#;; AND THE DRAGON DREAMS ARE TIED TO FATE AND THE DESTINY OF THE VERY UNIVERSE!!! BECAUSE THEY'RE LINKED TO THE DRAGONS!!

[kaerinio]

seeing emily's old valyria thoughts is making me think about how . . . the targaryens weren't even the strongest family in valyria?? they were dragonlords, yes. but they were nowhere near being a top family?? and the power of their house is just so deeply separate from every westerosi house because of the dragons (like, they're just on another level in terms of . . . well every notion/school of power). but, imagine if one of the top families had settled in westeros instead of the targaryens???

[davidmann95]

So, what's the deal with Kingdom Hearts? I mean, it's a Disney/Final Fantasy crossover, right? Hard to see why would that cause such dedicated whatever.

I’ve had this in my drafts for a while, and given today’s the series’ 17th anniversary it seems like the time to finally get back and finish it. Simple answer: the music slaps and you just want the soft children to get to go home.

Long answer: Even now people joke about the baseline absurdity of a universe in which Donald Duck can go toe-to-toe with Cloud, and while I think 17 years in we’re past the point where it’s time to accept that this is just a part of the landscape for these characters, yes, that does remain objectively bonkers. It’s not a natural, intuitive combination like your JLA/Avengers, this is Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe-level “well, I suppose they both exist in…the, uh, medium of visual storytelling” stuff, other than I suppose that they both tend towards fantasy in this case. And then that whole wacko premise got hijacked by Tetsuya Nomura for an extended epoch-spanning drama driven by labyrinthine, (occasionally literal) dream logic mythology where it’s genuinely impossible to tell at this point what’s being thrown in by the seat of the creators’ pants and what was planned out since day one, pretty much casting aside the franchises that were in theory the main appeal as relevant parts of the plot even as you still hang out with Baymax from Big Hero 6. Step back even a touch, and there will always be a whiff of derangement about the entire affair - it’s simply baked in at this point.

My controversial opinion however: it’s actually good. There are structural issues and awkward moments and aspects ill-served, I’d never deny that, but even diehard lifelong Kingdom Hearts fans tend towards prefacing appreciation with at least two or three levels of irony and self-critique. I suppose it’s in part a response to the general reaction to it I mentioned before, but no, I absolutely think these are genuinely good, ambitious stories build on a foundation that’s still holding strong. An important note in service of that point: Winnie the Pooh, maybe Hercules, and with III Toy Story aside, I have basically zero childhood nostalgia for any of the properties involved. Wasn’t a huge Disney kid outside maybe very very early childhood, and only dabbled with Final Fantasy after the fact (still intend to play through XV someday though). It won me over young, yes, but on its own.

The building blocks help: the characters designs are great, the individual Disney settings in their platonic representations of various locales and landscapes make perfect towns packed with quirky locals to roam through on your quest, the Final Fantasy elements are tried and tested for this sort of thing, the original worlds each have their own unique aesthetics and touchstones and come out lovely, by my estimation the gameplay’s fun adventure/slasher stuff even if it’s had ups and downs over the years, the actors largely bring it, it all looks pretty, and as noted, the score is as good as it gets. They’re games that look, sound, and play good made up of component parts that unify into a sensible whole. And for me, the scope and convolution of the plot that so many leap at as the easy target - with its memory manipulations and replicas and time travel and ancient prophecies and possessions and hearts grown from scratch and universes that live in computers and storybooks and dreams - is half the appeal; I live for that kind of nonsense. Not that folks aren’t justified as hell in taking jabs at it, but I’ll admit I often quietly raise an eyebrow when I see the kind of people I tend to follow having an unironic laugh at it given *gestures toward the last 40 years of superhero comics*.

All that through is ultimately window dressing. The most powerful appeal of Kingdom Hearts is I suppose hidden if you’re going by commercials and isolated GIFs and whatnot, and even the bulk of the content of the average Disney world, charming as they are. It’s deceptively easy to pick out something else as the fundamental appeal too; even if I’d call them incredibly well-executed examples of such the character archetypes it deals in are relatively broad, and while it handles the necessary shifts in its tone from fanciful Disney shenanigans to apocalyptic cosmic showdowns for the heart of all that is with incredible skill - and that might be its most unique aspect, and certainly a critical one - a lot of that comes down to raw technical ability on the part of the writers, appropriate dramatic buildup, and demarcation between environments and acts of the story.

The real heart of the matter, to speak to my typical audience, is that Kingdom Hearts in a profound way resembles 1960s Superman comics and stories inspired by the same: it’s 90% dopey lovely cornball folk tale stuff, until every now and again it spins around and sucker punches you in the goddamn soul with Extremely Real Human Shit. Except here instead of being lone panels and subtext, it builds and builds throughout each given adventure until it takes over and flips for the finale from fairytale to fantasy epic.

That can probably be credited directly to Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi suggesting to Tetsuya Nomura to try treating this weird gig seriously instead of as the licensed cash-in it seemed destined to be, since if this didn’t have a soul the target audience would recognize it. But in spite of that seriousness, it’s perhaps its most joyfully mocked aspect in its entirely unselfconscious dedication to making Hearts and Feelings and Light and/or Darkness the most important things in the universe that lets it do what it does. It’s childish in the most primal way, absolutely, but what that translates to is that there aren’t cosmic or personal stakes that swap places as major or subsidiary at any given point, because in this world they’re always literally the same thing. There’s no major relationship where the fate of a primal power or a last chance at salvation doesn’t ultimately hang in the balance depending on how it shakes out, and there’s no prophecy or ultimate weapon or grand scheme that doesn’t have direct, fundamental ramifications on the life of an innocent or the memories that define them or whether they’ll ever be able to find a place to call home. ‘Hearts’ is an all-encompassing theme, whether in strength of will or redemption or questions of personhood or the ties that bind us, and by making it a literal source of power, it lends personal dimension to the unfathomable universal and the grand weight of destiny to whether or not someone can come to terms with who they want to be or apologize to those they’ve wronged. It’s a world where emotional openness and personal growth ultimately works the same way and achieves the same results as doing calisthenics in five hundred times Earth’s gravity does in Dragon Ball. and it’s tender and exuberant and thoughtful enough where it counts to take advantage of that as a storytelling engine.

That’d be why Sora works so well as the main character, because he straddles the line most directly between those poles. He may stand out as a spiky anime boy when actually next to Aladdin and the rest, but when it comes down to it he’s a Disney character, just a really nice, cheeky, dopey kid who wants to hang out with his friends and go on an adventure and believes in people really really hard. As the stranger in a strange land he’s a tether to a wider, sometimes more somber and weighty world when he’s sticking his head into the movie plots, but when he’s in the midst of stacked-up conspiracies and mythic wars that make all seem lost, he’s the one whose concerns remain purely, firmly rooted in the lives of those connected to him. Other characters get to go out there into bleak questions of self-identity or forgiveness, but while he might wrestle with doubt and fear Sora’s the guy who holds the ship steady and reminds all these classic heroes and flawed-yet-resolute champions and doomed Chosen Ones what they’re fighting for by just being a really good dude.

Given superhero comics are my bread and butter it doesn’t come up much, but Kingdom Hearts is really about as foundational to the landscape of my imagination as Superman and company, and while 100% that’s in part because it came into my life early it didn’t take hold by chance. It manages its stakes and its drama in a way and on a scale unlike just about anything else I’ve ever seen (even prior to getting to the weird mythology stuff that’s so profoundly up my alley), and somehow the aesthetics and gameplay and dialogue and all the million and one details that needed to come together to facilitate that story joined together into something that’s become one of the most curious, beloved touchstones of its medium. It’s a small, lovely bastion of warmth and sincerity in a way that only feels more like a breath of fresh air with time, playing out over decades a bunch of kids’ journeys to try and find the people they love most and help them and go home together when everything in the universe seems to be against them. It’s special in ways that will for me always be unique and meaningful, and I’m glad it seems to have plenty more in it before it’s through.

And seriously THAT MUSIC.

[menollywanderer]

iRules:

1. Always post the rules

2. Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you

3. Write 11 questions of your own

4. Tag 11 people

I was tagged by @elbywoggit, @theswtorblog, @tethys-the-aquatic-sea-godness

I got tagged 3 times! I love you guys:-)

@elbywoggit questions:

1. If you could choose any one magical superpower, what would it be?

   Teleportation, I love to travel and see the world and being able to just teleport there would be so awesome.

2. What is your favorite Star Wars species? Why?

   I mostly play humans but I really do love the Cathar.

3. Ramble a little about your favorite SW Universe character, and why they’re your favorite.

   R2-D2, the best little astromech this side of the known universe. He is brilliant, knows all the things and for a droid he cares for all his friends. Never has a few clicks and noises conveyed such emotion. He is definitely my fave.

4. Which mythological creature do you identify with the most?

   Dragon, yup no contest.

5. So you’ve been given a device to transport yourself to any fictional universe, permanently. Do you use it? Which one do you go to?

   Pern, the land of dragon riders and master harpers. The planet where you can have tiny dragons as friends.

6. #1 Guilty pleasure?

   Cherry Coke, it has no nutritional value but every now and then its so freakin' good.

7. I’m stealing this from cystemic but: Choose your 5 person video game dream team.

   Lol that would probably be a battle between space husbands (I include Arcann in this) and Thedas husbands. However if I made up a team outside of them, HK-55, Cassandra because she is awesome, Lord Scourge because I think him and Cassandra might enjoy trading stories. T7 since I probably can't have R2-D2.

8. Current favorite song

   Group of songs actually. It is my current muse music https://youtu.be/A8qMyBWZNw0

9. Holy crap! You’re a vampire! Or a werewolf. Zombie? Now that you’re a creature of the night, do you accept your fate and welcome your new life? Or do you fight your new hungers, tendencies, etc.?

   Vampire, a child of the night, sun burns us precious! I would accept it because I would have no choice but I wouldn't let it define me. I would not be a monster.

10. Continuing from 9, if you could pass on your Creature type to another person or people, would you? Who would you choose?

   I wouldn't subject anyone else to it,

11. Do you believe in destiny?

   Unlike Arcann, yes I do.

@theswtorblog questions:

1.  Favorite musician?

   I don't really have just one, I like several. John Williams is high on the list though. Soundtracks are my thing.

2.  Do you like memes?  What are your favorites?

   The one with the lady looking incredulous and the guy too.

3.  Do you have any pets that aren’t a cat or a dog?

   Not right now no, just pups and kitty's

4.  If you could have any mythical creature as a pet, what would you have?

   Dragon!

5.  Favorite video game memory?

   Favorite and also most heartbreaking because it made me feel! The Tresspasser DLC with a romanced Solas. I still haven't recovered. Also the Dawn Will Come song.

6.  Any musical guilty pleasures?

   Jpop :-)

7.  Favorite album?

   Again, I am a great lover of many forms of music

8.  If you could time travel to any period in history, where would you go and why?

   Medieval England, just to see that its not all jousts and faire fun so that when I come back I will appreciate the "Modern" ones more:-)

9.  Something you’re proud of?

   All my travels. I live in an area where the people think the next town over is too far out of their comfort zone.

10.  Is there something you used to hate or be afraid of, but now love?

   Garlic, hated the stuff for most of my childhood now it's so damn good.

11.  Do you follow any vloggers?

   Yes! My friends archaeology channel on you tube. He puts a ton of effort into each one and they are so cool. Archaeonomy

@tethys-the-aquatic-sea-godness questions:

1.What’s the very first ship you remember shipping?

   Lady Amalthea and Prince Lear...still haven't recovered from that either.

2.Anything you used to love but now hate?

   Pizza, I used to love it like any normal person but since I OD'd on it from reading books a lot and getting lots of pizza as a reward I won't touch it now.

3.Do you ever get emotional over fictional characters? (I know I do)

   A better question would be if I ever DON'T get emotional over fictional characters. I tend to get far too attached to fictional people.

4.Something of your childhood you regret?

   Not being home when my dog died:-(

5.Did you or do you have dreams about what you wanted to do?

   I have dreams of traveling, which is what I would like to do more of. I sometimes have a restless spirit.

6.Forest, seaside or mountain, what do you prefer?

   I enjoy them all but seaside is my favorite. The raw power of the sea, the endless distance...its so calming.

7.Which super power would you like to have?

   Teleportation so I can get places I normally can't very easily :-)

8.Were you ever so disappointed by a game/book/series/whatever-you-can-think-of that you quit it completely?

   Ferngully, the movie, I stopped watching halfway through and never went back. Read the book though. The destruction of the rainforest was just to much to handle. Also a book series called Blood Ties? I think it was. The main characters had been all angsty dancing around each other but by the fourth chapter they had sex. I lost interest, their sexual tension was a draw to the series and they just blew it. Don't jump too quickly into sex scenes kids.

  9.Would you rather have magic or futuristic science?

   Magic!

10.Which language would you love to speak? If you already love a language you speak, what is it?

   I took Japanese classes in college and love it, I just wish I could speak it better than I do.

11.Have you ever been in love? (no prying, just a bit curious)

I cared deeply for someone once, I am not sure it was love but I think I don't have a great idea what real love actually is.

My questions now!

1. If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?

2. What is your favorite movie and/or book of all time?

3. If you could go back in time and talk to one famous person, who would it be?

4. Have any pets? What are their names? (stole this one from someone lol)

5. Favorite season?

6. Who is your favorite character in the Star Wars universe, if you have one?

7. Do you eat your veggies?

8. What is your number one pet peeve?

9. Favorite color?

10. If you could change one thing about your past, what would it be?

11. What is your favorite video game NPC?

Answer only if you want of course :-)

My apologies if you have already been tagged.

Tagging @aearyn @bishop-legacy @greyias @jediserenity82 @angelicfangirl @swtorramblings @fer8girl @toomanyoperatives  and anyone else interested.

As always only if you want to:-)

[thenewtdimension]

It all points to you - pt.1

Pairing: Newt Scamander x Reader Prompt: Soulmate AU requested by anon. One shot(x) or Chapter (x) pt.1/2 || (next part) Word count: 2.3k Warnings: none Genre: Fluff? Maybe a Tiny Speck of angst? A/N: I’m tremendously sorry for all the tardiness!! University has started so it’s all gotten pretty hectic.. to make it to to you, I’ve decided this is gonna be a two chapter fic! The next chapter will be probably uploaded next week tho, as I have yet to finish it. Also, this isn’t some of my best work.. it really isn’t...so please bear with me. Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors!

The world seemed to work in odd, surprising ways. For every person existed another, tied together by an inconspicuous red string of fate. Those, no one could see, though they had no reason to. On each person's wrist lay imprinted a compass, working restlessly all hour of every day of every year, hoping for the bearers' attention to glance their way just at the right moment, just at the right second the string's ends could intertwine.

At least half of the population was a result of this, of having been aware at the time their half crossed their path. They were, mostly, the married and the bearers of children.

Some say it destiny proven to be true. Yet in the back of most people's minds flashed a thought very possible. That is, while they say that, one way or another, pairs will have more than one chance to meet, there are those who never stop wondering.

The world didn't play on destiny, it played on chance. And being a horrible gambler yourself, you decided to ignore all thoughts of attempting to find the person at the end of your shared string. If you were to meet, so be it. You believed it was better not to force it.

If voiced aloud, some would call you mad - you see, no one wanted to end up alone. No one. So everyone, or almost everyone, tried their very hardest - obsessed, actually, over the burden the compass ensued.

Eventually, you came to hide such a thing. You became negligent to the idea, completely absorbed in your own little world instead. Being a witch left little time for those types of worries to cross your mind, either way.

You had developed a love for Herbology and healing since childhood. After graduating Hogwarts you were thankful to have gotten a permit to open up a small herb shop - while also being able to operate as an emergency healer if needed. As of late, however, you had planned to close the store for the time being and restock on some fresh herbs and fungi.

It was a routine you had created thus far. Each month the shop would be closed for a few days and you'd go around either Britain or a wider range of European land in search for this fungi or that plant.

Dusting your apron, already used to the various shades of green and red and other variety of colors splattered on it, you went to help the last costumer of the day.

"Dearie, you will be back by Monday won't you?" A feeble old lady, Mrs. Hobbs, asked. She was a regular, often coming to you instead of St. Mungo's (something about long procedures and lack of patience) for a checkup and some remedies. She was sweet, and you were grateful for the conformity she brought to your life.

You smiled, "Yes, Mrs. Hobbs. Monday at 8 o'clock, as per usual."

Returning your cheeky expression and holding on to her cane, you escorted her as she made her way out.

"I will see you then, dear. Oh, remember to let your compass breath before something bad happens, understood?"

Midway, her words began fading with distance, but you waved and chuckled before the words sunk in. Right. The compass. She must have noticed you had it concealed.

Closing the door with a click, activating the shudders and putting up both a lock and a protection charm, you took off your apron before giving your second home a last look and apparating in your apartment. You had tuned your actions to 'automatic,' truly lacking a desire to think about such things, about soulmates and the myths around them.

But after being days without seeing it, you couldn't help but take off the think piece of silk that covered it. And you stared. On your wrist it glared, arrow still moving lethargically erratic and without rest. It was always like that. Not just for yourself, but for the people that hadn't found their halves as well.

Sighing, you covered it again.

It wasn't that you were against soulmates or finding 'the other half,' you were just too tired to make it your whole life's purpose or sole ambition. So you hid that 'part of life' away and continued onward. At that age, however, people had begun to ask questions. Why weren't you trying to find that person? You could just ignore it, why hide it? You were constantly told to not mess with destiny and whatever it had in store for you. To not hide it for it was central to one's being. Which is why you understood why Mrs. Hobbs said what she did.

After having it hidden for so long, your nights and dreams had become dreadful and dark in a literal sense. Lately it even seeped into your days, a sense of gray overshadowing the passing hours. You suspected it had to do with lack of interest and chase in the matter, but you hadn't put such theories to the test. Not even at night did the silk band come off.

Of course, you weren't going to put it to the test now, for you didn't want to stare at it. Instead, you went and packed some important instruments in your favorite comfy leather bag.

Then, in a manner of seconds, you were far from home again.

The forests of Scotland were amongst your favorites. The different shades of greens soothed your eyes, the barks offering solace and ground when their branches took you too far, be it by imagination or distance. Even when they got thick and the fog reached your knees, you wanted to explore and often kept going. Every new discovery was appreciated and fawned over, from every new herb found to the creatures that scattered about and sometimes hid from your presence.

You apparated into one of the forest's clearings, and carefully got to work. Your feet swiftly took you towards the well-known trees and bushes, while your eyes scanned around for the fungi spots already imprinted in your memory.

It didn't take long to get to your favorite tree. It stood right before a clearing's pathways and the beauty it displayed could leave anyone breathless. The evergreen leaves and the hanging moss swayed in the wind, while its white flowers peppered the air.

You neared the tree, hoping to take its beauty in for a second longer before leaving to find some aconite. But as you went to pick one of the flowers mid-flight, a strong gust of wind suddenly shook the branches, the moss almost entangling your body as it trembled and shivered.

As another wave of wind hit you, your arms instinctively went to shield your face as you heard the whistling sound pass by and… was that someone… talking?

Intrigued as to who would be so deep inside a place people seldom ventured, you lowered your arms and went in the direction of the sound.

That was, until warm hands cradled your head, your face pressed against some man's chest. He wore a vest, soft and mustard colored, and you thought it a bit odd before realization settled in. And your body quickly began to protest, but pushed with little force because of your evident confusion.

"Excuse me! Who-"

But the man held you tighter, although with hesitation, and brought you through apparation behind your favorite tree. Just a few seconds after, the wind picked up. It still managed to shake you slightly.

"Shhh," he whispered, somehow stupefying you enough to drown out your protests. Then, the sound of nasty snapping - of trunks splitting in half - and branches crunching as if under feet soon erupted all around you.

Once your eyes were unshielded, and the man gently pushed you away, both the breeze and sounds had practically stopped. But before you could try and talk to him and demand answers, he apparated back where he held you before. You moved around the tree, hurriedly following him. How dare he- Who- what?

"Who do you think you are-" you began but quickly stopped. Your eyes had gone from hard to soft after locking with his own and understanding what was happening. Because you see, right behind the man, and a few feet from you, stood a dragon.

It was a Hebridean Black, with sleek black scales glistening in the dying sunlight. The sheer size of it, cramped in a rough patch of forest and broken trees trunk and branches, and its overpowering aura left you breathless. Now you knew where the cacophony of sounds had come from. The dragon has just landed.

Letting out a surprised yelp, your hands quickly covered your mouth, as the dragon's amethyst orbs pierced your own - and so did the stranger's blue-green ones.

"I'm actually - ah…. W-would you mind bowing a little? He was a bit hard to calm down, you see," the man asked, and almost instantly your body did as he asked. Clearly, you did not know proper dragon etiquette. Besides, considering the situation, you were almost sure he was not there to hurt you - you were more like a casualty.

And that voice… the hushed, amused yet respectful tone… the longer you heard it, the melodic it turned, and your cheeks colored beet red. You had never, ever in your life heard such a beautiful voice. Of course you wanted to comply, at least this once. The thought was slightly concerning, and you decided to lock it away for the moment.

"Thank you… Arthur is rather prideful, he is," he said, voice piercing you despite the low tone. As an afterthought, could have sworn you heard a quiet "not dangerous."

You straightened just in time to see him move swiftly, but with grace, towards the creature before them. He raised his hand, and you resisted the urge to yell that it might not be the best idea. Yet without any problems at all, the dragon nuzzled his head under a man's hand.

It was an odd sight. They were said to be aggressive so you never neared them. But there he was, a curled haired man, cuddling a dragon.

Weren't they supposed to be looked after by a Scottish clan?

"Isn't he supposed to be in an open space?"

The man's curls bopped slightly as he nodded, freckled hand caressing the creature before him. It… started to look more like a dog, truly.

"Yes, but Arthur seemed to have escaped," he murmured, appreciating how you didn't run away screaming at him for being a 'lunatic' or other dreadful names, "When I heard, I- I couldn't stop myself from helping. He's not dangerous, you know…" And he wasn't sure why, but he couldn’t help but reveal his actions to you, either. He figured you deserved it, after being intruded on what he figured was a once peaceful walk. Yet you stayed, and you didn't yell… on the contrary, you had turned curious.

"I see…" you began, "Is it… alright? Are - are you alright?"

Blinking at both questions, he looked at you as if you had gone completely mental. A woman. Asking about the well-being of a dragon - on that day and age. Not only that, but asking the strange man with it if he was alright after he had held her without consent, without asking - even if it was for your protection.

A burning sensation gathered at his cheeks, and he wondered why the question tugged at his heart and warmed his chest, "y-yes... We're both fine, miss���?"

"Oh," you jumped a bit, surprised at your own rudeness and ears heating in embarrassment, "I am (Y/N). (Y/N) (L/N)."

You had begun to move about, picking up a few mushrooms that the wind managed to get out of your bag. It was a distraction, for you knew your feet would lead you closer to them if they had a will on their own. And oh did they lead you closer.

"I've already met.. Arthur, was it?" you asked, gesturing towards the dragon. The man nodded. "But.. What's yours?"

Now only separated by a few feet, you could see him properly. He was very tall and lanky, and you appreciated how it suited him so. The curls atop his head stuck out in every direction - he must have been hit by the wind earlier as well. And his skin, adorned with freckles and light visible scars, was as captivating as his eyes.

His eyes wondered to the ground as he caught your stare, "I'm Newt Scamander," he said and quickly offered his free hand.

You shook it lightly, frowning at the electric current that passed between the touching skins.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Scamander," you said and he scrunched his nose a little.

"Please, just Newt is fine," he murmured, a smile twitching slightly and a hand going for his pocket watch before pocketing it once more.

"It's time to continue now, Arthur. The Macfustys are waiting," he nudged the creature a little, carefully. The dragon let out a grunt like sound that seemed rather whiny, and the man turned back to you.

"Thank you... For your concern," he smiled "and I am deeply sorry for startling you earlier - couldn't have you knocked off your feet now,"

He took a step closer to the dragon before continuing, "Also, seeing as it'll be windy again.. You might want to apparate a few meters out of this area,"

You nodded before moving back, "Yes… and thank you, for shielding me."

The last thing you saw of him was his ghost of a smile, as both of you apparated before Arthur could take flight again. You had left without some of the ingredients.

Once back at your apartment, you let out a shaky breath. The day had been too weird, and you were too tired to do anything but relax.

You were only halfway through the kitchen, with your tea already being prepared in the air, when you noticed your wrist. Its protective silk was gone. And your compass, which once moved incessantly, stood absolutely still.