#(also hfw/burning shores below the cut)

[robo-dino-puppy]

horizontober 2023 | 15: train (watch out grazer training dummies!)

(bonus below the cut)

[thisfairytalegonebad]

I finished HFW: Burning Shores and I have some thoughts below the cut, but be warned, there's spoilers

First things first I liked the story and I like how it ties in with the story of the base game. The new map was pretty, though it felt a little, hm, empty for its size. I am a bit disappointed by the new machines, mainly because the new machines in Frozen Wilds were so fucking cool so this felt somewhat underwhelming (and my god, the bileguts are a pain to fight, I hate fighting any machine that launches at me like that (looking at you, clamberjaws)). Diving with the waterwing is fun, but other than the one quest that needed me to use it underwater, I haven't really used the feature much.

What I actually wanted to talk about though was the romance storyline. Aloy is incredibly cute when she gets a little crush and I greatly enjoyed watching her like that, and man, she sure knows how to pick 'em - Seyka is SO pretty! Not gonna lie though, I'm a little sad about the development because Aloy has been dear to me as an aroace and I've always headcanoned her as such, so I'm a bit sad at having to let that go (not that my headcanon can't still exist, but it's still different after having canon confirm something else, and I liked playing the games without her showing interest in anyone, that felt really nice and validating).

Also, I've seen articles discuss it like "Burning Shores adds what Forbidden West was lacking" and "Burning Shores finally adds the romance Aloy needed" in reference to that development, and hoo boy that sure pisses me off. I can't stand the way it's framed as something negative that she never showed interest in anyone before and that it's something this DLC finally "fixed". Sometimes, it's easy to forget that most people don't even know aromanticism exists, and things like these bring me back to reality in a very unpleasant way.

I don't really know how to end this post, I just had a few thoughts and while I'm certainly pleasantly surprised by this development, I can't help but feel a sense of loss too, and I wanted to try putting that into words, but I don't feel like I've done a very good job, haha.

[5ellaal5]

What is secret between friends? (interlude in completed series)

I decided that I am proud of the glorious plot-heavy canon-compliant smut I wrote earlier this year and should probably share it on Tumblr. It’s canon compliant Kotaloy but I’m also a multi shipper and enjoy exploring NPC POV.

Series: Trust, and the Release Will Come Interlude after Part 2, after Singularity but before Burning Shores, before everyone goes their separate ways

image description/text below the cut

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Horizon (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Aloy/Kotallo (Horizon), Aloy & GAIA Gang (Horizon) Characters: Aloy (Horizon), Beta (Horizon), Alva (Horizon), Erend (Horizon), Zo (Horizon), Kotallo (Horizon) Additional Tags: Fluff, SPOILERS, Post-Horizon: Forbidden West Gemini (Horizon), Pre-Game: Horizon Forbidden West: The Burning Shores, Aloy Is Bad at Feelings (Horizon), Non-Consensual Exposing, No beta we hide like Nora in our home, Long-Distance Relationship, Demisexual Aloy (Horizon), Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, HopePunk, Trust, Healthy Relationships, Everyone is Queer, Neuroqueer, Neurodivergent GAIA Gang, Autistic Aloy (Horizon), Headcanon, Autistic Beta (Horizon), Asexual Beta (Horizon), Found Family, Grief/Mourning, Agender Alva (Horizon) Series: Part 4 of Trust, and the Release Will Come Summary:

A respite, with surprises. Post H:FW game ending (e.g. Post "Singularity"), pre-Burning Shores DLC expansion

excerpt FULL OF SPOILERS if you haven't finished HFW, which is also an image description

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Aloy was enjoying this moment of togetherness before life pulled them all apart again, sitting in the common room on the couch with Alva and Beta. 

Sylens was… somewhere, not in the Base. Hunting, or delving ruins, or perhaps spying on the Tenakth or Utaru. Who knew, with him?

Zo was outside, East, meditating at Varl’s grave with her hand on her belly, and Aloy had just come in from bringing her tea. They had smiled at each other but not exchanged words. It was nice to just be with people, even in shared sadness. To not be imparting intel or debriefing a mission. 

Erend had recently come back from Machine hunting and had gone to use the bathing facilities.

Kotallo had left some days ago to do a circuit as Marshal for Chief Hekarro, mentoring Kavvoh who had just survived the latest Kulrut. Kotallo finally got to do his Kundrat, and her whole team went to watch and cheer as he re-entered his cherished Tenakth community.

The light conversation between her sister and her friend had paused. Alva had looked around conspiratorially, checking doorways.

“Hey, Aloy. I’ve been meaning to ask…” they started, grinning mischievously.

Aloy, at peace with everything and happy to help a friend, smiled.

“What?”

“So,” Alva’s chin nudged upwards suggestively. “Kotallo. How big is he?”