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khakerskayavdova-a · 2 years

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𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 [ … ] 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄,

BOLD what applies - italicise sometimes. repost, don’t reblog.

fights honourably / fights dirty

prefers close - quarters / prefers range

chats during / goes silent

low pain tolerance / high pain tolerance

attacks in bursts / attacks steadily

goes for the kill / aims to disarm / fights defensively / strikes first

is provoked easily / provokes their opponent / teases

gets visibly frustrated / shouts while attacking

uses strategy / focuses on the battle / experiences conflicting thoughts during battle / rushes in recklessly / tries to read their opponent before engaging

fights wildly / fights calmly / fights apathetically / fights with anger / fights with excitement

fights because they have to / fights because they want to

fights without regard to wounds / runs away when wounded / hides wounds / takes a blow to protect another

prefers a blade / prefers a gun / prefers hand to hand combat / prefers a bow / prefers a shield / prefers a personalized weapon / prefers magic, alchemy or spells

their greatest weakness is physical / their greatest weakness is mental / their greatest weakness is emotional

transforms for battle / fights as they appear

relies on strength / doubts their strength / relies on speed

uses everything they have / proceeds with caution / hides their full potential / exhausts quickly / has high stamina

behaves arrogantly / brags after landing a hit / belittles their abilities

uses psychological tactics / uses brute strength

avoids civilians / strikes down civilians

damages surroundings / avoids damaging surroundings

signature fighting style / makes it up as they go

mastered skill - set / learning their skill - set

fancy footwork / sloppy footwork

messy fighter / elegant fighter

accepts defeat / refuses defeat / begs for mercy

compliments their opponent / insults their opponent

uses unnecessary movements / moves efficiently / barely moves

prefers to dodge / prefers to block

defends their blindside / has no blindside / leaves blindsides vulnerable

uses all available advantages / strictly uses one main method

plays around / holds back / fights ruthlessly / shows mercy

waits for an opponent to be ready / strikes when opponent isn’t ready

fears death / fears pain / fears killing

has ptsd / avoids fighting

has lost a fight / has won a fight

has killed / refuses to kill

wants to die standing / would succumb slowly

stolen from: @knowseverythingaboutyou

tagging: @the-blackest-spider @trckstaer @ardentsolis @thesilverandjetsystem @wnterslder @agentsterling @brokenspy @spynerd

#oof this is hard #because so much of it is contextual #she's definitely more of a tactician by nature #but she can be triggered from her trauma into recklessness and rage #put on some pants; chet! || ( dash shenanigans. )

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dontyouworrydaddy · 9 months

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Ok, so this is a bit weird, but it's based on a dream I had recently. If it's not your cup of tea, feel free to delete this. TF 141 + Konig with a s/o who is an alien … a literal alien who can shapeshift into any kind of humanoid she wants. But the boys don't know this. Perhaps one day she's a little careless and too relaxed and the guys accidentally see her in her true form. How would they react.

𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧

Task Force 141 (+König) x fem! reader

This is DEFINITELY my cup of tea. Absolutely love this idea and I‘m so excited to write this!! This is maybe gonna take a little longer (just to collect ideas) but I‘m definitely gonna write this because duh? hello? I love this Ask!

Also I changed it a bit… I hope you still like it😅

I recently had a dream about Zombies where I was bit but I didn’t turn😭 This probably was the most unnecessary thing I ever wrote…😭😭 I‘m talking to much… whatever, I HOPE YOU LOVE THIS💘💘💘

.･:*:･ﾟ’✫,’✫’ﾟ･:*:･˙

For years you had kept your extraordinary abilities hidden, skillfully blending in as a soldier, trusted and admired by yourcomrades. However, as time passed, you grew more comfortable and your guard slowly slipped.

One day, the team and you were deployed for a difficult mission, the air heavy with tension. You were feeling more at ease than ever, your mind distracted by the task at hand. Unknown to them, your transformation began to waver, revealing your true form - a blueish body with radiant iridescent skin, multifaceted eyes and ethereal appendages.

At that very moment, Kyle happened to glance in your direction, catching sight of the unexpected sight. Shock and confusion filled his expression, and he couldn't help but stumble backward.

"What the hell is that?!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief.

The rest of the team turned their attention towards you, your eyes widening in shock at the realization. Each of them felt a mix of fear and betrayal, wondering how long you had been betraying them. But you didn’t betray them. They were your family. How could you betray them?

König, ever the tactician, took a step forward, his tone serious "Y/n, explain yourself. What is this? Who the fuck are you?"

Your heart pounded, torn between revealing your true nature or fleeing from the confrontation. But the trust you had built with the team, the bonds you had formed, were too precious to abandon.

"I... I'm not from here," You admitted, your voice trembling with vulnerability. "This might sound crazy but I can shapeshift into any humanoid form. And I wish this was a joke…I‘m not a threat!"

Simon Ghost stepped forward, his voice stern but tinged with concern. With a swift motion he had your arms behind your back and your were pressed against the wall. "You expect us to believe that? How do we know you're not some kind of enemy, using our trust against us?"

The hurt and doubt in your teammates eyes was difficult for you to bear but you understood the skepticism. Slowly, you shifted back into the human form, hoping to regain the trust they had now lost. But Simons grip on you was still tight. And it felt personal…

You could easily break free from his grip but you didn’t. This would give them one more reason to not trust you. It would do no good for you and them.

"I swear, I'm not your enemy!" you pleaded, your voice filled with many emotion. "I've been fighting alongside you because I believe in the good we can do together. I swear I‘m not against you!"

Tension hung heavy in the air as each team member considered your words. Eventually, Price spoke up, his voice gruff but measured. "Let's hear her out. If she wanted to harm us, she had plenty of opportunities. Besides, we've all got secrets we'd rather keep hidden." Ghost was a bit hesitant but slowly he releases you.

Your heart swelled with gratitude for Price's empathy, and you took a deep breath, revealing more about yourself. "I was sent from another galaxy. I came to protect this world. You were close to a war and we couldn’t let that happen.. I was sent joined the army so nobody would suspect me. That‘s why I ranked up so fast…"the team began to see the truth in your words, realizing that your intentions had always been aligned.

"We will keep a closer eye on you but for now, you’re not in trouble." the team agreed to give you another chance, recognizing that your abilities could be used for their advantage in fight threats.

"Thank you." you thank them and focus back on the mission. The more details will follow after this mission and you‘re ready to answer everything single one of them. You trust them to not tell anyone and believe that you could continue to fight with them.

You found the family you had lost back then.

And you’re not ready to loose them too.

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decarbry · 1 year

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Noooooo but what's the UA staff and kids reactions to seeing nomuzawa? Like my heart low-key is breaking for them bc the teacher that just fought for them, with no regard to his own safety, was not only taken from them after stalling long enough for backup, but now he's a nomu and fighting them? And mic? Midnight? Allmight? Ughhhhhhh????!!! (But no o love this au so so much lmao)

I'm saving the actual Nomu reveal and reactions to it for later once I decide on a storytelling format but here are some initial reactions to the abduction

all of the students naturally share some level of guilt, even though they only knew Aizawa for a handful of days. nature of heroes in training and good hearts, plus, yeah, they watched this man sacrifice himself for their safety. this version of the event definitely impacts them harder than it does in canon. Not quite their Oboro moment but boy it's the closest so far any have had

Midoriya is Midoriya and is smart enough to know that in the end his (lack of) ability would never have been able to change the end result but still lets the failure riddle him for the rest of his life. Definitely still in crying mode this early on

Bakugou is left shell-shocked by this, possibly to an overreaction. As a tactician he also knows deep down he did his best (as a kid that has been in hero school for literally just a few days) but isn't willing to accept it. He should have been able to do something more. But we all know Bakugou and this is just fuel on the fire

All Might is understandably guilt-ridden as well, since he's "never failed to save someone after arriving", but the situation isn't as straightforward as one would think. It's one thing if a student is hurt/killed/taken but a pro is another, and Aizawa knew what he was getting into by jumping into a 1 v 40 combat scenario. That's just what pros sign up for. All Might is ready to leap into action the moment those investigating need assistance or have a location and certainly does some of his own investigating on the side as time allows

Thirteen feels frustration in herself initially but is able to take solace in the fact that she and Aizawa did what they were meant to do, and knows that Aizawa would be feeling the exact same way

Nezu makes only a single public statement out of respect for Aizawa's dislike of his name in the press, it's short and sweet and truthfully paints Aizawa as a hero that did his job and saved the lives of 20 students. He does commit the school's resources to assisting authorities in recovering the teacher but unfortunately that's where it ends since he needs to focus on the safety of the students as priority and UA can't just go around playing police (until the government makes them lmao)

Midnight was among the majority of the responding faculty that decided to arrive together in a show of power and so didn't witness Aizawa being taken, but is understandably very upset that one of her remaining high school friends is now gone. She's able to steady herself as a rock for Mic out of necessity (unhealthily suppressing her own more-volatile reaction for his sake) and is really the only reason Mic didn't just up and run out to do something unhelpful and reckless. In the hours after the event she cannot leave his side for fear of him running off

Mic is, naturally, the worst impacted. He refuses to wait for the teachers to gather into a group and ran in after All Might but before the rest, and so was the only pro/faculty to get a front-row seat to the abduction as All Might was distracted by the Nomu. He immediately wants to go guns-blazing but without any hint as to where Aizawa was taken or what they plan to do with him, is forced to sit by and wait. He ends up walking away from the school out of frustration after about a month without answers, but no one blames him and they're honestly just shocked he had the self-control to wait that long

#Yabureme Aizawa AU #nomu aizawa #boku no hero academia #text post #not art #haha if you read this whole thing you get a cookie

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sytokun · 2 years

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i was wondering your thoughts on jaune as a character tbh. today i was thinking about atla and where it succeeded versus where rwby failed (especially because miles luna himself has compared rwby to atla multiple times).

one thing i disliked about rwby is that all four of the girls are super important in some way. ruby has silver eyes, weiss is the SDC heiress (richest company in the world), blake is WF leader’s daughter (also from a wealthy family), yang’s mom is a maiden. none of them are normal.

in atla, we have aang (the avatar), katara (who’s the last southern tribe waterbender… kinda?), toph (rich family daughter), zuko (firelord’s son) and sokka… who is completely normal. i like how they have a normal guy in atla which makes him relatable to the viewer.

the problem is in rwby, this normal guy is jaune. who ends up sticking along in the plot and being forced by the writers to be in situations which get him hate from the fndm. miles said jaune is partially inspired by sokka (dorky funny strategist type) but at the same time it means jnpr has to be part of the rwby adventures for jaune to be around. which makes people dislike jaune even more.

i kinda rambled but i was wondering yours thoughts on him? where did he fail where sokka succeeded and so on in your opinion?

Not to mention the inclusion of Oscar who is basically Normal Guy 2.0 before Ozpin came along, but yeah.

Hypothetically, Blake would have been a great everyman type for Team RWBY had she not been revealed to be of noble birth. Had she been written more as an orphan left to fight on the wilds outside the Kingdoms, her humble origin would have been a good contrast to the rest of Team RWBY, and grounded her with the audience within the team.

But in regards to Jaune, I've had some discussions on my server about him, and he's a tough nut to crack. Speaking of his failure within the context of canon, there is a definitely a disconnect between him being essentially a fifth main character and being a part of the B-team.

Another shortcoming is that he often, as many have and will attest, steals moments much better suited for other characters. Him vs. Cinder and killing Penny come to mind, both of which would vastly benefit Ruby more. And I think it's because he doesn't have an arc to speak of, ironically given his name.

For Sokka, he has a very distinct arc and dynamic within the Gaang that doesn't really overlap with the others. Neither Aang, Katara nor Toph are natural skeptics, nor are they non-benders, nor do they have an interest in technology or strategy. And his actual arc revolves around learning to be a man - not immature machismo, but responsibility and virtue. This alone lets Sokka occupy a niche that makes him valuable to the audience, because his unique experience is valuable.

However, Jaune, like Oscar, has many aspects that feel poached from other characters. His struggles as a leader steps on the toes of Ruby's arc as a team leader. His implied backstory as being from a line of famous Hunters can overlap with Weiss and the Schnee legacy (though due to how vague this detail is, there's room to play with this to make it more distinct). His niche as a strategist/tactician also overlaps with Ruby, leaving fans to headcanon distinctions between them, such as making Jaune a more "big picture tactician", while Ruby is a more "boots on the ground" strategist.

But the problem, as seen, lies in the fact that he offers very little to the audience, because what he offers, other characters can too. But because he does a little bit of everything, he is also always a little bit relevant to any situation, inflating his presence but not his importance in the show.

I've seen a post that posits that Jaune was at his most likeable in Volume 7, because there he was playing the role he should be to Team RWBY: a supporting character. While I do agree somewhat with this, as he was at his most likeable, being a sort of anchor trying to stay positive for everyone (nevermind that this is a trait overlapping with Ruby), he was also pretty... harmless?

I suppose it's because I've grown used to his extended presence, but him actually being more in the background also made him feel... kinda basic? There was really nothing too offensive, but also nothing terribly interesting for him to fall back on. He has no unique dynamic to bounce off of, no unique niche to fill. He's just kind of... there, occupying whatever vague role the story needs for him. And that makes him fairly forgettable; likeable only because he was no longer overstaying his welcome.

As for possible solutions, if I had to rework him from the ground up, I'd probably take Jaune in one of two directions, if not a bit of both:

A pampered noble. Lean more into his sheltered upbringing and weak start. He's from a long line of Hunters but for whatever reason was not raised as one or just lacks talent. Like Weiss but without any of the bite.

An underdog. This would work more if he was from more humble origins, but basically a no-name dude trying to work his way from the bottom.

Personally, I would lean more towards Option 1, if only because Oscar is clearly of humble birth and I would want to keep them as distinct from each other as possible. But for both, I would emphasize his underdog vibe as a weak fighter, as that is the one aspect he has in the series that everyone else doesn't.

Oscar would be weak too, but that's because he has no experience nor need to fight up until he joins the plot. But for Jaune, he would just be plain bad. He's bad at fighting even when he wants to be good, given his lineage, and that already creates a solid arc for him to work towards.

While Oscar would be fine with not being a fighter, it would be a source of a massive inferiority complex for Jaune, which totally checks out with how he behaves throughout Volume 1 and Jaunedice - sometimes even sabotaging himself because he's too stubborn to swallow his pride and admit he's weak and needs help, because a scion of a reputable Hunter family shouldn't be this weak.

As for his dynamic with the rest of the cast, knowing this, I'd probably make him incredibly weak, but also incredibly determined. While other characters can be determined too, Jaune would be so to an absurd amount, because he has to make up for his weakness with sheer will and persistence. If he falls down, he would get up more times than everyone else because he falls down more than everyone else. When faced with a problem, his natural inclination would just be to throw himself at it until either side yields.

This would be compatible with him having lots of Aura too. He's like a rock - uncomplicated in nature and immovable when it counts. Rather than make him a tactician, I'd make him the source of morale of the cast. People would be inspired by Jaune because even if he doesn't contribute much to a fight, he'll always be the last one standing; and seeing him would encourage the others to stand back up and continue fighting.

#syto asks #rwby #blake belladonna #jaune arc #rwde

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cosmicjoke · 1 year

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Alright, alright, finally, I watched episode 7 of IWTV and... well...

I’ve got to say I’m not entirely convinced of the fan theory surrounding Armand mind controlling Louis, though there’s definitely evidence of something strange going on.

One thing that strikes me as odd and not entirely lining up with the theory is that Armand says to Daniel that he’ll be ashamed of himself for berating Louis the way he is once he hears the whole story. I can’t figure out exactly why Armand would say this, or what he means. Does he mean Daniel will be ashamed for telling Louis that he doomed Claudia by choosing Lestat over her? If so, why? I suppose it could have something to do with a “redemption” arc for Lestat. Maybe he ends up saving Claudia from death. But then, considering what we know about Armand and his direct hand in Claudia’s death... I don’t know.

I’m also still not convinced that Louis’ memories of Lestat as being abusive toward him and Claudia are unreliable, or meant to be seen as unreliable. And after watching this episode, I can see where the fear I’ve seen expressed by some fans is coming from, that Lestat is going to be the one to kill Claudia in revenge. Because Lestat in this episode is fully ready and willing to kill Claudia by forcing her to drink from the dead twin who he thinks is poisoned. This is... so out of character, and so wrong for Lestat. The entire depiction of Lestat as some master manipulator, ten steps ahead tactician is ludicrous. The whole reason Lestat falls into Claudia’s trap to begin with is because he’s the exact opposite of that. He’s impulsive, childlike, driven by emotion and, in a very real sense, has a quality of innocence to him which blinded him to Claudia’s more deceptive and treacherous intentions. Of course Lestat senses danger from Claudia. He’s shown in the book being paranoid and fearful of her. He isn’t an idiot. He can feel her hostility. But it’s his artless and innocent nature which ultimately makes him believe her when she tells him she wishes to make peace. Why he accepts her “gift” with open arms and doesn’t think twice about trusting her. He doesn’t even for a moment fathom that she’s tricking him, or planning to poison him. So the very notion of him being hip to her’s and Louis’ plan here is... not right. It’s not who Lestat is, it’s not what he’s even capable of.

Further, and just as absurd, is that in his knowledge of her treachery, Lestat tries to turn the tables on her and kill her instead. Again, totally out of character. Lestat never shows any, genuine malice or revenge driven mindset toward Claudia. He never wanted her dead, he never planned on her getting murdered, he never wished her harm of any kind. But here, he’s just like, welp, let’s kill the bitch and replace her with Antoinette. Another bastardization of Letat’s actual actions and ideas from the book, in which he’s thinking of making Antoine into a vampire so that he can have a friend, because Louis and Claudia have basically started to freeze him out and ignore him. Lestat is lonely, that’s why he’s thinking of bringing Antoine into the fold of their family. Not because he’s planning on murdering Claudia and replacing her with another vampire.

So with this shift in his character in the show, with him clearly ready and willing to kill Claudia without any, apparent qualms, I can see why people are afraid Lestat is going to be the one to kill her down the line, and that would just be egregious to the point of making the show unwatchable. It’s already pushing it with making Lestat into a domestic abuser and not letting us know with any sort of clear cut answer whether it’s intending to maintain that depiction, or reveal it to be untrue.

Also, Louis being in on Claudia’s plan to kill Lestat, and actually delivering the final blow was all kinds of wrong and out of character too. Louis’ entire character, early on, is driven by his passivity, and it’s that passivity which ultimately contributes to driving a wedge between him and Claudia, and why he blames himself for her death, knowing if he’d just stepped in and stopped her from trying to kill Lestat like he knew he should have, she never would have died. And worse yet is having Louis say that he “wanted Lestat dead”. Like, WTF? No, he didn’t. Louis NEVER wanted Lestat dead. The thought of killing him never even crossed his mind, and he agonized for weeks over knowing Claudia was going to try it, knowing it was wrong and unjustified, but was paralyzed once again by his indecision and lack of self-confidence. Louis, if he had the capability to act enough to draw the blade across Lestat’s throat himself, as he does in the show, never would have LET Claudia “kill” him in the first place. If he had the strength to deny her burning Lestat’s body as he does in the show, again, he NEVER would have let her attempt to take his life in the first place. Louis, in the book, is absolutely horrified and disgusted by Claudia after she kills Lestat. He’s sickened by her act, and initially refuses to have anything more to do with her, telling her he’ll only stay with her because she can’t take care of herself. He’s horrified by it all. He knows it was wrong. But they conveniently explain that away here by telling us that he wanted Lestat dead. And this is why I’m not totally convinced of the theory that Armand is altering Louis’ memories of Lestat being a domestic abuser. Because Louis’ depiction of Lestat here is of a viciously controlling tyrant (Claudia even compares Lestat to Hitler, for fucks sake) who rules over him and Claudia both through the threat of violence, who’s so ego-driven and devious, and who has such an intolerable strangle hold on the two of them, that the only way to escape him is to kill him. This is all self-delusion in the books. Lestat never hurts Louis OR Claudia in any significant, physical way in the books, but Louis fears Lestat anyway, even though Lestat’s never even shown him he’s physically stronger than him in any way, and convinces himself that they can’t escape him more out of a lack of belief in himself and an apathetic acceptance of his situation, and so he just sits there is ineffectual indecision while Claudia plots away. His hatred of Lestat is born entirely from finding Lestat an insufferable, uncultured, unthinking buffoon. He never is consciously aware of any feelings of love for him in the first 65 years of their lives together. He just feels stuck with him, for no real reason at all. He’s just passively accepting of his life circumstances, and that passivity is born entirely from Louis’ own nature, and actually has nothing at all to do with Lestat. Louis’ entrapment is a prison of his own making. He could’ve taken Claudia any time and left, which is also why Lestat never tells them about the vampires in Europe, because he knows it and he’s afraid they’ll ditch him if they know about others of their kind. He already feels rejected by the two of them, locked out of their little circle. Claudia of course perceives, accurately, this passivity in Louis, and decides to take matters into her own hands because SHE wants to leave, but needs Louis to do so, and so she decides hey, I’ll kill Lestat because then there won’t be any excuse anymore for Louis to stay locked in his self-imposed stagnation. He’ll be freed from his own, made up limitations. We see Louis realize this about himself after what happens to Claudia, and he finds finally the strength to make choices for himself, dictating his and Armand’s travels before finally deciding he’s had enough and telling Armand off and refusing to stay with Lestat even after Lestat begs him to.

But here Louis apparently has grown to hate Lestat after initially loving him because Lestat proved to be a horrible, abusive asshole who wouldn’t hesitate to use his power to hurt him and Claudia in order to keep them with him. Louis’ own, passive nature no longer has anything to do with it. It’s all Lestat. It’s all Lestat and his horrible, evil, domineering ways. He’s literally keeping Louis and Claudia prisoner, and has shown them his incredible, outrageously greater strength, which he’s willing to use on them without compunction. And so now, Louis wants Lestat dead, and actively participates in Claudia’s execution of the plan to kill him.

If Armand is messing with Louis’ mind and making him remember Lestat as a tyrannical abuser, then why did Louis ever “want him dead”, as he says here? Unless that’s also a lie, and the entire memory of him and Claudia “killing” Lestat is a false memory too. Or if Louis was just pretending to be in on Claudia’s plan, and instead tried to save him through that? It’s so convoluted. And what does that say about Claudia? Does it mean she was just manipulating Louis, that she wanted to kill Lestat so she could force Louis to come with her like in the book? But then, what’s the point of that? Claudia in the show has proven plenty capable of taking care of herself and being able to leave on her own, so why exactly would she need to kill Lestat if he wasn’t actually keeping her prisoner?

I don’t know man. I hope the theory is right, and that Lestat hasn’t been turned into this, when he’s meant to be a little bit of a thoughtless sweetheart.

It also forces Armand into a more villainous role than he would otherwise ever occupy. Even though Armand does some jacked up stuff in the books, and is definitely manipulative and controlling, and even physically abusive at points, (him pushing Lestat off a tower in the books really tying in I think to the theory that Armand is implanting false memories into Louis’ mind) he never is shown exerting the kind of control over another being which this theory is suggesting, keeping Louis a prisoner, both physically and mentally. So, yeah, I don’t know man. We’ll have to wait and see.

Also, as dramatic as the death scene with Lestat was, it’s infinitely more so in the book, and even the movie. Lestat cries again and again for Louis to help him in the book, but that’s undercut here by Louis BEING IN ON the plan, and by Lestat KNOWING about the plan. It’s heartbreaking in the book, because Lestat didn’t have a clue, he’s totally blindsided, and in his sudden fear and desperation, his aloof and blase attitude is exposed and his true feelings for Louis come through. He looks to Louis for help, he needs Louis, he reaches out for the person he loves and trusts most in the world, and Louis, tragically, can do nothing, once again, because he doesn’t believe he can. He lets Claudia kill someone he loves too, even if he doesn’t realize it yet.

I really loved some of the moments from this episode, especially the scene between Lestat and Louis on the balcony, when we genuinely see Lestat’s humanity, how he’s on the verge of tears talking to Louis. Sam Reid’s acting here was superb. And the show itself is stellar in terms of production values and acting. I just wish they could have stuck with the actual story from the books, cause this ain’t it man.

#amc's interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire #lestat de lioncourt #louis de pointe du lac #claudia

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nagirambles · 1 year

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Was thinking about Roubaul and how he has several similarities with Zera: they're both dead people tied to Illusion Magic who pretended to be alive for the sake of a young child. It makes me wonder if Zera actually WAS the ghost of Zera who got tangled up in Mavis's powerful Illusion Magic and became a mix of spirit and illusion. It would explain why she seemed like a fully sentient being with a will of her own. Plus, it draws interesting parallels between Wendy and Mavis. Thoughts?

That’s definitely a very fun parallel to look toward. I’d argue Wendy’s one of the more ‘fairy-like’ members, especially with the wind and wings, and the one-piece-dress silhouette they share. Also the child body. I think it’s kind of cute in a parallel of Zeref-Mavis and Natsu-Wendy too, they have the dynamic of a demon and an angel they have a soft spot for, though in different natures as a siblinglike relationship versus a romantic one. I do wonder what could be done with that.

Back on topic. I honestly always thought Zero was, in truth, the ghost of Zera having a bit more time as a spirit, because it’s just too sad to think otherwise. Imagine if all of Zera’s development from a spoiled child to a true friend, her redemption, friendship with Mavis was all in Mavis’ imagination... that would be too cruel for me. I want to think Zera truly lived on as a spirit for a while to truly become friends with Mavis. The power of love can justify this much, right?

It’s fascinating to think of a heartbreaking Zera perspective, where she knows she’s a ghost being clung onto, and thus, in the first while, she refused to open her heart simply because she knows it can’t come true, and she didn’t want to disappear either, so she didn’t reveal the truth. But Mavis wormed her way into her heart anyways, and thus began their journey together as she watched over Mavis, knowing one day their happiness will come crumbling down. For Roubaul, it was simply a spur of the moment impulse, the desire to not want to see a child cry, that made him create all of his lies--- but eventually his lies were too far in to be revealed without hurting Wendy too much. I’d say they’re very similar, especially in the regard that they only finally passed on when they realized that Wendy and Mavis now have real friends, and didn’t need the lies anymore.

Realistically I think these parallels only occurred because Mashima saw how successful the Caitshelter reveal was, and wanted to do something a little similar-- and I love both of them, so I’d say it’s a good decision-- but I do wonder if we could continue these parallels without it getting in the way of Lucy’s parallels with Mavis.

I’d leave Fairy Glitter and tactician parallels to Lucy and Cana, but I kind of want to see Wendy dealing with Ankhseram. Wendy is, after all, a healing mage, something that treads the taboo of life and death. She could venture into the forbidden territory of wanting to revive someone for real. Give her a moment where her powers are truly useless and she’s devastated by it, and make her go to the lengths of trying to surpass the limits of her healing. This could tie into a Zeref-Mavis and Natsu-Wendy parallels as well, (it could give us more about Natsu being a literal revived being??) and it could give Zeref some meaningful action if we see him trying to stop her from making the same mistake he did.

I suppose it’s fine as it is with Wendy branching out toward other developments instead, because not every parallel needs to be a one-on-one comparison. I wish Tenrou expanded more on Lucy-Cana and Mavis-Zera, though!

#it's an ask #fairy tail #it's a headcanon #i'm reaching #fic related rambles #magic rambles #Wendy Marvell

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aftokrator-official · 11 months

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more ship ask meme responses for @freshdickies!

Ranbanein/Azuma:

4. Who initiates affection? Why does the other not initiate affection as much?

They're both pretty physically affectionate, I think, but I think Ranbanein in particular would constantly be touching Azuma even in just casual little ways, an arm around his shoulders or leaning on him or a little kiss to greet him. It's just who he is. Azuma's very willing to indulge his cuddly golden retriever of a partner, but I do think it takes some getting used to for him, since physical affection usually involved or led into sex with his previous relationships, and that's very much not the case with Ranbanein. Once he gets used to it, though, I think Azuma would enjoy the frequent casual physical intimacy, and finds it reassuring.

14. Do they enjoy PDA, or are they more private with affection?

Ranbanein is very affectionate regardless of circumstance. He doesn't mind! Everyone should know how much he loves Azuma and how wonderful Azuma is!! Azuma… is far more private, and very easily embarrassed by this, even though Ranbanein's PDA is all pretty innocent in nature. When he's more comfortable in their relationship, I think Azuma could actually turn the tables on him and get Ranbanein flustered if he's being seductive in public or getting Ranbanein turned on - as physically affectionate as he is, Ranbanein doesn't have too much experience in sexual relationships, so it doesn't take much to get him blushing and awkward about it.

42. What’s their relationship like with each other’s friends/families?

Honestly pretty good, in both directions. Azuma and Hyrein get along, though I think (at least early on) they'd be tremendously awkward when left alone together, before they know each other well. But Hyrein both respects him as a combatant and tactician, and is tremendously glad his brother has found someone who makes him so happy, so he has a generally positive impression of Azuma. I think Azuma would also respect Hyrein and recognize the difficulties he faces in a command position, though he'd also be harder on him than on Ranbanein when it comes to… Afto cultural practices he doesn't approve of. After all, Hyrein is in a position of authority and Ranbanein isn't.

Ranbanein wouldn't find it hard to endear himself to Azuma's "kids" in Border, for the most part. Most of them would be wary of him at first, but Ranbanein truly doesn't take offense at this and considers it a worthy challenge to earn their trust and respect. In situations that don't involve anyone being captured Koarai and Okudera would come around pretty quickly and get along with him like a house on fire. Miwa, on the other hand… would have a really hard time, for obvious reasons. I think he'd get past it, but it'll take a long time, and a lot of patience on ranazu's parts.

I haven't fully solidified my headcanons for Azuma's parents… but I do have the vague sense that even just learning he's gay was a huge hurdle for them, so "I'm getting married to a man from another dimension, also he's nobility" is PROBABLY A STRETCH lol. If their relationship survives it's probably fairly strained and distant, but that's not Ranbanein's fault, or even particularly related to him personally - it's just inevitable. I feel like Azuma was always closer to his mom, and she might be more likely to come around on her surprise son-in-law and develop a good relationship with him eventually.

---

Hyrein/Izumi:

2. Who wakes up early/Who sleeps in late?

Hyrein is definitely the early riser of the two, Izumi likes to sleep in. Usually Hyrein is waking up early to work, but I think he'd really enjoy a quiet, relaxing early morning routine when he has time for it - listen to the birds, watch the sunrise, have breakfast. Izumi thinks that's all well and good but he'd rather be sleeping all the same. I think a leisurely morning for them usually looks like Hyrein enjoying a quiet, contemplative moment while Izumi uses him as a pillow and continues to sleep. 💖

4. Who initiates affection? Why does the other not initiate affection as much?

In the beginning it was Hyrein, but overall it tends to be Izumi. Hyrein is… not repressed, but keenly aware of his position and the propriety expected of him. Izumi has no such qualms, and a higher sex drive besides, so he's pretty shameless about getting up in Hyrein's personal space and putting his hands all over him. He'll also very casually lean on Hyrein or even fall asleep on him, and I think this makes Hyrein feel things - the trust it shows Izumi has in him now, after how hard won it was, and the fact that almost no one else in his life is this casually affectionate with him (probably only Ranbanein).

11. How do they feel about nicknames/pet names? If they like them, what pet names do they use? If they hate them, why do they feel that way?

I think Hyrein is more likely to use pet names - things like "my love" and "my dear", and I also really like the idea of him calling Izumi "fledgling" ;u; Izumi… is easily embarrassed by it, I think, but secretly really likes it. I don't think he calls Hyrein by anything but his name as much, but one GUARANTEED to fluster Hyrein and turn him on is when Izumi calls him "my lord" after they're in a relationship. It was a perfectly normal way for Izumi to address him when he was simply his apprentice, but as his lover/husband… for some reason Hyrein can't handle it in this context, and Izumi thinks it's adorable (and a fun way to wind him up).

19. Do they wear each other’s clothes/jewelry?

Izumi is a boyfriend's-clothes-stealer for SURE. After the first time seeing Izumi wearing nothing but a shirt of his, slipping off his shoulder, Hyrein does not mind in the least. Hyrein's taller and broader than Izumi and doesn't fit in his clothes as easily, but Izumi does enjoy it very much on the rare occasions he can get Hyrein to wear Meeden clothes. (Izumi thinks he looks adorably awkward in casual wear, and very hot in formal attire.)

22. Are they comfortable joking around with each other and being silly/playful?

Hyrein is a fairly serious person, but I think being around Izumi helps him loosen up a lot. Early on, catching glimpses of a lighter, gentler side to Hyrein is a big part of why Izumi fell for him - seeing him play around with Alektor's animal bullets or being soft for cute animals. Hyrein's sense of humor is subtle, but Izumi is pretty good at picking up on it and thoroughly enjoys it, and Hyrein feels incredibly pleased every time he makes Izumi laugh. Izumi jokes around with him a lot, more and more as he becomes more comfortable with him and more confident that he doesn't need to maintain a stiff formality all the time.

42. What’s their relationship like with each other’s friends/families?

Izumi does fine - he gets along great with Ranbanein, and probably Viza as well. Hyrein, though... has a harder time, for obvious reasons. Izumi forgives him for the invasion and capturing him far more easily than most of Izumi's friends and family. Out of everyone Karasuma would probably come to terms with it most easily - he's seen Hyuse's struggles with being in a fairly similar position to Izumi, and understands that Izumi's emotions are far more complicated than most people expect them to be. He's probably heard a lot about Hyrein and House Beltiston from Hyuse, too, and is more willing to believe that Hyrein truly isn't abusing or manipulating Izumi because of it. Midorikawa also forgives Hyrein and Izumi fairly easily, mostly just glad to have Izumi back in his life even if circumstances are different. He has no idea how to interact with Hyrein, though, and vice versa - I think seeing his friends, and especially Midorikawa interacting with Hyrein would be a stark reminder to Izumi of the age gap between them, haha.

Yoneya has a harder time. He's an easygoing type who doesn't hold grudges easily, but Hyrein took his best friend and then his best friend chose to stay. It's hard for him to understand that and I think he'd be bitter for a while, though he makes an effort to get past it for Izumi's sake. He really leans on Miwa for support after Izumi is taken and Miwa's own emotional state is... not the greatest influence on him. I think he would definitely be able to reconcile with Izumi in time. Miwa, though... I'm not sure his relationship with Izumi would ever recover? That feeling of betrayal would cut deep for him, especially after watching Yoneya fall apart over losing Izumi, and I think it'd leave a scar.

Tachikawa also has a really hard time. He's really protective of Izumi, was single-mindedly determined to rescue him after he was taken, and Izumi's eventual reconciliation with and marriage to Hyrein feels like a horrible blow after he thought it was all over. He's not just angry at Izumi for leaving, he's also half-convinced that Hyrein has somehow brainwashed or manipulated him into this, not trusting him even after most others have come around on their relationship. But Izumi stubbornly fights to maintain a relationship with Tachikawa anyway. I think it's when Hyrein and Izumi's first kids are born that things really start to heal between Izumi and Tachikawa, because Izumi very much wants "Uncle Kei" to be a part of their lives and Tachikawa, in spite of everything, adores them. It's always a little strained between him and Hyrein, but they both do their best to set that aside for Izumi's sake.

#world trigger #ranazu #haiizu #can u tell i can talk FOREVER about these 2 ships #i love themmm #thank u zeda for giving me (more of) an excuse #ask meme #elcie headcanons

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findingtarshish · 9 months

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💯 and 🎶 for Anomaly and Sulaya?

Oooo good ones 💯 HUNDRED POINTS SYMBOL — share three random facts about your oc that others may not know.

Anomaly:

Dahlia goes by many names, some of which are titles granted to her, and some that she took on herself. For instance, the surviving cells of the alien entity that captured and assimilated her while she was mortal call her "The Butcher of Communion," after she returned to her home universe and laid waste to their homeworld, Communion. Dahlia maintains that due to the hive mind nature of the entity, her actions were justified murder, not genocide, but others have qualms about that. Her birth name is Shizuka, but she rarely uses it anymore.

Dahlia is a master tactician. She will frequently caution overzealous officers in her employ: "Battles are neither won on the battlefield nor purely in the mind. They are won in the space between contingencies, in the seconds between Plan A failing and Plan B beginning."

Dahlia has a tendency towards overwork, and really pushes the boundaries of her immortal condition. It turns out those of her kind don't experience physical fatigue, but they definitely experience mental and emotional fatigue, which generally worsens her already poor mental health. Sulaya is a big influence toward a healthier, more balanced life.

Sulaya:

Her adoptive mom Irexa, and her adoptive aunt Lanitis HATE each other. Bother wanted to be the ones to teach her how to use her powers, and it drove a wedge between them. Sulaya is still close with both of them, and they manage to tolerate each other through their shared love of Sulaya.

Sulaya, despite being taller, is almost always the little spoon. The sole exception is when Dahlia is doing poorly, then she's more than happy to take a more active role in comforting her.

Sulaya is very good friends with Akasha, the managerial AI that runs the city ship they live in. At Sulaya's request, Akasha would use her site-to-site transport systems to beam bouquets of flowers into Anomaly's workshop (red dahlias, of course).

🎶 MUSICAL NOTES — what type of music does your oc like? do they listen to music very often?

Sulaya likes found object music! She finds it very meditative. Beyond that, she likes singalongs, and enjoys the sense of togetherness they bring.

Dahlia mostly listens to heavy metal and rock, though she usually only listens while working out.

#ask game #anomaly and sulaya #oc posting

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kosmicdream · 1 year

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Hey! At one point you mentioned that Lauma and Laima spent a lot of time sparring with one another to develop their fighting skills. Did Dievas ever participate in that? How powerful were the First Heatons in relation to one another, generally speaking? Velns and Perkons optional, considering their unique circumstances - though I am curious how AU “full term” Perkons would factor into the mix haha. Great to see you around Tumblr again~

Aw thanks for such a cool ask! I feel like i rarely have an opportunity to talk about the firsts, which are some of my favorite characters to talk about lol.

Yes the sisters used to spar a lot, but dievas didn’t fight with them. He mostly was there to break up the fights when they got too bad and take care of any injuries. He did, however, watch them very closely at first out of concern and just being the watchful eye of a parent - but then more of to study combat. So he got used to their attack patterns, traits, ect. He learned a lot from fighting just by watching them. While unseen, dievas did do a lot of fighting and combat - just not with his sisters. He knew about their strengths/weaknesses very well though. Just by watching his sisters, he was able to get stronger when fighting against um.. Some very mean little triangle we might know about.

The first hekatons all have very different strengths, but i’d say the one with the most natural strategic genius was definitely dievas. He was also the weakest physically, and did not have a natural talent for combat even if he was good as a tactician. He relied completely on other factors to handle battle, which makes him insanely tough to write about because fighting scenes are hard enough to draw as it is.While unseen, he actually bested both Knife and Cress during their confrontation, even if Knife was the winner (who ultimately resulted in killing him as we saw.) Lauma also was the second weakest in physical strength, but her ability to hear was by far the best, and if she had lived she could have easily been the most dangerous of the first because of becoming a vein user, and being able to manipulate threads of reality to her benefit. (as we have recently seen priam, who is a vein user, do)

If “full term” perkons had lived, it .. actually is kind of hard to say if he’d even be that substantial next to the others tbh, so much of canon knife’s “broken” strength comes from absorbing the strengths of his siblings, and while AU perkons would still have some of those traits and a great potential for other powers - canon perkons drained even more of their blood while killing his siblings, when all of their blood was much stronger. Considering AU perkons sides with hekatons, i cannot see him killing them and thus absorbing their strength, but i havent developed the AU story to that point cuz.. Then.. id just be writing FFAK again. Which i still gotta finish the first one after all !! I have thought about though, that velns would end up turning against the family in this “last hatched” au (the actual name i gave this au) and becoming a very different character and more of the “protaganist” hekaton character.

#ffak #feast for a king #ffak faq #knife #the first

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cljordan-imperium · 1 year

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OC Animal Tag

I was tagged by @late-to-the-fandom and @lynnedwardswrites

I'm going to leave this as Open Tag because I'm still getting caught up on everything I was tagged in, so feel free to jump in.

RULES - Choose any OC(s) and tell what animal they relate to and why

Cruz - Panther

Cruz does not roar like a lion. Instead he often moves in stealth and quiet until the time is right for him to strike and then he unleashes his power in a swift and brutal way that will catch whomever he is plotting against off guard. Some might say this is counterintuitive for the Horseman of War. Those people would not see the brilliance in the words of Sun Tzu.

Abriella - Man of War

Beautiful and delicate looking, she is deadly. At times she will seem to go with the flow and float along, but behind this facade is a lethality that will leave those who think to tangle with her in great pain, if they manage to escape with their life.

Deacon - Hawk

Always watching, noticing the smallest things that others might overlook. Because of his more introverted nature, Deacon is not one to launch himself into something without studying his surroundings and all those players who are in motion first. When he has decided and put himself into motion, if you are unlucky enough to be in the grasp of his talons, then you will meet his father Azrael, the Angel of Death, quickly.

Yael - Butterfly

Beautiful, delicate, and so easily damaged. She has come a long way from where she started and the being she is now does not in any way resemble the one she was centuries ago when joining the Nephilim forces. Some could say that she is currently in her chrysalis phase, where she is currently insulated from the world and protected, and transforming into that beauty that she deserves.

Olly - Wolf

A brilliant tactician and former General of the Nephilim forces, Olly prefers to work as part of the Legion (pack). He feels that the the best way to defeat the enemy is to work as a team. He also sees himself as connected to everyone else in the Palace, and even the new arrivals are accepted as "family" (pack) immediately. Threaten his pack, and he will ensure you do not get a second chance to.

Anna - Raven

Analytical, meticulous, loyal, and with a memory that is long, she is not one that you want to cross. She neither forgets nor forgives those who have wronged her or those she cares about. It has been 300 years and the fire still burns as hot in her breast to find those who massacred her family as the day it happened. And do not doubt, she will find them and they will pay.

Talon - Gator

Quiet, unassuming, he will move along almost unnoticed in the bayou of life, blending in with the common things around him. But when he strikes, there is no escaping the power of his jaws or the sharpness of his teeth.

Phaedra - Bee

Always in movement, always flitting about from here to there. It seems that the Water Nephilim is always in motion and always working on something. She is bright and cheery, but do not let that fool you. If you mess with her, you will definitely remember her sting.

Adriel - Badger

Gives zero fucks, intimidated even the Source of All, will seriously fuck you up if you mess with someone he cares about. You will not win against him, and if you escape with your life, he will make you sorry you even considered going up against him.

Cassandra - Spider

Delicate looking, she distracts with beauty and grace like the spider does with its silk. Luring those she is set upon entrapping with false senses of security and her false vulnerability, when they realize they cannot escape her web that she has so carefully woven around them, her fangs will already be draining the life out of them.

THE IMPERIUM CHRONICLES TAG LIST - @ceph-the-ghost-writer @kjscottwrites @writingpotato07 @saltysupercomputer @careful-pyromancer @late-to-the-fandom @autumnalwalker @perasperaadastrawriting @fearofahumanplanet @jessica-writes22 @dogmomwrites @mjjune @verba-writing @blind-the-winds @shipping-through-eternity @outpost51 @inkspellangel @blind-the-winds @sunset-a-story @writingmaidenwarrior @clairelsonao3

#the imperium chronicles #writeblr #tag game #oc animal tag

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octavare · 1 year

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construct crit lore dump

So I’ve finally figured out what I want their post-RED occupations to be. And it ended up being a lot more obvious than I thought.

Teachers. Of the high school variant.

Engineer has the natural charisma and amiability for it. He’s very nice and patient, students would love him as a teacher. He knows the content like the back of his hand and teaches it coherently. He also had experience teaching Scout basic subjects back at the base. He teaches physics and chemistry at the school.

And Tactician? She may be less charismatic and more dry, but teaching was a big part of her previous job, and it was something she was also good at. She comes off a little scary at first, but she has a sense of humor that her students love her for. She teaches math, from algebra to calculus. She strongly encouraged students to work hard and the practical applications of what they learn in class. She wants them to know that what they learn, or the experience of learning it, will actually be useful down the line.

They’re both the kind of teachers that have a cult following of students that always hang around to talk after school. Engineer entertains this a lot, telling them stories of his experiences, fun facts, or giving demonstrations of cool science shit. Tactician is similar but a little more secretive, but in an intriguing way. She tries to get her students to think and put the puzzle pieces together themselves. This is definitely most apparent in the two’s past as mercenaries. Though neither outright said it at first, the clues were there and some students eventually put two and two together, leading to a variety of new stories and conversations to be told. “You were in that Gravel War a state over??” “What did you do in the war?” “What was it like?” and what not.

And then, the age dilemma. This had been right after Engineer created the life extension implant for him and Tactician, physically de-aging them by about 20 years. And of course this led to a lot of the students failing miserably at trying to guess their ages. Tactician especially would not budge at revealing her age, as older women tend to do. A student would guess “25?” and she’d respond “I wish,” with a smirk. Not like they’d believe her if she told them she was 40.

They often visit the other’s classroom during their off period and help out the students with questions. They know most of each other’s material, Engineer still knowing all the math perfectly and Tactician having a solid foundation of physics and chemistry.

Were there any students that disliked them? Yeah, absolutely. Every teacher has some. And Tact especially doesn’t tolerate any tomfoolery. But they were by far some of the most liked in the school.

#MP ocs #MP talks #tf2 tactician #tf2 constructive criticism

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myhiraeth · 1 year

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@starlightfreed sent: How far are they willing to go for the person they love? // also for everyone x

So I read this as a 'in a worst case scenario, like a kidnap or life-or-death sort of way, so that's how I answered them. Just a heads up.

Circe - So uh, here's the thing. Circe has really grey morality to begin with. She also has a deep aversion to getting genuinely attached to people. So if she has gotten attached and someone threatens the person she's gotten attached to, Circe is ruthless. She's the type to burn cities and topple empires, to turn in friends and enemies alike if something were to happen to the person she loves. Fun fact: she would likely not risk her own life for them ( unless she was certain she could get out of it ) but the only person that she would let kill her is someone she loves.

Louis - For as fighty and violent as Louis is, he's relatively low on the "I'd burn the world for the one I love" scale. He's more of a ride-or-die than he is a 'burn the world' type. If something bad were to happen to someone he loved, he'd definitely try to get to them, or help them, any way he could. But as far as like, going feral... not so much. He lacks the tactical ability to genuinely be dangerous in pursuit of avenging someone he loves.

Styxx - He would definitely kill for the woman he loves, but frankly he's more likely to die for the woman he loves, or abandon her if his presence puts her in danger. Styxx would not risk innocent lives even for the person he loves. Styxx is highkey the type to try to convince the woman he loves to hate him and then disappear if his presence proves a risk to her life. Which honestly is kinda possible given that there's about 3 gods that hate him enough to harm his lover, and a slew of non-god-but-still-supernaturally-powerful beings that would too.

Fox - Fox, much like Louis, has a short fuse when it comes to those she loves and would do anything she thought would help. She's prone to sacrifice, especially after she survives the mountain she feels like she can take more pain than she ever thought so why not take it in place of those she loves. She too isn't very tactical minded, though she is more strategic than Louis, and while there isn't a length she wouldn't be willing to go, she is impeded by how far she's physically able to go. But she doesn't have moral lines stopping her. Fox views the world as black and white, friend or enemy. If you're not friend, you're enemy, and she doesn't spend time thinking about or empathizing with the enemy. She only spends mental energy thinking about protecting her friends.

Mbege - Mbege isn't a 'risk it all on a prayer' type by nature. He'll do what he can, when he can, where he can. But he recognizes when he's out of his league, and he's willing to back away, regroup, and if possible, get help.

Dick - Very similar to Styxx, he would go to the ends of the earth except if it would put innocent lives at risk. Dick would do almost anything, call anyone and everyone, make every plan and ever contingency he could- but he wouldn't risk innocent lives even for someone he loves.

Jason - Would happily kill for the person he loves, would definitely rip through cities to find them. Could not kill an innocent for the one he loves, but is probably much more ruthless about not letting it get to that point. Kill the bad guy immediately, and they'll never have a chance to make it an 'innocent vs. your loved one' choice.

Gina - Similar to Mbege, she's more a planner, a tactician; she's more likely to enlist help and organize than she is to go racing headlong into danger.

Blaise - Honestly? .... 50/50 he lets you die. He was only kind of into you to begin with.

#louis warren. / headcanons #styxx anaxkolasi. / headcanons #fox. / headcanons #j. mbege. / headcanons #dick grayson. / headcanons #jason todd. / headcanons #gina martin. / headcanons #blaise zabini. / headcanons #cerci london. / headcanons

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ao3robin215 · 2 years

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Nothing Is The Same As Before [Excerpt]

“I feel like I haven’t stopped crying in over a year. I want it to stop.”

“Understandably so, but… Do you think leaving will help you with that?”

“It helped you, didn’t it?”

“Yes. To a certain capacity. But, thinking back on it, maybe I could’ve done so and stuck around. You’ve all been so kind to me, always. Maybe I could’ve given it a shot, at least.” Robin sighed. “I do have my fair share of regrets. I wish things would’ve been different.”

“I wish that too.” Lissa said. “I- I wish that too, so badly. Sometimes I think that… If I hadn’t been born, there’d be one less burden in the House of Ylisse…” Her voice cracked as she said that last part.

“W-why do you think that, Lissa?” It was quite a surprise. If he counted the number of times she had saved his life… So many lives…

“I… I am weak and small. People say I need to get my act together and act like a true Princess. Even when… Even when there was war, I always needed rescuing. I… Don’t… D-don’t even have the Brand…” She started to cry. “Did… Naga not bless me? Did the Exalted Bloodline end with me? I… Can’t do anything , Robin.”

Robin didn’t exactly know what to say. Her reasoning was natural. The expectations were too many and she hadn’t met them from birth…

The tactician stood up and took the teapot from the fire, setting it aside to step on the fire and put it out. He then took a seat beside Lissa and let himself fall onto the soft grass.

“Robin?”

“Lie with me, Lissa. There’s something I want to tell you.”

Lissa, without much hesitation, did as she was told.

“Look at the sky. Tell me, what do you see?”

“Stars.”

“How many?”

“That’s a silly question.”

“Even if it is, all questions deserve to be answered.”

Lissa sighed. “I don’t know! Many. A lot. Thousands, no… Millions. Uncountable.”

Robin chuckled. “That’s right. Uncountable. Do you see the constellations, Lissa?”

Lissa nodded. “We were taught… Yes.”

“What would happen if you remove one of the stars from Naga’s Tail?”

“Well… It wouldn’t be Naga’s Tail anymore. Maybe it’d look more like… A bean.”

Robin laughed “Yeah…”

“Are you saying that we’re like stars?”

“In a way.”

“... What if I am not part of Naga’s constellation, Robin? What if I was one of those other millions of stars? If one of them disappeared, no one would notice.”

“Perhaps… But the night sky would definitely be a little less bright. And there will come a time when that star fades into nothing.”

“Stars fade?”

“Inevitably. They do. After a long long time, they do. And new stars appear too. After a long long time, they do. It’s just a matter of when.” Robin sighed. “You can leave if you want, Lissa. I will not stop you, but no one can deny that you are part of the House of Ylisse, and the House will definitely lose one of its stars if you do. You might be able to shine somewhere else, but lone stars definitely shine less than constellations. I would not remove a single star from Naga.” How long it’d taken him to understand that… Too long… Hopefully, Lissa would understand that faster and without a fraction of the suffering he had gone through.

They both fell silent and watched how all of the stars faded away once the sun started to rise. The sky became gentle shades of pinks and blues for a few minutes.

“And even when the sun is out, the stars are still there…” Lissa reflected.

Robin nodded. “Definitely. Just because we can’t see them right now, doesn’t mean that they aren’t there, shining.”

“I… Don’t think I want to leave my constellation.”

After watching the sunrise for a while more, Robin stood up and extended his hand toward Lissa. “Come on, then. I am sure Chrom is worried sick.”

----

A section of a Robin and Lissa scene. I think Lissa's character could've and should've been treated like more than the princess child. She has a lot of potential from a narrative standpoint.

You can find the fanfic on AO3. It's called "Nothing Is The Same As Before" and it's a ftm Robin x Chrom slowburn dead dove retelling of the entire game. Check it out if you're into that kinda thing.

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booksandwords · 1 year

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Strong Wine by A.J. Demas

Series: Sword Dance, #3 Read time: 2 Days Rating: 5/5

The quote: “Divine Terza. Yes, of course. And I’m supposed to be the tactician.” “Yes, dear,” said Varazda, patting his shoulder, “but I’m the spy.” — Damiskos and Varazda

Strong Wine is such a perfect ending to the Sword Dance trilogy. Works on the idea of connection. Though there is a persistent storyline between Sword Dance, Saffaron Alley and Strong Wine, I think they could theoretically be read independently. There is so much more to be enjoyed from reading all of them in sequence. It is worth that knowing, epilogue excluded the Sword Dance series takes place over about six months. It's quite a short time frame. I do really recommend it for a series that plays with gender, sexuality and presentation. Varazda and Damiskos have this wonderful and endearing relationship with boundaries and limits that are respected and diverse family dynamics. I do think it is the only series I have ever read that treats eunuchs with such respect. Respecting humanity, identity and potential for sexual nature.

Onto Strong Wine itself. It could be argued that Sword Dance is Damiskos's story, Saffaron Alley Varazda's, following this line of thought Strong Wine is their story. Unlike the previous two which are single perspectives, this is alternating. As you would expect is a book that starts with a happy and fairly stable couple shenanigans ensue to disrupt them. Some of this is partly their fault. But there is a sweetness to the lack of communication while we are in both Varazda and Damiskos's heads we know they want the same things a life. They both want to live together with Yazata, Ariston, Remi (and maybe Kallisto) in Boukos and both mention a child. But these two are not good with the words. What they are clear on is that family is important. We do get to see growth in the relationship some reflection on where they started. I kinda want to go back and reread Sword Dance just so I can relive their relationship.

On the story. It does well to tie up the plot lines from the previous books and leave readers happy. There is racism in play as the story moves from the more progressive Boukos to the less tolerant Pheme. This racism is of course directed at Varazda and it is handled well, both by him and the author. The racism fits contextually and isn't extreme. It also lets us see a reminder of exactly how ballsy Varazda can be, like confronting Dami's family in full Zash attire. The plot is paced just right and uses the characters to their best advantage. There is very black and white though some people are definitely leaning more one way than the other. Ino is a gem. I liked her instantly as is intended. The lovely lady is a pawn in a game she has no control over, as I'm guessing most women would be in this fictional world. She is written in such a way that it is clear to the reader that there is no threat there and you want her happiness. You want her to have what is hers and to chase her dreams. Better Varazda likes her too. The other great character is Timiskos, Dami's younger half-brother. I just adore him. He's trying and he's sweet and he's been through a bit for his family. I kinda hope that A.J. writes a spin-off with Timiskos as a protagonist.

Have a comment dump.

“You see how happy he is now? You see how the strain is gone from his eyes, how much more easily and genuinely he smiles? I did that.” — (Varazda) There is so much love and pride at this moment and it's beautiful.

Kallisto and her cameo made me smile. She is strong but there are some times when she is shy. And I'm happy about that.

There is something that both Varazda and Dami consider a hamfisted declaration of love or a statement of intention but I really think it's romantic especially for them. Where cohabitation is not done easily.

“I’m not engaged,” he said, because he wasn’t about to begin spinning a web of lies. “But I am not free to marry.” — (Damiskos) This is a polite way to hide the relationship while saying no. But it's still effective.

He snickered at the idea of a dream messenger from Dami. It would have been kitted out in a crisp uniform, and would probably have marched. — (Varazda) And at this moment I was laughing because I could see it.

“No! Five days. And yes.” “What?” Kallisto pushed him toward a seat at the table. “No, he hasn’t had a letter from Damiskos. It’s been five days since Damiskos left. And yes, Varazda has written him. You and Yazata really need to stop pestering him. Damiskos is his lover.” — (Varazda and Kallisto) I appreciate the love that Asterion and Yatza have for Dami. The ability to acknowledge how happy he makes Varazda.

Varazda’s second letter was short and written in Zashian. It was a passage from the Tales of Suna, carefully copied out: the song of the moon fairy pining for her absent lover. — (Damiskos) This is so romantic. Varazda is a romantic.

Varazda didn’t even glare, in any way worthy of the name—not like Damiskos knew he was capable of glaring—but his look was enough to make Korinna shrink back in her chair. It was deeply satisfying. — (Damiskos) This is such a gift to give a character.

“You’ve taught me so much about love. I don’t think I would have understood, before you, that saying ‘yes’ to my parents over this—sacrificing my happiness for something that wouldn’t really be good for any of us—might be dutiful, but it wouldn’t be loving. You taught me about happiness, too. You make me actually believe in it.” — (Damiskos) Okay so Dami is also a romantic. Just in a different way to his lover.

And Zashians never really understood about suicide, that for Pseuchaians it wasn’t always a choice of sordid desperation, but could be a dignified exit, the last way to do the honourable thing. — (Damiskos) Oh I love this cultural difference. This is quite a common thing, suicide as an honourable act but it can be hard to understand if you aren't raised in that kind of culture.

The only thing I'm kinda sad about in Strong Wine is we don't see anything of Varazda and Damiskos performing, especially Varazda. The series is named for his skill with a blade and ability to dance. But it really is a bit nitpicky.

#strong wine #sword dance #a.j. demas #book review #ktreviews #read 2021 #queer #i adore the enby varazda #booklr

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argonavistactics · 5 years

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a bit overdue but i’m excited about elincia finally joining the fray! for how central to the narrative she is she really should have had more agency. still, the game does a good job of balancing all the different plot threads it establishes

#notes from the tactician #definitely on the better end of the complex plot scale for fe #i get that elincia isn't a natural fighter but it would've been cool if they made her show this resolve sooner & be more of an active figure #it would've helped further establish how she inspires hope in the crimeans #i like her but she's definitely a case of telling & not showing

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bambiswriting · 3 years

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Comforting Rex - headcanons!

Warnings: None! Just fluffy stuff!

A/N: Now that I am a so-deemed “Rexpert” by @rebeldaydreams, I thought I’d supply some Rex headcanons! These started as hug hcs but now they’re more “what would comfort and calm Rex between missions?”

I knew I needed to get my first writing on this account out the way otherwise I’d keep being scared to post and never would have 😂 A huge thank you to @rebeldaydreams for encouraging me to start this blog up and for bouncing ideas off my rambles!

Reader is a tactician for the 501st who was sent at the behest of the Jedi council. They wanted to round out Anakin's battle plans to be more consistent and less of the "I'm gonna make some sarky comments and cut some droids down" attitude. Rex and reader go on nearly every campaign together aside from when reader is on leave (not being Kaminoan property means she is legally required to take more time off field). The two develop a relationship during the clone wars, but they try to keep it on the downlow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rex is naturally a physically affectionate person, which shocked you at first. Maybe he's touch starved? He doesn't really get much physical comfort while on duty (which probably attributes for his stoic role Captaining the 501st) aside from the occasional pat on the back from Fives or high five from Ahsoka, so at ease in your quarters he can just revel in it. And actually, it's through this ease with you that he starts to naturally extend a bit more affection to his brothers, while still keeping it professional, of course.

You wouldn't call him needy by any stretch, but you can definitely tell when he's yearning for your touch. If you have a day together around the apartment but you're preoccupied by cooking or other chores, you'll get an occasional pry for love from him. He comes towards you with his arms open in question, and sighs contentedly when you step into them. He loves holding his hand against the back of your head and squishing his face into your hair. He loves just inhaling the smell of you.

Another thing you realise about Rex is how much he enjoys soft things. You bought him a bunch of civilian clothes to wear at your place when you first started dating. Mainly comfy pyjama bottoms and shirts for him to lounge around in. You know that anywhere else in the galaxy he can't just fall into relaxation and calm, so you do your best to give him that environment to come to when possible. Anything to lift the burden of war.

You have this one blanket that hangs over the back of your sofa, so similar to how he requests hugs, on the colder days he shuffles up behind you with the blanket draped around his shoulders like a bat and pulls it around you, too. He wraps his arms across your torso and nuzzles his chin into your shoulder.

If he's moving past you, he ghosts his hand along your waist. Expect a warm cheek kiss, too. If you're lost in thought and don't acknowledge the first kiss, he comes back in and peppers you with an abundance of kisses.

Rex likes being the big spoon. He takes great pride in being the one to keep you safe and protected. He often wonders if you were destined to be together through the ways of the Force due to how perfectly your bodies fit together. He loves the way you curl into his side.

But that doesn’t mean he’s not sometimes the little spoon. After particularly hard missions like Umbara he comes trudging in through the door and tries to pretend he's fine until eventually you press him to come settle. You assume the big spoon position. He lays his head in your lap and gets really relaxed when you lightly scratch and trail your fingers across his scalp. He likes pressing his ear right against your chest because it calms him hearing your heartbeat. It’s a huge anchor for him to know you’re alive.

If you hold him tight enough he’ll eventually open up, whether that be through anger - not directed at you, you’re just the person he’s channelling his feelings to - or through crying. When this happens his forehead is clenched and he’s biting his lip to remain composed until eventually a few tears spill onto you. Sometimes it stops there, other times the dam breaks and he starts weeping. You rub firm circles between his shoulder blades and press kisses to the side of his head.

Despite being grown in a test tube and having no nurturing intervention as a child, you also discover that it’s comforting to him when you make gentle shushing sounds. You suppose it’s the ‘S’ syllable, like the sea gently lulling him into peace. Sometimes swaying him helps, too.

Rex is a naturally warm person, like a human furnace. He doesn't like when you press your feet against his because anything less than his body temperature is cold to him. He gets all grumbly initially but eventually just smiles at the way you rub them back and forth against him to create friction. He enjoys having your legs tangled up with his when you have cozy mornings in bed together. It makes him feel connected to you.

Back to hair. If your hair is long enough he plays with it. He twirls it round his finger and brushes his cheek against it. He loves how soft it is. But watch out, he does it to relax when stressed so you definitely have some broken hair from the tight twisting of strands. When he eventually finds out about it, he's mortified, and apologises profusely.

He's a really light sleeper. He would have to be as a Captain, used to short pitstops of rest on campaigns and disturbed sleep if a squad of clankers happen upon his men. So if he dozes off while snuggling, make sure you're in a comfortable position, because any slight movement or sound is enough to wake him up.

#captain rex x reader #captain rex x female reader #captain rex #the clone wars #tcw fanfic #self insert #female reader #star wars #sw fanfic #headcanons #my writing #sw self insert #tcw self insert #this ended up being really long lol

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