chest, glad that you’re both alive.

All of a sudden, the storm stills.

It’s as if someone has cut off everything. The rain stops instantly, the wind stills, the sea is no longer trying to capsize the ship, even if they are still battering it from all sides. For some reason, this unnerves you more than the storm itself, because who could possibly have the power to control the seas at their mere will?

“What’s happening?” Yunho breathes, letting go of the two of you to survey the surroundings for a moment. The rocky island is growing ever closer, and from here, you now see it’s the entrance of a massive cave in the middle of the ocean.

The sea witch’s lair.

There’s murmurs of relief around you as the crew almost collapse onto the deck, exhausted from their battle against the ocean. They’ve only survived because of the ocean’s mercy, not because they were strong enough to be victorious over it.

The ocean is truly terrifying.

You hear the click of your captain’s boots as he descends from the quarterdeck, studying the seas before them. His mullet is plastered to the back of his neck from the rain and his red jacket is soaked, but his eyes are still gleaming fiercely as he fixes his eyes on the island. A scowl twists on his face.

A curse escapes him.

“Why the long face, captain?” Yunho nudges him worriedly. Usually the battlemaster says that as a joke, but he can feel the tension in the air even without his captain speaking. Hongjoong clenches his jaw and you lean forward, wanting to know exactly why your captain is so on edge.

“Yunho, go to my cabin and get the earplugs.”

At that, Wooyoung stiffens behind you as he glances at the sea in horror. You whirl to face him, utterly confused at why you would need to plug your ears. “Wooyoung, what is it?”

You don’t think he could look more venomous if he tried.

“Sirens.”

Yunho runs back to his captain, distributing all the earplugs in a small bag. Wooyoung takes his, turning to explain to you fully as he puts one earplug in. “We’ve encountered sirens once, before you joined us. They’re dangerous creatures, with seductive bodies and fish tails that lay in wait for sailors on rocky shores. They don’t usually physically attack people, but they sing with hypnotic voices to entice people into jumping overboard and swimming for them, before the sea pulls them under and they drown.”

You shudder at the description of them as you place one earplug in. “And so these earplugs are to stop us from hearing their voices?”

Wooyoung nods grimly. “It’s going to be difficult to sail the ship like this, but it’s miles better than having us drown.”

You glance at your captain, who strides over to you and Wooyoung. “Are the two of you alright?” He checks in with the two of you, eyes softening slightly as he glances over your exhausted faces. Wooyoung nods when Hongjoong pats him on the shoulder gently.

“We’re fine.”

You realise he doesn’t have any earplugs of his own and fear runs through you at the thought of your captain being lost to the waves. “Captain, what about your earplugs?”

At that, Hongjoong manages a small smile, shaking his head. “Maybe it’s my blessing… but the sirens’ calls don’t affect me. Don’t worry about me.”

With that, he turns and moves back to the center of the deck.

You swallow nervously, glancing up at the brewing black sky above you. The deck is pitching back and forth violently, the waves beneath you brutally battering the sides of the ship as if trying their best to sink you and drag you to the bottom of the sea.

But that’s the least of your worries.

“Remember, everyone!” Your captain shouts over the howling of the wind fiercely, eyes stony with determination. “No one is to remove their earplugs until I give you the signal, alright?”

“Yes captain!” The crew responds with a resounding agreement before all of them plug their ears and move to man their stations, all intent on surviving this sea against all odds.

You glance towards the sea before you, right before the earplugs block out all sound from your ears.

A jewel green tail breaks the surface of the water, right before it disappears once more beneath the waves. They might look beautiful, but they remind you of sharks circling their prey right before a kill.

Fear seizes your chest as you clutch onto Wooyoung’s hand tightly.

I’m scared.

He doesn’t respond, pulling you into him and burying your face into his shoulder.

I know.

You can see them now, men and women with jewel toned tails flickering in the seas, diving beneath the waves and splashing around playfully. Their faces are ethereal, inhumanly beautiful, their vibrantly coloured hair pinned back with delicate seashells and pearls. Their sheer beauty is out of this world, and when they open their mouth, part of you just can’t help but wish you could hear such gorgeous creatures sing.

But Wooyoung grips your hand before you can move, shaking his head and snapping you out of your daze.

No.

You exhale nervously, nodding as you hold on tight to the ropes. You realise how dangerous these sirens actually are, you couldn’t even hear their voices and yet they were already seducing you to your death. Yunho pulls on Wooyoung’s shoulder to get his attention and gestures to a tackle that is trapped against a mast, causing the sail to flap unevenly in the wind.

Wooyoung nods once, before glancing at you in concern.

Can you handle yourself?

You nod determinedly. You’re on guard now. You’ll be fine.

Wooyoung reluctantly lets your hand go, before moving to scale the mizzenmast with Yunho to fix the sail.

You close your eyes against the sight of the beautiful sirens before you, resolute on not moving an inch until this entire thing is over and your captain comes to get you himself. There is no sound in your ears, nothing in your sight, and for a second, you’re relieved.

Nothing can possibly get you here.

Come back to us.

A voice, as sweet as sugar and as smooth as silk echoes in your mind. You jump a little in shock, eyes flying wide open as you glance about you, searching for whoever had said those words.

Please, we miss you so much.

A shiver runs down your spine. It’s another voice this time, just as honeyed as the voice before, caressing your ears gently like a lover’s kiss. You know that voice. You know all of their voices.

But Wooyoung and Captain said-

Who’s Wooyoung? And a captain? You bow to nobody.

Warmth seeps into your bones despite the freezing winds and it’s as if every thought in your mind has been erased into nothingness.

Everything fades into a gentle, pleasant haze as you await their next words.

Take off those human things and hear our voices in the air, love.

As if in a trance, your fingers rise to your ears.

The ocean roar fills your ears once more, the sound of the waves and the sky swirling above you like a reunited friend. You see the sirens in the ocean before you, smiling with the richest, most beautiful smiles you have ever seen, their mouths opening once more.

“Come to us.”

“We love you.”

“Return to us, our pearl.”

“Our queen.”

“Our treasure.”

Their voices blend together into an unearthly harmony, so beautiful and rich that it sinks into your mind and empties out every other thought. They call for you so desperately, with so much longing and yearning, you can feel yourself being pulled to them.

Wait, you want to tell them as they sing once more for you and only you. I’m coming.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

You walk towards the side of the ship in a daze, boots tapping lightly against the floorboards. The earplugs falls to the deck and roll away under your feet, but you don’t care.

“Come.”

You hear someone behind you cry out ‘Chin Hae’ faintly, but it doesn’t register in your head, merely blowing across your ears like the wind. You merely falter a little in your tracks, pausing slightly.

Chin Hae?

“No such human name is worthy of you.” The voices shift and rolls like the gentle waves of the sea, beseeching you to continue to move forward and you do.

You reach the railing of the ship, swinging one leg over the balustrade as the sirens swimming under you smile so sweetly. You hang from the railing, feet just balancing on the outer hull of the ship as you sway with the wind, staring at the sea beneath you.

“Chin Hae!” The voice is louder, more desperate this time, but your eyes are fixed on the sirens, their hypnotic jewel like eyes drawing you in.

“Jump.”

And you do.

#ateez #ateez fanfic #ateez fanfiction #hongjoong #seonghwa #yunho #yeosang #san #mingi #wooyoung #jongho #ateez pirate king #w; ot8 #w; fanfiction #w; pirate king

[stillness-in-green]

When MVA/MLA Arc gets animated, what will you be looking forward to the most? What (canon-compliant) additions and/or changed do you want or think Bones should make, if any?

There’s--a lot.  Does that surprise anyone?  There’s a lot.

o  I have been foaming at the mouth for voice actor announcements for almost a year now, particularly for Trumpet, Geten and RD.           Trumpet’s superpower is literally his voice!  I mean, nothing about that statement requires that voice be particularly entrancing, but it certainly seems like it should be, right??             Geten is a boku-type in the manga, but that was literally the only hint foreshadowing his pretty boy face through 21 solid chapters of Pure Feral Gremlin.  Everyone was shocked by Geten’s face reveal!  How do you maintain that surprise value with an actual voice actor in the mix?  Do you not even try?  Do you play up the disparity--in which direction?  I can’t wait to see what they do.           And Re-Destro!  Re-Destro requires so much range!  From his peppy, silly businessman persona, to the urbane commander, from the overeager yes-man to the raving zealot--who on earth do you get to believably cover all that ground?  I can’t even begin to guess, but I am living in anticipation of that article going up on ANN or the official Twitter sources.

o  I’m also much looking forward to getting official coloring on Trumpet and Geten.  Skeptic seems pretty straightforward--black, black, more black--and RD and Curious, we have color art for, but I wonder if Trumpet will also be all black clothes, to go with that dignified politician image of his, or if he’ll get some color to pep him up a little.  What color are those tinted shades of his?  His eyes?  The wicked-cool Sevens Loud?           I assume Geten is all wintery shades, but it’ll be great to confirm which ones.  I mean, we all assume he’s white-haired to better annoy Dabi with family parallels, but what if he turns out to be platinum blond?  And are his eyes blue?  Gray?  White?  What color is that awful parka?           Also, Re-Destro’s stress powers.  Having been writing them as black since at least August--Rorschach test blots are generally black, after all, and they’re the clear inspiration--I would much like it if the anime would have my back on this.  They made Destro’s mask a dark cinnamon brown, though, so I’m prepared to be unpleasantly surprised in this matter.

o  Predictable MLA adaptational choices aside, I’m also eager/anxious about how they’ll handle Spinner’s narration.  What I really hope is that they actually straight-up hand him ALL the narration duties--not just the stuff he dictates directly in the manga, but also e.g. the name and quirk explanation material that Present Mic normally gets, or the previews that are always handled by Deku.           The opening and closing sequences are another big structural thing, of course--based on the flashed snippets of Hawks and Endeavor in both our current and the previous OP, I’m expecting we’ll see at least a bit of something referencing the upcoming internship arc (which I expect to close out the season), but I hope the villains just walk away with the closing entirely.  I want my slice of life villainy ED, dangit.

o  Another thing I’m eager/anxious about would be Kotarou, and the Shimura flashback generally.  There’s a brittle edge of to Kotarou that I really love, and I hope he manages to keep it in the anime, despite the anime being generally not so great at moments that I would describe as “delicate.”  For example, I’d like it if he doesn’t get a super deep voice, and if they could manage to keep his pretty face, and capture how deeply bitter and tired he looks in the scene where he’s reading the letter Nana left him.           Also, I hope they keep the little montage bits and, crucially, the changes of clothes the family goes through.  We see Tenko in no less than five, possibly as many as seven, different T-shirts through the course of that flashback.  It seems like a small thing, but it’s one of the factors that makes me skeptical that AFO gave Tenko Decay, when so many days clearly go by between the opening with the man at the door and the tragic end.  It’d be nice not to see too much resurgence on that just because the anime can’t be bothered to come up with more than one outfit for the Shimuras.

I have enough issues with the anime’s usual adaptation choices that I’m trying not to get my hopes up too high on the actual content of the episodes.  The staff is diverting too much of its major talent to the movies (BAH) these days for me to expect the whole season to look all that great, and it’s never been particularly creative or daring outside of its climactic sakuga-heavy fight scenes anyway.  I’ve also long had a bone to pick with its scoring decisions, and am already eyeballing the climax of the RD/Shigaraki fight and imagining the minor-keyed terrifying dirge I fear the anime will play there, at the moment that Re-Destro (and, shortly afterward, Spinner) are supposed to be experiencing something akin to religious awakenings.           There’s also the issue of the violence and gore--judging by how the anime handled the scene where Shigaraki and Compress maim Overhaul, I have some severe reservations about how much blood they’ll be allowed to get away with, particularly in the scene where the League brutally decimates that CRC group and, of course, Shigaraki’s backstory.  I’m looking at MVA to serve as a preview for how all the same issues will be addressed in the War Arc.

That bit of pessimism aside, as to what I’m hoping they’ll add or change?  Well, off the top of my head.....

o  I would love to get a full episode devoted to the time the League spends fighting Machia.  Not that first tussle, but the six grueling weeks in the mountains.  There’s so much you could add there for character building and atmosphere that Hori didn’t so much as montage through.  Where was their food coming from?  How’d they pick out places to pitch camp?  How much access to news from outside did they have, and how frequently?  What were the circumstances in which Gigantomachia “told them himself” about his great sense of smell??  Stuff like that!             I don’t think we’re at all likely to get this--honestly, the series of late has had enough of a problem with trimming bits and pieces that I’m as worried about what they might cut as I am hyped about things they might add--but the one thing that gives me some hope is the training camp arc.  Specifically, the moment 1-A first gets to the Pussycats’ forest, they get jumped by earth golems, a fight that the manga off-panels entirely, but the anime spends a modest amount of time on, giving the kids a little bit of time to show off their moves and such.  I’d love to get something equivalent for the League.

o  On a similar note, I wouldn’t turn it down if they fleshed out some of those running street fights a bit.  One obvious thing comes to mind: there’s a weird jump in the manga between Skeptic and a horde of his golems being all but on top of Twice at the beginning of 233 and then that fight just--doesn’t happen.  There’s no mention of it at all.  I think the suggestion is that either Machia’s appearance or the tower going down interrupted it--Skeptic breaks off from his fight the same way Geten and Trumpet do theirs, shifting focus to protecting Re-Destro--but it’d be nice to see the anime touch on it.

o  It’d be nice to get a bit of expansion on the nature of the bullying Spinner endured.  We’re told he was, but was it limited to verbal?  Did he get beaten up a lot?  Was there an online element?  Deku’s our only other reference point for “bullied kid,” and whatever one might think about the story’s development of Bakugou’s mentality, it’s been made clear in retrospect that there was a lot more too that than just the matter of Deku’s quirklessness.  I’d love to know how Spinner’s bullying looked in comparison (not least because of some of the theories about Spinner and Deku needing to come to some kind of accord to free Shigaraki from AFO).

o  Make the Villa (both here and during the War Arc) look more realistic.  By which I mean, I know Horikoshi is capable of drawing interesting and lived-in interior spaces--he has an entire chapter dedicated to it in the 1-A dorm room contest, after all--but he normally doesn’t bother much with it.  At UA, it’s not too distracting, because we know good and well that that whole building is probably maintained by Cementoss anyway.  Ditto places like Tartarus (intentionally, dehumanizingly barren) or the League’s post-Kamino hideouts (abandoned homes and industrial spaces).  But the Villa?            For heaven’s sake, it’s called a mountain villa.  It has a clear reception desk on the ground floor; it’s obviously some sort of high-end hotel, if not an outright resort or rentable retreat lodge.  Speaking as someone who’s worked in one, places like that don’t look as fuckin’ bare as the rooms we see there always seem to.  For fanfic purposes, I’m happy to go on telling myself that e.g. the pool and the bar and the restaurant(s) and the gym are in the building Cementoss doesn’t tear in half, but it’d be nice if the anime could class the whole place up a little, maybe put some real furniture and decor in the rooms that are in use.  (Yes, I know this is a ridiculous nitpick.)

o  This is less a change and more a correction, but for fuck’s sake, BONES, give us white-haired Shigaraki.  The climax of Deika is a solid time for it, given that it’s obvious in the manga that Shigaraki’s hair gets paler in Deika--you can see it in the way Horikoshi inks it (which is to say, the way he stops inking it)!  I think if we ever get white-haired Shigaraki in the anime, a somewhat better time as far as narrative justification goes would be when Shigaraki gets out of the tube in the War Arc; you could easily justify it as a side-effect of the surgery.  Still, I’d rather see it here.  I want white-haired Shigaraki, gleaming and brilliant through the scattering ash in that crater, a veritable angel of sacred destruction.           Honestly, more than anything, the crater sequence is the one I hope I love.  It’s probably my favorite single moment in the entire manga, as Shigaraki wins over Re-Destro, Spinner and Gigantomachia in the same moment, and finally comes into his own.  If they can at least nail that, I’ll consider myself pretty satisfied.

#stillness-answers #my villain academia #meta liberation army #boku no hero academia #bnha #hopes and dreams

[babybunnyboy1]

Part 19, oh lawd.

Beatrix let out a sigh, Kelly right at her side. It was strange, next to a villager who looked as she did. So determined, her eyes trained on Conway rather than Donavan. Anger. So Conway was the one who wounded Bunny, she thought, her eyes turning to Conway again as she huffed. She stepped forward, iron golem letting out a creak as the metal shifted. "Kelly-" She started. "This is Hardie." She says, her hand cupping the iron golem's cheek. "Good day, H...Hardie." She says, her eyes not leaving Conway. Beatrix pointed. "Hardie." The golem's eyes snapped to Conway. "If anything happens... Protect the fletching witch first." Kelly looked away from Conway now, confused at Beatrix's wording. Hardie picked Kelly up, making her yelp. Donavan looked over, nervously looking up at Hardie as Hardy placed Kelly in a well worn leather spot. Like a saddle, only instead of the back of an animal it was on his shoulder. Kelly shifted, frowning as he looked down at Beatrix. Did she know that her mother was a witch?

No. That didn't matter now. What mattered was two generals with massive armies, Donavan less so with the massive part of the massive army, were about to fight. Which in turn, would likely drag the entire territory into a large discord of bloodshed and a likely genocide of the nearby villages. If Conway had his way, of course. Nothing says bullshit and bad luck much like getting caught in the middle of a battle that they had no business getting into. That's why Beatrix needed to diffuse the situation. Before Bunny woke up. Beatrix knew if Bunny woke up and these two assholes were still fighting he'd somehow influence them both into drawing blades and dragging themselves into a huge battle.

Bunny as like a bored god in that sense. Violence and manipulation always seemed to entertain him when Beatrix wasn't calming him down. That was their relationship. Beatrix the beast tamer, Bunny the one who was always seconds away from pulling whatever trigger he wanted to start whatever war he wanted. Beatrix had to diffuse the situation, get Conway out of here.

Beatrix let out a sigh before speaking slowly. "Is this really what you want Conway...? To fight?"

Conway chuckled, smirking. "What if I do... I see Donavan's numbers. Dwindling every day..."

Beatrix glared. "My numbers aren't dwindling. They're growing. Donavan and I area allies. You start a war with him you start a war with me."

An ender pearl broke. Emelia stood next to Beatrix, holding her staff up and glaring at Donavan and Conway. Emelia was always the type of girl who'd rather a girl in red than any man.

Beatrix let out a sigh, frowning as she took out a potion and glared. "Well..? Conway? Would you rather fight a bunch of little girls such as myself, or just going back to your own territory and minding your business." "What if I do. I mean- I got evokers." A priest stepped forward, his book open in his hand, his palm radiating magic. Behind him were several other men. The male equivalent of a witch, only more powerful because a witch could always run out of potions. "Besides," the bastard is still fucking talking? "I got business with the Player."

"Leave Bunny alone. He's just trying to live a normal life."

The evoker started speaking, smirking as he quoted the book in his hand. "Once the God of Destruction who's eyes were as white and as judgemental as Death placed his hands against her head her body transformed. Corrupted from the heaven's image she transformed into her own god of creation and exploration, but she was cursed to always walk this realm until the realm itself was gone from existence. Reborn after every death from ash onto the place where she last slept. She, will feel pain in her feet as she walks, and cursed to remember her own sin of wishing for eternal life. She will live as a Goddess among mortals, She-"

Beatrix stared, her eyes narrowing into a hot glare. Her skin felt hot. She knew. She knew of when Bunny was a girl. It just made her so man that someone would just blatantly disrespect Bunny's preferred pronouns and use that cursed moment of Bunny's life.

"He." Beatrix's voice wavered. "His name is Bunny, and he is NOT your God."

"She fits the description of the legend. A woman who covers and shapes her body to fit the description of the Salt God who made her this way-"

"He is a man! Through and through! That story is just a legend! You have no right-"

An axe flew past Beatrix's head, she had no time to react as she watched the Evoker's head was chopped clean off of his body before it landed on the grass behind him. He fell to the ground, a crumpled body where a person used to be. Beatrix wiped her face, something wet and smelling strongly of copper had splashed onto her face.

"Sorry to burst into the conversation... I just had a very satisfying nap.." Bunny says, yawning as he walks forward. His eyes glaring, as if he were hoping a look could kill the rest of the evokers. "Now then, some new rules... Do not quote the old magics with me, boys... I was there when it was written..."

Conway glared, stepping off of his beast and stepping over the old evoker's corpse. Just a speed bump along his travels to meet Bunny face to face. "So you admit it, Player. You were there 500-"

"504 years ago but who's counting." He spits, glaring right up to the much taller guy.

Kelly stared with confusion. Casper a little less than a few feet behind Beatrix and Hardie. "What do you mean- you're only 19 or 20 or-"

Beatrix closed her eyes as Bunny responded, both were shaking with anger. "I'm 516." Bunny says.

The camp fell silent, Conway's crew looked happy that they were right. They had found their god, after all. The person who their culture revered with respect because of her power and ability to never die.

"And I am going to kill you all."

Conway's crew no longer looked happy, realizing now that killing the evoker priest was not where Bunny would stop. They didn't just anger a Player who cherished every life she impacted. They angered a God.

[bunnymcbunnister]

Supernatural Season 15 Spoilers Sheet, update 10/20

I’m going to have a busy Monday, so I’ll post this today. Some fun interviews this week gave us some nice info. 

I want be be 100% clear so I don’t get ‘subtumbled’ again.... this is for fun. I picked this up after Jess stopped because I like having all the info in one place. SOME OF THIS INFO WILL BE WRONG. This is not reliable information. Do not expect all this to come to pass. I am not a journalist or clairvoyant, I just like gathering stuff. If you take it too seriously, please don’t read. If you see something you think is wrong, go ahead and message me and I’ll correct. I’ll add a disclaimer to the top of the sheet so this disclaimer is always there and clear. 

DISCLAIMER: This is gathered info from various and sometimes unreliable sources. This is not confirmed information. Stuff in this WILL be wrong. Don’t take this too seriously. This is for fun. 

General Info (oldest to newest)

There is likely to be 20 episodes

They are filming the 4th episode 1st, which Jensen is directing

Returning this year are: Rowena, Ketch, Eileen, Amara, Adam, and Kevin

Jared and Jensen know the ending. Jensen struggled with it at first. Misha does not know the ending as of SDCC

Matt Cohen and Richard Speight Jr. will direct

Sam, Dean, and Cas will struggle with the concept of free will and if they ever really had it

The focus will be more on Hell than Heaven

There is hope to wrap up some Wayward Daughters storylines in the back half of the season

They are adding a whole extra day to filming to do the final scene (Implies logistics- lots of returning people?)

Brad Bucker used the word “romance” when asked about Sam and Dean’s arcs. Did not specify who. 

Chuck will be more of an absent protagonist in the 1st half of the season (but he in in ep 4)

At the beginning of the season Dean and Cas will still have a rift. They will reconcile “at some point”. Jensen claims as of script 4 they still have friction. This has been repeated several times, from Misha as well. He indicated Dean is still mad at Cas, but Cas doesn’t feel to blame for Mary’s death. 

In an interview, Kripe indicated that the series ending would have “peace” for Sam and Dean

Not much new at the TCA’s, but it was said it is “unlikely” Jeffery Dean Morgan will be back since his last appearance was such a good end note. There were some jokes about a Castiel spin off. Hell, I’d watch. 

There will be a special tribute ep, not clear if its one of the 20 or additional

Misha will be in 15 out of 20 episodes this season

According to Dabb, Sam and Dean are going to start to lose people who, in past seasons, we would’ve never lost — and lose them in a very real way. Our guys are going to realize there’s a certain finality, and some of the things they’ve relied on to get through the day — people, talents, things like that — they are no longer going to be able to roll out. And that’s going to throw them for a loop (Unfortunately, my guess in Rowena)

Also according to Dabb, Jack is still in the empty and “he’s not coming back in the near future” (this makes no sense. He’s on set for several episodes- interacting with the boys)

Cas’ deal with the Empty may come up later in the season. 

Kevin will return.

Season 15 promo: https://youtu.be/V232RpcCdTY

Christan Kane (Leverage/Angel) will star as “Leo” an “old friend” of Deans. 

Dabb intimated that Chuck was inherently responsible for killing Mary when asked how the boys would respond to Jack. 

Adam Rose, who played Aaron Bass from the golem episode vauge-tweeted about working a show with two badass leads. Could be Supernatural, but I think the timing is off- he indicated he was filming late Friday night. 

General season 15 promo- more of a retrospective: https://youtu.be/_hlkNQL5Ecg

Dabb compared Chuck and John Winchester, claiming that Dean would have to break free of “conditioning.” Also, for Jack “there have been cosmic forces fighting for his attention since he was in the womb — and that will continue. As much as this season is about Sam and Dean finding agency, it’s also about Castiel finding agency, and it’s about Jack finding agency. As always, death is never the end. It’s just part of the journey and that’s certainly true with Jack.” 

Per Variety: At the outset of the season, the “Supernatural” foursome of Dean, Sam, Castiel and Jack are split up, but Dabb notes they won’t be for long because “ultimately this is a found family, and they have deep emotional bonds” that make up the most important part of the show.

Sam’s wound from the equalizer gives his powers/an advantage of some kind (per TVGuide)

Jack will be a critical part of the ending of the show

The cage/Adam is looking like it will be coming up for midseason

Shaving People, Punting Things: https://youtu.be/azTwku2uosA

The shaving promo, punting things promo shows glimpses or Lucifer!Sam and MOC!Dean, as well as bearded Dean in tactical equipment. Recent interviews by Dabb seem to indicate that these are glimpses into other universes, a la Apocalypse World, and other endings from Sam and Dean. 

According to the MarySue and other interviews, Sam’s bullet hole will give him a connection and insight to god- like a tin can telephone string.

In the cage, Micheal and Adam have formed a working relationship (MarySue)

Dean and Amara’s connection will be explored

There will be a bunker themed episode (MarySue)

According to Misha (Cinablend) Dean and Cas will have discord up to ep 8- which is the mid-season finale. 

Episode 15x03

Title: The Rupture

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: AS IT IS WRITTEN – Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) together with Rowena (guest star Ruth Connell) work tirelessly to keep all of hell from breaking loose. Castiel (Misha Collins) cannot forgive an arrogant betrayal. Charles Beeson directed the episode written by Robert Berens. (#1504). Original Airdate 10/24/2019. 

Written by: Berens 

Director: Charles Beeson

Filming Dates:  8/22-9/2

Airdate: 10/24

Photos: http://www.ksitetv.com/supernatural/supernatural-spoilers-rupture-images-description/197376/

Promo: https://youtu.be/iwbAzgUr0kU

Sneak Peak:

Castiel? yes Jack? Yes (as Bel)

Guest stars:  Ruthie Connell

Other Spoilers/info:

Part of this ep will take place in hell as well as the cemetery where Jack died at the end of last season

Misha mentioned a scene at VanCon with him, Sam, Dean, Rowena, and Jack/Bel

Sam Smith was on set, but I would imagine she was visiting as she was in town for VanCon

Cas will leave “in a huff” 

Promo photos show Cas bleeding from the ears

 Episode 15x04 (filmed out of order)

Title: Atomic Monsters

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: JENSEN ACKLES DIRECTS – Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) investigate the mysterious death of a girl and the disappearance of another. Jensen Ackles directed the episode written by Davy Perez (#1501). Original Airdate 11/7/2019.

Written by: Davy Perez

Director: Jensen Ackles

Filming Dates:  7/18-7/29

Airdate: 11/7

Photos: 

Promo:

Sneak Peak:

Castiel? Probably not  Jack? Probably not

Guest stars:  Rob Benedict 

Other Spoilers/info:

Jensen mentioned  a guest star “fan favorite”  that hasn’t been seen since season 7 that is no longer in the business. Guesses include Becky, who hasn’t acted in a while but isn't exactly a fan favorite, Meg, who hasn't acted but she was in season 8, and Balthazar or Frank or Jo or Rufus, but all act frequently. Jensen doesn't always have the most accurate season memory, so he could be off on the season. Since this seems like a Chuck episode, my guess is Becky but I hope for Meg. SOURCE UNCONFIRMED- I haven’t seen this in a reliable source, so take it with a grain of salt. UPDATE- it sounds like Becky’s voice in the Shaving People, Punting things trailer. 

There was a beaver mascot on set… it looks like they are filming at a school called Beaverdale

Jensen and Jared filed outside in fed suits

Chuck will be in this one. Jensen directed him first alone with his beard unshaved (so maybe a solo Chuck scene or him interacting with others/not the boys). There are also theories of a time jump in this ep.

This will be a one off, classic monster hunting episode with some ties to ongoing storylines. Sam and Dean will leave the bunker to keep their skills sharp

Jensen directed

Misha will not be in this ep

SD Comic Con was during filming

Dean will be in the bunker in tactical equipment with a BEARD- fighting someone 

Episode 15x05

Title: Proverbs 17:3

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: 

Written by: Yockey

Director: Speight

Filming Dates:  9/4-9/13

Airdate: 11/14

Photos: 

Promo:

Sneak Peak:

Castiel? No  Jack? doubtful

Guest stars: 

Other Spoilers/info::

This will most likely be Yockey’s last episode.

Matt Cohen was around, but I imagine he is following directors to prep for his own debut directing. 

Scenes were filmed in the bunker and in a wooded area. A woman could be heard screaming in the outside scene. 

Episode 15x06

Title: Golden Time

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: 

Written by: Meredith Glynn

Director: Steve Boyum

Filming Dates:  9/16-9/25

Airdate: 11/21

Photos: 

Promo:

Sneak Peak:

Castiel? Yes Jack? Not sure

Guest stars: 

Other Spoilers/info:

Misha tweeted from set in costume, so Cas. 

Misha also tweeted a pic in blood spatter with two bullet holes in his shirt

At least Jensen and Jared filmed in Rowena’s apartment 

This will be a witch episode- Witches will invade Rowena’s apartment looking for books. They are very powerful. Dean gets thrown into a wall and Sam uses magic to stop them (from TVGuide)

 Episode 15x07

Title: Last Call

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: 

Written by: Jeremy Adams

Director: Amyn Kaderali

Filming Dates:  9/26- 10/7

Airdate: Dec 7th is what Christian Kane tweeted…. But that is a Saturday. Dec 5th maybe?

Photos: 

Promo:

Sneak Peak:

Castiel ? Yes Jack ? 

Guest stars: 

Other Spoilers/info :

Misha posted from set in new shoes- very shiny with well tailored pants. (The next day he posted in full Cas costume, so are the shoes a one off? Another outfit with new shoes?)

Misha and Jensen made a video from set. I feel like if Jared was around he would have been in it since it was about money raised?  Maybe a Dean Cas scene?

There will be a battle scene in this that Jensen mentioned he was looking forward to and we would enjoy. 

After NJ Con, it appeared that Jensen returned to work, Jared and Misha stayed an extra day and then Misha went home.

Jensen and Christian filmed at a bar called Swazey’s. This was the fight scene Jensen was referring to. 

At some point, Sam might be shirtless or we can see part of his chest- Jared had his anti-possession tattoo at the weekend convention.

Per TVGuide, Leo and Dean will have a wild night out in an effort for Dean to recapture his mojo. Dean will become the lead of a band called Dean and the Impalas, which is made up of Supernatural crew. 

Osric Chau popped over to set, but he is filming on Legends of Tomorrow in the same studio. Sebastin Roche also indicated he would come by, he is filming on Batgirl. Unfortunately, neither Kevin or Balthazar will appear in this one. 

  Episode 15x08

Title: Last Call

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: 

Written by: Buckleming? Source unconfirmed)

Director: Speight

Filming Dates:  10/8- 10/18 (no filming 10/14 for Canadian Thanksgiving)

Airdate: 

Photos: 

Promo:

Sneak Peak:

Castiel ? yes Jack ? 

Guest stars: Jake Abel, Shoshannah Stern

Other Spoilers/info:

Jake Abel posted a script with the caption “hell hath no fury like a brother scorned”

Shoshannah Stern was spotted on set- Eileen!

This will be the midseason finale

 Episode 15x09

Title: 

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: 

Written by: Berens

Director: Singer

Filming Dates:  10/21-10/30

Airdate: 

Photos: 

Promo:

Sneak Peak:

Castiel ? Jack ? 

Guest stars: 

Other Spoilers/info (newest to oldest):

Midseason premier episode

The story will be about Sam and Dean as heroes from the good and bad side (from MarySue)

Episode 15x10

Title: 

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: 

Written by: 

Director: 

Filming Dates:  

Airdate: 

Photos: 

Promo:

Sneak Peak:

Castiel ? Jack ? 

Guest stars: 

Other Spoilers/info (newest to oldest):

  Past Episodes

Episode 15x01

Title: Back and to the Future 

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: Picking up where we left off last season, Sam, Dean and Castiel are left to defend the world after all the souls in hell have been released and are back on Earth and free to kill again.

Written by: Dabb

Director: Showwalter

Filming Dates:  7/30-8/9 (no filming 8/5 for Canadian holiday)

Airdate: Oct 10

Photos: http://www.ksitetv.com/supernatural/supernatural-season-premiere-photos-back-and-to-the-future/196183/

Promo: (for at least ep one and two) ttps://youtu.be/V232RpcCdTY

Sneak Peak:

Castiel? Yes Jack ? yes

Guest stars: 

Other Spoilers/info:

The first episode will start right where the previous left off

Misha posed with the John Wayne Gacy clown

Jensen posted a series of pics- one clean shaven, one vid of him shaving, and one where he    appeared to be in character with blood and dirt on his face and in Dean plaid, but with his beard… confusing- some time jump theories are developing for ep 4. 

Jensen was photoed filming (wearing an FBI jacket)outside with Alex

Misha and Jared filmed outside with a woman and young girl. They were running from the clown guy and a few other zombie looking creatures. CAS WAS NAKED (haha just no trench) and holding a shotgun. It could have been rehearsal and there was no camera in the clip shared by a fan which might explain the coat? Another fan said it was hot and Misha kept taking the coat off, so I’m sure this just a piece of rehearsal footage. 

Alex was filming in white sunglasses. Other set photos indicate he had makeup on his eyes making them look burnt out. There is some spec that Jack will come back blind. 

Misha posted a pic of the 4 of them in the impala

According to Variety, the boys will escape the zombies in a temp shelter. They are working together, but Cas feel “detached.” Misha seems to indicate that Cas feels unfairly blamed in Mary’s death and is deeply upset about Jack. 

According to TVGuide, after they fight past the zombies, they end up in a mausoleum. They end up making a “deal with the devil” to get out. This is particularly upsetting to Cas. 

Posing as FBI agents, the boys seal off the town as a gas leak to contain the monsters temporarily. 

Dean’s time in hell is brought up

Jack’s body is being used by an entity that will help the boys get out of the zombie situation. 

Episode 15x02

Title: Raising Hell

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: SENDING OUT AN SOS – Sam (Jared Padalecki), Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Castiel (Misha Collins) call on Rowena (Guest Star Ruth Connell) to help keep the evil souls at bay and get an unexpected assist from Ketch (Guest Star David Haydn-Jones). Robert Singer directed the episode written by Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming (#1503). Original airdate 10/17/2019.

Written by: Buckleming 

Director: Singer

Filming Dates:  8/12- 8/21

Airdate: 10/17

Photos: http://www.ksitetv.com/supernatural/supernatural-15-2-photos-raising-hell/196890/

Promo: https://youtu.be/uSzwEXKZRw8

Sneak Peak:

Castiel? YES Jack ? YES

Guest stars: Ruth Connell, David Haydn-Jones, Rob Benedict, Osric Cho, Emily Swallow (?)

Other Spoilers/info :

A set was a high school set up to be a shelter. 

Kevin, Chuck, Ketch and Rowena will be in this. Maybe Amara too. Emily Swallow was in town for only a short time, so I imagine it would just be a scene or two

Ghosts/zombies were seen on set. There will be a scene with Rowena attacking them that includes at least Dean and Cas.

There will be one longer scene in a park. 

Alex was in sunglasses again - now we know as Bel

Ruth posted two vids of Misha claiming that he had filmed several scenes, but had no dialog - over three days so it must be a scripted reason(A spell? Chuck? Is he giving Dean the silent treatment?) 

Ruth posted a video with her trailer, but the video showed Alex’s as well, so Jack

Misha posted from set in costume. Minus the coat again, but I’m still blaming the heat…. But he was without in the two Ruthie videos as well… soo……? I don’t know. I still think it's a heat issue.

Night shoots are scheduled in a warehouse. Hand painted signs indicating quarantine were nearby

Kevin is back

#supernatural #spn spoilers #supernatural spoilers #spn season 15 #spoiler sheet #this is not factual info #read at your own risk

[ayma-nidiot]

In the White Light - Prideshipping fanfic Chapter 21

Also on AO3.

This will most likely be the darkest chapter in the entire fic, complete with lots of crying and cussing. Fair warning, Rex and Bandit King Bakura are going to suffer a ton in this chapter. This is the last chapter with significant Shrimpshipping. I promise the Prideshipping will get more significant from here on out!

For me, the characters' suffering is exacerbated by the horrible PMS cramps and bloating I had while writing this chapter. I also often get the flu when I forget to brush my teeth for a while and I think I feel one coming on (I just brushed my teeth this afternoon). Not helped, of course, by my intense work schedule. T_T Yet strangely, I feel more on a roll than ever!

Also, the title of this chapter is homage to one of my favourite yaoi manga, Ikoku Irokoi Romantan, by Ayano Yamane. I forgot to mention, too, why Kaiba refers to Rex as "rabbit stew." That is homage to one of my other favourite yaoi manga, Crimson Spell. Also by Ayano Yamane.

Chapter 21 – To Heaven or Hell

“So now that we know your real name, we need to head back to the palace,” Téa proposed. “Kaiba could be in trouble…”

“I… I don’t think I want to go.” Yami Yugi moped while hugging his knees. “Besides, Kaiba is more than capable of fending for himself.”

“Come on, man, you’re the king for cryin’ out loud!” Joey pulled Yami Yugi off the ground. “You’re gonna let one little lover’s quarrel make you shirk your duties?”

“But-”

“Ya’ know what, screw what Anubis said! He’s dead! And anyway, did rich- I mean, Kaiba actually say that he’d rather be president of KaibaCorp than be your wife?”

“…You know, you’re right, Joey. It may be hard, but… This isn’t the first time that we’ve quarreled, and it certainly won’t be the last. As any good partner should, I need to learn to communicate.”

“Pharaoh!” Téa smiled.

“What are you guys doing just standing there?” Yami Yugi summoned his Curse of Dragon and got on it.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!” Joey mounted his Red-Eyes Black Dragon while Tristan joined him.

Tristan waited until they were nearly at the palace to speak his mind. “Say, guys? I noticed that those shrimpy brats weren’t with us the whole time.”

“Rex and Weevil, you mean?” asked Yugi.

“I just hope they’re not causing trouble at the palace…” Téa remarked. “Knowing those two, they’re probably- Oh my! The duel’s still going on?”

“Looks like a tag duel!” Tristan exclaimed, and his expression changed when he saw the half-shifted Weevil. “Whoa, it’s Spiderman!”

“Pretty sure that’s not what Spiderman is supposed to look like, Tristan.” Joey squinted. “Is that… It can’t be! Bug boy can transform like rich boy can?”

Red shadows and flames engulfed Weevil. He expressed no pain as he grew taller, becoming a gigantic spider that Yami Yugi remembered. “It’s that spider from the vision quest!”

“Raaaaa!”

As Weevil trampled onto the battlefield, charging towards Yami Marik, Rex looked to his Duel Disk. The Dark Effigy had disappeared, replaced by an even stronger monster card. “Weevil…” His gaze turned up to the beautiful creature his boyfriend had become. “This form… is amazing…”

“Aaaaaargh!” Four spider legs pierced Yami Marik’s body, and he died almost instantly.

“How do you like them apples?” Rex smirked at his only remaining opponent, who had uncharacteristically taken on a somber expression. “What’s the matter, cat got your tongue? Or should I say, spider got your tongue?”

“I thought I recognized you two!”

“Yeah, we’re the ‘brats’ who gave you back your Millennium Ring!”

“I’m talking about the past, you fool! You do remember the pharaoh’s vision quest, do you not? Doesn’t the spider look familiar?”

“Wh-What?” The truth finally clicked for Rex. “Now that you mention it, my rabbit form looked a lot like that rabbit, too. But what are you getting at?”

“I’m saying that just like Kaiba here, the two of you also had past selves. …Back when all of the High Priests were still alive, I used to be one of the royal family’s most hated enemies. They… They killed them all… They killed everyone in my home village of Kul Elna, just to make some fancy schmancy artifacts called the Millennium Items!”

“Bakura…” In a moment of weakness, Yami Yugi couldn’t help but feel sorry for the man.

“This is what started my war against the royal family. I wanted to steal the Millennium Items so that I may become pharaoh and overthrow the old one. And by my side the whole time were my most trusted thieves, Sia and Hu. As a bandit, I couldn’t bring myself to have compassion for another, not until those two orphans came into my life. Hu was an outspoken young man who had the ability to persuade anyone. Sia… He had a gift for writing and strategizing. He was my only equal in wits – so much that I had even named him as successor.”

“What happened to them?” Even a complete dimwit like Rex could feel empathy towards the Bandit King.

“In my desperation to destroy the royal family, I found another individual who hated the royal family as much as I did. His name was Anubis. I pleaded for his aid to kill the pharaoh, and in exchange, he asked for two strong individuals…” Bandit King Bakura’s breath hitched a few times. “So I offered to him Sia and Hu. But his experiments failed, and my only two friends had died… They died for nothing!”

“…” Kaiba couldn’t stand to look at Bandit King Bakura; even he felt tears coming on.

“And now… Now, I finally get to see them again!”

“What do you mean, ‘again?’” Weevil stood down.

“You…” The Bandit King continued to cry as he looked at Weevil and drew his next card. “Forgive me for what I’m about to do, Sia… No, Earthbound God Uru!”

“I… I’m a god?”

“That will be ‘was’ in a few seconds!” Bandit King Bakura played the card he just drew. “I play my spell De-Spell to destroy Archfiend Palabyrinth! Now history repeats itself!”

“What do you-” Weevil could say no more as his body and soul quickly began to fade. “Aaaaah!”

“You…” Rex fell to his knees and cried when Weevil had died. “YOU FUCKING BASTARD! What did you do to my boyfriend?”

“I got rid of the Field Spell he needed to survive… Hu, I’m sorry.”

“My name is Rex Raptor, you motherfucker! I’ll fucking make you pay!”

“Hey, calm down, rabbit stew!” Kaiba intervened, then turned to the Bandit King. “Bakura, in case you forgot, there are three duelists present right now! And right now, you’re looking at the one who’s going to kick your ass!”

“Priest Seto… No, I will be the one to kick your ass. You and your ilk… You took everything from me… You and the pharaoh will suffer in hell!”

“Please, like I haven’t been told to go to hell before,” replied Kaiba as he drew Polymerization. “I activate the special ability of my White Stone of the Ancients in my Graveyard to add a Blue-Eyes from there to my hand! Then my Assault Wyvern destroys your Battle Fader!”

“Rr...” Bandit King Bakura didn’t have any monsters on his side of the field or his hand.

“Then I tribute my Assault Wyvern to Special Summon the other Blue-Eyes in my Graveyard… Now, Blue-Eyes! Attack the Bandit King directly!”

“This physical pain… It’s nothing compared to what my people and I have suffered because of people like you!” After Rex didn’t draw anything that he could summon, the Bandit King slammed a monster onto his Duel Disk. “I summon Ally of Justice Quarantine in attack position! Good luck trying to Special Summon your light monsters now, Priest Seto. And…”

“Ah!” Rex had few words as the Bandit King’s gaze fixed on him.

“Good luck to you, Hu, in the afterlife… Ally of Justice Quarantine, attack Hu directly!”

“N-Nooooooo!” Pain seared throughout Rex’s body. “Weevil… Baby, wait for me… I’m coming… to join you…”

Rex’s death was the final straw for Kaiba, and he didn’t hold his tears back any longer. “Do you like torturing others, you monster?”

“Me? A ‘monster?’ Speak for yourself! Aren’t you the one who ‘destroys innocent souls’ every day? Even more so now that you are only one of three people who have retained their shapeshifting abilities to the modern world? And you plan to do it some more after you officially break up with the pharaoh and return to KaibaCorp? Also, you have no right to be sad about Hu’s death when I’ve known him for so long! Or… Don’t tell me that you’ve grown attached to someone other than the pharaoh or your younger brother?”

“Shut… up…”

“Make your next move! It will be your la-”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Kaiba drew the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon. “I can’t summon my ultimate beast yet, but I can get rid of your Ally of Justice Quarantine with my Blue-Eyes White Dragon!”

“I won’t be defeated… Not by someone like you! I play the spell Jam Breeding Machine, and a Slime Token is summoned to my side of the field!”

“That’s it? A tactic that Marik tried on the pharaoh, and failed? Then I’ll set a monster and destroy that Slime Token with Blue-Eyes!”

“You’ll… never…. Aaaah! I play Pot of Greed! Then I’ll use De-Spell to get rid of Jam Breeding Machine so I can summon Brain Golem using the new Slime Token as a tribute!” Brain Golem, attack that set monster!”

“…What a dumbass you are, Bakura.” Kaiba didn’t bother to look at the card he just drew. “You just destroyed my last White Stone of the Ancients, which I banish to add the last Blue-Eyes White Dragon I need to my hand! Then I’ll activate the spell Polymerization to Fusion Summon my Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!”

“That’s your ultimate beast?”

“No, my ultimate beast is…” Kaiba laid the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon onto his Duel Disk. “Myself! Behold the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon for the few seconds you have before it blasts you away! Shining Neutron Blast!”

Yami Yugi watched the final move of the duel, still floating from afar on his Curse of Dragon. “Kaiba… My love, well done.”

“So this… is how it ends…” The Bandit King looked to his arm; already, his hand had been consumed by the shadows. “I’m… finally dying.”

“Bakura…”

“What, you still have words for me, even now?” Bandit King Bakura gave a half-hearted chuckle. “What is it?”

“It’s about Anubis… I thought I’d let you know that the pharaoh defeated him himself.”

“He… He did, huh? Thank…. you…” So were Bandit King Bakura’s last words as his body and soul were no more.

Yami Yugi could hide no more, and ordered the Curse of Dragon down to Kaiba while his companions followed. “Kaiba!”

“Ph-Pharaoh…” Kaiba wasn’t prepared to face the man he loved. “And the rest of the Dweeb Patrol, too. You were watching the whole thing, weren’t you?”

“Er, most of it,” Joey answered. “We saw everything from when Weevil turned into a spider onwards.”

“Weevil… Rex…” Yugi, being the softhearted young man he was, cried. “They’re… dead, aren’t they? I know they were thorns in our sides the whole time, but… they really gave it their all in that duel! They didn’t deserve to die! Marik didn’t either!”

“Yugi…” Téa had begun to cry too, and before she could really break out in tears, she noticed Marik’s body glowing. “Hey! What’s happening to Marik?”

As soon as Téa took a single step forward, Marik not only moved, but he groaned. “Ugh…”

“Shit! That creep is still alive!”

Joey prepared to summon his Red-Eyes Black Dragon, and stopped when Marik managed to get on his feet. “What do you mean ‘creep?’ Where am I?”

“Hey, easy there!” Tristan ran over to Marik, and helped him walk to where everyone else was. “So… You’re the real Marik, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I am. My ‘other self’ is gone for good this time.”

“Wait, Marik. Before you continue…” Yami Yugi pointed to two beams of light descending from the sky and hitting the ground in front of them.

“Aaaaaah! More enemies!” Téa scrambled about, nearly slipping on a sand dune.

“Guess again, Téa.” Yami Yugi waited for the light to dissipate, and was certainly surprised to see Rex and Weevil again, both in half-shifted form.

“Ugh…” Rex’s vision was still blurry, but not enough to obscure his view of Weevil and his eight spider legs.

Though he was just as weak, Weevil had strength enough to give his boyfriend a hug. “Rex! Oh, my beloved… You’re alive…”

Rex returned the hug, pressing his rabbit paws into Weevil’s back. “Weeves, baby… I’m even happier that you’re alive, despite the hell we’ve been through.”

“I will go anywhere, my love, as long as it is with you. I’ll accompany you to heaven or hell.” Weevil stroked Rex’s rabbit ears. His upper spider legs trailed from there to Rex’s back, pulling him in for a kiss.

“Um… Do we really need to see this?” Tristan’s eyebrow twitched.

“Well, I kinda knew those two were together,” Joey remarked, rubbing the space underneath his nose. “After Duelist Kingdom, they were inseparable.”

“I’m more interested in how they’re still alive,” spoke Yami Yugi. “Perhaps in a Shadow Tag Duel, if a duelist dies, they will come back to life if their partner wins.”

“Speaking of Duelist Kingdom…” Weevil spoke when he had broken the kiss. “I’m sorry that I was such an embarrassment back then.”

“Don’t worry about it, man.” Yugi shook his head. “That’s in the past.”

“Was I… Did I do good today?”

“Weevil Underwood, you were damned awesome out there!” Joey bent down to ruffle Weevil’s hair. “I wish I could turn into an awesome spider… god… thingy too!”

“You see?” Yami Yugi squatted to Weevil’s eye level. “If you just believe in the heart of the cards and see the errors of your ways, you have the potential to be a great duelist.”

“And if it wasn’t for you, my evil persona would still be plaguing me,” Marik added with a bow. “I am forever in your debt.”

“…Yeah, I’ll have to agree,” Kaiba hesitated. “You’re quite the worthy rival to the pharaoh. After me, of course.”

“K-Kaiba…” Weevil could feel light tears in the corners of his eyes. “Thank you… so much… for saving Rex… Not even all the cards in the world are… worth as much as him…”

Joey waited a while for Weevil to say something else and grew concerned when he didn’t receive a response. “Weevil! No… No! Not after you just came back to us!”

Kisara and Mana knelt down to check for vital signs. After confirming that Weevil – along with Rex – was indeed alive, Kisara spoke, “Relax, Joseph. They’re alive. They’re just out cold and in need of rest.”

“Hahaha…” Joey wiped away his few tears. “I-I knew that!”

“Mana, you and Kisara will take these two to the palace’s infirmary.” Yami Yugi ordered. “The two of you will be responsible for caring for them. We’ll follow in a little bit, after I’ve told Kaiba what I’ve learned today.”

#yugioh #ygo #shrimpshipping #thief king bakura #prideshipping #fanfiction

[rogue-rook]

many many highlights from The Crystal Kingdom from a first-time TAZ listener

featuring some bits from the Lunar Interlude II: Internal Affairs

travis: “it was streaming on witch. that’s like magical twitch!”

SWEET ANGO HAS RETURNED!

i cannot believe griffin went to the EFFORT of making a fantasy costco jingle

the lockpicking garden gnome called the Nitpicker that insults the damn party is a beyond brilliant object for sale at the fantasy costco

I really want to lodge a complaint with the HR department of the bureau of balance on sweet angus macdonald’s behalf bc these grown men are FULL ON BULLYING THIS TEN YEAR OLD BOY GENIUS

so is this new shitty scientist consultant lucas a bigger annoyance than shitty train butler wizard jenkins or does jenkins still retain that title

travis: "anything this touches turns to crystal?" griffin: "yeah, pink tourmaline" travis: "yeah, I'm not gonna say that, because I'm an adult"

CAREY FANGBATTLE is like on par with Jess the Beheader in terms of Cool Names

griffin: “so the three of you are currently sitting in a gondola, which is another word for a little boat” travis, singing: “the more you knoooowww”

“so it’s made of crystal, right?” “yes, everything is crystal” x1000000

the crystal kingdom song is beautiful

griffin: “you see a sign that says The Magical World Of Elevators” justin: “griffin's really stickin it to the people who say he's not allowed to have elevators in this game”

today in failed brand marketing: “Upsy, your lifting friend”

this arc is ACTUALLY set up like a video game level puzzle, when griffin says “ah, you’ve solved my crystal puzzle” it will actually apply

clint: “I rolled a 4 but I get another roll...a 5″ travis: “wow, you're really bad at dnd”

merle: “I'm gonna use Banishment on the cockroach” griffin: “okay, you're just gonna yell GET OUT OF HERE COCKROACH, I DONT LOVE YOU ANYMORE”

magnus is being fucking mean to lucas, the genius inventor, and he’s been a TOTAL DICK to sweet boy genius detective angus macdonald, and i feel like pointing out that he was WAYYY nicer to shitty evil wizard train butler jenkins who beheaded a guy with a teleportation door

griffin: “one of the signs is labeled Radiation Ventilation Maintenance Chamber, and the other is labeled Lil Genius BuddyBot R&D" travis: "I feel like this is a trick” clint: “I feel like griffin has been playing Fallout”

I LOVE HODGE PODGE THE LIL GENIUS BUDDYBOT!!! EVEN IF HE TURNS OUT TO BE EVIL, THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE MADE ME LOVE HIM PRETTY INSTANTLY AND NOTHING CAN CHANGE THAT

hodge podge: “magnus! merle! take-o” goddamnit griffin

justin: “can we just put the stone of far speech in front of the robit and griffin, you can just talk to yourself?”

hodge podge is exactly the kind of unsettling demon robit with a mostly-adorable voice, except for when he goes demon-y, that I expected from griffy

justin: “my character taako has innate skills in: investigation, nature, history, religion, arcana, and religion” so is he double good at religion then

taako: “okay, I got a question for you: who....do we work for?”

lucas: “hey, are you just mean to everyone?” THANK GOD SOMEONE VOICED THIS LEGITIMATE FUCKING CONCERN, THE GRUBBY GRIFTERS ARE MONSTERS

clint: “I look up what scrumbled means” griffin: “justin said that in a Monster Factory once and I’ve been using it like it’s a real word” justin: “I am the lewis carroll of my generation”

noel the friendly medic robit’s voice started at vaguely-angus like and then became straight up country southern and i really hope somebody calls griffin on it

i really think griffin introduced the nitpicker so he could have a way of introducing his own critiques of his dad and brothers’ dnd skills

the little compact mirror has some shit in it that i think must be important

there’s a rift in space and time and pink tourmaline is coming out of it and the damn song is super ominous and making me MEGA NERVOUS and honestly i don’t know what the flying goddamn fuck is happening but i am SO INTO IT

lucas: “you’re just yelling hugbears at me” magnus: “BUG! HEARS!” “what” “what”

so is lucas just like holding these poor bugbears in fucking slavery

the grubby grifters discover the tourmalined body of boyland and magnus asked if he can DESECRATE THE GODDAMN BODY OF HIS TRAGICALLY DECEASED COWORKER

griffin: “these two figures are just taking these ice robits to Fool School”

awww they’re gonna fight one of my favorite little creepy crawlies! human sized tardigrades that will absolutely fuck their shit up!!! so cute

griffin: “you’re so loosey-goosey with your possessions! ‘hi scuddle-buddy! bye scuddle-buddy! go get on that train to hell!’”

clint/merle’s immediate panic when they decide the only option here is to CHOP HIS GODDAMN ARM OFF

killian, after picking lucas up: “THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST SHITTIEST DAY EVER, WE ARE TWO PEOPLE DOWN, YOUR LAB SUCKS!!” #relatable, I feel u killian

during this arc the mcelboys keep talking about how they don’t remember shit from the beginning of the show bc that was two years ago and im like what? what? that was three days ago, friends!! its bc ive binged this shit in under a WEEK

merle basically has a plant fetish okay, that’s the only reason this soul-wood shit worked

griffin: “it actually curls up and gives you a thumbs up as if to say 'hey! I'm your arm now!’”

so like this planar system shit is probably important, right

this parseltongue motherfucker that’s like fucking haunting the grubby grifters needs to start explaining what their whole, like, DEAL is

this Red Robe dude is having a FREAKOUT over the damn umbrella and im like mmmmm maybe taako shouldn’t have just taken the damn umbrella, no questions asked

killian’s scanner is having a major freakout over a lich being present and im like, yeah, its the fucking umbrella, yall

oh, real quick, the mcelboys gotta pause the action to whine at each other about character voices

killian: “I am going to ABSOLUTELY murder that man” yeah, killian remains the most goddamn relatable npc in this fucking world

i sure hope The Adventure Zone Zone doesn’t have any super important info in it, bc im not gonna listen to the mcelboys talk about the maxfun drive from two fucking years ago

the crystal golem just called the grubby grifters bounties, and said it was time for noelle the friendly medic robit and the grubby grifters to all go back to the astral plane and im like WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? GRIFFIN! WHAT?

OH FUCK ITS BEEN KRAVITZ THIS WHOLE GODDAMN TIME!!!!! KRAVITZ!!!!!

griffin: “a D6 is like a dice-ass-dice! that's like some monopoly shit!!”

kravitz: “i don’t even know how that even worked, like with physics”

taako: “luke! use the fork!” merle: “the fork will be with you, always”

magnus: “I want to roll an investigation check on noelle...I rolled a 2″ griffin: “okay well you know noelle is a robot”

YALL!! SHITTY TRAIN BUTLER WIZARD JENKINS AND MAGIC BRIAN THE GERMAN MORON BOTH CAME BACK!!

magic brian the german dumbass: “i had an invitation to my wedding for you, and instead of RSVP-ing, you murdered me!”

travis: “when you say they evaporate, do they go back to heaven or hell or the after plane, or whatever, or are they GONE?” griffin: “it kinda seems like you obliterated their soul. kinda seems like you just kinda ERASED them” travis: “you know, at the end of day, I punch people, but dad unmakes their existence, who's the real monster?”

the fact that noelle died in phandolin when the grubby grifters and gundren rockseeker turned the whole town to glass is so goddamn fucking tragic, THANKS GRIFFIN!!!!

lucas miller: yet more proof that dickin around with science and magic and mad scientist shit is always gonna end badly for everyone

kravitz: “taako, you’ve died eight times”...[...]..”magnus, you’ve died 19 times”...[...]...”merle highchurch, the richest bounty i have ever hunted, you have died 57 times” WHAT?? WHAT? WHAT???? WHAT???? GRIFFIN!!??? WHAT????

THIS STORYLINE IS LIT

griffin: “a legion of ghosts” justin: “great”

i think both griffin and I have forgotten that carey fangbattle and killian are in this scene. also merle has had a soul-bond wood arm this whole time

the grubby grifters beat a goddamn LEGION of ghost robits, or ghrobits, and then kravitz slides back into the scene all like “uh, hey, assholes, thanks for saving me, I’ll make up some legal loophole bullshit to thank you” that’s not a direct quote, that’s me editorializing. i fucking love kravitz

taako: "they found new bodies, just because they're mechanical doesn't mean the life is any less valid - battlestar galactica"

oh fuck magnus got a cheating deck of cards in like episode goddamn THREE and he just whips em out in episode fucking 39 against kravitz

kravitz, massively misunderstanding the assholes he’s talking to: “the rules of nature are there for a reason, so lets just stop running afoul of them, as if this all just funsy-fun make-believe!”

magnus: “kravitz! tell julia I love her” TRAVIS!!!! TRAVIS MCELROY! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO MY HEART!!!

lucas: “you'll never see me again, but if you do, i'll be doing good, and please don't kill me instantly”

justin: “i give angus a thumbs down” motherfuckers

killian: “hell yes! I love this plan! me and carey, and a robot ghost with a gun arm! sounds like a plan!” magnus: “sounds like a spinoff!” killian: “that’s sounds like some torchwood shit!”

davenport the goddamn pokemon

on one hand, I’m really goddamn suspicious that the director isn’t actually destroying the relics but is collecting them for her own gain. but on the other hand, if this turns out to not be true, I will feel bad for suspecting her so hard

taako: “director, here’s the truth. what did you have for lunch on Dec 3 2015? you don’t remember right? that’s when you told us not to talk to the Red Robes. what’s I’m saying is WE FORGOT!”

YOOO THIS EPILOGUE PROPHECY IS SOOOOOOO COOOOOL GRIFFIN!!! WHAT IS THIS!!!! ITS SO GOOD!!!!!!

this was a wild wild wild wild ride and whatever griffin is doing with this story is LIT

#balance arc #the adventure zone #the crystal kingdom #mcelroys #mine

[jasontoddiefor]

Grave full of poppies

Title: Grave full of poppies Fandom: D.Gray-man Ship: Neallen Summary: It’s been a year since Neah’s death and Allen – well, he’s trying to pick up the pieces. Not that there are many left. AN: For Neallen week Day 1: Flowers. This is more of a character study of Past!Allen than ship stuff oh boy. Nevertheless, I hope you like it! :D

He breathed in and out again, watched white dance up in front of his glasses. Last winter he had been homeless, trying to keep together what was left of the place, the warm feeling he once called home. He hadn’t been able to keep anything from falling apart, nor had he been able to save anyone. Wasn’t it ironic how so long ago he hadn’t even cared about saving anything? How he would have loved to watch humanity kill itself with every mistake it made until the world went up in flames. After all, if mankind was too stupid to listen, why should he try to fix it? Reality and the easily coming knowledge of how the world worked had made him cynical. A position like that caused life to be simple when your only drive was yourself. But Neah just had to take over his life by storm and tear down every carefully built wall Allen had constructed. He intruded Allen’s life screaming unjust to a god and the world, crawling out of hell again and again while demanding the cynic’s help as an equivalent exchange for having given the scientist a name to go by. It had been just an amusing pastime to go and help the Noah who charged fairness from reality. Allen hadn’t intended to start caring but it had been so hard to stay neutral when Neah called Allen’s little apartment home. It had been so terribly hard when Neah cried tears Allen hadn’t been able to find since he figured out that the world didn’t care about him and could carry on without the cynic’s existence. They had made mistakes, a lot of them, too many perhaps and Allen had paid in tears, blood and bodies. Nevertheless he would never regret the path he had started to walk on. Even in the dark times he had found light, a laugh and warmth. For a moment Allen had felt like he mattered and he’d do everything to get that feeling again. He couldn’t take back any decisions he had made, moving forward was the only way he could go. Therefore Allen would put one foot in front of the other, steadily walk towards the green light of hope. He was mending mistakes now. He ran after the dreaded Innocence in hopes of gaining an advantage, perhaps even a more effective weapon. Magic was helpful but it could only do so much. Fake it till you make it was a proverb that hadn’t been in Allen’s treasury of words until he had a run in with a Level 4. His left arm had been pretty much useless ever since, he had to force himself into becoming right handed as the chicken scratch that hand left on paper was slightly more legible. At least he could still use his hand for simple tasks like carrying things or picking flowers. Looking up into the already darkening sky, Allen decided he should hurry. Being out in the dark alone with a bunch of innocence hidden away under his coat wasn’t the best idea. He hadn’t meant to get so caught up in memories; the task he had wanted to do had been left behind. “You left me with internal and external messes, Neah,” Allen sighed, a slight smile gracing his lips as he talked to the burnt down ruins of their once hideout. He walked around the ruins to the backyard he had made into a herbary for scientific and medical purposes alike because even if Neah was a Noah, a cold somehow got to all. The herb garden, of course, was burnt down too. It shouldn’t have surprised Allen as much as it did. Still, it hurt as he had poured a lot of hard work into growing this garden. Though the most work had always been keeping Neah from accidentally ruining the plants. As carefully as his friend had been with instruments, he hadn’t been gifted with a green thumb. Giving the remains of the herbary one last glance, Allen turned around only to come to a halt when red entered his vision. Immediately he reached for talismans, fearing the attack of Akuma. But as soon as he was calm, focused on his enemy, he could already drop his weapon again. Flowers. He had been startled by a small accumulation of red poppies. Neah would laugh at him for acting like a frightened bunny. Jumping at a flash of red, a simple filed of flowers. But it was already winter so why- Ah, right. Allen remembered why they bloomed. Neah had, with the bits of passable gardening he managed, grown them after being fed up with Allen confronting him with the fact that Neah sucked with plants. Of course there hadn’t been any magic involved, Neah had insisted. They must have been the only thing to keep growing after the fire had ruined the house and the garden, leaving only destruction and silent abandonment. Allen grimaced at that thought. In a way he had interrupted the peaceful rest of this fallen safe heaven, bringing upheaval with his arrival. Feeling a lot heavier than before, Allen made his way into the house all while hoping that it wouldn’t crash above him. The floorboards creaked beneath his weight, the sound being rather unpleasant to the ear. “Seems like you don’t want me here anymore, huh?” Allen muttered. He entered what was left of his old laboratory and tried his hardest to stay calm when he saw all his broken projects lying around. It was a mess. He walked over to his desk and kneeled down to pull out a box he had hidden beneath a loose plank. Just like the many times before the plank came of easily and revealed a metal box. Quickly he took the box out of its stash and opened it. Seeing gold flash between red silk, Allen almost let out a cry. He took the red fabric and threw it away, fully revealing what the box had kept safe for over a year; a short vial filled with red liquid and- “Tim…!” At the sound of its name the golden ball stirred, the golden wings slowly starting to move again, then letting out a yawn. The golem looked around for a bit before jumping straight into Allen’s lap. “I missed you too, you stupid golem,” Allen muttered, a fond smile on his face. Tim then flapped its wings again and flew up to nest in Allen’s hair, the same way it always had. It wiggled around for a while before finding the optimal sitting position and calming again. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand why you love that place so much, lazy bird,” Allen commented to which the golem hit the man’s cheeks with its tail. Not letting himself get irritated, Allen reached for the vial. “This will safe us some day, Tim,” Allen told the golem and hold the vial up to the golem’s mouth. “Therefore you have to protect it, okay?” Allen took the golem nearly biting his hand off while it swallowed the vial as a sign of understanding. On their way out, the duo passed the few poppies again. As soon as it spotted them, Tim pulled at Allen’s hair to get the man’s attention. “What is it, Tim?” The golem took off from Allen’s head and flew over to the poppies. “Don’t break them, Tim. They’re Neah’s and once he’s back he’ll hunt us down if he realizes we broke some.” At that the golem jumped up, looking as startled as it could. “He was so proud of them too, probably because they resemble him so much.” Tim appeared confused so Allen elaborated. “They’re pretty and, well, they should be dead in this cold. But instead they are only peacefully resting.” Sparing the poppies one last glance, the duo walked away from their once home and Neah’s beloved poppies. They’d never return either way.

AN: I’ve wondered about Past!Allen for a while and I love the idea that he was a Bookman apprentice but simply quit. And while the idea of him doing it because of Neah is sweet, my German class started reading Faust. And then I thought “cynical Allen who is hella intelligent and loves knowledge”. The idea of Past!Allen being rational while Present!Allen is driven by emotions developed more and more. Especially since rereading scenes with Red.

#neallen week 2017 #fanfic #neallen #dgm #this is less neallen than i intended and more character study of pasta

[nh935]

The Adventures of Solaire Part V: The Clockwork Temple II

The Incredible Yet Accurate Adventures of the Dread Pirate Captain Solaire Ravenheart Otherwise known as The Adventures of Solaire

Part V: The Clockwork Temple ii

Before we begin this next section of Solaire’s journey through the Clockwork Temple, I have a confession to make: as much as I’d like to make sure that the “Yet Accurate” part of this series’ title remains truthful, there are certain details I am simply unable to obtain, no matter how much research I do. And as secret societies don’t tend to leave behind blueprints of their sacred sanctums behind, the Clockwork Temple is one of those details. I have spent countless hours in countless libraries, visited the Isle of Delphine myself to try to puzzle together measurements from the ruins, and have even chased down members of the Order of Archangels themselves to ascertain the design of this building. All attempts have ended in vain. So as much as I’d like to say they are 500 feet below the surface in antechamber B between the main engine train and automaton storage, I simply can not do that with any amount of confidence.

I sincerely regret this fact and beg for your understanding. If you can find it within your heart to forgive me, we may proceed.

***

Solaire blearily opened his eyes and moaned, feeling the aches and pains all over his body. He rose with caution, and, as he did so, he heard the sound of splashing and the unmistakable trickling of water.

“What, in the name of all the gods and demons, just happened?” he growled.

As his eyes adjusted to the blackness of his surroundings, he saw the large form of Austin attempt to stand, slip, and land into an inch of water with a resounding “Ka-Blash!”

“This is your fault, Solaire,” Austin grumbled.

“Me? What did I do? Besides stop you from walking into another death trap, of course.” Solaire squinted and tried to find something in the darkness besides the forms of his four companions, but he couldn’t. The only thing that existed outside the blackness was the whirring and clicking of unseen machinery.

Austin stood, this time slower and more carefully. “If it wasn’t for you, we’d be in the next chamber right now, figuring out how to move on.”

“Or we’d be dead,” Solaire shot back.

Tomo sat up. “It is pointless to speculate on what would have happened if things had gone differently. Besides…” he ran his fingers through the liquid, which had apparently been draining, as it seemed much shallower now, “...it does not answer why the floor turned into water and caused us to fall.”

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of slurping. Everyone turned to see Willaby on all fours, scooping the water up with his hands and lapping at it like a dog. Feeling the weight of stares upon him, he glanced backwards and gave a sheepish grin. “There is a slight possibility it might have been me.”

Solaire groaned. “Wonderful. So our sorcerer is a liability now.”

Willaby hung his head.

Austin picked something off of the floor, now drained dry, and cursed. “My torch is useless now. Any one else got a light?”

There was a chorus of patting pockets and naes from around the room before Tomo took out a small tinderbox and lit it. The orange light only extended for a few feet in any direction, not far enough to illuminate any details of the room. “I do not believe that this will be sufficient to guide ourselves with,” he said.

Solaire shook his head. “Tomo, you are a master of the obvious.”

Skyler sighed and looked around the darkness surrounding them. “Well, what do we do now?”

“Why don’t we get the sorcerer to make a light?” Austin suggested.

Willaby glanced around for a bit before picking up the small arcane rod Weiss had given him. He pointed it in the air, waved it around for a bit, then muttered “light”.

A small butterfly popped into existence and fluttered towards the light of Tomo’s tinderbox, promptly incinerating itself in the following of its insect instincts.

Willaby moaned and flopped back onto the ground. “It’s no use. I’m a sorcerer who can’t cast magic, a baker without a bakery, and a useless adventurer to boot. You might as well leave me behind to die.”

“Hey,” Skyler sat down next to him and gave him an affirming clasp on the shoulder, “no one’s thinking that.”

“Speak for yourself,” Solaire muttered.

Skyler glared at him. “You’re one to talk, after how you threatened him.”

Solaire shrugged. “It worked, didn’t it?”

A minute of silence descended upon the group.

Skyler gazed back up to Solaire. “How did you know it would work?”

“I didn’t,” Solaire admitted. “I just hoped that a simpler threat would focus him.”

“Simpler threat?” Tomo asked.

“Yeah. He seemed pretty useless when he was trying to figure out how to stop that crystal. I hoped that some panic would encourage him to do something helpful.”

Skyler snapped his fingers. “Of course! Solaire, you’re a genius!”

“Obviously,” Solaire said, then stopped. “Wait, why?”

Skyler turned to Willaby. “Emotion. It’s how you cast spells, Willaby.”

Willaby focused at Skyler, frown plastered onto his lips. “No it’s not. You cast spells with magic words and precise hand motions and lots and lots of practice.”

“Maybe that’s how a wizard does it, but you’re not a wizard! You’re a sorcerer! Magic literally flows through your veins. It’s part of you. Intertwined, even. The best way to call it forth is to reach inside yourself to get it.”

“This sounds a little too touchy-feely, and not...” Austin paused, face scrunched up in labored thought “...scientific.”

“No, it makes sense,” Tomo interjected. “It would explain why the only time he has cast substantial spells is when he is under duress.”

“I don’t get it,” Willaby said. “If that’s the case, how do I cast the spells I want to cast?”

“Well we need to trigger an emotional response, one related to what you want to do.”

Solaire withdrew the Ivory River and pointed it at Willaby’s heart.

Willaby shook his head. “That’s not going to work. I already know you’re not going to pull the trigger.”

Solaire raised an eyebrow. “You seem awfully certain about that.”

“Knock it off Solaire,” Skyler said. “He’s had enough of that today. Besides, we already know that’s not going to get him to produce light.”

Solaire aimed the pistol at Willaby for a bit longer, then grumbled something and put it away.

Another minute of silence passed.

“You said that you were a baker?” Tomo questioned.

“Yeah. Had my own place in Dinas,” Willaby mumbled.

Skyler looked over to Tomo, an expression of realization on his face. “What was that like, Willaby?”

He shrugged. “It was… nice. I know some of my employees didn’t like it, waking up before dawn to slave over ovens. But I always enjoyed it. There was just something… satisfying, about taking the ingredients and mixing them together, bending them to your will.” His hands began to pantomime the motions of pouring, mixing, and kneading. “When you really put in your best work to be enjoyed, and watch people admire all the products on display, it was… it was…”

“Willaby…” Skyler whispered, “look down.”

Willaby did. In his hands was a small ball of white, shining light out and illuminating the brass mechanisms of gears, cogs, chains, and other precise metal constructs that had been invisible only moments before.

“Skyler,” he gasped. “I did it! I cast a spell! On purpose!”

Skyler laughed as Willaby bounced up and down like a child counting presents on Martyrsday morning. Even Tomo and Austin grinned at the display.

“I knew you could do it!” Skyler shouted.

“A spell!” Willaby exclaimed. “On purpose! Without destroying things!”

Solaire, meanwhile, was turned away from the group, staring at something behind them. “Um, people…”

“You have searched deep inside yourself and conquered your fear,” Tomo commended. “You accomplished something great today.”

“Listen,” Solaire insisted, “could you look at this?”

“I… I did, didn’t I?” Willaby marveled. “Wow.”

Austin laughed. “Don’t get too full of yourself now.”

“I need someone to turn around RIGHT NOW,” Solaire shouted.

Skyler spun around, annoyed. “For heaven’s sake, Solaire, not everything has to be about… you…” he trailed off as his gaze went upwards, seeing what Solaire was staring at.

There, standing almost seven feet tall and the width of a small carriage, was a collection of large grey rocks and boulders, stacked and balanced in defiance of gravity to take on the frame of a human. The large stone man scanned back and forth at the small people in front of it, like a boy watching ants in a line and debating whether or not he should flood the area with a cup of water and watch the little insects scurry around.

The others, sensing the fear in the tone of Skyler’s last words, rotated to check the source of the disturbance and exhaled a round of gasps.

“It’s a stone golem,” Tomo breathed. “A being brought to life with magic, no doubt to guard this temple.”

Austin raised an eyebrow. “It hasn’t done anything. Maybe its friendly.”

The stone golem slowly raised an arm into the air, as if it was trying to receive permission to ask a question.

“It’s trying to communicate!” Willaby declared.

After taking another look around at the group of humans, it brought its fist down towards Willaby, intent on smashing the sorcerer into paste.

“Not friendly!” Solaire yelled. He dove into Willaby, colliding with the man and toppling him out of the way a split second before the giant fist of rock cracked into the metal floor, Willaby’s created light following nearby, as if attached to the man. The golem slowly spun its head to face the pair, as if the smooth boulder actually contained eyes to see with. It brought back its second arm and swung in a powerful punch, but was interrupted by the charging form of Austin, whose own blow hit hard enough to move the limb off target, miss Solaire and Willaby, and smash into a collection of gears, shattering the metal into tiny pieces as if they were nothing but glass.

Tomo withdrew his katana and poised it horizontal in the air, legs apart in a stance of defense. “Prepare for battle!” he cried.

“Way ahead of you,” Solaire muttered. He withdrew one of his flintlocks as Skyler took out his own pepperbox, both aiming at the monstrosity and squeezing the trigger at the same time.

*click* *clack*

“Damn it!” Skyler cursed. “The powder’s wet!” He put the pistol back into his pocket and withdrew his hook swords.

Solaire scrambled to his feet and drew his cutlass just in time to see the golem take another swing, this time aimed at Tomo. Tomo waited, allowing the blow to strike his blade, before gracefully stepping under the limb, sword raised, dragging it along the underside to shave off tiny shards of rock. Skyler took advantage of the outstretched arm and hooked his sword into the crevice between two rocks, hanging on while the limb retracted backwards in order to chip at where the ribs would be.

The golem’s space-acting-as-a-face turned to the small hanging man. Solaire gritted his teeth and rushed in towards the other appendage, leaping onto the left member and dug his cutlass into a nook in the rock, using the weapon as a makeshift crowbar. The golem shifted in a way that suggested surprise and brought the other arm back like a man about to slap a mosquito on his skin. Austin roared and vaulted towards the right limb, colliding into it with enough force to slightly wobble the golem and holding on for dear life. It raised its right arm and lazily shook it as the two clung to it before slamming the appendage into another collection of gears, shattering more machinery and flinging Skyler and Austin like ragdolls.

“Ow” Austin complained.

Solaire hopped backwards to where his allies were now grouped. “I don’t think we’re doing a thing to this guy.”

Tomo gave a grim nod. “Our only hope against such a foe would be guerilla tactics, but we have no ranged options. We can not beat him in a melee.”

“What about Willaby?” Skyler asked hopefully.

The four turned to the tweed-suited man, who was frantically waving his rod back and forth as it emitted red sparks. “Cakes!” he shrieked. “Pastries! Father yelling at me! Kissing Lilly! Having to give back that stolen book! Burnt bagels!”

Skyler gave an embarrassed shrug. “It was a nice thought.”

The golem threw its shoulders back and took a menacing step forward.

“Run!” Solaire yelled. He bolted in the other direction, down a hallway surrounded by turning cogs. The others followed soon behind, Skyler grabbing Willaby’s shoulder to snap the man out of his focus and drag him along.

Behind them, the thudding sound of the golem’s charging footsteps roared, shaking the ground and drowning out the soft ticking coming from all around them. No one dared to look back.

The path slightly curved to the left and a large cog appeared. The center hole that wrapped around the pathway was only three feet tall, not large enough to run through.

"Obstacle!” Solaire shouted. He fell backwards and landed on his side, his momentum carrying him through in a slide. Tomo copied the motion while Skyler took both hook swords and grabbed onto a set of pipes on either side and hoisted himself, carrying him up and over the gear.

Willaby stopped in front of it. “Um, I might ne-AAHHH!” Austin grabbed him mid-sentence and wrapped his arms around the sorcerer, then leapt with enough force to clear the obstruction.

The golem continued his pace, not stopping or slowing down for the object in front of him, and broke through the cog like a racer tearing through the paper finish line.

Austin held out the sorcerer with one arm, letting the fat man begin the motion of running before plopping him down on the pathway to continue the sprint. Up ahead, his bobbing light illuminated a fork in the pathway, the road splitting into a left path and a right path.

“Which way?” he wheezed.

“Right!” Austin yelled.

Tomo scanned the hallway. “I think the left will bring us to safety.”

“Really?” Skyler asked.

He squinted. “Maybe.”

Solaire rolled his eyes. “We don’t have time for this.” Grabbing Skyler’s collar, he dragged him with him as he barreled down the left hallway.

“Don’t split up!” Tomo yelled as the other three followed in behind. The golem, noticing the sudden change in his quarry, tried to turn and follow, but the sheer momentum of such a massive beast caused him to slide and drift down the right hallway, frantically clawing at the machinery and breaking off more pieces as he attempted to slow down.

The hallway twisted back and forth until it deposited the group into a large chamber, encased in all sides with more precision clockwork. A dead end.

“Great!” Austin complained. “Now what?”

Solaire took a moment to survey the area before climbing onto a gear twice as tall as himself, letting one of the massive teeth carry him upwards and leaping onto a long chain before the teeth interlocked with another cog.

“You don’t know where that goes!” Skyler protested.

“You want to stand around and wait for the second option?” Solaire called down.

As if to accentuate the point, the large, thudding footsteps of the golem began to sound behind them once again.

Skyler looked back in the direction of the noise, now growing louder, and dug his hook sword into a similar chain, holding on as it dragged him up. Tomo began to climb up onto cogs.

Austin turned to Willaby. “Can you climb?”

He blushed. “Umm, er, well…”

A large crash sounded from the hallway behind. “Not the time to save face,” Austin reminded him.

“No.”

“Right. Hold on for dear life.”  Austin grabbed the man and deposited him on his back, like a parent giving a small child a piggy-back ride, before grabbing machinery with his massive hands and using them to hoist himself up. As the pair rose, so did the light, illuminating more and more interlocking clockwork for the group to ascend, seemingly going on forever.

Once they had scaled close to fifty feet of the “wall”, the golem came into view, staring up at them with head cocked like a curious cat noticing a bird nest. He reached his arm though a large gap and attempted to hoist himself up, but it did nothing but drag the limb downwards, forming a deep gash in the machinery.

The sides rumbled and shook with the action. Solaire’s muscles trembled as he held onto the chain. He had always been a weaker creature, componstasting for his lack of strength with his natural speed, and it was taking all his willpower not to drop five stories down into certain death. But even that wasn’t enough. As the golem landed on the ground, causing the room to rattle, Solaire lost his gip and began to plummet.

Skyler saw the noble dropping and reached the other hook sword out, piercing the weapon through his long white coat tied around his shoulders and holding it at the bend of the blade, with Solaire grabbed onto it like a man overboard holding onto floating debris.

Skyler looked down expectantly.

“I’m going to have to patch that later,” Solaire said.

Skyler gave the man a wide-eyed look of disbelief.

There was a “riiiiiiiiiip” as the coat dropped a tiny but noticeable few bits of length downwards. Skyler grimaced, reeled his arm back, and swung, flying Solaire through the air and onto a small platform jutting out of the interconnected clockwork. Solaire landed at chest-height with the outcropping, grabbing on and scrambling onto its top. As he did, the precariously balanced tophat fell downwards, right onto the upturned face of Willaby, who rocked backwards with surprise before squeezing on tighter to Austin to avoid falling himself.

“Bring that up will you? It cost quite a bit.” Solaire yelled down.

Austin reached up, grabbed the hat, and shoved it into one of his massive pockets.

Solaire frowned. “You bent it.”

“You can get bent!” Skyler shouted, now above Solaire as he continued to hold onto the chain via sword.

“Stop arguing, ” Tomo commanded, carefully balanced on a large metal piston, “and look down! We are safe. The golem can not climb.”

The large stone creature was staring at his arm. He turned to the gash, the back to his arm, then to Solaire, then back to his arm.

“Ha!” Willaby glared down at it with a grin. “Can’t get us now, you stupid rock!”

The golem glanced back up to the group and, without looking, drove his fist into the interlocked pieces.

The room shook once more, this time, more violently, as everyone was forced to hold onto whatever was nearby with every ounce of strength they could muster.

“How… much… further?” Austin groaned.

Tomo looked up and pointed. “There! Light!”

The golem reeled back and drove another massive blow into the side of the chamber, prompting another round of desperate clinging.

Skyler looked up to the small pinprick of white Tomo had showed them. “There’s no way we can make it all the way up there!”

Solaire backpedaled a step, and as he did, he felt a blast of heat upon his neck. Turning around, he saw a large hole, drilled into an exposed furnace filled with lava only ten or so feet deep into the hole. He took out the Ivory River, looked at it, then aimed it upwards at the dot of light. His mind began to turn, combining images of gunpowder, Weiss’ steam engines, and his recent launch through the air.

“Everyone, to me! I’ve got a plan.”

Skyler groaned as he swung his feet up onto the chain and pushed himself off, landing onto the platform below. Tomo cleared the space in two long, graceful jumps while Austin gave a guttural roar and dug his hands in deeper, clambering up the wall at a quickened pace until he and Willaby were there as well.

Skyler pointed at Austin. “Get me the biggest piece of metal you can. One large enough for us all to stand on.”

Austin, bent over and gasping, furrowed his brow. “Wh…”

There was another shudder. Willaby staggered backwards, almost toppling off the edge before Skyler grabbed him and pulled him to safety.

Solaire glowered at Austin. “Do it! NOW!”

Austin inspected the area around them, noticed a large sheet bolted down onto a nearby wall, grabbed on and pulled. The metal gave a long straining groan as he tugged at it. “I… can’t…”

Tomo pulled his katana back with a flourish and dug it into the seam between the two metal pieces, leaning into his improvised lever and forcing it further back.

Solaire twirled to Willaby. “That huge amount of water you summoned.”

Willaby raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“I need another one. Right over this lava pit.”

Willaby eyes went wide. “That was an accident! I can’t just…”

Skyler grabbed the man by the shoulders and forced him to face him. “You did it once, you can do it again. Why’d you do it?”

“Um… I was thirsty.”

“Yeah? And I bet you’re thirsty now. Forced to run for who knows how long. In tweed, no less. Right next to that pit of burning… hot… lava.”

Willaby stared at him and smacked his lips.

There was a sudden loud “POP POP POP POP” as Austin and Tomo ripped the large sheet away, causing the bolts to fly off like bullets. Austin held the piece awkwardly in front of his face. “What now?”

“Hold it over that pit,” Solaire said. “Wait until Willaby makes that water, then slam it over the hole as fast as you can.” He turned to the group at large. “When Austin puts that metal piece down, we need to climb on as fast as possible.

Tomo frowned. “I believe I understand the plan, and I do not like it.”

The machinery shook once again. Solaire stared at him.

Tomo held up his hand. “Your point is made. You do not have to comment on it.”

“Well, when you put it like that…” Willaby took off his bowler hat and wiped beads of sweat off his forehead. As he did, a large mass of water began to swirl into existence over the pit, hanging in the air with loud sloshes.

“Get ready!” Solaire shouted.

The water dropped into the hole. Austin slammed the sheet down with a “CLANG!”, covering the space as everyone quickly scurried on top of it, standing and waiting.

“What now?” Skyler asked.

“The water will boil, turn into steam, and shoot up with enough force to carry us upwards like a bullet. It should take us close enough to the surface to pull ourselves into that opening.”

“It SHOULD?” Skyler yelled.

Willaby turned pale. “Like a what?”

There was a loud explosion, different than the sound of the golem striking the walls. This was like a cannon fired in a far-off canyon.

There were a few tense moments of silence.

The plate shot upwards with a “WOOSH!” as hot clouds of steam poured around the sides, fast enough to force everyone to crouch down as the sheer acceleration of it pressed upon it. The speck of light grew larger and larger and larger until it became a fist-sized window, illuminating an expansive area decorated with mammoth thin gears encircling the center at different angles. As everyone slowed down and hung in the air for a few moments, frantic hands were outstretched as everyone grabbed onto a gear (and in Austin’s case, to Willaby). Once they did, they carefully, wobbly, stood upon the thin bands of metal.

No one said anything for some time.

Skyler looked at Solaire. “I can’t believe that worked.”

Solaire outstretched his arms. “See? You should just do what I say the first time around.”

Skyler gave him an incredulous look. “I don’t know about that. Your record is still…”

“Look!” Willaby interrupted, pointing to the center of the room.

Everyone turned to the source of the outburst. There, displayed on a large pedestal, was a gleaming metal object, cast in gold and decorated with sapphires.

A very special metal glove: the gauntlet.

#the adventures of Solaire #series #short story #advenutre #action #fantasy #steampunk #pirate