Trash Panda

Practically Spellbound [Casually Insane + Summer]

Paxton flushed slightly when Mirajane accused him of actually wishing to have been endowed with the physical appearance of a bodybuilder. The taunt hadn’t been completely off-the-mark. When he made his wish, he had expected to see a change in his appearance, though not quite that extreme. But how else would she have been able to make him the best lacrosse player in his school? She could have supplied him with the natural talent he lacked, but he still wouldn’t be able to stand up against the huge guys that were already on the team. The way he was now, any one of them could easily bowl him over.

He eyed the genie skeptically. She seemed perfectly confident that she had fulfilled his wish, and she was even amused that he doubted her. He supposed he could wait until tomorrow to see the results of the magic. The deal that she offered wasn’t a bad one: If he felt like she cheated him, then he could take it back and have a do-over. It was a win-win situation.

“Fine,” Paxton sighed and lay down on the bed again, staring up at the fan on his ceiling. “It’s a deal.” He glanced at the clock on his desk again. It was getting close to seven and he hadn’t eaten dinner yet. His eyes flicked back to Mirajane, and he wondered when kind of food genies ate. Did they even eat? He still had so many questions.

“I’m gonna grab some dinner,” he announced, getting up from the bed. “Do you want anything?”

Stand Alone(Summers and AHeartlessNobody)

When Serix and Cassie went back to the farm, Jerry sent them to another cluster of bushes to collect some oddly-shaped fruits he called “strawberries.” They smelled sweet and stained Serix’s fingers red when he plucked them from the plant and dropped them into baskets. He wondered what they tasted like, but Jerry had told them not to eat what they harvested. He would just have to wait and find out when the strange fruits were served at a meal.

After a while, Sarah came over to help them work. She started talking to Cassie about something else Serix had never heard of called “lipstick,” and then handed her a small container. He glanced at it curiously. The container held what looked like some sort of red cream and it smelled like the strawberries they were collecting on the farm. By the name, he guessed it was something Cassie could put on her mouth that tasted like fruit, but why would she want to do that when she could just eat the real thing? He shook his head and went back to work. This lipstick was yet another human mystery he doubted he would ever solve.

Once they finished their last shift in the fields, everyone left to relax for a little while before the next social gathering. Serix and Cassie went back to their room like they did the last time, and Serix collapsed on the bed. He stretched his weary limbs, trying to keep his blood flowing so he wouldn’t get too tired before the bonfire. He glanced at Cassie as she sat down next to him and retrieved the container Sarah had given her from her pocket.

“Well, I guess what harm could it do, right?” Cassie said. She popped the lid off and dipped a finger in the red cream, touching it to her mouth. She applied the strange substance until her lips were fully coated in it and then turned back to Serix, “What do you think? Too bright of a color?”

Serix sat up and stared at her, finally understanding what this makeup was for. He shook his head in response to her question, “No. You look beautiful, Cassie.” He leaned in to kiss her and then smiled playfully. “Huh. So that’s what strawberries taste like.”

Practically Spellbound [Casually Insane + Summer]

Lying on the bed by himself, Paxton plenty of time to think, and thinking just made him more confused. No matter how he looked at it, the fact that he found a magic lamp just didn’t seem real… And the fact that his “all-powerful genie” didn’t grant his wish wasn’t helping the matter, either. If he hadn’t seen Mirajane perform magic in front of his own two eyes, he would have believed this was all just some elaborate prank. Unfortunately, it appeared that he was just unlucky enough to find the most stubborn genie in the world.

Out of the corner of his eye, Paxton saw the smoke trail begin to move. He sat up and watched it until Mirajane floated back down through his ceiling. She looked less irritable than before, though he wasn’t sure why. There was nothing interesting on the roof, and he didn’t even have a good view from his house. Well, from what the genie had said about the lamp, he supposed any view was better than the one she lived with.

“I have returned,” Mirajane said obviously. “Have you need of me?”

“Yeah, I have need of you,” Paxton muttered, suddenly remembering his annoyance with her. “You didn’t do anything. I look exactly the same as I did before.” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. “I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but I’m not that stupid. I would be able to tell if something changed, so what’s the deal?”

Stand Alone(Summers and AHeartlessNobody)

The day went along surprisingly smoothly. In fact, it was so uneventful that Serix wasn’t really sure what to think about it. The humans were more pleasant than usual, either keeping their disdain to themselves or openly talking to him without prejudice. He wondered if the sudden change in their attitudes had anything to do with his fight with Ryan. He wouldn’t have been surprised if the humans who still hated him were just keeping their distance after they had seen his reaction to their leader’s taunts and insults. Well, whatever the case, he was enjoying the newfound respect they seemed to have for him.

There was only one thing that kept him alert on that peaceful day: Hunter. The human had been avoiding him like many of the others, but there was still something about his behavior that made Serix feel the urge to keep him in his sight at all times. Whenever he didn’t know where Hunter was, he always found himself glancing about the room until he reappeared. Part of him felt foolish for being so worried since Hunter wasn’t openly causing any trouble, but he still refused to let his guard down. It was better to be safe than sorry, and he didn’t want anything to spoil the progress he was making with the others.

Putting the anxiety about Hunter aside, Serix and Cassie went about their normal schedule. They worked in the fields again and broke for lunch about halfway through the day, where they met up with a few of the humans whom Serix was beginning to consider their friends. He struck up a conversation with Quincy —the male seemed to have taken a liking to him after their soccer match— while Cassie played with Emily’s young infant. They shared a knowing glance, and he knew she was thinking the same thing that he was. He smiled, enjoying the happy look on his mate’s face as she held the small child.

After they finished their lunch, Ryan came over to meet up with Cassie. He embraced her and they began to chat while Serix just stood patiently off to the side. He still didn’t like how close Ryan got to her, but he would keep his word and stop fighting with him over it. Besides, Cassie had already proven many times over that she only loved him, so the human’s efforts were wasted. With that thought in mind, Serix found it much easier to tolerate Ryan’s antics.

Ryan mentioned something about a fire to burn trash. Apparently it was some sort of entertainment for the humans. Serix wasn’t sure what was so great about smoldering garbage, but then again, he didn’t understand many things about the humans. They had many strange quirks and ideas that confused him. He would just have to wait and see what this “bonfire” was after work.

Ryan glanced at Serix and nodded at him once before he turned to leave. Serix raised a brow in amusement. The human obviously still didn’t want to treat him like an equal, so he was making a reluctant attempt while trying to put in minimal effort at the same time. If he hadn’t been on such shaky ground, Serix would have been tempted to test Ryan’s patience and see how long he could keep up the businesslike façade. However, for Cassie’s sake he said nothing.

“What was that about?” Cassie said, looking amused as well. “What did I miss that would make Ryan actually acknowledge you without trying to go at you?”

“Oh, I must have forgotten to tell you,” Serix hugged her teasingly. “I actually listened to what you said for once. We agreed to stop fighting—although he still thinks he has a shot at stealing you away from me.” He sighed in mock exasperation. “I think his delusion is incurable. Now come on; let’s go finish up our work. I want to see what this ‘bonfire’ is.” He threw an arm around Cassie’s shoulders and led her out of the dining hall.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

And Crow reveals that he's not as completely useless in battle as he claims to be XD

Do with that post what you will~

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

“What?” Crow rolled his eyes sarcastically. “You and I both know I would be useless in a fight. In my profession, we generally try to avoid that sort of confrontation—or any confrontation at all, really. So, would you please—whoa!” He let out an undignified yelp as another arrow sailed past his nose, a bit too close for comfort, and crouched down on the floor again, returning the knight’s glare. “You see? Completely useless. Now, please get rid of them.”

He waited for Penelope to climb out of the wagon to join her comrades in the fray before he crept toward the back end, slithering along the floor to avoid getting hit by any of the stray arrows that flew overhead. Now that the knights were engaging the criminals on the ground, there weren’t as many archers shooting their weapons in the thief’s direction, but he didn’t want to take any chances. He pressed his back against one of the corner posts of the caravan and glanced through the rear window. The road was still crawling with the bodies of noble and bandit alike, and he clicked his tongue in annoyance. To make matters even worse, Penelope seemed to be lingering as close to the wagon as she could to guard her captive while she fought.

Narrowing his eyes, Crow was just starting to mentally run through his options when the cabin suddenly lurched with the weight of a new occupant. He turned away from the window to see that one of the bandits had slipped past the armored warriors and jumped inside while everyone else was distracted. The man caught sight of the ragged thief in the corner, and a wicked grin contorted his mouth. Seeming to think he’d stumbled upon an easy target, he drew a short sword from a scabbard at his hip and took a step toward him.

Muttering foul things under his breath, Crow leaned into the post behind him and hurriedly looked for an exit point, but the cursed wagon was too tight. By the time he scrambled to his feet, the enemy would already be upon him. He turned back to the man with a grimace. So much for getting away without a fight.

With no time to think, the thief just did the first thing that came to mind. As the bandit tensed to bring down his sword, he leaped forward, bowling both of them over and knocking the weapon out of his hand. Pinning the dazed man down beneath his weight, he retrieved the hidden dagger from his boot and held the blade against his throat, although he didn’t press down hard enough to draw blood. He was a thief, after all, not a killer.

“Yield,” Crow hissed, scowling at the bandit to appear as intimidating as he could.

The enemy swallowed and nodded his head vigorously, falling for the act. Crow let him up and kept the small blade trained on his chest to deter him from making any sudden movements. The improved plan was going as well as he could have hoped. He forced the man to the edge of the wagon with a shove of his non dominant hand. “Now kindly get out of here,” he flourished, thrusting the bandit over the side and then kneeling down to slip the dagger back into its sheath in his boot. It had proven to be more useful than he had first expected, so he decided that he would keep it.

He glanced over his shoulder at the other side of the cart, where the knights were still fighting off the last of the bandits. Fortunately for him, they were still distracted, so he hadn’t missed his chance. He slipped over the far side of the wagon and ducked underneath it while he looked for the safest exit point. The stolen dagger had helped him fight off one bandit, but it doubted it would protect him against more of them. He wasn’t going to make a run for it until he found a path that wasn’t dangerous.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow leaned into the pile of blankets, stifling the triumphant smile that threatened to take over his lips. This was far too easy. Both William and Penelope, the most observant of his guards, had failed to notice his simple practice exercises! As one who preferred not to get his hands dirty, he had absolutely no need for a dagger. He had just wanted to test what he could get away with in the confinement of the wagon by rifling through the knights’ supply of weapons. The little experiment proved to be quite informative, telling him that his keepers obviously weren’t used to guarding a thief of his caliber. If they had been, they would have searched him numerous times by now. His old prison guards certainly would have done just that. If he’d tried the same trick with them, they would have confiscated the weapons from him immediately and inspected every fold of his clothes for odd bulges.

This was good news for him, since he was relying on their incompetence in order to make his escape in the coming days. Considering how things had been going so far, it was starting to look like he would have no trouble slipping away when they reached his homeland. He just wished the wagon would move faster, so he wouldn’t have to wait so long to run. Not only was the ride boring, but his excitement about returning to the outer villages increased with every turn of the wheels. He didn’t want to delay it any more than he had to.

As the group traveled further down the road, the large houses beyond the cart walls were slowly replaced with leafy, deciduous trees. They were entering a forest, though it wasn’t one the thief recognized. He yawned and closed his eyes. The scene outside was repetitive and therefore boring, and he had nothing left to say to the knights. Knowing the border was still a long way away, he decided he might as well take a nap to make the time go by faster. It was better than enduring the tense silence that had fallen between him and Penelope.

To his delight, something even more entertaining than dreaming roused him from his brief slumber.

Crow jumped when he heard the thump of an arrow striking one of the posts of the wagon, narrowly missing Penelope’s head. In the next moment, William shouted from outside about an ambush. He grinned and hit the floor as a second arrow zipped through the caravan and flew out the opposite window. It seemed the trip wouldn’t be as uneventful as he’d thought.

Lifting his head just enough to peek outside, he saw an unusually large group of bandits springing toward them from the woods. They were all rugged looking and carried miscellaneous weapons he guessed they had looted off the bodies of their past victims. As threatening as they were, the thief wasn’t frightened. He snickered to himself and ducked down again as another arrow shot past his head. The attack was obviously coordinated, but he was traveling with three trained knights. If he’d had money to bet, he would have put everything on the armored warriors who had spent their lives preparing to handle assaults like this. His green eyes flicked toward Penelope. They were still far from the outer villages, but perhaps he could use this raid to his advantage.

“What are you waiting for?” he waved a dismissive hand at her. “Go on, get rid of them. I can’t do it. I’m just a common criminal.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Okay! Sounds good to me ^_^
Letting you know now: Crow would totally use the attack as an opportunity to try and escape

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

There could be a bandit attack or we could time skip to when the group has lunch/when they stop at an inn at the end of the day :)

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow grinned, feeling smug as Penelope tensed and reached for her own weapon. That she even considered him enough of a threat to put one hand on the hilt of her sword was amusing to him. Of course he wasn’t so foolish that he would actually attempt to use the blade in his hands. He wasn’t completely lacking in experience when it came to sword fighting, but he knew he was no match for a battle trained knight. Most of the time, his interest laid in stealing the weapons rather than in drawing them to fight. If he tried to come at her now, especially in the back of a moving cart, she would cut him down in half a second. Instead, he had other plans for the brand.

“Oh, relax,” he rolled his eyes and waggled the sword to keep the knight’s attention. “Despite my appearance, I’m not so useless with a blade that I would injure myself.” While he toyed with the brand, he gently pushed a small dagger behind his body with one foot. The motion was slight and almost unnoticeable, a perfected trick that he’d developed over years of practice. Distraction and misdirection were two ladies with whom he was intimately familiar and used to his advantage whenever he wanted to purloin an object in close quarters with another person. Unless his audience already knew about his tactics, the ploy worked almost every time.

“If it makes you feel better, I’ll put it away though,” he went on, keeping up his charade as he slid the blade back into its sheath. While he returned it to the bundle with the others, he smoothly dropped the dagger into his right boot with one hand, keeping his torso positioned between the small weapon and the knight so she couldn’t see the movement from where she sat. Once it was in place, the leather-sheathed blade rested snugly against his ankle, completely out of sight.

“I wouldn’t want to make a lady uncomfortable,” Crow smiled wryly and inclined his head to Penelope, waving his hand in a garish bow before he went back to sifting through the weapon stock. Having already attained his prize, he pointedly knelt at an angle where the knight could see both of his hands as he looked over the other blades and bows. He hoped the false sense of peace he offered with the gesture would deter her from searching his person for any stolen goods.

When he felt like a plausible amount of time had passed, he wrapped the weapons back up in the cloth and retied the twine that kept them bound. “See?” he patted the bundle and looked up at Penelope. “No harm done. I just wanted to have a look.” Moving back to his spot by the blanket pile, he laid back and stretched out his limbs in a harmless manner.