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zoe-oneesama · 1 year

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ONE MORE EPISODE LEFT TO WRITE! CONGRATULATIONS!! 🎉🎊 Based on everything we’ve seen up to this point in-show, what are your thoughts on Nathalie, her Catalyst akuma and Mayura villain persona, and the Heroes’ Day Season 2 two-parter after your fresh rewatch of the episodes?

I'll be watching both parts at once, but since I'll probably have to rewatch part 2: "Mayura" when I finish my own part 1, I'll mostly focus on Part 1: "Catalyst", with some bleed in from Part 2. I'll be taking a linear critique of the episode in a stream of consciousness way.

To start, "Heroes' Day" is not a real French holiday, yet Marinette's parents say it's come again "just like every year", implying that this has been going on for multiple years? Implying that a Hero Day based off your local superheroes have been happening for YEARS while Marinette and Adrien are in the same class, in the same school year....make it make sense.

Of course, this could be a totally in universe regular holiday that USED to be about just doing good deeds for a day that they adopted to theme around their superheroes, what do I know.

About those good deeds...Marinette deserves slack here. She does good deeds for her friends all the freaking time, but the first part of the two episodes puts a lot of pressure for her to not only do a Good Deed but a Good Enough Good Deed, which to me defeats the purpose of a good deed. You're supposed to do good deeds for the sake of being kind and improving the world, not for...recognition. Or maybe they're being graded...

This feels like a dropped plot line, which is a shame because this was actually a decent lesson for Marinette for once about taking on too much and pressuring herself. Except for Chloe, Marinette is the only person demanding Marinette do a Good Enough Deed, to the point of making a promise she couldn't keep. (Though it's dumb she feels pressured thanks to CHLOE of all people, when all the richest girl in Paris is offering is her own autographs). Yet they only go part way and nearly completely drop this plot line in the second half.

You know, instead of that scene of Adrien meeting Marinette on the steps and assuming he's not invited, they could've used that time for Marinette to admit to Adrien that she panicked and is struggling to keep to her word. Marinette could've actually confided in Adrien, showing their friendship by allowing her to be vulnerable with him about how she was feeling inadequate compared to everyone else and how these feelings spurred her into trouble. This also would've been a great lead in for the end of the two parter:

In Part 2, the picnic/taste testing that Marinette promised but had no time for? It still happens. How? According to Adrien at the end of his speech, the class "jumped at the chance to help". Would've been nice to see any of that, or see any REAL conclusion to Marinette's issue in these episodes, which was putting too much pressure on herself and not telling the truth when it became overwhelming. Even her mom tells her that bravely admitting when you've messed up is heroic, but...Marinette never tells anyone.

On screen anyway.

By having Marinette tell Adrien, Adrien could've rounded up the class to make the picnic happen. And Marinette should've been distraught - this was supposed to be HER good deed yet THEY did all the work! She failed! And then the class disagrees. She does good deeds all the time! Checking in on Ivan after he was an akuma! Breaking Juleka's picture curse! Bringing Marc and Nathaniel together! A single day can't compare to the number of things she's done for everyone here! And now it's their turn to do something for her!

And then she's brought to tears and kisses his cheek in thanks blah blah blah you've seen canon. Instead it's treated as a "oh yeah, we did that thing with Marinette in the first part, uhhh, that's resolved now, okay?" What a waste.

Actually I'm sure this is a completely dropped plot line because Adrien says "Like Rose said earlier" when she didn't say anything.

Where were we? Oh right, Lila's first sighting in a whole season.

Alya here says Marinette is jealous of Lila for trying to hit on Adrien (or in the French, "seduce"~ lol). I'd just like Alya to remember that for later when she actually believes Lila when she says she doesn't have feelings for Adrien, but we all know continuity doesn't live here.

Speaking of, I'm not surprised how many salt fics paint Lila's (first) mom as an idiot. Right after Lila tells her mom that Principal Damocles is also stuck as an akuma thanks to Ladybug's "incompetence", a giant floating balloon of Ladybug floats past her bedroom window.

Woman, how you gonna believe that Paris' heroes are incompetent on the word of your daughter while Paris throws a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in her honor? (I also assume this woman doesn't talk to anyone other than Lila despite apparently being out of the house so often that they don't even share breakfast together. Sure ZAG.) But at least I get to enjoy Gabriel deliberately poking the bear by bringing up Volpina when she was completely and utterly irrelevant. That did in fact make me laugh.

Oh, this is something that I only just put together, but Alya says her good deed was going to the Mayor and getting him to sign off on making the school accessible for disabled students, and we see in this episode on-wards that the school has a ramp. I HAD noticed the ramp in Season 3, but I had completely forgotten that Alya talked about it here at the end of Season 2. So, wow! Good continuity detail, Zag! You get one gold star. ⭐

(though that ramp is hella steep)

I was about to also praise the continuity of Gabriel bringing up financing a Ladybug movie, since that seemed to be setting up "Animaestro"...but then he says it's playing that day (on EVERY tv channel?!). But..."Animaestro" was the movie's premiere...So I guess there's another in universe Ladybug movie ( funded by a fashion director?) that we'll never see. U_U

Damn, I was gonna point out the nepotism of hiring your primary sponsor's son to voice act the male lead, but I guess I can't anymore, bummer 😗

I do make a mental note of the things Lila is calling Ladybug as she's cycling through news coverage. "Liar. Traitor. Coward." Just...interesting. Where did Ladybug lie? Where did Ladybug betray Lila? Where did she run and hide? Interesting, interesting, interesting.

And betrayals only happen when there's trust between you, in order for Ladybug to "betray" Lila she would've had to have Lila's trust or loyalty to begin with.

Even here she didn't accept the akuma as willingly as she did in "Chameleon", but she still greeted Hawkmoth like an old friend, and is DELIGHTED to ruin everyone's Heroes' Day and traumatize them with her illusion for a chance to help Hawkmoth succeed, just to get back at Ladybug. Yikes.

Lmao, not the unfinished png photoshop background on the flute. Great quality check, guys.

I do think this is the first time I actually thought Hawkmoth did something smart. After putting all his eggs in the Audrey/Style Queen basket and then handing the basket to Chloe/Queen Wasp, I wasn't too impressed with him, but this plan was actually good. (I mean it should've PARTIALLY fallen apart once people saw both the Unakumatized Ladybug AND Chat Noir now that we know people can reject their akumas, but sure. We didn't know it at THIS point, so it seems smart.)

But all this energy could've just been channeled into making the ultimate doctor akuma. I mean, you literally made a Miraculous Holder Power Booster with Catalyst, so I'm just saying what we've all been saying~

"I know, it wouldn't be very heroic to use my powers on my personal business" - GIRL at this point YOU'VE EARNED IT, SCREW what Tikki says!

This does make it the second time someone's told Marinette to just come clean to her friends. Why did they drop this plot line after pushing it so hard?!?!?!

"You don't have enough cake for me, do you?" Sir, did you pull a muscle with that leap?! I guess the intention of this scene was that Marinette was ABOUT to come clean to her friends but Adrien's excitement put the pressure for her to pull off the picnic back on. Again, there is no solid conclusion for this part of the story, Marinette just festers on it until there's akuma stuff to deal with. Wait, maybe the mass akuma outbreak is how she really got out of it... "Sorry guys I TOTALLY had this whole thing planned, but, you know. Akumas. Lots of them. Couldn't do it."

How satisfying. 🙃

"Heroes' Day is now...meaningless!" This is like in Christmas movies when people say Christmas is RUINED because a tree caught fire or Santa didn't come. Did the Whos in Whoville teach you nothing, that's the not the true meaning of Christmas and Superheroes are not the true meaning of Heroes Day when you set it up as a reoccurring holiday where people go the extra mile to be kind to one another!

Sorry, this is nit picky, like really nit picky, but don't create a fictional holiday that's about joy and kindness and then "ruin" it by something only tangentially related. I know it's totally just to get the plot going forward, but I'm too old and have seen this too many times (mostly in Christmas media) and it starts to grate on you. Just make the holiday a new one in tribute TO the heroes, then it can be ruined by the heroes turning bad, otherwise you're killing your message about the Everyday Heroes doing Good Deeds to Keep the World a Kind and Happy Place by putting all the weight on the SUPERNATURAL EXTRAORDINARY FIGURES THAT NORMAL HUMANS COULD NEVER COMPARE TO!

*huff huff*

So...Sabrina should know what's up with Lila at least a little, right? Since Ladybug firmly believes Volpina was involved, right? Well, based off some spoilers, MAYBE (strong maybe, this is speculation entirely), Sabrina might finally be using this knowledge. You know, 3 Seasons later. Maybe. They've been doing pretty decent at pulling stuff from earlier seasons, even if it DOES feel too little too late, so it's possible that Sabrina will FINALLY remember this moment with Ladybug.

"You're Rena Rouge and you didn't tell me?!" You didn't tell her you were Carapace either, but I see this is where it freaking starts with you young man. I remember this being a funny moment but hindsight has ruined it, so, thanks for that "Rocketear". 🙃

See, THESE are the Adrien/Chloe moments that I wanted: annoying sibling energy 100%. But alas, this is ALSO ruined. Chloe is calling it her Miraculous, give me MY Miraculous, putting down Chat Noir as Ladybug's "underling". This was never going to work.

Wow, Nora totally nailed it: "If he's talking to Ladybug, then Ladybug and Mr. Whiskers are still on the good side!" I thought she was supposed to be the dumb one?

Anyway, that's part 1 (or at least most of what I have to say about it). As a stand alone, this feels like a huge lead up, which I think gets mostly paid off on the akuma side of things...and definitely not on the Marinette side of things. Wah wah.

I don't have many feelings on Nathalie, Catalyst, or Mayura since they're barely in the first part (or not in it lol) and when she is in it she feels very OOC - smiling a lot, shy glances to the side, all in to go full Team Rocket with Hawkmoth. Up until now she's been so peripheral that seeing her main stage (though again, just barely) is so jarring.

Well, we'll see her "shine" in the next part I guess.

#heroes day #catalyst salt #catalyst #my opinion #ml salt #writing salt #always writing salt #lila salt #an essay by zoe

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butterflydm · 11 months

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wot reread: a memory of light (chapters 24-31)

spoilers for a memory of light, the final book.

Everything that Tuon thinks about her life really does sound like it's going to make Mat so miserable. All the obligatory pomp and circumstance, even in private (because you're never in private when you have slaves!). But, hey, he'll get rewarded with sex every time he saves Tuon's life, so who needs happiness? (/sarcasm)

Given how many truths about the Seanchan have been withheld from Mat in order to get him to this point, I wonder how many of those truths it would take for him to abandon ship?

Note: I am going to be questioning and interrogating Mat's actions, words, and behaviors a LOT going forward and not taking much at face value. And that kinda extends to people talking about him: what do they know and believe about him, etc? Whose PoV are we in when certain things are said or revealed, etc? This is mostly for two reasons: a. I am sussing out how much wiggle room there is for writing fic about Mat in this time period and b. I want to try to not make assumptions based on my first thoughts when I'm reading each PoV.

2. Beslan says that Mat has changed and "I don't know what to make of him any more." Beslan is all-in on the slavers now, which makes him a very great disappointment to me. I guess we can't be that surprised. He enabled his mom being a serial rapist, so I guess it shouldn't be a shock that he's willing to enable slavery as well. What Beslan says about Mat is... hmm. How well did Beslan ever know Mat, I guess is the question that immediately springs to mind. Beslan was the son of Mat's rapist, who allowed that his mom was maybe going too far with Mat but still was basically a momma's boy despite the rape. And the last time Mat saw Beslan, he was a revolutionary who was willing to stand up against the Seanchan even when his mother was not, so I suspect that he would also not be certain what to make of you, Beslan. Honestly, given that Beslan's last experience of Mat was "wants to escape Ebou Dar no matter what", the most surprising thing for him should be that Mat voluntarily returned to Ebou Dar.

But everything that Tuon thinks here about how Beslan and the Altaran people have been "properly tamed" does give me that gross feeling that she (and many of the Darkfriends in the series) gives me in her PoV chapters. If Mat could actually see her thought processes, all his fantasies about how she's Not Like the Other Seanchan would go up in smoke.

3. Selucia slightly shades Tuon on how she hasn't broken Mat to fully proper behavior yet (he's cursing at some news they've received) and Tuon immediately decides that she needs a new Truthspeaker so that Selucia can go back to being only her Voice (and not speak any opinions that aren't exactly your own, Tuon?).

An Empress must be "crafty", "strong", and "skilled" to sit on the Crystal Throne, Tuon thinks.

Ah, I guess that's why she died pretty quickly in Aviendha's alternate future. Tuon doesn't have any of those qualities. It is interesting to think about how Tuon pumps herself here up with an impossible goal: that she be strong enough to live forever (as the Empress is meant to do and yet how every single Empress has failed to do) so that she can bring 'order' to the world. Just as Fortuona is not living up to the fictional Tuon in Mat's head, she can't possibly live up to the Empress that she believes that she needs to be.

There really are hints, here and there, of the interesting character that Tuon could have been. She just needed so much more character work. I do think she's been more interesting under Sanderson so far, though, at least than she was in CoT & KoD.

4. At this moment in time, Tuon is regretting her marriage. Mat's fancy Seanchan uniform keeps snagging on everything that he passes and her other generals find him baffling. She married "chaos itself". This feels like another place where we're being told one thing and shown another. What has Mat actually DONE that is chaotic to Tuon's plans? He saved her life and advised that she not be stupid enough to actively try to sabotage Rand saving the world, but he didn't challenge her on anything or fight her on anything.

This really does show the all-or-nothing attitude of the Seanchan: Mat has bent so much to accommodate Tuon that he's practically unrecognizable to who he used to be but that's still not enough for her. Nothing but complete and eternal submission is enough for her. He can do everything she asks but if he doesn't have the right attitude about it, then she's still unhappy with him.

5. Oh, "the Prince of Ravens" thinks that they're joining the battle too late? MAYBE he shouldn't have deserted on the eve of the fucking Last Battle then? Sanderson suddenly inserting a feeling of urgency in Mat about getting to the Last Battle feels so ridiculous. Mat didn't give a shit about the Last Battle a couple of chapters ago. He ran away so that he could have some drinks in slaver town. The Last Battle has been happening for at least a week at this point.

Mat being someone who is creating urgency and rushing would make so much more sense if he'd gone to the Seanchan as a negotiator and not as a deserter.

We do get confirmation here that Mat is now the second-highest ranking member of the High Blood, after Tuon herself. And the mere fact that Tuon thinks here that he would "never be a rival" makes me feel like narrative irony would have insisted on him being the one who topples her from her throne.

6. This is when Tuon renames Mat as "bringer of destruction" (aka Knotai aka I am not using that name in this reread ever again). Mat deciding that he likes being dubbed a "bringer of destruction" is another thing that feels bizarrely out of character but I will note that this is all in Tuon PoV, so we don't know how Mat actually feels about the name (I'm pretty sure he doesn't start calling himself that in his head at any point). And we've seen that Tuon has a very difficult time reading Mat, so if he was giving off any tells that he was lying, she would certainly never pick up on it. She glares at him after the renaming and wills him not to argue with it, so his response might be Mat picking up on her cues and responding.

"The Pattern had placed [Mat] before her, had shoved him into her arms." It sure fucking did and it was so incredibly annoying to read.

Tuon also does (internally) note here that Rand was 100% correct about how fragile her rule here is.

Haha, after Selucia uses their handtalk to call Tuon out on the risks she's taking, Tuon thinks again that she needs to replace Selucia as a Truthspeaker so that Selucia can go back to being a good little parrot and stop having opinions (this is a mild paraphrase of her thoughts).

7. Ah, this moment is in Tuon's PoV but it actually does still manage to be pretty clear exactly how much she is disappointing Mat when she considers the idea of going back on her word and swooping down on the Aes Sedai to capture them all as damane rather than going to aid them as allies. That's the moment of Actual Fortuona failing to live up to the Fictional Tuon in Mat's head that I was remembering. Back during either TGS or ToM, Mat realizes that it was likely that Tuon didn't stay in CoT & KoD because she was being honorable and keeping her word but instead was staying because of the prophecy about him she'd gotten, but he kinda just ignored the implications of that realization.

The mere fact that Tuon considers the idea of breaking her word here would remind Mat that her word is meaningless (and Mat has developed, as we have established, a fey-like obsession with keeping his word). It is interesting how Tuon thinks of herself as the embodiment of order and yet so easily considers throwing away a treaty and going back on her word; yet she considers Mat the embodiment of chaos when he does his best to always live by his word no matter what the personal cost. Mat probably would push it away again here (she does make the right choice when it comes down to it) but it's another place where Actual Fortuona would be a disappointment when compared to Fictional Tuon in Mat's head.

Ultimately, when Tuon decides to keep her word, it isn't out of honor but due to the omens telling her to bet on Mat.

I will note at this point in time that Mat is still being informal and using "Tuon" freely.

8. We get a glimpse of how pressed things are on Lan's part of the battlefield before shifting over to Elayne's. Birgitte tries to keep Elayne in the command tent and Elayne finally snaps, telling her that if Birgitte can't follow her orders like all the other soldiers are willing to do, then she will release their bond. I'm sure Elayne gets hate for this, because she gets hate for everything, but I found it very cathartic after how much Birgitte has been getting on my nerves in this book. And Elayne's right that she's more useful out there doing things -- she is an extremely powerful channeler. It is a waste of her talents for her to sit in a tent.

9. Hmm, yeah, as Rand enters Shayol Ghul itself, he notes that time is affecting him differently. He can tell that one of the women that he's bonded to is in pain but he can't tell who it is and he worries over Elayne and Aviendha.

Though the knife worked to shield Rand from the Dark One's eyes, Moridin is still waiting for him there. I wonder how long he's just been kneeling there. So, yeah, before Rand can get to the Dark One, he has to take care of Moridin.

Anyway, we learned in Siuan's PoV just before this that Min was sent to the Aes Sedai camp with the message "The Seanchan fight the Shadow." You know, I like that message because it doesn't overpromise anything and it doesn't set up expectations that the Seanchan won't be absolute douchebags, as they certainly will be.

10. Luc Mantear and Isam Mandragoran's story as Slayer really could have been heartbreaking and fascinating if Jordan had ever actually leaned into the implications of it. They're both essentially collateral damage -- Isam was left behind when the Blight swallowed up Malkier; Luc was sent off into the Blight to 'seek glory' in order to help wedge an opening for the Mantears to be pushed off the throne of Andor. But the books never explore that.

As it is, Slayer is just... this disconnected assassin who shows up once in a blue moon, and there's not really any substance there to hook onto.

After a... really long battle involving Slayer and the red-veiled Aiel channelers, Perrin fails to kill Slayer and Slayer ends up escaping. Lanfear shows up to heal Perrin and she continues to seem vaguely irritated that she's interacting with him ("You can be such a child"). He sets the dreamspike up inside the cavern to protect Rand and asks the wolves to guard the outside of the cavern (this is all in TAR).

11. Egwene feels so gross as she heads towards the meeting that she is about to have with the Seanchan, because she knows that the Seanchan fighting means damane fighting, which means forcing slaves into battle.

Tuon sits on her mobile throne, with a train being held by eight slaves in transparent robes. Literally every time Tuon's lifestyle is described, it just sounds like something that is going to make Mat so incredibly miserable.

lol, the narrative tries to convince us that Tuon is "calculating" and "discerning" through Egwene's description of her eyes. I've been in the girl's head. I'll grant you "manipulative" and "can spot an obvious clue when it's shoved under her nose" but that's as far as I'll go. Egwene, you were absolutely right when you assumed that Tuon would be coddled and spoiled. I speak as someone who was forced through two long books of "a brat goes on a circus tour and throws several tantrums".

12. Anyway, both Egwene and Tuon feel contempt for each other -- Tuon for what Egwene inherently is as a person (a channeler) and Egwene for the person that Tuon chooses to be (a slaver).

Which we can see in the way they talk to each other -- Tuon calls Egwene an animal, while Egwene calls Tuon a criminal who would be at home with murderers and rapists. Tuon sees what Egwene is as the problem with her, while Egwene sees who Tuon is as the issue with her. These are not the same as each other.

13. So here on page 471 (hardback version), Mat has finally shown up to the Last Battle. Over halfway into the book! Literally makes me want to stab a wall that Mat spent half the book just fucking around with slavers instead of helping with the Last Battle. I assume we're supposed to feel like the Seanchan coming to help would be impossible without Mat, because he shamed Tuon into actually keeping her word, but there were better roads of getting Mat there that didn't make him a deserter and a defector. But I'm guessing making Mat those things was the point of his impossible teleportation logistics between books.

Just. Ugh.

14. The reason that Egwene realizes that Mat is here, among the collection of "frozen Blood in various poses" around Tuon, is because Tuon turns to berate him for not telling her that Egwene was once captured as damane and thus making her show her ass in public when she tried to argue that Egwene would understand how great being a slave is if only she'd tried it.

The question I have here is: are we supposed to believe Mat when he claims that he only didn't tell Tuon about Egwene having been captured as damane because he 'didn't think on it too long' that Egwene's captivity had happened. It's in Egwene's PoV so we are, once again, not in Mat's head. The main good quality that Mat has been able to hold onto when he's been around the Seanchan has been keeping his friends' secrets. tbh it seems more likely to me that he just didn't think it was Tuon's business (it would have been a pretty big betrayal of Egwene's privacy for him to confide that in Tuon, imo?). But, yeah, Tuon explicitly says here that she is going to have a "not pleasant" conversation with Mat about him holding back information on her. And it pretty clearly comes across as a threat.

Yikes.

15. Egwene does seem to believe here that Tuon has made a grave mistake by marrying Mat... but it's explicitly because Mat is ta'veren and Tuon has trapped herself into his web. And it amuses her because she assumes it can't mean anything good for Tuon or the Seanchan in the long term. (I mean, given that Mat has gotten hundreds of thousands of people killed on the Westlands side... yeah, it does seem like a lot of dead Seanchan are in the future on Tuon's side, and Mat might never even realize he was the enabling factor). So this is the one time that I'll allow for a character to be amused that Mat has married a slaver -- Egwene clearly sees this as Tuon having screwed herself over in the future without realizing it.

Though Mat does throw out a "may she live forever" (eyeroll), he is also still calling her 'Tuon', despite the threat of execution. And note that Mat is still of the opinion that "being ta'veren has never gotten me much" so he doesn't seem particularly happy about being married.

16. Yeah, Tuon also makes it very clear that the new clothes and the new name are deliberate attempts to separate Mat away from his past connections and make it clear that Tuon owns him now. "He serves the Seanchan, the Crystal Throne, and the Empress."

She is isolating him from his previous friends and making it clear that he belongs to her. Egwene is 100% right in her instincts that he needs to be saved from Tuon, even if Mat himself doesn't realize it (or, potentially, does realize it but isn't willing to admit to it).

17. So Egwene has to renegotiate with Tuon because now that Rand is gone, Tuon is forcing everyone to start from page one with her again, because she is a coddled and spoiled brat who wants to eke out more concessions if she can get them.

But the results of Tuon attempting to re-negotiate with Egwene now that Rand is off on his mission actually ends up backfiring on Tuon overall, I think! -- Egwene gets Tuon to agree to leave Tremalking alone (because they haven't found a compliant Sea Folk leader along the lines of Beslan to lend them legitimacy) and Egwene makes a spirited attempt to get Tuon to agree to allow women who have just been discovered but not yet collared the opportunity to choose to go the White Tower instead, leaning on Tuon's stated belief that marath'damane want to be slaves so it's no big deal to offer them the option of freedom.

But Tuon does balk at this idea, unfortunately, because she gets scared when Egwene mentions that all sul'dam are marath'damane.

18. Egwene, because she actually is discerning and calculating, picked up on what Tuon said about having trained damane herself and says, in front of the Blood, that as a sul'dam, Tuon is capable of channeling. Which Tuon already knows -- she learned this in KoD -- but she calls Egwene a liar because living in denial is the only way she can keep her power base and nothing matters more to Tuon than sucking up all the power in the world. It really does suck so much that we came up to the brink of Something Actually Happening with the Seanchan storyline and then backed away like cowards. There will never be any outriggers! Pull off the damn bandaid while the books are still running!

We don't get any mention of the Blood or the various damane & sul'dam who are around reacting to this bit of information either, but they do hear Egwene call ~their Empress~ out on being a liar, and call their Empire out on being a machine of cruelty that tortures women into fates worse than death. Will that matter? Who the fuck knows. Maybe one or two of the Blood here will feel a pang of conscience, as Leilwin née Egeanin did, and begin the slow and painful process of changing. Or maybe not.

And it is satisfying to get to see someone calling Tuon out on what a hypocrite she is -- she's all for preaching that other people should get put into the collar because they're just ~meant~ to be slaves but of course she wouldn't do it to herself. Of course she wouldn't. The idea terrifies her to death, I'm sure. Which also shows how deeply in denial she is when she claims that marath'damane just naturally want to be collared and anything other than that is a weird outlier. She knows damn well that it isn't true, because she doesn't long for the collar herself. But if she stuffs her fingers in her ears and just shouts that she's not marath'damane loudly enough, she can make herself believe it.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Tuon did not go into this conversation looking to be publicly accused of being marath'damane herself, especially not in front of a crowd of Blood, so I feel like this one was a win for Egwene.

19. When things get to be really heated between Egwene & Tuon, with Egwene embracing the Power, Mat intercedes. What Mat says here is gross and demeaning; and I think we can all agree on that (a threat to take them over "over his knee" as if that would even be possible in this situation), but Egwene doesn't take it seriously for a second because she can see that Mat is trying to deflect her and Tuon away from each other and onto him (also frustrating though, because I really wanted something to Actually Happen with Tuon).

Also, we get a reminder that Tuon is a big ol' liar about not being jealous over Mat and other women, because she stares at where Mat's hand is touching Egwene's chest until he lowers his hand.

It also leads to another threat from Tuon about how she and Mat will have "many words" tonight, but they do both back down. But, wow, Tuon is so jealous over Egwene here, which is hilarious from the perspective of actually knowing anything about Egwene and Mat's friendship.

(sadly, I must take away Egwene's right to be amused at Mat's marriage at this point in the conversation, when she bizarrely attempts to commiserate ??? with Tuon over Mat's foul language)

Also, I will note that Egwene offers to help free him from the Seanchan, Mat doesn't tell her that he doesn't need to be freed, he tells her that he can handle it on his own. Slightly different things. Do you have an exit strategy, Mat?

Egwene is still determined to help Mat get free of the Seanchan somehow. AU idea where she does!

So, Mat leaves with Tuon and we know that she plans to have a 'not pleasant' conversation with him. So I will mark that in my notes to keep in mind the next time we see Mat.

20. As we've been going through the various battlefields, the 'great captains' have continued to make bone-headed mistakes. As we return to Elayne, it seems like this is coming to a head, as Tam confronts Bashere.

(and, no, she doesn't think about how Tam is Rand's dad and will be her kid's grandfather. Why would she, apparently?)

Tam accuses Bashere of not using scouts and falsifying scouting reports instead, saying that Bashere is to blame for the bad tactics that have happened in the recent battles. After considering how badly they've been trapped by the Shadowspawn, Elayne orders Bashere relieved from duty and has Talmanes take him away with the Band's Redarms.

And now Elayne is the one leading the army here, not Bashere.

21. Bryne gets one right for calling Tuon "that Imperial monster of a Seanchan leader". I have to admit, so far, there is less of the "let's hold hands with the Seanchan" vibe that I remembered and more "ugh, fuck, I guess we gotta hold our noses and deal with the Seanchan" vibe, at least in most chapters. It's really Mat's bizarro-world PoVs that tend to throw everything else off, and Mat has been kept ignorant of the Seanchan's recent actions under Tuon's guidance.

Bryne actually made Min do some real work by having her clerk for one of his people! Okay, Bryne has two rights. This is the first time Min has done any real work in what feels like forever. Being away from Rand is already doing her some good. But now the tent she was working in has been destroyed, so he puts her to work as a messenger (Min actually volunteers, which is definitely better than how she behaved when she was with Rand).

I kinda feel like my own opinion of the romances in WoT does hinge pretty strongly on "do they become less interesting characters when they are spending time with [love interest]?" but also on "what else do they have going on besides being [main character]'s love interest?".

ex. I liked Min best in TSR and once she starts really one-note obsessing over Rand in TFoH and onward, my interest in her nosedives because it feels like she has zero interests or drives outside of Rand. Get a hobby, Min! One that isn't about Rand (so the interest in 'philosophy' doesn't count). There's this incredibly depressing scene in, I think it was TFOH but it might have been the very start of LoC, where Elayne wants to talk to Min about something other than Rand and Min is just completely incapable of turning off the Rand-obsession long enough to think of a single good thing that doesn't revolve around Rand-Rand-Rand (the scene was not meant to be depressing but it definitely made me go 'yikes, Min, please get literally anything in your life that isn't about Rand').

22. So Min is off to the "Seanchan Empress" to tell her to send cavalry to the battlefield. Because Tuon is currently doing her best to hold back as many of her forces as she can and is negotiating them out piece-meal.

When she arrives at the Seanchan camp, Min notes how many forces are just lazing around doing nothing when they could be helping in the Last Battle. Min thinks for a moment that she wishes that she could have gone with Rand to Shayol Ghul but she has finally realized that she's only a liability to him in situations like that. Finally. I do note that apparently Rand had to 'forbid' her from going, though, so if he'd let her, she would have happily been a liability to him.

Anyway, Min was told by Rand to keep an eye on Fortuona, so I'll keep that in mind.

23. "Speak what criticism one would about the Seanchan -- and Min had a number of things she could add to that conversation -- they certainly were organized."

I really wish that Sanderson actually let Min think some of her specific criticisms about the Seanchan here rather than the narration veiling it. Because the way this is written ends up praising without critique, because the criticism remains politely unvoiced. One must always be polite about the slavers who want to dehumanize your friends and your lover, I guess.

Min was in Falme with Egwene! She actually saw Egwene being punished! She was even blamed for some of Egwene's punishments (which were all Renna's fault, of course, and not Min's) and she listened to Egwene scream and cry out in agony.

Let Min actually remember some of that in the text here rather than sweeping it all under the rug! She knows that the da'covale are slaves, for example, because she was in Falme. But instead of calling them slaves, she calls them "immodestly-dressed young women". Let Min actually have a thought here about how she disapproves of slavery! Put that on the record!

And Min thinking here that the Seanchan "couldn't possibly be as prickly as the Aiel". You... you literally listened to Egwene weeping in pain while she was being tortured for such crimes as "wanting to keep her own name" and "not wanting to be a slave" and "letting her friend visit her". wtf, Min.

24. Min has never seen Mat's hat before, but she thinks here that he has topped his new silken Seanchan outfit with his "familiar hat". I really do wonder if there was a draft of AMoL where Mat was in Merrilor, because then Min and Mat would have had a chance to meet back when Mat was in his old clothes and it would make sense for her to recognize his hat here. Because as it is, that's literally a nonsense thing for Min to think. The last time she saw Mat was at the end of book 2. Mat got his hat during book 4.

Min and Mat reunite like old buddies. They barely know each other. Let's tot up the times that they've met:

off-the-page in-between TGH and TDR, while Mat was dying from the dagger, in the handful of days that Mat was there before Verin took him & Elayne, Egwene, & Nynaeve off to the White Tower

That's it. That's the only entry. Mat didn't meet her in Baerlon -- Rand told him about her afterward. Apart from that, their only possible knowledge of each other comes from what Rand might have passed along. It is genuinely bizarre that they are behaving like old friends. They met once, almost two years ago, when one of them was dying. Mat has seen her having sex with Rand from time to time in his color swirl visions, but Min doesn't have access to that. They missed seeing each other in Caemlyn by four days, because Rand sends Mat off to Salidar before Min shows up with the embassy. They are the next best thing to complete strangers to each other, except that Mat has unintentionally seen Min naked several times.

It's Min and Perrin who have a friendship. It's funny, how Sanderson buffed up Perrin's friendships with Rand & Mat, but erased Perrin's friendship with Min. Perrin and Min, per canon, spent a lot of time talking to each other in between TGH & TDR (more time than either of them spent with Rand, who spent most of his time either brooding alone or arguing with Moiraine).

This is definitely "writing to the epilogue" convenience. But it could have made sense if Mat and Min had met back in the early chapters of the book while Mat was in Merrilor after he'd returned with Moiraine & Thom.

25. Mat tries to press Min for any new viewings about him. That's... interesting. Someone wants a new fate? I'm feeling curious about how Mat and Tuon's 'not pleasant' conversation went. Min deflects the conversation to viewings about the Seanchan general and I really don't care. Except to note that, sadly, Galgan probably won't try to kill Tuon because Mat is now the next one in the line of succession.

26. Why in the world would Min bow to Tuon? Seriously, girl, wtf. This is what I mean about how the narrative itself feels like it tiptoes around Tuon. Why would Min care so much about respecting Seanchan titles and nobility? She thinks here that she doesn't care about any other nobility but somehow the word 'Empress' triggers the worship reflex in her hindbrain or something? wtf. "It was only proper to show respect to Fortuona". Literally why? Why is the emphasis in Min's chapter about being polite to the slavers? Why is that the overriding vibe of this section -- Min's desire to make a good impression on the slavers? She didn't try this hard (or at all) with the Aiel. It's things like this that make me feel like Tuon must be ta'veren, because that feels like a thought that Tuon just plopped into Min's brain without permission.

Also, after Tuon enters literally just as Mat has mentioned her to Min, Mat then quotes "Say the name of Darkness, and his eye is upon you". Um. Yeah. So I feel like that 'not pleasant' conversation didn't go very well. (*whispers* he just compared his wife to the Dark One */whispers*).

He is also still using "Tuon" in casual conversation. And he doesn't get down on the floor, even though everyone else (including Min, for whatever reason) does.

27. And Mat is straight-up baiting Tuon in this conversation, or at least it feels that way (and using Min as a weapon while he does it). Yeah, I get the feeling that 'not pleasant' conversation went extremely poorly (was telling Tuon that Min is "the Dragon Reborn's woman" his way of trying to protect her from being poached by Tuon but Min didn't pick up on it? or was it his way of assuaging Tuon's raging jealousy issues by letting her know that Min is 'taken' and Mat doesn't plan on screwing her?)

I almost wonder if he's testing Tuon here -- seeing if her threats have any teeth? She told him that she could have him killed if he kept using the name 'Tuon' and he has not stopped, not even after the 'not pleasant' conversation. Kinda interesting that Mat seems considerably more combative with Tuon after their 'not pleasant' private discussion than he ever has been before. Wish we'd gotten to see that conversation (important moments, etc.).

Mat warns Min that Tuon snatches people up and doesn't let them go -- Min here thinks that Mat sounds "almost proud" but tbh I don't give Min much credit for her insight into people so I will take that with a grain of salt -- and yet Min (who can never resist blabbing about her viewings to everyone in sight) immediately spills about a viewing that someone is going to try to kill Tuon.

Literally why in the world would she bother to say anything? Why would she do this to herself? Rand said nothing about going out of her way to save the head slaver's life.

Min does have the habit of being swept up by people who have stronger personalities than she does -- Moiraine, then Siuan, then Rand, then Cadsuane, and now Tuon, I guess.

I do have to crack up at Min lying to herself and saying that she hasn't accidentally blabbed a viewing in years. Even if she doesn't remember blabbing Elayne's pregnancy to the entire royal palace of Caemlyn, she sleepily blabbed out Melaine's pregnancy without thinking about it too and we know she remembers that one because it was the whole basis for why the Wise Ones treated her as an ~honorary Wise One~ for, like, two books.

If Min didn't already have an established habit of constantly talking about her viewings, I would chalk this up to Tuon being ta'veren as well but... she does.

28. Tuon just goes up and touches Min's face without permission. Probably thinking about checking her teeth. Anyway, she pronounces Min a 'Doomseer' and Min has just screwed herself for the foreseeable future.

Tuon views Min as a "gift" that Mat has given her to "pay your penance" (presumably for not volunteering information about Egwene) so... yeah, that gives us some insight into the 'not pleasant' conversation. I wonder if Mat will think back to it at all in the next PoV we get from him. Probably not. I feel like I would remember that.

Tuon names Min as her new Truthspeaker, probably thrilled that she can now shove Selucia back into the box of not having any opinions that Tuon hasn't told her to have. Her emotional support slave was having too many independent thoughts and we can't have that.

Anyway, Min's viewings never really helped Rand, so she probably won't actually help Tuon much either, so I guess that's a relief.

But, yeah, not a fun situation for Min. Though I guess Mat now has company in his hellhole of a prison, so there's that.

...okay, now I've got "Two Lost Souls" from Damn Yankees in my head.

29. Just as Tam picked up on how Bashere's 'tactical mistakes' keep helping the Shadowspawn in the last section, Lan has picked out the same when it comes to his own 'great captain' -- two reserve forces were both sent to shore up the same hole in the lines, resulting in confusion and also the ranks being too thin in other places.

30. So, yeah, the set-up continues for Team Light to be forced to trust the General of the Slavers with the armies despite his recent horrible life choices. We note here that it has been 'weeks' for Lan now.

Lan countermands Agelmar's latest order, as he's realized how badly it would expose part of their army and compromise any potential retreat, so Lan has de facto taken over the army here, just as Elayne has over in the Cairhien/Caemlyn section of the battle.

31. Mat lets us know here Min has also been re-dressed in fancy Seanchan clothes. Apparently without any attempt to stick in her own clothes? She's an 'honored holy woman' per Tuon, so you would imagine means she has leverage to wear her own clothes if she wants. (of course, if it doesn't give her any leverage, then that would be useful information for the reader to have)

Anyway, we are back in Mat's head, for the first time since his disappointing reunion scene with Rand. We've seen him from the outside a few times since then -- in Tuon, Egwene, and finally Min's eyes.

Mat announces that he needs to go out and look at the actual battlefield. He thinks in his head that it's because the maps are "too simplistic" but I wonder if part of his motivation is taking a chance and getting some fresh air while his ~slaver bride~ is off doing "some empressly duty". I'm still curious about that 'not pleasant' conversation of 'many words' that they had after Tuon and Egwene met. He also yanks off part of his 'Seanchan uniform' here, leaving himself in his scarf, medallion, and breeches. He'd rather walk around shirtless than wear the fancy Seanchan duds, it seems.

(this life is going to make him so miserable)

32. Yeah, Min is now wearing a dress, with no apparent protest. Mat notes that she's pretty and then additionally notes that he needs to be careful with smiles around women now because his wife might stab him if he smiles too much at other women. So, yeah, I'm thinking part of the 'not pleasant' conversation was Tuon making her jealousy issues very very clear to Mat. But despite Mat's protests that hooking up with Rand means that Min is "practically his sister", his narration does make it clear that he's attracted to her.

(this life is going to make him so miserable)

"Mat had always considered Min on the boyish side" - you met her one time! During the foggy period of your memory when you were dying! The narration really is behaving like Perrin and Mat's friendships have been swapped around in this book -- Perrin is the one who has the stronger friendships with Rand and Elayne now; while Mat now has the stronger friendship with Min. Before this book, the opposite was true of all of those things. I guess we can assume that this is about Rand & Min screwing in the color swirls but Min would have been at least partly naked for a lot of those.

33. Anyway, Mat had his own clothes hidden away and changes into them now, when Tuon isn't here to protest, and then sneaks off to look at the battlefield before she can come back to berate him again. Lessons learned from his time with Tylin?

(Min does say here that she's tempted to strip off too, but she keeps wearing the Seanchan clothes for whatever reason)

We do also learn here the very important information that the Seanchan guards respond to bribes (Mat bribed them into keeping and hiding his clothes for him here). Though Mat also notes that it's only the free guards and not the slaves.

34. It's so sad here that Mat has to feel grateful that Tuon "understood that [Mat] needed" the foxhead medallion and returned it to him. He's grateful that he's allowed to use his own personal items and that she didn't permanently keep what she'd stolen from him.

(this life is going to make him so miserable)

...hmm. I'm going to keep an eye on the medallions. Because technically Mat has two right now (his original and a copy that Elayne made), but he hasn't mentioned the second one at all.

35. Sadly, going for Pips means that "unfortunately, someone had time to alert" Tuon that Mat was slipping away, and so she comes to confront him (so I was right about part of the reason behind him bailing on the command tent was trying to get away from Tuon).

Mat once again warns Min that it's very dangerous here: "they know how to treat a fellow, as long as they don't behead him. I'm still trying to figure out how to prevent that from happening."

Hmm, Mat gives Min the "sell" on staying with the Seanchan... he says that it would help Rand because she can attempt to mislead Tuon about her 'omens' to try to guide Tuon onto a less-awful path. I imagine that's how Mat is justifying his own choices too but we saw that when he actually had a chance to try to guide Tuon onto a better path, he froze and said nothing while Rand did all the negotiating. But Mat does make it clear here that he still disapproves of what the Seanchan are doing; he's just... sticking around and helping anyway for whatever reason.

But, yeah, "lie to Tuon to try to subtly direct her choices" being part of Mat's advice to Min is... illuminating, to be sure. Did Mat lie to/mislead Tuon during their recent 'not pleasant' private discussion?

36. Yeah, we see here very directly that Mat doesn't always mean what he says around Tuon, when he pretends to be happy that she's coming along with him to survey the battlefield while "groaning inside". This is what I was talking about back when I was questioning all of the other character's interpretations of Mat's behavior in the previous few chapters -- most of the characters in the books are not very good at reading Mat. Tuon has failed to accurately judge him on multiple occasions, Egwene will always at least partly see him as the troublemaker from her hometown, and Min barely knows him.

Also, Mat was expecting to be berated for changing his clothes but Tuon says nothing about it at this time. Hey, Min, maybe you should take the opportunity to change yours too?

It is good to see Mat attempting to push back on Tuon, even if it's on relatively minor things.

It really is the decision to make Mat a deserter that screwed his characterization over so hard in this book. If Mat had gone to Merrilor and then gone to Ebou Dar, pretty much everything would make more sense. There's only a couple of scenes so far that have 'needed' Mat to be a willing traitor in order to play out the way that they did (mostly just Egwene's shock at seeing him hanging out with the Seanchan) and almost everything else would make more sense if Mat had gone back to Ebou Dar as a negotiator on behalf of the Westlands.

37. On the minus side, we have some really weird stuff here where Mat dehumanizes one of the Seanchan generals for the crime of being a woman that he doesn't want to fuck. While Mat did start basically thinking about every woman that he met in terms of fuckability back around... A Crown of Swords, I want to say... he didn't act like 'not being fuckable' made women unpeople and he's kinda going that way here and it's super gross.

38. On her own front in the battlefield, Egwene sees a huge tactical blunder by Bryne that leaves one of their flanks wide-open to the enemy and vulnerable, and now she is also going to go question him, as it looked distinctly like he set up a trap that benefited the Shadowspawn. So that's all of the fronts except Ituralde (who is just outside of Shayol Ghul).

After questioning Agelmar, Lan suspects it is Compulsion that is behind his recent poor battle decisions, and Lan has him relieved from duty. Also, Tenobia conveniently gets killed on the battlefield and brings Faile one step closer to ruling Saldaea.

39. Back with Mat, Tuon, Min, and Selucia. Poor Selucia. She got half a book of being allowed to have her own opinions but now she's just Tuon's Voice/bodyguard again and gets to speak no words but Tuon's.

Min is obediently telling Tuon all her viewings and her interpretations of them, just like she always does when she's under the thumb of someone with a more forceful personality than her own. This is kinda why I feel like Mat's hope that she will lead Tuon onto better paths is likely not going to pan out -- because Min's viewings do not have a moral component, not that we're aware of, and she is spilling them all out indiscriminately.

And Tuon will likely continue to be her own horrible self, no matter what viewings Min has. But I guess we'll see how that relationship plays out.

Min has not only told Tuon all the viewings she had about Tuon but also her viewings about Mat, over Mat's protests. Min likes to claim that she doesn't do things like that, but wow, she does it all the time. It does feel like fandom doesn't really acknowledge that both Min & Perrin lie about themselves in their own heads just as much as Mat or Nynaeve do. Min believes that she's discreet about her viewings, when she's a blabbermouth most of the time, and Perrin believes that he thinks things through before he acts, when he's actually wildly reckless and impulsive pretty frequently.

40. It's interesting that Min and Mat greeted each other like old friends yet are now essentially working at cross-purposes -- Mat suggested to Min that ('for Rand') she mislead Tuon in order to craft a narrative that would make Tuon soften towards Aes Sedai (and also more minor things like "try to get her to stop wanting to get rid of my hat") but Min, like Galad, wants to be rigidly honest and is telling Tuon everything, not giving a care that she's telling Tuon other people's secrets (and we know she's telling real secrets, because she's now told Tuon all of Mat's old viewings that we know from before, against Mat's express wishes). So Min is essentially unintentionally teaching Mat that she is not an ally to him and that she will sell him out to Tuon if he confides in her. Which means that Mat is, once again, all alone in the middle of an enemy camp that he feels obligated to stay in (now matter how unhappy it makes him) Because Wife.

Mat and Tuon really is peak "enforced heterosexual monogamy" culture. They explicitly are married due not to their own desires but to external pressures (the prophecies) and feel obligated to stick it out even though, on Tuon's side, she feels like she has a wildly chaotic husband that she doesn't know how to control and, on Mat's side, everything about the situation is constantly making him miserable. I believe he thinks at one point (in some future chapter?) that he could be happy if it was just him and Tuon in a life far away from the Seanchan but... that really is him picturing himself and his Fictional Tuon character (not cold, not possessive, Not Like The Other Seanchan) rather than himself and Actual Fortuona. I'm sure Mat and his fake Tuon could find happiness running away from the throne, but fake Tuon doesn't exist so... yeah.

41. Mat is able to get "five minutes" by himself and rides down to talk to Perrin's slaver BFF Tylee. Much like Egwene had just realized, Mat learns here from Tylee that Bryne is making bad calls that are compromising his army.

*sigh*

Mat stuffs himself into Seanchan armor at this point. Well, he had a spine about wearing his own clothing for, like, five minutes. Maybe that's all we can hope for out of him these days. It is at least real 'on the field' armor rather than the ceremonial silk this time.

Also: Tuon's desire to constantly be keeping an eye on Mat vs Mat's desire to have some breathing room seems like a fight in their marriage that is going to reoccur a lot.

42. Anyway, Mat goes to personally take a unit out to relieve Bryne's soldiers because it looks like they've gotten very bad orders and he needs to correct them personally. I... don't have an issue with this apart from the whole "ugh, Seanchan" thing? Mat can see that the battle is going extremely poorly and wants to investigate from the inside because from what he can see, it looks like the general in charge is deliberately ordering bad tactics. That's not something that Mat can fix simply by sending contrary orders because he is not the main general of this battlefield. Bryne is. So Mat going out to take direct control of a specific part so that he can, essentially, undermine Bryne's bad orders before he goes to deal with the root of the issue makes sense because this is a time-sensitive situation.

Tylee tries to give Mat some damane slaves for the battle and he refuses.

Once again, like it did in Min's PoV, the narrative has yet another character praise the Seanchan's sense of organization while implying that the character has critiques about the Seanchan but not mentioning the specific issues that they have. Actually let Mat share his critiques about the Seanchan with the reader! Stop veiling the critiques behind "oh, I have some issues but I won't say what they are".

43. Mat is really really attracted to the enemy Sharan channeler. Until she tries to kill him but, yeah, he literally stops and stares at the channeler on the opposing side. Though that doesn't stop him from knocking her out with his spear when her weaves fail on him and he's able to get close.

*resigned sigh*

After this battle, Mat is now willing to throw damane slaves at the enemy.

Mat has also really really impressed the Ever Victorious Army. Something to keep in mind for post-canon 'Mat conducts a coup' thoughts. Between Egwene feeling like Tuon has accidentally gotten herself trapped in Mat's ta'veren web, Tuon's own "[Mat] would never be a rival" thoughts, how swiftly Mat is winning over the officers, and Mat's own words to Min about how she should craft a narrative to deceive Tuon into behaving the way she wants her to behave... there are some interesting puzzle pieces here for a post-canon "Mat deposes Tuon and takes over the Seanchan Empire" or "Mat tricks Tuon into thinking she's in charge while he's the real power in the Empire" storyline.

I really wish that Sanderson & Team Jordan hadn't made Mat a deserter at the start of the book; it really did start Mat off on such a bad foot, narratively-speaking, by weighting him so heavily on the side of the slavers without any kind of narrative justification for the choice (we still don't know how Mat got to Ebou Dar originally -- Sanderson really was like "okay, it makes no sense, so I'll just let readers fill in a reason that they can justify to themselves"). But even with that massive off-the-page weighting on the side of the slavers, Mat is listing back towards the Westlands side of things (as he has done time and time again). Over and over, Mat gets forcibly yanked over towards the Seanchan and then starts drifting away from them again (requiring another heavy-handed course-correction from the Authors).

44. Mat does change back into his "Two Rivers" coat here. ...wait, Mat's coat is a "Two Rivers" coat? When did that happen? When did Mat go back to the Two Rivers to get a coat? Or did he get it from Perrin's army? Anyway, he did change back into his own clothes after the battle.

Oh! Oh, this must be a coat that Elayne's person picked out for him (as per his request in ToM)! Elayne's person found him a Two Rivers coat? She really is magic. I love her.

Mat does realize here that the Sharan channeler that he captured is almost certainly going to end up damane. Should have just killed her.

45. Tuon is currently so pissed at Mat that she's only speaking to him through Selucia (now back in her role as Tuon's opinionless Voice). Mat notes this as a 'bad sign' but he also does keep calling her Tuon. Maybe he doesn't back down and start referring to her formally as she told him to do; maybe that was something that my memory was incorrect on, which would be nice.

"Your life is no longer your own," Tuon tells him through Selucia. I wonder if that's also part of the reason that Mat went out on the battlefield -- a way of declaring that his life is his own, even if that means potentially throwing it away.

Mat references Nynaeve here -- I'm not sure whether or not Tuon got Nynaeve's name in the conversation she had with Rand and Nynaeve back in TGS. I'll go check.

Yep, Rand says Nynaeve's name when she chastises him for trying to pretend that he doesn't care about Mat in front of Tuon. So Tuon knows that Mat is talking about a channeler here.

46. Yikes. Tuon 'gives' the Sharan channeler that Mat captured to him as his own personal damane slave. He tries to give her back to Tuon (also gross and yikes) but Tuon won't let him. Mat does refer to her as a channeler and not marath'damane but... ugh. But this is the continuation of Tuon's campaign to brainwash and integrate Mat into being fully-Seanchan, so her actions here are no surprise.

Mat is now given control of the Seanchan armies over Galgan, and they send Min back to Egwene to tell her that Bryne is helping the Shadow with how he's behaving with the army.

47. So things are incredibly dire and yet there have been no thoughts of "wow wish Mat were here to blow the Horn of Valere". It's so bizarre that everyone is just completely chill with a powerful artifact that is literally meant for the Last Battle to be just hanging out unusable!

Anyway, the Black Tower Asha'man show up here to relieve Elayne's people, who are sorely pressed.

Here's my thought: I think Sanderson was too much in love with the whole "on the very edge of being broken, the cavalry shows up" idea aka Gandalf coming to save the day at Minas Tirith. Not everything needs to be last second like that. If everything is dramatic then nothing is truly dramatic. In real life, you wouldn't wait until after the point of hope to blow the horn that brings a magic army to fight on your side. You would want to do it as soon as it looks like your own forces aren't going to be enough.

48. Min stayed dressed in all her Seanchan finery to go deliver her message to Egwene. Min's conversation with Egwene is so bizarrely tone-deaf on Min's side of things? She complains about being ~pampered~ by the Seanchan and that their rich food isn't to her taste and when Egwene ~reminds her~ that Egwene has 'enjoyed' Seanchan 'hospitality', Min is basically just "Oops, yeah, my bad, oh well, back to business."

Wow, Min's lack of empathy for the horrific trauma that she witnessed Egwene going through is kinda shocking.

For your consideration, Min in Falme:

When Min asks Egwene not to kill herself out of despair, Egwene tells her that she physically can't. That she can't use anything that she thinks of as a weapon.

She tells Min:

"A few weeks ago I considered hitting Renna over the head with that pitcher, and I could not pour wash water for three days. Once I'd thought of it that way, I not only had to stop thinking about hitting her with it, I had to convince myself I would never, under any circumstances, hit her with it before I could touch it again. She knew what had happened, told me what I had to do, and would not let me wash anywhere except with that pitcher and bowl. You are lucky it happened between your visiting days. Renna made sure I spent those days sweating from the time I woke to the time I fell asleep, exhausted. I am trying to fight them, but they are training me as surely as they’re training Pura.” She clapped a hand to her mouth, moaning through her teeth. “Her name is Ryma. I have to remember her name, not the name they've put on her. She's Ryma, and she's Yellow Ajah, and she has fought them as long and as hard as she could. It is no fault of hers that she hasn't the strength left to fight any longer. I wish I knew who the other sister is that Ryma mentioned. I wish I knew her name. Remember us both, Min. Ryma, of the Yellow Ajah, and Egwene al'Vere. Not Egwene the damane; Egwene al'Vere of Edmond's Field.' "

...

The door swung open, and Renna stepped in.

Egwene jumped to her feet and bowed sharply, as did Min. The tiny room was crowded for bowing, but Seanchan insisted on protocol before comfort.

"Your visiting day, is it?" Renna said. "I had forgotten. Well, there is training to be done even on visiting days."

...

Renna puts on the bracelet and senses that Egwene was channeling without permission:

"You have been channeling." Renna's voice was deceptively mild; there was a spark of anger in her eyes. "You know that is forbidden except when we are complete." Egwene wet her lips. "Perhaps I have been too lenient with you. Perhaps you believe that because you are valuable now, you will be allowed license. I think I made a mistake in letting you keep your old name. I had a kitten name Tuli when I was a child. From now on, your name is Tuli. You will go now, Min. Your visiting day with Tuli is ended."

Min hesitated only long enough for one anguished look at Egwene before leaving.

...

Then, in Min's PoV right after she leaves the room:

Outside in the low-ceilinged hallway, Min dug her nails into her palms at the first piercing cry from the room. She took a step towards the door before she could stop herself, and when she did stop, tears sprang up in her eyes. Light help me, all I can do is make it worse. Egwene, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Feeling worse than useless, she picked up her skirts and ran, and Egwene's screams pursued her. She could not make herself stay, and leaving made her feel a coward. Half blind with weeping, she found herself in the street before she knew it. She had intended to go back to her room, but now she could not do it. She could not stand the thought that Egwene was being hurt while she sat warm and safe under the next roof. Scrubbing the tears from her eyes, she swept her cloak around her shoulders and started down the street. Every time she cleared her eyes, new tears began trickling along her cheeks. She was not accustomed to weeping openly, but then she was not accustomed to feeling so helpless, so useless. She did not know where she was going, only that it had to be as far as she could reach from Egwene's cries.

Compare all that to Min right now: wearing Seanchan silks and whining about how their fanciest food isn't to her liking.

Anyway, she delivers her message from Mat, and Egwene says that she'll take it under consideration.

49. In Ituralde's PoV, we learn about the kinds of nightmares that Graendal has been putting in their heads, and the kinds of thoughts. Three separate times, Ituralde has almost given an order for his men to engage in a direct assault against the Shadowspawn but then been able to pull back again before he gave the Graendal-influenced order, so he's doing better than the other captains. I wonder if his experience in getting all those confusing messages from 'his king' (but actually Graendal) is helping him here. We see him fighting the urge to give one of those bad orders now and he's fighting it extremely hard and then Perrin shows up before he gives in and says it. And Ituralde is so relieved to give up his command because he can tell that something is wonky with his own thinking!

50. Egwene notices that Gawyn doesn't seem tired but he does seem 'strangely pale'. :-(

Thinking about Mat makes Egwene feel "strangely sick". That is such the mood when talking about post-WH Mat, yeah. We are twinsies in this feeling, Egwene. But after thinking it through and remembering the times when Mat has come through when needed, she decides that she is going to trust him, though it makes her feel like she's a fool for doing it. "Mat could be wrong. He was often wrong. But when he was right, he saved lives." and "[Mat] was a scoundrel and a fool but she trusted him. Light help her, but she did. She trusted him with her life."

Not sure Mat deserves that right now, tbh, but it's a sweet thought from Egwene.

And maybe he does.

I'm thinking about 'a ribbon that felt like a chain'. Thinking about Mat considering his father's advice for dealing with cheats during a trade. Thinking about Mat telling Min to pick and choose between her viewings to attempt to guide Tuon onto a better path. Thinking about Mat putting on a Two Rivers coat during the Last Battle.

Maybe he does.

I guess we'll see.

The ultimate factor, once Egwene realizes that Bryne was Compelled, is that she knows that Mat cannot be touched by saidar or saidin, so he is the only general they can trust not to be corrupted by the Forsaken.

#wot #wheel of time #wot reread #wot book spoilers #wot spoilers #wot amol spoilers #wot a memory of light spoilers #mat cauthon #egwene al'vere #min farshaw #seanchan content warning

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threshergm · 13 days

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Halo: The Series - Talia Perez Backstory

Talia is a UNSC Marine Reservist. Her unit is H&S Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines ("New Alexandria's Own"). Like the name suggests, the regiment is based out of the city itself (at FLEETCOM, no less), and is drawn from Marines who live in and around the New Alexandria area.

She's a Communications Marine - able to maintain, repair, and operate any radio or sat-link communications system in the UNSC Marine Corps inventory.

Talia's Abuelo is alive and named Raul. He was a Navy man, a reservist who served aboard big warships, and he retired at the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer.

When he and John are in the same room, they refer to each other as "Chief." Talia rolls her eyes at this, but can't help but smile.

Talia is third-generation Reacher; Raul Perez having emigrated from a failed colony named Hidalgo decades before, and the family having originated in Cuba on Earth.

Many refugees from Hidalgo settled in the same area of New Alexandria. The neighborhood became known as Santiago Circle. Spanish is still spoken on the streets, thus preserving the accent among the residents.

Talia's father Nestor was a Navy reservist as well, a WSO aboard a Longsword fighter. He instilled in Talia a love of literature, especially fantasy, and read to her every night he was home during her formative years. Their favorite was The Lord of the Rings.

He was killed in action against the Covenant during the Siege of the Atlas Moons. Talia was only ten years old.

Talia has a little tattoo of the Gull Crown of Gondor in black, with a tiny White Tree superimposed over it, on the inside of her wrist in his honor.

Talia's mother Elena always resented having her so young, feeling she'd been robbed of her youth, and skipped town after her father died. Talia was devastated, but her grandparents took her in.

This left Talia determined to prove that she was better than her mom by marrying young as well, but sticking around and being the mother she wanted for herself.

When Talia was 14, her mother returned a changed woman. Diagnosed with terminal Boren's Syndrome, she came home hoping to reconcile with her daughter before her death. Talia forgave her repentant mother, and cared for her for nearly a year before she passed away. It was an enormously healing experience.

Around the same time, Talia met Alex Shawcross, the love of her life. He was a poor kid from Manassas - his father was a firefighter who died in the line of duty - leaving him to care for his four siblings while his mother worked two jobs to make ends meet.

Talia first saw him waiting at the transit station with his four siblings one day after school - already a man at just 15 - and it was love at first sight.

Alex was cutting lunches so his siblings would have something to take home for dinner. Talia noticed this - and how skinny he was - and started bringing leftovers from home and leaving them in his locker so he'd have something to eat. When he caught her; she confessed her love for him, and they were inseparable after that.

They had an adorable chaste teenage romance. Meeting at her favorite tea shop before school, trips to bookshops were he would watch her go through the stacks thoughtfully, sneaking out to meet at the park halfway between their houses to sit on the swings together and talk. Staying after his baseball games to sit on the blanket she brought to pad the bleachers and stargaze.

The Marines were part opportunity, part desperation for Alex; while Talia saw service as a way to honor her father's memory and live up to the example her grandfather had set. They had their plan - serve a contract, go to school, get good jobs. Make enough to get Alex's family out of tenement housing in Manassas. Buy a little land outside the city, build a kiva in the hills. Alex would work in the city, Talia would work from home and raise their children.

Alex proposed to her the night before they shipped out on their first deployments - to opposite ends of the Outer Colonies. They made love for the first time on a blanket in center field on the ball diamond, under the stars and aurora of Reach.

Talia made it back from her first deployment without incident. Alex didn't. He died under a Covenant glassing beam on an unnamed rock, trying to evacuate an unregistered colony that had called for help. No remains were recovered. All she has left of him is the simple, cheap, but cherished brass ring he gave her the night she agreed to become his wife.

Talia's never been the same since Alex died. She carries the weight of him every day.

#halo #halo tv show #master chief #john 117 #halo series #silver timeline #talia perez #cristina rodlo #fan fiction #halo fanfic #fanfic writing #backstory

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ystrike1 · 1 year

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Kuso mitaina genjitsu kara nigeta saki wa yarichin-kin-nashi yakin konbinibandomandeshita - By Gurida Soumu (8/10)

It's not murder if you push someone you love towards the edge, right? Our heroine here wants to be free. She just needs an excuse to leave her crappy life behind. Her handsome Senpai decides to give her one.

Saya is a smart and pretty young woman. She wants to go to school and become a teacher. She feels trapped and depressed.

After her father died her mother was never the same. Her mental health has been deteriorating for years. She requires constant care. She refuses to brush her hair or even go outside. Saya's mother believes that everyone will eventually leave her or betray her.

Saya tries to be honest with her mother. They have no one else. No other family. Saya wants her mother's support and she wants to get a career. It's implied that they are currently living off of her father's savings, and they can't do that forever.

Reason doesn't work. Saya's mother no longer has any common sense. She doesn't care about money or her daughters future. She just doesn't want to be alone.

Saya loves her mother less and less as time goes on.

She goes out to clear her head. Her Senpai is sitting outside smoking. He's a burnout who is part of a failed band. He lives in a shitty apartment. He has a lot of piercings and he's handsome. His life is great compared to Saya's, and that's genuinely heartbreaking.

He brings her to his apartment, and he offers her cake. He can see that she's upset. Saya still has good memories of her mother. Her life used to be wonderful. She loved spending time with her parents, but now every second with her mother is torture.

Saya has a breakdown in front of Senpai. She feels dirty and evil, because she wants to run away from home. She knows her mother can't take care of herself, but she's running out of options.

Senpai gives her love and pleasure. He makes her hate home more. He tempts her away from her terrible life. He says her selfish needs aren't wrong. She goes to his shitty apartment every day and she falls in love with him.

There's an odd page, where you pause and think. When Saya is drowning in love Senpai tells her to embrace death with him. Does that mean he wants her to die with him? Nope. He wants Saya's mother out of the way. He wants her dependent on him. The two selfish lovers elope, and Saya's mentally disabled mother dies alone.

In the end Saya is happy. She's a popular and cheerful teacher. She's not in a romantic relationship with Senpai. Their relationship is more about ownership and pleasure. She has a tramp stamp that matches his arm tattoo. She loves him so much. He is her savior, after all.

She will never leave him.

Senpai is a real villain, and I love how morally questionable Saya is. Would you sacrifice your future, happiness and all of your money for your dependent mother?

Hopefully, you never have to answer that question.

#yandere #male yandere #yandere male #yandere boy #recommendations #recs #rec #recommended #manga #psychological horror #horror #Kuso mitaina genjitsu kara nigeta saki wa yarichin-kin-nashi yakin konbinibandomandeshita

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crystalelemental · 2 months

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It's Frieren Friday, but there's no more new Frieren, so instead I'm just thinking

In part what gets me is the usual: I have a strong affinity for characters that don't understand their emotions. They're almost always favorites. I think the reason Serie hits so hard is because she operates as a foil to Frieren's journey.

Frieren's current journey is about contextualizing the human experience she lived through during her travels with Himmel's party. She's coming to understand how much that brief period meant to her, and that despite how small a portion of her life it truly was, it's had a huge impact on the course of her life. And it's also about grieving the loss of Himmel. The introduction that gets this moving is his death, and the realization of how much he meant to her. The whole show is very retrospective, looking through the past while moving forward.

Serie is the exact opposite. Serie's response, any time she's asked, is that Flamme is a failure, she never lived up to her heights, and she really shouldn't take on human apprentices anymore. But she does. Pretty constantly, apparently. And she remembers each of them perfectly; their names, their faces, their favorite spells. Even uses their favorite spells in her day to day, creating the field of flowers in the examination room using Flamme's spell. Who's to say other spells haven't been used in equal effect? The flowers are just the ones Frieren would notice.

Serie's grieving the loss of people she cared about too, but unlike Frieren, she has no idea why or what's even happening. The reason she recalls all these people with such perfect clarity is completely lost on her. She has an intellectual understanding of each of them, but never really made much human connection with anyone. Even her current apprentice is so in the dark about how Serie thinks and feels that he assumes she's just as disappointed in his abilities as she claims, and is primarily concerned about her living a long life alone with no one's legacy beside her.

There's something tragic and powerful to the idea that Serie's always taken on these human apprentices, and despite caring deeply for them, never once realized it. That all of them died likely thinking the same as her current one does: that she was disappointed they never measured up. That for all the care she must have held, they may never have known, because she didn't tell them. She didn't understand it herself. And now that they're gone, all she can do is use their favorite spells to bring herself reminders of them, for reasons she can't even parse.

Which is exactly what Frieren's going through. With how much HImmel meant to her, whether romantic or platonic or whatever it was, she never got to tell him, and now he's gone. She has only those memories to guide her, and she's embracing each to learn more about herself and her journey, and is starting to better appreciate the current moment. She's not perfect at it, her most recent argument with Fern shows she's still not great at telegraphing how she feels. But she's trying. And that's something Serie's never tried to do.

It's why Serie's so predictable. Frieren and Flamme predict her literal every move, because she's never emotionally matured. She operates purely intellectually, and she is talented. As Frieren points out, her intuition is always right, and we see that the intuition has a logical sense to it. Magic is drawn from imagination, and if you can't imagine yourself as first class, then you're not. Even as far as her focus on fighting, the northern lands are still home to demons. If you can't think of how to fight an opponent likely stronger than you, you won't win. There's a logical sense to all of it. But despite all that, Frieren knows full well that Serie will be a brat about her approach to magic, just as she'll be too impressed by Fern's ability to fail her even if she's like Frieren. Even with Flamme's will, she called that Serie would throw a fit about the request, but here we are all these years later and Serie's basically doing as she asked. Serie will have her little outburst and her big speech about magic needing to be exclusive. But over the years, she'll settle down from that argument, and she is going to miss her apprentice.

I just...really like Serie. She's neat.

#frieren beyond journey's end #serie

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twoidiotwriters1 · 2 months

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The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: THEM -Danny Words: 1,956 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'If It Wasn't (For You)' -by Jacob Noah

XXIX: Emotionally Repressed by Day, Socially Inept by Night

Leo makes a beeline to the control panels and sets the Archimedes sphere back in place. Ara hangs her Octopi over one shoulder and makes her way to the stairs, but then she spots Nico.

He's usually at the top mast or in Hazel's room until it's time for bed and he leaves to... wherever he sleeps. But he's leaning against the stern's handrail today, looking right at her. Ara lets out a heavy sigh, he wants to talk to her, and it won't be fun.

"What?" She asks.

Nico eyes her before replying. "You got your stuff back?"

Ara leans on the railing and stares at the sea. "You ate?"

"Yeah, the birthday cake they made for you," he replies sarcastically. "I thought you'd died so I didn't want to waste it."

Ara lowers her gaze. "Did you tell them?"

Nico snorts. "I thought you would've told them all about you by now, that's how it always is with you."

She makes a face. "Some of it, not all. But Leo knows it all. He was always asking for stories and Jason had no memories, so I had to give him context."

Nico looks at her with a sarcastic smirk she's grown to loathe. "Bet it felt good to be someone's hero at last."

"Can we not do this today?" Ara groans. "Tomorrow we can do the whole thing all over but... it's the worst birthday of my life, man. I'm already going through it. Can't you enjoy in silence?"

That seems to bother Nico. "I take no pleasure in seeing you suffer, Ara. It annoys me that you try so hard to be something you're not."

"What are you talking about?"

"You can be who you are unapologetically and for some reason, you prefer to walk around in that stupid cloak, completely unlike you, and it makes you miserable—"

"The cloak gives me purpose—"

"Nemesis talked to you, right? Hazel said you never told them who you saw, so who was it?"

She hates having to look up when talking to Nico, he's a year younger than her and yet he could get half the things she's gained way easier. He could be happy, and he could've been the friend Lily needed when Ara failed her. Now both of them left their friend alone, standing on the remains of their broken promises.

"That is none of your business," she says tensely.

Nico's gaze is unwavering. "I talked to Achilles before taking Percy, and what he said—"

"Let me guess," Ara tilts her head, an ironic smile on her lips. "Something about ambition being our worst enemy or whatever? You're too late, Hercules already warned me about it."

The boy frowns. "I can't believe you chose to follow their path. Every win they got sent innocent people to their early graves."

Ara's heart stings at his comment. "Don't talk about them like that."

"I'm talking about you, you should know better," he glares at her. "You saw Percy take risks for nothing, you saw Mike die thanks to it. Beckendorf, and Bianca—" He cuts his speech short, turning away, then clears his throat forcefully. "You and Lily treat your birthdays like they don't matter, and all I can think is... she can't even have that."

He lets out a dry laugh and shakes his head.

"'Course—she joined the hunters before dying, so she would still be twelve years old no matter what." Nico runs a hand over his face and squeezes his eyes shut. "She wasn't allowed to grow old, but you are, and don't want to."

It would be easier to stab his soft spots until he shows his fangs again, but she can't bring herself to do it. Ara's lost her brother, Annabeth, and Leo is next. She's tired of the fights.

Ara moves slowly to make sure he knows what she's doing, giving him the chance to step back. He doesn't. The boy takes a shaky breath, keeps his eyes closed, and lets Ara absorb some of his hurt. As soon as she does, her heart squeezes in a way that takes the air out of her lungs, she tries to talk, but her throat is tight with grief.

Nico relaxes only enough to keep talking. "I know it sounds... cruel... but I'm glad she's not with them. I prefer missing her than resenting her my entire life."

"I regret not convincing her to stay," Ara admits hoarsely. "We were the same age, but Bianca was braver. If I'd taken my lessons seriously since the start, I could've shown her what camp could offer us..."

"Us?" He opens his reddened eyes, still scowling at her.

"Orphan kids." She looks down in shame. "I wasn't a hero, Nico, you're right. I chose what was best for me. I'm sorry."

It's the first time she apologizes to Nico. It might be the grief she's absorbed, but Ara couldn't phantom the extent of Nico's pain until now, it feels just like when she lost Mike. She never showed regret, if anything, she'd made it clear that she thought nothing of Bianca. Now her words are coming out like they had been lying there for ages, rotting her core.

The way Nico reacted when Percy told him about Bianca, now that he and Annabeth are in Tartarus, she understands it. He's the only person on this ship who shares her anger and doesn't treat it like a scary thing.

The girl cleans her nose with the back of her sleeve. "I shouldn't say it now that I have their blessing, but I hated them for a while too. When Jason came and Thalia found him I realized it was you and Bianca all over again. My fate is to watch everything fall apart."

Nico stares at her, sighs tiredly, and dries her tears, his knuckles are cold against her skin but surprisingly gentle, which makes her feel even guiltier for all the times that she's punched his face. For the first time, he looks worried for her.

"It's okay if you don't want cake," he says. "But you should eat. The Kerkopes handed your ass to you."

Ara sniffs again. "I'm taking this conversation as you wishing me a happy birthday, so I'll say 'What the Tartarus you mean by 'happy', you jerk? Read the room', then I'll walk away and you can insult me and we can pretend this didn't happen."

"Tu sei sciocca."

Someone clears their throat in front of them and Ara looks back, spotting Leo. He's looking at them weirdly. Ara realizes she's holding Nico's hand. "You had issues putting the sphere back in place?" She asks, letting go of the boy.

Leo glances at Nico before replying. "Came to ask if we should hold a meeting now or wait until tomorrow."

It's not like she's enjoying her birthday, but she's not in the mood to hold a second meeting today. "Let's call it a day. I'm tired."

Leo nods, unable to shrug off the jealousy. "Yeah, I'm tired too."

Nico walks past them. "I'll take the night watch."

"Thank you," Ara says kindly. Her boyfriend frowns at their behavior but says nothing.

Leo comes to her cabin before sundown, and Ara makes room for him to sit. The boy enters reluctantly, like he'd rather be somewhere else.

"What you saw," she starts right away. "It's nothing."

Leo pulls out screws and wires from his belt and braids them to avoid her eyes. "Looked like something..."

"I can explain it," Ara pouts.

"Forget it," When he smiles it looks genuine, but the girl knows it's not real. "Came to give you a present."

"Oh?" She blinks. "You didn't have to..."

"You thought I'd let the day pass by?" The boy raises a brow. "I'm better than that!"

"Well, it was a busy day," Ara chuckles. "What is it?"

"I'm new to this whole getting-presents-for-my-girlfriend thing, and you're not easy—you don't have hobbies outside pretending to watch movies with me," he teases her.

The girl tilts her head with amusement. "So?"

"So... I'm a mechanic and an inventor. I could build you the weapon of your dreams," he makes a face. "Then I realized Almighty is pretty much it—I was going through my options and it wasn't looking great..." Leo rambles.

"I don't care for presents," she admits. "I spend all my birthdays in camp, so it's more like a day to do whatever I want—"

"I know," he interrupts her. "I know you're all about practicality and utility."

He pulls an item out of his tool belt: a black hair tie. It's decorated with a bronze dove, the wings spread open like it's either taking flight or landing. Leo holds her hand and places it around her wrist.

"Then I thought, Ara is always losing her scrunchies, her hair is always on her face while we're fixing stuff—and I know it drives you crazy. So I made you this."

He presses on the dove's breast and moves back when it expands, creating a large shield with an Omega engraved at the front. Ara turns her arm to examine it, her mouth falling open. "What!"

"Hercules and Achilles had stuff made for them. You needed a shield," he says, fidgeting with scraps from his belt as he waits for a full reaction. "I know your compass turns into a shield but if you needed to also use it as a sword you'd be... though you aren't helpless and also have Lily's dagger but..."

While Leo rambles, Ara turns her arm and spots a bronze buckle on the leather strap. She snaps it open and the shield goes back to being a hair tie. The girl throws her arms around his neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Leo stops talking and laughs, vividly glowing. It's like the setting sun is shining directly on him through the porthole window. His arms wrap around her waist. "Don't mention it."

Ara cups his face, a bunch of annoying butterflies making her mind fuzzy. "It must've taken you ages, I don't know what to say..."

He smirks. "Took me like a month, it wasn't that hard—but if you insist I wouldn't mind a few kisses if you're that grateful."

Ara kisses his face and neck effusively, making him giggle like a little kid, then she finds his lips and Leo makes a vastly different noise at the contact. This day doesn't seem so bad now.

"Y'know..." he mumbles in between kisses. "If you really feel like thanking me, you can give me my present in advance?" He pulls her close, and Ara blushes down to her neck.

"What?" She squeaks.

Leo laughs. "I'm just messing with you."

"Don't joke like that!" She tries to escape his grip.

The boy grabs her chin and gives her another kiss, falling back with her on top. "Sorry, doll. Can't help it! I love how flustered you get."

Ara leans down and gives him a butterfly kiss, making him squirm a little bit. He's always been a big fan of small affectionate gestures, of any affectionate gesture, as long as it's Ara doing it. She pushes herself up and smiles. "También te amo. Now get out of my cabin."

Leo's eyes brighten. "No! Let me—let me hear you say that again!" He begs while Ara gets to the door. "Sunshine, let me stay over! It's your birthday!"

"Yeah, exactly. I want to sleep alone. Your birthday is in two days, if you want to sleep with me then, I'll comply."

Leo looks at her with a huge smile. "For real?"

"Well, I'm learning Spanish, which must mean I don't joke about commitment," Ara gestures at the exit again. "Now leave me alone."

"You're so rude," Leo says, though he sounds delighted. "I'll respect your autonomy today, but on my birthday, I'll have none of that. Be ready to have a Leo Valdez all over you on the 7th!"

The boy kisses her cheek effusively when he walks past, and Ara leans into it laughing. "The warning should go to the rest of our poor crew, not me."

"I don't love them enough to warn them."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @asnyox-the-hoarder @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicksh

#twoidiots writing #pjo fanfic #leo valdez fanfic #doo #leo valdez x oc #heroes of olympus #percy jackson and the olympians

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dark-elf-writes · 9 months

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ROUND TWO! It is still technically tomorrow so yeah.... 😁

-(Remus. Safety. A port in the storm while everything shattered around him.)

Oh honey, hugs all of the hugs. This whole passage is fucking beautiful. The moment of Harry realizing Shouta is testing him and appreciating it. Recognizing where the adults in his life failed him and seeing that the man in front of him won't fail his students in the ways Harry was failed. AAAHHHH

-(Dark eyes looked him up and down. “Take ten. No need to traumatize them by throwing a zombie at their feet.”

Harry scoffed, edging around Shouta to open the door he hadn’t bothered locking (anyone who could break into UA and get past all of the staff to a top floor flat and could get around Bill’s wards deserved to steal his shit honestly) and shooting the man a rather unimpressed look even as he nodded for him to follow. “I know damn well you own a mirror being married to Yamada so the only other options are you’re blind and just a very good actor or you’re so deep in denial you truly believe you don’t look worse than I do and I’ve literally died four times.”)

AAHAHAHAHUENJDSAKGNR CALL HIM OUT! but for real I love this. We see sassy Harry and Shouta, sir, pot kettle. ahahaha

-(Twenty teenagers looked back at him, eyes bright with suspicion as they shifted their stances to cover the little girl in their midst. The little girl who had no problem popping her head around a massive shoulder to beam at Harry and Shouta as they approached.

“Hi, Harry-san!” The white haired girl waved. “Did you bring more cookies?”)

Leave it to the tiny human to relieve the tension of the room. And sassing Bakugou to boot. Love it.

-(With a shriek of laughter Eri launched herself from the green haired kid’s back and wormed her way between the protective gathering of teenagers to collide with Harry’s leg, going up on her toes to check the container. “Where’s Teddy?”

“With Weasley-Sensei. If your dad is okay with it you can come over for dinner tonight to see them.”

She didn’t so much as look at Shouta. “Dad says yes.”)

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 THIS SWEET HILARIOUS CHILD! I CAN'T SHE MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS! The only thing that would have made this better is if Hizashi had been present to witness it.

-(This time, Harry did smile, letting every shattered piece of himself show in the lopsided lift of his lips. Let them see the boy he was: fifteen and so fucking angry at the unfairness of everything, sixteen and terrified of the monsters that lurked around every corner, seventeen and tired down to his very bones. Let them see the reflection looking back at them.

One child soldier to twenty. )

god fucking damn the absolute beauty in the writing here. dsjabcim I'm speechless. 10000000000/10

-(“You look like a fucking fetus.” Bakugou hissed. “How the hell can you be a Top Ten?” )

Cackling at this. Just the phrasing. Hit me right in the funny bone for some reason🤣🤣

-(“Dormant.” At the kid’s surprised blink, Harry shrugged. “I have a no slur policy when it comes to my students. That includes against themselves.” Which had been developed the exact moment Aoyama hissed the word. Not that Harry was going to tell them that. )

Yup good policy, timing don't matter. Nope not at all.

-(they are in my top five most terrifying sisters)

Who's number one? Ginny or Hermione because I feel like that could go either way lmfao

-THE ENTIRE END NOTE OF CHAPTER SEVEN HAD ME LAUGHING TO TEARS

-(“Welcome to the world, cub,” Harry breathed, pulling back to press a kiss to Teddy’s temple. “You hungry?”

Teddy let out a jaw cracking yawn, rubbing at their eyes with the back of their hands, and blinked at him uncomprehendingly. After a second, they nodded. )

AAAAWWEWW The mental picture of sleepy little Teddy is just javirughdxkwiaiurytlh;iwo I CAN'T

-(Harry shrugged. “Bragging rights, mostly. I’m in a new country at a new job with very little of my reputation carrying over and only to a select few people who already knew about me anyway. All of you are the next generation of heroes and will more than likely make up a second chunk of the Top Fifty in the next few years. I need something to prove to my kid that I’m still cool when they inevitably decide one of you is their second favorite hero.”

Disbelieving eyes came from all around the room. Well, except for Asui and Sero. As the two with the most experience with young children, there was not so much as a flicker of doubt in their eyes that street cred with a seven year old was Harry primary motivation. Harry smiled back at all of them, unrepentant. )

Believe him guys. Believe him. 🤣🤣🤣And he's not wrong, room full of the future? He doesn't stand a chance at being his kid's favorite if he doesn't work for it🤣🤣🤣🤣

-(“If your ghosts try to convince you that dying is fun, just know that they are liars and it absolutely is not.”

______

From the moment they had first met their new sensei, Izuku had been pretty sure that he was, on some level, completely fucking insane. )

THE PLACEMENT OF THESE SENTENCES IS FUCKING PERFECT👩‍🍳💋 🤣🤣🤣

-(One singularity recognizing another. )

I'm going to keep sounding like a god damn broken record but this entire passage is fucking poetry. Like fucking hell, 'it was more than their shared green eyes. more than the bruised eyes and too thin cheeks. more than the massive scar that took up half of the man's face that seem to glow with an eerie green light." jdfaiuhganfvjfdkalghr Fucking master of words you are.

-(“ Excuse me? ” First hissed, materializing at Izukums shoulder with the same pissed off cat expression he had given Second after he broke Izuku’s laptop during movie night.

“You’re excused.” Potter-sensei shrugged. Shrugged. Like dealing with angry ghosts was normal for him. )

ahshasjiafownejwlafnuju SASSY HARRY!!!!!

-Okay death calling Harry a disaster twink in the end note completes my entire existence.

-(There was a snort and Harry lifted his head enough to see an unmasked Snipe grinning at the two of them. “Ah yes, the first day ‘how did my teachers ever put up with me’ guilt. Bright side, you didn’t have a single broken bone in your class and there was no Nezu level threat against humanity as a whole so y’all did a damn good job.”

“The bar is so low,” Hermione whispered in horror, setting Harry off in half hysterical giggles.)

Nezu level threat is the most terrifying thing to happen on a teacher's first day, bar none. nothing else. nope.

-(Harry blinked. “Since when are you on a first name basis with Aoyama?”

“Like two minutes ago, dad, keep up. They’re Aunt Fleur’s cousin and that makes us cousins so Yuuga is family and last names with family is weird unless it’s for a joke.” He didn’t have to look to know there was a duh expression on Teddy’s face,

“Did you ask Aoyama if you can use their first name, or did you assume?” Teddy’s silence was the only answer Harry needed. “Teddy—.”

point two seconds later

“Can I call you Yuuga because we’re cousins?”

Teddy turned back to Harry, still wearing Aoyama’s face, and pointed at the teen over their shoulder. “See. Cousin.”)

KIDS ARE A GODDAMN MENACE AND I'M FUCKING LIVING FOR IT

-(A familiar snort had them turning to see a grinning Hizashi leaning over the back of the couch where Shouta was attempting to appear asleep. It would have been more convincing if the man wasn’t grinning into his sleeping bag. “That’s just parenting. If it helps, they can keep up with Eri so I highly doubt Teddy is going to cause too much damage.”

They were probably right, but…

“Doesn’t one of those kids have shark teeth?”

“ Fuck.” )

Crying laughing oh my fucking god yes this is perfect

-There is something so special about how this moment between Nemuri and Hermione is written. True connection, not unnatural, just two women who have fought to protect their families and came out scarred and hurting relating and commiserating, stunning writing.

-(“If you stretched more, you could do it too.” Harry pointed out, slowly rising out of the stretch before bending backwards, more to annoy his brother than out of any real need for the stretch. His palms hit the mat behind him as he held the back bend without too much effort.

Ron shuddered. “That’s horrifying to watch have I ever told you that?”

Harry took a few too-quick shuffle-crawl steps towards him, just to make Ron lurch back with a shriek. The shorter man hit the mat a second later, laughing too hard to keep himself up. )

NOT THE HORROR MOVIE IMPRESSION ahahahahahahahhahahahah

-(In the ring, Hermione missed the leg sweep sent from Hizashi and hit the mats hard. It didn’t seem to stop her as she turned to gape at him.

“Harry James Potter are you telling me you saw Tom Riddles’ penis?”

“No I’m telling Ron, Shouta, and Kayama. You just happened to be eavesdropping.” )

CACKLING!!!!!!!!!

-(Honestly, there were worse ways to go rather than being murdered by a beautiful woman. )

Glory, Glory, what a helluva way to die!

-Shouta totally handed Ron his own ass, repeatedly and with glee

This is seven through nine! I'll be doing more tomorrow! I totally love this and want to keep going. I'm also interested in doing this with some of your other fics and maybe some tagged aus on here? if you're okay with it?

I’m loving this so much it’s such a delight to see all the parts you enjoy if you want to do it with other fics/aus as well I’m totally down just be aware that I will probably tell you that I love you platonically more than once.

#the elf talks #tbh I’m having a rough time so this was very appreciated #who saves the savior #wsts

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 1 year

Text

Ghost Story - Chapter 43

Pairing: Rooster x Female OC

Word Count: 2413

Warnings: Mention of death, swearing

Summary: No one will miss a ghost. It'd been a running joke for as long as anyone could remember, something Ghost herself started, and she always said it with a smile on her face or with mirth in her voice. The untouchable stealth pilot in every sense of the word, no one could've predicted the depth of her turmoil over recent events, nor the extremes she would go to in order to protect the man she loved, not even those closest to her. Now, all that was left of the young aviator for Maverick, Hangman, and Rooster were the memories of the past, which would slowly fade with time. She'd come into their lives and made an unforgettable impression, and then, like a ghost, she was gone... Then again, ghosts can't die a second time.

Notes: None

Chapter Songs: Broken Halos Let It Hurt Humble and Kind

****

Ghost

The last thing Ghost remembered was telling Rooster how she got her callsign because she knew those moments in the waves were her last. The words had been challenging to get out with her labored breathing, but Ghost managed to tell the story. Then, the moment the rescue team lifted her out of the water, Ghost blacked out,

When she woke, Ghost found herself in a strangely small room, bright white and nearly empty. She attempted to sit up, but her body refused to move. Only her head could turn from side to side. She glanced to her left: nothing. She glanced to her right and felt the relief course through her. Maverick sat there, staring blankly into space. Ghost had so many questions, but one immediately rose to the top: "Where's Rooster?"

Her voice sounded strange and far away, almost like it wasn't her speaking, but it still captured Maverick's attention. His green eyes dazedly met hers, but rather than having their usual warmth and paternal care in them, Ghost saw nothing but grief. "He's dead."

Her brain, her heart, her entire being failed to comprehend his words. "He- what? No, no, Rooster was alive when we- he can't-"

"He's gone, Ghost. Dead on arrival."

"H-how is that possible? It's not possible-" Ghost struggled to sit up, desperate to get off the bed and grab onto Maverick, to tell him to stop with the sick joke and tell her where Rooster really was, but her body continued to be paralyzed. "How did it happen?"

"I don't know. No one will tell me." Tears filled Maverick's eyes and trickled down his cheeks. "You promised me you'd get him home."

Ghost broke down into sobs. "I know I did, and I'm so sorry, Mav. I'm so sorry."

"Saying 'sorry' won't bring my son back," Maverick snapped, standing up and towering over her. "What the hell were you thinking taking him up there? Why didn't you take me? It should've been me! You should've tried harder!"

"Mav, please, I tried to get him home," Ghost wept, hating the look of betrayal and rage on his face. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sor-"

"But you didn't try your hardest because he's dead! I've lost my son, the last piece of Goose I had left, all thanks to you. It should've been you and only you who crashed."

"I kno-"

"It should've been you who died, Ghost, not Rooster. He had someone waiting for him to return. You didn't. Your whole family is dead. You didn't even have any friends waiting for you because you pushed all of them away."

"Mav, stop," Ghost pleaded, each word striking her heart with unwavering accuracy, causing the emotional pain to build on top of the grief over losing Rooster. "You're hurt, and it's my fault, but please stop saying-"

"What? The truth?"

"Harsh words, Pops," Hangman said from the pitch-black doorway, leaning against the frame. Mav whirled around, and Hangman held up his hands. "Don't stop on my account. There's no love lost for me."

"Jake," Ghost breathed, stunned by his statement. "You don't- we've had our problems-"

"Problems? We've had them?" he scoffed, stepping forward and replacing Maverick, who eerily disappeared within the blink of an eye. "We still have them! You will always be a problem to me, Ghost, because you were my first love and my first heartbreak. You didn't simply break my heart, you fucking shattered it into a billion pieces that I'm still picking up to this day. You tell me you're not interested in starting things again, but then you sleep with me and give me hope, but then I find out it's just because you can't get Rooster! So cue the re-shattering of the few pieces of my heart that I was able to put back together."

"We agreed it meant nothing more-"

"Just because I agreed doesn't mean I didn't hope! I loved you, Ghost, and for whatever reason, I still do. I wanted to marry you. I wanted to have kids with you, have a family, and you- you threw it all away for a guy you can never have. He's dated your best friend, and your moral code won't allow you to be with him, not fully. And before you even bring it up, I don't give a shit if Bryn said she was okay with it. Deep down-" Hangman bent over her, their faces mere inches apart- "you know she's not. She loved Rooster for years, and you broke them up. That's all you do, Ghost. You break things. You broke our relationship, your friendships with Rooster and Bryn, your relationship with your mom. Hell, you were even fighting with your dad and Ghoul before they died. Guess it was only a matter of time before Rooster died, seeing as how you two have been at odds for so long. Mav and I are probably next."

"Who says you aren't already?" Rooster's calm voice sounded from Ghost's left. She whipped her head around, unable to believe her eyes.

"Bradley? I thought you were dead," Ghost whispered, the knot in her throat making it near impossible to speak. "Mav told me you're dead."

"I am." Rooster sat in the chair previously occupied by Maverick, and Hangman backed up into the black void of the doorway, disappearing into thin air.

"I'm sorry, Bradley. It's my fault," Ghost sobbed, straining to reach for his hand. Much to her frustration, her body stayed paralyzed.

Rooster turned to face her, disgust evident in his brown eyes. "For what, exactly? You're going to need to be more specific."

Despite the bizarreness of the situation, let alone the fact she was talking to Rooster's ghost, she continued, "For getting you killed. I promised Maverick and myself I'd get you home safely, and I failed. I'm sorry for making you think I didn't return your feelings after all these years, and for pushing you away when all I wanted to do was pull you close and never let you go."

"Yeah, well, it's not like it ever would've worked between us," Rooster said distastefully. "Hangman still has you wrapped around his finger, and I can't be with a woman who I'm constantly going to worry about whether or not she's being faithful."

His words were a slap in the face. "I would never-"

"But you did. You don't form attachments, Ghost. If you did, you would've spent more time mourning your breakup with him rather than sleeping with me a couple of weeks later."

"We were drunk and-"

"Don't blame the alcohol."

"It's the only time things ever happened between us, though-"

"Affairs aren't only physical. They're emotional too, and you can't tell me you didn't have one with me. I saw you lie to him about who you were hanging out with when you were alone with me. I saw you-"

"I never did that! Jake trusted me-"

"That was his mistake. Does he know how soon you slept with me after you two broke up? Does he know you slept with me before you two got together again? Does he know you only slept with him on New Year's because you couldn't have me?"

"Stop," Ghost demanded weakly, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to block out the words, truth or not. She prayed for someone- anyone- to take her far, far away from the hospital, to get her away from the harsh words, the true and the false. Ghost beat herself enough for all the problems and pain she caused. She didn't need Maverick, Hangman, and Rooster chiming in.

Bradley's criticisms slowly faded away, replaced by a steady beeping. Hesitantly, Ghost opened her eyes, hoping the malicious words wouldn't return. To her surprise, Hangman's face greeted her, but rather than the hate-filled stare from moments ago, she saw nothing but love and relief.

What in the ever-living fuck is going on? Ghost thought, scanning the room. A dim light illuminated the area, and people passed by the well-lit doorway. The familiar hum and shuddering of the carrier rumbled beneath her, of all things, convinced her this was reality. Whatever hell she'd just endured had been only a nightmare. If that was the case, perhaps her biggest fear had not come to pass. She had to find out. Mustering up her strength, she asked, "Where's Rooster?"

"Told you that'd be her first question," Maverick joked despite sounding exhausted. Ghost turned her head to look at him, eyes wide with fear. "Mav-"

"He's in his bunk sleeping. Pain medicine finally kicked in, and he's taking advantage of it."

Ghost blinked back tears, the relief nearly overwhelming. "How badly is he injured?"

"Broken leg, compressed spine, and some cuts and bruises, but nothing life-threatening. Only the leg required surgery."

"Oh, thank God..."

"You, on the other hand-" Hangman started, sitting on the edge of her bed- "have a broken wrist, concussion, compressed spine, punctured lung, and broken ribs. You flatlined on the doctors during surgery too."

"How-how am I not dead?" Ghost asked, unable to help herself.

"Don't know, but you certainly gave it your best shot." Jake rested his hand on her knee and squeezed it gently. "Thankfully, you had shit aim."

Ghost started laughing but stopped immediately when the pain in her abdomen flared up. "Don't make me laugh. It hurts."

"Sorry. So, how are you feeling?"

"Like shit," Ghost admitted, a flood of memories returning to her. The urge to break down suddenly reared its ugly head. The epiphany of how close she came to dying, of how close Rooster came to dying, hit her hard and fast.

"Hangman, why don't you go get Bradley? He'll want to see her," Maverick suggested. Jake agreed, bent down and kissed Ghost on the forehead, then strutted out of the room.

The moment she was left alone with Maverick, Ghost's walls crumbled, and she broke down into tears. She clutched her head, which throbbed from her concussion and the emotions coursing through her. The body-wracking sobs pained her broken ribs, but she couldn't stop crying. The memories of her nightmare didn't help, and while she knew that everything Maverick said in it had been a lie, Ghost still felt horrendously guilty for what she put him through. One look at his haggard expression told her as such.

"I'm so sorry, Mav," Ghost said through her tears.

Confusion etched itself onto his face. "What for?"

"I failed you. I promised I'd get Rooster back to you, but instead, I nearly got him killed and-"

"Hey, hey, hey, listen to me: you didn't fail me," Maverick interrupted softly yet firmly. "Rooster is alive, thanks to you, okay? Even if he had died, you wouldn't have failed me because I know you would've done everything in your power to try and get him back to me. I am so proud of you, Ghost. What you did to get you both back to this carrier is no small feat. I'm not sure I could've pulled it off."

"Yeah, you could've," Ghost replied, sniffling as her tears abated as quickly as they'd come. "After all, my thought process was WWMD: what would Maverick do?"

He grinned. "And sneak onto an enemy base and steal a plane was what popped into your head?"

"I know, I know, you would never do something like that."

"Might've done it once." Maverick took ahold of her good hand and squeezed it, green eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It's good to see you up and talking, Ghost. It was pretty touch-and-go there for a while. We weren't sure you were going to make it."

"Guess the saying is true: ghosts can't die a second time."

"Maybe, but I'd appreciate it if you don't test that theory again."

"We'd all appreciate that," Hangman added, walking back into the room with Rooster on his heels. "For the record, I've never seen a man move so fast on crutches on a ship, although people were moving out of our way to avoid getting whacked by his crutches. Pretty sure Cyclone was a victim of it."

Had it been any other time, Rooster most likely would've hit Hangman with his crutches, but not now. Instead, his focus remained solely on Ghost, a myriad of emotions flashing in his brown eyes. His shoulders as he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alive, thanks to you," Ghost said, thinking back to him holding her in the waves.

"I didn't-"

"You kept my head above the water. I might've been out of it, but I remember you grabbing me before I went under."

"I thought you were dead."

Ghost tilted her head in bewilderment. "But I was talking to you. I was telling you how I got my callsign."

Rooster blanched. "No, you were unconscious. You were barely breathing. If you were telling me you callsign-"

Although Ghost knew how he intended to finish that sentence, she cut him off with a different answer. "Then I must've been dreaming it."

"Yeah..."

An uncomfortable silence settled over the four of them, and Ghost wished Rooster would come within touching distance, so she could grab onto his hand as a reassurance that she wasn't dreaming again. However, he stayed out of reach, physically and emotionally.

Rooster cleared his throat. "I'm, uh, I'm glad to see you up. I'm going to head back to my bunk. Pain meds are making me a little wobbly, and I don't want to overcrowd the room-"

Maverick raised a suspicious eyebrow at his son. "If you want us to leave, we c-"

"No, no, it's fine. She and I both need rest. I'll, uh, see you later."

Rooster hobbled out of the room, leaving Maverick and Hangman more than a little perplexed and Ghost hurt.

"Bradshaw's always been weird," Hangman drawled, turning his attention from the doorway to his two companions, "but what the hell was that?"

"It's probably the pain medicine," Ghost lied, playing nonchalant despite the rapid beating of her heart monitor, most likely giving away her attempted deception. "Let him rest."

"Speaking of which, I know you just woke up, but you should be getting some, too," Maverick insisted, brushing a piece of hair out of her face.

Ghost wanted to argue, but seeing Rooster, narrowly escaping death, and the emotional turmoil of the past twenty-four hours caught up with her. Ghost could only nod in response before her eyelids became too heavy to keep open.

****

Tags: @supernaturaldawning @shanimallina87 @polikszena @lgg5989 @callsign-milano @bradshawsandbridgetons @harper1666 @shadeops21 @double-j @copaceticwriter @rotating-obsessions @sharkprestige @thedarkinmansfield @lapilark @mickeyluvs @starshipfantasy @bennypears00 @avabobava @the-navistar-carol @getmyprettynameoutofyourmouth @carmellasworld @0hb0llocks @nicangelinee @summ3rlotus @3picklesinajar @magentamistress @the-other-hawkeye @elisha-chloe @emilymarie105 @persephone11110 @luckyladycreator2 @boogdleyboo @k0k3 @bibissparkles @lilmonstrjedi @stinkyrat09 @cocoag19 @suburbzchick @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @goodstuff28 @georgiasimpson95 @horselovers2016 @tanithpriad125 @davidshawnsown @sowolfstudentme @agagafafa @callmemana @sec17 @brxklyn15 @h0ppy0the0sheep @tomanybandstolove @abigailannz @mini-bee-bee @super-btstrash-posts

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monpalace · 10 months

Text

ships .. (legend of zelda) link & (original character) s'avahili dragmire.

content .. in her mourning, s'avahili is visited by an old friend.

word count .. 2,455.

warnings .. i wrote this 3 years ago, then rewrote it in january (?) and haven't looked at it since then. beta'd by grammarly (not premium), so. i think i wrote this when i had gasli go by they/she pronouns and not he/him.

notes .. link and s'avahili's love language being food will never not be my favorite thing to write even if neither of them made it. i also wrote about this before thinking about the rest of venom's plot so ig this was my personal proof of concept + this was supposed to be in an act by itself with the first chapter called the beginning but nvm that ig😋✌🏽

S'avahili has long since been accustomed to wiping blood off her hands, both literally and metaphorically.

This time, unfortunately, is literal.

It was always literal when the chosen hero reached the end of his journey.

Her brother bled like a pig when Link plunged his sword into the jewel that adorned his forehead every lifetime; he did so even more when Zelda thought it best to pierce an arrow of light through his heart.

Ganondorf was still bleeding, his pig features making themselves present as Malice caused his skin to char and crack into a coal black, his blood instead seeping into the ground as though it were lava. It even had the viscosity.

When S'avahili drops to her knees beside Ganondorf's head and reaches for the hand he held out, she wonders when she became so accustomed to the feeling of blood on her hands and tragedy in her heart.

They'd never caught any semblance of a break in any of their incarnations either.

Ganondorf's hold tightens when she slides hers against his palm. She tries to return the gesture despite feeling weak and faint. When he turns his head against her knee (despite the discomfort) to better meet her eyes, S'avahili finally feels her eyes start to burn and water.

Though his expression was neutral and anger-drowned eyes were beginning to fill with other emotions, S'avahili still felt the need to speak.

"Remember when I died of heartbreak during the Era of Prosperity?" Incidentally, her voice cracks when she speaks, but she can't bring herself to mind when it does. Her other hand lowers to hold itself against his face. "I'm having a very similar feeling to then."

Ganondorf's grip tightens before immediately becoming lax. His strength was greatly diminishing, the master sword draining him of everything he was as the light arrow kept him weak.

She'd use the Triforce of Power to heal him if it weren't for the look Zelda was giving them from over the line of Gerudo warriors.

Rubbing her finger against the back of his hand, S'avahili sniffles again. "I don't think that'll happen again this time." She meant to add that she was still a child, thirteen, but words fail her. "I just.. feel it."

Ganondorf uses the last of his strength to make his other arm cusp the back of her head, letting it fall like deadweight so her face came in contact with the junction between his chin and neck.

A guttural noise makes its way to the ear that was pressed between her head and his throat. S'avahili was able to hear his low groan of comfort as his life finally left him, the noise and vibration slowly fading off into nothing.

She refuses to move until Gasli moves behind her and spreads his wings in front of his body, waiting for her to move. Itha had followed her husband, kneeling beside S'avahili to place a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Your mothers are home preparing the ceremony," they say in a gentle tone. She places a hand on S'avahili's side when she doesn't twitch at their touch. "If we leave now, we'll arrive in the valley before they finish. Caliban had his soldiers bring a carriage large enough to fit the both of you comfortably."

Finally forcing herself off Ganondorf's corpse, S'avahili takes a deep breath as she stands. "Have them bring it here." Her voice was no longer on the verge of sobbing, but instead filled with rocks and gravel.

She takes a moment to wrap her hands around the hilt of the Master Sword and ignores the pain that shoots its way throughout her body. She refuses to place her foot on his body for leverage, instead gathering strength with their Triforce to yank it out in a single, swift, and clean yank.

S'avahili wipes the blade of his blood before dropping it onto Gasli's wings. "Take that to Link, please."

He doesn't say anything, instead doing as requested as he tucks the sword into the leather band that wrapped around his waist. Gerudo warriors switch places with him, S'avahili maneuvering herself to stand at his head.

Gasli was never good during these moments. Itha had always taken the role of the leader for the coming months after the death of Ganondorf.

There was always consistency when it came to the end of the journey; S'avahili's glad she at least had that in her life.

It always went as followed;

First, the death of Malice and, subsequently, her brother. She'd gone through it hundreds of times before and she'd go through it thousands more times due to Ouroboros they were stuck in.

Second, the dispersal of all Hylians in the near vicinity. Everyone said it was for their own safety given there were only two with a Triforce and even they could barely handle the exertion of raw malice Ganondorf's body released upon his death.

Third, all Gerudo, Twili, Sheikah, Goron, Zora, and Rito returned home to mourn their losses and bury their dead before gathering together in the Sand Temple to perform the ceremony for Ganondorf's death; which was currently underway.

When one of the warriors calls her name to break her from her thoughts, she lets out a blank hum of acknowledgment. To be truthful, she almost jumped when one reached out to touch her shoulder when the blank look doesn't leave her eyes.

("Little sister," she had called. Not "Chieftess," "Chief," or "S'ava.")

(S'avahili feels a painful throb in her heart.)

"The carriage," another says between wary breaths, "it's here."

"Lift him," S'avahili directs, already squatting as she slid her hands beneath his head. She bites her tongue to keep herself from adding on "carefully," knowing they'd be so attentive with his body regardless of if she said it.

Mindful they are when they join S'avahili in lifting him. Precise, calculated movements as they place him in a coach, the interior of it surrounded entirely by plush, pillowy walls.

They were quiet as they removed their hands from him and left the carriage. Quiet enough that she could hear Yusef whispering with Sahir about his plans to join him in Kakariko village after Ganondorf's ceremony.

S'avahili presses the jewel on her forehead to his.

Though the weight of the carriage is heavily favoring its weight to the back, it tries to balance itself out when another body joins Yusef in the front.

"Link," Sahir hums with faux pleasance. S'avahili presses her jem against Ganondorf's with more pressure. "What brings you over here? Is your princess not going to chew your head off?"

Though she can't see him, S'avahili can imagine what he was doing as he spoke in a harsh rasp.

A shake of his head as he looks at his princess from over his shoulder. "She'll be fine," he says before biting his lip and adding an airy, "hopefully. Where are you all heading?"

"The Valley." Yusef had answered Link's question this time around, his voice making it sound curt. His eyes were likely on Zelda, locked in a heated, silent battle of their own. "Then home; for all of us."

"You're going back to Hyrule?"

"Going back?" Sahir had an amused expression on his face. "Are you not returning?"

There's a baited silence from all three parties that are cut by the bells of the horses' rein being pulled.

"Yeah."

"Will you travel to another continent?" Yusef asks as the horses begin pulling the carriage along. His voice was less tense. He'd stopped his staring at Zelda, instead focusing his attention on the extra passenger. "It's been a while since I've heard anything of the Chosen Hero leaving Hyrule."

"Maybe," Link responds in a simple tone. "I don't know."

S'avahili doesn't remember the last time she didn't suck up all her feelings as she left the battlefield.

Either way, she's ashamed to admit she still cries when she's alone, so many times after doing these cycles. It was the one thing she wished her subconscious hadn't tacked onto her internal schedule lifetime and lifetime again.

All she could taste was salt despite a month having passed since Gannondorf's burial. She had thrown up several times, both from refusal to eat and a frigid chill overwhelming all the systems of her body.

S'avahili's throat was sore and she hadn't been able to have a coherent thought in two weeks because of the migraines that had haunted her for the past two weeks.

It'd been a week since Ganondorf's burial and yet she still yearns to hold his hand, warm herself with the fires that burn beneath his skin, and help him cool down after an entire day's worth of training with their mothers— she couldn't care less. Just so long as she was able to feel his comfort before they were reincarnated again.

The world was uncharacteristically dark despite Ganondorf being gone. Din always refused to raise the sun until she was finished mourning her son. It happened every incarnation.

From what S'avahili had heard from Yusef, anyone who traveled relied on doing so in groups of seven or more. Torches weren't adequate enough to light more than a few wings-lengths ahead and monsters were acting as though every night was a blood moon.

(She was too tired to calm the monsters down. She had lost his mask long ago, but she doubted Agnar had anything to do with it.)

S'avahili covers her head with her blankets when she hears a pair of boots from outside the door of her room. There were very few options for who it could be.

No one who had access to the capital of the Gerudo wore boots.

Link's knocks to the wall were weak, full of hesitance. He was a little confident with the first and second, a few seconds cutting between the third and eventual fourth.

Was he trying to annoy her into answering? Knocking some secret code they had made in another lifetime that his subconscious never forgot? Regretting his visit?

Did S'avahili care?

She wishes she didn't.

"Sand Bunny?" Link's voice was soft and reserved, unfitting of the fourteen-year-old farmhand. She's sure his voice would've cracked if he were any louder. Puberty was starting to hit him and, like always, it was essentially a golden Lynel charging straight at him.

S'avahili forces her head to lift from her pile of pillows, face freed from the silk fabric. "What," she croaks painfully, unsure of if it came out as a question or statement.

He doesn't need anything else to enter her room, using his back to push the curtain aside and slide inside. His eyes momentarily catch on the unfinished mural of her ceiling before he turns to reveal the tray of food in his hands.

"Your moms sent me up here." His drawl messes with the way he pronounces each word, making S'avahili squirm to turn on her back so she can better hear and understand him. Link briefly lifts the tray higher to bring her attention to the food plated on it, placing it on the foot of her bed once he was in close enough range. "They said you'd listen to a friend when they tell you to eat."

His voice returns to normal upon making her in the candle-lit room.

Still quiet, but more Link.

"When's the last time you ate?"

"I don't have to eat as often as a Hylian."

At some point, Link had a gentle smile on his face. It was quickly wiped off upon registering her reply. "'n' how often is that?"

".. .. .. Often enough.."

He was well enough acquainted with her tastes to know what order she wanted to eat each plate.

Link starts small with the less filling food, wiping his hand off on his shirt, having long abandoned the matching green tunic and cap. He picks the fruit up with his fingers, cupping a hand beneath it before pressing it to her lips. "Open."

"I'm not hungry."

"Stop bein' stubborn."

S'avahili turns on her side to face away from him and uses her hands to cover her face. "I didn't realize not having an appetite made me stubborn."

"S'avahili." Link puts the plate down and forces her to move onto her back again. He hops onto her bed for extra measure, sitting on her thighs to ensure she wouldn't turn again. "Koume says you haven't eaten in weeks and Kotake won't stop talking about how she has to keep the entire city from freezing over."

("S'avahili.")

(That certainly didn't make her feel any better.)

S'avahili removes her fingers from in front of her eyes, peeking out to look at him. "My mothers talked to you? The Heavens must be running rampant with malice."

"They love me," Link responds, picking the plate up to try again.

S'avahili lets out a guttural noise of displeasure. She lowers her hands but refuses to open her mouth or lips. "I'm not stupid," she groans, instead using her hands to push his away, "it'd do you better to visit Dread. I heard he came up with—"

"I didn't call you stupid," Link interrupts with a furrow in his brow. "'n' I wasn't called all the way down here just to leave because you said no. I always finish something if someone asks."

"This isn't some pre-destined fate given to you. You're just doing a friend a favor."

He rolls his eyes and instead feeds himself the food, shifting off of her to instead lay beside her. "You talk about fate a lot," he says, gaze focusing on the mural once more. Tracing each era with his eyes, he points at no one in particular. "It's very.. characteristic of you at this point."

"As a child, when our mothers are training my brother, I always beg him to tell me a story when he returns home for the night. It's always the story of," S'avahili briefly stops rasping to take hold of his wrist, directing it to an era where his hair was white, "the First War. It's just the origins of each race and what led to the Triforce being created, but I've always been fascinated by it— fate, I mean."

She pauses for a moment to rub at her eyes tiredly. "I guess I get it from him," she adds upon noticing Link staring at her rather than the mural.

"Can you tell it to me?— Our past lives too."

"You want me to tell you a bedtime story?"

"The sun hasn't risen in a month, every story is a bedtime story."

Clearing her throat and folds her arms over her stomach, S'avahili dabs at her eyes a final time. "Then get comfortable," she directs. "It's a long one."

#majesty's personal utopias — venom

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