To preface, I think that Beau and Caleb are fine, and somewhere in Exandria they're being super effective using their respective 10 strength scores to try to smash their restraints into a rock before giving up and trudging off to find a smith shop or an arcane store. HOWEVER.
I am thinking about what a HORRIFIC few moments they just had. Of course they're here chasing Ludinus to this end, because that's what they set out to do, but I don't think there was any imagining in their epilogues to what extent this would go. They signed up for riskier-than-average private investigation work and found a plot to unleash a second Calamity.
And then, when it came down to it, they failed.
They were about as trapped and restrained as they could be, fully at Ludinus's mercy. Behind the charm, did Beau think about how much Yasha was forced to do when her will wasn't her own? Silenced and without magic, did Caleb remember being at the complete mercy of another Cerberus Assembly archmage?
And amidst it all, when was the last time Beau saw Yasha and their kids, whom she's had for no more than five years? When did Caleb last visit Veth or speak to Essek? Does he even know where Essek is right now? Do any of the Nein know specifically where Beau and Caleb are?
They've failed, they're trapped, and they're restrained in ways that explicitly cut off any possible way they might tell their loved ones goodbye, let alone warn them about what they are near certain is about to happen.
And the nature of what looks inevitable in that moment means that even that warning would mean nothing in the end, because while Beau and Caleb are already trapped, there is no escape for anyone in Exandria if Ludinus gets his way.
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So, this parallel, right.
That parallel and the 4x11 shadowpeach fight as a whole:
Macaque: "No that's YOU! You're the one always running off! Looking for more power, more sources of immortality—you're the one who wouldn't quit while were were ahead! Not the great sage, he's got to drag EVERYONE else into his mess!"
Sun Wukong: "You're not in this mess, you're still free! Everything I did was for us!"
Macaque: "You did it for yourself! You've become like this, obsessive demon! I told you going against the Jade Emperor was a bad idea, but no, Wukong doesn't listen to anyone! He just does whatever he wants! You put yourself here, not me."
(4x11 A Lifetime of Mistakes)
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A large part of Wukong's motivation to keep getting more power was the freedom of it—the more power you have the easier it is to do whatever you want. It's easier to ignore everyone else and focus solely on yourself. It's also easier to ensure yourself and your loved one's are protected and have the ability to do what they want.
So, a punishment where the great Monkey King is imprisoned and trapped for hundreds of years? It's effective and tragic and fitting. Wukong wanted to have the freedom to protect the people he cared about, and in trying to reach for the power to do that, he completely had his freedom removed. He went from the mountain, to then the circlet, and then all of a sudden he had morals and was bound to those.
And then I think about his end of s3 choice to go face the Lady Bone Demon alone. Once again Wukong was trying to protect his loved ones (not to mention the whole reason he went after the Samadhi fire to begin with was to have the power, the freedom to stop LBD (which in itself is another case of SWK believing he needed to be stronger for such freedom)), but he also wanted to make sure MK and himself both had agency. He didn't want MK to have to fight LBD, and he didn't want LBD to end the world.
This is exactly the sentiment he tells Macaque in the 4x11 flashback:
Sun Wukong: "It's so we don't have to worry about anything or anyone ever again! Just living a lazy life, sitting in the sun, eatin' fruit, and doing whatever we want!"
But where does it all lead him?
To possession, imprisonment. Once again Wukong no longer had the freedom to do what he wanted (which is to protect the people he cares about). Once again in his attempts to help his loved one's, he only hurt them.
This can be applied to his relationship with Macaque, to MK in s2, hell, even Wukong trying to get the map in the first place left him powerless, which then led to him and the gang being imprisoned in 3x02. It's a familiar pattern, one we see with antagonist and protagonist alike.
MK in s2 trained to become more powerful, which in the end only strengthened LBD and forced him and his friends on the run. Mei in 3x12 protects MK by letting herself get captured and placed into LBD's crystal. Mei in 4x05 goes to protect MK, breaking her sword and leaving her vulnerable to being captured by Kui Mulang ("How am I supposed to protect everyone without my sword?"). DBK reached for more power and then became possessed by LBD, hurting his wife and son. Azure reached for the Jade Emperor's power and bound himself to that role, jeopardizing Peng and Yellowtusk in the process.
It's a cycle of reaching for power, endangering others, and then being imprisoned.
So anyways, here's why MK is going to lose control (his agency) next season and hurt his friends with his own- *get's shot*
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Heyyyy :3 and could you do how Kate laswell would help you when your on your period?? :D
Hey! Sure I can!
Laswell Helping Her S/O on Their Period
Laswell doesn’t get periods anymore, which she couldn’t be happier about. Every time she did get her period she felt as though she was going to die. Her cramps were bad, everything else hurt as well, she was moody and probably almost decked someone several times throughout her life. She always thought getting her period was unnecessary. She's a lesbian, she was never going to do the devil’s tango with a man and get pregnant. Laswell always wished her body would understand that as well, but alas. However, she would feel a lot of pity and sympathy when you’re on your period as she knows how much it can suck. While she may not actively track it, she’ll always know when you’re about to get your period, being able to identify the signs. She’ll make the preparations as well, which can range from getting you some meds, should you need them, to buying chocolate or other snacks. Hell, she’ll buy you the best heating pad she can find as well. However, she still won’t be too big on cuddling with you, unless you insist on her doing so. She’s not the warmest person around, so she likely won’t be able to ease your pains like that either. However, she’ll bundle you up in a blanket and watch bloopers of your favorite shows with you until you’re laughing again and it gets a bit better. Although she’s usually okay with doing the chores on her own, when you’re not doing well because you’re menstruating she will actively encourage you to stay in bed and let her handle everything. Cleaning the dishes should be the least of your concerns for the time being. Makes you tea, coffee or maybe some hot chocolate. You won’t need to move a single finger. If she really needs to, then she’ll change the bed sheets as well if you bled on them. She won’t be mad, she gets it. It’s not something you can control, after all. So, all in all, she’ll do her best to take care of you as well as she can. Might take a day off too if you need her to.
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Sugar-Tooth (Heinous Intent)
(NOT A PR0MPT)
You wanted a vampire. Read on.
“Go away. You are not welcome in my home. I am not afraid of you.” It came out in a fast string, every word falling haphazardly into the next.
Something that blended in so well in the darkness shouldn’t have been felt. At least, it shouldn't have given Hero such a gut-wrenching feeling, with shivers and all, with so little as a dark gaze. Yet Hero could feel the vampire’s breath on his neck, and he squeezed his eyes shut in bed.
“Oh, my dear." The vampire's sweet laughter filled the air, and Hero hated how violins played a delicate tune in his ear. A wave rode down his spine.
He could submit so easily, and the vampire had barely done a thing. She put no effort into what she was doing, but Hero knew if he were standing right now, he'd be swaying on his feet like tall grass in a summer breeze.
As if the vampire were reading his mind, a gentle wind fluttered across his cheeks. He gasped, and the vampire clearly delighted in it as she giggled again.
"You were right about not being afraid. You enjoy my company."
"How did you get in here?"
Another melody played; Hero was almost lulled into a fitful sleep. The music was beautiful, reminding him of his childhood, rocking gently on shimmery waters in boats with the engine cut off.
"Stop," Hero slurred. "Stop- what do you want?"
"Entertainment. Something fun.” A flurry of high notes rang in Hero’s ears again. “You are quite handsome, you know?"
Handsome. Hero smiled at that. It was a lazy smile- uncontrolled and entirely thoughtless. The word was just...nice. It flattered him, even if he had been sweating moments before.
"Say, love, those sheets look soft. You wouldn't mind if I took the other half of the bed, would you?"
If she wanted to lay down, Hero could make room. She smelled good, like roses and lavender, sandalwood and pine trees, vanilla and...god, she smelled like heaven.
"How sweet, darling."
It was now that Hero saw the vampire's face. "Beautiful," he murmured- at her lips, cheeks, neck...How awful would it be to kiss her? To kiss those sweet spots and see how reluctant vampire skin truly was? The legends said they self-healed near instantly, but Hero wanted to see if his lips couldn’t make a difference anyway.
"You don't get enough attention, do you, sweetheart?"
Hero shook his head. Truthfully, he had no idea what she was saying, but in the moment, he didn’t feel it mattered. She was warm to lay next to, but cool to the touch.
Without thinking, Hero had leaned towards the vampire, lips pursed. He didn't care which part of her his lips touched- as long as it was skin.
It was her cheek, at first.
Then her lips as she turned towards him.
Then her neck as she looked away, exposing herself to his soft lips. (She knew he wouldn't bite.)
When she began lifting the bottom hem of her shirt, Hero sighed half-dreamily, half-impatiently. His lips found the skin of the vampire's collar bone soon after, then her chest, her stomach... He hummed along the way, delighting at the coolness which touched his warm mouth.
What got him here, he wasn't sure, but he only found himself lifting his head and opening his eyes to see if he had marked the vampire and all her damage-absorbent skin.
Pleased with the red blotches on her skin, Hero rolled back onto his side of the bed.
"Content with your adventures?" the vampire asked.
Hero felt the shift on the mattress, felt her climbing over into his own territory. He smiled as her stomach pressed against his. He nodded.
"You won't mind if I have my fun now." She was a creature of the night- of course she wasn't asking. And of course Hero didn't mind in the slightest, not with that music in the air.
"What will you do?" he finally had the sense to ask. His voice was no longer lulled by the melody, even if his mind had been occupied by it all along.
Now, it was the vampire's turn to hum. "Whatever I want." Just as she had previously done to herself, she began lifting Hero's shirt. Though opposite of Hero, she started low with sloppy kisses. As she climbed, the kisses became more precise, more directed...Moreover, they became full of heinous intent.
Reaching Hero's neck, the vampire whispered in his ear, "Turn away."
For the second time that night, Hero felt true fear. Turning away meant exposing himself, making himself vulnerable. Then again, hadn't he been vulnerable all along? Hadn't vulnerability began when he quavered at the presence of the vampire alone? And even more so when his mind was laid to rest with her musical laughter? When he trailed kisses down her body like only a lover would?
“Turn. I will not be so kind if I have to say it again.”
Hero refused. "You'll kill me."
A flitter of music played, and Hero cursed under his breath while simultaneously praying he wouldn't fall subject again.
"Darling, I was always going to kill you. This"- she curled a finger beneath Hero's chin and lifted up- "was just to make that precious blood flow faster. I find it sweeter that way."
Swallowing, Hero could only squeeze his eyes shut. He was letting his brain sway himself into his grave, for it was all he could do.
Finally, the vampire whispered, in her coy and candied voice, "I was always told I have quite the sugar-tooth."
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The answer to 8 is D. Abel >:D
Lofty this is so distant from everything else you've written lately but I am so curious about the early LU in Healthcare days. Did Time ever update Uli and Rusl after having Twilight over for dinner? How did Twilight introduce Time to Wild, or did they meet at work? Did Time ever figure out what was going on with Twilight? If any of these spark a snippet I would love to know
Malon exhaled slowly, relaxing with her head on Time's shoulder as the couple rested on the couch. It was a rare moment when neither had anything to do, and they could finally just enjoy a moment of silence together. She had been texting her cousin, Uli, updating her on meeting up with Twilight a few days ago. Time hadn't seen much of the young man since then, honestly, as he'd been quite busy in the OR (holiday weekends were always trauma weekends), but the most interaction he'd gotten was through Twilight's apparent roommate, Wild.
He was still trying to figure out what was going on, honestly. Four had a rough stretch of shifts after a patient he'd been fighting for had died, and Time had come over to help him. He'd found Legend, Sky, and a new person there as well, who had introduced himself as Wild (yet another young man named Link, most likely). It hadn't taken long for Time to figure out that Wild and Twilight were roommates, as Wild knew who Time was.
That occasion was not the time to really try to pursue any curiosity about Twilight's predicament, or to investigate his newfound questions about Wild (that kid was definitely a mystery), and so Time had focused on Four instead. But the more Malon texted Rusl and Uli, the stranger the entire situation became. At least Twilight's parents knew he was safe, though.
"Did you tell them it looks like he hasn't been eating?" Time asked quietly.
Malon sighed. "I told them we're feeding him. I don't want them to worry."
Well Time was worried, so he could only imagine how they felt.
Malon let her phone drop to her lap. "We should invite both of them over next time. When do we have another day off together?"
"Good Lord, don't ask that," Time groaned, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. "That means we have to look at our schedules again."
Malon laughed, swatting him with the back of her hand. "Oh, stop being a baby. You're so well organized in the OR--"
"I hate keeping track of schedules, hospital scheduling is from the devil."
"I can't help that you picked one of the most time intensive fields of surgery!"
Time harrumphed irritably.
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