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#maybe its just a coincidence but......... bro
princekirijo · 8 months
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I just realized I haven't updated y'all on some changes I've made to Riku specifically Noble (his thief self)
#> has changes to tell y'all#> doesn't tell y'all#they're mostly visual changes but like a huge thing thats changed is actually his weapons#he no longer is stuck sharing rapiers with kasumi woohoo#that was bothering me for the longest time tbh#nah he uses two swords now#its kinda funny seeing nico's katsuro also using two swords... a coincidence i PROMISE bro 😅#although riku is more scimitars and curved swords i feel#maybe those egyptian swords the name is escaping me rn though those wouldn't fit the aesthetic as much so#i could also do the sword and knife combo his black mask variant now has#yeahhh black mask riku's new look/weapons is HEAVILY inspired by abyss watchers LOL i just love them sm the vibe works so much#i was gonna go twinblades cause that would be fire but dual swords are slightly more practical#and also because ive been grumblinh about this for a while but ive been sorting out his personality more!!#i found a cool website that had a load of templates so ive been using those#very basic ass shit mind u but still good stuff#he still wields dual pistons btw#hes slowly turning into a dm€ character ngl 😭#<- censored so doesnt show in main tag lol#i would love to make a new reference post for him but a) i have to draw it and b) i bet i'd chicken out when it comes time to post...#I'd also be posting the references for pimpernel and lugh#because they are mostly done?#lugh's been done for like two years at this point LMAOO aside from some slight visual updates#but pimpernel well... yall KNOW how much of a headache that fucker is for me.....
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barredandromeda · 1 month
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i hate change id rather die
#people arent sticking to their usual selves stop messing w my mind#havent talked to some friends in a while and theyre wildly dif and its making me so irritated can we go back to how we were before#my obsession of waiting by the phone until someone messages me first is coming back in the worst way possible#the coincidences with k stopped and i barely even see him anymore and his clothing style is changing???#hes becoming more normal popular whatever and its so boring please i need a loser boy go back to being that#mb i cant sleep and feelings are coming back but in a weirder way and i have like 2 projects due tmr im not done w and test#i need more friends but in the way of being irl that i can wave at during school and send them videos without talking fr#serenity wake up and come home bro literally ditch school just for me 🙏 believe in u bbg#omg sid is coming back tmr thank god i need my daily walks w him i literally tried w another guy today and it was not the same#bro was yapping ab love whatever idek 😭 told me ab his crushes which good for him ig but i barely know him idc 🙏#insta wants me to stop liking k too cause it deleted all my past stories ab him when i tried to make a highlight#is it so hard to have everyone obsessed with me all the time. cant people just pay attention to me forever#i forgot what i said in this post whatever im deleting it later anyway#post#erics tag#delete later#cringingg that people know stuff ab me and why i am the way i am. maybe they should all die so it becomes a secret again#literally why did i ever talk anything out with anyone other than serenity thats so fucking stupid no shit shes the only good one#thats a lie i love attention i just hate asking for it i cant even be bothered to say more bro im so exhausted but not in a sleeping way yk#kindividual posting
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alwaysshallow · 5 months
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Cod dudes but their y/n is a bag of good luck/karma. When they hake y/n happy all good things happen to them. But of they upset her and its their fault???? Bad luck for 3 whole months.
Said something offensive?? Got really bad thrush 3 days into a mission.
Forgot anniversary?? HEAD LICE
Accidentally hurt them? Bro got scabies and then gave everyone scabies and they cant do anything about it bc the mission is too far out and they just keep ITCHING
NO BUT THAT'S SO CREATIVE ANON??
something is wrong with you, and they don't know if you do it on purpose or not, but it's scary as shit.
first time that something bad happens to them? feels like a coincidence. those who believe in god, says it's a punishment, and the others just call it a bad luck, karma, whatever. maybe it's just an accident.
yet, when it happens again, and again, and again they feel weird. it's unsettling feeling, i could say that they even fear for they life, but could we blame them, really?
ghost might be scared at first, but the man he is? he sees it as an advantage to use at others, he needs to check if it only works when you're mad at him, or his s/o might be a deadly weapon LMAO
gaz hires a professional "witch", you name it, to try teach you controlling your "powers" because this man is so tired, in constant fear that he has done something unforgivable and he'd have a fatum over his head!!
soap freaks the fuck out firstly, he pretty much buys bullshit from aliexpress or ebay that is supposed to "help", crystals and shit. but, after some time, he finds it pretty hot ngl and it encourages him to have sex with you more because you're so "scary". yeah.
price i feel he'd go back to church for a few times fkshdkd then he'd just. accept the fact you're like this, he sometimes asks you to "not be mad at him, but at his enemies" so his mindset is a bit like ghost; maybe you could be a useful weapon......
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naddiesflower · 1 year
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Flirting with them as a hero
Characters: Shigaraki, Dabi, Kai Chisaki, Mr. Compress
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Shigaraki
You wouldn’t see each other often when you’d go out on patrols
But oh boy, when you did
Poor shigaraki bro
To a person who didn’t know either of you, it would like you are the one harassing shigaraki
“Can’t you go do hero stuff somewhere else?”
“I could, but i wouldn’t be able to see you.”
Scratches his neck more often in your presence because, “they make me feel nasty inside”
SHIGARAKI DISCOVERS AFFECTION FOR THE FIRST TIME NOT CLICKBAIT
It’s obvious you can’t see what he looks like under the hand he wears
And Shigaraki has curiously inquired a couple of times why you’re so flirty if you don’t know what he even looks like
Like clock work you always answer:
“Well i think you probably look cute under that hand.”
And cue Shigaraki trying to escape from you claiming that
“You’re weird and annoying.”
You’re one of the few heroes who come across Shigaraki so often
Its because he finds you so interesting and he semi-memorized your patrol schedule to bump into you more often 
HE HAS YOUR ENTIRE SCHEDULE MEMORIZED DON’T BELIEVE HIM HE’S A STALKER
Anyways, during one of your guys fight you somehow manage to knock the hand off his face and-
Oh wow
And he has a mole right by his mouth?? 
Omg how does he look good with a bloody nose
You recover from your short trance
“Looks like i was right about you being cute.”
You’re so glad you were able to knock off that bothersome hand off his face or else you would have never seen his reddening cheeks
You reach for a part on your hero suit and rip off a piece of fabric
You reach towards his face, Shigaraki surprisingly doesnt pull away from you, and wipe at his bleeding nose
Shigaraki only stares at you starstruck during this
After you deem your work satisfactory you toss the fabric to the floor and stand up and walk away 
You call out to Shigaraki
“That was a cute look on your face back there.”
Shigaraki just watches you walk away and out of the abandoned warehouse you guys were fighting in
Eventually he also walks away but not before picking up the discarded piece of your hero outfit, making sure he kept his pinky far away from the fabric
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Dabi
Likes you cuz you’re not the cookie cutter type of hero and you’re actually fun
“A hot guy with a fire quirk, i don’t think it’s mere coincidence.”
You catch him off guard so hard 
He thought you would be an uptight kind of hero
The last thing he ever expected from you was to flirt with him
“You seem fun.”
And you did end up being fun
From then on the both of you would bump into each other more frequently
Dabi concluded that the more buildings he burned down, the more you would show up 🤭
“Why is it that your always on my tail?”
“Well maybe it’s because i want to see your face more often…also because you keep committing arson.”
Another thought that came to you is that fire really did suit Dabi
You would never admit out loud, but he did make chaos look like such a beautiful thing
“Hey what do you say, when i finally send you to the cellar how about we have a jailhouse date?”
“It’s a shame you’re a hero or else i would take you up on your offer”
Over time you’ve come to notice his disdain for heroes
Yeah villains normally hate heroes, but something was different about his hatred
But even with your position as a hero, Dabi was fond of you despite objecting this himself
“Join us, i’m sure we could offer you more than those crappy hero agencies.”
You pause and Dabi thinks for a second you might really consider his offer
But you murmur something he barely catches
“Maybe at an earlier point of my life i would have.”
You don't give him a chance to ponder on your statement before you’re charging to fight him
Something about that last encounter shifted something in yalls situationship
This was very evident when you had bumped into him in the most unexpected way
You were off duty and was walking down an abandoned alley way (because that’s totally normal)
But the sound of pained groans catch your attention and you snap quickly into hero mode, looking for what you assumed to be an injured samaritan
the injured part you guessed correctly
the Samaritan part not so much 
you stare at the bloodied form of Dabi huddled next to a garbage bin
Dabi finally takes notice of your presence and he immediately starts trying to burn you
"HEY! look im not going to hurt you!"
you bring your hands up in a surrender motion
Dabi only stops when he's aware that you're out of your hero uniform 
but he's still wary as he sneers at you
"You here to take advantage of me? finally put me behind bars like you wanted?"
"Shut up and let me help you asshole"
Dabi has no choice in the matter as you're already tending to his wounds
and quite frankly he's too tired to fight you
he stares at you and he can't help but think how much more attractive you looked up close 
and how stupid you were
You could have taken advantage of him in his weak time
But you’re here helping him
a villain
“Your kindness will be your downfall you know?”
“It is my job you know.”
when you're done you stand up with a huff and look like you want to say something but settle with
"go to a real doctor and get that thoroughly checked out."
Dabi watches you walk away and thinks
In another time maybe the both of you could have been partners in crime
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Chisaki
Absolutely despises you at first
He’s never seen a hero like you before (derogatory)
The first time you both met was during an undercover mission you were assigned to
Acting as a villain trying to work under Kai
You lead him down the alley way
“Sorry we had to meet in this dingy place, i’ve heard how much you despise dirty places.”
He’s almost impressed that you’d consider his ick
Almost, so the most he offers you is an acknowledging grunt
“It’s not the worst i’ve seen.”
And it truly isn’t
Just when he thinks people can’t any nastier they just somehow do
“Alright so what do you say about my proposition?”
Kai feigns thinking
He already knew who you were
And he thought you an idiot for trying to take him on your own
“I think you’re foolish.”
You hear your hero name being called through the earpiece you have
“You need to retreat right now!”
Thankfully your reflexes are fast or else you’d be reduced to nothing
You look up to where you were once standing and catch Kai’s eyes
They catch you off guard so hard you can barely hear the yelling in your ear piece
You just blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind
“Kai you have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen.”
“Another word and i’ll make you disappear”
“Not even when it’s singing your praises?”
“Sing them in the afterlife.”
Kai was never able to disintegrate you
And you got away mostly unscathed
You also got a serious tongue lashing from your company, but it’s whatever 🙄
His eyes still on your mind when you go to sleep that night
Kai’s mind is also plagued by that night 
He can’t stop thinking how idiotic you were
But his mind keeps replaying the compliment you said
He’s not great at feelings, but even he could feel the sincerity that oozed from your voice
He doesn't have to imagine about you often though
Because somehow you’re always able to sneak your way inside the hideout
He theorizes it has something to do with your quirk, since it was never explicitly stated to the public what it was
Which leads to a kind of back and forth between you guys
You usually sneak in to gather intel
But you mostly do it because you like to mess with Kai
You’ll never forget the time you had managed to get into his office
Which you weren’t aware of at the time until he walked, wide eyed upon seeing you
He’s not surprised to see you, only disappointed
Mostly in his men for letting you get past them
“What are you doing in my office?”
“Oh wow, no bird mask-? Wait, this is your office?”
You say as you spin around in his chair, you had just entered into the first room that you came across
A sly smile crosses your face
“I guess you could say it’s fate that we cross each other like this huh?”
At this point he’s used to your sugary words, but he can’t help the way his cheeks heat up, thankful for the mask he’s wearing right now
He doesn’t know why, but he feels like entertaining your shenanigans 
He walks over to his swivel chair and he can see the way you look at him
With apprehension, but mostly curiosity
He grabs the back of the chair, spins you to face him, and places both of his hands on the arms of the chair
Kai leans in, getting close to your face and manages the most sultry voice he can manage
“Fate? Or is it because you like me so much?”
He notices your expression start to change
And he’s so sure you’re going to be a flustered mess
What he doesn’t expect you do to is to hit him on the chest, effectively pushing him back, and start laughing
“What’s so funny?”
“Hahaha! No nothing- what you did was just cute.”
Honestly what he did made your heart race
And the way he looked at you omg-
Your laughing was out of nervousness, but he didn’t need to know that
Kai glares at you and huff, “get out of my office.”
Finally calming down, you stand up from the chair
“Yeah yeah, i need to get going anyways.”
You walk up to Kai and pull down his black face mask
Kai’s eyes widen and he flinches back the slightest
This causes you you smile a little bit and you lean in to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek
“I knew you would be handsome under that mask.”
With that you walk away from him and out the door all nonchalant
Kai stares at your form the entire way
He would have liked to meet you under different circumstances, but he knows that could never happen
And it never did
He’s apprehended not too long later and you knew it would eventually happen
But that still doesn’t stop the ache in your heart when you find out
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Compress
Will flirt back
“Oh you’re fun, you probably wear that mask to keep people from falling in love with you right?”
He immediately matches your energy
“Then should I take it off so you can do just that my dear?”
Compress usually has fun fighting against heroes, but not as much as he does with you
You’re like a breath of fresh air compared to the usually serious heroes he comes across
He looks forward to bumping in to you 
Him flirting back with you was an absolute surprise
It’s not that you flirt with every villain you fight, you had just assumed he would be some being filled to the brim with anger and rage
And you wanted to provoke him
Well he wasn’t one bit provoked and for once you had fun fighting
You both see each other a handful of times afterwards
But one of the meetings had stuck by your mind among the rest
You bump into compress during patrol
But this time he's not alone
He’s with a young blonde girl
You would have immediately thought the worst and jumped into fighting him if you hadn’t already been aware of the kid’s description in the League of Villains files
You can’t help but feel sad about her situation, society failing her and making her turn to unethical means to survive
You’d be sympathazing with her in your mind had she not interrupted your thoughts
And what she says catches you severely off guard
“Is that the hero you have a crush on compress? They’re so cute!”
Not once did her ever say he had a crush on you (though that doesn’t mean it wasn’t true)
He just mentioned your encounters off handedly to the group and it somehow led to Himiko gushing over one of your fansites whilst smacking his arms and saying, “look, look!”
Compress is half expecting you to be disgusted
“Is that so?” You look over to Compress and and raise an eyebrow
“Have you already fallen for me so quickly, though I can’t really blame you.”
You playfully flutter your eyelashes at him
“It would be hard not to fall for you my dear”
Himiko is squealing about how cute the entire thing is and Compress just can’t help but laugh
You begin to walk in their direction and pat Compresses’ shoulder
“Don’t make me work extra tonight.”
They weren’t doing anything yet, so you’d let them be
Before you walk away, Compress pulls a rose from one of his sleeves and hands it to you
You take it from him with a smile and walk away from the pair
Eventually you notice he’s gone for a while 
You would understand if he was making himself scarce from other heroes, but it’s like he straight up disappears
IT’S BECAUSE MANS IS MISSING A LIMB
And you’re secretly kind of sad about it
But he was a villain and him disappearing should have never surprised you
But one day you spot him, funnily enough where you both met each other
You thought you might have been hallucinating because you had come to accept that he kicked the bucket
The first thing you notice is his left robotic arm
Concern flashes across your face, that surely had to have been the reason for his absence
Villains also had their own enemies, so you’re 100% it wasn’t some freak accident and someone did this to him 
You want to ask him if he’s okay, joke about it but the only thing that comes out of you is
“Who was it?
He looks at you questioningly, you’re usually so playful with him, but he likes seeing this new side of you
“Worrying over a villain my dear? I must say that’s not a very wise thing to do.”
That’s right, as much as you wanted to worry about him, your job wouldn’t allow that freedom
“I was only wondering who got to the mighty Mr. Compress before I could.”
Compress huffs out a laugh and walks towards you until he’s right in front of you
He takes of his mask
Your breath hitches, not expecting him to ever do such a thing
And then he removes the black fabric from his face
You’re too busy admiring how handsome he is to even notice him reaching for your hand and grabbing it
“Please,” he raises your hand and places a kiss to the back of it. 
“Call me Sako.”
You repeat his name, making sure to look into his eyes the entire time
You knew nothing could bloom between you two, but it wouldn’t hurt to keep playing this dangerous game
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unexpectedbrickattack · 7 months
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old. man. yaois.
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tiny gnome has very good senses and smells everything so much and so strongly. help him.
actually. going to keep this contained in the post and not in the tags bc its kink stuff and i think it should stay behind a readmore oop
spreading the 'old man engages in freak behavior' agenda...its not even freak behavior it is so tame for other shit i am writing w them LMAO musk is like whatever. its WHATEVER ! (its good) but my homebrew gnomes are based off of rodents and they have heightened senses of smell and hearing because of it and i think it is so funny to give my fave characters the most benign, yet debilitating kinks. Like bro im fine dw also u need to not be right next to me bc im going to go feral and i dont have it in my soul to explain why
i think its sooooo silly to have him already devote so much of his time to peppino and this business and now hes like god. what is that stickman meme picture of someone gripping their leg so hard its bleeding? thats gus hes like in his own hell. i think i wrote it before that peppino is sooooo aware of like. being a sweaty man and it makes him uncomfortable and he tries to avoid it but its like an inevitable facet of life and he deals w it the best he can. hes not smelly hes sweaty n musky and so working in the back w a hot oven means he ends his shifts absolutely drenched and miserable.
and gus is like👁️👁️ but hes a respectable man (tm) and he doesnt openly gawk n fawn. But. He is not shameless; he absolutely steals a shirt or two when he can and works w that for a while. he steals a shirt, keeps it, then rotates it w another shirt and when peppino is like WAA! My shirt !!! where did u disappear to??? Gus has to pretend he didnt snatch it away for like a month like the squirrel he is.
it (the thieving) would start before they get together and he would get caught a little while after they get together. like hey. not that i think that you think im stupid. but um. for like two years my shirts would disappear when u came over. like. after a couple of months it stops being a coincidence. so like. explain urself maybe?? and its definitely like a New feeling for gus, who is generally regarded as a dom (albeit a sweet one) to feel bashful about this but like in timid way that doesnt usually come naturally to him LOL. and i like the idea of peppino being an anxious little freak about soooo many things including sex, but when he gets more comfy w someone hes way more of a dick and blunt asshole (affectionate) and he absolutely would bully gus about this.
okay thats all i got just imagine my vision of gus and his little tail shooting straight up bc hes huffing this fucking shirt before he passes out for the night okay? and avoiding brick the next day bc beast to beast communication is real, okay? for me? thank u ....
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weirdmarioenemies · 9 months
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Name: Pit Plant
Debut: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
This Piranha Plant has bright green, ridged lips. That's how you know it is from the GameCube! Did you know? The abbreviation often used for the GameCube is "GCN", which stands for "Green Clothed Nibbler", referencing the green lips of the Piranha Plants. The mouth is the nibbler, and of course, the lips are the clothes of the mouth, keeping it closed and appropriate. Green clothed nibbler!
Unfortunately, Pit Plant's story is a bit of a sad one :( let's learn why...
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This is Dry Dry Desert! It is a desert, it is dry, and it is dry again as well, wouldn't you know it. It is not to be confused with the many other Mario deserts named Dry Dry Something. But it's hard to get this one mistaken for another, because it is so incredibly distinctive! The sun and the sphynx are looking down upon us with funny Mario object eyes, which are also present all over the place, as with any Double Dash course.
Dry Dry Desert is also distinguished by its Danger! There are Pokeys, sure, but also roving whirlwinds, and best of all...
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Pit Plant! A unique green Piranha Plant with yellow spots and brown spikes, which sits at the bottom of a conical pit of sand. I know what this means. You know what this means. Let's sing it together!
If you slip down the sand, get chomped, and start dyin',
You, my friend, were caught by the antlion!
Pit Plant is based on antlions! The insect that, in its larval form, sits at the bottom of a pit just like Pit Plant's, waiting for poor bugs to lose their traction on the sloped walls. Once they get in the center, the antlion will chomp its prey and slurp its insides through its hollow mandibles! This is not like what a lion does at all.
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In case it was not obvious by now which I sincerely hope it was, Pit Plant is Dangerous. There is even a billboard warning everyone about it! Not just a sign, a BILLBOARD. A very prominent, permanent fixture. They know about the danger Pit Plant causes, but it is just a native plant, living its life! This is its home, and it is your own fault if you get eaten by it.
We only see Pit Plant's head, which is the flower, so there is so much lurking underground that we cannot see! No leaves to speak of, but there is no need for much photosynthesis when you can and do eat an entire Waluigi. Probably a Stomach of some kind down there, since Piranha Plants have those. Most intriguing is how it made this pit in the first place, though! Maybe it uses its roots to dig, or there are indeed some leaves underground, modified for burrowing! I like to think that the architecture of the entire pit is formed by its roots, keeping the shape anchored securely even if the sand is blown all over the place.
I am sorry, but it is time for the sad part.
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Here is Dry Dry Desert in Mario Kart 8. It's just one angle, so there's not much to judge from this image, though I like the Hammer Bro-looking sphynx, a nice reminder that this is a turtle world and we're just living in it. But such realistic clouds... these ones would never have eyes, and neither do the realistic pyramids... it already feels kind of lifeless compared to the original, and that is worrisome. The tornado is even gone! What's the deal? Take me to Pit Plant! I need to see my friend Pit Plant, and maybe toss some raw chicken into its mouth from afar!
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...It's gone. Pit Plant is dead. In its place? Nothing. Just a hole. This is a remake! Isn't it supposed to IMPROVE on the original? I like the oasis, but other than that, this remake feels so lifeless. If you fall in the hole, Lakitu takes you out, and that's it. They could have still had Pit Plant! Just have a brief fade to black and Lakitu dropping you back on the track! And the billboards, now purely advertising. I don't think Red Shell Strike Equipment is behind the removal of Pit Plant, but I will forever associate them with it. You know who's not innocent, though?
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I blame the tourism department! Could it be a coincidence that once the most notable dangers subsided, Dry Dry Desert started being advertised as a tourist destination? Maaaybe Pit Plant reached the end of its natural life cycle, but the tornado is gone, too. Maybe that went away on its own, and then some heartless CEOs were thinking "Now all that's keeping people from visiting is that pesky Pit Plant..." I don't want to imagine it!
I really am so sad about Pit Plant's removal. I have not even played Double Dash, but I don't need to in order to recognize the whimsy and creativity that was lost. Dry Dry Desert went from being extremely distinct to perhaps the most aesthetically standard a Desert Course could be. Can't you so vividly see Pit Plant as the featured element on its course icon, in a better world?
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Wherever you are, Pit Plant, I hope you are happy. I hope you're eating clumsy angels that fall into your cloud trap. Who knows! Maybe you even ate God, and became the new one! I'd like to think so. I feel you smiling down on me.
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echodoesstuff62333 · 2 months
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Guys I'm just gonna..
So the rise bro's mystic powers, right? I want y'all to look at something. Donnie and Raph's powers look and ARE very similar. Donnie can make mystic weapons with his weird hollow ninpo thing, and Raph can make an exterior of himself with his weird hollow ninpo thing. It's way more clear how similar the two's mystic powers are when you look at Donnie using his ninpo on his drill.
Now, with Leo and Mikey there is also some overlap. Leo can open portals, and teleport. And during the movie, Mikey can also open a portal. Though for Mikey it is a lot more taxxing. (or maybe its because Leo uses his katana/odachi to channel his ninpo???)
Now, why have i stated all of this? Well I find it strange that Raph and Donnie's ninpos are SO SIMILAR, while with Leo and Mikey it's just they can both make portals. But.. Mikey's ninpo goes farther than that. He can carry heavy objects, and theres some fire stuff going on with his ninpo too.
WAIT- FIRE??
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FIRE????
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I KNOW I KNOW, THIS MAY SOUND INSANE. And. it's just a coincidence... right? BUT GUYSSSS, GUYS I SWEAR IT JUST MAKES SENSE.
RAPH IS VERY PROTECTIVE, HE IS LIKE A SHIELD, SO HE HAS A NINPO THAT CAN BE A SHIELD AND CAN PROTECT.
DONNIE MAKES WEAPONS TO PROTECT, AND TO BUILD. SO HE GETS A NINPO THAT CAN MAKE HIS WEAPONS EVEN BETTER, OR LETS HIM CREATE NEW ONES.
MIKEY CARRIES THE TEAM'S PROBLEMS ON HIS SHOULDERS, AND IS VERY PASSIONATE. SO HE GETS A NINPO THAT LETS HIM CARRY HEAVY STUFF, AND HAS FIRE!!!!!!! AND Y'KNOW, HE LOOKS UP TO THE OTHERS AND CONNECTS TO THEM WITH HIS EMPATHY. SO HE COULD OPEN A PORTAL ACROSS DIMENSIONS TO CONNECT!!!!
THEIR NINPOS MATCH UP WITH THEM.
WHY DOES LEO HAS PORTALS AND TELEPORTATION?? WELL HE'S VERY SPIRATIC. BUT ALSO, Y'KNOW FIRE CAN BE SPIRATIC TOO. LEO WAS A LIGHT THAT SHINED, HE'S ALSO PASSIONATE, LIKE MIKEY. ERRMMM, FIRE!!! FIRE PROVIDES WARMTH AND HOPE, AND CAN SYMBOLIZE PASSION. AND ALSOOOOO.. ERRMMM.. DOESNT FIRE SYMBOLIZE BAD THINGS TOO??? LEO IS QUICK TO ACT, SOMETIMES ACTING BEFORE THINKING. HE CAN LET THINGS GET OUT OF HAND QUICKLY!!
This fits to me and I will now go on to headcanon that Leo also has fire with his ninpo.
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fallenclan · 5 months
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hi ok i just sent an ask but i have so many thoughts. ive been following since maybe around 110 moons? but i was not brave enough to send an ask! and Boy do i have Thoughts.
scorchstar. that entire character arc is wild and why i love trying to get bloodthirsty cats to be my leaders. its so dramatic i dont even remember what scorchstar's traits were but she sits in my head sometimes. did she grow to regret her actions. how does she feel about her son(?) continuing the cycle. what does she think being back in the same clan as sun(?) (forgive me im foggy on details). is she ok. is sun(?) ok.
lee. how did my guy live so long?? i know you reset a lot to keep him alive but iirc he was 170+ when he joined? bro is a fossil. i love him.
otterslip. does he even know his mother was a killer too? i forgot if it was a known fact in canon that scorch killed sun. or is he just a clueless coincidence and a profound analogy to the similarities we hold to our parents no matter how little or how much time we spend with them? if he knows, does he realize just how nuts his entire situation is? If not, he is probably the most tragic cat here and i am obsessed.
maplestar is a silly guy and i hope he lives long and prospers.
i might have more as updates come out or as i remember things idk but my thoughts are Here
-🫁 anon
YEAH scorchstar is such an interesting character to me. her trait was Responsible, though iirc it was also Strict at one point. i think she absolutely came to regret her actions (which is probably the only reason she got into starclan at all) and feels MONUMENTALLY awful about her son continuing the cycle. i also think she still loves him regardless, and is devastated knowing hes probably going to the dark forest when he dies, and she'll never have that reunion with him. currently in starclan she "Hopes she has been a good leader". Sunwish is "curious about what Blizzardfang is doing".
lee. sort of lived long because he's. magic? idk it's not Totally canonized, its more of a bit if im being honest, but the idea is fun to me. it started because he was the FIRST non clan founder that interacted with the clan in any way (seriously. his ID number is 1) and he outlived two clan leaders. i mentioned this offhandedly a couple of times and then people wanted me to add him to the clan, so i ended up doing it. absolute fossil fr (still not the oldest cat we ever had though--that title goes to Rum Tum Tugger, a whopping 258 moons when he died)
Otterslip does know his mother was a killer, yes. i imagine he had suspicions up until Stormsight told him--either in the heat of the moment during an argument, or when he told Otterslip that he wanted to give the truth to the clan. that was why he murdered Stormsight, to keep him silent. imagine if he thought Stormsight was lying though. could you imagine
haha yeah
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homestuck-archive · 1 month
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Posting all of Homestuck: Day 26: John: Examine incoming message.
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-- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 16:13 --
TG: hey so what sort of insane loot did you rake in today
EB: i got a little monsters poster, it's so awesome. i'm going to watch it again today, the applejuice scene was so funny.
TG: oh hell that is such a coincidence i just found an unopened container of apple juice in my closet it is like fucking christmas up in here
EB: ok thats fine, but i just have one question and then a word of caution. have you ever seen a movie called little monsters starring howie mandel and fred savage?
TG: but
TG: the seal on the bottle is unbroken
TG: are you suggesting someone put piss in my apple juice at the factory
EB: all im saying is don't you think monster howie mandel has the power to do something as simple as reseal a bottle?
EB: try using your brain numbnuts.
TG: why did the fat kid or whoever drank it know what piss tasted like
TG: i mean his reaction was nigh instantaneous
EB: it was the 15th day in a row howie mandel peed in his juice.
TG: ok i can accept that
TG: monster B-list celebrity douchebags are cunning and persistent pranksters
TG: also fred savage has a really punchable face
TG: but who cares about this lets stop talking about it
TG: did you get the beta yet
EB: no.
EB: did you?
TG: man i got two copies already
TG: but i dont care im not going to play it or anything the game sounds boring
TG: did you see how it got slammed in game bro????
EB: game bro is a joke and we both know it.
TG: yeah
TG: why dont you go check your mail maybe its there now
EB: alright.
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posebean · 11 months
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letting it leave mutual circles heres my rinky fic idea enjoy
niki gets into an accident (because of rinne) saving him or smth like getting hit by a car and so then nikis seriously injured and wakes up in a hospital covered in bandages and his arm in a sling but no memories at all not even his own name rinnes there when he wakes up and is breaking down into tears and then nikis just like. im sorry but. who are you? and rinne just stares and is like niki are uou joking
niki: niki? is that my name
rinne:
and then rinne leaves the room and niki is so confused because 1. he has no idea who he is and why he was in a hospital all beaten up and 2. he had no idea who that red haired man was and then out of exhaustion and painkillers he passes out
the next time he wakes up himeru and kohaku are there n help him out . explain to him a bit about who he is, take him out of the hospital. red haired man from earlier is nowhere to be found niki feels like he dreamed that whole scene. himeru and kohaku dont mention rinne at all idk why because if rinne wanted something stupid they wouldnt but well. gotta advance stupidity somehow i guess
its a whole thing of niki finding this red haired man trying to befriend him but rinne just acts like theyre strangers out of pure guilt and horror because the love of his life was literally on his deathbed because of him (he wasnt rinnes just being a dramatic bitch)
but theres still the fact that niki got hurt because of him and now has no memories except for standard motorskills and etc and a little innate stuff for cooking but like. no memories memories. no relationships or feelings.
and everyone at es is careful around niki because he doesnt remember and hes probe to migraines as if hes trying to remember but just cant and also for some reason he feels like a part of him is missing and he gravitates toward that red haired man he thought he hallucinated after running into rinne in the halls on coincidence one day and rinne just. tries so hard to push him away and it explodes into a whole rinne-kun why are you pushing me away i just wanna get to know you the way you act its like we knew each other before i lost all my memories
and rinnes like you dont want to know me and its better this way you really wont like scum like me and nikis like bro what are you talking about first ur saying were strangers now ur saying we do know each other and have for this whole time and rinne is like
you were my star but i put you out with my own hand lets leave it at that and then runs away and now niki has even more wuestions unanswered than answers and its a whole game where niki slowly pieces together from things scattered around his apartment, vague memories of someone else's life, something with Rinne and hes like oh and idk the chase continues until he finally corners rinne and is like rinne-kun i might not be the same anymore i might not have any memories of you at all but now i know is that the me in the past was the most dearest to you and i know you feel like you are the reason hes gone and feel the need to punish yourself but i dont think hed want that he pushed you out of the way of that car for a reason i may not be the same, i may not have the memories that we used to share. but i know that deep down i still have that love for rinne-kun. id like to get to know rinne-kun again. that sweet brute of a man that the past me loved so much. i want to relearn every memory ive forgotten, every memory that is important to rinne-kun. maybe one day ill messure up to the past me again , maybe ill be whole again, rinne-kun, will you help me remember and then rinne fucking bawls because he hasnt cried at all in front of niki during this and was only in complete shock or cold apathy (while himeru and kohaku watch him sob in private and are like. u fucking idiot stop doing this n hes like no i ruined niki he'll be betyer off without me )and cue tender moment where hes like niki doesnt have to get any memories back i will love him no matter what, no matter the cost even if the world burns and we all change that will always stay true. and nikis like but i wanna rember if these memories are so important to rinne/kun they must be important to me too i dont know if ill ever get all my memories back but i at least want to know the memories that rinne kun loves so in case rinne-kun loses his memory i can be the one to remind him of the memories he holds so dear
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leorawright · 1 year
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Tf2 mercs finding out that Pyro has a sibling who is blue pyro? Maybe during battle they notice pyro and blue pyro hug before the matches start and once they ask Engineer who tells them that Blue pyro is S/O who is Pyros sibling
Bro that's genius
Mercs figuring out Blu Pyro is Red Pyro's sibling
Scout
So like.... are you two siblings or twins? Cause you look a lot alike
He's just struggling to untangle this family structure honestly
But he knows you two care about each other since he's seen you hug before battle and yet you're on different teams??
Soldier
At first he's betrayed that Pyro is communicating with the other team
Then Engi explains its because the two of you are siblings
Then he'll expect it since the two of you are family
But if you catch Soldier watching you two he'll silently slide behind a wall
Demoman
He thinks it's adorable that you and Pyro still care for each other
He'll actually want to get to know you but he knows it's probably a bad idea
Hed definitely avoid you in battle since he doesn't want to hurt Pyro's sibling
Heavy
He feels kind bad for Pyro since you two are on opposite teams
So for Pyro's sake he'll try to avoid you or act like he doesn't see you
He's tempted to ask Pyro for more information about you but he doesn't know how that's gonna work
Medic
Medic isn't too interested but he sees how much Pyro stills cares for you
So for their feelings he'll act like he's bust healing his teammates when you're around instead of hurting the other team
He's very intrigued to see what both of you look like because the way you both are dressed you look like twins
Sniper
He was certainly surprised to hear that Pyro had a sibling
After he knows he starts noticing the two of you hugging before the battle
It makes him wish he had someone to care about too
So now you never seem to get snipped what a coincidence
Spy
Well that's some new information
He'll add that too his file on Pyro
Now he feels guilt everytime he kills blu Pyro why did this information do this to him
So he begrudgingly avoids you now
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thewidowsghost · 9 months
Text
Seeing the Beauty (Piper McLean x Fem!Jackson!Reader) - Chapter 11
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They continue to fly west and Jason becomes lost in his thoughts – all of them bad. He isn't sure how much time passes before the dragon dives through a break in the clouds, and below them, glittering in the winter sun, is a sixty at the edge of a massive lake. A crescent of skyscrapers line the shore. Behind them, stretching out to the western horizon, is a vast grid of snow-covered neighborhoods and roads.
"Chicago," (Y/n) says.
Jason thinks about what Hera had said in his dream. His most mortal enemy is waiting here. If I'm to die, it will be by her hand.
"One problem down," Leo says. "We got here alive. Now, how do we find the storm spirits?"
Jason sees a flash of movement below them. At first, he thinks it's just a small plane, but it's too small, too dark, and too fast. The thing spirals towards the skyscrapers, weaving and changing shape – and, just for a moment, it becomes the smokey figure of a horse.
"How about we follow that one," Jason suggests, "and see where it goes?"
Jason is afraid they'd lose their target. The ventus moves like . . . well, like the wind. "Speed up!" he urges.
"Bro," Leo said, "if I get any closer, he'll spot us. Bronze dragon ain't exactly a stealth plane." (Y/n) laughs.
"Slowdown!" Piper yelps.
The storm spirit dives into the grid of downtown streets. Festus tries to follow, but his wingspan is way too wide. His left wing clips the edge of a building, slicing off a stone gargoyle before Leo pulls up.
"Get above the buildings," Jason suggests. "We'll track him from there."
"You want to drive this thing?" Leo grumbles, but he does what Jason asks.
After a few minutes, Jason spots the storm spirit again, zipping through the streets with no apparent purpose — blowing over pedestrians, ruffling flags, making cars swerve.
"Oh great," Piper says. "There're two."
She's right. A second ventus blasts around the corner of the Renaissance Hotel and links up with the first. They weave together in a chaotic dance, shooting to the top of a skyscraper, bending a radio tower, and diving back down towards the street.
"Those guys do not need any more caffeine," Leo says.
"You could say they had a large," (Y/n) grins stupidly at her joke.
"I guess Chicago's a good place to hang out," Piper said, glancing back at (Y/n) and rolling her eyes teasingly. "Nobody's going to question a couple more evil winds."
"More than a couple," Jason said. "Look."
The dragon circles over a wide avenue next to a lake-side park. Storm spirits are converging — at least a dozen of them, whirling around a big public art installation.
"Which one do you think is Dylan?" Leo asks. "I wanna throw something at him."
But Jason is focused on the art installation. The closer they get to it, the faster his heart beats. It's just a public fountain, but it is unpleasantly familiar. Two five-story monoliths rise from either end of a long granite reflecting pool. The monoliths seem to be built of video screens, flashing the combined image of a giant face that spews water into the pool.
Maybe it's just a coincidence, but it looks like a high-tech, super-size version of that ruined reflecting pool Jason and (Y/n) has seen in their dreams, with the two dark masses jutting from either end. As Jason watches, the image on the screens changes to a woman's face with her eyes closed.
"Leo . . ." Jason says nervously.
"I see her," Leo replies. "I don't like her, but I see her."
Then the screens go dark. The venti swirl together into a single funnel cloud and skitter across the fountain, kicking up a waterspout almost as high as the monoliths. They get to its center, pop off a drain cover, and disappear underground.
"Did they just go down a drain?" Piper questions. "How are we supposed to follow them?"
"Maybe we shouldn't," Leo says. "That fountain thing is giving me seriously bad vibes. And aren't we supposed to, like, beware the earth?"
(Y/n) feels the same way, but they have to follow. It is their only way forward. They had to find Hera, and they now only have two days until the solstice.
"Put us down in that park," (Y/n) suggests. "We'll check it out on foot."
Festus lands in an open area between the lake and the skyline. The signs say Grant Park, and Jason imagines it would've been a nice place in the summer. The dragon's hot metal feet hiss as they touch down. Festus flaps his wings unhappily and shoots fire into the sky, but there was no one around to notice. The wind coming off the lake is bitter cold. Anyone with sense would be inside. Jason's eyes sting so badly, he can barely see.
They dismount , and Festus the dragon stomps his feet. One of his ruby eyes flickers, so it looks like he is blinking.
"Is that normal?" Jason asks.
Leo pulls a rubber mallet from his tool bag. He whacks the dragon's bad eye, and the light goes back to normal. "Yes," Leo says. "Festus can't hang around here, though, in the middle of the park. They'll arrest him for loitering. Maybe if I had a dog whistle . . ." He rummages in his tool belt, but comes up with nothing. "Too speciallized?" he guesses. "Okay, give me a safety whistle. They got that in lots of machine shops."
This time, Leo pulls out a big plastic orange whistle. "Coach Hedge would be jealous! Okay, Festus, listen." Leo blew the whistle. The shrill sound probably rolls all the way across Lake Michigan. "You hear that, come find me, okay? Until then, you fly wherever you want. Just try not to barbecue any pedestrians."
The dragon snorts — hopefully in agreement, (Y/n) thinks. Then he spreads his wings and launches into the air.
Piper took one step and winces. "Ah!"
"You're ankle?" Jason felt bad he'd forgotten about her injury back in the Cyclops factory. "That nectar we gave you might be wearing off."
"It's fine." Piper shivers; she took a few more steps with only a slight limp, but (Y/n) can tell she is trying not to grimace.
"Let's get out of the wind," (Y/n) suggests gently.
"Down a drain?" Piper shudders. "Sounds cozy."
They wrap themselves up as best as they can and head towards the fountain.
The four step into the center of the pool. The drain hole is easily big enough for a person, and a maintenance ladder leads down into the gloom.
(Y/n) goes first. As she climbs, she braces herself for horrible sewer smells, but it isn't that bad. The ladder drops into a brickwork tunnel running north to south. The air is warm and dry, with only a trickle of water on the floor.
Piper, Jason, and Leo climb down after her.
"Are all sewers this nice?" Piper wonders.
"No," Leo says. "Trust me."
Jason frowns. "How do you know —"
"Hey, man, I ran away six times. I've slept in some weird places, okay? Now, which way do we go?"
Jason tilts his head, listening, then points south. "That way."
"How can you be sure?" Piper asks.
"There's a draft blowing south," Jason says. "Maybe the venti went with the flow."
It isn't much of a lead, but nobody offers anything better.
As soon as they start walking, Piper stumbles, and (Y/n) catches her. "Stupid ankle," Piper curses.
"Let's rest," Jason decides. "We could all use it. We've been going nonstop for over a day. Leo, can you pull any food from that tool belt besides breath mints?"
"Thought you'd never ask. Chef Leo is on it!"
Piper, (Y/n), and Jason sit on a brick ledge while Leo shuffles through his pack.
"It's not your fault," Piper tells Jason.
He looks at her blankly. "What?"
"Getting jumped by the Cyclopes," she says. "It wasn't your fault."
He looks down at the coin in his palm. "I was stupid. I left you alone and walked into a trap. I should've known . . ." He doesn't finish.
"Hey." Piper nudged his arm. "Cut yourself some slack. Just because you're the son of Zeus doesn't mean you're a one-man army."
A few feet away, Leo lights a small cooking fire. He hummed as he pulled supplies out of his pack and his tool belt.
In the firelight, Piper's eyes seemed to dance. (Y/n) had been studying them for days now, and she still can't decide what color they were. She'd gone with kaleidoscope.
Jason glances between Piper and (Y/n), and then he gets to his feet, walking over to Leo.
"I'm sorry," (Y/n) turns to meet Piper's gaze.
"For what?" Piper looks bewildered.
"I know this must suck for you," (Y/n) replies. She sighs softly before she continues. "Not just the quest, I mean. The way I just appeared on that bus and the Mist messing with your mind." She pulls Tsunami out of her pocket, fiddling with the pen.
Piper drops her gaze. "Yeah, well. None of us asked for this. It's not your fault." She tugs at the little braids on each side of her head. With the makeup and the dress and the perfect hair, she'd looked beautiful with the blessing of Aphrodite. But, (Y/n) argues with herself, she looks more beautiful now.
Before (Y/n) can say anything, however, Leo announces, "And bingo!" He and Jason come over with four plates. (Y/n) has no idea where Leo had gotten all the food, or how he'd put it together so fast, but it looks amazing: pepper and beef tacos with chips and salsa.
"Leo," Piper says in amazement. "How did you —?"
"Chef Leo's Taco Garage is fixing you up!" he says proudly. "And by the way, it's tofu, not beef, beauty queen, so don't freak. Just dig in!"
. . .
After Piper eats, (Y/n) encourages her to get some sleep. Without another word, she curls up and puts her head in (Y/n)'s lap. In two seconds, she's snoring.
(Y/n) looks up at Jason and Leo, who are obviously trying not to laugh.
They sit in silence for a few minutes, drinking lemonade Leo had made from canteen water and powdered mix.
"Good, huh?" Leo grins.
"You should start a stand," Jason says. "Make some serious coin." But as he stares at the embers of the fire, something begins to bother him. "Leo . . . about this fire stuff you can do . . . is it true?"
Leo's smile falters. "Yeah, well..." He opens his hand. A small ball of flame bursts to life, dancing across his palm.
"That is so cool," Jason says. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Leo closes his hand and the fire went out. "Didn't want to look like a freak."
"I have lightning and wind powers," Jason reminded him. "Piper can turn beautiful and charm people into giving her BMWs. (Y/n) can talk to horses and survive landing in water from hundreds of feet in the air. You're no more a freak than we are. And, hey, maybe you can fly, too. Like jump off a building and yell, 'Flame on!"'
Leo snorts. "If I did that, you would see a flaming kid falling to his death, and I would be yelling something a little stronger than 'Flame on!' Trust me, Hephaestus cabin doesn't see fire powers as cool. Nyssa told me they're super rare. When a demigod like me comes around, bad things happen. Really bad."
"Maybe it's the other way around," (Y/n) offers, meeting Leo's gaze. "Maybe people with special gifts show up when bad things are happening because that's when they're needed most."
Leo clears out the plates. "Maybe. But I'm telling you . . . it's not always a gift."
(Y/n) and Jason fall silent. "You're talking about your mom, aren't you?" Jason asks. "The night that she died?"
Leo doesn't answer. He doesn't have to. The fact that he's quiet – not joking around, tells (Y/n) and Jason enough.
"Leo, her death wasn't your fault. Whatever happened that night — it wasn't because you could summon fire. This Dirt Woman, whoever she is, has been trying to ruin you for years, mess up your confidence, take away everything you care about. She's trying to make you feel like a failure. You're not. You're important."
"That's what she said." Leo looks up, his eyes full of pain. "She said I was meant to do something important — something that would make or break that big prophecy about the seven demigods. That's what scares me. I don't know if I'm up to it." Leo pokes at the remnants of his fire, turning over red-hot coals with his bare hand. "You ever wonder about the other three demigods? I mean . . . if we're four of the ones from the Great Prophecy, who are the others? Where are they?"
(Y/n) sighs, glancing down, seemingly just now noticing she'd been running her fingers subconsciously through Piper's hair. "I -" she pauses, looking back up to see Leo and Jason watching her closely. "I don't think I'm part of the main prophecy." Both Jason and Leo's eyebrows knit with concern. "Rachel mentioned another prophecy to me the night of the campfire – Child of the Sea will accompany the Seven. And drop into endless darkness."
"It can't be you though," Leo says. "They're might be another –" but then he falters, for there's no one else it could be.
And the only thing that either Jason or Leo thought 'dropping into endless darkness' could possibly mean, would be death.
(Y/n) had unconsciously stopped running her fingers through Piper's hair, and Piper had let out a sleepy murmur of annoyance, snuggling deeper into (Y/n)'s lap.
"You guys get some sleep," (Y/n) says. "I'll take first watch."
Jason and Leo exchange uncertain looks, neither wanting to let their friend stay up alone to think about her own fate, but they finally give in.
(Y/n) leans forward slightly, pulling off her jacket. She throws it over Piper's sleeping form before she allows her head to fall against one of the walls, falling deep into another surfacing memory.
Annabeth, (Y/n), and Percy stand at the top of Half-Blood Hill. They watch the buses and vans pull away, taking most of the campers back to the mortal world. A few old-timers would be staying behind – and a few of the newcomers – but (Y/n) and Percy were heading back to Goode High School for their sophomore year.
Then (Y/n)'s gaze falls on Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who was walking up the hill towards the trio. "Good-bye," Rachel says as she shoulders her bag. She looks nervous, but she's keeping her promise to her father and attending Clarion Academy in New Hampshire.
"You'll do great." Annabeth hugs her.
Rachel bites her lip. "I hope you're right. I'm a little worried. What if somebody asks what's on the next math test and I start spouting a prophecy in the middle of geometry class? The Pythagorean theorem shall be problem two. . . . Gods, that would be embarrassing."
Annabeth laughs, and to (Y/n)'s relief, it makes Rachel smile.
(Y/n) meets Rachel's gaze; Annabeth notices, taking Percy's hand and pulls the Son of Poseidon down the hill.
Both (Y/n) and Rachel sit down, and Rachel automatically starts drawing on (Y/n)'s arm with a pen.
"I'm going to miss you," Rachel says, focusing on her drawing.
"I - me too," (Y/n) replies, pulling Tsunami out of her pocket and fiddling with the pen with her free hand.
Rachel looks up from her drawing. "I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about it before. The Oracle stuff."
"I was upset at first," (Y/n) admits. "But I also knew that it was something you had to do. There's nothing you have to apologize for."
Rachel smiles at (Y/n), "Friends?"
"Friends." (Y/n) replies, smiling in return.
Someone shaking her arm jostles (Y/n) out of the memory.
"Are you okay?" Piper blinks sleepily, looking up into (Y/n)'s face.
"I - yeah," (Y/n) replies.
Piper yawns, moving out of (Y/n)'s lap to sit beside her against the wall.
"Piper," (Y/n) begins, and the daughter of Aphrodite looks over at her. "Is your dad in some sort of trouble?"
Piper stares at her for a moment; she takes a shaky breath. "(Y/n) . . . I can't talk about it."
"We're your friends. Let us help."
This seems to make her feel worse. "I wish I could, but –" Jason and Leo had stirred awake, and Piper quickly stops talking.
(Y/n) keeps a careful watch on Piper as the four demigods break camp.
Piper is grateful for (Y/n)'s silent support on her left as they start down the tunnel. It twists and turns and seems to go on forever. Piper isn't sure what to expect at the end – a dungeon, a mad scientist's lab, or maybe a sewer reservoir where all Porta-Potty sludge ends up, forming an evil toilet face large enough to swallow the world.
Instead, they find polished steel elevator doors, each one engraved with a cursive letter M. Next to the elevator is a directory, like for a department store.
"M for Macy's?" Piper wonders aloud. "I think they have one in downtown Chicago."
"Or Monocle Motors still?" Leo says. "Guys, read the directory. It's messed up."
Parking, Kennels, Main Entrance: Sewer Level; Furnishings and Cafe M: 1; Women's Fashion and Magical Appliances: 2; Men's Wear and Weaponry: 3; Cosmetics, Potions, Poisons & Sundries: 4
"Kennels for what?" Piper says. "And what kind of department store has its entrance in a sewer?"
"Or sells poisons," Leo adds. "Man, what does sundries even mean? Is that like underwear."
(Y/n) grabs hold of her pen in her pocket.
Jason takes a deep breath. "When in doubt, start at the top."
. . .
The doors slide open on the fourth floor, and the scent of perfume waft into the elevator. (Y/n) and Jason step out first, swords ready.
"Guys," Jason says. "You've got to see this."
Piper joins them and catches her breath. "This is not Macy's."
The department store looks like the inside of a kaleidoscope. The entire ceiling is a stained glass mosaic with astrological signs around a giant sun. The daylight streaming through it washes everything in a thousand different colors. The upper floors make a ring of balconies around a huge central atrium, so they can see all the way down to the ground floor. Gold railings glitter so brightly, they are hard to look at.
Aside from the stained glass ceiling and the elevator, Jason can't see any other windows or doors, but two sets of glass escalators run between the levels. The carpeting is a riot of oriental patterns and colors, and the racks of merchandise are just as bizarre. There are too much to take it at once, but Jason sees normal stuff like shirt racks and shoe trees mixed in with armored manikins, beds of nails, and fur coats that seem to be moving.
Leo steps to the railing and looks down. "Check it out."
In the middle of the atrium a fountain sprays water twenty feet into the air, changing color from red to yellow to blue. The pool glitters with gold coins, and on either side of the fountain stands a gilded cage — like an oversized canary cage.
Inside one, a miniature hurricane swirls, and lightning flashes. Somebody had imprisoned the storm spirits, and the cage shudders as they try to get out. In the other, frozen like a statue, is a short, buff satyr, holding a tree-branch club.
"Coach Hedge!" Piper says. "We've got to get down there."
A voice replies, "May I help you find something?"
All four of them jump back.
A woman had just appeared in front of them. She is wearing an elegant black dress with diamond jewelry, and she looks like a retired fashion model — maybe fifty years old, though it is hard for Jason to judge. Her long dark hair sweeps over one shoulder, and her face is gorgeous in that surreal super-model way — thin and haughty and cold, not quite human. With their long red-painted nails, her fingers look more like talons.
She smiles. "I'm so happy to see new customers. How may I help you?"
(Y/n) glances at Jason like, All yours.
"Urn," Jason starts, "is this your store?"
The woman nods. "I found it abandoned, you know. I understand so many stores are, these days. I decided it would make the perfect place. I love collecting tasteful objects, helping people, and offering quality goods at a reasonable price. So this seemed a good . . . how do you say . . . first acquisition in this country."
She speaks with a pleasing accent, but Jason can't guess where from. Clearly she isn't hostile, though. Jason starts to relax. Her voice is rich and exotic. Jason wants to hear more, but glancing at (Y/n), Jason can tell that the daughter of Poseidon couldn't care less.
"So you're new to America?" he asks.
"I am . . . new," the woman agrees. "I am the Princess of Colchis. My friends call me Your Highness. Now, what are you looking for?"
Jason had heard of rich foreigners buying American department stores. Of course most of the time they didn't sell poisons, living fur coats, storm spirits, or satyrs, but still—with a nice voice like that, the Princess of Colchis can't be all bad.
Piper pokes him in the ribs. "Jason . . ."
"Urn, right. Actually Your Highness . . ." He points to the gilded cage on the first floor. "That's our friend down there, Gleeson Hedge. The satyr. Could we . . . have him back, please?"
"Of course!" the princess agrees immediately. "I would love to show you my inventory. First, may I know your names?"
Jason hesitates. It seems like a bad idea to give out their names. A memory tugs at the back of his mind — something Hera had warned him about, but it seems fuzzy. On the other hand, Her Highness is on the verge of cooperating. If we can get what we want without a fight, that would be better, right? Besides, this lady doesn't seem like an enemy.
Piper starts to say, "Jason, I wouldn't—"
"This is Piper McLean," he said. "This is Leo Valdez. (Y/n) Jackson. And I'm Jason."
The princess fixes her eyes on him and, just for a moment, her face literally glows, blazing with so much anger, Jason can see her skull beneath her skin. Jason's mind is getting blurrier, but he knows something doesn't seem right. Then the moment passes, and Her Highness looks like a normal elegant woman again, with a cordial smile and a soothing voice.
"Jason. What an interesting name," she says, her eyes as cold as the Chicago wind. "I think we'll have to make a special deal for you. Come children. Let's go shopping."
. . .
Piper wants to run for the elevator.
Her second choice: attack the weird princess now, because she is sure a fight is coming. The way the lady's face had glowed when she'd heard Jason's name had been bad enough. Now, Her Highness is smiling like nothing has happened, and Jason and Leo don't seem to think anything is wrong.
Piper is unsure what's going on with (Y/n), but she seems to be resisting whatever spell Her Highness had placed on Leo and Jason, though her forehead is beading with sweat.
The princess gestures towards the cosmetics counter. "Shall we start with the potions?"
And (Y/n)'s mental block shatters. "Cool," she says, following Jason and Leo.
"Guys," Piper interrupts, and (Y/n) stops in her tracks, "we're here to get the storm spirits and Coach Hedge. If this – princess – is really our friend –"
"Oh, I'm better than a friend, my dear," Her Highness says. "I'm a saleswoman." Her diamonds sparkle, and her eyes glitter like a snake's — cold and dark. "Don't worry. We'll work our way down to the first floor, eh?"
(Y/n) nods eagerly. "Sure, yeah! That sounds okay. Right, Piper?"
Piper does her best to stare daggers at her: No, it is not okay!
"Of course it's okay." Her Highness puts her hands on Leo's and Jason's shoulders and steer them towards the cosmetics. "Come along, boys."
Piper didn't have much choice except to follow, especially when (Y/n) glances eagerly back at Piper before she bounces after Leo, Jason, and the princess.
Piper hated department stores — mostly because she'd gotten caught stealing from several of them. Well, not exactly caught, and not exactly stealing. She'd talked salesmen into giving her computers, new boots, a gold ring, once even a lawn mower, though she had no idea why she wanted one. She never kept the stuff. She just did it to get her dad's attention. Usually she talked her neighborhood UPS guy into taking the stuff back. But of course the salesmen she duped always came to their senses and called the police, who eventually tracked her down.
Anyway, she isn't thrilled to be back in a department store — especially one run by a crazy princess who glows in the dark.
"And here," the princess says, "is the finest assortment of magical mixtures anywhere."
The counter is crammed with bubbling beakers and smoking vials on tripods. Lining the display shelves are crystal flasks — some shaped like swans or honey bear dispensers. The liquids inside are every color, from glowing white to polka-dotted. And the smells — ugh! Some are pleasant, like fresh-baked cookies or roses, but they are mixed with the scents of burning tires, skunk spray, and gym lockers.
The princess points to a blood red vial — a simple test tube with a cork stopper. "This one will heal any disease."
"Even cancer?" Leo asks. "Leprosy? Hangnails?"
"Any disease, sweet boy. And this vial" — she points to a swan-shaped container with blue liquid inside — "will kill you very painfully."
"Awesome," (Y/n) says, her voice sounds dazed and sleepy.
"(Y/n)," Piper said. "We've got a job to do. Remember?" She tries to put power into her words, to snap her out of her trance with charmspeak, but her voice sounds shaky, even to her. This princess scares her too much, making her confidence crumble, just the way she'd felt back in the Aphrodite cabin with Drew.
"Job to do," (Y/n) murmurs, meeting Piper's kaleidoscope gaze. "Sure. But shopping first, okay?"
The princess beams at her. "Then we have potions for resisting fire —"
"Got that covered," Leo said.
"Me too," (Y/n) replies. "One time I got exploded out of a volcano." And she simply moves closer to the potions counter.
Piper blinks, looking bewildered.
"Indeed?" The princess studies Leo's face more closely. "You don't appear to be wearing my trademark sunscreen . . . but no matter. We also have potions that cause blindness, insanity, sleep, or —"
"Wait." Piper is still staring at the red vial. "Could that potion cure lost memory?"
The princess narrows her eyes. "Possibly. Yes. Quite possibly. Why, my dear? Have you forgotten something important?"
Piper tries to keep her expression neutral, but if that vial can cure Jason's memory . . . Do I really want that? she wonders. If Jason finds out who she is, she might not even be her friend. Hera had taken away her memories for a reason. (Y/n) might come out of her amnesia and decide that she hated Piper. She might have a girlfriend back home.
It doesn't matter, Piper decided, which kind of surprised her. (Y/n) always looked so anguished when she tried to remember things. Piper hates seeing her that way. She wants to help her because she cares about (Y/n), even if that means losing her. And maybe it'll make this trip through Her Craziness's department store worthwhile.
"How much?" Piper asks.
The princess gets a faraway look in her eyes. "Well, now . . . The price is always tricky. I love helping people. Honestly, I do. And I always keep my bargains, but sometimes people try to cheat me." Her gaze drifts to Jason. "Once, for instance, I met a handsome young man who wanted a treasure from my father's kingdom. We made a bargain, and I promised to help him steal it."
"From your own dad?" Jason still looks half in a trance, but the idea seems to bother him.
"Oh, don't worry," the princess says. "I demanded a high price. The young man had to take me away with him. He was quite good-looking, dashing, strong . . ." She looks at Piper. "I'm sure, my dear, you understand how one might be attracted to such a hero, and want to help her," the princess glances at (Y/n), who is studying all the labels on the potion bottles.
Piper tries to control her emotions, but she probably blushes. She gets the creepiest feeling the princess can read her thoughts.
But Piper also finds the princess's story disturbingly familiar. Pieces of old myths she'd read with her dad start coming together, but this woman can't be the one she was thinking of.
"At any rate," Her Highness continues, "my hero had to do many impossible tasks, and I'm not bragging when I say he couldn't have done them without me. I betrayed my own family to win the hero his prize. And still he cheated me of my payment."
"Cheated?" (Y/n) frowns, as if trying to remember something important.
"That's messed up," Leo says.
Her Highness pats his cheek affectionately. "I'm sure you don't need to worry, Leo. You seem honest. You would always pay a fair price, wouldn't you?"
Leo nods. "What were we buying again? I'll take two."
Piper breaks in: "So, the vial, Your Highness — how much?"
The princess assesses Piper's clothes, her face, her posture, as if putting a price tag on one slightly used demigod.
"Would you give anything for it, my dear?" the princess asks. "I sense that you would."
The words wash over Piper as powerfully as a good surfing wave. The force of the suggestion nearly lifts her off her feet. She wants to pay any price. She wants to say yes.
Then her stomach twists. Piper realizes she is being charmspoken. She'd senses something like it before, when Drew spoke at the campfire, but this is a thousand times more potent. No wonder her friends are dazed. Is this what people felt when I use charmspeak? A feeling of guilt settles over her.
She summons all her willpower. "No, I won't pay any price. But a fair price, maybe. After that, we need to leave. Right, guys?"
Just for a moment, her words seem to have some effect. The boys look confused, and the glazed look leaves (Y/n)'s gaze.
"Leave?" Jason asks.
"You mean . . . after shopping?" Leo asked.
Piper wants to scream, but the princess tilts her head, examining Piper with newfound respect.
"Impressive," the princess says. "Not many people could resist my suggestions. Are you a child of Aphrodite, my dear? Ah, yes — I should have seen it. No matter. Perhaps we should shop a while longer before you decide what to buy, eh?"
"But the vial —"
"Now, children." She turns to Jason, (Y/n), and Leo. Her voice is so much more powerful than Piper's, so full of confidence, Piper doesn't stand a chance. "Would you like to see more?"
The film slides back over over (Y/n)'s brain, and she nods excitedly. 
"Sure," Jason says.
"Okay," Leo adds.
"Sounds fun," (Y/n) chirps.
"Excellent," the princess says. "You'll need all the help you can get if you're to make it to the Bay Area."
Piper's hand moves to her dagger. She thinks about her dream of the mountaintop — the scene Enceladus had shown her, a place she knew, where she was supposed to betray her friends in two days.
"The Bay Area?" Piper says. "Why the Bay Area?"
The princess smiles. "Well, that's where they'll die, isn't it?" Then she leads them towards the escalators, Jason, (Y/n), and Leo still looking excited to shop.
. . .
Piper corners the princess as Jason, (Y/n), and Leo go off to check out the living fur coats.
"You want them shopping for their deaths?" Piper demands, following (Y/n) out of the corner of her eye.
"Mmm." The princess blew dust off a display case of swords. "I'm a seer, my dear. I know your little secret. But we don't want to dwell on that, do we? They are having such fun."
Leo laughs as he tried on a hat that seems to be made from enchanted raccoon fur. Its ringed tail twitches, and its little legs wiggle frantically as Leo walks. Jason is ogling the men's sportswear. (Y/n) is studying a rack of shield, some of them looking as though they'd been burned with acid.
Piper glares at the princess. "Who are you?"
"I told you, my dear. I'm the Princess of Colchis."
"Where's Colchis?"
The princess's expression turns a little sad. "Where was Colchis, you mean. My father ruled the far shores of the Black Sea, as far to the east as a Greek ship could sail in those days. But Colchis is no more—lost eons ago."
"Eons?" Piper asks. The princess looks no more than fifty, but a bad feeling starts settling over Piper — something King Boreas had mentioned back in Quebec. "How old are you?"
The princess laughs. "A lady should avoid asking or answering that question. Let's just say the, ah, immigration process to enter your country took quite a while. My patron finally brought me through. She made all this possible." The princess sweeps her hand around the department store.
Piper's mouth tastes like metal. "Your patron –"
"Oh, yes. She doesn't bring just anyone through, mind you — only those who have special talents, such as me. And really, she insists on so little — a store entrance that must be underground so she can, ah, monitor my clientele; and a favor now and then. In exchange for a new life? Really, it was the best bargain I'd made in centuries."
Run, Piper thinks. We have to get out of here.
But before she can even turn her thoughts into words, Jason calls, "Hey, check it out!"
From a rack labeled distressed clothing, he holds up a purple T-shirt like the one he'd worn on the school field trip — except this shirt looks as if it had been clawed by tigers.
Jason frowns. "Why does this look so familiar?"
"Jason, it's like yours" Piper says. "Now we really have to leave." But she wasn't sure he could even hear her anymore through the princess's enchantment.
"Nonsense," the princess said. "The boys aren't done, are they? And yes, my dear. Those shirts are very popular—trade ins from previous customers. It suits you."
(Y/n), who had joined Jason at the rack, pulls out an orange Camp Half Blood t-shirt, shredded much like the one she'd been wearing on the Grand Canyon field trip.
She looks up at the princess, and the princess nods. "I'll throw that one in with the storm spirits and your satyr."
"Really?" (Y/n) looks more excited than Piper had ever seen her – a child-like excitement.
"Mhm," the princess smiles.
"Your Highness," Piper said, trying to control her nerves. "Why don't you tell the boys how you betrayed your family? I'm sure they'd like to hear that story."
Her words don't have any effect on the princess, but the boys turn, suddenly interested. The film slides back off (Y/n)'s brain, and Piper catches the momentary look of fury that had slid across (Y/n)'s face, but then it slips back into a dazed grin.
"More story?" Leo asks.
"I like more story!" Jason agrees.
The princess flashes Piper an irritated look. "Oh, one will do strange things for love, Piper. You should know that. I fell for that young hero, in fact, because your mother Aphrodite had me under a spell. If it wasn't for her — but I can't hold a grudge against a goddess, can I?" The princess's tone makes her meaning clear: I can take it out on you.
"But that hero took you with him when he fled Colchis," Piper remembers. "Didn't he, Your Highness? He married you just as he promised."
The look in the princess's eyes makes Piper want to apologize, but she doesn't back down.
"At first," Her Highness admits, "it seemed he would keep his word. But even after I helped him steal my father's treasure, he still needed my help. As we fled, my brother's fleet came after us. His warships overtook us. He would have destroyed us, but I convinced my brother to come aboard our ship first and talk under a flag of truce. He trusted me."
"And you killed your own brother," Piper says, the horrible story all coming back to her, along with a name — an infamous name that began with the letter M.
"What?" Jason stirs. For a moment he looks almost like himself. "Killed your own—"
"No," the princess snaps. "Those stories are lies. It was my new husband and his men who killed my brother, though they couldn't have done it without my deception. They threw his body into the sea, and the pursuing fleet had to stop and search for it so they could give my brother a proper burial. This gave us time to get away. All this, I did for my husband. And he forgot our bargain. He betrayed me in the end."
Jason still looks uncomfortable. "What did he do?"
The princess holds the sliced-up toga against Jason's chest, as if measuring him for an assassination. "Don't you know the story, my boy? You of all people should. You were named for him."
"Jason," Piper said. "The original Jason. But then you're — you should be dead!"
The princess smiles. "As I said, a new life in a new country. Certainly I made mistakes. I turned my back on my own people. I was called a traitor, a thief, a liar, a murderess. But I acted out of love." She turns to the boys and gives them a pitiful look, batting her eyelashes. Piper can feel the sorcery washing over them, taking control more firmly than ever. "Wouldn't you do the same for someone you loved, my dears?"
"Oh, sure," Jason says.
"Okay," Leo adds.
But (Y/n) doesn't reply, and she sneaks a glance at Piper.
"Guys!" Piper grinds her teeth in frustration. "Don't you see who she is? Don't you —"
"Let's continue, shall we?" the princess says breezily. "I believe you wanted to talk about a price for the storm spirits – and your satyr.
Leo gets distracted on the second floor with the appliances. "No way," he exclaims. "Is that an armored forge?"
Before Piper can stop him, he hops off the escalator and runs over to a big oval oven.
When they catch up with him, the princess says, "You have good taste. This is the H-2000, designed by Hephaestus himself. Hot enough to melt Celestial bronze or Imperial gold."
Jason flinches as if he recognizes that term. "Imperial gold?"
The princess nods. "Yes, my dear. Like that weapon so cleverly concealed in your pocket. To be properly forged, Imperial gold had to be consecrated in the Temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill in Rome. Quite a powerful and rare metal, but like the Roman emperors, quite volatile. Be sure never to break that blade . . ." She smiles pleasantly. "Rome was after my time, of course, but I do hear stories. And now over here — this golden throne is one of my finest luxury items. Hephaestus made it as a punishment for his mother, Hera. Sit in it and you'll be immediately trapped."
Leo apparently takes this as an order. He begins walking towards it in a trance.
"Leo, don't!" Piper warns.
Leo blinks, "How much for both?"
"Oh, the seat I could let you have for five great deeds. The forge, seven years of servitude. And for only a bit of your strength —" She leads Leo into the appliance section, giving him prices on various items.
Piper doesn't want to leave Leo alone with her, but she has to try reasoning with (Y/n). She pulls her aside and raises an arm to slap her across the face to try and wake her from the spell.
(Y/n) however, flinches violently, and Piper's heart clenches. Her expression softens, and she simply rests her hand on (Y/n)'s arm. "Hey," her tone is gentle. "You gotta snap out of it," Piper puts as much force into her words as she can without raising her voice.
The film slides from behind the daughter of Poseidon's eyes, and she focuses on Piper.
"We gotta help the boys," (Y/n) says, following Leo and Jason with her eyes.
. . .
Ridiculous," Medea says, and Piper can hear the power charged in every syllable. "(Y/n), Jason — my price is so simple. Why don't you two fight? If you get injured, or even killed, no problem. We'll just throw you into the fountain and you'll be better than ever. You do want to fight, don't you? You resent each other!"
The sorcery washes over the two demigods.
"Zeus's kids are always the stars," (Y/n) snarls. "They always get the attention."
"You're annoying, (Y/n)," Jason replies. "You never take anything seriously."
"Stop!" Piper pleads, but both draw weapons – Jason his gold sword, and (Y/n) her bronze sword.
The ancient rivalry between Zeus and Poseidon was about to be finished by their children – first it had been Percy and Thalia, and now by (Y/n) and Jason.
"Let them go, Piper," Medea urges. "I'm doing you a favor. Let it happen now, and it will make your choice so much easier. Enceladus will be pleased. You could have your father back today!"
Medea's charmspeak doesn't work on her, but the sorceress still has a persuasive voice. Her father back today? Despite her best intentions, Piper wants that. She wants her father back so much, it hurt.
"You work for Enceladus," she says.
Medea laughs. "Serve a giant? No. But we all serve the same greater cause — a patron you cannot begin to challenge. Walk away, child of Aphrodite. This does not have to be your death, too. Save yourself, and your father can go free."
(Y/n) and Jason are still facing off, ready to fight, but they look unsteady and confused — waiting for another order. Part of them had to be resisting, Piper hoped. But fighting – especially children of Poseidon and Zeus – is in their nature.
"Listen to me, girl." Medea plucks a diamond off her bracelet and throws it into a spray of water from the fountain. As it passed through the multicolored light, Medea said, "O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me the office of Tristan McLean."
The mist shimmers, and Piper sees her father's study. Sitting behind his desk, talking on the phone, is her dad's assistant, Jane, in her dark business suit, her hair swirled in a tight bun.
"Hello, Jane," Medea says.
Jane hangs up the phone calmly. "How can I help you, ma'am? Hello, Piper."
"You —" Piper is so angry she can hardly talk.
"Yes, child," Medea replies. "Your father's assistant. Quite easy to manipulate. An organized mind for a mortal, but incredibly weak."
"Thank you, ma'am," Jane says.
"Don't mention it," Medea replies. "I just wanted to congratulate you, Jane. Getting Mr. McLean to leave town so suddenly, take his jet to Oakland without alerting the press or the police — well done! No one seems to know where he's gone. And telling him his daughter's life was on the line — that was a nice touch to get his cooperation."
"Nfes," Jane agrees in a bland tone, as if she is sleepwalking. "He was quite cooperative when he believed Piper was in danger."
Piper looks down at her dagger. The blade trembles in her hand. She can't use it for a weapon any better than Helen of Troy could, but it is still a looking glass, and what she sees in it is a scared girl with no chance of winning.
"I may have new orders for you, Jane," Medea says. "If the girl cooperates, it may be time for Mr. McLean to come home. Would you arrange a suitable cover story for his absence, just in case? And I imagine the poor man will need some time in a psychiatric hospital."
"Yes, ma'am. I will stand by."
The image fades, and Medea turns to Piper. "There, you see?"
"You lured my dad into a trap," Piper said. "You helped the giant —''
"Oh, please, dear. You'll work yourself into a fit! I've been preparing for this war for years, even before I was brought back to life. I'm a seer, as I said. I can tell the future as well as your little oracle. Years ago, still suffering in the Fields of Punishment, I had a vision of the seven in your so-called Great Prophecy. I saw your friend Leo here, and saw that he would be an important enemy someday. I stirred the consciousness of my patron, gave her this information, and she managed to wake just a little — just enough to visit him."
"Leo's mother," Piper realizes. "Leo, listen to this! She helped get your mother killed!"
"Uh-huh," Leo mumbles, in a daze.
"So . . . I just attack Jason? That's okay?" (Y/n) interrupts, glaring daggers at the son of Zeus.
"Perfectly safe," Medea promises. "And Jason, strike him hard. Show me you are worthy of your namesake."
"No!" Piper orders. She knows this is her last chance. "Jason, (Y/n) — she's tricking you. Put down your weapons."
The sorceress rolls her eyes. "Please, girl. "You're no match for me. I trained with my aunt, the immortal Circe. I can drive men mad or heal them with my voice. What hope do these puny young heroes have against me? Now, kill each other!"
Piper doesn't even see (Y/n) move, but the bronze sword moves so fast that Jason just barely raises his sword to block the blow.
The two metal sword clang together, locking each other in a standstill,
"Jason, Leo, (Y/n), listen to me." Piper puts all of her emotion into her voice. For years she'd been trying to control herself and not show weakness, but now she pours everything into her words — her fear, her desperation, her anger. She knows she might be signing her dad's death warrant, but she cares too much about her friends to let them hurt each other. "Medea is charming you. It's part of her magic. You are best friends. Don't fight each other. Fight her!"
They hesitate, and Piper can feel the spell shatter.
Jason blinks. "(Y/n), was I just about to stab you?"
"Something about my mother . . . ?" Leo frowns, then turns towards Medea. "You . . . you're working for Dirt Woman. You sent her to the machine shop." He reaches into his toolbelt and pulls out a hammer. "Lady, I got a three-pound hammer with your name on it."
"Bah!" Medea sneers. "I'll simply collect payment another way."
She presses one of the mosaic tiles on the floor, and the building rumbles. Jason swings his sword at Medea, but she dissolves into smoke and reappears at the base of the escalator.
"You're slow, hero!" She laughed. "Take your frustration out on my pets!"
Before Jason can go after her, the giant bronze sundials at either end of the fountain swing open. Two snarling gold beasts — flesh-and-blood winged dragons — crawl out from the pits below. Each is the size of a camper van, maybe not large compared to Festus, but large enough.
"So that's what's in the kennels," Leo says meekly.
The dragons spread their wings and hiss. Piper can feel the heat coming off their glittering skin. One turned his angry orange eyes on her.
"Don't look them in the eye!" Jason warns. "They'll paralyze you."
"Indeed!" Medea is leisurely riding the escalator up, leaning against the handrail as she watches the fun. "These two dears have been with me a long time — sun dragons, you know, gifts from my grandfather Helios. They pulled my chariot when I left Corinth, and now they will be your destruction. Ta ta!"
The dragons lunge. Leo, (Y/n), and Jason charge to intercept. Piper is amazed how fearlessly they attack — working like a team who had trained together for years.
Medea is almost to the second floor, where she'd be able to choose from a wide assortment of deadly appliances.
"Oh, no, you don't," Piper growls, and took off after her.
When Medea spots Piper, she starts climbing in earnest. She is quick for a three-thousand-year-old lady. Piper climbs at top speed, taking the steps three at a time, and still she can't catch her. Medea doesn't stop at floor two. She hops the next escalator and continues to ascend.
The potions, Piper thought. Of course that's what she would go for. She was famous for potions.
Down below, Piper hears the battle raging. Leo is blowing his safety whistle, and Jason and (Y/n) are yelling to keep the dragons' attention. Piper doesn't dare look — not while she is running with a dagger in her hand. She can just see herself tripping and stabbing herself in the nose. That would be super heroic.
She grabs a shield from an armored manikin on floor three and continues to climb. She imagines Coach Hedge yelling in her mind, just like back in gym class at Wilderness School: Move it, McLean! You call that escalator-climbing?
She reaches the top floor, breathing hard, but she is too late. Medea had reached the potions counter.
The sorceress grabs a swan-shaped vial — the blue one that caused painful death — and Piper does the only thing that comes to mind. She throws her shield.
Medea turns triumphantly just in time to get hit in the chest by a fifty-pound metal Frisbee. She stumbles backward, crashing over the counter, breaking vials and knocking down shelves. When the sorceress stands from the wreckage, her dress is stained a dozen different colors. Many of the stains are smoldering and glowing. "Fool!" Medea wails. "Do you have any idea what so many potions will do when mixed?"
"Kill you?" Piper said hopefully.
The carpet begins to steam around Medea's feet. She coughs, and her face contorts in pain — or is she faking?
Below, Leo calls, "Jason, help!"
Piper risks a quick look, and almost sobs in despair. One of the dragons has Leo pinned to the floor. It is baring its fangs, ready to snap. Jason is all the way across the room battling the other dragon, much too far away to assist.
(Y/n) vaults over the dragon's back, and stabs it in the side, pulling it's attention off Leo.
Suddenly, a loud bark shatters the sounds, and a monstrous shape bowls over the other dragon and bites off a leg.
"Good dog!" (Y/n) exclaims. Ms. O'Leary lets out another earth shattering bark, and she attacks the dragon.
"You've doomed us all!" Medea screams at Piper. Smoke is rolling across the carpet as the stain spreads, throwing sparks and setting fires in the clothing racks. "You have only seconds before this concoction consumes everything and destroys the building. There's no time —"
CRASH! The stained glass ceiling splinters in a rain of multicolored shards, and Festus the bronze dragon drops into the department store.
He hurtles into the fray, snatching up a sun dragon in each claw. Only now does Piper appreciate just how big and strong their metal friend is.
"That's my boy!" Leo yells.
Festus flies halfway up the atrium, then hurls the sun dragons into the pits they'd come from. Leo races to the fountain and pressed the marble tile, closing the sundials. They shudder as the dragons bang against them, trying to get out, but for the moment they are contained.
(Y/n) leaps onto Ms. O'Leary's back, and the dog charges up the escalator. She vaults off the dog's back, sliding over to Piper.
Medea curses in some ancient language. The whole fourth floor is on fire now. The air fills with noxious gas. Even with the roof open, Piper can feel the heat intensifying. She backs up to the edge of the railing, keeping her dagger pointed toward Medea.
"I will not be abandoned again!" The sorceress kneels and snatches up the red healing potion, which had somehow survived the crash. "You want your girlfriend's memory restored? Take me with you!"
Piper glances behind her. Leo and Jason are on board Festus's back. The bronze dragon flaps his mighty wings, snatching the two cages with the satyr and the storm spirits in his claws, and begins to ascend.
The building rumbles. Fire and the smoke curls up the walls, melting the railings, turning the air to acid.
"Let's go!" (Y/n) grabs Piper's hand, and the two jump over the side.
They plummet only for seconds, when Leo and Jason grab (Y/n)'s arm, hauling them aboard the dragon.
"What about your dog?" Piper looks around to find that the massive, mountainous dog had vanished.
The dragon soars through the broken roof and over downtown Chicago. Then the department store explodes behind them.
Word Count: 8934 words
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slyvieselkie · 3 months
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Reverse Comfort - Geto Suguru
There's something about a bath, that's just so comforting. Maybe its the way the warm water just soothes the aching muscle, maybe it the way the rain-like sounds drowns out the noise of the outside, how the crystal clear streams remove the dirt and filth...or maybe its the way you look.
It was one night when Suguru was walking back to his dorm that he saw you in your pajamas, walking around with a skip to your steps, and a small frosted bottle of milk. You had a towel around your neck, to catch all of the remaining water from your damp hair, and a sparkle in your eyes.
He couldn't help but stop you, wonder why you had seemed to happy and blinked when you answered, "I just had a bath!"
What? Amused, you sat him down and started explaining how baths (or showers) are the best for relaxation after a long day of work. It wasn't just to clean yourself before bed, it can become a place to unwind and feel safe. Especially in this day and age where people are always blah blah blah. The boy cancels out the rest of your TedTalk and focuses on the way you seem so content with everything.
With a small huff and smile, he reaches out and wipes the drop of milk in the corner of your mouth, "Alright, just get to bed soon", "Yes, Senpai~"
From then on, every time he gets in the shower, Suguru heard your voice and feels his body loosen. He also gets a new habit of walking around at night, around the same time you get out of the bath and go on your nightly walk. He acts like its a coincidence, stops you for a small chat and smiles at the way you bounce, before parting for the night. But not before glancing back to see your little goofy dances and hear the bright tunes.
After a week or two of doing this, he is caught by Satoru and glares at his best friend who has a Chershire smile, "No, you stay out this", "Come on, Sugu~! Let a bro help you out!"
The boy whips out his phone and shows a few items of blackmail, Satoru's recreating the 'Scream' before deflating as he gives up. Suguru is successful in defending this small joy of his and he celebrates the victory by talking to you for just a bit longer.
The two of you cheers your bottles of milk and share a laugh as Suguru pulls out embarrassing stories about Satoru one after another. He's gained enough confidence to scooch closer to you and lean in with each laugh, the boy beams when you do the same and your head falls onto his shoulder. Unfortunately, he doesn't gain enough confident to go past than that and leaves that night with satisfaction and a desire for more.
Then the mission to protect the vessel is handed to him and Satoru. And everything slowly goes down hill. At first the boy keeps contact with you, heart fluttering when he finally got your number, and tells you everything that happens.
But at some point, he grew distant. You glanced at your phone now and then to see that he hasn't replied, and hasn't even looked at the message. Worry grows in your heart, but there's nothing you can do because curses don't stop to let you sort out your problems.
Then you hear that your senpai's mission ended with the vessel dying, the young girl who Suguru viewed as his own younger sister. You didn't know the girl but you cried for her, standing in a beautiful flower field that you had told Suguru to bring her to. Riko, you sniffle, Suguru had said her name with such warmth and told you how he wanted to show her the beauty of the world she hasn't been able to experience yet. He returned, a ghost of the person who had left, and gave you a sad smile before breaking down.
And you should've known that he would only crumble further, but life doesn't stop for these kind of things. So you accept that he doesn't show up at your nightly spots, he keeps his distance when you pass each other, and your chat is dead. All you know about Suguru is from the little updates Ieri-senpai gives you every now and then.
What you don't know, is how Suguru couldn't bare to see you anymore. Despite being a sorcerer, you've always seemed to soft with your cute smile and innocent eyes. And Suguru had always shown you a version of himself that was gentle, friendly, affectionate. He was scared of the things that could escape his prison, and how it would hurt you.
That's why Suguru only allows himself to see you in the shower, to hear your soothing voice, and feel the weight of you on his shoulders. The water doesn't feel comforting anymore, it's a place of grief as he cries until there's nothing left for tonight.
The last straw was Yu's death. You didn't see how his death impacted Suguru, you were too busy crying over another loss...now it was your friend. Kento's on the side, looking like a ghost as he stares at the lifeless body. Yu's death unraveled the darkness Suguru tried to keep inside himself, and he desperately soaks his body in water in order to retain the last bits of his sanity. But it doesn't work because he feels like its burning him and making him shiver at the same time, it doesn't work and he's crying for the last time.
The next time you see your senpai is in outside your inn, while you were on a mission. You stand there frozen, because his shirt and face is stained deep red. Your eyes travel pass him, and you see two small figures in the distance. What had happened to him, you don't ask because this shouldn't surprise you.
He calls out your name with a softness and just as he's about to start his farewell speech, "Bring those girls in, they need a bath and some food."
Suguru really should leave but he's somehow in the nearby convenience store - wiping the blood away and covering himself with a jacket of course- buying food while you're in the bathroom with the girls. You use a soft tone that's almost a song as you fill the tub with bubbles and help them inside, creating bubble bears and rabbits as they requested. You clean the girls, massaging them and discreetly checking for injuries. Afterwards, you bring the girls out with them wrapped in fluffy robes and Suguru watches with a soft smile as they devour the food. In minutes, the girls are sleeping in your bed.
And you turn to your senpai with a blank expression.
Suguru has a few seconds where he shrinks in panic before the boy laughs brightly, "This wasn't a part of my plan."
Neither was the way you dragged him up and pushed him towards the bathroom. He only gulps and allows you to guide inside, body jolting when he hears the lock clicking. Then the two of you are in the shower. Suguru stares down at you with wide eyes and you only blink before water is soaking the both of you, causing the fabrics to stick to your skin. He chokes out your name and whimper when you step back, only to gasp as you remove your nightwear.
You're bare and defenseless on front of him, you open your arms out, "Come to me", and he melts in your arms.
There's nothing between you as Suguru nuzzles deeper, its not possible but he does it anyways. Stuffing his face into your chest and bringing you into his lap, soft was all he could think. He pushes all of his misery, anger, regret, and loneliness onto you. And you're still so soft, despite soaking up all of his negativity. There's a familiar tune by his ear, a familiar weight on his shoulder, and a familiar feeling as he reminds himself its you he's holding. And he feels his body relax, the shower is working with you next to him.
Suguru's drowsy and clingy as you drag him out, playing the role of a baby -as he should've done long before all of this- while you dry his hair and feed him. He flourishes under your kisses, your touches, your whisper of sweet nothings, and returns it tenfold. The two of you settle onto the sofa, the boy draping himself over you and dozing off immediately.
The next time he's waking up, its grumpy Sugu because Satoru poking his face is the first thing he sees in the morning. Why couldn't it be you, he hisses and pushes his bestie away like he was a curse. Sitting up, he sees Shoko talking to the two girls while she's checking up on them. But there's no you.
"Calm down, lover boy, she's just getting some breakfast for all of you", and true to that you return with a large bag of food.
Its Satoru's turn to make a face of disgust because his friend is acting like a weak child, relishing in your affection.
However his face changes when you turn to him, and the white haired boy shows a thankful smile. And you don't know how grateful he was when you called him, or the way he and Shoko sobbed on their way here. Because you've brought Suguru back. And now he'll handle the rest.
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Hi lovelies, hope you enjoyed reading.
With the beginning on my new reverse comfort series, there was really no character that was on my mind more than Suguru. Boy needed to loved, kissed, and swaddled like he's a goddam baby because he deserves it.
Anyways, see you another time ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
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mrs-monaghan · 1 year
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No one is having a problem with tae mentioning jk. But It's the way he's mentioning him that doesn't seem sincere.
The First time, no one thought anything of it. The second time also, But then it kept happening. He starts an unnecessary couple minute vlive just to drop jk's name, unprovoked, then turn it off, give it a few days, then do it again. You can't help but wonder why is he doing this. Now, he's even opening a vlive from jk's home without his permission!
Now, if tkkrs were to just gush over tkk and leave Jimin alone then it would be fine, but they always have to attack him. And tae knows that because he monitors social media like the rest of the members. He knows how tkkrs will react and he still chose to do it. Now tkkrs are getting even more vile towards Jimin because they believe that tae is sending them a message that tkk is real.
It was clear that tae has started to align himself with Jungkook once their solo activities have been announced. The likes, comments, stories… Maybe the reason is because they have a song together and he's promoting it, or maybe he's feeling the pressure of the solo era and want to win tkkrs. Then if this wasn't enough, he suddenly started to drop his name suspiciously when the rumors about him and jennie started. Coincidence?
Whatever the reason, is it worth all the hate Jimin gets because of it?
And the funny thing is that he doesn't do all this with his so called soulmate!
Honestly and like you said, Hobi is the one that feels like jm's soulmate. And I love how very protective of jkk he is. Like that time he posted jkk the same day their bond was dragged on twitter. I love him.
Oh man.
Now if tkkrs were to just gush over tkk and leave Jimin alone it would be fine. But they always have to attack him
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I have this one problem with Jikookers. (Not all, of course) Just the ones that get easily affected by the cult. Tkkrs aka the vermin are many. Like there's a big amount of these pieces of shit. And they can get very loud and in your face. Its mostly because people are scared of them that they have been able to become so rampant. But listen, its for a reason. they threatened youtubers like Jeonssy found her family n shit and said they would harm Lil Tony's pregnant wife till both these Jikookers (and many others) left the platform all together. Then we have DT Parker who had to create a separate Jimin channel because of these people. I mean the vermin are dangerous. They are no joke. They attacked Poly C and so many other brands that dared confirm Jikook were wearing their shit. So who are they not to come for normal Jikookers who are just here minding our business?
But because they are so vile and so disgusting Jikookers have come to hate them so much that they don't want them to have anything. And so when Tkk have a moment, we already have Jikookers slamming their heads against the wall. But then there lies my issue. If members do something and your first thought is the cult, then you need to get your shit together. We should FIRST enjoy the moment and then later be like "ugh. The vermin are gonna act up." But not the other way around. The only one time I ever thought about tkks first, was this one
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(Credit to owner)
(I'm lying, first i drooled and then turned on the fan)
The moment he said "bro" I was like "why JK??"
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He he he he heee.. but this a habit we need to break. If you are reading this post and you do this;
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Otherwise you are on your way to becoming a V anti and no member deserves this. V has indeed been acting some type of way since Gurumi. Say mentioning JK and only JK all the damn time. BUT If you think what V is doing is wrong simply because that's how u feel, then that's okay. But if you hate what V is doing because of the cult, then bro, I'm sorry, but u need to reevaluate your priorities. JK doesn't seem to like Tkkrs. He has debunked them more times that we can count. As long as Jikook keep debunking Tkk moments I will never put the vermin first.
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shittyclive · 7 months
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imagine, as you will, that clive has just opened his cruxtruder and released his kernelsprite.
what would he put in to ensure that his session would be a success?
what do you think the alchemiter would make as his cruxite artifact?
what land would he enter, if he even manages?
do you think he's a derse dreamer.
do you think he makes a giant robot to fight the black king.
what if clive was in homestuck. and he replaces everyone's favorite character of dave strider.
what if he took the place of dave strider.
what would change if dave strider was replaced by clive in homestuck.
is this thing on. *tap tap tap* CAN ANYONE HEAR ME.
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daily clive 22
sadly this request did not coincide with homestuck 2's return. HOWEVER.
the sprite is a bird (probably a pigeon but could also still be a crow considering the dave paralell) plus some fucked up clock or something. i didnt put a lot of thought into it. also bird minigame reference.
for the cruxite artifact i chose. a mask. on a whim. also i made him orange by accident but its fine. but the idea behind the mask is just a slight nod to cutscene 26 and also persona. bc. i like persona 5 royale. no reason. anyways. imagine him flailing around trying to rip it off. it brings me joy.
he is a prince of light! i forget why. probably the trying to expose the truth to take people down? you have to understand that i just get visions about him and take it as word of clive. because it usually is. fictive haver life. also i think the idea of him knowing fireball is funny.
my knowledge about lands is very very limited. however, maybe something similar to john's land in that his quest would involve clearing the sky and returning light to the land? Land of Gloom and Streetlamps comes to mind. a fully dark land with huge streetlamps that he has to bring light to? it'd be about destroying darkness with the power of light more than destroying light itself (he is probably already very good at that part.)
sorry for using a dirk sprite as a reference rather than a dave one :-( and not really going into what he'd be like as a replacement for dave :-( i DO think he'd make a giant fucking robot though. i think if you replaced dave strider with clive dove, that clive would be a fundamentally different person on account of him having fucking friends. however: the horrors of bro strider. actually i think clive would start a trap war with bro strider. and be best friends with hal. this is because clive and hal are in my brain. anyways.
idk maybe sometime along the line i'll make a proper clive strider design. cliv. who give a shit
maybe one day i'll draw dave strider in the professor layton style :-)
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ruckis--rookie · 1 year
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wait I just remembered I NEVER TALKED ABOUT HOW I THINK A LOT OF BEANISH STRUGGLE WITH FACE BLINDNESS.  
I don't pull most hc's out of my butt, I like to back mine up with theories and proof because I'm a wannabe scientist and philosopher, so hear me out.  This is how you know its good.
I know its a comedic gag to not recognize the face of someone who's notorious but I've noticed that its quite consistent in Beanish. 
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Popple didn't recognize the bros at all despite having fought them multiple times.  Like, he remembers them vaguely but straight up just doesn't recognize them standing right in front of him.
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Even the Beanish Gaurds which we can assume are some of the more elite Beanish, had no idea who these two were by face and were asked to prove themselves. Could be just coincidence, right?  Maybe, but hear me out again
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The Starshade Bros and the Border Bros immediately recognized these two despite spending most of their time in Beanbean, or so we can assume.  There's even a few Beanish that recognize the NAME of the Mario Bros. but not the face.  Even Fawful makes such a big deal at making sure that his visage was spread everywhere and as much as someone could knack that up to just him being egotistical or as a means of creating propaganda, I think it could feed into the idea that he wants to make his face as recognizable as possible.  Like a "recognize who your leader is" type deal.  
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Peasley and Queen Bean definitely do similar, with Peasley being the face of some adverts and some Beanish people just up and having access to photos of the queen.  Tolstar, who can be assumed to be some sort of Spike, knows who Bowser is.
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but Popple is completely disconcerted to Bowser's real identity, just knowing that he's this big strong guy that would make great rookie material.  Also the passports.  Obviously you're gonna need a passport, different kingdom entirely, but I feel like you're really gonna need proof of identity going to the Beanbean kingdom.  Hence why its made such a big deal out of.
So yeah, thats why I think most Beanish have trouble with facial recognition unless the Beanish and other individuals in question are around each other constantly and enough times to recall them to a T.
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