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separatist-apologist · 9 months

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Love Is A Lie

Summary: After her mothers death, Arina goes from the well-loved daughter of a nobleman to a servant in his home. She dreams of escaping to the coast and making her own way, and when she learns of a ball the King of Avalon is hosting to pick a wife, Arina sees her chance. With a little help from a fairy godmother, Arina agrees to exchange a favor for one night with the King.

But Eris Vanserra has other plans when they meet, and Arina isn't sure she's ready for the consequences of one night dancing at a ball.

Part Two of OUAT series

Read on AO3 | Chapter 1

A soft knock at the door pulled Arina from her thoughts. She was free, or so the king said, though he’d put her in a series of interconnected rooms and then instructed the door be locked from the outside. There was consistent food and hot water and a balcony overlooking a jewel-bright forest, but it was still a cage.

Arina had stayed up through the night, crying and pounding at the door until she grew tired and moved to a window seat in the sitting room. The door at the far end of the cavernous space unlocked and the princess of Ellesmere—or, Avalon, now that she’d married Prince Lucien, slipped in.

“Hello,” she murmured, tucking a thick curl behind her ear. A rosy gown matched her bright cheeks, swishing around her legs as she made her way over the immaculate white and gold swirled marble floors. “How are you feeling today?”

“I’ve been locked inside the palace while the king plans my wedding,” Arina replied bitterly, turning back for the window. “How do you think I am?”

There was a pause. “Is…why did you come, if not to be his wife?”

“I came to ask him to free me from my father,” Arina replied, well aware of what Elain Vanserra was going to say in response.

“He did…in his way—”

“There were hundreds of women there,” Arina interrupted, turning her desperation onto this woman. “I never thought he’d find me interesting. He was supposed to inform my father I was free to leave and then forget I existed.”

A smile tugged at Elain’s lip, like she knew some secret Arina didn’t. Arina didn’t have the ability to feel anger, at least, now at Elain. So when Elain sat beside her, taking Arina’s hand in her own, Arina didn’t pull away.

“Eris is stupid,” she said, catching Arina off guard. “But he means well. And this isn’t forever, either.”

“Couldn’t you…just…explain it to him.”

Elain’s smile didn’t fade. “There’s no reasoning with him. Didn’t you wonder why Connall came all that way to make sure you had an invitation? You were the only person he wanted to see.”

Arina had heard a servant say that, too. Drawing her legs up under the silken yellow dress she’d been put in, Arina said, “He hated me—”

“He just doesn’t know how to soften his face. We’re working on that. But he didn’t hate you then, and he doesn’t hate you, now.”

“If he cares for me, he should let me go.”

“Men are terribly selfish creatures,” Elain murmured, squeezing Arina’s hand. The sun snagged against the pearl ring nestled over her finger, reminding Arina that this princess had gotten to choose her own husband and was better for it. She simply didn’t understand because she was exactly where she wanted to be.

“So that's it, then? I just…do whatever he wants and tell myself to be grateful?”

Arina shrugged. “You could, if you wanted. But Eris is a grown man who could use someone snapping at him. And just between you and I, I think you could have the freedom you’re so desperate for even as his wife. Afterall, surely you’re not the only woman trapped in this predicament?”

Arina looked up at Elain. “I never asked for that.”

Elain sighed softly. “Who does? Still, you have it and you could do great things if you wanted to.”

Arina didn’t believe that for a second. However, when Elain left, Arina waited for the tell-tale click of the lock and when it didn’t come, she bolted. Unlike her home, where no one dared to look at her and certainly never spoke to her, here it seemed everyone wanted to hear her speak. Every couple steps a servant was curtseying or a courtier pausing to ask how she was liking the Forest Palace.

As if they hadn’t all watched Eris carry her back into the palace sobbing into his jacket. She knew rumors must have spread, though the nature of them eluded her. Did they know the truth? Or did they think she was so impossibly happy she’d merely broken down? And which was more embarrassing?

By the time Arina made it back outside, she was all tangled up in her thoughts and, perhaps worst of all, lost. She had shoes, and her dress had long sleeves, but she wasn’t equipped to run on foot. So, she decided this was merely reconnaissance. Eris likely was aware she was moving through his palace and would be coming to look for her—better to lull him into a false sense of security.

Though, as Arina crunched over the grounds, fingers skimming flowers that reached her hip, she thought of what Elain had said. How many other women were in her predicament? Arina had never given that any thought, certainly not before. She’d been so focused on survival that getting out was all Arina had ever hoped for.

Now, though…now the King intended to make her his wife. Did men truly abide by the whims of their wives, or was that merely a tale told to young girls to make them feel better for the raw deal marriage offered?

Arina made it just to the border of the woods when the King appeared, far more casual than he’d been the night before in a fawn brown coat and dark, black trousers tucked into gleaming boots. His cape was, as always, draped over one broad shoulder, clasped around his chest with a gold chain.

“Princess,” he murmured, amber eyes gleaming. “How nice to see you outdoors.”

“Someone unlocked my bedroom door,” she shot back, catching the shuttering look of guilt that flashed across his features.

“Trying to escape?” he guessed.

“Just inspecting my new home,” she lied. Eris knew, though, judging from that sharp smile.

“I’m sure that’s all you’re doing. How are you finding the palace?”

“Big. I could use a map.”

“You should have asked Elain,” he commented, stepping closer to her. Close enough she could smell the scent of warm bourbon and fire smoke against his skin. Sweet and bright, yet still heady and masculine. Arina fought back a shiver and lost when his fingers brushed over the back of her hand. “Or me. I would be happy to show you every place a great lady such as yourself might evade her husband and vanish to the coast.”

“Oh? Is that what your mother did?”

He flinched. “She tried.”

Arina knew his fathers reputation. Everyone knew. The former king had never tried to hide his rage, nor had he ever cared about the obvious bruises his wife bore, often in public. Eris peered down at Arina, and she wondered if this was the moment he promised not to hit her.

“I spoke with your father today,” he said instead, taking her by surprise. Hands in his pockets, Eris nodded for her to follow beside him. Arina tripped after him, heart thudding in her chest.

“Oh? What did he say?”

Grinding his teeth, Eris said, “He’s asked if you’ll require a dowry and informed me you don’t have one. He thinks I should pick another woman.”

Arina’s stomach splattered at her feet, even as she agreed. “You should.”

“I won’t. A dowry is your protection…and now you don’t have one.”

“What protection could a dowry provide against a king?” Arina demanded.

“It doesn’t matter,” Eris grumbled, shaking his head of auburn hair. “There isn’t a man at court with a daughter that hasn’t been preparing a dowry but yours doesn’t have one.”

Arina stared. Did he think she’d been working as a maid for fun? There were a million things she could have said, and though it was tempting to grab him by the shoulders and shake him until some sense rattled into that head of his, Arina merely said, “You could always pick another wife.”

“I could,” he agreed, clasping his hands behind his back. “But I won’t. We’ll be married in a month.”

“And then what?”

Eris only shrugged. “Have you considered the piano? All the great ladies at court seem to play it.”

Arina whipped around, crowding his personal space. “What is that supposed to mean?”

He shrugged, the picture of bored nobility. “If you’re looking for a terribly boring hobby, why not join the rest of the ladies at court and take up piano?”

“You know what your problem is?” she hissed.

Eris smirked. “Why don’t you tell me?”

“You and your well-read lords at court decide what women are allowed to learn. Sewing, piano, and gardening. If we’re allowed lessons, it's paltry in comparison to your own and all of it is in service to one day being your vapid wives. You keep us in the dark purposefully so you will always be the smartest man in the room, and then turn around and mock us for not being as interesting as you. God forbid a lady try and impress the great king with her piano skills! You don’t get to have it both ways, your majesty.”

And then, with a pounding heart and a dry mouth, Arina curtseyed mockingly while Eris stood utterly still, jaw clenched as he watched. She couldn’t believe he was going to let her get away with what she’d said, but Arina had to say it. Especially since she knew the ladies at court were far more accomplished than she was, and he was already mocking them. How long before he realized how lacking she was and hated her for it?

Arina spun on her heel, not wanting to be so close to him simply because his eyes were threatening to wreck her anger. She made it all of three steps before he was back on her, fingers curling around her wrist.

“Let me go—”

“What are you interested in, then? Tell me,” he added, a strange note of pleading lacing his authoritative words.

“So you can mock me?” she demanded, wrenching her arm from his grasp. “I don’t think so.”

“Tell me,” he repeated. Arina understood why he was king right then. Legs trembling, Arina had to force herself to remain upright when every part of her wanted to bow before him. Eris wasn’t smiling, nor was he truly asking. He was ordering her to tell him.

“When my mother died, my education ended. I—” she bit her bottom lip as Eris edged closer, eyes gleaming with interest. “I wanted to work in a library when I left. Make up the deficits in my knowledge.”

Eris nodded, lips pressed together in a firm line. It was impossible to gauge how he felt about this information. Was he regretting his decision, knowing she knew even less than everyone around her? That his wife was so poorly mannered she’d yell at him on his own lawn? A strange war wrestled in her chest—between hoping he’d let her go and the fear he’d no longer want her.

Eris inclined his head, a dismissal if Arina had ever seen it. There would be no dissecting his thoughts today, which ought to have filled her with relief.

And yet, with each step Arina took away from him, she felt worse. Like she ought to have stayed. Turning only once, she found him watching her leave, head cocked. It needed to be said, she reminded herself. And it changed nothing between them. She still needed to leave before the wedding took place and she was irrevocably bound to him.

She only needed to figure out how.

ERIS:

“Lord Novak, thank you for meeting with me,” Eris murmured, refusing to stand when Arina’s father slithered into the room. The mere sight of him filled Eris with rage. The man was well-dressed and elegant, handsome by all accounts. Eris had seen him over the years at court, traveling from his shitty little town to simper at his fathers feet.

Had he been a better man, he’d have brought his daughter with him. A daughter Eris might have had the opportunity to court properly, so their impending marriage was less of a shit show. She might at least like him, which was all of the battle at this point. Eris had every servant, every guard, and every friend he could count on instructed to keep him informed of her comings and goings. Elain had tracked Arina down and the last Eris heard, the pair were mapping out the palace so his future wife could try and escape him in the night.

It wasn’t ideal, of course. If anyone could persuade Arina on his merits—along with the charms of his home—it was Elain. It occurred to Eris he ought to be paying Elain for the good work she did. He wouldn’t—but he ought to. Lucien could pay her if he wanted to, given he had access to the palace coffers.

But back to the matters at hand. Eris lounged on his throne, his mind still on the lawn with Arina. She’d looked at him with such hatred it robbed him of breath. It had been only luck that kept him on his feet rather than on his knees, begging her forgiveness. This was not an auspicious start to a marriage.

It was far easier to blame her father than to blame himself. So Eris, drumming his fingers on the arm of his throne while Novak straightened himself up.

“It’s my pleasure, your majesty. How can I be of service?”

“Why did you discontinue Arina’s education?”

Novak straightened, smoothing his hands over the cream jacket he wore. Eris expected a stammering apology. Not— “She lacks aptitude, sire. Are you learning this as well? My late wife spent a great deal of time and effort trying to turn her into a great lady, but Arina only cared to run barefoot through the mud. Focusing her on more detailed tasks helped a little, but she was always far too wild for court.”

Far too wild for court. What was wrong with Eris that the knowledge his wife might join him in the forest, might enjoy a little mess, aroused him? He didn’t betray a hint of it to her father, not wanting Novak to think he had any leverage over Eris.

Once the wedding happened, he intended to strip the man of his titles to repay him for his treatment. But for now, Eris merely nodded his head. “I see.”

“If you’re reconsidering—and I would urge you to, your majesty—my wife and I would be happy to take her back.”

Yeah, Eris bet they would. And he knew he’d never see her again, regardless of what he ordered Novak to do. There’d be some story of a contagious illness, and then a funeral and Eris would never be subjected to the loathing in her pine green eyes. What a tragedy.

Eris merely stared until Novak withered, bowing his head. “My apologies, majesty.”

“What killed her mother?”

“Consumption, sire. It swept through the village. I believe it was Arina who brought it into the house. She’d been told to stay indoors but she doesn’t listen, I—”

“That’s enough,” Eris ordered, heart racing in his chest. What kind of life had Arina lived where she could be blamed for her mothers death, ripped out of the life she’d grown accustomed to, and made to serve a man who likely had never loved her. “You will stay away from her unless she expressly requests your presence. And you will leave court immediately until I decide what I want to do with you.”

“Sire?”

But Eris had no intention of explaining himself to the likes of Novak. Waving a hand, he sent the man out of his throne room tripping over his own jeweled boots. Eris watched him go before summoning Connall back to him. He was the only one who’d remained behind, asserting he had no interest in a foreign princess or convincing her sleeping body to love him, and Eris didn’t want to see all his brothers die battling a dragon.

In truth, he would have sent none of them if he could get away with it. Earning Elain’s goodwill had been a good move at the time—she was doing all the hard work of making Arina feel at home in the palace.

Connall entered mere minutes later, hair mussed and his shirt half buttoned. “Brother,” he said with a lazy smile. “I’m not going to bow.”

“How about tucking in your shirt?” Eris asked instead.

“No point. You left so many ladies at court heartbroken, brother. The least I can do is console them.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet.”

Connall glanced around the empty room, pausing in a wide shaft of sunlight streaming through arched windows. Eris could recall a time when their father used to drag them all in, lining them up in the same spot to decide which son he hated the most—and who would be punished for it. His brother was making a good show of pretending he wasn’t worried Eris was about to do the same.

Standing, Eris met his brother at the bottom of the three steps leading up to the dais. “I want to strip Novak of his titles and ancestral lands.”

“Bold,” Connall replied with a wicked smile. “And dangerous, if the other lords disapprove.”

Eris nodded, hands behind his back as he walked Connall out of the throne room. “I need a reason. Surely you could help me manufacture one?”

Connall’s smile widened. “Careful, brother, or people will start to think you have a weakness.”

Eris hadn’t considered that, and it irked him that he had to think about it now. Sighing, he said, “A wife assumes I have some affection—”

“Don’t let father hear you say that,” Connall interrupted smoothly. “What is it you’re asking from me, brother?”

“Find anything that gives my plan legitimacy. Preferably something financial—something the other lords are likely also doing so they’ll think twice about crossing me.”

Connall nodded. “I can do that, if it's what you want.”

It was—kind of. What Eris really wanted was to drag Novak into the dungeon, string him up, and torture him long enough to feel whatever pain Arina had suffered. The only thing that kept him from doing so was his belief she wouldn’t thank him for such cruelty. Given she already thought so poorly of him, Eris was motivated to make things easy—and keep his behavior quiet.

Connall bled off in the hall, vanishing past a corner before Eris could warn him not to fuck another married woman. Again.

As if it would make any difference. The more in love the woman, the bigger the challenge as far as Connall was concerned. Eris couldn’t police his brother, who was likely to die in a duel one day from a pissed man. Sometimes he thought his brother found that a terribly romantic way to die.

His brothers were fools.

Not him, though. Or, that’s what he told himself as he made his way through the palace to the little breakfast nook he knew Elain and Arina were in. He could fix things between them by proving he wasn’t as awful as she imagined, and that he cared about her and what she wanted.

So long as what she wanted was to remain here with him. Maybe it was manipulative, then, to dangle the only thing he really knew about her over her head. But Eris was a desperate man, well aware that one day his wife was going to try and sneak out in the night and he might very well lose her.

From the hall, Eris could hear loud giggling—which ended the moment he opened the door. Both Elain and Arina turned their gazes toward him. Eris had stared down armies, his father—a witch masquerading as a human queen—and nothing had ever intimidated him half as much as Elain and Arina’s faces right then.

Was he King of Avalon? He felt like a schoolboy. Clearing his throat, Eris looked at his would-be wife. She was beautiful in yellow, hair curled around her perfect face in accordance with the latest fashion. In a better world—one where she wanted him—he would have been allowed to slide his fingers through the strands and see the pins clatter to the floor.

But that wasn’t his world, and to that end, Eris asked, “Are you two done in here?” “Why, my lord, I don’t think we’ll ever be done mocking you,” Elain replied sweetly, dabbing the corner of her lips with a lace napkin.

Eris merely arched a brow. So that was how it was to be, was it? There were a million things Eris wanted to say—and would, just as soon as Arina wasn’t able to hear him. Arina kept her lips pressed together, though her eyes were bright with amusement. Fine. So long as she wasn’t looking at him hatefully, it would have to do.

“With me, then,” he ordered, nodding with his head for Arina to join him in the hall. He stepped out so she could quietly thank Elain for her hospitality and kindness. It was something he knew hadn’t been regularly extended to her. Arina met him in the hall, arms crossed over her chest.

“Come to mock me again?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Eris replied, offering her his hand which she pointedly declined. Ouch. Sighing softly, he added, “Follow me. I have a gift for you.”

“I don’t want any gifts.”

“Well, you’ll have it all the same.”

It was Arina’s turn to sigh, though she continued to match his pace. Eris didn’t slow down, deciding if she wanted to be difficult, well—he could be, too. Arina was taller than most women, though she couldn’t touch him for height, and more than once he caught her lifting her skirts as they went upstairs so she could keep up.

And Eris pretended the sight of her bare legs weren’t doing something to him.

She was making a mess of him. He’d seen far more of women than just an ankle—he’d seen multiple women dance before him, naked as they touched each other, touched him. It should have been nothing, to see that hint of golden skin, that slim leg and yet Eris had to resist adjusting his cock lest she realize just how much power she held over him.

“What is this?” Arina demanded, halting just outside the golden doors pulled open to reveal the library just inside.

“A library, Arina,” he replied patiently. If looks could have killed, he would have been dead. He took the opportunity to brush his fingers over her back, guiding her inside. There was nothing like this place in the world—save for, perhaps, Helion’s grand libraries on the continent. But here, there was just Avalon, and the six stories filled with shelves and chairs and art. Scholars, too, who spent their whole lives within the palace walls trying to uncover the mysteries of their world.

Like the curse that had been put on Elain. But for today, all he wanted was to give Arina a reason to stay. His head scholar made their way toward them, unnoticed by Arina who was staring up at the glass dome overhead that allowed brilliant sunlight to pour into the room. She seemed to glow, standing in a golden shaft like a princess of daylight.

He wanted to kiss her. Instead, Eris greeted the red robed scholar with a respectful incline of his head. “Agnus,” he murmured, drawing her attention. “This is Arina.”

Agnus bowed deeply, revealing the shiny, hairless top of his head before his hood flopped over it. The older man kept his eyes on Eris’s would-be wife, reaching for her hand to offer a respectful kill. More jealousy looped through him, squashed quickly as he reminded himself Agnus had his own wife he was, by all accounts, very devoted to.

“His majesty speaks very highly of you. He says you have ambition to be a scholar?”

Arina looked over at Eris, eyes wide with surprise. Did she really think he went all over the palace besmirching her good name? He kept his expression neutral, waiting for Arina to speak.

“I—he’s right. I do.”

“Well. It would be my honor to instruct her highness in whatever matters she requests. I am at your disposal.”

“I’ll leave you two to it, then,” he murmured, turning before Arina could do something that would ruin this for him. He’d given her what she wanted. There was no need to hide away on the coast. Her father would be worse than a beggar by the time Eris finished with him, and his wife would be the best educated woman in the realm, if she wished to be.

What else could she want? He’d give her houses and horses and wealth beyond her wildest dreams if she’d only offer him an ounce of affection. Eris had made it just down the hall when he heard Arina call his name.

Her fingers caught his own, dropped when she realized she was touching him. She hesitated, and then surged up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his cheek.

“This was…thank you.”

Eris couldn’t resist cupping her cheek in his hand. “I would do far more, if you asked.”

“This is enough, “she whispered.

But it wasn’t.

And it never would be.

#eris vanserra #eris vanserra and the no good horrible day #maybe there was a better way to obtain a wife??#no no you're right this was the best way to go about it #shes just unreasonable

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secretsofthestorymakers · 9 months

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The Saga of Aren

I absolutely love Arendelle History, so when I read Forest of Shadows and learned about the Saga of Aren, I was so excited. The only thing that disappointed me was that we didn’t get the entire thing. So, being the obsessive overachiever that I am, I wrote my own idea of the rest of it. I worked super hard on this for like a month and a half, and I am so proud of how it turned out! I had never really written any poetry before, but I had more fun with it than I expected, and have even written a little more since (not Frozen related, sorry). I might post an in depth analysis later, but for now I’ll just say that I wrote this to be intentionally vague, and to represent Anna and Elsa’s story as well as Aren’s.

The parts in italics and quotes are from FoS, so were written by Kamila Benko. I wrote the rest. (With a few exceptions that are quotes from something else, noted at the end)

The Saga of Aren

By: Kamila Benko & SecretsOfTheStoryMakers

“A long time ago in a time before time, a great darkness swept over the land”

A dark fright came, the people fought, but could not make their stand

They fled their shores and took to the seas, their homeland all but lost

To Dark and Cold and Past and Fear, the silence and the frost

As ages passed and people still were trapped upon their ships

The storm roared on, there was no end to the sun’s total eclipse

They begged the earth, the wind, the flame, the oceans heard their cries

And from their unknown, watery depths a spirit did arise

The water spirit too, had felt the chill of endless night

It told the people, for a price, it could help bring back the light

The people were so fearful, urgently they did agree

In return they promised someday that the spirits would be free

As the earth’s ancient spirits have foretold, there will come a fearful age

All that live upon the earth will be trapped within dark’s cage

The sky will be shadow, fade away, as the spirits lose their song

The world needs a leader and protector, someone to right this wrong

To scale fear’s greatest precipice, as the mountain’s facade comes crashing

To face the fear with light’s greatest strength, upon past and present’s clashing

It comes on the world’s great eve of change, as the north wind’s song is turning

Beware what you may think you know, for “the past has a way of returning.*”

The mythic Nokk came to the end of the spirits’ prophecy

It bowed its head and flashed its eyes, returning to the sea

The people knew it spoke the truth, the world would be free again

They only needed a bridge, a bond, to let the light back in

They needed someone fearless, with love enough to light the dark

Only one of their number was brave enough to bear the spirits’ mark

“Young as the morning, as fierce as a twig, Aren stepped out onto the land”

He’d made his choice, to protect his people, against the dark he’d stand

And so Aren set off, alone as the sun, armed only with his love

His plan was simple; persuade the moon to make peace with the sun above

Night’s dark creatures of memories corrupted, tried to stop him on his quest

But Aren persevered, held on to love, despite fear’s every test

He scaled the greatest, northern mountain, and when he reached the top,

He called to the moon, showed her their pain, told her this night needed to stop

The moon felt remorseful, her tears fell to earth as she realized what she’d done

She crossed the sky, returning home, to find her sister sun

The moon and sun were reunited, together at long last

The sisters agreed they’d rule together, “the past was in the past**”

Their strengths combined would bring peace to the world, as the spirits had foretold

With a “yellow diamond, bright as an eye”, they made Aren a blade of gold

“Revolving moon and spinning sun forged a crescent blade

From light and dark within the heart, the burnished sword was made.

He raised it high above his head and smote the edge of land”

The curve of his blade struck the earth and carved the kingdom’s span

As he cracked the ancient, unbroken rock, Revolute began to glow

The earth’s core tremored, shaking, shifting, disrupting the water’s flow

“The sea rushed in as hidden power flowed from the gleaming sword

And shaped the rock and forest crown of the first majestic fjord!”

The people rejoiced as they came to the land and deemed it “Arendelle”

At last they’d returned, to summer’s embrace, where they’d forever dwell

“As revolving moon and spinning sun, once forged a crescent blade,***”

Forever may true love endure, “may the flags of Arendelle ever wave”

*This is a quote, but it is not stated to be in the Saga. It is the tagline of Forest of Shadows.

**This is a quote from Frozen (Let it Go to be specific), but it is not stated to be in the Saga.

***I slightly adjusted this line from what is said in the book. The direct quote is: “Revolving moon and spinning sun, forged a crescent blade.” Normally, I wouldn’t adjust the line that was directly stated, but this was only said once, by Anna, who also said “something something something something” for the first part of the next line. I’m just assuming that maybe she made a mistake with the first part she said too, since the line that she actually said is definitely in the Saga elsewhere.

#frozen #frozen 2 #arendelle history

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auroramoondrop · 1 year

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Blue Moon

Crisp steps of winter, howling of the wind, frostbitten skin. A certain enforcer raced to her targets, the same cycle, her stance balanced, she aims, she shoots, and she runs to the next.

She wasn't just any enforcer, she was the sheriff, Sheriff Grayson. She worked her way to the top, and with many years of dedication and patience, she worked for things she wanted and she had gotten it. Grayson wasn't at the top for nothing.

Her mornings off always started like this, waking up early and train then eating breakfast with her wife and dog. Spending the rest of the day doing what ever they wanted.

Her last target was a cage, inside there was bait for a small animal to come. The sheriff waited until a small creature came out, a curious weasel popped its head up from underneath the snowy rocks.

Its tiny feet patted the snow, leaving a tiny trail. Finally, it circled the cage, eyes wandering around for predators. Grayson held still, finger ready to push the button in her hand, she had the utmost patience.

Then within a flash, the weasel hops into the cage for the food, and the sheriff pushes the button, trapping the small animal.

The look of panic and small animalistic noises are present in Grayson's ear. She picks up the cage slowly before making a walk to her lovely abode.

Once her home became visible in her field of vision, she could see her wife inside scrambling to the teapot before it boils over. The enforcer chuckled, she always forgets.

She went up the porch stairs, Grayson winced when she felt her knees slightly grind. It was just another reminder she was getting old. She opened the back door open and was met with warm firewood and earl gray tea.

Grayson set down the cage and walked to the other side of the table, she wrapped her strong arms around her wife while she laughed.

"Morning dearest, it seems you have got me another patient, no?" Grayson smirked and brought the cage to her.

"And look what we caught again. The same cute weasel." Her wife sighs as she puts her hand in the cage for the small creature to climb in. She watches her lover inspect the animal as she looks for any wounds.

"Found the problem! He has a small cut on his leg, I'll have to patch it up." Grayson's wife pulls out some medical supplies, Grayson was always so fascinated and her heart turned to mush that she took care of animals for a living.

They were the perfect duo, Grayson never kills the animals she hunts, she let's them be taken care of by her wife and sets them free.

As the sheriff was lost in thought, her wife already took care of the injury and was currently being fed, she walked up to Grayson, cupping her strong jaw. She snaps out of her daze and smiles at the lady that is a couple of inches shorter than her.

She wraps her strong arms around her waist and brings her ever so closer. The pair's breath shortened and became heavy, they took their time examining all of the beauty before them.

Loving someone was an understatement, however, to be in love with someone, was the depth of it all. The Sheriff pulled the vet into a warm kiss, her wife sighed into her, she could never get old for this.

Her wife's hands wandered up, finding place on the woman's jaw. Small circles were carved into caramel skin, the skin underneath warming.

Faint whines were given attention when the love doves parted. The precious creature gazed up at them with begging eyes.

"Oh,...alright. Seems like someone is eager to be back out." The vet picked up the small weasel in her arms to cradle, Grayson stood with her eyes still closed. The feeling of warm lips and tea reminded her of the relief she feels when she makes it home every shift.

Opening her emerald eyes, she finds another pair across from her, that belonged to her dearly beloved. Her wife's face crinkled softly, showing visible dimples.

"Gray...you're making me feel old again. We talked about this, we aren't college sweethearts anymore." The sheriff's face cringed slightly and a mocking smile appeared.

"Oh, but can a gal dream! If I might say, you aren't the 'imaginative romantic' I remember." The vet groaned playfully at her partner's antics.

"Perhaps you're getting too old to remember, honey biscuit." She belly-laughed while Grayson started to dramatically gasp offended.

The officer still opened the door to the outdoors when her lover had her arms in a bunch, the air nips at them. Grayson stood at the door, watching her wife bend down to set the little animal free. She rises from her crouched position wincing from the slight crack her knees gave.

Realizing how cold it is, she rushes inside. The sheriff laughs and closes the door, her ears picking up on a soft melody coming from the living space. When she went closer she saw the record playing, the gentle tapping of the spindle, and the slight scratching sound.

'Ahh...Blue Moon...by Billie Holiday. Our favorite.'

"Darling?" Her raspy voice calls out in a plea. Rustling is heard in the kitchen before her gal looks into the living space, Grayson's hand is out, her face crinkled from her warm smile.

Blue moon

You saw me standing alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love of my own

She returns it with a sincere smile and walks gracefully towards her, now hand and hand, they pull closer to each other. Chests brush softly, they step in rhythm, the atmosphere melting into soft euphoria.

Blue moon

You knew just what I was there for

You heard me saying a prayer for

Someone I really could care for

The sheriff's warm gloved hand holds the dip in her lover's back, her wife held onto her neck as their foreheads meet.

And then they suddenly appeared before me

The only one my arms will ever hold

I heard somebody whisper

"Please adore me"

And when I looked

The moon had turned to gold

"Gray..." The enforcer's eyes still closed, hums in response. Delicate fingers rub tendons in her neck, when a minute goes by in just silence, Grayson felt obligated to open her eyes.

Blue moon

Now I'm no longer alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love of my own

"Promise to stay like this for as long as Runettera lives?" Her wife's gaze was pleading, her hand lifted from her back and rested on her cheek.

Blue moon

You saw me standing alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love of my own

"Darl, and if Runeterra was in shambles, I would be with you until the day after forever." The sheriff's voice was deep and gravelly, smooth richness.

Blue moon

You knew just what I was there for

You heard me saying a prayer for

Someone I really could care for

The couple danced in their living room, cozy warmth for the sheer cold. Fire crackles in sparks and the flames dance in sync with the old weds, the soft steps they took on their soft carpet.

And then they suddenly appeared before me

The only one my arms will ever hold

I heard somebody whisper

"Please adore me"

And I looked

The moon had turned to gold

Promises we're constantly told and kept and fulfilled. Delicate kisses and hot breaths were spread onto each other, harmony in the air.

Blue moon

Now I'm no longer alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love of my own

An old sheriff with her old doctor, two gals in love. Quite honestly, this is their happiest moments, shared in the home they built, and may these memories be cherished. For they have many more to make in their coming years.

Blue moon~

#arcane #grayson x reader arcane #enforcer grayson #sheriff #sheriff grayson #grayson x reader #grayson x you #vet stuff #Spotify

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rayveewrites · 3 years

Text

Ray Hijacks the Team ZIT Ghostbuster AU Again

So @shadeswift99 made a few posts a while ago about a Team ZIT(S) ghostbuster AU, And then I may or may not have hijacked the post to add in ideas for most of the other hermits because why not.

Now, back then I was spitballing ideas and making them up on the spot, which is admittedly my usual writing process, but hey.

That said, I've had more time to think about it, and then last night I blacked out for a few hours and came to with a Google Doc filled with short bios for all of the hermits and a handful of hermit-adjacents. Now, this rapidly turned into an urban fantasy AU in my hands, but hey. It's fun.

This is in alphabetical order, with alternate personas (EX, Helsknight, Beetlejhost) beneath their original counterparts when applicable:

Bdubs

Lives in an old mansion in the woods alongside Doc for reasons known only to them. Bdubs works as an interior designer, with a side gig as a freelance hairdresser. His eyes are unnaturally large, similar to Keralis’, and he is at least partially a plant. Completely feral and frequently gets in trouble for having knives on him at all times. He and Cleo have a thing called Knife Club which makes everyone else nervous. Nobody messes with Knife Club. It’s not worth it. Sunbathes frequently.

Beef

Is a perfectly normal human being. He works as a butcher with a side gig as a graphic designer specializing in album covers and spends his free time playing pokemon and dragging Etho along to social events. He was the first person to spot the cryptid, and the first person who Etho approached of his own accord.

Biffa

Is a ghost possessing a robotic shell. Biffa is from the future. While initially his main goal was to get back home to his own time, Biffa has since made friends and settled down into a new life running a cafe specializing in a wide range of teas. He’s quite content with this, and has actually found himself far happier than he was in his own time. While his nature means he can see, hear and touch ghosts, his body was built specifically for a disembodied soul to be in the driver’s seat, and he doesn’t want to risk another taking control. Also, he has more important things to do than have fistfights with ghosts.

Cleo

Is a ghost possessing her own dead corpse. Her nature allows her to see, hear and touch ghosts. Can and will fistfight spirits. She works as a teacher, so she’s usually busy, but occasionally in really nasty situations the Beetlejhost will drag her in to break a ghost’s legs. Does sculpture in her free time, and is actually really good. The only one who can wrangle Beetle to any real capacity, and she’s learned to keep him on a fairly short leash. Housemates with Joe, and Keralis also pops in pretty frequently. Has Knife Club with Bdubs. Has an enchanted flower crown that prevents her from decaying further; a gift from Beetle. Recently started learning magic in the form of necromancy and illusions. Has an ongoing ‘feud’ with Zloy, in which she temporarily traps his soul in random inanimate objects every now and then.

Cub

A bit of a ‘mad scientist’ archetype, Cub’s experiments are not exactly the most ethical, though they’re at least more professional than Doc’s. Responsible for the creation of Jevin. Cub gets possessed stupidly easily- sometimes willingly- and can usually handle it himself but sometimes has to call for help. Has a magical method of communication with Scar for exactly this reason. Has a day job as co-owner of a business called ConCorp, which he started with Scar. Has probably broken the Geneva Convention.

Doc

Was presumably human at one point. Now an abomination. Repeated experiments on himself have resulted in a massively changed facial and foot structure, a body covered in mottled green scales, claws, and goat horns. He lost half his face in one of his experiments, and constructed a new cybernetic one. He lost his right arm fighting God. Killed said god and would do it again. Lives in a mansion in the woods with Bdubs, though nobody’s really sure why. Owns a casino because of course he does. Also a living crime against fashion, because the man refuses to wear anything other than his tattered lab coat, torn jeans, and crocs.

Ely

Runs the local radio station. Nobody’s ever seen him in person, and nobody knows where he gets people’s voice clips for his remixes. Probably a cryptid. Maybe a ghost. Seems pretty chill, despite the blatant invasions of privacy.

Etho

Is a cryptid. Lives out in the woods in an abomination that can barely be called a house. Has never been seen in anything other than full Kakashi cosplay. Tends to keep to himself, but occasionally lets Beef drag him along to social events, often with Doc and Bdubs. Nobody really knows what his deal is. Probably not human. Probably.

False

Used to be part of an illegal underground cage fighting ring, until she earned enough to buy her way out. Having grown up in said ring, she struggles to adjust to normal life, but living in a town where the barista is a robot and the local tailor has wings makes it easier. She now has a job as security at Doc’s casino, alongside Iskall.

Grian

Is either an angel or a demigod, but nobody knows which. Has wings. Is both a tailor and an architect. A complete gremlin who has elaborate masks of various birds and will wear them to commit crimes. Eats seeds. Messes with everyone else’s plants. Lives in Jungle Wood Flats. Volunteers at the local theatre.

Hypno

Has three eyes, but hides the third one under a bandanna at all times. Can see ghosts with it. Had problems with sections of plumbing randomly getting clogged and also making very weird noises, and eventually called Team ZIT when the plumbers couldn’t find the source. Was prepared for ghosts, but wound up with a slime creature instead. Works in a $2 store for some reason.

Impulse

Is fully human. The most sensible member of Team ZIT (which admittedly isn’t saying much), Impulse has a day job as a freelancer building custom PCs and fixing broken tech. Agreed to the whole ghostbusting deal because he was bored, mostly. Was the first one to meet Skizz face-to-face, and is the one to own that particular place outright. Gets possessed every now and then, usually by larger spirits. Used to run solely on caffeine and chronic anxiety until Zedaph started getting on his case about his sleep schedule. Now he runs on less caffeine, more sleep, and the same amount of chronic anxiety.

Iskall

Was part of a cloning experiment to create the ultimate hitman, and was the only known one to both survive and escape before the whole thing was shut down by the authorities. Their eye and arm were replaced with cybernetics in order to increase their already enhanced abilities, and they were chased by said authorities, eventually winding up on Mumbo’s doorstep and becoming Mumbo’s problem. Now works as security at Doc’s casino, alongside False. Lives at Jungle Wood flats. Occasionally volunteers at the local theatre. Does bonsai as a hobby.

Jevin

Is the slime creature in the pipes. Hypno lets him live with him under the condition he stops blocking the plumbing and making weird noises at 3 AM (Jevin still blocks the plumbing and makes weird noises at 3 AM, just not as much as he was). Has taught himself to take a humanoid shape, and likes having fingers. Sleeps in the bathtub because he can. Was created from a vat of chemicals in a secret lab underneath the house, which used to be owned by Cub. Doesn’t really talk to the man in question that much, but will occasionally refer to Cub as his father for the sole reason of watching him go through eight existential crises in three minutes. Has a glock.

Joe

Head librarian at the local public library, and has read a lot of books on Supernatural Things. Is a veritable fountain of exposition if you can figure out what he’s saying or have Cleo along with you to threaten the integrity of his shins. Has never been seen in the same place as the Beetlejhost. Are they the same person? Are they entirely separate beings? Is there a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde-type situation going on? Who knows!

Beetlejhost

Literally nobody really knows what his deal is. Nobody. Team ZIT ran into him on a call that they expected to be a false alarm and then he decided to follow them home. Spends most of his time being a minor nuisance in the most bizarre ways possible. Is implied to be responsible for the Ever Given getting lodged in the Suez Canal, but never confirmed. When he’s not bothering Team ZIT or getting them out of tight spots, he’s usually pestering Cleo, the only one who can keep him in line. It’s not really known if he and Cleo have a history or if they’re just Like That.

Keralis

Is a ghost haunting an architecture firm, and is mostly bound to the building, though he can travel to other buildings the firm has built, which is, uh, most of them. Initially only able to do small things- mostly writing notes or drawing diagrams- he eventually meets the Beetlejhost when the latter follows Mumbo to work one day for shits and giggles (he wanted to see how long he could mess with Mumbo before the man noticed. As it turned out, about a week, and by the end it was Iskall who noticed). After a couple of days in which Beetle teaches Keralis Ghost Things™, he scares half the office when he finally manifests for the first time. Has unnaturally large eyes and nicknames for most of the workers. Has no idea how he died or what his unfinished business might be. Very knowledgeable about architecture, and his input is usually very much appreciated.

Mumbo

Is a perfectly normal human being who does IT at Keralis’ architecture firm. Lives at Jungle Wood flats and spends most of his free time tinkering with tech and trying to keep Grian and Iskall out of trouble, which is a losing battle. Has a large, beating golden heart in his flat. He’s not really sure what its deal is, but if he feeds it apples it produces enough power for the entire building. Oh, and if he forgets to feed it for an extended period of time it starts draining his bank account. It’s really weird.

Pixlriffs

Was a perfectly normal human being until he died protecting a certain Russian zombie and became a perfectly normal ghost. Was a reporter in life and is a reporter in death. Runs a blog alongside Zloy about the local goings-on, supernatural or not. The blog’s the type where unless you live in/near the town you most likely won’t stumble across it, but they do have a small following of outsiders who assume the blog’s just a work of fiction. His unfinished business is to prevent Zloy from doing anything particularly stupid, a constant battle. Is able to go more places than Zloy due to being incorporeal, but respects people’s privacy. He’s bound to Zloy to a certain degree, not being able to go beyond a certain range of his friend. The range is pretty big, though, and he has plenty freedom of movement.

Python

Had a run-in with the fae as a kid, in which he accidentally pissed one off. In retribution, the faerie challenged him to answer a riddle or he’d be turned into a snake. Python’s answer was partially correct, so the faerie only transformed him partially. Python is fairly chill, though he strongly dislikes the cold and starts hissing if anyone disturbs him during Sun Time™. Sometimes Bdubs, being partially flora, joins Python for Sun Time™. He’s not venomous, because, you know...python. Also, he has a mildly disturbing habit of strangling rats and mice and then eating them whole, but he can’t help it and just tries not to do so when he has company.

Ren

Is a werewolf. He’s pretty chill regardless of form, though it’s only been recently he’s been comfortable enough leaving his ears and tail visible. He works as a lumberjack. One time Pixl introduced him to Monty Python’s Lumberjack Song and it quickly became his favourite thing. He spends most of his free time volunteering at the local theatre because Ren is absolutely a theatre kid and nobody can convince me otherwise. Gets possessed every now and then. Lives in Jungle Wood flats.

Scar

Works as a landscape developer. Gets possessed absurdly easily, though not quite as frequently as Cub. Has a magical method of communication with him. Technically co-owns ConCorp, but isn’t as involved. His cat, Jellie, is very obviously an eldritch abomination in feline form and he is comedically unaware of this. Lives in Jungle Wood Flats with Grian, Iskall, Mumbo, Stress, and Ren.

Skizz

Is the ghost haunting Team ZIT’s office. He was murdered by someone he’d thought was a friend who was trying to use his place to hide from the cops, and he’s stuck around, haunting the building. His unfinished business is to make sure nobody else uses the building for anyone shady, but the ghost rumours tended to chase most people off. Eventually he gets used to having Team ZIT around, and when Tango admits he doesn’t really have anywhere to go one day, Skizz eventually makes the decision to finally unlock the still-furnished upper floor for him. He’s bound to the building, but Impulse learns that carrying Skizz’s old vest with them allows him to leave. After that, Skizz sometimes accompanies them on missions and occasionally just hanging out. He’s usually more helpful than the Beetlejhost is.

Stress

Is a witch. Stress lives in Jungle Wood Flats and works as a doctor who specializes in supernaturally caused injuries- Team ZIT are some of her best customers. She also sells magic potions of various kinds, and has a side gig as a florist. She’s 90% of the Jungle inhabitants’ impulse control. Also has cryokinesis.

Tango

The Team ZIT member with a car. He gets possessed with frankly ridiculous frequency, but claims not to believe in ghosts for a long time (and keeps up the bit for even longer). Has developed various signals to indicate when he’s being possessed again. The strongest one, a rather nasty demon Cleo and the Beetlejhost had to team up on, left him with his glowing red eyes. He didn’t really have anywhere to go before Impulse bought the office, and tended to sleep on the couch or in his car until Skizz decided to let him into the upper floor, where he now lives alongside Zedaph and Impulse.

TFC

A now-retired ghostbuster, TFC calls in Team ZIT one night when he finds himself in over his head against a ghost with a grudge. He winds up becoming a bit of a mentor figure to the trio, usually coaching them over the phone if they’re not sure how to deal with one of the stranger spirits. Lost his leg years ago in a fight with a poltergeist that could have gone better, and now has a robotic prosthetic made by Doc.

Wels

While Team ZIT was out investigating some rumour or another in the woods, they came across a large stone box. Following video game logic, I guess, they then decided opening this large stone box sounded like a fun idea. Well, Tango and Zedaph did. Impulse was a bit more hesitant. The box actually held a medieval knight who’d been put in an enchanted sleep for centuries by his demonic doppelgänger, and was very much not prepared for modern life. Team ZIT took him to Xisuma, who happened to live closest, and Wels is currently helping out on the farm and trying to adjust to life in the 21st century. He can understand and speak modern English just fine because magic. Volunteers at the local theatre quite a lot.

Hels

Is Wels’ doppelgänger. Technically a minor demon. Won a fight with Wels and sealed him away for centuries as a result. A recurring problem. His real motivation is that he really desperately doesn’t want to go back to Hell, but he’s too proud to admit it. Lives in the woods with EX, who’s basically his only friend, though the weirdo with the brown cardigan keeps pestering him about his backstory and feelings for some reason. Has minor pyrokinesis.

Like Biffa, XB is also a ghost from the future, though it seems to be a different timeline than Biffa’s. His unfinished business is preventing the apocalypse, but he has no idea how to do that, no idea if he’s in the right timeline, and is pretty sure he’s gone back a lot farther than he probably should’ve. Also, there’s the whole paradox issue, where if he prevents the apocalypse he never has a reason to go back and prevent the apocalypse, so he doesn’t prevent the apocalypse, so he has to go back and- he tries not to think about it too much. He mostly just hangs out in an abandoned house on the edge of town and vibes.

Xisuma

Is a beekeeper. Nobody’s ever seen his face; when he’s not in his beekeeping outfit, he’s either wearing a helmet, or (more recently) an extremely lifelike and detailed animal mask (is it a mask?). Actually a shapeshifting alien, he crashed down to Earth after a scuffle with his evil clone and was stranded because Earth doesn’t have the right tools or resources to repair a spaceship. These days he’s actually found he’s happier tending to his bees, selling honey, and helping his friends out, and probably wouldn’t leave Earth even if he could. It’s a simpler life, but a pleasant one. He bonds with Biffa over a shared love of tea and being stranded in a technologically inferior world and finding a home.

Evil Xisuma

Is Xisuma’s clone. Feels that if everyone’s going to call him ‘Evil’ he may as well own it. Shot his original’s spaceship down in a scuffle but wound up being brought down with him. Currently hides in the woods. Generally more of a minor nuisance than an actual danger. Used to spend his free time bothering X but has gotten put off by Wels, who has a problem when it comes to evil clones. His friends consist of Hels, who is a terrible role model, and Zedaph, who’s trying to help him work through his problems behind everyone’s backs. Can summon lightning because he deserves it.

Zedaph

Is the reason Team ZIT is ghostbusting in the first place. He’s a sheep shearer by trade, but that’s a fairly seasonal thing and ghostbusting is more fun anyway. Has somehow never been possessed, and claims it’s because he’s always standing next to Tango. He makes sure the other two gets enough sleep Because we all know they can’t be trusted to do it. Probably has some sort of really bizarre and situational magical powers he is thoroughly unaware of. Qualified to be a licensed therapist. Made friends with Evil X at one point, somehow.

Zloy

Like Cleo, he’s a ghost possessing a corpse. Unlike Cleo, there’s a good chance it’s not his corpse. Eh, it’s not like anyone else was using it. Runs a blog with Pixl, because why not. Was already a zombie when he met Pixl, who was still alive at the time. His body is a bit more decayed than Cleo’s, but it’s fine. His goggles are enchanted with the same preservation spell; it’s not really ever explained where he got them from. Has no regard for privacy but is fortunately unable to turn invisible or phase through walls due to inhabiting a physical body. Both can theoretically physically fight ghosts and has enough time to physically fight ghosts, meaning he would be a valuable ally if he could be bothered. Lives in a graveyard. Has an ongoing ‘feud’ with Cleo, in which he puts jabs at her on the blog. Once spent a week as a (very sarcastic) floating potato.

Hermiton

Is the name of the place they all live in/near. Located in an ambiguous location in an ambiguous country, Hermiton is technically large enough to be considered a city but has Town VibesTM. Supernatural going-ons are a fairly normal part of life, and a good number of inhabitants aren’t humans. Despite this, the wider world seems mostly ignorant of the existence of ghosts, magic, etc. I’m not too sure about geography, but it’s surrounded by forest in most directions and in a warm enough climate to not have snow in the winter (so Python doesn’t, you know, freeze to death). Most people don’t tend to bat an eyelid at strange-looking people walking down the street or serving them at the store; they’re used to it by now. There are several theories as to why Hermiton specifically has so much going on when it comes to the supernatural- ley lines, secretly the resting place of some long-forgotten god, et cetera- but it’s actually more of a case of ‘people who have supernatural traits hear rumours of a place where a lot of people have supernatural traits and go there in search of answers/a place to belong’. This doesn’t exactly explain where all the ghosts came from, but hey. Nothing’s perfect.

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visionsdiary · 3 years

Text

It is tragic. The story. It did not have the outcome one would hope, there is no happily ever after just a story, a moment for a while where they existed, where their worlds collided and then burned in passion, in truth, and eventually ash then nothing.

She was to be crowned Queen though every bit of her screamed to run away. To beg on her knees to her mother to give her more time. More time, more experience. She wasn't ready, she couldn't be.

She doesn't have much of a choice, it's to happen in only 3 days, where she will be forced a responsibility she wants nothing to do with. She was indeed every bit of a coward for running, for hopping on her horse and racing through the tall trees of her homeland.

Where seasons are experienced its fullest. Where the mist is thick and the magic thrums through every tree, every rock, and river. She welcomed it the thrumming like drums of the music they'll play at festivals. She let her tears fall freely and her scream ring like thunder spoking all birds nearby.

How is she to run a kingdom? Her kingdom? She has yet to face battle. Yet to make treaties, yet to lead anything in her life, but she is expected to lead a kingdom when she can barely lead a rabbit to a trap.

Or barely see the one she led herself into. It wasn't meant for her in her defense. It was meant for something else, something she only heard about in stories from the sailors, stories from warriors who've traveled farther than the forest she has stuck to most of her life.

A dragon. They had gone extinct or so she was told. She has never seen one up close before. It was in a trap right next to hers tied up in a net that made the creature roar in fear. It was not as big as she thought one would be. It was bigger than her but not by much. Its scales were a pattern of circles, ombre of white and orange with thorns running down its back.

"What do we have here?"

A man caked in leather saunters toward her and the struggling dragon. His face was covered in rags only allowing her to see his eyes, dark and daring. How is she going to explain this one to her parents?

"It seems we've captured a slave," His hand reached through the hold gripping her chin and turning her side to side, "A beauty you are. I'm sure you'll catch a fine price."

Ripping from his hold she reared back and spat in his face.

"Ye might want to re-think this one. My father will tear you to piece."

"Is that right? And who are you?"

"Princess Merida of DunBroch,"

He reared back and laughed. "Looks like we are in the presence of Royalty fellas," Laughter surrounds her on all sides. There were more than she first believed, or maybe the laughter just echoed off the trees. This thought was soon disregarded as men stepped from the treeline one by one. Yep defiantly more.

"I-I'm serious. You wouldn't want a kingdom on you do you?"

"They'll have to find us first." She trembled.

That was only a few months ago and now she sat in this cage, skinny, starved but her fire simmered under the surface. She will escape. She must. The dragon that was trapped with her grumbled, catching the piece of fish Merida snuck from the guards.

She pets her scaly friend, who purred in response. "Don't worry Sylva. We'll get out of here I swear it."

Their cages were right next to each other. An only arm's length away from each other, Sylva was the only friend she had here. An ally she was happy to have. It was night and they still sailed toward the sanctuary as it was called. In other cages many other dragons stayed locked up, barely fed.

Though she felt bad for them it wasn't the time to think of anyone else. She gets her and her friend out first and maybe if she could gather the firepower she'll return and free the rest. The guards light the last of the lanterns, taking their stations around the ship.

"In an hour or so they'll nod off to sleep."

She was only allowed out as entertainment. Her singing is what saved her so far and she served the ones who took her before she was locked up once more but her plan was sent the moment they gave her access to their water and wine.

"I put your venom in their drinks, just enough to put them to sleep, and then we'll be home free." She was hopeful and when the hour had passed she took her sharp piece of metal that broke off from her cage. She had sharpened in the past few months and hoped this would work.

She picked at the lock, jiggling it side to side, up and down until she heard a click and the cage door squeaked open. She celebrated dancing and jumping with silent whispers of triumph. She then went to unlock her dragon's cage when she heard a noise.

She paused, pressing herself against the other side of the cage, and watched as a man wielding a flaming sword crept by the cages of the dragons. He was covered in what she assumed was armor, a fabric she's never seen before. His hand rose and made signals to no one she could see.

She watched in wonder as they let out the dragons and they flew off. She backed away as the man got closer to her dragon's cage hitting a stray bowl. It rolled, tumbled down some stairs alerting the man. He sneaked past the cage and she looked around for any weapon.

Her eyes landed on one of the spears they used on the dragons and picked it up. It was heavier than she thought but it didn't matter she needs to fight.

"D-Don't ye come any closer."

He paused for a moment, his sword still drawn and still on fire. She wondered what she must look like. Dirty, torn, and starved. Disgusting. It made her confidence waiver, her mother would have thrown a fit if she was here, appearance is part of ruling she'd say.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

"I heard that before" She shuddered at the memory. Truly men were vile pigs taking what they wanted without a care in the world.

"Chief!" Someone whispered.

He held out a hand stopping his companions in their tracks.

Though she'd never admitted it she trembled, once again outnumbered, and wondered if this group could be any less dangerous than the one she'd been sailing with. He stabbed the sword into the ground, the fire remains just on the sword.

'Does he have magic?' She wandered. If he did then it made sense why he stop the others. He doesn't need them to kill her.

She swung the spear in a warning. "I swear if ye come any closer, I'll cut ya."

He puts his hands up in surrender for a moment she thought he mocked her but he raised them higher to his helmet. He took it off and she was met with green eyes.

He was tall, slender. His auburn hair swayed and she could see the braids in the back. She looked down at his leg and saw that he was missing one, or half of one. It reminded her of her father. Her father. Tears weld up in her eyes. She's going home even if it means getting past this stranger.

Resolve hardened she didn't let the tears spill though she was sure he could see them.

"Hey," His voice was soft as if he was trying to tame a wild animal. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

"You can't promise me that nor will I believe it." She looks around for an escape. She could swim, take their boat since they must have come from somewhere. Then they will have to deal with this pack of beasts instead of her. Or- Sylva.

She looked to the sky wondering if her friend left, she was no longer in her cage. His friends made sure of that but she's still unable to spot them in the sky.

"Hiccup, we have to hurry." One perked up. Merida looked to her right where one of them was sleeping only feet away, he began to stir and grumble. His friend was right.

"We can't just leave her here." He whispered back.

He turned back to Merida. "Come with us. I promise we'll take you home." He held his hand out. An offering, an extension. More men started to stir, waking up and realizing they'd been robbed.

"Hey!" One shouted. They were found out.

Them or him. She looked back up to the sky and whistled. Nothing. Her chest squeezed at the betrayal but she understood all the same. She looked back to the green eye man and sighed.

"Don't touch me." She warned before hitting the guard that ran after her. He flew overboard screaming as he fell into the water.

The man grabbed his sword putting back on his mask.

With them, she fled and it was that decision that started the sewing of their story.

Their tragedy.

#mericcup #love #tragic #family #books #ships #dragons #hiccup #big four #astrid #fanfic #original #life #httyd #brave #disney #IdonotOwnsomecharacters #jelsa4life #merida dunbroch

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mirkwoodshewolf · 4 years

Text

My little Panther; T’Challa x POC!child reader

*Author’s note*

The world is devastated right now. I had read the news last night and I’ve done my mourning, now it’s time for the tribute. I’ve had this on my Wattpad for a good couple of years but never transferred it to here. But hearing the loss of Chadwick, I knew I had to finally post this fic onto my tumblr so that you all can have a read of it.

We all miss you Chadwick and you were taken away from us FAR. TOO. EARLY. But you didn’t let your cancer define you, you kept working and helped bring such an iconic character to life, as well as sharing the stories of SO. MANY. REAL. LIFE. PEOPLE (Marshall and Jackie Robinson) to screens worldwide. You will be deeply missed and will always be an inspiration to everyone. You and Stan ‘the man’ Lee are once again together in Heaven awaiting for the rest of the Avengers to Assemble.

Long. Live. King. Chadwick. Boseman.

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@ixchel-9275

@queensdivas

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@platawnic

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I was hiding within the den eating the food that my mother had collected. All I remember from my old home was fire and death, I remember running to find my parents but then I had gotten lost in the jungle. It was then I came upon a cave, well a den really of a black panther and her cubs. Ever since then I have lived with my mother and three brothers.

I ate the antelope just like my brothers, wrestled like them and slept like them curled up next to my mother's fur. Even though I was different than them and didn't look like them, my mother treated me like I was one of her own and treated me no less. I was currently being bathed by my mother when we heard something outside.

She went on the defense position and gathered me and my brothers up and pushed us closer to the den as she went outside and stalked to whatever it was that was close to our den. I know I shouldn't have but I got curious so I stepped out of the den and peeked over the log to see my mother roaring and swiping her massive paws at another black panther, but this one was different.

This Black Panther mainly stood on two legs, and its fur didn't look like fur and its eyes were not the pure golden cat eyes like my mother's. Mama roared and swiped her paw again at this intruding Black Panther and the other Black Panther backed away and submitted to my mother before turning and walking away but then I saw it look right at me.

I ducked behind the log and raced back into the den just as mother came back inside. She then nudged me towards her back, I got on and soon she led me and my brothers out of the den and we all searched for a new one. Knowing that we had been found, we couldn't stay in the same place for long. Mama always wants us to move if ever any predator found our den in order to ensure our survival.

*T'Challa's POV*

After arriving back to the palace, I couldn't help but think about that child I had seen in the jungle. It was a simple border patrol but what I wasn't aware was that I had stumbled upon a mother panther's den. I had activated my suit just in case but I didn't engage against the mother for I knew she was probably protecting her cubs. That's when I saw the child hiding within the bushes.

After that I had backed away from the mother panther slowly to show her that I wasn't a threat to her or her cubs. Once I was far enough from the den, I decided that it would be best to head back to the palace since there was no sign of trouble, but still my mind kept going back to that child. Who was she? How long has she been in the jungle? Did she have a family?

"Ther. Brother!" My sister's voice snapped me out of my state of mind and she sassed at me, "Did you listen to a word I said?"

"So sorry Shuri, I just—I was thinking about that child".

"A child?"

"Yes, while I was patrolling the jungle to check and make sure our borders were still safe from any weapons traders, I came across this child in the jungle".

"Was she Wakandan?"

"Possible, she definitely wasn't an outsider I know that much".

"I'll see if I can any records on any villages that have been attacked".

"Thank you Shuri". It was then my kimoyo beads activated.

"Ohh your girlfriend calling you?"

"Stop it!" I then allowed the image to come up and up came Okoye.

"My King" she stated.

"What is it Okoye?"

"Trouble by the river province, poachers are approaching the reserve".

"I am on my way". Okoye's image then disappeared. Before I walked out, Shuri stopped me. She then handed me the updated AMP beads.

"Take these with you, they are a much better improvement than the last ones".

"Thank you Shuri". She nodded then I took off running out of the lab.

*My POV*

After finding our new home, I was outside our new den playing with my brothers when I took notice of something shiny just ahead of me. While my two brothers were busy playing with each other and my mother was bathing my other one, I walked away and followed the shiny bright light.

I tried to catch it in my hands but for some reason it didn't want to be caught. I was so caught up in trying to catch the light that I didn't realize that someone was hiding behind the tall grass. As I caught the light one last time, I heard a shot and I was soon caught in a trap.

I cried and snarled out before three men picked me up and one of them spoke.

"She may not be an animal but she'll still sell for a big price".

"Put her in the trunk with the others" another spoke. I thrashed around and let out a cry for help to my Mama. The men put me in this large metal machine and soon took off. I kept crying and crying until I saw my Mama running just behind roaring up at me. She ran faster and faster until she lept in the car.

I tried to reach out for her but the metal trap they put me in kept me from reaching my mama. She managed to get herself in and she walked towards me and used her teeth to free me, but it was then one of the men held a gun in their hands and a loud bang was heard again. Next thing I saw was my mama rolling outside on the ground.

I cried out for her when suddenly the large machine stopped and I along with a few other animals were tossed around.

*3rd Person POV*

The poachers came out of the truck after their car broke down and crashed into a tree. They all complained to each other pointing the blame on the other when the leader silenced them and ordered them to get into defense position.

The men spread out with their guns drawn and as one of them held out his gun he heard a twig snap and turned to see nothing. That was until he looked up and saw a man in a cat suit.

Next thing the poachers, one of their men was tossed at the truck leaving a huge dent in the door. The Black Panther soon showed up and attacked another one of the poachers. T'Challa now stood before the remaining two and as the leader and his second in command were firing at T'Challa. He merely just walked towards them before striking the second in command.

The leader took out his knife and tried to stab T'Challa but he managed to dodge every swing until he grabbed the poacher's hand that was holding the knife and twisted it until he let go and heard it snap. The leader screamed in agony and T'Challa told him venomously.

"Poaching is illegal in these lands, you will be brought before the council and faced with the consequences". T'Challa then knocked the leader unconscious and walked towards the back to see the animals that were inside but was surprised to see another thing in the truck, or rather someone.

It was the child he had seen earlier today.

*My POV*

As I tried to get out of my cage, I saw the same Black Panther that my Mama faced earlier today come around into view. I froze in my spot just staring at him. It was then his panther face disappeared and it showed that he was actually a man.

He had deep dirty brown eyes and fur along his lips and chin and on top of his head. He almost reminded me of a growing lion. As he got closer to me, I snarled and hissed at him trying to be brave like my Mama.

"Easy, easy. I'm not going to hurt you". He held out his hands to me as he slowly came closer and closer to my cage. He then unlocked them and opened it up and proceeded to back away. "It's okay now, come on out now". I sniffed curiously and slowly crawled out of the cage. "That's it, it's okay. I won't hurt you". As I got out of the cage more, I looked between him and my way of escape.

Then like a shot I took off running as fast as I could with the Panther man behind me crying out for me. I raced down the trail until I came to my Mama. She was still down and there was red stuff around her head and fur. I walked up to her and nuzzled her fur and roared out to her. I shook her with my hands and bit into her ear but she still wouldn't wake up.

I roared at her as I felt wetness come down from my eyes then I curled up underneath my mama's paw and nuzzled her head as the wetness continued to come down my face. The Panther man soon came up close to me and I looked up at him and he looked at me with sad eyes.

"I am sorry". He then proceeded to come closer to me and my Mama but I stood over her growling and roaring at him. I let out a hiss but he raised his hands and said to me, "I won't hurt her, I promise". I glared at him. It was because of his kind that my Mama was dead.

Mama always warned us that ape-like creatures called Humans were always to blame for territory loss, stealing our food and killing us to extinction. Now because of his kind, my Mama is gone. But yet looking at his eyes, I felt like I could trust him. I ceased my snarling and just held onto my mama's body.

*T'Challa's POV*

As I looked down at this mother black panther, my heart sunk. She was only trying to save her cub, even though this was a human child, this mother panther looked at her like she was one of her own cubs. For her memory I decided to call this Pantheress "Kamunyak" meaning "Blessed One". I knew it would be dark soon and I had to get this child back to the palace to get her some warmth before the cold settled in.

Wakanda maybe the hottest places in Africa, but its nights are unpredictable. Some nights it would be cool enough to sleep outside, but sometimes they would be so unbearable cold. I gently touched her shoulders and could feel her fighting against me as I picked her up.

"Shhh, shh. Calm down, calm down" I told her in Wakandan. I had to get her calm because I didn't want her to hurt herself. She was raised to believe that she is a panther and I don't want her to bite into my suit and allow the Vibranium to hurt her. I placed her close to my chest and rubbed her back calming her in Wakandan. When it seemed to work, I kept her close and headed back to the jet to take her back to the palace.

When we arrived back at the palace, I had her put in a special room with a bed and warm food so that she could eat real food. And not knowing how long she has been in the jungle or when her last meal was, I took the liberty to give her the best and healthiest foods Wakanda has to offer.

As I observed her, my sister came back with some news. She pulled up on the screen as she stated.

"It turns out this girl comes from a village near Wakanda. It was attacked by some of Klaue's men and burned to the ground. She must've found a way to escape and has been living in the jungle since. How she's managed to survive for 5 years I do not know".

"A Mother panther raised her as one of her own cubs, it would seem Bast herself came down and decided to protect this child as if she were her own". I said out loud.

"You're telling me we have ourselves a Mowgli? Like that story and movie Baba showed us".

"It would seem so Shuri".

"What do you suggest then my King?" Okoye soon stated out.

"She is a child with no family to call her own, and her adoptive mother was shot and killed in front of her. This child needs the best care and only we can offer it".

"Brother are you suggesting that you are going to raise her?"

"I feel responsible for this child's mother's death. I cannot just let her die with no one to take care of her, knowing that we can teach her who she really is". I stated firmly. My general and sister looked at me then Okoye bowed her head and said.

"Just don't freeze when her feral stage comes back".

"What are you talking about? I never freeze" I stated. I then turned my attention back to the girl and decided to talk to her. I opened the door and shut it behind me. She instantly became alert of my presence and she got down in defense position baring her teeth at me. "Easy little one, I am not here to hurt you, may I sit down?" She seemed to understand me which was a good sign, at least then I knew she could understand me.

I took a seat far enough from her but kept my eyes on her in case anything were to happen.

"My name is T'Challa, do you remember your name?" She remained quiet and poked around the fruit and sniffing them like a cat would. I took a deep sigh and told her, "I know losing your Mama was hard, I lost my Baba not too long ago, and I would give anything to save him too. But I swear to you on my Baba's soul and that of your mother's, I will look after you and protect you. You will never be alone". She then looked up at me and I remained still as I saw her actually coming up towards me.

Slowly and cautiously, but sure enough she came right in front of me until she wrapped her arms around me and nuzzled into my chest. I placed my hand on top of her head and stroked her hair and slowly wrapped my arm around her to pick her up and place her in my lap and hold her in my arms as she nuzzled deeper into my chest.

Within several months of teaching and immense patience, I had given her the name (y/n) was soon learning how to be a human girl, learning how to eat properly, how to walk, learning the history of Wakanda, even learning how to speak both in English and Wakandan.

I along with Nakia and Shuri taught her everything she needed to know and were there to give her the love she deserved and needed. As night fell, I tucked (y/n) in after a long day of staying with Auntie Shuri in her lab while I dealt with some political matters after opening up Wakanda to the rest of the world. I stroked her hair and kissed her forehead and whispered to her.

"Goodnight my little panther cub". And as I turned off her light and was about to shut the door, I heard her voice say.

"Goodnight Baba". I let a warm smile take over me as I shut the door behind me and decided to turn in for the night myself.

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hawksmagnolia · 4 years

Text

The Depths (Pt. 1)

Drunk Drabble prompt submitted to @the-ss-horniest-book-club

Request by: @marvelgirl7

Summary: Because even a super soldier needs saving sometimes.

Who: Bucky Barnes x mermaid reader

Word count: 2,341

Warnings: Swearing

Authors Note: So, this little drabble prompt has grown into a three part monster. Parts 2 & 3 will coming in the next week or so. I hope you like it Lacy- love your face! -xo- Allie Don’t forget to leave me feedback!

The Depths part 1: The Cold Brine

“Be a

mermaid

who doesn’t settle

for making a

small splash.”

-Amanda Lovelace

I was born with fins.

No one was truly surprised. My mother liked to say I was half sea and half storm, created when the siren fell in love with a Russian fisherman she found in a hurricane. I didn’t even learn to walk on the land until I was three after which I spent half my life on land, the other in the depths.

After my father died, something in me shattered, that all too human heart that beat in my chest. Being a halfling child, I was something rare, belonging to neither world but after I lost my ties to land I refused to live only in the brine depths with my mother’s people. I made a promise to the ocean lords that I would save as many others as I could so that his spirit would find rest and not be trapped within the seas for eternity. I refused to drag men down, to sing them to eternal sleep in the dark cold silence.

I was not quite sea, not quite a storm. So I made my choice, I chose to save lives.

During the winter months, I would circle deep beneath the vessels, dodging their cages of rope and metal, the ones they used to catch the ocean’s harvest of crabs, gently urging the crustaceans into them. I did this to help the fishermen fill the steel bellies of their ships before the winter storms could grow into full strength behemoths capable of dragging men to their watery graves in the arms of the sirens.

Sirens are often called the monsters of the deep, but they are wrong. The storms are far more dangerous than I could ever be. The storms provide men like a buffet of lost souls to the creatures of the tides.

And then one day, the Americans came.

Their ships were smaller, faster than my country’s ships. Their crews laughed and sang as they worked, sounds unfamiliar on these waters.

They would work on the invisible lines that divided the ocean as if the currents obeyed any man. I was fascinated by them, I would watch them from beneath the surface, my enhanced hearing not hindered by the waves.

For six seasons I watched them. Every spring I would venture to their ports, where I would see them offload their bounty. The selkies, hostile at first until they realized I was not there to steal their lands, then welcomed me. They taught me the language of these men, how to blend into the locals. I would borrow their human guises, the sun touched skin, the onyx of their hair and eyes. How to blunt my teeth and nails. A siren among selkies, I found a new home. They knew what it was like to live in two worlds.

In the seventh season, the winds changed and the hurricane came.

The storm slammed into the fleet, leaving nothing behind, dragging men and ship to the dark before anyone could even get to their little orange life rafts. The water was simply too cold for them to survive longer than a few precious moments even if they escaped the sinking ships. Two ships in two days and no survivors.

On the third day of the storm’s fury, I pushed myself to go farther than I normally did, swimming deep to escape the riotous waves and howling wind.

I couldn’t hear anything but the pressure above me increased, actually forcing me down. Something very large had hit the water. I shot through the currents, pushing hard as the ship rolled over once, twice, and finally settled on its side. When I broke above the waves, the small lifeboat was already in the water and men were scrambling into it. I dove again, checking the water for anyone who had slipped but found no one but I saw the little blinking box fall from the rubber boat. I knew it would call for help, the selkies had taught me about it. I grabbed it and turned it on, watching as the little balloon inflated and rose where I tied it to one of the ropes dangling from their raft. As I returned to the surface I saw the last two escaping but before I could feel any sense of relief another wave hit hard and unexpected and the final man shoved his partner in before he fell and was swallowed by the sea. The men began to shout but their safe haven was pushed away from their friend.

So I dove for him.

Most men panic and thrash. He seemed almost peaceful as he descended. His hair was long for a man, some of it has escaped his holder and was drifting about his handsome face.

I wondered what color his eyes were.

I grabbed his jacket, my claws cut through the waterproof material, and the clothes underneath to flesh, drawing blood. It was enough for his eyes to fly open and his mouth opened in a scream only audible to me.

His eyes were blue, the same color as the skies in Russia when the spring finally arrives. I know what he sees but I don’t know if he believes.

A spectre of the sea, solid white from my hair to my tail. My eyes reflect any light in the murky water, giving me better vision but also giving me an unnerving glow to my eyes. My nails are sharp, my fingers webbed to the second knuckle. My tail alone is over six feet long, heavily muscled, and ends in delicate wisp fins that look like a human bride’s veil. He can’t see but each of my teeth ends in a point.

Sirens are carnivores after all.

His hand grabbed my wrist, fingers encircling it. Not made of flesh, but of metal. With my free hand, I point to him and then point up. He stares at me and I start to wonder if his heart has given out in the cold but then he nods slowly. Leaving my wrist in his hand but releasing his clothing I shot towards the surface, dragging him behind me.

We broke through at a point away from the sinking vessel, far enough away to see it but not close enough to be pulled under with it.

He gasped and his teeth immediately began chattering. I snaked the end of my tail around him and pulled him closer. He swears but released my wrist as I sat him just below my hips as a mother would her child.

“Hold on to my waist.” I felt him tentatively wrap his metal arm around me so I grabbed both and pulled him closer, locking his fingers together. My body runs hot, sometimes too much so, but at that moment I was grateful for it. My body heat should keep him alive long enough to get him to safety.

His eyes bored into me. “You’re Russian.”

“Once, yes. Hold tight. This will not be easy.” I cut through the waves, slicing through the middle of them where the water was easiest to penetrate. I held him against me with one arm while using the other to create a tunnel for us to pass through. When the little raft bobbed into sight I gave a small sigh of relief. I could hear the thumping drone of the rescue helicopters so I knew they were near.

With a final push, I grabbed the outer rope and hauled us closer.

“Call them. I won’t leave until you’re inside but they cannot see me.”

His arms still tight around my waist, he called out for them to help him inside. I gently pried his fingers apart and slid him down to the middle of my tail so he could sit on it as his companions cried out in surprised joy as they began to haul him in. I slid myself back into the water, preparing to sink out of sight when his face reappeared and he grabbed my hand.

“Thank you. How..can…I see you again?”

Baffled, I stared at him. No man who has faced a siren in her natural state would ever want to see her again. But this was no ordinary man, he had survived in some of the hardest conditions known. I don’t speak, instead, I pull my knife from around my neck and I sliced through my hair, right where a perfect silvery pearl was threaded. He watched me, not even shivering anymore. I pressed the knotted strand and the pearl into his hand before I vanished beneath the churning water.

Bucky sat in the Coast Guard helicopter, an emergency blanket wrapped around his shoulders. The other crew members were almost giddy with the relief that they had all been rescued. He ran his thumb over the hank of ivory hair and the perfect pearl braided into it as his thoughts swirled.

He’d come to Alaska after seeing a show about fishermen on tv once he’d broken free from Hydra and left Captain America…Steve…on the banks of the river. Alaska seemed like the perfect place to hide.

And it had been. No one here really asked about anyone’s past. He used an old forgotten Hydra identity and claimed to be a war vet. At least the second part of true. No one cared about what you did, only what you could do. And he was more than capable than holding his own.

Everything had been fine until that night. The captain and crew, while friendly, also gave him much needed privacy and respectful distance. But that storm, it had been raging for days but had made an abrupt turn almost as if it was hunting their boat. Two others had already sunk, so his captain had made changes to ensure their safety. When the boat had flipped, they’d all been in their bunks. By the time it had settled on its side, the crew was scrambling into the life raft. But one rogue wave had struck the raft so he’d chosen to shove the younger man, the one with a baby at home, inside and let himself fall.

He had already decided to accept his fate when the pain cut through the numbing cold. When his eyes had opened, he thought he was hallucinating. Or that he was back in cyro, dreaming as the cold took him away.

But he’d never dreamed of a mermaid before. His memory may be completely fucked but he would have remembered that. She was like someone had turned moonlight into a deadly sea maiden.

Her face was sharp angles and big eyes that gleamed like opals but it gave her an otherworldly beauty. There was a certain exotic appeal to her features. Her tail was gleaming white and nothing like any artwork had portrayed, it alone was longer than he was tall. Her body was powerful, muscles tensing as she kept herself upright.

When her hand had grabbed him, claws had sliced straight through to his chest. He grabbed her wrist, convinced she was going for his heart but instead she pointed up. Her hands were actually quite delicate with sheer webbing between her fingers but tipped with deadly looking claws. He couldn’t take his eyes off her face but he nodded. She released his clothing, choosing instead to use his grip on her wrist to drag him to the surface. She was built for speed, several powerful strokes of her tail and they were above.

When his face broke through he gasped and the frigid air rushing into his lungs was a shock to his system. He began shaking, his enhanced body trying to keep him alive. Her tail had wrapped around his core, pulled him to her side. Bucky swore at both the cold and the sensation of her settling him below her hips on that powerful tail. He couldn’t help but notice that the air around them seemed still, that no waves broke over their faces and that her tail didn’t feel like fish scales but like more like a snakeskin.

“Hold onto my waist.” Bucky stared at her. Perfect English but her accent was pure Russian. He didn’t want to hurt her with his weapon of an arm so he gingerly slid it around her. She took his arms and locked the fingers together firmly. The heat was pouring off her body, soaking into him despite his wet clothing.

“You’re Russian.” Bucky noticed the delicate slits on her neck below her pointed ear. Gills, he thought. They were flat, almost sealed against the air.

She glanced at him with her pale jewel-colored eyes, the sclera almost black. “Once, yes. Hold tight. This will not be easy.” She wrapped a muscular arm around him as if she was carrying a baby. With one push, they were off. Water should have been dragging him away but instead, it was as if she was created a tunnel through the waves. When the life raft came into his view she slowed until she was able to grab one of the outer ropes.

“Call them. I won’t leave until you’re inside but they cannot see me.”

Bucky hesitated but called out, yelling for help.

She gently pried his fingers apart and shifted until he was resting near the end of her tail. Enough that he would be able to be pulled inside but still not seen. After he’d been hauled inside he turned back around and shoved his head through the unzipped flap.

“Wait!”

She turned back to him, her eyes curious.

He grabbed her hand, this time with his flesh hand. “Thank you. How..can…I see you again?”

Confusion softened her features and she hesitated before taking a knife made of what looked like an oyster shell from her neck and slicing the pearl and the hair holding it. She’d pressed it into his hand and then vanished from sight.

Bucky sighed and shifted again, making sure his glove was concealing his prosthetic. He shoved the prize deep in a pocket and leaned his head against the vibrating wall of the helicopter.

He needed a new plan.

@nano--raptor @cchellacat @eurynome827 @jobean12-blog @book-dragon-13 @aesthetical-bucky @marvelgirl7 @sallycanwait68 @buckys-broody-muffin @softpeachbarnes @godofplumsandthunder @azurika-writes @ikaris-whore @this-kitten-is-smitten @randomfandompenguin @bucky-plums-barnes @bugsbucky @littleredstarfish @emilylyoness @hailmary-yramliah @daughterofsteven @jewels2876

#HBC drunk drabbles #HBC extended drbbles #Allie writes #Bucky Barnes #Mermaid AU #Not a Disney Princess #Bucky x reader #Bucky Barnes imagine #Mermaid reader

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troublesometrollhunters · 4 years

Text

Yooo let me contribute my thoughts to Yan!Momgana

The gumm-gumms all revere you as her child, you're the only person in the world who could ask them to dress in a pink frilly dress and play house with you and they'd agree

Starts as begrudging compliance, but as time goes on you start to grow on them

"Ah, yes. Precious child, our child. The Pale Lady's offspring will be indulged in their games, and no, don't you dare say no to the tiny whelp, you might make the whelp sad!!1!1"

Morgana is happy with the outcome, but that doesn't mean she let's you play with the goblins any longer than she's gone doing evil war stuff. When mom arrives it's shoo shoo, give momma her precious baby they're gonna play peek-a-boo now.

Because you were an infant when Morgana left the castle and joined the gumm-gumms, you have little to no knowledge of human world nor have you interacted with any. All your manners come from your momma, who raises you pretty good and proper.

You probably will grow some of your childhood in the surface world, but only in fortresses and gumm-gumm territories they've captured.

You know nothing about the war, but you've probably been revealed the truth a few times when a random human has managed to sneak in and mistaken you for a prisoner and tried to take you with.

It would probably go pretty easy for the intruder, you won't have a normal sense of stranger danger when literally everyone around you have been real nice to you all your life, so you'd probably just go along with whatever, thinking it's a game or just being confused as to why the weird pale troll is so anxious.

These incidents end really quick, because when Morgana finds out her precious child is gone she absolutely decimates everything within a 5 mile radius.

The intruder always dies an agonizing and slow death.

Morgana is too enraged to think about what her child sees in those moments. And you probably will see everything.

It doesn't matter though, Morgana's got it.

"Oh no, sweetheart, don't cry. Here, let mom make it all go away..."

The memories of any violence or pesky humans are wiped and you go back to the carefree and happy life in some stolen palace.

You probably grow close with your mother and are very attached to her as a child. How could you not? She always plays with you when you ask, she almost never says no to you, she gives you all the treats and toys you ask and she never gets mad (or that's what you think).

You're spoiled and you don't even know it, and it's not like anyone would point that out to you or Morgana.

But then the Killahead fiasco happens...

I stand by that Morgana and the gumm-gumms had operated in the Darklands prior, since it's stated to be the trolls' original homeland.

The time you hadn't spent in the surfacelands, you had spent in the Darklands.

Morgana probably had a real nice castle built there just for your and hers sake, so you could have a place to be 100% safe from all those traitorous trolls and humans. They never came to the Darklands voluntarily.

You've spent a good portion of your childhood there, so you probably don't see the place as anything bad. It's just another nice home where you, your mother and her subjects live and play all day and night.

The big fight and the portal thing happens and suddenly big Gunmar is here.

(Gunmar and Bular are totally your self appointed godfathers, at least)

You go and run to meet him, asking him to play with you, but Gunmar seems really unwell. Is he okay?

Gunmar takes some time to fully process the turn of events, and what he has to do now.

You're told more than you ever before about any conflict in the world right then and there. That Gunmar and the other trolls are trapped in the Darklands now.

Of course Gunmar knows better than to tell you of the war, that'd be way too hard on your innocent, pure whelp mind! So you get something along the lines of this:

You're told that bad monsters trapped you here, but Bular and your mother are outside and coming to free you very, very soon.

He paints your mother in a very heroic light, and you drink it up because as if a child like you would think of your mother as anything else than a hero.

Gunmar now has his trolls and court take care of you, keeping you entertained and trying to keep as many things as the same as they were before for you. You probably will have to deal with worse food though.

This means you living the majority of your unnaturally long life in the Darklands.

Now that your mom's gone, you'll enter a rebellious stage sooner or later. You don't really take what rules the gumm-gumms give you seriously since they're not your mom!

You'll live with uncharacteristically much freedom for a yan!parent's kid, or any kid for that matter.

Gunmar of course cares about you, but is by no means a yandere or good at raising human whelps, so he kinda leaves you to your own devices and let's you do whatever. He doesn't really give you any rules or whatever.

It's the servants who are responsible of your raising and if you get hurt.

You'll probably start to manifest magic in your time down there, making you even harder to contain.

In other words, you're living your best life, causing chaos, playing around with nobody to discipline you and even if you get caught messing around you'd be able to point a finger at any of your servants and Gunmar wouldn't doubt you for a second.

Now then, you've lived the majority of your life with the gumm-gumm's, you have like no experience of people being mean or other's taking advantage of you, and the little human mannerisms and morals you have came from your mother in a distant childhood.

= an innocent but very immoral teen, who probably doesn't act their age and has very weird logic and mannerisms.

I'd imagine you'd think disemboweling some creature because you were curious of what was inside was totally fine because you've done that with the worm-monster-things in the Darklands and the gumm-gumms didn't bat an eye.

The little interaction you've had with the "Surfacelands" has probably been the little trinkets and weird trivia by the changelings or goblins who've been able to traverse through the small gates.

For the longest time you probably didn't even care about the surfacelands, since you've got everything you'd ever want here ('cept your beloved mom...), but kids tend to get more curious and adventurous when they grow up to their teens.

And then some additional things about the changelings! They're probably a bit concerned with how you've grown, being the only ones who understand what is "normal" for a human your (mental) age, but won't be able to bring themselves to tell you to stop or inform you about right and wrong, lest they want Gunmar to rip their heads off for making you upset.

On top of that, being nearly direct creations of Morgana, I think they'd hold you on an even higher pedestal than the other gumm-gumms. We've seen the Janus order treat Morgana like a goddess at times, perhaps their view of you would be something akin to a messiah or something similar.

In conclusion, once again, like with everything else in your life, you're being kept in the dark about it.

Then bam-bam-Baam! The trollhunter has entered the arena!

You start finding the most delicious brown sticks wrapped in silly crinkly paper around the Darklands and collecting them.

Then one day you're running around the castle from your servants and notice a weird changeling in the dungeon!

He's acting all weird and panicky and doesn't seem to recognize you, and on top of that all he's still in a human form. You introduce yourself merrily and scurry off in search of something else to do, maybe to find more funny crinkly paper with super tasty sticks inside!

Meanwhile Jim is had a slight heart attack, because first of all, he saw a human in the Darklands and his first thought was that they had fell into the Darklands and were in great danger. They seem fine though, even pretty cheery for someone in such a place, introduced themselves and ran off before Jim has any time to tell them to help him out.

Then Nomura goes and casually tells him that's MORGANA'S FREAKING CHILD.

Meanwhile you go to ask uncle Gunmar why there's a funny changeling who's looking like a human

Gunmar almost does a spit-take and tells you not to go there anymore. He's an monstrous criminal and your mom wouldn't want you associating with such trash

Hah, referencing your mom, works every time. One more point for Gunmar and his masterful parenting skills... 'CEPT NOT THIS TIME.

Your no longer a kid who would just accept that as an answer and forget about it. No, you're an old kid, you're a teen and you know what Gunmar actually meant...

Clearly, this was one of the traitors against your valiant awesome hero mom and Gunmar just wanted to keep you safe.

But no fear! You're old now, and with your magic you can hold your own against some puny traitor weirdo! And so you go and sneak immediately after that to the weird changeling's cage

Jim is confused by you more than anything. You think your mom is the good guy? And he's evil??? Jim takes time to talk and explain things to you the best he can, and from what he can gather he's succeeding in lowering your defenses, even if by a little

You don't have much experience with lies, but you're sure he's tricking you. All your life is built up on idolizing your mother and she has never done anything bad to you or anyone before you.

But on the other hand, he doesn't seem mean at all. He seems really nice, even if he is weird. Maybe he's been tricked.

Eventually you come to the conclusion that this changeling is alright, only brainwashed. But then he says something about being able to go to the Surfacelands and your interest is immediately peaked. Your mom is there! If you manage to play your cards right you'll be able to free him from his tyrant overlords, meet your mom again and be a totally awesome mom-kid duo with supercool magic powers and save the world!

When Jim escapes you end up coming with on accident, teleporting into the gyre because you thought it looked fun right before they go through the portal.

I have a feeling that the surface trolls don't recognize you, you're existence was probably kept secret by Morgana, and are panicked when an additional "halfling" crashes outside.

Jim calms them down and you're immediately enraptured by what you see. The ceiling is suuuper high and has like, a million diamonds in it, and there are so many trees and colours and the floor is super soft. You can even hear singing from the grass.

Jim says you're Morgana's kid and if you hadn't been so invested in ripping grass off the roots you would've seen a total of five trollhunters nearly leaping to maul your ass

Jim and Nomura manage to stop them. Jim says that you clearly have no idea about what's going on, you don't know about any war and think your mother is well and alive and fighting to free the trollkind and vanquish evil. Nomura in turn says that if you get hurt all hell will break loose, the Janus order will definitely drop all subtlety and end the humans' families and friends before your body hits the ground, and the act of killing you will generally do no good.

You seem innocent enough, you're not doing anything bad, really. You're just looking at the trees.

"Hey, what's this?"

"That's a stag beetle- wait WHAT NO DON'T PUT IT IN YOUR MOUTH WHAT!?"

The group is uncertain of what to do with you. They could bring you to troll market but you'd probably either blurt out your mother's name and get killed, or try to attack the market because you think they're all evil.

They decide you need to be let in on the events slowly.

When Strickler sees you he has a near aneurism.

"WhY IS ThE chILD oF MOrgANa hERE?!?!"

They decide to let Nomura, Strickler and the humans to keep you with them and hidden from both Angor and the Janus order.

Turns out to be easier said than done, mostly because you keep teleporting around like it's nobody's business and are so blatantly clueless about how the human world works. Most of their stress is caused by having to keep an eye on you and stop you from casually stealing things or ripping some poor lady's hand off because you liked her rings.

You are mostly confused by it all, and why you can't do certain things, but don't mind it too much. The world feels really alien to you, even if it's pretty, and a part of you is happy that there's someone to guide you through it. But you're getting more and more frustrated with the lack of your mom, nobody believing that your mother is the righteous heroine in the story and that you're constantly told not to do this and that.

Despite all the effort, it doesn't take much time before the Janus order finds out about you.

We all know that Otto is a major bootlicker of Gunmar, but just you wait until he finds about you.

The second you're found out about all their resources are on bringing you to base.

Happens pretty smoothly after he explains that he's working for your mother. You join voluntarily and enthusiastically.

Otto practically worships the ground you walk on, and you bet your ass he has a huge room filled with anything he thinks you could possibly want made for you in 1 day sharp.

Gunmar is shocked to see you on the Surfaceworld, and makes it clear to Otto that if any harm comes to you or you get sad/mad he will bite Otto's head off.

Also, Morgana.

Morgana is absolutely panicking now that her baby's in the surfaceworld without her around. She's extremely happy to see you once more, to see you've grown up happy, but oh god she has to be there with you! She has to hold you, keep you safe!!!

She tries her damnest to contact you, to make you see she's here for you, but to no avail. Although you are cruel and selfish at times, it's not because of any darkness inside you, it's because you don't know any better. So she settles for the next best thing, she tells her changelings to keep you safe, inside and entertained and orders them to hurry with bringing her back. Everyone's working overtime now.

Meanwhile you're having fun again. Everything's like it's been before, you've got toys and playmates and everyone's doing their best to keep you happy, but...

You kind of miss the trollhunters... Your... Friends...

You haven't had a mutual and equal relationship for a long time, not to mention they taught and showed you so many incredible things... You kinda want to see them.

Morgana's ripping at her ghost-hair when you sneak out to meet with the trollhunters.

You're still adamant that they have no idea what they're talking about, but you're having so much fun with them.

You don't play in any team to say, you just kind of pester and get into shenanigans with the trollhunters when they're not fighting your own allies. If they are, you just shrug, say "Then stop being evil" and teleport away.

When the Heartstone saga happens you're watching mostly from the sidelines until someone says something along the lines "something something free Morgana."

The first time you actually fight is in that battle. You're a difficult opponent, teleporting around and being able to cast minor dark magic at your foes.

It's not like you contributed much to the fight, your side won in the end either way.

This is the first time you actually see the trollmarket and its trolls. If it would've been you from before, you would've shown no mercy, partly because you didn't really grasp the concept of death and partly because they were traitors, but now... You know better about death and empathy, and you have at least a tiny bit of understanding that these trolls are just misled, not completely at fault or evil.

I think this also the first time Angor sees you. He's shocked for many reasons, 1. you've grown so much, look at you! Just like your mother! 2. You're in the surfacelands? He thought you were in the castle in the Darklands. 3. You're fighting so valiantly for your mother, he's so proud of you!

This all ends when Morgana breaks free.

It takes about 0.00001 seconds before she has you in her tight embrace. It's a really emotional moment for the both of you.

Uuuntil all the eternal night and all you shall die stuff.

You're standing beside your mother with the brightest smile on your face when she gives the speech. All the troops are here and now you can free the Darklands and go to the surface world and when all the bad trolls are defeated you can live in Arcadia with all the people you love and-

That smile falls like stone when Morgana attacks her own troops

You cling to her and ask her to stop. You don't understand, this isn't right!

Morgana in turn just smushes your face and coddles you, telling that it's fine.

You ask if she's gonna hurt the humans and she says she'll kill every single one of them.

You're very against this, but keep quiet and feel silently torn. You don't know what to think.

I feel like Angor seeing you so troubled played a tiny part in his betrayal too.

You notice very quickly how tight Morgana is holding your wrist and she doesn't let go. You ask her to let go of your hand and she refuses, looking at you with frantic eyes. For the first time, you feel like something is very wrong. She starts dragging you around with her, acting all cheery and gleeful with you here.

No, this isn't right... You don't want this...! This is all wrong!

You start struggling, you want your freedom back, you want to go be with your friends and everyone else!

Morgana recognizes this as a sign that she should probably wipe your mind again and takes away all memories of time she was gone.

Now you're back to normal, back to the bright-eyed little child who clung to her hand like always and Morgana's happy.

When Merlin and the others come to stop her, you're still with her and she tosses you to the side, away from the harm, and you dutifully stay in place like your mother asked.

Merlin, more out of spite than anything else, nullifies all of the memory wipes Morgana had performed during your life and you're back to normal, now with the realization that your mother isn't all what she was cracked up to be.

(Now Angor has seen Morgana kill his comrades, had his soul stolen, witnessed Morgana traumatize, memory-wipe and employ some very dubious parenting tactics on you, so he really is at his wits end here)

Now they have one more mage against Morgana in the final battle, even if you're heartbroken and reluctant to face off against your own mother.

(Yes, this is my cheap excuse for saving Angor)

Morgana stares right at you as she is sealed to the shadow realm with such heartbreak.

Morgana's child, ripped away from her once more!

She's way too attached to you and waaay too far gone to think it's your fault for betraying her. No, it's Merlin's, it's the trollhunter's, ANGOR ROT'S!!

She's furious, she will have you back, she will SLAUGHTER everyone on that damned land to save you! You two will rule together like you were meant to, you would be happy in her wonderful world without traitors or humans, just the two of you! She'll save you from all those monsters, those delusions they put in your precious little head! If only you hadn't known, you shouldn't have known, you're still a child, too young to have to know the cruel world of grown-ups, if only they would've let her keep you in the dark and safe!!! She's in hysterics.

Meanwhile, you are too. You are absolutely heartbroken, soul-shattered. To you, you've just killed your own mother. No matter how cruel she was to others around you or how restricting she was to you, you loved her so much. Your gumm-gumm family's all gone, killed by the friends you sided with.

You have no idea what to do anymore.

Angor and you probably move together, him being the only one understanding how close you were with your mother and the fact that you feel truly alone now.

There is a minor outrage with the trolls when they hear about you and your heritage, but you are ultimately left alone due to the fact that you assisted in bringing Morgana to justice.

You're enrolled in Arcadia High, and although it starts rocky with your now estranged friends, you start to move on with everyone's help and support.

You're now an honorary trollhunter and in the process of getting to understand humankind and it's culture with just slightly less insane friends and family, and living the closest approximation to a normal human life possible.

Happy end! Jesus, this got long. Okay, I dub thee "Momgana's teen AU"

This could be an entire fic. Honestly I love this. Morgana is so well written and the Orders absolutely hilarious. I also love dad Gunmar and Gum Gums trying to reign in a magical teen lmao

Honestly remind me a lot of Dawn. Thankyou so much for this gift!!!!! 🎃 🎃 🎃

#halloween asks #morgana #yandere morgana #gunmar #bular #momgana #merlin #strickler #otto #nomura #jim #halloween #mom morgana #yandere mom morgana #yandere trollhunters #yandere toa #platonic yanderes #submission

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reinepadova · 3 years

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To Be Seen

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‘When you like a flower, you pluck it. But when you love a flower, you water it daily.’

Stella wiped at her brow, eyes tired but concentrated, unmindful of the sweat running down her back. Her thoughts wandered as she worked, hands stained brown and black from her efforts.

Waking up to a new world, with no idea where to go, and no one to turn to, she felt lost and insecure, more so compared to back home. But in this place, this peaceful, prosperous place, its hard to blend in, to keep attention away from her unusual clothes, or the texture of her hair, compared to the natural, earthy tones of silk, or the shine of sleeked locks.

It's both a wonder and an intimidating place to be.

What could be her purpose here? How could she live?

It's only with an old woman's kindness, and a child's compassionate heart, did she slowly build a life of her own here. A small life. A quiet life. Mostly learning how to work the garden, with curious, vivacious Mei, always by her side.

She knitted her brow, carefully bundling up the shining Glaze Lilies in neat, individual wrappings, with their soil still clinging to the roots.

-{-}-

“Beautiful aren't they, dearie? But don't bother to buy any of these –“

“Hey!”

“Hush, Bolai. I just bought some Sunsettias last week.”

The boss of Wanyue Boutique sighed, whispering, “At least give me a few words of encouragement if you're not buying...”

Gran-gran turned back to her, smile full of humor, but with eyes patient and jaded. “Now, the key to a beautiful bloom, is love in every gesture. Freshly cut ones like these, can only live in the moment. But those you give warmth to every day, will last you a lifetime.”

-{-}-

Stella stretched out, grabbing at her sturdy bag with a firm tug, which acts like a blackhole at the best of times, but a bottomless pit now in the moonless night.

-{-}-

Staring at her present, Stella turned shocked eyes to the little girl holding the wide straps, an expectant shine in her wide eyes.

“Mei...isn't this... Why would you give it to me?”

Mei giggled, enjoying the rare opportunity to tease an adult.“Bàba told Mei he go to many maaany a-bentures!” she cheered, vibrating with restless energy. “Baggy is rele – relaya – rebabble. It has lots of pockets and you put food – and pretty rocks – and pretty flowers – and pictures and and, just lots he says!” Mei emphasized with a push to the bag, insistently onto startled hands, hopping back once the lady with hair that moved like waves took it hurriedly. “You go to commissies. To earn Mora for us, Gran-gran says, 'cause you feel bad. Don't feel bad no more, 'kay? Baggy is relayababble. Don't lose it, 'kay?” The little girl concluded with a beam, chest puffing proudly at being helpful.

Stella sighed quietly, and reached out to rub the little girl's head fondly in reply.

-{-}-

Stella smiled, doing a quick inspection of her precious cargo before closing her pack with a pat, stretching up while grabbing her Black Tassel in the process. She grimaced, just noticing how long she's been crouching while digging up the Glaze Lilies. As she massaged her nape with a free hand, she absently glanced around.

She knitted her brow, taking another look at the still night air, and over the disturbed earth.

Absolute silence.

Not a squeak or plop from slimes; not a hum from pesky cicins; not even the wheeze and snore from sleeping hilichurls or treasure hoarders.

Calm, she reflected, relaxing her stance a bit as she shouldered her pack. It's so quiet. It feels... unnatural.

Stella's gaze drifted. In the quiet of the evening, the abundant croplands of different hues, packed carefully in an orderly fashion, offer a cozy, picturesque atmosphere. She could picture herself perfectly, sleeping under the gentle light of the stars, with the moon's teasing glow peaking through. But her eyes turned downcast, thoughts growing dark at the scene, growing uncomfortable. Restless.

It's not something she's used to, this serenity, this peace. It's not something she dare enjoy too long.

Not after the first glimpse of this world as she awoke was at missile point.

The more she stared at the shifted soil where the Lilies were, the more her shoulders started to droop, exhaustion and the temptation of sleep finally catching up to her. It's not until a cool breeze brushed against her matted hair did she huff quietly and took a pivoted step, departing the land with a forced sprint.

Gritting her teeth, Stella powered through, alternating between a fast walk and a run, with each landing from her jumps over terrain jarring her bones, and aching muscles. But despite the fatigue, the thought of someone awaiting her return spurred her on, making her tighten her hold on the heavy pack, brows knitting in worry.

At this stage of grief, its never good to leave someone alone, Stella mused, eyes turning soft, especially one so young.

For all she knew, Mei might have startled awake in the middle of the night, loneliness fueling imagined terrors. She might get alarmed at the sight of the empty space of their bed, wondering why she's alone –

Wondering if she was left behind.

...like I was.

「... we can still proceed, Stella.」

「No. Please... no more...」

「With you. Our ideal world, will come to fruition.」

「...the price to pay if we go through with this... is far too great.」

So distracted was she by the sudden flashes of buried memories, and the worries for her charge, the sudden smack of leaves and the impact to her side made Stella see stars.

Eventually she righted herself, raising her weapon high and ready. She swung blindly, expecting to graze, if not slice, in an effort to create space, as she shook her head to get rid of her lightheadedness. When she felt no resistance and the world ceased to move, she blinked before looking blankly at empty space. Frowning, she swiveled in all directions, swearing she did not imagine that attack.

Was that a ruin hunter? Are they different at night? I can't feel any wind!

Just as she turned to one direction – and mildly scolding herself for letting her guard down – another hit got her, right between the shoulders blades, almost jerking her to drop her bag.

Quickly grabbing the strap with a mighty heft, she took another forceful swing with her polearm, nerves strung high, as her invisible attacker kept striking at her back or side every time she faced where it last was.

Or where she thinks it was.

It's toying with me, she thought, frustrated, eyes straining against the darkness, feeling bruises forming under her clothes.

When a side strike forced her to stumble back into a rock face, she gritted her teeth, jaw clenched shut from the impact. She fought against the mixed sensation of alarm and annoyance clawing up her throat as she bent over her bag, arm wrapped protectively over the worn leather, while positioning her weapon in a strong guard.

I can't disappoint Mei!

Suddenly, her vision swam, her surroundings shuddering all around. Worry quickly invaded her senses, wondering if she's been poisoned, only to realize a second later that the ground literally moved and quaked before her, giving way to –

A patch of radish-looking leaves suddenly shot up in the air, almost at her eye level, lifted by a small, unusually glowing, rectangular column. Her eyes moved an inch lower, only to meet a familiar set of cream-colored eyes set in a shivering, red panic.

A... green slime?

The longer she stared at the fidgeting, pudgy being, who's pallor turned into a sickly green, the more her hand shook, gripping the Black Tassel in such a tight grip, she mused if she could possibly break it.

Lowering her head, Stella slowly, and calmly, leaned her pack against the rock face, before approaching the shaking ball of elemental energy with ominous steps. Her eyes sharpened at the sight of it trying to bounce away, but a shimmer from a golden shield seem to trap it in place, no matter how much force it put into smacking its body against it.

That did it.

Smack. Smack.

Smack!

With a surge of righteous fury, she served a decisive, and vicious, series of slices, until the slime melted back down into the soil, the glow from the small pillar still reflecting its grassy ashes.

She blew out a long, heavy breath, brow twitching. From her short time in this world, she understood what beings constitute as threats, and beings that could be, mildly, ignored.

Maybe if she had a torch on her, she'd feel better after burning the creature into cinders. And maybe the blow to her pride wouldn't be as great.

When her heart eventually slowed, and the remnants of the annoying slime completely disappeared, Stella turned slowly to the short pedestal, circling it warily. She noted the intricate carvings, ancient in design. She vaguely recalled seeing similar markings at the ruins she found herself in, as well as observed it on the wares on display at Mingxing Jewelry. Like the Radiant Stone of Gu... something. Or was it called the Glowing Stone? She'd have to consult the owner again.

When she hovered a free hand for an experimental touch, it simply passed through the gentle light, not seeming to want to hinder or push her away.

Maybe it's meant to cage monsters? Was it a trap for them? Did she trigger it somehow? Was she in another set of ru –

A low chuffing and sniffing sounded behind her, making her whip her head around, exasperated.

Now what?

Sensing no immediate threat – nor anymore of that green menace – she set a weary hand to her forehead, leaning on her Tassel. Am I finally losing it?

At her periphery, she saw her bag suddenly wiggle. She blinked, eyeing the moving bulk in the brown leather, an odd cloud-like fur poking out from its opened top.

The little twitch and wag of the little fuzz made Stella's thoughts go blank, mesmerized by the... rather cute sight.

…

...wait! The Lilies...!

Snapping out of it, Stella scrambled to her bag, grabbing at the, surprisingly, soft plush with a firm grip. She expected the creature to struggle – as all beings with tails would do at being unceremoniously caught this way – but it simply froze, letting the moment sink in.

Is it...guilty, maybe? Stella mused. Like a child caught stealing sweets?

Between the passing of a cloud, and a soft stream of moonlight, the...thing...puffed out a muffled snort, the only sign of its indignation.

Stella raised intrigued brows, curiosity overcoming her fatigue entirely. Mindful of the delicate blooms still inside the pack – the only worthwhile target for any creature – she pulled, keeping the blade of her Tassel at the ready, it case the creature would not be as benign as its tail would imply.

She was partially right.

She stretched up her arm, up and up and up, until she had to stand, surprised at how light and how long it was for a – is this a lizard?

Now revealed in its entirety, Stella noted its unique features: thick sharp points, the color of fresh honey, protruded from its back, glowing like a lantern in a dark alley. Its shining claws, as lethal as they looked, are curled inward, like a cat, unarmed, possibly intending to look harmless. And it's long horns look just as strong and beautiful as those amber stones smattered around the terraces, shaped in elegant waves that crown around its thick mane – reminding her of men installed as king in fairytales.

But what made her finally relax her guard around the strange lizard was the flat set to its golden eyes, whiskers twitching intermittently, at it sniffed, politely, at the air around her. Stella cut off the sudden urge to giggle, less she breaks the spell that let’s the creature be so... subdued around someone holding its tail. She was thoroughly entertained by the notion that it was being patient in its discontentment. Biting the inside of her cheek instead, she gently place it on the ground, being attentive to how its feet and body curled as it settled, while it flicked its tail once at her with a soft huff.

She smiled wryly at it before taking a peek in her bag, blowing out a relieved breathe at the untouched golden Lilies.

They actually seem... shinier? They're glowing more brightly, like –

“You protected them, didn't you?” Stella hummed, smiling more sincerely as she saw its mane puff up, shaking it with a pleased grunt. Before she spoke any further, it suddenly pivoted its serpentine body, and smoothly crawled away.

“Wait, I – ”

Stella's voice died down as the creature stopped at the base of the small column, craning its long neck back at her, expecting, before climbing effortlessly up. It then stood on hindlegs, upper body curled forward, claws resting on its belly, and waited, amber eyes imploring.

As Stella took the entire image in, its only then she noticed how the pedestal and the creature has the same colour scheme, as if –

“It's you? You're the one that summoned this?” It dawned on her. With another closer look, the creature looked similar to the statues she saw scattered in a few high grounds. “You're some type of guardian, aren't you?” she asked, in awe and curiosity.

It somehow looked very amused. It’s mouth remained unmoving, but its eyes danced in the moonlight. At what, Stella couldn't understand. Only when she put her Tassel away did it puff its mane again, acknowledging her assessment.

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She is indeed not of this world. Even those in the other nations would know of this form.

What now are your intentions, siren? Shall you be appraised?

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A/N: Finally had the time to post this~

#zhongli x female OC #To Be Seen #curious zhongli #pining zhongli perhaps #polearm wielding OC #zhongli #fanfiction #shapeshifting archon #zhongli x oc #companion mini exuvia #death to dendro slimes

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fantasyandromancelover · 3 years

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Brothers Grimm AU

Inspired by two popular but horrifying stories by the Brothers Grimm: Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel with hints of Beauty and the Beast stories, Animal Bride stories, and the Crucible. I'm contemplating writing this myself but I'm not sure if I would have the time to. We'll have to just wait and see.

In the Black Forest there exists a fearful village due to the forest being infested with the two most dangerous creatures known to man: Werewolves and witches.

Werewolves: Blood thirsty hounds from Hell able to take the form a human male and determined to devour anything that moves. Believed to have been born from the sin of man and commonly associated with vile acts of wrath and greed.

Witches: Female demons in human skin who practice the dark arts. Believed to have spawned from the sin of a woman and commonly associated acts of lust and envy.

For centuries humans in this village have feared these creatures but their paranoia did not arise until two incidents took place that haunted them all forever. First the blacksmith's daughter was seemingly stolen away by a wolf and presumed to have been raped and eaten. Second the fiance of a landowner's widow is seemingly bewitched and seduced by a maid servant who was secretly a witch. The wolf was hunted and killed while the witch was burned at the stake. The aftermath led was the whole village becoming ruled by terror and suspicion as a way to keep it's inhabitants safe but there's more to the story than what's been told. Especially when these incidents resulted in two children being sired.

Sometime after ward Charlotte the innocent, red hooded daughter of the village magistrate Lucifer and granddaughter to it's preacher is eager to explore the Black Forest and see what lies beyond the village. However she along with all children are forbidden to enter. She is doted on by her grandfather but neglected by her parents and is close friends with siblings Anthony and Molly.

One day she hears a wailing noise coming from the edge of the forest, she goes to investigate and finds a wolf pup caught in a trap. Unable to let what she believes to be an innocent and harmless creature be destroyed by wolf hunters, she sets it free. A few days later she learns that Anthony and Molly have run off into the forest and goes out to find them when her parents refuse to help. However she becomes lost and is approached by a man who resembles her grandfather but she quickly realizes that it's not really him and tries to flee. The man is actually a werewolf and chases her in his beastly form, in haste she trips and hits her head on a stone. Before she can be eaten something small but surprisingly more powerful and violent kills the monster. As Charlotte goes in and out of consciousness from the bump, she thinks that she's being carried and warmed by a boy who she describes as having big hairy ears on his head, a smile full of big sharp teeth, and big sad eyes. In the morning she wakes up outside the church where she's found by her grandfather and is not entirely sure what happened after she hit her head but she'll never forget those big ears, big eyes, and big teeth.

Meanwhile Anthony and Molly as it turns out did not run off into the Black Forest but were abandoned there by their secretly abusive stepfather Valentino. As they try to find their way back home they are captured by an old witch who intends to fatten them up and eat them. They're locked in a cage and forced fed by the witch's child slave who can't help them directly but assists them by revealing the witch's weaknesses to them such as her being blind and being able to fit inside her oven which happens to have a lock on it. With this information the brother and sister trick the witch into getting into the oven and lock her inside so she burns. However the enslaved girl vanishes after her mistress dies, leaving behind a trail of magic pebbles that lead them home.

Years pass, villagers to make livestock sacrifices to appease the werewolves every full moon and by law one household is selected give up a sacrifice. If livestock cannot be provided by that household then a human must be killed in it's place. Charlotte now an inquisitive young woman is being courted by wealthy game hunter Sevithan and is being pressured by her family to accept however she is more focused on finding a solution to dealing with werewolves that doesn't have the prospect of killing people. She wonders if maybe there is more to these creatures then what meets the eye but the only one who supports her is her grandfather while everyone else mocks her ideas. (Except for Anthony and Molly, they don't really believe in her cause but they don't mock her for it)

As the next full moon approaches, Anthony and Molly's household is chosen to give the sacrifice but the greedy Valentino does not want to give up livestock and instead chooses to sacrifice his stepson. He locks his wife and Molly in the house so they can't stop him but Charlotte finds out about it and goes to rescue him. She offers herself to be sacrificed instead and convinces Anthony agree by reminding him that his mother and sister need someone to protect them from Val. Anthony escapes and Charlotte stays behind where she's eventually put into a drug induced sleep to make her demise a painless one.

At first the werewolf called Alastor has no qualms about devouring her but finds himself too mesmerized by her beauty and innocent appearance to do so. He spirits her away to his home and when she wakes she is surprised to find that Alastor despite his feral wolf nature also has an intelligent, cultured, and civilized side who enjoys music and literature. Fascinated by each other, Charlotte sees an opportunity to learn more about werewolves from him and use that knowledge to find a more peaceful way to deal with them. He like many others laugh at her ideals but consents to be apart of her little "project" and to hold off on eating human sacrifices but one condition. That he be allowed to see her face and hear her voice at least once everyday. A deal is made and she goes home but secretly visits him everyday.

That same night as Anthony is heading home he stumbles on to seeing Vagatha a witch bathing. She angrily chases him off and he accidentally steals her cloak. The next morning she shows up at his house and demands that he return her cloak to her but unfortunately he's misplaced it which means until it is returned to her, she must now serve the person who found it. That being Anthony. Neither one is happy about the situation and so until they find the cloak Vagatha must masquerade as the house hold's new maid servant.

Unlikely friendships and romances are made while secrets and lies are uncovered. This is no ordinary fairy tale and everything is not what it seems.

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agusvedder · 4 years

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A theory you won’t like.

Okay so I was thinking... I’m having troubles to digest Archangel Michael stuff in episode 15x08 “Our Father Who Aren’t in Heaven”. He doesn’t look at ALL like the Michael we been knowing all these years. I know I know, we been hearing by Lucifer and Chuck that Michael in the cage was crazy mad and stuff but this isn’t the point ‘cause they were lying and we can see that now. Even Michael’s plans were to stay with Adam on earth because when Adam asked if he’s going back to heaven he answered “My brothers are dead. My father never returned. In so many ways, I'm alone” but at least he had Adam.

The thing is that, as soon as he’s confronted about his loyalty to his father, he never doubted, he trusts him blindly.

When Lilith confronted him about it, he said “If that's true if he can come talk to me himself”.

When Cas confronted him, he said “ You've come to tell me that God, my father, creator of all things, is my enemy?”

When Sam and Dean confronted him, he said “I'm not aware of anything. You're asking me to trust you. You, who doomed me, you, who let Lucifer walk free while your own brother sat in hell” - “If my father is back, he will usher in Paradise” (Yeah Mike, he was in Paradise, Vegas) - “ I won't hear this. You're lying. I don't know what your agenda is, but you're lying”

But the interaction that hurt the most was then Adam confronted him.

Adam: “The point is parents keep secrets, right? Does it hurt to ask the question?” Michael: “It would. It would mean that I doubt him. The good son, the favorite, doubts his father”

And then Cas went taunting him again to achieve planting inside his head all the memories he had from Chuck, and as soon as he walked in, he said “I'll spare you the effort. I'm not gonna betray my father and everything I've believed in.”

I mean, he was pretty confident that he wasn’t betraying Chuck or wasn’t going to do anything against him, because he is his FATHER.

“Leave, Get Out, I want you dead, We didn’t bond”

That’s what he said to Cas minutes before he changed his mind. That easy? It just doesn’t convince me.

He made the whole bunker tremble just to let them know he reached a conclussion... or maybe it was something different that made the Bunker tremble? Maybe Chuck fulfilling his son’s wish to talk in person? Chuck is a manipulative bitch and he can make anyone believe anything, especially to his son, the one who keeps defendind him after being locked in a cage in hell for 10 years (take note that 10 years for an Archangel as old as the creation itself is not that long). What if Chuck invented a whole story and showed him a different reality? Who would Michael believe? His father or Castiel?

The answer is pretty definitive for me: His father.

Michael decided to help them, and he looked sincere, he really did, he definitely looked hurt by what his father has done. But maybe it was a TRAP.

Yep, A TRAP (15X09)

What if Michael sent Dean and Cas back to purgatory because he wanted to trap them there for Chuck to have time to abduct Sam, and to be free of danger if Dean noticed he was missing? I mean, it wouldn’t be a surprise for me at least, because I remember the Michael we met. Like my friend @verobatto-angelxhunter pointed in her post about the Michaels and Dean we were very surprised to see this Mike is not the same as the AU one, or even the same archangel he was in season 5 when he possessed John Winchester and Adam. But he is. He wasn’t with Adam, because they have a different relationship, they’re friends, partners and only have each other. But why would he change his mind so drastically just in a couple of minutes?

Besides, maybe it’s lazy writing, but the ingredients for a spell to lock GOD away (I mean, GOD.God.) were all things they had in the Bunker except ONE? Nah, it just doesn’t look plausible to me.

And that Ingredient happens to be A LEVIATHAN BLOSSOM.

Purgatory is a place Chuck created to get rid of Leviathans because they were creatures who eat angels. “The Piranha that will eat the whole aquarium”, and I want to point out something definitely super interesting that @staycejo1 said some time about Leviathans.

“Leviathans are all black goo. Does this remind you of ANYTHING or ANYONE? Maybe the EMPTY created he Leviathans and that’s why he’s so pissed at Castiel”

This will destroy the theory that God created Leviathans, and it actually makes sense. They were the first beasts and then God locked them away. Maybe God and The Empty were pals until he did that and they parted ways. Reminder: this was long before archangels and humanity were created. What if the Empty was like “Okay, you lock my children away? I will soak in empty every angel you create after they die”

(This will also explain why the Empty is helping Billie to plot against Chuck, and why Old Death would lie about the origin of the Leviathans).

You can read my meta about Chuck, Billie, The Empty and the Old Death here.

Leviathans are creatures Cas had inside himself, that would be the first point for the Empty to be interested in Cas, the second one was that he’s the one that got away, and the third is currently the deal they’re holding. When Cas achieve happiness, he will die and go to the empty.

Now, pointing this out, the deal Cas and The Empty made, was sealed in heaven. God is absolute there, he knows everything about it and it’s probably aware of it.

What if God thought the only way possible to get rid of Cas was in the hands of Leviathans, children of his enemy and eaters of angels, so that’s why he manipulated Michael into send them to purgatory, close the rift and TRAP them there?

He knows there is a human portal there and Dean already crossed it, so Dean would be safe, Cas on the other hand...

Chuck is desperate to get rid of Castiel, so maybe this is the only “poetic way” he found for his ending not to be ruined by solving everything with a snap of his fingers. So either he’s planning Cas to die in Purgatory or planning for him to stay stuck there forever because there would be no way out for him.

What Chuck won’t see coming is the obvious solution that will allow Cas to cross the human portal...

VESSEL SHARING.

Not only @emblue-sparks , @verobatto-angelxhunter and @paper-lilypie talked about this in their metas, but now I bring more evidence for this to MAYBE become real.

In the 15x09 promo we can hear Dean screaming “The monsters are everywhere” so they definitely found troubles along the way, also we can see Dean ALONE in the images of the promo, so... hear me out.

What if this time Dean convinces Cas to ride shotgun inside of him like he did with BENNY the last time?

“Together, we are one” or “We’re together, we’re one” That’s what the spell mean. And it remind me of certain profound bond I know and love.

(”WE ARE” rings a bell?)

So if Cas rides shotgun (letting Dean take complete control of his body, because he respects him, not like AU!Michael) he will LEAVE his own body, so he will be inside Dean until episode 12 that Jack comes back and maybe between him and Billie, they will rebuilt his body. I mean, the empty sent him back with a new tan, a new trenchcoat and another hair style so anything is possible!

(This is part of what @paper-lilypie wrote on her theory! go read her!)

So they will come back home with Cas hidden inside Dean’s body though the human portal. and Cas will stay there hidden. It’s not like Dean doesn’t trust him enought to let him inside his head.

*LilithsGifFORESHADOWING.gif*

THAT was in episode 14x03, and then in 14x10 this happened.

Cas went again inside his head, this time with Sam on his side.

So they will be sharing Dean’s body for a while, and the prayer will be with Cas inside his head, so that’s why we won’t have an answer from Cas’ side right away.

Okay and another thing I wanna point out is that season 15 is from beginning to end FOR THE FANS, so they’re bringing characters into the show not by coincidence, they’re bringing them with a purpose, for us to REMEMBER specific things.

First they brought Belphagor in Jack’s body, who reminds us to Dean's time in hell, to Michael in the cage and to spice things up between Cas and Dean. Then they brought back Kevin, to remind us there’s no way for a soul to go into heaven because now god is an enemy. Then they brought back Eileen, knowing well she couldn’t go into heaven, Sam brought her back by using the spell Jack used on Mary that it didn’t work. Then they brought back LILITH, to remind us the original apocalypse and how much the guys have upgraded. Then they brought back Rowena, to give the guys an ally in hell. Then they brought back Adam and Michael.

So why would they bring Benny for 30 seconds letting him die under a red light?

That’s right, for us to remember the vessel sharing.

Coincidence? Nope.

This is the season to bring back.

Cas will return one way or another, just like Jack.

We just have to wait and see.

Disclaimer: THIS IS A SPEC BASED ON EVIDENCE I FOUND ALONG THE WAY.

Tagging: @verobatto-angelxhunter @metafest @bre95611 @legendary-destiel @mrsaquaman187 @emblue-sparks @paper-lilypie

#Supernatural Meta #SPN S15 #SPN 15X09 #The Trap #Castiel #dean winchester #Sam Winchester #Chuck #Billie the Reaper #jack kline #SPEC

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wingedauthor · 4 years

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I am 100% down for the Headcanon that Gavin is a cat person. But I might I also raise him being a bird person?

Meet Dipshit. The foul mouth, bitey, rescued African Grey whom many have compared to his owner. Hates everyone except Gavin (though he still gets bit). Nines is a very rare exception to this fact. Partially inspired by parrot swearing videos like this one.

Headcanon below. Feel free to add:

As stated Dipshit is a rescue parrot. Three years prior to the revolution, they found him during a Red Ice Ring Raid. He was trapped in a small cage no bigger than him in a very dark room. Due to stress, he had plucked out most of his feathers. It was Gavin who found him and let him out of the cage despite the bird’s angry hissing.

The bird bit him of course but having dealt with feral cats, Gavin remained calm ignoring the pain. Dipshit ran up his shoulder then and refused to get off; biting anyone and everyone who got too close to Gavin

Gavin took him to a local exotic shelter to see if they could find him a good home. Dipshit seemed... heartbroken seeing Gavin leave. Gavin stayed in touch with the shelter to see if anyone tried adopting him. Meanwhile he started doing research. After a few weeks of no one being willing to take in the angry bird, he decided to bring him home.

Dipshit was uncharacteristically happy seeing Gavin again. Especially when he took the bird away.

Gavin spent a good chunk of his savings getting the biggest cage that would fit in his apartment and an assortment of bird toys, perches, treats, food etc. That first night together, Gavin learned Dipshit was afraid of the dark and hates being locked in his cage. He pretty much screamed until Gavin turned the lights back on and opened the cage. Though not the best for his health, Gavin decided to just leave the cage door open at all times and leave a nightlight on for bird.

Gavin still has a cat named Asshole. She was curious about Dipshit at first but much to Gavin’s relief, she really has no desire to chase Dipshit. He’s pretty sure Dipshit could take her on in a fight though. Slowly his feathers started to grow back but there’s still a few missing patches. Unlike most birds, Dipshit was quite content going long hours without seeing Gavin. As long as Gavin spent most of his time with the bird when he was home, he was fine. He has free range of Gavin’s apartment though will mostly sit on top of his cage or on a free standing perch in the living room. His wings are clipped just for safety.

Dipshit did not help Hank’s fear of birds.

The bird has picked up Gavin’s dislike of the lieutenant and attacks every time he sees Hank. Connor came over to apartment once to collect some case files and was attacked by Dipshit as well. He completely understands Hank’s fear now of that bird.

Nines was an interesting case. Maybe part of it was Gavin didn’t really have a seething hatred of the newer android and Dipshit picked up on that. The first time he came over, Dipshit put on his threatening dance.

Gavin: Careful he bites Nines: I cannot feel pain Detective but I appreciate your concern Gavin: I’m not worried about you dumb ass. Dipshit can easily bite through your plastic fingers and thirium is extremely poisonous to birds. Nines: Noted.

But Nines showed no fear. Dipshit obeyed a very stern command to not bite and step up. Gavin was completely shocked. Dipshit never listened to anyone. Not even the vets.

To rub salt in the wound, Nines was the first person who was able to give Dipshit scritches. He explained that sometimes angry creatures just needed a kind but firm tone. (Not unlike a certain detective). Nines now visits regularly to help Gavin train Dipshit.

#reed900 #detroit become human #birb #african grey #gavin reed #nines rk900 #digital art #dbh headcanons #connor rk800 #hank anderson #fanart #pets #i know you can't quite see #but hank has paw print socks #a gift from connor #i didn't mean to write so much #i just love this idea too much

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brooklynislandgirl · 3 years

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❤ - gentle or loving touch - petting their hair, hugging them tightly.

Rose Tint My World || Accepting

Tonight the Bronx burns. It bleeds. It dies. She'd seen it in the smoke rising from the fire place. She heard it in the winds that lashed at her windows and drove the rain pounding into the streets. Moreover, she knows it in her bones, the ones she throws and the ones she lives in. Seven months of jail time had been suffered because of the Traitor. The snake in the garden who had slithered to the police in order to try to curry favour with an Uncle. A snake spied by her little birds and whose name had been whispered from tongue to tongue until it reached his ear. He smiled in his dark, patiently. The Traitor had slinked his way out of his hole thinking he'd earned protection. He crept into the garden and thought to drink amidst the other creatures, pleased with himself. He saw something pretty and came away with her. Little did he know she was a handmaiden in the court. They returned to the zoo but the Traitor was not alone with her, followed by two black, sleek cars. The wire bit deeply into his neck while fists and feet and wood beat into his body, grown fat and weak on his pride. The beating was savage. Barely left anything recognisable as human. But he still crawled. He crawled and he begged in his own blood, choking on his own venom. That was when the King drew on his gloves. Lifted his sword and swung down. The stories will tell that that is all it took. Maybe it was. Doesn't matter, the result is still the same. The Traitor died for his betrayal. The handmaiden was praised and set free. The corpse and the building were set alight and all the sleek black things flew away.

She takes a sip of her wine, sweet and spiced, and lets it stain her lips. Turns away from the window and sets it aside before the door even closes. A King does what he must. The gloves are gone. The gloves never existed. He'd been with her the entire night.

Half lidded, her eyes rise to meet his, green clashing on green. Hers are alight with tenderness and shimmer, his are dark but they are restive. It has been too long. And when she rushes to him, he catches her. Hands large as plates, as suns, as worlds lodge in the dark of her hair, span out through the inky tresses until they're entirely webbed in his fingers. Her own clutch the back of his shirt, trapped between silk and the leather of his jacket. She smells the rain and the last gasps of fire on him and it will be such a shame to have to destroy these beautiful things. But that's all they are; thing that can be replaced as easily as he can touch the face of his phone. When he looks down, she takes it as a sign and rises up on the tips of her toes. Drags him down to the size he was long ago, just a boy. Kisses him with every fibre screaming in her soul. The kind that speaks volumes. How much she's missed him, how worried she was when they put him in a cage. How good it is to feel him again. Hers was the lawyer that had found the technicality, the lack of warrant on key evidence. The howl of fury that came from her brother when the case fell apart. But mostly? The kiss is a reminder that she above all else loves him, before she demurely slips back down to her feet. And wraps herself in that embrace. Her whisper is all smoke and embers. "Send Oisin home, Keiki Pea and come t' bed. Your auntie hasn't seen ya f' evah, and I don't wish t' share ya any more."

#mahalo!crow <333 #Heavy is the Head|Luka O'Rian #Fire in the Blood|Luka and Beth #Like An Undertow|Mob Verse #Boston in the Fall|Massachusetts #murder tw #mutilation tw #decapitation tw #mafia violence tw

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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The Silence of the Lambs and Clarice’s Lifelong Battle Against the Male Gaze

https://ift.tt/3tKs3GZ

Special agent Clarice Starling is breathing heavily as she forces herself to turn the next tight corner. Between deep breaths, she knows somewhere in the back of her mind that she’s being watched. And she can assume those invisible, cold male eyes are making a judgement of her five-foot and three-inch frame: She’s in over her head. Yet she pushes past any condescending skepticism, and she perseveres through the proverbial dark.

At a glance, this could apply to the climax of The Silence of the Lambs, Jonathan Demme’s masterful psychological thriller which finishes with a cat and mouse game of Starling (a peerless Jodie Foster) crawling through the dungeon created by Ted Levine’s Buffalo Bill. In that blackness, serial killer Bill most certainly watches her, playfully (mis)judging her aptitude for handling his house of horrors. Yet all of these elements are also evident in Silence of the Lambs’ very first scene.

On a sleepy late wintry morning in Virginia, we’re introduced to Starling already overcoming another manmade trap meant to exclude her. At the FBI’s Quantico obstacle course, we witness the quiet and earnest determination which defines Clarice as she ascends up a rope line and when she flips over a cargo net. She’s acutely aware that the deck is probably being stacked against her behind her back, but she remains unfatigued and undaunted. She doesn’t even wince when the FBI instructor who emerges from the shadows to summon her down to the office mispronounces her name: He calls her “Sterling.”

It’s only a few minutes at the top of Silence of the Lambs, but it’s shot with Demme’s signature attentiveness and subtlety. While the director never draws direct attention to his filmmaking and blocking techniques, his visual language is pristine and unmistakable.

From the jump, Clarice is in a maze, a labyrinth of manmade systems and challenges that appear to reject her very presence. And she never once steps away from their course. They’re with her at the finale in Buffalo Bill’s portal to hell, but they also manifest in the bureaucratic cages and then literal holding pens Dr. Frederick Chilton (Anthony Heard) ushers Clarice through as a power move—a brusque display of authority and arrogance after Clarice rebuffed Chilton’s sleazy pick-up line a moment earlier in the film. “See what an important man you missed the chance of getting to know?” he projects through a curdled sneer.

Chilton is, of course, taking Clarice to meet the man he calls “the Monster:” Dr. Hannibal Lecter (a mighty Anthony Hopkins who demonstrates the eviscerating power of stillness). And one doubts Dr. Lecter would disagree with that title. It’s easy to imagine the disgraced cannibal psychiatrist musing that if Clarice’s life is a series of mazes and evaded dead ends, then her lifetime amounts to a single, titanic struggle against a minotaur—the ultimate monster of Greek mythology who devoured young men and women fed into his maze.

Yet in Silence of the Lambs, the all-consuming Dr. Lecter is hardly the only monster in Clarice’s life, even if he is the creature at the center of Chilton’s labyrinth. Rather the real Monster (with a capital “M”) pursuing Clarice is just about every man she meets. Among them, Dr. Lecter is but an urbane drop in the ocean.

This is again foreshadowed during the film’s opening moments when, after coming down from the obstacle course, Clarice loads onto an elevator with a half-dozen other FBI trainees, each towering over her by at least a foot. Once more, Demme’s simple but eloquent framing of Clarice’s universe is devastating. In a snapshot, we can understand the white bread, buttoned up skepticism of the patriarchal institutions she’s attempting to join and improve. After all, in the next scene, her new boss Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) admits she caught his attention when she grilled him in a classroom over the FBI’s sordid history in the civil rights era.

Crawford welcomes Clarice’s earnestness and repudiation of the good ol’ boys’ club in law enforcement. Still, he only picks her for this assignment because he sees her as a proverbial honey pot meant to entice Dr. Lecter—a pretty face meant to appeal to the lonely and incarcerated cannibal. Hannibal takes it a step farther too when he asks if Clarice has considered that the kindly Jack Crawford is attracted to her? Dr. Lecter relishes planting the idea of Clarice’s boss fantasizing about her in the young agent’s mind. How else would Crawford think to pick her to interview the monster?

But these taunts, which are intended to embarrass, are rooted in Lecter’s two most powerful weapons: acute observational skills and the ability to speak uncomfortable truths. He uses them again during their final encounter before his escape, when Hannibal asks Clarice, “Don’t you feel eyes moving over your body?” Don’t you feel the male gaze objectifying and defiling?

One of the most remarkable things about Silence of the Lambs 30 years later is its intelligent and (much like Clarice) frank way of addressing the overt sexism and misogyny in society. This is not done in the sometimes ham-handed way of modern media, with didactic speeches and easily defeated abusers who get their deserved comeuppance. Instead this problem is shown to be the uncomfortable truth of our reality, and a truth that’s sadly changed little in three decades.

Even before Dr. Lecter verbalizes the oppressiveness of the male gaze, Clarice and the audience know it’s there in the elevator, and perhaps also with Crawford’s more smiling friendliness. It’s sometimes not even unwelcome, as when Clarice flirts with the gawky bug specialist at the Smithsonian (he even gets to attend her Quantico graduation later); but it’s constant, and mostly insulting if not outright predatory. Whether in the gaze of all those criminally insane patients whom Hannibal shares a cell block with or in a dozen hard stares from a West Virginian sheriff’s department, it is always menacing Clarice.

It’s fair to wonder whether it was harder for special agent Starling to draw a gun on Buffalo Bill or for Clarice to tell all those country bumpkin deputies to take a hike earlier in the movie so she and Crawford can examine the body of one of Bill’s victims. When she entered the funeral home with her boss, once again all these other law enforcement types had a foot above her in height, and their eyes closed that distance to cover her body. No one says an outwardly sexist or sleazy remark; they don’t have to. In fact, the only cruel word comes from her own boss when Crawford preemptively bends to the local prejudices by marking Starling as soft and lesser by virtue of her gender while chatting up the sheriff.

Later Crawford offers a halfhearted apology, saying he only did that to ingratiate himself with the regressive rube he needed information from. But Clarice is never one to let the right thing go unsaid.

“Cops look at you to learn how to act,” Clarice respectfully but assertively pushes back. “It matters.” Crawford smiles and shrugs, “Point taken,” before dozing off. But obviously the point is not taken, and the patronizing tone of even a decent man like Crawford belies his kindness. It demonstrates why the insidiousness of patriarchal double standards persists. Hence how at the end of the movie Crawford gets to go on the ill-fated raid of where the FBI thinks Buffalo Bill is living—leaving Clarice behind to actually crack the case on her own.

Even from his cage, Dr. Lecter can see this perpetual struggle within the moment Clarice steps before his plexiglass. She is, after all, a woman trying to advance in the FBI. Not that Hannibal is immune from this nastiness or is some kind of “ally.” In the same scene that Lecter asks about men’s eyes, his own stare attempts to consume Clarice whole. Long before Demme’s camera puts Foster in an extreme close-up, Hopkins’ baby blues are dominating the whole screen as Hannibal demands to know about the screaming of the lambs. Unblinking, they’re like the eyes of a deity. Or a devil.

And yet, Clarice can at least appreciate Hannibal’s bluntness and honesty about it, as well as the fact he always shoots straight with her, even when he lies or obscures the truth beneath word games. He’s the only man who admits to the double standards, and he points her in the right direction to capture Bill, albeit by leaving Clarice to put the clues together herself.

At the end of the day, Silence of the Lambs is Clarice’s story. Sure, Hopkins is spectacular as Hannibal, but even with her Oscar win for the role, Foster is often overlooked for her contributions as Starling. It’s a role that’s been imitated a thousand times since 1991—including with several other actresses playing Clarice—but it’s never been duplicated. There is a steadfast resilience here, sure, but also a quiet awareness that’s just as observant as Hopkins’ supervillain. She sees everything, including her own insecurities. Dr. Lecter brings them to the surface when he extracts the story of the screaming lambs from her memory, but she already knows what the crying lamb sounds like. She hears it almost every night.

Movies

Hannibal: Did Author Thomas Harris Try to Destroy Dr. Lecter?

By Don Kaye

Clarice Review (Spoiler Free): No Hannibal, No Problem

By Tony Sokol

It’s all there in Foster’s own eyes, which is what gives her steely determination to overcome staying power in our minds. By the movie’s end, subtexts become text inside Buffalo Bill’s dungeon. For here is a basement that a man retrofitted into a torture chamber for women, members of the gender he covets and despises. As with the obstacle course, Clarice enters this space brazenly and defiantly, finding its labyrinthine center where Bill has turned off the lights.

Hidden behind his night vision goggles, the killer thinks he’s master, and Clarice is his next victim. One more sacrifice to feed upon. Finally, the male gaze we’ve spent the whole movie dreading from Clarice’s vantage is flipped, and we watch her through Bill’s green tinted voyeurism. This is the metaphor taken to its most extreme, with the camera sharing headspace with a serial killer. Yet it’s not too far removed from the Monster that’s stalked Clarice all her life. The grossness of Bill’s hesitant attempt to touch her hair, to take possession of Clarice’s body and personal space, is a reach every male in the film, save for Clarice’s father (the only other male the camera shares eyes with in a flashback), has made.

When Clarice once again turns the tables on this assumed authority and shoots Bill dead, she’s slayed one version of the minotaur and earned her perch in a system that’s resisted her. We see her triumph via the graduation at Quantico. Now she is a celebrity among the FBI. We also see it in Crawford’s genuine affection and admiration for the young woman.

Nevertheless, the maze he helped maintain persists, and the Monster takes another form. Thus even in her success, Clarice ends the film still framed in tight shadows, hanging onto the words of Dr. Lecter, who’s just put down the phone. She has the respectability and authority Hannibal lost long ago, but he can still move through this world in a way more liberated than any path Clarice has ever known.

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