#learning and then like. work up to using my metal stage combat one i have from the knight

[sweater-equestrian]

god ren faire takes so much out of me (as in, it gave me a stress migraine by the end of the day and i am now very sore and tired the day after), but it is The Best. I am still so hyped about being sold a sword BY A KNIGHT last year. Like, are you kidding????

#like its so magical you guys! how many people can say a knight sold them a sword? its the best #easily one of my prized possessions i really need to learn some sword play so I can mock sword fight #id love to get larp weapons too so i can learn the basics and spar a friend safely while #learning and then like. work up to using my metal stage combat one i have from the knight #like the metal one IS safe but it would still hurt if i hit someone with it yanno #like im not cutting anything but i COULD bludgeon someone #because. its a long metal object thats very strong and durable #iirc iron? #maybe steel. maybe. #i dont know my metals very well lol #god i just need to dress up as a cool swords woman fr fr.

[mixelation]

i was thinking about reborn au & the iwa chunin exams and i..... genuinely do not know what tori can actually do?? cut also contains me whining about timing of events

okay, so my timeline:

i usually do everything timeline-wise relevant to team 7's age, so: itachi is ~5 years older than sasuke, which makes tori ~4 years older. i headcanon the hyuuga affair as being part of the end of the third shinobi war, so tori would be ~7 when that happened.

the ame trio prevent a lot of fighting happening in rain country, so sound is actually a lot worse off than the original timeline (although tori... doesn't know this). her adoptive clan is having SEVERE supply issues so she doesn't actually get much instruction with anything metal until orochimaru officially unites the sound country clans into oto. i'm debating the effect of ame not being the stage for war having the effect of making it last longer, so tori is anywhere from 8 to 10 when suddenly she's part of oto

i'm not sure what orochimaru implements in terms of training? the Vibe i was going for is that he wants to improve childhood training because his next move is going to be icing out (or murdering) the adults bc he wants a hoard of shinobi who are 100% loyal to him. idk, maybe he unites them before the end of the war and sends a lot of adults to their deaths. so tori might have actual instruction from like 7-8?

i don't think tori actually LIKES most training. she doesn't super care about being a badass; she wants to research how chakra works and make a lot of insane seals to test her theories. so she taps out of training whenever she can in oto, which becomes increasingly often as she's given more independence as a researcher.

i think orochimaru would base any training program on the konoha academy curriculum, so tori definitely knows the basic 3 jutsu. since she spends all her time thinking about chakra, i think i'll let her have pretty good instincts on how to mold chakra. she rarely struggles to learn ninjutsu, but she doesn't have a ton of chakra and she doesn't have a lot of motivation or teachers available. no one's formally taught her treewalking bc anything beyond the basic training in oto is sort of chaotic and she doesn't have a built in family structure to learn it from, so she's self-taught (she self-taught wrong LMAO) and also she didn't really bother with it until she fled oto. i'm going to let her know some techniques which are TECHNICALLY medical but she learned from orochimaru to do surgery in the name of science. she doesn't like using them in combat because they're..... messy

i think orochimaru is the type to make children fight each other. tori relies a lot of children just being kind of stupid rather than any actual combat skills, but as she gets older this strategy works less well. her taijutsu is therefore....... iffy. for weapons she's most competent with a staff (from the ol' bamboo pole days) but she doesn't like it bc it's very Sound Country(tm) and she doesn't really identify as an Oto-nin. her aim with a kunai is... okay?

With Team 4, I think Kushina really quickly is like "okay, so this team is about making sure tori can hit someone properly (and me teaching this one transport seal to her for the mission)" and tori just doesn't think this is very fair. why aren't you teaching her MORE seals, instead? They only get ~3 months so i don't think she makes insane progress, but she gets better!!

tori's fighting style is very "i will seem harmless until very suddenly I Am Not" so she gets kind of into trying to come up with a technique that gives her a one-hit kill. for this she turns to misapplied medical jutsu and kushina is just like "wow, horrifying, keep it up."

(fuinjutsu is actually pretty tricky to incorporate into active combat, because even if you have pre-made seals, it'll take you a hot second to active them, which is often a hot second too many)

tori's skills are all over the place in a way that seems completely illogical unless you ARE her, and also her measuring stick is Akatsuki, so tori is like "oh yeah, no, i think the average genin could obliterate me?" but the SECOND she realizes that winning her first tournament match means she'll fight itachi, she's like "actually i am going to dedicate my whole month of training to that fight" with the assumption she'll just win against unknown genin #2. whatever, tori knows what a real threat looks like

(also, a WEIRD part of the team 4 dynamic from an outsider's POV is that itachi and deidara don't, like.... disrespect tori? yeah her taijutsu is horrific but also she's INCREDIBLY skilled in a handful of other areas and they're acutely aware of this, but like. they shouldn't be LMAO)

anyway, i want them to run into sasori on a mission, and ORIGINALLY i was going to make this their one c-rank pre-exam. but also i think the exam is the turning point for minakushi to be like "ONE OF US" wrt deidara & tori, and i think "buddies with sasori????" would uuuuh not fly (at least with mianto) until after this turning point. so my new concept for their pre-exam c-rank is they run into chump shinobi and kushina is like "NO TORI HAS TO FIGHT THEM" even though literally any other member of team 4 could win in their sleep. she believes in you, tori!!!

so i think the sasori mission happens post exam? i'm not 100% sure how team 4 functions post-exam. it seems like kind of a waste to have itachi & deidara running c-ranks (esp itachi since he already has a record with konoha), but maybe minato is like "hey buddy..... so upon reflection and reviewing a lot of your files, maybe you should have friends your age??" so then the Point of Team 4 becomes integrating tori & deidara into konoha, and they take progressively more insane missions. the missions get more insane & less frequent as they figure out their own paths. itachi steadily starts getting tapped for ANBU again and tori starts rotating in R&D and gets strong armed into field medic training. i think deidara..... would also go into R&D, because his art is technically jutsu development. this is the funniest thing that's ever happened to tori

tori STILL doesn't like training but she has to log a certain number of hours to maintain her status as an active shinobi and her main sparring partners are like. insane s-rank people. so.............

(tori: I AM GOING TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH NORMAL PEOPLE (makes enemies instead) how)

#reborn au

[paviastrashyrings]

Hi there, can I...give you a R:1999 request here ?

Request: Pavia met Assassin Reader who's retired after doing countless missions, but still looks dangerous nonetheless. I really wonder about their relationship between the Wolf and the retired Assassin look like, especially reader who had a bit wary about Pavia and his actions toward them.

(Thank you very much for my first request 🎉) I would be delighted to indulge in a reader that is worn through by past work; fortified from a life of dirty work much like our Wolf man. Join me now in yet another sleepless dream of Pavia, dear readers.

He would think of you as intriguing, similar lines of work except you seemed so different.

You were tired, moreso than he, and even a single glance at his guns or blades would change your demeanor towards him.

You were not friendly, but you were not cold...that is, until you were made aware of the weapons he carried on him. The distinct smell of blood follows him around despite all the cologne he drowns himself in. You could never forget the feeling of cold metal, fatal yet beautifully crafted, in your hands as you steeled your resolve and pulled the trigger for the first time

His pack was wary of you the same way you were wary of him, you reeked of danger despite your work having ended long before you met him, the wolves would raise their hackles and bare their fangs at you if you as much as reached a hand out towards him in the early stages of this relationship.

You were fine with abstaining from touch, preferring to not cause conflict, but he seemed to throw himself at you.

He was curious, when he got curious he got impatient. He wanted to know you, willing to deal with how you glared at him if he asked you any questions about your past work.

"Amico Mio! Buongiorno," before promptly throwing an arm around your shoulder, feeling you tense before relaxing a smidge after not hearing any growls.

The problem was not touch, you didn't seem to be uncomfortable with friendly touch, but the moment he speaks of how the rain washes away notes written in blood he cant help but note the tension in your jaw and shoulders.

He would have been a target, you knew from how he spoke and the work he did, someone would have paid big to get rid of him.

The thought terrifies you, especially if you feel romantically towards him.

Speaking of Romance, perhaps you came here for a sweeter dream? If so, I would be happy to indulge, dear readers:

Pavia is a very loud and forward person, he would not be one to label a relationship because he does not seem like the type of person to commit to someone so...commonly.

Pavia was not raised by humans, but by the wolves that kept him company in the dark of that basement, his very best of friends. If he likes you, he will pop up at places you frequent and pester you, weapons concealed so he could (try to) keep you comfortable.

He'll give you little baubles that jingle or shine, and give you cologne that he wears.

I like to think that he likes when you smell like him. If you let him into your house willingly, he'll take note of the shampoo and conditioner you use so that he can discreetly smell like you.

As you get more comfortable with him, he'll test the waters of touch.

Running up behind you without discretion and picking you up, you can scold him after if you did not like it, this was just a test after all and he promises he wont do it again.

He asks to spar with you, rough housing is a way that wolves play after all, and he even knows how to play bow. Lowering his head and hinging at the waist slightly to lean in as if to challenge you; bending his knees and bringing his hands in to guard his face.

The fact that he wants to fight you, in your mind, is bold and nonsensical. You would even go as far as to say he's foolish for doing so, but indulge him, he wants to learn how you move.

He admires how you fight, despite you saying that you never really had to do much hand to hand combat, you carry yourself gracefully. He could watch you mess up a punching bag or training dummy for hours, (he would openly admit how attractive it is).

He's aware that after all your years of work, your body does tend to hurt after a sparring match, its been a while since you even wanted to get into stance again. Without asking, he'll bring your favorite food or snack later on to help you recuperate, maybe even make you gelato based off of the flavor of your favorite sweet.

This was fun to write, but it isn't beta read so forgive me if it isn't up to par. Thank you once again for your request. With a heavy heart I must bid you adieu for now, dear readers, Signed yours eternally, Moon.

#reverse 1999 #reverse 1999 x reader #r1999 x reader #r1999 #r1999 pavia #pavia x reader #pavia reverse 1999

[gamerdog1]

Devil May Cry Review

Last year, I adopted my little PS2 from a Value Village. I lovingly took it home, gave it a gentle bath, and spent at least a dozen hours carefully swabbing it's insides of dust. All this, so I can get the experience of playing popular and longstanding game franchises, like God of War, and Metal Gear Solid, where they began. The things we do for love, I guess.

Since then, I've been on a bit of a side-quest in life, sort of. A quest to discover why popular pieces of media got so popular, by experiencing them first-hand. I have this drive to learn about what is beloved, to join in the fun of fandom with others, and so when I saw a lot of fanart of white haired brothers with magic swords, I got curious. One thing led to another, and after many, many hours, I have some thoughts.

Devil May Cry, for the PS2, is a very interesting case. For one, its the accidental sister to Resident Evil, as it was originally intended to be the third installment in that franchise during development. Yet the two could not be more different, in terms of gameplay style, visuals, and execution as a whole.

Where Resident Evil is all about forcing the player into difficult situations , Devil May Cry feels a little more lax. Resident Evil makes the player slowly take in the atmosphere, learn about the lore, and use their knowledge of the map to their advantage, while Devil May Cry prioritizes snappy combat over exploration and puzzle-solving.

The focus on combat is what everything in DMC revolves around, for better or for worse. There's a variety of visually interesting moves you can pull off, and more to unlock by trading in currency gotten by killing enemy monsters. More upgrades means more cool moves, means more interesting combat, and more ways to tackle bosses.

At times, though, the complexity of the combat system left me feeling overwhelmed. This is one of the few games where I had to read the manual in order to play, as there isn't any tutorial, and combat can be punishing in early stages if you aren't fully familiar with Dante's moves.

Even after learning the ins and outs of the controls and combat, I still got my ass handed to me by the first boss, and every one after that. Each one felt like a massive hurdle, and forced me to really learn how they worked in order to even stand a chance. In the moment, I was frustrated, but looking back now, I haven't had to work this hard with a boss in years. Spending hours sitting on my couch, going over the attack patterns, it was almost meditative (if not for the occasional shouts of expletives here and there on my part).

Devil May Cry, as a whole, isn't incredibly difficult, as long as you know what you're doing. The game is about figuring out your enemies' weaknesses and the best ways to exploit them, not just rushing in and hoping you'll live. Figuring this out is the first challenge, the second is the underwater controls.

Apart from gameplay itself, DMC is pretty interesting. The gothic architecture is a bit of a far cry from Resident Evil, but carries over it's grim tone and atmosphere. Colors are muted, music is oppressive and heavy, and everything lends to this feeling of grandness and fantasy. It really makes the player character stand out, which is great when you're getting ambushed by ice lizards, or something equally monstrous, in one of the many grand halls.

This review also wouldn't be complete without talking about the main character, who is a delight to be around. Honestly, Dante is the reason I picked up this game, and the reason I kept coming back to it, even after countless GAME OVER's. His snarky attitude, stylish coat, and cockiness make him a fun character to see interact with others and his surroundings, and really help him stand out from the holier-than-thou demons he faces. He's always got something to say, isn't afraid to speak his mind, and just wants to have fun, and really, who can blame him?

The story of the game, though, left a bit to be desired. Yes, its epic, and gets better in the second half of the game, but for a while, the game felt aimless. Why do I need to get these magic items, to unlock these doors, to do these tasks the game sets as mission objectives? In most games, they usually directly tie into what the player character is doing, and help facilitate a progression of story. For example, when Jill finds Richard in RE1, and has to get him an antidote before he dies, its not just a fetch quest; it teases the snake boss, establishes Richard as a character in the game's world, and depending on whether or not you save him, it affects future gameplay.

In DMC, though, each mission feels like homework, an assignment to do before a deadline or else. Sure, its a good way to show players the next objective, and as a neurodivergent person I love having clear and concise instructions, but it kills the mood. I never felt like I was exploring the castle, discovering new things and furthering the plot. It felt like I had a to-do list from the game devs, full of tasks that rarely were related to the plot, and usually just meant 'go here, get the thing, bring it somewhere else'. It would've been nice if the quests explicitly furthered the plot, but at least they told me where to go.

Don't get me wrong: I don't hate this game. I actually liked it, but there were lots of issues I had with it that soured my experience. Unforgiving bosses, overly complicated controls, and a lack of story immersion made me feel like this game was an experiment with this style of gameplay on Capcom's part. If this had a bit more polish, or maybe a tutorial, I might try playing on a higher difficulty. For now, though, I'm excited to see what's new in the sequel. I've heard its... rather infamous. Exciting.

#film critic #review #game review #video game review #retro gaming #retro games #playstation #ps2 nostalgia #devil may cry #dmc1

[srorgana1]

Into The Reverb (Kylo Ren/Reader)

Chapter Thirty Two

“Hi Evelyn, it’s Y/N L/N, one of Dr. Morgan’s patients. I am calling to see if I can reschedule my appointment for the 21st. I have some stuff with work that day and was wondering if I could reschedule for the 24th or 25th. If you could please call me back to confirm this, I would greatly appreciate it.” You say into the voicemail system. You hang up, letting out a big sigh.

Work has been insane lately now that you are fully on your own. Chewie was available to consult but you wanted to prove to him and the others they had made the right decision. You had spent most of the last few days at the studio staying late into the night going over files that had been sent to you to review. The bands under you had promise, especially Trax. He had this cyber punk metal vibe that you knew would be a hit.

But deep down, you knew you were spending so much time at the studio was because you were lonely. You missed Kylo so much. True to his word, he continued to text, call and FaceTime when he had time, but it wasn’t the same. You missed his touch and his deep voice that you could feel as well as hear.

During your most recent session, Dr. Morgan congratulated you on your apparent progress. She said she could see how much more confidence you had and how you have been using the tools you have learned to combat stressors in your new role. She had also winked and asked if she could meet your mystery man. You smiled and simply said maybe.

You look down at your phone. It’s 8:55. The Knights will be getting ready to go on stage soon in Chicago. You watched what you could on social media and YouTube. You could feel his passion and energy even through the screen. It made your panties damp when you would watch the post-show interviews. His pale skin shimmered with sweat as he would smirk and coyly answer questions. He oozed sex and everyone wanted a taste.

You fight a shiver as you start to clean up your items so you can head home. It was still an adjustment sleeping alone. You have now sadly began to sleep in his t-shirts and spritz his cologne onto your pillow just so you could have a piece of him with you at night. You knew it was pathetic, but it helped.

You hear your phone ping as you get into your car. It’s a text from Rae. Hey girlfriend, you busy? Was wondering if you wanted to have a girl’s night. You do a double take at your phone. While you and Rae were amicable, you wouldn’t say you were besties. Sure, she has invited you out to brunch and after work drinks, but it was always with others from work. You hit her contact as it starts to ring.

“Hey girl” she says after the second ring. “Hey what’s up” you say, feeling out the situation. “Nothing, was wondering if you were free tonight?” she says. You bite your lip conflicted. Normally Kylo calls you after shows, normally hyped up on adrenaline. Your cheeks warm at the memory of his dirty words the night before.

“Honestly, I would like to but since it’s a show night, I normally FaceTime with Kylo after…” you say, embarrassed for even bringing it up. “Oh, oh okay” she says, sounding a bit defeated. You catch onto it instantly. “Rae, have you heard from Kurak recently?” you say, concerned for your coworker. “Not since earlier this week, but he’s like that” she says trying to wave it off. You can read in her voice that she’s sad, lonely. Just like you.

“Hey, I am turning off the freeway now, meet me at my place and we can watch something and order takeout” you say. “Really?! Thanks babe! I’ll text you when I get there” she says, ending the call. You huff out a breath. This wasn’t how you thought tonight was going to go but Kylo will understand.

You click on Kylo’s contact and send a quick audio message. Hey Ky, I will be hanging out with Rae tonight, so I won’t be available to FaceTime. Good luck tonight and text me when you can. Love you. Sending the message, you know he won’t be too upset. Your coworker/friend needed you and you hoped that you could do what you could for her.

When you got home, you changed and flipped on Netflix. You weren’t sure what this would entail but you were willing to take a chance. You phone pings with Twitter and Instagram notifications. The concert must be going well, you think as you pull your hair out of the high ponytail. You massage your scalp and temples, trying to alleviate the strain.

You hear a knock on your door along with a ping from your phone. Walking over, you see Rae through the peephole. Opening the door, you smile softly allowing her entry. You can tell by her eyes she has been crying. You shut the door and follow her, allowing her space.

She stands in the middle of your living room, looking sad and unsure of herself. You aren’t used to this Rae. You are used to loud and vivacious Rae. You walk up to her and hug her. You feel her stiffen and then crumble onto you, sniffling into your shoulder. “What’s wrong?” you say, leading her to your couch.

“Sorry, this wasn’t supposed to happen” she mutters, wiping her nose on her sleeve. You pick up the remote and put on Outlander. She smirks as she hears the opening music. You shift back, tucking your legs under you as you face her.

“What’s wrong Rae? What’s bothering you?” you ask again, eyes focused on her. “I… I think Kurak and I are over… like nothing was really said but I can just feel it” she says, looking down at her hands. Your heart hurts for her. “I’m sorry to hear that. Do you know what happened” you say, wanting more. “I think it’s just we weren’t compatible. It was all surface level. When I tried to dig deeper, he would freeze and back off” she says, shaking her head.

Your heart constricts again at her pain. “It sounds like he wasn’t ready for a more complicated relationship” you say softly, trying not to hurt her more with the truth. “I know, I should’ve read the signs, but that’s not all…" she says, huffing out a breath. You reach out to her, holding her hand lightly. “Rae, I’m here for you, no matter what” you say. She snorts, laughing bitterly. You look at her, confused. “Fuck, okay here it is. I’m late, like late late.” She says, holding her head in her hands.

You freeze, shocked by her statement. “You mean…” you ask, trying to keep your anxiety at bay. She laughs weakly as she nods her head. “Pregnant? Yeah apparently. I took a test last week and two more this week” she says softly.

Tears prick your eyes as you wrap your arms around her. You squeeze tighter when you hear her sob. “Does he know?” you whisper, rubbing your hands down her back. She shakes her head no into your shoulder, “he won’t respond to my texts” she mutters.

You rub her shoulders, sad and angry on her behalf. She didn’t deserve this and neither did the life inside her. “Obviously he isn’t ready for a relationship, he has shown you that” you say evenly “and obviously it’s up to you how you move forward with this, but I want you to know both Kylo and I will support you.”

She snorts again. “Sorry, I’ve just heard that a lot in my life and they all fall through. I guess I am not cut out for fairytale endings like you” she says bitterly, pulling away from you. You freeze, not knowing what to say to that. While your relationship was good, it surely was not perfect. But you could agree you and Kylo were compatible. “Um I don’t know what to say to that” you mumble, feeling uncomfortable. You feel her eyes on you.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you” she says “I’m just all over the place and it’s frustrating.” You nod, empathizing with her. “But really, you are fucking lucky. You have a man who would destroy worlds for you. He was hooked before you guys even got together. People would kill for even a snippet of what you and Kylo have. You two are like fucking soulmates or something” she says holding your hand. You look up at her and can see in her eyes she's telling the truth. "Thank you" you whisper, squeezing her hand.

She huffs, clearing her throat. “Thank you for letting me come over. I just was stewing at home, and I don’t know…” she tails off as she focuses on Jamie Fraser’s face on the screen. You squeeze her hand again, letting her know it's okay. You know what she means.

“I think I just need to take some time. Figure out what I want and what’s best for me” she whispers, running a hand through her braids. You nod, willing to support her however she needed. “If that’s what you need, I support you. Just keep me in the loop of what you decide” you say.

She smiles fully for the first time tonight. “Thank you babe, I really do appreciate it. I think I just needed to tell someone. It was swirling and I felt like I was drowning. But really thank you Y/N.” You smile softly. “Yeah, just going to take some time, focus on me and this little one. Who knows maybe through this, I’ll find my knight in shining armor” she says, winking at you.

You both jump at the sound of your phone ringing. It’s Kylo. You pick it up quickly as Rae stands up and heads to the kitchen, smirking as she passes you. “Hey Ky” you say, feeling your cheeks warm. “Hey beautiful” he says, his voice extra low and raspy. He must have really let loose tonight. “How was the show?” you say looking between the TV and Rae. “Good. The crowd was nuts. We just got back to the bus” he says.

“Did you get my message?” you say, starting to get nervous. “What message? I hope it was that you fucking miss me and your pussy needs split open by my fat cock” he growls. Your face warms as you choke on your spit, making you cough. “No but um, yes, yes I do” you say, flustered and embarrassed. You seriously don’t know what to do.

But thankfully Rae does. Catching your eyes, she nods silently as she takes your phone and puts it on speaker phone. “Hey Ky” she says brightly. “Oh..uh hi Rae” he rasps, clearing his throat.

“Sounds like you guys had a banger show. Me and your girl here were just about to settle into takeout and watch some of it” she says. You stare at her, amazed at how fast she flipped. “That’s…that’s cool. Yeah, the show was awesome. KYBER killed it tonight, setting the crowd into a frenzy before we even got on stage” he says.

“Fuck yeah. Well, our fries are getting cold, and your girl keeps stealing them so we are gonna let you go. I promise I will return her to you in one piece” Rae says, winking at you. “I’ll call you later tonight Ky” you squeak. “Okay baby girl, love you” he croons. “Love you too” you say, feeling off balance. He hangs up, but you are still uncomfortable.

Rae looks at you, narrowing her eyes. “What’s wrong?” “I just…it feels weird saying that in front of you. It felt like I am slapping you in the face with my happiness after everything you have told me” you mumble. To your surprise, she laughs. “Girl, like I said before, I’m happy for you. You deserve it.” she says as she grabs her phone. “Now speaking of fries, how about we share a big ass portion of Disco fries?”

You smile, knowing you and Rae share a love for sauced up cheesy fries. “Yes, but only if it’s from Fat Sal’s” you say, heading to the kitchen. You laugh at the sound of Rae’s moan. “Fuck yes, they are the best, especially with Fat sauce for dipping…” You hear her hum as her fingers fly across the screen.

You freeze as you pull two sparkling waters put of the fridge. Anxiety spiking, you grit your teeth as you turn back to your friend. “Rae um… is it okay if I tell Kylo? I just don’t want to cause more drama…” you shut your eyes, grimacing. You should have thought this through. God you were so stupid…

“Yeah” You look up, eyes wide. She is smiling at you as she played with one of her braids. “Yeah, it’s fine. I trust you and if you trust Kylo, I’m fine with it” she says “but…just I don’t want him telling Kurak before I do.” You shake your head quickly. “He would never do that! He respects you too much to do something like that…”

“I don’t know about that” she says laughing “but I know if you ask him to, he won’t. Now get your booty over here, food is on the way.” She grabs the remote and switches to Hulu. “Have you watched Drag Me To Dinner? It’s fucking great!” You shake your head no as you hand her a bottle. “You are in for a treat love! Neil Patrick Harris and his hubbie are hilarious in it!” she says clicking it on. You smile as your friend settles in, hugging a throw pillow.

While it isn’t ideal, stuff like this happens. You just hope Rae does okay and Kurak steps up. Even if he doesn’t, you know she will have you, Kylo and the rest of the crew from D’Kar there for her. You are a family there and family supports each other in times of need. You send Kylo a quick I love you text and put your phone down, already letting out a giggle as a blue haired drag queen splashes a poorly made remoulade all over the kitchen set.

#adam driver #kylo ren #knights of ren #kylo ren x reader #kylo ren au #kylo x y/n #rockstar! kylo ren #star wars au #kylo fanfic #kylo ren fanfic #kylo fan #adam douglas driver #adamdriver #rockstar au #Spotify

[aspoonofsugar]

Jaune: Zero to Hero

Pyrrha: It's not about why; it's about knowing. Understanding dark and light helps us manifest our Aura. Everyone has some of both.

Knowledge, Creation and Destruction all lead up to Aura. This is just another way to say that they lead up to individuality, which is something Grimms lack:

Pyrrha: They are creatures of Grimm, the manifestation of anonymity.

Individuality is conveyed through Choice. This is why Choice is the most important and final gift. It is symbolic of self-actualization, which is what our characters are pursuing in their coming of age story.

Jaune’s personal arc comments the group’s collective journey and marks each stage very clearly.

In which way does it happen? And what do these stages mean for Jaune’s growth as an individual?

THE IGNORANT WARRIOR

Pyrrha: Jaune, do you... know what Aura is?

Jaune: Psch! Of course I do! Do you know what Aura is?

Jaune is introduced as inexperienced and ignorant. He lacks combat experience and knows nothing about key concepts like Aura, Landing Strategy or Semblances.

His journey starts because Pyrrha shares her knowledge with him:

She awakens his aura, his very soul and later on trains him, so she helps his body get stronger:

In other words, Pyrrha is the one who puts Jaune on the right path to become a true “hero” and a “warrior”.

This is Jaune’s objective since the beginning, but he initially pursues it in the wrong way:

Jaune: I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!

He is fixated on an idea of hero which is outdated and has its root in toxic masculinity:

Jaune: Cause this is always what I've wanted to be! My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors! They were all heroes! I wanted to be one, too. I was just never good enough.

This is why symbolically Jaune wants to be like his male ancestors. He wants to grow into “a real man”:

Cardin: Let's see how much of a man you really are...

And this is conveyed also through his Weapon:

Jaune: It's a hand-me-down. My great-great-grandfather used it to fight in the war.

Jaune did not forge his own Weapon, but he inherited it. Crocea Mors initially represents the legacy he wants to live up to. However, this legacy, instead of driving him, slows him down because he can’t grow until he remains in his ancestors’ shadow. Jaune needs to develop his own individuality instead.

In order to do so, he needs to grow not only as a figther, but as a person too.

As a matter of fact, Jaune’s ignorance is not only limited to the world he has stepped into, but also to the people around him:

Jaune: That's easy for you to say. You've probably got guys clamoring over each other just to ask you out.

Pyrrha: You'd be surprised.

He is so self-focused that he does not notice others’ feelings and hurts them unintentionally.

However, Pyrrha teaches him once again:

Pyrrha:Tell her exactly what you said. No ridiculous schemes, no pick-up lines. Just... be honest.

 It is thanks to her that Jaune manages to become a better man:

He is even able to call Neptune out the way Pyrrha did with him:

Jaune: Then just go talk to her. No pickup lines, no suave moves, just be yourself. I've heard that's the way to go.

And as a result, even Jaune’s relationship with Weiss gets better:

Weiss: You said you were embarrassed at first. What made you come talk to me?

Neptune: You're looking at him.  You got some good friends looking out for ya.

Because the girl realizes Jaune is not only after her money or her romantic attention:

Weiss: All my life, boys have only cared about the perks of my last name.

But wants to genuinely be a good friend to her.

In short, Jaune starts the story as immature both as a fighter and as a person to the point that he is considered unfit and annoying by other characters:

Glynda: I don't care what his transcripts say. That Jaune fellow is not ready for this level of combat.

However, thanks to Pyrrha, he is given the chance to mature.

Not only that, but while other characters see a weakness and a nuisance in Jaune’s ignorance and inexperience, Pyrrha sees it as a possibility:

Weiss: Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?

Jaune: Not in the slightest, snow angel.

Weiss: This is Pyrrha.

It is specifically because Jaune is new to Pyrrha’s world that he is free from bias:

Pyrrha:  That's what I like about you. When we met, you didn't even know my name. You treated me just like anyone else. And thanks to you, I've made friendships that will last a lifetime. I guess, you're the kind of guy I wish I was here with. Someone who just saw me for me.

This is why Pyrrha feels she can forge a genuine bond with Jaune. What is more, the girl has faith in his potential:

Pyrrha: It's all right. I used my Aura to unlock yours, but the energy that protects you now is your own. You have a lot of it.

She sees in him what others do not and helps him develop both as a man and as a warrior.

This is well highlighted by the metal motif the two characters share.

As @hamliet explains here Rwby has several characters linked to the seven metals of alchemy.

The goal of alchemy is to create gold thanks to a process of refiniment that purifies the metal and has it go through several transformations. 

The seven metals are nothing, but a scale that goes from the heaviest and most raw metal (lead) to the most purified (gold) passing through the others (tin, iron, copper, mercury, silver).

For a story, it simply means that a character goes through a process of change that leads to self-actualization.

In Rwby this idea is conveyed through specific characters embodying a metal (Ironwood, Penny, Mercury) or even thanks to metal motifs commenting a specific part of a character arc.

For example, Yang is associated with gold:

I am the golden one Who burns just like the sun

But Adam takes her arm away and has her regress in the scale of metals to iron. This regression is not simply physical, but psychological as well:

However, Yang re-affirms herself and moves forward. The first step of this process is to symbolically make her new arm “gold” again:

When it comes to Jaune, I think that he may be the character associated with lead aka the “prima materia” that needs to be molded into gold. Even if this is not true, metal is at least definately still a motif in his arc, as it is in Pyrrha’s. This is why both characters wear metal armors, differently from others.

Pyrrha is already close to her self-actualization and she reaches it in the climax of the Vale arc, where she completes her (tragic) arc and dies a Maiden.

This is why her armor is gold, while Jaune’s is white and gray. Pyrrha is at the top of the metal scale and close to the end of her journey, while Jaune is respectively at the very bottom and at the very beginning.

He is the embodyment of the prima materia that has potential for greatness, but only if he is rightly guided and if he himself works hard.

Pyrrha takes over herself the duty to help Jaune mold himself.

This is underlined also by Pyrrha’s semblance:

Pyrrha: Well, Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs. My Semblance is polarity.

Pyrrha can control and bend metals and she shows her power for the first time when she helps Jaune against the Ursa, so that he can overcome his self-issues.

So, Jaune starts the story as the lead and is going through a path of self-refinement which will lead him to become gold, so more similar to Pyrrha herself.

Pyrrha offers him the basic knowledge to start this journey, but unluckily leaves him too soon and now Jaune has to move forward on his own.

THE CREATIVE AVENGER

Pyrrha: I want you to know that I'm just happy to be a part of your life. I'll always be here for you, Jaune.

Even after Pyrrha’s death, this stays true:

Blacksmith: That was some fine metal you brought me. Accents the white nicely. Where'd you get it from?

Pyrrha has become a part of Jaune.

This is a recurring motif in Rwby:

Penny: I won’t be gone, I’ll be part of you.

It is the idea that grieving is a process that leads to acceptance, but also to integration with a lost one. It is a way to have the deceased keep on living through the survivors.

In Jaune and Pyrrha’s case, this is conveyed through Pyrrha’s metal being used to enrich Jaune’s Weapon.

As stated by Ruby:

Ruby: Just weapons? They're an extension of ourselves! They're a part of us! Oh, they're so cool.

Weapons are symbolic of the self, just like Semblances.

What is more, Weapons and Semblances are also a declination of the dychotomy of body and soul, presented by the series.

Weapons are wielded by bodies, while Semblances are a materialization of the soul.

In other words, Pyrrha’s gold becoming a part of Jaune’s Weapon is symbolic of Jaune’s first step in a painful process that will lead him to overcome his partner’s death and to inherit Pyrrha’s legacy.

Jaune must keep on learning from Pyrrha and become more like her. As noted by @hamliet​, this is symbolized also by Jaune’s design aquiring more golden details as he goes on in his journey:

Jaune: Guess I was going to grow out of it eventually.

Ren: A sign of progress.

Jaune: Progress.

That said, grieving is not easy and Jaune must struggle with much pain and negative feelings.

This is why the changes he makes to Crocea Mors are finalized to increase its attack power:

It is because Jaune feels anger over Pyrrha’s death and wants revenge.

In the Battle of Haven he gives in to his fury and tries to kill Cinder. He is trying to superficially imitate Pyrrha’s sacrifice:

Jaune: If I die buying them time, then it's worth it. They're the ones that matter.

However, he is not doing it out of bravery or necessity, but out of recklessness and self-hate. This is why his actions lead to this:

Once again, Jaune risks to lose another loved one:

Jaune: No, no, no, no, not again! Weiss, c'mon, please!!

However, this time he is able to save Weiss thanks to his Semblance:

Jaune: My Semblance?

Nora: How else do you think you're healing her, dummy?

Jaune gives up on using his Weapon to fight and chooses to use his Semblance to cure. He chooses soul over body and Creation over Destruction.

At the same time, Jaune’s activation of his Semblance is meaningful on two levels:

Jaune: No. I don't think I'm healing her. Our Aura heals our bodies. It feels... it feels more like I'm using my Aura to amplify hers!

Nora: Wait, aren't you worried about running out?

Jaune: Pyrrha once told me I've got a lot of it. I still believe her.

First of all, Jaune’s Semblance is rooted in the idea that people heal themselves. His power is not to cure others, but to amplify others’ auras, so that they can become stronger and can heal. It is about bringing out the best in others. It is a power fit for a leader, but also an ability symbolic of Jaune’s own process of healing. He can heal himself through helping others to heal.

Secondly, Jaune’s Semblance is in itself a nod to Pyrrha. Pyrrha used her own aura to awake his and Aura Amp is simply an evolution of this idea. It is not about activating others’ auras, but it is a power that lets Jaune share his. It also makes good use of something Pyrrha noticed immediately aka Jaune’s huge quantity of aura.

In other words, Jaune ends up acting like Pyrrha in the Battle of Haven, but not because he fights Cinder, but because he shares his gift with others, just like Pyrrha did with hers.

Pyrrha is a part of Jaune both in body (Crocea Mors) and soul (Aura Amp), but Jaune must still truly understand what this means.

He makes progress in Lost:

Red-Haired Woman: She understood that she had a responsibility... to try. I don't think she would regret her choice, because a Huntress would understand that there really wasn't a choice to make. And a Huntress is what she always wanted to be.

This is the essence of Pyrrha’s sacrifice. Jaune comes to understand it and chooses to make a similar choice together with his team:

Jaune: I think... I think she knew she wasn't going to win. That she might not come out alive. But... she also knew she was the only one that could try.

Ren: So she did.

Nora: Maybe we should too.

Jaune: Yeah, we should.

In this way, it will be as if Pyrrha were fighting together with them:

Nora: Pyrrha may not be by our side anymore, but we can fight like she is.

Jaune: And in a way... she will be.

Jaune tries to overcome his anger and his sadness for Pyrrha’s death in order to keep fighting like she did.

So, once again he chooses this:

Ruby: I wanted to protect my friends.

Maria: Precisely! It is the desire to preserve life which fuels the light inside you. And to make no mistake, it is light. Preservation is an extension of creation, or, at the very least, an enemy of destruction. The Creatures of Grimm were made by the God of Darkness, but your light comes from his brother.

He chooses to protect life and this is the essence of Creation.

Once he confirms this choice, he is free to explore Creation’s potential and he does so in the land of Creation itself, Atlas.

He strengthens his shield instead of his sword:

And he trains his Semblance:

Oscar: Nice, your recovery is getting faster.

This all leads him to become stronger psychologically:

Ren: Him on the other hand... There's no fear at all. I can see it, he believes we're going to get this done.

That said, Jaune starts meeting limits to his new found strength rooted in Creation:

Jaune: Ah, sorry. No matter how much I boost you, they won’t go away.

Jaune: Did... I stop the virus?

Penny: No. It’s still there.

Jaune’s way to move forward is to heal himself through healing others. Still, what to do when this is not possible?

THE DESTRUCTIVE HEALER

Penny: No… there’s not enough time to heal me…

Penny: But there is something you can do…

What happens in Atlas is an inversion of Haven.

Penny pushes Jaune’s Semblance away and touches Crocea Mors.

Jaune is asked to give up on healing her and to speed up her death instead. He is asked to choose his Weapon (body) over his Semblance (soul) and Destruction over Creation.

This marks the characters entering the Destruction phase:

Leaving Creation (Penny) behind.

For Jaune, this means that his own self image that he has worked so much to build and to make his own:

And that has been enriched in Anima thanks to Pyrrha...is shattered:

At the same time, he is once again put in a similar spot as Pyrrha:

They both become unwilling agents of Penny’s death because of Cinder (and Emerald and Mercury in the first case):

Pyrrha: Ruby, I... I'm so sorry.

Ruby: Me too. But it wasn't your fault.

Jaune: She's right. Whoever was on that microphone... they're the ones that did this. And we have to make sure they don't take anyone else.

So Jaune’s journey to integrate with Pyrrha, to understand her and her struggle continues.

What now?

It is too soon to say because we have yet to properly start our journey through Destruction and what it is about.

That said, there are two things that are worth highlighting. The first is a motif Rwby is following, while the second is a general theme found in many stories.

1) As @hamliet​ has stated in many metas and as I have written here, Rwby is an alchemical story. Alchemical stories are usually marked by three important deaths. Each death is symbolically linked to a color. They are usually black, white and red. However, sometimes there can be yellow instead of the white or the red. This is the case here, where a resonant death is the yellow death aka Penny’s.

It is a death that happens while the characters are surrounded by yellow:

And it happens through a weapon called “Yellow Death” (Crocea Mors’s meaning). So, it is really not subtle. Penny’s death is meant to mark an important passage for our protagonists, just like Pyrrha’s one (the black death).

2) It is common in stories that deal with healers to explore the concept of death as well.

The basic idea is that a healer is a person meant to cure. That said, they will meet people impossible to cure and that will die on their watch. This is an unescapable truth a true healer must live with.

Let’s highlight this theme is found in works very different for genre and culture.

Let’s have two examples.

Scrubs aka an American comedy about doctors deals with this theme multiple times. In many episodes the characters must simply accept they can’t save a life, but must still not lose hope and keep on living themselves.

Yosano from the manga BSD says so:

Her backstory explores the link bewteen life and death further since it is shown that a power that cures fatal wounds can be used to cheapen life itself:

It is too soon to say if Rwby will explore a similar theme, but the fact that Jaune, (the healer) is the one that has to speed up Penny’s death might be a very powerful and poignant choice. This is true especially because Rwby does not refuse Destruction (and so does not refuse death), but presents it as a principle equal to Creation (so as a part of life).

THE CHOOSING HERO

Jaune’s arc is about living Pyrrha’s death over and over again with different scenarios and outcomes. This happens so that in the end he can finally overcome it.

So far, it has happened three times and each time has been in the climax of an important battle.

The Battle of Beacon has him witness powerlessly to Pyrrha’s death (lack of knowledge and passivity).

The Battle of Haven has him saving Weiss (creation).

The Battle of Atlas has him killing Penny (destruction).

What is more, every time Jaune becomes more proactive and conscious of what he is doing.

In Beacon he has no idea of what is happening. He works with little information and things happen to him without him being able to do anything.

In Haven his actions lead to Weiss being in danger, but he manages to save her. That said, he does not do it consciously. He unlocks his Semblance because of emotional stress. It is an unconscious choice and not a conscious one.

In Atlas he makes a specific conscious choice, but it is a choice that is forced on him because of external circumstances. It is also a choice that is meant to challenge and temporally break him.

In other words, he is slowly and painfully approaching Choice aka self-actualization. Right now, he has to face the consequences of Penny’s death, but this will probably lead him to finally enter the Choice stage and to complete his arc by becoming a “hero” aka gold (probably).

At the same time, this final choice will also be about healing and overcoming grief. It will be the final integration with Pyrrha and him being able to honor her legacy.

After all, we have been told from the beginning what Pyrrha’s fate would have been. We’ve just failed to notice:

Pyrrha: For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee.

June and Pyrrha’s bond is eternal and she is meant to be the key character in Jaune’s arc. It is only through confronting and finally overcoming her loss that Jaune can finally self actualize and become the person Pyrrha has always known he could be. Pyrrha will symbolically be with him in this struggle. Her memory will protect and inspire him. 

#rwby #rwby meta #jaune arc #arkos #rwby arkos #pyrrha nikos #tw: penny's death #jaune x pyrrha #my meta

[zosonils-art]

ohhh can we hear more about sweet woman 🥺

we totally can!! infodump about this gaslighting gatekeeping girlboss is under the cut as always

sweet woman was commissioned by a super classy french dessert restaurant called the orgueilleux pâtisserie [orgueilleux being very poorly google translated french for elitist/snobbish lmao], acting as both a chef and a mascot! the gimmick worked wonders for the restaurant's popularity, with rich people coming in droves to experience the novelty of food prepared with a robot master's help, and she was quickly promoted to social media manager as well as her original duties. despite her cutesy demeanour, she's much smarter than she looks, and is equipped with an in-depth understanding of chemical reactions and inhumanly accurate sense of timing and spatial awareness. she knows hundreds of recipes and most of them cost several hundred dollars to make

her personality is more deliberately engineered than most robot masters, designed to fit her appearance and be marketable. she's unwaveringly cheerful, incredibly extroverted, and just silly enough that it's cute rather than grating. she plays these traits up a lot for the cameras, exaggerating her energy and playing dumb when it'll appeal to the masses, but even when she doesn't have her public image to consider she's a bubbly and energetic goof. she's a stubborn optimist, and if she can't find a bright side to look on she'll take out a flashlight and make one. her optimisim makes for a good workplace morale boost and an even better social media presence, although when combined with her ditziness and being a bit out of touch from almost exclusively interacting with the 1% it often makes her come across as insensitive

since she's in the spotlight a lot, most of sweet's hobbies and interests outside of work are still carefully selected to match her public image and look good on an instagram post. she has a passing interest in shopping and fashion, and enjoys going to parties and gatherings and what have you to meet new people. she also loves to experiment with cooking and come up with new recipes, some of which end up on the orgueilleux menu. she does, however, have a private interest in chemistry! as mentioned earlier she knows a fair bit about it already, since cooking is just chemistry with a restricted set of substances, and in her own time she ended up getting curious and reading into the sort of reactions that arise from chemicals she doesn't work with. she rarely mentions this interest herself, but she gets super excited if someone brings it up or gives her the excuse to talk about it, and it's probably listed as super secret trivia about her on the pâtisserie website

unlike other robot masters, sweet has an acute sense of both smell and taste! [since robots seem to only use e-tanks for fuel, there's not much benefit to smelling or tasting things, so i personally believe that most of them don't have those senses unless it'd directly benefit their job.] being able to actually taste the food she cooks makes it much easier to tell if she's doing it right, especially if she's trying to come up with something new. she's also capable of replenishing her energy by eating - it's less efficient than e-tanks, but she thinks they taste gross so she always opts for actual food. fittingly, she has a massive sweet tooth, but she's accustomed to only the highest-class dining and dislikes cheaper or less 'refined' tastes

her magical girl vibe, brought to you by someone who has watched maybe 4 episodes of anime that weren't sonic x, is entirely an aesthetic and marketing gimmick rather than serving any functional purpose. she'll play it up for promotional videos and photoshoots, twirling her fork-trident thing and striking dramatic poses and calling out thematically appropriate attack names like 'sparkling sugar swirl' and 'cinnamon whirlwind' whenever she does anything, but it's mostly for show. while she genuinely enjoys the shouting and posing and twirling, she massively tones it down when she's not performing, maybe occasionally saying an attack name at a reasonable volume while she works. her fork-trident thing isn't even a real weapon, magical or otherwise. it's just styrofoam with metallic paint on it

sweet's weakness to harpoon shot was decided before i figured out exactly what tide man's weapon would be, going on the idea that getting food wet tends to make it sad and gross. this logic doesn't quite carry over with harpoon shot being, well, a harpoon rather than something specifically water-based, but i imagine shooting a cake with a harpoon would also be a very one-sided battle so this weapon wheel makes sense i promise. i guess you could also make the argument that it's because sweet is only experienced with a fake pronged weapon made of foam and would be completely blindsided by a real one? maybe it's that tide is so staunchly anticapitalist that his weapon inherently vibe checks her? i'm grasping at straws a bit over here but listen, if mega man 5 can insist that water is elementally weak to trains, i can insist that it's elementally strong against the french

i think her stage could be some kind of factory! lots of conveyer belts definitely, maybe some crushing hazards, definitely a few mets. the idea there is that she's seized a major food processing plant and is using that position to wreck the regional supply chain. even when she's evil, she basically keeps the exact same personality she shows to the public with only a noticable capitalism upgrade. she has pretty much no combat abilities on her own, but at her own suggestion she was upgraded to shoot a specially formulated icing that's acidic enough to burn through thin metal, finally putting her interest in chemistry to use. her fork-trident, on the other hand, was not changed in the slightest. still just styrofoam. i think it'd be pretty good if she opened her battle with it but even if it hits mega man it only deals one point of damage and the second it touches something it snaps in half and she never pulls out a new one

designing sweet was pretty fun because she's pretty different from my usual taste in character design! my experience with the magical girl genre is that i read about half of sailor moon when i was 12 and absorbed everything else through pop culture osmosis and tv tropes pages, so it was definitely fun to draw what i think a magical girl might look like. i also don't use oranges and yellows much, so picking out her colours made for an agonising exciting challenge! she didn't change too much from the initial microsoft paint sketch, although she lost a skirt layer along the way because i didn't feel like figuring out how to draw another one, and her weapon was originally just a big fork that probably would have been a ksjfjhkjhfillion times less cumbersome to draw. oh well. live and learn [HANGIN ON THE EDGE OF TOMORROW]

that about wraps it up for sweet woman, i think - thank you so much for asking about her!! here's the transparent art and the version without 15 different filters on it to make it look kinda like an 80s anime screenshot

#this was agonising to draw BUT I REALLY LIKE HOW IT TURNED OUT SO!!!!! WINNING #zos draws #mega man #mega man oc #robot master oc #sweet woman #zos talks #zos answers #zoriginal characters #anon

[fannishcodex]

Interesting meta from cruelfeline and others inspired my idea for a role swap AU where the main swap is between Hordak and Adora! There are other character swaps in the AU too, or swap variations.

Hordak is the latest Prim-Al, a living weapon that a First Ones faction clones over and over again each time one perishes in battle. FO created Prim-Al in response to their magitech AI Light Hope going rogue and constructing her own army of androids she calls the She-Ra. 

More under the cut, including Queen Adora, leader of the Etherian Alliance and stranded android still loyal to her creator, and her discovery of a baby Hordak (Content Warnings: ableism; child abuse; Catra is a villain and completes her transformation into a Shadow Weaver-like figure, and the implications of that):

But first, a little more summed up detail on Prim-Al’s deal, because there’s more to it:

-Hordak’s genetic template is a mysterious Subject A. The FO took preserved samples of Subject A to continually make clones of him for Prim-Al. 

-FO also made a digital copy of Subject A’s mind, a magitech AI named Prime. As a digital clone of an organic mind, much of him acts like an organic mind. Though FO has added some heavy programming and other alterations, they’ve tried to leave much of the organic-based behavior intact for multiple reasons--as an ongoing experiment in digital clones of minds, as an attempt to deter another rogue AI by trying to make this AI more aligned with organics (in contrast, RS!Light Hope was generally not based on an individual’s organic mind, she is not a digital clone like RS!Prime).

(Magitech is what it sounds like--a typically powerful fusion of magic and technology.)

-AI Prime is contained in the RS!Sword of Protection, and is actually the key to its power.

-The clones are actually vessels that channel magitech AI Prime through the sword. When a clone holds the sword, they sync with AI Prime inside, and together they essentially fuse and transform into Prim-Al.

-Prim-Al occurs in two stages. The first stage has some boost in power, some physical changes in body and clothes. The last stage has a greater boost in power and more physical changes--aged up (to a certain point), more muscular, longer hair, clothes, etc.

-AI Prime will only grant power to the clones/can only sync with the clones because they share a blood connection to the organic mind he was based on. This reaction is largely rooted in AI Prime’s magitech nature.

-Despite the death of Subject A, FO was able to preserve his mind and DNA to continue weaponizing him via biological and digital cloning. (The reasons for the FO’s focus on Subject A are also classified, though one can infer that Subject A possessed a power FO wanted to preserve and control....)

-AI Prime/the Sword of Protection is passed down through multiple iterations of Prim-Al.

-One of AI Prime’s functions is to also serve as a living archive of information, and so AI Prime remembers every Prim-Al. He is supposed to have this information available for new clone vessels to access.

-The clones do get names, but as they mature FO generally uses them less and refers to them as Prim-Al more. FO generally mistreat Prim-Al/clone vessels/AI Prime, seeing them as just weapons to keep under control.

FO doesn’t create a clone army because they’re honestly paranoid about creating another powerful enemy; they think that just one Prim-Al under selective limitations will grant them better control and avoid another Light Hope debacle. There are other classified reasons for this too. Also a FO faction created Prim-Al; the entirety of FO are embroiled in a civil war among each other as well as the war with Light Hope and other enemies.

The FO also put limitations on AI Prime for similar reasons, and all the more so because he’s an AI--they don’t want AI Prime to be another rogue AI like Light Hope.

Feel like sharing some design/tone notes:

Besides playing around with fusing traits from both Hordak and Horde Prime, I was also influenced by Link and the Master Sword in Breath of the Wild, as well as the Drifter in Hyper Light Drifter.

(Above: Base Form!RS!Adora is partly a drawover of a show image.)

The She-Ra units are magitech androids with a base form and a more powerful form they can transform into. This transformation is rooted in their magitech nature.

Gonna try to keep these notes on the art as more of a summary for now, and may reveal more specific details about the role swap AU later in separate text posts or even just keep it to later fic--also, still brainstorming, so material in the sketches and the text may change later; and also just felt like this art needed more context/clarification/background info:

(Baby!RS!Hordak is supposed to resemble canon!Imp, thanks to fic from/talking with @revasnaslan​. More info on that is below. Also yes, RS!Adora wrapped baby!RS!Hordak in her cape. :3)

FO preferred raising/training/indoctrinating the Prim-Al clone vessels from infancy, thinking this would give them greater control. They also thought it would make Prim-Al feel even more connected to organics and avoid sympathizing with any rogue AI like Light Hope.

RS!Adora finds the alien baby stranded on Etheria due to a wayward portal (like her situation), and she names him “Hordak” based on the little data she gets from the wrecked escape pod she finds him in. The data had only been text that read “Predecessor: Kadroh,” and she just reversed that name for the boy. RS!Adora names him as part of his paperwork, intending to have him sent to the infirmary with the other orphans, she can’t spend anymore time on him.

RS!Adora fought the Prim-Al before Hordak, but never knew his name was Kadroh. She doesn’t immediately see a resemblance between Hordak and Prim-Al because Hordak is a baby and she’s never really thought about Prim-Al being an organic infant before. Another significant thing is that like in @revasnaslan ‘s Where One Fell-verse fic, infants/children of Hordak’s species start completely blue, and then their faces turn white as they mature; also as @revasnaslan pointed out to me, there’s Imp, baby/child-like clone of Hordak without a white face. So RS!Adora slowly starts seeing the resemblance between Hordak and Prim-Al as Hordak’s growing up and his face starts turning white, and she honestly starts internally freaking out because by this point, between having to provide him medical assistance for his defect and having to spend more time with him than intended and watching him grow up more closely than she planned, RS!Adora is attached enough that the implications of Hordak somehow being the latest Prim-Al is distressing for her and provides a serious conflict with her loyalty to RS!Light Hope...

(Also just feel like saying that while I’m brainstorming that RS!Adora is kind of an android that’s been around for a while/like 1000+ years, I’m more in the camp that thinks that canon Hordak is actually quite young/not centuries old, even though he might have the potential for that/he can get that old later.)

There are more details on how baby RS!Hordak ends up on Etheria and the unique situation behind his birth, but that’s for another text post or fic.

RS!Adora passes herself off as an organic (even a native) while on Etheria. One metal arm is left exposed due to a minor glitch there that messes up the regen protocol for her synthetic skin; she pretends it’s just armor mainly for aesthetic/ceremonial purposes. But this is equivalent to a superficial scar, and it does not hinder or cause RS!Adora any great pain. Before Etheria she was considered one of RS!Light Hope’s perfect androids, and a random portal just plucked her from routine combat duty. (Light Hope didn’t really notice; any missing She-Ra units were assumed to be casualties of battle, and she had plenty more She-Ra units to replace any losses.) 

RS!Catra is a commander in RS!Adora’s Etherian Alliance. RS!Adora and RS!Catra have grown estranged while nominally on the same side. (I’ve been brainstorming RS!Adora/RS!Scorpia down the line after quite a few things go down.)

RS!Catra learned magic in Mystacor and RS!Light Spinner was her most influential mentor. RS!Catra’s specialty was transforming into a large predatory feline and other spells to strengthen her body. (I just keep getting more intrigued by original ‘80s Catra.)

When RS!Light Spinner roped RS!Catra into helping her with the Spell of Obtainment, things turned disastrous. The spell backfire warped RS!Catra, scarring her with a shadowy substance and granting her new shadow-like powers that made her vastly stronger, but the abrupt and traumatic change wrought by magic led to an initial period of insatiability and loss of control that resulted in RS!Catra transforming into an even larger, shadow-constructed feline that killed/devoured Light Spinner and other sorcerers investigating the commotion. RS!Catra flees Mystacor after this and eventually gains control over her new power, but grows more corrupt with it too, and is also left with a new hunger. Years later RS!Catra throws her lot in with the Alliance of monarchs and RS!Adora to solidify/take control of Etheria. (At the moment there’s tentatively another complicating factor with the Spell of Obtainment in this AU, but gonna leave that for another post or fic while I spend more time privately brainstorming it first.)

(Also RS!Catra’s design is very much based on her S3 finale corrupted form because I thought that was neat and that it could work in this AU. I also liked the idea of just using shadow magic to wrap around her and transform her into a large predatory shadow feline as a callback of her original ‘80s incarnation.)

Though RS!Adora is at the head of the Etherian Alliance with RS!Catra as her commander and essentially right hand, most of its high command is made of princesses and other monarchs/nobles who wished to tighten their control over Etheria. However, the Scorpion kingdom, Bright Moon, and Dryl resisted this agenda, and the Alliance considered them enemies and part of the rebels.

RS!Catra actually does just drop RS!Hordak off at the infirmary with the other orphans, complying with RS!Adora’s orders. Despite sensing some strong magic from RS!Hordak, RS!Catra’s content to leave him with the other orphans and just keep an eye on him for now.

(The magic RS!Catra’s sensing from RS!Hordak is something that can only be really triggered once he has the Sword of Protection.)

But when Hordak’s around four years old, his body starts breaking down/his defect becomes apparent. Many in the Alliance give up on the boy’s use as a soldier-in-training (or even use as a servant) and consider casting him out, despite RS!Adora’s insistence that they have enough resources to spare on providing the boy with ongoing medical assistance. (RS!Adora is motivated by a variety of things, including honoring Light Hope’s precept that all creatures have a place under her reign (until she orders otherwise); and at this point RS!Adora still feels some connection to her fellow portal traveler stranded on Etheria and feels compelled to try to help in this situation.) It’s then that RS!Catra steps in and takes in RS!Hordak as her ward. She still thinks he has use (she can still sense great magic from him) and sees this as an opportunity to position herself as the boy’s “savior” and really secure his loyalty.

Though the relationship between RS!Adora and RS!Catra is gradually deteriorating, the nature of RS!Catra’s true motives for taking in RS!Hordak is essentially lost on RS!Adora. While largely everyone in the Alliance had spurned the idea of keeping RS!Hordak around any longer now that he was defective--something RS!Adora found rather discouraging--RS!Catra’s the only one other than RS!Adora to express some interest in the boy. In the face of that much rejection, RS!Adora thinks that if RS!Catra wants to take RS!Hordak as her ward, she should have him.

RS!Adora constructs RS!Hordak’s first set of assistive armor. This eventually includes surgery and giving him ports for a closer/better connection to the armor. RS!Adora continues to treat RS!Hordak and maintain his armor, and helps educate him on how it works when he expresses interest in it and science/technology in general.

RS!Catra is not a good adoptive mother to RS!Hordak. She trains him brutally, pushes him as far as his defect will allow, telling him he needs to work harder to make up for his defect and keep up with everyone else. Her harsh words encourage his self-loathing, and she does aim to break him down to keep him compliant. She’s basically partly swapped with Shadow Weaver in this AU (partly since RS!Light Spinner isn’t really swapped, she’s partially in a “what if she was really on the wrong end of the Spell of Obtainment and was killed by its backfire like those Mystacor sorcerers were,” and also “what if Catra was her student at Mystacor instead of Micah.”)

For a long time RS!Hordak believes he deserves RS!Catra’s harsh treatment, and is afraid that she’ll cast him out if he’s not good enough. He’s aware that there’s no one else in the Alliance that would really take him in. He worries that RS!Adora would just withdraw her mercy and assistance if she realized how weak he really was, so he often tries to hide as much of that as he can from her, including signs of RS!Catra’s abusive treatment. RS!Catra sometimes softens with RS!Hordak--for example, she taught him how to drive a skiff and those were calm lessons, with RS!Catra less demanding and less harsh than when she trains him in combat--but she does not provide him with consistent care and continues to emotionally/verbally/mentally/physically abuse him.   

(Above: Definitely referenced a screenshot from the show. Not pictured: Probably RS!Prime losing his shit immediately after this and cursing RS!Catra out and maybe breaking out a recording of one of RS!Adora’s tongue-lashings to unsettle her.)

RS!Catra is furious when RS!Hordak finally runs away in his teens. Her relationship with him has become somewhat less business and more dangerously personal; she has developed a twisted affection for him as her adopted son, and that makes her reactions even more volatile and harsh when he runs away. RS!Catra does not react well to RS!Hordak’s attempts to escape her.

(When RS!Hordak leaves the Etherian Alliance, he’s a little younger than canon!Adora when she leaves the Etherian Horde due to some reasons that’ll be saved for another text post or fic.)

RS!Hordak isn’t used to getting encouragement from an authority figure/older adult, it always startles him whenever it happens.

(Playing around with role swap AU--also felt like having RS!AI Prime be softer than both canon!Light Hope and canon!Horde Prime, and that’s included him being more supportive/encouraging and even more snarky/playful as another sketch comic indicated above [though part of his humor is just like a result of--he’s pretty old, some inhibitions have just dropped over time and he’s seen quite a few things just repeat over and over, and part of his response to that is to sometimes act more flippant].)

While previous Prim-Al have had some slight variations in appearance depending on the individual clone vessel’s clothing/scars/etc., Hordak’s Prim-Al transformation is the most drastically different. All of his older clone-brothers have had white hair and yellow eyes, and so their Prim-Al transformations have had long white hair and one yellow eye, while the rest turned green and gained visible pupils. Hordak has blue hair and red eyes, and so his Prim-Al transformation reflects that more--the red eye stays, and Prim-Al now has blue hair with a few streaks of white. He has clothes with a primary color scheme of black-and-red instead of black-and-white. Hordak’s Prim-Al is slightly shorter than previous Prim-Al. Hordak’s Prim-Al has more armor, since they shield his defect--which Prim-Al now has since Hordak has it. Due to this, Hordak’s Prim-Al, while gaining a significant boost in power/etc., is typically not as strong as his brothers’ Prim-Al transformations. (However, Hordak’s determination and tolerance for pain is regularly equal to his older brothers’ own determination and tolerance for pain.)

Though the defect remains, the use of AI Prime to trigger the Prim-Al transformation again provides greater power. It also does have some effect on appearance and structure. A closer examination of Prim-Al should show this: Prim-Al looks more like someone recently scarred/mutilated/afflicted with a defect, rather than someone who’s grown up with it. And so, though defective, Prim-Al’s arms look less withered and retain more muscle, and generally look better than Hordak’s usual arms. (And again, they still have a magitech boost going on.)

While FO did program AI Prime to have some regard for the clone vessels, he started caring more than they had planned. AI Prime grew to genuinely care for every clone vessel for Prim-Al, and saw them more as brothers. This now includes Hordak. And though he values his brothers and means well, AI Prime’s cynicism and (remnant) programming can sometimes get in the way of his attempts to help. His own deep-seated trauma can be a factor too. 

With every new clone, AI Prime initially tries to distance himself to avoid further pain, because he grieves the loss of every clone--but he ultimately always admits to seeing them as brothers. (With his long life and the FO and Light Hope and other external factors trapping him in this cycle, AI Prime somewhat copes by comparing the whole thing to the passing of seasons. He’ll be passed down to a new clone-brother, he’ll try to resist caring about the clone-brother, he’ll grow to care about the clone-brother anyway, clone-brother dies, he’s alone until the next clone-brother comes, and then the whole thing starts again.) 

Though AI Prime is a digital clone of Subject A’s mind, he doesn’t have complete access to his mental template’s memories due to FO intervention. The FO also did not tell AI Prime everything.

Yep the LUVD crystal is there, RS!Entrapta should be another sketch post or fic. She’s gone from like the oldest princess to the youngest princess in this AU, and is around the same age as RS!Hordak.

Thanks for checking this out, hope you enjoyed this AU! Hope to have more about this up later.

Forgot to add: Yep RS!Kadroh is that Kadroh, he’s RS!Wrong Hordak in this AU.

#spop #hordak #adora #horde prime #she ra and the princesses of power #my fanart #role swap au #my fanfic

[potassium-pilot]

Prompt 28: Bow

“So remind me why we’re doing this, if you’d be so kind”, Dia asked.

“You may be an all-powerful warrior with a spellbook in hand, but imagine the utility if you learned something new. Where better to learn than a training ground such as Camp Dragonhead?” Haurchefant reminded her kindly as requested.

“I guess. I don’t necessarily have anything better to do thanks to the Braves, now do I?”

“I hope this might prove sufficiently entertaining during your stay. Here is your weapon.” Haurchefant removed an oaken bow from the wall mount as well as a quiver filled with arrows.

“A bow?”

“Aye. Is aught amiss?” Haurchefant tilted his head at her comment.

“Well, no, I guess…I would have thought you’d recommend something a bit more, er, close combat than that.

“A knight cannot be content with simply one mode of combat. A quick marksman can have just the same impact as the mightiest of swords with the right timing.”

“Yeah, but the sword looks cooler.”

He sighed. “Aesthetics aside, I figured this would be an easier transition. Instead of slinging spells, you would sling arrows.”

“I guess. The bow is definitely a different medium though- easier to aim my hands than this.”

“Who knows? Mayhap you’ll find yourself enjoying it more than you think.”

She shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ll try anything once.”

“Attagirl! Now then, here is where you’ll stand.” Haurchefant lead her to a marker about twenty fulms away from a target. “Allow me to give you an example of proper bow handling.” He grabbed his own bow and quiver and prepared at a target next to hers.

“All right, first thing’s first, depending on your dominant hand- based off of what I’ve seen, you appear to be right-handed- you need to place one leg back and another to the front. As a right-handed woman, keep your right leg to the back for support…” Dia listened as he explained form for proper bow handling for about two minutes.

“….and last, but certainly not least, keep your eye on the target. If you’re aligned with your bow, you will hit your mark.” Finally, he demonstrated everything he said in one shot. Carefully, he drew back the bowstring, and fired at the blue and silver target in front of him. It flew skillfully towards the bullseye and landed perfectly, as if he told the arrow to simply go there. “Does this make sense, my friend?”

“I…think so. I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

“Indeed. Show me what you’ve learned.”

The answer was rather little. She fumbled with the quiver for a moment, failing to get an arrow since she failed to attach the quiver to her person properly. She spun in circles a few times as if she had a mi’qote tail she wanted to catch, but she did manage to get one.

“Got it! Now you said something about a nock”, she mumbled, looking for a slice of metal on the string as he pointed out. “Ah-ha!” she exclaimed quietly as she located it and placed the feathers against it. Slowly, she pulled back the bowstring, but found she couldn’t get it very far back, not to mention her slipping grip on the arrow.

Out of nowhere, Dia felt her arms be lifted upward gently. “Don’t let your elbows fall back into your sides or you’ll never get very far”, he spoke softly into her ear in a low tone. He slid his hands up her arm to her hand and corrected the positioning of the arrow, pulling it slightly backward so she didn’t grip the feathers. “Remember, slightly behind the feathers”, he instructed in the same tone.

Please don’t let go of me, she thought to herself, hoping to every god she could think of that he couldn’t tell how she drank up his warmth, that hot breath against her neck, the way he whispered to her just right, and how it made her heart race.

It only made things worse when he gently took her chin and tilted her head towards the front of her, pressing against his own cheek as he put his face parallel to hers.

“Eyes on the target”, he said just as low before turning his head to her ear, and whispering “Fire.”

She didn’t even register her own grip releasing. She just focused on her racing pulse and the shiver being sent down her spine at his whisper.

“Well done!” he exclaimed aloud, snapping Dia out of whatever the hells that was, and bringing her attention to the target. Her arrow pierced through the edge of the circle near the bottom.

“Uh…I-I didn’t even hit the bullseye.”

“‘Tis your first time, my friend. Many a fresh recruit have sent their arrows flying through our windows, so I consider this a rousing success for your first try!”

Now that he said it, it was rather nice to her that he could see a miss in such a way. To that end, she intended to try again. “Hey, so uh, you might want to help me try that again, Haurchefant. Maybe I’ll hit the bullseye this time with your help”, she suggested meekly.

“Nonsense! You’ll never learn with me hanging over your shoulder. Now then, use what you’ve learned, my friend.”

Dammit, she cursed in her head.

Dia picked up what he led her to do pretty quick, and went through the motions: straight arm, just past the feathers, eyes on the target. She waited a few moments as she felt herself practically fighting the bowstring, but the stage was set.

That is, until she took her eyes away from the target to look at Haurchefant, who seemed to stare her down as well, but why?

She would have thought about it more had she not just grazed his arm with an arrow.

“Oh, Twelve help me!” Dia exclaimed as she threw the bow to the ground to run to his side.

“I’m all right, I’m all right”, he tried to reassure her, but kept his arm conveniently covered. She pulled it away from the wound with great force as he attempted to keep the wound out of her sight. “Gah! I’m so sorry, Haurchefant!” she apologized as she began her ministrations on his arrow wound. “I’m an idiot; I got distracted by something at the last second and that arrow just flew in the exact direction I didn’t want it to go.”

He said nothing. He couldn’t; not when she was right there. The way the aether flowed from her into him electrified his senses. Her firm grip on his arms was exactly what he needed. The way she glistened with sweat in such a frozen wasteland; in this moment, she seemed rather…splendid.

“There. Are you all right?” she asked Haurchefant worriedly.

Halone help him, he needed out of there before he did something he’d regret.

“Oh, uh, yes, I’m fine now, thank you”, he answered rapidly and nervously, “Keep, uh, keep practicing with that bow. I just remembered that I have some business-like…business to attend to in my-my office. Excellent work! Keep it up!” He shot out of the shooting range as fast as he could and entered his office with all haste.

Dia, you fucking idiot, you scared him away. Focus! she berated herself in her head. She picked up the bow one last time, doing exactly as she was instructed, and fired the arrow. It hit the wood that held up the target. “Fuck!” she whispered loudly.

********

The evening sun hanged in the horizon of Ishgard. The golden glow of twilight still shone enough light that the garden she managed to keep alive in the courtyard behind Borel Manor could remain visible. She tended to her peppers and kidragora quietly in spite of the cold. None could make a master botanist stop doing botany, climate be damned.

Once weeds were pruned enough, fertilizer was laid down properly, and covers were applied to keep her labor of love warm through the night, she stepped away. Her garden was located in a different spot of the courtyard, separated by a wall, most likely at the former countess’s request. On that other side of the wall was a small area used to practice combat. Neither her nor Aymeric used the other side all that often; Dia had a proper setup for practicing gunbreaker maneuvers with Thancred back in Mor Dhona, while Aymeric preferred to use the mostly defunct Whitebrim front for his training. With that in mind, she was slightly curious about it, and decided to pay it a visit.

Upon reaching the other side, she took a quick look around. It was painfully obvious how unused everything was considering the frozen state of all the equipment. That said, there was one particular item that didn’t seem to share the same level of disrepair: a dark oak bow, complete with metal arrows in a quiver next to it.

It still hurt. After everything she’d seen and done, after everyone she ever met, after all the sacrifices she’d seen, it still hurt. But still, she always remembered how a smile better suited a hero. Dia picked it up off the wall, alongside a quiver that hung next to it, and stood at the line about 30 fulms behind the target.

The quiver was on correctly this time, making it much easier to pick one out of the collection. She found the nock easily, seeming to have been prepared already, and placed the arrow just above the feather. She placed her right leg back, and lifted the bow, ready to aim. “Arms up”, she whispered as she lifted her arms. “Eyes on the target”, she whispered as she focused on the target.

She could still hear him whisper, “Fire”.

In a moment, she let go of the arrow, and felt a small sting of disappointment as she just missed her mark. It landed on the right between the edge of the target and the bullseye. “Dammit”, she whispered.

“Fine form.”

She turned her head to see Aymeric at the doorway, clearly amused by her attempt. “Come to laugh at your girlfriend and her piss-poor aim?” she snarked, still disappointed in her efforts.

“I would never. Your aim is fine, my dear. That in mind, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you lack confidence in something before.”

“You should have met me when I first started adventuring. You’d be floored by how little confidence I’m capable of having.”

He smiled and laughed lightly. Aymeric walked towards her and said, “You look rather dashing with my old bow.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize. I’m sorry.”

“Naught to apologize for, my love. Consider it our bow.” He led her to lift up the bow again. “Your form is quite good, but don’t waver.” He held onto her bow arm to still her arm, and tilted her chin upward, keeping his hand in place. “Align yourself with the bow. Remember, it follows your lead, and you are a natural leader.” She kept her eye on the center of the target.

“Fire”, he ordered in a low tone.

Dia released her grip, and witnessed the glory of her arrow hitting the very center of the bullseye.

She squealed in excitement and hopped in place like a child, making Aymeric laugh in a mixture of pride and amusement. “Congratulations!”

She pounced him and kissed him in her jubilee, and he returned it happily. After a few seconds of enjoyment, she released and told him coyly, “Thank you for being such a great teacher.”

“Where would I be without my star pupil?”

She grinned and returned to kissing him with more passion behind her efforts than the first time, the both of them soaking in each other’s energy and warmth as the evening began to wane.

Thank you too, Haurchefant. I’ll carry your guidance with me always.

#ffxivwrite2021 #ffxivwrite #ffxiv #haurchefant/wol #aymeric/wol #haurchefant greystone #aymeric de borel #female wol #this is the stupidest i’ve ever written #i’m looking forward to writing stupider #just spritz those two with cold water and get them laid and they act normal #ffxiv fanfiction #fanfiction

[modern-vellichor]

Grief, is a Beautiful Thing

Stage One; Denial

Warnings: Grief!! Mentions of death, suicide. Loss of a major character. Battles with depression, silent tears, heart and gut wrenching sadness, indirect and very minor smut just to keep you on your toes.

Prologue || Series Masterlist

Denial; refusal to acknowledge an unacceptable truth or emotion or to admit it into consciousness, used as a defense mechanism.

You acted fine, you smiled and went along like nothing happened, like Steve would just walk around the corner and kiss your forehead, just like old times.

You took his place at the head of the table for a while, hell, you took over the whole compound. You were planning missions, doing research, organising accommodation and transport, planning classic Stark celebration parties.

Bucky saw through your act, of course he did. Sam did too, they were your best friends after all.

Your room was directly on top of Bucky's, down the hall from Sam's. When they walked by your door late at night, sometimes they would hear sniffling, little secret whimpers and whines. They never said anything.

You threw yourself into not only your work, but replacing your family. You treated Peter like a younger brother, and Morgan like she was your own. Bucky and Sam would watch as you played with Morgan, helping her with homework, checking on Pepper.

Eventually, the whimpers morphed into hushed whispers.

You spoke to the moon.

Bucky could remember Steve telling him that one morning. Every night you turned to the moon and whispered a little 'goodnight', and if you were angry, or sad, you would beg her to take your problems away.

"He's gonna come back, I know he is", Bucky had his ear pressed against your door. "He's a good man, he wouldn't just leave us like that, not me, especially not Bucky"

He smiled, it was sad and small and it didn't reach his eyes.

Nightly you would talk to her, the lady in the sky, glowing bright and bringing you peace. There she was, all the time, never leaving you. You started to go numb, your body shutting down, your brain struggling to cope. You fell. And Bucky was there to catch you.

Barnes was away on a mission, on that you had organised, you completely forgot. You were lost in a state of doubt and self pity you didn't even hear your door click open. You didn't register the light spilling into your room from the hallway, or the thud of thick combat boots being chucked onto the floor. You didn't flinch when the mattress dipped next to you, only did your eyelids flutter when a cool, metal arm was thrown over your waist.

"Hey, Buck", you sighed, eyes closed.

"What's wrong?"

What's Wrong. He asked that at least once a day. Once a day he asked a question who's answer was so blatantly obvious, but you never told the truth.

Never once did you utter, 'the love of my life left me for another woman, or, 'l lost my mentor and father figure because I wasn't smart enough, not even, 'my best friend sacrificed herself to save me and half the fucking planet'.

No, you always just smiled, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, his back, his arm -never his hand- and whispering, "Nothing, Buck, I'm fine"

He never argued either, just smiling back, pain and sad, but a smile nonetheless. He never pressed further, he never asked if you needed help, he was just there. He was a failsafe, he was always there, just in case you needed him. Right now, you did, but you were in Denial.

So he pulled you closer to himself, wrapping the duvet around the both of you. His breath fanned over the bare skin of your shoulder, his fingers traced absentminded circles on the soft flesh of your hip, his eyes fluttered closed and his heart rate slowed. You waited for a while, feeling him. Feeling his steady breath and his loose grip and his slow heartbeat, just like you used to with Steve.

He was so much like Steve, in so many ways, but at the same time he was do wildly different. You thought it was beautiful, poetic. How America's Golden Boy, the model citizen, the good guy, protagonist, could be best friends with James Barnes, an army vet who couldn't give two shits even if he tried. You thought it was funny, you idolised their friendship.

"I'm sorry he left you", you whispered, voice cracking as you let the veil slip.

Tears rolled steadily down the side of your face, over the bridge of your nose, pooling on your pillow. You wrapped your fingers around his wrist, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Bucky didn't hear you, didn't feel you, he was fast asleep, somewhere far away, with Steve, happy, you hope.

"I could have stopped him. I know "I could have stopped him. I know I could have, its okay, 'll get him back", you promised your sleeping friend.

With the denial and the numbness, and the constant work, came the forgetfulness.

You were in shock, it was normal. It was always small, forgetting your keys, or to eat breakfast, but it still made Bucky worry. You were coming apart at the seams, spilling guts and your shattered heart onto the floor by his feet, and he had to pick you up, and sew you back together. You just wouldn't let him.

Often, too often, he would catch you doing something you and Steve used to do together.

You would be reading a book, mind far away, and your spare hand would reach out for him. The look on your face was pain and regret and anger all in one, tears pricking your eyes as you recoiled your now balled up fist.

On the jet, you would reach out for reassurance, before and after a mission, and he would be gone.

You reached out for him, his wife frame squashed into the seat next to yours. You lifted your chin to admire him, in all his blood and mud caked glory, you smiled, eyes bright and glistening, cheeks blushing as he kissed the tip of your nose.

One of your hands reached down and interlaced fingers with his, your other wrapped itself around his arm. You leaned down, bead going slack against his shoulder. He let out a breathy laugh, a lovely laugh that ignited a fire in your belly. He ran a hand over your hair, brushing dried dirt and coppery blood from your cheek.

"You did so well, baby", he whispered. "You're incredible, you know that", his words were mumbled into your hair between kisses. You giggled, you learned from the best, and you made sure he knew it.

Your hand was tucked into your chest, the image of Steve in the seat next to yours all too fresh in your mind. The jet landed with a soft thud, and you ran through the compound to your room, not even bothering to grab your bag on the way in.

Bucky spent hours trying to coax you out of your room, listening to the soft sniffles and quiet sobs.

"Y/N, doll", he begged, pleaded, "please, let me in"

He was delighted to hear the soft bad of bare feet and the clicking of your lock. He shoved his way into your room, assertive and gentle, wrapping you in a hug and kicking the door shut behind him.

It was moments like these that brought tears to your eyes. It was the domesticity of it all, the soft touched, the way he drew circles on your lower back, ran a hand through your hair. It was the way he held you until you slept, whispering sweet reassurance into your hair, soft kisses to your forehead as you wept.

The next morning you called him into your office, Sam making a joke as he walked away.

"I have a mission for you, Barnes"

"Yes, ma'am", he responded, jokingly.

"Surveillance in Budapest, drug lord, Lloyd Montgomery", you stated. You never were good at briefings, not like Steve. "two weeks stay, you're leaving tomorrow morning."

He chuckled at your expression, brows furrowed, lips pulled into a frown. "Who am I bringing? Sam?"

"No, me"

The motel room was damp and dingy, mould grew in the corners of the ceiling, the mattresses were lumpy, the curtains damp.

You rolled over uncomfortably, chasing the sweet relief of sleep that wouldn't come. Day three had trickled by ever so slowly, you should've sent Sam on this one.

You rolled over, maybe Bucky was awake. You were met by a pair of startlingly blue eyes and a mischievous grin.

"Hello, doll", he smiled.

"morning, sergeant"

"What do you want?"

You stopped, thinking for a moment. You sat up against the headboard, Bucky switching on a light and mimicking your actions.

"A story", you finally whispered, smiling. You loved Bucky's stories, tales from before the war. Adventures, memories, stories of hard liquor and pretty girls and sometimes both.

"about what, doll?"

"A girl", you loved Bucky, he was always so soft when it came to his women. He described them like the finest piece of artwork he had ever seen, like they were an otherworldly being not worthy of his touch, like he was blessed just to be acknowledged by them.

"Her name was Rosalind"

You smiled, "Pretty name, who was she?"

"My first real crush. She was a waitress at the cafe my Ma took us to on a Sunday. I used to sneak in there after school just to catch a glimpse of her", he smiled, reminiscing.

You and Bucky both loved how vivid his memory could be sometimes, even after the brainwashing. He could describe some of his core memories like they were yesterday, others were a little fuzzy.

"She was gorgeous, most beautiful broad in Brooklyn. She had this red hair, real curly, stopped just below her shoulders. Real pale skin, too, freckles everywhere, and I mean everywhere"

You laughed at the little comment, waiting for him to continue.

"She wore these real thick glasses, right on the tip of her nose, she had the thickest Brooklyn accent I've ever heard, too. And these gorgeous brown eyes, they looked like they were just holes, like never ending or something, portals, I dont know", you laughed again, this time he joined you.

"Anyway, one day she caught me staring, wrote her address on my napkin. I showed up at her door that evening, told Ma I was staying with Steve. She had this birthmark, on her back. It started at the apex of her thigh and ended just above her hip, she called me Buckaroo when she said goodnight. Gave me a kiss, right on the tip of my nose and said, "See you tomorrow, Buckaroo""

You smiled, a pang of jealousy settling in your stomach, but you brushed it off. "She sounds real pretty, Buck"

"Oh she was, nice too, polite and friendly, real smart, kinda like you", you blushed at the compliment.

Bucky said a quick goodnight, turning off the light and falling asleep, you following after.

The lights were low. Music hummed softly, a hand wrapped in yours. Your eyes trailed up the arm, to find Bucky at the end of it, smiling down at you. He placed a quick kiss on your lips, "c'mon, pup"

He pulled you through the crowd, away from the party, a dress danced around your heel clad ankles as you jogged to keep up with him. He pulled you into an elevator, sporting that signature mischievous grin of his.

Next thing you know you were tangled under the sheets, Bucky on top of you placing soft kisses down your neck, sucking softly on your pulse spot.

"You're so beautiful, doll", he hummed, "so, so beautiful, all for me"

A thin layer of sweat was forming on your skin, Bucky still covering you with sweet kisses as one hand tangled in your hair, the other working it's way between your legs.

Your name fell off his lips like a mantra, a litany, a prayer for redemption, "Y/N, Y/N", over and over again like it was addictive.

"Y/N", Bucky shook you awake, you had broken out in a cold sweat. He wrapped his arms around your shaking frame, "Its okay, doll, it was just a dream. You're alright, I'm right here, doll, right here".

#captain america x reader #steve rogers #steve rogers x reader #bucky fanfic #bucky x you #bucky x reader #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes smut #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes #steve rogers x you #marvel fic

[tumbling-odyssey]

Games I played in 2020

Just felt like getting my thoughts out on all the games I played this year. I’ve been wanting to do something like this for years but I always let it pass me by. Well not this year! Fuck you laziness! 

I played the first half in 2019 but finished it in 2020 so I guess I'll count it. DQ11 was my intro to Dragon Quest and what a good starting point. I'm not exaggerating when I say this is one of the best traditional JRPGs on the market. Characters, story, combat, it all clicks in just the right way to make a flawless game... until the end credits roll that is. 

I have no idea what happened with the post game but by god does it dive off a cliff. It undermines everything you worked to do in the main plot. The characters act brain dead and it shamelessly reuses events from the main game. Please pick up and play DQ11 but for the love of god just stop when the credits roll.

Doom is a game I knew I'd like. The heavy metal ascetic and soundtrack were right up my alley, but I just never found the time. With Eternal on the way though and having found it on the cheap at a pawn shop I figured there was no time like the present. Needless to say but I was right. I loved everything about this game. The thrill of combat, the screech of the guitars, and the silent take no shit attitude of Doomguy. Make no mistake though, I SUCK at this game. I played on easy but still got my ass handed to me on the regular. But I don't care, I was having way to much fun.

I flipped my shit when this game got leaked at the tail end of 2019. Zero 3 is my all time favourite game. To celebrate this getting announced I went and 100% Zero 3 as I hadn't done it on my current cart, and Zero 3 was still the first thing I played when I got this collection! I love that game to death and I’m glad to have it on modern consoles again. As I was under a bit of time crunch with other games releasing soon I only played 2 other games in the collection Zero 4 and ZX Advent. Until the DS collection those and 3 were the only Zero/ZX games I had so I have a lot of nostalgia for them. 

Zero 4 hold ups better then I remember. Not as good as 3 but a damn solid game with tweaks I honestly wish hit the series before its end. I remember having issues with the stage design and ya it’s not perfect, but it’s far from as bad as I thought. For ZXA this was the first time I beat the game on normal difficulty. For some reason the ZX games have always given me more trouble than the Zero games, so finally beating one on normal was very exciting. Maybe I can now finally go and beat ZX for the first time...

The Mystery Dungeon series rising from the depth to punch all those unexpecting in the face was a very welcome surprise. I had a lot of hype going into this one as I have very fond memories of my time with Red Rescue Team and even more with Explorers of Darkness. And the game lived up to it! The remastered music is great and crazy nostalgic, the 3D models are well used and don't feel as stiff as they do in the core series, and the QOL changes are near perfect... So why did I drop this game like a rock once I finished the main quest? 

Anyone familiar with Mystery Dungeon will know that the post game is the real meat of it. The story is short and all the really cool shit comes in after it's done. But I just couldn't bring myself to put more time in after I finished said story mode. I'm definitely chocking that up to me just not being in the mood then an issue with the game. Here's hoping we get an Explorers DX sometime soon. That will fucking hook me for all it's got.

Second verse same as the first. I loved this game and sucked at it horribly. Out of all the games I've played this year Doom Eternal is the one I want to go back to the most. I was not the hugest fan of some of the changes made and retained a stance that I liked 2016 better. First person platforming has never been a fun experience in my opinion and Eternal did little to change that. And I know this a lukewarm take at best but fuck Marauders!. They are so unfun to fight and ruin the pace. The Marauder in the last mook wave took me so long I was worried I wouldn’t be able to finish the game. But the more I've seen of Eternal after my playthrough makes me think I was being far to harsh. I haven't played the DLC yet either. Mostly cuss I haven't heard great things about it. Gonna wait for the rest of it to come out to see if it's worth getting. Might just replay to whole game at that point to see if it clicks with me better.

This was my second favourite game of the year, and was going to take the top slot until a certain other game came out. Addressing the elephant in room right away, I hated the ending. But I was expecting something like that, I think we all were. I won't let the ending ruin the rest of the game though. Not gonna let 1 segment colour everything that came before it. We have to see how the later parts play out to truly see if this ending was trash or not anyway. 

It took Square over a decade but they finally got an action RPG battle system that works and feels good to play. This may be my favourite battle system in an RPG period honestly. All four characters are a blast and it only gets better the more time you spend with it. Figuring out the nuances of each character’s skills and how to combine them not only with the skills of the others but how to enhance them with the right Materia set. This makes fights thrilling and satisfying when you finally best whatever was giving you trouble. Tis was the best way to bring 7′s mechanics into the modern landscape while also fixing the BIGGEST issue the OG had. The fact every character feels the same aside from Limit Breaks. 

All this on top of graphics that just look fucking stunning, a few glitched out doors aside. Fuck I still feel blown away looking at the characters models (mostly Tifa) and see how god damn pretty everyone is. Also Tifa’s Chinese dress is gift from the Gods and I still haven’t picked my jaw up from the floor after I first saw it.

In my circle of the internet there was a lot of hype for this game. So much so that I ended up buying it to see what all the hubbub was about. I had never played a Streets of Rage game before and my only experience with beat'em ups was playing a LOT of Scott Pilgrim and last year's River City Girls. Turns out Streets of Rage plays quite a bit different and it kicked my ass! So sadly I had to switch to easy to make it through but I still had a fun time with it. 

I started playing mostly as Blaze but once Adam hit the scene oooooh fucking boy. I didn’t play anyone else. There's a deceptive amount of content in this game. You can unlock almost every character from the previous games and all of them rocking their original sprites and moves. If I had more of a connection with this series I'm sure I would have gone nuts on unlocking everything. I stopped after my one playthrough and I was happy with that. Always glad to support a long overdue franchise revival.

To properly talk about P5R I think I need to air a lot of my feelings on the original game and the importance it has to me. You see, prior to 2017 I barely played games, only sticking to specific franchises. AKA Pokemon and Mega Man/Mega Man like games. Until 2016 though I still bought a lot of games. Eating up Steam sales and deals I found at pawn shops. This lead to a Steam library and shelf filled with games I've never touched outside of maybe an hour or 2. So in 2016 when I took interest in the newly released Kirby Planet Robobot I made a deal with myself. I could get the game but I HAD to beat it.  And I did just that, gaining not just a new fav Kirby game but a new rule for game purchases. If I knew I wouldn't beat a game I was not aloud to buy it. Now what does ANY of this have to do with P5 you may ask? Well... almost everything.

 I was immediately interested in P5 when it hit the west in 2017. I loved the 20 or so hours I but into P3 years ago and really liked the P4 anime I had watched around the same time. So of course with all the hype around it I wanted to dive into the series full force with P5. But I knew myself. Putting over 100 hours into a game was beyond me and I had a weird relationship with home console games as I was predominately a handheld gamer. Add in the fact I didn't even have a PS4 and I was convinced P5 would be something I always wanted to play, but never would. So when I went to the mall with a few friends and they showed me that P5 had a PS3 version, I had a dilemma on my hands. I knew I wanted to play it and I now had a way to do so. But doing that would require me to change 2 HUGE hang ups I had with games. Would I being willing to waste 60 bucks with so much working against me? Apparently I was. I immediately started going to town on this game. Making sure I spent no less then 2 hours a day playing NO MATTER WHAT. Which may not seem like a lot but it was to me... at the time.. I also had just moved to my current house, so coming home from my still relatively new job and going straight into P5 was the first real routine I formed during this heavily transitional part of my life. 

I of course ended up loving P5 and put 200 hours into it. As such my outlook on gaming was forever changed. Console games were no longer out of reach and I knew I could handle playing monster length game. I started playing way more games then I ever did before and trying out generas I never thought I would play. P5 is the main reason for this and why I'm able to make a post like this. To actually touch on Royal though? It's unarguably the better version of the game and Atlus learned all the right lessons from P4G. The new characters are great and the added section at the end is possibly the best shit Atlus has ever written. I only wish Yoshizawa joined the party sooner so I could play as her more. 

The release of this really came out of nowhere huh? Wayforward announced it was being made mid way through 2019, then there was its weird half release on the Apple store... and then suddenly it was out! Very little fanfare for this one. Is that indicative of the games quality? Luckily no. Seven Sirens is a solid addition to the series and follows up Half Genies Hero nicely. The game goes back to Shantae's Metroidvania roots and makes a TON of improvements. 

Transformations are now instant instead of having to dance for them (don't worry dancing is still in the game) making the game feel more like Pirates Curse in its fast flow. They also added the Monster Cards which take heavy inspiration from Aria of Sorrow's Soul system. A feature I'm happy to see in any Metroidvania since Aria is one of my all time favourite games. Sadly though the game does not take the best advantage of these improvements. 

Over all the game feels kinda empty. The dungeons aren't super exciting to explore nor are they challenging in any way. And the plot is very repetitive, with each dungeon repeating the same beats. Really this game feels more like set up for a better game down the line. The mechanics are all here and Wayforward has a solid art style with the sprites from Half Genie Hero. Hopefully they capitalizes on this for Shantae 6 and we get the best game in the series.

While it may not have been the most thrilling game, Seven Sirens really put me into a Shantae mood. So much so that I went back to play the 2 games in the series I had never touched. This being the first game and Risky's Revenge. Shantae 1 really is a hidden gem in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it's the definition of jank, but there's a lot of heart to this game. The sprites are great, the soundtrack is good, and the characters are funny... but it's still on the OG Gameboy and that's a massive hindrance for any game. I'm hard pressed to recommend this with how poorly its aged but I think it's better then it looks. 

Risky's Revenge on the other hand was a game that shocked me by how little it had to offer. I know this game went through a hellish development and what we got was far from what Wayforward planned to make, but it's hard to imagine a world where this was the technical BEST Shantae game. It's not a bad game by any stretch... just a boring one.

For the record my ranking of the games goes Pirates Curse>Half Genie Hero>Seven Sirens>Original>Risky’s Revenge

Sword and Shield are mediocre games at best. I know, real steaming hot take there. I managed to make my Sword playthrough a lot more fun by not spoiling myself on the new Pokemon designs for the first time since Gen 3. Either way, I enjoyed myself enough that I didn't mind playing more of it with these DLC campaigns. Plus I love the idea of Game Freak switching over to this method as apposed to making a third version, so I wanted to support it. 

Klara is a fucking top tier Poke Girl both in design and personality and is probably the highlight of Isle of Armour. GF actually went out of their way to give her multiple expressions to sell her toxic bitch personality and I love every minute of it. She sadly drifts into the background for the second half of the DLC’s story which hurts an already rough section even more. Not more then having to grind Kubfuu all the way to fucking level 70 though! That put a serious hamper on my motivation to finish the story but I pushed through anyway. Having to solo the tower with Kubfuu was at least a fun challenge though, as was the final fight with Mustard. Fuck the Diglett hunt though. Ain’t no one got time for that.

Crown Tundra may be my fav of the 2 though even if there isn't a character as good as Klara in it. The hunt for the legendaries was just pure adventure and I had a fucking blast doing it. The joy I felt when I figured out Registeel’s puzzle put a smile on my face unlike any Pokemon game since I was a kid. The whole Regi stuff was honestly a nice Nostalgia trip to my times with Emerald. The story around Calyrex was enjoyable, even if I still hate its design. Not revealing the horses before release was a good call to as it gave an honest surprise. Having to chase down the Galar forme Birds in the overworld is a great way to evolve the roaming legendaries idea and I hope GF sticks to this. Plus the Galar forme birds are some of the best legendary designs since Gen 5 and I love Chocodos way to fucking much. 

Here we are folks, my GotY. I love Panzer Paladin so fucking much. A combination of mechanics from Mega Man, Castlevania, and Blaster Master? Sign me the fuck up! This game is tailored made for me and I knew I had to play it once it started making the rounds on social media. I'll admit though, I was a bit worried when the the first full trailer dropped and showed the weapon mechanics. Breakable weapons that you have to sacrifice for checkpoints and power ups? I'm not sure about that.... Luckily I was being a complete moron and those mechanics are near perfect. 

I love the set up of each boss being a mythological creature from different cultures. They didn’t just pull the easy ones either. A lot of these things I learned of for the first time here. I love how Grit controls. Using the upward stab as a double jump and being able to pogo off enemies Shovel Knight style just felt great and satisfying. Flame was limited but it made her sections feel tense. She does more damage then you think she could at first glance. Also the only way to heal Grit being to use pods that only Flame could access was a cool idea. 

I am begging you Tribute Games, you have to make more Panzer Paladin games. Slap some new upgrades on Grit and expand what Flame can do and you have an even better sequel  on your hands. Also maybe not have so many 'gotcha' moments with enemy placement. That's really my only complaint about the game. Great music, great sprites, giant robots, unique premise, and a reference to Canadian legends. The ultimate self indulgent game for me.

It felt super out of left field for Curse of the Moon to be getting a sequel. The games fucking amazing but it was really just a tie in for the main Bloodstained product. Not something I expect to get a continuation. Either way I was pumped. If this was even half as good as the original then I was in for a great time. Which held true... cuss this legitimately is only half as good as Curse of the Moon. I still like the game, quite a lot actually. I mean how could I not with a fucking Corgi piloting a Death Train Mech. 

Something was just missing here that never made this click like the first game. Maybe it was the stage design, maybe the bosses, maybe the fact that it's a bit to long. I'm not sure. All I know is I couldn't bring myself to play all the modes like I did in the original. . Stopping part way in to the one where you can get the first games characters. I want to go back some day... I just don’t know when someday is.

This was an announcement I never saw coming. A Gundam Verses game coming to the west? That hasn't happened in the entire time I've been a Gundam fan. I had played a bit of Full Boost on my old roommates PS3 thanks to him having a Japanese account and I played Force on the Vita a few years ago. But to have the latest version fully translated with open servers? Holy hell that's a dream come true. 

Having the open betas every weekend leading up to launch was some much needed fun during this shit hole year. I had a lot of fun just fucking around with different suits and seeing what I could do with 'em. Absolutely trashing two Bael players as the Kapool is a memory I'll keep with me for a long time. Fucking danced on their graves. This gave me some new appreciation for suits like the Baund Doc and Hambrabi, the later becoming a lowkey fav as it was my main.

I've fallen off with the game in the last few months but I definitely want to go back. I hope to start learning the game and take parts in tourneys when cons aren’t death sentences anymore.

It felt like everything in my life was SCREAMING at me to start the Yakuza series. From 2 of my friends playing 0 recently, a youtuber I following live tweeting as he played through the WHOLE series back-to-back, and Yakuza 2 having a run at AGDQ 2020. Plus the constant pleas to play this series you get from following Little Kuriboh on Twitter. I finally broke and picked up 0 in the middle of August. Boooooooooy howdy did I not know what I was getting in to. And no I don't mean the content. I knew Yakuza was a series of wildly conflicting tones between the main story and side quests. What I mean is the length. I legit thought this was gonna be a 20-30 hour game. When i reached hour 30 of my playthrough and realized I wasn't even close to a conclusion, I think I knew I had bitten off more then I was planning. That misstep aside I ended up loving this game and want to play the rest of the series.... I just need to rest up first before I dive into Kiwami 1.

 Let's actually talk about the game for a moment here. Kiryu and Majima quickly clicked as likeable characters to me and I cared about their stories. Combat is fun and the multiple styles are all great.... though both the default styles take a while to get there. The mad rush I felt at the end was fantastic and the last bosses are a joy to fight. Only real complaint is the pacing of the side stories. I loved being able to just stumble into various different events while on route to the next plot objective. But this became less common as the game went on and side stories started getting more tucked away. Also hot take here, the host club mingame is more tedious then fun and I like Kiryu’s business stuff as I could do that in the background. I’m excited to dive into Kiwami and probably Kiwami 2 this year... Though I’m not sure when just yet.

Just gonna say it flat out, I think this is better the the 2018 game. The smaller scale helps in this style of game and Miles just naturally has a better move set then Peter. I'm not sure if they actually tightened up the combat system or if they just threw less bullshit enemies at you but fighting feels so much better in this one. Traversal is better too,  simply because they changed the button for tricks. In the original you have to hold down 2 face buttons to enter trick mode??? In hindsight that was such a bad call. 

Having both the heal and venom powers run off the same meter was a good idea. Making the choice between keeping yourself alive guaranteed or potentially ending a fight quicker/disposing of a problem enemy is super fun. The player having to make small choices like this during combat is what helps it not be brainless. I love all the different venom skills you get. While they all achieve the same thing in stunning opponents, how you achieve that goal is up to you. Do you want to just slug the bastard, throw 'em up in the air, tackle the shit out of them? The choice is yours. 

Only real big complaint is certain upgrades being NG+ locked. I know you want to encourage replays, but this is a shitty way to do it I feel. Also can we retire Rhino for the next game. Man has had 2 shitty boss fights now and I need a break. Between this and Spider-Verse, I'm honestly starting to like Miles as Spider-Man more then Peter.

I got this game more on a whim then anything. I was definitely interested when it was first announced for the west. Vanillaware's beautiful art style in a story about giant robots beating the shit out of Kaijus? Sign me the fuck uuuuuu-oh wait it's an RTS? I had never played an RTS's before, mainly due to the sheer concept stressing me out. So I let it fall to the wayside. The game started coming up again though towards the end of the year with GotY on everyone's minds.  This revived my interest, especially as what I HAD planned to be playing around that time was... well. Cyberpunk. Don't think I need to say much more. Also I had worried for nothing as the Real Time Strategy was not that Real Time. 

This game really lays on the analysis paralysis once you're out of the tutorial. Do you want to fight, do you want to do story, who's story do you want to do, what branch should you follow, how much should you play with this one character? It's very overwhelming at first. I decided to not go ham on just one character and swap around all the time. The twists in this game are equal parts exciting and infuriating. Learning something new always came with the caveat of more questions, or something you knew 'for sure' being disproven. Like when I learned 1 characters was actually 4 separate ones! Anyone that's played knows exactly what I'm talking about. 

Natsuno ended up being my fav and not just because of.... obvious reasons. BJ was cute if unfortunately named and her relationship with Mirua was my favourite in the game. Not that there was much competition except for maybe Ogata and Tomi. I ended up really liking the combat but I can see why RTS fans say it's the weakest part. It's far from complex and I had a winning strat by the third or so real fight. Aka spam turrets and have the Gen 1′s gank all the bosses.

One quick thing I want to share was how I beat the boss at the end of Area 2. The one where Inaba is singing. I had Hijiyama use the limit break skill to bum rush the boss right off the hop. I took out half its health in one hit but Hijiyama’s Sentinel was on death’s door. Only thing that saved him was sending in Amaguchi to blow up a bunch of missiles. Hijiyama took it out on his next attack but lost his Sentinel at the same time. It was a real clutch victory and crazy fucking anime. 

The best way to really describe Carrion is that it's a fantastic proof of concept. Can you make a game where you play as The Thing? Why yes, yes you can. Carrion just needed a bit more tweaking to really bring this concept home and be the A+ game I know it can be. As it is now the game is a bit empty. The level design is super samey and the lack of a map is fucking brutal at points. I know it would make no sense for a blob monster to have a map but somethings you just have to gameify for convenience. The level design must have done something right as even though I was completely lost I still moved from area to area properly. Hell by the time I actually looked up a map I had 1 more item to get and I learned I was one door away from beating the game. 

I love the idea of losing mass as you take damage and gaining more by eating people, but having abilities tied to size was a terrible idea. It just leads to tedium as I have to go and shed myself to the right size, do the puzzle, then of course I'm going to go back and rebuild myself to see if I can do the next segment at full power. Just make it so you can swap between abilities using the d-pad or something. I hope this game gets a sequel just so this sick ass concept can be fully realized.

#games #goty #Final Fantasy #pokemon #spiderman #yakuza #gundam #bloodstained #panzer paladin #shantae #persona #streets of rage #doom #mega man #dragon quest #13 sentinels: aegis rim #carrion

[ahiddenpath]

My Current Thoughts on Writing Fanfics

I’m so glad I’ve had this bloggity since 2012, because I can see how much my approach to writing has changed!  I wanted to touch base on where I am now, plus answer the most common questions I receive about writing fanfics beneath the cut.

Obligatory disclaimer: I’m a hobbyist writer, this is meant to be taken as opinion/reflection, not advice, different approaches work for different people, annnnd also check out my digimon fanfics (FFN and AO3).

How do I develop a regular writing habit?

I’d start by setting aside 15 minutes a day to write.  Don’t focus on word count- writing x number of words can be intimidating, but most people can sit for 15 minutes and get something down.  If you’re writing on a computer, turn off the internet and place your phone out of reach

Gradually increase the session length.

Never worry about the quality of your writing while you’re drafting.  That’s what editing and subsequent drafts are for.  I have a post on utilizing successive drafts to combat writing paralysis here, but the tl;dr is that the pressure to write a perfect story in the first draft often turns writing into an agonizing trial instead of creative play.

Your first draft is bad, period, at least compared to what it will be.  In the kindest way possible, get over it.  Your value as a writer- or as a human!- isn’t tied into your questionable first draft.  Please explore your story in the earliest stages with enthusiasm, not criticism!  You’re going to make it so much better by the time you’re finished!

How do you write so much?

See, here’s one of the biggest changes in my mindset compared to my early days as ahiddenpath.  I used to think that doing all of this writing was like... extra credit, like a stretch goal I pushed myself to achieve.  

I learned in therapy starting in 2018 that the reason I keep writing is because I have to.  I have general anxiety disorder, and my brain...  Have you seen an old-timey cartoon with a boiler?  They are drawn swollen, metal distorting with steam pressure, rivets groaning and popping free.  That’s how I feel if I don’t write.  Don’t ask me why or how, but writing is like turning a valve to release the pressure.

(Quick PSA- my therapist calls creative outlets “coping skills.”  If you feel like you have boiler brain, make time for your hobbies, no matter how tired you are.)

For me, writing is challenging play.  Although I’m often conveying messages that matter to me or exploring ideas I want to work through, and I try to make the best product I can...  I don’t take it seriously, and I don’t sweat over it.  I’m here to wander, play, and take care of myself.

So basically, I think the recipe for producing lots of writing is: regularity/habit (do it every day, even for just a little while), minimizing distractions, separating the processes of drafting and editing, turning off criticism in the early stages of drafting, and writing for yourself and your own needs.

 Do you feel embarrassed about writing fanfic?

Nope.  I write for my mental health/because it’s fun, period.  However, I also don’t tell people IRL that I write fanfic!  But I’m a private person (I don’t tell people IRL that I’m asexual, for example, and I only tell them I have anxiety if I freeze up in front of them).

Do you feel embarrassed about writing OCs/fakemon?

Hahahaha!  Look, I know there are lots of people who won’t read OCs and fakemon.  I know there are probably people who wish I would stick to more canon stuff (both in terms of OCs and my strong preference for AUs).

But I’m here to write what I want, and while it makes me happy when people read and enjoy my work...  It’s no skin off my back if they don’t.  I already fulfilled my goal of taking care of myself.

Don’t you want to get published and make money for your writing?

No, not at this time.  For everyone who has said that I have the writing skill to be published, thank you so very much.  That’s so kind, and I truly appreciate it!

But...  The United States has the enormous capitalistic attitude problem that endeavors are only worthwhile if they generate capital.  I can’t even begin to tell you how damaging this concept is- literally, I’m not equipped with the sociopolitical educational background.  

Sometimes I think I’d like to become a published novelist?  But sometimes I recall that I have a dope research gig, and I wanna play around with writing in my free time.

To be clear, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t pursue your creative career dreams!!!  And, who knows, maybe some day I’ll get tired of research and want to try swapping to the hobby/skill I’ve spent so much time refining.  Just...  Never stop doing something fun and harmless you enjoy because “it doesn’t make money.”  

I’m not gonna sit here acting like I know what the purpose of life is, but I think having fun and meeting your needs is pivotal.

Okay, so how can I support my favorite fandom content creators?

Bless you, f’real.  The easiest way is to comment on their stuff.  For meta writers, leave comments, engage, ask questions.  For fanfiction writers, leave reviews.  I have so many lovely folks who chat with me over Tumblr or discord after reading my stuff, which is so great.  But it’s hard to find those sweet messages later.  I can always click on reviews any time I need a little positive reinforcement/boost.  So, even if you’re going to talk to the writer later...  Leave that review!

If the content producer uses social media, reblog their stuff to give them more exposure.  Likes are for you, so you can find a post later.  Reblogs are for the creators, so other people can see their work.

Things like fanart, fanfic of fanfic, cosplays, and other... fan content of fan content make our year, I promise!  We love that so stinkin’ much!

Some fan content producers have a ko-fi and/or a patreon, so sometimes there are monetary ways to show appreciation.

If you’re intimated by a content producer, please remember that we are all massive dorkasauruses.  I absolutely guarantee it.

How do you have so many ideas?!

Ah, I have a Future Projects page on my blog- I don’t think pages work on mobile.

But here’s the secret: ideas are the easy part.  They are literally a dime a dozen.  Heck, there are AU generators!  Just pick characters out of a hat and use an AU generator and bam, you’re off!  And even then, you don’t need a real idea to start writing!  I launched Four Years on the thought of, “hahaha, wouldn’t it be a mess if the Chosen went to college together?!”

We’re writing fanfic; we’re here to play.  There’s no need to crush yourself with the expectation that you must write the next hit thriller plot.

In my opinion, the much better question is: how do you manage your projects such that you complete them?

So, uh, how do you manage your projects?

I’ve established that I write fanfic to play and to take care of myself, but I do want to grow as a writer along the way.  And the best way to learn how to craft narratives is to practice completing them.  If you launch stories over and over and only write roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of the way through the story...  All you’re practicing is how to start a story.

When I first started writing as ahiddenpath, I did exactly zero planning (see the Four Years reference above).  I ended up with longfics stretching as long as 400K+ words- that’s over six novels (based on the average adult fiction novel length)!!!!!  It is so daunting to work on longfics, because you feel like the ending is nowhere to be seen.

SO most of my pointers circle around always writing towards your ending, even before you start!

-Decide what you want to say with your story before you start writing.

First, “what you want to say” doesn’t have to be a big, grand theme.  It can be as big as “how the trauma of their adventures impacted them after” or as small as “I think these dorks would have a good time at laser tag.” 

I’m not talking about a detailed outline (in fact, I personally hate outlines).  Just know what your story is about and make sure what you write points to it.  If you can make the structure of your story mimic your theme, even better!  But no worries if that doesn’t work out, it’s not always possible.

-Write linearly

The best way to keep moving along in your story is just to... keep writing it in order.  This helps achieve regular updates, and prevents you from potentially “losing” material if you change your mind about the plot before reaching the bit you wrote already.  This happened to me so frequently that I stopped writing ahead of myself.  If I have an idea, I write it down, but I don’t draft future scenes.  In my experience, they often never see the light of day.

I’m told people often write the bit of the story they most want to write first?  If you have a single scene that you’re really longing to write, but you don’t know how to get there/don’t want to write the rest...  May I suggest that you... don’t write the rest?  If your scene works as a oneshot, write that oneshot!  Don’t torture yourself with a lot of writing you don’t want to do.  Most often, people end up forcing their way through 1-4 chapters, then stalling before ever reaching the Good Bit. 

A moment of silence for all of the unwritten Good Bits out there.  Now, some Enya.

If you can’t reduce Good Bit setup to a oneshot, reduce as much as possible.  I think that sometimes, people underestimate the incredible advantages of writing fanfiction?  Everyone knows your characters already, and maybe even the setting, if you keep it canon.  You can cut out the setup and dive right into what you want to do with the characters! 

-Think about the structure of your story before you start

Considering the structure of your story is a fantastic way to estimate how long it will be/ensure that there is an ending in sight from the start.  For example, in Voices, I covered a single school year in Japan, writing a diary entry for a different Chosen every day, so I knew that I would write the story for roughly a year.  After August had one chapter per Chosen, so each child could help Taichi deal with his post Adventure trauma in their own way, plus an opening and closing chapter.  My Tri story, Tri: Integrity Lens, is written and posted in installments covering each Tri movie.

It’s fine if no particular structure strikes you.  I could see forced structure turning into a gimmick, you know?  But if it naturally works out, it’s a great way to have a solid idea of how much story is ahead of you before you start, and where the story will end.  And being cognizant of how and when a story ends from chapter one yields a tighter, shorter fic, one that you’re more likely to complete.

-Consider writing in batches/sections before posting

So lately, I’ve been experimenting with how I deliver fanfic updates.  I mentioned that my Tri fic follows the Tri movies.  Each movie is covered with a few 3,000-6,000 word updates that I post every other week.  I cover an entire movie before posting any of it, and then I plan to take a break in between movies to work on either the next movie or a different fic.

AND THIS IS SO GREAT!  Having large chunks of my story written is such a fantastic way to do things!  I keep thinking of little details I can add/things I should mention and noticing inconsistencies I can fix before posting.  Giving myself a larger picture and time to mull over it by spreading out updates is making a huge difference for me.

Plus, giving yourself little breaks between installments can help keep you fresh and motivated, while leaving your audience waiting at a nice, natural stopping point.  Plus, this way they know that you haven’t just... up an vanished or dropped a story.  You’re just taking an announced break.

How do you plan stories?

I believe I mentioned hating outlines.  I personally respond best to “structured freedom.”  I focus on things like: what are my themes/what do I want to say, how will the characters grow or regress, how is this story structured or formatted, what is the overall tone and mood.  Other than that, I keep things fluid...  Which is why it’s so important for me to enforce some kind of ending point before I begin.

Basically, for me, too much planning = a boring slog where I can’t inject the moods and ideas of the day into my work without derailing meticulous plans.  Too little planning = longfic hell.  I’m guessing that everyone has to decide for themselves where they land on this continuum!  Exploration is vital.

Okay, I am out of steam for today.  If you have any other writing/fanfic questions you’d like answered, please let me know!  Here are some other resources I’ve made.

-Combating writing paralysis with successive drafts

-Dishing with an artist

-Tips for Fanfic Authors

-More Tips for Fanfic Authors

-Tips for Winning Nanowrimo

-Resources/Advice for Digimon Adventure Fanfic Writers

#writing talk #writing fanfics #writing fanfiction #writing fics

[rhetoricalrogue]

31 Days of Wayhaven, Day 23

Prompt: Decay Rating: G Words: 1,496 Characters: Cameron Buchanan, Nate Sewell Summary: Two research specialists in their natural habitat comparing technology. Note: Takes place a few months or so before Book 1.  Special appearance of @asaucyginger‘s Fiona just because.

For the @31daysofwayhaven event.

The Facility Archives was a vast expanse of knowledge.  It may not have the aesthetics of a well-stocked library, but the colder metal shelving held large amounts of books and the long tables were excellent for spreading out.  The cooler temperatures maintained the integrity of older books, but it did mean that sweaters were a necessity.

It was a good thing that Cam had plenty of thick, woolen sweaters to choose from when he decided to go on a research dive.

The table he had set himself up at was also occupied by one of his favorite fellow researchers.  Nate Sewell was a longtime friend of his and the two of them often bounced ideas off the other when it came to different avenues of searching.  The man was pleasant to be around and was an ideal research partner: even sprawled out, his books and notes were always kept neatly to his side of the table and he didn’t distract with unnecessary conversation.  

Cam’s thoughts went to Unit Zulu.  He wasn’t entirely sure if Agent Fiona even counted as a Research Specialist, he’d seen her moves in the training room and thought she was better suited as a Combat Specialist instead, but she was not keen on keeping her material or herself to one side of the table.  She had a fixation with his hair, her fingers always finding ways to play with the thick brown strands, and she tended to lapse into a sultry Irish brogue.  It was close enough to the Scots-Gaelic he spoke for him to know that she always gave him an open invitation to her bed, but he’d always politely declined.  Fellow agent or not, she was Fae and it never was a good idea to be impolite to the Gentry, even when they were your co-workers.  There were some things that you just didn’t want to bring HR into if you could help it.

“What are you looking for today?” Nate asked, the nib of his pen scratching faintly against the notebook he’d brought with him.  It was a leatherbound book, the pages thick and cream colored, which told Cam it was probably expensive.  It made the beaten up pocket sized black and white speckled composition book he kept most of his immediate notes on and the blue ballpoint pen with the missing cap look sad in comparison.

Cam looked up from his laptop.  There’s where he kept the bulk of his notes, his notepad only for when he was at the stacks and he didn’t want a thought to escape between where he was and his makeshift study headquarters.  He and technology worked virtually seamlessly together: he mostly had Nicky to thank for that, seeing as his friend was always on the cutting edge of any new thing.  He snorted: Nicky had been one of those people who had camped out for over two days to get the latest iPhone one time.  He’d been furious when he came back, phone triumphantly held in his hand, to find that the rest of his team was already updating their contact lists on the very same model.  He hadn’t known that the Agency had already scored the upgraded phones and had one set aside for him to use.

“Just some random things, mostly about bog spirits in Florida and Louisiana.  I’m trying to see if there’s any connection between them and the ones over the water in other countries.”

“Interesting, I know there’s a book over on the fourth row, over in that section,” Nate pointed over to a section of bookshelves to the left of their table and squinted, as if attempting to recall the exact position from memory.  “Possibly the second shelf, maybe the third.  Green cover, so I’d wear gloves in case it possibly starts to leach arsenic.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.  I’m still in the note-making stages of research, but I thought it would be best to start here, to let the books inspire me.”

Nate smiled and went back to his reading.  A curious look told him that he was looking at human physiology and something about genetic mutation.  “Working on that bloodwork case?” Cam asked.

He nodded.  “It’s just so strange.  I have no idea what a vampire would want with a human holding a mutation to their blood.”  He ran his hand through his hair.  “The last victim had enough blood left in their body for the science team to extract and sample, but I thought that maybe doing some of my own research would come up with an angle outside of the box, so to speak.”

Cam started to type.  Luckily, the Agency spared no expense and the internet was incredibly fast, even so far underground as they were.  “You may want to try looking at some non-supernatural reports.  If you want, I can work up a list of papers that have been done on the study of genetics and how certain mutations affect how organisms interact with their environment.” 

“Oh!  I hadn’t thought of that route.”  Nate scratched at his chin.  “It would make sense, seeing that beings evolve to overcome difficulties in their environment...hmm.”  Nate made a few notes in his notebook.  “Thank you for the idea, Cameron, but I wouldn’t want to drag you away from your own work.”

Cam grinned.  “Actually, this is mostly an excuse to hunker down.  Nicky decided that it would be a good idea to have a…” he searched for a word.  “Fling with one of the admin secretaries and it turned messy.  Like hunt him down and make him suffer messy.”

Nate winced.  “It’s a good thing that he can’t technically die,” he joked.

“Yeah.  I think she’d be happy killing him and then calling it even when he wakes back up, but still.”  Cam shook his head.  “I really wish he would pick his dalliances better, especially when it comes to supernatural women.”  Part of Cam had a thought that Nicky chose the people he slept with on purpose, hoping that one of them would finally kill him for good and that he’d be able to rest in peace.  He wasn’t immune to the fact that Nicky put himself into danger the most out of everyone in the team and had a fatalistic viewpoint when it came to death and dying.  It was a morose thought, and one that he’d brought up to his friend before.  Over the years, he learned that it was best if he left the subject alone.

“But back to your research,” he said, shaking his head and pulling out his phone.  “Give me a few and I can send the list to you.  A couple are behind paywalls, but I’ve got yearly subscriptions to a few places and a few connections to get behind the ones I don’t, so just let me know which ones interest you.”

Nate looked up from his book and smiled.  “Thank you, I really appreciate the help.”  He gave a glance towards Cam’s laptop.  “You know, I prefer more…”

Cam grinned as he typed.  “Archaic?”

Nate rolled his eyes.  “Personal methods of research, but I do have to admit, having information at your fingertips like this does cut down on time.”

“I could show you how to do this, you know.  I’m pretty sure IT has a spare laptop they can assign you.”

He shuddered.  “No, I have one, it’s…” he took a breath.  “Let’s just say that technology and I don’t mix.”

Nicky’s words came to mind.  Those of us who resist change are bound to decay with time, my friend.  Besides, it’s fun to look back and see all the changes we’ve adapted to over the years, no?  Cam wisely kept those comments to himself.  “Well, the offer still stands.  If you ever need something looked up quickly, just let me know.”  He jumped as his phone began to vibrate at the table.  Picking it up, he saw that Winona had texted him.

Nicky’s dead again. Help me collect his dumb, horny ass from Hallway D-4.  He owes me a drink when he wakes up from having his head thrown down the hall.  Ew.

“Well, I’ve got to go,” he sighed, putting his laptop away in the bag he’d brought with him.  Luckily he hadn’t gotten around to pulling books out yet, but he slid his notebook back in its usual spot in his back jean pocket and the pen in an unused pocket of his laptop bag.  “Hopefully Helen will call things even now that she got her hands on Nicky and we can get back to business.”

“Good luck.  Give my sympathies to the cleaning staff.”

Cam waved as he left, shouldering his bag and wondering about how big a mess someone could make of a dead man without a working circulatory system.

Then he sighed.  As Nicky’s Commanding Agent, this was going to be one hell of an accident report he was going to have to write up.

#31daysofwayhaven #my writing #cameron buchanan #nate sewell

[underatedcharactersunite]

Beloved

Summary;  Ivar has been taken by the Saxons. You don't take kindly to the love of your life is captured, so you go on a long voyage to Wessex to rescue Ivar. Prompts; “Never threaten me” & “Gods must have sent you as a gift to me” & “Can you sleep without me in a bed” & “You dreamed of me?”  Pairing; Ivar the Boneless X Female Reader For; @dreamwritesimagines WordCount; 3,094 Warnings; Mentions of violence and battle, brief nudity although not described in detail. Mentions of sex, people speaking negatively about women, Angst and Fluff

A shield maiden never feared but was feared. You had gone into battle several times now,  and you were never scared to die.  That did not mean you could not fear for the life of your beloved. 

Your only fear had come true. The Saxons had captured Ivar. You felt conflicted when he had requested that you remain in Kattegat. To protect the people, he explained to you. Being aware that Ivar trusted you with his people made your heart swell with pride. Nevertheless, when word began to spread about Ivar's capture, people panicked. They trusted you. That didn't mean they never wanted their fearless leader to return. 

You didn't have to think for a single moment what to do. You were going to sail to England. Then you were going to wreak havoc among their lands. You were going to cut down anyone who stood in your path. Stood in your way from getting your beloved back.

As men and women began to prepare for travel, the people knew. You and Ivar had been together long enough for people to be aware of how dangerous you could be. The people often spoke of your heart. How you'd be the one to do anything for anyone if they needed aid they would come to you. If they needed a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen, you would make time for anyone. 

On the other hand, the people understood clearly not to annoy you. To not become your enemy, you had a temper to rival that of your lovers. They've seen you slit a man's throat for speaking ill will about Ivar before. They've seen you threaten and harm anyone who comes in your way. 

Separately either one of you was dangerous enough. On a bad day, the two of you were on an impenetrable force of nature. Stories have been told throughout the lands that people often have prayed to God's that you'd be in a good mood whenever they're dealing with an angry Ivar. 

You stand while the boat swifts along the sea like woven silk. Every row brought you closer to your beloved. The men worked tirelessly for their mightly ruler. Odin would surely bless them for such loyalty. You looked out at the vast sees almost impatiently. Unbeknownst to you, you were being watched by Hvitserk.

Hvitserk examined your posture. Despite your sail being in its early stages, you were still ready and looking for a fight. Hvitserk had seen Ivar with several women before. None were like you. You were not afraid to stand up against Ivar when you needed too. You were not afraid to stand your ground and fight. One of the things that Hvitserk admired and loved about you, the way you loved Ivar for who he was. You've been there every time he's broken another bone. You sit there and comfort him when he's in agony. When he's angry and almost intolerable to deal with. You've been nothing but kind and patient to him. Hvitserk is positive that the love between you is true love. Like his Mother told him, the truest emotion he can feel.

Hvitserk approached you cautiously. Being aware of your current state of mind, he placed a gentle hand on your shoulder to alert you of his presence. He can only imagine what you're currently thinking. You're undoubtedly thinking about cutting down every Saxon that comes in your path. 

"We're going to get him back! We'll kill any Saxon that gets in our path." You turned to glance at him, your gaze softened towards him.

"Do you think he knows we're coming for him?" You questioned, looking at the vast ocean spread out in front of you.

"I do! He knows your coming. I've never expressed this before to you. You're good for Ivar. He's learning to control his temper, make better choices” 

Gaining at least one of Ragnar's son's respect and acceptance filled your heart with pride. When you were young, you often watched the way Ragnar Lothbrook commanded a room. Ragnar never had to speak much his presence alone could speak volumes. You often wondered if you would have gotten Ragnar's approval.

"I will kill them all! Anyone who stands in my Hvitserk. I will burn their buildings to the ground if I have too. I'll cut anyone with my sword who stares to stand in my way." Hvitserk placed a tender hand on your shoulder. He believed you. Every word you spoke passionately. The Saxons had no idea who they had caused problems with.

The voyage lasted for many weeks and days. Ivar's current predicament never left your mind for a single second. The images of him being tortured smothered your mind like a dark cloud. You were aware that they would want him to plead and beg for death. You imagined groups of Saxon's taking turns to torture Ivar. You had become aware that the Saxons loved to underestimate Ivar. All they observed was a cripple, but Ivar was so much more than that.

When you finally rescue him, he will tear down the city and make everyone pay for the crimes against him. Everyone will know that they underestimated him. They will learn to fear him and respect him. Then and only then will the two of you return home and enjoy the comforts only home can provide. They will be the ones who will be sorry. Sorry that they ever thought foolishly to mess with Ivar the Boneless and you.

The second that the ships landed on Saxon soil, everyone was on their battle stations. You had been gifted with enough time to contemplate the best plan. You had thought and thought about it until you were certain. A small group were going to remain to set up camp. Two large groups were going to tackle the Saxon army. Whilst they were completing their tasks, you were going to take down every Saxon in your path.

Storming the castle was quick and effective. You wondered if the Saxons were as smart as people made them out to be. The Saxons had never seen you raiding their lands. Perhaps they thought you needed time to regroup. They should have never underestimated you and the people that looked for Ivar's guidance daily.

Perhaps that's why you were relishing in their screams as they were cut down. Today the Saxons would know if they were going to pick a war with you, they would have to bring everything they had. You fought beside the most trusted of men and women the entire battle seemed unreal as your mind highlighted the castle and the castle alone.

Breaking the castle wall and getting over was the most difficult you were aware that the walls would have many weapons that you did not have at home.  Many of the vicious warriors that died would now be with many of their loved ones and fallen comrades in Vahalla. 

Perseverance was on your side as no-body gave up. Soon the large castle doors were broken down, and you were stepping into the Saxon castle.  You weren't greeted by many armed men or guards except a rather pathetic scrawny appearing King.

"I thought Saxon Kings were supposed to be intelligent. Leaving yourself defenceless whilst your armed guards were out there protecting your lands. Pathetic. My beloved often speaks of stories that his late Father Ragnar Lothbrook told him of a King Ecbert. A smart man, a wise man who would sit down and have conversations about serious subjects. I thought I'd be facing a King of his magnitude."

"Do you think that I've given in? A woman coming into my castle believing she can take my prisoner. Now that I have both of you I'll make you both suffer." Your patience was wearing thin, especially now that you stepped closer to your beloved Ivar. This pathetic excuse for a King believed he dared to challenge you. One of the several things that you had in common with Ivar, you didn't appreciate being threatened all too much.

"Never threaten me! Never insult women in my presence do you understand!? Our people see the worth of women who are trained to fight in combat! You, on the other hand, see us as weak creatures, but you are wrong! We are as good as men. Take him back to camp! I'll deal with this Saxon when we've rescued Ivar. Here's something to think about King, whatever you've told your men to do to Ivar is going to be nothing then what happens to you!"

It didn't take a second for the man to beg and plead for his life. You shrugged whilst he screamed as the men took him away. You'd deal with him later, or a few days or maybe a few months from now. Now it was your turn to apply mental and physical torment.

Locating the dungeon where you knew Ivar was being kept was simple enough. The large iron gates gave it away. An entryway with a speck of glass gave you a glimpse of your current state. You were covered in the blood of your enemies, blood on your sword, blood on your shield. From head to toe.

The others began to release the prisoners who were locked inside the Dungeon walls. You didn't care who they were you just hoped they would cause the people grief and disparity when they stepped out onto their lands again. The very last door at the end of the hall was your last choice.

You halted at the door, hoping that behind this wooden door, the man who you had travelled all of this way to collect was right there. Looking through the metal bars on the door, you saw the face you had been dying to see.

"Break it down!" The men were quick to break down the locks. The second the door flung open you burst through, on your knees kneeling in-front of Ivar. If it wasn't for his signature electric blue eyes, you would have hardly recognised him. His body was beaten up, bloodied and bruised. His frail hand reached out in-front to take yours in his own.

"It's okay Ivar I'm here." His frail hand reached up to touch your face, the callouses on his face did nothing to deter the warmth that swarmed your body. A touch that only Ivar could provide you with. Leaning into his touch, you pressed a gentle kiss onto his palm. The entire time your eyes never once left each other

“Gods must have sent you as a gift to me” Your eyes glossed over. For many weeks you'd imagined hearing Ivar's voice. You'd also feared that perhaps you'd been too late and he was already dead. However, the Gods had blessed you more time with the man you loved so dearly. A single tear escaped down your cheek and more threatened to revolt against you, however, Ivar was already wiping them away. 

"We have to go!" You nodded, giving the men the go-ahead to continue with what you had already planned. You weren't stupid you knew that the Saxons would have destroyed Ivar's braces the second they beat him. Without those you couldn't fathom which pain was worse; The breaking of bones or people attempting to break someone's spirit.

Ivar observed you intently through clouded eyes. The way you fought, it was almost as if you were dancing. Each movement was fluid like your body knew what to do every time. Ivar had meant what he said to you earlier. You were brought to him by God's. You were the perfect balance of strong-willed and delicate. You had been there every time he broke a bone or decided to go to war with someone. You stood beside him no matter what, you weren't afraid to give him your honest opinion about whatever he was facing. Even when most tried to give him space, you were there to voice a reason for him when he needed it.

Before Ivar had been taken, he'd been contemplating something. He wanted to make your relationship official. He wanted you to be his wife, and in return be your husband. The wife that one day he would settle down with and have many heirs. Most men desired to have only boys, however, Ivar wanted to have a daughter one day. A Daughter who would be as bold and brilliant as her Mother. But for now, the two of you would conquer lands together so the two of you could solidify a future for your children and one day grandchildren.

When enough conquering was done, he planned to whisk you away to the woods, somewhere private and excluded where no one would bother either of you. The two of you would lay in warm furs until you're first of many heirs was safely in your womb.

Ivar watched on as you yelled for everyone to retreat. As everyone treated back to camp, Ivar just watched on in amazement. The camp was pretty basic, a couple of tents, a large warm fire to keep everyone shielded away from the cold. The largest tent located far enough away there would be no interruption if they desired it.

The man laid Ivar gently onto the warm furs that you had purposely put there. It was your turn to take over as you gently began to remove the torn clothing away from his body to identify each injury on his body. Each bruise and cut furthered your need for vengeance. Your body trembled so much you stood up once more to kill every last Saxon that walked upon this land. 

"Stop, you've done enough fighting for today. We will work out another way to get revenge on the Saxons. Send them a message they will never forget. Beside's do you want me laying on our furs dirty all night?" You called out for a bath, knowing someone would be close enough to hear your request. You pulled off the initial parts of your clothing whilst you waited. 

Moments later, several Thralls brought in a large tub filled with warm water. Thralls had no shame when it came to Ivar so when they began to stare at Ivar's chest intently your jealously reached boiling point. "Did I instruct you to look at him? Get out!" You blocked Ivar from their view as they suddenly scattered out.

Slowly you began to undress Ivar, removing all of the dirt and the dried blood away from him. A familiarity hit you, as you helped him up and off of the furs directly towards the bath that's steam rose from the water. Slowly, you aided Ivar into the bath everything would have been easier if he had his crutches at least. Taking hold of the sponge, you dipped it into the water before getting rid of the excess water.

"Don't...I need you." Ivar's whisper of a voice broke your determination to remove every last grain of Saxon soil off of him.

Stripping off the remainder of your clothes, you stepped into the tub leaning close to Ivar. The skin and skin contact gave you the final piece of evidence that you desired to prove that nothing and no one could hurt you both now.

"You know when I was captured, all I did was dream of you?"

"You dreamed of me?" You turned your head to glance at Ivar suddenly curious as what he was dreaming about while the two of you were apart. Ivar was unfazed by your reaction as he proceeded to run his hands up and down your arms.

"I dreamed of what I should have told you before I went away. I should have told you that I have seen our future together. It includes further raiding of lands we've yet to discover. One day we shall have many children together, hopefully, a mixture of Sons and Daughters to continue our legacy together. There is something that I'd like to ask you. How would you feel about becoming my wife?" Looking up at him in shock, quickly turning and straddling his lap as carefully as you can. You didn't want Ivar to experience any more pain especially in his legs, but it didn't seem to matter to him as he pulled you closer forcing you to settle on his lap. Ivar leans up placing a chaste kiss on your neck, pawing at your sides.

"Are you serious?"

"Why would I not be? Especially after today. You crossed an ocean and rough seas to come to my aid when I needed help. From this day until my last I am going to give you everything you could desire and more. You will never want for anything, I promise you. So what do you say, do you wish to make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?" You nod in happiness as you wrap your hands around his neck loosely resting your heads together.

The two of them laid relaxing in the bath, nothing could bother them, there were no Saxon's trying to kill them nor was anyone attempting to bother them. Ivar was kissing any body part that he could reach he didn't care he wanted to smother your body in his scent and his kisses.

"Why did you not want me to leave earlier?" You question him. He never minded when you went away to fight longer as long as he knew where he was.

"I did not want you to leave." Ivar turned your head slowly as if you were made of glass, before kissing you chastely letting his actions do the talking rather than his words.

“Can you sleep without me in a bed?” You jest as Ivar's eyebrow perks up as he slowly and purposely begins to kiss your neck. Ivar shakes his head as a response.

"Why should I have too, when you are to be my wife?" You snuggled into Ivar's chest listening to the steady rhythm of his heart until the water surrounding you ran cold.

#nottodaywritingchallenge #vikings imagine #vikings imagines #ivar imagines #ivar imagine #vikings one shot #vikings oneshot #Ivar One shot #ivar oneshot #writing challenge #Ivar the boneless imagines #Ivar the boneless imagine #Ivar the boneless oneshot #Ivar the boneless one shot

[razorblade180]

Twin Snowflakes pt16:Royal Court

Flynt:Well look who it is!? Wasn’t expecting to be sent back to the past like this.

Veronica:Nice to see you too Mr. Smooth Criminal.

Flynt:I see your mom gave you her wittiness too.

Veronica:Hardly. If you hear me crack a pun then check to see if I have the flu or something.

Flynt:I meant Blake.

Veronica:Oh…not, not sure how I should take that.

Flynt:Don’t think about it too much. So you’re here to help set everything up? Well we sure don’t mind all the extra hands; more helpers mean more time for everyone to rest. Unless you’re a crazy person who doesn’t know how to rest.

Nick:Gee I didn’t realize Atlas became Shade. Always picking on me for the little things.

Flynt:All in good fun. Well Veronica, glad to have you. I won’t lie to you and say our school holds the most welcoming environment despite their reasons for being here, so don’t hesitate to come get me if anything serious happens.

Veronica:Thanks for the offer but I know how to handle myself and a few close minded simpletons.

Flynt:Somehow I have no doubt about that.

He grabbed a pin that said committee on his desk and put it on her shirt. Veronica bowed slightly before taking her leave. It was always interesting for Nick seeing the girl be so polite. The way she could flip between her manners with anyone so fast was always something she was good at. He once saw her go from shaking a man’s hand to punching them in the face in the blink of an eye.

Flynt:Is your sister here today?

Nick:I’ll hunt her down if she isn’t, why?

Flynt:Only asking. I know I tell you to let others handle their own workload but I advise you to keep an eye on Veronica just in case.

Nick:Trust me, Veronica might have a temper but she typically thinks things through; the school won’t get a bad-

Flynt:I don’t care about this place’s reputations, or my position for that matter. Your friend just looks like she’s nearing the end of her rope.

Nick:Really? What gives you that vibe?

Flynt:When you partner up with a cat faunus, you learn a thing or two. As far as tails go, it usually isn't good when they’re wrapped around the waist and all tense; almost like she’s hugging or bracing herself.

Nick:When does Neon do it.

Flynt:When she’s being defensive. Keep in mind I could be entirely wrong in Veronica’s case though. Just something to be aware of.

Nick:Hmm interesting. Thanks for the heads up.

Nicholas gave his principal a wave before heading out, his words taken to heart. ‘Maybe Yang was right to worry?’ He chewed on his bottom lip as he slowly caught up to the girl. ‘Right or wrong, getting her to eat couldn’t hurt.’

Nick:You know I think breakfast is still being served. I’m pretty hungry after looking for you and I bet running on rooftops made you peckish. Wanna grab a bite really quick? The school’s chicken bisc-

Veronica:Not interested, sorry. I would rather find where I’ll be working.

Nick: ‘Too direct’ Lunch isn’t for awhile. Working on an empty stomach-

Veronica stopped and opened her bag. Nick looked in it and saw several fruits and what was probably protein bars. He’d be impressed if prior knowledge didn’t make this seem like a yellow flag at best.

Veronica zipped back up her bag and continued walking, now a little faster. Her focus was derailed by Nick grabbing her wrist and making her jolt, spooking both of them. He didn’t comment on it and started guiding her down a different hallway.

Nick:You’re walking as if you know where to go. For future reference, wooden doors are regular classes and school stuff. Metal doors are combat related. You’ll work in the student council room; the creative arts hallway is to the right of it. They have plenty of time between classes for you to get whatever you need.

Veronica:Alright, easy enough to remember.

Nick:Fill free to explore the school if you want but don’t interrupt any classes and a lunch monitor will probably get on you if you go in there during different blocks.Summer has lunch at noon.

Veronica:And why would that matter to me?

Nick:So you don’t bump into her on accident, or if you need her for whatever reason. Do not, and I repeat, do not give her a hard time. She already hates school enough.

Veronica:Relax, I’ll play nice. Don’t expect me to sit with her at lunch or anything. That lunch room is probably loud as hell.

Nick:Summer eats on the roof, or the nurses office. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen her at a lunch table. Then again, I don’t spend a lot of time there either.

For some reason that was interesting to learn. Veronica was sure those two would have taken the time to eat with each other or be around peers; even if it was for show. Nick seemed like he’d use lunch for studying so she guessed it wasn’t that surprising. ‘Knowing Summer she would go there if you did.’ Veronica thought.

They finally reached the committee room. Nick grabbed the door knob but didn’t get the chance to twist it before it already swung open with Eliza on the other side.

Eliza:I swear if this boiler room doesn’t get its shit togeth-

Nick:....Uh, hey. Busy morning?

Eliza:You would know if you got here early like the president this school believes you to be!

Nick:One, I’m usually here thirty minutes prior so don’t come at me. Two, a hello would be nice. Finally, the boiler room messing up again?

Eliza:One, hello. Two, I’m here an hour early, three, yes it’s taking too long to warm certain things if at all. Finally, where’s the person who knows how to fix it?

Nick:Haven’t seen Valerie and you definitely know I haven’t seen Winchester, that’s your headache.

Eliza:Ugh, I guess I’ll cheat and warm it up myself.

Nick:Don’t blow us up…

Eliza:Shut up, unlike you I’m cautious. Might’ve come in handy against that Paladin.

Nick:Like you would’ve said yes if I asked.

Eliza:Who knows? If you got on your knees I might’ve said yes instantly. Guess we’ll never know; why aren’t you in home room ?

Nick:Last time I checked, you want to be kept in the loop from now on. We have another person helping starting today.

Eliza directed her attention to Veronica and looked her up and down before looking at Nick annoyed.

Nick:Problem?

Eliza:Yeah, I would’ve called a short meeting if I had known earlier. Being kept in the loop doesn’t mean telling me something last second.

Veronica:This was a last second decision. Lucky me because I hate meetings. I’m-

Eliza:I know who you are Veronica Belladonna; I’ve read about you quite a bit actually. Quite a shame your work doesn’t have much to show for it.

Veronica:I could say the same thing about your tournament rankings. Third place gets such a tiny font in the papers.

Eliza:Hmph, kitty has claws alright. Looking forward to seeing what you contribute. Nick looks confident in you so I’m sure it’ll be fruitful. There’s a list of things that need to be done inside the room already. Don’t hesitate to make my life easier.

Eliza shot Nick a cold look as she walked out slowly. Nick couldn’t help but notice the girls slightly sluggish movements.

Veronica:I don’t like her.

Nick:You don’t like most people so what’s new? Eliza is a hard ass but she’s a good person. Definitely reliable, so don’t piss her off. She’s already gunning for me at the tournament and I don’t need anger behind her hits.

Veronica:This list of people I have to be chummy with is getting too long for my taste.

Nick:Vee, I’ve only named three people. Three good people at that. Well...two and a half. Anyways I gotta get to class so you’re on your own for now.

Veronica:Have fun with that. Don’t be surprised if I’m running this entire place by the end of the day.

Nick:That would mean dethroning me, a tall order.

Veronica:Who says we can’t rule together? You know, as king and queen?

A blush spread across his face before he heard Veronica chuckle, only making him redder. Nick turned away in embarrassment and headed to class. It never took much to get him flustered. Veronica felt a little bad; it was something his classmates probably didn’t know.

‘Try all you want Nick,I won’t let you keep your cool.’ Veronica thought, still chuckling to herself. She would’ve continued to do so if the bell didn’t snap her out of it and hurt her ears. “That’s gonna take some getting used to.

Vee went ahead inside the student council room. It was surprisingly spacious and barren. Mostly tables lined around it and a giant blackboard filled with words. Papers were spread around the desks. ‘Wow, disorganized much?’ She took a deep whiff of all the different scents in the room, recognizing a few.

Her eyes scanned the desks. ‘Nick, Valerie, Eliza, even Summer, and several more.’ One paper caught her nose in particular. ‘It wouldn’t be unusual for all the members to have held the list. So...this one?’ She picked up a thin stack that was stapled together. Bingo, the nose always knows.

Venue, light arrangement, stage size, schedule events, all of it was laid out in detail; even down to the estimated budget. One page was a map of the layout which really helped? But something was off. All of this might’ve been planned out it seemed...conceptual. Scatterbrained even. Like all the thoughts were together but going in different directions at the same time.

‘The room isn’t the only thing disorganized it looks like. This list is like a buffet when it should be a potluck. Divide the work, make sure there’s no repeats or clashing themes. If the fights are the main course…’ Veronica took a seat and grabbed a pencil along with fresh paper. ‘Then let’s make sure to give the people plenty of complimenting sides and palate cleanser.’

xxxx

“That's all you can do! Talk about slow!” Valerie shouted with gusto, her hands juggling her tomahawks in the middle of the arena ring.

“Shut up!” Cried her sword wielding opponent. They charged forward with their sword at the ready.

Valerie made no attempt to stop her juggling. Her eyes pierced right into her foe’s as they prepared for a thrust. Valerie shook her head in disappointment. “Sloppy”

The words reached the student and a dark blue glow washed over them. Suddenly their muscles felt heavy, air felt stingy, and their balance was off. The steel sword tipped too far forward and made them stumble, their body stopping at the perfect distance to receive a powerful roundhouse kick to the face that sent them flying out of the ring.

A buzzer rang right after and Valerie finally let her weapons hit the ground as she walked to the edge to see Harriet helping the dazed student.

Valerie:Their jaw okay?

Harriet:If you have to ask then that means you knew you were being too rough. You get a B- Valerie. Please remember restraint. Your semblance and strength can really hurt someone.

Valerie:Sorry…

Harriet:Don’t be sorry, be careful.

That was a line Valerie was familiar with. She watched Harriet help the student to their feet and guided them to the changing room before turning to the rest of the class.

Harriet:Well then, I say that’s enough for practical fights. Unless we have any volunteers, Summer?

Summer: Y-Yes!? I mean no! No, I’m fine. Training is all...covered and stuff.

Harriet:Fine then. Okay everyone knows the drill. Five laps around the track and then you are free from my charming voice. *claps hands* hop to it!

A collective groan came from the class before they started walking to the door. Summer waited for others to be ahead of her like usual and waited for Valerie to catch up.

Valerie:Enjoy the show?

Summer:Eh, felt like a rerun of most of your matches.

Valerie:What can I say? Being this good means I’m always a safe bet princess.

Summer:You won’t be if you call me that again.

Valerie:Ooo feisty today.

Harriet:You’re one to talk. *folds arms* Valerie, thirteen laps for you.

Valerie:What!? But I hate cardio!

Harriet:Good, I’m sure whatever aggression you have will burnout; Summer you have seven. A warning for all your absences.

Summer:Fair, but literally the day after? We’re still sore.

Harriet:Physically or mentally? Just kidding, I know it’s both. Now go before I add more laps.

Summer and Valerie:Yes ma’am…*runs off*

Harriet:Teenagers…

Valerie:Man this sucks! So I hit a little harder than I meant to, so what?

Summer:You’re gonna run out of breath before you start your laps.

Valerie:Maybe then I won’t overlap you.

Summer:Please, you’d need time dilation to do that with your speed. I’ll call you if I need to move some furniture, you lumberjack.

Valerie:Ouch, feisty. Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?

Summer:No, but obviously you did. Seeing you in my bus seat this morning was pretty unexpected.

Valerie:Too sore to swallow. I figured-

Summer:That you wanted distance from Nick?

A pit in Valerie’s stomach dropped like a weight. She looked towards Summer to see neutral eyes examine her in great detail. She wondered what exactly it was that Summer was looking at. Color, sweat, hidden guilt, or fear?

Summer:Did you tell him about the bus? Actually, not fair, I don’t wanna know that. What I should be asking is...no, not that either. Sorry, I probably sound like I’m spouting craziness. What I’m getting at is I’m upset too, about my performance during the exam.

Valerie:You tr-

Summer:I swear if you say I tried my best then I’ll scream.

Valerie:....Sorry. You’re wrong though, about me being upset. Frankly I don’t know exactly what I’m feeling. Anxious, embarrassed maybe? I just know I don’t really want to deal with Nick right now. Nothing personal, honestly.

Summer:No offense but it’s entirely personal. I’m not gonna blame you for wanting alone time. Nick and his overwhelming nature is...overwhelming. Always butting in, worrying about everyone but himself and-

Valerie:Being absolutely sweet? It’s all out of kindness; which I don’t necessarily know if it makes it better. I think it does anyways.

Her eyes seemed to drift off thinking about it. He really was always there for anything. Good or bad, Valerie would see the idiot next to her. It was genuinely comforting, and scary. Scary for reasons that for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out.

She was thankful when Summer touched her arm and dispelled the mix of conflicting emotions. Val shook her head and cleared her throat.

Valerie:Enough about Nick! Let’s talk about something more progressive, like how to delete a video the entire school has seen.

Summer:No amount of money or power will erase it. Eliza really screwed us on this one.

Valerie:Wait, what!?

Summer:She’s the one who recorded the quality video. Not out of malice or anything but-

Valerie:I’m gonna fight her…

Summer:Ignoring me? That’s cool too.

Valerie:Oh I heard you, still pissed!

Summer:What happened to not being pissed?

Valerie:Okay, so I’m a little pissed. Ugh! Of all people. I hope she makes it far in the tournament. I don’t think I can take any more nosy people.

Summer:(Should I mention Veronica?)

Valerie:*cracking knuckles* I’m fired up now!

Summer:(Nope) Cool, start running then. Think of it as a head start.

Valerie:Fine, but if I finish my laps before you then I think that’s worth some sort of prize. Let’s say...a movie, just the two of us?

Summer:Hmmm, no deal. I sort of have this thing where I don’t go on dates with my brother’s crushes.

Valerie:We don’t have to call it a date. It would be two friends hanging out like buds.

Summer:.....

Valerie:Yeah, I didn’t believe myself either. Come on, what’s wrong with one simple date?

Summer:Nothing, if it were simple. One of these days you’ll figure it out.

Valerie:Figure what out?

Summer:Finish your laps first and I might tell you, if you beat me that is.

Valerie:You’re on!

Summer makes no effort to start running as Valerie takes off with renewed determination. No doubt it will carry her for at least three laps. Win or lose, Summer planned to keep her mouth shut. There were certain things that should be learned in time, instead of told outright. She had faith in Valerie.

Either way it would take time, almost like a cheesy romance novel. Slow burns never interested Summer. There was always a person who crossed a line. Good thing Nick and Valerie were way too smart to do anything that would endanger their friendship, right?

xxxx

Time seemed to be moving at a snail's pace today. At least it was for Veronica anyways. There was a small stack of paper near her now. Each one filled with edits that reorganized all the organized chaos from the council. ‘I hate to admit it, but this Eliza check really puts in work. They all do in some way; Valerie might look dense and lazy but I shouldn’t be surprised that she can handle work. Can’t say much for her creativity though. Still, Nick seems to stand above it all. Just like him to try without showing it. Tiny notes that build upon the others.’

Veronica grabbed the next sheet of paper and kept her pace. This was far easier than designing clothes. It was almost therapeutic in a way. The only thing that was distracting her from her growing agitation. Snacks, all gone. Hunger? So intense that it hurt everywhere. Bones, eyes, nerves, all of it. She wasn’t used to this pain, and she doubted she ever would be.

Calmly she felt her stomach grumble against her nails; which threatened to sharpen. It wouldn’t surprise her if her eyes looked more cat like right now. A wiser Veronica would’ve binged at a buffet before visiting Atlas. She could usually go longer without caving; maybe it was the boat ride? Veronica knew for a fact any instinctual push could potentially set her off. Too late for regrets. No way would she let people see her go feral. Not when they were already talking…

“Did you see that girl with Nick today? Haven’t seen her before.” Said someone in the hall. “You think that girl is rich or something? A girl said in a classroom. “Ha! How rich could a faunus get!?”

The chatter kept coming from every direction.

“That girl is pretty smoking.”

“Jungle fever much?”

“You know what they say about faunus girls.”

“Probably a charity project.”

“Never seen ears and a tail at once.”

“I think she’s ugly honestly”

“Pretty, for a faunus.”

“I think she’s a halfbreed.”

“Freak….”

Her pencil snapped. She basically shattered it to gain some sort of control, ignoring the splinters yet accepting the pain in full force as she kept her fist clenched tight. Veronica wished folding her ears down could be enough, that if she covered them tight she could finally get some quiet; that would be wishful thinking. Tactics like those never worked.

‘Different place, same people. So do what you were told Veronica.’ She told herself. A deep breath in, then out. Letting her eyes close and focus on the only thing that mattered. Herself. Her thoughts and opinions; long flowing hair, sun tanned skin, ears, tail, blood…

All little things that made her up she thought were just fine; not perfect, but not flawed either. They were simply her and that was glorious. As long as she believed that, as long as the people who mattered believed it, then who gives a fuck about what’s said outside?

“Hey princess, come to grace us with your presence?” Veronica heard, from what could possibly be the fakest happy voice in existence. accompanied by the frailest one she’s heard all her life.

xxxx

Summer:Ple-please le-leave-ah!

An arm brushes pass her head and slams into a locker directly behind her. Summer clenches her belongings close to her chest and stares up into the taller girl's brown eyes. Dark brown hair and brown skin really made her stand our. No doubt a cheerleader or head of a club. Combat school or not, beauty was the law of the land to an extent.

A small crowd started forming around them in curiosity because of the noise.

Jordan:What, Princess? Am I not worth your time? I just wanna catch up.

Summer:You’re...causing a scene.

Jordan:That a problem? Don’t you like all that attention and limelight; the personal benefits that somehow let you float above it all?

The girl put her fingers through Summer’s hair. Her eyes drilling into the girl with obvious hostile intent.

Jordan:You know, I’m getting really sick and tired of being overshadowed by someone who never lifts a finger. I miss a day and there’s hell to pay. You miss weeks before and yet your grades stay the same. What, got that fine brother of yours bending over backwards?

Summer:What? No I-

Jordan:I was really hoping you’d get what was coming to you yesterday but of course not. I will say it is hilarious letting people see how frail and useless you are. Maybe if you spent more time eating a sandwich instead of trying to do something with that useless voice of yours…

That insult hit a special spot.

Jordan:Then maybe you wouldn’t be such a lightweight. At least you finally know how to dress yourself. A blow to the head must’ve knocked some sense into you. Doesn’t change the fact you still have all those hideous scars. I bet your fans would love to see-

It was sudden, almost instantaneous. The girl had gone from trash talking one minute, then to holding her wrist right after a loud smack from another hand had invaded Summer and Jordan’s delightful conversation. Summer hadn’t even realized Veronica was watching, let alone standing next to her currently.

Murmurs started to grow louder as the students stared at this unfamiliar faunus that stood confidently, hands on her hips and a look that could kill. Veronica paid no attention to them or Summer for that matter. Instead she had her attention on the bully. A thin red whelp on the girl’s wrist made Veronica silently say “shit” to herself. Her nails must’ve grazed the skin; a genuine mistake.

She was already questioning why she showed up here in the first place. A fight was the last thing she needed or attention. So why intervene? Why prevent Summer from turning on the water works? Easy answer, basic people pissed her off

Veronica:Ever heard of personal space? I thought all Atlesians knew basic etiquette but apparently not.

Jordan:Umm who the hell are you supposed to be?

Veronica:It’s not polite to ask others their name without introducing yourself either, but I guess anyone would want to know the name of a person that threatens them. Then again, a school like this would be diligent in political topics.

Summer:You think the majority of kids here pay attention to the news or the bad part of history?

Veronica:I guess this is what passes for elite around here. How disappointing.

Jordan:Listen, apparently you don’t know things work around here new girl but I’m-

Veronica:Completely irrelevant to me, an afterthought when this is all over. I don’t know how popular you might be or who you might know. Keeping shooting your mouth off and this headache of mine isn’t going to go away. Find something more productive to do than play bully.

Jordan:Ha, so that’s what this is about!? Didn’t realize that good for nothing princess had any friends besides that idiot sports jockey.

Veronica:Please, I wouldn’t be this child’s friend even if she paid me. Her crying hurts my ears almost as much as your prissy voice.

‘Oooos’ came from the crowd of people. It didn’t matter what school you went to, kids craved this kind of back talk. Summer wasn’t sure how things suddenly got so hostile, but that jab at her irritated her.

Summer:Yeah well why would I ever want a friend like you?

Veronica:Crippling loneliness.

Summer:Oh, so I would have to be desperate? That sounds about right.

Veronica:Go jump in front of another robot arm or something, the big kids are talking. Or I’m talking, this chick is pouting.

Jordan:I will not be talked to like this! Not by some...some…

Veronica:Say it, call me anything that has to do with being a faunus and see how far it gets you.

Jordan:A flea bag like you doesn’t scare me you bitch.

Summer:Hey! D-

Jordan:Excuse you, why are you even talking still, or even here!? Do us all a favor and fucking disappear like the nothing you are. I mean honestly, why the hell are you even alive?

The crowd went absolutely silent, all eyes went on Summer. Her heartbeat felt like it nearly stopped entirely. Feeling small was something she was used to. Jordan hadn’t said anything Summer didn’t think of before and yet right now, in this moment, Summer felt like she had been shot right in the heart.

Why? Why couldn’t she say anything back? What made all these eyes so terrifying? The eyes that no doubt saw her on stage before where they didn’t mean a thing. The eyes that most likely laughed when they saw that stupid video. Summer could feel herself choking up and bit her lip.

‘Something, do something damnit! Anything is better than nothing!’ Her chest felt like fire and Jordan smiled as she knew what would happen next, only making Summer angrier. ‘Do anything but cry! Just-’

Her screaming thoughts were suddenly halted by the sting of Veronica flicking her arm. Her face showed severe annoyance at Summer.

Veronica:So what, you can fight with me all day but do nothing here? Could it be...you think I’m somehow beneath her!? The hell is up with that?

Jordan:The fact that you don’t realize that proves just how delusional-

Summer:Please, you’re way more insufferable Veronica. Jordan might as well be an ant with how basic she is- *covers mouth*

More “oooos” came from people chattering. That might’ve been the first time her classmates heard her say anything so...so rude. Jordan grit her teeth and clenched her first, definitely uncharted territory for Summer.

It might’ve been a good idea to leave, hell, maybe even apologize just to prevent further trouble, but the look Veronica gave her made it clear that wasn’t a choice. Not only wasn’t it smug, it pissed Summer off a little. Like hell she’d back down now!

Summer:I mean just look at her, all looks with no substance.

Veronica:I bet this bitch thinks she’s so smart. At least compared to you.

Summer:Hell no! I can sleep through half a test and still be ahead of her with her with how bad her grades are.

Veronica:Oh so she’s trying to get by on her looks? How pathetic.

Summer:Looks she bought too, or I should say her parents bought.

Jordan:Says who!?

Summer:You think no one would notice last year when you came back from spring break with a new nose? Or were you thinking everyone would focus on the boob job? Puberty doesn’t do all that in two weeks so you either found the gods, a ton of surgeons, or a godlike surgeon.

Jordan:*red* Like you’re one to talk about looks. Upset no amount of money could remove those hideous-

Veronica:So you admit to the surgery?

Jordan:Shut up bimbo!

Veronica:That sounds like hater talk.

Summer:Yeah at least Veronica is a natural beauty. I might wear a smidge of concealer but that’s nothing compared to you. Boring...

Veronica:You hate to see it, basic. Do you even fight? I don’t think I’ve ever read the name Jordan on any scoreboards. If pretty is your only trick then get a new one.

Jordan:Like someone like you is any better! Fighting or otherwise I bet I could-

“Lose.” A voice came from around the corner. Everyone turned their head to see Valerie still in her P.E. uniform and a little sweaty.

Her eyes focused on Veronica and immediately she was happy that running made her too tired to fight. That didn’t curve her attitude however, but it looked like that there was more than one annoying problem in this hallway.

Valerie:You’d lose Jordan. To me, to Summer, and most definitely Veronica Belladonna.

Veronica:Way to ruin my fun. I barely meet people stupid enough to be so racist to my face. It’s usually when they think I can’t hear them.

Multiple faces in the crowd looked a little uncomfortable after that statement.

Summer:Finish your laps finally?

Valerie:Hardy har. So, care to explain why not one but two insufferable bitches are causing a scene.

Veronica: “That bitch” you could at least calm me that instead of comparing me to that loser. Also shouldn’t you be showering, or home? You smell like the entire football team.

Valerie:Shouldn’t you be oceans away!? Why-

Veronica:*points to pin* Apparently the great kingdom of Atlas can’t organize events without spreading themselves too thin. I’m catching your slack. Nick is very grateful about it.

That sure ticked Valerie off. Maybe she wasn’t as tired as she thought. Veronica’s face was looking pretty punchable right now.

Valerie:Well good on you, being his little errand girl must make you feel like a winner huh?

Veronica:Keep talking shit and people won’t have to wait for a tournament to see you knocked on your ass.

Jordan:Umm-

“Shut up!” All three said sternly. Clearly Jordan had become nothing more than an afterthought. The crowd didn’t care who fought. Action was all that mattered.

Valerie wasn’t afraid to step up until her and Veronica were centimeters apart. Veronica showed no fear despite being the shorter girl. Giving into the impulse would be so easy right now. So...gratifying. Like an apex humbling what they saw as a beta. Veronica clenched her fist.

“HEY!” Another voice shouted, cutting through all the hostility of the hallway. The crowd split in half to show Eliza. Everyone could see embers and sparks twinkle around the girl, a clear sign she was ready to break up this altercation.

Eliza:Get.To.Class….or do you want to learn the difference between lightning dust and the real deal?

The crowd didn’t need to be told twice and scattered, even Jordan left. Valerie was given a dirty look that made her step away from Veronica while Summer found the nerve to the wall between Eliza and the other two.

Summer:Sorry! Things got out of hand because of me. I-

Eliza:I highly doubt that. Even if it’s true, our Vice President should learn how to keep the peace. And I expect a guest at our school to not cause any agitation in this already aggressive hornets nest.

Valerie:Pfft, she might as well be a baseball bat.

Veronica:I’ll swing a baseball bat upside your-

Eliza:Do you really want to keep arguing in front of me!? I swear if you three weren’t-ugh! Val, hit the showers. Summer if you aren’t going to lunch then I suggest you go over the numbers we need for the tournament.

Summer:I did that already.

Eliza:Yeah well I just went to our room and our guest has been reworking things so I would like our treasure to double check her work. It’s your money after all.

Summer:Alr-

Veronica:Ahem! aren’t you forgetting something?

Summer:...Right, I’ll get on that Eliza. Right after I get lunch, with milk.

Eliza:Ummm okay? As for you Ms. Belladonna… I’ll overlook this but remember Nick will be held somewhat accountable for everything you do. Good and bad, understand?

Veronica:..Crystal. And can you not call me that?

Eliza:As you wish. Now if you excuse me, I have practice to attend to.

As quickly as she showed up, Eliza left and took Valerie with her. Veronica let out a deep breath before turning to see Summer still standing around and looking right at her. All she could manage to do was give an awkward nod before heading to lunch. Obviously she wanted to say something but for some reason decided against it. A wise decision.

Veronica looked at the cuts in her own hands from clenching her fists to tight, her heart still pounding. Man, she really wanted a burger right now. Anything to sink her teeth in.

Part 15

#rwby #rwby twin snowflakes #nicholas schnee #summer schnee #val valkyrie #veronica belladonna #eliza marigold #flynt coal #harriet bree

[teasungg]

skz as element benders

skz

note: oh my lord this took longer than I expected. this was inspired by the avatar universe because it used to be my favorite tv show. this is the best au don't @ me

bang chan - air bender

chan spent most of his years at the northern air temple primarily for his studies.

as a kid, chan taught himself combat techniques that some of his elders didn't even know.

when he got older, he would teach the kids at the air temples basic moves such as air balls, funnels, punch/kick, breath of wind, and other basic bending techniques.

chan was also practicing master-level techniques so that he can be more skilled and continue helping the younger generation.

once he got to a proficient skill set, he chose to leave home and travel the world as a way to meet new people, make friends, and become a better bender.

wherever he goes, he still likes teaching other benders new tricks and moves he learned.

although it’s not common, chan is also gifted in using hand fans as a weapon for combat.

when he's doing one on one matches, he always has his fan near him just in case.

as an air bender, he has a strong connection with his spiritual side and allows him to do spiritual projection.

woojin - water bender

woojin grew up in the northern water tribe and learned many things from his teachers.

he participated in classes to learn new bending and combat techniques almost every day.

for years, woojin was always the prime example of what a water bender should be.

he was strong, resourceful, intuitive, and best boy.

woojin was basically trained for the water tribe’s army, but he chose to help his family and citizens instead.

since he stayed in the northern water tribe, woojin discovered he could heal others through water bending.

when people got hurt or soldiers came back from battle, he was in the infirmary to help heal all types of wounds.

since he was originally trained for the army, woojin would occasionally patrol the main gates just in case any issues come up.

everyone in the northern water tribe was thankful to have him because they wouldn't know what to do without him.

minho - fire bender

minho has practiced fire bending from a very young age and has learned from the best teachers in the fire nation because of his parents.

his family had very high expectations for minho to fight in the fire nation’s army like the rest of his family, but he chose not to.

right before he was supposed to enlist, minho ran away from home and made his way to the city.

a couple of months after living in Republic City, he discovered his true calling: pro-bending.

his stage name was lee know and part of one of the best teams in the league.

when first competing, he would get hurt a lot since he was still learning how the game actually works.

he has changed teams many times until he created his own team of benders.

fortunately, his new team had a great group dynamic and they started to win matches.

minho and his team eventually earn the world champion title for pro-bending.

changbin - earth bender

changbin was the child of an earth bender and a fire bender so there was a 50/50 chance.

it wasn't until grade school he discovered he was an earth bender.

after many practices and lessons, changbin proved himself to be a great earth bender.

he was exceptional in his bending technique and his academics.

after a few years, his parents discovered why it took changbin so long because he can control more than just the earth.

by the time he was 16, changbin was able to bend earth, lava, and metal.

he took an interest in metal bending and wanted to continue learning new moves with his new skills.

after a couple of years, changbin decided to move to Republic City with his family and tried to join the police department.

joining the police academy was a difficult and tiring time in his life, but he was able to get a position and becoming one of the youngest members of the metal bending division.

hyunjin - water bender

hyunjin was born and raised in the northern water tribe with his family. 

when it came to bending and his academics, hyunjin was tremendously gifted.

when he was older, hyunjin moved to Republic City for his studies and attended the university there.

he did enjoy working on his bending and academics in the city, but university life practically consumed him. 

one weekend he decided to go watch a pro-bending match at the arena and he instantly fell in love with the sport.

he familiarized himself with all the moves and rules relating to pro-bending and watched many matches at the arena.

at the arena, they had a recruitment session where people can prove themselves through practice matches.

hyunjin, even though he never got real training in the sport, was one of the top players that day and was later recruited to a professional team.

instead of going back home, he chose to stay in the city to finish the rest of his studies and continue his (soon to be very successful) pro-bending career.

jisung - fire bender

jisung was one of the few fire benders in his family.

because of his destructive actions, his parents sent him to some of the local fire bending masters so he could learn not to do catch everything on fire.

after years of lessons, he became one of the best students in the fire nation.

he likes to teach himself new tricks and techniques like fire streams, whips, daggers, and the dancing dragon thanks to his friend minho.

he taught himself jet propulsion which is a master level skill to develop even though he discovered it on accident.

because of his skill set, jisung was allowed to travel to different parts of the fire nation to learn from the best of the best.

he enjoys being able to see the world and doing what he is best at.

jisung also travels to Republic City so he could teach fire bending to younger kids and watched his best friend compete in pro-bending matches.

felix - earth bender

felix grew up with his family in one of the residential areas of Republic City.

his family ran a popular restaurant where he would work as a waiter during the weekdays.

on the weekends, he would usually be found at the pro-bending arena.

felix basically grew up listening to matches on the radio or going to the games with his parents.

since he and his family lived in the residential area of the city, it was hard for him to practice earth bending.

instead of traveling to the far ends of the city, he would sneak into the pro-bending arena in the offseason so he can teach himself.

during one of his secret practice sessions, one of the staff members caught him and recommended him to join one of the recruitment events the arena was holding.

luckily he was picked up by a professional team.

his childhood dream came true once he was able to compete with other teams he watched growing up.

seungmin - water bender

seungmin was originally born in Republic City but then moved to the northern water tribe with his family.

they decided to leave the city because they believed that it would be better for seungmin to learn water bending from some of the top water bending masters in the world.

lessons in the water tribe vs lessons in the city were very different, but he still tried his best.

it took some time, but he was able to pick up moves fairly quickly like the breath of ice, ice spear, water bullet/jet, and more.

during one of his lessons against another student, he was trapped in a piece of ice but was able to control water anyways.

he was one of the few water benders who was able to water bend without moving any limbs.

while living in the northern water tribe, he met woojin who was a great mentor for many things.

when seungmin wasn't training, he would have woojin show him how to use water bending to heal others.

jeongin - air bender

jeongin was originally from the southern air temple.

he was a natural pro when it came to air bending.

he picked up all kinds of combat moves and tricks fairly quickly compared to his classmates.

for several years, jeongin traveled to the northern air temple so he could share his new skills and learn from other air nomads.

one of jeongin’s favorite things was gliding with his self-made glider.

many people within the temple asked why still uses a glider when he could simply use a wingsuit.

he just enjoyed going back to the temple’s traditional roots and he loved the glider he designed for himself since it was one-of-a-kind. 

he would even help his friends make custom gliders so they can all fly in the sky together.

#stray kids #stray kids imagines #stray kids scenarios #atla au #bang chan #woojin #minho #lee know #ChangBin #hwang hyunjin #han jisung #lee felix #seungmin #jeongin