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crusty-chronicles · 8 months

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Not So Bad (Hiei x Apprentice Reader)

Part 1

Synopsis: The gang find a small, frazzled reader after being sent to stop a demon trafficking ring. Upon arriving to the location, they quickly realized everyone was dead, everyone except you. Reader is taken in and becomes attached to a particular demon with three eyes.

An: maybe it's because I've recently watched Nimona, but I absolutely live for the 'Scruffy Hard-ass man going soft and adopting a daughter' trope. Might explain my obsession with Dilfs 💀

*****************

When Yusuke originally took this case on for Koenma, he thought it'd be a little like when they went to rescue Yukina from Terukinae. But he was quickly proven wrong the deeper they all went into the estate.

It was supposed to be a simple mission. Stop some rich assholes from trafficking demons in order to keep the peace between Demon World and The World of the Living.

There was just so much blood.

The coppery smell was so strong even Kurama with his advanced senses couldn't pick up on anything else. And the bodies, God the bodies. It seemed like everyone they came across was horribly mutilated.

Like everybody was already dead before they got there.

Hiei used his Jagan to try to find any survivors, but even he struggled to locate any life energy.

Then they all heard a noise.

A small scuttling sound, but it was there, and as they turned a corner they saw a smaller being leaning against the wall.

Said being was caked in a crimson liquid. In their hands was a small dagger. And they looked...scared?

"What the hell happened here?" Yusuke mumbled out, catching the demon's(?) attention.

They immediately tensed up and held their weapon out in front of them.

"Did you do this?" Yusuke tried a little softer and took a step forward.

"Stay back! Just stay away from me!" They were shaking now as they jutted out the dagger a little more. Judging from the sound of their voice, they were pretty young.

A scared demon was never a good sign.

Kurama, the least intimidating looking, thought he'd have a little more success calming them down. He gestured for Yusuke to back away.

"We're not here to hurt you. We just want to know what happened here, if you'd be so willing to tell us?" His words did little to relax the frazzled demon, but at least they didn't make you any more scared.

"We shouldn't be wasting our time with this. We should just kill them since they've clearly shown themselves as a threat," Hiei commented.

Your eyes widened and the stiff pose you had became aggressive.

"Please just go away! I don't wanna hurt anyone else, so please just leave!" You were near tears by this point.

"Way to go Hiei, you made em' worse," Kuwabara grumbled.

"Giving them sympathy will make it easier for them to kill you."

Kurama blocked out their bickering in favor of taking a tentative step towards the now teary-eyed demon.

"So you did do this?"

They pointed their dagger in his direction.

"They did it first! They always-! They always-!" The demon shook their head as if trying to clear it. "They always hurt me first." Their voice lowered, along with their guard.

Kurama took another step forward.

"You were their prisoner, correct? Well, you're safe now. We came here to help by order of Spirit World. Do you know what that is?"

Another step.

The small demon nodded, weapon lowered slightly. But they didn't get aggressive as Kurama neared.

A good sign.

"We promise we won't hurt you. Don't mind what Hiei says, you were just trying to protect yourself, weren't you? It'll be okay, just let us help."

They didn't notice the plant blooming behind them, much less the sleep toxin it produced. But what they did notice was their eyes getting droopy. They struggled to take in the fox demon's words, Kurama's voice lulling them to sleep.

★★★★

You awoke on a surprisingly comfortable surface. Opening your eyes, you found yourself in an unfamiliar room. The last thing you remembered was the red headed demon....

You shot up from the soft surface and scooched back until you were flush against the wall. Sure enough, there was that same demon along with the other ginger haired boy.

Were they going to kill you after all?

You stared with scared eyes at the two of them.

"Did you have a good rest?" The red haired one asked.

You looked around the small room, trying to find the other two from before. They didn't seem to be here. Your frightened eyes met the fox demon's.

You shook slightly as you spoke.

"Where am I?"

The human was the one who decided to answer your question.

"My house. You're lucky my sister doesn't mind letting you stay here for now."

You tilted your head in confusion.

"House?"

He lived here? They brought you to a home. Not a cell.

The human nodded.

"Yeah. Which reminds me, are ya hungry?"

Your guard lowered just a smidge, back moving slightly away from the wall. You were not expecting this. Shelter and food? There had to be a catch. No humans were ever this kind to you.

"Why?"

They both seemed a little caught off guard by your question.

"What do you mean 'why'? Did you think we would just leave you there or something? We're not like those other guys that locked you up, got it!"

You flinched away as the human pointed his finger out. He looked between himself and you, concern etched into his face.

"Geez, what did they do to you?"

You shook your head rapidly. You didn't want to think about that right now. You didn't want to remember everything that happened.

"Perhaps we should give them some time before we question them." Kurama could see your discomfort start to rise. It was best to let you relax and take your time adjusting. Whatever had set you off before they found you, he wanted to make sure never happened again.

Spirit World would not be so lenient if you happened to act out again.

"Now then, how about we get you fed and cleaned up, little one?"

★★★★

With a little more coaxing, you had completely lowered your guard and followed the duo deeper into the house.

True to their word, you were sat at a table with a plate of something placed in front of you. The scent coming from it was sweet and it's shape a circle.

How bizarre

You lifted one of them up to get a better sniff. You couldn't smell any poison. At least, none of which you were familiar with.

Carefully, you took a bite.

This....

This was heavenly.

The next few seconds were of you stuffing your face with the remainder of the food on your plate. It was a funny sight to see.

You ate using purely your hands, the utensils left out going untouched. You also didn't chew after your first bite. Each pancake practically being swallowed whole. They only stopped you when you went to eat the plate because 'they're both circles, so they should both taste the same.'

"Hey! You'll die if you eat that!" The human scolded. He yoinked the plate out of your hands before you could bite down.

You frowned up at him and made grabby gestures with your hands. His resolve broke almost immediately.

"Okay, okay! I'll make you some more. Don't cry."

And a part of you softened at his unintentional words.

Don't cry

They didn't want you to be upset.

Maybe they didn't want to hurt you after all.

You felt something soft being wiped across your face. Looking to your left, you saw the fox demon with a piece of white cloth.

"You're a messy one, aren't you?" There was something teasing in his tone. Despite that, his eyes showed nothing but kindness.

You let him wipe your face once more before speaking.

"Where are the other two?"

You weren't too scared of the greasy one, but the other demon.... He made you weary. He did say they should've killed you.

"Yusuke went to inform the ruler of Spirit World about what happened. And Hiei," there was a slight pause as if the fox were thinking of something.

"Hiei returned back to Demon World since he has no obligation to stay anymore."

You were back to frowning. Maybe a small part of you thought it was unfair you couldn't return home too.

"He was the one who wanted me dead." Your voice was quiet.

"Don't mind him, he's just a big jerk!" The human shouted from his place at the stove. Your mood lightened slightly.

He was just a jerk. Yeah. He wasn't evil, just mean. And if all four of them weren't like the others, then you supposed you could trust them.

At least for now.

"I remember my name from before." You mumbled.

"Do you mind telling us then? I'd be nice to have something to call you while we wait for further orders." The fox encouraged.

You decided then you liked these two. They were nice. They didn't hurt you. And now that you thought about it, your previous wounds were all healed.

"I'm Y/n."

★★★★

After a lengthy discussion with Koenma, (which was really Yusuke making the case that you were just a kid who had probably been tortured beyond belief) it was decided that you'd be under the group's care to ensure no further harm was caused.

They were to make sure you never killed another human, lest you risk the wrath of King Yamma.

You would be swapped around between the four of them to enforce this policy. And even though the threat of what you did was still very much fresh in their minds, they just couldn't believe that you'd do it again.

When Yusuke watched you, you were always laughing at his stupid jokes. Always smiling when he'd pick you up onto his shoulders to carry you wherever he went. Always embarrassed when he would brag to the moms at the park.

"My kid's better than yours. They don't bite and pick their nose." Followed by offended gasp from the mothers.

When Kurama watched you, you would tell him everything that happened that day or the day before. You'd seek him out for comfort if you had nightmares and woke up crying. You would hold his hand when something startled you.

"It's okay little one, nothing will ever harm you again."

When Kuwabara was with you, you were babied and spoiled. Always out shopping for new clothes and shoes because 'You've grown an inch since the last time. We can't have you wearing clothes that are too small for you.' Always feeding you and watching your eyes light up when he slipped you a piece of candy. You'd always let him ruffle your hair and beam when he praised you.

"Look at you! You're all skin and bones, Did Yusuke even bother to feed you!?! You're lucky you have an awesome brother like me to take care of ya!"

And Hiei...

When Hiei would watch you, he would simply observe you from the trees. He'd watch you sit in silence and pluck the grass. He'd watch you startle at any noise that was too loud. You never talked to him, never asked anything, never looked him directly in the eye.

You were always silent and scared.

"What a pathetic excuse of a demon."

The conclusion drawn by all four: you weren't a threat to anybody. You'd had a slip up, but it was out of fear rather than aggression. You were completely harmless.

★★★★

Out of the four of them, Hiei couldn't give a damn about you at all. He didn't understand the other's softness. He understood their sympathy, but not why they bothered keeping you around. The mission was over and the observation was complete.

You were weak and skiddish. Afraid of your own shadow and any new faces. Too pathetic to even be called a demon. Too frail to ever lift a weapon and strike.

You were no longer their responsibility.

Just a burden. One that he would not worry about anymore.

Or at least that was what he told himself until the responsibility was once again forced upon him.

Yusuke had a special mission for Spirit World that he just couldn't get out of.

Kurama was having family over that would surely be suspicious of the smaller being attached to his hip.

Kuwabara was being forced to attend some out of state event with his sister.

All of these events would take a week at the least, and a month at worst.

Which left Hiei....

The demon who momentarily thought to dump you off at Genkai's.

It was thanks to that damn Detective's taunt that he hadn't.

"What's wrong three-eyes? Can't look after a kid for a few days? Scared because they're stronger than you?"

And damn his pride for falling for it. But even though he was forced to care for you, he would not be forced to stay in the human world when he did it.

You would come to Demon World with him so he could fulfill his proper duties.

★★★★

He half listened to Kuwabara's rant of what you could and couldn't eat. That oaf was too attached to you.

He didn't pay any attention when Yusuke told him what would make you smile and laugh. What possible reason did he have for remembering that?

But he did listen when Kurama pulled him aside to talk before he left.

"Their safety is the first priority. Do not let anything happen to them." There was a flicker of gold in his eyes. You had too much importance in their lives.

He took off with you the day after. But not without giving a warning of 'If you're too weak to keep up, I won't come back for you.'

You nodded, but kept silent. At least he wouldn't have to worry about listening to any idiotic ramblings.

The journey to Demon World was quiet. Too quiet, with the occasional sound of your missteps behind the three eyed demon. Not a word was spoken. If he hadn't felt your presence besides him, he would have assumed you weren't there.

Good.

You wouldn't be snot nosed brat and give him trouble.

But as the two of you reached the entrance, the lingering silence was disrupted.

"I haven't been home in a long time...Do you think my friends will remember me?"

It might've been the first words you ever spoke directly to Hiei. They were soft but hopeful. And if he had been anyone else, he would've assured you. Would've let you carry on the conversation and engaged.

But he wasn't.

And truthfully, your question irked him. Didn't you know it was survival of the fittest here? And friends? Demons didn't have friends. You were a naive dope who wouldn't make it five seconds by yourself.

"They're probably all dead if they're anything like you." Weak like you.

You didn't speak anymore after that.

You looked upset, but didn't cry. You just continued to follow Hiei to Mukuro's territory.

★★★★

You'd forgotten how thick the air was here. How tense it felt with the spirit energies clashing for dominance. You wished you'd stayed behind at the strong old lady's house now. Home didn't really feel like home anymore with the amount of time you spent in the world of the living.

Not only that, but you were in a foreign place with a demon who you were also unfamiliar with.

It wasn't exactly your fault. Hiei had never really been welcoming to you. He'd never really been nice either. You figured it was best to stay out of his way and vice versa. And maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't want to kill you anymore.

Maybe he'd be a little nicer.

But it just felt like he hated you even more for sticking around.

You looked up at the makeshift building he led you in. It was huge with walls that seemed to stretch forever. It made sense, you supposed, for a former Demon King to still be so well off. And while a compound like this housed many demons, you never felt more alone with your own kind.

One familiar face that belonged to a stranger.

You didn't like it here.

But you couldn't voice that opinion. You didn't want Hiei to think any less of you than he already did. Because then, the others might start to hate you too. So you sucked it up and persevered.

You stood right next to the three eyed demon as he conversed with Mukuro. Both of them catching up on the current events surrounding the Maki Barrier, and how to decrease the amount of humans trickling in. You'd never seen him this friendly before. The scowl that you thought was permanent had practically vanished.

He really did hate you, didn't he?

"So who's this little one? A new recruit?" Mukuro lightly jested.

There was a scoff before Hiei answered.

"A nuisance that I'm unfortunately stuck with. They're of no help here, so try to ignore them."

"Don't be so crass. I'd expect you to be kinder considering you have a little sister of your own." The former ruler scolded.

You hardly registered she kneeled down in front of you until she started talking. She most likely wanted to address you eye to eye.

"What is your name, if you don't mind me asking?"

You almost answered, but you thought against it. You'd only be here for a few days. After that you were never coming back here. You'd jump into the arms of whoever was back first and let them comfort you. Be able to feel safe and content again.

"Don't feel like talking? Well that's alright. Can you fight?"

You shook your head.

"No? Then it's best you stay here for the time being while we're gone. We have important work to do and it'd be a shame to be distracted. Can you fend for yourself, or do you need a guard accompanying you?"

You raised a finger up, signaling the first option. She smiled at you before getting up. And when you looked over towards the other demon, you could see him scowling again.

"We'll be off, let's go." Mukuro ordered.

Hiei let her go for a second before addressing you.

"Stay put. I won't go looking for you if you disappear. And stay out of trouble."

You didn't understand why he had to be so mean all the time. Nevertheless, you nodded. Sitting up against the wall and watching him head off.

Now you truly were alone.

Perhaps if you had one of those rectangular human devices, you'd be able to communicate with Kurama. Ask for advice on what you should do here. Or just convince him to come get you.

Maybe you could've convinced Yusuke to take you with him. At least then you'd be laughing the whole time. You wouldn't feel as small as you did now.

You should've asked Kuwabara to stay with you. He probably would have folded immediately. But you didn't want to do that. He wanted to spend time with his own flesh and blood. Who were you to take that from him?

You shook the thoughts from your head. There was nothing you could do about it now. You'd just have to wait things out.

And wait them out you did.

For hours.

Watching the daylight slowly dwindle down.

Just how long had you been waiting?

Your eyes drifted shut.

"Hey! Hey brat! Wake up!"

They snapped open at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. You were met with the sight of a group of demons. Hostile demons. Who lifted you up by the collar of your shirt.

"You're Hiei's pet, aren't you? One of the ones who saves those filthy humans instead of feasting on them? The disgraceful bastard."

Your first instinct was to call for help. But you knew nobody would hear you here. Nobody would care. So you struggled and kicked your legs.

"Quit it! Why don't we show that traitor what happens when you go against the natural order of things?"

The other surrounding demons laughed and nodded vigorously.

★★★★

A whole day. Hiei spent the whole day out there sending humans back through the barrier. A whole day dealing with those idiots and erasing their memories.

Maybe he should have let you come. It had to be the most irksome and repetitive task he's ever done. Simple and easy.

And maybe he had been a little cruel with you. But you were a demon. You shouldn't be acting like a wimp. You needed to grow up and deal with it. Softness only led to injury here.

Which reminded him....

Where the hell were you?

You weren't at the spot he left you at. Didn't he tell you not to move. Why of all times you chose to be disobedient, he didn't know. You always did what you were told. So why now were you being a brat and hiding.

He undid the bandage on his forehead and opened his Jagan, using it to search the compound for you. Room by room, hallway by hallway.

But he couldn't sense you.

And only then did ice run through his veins. You weren't here. He left you and told you to stay put, and now you were gone.

Did you run away?

No, you loved the others. You'd want a way to go back to them.

Did you leave to find him?

No, you didn't like Hiei as far as he knew.

So what could it be?

What could have possibly explained your disappearance?

Were you taken?

No.

That couldn't be it. Because if it was, he was screwed.

It would be his fault.

Whatever the hell had happened to you...

If you were dead or injured, it was his fault.

And he knew the others would never forgive him for it. Hell, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if your body was found somewhere. He said he would watch over you. He gave his word you would come back unharmed.

You were just a child.

And if you were dead....

He made his way outside and used his Jagan to search for any trace of you. Anything that would give him a clue to where you were. He got wind of a spike of spirit energy.

His body already on the move towards it. And in his third eye, he saw you screaming. He pushed his limits as far as they would go to get there faster.

★★★★

He didn't know what to expect when he got there. But it wasn't this. A sight he never thought he'd see again.

You were splattered with blood, but alive. The demons around you were dead or on the verge of it. You were backed against a tree with your dagger jutted out. Tears streaming down your face while you shook uncontrollably.

He tried to approach you, but you just cried harder and curled in on yourself. Mind so frantic, you didn't recognize him. Or maybe you did and you just didn't want him near you.

He really shouldn't have been that cruel to you.

There was nothing he could do about that now. He needed to bring you back, but as he took another step towards you, you lashed out at him.

Taking a precise swing he barley avoided. A warning to keep back. Just like the one you gave back at that trafficking ring. You were cutthroat like this. Fear making you stronger.

Despite his reluctance, he used his Jagan to put you to sleep. The only other option besides knocking you out. You'd been through enough today. Kurama would deal with the rest. You liked him the best anyways.

He picked you up carefully and quickly made his way back towards the barrier. The sooner you got out of here, the better it was for everyone.

What was it that detective said? Try to make you laugh? He couldn't do that. He doubted you would have listened anyways if he tried.

The oaf! What was it about you and food? You liked the sweet concoctions the humans made. The ones that would turn your teeth to dust. But there was no way you would ever take anything from him.

And Kurama? He was incapable of showing the same softness that fox did. Of being that vulnerable. He had a feeling he'd just make it worse.

The only thing he could do now was keep you under until he reached Genkai's little shack. Then he'd be able to get Kurama to deal with you.

The small home was in sight. He pushed himself a little further as the sun peaked over the mountains. Making rapid knocks against the door frame until it slid open.

"What do we have here? I don't suppose you're here to see Yukina?" The old lady greeted.

Then she noticed the frantic state Hiei was in. The stoic demon had lost his composure. And in his arms was a smaller being who looked to be having nightmares.

"Whatever you did, good luck explaining that to the other three boys."

★★★★

Kurama was furious to say the least upon spying Hiei outside. You weren't with him, which meant one thing.

"What happened?" Emerald eyes flashing an eerie golden.

"I'll explain on the way. They aren't harmed physically, but I...I don't know how to handle this."

That was all it took for the fox demon to rush over. Eyes falling on your curled up form when he got there with Hiei following suit.

Puu had you enveloped in his feathers. Making soft cooing sounds at you while you thrashed in your sleep. Trying to calm you down. He was part of Yusuke's soul after all.

The Phoenix hissed as Hiei and Kurama approached.

"It's okay. Let me help them, then they're all yours until Yusuke gets back." Kurama coaxed, inching towards where you were sleeping.

Puu begrudgingly sat still and let him get closer. A type of flower bloomed from Kurama. He held it up to your nose, and all at once your body went limp. Relaxing against the nightmares that plagued your mind.

He lightly moved around your face, checking for any injuries. There were none. He released you and let Puu tuck you back in.

The next few days the process would repeat. Kurama would soothe you whenever you started thrashing around in your sleep. And Hiei would watch from the side, guilt starting to consume him.

You didn't deserve this.

You had never done anything to directly spite him.

And the one time you tried to talk to him, he dismissed you.

He was only hard on you because he wanted you to stop being weak. He wanted you to be strong and stop getting scared by everything. Turns out you were just scared of him.

When you awoke a few more days later, Kurama pushed for him to leave. To give you some space to adjust. And while he physically left the room, he still kept his Jagan on you.

"Are you okay?" Kurama asked.

You shook your head and started crying. You were pulled into a hug by the fox demon. Sobbing into his stomach as you remembered what happened.

"If you want, I can make those bad memories disappear. If you don't want to see them anymore, then you don't have to."

And you shook your head once again.

"I-hiccup- don't wanna forget. I don't like what happened, but forgetting is even worse!" Your words barley comprehensible, but understood nevertheless.

"Okay. Just try to relax for now. Kuwabara and Yusuke will be back soon."

That seemed to calm you down for the time being.

And it was then Hiei realized you were not as weak as he had previously thought. You were bearing the burden of what happened. Something that you didn't even verbalize to Kurama. You'd also managed to defeat all those demons by yourself without being injured. Your power unpredictable than what you'd been showing these past few months.

He doubted you would forgive him, but if you did, then he would train you to protect yourself. Give you better control of your strength so you'd be ready if this ever happened again. It would never happen again.

Maybe then this awful feeling would finally go away. The feeling that had him lingering here instead of attending to his duties in the Demon World. The one that made him feel like scum everytime he caught sight of you.

★★★★

Safe to say, Yusuke and Kuwabara were not happy when they got back. Both fussing over you with the former wrestling you away from his spirit beast.

"What happened? Whose ass do I have to kick?!?!"

You shook your head and looked away from him. It was just like when they had first met you. All that progress of having you come out of your shell gone.

"You don't look so great. How about I take you back to mine and I'll cook you up a big dinner? You can take all the blankets if you want, too."

But despite Kuwabara's encouragement, you still shook your head.

"Wanna stay here. It's safe." You finally responded.

"You sure?"

You nodded this time.

You really didn't feel safe being out in the open again. And you had no doubt Hiei already told them it was all your fault. He was probably waiting to chew you out for not staying put.

"Well in that case, guess I'm sleeping over. What about you?" Kuwabara's question directed at the greasy haired boy.

"My mom won't give a damn either way. I'm good to be here for a few days. Which reminds me...."

He pulled a small penguin plushie from his bag.

"I got this for you, you little squirt. Hug it tight and it'll get rid of all your nightmares."

You took the toy from his hand and immediately squeezed it in a hug. It took all of about five seconds before you started crying.

"Hey! What's wrong!?!?"

"I love it so-hiccup-much!!!"

You were bonked softly on the back of your head.

"You had me going for a second...Now, give me names and addresses. Somebody needs to pay for making my kid cry."

"I'm with ya, Urameshi! Let's teach em' a lesson!"

You were finally able to crack a smile after that.

★★★★

So it began again. The three of them volunteering to stay with you while you rested at Genkai's. A certain three eyed demon watching from afar. No longer upset by your presence, but worried.

You were okay now, but if something like that happened again, Spirit World would surely do something about it. You were already under enough scrutiny as it was.

Right now, you were currently conversing with Yukina, of all people. Both of you talking in hushed tones.

"It's nice to have another person around. Genkai's nice, but it's not the same."

You nodded at her words.

"Yeah, I like the others but they can be rowdy at times. It's nice talking."

You decided you liked her.

But her eyes looked familiar. Like Hiei's.

But there was no way.

Right?

"Why did you leave the demon world? Don't you miss your family?" You asked.

"I left to find my brother. He was cast into the sea by our people. As for them, well... They were too set in their ways. Hearts as cold and frozen as our land. I didn't want to be apart of that anymore."

You put a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh. I'm sorry for asking."

Yukina smiled at you with a soft expression.

"Don't be. That chapter of my life is closed now. Though I do still hope to come across my brother one day... What about you? Where is your family?"

"I was taken from them by some humans a few decades back. They trapped me and...It wasn't pleasant, what they did to me. But they're gone now. That part of my life is closed too. Now I'm beginning again with people who treat me with so much kindness, it feels like I'm dreaming."

You two had more in common than Hiei would have liked.

He really shouldn't have been so cruel to you.

It was decided. He was going to train you. Maybe swallow his pride and apologize.

It wouldn't be easy convincing the others, but he was going to try. The first obstacle was Kuwabara. That oaf wouldn't let him near you without a fight. And while he understood, it was for your own good.

"N-O! The answer is no. Last time we left you alone with them, they were kidnapped!!!"

"They need to get stronger."

"No they don't! We'll protect them from anything that happens!"

"You weren't there the last time."

It was like arguing with a brick wall. Eventually it circled back to him and Yusuke being the ones that would train you. To which Hiei brought up the point they'd be too soft with you. They'd hold back and go easy.

It was enough.

The next obstacle was Yusuke. Whose first response was to fight at the suggestion. Another troublesome task to deal with.

"You didn't even like them a few weeks ago! Why the hell should we trust you again!!!"

"You can check up on them."

"Like that puts me at ease! You'd be too rough with them! They're just a little kid!"

And Hiei has to bring up the point of your power going unchecked. If spirit world found out about this, you'd probably be executed. But if you learned to control yourself, that possibility would never happen. If you got stronger, you wouldn't get hurt.

It didn't take much convincing after that.

The final obstacle was Kurama, who would be the hardest to convince without consequences.

"Let me train them."

He received a glare in response.

"No."

Flat and simple.

"They need guidance."

"You couldn't guarantee their safety upon arrival. Am I supposed to believe you won't scar them further?"

He offered up the only thing he had left.

"My life. You have my life they'll be safe with me."

"Very well, but it's not me you have to convince."

It was you.

And when he approached you, you looked down and silenced yourself. Tensing up like he was going to yell at you.

"Have you recovered?" It sounded more like a command than question.

But you nodded anyways.

He used to like how quiet you were. Now he despised it.

"For five months you will train nonstop. You will get ahold of your spirit energy. And you will be capable enough to defend yourself without crying. Do you understand?"

But this time you did say something in return. Something unexpected.

"No. I don't want to go."

He had never been nice to you before. Never wanted to spend time with you. So you were suspicious. And maybe you secretly believed he left you on purpose for those other demons to find. That he set you up in the hopes you'd be dead when he got there.

You squeezed the penguin you were given. It really did calm you down.

You didn't want to give him a chance anymore.

"It's for your benefit, not mine." And he internally cringed at what was to come next.

"I apologize for my behavior, let me do what's right."

If anyone besides you heard that, he'd kill them. But for now he was awaiting your response.

You tilted your head as you thought of what to say. This was different. Hiei never apologized for anything. Least of all you. And you were sure this is the most you two have ever talked.

"Are you really sorry?" You still didn't believe him quite yet.

"Yes." And he further swallowed down his pride for your trust.

"And you won't be mean anymore?"

"Yes."

You took a deep breath.

"Okay."

★★★★

#hiei x reader #hiei yu yu hakusho #yu yu hakusho x reader #platonic #little reader #mentor Hiei #father figure hiei????#i doubt his stubborn ass would accept that title #x reader #enemies to family 💀💀💀

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sonekwi · 2 months

Text

�� ⸻ the white paladin, keith x reader

chapter one: team bonding

characters/pairings: keith, female reader

genre: fanfiction

summary: you and your friends happen to be in the right place at the right time. you end up rescuing the pilot of the kerberos mission from the hands of the garrison after he unexpectedly returns to earth.

word count: 3,871

links: next, wattpad, masterlist

a/n: this is one of the first fanfictions i have ever written, but the original version is from when i was in 7th grade 🥲 - so, that said, enjoy this revised/rewritten version!

"Galaxy Garrison flight log 5-11-14, begin descent to Kerberos for a rescue mission," Lance announces, shoving the yoke forward. The aircraft groans as it dives towards Pluto's moon, and you plant your feet to fight against the inertia.

Your teammate, Hunk, whines from the back. "Ugh, Lance, can you keep this thing straight?"

"Relax. I'm just getting a feel for the stick!" Lance smirks. "It's not like I did this! or this!" he jerks the aircraft side to side, intentionally making Hunk feel worse.

"Okay," Hunk gags, "Unless you want to wipe beef stroganoff out of all the little nooks and crannies of this thing, you better knock it off, man!"

You do what you can from your co-pilot position to help stabilize the aircraft. "You need to take this seriously," you warn. "This simulation makes up most of our final grade."

"Quit worrying," Lance says, "I got this."

"Do you?" you raise a brow, and he rolls his eyes.

"We've picked up a distress beacon," Pidge says, a small blip blinking on his radar.

"Alright, look alive, team!" Lance says, pressing various buttons in preparation, "Pidge, track the coordinates."

"Copy," Pidge says and transfers the information onto the main dashboard in front of you. A three-dimensional map of the terrain is generated and you frown. The signal originates from within a narrow ravine, and the surrounding area is a nightmare; large boulders, spikes, cliffs, and overhangs.

You wearily glance over at Lance, doubting his pilot abilities. Only a miracle could get him through the simulation without crashing the ship.

The aircraft rumbles and shakes, and Hunk groans again. "Knock it off, Lance! Please!"

"Oh, this one's on you, buddy!" Lance says and glares over his shoulder. "We've got a hydraulic stabilizer out!"

You sigh, muttering under your breath. "It wouldn't be out if you would just fly straight."

"I heard that," Lance growls.

Hunk grabs his monitor to fix the issue and the aircraft rumbles again. He gags, swallowing down whatever vomit had come up. "Oh no..."

The map on the dashboard glitches and buffers before going completely dark.

"We've lost contact," you say.

"The shaking is interfering with our sensors," Pidge explains.

"Come on, Hunk!" Lance exclaims.

"Sorry, it's not responding," Hunk says and removes his safety belt. He wobbles over to a gearbox for a manual fix, the excessive motion impairing him.

The map suddenly regenerates and the distress beacon pops back up. You are about a klick from its location and approaching fast.

"Never mind, fellas," Lance says. "Preparing for approach on visual."

"Not happening," you say. "We can't fly properly until Hunk fixes the hydraulic stabilizer."

"Agreed!" Hunk says, just before losing his lunch.

"It'll be fine!" Lance says dismissively and pats the dashboard of the aircraft. "This baby can take it!" It rumbles again, "See! She was nodding!"

"Lance, listen to us!" you argue. "We need to hang back."

"I'm the one flying this thing! So what I say goes!" he glares at you.

"Excuse me?" you gawk.

Lance turns to the comm-spec, ignoring you, "Pidge, hail down to them and let them know their ride is here."

You huff. Why does he insist on being so stubborn and cocky? Does he not understand the gravity of this? If you fail the simulation, you fail the class. But you decide to keep your mouth shut from now on. There's no use trying to talk some sense into him anymore.

You watch as Lance comes up on an overhang. Instead of flying above or around it, he attempts to thread through the small opening. He turns the aircraft as vertically as he can, but fails. One of the wings clips the overhang and tears off. The alarms blare as the aircraft pummels to the ground, and the lights go dark upon impact. On the dashboard, bold red letters glow and your throat swells with frustration.

SIMULATION FAILED.

"Nice work," Pidge sarcastically comments.

The door to the aircraft slides open with a hiss, and your commander beckons the four of you out. Reluctantly, you leave your seats and exit with your heads hung. You line up, mentally preparing for the berating lecture you'll receive.

"Let's see if we can use this complete failure as a lesson for the rest of you students," Commander Iverson's voice booms with disappointment. He glares down at you and your team. "Can anyone point out the mistakes these so-called cadets made in the simulator?"

A student shouts from the back of the group, "The engineer puked in the main gearbox!"

Iverson turns to Hunk, "Yes, as everyone knows, vomit is not an approved lubricant for engine systems!" he criticizes. "What else?"

"The comm-spec removed his safety harness," another student says.

"The pilot crashed!"

"Correct," Iverson says, "And worst of all, the whole jump they're arguing with each other!" he turns back to you, "Hell, if you're going to be this bad individually, you better at least be able to work as a team!"

It takes everything in your power not to look away in shame, but you keep your gaze steady.

Iverson continues, "The Galaxy Garrison exists to turn young cadets like you into the next generation of elite astroexplorers, but these kinds of mental mistakes are exactly what cost the lives of the men on the Kerberos Mission."

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Pidge clench his fists and scrunch his nose in anger. Your eyes widen when he takes a bold step toward Iverson.

"That's not true, sir!" he argues.

"What did you say?" Iverson growls.

Lance pulls Pidge back and slaps a hand over his mouth, "Sorry, sir! He must've hit his head with all the shaking, but point taken!" he says, tightening his grip on the ginger as if asking what the hell is wrong with him.

Commander Iverson steps closer and your brother releases Pidge, cowering from the intimidation. "I hope I don't need to remind you that the only reason you're here is because the best pilot in your class had a discipline issue and flunked out. Don't follow in his footsteps," Iverson warns.

Lance looks away with dejection, his shoulders trembling slightly as he keeps himself from crying.

Then, Iverson turns to you, and your body tenses with fear.

"And you!" he barks, "I expected better."

⁀➷

At the end of the day, you storm back to the barracks and grumble to yourself. Once within the safety of your room, you grab a pillow from your bed and scream into it.

"What happened?" your roommate, Nadia, asks. She doesn't bother to look up from her textbook, though.

"Nothing," you huff. "I'm fine."

"If it's your brother, you can throw a shoe at him," Nadia says.

You aggressively tug off your cadet uniform. "I don't get it! He's so fricking dense and full of himself!"

Nadia points to the closet, "I have a pair of high heels."

"His skull is so damn thick, three people couldn't talk him out of it!" you growl, putting on some more comfortable clothes.

"Aim for the eyes."

"And why was I the fricken co-pilot!? I'm top of-" you stop when someone knocks on the door. You sigh, taking out your hair tie as you walk over. Placing it on your wrist, you repeatedly snap it against your skin.

You open the door and see Lance and Hunk standing there. Without a thought, you slam the door in your brother's face.

...But he jammed his foot in the way.

"Wait, (y/n)!" he says, smooshing his face into the cracked doorway. "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry doesn't fix the problem," you say and lean against the door. You push against it a couple of times to get Lance to move his foot, but he keeps it there. "What do you want?"

"Do you want to hang out with us?" Lance asks. "You heard Iverson today, he wants us to bond as a team!"

"Hard pass," you hiss and push against the door again.

"Come on, (y/n)!" Lance begs. "It isn't team bonding unless everyone is there."

You roll your eyes. "No, I'm not letting you mess this up for me any further. Go bother someone else."

With one last push, Lance moves his foot and the door slams. You sigh and drag your hands down your face. You want nothing more than to crawl into bed and hide under the blankets, but...

"He's still standing out there, isn't he?" you look at Nadia, and she nods. Groaning, you grab a jacket and pull on your shoes.

You open the door and quietly close it behind you. Looking at your brother expectantly, you try to ignore his smug face.

"I knew you'd join us," Lance says, turning to head down the hall, "Let's go get Pidge."

You roll your eyes and follow him. Lance leads you and Hunk through the barracks, avoiding the hall monitors like he's playing a stealth mission in a video game. You shush his dramatic humming multiple times.

As you come around a corner, Lance stands. "Wait right here," he says, but as he moves towards the door it opens.

He scrambles back around the corner, and the three of you watch as Pidge exits his room. He has a backpack slung over his shoulder, and suspiciously checks his surroundings before running down the hall.

"Where do you think he's going?" you ask.

"Should we go after him?" Hunk asks.

You all share a look before agreeing to follow Pidge, and Lance takes the lead again. Carefully, you keep a short distance between you and Pidge so you don't lose him. You're confused, however, as he comes up on a maintenance stairwell. The three of you watch as he quickly types in the code to the door.

The roof..? You furrow your brows as he disappears through the stairwell.

Upon reaching the top, Lance opens the door to the roof slowly and quietly. He peeks out before waving you and Hunk closer and slipping through.

The ginger sits at the edge of the roof, surrounded by various pieces of technology. His figure is outlined by the glow of the screens. Your brother smirks at you before sneaking up on Pidge.

Lance grabs the headphones off of Pidge's head. "You come here to rock out?" he asks.

Pidge jumps and screams. He places a hand on his chest, breathing heavily. "Oh, it's you guys..."

"What are you doing up here?" you ask, walking closer.

Lance looks over the tech. "Where'd you get this stuff? It doesn't look like Garrison tech..."

Pidge smirks. "I built it."

"You built all of this?" you ask, and Hunk hums excitedly.

"Yeah," Pidge says, "With this, I can scan to the edge of the solar system," he explains.

"All the way to Kerberos?" you ask and pick up a small device. You move it around in my hands, admiring the work put into it.

Pidge hangs his head at my question and starts to pick at his fingers nervously.

Lance irks. "You go ballistic every time the instructors bring it up! What's your deal?" he asks, and Pidge hesitates to answer. "Look, if we're going to bond as a team, we can't have any secrets!"

"Fine," Pidge turns to the three of you. "The world as you know it... is about to change," he says ominously.

"What do you mean?" you ask, setting down the device. You notice the notebook sitting on the ground beside him, and your eyes linger on it. On the paper is a crude rendition of what looks like a Transformers robot.

Pidge continues, "The Kerberos Mission wasn't lost because of some malfunction or crew mistake," he says, "So, I've been scanning the system and picking up alien radio chatter."

"What? Aliens?" Hunk exclaims.

"Are we talking little green dudes?" you ask, your eyes widening, "Or something bigger and meaner, like Predator?"

Lance rolls his eyes, "You're insane," he says to Pidge.

"I'm serious," Pidge argues, "They keep repeating one word, Voltron," he grabs the notebook and holds it up. "And it's going crazier than I have ever heard it."

"How crazy..?" you ask wearily, and as the words leave your mouth, the Garrison's alarms go off. You suddenly feel your body tense and your gut knots with dread.

A voice crackles over the campus loudspeakers issuing out a warning, "Attention students and faculty! This is not a drill. We are on lockdown, security situation Zulu Niner. All students are to remain in barracks until further notice."

The message is repeated a few times, and you feel worse. There's no way this is just a coincidence.

Hunk stammers and points to something in the sky. "Is- is that a meteor?" he asks, "A really, really big meteor?"

You look up to see a giant object falling towards the earth, burning up in the atmosphere. Your heart climbs up into your throat and fear floods through you.

Pidge grabs a pair of binoculars and looks at the object. "It's a ship!" he exclaims.

Lance takes the binoculars, "Holy shit! I can't believe what I'm seeing! That is not one of ours!"

"No, it's one of theirs," Pidge says with awe.

You watch as the ship plummets, crashing just a short distance away from the Garrison. The boom reverberates through your whole body, and your nose quickly begins to burn at the smell of sulfur and smoke.

Below you, Garrison troops deploy and race to the crash site.

"We've got to see that ship!" Pidge exclaims, quickly packing up his stuff before running towards the roof exit.

"Come on, guys!" Lance says to you and Hunk.

You sigh, following your brother and teammates. "This is not what I had in mind for team bonding."

⁀➷

Perched on a ledge on the outskirts of the crash site, you observe the area. The Garrison had beat you to it and had guards upon guards patrolling, each one heavily armed. The alien ship, seemingly undamaged by the crash, was already loaded onto the bed of a truck. Off to the side, they had set up a quarantine tent.

You watch as scientists and high-ranking officers walk in and out of the tent. You wonder if they found something. Maybe an alien or strange artifact?

Pidge works on his laptop as Lance surveys the crash site with a pair of binoculars. While you and Hunk stand behind them, you keep your head on a swivel to make sure no one sneaks up on you. Things will only get worse from here if you're caught.

"Hey," Pidge says, "They set up a camera inside the tent and I grabbed its feed. Look!"

You walk over and kneel beside him, your eyes widening at what you see on his laptop. Inside the tent, a human is strapped down to a metal table, struggling against the restraints. A pair of scientists lean over him, performing a basic physical evaluation. Commander Iverson stands among them, supervising.

"What are you doing?" the man asks and jerks his body against the restraints.

"Calm down," Iverson says, "We just need to keep you quarantined until we run some tests."

The man shakes his head, "You have to listen to me! They destroy worlds!" he grunts, "Aliens are coming!"

Lance gawks at the screen. "That's Shiro! The pilot of the Kerberos Mission! That guy's my hero!" he exclaims.

"Where's his crew?" you ask.

One of the scientists grabs a syringe to draw Shiro's blood. "Do you know how long you've been gone?" he asks.

"I don't know. Months? Years?" Shiro says, "Look, there's no time. Aliens are coming here for a weapon. They will destroy us! We need to find Voltron."

"Sir, take a look at this," the scientist says, "It appears his arm has been replaced with a cyborg prosthetic."

"Put him under until we know what that thing can do," Iverson says.

"No, don't!" Shiro begs. "Don't put me under! There's no time!"

You watch with wide eyes as the scientists inject an anesthetic into Shiro, not heeding a single word that comes out of his mouth. Why aren't they listening to him? He's been gone for a year and was presumed dead. There's no way he's been alive on Kerberos this whole time. How are they not going to believe his story?

"We have to get him out," Pidge says.

Hunk sighs, "I hate to be the voice of reason, but weren't we just watching the security feed because there was no way to get past the guards?"

Lance frowns and rests his chin in his hand. "That was before we were properly motivated. We just got to think."

"I don't know," you say. "I don't think there's anything we can do..."

Lance shakes his head, "We need a distraction."

Bombs explode in the distance, their fiery heat blazing and kicking up dust. You scream and stumble back, your heart pounding. The noise nearly deafens you and you slap your hands over your ears in hopes of drowning it out.

Hunk starts to freak out, "Is that the aliens? Are they here?"

"No, that was a distraction!" Pidge says and points, "For him!"

Barreling towards the crash site is a hover-bike, and as it pulls up behind a rock your eyes widen. You recognize the hover-bike and its driver almost immediately.

"The Garrison is heading towards the blast, and he's sneaking in on the other side!" Pidge explains.

"Oh, he is not going to beat us in there!" Lance barks and slides down the ledge, rushing toward the tent.

"Lance! Wait!" you call out and follow him down, the gravel and dirt scraping against your bare legs. You curse yourself for wearing shorts.

"Who is it?" Pidge asks, shoving his stuff into his backpack again.

"Keith!" you shout to him.

"Are you sure?" Hunk asks, following after you and your brother.

"Trust me, I'd recognize that mullet anywhere!" Lance growls.

By the time the four of you get to the tent, Keith is already inside. With the scientists knocked out, he cuts the restraints holding Shiro down, and sits him up. Barely conscious, Shiro can only manage to groan in response to Keith's questions as he slings Shiro's arm around his shoulders.

"No, no, no! I'm saving Shiro!" Lance snaps and grabs Shiro's other arm.

"Uh, who are you..?" Keith asks.

"Seriously? The name's Lance?" your brother says, but Keith remains confused. Lance frowns with a look of hurt and disbelief, "We were in the same class at the Garrison! We were like rivals! You know, Lance and Keith, neck-and-neck?"

"Oh, wait, I remember you. You're a cargo pilot," Keith says, furrowing his brows as the memory comes back to him.

As they bicker, you exit the tent. You resume your look-out position from before and check the area. As your eyes move to wear Keith and set off the bombs, you spot the fleet of Garrison vehicles heading back to the crash site. Your heart leaps into your throat and you rush back inside.

"If you both want to save Shiro, I suggest we get moving. The Garrison is coming back and they do not look happy!" you say, urging everyone out of the tent.

At the sound of your voice, Keith's eyes meet yours and his face softens. For a small moment, you stop, a familiar feeling crawling out of the hole you buried it in. Neither of you has seen or spoken to each other since he dropped out of the Garrison. You were really good friends up until that point.

However, part of you is thankful that he never reached out. You knew the little crush you had would never live to be something more, so it gave you the time you needed to move on. But, as your heart flutters with excitement, you realize that you never did.

You force yourself to break eye contact and turn towards the exit. The group follows you, with Lance and Keith carrying Shiro out as fast as they can.

"Is this going to fit all of us?" Pidge asks as he hops on the hover-bike.

"No," Keith answers as he and Lance load Shiro onto the hover-bike. But once he's seated at the helm and everyone's on, he doesn't waste time. He revs the engine and the hover-bike roars to life, lifting a few feet off the ground.

Just as the Garrison comes around the corner, Keith makes a sharp turn and takes off in the opposite direction. From your seat behind him, you hold onto Keith tightly to avoid falling off.

The Garrison doesn't hesitate to pursue the group deeper into the desert, and Lance happily points it out, "Can't this thing go any faster? They're right on our tail!"

Keith rolls his eyes and jabs, "We can throw off some nonessential weight."

Expectantly, Lance looks around to see what he can toss off the hover-bike, but Keith's words were directed at the five extra people, "Okay, so that was an insult–"

"Big man, lean right!" Keith shouts over his shoulder and Hunk does so. As the hover-bike sharply banks to the right, it jumps over a small ravine. You make the unfortunate mistake of looking down mid-jump, and your body floods with fear.

"Not cool, not cool!" you exclaim and shove your face into Keith's back. You don't usually have a fear of heights, especially when you are piloting an aircraft from the safety of an enclosed space. Riding on a hover-bike with Keith at the helm, however, the risk of falling off is very prominent.

"Are you seriously scared of heights?" Lance asks, immediately noticing it. "You're a freaking pilot!"

"This is different!" you bark at him.

"Wait, guys," Hunk stammers as he points ahead of us. "Is that a cliff up ahead?"

"Oh, no, no, no!" Lance protests.

"Oh, yes," Keith grins and increases the speed, heading straight towards the cliff.

Everyone, except for Keith and Shiro (who is still very much unconscious), screams and clambers incoherently as the hover-bike dives right off of the cliff.

You feel your stomach float up into your chest and your butt lift off of the seat as you fall. Your entire body buzzes with fear and adrenaline as you tighten your grip around Keith. If you fall off now, there's no doubt you will be dead.

And flat as a pancake.

"What are you doing? You're gonna get us all killed!" Lance screams.

"Just shut up and trust me!" Keith shouts back.

"I trust you!" you say, burying your face again. You truly do, though. Despite him being a reckless risk-taker, you know Keith would never put you in harm's way... well, maybe he would with Lance.

You fall for what seems like an eternity before Keith rolls the throttle all the way, blasting the engines and maxing out their power. The hover-bike stops just before it hits the ground, and your butt smacks down on the seat.

That's definitely gonna be bruised...

With the Garrison having no way down the cliff, the group escapes.

#voltron #keith kogane #vld keith #keith x reader #fanfic #vld #x reader #reader insert #keith voltron

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herrscherofmagic · 6 months

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finally caught up with the current HI3rd event, the Luna one! so time to share lots of random thoughts, hehe

It felt a bit surreal first seeing this conclusion to the Captainverse story, but now that I've gone through the whole thing I can say that I really liked the way Mihoyo handled it. Of course there are details that I'm still iffy on, like the whole Luna-aged-over-10,000-years thing is pretty clearly fan service-y; but even that doesn't bother me too much.

More than anything else, I appreciate how the Captainverse gave us a happy ending for the "holy trinity of depression" in HI3rd's main story: Kallen, Himeko, and Sirin. All three of them suffered so much in the main story, after all.

Even if these bubble-world versions of them aren't the originals, it's still heartwarming to see them looking forward to a brighter future, instead of being faced with certain doom in the face of powers beyond their understanding.

Himeko especially hits me in the feels, not just because of Final Lesson but all the way back in her late teens when she lost her father, as we saw in the Alien Space manga. It was a completely life-changing event for her, and if she hadn't lost her father there then Himeko could've followed her passions and lived a very different life.

The Captainverse Himeko isn't the same Himeko, but it feels like she's carrying on that same dream. It's almost like a different version of the Kiana-MemoryHimeko reunion in the Flamescion arc; but instead of a mature Himeko seeing off her student, it's the young Himeko starting a new adventure and following her dreams...

I also loved how well Mihoyo wrote the Captainverse cast. The way everyone interacts w/ each other felt so natural imo, it was really nice seeing all the different connections that started popping up. The rivalry between Luna and Kongming, the budding friendship between Bronie and Sirin, Himeko & Captain, and so on. There was very little technobabble or convoluted plot stuff (at least in my opinion) for most of the Captainverse events. All these fun character interactions were the center of attention, and it was an absolute blast! ^.^

There's two final thoughts I have about the Captainverse, and I know that Mihoyo probably isn't going to explore either of these possibilities, but I'll choose to dream that it'll happen someday >.<

First: The Main Story showed us that HoFi Kiana has the power to stabilize an entire bubble world. Even if she didn't, the Earth civilization is still pretty advanced thanks to the Divine Keys (1st Key and 2nd Key especially). So if the Captainverse Hyperion crew ever encountered Earth and met our Main Story cast... wouldn't that be the perfect solution to the bubble world dilemma? After all, much of the pain these characters have gone through was the result of the inevitable decay and collapse of unstable bubble worlds (which is nearly all of them).

I doubt it'd ever happen in the story, but I'd still love to see how the Hyperion crew would react to meeting their "real" selves, and to discovering that there's a way to save all these worlds. Of course there's probably countless bubble worlds so not ALL can be saved, but every world saved is still a massive achievement!

And I'm curious how they'd react to the existence of the Imaginary Tree. As far as I can tell, none of their bubble worlds seem to have any idea that the Imaginary Tree exists. They likely have no clue that there is a Cocoon of Finality, or that Earth is a thing and that it's part of a solar system, and so on. So learning about all these things would probably be a huge revelation for them. Kinda like a Plato's cave allegory. Which is quite fitting tbh, since bubble worlds are basically shadows of the "real worlds".

Second: I genuinely believe the Captainverse cast would fit perfectly in the setting of Honkai: Star Rail.

One obvious point is that the Hyperion crew is a clear candidate for a Path of Trailblaze faction. Instead of traveling across the Imaginary Tree with the Astral Express, they travel through the Sea of Quanta on their own Hyperion. They don't connect "real worlds" and I don't think it's accurate to say they connect bubble worlds, but they're still able to travel between them and transfer people and ideas. Surely with enough time they could come up with a way to truly bridge the gap between different bubble worlds, and then they'd be a near perfect thematic parallel of the Astral Express- just in the Sea of Quanta instead of on the Imaginary Tree.

Then there's also the fact that most of the Hyperion crew members have a strong ambition to travel, explore, adventure, and so on. Bronie and Himeko want to see what lies in the countless worlds of the Starry Sea, Captain wants to continue traveling between worlds and helping people, Sirin wants to grow stronger and learn how to better protect her own world, and so on. Almost any of these characters could feasibly join the Astral Express if given the opportunity (and if they weren't already part of Hyperion).

I also feel like their character dynamics would fit HSR's balance of sillyness and seriousness. The Captainverse crew can all get serious when they need to, but they're also capable of plenty of fun shenanigans. I could imagine them getting into trouble and engaging in a bit of tomfoolery just as easily as I could imagine them facing down the Antimatter Legion and fighting to save a world from its impending doom.

Again, there's basically 0% chance of this happening... but I'd still love to see it someday. The Captainverse crew might be a bunch of familiar faces but they all have their own unique origins, ambitions, skills, personality, and so on. They're not just mere copies of the "real" versions of themselves, but they've become their own characters through this story.

It does hurt a bit, knowing that this cast is ultimately going to be relegated to side stories and temporary events. I believe that if you changed some of the terminology and character designs a bit, then the story of the Captainverse could probably stand entirely on its own as an independent piece of media. The concept of traveling between unstable and decaying worlds in the Sea of Quanta, the use of consciousness mapping and how it affects both the world & the user, the Ether Anchors; all these ideas are well-developed and they're conveyed in a story with a lovable cast. There's so much potential here, and this story doesn't really need the rest of the HI3rd story to give context to these characters and the setting they're in.

If this is truly the end of the Captainverse, I'd still be satisfied. If we still get Captainverse content but it's just minor stuff, I'd still be satisfied. I think this event did a great job of answering questions, tying up loose ends, and leaving things open for the future.

But despite that, I still wish we could see more of this cast. I want to see Bronie reuniting with Ciora and Theresa, Sirin growing stronger with time as she explores the Sea, Himeko's excitement in traveling across worlds, Kallen & Luna bonding and growing past their troubled past.

at this point I probably care about the Captainverse as much if not more than the Main Story. I'm excited about Mars, don't get me wrong... but the Sea!!! the bubble worlds!! Himeko & Sirin & Kallen & everyone else!! >~<

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accidentalslayer · 9 months

Text

Word Count: 2,530

Warnings: Angst & Abuse. In particular, religious/cult abuse. Death, dying, and trauma after a near-death experience. Dissociative vibes. The end has a really reaffirming, comforting example of friendship. I wish everyone had a Josh in their lives.

Author's Notes: I really struggled on this chapter. Mostly because I've been sick for all of July and only recently started to recover. My spirit was willing to write but my flesh was weak. 🤣 Anyways, I'm still on my Angsty!Davina hype. This chapter delves deeper into that. Oh! By the way, I changed "Vincent Webb" in Chapter One to "William Webb" so as not to confuse everyone because there's already a "Vincent" in The Originals. It'll be William Webb moving forward.

This'll be the last Davina chapter for awhile.

Please feed me comments, hearts, and reblogs if you liked this 🌹You can find me on A03 as accidentalslayer.

Pairing: Yandere!Elijah & Klaus Mikaelson x Fem!Reader (eventually) Summary: Davina gets an unexpected visit from her best friend Josh who has some, erm...concerns about her mental health. Also, life gets weirder for the young Harvest Girl when a truth is revealed. One that could change her life forever.

Recommended Song: "You Were Cool" by: The Mountain Goats

Chapter Three: Jonah's Whale (Part Two)

Cold hands shook Davina. Muffled sounds hit her ears. Someone was shouting, their voice fraught with urgency. It was enough to snatch her out of sleep and snap her eyes open. Peering through a blurred vision still addled by dreams, she looked up at the person who had a vice grip on her arm, then blinked.

It was a boy; dark-haired, dark-skinned, wearing an Abercrombie & Fitch polo shirt underneath a worn hoodie that looked like it'd seen way better days. Fastened around his wrist was a friendship bracelet that Davina immediately recognized as the one she'd made a year ago while living at St. Anne's. The initials 'J.R.' and 'D.C.' embellished its design in bright, rose-colored thread. The letters were joined together like clasped hands inside a heart that she'd gotten a migraine over weaving at the time. Davina was a much better artist with charcoal sticks than with cotton twine, anyways. Despite all the grueling hours of training she had gotten out of the Sanguinem Knot.

Groggily, Davina wondered if she could trust her sight?? Perhaps this was another nightmare or an illusion cast by Monique to trick her? Could it really be...

"J-Josh...?"

"Davina!"

It looked like Josh. It sounded like Josh. It bit its lip nervously like Josh. But Davina needed more proof just to be sure. Illusion magic had its limits. And memories weren't easily replicated. So, she asked the boy something that only the real Josh would know:

"What was my favorite show in 9th grade? If you don't answer it correctly, I swear to the goddess, I'll scream so loud the whole compound will hear it."

"Josh" released hold of Davina's arm, a confused frown upon his lips, "Uhh, that's a trick question, right?? You told me your mom only let you watch TV for "educational" purposes. I was the one who got you into binge-watching stuff for fun. Uhhhh, but hey, Davina, your books are-"

"List the three most embarrassing things you did in grade school. Your Sonic and Winx Club phase doesn't count."

"It SO does."

"Screaming in...three...two...one-"

"Okay!!!" The boy who might be Josh exclaimed, throwing both hands up in the air and conceding to her demands, "I stole a pack of cigarettes out of my homeroom teacher's purse on a dare then puked when I tried smoking too many of them to impress my crush. My mom made me wear this baby bear costume on Halloween and I had to go trick or treating in it. I accidentally sent nudes to my uncle-"

"Josh! It IS you!"

"I mean. Yeah, duh. Why wouldn't it be?? I texted you yesterday about coming over, remember??"

Despite being a vampire with heightened senses, Josh didn't see how fast Davina moved from her seat to pull him into a hug. And he was surprised by how hard she squeezed him, like he was a life raft, or buoy on some stormy sea. Josh took it all in stride, though. He knew Davina well enough to understand that she was going through Hell now that she was back with the Coven. But there was something...off...about her. Different than before. His eyes strayed to the steel table he'd found her crouched over and fast asleep upon. To the book pile she'd been thumbing through...

Every tome on the table was scorched. Strange writing had been scrawled across their pages in Davina's penmanship. Josh didn't recognize the language. The words seemed foreign. Unearthly. Almost alien. But there was one symbol he could decipher amidst the chaos; it was the number 7. It repeated (over and over again) in varying fonts and sizes.

Josh waited for Davina to pull away from the hug before asking if she was okay. Although, judging by the dark circles underneath her eyes, it was a safe bet to assume that she wasn't.

"I'm fine," Davina replied with a smile on her face, "Just passed out while studying these grimoires. They're super old-fashioned. Like, created in the Dark Ages or something. The Coven says they're mandated reading material for us Harvest Girls. But between you and me? I'd rather be studying Grapes of Wrath."

Josh grimaced in response, "Yeesh, that bad?"

"The worst, actually."

"They look, uhhh-"

Josh trailed off, trying to think of the right word to use, but ended up saying the one that was on the tip of his tongue:

"-crispy."

Davina pointedly ignored his comment. Instead, she offered Josh some tea with a tired sigh.

"I'm more into the red stuff these days...but sure. I'll have some if you do." He answered her, trying to keep his voice light and carefree, "Anything in those cabinets that'll help me walk in the sun??"

"Nope. Just peppermint."

"Damn! Foiled again!"

This merited a smirk from Davina. Josh took the win, following his friend across the conservatory, to a small alcove where an electric kettle and tea service was laid out for anyone's use. There was even a convection oven, accompanied by all the fixings for toast. Davina flipped the power button on the kettle. Silently, she watched as it began to heat up and boil their water. Josh tried filling the empty space with conversation.

"So, it looked like you were having a nightmare. A really bad one. Wanna talk about it?"

Davina made no comment besides a quick shrug and a grunt. She seemed more preoccupied with choosing the mugs they'd drink out of. Or the tea they'd make. Undeterred, Josh pressed the issue harder, hoping his friend would open up to him.

"You know," he continued speaking, "they say that telling a friend about your nightmares can help them seem less scary. Like, once you talk about it, you'll see how ridiculous the dream was. Sometimes, I still have nightmares about waking up in class buck naked, and Klaus is there..."

Davina rose an eyebrow, "Who's 'they'??"

An embarrassed laugh rolled out of Josh, cheeks reddening upon admittance that it came from a self-help book he was reading; 'The Dark Side of the Light Chasers' by Debbie Ford. He'd found it laying in a cardboard box on the side of the road somewhere. He'd been going through each of its chapters (sporadically) ever since he'd found it.

"I dunno, the author writes about meditation and meeting all your different selves inside your head like Doctor Strange. I did this one exercise at the end of a chapter about self-love and acceptance and uh, I met the "me" I was before. Before all the fangs and the blood and the suddenly burning in the sun. Fun times, haaa! Anyways, look. I'm here for you, Davina. If you need a shoulder to cry on? An ear to listen to you?? We're friends! And that's what a friend does! Well, uh. I guess that's what I think a friend should do-"

Josh frowned, then said quietly:

"-I haven't really heard a lot from you lately..."

The electric kettle shut off. The water was ready. Davina poured the boiling liquid into two, footed mugs that she had chosen. Then, dipped the tea sachets in with care. The aroma of mint filled the air and the space in-between where Josh waited patiently for Davina to say something. Anything! But she didn't. So, he continued to talk while she listened, hoping that his friend would participate eventually. He was starting to get a bit frustrated by how silent Davina was being.

"You know, there's this story in that book about a person who was also having trouble sleeping. His name was Jonah. That dude from the Bible. He'd heard the voice of God tell him to pass judgment on the city of Nineveh and he reeeally didn't want to. So, he ran. Then, a whale ate him, and literally only spat him up when he accepted what he was running from. I'm not a religious person but what I'm trying to say here is-"

"That I shouldn't go on boating trips?" Davina posited, finally adding to the conversation. She offered Josh his cup of tea afterward.

Josh made a sour face while accepting the tea. He obviously didn't appreciate her wry sense of humor here...

"No! That you shouldn't run away from the things you're afraid of because you'll just make it worse for yourself. And in the end, you'll have to face it anyway. But unlike Jonah, you don't have to face it alone, Davina. I know you're going through shit after dying and being resurrected. Who wouldn't be, right?? But lately, I've been feeling like you're shutting everyone out. You haven't texted me or Cami back in weeks. What's up with that, huh??"

Now, it was Davina's turn to make a sour face.

"I'm just really busy here, Josh. Being a Harvest Girl means I have responsibilities to the Coven."

"You hate the Coven!"

"I know, but...I'm still a Harvest Girl."

"And I'm your friend, Davina! Cami is too! Don't we deserve to at least know that you're okay?!"

"The Coven said I couldn't use my phone here in the compound. They said they want me to focus on studying and classes only. No distractions..."

"And you couldn't sneak on the phone to tell us? We've been worried about you! Cami and I have been worried sick! Fuck the Coven!"

Davina rubbed her temples in response, "Josh..."

"Davina."

"What's really going on?? You're acting weird as hell."

Josh sipped his peppermint tea nervously, then flinched. He'd misjudged how hot it still was and burnt the roof of his mouth in the process. "Mm, this sure is some great leaf juice you've brewed-"

"Josh!" Davina exclaimed, starting to run out of patience, "Enough stalling. Spill. Now. What's up with you?"

With grim reluctance, as if he were pulling teeth, Josh revealed the (true) reason for his visit. It all came down to one name. A name Davina should have guessed was involved from the very start:

"It's Marcel. I-I know you guys aren't on speaking terms right now, but uhh...he's been worried too. About you. About sending you back here. About pretty much everything, to be honest. He wants to know how you're doing? If you're doing okay? Aaaand...he needs your help with a spell."

Davina groaned, "UGH. Of course he does! When does he NOT need me to do his dirty work?!"

"This isn't for him. It's for Cami! The curse on her uncle is getting worse, Davina. He's going nuts in that church of his. Marcel was wondering if there was any way to reverse whatever the Coven put on him? I don't think he has much time left..."

At the mention of the Coven, Davina tensed. She placed her cup down on the alcove's table. There was an air of finality to the gesture.

"Josh, it's different now. I can't do magic for him anymore. I can't do magic for anyone anymore... The Ancestors won't allow me. And if I break the rules again?? They'll do worse things than what they did in that abyss to me. Marcel doesn't care because he's not going to die, Josh!! Neither will you! Father Kieran and Cami are going to Heaven but I only have one place to go after this!! I can't mess up my last chance with the Ancestors...or the Coven. I won't."

Davina expected Josh to argue. Clearly, he had a stake in whatever drama Marcel was cooking up. She could see it in his eyes. A quiet desperation, like a fly caught inside a clever spider's web. Why else would he be doing this? But to her surprise, Josh only nodded. He didn't fight to change her mind.

"I'll tell Marcel you're doing fine," Josh said, "No, scratch that. I'll tell him you're doing better than fine, you're doing awesome! And that...you can't help him anymore."

"Josh, I-"

"Davina, don't."

Soft arms wrapped around Davina unexpectedly and cut short whatever apology she planned on saying. Now, it was Josh's turn to give his friend a sudden hug.

"Don't ever apologize for setting a boundary. You don't owe me or Marcel or the world shit! Okay?? If anything, we owe you. I owe you. You saved me from Klaus. You gave me back my control."

He squeezed Davina tighter in his embrace.

"Promise me that you'll take care of yourself and if you need to talk, that you'll call me. Or text. Or Instagram works, too. I'm always there to listen. You're my best friend, Davina. And the strongest person I've ever met."

"You're pretty strong too, you know?"

Josh chuckled, "I'm starting to be. Couldn't have done it without your help, Super Witch."

The mood lightened. Josh and Davina spent the rest of their time together, reminiscing. Bonding over the good memories they had. Those sacred spaces in-between murderous witches, miracle babies, Machiavellism, and The Originals where they were allowed to just be kids. And do things that kids do. Although Josh's gaze strayed to the pile of scorched books once (or twice), he made no comment on them.

Josh left somewhere around midnight. The smile in her heart left along with him, returning Davina back to reality. She ruminated while she cleaned up the mess leftover from making tea. Images of the nightmare swirled inside her mind. Filled her with dread. She was no stranger to dark dreams or terrible visions, especially after her experience working for Marcel, but this one felt...different. It felt ominous. Like the first scream of a hurricane siren.

Davina...

Or the rumblings of a storm.

Find her, Davina Claire...

As she was shelving the last item away, the floor began to shake, and the walls trembled. Her ears rang with the sound of the voice. Nearly bled. Its volume had increased tenfold since the last time she'd heard it. Davina braced herself against the onslaught, using all her strength to ignore it. But the voice proved too powerful.

She fell upon her knees and shouted, "I CAN'T! I can't help you!! I can't do ANYTHING for anyone anymore!! Don't you understand?!? I am the girl bound in chains! I am shackled to a people who HATE me and control my every move! So, to Hell with New Orleans! Let this city be swallowed up! It's NOT a French Quarter Witch's problem!!"

There came a pause in the quaking and thunder. The stillness that came afterward was thick with tension. It was as if the entity was considering its next words carefully.

You are not a French Quarter Witch, fire maiden. You are a Prophet. Called to a higher purpose. To serve the light that burns within you...

Find her, Davina Claire, and together the two of you shall be free.

"W-wait, what?! I'll be...free?"

No further elaboration was given to Davina. She called out to the entity several times. All she got was silence and stillness in return. Davina stayed in the conservatory, amongst the potted plants, until dawn broke and colored the sky with hues of gentle pink, yellow, orange, and sky blue. And in a semi-stupor, Davina began to repeat a single word underneath her breath...

Free.

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seth-shitposts · 9 months

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How do you come up with titles for your fics? Because especially The Aphelion Waltz is such an awesome title!

Thank you!!!

Naming works is something is not too difficult for me at least a good 80% of the time? Maybe more.

I usually go with either whatever the vocal point of the fic is or something having to do with whatever inspired the piece in the first place. Sometimes its just blatantly what the fic is about, other times it's a song lyric, sometimes a concept/word with specific definition. Mmm symbolism as well!

I have a few suggestions that may help, but we've never greatly struggled with naming pieces (don't get me wrong, there's been quite a few that have kicked us in the ass, but in general this is an area we do somewhat well in). But I believe that these listed below have definitely been what helped us build this skill.

Go through Story Name Generators and write a story based off of something that calls your attention. I think that this may help kickstart sorta a reverse learning thing. By doing it in reverse, it may help you in figuring it our the otherway around.

Have confidence in names you pick. Even if you don't think it's good, go with it anyway. Some of my favorite names for pieces from other writers have been titles that they didn't particularly have full confidence in. Naming a piece is a skill that gets better in time and practice.

Alex and Haimo are 100% under the impression that reading poetry improves this skill. And I don't have any reason to doubt them, so I say go for it. Maybe even write some poetry yourself. You don't have to be the next Robert Frost or Emily Dickenson, you just have to be the next you and thats a process. A beautiful one :) you got this!

Smush words and concepts together. Take two or three things from completely different fields and put em together.

For pieces you've put together, answer some questions like this: What is this about? Who is in it? What is the plot? What is moving the plot forward? What conflict is there? What inspired this piece? What have I used continously through this work? What motivated me to start and keep at this piece? What is motivating the character(s)? What ties these characters together? How does the plot affect the character(s)? [We've found that sometimes our title can be found in these questions, so maybe it'll be of help to you?)

If it takes you awhile, that's okay. If it's still frustrating, that's okay. This is a skill, a skill takes time and constant nurturing to build. People build skills at different rates from each other. Doesn't mean that one person is better or worse at that skill than another, it just means that they learn these skills differently and have differing skill sets. Just keep working on building that skill. Because I believe in you, friend :)

I am going to be proud of The Aphelion Waltz until I die. It took me a few days to come up with it after Seth and I officially started compling notes for it.

For The Aphelion Waltz, Aphelion has actually been a concept I've been wanting to use for months (and to be honest I do plan on using it again for a canonverse fic). For this fic itself, it's idea had been rooted in the enjoyment of instrumental music, and Seth and I knew that we were going to build the fic up around a theme that included music, as that is a main vocal point.

The thought of the fic was originally a Hehe-Haha Sebastián made about my enjoyment of listening to orchestra. He said that Kallus was definitely the type to manage to sneak into one of Coruscant's orchestra houses to get away from everything, even if for just a couple of hours. And then added in the thought of Zeb being an aristocrat and is definitely, secretly a huge nerd who will take any chance to info dump about the history or significance of a scholarly thing. So then we just kept going back and forth with ideas until we started writing them down. And then expanded upon the notes until we had some rough guesstimate of a plot.

I needed us to have a name so we could stop kriffing referring to it as "That AU" or "The Orchestra AU". I kept thinking on it for a few days. At one point I had been listening to one of my personal favourite songs (that I relate quite a bit to Kallus with actually) called The Forsaken Waltz by Joshua Kyan Aalampour. Something that I do frequently, as Alex, is that I listen to Orchestra songs and imagine the story that is being told or a story that would follow along with it. I picture Kallus a lot in this song when I listen to it. And I really love the triple time pace of a Waltz, as the definition of a Waltz is a dance performed by a couple in triple time. With this song I loved how it's pacing sped up or eased back into a lull only to feel as if the protagonist had to keep going again. And at this point, Seth and I had created quite a good chunk of the story and to me, I thought that we could very much fit it into what the written version of a Waltz might be like, with the pacing that that had been planned thus far for Kallus and Zeb. So then all that was left was to name the Waltz. If this Waltz of a story had a name, what do I think it would be? Since much of the story and of Kallus’s life thus far had taken place so far away from the stars, that they were unobtainable, and that Kallus would very much view Zeb as the same; a rare and precious thing that would remain out of his reach, would Starlight Waltz work? And I very much could have gone with that, but I wasn't satisfied. So I wrecked my mind a little more, pulling for more astronomy references and words for how the world worked and the beauty continously seen in it so often that we name them. But then I remembered that Aphelion is something that I was shelving. I still plan on using it for the idea I had intended to attach it to, but I decided to give it a try. And thus, the creation of The Aphelion Waltz.

The Aphelion Waltz

Aphelion: an astronomical term referring to the point in orbit of which an object is at its furthest from the sun.

Waltz: a dance between a couple performed in triple time.

This is a three word summery of what the story is about, in both the most vaguest and most indepth way possible.

I hope this was of help! If there's anything else we could maybe help with or give possible advice, do feel free to reach out!

-Seth💚 & Alex💙

#Writing advice #Naming a story #Writing #Writer #fanfic writer #star wars rebels #swr #alexsandr kallus #kalluzeb #garazeb orrelios #zeb orrelios #the aphelion waltz #Making a title #Coming up with a title

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for-a-longlongtime · 4 months

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I loved the first part of Nothing That I Didn't Know, but wondered who your ideal sandwich pairing is? 🥪

Santi x Frankie x Reader

Javi x Tim x Reader

Or maybe something else?

Or is there another one lurking in there?

I've been saving this one for a rainy day, @linzels-blog <3

SUCH DIFFICULT CHOICES.

Okay let me start by saying that, unfortunately for her, Javi x Tim x reader isn't even my ideal sandwich for that WIP. (That's not to say I don't love those three together though!) To me, this is the real MVP sandwich of that fic:

Tim Rockford x Javier Peña x Marcus Pike. I mean, I hope you're ready...

Then sometime in May next year, there's a Frankie Morales x Benny Miller x reader sandwich coming up for @rhoorl (which I think I mentioned here the other day? but my memory is shit so maybe I only mentioned it in a spiral squad evening on Discord, haha).

At some point I'll also get to writing a Javier Peña x Judy Moncada x reader sandwich one shot (first FFM fic, yay!). I'm looking forward to that one because that should be a trip - and yes, it's definitely going to be part hate fucking. (And lucky for me, I know that this one is definitely NOT gonna be more than just a one shot - unlike several WIPs that totally escalated) Thanks for the hyping on this one @legendary-pink-dot <3

I haven't taken any official notes for this yet, but I am planning a Dieter Bravo x Javier Gutierrez fic which I suspect may end up becoming more than just a one shot (hopefully it'll stay contained as a very short series, we'll see what happens). In that case, I'm pretty sure that there will also be a Dieter x Javi G x male original character or male!reader chapter (👀 @sin-djarin I know I haven't said anything about this yet because it was just a passing thought, but the vague idea for it *exists*)

But honestly?

Yeah, Santi x Frankie x reader is hands down my absolute favorite sandwich. For SO many reasons. It's how they actually pushed Tim x Javi aside, because they wanted to be the first fic I posted. What can I say - I have a really big soft spot for all three of them. Plus, y'know - Santi and Frankie, that's pretty much canon IMO, just look at Triple Frontier. <3

Thank you for asking and letting me yap about my sandwich love! Honestly, it's not like I only like threesome fics, or even that I intend to only write those (for example, there definitely is an Ezra x Marcus Pike WIP outline! And there's not going to be a sandwich pairing in there) - but, you know. There are so many fucking fantastic writers out there who write all kinds of pairings so beautifully, and I totally love that. I want to add something of myself and the things I care about to that.

Personally I'm a sucker for representation because I think it's super important for everybody to be able to see themselves reflected in fic, and even to just see the diversity of gender, sexuality, intimacy and all kinds of relationships. So bi, gay, lesbian and queer characters, as well as polyamorous relationships, really have been part of my fic ideas from the beginning - particularly because there are a lot fewer of those than straight male x female couple fics in the Pedro verse. I’m glad that you and others are here for that sandwich love ❤️🥪

#bi representation #Javier Peña #marcus pike #tim rockford #pedro pascal characters #frankie morales #santiago garcia #benny miller #judy moncada #narcos #triple frontier #where is my sandwich #nothing that i didn't know

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george-weasleys-girl · 2 years

Text

North Star Series

Chapter 3 - Lunch

George Weasley x fem!reader

Warnings: using magical stimulant to stay awake, mention of someone hallucinating, a couple of curse words

Summary: The second meeting, in which we learn a little about Y/N.

Start Here:

~•~

George's heart sank when Y/N wasn't in the Great Hall as he arrived for lunch. She'd been on his mind all morning. He was really looking forward to seeing her again.

As he was sitting down, Ron blurted out, "I wonder if Y/N will get detention on her first day?"

George's head snapped up. "What? Why would she get detention?"

"Apparently, she got into a.....heated discussion with Snape over wandless potion making. He made her stay after class." Hermione answered.

"Wandless potion making?" Fred asked, sitting down next to his twin.

Hermione nodded. "Ilvermorny requires students to be adept at it by their third year.

"Brilliant, I wonder--" Harry began, but Fred interrupted him. "Oi! There's our little trouble maker now."

Y/N plopped down on the open spot across from the twins.

"Hi, George," she smiled at George. That same warm glow he felt at breakfast, returned. He smiled back, unable to decide whether he was more elated that she knew he was George or that she made a point to greet him and only him.

Before George could respond, Ron bellowed at Y/N, "Did Snape give you detention?"

"Nah," Y/N shook her head. "But I don't think I'll be in the running for teacher's pet anytime soon." Everyone but Hermione chuckled and nodded knowingly. "So tell me," Y/N continued, "is Snape always an ass or did I just catch him on a bad day?"

"Always an ass," Harry replied.

"Everyday is a bad day for Snape." George added.

"Great..." Y/N squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them wide. She could really use a nice twelve hour nap.

"Is he going to let you do wandless potion making?" Ginny asked.

Y/N nodded, rubbing her eyes. "Yep. But he's not happy about it."

George chewed on his lip while he watched Y/N and Ginny. Y/N seemed different from this morning. Less lively. Her movements were slower, shoulders hunched, dark circles forming under her eyes.

"Hey, how are you doing?" he asked.

Y/N gave him a feeble smile. "Ready to fall on my face. I'm lucky if I've managed eight hours of sleep in the last two days."

"How are you going to survive the rest of the day?" Ginny's voice was heavy with concern.

Y/N didn't answer immediately, but reached into her backpack and pulled out a small velvet bag, from which she retrieved something that looked like a gumdrop. "This," she said, before tossing it into her mouth.

"A gumdrop?" Ginny slid closer, peaking into the bag.

"Bright‐Eyes Elixir." Y/N explained. "Pukwudgies invented it as a way to stave off fatigue after all-nighters. It was originally in liquid form, but we figured out how to infuse it into gumdrops in my fourth year."

"How long does it last?" George asked.

"Depends on how long the person has been without sleep. If it's just been one night, it'll last most of the day, about 7-8 hours. In my case, it lasts around 3 to 4."

George nodded, his lips spreading into a small, delighted smile as he watched Y/N go from exhausted to energetic in matter of seconds.

"So you could just take these forever and never need to sleep?" Ron asked.

Y/N chuckled. "Hardly. It temporarily supresses the effects of sleep deprivation. It doesn't eliminate the body's need for sleep. The longer you take it, the less effective it gets. Eventually, you will crash no matter how many you take."

"What's the longest anyone's stayed awake?" Fred asked, leaning over to hear her better.

"Well, we don't recommend taking them for more than three days in a row. Though a few have managed a week." Y/N took a sip of pumpkin juice. "But, there was this one guy in the 70s who went for over three weeks without sleep. Just for the hell of it. He was chugging bottle after bottle of the stuff. According to the stories, by the end, he was hallucinating that he'd seen the moon fall out of the sky and that he was being followed by a gigantic talking toad named Jeffrey."

"What happened to him?" Hermione asked.

"He crashed. Hard. He wasn't in by curfew one night, so they sent out a search party. They found him facedown in the grass with an empty bottle of elixir still in his hand. He slept for four days straight.

"And the professors allow this?" Hermione looked pale.

Y/N helped herself to a slice of apple and butterscotch pie. "Yeah. It's actually encouraged, to a degree. Most of the teachers figure it's best to let us experiment while we're still in school and have easy access to two medical wings."

"Two?" Hermione was incredulous. "Why do you need two? How frequently do these experiments go wrong?"

"Not as often as you might think. There's two because we have the main hospital wing, like here at Hogwarts. Then there's a smaller one attached to Pukwudgie House. Most of us are healers in training, after all."

Hermione stared at Y/N with a mixture of wonder and horror.

Fred leaned over to George. "We went to the wrong school, mate."

"Yeah..." George nodded, captivated by the girl with the sparkling eyes sitting across from him.

~•~

*If you'd like to be added to the taglist, let me know*

~•~

Next Chapter:

#george weasley #george weasley fanfiction #george weasley fic #george weasley x fem!reader #george weasley x reader #george weasley x y/n #pukwudgie house #george weasley imagines

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bbygirl-aemond · 1 year

Text

Stormbreak Chapter 26 References

since a bunch of y'all asked for more details from the chapters, here are a ton of references for what aemond, rhaenyra, and daemon look like in the latter half of this chapter. also this is the first time everyone gets to make their first formal appearance all together so i have thought about it a lot & it'll serve as a guide on how to picture them when they're attending formal events going forward (though not necessarily for everyday)

rhaenyra

okay first here are two hair options. i wanted her to mostly have her hair down here, because it makes wearing a crown easier than the more elaborate styles and because she looks very pretty with her hair down. i thought some braids like the type daenerys likes to rock (below left) or the loops rhaenyra favors in the series (below right) would look cool:

then we get to her dress, which i have no one specific reference for. the most important thing is that it's red and very, very blingy and extravagant, as per book rhaenyra's typical fashion tastes. i'm talking velvet, gold embroidery, dripping with pearls and jewels, the works. so here are a bunch of images that evoke that vibe, feel free to cobble them together in your mind:

you also know she has to have some kind of ruby-based jewelry. i went with gold rather than silver here to accentuate her ring and crown, shown later on. here are a few options in the style i'm thinking of:

and as a final reminder, here's what viserys's signet ring (below left) and jaehaerys's crown (below right) look like:

aemond

moving onto our babygirl, we first have the hair. trying to follow that simple vibe rhaenyra sets, especially because the boys are not trying to outdo her in any way. but i thought the gold details here (below left) were nice, feel free to imagine all three of them with these kinds of accessories. as for clothing, i imagine something very nice like the one pictured (below right) but a different color (dark green with gold detailing) also without the neck scarf thing bc sorry to cravats but i simply do not like their look:

for the necklace, there are two different options but i wanted the imagery for both aemond and daemon of almost like collars because rhaenyra walks them like a dog because rhaenyra's head honcho and they're her homicidal lapdogs, y'know? daemon is a chihuahua and aemond is a shih tzu. anyways i couldn't decide between a bolder or a more delicate vibe to i gave you guys both options and will do the same for daemon later so they can still match but be a lil unique:

remember, the following is roughly what i imagine aenys's crown to look like, but with pearls and jade instead of what's pictured here, and also the jade is carved with each of the faces of the seven, all of which is described in the original source material:

and lastly, we have his brand-new valyrian steel sword, vigilance! he yoinked it off of lord hightower when he made him surrender and no one stopped him. i don't think we have official art for this one, but it's from house hightower so you know it's def very elaborate. i picture it with a gold hilt, not silver, and with some sort of flame or sun imagery at the very top of the hilt (in place of where the coat of arms are in the actual reference image):

daemon

last but not least, daemon! the general vibe for him and aemond is "sisters not twins" so he has a similar three-braid, mostly-down style, but a lil different. and just picture something similar to what aemond's wearing, but it's black and has red embroidery like what's pictured below:

for the necklace, i really just wanted him and aemond to be matching lmao so you have two options like with aemond above. rubies and silver here instead of emeralds and gold because they know their wife well and rhaenyra loves her color schemes.

as for aegon's crown, no shade to the show but i tend to prefer how it's depicted in other art, as more of a circlet with bigger rubies. i like the idea of it being simpler and a more unique style/placement compared to rhaenyra's and aemond's crowns. also, i feel like this could vibe well with the necklace options from above. as a reminder, here's what that would look like:

and lastly, just in case any of y'all forgot what dark sister looks like:

happy reading!

#stormbreak chapter 26 #fic: stormbreak #stormbreak #fic #rhaenyra targaryen #rhaenyra #aemond targaryen #aemond one eye #aemond #daemon targaryen #daemon #hotd #house of the dragon #fire and blood #fab

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nightshadedawn · 1 year

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Non-Binary Glossary

As someone who is non-binary myself, I felt it important to include lots of non-binary characters in my fantasy novel that does not give a SHIT about what you present as, thus I needed to come up with titles for various things, and I thought I'd share what's so far in my glossary, with perhaps a smidgen of hope it'll get a bit of recognition.

Baba/Babby/Bather/Grandbather - The non-binary word for parents and grandparents.

I imagine the 'papa' or 'granny' equivalent of this one would be 'tata' or 'batty'.

Why, yes, this word was built off of 'baba' which it to my understanding, a word for 'father' in many cultures. But did you know it's meaning differs in many different cultures? And, also, it's catching on as the 'parent' word, and if I ever become a parent (highly unlikely) I want to be called Baba, if not just by my name because I absolutely can't picture being called by a title of any sort.

Crown - The non-binary word used used for someone of the status of queen or king.

This idea I obtained from an interactive fiction I read, where your character was referred to as 'Crown [Insert Name]' no matter what gender you made your character. It flowed well, so I decided I'd use the thematics of it in my own works going forward.

Emperus - A non-binary title used for someone of the status of empress or emperor.

I had a bit of trouble coming up with this one. But seeing as both emperor and empress both started with that 'emp' I knew I had to keep that, and from there, I played around with multiple second-halves, ending on the 'erus' because I'm a simple creature and it combined the 'er' and 'ess' of the other two, so it didn't feel entirely out of place.

Enna - The non-binary word for your parent’s sibling.

I fucking hate pibling. I don't know why, but it makes my skin CRAWL. I'd rather the niblings just call me by my name than have pibling anywhere in the conversation. Specifics wise, both 'aunt' and 'uncle' begin with vowels, but end differently. So I knew I wanted the word to begin with a vowel, and one different than the ones already used. I also knew it couldn't end with the hard 't' sound or the drawling 'el'. So I came up with a few options, and landed on enna because it was four letters like aunt, but two syllables like uncle, and began with the letter 'e' which is the most common letter in the alphabet. It's probably my favorite word on this list.

Laus - A non-binary word for someone of the status of Lord or Lady.

Ah, probably my second favorite word. Like for emperus and enna, I looked at the original words to find what they had in common. Only the 'L' followed by a vowel, which meant my word had to end different than both lord and lady. Well, it did have that pesky d in there, which proved a problem when I was trying to come up with words. I didn't like any of the other words I came up with, and landed on laus because it was the least miserable. The only other memorable ones were 'lent', 'lurt', and 'ludt' which all look terrible. Laus may stand out next to lord and lady, but at least it looks nice.

Princer/Prinx/Prinxer - A non-binary word for a royal heir. The ‘x’ is pronounced with a ‘zz’ sound.

Enby equivalents tends to have the 'x' at the end of their words, for whatever reason, since there's so many other things we could have done, but that's not the point. The point is both princess and prince begin with the 'princ'. I just needed to fluff up the end. In the end, I came up with these three, which I have not actually decided which one I'm going to use in my book. Pincer and prinxer are pronounced similarly, being 'prin-sehr' and 'prin-zer'. Phonetically, they don't sound similar to prince or princess, but at least one of them looks similar.

Ser/Sur - Honorifics used for knights in a similar vein to ‘Sir’. Sur is used for women, while ser is used for nonbinary, and sir remains for men. All are pronounced similarly.

I thought I was brilliant when I came up with this one. Originally, it was going to be 'sar' for women, and 'sur' for non-binary, but when I realized how similar 'sur' sounded in my head to 'sir' my brain went 'ser too' and thus, here we are. Because am I the only one who thinks it's dumb how men have all these titles and women keep having to use the same one over and over and over again? It's always "lady this" and "lady that". Well, no longer for the knights, as they will be referred to with Sur. Ser will be used for enbys due to so many of my other words containing the e. E for enby, everyone.

Words I am currently working on:

Madam/master

Duke/duchess

Baron/baroness

Countess/count

Earl - Will be looking for both an enby and women word, because currently, it's just countess here again.

Going down this route will be pretty easy, except for the madam/master one. Once I decide on the princess/prince word, the rest of these will just follow those rules, as princess just added 'ess' onto the end of 'prince' after all.

#writing #creative writing #novels #fantasy #fantasy novel #fantasy fiction #royalty #nobility #world building #fantasy world building #nonbinary #non binary #enby #royal titles #noble titles

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laufire · 23 days

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WRITING WOES: MARCH

in general

a few things conspired to slow down my writing (online course, sprained wrist that thankfully is alright now), but I'm still keeping up with my habit goals (get your words out in dreamwidth).

original fiction

I wrote ~3k words of Underground Elysium's first act (it'll have five acts total, though this doesn't say much as the lengths won't be consistent lol). I'm following Freytag's Pyramid for this one, Because of Reasons, so this is the "exposition + inciting incident" and I took a bit from this teaser I already had, but that's basically all of Act I complete (its first draft, at least; there's still a lot to be done in rewrites), so I'm proud.

I also set to finish with the drafting process for Petal Decay for this April's Camp Nano. I want to get that short story to a place where all I can do is get some outsider perspectives on it, before I know what to do with it moving forward.

fanfic

l wrote the first drafts of the first three chapters of my Young Justice WIP. I definitely have to go over them -this is the "introduction" part, where I'm practically rushing to get The Actual Story started lol, and some additions will be needed so they don't feel like I'm just eagerly jumping from point A to B to C etc. in order to get there. But I'm keeping up the rhythim I set for myself, which rn matters more. First I get the skeleton of the story out, then I add the rest.

I also wrote 5 out of 6 chapters of my Immortal Jason WIP (it's a 5+1 fic). The sixth one is resisting me smh. The premise shows various Bats finding out that Jason doesn't die, and the final chapter is, of course, Bruce's. So it's where everything comes to a head and I've built it up in my head as this... Thing. I'm going to let it rest for at least a week, maybe two, and then see it with fresh eyes.

Those (continue with the young justice wip as I've been, finish Immortal Jason & publish it) are basically my goals for this month, fic-wise. I also want to make more detailed outlines (although still leaving room for improvisation) for fics I'll tackle after I'm done with Immortal Jason and Petal Decay, like the Delena Marriage of Doom wip, or Journalist Dick. AND I want to write at least one of the scenes from my 5+1 Chalant one-shot (which is a "companion" to the young justice wip, so I want to have it ready when that's done).

#talking to the void #my thoughts #writing woes #writing woes monthly #dc #original works #dc comics #young justice #young justice wip #immortal jason wip #me me me #my wips

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threadsun · 1 year

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Hello dearie~! Hope you are well!

Wanted to request our crew boys on falling for a preformer/singer? Like they see this lil band on stage in a bar in town or something? Or a street performance of some sort? Maybe? If not that's ok! Thank you

Oh I love this!! My partner's OC is in a band, so this got me thinking about them~ Anyway, I hope you enjoy!!

Jean's not sure why he let Joseph convince him to come to this bar. It's dingy, it's gross, and the guy on stage is playing the accordion so loud he can't hear himself think.

He doesn't even drink. He's sitting here with his soda, feeling like a toddler. This isn't his world, it's Joseph's. His world is high class parties and red carpet events. A shitty bar like this is nowhere in his orbit unless Joseph drags him to it.

But Joseph swears by it. He promises it'll be worth it. It better be, Jean thinks bitterly, this band he's been going on and on about better be fucking stellar.

Then again, they probably are. Joseph hasn't shut up about them for weeks since he watched one of their shows here. The lead singer, in particular. He's gone on and on about their talent. Though, Jean suspects there might be something more to it. They have to be pretty hot to get Joseph this keen on them.

Mercifully, the accordion stops with a pitiful wheeze, and the guy heads offstage to scattered applause, mostly of relief. At least Jean can hear his own thoughts again.

Joseph's leaning forward, eyes lighting up as he waits eagerly for the next act. He can't help but want to see every moment of the performance. To soak it all in. He's hoping that Jean will see what he sees...

Your band is small. A drummer, a guitarist, and you. You'd had a keyboardist, but there had been some... creative differences. And he'd fucked the drummer's girlfriend.

So it's just the three of you, setting up on stage. You're busy testing the mic and helping the drummer set up his kit. You don't notice the eyes on you. First one pair, eager and adoring. Then a second, calculating and impressed.

Joseph was right. Jean is interested in this band. Or at least you. He props his chin up on his folded hands, running an appraising eye down your form. You're hot. There's no two ways about it.

He and Joseph have a good little while to admire you while you set up. But once your band is ready, the lights in the bar dim and the spotlight is on you.

Jean isn't sure what to expect, but it's not the voice that comes out of your mouth. He'd been expecting something mediocre. A slightly worse cover of some popular song. Not the raw emotion and expertly crafted lyrics of an original song. Not the powerful, controlled voice of someone who could—should—be getting paid big money to sing for a well known record label.

The drums and guitar are good enough to back you, they keep up with you well enough. But you steal the show. You take Jean's breath away. He sees immediately why Joseph is so smitten with you. And that he's going to be feeling the same soon enough.

It's like time has stopped while you sing. Like the bar has faded away, and you're singing to a crowd of thousands in a stadium. It seems to stretch on forever, and yet it's over too soon.

As your voice fades away at the end of the last song, the spell is broken. Jean is aware again of the sticky floors, the bar tender pulling drinks for patrons, the weird smell of the bar. He's aware of Joseph again, who's still grinning like a lovestruck fool as he watches your band pack up.

But none of it bothers him now. The gross bar, the rowdy drunks, how out of place he feels. None of it can dampen the amazement of your performance. He's a changed man. He feels like he's floating.

He has to take charge. Joseph is too busy making heart eyes at you to do anything. So he drags Joseph up to the stage with him, getting your attention with a little wave.

"Hey, you were..." He'd started so confident, but now he's not sure what he can say. How can he describe your performance in a way that captures how life-changing it truly was?

So he starts again. "My friend's a huge fan," he gestures to Joseph, who looks star struck. "He's been coming to watch you perform for weeks now. Any chance he can get your autograph?"

You're surprised. Your performances have always been well received, but you've never had a proper fan before. But you're more than happy to borrow a pen from one of your bandmates and sign a napkin for the cute guy who's completely speechless in your presence.

Jean tucks it into Joseph's pocket with a grin, deciding he might as well shoot his shot. "Think I could get your number too?"

It's flattering, really. These two handsome men, clearly smitten with you. But you hesitate, not sure if you're quite willing to give your number out to a stranger right now.

"I know some people in the music business," Jean adds, seeing your hesitation. "I could get some good managers down here to watch one of your gigs..."

The allure of being noticed by a manager is enough to thaw your hesitation, and you scribble your number on his hand. After a moment's thought, you add your name and a little heart.

Jean watches you excuse yourself and help bring the drums backstage again. He'll follow through, bringing some band managers by to see you perform. Anything to give you another reason to talk to him.

He doesn't want to admit it just yet, but he's as down bad as Joseph.

#swwsdj #something's wrong with sunny day jack #sdj joseph #sdj jean #joseph haberdae x reader x jean laurent #gn!reader #18+ only #sunshine #misswilding

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plushii-gutz · 1 year

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Part 11 🌚 it's shorter than usual, but that's intentional I swear

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

Furnoss was amazed with the efficiency of the three monsters, having prepared lunch in half the time it usually took him. When he asked how, the answer was simply "together." It became apparent how easy the task would've been if he simply trusted them. A lot of things would have.

It's funny, really, how long it took for Furnoss to acknowledge just how tough he had been on everyone. How he expected them to do so much when they didn't have the ability to, whether he was at fault or not. It still poked at his mind a lot, despite the apology he had given and the forgiveness he received. It would take a while for everyone to adjust, but it was a welcome change. For most, at least.

"Excuse me," Furnoss stood from the table, "I need to bring Loodvigg something to eat. I don't want it to die any time soon. Not yet, at least."

Attmoz and Glaishur took over, Syncopite and Scaratar leaving to get the proper rest they needed. Furnoss was careful with every step, keeping himself aware of any noises he or the bone monster made while opening the door. Loodvigg sat inside, opening their eyes once the fire monster made himself present.

"Going well, I hear."

"It is. Much better. A lot can change with such little time."

"That is true," Loodvigg stood up, "Much can change visibly. But, I suppose you're fully aware of your situation?"

Furnoss sat down the meal he had brought for them, speaking as firm as he could.

"I am."

"They don't really believe you yet."

"Is that so?"

The dark monster stood up, scittering closer to its old friend. The red monster kept his eyes forward.

"It's been years," Loodvigg continued, "and I believe you fully that things seemed to have changed. But it's only that. Only 'seemed'. They don't fear you anymore. They won't respect you soon, either."

"They don't respect me because I scare them," Furnoss spat, "They respect me because I've learned to respect them. They aren't kids anymore, and they've shown it."

"It has only been one day. You'll need someone to remind them who's in charge. Who did so much for them for so long."

"It'll take more than that to convince me that any of your words are true. What you had done is still prominent."

Loodvigg moved back, lowering itself to the ground and tucking its spidery limbs underneath itself. They seemed to have lost their original intentions.

"Oh, Furnoss. Yes, I've had hours to think of my actions - and I'm remorseful. I let my past define my present, and it was entirely wrong."

The fire monster lifted an eyebrow.

"The Galvana I know isn't the one from before. That staff was merely a coincidence! It was foolish for me to act so quickly. And for so, so long I had shut myself out. Never until now had I become so aware of my wrongdoings."

Furnoss moved back, shaking his head. Loodvigg wouldn't have changed that quickly. Would it? If he himself had changed, maybe Loodvigg could have too?

"No."

"What?"

"You're staying here until I believe you. Until we all believe you."

And like that, the conversation had ended. The room was emptied of its voices. The door shut and locked. The monster held himself against the wall for a moment, focusing on his breathing. There was just something about Lood' that always threw him off so much. Their dull appearance, their cold voice. He just couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"Furnoss!" Attmoz called, "We're heading out back to the garden. You wanna tag along?"

"..coming!" Furnoss answered.

🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃

A lot of the children's time was spent outside, as it provided plenty of activities for them to enjoy. A common place the group explored was the garden they all shared. Though it was seen primarily as Scaratar and Blasoom's garden, anyone was welcome. Unfortunately, the trip was still a difficult one for the smaller of the monsters. Glaishur carried Hornacle down the steep parts, almost slipping himself in the process. He was lucky Attmoz was aware of how clumsy the cold monster was, else they'd need more bandages.

The garden was small but held plenty of plants and colorful growth. Blasoom tended to the flowers, chirping happily at the new buds beginning to bloom. Scaratar picked a few freshly grown berries, offering some to Torrt and Plixie. Attmoz sat near the edge, enjoying the light winds and calm rustling of the grass. Hornacle encouraged Galvana to come with them to a small, soft patch of moss with overhanging vines to explore. The water monster knew they wouldn't be able to play much, so maybe something as simple as examining the lovely colors would be preferred. It was certainly appreciated, as some of the other little monsters came to understand that they needed to be a bit more careful around Galvana for a short while.

"This is quite impressive," Furnoss praised, "Did you do this all by yourself?"

"Mostly," Scaratar admitted, "We needed Attmoz and Hornacle to make a few rain clouds for us when we started, but we did the rest on our own!"

The poison monster stepped back to Furnoss's side, admiring her and Blasoom's hard work.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It's amazing, Scaratar."

The afternoon is surprisingly calm. Plixie placed a crown of flowers over Glaishurs head, slanted enough so it hid the bandages that covered the cold monsters eye. Vhamp had given Galvana's bandages a bit of decoration, too, a green vine wrapped around with small yellow flowers. Furnoss felt a warmth in his heart that hadn't been lit in years. The kindness every monster here had shown to one another, the understanding and care. He hoped that he too could learn. Admitting that he wanted things to change and allowing to be guided was already a big step, and the others seemed to believe him enough for the monster to believe in himself.

Furnoss's mind went back to Loodvigg. Did they really want to change? He needed to be sure. The safety of the kids is more important than theirs. Would it be fair to keep it trapped if it truly meant what it said, even if he were just trying to be safe? Lost in thought, the fire elementalist stared off in the distance as time passed. He snapped from his trance as the sound of soft humming filled the air around him.

Galvana had run off to Attmoz's side, followed by Vhamp and Hornacle. Glaishur moved over as well, Torrt sitting on his shoulder and Plixie on his head. Syncopite had finally come along, too, standing next to Scaratar. The gentle song came from Attmoz, humming and strumming a new air guitar he had made while the breeze flew through his hair. Galvana tried their best to sing along while not knowing the rhythm, the air monster slowing his own music to allow them to catch up. That's what always brought them together. Music, singing; a precious gem they all held, one they were born with. Furnoss's eyes grew clouded as he recognized the rhythm.

"That song," he spoke, "you remember it?"

Each beat matched. It was a song the unknown spirit had taught Furnoss when he had been revived. It was the song he sang when Scaratar and Torrt were frightened infants that cried over the dark. Sang to every little monster at least once. Before he forgot the words himself.

"Yeah," Attmoz sighed, "I know it wasn't meant for me, but I heard it almost every night. Sometimes it helped. Sometimes it only hurt more. But hey, that's just music. Makes ya weird in the brain."

Glaishur chuckled.

"Maybe that's what happened to ya!"

"Oh hush up, snow-cone!"

Furnoss joined the group, listening as Attmoz continued. The group of kids grew calm, as did the environment. Everything seemed to line up like a perfect painting. If only moments like this could be experienced for the first time over and over again.

Loodvigg listened from afar. The wind carried their song to the castles room, as quiet as it was. Its claw-like nails scraped against the windows glass. They're starting to hurt. But from what?

#msm #my singing monsters #fallen stars msm #fanfiction #fallen stars #im sorry for the common fanfic trope here btw

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