#(they don't show up in this chapter lol)

[transformers-synergize]

synergize mini update

first couple pages of synergize are illustrated/done. Not sure how long it will take for me to finish the first chapter since it's been a long time since I've done a comic, and those were released page by page, not chapter by chapter.

first two chapters of synergize have been nightmares to write, establishing the world, the characters, the basic lore, the main conflict/main plot while also trying to keep it toneally somewhat consistent with future chapters since this is a introduction and I dont want it to toneally clash to much with future chapter and give off a false impression of what synergize will be like. Beginnings are hard, but it's something I have to do to get to the plots/stories I actually want to write.

also, major thing, take everything posted on this blog with a huge grain of salt, the problem with writing, vs planning is things I originally thought would work, sometimes don't, or I come up with something better while writing, or dynamics change as I flesh them out more. I feel guilty for changing things I shared publicly, but as i writes things are bound to change hopefully for the better. The final say on what is truely canon is the comic. Many things on the blog are out of date or could possibly be changed in the future. (Mirage is no longer going to be a part of the starting cast, he's going to show up later, Smokescreen will fill his spot)

still won't be a ton of art for a while, since comic, so here's some ship design references I don't think I have shared yet

[dazais-guardian-angel]

Chapter 110 is 13 pages long welcome to hell!!! so in a lot of ways this is just more fuel for a theory that I've had for a few weeks now, that's only gotten stronger with each recent season 5 episode, which is that the last episode of the season is gonna end on 110, and that Asagiri/Harukawa and Bones have been collaborating to make this happen, specifically because it's a major turning point that would be the only good place to end the season on.

When we started getting especially long chapters again (like from 25-35ish pages, with the exception of 107.5, the last two being some of the longest we've ever had), at first I just assumed that Asagiri/Harukawa got freed up from some other obligations they'd been having to cause the extremely short/half chapters, like promotional stuff for the anime/Beast movie, or working on light novels. But then 109 happened, with the "supposed" death of Dazai, and heavy emphasis at the end on how literally everyone is at their lowest point right now, and I got to thinking. 11 episodes is a strangely specific number for an anime season -- why not 12, or 13, or even 10, like you'd usually see? Why have we gotten suddenly gotten two 35 page chapters out of nowhere, that's almost unheard of at this point? They're both beautiful chapters, don't get me wrong (as always), and maybe A/H simply just didn't want to cut them in halves because they felt like the full emotional impact wouldn't hit/that there were no good cutoff points in them, but you can't deny that it's surprising, after all the shorter chapters we've been getting. Why has the anime been going at such insanely breakneck pacing for the most part ever since around the Sunday Tragedy chapters, even more so than it has in the past? So much so that it feels dangerously close to overtaking the manga?

Well, maybe, just maybe, it's because..... Asagiri decided a long time ago that whatever happens in 110 is the only point that feels "season finale"-worthy enough, in an arc that still isn't anywhere close to being completely wrapped up, and so both the manga and the anime have been specifically coordinated to reach that part within 2 and a half weeks of each other?

I've seen a lot of people now think season 5 will end with 109, and as much as my sadistic side would find that hilarious, I honestly don't think they'd do that and realistically don't want it to happen; it'd be so cruel to cliffhanger the anime for years like that, and just doesn't feel like a season cliffhanger BSD would do, a series that is ultimately hopeful and uplifting. Seasons 2 and 3 had a positive, conclusive ending; the only reasons seasons 1 and 4 didn't was because they're technically not really full seasons of their own, and are more like the first cour of another "season" that also came out that same year (seasons 1 and 2 both aired in 2016, so they're more like one big season, and seasons 4 and 5 have both aired this year, so they're also more like one big season, again taking into account how episodes 12 and 50 are not satisfying finales like episodes 24, 37, and hypothetically, 61, are). I really can't see season 5 ending with Dazai and Fukuzawa's supposed deaths, Sigma being unconscious and maybe close to death, Atsushi being vulnerable and limbless again, everyone we love still vampires, and the entire world being basically doomed; that's just too depressing and not like BSD at all. However, having said that, if it doesn't end there, there really isn't any good place to end the season before that, either, that feels in any way satisfying or like a finale at all. And so, to me, that only leaves after 109: chapter 110.

I think things are really gonna turn around next chapter. Like I said, everyone is at their lowest point right now, it cannot possibly get any worse, the framing of Dazai, Fukuzawa, and sskk at the end of 109 is telling us that; this is the time for the heroes to finally start winning again, with Aya being so close to pulling out the sword, and for all the thematic reasons other people have talked about to death that I don't need to go into here again. This upcoming chapter being so short again makes a part of me wary of 110 being "the one", so to speak, I won't lie, but at the same time, it's very possible that it needs to be that short because that's all the final episode of the season will be able to reasonably fit in, since it's already gonna be VERY close if they do make it all the way to 109. And at the end of the day, I don't doubt at all that Asagiri and Harukawa can make these the most monumental and game-changing mere 13 pages ever if they wanted to; a chapter does not at all need to be extremely long in order to be an important and impactful one, even if short ones we've gotten in the past haven't felt the most important.

An additional thought I've had, though this is much more crack territory than all this already is, is that since we know from Anime Expo that a Stormbringer movie at some point is highly likely (judging from Asagiri's reaction when someone brought it up), it's possible that chapter 110 and thus the final episode will involve the long-anticipated return of Verlaine and/or Adam, or at least some other major reference to Stormbringer, that would naturally and smoothly lead into a Stormbringer movie to explain things to people who haven't read the novel. It would make a lot of sense, especially since the s4 OP has the Old World sign behind Chuuya, which might be a hint that this has been in the works ever since seasons 4/5 were first in planning with Asagiri. We also know that Dazai and Chuuya's voice actors apparently struggled to record their lines together this season, which probably relates to 101 and possibly 109, but it could be 110 too.... I could be very wrong, as I'm no expert on this kind of thing, but I kinda doubt they would bring Chuuya's actor in for just the vampire growls, and Asagiri placing heavy emphasis on Chuuya's importance this season in that one interview gives me the impression that he's talking about much more than just 101/109. But that's the least solid evidence I have, that's just mostly based on vibes I get.

So basically, I think a lot of factors -- the unusual episode count, how close the anime is to catching up to the manga with three whole episodes left, the seemingly arbitrary recent chapter lengths, and the climactic events of 109 -- can tell us that 110 might be a very, VERY big deal. Again, there's of course no way this arc is anywhere near close to being finished, with so much left to address and resolve, but since it is currently incomplete in the manga, unlike the previously adapted arcs, if the anime was going to adapt it at all, they'd have to find a place that feels satisfying enough to end this season, knowing there won't be more anime for a long time after this, and so I think they specifically planned for that, from both Bones' and A/H's sides. 10 episodes might not have been enough to reach that point, but 12 or 13 might have been too many it wouldn't have been if Bones actually decided to slow down and let the story breathe the way it needs to, but this post isn't meant to criticize the anime, so maybe 11 was just right. And maybe Asagiri and Harukawa specifically pushed to make recent chapters longer than usual, in order to make sure that the manga reached the story content in 110 the monthly release right before season 5 was to end.

Is this just copium? Absolutely. Am I going to look like an absolute clown in two days when this post ages like milk? Probably. But the evidence is There, so let me just enjoy my delusions until Sunday, okay 🥂🫡

[slitheringghost]

Hermione As Teacher And Connections To Lily

An interesting narrative thread is how often Hermione's magic and teaching influences other characters' and how often it goes unrecognized, and particularly how it parallels a lot of Lily's own magic saving Harry from Voldemort. (Read on Ao3)

1. Triwizard Tournament

Summoning Charm

he did so badly at Summoning Charms in Professor Flitwick’s class that he was given extra homework — the only person to get any, apart from Neville. “It’s really not that difficult, Harry,” Hermione tried to reassure him [...] — she had been making objects zoom across the room to her all lesson, as though she were some sort of weird magnet [...] “You just weren’t concentrating properly —” (Ch 18, GoF)

Harry still hadn’t mastered Summoning Charms, he seemed to have developed something of a block about them, and Hermione insisted that learning the theory would help. They consequently spent a lot of time poring over books during their lunchtimes (Ch 19, GoF)

“Hermione, I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon.” And so they practiced. They didn’t have lunch, but headed for a free classroom [...] At two o’clock in the morning, Harry stood near the fireplace, surrounded by heaps of objects [...] Only in the last hour had Harry really got the hang of the Summoning Charm. “That’s better, Harry, that’s loads better,” Hermione said, looking exhausted but very pleased. (Ch 20, GoF)

Flitwick then spends most of a lesson "talking to Harry about the perfect Summoning Charm Harry had used during the First Task".

1.2 Shield Charm

(Full analysis of the Shield Charm and how it's textually linked to Lily is in my meta When Lily Cast Her Life As A Shield)

He was still having trouble with the Shield Charm, though. This was supposed to cast a temporary, invisible wall around himself that deflected minor curses [...] “You’re still doing really well, though,” Hermione said encouragingly, looking down her list and crossing off those spells they had already learned. “Some of these are bound to come in handy.” [...] Come on, Harry,” she added briskly [...] “let’s try that Shield Charm again.” (Ch 31, GoF)

Which Harry then teaches the DA:

He was improving so fast it was quite unnerving and when Harry taught them the Shield Charm, [...] only Hermione mastered the charm faster than Neville. (Ch 25, OoTP)

Then, what Fred and George say makes the real money in the joke shop:

“We’ve just developed this more serious line,” said Fred. “Funny how it happened...” “You wouldn’t believe how many people, even people who work at the Ministry, can’t do a decent Shield Charm,” said George. “’Course, they didn’t have you teaching them, Harry.” “That’s right... Well, we thought Shield Hats were a bit of a laugh, you know, challenge your mate to jinx you while wearing it and watch his face when the jinx just bounces off. But the Ministry bought five hundred for all its support staff! And we’re still getting massive orders!” “So we’ve expanded into a range of Shield Cloaks, Shield Gloves...” “...I mean, they wouldn’t help much against the Unforgivable Curses, but for minor to moderate hexes or jinxes...” (Ch 6, HBP) Although Snape did not know it, Harry had taught at least half the class (everyone who had been a member of the D.A.) how to perform a Shield Charm the previous year. None of them had ever cast the charm without speaking, however. A reasonable amount of cheating ensued [...] Typically, ten minutes into the lesson Hermione managed to repel Neville’s muttered Jelly-Legs Jinx without uttering a single word (Ch 9, HBP)

I love that Harry is then the one to teach Hermione the Patronus Charm - which Remus tells Harry is "a kind of anti-dementor - a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the dementor".

1.3 Four-Point Spell

and the Four-Point Spell, a useful discovery of Hermione’s that would make his wand point due north, therefore enabling him to check whether he was going in the right direction within the maze. (Ch 31, GoF)

“Point Me,” he whispered to his wand, holding it flat in his palm. The wand spun around once and pointed toward his right, into solid hedge. (Ch 31, GoF)

It's reasonable to extrapolate that the spell is Hermione's invention, given that it's the only spell with an English incantation, and inventions are referred to as "discoveries" several times - Remus wrt the Wolfsbane Potion in PoA, Dumbledore's work ("the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon’s blood", "does Skeeter deny the brilliance that led to Dumbledore’s many magical discoveries?"), Harry has to "memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions" and mentions books titled "Important Modern Magical Discoveries and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry", Fred says they "spent six months developing" the Ton-Tongue Toffees, etc.

Hermione inventing this is particularly compelling given that it's similar to what Harry's wand does in DH (related to Lily's spellwork deflecting the Killing Curse), and Harry's conflict with her after she breaks his wand.

[...] his wand acted of its own accord. He felt it drag his hand around like some great magnet, saw a spurt of golden fire through his half-closed eyelids, heard a crack and a scream of fury. (Ch 4, DH) He knew exactly what Hermione would say if he expressed any of this: The wand is only as good as the wizard. But she was wrong, his case was different. She had not felt the wand spin like the needle of a compass and shoot golden flames at his enemy. (Ch 18, DH)

Also notable is Hermione solving Snape's Potions riddle, and Harry echoing this with solving the Sphinx riddle during the Third Task (Harry thinking “it was Hermione who was good at this sort of thing, not him” and then “amazed at his own brilliance” when he solves it).

2. Other examples

2.1 Impervius Charm

“I’ve got no chance with these on,” Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses. At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming. “I’ve had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!” He handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, “Impervius!” “There!” she said [...] “They’ll repel water!” Wood looked as though he could have kissed her. “Brilliant!” he called hoarsely after her [...] Hermione’s spell had done the trick. (Ch 9, PoA) "Harry, didn’t you do something to your glasses to stop the rain fogging them up when we played Hufflepuff in that storm?” “Hermione did it,” said Harry. He pulled out his wand, tapped his glasses and said, “Impervius!” “I think we all ought to try that,” said Angelina. “[...] all together, come on — Impervius!" (Ch 18, OoTP)

Additionally, when Padfoot comes to watch during that PoA match and dementors swarm the field, making Harry hear Lily's murder for the first time, Harry falls from his broom, his Nimbus crashes into the Whomping Willow, others say they thought he was dead and "Lucky the ground was so soft" - of course, it wasn't luck, it was Dumbledore; Hermione then repeats these actions in DH - during the waterfall in the Thief's Downfall (evokes the drowning feeling from dementors; and Hermione additionally uses the Shield Charm there) and immediately after they escape LV in Godric’s Hollow and Harry finally gets the full memory of Lily's death (Hermione’s eyes being emphasized):

“Dumbledore was really angry,” Hermione said in a quaking voice. “I’ve never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away [...]" “Then he magicked you onto a stretcher,” said Ron. “And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were...” (Ch 9, PoA) “Yes,” said Hermione. “I had to use a Hover Charm to get you into your bunk, I couldn't lift you [...]" There were purple shadows under her brown eyes and he noticed a small sponge in her hand: She had been wiping his face. (Ch 17, DH) Water filled Harry’s eyes and mouth: He could not see or breathe: [...] Harry heard the cart smash into pieces against the passage wall, heard Hermione shriek something, and felt himself glide back toward the ground as though weightless, landing painlessly on the rocky passage floor. “C-Cushioning Charm,” Hermione spluttered (Ch 26, DH)

2.2 Murtlap Essence

During that PoA practice, Fred and George were debating using Fever Fudge to get out of flying:

“— but you get these massive pus-filled boils too,” said George, “and we haven’t worked out how to get rid of them yet.” “I can’t see any boils,” said Ron, staring at the twins. “No, well, you wouldn’t,” said Fred darkly, “they’re not in a place we generally display to the public —” “— but they make sitting on a broom a right pain in the —” (Ch 18, OoTP)

The knowledge Hermione uses to heal the I must not tell lies scar on Harry's hand helps the twins finish the Snackboxes:

“Here,” she said anxiously, pushing a small bowl of yellow liquid toward him, “soak your hand in that, it’s a solution of strained and pickled murtlap tentacles, it should help.” Harry placed his bleeding, aching hand into the bowl and experienced a wonderful feeling of relief. (Ch 15, OoTP) When Harry next saw Lee, the back of his hand was bleeding rather badly. Harry recommended essence of murtlap. (Ch 25, OoTP) Hermione cast him a stern look. “You’ve got exams coming!” “Told you already, we’re not fussed about N.E.W.T.s,” said Fred. “The Snackboxes are ready to roll, we found out how to get rid of those boils, just a couple of drops of murtlap essence sorts them, Lee put us onto it...” (Ch 26, OoTP)

2.3 Magical Eavesdropping Methods

Harry frankly marveled at the fact that Hermione could research magical methods of eavesdropping as well as everything else they had to do. (Ch 28, GoF)

People have theorized that Hermione’s research while she was taking revenge against Rita Skeeter may have aided Fred and George develop the Extendable Ears, esp. since she was staying at 12GP that summer.

2.4 DA Galleons

Hermione's inspired by Voldemort's magic to invent the DA's communication method; Draco then gets the idea from that to carry out his Death Eater mission, enchanting his own coins to secretly communicate with Rosmerta, and also gets the idea to poison the mead from Hermione, having "heard her talking in the library about Filch not recognizing potions".

“You know what these remind me of?” “No, what’s that?” “The Death Eaters’ scars. Voldemort touches one of them, and all their scars burn, and they know they’ve got to join him.” “Well... yes,” said Hermione quietly. “That is where I got the idea... but you’ll notice I decided to engrave the date on bits of metal rather than on our members’ skin...” “Yeah... I prefer your way,” said Harry, grinning, as he slipped his Galleon into his pocket. (Ch 19, OoTP)

Notably, Lily's blood magic - unlike Hermione's and very like Voldemort's - does burn Voldemort's skin.

Similarly significant is Hermione's invention of the SNEAK curse - where the DA members all sign the binding contract in the Hog's Head, the same establishment where Trelawney gave the prophecy, and the binding contract incorporated in Lily's magic. Hermione enchants ~28 coins for the whole DA and creates the curse within the span of ~a month.

2.5 O.W.L. exam

Three rows to his right and four seats ahead, Hermione was already scribbling… He lowered his eyes to the first question: a) Give the incantation, and b) describe the wand movement required to make objects fly... Harry had a fleeting memory of a club soaring high into the air and landing loudly on the thick skull of a troll... Smiling slightly, he bent over the paper and began to write

On the whole Harry thought it went rather well; his Levitation Charm was certainly much better than Malfoy’s had been, though he wished he had not mixed up the incantations for Color-Change and Growth Charms (Ch 31, OoTP) the exam to which Harry was looking forward least and which he was sure would be the one that would be the downfall of his ambitions to become an Auror. Sure enough, he found the written exam difficult, though he thought he might have got full marks on the question about Polyjuice Potion: He could describe its effects extremely accurately, having taken it illegally in his second year. (Ch 31, OoTP)

Hermione is linked to Harry's Charms and Potions exams, the subjects most directly tied to Lily. Important to note that Professor Marchbanks praises Dumbledore for having “done things with a wand I’d never seen before” during his Charms and Transfiguration N.E.W.T.s - which Hermione didn't get to take 'cause of the war; and Harry and Neville are acknowledged as doing better in Potions without Snape's presence - clearly true of Hermione's potential too as her best accomplishment was brewing a N.E.W.T. level potion second year, outside Snape's supervision (which took a month, and then she spent 2 months in the hospital due to petrification/Polyjuice turning her into a cat).

2.6 Body Bind Curse

Harry turned to Hermione. “Do something,” he said desperately. [...] “Neville,” she said, “I’m really, really sorry about this.” “Petrificus Totalus!” she cried [...] Neville’s arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. [...] “What’ve you done to him?” Harry whispered. “It’s the full Body-Bind,” said Hermione miserably. (PS)

Interestingly, Harry instinctively copies what he saw of Sirius in SWM during the DoM sequence, using the full Body Bind for the first time (at least, that we see on screen). Hermione compliments Harry on it, calling back to her being the first one to show him first year - and her being cursed right after echoes the description of Sirius falling through the veil: "the second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest", his eyes widening in shock and the "look of mingled fear and surprise".

Sirius said, “Petrificus Totalus!” and Snape keeled over again at once, rigid as a board. “LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Lily shouted. She had her own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily. (Ch 28, OoTP) “Petrificus Totalus!” shouted Harry, as the second Death Eater raised his wand [...] “Well done, Ha —” But the Death Eater Hermione had just struck dumb made a sudden slashing movement with his wand from which flew a streak of what looked like purple flame. It passed right across Hermione’s chest; she gave a tiny “oh!” as though of surprise and then crumpled onto the floor (Ch 35, OoTP) Harry seized his chance: “PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!” The spell hit Dolohov before he could block it, and he toppled forward across his comrade, both of them rigid as boards and unable to move an inch. (Ch 35, OoTP) Springing up, Harry yelled, “Petrificus Totalus!” Once again, Dolohov’s arms and legs snapped together and he keeled over backward, landing with a crash on his back. “Nice one!” shouted Sirius, forcing Harry’s head down [...] (Ch 35, OoTP)

2.7 Unbreakable Charm

Not something Hermione specifically taught, but also interesting is Hermione mirroring Barty Crouch Jr. during his Unforgivables lesson (and saying Harry gave her the idea when he mentioned "bugging").

Moody got heavily to his mismatched feet, opened his desk drawer, and took out a glass jar. Three large black spiders were scuttling around inside it. (Ch 14, GoF)

“Oh not electronic bugs [...] Rita Skeeter [...] is an unregistered Animagus. She can turn —” Hermione pulled a small sealed glass jar out of her bag. “— into a beetle.” [...] Inside were a few twigs and leaves and one large, fat beetle [...] Hermione took the glass jar back from Ron and smiled at the beetle, which buzzed angrily against the glass. [...] “I’ve put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar, you see, so she can’t transform. And I’ve told her she’s to keep her quill to herself for a whole year. See if she can’t break the habit of writing horrible lies about people.” (Ch 37, GoF)

Hermione imprisoning Rita Skeeter in a jar vaguely references Lily and Harry's actions in 1981 leading to an "imprisoned" LV in Albania; this also happens a few chapters after Priori Incantatem, and Harry and LV under the web of light evokes insects trapped underneath glass:

The golden thread connecting Harry and Voldemort splintered; though the wands remained connected, a thousand more beams arced high over Harry and Voldemort, crisscrossing all around them, until they were enclosed in a golden, dome-shaped web, a cage of light, beyond which the Death Eaters circled like jackals, their cries strangely muffled now... “Do nothing!” Voldemort shrieked to the Death Eaters, and Harry saw his red eyes wide with astonishment at what was happening, saw him fighting to break the thread of light [...] and the golden thread remained unbroken. “Do nothing unless I command you!” (Ch 34, GoF)

Then the phoenix song comes from "every thread of the light-spun web vibrating around Harry and Voldemort", and a voice saying Don't break the connection (elaborated here).

3.0 Blasting Curse

All this comes full circle in the Godric's Hollow graveyard in DH (a deeper analysis also for another post), where Hermione mirrors what Harry did because of Lily as a baby (and also Harry's actions at the start of DH while flying during the Battle of the Seven Potters): blows up the house (“Confringo") and enrages Voldemort as she and Harry fly out the window - fly from death - together.

[passthroughtime]

sunday kuwagami— i mean, sunday six

awfully quiet here today.

tagging the usual @jichanxo, @overdevelopedglasses, @four-white-trees, @mike----wazowski, but tell me if anyone else wants to be tagged regularly, it's just the usual participants who i'm not very nervous to bother 🫣

without further ado, let's start the 'guess the wip' game lol

Yagami unlocks his phone to see lots of ‘Get well soon’ and ‘Kaito says you’re dying there, lol’ messages and swipes them off without even trying to read them all. But he still decides to open the message app to gauge the amount of damage Kaito’s blabbering mouth has made. And... it’s bad. Replying to everything would be even more of a hassle than reading them, so Yagami doesn’t even consider it.

He notices that at the bottom of all unread messages there are several from one particular unknown number, — or rather, the number not saved in Yagami’s contact list. He opens the chat almost on instinct.

“Yagami,” the messages say, “you free tonight?”

“There is something I want to talk to you about.”

“You here?”

“It’s urgent. Reply asap.”

“Something happened? Are you okay?”

“If you don’t reply, I’m coming to your agency. That’s a threat.”

“Yagami?”

And nothing else after. Yagami guesses that, eventually, Kuwana followed up on his threat, and saw Kaito alone in the office (god forbid if with a client; Yagami prefers not to think about it), and…

Yagami glares at the pristine white outfit hanging on his closet’s door innocently. In the end, this all is just a really unfortunate turn of events.

[acourtofquestions]

Boots crunched in hay, and then he was knee to knee before her.

Aedion.

There was nothing kind on his face. No pity or warmth.

For a long minute, they only stared at each other.

Then the prince growled softly, "Your plan was bullshit."

She said nothing, and couldn't stop her shoulders from curving inward.

"Your plan was bullshit," he breathed, his eyes sparking. "How could you ever be her, wear her skin, and think to get away with it? How could you ever think you'd get around the fact that our armies are counting on you to burn the enemy to ashes, and all you can do is run away and emerge as some beast instead?"

"You don't get to pin this retreat on me," she rasped. The first words she'd spoken in days and days.

"You agreed to let Aelin go to her death, and leave us here to be slashed to bloody ribbons. You two told no one of this plan, told none of us who might have explained the realities of this war, and that we would need a gods-damned Fire-Bringer and not an untrained, useless shape-shifter against Morath."

Blow after blow, the words landed upon her weary heart. "We—"

"If you were so willing to let Aelin die, then you should have let her do it after she incinerated Erawan's hordes!"

"It would not have stopped Maeve from capturing her."

"If you'd told us, we might have planned differently, acted differently, and we would not be here, damn you!"

She stared at the muddy hay. "Throw me out of your army, then."

"You ruined everything." His words were colder than the wind outside. "You, and her."

Lysandra closed her eyes.

Hay rustled, and she knew he'd risen to his feet, knew it as his words speared from above her bowed head. "Get out of my tent."

She wasn't certain she could move enough to obey, though she wished to. Needed to. Fight back. She should fight back. Rage at him as he lashed at her, needing an outlet for his fear and despair.

Lysandra opened her eyes, peering up at him. At the rage on his face, the hatred She managed to stand, her body bleating in pain. Managed to look him in the eye, even as Aedion said again with quiet cold, "Get out."

Barefoot in the snow, naked beneath her cloak. Aedion glanced at her bare legs, as if realizing it. And not caring.

So Lysandra nodded, clutching Ansel's cloak tighter, and strode into the frigid night.

"Where is she?" Ren asked, a mug of what smelled like watery soup in one hand, a chunk of bread in the other. The lord scanned the tent as if he would find her under the cot, the hay.

Aedion stared at the precious few logs burning in the brazier, and said nothing.

"What have you done?" Ren breathed.

Everything was about to end. Had been doomed since Maeve had stolen Aelin. Since his queen and the shifter had struck their agreement.

So it didn't matter, what he'd said. He hadn't cared if it wasn't fair, wasn't true.

Didn't care if he was so tired he couldn't muster shame at his pinning on her the blame for the sure defeat they'd face in a matter of days before Perranth's walls.

He wished she'd smacked him, had screamed at him. But she had let him rage. And had walked out into the snow, barefoot.

He'd promised to save Terrasen, to hold the lines. Had done so for years. And yet this test against Morath, when it had counted ... he had failed.

He’d muster the strength to fight again. To rally his men. He just ... he needed to sleep.

Aedion didn't notice when Ren left, undoubtedly in search of the shifter with who he was so damned enamored.

He should summon his Bane commanders. See how they thought to manage this disaster.

But he couldn't. Could do nothing but stare into that fire as the long night passed.

[tengu-feathers]

a book recommendation for langblr

i just finished reading kató lomb's Polymath: How I Learn Languages and tbh i would really recommend anyone interested in learning languages to read it!!

dr. lomb was one of the first simultaneous interpreters in the world and worked in 16 languages (Bulgarian, Chinese, Danish, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Ukrainian) and i found a lot of her advice in the book really helpful and straightforward

(fun fact: it's available for free in pdf format via the tesl-ej website or the wikipedia link)

[wickedlyqueer]

hi hello salut. do you find that having a tumblr account to promote fanfictions is helpful or do readers find your fics regardless? i am publishing first time ever. thank you greatly, big fan

Yeah, I'd say so.

For one you have another platform to let readers know "hey! there's a new fic of the thing you like!" Not every reader sorts fics on 'most recent' and only go off 'most kudos'ed/viewed/bookmarked'. A new fic will have an incredibly hard time to land a high spot with those filters. Hell, some only go off other people's recs... So any additional place you can let readers know of your fics existence helps.

It also makes it much easier for readers to reblog your fic. If I read a fic and like it, I probably wouldn't make my own post like 'oh this fic i read was really nice'. I would, however, reblog someone's tumblr post. This helps your fic (potentially) read a wider audience.

Just make sure to properly tag your fics so that—even when you don't have many followers—people can still find your fic!

[legolasghosty]

oh shit i forgot to send a new one! brain mush.

uh. let's say 75 please?

No worries, thanks for sending these, they're really nice!!! More Holograms (and the introduction of I think the last major character...)

Julie laughed and followed her brother in, Reggie and Alex on her heels. Fuego was standing beside the receptionist’s desk. He looked up and smiled when he heard them approach.  “Ah good, I’ll let Mr. Covington know you’re here.” He turned away from them, pink nails clicking against his tablet. Julie was about to ask about the agenda for the day when she heard a crash behind her. She whirled around to see Alex lying on the floor, someone else practically on top of him, clearly having just bowled him over. “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry,” the new person exclaimed, scrambling to their feet and holding out a hand to Alex. “I wasn’t even looking.”

(Send me a number and I'll write that many words in my WIP and show you!)

[skyezekiel]

chapter 4!!! now with more fluffy shin soukoku and ranpoe :D

[moonsidesong]

played the fangame danganronpa another with a friend and i didn't really like the ending but i very much enjoyed mekaru bc she's just woman byakuya togami. i'm going to talk a lot in the tags now

[kiribread]

Boo

Semi-realistic kamui sketch anyone?

[kingdomoftyto]

October this year has felt kind of vague and adrift for me, no real festive spirit to speak of--or at least nowhere near how last year felt, when it was Year of the Vampire and all.

BUT I am remedying that now with a combined pincer attack of 1) relistening to Night Vale from the beginning on my commute to work and 2) rereading Warm Bodies on my breaks/in my spare time. Things are getting increasingly spooky up in here

[inklingofadream]

Getting back into reading Actual Physical Books for the first time since middle school (thank you murderbot and dracula daily) in the most high maintenance/obnoxious way possible. keep just. assigning life functions to different books. Right now I have

Dracula Daily (Dracula)

A chapter of non-fiction before bed so I'm not trying to go from screen to sleep (Spook by Mary Roach)

A "leisure" read (this is where murderbot goes, I think I'll probably do Hench next while I wait for the next one)

Walking around the neighborhood until I've a chapter of Kurt Vonnegut because walking is good for me but walking nowhere is BORING i don't WANNA so this is the compromise (Sirens of Titan)

What mundane daily task will I assign a chapter of a type of book to next? Who knows! The real crime is that this doesn't work for my physical therapy exercises

[sheepiemc]

Is your seven stupid reasons to summon a demon a repost? I swear I’ve read it before.

It was!! I originally posted it on ao3 last year but I was feeling ... nostalgic? And I always intended to cross post on tumblr... so I finally got around to it lol

[retiredcultistredux]

Ester, ur a bit obsessed with that void termina thing arent you. Weirdo, why are u so obsessed. (Ooh this lollipop is good) - Lollipop anon

Ester: "Seriously, lollipops are the only thing you talk about. And you're calling me a weirdo? I'm not weird, I'm just--"

[Insert Ester rambling for a bit about how he's not weird or obsessed or anything like that and he's just 'passionate about his interests', despite said interests mostly involving reviving a god of destruction.]

[claire-starsword]

Bloodline of the Sacred Dragons - Chapter 3-1

Chapter 3: Wind and Light crossing the plains

The Pao Plains were wide plains in the northeast of West Rune.

In this land lived tribes of nomads scattered about with no fixed settlement. The name "Pao" was a word for their tents, shaped like upside-down spinning tops. They lived moving around with the seasons, much like the cream-colored flowers blooming through the plains.

But there was a big difference between the largest tribe in Pao Plains and the other, smaller tribes.

That tribe moved through the plains from west to east periodically with a giant machine, the Pao Train. It carved deep wheel tracks with its overwhelming size while serving as a merchant caravan, crossing the ocean of grass. That was a scenario only possible in those wide plains.

Bleu's group had arrived at the Pao Train. It was stopped at the western edge of the plains, full of shops lined up, selling ornaments and food and more from the east. While having their attention constantly grabbed by the tents of the foreign bazaar they weren't used to, the group headed to the car spearheading the train, where the queen was.

Armed soldiers stood guard by the entrance of the car.

Bleu and Wendy presented to them letters addressed to the queen. The two letters carried the signatures of Otrant of Manarina and Zylo of Bustoke.

After waiting for a while, an aide of the queen welcomed them in.

The soldiers who came accompanying Wendy waited outside. Of the people following Bleu though, not a single one stood outside quietly. They all followed him inside as if it was the natural thing to do.

The inside of the train had an atmosphere much like that of the dwarves' secret passage. The walls and floor were made of metal, and a light with no warmth shone from the ceiling. Two long tubes of different widths ran through the car's sides, connecting with the other cars.

The group walked with composure through the wide corridor, where doors to compartments of all sizes were spread out neatly.

Guided by the aide, they arrived at the doors to the room where Queen Koron awaited.

"I've brought the people of the Shining Force."

As if answering to their words, the doors slid to the sides on their own.

Though it was due to Bleu being there, all the others felt strange about being referred to as the Shining Force.

With her back turned to two mysterious shining pillars, Queen Koron sat quietly at her throne. Her young face was both calm and grave, and her voice was clear.

After a couple of questions about the content of the letters, she gladly allowed them to stay.

"Why would I deny a request from the Shining Force? We will be departing tomorrow, and taking you along to Uranbatol."

Bleu expressed his gratitude to her. Looking at his face, she seemed confused all of a sudden.

"Sir Bleu, is anything troubling you perhaps?"

He took a while to answer. "No. It's nothing…"

"If anything is making you anxious, I can give some small counsel."

"Bleu, Her Majesty is also a prophet. It wouldn't hurt to take up on her offer," Krin suggested.

"Though I don't know how much my words will help you. It's best if I am frank about this. Because my predictions do not decide the future, they merely point out a path to be taken."

She smiled humbly. It was a warm smile that melted away Bleu's tension.

"Then, I'd be honored," he asked while bowing his head to her.

Nodding slowly, Koron got up. Her skirt rolled out in waves from how it stood over the throne. Her arms spread out to the sides. The light shining behind her made shadows dance over her lavender dress as if it was a screen.

She raised both hands to her head. Her pale arms became exposed up to the shoulders. Her hair, scarlet like fire, waved slightly over her shoulders, back and chest. Finally, as if grasping something, she slowly brought her arms down. Still as if holding something, she placed both hands gently over her heart.

"Young Sacred Dragon…" With closed eyes, she began to speak, "if your heart is lost in the east, turn your eyes to the north. Your bonds are not to be severed. One of closed eyes and open mind might be of great help to you. At the end, you will find the true form of what binds down your heart. Something ancient will be lost, and at last you shall find your true manual. A new bloodline will start from there."

With her eyes still closed, Koron turned her head to Karin.

"Maiden with a noble heart, your determination will save many things, and then might save one more."

She then slowly turned to everyone else.

"You who follow the Sacred Dragon in his journey, time will save you from the flames, and in one time flames left unextinguished will save you. Within the flames, you'll find the book that should be burned. Unbreakable harmony will call forth the Shining Dragon."

Koron finished her speech, and opened her eyes again. But, she squinted at if facing a bright light. Her eyes suddenly stopped at Camallia. As the priest somewhat met her gaze in response, Koron said nothing.

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty. I'll take these words to heart."

Feeling that Koron was tired, Bleu decided to leave for now. He was struggling a lot to understand the meaning of her predictions, but figured he could take his time to unravel them.

He and the others excused themselves, and the queen asked an aide to give them a tour of the Pao Train.

As they bowed to her and left in order, Camallia felt eyes on her and stopped.

She turned around and questioned Koron, who didn't answer at first.

Saying that they would go on ahead, Karin closed the door.

"Do you need anything of me, Your Majesty?" Camallia asked courteously.

"Maiden of a foreign land, there is something I want to ask you," Koron said with a grave voice. The tubes of light behind her grew brighter, and Camallia narrowed her eyes, dazzled by them.

"Proud maiden, this pride of yours, who is it for?"

Her question rang through the room.

"My pride is for my own sake, and also, for those I love and respect."

Camallia answered with unwavering confidence.

"Then, swear on that pride, that you won't follow through with things you don't believe are right."

"…I swear."

While answering, Camallia wondered how far had this prophet seen through her.

"To them, you are someone very important. I hope that they too become important to you. Until the day you take back your true form, learn what you must learn, maiden of a distant world."

"Is that all?" Camallia asked in return.

She showed with her gaze how there were only the two of them currently in the room.

"Will that be all?" She asked again, and Koron gently nodded.

"How will you answer to the trust placed upon you?"

Koron threw the honest question at the girl in front of her. Camallia was forced to recognize who was included or not in those words. Her gaze went to the queen. Suddenly, she understood. Koron was using that person's eyes to look into that person's own mind.

"…I'll trust him."

Camallia bowed deeply to Koron.

"Please excuse me, Your Majesty."

With that bow, she left the room.

>To next part

Translation notes:

Yes, "pao" (包) is tent/yurt in japanese. Somehow I hadn't learned this one yet.

The color of the flowers in the plains is actually given as "bisque", which i did not know was a color, and at least six people agree with me that it isn't very well known. Japanese readers have the advantage of looking at the kanji and getting hints that it is a light orange/brown, so i changed to a more well known "cream" to allow english readers to also get by without stuffing their noses on a dictionary. That delight is mine only.

In case you didn't know or remember, because I always forget, there's art of Koron in the game's manual:

As you can see she was already good with the lightworks. The game says that she sees the future by reading the minds of the Pao Pigs they raise. I'm not sure that's what the novel was going for since it seemed something she did by herself, but who is to say. Also, the novel apparently extrapolated her psychic abilities, as she read the mind of someone else related to Camallia.

She's also brown-haired in the illustration as opposed to a redhead, but her sprite in game (shared with Karin and Krin) does have red hair.

Curiously, she would also get scarlet hair in the GBA version: