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topazadine · 3 months ago

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How to Kick Ass at Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding. You either love it and spend all your time dreaming up rules rather than writing, or you hate it and try your best to avoid it despite writing fantasy or scifi.

Or you are in the middle, which is where you should be. You have a healthy appreciation for what makes worldbuilding so special, but you also don't obsess over it.

Worldbuilding does not need to be complicated to be effective, as I've harped on a few different times now. So how do you strike the right balance? Let's take a look.

As always, this is just my opinion based on my own efforts creating The Eirenic Verses. You can disagree and that is fine. However, I hope you'll consider thinking about what I offer here as you craft your own world.

A lot of what people focus on when worldbuilding is not what the audience cares about.

Very few people like to read a book littered with random terms they have to keep track of. We want to build a unique world, but we also don't want to throw such an extreme amount of lore at our readers that they tune out.

When worldbuilding, we want to consider the cognitive load on our audience. This is how much information the reader needs to remember throughout your story so that they can follow along.

Cognitive load includes things like:

Character names and appearances

Relationships between characters

Place names, such as cities and countries

Unique mythological creature or fauna

Backstory, including mythology and folklore

Language names

The general plot (who is the protag, who is the enemy, etc)

Magic usage (who has the power, how they acquire it, any conditions it comes with, etc)

Power dynamics between characters, countries, and so on

Political systems, if included

Even in the most barebones fantasy story, this is a lot to remember. As such, we need to consider what is most important for our readers to generally understand the plot and emphasize this, letting the rest serve as background information that is not quite as essential. The more emphasis we put on something, the more we direct a reader's attention.

At the same time, we want to create a world that feels lived-in and interesting so that readers want to know more. How do we do this?

Consider what you think about foreign countries in our world.

Most of us will have a general concept of a country but only will think about the specifics if it is currently relevant.

Let's take Japan for an example. (I'm a bit of a weeabo, okay?) Here is what I personally think about when I imagine Japan, in order of what I consider important.

Japanese cuisine (sushi, ramen, ochazuke, sake, lots of rice dishes, seafood)

What the people are like according to my own stereotypes/cultural perceptions (polite, quiet, respectful, hardworking, punctual)

Climate and geography (temperate, island country, volcanos, mountains, beaches)

Unique flora and fauna (cherry blossoms, flowers, Nara deer, giant salamanders, pretty birds)

General landmarks, but not necessarily specifics (castles, temples, busy cities, red bridges, torii gates)

Clothing styles (kimonos, school uniforms, business suits, kawaii fashion)

Cultural icons (samurai swords, samurai armor, Shinto shrines)

General overview of the history (samurai, daimyo, feudal system, bushido, Meiji restoration)

Language, but not necessarily specifics of the language (Japanese, kanji, hiragana)

Religion (Buddhism and Shintoism)

Folklore (ghosts, kami, tsukumogami, evil spirits)

Any festivals I might know of (cherry blossom festivals, moon viewings, Obon)

Your own list may have these in a slightly different order, but it's probably what you most think about.

Notice that you will likely not think about these things:

Political system

Specifics of the language

Interpersonal hierarchies

International relations

Specific landmarks

Specific historical events

Famous figures

So why do we think like this? Because in real life, we also have a cognitive load that we must balance with things that are more relevant to our everyday lives.

If I tried to memorize specific details of every country in the world, I would go insane. I have better things to do, so I create a general image of a country based on pictures I've seen, people I've met, food I've eaten, and so on. You do the same thing.

To be realistic, you do not need to be specific. You need to approach worldbuilding the same way people generate their world knowledge: basic concepts and visual imagery.

What to emphasize in worldbuilding

So let's break this down on what you want to think about when creating a world.

Food is one of the most accessible elements of a culture.

Food is how many people learn about different cultures for a simple reason: if you have the ingredients, you can cook food from anywhere. You don't need to be introduced to it by a native of that culture.

Plus, humans tend to like food. We kind of need it to exist.

Think about these things when considering national cuisines and eating habits of your fantasy world:

Do they have spicy food? Bland food? Heavy hearty dishes?

Is most food served hot or cold?

What kind of spices and vegetables do they use? Root vegetables, beans, cinnamon? Salt?

What type of meat do people eat (if any)? Seafood, poultry, beef, pork?

How is bread prepared? What is it made of? (Look, nearly every culture has some sort of bread, we love carbs)

What about pasta? Does that exist here?

Are desserts important? What are they made of?

What kinds of drinks do they have? Coffee, tea, milk, lemon water?

Is alcohol a thing? What kind of alcohol? How often do people drink? Are there bars?

How often do people eat, and when? Do they have the typical three square meals, or do people eat kinda whenever they feel like it?

Do people prepare food at home or are there restaurants?

Are communal dinners common?

Cultural stereotypes provide tension and can help craft your characters.

Are people in your culture known for their boldness? Their cunning? Their resilience? Their standoffishness? Their fiery tongues, or their passive-aggressive jabs?

You can play with a lot of this, either confirming or denying the assumptions through your characters.

Landscape gives us an idea of where we are and what to expect.

Landscapes are some of my favorite aspects of worldbuilding rather than intricate magic systems and political concepts. Readers get a good sense of environment when you focus in on landscape and how it impacts the characters. You can also build a culture off your landscape, such as how certain geographic features may influence peoples' attitudes and lifestyles.

For example, a coastal landscape will have beautiful views of the ocean, sparkling beaches, and maybe tall cliffs. Being a fisherman may be seen as an honorable but dangerous profession. People might cliff dive for fun.

Mountainous areas may produce cultural enclaves, especially in a fantasy setting where everyone is more isolated. One mountain town may have a completely different vibe than the town over.

Flat, wide-open plains mean people can spread out, but since moving from one place to another is easier, there may be a more cohesive culture.

An area with caves will have a sense of mystery and fear; there may be a lot of superstitions about the caves.

A swampy area can also be very mysterious as there are so many places to hide out and a lot of dangerous animals.

Climate influences how people behave.

Hot climates make people need to conserve energy, so they may take afternoon naps in the worst of the heat. They might value relaxation and calm over industry and productivity because bro, have you ever tried to even walk outside in the Florida heat? Shut up and get me air conditioning.

Cold climates make people need to stay active to stay warm, but they can also produce a sense of isolation. Think about how outdoorsy the Finnish are but how they looove their personal space.

Temperate climates are probably a bit more even-tempered, but as weather changes get more extreme, people will vary their behaviors based on the seasons: spending more time outdoors during summer but holing up during winter. The culture may emphasize hospitality because people need to rely on one another to survive, and they have time to meet their neighbors during the summer.

I am very partial to temperate climates, being from the American Midwest. We're known for being nice and hardy people. You should come visit.

Flora and fauna help the world feel real.

When I worldbuild, I often base my cultures on a real place and what kinds of animals or plants are there. For example, Breme is based on Mongolia so I have herbivores, big raptors, and a lot of grasses.

A warm climate will have lots of reptiles. Sea life will be important in a coastal area. Swamps might have big predators. Mountains will have hardy creatures that can climb. A savannah area will have huge herbivores and fast, hungry predators.

General cityscapes or villages are great for providing a sense of place.

Do people build low spread-out cities or tall rickety homes? What kinds of building materials do they use? Are there lots of markets, bars, apocetharies, temples or churches? What do homes look like here? What are any unique architectural features?

This gives a sense that we are in a different but specific world that has a rich culture.

Clothing tells us what people prioritize.

Cold places will have lots of layers. Hot places will have soft draping outfits or very skimpy outfits. Natural materials that are easily available will make up the majority of the clothing in a fantasy setting. You wouldn't have people wearing cotton in a place that doesn't grow cotton. If there are lots of sheep, people will wear wool. If there's lots of cattle, people will wear leather.

You can also think about adornment. Is jewelry common? What type? Why is it important? Is it a status symbol, a way to keep wealth, or perhaps ways to honor ancestors?

Cultural icons demonstrate what the society values.

A warlike culture will prioritize weaponry. A pacifist culture will think about art and music. A nomadic culture may have a rich oral tradition. An agrarian society will emphasize farming rituals.

Think of a few things that symbolize your society, whether that's musical instruments, weaponry, textiles, statues, or jewelry. Consider how those traditions could have come about and why.

Folklore and mythology offer an offbeat but important sense of history.

Folklore is often tied up with many other factors of a society, such as their religion, landscape, history, and overall values.

For example, the Japanese believe items survive for over a century gain a kami, or spiritual essence. This shows that the Japanese cherish their long history and their material culture, and it also infuses their Shinto belief into folklore.

You can also think about cryptids or ghost stories. Isolated and difficult terrain often makes people think of monsters lurking in the woods. Areas with lots of caves will have myths about what is down there. Coastal areas develop myths about ghost ships.

Idioms, turns of phrase, and gestural quirks tell us more about the culture without overwhelming readers.

This one can be more challenging (I haven't done much with it) but if you can manage it, you'll have a very rewarding story.

I'm not talking about making a whole new language here, but rather about idioms and turns of phrase. Think about all the fun idioms that English has, like "beating around the bush" or "break a leg." Without cultural context, you can't understand them, so you'll have to incorporate an explanation without actually stating it.

For example, you can have a character say "the horses are running fast" as they look out the window to see a sheet of rain. We can guess from this that the idiom is rain = horses, so lots of rain = fast horses. We'll understand from this that this culture probably loves horses; maybe they're a formerly nomadic race.

Gestures, like whether people give thumbs-up, point with their index, or bow with their hands to their chest all give us a feeling of the culture without being overwhelming.

What not to emphasize

Now that we've gone through some things to focus on, let's talk about what you don't need to make up for your world.

A whole-cloth language

Please, you don't need to create brand new words for things that exist in our world. You can reference a language, but do not make people memorize nouns they don't need.

Don't even make up the language at all. Say there's a language and then write the rest of it in English.

Made-up languages are irritating for readers because they want to focus on the characters and plot, not mysterious words they need to translate.

It's possible to make languages interesting without going into specifics. For example, the Bas-Lag trilogy by China Mieville has a species that communicates in clicks but the species can also learn human languages if necessary. There's a language called Salt that's basically the common tongue blended from everything else.

Do we need to know how Salt works? No. Doesn't matter. We're told someone is talking in Salt, or they're learning it, or they switch to it when meeting someone from a different culture. That's plenty.

Specifics of a magic system

You're not going to instantly summon up all the rules of magical realms when you visit a new country; you might not even know them. And your readers won't be too interested in them either.

For example, in The Eirenic Verses, I have High Poetry. Readers will come to know that this was a magical system where certain people given the power can recite a poem and whatever they speak comes true. Every poem can only be used once.

It was given by the goddess Poesy to a specific woman, Saint Luridalr. It was so successful that the goddess started giving it to more women and a whole religious system arose.

I don't need to explain exactly how it works because no one cares. Someone makes things happen by coming up with a poem: that's about it. We don't need to question whether certain rhyme schemes or meter or punctuation impacts anything. That's too technical.

If you've got pages and pages of notes on all the intricacies of the magical system, you have too much. Pare it down.

Political systems

Unless you're writing a fantasy where politics are absolutely critical to the plot, you can just reference the political system in passing and maybe elucidate a few key elements, like who the leader is, how power is transferred, etc. You don't need to go into all the specifics because most people are not going to care.

Hierarchies

Please don't lay out the entirety of an army's ranking system or how someone is promoted. Make up something consistent and stick with it, but don't go into exhaustive detail. People aren't going to sit and question whether a captain is above a lieutenant or how long it takes to become a general.

We'll know that a general is a big deal if the characters make it a big deal. We'll know who the head of the army is but we don't need to know how they got to that position.

Exact city layouts

You do not need to tell us where everything is in relation to one another. Tell us characters are moving from one landmark to another. You could say "this is across a bridge, this is up in the mountains, these buildings are right next to one another, these two buildings are in opposite ends of the city." That's plenty.

If somewhere is very far away, just show them travelling there and how long it takes. You don't need to measure it in miles or leagues or whatever. We will guess that if it takes them a week to walk there, it's pretty distant.

Economic systems

We just need the basics here: mercantile, capitalist, bartering, etc. We don't need to know if the coinage is pegged to a certain precious metal or if people invest their money or how people are paid. That's boring.

In my world, I have two currencies: quillim for Breme and barnals for Sina. What's the exchange rate? I don't know and don't care. How much is one quillim worth? One quillim is not a lot but 2,500 quillim is. How much is the average person paid? Doesn't matter. Do people keep lots of coins on them? No one is asking that. It's not important.

Transit systems

Tells us if the roads are cramped, spread out, nonexistent, poorly maintained. Tell us if there are road blocks or toll booths. Tell us if there are roving bandits. The more physical and sensory you can get, the more real it feels.

Few people care about the specifics of even their own transportation system. I know highways are fast, I know tollroads are expensive, I know parkways are pretty, I know some cities have weird turnabouts and dead ends. That's exactly what I need and what I care about.

That's what I've got for you today. If you liked this, maybe you'll consider checking out The Eirenic Verses series, which follows most of these principles.

I've been told that my fantasy writing is very approachable, even for those who don't usually like fantasy, specifically because I don't get too insane with my worldbuilding. So maybe you'll enjoy it too!

#fantasy worldbuilding #worldbuilding #fantasy writing #fantasy writer #writing community #creative writing #writeblr #writeblr community #writing on tumblr #writing opinions #am writing #writers of tumblr #writer stuff #how to write #fiction writing #writing advice #writing tips #writing resources

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cosmic-ghost-hermit · 6 months ago

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Pick a Card: Message from Aphrodite

I dedicate this reading to Lady Aphrodite. I deliver this message from her to the collective. Take what resonates and leave the rest behind, baby. But always be open to new experiences. Decks used are the star spinner tarot, the romantic Lenormand and occult tarot.

🌸Tip your Reader💖

_________

PILE ONE 🤍

Astrology: Leo, Libra, Virgo (maybe Scorpio)

Song: EVIL by Melanie Martinez

Vibes: Pink, dark purple, aquamarine, peacocks, lions, pheonix, whales, pixies, ship in a bottle, sunflowers, clear night sky, 1010, 2020, 2029

Cards: The Hermit, 10 of Swords, Queen of Wands, Queen of Cups, The Lovers (Gay), Sallos (2 of Cups), Woman, Garden

Hello, pile one. Lady Aphrodite is telling me that you aren't very kind to yourself. She wants this to change. I think you do too. Maybe you aren't sure what being nice to yourself really feels like. No one ever taught you. They taught you how to serve others. They taught you how to neglect your own needs. This isn't helping or working for you anymore. It is honestly just making life harder than it needs to be. I see this self-hatred could be leading you to depression. You try so hard to focus on other peoples problems so you don't have to focus on yourself. Lady Aphrodite says she wants to help you tend to your garden. She wants to nourish your soul. She wants you to learn about yourself and bring light to the darkest parts of your soul.

I am going to attempt to directly channel her.

"My dearest, you aren't undeserving of love. You bring the utmost sincerity to understanding every person and everything around you. I do so wish you would bring the loving energy you do to those topics to yourself. I want to fill your life with abundance. I wish to see you bloom, my flower. I wish to watch you flourish and grow past what you ever imagined was possible. Hear me, little flower. You are deserving of cherishing. It doesn't matter what the crowds say. It is truth. You are deserving of being known to your core. You don't have to fawn anymore to protect yourself. I will protect you from now on, my darling. Those previous lovers did you no good. Self-love is where you must begin. Start at your lust. It will lead you to where the hurt is. So, you may begin to heal."

Lady Aphrodite has seen your pain and wants to take away the pain you have been feeling. The pain you have been causing yourself isn't deserved. She knows you have been self sacrificing and is asking you to stop. Stop hurting the one person who has been looking after you this whole time. Yourself. Give yourself some slack and see yourself as the person you truly are. Don't filter your perspective of yourself through the lenses of others. All they know how to look at is reflections. You are not their reflection. The things they say are just their own self-hatred reflected off of you. You aren't what others see. You are more than that. Allow yourself to open your mind to experience yourself anew. Lay down your sword. You don't need to fight yourself any longer.

________

PILE TWO 💎

Astrology: Taurus, Capricorn, Pisces

Song: Nobody Else by Em Beihold

Vibes: Deep purple, deep blues, burgundy, yellow, gray, wheat, keys, time, clocks, gold fish, coy fish, bears, bulls, stars, alstroemerias, wishing well, thistles, 345, 78, 11

Cards: 8 of Pentacles, Hierophant, Empress, 4 of Wands, 7 of Cups, Whip, Fish, Balam (page of wands)

Pile two, welcome to you reading. Lady Aphrodite wants me to tell you a couple different things. First, why do you need to earn what you have deserved all along? I see how hard you work. She see's it too. You have this hyper independence and this unbridled need to prove yourself. These beliefs of yours are holding you back, love. Why do you think you need to be punished in order to receive? My dear these beliefs are from generational trauma that was passed to you. You don't have to work to deserve. You are inherently deserving of all that you need. You are lovable. You should be seen and recognized for all your hard work. Lady Aphrodite asks you to stop inheriting pain and start inheriting pleasure. Just for the sake of being happy. Just for the sake of your mental stability.

I will channel Lady Aphrodite directly so you can hear her clearly.

"My little dove, you can relax now. There is no one looking over your shoulder anymore. What are you trying to prove? You don't need to prove yourself to anyone, baby. You are just perfect. You will still be abundant if you take a second to breath. I'm so sorry your loved ones and career have made you feel like you aren't enough. You are more than enough. My love, I don't want you to think that you need to work so hard to get what you need or anything you want. You can take a minute to breath. I will take care of your desires, my dearest. I know you are getting all choked up about the needs and wants. Cry if you need to. Let all that built up pressure out. You don't always have to hold your composure like they all claimed you needed to. Relax your shoulders and unclench your jaw, my love. I wish you didn't feel the need to prove yourself. You have already proven yourself over and over. A thousand times you proved you could do anything. You don't have to anymore. Let go of spite. It doesn't matter if someone thinks you can't. Their opinion of you don't reflect the truth. It only spreads light onto their insecurities. You are perfect. You are perfect even when you aren't trying so please my dearest. Stop trying so hard. Just be."

Lady Aphrodite wants to take anything that is bothering you away so you may have the time to rest and recuperate from all that work you have been doing. You have done enough. You are enough. She can see it. She wants you too see it too.

___________

PILE THREE 🐰

Astrology: Cancer, Scorpio, Aquarius

Song: PUPPET SHOW by XG

Vibes: Sky blue, cyan, navy blue, indigo, green, purple, rocking horse, carrousel, apples, ibis bird, lilys, yellow roses, angels, mermaids, sparrows, unshed tears, circus, 45, 4444, 13

Cards: Queen of Pentacles, Knight of Cups, Star, 4 of Cups, 5 of Swords, House, Child, Berith (King of Pentacles)

Welcome, pile three to your reading. Lady Aphrodite has a very strong and stern message she wants me to tell you. You really might not like to hear this so continue if you desire but just know I warned you. You are 'playing house' with someone who doesn't want to play the role that they agreed to. You think if you coddle this person they will warm up and get back into playing with you but they won't. No amount of babying will make them play with you, my friend. This could be a romantic partner but more likely I see they are a FWB that you want something more with. This person is extremely childish and doesn't want to commit to you but wants all the benefits of being with you. I'm hearing you set up this persons doctors appointments and making their lunch. You are acting like a mother to this person. It is leaving you really disappointed and unsatisfied. You want something real with this person. You aren't scared to commit but the person only wants to take from you. They don't want to give. Lady Aphrodite thinks you deserve more than that. You deserve your desires to be fulfilled. This person can't do that for you.

Now I am going to try and channel Lady Aphrodite. She wants a couple words with you.

"I do not enjoy how that person treats you. Excuse my language but they are a bitch for not making a commitment to you. You deserve dates, flowers and A RING. You deserve the world and this person isn't giving that to you. All you are receiving is a second rate sexual experience and motherhood you never signed up for, my dear! I don't think kicking this person to the curb is going to work right away but you need to change how you think about this person. I would much rather you just leave them but I sense it wouldn't be safe quite yet. Don't worry, my dearest. I will set everything up just for you. Please, in the mean time while I set up your new love-life, start treating this person like a friend. They don't act like a lover so do not treat them like a lover. They will hardly notice, my love. There is nothing to fear. I will remove this person quickly from your life very soon so I can give you a new and better person. This new person will be perfect for you, just you wait and see. They are going to treat you exactly how you have always dreamed. I guarantee you some princess treatment and romance. I guarantee you a ring and a lovely life with this new person. You might have to leave some old behaviors and habits behind with the current person but I promise you good things will replace the things you will leave. Good luck, my love. You have me on your side."

You won't have to wish for your current situation-ship to step up for you because someone else will. You don't need to yearn much longer. You are a queen and you must be treated like one.

________

PILE FOUR 🌸

Astrology: Aries, Gemini, Sagittarius

Song: Please Please Please by Sabrina Carpenter

Vibes: Pastel pink, cobalt, cornflower blue, blonde, hawk, starling, rodents, garlic, cheese, peaches, walnuts, pecans, pineapple, dyed hair, orange peal, fish bones, illusion, 1212, 333, 5858, 55

Cards: Knight of Wands, Knight of Swords, 5 of Wands, 3 of Swords, 8 of Cups, Clouds, Mice, Gamigin (5 of Pentacles)

Pile four, I hope you are ready because this one is a doozy. Lady Aphrodite wants me to tell you that you need to run far away from whoever has been breaking your heart. She is telling me there is someone you are getting close with and have known for a while. It could be a romantic interest but not necessarily. They are probably an air sign. This person she is telling me about is changing into someone nasty behind closed doors. You have been seeing it too. You have been ignoring the red flags because you have known this person for a very long time but you haven't ever known them really. It has been little red flags or orange/yellow flags so you dismissed your own worries and haven't really entertained the thought that this person is turning into a pest. Those yellow flags are going to pile up, my friend. You will loose so much. Lady Aphrodite is really serious about this and wants me to say that if you don't break your own heart now. This person will do it for you and they won't be as kind as you are. They are growing close with someone who is a terrible influence on them. If you try to confront them about your concerns they will brush you off. Do not let them convince you. You aren't imagining anything. You are seeing the signs.

I will now channel a direct message from Lady Aphrodite.

"My dearest. Get away from them and their 'new friend'. While you still can. This person is a manipulative vexation and they are turning your friend into someone gross. This is the only way I can protect you from them, my love. You need to run. Hurry away. They are luring you into false security. Don't let this little rat of a person eat up your money, your time, your self esteem or anything else that is rightfully yours. Do not give away your power to these vermin. I know you might feel guilty, my dearest. Do not. I swear on the name of love that this person is not worth the guiltiness you feel. If you don't trust what I am saying. I suggest you find your person's new friend's previous partners and inquire about them secretly. Then you will have your proof. They have a pattern, my dear. They say the same pickup lines and take every person to the same date. They are not healthy for you or your friend but your person is in to deep now. I cannot protect you unless you help me protect you. I cannot save you if you refuse to save yourself. Please do not turn a blind eye."

I know it might be lonely at first, my friend but there will be new people coming in to take the spots that will be left empty. You will be provided for. You won't have to be alone forever. I understand that this air sign person you don't want to leave behind has helped you feel less abandoned in recent years. Lady Aphrodite won't let you be lonely for long. Your friend just has some lessons to learn that you don't need to be involved in. Please stay safe, my love.

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py-dreamer · 7 months ago

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Macaque is big spoon

Lol the old men be snoozin and snugglin

(I was about to say sleeping but my mind is too dirty for that unfortunately-)

Y'wanna know why he big spoon?

The sun and moon thingy they have going on and...

Ehh, ehh? Y'see what I did there?

I hate fabric so god damn much.

WHY CAN'T YOU BEHAVE AND STAY STILL GODDAMN.

WHY MUST YOU CREASE AND HAVE LAYERS?!!? WHY CAN'T YOU BE SIMPLE AND FLAT

SAME WITH MACACA'S FUR.

WHY ARE YOU BLACK?!! HOW DO I RENDER YOU

TO QUOTE MY PAST SELF: "his true evil power is how hard he can be to draw"

LIKE MY DUDE. HOWWWWW.

Regardless, I'm still really happy with how the drawing came out like the lighting and stuff (just don't look at the fabric-)

Wukong couldn't give less than a flying f*ck if his pajamas matched. Like he's at home, let him be as much of a fashion disaster as he wants!

Heck, back in his day, he was prancing with a leaf skirt and that was acceptable, let the monkey be damnit.

But he would own something very funky like those peach shorts but specifically wear them on break days or in private

(Mac definitely made an inappropriate joke bout it; he has a mark you could read the king's fortune off of, on his right cheek-)

Mac loves his clouds cloudy king so sure, slap them on his pants I think he'd have those long fluffy or silky pajama pants and he like has a couple he switches out for every now and them.

Wukong struck me as a big shirt, short shorts guy

and Mac'doodles as a small shirt, big pants

On a more angsty note, after death I think he'd be a lot colder like its harder to generate body heat naturally so he'd be a lot more cuddly with his toasted marshmallow king cause he was literally toasty fried for 49 days in heaven (49 earth years if 1 year in heaven is a year belief is true)

I was really debating if they'd be in a tree like normal monkeys or in the stone palace cause like that's a whole thing.

Wukong is not only a king in name, he's got riches and a whole ass stone mansion, I want my boi to one day overcome his guilt and indesire for self care and move into the big boi house with his husbando...one day.

But until then, a girl can dream.

Cause come on, that'd be cool. I understand it'd feel real lonely without the stalwart generals and brotherhood but like he has new company and rekindling with his warrior might help with that.

I also think they'd rather sleep in a cozy lil alclove or like the beds in historical c-dramas that are kinda built in and they build a mini nest of sorts.

I was going to draw the monkeys but tbh, just wasn't feelin it...

Also wanted their tails to make a heart but the lil pointy bit always bugs me so I tried to make it into a more plausible scenario

And irl updates, I have been like formally rehearsing for a performance all week (as in a play) and practicing all day, just watched the 1st cast do it and its my turn tomorrow so wish me luck!

(btw I'm working with young kids, like 8-12 young and they all congregated around me when they saw me drawing like I was a glorified babysitter

And the amount of times I had to put the message on Mac's shirt on a different layer and hide it like bruh. The kids are lovely and all and I'd be happy to show my work but as you can see...not all of my works are...100% PG)

(pls reblog and feedback and stuff, I worked hard on this plss I beg...)

#lmk #lego monkie kid #my beloved #py's_art #lmk wukong #the hero and the warrior were like the sun and the moon #and the moon is the big spoon #i will die on this hill #shadowpeach #lmk macaque #lego monkey king #lmk fanart #shadowpeachshipping #liu er mihou #sun wukong

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girlcowboy1 · 2 months ago

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I think gen z ultimately lost the war against mental illness when they decided to adapt the older generations rhetoric of "mentally ill ppl who have noticeable symptoms are bad and evil and must be avoided at all costs, they deserve to be alone and die alone" which... most people are not saying that outright, but that IS what they're saying, whether they realize it or not, when they choose to discuss these issues based on personal concepts of morality and punishment instead of approaching it with a mix of empathy and an understanding of science, and how the brain operates.

"Having a mental illness isn't an excuse" is true to a certain extent, but I think a lot of people don't understand that to an extent, it also IS an excuse. The only reason people like to believe that it isn't in any capacity is because mental illness is an invisible disability, and if there's one thing that people love to dismiss the impact of, it's invisible disabilities. Because we can't see what's going on beneath the surface, we struggle to understand the issue, we struggle to empathize with the affected person, whom we may prefer to instead write off as being lazy or malicious, when in reality they are in pain and/or are missing an important tool that helps them function the way they'd like to.

Before getting on medication, I felt and (still sometimes feel) as though I existed behind an invisible glass that separated me from everyone else. I could not understand the point of a lot of mundane things, I couldn't relate to those around me, I felt like my existence was a mistake that should have never happened and the universe was attempting to expunge me by making my life so hard I would kill myself.

And then I got on medication, and suddenly I was able to see things that I had never seen before but had existed in front of me the whole time. I was able to be kinder to people, to be more patient, to talk myself out of bad thoughts I would previously ruminate about for days and weeks. I was able to communicate more coherently, to express my feelings in a way I couldn't before. I wanted to do things again. I wanted to dress up, look nice. I wanted to BE nice.

Of course, these are all still things I struggle with. Like with most tools for disability, medication is helpful in giving me the ability to function in a way that makes life more enjoyable— but it doesn't completely cure the issue. The point is. I tried so hard, time and time again, to change on my own. I tried taking supplements, I tried mindfulness, I tried changing the way I eat, I tried self-help videos/books. But I was a deeply depressed, deeply agitated person whose brain was not wired the way it should have been. So none of what I tried would stick. I would act out in ways I KNEW was wrong, but when you get into a certain state of mind, it's difficult to speak to yourself, to talk yourself down from doing or saying things you know you probably shouldn't. Especially when you feel so isolated from others, and struggle to see the point in anything.

It was only after medication that I made long-term improvements. It was only after my brain chemistry was physically altered in a positive way that my brain could begin to function better, and that my outward behavior improved.

How the anatomy of the brain effects a person is a crucial part of mental health that gets left out of relating discussions too often, I think, and its where I believe gen z unfortunately tends to overlap with gen x and boomers. The brain is an organ like any other, and if it is damaged, or sick, or lacking somewhere in its anatomy.... it will not function properly. The person whose body it inhabits will not function properly.

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azelsdoormat · 14 days ago

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Azel Radwan Main Story

► Chapter 0

This translation is fanmade and strictly for entertainment purposes only. All media and original content belong to Cybird. Do not use, claim as your own, repost or reupload onto other platforms, reblogs are welcome.

Content Warning: mentions of child abuse, graphic descriptions of violence, gore?, generally disturbing content.

True love — to me, is the most evil of curses that must never befall me.

…

Azel: High Priest… please… stop

The whip tore into human flesh, and the blood-curdling screams of my beloved brothers rang through the air.

The cold, hard floor was stained bright red with the blood dripping from their torn fingernails. It was an image burned into those so-called “divine eyes” that would never fade.

The grotesque sight, as horrifying as every nightmare in the world combined, unfolded before my eyes.

And I, this powerless god, could do nothing but scream and cry until my voice went hoarse.

Azel: I beg of you. I’ll do anything you say.

Azel: It’s all my fault for being a bad boy, it’s my fault for not behaving well.

Azel: Please stop. I promise I won’t run away again.

Azel: Please, I beg of you, please, please, I beg…

I clung pathetically to the High Priest’s robes, desperately repeating my pleas.

While people revere me as a god, the reality was far from that.

High Priest: Your Holiness… I sincerely apologise. I have no desire to cause you harm.

The High Priest stroked my head with pity, smiling tenderly.

In the middle of that nightmarish scene, he was the only source of kindness.

High Priest: This, too, is love.

Azel: … Love?

High Priest: You are an extraordinary being, Your Holiness. If anything were to happen to you, it would be too late.

High Priest: To ensure that no mishaps occur to your sacred body, I must mete out severe disciplinary actions as such.

High Priest: This is all for your sake. Please understand.

The whip was swung once more.

My brothers, hung from the ceiling, gradually lost the light in their eyes and were reduced to nothing but mere empty shells.

If this is what people call “love”— then I despise this monstrosity with every fiber of my being.

Azel: … I… understand…

Azel: I understand, so… stop it already.

Azel: I’ll listen to everything you say.

Azel: I’ll work hard, I’ll become a proper god.

Azel: … Please…

…

<< Fast Forward Many Years Later >>

Matias: Have you two heard about the romance novel that's become popular in Rhodolite lately?

The princes of three countries held regular meetings in different locations, and they would occasionally stray into idle chatter.

The topics varied, but today, of all things we could possibly talk about, it had to be the one topic I didn't want to hear about the most.

Kagari: Don't know.

Azel: I have no interest in such items.

Matias: I can lend you my copy of the book.

Azel: Please only offer it to Kagari.

Kagari: No way. Matias is impossible to handle when it comes to these topics.

Azel: Unfortunately, I am deathly allergic to anything related to romance.

Matias: Is there such a thing?

Azel: Yes, and therefore—

Matias: Then I’ll read it aloud for you.

(... This hell just became even hotter. Someone spare me.)

Matias didn't look like he was about to back down any time soon and placed the book on the table.

The book’s design was boring and unremarkable.

Matias: This book is so detailed in depicting the process of love developing, it’s known as a bible for beginners to romance.

Matias: I’ve read through it myself, and it’s truly a treasure trove of information.

Matias: Take the first date scene on page 32 for instance. According to this bible—...

Ignoring Matias’ rambling, I pulled the book toward me and haphazardly flipped through the pages.

(Ugh… what is this nonsense?)

As expected of something that received such high praise from Matias, the contents of the book were revoltingly vivid portrayals of romance.

Most of the story was filled with unnecessary trivial chattering between lovestruck men and women.

Kagari: So you lied about being allergic.

Azel: It was not a lie. Please have a look at these goosebumps on my skin.

Kagari: Looks like the real deal.

Azel: While Matias yearns for romance, I am the complete opposite.

Azel: Merely hearing the words “love” and “romance” gives me the chills.

I recalled the day “love” was defined to me with a merciful smile.

Even now, seeing that word made me sick to the stomach. The very thought fills me with so much disgust, I felt dizzy.

(Apart from that hag, there were plenty of other people who preached about love with equally ridiculous reasoning.)

(I can never understand how Matias can so purely believe in love…)

Matias: You’re weird. Is there really anyone who hates being loved?

Azel: Perhaps it is because I am a god and different from ordinary mortals.

Azel: … At the very least, I neither want to love nor be loved.

Azel: I’ve learned firsthand that love is nothing but misery.

I shut the book and shoved it back at Matias.

I knew without a doubt that I never wanted to open a book of that genre ever again.

Matias: No need to return it. This book is my gift to you.

Azel: No, thank you. I refuse.

Matias: Don’t say that. While you may despise love and romance now, your thinking could change someday.

Matias: You could meet your ideal queen in the middle of a scorching desert where she’s on the verge of collapsing, and after you nurse her back to health—

Azel: Matias, back to reality, please.

Matias: Ahem. Anyway, it won't hurt to have the beginner’s bible with you.

Matias: It covers everything from how to invite someone on a date to spending the night together. Study it well.

I glared at the book Matias pushed back at me.

(Arguing any further is too much of a hassle.)

(Whatever. I’ll simply not open it ever.)

(Or maybe… I could sell it to Akatsuki instead.)

(I’ve had more than enough of being loved.)

…

(... Hm?)

I suddenly regained consciousness and found myself in an unfamiliar setting.

(Is this a rose garden? It looks rather neglected, though.)

The feeling of entering “another person’s dream” was one I had experienced countless times before.

While I didn't remember every instance clearly, I was certain I had never experienced entering the dreams of someone who owned a rose garden.

(This isn’t a dream someone who lives in the desert would have.)

At the junction where several paths intersected, was an oak table with a single book on it.

I casually picked it up and read through the contents, the owner of the dream’s life story started flowing through my mind.

The story was incomplete, but the owner’s “wish” was clear.

Azel: I see, I see…

Azel: How utterly laughable.

(A strong yearning for love… they belong to the same category of people as Matias.)

Someone approached me.

I shifted my gaze to the side and saw an unfamiliar woman standing there.

???: What’s… laughable?

Azel: I have some unfortunate news for you, who yearns for love and thirsts for knowledge of what it is.

Azel: Love is not the grand blessing it is often proclaimed to be.

Azel: Sometimes, it would serve you well to remain ignorant and pure for your entire life. You would find far greater happiness that way.

(Not that I intend to force my beliefs onto others…)

The woman looked like a personification of virtue, and someone who would fall prey to the first con artist she encountered.

It was because of that first impression that, for once, God chose to be merciful.

Azel: I have witnessed many examples of “love”. Not in fiction… but rather the raw, unvarnished love that exists in reality.

Azel: Far too often, people use “love” as a means to justify their otherwise unjustifiable actions.

Azel: It is truly tragic to see people driven mad by love.

Azel: Even the most rational people become unable to live without it.

Azel: Like a curse.

(There's a chance that this woman, who knows nothing about love now, will become a changed person once she experiences it.)

(... I can only hope that doesn't happen to her.)

May that ugly curse called “love” never turn her into a beast—

This powerless god could do nothing else but pray for her, just like I did on that one fateful day.

#ikemen prince #ikemen series #cybird ikemen #ikepri translations #ikepri azel #azel radwan #ikepri jp

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cursedvida · 7 months ago

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It's really crazy to me to see the hate Mae gets, like I was reading some reviews and I can understand not liking a character but as soon as they start with the name calling their opinion is invalid to me because they have no reason to be calling her a bitch, among other things, like it just reeks of mysogyny, (it's like they just want an excuse to call women names) and seeing it coming from other girls makes it worse like..

"Oh the girl was such a bitch why did she do that 🙄" ..is it really that hard to think for a moment about the circumstances in which mae was raised?? Do they need it spell it out for them?? Like, c'mon guys do you really think that the people trapped in a bunker for generations have anything nice to teach/say about the apes?? Wes Ball please give us Mae's backstory in the sequel!! Your audience needs it bc they are out there calling Mae the real villain and saying Proximus was right 💀 (when he was literally everything Caesar hated in an ape)

Look, I'm usually a polite person when expressing my opinions, but I'm fed up with the hate towards Mae, basically because the arguments people give seem incredibly basic to me, typical of people with little to no understanding. Sometimes I doubt if these people have watched the same movie as me or maybe they have some sort of cognitive dissonance, but seriously, I find them ridiculous. Either that, or they are basically the typical comments from misogynistic guys or women with internalized misogyny who can't stand morally gray and questionable female characters.

And well, having said that, I'm going to present my doctoral thesis on this topic:

One of the things I've seen the most is people saying that Mae is evil, the true villain, or an ungrateful traitor to Noa. This argument seems quite incomprehensible to me because, even though we don't have much data about her, I believe there's something very important that explains why she acts as she does: the Proximus apes killed the people in her group, including her mother. I mean: her damn mother. If we add to that the UNDERSTANDING (I mean, you have to be very short-minded not to assume something so obvious) that she has been raised in an environment where they've probably told her all her life that the apes are the reason for all the evils of humanity and the main reason why humans live in shitty conditions, I think anyone with half a brain has enough information to understand why she does what she does.

Yes, Noa is a good guy, but he's not helping her. Noa and Mae have a common goal and decide to ally themselves momentarily to achieve that goal, which is to reach Proximus. As much as they've formed a bond throughout the story, it's not yet strong enough for Mae to set aside what she has worked for so hard. Mae not only bears the weight of humanity on her shoulders but also emotionally carries the idea that she, as the sole survivor of her group, must complete the mission at all costs. Are those who criticize her telling me that if they truly thought that with certain actions they could not only save their species but also honor their loved ones who have been killed infront their eyes, they wouldn't do them? And that they wouldn't do them for someone they've just met, no matter how much they like them? That's just not realistic, it makes no sense. We would all do the same as Mae in her situation. I mean, I have no doubts.

Another thing I love is when they say she's the "true villain" as if it weren't clear enough that she feels bad every time since she forms a bond with Raka and Noa when she does something that she knows may harm them. She feels pain for Raka's death and clearly, you can also see the conflict and remorse when she detonates the bomb. It's not something she enjoys doing, but she HAS to do it. In the final scene, even though she's carrying a gun, you can also clearly see her in conflict with herself. Clearly, she doesn't want to kill him. Clearly, she has nothing against Noa, and this is evident when she finally accepts the necklace and they even shake hands. You can't tell me that's the attitude of a villain, narratively it's not presented as such, and seeing it that way is to have understood nothing.

Mae is a complex character whose life is based on survival, she's no different from the characters we're used to loving and idolizing in other post-apocalyptic series, the difference here for me is that she's human and humans have to be bad by default and also that she's a woman. Because female characters always have to be the support, the romantic interest, or the unconditional friends of heroic male characters, and Mae is none of that. Mae is a character with her own story and ambitions that go beyond Noa's plot. Mae has her own plot, and it seems that's something that bothers people a lot.

I'm sorry, but the hate towards Mae seems very similar to the one people had for Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones, which basically stemmed from people being misogynistic and hating complex and imperfect female characters, combined with how much they hate seeing protagonist characters with such human and real characteristics that they can't bear the idea of seeing themselves reflected in them.

But hey, for Sansa Stark, I would have killed, and now for Mae too. Mae haters basically DNI

#i’ve been very intense #but sorry i’m such a scorpio with a scorpio’s classic rage #i would kill for her #mar my bb #kingdom of the planet of the apes #planet of the apes #kotpota #kotpota mae #kotpota noa #mae #freya allan

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kkglinka · 1 month ago

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I love watching reactors try to puzzle out the lyrics to ruby songs but nothing beats watching newbies try to sort out the Red trailer intro, Red Like Roses. It always seems to be the same thing!

They'll figure out that "Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest" suggests a dead mother or mentor, and possibly blood. Notice that Ruby appears to be Little Red Riding Hood and wonder if her mother was killed by one of those wolf grimm. (We're all still waiting to find out, so hey).

They'll figure out that "White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test". Sometimes they know or look up Weiss' name and go, oh, lol, it's snow white, of course. Struggling with potential royalty or other high status pressures, trapped by an evil parent? Yup! Pretty much.

Then they'll get to the two most obvious, direct lyrics, and the hilarity ensues, courtesy of both gender norms and heternormativity. Like, I could understand those lines flying under the radar in 2013, but these days? C'mon now...

"Black the Beast descends from shadows..." You see the word beast? It's right there. Blake the Beast. It's straight up telling us. Blake (the black beast) Belladonna (beautiful lady aka belle). Belle is the beast in rwby'verse, but it's a two'fer, and the wrong gender and reviewers just...don't see it. Even stated plainly, and conclude she's just Belle.

But it gets worse (as in, funnier)!

"Yellow Beauty burns gold." Look, beauty; it's right there. Beauty, as in Belle, the other half of beauty and the beast? The lines are practically paired together??? Nah. We're also going to ignore the opening yellow trailer quote not to judge by appearances. Looks like goldilocks, busts up the place, busts up a guy called junior, must be goldilocks, case closed.

Yeah...you know how yang goes on that psychological journey from too violent to too passive, too passionate to depressed, too much cheerful façade, to too raw, until she finds equilibrium? We've all discussed the "just right" aspect of that — the show itself made that joke! It wasn't goldilocks and her stuff that was just right; it was baby bear and his stuff. His home life that got wrecked by a silver haired old woman (I'm pointing at Salem).

Who? Right, so, the antagonist (villain) of goldilocks and the three bears was originally an old silver haired woman or vixen (fox or provocative woman), who breaks into a stranger's home, vandalizes the place and steals everything from a young child. She got retconned into a cute little blonde girl, which severely muddied the moral of that story (when you rob people you ultimately hurt children the worst), but became the most well known version.

I'm sure it's a complete coincidence that eurasian brown bears can be described as golden, but I'm still waiting to see what solar or flame deity/character is being referenced by her name and the line about burning. Chinese yellow dragon of luck and nobility, sure, which rolls right back into the beauty and beast duality she shares with blake. As when one plays beauty, the other plays the beast, and the beast is a nobleman. But solar/fire? Dragon in general, or a specific fiery beast from folklore?

But I digress. Yang's surface level allusion to goldilocks is largely limited to her being a total ass and trashing a nightclub, after antagonizing the owner; and her fighting mama ursa in the emerald forest, before the perfect babe kills papa ursa for her. After that, it's all baby bear stuff, before her underlying allusion as alice liddell comes in like a freight train toward the end of v2.

Anyway, it always make me chuckle because those two lyrics are so bald and direct but, nope! Overhead like a decomposing boeing 747, even this decade. It's great.

#fandom #rwby #rwby meta #bumbleby

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bianca-mii · 4 months ago

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One of the most iconic kisses between our guitarists from the 2022 tour. I can't write as beautifully as @woodswallow, but I made this gifset as I thought there is a very interesting thing to point out.

The Auslaender outro started almost as usual, with Richard feeling the music probably somewhat more.

But this moment shows one massive difference from arguably every other Auslaender's kiss: Richard is not smiling. He's not focused on seducing Paul with that evil grin. There's no tension, no predatory stare. He is... sad? He looks Paul in the eye, and while Paul is in that playful-teasing-I'm-not-that-easy-to-get mode of his, in which he rather avoids eye contact with Richard, he must realize something is off with the lead guitarist...

But they both go for the kiss. In the beginning, I thought maybe Richard was sad, at least partially, because during some of the 2022 shows Paul seemingly didn't feel like having that little smooch. From what I've read, Paul is very uncomfortable with PDA and, in general, tries to keep his private life as far from the public eye as possible. 2019 kisses were fun and outrageous, which Paul loves, and also had a political impact. But by the half of the 2022 tour, it was obvious nobody cared about any political impact anymore and the guitarists kissed just because they like it. Richard doesn't care if people are watching, he may even like it better that way, so perhaps he couldn't entirely understand Paul's hesitation. Also, on the previous show, still in Europe, their kiss was very quick, too quick for Richard's liking:

He made that gesture with his mouth as if he wanted to say: "Ahh, it ended before I could even taste it!" On which Paul said something, maybe like: "I've told you already: quick pecks - for the audience, the actual kisses - only you and me, no witnesses..." And Richard was like: "Oh, okay, but a boy can dream, can't he?"

Going back to Chicago's kiss: so it's not the case that Richard is sad because he thinks Paul wants no public kisses: they go for it as usual. I also don't think he's sad because he'd prefer the kiss to be longer - that doesn't sound like an actual reason to feel sad. It has to be something else.

Whatever it is, Richard tries to pull away first as he probably thinks the kiss will be over by that time anyway. Indeed, it's usually been (if not any other time) Paul who pulls away first; I also think Richard's hand on the back of Paul's neck used to be there for that extra control, to keep him in place just a little bit longer, but it wasn't hugely sufficient. This time though, again, Richard thinks the kiss will be over just after a moment. But what happens next? Especially from this angle, it seems very clear: Paul doesn't let go. And his reaction is really intense: he keeps his lips locked with Richard's, his right hand, put on Richard's shoulder, grabs it more firmly; you can see all his body leaning on his partner; if you look at his butt, it slightly goes up as he maybe even gets on tiptoe.

I remember reading suggestions Richard was that surprised because maybe Paul slipped him some tongue. I'd love to think that, but what I believe really happened was that Paul sucked hard on Richard's lip to keep their mouths together as Richard tried to pull away.

This is not the best quality, but it sort of confirms that theory: you can briefly see Richard's mouth, and then how it literally gets sucked:)

Paul pulls away when it's over but also slightly pushes Richard: "now, that should do!", but Richard, despite experiencing a massive WTF?! moment, remains sober enough to put some pressure on Paul's nape, doesn't let him go, and pulls him back close again, for a hug. He also starts to laugh so heartily that it makes my heart melt. Perhaps he's realized what face he's just made and laughs, just a little bit, at himself too. Paul, on the other hand, briefly returns the hug, but then is all like: "there, there, don't overdo it, babe." He gives Richard a few pats on the back, like the male friends with no benefits would do - he is back into his no PDA mode, and puts his right hand back on Richard's shoulder, this time trying to push him away.

But now Richard does not have it: "nah love, not so fast, you should have expected now I need to thank you for what you've just done... *mwah*". Another kiss on the lips, brief one this time, and finally Paul can go, obviously showing to everybody: "look! Just look at this little naughty thing right there!", Richard is doing something similar for a moment, too (what a complete pair of dorks:D).

So, I imagine Richard was so surprised because Paul not only didn't want to end the kiss quickly but literally forced it to be longer. I love this moment so much for two reasons: it totally makes sense Paul is uncomfortable with PDA, but as soon as Richard feels worse, or Paul gets sentimental himself (like by the end of tours), Paul stops thinking about any discomfort and goes for it with no hesitation, which pretty much says that comforting Richard is simply much more important for him. I think we saw it here, we saw it during Puppe 2023 or this tour after the German football team lost.

What I also more than love, is how Paul's little mouth-to-mouth treatment really brings Richard back to life and turns the night into the day for him (no wonder, who wouldn't be more than alive if they just got a kiss from Landers himself?). Richard is over the moon here, and seeing him undergo such a 180-degree mood switch is an almost otherwordly experience...

Here's the whole video cropped by me, original credit to till_lindemann_pics on ig. One of the other gifs by @davecumstaine, the other one - I can't tell, I downloaded it a long time ago and can't find it here anymore, many apologies;(

#paul landers #richard kruspe #rammstein #kiss analysis #guitarists having a moment #guitarists being cute #happy guitarists #paulchard

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fanfic-inator795 · 29 days ago

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Slay the Evil Scientist: A Perryshmirtz fic inspired by the game, "Slay the Princess".

((Still can't believe that it was this AU and Perryshmirtz in-general of all things to break my nearly half-a-year bout of writer's block. But hey, I'm not complaining! And I hope you all enjoy this.

This fic can stand on its own, so you don't need to know anything about StP to read this - although I do somewhat spoil the big twist of the game so fair warning on that. Also, trigger warning for temporary character death and mild violence, though nothing too gorey or descriptive. And remember: This is a love story))

The Agent opened his eyes, and took in his surroundings. He wasn’t sure how he’d gotten there, or what he was supposed to be doing - but before he could start to ponder or panic about this, a stern voice in his head told him all he needed to know.

“Agent, you’re on a path in the woods.” This much was obvious, given all the trees that surrounded him and the dirt road underneath his webbed feet.

“At the end of this path is a tower,” the gruff voice continued, “and in that tower is a scientist. An evil scientist. Your mission is to slay him… or the entire world will end.”

As he heard this, the Agent’s eyes widened. Slay? As in kill? He didn’t even fully know who he was, and he was expected to just take a life? Just like that? It was more than a little jarring… At the same time though, the words “evil” and “world-ending” weighed heavily in his mind.

If the Voice was telling the truth, then his ‘mission’ of sorts would still be a noble one, regardless of its gruesome nature. And even if he couldn’t remember much about this world that surrounded him, the twisting trees looming over like towering shadows and the bright moon shining down on him like a spotlight, the Agent knew in his heart of hearts that he couldn’t just stand passively by and let this evil scientist destroy everything.

So, the Agent steeled his nerves and began trekking down the short path. In only a few minutes, he reached the tower, just as was promised. The tower was a faded purple in color, sharp and angled with only a single light shining through its open balcony.

Entering the tower, the Agent immediately spotted a laser gun resting on a small table near the front door. The Voice advised him to take it, as it would make completing his mission much easier, and the Agent did so without much hesitation.

As the Agent climbed up the stone stairs, the Voice continued to warn him of what was to come. “He will lie, cheat, trick, trap - he will do anything to try and get the upper hand. Do not give him that chance. You cannot let him win. Your mission must be completed, for the sake of this world and everyone in it.”

The Agent nodded, understanding perfectly. Once he reached the top of the stairs, he swiftly kicked the door in, and kept his steady hand on the gun’s grip as he stepped inside.

Naturally, his sudden presence caught the attention of his target, the so-called evil scientist. Really, the only thing ‘scientific’ about him though was his stark white lab coat that was somehow free of dirt (despite the fact that the scientist was sitting on the dust-covered floor, forced to do so due to the heavy metal chain around his wrist). His brown hair was wildly messy, and he had dark bags under his eyes.

For a moment, the Agent thought the scientist looked a bit concerned - a bit scared, even. But, when the scientist spotted the laser gun in his hand, he sneered coldly at the Agent. “And just what do you think you are going to do with that, hmm?” he asked, with noticeable venom slipping into his thick German accent. “What? Are you here to thwart me or something?”

The Agent glared back at him and raised his weapon, pointing it directly at the Scientist’s head, the Voice’s warnings still echoing in his head. This was for the greater good. Taking only a second to aim, he fired. ZAP!

It was a fatal wound, that much was obvious, just as it was a bit of a relief. Evil or no, the Agent had at the very least tried to make it a quick death, figuring that even world-destroying villains deserved that much.

However, as the scientist began to slump over, a shocked expression still stuck on his face, he could’ve sworn that he heard the villain quietly mumble “Curse you…” before hitting the floor. Dead as a doorknob, though that didn’t stop the Agent from wincing at the sight. He felt sick, a cold chill going up his spine.

The Voice, meanwhile, was as pleased as could be. “Well done, Agent! Your mission is officially a success! Thank you for saving our world. You did the right thing.”

The Agent said nothing, his gaze still locked onto the scientist’s corpse, doing his best to push back any questions and potential feelings of regret he might have had. Eventually, he was able to turn himself around and begin his trek back down the stairs.

Except, he never made it to the tower’s front door. A sort of mysterious force began to surround him, sweeping him up like a wave and plunging him into unconsciousness.

When he woke up, the Agent was back in the woods on an old dirt path, with a gruff voice in his head giving him his mission.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“This is your mission, your duty,” the Voice insisted, “One that you MUST complete, for all our sakes.” There was no other option, at least as far as the Voice was concerned. No compromise, no option to fail or surrender.

It was… a lot to take in. Frankly, regardless of the Voice’s claims, the Agent wasn’t sure if he could understand it - if he could just blindly accept this ‘mission’ without any argument. Just what was so ‘evil’ about this scientist anyway? Did he really need to-?

“No,” the Voice boomed in his head as he walked towards the tower, “You CAN’T question the mission, Agent!”

Despite himself, the Agent just barely resisted the urge to flinch at the commanding tone to - barely resisted the urge to completely fall in line to the Voice’s whims.

As if understanding this, the Voice quickly took on a more sympathetic tone. “Please, I understand that the fight can be taxing, but trust me when I say you cannot reason with evil… If you do, it could put everything - everyone - in danger…”

The Agent said nothing in return, though he did offer the Voice a short nod in acknowledgment, not completely ignoring its perspective even if he himself was still mulling over his next few choices.

In the end, he still decided to grab the laser gun as he entered the tower, just in case. However, instead of choosing to kick the tower’s final door down, the Agent used his hand to simply turn the knob, entering the room in a relatively peaceful manner. Once he was fully inside, he could see that the Scientist was chained by his wrist to the wall near the balcony, looking unsure and cautious as the Agent stepped forward.

“…And just what do you want?” the Scientist asked, managing a small scowl. The Voice continued to whisper warnings of “villain” and “evil” and “trap”. But the man still seemed harmless. Maybe not innocent, but not yet a threat.

So the Agent stepped forward, curious to see if the Scientist would actually make a move and prove the Voice’s concerns right. The Scientist raised an eyebrow, but didn’t do anything more.

“…Are- Are you actually going to use that thing?” he asked as soon as he spotted the Agent’s weapon. “Because, if you’re asking ME whether or not to shoot me, I- I definitely wouldn’t recommend it! Yep. Toooootally unnecessary.” The Agent huffed slightly, unsure if the Scientist was joking or if he was simply failing to give a serious plea for his life.

“Although,” the Scientist continued, lifting his imprisoned arm, “You could maybe use it to get me out of here. Just one little zap should do it! And it really would help me out here. …Soooo?”

The Agent stayed silent as he weighed his options. He didn’t think it was completely necessary to take the scientist’s life, but he wasn’t sure if just letting him go was the best choice either - especially when the Voice just kept warning him of how badly doing just that could backfire on not only him but also a world filled with innocent people.

“You cannot reason with evil… He will lie, cheat, trick, trap - he will do anything to try and get the upper hand…”

The longer he stayed silent, the more impatient the Scientist became. “Okay, okay, fine. Don’t help me out then, I can get out of these chains just fine on my own. Oh yeah, I’ve got a lotta big ideas up in here-“ he pointed at his head, doing his best to look confident, “Tons of ‘em! And none of them involve the help of some duck-beaver guy who can’t stop giving me the silent treatment. So there!”

A boastful claim, and one that the Agent rolled his eyes slightly at. As far as he could tell, this ‘scientist’ didn’t exactly seem all that clever, regardless of whether or not he was actually dangerous. And it was this thought that allowed the Agent to let his guard down ever so slightly…

“Yep, I could… Let’s see, I could… I could invent my way out! Yeah, I could create some sort of chain-picking-inator! Or- Or a chain disintegrator-inator! That could definitely be handy. Heh, get it?” The Scientist put on a cheeky grin as he waved his hand at the Agent, rattling the chains with each movement. “Handy? It would be handy? …Be-Because my arm is- is the thing that’s trapped. You get it, right?”

The Agent just stared flatly at him. Yep, definitely a fool. As far from an ‘evil mastermind’ as you could get. (Even if he is a fool, he’s still a danger that needs to be stopped once and for all, the Voice reminded him.)

The Scientist then shrugged slightly, dropping all sense of boastfulness. “Or I could, you know, just break my hand. That could probably work too. I could break it juuust enough for me to slide it out! Of course, I imagine that would be pretty painful, so maybe we save that for Plan C or D.”

Twisting the heavy chain in his hand, the Scientist slowly lifted his gaze, looking the Agent straight in the eyes. “Although, if you were in my shoes and were trapped here as long as I have, I think you’d agree that there are much worse things than a few broken bones…”

A familiar chill ran up the Agent’s spine. Even if he was able to speak, he wasn’t sure if he would have been able to think of a proper response to that. Just how long HAD the Scientist been trapped in this tower?

“Buuuut in the meantime, if I had to go with the best Plan A, I would just use that thing right behind you!” the Scientist suddenly shouted, pointing over the Agent’s shoulder.

Without thinking, the Agent turned to look - and immediately felt something grip the scruff of his neck, yanking him forward. If not for his instincts, he likely would’ve gone straight into the purple-bricked wall, probably bruising his beak or possibly even earning himself a nasty concussion. Instead, the Agent managed to tuck his head in just in time, meeting the floor instead of the wall.

He heard the Scientist let out a sharp laugh in victory. “Ha, gotcha!” No longer gripping the Agent’s neck, he then reached for the laser - an action that sparked enough panic in the Agent that he was able to tighten his grip on the weapon as he rolled over onto his back. A hard kick sent the Scientist flying backwards, stretching the still-attached chain as far as it would go.

With a grunt, the Scientist glared. “Ugh, why you-!” He lunged for the laser gun again, and was actually able to get his hands on it. The Agent growled back at him, refusing to let the gun go. They wrestled over it for what felt like several pulse-pounding seconds stretched out to minutes, neither of them able to take aim.

“Just- Just give it to me already!” the Scientist shouted in frustration before elbowing the Agent sharply in the stomach. But, with the Scientist now being so close to him, the Agent was able to take advantage of this new angle. Grappling his opponent’s arm, he twisted it and forced the Scientist to release his grip. Once the weapon was his, the Agent took aim and fired - ZAP! - hitting the Scientist square in the heart. A fatal wound.

The Scientist gave a grunt, and before succumbing to his fate, he gave the Agent one last scowl. “C-Curse you…” he stuttered before finally falling dead on the floor.

Still panting a bit, the Agent quickly picked himself off the floor, taking a couple steps back from the corpse. But as the Voice congratulated him on a job well done, it all just fell on deaf ears as the Agent still kept an eye on his former target, wanting to make sure he didn’t get back up.

The fight didn’t feel over, somehow… And indeed, as darkness crept into the tower and the mysterious cycle began anew, the Agent promised himself that he would never underestimate the Evil Scientist again.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

For several lifetimes, the Agent was able to truly understand the full spectrum of the sort of threat that the Evil Scientist could be under the right circumstances as their rivalry with each other continued to grow and shift and change.

There were times when, whether it be out of returning curiosity or a sudden burst of empathy, the Agent actually gave him a chance to try and fight for his freedom (much to the Voice’s disappointments and frustration), where the Scientist was actually able to show off his skills - his many so-called ‘-inators’, built from his own imagination and whatever scraps of material he could find within his prison, each of them varying in ability and often prompting unexpected (sometimes even impossible!) results.

Even with the claims of “Evil, Villain, Destroyer, Monster” continuously echoing in the Agent’s head each time he confronted the imprisoned scientist, the Agent didn’t feel this was accurate, at least not completely. The Scientist was maybe a bit unhinged, sure. Certainly still a bit foolish too. But he was also fascinating in a way, his own brand of cleverness being something that the Agent could never get a complete grasp on, no matter how many times they fought - every sudden trick and makeshift trap and surprise punch always caught his attention.

It was interesting, exciting… Maybe even a bit fun! And, while he still fought for the Scientist’s continued imprisonment, the Agent couldn’t help but somewhat appreciate the more notable surprises that came from the Scientist each time he brought out a never-before-seen invention or surprised the Agent with a new countering move. Even during their most intense fights, they’d manage to smirk and grin with each passion-filled clash, each punch or kick or trick or glorious fight-ending explosion.

But not all fights had moments that could be enjoyed or appreciated. Far from it, in fact...

Sometimes, when the Agent was reminded of just how dangerous (how evil) the Scientist could potentially be when pushed to his brink, the tower morphed and shifted upon his following return, becoming a whole armory, its atmosphere now harshe and cold.

Though he was still bound by chains and unable to escape on his own accord, the Scientist - now looking more like a dictator of sorts, clad in black instead of white with a scarred eye and gloved hands that seemed to be built for merciless cruelty - was surrounded by weapons. Guns and knives and vicious machines, all meant for the sole purpose of winning their eternal face-off.

But, even if he only had his lone laser pistol and his fists, the Agent never backed down, facing the Dictator head on. They’d clash over the course of an eternity, equally dealing fatal blows to each other as they each desperately tried to gain the upper hand. It was all futile, however, for even if the Agent was able to stop the Dictator from escaping and unleashing his wrath upon the world, often he would end up perishing soon after.

“Heh, at least… we’ll both go… together,” the Dictator noted with gritted teeth before adding a “Curse you…”, making sure to have the last word as they both died.

As for the times where he managed to live, the Agent still never made it past the tower’s front door, being immediately swept into another world - another mission, another fight.

Sometimes though, when he was truly leaning into his pure chaotic nature, the Agent didn’t meet with the Dictator.

Instead of looking like a defensive artillery, the Tower would sometimes take the form of a Wizard’s keep, filled with dangerous magic that took the form of twisted staffs and bubbling potions in huge caldrons instead of weapons and gadgets.

The Wizard himself still dressed in dark colors, now with horns adorning the top of his head and glowing red eyes while the rest of him was draped in a dark green cloak. The Wizard’s unhindered access to magic sometimes made it difficult for the Agent to keep on his toes, still only ever being given a single laser gun by whatever force controlled the world that surrounded them - but different strategies and all the new ways they both used to fight back against one another still led to the same batch of results in the end.

In worlds where his opponent’s desperation was reaching a breaking point, however, something more wild and primal was found lurking in the tower’s plant-filled shadows…

No longer a Scientist or even fully a man, the Beast would present itself with torn clothes and golden fur covered in dark spots, growling and glaring with narrow green eyes as a long tail twitched behind him with an immovable chain clasped around his neck. The Agent, in turn, would have to let out his own animalistic side when they fought, lest he be mauled (or even worse) by the Beast.

But whether he was a Beast or an Inventor or a Wizard or Evil Dictator, the Agent still fought with all he had, succeeding in his mission over and over and over again. But, even as his memory continued to be wiped with each death or dive into unconsciousness, the fatigue started to linger, as did his sympathies for his eternally-imprisoned adversary.

“Please,” the Scientist begged with gritted teeth, unable to stop the tears from forming in his eyes even as he tried and failed to land just one more punch, “I just want to go! I- I hate being trapped in this stupid tower! I hate it!”

Their eyes met once more, and the Scientist’s shouts became a whisper. “You hate being trapped in all this too, don’t you?” The Agent said nothing, though his expression told his opponent all he needed to know. “W-We can leave this tower together, just the two of us. We don’t have to be trapped anymore. We-”

His heart might have started to wane - but the Voice still cut through the Agent’s mind like a knife. “Absolutely not.”

ZAP! The Agent didn’t even remember pulling the trigger, but he couldn’t forget the look of utter betrayal and hatred and pain that the Scientist gave him as he crumbled to the floor, his tears finally being allowed to fall. “Curse you,” he mumbled before finally breaking his gaze.

The Agent’s gun clattered to the floor, and he felt too sick to move. “It was your duty, Agent. For the mission,” the Voice reminded him, a hint of sympathy (but never regret) now present in his tone. The Agent just scowled, and silently passed his fallen enemy’s curse along.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“Agent, you’re on a path in the woods. At the end of this path is a tower, and in that-”

The Agent growled at him, his fists clenched. No. No more. He was done.

“W-What? Agent, please, you can’t! This- This is your duty, and you must-!”

Nope, not happening. Screw the Voice. Screw the world. He was done being a pawn. Without another thought, the Agent turned on his heel and stomped away from the familiar path, the tower in the distance becoming smaller and smaller with each step.

Angered now, the Voice continued trying to assert his authority, his endless orders now making him sound less like a firm guide and more like some sort of commander - a general, or perhaps a major. But the Agent refused to bow to this authority, and continued forward even as the path began to wind and morph beyond normal comprehension.

But despite how hard he fought against fate, he still eventually came face-to-face with the tower once more - standing firm and tall within the newly formed void, assuring that the Agent no longer had any sort of choice. Except, of course, the choice to come in peace. And so, when he finally entered the tower, the Agent refused to take the weapon with him, continuing to ignore the Voice’s rage as he climbed up the stairs unarmed.

The tower’s balcony was bare, no weapons or inventions to be seen. A lone figure stood in the dark, illuminated through the light of the full moon shining through the open window. The chain attached to the shadowy figure was covered in a thick coating of dust (for what reason had he had to ever move from his assigned spot?) and the figure itself was as still as a ceramic statue, his clothes simple and bare and without personality. Was he even still alive, the Agent wondered.

It was only when the Agent began to step back towards the door did the figure finally speak, his shaking voice breaking like glass as he quietly pleaded. “D-Don’t go. Please don’t go. I- I’ll be good! I’ll just stand here, forever! Just please- please don’t leave me alone again. I-I don’t- I don’t know who you are but, but I don’t want to be alone anymore. So please… please stay.”

The Agent��s heart ached with every word, and in only just a few short, swift steps, he was embracing the human statue, holding him tightly in his arms. Sobbing now, the figure slowly yet eagerly moved to return the hug, ignoring whatever aches it might have brought his long unused muscles.

“This is all a trap - a mistake,” the Voice insisted, “Agent, please! You have no idea what sort of danger he could bring to the world if he steps foot outside this tower!”

Then, the Agent silently countered, we won’t leave this tower.

Continuing to tightly clasp the Figure’s hand, letting him know that he wasn’t going anywhere, the Agent moved back from his embrace and sat down on the dusty old floor, motioning the Figure to do the same. It took a bit more coaxing, but as they sat hand-in-hand under the moon’s spotlight, the Figure slowly began to speak, letting out a lifetime’s worth of thoughts.

Some were simple, others more complex and strange, and some were just completely absurd and random - just a bunch of never ending thoughts about loneliness and heartache and dreams and hopes and -inators never built and the sympathy he now had for other things that had been forced into solidarity like garden gnomes and lost balloons.

But the Agent listened to every single one of them, more than happy to spend an eternity doing so and refusing to interrupt even as the aging tower began to crumble around them.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“And just what do you think you are going to do with that, hmm?” the Scientist asked, sneering once he spotted the weapon in the Agent’s hands. “What? Are you here to thwart me or something?”

Solemnly, the Agent shook his head… and then placed the laser gun on the floor, right in front of his enemy. It would be easy enough to snatch and use in whatever way he saw fit, yet the Scientist could only gape at the Agent, unable to believe what had just happened. Not that the Agent was all that surprised, for it seemed like he always remembered a bit more about their previous meetings than the Scientist did.

He remembered that slaying his so-called enemy wouldn’t do either of them any good, and that if he were to try and rescue the Scientist by destroying the chains himself, either the Voice or the mysterious force surrounding them would always get in the way - would always present some sort of other obstacle that would prevent them from successfully escaping.

So, the Agent was letting his enemy take the lead on what to do next, because as far as the Agent was concerned, there weren’t too many other moves they could make. But hey, the Scientist did have a knack for surprising him, so he trusted him.

Even if the Scientist didn’t yet trust him in return. “This- This is some sort of trick, right?” he asked accusingly, “I mean, who brings a laser with them just to give it to someone else they don’t even know?! This HAS to be a trick! Like, I’m gonna take the laser and it’s going to just blow up right in my face! Or- Or you’re going to let me think that you’re going to just let me escape, and when I do you’re going to bop me right in the nose! That’s right, I see your little game, and I’m NOT falling for it! So there!”

Instead of trying to argue, the Agent just shook his head once more before rising to his webbed feet. Ignoring the call to pick his weapon back up and finish the mission, he looked the Scientist in the eye, giving one last nod towards the laser as he offered his silent permission to do whatever he wanted with it, and turned around to head back towards the door.

After a few moments and a couple steps, he heard the rattling of chains. Then, a loud ZAP! He heard the weapon fire long before he felt its crippling burn. Without much resistance, the Agent fell to his knees.

“Ha-ha, yes! I got you! I- ...Wait.” He could catch the panic in the Scientist’s voice now as it became louder. “Wait, wait, no! Nonono, I- I take it back! I didn’t mean to- I mean, y-you weren’t supposed to-!” There was more chain rattling accompanied by the sound of feet scraping against the floor, desperate to reach him. “Please! I’m sorry, I- I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!”

But the Agent held no contempt for his companion, instead giving him a small smile as he slipped into death’s embrace. It didn’t do much to slow the Scientist’s tears, and even when the Agent closed his eyes, the Scientist’s apologies continued to echo through the darkness.

The very next time that the Agent was forced to return to the tower, he noticed how the old purple building was covered in thick, spiky vines that forced him to climb it instead of going through the door. Once he’d climbed onto the balcony, he saw that instead of being chained to a wall, the Scientist was now in the direct center of the dark room.

His head was hanging low as he sat in his small cage, imprisoned and handcuffed and unable to (unwilling to) do anything to free himself. The Agent frowned deeply at the sight, and once he was close enough to it, he kneeled in front of the cage. He tried to reach a hand in through the bars, but the Prisoner flinched away from it. “Don’t.”

The Agent let out a sympathetic chitter, and it was enough to make the Scientist actually look up, his fatigued eyes now filled with relief and recognition and, above all else, immense regret.

“This is for the best,” the Scientist muttered, lowering his head again, “Me being stuck in here forever… This is just how it has to be, it seems. I mean, whoever or whatever trapped me here apparently wants me to STAY here no matter what and I…” His tears began to return. “I don’t want to hurt you again.”

The Agent cooed sympathetically - he still felt the phantom pain from his healed wound, unable to completely forget it, but still able to forgive it. What’s more, he was tired of hurting him too. So, so tired - and reached his hand inside the cage once more. This time, the Scientist didn’t move away from him, allowing the Agent to take his hand and squeeze it gently.

“...Do you really think it’s possible?” the Scientist asked, “For us to actually get out of here together? Without destroying each other or everything around us?”

The Agent nodded firmly. Maybe he didn’t know for sure if there was such an option for them, but he wasn’t about to give up on trying - and though he had no magic key that could offer a perfect solution to their woes, he was at the very least able to unlock his Scientist’s cage with just a single touch, allowing him to open to it like magic.

“...Hmph, you really don’t want to just give up? You really wanna go through all of this again? Even if it possibly leads to something worse?” The Agent nodded one final time, and the Scientist sighed. “Curse you,” he mumbled, his words completely free of any real anger or frustration, as he crawled out of the cage, now with nothing there to stop him from pulling his former enemy into a tight embrace (remaining handcuffs be damned).

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“Agent, you’re on a path in the woods. At the end of this path is a tower, and in that tower is a scientist. An evil scientist. Your mission is-”

The Agent interrupted his commander’s usual briefing, seemingly acknowledging what the Voice was going to say before he could finish saying it. He already knew exactly what his mission was by this point, and he wasn’t about to let anything, anyone, or any force in the universe get in his way.

“...Oh,” the Voice replied in mild surprise as the Agent swiftly made his way down the path, “Well, er, good! I’m glad you’re already up to speed, and that you understand just how important this mission is, as well as why you can not fail.”

The Agent nodded again, his gaze steeled ahead as the purple tower came into view. As always, he entered the door, taking notice of the laser gun resting on the nearby table. This time, however, he refused to take it.

“...Um, Agent? You forgot your weapon.” The Agent ignored him as he began to climb up the stairs. “It’s going to be a lot harder to complete your mission without it, you know. Are you listening, Agent? Agent!”

With a ghost of a smile on his face, the Agent opened the tower’s final door, stepping into the room with ease. He could see that the Scientist was chained by his wrist to the wall near the balcony, but given that the Agent was approaching him unarmed, he looked much more curious than surprised.

“Well, this is unexpected,” the Scientist noted, “And by unexpected I mean… really unexpected. Seriously, I thought that I would be stuck here forever!” Ah, so he forgot again. But it’s alright, the Agent thought to himself. After all, he tended to remember enough for the both of them.

“Anyway, are- are you here to give me a hand here?” the Scientist asked, giving his chained wrist a slight shake, “Or, are you just here to…” He trailed off, obviously concerned about the alternative, but the Agent tried to soothe these fears with another smile and a firm nod.

“...Wait, what? Agent, what are you-?”

“Oh. Oh so you ARE here to help me escape!” the Scientist grinned, “That’s great! So, do you have a key or maybe some sort of lock-picking tool? Though, if I’m being honest I’m not sure if either of those would actually be much help… I don’t even think this chain even has any sort of keyhole on it! Apparently whoever trapped me here REALLY didn’t want me to leave, but maybe between the two of us we could think of something, right?”

“Absolutely NOT! Agent, please, you can’t! He’s evil, and if he escapes, the fate of the world-!”

The Agent continued to push the Major’s pleas and commands to the back of his mind, instead putting all his focus on his chained companion. Knowing fully well that the Scientist was much more than simply a seemingly-scatterbrained prisoner, the Agent gestured to his lab coat’s pockets.

“Hm? Oh, well, I guess I was tinkering with a little something-” Reaching into his coat, the Scientist pulled out the makeshift device, crafted out of an assortment of odd things - bits of collected metal and rock and stone, along with more ‘unique’ items like paper clips or bits of wrapper from a long-eaten bar of peanut brittle. Altogether, it had been fashioned into some sort of… laser? Or maybe it was more of a bomb. Or maybe it was simply out of the realm of proper categorization all together.

“I know it doesn’t look like much, but I didn’t exactly have a lot to work with in here,” the Scientist explained somewhat sheepishly, “but hey, when you’re trapped and can’t go anywhere, you tend to improvise - even if it means using whatever trash is in your pockets and using your feet to try and get more tools and materials that are just baaaaarely in reach. Heh, lucky break for me, right?”

Perhaps it was luck, or perhaps it was fate. The Agent knew by this point that the Scientist could craft just about anything - any sort of ‘-inator’ that he could put his mind to, ranging from the chaotic and the truly dangerous to the impressive and even the amazing.

“Say, I bet if you can help me finish this thing, we could both get out of here together!” the Scientist said, now smiling much more brightly. “Since you don’t have to worry about reaching the end of any chain, you could probably strip this place of all its worth! I just need a couple more things to stabilize my -inator, and maybe a better fuel source or igniter of sorts if you can find one.”

The Agent gave him a thumbs up, and though he kept quiet (or at least relatively so, given how admittedly eager he was to actually talk with someone after being alone for what seemed like an eternity), the Scientist couldn’t help but take notice of just how safe he felt around the Agent - how… familiar he seemed, and how right it felt to just be near him.

Unfortunately, other than a few loose screws and some more broken pieces of stone, there really wasn’t much that the Agent was able to find for the Scientist. He couldn’t search the rest of the tower either, as the Mysterious Force had locked the door, to where not even a good kick or shoulder-raming could break it down.

It seemed like this time around they were totally stuck… That is, until the Agent’s foot bumped against something much more useful than rocks or scraps - not to mention something that was certainly familiar. It was the laser gun, somehow now in the room with them despite originally being abandoned near the entrance.

“Huh! Well, would’ja look at that, Agent!” the Voice spoke up, his tone now much chipper than it usually was. “It’s that weapon you forgot! A weapon that would certainly make it pretty easy to complete your mission now! Maybe the universe is trying to say something, hmm?”

Rolling his eyes, the Agent picked up the laser gun… and immediately handed it to the Scientist. He trusted the Scientist, and the Scientist had no reason to not trust him. So, he eagerly took the weapon, thanking the Agent profusely as he began tearing it apart, his nimble fingers practically becoming blurs as he picked out all the useful materials he could use.

“You’re making a mistake, Agent,” the Voice warned him with a sigh, his disappointment evident. Both of them knew that, at this point, with no weapon currently in the Agent’s hands, there was nothing that the Voice could do to try and stop him - to stop them.

What’s more, the mysterious force that had kept them trapped - that had forced them to fight and hurt each other over and over and over - would soon enough no longer be an issue, and though the Agent gave the Voice his sympathies, he also had no regrets.

After just a few minutes of work, the device was nearly complete. “I think… I’ve juuuuust about… got it!” Letting out a victorious laugh, the Scientist held up his device. “Behold! The break-out-inator!” Setting the device down on the floor, right next to the wall that he was chained to, the Scientist activated it and then quickly backed away as far as his shackle would let him.

“If this works, it won’t just break whatever my chain’s connected to, but it’ll also give us a pretty easy way to get out of here too!” he continued before pausing. “...You’re okay with climbing down from the tower, right? Not afraid of heights or anything like that?” The Agent shook his head firmly. “Ah, good! Good to know… And also, well… I just wanted to say thanks. Again. F-For helping me break out of here, and for just being here. I actually don’t really know WHAT exactly is beyond this tower, but… I think I’m ready to see it.”

The Agent was ready too. More than ready, actually. With each tick of the -inator’s countdown, his excitement and nerves swelled. This was it… Well, hopefully it was. And if not, then maybe he would at least get to keep this memory - this feeling of partnership and genuine care.

As the -inator reached its final numbers, the Agent and the Scientist took each other’s hands as they turned away from the device, shielding themselves as best they could. It was a glorious explosion - one that not only rocked the tower’s fragile walls, but the world itself. Even the sky was forced to crack and break at its unexpected power, and as an otherworldly light shone upon them and the rest of the world began to fall and fade away, that was when the Agent truly understood what his mission was. What he was.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Chaos and order. Disruption and restoration. Creative madness and stoic logic. Surprise and routine. Randomness and stability. Two forces that, while natural opposites of each other, also kept each other in balance. Not true enemies, just contrasts of one another. Two parts of a natural extreme, yet also two halves of one whole.

This was what they were, what they always had been - and what they were now meant to be once again, now that they were nearly free, their original power (a power that could shape the multiverse itself) nearly being back in their grasp.

In some ways, the Agent could still understand the Major’s motives for trying to create what he could only see as a better and safer world - for trying to eliminate what he saw as something that could only ever be destructive and dangerous. A force that, with enough power and without any boundaries, could destroy a million worlds. It really wasn’t a wonder why the Major strictly saw it as ‘evil’, as something that needed to be stopped once and for all.

By forcing both beings into conflict on a much, MUCH smaller scale, there was a chance he could have created a scenario where Order and Stability ALWAYS came out on top over Chaos, eventually eliminating the threat of Chaos completely and allowing for a universe shaped by a much more rational and overall much more safe (much more ‘good’) force of nature.

But that was a world that could never be. Not without true sacrifice, at least.

“...You know, I really had no idea that I was a god.”

The Agent turned to look at the Scientist. Despite it being how the Scientist originally was, he was still getting used to seeing his true form. (It was also admittedly hard to remember to use his adversary’s true name, even if he now knew it.)

“I mean, me? A god? It’s still pretty shocking,” the Scientist continued. He stood with two arms folded over his chest while the rest of his many arms fanned out like a peacock’s tail, desperate to touch the rest of the universe that laid beyond their current realm after being trapped and held back for so long. His pure white coat was now a coat made out of living stars and careening comets and slowly-expanding black holes, his new form now a stark reminder of all the beauty and danger that came with an unpredictable universe.

“I knew that SOMETHING had trapped me - that I didn’t belong in some old and lousy tower all chained up - and looking back, there were a few times where I felt like I was remembering something or that I had a bit of deja vu, but I thought maybe I was in some sort of time loop. And yeah I was but, well, as we both can see there was clearly a LOT more going on.”

The Agent nodded with an exhausted huff. That was certainly an understatement. As a godly force of nature, he had never felt so… mortal before. But, as painful as it had been at times, he could also feel a distinctive change within him. A permanent shift in what he had been and what he now was - a humble dash of humanity, mixed with several dozen lifetimes of experiences both good and bad.

“...So, what should we do now?” he heard the Scientist ask, sounding just as tired as his companion was. “I mean, I know I said I wanted freedom and all that but… this is all just a bit much, don’t you think? I don’t know if I even want to go back to being a god, even if it’s apparently what I’m supposed to be.”

The Agent nodded again, making it clear that he shared those sentiments. He didn’t really know what they should do either, and he wasn’t used to feeling so unsure. They may have had options, sure, but he wasn’t used to having so much power weigh into making them.

“...I think you should be the one to decide.”

The Agent blinked, and looked back over at his partner, who just gave him a small smile in return. “Hey, you were the one always reacting to whatever I was doing, and if you ask me, I think you’d know what to do better than I ever could. Besides… I still trust you. So, just do whatever you think is right for the universe or- or the multiverse or reality or whatever.”

The Agent looked back at him, staring at him for what seemed like another eternity before finally nodding, accepting the responsibility with only a little reluctance. Once he truly thought about it though, he realized that maybe the choice wasn’t so hard after all.

Reaching down into himself, he brought forth his natural godly abilities… and used it to pull them both down back onto the mortal plane.

Maybe in a different life, he would’ve chosen to accept his role as a God of Order and Stability, and he and his companion would have continued their celestial battles against one another as they watched billions of worlds be threatened and saved and destroyed and put back together. A beautiful routine, certainly… but it wasn’t theirs anymore.

As he let his power go into the vast emptiness of the space surrounding them, the Agent could briefly see a third being out of the corner of his eye - framed in silver, sharp-angled and unbending, with a familiar voice quietly echoing out from it as it permanently faded into oblivion, his own personal mission of trying to use the power of two gods in his own agenda now officially a failure. At the very least, the Agent hoped that the Major could now find some sort of peace.

In the blink of an eye, the Agent - now back to being JUST an Agent - found himself back in the old tower’s foyer, a laser gun still resting on the small table near the doorway. He took the weapon, just in case, and began to climb up the stairs. The door to the balcony opened with ease, and the Scientist was there waiting for him, no chains or shackles in sight.

The Scientist almost immediately noticed the gun, but he didn’t react to it much beyond a short hum. “I actually remember the first time I ever saw you with that thing now,” he said, unafraid but still just a bit cautious. Not that the Agent could blame him, given how efficient he had been at ‘completing his mission’ their first time around. Perhaps he could properly apologize for that now.

With no chains to try breaking and no -inators to build in order to gain their freedom, the Agent casually tossed the gun away into the shadows of the room, making it clear that he hadn’t changed his mind about not slaying his other half. He didn’t want them to be mortals again just so he would have an easier time defeating him. He just wanted to live, and he didn’t want to do it alone.

So, he held out his hand. “...You’re sure?” the Scientist asked. “We still don’t really know what’s out there, or what us giving up our- …well, everything, is gonna do to the world. N-Not that I don’t still trust you, but…” He trailed off as they looked into each other’s eyes.

A sense of anticipation and anxiety could be felt in the cold air around them - even the Agent could admit that he was a bit scared of the unknown that awaited them just outside the tower’s front door. But as they looked at one another, they knew that whatever sort of world they faced or whatever sort of life they decided to live on this plane of being, they would be doing it together. They would never be alone again.

“...Okay.” Without any more hesitation, the Scientist took his hand, and they walked out of the room and down the stairs, with there being nothing to interrupt them or get in their way. This was truly it.

The Agent felt the Scientist’s grip tighten as they reached the final door. “I- I’m not THAT nervous, really!” he insisted (in spite of sounding completely unconvinced himself). “Just- Just give me a moment…”

The Agent gave him a soft smile, and after a moment, he lifted both their hands, resting them on the doorknob as he gave a quiet chitter.

Smiling back at him, the Scientist replied, “Yeah? …Yeah, I love you too.”

Together, they turned the knob and stepped out into a brand new world.

((PHEW! So... yeah! This was my little StP Perryshmirtz AU! Glad to finally have it out of my head, lol. But yeah, feel free to leave comments/reblog and leave your thoughts about it in the tags. Also, to anyone else who wants to play around in this AU, PLEASE be sure to tag me in your art/fics- I'd love to see other people's interpretations of the game's routes and how they'd work for Perry and Doof. Thanks again for reading! ^v^))

#perry the platypus #dr doofenshmirtz #perryshmirtz #perryshmirtz au #slay the princess #slay the princess au #fanfiction #my writing #oneshot #Phineas and ferb #pnf

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