#i’ll have different eras of shipping various people
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tf2 brings out a multishipper i had no idea was within me.
#tf2#team fortress 2#literally i’ll consume ship art of ANY tf2 pairing except….#yk….#scout x spy 🤮#other than that#it’s fair game babyyyyy#i’ll have different eras of shipping various people#recently had my heavymedic era#now it’s helmet party#however science party is sneaking up on me rn….#helmet party#heavymedic#red oktoberfest#science party
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The Legend of Zelda and shipping
I can't understand people who are like "I only ship Link in every game with one single character ever." What the hell... HOW?!
This seems to be most most common with people who ship Zelda/Link or "Zelink" — always wanting every Zelda to be with Link, because they're the main characters, though the phenomenon does exist with Malink and some other ships as well. And that’s not to hate on Zelink and Malink, because I love them! SPECIFIC INCARNATIONS of them, I mean.
Because there are a bare minimum of EIGHT different incarnations of Link, and you can’t tell me you think every single dude named Link has chemistry with/should have romance with every single girl named Zelda. Like EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.? I just can't with that. It's unfathomable, IMO.
I mean, OKAY, let me back that up: I get that people find it romantic to think that these are like... some kind of soulmates who always find each other through every reincarnation ala Hawkman and Hawkgirl or something, but it's not like they even display the same personality traits or share memories or something in each version of themselves. They just... act like totally different people quite regularly. Because by all accounts, they are.
Furthermore... shit - if we assume the incarnations are all descendants of one another and the same descendancy lines keep hooking up with the same partner lines, at what point do we wind up becoming dangerously incestuous with this repeated pairing? Because that shit seems INEVITABLE in such a case…?
NAH, my fam — I believe each Link and each Zelda are their own person, with their own traits. Their only unifying truth is that every person Link will ALWAYS look best in a green tunic and matching green, pointy flop-hat. (Sorry; I don't make the rules. Facts is facts.)
With that in mind, these are my sundry ships for various Links. And I apologize in advance for the fact that they're all boringly het. :P
Skyward Sword — Zelink, absolutely. Childhood Friend Romance always gets me right in the heart. I love these two together. The casual playfulness and fondness they display. The lengths they'll go to in order to see each other/protect each other. And although Zelda loses some of her distinct personality when she learns she's a reincarnation of Hylia, she gets her groove back near the end, so it's all good.
Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask/SC2 — Malink with a bullet. The singing farmgirl and the boy without a fairy, two people who felt alone in the world and find each other. The nicknames! "Don't be long, fairy boy." The fact that you can declare your romantic intentions for Malon while you're still a fucking KID! The Gossip Stone that tells you how much Malon pines to be saved from her daily life by a hero on a horse! It's SO GOOD.
Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass — I'm only mentioning this era because this Link is an ACTUAL CHILD. He's like, what? EIGHT? Maybe ten, if we're feeling generous? So I just want to say: Yeah... I just can't bring myself to ship this literal child with anybody. It ain't RIGHT.
Link's Awakening — Marink. If you weren't feeling these two by the time their sunset beach conversation wrapped up, I don't know what to even say to you. This was probably my first serious ship from playing the TLoZ games. Plus this ship is a good reason why the original black-and-white Game Boy version's secret ending is actually the best version of that bonus scene.
Twilight Princess — Ilink. Is there even any other contender worth mentioning? The writing and direction of the cut scenes makes it pretty clear that Link and Ilia are sweet on each other. You barely even meet Zelda in this game, and the only other option would probably be, well... Midna? You know - your partner imp that spends most of the game trash-talking you for her personal lulz and repeatedly slamming her body weight down HARD onto your spine? Mm, I’ll pass.
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Breath of the Wild/Age of Calamity/TotK — Miphlink/Miphalink, no items, FINAL DESTINATION. Their story makes my heart just ACHE. The flashback to Mipha healing him up... Mipha's diary (OMFG that diary)... the Zora armor and its descriptions... holy SHIT, fam. And even if that story DIDN'T melt me into a complete puddle, Zelda put herself out of consideration by stealing my fucking house. I don’t understand why she pulled that, but given her privileged upbringing, I doubt she understands the value/expense of home ownership. So maybe she thought this was like yoinking a french fry. :P
Haven't Played — The only major entry I haven't played yet is "Spirit Tracks" on the DS. So I can't speak to that incarnation at this point. But the two things I can say is A) The Zelda/Link relationship sure appears cute? but B) This is also the same style of Link seen in Wind Waker, so I won't be surprised if she's supposed to be a LITERAL CHILD again (and therefore not a shippable character for me).
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a chanbaek analysis from a veteran exo-l
before anything else there are a few disclaimers i'd like to make:
i am writing this analysis right now because as a non exo stan i'm not into chanbaek that much anymore. of course i like them to some degree since i'm writing this and all but it's nothing in comparison to the way i felt about them two years ago. so i feel like it's easier to keep a less clouded (?) state of mind being where i'm at right now, mentally, in regards to them. i feel like i can look at things more objectively, which is why i decided to write this and share it with you all.
for all the smart asses out there, this is a ship analysis. yes, i’m reading too much into everything. that’s what an analysis is.
all translation credits goes to @/fyeah-chanyeol
i'm a chanyeol stan. this analysis will, most likely, have more information about him in comparison to baekhyun. this is simply because i consumed more content about him since he's my bias (such as magazine interviews, fancams).
i don't stan exo anymore, but it's not because of anything they did. i liked them for a long time and made a lot of different friends because of this fandom, therefore i experienced a lot of hurt, scandals, fights and didn't deal very well with many things, so i decided to leave. this didn't happen because of exo themselves and neither did it happen because of the fandom itself. it happened because of the relationships i had.
that being said, i haven't been following them closely for the past year and a half, but i still keep up with stuff a bit, although not chanbaek related stuff since i gotta dive in kinda deeper for that lmao. so this analysis is mostly in depth for 2012-2018. if anything that you perceive as significant happened after 2018 i'm more than willing to hear your opinions about it.
so, let's get started!!
MAMA ERA
I have always felt like Chanyeol and Baekhyun's relationship was strange. I started shipping them when they debuted and more specifically because of the 130128 ISAC. When I was younger I didn't see a lot to discuss in their ISAC interactions besides it being cute and shippy, but I've started to look at it differently now.
I think everyone knows how ISAC is known for being basically a stage for fanservice. The whole "dating ground for idols" issue aside, judging from the amount of attention they direct towards the fans who manage to attend the event, idols are clearly instructed to perform fanservice. EXO's first ISAC had to be full of it, obviously, and they did give fans a lot to be happy about, content we still get giddy about to this day, and I'm sure they were instructed to act like this to please us. I don't believe that fanservice equals "false interactions": if two individuals are talking, touching each other, they are interacting, even if it is a carefully planned setting made specifically for pleasing fans. They still get reactions out of one another through these interactions, it is still relevant to the way these people's relationship will develop; even though these acts are done with the intent of pleasing a crowd.
Don't get me wrong, though. I don't think the 2013 ISAC fanservice changed anything in Chanbaek's relationship. In fact, I just want to use it as a way to illustrate something I will explain later on.
To be remembered in an industry you must have an image. You won't be getting anywhere without a carefully constructed visual image. Marilyn Monroe is always used as an example of this: she's someone you can easily make a costume of and people will instantly recognize it as her. She's basically a concept by now: blonde hair, red lips and white hair. These aspects take our mind back to her instantly. Of course, most celebrities don't achieve this type of icon status, but it is still important to cling to a specific concept/image of what you want your celebrity self to be perceived as. Without this, you'll be forgotten as soon as your career ends.
When Chanyeol debuted, he clung to the first trait they gave him: being a happy person, a.k.a "happy virus". If you were not an EXO fan back in 2013 then it's likely you're not even aware of this nickname that was given to him, but it's basically just what it sounds like (lol). He was bright, energetic, had a "teeth rich" smile (another nickname that was given to him back then), was able to give 10/10 laughter reactions to MCs and to his members jokes, was always enthusiastic to interact and smile towards fans. He even introduced himself as "happy virus Chanyeol" in interviews (and later on that changed to "EXO's voice Chanyeol" or "EXO's rapper Chanyeol").
I feel like Chanyeol was very much aware of this "must have" that I mentioned, this need to have an image pasted into yourself and have that image be what people will remember you as. We're all complex and multifaceted individuals, but the general public needs something simple to grab on to, something easy to remember. That happy guy from EXO? I know who he is! I'm sure this is the path Chanyeol chose, back when he debuted: to pick a trait given to you by the public and make it a huge part of your image.
However, that image of him didn't last very long. It certainly became tiring to worry so much about how he was being perceived, to carefully construct something so his career would last, specially when his group had so many scandals and went through a sudden burst of popularity that changed their lives completely. By 2017, Chanyeol already had a change of mind in relation to his career, these changes being mostly due to how he felt about music and what he wanted to do with it.
He recognized himself as having always being impatient, which might be the reason why he clung to a specific image so fast right after debuting:
From Fall Magazine in 2017
"At the moment I just want to enjoy myself with the music as it comes, without feeling as though I have to do something. It isn’t a greed from impatience, I could call it more of a greed to do better."
"When I first debuted I thought I was very optimistic, but as time has passed I think a more reserved side of me is showing."
"I think I've grown in many ways. Maybe it’s because it’s as though I perform everyday, but the stage has become comfortable for me. Shall we say I’ve become more calm and composed? [...] I think I’ve become more mature."
He matured. He's still bright and energetic but he's also more reserved. He managed to keep up the fanservice that his fans adore in a way that is more fitting to his actual personality. It still is an image, but an image that's not as exhausting as his previous one, with its strict demands to act in a certain way all the time. I remember specific interview with MCs demanding him to smile (although jokingly, of course) saying things like "Aren't you EXO's happy virus?", so I'm sure he felt pressured.
This is interesting to think about when put side by side with his relationship with Baekhyun. Back when they debuted, Chanyeol and Baekhyun were close friends that clearly felt comfortable with each other, and it isn't surprising to think that Baekhyun would be Chanyeol's first pick when he thought about doing fanservice with someone. Of course, I can't exactly pinpoint their first fanservice moment since I'm not a walking EXO encyclopedia anymore, but I can say with certainty that both of them felt like it worked as soon as they first tried it with the fans, and that's the reason why they kept doing it. Conveniently, they were both good friends, so all was good.
Until well, it wasn't.
At some point, Chanyeol's interactions with Baekhyun seemed too eager for Baekhyun himself. There are various moments where this is visible, such as this one:
Why are you grabbing my wrist out of nowhere young man........
Or...
That one pic where Jongdae, who was in front of them, looked so damn uncomfortable I can't even bring myself to google it
Of course, they had some over the top fanservice that did work out pretty well, such as this one, both of them imitating Jonghyun's and Taemin's Internet War stage, which seems a little scripted now that I look at it properly, with Baekhyun seemingly expecting Chanyeol to do whatever it is that he did on that day. (Can you imagine this: both of them backstage, watching Jonghyun's and Taemin's performance in silence, and one of them just blurts out "We should do that too!". What the fuck was going on)
By the way, if you have never seen the original Internet War performance, you can watch it here.
This is what they were imitating.
Tumblr won’t let me upload the gifs for this moment for some reason, so here and here.
You can't tell me Baekhyun wasn't expecting it already, lol.
Now, know what this moment reminds me of? ISAC. On their Internet War imitation moment, Baekhyun seemed fine, playful, even, agreeing. During ISAC, however, doing basically the same thing again (this time on a lighter way even; since they weren't, you know. Imitating a strong performance such as Internet War.), he appears reluctant. It's a bit painful to watch.
What changed? The ISAC event happened a few months after the SMTOWN concert where they did the Internet War thing, so what made things become so different?
If this has enough likes I’ll make a second part!
#i got tired halfway through writing and i decided i needed some motivation to finish this so i'm posting it the way it is lmao#chanbaek#baekyeol#park chanyeol#byun baekhyun#exo#kpop
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THE A.T.O.M. CREATE A KAIJU CONTEST 3-D!!!
YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE SAFE! YOU THOUGHT THAT THE TIME OF MONSTERS WAS AT AN END! BUT YOU WERE WRONG, FOR NOW YOU MUST WITNESS…
THE A.T.O.M. CREATE A KAIJU CONTEST 3-D!!!
That’s right, it’s back! Celebrating the publication of The Atomic Time of Monsters Volume 2: Tyrantis Roams the Earth! (which in turn completes The Ballad of Tyrantis arc for this series), I’m holding another monster design jam. The third of such jams, in fact!
Like the first A.T.O.M. Create a Kaiju Contest, the aim of this contest is to create kaiju that would fit within the setting of my big kaiju story series, The Atomic Time of Monsters. Think of it as me letting you into my sandbox to play with my toys for a bit, or like you’re being put in the director’s chair of a new ATOM-verse kaiju movie. That means your entry does have to fit into ATOM’s world, which in turn means that yes, there are limitations to your creativity here. But limitations can be good sometimes - they can make us explore options we wouldn’t consider when given completely free rein to do what we want!
(also you don’t have to make a three dimensional image or anything, the title’s just a pun on how the third movie in a monster movie franchise will often be a 3-D film)
Read below the cut to learn the rules and whatnot:
THE RULES:
1. You are limited to one entry per person. Work hard and make your entry count!
2. Your kaiju must have some sort of description of its physical appearance and its personality - you can submit a drawing or a written description (or both!) for the physical appearance depending on what you’re most comfortable with. Using the same template/format as my official ATOM Kaiju Files (https://horrorflora.com/monster-menageries/atom-kaiju-files/) isn’t required, but it was cool when people did it in the last contest, so feel free to do so this time too!
3. The kaiju you create must specifically be created for this contest - no repurposing characters you made for other, wildly different stories. This is not “trick TT into drawing/canonizing my main OC” time.
4. The kaiju must fit the setting and aesthetics of ATOM. I’ll explain this in more detail down below.
5. The kaiju should add something meaningful to the world of ATOM. The more unique and interesting your kaiju is, the more likely you will win the contest.
6. Don’t make your kaiju too dependent on pre-existing ATOM characters - no “Tyrantis’s long lost evil brother who’s the strongest kaiju in the world.” These should be to Tyrantis’s story what War of the Gargantuas is to Godzilla’s movies – heroes (well, monsters) of another story in the same world.
THE REWARDS:
I will make pencil sketches of the top 5 entries in the contest.
I will then make fully rendered illustrations (lineart, colors, & shading) of the top three entries.
The winning entry will be made into a model ala the ones I’ve been making for ATOM’s core 50 monsters, which can then be shipped to the person who created it (should they be able to cover the shipping costs). That’s right, your kaiju could be brought to life in THREE GLORIOUS TECHNICOLOR DIMENSIONS! (Hey, we worked the gag title in to the prizes!)
THE DEADLINE: All entries must be submitted by July 3rd, 2021. You can submit it here on tumblr, via the horror flora e-mail, or any other channel you know how to reach me through. I’m in a lot of places.
THE GUIDELINES (TO HELP YOUR ENTRY FIT THE RULES AND WIN):
The smartest thing you could do if you want to win this contest is familiarize yourself with the world of ATOM by, y’know, reading all the material I’ve published on the subject. In addition to the many kaiju files that are free to read on horrorflora.com, there are now TWO, count ‘em, TWO novels in this series for you to peruse, both of which establish many of the rules of the setting as well as its general themes and tone! You can get them in either paperback or e-book formatting (I’d recommend the former over the latter since I lack the technology to make a really nice ebook, but if money is an object, the kindle version is only $1). Here’s the links again if you missed them:
Vol. 1: Tyrantis Walks Among Us!
Vol. 2: Tyrantis Roams the Earth!
However, since I know reading a bunch of stuff is, y’know, not something everyone is inclined to do, I’ll jot some good bullet points for you in an attempt to outline how ATOM works in a brief, easily digested way:
ATOM is an homage to the monster fiction of the 1950’s and 60’s (i.e. the Atomic Age), and is set in those two decades, albeit an alternate universe version of them where, y’know, monsters and space aliens exist. If you aren’t familiar with the monster fiction I’m referring to, there will be some reference material provided at the end of this post along with some recommendations for further research.
Kaiju/giant monsters in ATOM work under very specific rules. There’s a full description of those rules at this link, but here’s the jist:
ATOM Kaiju are created created by the radiation of a mineral called Yamaneon, which naturally converts harmful radiation into its own unique energy. In natural circumstances, it takes hundreds of years of exposure to Yamaneon radiation for a creature to become fully transform into a kaiju (luckily, Yamaneon radiation slows the aging process while speeding up the healing process). However, an explosive burst of energy - such as the geothermal and kinetic energy released by an earthquake, or the blast of a nuclear weapon - can speed up the process, turning a normal animal into a kaiju within a matter of seconds.
All ATOM kaiju can heal grievous wounds within minutes or even seconds, are supernaturally strong and durable, and can convert harmful radiation to harmless energy that they then feed off of. Kaiju do not have an equivalent of old age, and can theoretically live forever (though their violent lifestyle means that few do).
ATOM Kaiju generally don’t need to eat unless they are severely injured, getting most of the energy they need from solar or geothermal radiation - but many still have instincts that drive them to seek out food from time to time.
Most ATOM kaiju stand roughly 100 feet tall (depending on their body shape), i.e. smaller than the original 1954 Godzilla. There are exceptions to this rule - younger kaiju can be smaller, while exceedingly old kaiju can be significantly larger, but these are rare.
In general, ATOM kaiju are significantly more intelligent and emotionally complex than people expect animals to be, though most are incapable of speech or complex tool use. There’s a reason ATOM Kaiju Files have a “personality” section.
Most ATOM Kaiju are tooth and claw fighters - ranged weapons are a rarity in this setting.
While the terrestrial monsters in ATOM look strange, they are intended to fit within the taxonomy of animals in reality - reptiles, mammals, fish, arthropods, molluscs, etc.
ATOM’s mesozoic era was dominated by a fictional clade of crocodile-relatives called retrosaurs, which are based on the outdated paleoart that one would find in the 1950’s/60’s fiction - i.e. when dinosaurs were viewed as trail dragging lizards instead of strange birds. You can learn more about retrosaurs here (https://horrorflora.com/2016/11/15/atom-kaiju-file-bonus-a-guide-to-retrosaurs/).
Kaiju appear on every continent in ATOM, but certain areas tend to be dominated by different types.
North America is mainly besieged by retrosaur kaiju and giant arthropods.
East Asia is technically also mainly plagued by retrosaurs and big arthropods, though they tend to look more fantastical and mythic - and, often, oddly well suited to being portrayed by a person wearing a monster suit.
Russia is beset by prehistoric monsters that seem to come from the Cenozoic, particularly the Ice Age.
Western Europe is plagued by creatures that vaguely resemble creatures from myth, if they were also prehistoric. Dragon-y lizards, fiery birds, etc.
Towards the mid-way point of ATOM’s timeline, earth is invaded by a coalition of aliens from different solar systems called the Beyonder Alliance, and as a result a bunch of alien monsters can be found on earth.
Mars and Venus both host (or hosted in Mars’s case) animal life. The surviving Martians colonized Venus, and sent some of their kaiju guardians to earth to help us fend off the Beyonders (who are responsible for the destruction of Mars’s ecosystem). Martian and Venusian kaiju have specific anatomical quirks, which you can see by looking at these kaiju files:
Venusians:
https://horrorflora.com/2017/01/03/atom-kaiju-file-29-karamtor/
Martians:
https://horrorflora.com/2017/01/17/atom-kaiju-file-39-kemlasulla/
https://horrorflora.com/2017/01/17/atom-kaiju-file-40-podritak/
https://horrorflora.com/2017/01/17/atom-kaiju-file-41-sombarvot/
https://horrorflora.com/2017/01/17/atom-kaiju-file-38-ullawdra/
Giant robots exist in ATOM, but are big, bulky, and incredibly expensive. Fancy beam weapons also exist, but are similarly clunky - there are no sleek, elegant machines in ATOM.
Since the fiction ATOM takes inspiration from was made at a time when interplanetary travel was only just beginning to be possible, its scope is significantly smaller than modern sci-fi. Alternate universes/dimensions were pretty uncommon because the idea of alien planets still held a lot of wonder to it. So, as a general rule, don’t try to go farther than the one galaxy.
ATOM is a setting for stories that are focused on humanity learning to coexist with monsters, rather than humanity destroying them. A certain level of sympathy is put into almost every creature of its canon, even the ones that are meant to be villains.
REFERENCE MATERIAL
Here is a playlist of 1950′s monster movie trailers.
Here is some reference material from various monster comics of the 50′s and 60′s.
Good movies to track down to understand ATOM’s inspiration and tone include Ghidorah the 3 Headed Monster, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, Them!, The Black Scorpion, 20 Million Miles to Earth, Gamera, The Giant Claw, and The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra.
And here’s the intro cutscenes for all the different giant monsters in the PS2 videogame War of the Monsters.
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What to do in New Orleans
What to do in New Orleans
Do you want to go to New Orleans but aren't sure where to begin? I'll tell you about some of the top things to see in New Orleans in this article (Louisiana). NOLA, or The Big Easy as its residents refer to it, is known around the world as the metropolis of jazz, Creole cuisine, and a distinct dialect.
New Orleans, located in southeastern Louisiana, is described as beautiful, colorful, relaxing, and fun.
It is a city of French and Spanish ancestry with strong African-American characteristics, exhibiting American pluralism via architecture, music, and cuisine.
Since President Thomas Jefferson purchased New Orleans for $15 million from Napoleon Bonaparte, it has been a great American rare.
Immersing yourself in its French Quarter is like stepping back in time to the 18th century, while also taking in the cultural distinctives that have been added during the 19th and 20th centuries to create this the country's most eclectic city.
Due to its origins on the banks of the famous Mississippi River, it has a large ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity, as well as one of the most important musical diversity in the United States. It is a melting pot of cultures, including French, Spanish, African, Latin, and Caribbean, and as a result, the majority of its residents are of African heritage.
1. Go to New Orleans' French Quarter.
Bourbon Street is located in the center of New Orleans' French Quarter.
The French Quarter is unquestionably the crown jewel and thus one of New Orleans' must-see attractions. It covers around 13 blocks from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue and is known among its residents as "The Vieux Carre" or simply "French Quarter." Bourbon Street, studded with restaurants, cafes, bars, and strip clubs, is one of the city's most popular and busiest streets.
Visit James Square, one of the city's most prominent squares, which is located along the Mississippi River. You can see the gorgeous St. Louis Cathedral from here, or take a rest in the famous Café du Monde, which was built in 1896.
2. Show your support for the New Orleans Saints.
Of course, we can't ignore the most popular sport in the United States, American soccer. This sport is extremely popular in Louisiana, particularly in New Orleans. The New Orleans Saints, 2011 Superbowl champions, and their home stadium, the stunning Mercedes-Benz Superdome, are based in New Orleans. The team is well-liked and respected by the locals because they exemplify the principles of hard work, tenacity, and never giving up in the face of adversity.
These qualities also represent this metropolis, particularly when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005 and wreaked havoc on the city. After winning the Super Bowl, the team's fans elevated them to the status of heroes.
3. Get to know New Orleans by riding the streetcars.
Streetcars in New Orleans
Another thing I recommend doing in New Orleans is taking the streetcars to get a feel for the city. These fantastic electric streetcars date back to the 1600s and provide lovely excursions in buildings that are still in use today.
There are currently four primary lines that provide tours of some of New Orleans' most popular and noteworthy attractions. You'll be able to see the Mississippi River from angles you've never seen before on one of these tours.
4. Louis Armstrong Park and Congo Square
Congo Square is a historically significant square. New Orleans was the only city in the northern United States that allowed slaves to meet in public and play their native music during the French colonial era, when slaves were transported.
On Sundays, their one day off, they met in Congo Square to do so. Today, it is part of Louis Armstrong Park, which was once known as "La Place des Negres" by the settlers, where they sang, played music, and sold homemade cuisine. As a result, it may be stated that in the early twentieth century, Congo Square gave birth to an era's worth of indigenous music: Jazz.
5. Treat your ears to some music at Preservation Hall.
New Orleans' Preservation Hall is a jazz venue.
The Preservation Hall, located on St. Peter Street in the center of the French Quarter, is a historic location where you can enjoy acoustic jazz music in an intimate setting practically every day of the year. Every day, the facility has a cast of more than 50 local musicians who perform in various formats.
If you come in on any given night, you'll be treated to the sight and sound of local and resident musicians improvising great tunes. If you appreciate this type of music, New Orleans holds one of the country's largest jazz events, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which takes place every year.
6. Historic Voodoo Museum in New Orleans
New Orleans was the core of the slave trade and commerce in the United States before the abolition of slavery in the 18th century. During this period, the slaves' cultural and religious traditions, which originated mostly in Africa and Haiti, were assimilated into the metropolis. Voodoo was one of the city's most enduring traditions.
After centuries, the city of New Orleans established the New Orleans Historic Vodoo Museum, which is solely committed to educate people about African culture and religion. Throughout history, ritual books and voodoo dolls or amulets have been found here.
7. Take a walk in City Park in New Orelans to get some fresh air.
City Park, one of the city's main green lungs, situated roughly 3 miles northwest of the French Quarter. With a total area of 5.3 square kilometers, you can breathe fresh air while exploring centuries-old oak forests, walking routes, biking paths, lakes, picnic places, and more. The New Orleans Museum of Art, as well as the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, a garden full of free sculptures and the New Orleans Botanical Garden, are all located inside the park's borders.
The park also features two stadiums, golf courses, rugby and soccer grounds, and hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including weddings and the Vodoo Music + Arts Experience, which is the largest music festival in the world.
8. The New Orleans Museum of Art is number eight on the list.
If you enjoy art, the New Orleans Museum of Art - NOMA - is a must-see in New Orleans. The museum, which is located within the magnificent City Park, has an extensive art collection of 40,000 items covering 5,000 years of history, as well as a sculpture garden in City Park that is open to the public for free.
Hours:
Monday was a holiday.
From 10:00 a.m. until 18:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.
Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Price:
Adults are charged $15.
Students at universities pay $8.
Admission is free for those aged 19 and younger.
9. Oak Alley Plantation is number nine on the list.
Oak Alley Plantation's Avenue of Oaks
Nearly a dozen old plantations with gorgeous houses and exquisite gardens can be found about 50 miles west of Downtown, along the Mississippi River. Whitney Plantation, Laura Plantation, and Felicity Plantation are a few examples. A visit to Oak Alley Plantation is highly recommended.
You'll need at least 2 hours to absorb 200 years of history and tour all of the properties of this old sugar plantation, when roughly a hundred slaves worked between the field and the house as men, women, and children.
Schedule:
Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m.
Price:
Adults are charged $25.
$10 for youth (13-18 years old).
$7 for children aged 6 to 12.
Admission is free for children under the age of five.
10. Take a Mississippi River cruise
I urge that you see New Orleans from a different vantage point. Get to know it by taking a trip down the Mississippi River on the Natchez, Louisiana's most famous steamboat. It would be nearly difficult to truly appreciate New Orleans without traveling down the Mississippi and aboard the Natchez.
You will not only go through the entire city of New Orleans on this expedition, but you will also travel through the states of Kentucky and Missouri, among others. Aboard this lovely old ship, you will have a wonderful time. Don't miss out on wonderful meals and fantastic musical performances!
11. Enjoy a meal at the historic Commander's Palace.
Commander's Place Restaurant in the Garden District of New Orleans
The remarkable ethnic mix of New Orleans is reflected not just in religion and music, but also in the food. The most popular cuisine in the city is "Cajun," which combines classic, rustic French cuisine with regional products and influences.
The legendary Commander's Place restaurant is located in the Garden District, surrounded by lovely and historic colonial farmhouses. I recommend stopping by to get a feel for the area and sample some Creole cuisine.
The National WWII Museum is number 12 on the list.
New Orleans is home to the acclaimed National WWII Museum, which opened in 2000. This museum is a must-see for history buffs who want to learn everything there is to know about WWII.
You can also accomplish it using interactive artefacts and artifacts from the historical period. It is, without a doubt, an attraction not to be missed.
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Somewhere in the Crowd There's You | Rosnali
Summary: Denali and Rosé were best friends all through middle and high school, but had to part ways after graduating in 1998. But even years later, the one thing that always connected them were the mixtapes Rosé would make.
Ship: Rosnali
Word Count: 2174
Rating: T
ao3 | ko-fi
Bonus: Denali's Playlist for Rosé
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“Denali, so help me god if you’re late to graduation you will not make it to college!” her mother shouted up the stairs.
Denali groaned and rolled her eyes. “I’m coming!” she yelled back down to her. She pressed ‘stop’ on her CD player and popped the cover open, taking the disk out and putting it into its correct sleeve in her CD book. It was a smaller one, as it only contained her most precious ones - the mixtapes Rosé had given her over the years.
The two of them had been best friends since they had both transferred to the same Manhattan school in sixth grade, Denali coming from Alaska and Rosé from Scotland. Both of them had felt out of place and immediately sought refuge in each other and had been inseparable ever since. And one thing that had always been consistent in their friendship was Rosé’s love of burning CDs and giving them to her, whether it was for a special occasion or just because she thought Denali would like it, and she always did.
“And don’t even think about trying to take your walkman!”
She huffed, looking at it waiting for her on her bed. “Fine,” she threw her gown over her dress and grabbed her cap before hustling out the door.
Any attitude she might have had disappeared the second she got out of the car and saw Rosé. she sprinted towards the taller girl, launching herself into her arms. “Rosie!”
Rosé scooped Denali up without hesitation, one arm wrapped around her waist and the opposite hand holding her thigh. “Hi Dee,” she cooed, spinning around with her before eventually setting her back down. “I got something for you.”
Denali giggled as Rosé reached up under her gown because of course, she would manage to get away with wearing pants at graduation. She beamed from ear to ear as Rosé placed a CD in her hand. Written in pink glitter gel pen over masking tape was ‘Denali + Rosé: Class of ‘98’, with a heart over the ‘i’. She looked at the tracklist and smiled when she saw one was highlighted - that meant Rosé had recorded herself singing, and that was her favorite part. “Super Trouper?” she tilted her head, noting it was the only song on the list that hadn’t come out during their time in high school.
She shrugged, a tinge of pink ghosting her cheeks. “I like ABBA and the song made me think of you.”
“I love it,” she quickly assured, hugging her tightly before sliding the mixtape into her macrame crossbody bag. “Come on, we better go take our seats so we can say goodbye to our childhood.”
Rosé arched her brow. “Bit grim when you put it that way, but let’s go.”
After graduation Rosé and Denali went to dinner together with their families, then back to Denali’s house for a sleepover, likely one of the last ones they would have before college. But they didn’t want to think about that, instead focusing on enjoying the time they had together.
It wasn’t easy for either of them, and Denali was left with a difficult decision. When she was twelve, she acknowledged the fact that she was attracted to girls, but decided it was best to not do anything about it. At sixteen, she realized that it wasn’t just girls in general, that would be too easy to ignore. For the past two years, she had accepted the fact that she was in love with Rosé, but too paralyzed with fear to do anything about it.
So, she made a mixtape. Each song one declaration of love after another. And it had been sitting in her closet for a week now while she tried to talk herself into giving it to her best friend. She knew it was now or never, tonight had to be the night.
“Something on your mind?” Rosé gently prompted.
Denali hesitated, then shook her head. “I’m just gonna miss you,” she told her, sitting next to her cross-legged on the bed. “We’re gonna stay in touch, right?”
“Of course,” Rosé assured. “We can call each other and talk on AIM when we can get to the campus libraries,” she suggested, resting her hand on Denali’s thigh and squeezing gently. “I think we can make it work.”
She chewed on her lip and nodded. “If you think so, then I do too.” She glanced back at her closet, thinking, her heart racing. Rosé cared enough about her to want to make their friendship work. Maybe there was a chance…
“Hey,” Rosé prompted to change the subject, “I rented Cinderella with Brandi from Blockbuster, you wanna watch?”
Denali nodded, letting her fear quell her desire to give her the disk. “Yeah, I’ll go make some popcorn.”
Six Years Later
Manhattan felt almost as foreign to Denali as it did when she first moved there. Despite the nostalgia that filled her when she walked past Broadway, recalling seeing RENT there with Rosé for her eighteenth birthday, or the other little things that brought her back to her teenage years, she felt odd, out of place. It made her stomach churn with the way everything seemed to change.
It didn’t help that, despite all of the promises they had made to each other, she had lost touch with Rosé sometime after the start of her sophomore year. Their lives had gotten so busy, so involved, it just dissipated and she had to try her best to move on.
And most days Denali was able to go about her life as normal. She returned to her apartment with lunch for herself and her roommate. Her new normal. “Liv! Come eat!”
Olivia promptly emerged from her room, a piece of paper in her hand. “Check out this flyer I snagged from the café a few blocks over. They’re having a karaoke night tonight, we should go,” at Denali’s hesitation, she jutted out her bottom lip and batted her lashes. “C’mon, please? They’re gonna have alcohol.”
With a jokingly dramatic sigh, she acquiesced. “Okay, fine, but don’t even think about trying to drag me on stage before I’ve had at least three drinks.”
After lunch, the two of them got ready for the night, doing their hair and makeup and picking out just the right outfits for the modern y2k-era nightlife. The walk to the café was about ten minutes and they were able to get a table before the room started to fill up. Her attention faded in and out as people started to perform, nursing her drink and picking at the chips on the table.
“Alright, who’s next?” the event host prompted, scanning the room. “You, in the pink, right this way!” There were some scattered cheers as a woman took the stage, but Denali didn’t look up until she started singing.
Olivia noticed the sudden alertness in her friend. “What, you’re an ABBA fan?”
“No, no I know that voice,” she insisted, shushing her to focus on the stage better. There was no way, it couldn’t be…
“But I won’t feel blue like I always do. ‘Cause somewhere in the crowd there’s-” Rosé looked into the audience, her eyes meeting Denali’s and her breath hitching in her throat, nearly missing the last word, but when she got it out, it was as if she were singing to her once again, “...you.”
Before Denali could decide what to do, Rosé was making a beeline for her, then she was standing right in front of her, looking more beautiful than Denali could’ve ever anticipated. “Rosie?” she asked softly, afraid it was too good to be true.
A broad smile stretched across Rosé’s face as if she were wondering the same thing until that moment. “Denali!” She yanked the smaller woman to her feet and pulled her into a tight embrace, one that neither of them ever wanted to end. “When did you move back to New York?”
“Couple weeks ago officially. My parents moved out to Long Island, so I was staying with them while I was trying to find a place. That’s how I met Olivia, my roommate,” Denali explained, gesturing to the girl still sitting at the table.
Olivia offered a polite wave and smile in response. “It seems like you guys have some catching up to do, I’m gonna go on stage next then, um, keep myself busy,” she decided and scurried off.
“Let’s go outside,” Rosé suggested, the two of them leaving the café and sitting on a bench in front of it. “I’ve missed you so much. What have you been up to?”
Denali shrugged. “Got my BFA in dance, worked with a few different companies either performing or choreographic. And last year I was in Zumanity, which was quite the experience,” she blushed a bit as she recalled that, unsure if Rosé was familiar with the type of show it was, “and now I’m here as a full-time dance teacher and choreographer. What about you?”
Rosé’s eyes did widen at the name, feeling her face start to redden as her mind started to wander, wondering what sort of things Denali had performed on stage. While she hadn’t seen the show, she had seen commercials when watching TV late at night. She’d nearly missed her question, clearing her throat and centering herself. “Oh, well, my life hasn’t been as interesting as yours, I got my BFA in musical theatre, did various off-Broadway gigs, and… you’re going to laugh… I’m the understudy for the lead role in Mamma Mia here on Broadway.”
“Mamma Mia… the ABBA jukebox musical?” She covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh, a bit of giggling slipping through. “A little on the nose, isn’t it Rosie? But I’m very happy for you.”
“Maybe so, but I’m much more interested in this Zumanity stint. I mean, I always knew you had that skill level but that’s a… unique setting,” Rosé retorted, her interest, and perhaps something more, very piqued.
Denali looked down and grinned. “It was. Everyone there was incredibly talented too, it was so freeing, so queer,” she said, then hesitantly looked back up to reaffirm, “which I also am, you know, gay.”
Rosé chuckled softly and nodded. “I kind of suspected as much, just with the way you reacted when we saw RENT,” she recalled, then quickly followed up with, “I am too.”
An eight-year-long weight lifted from Denali’s chest at the confession. “Do you wanna come back to my place? It’s just a couple of blocks over, we can have a sleepover like we used to,” she suggested.
“I’d love that,” she grinned, and as they walked back to the apartment, she had her arm slung around Denali’s shoulders, not passing up the first opportunity in years to keep her close. Even though it was an apartment she’d never been in before, the fact that it was Denali’s made it feel familiar.
Denali toed out of her shoes and set her purse down. “I have something for you,” she said suddenly, disappearing into her bedroom before Rosé to question her. She rifled through her closet, pulling out a box tucked away and grinning when she found the items she was looking for. It was still a risk, but this time she knew it was one worth taking. She took a deep breath, then rejoined Rosé in the living room. “I kept every mixtape you gave me, still listen to them sometimes,” she said, holding up the CD book in one hand.
“You did?” Rosé put her hand over her chest, beaming warmly. “Dee, that’s so sweet.”
She smiled, biting her lip and looking down, trying to fight away the nerves that crept back up. “I, um, I made you one too. I was going to give it to you after graduation but I chickened out,” she confessed as she handed the mixtape she had hidden among her possessions all these years to the woman she made it for. “I think the tracklist will explain why.”
Rosé’s lips parted in surprise as she gently took it from her. “To Rosie, with love,” she read the title before turning it over to see where Denali had written the songs in silver sharpie. And, sure enough, it was one love song after another, songs she knew well, that she knew the shorter woman spent her time carefully picking out each one. “Oh, Dee, this is beautiful. Honestly, I don’t know what I would’ve done if you gave it to me back then.”
Denali swallowed thickly. “I guess more importantly, what are you gonna do now?”
There was only a half-beat of silence before Rosé smirked, setting the disk on the dining room table before cupping Denali’s face and kissing her deeply, moving one hand from her face to wrap her arm around her body and pull her close. “I’ve always loved you, Denali. I’d just resigned myself to seeing you as the one that got away.”
Denali relaxed, arms looping around Rosé’s neck. “I’m not going anywhere.”
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Old School X is a project interviewing X-Files fanfic authors who were posting fic during the original run of the show. New interviews are posted every Tuesday.
Interview with Audrey Roget
Audrey Roget has 10 fics at Gossamer, with some different ones at AO3, fanfiction.net, and her website. You might know her from her very good fics or as part of Musea, a collective that all wrote fic and posted X-Files fic recs. I’ve recced some of my favorites of her stories here before, including Three Times Dana Scully Didn’t Go to San Diego for Christmas and The Shirt. Big thanks to Audrey for doing this interview.
Does it surprise you that people are still interested in reading your X-Files fanfics and others that were posted during the original run of the show (1993-2002)?
A little, yes. Not so much by folks who were around in those days. I sometimes go hunting for beloved stories from the early years, both those I read and loved, and those I never got around to. I am always delighted to hear that later generations of fans have stumbled across my stuff, especially since I haven’t posted anything new in a number of years. It’s fantastic that both years-long fans and new ones are out there continuing to rec fic from all eras, and to maintain archives for fans yet-to-be born.
What do you think of when you think about your X-Files fandom experience? What did you take away from it? What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?
It may sound corny, but the main thing I think of, and the thing that has ultimately been most valuable and lasting, has been the friendships. The feeling of having found a tribe – not just of TXF fans, but of other people who could be as enthusiastically engaged as I was (if not more so) with fictional stories and characters – was mind-blowing. Since I was a kid, I had often mulled over the books/movies/TV I loved and speculated internally about what happened off the page or off-screen, or created new stories for characters in my head. But, except for an elementary school phase where I and my two BFFs regularly played Charlie’s Angels, I hadn’t engaged in that kind of gleeful immersion in a fictional world with others until TXF fandom. My involvement in fandom followed pretty quickly from getting hooked on the show, so for me, it’s all one big ball of experiences. Even as my interest in/involvement in fandom has waxed and waned over the years, I’ve been lucky to remain friends with wonderful people who I originally connected with as fellow fans.
Social media didn't really exist during the show's original run. How were you most involved with the X-Files online (atxc, message board, email mailing list, etc.)? What got you involved with X-Files fanfic?
My initial entrée to the fandom was through fanfiction. I didn’t get interested in the show until mid-season 5. Around the same time, I read an article in a zine called Might (co-founded by Dave Eggers) about this thing called fanfiction that people would write and publish online. At first I thought it was satire or a joke – the fic cited involved Wilma Flintstone and a polished sabre tooth, as I recall – but then realized this was an actual thing. So I figured that a show then at the peak of pop culture must have fanfiction, and I went looking. Early on, I scrolled atxc on a daily basis and downloaded stories. But I didn’t engage in discussions about the show on Usenet, since I only knew how to access it with my Earthlink email client, and I didn’t want to post using my real name.
Later, I set up a pseud address with Yahoo and subscribed to a couple of email fanfic/discussion lists, and stayed subscribed to those for years. There was also a period in there somewhere – of maybe only a year or so, when I think about it – when I’d often nerd out into the wee hours with other fans via IM chat groups. That was around the time the small writers’ collective Musea was founded, and we were active for several years after the show’s initial run. In the early aughts, I followed many authors to LiveJournal and eventually set up my own account and stayed involved in fandom that way, until it mostly dispersed as well.
What was it that got you hooked on the X-Files as a show?
In a word: Chemistry. I had casually watched a couple of episodes during the first four seasons, but I’m not a huge sci-fi/horror fan at heart, and the story lines didn’t immediately grab me. But I happened to tune into The Red and the Black in 1998, and BOOM. For the first time, the intense layers of emotion and attraction between Mulder and Scully really struck me – and then of course, upon further viewing, I realized it was unmissable, an essential element in the fabric of the show. As a wise woman once said, a switch had been flicked. Mulder and Scully’s magnetism was like nothing I’d ever seen, and though I eventually came to appreciate the storytelling, humor, production values, and other components that made the series so successful, watching those characters interact has always been what kept me coming back.
Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?
I was part of a list-serv discussion group for The West Wing for a while, which was a fun melding of character and plot analysis with political discussion. Later, I got into the House, MD fandom, again mostly as a fanfic reader/writer. I was finding that other fandoms, unlike TXF, were more dispersed, the networks of people structured more loosely, if at all. There were fanfic and discussion communities on LiveJournal, and fanfiction.net was the other main hub for posting and reading, but if there was anything centralized like Gossamer, Ephemeral, or the Haven, I never found it. Within all those fan communities, as in TXF, there were partisans for various characters and pairings, and flame wars erupted over plot developments that outraged this faction or that. One main difference was that those other shows had larger, ensemble casts and more varied subplots. So on one hand, there was more opportunity to explore back stories and multiple perspectives. In House MD in particular, there were several entrenched rival shipper camps, which were about equally grounded in canon, rather than TXF’s central ship. I was less into TWW fic, but my impression was that readers were less militant about their pairing preferences than TXF or House fans.
Who are some of your favorite fictional characters? Why?
I was deeply fascinated by Greg House for several years. (And the love-hate chemistry between him and Lisa Cuddy was a strong draw for me.) House MD came early in a wave of TV shows centered on anti-heroes, and Hugh Laurie brought amazing complexity and thoughtfulness to the character.
Philip and Elizabeth Jennings (The Americans) are a lethal pair of antiheroes. The inherent moral conflict of a sympathetic narrative from their POVs, and the global political conflict they embody was TV catnip for me. The internal struggles at the hearts of those characters were so exquisitely written and performed, they completely fascinate me.
The West Wing felt so much like a show created specifically for me. I’m especially fond of story arcs and scenes that centered on CJ Cregg, Charlie Young, and Josh Lyman. Though I loved Martin Sheen’s human portrayal of Jed Bartlet, the fact that he was the President always made him a little untouchable in my mind. But CJ, Charlie, and Josh were basically hard-working functionaries who were ambitious and idealistic and funny and flawed, and they spoke to me.
What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom? Do you ever still watch The X-Files or think about Mulder and Scully? Do you ever still read X-Files fic? Fic in another fandom?
I do continue to think about Mulder and Scully and watch episodes somewhat often. I’ll sometimes run a favorite episode as background when I want something comforting on. I read TXF fic pretty regularly, which can inspire me to go back and watch a particular episode or story arc I haven’t thought about in years. Just recently, I started listening to The X-Files Diaries podcast (@XFDPodcast, @admiralty-xfd), and that’s a fun dive into the characters, and how other fans react to and interpret episodes.
Every once in a while, a TV show or movie – and more particularly, the characters – will grab my attention and make me curious about how fanfic writers have interpreted the original material. Random example, I saw Singin’ in the Rain for the first time in a theatre a couple of years ago, and the chemistry of the three leads sent me to AO3 as soon as I got home. I also loved the first season of Mercy Street and found some well-done stories in that fandom. I usually peruse the Yuletide gifts every year and have been amazed by the sheer variety, creativity and cheekiness of the output. There are a bunch of other shows I’ve followed faithfully, and sought out fanfic – Broadchurch, The Killing, Agents of SHIELD, Elementary, The Good Wife. Although I’ve found some well-written stuff in those fandoms, I’ve rarely gotten the same charge from them as reading TXF fic.
Do you have any favorite X-Files fanfic stories or authors?
syntax6 (@syntax6) – Universal Invariants/Laws of Motion. I’d also shout out to syn’s Hunter fics, too – well worth reading even for those who have never seen or particularly loved the show itself.
JET – I re-read Small Lives Awake every year around Thanksgiving time. Other annual holiday re-reads: Revely’s The Dreaming Sea and Jordan’s Through the Fire (both set at Halloween).
Amal Nahurriyeh’s Casey universe – the rare post-col fic that felt hopeful, made extra intriguing by a kick-ass original character. [Lilydale note: the series starts with Machines of Freedom and has lots of additional fics and snippets.]
Prufrock’s Love – Finding Rokovoko was genuinely terrifying and tender.
melforbes (@melforbes) – Seaglass Blue is a recent favorite, lyrical and bittersweet.
These are just a few (apologies to those that didn’t come to mind immediately). Fortunately for readers, there’s an astonishing number of authors who have written in TXF fandom whom you can depend on for a good yarn, insightful character study, and/or ingenious “fixes” where 1013 went awry.
What is your favorite of your own fics, X-Files and/or otherwise?
Probably the two set in my own (former) backyard of Southern California: Enivrez-vous and Ravenous. I’d first read the Baudelaire poem that was the source of the former’s title back in university days, so I was tickled to be able to use a few lines as an epigraph.
Do you think you'll ever write another X-Files story? Or dust off and post an oldie that for whatever reason never made it online?
It’s not out of the realm possibility. I’d meant for “Three Times Dana Scully Didn’t Go to San Diego for Christmas” to be followed up with “And One Time She Did.” In fact, the idea for that never-finished story was what inspired “Three Times” in the first place. I have a couple of scenes sketched out and – unusually for me – even know exactly how to end it. Every year, November rolls around, and I think I should finish and post it…maybe in 2021?
Where do you get ideas for stories?
Sometimes it’s from my environment. “Enivrez-vous” and “Ravenous” describe places that I’m fond of, that made me want to place Mulder and Scully there. “What Not to Wear” has that element too – I set it in Memphis as a tribute to a great trip there with a sister Musean. But WNTW was also inspired by a kink challenge in a years-ago LiveJournal thread, so sometimes ideas come from fandom discussions or even other fanfics. In the House MD fandom, a fic by another writer made me want to continue the story, and the author kindly allowed an authorized sequel.
What's the story behind your pen name?
I wanted my pseudonym to sound like it could be a real person’s name – or at least, maybe like a romance writer’s pen name – rather than an online handle. I also wanted to use a slightly obscure fictional character, to amuse anyone in the know. I had long had a bit of an obsession with Whit Stillman’s 1990s film trilogy, which started with Metropolitan; the 3rd installment, Last Days of Disco, came out the same year I started down the TXF rabbit hole: 1998. The central heroine of Metropolitan – who is mentioned in or makes a cameo in the other two – is Audrey Rouget, a lover of Austen and, eventually, a book editor. I altered the spelling of the last name as a nod to every writer’s companion, Roget’s Thesaurus.
Do your friends and family know about your fic and, if so, what have been their reactions?
I have a few close friends – from outside TXF fandom – who know that I’ve written fanfic. I don’t know if they know my pseud; if they do, or if they’ve ready any of the fic, they haven’t said so to me. They are fannish sorts themselves, but not really TXF fans. A smattering of other friends and family members know or could intuit that I’ve been a fangrl on some level for years. My boss, whom I’ve known for about 3 years, recently mentioned off-handedly that she was really obsessed with TXF “back in the day,” and I am DYING to know if she got involved in fandom, but don’t think I’ll ever work up the courage to ask.
Is there a place online (tumblr, twitter, AO3, etc.) where people can find you and/or your stories now?
Most of the X-Files stuff continues to be generously and steadfastly archived by Forte at The Basement Office. The House MD stories and some TXF things are at fanfiction.net; same for AO3. If ever post anything new, it will probably go to TBO and AO3. I really ought to get it all together in one place, one of these days…
(Posted by Lilydale on April 6, 2021)
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Aren't vikings also cultural appropriation (of Scandinavian cultures)?
Saddle in for a long one, folks! All sources beyond the pictures will be linked at the bottom of this post.
Short answer: No
Long answer:
I will begin with the definition of “viking”. The term “viking” is not actually a noun, but a verb, “víkingr”, which roughly translates to a person who traverses or raids the seas. This verb derives from the Old Norse word, “vík”, which roughly translates to a location where ships dock, and thus are easy to prey on for treasures.
Modern society uses “viking” as the blanket term for all of bronze-age Scandinavian society, however during the bronze age, this word was reserved specifically for seafaring folks who raided various places for treasure and resources. Essentially, in English, the word would approximately be used in a sentence such as “Ragnar has gone viking.” Ragnar has gone on a raid across the seas for treasures.
However, despite modernly being used as the blanket term, bronze-age Scandinavian society was and is far more than just raiders. People during this era created various farming techniques such as lightly grazing the soil to shift it for room to plant seeds, but not turn it over, and migrating livestock from various pastures and even indoors during different seasons for optimal feeding while conserving resources, and to assure their survival during colder months.
Another profession, and perhaps the most notable during the bronze age of Scandinavian society, was trading. Many towns were established as main ports for trading, and became known as “trading towns”. Ribe, Denmark and Hedeby, Germany, two highly-notable trading towns, placed their markets along the edges of bays to attract convenient business, however these markets were a precise reason for “vikings” to come about. The import, export, and trade of various goods attracted raiders from different parts of bronze-age Scandinavia, and became prime locations for raids to obtain treasure. Here were some of the trade routs recorded for frequent use, although that is not to confirm all areas were raided or not.
[x]
[x]
[x]
There were obviously countless other professions, such as blacksmiths, Jarls, religious leaders, etc. however they only further the point made with this: bronze-age Scandinavian society is more than what the term “viking” originally means, modern society just uses “viking” to blanket it as a whole.
Now I will define the term “cultural appropriation”.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “cultural appropriation” as:
the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.
Essentially, this occurs when a more widespread society or culture incorrectly uses aspects of another society culture’s. For example, Christianity took the “Christmas tree” from the Norse holiday Yule wherein people would decorate trees to entice the the vaettir and landvaettir to return for next season and bring plentiful crops. Herein, Christianity uses a significant item with cultural intent and purpose in Scandinavian society, and makes it into the holiday landmark for Christmas. That is one example of cultural appropriation of Norse culture by Christianity.
Therefore, vikings are not cultural appropriation, neither in the modern sense nor in terms of the original word, as this does not imply anybody of one culture adopting a specific cultural practice from bronze-age Scandinavia. It is simply being used as a term to define the people of this era and location.
Now what about people who practice Asatru, or Norse Paganism--the religion of bronze-age Scandinavia--in modern day? This is a common question, hence why I’ll additionally add this to the post. My apologies if it seems off-topic.
This practice is not cultural appropriation, either.
The entire point of modern Asatru practice is for individuals to become drawn to the religion on their own, not recruited through missionary expeditions like, for example, Catholicism. Ásatrúarfélagið is an Asatru society in Iceland which keeps its ceremonies like the blót open for public viewing and curiosity. They welcome anybody and everybody, regardless of background, because this religion promotes harmony and unity with one another and nature. Similarly, every proper Asatru organization promotes these ideals, such as The Asatru Community located in America. Exclusion of people based on their background disrupts this exact harmony and, therein, defeats the entire purpose of Asatru. Obviously, racism and bigotry are the exception as they should be with all things, hence the creation of “Declaration 127″ based on the Hávamál stanza 127. You can look into that more yourself; I’d just like to make a point that racism and bigotry have no place within Asatru.
Overall, the answer to your question, nonie, is that neither “vikings” in any terminology, nor the modern practice of their religion, are a form of cultural appropriation. I hope this provides an adequate answer and equally adequate information to you.
Sources used:
[x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x]
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"The Last Time I Saw My Father"
Here's the next sort of installment in my new OCs story, this time talking about where they were when a certain, very significant Galactic event took place. To see what events have led up to this story, you can also check out my other stories I've made so far: "Strategy," "Rising Phoenix," and "Good Guys". Let me know what you think of this bit!
Characters: Hatou Koros, Princess Eobea Xovrada, Oesta Varg
Setting: 19 BBY, Various
Word Count: ~2,100
The last time I saw my father, there was still a war raging beyond Iridia. But we were home, and we were happy.
My father, General Autugo Koros, had hardly seen Iridia in years; leading Emperor Stotrau’s armies kept him busy on its own, but in recent times he’d been embroiled in the various skirmishes of the Clone Wars, fighting alongside the Republic and stopping any separatists who dared attack the Zabrak worlds. I, on the other hand, had been charged with protecting Iridonia’s princess, a position I’d been granted in no small part due to my father’s friendship with the Emperor. He got me there, he later admitted, because he knew it would be safer than any battlefield; I’d protested at first, tried to assure him that I could be a great leader like him, but he assured me that I would get my chance. Someday.
Finally, however, the Clone Wars appeared to be winding down, and a Republic victory seemed imminent; during this lull in the fighting, we were able to return to Iridia, for a respite we knew would be brief. All too brief.
I remember that night well. We laughed, shared war stories, and caught up on all the time we’d lost. I remember sparring with my father and my sister in our family’s dojo, helping my mother cook dinner, watching the sun set over the mountains as we ate and drank. I remember speaking earnestly with my father, thanking him for all the opportunities he’d given me, even the ones I’d resisted taking at first. He’d told me, as he often did, that it was his duty to make his people’s—and certainly his son’s—success possible. He always saw the best in us. In me. More than anything, I wished to be even half the man he was.
In those moments, the war felt impossibly distant; my family was together, and nothing else mattered.
It was just after that, however, that my father and I were called to serve for the final time.
. . .
The last time me and my dad talked, we were fighting. Again. But this time, it was important.
My dad, the great-and-powerful chieftain of the great-and-powerful Clan Varg, sovereign ruler of Darkon III. Jehaat’e. If my dad was ever great or powerful, I’d never seen it. For as long as I’d known him, he’d been a paranoid coward, too concerned with maintaining his power and influence to ever do anything of worth with it. What mom saw in him, I’ll never know.
And the worst part? At every turn, he tried to get me to act like him. Walk this way, talk that way, act like the leader you’re destined to be—hey, dad, ever think to ask if I even want your stupid throne? ‘Course not. I’m just here to make sure the Alills don’t seize power after you’re gone, right? Long Live The Vargs, I guess!
That’s how we’d spat, back in those days. He’d chastise me for doing something, being something unconducive with his grand plans, and I’d tell him where to stick it. Rinse and repeat, time after time.
Then, we got that message, and everything changed.
. . .
I was there the day Emperor Stotrau was murdered. His final words, as far as anyone knows, were spoken to me.
Stotrau the Defender, he had been called. He had been the latest in a long line of benevolent, devoted Iridonian Emperors, a proper bearer of our ancestor Xovrada’s crown. It was his decision to protect the colonies, to send Iridonia’s finest soldiers away from home, to send me out as a diplomatic envoy. That was just how he was; he put the needs of others before his own, made it his life’s mission to protect his people.
Frankly, it was annoying at times. He was the most protective of me, of course: his treasured little princess, born frail and deformed, too pure and too weak to defend herself, let alone rule Iridonia. I knew he was only so protective because he cared about me, but even so, I wanted nothing more than to prove him wrong for as long as I could remember.
Soon, whether I was ready or not, I would have my chance.
. . .
The Jedi Order had turned on the Republic. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine had just barely survived an assassination attempt, and now the Clone Army, which had once so dutifully served their generals, was being tasked with hunting down and eliminating any and all surviving Jedi.
As my family turned on our HoloNet feed, this was the news that was thrust upon us; a message from Palpatine was supposedly about to follow, but my mother turned the feed off before it could start. I remember all eyes falling on my father, who now sat in deep thought across the room. His hard gaze and furrowed brows suggested he had a firm grasp of the situation, but his shaky breath and anxiously-bouncing knee betrayed him. He was scared now, just as all of us were.
My father’s communicator rang before long, and soon after, mine did too. We overheard each other’s calls, but we had already known what was coming. He was being called back to the battlefield, to deal with a Separatist holdout in the Vardoss system. I was being called back to Iridonia, to protect the Princess and the Emperor.
Quickly, he and I packed our things, and we made ready to leave. My sister hugged my father, silently begging him to stay. My mother said a brief prayer for the two of us. We promised both of them that, no matter what happened, we would be together again.
We rode together to the spaceport, my father and I. Neither of us said a word. There was too much to say anyway, and far too little time.
. . .
I had thought my dad was a coward before, but what he pulled with the Empire was a new low.
Near as I could tell at the time, the Jedi, in a move that surprised absolutely no one, turned out to be corrupt usurpers. They tried and failed to kill the Republic’s leader, and they bungled that so hard that the Republic was now the Empire, and the Empire was now at our doorstep. The message they sent us was so sickly sweet I almost gagged. They congratulated us, told us to rejoice, that we’re now part of a safe and secure Galactic Empire—and of course, at the end they tacked on that they’d be occupying our system and mining on our islands.
For any true Darkonan warrior, and certainly a Chieftain, the next step should have been clear: we rally our people, put aside our differences, and repel these invaders together. I told my dad just that, too, and I expected that, just this once, we’d be on the same page. Instead, he told me he was going to cooperate with the Empire.
It’s almost fitting that our last fight was our worst. I tried to change his mind, tried to remind him who we were and what we should stand for. He wasn’t budging, though, and it only devolved from there. We got angry, and our words got spiteful. Venomous. I said a lot of things I didn’t mean, and a lot of things I’d been wanting to say for a while. I never knew if he meant what he said to me, and I never would.
What I did know, though, is that I couldn’t be part of what he was doing. I refused to be.
. . .
A week had passed since the Republic fell, and the Empire had risen in its place. That was how Stotrau put it; whatever this thing was that Palpatine and the Senate had wrought, it was not the Republic he had sent his troops to fight alongside during the war. Not anymore.
So naturally, he spoke out.
Mere days after the war had ended, Stotrau had stood before the whole of Zabrak space, openly denouncing Palpatine’s rule. He refused to sacrifice his people’s personal liberties in the name of security, shamed the mindless accumulation of governmental powers, raged at the massacre of the Jedi Order without fair trial or due process—everything the Galactic Empire now stood for, Stotrau had promised to stand against.
Our people cheered him on, as they always have. He was confused by this new era, as all of us were, but he had a duty to his people he was determined to carry out. For this reason, one was compelled to stand with him against the Empire.
And for this reason, I feared for his safety.
. . .
“Hatou”
I turned to face my father. He set a hand on my shoulder, giving me a more stern look than any he’d given me before. I still remember what he said, as if he’d said it yesterday. “No matter how much I turn it over in my mind, this isn’t adding up” he began. “The Jedi wouldn’t just turn on the Republic. The Separatists wouldn’t just stop fighting. Something is amiss, and I intend to find out what it is. Son,” he paused, setting his other hand on my other shoulder, giving me a gentle shake, “Stay vigilant. Don’t allow yourself to be led on or deceived, not by anyone. Dangerous times are ahead, that much I know—if our people are to come out of this in one piece, they need help. Help them. However you can”
I don’t remember what I said to him, but whatever it was made him smile, if only briefly. With a final, solemn pat on my shoulder, he turned away, and he was gone. Off to save our people, as he always did.
I would never see my father again.
. . .
“Oesta!”
Dad never could take a hint. The minute he saw me—down in our fortress’s hangar, packing my few belongings into one of our Fang Fighters—he was running towards me, shouting at me to stop, repeating more than a bit of what he’d said to me in our last fight. I was done fighting with him, though. I’d never change, and he’d never take me as I am.
Before he was halfway across the hangar floor, I’d closed and locked the cockpit. By the time he started running towards me, I’d gotten the ship in the air and pointed it towards the horizon. I was never much good at flying those things, but I knew enough to get me the hell out of there. Dad could have easily had someone shoot me down if he wanted, but for some reason, I was able to leave Darkon III without any resistance. I tried not to dwell too much on that.
It wasn’t until I left the atmosphere—my first time ever doing so—that the reality of what I was doing set in. In that moment, I realized that I was about to be more alone than I’d ever been. Even though I was leaving a place I hated, even though I knew I couldn’t go back, I found myself afraid.
It was a long time before I punched in the heading I’d decided on. Finally, I said goodbye to my home, and I never looked back.
. . .
“Eobea?”
I looked up from my plate to see his old, tired eyes fixed on me. We’d been having dinner together, at opposite ends of our large yet empty dining table. We hadn’t been talking much, and my mind had begun to wander. This, like many things, he could tell from just a glance. “You appear anxious, daughter. Distant.” he stated, pausing to cut another piece of his roast. “What’s troubling you?”
After a moment, I found my words. I told him of my fears: that his speaking out against the Empire may have put him in danger. He smiled. “Sometimes, daughter,” he explained, “a ruler must put aside their fears, lest they be too afraid to do what must be done. Too afraid to fight for their people, for their world. Palpatine may have us outnumbered and outgunned, but I promise you this: we can outmatch him with our own bravery. Have faith.”
Somehow, his sagely advice didn’t make the threat of the Empire any less salient in my mind. Still, I nodded. “Besides,” he continued, “If anything happens to me, I have made sure you will be well taken care of. You needn’t worry, Eobea”
“If anything happened to you,” I reminded him, “I would become Empress, would I not?”
His expression shifted, almost imperceptibly. “Yes. You would”
We finished our meal in silence, and he rose from his seat. “I think I’ll take a walk in the gardens” he said, looking across at me again. “Will you join me?” I smiled, and said that I would soon.
He left, and I was alone.
#star wars#star wars oc#Zabrak#oc fanfic#ZLF#oc: Hatou Koros#oc: Oesta Varg-Koros#oc: Empress Eobea#wooooowwww this was a fun one to write#I'm super proud of it though#figuring out each of these characters' voices was a super neat experiment#yeah#expect more stuff like this soon#I'm enjoying writing lately :D
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Writer’s Spotlight | myoxisbroken
Happy hump day, peeps! This week’s spotlight is the queen of a historical fic, AU or canon. The maven of food porn in a fic. And the reigning champ of teasing me with smut @myoxisbroken ! Let’s dive in!!
The Basics
MASTERLIST HERE
Any other names you want people to call you?
Miss Ox, myox, whatever you feel like!
How long have you been writing fic?
2 years.
What fandoms and/ships do you write?
MCU (Loki, Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes), other Tom Hiddleston characters (Pine, Conrad, Sharpe, Buxton, Nicholls, Plumptre, and ever-growing), and just branching out into Pedro Pascal with The Mandalorian; I also have a few Doctor Who fics in my Masterlist (Ten/Donna Noble)
How did you get started writing fic?
I was reading a ton of Doctor Who fic and enjoying the Doctor/River Song stories. Then I rewatched DW season 4 and was so depressed about Donna's ending that I immediately watched the David Tennant/Catherine Tate version of Much Ado About Nothing. And then I started to ship the Tenth Doctor and Donna.
So I read a bunch of their fic and thought, "You know what would be awesome? If someone wrote a WW2 AU where Donna's a single mother and the Doctor is an injured fighter pilot that she takes in as a boarder." And then I started to get snippets of dialogue in my head, and ideas for scenes, and I wondered if I might be able to write a story myself. I hadn't written anything in years, but I decided to give it a try. And a few months later, I had my first story completed, a 14-chapter Doctor Who AU.
After that, I had the writing bug and I haven't been able to stop coming up with ideas and working to put them into words!
Story Recommendations
Which of your stories are your favorite?
It is honestly so hard to choose. I'm only going to choose completed works, because I always love the WIPs I'm working on. So, let's see: You Bring Me Home is one of them, because it was so fun to just jump into a sexy vacation romp with some playful kink exploration for James Conrad (Kong: Skull Island). With Brooding Wings was my first attempt at a vampire story using multiple Tom Hiddleston characters, and I really enjoyed playing with the dynamics of different personalities and settings in that world.
In A Restless World Like This Is is another, because I had such a great time writing a fluffy love story for Steve Rogers and an older OFC. It started as a spite project because of someone's objections to older characters and turned into such a lovely experience. It was one of the easiest I've ever written in terms of how quickly it flowed from my brain through my fingers. I'd loved writing for Loki (An Excellent Suggestion was my first Loki story, and my first time writing smut) and for Bucky (We Are All Victims of Physics Sometimes was my first dip into capturing Bucky's quiet reserve and depth of emotion).
I honestly could go on and on about stories but would only sound more conceited.
Which story are you most proud of?
I think A Pursuit of the Heart. It was my first time writing in the Regency/Georgian era, and I did a TON of research for it. It was also my first novel-length story, and I didn't even know if I could take on something that big or write a historical romance convincingly, in a way that felt era-appropriate and true. I was so proud of the finished product.
Which of your stories do you think is the most underrated?
Let Your Heart Be Light, a Bucky/OFC story with a Christmas theme - its companion piece, Kissing The New Year In, also didn't get much traction. But I loved writing them!
Someone is new to reading your stories, which story/stories should they read first?
It depends on what actors and characters they like, really, as well as if they like smut or fluff or both. For a smutty one-shot, I'd recommend An Excellent Suggestion (which has a one-shot sequel). For a swoonier longer fic with smut, I'd recommend either You Bring Me Home or my fake relationship Steve Rogers fic The One Thing You Can't See.
For fluff, An Unforeseen Outcome is a Loki one-shot with both fluff and a little emotional hurt/comfort. Interestingly, I've written more not-smut fluff for Loki than for any other character. I think I just want him to find connection and love and acceptance so much.
And if you are a fan of historical romance, I'd recommend either my Thomas Sharpe AU A Compromising Situation, or if you like your fics with a healthy dose of angst, Beside Us When Beauty Brightens, my William Buxton (Return to Cranford) story about what happens after he loses Peggy.
Which Story did you do the most research for?
A Pursuit of the Heart, since it was my first one set in the Georgian era and I had a lot of catching up to do! I research for most of my stories, and definitely for my multi-chapter stories. Even if they're contemporary, I still look up resorts, locations, restaurants and local foods, things to do, etc. I can't help it. It's like I'm addicted to research.
Which Story was the easiest to write?
For a multi-chapter fic, In A Restless World Like This Is. For a one-shot, probably my Loki Christmas fluff All I Want For Christmas Is You.
The Writing Process
What is your favorite part of writing?
When a scene I've had in my head just flies out of my fingers and onto the page, and I can read it back and think, "YES! That's just how I wanted it!"
What is your least favorite part?
When my brain is too scattered and unfocused to actually allow me to do any writing.
Describe your style in 1 to 2 sentences.
Well-researched stories that use the information to make you feel like you're there and that incorporate sweetness into even the smuttiest scenario. Also, food porn, and porn porn.
Who are some of your writing idols and/or influences?
For published novels, Mary Balogh and Sabrina Jeffries are two of my favorite historical romance writers, and I think that reading them has helped to make my writing better. In terms of fic authors (some of whom are also published), @nildespirandum and @caffiend-queen were two of the first I read in the Tom/Loki fandom and their excellent quality and intriguing plots are an inspiration, even if I will never be able to write plots as twisty as theirs. Also, reading @yespolkadotkitty's stories helped me push myself to get better at setting scenes and at incorporating the various senses into stories, because she is so good at both of those things and so much else.
What programs do you use to write and/or edit?
I use Google Docs. I have also been dancing around buying Scrivener for an original novel I plan to write and shop around, so I'll be doing that soon.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Plotter, for sure. My brain would implode if I tried to pants my stories.
Do you write RPF or not?
I have a few chapters of a Tom Hiddleston RPF in draft form but haven't proceeded with it. I'd kind of like to write a Pedro Pascal RPF one-shot. I love reading RPF but feel odd about writing it for some reason.
Who is your favorite character to write and why?
Again with the tough questions! It might be Loki, because he is such a chameleon and there are so many hidden depths to him. I really want to write some multi-chapter Loki stories, because so far I have done one-shots and one 3-chapter short fic. I'd like to explore a longer character arc for him.
What do you think are your writing strengths?
Authenticity because of my research, realistically depicting emotions, and writing in a style that feels genuine to the setting and era.
What do you struggle with?
PLOT. I do think that there is plenty of room for all kinds of stories, and I like to tell stories about relationships. But I would like to get better at adding outside conflict and other types of plot to my stories.
Favorite Trope?
It's so hard to choose between There Was Only One Bed and Fake Relationship. I think those are my top two.
What is the best piece of writing advice you have heard?
Write something. Anything. Even if you think it's crap, get your first draft done, because you can always go back and rewrite something that's bad and make it better. Also, if you're stuck on your WIP, write something else - a piece of another story or one-shot, a description of something you saw, a character profile, a bit of personal journaling. Keep writing and don't let a temporary roadblock turn into a long-term one.
What would you say to a new fanfic writer starting out?
It's hard when something you wrote doesn't get a lot of attention, especially when you love it. We share stories in the hopes that other people will discover and enjoy them, but you have to at least partly do it for your own satisfaction, or it will get pretty discouraging if the likes/kudos, comments, and reblogs just don't happen.
What is a random bit of research you have not managed to work into a fic yet?
Ladies' drawers (underwear) were not commonly worn until the mid-1800s. They were thought to be gentlemen's garments and it was thus vulgar for a lady to wear them. Yes, ladies of the Georgian (incl. Regency) era were generally commando beneath their skirts, petticoats, and shifts. But that was still a lot of layers.
Any goals or WIPs you want to share?
My goal is to write an original novel (series) set during the Napoleonic Wars. My hope is to get it researched, written, and put in final draft form so that I can send query letters out before the end of 2021.
This or That
Fluff or Angst
Fluff AND Smut
Reader Insert or OC
Canon Divergent or AU
Pepsi or Coke (Neither: Cherry Coke Zero)
Coffee or Tea (Neither: Cocoa)
Sweet AND Savory
And that is it, until next week, remember to check out the masterlist here. And your new fav fic is just around the corner! Until next time, toodles!
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I feel like Star Trek is a fandom that could really fit well with my love of ecology and alien worlds, but i don't know anything about the Trek universe or the fandom, or the various tv shows in the universe. Do you have any recommendations for which show (or movie? Does Star Trek even have movies?) a new watcher should start with? If not, that's fine, feel free to use this ask as an excuse to rant about whatever random thing is on your mind <3
I am SO HAPPY that you asked me this Kats!! talking about Star Trek is one of my very favorite things!!! I’m probably going to give you more information than you wanted in this answer, but if it’s somehow not enough pleaseee DM me and I’ll be happy to talk your ear off even more :)
(cut so that I don’t clog up people’s dashboards with my incoherent trekkie ramblings lol)
first of all, star trek is definitely the place to go if you’re interested in well developed aliens. we have no shortage of complex space politics here!!
(and we do indeed have movies!!)
a quick note on the fandom before we get into recommendations: I’m not very active in it because I don’t want fandom stress/negativity to impact my enjoyment of something I love so dearly, but there’s no shortage of interest for fanworks! it can be hard to find gen fic sometimes, and you’ll have to keep an eye out for the people who for some reason are against increased diversity and representation in the modern shows, but you’ll definitely be able to find supportive fans. the show’s core values are about embracing those who’re different, after all.
also some background on the universe before I start trying to describe the shows: it’s set in a future where humans have unified, with poverty, prejudice, and capitalism eliminated from earth. humans are founding members of the federation, a multi-species government that preaches tolerance and inclusion as well as emphasizing scientific exploration.
recommendations time! starting with your specific interests, I’d recommend discovery and the voyage home for the ecology side of things. I don’t know much about it myself, but most trek is rooted in real science, and disco specifically has some plant power going on. (minor spoiler but: their ship is mushroom powered!! and the character who’s in charge of that tech is not only fantastic and one of my beloveds- he’s also based on and named after real life mycologist paul stamets!)
*and another point for disco is that, as thee pioneer of star trek’s modern era, it’s easily the most diverse installment of the franchise as far as racial diversity and queer representation goes. classic trek is very progressive for its time, but disco is just. mwah.*
the voyage home is one of the original series movies and it’s first and foremost fun, but also about time traveling to save some humpback whales. captain kirk and company have to bring them back to the future to repopulate the whale population on earth circa 2270ish, and if that isn’t an A-plus movie plot than I don’t know what is.
as far as worldbuilding goes, each series has strengths and weaknesses. as a collective they do really well in crafting a developed universe, but some do a whole lot better at developing certain species and political storylines than others.
this is only partially my bias talking because it’s my favorite show of all time, but deep space nine is really really fantastic at space politics and giving depth to the alien cultures it features. and that’s largely because it’s set on a space station! I love trek’s emphasis on exploration, but ds9 being stationary is a GIFT from a narrative perspective because it forces the characters to face the consequences of their actions!
and because they don’t move, the story lends itself to serialization and complex aliens. the more episodic shows (the original series, next gen, voyager, and most of enterprise) are also my dearly beloveds and have their own strengths, but the bulk of those shows are one off aliens that are super interesting and never seen again. ds9 has those too, of course, but I can count the major players on one hand and each has a well crafted political storyline. the bajoran religious politics plotline in particular always amazes me when I think about it too hard because it’s really really good, and also something only ds9 could pull off. not only because it’s the only trek to really embrace religion, but because it’s impossible to tell a story about a planet’s spiritual turmoil if you’re only visiting it once or twice a season.
(stepping away from my hobby of advertising for ds9, voyager’s got some super fascinating recurring aliens, especially in the later seasons. and enterprise, as a prequel, has the unique ability to showcase humans in the early days of galactic exploration, forging initial relationships with the aliens they’re eventually gonna be in a multi-species government with)
if you want a taste of one the recurring aliens before committing to a show, I’d recommend first contact!! it’s one of the next generation movies, features the borg, and doubles as the closest thing trek has to a horror movie. it’s a continuation of one of next gen’s recurring plot lines (re: captain picard’s trauma following a borg encounter) but I don’t think watching the movie first would ruin the episode’s emotional impact, or be hard to follow without seeing the episode first.
(besides, the movie’s an absolute banger. patrick stewart is. patrick stewart. and alice krige as the borg queen is simply *chef’s kiss*)
shifting gears, if you ARE interested in watching the whole franchise -no worries if you’re not because that’s a LOT of television- there’s a few solid strategies to go about watching everything.
option one: real world chronological (airing order)
(this is pretty much what I did, except I watched the first two reboot movies and then everything else lol)
the original series (1966-1969)
the animated series (1973-1974)
*i feel bad but. I still haven’t seen the animated series yet so I can’t speak to its quality :(
original series movies: the motion picture (1979); the wrath of khan (1982); the search for spock (1984); the voyage home (1986); the final frontier (1989); the undiscovered country (1991)
the next generation (1987-1994)
next gen movies: generations (1994); first contact (1996); insurrection (1998); nemesis (2002)
deep space nine (1993-1999)
voyager (1995-2001)
enterprise (2001-2005)
aos movies (alternate original series, aka jj abrams’ reboot star trek): star trek (2009); into darkness (2013); beyond (2016)
discovery (2017-)
short treks (2018-2019, short anthology style miniseries with some eps directly relevant to discovery)
picard (2020-)
lower decks (2020-)
and more!! but they’ve barely started so I’ll leave them off the list for now lol
option two: in-universe chronological
I... wouldn’t necessarily recommend this one. if you’re interested I’d be happy to organize your watchlist, but like. if you watch it close to airing order, you get to catch cameos, references to earlier shows, and easter eggs! and also going with in-universe chronological means starting with enterprise, which really isn’t a good introduction in my opinion. it’s a prequel, and I feel like you need some prior knowledge before tackling one of those, you know?
option three: mix and match
go for whatever you want! every installment has its strengths and weaknesses, so see what you like and what you don’t. personally, I haven’t met a star trek I don’t like, excepting a few movies and a handful of episodes. so pick a show/movie you’re interested in, and go for it!! I’ll drop a few summaries of some of the shows so you can see if anything catches your eye:
the original series: the one you’ve most likely heard referenced in pop culture! kirk!! spock!! the enterprise!! it’s campy and a little dated, but most of it holds up as quality sci fi. it’s entirely episodic, with a new planet almost every episode, but some of those self contained stories are utterly amazing.
the next generation: captain picard and the quintessential crew of the enterprise-D. it’s the same format as the original series except it’s longer, develops its supporting characters more, and has a handful of recurring storylines. some episodes are really deeply problematic, in the same vein as tos, but once again the politics are super progressive for its time.
deep space nine: captain sisko commands a space station of mixed federation and bajoran leadership, settled next to a stable wormhole. at first the wormhole brings optimism and exploration, but something sinister lurks on the other side. the darkest of the classic treks by far, delving into the horrors of war and questioning the morals of star trek’s utopic future. it’s also the first one to introduce real serialization, with story arcs that last for several consecutive episodes and stretch across multiple seasons.
voyager: captain janeway finds herself and her crew stranded far from home, and they begin their treacherous journey back through space humans have never explored before. it’s a return to the largely episodic format of next gen, and it’s significantly lighter than its sister show ds9.
enterprise: captain archer leads the first human crew out into deep space, building the foundations of what will become the united federation of planets. it’s a little hard to describe the format since the first two seasons are next gen-style episodic, but then season three has a self contained arc and season four is built up of small two or three episode arcs. it’s somewhat of a step down in quality from the golden era of 90s trek, but I still find it really enjoyable.
discovery: ten years before kirk and spock, michael burnham (trek’s first main character who doesn’t start the show in command) finds herself facing political intrigue and personal turmoil. the first of the modern treks, and the first one that can challenge ds9 for the title of darkest storylines and most serialized. each season so far has been a self contained arc, and it’s likely that pattern will continue.
lower decks: an absolute blast of an animated comedy! it features four ensigns (the lowest rank of officer in starfleet) doing the gruntwork on a ship nobody cares about in-universe. I think it’s probably more fun when you’ve seen a lot of star trek, because the majority of the jokes are brilliant references or poking fun at previous shows, but it’s absolutely hilarious and the characters are fantastic. and it’s a legitimate comedy, so it’s probably the lightest of the shows so far.
I knew as soon as the ask came in that I would type you an essay but I didn’t expect it to get quite this long, so I hope it was at least a little bit helpful? and not too terribly ramble-y? my askbox and messages are always open for star trek questions, so if you want clarification or have any other questions feel free to reach out!!!
happy trekking! you’re gonna love it :)
#I literally wrote a novel omg#but seriously kats im so excited that you’re interested in star trek!!#if you want a trekkie friend I am so down#kitkat rambles#asks#star trek
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RadioDust is the Healthiest Toxic Ship for Angel so far
@honesthazbinarchives Briefly. I’d like to go into this more in the future BUT these are the main points I said I’d do. Heh ‘stay tuned’ for why HuskerDust is toxic [haaaa funny fuckin reference n shit like Viv herself aint overdone it]. Yer dont even wanna know the lack of enthusiasm in tryna do a playful ‘cringetopia’ joke - wasnt as fun as anticipated. Anyfuckinways, the shit.
Before we begin, disclaimers n whatnot, no hate intended, dni if you’re a bit of a knobhead [either stan or extreme anti], an all that nonsense. I dont own the characters no shit.
In this I’ll discuss how RadioDust aka SpiDEER (thats right, yer stuck w my shit humour now) is both the healthiest ship for Angel we’ve seen so far but still rather toxic. Idc if you hate me for it but dont fuckin waste yer time telling me. Great. I dont care. Yer fuckin hard n whatnot for harassin strangers online. Big dick energy to you. This will be slightly messy, my apologies, it’s a quick summary of many points.
Alright. Firstly, out of the entire male cast Angel interacts with over all platforms, Al is given a fair bit of mercy in terms of sexual advances. In fact, a swift ‘no’ and Angel doesn’t do it again - unlike most of the other cast [pent’s is covert, husks is overt]. One thing I like is that Angel himself admits to their chemistry (claiming that whilst he thinks Al’s a prick, he thinks Al dislikes him which saddens him as he’d at least like to be friends as he feels they have good chemistry - according to the VA via Hunicast’s 1yr anniversary), there’s no further efforts to jump on his dick but a clear curiosity/interest in what Al can do.
Lets go to the basics, both are of similar age [allegedly in their 30s, though Ive heard Al may be up to mid 40s] as well as created near the same-ISH time (as in, Viv’s oldest characters, at least for HH). Likewise, Viv admitted to knowing fuck all on either of their eras (and to make that public wasn’t really a wise choice BUUUT if you felt the need, it’s better worded with interest “Right now I’m working towards educating myself more on their time periods to improve their portrayals” <-- crucial if yer want that ‘realism’). Because of their real-world ages, Viv confesses they’re her favourites (even if you didnt know, she makes it pretty clear). It could be a nice ‘homage’ to their impact in her life but not too relevant otherwise. It could fulfil the need for self indulgence that she’s unhealthily leaking into the canon - which will ultimately make the series shit. No sugarcoating there.
As for their ages, a relationship can work whether the gap is large or small HOWEVER there are many ethics and conflicts to each. And being an adult into kids is always fucked up. With that being said, studies have shown that closer ages often work better due to the often similarities in mindset, maturity and life goals (older folks are more likely to want to settle, younger often have more ambitions), likewise there tends to be an unbalanced power-dynamic if the ages are too far, which can lead to various types of abuse. Dont get me wrong, being with someone much older (AS LONG AS NONE OF YALL ARE KIDS) very much CAN work - but rarely. There’s much more hardwork needed as well as being in the right mindset for both, otherwise it’s bad. More on that in HD. Long story short, both are closer in age meaning both are more ‘relatable’ to one another. There’s common grounds, even in the eras there’s some higher understanding of one another. Notice how Vaggie and Charlie are similar in age? (Even though Charlie is far older, her appearance and mentality for her race is on par with Vaggie’s, making it far more likely to work out positively)
One of the most prominent out of all of this however is their actual interests. So listing; Both like action/chaos/having fun (often at the expense of others), both love cooking and can be food snobs in their own right, both have sadistic AND masochistic tendencies, Al likes performance and theatre whilst Angel loves *to* perform, on that last point Angel was very intrigued and enjoyed Al’s song number/performance naturally, both really enjoy pranks and both enjoy liquor (neither show an actual addiction, but rather an interest in social drinking - no dependencies on it). Again, close eras mean both have a higher probability of understanding the other and their lifestyles better. Both are high on appearance and love themselves, implying self confident mindset (healthy BUT the narcissism isnt) yet enough consideration for how they are viewed. On the parent system, one adores his mama whilst the other hates his pops.
Now Ive gone on about how they’re similar. But similarities ALONE is not enough. If it was, then fandom’s would be a lil more harmonious~
A HEALTHY relationship needs compatibility, POSITIVE conversation flow, common grounds, trust, openness and understanding. Even then, some people click and some just dont. It’s like how you can just hate someone for no reason. It just IS. Common grounds and similarity is scientifically proven to be attractive to someone - be it good or BAD. People are drawn to those like their parents in some way usually, likewise we look for people similar to ourselves (from our interests, to humour, beliefs, goals, etc). Science itself states that ‘opposites attract’ solemnly applies in the real world successfully. Though similiarity plays a large role, there has to be some differences too - that person is STILL an individual separate to yourself. Too similar and it’s boring. Too similar and you’ll do everything together without some ‘you’ time. Both Vaggie and Charlie have similar interests/hobbies in dance and music, yet still have enough differences to be identifiable when together. Vaggie is more grounded than Charlie. Charlie gives some optimism and fun to Vaggie. Remember, a partner does NOT complete you - that’s a toxic mindset when taken too seriously, You complete YOURSELF. Whether you have someone or not, you must feel complete in yourself as to not slip into toxic dependency on a lover - to become them, a shadow of them or feel like you’ve lost your identity without them. Sounds harsh but it’s true. Chaggie compliments each other without a dependency. You stand alone yet uplift one another. You don’t always agree but in the end you always have each other’s backs. Love is often butchered in a toxic light in the media.
So taking that into consideration, how does spideer work? Well, here’s some examples of good, bad and neutral:
- Angel loves animals, Al fears/dislikes dogs. Perhaps Angel could assist him in overcoming this?
- Al hates being touched, Angel dislikes being squeezed. Maybe this could help them reach an understanding... Or cause a rift?
- Angel was the only one to break Al’s composure, either Angel is the *key* to delving further into Al’s more raw self... Or just another obVOXious pest? (yeah, I said it-)
- Neither respect other’s boundaries, meaning both may fuel the other to be overly disrespectful in this area. Not good.
- Angel is a sarky/sarcastic fuck, Al loves dry humour. Both seek amusement and chaos. In relationships one needs to see how conversation flows and in the hunicasts, both keep up some good as well as toxic banter. Both could roast the fuck out of an opponent however.
- Al is acro/ace, Angel is hypersexual (appears like a sex addict - now I say this as his book has a crossed out ‘fun stuff’ with ‘work shit’ written on it. He’s always fixed on sex from his job to his humour), this could either aid Angel ease up on the sex stuff OR make him overly push it onto Al causing major rifts and discomfort (aces can have sex, ref to ace posts that real asexuals put to understand more but no one wants to be forced into sex is the point here). And we’ve already discussed their lack of respect for boundaries. The positive is that maybe this will make Angel understand how Val is rubbing off on his own behaviour towards men [again, more on that in the HD post].
- Both similar yet different in a way that does suit their compatibility chances but that doesnt mean they will click, it just improves the odds.
- Both have similar enemies in Val and Vox, they’re on common terms. Likewise, Al is against the ‘sexual deviance’ of hell meaning he may be oddly supportive and protective of Angel in terms of Val. I dont even think his sadism will override this either.
- Al dislikes modern tech, Angel seems to use it as his job requires it. A nice little menial difference.
- Only ONE is an addict. Take it from an expert, you NEVER put two addicts together. They’re very vulnerable and prone to slipping deeper into their addictions as well as depending on each other too much that they essentially become very clingy, suffocating and toxic to each other. Seen it in action, it’s ugly.
- Both could have a lot of fun and calm moments with each other.
- He isn’t immediately smitten with Al but immediately shows a natural interest in Al’s powers and performance, embracing it openly. Leads for a good friendship turned lovers plot.
- In Viv’s patreon, she confirmed Angel loves confident guys [sounds exactly like Al]
We need to think about where both are mentally. What benefits would a relationship give both? How would they be good and bad for each other?
For Al, aside from his outdated views and being a fucking murderer and narcissist, he actually seems in a good mindspace for a relationship IF he opted to be in one.
Angel however has a very immature mindset, likewise is in a phase of life where hes bed hopping. IF he were to be in a relationship, I’d say he needs a male equivalent of Cherri - someone with a similar mindset yet some differences, willing to have fun and in touch with their younger side, down to cuddle, open to share and receive love as well as not afraid to publicly be affectionate with him, someone who sees him as more than just for sex, someone fun, someone who’ll let him embrace his cutesy side publicly without shame - Cherri is younger so maybe someone who’s his age or slightly younger perhaps? I think Angel’s not retirement home ready to settle and needs someone on his level that can cuddle and chill as well as feels free and youthful enough to go wild with him. In one sense, he’s got a teen girl sorta mindset (dont put him with a teen though, it’s fuckin weird-). He needs someone positive and raw, someone to let him be himself as well as someone comfortable to be themselves around him. He has a habit of latching onto unobtainable men (in psychology, this is self sabotaging subconsciously): Travis the client, Val a pimp, Husk (emotionally unavailable and needs HEAVY self work - interestingly far more than Angel - plus he’s still onto his last relationship and an addict to gambling and alcohol), Pent who’s the enemy he was currently fighting (inappropriate timing), Alastor who’s not interested in another but his own needs [selfish, VERY bad for a relationship]. Subconsciously he’s self sabotaging on purpose. There’s many psychology books as well as sources online for this, if you’re interested. Either way, Angel is drawn to men either like his father [who dislike him, shun him, or are otherwise cold, abusive or just blatantly dislike or otherwise dont care about him] or anyone with money to fuel his drug addiction/’debt’ to Val. Going with any of these men isn’t a good idea.
Preferably, Angel needs someone who he doesnt immediately crush and obsess over. Someone who he doesnt sexually harass or assault. Someone he can build a connection with quickly that can bud into romance (think how Chaggie started as a friendship which clicked immediately). Maybe even someone he doesn’t expect to fall for but does so anyways. It would be more realistic as Viv wants as well as more healthy. That for once he isnt sex or money craved instantly, thus doesnt sexually harass/assault and is given a proper chance to develop and grow a friendship and love. Someone who isnt an addict.
Someone with an on-par mindset where they click. Someone open to love.
For any chance of a good relationship, Angel needs to be with anyone BUT who we’ve already seen. There’s too much toxicity that’ll be swept under the rug and justified otherwise. Too much shit to fuel homophobes in terms of gay stereotypes. Even though Ive focused a fair bit on Angel, it’s NOT just about Angel. That’s something fans forget. Some he depends on or someone who depends on him in the long term wont last and will be very dangerous to both.
Just because you suffer, you dont then deserve to be rewarded with ‘something nice’. You dont get to have everything youve ever wanted. Giving him any of these blokes [minus Val] gives him a pass. Gives him what he wants. I get Viv loves him but life doesnt work that way. True lasting growth comes from learning that. Acceptance and growth. You dont get everything you want and sometimes thats a GOOD thing. He’s not a spoilt kid who gets everything he asks for, he’s YOUR creation. If you really wanted what your creations deserve then you need to research and be realistic with it. Because hes starting to feel like a shitty Gary-Stu at this rate.
I live with an ‘Angel Dust’ like person. It used to feel like life gave her everything and most times it did. Everyone loved her and she could get away with murder if she wanted to. But now she’s had to struggle and grow, let go of some ‘wants’ because they werent good for her and she’s becoming better for it. She has a long way but she’s more humble for it now [still got self confidence but it’s less narcissism now, which is more healthy for her].
Also, they make the word anal lol
#stans and antis dni#pros and cons to radiodust#spideer#anti hazbin#viv needs to actually research#vivs been in toxic relationships so she should know better and how these come across#wait until anti huskerdust#ill really be fuckin loathed then#anyways#enjoy?
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Ao3 Fic Meme
Tagged by the lovely @mearcatsreturns, who may regret this.
1. How many works do you have on AO3?
156. And considering a Decent number of those are prompt-fic compilations...
2. What is your total AO3 word count?
458,912. Somehow this is both higher and lower than I would’ve expected.
3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?
Oh god. Um. Here’s the whole mess in list form:
The 100 (TV) (61)
Timeless (TV 2016) (24)
Les Misérables - All Media Types (11)
Jessica Jones (TV) (10)
Star Wars - All Media Types (6)
Star Wars Sequel Trilogy (5)
Revolution (TV) (5)
The Gifted (TV 2017) (5)
Pacific Rim (Movies) (5)
The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types (3)
Shadowhunters (TV) (3)
Suicide Squad (Movies 2016 2021) (2)
The Umbrella Academy (TV) (2)
Westworld (TV) (2)
DC Extended Universe (2)
Vikings (TV) (2)
Downton Abbey (1)
The Flash (TV 2014) (1)
Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo (1)
The Old Guard (Movie 2020) (1)
Mad Max Series (Movies) (1)
Les Misérables (2012) (1)
Firefly (TV 2002) (1)
A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin (1)
The Magicians (TV) (1)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (1)
Dune (2021) (1)
Orphan Black (TV) (1)
Teen Wolf (TV) (1)
iZombie (TV) (1)
Shadow and Bone (TV) (1)
There are a handful of cross-tags going on, but... wow I’ve done more than I ever offhand remember having done, and I have FULLY blocked some of those eras from my mind.
4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
Some of these I can explain, some of these I absolutely cannot.
Just Wanna Feel Something (Anything Is Better) - the one and only iZombie fic I ever wrote, I promptly stopped watching that show because I only have so much time in this life and it was not a priority, and... this fic Very Consistently does well despite having been posted in early 2015.
find me in the shallows - first Kabby prompt-comp, of course this one is high.
and i’ll use you as a warning sign - first Garcy prompt-comp, same deal.
curiosity (be the end of me) - aka what happened after, due to circumstances that if I remember right involved familial miscommunication, I saw The Force Awakens in theaters twice in approximately twenty-four hours and proceeded to ship a relative rarepair based on level of pretty and what I believed was a level of plausibility. and then I wrote shower sex for them because why. not.
chocolate means i love you - another part of the above Star Wars era / fever-dream, but this one is not smut.
5. Do you respond to comments, why or why not?
Yes, the emails make me happy and I do respond to... generally everything now, but I haven’t always been the best in the past.
6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?
I hate angst, I generally write more fluff / fix-it, but... that said, your hands you’re accounted for was wild t100 season 6 speculation that ended up being FRIGHTFULLY close to what actually went down, and I believe that’s the only time in recent years my writing has gone There content-wise.
7. Do you write crossovers?
Nope. I do occasionally think about it, but... the fandoms I play with, especially more recently, don’t have a lot of overlap as far as other people interested (who are NOT people I love who I’ve dragged into all my shinies), so...
8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?
Not recently / not since I was a babybug on ffnet ~13 years ago. And even that I don’t remember. What I do know is that I have mentally blocked the whole Les Mis era because for what I was writing at that time, I was the only person who did NOT get death threats. Fuck that fandom.
9. Do you write smut? If you do, what kind of smut do you write?
Yes. I usually go for sweet / not too graphic because that’s my interest and comfort levels, and there are multiple ships I’ve been writing for a While that I HAVEN’T done smut for, but... sometimes the mood hits, and other times intimacies are a means to a different end for various babes, so...
10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?
Not that I am aware of.
11. Have you ever co-written a fic before?
I don’t think so?
12. What’s your all-time favorite ship?
I’m skipping this. It changes way too frequently / generally it’s whatever I’m using to deal with my life at a given time. I do have consistent babes that I’ve continued writing for over good lengths of time, cancellations, and my interpretations evolving, but... cannot say just one favorite.
13. What was the first fandom you wrote for?
Um... either Harry Potter or Twilight. TRY to guess roughly how old I am and what era I discovered online fandom, lol.
14. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?
I’m gonna do a top-SEVERAL here because I am me and I have different reasons to love different things, so... in rough chronological order from oldest to newest...:
Don We Now Our Day Of Peril, aka the t100 Christmas pageant AU, and yes it is somehow more of a hot disaster than it sounds and also involved less personal experiences than one would expect from my fic. My writing roots (pre-fanfic) are in disaster comedy and I do not write it enough.
find yourself an oblivious man, aka the fic that brought me back after I almost quit fandom altogether. Maybe not my best writing, but represents a very specific moment in my life, so.
open your eyes (it’s time to leave me) - the entire “same light” ‘verse could get a mention, honestly, but that one lingers as a representation of my emotional state at the time in the best-worst way and I am still amazed I managed to create something that good in that era. (Also, that was about the point in that fandom where I met some fabulous people, and I think y’all latched on after a DIFFERENT fic around the same time but it still deserves mention.)
never listen but i see it with my eyes closed - I am writing longform fic, which I do not successfully do like EVER, for the ship that saved my tail this year, but also not because it has turned into this deep-dive exploration of the headspace of the most conflicted / morally-darkest character I’ve ever written, and I love it and it’s eaten my life.
Not tagging anybody but this is open-ended for anyone who wants to do it.
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aniketos28 said: Which of the 2 should I get given the chance, Valhalla or Odyssey?? I have been looking at Odyssey for a while because the ancient era is so fascinating, but Valhalla also looks really cool too.
Great question! It kind of depends on what you’re into. Story-wise, I think I like Valhalla better---I think it has a stronger sense of overall purpose for the player, where Eivor is traveling across southeast England as a representative for her clan. She spends most of the story meeting people and making alliances or declaring war on various factions. Kassandra, meanwhile, spends the main story chasing murder cultists in search of her family, while getting involved in Peloponnesian War politics. I’m still playing through Valhalla’s story, but I’ll confide that I wasn’t impressed with AC:O’s DLC content. And bringing the Greek Pantheon into the story kind of deterred my immersion, tbh. Still deciding what I think of the gods’ role in Valhalla.
As far as aesthetics, I like Odyssey better. I felt like most of Kassandra’s armor and outfits are more historically accurate and with much more variety. Valhalla, I felt, is too influenced by the gritty, biker-viking aesthetic that the Vikings TV series popularized. Though I love that both games are filled with ruins and relics from past ages---Mycenaean, Minoan, and pre-Classical ruins dot the landscape in Odyssey, while Roman ruins play a major role in Valhalla.
The gameplay in both is pretty standard Assassin’s Creed fare, the biggest difference being the sea-combat. Kassandra gets a huge trireme to skirmish, ram, and board enemy ships out on the Aegean. Valhalla doesn’t really have ship-to-ship combat, but on the other hand, Eivor can row up to and sack random forts, villages, and monasteries with her huscarls. So there’s a tradeoff there.
Anyway, hopefully that answers some of your questions. If you’d like more input, feel free to ask!
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Could you do KoyoIchi (Swinging Pendulum), please? C: I have fallen in love with this ship ever since you posted those short one-shots (or whatever they are called) a while ago.
Hmm you didn’t include an AU and I’ve already done a KoyoIchi SP AU in the last batch, there’s not much else I can write for that I think. So how about KoyoIchi post-canon AU instead, where Ichigo’s human body gives out after the Quincy War, so he ends up splitting his time between SS and the Human world afterwards.
Edit: omg wtf did i do i went off i’m sorry this ended up semi-background pre-relationship KoyoIchi + like a dozen unrelated headcanons thrown in it’s a mess fml
1. It’s not usually done, he’s technically dead now (but not a Shinigami, not a Quincy, not a Hollow, and not even a Human anymore), but he has a lot of support from a lot of people - Kisuke has no qualms crafting him a gigai that would allow him to draw his blade even without stepping out of it, and Kyouraku basically gives him free run of Soul Society after they hammer out what Ichigo is supposed to do there considering he’s now stronger than the entire Gotei combined but also he’s technically only eighteen years old.
(It would be scarier, Kyouraku thinks, if Ichigo’s moral fibre hadn’t already proven itself superior.)
In the end, they settle it like this - Ichigo attends the Academy part-time for all the lessons Kisuke and Yoruichi and Shinji never bothered hammering into him because it was never important to the war, attends university in the human world, and the rest of his time is his do with as he pleases, whether that’s taking missions directly from Kyouraku, visiting with his friends in various squads and being roped into doing paperwork, or digging up yet another rebel faction or secret invasion out of the woodwork (”Please don’t dig up yet another rebel faction or secret invasion out of the woodwork for at least a month, Ichigo-kun. One month, you hear? We still haven’t finished cleanup from the last one.”).
Because it’s Ichigo, it works. it’s not like he wasn’t already coming and going from Soul Society when he was still human. The Shinigami have let him get away with far too much already to put restrictions on him now, especially considering he’s saved all their asses twice over now, and that’s not even counting all the trouble in-between. If there are some who complain, well, there are even more who are capable of making sure nothing ever comes of it.
So okay, no rebel faction, no secret invasion, but Ichigo’s not Ichigo without something to work towards, and he’s always wondered why the Shinigami side of his family was slumming it out in Rukongai when they’re supposed to be nobility like Byakuya and Yoruichi. The answer is simple enough - Aizen had mind-whammied everyone after Isshin ran off and fabricated a coup that resulted in assassinations courtesy of the Second Division before the remaining Shibas were ousted from Seireitei overnight.
(It was only too easy for Aizen to make them believe it.Nobody ever questioned whether or not the Shibas could. They had the power. They just never had the ambition, which nobody could understand.)
No way is Ichigo going to take that lying down. So he goes and yells at Kyouraku, who says it’s complicated and would take time, but Ichigo reminds him of the Visored and Kisuke and Yoruichi and Tessai, all let back in in the wake of the Winter War. If they could be pardoned, and rightfully so, why can’t the Shibas too?
“I’m not saying they can’t forever, Ichigo-kun,” Kyouraku says placatingly. “But Central 46 will want… assurances-”
“You mean they’re scared to let my family back in cuz they might still be a little bit pissed from having three-quarters of their members murdered in their beds,” Ichigo summarizes flatly.
Kyouraku sighs and gives up all pretenses of a neutral party. “If you have a better idea…” He waves a hand at the general situation, eyes dark and intent on Ichigo’s face.
Ichigo snorts and straightens up. “Yeah. It’s called ‘being too strong to fuck with’. The old bastards are in session right now, aren’t they? I’ll be right back.”
One day, Kyouraku muses as he watches Ichigo go, this will probably not work, and it’ll come back to bite them all in the ass. Then again, Central 46 has run Soul Society their way or no one’s way for far too long; Yama-jii had always given them too much power. They’d learned nothing from Aizen, so maybe Ichigo is exactly what they deserve, straightforward and running on emotion, but fair, always, and decent in a way that Kyouraku thinks most of their government has forgotten how to be, if they ever knew to begin with.
One day, even Ichigo’s threats won’t make Central 46 back down. But a god doesn’t bow just because someone demands it, no matter how important they think their bloodline or rank or status is. And Ichigo is probably the closest thing they have to a god these days. A god, with plenty of friends to back him up if he needs it.
So Kyouraku leaves him to it - better Ichigo than him, less headaches in the long run - and he isn’t at all surprised when Ichigo sweeps back into his office five hours later, expression grim but triumphant, reiatsu still writhing like a living shadow around him as he informs Kyouraku that his clan will be needing their old estate back.
Kyouraku pushes over the paperwork he’d completed an hour ago, authorizing the full restoration and compensation of the Shiba Clan. Ichigo smiles at him almost fondly, features only slightly tinted with a banked sort of inhuman rage that he carries around almost constantly these days - it’s three steps left of his cousin’s memory, with Hollow glinting in his eyes and the shade of his ancestor draped across his shoulders. He’s gone again in the next moment, off to tell his family the excellent news, and Kyouraku thinks it was probably a good thing Yama-jii died when he did. However reasonable Ichigo still is, he is no longer that boy with the too-forgiving heart who took the insults they served him with all the doormatted self-sacrifice of a storybook hero.
(He came back from the Soul King Palace equal parts pensive and victorious, with old eyes and reiatsu levels they could no longer sense and a terrifying sort of detachment when he looked at them all. But his friends had fallen on him without care, only relief, and the icy distance in Ichigo’s mien had melted. Kyouraku had understood though, in that moment, that Soul Society would stand only so long as Ichigo allows it.
He likes Ichigo, he genuinely does. Jyuushirou had too. That hadn’t stopped his old friend from attempting to leash him, which had almost backfired in the end and literally only hadn’t out of the goodness of Ichigo’s heart, and it doesn’t stop Kyouraku now from catering to Ichigo’s whims. Only time would tell if this approach will work better or worse than Jyuushirou’s law-abiding one, and in the meanwhile, it doesn’t hurt that Ichigo doesn’t actually want anything Kyouraku doesn’t want to fix anyway. Soul Society has been his home for over nine centuries now. He does not want to see it burn. If that means dragging it kicking and screaming into a new era with a boy their world created to fight their wars for them looking over his shoulder, then Kyouraku will do it gladly.)
It takes almost three months for the Shibas to gather again and move back in. They’d scattered, after their exile, all across Rukongai, but Kuukaku is their head, and Ichigo has single-handedly wrested back their birthright for them, and when both of them call, the rest of the clan answers, trickling in in twos and threes and fours, suspicious and wary and not inclined to trust anyone but their own, but they come, and the first thing they do is raise wards around their home strong enough to withstand a siege from the Royal Guard.
“That’s everyone?” Ichigo asks, looking from the civilians to the once-Shinigami to the children. All in all, they barely make thirty total, and over half of them are from their retainer families.
Kuukaku shrugs tiredly at his side. She’s never looked older than she does now. “You know Isshin’s staying in the Human world for your sisters, but other than that, pretty much. Everyone else is dead.” She pauses. “Well, except one, but I doubt he’ll come. Kaien’s wife’s brother,” She adds for Ichigo’s benefit. “Koyonagi Senzou. He was the Kidou Corps Commander before Tessai, demoted to Academy teacher after some mission the higher-ups covered up. He was the only one the Gotei kept on after we were kicked out. Never found out whether he actually wanted to stay or if Central 46 insisted he stay. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the latter. He’s wasted at the Academy, too useful to kill but too dangerous to let out of sight. As far as I know though, he’s still there.”
Ichigo frowns as he digests all this. “And he won’t come by to see you guys?”
Kuukaku shakes her head. “I doubt it. He was never really one of us.”
“Why not?”
Kuukaku shrugs again. “He never wanted to be. I didn’t know him very well, Ichigo, but he loved exactly one person, and she was more or less killed under Kaien’s watch. It wasn’t Nii-san’s fault of course, but she was sent out on a mission given to her by the Thirteenth Division lieutenant, and she never came back. He attended her funeral. That was the last time any of us saw him, although our Shinigami members reported glimpses of him in and around the Academy over the years.”
Ichigo hums. Kuukaku gives him an arch look and then snorts. “Shall I prepare a room for him anyway when I start renovations?”
Ichigo grins at her. “That’d be perfect, Kuukaku, thanks.”
2. Of course Senzou has heard of Kurosaki Ichigo. You’d have to be living under a rock in a cave in a different dimension to not have heard of Soul Society’s God-Slaying Saviour.
And of course he’s a Shiba. That lot always was more trouble than they were worth, too powerful for their own good, and too reckless or too confident or too stupid - Senzou has never really figured out which - to hide it from the world or at least play it down to keep the world from turning on them because of it. No subtlety at all. And look where it got them in the end.
In the aftermath of the Quincy War, he hears of the Shibas’ return to the city, and he can feel the power in the wards they almost immediately erect around their home. For protection, no doubt, because old dogs can learn new tricks after all, but to Senzou, it just looks like a very pretty cage. Why they - or the Visored for that matter - came back to serve the very people who betrayed them in some of the worst ways possible is beyond him.
Not that it makes much of a difference to Senzou. He’d ignored them for decades before their exile; no doubt, he’ll happily ignore them for decades more. They’re related only through an unfortunate marriage, and considering both parties are long dead now, what little obligation he had to them likewise expired years ago.
But, he thinks, as he watches an increasingly familiar head of orange hair slide into his classroom, someone forgot to give that memo to the Shibas’ newest pride and joy. Even Senzou - with expectations that literally no student has ever met - can admit that Kurosaki Ichigo attending Kidou lessons is a complete waste of time. Senzou spends his days teaching idiots the incantations for each of the ninety-nine standard spells, trying not to scratch his own eyes out when he has to grade their papers, and making sure they don’t blow themselves up when they practice producing them. Even the most advanced of the sixth-years can only manage spells in the fifties range, with a fifty-fifty chance of average-at-best success.
Ichigo memorized all the incantations in the first two weeks he was here. His first essay on the use of forbidden Kidou - instead of a regurgitation of laws citing the illegality of them that everyone else turned in - became a dissertation on their pros and cons, arguing that every case in which they’re used should be thoroughly investigated not only by Central 46 but also by a panel of Shinigami, and why the laws against them should be amended to allow for unexpected circumstances. The brat even had the gall to throw in quotes of interviews he’d conducted, and if it had been anyone else claiming to have received firsthand and eye-witness accounts of forbidden Kidou usage from names like Tsukabishi Tessai and Hirako Shinji, Senzou would’ve set them on fire for being such a bad liar. He couldn’t even fail the boy for incomplete research because the books he referenced might not be found in the Academy library but they all had Urahara Kisuke stamped on them.
And his practicals? A high level of reiatsu usually means the caster would have a harder time performing Kidou, especially when they’re first starting out, too much power shoved into the lower-level ones, too little control to hold together the higher-level ones.
Not Kurosaki Ichigo. That boy spent the first week putting holes into everything except his targets, went away for a weekend, and then came back with singed eyebrows and bags under his eyes but a resolute set to his jaw and picture-perfect Kidou at his fingertips. He didn’t even need the incantations anymore. And to make him even more of an anomaly, he could perform spells right up into the nineties. In fact, the higher the difficulty and reiatsu output, the better he was with them.
There is nothing the standard Kidou curriculum from any year can teach him. His learning curve is insane, and his essays read like he’s gearing up to go toe to toe with Central 46, never mind an Academy class.
He doesn’t need to be here. Senzou knows it. The other students know it. And Ichigo most certainly knows it too. And with the special allowances granted by the Soutaichou himself, he doesn’t even need permission to skip. The boy’s been given unprecedented free reign to come and go as he pleases, and yet he comes back, week after week after week. He doesn’t even have the decency to sleep through Senzou’s lectures. He’s a flickering candle in the corner of Senzou’s eye, all flame-bright hair and brown-gold-brown eyes and shadows that won’t stop moving, and that unwavering attention he pins on Senzou every time makes it damn clear exactly what he’s waiting for.
Shibas. No subtlety whatsoever.
The bell rings. Bags are packed. There’s a scramble for the door.
“Kurosaki-chan,” Senzou calls in bored tones without looking away from sadistically adding an extra assignment to the board. If no one notices, that’s their problem. “Stay behind.”
There are some interested whispers and prying eyes, but one glance from Senzou sends them scurrying away. And then Ichigo is there, sauntering up with his perpetual scowl - not at all like Kaien this one. The two are as charismatic as each other, from what Senzou’s observed. But Kaien had people wrapped around his finger because he had a knack for putting them at ease and making them feel special and making himself both approachable and worth looking up to. Ichigo on the other hand scared a lot of people when he first showed up at the Academy with an armful of books and a gruff disposition that didn’t lend itself to making allies, let alone friends. He wasn’t arrogant, just introverted, but it made him the kind of genius that people resented.
And then Senzou caught him in the hallway one day, looming over a mousy-looking fifth-year student huddled on the ground, and at first, he’d thought Kurosaki was bullying her. Everyone’s golden boy, picking on a shrinking violet of a girl. But then Ichigo had stooped down and gathered up all the books spilled across the floor before offering them back to the girl. The girl had still cowered, but she’d accepted them, and when Ichigo reached out and hauled her to her feet, she’d flinched but hadn’t moved away once she was on her feet again and Ichigo had let her go.
Then Ichigo had told her, quite clearly, “Next time someone can’t keep their hands to themselves, break their fucking wrists. Or kick them in the balls. Or tell them to fuck off. Start a scene so they have to stop. Do something. Don’t just fucking stand there.”
And then he’d stormed off, and the girl - Fujiwara, from the Kyouraku family - had stared after him, all baby-duckling wide eyes. And the next time Senzou had happened across her, it was just in time to see her chuck one of her textbooks at the head of one of her bullies. Said bully had staggered back, and then purpled with anger, already moving forward with fists clenched. Half a second later, he was on the ground and wailing from a broken nose, and Ichigo was standing over him, murder glowing gold in his eyes and black reiatsu streaking his hair and pooling at his feet.
Nobody had touched Fujiwara after that, especially since the girl had taken to following Ichigo around. Ichigo had still scowled like no one’s business, he’d also been seen kicking Fujiwara’s ass in one of the training rooms, they studied together in the library, and they ate together in the courtyard when Ichigo happened to stay for that.
And gradually, other students joined in, tentatively, some nervous, some with hero worship in their eyes, all hopeful. Ichigo never turned any of them away, but one day, he started a debate in the library about laws that would take species outside of Shinigami into consideration that ended with raised voices and enthusiastic opinions that got the whole giggling bunch thrown out, and another day, he suggested a free-for-all game of tag where only Kidou could be used to catch each other which ended with everyone sweaty and gasping and wanting another round, and in calmer in-betweens, he answered when the others finally asked him about what Hueco Mundo was like, what the Material world was like, what Arrancar were like, what Humans were like, and he never lost his temper with them even when he had to explain something more than once.
He was still blunt and borderline rude and not at all like Kaien, like a Shiba, not outgoing or friendly or instantly personable. But the charisma was the same, people couldn’t help but be drawn to him, and it took weeks for Senzou to realize he was just as susceptible to it as Ichigo’s growing circle of friends within the Academy. So susceptible he was literally stalking him everywhere just to see what other chaos he was sowing.
That’s probably why he wants the boy gone so badly. He’d sworn he’d never forgive the Shiba Clan for taking his sister away from him, the only leeway they got was that he wouldn’t actively go after them either because Miyako wouldn’t want him to, and it wasn’t as if it was difficult to keep such a vow. He’d never liked the Shibas anyway. When they’d been slaughtered and cast out, and no assassins had shown up at his door in the aftermath, all he’d thought was good riddance.
But Kurosaki Ichigo…
Under any other circumstances, Senzou would be thrilled. Here is a student who challenged the world around him and brought a storm to the Academy.
But this isn’t any other circumstances, and as Ichigo stops in front of his desk, a beast glinting behind his eyes and a dead king’s inheritance pulsing in the shadow splashed at his feet, Senzou meets his gaze and slices a mocking smile in his direction.
“Kurosaki-chan,” He starts, smirk widening when Ichigo’s eyebrows twitch. “The Academy’s star part-time pupil. What exactly are you still doing in my class?”
Ichigo shrugs. “I signed up for it, your lectures aren’t boring, and I’m trying to figure you out.”
Senzou feels his smile grow fixed. “And how is that going for you?”
Ichigo scruffs a hand through his hair, pauses briefly to frown tug at the shoulder-length strands like he wants a haircut, and then shrugs again. “You’re the one following me around all the time, what do you think?”
They stare at each other for a moment.
“Let me make one thing very clear, Kurosaki-chan,” Senzou finally says. For once, he doesn’t feel like weaving his usual mind games. “I don’t know what your clan has told you, but I have no desire to play happy families with them. I know you Shibas tend to be all about bringing family together, but I am not one of you.” His lip curls. “Do not push this issue any further than you have. Am I understood?”
Ichigo cocks his head, something animal in the way he watches Senzou now. “Kuukaku agreed to reserve a room for you at the compound if you ever want it, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I’m not here for that.”
Senzou’s eyes narrow. “Then what are you here for?” He gives the boy a sardonic look and cuts him off preemptively. “Besides class.”
Ichigo grins, quicksilver bright, and something in Senzou recoils with surprise.
“I don’t really have a plan,” The boy tells him. “But I’m getting my family settled back in, and making sure nobody can fuck with them ever again.” He aims another considering look at Senzou. “If you don’t wanna be all buddy-buddy with them, that’s fine. It’s not any of my business if you wanna hammer your shit out with them or not. But you were connected to them even if you didn’t like it, and that doesn’t change just because that connection’s gone. So I guess what I wanted to figure out was whether or not someone’s fucking with you too.”
Senzou opens his mouth, then closes it when nothing comes out. How embarrassing. He settles for a derisive smile that feels a touch too brittle on his face. “I don’t need your protection, God-Slayer.”
Ichigo immediately makes a face. “Don’t call me that. And I didn’t say you did. But when I start something, I like to see it through, so I thought I’d check just to be sure.”
Senzou scoffs with disbelief. “Then why didn’t you just ask?”
Ichigo rolls his eyes like he thinks Senzou’s being dumb on purpose, which is a new experience for Senzou. Usually he’s the one rolling his eyes.
“Well you didn’t want me to, did you?” Ichigo says, looking exasperated now. “You were curious about me, and all the stalking was recon or whatever.” He levels a thoughtful look on Senzou before snorting with something like amusement. “You are the type. But yeah, anyway, now you know. If you need help, the offer’s open indefinitely. But I’ll stop coming to class if you don’t want me here.”
He trails off, arching an eyebrow in question. When Senzou doesn’t reply, the boy shrugs once more, adjusts the strap of his bag, and turns to leave.
Senzou… Well, he’s pretty much been on the back foot this entire conversation, hasn’t he? There’s something about Ichigo that just… throws him off. It’s frustrating. Unnerving.
And yet… Ichigo didn’t push. Kaien would’ve pushed. The rest of his family would’ve pushed. It’s what Shibas do when they want something - push and push until they get what they want, a single-minded persistence hidden under their signature cheerful geniality that makes the rest of the world believe them to be the nicest clan in all of Soul Society.
Miyako had said no, the first time Kaien had asked to court her. But he’d asked again and again, until she’d said yes, and she’d been happy to, Senzou had made certain of that, she’d been perfectly willing, had found a good man in Kaien and been glad she’d finally given him a chance.
But she’d said no first, and Kaien had pushed, and it just… rubbed Senzou the wrong way. Because once upon a time, Shinigami had plucked them out from Rukongai, dusted them off and provided the training and shuffled them into the military, all expenses paid, but no had never been an option, and that had become all the more true after Miyako became such a public, vulnerable figure, not only Third Seat of the Thirteenth but also wife of a clan head.
When Central 46 had come knocking, interested in Senzou’s prodigal skills with Kidou, they hadn’t even needed to drop Miyako’s name for Senzou to know that saying no then wasn’t an option either. He’d been pushed into their service, and it had taken Miyako’s death for Central 46 to finally leave him alone, solely because he had no one else for them to hold over his head.
It’s not the Shibas’ fault, not really. It’s been long enough that Senzou can admit that, if only to himself. Miyako’s choices were her own, and even if she hadn’t married him, Central 46 probably would’ve found another way to get to him through her. But Senzou has always been petty and vindictive at heart, and he’ll blame the Shibas for the rest of his life, because at the end of the day, they’re just like all the other nobles in this place. What they want, they’ll push until they get, because privilege is in their blood.
So Senzou flounders when Ichigo doesn’t push his advantage. The boy is already halfway to the door, and somehow, Senzou is certain, if he doesn’t say anything now, Ichigo won’t come back. It’s so wildly different from what he’d expected, so unexpectedly not-like-a-Shiba, that he has to fumble for something to say for an unforgivably long moment. Him, fumble. This whole conversation has been one unexpected surprise after another, and later, Senzou will blame the shock for his next decision.
“Wait.”
Ichigo stops and turns back. He doesn’t look surprised, but neither does he look triumphant or even just smug.
Senzou suppresses a grimace. “The school has nothing left to teach you about Kidou.”
Ichigo nods in unabashed agreement.
Senzou snorts softly. “But I do. And I guarantee it won’t bore you.”
Ichigo blinks, and a crooked smile slowly curls at his lips. It doesn’t erase his frown, but it softens his brow and makes his features look less harsh. “You sure you wanna teach me?”
Senzou scoffs and pulls out his chair. “I wouldn’t have offered otherwise.” He gives himself a mental shake and drags a grin back onto his face, sharp enough to cut. “Sit your ass down so we can figure out a schedule, Ichi-chan.”
Ichigo instantly loses the smile and glowers like a thundercloud. Senzou all but basks in the familiarity of it, inwardly relieved at being back on steadier ground.
“Don’t call me that, asshole!”
He probably shouldn’t have offered, should’ve just let him go and good riddance. But Senzou hasn’t been taken so off-guard so quickly in a long time, and it had been frustrating and unnerving but underneath both…
There is a storm waiting on the wings of Seireitei, and Kurosaki Ichigo is the one holding its reins.
And Senzou. Senzou is just curious enough to want to see what that storm will bring.
3. “Did your hair grow three inches over the weekend?” Senzou asks the moment Ichigo walks into one of their weekly lessons.
Ichigo dumps his bag in a chair and scowls at him. His hair has been swept up into a bun, which is certainly a feat considering the last time Senzou saw him three days ago, it had only brushed his shoulders.
“This body is seriously shit at regulating itself,” Ichigo grumbles. “I didn’t have time to go to the barber’s, and Kuukaku threatened to shave me bald if I tried to chop it off with my Zanpakutou again.”
Senzou squints at him. “You realize that’s not normal.”
Ichigo rolls his eyes. “I didn’t have a knife on me, and it was getting in the way, okay? Don’t judge.”
This time, it’s Senzou’s turn to roll his eyes. “That wasn’t what I meant, Ichi-chan. Shinigami bodies don’t suddenly grow several inches of hair overnight.”
“You’d be surprised,” Ichigo mutters before shaking his head, and Senzou watches as black reiatsu crackles lazily across his shoulders. “I’m just kinda weird. Excess reiatsu plus funky biology apparently means random hair growth and dye jobs.” He shrugs. “Kisuke’s still figuring it out.”
Senzou hums noncommittally. “Urahara Kisuke. Your… mentor?”
Ichigo pulls out the books Senzou had given him last week, along with a notebook and the latest essay Senzou had assigned him. All are tagged with multiple sticky notes.
“Kind of?” Ichigo sounds like he isn’t all too sure himself and even less concerned about it. “He’s… Kisuke.”
Senzou eyes him curiously. “You don’t care that he basically engineered half your life then?”
Ichigo stills. Then he glances up with Hollow-gold eyes, and Senzou smiles and meets them without flinching.
“Why would you say that?” Ichigo asks in even tones, but the office suddenly seems darker.
Senzou shrugs carelessly. “Urahara has a bit of a reputation for… working outside the box. It’s not just me who thinks it, Ichi-chan. There aren’t many who knew him who wouldn’t take one look at you and guess that he had something to do with your existence.” He pauses. “Although admittedly, I suppose the worst of these rumours come from the ones who want him back most. Central 46 doesn’t benefit half as much without his skills in assassination and technological development. It must’ve been a blow to their egos when Urahara refused their invitation to come back after the Winter War. They might be hoping enough unease over any other projects he’s bound to be working on would be enough to make him come back under their protection-”
“That’s not called protection,” Ichigo growls, and Senzou stops, words withering on his tongue.
There is something about the black abyss of Ichigo’s unblinking stare that makes some base instinct in even Senzou want to back away, run, throw himself at this eldritch entity’s feet and beg for mercy. He squashes the urge and smiles like monsters don’t exist.
Ichigo blinks. The darkness in his eyes recede, and the room clears again, bright with the sunshine pouring in through the open window. A shadow passes over his face, and when he opens his mouth to speak, Senzou catches a glimpse of fangs.
“Well that sucks,” The boy remarks succinctly like the silhouette on the far wall behind him doesn’t outline a grinning mouth with too many teeth. “It’s none of their business anyway. Kisuke prefers his shop. He’s his own boss there, and he likes it that way. Central 46 will just have to deal with Kurotsuchi.”
He flips open his notebook and shoves his essay over. “Now come on, we only have an hour today, and you said you’d go over this bit with me.”
Senzou nods and drops the subject. But three weeks later, he laughs when whispers tell of five Central 46 members retiring from their seats, replaced by one Shiba elder, one Shihouin, one Kuchiki, and two seated officers from the Gotei, one of which has served long enough that she doesn’t mind semi-retiring, and the other who prefers more time at a desk job over constant fieldwork. Both have roots that trace back to the slums of Rukongai. Twelve days after that, the Soutaichou announces a new official position filled by Urahara Kisuke - Human World Liaison - and a team of his choice, effective immediately.
“You don’t waste any time,” is Senzou’s greeting the next time he sees Ichigo after that debacle.
Ichigo, seated on the edge of the Academy roof and surveying the rest of Seireitei (like a ruler looking over his kingdom), waves a dismissive hand that trails solid shadows through the air. “People who’ve never been Shinigami shouldn’t be allowed to judge them. Kyouraku-san agreed.”
“I’m sure he did,” Senzou agrees, fighting near-hysterical glee down to a chuckle as he drops down to sit beside Ichigo.
He wonders if this is what it looks like, for a man to crown himself without even trying while most of the world cheers him on.
He glances to the side, arching an eyebrow when he finds Ichigo watching him. “Yes, Ichi-chan?”
There’s a disappointing lack of irritable twitching this time, but the thoughtful look Ichigo has levelled on him instead is more interesting.
“I have finals starting next week,” Ichigo says abruptly. “So I won’t be coming by the Academy until I’m done.”
Well, less interesting than he’d expected. “I’ll pick up your assignments for you,” Senzou offers, feeling generous. It’s not every day Central 46 takes a beating. He doesn’t care about Aizen, but if there was one thing he did right, it was butchering the judiciary authority on the way out. One group of them anyway.
Ichigo snorts. Rude. “Thanks, but I was thinking, you could join me down there for once instead of me coming up to meet you here. I want to concentrate on my university exams, but I have to eat and stretch my legs sometime. If you want, I could show you around campus. Kisuke can lend you a gigai so you won’t even have to request one from the Twelfth and wait for the acquisition forms to be approved.”
The first thing Senzou wants to say is I can’t. Because he can’t. Central 46 can’t make him do shit anymore, but short of slaughtering his way to the Senkaimon or disappearing into the Rukongai and living out the rest of his life as a fugitive, he can’t leave Seireitei. He doesn’t hate it here so much that he’d prefer either of those options, but the truth of the matter is, this is as much his home as it is his prison.
(A very pretty cage indeed.)
So he can’t, but Ichigo isn’t stupid, he should’ve already figured it out, or guessed, if not from the start after whatever his family told him about Senzou, then in the five months since. Stuck at the Academy because he’s too much of a wild card to go on missions.
Ichigo isn’t stupid, but neither is he cruel, not to those he has no quarrel with - that much Senzou can accept as truth. That he’s bringing this up anyway…
So, “How?” He asks instead, raising his eyebrows when Ichigo actually barks out a laugh. And then his eyes widen when Ichigo twists fingers through the air, and a Garganta springs into existence beside them.
“This can take us there,” Ichigo grins. “And no one will ever even know if you don’t want them to.”
Senzou stares from him to the murky void and back again. “…Why?”
Why are you doing this? Why would you offer?
They’ve known each other for five months, six if you count the one Senzou spent studying him. Most of that time has been spent in private tutoring sessions, and it’s benefitted Senzou as much as it has Ichigo. He technically shouldn’t be teaching Ichigo even half the Kidou Corps secrets he’s already imparted, but Ichigo makes it worth his while - quick on the uptake, a challenge in the sparring ring, and a breath of fresh air from the tedious drudgery of teaching his other students. Occasionally, they even go out for meals, tucked away in a quiet corner of a restaurant or a food stand. And sometimes, Ichigo brings souvenirs back with him from his trips to the Human world - fiction, toys, tech, trinkets the living modern age has that Soul Society does not - and he gifts them not only to his friends amongst the students but also to Senzou these days.
It’s a friendlier relationship than Senzou thought he’d ever have with anyone outside his sister, doubly so for a Shiba. Then again, Ichigo’s barely that, thank the Soul King, even if he was raised by one of the worst examples of that clan.
“Why not?” Ichigo counters, like it isn’t downright unnatural for anyone to do anything for Senzou, mostly because he’d rather stab himself in the face than fall into anybody’s debt. People avoid him when they can because he is cruel, and that’s the way Senzou likes it. He has high standards and little tolerance for things that bore him. Nothing bores him as easily as people do.
Until Ichigo.
“You don’t wanna be stuck here all the time,” Ichigo continues. “And I have an easy way out. So yeah, why not?”
Senzou turns his gaze to the horizion, past the sprawling streets and buildings of Seireitei to the sun setting beyond the wall.
He looks at the Garganta again. When Ichigo doesn’t move to stop him, he reaches over and lets his fingers drift past the mouth of the portal. The void is cool to the touch but not freezing the way he’d half-imagined.
He retrieves his hand. “A campus tour then?” He muses lightly, and Ichigo’s features brighten in response.
Senzou almost sighs. He thinks he might understand now. Ichigo is a little more like a Shiba after all. It’s just that he’s also a little more manipulative than one would expect of him. Senzou had all but told him not to interfere, to play hero for someone else, so Ichigo had backed off. But he’d figured out what Senzou wanted anyway, and his solution was to offer another way out instead.
Persistent, without disrespecting boundaries, and cunning enough to find another answer. In that regard, he’s nothing like his Shinigami relatives, who are always so loud about their intentions.
Charismatic, but… discreetly, almost insidiously so.
Senzou blinks. And then glances sharply at Ichigo again. His eyes look bronze in the light of the sunset, with the heat of his Hollow just beneath it. He has his head propped up against one loose fist, elbow balanced on one knee.
He smiles, almost guileless if not for the possessive resolve in the curve of that expression, and Senzou thinks, unbidden, ah. That’s how he won their devotion.
He gave his friends and family and allies everything they wanted, everything they needed, threw his heart and soul and body into every fight in their defense, shattered himself and rebuilt himself to protect the ones he’d taken under his wing, and so when the time came, how could any of them have done anything less for him?
It had probably not even been something Ichigo had done consciously from the beginning, it was just how he was built, through a quirk of the genetic fun park Urahara had ensured, or perhaps from the numerous near-death experiences life had forced him into. Ichigo probably hadn’t been aware, at first.
But he definitely is now.
Senzou thinks Ichigo is only just starting with him. Senzou’s already been claimed, because - for whatever reason - Ichigo wants him.
It probably says a lot that even this early on, even having already figured it out, Senzou… can’t say he cares enough to protest.
A Shiba in his bones, but leagues more dangerous by far.
4. The Human world is bigger than he remembers. Size-wise, it’s the same. But there’s a lot more in it than he thought, and he isn’t sure if that’s due to the passage of time or because he’d never spent more time than strictly necessary here when he took missions on the material plane back in the day.
Either way, he’s free to explore it now, even if just a small part of it for the time being. The campus of Ichigo’s school is large and sprawling, and with Urahara’s gigai and fake IDs and some Human money (he trades them for a box of seal traps even Tsukabishi Tessai wouldn’t know of because they’re Senzou’s own creation, and Urahara smiles like he understands and doesn’t object), it’s easy enough to come and go once Ichigo drops him off.
“You bought an apartment?” Senzou asks the first time Ichigo shows him the place and lets him poke around inside. It’s recognizably a living space, but it’s foreign to him all the same, with a generous open floor plan and wide windows, marble countertops in the kitchen and dark wooden cabinets and a bathroom constructed of polished chrome and gleaming tile.
“Kisuke bought me an apartment,” Ichigo corrects, flopping down on the couch where he has papers and books spread all over the coffee table and floor. His hair’s shorter today, barely past his shoulders, tipped black and hanging loose. Senzou is vaguely curious about what the boy’s classmates think of it.
“I wanted my own place,” Ichigo explains. “But Kisuke took one look at the rent I could afford and practically frog-marched me here instead. Then he had Yoruichi-san steal all my stuff and move it here, and then he said I might as well just take it because staying would be less work than moving all my stuff back.” He snorts, but it’s a fond sound. “The asshole. It’s not like I’d want to turn this place down. But it’s a bit much, so I try to help him with his research projects whenever I can in exchange.”
Senzou digests this with briefly raised eyebrows but says nothing. Urahara probably considers this another desperate form of making amends, and Ichigo probably knows it too. He probably wouldn’t have accepted otherwise.
“There’s a guest bedroom,” Ichigo calls after him as Senzou wanders down the hall to investigate exactly that. “Rukia’s stayed overnight, Renji too, and a few of my human friends have as well, but I always clean the place after they leave, so if you wanna stay tonight, feel free.”
That’s all the conversation between them for the rest of the day. Ichigo already showed him the campus the day before, and after tossing him a key to the apartment, Senzou is free to wander off and explore on his own.
Two weeks of regular visits to the Human world, and he still feels a little awkward in one of the shirts and jeans and sweater that that Quincy friend of Ichigo’s had shoved on him before whirlwinding back out again, apparently neck-deep in the middle of his own finals project.
“It’s Ishida, he makes clothes for everyone,” was Ichigo’s unhelpful clarification. “You help by walking around and looking good in them.”
So Senzou does, and part of him feels like he should stand out more, but nobody gives him more than a passing glance at most. Well, some do, but he recognizes shallow attraction well enough to ignore it.
In the end, he finds himself spending the most time in the libraries and lecture halls, slipping into the back of a classroom and listening to lessons he actually has to pay attention to to even understand some of what the professor is talking about. The science lectures mostly go over his head, and he’s never been interested in that field anyway so he doesn’t bother putting much effort into following them. It’s the literature courses he likes the most. There aren’t any at the Academy, not like this, and there are so many more books in so many more languages and genres than Senzou ever thought there existed in the world.
Soul Society suddenly seems so small in comparison.
It’s always an exercise in patience every time he has to return to Seireitei to teach now. After the first two weeks of almost daily trips to the Human world, he orders - on a whim - the students from his upper-year classes to split into groups before assigning each of them a project due at the end of the term on the theoretical creation of three new Kidou spells.
Group projects are not a thing at the Academy. Senzou wonders why.
He tells them that at least two of the research sources have to be from outside the Academy, and he smirks when he follows Fujiwara Asuka to the First Division compound to speak with her cousin, and then the Eighth to speak with her cousin’s former lieutenant, and then even braving the Fourth, straight-backed and stiff with anxiety but marching in anyway with her nervous group members in tow until she manages to wrangle fifteen minutes of time from a few of the healers willing to answer her questions about Kaidou.
Even here, Ichigo’s influence flourishes.
Outside the classroom, Senzou begins collecting copies of Human books. He half-bribes, half-blackmails the librarian into setting aside a section for him, and then he begins his own project of filling it.
“You’ve been busy,” Ichigo remarks when he staggers in from his last exam and collapses into a chair just as Senzou finishes setting the table for dinner.
Senzou arches an eyebrow, smirking when Ichigo just rolls his eyes.
“People tell me things,” Ichigo informs him, barely waiting for Senzou to sit down before falling onto the meal like he hasn’t eaten in a week.
“You would make a poor king if people didn’t,” Senzou murmurs, smiling serenely when Ichigo’s eyes flick up to meet his. It’s not as intimidating when his cheeks are bulging like a chipmunk’s.
Actually, Ichigo in the Human world just seems less… overwhelming in general. It isn’t as if he’s any less powerful. This particular gigai doesn’t restrict him in any way. But there’s a relaxed quality in him here that Senzou’s observed in the past three weeks that’s always absent when he’s the rawest form of himself up in Seireitei.
“Soul Society needs to change,” Ichigo says at last, instead of denying anything. “If that means kicking it in the ass until it stops fucking up the lives it’s supposed to be looking after, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.”
Yes, and Senzou has no doubt he’ll succeed. The majority of those in power have no desire to stop Ichigo. Those who do aren’t strong enough. And Ichigo wants it. He wants it with a conviction Senzou has never seen in anyone, almost obsessive in its unfaltering desire… like the abyssal hunger of a Hollow and the eternal grudge of a Quincy and the timeless pride of a Shinigami all rolled into one.
Ichigo wants it, and he’ll get what he wants.
The Soul King knows the universe owes him that much, and even if it didn’t, Senzou doubts it would make a single bit of difference to their God-Slayer.
He lifts his mug in a toast. “Then I look forward to your endeavours. You’ll need to watch out for Central 46′s spies though. I’m sure they won’t take this lying down.”
Ichigo cocks an eyebrow. “Is that an offer to keep your ear to the ground for me?”
Senzou attempts an innocent face, which works about as well as he expects when Ichigo snorts. “A mere Academy teacher like me probably can’t help much, but…” He thinks of the seals he’d planted throughout the entire Central 46 compound every time he’d had to report in, slowly but surely sneaking invisible ears into the heart of Soul Society’s government. “I might hear things now and then. I’ll pass it on if it happens to be interesting.”
Ichigo grins and tips his own mug at Senzou like they aren’t talking treason.
5. “So.”
Senzou almost rolls his eyes. The Shibas’ commitment to their theatrics clearly hasn’t changed.
“Kuukaku-chan,” He says instead as he strides into his office and smothers the urge to draw his blade on the woman sitting on his desk like she’s posing for Most Dramatic. He smiles instead, hiding the teeth of it behind his lips. “What a pleasure.”
Kuukaku grins back without any of the same courtesy. Of course. “None at all, I’m sure, so I’ll get straight to the point. What are you doing with Ichigo?”
Senzou does roll his eyes this time. “You’ll have to be more specific. As of yesterday, he’s teaching me how to drive a car.” His lip curls. “It’s a mode of transportation Humans have developed.”
“I know what a car is,” Kuukaku snaps, finally hopping down from the desk to prowl across the room. “Why is he teaching you? What do you want with him?”
Senzou pauses halfway through setting down a stack of essays to be marked. “…If I said vengeance on the Shiba Clan once I’ve convinced him to side with me, would that be about what you were expecting?”
Kuukaku glares and crosses her arms. “Ichigo would never.”
Senzou smirks. “Then you have nothing to worry about, do you? You’ve wasted a trip.”
He brushes past her to flip through the paperwork on his desk. End-of-term reports are coming up, and that’s always a waste of his time, so the sooner he gets them done the better.
“I know you resent us for what happened to Miyako,” Kuukaku says from behind him, and Senzou wonders if he can just walk out. Probably, but there’s no way this woman won’t cause a scene. “But Ichigo wasn’t part of any of that.”
Senzou heaves a sigh and turns back around. “Kuukaku-chan, I thought we just established that we both know that using Ichigo against your family won’t work.”
“No,” Kuukaku nods. “But you could hurt him to get back at us.”
They eye each other for a long moment, not quite hostile but far from amicable.
“…My vengeance for Miyako was not lifting a finger when your clan was all but massacred,” Senzou finally says, ignoring the way Kuukaku’s expression pinches. “And so long as contact with you and yours is kept at an absolute minimum in the future, I don’t care anymore. Besides, there is no point in targeting Ichigo to get to you.” He sneers. “He’s a Shiba, but it would be an insult to consider him one of you.”
Kuukaku bristles but doesn’t explode in anger the way some of her even more hot-tempered relatives would. She stares at him instead, and when she doesn’t speak right away, Senzou goes back to organizing the contents of his desk.
“Say I believe that,” Kuukaku finally says, ignoring Senzou’s scoff. “Maybe you are hanging out with Ichigo with no ulterior motives. The gods know he makes that easy. But if that’s what you’re doing, there’s no way you won’t be seeing more of the rest of us eventually. He wasn’t raised the way a Shiba should’ve been, with none of our traditions and only a fraction of the family he should’ve had. That’s on us. But he’s still family, and so long as he doesn’t say no, we’re going to be a part of his life. You’re going to have to accept that if you plan on marrying in.”
The shelf closes with a resounding thud under his hand, and judging by the give, he’s probably cracked the back of it too. He barely notices as his gaze snaps back up to stare incredulously at his uninvited visitor. “I beg your pardon?”
Kuukaku smiles thinly, and this time she looks more amused than anything else. “Something to consider. But you’re more like Miyako than most people would think.” Her arms drop to her sides as she turns abruptly towards the window. “That’s all I had to say. You’re a smart man, Senzou. I don’t need to tell you what will happen if you fuck up.”
And before Senzou can demand an explanation or - more likely - set her on fire for cracking such an abysmal joke, she’s gone, disappearing through the window in a rush of Shunpo.
Senzou stares after her, then at the books he’d carried in earlier, then at the paperwork he’s putting off for the weekend because he has dinner with Ichigo tonight… just as he does almost every night nowadays.
He runs a hand over his face.
Shibas.
6. He says nothing. He’s self-aware enough to know (now, damn Kuukaku) that there’s something there, a spark, a connection, a pull Senzou has never felt towards anyone. He isn’t going to call it love or whatever Kuukaku thinks is happening because it isn’t. He finds Ichigo fascinating and endlessly entertaining, and anyone willing to face down Central 46 is worthy of some admiration in Senzou’s opinion. That Ichigo plans on turning the whole system upside-down and actually has the power to achieve it only raises Senzou’s esteem for him.
But he says nothing because Ichigo knows all this already. The day Senzou’s first instinct, when an assassin sent by Central 46 attempts to take Ichigo’s head, is to slit the hapless woman’s throat - even though he knows full well that she wouldn’t have come anywhere near to succeeding - is the moment Ichigo gets irrefutable proof that Koyonagi Senzou is willing to kill for him.
Ichigo doesn’t gloat of course, he isn’t the type. Senzou half-expects it anyway, breath caught in his lungs for a moment with something disgracefully close to fear twisting in his gut as he turns to check Ichigo’s reaction.
But Ichigo only wrinkles his nose and toes the fresh corpse at his feet, and then he glances at the blood splatter dotting Senzou’s shirt and offers to get him a new one.
He also reaches out to touch the hilt of Senzou’s Zanpakutou before nodding once, deliberately, solemnly, the weight of it as much a thanks as it is an acknowledgement.
And that was that. Senzou relaxes, doesn’t bat an eye when shadows surge up and swallow the body whole, and goes to change into another shirt. The incident passes, and it will be longer still before Ichigo’s enemies realize they probably should’ve tried harder to get rid of Senzou years ago. They’d thought themselves safe enough though: they would never earn Senzou’s allegiance, but at the same time, nobody - including Senzou - ever thought anybody else would earn it either.
But the point is, Ichigo knows. Senzou has no need to speak of it, and both of them are content with that. If something more comes of it down the road, Senzou doesn’t think he’d fight it. He lost this battle a good while ago, and he never even cared.
In the meantime though, he spies on Central 46 and enjoys what time he can spare in the Human world and continues reconstructing Seireitei’s education system brick by stubborn brick. There’s a kingdom to conquer and a god Senzou has pledged himself to, and for now, that is enough.
#headcanon meme: answered#bleach#koyoichi#koyonagi senzou#kurosaki ichigo#kyouraku shunsui#shiba kuukaku#post canon au#headcanon#hi brain#wtaf happened
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How would your muse react to being handed a baby? {Keni}
Soft, Silent, Sweet || Accepting
"Wait. W-w-what....what are you doing?"
The young Jedi stands surrounded by a group of village women. All of them seem to be petting and pawing at her. In the fading dusk the blood and filth of battle drying on her face looks like a primitive mask even as cooling breezes begin to tease her hair into ribbons the hue of dark wood flowing down her back after escaping their confining ties. For now her sabre is sheathed though for just a split second it looked like it was going to see further use with the way her fingers flex near its hilt on her belt.
One of the bolder women offers her a gap-toothed smile, and murmurs in the local tongue, too softly to be heard. She takes hold of Melakeni's arms and pulls them away from her body. Into them is deposited an infant. It squirms and squawks. Gurgles spit bubbles on its lips. Keni’s stomach, no bigger than her fist, lurches at the sight. Tries to shrink into itself as much as the rest of her wants the very same.
The Force becomes immediately awash with a deeply abiding sense of disgust, a shudder that could potentially if not so thoroughly repressed shake the ground and make the collection of huts around them collapse.
This is one of those mammalian things that Keni has never quite gotten her head around. Certainly she has treated younglings by the score in the Temple, every kind of imaginable illness from the contagious poxes to scrapes and bruises and wobbly tummies. Almost to the last they have wanted for a small word of kindness, a kiss on the head. A promise that she can make them well again, but the younglings she treats are capable of speech, of independent thought.
She has nothing to do with the creches where those too young to be sorted into clan are kept, tended like plants. Except most plants do not drool and do not defecate in their own clothes. They neither screech nor wail ~at least as far as most sentients are concerned~ with their little faces scrunched up and turning hues. They do not have that indescribable smell like old milk and crusty skin that particularly female humans seem so entranced with.
She has often in the past teased Anakin that Zelosian nurseries are full of large jars full of nutrient rich soil and its own little watering apparatus, and sometimes, especially rare children of her species require an aquatic environment. None of that is true. As far as she knows, she doesn't remember that far back, after all, her people are born and raised in the same way. She just has no experience to mark the occasion and she is absolutely certain she'd never made a mess of herself or smelled like that.
What's more is she doesn't understand the biological imperative of breeding. Her eyes turn toward Anakin. A human. And he is the depth and breadth of her soul. She has absolutely no doubt that the Force had made them for one another. And Melakeni has dreams. Some of them do involve him and the requisite acts that would be required to produce tiny offspring. All beautiful lines and commingled breath. The feel of his skin burning against her own. Tender kisses and every pleasure that is forbidden to them. Unbidden, others come along with those fever-dreams. She has at least once imagined what one would look like with his hair and long limbs, her eyes and teeth.
But that was only once.
The reality of it is, even if they were to ever desire such a thing, it would be impossible. They are genetically incompatible, mammalian and viridiphyta respectively. She could never imagine wanting a child of her own, she doesn’t even really want a padawan. And of those children she doesn’t fantasise about, the only possible source for one would be from Anakin.
For all that some people might think otherwise, and to no shame, Anakin is not the kind of man who would make for a good father. He would want to be, he would love any child to the very depth of his soul, but therein lies madness. Anyone who has seen him with his droids and his Clones could predict a future where only tragedy could unfold. He would be unable to separate himself from his fears. They would become mania. She has seen what happens when Anakin loves too much. And she knows, much to her own regret, that sometimes, love is not enough. It would kill him as surely as poison.
Children are not their future.
They will both be content with that.
The infant latches onto her hair and gives it a yank, a hideous little sound coming out of it that she soon enough realises is a laugh.
Melakeni flashes Anakin a look that can be felt like direct shot from one of the blaster rifles carried by a nearby handful of Clones who immediately proceed to look away although one looks like he’s overcome with a fit of amusement that his brothers are now trying to save him from.
As politely as possible Keni pries the little thing’s fingers apart and rescues herself from the situation. She turns to the translator who accompanied the women and murmurs platitudes. Yes, yes. Adorable child. Many blessings on the family, thank you. Excuse me please. She means none of these things but if she has one ability to surpass all others it is emotional mimicry. She hands the creature back to its parent. Hands come up in a peaceful gesture which she half nods-half bows over. Begins to extricate herself from the group.
The translator asks if they need anything. Keni asks for a tub and as much hot water as the village can muster. They have already been offered food, and a few dozen spare huts at the far edges of the camp. It is all they have to give for their salvation. She tells them that everything is fine, and that they ~Anakin, herself, and their Troops~ will make as little trouble as possible.
When they are finally alone, she allows herself to shudder all of her natural revulsion.
“The Living Force spare me, it was so gross.” Her face screws up tightly, which pulls the corners of her mouth down, as if she’s having trouble trying not to retch on the spot. “And so...grabby. And squishy. Honestly, Anakin. I’d much prefer dealing with slugs.”
There’s meaning in that declaration the likes of which only he can understand. After all, he’s been the one to rescue her from them for years now.
She flings her tunic at him, and lets the rest of her uniform flutter and fall to the ground. She slips over the edge of the wooden tub and sinks into the water, disappearing beneath the surface for a few seconds before rising back up. She can still feel all the infant’s various fluids on her skin.
“Next time, you hold the babies and get fondled by the civilians and I’ll stay with the boys.”
Anakin laughs and agrees with her before he climbs into the bath opposite of her and she can almost hear his bones shriek in gratitude.
~*~
The twin suns of this dying world bake the sand beneath her boots. There is little shade to be found anywhere and the air feels as if it is scorching her lungs from the inside out. She could never have imagined a time in all of her life where she misses the cold dark of space, nor that she would be counting the seconds before she could return to her ship and erase the memory of sunlight on her skin.
She’s done her best to blend in with the locals. To survey her target at every opportunity while remaining out of sight.
Until now.
She beckons the boy with a delicate, airy hand. Curiosity draws him near, of course it does. And something she does not possess cracks in her chest leaving a space awash with grief and love and a thousand different yearnings still.
Though he’s approaching his tenth Empire Day, he is small for his age. Wind-whipped, carved out by the vast nothingness of his little kingdom. The same suns that sear down have bleached his hair pale gold and in places there are certain cowlicks that will never be tamed, no matter how gentle but unforgiving the hand is that attempts it. His eyes are painfully blue. More so than the sky above them, more than shimmer of sea that does not exist here. The shy grin he offers her harks back to another era that seems like lifetimes ago.
If she ever had a doubt, it evaporates here and now.
And this is how perhaps the most feared and loved woman in the galaxy comes to kneel before a child. Fixes the boy with a softly-shaped smile, one that hides the fine points of her teeth but that gives warmth to emerald eyes.
From some secret pocket, perhaps from the force itself, a gloved hand produces not one but two crystallised honey-sticks, tinted by berries and juices into a chaos of colour. He is cautious. Does not immediately reach for them as one might expect. This pleases her immensely, he has inherited his father’s great wisdom. She continues to hold them out, and inclines her head. Nods a little. He takes them.
But then his aunt calls for him, and he looks back toward her over one scrawny shoulder before returning his gaze to his mysterious benefactor.
She lifts a finger to her lips.
A secret it is to be.
She is gone before Beru comes looking for him.
#Mahalo!Shady <333#Your Nova Heart|Anikeni#The Dreaming Tree|Melakeni Ivers#Images of Broken Light|Anakin Skywalker#We Call The Little One Luke|Luke Skywalker#Not His Sister|Beru Lars#Across the Universe|Star Wars AU
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