#Alyx spreading the word

[internetskiff]

Something about Gordon Freeman that's extremely fascinating is how he was basically forced into the "Messiah" role by complete accident. Dude was on his way to work, caught in an extremely awful lab accident, and he was just fighting for his life so brutally that he ended up taking down an entire army, making the other less capable or equipped scientists assign him as the one that would go in and take down the Nihilanth - I mean, they basically didn't have many other options, or at least not many better options at their disposal. The whole time he basically doesn't have much of a say in any of it, which means he was practically railroaded into becoming the G-Man's employee by pure circumstance.

Doesn't get any better in Half Life 2 either - the surviving Black Mesa staff have turned this man they potentially sent to die into a legend amongst the resistance movement. The Vortigaunts chant his name as they draw murals on the canal walls. The Lambda - a symbol of both the Lambda Labs but most notably the symbol on the HEV suit - now symbolizes liberation. Therefore, of course, the man who bears this symbol is the liberator. By the ending chapters of Half Life 2, Freeman commands entire squads of rebels, appointed the leader regardless of how good a tactician he actually is - if they die, they died for him, not because of him. As long as he gets to the Citadel and breaches it's wall, all those deaths would be worth it - once again, others send him into a near-inhospitable environment to take down a near-invincible threat.

I think that despite us being in control of Freeman for most of the series, the real protagonists of the story are the Vance family. Eli, too, was right at ground zero when the Resonance Cascade occurred. He is the leader of the Resistance. It's very possible that he's the one who spread word of Freeman throughout City 17. The fall of Nova Prospekt AND the Citadel occurred as a result of Eli's capture. In the Combine's eyes, the Vances are a threat equal to, if not greater than Freeman himself. That, and the Vances have something Freeman doesn't - agency. They're beyond the G-Man's control. They're beyond the Combine's control. Their actions are completely their own, with no third party to control every single step they take. Over the course of the Episodes, it feels as though the dynamic shifts, with Alyx becoming a much more vital figure. The Combine are specifically after her now, because she carries the code capable of disrupting the portal through which the Combine could send reinforcements and finally consume Earth. In both the Epistle 3 script and in Half Life Alyx it ends with her basically taking Freeman's position under the G-Man's employ. She quite literally takes the role of the Main Character away from Gordon. This, of course, is nothing to envy, because it's been repeatedly shown that any character assuming this role in the series ends up being reduced to nothing but a pawn for those who control them. It's an extremely fascinating spin on the linear nature of the games, canonically acknowledging you're doing nothing but marching along a path someone else made for you. Despite being the one free man, you're not offered much of a choice.

[asa-do-your-thing]

The rainbow trout

Robb Stark x Frey Reader 18 + MINORS DNI WC: 5,1k Warnings: forced marriage, mentions death, alcohol, dubcon, angst

You knew you weren't his first choice. You also knew what would happen, should Robb Stark, the Young Wolf, not accept your hand, so you did everything in your power to convince him to marry anyone of your female relatives. You sent him coded messages, diguised yourself and warned his pregnant lady... You did everything in your might to persuade him.

That was why it hurt you even more that when he came to the Twins and told you all to stand in a big semi circle ordered by your ages - you stood almost at the farthest end, having only just flowered - and he walked over to your aunts and older cousins, all past the ages of five and twenty. Everything within you itched to call out to him - King of the North, 'tis I who saved you!

But Robb Stark, the Young Wolf, was a man known for his honor and duty. He gave each woman a polite nod, exchanged pleasantries and, with a hint of discomfort in his eyes, moved along the line. You watched him as he went from your eldest aunt, Lady Amarei, a stout woman with greying hair and a face that had lost the battle with age long ago; to your cousin Alyx, then onto Waldene and Wylda - all older than you by several years and already mothers to their own broods, though you supposed it was pleasing for him to see their fertility.

The air in the Great Hall was thick with expectation as the Young Wolf made his way down the line of eligible Frey women. The flickering light from the hundreds of candles gave an ethereal glow to the scene, casting dancing shadows along stone walls adorned with the ancient heraldry of House Frey. The wheels of your father's great wooden chair creaked as he shifted his weight, watching his potential son-in-law examine his flock.

As Robb Stark drew closer to you, your heart pounded in your chest. Despite your best efforts to maintain decorum, your hands were clammy against the lush fabric of your dress. When he finally stood before you, his azure eyes met yours with an intensity that stole your breath away. His face was unreadable; he made no comments about your youth or offered any compliments as he had done for some of your relatives.

He nodded once before moving on to your younger sister - a girl who barely even knew how to keep her hair out of her soup bowl - and then carried on down the line. You could feel the disappointment welling up and looked up in amazement when he went back up to his previous spot. He... knew what would happen should he not accept any one of them? What was he doing?

Robb Stark, the Young Wolf, turned back to look you in the eyes. His gaze caught yours in a strange dance, akin to two foxes circling one another before withdrawing. He thanked your father, Lord Walder, for his hospitality and the introduction to his lovely daughters and nieces. His voice echoed along the stone hall, each word punctuated by silence from the gathered Freys.

"Before I proceed," he announced, raising an eyebrow as if he had just been struck by a sudden thought, "I would like to ask a question about a small rainbow trout." The hall fell silent.

Your heart leapt into your throat. The 'rainbow trout'. The code you had used so many times in your letters to him. You had used it as a symbol of danger, warning him of impending peril. And now he was using it back at you.

The question Robb asked was incredibly mundane in its nature for anyone else. Yet behind those words, there lay a hidden realm of understanding known only to Robb and yourself; its context spread across a plethora of secret letters exchanged between you two under various pseudonyms over the years. The audience stared at him blankly while your mind raced to pick up the hidden message in his query.

Just then, your innocent little sister nudged you and whispered in your ear right below a breath. "Has King Robb gone coo-coo?" You could hardly suppress the laughter that bubbled within you at her naive words. She didn’t understand what was passing between Robb and yourself and for that, you were both relieved and eternally grateful.

"No dear one," you whispered back, patting her small hand. " he's simply curious about our streams."

A hushed murmur passed through the crowd as they tried to comprehend the Young Wolf’s peculiar question. Lord Walder, from his high seat, let out a puff of irritation. "Is this a jest, Stark?" he asked gruffly.

The Young Wolf looked at him, his eyes hardening. "Not at all," he replied sternly. "In fact, it is rather important."

You noticed the subtle change in his demeanor and felt your heart flutter with anticipation. Robb turned his gaze back to you, the hardness softening once more into a look filled with intent and secret understanding.

"Your rainbow trout seems quite interesting." The Young Wolf finally spoke in his clear voice, echoing through the hall, carrying a message for you alone amongst the throng of confused onlookers. His words were enigmatic and carried an underlying layer of significance that no one but you could decipher.

The corners of your lips curled into an involuntary smile as you met his gaze and nodded subtly. You understood what he was trying to say, what he had so bravely alluded to in front of all your family members.

"And what would such a trout want?" asked Lord Walder impatiently. His sharp gaze pierced through Robb Stark who merely smirked and shrugged lightly.

"That’s for the trout to know," replied the Young Wolf cryptically. Before anyone could question further, he bowed courteously towards Lord Walder and then swept an arm towards you in an elegant gesture. "Perhaps your young lady there can provide me an answer?"

"Walderette?", your father croaked out and raised an eyebrow.

A big rumble went through the hall and you blushed up to your roots, not used to being stared at. This was pressure and you needed to handle it quickly and well - so well that your old, disgusting flea of a father would forget about this instance.

"Yes, Father?" You responded, managing to keep your voice steady, despite the thudding of your heart. Your eyes slipped towards Robb who looked at you encouragingly.

Your father huffed, "You'll entertain The Young Wolf's humor about our trout?"

"Of course, Father," you replied softly, your gaze locked with Robb's. An understanding passed between you two, an assurance that somehow he would make things right.

You then cleared your throat and addressed the hall in a voice far more confident than you felt. "Rainbow trout," you began, glancing at Robb who nodded subtly as if urging you to go on. "Is a delicacy in our rivers. It’s versatile and can thrive in different environments. It can be elusive yet it can be caught if one is patient and diligent."

The room was quiet as everyone watched you curiously. Your father squinted his eyes at you while your younger sister nervously bobbed up and down on her feet. He didn't dare suspect anything, or else your fate would be just the same - being slit open by your family.

"It is very good when smoked and lasts long, and it is easy to transport. It goes well with pickles-"

Lord Walder raised his hand and shrugged. "Yes, Wald... Walderette your name was, right? Rainbow trout is good." He looked at Robb, who gave him a relatively neutral look. "And you are sure you want... her? I have girls with prettier faces, bigger tits and that talk less nonesense."

Robb didn’t flinch under Lord Walder’s crude remarks. Instead, his gaze seemed only to harden, a touch of steel flashing in his eyes as he coolly met the old lord's gaze. "Aye," he said, holding your gaze again with a softness that contrasted sharply with the icy tone he had used for Walder.

"I'm sure." His blue eyes glittered with certainty and warmth. Your heart fluttered, nearly missing a beat at his declaration. To have him, Robb Stark, The Young Wolf, choose you in front of everyone felt as surreal as it was exciting.

Lord Walder grumbled something incoherent under his breath, shifting uncomfortably in his high seat. His gaze oscillated between you and Robb before finally settling on the young king with a grudging acceptance. He sighed heavily and grunted out a curt, “Very well.”

A murmur rippled through the hall, turning into excited whispers that echoed around the stone walls. This was unprecedented; a Frey girl chosen to be betrothed to the King in the North!

Your sisters looked at you with wide eyes, surprise and envy coloring their expressions. You could almost feel their piercing stares burrowing into your back, but you didn’t care. Robb had chosen you. And even though this was part of a grand scheme that remained secret from most, an indescribable joy surged within you at being chosen by him.

Robb then leaned slightly towards you, his voice barely audible above the hushed chatter. "I hope I picked the right trout," he murmured to you, a glint of worry in his eyes.

"There is only the one, my King," you reassured him with a small smile and breathed out once everyone went back to their seats - even the women, which gave you the greatest hope of there not being a massacre tonight. "Though if I find out anything that will hurt you or your... uh, friend, I will give you a signal and lots of likeminded trouts will help."

Robb nodded, his gaze fixed on yours. His eyes were the color of a stormy sky - deep, chilling, and deadly if challenged. Without breaking the eye contact, he whispered back, "I am looking forward to seeing what a school of like-minded trouts can do, thoug I hope I shall never feel the need to see them."

A hush fell over the room as Lord Walder straightened in his chair and clapped his hands together sharply. "Enough of these fish conversations," he barked, his voice echoing throughout the hall. "It's time to sit down for the feast. You're to be wed! My grandson shall be a King!"

As the guests began to shuffle towards their seats, you took Robb's arm and led him to the high table alongside Lord Walder and his newest wife. The woman, who was no more than a year older than you, was beautiful in a fragile kind of way. Her honey-coloured hair was bound up intricately with tiny pearls gleaming in between her locks. She shot you an encouraging smile as you both took your seats.

Throughout the feast that ensued, she would lean towards you from time to time, whispering coded words in your ear between bites of her meal or sips of her wine. "Remember," she once whispered casually as she spread some butter on her bread, "the pickles are of a dangerously spicy sort."

"Just the pickles?" You asked just as casually, keeping your gaze focused on your own plate.

She nodded subtly in response before turning her attention back to her own meal.

The night wore on with laughter and merriment filling the air beneath the vaulted ceilings of the hall. Everyone seemed at ease - even Robb appeared more relaxed now. However, underneath the surface, you were still fully ready to run. Your father was everything, but a honest man and nothing could fully guarantee your safety.

As the feast came to a close, Lord Walder rose to his feet with all the grace of a prowling cat despite his advanced years. "May I have your attention!" he bellowed, effectively silencing the chatter throughout the hall. He nodded his approval at the sudden quiet before turning his steely gaze towards you and Robb.

"It seems to me," he began, his voice carrying an uncanny edge that made the hair on your neck stand up. "That we're forgetting one important detail of this evening."

His gaze intensified as he continued, "These two lovebirds are yet to be wed!"

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. You felt Robb stiffen beside you, but your father's newest wife pressed a reassuring hand on your arm. It was, after all, part of their ploy.

A frail old septon shuffled forward from among the crowd. The wrinkles on his face gathered into deep crevices as he smiled warmly at you and Robb. He held out a red silken ribbon - your symbol of unity in this farce of a marriage.

You found yourself whispering vows under his quiet instruction, your voice choked by anticipation and fear while Robb's steady and firm words only added another layer to your pounding heart.

"And now," Walder announced gleefully once you'd both spoken your vows. "Seal it with a kiss."

Robb hesitated for a moment before leaning in, his warm lips brushing against yours in a chaste but lingering kiss. The hall erupted in cheers, and for a fleeting moment, it felt real - like true love had finally found your side, yet you knew that this'd be a farce. But then again, what would a loveless marriage be against dozens of dead innocents?

"Take the lovers away! Undress them!", croaked Walder and grinned implishly as a mass of Frey girls came and picked Robb up. Silencing his prostest with the smallest of nods, you, in turn let yourself be carried by some Stark men.

The crowd of Stark men was like a sea of shadows, each figure blurred into the next by the dim candlelight. The soft murmur of their voices was punctuated by the occasional chuckle or whisper as they carried you away through a labyrinth of stone corridors. The cold, rough-hewn stones beneath your feet were a stark contrast to the warmth and merriment of the feasting hall. The ancient walls echoed with tales of grandeur and battle, each echo ringing in your ears as an ominous forewarning.

With each step, you felt your heart drumming wildly in your chest - this was unchartered territory, a dance with danger and uncertainty. You stole a glance at the jumbled mass of Frey girls disappearing with Robb into another corridor, his eyes locked onto yours for an infinitesimal second before he was swallowed by the throng.

You were ushered up a winding staircase, its spiralling steps leading you to a chamber high above the ground. The door creaked open to reveal a room bathed in soft moonlight. It wasn't chained and barred like the dungeons you'd feared, but rather adorned with silken tapestries depicting intricate hunting scenes.

A sigh of relief escaped your lips as you entered. The room felt strangely comforting with its high vaulted ceiling and large canopy bed draped in furs. A lone window overlooked rolling meadows bathed in silver moonlight, their serene beauty belying the uncertainty that lay ahead.

The Stark men began to undress you, their roughened hands deft yet respectful on your garments. Your heart pounded in your chest like a wild bird trapped in a cage and only stopped once Robb came into the room, dressed only in a sheet that was held up by your giggling sisters. He quickly excused his men and gave the girls the same, stern look.

"Good night, little fish!", "Have fun!" and "Make sure that you'll make a king tonight!" were their parting words as the filed out, giggling.

The heavy door shut behind them with a reverberating thud that echoed in the silence of the chamber. The echo faded, leaving only your heartbeat to fill the quiet space. You turned to face Robb, his striking blue eyes filled with an uncertainty that mirrored your own. The bronze-toned light of the hearth danced across his features and played in his hair, casting him somewhat divine in your sight.

His broad shoulders lifted and fell in a heavy sigh that seemed to shake the very air around you both. The silence hung between you two like a tangible veil as he slowly approached you.

"We needn't…" he began, his voice gravelly and low – softer than you'd ever heard it. Suddenly, all of his kingly stature seemed to melt away, leaving behind only a boy burdened by expectations.

"I know," you quickly cut in, eager to relieve him of his discomfort. "I could just…" You trailed off, suddenly aware of the crude absurdity of your plan. But you pressed on, forcing out the words as your cheeks burned with embarrassment. "... just scratch myself open…"

Robb's gaze flickered downward before snapping back up to meet yours, a horrified look crossing his face.

"I mean... people just want some proof… or else... or else there will be talk... we could pretend…” You stumbled over your words, unable to keep eye contact with him anymore.

A moment passed where only the crackling flames dared break the silence. Then Robb let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head slightly before he met your gaze again.

"You remind me why I chose you for this alliance," he said with a warmth in his voice that took you by surprise, his hand reaching out to gently cup your face. "You're willing to hurt yourself just to protect our farce, and the people we're sworn to protect."

His thumb swept across your cheekbone, drawing a shiver from you. There was honesty in his eyes - a rarity in this world of duplicity and deceit - and it was startling.

"You don't need to do that," Robb continued, the corners of his mouth curling up into a small smile. "We'll find another way. A better way." He let his hand drop, but the warmth lingered on your skin, spreading like wildfire through your body.

"Robb…" You began, but he cut you off with a shake of his head.

"No need for formalities," he said with a small grin, trying to lighten the mood. "We're married now, remember?"

He was attempting light-hearted banter – an attempt to alleviate the tension hanging thick between you two, and it was surprisingly endearing. Still though, unease crept back into your heart. After all, what other way could there be?

"But they will expect…" You started again.

"We'll be careful," he interrupted once more. "And we'll be smart. Let them think what they will."

A knock resounded at the door then – a single, harsh rap that echoed in the chamber and made both of you jump.

"Shall I pour the wine?" A thin voice floated in through the heavy oak door, belonging to an old servant woman probably sent by Lord Walder himself to see their progress.

"Yes," Robb called back after sharing an understanding glance with you.

The Lady came in and hobbled her way towards a small table, filling two cups with a cheap red wine, one that smelled more like a tincture than a lovely Dornish Red. To add to that, she set down a small dish of pickles. "If you do not manage to do your duties tonight, your Lady sends this dish to bring you back to your senses.

You began to panic slightly and nodded at her, doing your best to mime an innocent. Walking over to the small table, you dismissed her and quickly gave Robb his glass. As soon as the Lady went away again, you stripped and gulped down the beastly drink, positioning yourself on the bed like a bitch in heat.

Robb, for his part, wore a look of sheer surprise as he followed your unceremonious actions with wide eyes. He took a deep breath, setting his own glass down on the table beside him before he turned back to you. His cheeks were flushed a delicate pink - a stark contrast to his usual pale complexion - and he looked almost boyish under the soft candlelight.

"Please," he started, his voice rough in the quiet of the room, "You don't need to do this. Not like this." His gaze was steady and honest as it met yours, and his words tugged at your heartstrings.

But your mind was filled with vivid images of Lady Catelyn's tear-stained face and Rob's pregnant girlfriend - their lives hanging by the thinnest of threads because of you. You swallowed hard, pushing away the comforting warmth of his words. "We can't risk it Robb," you insisted. Your voice wavered despite your best efforts to keep it steady.

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his mop of auburn hair. But he made no move to stop you from lying back against the bed – your back cold against the rough fabric beneath you. He looked at you then – really looked at you – taking in your determined expression and your trembling hands.

For a moment, all was silent in the room - save for the crackling flames.

Then, without another word, he began to disrobe himself with an air of solemnity that felt too heavy for the occasion. He moved carefully, meticulously even, stopping momentarily to kick away his modesty sheet before he joined you on the bed.

"Lie on your back, Walderette. I needn't take you like an animal," he whispered solemnly as he made sure to keep his eyes on your face.

His voice was low and gentle, a tender lullaby whispered in the quiet of the night. It was an unexpected sweetness that only made your heart hurt with more force, your guilt gnawing away at you like a starved beast. But you nodded, complying with his request and shifting position, your heart pounding in your chest like a war drum.

A silence descended upon the room as he settled down beside you, his broad form dwarfing yours. His muscled arms propped him up as he leaned over you, his gaze never wavering from your face. You closed your eyes, your breath hitching as you felt the cool touch of his hands against the bare skin of your sides.

He stayed silent as his hands began to wander, their slow and deliberate movements adding an excruciating tension to the silence. He explored without hurry; his fingers ghosting over every rise and fall of your body as if committing it to memory.

You could feel the heat radiating off him – a feverish warmth that made goosebumps rise on your skin. Any other night, under any other circumstances, the feeling would've sent pleasing shivers down your spine.

"I…" you choked out, opening your eyes to find Robb hovering over you. His body pressed against yours in an almost comforting manner but it did nothing to dampen the guilt-ridden fear gnawing at your insides. "I… don't know what I'm doing," you admitted softly.

Robb's eyes darkened slightly at your confession but he gave you a small smile nonetheless. "It's alright," he whispered back reassuringly. "Neither do I, really. I've never... had to... take someone."

You blushed and gave him a shy smile. "I am not completely against it. Just... do whatever needs to be done and if we will not manage to create an heir, I am sure we will be able to do this... everything, under better circumtances."

“Are you sure about this?” he asked again, his voice barely more than a whisper. His eyes met yours, the steady gaze filled with an equal measure of fear and determination.

"Yes," you answered just as softly, your heart pounding in your chest. Despite your fear and uncertainty, you knew there was no other option. The lives of those you cared for were at stake. This was a small price to pay for their safety.

Robb nodded, his face a solemn mask. His eyes held yours, a lingering connection in the quiet room. He moved closer, laying his body against yours in a slow, deliberate manner. You could feel the warmth radiating from him, the rapid beats of his heart echoing your own.

"Close your eyes," he whispered, and you complied without question. His lips found yours then, a tender kiss that tasted of wine and apprehension. His lips moved against yours gently, coaxing you into a rhythm that was as haunting as it was comforting.

His hands moved up your sides, skimming past the sensitive skin of your torso to rest at the sides of your face. He pulled back slightly from the kiss, his breath warm against your cheek as he began to whisper words meant only for you. They were soft promises of safety and care; sweet nothings that melted your worries away like morning fog under the sun's rays.

In spite of the circumstances, the tension in the room dissipated at his gentle ministrations. Your body relaxed under his touch, fear and uncertainty replaced with a sense of security.

Then he was moving again, inch by agonizing inch. The heat of him was all-encompassing now; a comforting weight pressing down on you with each passing moment. You let out a gasp when he finally pushed forward – a soft sound drowned out by the crackling fire and rustle of fabric.

It was not painful nor pleasurable - merely an odd discomfort that became more bearable as Robb began to move with slow rhythm, whispering soothing words into your ear. His hands never left your body – one rested on the small of your back, the other cradling your face. His thumb stroked your cheekbone in small circles, drawing out a soothing pattern that almost lulled you into a trance.

The room had become warmer, or maybe it was just the heat radiating from Robb — every inch of his bare skin touching yours, filling your senses with his presence. You clung to him, hands clenched on his broad shoulders, fingers digging into his flesh as he moved with quiet determination. You kept your eyes closed, taking in every sensation, every small sound he made as time stretched thin between each heartbeat.

He smelled of wood smoke and winter air. A hint of the strong drink you both had shared still lingered on his breath mixed with the warm scent of his skin. Each breath he drew was a low sigh against your ear, a soft symphony playing under the rustle of linen and crackle of fire.

His movements remained slow and deliberate — no rush, no urgency. He was careful with you, maintaining a rhythm that was mindful and tender. His touch was gentle but firm, holding you close yet giving you space to breathe. His lips found your forehead once more, pressing a soft kiss there.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly once again, pulling back slightly to look at you. His voice was barely audible over the slow rhythm of his body and your combined breaths.

You opened your eyes to meet his gaze. His eyes held an intense mixture of concern and uncertainty, but also a strange form of peace, as if in this moment he had found some sense of purpose.

"I... am," you answered truthfully – Your body was tingling from the strange experience but there was no pain or discomfort anymore - only an odd sense of warmth... and maybe even something akin to contentment.

His gaze held yours, his expression softening at your words. A sigh of relief escaped him as he lowered his lips to meet yours again. His kiss was languid, unhurried, a complete contradiction to the rapid beating of your hearts.

He whispered your name between soft kisses and gentle touches, turning it into a sweet lullaby that danced with the crackling flames in the hearth.

Gradually, your world shrunk until it was made up of Robb alone—the rhythm of his breaths matching your own, his fingers tracing patterns on your skin, and his whispered words filling the silence. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly; seconds turning into minutes and minutes into hours as you lost yourself in him.

When he finally pulled back after depositing his hot spend in you, it was slow and deliberate. You felt a pang of loss as the warmth of his body disappeared only to be replaced by the cool air of the room. His fingers lingered on your skin for a moment longer before he moved them away too. He didn’t look at you as he rolled onto his side, putting some distance between you two.

It was understandable, you thought to yourself. His true love was outside, in th tents, worrying about her lover, the father of her babe.

For a long while, there was only silence in the room. You could still hear the faint sounds of Robb's steady breathing and feel his warmth beside you, but there was a sense of melancholy in the air that you couldn’t ignore.

The embers from the fire were slowly dying out and you knew that dawn was approaching; still, neither of you made any attempt to speak or move.

Eventually, Robb broke the silence, "I'm sorry..." His voice was barely audible over the dying embers. He turned towards you again, worry etched on his face, quickly wrapping the towel around himself.

"I don't know why I did that... I shouldn't have..."

His words hung in the air, heavy with regret. You turned your gaze to him, seeing the anguish painted across his face. The light from the dying fire cast a soft glow on his features, emphasizing the shadows of guilt etched deep within his eyes.

"It's okay..." you whispered, laying a hand gently on his arm. "It was necessary."

But even as the words left your lips, you couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. You were both trapped in a situation neither of you wanted to be in. Each decision made out of obligation, not desire. It was a cruel reality, one that seemed determined to tear you both apart.

He looked at you then, his eyes searching yours for any sign of resentment or pain. When he found none, he let out a sigh, heavy with relief.

"I wish things were different," he said after a long silence, his voice barely audible over the crackling embers. "I wish we could choose our own paths."

You chewed your lower lip, contemplating his words. You knew what he meant. Your lives were dictated by forces beyond your control-- duty, responsibility and a looming war that threatened everything you held dear.

"We can't change what's already happened," you said quietly, meeting his gaze. "All we can do is move forward and make the best of what we have."

He nodded at your words although his expression remained pained. He reached out to take your hand into his own larger one and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Thank you," he murmured softly, getting up and handing you your dress.

"No, thank you, my King," you said with a small smile. "Let us leave this horrid place."

[strqyr]

I've been sooo back and forth on Summer willingly joining Salem tbh. I mean, given what Salem said to Ruby in v7 ("your mother said those words to me etc") it doesn't make a ton of sense? UNLESS Summer did go there to stop her but was defeated or tortured a bunch or Salem threatened her family, idk

Even with the v9 flashback there's still so much mystery to Summer that it could literally go either way. Raven give us answers I'm frothing at the mouth over here

i completely understand the feeling. there's definitely a bunch of arrows pointing at all kinds of directions, so what it really comes down to for me is figuring out 1. which ones are potential red herrings, and 2. would they spell out the answer before the big reveal?

it was the same with 'is this alyx?' i read a lot of theories about who might have been ascended alyx, and i could see the logic behind them all, if some more than the others... and then it turns out that alyx was just alyx, never ascending and becoming someone else.

that alone makes me lean towards the option that if summer is alive—which is looking likely, i don't think they would avoid saying she's dead for so long only for her to actually be dead—she's going to be recognizably herself. then there's also like. the way the writers do mysteries is less about drawing attention to things that need explanation and more about introducing something and leaving it to stew in the background while distracting the audience with something else.

and that gets me to the questions like 1. why does salem have two extra seats at the table? 2. who at beacon was she talking to via a seer, a method of communication we've only seen happen between two people? and 3. salem wants ruby brought to her alive (despite cinder wanting her dead, and tyrian thought she was sending him to kill her at first) and let's yang and her friends go (despite the grimm arms holding through hazel punching her!! it's one thing if the punch had caused them to disappear but that's not what happened!!) after yang identifies summer as her mom. why?

i think the biggest stumbling block people have over summer working for salem willingly is that they see it as summer being suddenly Evil™ when that's. not the point lol. i mean i wouldn't complain if it was, i love my evil ladies very much, but to me it's more about summer learning what salem's end goal actually is, making a choice for what she considers a better option, while also holding to her morals as much as she can: she has not partaken in any of the destruction directly, if she's commanding the grimm at beacon she's keeping them there instead of letting them spread to vale after the initial attack, and would have made a deal with salem that her family comes to no harm.

what you end up is a character with complexities, who has made difficult choices and stuck with them. sure, her lying and keeping secrets already covers some of that but also... it would be kind of boring if those are her biggest flaws narratively like c'mon, that's the whole cast right there, that's like the bare minimum lmao give me more to chew on.

i'm so ready for raven to gives us answers but i'm also fully prepared to spam the 'where's the rest of it' gif right after cos i bet she bailed right before summer's fate was sealed.

[aethernoise]

7. noisome

The smell was the worst part.

The sight was lovely - fire was always pleasant to watch. The flames danced with blue feet, and white, flailing arms fading into smoke. The shadows joined, curling about as the conflagration spread and grew. The fire climbed effortlessly over its fuel, blazing paths across every surface it could reach, until the entire mound - a small one, this time - was engulfed in roaring heat and light.

Fire lit with flint and tinder and sometimes fed with oils would serve its purpose well enough, but there was an advantage to magical fire. Fire lit with words and channeled aether burned hotter, and quicker, and required less encouragement and less supervision. It could burn in the wind and rain and even in the heavily falling snow - it could cut through a blizzard like a beacon until it had been extinguished.

Alyx was good at lighting fires. Her techniques changed over the years, as did the effort required to cast the spells. It was “convenient” and it was “like nothing” for her, to hear others tell it - for that’s what thaumaturgy was for, wasn't it? Starting fires? Why waste a match when you have with you a living, seemingly inexhaustible source of cleansing flame? She could burn things with a snap of her fingers or a flick of her wrist - even spells cast with a practiced wave of her staff were easy for her, after all.

Not always. Even after her elemental prowess grew to such lengths that lighting a hearth barely took a thought, this sort of blaze would still exhaust her. Each time she had to say the words and watch as the flames feasted voraciously upon their meal, her heart would turn to lead and lay uncomfortably in her chest.

It was no easier when the fire was quiet, as it sometimes was, for not everything screamed while it burned. When the fire was quiet and only spoke with its own voice rather than the voices of others, the sound was soft, like blood rushing in her ears. She likened it to the distant crashing of waves at times, all the while acknowledging the irony. 

With a deep breath, a feather touch, a sacred word, and her powers of destruction would create something new. She would break down the bonds of matter before her and turn it all to heat and light. The flames would dance and she would have fulfilled her duty once more, until the next time she was called upon for the sake of convenience.

It was lovely, in its way. But no matter how many times she lit the fires, Alyx could never get used to the smell of bodies burning.

[aspoonofsugar]

sorry if this has been asked before...

At the end of volume 7/8 Ozpin remarks that he was reminded by a fairytale of a young girl who ran away from her problems and went into a fairytale, he is talking about the ever after of course but what was the thing Alyx ran from?

are there any hints in V9, will it be addressed again? if we go along with the theory Lewis was Oz (which im not that into but devils ad.) then surely Ozpin knows what Alyx was running from and will tell the gang back in Vacuo?

and what if Alyx was a maiden? we know Oz always kept his girls close by, keeping track of them at all times, so was Alyx running from that reponsibilty and oz caught her and they fell into the ever after? if so then surely ozpin now hes not telling lies, will have explained this to vacuo?

Hi!

Sorry for the late reply.

I don't think Oscar and Ozpin's remarks about Alyx must be taken literally. As a matter of fact, they are clearly projecting:

Oscar:  I thought the idea of falling through Remnant into a new world was exciting. I never understood why she was so sad when she finally made it back home. But now it makes more sense.

Ozpin: She wasn’t the same girl anymore.

Ozpin: I was recently reminded of an old fairy tale. A young girl flees the consequences of a choice, to a magical place. But, having never learned from her initial failure, she only succeeds in spreading it.

On the one hand Oscar feels like Alyx in the sense he left home and has now been changed by his adventures and experiences. On the other hand Oz feels like Alyx because he has chosen to run away from the group the moment his lies were discovered. In short, here Ozpin is not really talking about Alyx, but about himself.

Notice, that these 2 ideas apply to the characters who fall in the Ever After, especially Ruby.

Ruby is growing up, so she is changing, but she initially refuses this transformation and is at a loss for who she is. Similarly, she runs away from herself and her own feelings.

Obviously, this is true for all the characters and I would say Jaune and Neo especially explore the theme of running away from their past mistakes.

So, Alyx is really a mirror for the characters and what is said about her is really important for the themes and the characters rather than for the Girl Who Fell Through The World herself. In any case, we know she isn't described as such a great person in the book:

Yang: Well, yeah. But she was kind of a mean person, right? She lied and cheated her way through most of the book.

Jaune: Like Alyx… she wasn’t just a little petulant or inconsiderate. She was selfish… cruel. Like this whole word was simply make-believe and the rules didn’t apply to her.

NeoCat: That cowardly, wretched girl whose story you’ve been foolishly following all along. The same girl that I followed too…

In the book she is said to be a coward, who lies and cheats. Moreover, Jaune describes her as even more selfish and cruel than her literary counter-part.

In short, in the fairy tale she is probably a mischievous child, who eventually changes and learns her lesson:

Blake: Yeah, but she learned her lesson in the end, right?

In reality, well:

Curious Cat: I’d certainly say so.

I love this exchange between Blake and the Cat (our 2 Cats and Beasts :P) because they mean different things and ultimately they are both right. The Cat means Alyx has learnt her lesson in a dark way, since they themselves killed her. Still, Blake's idea that Alyx changed and matured turns out to be true:

NeoCat: No, after talking to the Tree, she had a sudden crisis of conscience! Decided she wanted to fix everything that she had broken in the Ever After! Including poor Jaune!

It is just that Alyx's story is not a fairy tale, but a tragedy. And yet, even in tragedy there is beauty:

Blacksmith: When Alyx’s life ended, she chose to leave a part of herself behind. A wish to fix what she had broken.

Alyx poisons Jaune, but she fixes him in the end. Alyx dies, but her final wish grants Jaune a new life. And this duality is at the root of humanity (alchemy) itself. There is Destruction and Creation, which means death sure, but also transformation:

Blacksmith: She will have the chance to return her broken heart… And becomes something new. (flips and holds Alyx’s knife in their hand) Such is balance.

In summary, Alyx is a protagonist of a coming of age story, both in her book and in reality. As far as other ties to the plot are concerned, I don't think there will be. We might have them, of course. Still, I think the point of Alyx's fairy tale is more than anything thematic tbh.

In any case, I don't think there is any indication Lewis is Oz or that Alyx is a Maiden:

If Lewis were Oz, I would think he might have been able to protect her rather easily

Likewise, if Alyx were a Maiden, I don't think she would have needed Jaune's help that much and she might have resisted the CC more

My guess is Alyx and Lewis were two kids that by chance entered the Ever After and had an adventure there. From their names it is also possible they were born before the Great War, since they are not called after colors. Still, this is all we know really.

Finally, here comes 3 thoughts:

Alyx is the protagonist of her own story, so this is why the volume ends with her saving Jaune, rather than vice versa

All that the fairy tale says turns out to be true. The reality is simply more complex and layered, but the heart of the story is confirmed. The way home lies in the Tree and Alyx is a selfish girl, who by the end grows selfless

Alyx's fairy tale is an exploration of grief, as it is Lewis's way to deal with Alyx's death. It is how he wanted things to go. It is a way to celebrate his sister and to have her return safely home

These are my main thoughts on Alyx so far :) Sure, more twists are still possible, though.

Thank you for the ask!

[phoenix-fell]

RWBY thoughts/theories

Okay, I’m starting to climb back down after that absolute whirlwind of an episode and taking a couple of mins to think about something other than just Bumbleby (cos they’re also in my ideas below). Here’s my thoughts:

1. Jaune says that he believes Alyx traded her brother to the tree. This feels hauntingly familiar to ‘Don’t fall’ from Worthy last volume. I’m hoping it’s not the case, but it might be foreshadowing that one or more of the team will need to be sacrificed to the tree in order for the others to leave the Ever After. I have a few theories of who this could be, one being Jaune. Another theory being that Yang offers herself up (y’all could get that Burning the Candle part 2 after all) which could bring the whole ‘the heart rarely forgets’ back into play (the camera did cut to the Bees when the Cat said this which felt foreshadow-y at the time...). Another is that perhaps Ruby tries to give herself to the tree for penance for failing to save Atlas/Penny etc. And my more left-field theory is that it could be Summer if she comes back in a notable way, giving herself up for her girls. And a slightly more wacky theory is perhaps all of them have to leave something - and I’m half expecting Ruby to willingly leave behind Crescent Rose.

2. I’ve seen someone else theorise that Little is actually Lewis (pls feel free to tag, I’ve read about a million posts since the episode aired)  - but what if Lewis actually *chose* to stay behind as a guide so that people don’t stray from the path in the same way his sister did? It makes me think about Ozpin’s words last volume when he says that “in failing to learn from her mistake, she only succeeds in spreading it.” which makes me wonder if Lewis could have been an Ozpin reincarnation.

3. Just a general thought but did anyone notice that the Curious Cat’s colours dimmed when the team asked them what happened to Lewis? We see the CC’s colours as really bright, particularly when giving their ‘heart’ to others - could this be an indicator of them being deceitful? Or, because that seems obvious, they could be genuinely hurt? I’m thinking back to last episode when the Curious Cat said “if you think like Alyx... Which it seems like you do!” mixed in with the different memories that everyone had of the book. Are they doomed to repeat Alyx’s mistakes? When she faces the Blacksmith, she’s told to lay down her burden, which is at this point Alyx’s weapon. Is that symbolic of them following the same path?

Lastly, and this is a ‘it’s too good to be true’ anxiety speaking. I really, really, really hope that BB’s romance is completely separate to the other confirmations we’ve had in the series and it doesn’t somehow get traded or lost in the Ever After.

[genericswordsmaiden]

summer reading/writing/arting tag

Tagged by @inkysqueed (thank you so much, fellow Jumpluff and Oblivion enjoyer!)

1) Describe one creative WIP you plan on working on over the summer.

Of course, even though I have many ideas in mind (a one piece/crossover fic, an oblivion fanfic and a story about an AU me and my friend @zombinafonfrankenstein came up with) I'm going to continue writing Dark! I'm giving it my all because my goal is to publish it and see it on shelves!!! But for now the english version is available on ao3 (it is updated a bit irregularly because of life and other stuff, but some friends said that it's good nonetheless)

A description of it? Magic amnesiac guy and friends travel across the Afterlife to retrieve books and save the universe from some kind of eldritch creature. It sounds like pure crack and in some way it is. It's also brutal.

2) Recommend a book!

Oh, this is a tough one! But if y'all haven't done it yet, go read The Book Thief. That story changed my life, and it made me cry so much. I loved Liesel and Max's friendship, and also Rudy... He was best boy. And Hans deserves the title of best father ever. Oh god I'm crying again, it's been years since I last read it and it's still a fresh wound! A masterpiece.

3) Recommend a fic!

Another tough one, since there's so many fics I'd like to share! I can't name less than five though, because I absolutely adore them and I wish people of the respective fandoms would read them. Sorry.

Honor bound by penwarrior11 (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) (this one is part of a series and it is the first fic of it. It follows the story of the game alright, but I love the scenes with Mara and Martin, and also Baurus. A precious little gem.)

Everything by nonman (Half Life: Alyx) (this one began in 2021 and proceeded slowly, as of now I'm waiting for the last chapter but guys, it is great! It gives continuation of the cliffhanger at the end of HL:A and it is written masterfully)

No more dreaming of the dead by @mina-murray-harker (Re-Animator 1985) (I love the style of this one, safe and disturbing and full of movie and music references. I think the Re-Animator fandom would love it to bits just as yours truly does)

Candlelight by @clichejoe (Encanto) (this is still my comfort fic and it is very beautiful, colorful - and the main character is the most lovable oddball researcher ever)

The fear of the ocean by FishingLure (JoJo's bizarre adventure) (this one emotionally scarred me - it's been two years and I still haven't recovered)

4) Recommend music!

Pat Metheny Group's discography. But also Seventeen's discography... No, I have to choose a single song. I must choose a single song or else I'll be here all night! Alright, here we go: Haru No Maboroshi by Superfly. It sounds like a sunset. I used to listen to it when I ended uni lessons late in the afternoon, it gives me a comforting feeling and restores my spirit a bit.

5) Share one piece of advice!

Hmmm, I'd say to never forget yourself. Other people may leave, but yourself is the only one who will never leave you. Some people might see this as insensitive wording, but I truly mean this with all my heart. There's time to be spent in introspection, there's love to be found in ourselves, for ourselves. There's a certain kind of healing that can only occur when you are with yourself. Also, to everyone reading this, regardless of shape color gender and preferences regarding tea - tell people who are dear to you how much you love them and hug them. Spread good stuff, hugs are the best drug - and they're free!!

Tagging @koumeowkami and @stardusteyes and also the other beautiful people I already tagged are totally free to copy this and post their own answers!

[maxkillertart]

everyone likes tragic barney calhoun who cries about gordon, feels remorse over his position in the civil protecion and leads the resistance with a heavy heart, but no one is talking about the idea of barney as a guy who people are scared of and is kind of insane.

the hidden room in half life alyx with the blue helmet, the scratches on the wall counting something, a book titled "Black Mesa White Lies", and bits and peices of Civil Protection mask. it's a nod to Barney, however vague.

but the bits of the masks. to build his own, i imagine. so they couldn't read his thoughts or control him. so he'd take CPs out when they were alone. combine killer, they'd call him. steal their gear and use it to build his own.

stuck in a tiny backroom reading books confirming his years of theories and messing with technology. focused on one goal. he keeps a tally of those he's killed.

with his homemade mask, he takes people out and replaces them. becomes an urban legend, the kind of thing feared by metro cops who wondered when they'd be next. whispers of the Combine Killer regarded only as mere myth among civvies.

so when word spreads among rebels that barney calhoun–the man now leading them–was the combine killer, they're nervous, to say the least. a leader to be admired, but his reputacion preceeds him. rebels standing at attention whenever he's near. Barney's often calling out commands and giving directions, even shouting out a joke or two in a raspy voice that relaxes noone. a walking shadow, a living myth. his eyes are focused. his voice is less than happy.

he may have been a more easy going man once. he seems like he was. he shows no remorse with his finger on the trigger, his hand doesn't shake like the other's do. his hands are steady, honest and trained with experience. hands that have seen so much, and it shows.

[bluerose5]

Certainties

Summary: After so much loss, Shepard confides in Thane during a moment of weakness. A short one-shot of hurt/comfort.

Warning: Not necessarily suicidal ideation, but for overall feelings of hopelessness.

"I don't know how we'll win this yet, but we will, even if it kills me."

Those words still echoed in Alyx's mind. How easily they had said them at the time. It was effortless, said without any thought or hesitation.

That kind of weary acceptance was what ultimately spooked them.

People say that you can’t find answers at the bottom of a bottle, so it was a good thing that Alyx had two.

Hell, maybe they should have accepted Wrex’s celebratory offer after all. He was going to send the crew a barrel of ryncol until Shep stepped in and said no. After the cure was dispersed for the genophage, he seemed to be feeling exceptionally generous, and most of the alcohol on the Normandy could barely even manage to give Shepard a buzz before all of their fancy enhancements filtered it out of their system.

On days like this, when they were craving a certain numbness from it all, from all of the duties and responsibilities...

It was infuriating, to say the least.

Alyx knew that they should probably turn to healthier methods of escape, but when have they ever done what was expected of them?

“Well, you’ve already died once and that didn’t slow you down. But let’s not tempt fate.”

Oh, Anderson. Always looking out for them, no matter how hopeless of a cause they turned out to be.

Even now, Shepard could hear the slight waver to his voice, how he rushed out the last several words. It was a silent plea, asking them to hang on.

“Let’s not tempt fate.”

Right, because Shepard got into enough life-threatening situations all on their own without any help.

They stared into their glass, contemplating its fullness when they sensed his presence.

With a sigh, they greeted him, “Hello, Thane.”

“Vyxa,” he greeted in turn, taking the seat beside them.

Good thing the observation deck had a cozy bar for Alyx to brood at. They preferred the sense of normalcy, even though everything around them was far from being normal again.

“Everything okay?” they asked, just barely angling their face to acknowledge him at their side.

Thane hesitated, his head cocked to the side.

"Here I was, ready to ask you that question."

Alyx clenched their jaw.

"I'm fi—"

"Don't do that," Thane told them, interrupting their load of bullshit the first chance he got. He shook his head at them. "Don't lie to me and say that you're fine."

"Then, what do you want me to say?" They asked, overwhelmingly frustrated, especially when his entire demeanor remained so damn calm. The galaxy was burning around them both, yet that didn't seem to phase Thane Krios in the slightest.

Their grip tightened on the glass.

"What could I possibly say to satisfy your curiosity?" They snapped, glancing up at Thane with a fire raging in their eyes. The glow of their cybernetics brightened in response. The cracks in Alyx's skin seemed to deepen. "You want the truth?"

As they leaned in, their grip continued to clamp down. Little cracks spread out from their touch like the threads of a spiderweb, weaving together until the glass finally shattered with a loud crunch.

Shepard felt no pain. Most of the shards simply slid off like water cascading down a smooth surface, unable to penetrate their skin.

What scratches were left behind simply healed within seconds, right before their very eyes.

Alyx didn't once look away from Thane, unable to speak above an exhausted whisper.

"Death follows me everywhere I go." Alyx shook their head, unable to meet his eyes as their lower lip trembled. They could taste salt upon their tongue before they felt the tears streaming down their cheeks, hot on their skin. They mindlessly shook their head again. "I feel like an infection, festering, destroying everything in my path..."

Thane watched Alyx closely, reaching out to envelop their hands in his own.

"Shepard." When they ignored him, he squeezed their hands. "Alyx."

He waited until they met his eyes to continue, the weight of an entire galaxy weighing heavy upon their shoulders.

But he needed them to understand.

Reaching out, he caressed their cheek. They carefully placed one of their hands over his, pressing into his touch, clinging to him.

As if the slightest distance would tear them apart.

Thane took a deep breath, released it.

It didn't rattle in his chest as much anymore, not since the surgery.

Then again, it didn't matter much. Commander Shepard always had a talent of taking his breath away, no matter the circumstance.

He leaned his forehead against theirs. Both of their eyes slid closed as they breathed in tandem, sharing the space between them.

"If you're an infection," Thane whispered, "then why do I feel so alive when I'm with you?"

Shepard's expression crumbled, but Thane persisted.

"If you're an infection, explain to me how you have saved me and so many others, vyxa."

A lone, broken sob escaped from them. Thane readily embraced them, holding Alyx close.

"All I hear in my dreams are the wails of ghosts, all of them dead because of me," Alyx said, choking on their words. "If I've brought as much good into this galaxy as you say, then why won't they stop?"

They mumbled the last part more so to themself, but Thane answered regardless.

"Because you're letting the dead drown out the voices of all those that you saved." He squeezed them tight. "All those that you continue to save. Don’t lose sight of them, just as you honor the dead by allowing them to live on in your memories.”

Shepard thought that over, conflicted.

“I feel like I’m failing them, because Thane...” Alyx took a deep, trembling breath. “I’m scared.”

Not an easy thing for the Commander Shepard to admit to, yet it felt freeing to say nonetheless.

Thane took a guess as to what they were referring to. “Of dying?”

If only it was that easy to explain.

“No, I—” Then, they shrugged, all sorts of confused. “Yes. I don’t know. Maybe?”

He pulled away enough to stare at them questioningly.

“I want to live,” Shepard said, but even then, it sounded more like a question than a statement. “I feel cowardly for even hesitating, for saying that I fear death, considering all that has happened. All the friends and allies that we’ve lost from fighting this war.” When Thane tried to speak, Alyx placed their fingers upon his lips, quietly shushing him as they continued. They needed to say this. “I understand fully how foolish it is to go seeking out death, but I’m not naïve. I understand that this war may one day call on me to give my life, and if that is the only option that will help end this war, then I will do whatever is necessary to defeat the Reapers. What scares me is that—”

They stopped abruptly, swallowing thickly past the lump in their throat.

“What scares me is that I feel as if I’m growing numb to the idea of my death. Instead of fighting against it, this part of me —deep inside— wants to surrender to the idea that my death in this war is inevitable, and it. scares. me. I feel so, so...”

They fumbled for the right words, at a loss.

“So hopeless,” Thane whispered, finishing for them.

Alyx nodded silently in agreement, but Thane couldn’t let them withdraw into their own mind, not now when they needed his support.

He brushed a stray strand of hair back behind their ear, his fingers fiddling with their piercings.

"I don't have the words that will make you feel better," he confessed. "No one does. Unfortunately, this is a war that is being waged inside yourself. As much as I wish that I can rid you of all the worry and the pain, I can't."

The tips of his fingers ventured onward, ghosting along the outline of their jaw, and then their lips...

"But know this. What I can do is be there for you. I can support you, stay by your side for as long as possible. And when those thoughts of doubt and inevitability plague your mind, I can be here to anchor you." He cupped their cheek, patient and tender. "I can be here to remind you that Commander Shepard has friends, family, and loved ones who will go to hell and back for them, to make sure that they come home. Maybe this war will ask us to pay the ultimate sacrifice, maybe it won't, but the only thing that is certain is that you are loved. You are wanted, and you are needed."

Shepard nodded, and Thane leaned in to steal a soft, lingering kiss.

His words brushed against their lips.

"And nothing will ever change that."

[nuclearnerves]

thanks for taking part in infecting Freeman's mind with hlvrai content too /sarcasm. All half life content is being flooded with hlvrai now, there's no where to enjoy original half life content and original half life fan works anymore without hlvrai being plastered all over it. Freeman's mind was safe for a while but I come to see the tags again and it's flooded with hlvrai and "gordonverse" shit

You need to review your words before you send them anon. Griping at someone who is creating the content you’re imbibing isn’t going to get you a “UGH I KNOW RIGHT?? These STUPID hlvrai artists invading and infecting my precious half life tag” or a “omg I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize I was making you, one of thousands of people on the internet, personally uncomfortable. I’ll change my behavior right away!”, especially not a man nearing 30 who’s been on the internet long enough to see this exact behavior crop up in multiple fandoms.

A lot of my friends are being bullied like this too. They’re having panic attacks, becoming upset and scared to post any more content specifically because people like you are yelling at them not to. You’re not going to change the way the world works like this, you’re only going to see it slow to a stop. Try being more encouraging to the things you *want* to see as opposed to angry at the things you *dont*. If I can make an assumption about you, you have parents or other figures who haven’t been supportive of your interests and only yell at you to change the things they don’t like, so you’ve adopted that behavior. Well, here’s your chance to break the cycle of abuse, and show them that they’re wrong.

Something that would have sparked more positivity! “I like your content, could you maybe draw more alyx and Eli? I would love to see more (half life centric prompt here)” and I would have said “sure! :D” but instead you went with “you need to delete this because it’s wrong” People don’t respond well to negative feedback, especially some that sounds INCREDIBLY entitled and inspires me to make more Gordonverse content out of spite. You need to adjust how to talk to total strangers online AND in real life.

I’m sorry for scolding you, but I’m genuinely concerned that if you keep acting like this, you’re going to push away people who want to care about you. You need to start thinking about people other than yourself, okay? I promise, adjusting this behavior and going for a more positive way of communicating will fetch you a lot more friends and things you want to see in the long run. If you want to complain, do it privately amongst friends who you know will support you. But don’t let complaining be the only thing about you. Spread some positivity too, please. This is an exhausting age to go through and we all know it. Lets make things that make people happier for once, join me in that fight!

[kerink]

hey u liked hlvrai, right? did u ever watch the half life alyx one the same maker put out? might be fun to look into if not... i hadnt heard abt it myself so it seemed worthwhile to reach out n spread the word

yeah i did watch it, it was really great! thanks for spreading the word

[image-thot]

A Song Of The Gods - Chapter 6

Ares had gotten the upper hand of Apollo and was now pounding his fist into the younger god, he seemed to be in a blind murderous rage. That wasn’t anything unusual for Ares but never had such rage had turned towards them.

It took Hermes running at him almost at full speed tackling to get him off, Alyx went straight to Appollo to help him up.

“Are you alright?” She asks allowing him to lean on her for support, before the beaten god could respond hermes was toss towards them. He landed just shy of them, glaring towards the approaching Ares.

“I should have guessed these two were behind your absence,” Ares growled at the three. “It’s bad enough, that you let that milk bitch Defial this place but the sun slut as well?”

“Do not speak like that here.” She growls at him as hermes stands blocking ares view of you, causing the God to snarl at him. Before Ares could act they were interrupted by the defining sound of lighting strikes, Ares turned towards Zeus palace the source of the composition. He made his way outside followed by Alxy and Hermes who assisted Apollo, their bodies illuminated with the flashes of blue and white once they were in the open as they looked on.

“What has that embarrassment done now,” Ares grumbles out as he looks on.

“You seem to assume that it is Zeus that has done something,” Alyx says just to spite him, he glares at her before making his way towards the places.

“I think that would be the day Olympus falls.” Hermes jokes out as Apollo winces drawing your attention back to the wounded god. Placing her hand on Apollo’s cheek, she gives the god a sincere smile.

“You should take him to Asclepius, he should be able to mend his wounds.” She says looking to hermes, who looked about ready to drop his brother in protest. “I would imagine you would want him a full strength for your next run-in with ares.” She jests attempting to lighten the mood.

“I say, Ares work on his face is an improvement.” Hermes jokes, earning an annoyed grunt from apollo as you shove Hermes shoulder.

“Go, I look forward to your return.” She says as Hermes gives her a quick nod before he speeds away with Apollo.

Alyx watches them speed away, she debates whether to go back into her temple but the flashing lights of Zeus rage piqued her curiosity, and she assumed it also piqued the other gods and goddesses as well. She made her way towards his temple, along the way she had come across Artemis, Aphrodite and Demeter who all were as curious about the disturbance as she was. Aphrodite suggested that it was another bout over another one of Zeus is lovers.

As they neared the entrance to Zeus temple the flashing brightened and the ground shook with tremors of Heras anger. Many others had gathered near the entrance of the temple, none were bold enough to enter. She spotted Ares who was one of the closer Gods to the entrance, Demeter noticing her looking towards the God of war.

“I heard the news.” Demeter begins, her voice almost sounds like a whisper compared to the noise from above. “Though, I do not know if its good or bad news”

“Oh come on Demeter” Artemis begins as she slight glares. “Of course it’s bad news, You know how smitten she is with Hermes.” Artemis nudges Alyxs arm as she speaks “Apollo told me of your struggles, I am sorry. I’m sure Hades won’t stand for this.”

“I can only hope so ” Alyx says as everything goes silent, they all look on in anticipation until the shadow appears. They step into the light of the moon to reveal Hera who glares down towards the lower gods and goddesses. The vast majority of them avert their gaze from her, she lets out a few grumbles that cannot be heard by them as she takes flight leaving them to only assume what had occurred.

Alyx saw a few of the other gods begin to leave, obviously bored of the anti-climatic outcome. She was wondering whether or not she should follow suit, she knew word of what happened would be spreading like wildfire tomorrow. Artemis places her hand on Alyxs shoulder, giving her a look of understanding.

“You are always welcome at my temple, so don’t be a stranger.” She says before making her way back down the mountain towards her temple.

Alyxs gives her a nod, before looking back towards Zeus temple noticing Ares intense gaze upon her. She looks away deciding to make her way back to her temple, she gently nudged past other gods and goddess giving them greetings and small replies to random questions.

As she made it towards the fork in the path towards her temple she heard the hurried heavy steps of Ares approaching her. She let out a groan as she began to walk faster, his steps still getting closer.

“You have a lot of Nerve-” She begins to say as she turns to about to unleashes her anger out on him when a painful almost bone-breaking grip is felt on her wrist. Gripping her wrist as he pulls her into him, his blood-red eyes glaring down at her, his mouth pulled tight into a frown.

“I cannot fathom why you would lower your standards to such a weak-” His other hand came to grip the back of her head pulling it so she had to look up at him. “Little excuses for gods.”

She lets tries to hide the pained whimper as she gives him a weak glare. “At least they don’t use violence to solve their problems.” She retorts as he tugs the back of her head, she lets out another slight yelp trying to use her free hand to try and push his chest in an attempt to move him away.

He growls moving his head so that she can feel his breath against her ear. “Oh you haven’t seen the violence I’m capable of.”

He inhaled her scent, letting out a soft groan before he released his grip on her head before dragging her by her wrist towards his temple.

[aethernoise]

seeing stars

Without context or apology, here are 492 words of soft silly spice. Alyx/Aymeric, let’s call it NSFW to be safe.

-

Alyx shivered despite the warmth.

"Aymeric, that tickles," she grumbled half into the pillow, "What are you doing?"

His finger continued making patterns and shapes along the skin of her upper back, his touch just light enough to be maddening.

"Practicing my astromancy," he answered plainly. Alyx grinned.

"On a foggy night with all the windows closed," she said, "Impressive."

"No need to see the sky," he explained, "Not when I have a map of the stars right here." He dragged several kisses over one shoulder blade. 

"That's a good line."

"I learn from the best," he kissed her shoulder again, this time lingering. 

Alyx melted deeper into the covers, stretching her arms out underneath the pillow to touch the headboard. Aymeric's fingertips smoothed back and forth over a portion of her back as if he were pacing slowly, retracing steps. Eventually he found the trail of her spine and followed it leisurely down below the bank of bedclothes--

"In fact, perhaps you ought to quiz me," he suggested.

--and back up to her nape where his grip curled into her hair.

"Quiz you? On the stars?" she wondered aloud, all but squirming from the tone of his voice alone. "Seems like you know what you’re doing without my help.”

She had no idea if he had actually been drawing distinct shapes and didn't care.

"Well," Aymeric drawled playfully, "I only know the Spear."

Alyx snorted into the pillow and he joined her in a tired but giddy chuckle. His hands were an inquiry and an invitation--she answered in kind.

"Well,” she said with an air of teasing gravity, “If you're thirsty I can help you find the Ewer.”

He laughed warmly and gave a firmer sweep of his palm down over the tired muscles of her back before trailing away. With an airy groan into the pillow Alyx squirmed in the blankets to roll over in pursuit. 

Aymeric was waiting and captured her happily in a kiss, slow and deep and dreamlike. They shifted and struggled lazily in the tangle of sheets until she could reunite her skin with his own--hot, soft, familiar. She curled into his embrace so easily, by instinct, comfortable as always even in every awkward clash of elbows. 

Hands found hands but only for a moment before his refused further distraction: gripping her thighs with the gentlest urgency he spread her legs and shifted low to follow the path along her center. He dragged his lips over her hip bones and further shrugged away the confines of the covers to reveal taut and golden shoulders. She marveled at the sight of him, ebony hair splashed all about her belly, the long tapered edge of one ear barely touching the sensitive skin of her inner thigh.

He was done teasing: he bowed to her and she whimpered a laugh into her hand. 

"Nevermind," she breathed, "You know the way."

"By heart," he affirmed, and resumed drawing the constellations. 

-

[aspoonofsugar]

Is Yang Alice in Wonderland? I've seen people theorizing about it in tumblr and even fanarts about it.

Hello anon!

It depends on what you mean by Yang "being" Alice in Wonderland. Is Alice Yang's main allusion? Nope, that is Goldilock. Are there some easter eggs that link Yang to Alice? Yes, like her birthday being the same as when the Alice in Wonderland novel was released, according to @misstrashchan?

Is Yang Alice in any meaningful and thematic way? Imo no, especially because the upcoming volume is set up to be Alice in Wonderland themed:

As she drifted down, she felt like Alyx falling through the world. Then she heard a tearing sound. She looked up and noticed the constellation of scorch marks in the paper as the wind and gravity began to rip it apart. She concentrated and patched it up with her Semblance, reinforcing the fragile paper, imagining it as a thin, light, durable film that absolutely would not shred and drop her twenty feet to the ground.

Roman Holiday, chapter 7 

However, the main character in focus is not going to be Yang, but Ruby:

"This is the story of as girl"

The whole set up is also made by Oscar (and later Oz), who foils Ruby and not Yang:

Oscar:  I thought the idea of falling through Remnant into a new world was exciting. I never understood why she was so sad when she finally made it back home. But now it makes more sense. Ozpin: She wasn’t the same girl anymore.

Ozpin: I was recently reminded of an old fairy tale. A young girl flees the consequences of a choice, to a magical place. But, having never learned from her initial failure, she only succeeds in spreading it.

This set-up is clearly preparing Oscar/Oz to foil Ruby/(prob) Summer in some way. Hence in the series the Girl Who Fell Through the World is specifically Ruby.

Obviously, in a sense Alyx is RWBY as a whole (plus Jaune and Neo) because they all fell. On an even wider level every character next volume will be Alyx. This is because Alice's story is a metaphorical and fantastical coming of age story. Alice's adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are just Alice coming to terms with herself.

Alice falls into a Rabbit Hole (she goes deeper into herself) and enters a world, which she struggles to understand (a twisted version of the adults' world with all its hypocristy and stupidity). She goes from being too big to being too small because that's how you feel when you grow up. Finally, she has to fight off strange characters, who tell her not to think with her own head (off with her head). In the sequel, she enters a mirror (so herself) and there she has to cross the board to turn herself into a Queen (grow up).

The same thing is gonna happen to the characters in volume 9. In other words, no anon, I don't think Yang is specifically Alice in Wonderland. Ruby will probably be. However, Yang and the others will still be in a minor way. It is also possible they might build a meta play where Ruby is Alyx and Yang is Alice. Not sure what will accomplish, but I am not against it per se :'''). What's sure is that before analyzing RWBY through an Alice in Wonderland lens, I would wait for next volume.

Thank you for the ask!

[drbahama]

Alyx Vance callout post

tw for: (violence, h*mest*ck, ableism, theft, anarchism)

Alyx Vance is a 24 year old heterosexual AFAB (she/her). She is mutuals with Gordon Freeman (27, he/him) and Barney Calhoun (44, he/him), both of whom are recorded anticitizens. This callout post is to spread the word of her blatant displays of abuse.

Alyx Vance absolutely refuses to use stairs. She is constantly jumping over railings and rejecting the warnings she has been given by Civil Protection. She expects her knees and her leg's skeletal structure to take the brunt of her immature actions. Alyx is immature and impulsive.

She made a robot and named it D0G. She used a "0" instead of the letter "o". Now Alyx has been incredibly lowkey with her H*mest*ck hyperfixation, to the point where she's made 0 posts about it, but this is the equivalent of a smoking gun. Alyx is a h*mest*ck stan.

Another sign of Alyx being generally immature is her making puns. She directly makes puns in front of Gordon after he just deals with an intense shootout, most likely making his anxiety and trauma worse. This also makes her ableistic.

Alyx's Father, Eli, is friends with an inventor by the name of "Russel". During what can be considered a troubling event in her life, Alyx "borrows" Russel's gun and has not SINCE given it back. She refuses to buy him a replacement, and this is nothing short of blatant theft. Speaking of Eli Vance, he is a known anticitzen and is considered the leader of the rebellion, which may I remind you, is directly responsible for limiting our potential as a species. It seems the apple does not fall far from the tree.

During Alyx's stay in City 17, she has since assaulted several Civil Protection officers. This highlights her violent tendencies, and is a sign of her possibly being an abuser.

Alyx Vance is a ABHORRENT individual, and I fully expect the fact that she will not own up to any of this, like the hypocrite she is. PLEASE spread this! It's incredibly important that word gets out, she CANNOT keep getting away with this despicable behavior.

Be wise. Be safe. Be aware.

REBLOGS > LIKES

[lightningmonsterbarney]

You’re going to try and overload him, aren’t you?

Gordon and Alyx ride out into the snow, the bike’s engine drowned by the sounds of gunfire and lightning strikes. Gordon drives in front of the resistance fighters while Alyx signals for a retreat.

The order is caught and spread, and soon the entire standing militia are backing off, retreating into the White Forest bunker. D0G, Ulrich, and Adrian’s pack regroup with Gordon and Alyx in front of the base doors, watching as the vortigaunts gather before the Combine war machine.

Barney is confused but hardly interested in stopping his barrage. Lightning arcs from the split mouth and is easily caught by the vortigaunts, glowing energy shifting from blue to green as it’s redirected. Rather than aiming at the machine, however, every vort directs their strike at Barney himself.

The machine takes a step back, its driver stunned by the assault. Rather than the machine’s, Barney’s spines now glow more brightly, his muscles twitching with a sudden influx of energy. He tries to feed more of it into the machine, but he has no control over how much the cord in his back takes. A light panic tightens his throat.

He attempts to adapt, ceasing his electrical fire in favor of swiping with massive claws, but the vortigaunts simply take to crafting their own power rather than redirecting Barney’s. Vortal chanting replaces gunfire, and the forest turns green as dozens of vortigaunts strike as one.

Adrian and Ulrich quickly try to usher Gordon and Alyx inside, worried by the way Barney is barely containing the power fed into him. The duo are reluctant to leave.

“Maybe this was a bad idea--” Alyx tries. “There’s-- there’s gotta be another way! Wait!” Her words fall on deaf ears as Ulrich hoists her over his shoulder to carry her inside, accompanied by D0G.

“I need to be here for him,” Gordon insists. Both he and Adrian’s expressions are unreadable beneath their masks. Gordon notes that Adrian’s lost his hat.

“Sure,” Adrian responds sarcastically. “He can pay respects to your freshly charred corpse. Get inside, idiot.”

Gordon hesitates, but enters the base with much less fight.