Cinder: Iâd kill Watts! Brutally, painfully, and slowly! I would absolutely remove his presence from this plain of existence, and the next! I would burn every fragmented memory of him so that their was nothing left of the fucker! I would DESTROY HIM!!!
Jaune: âŠ
Emerald: âŠ
Jaune: Y-You know what⊠N-Never mind!
Emerald: So⊠W-Who are you going to fuck, and marry then�
Cinder: Well, for starters, youâre gonna fuck, JauneâŠ
Jaune: WHAT?!
Emerald: Excuse me?
Jaune: Thatâs not how the game is plaâŠ! No, thatâs not important; Why do you want me to sleep with, Emerald?!
Emerald: Yeah, why do you want me to do that?! A-Are you into that�
Cinder: No, Iâm not⊠But, well⊠Watching Jaune turning you into his personal toy does sound oh so tantalizing~! Mmmm~! Perhaps we should try that later~!
Jaune: What?!
Emerald: Okay, whatâs going on here, Iâm so confused.
Jaune: Same here, whatâs going on, Cindy?
Emerald: Cindy?!
Jaune: Uhhh�!
Emerald: Since when did Cinder have a nickname?!
Cinder: Since we became a couple.
Emerald: Youâre dating?!
Jaune: YesâŠ
Emerald: The fuck did that happen?!
Jaune: Well⊠remember that time we were sent on that survival mission, j-just the two of us for team cohesion training?
Emerald: Yes?
Jaune: Well, Cinder was butting heads with me trying to be a leader, and all that.
Emerald: Yeah, sheâs always been upset that you were chosen as the team leader. But, that training mission sorted that out. Did it sort things out?
Jaune: I-It did⊠just not in the way they intendedâŠ
Emerald: What happened?
Jaune: Well, you see⊠uhh⊠W-We kindaâŠ
Cinder: Fucked.
Jaune: Yeah⊠ThatâŠ
Emerald: WHAT?! The fuck happened?
Cinder: Oh, the usual: Me gloating on how great our team would be if I was the team leader. Jaune stating my arrogance would get us all killed if I was team leader. Then we both started arguing even more, and since none of you were there to stop us we really went at it. I was going to slap him forâŠ? For something he said, It doesnât matter anyway. But, he caught my hand, and then we started wrestling, we fell down, and rolled across the dirt for a bit until Jaune pinned to the floor. Weâre just staring up into one another's eyes for a while, and the next thing I know Iâm shoving my tongue down his throat, and learning how much of a bottom I truly am.
Emerald: S-Seriously?
Jaune: P-Pretty muchâŠ
Emerald: So the whole reason you two started getting along together, and stopped fighting one another, is because you had sex?!
Jaune: Yes�
Cinder: And, the disciplinary spankings. You mustnât forget about the spankings~!
Emerald: Okay⊠Fine? Youâre dating, I take it youâre âmarriedâ then?
Cinder: Oh absolutely. I genuinely hope to become Cinder Fall Arc one day~!.
Jaune: Best not tell mom that, she could at least wait until after I ask you to marry me before demanding grandkidsâŠ
Cinder: WaitâŠ?! Youâre actually going to ask me to marry you?!
Jaune: Uhhh�! S-S-So why do I have to fuck, Emerald?!
Cinder: Oh well, since Iâll be the bread earner, and you the house husbandâŠ
Jaune: What?! Why do I have to be the house husband?!
Cinder: Cause you can cook, clean, entertain guests, buy the necessary groceries for a meal. And, you know I canât do that regardless of how hard we try, I mean to remember what happened the last time I tried to cook?
Emerald: Theyâre still repairing the kitchenâŠ
Jaune: Shit⊠I am the house husband. But still, where does fucking Emerald come into all of this?
Cinder: Oh sheâll be the sexy maid who helps you clean up around the house that you also bend over the table, and spank her because she did a âbadâ job cleaning everything.
Jaune: So sheâs my mistress?
Cinder: Yes.
Emerald: So you want me to fuck your boyfriend to see if Iâm good for him?
Cinder: Yes. I will be testing you on your ability to pleasure him, and your ability to take inhis massive numberâŠ
Emerald: How massive?
Cinder: Your endurance, and yourâŠ
Jaune: Endurance? Oh, I get it, you want help so you donât tap out again.
Cinder: Can you blame me?! You can last twice as long as I can! And, Iâm always walking with a limp every time we do it! I NEED HELP!
Jaune: Hence, Emerald?
Cinder: Hence, Emerald. So, you up for it, Emerald?
Emerald: âŠ
Emerald: If I do this⊠D-Does that also mean I can sleep with you too�
Cinder: Thatâs a definite probability.
Emerald: W-Will I get spankings from you if I misbehave�
Cinder: Most likely.
Emerald: Iâll do it!
Cinder: Wonderful! Okay, let the test begin! Emerald, let's see how long you can last, and if you need help, or are about to tap out, weâll have Neo take your place.
Jaune: Neo?! Neo doesnât like me like that!
Cinder: Yes she does. Sheâs asked me on multiple occasions for a threesome with you.
Jaune: Bullsh-Aaaahhhh?!! Neo?!
Neo: đ
Jaune: Neo?! Get your hands out of my pants?!
Neo: đđ”
Jaune: Get your hand off my dick!
Cinder: Neo, wait your turn.
Neo: đ
Cinder: Emerald, what are you waiting for, get to it.
I've reached the point where I genuinely feel that any physician working for an insurance company in order to justify the denials those companies give to patients should be stripped of their medical licenses.
At this point, we all have to acknowledge that insurance companies are acting as entities that harm patients in the name of profit by denying care and as physicians we all took an oath to first, do no harm.
I don't wanna get all kumbaya and woo-woo about this but when I took my oath (over zoom because of my covid graduation) upon graduating from medical school I, like, meant it? Like, taking that oath was meaningful and symbolic and when I made that oath I genuinely was committing myself to uphold the things I said for the rest of my life, it wasn't just another thing to check off the list in my medical training journey. The moment I became a doctor was when I took that oath.
And I think as a profession, we need to start ousting these doctors who are working in tandem with these insurance companies to act as barriers to care in the name of profits. Who are lending their medical licenses to be used in this way, who are harming the dwindling public trust people may have left in our profession by using their position in society to literally hurt people.
Physicians who work for insurance companies should be embarrassed and ashamed and none of us should acknowledge them as colleagues. We need to actively and publicly shun them. The AMA should publicly support this and would if the people who run it weren't a bunch of bootlicking cowards who kowtow to fascists and support union busting.
#this this this#my doctor actually shames these people when she has to talk to them#literally she asks them how they can deny care if they took an oath to do no harm#and asks them things like âis this really what you thought you'd be doing when you dreamed of being a doctor? when you went to med school?â#âdid you really become a doctor just so you can save an executive a few bucks while making someone suffer?â#it's apparently quite effective at getting them to approve something they've denied#as is the fact that she asks for their name & liscense number to include in patient charts if they deny something#apparently they really don't like the threat of losing their license or even just potentially being reported for their decisions#so yes i am in favor of a) bullying & shaming doctors who work for insurance companies#and b) yanking their medical licenses
Jaune knew everyone was looking at him funny as he walked towards the cliffs for initiation. Most were looking at him as weird for the extensive kit he was wearing as compared to everyone else. Jaune could tell they were all kids living fantasies of heroics and fame. Jaune knew the truth; he had lived it. The world was not a happy place; you had to fight it tooth and nail, hence his kit. Preperation was half the battle, and Jaune liked to be prepared.
Ozpin eyed the young man as he climbed onto the launch pads. Mr. Arc was definitely not your average wet-behind-the-ears student. There was a professionalism to him. A professionalism that made an interesting variable to Ozpin's larger plans. Plus there were the reports from Atlas. Highly secure reports that Ironwood had sent to him.
As Ozpin prepared to give the final instructions, he recalled the bare bones of those missives. Atlas had engaged with several White Fang cells when both groups had then been engaged by a highly mobile, well-equipped, and extensively trained combined force of humans and robotics. That if Ozpin believed the complete report, "Fell from the Sky."
Jaune didn't even listen to the instructions. He wasn't interested in attending this academy for huntsmen and huntresses. He was a Gen3 pilot. Jaune was here for a "capture-and-exfil," nothing more. Hidden behind his helmeted visor, he let his eyes focus on the target.
"Blake Belladonna," he muttered under his breath. "17, cat faunus, lover of Adam Taurus, person of interest in multiple terrorist attacks and potential homicides."
The sudden acceleration of the launch pad going off under him was nothing compared to what he could generate with his own kit. A ping and a line of text appeared in the bottom right of his HUD.
Orleans on station. Extraction forces are ready.
Closing towards the ground, he fired his jumpkit and bounced off the massive tree trunks as he blazed through the forest canopy. His HUD and the tracker he had been able to tag Blake with helped him zero in on her exact location. Jaune closed on his target with frightening speed and burst from the canopy above her as she faced off with a massive Ursa.
Jaune dropped like a rock onto the Ursa's back and took 2.22 seconds to unload a full 40-round mag from his R97 into the back of its head and neck. Blake stood stone still, completely shocked at the sudden appearance of the fully kitted-out figure.
Jaune ejected his spent mag and, after a double tap to his helmet, locked in the next one. He then turned his attention to Blake.
"Blake Belladonna?" Jaune asked
"Whose asking?" Blake replied as her suspicion instantly spiked.
"I'll take that as a yes." Jaune retorted before dashing forward and clocking Blake in the side of the head with his elbow.
The world spun, and Blake stumbled for a second and then suddenly found herself taken to the ground. Her arms were twisted behind her and secured with tight zipties.
"Orleans, this is Arc. Target secured. Repeat, the target is secure. Request extraction."
"Extraction is a no-go, Arc," came the response from Orleans. "We're tracking multiple hostiles converging on your position. Standy for Titanfall."
"Shit!" Jaune cursed as he prepared to defend himself and his VIP and awaited the boom that would signal his backup had arrived.
âspicy pillowâ jokes aside, I think @flowerkroneââs tags deserve a serious reply:
#my old phone looks like this on my shelf lmao #im too scared to touch it to throw it away #idk what trash this even goes into when its at this point
The pillow-shaped object here used to be the phoneâs battery. Itâs not a battery anymore. Now itâs a balloon full of corrosive, pyrophoric chemicals and hydrogen gas and itâs one puncture away from burning your house down. I am 100% serious. You should be scared to touch it.
But you gotta touch it, because you gotta get it out of your house before the pressure builds up to the point where the balloon pops. This isnât going to happen soon â there is no need to panic â but it will happen eventually.
And, indeed, it doesnât go in the ordinary trash. You put this in the ordinary trash and youâre gonna set the garbage truck on fire. Donât do that to the garbage collectors, their job is hard enough already.
The first thing you need to do is get a fireproof container. The most common household item that qualifies as a fireproof container is a cast-iron cookpot with a cast-iron lid â often sold as a âDutch oven.â Any other cooking container thatâs unreactive, has a very high melting point, and has a lid made of the same materials will also work: enameled or stainless steel, Pyrex with glass lid, etc.
However: Do not use a pot with a PTFE-based non-stick coating. If the battery does explode, the fire will probably be hot enough to degrade a PTFE coating, producing toxic smoke. (Not that you should breathe the smoke from the battery fire either, but PTFE breakdown products are worse.) Do not use a pot made of aluminium or copper. The fire might even get hot enough to melt those.
Whatever container you use, you might have to throw away along with the phone, so donât use your good Dutch oven for this. Go to a thrift store and buy a cheap one.
Once you have the fireproof container:
Gently pick up the phone and put it in the fireproof container. If possible, gently tape the phone to the bottom of the container to prevent it from bouncing around. Donât put any padding in there, thatâll just make a fire worse if it does happen. Put the lid on and tape it shut.
Put a label on the container, something like âDEFECTIVE LI-ION BATTERY â FIRE HAZARDâ.
It is now reasonably safe to move the container around. However, if the battery does explode, the container is very likely to leak smoke and get hot, so keep it in a well-ventilated area and away from things that will be damaged by heat. Donât leave it exposed to the weather, either.
You need to find either a hazardous waste disposal site, or an e-waste recycler that will accept defective Li-ion batteries. I canât help with that because I have no idea where you live.
However, your local fire department, if you have one, will probably be happy to help. Call their non-emergency number. Nothing is on fire yet, so this isnât an emergency, but things that can easily start a fire are still within the fire departmentâs responsibilities. Tell them you have a phone with a bulging lithium-ion battery, you put it in a fireproof container, and you want to know how to dispose of it safely.
If the fire department tries to tell you this isnât dangerous or itâs okay to throw it out in the regular trash (with or without fireproof container), hang up on them and write a cranky letter to your local government representatives, then keep looking for a proper disposal site.
When you do find a a hazardous waste disposal site or an e-waste recycler, call them and make sure they will take defective Li-ion batteries, before showing up. Thatâs also a good time to ask if they will let you have the fireproof container back.
"Jaune, it's okay; Mom will understand!" Medy shouted as she flew through the air on a direct collision course with the ancient nevermore. "We can do this!"
Ozpin, unaware of what was happening in the air behind him, hit the ground running. Long Memory chambered to attack as he tore through the undergrowth on a direct path to the Deathstalker, the hopeful students it was threatening.
In the distance the booming voice of Peter Port, accompanied by the sounds of gunfire, informed Ozpin that the situation with the Beowulf Alphas was being handled. Breaching through the edge of the small clearing that housed the ruins, which was the objective of this exercise, Ozpin zeroed on his target.
High above, with the assistance of the paired chained daggers that she materialized from thin air, she grappled and pulled herself onto the great nevermore. With a flick of her wrist, she snapped out one of the chains, causing it to loop about the beast's neck. The massive grimm squawked and thrashed, but it was of no use. As its wings beat against the air, it bucked about trying to dislodge Medy. She pulled, causing its head to twist towards her.
"Good bye." Medy whispered through lips twisted in a slightly malicious grin as she opened her eyes. The glowing vibrant violet orbs with their square-ish irises bore directly into the malevolent blood-red eye of the grimm.
The Grimm shuddered and then froze. Once fluid motions began to stutter and then halted completely. From far below, those watching could tell something was up with the massive grimm beast... yet they were as confused as the monster itself.
Medy held her focused gaze directly into the eye of the Nevermore. focusing all her magical intent upon the singular target. Beneath her, she felt the soft flesh harden and grow cold. With a flick of her wrist, she released her chain, closed her eyes, and pushed off the falling stone beast.
Professor Port and his support team had just arrived to assist Ozpin with the Deathstalker when the sound of a massive crash echoed through the trees. He pushed the question of the source to the sound from his mind as he directed his team's efforts in helping to put down the car-sized grimm.
Perched on a branch near the top of one great tree of the Emerald Forest, Medy smiled softly. Her eyes were closed, and she held onto the thin trunk with her left hand.
"Told you I could do it." Medy chuckled and then cocked her head to the side, as if listening intently to a silent conversation. "Nonsense, Jaune. Without you I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't exist... it doesn't matter how strong you say I am... without you... I'm nothing."
Rocky and Grace had a lot of arguments at some point because Eridian scientists asked to dissect Grace once he dies to see if any parts of his body could advance medicine or teach them about biology and Grace is all for it but Rockyâs like âNO??? NO ONE ALLOWED DEFACE GRACE BODY AFTER DIE??? WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME???â
Warden: sheâs in here, free to go as soon as the deposit clears.
Celine: of course. Thank you for your⊠discretion
Bobby: and for signing all 23 NDAs
Warden: *opens cell door*
Mira, 45 years old and sporting a nasty black eye, lounging lazily in her cell: hey guys. Thanks for the bail money.
Bobby: oh my god. *immediately rushing over and fussing over her* Are you bleeding? Are you hurt???
Mira: *smirking* not as bad as the other guy is, you should see what I left on his stomach-
Celine: -Ryu-Choi Mira, let me make myself very clear. You had better have a very good reason that Iâm bailing you out of jail for assaulting a reporter.
Bobby: *shakes his head disappointedly* Mira, I know you know better than this. Is this really the example you want to set for your kids?
Mira: *grumbling*
Bobby: Mira.
Mira: *growling* he laughed at me and said it was a good thing we *aggressively air quotes* finally had a boy, since apparently we just couldnât stop trying until we got one, otherwise Zoey and Rumi would never keep the baby weight off.
Celine and Bobby: âŠ
Celine: ⊠you shouldâve aimed lower. I trained you better than this.
Bobby: Iâm filing a restraining order. And mailing a glitter bomb. Then Iâm taking the kids for ice cream while you and Zoey and Rumi go kick his ass.
Mira: too late. Why do you think I called you two instead of them?
Weiss: *storms back to the dorm from a training session in Atlas* Fuck! Fighting Jaune sucks! By the time you pick it up and start adapting and get a handle on things your aura is already very orange. I'll be summoning my knight so I have to hold still and focus and he just no sells me. The little stuff, he notices the little stuff.
Yang: *lounging in her bed lazily* And then he adapts too and you're like 'wait, I'm not ready for that. Do that previous mind game two or three more times so I can think about it.' And he's like 'sorry bro. It's over for you. Stop living in the past.' And the past is very recent. It's like twenty seconds ago. Then he just dumpsters you. He hit me with a falling aerial once to pop me into the air then spiked me out of the ring ... The two piece is so strong for him in the mid and late game. He doesn't tunnel vision on one win condition. Back up strats.
Blake: *closes the book she's reading and sighs* He's so fucking awake, or aware, maybe...? Like he's making the decisions you want to make before you realize you want to make them... You fight some people and they received dopamine off a trick or two a couple of times so they autopilot that move or opening and Jaune doesn't do that. A lot of these hunters are bots but when Jaune grabs you he manhandles you. He trips me and I swear I hit the ground fifty percent harder than if I were fighting any other person. Just me?
Ruby: No. There are routes and starters in Jaune's tree that I've sat down and written out that I just straight up do not have an answer for. If he hits me with the clean hit of that jumping overhead sword strike he likes - you guys know that one? With the broadsword? About two thirds down the blade?
W B Y: *collective groan* Yes...
Ruby: Right. That one? Then he just combos me to red aura at least ninety percent of the time. I get like two or three pseudo chances to escape with my petals but if I time it wrong it's over right then and there. And even then he knows I can't breathe when I'm in petal burst so he just waits and baits me sometimes.
Yang: You told him you can't breathe mid petal burst?
Ruby: No.
Yang: Oh.
Blake: He knows I hold my breath when I split into clones... No clue how.
Weiss: He just stands still and he waits. He makes you pick an option knowing you don't have any good choices. That situation has a name in chess. Zhu zwung or whatever.
Blake: The notes he doesn't play leave you just as trapped as the ones he does... He doesn't hit you once here to hit you twice there.
Weiss: Do any of you have notes I can copy off of? Homework stealing?
Yang: Not good ones... I've never been much of a note taker.
Ruby: Yeah I'll let you look at some of what I have...
Weiss: Particularly the falling upwards aerial combo starter... That one is bothering me a lot. I need answers because I work hard to avoid that one but he just hits me with it anyway very frequently. It feels like he just does it whenever he wants knowing I can't stop him.
Ruby: Then no. I just have some notes on when he runs up to you and does that one swing upwards and his sliding baseball style slash golf swing.
Weiss: The golf swing or the baseball one? They're a little bit different. It's a different mix up.
Ruby: Oh fuck... Let's put our heads together. We'll figure this out. He's not invincible.
Blake: Feels that way sometimes... The last person to make him bleed his own blood was Cinder and she had glass, dust, a semblance, and was a maiden.
Jaune had always been a bit of a snoop and explorer in his childhood. His time at Beacon was no different. When he wasn't training, trying to hit on Weiss, or being bullied by Cardin. Jaune was wandering the halls and grounds, and once he found an unsecured way down... the basements of Beacon.
Digging into his belt pouches, Jaune pulled his exploration tools. A kinetic-charging flashlight, a glow marker, and a tightly wound hand-sized spool of glowing micro cord. Finding a solid anchor point, he tied off his line and, after a couple of minutes, picked a direction. The travel was easy, but Jaune could tell no one had been down in these corridors for absolutely years.
"Mom and Terra would go insane if they saw this much dust." Jaune chuckled to himself as he continued his exploration.
Though he was a little disappointed, it was what Jaune had figured. The place was empty, or at least the first few rooms of the first hallway he chose to explore were. Checking his watch he noticed it was getting late and prepared to start his back track, when he heard something.
It sounded like something slick and slimey being peeled away from something just as wet. Panning his light about, he tried to find the source, and then he heard the voice.
"Is someone out there?" The voice was soft, definitely feminine, and sounded... hopeful?
"Okay, that's just rude. I know you're out there, whoever you are!" the voice was sounding frustrated. "I know someone is out there! Is that you Ozpin?"
Jaune didn't move, still looking about, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.
"Took you're blooming lovely time coming back, after everything I help you do!"
Jaune then noticed something off. The hallway didn't look right; was it cut off? He was surprised he hadn't noticed the anomaly earlier. Tentatively moving forward, he reached out and touched the wall before him.
"Are you so old you forgot how to enter the chamber you designed? Unbeliveable!"
"Sorry?" Jaune spoke before even thinking he could be making a mistake.
"You're not Ozpin!" the voice chirped. "Someone new!"
"Hi? I'm Jaune. Jaune Arc, and you are?"
"Oh, where are my manners? I am Kaelli." the voice announced. "Pleased to meet you, Jaune. I just love meeting new people!"
"Pleased to meet you as well. Um... where are you?"
"Oh, right! You wouldn't have a clue to open my chamber. If you facing the end of the hallway on your right at 0.75 meters high, you should feel an indentation. Tap on it three times, and then hold your finger there."
"Okay?" Jaune replied as he did as he was instructed. Finding the indentation, he proceeded to tap on it three times and then hold his finger on it. The wall before him split in half horozontally and then retracted into the ceiling and floor. "SHIT!"
"I can smell the fresh air! It's been so stuffy in here." Kaelli commented as Jaune looked into the roundish chamber bathed in pinkish-red lights. Stepping forward, he stopped dead in his tracks, utterly unprepared for what he was looking at.
"Hi, Jaune!" Kaelli chirped in a melodic and gleeful voice. "Nice to meet you, and see a new face after all these years."
Ruby: *struggling* âŠnngâŠgrrâŠcome on, just a little more-
Ruby: STUPID RETAINING CLIP!!! đ€Ź
Pyrrha: *peeks in* âŠRubyâŠ? Are you okay?
Ruby: Pyrrha, come over here, I need a second set of hands to reassemble this receiver assembly.
Pyrrha: UmâŠI donât think thatâs a good idea- đ
Ruby: *grabs Pyrrhaâs hand and pulls her over to the workbench* Oh, just come here! đ
Ruby: *places Pyrrhaâs hands on the machinery* Here, just hold this spring back and whatever you do, donât move! This is an extremely delicate instrument with tight tolerances-
Pyrrha: *sneezes* Achoo! đ€§
Ruby/Pyrrha: âŠ
Ruby: *deep inhale*
Ruby: *deep exhale*
Ruby: âŠPyrrha, did I just see your semblance activate when you had your hands on the inner workings of my weapon, after I spent the last hour reassembling itâŠ?
Okay so what if Solo!Rumi, but it's Poppy and Celine that find and capture her? Zoey and Mira get curious about where Celine goes each day after training and why Poppy, who's been absent in their training so far, is suddenly hanging around. Zoey the Polylight Shipper is convinced they're having sex and that the locked door is hiding how freaky they are in bed and Mira the Problem Child conveniently has a lockpicking set and thinks they're hiding something more mundane, like money laundering or tax evasion like her parents. What they find instead is a woman chained to the wall. They don't see the patterns under all the blood and torture wounds, not until they've already smuggled her back to her dad in Seoul, but by then they've already established that Rumi genuinely doesn't have the slightest clue about demons or the Honmoon and bonded with her (either normal bond from getting to know her or soul bond from her reconnecting to the Honmoon through blood loss or infection putting her life at risk). Now it's a balancing act of the three of them trying to perform and strengthen the Honmoon while avoiding the older Hunters. Featuring best dad Bobby who doesn't hesitate to adopt house Zoey and Mira and annoying, but protective big brother Jinu, who's teleportation makes a great emergency exit from both fans and Hunters alike.
Ok first, the idea of Mira and Zoey thinking this is some really embarrassing secret about their mentor and her situationships sex life is killing me a little đ
But also I canât stop picturing that moment.
The moment their worldview is shattered.
(TW: mentions of torture, some gore)
ââ
Zoey giggled again, stifling it as best she could with her hands while watching the hallway. Mira didnât let it break her focus, sticking her tongue out unconsciously as she continued to maneuver the pins.
âZo, tryna focus, can you stop trying to get us caught?â Mira tries to sound serious, but canât keep the smile out of her voice.
Zoey giggled again, clapping her hands over her mouth to stop the sound before responding. âSorry, Mira. Iâm just, I still canât believe you know how to pick locks!â At that Mira pauses, raising an eyebrow at the younger girl, causing her to raise her hands in surrender. âI mean it ironically, donât worry. You fit the vibes of someone who would be able to lock-pick, promise!â
Mira rolled her eyes, smiling again as she continued to maneuver the third locks pins around. A moment later there was a near silent click, the padlock popping as it released. With a quick motion Mira grabbed it, setting it beside the others before starting on the last one.
As Mira started on it, Zoey began talking again, keeping her eyes trained on the dark hallway behind them. âI bet theyâll have some really weird stuff in there. Rich people always have really weird stuff in sex dungeons.â
Mira grunted, twisting sharply and hearing the first click. âOnly most of them. Iâm willing to bet that theyâll have a buncha whips. One of them has to be a masochist with all the paperwork they have to deal with every day.â Another click, one to go.
âGood point, good point. Maybe itâs just a bed?â Zoey questioned. âPrivacy here can be kind of hard to get, and it definitely doesnât help that this is apparently the only soundproof room and door in the entire compound.â
Another click, earning a smug grin from Mira. âWell, I guess weâll have to find out, wonât we?â She removed the last lock, standing up and stretching her back. âDo you wanna do the honors?â She dropped into a low bow, grinning even after Zoey huffed in indignation. âAfter you, Mâlady.â
Zoey strode past her, jutting out her chin dramatically. âThank you, my knight! I will enjoy this vicariously!â She paused before opening the door. âVictoriously. I meant victoriously.â
At Miraâs fond chuckle Zoey blushed, yanking open the door. The room beyond was dark, too dark to see anything aside from vague shapes. Without the hall lights turned on, there no light aside from the windows leaking in, and barely any at that.
Zoey stepped inside, and a moment later felt Mira step up beside her. The two woman look around, trying to make out anything in the room with no luck. The air smells⊠strange. Kind of like copper and disinfectant, a very strange combination.
ââŠso uh, we probably shouldâve brought flashlights.â Mira mutters.
Zoey snorts in amusement. âYeah, probably. Shut the door, we can find a light switch in here probably and I donât wanna risk them seeing light in the hallway.â
Mira did as she requested, shutting the door with a quiet click as Zoey started feeling at the walls. Mira joined her in the search, and the muffled sounds of their hands swiping across the walls filled the air. Mira found it first.
âFound it. You ready?â Mira asked.
Zoey nodded, before belatedly remembering that Mira couldnât see her. âYup! Hang on, I wanna flick it with you.â
Mira choked, coughing. At Zoeyâs inquisitive noise, she simply says, âSaliva went down the wrong way, donât worry about it.â
When Zoey reached her, she grabbed onto Miraâs hand that was resting against the light switch. âReady?â Mira made an affirmative noise. âThree⊠two⊠one and a half⊠now!â They flicked the switch together.
Instead they find a body hanging on the wall. Zoey gasped, stumbling back a half step into the wall, covering her mouth in horror. Mira was frozen as well, eyes wide as saucers, as she took it in.
She looked to be a young woman about their age, with rough cut hair about shoulder length. Sheâs hanging by chairs attached to cuffs on her wrists, the skin under them rubbed raw from the little they can see of it.
But the worst part is her body. Dozens of cuts and bruises cover her, blood dried on what little remains of her clothes and all over her skin.
For a moment, she looks very much like a corpse.
But then she shifts, turning her face slightly so her hair falls more fully across her face with a groan. That snaps Mira out of her stupor, and she approaches with quick steps, pulling out her lockpicking tools again.
âZoey, come help hold her up.â Her voice is cold, sharp in a way that Zoey hasnât heard since they first met all those years ago.
Zoey flinchâs before rushing forwards, gently helping lift the woman by her hips. The motion (and probably the touch) draws a small whine of pain from her.
âI know, I know, Iâm sorry. We just need to keep the tension off those cuffs so Mira can get them off you, itâll be ok.â Zoey desperately looked at Mira, her voice dropping to a whisper. âMira, what⊠why do they have her chained up here?â
Mira shakes her head as the first cuff comes off, gently lowering the arm down to rest against her side. âI donât know, Zoey.â She steps around her, beginning to unlock the other cuff next. âBut thereâs no justifying this. I donât⊠I canât stay here if this is the kind of thing theyâve been doing.â
The second cuff came off, and the young woman wouldâve dropped to the ground if not for Zoeyâs hold of her. With gentle maneuvering she managed to lift her up, cradling her to her chest as she gasped in pain again.
Zoey took a deep breath, leaning in to talk to the girl. âHi, uhm, I know youâre in a lot of pain right now, and Iâm sorry. Can you tell us your name?â
A single eye opened, the one that isnât swollen shut. The chocolate brown pupil is blown wide, and it looks like she has some trouble focusing on Zoey. When she finally does, her cracked lips open as she forces out one word.
âRumi.â
Zoey nods, turning to meet Miraâs eyes. They donât discuss the plan, donât need to. Mira shuts the light off, giving them a minute to adjust to the darkness. Zoey keeps talking to Rumi while they wait.
âHi, Rumi, my names Zoey. Miraâs the mean one who helped unlock those cuffs.â Zoey could feel the way Rumi shivered slightly, though she couldnât understand why. She simply tightened her grip slightly, hoping it would help her feel more secure. âWeâre gonna get you out of here, ok? Find you somewhere safe andâŠâ and what?
She and Mira already know they need to get out of the compound, back over to mainland. After that, theyâll have to improvise since most of the money theyâve had access to the last couple of years has been Celineâs that she let them use.
Mira opens the door, the minimal light just barely enough to see by. âCmon. Theyâll be up in a few hours, giveâs us time to stop by our rooms and grab our bags.â
Zoey didnât know what else to do, so she just followed, cradling the young woman to her chest.
The next few minutes pass in an anxious blur as they creep past Celineâs room, and then the guest room where Poppy is sleeping. They grab their bags which had been packed for tomorrow -or rather, Mira grabs them. Zoey doesnât let go of Rumi- and they make their way out to the rental car. The three of them drive into town, silent and tense as they wait for something to go wrong.
So itâs a surprise and a blessing when they get to the town without issue.
Mira gathers their bags, tossing a small blanket over Rumi and hiding her face with it. Zoey mutters reassurances to her the entire time, gently rubbing the uninjured skin on her back. Shes glad the rental had some water, the ragged breathing from before has settled into a more normal sounding cadence.
The overnight ferry is coming in a half hour, so the three of them sit on some benches by the ocean with Rumi in the middle to wait.
The water seems to have invigorated her somewhat, but she still hasnât looked towards either of them. They let the quiet sit, Mira with her phone out sending texts and Zoey carefully watching the area to ensure nothing and no one approaches them.
âWhyâŠâ Rumi cuts off with a cough, and Zoey immediately pulls out the water bottle, offering it to her with small sips until it subsides. Mira pauses her flurry of texting, looking over towards Rumi expectantly. âWhy did you help me?â
Zoeyâs heart breaks a little at the disbelief in that tone, as if she had truly found the idea of anyone getting her out of there impossible. She manages to keep herself from reaching out and pulling her into a hug, but just barely. The bandages theyâd put on her on the drive over have already become reddened, and she doesnât want to risk making it worse.
Instead, she opts to gently reach out and place her hand over Rumiâs. âBecause you were hurt. And because you were imprisoned.â
Mira mutters her agreement, glancing behind them before looking back at Rumi. âDid they ever say why they were holding you there? Do you remember?â
Zoey winced. Whatever the reasoning was that her ment- former mentor had, it wasnât good enough. Sheâd probably have a mental breakdown later about all this, but for now Rumi needs her.
When Rumi hesitated, Zoey squeezed her hand gently in encouragement. âThey⊠Celine said it was because I could affect something⊠I think she called it the honeymoon?â
Zoey blinked in surprise, and blurted out âHonmoon?â Before she could stop herself.
Rumi looked at her with the one eye, raising an eyebrow. âYea, thatâs what she called it. Her and the other woman, she kept demanding to know why I couldâŠâ Rumi trailed off, her hands curling into fists as the tears started falling. âAnd every time Iâd tell them dont know what theyâre talking about, they always called me a liar before they,.. theyâdâŠâ Rumi let out a ragged breath, pulling her arms tight against her chest and curling into herself.
Mira held back touching her, now wanting to freak her out. Zoey, whose hand had been inadvertently pulled in along with Rumiâs hands, didnât move.
Rumiâs tears faded quickly, exhaustion making her single eye flutter. âWhat⊠whatâs the date?â
Mira checked her phone before showing it to Rumi.
âTwo weeksâŠ?â She sounded disbelieving. âFelt like yearsâŠâ
The ferry began to pull into port, the lights along its side casting the railing in weird shadows.
Mira faced Rumi, reaching her hand out and hesitating before grabbing Rumiâs hand until she got a nod of approval. âIs there somewhere we can take you? A place youâd be safe?â
Rumi considered that, looking up at the stars. âHome. If you can get me back home and explain everything to my Appa, he can keep us safe.â Her voice began to trail off near the end, slumping slightly backwards.
Zoey gently shook Rumi, drawing a wince from her as she looked at Zoey. âCan you give us his address so we can start heading that way as soon as we get to the mainland?â
Rumi reached out her hand, the one Mira was holding. After a second Miraâs eyebrows raised slightly as she realized, and passed the phone to Rumi. With a few quick taps she had directions pulled up, telling them theyâd be about an hour away from Seoul.
As she finished typing, Rumi slumped against Mira, her eye closing as exhaustion took her. Zoey felt like she might cry again, but held back. Thereâs be time for tears when Rumi was home safe and they were away from Celine and Poppy.
âThis changes everything.â Mira didnât look at Zoey as she spoke, watching the people disembark from the last ferry off the island.
Zoey nodded, looking at Rumi. âHow much of what they told us is a lie, do you think?â
Mira shrugged. âDoes it matter? If they were willing to do this to someone, whoâs to say they wouldnât have eventually done it to us?â Mira gently lifted Rumi off her shoulder, instead scooping her up into her arms as she stood. âOnce we get to her Appaâs house weâll have to explain everything to him, and then we can come up with a plan.â
Zoey stood, gathering their bags. The boat disembarked with three of them on it a half hour later, leaving behind Jeju island and memories.
Somewhere in the forests in Jeju, a hunter woke up from a nightmare. The elderly hunter stood, stretching, as she made her way out of her room. She went to do whatâs he always does when she dreams of Miyeong, goes to check on Mira and Zoey.
Their gone.
She rushes to the demons room, freezing when she sees all the locks carefully taken off the door in a pile and a very empty room.
She wakes up Poppy, and the two begin the hunt for Rumi once more.
ââ
Mira and Zoey figure out Rumiâs a demon while helping her dad wash all the blood off (they couldnât get enough of it or the dirt and grime with wipes so they just had to bring her like that) but at that point their sure Rumi isnât any kind of a threat.
The three of them quickly grow close, and Mira and Zoey explain the stuff about the Honmoon, demons, and hunters. Rumi recovers slowly, since most of her wounds are from the Honmoon, but when sheâs all better she proposes forming a group with the two of them to help find their third hunter (and to keep her safe from Poppy and Celine).
After their debut they work with two separate security teams to prevent Celine or Poppy from getting them alone, and Bobby refuses to work with any companyâs Celine has ties with.
Eventually Rumi gets badly hurt, badly enough that the Honmoon reconnects to her. (An ambush from a demon, of course.) Mira and Zoey are overjoyed that Rumi is their third, and teach her how to fight properly and summon her sword.
Poppy and Celine are shocked when they see this demon (which Mira and Zoey now know is a half demon) wielding a honmoon weapon. They finally manage to confront the girls on a rooftop after a hunt, and they try to get Mira and Zoey to âsee reasonâ about the demon somehow harming the Honmoon with its manipulations of its power.
Cue a fight between the last of the previous generation and the new generation, ending with Rumi pinning Celine to a wall by her throat with her sword over her heart. Mira manages to pin Poppy, but sees what Rumiâs about to do.
Itâs Zoey that talks her down from killing Celine, telling her it isnât worth the kind of harm it would do to her soul. Celine tries to say Rumi doesnât have a soul, but Zoey just says yes, she does.
The three if them leave their mentors there, beaten bloodied and bruised, and go back to Bobby house for some hot chocolate.
â
Super fun ask anon! I enjoyed making this a lot ngl, your brain is squishy in the best way.
Oh almost forgot, Jinu is also there and he acts like the older brother for all three of them (after getting past Mira nearly skewering him until Rjmi intervened).
Danny, teasing: Disgusting, did watching FernGully as a child teach you nothing!
Damian: I have never watched "FernGully".
Danny: What? Okay, you are coming to my appartment and we are watching FernGully one and two and if you try to get out of this *eyes glow green* I will curse your entire bloodline.
Damian, stunned: For some reason I found that very attractive. Okay, lead me to your appartment.
Danny: Yes! You're gonna loves these movies, I promise!
