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lets-try-some-writing · 1 year

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TFP bots if humans could also have outliers and the kids each have a power though none of them want to talk about it because the popular human opinion on these individuals is that they’re dangerous and worry the bots might share the opinion if they find out.

*deranged laugh* This is was so much fun to write about. I hope you like what I came up with!

Human Outliers

Due to a random series of mutations within human DNA, occasionally there are children born with abilities that defy usual biology. These children are almost always feared by the general population and put into programs specially made to help them control their abilities. Jack, Miko, and Rafael happen to be outliers, and each of them have kept their abilities secret from those not required to know for their own reasons.

Jack

Jack's outlier ability is somewhat of a classic and not too out of the ordinary when it comes to powers. He has superhuman strength, and at the cost of needing to consume copious amounts of food, can even match the bots in power if he pushes himself. However growing up with his outlier ability was not an easy experience for him.

His father walked out on him and his mother as soon as his power manifested. And all throughout his younger years he suffered from anger issues, breaking things and even harming his mother on occasion before he learned to control himself. Since he was very little he has feared his power and has purposefully avoided taking in any serious calories for fear of hurting others. Due to his hesitance to take in any more energy than necessary, he is a rather weak teen, with no significant muscle mass and painfully thin by normal standards.

He desperately wants to be normal and not to be "cursed" with his abnormal ability. He fears touching others and prefers to keep several feet between him and anyone else even though he is limiting his intake. Meeting Miko and Rafael have helped him feel a little less out of place, but if given the option he would still gladly give up his outlier ability.

Rafael

Rafael's outlier ability has caused him much distress due to how taxing it is for him to use and how dangerous it can be if he isn't careful. He is capable of infiltrating the minds of others and implementing thoughts, desires, and commands. It is a form of mind control, but one which is not the easiest to use as he is forced to fight the mind he is attempting to influence.

Due to the fact that his outlier ability was active from birth, he was kept in solitude for most of his infancy, only ever associating with his parents. Specialists came and taught him how to control his power all throughout his toddler years alongside teaching him normal school subjects for his age group. However there were still accidents, and unfortunately he broke the mind of another during a temper tantrum. Since then he has refused to use his power seriously, only ever suggesting things to the minds of others and never trying to take full control.

He does not hate his outlier ability, he has had it since birth and views it as another, albeit far more dangerous, limb. However his gift has led him to fall further into his studies instead of developing actual human connections. Jack and Miko are his only human friends as their outlier abilities make it rather difficult to invade their minds by accident.

Miko

MIko's outlier ability is highly sought after but also rather inconvenient for her. She is capable of short range teleportation, being able to teleport to any location in her field of vision. This ability has not been easy to learn how to use though. Not only does it exhaust her mentally, but far too often she ends up overshooting if she is unfamiliar with the area.

Her ability came in late by outlier standards. She was around eight when her power finally showed itself, as such she is still learning how to use it properly. She has gotten stuck in tight spaces, almost fallen off several high ledges, and involuntarily ended up teleporting, nearly getting her killed via incoming cars and other hazards. To combat this, she is required to wear special glasses that adjust her vision in such a way that she can't teleport without first taking them off. Even with them on, she still randomly can find herself teleporting if she is familiar with the area and a little too excited to get from point A to point B.

Miko loves her outlier ability and thinks it is the best thing ever. However she also is not fond of showing it off because of the stigma surrounding outliers. She has lost one too many friends after finally feeling comfortable enough to show them her gift. As such she likes hanging around Rafael and Jack more than anyone else. They don't judge and she gets to help them be more comfortable with themselves. It's a win win situation in her book.

The Bots Reactions to Outliers

The Autobots find the concept of outliers among an organic species to be downright fascinating. Optimus sees the outlier powers as a gift from the human creator god, whoever that might be. The gifts, in his mind, being intended to help protect the rather fragile race of humans from other, stronger entities such as Cybertronians. Ratchet thinks it is the strangest mutation of all time, he can't figure out how human biology does what it does regularly and he most certainly doesn't feel like touching outlier biology with a ten foot pole.

Bulkhead and Wheeljack both agree that human outliers are neat. They don't have any deep reasoning behind it, they just like watching an itty bitty organic do incredible physics defying things with no real explanation. Arcee was of the common belief on Cybertron that outliers were dangerous and should be contained. Her belief has translated over to the human outliers, and honestly she thinks it would be best for all parties if outliers were separated from the general population.

Ultra Magnus is in a similar boat to Arcee, he is not fond of outliers, human or Cybertronian, but he does see their use. If he could have his way he would make a separate division in the human government just for the outliers, training them from the moment they got their powers to benefit the people. Smokescreen agrees with Ultra Magnus in that outliers should be kept separate in some way, shape, or form from the public. But he also firmly believes that outliers have as much of a right to autonomy as any other being, as such he finds human outliers fascinating, but ultimately creatures with very specific, predetermined functions.

Bumblebee does not care where outlier abilities come from or what they do. All that matters to him is that the person with the powers, human or Cybertronian, takes care to use their abilities for good. So long as that happens he could care less about what the outliers do with themselves.

The (partial) Reveal

The kids have tried to keep their abilities a secret from the bots since day one. And for the most part, they have succeeded. However there have been instances where their powers were almost revealed by accident.

In one outrageous example of this, Jack literally threw a Vehicon in a desperate attempt to keep Miko and Raf from being hurt. He played it off as a instance of hysterical strength, and for the most part, no bot questioned him. They knew far too little about humans in general to tell weather or not Jack was lying about his biology. Ratchet was the only one who gave Jack a side eyed look, but ultimately he brushed it off as a strange human quirk.

Rafael had a similar close call when he, out of sheer curiosity, decided to try and poke at Bumblebee's mind just to see if it was possible for his powers to apply to an alien lifeform. The scout noticed the intrusion immediately and flipped out, his harsh mental rejection causing Rafael to have a nasty migraine. Bumblebee noticed Rafael's sudden pain and was left wondering what the cause could be. After brushing his mental encounter aside, Bumblebee focused on helping Rafael and didn't think too hard on the possibility of Rafael being entity attempting to mess with his processors.

Miko's instance of almost being caught using her abilities came when she was having a very erratic day, causing her outlier powers to go on the fritz. All throughout her time at base she would appear randomly and without a sound, always looking a little surprised with herself and very much guilty of something. The bots questioned her, but eventually just let it be as anything connected to Miko likely involves no small amount of chaos.

After several more of these close calls getting ignored or brushed off by the bots, the kids started getting more bold when it came to use of their abilities.

Jack casually started lifting furniture and handing Ratchet one of his larger tools when the opportunity presented itself. The medic and most of the base would look at him with wide optics before muttering something along the lines of "humans are terrifying" before leaving the matter alone. Sometimes just for the kick of it Jack will, without even breaking a sweat, bend metal as though he were fiddling with playdough just to watch Ratchet look at him in mixed awe and horror. He even started leaping down from the "human platform" whenever he needed to get to Arcee, once again startling all those present. By now the bots know or at least are very nearly certain that Jack is an outlier, but none of them, not even Arcee, dare say anything, not when Jack is comfortable and finally eating a healthy amount of food.

Rafael, eventually not caring all that much if he was discovered and only wanting to cause as much chaos as possible before getting caught, began sending the bots random probing mental touches throughout the day. Some, like Arcee, Ultra Magnus, and Smokescreen, completely shut him out and scurried off looking rather unsettled every time he tried to touch their minds (Rafael thinks this is hilarious and messes with them whenever he can). Ratchet and Bumblebee stopped giving visible reactions after a while, and as such quickly lost Rafael's interest. As for Optimus, he welcomed Rafael into his mind whenever Rafael attempted to touch his processors. At this point Rafael knows Optimus knows, but neither say anything and Rafael is allowed to send his thoughts to Optimus whenever he desires.

Miko uses her abilities super casually, not even bothering to hide her powers very well but still managing to come up with the most insane excuses for her quick and silent movement. Miko suddenly turns up on Ratchet's work station? What on earth are you talking about Ratchet? She has been there for the last 10 minutes, haven't you noticed? Miko finds her way into the rafters with no visible method of transportation? Don't the bots know she is an excellent climber? Miko find her way onto Optimus shoulder without so much as a peep to alert the Prime? You put her there Optimus, did you forget?

The bots all know at this point, but none say anything. They have learned of how human outliers are treated and have no desire to make the children uncomfortable. Maybe one day they will discuss it outright, but not yet. Let the children play a little longer.

#maccadam #transformers #transformers prime #optimus prime #team prime #ratchet #tfp kids #miko nakadai #rafael esquivel #jack darby #this spiraled really fast #gosh I fell down a rabbit hole with this request #i hope I still met the actual request requirments #well whatever #the kids are gremlins and that is that #gosh my grammer is really bad #this is what i get for writing late at night

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a-friend-of-mara · 2 months

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Hey uh

I'm leaving my mask at the door for a minute

If you enjoy the image of myself I put forward, the happy cheery autistic trans girl who doesn't dwell on her issues

Please just ignore this post

If you are uncomfortable with mentions of self harm, talking about non prescription drug addiction, suicide rates of trans kids

Please just go

Look

I say my biggest fear is that I'll be forgotten

It's easier than saying that I'm scared to death of myself

I'm worried I'll give up on life and stop eating... considering I can't gain or maintain weight I'd have a week before I was dead at the most

I'm afraid that I'll give up trying to look like the person I want to be rather than being stuck, trapped in a body that isn't mine but I'm wired up to like some sick torture method

I don't want to fall into drug use or self harm hoping that it'd pull me out of this pit of self hatred and hopelessness

I don't wanna be another tally mark on the trans suicide charts

I don't wanna die

I feel like I'm suffocating

That I can't move my legs... only the ones attached to me

I don't even know if I matter at this point

I just

I wanna be me

Not some false image that I was born with

Nobody understands how it is for me

My dad almost killed me with th fact he understood so little he put me into survival mode where I cared about nothing but staying alive because of how much damage his insistence that my body was in fact his son and not the cage that trapped his daughter

He used to have twins now he just has one kid with her twin sister... my sister

Now I live with my mom who doesn't understand, how could she? She's never wanted to tear her skin off because it wasn't hers... she understands how much I hurt though

She's able to see through my mask that I'm really suffering inside

Without her yall wouldn't have ever known I existed

You would've heard a news article of a trans kid who killed herself by diving off the balcony at her school although the media would misgender me.

I've almost done it

Sitting on the edge of a lethal drop fighting with myself to not do it

Not sure if I was lying when i told myself things would get better

I'm not sure if they are

Everything just keeps getting worse and worse

I can't even cry anymore

I don't care about so many things that I used to

I used to love

Then I was heartbroken

I used to care for my friends

Until I moved away

I used to enjoy helping others

Now I'm so tired I can't

Just

Fuck

It's kinda funny

How part of me thinks it's all my fault

How I'm not sure if it's something I did

But then I have to think

What could I possibly have done that'd make this torment justified?

How can any higher power exist when I've prayed to every God and Goddess I've ever learned of and not once has a goddam thing happened

How would a higher power let the world get this fucked up

Fuckin hell

My trans siblings are getting murdered for being themselves

Innocent people who live in unfortunate places are being killed because of stupid ass reasons

Fucking hell in America most people aren't free enough to take a month off work without becoming homeless

Decades of prejudice make people think women are weak and need defending but don't pay them well because... fuckin I don't know why!

It's pathetic that men get away with rape while women get away with false rape accusations usually destroying every relationship the man ever cared about

People look at others and treat them differently based on the color of their skin

YA KNOW HOW FUCKIN STUPID THAT IS?!

ITS DUMBER THAN PICKING ON SOMEONE WHO WORE A BLUE SHIRT PURELY BECAUSE OF THE SHIRT

What for?!

WHAT THE FUCK IS ALL THIS FOR?!

The privilege to go through 12 to 20 years of school to earn the right to have to work a job I'll probably hate until I'm like 60?!

Right now I'm pretty sure my life is gonna end before I reach 30!

What's the fuckin point?!

America for fucks sake

The land of the free

Yeah free to work or die because the 0.01% run the fucking nation like their playground

People wonder why I've responded to hostility with hostility in the last 3 years

Simple

I've bottled my emotions for so long the bottles are all full

Yelling and ranting always make me feel a little better

If anyone comments on this negatively I hope you die in a vat of boiling vinegar and drown in the yolks of rotten eggs

That goes for all the phobic people too

If you made it through this whole essay sized emotional breakdown and don't think I'm a complaining winey bitch

I can only say I wish the world was made of more people like you

Alright

Time for sleep

#tw: depression #tw depressing stuff #tw self destructive behavior #trans #trans woman #me #depressing shit #trans struggles

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wodania · 8 months

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i loved your dany and egg art and I was wondering where you got the idea to draw them identical?

This is long but I adore both of these characters so who can blame me 😭

I think I just loved the idea of these two being visually similar because of how similar their characters are personality and story wise. Dany and Egg are both rather untraditional leaders in that they value the opinion of the weak and impoverished over the strong and wealthy. Egg made many enemies in Westeros and was considered tyrannical by some because of his efforts to redistribute wealth towards the small folk who were dropping dead in the streets from disease and starvation, rather than the nobles who would only sit on that money and brag about how much they have. Egg was beloved by the small folk because he had their best interests in mind. Throughout Dunk and Egg, we see him learning more and more about how abusive the system of wealth and nobility is towards those at the bottom of Westeros’ social pyramid. Hell, even the nobles were wary of him after he retired from squiring because they considered him to be too much of a peasant to rule, likely afraid that having a man who’s lived a peasant life sitting on the Iron Throne would be the end of their negligent spending habits. Through his reign, we see these lessons shine through as he takes noble money and puts it towards what it should be going towards: relief efforts and care for the small folk, not parties and lavish clothing and simple bragging material.

In a similar scenario, Dany isn’t afraid to challenge the slavers and rich men in Essos when they are using their power to abuse those lower. She values slaves and impoverished lives over the lives of wealthy slavers, she’s considered tyrannical by that class of people because she’s willing to act against them and support those who are victimized by them. She’s willing to call them out on their bullshit and punish their behaviour when no one else did, whether it be from fear, lack of strength, or simply an acceptance of the slavers presence. Dany accepts those at the bottom of Essos’ social pyramid into her following with open arms, she considers them her children and she loves them. Slaves, impoverished people, disabled and sickly. Those are who Dany supports. Even when people around her tell her that she’s simply taking on dead weight that will only weigh her down, she doesn’t back down. That mindset was what put the small folk of Westeros and Essos in such a terrible position, the idea that it was only nobles and rich men who deserved to be part of a movement or support system. It’s a never ending cycle that Dany wants to finally be done with.

You also get a lot of narrative overlap between the two characters dragon wise. Egg was Dany’s great-grandfather. He hosted Summerhall for Rhaegar’s birth. He wished to hatch dragons for the celebration of the birth of Aerys and Rhaella’s son. His goal was to use dragons to further his pro-small folk laws, to use them as a tool to help the weak and protect them from the strong. Dany uses her dragons in the way Egg wished he could’ve used his; she uses her three dragons as tools to help save those who would not have had the opportunity to rebel against the abusive government they lived under. They are a symbol of freedom, of revolution against abuse. Dany, with her dragons, is living the life Egg could only dream of. She is who Egg wanted to be, she’s fulfilling her great-grandfather’s wishes whether she’s aware of it or not.

Their characters also fascinate me due to how the small folk are depicted. In many tales of nobles and kings in asoiaf, the small folk are hurdles to get around. They are depicted in a bad light, bigoted and misunderstanding of the depth of the noble class. But when Dany and Egg step down from the pedestal most of the other nobles wished to stay on, you get a much different view of them. Of course they are hateful of nobility and monarchy, what good has it ever done them? Of course they latch onto leaders who support them financially even if that leader treats other nobles poorly. Asoiaf is very noble oriented, and to see small folk as people is extremely important. The class divide makes small folk seem like a foreign nation of people, when they are supposed to be the ones the people in charge are protecting.

Plus, we also have similar themes of rebirth with the introduction and depiction of these characters. When Dunk first meets Egg, Egg is bald and naked at the inn. When Dany births dragons, she’s bald and naked. It’s the start of new lives and new opportunities. Egg sheds his Valyrian hair and noble attire and encounters Dunk, who ends up being a defining part of his later ruling as king. Dany’s hair and clothing are burnt to ashes and she births dragons, setting her on her path to become Queen Daenerys, the Mother of Dragons. I’m not even going to go into the fact that Egg’s life ended trying to birth dragons in fire, and Dany’s life began by birthing dragons in fire. But that’s there too. It’s almost like Egg’s story was put on pause for a few generations, and then came back again with Dany.

I’m skipping a lot of other stuff bc this is so long aldjskdj. I think it’s super sweet I think these characters are super neat I love them both so so much. My favourite dragon people ever.

#my asks

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middleearthpixie · 1 year

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Wanted Man ~ Chapter Nineteen

Summary: A price on his head, Loki of Asgard finds himself stranded on Earth and in need of one woman's help in order to free himself from the bounty and try to reclaim what he sees as his rightful throne in Asgard.

McKenna Carlin just wanted to put a horrible day behind her. She had no idea that things would get worse before they get better…

Pairings: Loki Laufeyson x ofc McKenna Carlin

Characters:McKenna, Loki, Thor, Odin

Warnings: None

Rating: T

Word Count: 3k

Tag List: @fizzyxcustard @court-jobi @guardianofrivendell @piggledy-higgledy @evenstaredits

If you’d like to be added (or removed) to the tag list, please just let me know!

Previous chapters can be found here!

McKenna dreaded the walk back up the shadowy path. This time, it felt even more foreboding than it had earlier, and halfway up, she tugged on Loki's hand. “I don’t want to go back. You know other ways in and out of this realm, don’t you? Isn’t that what you told me? Please, let’s just go. Just leave here and go back to New Jersey.”

She knew she rambled, her words just fell over one another, but she couldn’t help it. Fear rose with swift wings to set her heart hammering against her ribs. “Please… can’t we just do that?”

He turned to her, catching her face in his hands. “I don’t want to run any longer. I don’t want to spend the rest of my days looking over my shoulder.” He traced his thumbs along her cheekbones, his eyes growing soft. “Everything will be all right.”

“You can’t promise that. You said yourself Odin could very well sentence you to die.” She hated how weak she sounded, but the truth was she was terrified that this very thing would happen. That in the span of a day, this could all end.

Her eyes stung and she dropped her head forward so he wouldn’t see her crying. But he wasn’t about to let that happen, as he caught her chin and tilted her face back to his. “McKenna, if that happens—”

“Don’t say it,” she gritted, her voice cracking as she jerked free and shook her head. “Don’t tell me to be brave and get on with my life and all that. Don’t tell me again not to mourn or grieve or whatever, because that’s not going to happen.” A hot tear slid over the edge of her eyelid and streaked down her cheek. “Because I’m going to mourn and fall apart and the worst thing is, no one will ever believe me. And those who do believe me, will never believe you to be the man I see now. They will always see you as the power-hungry megalomaniac who wanted to rule the Earth.

“And now, I can’t even go back to a normal life because it isn’t possible. Even if I did manage to want to even think about dating again, do you know how ordinary men will compare to you?” Her hand clenched into a fist and she punched him as hard as she could in the chest, with enough force that he actually stepped back.

“Do you think any other man could ever hope to make me feel what you do? Do you?” She hit him again. “Because you’re wrong. No before you ever made me feel like this—” another punch—“and no one after ever will either. And do you—” yet another punch—“know why? Because you are. A. Fucking. God!”

She threw one last punch, but this one he caught and lowered her hand as he murmured, “Do you feel better now?”

“No. And now my hand hurts. You’re not a soft god, either, you know.”

“I try hard not to be.” He rubbed her hand with both of his. “And while I have to admit, the thought of ruining any other men for you does play to my vanity, I’m not fool—or vain enough—enough to agree with you.

“But, I would rather have only a few more hours with you, than a lifetime of being without you and if, by some chance, that happens, trust me, I’d rather the axe.” He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. “And I do not want you grieving for me, McKenna. If I should get the axe—”

“Please don’t say that.” Her bottom lip quivered, so she caught it between her teeth and shook her head. Then, she leaned into him, pressing her cheek into his chest, and giving into the sobs that refused to be silenced.

He folded his arms about her, one hand pressed against her head, smoothing over her hair as she cried. When she finally went quiet, he continued holding her and stroking her hair as he whispered, “Everything will be all right, love. You will see.”

She sniffled, lifting her head to look at him. “You don’t know that. Not for certain.”

His thumbs moved over her cheeks. “No one knows anything for certain. Now, no more tears. No more rages. And please, no more punches. You don’t exactly hit like a girl, you know.” As she let out a weak laugh, he bent and kissed her forehead. “Now, let’s go back to my chambers, splash about in the tub, perhaps roll about in the sheets, and then we will deal with the rest.”

“How much longer do you think we have?”

He looked up at the sky. Twilight encroached, the sky streaked purple and gold. “Not long, I think. Perhaps an hour. Maybe a bit more.”

She tightened her arms about his waist and rested her head on his chest again. “I’m scared and I don’t like being scared.”

He kissed the top of her head and held up one hand. “Here.”

She looked up and burst out laughing. “A hedgehog?”

“I saw one, the last time I was in Midgard. I thought it a curious creature.” He smiled down at her. “Take it. They don’t bite.”

“I would love to, but Cinder would probably kill it.” She reached out to gently stroke in the direction of the hedgehog’s spines. “But it is cute.”

“Very well.” He waved his free hand over it and said, “Perhaps you will accept this instead.”

Her jaw went slack as her eyes feel upon the most beautiful diamond ring she’d ever seen. It was a clean, square cut diamond so white it looked perfectly clear, set in white gold—or possibly even platinum— encircled by a ring of smaller, yet equally clear diamonds. “Oh… oh, Loki… I couldn’t possibly…”

He lifted the ring and with the hand that had held it, took her left hand. The ring slid easily onto her ring finger, as if made for her exclusively. “It is said that there is a vein that runs in Midgardians, from this finger directly to the heart,” he replied softly. He lifted his eyes to hers.

“On Earth, a man gives a ring like this when he asks a woman to marry him,” she whispered back, her heart beating so loudly, she almost couldn’t hear herself. She swallowed hard as Loki's smile took on a mischievous edge.

“Do you like it?”

The ring fit her perfectly, the sparkle thrown off by the facets almost blinding her as she involuntarily moved her fingers. “It’s beautiful.” She could barely make the words move past the enormous lump that rose in her throat.

“Marry me, Midgardian. And this will be only the beginning of what I wish to give you.”

Tears clouded her eyes, but they were bittersweet tears. That he asked her to marry him would probably have no bearing on Odin’s decision, but still, she smiled up at him and nodded, unable to speak.

His smile lost its devilishness and his eyes grew greener, although she was fairly certain they shimmered the same way hers were. “This will happen, love. I promise you.”

Pressing her lips together, she nodded again and when she found her voice, she said, “I’m going to hold you to that, Jötunn.”

He drew her into his arms. “You do realize, you are the only one I would allow get away with calling me that, don’t you?”

“Just as you’re the only one I’d allow to call me Midgardian.” She slid her arms about his neck and pulled him down to meet her lips.

When they parted, she whispered, “I wish we had one more night.”

“There will be more.” He stepped away to take her hand again. He brought it to his lips, kissed it, and then added, “Odin may allow you to stay, you know. There is no decision set in stone as yet.”

As they reached the palace, she sighed. “I know, but still… I just have this horrible feeling…”

He squeezed her hand, but his reply died on his lips as they came into his chambers to find Thor waiting for them, his expression grim. McKenna felt the pit of her stomach fall away as he said, “Odin wishes to see you.”

Her throat squeezed tight. “Should I wait here?”

“No. He wishes to see you as well.”

“Me?”

“That is what he said.”

“What does Odin wish to see her for?” Loki asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice. “She has nothing to do with—”

“He didn’t explain to me, Loki. He only said he wishes to see you both in the Throne Room.”

She clasped Loki's hand with both of hers, feeling sick as Loki nodded and they fell into step behind Thor. Her stomach churned and her entire body trembled, strongly enough that Loki squeezed her hand and murmured, “At least we’ll know.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she whispered back, feeling very much as if she was going to faint. She heard a distant buzzing in her ears and tried to swallow hard against it. “I don’t feel so good,” she murmured.

“Lean on me, love. I’ll hold you up.”

At the end of the golden corridor, Thor rounded the corner and McKenna thought she was going to throw up as her gaze was drawn immediately to the high dais of gold atop a golden flight of stairs. The man seated in on the equally gold throne terrified her more than anyone else ever, Loki included. He had a shock of flowing white hair, and thick white beard, and a golden plate served as an eye patch over his right eye. In his right fist he held a tall scepter of gold.

Her blood roared through her ears as Loki squeezed her hand again and stood tall before his father. He held her back slightly, as if to stand between her and Odin, and his thumb gently caressed hers as he said, “Allfather.”

“Loki has returned to Asgard once more,” Odin began, his voice deep and mellow, and he didn’t look at McKenna. “It is a wonder we are all still alive to tell the tale.”

“I returned. And no one has suffered for it. Thor told you of my reasons for returning, did he not?”

“To save the life of a woman.” Odin’s voice remained strangely void of emotion. “A Midgardian woman, no less. The very same people you thought were so beneath you, that they would believe you to be a god. And their king.”

Loki didn’t flinch, his shoulders back and proud as he said, “I was mistaken about that. I was not, however, mistaken in my desire to see this woman returned safely from Jötunheim.”

McKenna cleared her throat with the intention of introducing herself and speaking on Loki's behalf, but before she could, Odin intoned, “McKenna Carlin. Of Midgard. Did you know you aided a fugitive? One who was thought to be dead? One who should be dead?”

She nodded. “I did. And you are wrong about him. He—”

“Silence!” Odin thundered. “I care not what your opinions are. Loki, I hope she was worth the price of revealing your deception, because Frigga is not here to save your neck this time.”

“Father, you were willing to keep him in the dungeons before—” Thor began.

“I don’t need you to defend me,” Loki broke in, shaking his head. “I know what I’ve done and yes, if this means the axe for me, know this, Allfather. I would do it again, if I had to. This woman means that much to me. I would do things no differently.”

Odin snickered, but Loki held up a hand. “I know you think me without a heart, without anything but the desire for power, but you are wrong. I regret most of my actions not because I didn’t believe in them, but because they will prevent me from pledging my life to her.”

“Pledging your life? Did I hear you correct? Loki has decided he cares about something more than his own selfish desires?”

It hurt to hear Odin rip into Loki with such sharp teeth, but as she tensed to jump in again, Loki squeezed her hand once more. “For the most part, yes,” he replied, glancing over at her. “But wanting her is part of my selfish desire, I suppose. I love her. I want her. I’ve asked her to be my wife.”

“Is this true?” Odin demanded, turning to her.

She nodded slowly. “It is. Please, I know you think he is beyond salvation, but he not only saved Thor's life, but Jane Foster’s as well. And in doing so, he saved the world from the Dark Elves. And, he saved my neck not once, but twice. He’s—”

Odin held up a hand to silence her. “I’ve heard enough.”

She clasped Loki's hand between hers again, her heart thudding against her ribs. She glanced up at him but he remained stoic, his gaze firmly on his father. The roar through her ears made her feel sick all over again and she thought she just might faint when Odin said, “I cannot forget all that you have done, Loki. Nor can I forgive it. Should I allow the Midgardian to remain here, allow you to wed here in Asgard, would be give the impression that I do both.”

Tears poked the backs of her eyes. The lump in her throat was impossible to swallow. Her entire body shook as Odin continued, “Therefore, she shall return to Midgard while you shall be remanded back to the dungeons for eternity.”

“No!” McKenna shouted as two Asgardian guards stepped up and one not-so gently pulled her away from Loki while the other one clapped thick irons about Loki's wrists. He knelt to clap shackles about Loki's ankles. “No, please…”

Thor caught her as Loki growled at the guards, “Take care with her.”

“Father, why not exile him to Midgard as well?” Thor asked.

McKenna had to look away as an iron collar was fitted about Loki's neck. Thick chains connected all the shackles and it killed her to see him this way. Still, his shoulders remained square, thrown back with pride, even as Odin shook his head. “No. This is my decision.”

She pulled away from Thor and threw herself at Loki, who rattled and clunked as he stepped back and stumbled from the force with which she crashed into him. But he remained on his feet and when she pulled him down, he met her lips with a fierce kiss.

“When do you plan to return her?” Thor asked.

“Sunset. Take him away.”

“No, no, no,” McKenna said, her lips still against Loki's. She kissed him with every bit of passion, every bit of lust, and every bit of love she could force into a kiss and when he was roughly dragged away from her, her voice cracked as she said, “I love you.”

He didn’t fight the men dragging him away from her, not that it would have done any good. But he did smile at her. “And I love you.”

Then he winked.

She stood there, rooted to her spot, and watched as they dragged him from the Throne Room. Tears overflowed her eyes, spilled down her cheeks, and she didn’t even try to stop them. Her heart felt like it was shattering the way a window did, starting with a small, spiderweb crack that then shot out in all directions to reduce the glass to nothing but fissures and pieces.

Her knees quaked but she managed to stay upright. She turned back to find Odin staring down at her. “You are wrong about him.”

“I believe I know Loki far better than you, Midgardian,” he replied, slowly rising from his throne. “And you are a fool to think he cares for you beyond what purpose you might serve him.”

“No. You are a fool for choosing to believe only the worst.” She knew she took a great risk, arguing with Odin this way. But she didn’t care. She was numb now, far beyond caring what Odin might do to her. Loki might not be executed, but she would never see him again, and because of that, she had nothing to lose. “He has shown he has a caring side, a gentle side. And as I said, he did save Thor's life.”

“I’ve heard enough. Sif, take her to Heimdall.”

A tall, slim woman with jet-black hair pulled up into a sleek ponytail, dressed in feminine armor, came into the room. “Yes, Allfather.”

With one last look in the direction Loki had been taken, McKenna slowly plodded behind Sif, away from the Throne Room, away from Thor's impassioned, “She speaks true. I told you how Loki sacrificed himself for me.”

“Is that so?” Odin replied. “For that is not how I see it, considering how he didn’t sacrifice himself at all.”

She blocked out the rest of Odin's words, which wasn’t at all difficult, and as they approached Heimdall, Sif said, “I’m sorry this had to happen this way.”

“Are you?” McKenna rounded on her. “Because I think otherwise.”

“I was raised with Loki, I remember him as a boy, mischievous and playful. At one point, there were many ladies here who dreamed of being wooed by him. But then the thought of power corrupted him. I like to think that mischievous, flirtatious devil of a man has come back and if so, I thank you for bringing him back.”

“For all the good it did.” She glanced down at the ring on her finger, glittering from all the light. “I wish we’d never come here.”

“The Allfather would have found him eventually. Heimdall sees all and even Loki cannot hide himself forever.”

Heimdall slid his sword into the slot and McKenna swallowed hard as Sif added, “Good luck, Midgardian.”

McKenna didn’t reply, and then the air rushed from her body as if she’d been hooked about the waist and yanked forward. Lights, colors, sound all blurred as it screamed past her and when she hit the ground, she collapsed into a heap on white sand.

#Loki #Loki Fanfic #Loki x ofc #Tom Hiddleston #Thor #Romance #Is it hot in here?#Jersey girl #Marvel #Marvel fanfic

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pearlescent-soda · 10 months

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👑//Prince Charming Headcanons (Shrek)

He's an idiotic, pompous, arrogant, man-child, that much is certain. He's been perpetually hiding beneath his mother's skirts for most of his life being spoiled absolutely rotten by her and was rarely ever told 'no' to the point that active disobedience actually confuses him. Though for all his whining and self-centeredness, he puts up an excellent facade of being a collected, engaging, and respectful individual. Charming knows very well how to read people and fully understands that diplomacy is a far better method of coercion than brutish threats of violence could ever hope to be.

'Prince' Charming is his name, not his occupation. He was a fairly decent adventurer and knight in his own right, but he didn't really excel anywhere else in his life. Sure, he's a well-known socialite in Far Far Away that gets by solely on his looks and has pockets deeper than an oceanic trench, but... That's it. He has no real aspirations of his own, saying he doesn't need to aspire to anything except what his mother tells him to do. It didn't help any that he's basically been assured a continued safe and comfortable life of extreme luxury and exuberance by her if he marries Princess Fiona, so of course he's got no real incentive to change or do anything that jeopardizes his mother's plans.

He hates Shrek, he loathes Fiona, and he utterly despises the rest of their mismatched, obnoxiously happy little 'family'. If only Shrek could have just given up and kept his ugly mug hidden in the swamp, then Charming could have married Fiona and lived his happily ever after. King Harold and Queen Lilian could've been 'removed' at a later time, the King for nearly breaking his mother's contract, and the Queen because of her ties to the exceptionally powerful Pendragon lineage.

He's actually quite knowledgeable on hexes, spells, potions, and all forms of wizardry, his mother made sure of it. She is after all the head of Fairy Godmother's Cottage, a very successful magic corporation, one that she fully intends on passing onto her half-fairy son. However, being knowledgeable is not the same as being skillful, everything he knows comes from books, pamphlets, and lectures from his own private tutors. He'd happily take archery lessons over enchantment drills any day of the week.

Long ago, when they were first betrothed, he had a crush on Fiona from ages nine to eleven, and even then, their face-to-face meetings were sparse and never carried on into the evening. He used to dress up as a servant to try and get close to her so they could play together, but he never gave her his name, always going by the moniker 'Charlemagne'. Fiona told him of her curse, though she never got into specifics out of fear her new friend would reject her. By the time he had finally come to rescue Fiona, his feelings for her waned significantly after nearly two decades of separation and uncertainty about her fate with rescuing and wedding her now being strictly out of obligation to fulfill his mother's contract with Far Far Away's rulers and nothing else.

He's got wings and a wand; he just wouldn't be caught dead out in public with either of them. He uses magic to hide the wings and the wand he doesn't even bother bringing along with him, worried it would make him appear weak or overly feminine. The commonfolk believe most fairies to be small female creatures that grant wish and with larger than normal wings due to his half-human heritage that highly resemble his mother's, he'd much rather much rather keep the myth going than be called 'miss'. Though he wouldn't mind helping a distraught yet beautiful maiden find her 'happily ever after' every once in a while.

An infamous womanizer, he's had girls wrapped around his dainty, uncalloused fingers for as long as he could remember. "Listen, I'm not one to kiss and tell, but Princess Rosette of the Peacocks was such a bore. I mean, the relationship was more manageable than the Twelve Gyrating Princesses or whatever they were called, now that was a mess of my own making." Every young noticeably wealthy girl has a tale about Charming whether it be about a wonderful date they went on together or how heartbroken they were when they learned he was technically already engaged.

He's not dead, far from it. The tower did fall on him during his attempt to take Shrek's life, but it did not crush him physically, just spiritually. Shallow scars from splintered floorboards and prop stone are hardly anything to worry about for the average person who would be grateful to even be alive. Though for Prince Charming, a scratch across his face might as well be the same as disfigurement and with nothing but spite motivating him at this point in his life, revenge is all that consumes his mind. Currently, he's in hiding in Avalon biding his time until the fateful day that 'King Arthur' comes to take his legendary sword Excalibur and become the true ruler over Britain, that day he plans on striking down the scrawny usurper without mercy.

#shrek movie #shrek #shrek 2 #prince charming #shrek headcanons #headcanons #prince charming shrek #nobody asked for this

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jacquelinemerritt · 11 months

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Dragon Ball Z: Broly - Legendary Super Saiyan Abridged Review

Originally posted September 5th, 2018

It’s difficult to care about such a shallow character, even as he has the trappings of coolness.

I am probably not the right person to review this movie. In fact, I’m not even sure I’m capable of approaching this movie with the critical lens it deserves, because of one simple fact: I do not find the concept of Broly to be inherently cool. And I feel like this movie was written for people who find Broly inherently cool, whether or not they believe that he works as a character in practice.

It’s difficult for me to simply accept Broly as cool, because for me, I tend to only be impressed by a character’s “coolness” when I’ve already seen that there’s more to them than whatever external trappings make them that way, or in the best stories, when what makes a character cool is shown off right alongside their depth.

For a good example, we can just look back at Vegeta, who, to me at least, only ever started to feel badass after we started to see how much of a petulant child he is at his core, and how much he has to struggle to succeed against Freeza and his warriors. Vegeta struggling against enemies he legitimately fears, and coming out successful, is what makes him feel badass, not just his ability to quip off perfect one-liners or keep up his façade of confidence at all times.

Broly’s story prevents him from having any kind of interesting struggle here though, as unlike our heroes, he didn’t gain his power by training, or having close encounters with death; he gained his powers by simply being born into them, and having his Super Saiyan state triggered by hearing the name of a baby he hated.

The immense amount of power Broly wields against our heroes does make him an effective antagonist, I admit, but without a struggle of his own, and without any kind of actual reasonable motivation, Broly simply does not work for me, and I can’t bring myself to care at all about him.

And that’s a problem, because while the movie clearly makes fun of people who think Broly is “so cool” by having Vegeta fawn over him, it still seems to find some value in his character’s existence and coolness, mostly by treating Vegeta’s proclamations of Broly’s coolness as genuine, while having him express frustration at Broly’s shallow motivation.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Team Four Star liking Broly on some level, of course, but I have so much trouble wrapping my head around the idea that you could have a genuine affection for such a shallow, flimsy character that I end up feeling lost, almost left behind by this movie’s expectation that I am supposed to be interested in Broly on some level. I don’t care about this legendary Super Saiyan, and nothing short of a complete reinvention of his character is likely to ever change that for me.

So it’s probably weird for me to then say that despite not caring about Broly, I still rather enjoy this movie, even if it loses me about halfway through. One weak character does not a movie break, and the movie is at its best when its focusing on the much better defined characters we all know and love.

Korin and Yajirobe’s wedding reception is very sweet, as is Goku’s horribly inept attempt to get Gohan into a good college. I also love how effectively Paragus plays to Vegeta’s ego, leading him to New Vegeta with ease by simply referring to him as a king, ultimately earning the role of Vegeta’s Royal Vizier through schmooze alone. There’s also the running gag of calling Trunks a princess and using she/her pronouns for her, which is a good time because misgendering cis people is always a good time, especially since Trunks clearly isn’t that bothered by it in the first place.

And I would be absolutely remiss if I failed to mention the Shamoians, a diminutive race of lifestyle submissives, who willingly subject themselves to slavery and beatings, simply because they get off on it. Reframing these aliens as consenting to their treatment opens up a lot more avenues for comedy than If they were played straight, and Team Four Star consistently toes the line between pointing out how absurd this concept is, and being respectful of their collective love for a slavery kink.

Most importantly though, we’re shown that these aliens ultimately do have boundaries, as while they at first salivate over the idea of Broly treating them cruelly, when it’s clear that he’s going to endanger their safety, they scramble to remember their safe word, making it clear that his actions are no longer something they consent to. It’s funny because they’ve been submissive so long that they’ve forgotten their safeword, but it also serves to reinforce the idea that their exchange of power was only okay because of their active consent, an idea that is absolutely essential to ethically practicing kink.

It’s small moments like these, Goku’s search for the person who killed South Galaxy, and Piccolo’s dismay at Gohan possibly not getting into his preferred school, that keep this movie interesting for me, and while I will probably never be able to enjoy Broly as a character, thanks to the other characters still being excellently portrayed, I don’t feel like I have to. One legendary Super Saiyan is enough for this girl, after all.

Rating: 3.5/5

Critical Eye Criticism is the work of Jacqueline Merritt, a trans woman, filmmaker, and critic. You can support her continued film criticism addiction on Patreon.

#dragon ball z abridged #dragon ball z #team four star #tfs #dbza #dbz #dbza movie #dbza broly

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daenerysstormborntargaryen · 1 year

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"Jaime Lannister sends his regards."

What does this line mean? What are the implications, the message it is trying to send? Is it a better line than the changed one in the show?

These are questions I have been asking myself as of late. Initially, I wanted to explain why I liked the show's version better, but as I thought about what the book's version meant, I started to change my mind

To be honest, the reason why I liked the show's version better for so long was because I thought it was more impactful. By saying "The Lannisters send their regards" rather than just Jaime, it made the Lannisters seem like a unified front, a great House that is not to be fucked with and not just a singular great man. It would send the message that it is not the actions of a singular person but something that will set a precedent for the House as a whole when dealing with, ultimately, people getting in their way.

But then I started thinking about why Tywin would have them say Jaime specifically. I came to two major conclusions:

1) Tywin doesn't care that Jaime is a member of the Kingsguard let alone the Lord Commander, he still wants Jaime to inherit Casterly Rock. Cersei is the Queen, just the thing Tywin wanted her to be, thus he wants to keep her right where she is. Tyrion is the heir of Casterly Rock but Tywin would rather bring the Seven Hells upon Westeros than see Tyrion as the Lord of Casterly Rock. He has always seen Jaime as the heir, his heir. When he made his vows, Tywin was pissed as all hell, at Jaime, at Aerys, at everyone. But then Joffrey set the precedent that members Kingsguard don't have to serve for life with the dismissal of Baristan Selmy, thus opening up the path for Tywin to make his wishes come true.

Several time through the series, we see the song "The Rains of Castamere" used as a threat, a reminder to any and all of what Tywin Lannister is capable of. The ruthless destruction of Houses Reyne and Tarbeck solidifies Tywin's fearsome reputation and I believe the Red Wedding is meant to be Jaime's Castamere. By giving him the responsibility, Tywin is securing Jaime's legacy almost. Already Jaime is well-known for being one of the greatest swordsmen alive, but he needs to be more of a threat, more of a foreboding presence at the back of people's minds than just someone who is pretty handy with a sword. If people believe Jaime capable and willing to do something as horrible as the Red Wedding, what else is he willing to do to protect the realm (or just his family)?

However, similar to Castamere, the Red Wedding is a huge, huge, huge political mistake. It is not a show of power, of skill in battle, of cunning or wit. No, it's a demonstration of brutality. It says to everyone else that the Lannisters will do whatever they want in response to slights, minor or otherwise. The Red Wedding especially does this. Sure, you crushed the Northern rebellion and took out a huge threat to your power, congratulations. Now no one trusts you or respects you or will want to be by your side. They may fall in line out of fear, but fear can only hold people for so long and to such lengths. Tywin os still upset, to his dying day, of the perceived failings of his father. He hated how his bannerman laughed at him, hated how a "whore" wore his mother's jewels and clothing, hated the weakness he saw. But I would argue it is better to be underestimated yet respected than feared yet reviled. When the going gets tough, who will come to Lannister aid after this? After this violation of a sacred law, Guest Right, who would ever want to be on the side of Lannister?

2) This is more of a narrative reason, though I certainly believe Tywin may think similarly, but this line is also a twisting of the knife. Cat let Jaime go and everyone and their mother told her what a horrible idea it was. Now, it's come to bite her in the ass. Had she not released Jaime, I am not entirely sure the Red Wedding would have happened but that is a whole different discussion. Fact of the matter is, she did and now she has to watch her son be murdered in front of her. How could she not blame herself? How could she not blame the Lannisters for being cravens wholly lacking honor? How could she not blame the gods for their cruelty? This line is the cherry on top of the tragedy of the Starks.

While (iirc) Tywin did not know Catelyn was the one who let Jaime go, I believe he thinks he somehow escaped on his own, I do think he would also view it in the same way. As consequence of taking his son, and of letting him slip through their fingers, their lives are forfeit. Yes, when they rebelled their lives were forfeit to begin, but I think Jaime's capture pushed Tywin to such a drastic means of dealing with them.

At his core, Tywin is a petty, vindictive person who values getting his revenge more than actually doing what is best for the Lannister name. True, he may believe this is the best course of action, but that just goes to show what an emotionally-driven, lack of forethought moron Tywin truly is. He is not clever, he is cruel. Do not confuse the two. And, much like every other Lannister, Tywin seems to believe because the Targaryens conquered and kept the peace through fire and blood, he can do whatever violent acts he wishes and history will laud him for it, but he is not a Targaryen, it does not work the same way. Targaryens for centuries were viewed as closer to gods than men, Lannisters never were held in that esteem. All he is doing is dragging the Lannister name through the mud.

One of the things that makes Tywin Lannister notorious in Westeros is told about in the song "The Rains of Castamere," which details how Tywin brought about the end of House Reyne and House Tarbeck, serves several times as a reminder and threat of what Tywin Lannister is capable of ie complete ruthless brutality. It is intended to keep people in line and to keep their noses clean. I believe Tywin wanted to give Jaime a similar reputation.

#game of throne #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #game of thrones meta #asoiaf meta #tywin lannister #jaime lannister #got meta #a song of ice and fire meta

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lore-of-the-silvereyes-rwby · 1 year

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STRQ’s dynamic and impact

Questions asked by @angstandhappiness

What are the theoretical scenarios for Qrow had he not been chosen by Ozpin to be included in his inner circle, with or without the rest of STRQ?

Interesting question but to answer this it depends on one factor overall concerning Qrow, Raven, and by extension Taiyang when being chosen by Ozpin; Summer Rose and their relationship with her. Now this is speculative but in all honesty the only reason why the rest of Team STRQ were chosen and involved in Ozpin’s circle is because they are in the same team as Summer Rose.

And due to Summer being affiliated or descended from A literal God of Light aka Pure good with the whole silver eyes thing it stands to reason that overall, Ozpin would make any compromise to ensure he had one or as many of the silver eyed warriors as he can to be his Ace in the whole as even though he can’t defeat Salem then maybe something descended from a literal God can.

So no matter what Scenario concerning Qrow and the rest of team STRQ; Summer is more or less going to be chosen and made aware of Salem and everything else by Ozpin regardless of whether or not he choses any of her teammates or friends in the scenario that you provided and asked.

Second another factor to consider is Raven Branwen herself and her own relationship dynamic and intentions. I think it's a safe bet to say that out of all the members of Team STRQ Raven is the least likely to have been chosen by Ozpin without any persuasion or influence of someone truthful and honest to speak upon her behalf for membership. And chances are without knowing that or being tempted by Ozpin’s secrets or benefits it's possible that there would be no spark of interest to temp Raven into joining Ozpin. Also it should be assumed and made apparent that out of all people Raven Hated the Summer, Ozpin and Salem the most as they embodied everything and anything that she can never or hope to be

From Raven’s perspective we have Summer as the unique and important one that towers over everyone and is loved and admired by everyone more than her.

With Salem we have ultimate power and strength making her afraid since she can never amass that kind of power nor admit her fear resulting in her being a hypocritical coward that would rather run away to save face than admit she's weak or help anyone unless it benefits her ego and bride.

And last but not least Ozpin in terms of surpassing and cheating death via his reincarnation and that no matter how many people she kills or how much she trains to become more powerful or how smart and clever she thinks she is it infuriates her to know that someone as passive and weak as Ozpin has achieved what she can’t and has and will likely out live her once she dies and so on.

(Side note I doubt Raven knows about Salem’s immortality or ever did and unless canon says otherwise just assume any of her counter arguments against fighting salem as an excuse to be a hypocritical coward than doing the right thing)

Finally the reason I think Ozpin allowed Qrow and Raven who are at the time murderous bandits who came to Beacon just to become better killers and Tai who is more or less just an average guy who wanted to be a Huntsmen to be involved and aware of Salem is because of Summer’s influence. They are only involved with Ozpin and Salem because Summer wouldn’t join Ozpin without them. Either due to friendship, her status as their leader or something else, but from Summer’s perspective the rest of Team STRQ mattered to her enough that they deserved the choice and option to join or at least be made aware of what's really going on.

And from that Qrow and Raven gained world renown combat skill, gifted the power to shapeshift and possibly not being turned over to the authorities for their crimes because Summer vouched for them to Ozpin that they may be of use and that they can do great good and should be involved.

So the question and scenario isn’t about whether or not Ozpin decided to choose Qrow and the rest of STRQ to join him or not, it is whether or not their Bond was strengthened or weakened by being chosen by Oz and whether or not the bonds of STRQ had or will have any influence during the shows events.

This is especially important to consider since the Team are the Parents and mentors for two of the 4 main characters with one of them being considered both the series main protagonist and chosen hero.

Possible scenarios from this include;

Summer joins Ozpin but doesn’t get her way and doesn’t have her team by her side in the circle

TRQ remain the same and are less powerful than they would be in canon

Raven is less of a threat as an antagonist

Difficulty for Ozpin and his group with TRQ and especially when Ozpin dies and reincarnates into Oscar

Summer is least likely to disappear and likely taking the place and role of Qrow in the show

Depending on Raven she may and may not leave

If she stays then Ruby’s father is changed due to Tai and Raven still being together

Summer joins Ozpin but only Tai is allowed to join

Qrow and Raven remain the same and are more or less absent from the plot

Tai might grow closer to Summer instead of Raven and get together first instead.

Ruby might be older than she is in the show

Yang may never have been born

If summer disappears Tai might take the place and role of Qrow in the show

Raven is less likely to become the spring maiden and involved in the plot

Summer Joins Ozpin but only Qrow is allowed to join

Overall plot remains the same save for small changes

Summer and Qrow might be closer than they wherein canon

Ruby’s father might change depending on Raven

The threat of Raven is almost non existent

Summer joins Ozpin and somehow convinces him to let Raven join

Not gonna lie this is pretty much the bad and worse scenario if it did happen

Raven might use this to turn the rest of STRQ against Summer and OZ

Ruby’s father might change if Tai is turned against Summer

Events are more or less the same except Qrow and Tai’s roles are nonexistent and are less likely to help or aid in the plot

Raven might be more of a threat than she is in Canon

Summer may or may not disappear

So from all of these there are numerous variations of these scenarios concerning team STRQ joining Ozpin or not but in all honesty as fun as it is to speculate and imagine these possible outcomes and what if’s I must however say that all the events that we see and know from the good and the bad up to the present of the show have been both necessary and required to happen in order to ensure a win. As we can all guess the good guys are going to win no matter what because everything that had happened concerning the plot happened for a reason that led to that point and outcome

This is something known as Eucatastrophe or a sudden and favorable resolution of events in a story; a happy ending.

So yeah even though it would fun to imagine and speculate about what could have been with team STRQ it should be noted that in the end everything that had happened to them happened for a reason as it ultimately serves and contributes to a desired outcome

And too be honest there’s really nothing much as far as I know that STRQ contributed to besides just being the parents, mentors and reasons for two of the series main characters; Ruby and Yang.

This is more or less the only reason I can honestly say now about why Team STRQ mattered if they ever did. Their overall importance was to genesis and train two of the show's main characters with one of them ultimately being The designated hero that would end this story on a happy note.

Do you think Ozpin had anything to do with Summer's disappearance, indirectly or not?

Given certain dialogue and interactions from Qrow and Salem in V7 and V8 and known lore and logical conclusions I would have to say indirectly but it would be very minor. Like I doubt Ozpin gave Summer the order to go kill Salem because Like I said before Summer more or less was his Ace in the hole and no matter what I doubt Ozpin would have been so careless enough to send his important subordinate and friend to a needless death without making sure she was ready and prepared and more importantly not alone.

In the end Summer Rose’s disappearance is entirely her own fault and she left of her own will and most likely did so out of impatience and before she was ready to confront Salem with the primary cause for this choice being fear and concerns for her own daughter and family.

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dreams-of-cerulean · 1 year

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6. What’s your best childhood memory?

10. What was the last thing to make you smile?

6. What’s your best childhood memory?

what's funny is that my best childhood memory is probably my worst. hahaha.

stupid lils. i hope following me to this day was worth it.

i hope i made it worth it.

okay. so back when i got dreamer powers in the orphanage, i thought i was hot shit. couldn't manifest anything in reality, but my eldest sister did train me up a bit - nothing like the extreme bullshit she just put me through - but enough to beat up pathetically weak high schoolers as a primary schooler.

and then came chi, newcomer to the orphanage. runt of the party. hell was she 6? 7? at the time? i'm three years older. can't really remember. all i remember was that i gave her part of my sandwich once when i saw her rummaging through the trash can because she missed a meal again. and she's been stuck to my hip ever since.

i didn't like that. thought i was special. more special than anyone. destined for big things. the sort of idiot that would've died real quickly in the real world. most importantly, i thought i couldn't afford any baggage or weaklings. but she kept following me. and i hated it. because i thought she would die if she continued following me cause she wasn't strong enough.

i knew chi hated heights. it's how i lost her in those early days - just parkour up a building and voila a couple chi-free hours to myself. but it still wasn't enough. i didn't want her around me, but i couldn't kick her away - it wasn't how mom taught me to deal with the weak.

and honestly, i didn't deserve chi. she'd do better with any of the other social groups rather than standing by my side - she reminded me of a small puppy back then, eager to please - and as much roughhousing that goes on in the orphanage, kids often respond to sincerity with sincerity: she would've been better off without me.

to the me of the time, kicking her away was for her own good.

i gave chi an ultimatum to climb with me to the top of this ten-story abandoned building. if she couldn't, she had to stop following me around. and instead of staying on the ground like she always did, she climbed up with me. matched me step for step.

i looked mad the entire time - kept taunting her about how slow she was - about how she wasn't gonna make it.

but i was secretly happy. because no one ever wanted my company that much - not even my eldest sister - to the point of literally facing their fears just to stay by my side. honestly even if she couldn't follow me to the top, i think i already accepted her.

and then the ground, only supported by the wall it was attached to, cracked. and everything fell beneath me. chi was the one who dived at me, pushed me so i can hang onto a piece of rebar on a lower floor.

i watched her fall eight stories. like watching a car crash. just looking up at me.

and thud.

she still wasn't moving when i made it back down trying to check up on her. i was panicking and i think was just spiraling downward. honestly, sometimes i wonder if the reason why i could deal with people dungeons so well isn't just because of my soul's nature; it's because i very well nearly turned into one then and there.

and then i felt someone pat me on the head.

and i see lils with an outstretched arm and a confused expression, unharmed with only the shattered floor around her to mark what had happened. i think i was just babbling and hugging her and saying i was sorry at that point.

and well, the rest is history. i know i don't deserve her as a friend or as family.

but she's decided to stick with me ever since.

10. What was the last thing to make you smile?

sato - and everyone else of course - were there when i woke up from the fight. the hug from her was nice also.

also lils drew me as that dbz guy in a crater meme. ha. thanks as always, lils.

#(( Lev quite isn't aware yet that she's speaking out loud. Very loud ))#(( And the gang is outside her room eavesdropping. ))#(( ahaha ))#online::Levant

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corruptedsilence · 1 year

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Anonymous asked: △ Ultimately, what are your goals? Do you hope to remain as you are or fully become a vampire, abandoning your humanity once and for all?

Send me a △ and ask a really invasive question aimed at my character They’ll have to: Rate on a scale of 1-10 how much they don’t want to answer that question. Answer that question.

“ . . . . 9/10. “ Silence followed her reply. Not wanting to have to confront her uncertainty. The fear that still plagued her heart, mortality now terrifying her more than ever after her brush with death that had been too real for her. Too close. Missi had almost lost everything and, it terrified her. What it meant if she were to die, it was an irrational fear. She knew the answer of what would happen but it didn’t help her feel any better. Despite her deranged and fractured state; she wasn’t suicidal. Missi didn’t want to die. Not yet. She wasn’t sure how long it would take for her to find peace with it and for now she rather not deal with it at all.

“ I don’t know. I want, more power. I don’t want to be weak or broken. I want to learn more, do more, be something more than just some pathetic little human girl. . . but I’m still scared. I’m still. Scared to take that step. I can’t even look in the mirror because all I see is the person I am, a scared, pathetic, little girl who can’t do anything and I want. I want to get rid of her, no one could love that. No one would want that. I could never be anything as a human.

What’s so great about being human anyway?! Everyone hates humans, I hate humans, I hate the life I had, I hated the family that didn’t love me, no doubt they hated me back! They gave up on me! What is there left for Melissa the human? Nothing! . . . . She’s nothing. . . . I’m. Nothing. I don’t know what to do. Where to go. I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know why people care about me. Love me. Show me that affection. I want that. . . but I don’t know if I deserve it. . because I’m just a human. and I’m scared to do more despite wanting to be anything but what I am. “

#Anonymous #Delicious Knowledge // IC

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freshtomatoesddd · 2 years

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"The White Princess," "The Spanish Princess" and why my fanfics are cheesy royalty garbage. LONG POST.

Preface: I'm well aware that the institution and ideas of monarchy are outdated. This post is not an endorsement, rather my incoherent ramblings gushing over the stories that came from these time periods.

I've had an interest in history for as long as I remembered. The older the civilization, the more fascinated I am with it. What boggled my then child mind was the idea that one person could be chosen by god(s) to rule over a realm, and that their entire family was born to hold power. Not just their family, but the families of other 'nobles' throughout the ancient till medieval world. This once commonly held idea shaped the course of human history until Napoleon started spreading revolutionary ideas through his conquests (seeds which lead to the downfall of many European monarchies)

But what the hell does this have to do with TV shows or my fanfictions? We're getting there. But just know that actual historical events heavily influenced those shows, even if they took many creative liberties.

Introducing The White Princess:

"The White Princess" was a production by Starz (bottle yard studios. Interesting name) based on a book of the same name, which in turn was based on the life of Elizabeth of York straight off the heels of the wars of the roses.

What the hell is that? Basically a cousins war that started between two branches of the then English royal family. The then Earl of Warrick turned against king Henry VI after he married Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York's mother, in secret.

Long story short: Elizabeth's family, the Yorkists, were heirs to the throne of England but were usurped by their relative and uncle Richard. He crowned himself Richard III after claiming that Elizabeth's brother, Edward, was illegitimate. Elizabeth's mother then struck a deal with her family's ancestral enemy, a Lancastrian named Margaret Beaufort. Their children, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, will marry to end the decades long cousins war.

Elizabeth's brothers, Edward and Richard, were locked up in the tower of London by Richard III. It was said he killed them to ensure his security on the throne, though in the books/show it was Margaret who ordered their deaths. Their bodies were never found.

In the show Elizabeth of York had a love affair with Richard III. Which is creepy, but not totally unusual for the time. She hated Henry VII for killing him, and wished they never marry. Henry VII returned those feelings and threatened to break the marriage treaty between them, though they were eventually persuaded to out of fear England would fall into another civil war.

The absolute CRACK that is this show:

If you know me, then you know I'm a sucker for opposites attracts and high-tension character dynamics. And this show? OH BOY, did it DELIVER.

Henry and Elizabeth started out absolutely hating each other. Her mother and her placed a 'curse' on the Tudor linage which doomed the male line of their family, that's how much she hated Henry. Henry, being the petty bitch that he was, returned those feelings by slut-shaming her for her past relationship with Richard. However, once they got married and Elizabeth gave birth to a son, Henry began softening up.

Footnote: it was imperative for a ruling monarch at the time to sire male heirs. They considered daughters 'useless,' because they were thought incapable of continuing dynasties. It's all super fucking sexist, but such was Tudor England.

Elizabeth first thought to use her husband's newfound affection to manipulate him. But after realizing it meant destroying her son's future, she threw herself into mending her marriage. Henry was eager to do the same, as they realized they had a lot in common and complimented each other's weaknesses. I kid you not, I screamed so many times they kissed or even touch. They came so far FR.

After a time-skip and two more kids (though historically Elizabeth had six more before dying delivering her final one) they've grown closer than ever. Henry's affection for Elizabeth is so obvious, that in both the show and historical records, it was said that people could see it from a mile away. Elizabeth reciprocated his love equally, often sharing a bed with him at a time where it was unusual for a royal couple to.

GOD. They're just SO FUCKING CUTE.

There was this episode where Henry was facing rebellion. Elizabeth read a note from her mother and looked distraught. Then Henry, THE FUCKING KING, KNELT down on HIS KNEES to ask her what's wrong. It might seem small to us now, but back then it was UNPRECEDENTED for a king to do that for anyone.

Half his troops deserted when he went to fight off the rebellion, favoring the guy who claimed to be England's rightful king instead (Henry was unpopular so people jumped at the chance to rise against him) You wanna know what Elizabeth did? SHE RODE TO THE DESERTING TROOPS AND GAVE A PASSIONATE SPEECH, URGING THE MEN TO SIDE WITH THEIR KING AND HER, THEIR QUEEN. AND IT WORKED!!!! Thousands of men RETURNED all because Elizabeth delivered a speech in her husband's name. If that's not romantic irdk what it.

Just watch the show y'all, it's literally AMAZING.

The Spanish Princess. AKA Catherine and Henry's dramatic love affair.

Footnote: The Henry in this section is Henry VIII, not his father Henry VII.

Catherine of Aragon was the daughter of the legendary Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon. She was betrothed to Arthur, crown prince of England, her whole life and was trained accordingly. She couldn't imagine a life where she wasn't Queen of England. Sadly, her husband dropped dead three months into their marriage. Things were looking up though, because prince Henry is a manwhore and started giving her bedroom eyes as soon as his brother died.

I'm not gonna lie, I had no idea what was happening for most of season 1. Everything happened so fast and all at once, that the only thing I could process was Henry and Catherine's unbridled affection for one another. I really have no words to describe just how much they desired each other, how their dynamic was so fun to watch, how they complimented each other so well. Like, just watch it for yourself and you'll see what I mean.

Every time, EVERY TIME Henry looks at Catherine, he looks at her with so much love and devotion it's almost impossible to comprehend. This man, who we came to know as a wife-killing narcissist, fell absolutely head over heels for her. And it was historically accurate too! Many accounts said their marriage was was great (till Catherine entered menopause before giving birth to sons)

But Henry didn't discard Catherine as soon as their first son died. he was hopeful they'd have more, and there was nothing indicating they'd suffer four miscarriages. Both of them were crushed each time, but Henry got increasingly paranoid. He was only the second Tudor king, he needed an heir to continue his dynasty (in adherence with the bullshit laws of his time anyway) So it was only after Catherine stopped being able to get pregnant did he start eyeing Anne Boleyn.

Footnote: This in NO WAY excuses how he treated Catherine in their later years. Henry was considered to be a smart, enlightened man by most accounts, but totally FAILED to challenge the misogynistic beliefs of his time. He let his insecurity get the better of him, and that's his fault 100%

But before all the tragedy, it was almost painful to watch them falling in love. We have hindsight, but they didn't. So watching them genuinely care about one another in the most tender of ways, UGH, it's just too much bro.

What the hell does any of this have to do with my fanfics?

It's no secret that I love employing drama in my stories, but I bet you didn't know I pull from history half the time. Well, not exactly. I don't copy it 100% but I often use it as a foundation for what will happen. This explains why everything is so balls to walls, and why anything related to royalty is taken way too seriously.

It also explains why tyzula, in my fics, is so fucking dramatic. Because I love drama, I fucking love that star-crossed lovers crushed by tragedy bullshit. I fucking LOVE IT when the main couple have to overcome differences and come to a mutual understanding, I go FERAL when they show tenderness by kneeling or kissing the other's hand. I go BERSERK when they're about to separate and have dramatic goodbyes, I froth at the mouth CRAZY when something is at stake and they have to make sacrifices. WHY???? Because I was raised watching that cheesy shit, that's why, by shows MUCH older than the two I mentioned above. The reason I pulled up those two shows was to give you an idea on what kind of media influences my story choices. And as you can tell, it's CRAZY dramatic.

In conclusion, I believe this picture perfectly sums up how passionately I feel about drama in romance-period pieces:

#tomato talks #rambles #if you made it this far thx #:))#i rlly appreciate it #this is the extent of my brainrot #zoom #im romance trash i know #the promised tudor brainrot post #unhinged post #welcome to the land of my niche interests

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nastybuckybarnes · 2 years

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All the King’s Men - Nine

Pairing: Alpha!King!Bucky X Omega!Reader

Summary: Your father always said that if it weren’t for your presentation, he’d think you were an Alpha. There’s a reason for that. Growing up in a world where Omegas are treated like garbage, you’ve fought for the respect that you have. Until you’re sold off to an old King desperate for a bride. But you will not lay down and present for your new husband. No, you will fight back.

Warnings: Language, Angst, Dark Themes, Minor Violence and Injury Implications, ABO Dynamics (Scenting, Marking, Knotting, etc.)

Word Count: 2.5K

A/n: Um I have another Royal AU in mind now lmao. This took me forever cause idk what im doing. idk if I even wanna continue this story cause I feel like every time I do anything, someone won’t like it. and ppl are annoying today lol like get a life. anyway, I hope you enjoy.

!!DO NOT COPY/TRANSLATE/REPOST MY WORK!!

SERIES MASTERLIST

~*~

“You truly would have rather have died than accepted any help that was not my own?” You question a while later once his rut has eased slightly.

He only nods, feeling whole again now that you are with him.

“I told you, Omega. If it is not you, I do not want it. I promised you that I would seek only you if I needed my... baser desires tended to. And, seeing as you would rather die than be bonded to me, seeking you seemed pointless.” He slowly brings a hand up and traces one warm finger down your cheek before sighing and pulling away.

“I would burn my Kingdom to the ground if you asked me too, (Y/n). You are mine, but far more than that, I am yours. I belong to you, Omega. Body, heart, and soul.”

You let out a sigh and push yourself into a seated position on his bed, shaking your head at him.

“Pretty words do not make up for the pain of your actions, James.”

It’s the first time you’ve used his first name, and he loves the way it sounds but hates the context it’s in.

“The way you disrespected our bond... disrespected me... it is not something that will be easily forgiven.”

He reaches for your hand but you pull away from him, tugging the blankets up to cover your chest.

“I know that I have hurt you-”

“No, you don’t. You cannot imagine what I am feeling because nothing I could do will ever come close to the way you disrespected me. You humiliated me, destroyed my trust in you. You’re my mate, James. My Alpha. And you treated me as if I were a piece of meat. I am more than that, and if you cannot understand that, then I will leave.” You say the words simply, because it is, in fact, a simple thing.

You don’t care how much it’ll pain you to leave him, if he does not truly prove that he is sorry, then you will go.

“I am an old fool, Omega. I... I was a coward. I was afraid... of you. You... you have power, that much is obvious. You make me weak. As a King, I cannot be seen as weak or it will not only be my life in danger, but that of those I love, as well.”

“There is no strength in destroying our bond. That is nothing more than fear and cowardice and stupidity. You showed no strength. Strength would be bringing me into your meeting and standing alongside me, not belittling me. Strength would be silencing those who speak poorly of you in a meaningful way, not one that harms me, the Queen of your Kingdom.”

You take a breath before continuing, trying to clear your head though it proves to be a challenge with the pheromones permeating the air.

“A King is nothing without his Queen. Look at all the fallen empires and see what they all have in common. The Kings lack Queens. Sure, they have heirs, they have many Omegas, but they do not have a Queen at their side. The Queen has half the power, controls half the emotions. A King is nothing without his Queen.” Your eyes are hard and focused on his as you speak, each word ringing with truth.

“I do not care how old you are nor what customs you grew up with. I know that, were your mother there, she would feel such deep sorrow for the man her son turned out to be.”

His heart hurts at just how true your words are.

Were Winifred alive, she’d throttle him.

As she should.

He’s ready to castrate himself and offer you his testicles on a silver platter if that would make up for the wrongs he’s caused. But deep down he knows it won’t.

He’s not sure if anything he can do will ever make up for the pain he caused.

Slowly, you push yourself out of his bed and redress, ignoring his heated gaze on your body.

“You’re leaving.”

It’s not a question.

“I am. I require fresh air to clear the clouds within my mind. The worst of your rut has subsided, yes?”

He nods his confirmation then collapses back into the bed with a defeated sigh, shaking his head at himself.

“I will return later after I have had time to think.”

You leave without another word.

You trek through the familiar halls, a thousand thoughts racing through your mind and a million emotions stabbing at your heart.

He is your alpha. Your mate. Nothing in the world, not even the attempted removal of a bond, can change that.

But the way he has hurt you...

“Your Majesty. It is good to see you again. Though I must admit, you did look quite well the last time I saw you.”

Your nose wrinkles at the scent of the Alpha and you glower at him, recognizing him as one of the men in the room where James punished you.

“Is there anything you require or are you here simply to bother me?” You haven’t the energy to pretend to be nice to the man.

He glances around before taking a step closer to you, his voice dropping in volume slightly.

“I wanted to tell you that what the King did to you was wrong. On many levels. He had no right to treat you the way he did, though I can understand why he did it.”

You quirk a brow at the man and scoff, “just how can you understand that brutality?”

He takes another step, his scent overwhelming you and making your nose wrinkle even further.

“You weaken him, Your Majesty. Your presence alone could drive the man to his knees, and that scares him. The power you possess is like none I’ve ever seen. His display may have worked in putting Lord Pierce in his place, but not all of us share his outlook. Some of us see things with... younger eyes.”

You slowly raise your chin, distrust flaring in your eyes.

“And just who might you be?”

He chuckles softly and takes a half-step backwards.

“No one of consequence. Though, the way he treated you in front of his men, in front of me, is unforgivable. A strong woman such as yourself can surely see that.” His eyes rake over your figure before returning to your face, and you feel a shudder of disgust prickle at the base of your neck.

“You would do well to have caution how you speak. The words you spit could be mistaken for treason. I am your queen and you... you are not my advisor nor are you my friend. I do not need to hear a word from you of your opinion on matters that do not concern you.”

He raises both hands up in a sign of surrender and takes another backwards step, his eyes never leaving yours.

“I only wanted to extend an offer to you, your majesty. There are many who have grown tired of the King’s rule. Many who think that you would serve as a fair replacement, were an accident to befall him. Good day, Your Majesty. I hope you... consider my words carefully.”

With that, the man pivots on his heel and struts away as if he hadn’t just spoken of usurping and killing his King.

Words spoken directly to the Queen.

And yet, for some reason, you find yourself mulling over his words far more than you should.

~*~

A harsh knock on the door pulls James from the document on his desk.

His rut is still heavy in his body and mind, but not nearly as all-consuming as it was hours prior.

“Come.”

The door opens and he holds back a growl at the scent of another Alpha.

He opens his mouth to greet the Prince but is cut off by a snarl from the younger man.

“I do not know what it is that you’ve done to my sister, but know this: I am not nearly as diplomatic as my father is. I care not for the politics of things. At the end of all that there is, there is family. If you so much as look at her in the wrong way, I will not kill you. No, I’ll hold you down and allow her to do it.”

The King pushes away from the desk with one eyebrow raised, watching the Alpha stalk forward in an intimidation tactic that is hardly working.

“My sister will take your crown and your throne, your Kingdom hers. And do you want to know what her first act as ruler of this Kingdom will be?” A rhetorical question, so he doesn’t even try to answer.

“She will bring you into the very heart of your Kingdom and announce your crimes to her people, the people that were once loyal to you will all take turns lashing you as public punishment for your crimes against her. And then, when you cannot walk and are begging for death, we will haul your worthless body to Lothiella, where you will receive the same treatment. And then, for five days and five nights you will be tied to the centre of the Kingdom and every rise and fall of the sun will be met with a public stoning, a final punishment for your treason. And the very last thing you will see in your pathetic little life will be my sister driving a blade through your heart.”

The young man is huffing by the end of it, his chest heaving and his eyes fiery with the anger he feels toward the older King.

Taking a deep breath, Elden straightens up and smooths out the wrinkles in his tunic.

“This is a promise that I make you, Your Majesty. If you ever dare to raise a finger to her, it is not only her wrath you will face. You will face mine, too.”

There’s a knock on the door, but neither Alpha look away from the other even when James calls for the person to enter.

“Oh. I… I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” you say softly, looking between the two and scrunching up your nose at the thick scent of aggression in the air.

“No, you’re not. Thank you, Elden, for your insight. I will take your words into careful consideration.”

Your brother gives your husband one final glare before turning on his heel and walking to the door where you stand.

He places a protective hand on your waist and presses a kiss to your hairline before leaving the room.

You stand awkwardly by the door for a while, your eyes roaming around the room as the words of the stranger in the hallway bounce around in your brain.

“You have had time to clear your thoughts, I trust?” He asks softly, taking a slow step toward you.

“I... yes.” Your voice doesn’t convince you nor does it convince your husband.

“Somehow I don’t believe that,” he whispers, his eyes on you.

“I...” you trail off and shake your head, raising your eyes to his. You had very few moments of peace on your walk, and you’re far more confused than you were before.

“What do you plan to do to show to the men of your council that you truly are sorry and that you were in the wrong in what you did?”

He grinds his teeth together slightly and drops his gaze to the floor.

“I regret my actions greatly, and I will suffer the consequences as I have already. I will spend my days on my knees trying to make it up to you, but there are certain things that, for the safety and strength of this Kingdom, I cannot do.”

You stare at him in utter shock, taking a step back and shaking your head again.

“You would rather die alone and withered in your bed than tell your council that you regret what you’ve done to me? Because apologies are weakness to you? Is that it?”

He steps toward you and reaches for your hands only for you to yank them away immediately after.

“It... they are stuck in the ways of the past, as I might be. To show them weakness is to give them permission to challenge my position as King. I cannot allow such vulnerability in front of them. In front of you, always, without question. But showing vulnerability in front of them means that, not only am I and my Kingdom in danger, but you as well. They each have a Fyrd they could raise, a household guard. They could band together and challenge me, fight me. I... I dread to think of what they would do to you if they were to win.”

You glare at him with nothing but hatred in your eyes and heartbreak in your chest.

“If you had not been a coward in the first place, you would not be faced with such a battle. I care not how old you are nor how old they are. There is nothing powerful about forcing a woman to her knees to assert your ‘dominance’. All that does is show that your words hold no weight and no one should listen to a word you say.”

He shakes his head and reaches for your hands again, resulting in you backing up several steps.

“I saved your life, James. I saved your Kingdom, in the process. You would really be such a coward and let your Kingdom fall to save your stupid boyish pride? You are pathetic and you disgust me. I wish you’d let me die in that forest.”

His heart hurts, and his eyes show the pain he’s feeling, but you don’t pay it any mind.

“I will be retiring to my chambers. We will discuss the distribution of your assets in the morning.”

You turn away from him, ignoring the way he calls out for you.

Even when he uses your title, you ignore him. You ignore the tingling in the base of your skull at the sound of your Alpha calling for you.

After all that he’s said and done, he is no longer yours. You may be claimed by him, but you do not claim him.

As you march through the halls, a familiar scent fills your nose and you cringe in disgust.

“What do you want?” You demand, not in the mood for more information that will set your mind ablaze.

“You seem distressed, your Majesty. I simply wanted to make sure you were all right,” he says simply.

You eye him for a moment before looking down the hallway to make sure you’re alone.

“What exactly do you plan to do to the King?”

An evil grin spreads on his face and he places a hand on your lower back, guiding you through the halls.

“I’m so glad you asked, Your Majesty. With your help, we will make him regret all the pain he’s ever caused.”

#bucky x reader #alpha!bucky #omega!reader #alpha!bucky x omega!reader #alpha!stucky x omega!reader #alpha!king!bucky x omega!reader #king!bucky x reader #queen!reader #royal au #bucky x reader royal au #Bucky Barnes au #dark fic #tw dark fic #tw dark themes #James Barnes x reader #bucky abo #abo au

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cipheress-to-k-pop · 3 years

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A Sister's Love

Pairing: Platonic Damian Wayne x Al Ghul!Reader

Warnings: Injuries and blood. Drugging, Trafficking and sexual assult but these are not the main themes.

Word Count: 4.9K

Summary: You realize you have a lot to learn about yourself outside of your little brother, Damian's, shadow.

A/N: Was originally gonna make this a Dick Grayson x Reader but realized it would be weird cuz of mixed families and stuff. And I don't wanna be pushing the boundaries of incest.

Growing up in the League of Assassins meant a lot of things for you. It meant that you were raised to be powerful and commanding. It meant you knew how to kill a man in 47 different ways and counting. It meant that you were raised to rightfully think that you were the best.

Although for every good thing there was always cons. Your schedule was rigid and your peers were unfeeling. Your mother most of all, but that didn't stop you from trying to win her affection. It was the reason why when your little brother was born you felt threatened.

That was until you met little Damian. Your mother had handed him to you with a smile of pride that she never showed you and you hated him. But then you saw his precious little face, a nose tinier than a button and adorable lips that were curled into a pout. He was so beautiful.

Since then, you put any differences you might have had with your mother behind you. According to Ra’s it would have been a mistake to show Damian such tenderness, to teach him about loyalty to your heart, instead of without it.

But Talia couldn't ignore the tug she felt in her heart seeing you and Damian together. You still worked hard, harder than she had ever seen before, now determined not to show that you were weak and have them take your brother from you. Damian followed your example, training to her approval, however taxing it was for him.

And more importantly, Damian loved you. You were the first woman he had ever loved and he was smart enough to know that would never be a mistake. You were his shelter in a storm, his fire in the cold. You were the best sibling that anyone could ever even dream of.

But then you had to part. At age 10, Damian went to live with his father, Bruce Wayne. You had never met the man when he was with your mother and you assumed you wouldn't need to, he wasn't your father.

Both you and Damian didn't want to leave each other. You'd miss your little brother and you'd miss the feeling in your chest whenever you'd look at him. Damian would miss home; he would miss your presence and he would miss the familiarity. But he couldn't stay.

That's something you learnt at the League. Damian couldn't stay, with you. He was meant for bigger things than you.

Another thing you learnt was that you didn't have to stay either. You wanted to see the world, see what everything else had in store for you. And your mother, bless her, gave you her blessing.

Of all the things the league taught you, there were things they missed out on. And a part of you was thankful for that. Because you enjoyed the feeling of wide-eyed wonderment when you stepped into a train station for the first time ever.

You had never tasted a chocolate muffin before, you realized as you stuffed your face at a local bakery. Coffee and chocolate muffins went well together. You liked sweet things better than spicy things, you noted when you didn't enjoy the tteokbokki you bought at a Korean food stall.

People were kind, not foolish. They smiled at you when you came in and genuinely asked you where you were headed. Like the woman you met on the tram who was heading to Washington DC. Even through the short ride, the two of you had bonded and she had left you with her phone number and a promise that if you were ever in DC, you would ring her up. Diana was trusting, too trusting. You could have assumed it was because she was stupid, but you wanted to believe it was because she was smarter than even you.

Some people were kind like her but of course, some were impolite and pig-headed. You of course didn't waste any time putting them in their place. Maybe that was why you shouldn't have any faith in humanity.

But isn't humanity just the thing you should be putting faith in?

It was fun at first, discovering new things, seeing how people really lived outside of books and things taught to you back at the League. You knew everything, you weren't naive enough to be oblivious but reading about something was miles apart from actually experiencing it.

After a while however, you got lonely, it was a huge world with people constantly moving and you've come to realize that unless you're with somebody, you can't really move from your place. Instead, you'd be stuck watching all of them. So, you sought after your brother.

It was easy enough to track Bruce Wayne, he lived in a house large enough to be seen from outer space. Getting to Gotham took longer than you expected. Time passed so easily when you didn't have a purpose but now that you had somewhere you needed to be, the train couldn't go any slower.

Gotham City was less gloomy than people made it out to be. The sun was shining and the city was bustling. In some ways, it seemed a little homey. Maybe that was because you didn't have to worry about someone hurting you. If anything, they should pray that they don't choose you as their next victim.

Of course, you could've gone to Wayne Manor and introduced yourself civilly but you wanted to see Damian more than anything and didn't want to delay it any longer. And more than that, you wanted to see Damian is his cute little school uniform.

That's what led you to wait outside of the well-reputed Gotham University, waiting patiently for the bell to ring and students to file out of it. You already knew that they wouldn't come out singing like in the movies but a very small fraction of you still hoped.

Your heartrate increased with every passing minute, excited to meet your brother after nearly a year of being apart. Eventually, the bell did ring and students began trickling out of the doors, looking like bumble bees, excitedly zipping around and talking to their friends.

'Would this have been my life if I was never born in the League?' You wondered, looking at a girl who was animatedly chatting with her friend, arms interlocked as they moved towards the parking lot where their parents were waiting.

When you finally saw Damian, you suddenly felt out of place. Like an outsider watching someone else's brother when you saw his eyes lock onto someone in the commons. Even though you weren't on the school campus, you could still recognize who it was.

Richard Grayson, oldest son of Bruce Wayne, waiting to pick up your little brother on a motor cycle.

And for the first time in your life, you experienced insecurity, watching them greet each other like brothers. The feeling was sour and you wondered if it was a mistake coming here, thinking that you still had a place here.

It was true, people didn't move from their place unless they had someone to go with. You hadn't felt fulfilled like that since your brother stopped being at your side. He was everything you knew. It was just your mistake for thinking that in the year apart your brother wouldn't have found anyone either.

***

"Drake, pull up the security cameras from today at my school parking lot." Damian ordered, stepping into the Batcave.

"No 'Hello', no 'How you doing?', it's always 'Tim, do this' 'Drake, do that'," Tim commented sarcastically but still pulled up whatever he needed, "And then as soon as I give you what I want, you're going to forget me again. And not even visit the kids."

Dick spared him a laugh at his dramatic scene, ruffling his hair as greeting and then turned his attention to the screen. The footage was played at double the speed until Damian's eyes locked onto just what he wanted to find.

It was just for a second, when Dick's motorcycle had zoomed past but that was all he needed. Damian had seen your face and it wasn't any mistake, he'd know you even if he was blind. Even though he was so sure it had been you, he still couldn't hide the way his body froze, eyes wide when he saw your face.

It was the same face he'd see every night before he went to bed and the very first person he wanted to see every time he woke up. Your image was what came into his mind when he thought of being nurtured, when he thought of being safe.

There was a time when he was younger, too young, there was a thunder storm. He doesn't remember much from the night, just hiding his face against your chest and you wrapping a blanket around him. His mother trained him even harder the next day, until he almost dropped but he'd never forget curling up to your warmth. Not even now, when he knew that thunder storms were the least of his fears.

It was as simple as that. With his father and brothers, he didn't have to worry about looking weak, he didn't think of love as a weakness, rather he considered it as the fuel behind strength. Yes, his father taught him well. And now he would show you just how much he's grown. So, you can be proud of him.

"We need to find her."

"Why? Who is she?"

"My sister."

***

Of all the things you wanted to experience, visiting a bar was one of them. Was the air really enough to intoxicate you? Were you really going to lose all sense when you stepped into it? Would be able to drink your troubles away?

You were sorely disappointed. The alcohol didn't taste good, it burned when you swallowed it and made your tongue feel fuzzy. The music was so loud that your brain began throbbing against your skull to the beat of the song.

Men were picking fights and women were having fun but even then, you couldn't find it in yourself to get up and actually have fun. I mean, how were you supposed to? How was cosying up against a drunk man supposed to make you feel better? How was getting lost in throngs of sweaty people who didn't know what personal space was meant to improve your mood?

If anything, it just reminded you of just how pathetic your life was.

You were realizing you had no purpose. Damian was all you had known for years now, knowing only to protect him with your life and love him with your heart. Who were you without him? What did you like? What made you happy outside from your duty at the league?

A man knocking into you brought you out of your thoughts, which had been happening all night. Except this man stopped in front of you and gave you a smile that turned your stomach upside down.

"Sorry about that pretty lady, let me buy you a drink to make up for it." He spoke with a voice that was trying to be smooth but instead sounded like metal scraping over each other.

"No, thank you." You said sharply, not yet done with your Manhattan anyway. You were barely enjoying your time here as it was and you were sure another drink wouldn't change your mind.

"Not a fan?"

You shook your head at him, choosing to humour the man.

"Then let me buy you another one, if you don't like it then you have nothing to lose."

You pretended to giggle at him and he swelled with pride. Did he think he was winning?

"One Boulevardier." He told the bartender who nodded and began preparing the drink. Until it was ready, you indulged the man in front of you who reeked of cigarettes and alcohol.

He placed the drink in front of you and if you hadn't known that it would burn going down and turn you into a shell of yourself, you might have been curious to what it tasted like.

"You see that dude over there?" He nodded to a man standing in the other corner of the bar and you turned to look at him. Another man, covered in tattoos who didn't look any different than the one standing behind you.

"He's my pal, owns the bar. Ask him and he'll hook you up with free drinks tonight. For a price, of course."

You turned back around to face the man and out of the corner of your eye saw something dissolve into your drink. It was only for a second but you saw the last remaining grains turn invisible and you definitely noticed the way the once steady drink was now swirling into a vortex in the middle.

"Drink up, princess."

You smirked. Tonight, might be fun after all.

***

This was boring.

You had been pretending to be unconscious for about 40 minutes while these men drove you to some undisclosed location. Their conversations were unbelievably dry and it's not like you had anyone else to talk to. Everyone else who might have been even mildly interesting were knocked unconscious.

Eventually they pulled up to some sort of holding facility and if your assumptions were correct then this would be a midpoint before they sold all the girls here to some sort of pimp.

Once they lugged you off the truck and threw you into a room with so many other people, you could hear their breathing did you open your eyes. It seemed like this was some sort of abandoned butcher or meat factory, judging by the ominous hooks hanging above your head and the metal walls. The door had been bolted shut, the only way to look through it was a small glass window.

Only after you finished taking in your surroundings did you even look at the other women who had been trapped in the room along with you. Your stomach turned.

There were so many unsuspecting faces who looked like they didn't sign up for this. Half of them looked under the influence of something, sweating profusely even in their sleep, faces scrunched up in pain. The other looked like they were forcibly taken, bruises covering their skin, hair and clothes in disarray and more than half of them had either a black eye or a swollen lip.

Maybe it was their fault for not being trained, that's what someone at the league would've said. But isn't it their captors’ fault for misusing their training, their strength, for something as vile as this?

You decided to wait, you couldn't assume that this small group of girls was the only one in the confines of the building. How many more were here?

You weren't feeling overwhelmed, not at all, not with the weapons that were littering you. A kunai hidden is either of your boots, throwing stars in your pockets hidden underneath your vest and a war fan in your pocket. You could handle these clowns without even looking up.

But it wasn't your life you were concerned about. It was the lives of these underaged, vulnerable girls who had fallen prey to these monsters.

While you were waiting a couple of the girls started to wake up. Some were still heavily drugged, still groggy when their eyes fluttered open and unable to focus onto anything. Others shot up straight as an arrow and began crying, screaming, begging for them to let them out.

They were ignored, by both their captors and you. Why try and reassure then when you weren't sure what was going to happen. More importantly, why throw off the monsters lurking outside the door that there was one woman who hadn't been phased.

Instead, you just stared blankly, trying to get comfortable and hear anything through the walls. Eventually, you heard the sound of footsteps coming towards the room. You covered the lower half of your face with a scarf, making sure that anyone who left here alive today, wouldn't be able to remember your face. Whether it be as a saviour or their punisher.

The girls whimpered and curled into one another, crying quietly and you felt sympathy. There was no way they'd be able to move forward from this without having fear stab at their heart with every step they took. You could only hope they had something in their life that would make them feel safe.

For tonight, you'd be that for them.

A few men opened the door with a cruel smile, stepping inside for a second before bolting it shut. They flaunted guns and other weapons to the girls, finding pleasure where there should be compassion and worry. You were disgusted watching their smirks twist maniacally when the girls cried harder seeing them brandish their weapons.

One of the men stepped forward and grabbed the girl closest to him who begged and cried to spare her. His disgusting hand might as well be made of acid because you almost felt the sick burn when it snaked between her legs and copped a feel while she sobbed and screamed, trying to fight him off.

You grabbed one of your weapons and returned their sick grins with one of your own.

It was going to be hard to cop a feel when he can't feel anything.

You were going to break each and every bone in his hand to ensure that.

***

"Can I borrow your phone please?" You asked the bloody and broken man by your feet. He glared at you and spat blood on your boots, unable to do anything else. You sighed and faked a pout.

"Is it here?" You wondered, holding the dirtied boot over his ribs and his eyes widened, catching drift of what you were about to do. You rammed your foot into his broken ribs, courtesy of yourself, and he screamed bloody murder. Music to your ears.

"Apparently not. Want me to check your pants?" You asked, raising a brow and he frantically shook his head, using whatever strength left to pull out his phone from his pocket and you smiled, thanking him quietly.

"Now, let's hope that one blow is enough to put you out of my misery." You sang, punching him right in the face and he passed out. Lightweight.

You took a look around the place, seeing bodies littered over the place like confetti. Blood was scattered on the ground and you're sure if people looked hard enough, they'd find someone's teeth. You on the other hand looked fine.

You sat on the floor, crossing your legs comfortably, tired after the fight and dialled a number onto the phone.

"Hello, police?"

"Yes, how can we help you?"

"Well, there's a sex trafficking scam going on at my location. Quite shoddy but they have a number of women trapped here and it would be nice if you could send backup to have them escorted home safely."

"A sex trafficking scam?"

"Well, it could be just a regular trafficking scam but I'm not too sure."

"All right, I'll have someone check it out."

"Good, and I realize you might get a lot of calls like this but please don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. Tell your people to send a couple of ambulances as well, you'll need them."

"Of course."

You could only hope the person on the other end of the line would eat their words when it was on the front of the newspaper. For now, your work was done.

In the meantime, how were you going to get anywhere from here? Where even were you? Was there anyone even conscious here who could give you directions? Or would you have to call the police again to find out where to go?

Not that you'd wait long enough for them actually arrive here. You'd return to the bar way before that for another drink. Maybe now you'd actually be able to enjoy one.

Just as you were about to leave, you heard a creak coming from the other end of the warehouse. It echoed through the halls and you leapt to your feet, soundless moving to hide in the shadows and pulling out a kunai.

The footsteps that followed it were light and airy, barely even touching the ground. They were trained, whoever they were. You kept your ears open in order to hear something.

"Whoever was here was trained." You heard someone comment.

"Are you really that stupid, Nightwing? It's obvious that my sister was the one who took out this ring and reported it." Came the snappy reply back and your breath caught in your chest. Make no mistake, that was your brother's voice.

"We must find her."

He was actually looking for you? He knows you're here? You're not entirely surprised, you haven't exactly been careful or stealthy when it came to concealing your face around Gotham. A mistake on your part but you couldn't have been more relieved.

You still remained quiet, not wanting to disturb the flow, not wanting to interrupt. You had the mind of a soldier but when there was no one to follow you seemed more like a sheep. It made you feel slight shame, that you were unable to stick up for yourself despite being so many things.

Maybe, the league wasn't the best thing for you.

Immediately you scraped the thought from your mind, berating yourself for even thinking that. The league had given you everything, everything you were today was because of them. You were strong and calculating, the leagues proud soldier.

You were proud of your roots, thankful that you grew up to be the person you were. They had given you everything, and your brother was just one of the gifts that you had been blessed with in your life.

"Damian." You spoke softly, stepping out of the shadows. His head snapped towards you, eyes widening when he took in your form. It really was you. His sister.

Damian wasted no time in bounding towards you and you knelt down to meet his eye level, catching him with open arms. A part of your heart sang when you realized he was still small enough to fit in your arms. He still held you close. He still loved you.

"I've missed you, Ya Amar." You spoke softly, cradling his head that was buried in the junction of your neck.

"I as well, Okhti."

***

Damian was ecstatic that you were in Gotham. Of course, it didn't look like it to anyone but everyone who knew him well could tell that he was happy that his sister was home with him. He didn't wait for even two seconds when you got to the Batcave (much to Bruce's surprise) to show you all his pets.

The next few days would be considered the best of his life.

Damian wanted to be as close to you as possible, sitting near you during meals, training with you, talking with you, even going as far to sneak into your temporary bedroom at night for cuddles. He certainly got more comfortable showing affection since the last time you were around.

He showed you his hobbies like painting and sketching and you were impressed. He had the skills to be doing something like this? Damian had picked up many new talents and many new stories since you last saw him and he was eager to share them all with you.

The next few days would be considered the worst of your life.

You had found Damian now, so why didn't you still feel fulfilled? Why did you feel like something was missing? Like this wasn't meant for you? Why weren't you satisfied?

Why did you feel envious that Damian got to experience so many things? Why did you feel resentment against him when you realized you never got the same things he has?

Your life felt like it amounted to nothing.

You loved your brother but so far you had just been living for him. And now that you realized there were parts of the world that you wanted to see. There were thoughts in your mind that were of your own and desires that you didn't have to explain to anyone. As long as it made sense to yourself.

And you realize one thing with an aching heart.

You couldn't stay here in Gotham.

"Does Damian know?" Bruce asked you one day when you had asked him a favour. Bruce so far had been a little cold and unfeeling ever since you had met him in the Batcave uninvited. His feelings towards you got more negative when you gave an offhanded comment about how you thought he was taller. But he was the only one you could ask for a favour. He was the father to your beloved brother and you could only hope he would offer you the same consideration.

You had asked him for a flight to Washington, to see if Diana really meant what she said. To take a leap of faith for the first time in your life.

You shook your head no, "Not yet. I'm hoping he will take the news well. It's not like I'm leaving forever. I just—I need to—" You trailed off, unable to find the right words.

Bruce nodded, "I understand. Just tell him before you go. I don't think I've ever seen him this happy before."

"It makes me feel worse." You admitted, feeling a little guilty. How could you not feel happy at your brother’s happiness?

"You need some time to figure out that your world is yours. No one else should determine how you feel about yourself."

"You are very wise," You said softly, "Thank you."

***

"I love you dearly, Damian." You tried to coerce him from his room where he had locked himself in only 5 minutes ago. No doubt he was sulking since he found out that you would be leaving for DC in two days’ time.

"If you did, you wouldn't be leaving!" His voice was muffled, as if his face was buried in his pillow or even Titus. You had been trying to coax him into open the door for 20 minutes now and had multiple offers from Grayson, which you turned down.

"Oh, for the love of—Damian Wayne, you open this door right now!" It was silent for a moment before you heard the lock click open and took that as the indication from him to step into his room.

It was large and from the moment you stepped in, it was easy to tell the space was his. There were swords mounted on the wall, paintings on the wall adjacent to it. His desk was tidy and in the corner of his room, there were multiple easels and sketch pads.

Damian was sulking on his bed and you sighed, feeling guilty. You sat beside him and ran your fingers through his hair. Even though he was upset with you, he still sank into your touch, feeling comforted by mere contact.

"It's not forever, Damian. Wherever I'm going, I'm going to come back. I just need some time to myself." You tried to explain.

"But why!"

"The league taught me well, Damian. But it taught me to live like a soldier, but not as a person. There are so many things that I don't know about myself. What do I like? What do I want to do with my life? And I need to figure it out for myself."

"Why can't you do that here?"

You gave him a pained look and realization dawned on him, "Because of me."

"Damian, in the time we spent apart you learnt so many things about yourself. That you like animals, that you like art. There are so many blanks in my life and I need the distance to figure it out. I need to understand myself." You explained wistfully.

It was true, there were so many blanks in your life. You didn't even know what food you liked better, what hobbies you enjoyed. You wanted to experience new things, without the influence of Damian, without relying on him. And more importantly, you were scared you would put Damian above yourself time and time again.

It was all you knew. Damian was worth more than your life, worth more than your heart. But if that was true, you wanted to know at least what your heart was worth to you. If you didn't hold any value to yourself, it would be foolish to think you would to anyone else.

You needed the distance. You needed something new. You wanted to dive into uncharted waters and figure out the magic for yourself, without anyone to help you.

"It's not forever," You reminded gently, "I'm going to come back, I can promise you that."

Damian began leaning until his head was settled in your lap and you chuckled, gently scratching his scalp and he nestled into your belly. Hard to believe this was the same boy who left only a year ago. You wondered if you would change as much as he did or if you were stuck in your ways now.

"Okay," He said, voice muffled and you smiled, "I hope you find what you're looking for."

"Thank you for your blessing, Ya Amar. It means the world to me. I love you; you know that."

"I do." He said, now wrapping his arms around your waist, "I love you too."

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