#Beatrix Schwire

[lalage]

the elegant wit

[orpheusfumi]

Save me arknights yuri

[hynori]

Old piece I did for an Arknights zine a few years back! Lungmen trio my beloved

[crowned-hound]

@faerieko​ and I are back with another arknights fic! this time it’s talulah/swire--yes, you heard that correctly--in a softer world without immortal black snakes.

you can find the fic below the cut, or here at AO3!

Where the hell was Talulah?

The Draco wasn’t exactly known for punctuality, which meant something–or more accurately, some one —had probably caught her in the hallways, asking for help, and she had been unable to say no. Beatrix didn’t have any time to wait around today.

If she didn’t hurry, she’d miss her.

Beatrix ducked around some of the other students and staff finishing up their business in the academy, emerging out onto the top of the stone steps that led up to one of Lungmen’s most prestigious schools. It didn’t take long to spot a familiar, red-tasseled tail already halfway down the stairs. Talulah wasn’t always on time, but her sister was punctual down to the millisecond.

“Ch’en!”

Pausing, Ch’en glanced over her shoulder as Beatrix barreled toward her. The click-click-click of her expensive, custom-made shoes were easily recognizable to any of her friends…and adversaries.

“Ah–sorry, Bea. I can’t hang out today. I have to meet with my uncle.”

Beatrix was already seeing red. She hadn’t even waited to hear what she had to say! She was right in what she was about to ask, but still!

“Huh? You’ve said that the last three times I’ve tried to get you to go somewhere with me.” She placed a hand on her hip. “So, should I just assume at this point that you’re busy until further notice?”

Ch’en, at least, had the decency to appear apologetic. Her tail gave a slow sway. “...Yeah.”

“Tch, figures. You always get so one-track-minded about things.” Beatrix curled her lip. “You don’t even like your uncle, so why are you hanging around him all the time lately?”

A few bored pedestrians parted around them like they were rocks in a stream, as did other students who were reaching the bottom of the stairs. Ch’en glanced from side to side.

“He’s been giving me personal lessons on how to use the Chi Xiao. It’ll just be for a while.” Her tone turned somewhat distracted as she waved a hand. Dismissive. Already thinking of bigger and better things–or at least, it seemed that way to Beatrix. “We can hang out after.”

So that’s how it’s going to be?

Shrugging, Beatrix walked past her and purposely bumped her shoulder to hers. “You always were bad at socializing, especially when things like lessons or whatever were involved. Sure. Go run to your uncle.”

She didn’t wait for an answer, continuing down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. She heard Ch’en sigh before she also departed, to do just that. This had been happening for weeks now–a realization that only succeeded in making Beatrix even grumpier. Stupid lizard.

When she wanted to go somewhere to clear her head, she tended to drift towards one of Lungmen’s carefully curated parks, which dotted the city at irregular intervals. There used to be more of them when she was younger, but over time the rising population had seen more and more of the greenery replaced with cold steel. The privilege of grass and trees was quickly becoming something only the middle-class and higher could afford, and in time, it’d probably be exclusive to the wealthy altogether. Not that money would ever serve as a barrier for her, but that didn’t mean she liked this trend. As it was, one such park was still nearby, and was as good a place as any to relax. Beatrix shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket.

As if the defense force academy wasn’t exhausting enough to deal with.

It was a pleasant day, at the least. Warm, with clear skies–no signs of Catastrophes, a fact that Beatrix was grateful for, since the city had recently weathered the vestiges of an unusually vicious ice storm that had drifted in from Yan. There was likely to be an influx of refugees soon from some small, destroyed village. There always was.

A sudden warmth coiled around her tail, the feeling of scales as familiar to her as her own fur. Beatrix didn’t even turn around as the owner spoke.

“Beatrix!” Talulah sounded a bit out of breath. Had she been running? “I thought you wanted to get something to eat…?”

Oh. Right. That was what she had wanted to go get Ch’en for. She had sort of just walked out on her girlfriend, hadn’t she? Stupid Ch’en.

“I’m not hungry.” She wasn’t in the mood for Talulah’s clinging.

Talulah kept pace beside her. “Oh…that’s all right, we don’t have to eat out today.”

They continued in silence. Beatrix’s thoughts began to wander. Ever since Ch’en had begun spending more time with Wei, she’d been acting a little more guarded than usual. Just what did they ramble on about every day?

After a while, Talulah leaned gently against her shoulder, to get her attention. “Is everything all right? Was Ch’en busy again today?” She didn’t sound surprised.

Beatrix’s ears flattened and she moved away from Talulah, who quickly untangled their tails and gave her some space.

“Yeah, your sister’s decided her lessons with your uncle are more important all of a sudden. She won’t even really talk about it with any of us either. She just stalks over there like it’s some kind of secret!”

For. The. Third. Time.

Talulah sighed. “It’s frustrating. I know. But it seems like it’s something important to her, and lessons don’t last forever. Maybe she’ll talk about it once they’re over.”

“I wouldn’t be so pissed if she just made that clear! Instead of letting me ask three times, before I figured out she’s just too busy for us anymore! What’s so groundbreaking that she can’t even spare a few hours for her friends? I wish that damn Ch’en knew how to communicate in general…!”

She was practically hissing, fixing the Draco with a glare that could’ve ignited a building–but Talulah was fireproof. She only closed her eyes for a moment.

“...I know.” She let the quiet sit for a breath’s length. “It’s frustrating,” she repeated, “but maybe she just has a lot on her mind, and she’s not ready to share it yet.”

“And how was I supposed to know that?! Maybe I could help her if she’d just say something .”

If anything, at least Talulah shared her pain.

“There’s no way you could’ve known. She’s not told me much of anything either.” Talulah’s smile was a little sad, and the sight of it made Beatrix pause.

…Talulah’s expression was quietly hurt, in a way that spoke volumes despite emitting no sound. The sight of such a worried look did something to her own anger–made it falter, guilt flickering in the back of her mind. To make matters worse, she knew Talulah wasn’t even upset that she was yelling at her.

They had reached the gates of the park. They towered–tall and silver–flanked by serpentine Lungs that emitted stylized fire from their jaws. Beyond, a stretch of grass and even a small pond glimmered invitingly in the sunlight. Beatrix approached Talulah in the shadow of the draconic guardians. Looking up at her.

Talulah simply gazed back. Quiet. After a few seconds, she showed a warm smile.

That smile alone melted away any remaining anger she had. Beatrix sighed, twining their tails together again, just as they were earlier.

“There’s no need to apologize.” Talulah stepped a little closer, brushing her fingers along Beatrix’s cheek. “I’m worried too.”

“Yeah…probably even more than me since it concerns your sister.” It was Beatrix’s turn to lean against her.

“I won’t deny my uncle has some wisdom to impart. I just hope Ch’en takes it with a grain of salt.” Her tone was wry. She brought Beatrix closer. “Will you be all right?”

“Hopefully.” The attention was back on her again as she finally leaned her cheek into that gentle touch. Another sigh. “...I’m better now that you’re here. Still annoyed, but nothing I can’t handle.”

Ch’en aggravating her was becoming a daily occurrence.

“That’s right. There’s nothing you can’t handle, Bea.” Talulah’s amusement was barely masked.

“Shut up, Tal.” Beatrix used her own tail to tug at Talulah’s. Smiling.

Talulah pressed a kiss to Beatrix’s forehead. Beatrix knew all about Talulah’s silly compliments…they had begun when they were small, in an attempt to boost her confidence. The habit had remained even when she no longer needed it.

“If you don’t want anything to eat,” said Talulah, “maybe we should meet with Yuhsia later. You know she’ll pout if we don’t visit her.”

“Maybe we can get something to go for us and that stinky sewer rat.” Who said they couldn’t do both?

Since they were already here, they might as well cut through the park if they were going to grab some food after all. The walk would do them good, Beatrix figured, and she started down the path with Talulah at her side.

“I’ll bring home something for Ch’en…with something she doesn’t like in it.”

That got a laugh out of her. Beatrix smirked. “Good! She deserves it! I can’t wait to see her face.”

'If she complains, we’ll tell her she should’ve come with us.”

“Exactly!” Beatrix bumped her shoulder to Talulah’s–a playful one, this time. “See? I’m glad you get me.”

Talulah gave a low laugh. “Don’t I always?”

Beatrix took her face and pulled her in for a kiss. This girl…always so sweet and patient, no matter the circumstance. It was impossible to stay mad for long when she was with her. Honestly, it was something she was thankful for.

“ Usually ,” Beatrix said once she pulled back, obviously teasing.

Talulah didn’t blush much, but when she did, it was wholly adorable. She pulled Beatrix back in for a smaller kiss when she tried to move away–and it was warm. Of course it was warm. Talulah never was anything but.

Talulah murmured something against her lips. “It’ll work out, Bea.”

“...How can you be so hopeful all the time?”

"I have faith in us.” Talulah brought her hand up. Kissed the knuckles.

Beatrix blushed more than she would have liked at that. That was Talulah…always lighting the way, always believing something better was coming. “You can be so incredibly cheesy sometimes, you know that?”

“I know. You say it often. There’s worse things to be.”

“Like being clingy?”

“It’s called ‘affectionate’,” Talulah replied, in that same amused tone from before.

“Yeah, yeah. Turns out my girlfriend is just one big, affectionate, clingy lizard.”

“And my girlfriend is the most beautiful tiger in the world,” she said without missing a beat.

“Hmph! That’s right!” She couldn’t make her blush with that sort of fluff anymore! Not much, at least. She tossed her hair with a grin, flicking her tail.

…Talulah had  always been in her corner. Even when her family wasn’t. Especially when her family wasn’t. Talulah had been with her ever since her grade school bullies. How had the time flown so fast?

Talulah’s eyes were bright. “How about some meat buns? We’ll get Yuhsia’s favorite.”

“Good idea.” She’d even consider maybe getting Ch’en something she actually liked, but they’d still surprise her with something she found gross first. She’d think about it. “Tell me anything you want, too. I’ll buy for everyone today.”

Talulah looked like she was going to debate it, but in the end she just nodded, nuzzling her cheek. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me for that.”

---

salutations! this is the product of a joint effort between me and my partner in crime @faerieko​, who provided the art and the dialogue for Swire. we're planning on making more arknights content. if you enjoyed this please consider following us and reblogging!

thoughts on this: the previous Amaia fic was my idea, this one was Faerieko's. however, we both suffered intense brainrot at the thought of talulah/swire due to this incredible fanart! please check it out, we'd like to offer full credit to the artist, DLanon, for the inspiration! DLAnon’s also here on Tumblr!

[masterofdemise]

Wow look at that! That's a lot of silly people in silly costumes. Happy Halloween to you all!

I would have done a full-render, but I didn't have much time to do that this year so here are a bunch of sketches + colored doodles instead.

Fifionne was going to join the Halloween party, but her outfit was even more scandalous than last year so she has been left out for her inappropriate behavior (It's not even summer anymore why are you dressed as summer vacation Suzuka Gozen)

Here are the all the costumes and characters listed in order:

He Li Hua as Miss Crane from Fate/Grand Order

Pluto as Ryo Asuka from Devilman Crybaby

Johannes as Akira Fudo from Devilman Crybaby

Megan Palacios as, a Megaladon...

Felicity Lee as Swire / Beatrix Schwire from Arknights

[carrogath]

Someone (there’s a lot of good pairings with her) See’s Hoshi in leather/her biker gear for the first time and has a crisis as a prompt

Lungmen looked its best at night. That was what Swire had always thought, from her first day stepping foot onto its pavement as a child, to her last day at the police academy for the LGD. The streets swathed in black. The endless rows of streetlights like silent sentries overhead. The sleeplessness of the city, all the cars going back and forth on the highways no matter the time of day, the bustling night markets and looming glass skyscrapers and bright neon lights of the entertainment districts, twenty-four hour karaoke and buzzing nightclubs with patrons who stumbled out at five in the morning just in time to get ready for work. It was a far cry from the old-fashioned staidness of urban Victoria, all brick and plaster, all skinny townhouses and winding alleyways and cobblestone streets, with nary a modern building in sight. Lungmen looked like progress, unlike Victoria. Unlike Yan. Only Columbia was comparable in terms of spirit and ambition, but no one wanted to be compared to Columbia. So here Beatrix Schwire was.

Stranded in the middle of the road. At two in the morning. With no car. And plenty of money, she thought. But money couldn’t get you everywhere.

“Bullshit,” came Hoshiguma’s muffled voice over the phone. “You woke me up to play valet?”

read the rest here

[armoredisopod]

Arknights Summer Carnival 2023 Event PVs

New Operators

Bryophyta, 5* Welfare Instructor Guard

Maybe i should get coffee mint candies instead, i need to be at my 200%...

Poncirus, 5* Pioneer Vanguard

It's not my bad luck this time, it's their bad luck!

Swire the Elegant Wit, 6* Merchant Specialist

Ahem, let me reintroduce my self, Lungmen Guard Department's "Director-to-be", Beatrix Schwire~

Eyjafjalla the Hvít Aska, 6* Limited Wandering Medic

Ah Professor, give me a minute, i'm changing the batteries on my hearing aid.

I'm wearing brightly-colored charms just like my mom and dad, and i can touch the blazing hot lava with them.

Operator Skins Update

Total of 7 new skins, 6 new additions for the Coral Coast brand, 1 new addition for the Made by 0011 brand

Coral Coast

Gavial the Invincible's Casual Vacation HD26 - L2D Skin

Chestnut's Casual Vacation HDm57 - Login Event Skin

Myrtle's Summer Flowers FA062

Goldenglow's Summer Flowers FA394 - L2D Skin

Minimalist's Casual Vacation HDm74

Ceylon's Casual Vacation HD49 - Event Reward Skin

Made by 0011

Lunacub's Clouds Float Like Ideas of Art

Minimalist's skin will be up for sale during Ideal City Retrospect

Lunacub's skin will be up for sale during Trials for Navigator #3

Ceylon's skin is a reward from Trials for Navigator #3

Announced skins reruns

Ch'en the Holungday's Ten Thousand Mountains

Series V & VI Coral Coast skins

~84 other skins as part of Summer Carnival edition of Rhodes Fashion Review

Operator Modules Update

Swire the Elegant Wit, Poncirus and Bryophyta being part of branches with modules immediately gets their modules

MER-X module base effect reduces the DP penalty of Swire's Merchant trait to 2 DP every 3 seconds

SOL-X module base effect increases Poncirus' ATK and DEF by 8% when blocking

INS-X module base effect increases Bryophyta's damage against enemies he isn't blocking to 130%

Centurion Guard branch gets 2 module types

Module 1 given to Gavial the Invincible, Blaze, Broca, Specter and Savage

Module 2 given to Estelle

Reaper Guard branch gets 1 module type

Events and Stories

So Long, Adele: Home Away From Home, summer 2023 side story event set in the relocated Siesta

Ideal City: Carnival in the Endless Summer Retrospect

Trials for Navigator #3, scheduled after So Long, Adele

Operator Archives update for Saileach, Bryophyta, Myrtle, Humus, Minimalist, Grani, Chestnut and Hibiscus

Record Restore update for A Light Spark in Darkness and Dossoles Holiday

Misc Stuff

CN dialect voice for Swire the Elegant Wit

Thorns, Beeswax, Chiave, Andreana and Jaye added to recruitment

Annihilation 21 - "The Special Little Aquapit", Annihilation mission with Ideal City enemies and mechanics

SSS New Season #3, Southern Security Service - Alsterii Bellariorum Manufacture Platform & The Abandoned Lighthouse

Livestream Stuff

Showcased Eyjafjalla the Hvít Aska being a 6* Wandering Medic that provides elemental regen upon healing, increases HP of allies and reduces the amount of elemental damage taken in her range, her S1 being an infinite duration skill that lets her heal an additional target and provides elemental regen for all allies on her range (including normally unhealable units), her S2 immediately heals all allies in her range and creates a protective field that absorbs all elemental damage for a few seconds, her S3 is a global range healing skill that heals multiple times and targets random allies (prioritizes different allies)

Showcased Swire the Elegant Wit being a 6* Merchant Specialist that utilizes her own special resource "gold coins" in her skills (she gains coins when she activates a skill and consume DP during skill duration) and is able to spend DP to keep herself on the field when taking lethal damage (with the cost doubling each time), her S1 spends coins to heal nearby allies, her S2 spends coins to spawn champagne bombs in her skill range that explodes and slows enemies, her S3 makes her attacks hit twice and gives her a coin upon defeating an enemy and then when her skill is deactivated she spends all her coins to attack enemies in her range randomly hitting multiple times equal to the amount of coins spent and pushing them back

Showcased the event mechanic, enemies drop mist that provides damage reduction for other enemies inside it when defeated and fountain tiles that provides damage reduction for operators adjacent to it, when an operator adjacent to a fountain tile attacks an enemy inside mist or when a special device is used, the mist will be cleansed and enemies in it will receive increased damage

Teased a new gamemode Design of Strife, not much was revealed about the gamemode other than that it won't cost sanity

Showed the TFN#3 boss lineup

Announced the first expansion for IS#4

Showcased the ability to change the main menu UI theme, new UI themes include Dark Mode and a Runic theme that can be obtained from IS#4

Teased the next event to take place in Columbia, with the trailer being a promotional video of Blacksteel Worldwide

Announced Main Story Ep13

Announced a rerun of the Nine-Colored Deer collab, bringing a new furniture piece

Announced a collab with Chinese National Geography, bringing new collab skins

[dlartistanon]

But consider: this allows Swire her place as the smallest angriest girlfriend of them all. That's potential.

I was perfectly content that Beatrix Schwire is the only Normie among this group consisting of: a former gangster oni, Wei’s former cop turned rogue niece, and the future Rat King of the slums.

I was fine with Swire being the only 5* while everyone else is a 6*.

I enjoyed the idea of Swire picking on a rat girl shorter than her even though she herself was a victim of bullying and can’t even do the whole “pick on someone your own size” thing.

This… this is unacceptable…

[greythroat]

The original Swire was right. The Wonyoung binder was too powerful for mortal hands. The Dossoles Swire stole it in the dead of night and threw it into a lake.

That was where she made her mistake. The binder and its plastic sleeves were so well-made that not a drop of water touched the photocards within. If you really want to get rid of something, you have to shred and burn it. It was found and brought up to the surface by a snorkeling crossbowman, who knew not of its significance and sold it to a passing Guerrilla Herald, who did.

The Rhodes Island operation the next day did not go so well. Each enemy had 5000 Inspiration ATK and DEF. Astounded himself, the Guerrilla Herald kicked the wall next to him. It instantly collapsed. He broke the kneecaps of each Rhodes Operator present with only one kick per kneecap, until he saw the flash of a blue yoyo where no one else was.

“Ethan??”

“Kevin??”

“I’m not going to kill you,” the Guerrilla Herald Kevin said quickly. “Or break your kneecaps.”

“Man, I thought you died after falling in that hole.”

“No… but it’s hard to explain. I don’t know if you would even believe the things I’ve seen.”

“Is that the Wonyoung binder?” Ethan pointed at the binder, which Kevin was holding under his arm. That’s why he was only kicking people.

“Is that her name?”

“Apparently. Beatrix Schwire lost that binder and she’s offering trillions of LMD to anyone who can return it to her.”

At this moment, helicopter sounds filled the air. “Oh fuck!” Ethan exclaimed as the Rhodes Island helicopter rose into the sky, quickly turning back to where it came from.

Before he could do anything to signal them, the helicopter was flying off into the distance.

“Well fuck,” Kevin said. “On the bright side, if we can make it to Rhodes with this binder we’re both set for life.”

“More than one lifetime.”

The two ex-Reunion members set off through the woods towards Rhodes Island, now the strongest Ambusher and Guerrilla Herald in the world.

[itznarcotic]

Self-Defense Lipstick

Decided to not be lazy af and read through some operator modules. Started with Swire since her module was the first one I unlocked.

Swire goes shopping for some lipstick on her off day, and on the way out she witnesses a thief running away after stealing a woman’s bag. 

She doesn’t have her weapon on her, so she decides to take the thief down with--as the name of the module implies--one of the new #38 Bullet branded lipstick she’s just purchased.

TL:DR Swire topped John Wick for the most mundane thing you can take someone down with, then goes on a date with Hoshiguma afterwards.

[rhodes-island-rambles]

Swire: How's it feel to be the worst cop ever, huh?

Ch'en: Shut up, your mother buys you Mega Bloks instead of Legos.

Swire: You fuckin' take that back-

(Source: Matt Post)

[lalage]

anywhere i go i'll miss you, miss swire

[dr-koni]

Happy Birthday, Swire!

Artist: 下野宏铭

Birthday: July 1

[meepy-ultra]

bonus race swap drawings

[leftxtoxthexwolves]

I still remember that one kidnapping case. It must've been before the Guard Department was founded, and Wei Yenwu had decided to clean up Lungmen. This kidnapping was the big thing in that campaign. The kidnappers were really something. They had serious firepower, enough to wipe out all our detectives. If we screwed up, they would've killed the hostage and all our effort would've been for nothing. The hostage's grandfather was a tough old man who seemed to be Victorian nobility. I think the kidnappers had some reason to go after this kid and it wasn't ransom. They wanted their story to be streamed to the public so Wei Yenwu would look weak. They weren't just ordinary kidnappers. It wasn't that simple. The rescue mission was planned by Wei Yenwu and this kid's grandfather. They used a secret special ops team. It's beside the point, but that team was the prototype for the Guard Department's Special Inspection Unit. There were a lot of tabloids and novels written about them. Anyway, they pulled it off. The ringleader was executed and most of his accomplices were killed on the spot. The hostage? She was just a little girl. The kidnappers clearly didn't think about how traumatic the experience would be for her. She didn't end up seeing anything gruesome. She saw a Lungmen police officer rushing out. She saw the heavy Christmas snowfall. She saw the street lamps and the Christmas tree outside the abandoned building. That's pretty good. I hope the officers left a good impression on her. How do I know all this? Some old police officers told me about it. Everyone's really proud of that mission! Hey, don't ask me! I got nothing to hide. --A Lungmen Guard Department supervisor

[madexinxheaven]

@whoxyouxhate said: 💊 - Is your character on medication? If so, why? @ the mains

"In this line of work and after everything we've been through? How could I NOT?"

Seriously, no one saw the kind of things Caitlyn had seen without developing serious cases of PTSD, SEPARATION ANXIETY & PARANOIA. She couldn't even HUNT these days without being hopped up on meds. After all, the last time she went out on the hunt, she'd come back to a BLOODBATH; With every last servant DEAD and her parents MISSING. Since then she'd risen up the ranks of the L.G.D as far and the way most prolific SNIPER they had. And from INFECTED to MURDER to RAPE to THIS VERY WAR, well... They hadn't made the nightmares any easier... The meds did, though. (Kinda...)

"This world breaks people. One way or the other."

"I, uhh... Texas says I SHOULD..."

Hyperactivity, blunt impulsion and a struggle with maintaining her own attention had LONG been problems that had cast Exusiai into danger TIME & TIME AGAIN. The youthful Sankta had a whole list of bad run-ins, mistakes, REGRETS, to her record. Yet, still, for the most part, she remained UNBOTHERED -- UNBURDENED. Fact also remained that she'd grown RECKLESS, CARELESS & IMPULSIVE in many things. Definitely didn't get enough sleep at night. And had a tendency for getting herself KNEE DEEP IN SHIT. But she meant well, and had fun, and only hurt the BAD PEOPLE, right? So it couldn't have been THAT IMPORTANT... -- RIIIGHT??

"But... What's the WORST that could happen?"

"I... What exactly are we counting as medication here?"

Did they count the CANDIES & TREATMENTS that protected against FROSTBITE? Did they count the various ways she'd tried over the years to actually feel some level of WARMTH? To warm the CHILL that was in her deathly rattling bones? Or were they just talking about the medications that Rhodes Island filled Infection with to pretend like they were actually making a DIFFERENCE. Then again, maybe they WERE making a difference... And it was all just so much harder for FrostNova to see from so far away. Irregardless, the answer was: No. she DIDN'T take any official medications. But she had her own self-medications. For what they counted for. 

"I make do."

"Mmh? Oh, no..."

Shake of her accompanied her simple answer. Sometimes she wondered if she should have. Mostly whenever her personality PISSED OFF Blaze, but in truth she spent more time ADMINISTERING medication than TAKING IT. After all, she may have been a designated SNIPER, but she still was an operator working for Rhodes Island. And every last INFECTED in the world NEEDED medication. In fact, the more she thought about it... Maybe they should've been screening people more closely on a PSYCHOLOGICAL basis rather than observing their levels of ORIGINUM CRYSTALIZATION, no? Not to say they didn’t. They absolutely did. PRTS was surprisingly adept at it. But... But just like with treating the Infected, couldn’t they always do a better job at that, too?

"It's surprising, really. Or... Or maybe we're just not thinking about that kinda stuff? Maybe it's just become the new normal, y'know?"

"Medication? Me? Oh, no. I'm not any medication."

Granted, for every pill Makoto DIDN'T take she had a line in her contract with JOHANNA that all but unshackled her from the constraints of her greatest mental battles. Including her OBSESSIVE COMPULSION, PERFECTIONISM, CODEPENDENCY & INABILITY TO SAY NO BORN OF NO SMALL AMOUNT OF SELF-DEPRECATION. But then, didn't Johanna make everything in Makoto's life turn monochrome? Flirting in that moral grey area, caught between her duty as a Lungmen Guard and her own INFECTED VIGILANCE. In many ways, she supposed she was LUCKY for that. Every last inch of that self-deprecation came with another inch of herself she GENUINELY didn't like. And since Johanna had come into her life, Makoto had step-for-step came closer & closer to someone she could be PROUD OF.

"But I don't blame people if they need it. This... This world is... It's hard... So very hard..."

"Huh? Medication? What on Terra possessed you to ask a question like that?"

For once, Swire was NOT acting out of self-defence but, rather, asking very genuine questions. Albeit... She still didn't exactly ask them WELL. Confrontation was Swire's life. The bitch wore her heart on her sleeve, and her heart was big but easily wounded. To answer: Swire was not presently on any medication. She'd had her BOUTS of issues and therapies, usually when those insecurities ADDED UP, and she stopped being able to SIT ON HER FEELINGS, but largely she remained clean. At her standard, she liked to think she was HANDLING IT WELL... ALL THINGS CONSIDERED... But deep down? Well... Her episodes DID speak for themselves. (And it was usually Ch'en picking up the pieces.)

"Not right now. But sometimes life just gets to ya, y'know?"

"Medication? Hm. Sounds almost novel at this point, in all honesty. One might say, NAIVE."

If ANYONE was a poster-child for SHOULD BE ON MEDICATION, it was far and away TALULAH ARTORIUS. The girl had been broken for one or two decades far too long. & now she was FAR TOO FAR GONE. Pretty sure anyone who rallies together a radicalized group of freedom fighters to take over Lungmen & Ursus through TERROR TACTICS with a central goal of enacting revenge on the friends and family that HURT THEM as a child most certainly qualified for needing therapy. (Or maybe an ASYLUM.) Maybe if people had cared back when she was still BREAKING, all of this coud've been avoid. And, no, Ch'en DIDN'T count. How could she? What was her baby sister SUPPOSED to do about her abused sister who had been driven to psychosis by their very own family?

"We're far beyond the point of no return by now. Sometimes tells me I'm going to die before even taking one pill."

"Kee-Ahaha... Haha... Ahahahahahaha... Oh... That's cute."

Holy. Fucking. Shit. They really had to ASK that question? No. Of course she wasn 't on MEDICATION. The psychotic bitch didn't even let Rhodes Island treat her for Oripathy and she'd SIGNED ON AS THEIR MERCENARY. Of course, being feared by every last motherfucker in the galaxy kinda had some BENEFITS in that sense. Now, should she have been? Of course she should have been. Girl had one of the highest Originum densities in all of Rhodes Island. Oh, and there was the little tid bit of her being a PYROMANIACAL, MURDEROUS LITTLE PSYCHO. Yeah, that level of destructive psychotic mania PROBABLY needed a maximum security INSANE ASYLUM, let alone anti-psychotics and sedatives. But as they say somewhere else in the world: Y.O.L.O!!

"I'd like to meet the doctor that can actually make me take my pills~~!!"

"..."

Silence spoke louder than words, as they always say. And the truth was... Yuhsia was on SEVERAL medications as a result of the youth she spent alone in Lungmen after the disappearance of TALULAH and the abandonment of CH'EN & SWIRE. Would anyone really be surprised to learn that? Probably NOT, in all honesty. Mafia girl was left alone with some of the corrupt narcissist this side of the Ursus border and later forced to do all of the Rat King & Wei Yenwu's DIRTY WORK. Not to mention the sting of BROKEN PROMISES. To this day, Yuhsia had never EVER let anyone get remotely close to her. Most of all, Ch'en & Swire. Though they persisted like nagging little GNATS. But back to the question at hand... Yuhsia had developed a certain... TEMPERAMENT that she liked to keep on top of. The Rat King saw the worst of it. But she'd be damned if she EVER let Ch'en and Swire see it in the slightest. Meds HELPED with that.

"You should be careful asking questions like that to people like me. Who knows what might happen to you..."