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masterhandss · 3 years

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Hello! Uhm… there’s something I’ve been wondering about for a long time now regarding Nicol. And I figured I may as well ask now, since S2 has started airing.

I’ve seen his wiki page. And it says and I quote: It was later revealed that his emotionless face and quiet nature is a result of extreme trauma. From a young age, people of all genders and ages would tend to do absurd things, as well as assaulting him.

I’ve been so fixated on this probably since S1 had finished, yet I haven’t really had the time to read all the light novels to know where this specifically comes from or even be sure if it’s actually true. The only thing I managed to find was a scene (I think in one of the later volumes) about Katarina pointing out this creepy guy that took Nicol’s used utensils and stared at him a lot, but she didn’t do anything about it because Sophia saw nothing wrong with that guy’s behavior and told her it was okay.

I’m not sure if the wiki was referring to that scene, or something else. And since I know that you read the light novels, I was hoping if maybe you could check that info and confirm/deny it for me. If it is true… then it really puts a whole different perspective on Nicol. People in the series have been shown to faint if Nicol smiles, but it was also mentioned how he was one of the only second year students in the student council because people would fight over him.

And to think their behavior possibly had escalated to the point of traumatizing him as a child makes me very heartbroken to think about. Especially when the wiki also mentioned how he feels very uncomfortable when he’s the center of attention… makes me wonder if the anime will even touch upon any of that.

Hello! I'm sorry if answering this one took such a long time. This one definitely caught my interest so I wanted to take my time in writing a response for this.

// trigger warning: brief mentions of assault (nothing too graphic I swear)

I'm an editor for the wiki, so I admit that I have seen that description on Nicol's page too. I don't know who wrote it (and I never bothered to edit or adjust the wording), but that doesn't really matter since it's not exactly something I can deny.

Before that I just want to make it clear first that the "assault" mentioned in the wiki is probably not sexual or physical assault, it's likely referring to a simple assault, aka any unwanted advances that is done without consent. Whether or not any advances on Nicol while he was growing up were leaning towards sexual assault or physical assault (unwanted physical contact from men and women, sexual invitations, groping etc.) has not been mentioned by the books. It used to be a very popular headcanon for the more darker and realistic depictions of the hamefura or fortune lover world to give Nicol that kind of backstory, which is why I still feel like clarifying just in case anyone might get the wrong idea.

Hamefura is a very light-hearted series so I doubt it would put Nicol is such a tough dark position. While it's played for laughs, thankfully Nicol's beauty makes him so dazzling that people can't get close to him rather than being so handsome that people would try to initiate physical contact at every opportunity lmao.

Rather than the wiki pertaining to a specific scenes, I think it might be written in hindsight instead. It could very much be referring to the guy from Volume 6 who keeps staring at Nicol and stealing his uetnsils, but I feel like it could also be referring to the possibility/likeliness of such events and advances happening regularly. Like we don't really need to be told that men and woman throw themselves at Nicol for us to know about it. I mean if its frequent enough for Nicol to be unbothered by it, then it must happen a lot (as gross as that is). Regardless, those advances can still be classified as assault (since Nicol is not a fan of it at all) and the only reason he doesn't do anything about it is because it happens so often that it might be not worth the trouble anymore. At least we do know from the StoryMe hamefura game that Nicol will act in the face of an unfavorable position if he can, so hopefully he isn't just sitting around like an animal in the zoo if he were to receive unwanted advances.

I wouldn't deny that all of these interactions hadn't traumatized Nicol though. They never really mention in the books word-for-word why Nicol is so emotionally stunted/incapable and silent, they only really mention that he doesn't talk because he doesn't want to receive any unwarranted pity. In the first hamefura anthology (whose canonicity is up for debate), they do say there that the reason why Nicol doesn't talk a lot is because people would twist his words in order to turn it around and make him sound more tragic and pitiable than he actually is. I'm no expert on what is or what isn't considered as trauma, but that sounds like a source of trauma to me. The idea of Nicol being so fed up of people misinterpreting his words and expressions in order to fit what they want to hear must have been so hard on him, to the point where he decided to just not speak at all. It can be easily link to his emotionless-ness too, since any positive reaction like a smile could be twisted to mean other things.

Realistically, having people constantly fight over you, whisper things about you behind your back, constantly ogle at you and be constantly flirted on regardless of gender sounds terrible. If that was me I'd be traumatized too. He definitely hates being in the center of attention for all the reasons previously discussed and other well-known variables; he's always in the eyes of every noble around him which makes him hate being in the spotlight (from his perspective, maybe he always feels like the spotlight is on him, like it'll just never leave. he'll always bothered by the eyes of other people even maybe when he's at home... eyes watching him with desires and expectations, haunting him even when he's alone...). It really makes you think about what kind of life Nicol had been living in without Katarina's positive influence. He would have to bear the burden alone, without being able to say a word about it because he needs to act tough for the sake of Sophia.

Like geez, Nicol is even aware that he has stalkers but isn't doing anything about because "they aren't harmful". He never even really clarified what he meant by that (at least I don't remember anyways, feel free to correct me), like is he already doing something to stop the stalker, is it happening so often that he doesn't care anymore or is he fine with it because the stalker hasn't done anything dangerous (yet)???

If you want an /objective/ answer to whether or not the wiki description was referring to the stalker man from Volume 6 or something else, that line on the wiki was added on April 27, 2020; while the JP release of Volume 6 was on March 20, 2018 vs the EN ebook release which was on June 28, 2020.

The editor is likely a JP reader, or it was just an interpretation based most-likely what-if scenarios/interpretations. That's a fun fact for ya :DD

—and since you mentioned that you haven't read all the volumes of the light novels yet, let me help you by listing chapters in the books with a Nicol POV (that I can remember, as of Volume 9)

Volume 1 Chapter 5 (Encountering Katarina) Volume 2 Chapter 4 (Remembering Katarina's Positive Influence) Volume 3 Chapter 2 (School Festival Various Vignettes - Nicol Ascart) Volume 4 Extra Chapter (The Troubles of Nicol Ascart) Volume 5 Chapter 4 (A Lady for Nicol) Volume 8 Chapter 2 (Nicol's "dream")

With this, hopefully it'll be easier for you to cross-reference if you want to look into Nicol's character on your own :DD

TLDR; the trauma and assault mentioned in the wiki is definitely real, although the extent and severity might depend on the reader('s imagination). There's no particular scene to point to as the source, explanation or example of Nicol being given uncomfortable treatment, but it's not hard to imagine given the kind of character Nicol is. He is a silent beauty who caries himself smartly and politely, which in the eyes of many carnivorous nobles is the perfect kind of prey. Whether or not he was assaulted in any way or if people's behavior towards him can be considered as assault depends on the reader, since we still have yet to get a deep dive on Nicol's life outside of his friend group.

If there's any confirmation or deconfirmation to anything I said that I have missed during my skimming on the light novels, feel free to tell me! If I got the definitions and examples of trauma and assault wrong, feel free to tell me and I'll edit this post as fast as I can!

I know this might not exactly be the response you were hoping for, but I hope it was good enough to read qwq. There's so much I could still say but I know I'll go too deep into interpretation (I kinda already did though...), which I want to avoid since the question is asking for in-canon proofs and instances.

Thank you for the ask!

#mh ask #hamefura #my next life as a villainess #hamehura #bakarina #destruction flag otome #nicol ascart #sophia ascart #mhmmm this question makes me nervous because I feel like I could have said something incorrect or triggering #HELP ME AGSJHGD

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moonlightreal · 3 years

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Fate Episode Two

Last time on Fate: Silva was surprisingly interesting, Stella was surprisingly pitiable, and Terra was surprisingly badass. What surprises await in episode two?

In which we have a magic class.

Promising start, Silva and Dowling walking in beautiful Irish landscape, talkin’ worldbuilding! The “Blackwoods massacre.” Silva killed thirteen, or at least helped kill thirteen.

They’re going to check on the Burned One they have doped to the gills and locked up in a shed. Dowling is going to read its mind and hopes to find it’s the only one around. Dowling crouches down by the Burned One and her eyes glow silver. So she’s a Mind Fairy like Musa, I guess. She gets flashes of the Burned One killing the shepherd and chasing Bloom.

But WE know Beatrix came and woke this Burned One up, so we weren’t surprised when it leaps for the grownups!

Opening sequence! Still good music.

Bloom waking up. Aisha’s already been up for hours. Aisha suggests, “get up! Be excited! Today you get to learn to use your magic!”

Waking up montage! Musa and Terra being friendly. Terra asks Musa if she can detect lies or “social niceties” heh. A sensible question, Terra! But Mua’s not a lie detector, just emotions. But it seems like she can feel every single emotion Terra feels in realtime, which… how would you LIVE? How far is her range, if it’s just the closest person the school should’ve giver her her own room, if it’s all the girls how has she not gone completely barmy by now?

And of course Musa isn’t a walking lie detector, this show is going to have a “but who summoned the Burned Ones” plot and lie detection would mean no Plot!

Terra’s changind in the bathroom and Aisha comes in and sits down on the toilet just right in front of her and then strips and hits the shower also right in front of her. O_o Terra flusters and looks away, clearly full of shame about her own body compared to Aisha’s. Poor Terra. Aisha seems oblivious, she just asks if anyone’s seen Stella.

Cut to Stella walk of shame coming in.

Musa: ‘That outfit looks similar to yesterday’s. Same designer?”

Buuuurn! Ok, that’s mean but after Stella’s “they expect me to care about how I look” last episode Musa is kinda delivering karma here.

Bloom hears them talking and comes out of her room to say the Burned One took the portal ring. Stella’s upset. Musa: “Calm down, princess.”

Yep, Stella’s a princess! “My mom is the queen and the ring you lost is one of the crown jewels of Solaria. That might not mean much to a First Worlder so feel free to ask your suitemate how much of a screwup that is!”

Aisha brings the logic: “Almost as big as giving it to her in the first place.’

They say Dowling has the Burned One locked up, if it was loose in the First World even for a little while that’d be a disaster. Stella dribbles the idiot ball saying nobody should tell dowling about the ring, she’ll figure out what to do after class. “and can someone make sure Terra knows that? She can never keep her mouth shut.” and Stella opens the door and there’s happy Terra squirming into a vest that looks like it doesn’t fit but sunny as a daisy.

Cut to Beatrix with her hair down walking up some stairs. She’s going to Dowling’s office again, to “see if she needs an escort” down to the stone circle where the first-year class is being held. But obviously she really came hoping nobody would be there so she could snoop. Also, beatrix has an interesting pendant that might be magic or not. I don’t think they had a big prop budget in this show; the portal ring wasn’t much.

Outside Iiiiiireland! Green! Waterfall! And here’s the stone circle! it’s not very big, the stones are low and the dolmens are actally seats. The first year class is less than twenty people, though we do see a few of fate’s minor fairies in the shot. Dowling has “the vessel’ a big silver dish, maybe two foot wide. Beatrix could’ve been trying to get her hands on that too.

Dowling teaches: “Magic lives in the very fabric of nature. And here in our circle of stone it’s magnified. The vessel tests your ability to channel that magic. Further down the line you may learn to connect with other elements but your first year is all about the element you were born with...”

And here the girls show off their powers as in the trailer.

“Earth. Soil, sand, rock, and all manner of plant life.” terra looks so happy as she coaxes ivy vines up.

“Water. The lakes and oceans of the world, or the molecules that exist in all organisms around us.’ So could Aisha do bloodbending? Or pull water out of a person ‘til they drop from dehydration? How dark is this show gonna go?

“The mind. Thoughts, memories, dreams.” Poor Musa just holds a bubble of ripply air and her eyes glow purple. They could at least have given her some glowy lines around her eyes like Psyloche or Jean Grey in her pre-fiery incarnations. And yeah, “mind” instead of ‘spirit’ for the sixth element it does WORK it just...

“I know! Let’s base magic on the traditional magical elements! That’ll be a fresh new take!” Said every fantasy showrunner ever. Smh. One of the cool things in Winx was that it opened way more possibilities. Telekinetic-flute Musa would’ve been more fun than this Musa whose power so far just makes her and Terra’s roommate life difficult. I hope there’s good plot reason for it all later.

“Air. Speed, temperature, sound, its power. And electrical properties.” Beatrix stretches lightning between her hands and smirks and sideeyes like the villainess she thinks she is. So is Beatrix The Flash? Can she create phantom sounds, maybe mimic voices? Freeze people? Be nice if she could freeze people, give her one of Icy’s tricks. And if she can throw lightning… uh, that’s a lot of powers for one person. Who is a baddie.

“Whatever your element, the emotions underlying it are the same for all fairies.”

Bloom gets up to take her turn. Her eyes flame up but she’s not getting much more than sparks. The other students look at each other and snicker. Dowling says, ‘focus on clear, positive feelings.” and Aisha like a bonehead says, ‘What about your parents? Focus on how much you love them?” Aisha, not ten minutes ago in this episode Bloom told you she was trying not to have feelings about this changeling thing. You’re an idiot.

Bloom says it’s not working. Dowling says feel don’t think, and Musa singsongs something to Aisha that I couldn’t catch after rewinding 3 times. Finally Bloom just says, ‘It’s not happening, can we please move on?” and we cut to class being over and they’re all leaving.

Bloom says to Dowling, ‘I’m either on the verge of killing everyone or I can barely light a match.” Dowling says she just needs a clear mind, “Distraction can cause magic to be erratic.”

And then Dowling says, “So we have exercise classes, meditation classes, and I’ve signed you up to talk with a specialist fairy councilor to help you figure out your relationship with your parents...” oh wait, no she doesn’t. She turns away.

Bloom bursts out, ‘Am I a changeling?” and says how Aisha told her. Dowling’s face confirms it. ‘i didn’t want to burden you with too much too quickly.

Bloom: “So instead you let me learn from teenagers, the most gentle and reliable sources of information.’ Ahahahaha! Love it! So self aware.

Dowling admits that was not ideal, then snaps at Bloom when she says, ‘Ya think?” Bloom deflates. She asks who her real parents are but Dowling doesn’t know. Just, ‘Come to class every day, you focus, you learn, you grow. Eventually the answers will come.” She turns away.

Bloom: “Cryptic and vague just like everything else in this place.” Iknowright? I’m starting to feel less like Dowling is sus and more like Dowling is just a bad teacher. Why was there no, “And I will help you find out.’ Dowling suspects Bloom is a very important changeling and knows her magic can be very destructive, why isn’t she working harder to get Bloom what she needs to become an emotionally put-together nondangerous fairy?

We go from here to the Specialists doing martial arts! Sky and Riven are watching Dane and a girl face off. Apparently last year Riven was kind of a hopeless case until sky befriended him.

Sky goes off to see Stella, who’s coming over, and Riven gets up to creepy-flirt with Dane. Apparently Dane accidentally putting a like on one of Riven’s sexy pics is something that could ruin him before the whole school? I guess it could out him. There is something sexual in Riven’s menacing, he’s sitting right next to Dane with their faces close together.

And then Riven un-creeps completely and starts giving Dane advice about “chose your friends wisely, focus. Being a good specialist is about strategy not how big and strong you are.” then he calls a big specialist named Mikey over for a bout and takes him down handily. He turns to Dane with a big wholesome grin, “You see?”

Uh. I guess Riven is your standard perv; when he’s not being creepy he’s very likeable. Makes you want him to not be the kind of guy he so clearly is.

Over with Sky, Stella’s asking him where they might keep the Burned One. Sky says he’ll break out the maps, and suggests they tell Dowling. But Dowling took an oath to the queen, and if the queen found out Stella lost the ring… Stella looks teary-scared. What of, exactly? She hugs Sky and maybe it’s just my pity for this poor washed-out Stella but I do get the vibe that she’s not being a queen bee, she’s scared and Sky is helping her and it’s not about romance. Then silva comes over and she covers it up with, “so just let me know about the Celtic runes quiz when you find out. Thanks Sky.”

Huh. Using earth runes for Otherworld magic. I feel an extra post about this comin’ on.

Stella leaves. Silva doesn’t even have to give Sky a look, Sky says, ‘you don’t have to lecture me, I’m lecturing myself for it in my head.’ Heh. And Silva says, ‘My guess is you would ignore your own lectures as well.’ Hah! And they have a great little teacher-student chat. Silva promised Sky’s dad to look after him, and the famous Andreas of Eraklyon would’ve said the same thing but with more profanity. Heh.

Is Sky’s dad dead? I got the vibe he died in the last magic battle with the Burned Ones but I don’t think they’ve actually said it. Anyway, good lil scene there, show!

We go now to Bloom’s room where she has, ooh! A spell book! Of Celtic runes! It’s a fat book, and ok I only know the Norse runes but there’s only 24 of ‘em and you could maybe squeeze out a few pages of meanings and uses for each one plus readings and ok if you added lots and LOTS of spells... And the Celts didn’t use runes, strictly speaking, they used the Ogham alphabet which is basically runes being an alphabet of straight lines but it does have its own name.

Her other book is called Magical Flora and Fauna.

While she unpacks these books from her bag Bloom is on the phone with her mom. Bloom describes her roommate as, ‘Perfect. Overachiever, athlete, morning person...’ and mom says, ‘and you get to spend so much time with her...” just savoring it, but in a joking way. This conversation was very sweet. And Bloom’s mom has a watch set to Switzerland time so she knows it’s time for Bloom to go to bed. that’s really sweet. It’s clear Bloom’s parents do love her, but how regular were meltdowns like the one that set the house on fire? Like Riven, people can be both great people and horrible people.

And they are so unlike Mike and Vanessa that I’m not calling them Mike and Vanessa. Fate clearly didn’t mean for them to be the same characters.

Late afternoon outside. Beatrix approaches Riven and enlists him to break into Dowling’s office because he seems like a “proper delinquent.” and also “because you’re a guy and I’m hot.” Pfft! Uh. Go, Beatrix? Own your power? “Or did I underestimate the depth of your character?” Heh. Beatrix heads off without waiting for Riven’s answer.

In the cafeteria Aisha and Musa get dinner. Aisha is wearing a bright yellow ankle-length skirt what is with the costumes in this show! At least Musa’s got her appropriately colored red jacket. She talks about her power being always on and how that makes crowded places a nightmare, and reads some people’s minds. Then she reads one guy’s mind and meaningful music plays. What is this?

They go sit with Terra and Bloom and Aisha is again on the ball trying to help Bloom figure out her emotions so she can control her magic because she’s worried bloom’s too distracted by the changeling thing. And yeah everybody knows about that now.

Terra: “Oh is that why you were freaking out about the vessel that makes so much sense because that’s about the easiest assignment we’ll have aaaaand I’m making it worse.” Musa had to signal Terra to shut up, but good save. The girls are being nice to each other, I like that. Aisha is epically bad at the skill of helping, but she is trying to help. Gee, if only there were school councilors who had studied the skill of helping!

Stella and Sky come over with a map of Alfea and Terra starts pointing out all the locations and starts a story from her childhood and even Stella’s glare won’t shut her up.

Sky sits down by Bloom and asks if she’s ok after last night. “I think you’re freaking out and pretending you’re not.”

Poor Stella can’t decide who she hates more, chattering Terra or talkin’-to-my-guy Bloom! Hope Stella gets her head on straight about Sky soon. After Musa and Riven in season 8 my eyes have run out of roll. 9_9

They figure out the likliest place for the Burned One to be chained up and Stella says, “We just have to go there and get my ring.” But Musa and Aisha say this isn’t a “we” problem, more of a “you” problem. Stella pulls out her worst side and says to Bloom, “But ‘I’ didn’t lose it.” and Bloom’s down to go. Even knowing she has no control over her magic. But the Burned One is chained up and drugged with some oil that Terra’s father makes. Called Zambak or something. They can maybe get some more. that’s sensible. Nasty Stella says, ‘thank you Terra, thank you Bloom for taking responsibility, and everyone else thanks for… nothing.’ and smirks and gathers up her map.

Yeesh, Stella’s catty!

Also, how do they know Dowling and Sliva haven’t already searched the Burned One? Do Burned Ones have pockets? And Burned Ones carry a disease that kills you if you get scratched by one, so is it even safe to touch them at all? Does Stella have a plan for a magical hazmat suit or something? Have y’all really thought this through?

I think Bloom stealth rolls her eyes at the cattyness, and then she goes outside. To what looks like a hedge maze with a pond where IS this place? Sky follows and says, ‘You don’t have to go along with what Stella says just because she’s got a… strong personality.” But Bloom’s mind is made up which makes her also a strong personality.

Sky awkwardly explains he dated Stella last year and they had a rough breakup, trying to set out his situation for Bloom so she won’t think he’s ‘that guy’ but Bloom sensibly points out they only met yesterday and she already has enough complication in her life.

Meanwhile our conspirators are working out Dowling’s schedule in a library somewhere. Riven knows already! Dowling’s secretary is named Callan.

And Riven is trying soooo hard to prove he’s a bad boy. Hood up, pouring booze from a decanter, saying he smokes weed with his vape. If you gotta try that hard, you have already failed.

Beatrix meanwhile is petting the books. She’s not after test answers, she’s beyond the stuff they teach. She wants secrets. “the history of this place is a lot darker than Dowling an the rest of the faculty want us to know.’

Riven: “So wait you’re like some hot fucked-up history nerd.’ Heh.

And Beatrix comes over and sits on Riven and the camera thankfully doesn’t make us watch them making out!

Musa’s in the cafeteria, she detects that guy again. She follows him-- to a closed door.

Bloom’s gone back to the stone circle! The vessel is still there, which seems stealable, and we see it’s full of crystals. Bloom opens her red notebook and we see her notes “clear mind = emotional control + stronger magic” and “positive magic > lasts longer.” But just as she starts trying to summon fire…

“I hear you’re broken. In more ways than one.” Stella, that was mean and that costume does nothing for you. Are long skirts in style in Italy? Heck, they could be in style in America for all I know, I haven’t seen other people in ten months.

Stella briefly acts nice, telling Bloom her notes are the problem magic has to come by feel. Then she turns and starts a mocking list of things she thinks Bloom might have listed as sources of positive emotion. Then Stella goes for the changeling thing, and pushes Bloom to use her rage to call fire. Bloom summons fire and jumps back. Stella says, ‘What? You think you’re done?” So Stella is going to just abuse Bloom to get her magic working? Great, just great. Ugh. I suppose later on she’ll say, “It had to be done, we didn’t have time for you to figure it out the normal way.’ and that’ll be fine and nobody will punish Stella for creating a danger to herself and the whole school.

Also, Stella goes for “worthless changeling” which ok anything will be nasty in that voice but what’s wrong with being a changeling? not like Bloom had any say in what her parents did when she was just born. And Aisha called it barbaric… was changeling-swapping used for some awful purpose back in ancient times that created a stigma? What? I sense worldbuilding, and Fate you’d better deliver!

Or there is no stigma to being a changeling and Stella’s just poking Bloom where it hurts. Or if Stella knows about the mysterious Rosalinda she may have put the dates together and realized Bloom could be the daughter of the great heroine and destined for main-characterhood. And Stella may be getting jealous.

Also 2, Stella’s basically using Sith philosophy. Didn’t you ever see Star Wars, Stella? Heck, maybe she has and she’s doing it on purpose.

Also 3, I may need to do a separate post about magic and emotion. It’s easier to get to angry from happy than to happy from… anywhere. it’s just how brains work. So everybody ever would discover rage works better and… I don’t even know where the worldbuilding would have to go from there.

Ok. That was a lot of thoughts and my mid-episode break on a Friday night. (dinner, watched some Classic Doctor Who, wrote some fanfic, went to bed, got up, wrote more fanfic, walked my pokemons, and here we are again.) We rejoin the episode at definitely-night at Alfea. Dowling has no lighting in her office. Silva comes in saying the other realms have had zero Burned Ones sightings. Silva wants to move the Burned One to the queen’s prison before the students start trying to find it. Silva is a sensible guy. (also his first name is Saul, which I learned already on Tumblr. I’m not the only one who thinks he’s a good character it seems.)

And I guess Dowling goes along with it because here come 3 black SUVs from the queen’s army, lookin’ very Jurassic Park as they roll across the fields. No roads around Alfea I guess. Doomful music plays. I think something very Jurassic Park is about to happen to these poor guys…

Also, it’s day when before it was night. Is it the next day? A few days on? Time & lighting in this show!

The soldiers stop when they see a dark figure, but it’s just someone in a cloak. There’s a growl…

The girls waking up! I guess it’s the morning of day 3 now. Aisha makes her bed as Bloom snoozes away. Aisha sees Bloom’s notebook, conveniently left open to Bloom’s notes about “Is Stella right that I should use hatred and fear?” Aisha is concerned that her roommate is considering the ways of the Sith.

She talks to Musa about it on the way to (I presume) breakfast. Bloom and Stella were ouit late last night. But Musa thinks Aisha is just jealous that Bloom and Stella may be becoming friends. And Musa’s eyes glowed so I guess that’s what Aisha was thinking? Aisha changes the subject to the boy Musa’s chasing. Musa says she senses him behind her but there’s nobody there… then he Kitty Prydes it in through the wall. ‘Mystery solved. Earth fairy.” and Aisha just calls him over and introduces the two of them and says Musa’s been stalking him. As Musa quietly swears hatred to Aisha’s children unto generations, but is kind of laughing too. Musa turns and Sam says, ‘Lucky me.” and Aisha leaves them to get acquainted.

We go to Terra in the greenhouse where she’s doing planty things and teaching Dane chemistry. They have pipettes in the Otherworld, and they’re called pipettes. Dane has a glass chemistry apparatus. Is he doing chemistry or potions? ‘Cause they are two different disciplines!

Terra coaxes a flower from a bud with her magic, and Dane says it’s cool. Cute scene.

Interrupted by Riven texting to ask if Dane is training or busy picking flowers.

More cuteness, Dane teases Terra asking if she’s making drugs, apparently meth exists in the Otherworld too, and Terra tells him about the anti-Burned One oil she’s making. Dane is helping with preparation while Terra does the magic bits.

Riven sends a picture of someone picking petals off a flower and Dane says he has to go. Poor Terra is abandoned.

Riven is in a dark room smoking. He shows Beatrix his phone and she says, ‘Homophobic gay-bashing via gif. Truly you’ve reached your peak clever.” Riven explains he doesn’t care if Dane is gay, he wants to make him less lame. Well-intentioned bullying. That is weirdly thought-out, Riven.

Sky comes in so I guess we’re in Sky and Riven’s dorm. Beatrix offers him her vape pen and he declines. Riven isn’t worried about having a girl in the boys’ dorm because Silva went off to meet the soldiers coming for the Burned One. Beatrix knows Sky is dating Stella and asks if it’s weird having sex with someone who looks just like him and I snicker. Sky is unmoved.

Beatrix heads off to the library and Sky says, “I don’t have time to tell you all the reasons that is a bad idea.” Riven just waves it off.

Over with Bloom and Aisha, Bloom’s trying to write a paper when Aisha interrupts to spill the beans about seeing the notebook and says Stella’s “methods are unreliable” and she’s maybe not the best magic teacher. Bloom just focuses on “you read my notebook?” and asks Aisha to stop trying to help.

Stella arrives in that big olive coat to say the Burned One is about to be moves, their mission needs to happen now. The coat is something the real Stella would never wear in a million years, but I find myself approving of a practical choice in adventure wear.

Sam and Musa are chatting happily. Sam is trying to guess what he sounds like in Musa’s head. Guess she heard emotion as music. Musa says he sounds like “an absence of chaos.” And sam describes his power which he calls “boring through anything natural.” I’ll just call it phasing because obviously.

Terra texts Musa for help in the greenhouse. I do believe we’re leaping into action.

Stela, Bloom and Aisha stride across the grounds. Aisha calls Stella “Army Barbie” so wait they have Barbie dolls in the Otherworld? How does that work, pallets of dolls get spirited away from the Mattel factory? Stella spends a long time saying Aisha was not invited. But Aisha is coming along, they need her.

Stella: “I fixed her.”

Aisha: “Negative emotions are unreliable. They have limits. Your method won’t help her in the long run.”

Bloom points out neither of them are helping at the moment. Stella and Musa arrive and the five of them cross the barrier to go find the Burned One.

They find the barn quick, but the Burned One is already gone. Stella again sounds teary and holds the chains saying “No, my mum’s going to kill me...”

Musa gets a bad vibe and she and Terra follow it. Suddenly Musa is struck down by a blast of empathic pain. Ah crap, here are the soldiers, very dead! Oh good, Silva is just grievously wounded.

But Bloom lagged behind at the barn. Aisha and Stella go look for her while Terra and Musa hopefully save one of the three adults in the cast.

Bloom is wandering through the forest, summoned by magic one assumes because this is a bad time to wander off.

Yikes, poor Silva is infected with Burned One venom and not in his right mind! Luckily Terra takes charge, vines the guy up before he can stab them, and tells Musa, ‘He’s scared, I’m not. Focus on me.” the anti-Burned One oil will help with the infection.

Aisha and Stella follow Bloom through the dark forest. Stella tries to summon light but can’t make it work and Aisha says, ‘I don’t have time for this, go back to school.” and walks off. So the three of them are now separated.

And there’s the Burned One! It runs at Bloom, who sends fire at it. Even being on fire doesn’t slow it down but Aisha sends a wave that tosses it into a tree, impaling it through the chest on a branch! The girls creep in for a closer look and they see Stella’s ring, that the Burned One has buried in its flesh! We don’t see that. The girls waffle about who should pull it out-- did none of you bring a pocket knife? A stick? Don’t touch the highly infectious monster! But Bloom reaches in with her actual hands and grabs the ring and they flee.

Stella did go back to school. She finds Sky and tells him what happened, that the Burned One got loose. Sky immediately goes from, “How?” to “How are you?” making him a class A good dude. Stella begins to cry and says her magic wouldn’t work. Sky says, “Tell me everything.” when below in the cafateria Musa and Terra enter with the injured Silva. Terra takes charge, ordering medical help and for Dane to come help them get Silva to the greenhouse. I guess there’s no infirmary here? Maybe all the medicines are potions. Beatrix runs to get Dowling and Sky and Stella rush down to help.

And we learn Sam is Terra’s brother.

Beatrix rushes into Dowling’s office, tells the news, and Dowling and Callan rush out. Leaving Beatrix right where she wants to be. She lightnings up her hands and Dowling’s secret passage slides right open for her.

Down in the greenhouse Terra’s dad Harvey says, ‘You saved his life, I’m so proud of you.” and Terra glows. Silva is battered but himself again and tells Sky he’ll be fine and sends the students out before telling the adults the real news. The Burned One was freed and waiting for them.

Beatrix can’t get through the secret door. There’s a barrier on it. Dowling’s assistant Callan comes in and catches her, but he’s a baddie too! He says turning loose the Burned One was a good distraction but he can’t get through the trap on the secret door because he’s not a fairy and that’s why “he” sent Beatrix.

The plot thickens! A mysterious boss-villain has emerged! And Beatrix, that is a lot of lipstick.

Evening of day 3, getting ready for bed in the dorm. Terra texted, Silva will be ok but they should prepare for a lecture. But bloom’s more interested in teasing Aisha about her toothbrush.

Stella turns up and says while the others were in the woods she was covering for them at school and Bloom should be grateful. Which is a total lie. Bloom returns the ring, joking about what she had to do to get it and Stella says right over her, ‘let;s never talk about this day again.” and leaves.

Sky arrives. And looks at Bloom, then goes into Stella’s room. The door shuts behind them with great finality.

So… does “being turned on” count as an emotion for the purposes of magic? That would make the worldbuilding very odd indeed. We’d have the Sith and the… hmm… Bacchanates? Supposedly followers of Bacchus who ran around drinking, having orgies, and tearing apart small animals with their bare hands in the lust of the hunt. They probably didn’t exist in our world, but in the Fate world they’d make sense.

Also would people with mental illnesses have stronger magic? Bipolar mania is a heckofathing from what my psych textbooks say.

Anyway Bloom and Aisha talk before going to bed, Aisha apologizes for helping too much, says it’s all new to her too. Bloom says she wandered off from the barn because she felt something. “a connection to that thing.” She talks about how she’s kind of given up on understanding but, “opening up emotionally the magic’s all around me. And that’s new and kinda scary.”

A meaningful silence falls, and when Aisha looks over Bloom’s eyes have gone blank white!

Boring ending music this time. i guess the themes from this episode are 1) lots of characters do really awful things and also likeable things. either this show has nuanced characters or it doesn’t know what the heck it’s doing with its characters. I’m not sure. and 2) Has this magic=emotion thing really been thought through?

#fate the winx saga

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recentanimenews · 4 years

Text

The 42 Greatest Anime Moments of Monkey D. Luffy

May 5 is the birthday of One Piece's main character Monkey D. Luffy, and over the past couple of decades of his existence, he's given us some moments that will stay in our minds forever. And so I've decided to chronicle 42 of his best ones, antics that will hopefully remind you how much you love the free-spirited, determined, ridiculous Birthday Best Boy. One note, though — while this list does contain some of those sweet, sweet fight scenes, I've already written a list that ranked his 20 greatest knockouts against bad guys. So, in order to not repeat that list entirely, I've tried to mix it up a little bit.

1. Luffy Wakes Up From A Great Nap

I can't think of a better anime debut for Monkey D. Luffy than "wakes up in the barrel that he miraculously survived a whirlpool in and immediately knocks out some pirates by accident." It's everything fun about the dude rolled into one.

2. Luffy Gets Coby To Hit Him

One thing that doesn't get mentioned enough about Luffy is his haphazard, yet skillful ingenuity. He knows that Koby will never get to join the Marines if he's associated with pirates, so Luffy, his one brain cell working overtime, gets Koby to punch him in order to prove that they're not friends because would friends brawl on the floor of a restaurant?

3. Luffy Gets The Straw Hat

A moment from the first chapter of the manga that was delayed until Episode 4 of the anime, Luffy getting the straw hat from Shanks is iconic. It sets in motion his entire journey and creates a symbol that represents freedom, adventure, and destiny.

4. Luffy Gives Nami The Straw Hat

Luffy giving Nami his straw hat is more than just a simple, comforting gesture. It's Luffy telling Nami that if she wants, she'll be a Straw Hat now and for the rest of her life. Nami may have problems, but she'll never have to deal with them alone ever again.

5. Luffy Gets His First Bounty

By gaining a bounty when he takes down Arlong, Luffy is introduced to the wider world of pirating, the World Government, and eventually the Grand Line. Though Buggy's reveal that he knew Shanks and Mihawk's appearance hinted at a wider world, this is Luffy's first real step into it.

6. Luffy Smiles At Death

Luffy obviously doesn't want to die. But as he smiles at the crowd and his crew while Buggy brings a sword down onto his neck, he grins. Because he didn't die in vain. He never became Pirate King and he never found the One Piece, but he did live his life exactly the way that he wanted to. And that's more important than any title or treasure. I'm glad he didn't die, though. They never would've found the Grand Line if Zoro had ascended to the role of Captain. They'd probably still be arguing in the Loguetown harbor.

7. Luffy Holds Up Hiriluk's Flag

Wapol wanted to destroy Hiriluk's flag and thus eliminate his legacy. But Luffy — smoking due to being recently shot by a cannon and holding up the flag — proved that's not something you can just do. As long as someone is there to fight for it, a flag is forever.

8. Luffy Disagrees With Vivi

Vivi, frustrated, enraged, and embarrassed about the treatment of her country, was more than ready to sacrifice herself for it ... and only herself. But Luffy wasn't hearing it. If she was going down, they were all going down. It wasn't just Vivi's fight anymore. The Straw Hats had reached Ride or Die status.

9. Luffy Beats Crocodile

I did a list of Luffy's best knockouts so I'm not gonna list every major punch here. However, the ones that are especially meaningful deserve recognition. And this one, where, after two defeats, Luffy battered Crocodile up through the streets of Alubarna, is inarguably one of the most memorable. It's a triumph that's a long time coming, equal parts brutal and satisfying.

10. Luffy Lets Himself Get Beat Up And Meets Blackbeard

Mirroring Shanks' restraint when he let himself get harassed by the Mountain Bandits, here we see Luffy decide not to fight Bellamy and instead he listens to Bellamy's foolish proclamations about why dreams suck and why you shouldn't have them and why Mylo Xyloto is the best Coldplay album, probably. However, even if he didn't need the pick-me-up, Blackbeard meets him outside to reaffirm that dreams never die. It would be a super nice remark ... if anyone but Blackbeard was saying it.

11. Luffy Is Immune To Enel

Until this point, Enel is borderline unstoppable, able to strike down anyone in his path and — with the help of his "mantra" — barely takes any damage in the process. And it's made him pretty cocky. But to see Enel's face distort in cartoonish disbelief when he realizes that Luffy is a Rubber Type Pokemon and that he's impervious to Electric Types is so joyously satisfying.

12. Luffy Decides To Get Rid Of The Going Merry

With the Going Merry slowly becoming unusable and actually becoming a handicap to the crew, Luffy figures that it's time to find a new ship. It's a sad moment, but you can't help but see Luffy's side. A good pirate crew needs a good pirate ship. And if the Going Merry suddenly sinks, Luffy is dead. Like very, very dead.

13. Luffy Faces Usopp

Usopp relates to the Going Merry, fearing that its "weakness" and "inadequacy" represents his own. And so when Luffy decides to get rid of the ship, Usopp lashes out, causing Luffy to have to "put down" Usopp. It's a difficult decision, but it shows that Luffy isn't all laughs and "I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!" declarations.

14. Luffy Does Not Recognize Sogeking

And then, after the most heartfelt showdown in the series, Luffy doesn't even recognize Usopp's Sogeking disguise, despite the fact that he has most of Usopp's traits, most of Usopp's weapons, and showed up only a little while after Usopp left. Oh, Luffy. Never stop being you.

15. Luffy Goes Second Gear

Power-ups are pretty common in anime. But Luffy saying that he needs to take his skills up another level so that he won't lose his friends still feels pretty special. And then the music kicks in and Luffy beats Blueno to a pulp and it's one of the most hype scenes in the entire series.

16. Luffy Declares War On The World

He'll always have a target on his back, he'll never be able to rest easy again, and the World Government will pursue him as long as he draws breath. Luffy knows this, but when the time comes to save Robin from CP9 in Enies Lobby, he doesn't hesitate to take on the whole world. It's just what friends do.

17. Luffy Refuses To Fall

When Luffy and Lucci fight, it isn't a quick contest. They go to absolute war on one another. And when Lucci thinks he's won, having left Luffy spitting up blood on the floor, we see that ... no. Luffy will not leave his feet. He has too much pride, too much grit, and too much determination. Defeat is not an option here. He will stop fighting to retrieve Robin when he's dead.

18. Luffy Is Reunited With Garp

For a long time, Luffy's actual flesh and blood family was a mystery. Shanks is kind of a cool uncle and Ace is someone that Luffy considers his brother, but where did Luffy, ya know, come from? As it turns out, his grandpa is the cannonball-throwing Marine Vice Admiral Garp, who is not only just as goofy as Luffy, but also really, really, really strong for being 76. What's his secret? Low carbs? Eiichiro Oda, please let me know.

19. Luffy Punches The Celestial Dragon

Luffy can't stand bullies or anyone that relishes the misery of others. So when a Celestial Dragon shoots Hatchan in the auctioneering house, Luffy walks right up to him and turns his face into a catcher's mitt.

20. Luffy Loses His Crew

Luffy's darkest hour (so far) comes when, in a fight with Kuma, Kizaru and the Pacifistas, his whole crew eventually gets wiped out and spread across the world. All the while, Luffy is powerless to stop it — his Gum Gum skills no match for Kuma's abilities. It's a truly pitiable thing to see Luffy beat his fists on the ground in futility, something entirely unlike any scene in the series before.

21. Luffy Covers Sandersonia

Back in Little Garden, Luffy agreed it wasn't necessary to actually have a reason for the fight between the giants. They were having an honorable contest between warriors. That was enough. Later when Sandersonia's scars were about to be revealed after a battle, Luffy covered them up. He had no interest in killing them or exposing their secrets. That is not what the battle was for. The contest was simply one that he wanted to win so he'd eventually get back to his crew.

22. Luffy Decides To Save His Brother Before Reuniting With His Crew

When Luffy learns that Ace is to be put to death, he must make a choice: Get the gang back together or dive into the depths of Impel Down and try to rescue his brother. He ends up choosing the latter, which shows a great deal of trust and respect for his crewmates. He knows they're strong enough to be OK without him for now.

23. Luffy Embraces Mr. 2

This is just plain wholesome. Luffy's love for his friends is might be the best thing about him.

24.Luffy Falls From The Sky

Luffy's story isn't just about his quest to find the One Piece, but the formation of a legend. And when Luffy and the other Impel Down escapees plummet from the sky into the Marineford war, you can practically see that legend being written.

25. Luffy Faces The Admirals

Yes, Luffy's attempts to kick a frozen log at them goes nowhere. And yes, Luffy is almost immediately knocked down by Kizaru when he tries to rush past him. But the guts in that kid! Facing down three of the most powerful men in the One Piece universe and demanding they give Ace back to him. That is moxie, my dudes.

26. Luffy Goes Comatose

Ace is dead. The mission has failed. A brother is lost. And all Luffy can do is go numb and lifeless. He has no words or actions to explain or react. A chunk of his soul has been ripped away.

27. Luffy Realizes He Still Has His Friends

Yes, his attempt to save Ace was a bust. But in the most hopeless of times, Jimbei asks him what he still has. And Luffy remembers he still has his friends — friends he has been there for in the past and who will most certainly be there for him later. They are still there. And because they are still there, Luffy's existence has worth.

28. Luffy Gets An Upgrade

Reuniting with his crew in Sabaody, it doesn't take too long for Luffy to find a way to show off the results of two years of training. He's been doing some grinding, so his skill tree has some new branches. He's unlocked some new abilities, and he's reached his evolved form. When a Pacifista comes at the Monster Trio (Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji,) they beat the bear out of it.

29. Luffy Decides To Make Fish-Man Island His Territory

For the most part, Luffy doesn't really care about the dominance sought by other powerful characters. But after he's gotten to know the citizens of Fish-Man Island and he sees the terror caused by Big Mom, he tells her straight-up he's gonna defeat her and take Fish-Man Island under his protection. It's the closest that Luffy has ever gotten to being a character in Goodfellas.

30. Luffy Allies With Law

And then, shortly after talking trash to Big Mom, Luffy teams up with Trafalgar Law in a plot to overthrow Kaido, another Emperor of the Sea. It's a real leap forward for Luffy. One day, you're just a kid from East Blue punching everyone that seems mean. The next, you're taking an active role in changing the power structure of the entire world. That's just how it is sometimes, though. As Logic once said, "Who can relate?"

31. Luffy Has Been "Picking Fights All Along"

Luffy knows he doesn't just tumble from one situation to another. He isn't just a poor guy caught up in the gambits of powerful evil forces. No, Luffy has definitely chosen to live a life where he will interfere with your best-laid plans if he feels inclined to. And if that includes a lot of fighting, well, so be it.

32. Luffy Reunites With Sabo

It's been pretty much non-stop action since the beginning of the Post Time Skip era, and that hasn't really allowed for a ton of emotional moments for Luffy. But when he reunites with Sabo in the coliseum and his scream comes out as a mix of happiness, confusion, and surprise, he finally gets one. Cry it out, buddy. We love ya.

33. Luffy And His Allies Head For Doflamingo

From orchestrating a breakout in Impel Down to creating a charge toward Doflamingo with all the allies he met in the tournament to win the Flame-Flame Fruit, Luffy has slowly gone from being the captain of a small crew on a ship with an animal head on the front to being the full-on leader of a Pirate Alliance. Luffy 2020 is what I say.

34. Luffy Goes Fourth Gear

Years after the reveal of Second and Third Gear, we get Fourth Gear, a power-up that even more freakishly transforms Luffy's body. It's not graceful, nor is it particularly beautiful to behold, but it gets the job done.

35. Luffy Beats Doflamingo

Doflamingo — a man that's been a thorn in the side of nearly everyone in the world for about 15 years of anime history — finally gets taken down. And still, it's only a stepping stone to Wano. Somehow, Eiichiro Oda creates these moments that seem like the biggest events in history, and yet, they're only just the beginning.

36. Luffy Refuses To Fight Sanji

Luffy knows Sanji is conflicted and not really a bad guy. And he's also aware of the fact that he'll be creating an even bigger issue if he fights back against his chef. So he just takes the kicks, hoping Sanji sees there's another way out of this. Sadly, it'll be a few episodes before he realizes that.

37. Luffy Waits For Sanji — And Then Punches — Sanji

Sanji finding Luffy because his captain's stomach is grumbling super loud is so cartoonish and lovely — because what is Sanji's role if not to feed his captain? Of course, Luffy enjoys Sanji's rain-soaked cookin' and then he punches Sanji for still being a twerp that won't admit what he really feels.

38. Luffy Clashes With Big Mom

Luffy stood beside Whitebeard, but this is his first real showdown with a Yonko. And it doesn't go very well. Big Mom is easily able to block him, which shows that, while Luffy has come a long way, he's still got a bit farther to go.

39. Luffy Places The Hat On Katakuri

Much like the previous covering of Sandersonia's shame, Luffy covers Katakuri's mouth with his hat after their duel. The two combatants fought and earned each other's respect. And so Luffy leaves Katakuri with his pride.

40. Luffy Knows He's Arrived In Wano Due To The Swords

That giant baboon is using a sword? Obviously this must be Wano, the land of samurai. That's Luffy logic at its most pure.

41. Luffy Promises Tama She Will Not Be Hungry Again

For the most part, heading to Wano seemed like a pretty impersonal act. The only reason he thought about going there in the first place was because Law seemed pretty confident it was a solid idea. But then he meets Tama and learns that she — along with most of the country — is starving. So his journey to take down Kaido gets some personal stakes. He's now shouldering the hopes of an entire group of people.

42. Luffy Is Beaten By Kaido

OK, so Round 1 didn't go so well. Luffy pummeled Kaido with everything he had and Kaido one-shotted him with a melee weapon attack. Luffy has to rethink his strategy and expand his move-set and maybe, with some luck, Round 2 will be a tad more even. I can't wait to see what Luffy moments we have in store when One Piece returns!

What is your favorite Luffy moment? Do any on this list stand out to you? Let me know in the comments!

Daniel Dockery is a Senior Staff Writer for Crunchyroll. Follow him on Twitter!

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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way-to-the-future · 4 years

Note

Crooked from the prompt list owo

The aqueduct cut an erratic path over the pitiable adobe hovels that tumbled over one another like boulders on a great hillside in Drybrush, collapsing into the murky valley of Pearl Lane below. Water seldom flowed through its courses – only after the monsoons, when the cisterns filled almost to bursting and the city streets, usually parched, were slacked with the dust-choked overflow. Built by a publicly-minded – or at least public-facing – cousin of the house of Ul some decades hence, the staggering, slanted work of Ul’dahn engineering mediocrity was left to decay almost immediately. Even for a flash in the pan of royal generosity, though, it had a distinctly poor reputation among the lower orders. Invariably the porous limestone used in its construction sucked up more of the water than it carried, which it proceeded to sweat over the course of days onto the sagging roofs below. Yet even more concerning for the local homeowner was the haven it provided for the street rats, for the scamps nimble and unwise enough to attempt to scale its clumsy, idiosyncratic edifice and run hollering their japes and curses over the heads of so many beleaguered residents.

Of course, to a guttersnipe like Castor, one man’s tragedy of public spending was another man’s own personal trans-urban hideaway. Personal, except for the gang of dirty, bedraggled children that regularly draped across the sunbaked stone like so many Hannish macaques, challenging one another to feats of acrobatics and derring-do that, they assured one another, would put hair on their chests. These children, hair slick to their heads with sweat or sticking out at odd angles, were nominally some of Castor’s closest friends, though the thorny politics normally associated with having eleven summers and not much else tended to corrupt that notion. Any given day, one of them could become the subject of the afternoon’s ridicule, a position whose duties would be relieved only after the sun went down. Whether they served as the object of the hitting game or merely the meanest ribbing the group was capable of varied depending on the mood and the particular predilections of tormenters and tormentee.

For Castor, the daily informal drawing of lots – a process decided by whoever managed to say the first dull thing after lunch – was a complicated dance. In point of fact, it was not merely enough to not say anything; the less he said, the more likely someone was to point out how funny he looked, compared with the rest of the gaggle of urchin kids. Even when days of ceaseless sun put a muddy, freckled tan on his back, his shock of snow white hair marked him. How often had Athulf called him snowdrop, or Imelda poked fun at his odd name and his short stature? It was a mercy that none of them had said what their parents whispered to one another as they hung laundry, what made his mother tense her shoulders and turn her face as she hurried home in the evenings. “Don’t be out after dark,” she chided him. “Folk aren’t as kind as you think.” It was a familiar warning, but it had somehow grown more grave in the time since father passed.

Castor was under no illusions that Athulf was kind. But he was bigger, and funnier, and – in many ways – more normal. In a borough full of Ala Mhigan whelps who’d never seen the homeland, it made him a crucial ally. It was in light of this that Castor broke the key convention – not to comfort the tormented – and found himself sitting a respectful distance from the ruddy haired bully, watching him bawl his eyes out. It had been a rare day. Mighty Athulf, whose steps shook their earth of their small world, had tipped his hand; he was fond of Imelda, and despite her unheard protests, the court of public opinion had turned against the match. The other boys pushed Athulf around, calling him a softie among other, crueler things, while the girls consoled Imelda that she didn’t have to like big, dumb, Athulf too. Now he and Castor were perched on the lip of the aqueduct as the stars hung above. Athulf, so cruel in victory, clutched the bruises on his arms and nursed others that would not heal as quickly, choking desperate, uneven sobs from his sore throat.

“Hominī ēvictō, clēmentiam praebētō.” It was the sort of thing father was often fond of saying, in the evening when he would gather Castor into his lap and sit observing the hearth, his meerschaum pinned between his teeth. It meant that, as Castor was older, he had to be nice to Athulf when he was feeling sad. Dead fool as father was, it hadn’t seemed right to just up and leave Athulf alone when all the others left, never mind that Athulf would’ve – and had – certainly done the same to him.

“Oi,” Castor called, after what seemed an appropriate amount of whimpering. “… D’ya really fancy Imelda?” The big Ala Mhigan boy shot him a look equal parts enraged and hurt, stifling another cry between his bared teeth. “What’s it to do with ye, snowdrop?”

“Gar, Thulf, ain’t askin’ fer jollies. D’ya fancy ‘er, or not?” Castor cocked his head, hugging his knees to his chest. He prepared himself to spring – if Athulf came after him, he had to be ready to run, even along the whole length of the aqueduct.

To Castor’s surprise, however, Athulf didn’t yet move to strike him. Instead, he merely hugged his broadening shoulders, sniffling pathetically. “Aye.”

Restraining himself from the amused surprise of his compatriots, Castor nodded slowly. “S’posin’ as she’s pretty.” She was not, particularly, thought Castor. Though to say as much did not seem to be much help at this time.

“None of your business what she is.” Athulf’s rebuke was swift. Eyes narrowed, he turned to Castor, leaning on one hand and pointing an accusatory finger at him. “Ye don’t fancy ‘er, do ye?”

“Thal, I ain’t said that. I were just sayin’.”

“Right.” Athulf turned back to watch the dark streets below.

The silence hung thick.

“Folk didn’t like that me Da liked me Ma.”

Athulf wheeled on Castor, suddenly blistering fury. “What’d ye say?!”

“Gar, I just said as –“

“Don’t ya make me out like ye, or yer bloody pa!”

“But –“ Castor scrambled to his feet as Athulf drew closer.

“It ain’t the bloody same! My pa says so!” Athulf advanced, making to seize Castor. “Everybody knows yer just a damned mutt!”

Red. Redder than the color of his mother’s hair, of the few turning locks that drooped from his brow that proved Athulf’s point. Redder than the scarlet silks of the street dancers’ gowns, than filched strawberries, than a splatter of gore on dry, hard earth three years past. Castor’s hands turned to claws, and went forward of their own accord, supported by thin, wiry arms. The perfunctory sound of skin against skin, and a clipped cry of alarm. Seconds later, a dull thud, far below. Castor opened his eyes – or maybe just regained his sight as anger turned to surprise.

In the dark below, Athulf cried, a heartbreaking, heartbroken sound. Through sudden tears, Castor saw him laid out on the roof below the aqueduct. Something was wrong about his shape; ah. There it was. His back was crooked.

#I 100% went overboard with this #And it's nowhere near as interesting as I think it is #hey look baby castor before his my fair lady transformation #yes castor's dad smoked with his kid in his lap it's called /paternalism/#asks and answers #narrative #thanks ranka #I've been a complete loon for the past couple days but now that it's 4 am after christmas I have centered myself #mens sana

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luxexhomines · 5 years

Text

Comfort

Another Kokichi Ouma fanfic comes into existence... To clarify, the reader is referenced to as them in the first two paragraphs of 3rd-person because I’m trying to be a bit more gender-inclusive. There are no real spoilers in here. Except, whoop-dee-doo, people actually die in a killing game. This is angst, around 2.1k words. Cut under preview!

They opened their eyes after ten minutes of letting their fatigued mind simply wake up with their body, without the energy to rush forward, and yet without the ability to lie still in the bed while their consciousness wandered. There was no sunlight to slowly ease in through the cracks of the curtains–after all, there was no window.

So they forced themself to get up and spent the day ill at ease, trying to distract their mind with books and stories and enticing characters. Trying to immerse themself in a reality that could not be called their own; even though they knew it would be disrespectful to their beloved stories.

But it was all for nothing. Your mind could not be swayed to budge past the horrific, cruel deaths of your beloved classmates.

When you could pretend no longer, you sat and moped, considering what had brought everyone to this stage, and why they were all here. Oh, the injustice of it all. But there was no point. Two were dead and gone, and the rest of your classmates that lived seemed damned with you to play their roles in this brutal game of deceit and violence.

A ring at the doorbell shook you out of your thoughts, and you felt oddly disturbed.

Who would come knocking at this time?

But you ignored the sound.

And more came, pestering you until it left no option but for you to open the door, and yield to the person behind it.

You grasped the door handle firmly and pulled it open to find a boy the same height as you standing in front of you, his violet hair curling gently outwards, and gazing at you blankly.

“Oh, so you finally opened the door. I wonder what little Mis/ster Ultimate Storyteller has been doing in there, while the rest of us were grinding ourselves to the bone, looking for a solution and exploring new areas?”

His face conveyed anger, but at the very least, you sensed no malice from him.

“Sorry,” you apologized. “I’ve been trying to process things on my own, and before I knew it an entire day had passed.” You tried to at least sound genuine.

He arched an eyebrow.

“Oh, really? Why’d it take you so long to open the door, then? I know you must have been purposefully ignoring me, so you must have stayed inside on purpose, too.”

You sighed and rubbed your temples before offering a meager smile in response.

“I’m sorry, Ouma-kun.”

This time it was sincere.

“Nishishi,” he laughed. “This time I’ll forgive you since you seem to be telling the truth. But the others might not be as merciful, you know?”

His eyes betrayed nothing. They seemed so empty, so void of any kind of feeling...and yet they danced with emotions you didn’t understand.

You simply nodded.

“Did you just come by to check up on me and make sure I was alive?”

He shrugged.

“If that’s how you want to take it, sure. Not that another death wouldn’t make this game more interesting,” he chuckled. “Anyway, let me inside your room. I’m curious as to how you’ve spent your time this whole day. What could possibly be so interesting in here that it would consume so much time without you realizing it?”

And he called your bluff. Either way, you stepped aside and allowed him entry.

It didn’t matter anymore, after all. And it wasn’t like you had anything to hide. You close the door after him, and it clicked shut quietly.

“There’s nothing much to see in here, but be my guest,” you responded.

He began to sift through papers on the floor, and soon became absorbed in one of them, reading the front and back with what appeared to be great interest.

“Hey, where’s the rest of this story? This one seems promising,” he said with sparkles in his eyes.

I took the sheet of paper from his hands and skimmed it.

“There’s no more left. I’m never going to continue it,” you confirmed as his eyes dulled.

“Aw, you’re no fun,” he pouted childishly.

Now it was your turn to laugh.

“Well, I never took you for a fan of romance novels. And romance isn’t quite my genre, either. I can enjoy it just like anyone else, but I’m not terribly good at writing it, even as the Ultimate Storyteller.”

The impish boy sat down with a flounce on your bed, his light weight bouncing slightly from the springiness.

“Well, I’m not a romance fan. But I’m a fan of yours, and I’m a fan of that story now. So pretty please?” he looked at me pleadingly. You guessed this is what they call puppy-dog eyes.

You shook your head, dismissing the notion, despite your desire to entertain the Supreme Leader with your antics. There was some part of you that wanted to please him, even though you steadfastly stood by your previous decision.

“There’s no continuation. And either way, it’s fine as-is.”

His face suddenly seemed blank again. Calm, and like the undisturbed body of a pond, motionless.

“Don’t you ever get tired of acting like that?”

You immediately felt on edge. Of course. You should’ve known Kokichi Ouma wouldn’t allow you to get comfortable in his presence.

“Acting like what?”

His unmoving purple eyes seemed to pierce straight through you, like a ray of sunlight would unabashedly and straightforwardly shine through a polished diamond.

“Acting like you don’t even care about what happened yesterday. Acting apathetic, like you’re just going about the business of a normal day. You know liars best recognize their own kind, right? There’s no way you could get away with lying straight to my face.”

You averted your eyes from Kokichi. From the pitiable truth that somehow came from the lips of a known liar. There was nothing to be said, so you plopped down on your bed, silent and unresponsive.

You felt him jab you with his index finger repeatedly in the arm, making sure to use the bone of his finger to hit yours with as much force he could possibly muster.

“Hey. Say something. Hey, hey, hey, hey!”

You finally lifted your eyes to meet him, which were already overflowing with the weariness of an exhausted pack horse, drained of all strength and any leftover tenacity to persevere. When your stare managed to make contact with his own fixed look, Kokichi seemed to hesitate for a moment. A shiver ran down his back, which was highly unusual for the manipulative boy used to trading in lies and pain for the ultimate result, discarding any flowery or idealistic thoughts for the means that would achieve that ending. He almost felt bad for a moment. But he reminded himself of his own doctrine–ends before means–and remembered the truth of his petty misdeeds. That was all they were. Petty, not legitimately harmful to the well-being of another person. At least, that was as far as he had ever gone at this point in time.

After a brief silence, he spoke.

“Are you trying to get me to go away? Because it’s working. You’re so boring, I don’t want to look at your boring face or your boring moping anymore.”

When you failed to reply yet again, he sat down next to you on the bed, his light weight pressing down beside you.

Finally, you spoke.

“I thought you said you were going to leave?”

He swung his legs from the edge of your bed childishly.

“I only said I wasn’t going to look at you. But I’m not going to leave. I’ll be here until you do something interesting.”

Another uncomfortable silence passed, the weight beside you quiet and unmoving, and you let the air in your lungs slowly travel out your windpipe and through your parted lips, again and again.

“Ouma,” you sighed out of your pink lips.

“Yeah?”

You were surprised to hear his reply. You didn’t think he could sit still for so long without falling asleep. But you tried to find the strength, courage, or whatever it was inside you to fuel your next words.

“How are you so calm?”

For another moment, there was contemplative silence. But you knew he’d reply.

“I’m the Ultimate Supreme Leader, ya know? A leader of a secret evil organization. This is nothing for me,” he said with a note of glee in his voice. “This is the kind of thing I enjoy.”

You turned your gaze to the ground. Not that there was much else for you to look at in your room, anyway.

“I can’t believe that just because of your Ultimate title, you can tolerate this...game. I don’t think this is something that even underground organizations or the mafia would engage in. This is beyond cruel or unfair. It’s something past my understanding of humanity, of what it means to live in this world. Maybe my experience is limited, but to my knowledge, this is not just some game that anyone could brush off, no matter their past.”

When he didn’t say anything, you continued to speak.

“That only leaves one option. You must not be calm, right? It’s just a lie that you’re accustomed to this kind of brutality.”

You didn’t dare to look at his face. You had absolutely no idea what you would find if you looked, and it might not be the answer you’re hoping for. Of course, you were hoping you were right, but more than that, you hoped Kokichi would tell you that inside, he was the same as everyone else. Suffering the same despair, thinking the same self-derogatory thoughts, wondering how this situation could have been avoided.

And it wasn’t like you wanted him to hurt. But you just hoped he’d say that he was human.

He was so still again, you thought he’d really fallen asleep. But he replied.

“Yup, ya got me! That was a lie. It was a lie that I’m used to this, and my reactions are all lies too, ya know? This calm facade is just another mask I can slip on.” He smiled wryly as your trusting eyes shifted to his face, a dim fire seeming to ignite inside them in response to his words. “There’s no way I’m okay with what’s happening, or what we’ve been forced into. Games that you’re forced to play simply aren’t fun, and this is not a game. It’s a constructed reality that we’re compelled to act in, and the rules are all just excuses for whoever set up this sorry plan to make us kill each other and suffer.”

Hearing those words, you felt such comfort. A warm, tender feeling expanded from your center, spreading thickly throughout your body. You wept quietly, letting your eyes close, the tears pulled out of your eyes by the strange sense of comfort and companionship induced by the similarly odd boy that sat beside you.

The weight beside you eased up, and you felt a pair of soft thumb pads brush the heavy tears away, packed full of all the feelings you had been unable to put a name to–but felt all the same and which shook your nerve from within. You opened your eyes to find another pair of eyes, a pair of dark lavender eyes looking into your eyes, taking in your vulnerable state and allowing it to simply be.

He straightened up, and with some force, pulled your head forward toward his chest as you sat there, helpless as a baby calf, unable to stand on its own and trembling immensely. His hands were unexpectedly gentle as the thin fingers of one hand dragged slowly, soothingly through your hair, and another hand resting tenderly on your back, emanating a real heat, a warmth that could never be replicated or created artificially.

And, under his benevolent care, you let your tears silently bleed into his white uniform as they budded from your eyes, blossoming within seconds, and imprinting their petals on his clothes.

After a good period of time, you stopped crying or shaking, and the two of you pulled away from each other a bit, his hands now firmly pressed on your shoulders and eyes looking straight into your unwavering gaze.

He smiled.

“There. You’ve stopped lying–to yourself or to me,” he said fondly.

You mustered a weak smile in return, your lips stretching out and upwards in a way you didn’t think you could anymore.

“Trust the liar to spot another liar, huh?”

You managed to stand with what remaining strength had been imported upon you by Kokichi, and drew him into your embrace this time.

The two of you stood quietly, reveling in the bewildering wonderment of such sensitive, affectionate camaraderie that seemed to have been born intuitively.

In the caress of each other’s compassionate hold, you and Kokichi found truth and love, even in a place where you two thought both could never exist.

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cloves-and-sundry · 5 years

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The Bear and the Nightingale: A (Longer than Intended & Yet Still Incomplete) Review

So, I recently finished listening to The Bear and the Nightingale audiobook. And, after some digesting time, I have some thoughts.

For those who have never read it but are interested, The Bear and a Nightingale is a novel written by Katherine Arden that is set in medieval Russia. It follows a young heroine, Vasilisa (Vasya) Petrovna, as she grows up and comes to terms with the changing world around her. Vasya is a special child: Wild and stubborn and comfortable in the forest surrounding her father’s lands. She loves her family but they struggle with her behaviors and, as she grows older, the rumors that she is a witch. Vasya sees the fae-folk that populate the country village she lives in. She converses with them and befriends them. She is the granddaughter of a witch and this is integral to who she is. It brings the attentions of a frost demon, Morozko, who takes interest in Vasya and seeks to help her and protect her. Her happy life is disrupted by the arrival of first her step-mother’s arrival then new priest. Both character’s seek to do away with the old traditions that honor the fae-folk and turn every last villager solely to Christianity through a rhetoric of fear. This puts Vasya’s village and family in grave danger as it helps unleash a sleeping darkness.

The Bear and the Nightingale is an experience in Russian folklore and medieval Russia. Arden paints a rich and lived in world. The lives of the characters in the small village of Lesnaya Zemlya feel ancient and well worn. Everything is steeped in tradition and it is this setup which so wonderfully showcases the plot of the story: A crashing together of opposing forces. You have the rise and solidification of Christianity in medieval Russia colliding with folkloric traditions and customs. This battle is personified by Vasya’s encounters with her step mother and Father Konstantin. She is a last hope and vestige of the old customs clashing against the forces of Christianity. It also explores gender roles through Vasya and her interactions with the village and forest. She is a non-traditional (young) woman who rebels against the roles women are given. And yet… she is also, as stated, the torch of the old ways. She is, at once, traditional and nontraditional. These struggles would not have worked so well if it was not for Arden’s fleshed out and fully realized world. There is culture here and that culture is changing.

The pace is wonderfully slow and yet, sometimes, too slow? I think books often rush past the normal day to day things and authors throw us right into the action but not this book. As I said, we get medieval Russian life. We get baking honey cakes, stealing honey cakes, bribing brothers with honey cakes. The pace, for the majority of the book, is meandering and you really have the chance to “stop and smell the rusalka.” Buuuut, there were points where I was waiting for things (major plot points) to happen.

(Things get slightly more detailed as we go forward. Not spoiler-y but, be warned:)

As far as characters go, we are treated to a wide array. Her father is a personal favorite. He is a Northern Boyar who is a lord to his lands and a strong but loving father. He is masculine but without being threatened by his daughter’s outlandish actions and behaviours. His reproach for her comes from a place of fear--What kind of life will she live if she does not live one of her options? How can she live well if she is feared as a witch? His concerns are just but he loves his daughter and he is constantly trying to do what he thinks is right. He is complex and well rounded. (And he made me cry. He made me cry like a damn baby. Curse you, Pyotr Vladimirovich.)

Konstantin, the priest that comes to Lesnaya Zemlya, is another character that is worth noting. While I do not think he is quite as well rounded as Pyotr Vladimirovich, he is an antagonist with several layers. As a priest, he is obsessed with self acclaim being beloved (read:needed) by people. He is pitiable in his close mindedness and dislikeable in his self-righteousness. Konstantin is given an arc and, perhaps, one of the hardest to come to terms with (Spoiler: He does not come to terms with it). He is put in a position and he continually makes wrong choices that he will have to live with, especially once he realizes what exactly he has been doing. As I said, he does not truly come to terms with it. I started the second book and this is evident. Still, Konstantin is not a onenote villain.

Anna Ivanovna on the other hand is less nuanced despite a very strong beginning. When we meet Anna in Moscow, she is a troubled princess living every day afraid and judged by those around her. She is isolated and would be lonely if she wasn’t so terrified. She is denied a path in life that would have brought her some peace and is instead married to Vasya’s father, Pyotor and sent far north to live in a small village where her nightmares and visions (she sees fairy people) are even worse (because Christianity is weaker up in the cold country). She is no more understood up north than she was in Moscow. Anna was afraid of everything AND had to have sex with a guy she didn’t really want too. This was a wonderful set-up and while it does explain her turn into the quintessential folklore-fairy tale “Evil Stepmother,” I still felt cheated. I wanted more from Anna than her becoming a nagging, cruel barb for Vasya. I felt her plotline with Father Konstantin was a good direction but still did not feel like I got enough of it to really feel for her. I do not blame Arden for this--there is only so much time one can spend for each character--but it does feel like a missed opportunity.

Vasya’s character is impish and growing. She feels fae-like and I think this is something the reader/listener is further brought into by her descriptions. She is not beautiful (yet! She’s got some growing to do. I’m interested in seeing if Arden makes her beautiful in the end) but she is captivating. She has a respect for things that is childlike and innocent that is delightful and necessary for her character arc. I found myself being so sure in Vasya that when I hit moments where the story reminded us that she can’t really do anything (She can’t fight, can’t do magic), I was surprised and found myself in a similar position as Vasya--She too seemed to often forget her own limitations.

The fae-folk were varied and delightful. I particularly loved the Rusalka and her personality. Honestly, you could read this story just to encounter the different Russian/Slavic myths and creatures.

(Spoiler! Do not read if have NOT read the book!!)

And how could I discuss the fairy folk without discussing Morozko? I loved him as a character and construct but I had hopeeeddddddddddddddddddd for not a romantic leaning. At least… not just yet? I’ve seen a lot of god/myth figure romances and while I’m quite fond of them, I prefer it when the character is older. Not necessarily because of “age difference” (When will there not be a huge one?) but because there is a better sense of maturity from the mortal side and a sense of weariness that I think pairs better with trying to love a god/demon/age-old creature. Now, this is personal preference. Don’t get me wrong, I am here for it. I ship it but only because Arden does a great job with the characters (though I think I would have prefered no romance or anything until book 2). She sells the story and I am here for her story at the end of the day. (Also, side note: I would have liked her to have an actual romance before getting to Morozko, ya know? Have some experience with love and dare I say sex prior to that being the direction taken. Alright, I’m done.)

(Spoiler Done)

This has gone on too long (yikes, two pages) but before I go and leave you to your feeds, shout out to Kathleen Gati for a wonderful reading. While her different voices for the characters were not as varied as some audiobook narrators, she really capture the tone of the book and did a great job emoting in her voice. She was a pleasure to listen to.

#the bear and the nightingale #katherine arden #winternight trilogy #russian folklore #slavic folklore #Vasilisa the Beautiful #Morozko #audiobook #book review #review

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head-hopping · 5 years

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Years, part VIII

And the newest installment of this...thing. Older chapters found here. Ngl, this one is a bit shorter as it’s kind of a transition piece.

Edit: I lied, this is actually the longest of them all so far. lol whoops

Through more than just a little persuading, Carlotta found herself once again in Paris. After how many years have passed? Since her marriage; since being uprooted so unexpectedly and transported back to Florence, where she would not leave…until now. It has changed little since then, save for the fashions which inspire the rest of the world, it seems. And the steps taken towards industry now that the new century has taken hold. A perfect mixture of the old lingering on while the new forged forwards into a new millennia.

How her thoughts have wandered these days, seemingly unable to root themselves back into reality, save for when Aisling suddenly reached out and touched her hand or arm and granted a broad smile. Perhaps it is best she leave Florence behind for now, if not for good. Her son now left in that vast estate on his own, cultivating the wounds that Armand planted in him up until his untimely passing.

Leaving him behind seemed as if she sealed Alonso to his father’s fate, one twisted not with arrogance but bitterness and anger. A far more deadly malady than anything Armand carried in his life, but did any sensibility enter his thoughts as he slowly poisoned his own flesh and blood? No. Only pleasure in knowing that upon his death Carlotta would be dealt with a blow more devastating, more lasting than any she has yet to endure. That allowed Armand to slip into his own damnation with pride, uncaring that his son would lead a most wretched life thereafter.

How terrible that Carlotta’s own pains have already been smothered by familiarity, dulled to a mere humming that had seemed to play in rhythm upon the train and within the horseless carriage as it puttered along from the station, headed through the streets of Paris.

“Mama assured me that Leonce was doing fine,” Aisling was saying, holding on tightly as the carriage lurched over a cobble raised in the street. A note of thrill was in her eyes despite the gravity of her brother’s wounds. “They nearly did lose him, though. I cannot fathom why the navy would be so callous as to send him home appearing fine. Then again, I think only Mama could have saved him by then, so it’s likely for the best, wouldn’t you think?”

Carlotta, less than thrilled with the noisy nuance of this carriage, hummed a soft agreement that went unheard, requiring her to speak when Aisling turned with an expectant look. “Your mother is very good at what she does.”

“I’ll say! Between the pair of them, Da and her could fix just about anything. Oh, Aunt Lotta, I know I’m talking so much, but I am very nervous about seeing Leon. They had better not have flowered their telling of his condition.”

“I doubt they were anything short of truthful.” Personally, Carlotta has never met Leonce, and the middle boy of theirs only once or twice when he was too little to recall, so there was not much by way of expectation for when aunt and niece arrived at the Mackintosh home.

Erika had explained once their first home, a quaint little thing crept over with vine that perched on a street corner, the slim front an interior a perfect setting for a couple and their young daughter. But it did not take long for Erika to grow restless, particularly after their second born. Now Colin and Erika have lived just outside the city proper for a number of years, the modest manor hovering between the country and interior of Paris very comfortably. With time, Erika had relinquished her shared hold over the Palais Garnier, until now she and her illustrious physician of a husband were mere occasional patrons, at times picking and sponsoring the tutelage of an inspired and talented youth. As chosen by Erika, of course.

The front of this manor, like their first home described to Carlotta, boasted flower vines hanging and climbing about, the flowers of white and yellow hues, respectively, blending remarkably well with the white of stone and dark brown of wooden accents. Their yard appeared in decent order, smelling fresh of flowers and herbs, a wide variety cultivated by the lady of the house. A dirt path wound around the side, branching to the garden and curved alongside the greenery around to the back end of the home.

Surveying this from the window as the horseless carriage drew to a stop, Carlotta acknowledged the bitter rise of envy for what it was, yet allowed the emotion no further place. She hadn’t the energy to waste on such pettiness, least of all towards her cousin and his wife.

Aisling hardly waited for the carriage to stop, drawing an exasperated look from their driver, who dismounted readily after setting the brakes and strode quickly to open Carlotta’s door, offering his hand for her to step down. The front door opened, of course, expelling a lanky man of carroted hair, now of a lighter shade than in his youth, yet the width of Colin’s smile remained entirely the same as he set eyes upon his daughter and cousin.

“Da!” Aisling laughed, hiking up her skirts and running to meet him, colliding with his side as he reached the bottom of the short three steps, right under Colin’s waiting arm. “I told ya I could bring her along, didn’t I? Only took a bit of persuasion,” she beamed, accepting his kiss on her forehead happily.

“Don’t make it sound so easy now,” he chuckled, giving her a squeeze as well. Yet he was looking to Carlotta as he said it, trying to gage her reaction. It has been…many years since he last laid eyes on Lottie. Not since that dreadful summer in Florence when whatever had particularly pinched Armand’s agitation reared itself in a way previously unseen. It had taken weeks afterwards to calm Erika.

Even then, Carlotta looked worn. Now…the years have only multiplied the weight.

Releasing Aisling, Colin stepped towards Carlotta, his smile still in place, if much smaller. The sorrow he carried for all these years could not match what rested in Carlotta’s eyes, and it only grew the longer they peered at one another. She seemed unsure, yet resolute in it. Well, in which case, Colin closed the remainder of the distance, embracing her gently with just a single arm, allowing her to slip free whenever she liked.

“Welcome back,” he muttered, closing his eyes as he felt Lottie’s shoulders relax, if only marginally.

How she wanted to stay here, finally able to lean against someone, but Carlotta shifted back instead, lest she lose herself right here on the front lawn. Uncertain she would ever find herself again at that. Thankfully Colin made no effort to keep her close. Nor did he force her to break the silence that fell.

“Erika is inside with Leonce,” he continued, which inspired Aisling, as if she just recalled, to turn and rush up the steps to go greet her youngest brother. “I don’t know what all Aisling told you, but he is doing well again. His injuries were more severe than the ship’s doctor imagined. But the lad will live. He’s too much of his mother in him to let go.”

For the first time since Barozzi’s last visit at the villa, when Alonso humiliated them both, a touch of something akin to sympathy blossomed in her chest. When Colin ushered her inside, bringing her to where most of the family was presently gathered by Leonce’s bedside, that blossom expanded into a sudden flood. The youth lay covered in blankets, and a delicate scent of some weak herbal tea filled the air. On the side of the bed sat Erika, face unmasked, her slender fingers pressed to her son’s cheek, smoothed the pained furrow between his brows.

Such a terrible thing, a mother’s loss of a child. Particularly a child already known.

She felt beside herself, moving to stand near Erika, peering down at the young man’s freckled face. He was…perhaps eighteen? Seventeen? Carlotta had no idea. Yet the sight of it, of Erika’s shadowed face, pushed further the flood within, and the first crack appeared as Carlotta took a sudden harsh inhale.

Erika looked up, startled to find her suddenly standing there, an expression of such agony snapping into a sudden violent sob that Carlotta could not contain.

~*~

No amount of apology could account for the utter hysterics Carlotta brought upon the Mackintosh household. Perhaps the feel of finally being safe coupled with the swath of aches for which Carlotta never properly mourned all accumulated, broken by the ache she saw in Erika’s face.

Carlotta sat now in a guest room, head aching, eyes reddened, drinking a much stronger mixture of tea that Erika had brewed for her after Carlotta’s wits returned. It had taken some time, and she was ashamed to know that Aisling had been so startled and upset by the sight that she too had wept and has yet to be seen again today, as evening fell.

How pitiable that Carlotta did not have the strength right now to even apologize to the young woman.

Tomorrow… She will do so tomorrow.

The creak of the guest room door stirred her from such thoughts, drawing her attention to Erika. The woman wore her mask, the white of it faded a bit with disuse, and it appeared uncomfortably set upon her face. It has been years, no doubt, since Erika last felt the need to hide herself from family.

Carlotta’s gaze dropped to the floor, then returned to the window, distant and panged with yet another rush of realization for what all she has missed these twenty-seven years.

“Do you need another tea?” Erika asked, the gentleness in her tone very different from what Carlotta last recalled from the woman who might have been a much closer friend in a different life.

Carlotta shook her head, the corner of her mouth curving slightly in an attempt for a half smile. “No. This was plenty. I will retire once finished.” She lifted the cup already in hand.

A moment of silence fell. How strange it was being here after so long, having nothing at all to say face-to-face when letters were once a sole, rapid strand of communication between them. The poison steeped into Armand’s system over weeks…months, it had come from this very house, the coconspirators now together in this very room. With absolutely nothing to say.

Offering thanks for the aid in killing her husband seemed to Carlotta, even now, a gauche avenue to take just for the sake of lifting the tight awkwardness that lingered.

After a moment longer, Erika turned to go.

“It was not you,” Carlotta said. The explanation tumbling out of her so quickly that Erika turned back looking startled and confused. Lifting her gaze to Erika, Carlotta shook her head minutely. “My…poor reaction. It had nothing at all to do with you.” Your face being implied. After what happened the last time they saw one another…

But Erika only smirked slightly, more than a hint of that old wildfire sparking in her eyes. Not that it was snuffed, of course; merely controlled. “I know, Lotta. It is…and old comfort, but I do not wish to add any undue stress. And there is no need to protest. Trust me. The decision bears no ill-will, no taunt. We only wish for you to relax, as much as you can.” Erika reached out to lightly squeeze Carlotta’s arm, her smile a bit broader. “Rest. Please. I, better than anyone, know that the strangest and most unexpected things can bring the dam to its bursting point. And it is far better to simply let it out.”

With a final smile filled with bittersweet understanding, Erika dismissed herself, leaving Carlotta to her thoughts…and the river of emotions long-since untapped. Setting the cup as it trembled onto the stand at her elbow, the widow of Armand DiRusso cupped her face in her hands and sobbed with relief. With sorrow. With resentment, bitterness, anger. With longing. But all without fear.

#V: Alt!Phantom #dirusso #Ramona speaks #((Erika again))#Aisling Mackintosh

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sonnets-and-snowdrops · 6 years

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And The Room Spins // A Sha Gojyo Birthday Fic

Fandom: Saiyuki Pairing: 585 Genre: BIRTHDAY-THEMED ANGSTTTT/ slice of life I guess, if said life is chock-full of GOJYO ANGST Rating: T+ Word Count: 2k-ish Summary: Gojyo hasn’t celebrated his birthday in a long, long time. In fact, Gojyo sometimes forgets about his own birthday - but this year, his new roommate remembers. Warnings: Mentions of drugs and alcohol; possibly altered mental states, I suppose, if you push it; brief mention of sex; boys kissing Author’s Note: So, uh - it’s out of order, but here’s the latest installment in the Everyone In The Ikkou Gets Cake cycle or whatever I didn’t plan this but uh here we are ! (In case you’re interested, here are Hakkai’s and Sanzo’s birthday fics. They’re both much, much nicer than this one. I mean, low bar, but still.) Not much to say about this one, except - I’m sorry, Gojyo. I’m so, so sorry. One day, I will write you mid-journey, or post-journey, or in a really, really nice AU, or something, so you can do more than get drunk and Have Feelings. Also, it’s probably worth noting that this piece, like Hakkai’s birthday fic, is intended to take place during the very first year that Hakkai and Gojyo live together. They don’t know each other very well - and, at this point, I don’t imagine Hakkai knows much about Gojyo’s past. Anywho. It’s a few weeks overdue, but - happy birthday, Gojyo. May you find happiness and peace, you poor, beat-up boy. Despite the way I treat you in my fics, I really do love you. Pinky swear. I’M DONE I’M DONE I’M OUT BYEEE GUYS OKAY ON THAT NOTE HERE’S THE FIC HERE YA GO This work is un-beta’d. All errors are mine.

He tries to be as quiet as possible when he slips inside, but as ever, the door creaks when he opens it - I really gotta get that fixed one of these days, he thinks - and his footfalls are heavier than he intends them to be. He teeters sideways, and his shoulder slams into the wall, and he bites his tongue as he does his best to stifle a grunt of pain. “Stupid wall,” he mutters, righting himself. He manages to walk forward in what could generously be called straight line, and he’s pretty proud of himself, all things considered; he has a good half-dozen drinks, a hit or two of a funky-smelling herbal cigarette, and the fact that he’s been awake for a solid eighteen hours working against him.

Also, it’s dark.

Gojyo takes two more steps forward.

Then, he squints.

Then, he frowns.

Maybe it’s just his dry, tired eyes playing tricks on him, but it looks to Gojyo like it’s not as dark as it should be.

He rounds the corner into the kitchen, and for a split second, he finds himself borderline blinded. A lively, warm glow of light flickers cheerily from the middle of his kitchen table, and Gojyo, having trudged home in the nighttime darkness, finds himself very ill-equipped to deal with this bright and startling turn of events. He squeezes his eyes shut, and he throws up a hand in front of his face, and he spits a swearword out from between his clenched teeth.

“Well,” says a voice. “That’s not quite the reaction I was hoping for.”

Slowly, Gojyo lowers his arm and pries his eyes open. He blinks, feeling remarkably sluggish and stupid, and after a few tense heartbeats, the image of Hakkai, seated at the table and bearing a pryingly pitiable look on his placid face, comes into focus.

“Uh,” Gojyo says.

At that, the expression on Hakkai’s face melts into a gentle smile. “A few too many celebratory drinks this evening, Gojyo?” he says lightly.

For the second time in the space of a minute, Gojyo frowns. “Celebratory?” he asks. “What the hell is there for me to be celebrating?”

For a moment, Hakkai almost looks hurt. To his credit, he recovers quickly - but not so quickly that Gojyo misses it altogether. “You can’t be serious,” Hakkai says, his voice quiet and small.

“Serious as a goddamn heart attack, dude. What is it, huh? What?” On a whim, Gojyo slips his hands into his pockets, and he waggles his eyebrows, and he saunters forward two steps, the way he would if he was putting the moves on a pretty girl. “Did I forget our anniversary or something?”

Hakkai stares at Gojyo and blinks those kooky, green eyes of his. “…ah,” he says, after a brief moment. “No, Gojyo. No. You forgot something else, actually.”

“Somethin’ else?”

“Yes.”

“That doesn’t sound like me.”

“Well. Perhaps not, but - “

“I don’t forget important stuff, Hakkai,” Gojyo says, crossing his arms in front of his chest and sticking out his bottom lip. “Small stuff, maybe, but not important stuff.”

“Is that so?” Hakkai asks softly.

“Damn right it’s so.”

A ghost of that wan smile crosses Hakkai’s lips again. “I suppose it shouldn’t come as a great shock to me that you don’t consider today to be terribly important. Still,” he adds, “I can’t help but think it’s a shame.” He pauses, and he opens his mouth again as if to speak, but he closes it after a split second. He glances downwards, not meeting Gojyo’s eyes. “You’re a good man, Gojyo,” Hakkai says. “Better than you realize, I think.”

All of a sudden, Gojyo finds it weirdly hard to draw a steady breath. He feels kinda dizzy, too, so he takes another couple steps forward, and then slides a second chair out from the table, and he plops down into it. “Uh,” he says again. “I mean - uh. I ain’t gonna fight you on that, I guess, but - I mean, I - ”

Abruptly, one of Hakkai’s pale hands shoots forward and shoves something across the table, in Gojyo’s general direction.

“This is for you,” Hakkai says.

It takes Gojyo’s drunk, stoned, and downright exhausted brain a long moment to process what happened. The light in the tiny kitchen flickers oddly, almost as if -

Gojyo almost smacks himself in the forehead for being such a big, dumb idiot.

For the first time, he notices that there’s a cake on the table.

A cake, with a neat, even circle of candles stuck in it around the edge.

A birthday cake.

Gojyo swallows, hard. His gaze is pinned to the cake, which inexplicably pitches and swims in his field of vision. He’s aware of a hot pricking behind his eyes, and he’s pretty sure his hands would be trembling if he didn’t have them pressed hard to his thighs beneath the table.

“I suppose I thought it would be nice,” comes Hakkai’s voice, from what seems to Gojyo like very far away.

“Nice,” Gojyo echoes.

“Yes.”

“Nice.”

“Yes. Yes, I - yes.”

Gojyo glances up, and sees Hakkai peering at him through those thick eyelashes, that thick mane of dark hair, and those thick panes of glass in front of his eyes. “Today’s my birthday,” he says dumbly.

“Yes, Gojyo.”

“You remembered.”

“Yes, Gojyo.”

“I freakin’ forgot my own birthday, and you remembered.”

“That - that seems to be the case, Gojyo. Yes.”

“Shit.” Gojyo sinks back in his chair, suddenly drained. “No one,” he says, his voice weak and wobbly, “has wished me a happy birthday in years.” He flicks his eyes back to Hakkai, whose face looks drawn and strangely craggy, thanks to the flickering candlelight.

“Years?” Hakkai whispers, the question shot through with disbelief.

“Yeah.”

“How many years?”

“Dunno. Loads.” Gojyo can hear his own voice tightening with emotion - and that, he decides without hesitation, is his cue to exit. “Just - uh. Yeah. I’m not so sure eating cake is the best thing for me right now, so. Uh - ” Gojyo rises -

And the room spins.

Gojyo keeps his footing, but only barely. He favors Hakkai with a cloying smile as he takes a few unsteady steps, and he does his best to ignore the way the kitchen swirls around him. “Uh,” he continues, still backing away from the table. “Uh. Yeah, I - I’m gonna go to bed - ”

“Can I get you anything?”

“Nah. S’okay, M’fine.”

“Water, perhaps?” Hakkai rises too, looking at Gojyo with what appears to be mounting - and unwarranted, by Gojyo’s recknoning - concern. “I also have painkillers,” Hakkai says quickly. “Even a few which can be taken while under the influence of - ”

“No, no. Don’t worry ‘bout it. I said, I’m -”

The next thing Gojyo knows, he’s pitching sideways and downwards. He swings his arms out wide, and one of his heavy hands makes contact with something that feels like a sturdy, solid, flesh-and-blood body. He makes a fist, clutching for all he’s worth at what he’s pretty sure is the baggy fabric of a knit sweater, and awkwardly shuffling his feet around, frantically trying to regain his balance. He feels a pair of strong hands hoisting him upwards from under his armpits, urging him forward and offering him just the crutch he needs.

For the first time since he crashed through the door of his house, stillness reigns.

Involuntarily, Gojyo sways, shell-shocked and stagnant, locked in this bizarre, lopsided embrace, shifting from foot to foot to keep himself from toppling over again. His head suddenly feels ludicrously heavy, and so Gojyo lets it drop. It rests on what feels like a bony shoulder - which, given the circumstances, is just fine by Gojyo. Somehow, he can’t find it within himself to be too picky at the moment.

“I,” he concludes lamely, slurring his dogged words and shutting his weary eyes, “am fine.”

Hakkai’s faint laughter vibrates through Gojyo’s pent-up palms, and travels all the way up his arms. “Of course you are, Gojyo,” Hakkai says. “You’re fine.” Gojyo feels gentle fingers working in his greasy hair. That’s something else, he reflects vaguely, that hasn’t happened in years - though, to be totally fair, that’s because he almost never allows it to happen. It usually pisses him off when people touch his hair - he always makes it clear to the chicks he screws that his hair is off-limits, because he’ll be damned before he allows himself to be reduced to a real, living, breathing version of some bitch’s stupid, half-youkai sex fantasy - but this, somehow, is different. This, somehow, is all right.

“You’re fine,” Hakkai murmurs again. “You’re just fine.”

“I am, though,” Gojyo murmurs back.

“I know.”

“I mean it.”

“I know.”

With an effort, Gojyo lifts his head. He blinks blearily, doing his damnedest to actually meet Hakkai’s eyes. “Thanks for the cake,” he mumbles. “Means a lot. I mean that too, ’kay?”

A tiny smile flickers across Hakkai’s face. “You’re welcome,” he says. “It’s the least I could do.”

“Sorry I didn’t eat any.”

“That’s just fine.”

“It’s, like - a little shitty, though.”

“The cake will keep overnight. We can eat it tomorrow. It’s just fine, Gojyo. I promise.”

“You promise, huh?”

“Yes. I promise.” Hakkai squeezes Gojyo’s shoulder. “And - do you know what? I’ll make you another promise, Gojyo.”

“Another one, huh?”

“Yes.” Hakkai is still smiling - but somehow, it seems to Gojyo, it’s become a very serious smile. “I promise you,” Hakkai says, “if it is in my power, I’ll take care to ensure that you never spend a birthday without good wishes ever again.”

And Gojyo laughs.

Hakkai’s smile freezes on his face. That weird, frozen look should scare Gojyo - he’s damn sure it should - but as things stand, all Gojyo can do is laugh, and laugh, and laugh. When he finally catches his breath, he offers Hakkai the most apologetic look he can muster. “You,” he says shakily, “talk real old-fashioned sometimes. Y’know that?”

Hakkai says nothing. His green eyes, clear and clever but strangely veiled for all that, dart back and forth rapidly across Gojyo’s face.

Shit, Gojyo thinks.

He’s fucked up.

Again.

Gojyo draws a breath, and then lets out a long, quivering sigh. “I’m sorry,” he says thickly. “I’m sorry, Hakkai. You were trying to do something nice, and I shat all over it. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad or nothin’, I’m just - I mean, I’m not used to - I mean - “

Hakkai shakes his head. “Hush, Gojyo,” he says. “You should sleep. You’re tired, and you should sleep.”

“I just - I don’t know how I can let you know that I - I mean, I appreciate this, I really - ”

“I know. I know you do, Gojyo. It’s all right.”

“It’s - it’s not, though, because I - ”

“Hush, Gojyo - ”

“No, I… I mean, Hakkai, I… ”

He’s not sure what makes him do it. Maybe it’s his ridiculous desperation. Maybe it’s the wounded look on Hakkai’s face, and maybe it’s the drugs-and-booze cocktail pumping through his veins and lighting his frayed feelings on fire, and maybe it has to do with the fact that no one taught him the right way to say “thank you” when he was growing up, not really - but, for whatever reason, in that moment, the very best thing that Gojyo can think to do is to reach up, take Hakkai’s head in his hands, lean forward, and give his roommate the most honest kiss he’s ever given anyone in his life -

And the room spins.

It doesn’t last very long - or, that’s how it feels to Gojyo, anyway. He pulls away, and he releases the breath he didn’t realize he was holding, and he looks Hakkai dead in the face. Hakkai’s expression has done a complete one-eighty - he looks straight-up stunned now, and maybe it’s just a trick of the flickering light, but Gojyo could swear that his roommate is blushing.

“Uh,” Gojyo says, choosing to extract himself from the situation before anything else stupid happens, and speaking with a voice that feels way, way too loud for the small kitchen. “Uh. I’m going to bed now. I’ll see you in the morning, Hakkai.” And he turns on his heel as gracefully as he can - which isn’t very gracefully at all, but it gets Gojyo pointed in the right direction to traipse towards his bedroom.

Just before he makes it to the bedroom door, he hears Hakkai calling from behind him. “Good night, Gojyo,” Hakkai says. “And - happy birthday.”

“Thanks,” Gojyo calls back. As he tosses the word over his shoulder, he decides, last-minute, that it would be swell to end the evening by flashing Hakkai one last, charming smile. He whips his head sideways -

And the room spins.

His feet get all tangled, and his knees hit the floor, and his head hits the ground, and his stomach churns, and his mouth opens wide, and he lets out another peal of ridiculous laughter. He hears footsteps thudding across the linoleum and feels the warmth and comfort of those steady, slender hands again, and this time, Gojyo just lets it all happen. “I owe ya another one, Hakkai,” Gojyo says weakly as his eyes slide closed. He’s beat, and he’s overwhelmed, but he feels kinda fuzzy, too - fuzzy with something almost, almost, like some wacky-ass strain of happiness.

“Hush,” comes Hakkai’s voice, so faint that Gojyo can barely hear him. “Hush, Gojyo - ”

Gojyo lets another sick laugh slip through his smiling lips before he allows himself to fade into the darkness.

“Happy birthday to me,” he says.

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lululawlawlu-writes · 7 years

Note

oh can you write a thng where Luffy and law are held captive togehter? like, with law fixing luffy up after a beating with very poor supplies or smth? just, caring law pls

Held captive and fixing him up? I think I got it. ^^;;Thanks for the request, Anon~~

Captured

.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡+..｡*ﾟ+*.｡pairing: LawLurating: T for mild violence.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡+..｡*ﾟ+ *.｡

Defeating all of the yonkou, one after another, left Law and Luffy feeling on top of the world. Together they claimed victory after victory to pave their way toward becoming the most powerful men on the seas.

With each new, shared accomplishment, Law’s confidence grew. His pride swelled and slowly bled into reckless arrogance; or rather the recklessness may have rubbed off on him from being so desensitized by Luffy. Either way, he didn’t care. He’d just assumed that when needed, Luffy would simply pull a miracle out of thin air to save them like the god of fate that he seemed to be, and if they got hurt, he would be able to heal them up for the next fight.

He really should have known better. Obviously the marines would be coming up with more and more cunning ways to capture them while they roamed about, so carelessly doing whatever they pleased.

Law was sure that if he hadn’t come into the fight with such a flippant attitude, he and Luffy wouldn’t have found themselves captured. But there he was, mentally kicking his own ass while being shoved down a hallway toward the holding cells on some shitty little marine base that they’d decided to pillage on a whim just to see what kind of food they had.

He heard Luffy stumbling behind him, his feet dragging weakly as he was ushered down the hall by the marines who’d opened fire on them with sea-stone bullets. The tense heat of anger swelled inside Law when he thought of how they had hurt his precious ally- his lover- his dearest treasure. Even though he knew he’d underestimated them, Law still wanted to think that the marines had just gotten lucky. He knew they were going to be the most unlucky bastards alive once he got his revenge, because anyone who dared lay a finger on his Luffy was going to find out why ‘Surgeon of Death’ was too light of an epithet to really describe the kind of person he could be.

Law eyed a small, bespectacled, pink-haired marine who saluted them in greeting from in front of the holding cell doors. If she was going to be any trouble, he wouldn’t be above sparing her either.

“Wow, you really caught the pirates, Lieutenant! Wasn’t it hard?” the little marine marveled, quickly pushing up the big, round glasses that dwarfed her face. She reached into her pocket to fumble nervously for keys to unlock the door to a metal-barred cell.

The girl barely looked old enough to be a marine and not nearly tough enough to play jailkeeper. Law might be able to take advantage of this one.

“It was almost too easy,” the tall, muscular lieutenant spoke sternly around her cigarette, “but we’ve got the sea-stone bullets to thank for that.” She pulled Law by his rope-bound hands and shoved him into the cell.

A broad-shouldered male marine followed, tossing Luffy in after him. The once-formidable straw hat captain’s weak body collapsed to the floor, his breath shaky, uneven as he fought against the pain of the sea-stone bullets lodged in his flesh.

“Ya ain’t so tough after all, are ya, Pirate King,” the man sneered, sending a swift kick to Luffy’s ribs.

Luffy barely responded to the unnecessarily brutality, letting out a wheezing breath of air from his feeble lungs, but Law felt his rage ignited, setting his blood to boil in his veins.

“Stay away from him!” Law growled, deep and carnal. He lunged at the man, who dodged him just as the lieutenant kicked him square in the back, using Law’s momentum against him. Without his hands free to brace the fall, he struck the floor face-first, cracking his nose and jaw against the floor, issuing fresh blood to the cement. He heard a soft female voice gasp behind him.

“Your biggest mistake was underestimating the marines”, the man commented, crouching down to dig his fingers into the two bullet wounds on Law’s left shoulder and upper arm. Law let out a guttural growl, breathing heavily through his nose as the tried to bare the shocks of pain sent through his body.

“That’s enough!” the lieutenant barked from the door of the cell, annoyance written all over her face. “Stand down. We need these two alive to get the reward money from Doflamingo.” She took a drag of her cigarette while she waited for him to exit the cell and waved her hand agitatedly at the petite jailkeeper, motioning for her to shut and lock the door.

“But Lieutenant, shouldn’t they be transferred to Impel Down, questioned and given a proper public execution afterward?” their jailkeeper asked, again pushing up her glasses. “It’s our duty as marines to-”

“Your duty is to mind the prisoners, and follow the orders of your superiors, is it not?” The lieutenant spoke sternly, letting smoke pass out through her lips.

“Yes, sir!” the little pink-haired marine complied with a salute though the lieutenant had already turned to leave, her overly violent lackey following at her heels.

Law was now fairly certain he could make use of the little marine. She seemed naïve. If he used the right words and appealed to her personal sense of duty, he might be able to sway her- he needed to sway her. He needed to get help as fast as possible if the advancing weakness in his body and Luffy’s shallow breathing was any indicator of how desperate his situation was. These idiot marines were about to have two dead pirates on their hands and the only thing they’d be receiving from Doflamingo would be his wrath for having killed them.

“Hey, miss,” Law addressed her, trying to sound non-threatening as he feebly rolled over onto his back. Luckily, his voice came out fainter than he’d meant, nearly lost to the echo of the cement walls. He hoped that the blood covering the lower half of his face made him look pitiable rather than adding to his usually intimidating appearance.

Judging by the look of complete horror on her face and lack of colour in her complexion, however, Law was willing to bet that his plan wasn’t quite working out the way he’d hoped.

“Y-y-your words are u-useless,” she stammered nervously, adjusting her glasses on the bridge if her nose. “We don’t ne-negotiate with pirates.”

“Oh, that’s just… too bad. If-” Law closed his eyes, drawing a few weak breaths, purposely breathing shallower than needed, before he continued, “if you don’t help us… we’re really… going to die… no Impel Down”

Her eyes flitted from him to Luffy, and back to him. She eyed him anxiously, her eyebrows knit together. She seemed to be weighing her decisions. Maybe just a little more effort would pull her over to Law’s side.

Law opened mouth as if he were about to speak but let only the faintest sound pass his lips. He made a show of closing his eyelids slowly, letting them stay closed for a moment too long, but when he opened his eyes he found her attention had turned to Luffy.

“That’s really him isn’t it? The pirate king- Straw Hat Luffy,” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, strangely betraying something akin to reverence.

“He is.”

“What do you need?”

“First aid kit… at least.”

Law listened to the frantic clack of her boot heels against the cement floor as she rushed down the hallway. He hadn’t even really registered if she was coming or going until he heard her voice directly above him.

“Is this what you need?” she spoke, her voice tinged with worry. She held a white, metal box marked with a green cross through the bars of the holding cell.

Law groaned, sitting up to move closer to her.

“I’m a surgeon but I can’t work on myself. I’ll need you to fix me so I can fix him,” he informed her, turning his shoulder toward her as he sat down close to the bars. “Use the tweezers. Dig out the bullets.”

“But, I-”

“You want us- him to die?”

“No, but-”

“Dig out the bullets.”

She slowly pulled the first aid case back through the bars and set it down on the floor. She crouched over it as she popped it open to assess the materials.

“Wear gloves,” Law instructed without looking in her direction. He heard the stretching and snapping of the latex as she pulled on a pair of gloves, but he still wasn’t quite prepared for the shock of the cold metal tweezers against his open wound. He instinctively flinched at the contact. The act probably made her more nervous.

“There’s too much blood. I- I can’t see well,” the marine whimpered as if she were the one in pain, “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“You’ve got this,” Law tried to reassure her, “You’re tough. You’re a marine.” He was honestly annoyed at her incompetence at the task, but he tried to keep calm. He reminded himself that the sooner she got the sea-stone bullets out of him, the sooner he could help Luffy. He grit his teeth and tried to concentrate on anything other than the sensation of the tweezers pinching and pulling against his raw nerves to grab at one of the bullets.

Law heard a metallic clink as she dropped a bullet into the first aid kit. Out of habit, he opened his mouth to scold her for contaminating the materials inside, but caught himself, simply muttering, “The other bullet too.” but the marine didn’t move.

“I know who you are too,” she spoke.

“Yeah, ok.”

“I know what you can do.”

“So…”

“So, if I take out the sea-stone bullet, you’re gonna cut out my heart, right?”

“I couldn’t without my sword. And if the cell is made of sea-stone I don’t think I’ll be going to get it,” he lied, hoping that would be enough to get her to continue.

Even though he expected the pain to be alleviated now that he only had one bullet remaining, Law couldn’t help but wince as he felt the tweezers digging into his flesh.

The moment the final bullet left his body, he felt like a dead man come back to life. The fog in his mind lifted. The air around him felt fresher. He could feel his power returning. Although his wounds suddenly felt more painful, his ability would naturally help him heal faster than an average person.

“Room,” Law spoke purposefully, initiating his powers. In an instant the rope that bound him had disappeared from around his wrists and he found himself in possession of the first aid kit.

The marine blinked at him wide-eyed from behind the round lenses of her glasses. She apparently hadn’t realized the full extent of Law’s abilities.

Law took little notice of the words she spoke before she scrambled out of the room- something about wanting to help Luffy because he’d helped her dad become a legendary marine or something. He didn’t actually give a damn about what she said, where she went or what she did. He had worse things to worry about. Luffy hadn’t moved at all, and if anything his breathing was getting fainter by the second.

Law pushed his own pain from his mind as he turned to Luffy. Thanks to his ability he was able to scan Luffy’s body and remove the bullets fairly easily, but stemming the blood flow and taking care of the wounds required his studied skills more than anything. The wounds on Luffy’s leg weren’t too bad, but the wound he’d taken to the chest needed immediate attention if he was going to live.

Law tried to remain calm as he watched Luffy smile at him feebly from where he lay on the cold cement. His lips parted but instead of his usual boisterous voice, a hoarse whisper spoke his name, “Torao…”

“It’s okay, don’t strain yourself,” Law told him, giving him a sympathetic smile before he turned away. His gloved hands reached for a sterile dressing, hastily ripping the plastic away from the gauze. Grabbing up the tape, he used it to affix the sterile side of the plastic around the wound.

Luffy didn’t make a sound as Law moved to expertly treat his leg wounds, though every second that passed filled Law with increasing worry. Having the sea-stone bullets removed should have been making Luffy feel more like himself, but he still seemed too subdued. Law had known he might need to carry Luffy away from here, though he’d expected to have Luffy resist.

“Luffy-ya, please, stay with me,” Law turned to address the younger captain, pulling off his gloves and tossing them aside. He tried to suppress the fearful anxiety tugging at his heart as he held Luffy’s pale face between his palms. “How are you feeling?”

“Better. You’re the best, Torao.” A reflexive smile slowly stretched across Luffy’s face like the sun peeking out from behind the clouds and Law felt his own lips curving into a soft smile.

“You idiot. You almost got your damned self killed,” Law admonished, his stern words betrayed by his misty eyes and the soft tone of his voice. He stroked Luffy’s cheek with his thumb as he watched the colour slowly returning to his lover’s face. Law leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to Luffy’s lips before resting their foreheads together, wishing for all the world his powers could restore him completely right there and then.

“Got it!” a voice cried from behind them, nearly making Law jump out of his skin. There stood the little pink-haired, bespectacled marine holding his Kikoku out to him. “Are you ready to make your escape?”

“This has got to be a trap,” Law spoke, standing to cautiously take back his nodachi.

“Of course it is,” smiled the girl. “I’ve called an admiral to come and catch you properly because you’re just too much for us.”

“Well then, we’d better get out of here before they show up, right Luffy-ya?” Law smirked, “Room.”

#lawlu #lulaw #lawlu fanfic #one piece fanfiction #lawlu fanfiction

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julystorms · 7 years

Note

I've had a bad day today can I have some fe7 headcanons

I have lots but I feel like everyone knows them already because they’ve remained so static over the years!! I’ll list a few for ya though. ;)

UNDer a CUT cause it’s long lol and this fandom is tired of me after all of these years.

Hector bullied Erik. Look, Erik’s a scumbag supreme but I LIKE HIM…as a character, anyway. He has so much potential as a villain because he’s just…believable? And I like that it’s hinted at that Hector wasn’t very good to him when they were growing up. Consider peaceful times where these kids had to go visit each other and stay for a couple of months… You know Erik’s father tried to force him to befriend Hector and Eliwood: his age bracket, super important members of the Lycian Alliance… And then it doesn’t work and it’s just a giant mess–which probably weakened Erik’s relationship to his father (though LBR Darin’s straight up evil). Not that Hector being nice to Erik would have made him into a good person, but like…it could have? The part that’s really awful, though, is that Eliwood never put a stop to it. Passive Eliwood just kinda…let it happen. That’s not nice Hector… You shouldn’t do that Hector… :/ The Neutral Face of Displeasure doesn’t remedy the situation. It makes you wonder if having goodhearted kind allies in Lycia would have done something really positive for Erik who was obviously not raised by the best people or in the best circumstances.

But speaking along these lines, I like to think that Eliwood considers his actions from before and as an adult wouldn’t allow that kind of behavior anymore. Too bad he’s too busy to get together with the whole gang for a very long time and by then it’s too late. :’)

Unrelated but I LOVE LYNDIS and I stand by my age-old headcanon that her only happy ending is one where she returns to the plains, though I have altered my stance on it slightly in the last few years. Place is important to her, and tradition, and all that. I think she could adjust to a regular life in town, living with someone who wasn’t royalty, but I feel that she’d be unhappy if she didn’t try to go home and try to reconnect to her roots. She’s young, and I feel confident she’d resent not taking the chance when she was capable of it.

Everyone knows my longest running FE OTP is KentLyn and that’s still true. Hector/Lyn would be a second place good one though, for me, but I still don’t view their relationship as anything short of borderline volatile when in close contact for long periods of time. I see the attraction, especially from Hector, but I think they’re both a bit emotionally immature and don’t balance each other out very well. That said, I feel like if Lyn married him in the moment because she loved him and things felt good, she’d just end up resenting him. He doesn’t seem to really “get” her (he makes more of an effort to “get” Farina and Florina which IMO is saying something) and unfortunately their communication is shit.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Lyn could certainly love someone who won’t take her back to Sacae, but I also think she will resent them if they keep her from the place she still feels is her home. She’s the kind of person who needs to work that out for herself–who needs to go back there and see if that place is still home for her. And maybe it won’t be. Maybe even with Kent or Rath or alone it won’t be. But I think a truly happy Lyn/not going back to the plains pairing still needs to give her the chance to go back and see it so that she knows. (Knowing makes it easier.)

(And I do realize that people…don’t really get this sentiment but I’m a person who attaches to place really easily and it was sooo hard for me to move away from the place I lived for almost 30 years. I was homesick until I went back after about a year…and then I thought: this place isn’t my home anymore. It’s just not the same as it was. And I do feel that Lyndis would feel that way if she went back, especially alone or with Rath, because things would be lonely alone and with Rath they’d be just different enough from what she remembers to hurt and be jarring at once. But I feel like until she goes back and experiences that for herself she’ll be dreadfully homesick.)

(So like, the ultimate HectorLyn fic would probably have her going back just to see and still choosing him, at least in my opinion. Not that all pairings have to be ~super healthy~ but I want to write that kind of stuff and I think a Lyndis who knows herself better will have a much healthier, smoother relationship with Hector!)

(KentLyn is still by far #1 but I dig the main lords and their relationships to one another because they’re just so great.)

Eliwood and Ninian. Oh man. Okay so I love how the game shoves it down your throat and 85% of us just ATE IT UP. My favorite part about it is how awful it makes his other romantic supports by comparison. Lyn feels like a really dull… “welp nothing better is on the horizon” kind of a settling and Fiora is just… Well, I wrote a ‘fic once about what I thought that was. (Fools Rush In if anybody remembers that one. Someday I’ll rewrite it.) But I like the idea a lot of Ninian as like, this infallible first love! She’s perfect because she dies before she can be anything else. The Worst Situation tbh? The idea that he could lose himself in someone else, if only for a short while (namely Fiora in my biased opinion) is human and believable and I think helps keep him from seeming like this tragic closed-off person.

(Note: I actually view Hector as that kind of a person; he puts his wife’s things away when she dies because he can’t cope and Eliwood leaves them out and keeps living his life. But y’all remember that from a fanfic, too, haha!)

Anyway it’s hella interesting to think about Eliwood moving on in the interim before Ninian is, uh, resurrected, because the outcome of her resurrection is tragic no matter what it is, if so. If she stays with Eliwood the person he turned to while he grieved and latched onto? Left out in the uhh…cold. So to speak. (Ice dragony cold…brrrr!) And if Ninian leaves, Eliwood gets to struggle with what he did to her and how he moved on and that he could have had her back yet didn’t–on and on. It’s good stuff. So much fun to play with in ‘fic and, of course, as @arthoure knows, RP too. ;) (Honestly I thought I’d be bored RPing as Eliwood but it was a lot of fun. 10/10 highly recommend.)

And I know you like Nino but I just don’t have much to say about her that the rest of fandom wouldn’t be way more invested in talking about. She was never a favorite of mine, though I found her situation pitiable and I was always sympathetic to it. She’s a great character–charming and young, smart, gifted, a hard worker, observant. But I think I never let myself get attached to her because her life is overall pretty tragic–even her better endings. :/

#fire emblem #hector #eliwood #erik #lyndis #kent #nino #ninian #fiora #i hope that was at least interesting #i'm exhausted but i wanted to get this posted today <3 #i hope today was better for u!!!!#queen-historia-reiss #replies to friends #queenhistoriareiss

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jojotier · 6 years

Text

A Shot of Charisma

At that moment, Taika decided to take a little breath and not get too worked up over a little thing like the customer that had just shown up and demanded a coffee with organic metal flaked metal for his drink.

Organic, metal, made and used manually by spells. It had taken all of Taika’s willpower while trying to explain that this is a Stardust Brewery, not anything as fancy as all that, to not just hit himself with a nearby tray and slip into the merciful embrace of unconsciousness. But no. Knocking yourself out while working was considered rude. Unfortunate.

He’d been riling himself up a bit after that, and he still had at least three more hours of standing there and trying not to let the oppressive realities of retail hell drag his mind screaming into the abyss before he could go home, feed his cats, and go to bed. It was a slow day, which was both good and bad.

It was good in that he didn’t actually have to deal with people, but bad in that he was slowly, very slowly, driving himself out of his mind thinking about the thoughts barreling around his head like molasses since he couldn’t very well do a little bit of spellcasting behind the counter. That tended to freak non-supernatural folk out more than a woman telling Republicans her views on reproductive rights. The little shop there had a bunch of charms prepared anyway, so there was really no need. All he had to do was rein his thoughts in a little and

Then, of course, Taika heard the bell to the shop ring and he silently died a little bit on the inside, because while his boredom would be abated for the moment, that meant he had to actually interact with people. Oh, joy.

His gaze lazily shifted to where the newcomer had come in, and he paused. The other was smaller than him, a lot thicker with muscle and even then a bit chubbier, and had a veritable nest of black hair on his head that seemed to have a few stray curls coming from it. As if he’d never been able to find the right comb to get through that mane of his on account of the fact that his hair seemed liable to gobble it up.

He was walking as relaxed as anything, coming up to the counter with a little grin on his face that showed a mouth filled to the brim with sharp teeth. So not human, but still, undeniably attractive.

Taika figured that there was definitely something with this guy that maybe could make this somewhat pleasant (if only because he was nice to look at) and then the stranger had to open his mouth. “Well hey there, sweet thing. Could I get a caramel mocha?” Grin widening, voice dropping a little so that all that faux charm could drip onto Taika’s clean counter, and brown eyes that looked somewhat predatory- and of course, Taika had spoken too soon. This guy was oozing with the kind of charm that frat boys are generally given in Lifetime movies glorifying the sororities that messed around with their killers.

“Yeah, coming right up!” The young witch still gave a faux cheerful smile, turning around and letting it drop off as soon as it wasn’t visible to this customer. He moved to start making the coffee, before turning back when the guy called.

The guy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, a little smile on his lips as he said, “Hey, if it ain’t too much trouble, could I also get a shot of charisma in that? There’s someone I’m trying to impress, you dig? Really cute guy, kinda tall, blond hair and green eyes? Yeah, he’s sorta out of my league, but I’m definitely going to try for it. D’ya mind giving me a shot of charisma in there?” Something was up. Honestly, though, Taika couldn’t care less about this guy’s romantic journey. Even as he pretended to nod sympathetically, he had to wonder- Why was he being told all this?

“Of course- and could I also get your name?” Was what Taika politely asked, because of course with Starbucks dominating the coffee business every other cafe had to step up and give the Experience™ that their retail counterpart gave while also delivering subpar desserts probably gotten from a rat-infested hovel of a bakery with their dumb bean nonsense. Not that this shop was really one of the worst knockoffs- the owners honestly poured quite a bit of love into this place and their bakes and coffee. Literally. They were witches too.

The guy nodded and paused, saying, “Yeah- though actually, lemme write it down. It’s kind of a weird name. Don’t know what my folks were thinking, naming their pups strings of numbers, but here we are.”

Taika had heard weirder things. When one was a witch who worked in a shop mostly catering to harried college students wigging out over finals and middle-aged Helens with two kids and a white Subaru in an all vegan settlement or whatever, you got used to it. The guy in front of him tore off a piece of napkin from a holder and started writing on it with a pen labeled Howlell College. Then Taika received the seven numbers and squinted at them, trying to see if he had that right because those first three numbers looked like this area code.

“That name’s kinda weird, right?” The guy in front of him was grinning, still, as if this all was the most hilariously dandy thing in the crock pot of mush that was this interaction. “People call me Julius- but you can call me anytime you need someone who’s good with making people howl!”

Taika just looked at this guy, watching him for a few seconds to see if he got that right. Oh man. This guy was serious, under all that affected weirdness. If Taika wasn’t so monumentally annoyed with life itself, he might have even found it endearing, in only the most laughable of ways because really? This Julius guy was going with this sappy bullshit? But then again, he was a werewolf, it looked like- and werewolves were kind of known for their romcom cliche worthy presence. It was almost pitiable.

So Taika replied with, “No thanks, Nine-Four-Nine- I have a lot of work.” When the coffee was done, he wrote the guy’s number on the cup instead of Julius too.

“Oh... alright then,” Julius said, seeming a little disappointed, “well, in any case- thanks for the service an’ all. It’s appreciated.”

“Mhm.”

Except, weirdly enough his fingers slipped somewhere and then Taika found himself writing down his own number, a little fuzziness cracking in the pads of his pointer finger and thumb. Julius, who seemed a little dejected, instantly lit up the moment he received his coffee, giving Taika a genuine grin. “Thanks anyway then, lovely! Have a nice day now- don’t let the other customers’ bites get ya down.” And with that, he was off, walking with a bit of a pep in his step. Taika blinked. What?

Despite being a magic relations major and practitioner, Taika only realized when Julius left the shop with his souped-up drink that some of that charisma had spilled over onto his hands, and that he might have just made a colossal mistake.

#original fiction #my writing #werewolf #witch #modern magic #urban magic #romance #gay romance #gay #happy pride!#have some gay magic #coffee shop #magic coffee shop #did someone say ~frat boy werewolf~#but like a sweet frat boy #drabble of the day

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