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saladloveThis kickstarts one of the main arcs of DoN.
Prepare yourselves.
Chapter list: https://tanadin.dreamwidth.org/650.html
Map of Kaldriel: https://i.gyazo.com/332b0c0172dcc60acb46
Rough map of Hatu: https://i.gyazo.com/ea4f9f51b9dc7b9d8b86
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Birthright
Ruby Gate, Kaldriel. November 12, 2277. Time instance 842N.
Geek surveyed the ravaged battlefield with a mixture of interest and disgust.
Bodies were strewn all over the place, leaving only a few patches free of blood. Angels, demons, mortals, even a couple of cyborgs- they were all here, equal in death even as they fell in life.
Geek knew that she should probably help with removing the bodies, but she couldn’t bring herself to move from her position. Her tail flicked in agitation and she shifted her position on the boulder, trying to make it more comfortable and failing. The Nethernomicon hovered idly by, silent as it usually was, and not insightful in the least.
It wasn’t that the death bothered her. She’d seen far worse in her time.
But the carnage reminded her of the revolution, of watching Sadie’s wicked grin and subsequent explosion. Of watching Shawn be shot through the chest and panicking, acting, doing anything to save him and cursing him into undeath. Of Tanadin’s shaking voice as she told them that Sub was gone. Of the worry, the helplessness, the feeling that they were horribly outmatched.
She’d lost people that she’d known, and she wasn’t eager to do so again.
Heavy footsteps caught her attention and she turned her head to look at the approaching demon. He was tall, almost eight feet with large horns curling up from his head. Long claws extended from each finger and his eyes twinkled with a mischievous purple light. Large batlike wings folded against his back and hooves served as his feet, crunching twigs underneath them. His body was black and purple, a gradient that skipped his claws and left them nearly as bright purple as his eyes. He wore dented and bloody dark metal armor, but he seemed unhurt. Behind him loomed a second demon, this one holding an axe tightly in her hands.
“Hello, Talmarian, Shaadhun. What do you need?”
“Just checking on you.” Talmarian shrugged. “I worry easily.”
Geek raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never known you to worry about much of anything.”
Talmarian smiled slightly. “Then I guess you don’t know me very well, after all. Anyway, Vel’kex is probably going to send me to find you and bring you back to him soon, so you should probably make yourself scarce for awhile. You’ll actually have to come with me next time.”
“I know. I can’t avoid him forever.” Geek shrugged. “But I can sure try.”
“Oh, yeah, you can try, but the Archdemons are a bit hard to avoid. Even Edme can’t manage it.”
“Speaking of Edme, why has Vel’kex been sending you instead of her?”
“Someone probably talked him out of it, or she’s vanished. Either one is likely, knowing Vel’kex and Edme. Remind me why you were, uh, involved for so long?”
“Things happen.” Geek reached out and patted the cover of the Nethernomicon. “Don’t worry about it.”
“That’s funny. That’s not at all reassuring. I feel like I should worry.”
“You didn’t put him under a spell, did you?” Shaadhun asked, narrowing her eyes.
“No, of course not. Only the one to bind him to the book and, well, that was agreed upon and his fault.”
Talmarian raised an eyebrow. “How did that happen?”
Geek grinned, the memory replaying vividly in her head. “We made a bet and he lost, and this was the conditions for losing. He just wasn’t supposed to be in there for the entirety of an alien invasion.” Her grin turned sheepish. “Oops.”
“Oops, she says,” Talmarian muttered. “Really convincing, there.”
“We should get going,” Shaadhun rumbled. “Nine mentioned wanting to talk strategy.”
Talmarian stuck out his tongue in an exaggerated expression of disgust. “Bleh. I hate talking strategy.”
“We didn’t do so hot this battle.”
“I know, Shaadhun.”
“Shannon,” Geek corrected, grinning.
Shaadhun glared at her and raised her axe. “Call me that again. I swear, you weak twig-thin midget mother-”
“Shaadhun.”
“She called me Shannon again!”
“And what a lovely name it is, too.” Talmarian rolled his eyes. “Come on, Shannon.”
“Arrrg! Look what you’ve done!”
Geek smiled sweetly as they walked off, knowing that Shaadhun wasn’t nearly as mad as she was making out to be. It was, after all, and old joke between them, one that Geek had perhaps overused a bit in the past.
She didn’t get to relax on her rock for long after they left, as more footsteps drew her attention and she slowly, reluctantly turned to face two approaching humanoid figures. She sighed in relief when she saw that it was Jimmy and Gali and not someone she’d rather punch than talk to, but she still wished that people would give her a little while to be alone and decompress after the battle.
“Hi, Geek.” Jimmy’s voice shook slightly, trying to cover up nervousness. “So, I recently learned that Gali’s a nevtir-”
“You didn’t know?” Geek blinked, confusion coloring her voice. How did they not…?
Gali grinned sheepishly. “I’m apparently really good at hiding it.”
“Anyway, she’s immortal, and I’m not, so I’ve been thinking for awhile-”
“-two days-”
“-two days, and I decided that I think I want to become a demon.”
“You decided that you think you want to become a demon.”
“Yes.”
“In two days.”
“Yes.”
“That’s not a very solid conviction.”
Jimmy grinned awkwardly. “Well, I’d miss the sun if I became a vampire, and I’d get cool wings and stuff.”
“Yes, but why are you bringing this up to me?”
Jimmy sighed. “You’re really the only demon I know that wouldn’t do something horrible.”
Geek opened her mouth to protest but slowly shut it, realizing that she was right. “Do you know why mortals don’t often become demons?”
“Because people are mean to demons?”
“Because they die if their demonic benefactor makes a single mistake, misjudges the amount of magical energy, or just plain fucks up.”
“Oh.” Jimmy’s voice was suddenly very small. Gali took a subconscious half-step towards her, reaching out and gripping her hand tightly.
“Have you ever turned a mortal before?” Gali asked.
“No, but I know the theory and I have the spells I need written right here.” Geek patted the Nethernomicon. “So I can’t forget them.”
“That’s not reassuring. My fate will be in the hands of a tentacle book.”
“No tentacles,” Geek assured. “Well, maybe a few. But just for aesthetic purposes. What’s a ritual without some eldritch monster looming in the darkness?”
“It’s a less terrifying ritual!”
“Where’s the fun in that? You’ll be unconscious, anyway.”
Jimmy crossed her arms, dragging Gali’s arm along with her. “No tentacles.”
“Fine, fine. Anyway, the first step of turning you into a demon is shocking you with an overload of pure demonic energy, almost killing you, and then taking you into Hell before casting a spell to keep you alive but replace all of your energy with the ambient energy in Hell. Isn’t that fun?”
“No! That’s not fun!”
“You’ll be perfectly safe.” Geek’s voice softened. “But it’s entirely up to you. I’m willing to give up a sliver of my essence to let you stay immortal with Gali.”
“Wait, wait, what? Sliver of your-”
“Yes. Turning a mortal requires a demon to give them a piece of their essence, reducing their strength and magical capability. This piece expands in capacity to six times or so its original power for the new demon. I’m not giving you much- not enough for me to notice, really- so you’ll be a fairly average-power demon.”
“Oh.” Jimmy sounded very, very quiet, suddenly aware of the impact of her decision. “I...that’s a lot to give someone you don’t know very well.”
“We fought together in the revolution and I know what kind of person you are. You won’t misuse it.” Geek smiled. “And I won’t let it go wrong.”
Jimmy slowly nodded. “Thank you. I didn’t realize what I was asking for when I…”
Gali gripped Jimmy’s hand tighter. “I don’t like how dangerous this is,” she mumbled. “The first step is killing you.”
“Almost killing you,” Geek corrected. “I’m very adept at almost killing people.” She shuffled her wings. “Anyway, just let me know when you’re ready and we can begin. This gives me an excellent excuse to avoid Vel’kex, as well, but I might want to line up a friend just in case I get summoned during one of the waiting periods. Just so you have someone there to stabilize you.”
Jimmy kicked at the ground. “I’m ready whenever you are. I just want to get this over with.”
Geek raised an eyebrow. “You’ll fall into what humans would consider a coma here, and awaken in Hell a demon. There is no going back. Are you sure this is what you want?”
Jimmy hesitated, glancing over at Gali. She looked at her- carefully, evaluating- before turning back to Geek and setting her features in determination, nodding. “Yes. I’m sure.”
“Very well.” Geek got to her feet and jumped down from the boulder, moving to stand right in front of her. “Gali, I’m going to have to request that you leave.”
“What? Why?”
“You might panic and do something stupid when you see what kind of state Jimmy will be in during this process. If you were to do anything to mess me up in the slightest, it could spell death for her. It’s safest for everyone if you go home and wait for us to return.”
“How long will this take?” Gali whispered.
“It varies on benefactor and mortal. Sometimes a day. Sometimes a week. We’ll see.”
Gali glanced at Jimmy and only let go of her hand when she nodded. “I...okay.”
“I’ll see you on the other side.” Jimmy smiled bravely and Gali only nodded, hesitating before hugging her tightly. She slowly backed away before turning and vanishing inbetween the trees, leaving them alone.
Geek opened the Nethernomicon to the proper page and skimmed over the series of spells, mumbling the words to the first a few times before looking up at Jimmy once more. “Are you ready? Once I cast this spell, there is no turning back.”
Jimmy nodded and clenched her fists. “I’m ready.”
Geek raised a hand and spoke the first incantation. Pure demonic energy poured from her fingers, sinking into Jimmy’s chest. She immediately passed out, lifeforce decimated, and Geek quickly stepped forward to catch her. She adjusted her grip and spread her wings in preparation for takeoff.
She had to get to Hell, and quickly.
~~~
Gali dragged her feet as she stepped through the hellgate and back into Akrar, feeling familiar cool air caress her skin and remind her that it was winter.
She shivered, both from the cold and from what she knew Jimmy was going through right now. Geek was intentionally almost killing Jimmy. Almost killing. The thought made her blood run cold and she tried to shake it off. Geek knew what she was doing, right?
She wandered aimlessly for awhile, weaving her way up and down streets without really thinking about where she was going. She eventually stopped in front of one of the apartment buildings, the one that dimly registered as being the one where the labkids were staying. She looked it up and down a few times before shrugging and deciding to go in. Maybe they can make me feel better.
She hit the right number for their floor and waited, silently noting to tell Scott to improve the cheesy elevator music before stepping out and into the hallway. She passed several doorways, some of which were open and showed labkids talking to one another or working on things while others were shut. Two labkids- Cataclysm and Emma’s kid and the raptor- stopped talking as she approached and watched her warily as she passed, only resuming when she was out of sight.
As Gali approached one of the half-open doors, a faint purple glow lit up the area before fading. She slowed, carefully moving forward and peering into the room. Hunched over a desk, peering down at two stacks of playing cards, was Korrah, her eyes a brilliant purple and hands glowing faintly with a web of magic. She mumbled a couple of words and the magic glowed brighter, producing the same effect that Gali had seen before, and shifted the now faintly glowing card over to the larger stack before repeating the process on the next card.
Gali felt her heart sink. Even a half-nevtir could enchant things better than she could. She started to step away before freezing.
This half-nevtir was related to her. Korrah was her daughter.
So that meant that she had to have some potential, right?
Gali had long accepted that she wasn’t really able to enchant things, but maybe…
She stepped forward and knocked gently on the door. Korrah looked up, raising an eyebrow. The magical web faded and her eyes flickered to brown. “Hello. You’re…” She hesitated.
“Gali.”
“Gali. I knew it was something like that.” Korrah leaned back in her seat, letting her feathery metal wings spread slightly. “You can come in, if you want. What do you need?”
“I just…” Gali stepped into the room and pushed the door shut behind her, but didn’t latch it. “I saw you enchanting these.”
“Oh. Yeah. The last battle really wiped out my supp- wait a minute! Weren’t you in the battle today? Are you okay?”
“What? Yeah, I’m okay.”
Korrah relaxed. “Okay, good. What about, um, what’s her name, uh…”
“Jimmy?”
“Jimmy! How’s she?”
“I… don’t know. Okay, I think. She’s with Geek.”
Korrah nodded with the understanding of someone who had no idea what the hell Gali was talking about. “Good enough for me. But, yeah, I almost ran out of cards from that last battle.”
“What do you use them for?”
“Fighting. I throw them, and they have various effects. When I shout the activation word, they do things, depending on the spell that’s inside.” Korrah adjusted her mask, sending a pang through Gali. It’s just like Leo’s mask. “Did I get my magical ability from you or Jimmy? I’m pretty sure it’s genetic, but I’m not really sure.” She shrugged, then grinned. “Wouldn’t be the first time I got something that isn’t mine.”
“You got it from me. Um, kind of.” Gali looked down at her feet. “I’m a nevtir, but I’m a really bad nevtir. I can’t enchant anything.”
“You can’t….” Korrah trailed off.
“No.”
“Oh.” She hesitated, before standing and stepping over to Gali. She waited until she looked up before smiling at her. “Well, maybe you need to find your own way of doing it. I don’t do it normally, do I? So maybe we can do it my way.”
Despite everything, Gali smiled.
“Maybe.”
~~~
Geek leaned back in her seat, exhausted. Her limbs felt like lead and her eyelids threatened to fall off of her face. Her core ached, hyperaware of the missing fragment of her essence. Zag’mon- dear Zag’mon, an old friend that had offered to look after Jimmy and keep her stabilized if Geek were needed elsewhere- offered her a cup of tea. She took it and barely could take a sip, her hands were shaking so much. She set it down and thanked him quietly, shutting her eyes and feeling her bones drag her down.
“I’ve never seen you this tired,” Zag’mon commented. She opened one of her eyes just a crack to watch his smokey blue-and-black form swirl in place as he sat. “Being a demonic benefactor looks like hard work.”
“It is,” Geek agreed. “Don’t try it.”
“Then why are you doing it?”
“Because Jimmy deserves to be immortal if she wants.”
Zag’mon whistled softly. “That impressive, huh?”
“Not necessarily. She’s a pure soul with a good heart.”
“Are you sure she’d make a good demon?”
“She’d make a good immortal, and vampirism doesn’t appeal.”
Zag’mon shrugged. “Your essence, not mine.”
Geek wasn’t aware of falling asleep, but she was aware of a clawed hand on her shoulder and awaking to Talmarian standing in front of her.
“We need to go. Vel’kex isn’t kidding around.”
Geek blinked at him. “Wh- Zag’mon! How long has it-”
“She’s okay,” he assured. “I can keep her stable until you get back.”
Geek slowly nodded and got to her feet. Talmarian helped her up, raising his eyebrows at her state.
“Geek, are you… turning someone?”
“Yes. I am. I’m exhausted and not in the mood for Vel’kex.”
Talmarian grimaced. “Sorry. I hope he isn’t too awful.” He led the way out of Geek’s abode and she reluctantly followed behind. Shaadhun put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, shooting her a look with her eyes that equated to a slight smile. Geek smiled back, feeling like she might fall through the ground from the weight of her exhaustion at any moment.
She must have dozed off while walking, because she blinked open her eyes to them approaching the door to the council chamber. Shaadhun patted her shoulder before removing her hand, leaving Geek to quickly reorient herself and focus her mind into the present, doing her best to shove her exhaustion away for now. She held the Nethernomicon close for a moment before letting go, taking a deep breath and following Talmarian into the council chambers.
The doors had barely shut behind them when Vel’kex leapt from his seat, charging across the room and slamming Geek into a wall. Shaadhun snarled and Talmarian shouted in protest, trying to pull him off and failing. Aur’thia shouted for him to let Geek go but he ignored her, baring his teeth and spreading his wings, magma patterns glowing menacingly.
“Give me one fucking reason not to tear out your throat right now and then kill those damn abominations that you’ve been protecting.”
Geek’s exhausted mind hesitated in a response and she grunted as he pressed harder, restricting airflow. Her eyes locked with Talmarian’s and a solution occurred to her, a solution that she should have used hundreds of years ago but never had. She never had, not until now, not until seeing Talmarian and knowing, just knowing-
“Well?”
“Because,” Geek growled, “if you kill me, you’ll never find the Crown of Hell.”
Vel’kex froze. The other Archdemons, halfway through standing up, froze. Talmarian’s eyes glinted, like he knew, and Geek continued.
“I was the only one entrusted with its location.”
“You’re… you’re bluffing. No one knows where the Crown is.”
“She’s not.” Talmarian crossed his arms. “She’s the only one who knows. We’ll never find it if you kill her.”
Vel’kex growled. “If you know, then why haven’t you told us before?”
“No one’s been fit to lead, not until now. I had strict orders from the queen.” Geek’s eyes flicked to Talmarian, at his quizzical expression that seemed forced, as if he was hiding a grin.
Vel’kex stared deep into her eyes and relented, releasing most of the pressure on her. “Fine. You are safe. But them…” He growled low in this throat, making his magma patterns glow brighter. “What’s protecting them?”
All my cards are on the table. Geek felt a mixture of anxiety, fear, and relief bubble in her chest. It’s time to end this. It’s time to finally let this go.
“Demon law protects them. If you kill them, you’ll be executed.” Seeing his confused expression, a grin started to pull across her face and she continued. “Demon law states that if you kill any member of the royal family without the reigning monarch’s order, you’ll be sentenced to execution.”
Geek’s eyes glowed brighter green and she leaned forward, pushing Vel’kex’s shaking arm back. “And since no one other ruler has been crowned, my sister is still queen.”
no subject
Date: 2017-02-08 01:01 am (UTC)She’d lost people that she’d known, and she wasn’t eager to do so again.
War. War never changes.
“Someone probably talked him out of it, or she’s vanished. Either one is likely, knowing Vel’kex and Edme. Remind me why you were, uh, involved for so long?”
“Things happen.” Geek reached out and patted the cover of the Nethernomicon. “Don’t worry about it.”
“That’s funny. That’s not at all reassuring. I feel like I should worry.”
“You didn’t put him under a spell, did you?” Shaadhun asked, narrowing her eyes.
“No, of course not. Only the one to bind him to the book and, well, that was agreed upon and his fault.”
Talmarian raised an eyebrow. “How did that happen?”
Geek grinned, the memory replaying vividly in her head. “We made a bet and he lost, and this was the conditions for losing. He just wasn’t supposed to be in there for the entirety of an alien invasion.” Her grin turned sheepish. “Oops.”
“Oops, she says,” Talmarian muttered. “Really convincing, there.”
Never make a bet with the wielder of the Nethernomicon, or an Archdemon for that matter.
I love Geek's nonchalant "Oops." XD
“Anyway, she’s immortal, and I’m not, so I’ve been thinking for awhile-”
“-two days-”
“-two days, and I decided that I think I want to become a demon.”
“You decided that you think you want to become a demon.”
“Yes.”
“In two days.”
“Yes.”
“That’s not a very solid conviction.”
Ummm...Jimmy are you sure you don't want to think about the decision of becoming immortal for longer than two days? o_o
“Yes, but why are you bringing this up to me?”
Jimmy sighed. “You’re really the only demon I know that wouldn’t do something horrible.”
Geek opened her mouth to protest but slowly shut it, realizing that she was right.
Geek is the nicest demon around ^^
“Have you ever turned a mortal before?” Gali asked.
“No, but I know the theory and I have the spells I need written right here.” Geek patted the Nethernomicon. “So I can’t forget them.”
“That’s not reassuring. My fate will be in the hands of a tentacle book.”
“No tentacles,” Geek assured. “Well, maybe a few. But just for aesthetic purposes. What’s a ritual without some eldritch monster looming in the darkness?”
“It’s a less terrifying ritual!”
“Where’s the fun in that? You’ll be unconscious, anyway.”
Jimmy crossed her arms, dragging Gali’s arm along with her. “No tentacles.”
I just imagine Geek mentally sighing and calling Jimmy a party pooper for banning tentacles. What if Geek needs someone to hand her something quickly? XP
Geek opened the Nethernomicon to the proper page and skimmed over the series of spells, mumbling the words to the first a few times before looking up at Jimmy once more. “Are you ready? Once I cast this spell, there is no turning back.”
Jimmy nodded and clenched her fists. “I’m ready.”
Geek raised a hand and spoke the first incantation. Pure demonic energy poured from her fingers, sinking into Jimmy’s chest. She immediately passed out, lifeforce decimated, and Geek quickly stepped forward to catch her. She adjusted her grip and spread her wings in preparation for takeoff.
She had to get to Hell, and quickly.
*crosses fingers for Jimmy* Fly like a bat into hell Geek!
“Fighting. I throw them, and they have various effects. When I shout the activation word, they do things, depending on the spell that’s inside.” Korrah adjusted her mask, sending a pang through Gali. It’s just like Leo’s mask. “Did I get my magical ability from you or Jimmy? I’m pretty sure it’s genetic, but I’m not really sure.” She shrugged, then grinned. “Wouldn’t be the first time I got something that isn’t mine.”
“You got it from me. Um, kind of.” Gali looked down at her feet. “I’m a nevtir, but I’m a really bad nevtir. I can’t enchant anything.”
“You can’t….” Korrah trailed off.
“No.”
“Oh.” She hesitated, before standing and stepping over to Gali. She waited until she looked up before smiling at her. “Well, maybe you need to find your own way of doing it. I don’t do it normally, do I? So maybe we can do it my way.”
Despite everything, Gali smiled.
“Maybe.”
Sounds like Korrah is a bit of a thief like Gali was. Aww mother daughter bonding time, with the daughter teaching the mother ^^
“Give me one fucking reason not to tear out your throat right now and then kill those damn abominations that you’ve been protecting.”
Geek’s exhausted mind hesitated in a response and she grunted as he pressed harder, restricting airflow. Her eyes locked with Talmarian’s and a solution occurred to her, a solution that she should have used hundreds of years ago but never had. She never had, not until now, not until seeing Talmarian and knowing, just knowing-
“Well?”
“Because,” Geek growled, “if you kill me, you’ll never find the Crown of Hell.”
Vel’kex froze. The other Archdemons, halfway through standing up, froze. Talmarian’s eyes glinted, like he knew, and Geek continued.
“I was the only one entrusted with its location.”
“You’re… you’re bluffing. No one knows where the Crown is.”
“She’s not.” Talmarian crossed his arms. “She’s the only one who knows. We’ll never find it if you kill her.”
Vel’kex growled. “If you know, then why haven’t you told us before?”
“No one’s been fit to lead, not until now. I had strict orders from the queen.” Geek’s eyes flicked to Talmarian, at his quizzical expression that seemed forced, as if he was hiding a grin.
Vel’kex stared deep into her eyes and relented, releasing most of the pressure on her. “Fine. You are safe. But them…” He growled low in this throat, making his magma patterns glow brighter. “What’s protecting them?”
All my cards are on the table. Geek felt a mixture of anxiety, fear, and relief bubble in her chest. It’s time to end this. It’s time to finally let this go.
“Demon law protects them. If you kill them, you’ll be executed.” Seeing his confused expression, a grin started to pull across her face and she continued. “Demon law states that if you kill any member of the royal family without the reigning monarch’s order, you’ll be sentenced to execution.”
Geek’s eyes glowed brighter green and she leaned forward, pushing Vel’kex’s shaking arm back. “And since no one other ruler has been crowned, my sister is still queen.”
I KNEW IT!!! I FREAKING KNEW GEEK WAS ROYALTY!!
no subject
Date: 2017-02-08 01:47 am (UTC)geek's like sHIT I ONLY HAVE TWO HANDS W H A T DO I DO
Korrah's a little cheating thief and I love her
GEEK HAS BEEN SITTING ON THIS KNOWLEDGE FOR FIVE HUNDRED GODDAMN YEARS
WHY? WHY DID NO ONE KNOW? FIND OUT NEXT GODDAMN CHAPTER XD
no subject
Date: 2017-02-08 01:59 am (UTC)Indeed, she needs the extra hands/tentacles in everyday situations sometimes.
Korrah's cool ^^
*squees again*
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Date: 2017-02-08 01:22 am (UTC)-Observing Anon
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Date: 2017-02-08 02:01 am (UTC)*is nearly crushed by basket of cookies, but avoids crushing and curls up next to basket and starts munching on cookies* Mmmmmf...thank you Calm ^^
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Date: 2017-02-08 08:53 am (UTC)-Observing Anon
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Date: 2017-02-08 08:54 am (UTC)-Observing Anon
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Date: 2017-02-09 12:32 am (UTC)I refuse to be an adult today if anyone needs me I'll be in my blanket fort colouring and eating cookies *disappears into blanket fort*
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Date: 2017-02-09 12:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-09 12:33 am (UTC)