One Nice Bug Per Day
art blog(derogatory)
macklin celebrini has autism
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Three Goblin Art
Aqua Utopia｜海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
izzy's playlists!
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Game of Thrones Daily
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JBB: An Artblog!
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Peter Solarz
shark vs the universe
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
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@bxrn-thc-pxgcs
Hello, tag lurkers & followers. Today, it's with a heavy heart I have to announce the closure of AskStoryKids-HQ.
For now, we don't see it as a permanent closure. It's simply overall for the best, as the mental health of the mod team has suffered greatly in the past few months, and we haven't been able to provide our members with our best, which no one deserves.
Hopefully, this isn't the end. So this isn't a goodbye. See ya real soon, pals.
Love, Destini (Mod Kida)
"Apparently, I have 'behavior issues' and am 'too defiant'." Corvina snorted, finding it incredibly entertaining that she'd been kicked out of class. On her first day.
Tags: Corvina Sands
"Just make sure he doesn't act like he's leaving and then turn into a bat to hide in the curtains. Hate it when I find a bat places a bat shouldn't be."
He sighed, rubbing his face. "I appreciate it. I do. Just... look, it's fifty-fifty. But chances are, she doesn't have a way home. Which means she'd have to rely on one of us to find a way home for her. So what's the harm in me checking her out now?"
"You're okay with those odds? If we're right, I'm looking at the odds being much higher in her favor. Big assumption, but if we're right, chances are she was sent with a way back. Or at least the knowledge to find one. Getting out is supposed to be the hard part, not in."
Xinyi sighs.
"But I know I can't stop you once you've set your mind to something, anyone who's seen you with Jackie knows that. So I will see you soon. We're at the hospital, Alec took her to check in and get her checked out since her story was that she did the same thing you did. Either it's the truth, or it was a convenient lie, but either way, with that story it was best to get her looked at."
"Ah, don't be so sure." Levi winced as he shrugged on his jacket. He'd pushed himself too far again, with those weights. Jackie might kill him, if she noticed. "Kain needed a very specific setup of Dragons with a very specific vase and a very specific time of day of the year. He'd been working on that plan for God knows how long, remember?"
The dragon sighed, rubbing his eyes. "No, yeah, it's a good idea to get her checked out. When I popped through I was covered in burns from the portal. Granted mine was engineered by someone who uses duct tape to fix everything, and not a cosmic criminal mastermind, but still. I was roughed up pretty badly. Even if she's here for..." He shook his head as he grabbed his keys. "It's a good idea to get her looked at."
Iggy leaned back against the wall, listening quietly, nodding slowly. When he finished, the fairy shrugged, lifting her chin. "Okay. I'm not gonna try to talk you out of anythin', nothin' like that."
She crossed her arms. "I understand the appeal of revenge much better than some might think, darlin'. All I can do is give you advice."
Alec raises an eyebrow. "I'm listening."
"Good." Iggy glanced around slightly, making sure nobody was around to listen. To judge her. To make assumptions.
"My whole life was stolen from me. In a matter of minutes, I went from crown princess to public enemy number one. I've spent the last few years of my life hidin' and runnin' and pretendin' I ain't nothin' but a small town Southern sweetheart, all the while my people were tortured, murdered, starved, and turned into puppets."
She shrugged. "So I get revenge. I get the appeal of it. So all I can say to you is one thing." Iggy met his eyes. "Weigh your options. When you stand there, when you have your chance, with a gun in your hand ready to pull the trigger... weigh your options." She rolled her shoulders. "No matter how dead set on it you are, there's gonn' be a little voice in the back of your head, sugar. 'Should I really do this? Won't it make me just like him? This creature took my whole life from me, but I never would've known the people who care about me today if it weren't for him. Is this really worth it?'"
Again, the princess paused with a shrug, indifferent. "It becomes a matter of deciding whether you believe that killing him will make your friends feel worse, or you."
James holds up a case of soda in one hand and holds out a cold bottle to her as well as soon as she lets him in. "Hey, Kenz. How's it going?"
"My hero," she sighed with a smile, taking the bottle. "I'm... alive. Could be worse, really. What about you?"
Had been worse. Though she still felt so... Hollow. Empty inside. She had since the day she almost killed the man that ruined her life. It came and went in waves, but...
"One of my coworkers has taken to trying to convince me I need an allergy dog. She had to slap a donut out of my hand the other day because I wasn't paying attention and it had cinnamon on it."
"Ah, I don't- I don't know." Mackenzie chuckled dryly. "I'm not sure I'm theater material, James. I mean, really. Me? On stage?"
She shook her head, cracking open her soda. "I'm not the theater kind of pretty. I'm neutral pretty."
"I didn't think I was, either," James laughs at her first comment.
At the next part, he glances at her and raises an eyebrow. "You're kidding me, right? You're miles ahead of anyone I know in theater on looks alone, if that's what you're really worried about." Realizing what he's said, he clears his throat. "I just thought it'd be fun to do a show with you. I mean, big assumption that we'd both get in, big enough assumption that even I'd get in, but at least we tried?"
Mackenzie blinked, blushing and looking down at her drink. A compliment. It wasn't much, but... he thought she was pretty?
Gods, it sucked she didn't have a chance with him.
Looking up, she smiled, nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, might be fun." She sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine, I'll give you a maybe. A very strong maybe. But only because it's you that's asking."
James holds up a case of soda in one hand and holds out a cold bottle to her as well as soon as she lets him in. "Hey, Kenz. How's it going?"
"My hero," she sighed with a smile, taking the bottle. "I'm... alive. Could be worse, really. What about you?"
Had been worse. Though she still felt so... Hollow. Empty inside. She had since the day she almost killed the man that ruined her life. It came and went in waves, but...
"One of my coworkers has taken to trying to convince me I need an allergy dog. She had to slap a donut out of my hand the other day because I wasn't paying attention and it had cinnamon on it."
Mackenzie smiled to herself, blushing lightly. He'd missed her. Maybe she needed to take that advice, and stop... hiding. Maybe.
Eh. We'll see.
"Addams Family, you said?" she called towards the kitchen.
James smiles, relieved to hear her change the subject, though he doesn't look back to make sure she doesn't see that, or how red his face is. "Yeah. Y'know, you should consider going out for it. Seems like a pretty fun show. I haven't looked up a ton on it, don't wanna have it influence my audition or a callback if I get one, but from what others have been saying."
Getting his face back under control, he turns back to head back to join her.
"Ah, I don't- I don't know." Mackenzie chuckled dryly. "I'm not sure I'm theater material, James. I mean, really. Me? On stage?"
She shook her head, cracking open her soda. "I'm not the theater kind of pretty. I'm neutral pretty."
James holds up a case of soda in one hand and holds out a cold bottle to her as well as soon as she lets him in. "Hey, Kenz. How's it going?"
"My hero," she sighed with a smile, taking the bottle. "I'm... alive. Could be worse, really. What about you?"
Had been worse. Though she still felt so... Hollow. Empty inside. She had since the day she almost killed the man that ruined her life. It came and went in waves, but...
"One of my coworkers has taken to trying to convince me I need an allergy dog. She had to slap a donut out of my hand the other day because I wasn't paying attention and it had cinnamon on it."
Mackenzie stuck her tongue out at him, wrinkling her nose. "I'll do what I want and you can't stop me!" She giggled, pulling the steak knife she'd gotten from Hamilton out of her pocket, holding the handle out to him. "Your present, by the way."
She went and sat on the couch. Saskia plodded over, stretching before flopping down at Mackenzie's feet. The oracle paused for a minute. "I've missed you."
James sticks his tongue out back at her, laughing and accepting the knife from her carefully, shaking his head and tucking it cautiously into one of his own pockets. "Really appreciate it."
At what she says next, his face flushes and James barely keeps from choking, holding up the case of soda as a silent explanation and heading to the kitchen to put it up. "I've missed you, too, Kenz."
Mackenzie smiled to herself, blushing lightly. He'd missed her. Maybe she needed to take that advice, and stop... hiding. Maybe.
Eh. We'll see.
"Addams Family, you said?" she called towards the kitchen.
James holds up a case of soda in one hand and holds out a cold bottle to her as well as soon as she lets him in. "Hey, Kenz. How's it going?"
"My hero," she sighed with a smile, taking the bottle. "I'm... alive. Could be worse, really. What about you?"
Had been worse. Though she still felt so... Hollow. Empty inside. She had since the day she almost killed the man that ruined her life. It came and went in waves, but...
"One of my coworkers has taken to trying to convince me I need an allergy dog. She had to slap a donut out of my hand the other day because I wasn't paying attention and it had cinnamon on it."
James sighs, nodding. "I know the feeling."
Honestly, he was a bit of a mess from everything that happened. Even though it worked out fine, getting lost in space, everything with Perry, gods, the panic he'd felt over Ciri, Tayen--
He was relieved to be doing something normal. He raises an eyebrow at her story and shakes his head a bit. "You gotta be more careful about stuff like that. Don't have me worrying every day if I'm gonna get a call about you being in the hospital, too."
Mackenzie stuck her tongue out at him, wrinkling her nose. "I'll do what I want and you can't stop me!" She giggled, pulling the steak knife she'd gotten from Hamilton out of her pocket, holding the handle out to him. "Your present, by the way."
She went and sat on the couch. Saskia plodded over, stretching before flopping down at Mackenzie's feet. The oracle paused for a minute. "I've missed you."
James holds up a case of soda in one hand and holds out a cold bottle to her as well as soon as she lets him in. "Hey, Kenz. How's it going?"
"My hero," she sighed with a smile, taking the bottle. "I'm... alive. Could be worse, really. What about you?"
Had been worse. Though she still felt so... Hollow. Empty inside. She had since the day she almost killed the man that ruined her life. It came and went in waves, but...
"One of my coworkers has taken to trying to convince me I need an allergy dog. She had to slap a donut out of my hand the other day because I wasn't paying attention and it had cinnamon on it."
"Xinyi, you do remember my plan was always to return, right?" Levi grabbed his shirt as he talked, looking around to make sure nobody was listening. "If she's here for me, she was always going to get me eventually. But this way we can keep tabs on her and I can figure out how far away from Trix she needs to be."
"And you remember I'm working on that," Xinyi huffs back. She sighs, closing her eyes and tilting her head back. "Fine. But Alec doesn't leave her side. I know you, you're gonna end up shifting gears and wanting to be all tough and strong and get rid of everyone else in the room to talk, but I am absolutely not leaving you alone with her if we are right about all of this."
"Just make sure he doesn't act like he's leaving and then turn into a bat to hide in the curtains. Hate it when I find a bat places a bat shouldn't be."
He sighed, rubbing his face. "I appreciate it. I do. Just... look, it's fifty-fifty. But chances are, she doesn't have a way home. Which means she'd have to rely on one of us to find a way home for her. So what's the harm in me checking her out now?"
His heart dropped into his stomach.
Just like him?
Another dimension?
Just like him?
Levi sat on the nearby bench, suddenly unable to hold himself upright on his legs. "I..." He cleared his throat. "It, yeah, it sounds right. Uh... if she's anything like me... don't let her out of your sight. I can be there in fifteen."
Xinyi picks at her hands. "We won't, but... should you really come? If she's..." She bites her lip. "What if she's here after you, and we're just delivering her what she wants on a platter?"
"Xinyi, you do remember my plan was always to return, right?" Levi grabbed his shirt as he talked, looking around to make sure nobody was listening. "If she's here for me, she was always going to get me eventually. But this way we can keep tabs on her and I can figure out how far away from Trix she needs to be."
Levi looked down at his phone. Not now. He was busy. Arms shaking, the dragon set down the weights, wiping his hands of sweat before grabbing the phone and answering.
"Yes, Little Long?"
Oh, good, he does answer. "Hey. I don't quite know if there's a way to ease you into this, so I'm just gonna be direct about it. And, pre-empting any freakout, she's under surveillance, very far from me, so she has no idea who I'm speaking to."
She pulls at the ends of her hair. "A friend of mine just came and met me with some blonde who has a very similar face to yours who apparently just clawed her way out of an alternate dimension. I don't know much. What I know is that my friend made it abundantly clear there's something off about her and how she's acting-- he doesn't trust her, which I'm sure most people don't put stock in from him, but I do, and he has yet to steer me wrong. Now, I'm sure we both can't swear to much, but, I figure if anyone could guess and figure it out, it might be you. He says he found her in the woods, and that it looked a lot like what you told me you've been through. She seemed to be acting shaken and freaked out, like she had escaped some horrific abuse, but I didn't quite believe it to the fullest extent she meant it. She didn't want him to take her somewhere she couldn't listen to me. She definitely wants to know something but I'm damned if I know what. Said her name was Abby."
She sighs, leaning her head back. "I wish I knew more, but we're down our werewolf. With Nick focused on his new baby, all we have are the limitations of our own senses. I think I smelled dragon, but I've been smelling dragon for a while, with Nari and her baby. Vampires have a lot of skills, but smell isn't one of them, so Alec has no idea. There was just... enough. Her story, she looks a lot like you, what Alec saw..."
Xinyi fidgets with her bracelet. "I don't know. I figured you might, and if you didn't, you might be the one who can help us figure it out so that we do know before things... escalate. Because there's definitely... something, about her vibe. I only met her a couple minutes, but something about her felt... off."
His heart dropped into his stomach.
Just like him?
Another dimension?
Just like him?
Levi sat on the nearby bench, suddenly unable to hold himself upright on his legs. "I..." He cleared his throat. "It, yeah, it sounds right. Uh... if she's anything like me... don't let her out of your sight. I can be there in fifteen."
Triple Closed Starter: Calling Around (Abby/Alec/Xinyi/Levi)
"Hey, trouble," Alec calls to the girl as she walks out of the hospital.
Xinyi turns, surprised, eyes widening slightly. "Alec! And... friend."
"This," he introduces, finally nudging Abby out of his grasp, moving her between him and Xinyi, "Is Abby. I met her out in a more outskirts, woodsy sort of place on the island. After she apparently clawed her way through dimensions."
Xinyi blinks. "You mean l--?"
"I have no idea," Alec interrupts abruptly, eyes widening and flicking to Abby in silent warning. Please let her understand.
Xinyi pauses, nodding. "Well, that's pretty unusual, Abby."
"I've been known to be unusual. Alec said you could help," Abaddon nods, straightening her shoulders.
"I try my best," Xinyi shrugs. "He does kinda make me seem bigger than I am sometimes. This is something I don't have much experience in, but I think I have some friends that do. You two stay put a moment. I'm... gonna call around."
Abaddon nods, and Alec nods in acknowledgement of the silent ask in Xinyi's words. Keep her away, don't let her listen in.
If she was who he thought she was, that might be harder, but he'd make it happen. "You know what, Abby, why don't we actually go in? Get you checked out? You made it sound like a pretty rough escape, let's make sure nothing's hurt."
Abaddon opens her mouth to protest, but Alec brushes her inside before she can say anything.
Xinyi lets out a breath, and then takes off to get herself even further away from the building. After she's sure there's no way in hell Abby could listen in if she and Alec were right about her, she sits down, unlocking her phone and making one call.
"Come on, come on, pick up already..."
@bxrn-thc-pxgcs
Levi looked down at his phone. Not now. He was busy. Arms shaking, the dragon set down the weights, wiping his hands of sweat before grabbing the phone and answering.
"Yes, Little Long?"
"Big fan of anything that just... shuts off my brain for a little while."
Tags: Briar
"I was given a name that doesn't feel like it's mine."
