#And he feels like such a traitor to his goddess so he wants to make up for it somehow

[gintrinsic-writing]

Twilight was a no-good filthy traitor. Legend hoped a bird shit on his head, or that he had to walk with wet socks, or that all of his hair burned off during the next monster fight. It would only serve him right.

“He looks like he’s plottin’ my demise,” Twilight muttered in an aside to Hyrule.

“Because I am,” Legend bit out, only keeping his voice down so the others didn’t wake. If there was any mercy to be found, it was that Twilight hadn’t told anyone else yet. Goddess knows that would only make things worse.

Hyrule took a slow, deep breath—bracing himself, or maybe out of patience. Legend didn’t know him well enough to say, yet. For a healer, he was surprisingly prickly at times. “We’re only concerned, Legend. Let us help you.”

“And I’m telling you, there’s nothing to help.”

“Twilight said he’s seen you wearing those rings every night.” Hyrule glanced at Legend’s fingers pointedly. “We recognize them. You once mentioned they’re for healing.”

“So what?” Legend snarked.

“So quit being a stubborn bastard and tell us where you’re hurt,” Twilight grumbled, voice just shy of too loud. “You wouldn’t wear ‘em without reason. You’ve said yourself you don’t like wastin’ magic.”

“They’re passive,” Legend sighed, then held up his hands when they both scoffed and opened their mouths to argue. “Why can’t you simply trust me to handle my own shit?”

“Because you’re not on your own now,” Hyrule argued. “We’re a team, and if you’re hurting when one of us can help—”

“Good Three, are you deaf?” Legend snapped in a whisper. “I already said you can’t!”

Hyrule’s ears flattened, and he lowered his gaze. Legend instantly felt like shit.

“Prove it, then,” Twilight said. “Let him do a quick scan, and if there’s truly nothing, we’ll apologize and leave you alone.”

Legend wanted to throw something. He half-considered shoving Twilight just to have an outlet for some of his frustration, but the farm boy was built like a brick shithouse. Probably wouldn’t do Legend the courtesy of budging. “You know what? Fine. Since you’re incapable of respecting my privacy, fine.”

They both looked chastised, but not enough to stop them from taking advantage of Legend’s reluctant acquiescence. Hyrule stepped forward—and wasn’t that its own sharp discomfort, allowing someone into his space without bristling—and placed glowing hands near Legend’s head and chest. For a moment, the only sound was the crackle of the camp fire. Then Hyrule made an unhappy sound in the back of his throat.

“Your right knee…”

As if on cue, an ache shot up through Legend’s leg. “Old ACL tear.”

“It didn’t heal well.”

“No.”

Seconds passed, Hyrule chewing on his lower lip. “What about your back?”

“Nerve damage after a fall.”

Twilight winced. “How high?”

Legend bitterly recalled the unforgiving rocky slopes of Tal Tal Heights. “High,” he answered curtly.

Hyrule shifted his hands. “Your hip—was it dislocated?”

“Mhm. Lynel clipped me.”

“It’s not… Your socket must’ve been damaged as well. It’s not a great fit.”

“I’m aware.”

“And your left ankle?” Hyrule asked quietly. “A fracture?”

“I didn’t have time to set it properly. Had to chug a potion and run.” He figured it went without saying that the alternative would’ve been much worse.

Hyrule frowned. “There’s some scarring in your lungs. Does it hurt to breathe?”

A small raft, a large storm. Choking on salt water as waves crashed overhead. Waking up on Koholint, convinced he must’ve drowned— “Not enough to matter.”

“I see…” Hyrule suddenly took Legend’s left hand in both of his. He was so, so gentle. It made Legend want to hide under a rock. “Can you feel anything in your palm?”

“Besides pins and needles?” Legend shrugged. “Hardly. Burn went too deep.”

Twilight shifted uncomfortably where he stood. “Hyrule, can you heal any of this?”

Hyrule hesitated, then took a step back, letting go of Legend’s hand. “I can try but…” He shook his head sadly. “There’s so much more. So many little traumas that healed wrong, or weren’t addressed in time. Some of your joints are relying on scar tissue for support to function. The arthritis alone, it—I can’t even imagine. Oh, Legend, I’m so sor—”

“I know,” Legend hissed, feeling his face burn with embarrassment. “I fucking know, but you both insisted, and—and there’s nothing to be done, is there? Nothing to do but deal with it, like I always have.” He scoffed, fidgeting with one of his rings. “Only now, you know how broken I am. Congratulations, I guess. I’m proof of what it means to be the goddesses’ favorite.”

Twilight reached out, probably intending to offer comfort, but Legend flinched away. He wasn’t sure why he’d said that last bit. He wished he could take it back. “Just… please,” he started, too tired and ashamed to keep up his anger. “Give me some privacy, and don’t tell the others. Can you at least do that for me?”

Twilight finally looked appropriately regretful. Too bad it didn’t make Legend feel any better. “Of course, Ledge,” he murmured. “And I’m—truly, I’m sorry for pryin’.”

“It’s fine,” Legend said, which wasn’t true, but it was better than “whatever” or “you should be.” He thinks they understood anyway.

[moodymisty]

Hey Misty, sorry for the incoming braindump. I read a theory on reddit that the primarchs were partly made from minor gods of the Warp and that the Loyalists were gods that Big E bargained with and who went willingly, while the Traitors were gods he subjugated/tricked somehow. I thought this was really cool and had it on my mind all day. Full-on neuron activation moment. But I don't have any friends who know about 40k to talk about it with so I suppose I will leave some thoughts here :) sorry if this is annoying/unwelcome.

This focuses on the Traitors mostly because I find them very interesting.

Like, what if reader is/was a devout and beloved high-priestess/follower of one of those gods(maybe it's a steadily declining religion, even?) And so when the specific primarch in question fleetingly lays eyes on her for the first time while taking over the world she lives on, there is just this instant feeling of desire/attachment/protectiveness that they don't understand. Maybe the primarch had some kind of silent subconscious urge to go to that planet specifically, because the god has/had worshippers there and it sort of calls out to them. Like divine homesickness lol.

For the Loyalists it would be mostly wholesome and cute tbh. It'd be like they found a piece of themselves that they didn't know was missing. Very meet-cute potential.

But for the Traitors it could be soooo spicy. You get snatched by Curze and it is just a shitshow. Mood swings galore and most of the time you have no idea what you even did to trigger them(your silent prayers for mercy made something in his head feel like it was crawling) I think your take on him being really obsessive and almost desperately clingy(in the most unnerving of ways) fits super well. Whatever entity got diced up and put in the Curze soup was probably a fucking scary one.

I think Perturabo would be really scary too. Although maybe finding someone like that would soothe him somehow? You'd definitely be walking on eggshells with him (at least at first) though. Another one with mood swings. Another scary god, but less "horrific torment to cleanse you of your sins" and more of a "You lesser creatures exist for worship and labor." Maybe that's why he's so pissy, the divine part of him was used to having constant praise and offerings and now he gets almost none.

Angron would be soo tragic. His whole thing was empathy so I think whatever god he has in him/was made from might have been a much more gentle one. He's got one side of him crying out desperately to be near you and the nails raking through him on the other.

Lorgar would be hilarious tbh. A guy made from the blended up remains of a minor Warp deity constantly crowing about you being a goddess (when you were just a humble priestess before lol). It's like this comedically backwards situation, the God worshipping the acolyte. Maybe the entity he was made from was literally a deity of worship? I dunno. Kinda stumped on this one lol.

I think Mortarion would be pretty normal tbh. Might even fight against the thing in his chest that tugs him towards your presence. Slow burn city. I think whatever god he was made from very much wanted to be left alone, but wasn't particularly scary. Just a bit cold, distant, and stern. Maybe something to do with resilience in the face of suffering/adversity?

Fulgrim is pretty obvious thematically. Another one that wouldn't be too scary. Whatever divine he was made from was some kind of god of perfection/pursuits (obvs). Something you'd pray to before you tried to paint a masterpiece, or maybe even as you tried to learn any skill at all. Praying in the hopes of becoming a master at whatever trade you do. As for why it didn't go willingly, maybe it saw the creations Big E intended to make as flawed, and found being placed in such a vessel as distasteful? Might be why he's so obsessed with achieving perfection, because that part of him is viscerally digusted by his imperfections.

Bonus: Guilliman was made from some kind of deity of order. Or even a god of plenty/growth? He always seems to leave places better than they were before he got there, after all. I know a lot of people see Sanguinius or Vulkan as Konrad's opposite, but I think maybe Guilliman is closer. Guilliman feels like true order. Curze feels like chaos grasping for stability (via his obsession with executing criminals) idk.

Apologies for how long this ended up being >_< I had a lot more thoughts than I'd expected lol. I hope your weekend goes well!

This is an interesting idea! I've not heard of this theory before but given the vagueness behind Emps dealings in creating the primarchs, anything is possible

[forthevillains]

I wish I was your girl [pt.2]

Albert Wesker X fem!reader [18+]

(read the previous part here)

It all happened so fast. You barely knew what’s gotten into you that you even agreed to do something like this… To throw your dignity away like that to let someone like him devour you, completely.

You’ve been stripped off not only your clothes, but also your sanity. You lay bare before the captain’s eyes, on his desk, legs hanging over the edge, trembling and needy. He was so quick to rip the clothes off of you, throwing everything from the desk aside only to put you there… You didn’t even get the chance to protest.

He was quick to pull his pants down only as much as to let his hardened cock free, immediately thrusting into you, drawing a cry out of you. He caught you off guard, forcing his length into you. You would’ve lied if you said that it didn’t hurt so bad. He was big, you felt that as he stretched you like no other partner you’ve had before. It might’ve been painful, but you were able to find pleasure in it, loving the treatment you weren’t used to, loving how rough he was with you as you’ve always wished for someone like this. Little did you believe it could be your lovely captain.

"So damn tight…” Wesker murmured, throwing his head back, his hips slamming against your own, the tip of his cock reaching places that you didn’t even know existed. You felt dizzy, your vision foggy as you tried to calm your trembling body down by holding onto the edges of his desk. It was useless, all your attempts to hold onto the last piece of sanity had failed miserably. You were too deep in this, there was no coming back. A moan escaped you. You didn’t even want to go back to how things were. You wanted to feel him, exactly like this.

Your breasts bounced with each of his cruel thrusts, catching his eye almost immediately. He couldn’t resist it, your whole body was so beautiful that he could stare at you as if you were a goddess sent from heavens. He’s never felt such a desire towards a woman even though there were countless of them. You were special, you, a secretary who had a crush on him for months, secretly craving him, you who he spent time with even when he wasn’t supposed to, you who were always near to do anything he needed, to help him at any given time.

He could barely take his eyes off of your chest, he just couldn’t resist it, how soft they looked, how much he wanted to touch you, to taste your skin. Wesker leaned forward, his mouth immediately latching onto one of your hardened nipples, forcing a gasp out of you as he circled it with his tongue right before sucking it in, making your back arch, pressing yourself closer to him in desperation as a loud whine escaped you. He was far too lost in tasting your soft skin, his tongue sliding all across your chest, licking, sucking, biting. The sounds you were making each time his mouth touched you while he kept thrusting into you made him want to do more.

One of Wesker’s hands moved upwards from your hip, holding onto you tightly so that you couldn’t squirm away even if you wanted to, while he continued to ram into you as his mouth abused your chest, leaving dark purple marks on your delicate skin as if it was his new found territory. He did it to make you remember, to make sure that if you had a lover, they’d know there was someone else. That in reality you were a slut for your captain.

You completely forgot about why you were in this position, about that captain Wesker is actually a traitor. Your body submitted to him as if he owned you and for this night, he did indeed. Another moan was being drawn from you due to the powerful movement of his hips and you finally felt a knot form in your stomach, your pussy clenching around him, making him groan. Finally pulling away from your chest, he straightened, now looking down at you, noticing your tightly closed eyes, mouth open, hair messy and cheeks flushed. So beautiful…

Wesker hasn’t even dreamt of taking you like this, or seeing you so messed up, but god did he love it. His movements never really stopped, the speed of his thrusts only increased as he noticed the tears forming in the corners of your eyes, dripping towards your cheeks as he fucked you so hard.

"That’s it… That’s it, dearheart, take all I’m giving you.” His voice was breathy as he was reaching his breaking point as well. One of his hands suddenly appeared in between your legs. You weren’t expecting it as you were too lost in all the pleasure, though when he touched your clit, you felt like you were going to explode. An overwhelming sensation washed over you as he sent you over the edge, tears rolling down your cheeks and the only thing you were able to get out apart from cries and whimpers were incoherent words. You were trying to beg him to stop, even he was able to understand that, although he didn’t care.

Wesker wouldn’t leave you alone until he had his release as well, until he scarred you for life, until he made sure to leave you wondering of him at any given time, until he was fully aware that both your body and mind were his.

The overstimulation of your cunt made you see stars, you trembled, clenching your fists, the nails digging into your skin to the point where you drew blood. And yet - you wanted him to continue. What a lost case you were, thirsting over your superior, even going as far as to agree to get fucked by him. In the office. For a moment it made you think if it was worth it.

Wesker’s movements became sloppy, his cock twitching inside of you right before you could feel him release, his warm seed spilling into you, filling you to the brim. And only then did you finally open your tired eyes to look at the man who wrecked you so much. His hair was out of place, few strands in his face, unlike usual, the top buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing his muscular chest where a few droplets of sweat glistened. Of course it was worth it. The sight of your beloved captain like that was more than you’d ever wished for.

At the end of the day though, it was you who fell into his trap, giving him exactly what he wanted and more. What a naive little thing you are, only giving him a good material to blackmail you with if necessary… He made sure you’d keep quiet. And as long as you would - Wesker wouldn’t dare threaten you. You’re forced to be his personal toy now and he’s willing to make it both heaven and hell;)

[bengiyo]

Century of Love Ep 3 Stray Thoughts

Last week, the traitor nephew showed up to give San a bunch of highly-questionable information about Vee, who also looked into San. Vee hurt San's feelings by saying that he should have moved on from Vad, but the attraction between them is plain. We also got to see San turn into a kid as part of his regeneration process and interact with Vee as Vee was fighting people he may have robbed. Another faction knows about the magic stone, and sent goons to retrieve it from the house. They hurt Grandpa and the kid, and San kicked their asses. Vee happened to be passing by at the time and got yelled at by San, and Vee yelled right back.

It's gonna be devastating when Vee's grandmother passes.

Why would they go to the police at all?

Now why did he turn into a child again??

I wanna see the tiny actor fighting so bad.

So glad they're letting Offroad fight in this show, and letting his character be clever. I love the fake sirens.

Are we not gonna question why the kid was in oversized clothes?

Oh, nice! Vee is gonna see San transforming.

A naked pratfall! A double pratfall into the tub!!

The triple sound effect reactions of the family are actually really funny.

I love this shirt with the shoulder buckles on San.

Juu being so bored with San's gender hangups is fun.

Goddamn. This man has been in pain for like 13 hours.

Well, the goddess got what she wanted. Make him suffer enough that homosexuality seems less awful?

Interesting, we just had a similar story about the illegal bank accounts in DFF. Fascinated by Vee shielding his pain with these smiles.

Flashing back to San's own class issues with Vad here is a good choice to help us see him experiencing empathy.

I hope they had to do multiple spit takes. I know Offroad had fun with that.

Giving Vee a beloved sick grandma is also a good choice to help him choose to become a sugar baby.

The costuming, hair, and makeup departments clearly love Daou.

Nephew, you ain't slick.

LOL a bride vs groom joke.

I really like the wedding outfits.

THE GODDESS THREW A FUCKING VEIL ON THAT BOY.

Damn, San has to watch his person get shot again.

At least we get to watch Daou whip ass in every episode. They understand what we want.

How are we just sitting here having this conversation?? Didn't Vee get shot??? He doesn't have fast healing 50.

Interesting. Vee knows about the stone as he's being told to expect to lose his grandmother. This is going to lead to good tension with San.

I'm crying because of the grandmother trying to be funny until the end.

Vee earned this breakdown scene in the stairwell. He's been so smiley about so many bad things.

Excited for Vee to try to get the stone tomorrow!

I'm having so much fun with this show. This team knows exactly what I want out of this experience and delivers it in every scene. I am going to be looking forward to this show every week, and will definitely have to show it to my friend if this keeps up.

[neverchecking]

Does it count as a marriage if only one of them is aware?

AN: Is this a Sage and Aaliyah piece? Yeah. Am I proud of it? A lil. I don't know if it falls into their 'canon' timeline, but I think it's funny. Shoutout to the tweet that I got from pinterest that inspired this. May I hopefully find you one day.

He was going to commit a murder. An atrocity. A war crime so heinous they would carve it into stone tablets as a warning to future generations. She already was a thorn in his fucking side and then she pulls this shit? 

Un-fucking-believable. 

Slamming open the door, he remains ignorant to the lab assistant’s yelp, practically snarling as he spots Purah. She boredly looks at him over her shoulder, snapping her fan closed with a huff. “And a good morning to you-”

“Where the hell is she?” 

Purah grins. It’s something big and bright and he hates it. Asshole was probably in on it now that he thinks about it. Sheikah unity and all of that other bullshit. “Whoever do you mean?”

“You know who I mean, now you tell me where she is or I’m lighting Lookout Landing on fire.” He hissed low and dangerous, a firebulb already burning a hole in his pocket (not literally). He was going to get the information he wanted, whether they wanted to give it to him or not. He’d find her somehow, even if he had to scour this entire, goddess-forsaken fucking land. 

He’d find her and then he’d kill her for the shit she pulled. 

“Tick tock,” He mocked, reaching for the tablet on his hip. Purah scoffed with a grumpy furrow in her brows. “She’s in the depths, where she always is lately.” 

He took that for what it was, leaving and slamming the door behind him. 

When they couldn’t hear his angry cursings any longer, Purah turned to Josha with a grin. The girl looked positively frightened, as she often did when Link came around ranting and raving, but Purah paid it little mind. “He’s looking for his wife.” 

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware he was married?”

“Neither was he.” 

<><><><>

He should’ve checked here first. He was a fool to think she’d be anywhere otherwise, but yet? There she was. Sitting on a throne made of rock and marble with a devious grin on her face. She looked like the cat that caught the canary. In her left ear was the cursed piercing, still red and fresh, but holding a golden hoop. 

A part of him was thankful she didn’t get the idea to pierce his ears in his sleep. Another part of him was angry enough he could blow her up here and now and walk away, not a care in the world to be had. 

“What did you do?” He snapped, baring his teeth in her direction as Rauru’s arm flared to life. He had no intention of using any of the powers bestowed upon him, but it seemed to be a good deterrent for making her talk. Should she be feeling merciful enough.

Alas, however, it didn’t seem so as she leaned her chin on one of her hands. Her nails, long and sharp, glinted in the light of the torches around her. She looked like a vengeful queen tasked with the punishment of a traitorous soul. A cruel, wicked tyrant of a ruler. 

“I don’t know what you mean.”

He’d destroy her kingdom yet.

With a tense breath in, he ran a hand through his hair, trying to plaster on a well-mannered grin. “Well,” He let out a bark of ironic laughter. “You see, I was going on my way to visit the Sage of Water,  just to check up on him and you wanna know what he told me?” 

“You know I do.” She smirked. 

It took every bit of his patience to not wipe that fucking smirk off her damn face himself. Instead his fingers clenched into fists as that same anger bubbled up into a livid inferno that lapped at his insides and scorched his tongue. “He congratulated me for my recent marriage to the Sage of Spirits!” He spat, feeling comparable to the way he did after Ganon first returned. Angry and pissed and so blinded by red he didn’t care what happened. 

The woman paused, brows raised, and for the slightest hair of a heartbeat, Link almost thought she didn’t know what he was talking about (which just made him even more pissed). But then she snorted. The snort then turned into a giggle, which turned into several, which she tried to hide behind her hand before she was tossing her head back in an uproar of laughter. It rang in his ears, harmonic and heavy, but he couldn’t find himself to care. 

What a bitch. 

“Oh,” She breathed out at last, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye with a thumb. The rings on her fingers glinted and he noticed a suspicious lack of a gold band on her left ring finger. She did, however, have the earring so it was understandable. “Priceless. I was wondering when it would get back to you. I was almost getting bored. Feared I’d have to ruin the fun and tell you myself.” 

He grit his teeth so hard he was half surprised they didn’t turn to dust. “What do you mean-” 

“Glad Sidon did it for me though. He’s always had a big heart.” She waved him off before uncrossing her legs and standing. “It’s been fun though. Glad we could have this talk-”

“I’m not-” 

“But there’s shit to do. Little time, lots of work or however that saying goes.” A grin spread on her face. It wasn’t kind and it wasn’t nice. It was the equivalent of a wolf snarling at its prey. To show the nasty teeth often hidden in a warning. 

He was so distracted by her dumb face he didn’t even notice her taking out her own Purah pad. 

“See you later, hubby.” And then she was gone. 

Link blew up her throne before leaving, the only remainder being a selection of pebbles and small rocks. 

It didn’t make him feel better. 

<><><><>

Everywhere he went it was the same fucking thing. 

“How’s the wife?”

“Oh, you haven’t gotten your piercing yet? I bet you’re aching to do that!” 

“Must be preparing for the honeymoon, hey Link?”

And his personal least favorite. “Your wife had just stopped by! She said to expect you!” 

Like Aaliyah had any idea of what he did. She didn’t know his schedule. She didn’t know him at all! And he was just…what? Expected to roll with this? Go to the first fucking Gerudo vendor he saw and ask for a piercing? 

Not on his fucking life. 

He’d tear that piercing out of her ear yet and leave it bloody right in front of her dumb face. 

The matter was just getting close enough. 

It was true he was, admittedly, following her. He needed to get that fucking piercing. Word travels like wildfire in Hyrule and he knew she had some sort of ulterior motive. He just knew it. And he would either find out what it was or he’d make sure she wouldn’t be able to claim she was married to anyone else ever again. Win-win if you ask him. He’d either get in on whatever scam she was planning, take over and leave her with nothing, or he’d get the revenge he yearned for for sullying his infamous name. 

Now it was just a matter of tracking her down, which was easy enough. Aaliyah, if nothing else, was competitive. She liked a good game between them. She’d leave little tricks and clues for him to find in the most convoluted game of hide and seek he’d ever played. Maybe a certain berry was left lying around-- one he knew didn’t grow in that region-- or maybe there was a stray arrow, singed by the remnants of a bomb flower, lying broken on the path. 

She knew he was after her, and she probably knew what he’d do when he found her, but that was all this was to her. A game. This was one big giant game and he was the challenger. 

Or, contrarily, this was one big fucking joke to the Sheikah and Link was yet another punchline in this comedy act of a life.

<><><><>

“Looks like the dove finally got snared?” 

He watched, amused, as she pulled against the ropes wrapped around her. It was sneaky and underhanded, but at some point (and he’d rather fight the King Gleeok all over again before admitting it), he grew desperate. So, he rigged up a monster camp with muddle buds. Lots and lots of muddle buds. Every Bokoblin had at least four on their body, every Moblin six and even the TNT barrels were covered in them. 

Of course, when in the depths, if there’s an active monster camp, there’s a good chance Aaliyah wasn’t far behind. So, despite all odds, she took them out. The Bokoblins were taken out with the barrels, an arrow setting them all off, however she got cocky. The bow was put away and she sauntered into the camp, eyes on the chest prize in the middle.

A Moblin saw his chance, reared up and slammed his muddle bud lined head down. The Sheikah had dodged, but Link knew he’d won. He saw the expanse in her pupils, how the black seemed to swallow the gold irises and her cheeks became almost instantaneously flushed. She was dazed, but still finished off the disgusting beast with a practiced ease. 

Link, of course, saw his opportunity and took it. And now, here she was. Writhing about under him like the fucking worm she was and glaring up at him. Her eyes never focused, like she couldn’t make heads or tails on what she was seeing, just that she knew she didn’t like it. 

He nudged her with his boot and nearly got bit in the process. 

“Ooh, feisty little dove.” He teased, crouching to her level as he hauled her into a sitting position. She let out a low growl before trying to bite his face-- not that she got far with him holding her shirt the way he was. 

“Muddle buds? Really? That’s cheap, even for you.” 

“Even for me?” He feigned a pout. “That’s a little harsh. I was tryna have a decent conversation with you.” 

“I will fucking skin you and hang your ratty pelt like drapery.” 

He clicked his tongue with a shake of his head. “So violent. Shouldn’t women like you be more docile?” 

He nearly didn’t avoid the third snap of her sharp teeth. 

“What do you want? In case you haven’t noticed, some of us actually do our fucking duties. I have-”

“Shit you need to do, yeah I’ve heard.” Link rolled his eyes before returning them to the dazed Sheikah. “What’s your angle?”

“My fucking what-”

“Why tell people we’re married? What do you get out of it? Explain it to me.”

Aaliyah blinked slowly, brows furrowed as the information loaded in her brain, processed and she came up with a response. 

“Make me.” 

Was what said brain came up with. He’d kill her yet, he swears. With a scoff, he glared at her, watching as something akin to amusement brushed over her features. “I am. You think I’d drug you and tie you up for tea?”

“I don’t know, maybe you’re lonely.”

“Aaliyah-” What was the goddess thinking when making her? What part of the divine plan looked at him and went ‘Yeah, let’s make his life twelve times harder than it needs to be’? Because he had a complaint. Lots of complaints. Maybe there was a suggestion box where he could put in his very reasonable request of having her smited so he wouldn’t have to deal with her. “How’d you do it?” He settled on.

She hummed distractedly, head lolling about before she raised it to look at him. “You see, I went to Gerudo. They have these things called needles, and those needles pierced my ear, gave me the second hoop and then-” 

“I know how fucking piercings are done!” 

“Then it was just a matter of telling people we got hitched.” She grinned lopsidedly before pausing. “It’s very rude to interrupt by the way.” 

He grabbed her chin with a rough pinch of his fingers. “Yeah, well, it’s also not very nice to just decide you’re married to someone because you wanted another piercing.”

“Hey! I’ll have you know lots of people have liked my piercings in the past.” Aaliyah gave a salacious smirk, eyes darting down to her own chest before back up to him. 

What nipple piercings had to do with this, he wouldn’t know. “Name one person who liked your piercings.” 

“Your mom-”

He let out a war-hungry screech as she flitted away into blue. 

<><><><>

“Is it for tax purposes?” He called out, sliding to take cover behind a tree. An arrow pierced itself right where his head would’ve been and he quickly pulled it out and loaded it into his own bow. 

“You think I pay taxes?” Aaliyah called back, waiting for him to pop out and aim before letting a bomb arrow fly. It forced Link to roll out of the way, the edges of his shirt singed with ash. 

“I don’t think you do anything except make my life harder.” He snipped, shaking his hair out before letting a keese-eye arrow loose. It followed the Sheikah even as she darted behind a tree. It stabbed too deep into the trunk as she ducked for it to be reused, and she cursed, grabbing one of her own. 

“It’s a hobby.” She grinned. She didn’t have very many bombs left, less Keese eyes (This trip was supposed to be a restock trip before her loving husband showed his ugly face), and was running out of options just short of things that could cause serious injury. 

The quip she was waiting for didn’t come and she almost dared to poke her head out. Instead she laid low, watching the branches above her. 

Which did her no fucking good as a hand wrapped around her throat, pinning her to the trunk. Fucking Sheikah armor. 

“Then why?”

That’s all he’s ever been asking and it was starting to get on her nerves. No- how did you come up with such a great idea? No-Wow, you are so incredible and smart and what would I do without you? No- Wow Aaliyah, how did I get so lucky you decided to marry me?

Ungrateful fucking ass. 

“I mean, you’ll get to claim me on your taxes and people will stop hitting on you- not that I can imagine many do with your ugly mug.”

Link got up in her face, nose to nose and she could feel his sweaty breath on her chin. He should go away. 

“You could work with me, you know. Instead of against me. We could tear down this rotten fucking kingdom and build it anew.” He spoke at last, soft and hoarse. His eyes shined with vindication and valor and she wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

So she scoffed. “But I’m having so much fun. Learning what makes that little brain of yours just tick in agony and annoyance.” 

A beat passed between them. 

Then she raised a foot and kicked him square in the chest. Along the horizon the light dragon let out a strangled roar as it swooped close enough one could paraglide their way to its back. The whole reason Link was here, she’d bet. 

“Send her my regards.” Aaliyah gave a salute, letting shrine travel take her away yet again. 

<><><><>

The fire flickered underneath the metal pot steadily, licking up the sides and heating up the meat inside. He watched it blankly, mentally counting in his head before scooting over on the log he sat on. Predictably, there was a weight that sat right beside him, slumping with a clank as their gear was discarded beside them. 

Stables were neutral. Neither wanted to piss the horse god off, so they’d behave themselves here. 

Even if his skin itched with her sitting right there. There was nothing he could do, would do, unless she started something first. 

“How’s the lizard girlfriend?” 

“The fucking what-”

Early he had guessed this to be a game or a joke, but now he was certain she had just lost her mind at long last. Hurrah! He figured it out and eventually she’d be taken out back and put down. Something quick and merciful so she didn’t fall torment to her decaying mind. 

He did glance over to where she was watching the sky, golden eyes trained on something or another. He followed her line of sight and nearly lost his shit subsequently. 

“Are you-...Are you talking about Zelda?” 

“Zelda, lizard girlfriend, same thing.” She rolled her neck before stretching her arms out above her. “Weren’t you two supposed to get married before this whole Ganon thing?”

And the gears started turning. They turned and creaked and groaned, but they were moving in sync before it hit him. “Golden goddess above-”

“You look like you’re about to pass out-”

“You are a special kind of wicked.” 

“Flattery will get you everywhere-”

He turned to her and she suddenly clamped her mouth shut, like she could see what he was thinking. He was sure to an extent she could and she didn’t like what she was seeing. “That’s why you did it?!” 

“Did what-” 

“You started this whole campaign so you could say you married me before Zelda?! I was never gonna fucking marry her! Why do you think she’s still up there in the first place?!”  

The color drained impressively fast from the Sheikah’s face before she stood with a start. “This has been… something. Let’s talk again soon-” 

“Nuh-uh-” Link grabbed her wrist before she could disappear again. “Tell me that’s not the reason.” 

Aaliyah blinked, stared at him, and opened her mouth. Only to then let out a shrill whistle. Somewhere behind her, her horse came galloping up, its dark eyes locking on her as she grabbed its saddle on the way by. 

“Talk to you soon, hubby!”

<><><><>

Months later, he’s trekking in fuck-knows where, grumpy and grouchy. He hated the group of men he was with and he hated working for that fraud Hylia yet again. The boys around him never shut up and they never knew how to mind their own fucking business.

“Awful lot of jewelry.” One of them drawled with a lazy smirk on his features. Sage, as he had been proclaimed, scoffed. “I’m taking this from you? Your scarf looks like a fucking royal curtain.” 

The man sputtered before righting his features with an indignant scoff. Sage snickered before running his hand through his hair. “It’s not all decorative.”

“It’s not?” The youngest whirled around to look at him. “I thought you just like getting your ears pierced.” 

“I don’t. The first ones I got in the military. But this one?” Sage’s finger brushed against a second golden hoop hanging in his left ear. “This one means something.”

“Oh yeah, like what?” Blue scarf barked, probably still offended Sage didn’t immediately lie down and take the teasing.

“Means you need to shut your trap and keep walking.” He threw back, stomping forward. “I have a wife to get home to.”

[tenderleavesbob]

The thought first occurred to Warriors during the war. Everyone told him that the war wasn't his fault and at the beginning of the war, he even believed it. He kept believing it until he met Cia in person at last. It was hard to believe anything or in anything after that.

Princess Zelda tried to comfort him afterwards but she was better at taking action than words. She liked to fix things with her own hands. Neither of them knew how to fix something which couldn't be killed with a sword.

General Impa had some of the words, enough for Warriors to know that she had dealt with something like this before. It made him feel a little better and more humiliated at the same time. It made it clear that she knew exactly what happened to him. Worse: it was clear that she knew what he was thinking.

As the war continued and traitors arose through their own choices and Ghirahim's magic, Warriors couldn't fight the thought anymore. The war was his fault. Maybe some of those traitors were right. Maybe there would be no war if there was no war prize.

More than anything, it was the thought of Mask and Tune which kept Warriors fighting. No one knew if Cia would turn to them if she lost him. Warriors would stand and raise his sword every day for the rest of his life rather than risk it. Better he be the war prize than them.

After the war, it was harder. Princess Zelda and General Impa were there but everyone else was gone. Mask and Tune were gone. The loneliness was stifling and the whispers in his mind were deafening without his friends to block them out. He was alone. His battle was done. The Master Sword was returned, and despite Zelda's best attempts, Warriors felt like a symbol at best, a war prize at worst.

When the portal opened and Warriors was reunited with Time and Wind and met the others, he thought it would be better. He had his loved ones back. He had a purpose again. Everything was supposed to be okay.

He was wrong.

Why did he still feel like this? Warriors wrapped his arms around his legs and rested his forehead against his knees. They were at Twilight's village and his brother was ecstatic. He was off showing everyone else his home, and Warriors was hiding in Twilight's treehouse home. He should be with his brothers but was instead doing this.

Everyone was stressed. This was their first real stop in weeks. The number of black-blooded monsters seemed to have increased in the last month. This stop seemed like a gift from the Three.

Warriors knew his role. He knew he should be with his brothers, encouraging Twilight and asking questions, goading the others to laugh, reminding Time to rest his burdens for a moment. Warriors knew the importance of these rest periods and the best ways to take advantage of them to return refreshed to the battlefield.

He should be with them. He should be fine. Why was he like this?

Warriors dug his nails into his scalp and ground his forehead into his knees. It hurt and sometimes, pain snapped him out of it. Sometimes, he purposefully sought pain just for relief from these thoughts. It felt better for skin and bone to hurt rather than whatever was happening inside him.

"Make it stop," he whispered. Warriors needed it to stop or at least quiet enough so he could join his brothers.

Warriors knew one way for it to stop. One way for it to stop forever.

He whimpered quietly. Impa told him not to trust his thoughts in these moments. She warned him that they would spiral, and if he allowed it, he would drown in the whirlpool. He knew his thoughts were bullshit. He knew it.

His brothers loved him. He was needed. Queen Zelda would notice if he never came back. His friends would notice if he didn't return from this quest.

If Warriors kept telling himself that, he might even believe it.

"Warriors."

Warriors tensed. His breathing sped up. Oh Goddess. Not Legend. He didn't want any of the others catching him like this, but not the Veteran.

"Warriors. Hey. Hey. Can you look at me?"

Legend, who had gone through so many adventures and was still going, still fighting, and he did it all younger than Warriors. As if Warriors needed more reminding that --

"Link!"

Warriors's breath caught and he choked on it. He coughed into his knees and trembled. His head ached.

Legend knelt beside him, the protective concern in his eyes like a knife through Warriors's chest. He couldn't remember Legend ever looking at him like that. "Hey," Legend repeated. "I need you to breathe for me. In and out. Nice and slow." He reached out and gently took Warriors's hands in his own. They were thin and scarred and strong. Warriors felt guilty for it but clutched his hands, anyway. His scalp hurt where he had been grabbing it. "Breathe with me."

Warriors felt foolish and weak, but he obeyed. He was good at following orders. He breathed in slowly and matched Legend's breath. His eyes burned but the pain in his chest slowly began to recede.

"Good," Legend murmured. "Thank you. Keep breathing with me."

Legend squeezed his hands, and Warriors desperately clutched Legend's hands back. Anything to keep from flying away.

"I'm here with you," Legend said softly. The tenderness on his face made Warriors want to cry. "You're okay."

He was okay. Warriors repeated that to himself and held it to his heart like an anchor. He was okay. This would pass. It always would.

What broke him and made Warriors weep wasn't the gentleness in Legend's eyes but the understanding.

The only thing worse than feeling this way was the possibility that one of his brothers had felt like this, too.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

More random scenes with Shadow and Ganondorf!

(Based off this idea I had for TotK)

Link squirmed uncomfortably as his stomach growled. As much as he clenched in his abdominal muscles to hide the sound, Ganondorf still heard it and glanced down at him.

"You should go to the Yiga," he suggested. "I know they have provisions."

Link huffed in disgust, curling more tightly into himself.

"You need to eat, Link," the Gerudo insisted sternly.

You going to make me? Link wanted to snap, but he knew better than to provoke the man. Ganondorf absolutely would override his will and scrape at his mind and muscles with his malice to make him eat. Instead, he deflected with, "I don't like the Yiga."

He could sense the man's scrutiny as he was silent a moment, and then he commented, "The Yiga are far more powerful and wise than their Sheikah counterparts. They are the superior group."

Link felt his insides crawl. To say that such traitors were anything beyond idiotic was downright insulting. He tried to turn his vitriol into calm, tried to focus on his breathing, tried not to imagine lashing out in retaliation for such a statement. He couldn't quite keep the bite out of his tone as he snapped, "Loyalty to you doesn't make them superior."

He heard Ganondorf sigh now, and he finally uncurled himself to rise and take a step away, blowing off some energy. But it was too late now - the anger was here to stay, the mere mention of the Yiga leaving a wound so deep it made his heart bleed.

After all, he essentially was one now. And he despised that.

"The Yiga are pathetic," he spat, pacing furiously, glaring into the earth.

"The royal family betrayed them," Ganondorf noted, crossing his arms. "Them seeing reason isn't pathetic."

"The royal family had a fool in charge millennia ago," Link fired back. "The Sheikah loyalty has always been to the family, to the blood of the goddess, and to Hyrule. Never to a singular person. For so many to get so offended over the idiocy of one is perhaps a little sympathetic at best, but I would call it immature. To hold on to such a grudge thousands of years later when the perpetrator is long gone is childish and stupid. They pledge their loyalty to you out of some sort of collective generational temper tantrum. That isn't wisdom or power."

He stopped his pacing, veins filling with ice. "They betrayed everything they stood for. They turned their back on their own people."

"The alternative was to bow down to a fool and give up their power," Ganondorf noted.

"Give up their power?" Link repeated, whirling on the man. "True power isn't from technology or secret stones or magic, it's from within. I don't need technology or malice to give me strength."

If he'd needed such things, he'd simply give in to Ganondorf's whims, he'd embrace the acceptance that came with it, he'd cow down to the temptation that licked at the back of his mind, always whispering, he's your only family left... don't you want to feel safe and loved?

His will was stronger than that. He was stronger than that. His prayers to Hylia and hope for escape were enough. They had to be.

Ganondorf smiled, not really relenting, but looking... Link wasn't sure. "I know you don't, Link. You're an excellent warrior. I'm proud of you."

The anger seeped out of him in an instant, leaving his breath caught in his throat, his eyes stinging, his body stiff. His heart fluttered quickly, cheeks flushing, and goddess above he abhorred how his eyes stung all of a sudden.

You of all people are not the one I seek approval from, he tried to argue in his mind. But goddess did the words make him feel--

Link swallowed thickly, turning away sharply and hugging himself. He left without saying another word.

[majorasnightmare]

making my own post about sote so i can stop clogging replies lmao

like. im not going to say anyone who reads miquella as a villain or as cruel or anything is wrong. that IS textually canon! its explicitly textually canon

but MAN. i REALLY wish it wasnt. theres a fair amount of material in vanilla elden ring that can be interpreted against it, and its a fairly solid case! using his own blood to water the haligtree, the creation of fundamentalism to cure his sister, his abandonment of it when it couldnt help malenia (despite the fact that radagon used it as a source of bonding between them, thus implicitly abandoning the ideals of his father as well), creating a safe haven for the outcasts of the golden order, otherwise completely staying out of the shattering except for the final battle, st trina offering the relief of sleep in a world without death where one must continue forevermore regardless if you want to or not, the creation of unalloyed gold that wards away outer gods, the MAIN power supply in the lands between!!! to be a god, to have POWER, you MUST invite an outer god into your life, the greater will the formless mother the frenzied flame the rot god the full and dark moons, and miquella is directly responsible for a substance that chases those entities away which in practice WEAKENS you. malenia is weaker without her rot. she isnt a goddess. YOU are weaker without the frenzied flame, you can no longer spread ruination across the whole of the lands between. unalloyed gold ONLY helps in that it allows one to maintain their self, their autonomy, and its explicitly miquellas own effort and work, not anyone elses.

furthermore, the light this casts on everyone connected to miquella...

the battle between malenia and radahn is incredibly fascinating. its a battle without a clear goal, between two overwhelmingly strong combatants. the framing of it, pre dlc, is incredibly ambigious, on both parties. Malenia had never relied on the scarlet rot before, fighting against its power tooth and nail. So the effects of the bloom are entirely unknown, beyond the explicit promise of power it makes.

Radahn has no explicit motive for participating in the Shattering, yet participate he did, being seen attacking Leydendell and being chased away by Morgott, who calls him a "willful traitor". Given his adoration of Godfrey, one can assume that Radahn participated, not for the chance to overthrow the tyranny of the Golden Order (which was Rykards motivation for seizing power, though that doesnt make him " good") or to reclaim his lineage (Godricks M.O.) but for just the glory of it. A war for wars sake. And he was a beloved general, well loved by many. But that doesnt make him a nice or good person. Malenia was also deeply loved by her soldiers, but she sets out on a march to Radahn for unknown purposes, stopping for no one, and not even responding to the insult Godrick visits upon her by challenging her as she passes through his lands. She isnt seeking glory or accolades here, is the thing.

Which brings me to the final fight. Two overwhelmingly powerful demigods, beloved by their soldiers, go to fight. Malenia, in desperation, sacrifices her self, her sense of identity, and everything she feels is important, for the promised power of Scarlet Rot, and falls unconscious, overwhelmed by its might. Finlay then carries the unconscious Malenia home on her back.

Lets stop and look at that. In the middle of a war, Radahns opponent detonates a nuke neither combatant were aware would go off, and then falls unconscious. One of Malenias own soldiers, Radahns enemy, then hefts Malenia onto her back and retreats. Radahn isnt a slouch. Weve all gotten our asses kicked at the festival. How does a single cleanrot knight grab a demigod that had thrown herself on top of her enemy manage to get all 8ft of her away from Radahn? Obviously theres room for all sorts of explanations but one stands out as the easiest and most obvious: Radahn lets her. This is consistent with Radahns sense of honor, and the event of Malenias bloom is cited as the end of both the battle AND the war. The battle, now clearly over with the fatal infection of one general and the other falling into a coma, has no point in being continued. And thus Radahn, who didnt immediately go insane, allowed Malenia the dignity of retreat, as the battle was done. Over. They both were finished. Scarlet Rot had no cure, and it was going to kill him even as his Great Rune burned to stave it off. So Finlay takes Malenia away, retreating without being meteor-ed to death. Radahn himself asks Jerren to grant him a warriors death, and the Festival is established, while Radahns redman knights set out to begin burning away the spreading rot. Radahn is cursed ever to wander, and Malenia lies sleeping under the Haligtree. No winners, but, and this is important, no clear moral highground. A battle with no victor, no high ground, a battle between equals, equally loved, framed as such in their fight. Whatever Malenia was fighting for, it mustve been important for her to sacrifice her dignity and sense of self. Whatever Radahn was fighting for... probably wasnt that, given his attack on Leydendell. Malenia and Miquella are traitors to the Erdtree for seeking to supplant it with the Haligtree, but Radahn might be a traitor simply for treating the most brutal war in the lands between as an oppurtunity to flex just like his war hero. Its what makes the idea of Radahns mercy so compelling, the fact that despite not being a good person, he isnt cruel either. He has honor, and respect, for his opponents. Malenia has ruined him, but in the aftermath he STILL doesnt degrade her or seek to one up her or take a final potshot in however long he retains sanity.

THATS A LOT DIFFERENT POST DLC THO

Now instead of an ambigious fight with no clear motive, Radahn is defending himself from an invading force whos goal is to make him the consort of a god he hasnt consented to marry. THATS A PRETTY CLEAR MORAL HIGHGROUND? Malenia goes from a powerful equal to someone with less agency AND less ground to stand on wrt radahn! Radahns attack of leydendell seems almost inconsequential to his character in the face of being invaded by an army with BIOHAZARDOUS MAGICAL AGENTS. Now Radahns mercy isnt a nuanced act by a complicated moral actor but instead just another goodguy point for everyones favorite bestest boy who hasnt done anything wrong by anyone (who even cares about a single image in the opening cutscene that lasts for a few frames?).

It cheapens Radahn, it cheapens Malenia, it cheapens Malenias sacrifice to the rot, it cheapens the Festival of Radahn, it cheapens Finlays retreat with Malenia, it makes Malenia look WORSE as a character, it makes Radahn look SIMPLE, and the fact that Mohgs palace where he has Miquella is directly under caelid is essentially just a weird coincidence, nevermind that the cocoon of the empyrean grace is extremely close to the heart of aeonia grace (where the fight between radahn and malenia actually happened), like thats just a funny lil map coincidence!

it is intensely aggravating and disappointing and this is ALREADY incredibly long and i havent even TOUCHED on MOHG

[marichive]

𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍 : 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐓𝐖𝐎

Writing / roleplay prompts collected from the POV chapters of Daenerys Targaryen in A Clash of Kings , the second book of the ASOIAF saga. Feel free to adjust pronouns / etc. as needed.

tw: dark & mature themes, death, violence, suggestive / sexual content

❝ Every man who sees them will want them. ❞

❝ No man may take them from me while I live. ❞

❝ They are not strong, so I must be their strength. ❞

❝ I must show no fear, no weakness, no doubt. ❞

❝ However frightened my heart, when they look upon my face, they must see only their queen. ❞

❝ I would name them for all the gods have taken. ❞

❝ Perhaps we are doomed if we press on, but I know for a certainty that we are doomed if we turn back. ❞

❝ I must be strong for him as well. ❞

❝ Do you know what this place might be? ❞

❝ When the gods are gone, the evil ghosts feast by night. Such places are best shunned. ❞

❝ Perhaps I should do the same to remind them that his strength lives within me now. ❞

❝ If I had wings, I would want to fly, too. ❞

❝ We should rest here until we are stronger. ❞

❝ There are ghosts everywhere. We carry them with us wherever we go. ❞

❝ It pains him to speak of her. ❞

❝ Was she beautiful? ❞

❝ I thought she was a goddess come to earth. ❞

❝ I did things it shames me to speak of. ❞

❝ He wants me. ❞

❝ He can never have me. ❞

❝ Seek no more. You have found them. ❞

❝ If you see anything here that you would desire, you have only to speak and it is yours. ❞

❝ Come with me and you shall drink of truth and wisdom. ❞

❝ The young queen is wise beyond her years. ❞

❝ The crow calls the raven black. ❞

❝ They shall come day and night to see the wonder that has been born again into the world. ❞

❝ When they see, they shall lust. ❞

❝ Dragons are fire made flesh, and fire is power. ❞

❝ She speaks truly, though I like her no more than the others. ❞

❝ My place is here at your side. ❞

❝ Only you can serve me in this. ❞

❝ I want to make my kingdom beautiful, to fill it with fat men and pretty maids and laughing children. I want my people to smile when they see me ride by. ❞

❝ He will kill you, sure as sunrise. ❞

❝ He was a traitor to his true king. ❞

❝ Let the whole world know my purpose. ❞

❝ I am not the frightened girl you met once. ❞

❝ Dragons die, but so do dragonslayers. ❞

❝ I see a deep sadness written upon your face. ❞

❝ They listened, but they did not hear or care. ❞

❝ Tell me what they said to sadden the queen of my heart. ❞

❝ They said it with great courtesy, to be sure, but under all the lovely words, it was still no. ❞

❝ He distrusts everyone, and perhaps for good reason. ❞

❝ Will nothing turn you from this madness? ❞

❝ I have given you my home and heart, do they mean nothing to you? ❞

❝ He asked me to marry him again. ❞

❝ I am afraid, but I must be brave. ❞

❝ Heed the wisdom of those who love you best. ❞

❝ Warlocks are bitter creatures who eat dust and drink of shadows. ❞

❝ Let me walk with you in this dark place, to keep you safe from harm. ❞

❝ Take my arm and let me lead you. ❞

❝ If you value your soul, take care and do just as I tell you. ❞

❝ Our little lives are no more than the flicker of a moth's wing to them. ❞

❝ Listen well, and write each word upon your heart. ❞

❝ I am in the presence of sorcery. ❞

❝ Little princess, there you are. ❞

❝ Come to me, my lady. ❞

❝ You're home now. You're safe now. ❞

❝ Let him be the king of ashes. ❞

❝ The dragon has three heads. ❞

❝ Long have we awaited you. ❞

❝ The docks are no place for lady's finery. ❞

❝ They know who I am, and they do not love me. ❞

❝ You need not go alone. ❞

❝ You have seen dark visions. ❞

❝ I have dreamed brighter dreams. I see you happily abed, with our child at your breast. ❞

❝ I will not wed you. ❞

❝ But where am I to go? ❞

❝ You need only say that one sweet word. ❞

❝ Men have looked at women since time began. ❞

❝ Worms have crawled up your nose and eaten your wits. ❞

❝ Only fools would stare so openly if they meant me harm. ❞

❝ Pay him before he kills himself. ❞

❝ Did I break your hand? ❞

❝ Put down your steel! ❞

❝ Who is it that I owe my life to? ❞

❝ You owe me nothing. ❞

❝ I let each man cut me once before I kill him. ❞

❝ You will accord all respect to my people, or you will leave my service sooner than you'd wish, and with more scars than when you came. ❞

❝ He would have you. ❞

❝ I want every man who sees them to know the dragons have returned. ❞

[yourlocaltreesimp]

>:)

This is my linksona/Au. There are two in here, neither are named, but I love them! Lemme know if you want official stories for em’

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

So the concept for this one is a modern (ish) au of sometime early 2000. He’s a bit of a goof, in a semi popular band as their bassist, and horribly traumatised when a rip in his reality occurs. This did name gannon (what kinda name is that??) declares that he’s his mortal enemy. There’s all the classic zelda enemies and ganon even puppets around all his friends for a bit because the emotional damage is worth it. His character arch would be learning how and when is best to invest himself and learning which battles he needs to loose, as well as finding his footing.

Your phone buzzes on your eyeshadow stained dresser. You pick it up and flip up the top, holding it to your ear.

“Everyone shut up- Hi (name)!!!” Links voice was distorted over the speaker, but no less enthusiastic. You heard the teasing chatter of his band mates in the background, the usual screaming banter

“Hi!!” You responded with equal enthusiasm, trying your hardest not to let your phone drop from in between your ear and shoulder as you teased your hair

“You’re still coming to the concert tonight, right” If his phone had a cord, you could imagine him twirling it. The thought made you laugh.

“Damn right I am.” Your hair was about done, could use some more volume, but there’s only so much hairspray you could spray in a given room before you felt dizzy. You practically begun to rip clothes out of your closet in hopes of finding an outfit, “I still get front row, right?”

“Of course” He’d have let you sit on the stage if you asked.

“And backstage? I hope i can see these fangirls of yours” He groans, already tired of the thought.

“God don’t even-“ You cackle, smudging your black eyeshadow as you lined around your eyes. You eyes his jacket, honestly surprised that he didn’t notice you took it. “Look- I gotta go,” you could hear him getting screamed at through the speaker as you shrugged the large coat on “But i’ll see you soon, alright?”

“Of course.” But the next time he’d see you, you’d be strung up like a puppet. Limbs snapped unregularly as you were paraded around. You did not deserve such a fate. No one in this cruel cycle did.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Now this next one is a little new as far as concepts. This link is send through to the land of the moon by Hylia, sent to either make the walkers of that land repent for their sins, or die. They’re a byproduct of ganons remaining malice after he died and brought to life by hylias counterpart called Akina. It’s only when he’s tainted by the malice that he realises how badly blinded he was. He’s got some religious trauma

This world was filthy. The people were rude and impish and those who weren’t wallowed in such self pity that it wasn’t worth saving them. There was no sun to guide him here, he could not hear hylia’s orders as he once did. But still, he felt her eyes, ensuring he was following orders, safe. He looked down in the mirror pond and saw his world in the reflections. The right world. Hylia was right for wishing this realm ripped apart, there was no divinity here. Akina was a poor excuse of a goddess and a traitor to her sister. But it was this reliance on his goddess that got him here. Her light blinded his vision, and with no voice to guide him, he was left without awareness. The knife sunk into his back, and he felt himself wither.

“Hey, hey!” A voice faded into his mind. He felt horrible. He felt… pain. He shouldn’t feel pain. Only sinners felt pain. And yet he felt the burning of his blood and the hollowness of hunger- he was impure. He opened his eyes to see you looking down at him, eyebrows furrowed and silver eyes bearing i to him. They felt… calm. No longer eerie. Perhaps he could lead you into the light. “Are you…” Your voice was beautiful, he fixed on your words more than he ever did to anyone “You’re the hero” He sat up and clawed at his head. There was no presence there. He could not feel hylias gaze anymore. “That can’t be right… You’re” You tilt your head and examine him. He feels his blood rush, he feels the world around him. “You’re like us”

[mytchthemyth]

Monkie Kid Thoughts/Theory

Hi! So as some of you may have noticed, I have fallen down the Lego Monkie Kid rabbit hole. I finally watched all 4 seasons and specials and even checked out the season 5 trailer (so hyped!!), along with some theories made by the lovely @cherllyio and @lu-zijing, as well as the Youtuber RV Sketch. I've absorbed a lot of information and wanted to lay out my thoughts real quick on some things I hadn't seen anyone specifically address.

First off, I wanted to address MK's powers and how they relate to his creation, as I feel like some people may have forgotten some info laid out in the beginning.

As we learn in season 4, MK was created from Wukong's stone, and it was implied to have been Nuwa, the Chinese creation goddess, who did so. Master Su Bodhi also directly states to MK that he has learned his powers at an abnormally quick pace. As I believe @cherllyio pointed out in one of their theories, even Wukong had to actually work hard and train under Master Su Bodhi for a while to learn most of his powers, while his immortality and golden eyes come from several escapades he went on (eating the peaches of immortality, scribbling out his name from the Book of the Dead, burning his eyes in the trigram furnace, etc.).

MK, on the other hand, innately has these abilities. He's not just learning them at an absurd rate; I think he was created to have all of Wukong's abilities and possibly even his immortality. Looking back at the very first episode of the show, MK clearly demonstrates invincibility on a similar level to Wukong, who is only so invincible because he's immortal like 5 times over. @cherllyio has also pointed out how MK starts off with gold-vision, even though Wukong only gained that by burning his eyes in the trigram furnace. Also, when MK talks with Wukong about being unable to control his powers, Wukong volunteers to put a partial seal on them to make it easier for MK to learn to master his abilities. This is the real reason why MK "learns" his powers so quickly; he's not actually learning them, he's just figuring out how to do stuff he already could.

But if MK was created with all of Wukong's powers (and possibly immortality) being innate, why can't he control them? And why didn't he display any ability to use his powers until after picking up the golden staff? Well, because he's incomplete.

While I do think it's possible the monkey figure is just broken as a result of MK being born from it, I also believe in the theory that Youtuber RV Sketch and @cherllyio have, where something happened to Nuwa while she was creating MK that resulted in the monkey figure becoming broken.

I also learned that Nuwa apparently did not believe in having "perfect" creations and instead enjoyed the imperfections her creations had (can't find source anymore), so while she may have created MK to have all of Wukong's powers, she probably wasn't intending him to just pop out fully-formed and already equal to Wukong.

Here's what I think is the reason why Nuwa created MK:

As an important celestial being, Nuwa recognized that there was complacency/corruption within the Jade Emperor's court, with several important figures being obsessed with establishing order/complete control over the world (Azure Lion, Lady Bone Demon, and probably also Li Jing and the Underworld Traitor). However, Nuwa could not do anything about this herself, so she decided to create an Agent of Chaos to combat these corrupt figures once their plans went into motion. And who better to base her new creation off of than the most powerful chaotic being in existence, the Monkey King? (In some versions of his origins, Wukong is even born from one of the 5 colored stones Nuwa used to fix the sky, which would be even more reason for her to use Wukong's stone to create a new mystic monkey.)

And so she modeled MK off of Wukong, giving him the exact same abilities, although she probably intended for him to learn to master them over the course of his life. She may have even wanted Wukong to train MK. However, I don't think Wukong was ever intended to raise MK or knew about the birth of another being from his stone until the gang got trapped in the Scroll of Memory. I'm pretty sure every instance shown of Wukong next to the stone is meant to show him being led back to the stone as he searches for MK and him trying to figure out why. And, let's face it; Wukong would've been a terrible dad. He couldn't be a proper teacher, there's no way he would've done a good job raising a whole child.

Besides, I don't think Nuwa was intending for Wukong to know about MK at least until MK was older. If a naked, mud-covered toddler suddenly showed up at his doorstep with the exact same powers as him, Wukong would've been immediately clued in that something was up and he would've tried to figure out what (probably while forgoing proper childrearing). MK was probably meant to be more of a secret weapon against the Celestial Realm traitors, so a retired Wukong suddenly flying all over the place trying to find the person who created the child with him would have definitely tipped them off.

Personally, I think Nuwa is the one who placed baby MK in front of Pigsy's noodle shop. Nuwa successfully managed to create MK and he was born at the top of Flower Fruit Mountain, but someone disrupted Nuwa, resulting in MK's monkey figure becoming broken. In order to save baby MK, Nuwa sent him away to somewhere she knew he would be safe and hidden, to be raised by the descendants/reincarnations/whatever of the Great Companions. Otherwise, I just don't see how baby MK could have gotten all the way from Flower Fruit Mountain to Megapolis without Wukong noticing anything. I mean, there's a literal ring of volcanoes and the ocean between the city and the mountain! Plus, it's weird that the baby MK managed to find his way directly to someone directly related to the Great Companions (Pigsy) who would have already had a connection to two other people related to Great Companions by this point in his life (Sandy and Tang). Feels like divine intervention, if you ask me.

I also wanted to talk a bit about ink MK.

As stated in the show, the ink monsters in the Scroll of Memory are created by the protective curse put on the scroll to torment the prisoners trapped inside with their past. It's pretty easy for the curse to torment everyone else with their past lives/ancestors/whatever, but how does it torment MK, someone with no past and no intent to look into his past?

By forcing him to confront it.

In RV Sketch's theory video "Is Ao Lie Still Alive?" she mentions how it's weird for the Master Su Bodhi in the scroll to know anything about MK, and when MK asks how he knows about him Su Bodhi dodges the question and saying that "there's little I do not know". RV Sketch proposes that the Su Bodhi in the scroll is just the curse trying to trigger an identity crisis in MK, which I think makes sense. It's far more believable for the Su Bodhi in the scroll to know about MK because he's actually the curse trying to mess with him, while the real world Su Bodhi knows because "there's little he does not know".

So yeah, Scroll Su Bodhi gets MK started on the identity crisis train, at which point the curse transitions to ink MK. Now, MK is actually pretty smart, so I think the curse takes the Monkey MK form because MK has already mostly figured stuff out about his past (especially after talking with Master Su Bodhi), he just refuses to admit it. That's why ink MK keeps goading him into "saying it out loud" and "using his words" to say what he's clearly thinking.

But what I want to focus on is Ink MK's behavior and how similar MK acts to him while fighting Azure Lion in his Mystic Monkey form. In both instances, Monkey MK is shockingly calm and collected, refers to other people as "friend", and uses past words and actions to upset the person he's fighting and keep them off their game. As Monkey MK says, "There's nothing mindless about me."

I think while MK is dealing with Ink MK and starts glitching out, he might already be aware of the distorted personality he would have as Monkey MK. Or, the curse is simply showing MK what he will be like as Monkey MK, but that feels a bit out of scope of the curse's powers since it's supposed to torment people with their pasts, not their futures.

Monkey MK also acts very similar to Macaque during his battles with Wukong, especially in season 3. While Wukong is also known to trash talk during battles, he doesn't go after traumatic stuff. But Macaque does. This could relate back to an idea some people have had of MK actually being a mix of Wukong and Macaque, as well as the thought that MK is broken/incomplete, resulting in his personality becoming distorted when he goes Monkey Mode. There's also been the interpretation of the original Journey to the West that Macaque was born from Wukong as a sort of "shadow self", so it's also possible that we're seeing the beginnings of MK's "shadow self" being born through his Mystic Monkey form.

The show definitely wants us to know something's wrong with Monkey MK. Not just because MK becomes scarily different and that huge frightening astral monkey appears. Wukong himself shows concern over the fight after MK creates that giant pillar of light. Up to that point in the fight, Wukong wanted MK to use his monkey form and was rooting for him as he fought Azure. However, once the true depths of his power start to appear, Wukong becomes serious and clearly thinks something's up, although he never really says anything during the special.

Edit: There's a part 2 now.

Edit 2: I actually miscredited the theory that MK was innately created with all of Monkey King's powers. It wasn't Cherrlyio but RV Sketch who originally talked about the theory.

[beesmygod]

i like thinking way too much about fromsoft games. there’s something about the light touch the writers use to carve out their worlds that just absolutely tickles my brain. writing way too much about the most trivial details using college essay formats is the easiest exercise to make sure my brain can still make basic connections and convey those connections to other people. but as a lore prescriptivist (snob), i try to only stick to what’s in front of me without attempting to drag in outside resources or succumb to the apparent impulse to engage in wild speculation that many fans find themselves mired in. additionally, i try to make things as clear as possible for the fandom rubbernecks who like to read lore dumps about things that are totally outside their wheelhouse (i do this).

here’s something really annoying to keep in mind with these games: they write the scripts in english and translate them to japanese. but the dev team obviously works in japanese and have a tendency to reveal connections that are either relevant to unlocking questions not addressed in the game (such as the parasitic wall hugger having the file name “Prince Izalith”). there are also inconsistencies between the english and japanese translations, which raises more questions about what the authorial intent REALLY is. so the best we can do is filter the noise, ignore the innate desire to put words or ideas in any developer’s mouth, and stick to things you can copy-paste to support your argument.

that said i have one theory i refuse to give up entirely on the basis that it is really funny to think about: Gwyn’s firstborn is the father of Crossbreed Priscilla.

look out bitch! look out bitch!

i will go over all the reasons that support my argument and then i will discuss the objective problems with my theory, which is absolutely not one i think anyone holds but me. generally, the community is in agreement that her father is traitor turned mad scientist Seath The Scaleless. seath is an albino dragon who, due to his jealously of the scales that granted eternal life to the other dragons, betrayed his brethren and helped the gods wipe the once everlasting dragons off the planet. his bottom half looks like microwaved tinfoil because he’s been fucking around with crystals. also he was just born fucked up.

seath was rewarded with dukedom and a slice of Gwyn’s (king of the gods. who are a race separate from humans, rather than literal gods) soul.

first let’s talk about what supports my theory, so you can get a feel for the timeline of events and the social mores within the world of dark souls (?? i typed this)

PRO:

Crossbreed Priscilla lives in the Painted World of Ariamis: this is explicitly a location for things and people that the gods want to either forget about or sentence to exile. there are very few residents in the painting; the entire population is priscilla, the corpse of xanthous king jeremiah, a rotting dragon descendant (a wyvern), phalanx from demon souls who got lost somehow, a handful of hollows and skeleton wheels, and velka’s crow worshippers.

Xanthous Crown - A mysterious item once worn by the Xanthous King Jeremiah, the legendary exile

Peculiar Doll - There once was an abomination who had no place in this world. She clutched this doll tightly, and eventually was drawn into a cold and lonely painted world.

Dark Ember - The church long hid the forbidden black ember, and no living blacksmith knows of it. Occult weapons were used to hunt the Gods, and are effective against their followers and kin

velka, an unseen goddess with a single worshipper, is an entire other kettle of fish, but she’s not as complicated as people make her out to be. she was banished or killed by the gods for participating in the plot to overthrow them (this is another subject that causes people to spin out). i dont have time to get into this, it just matters that she’s persona non-grata.

priscilla herself is described as a “crossbreed bastard child” in her soul description. this confirms that she is the result of an unauthorized fuck and suck. as the “antithesis to all life”, she wields a weapon called the lifehunt scythe that mows down gods and drains any mortal that tries to use it.

Lifehunt Scythe - Even the Gods feared Priscilla's lifehunt ability, and in the hands of a mortal, its power will turn upon its wielder.

why the fuck would gwyn keep around someone who could kill him and everything he’s been working for? the man was so freaked out over the idea of the age of gods ending and losing power that he threw himself on a pyre and invented a new way to suffer to prolong the inevitable. why is there a black knight, gwyn’s most trusted troops, protecting the doll and one of three berenike troops in the entire game protecting priscilla herself? the answer is the same reason why he kept gwyndolin in spite of her snake leg deformity and simply hid her away: she’s family.

CONCLUSION: PRISCILLA IS GWYN’S GRANDDAUGHTER

Gwyn’s firstborn was erased from history for an unknown, unforgivable trespass: the amount of Mad gwyn is at his firstborn son cannot be understated; statues across lordran depicting him have been shattered, he was stripped of his godhood, and he was exiled from anor londo.

Ring of the Sun’s Firstborn - Lord Gwyn's firstborn was a god of war, but his foolishness led to a loss of the annals, and rescinding of his deific status. Today, even his name is not known.

Sunlight Blade - The power of sunlight, manifested as lightning, is very effective against dragons. When the eldest son was stripped of his deific status, he left this on his father's coffin, perhaps as a final farewell.

“foolishness” is such a weird ass turn of phrase for something that got you disowned so hard your dad forgot who you were. its so like...mild. just an observation. an example of a thing gwyn specifically might find unforgivable is fucking a dragon, as they are his mortal enemies and he just spent all that time killing them.

you DO eventually meet this son, The Nameless King, in ds3.

CONCLUSION: THE NAMELESS KING’S TRESPASS WAS SHAMEFUL ENOUGH TO HIDE WHAT HE DID AND WHO HE WAS, BUT NOT KILL HIM

The Nameless King has been deified by dragons and their worshippers: this one is so weird. by ds3 you are told outright that the nameless king “sacrificed everything to ally himself” with dragons and those who want to become them. he’s not even the first dark souls character to do it all for the nookie.

archdragon peak, a location where dragon worshippers go to begin their physical transformation, is riddled with statues of him looking badass. this is also where you fight him and his drake (it has 4 wings, but no everlasting scales) friend, the ambiguously named “king of the storm”. its not clear if the “king of the storm” is a title they share together or what the nameless king calls himself when he’s with his dragon lover or if thats the name of the dragon. regardless, killing the dragon begins the phase 2 solo fight against the nameless king. making this more confusing is that in japanese, both phases are named “the nameless king” and calls the king of the storm a wyvern instead of a stormdrake.

Lightning Storm - Once a slayer of dragons, the former king and wargod tamed a Stormdrake, on which he led a lifetime of battle. This miracle is likely a tale of their bond.

wow. love truly conquers all. gay rights!

CONCLUSION: THE NAMELESS KING IS COOL

Seath has never had sex: look at him. no way.

MY THEORY: gwyn’s firstborn, overtaken with sexual desire, fucked a dragon. the result of their copulation was priscilla, an abomination whose innate abilities made her extremely dangerous. gwyn threw his firstborn’s ass out from a combination of shame and anger, but could not bring himself to kill either. ariamis was commissioned to create a world for her, which became an all purpose dump for shit gwyn didnt want to think about any more.

AGAINST:

Priscilla is white: it’s pretty hard to ignore the fact that seath and priscilla share the same very unique skin tone...color palate? you know what i mean. the most common theory is that priscilla is the result of seath’s experiments or his daughter by way of gwynevere. what we do know about seath’s experiments is that the failed results transformed women into snake-ish creatures called pisacas. as stated many times in the series: a snake is a failed dragon (this is true in real life too). maybe one of them was successful.

BUT: there’s some problems with this, actually. for one thing priscilla isn’t albino; her eyes are white and she’s fluffy, like the everlasting dragons we do see. gwynevere married some guy named flann and booked it out of anor londo years ago.

Ring of the Sun Princess - The Princess of Sunlight Gwynevere left Anor Londo along many other deities, and later became wife to Flame God Flann.

so the gwynevere theory is out. it’s more likely that she’s a successful experiment who got too scary so she had to go in the paint. i dont really get why he was trying to turn women into dragons, if thats what he was up to. maybe he was trying to have sex. he was tired of using his j/o crystals or whatever.

Yorshka and The Painter: okay, we can assume that the painter of the next painted world, a dragon scaled young girl, is the daughter of priscilla and her weird husband mentioned in the ds3 dlc. i dont get company captain yorshka at all. i have nothing. she’s obviously a dragon crossbreed but has 2 insane things that make her completely impossible to make sense of.

first, she has fucking neck tentacles? no one else has this shit. what is that.

second, she calls herself the sister of gwyndolin. what! huh?! excuse me?

it’s insane enough that one of the dlcs revealed that gwyn had ANOTHER surprise kid who didnt get to share in the narcissistic family naming convention and was forgotten by history (filianore). but now there’s a DRAGON one?! i don’t know man. she’s inscrutable and i don’t understand her relation to the original crossbreed or why she didnt get painting’d. her existence is pretty hard to patch over with my theory. i dont think the nameless king was pumping them out and then shipping them over to gwyn for him to deal with more than once. mostly because gwyn has been dead forever by the time ds3 happens. maybe gwyndolin just handles these problems better now that shes de-facto ruler of anor londo.

well, i guess that’s all i actually have. my point with all this (besides entertaining the three people who enjoy reading DS lore) is that i can recognize the obvious flaws in my crackpot theory, yet it offers me the most satisfying answer because the idea of getting disowned for being a furry (scalie i guess) is really really funny. and as we all know, the comedy is when you need a 2 million word explainer about having sex with dragons. well. bye.

[sorcerous-caress]

Oooh I made a human Durge priestess of lolth in one of my playthrough ( unhinged I know). Could u do companions reactions to that

I don’t know what why but human priest / priestess of lolth who actually received blessings / favor from her sounds funny as hell

— RED Anon

That concept is so wild anon, bless your Durge.

Like not only they abandoned their father, a whole god of murder, and went to worship Lolth instead. But also them being a human who just subscribed to Lolth's agenda and she found it so hilarious that she granted them a priestess blessings, A PRIESTESS OF LOLTH.

Drow noble women start whole fights just to get this position.

Companions reaction would be something like:

"...why? Just why?" // Gale, Wyll.

They're mostly confused. You were supposed to be a human team and all of that. Gale is especially a hypocrite by mansplaining how Lolth wants humans as slaves for drows as if you're a naive baby who doesn't know better. Wyll is hoping it's a phase, and you'll see the light eventually.

Doesn't care much, you do you // Laezel, Karlach.

Laezel doesn't concern herself with the mythology of Faerun. The only queen she cares about is vlaakith. Karlach has seen much worse in hell, so Lolth seems like a lesser evil in comparison. She knows to judge you on your actions and not who your boss is.

Suspicious of you // Jaheira, Halsin.

They have a very terrible past with Lolth worshippers. Both of them will keep an eye on you and all of that. Maybe even get jumpy or look at you weirdly whenever you're too nice to them. Most elf groves have a strick "kill drow on sight" policy because of the surface raids.

Although since you're a human, they'll mostly think you're just in need of guidance and your misdeeds will be easily forgiven and overlooked because they think you don't know better.

That is so fucking funny but also stay away // Astarion

You know he always thought he'd make such an amazing drow, besides the whole matriarchy and using men as slaves thing. If he looks past it, he really is fascinated by them. Also it's hilarious that you were such a traitor to both your god father and your own race, Ha.

But also don't bite his head off, he knows that Lolth demands high elves as sacrifices for her so don't even think about coming his way.

Fuck you, your goddess is shit // Shadowheart

While Lolth and Shar don't have much beef between each other, their followers definitely do. Their domians overlap a lot, so followers will occasionally migrate from one goddess to the other. Viconia herself used to follow Lolth before and now despises her after Lolth retracted her blessing from Viconia's house and made them fall as a noble house. That's when she found Shar.

I believe she will teach that hatred into Shadowheart.

Minthara

It's complicated. She abandoned Lolth but she is still a paladin who swore and oath to her. And Lolth doesn't seem to have abandoned her just yet.

Lolth sees drows as her property, her toys. She doesn't care for what they personally think or feel. She plays with them and wagers their lives like it's nothing.

Minthara knows the only reason Lolth still grants her power is because she finds it amusing, she is toying with her. Lolth adores chaos and Minthara is a great tool to cause it.

When she meets you, she will think you're another one of Lolth's toys. Either sent to entice her back into the spider queen's embrace and seduce her. Or you're also a victim of her cruelty.

Yet she is curious, you're not a drow, you're a human. That is unheard of. So you fully chose Lolth by your own free will? She honestly doesn't know what to think. She both is annoyed and fascinated by you.

You represent the past life she escaped from, but you also represent the new beginning you granted her by saving her. Deep down she thinks if you stealing her heart is just Lolth stringing you like a puppet.

Also, Lolth can possess any of her priestesses at will, so she can simply come down to have a chat with Minthara through you if she felt like it. And that does put Minthara on edge.

[caffeineandsociety]

Also I feel a huge reason that a lot of debates over whether trans men or trans women Have Male Privilege/Experience REAL Misogyny fall flat in a lot of regards is that they assume that misogyny is EITHER about Femaleness/Womanhood as an identity, OR the simultaneous idealization and demonization of, and possessiveness over, the presumed-"female" body, when in reality it's very much a matter of both in complex and intersecting ways.

Which ends up meaning that trans women are subjected to the body factor, especially the possessiveness thereof, in ways that are definitely unique - phallocentrism, an aspect of patriarchy and usually tied to male privilege, becomes at LEAST as much of a detriment as a benefit (on the one hand, at least medicine for the "male" reproductive system is pretty well understood and taken seriously; it's not just a matter of biological logistics that make prostate cancer one of the most treatable cancers out there, but that sure as hell doesn't take away the fact that people get fucking creepy and invasive and obsessive over women's dicks - sometimes even when they're trying to be affirming - with obsession with and terror of The Dreaded Penis being a major motive behind arguably the majority of transmisogynistic violence), and trans women are held to an even higher standard of "if you're not a flawless supermodel goddess you shouldn't be breathing my air, let alone outside in public being an eyesore" than cis women - but trans men are ALSO subjected to the possessiveness of it, as well as the neglect, in ways that trans women, save for some intersex ones, are often straight up biologically incapable of being primary victims of (see: the erosion of abortion rights, doctors prioritizing preserving one's ability to become pregnant over anything else in their care, forced pregnancy as an explicit goal of corrective rape, etc. - though notably, the sorry state of the way medically significant period distress is treated is NOT a case of this, as hormone fluctuations can cause everything but the bleeding even in the absence of a uterus!), and it's not like lacking a "natal" penis makes someone inherently immune to being harmed by phallocentrism - treating someone like a lesser person over the lack of a penis where one is expected, or a penis that doesn't function "normally", is very much a manifestation of phallocentrism! Never mind the way vaginas are treated as essentially a gaping void in the brain, or the disgust with which they're so frequently spoken of - that impacts pre- and non-op trans men, AND post-op trans women, both in similar yet slightly distinct ways!

The intersection of these factors also means there are unique ways trans men and trans women experience the identity factor. Trans men experience misogyny for moving away from a female identity being forced upon them; trans women experience it for trying to actively claim that identity for themselves. That identity is seen as lesser, as a Property role, so as far as society sees trans men of COURSE anyone would want to escape it...but you have to stop ~playing pretend~ eventually, right? Alternately, it's traitorous, it's an "I got mine so screw you", it's prolonging the pretend game with roid rage, it's any number of horrible predatory ugly things - because to society, a trans man can never be a real man; his core identity is still A Woman, whether he knows it or not; the closest he can ever come is a disfigured caricature, acting out a rough approximation of an ideal that of COURSE is all the violent parts of that ideal and nothing else. Meanwhile, as far as society is concerned about trans women, no one would EVER opt INTO such a lesser identity without ulterior motives, so it MUST be a predatory thing, right? In many cases, these have similar narratives, but very different overtones.

So, who has it worse? Who experiences more Real Misogyny? Who experiences More Transphobia? Well, that depends on way too many individual factors; there is no constant answer and, critically, there doesn't need to be! It's not about keeping score, it's about making the problems get better! We're not going to do that by denying that people other than us have unique experiences with this shit!

[gust-jar-simulator]

I am not pretending this is good or even coherent, I just wanted to write Vaati reading Dark for filth and I made myself laugh so hard I almost spilled my tea.

Context: Vaati has been sealed in the Four Sword. Four is on the Linked Universe quest. Vaati has figured out how to possess Four, and none of them are at all aware of this since Four has odd mood swings anyway. Dark has just finished his “join the dark side, you already worked for us once before, once a traitor always a traitor” offer/blackmail, in full view of the rest of the Chain.

Let’s see how Vaati handles that.

~🌪️🐁🔮🐁🌪️~

“Are you done.”

Four’s grip on the sword was loose, expression flat even as the rest of the Chain flicked glances between him and the shadow coiling under the branches of a tree at the edge of camp, all bloody eyes and inviting hand. Dark’s little offer had been… damning, to say the least. Wars at the very least would have strong opinions about working for the enemy, and Hyrule always twitched violently at the mention of Ganon.

The longer Dark’s hand remained open, waiting, the higher Four’s brow arched, until he finally planted a hand on his hip with a scoff. “What, did I ruin your little script? I asked if you’re done. Did you get your little spiel over, your soliloquy done, fully dig your claws into the cracks of my character, or do you need a minute?” He smiled thinly, and gave a little mocking bow. “I’m the generous sort, I’ll even let you try again.”

“Four,” someone warned, but he didn’t bother glancing back to see who. Dark was starting to frown.

Tilting his head, the villain lowered his hand slowly and gave Four another once-over, slow and thoughtful. “Did they know?”

“Of course not, they’re knights.” As if that explained everything, and maybe it did. Four gestured loosely with his sword at the rest of the Chain, slowly beginning to pace. “They live by codes, laws, pretty sociological lies that make this bloody business seem… charming. Noble.” His eyes lingered on the Hero of Legend for a long moment, before turning to level Dark with a critical look, ears flicking curiously. “You came for me assuming I feel shame, which was your first mistake. I have made choices, and I will continue to make choices. Your second mistake was failing to provide a reason for me to care what you want.”

Somewhere, someone that sounded a lot like Legend started discretely calling for bets. Hyrule flashed him a thirty.

“They will reject you,” Dark murmured, wind in the trees and a chill on the conscience. “You will outlive your welcome, if you haven’t already, and the Goddess will chain you to them by the shackles of prophecy. I am your out, your only out.”

Something in Four’s face twisted, a poorly muffled cough covering some kind of honest-to-god retching noise as he tilted his head and bent a little, like if he peered closely enough he could see what Dark’s problem was. “Out of the goodness of your heart, I’m sure.” He said it like infestation of maggots, drawn-out and sickening. “This little savior complex is very cute, but you still neglect the basic tenets of villainous seduction. Should I be insulted? Are you insulting me. We’ve run over hill and dale to take your head, and you have the nerve to half ass throwing a schism between me and my allies. Put some effort into it, you idiot man, do you want me or not?”

It was hard to get a proper read on Dark, but whatever he’d been expecting, apparently it wasn’t criticism. Before he could properly get his wind back, though, Four was already pacing again, agitated and restless.

“At least Ganon knew how to treat a man. Farore’s wings, Dark, wine and dine me if you have to. I was offered power, territory, women, armies. The heads of my enemies on a platter.” He whirled, pointed his sword at the shadow more like a lecturing tool than a weapon. “Do you offer me a single magical artifact? A handful of devoted imps? Some… marginally nicer boots? No, you offer me your friendship like some kind of pathetic amateur. I have eight of those with me right now, theoretically. You did not make me a better offer- you made me a worse one after complicating my current position, and expected me to be charitable.” He stepped closer, took an audible sniff, and immediately leaned back. “For someone who reeks of water you’re a disgrace to the name of Nayru.”

Dark actually took a step back, eyes widening, before narrowing to bloody slits. The shadows seethed at the edges of the clearing, and the man they’d been hunting through time and space drew himself up. “I’m very sorry you feel that way. All you had to do was say no, you realize.”

“And miss my chance to be educational?” Four smiled, all teeth, and went so far as to sheathe his sword in the face of Dark’s rising magic. “I thought you did your research, Dark Link. I’m a hero of courage now, don’t you know- I do so enjoy being helpful.”

The shadows swelled, something creaking in their depths like the shift of scales, of armor, of invasion, but Four whipped up a hand in a commanding halt and Dark once again froze, off-kilter. Four tsked, sighing, and watched him with something like pity.

“There is no recovering from this,” he said gently. “Not right now. Please stop wasting my time, before I have to demonstrate exactly what you wanted to ally yourself with. It would be… unfortunate.” A small, sympathetic little smile, while magic sparked between his fingers. “And costly. I do want to see you try again, you know?”

The villain actually took that moment to laugh, short and unamused. “Again? You had your chance, Vaati. You can crawl to me when you’re ready to make real changes to this world.”

“Mm, six out of ten. Better, but not by much.” A snap, and the crackle between his fingers swelled, blooming with filaments of light that danced like jagged cracks in the air, static rising on the backs of everyone’s necks. Four made a lazy sort of wave, fingers twisting, and the orb lightning tracked the motion like a loyal and affectionate dog. Four peered around it, open and curious, the light drowning out his expression.

Dark got a perfect view of golden eyes on bloody sclera, as innocent as a child. “Water is vulnerable to lightning, isn’t it?”

The shadows vanished.

The day brightened, the birdsong returned, and where Dark had been he simply wasn’t. The orb lightning fizzled out into sparks, and Four took the moment to laugh to himself, since he deserved it.

Dark may have complicated things, but it would all be fixed with a clever lie or two. Vaati was well and truly dead, after all- that had to be true, if no one knew of him but the tragic heroes of the Four Sword. Dark had simply miscalculated. Their little Vio could take the fall, as he’d been expecting to for months.

Vaati took a breath, cleared his expression, and turned back to his “allies” with the hero Link’s clear grey eyes. No one had to know.

[druckkugelschreiber]

I keep thinking about how Booker actually didn’t die fighting but he was hung for desertion, being called a coward and all that.

Which makes Booker the only one of the current team (having never met Quynh and Lykon) who did not die fighting. Who died a coward and a traitor of his time and I wonder how much that influenced his self worth image and his feeling of maybe not having a place in the team.

Nicky and Joe died fighting for what they believed is right in a religious holy war on both sides and Andy obviously is a goddess of war also died for her people.

And then there’s Booker, not having half as much history and only things to be ashamed off.

Like I doubt all of this sat at the forefront of his mind but I think it‘s a core part of his character and something that lingers in the depths that he’s effectively worthless which then obviously leads to his depression and wanting a way out of immortality. He can never be as good as the others of the team so why should he keep trying.