#Because he will have lived up to the ideal of saving the kingdom to win it as laid out by King Stannis | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

writingonesdreams · 2 years ago

Note

Hey! Happy BLORBSDAY

If you don't mind, I would LOVE to know more about Kyler and Zephyr's relationship! Why is he so willing to go out of his way for him? How far is Kyler willing to go to meet his ideals? Why does Zephyr see good in him? tell me more :3c

@bloodlessheirbyjacques :D

To answer these questions I went ahead and explained the context and worldbuilding of the story. It got quite long and interesting, which I suspect was your plan, making me devolop the story more lol. I hope it makes sense. Here you go:

Kingdom AU

3 magical kingdoms at war, culture clash, enemies to friends, fantasy worldbuilding

Pulsor ideology

Pulsors need to be very disciplined to use their magic. Lightning like power is very dangerous, senstive to emotions so Pulsors learn to be calm and collected, with razor focus on the task before them. Their culture reclects this: they are very polite, controlled, they greet each other by bowing, avoid physical contact or any display of open emotions. The most you get from a happy Pulsor is the same you would get from an angry one - a slight smile. With the society frowing upon elevated voices or emotional tones or expressive gestures, they create the pressure to controll yourself. Pulsors are also very minimalistic, own little, wear the same clothes in the same colour of black, don't approve of excess or luxuries.

The conflict between the magical kingdoms stem from their different values and interests clashing a lot with each other. Even before the Pulsor-Aural war there have been skirmishes on the boarders, between Aurals and Sensors etc. Kyler believes the emotionality and lack of discipline are the reason for the tensions and fights and that by teaching the Pulsor control and coldness, by spreading their teachings, they would be able to create lasting peace between the countries. Their way is the best way, so they are really doing everyone a favour.

Kyler is really passionte about this since he bacame a king at 18. He wants lasting peace. He wants everyone to get along, to comform to certain standards for the sake of stability and safety. And he wants to achieve this now, during his reign, make things move. Sensors don't like figthing, so Pulsors don't respect them and Kyler is sure he will get them to use their powers more usefully. Aurals are excessive and attention-hungry, so he will teach them some humility and abstinence. Don't you want to follow rules that save lives? That protect you and ensure peace? Everyone who disagrees (from Pulsors or foreigners) is a people killer, because they protest the enlightened way of the king to keep everyone safe. Not that Pulsors protested, they really liked it. Their fighting magic means also big emphasis on fighting in their values and culture, being historically an imperial force, taking land by force by the "might makes right" law.

Zephyr's backstory as the hybrid mage

To explain Zephyr's position: Zephyr's mother is a Pulsor who married his father, an Aural knight. They both taught him their fighting techniques and Zephyr felt respect for both their ways. He learned to fight like an Aural, but the knowledge and discipline of Pulsor ways and magic fascinated him and made him stronger. By growing up with connection to both and such vastly different cultures, he had many advatages - there was hardly anyone who could best him in a fight, with magic or fists or swords. He combined techniques, or switched between them to confuse his opponents. Most people hated him for being such a "hybrid" and not choosing one way (mostly out of jealousy) but Leander, a son of a influental noble was impressed and wanted to learn from him. They both understood very early on, that diverstiy of knowledge and skill is a giant win, not a weakness, which protected them from a lot of nationalistic propaganda of Aurals.

Leander didn't have to be in the army or royal guard, because of his family's high status, but he liked fighting and wanted to accomplish something with his own might. He hates the word "priviledge" because it takes from his credit. It implies he is successful, because of the system and not because of his own skills and he hates that. So he joined the royal guards, climbed the ladder and became the princesses's bodyguard and trusted military advisor. The princess Acacia, who loves fighting as much as she loves dancing, who can't keep her mouth shut, who lives for joy of every day and who can't be less than herself under no circumstance. A curious, childish, cheerful princess who loved that she the throne didn't go to her but to her brother/cousin (I'm not sure about this, since I want to have the Aural kingdom also do some nasty stuff by the second half, which will create dissent and conflict in the royal family. Acacia originally had a brother in 5th Magic, so I'm not sure if to use him for this or not and if I can manage to make him morally grey without starting to hate him myself, which is an unfortunate effect they tend to have on me when they are mine.)

Leander introduced Zephyr to Acacia. Or more like Acacia wanted to get out of the company of the court's bootlickers and forced herself on Leander to see what he likes to do and got to meet Zephyr. At first distanful, but quickly fascinted by his strenght and uniqueness, she started to be interested in "hybrid" magic. She didn't like Pulsor magic, as it would force her to give up on the emotions that fuel her Aural magic, which is her greatest pride, but the concept of hybridity, fascinated her, because of it being forbidden and loathed, (she loves breaking taboos and getting attention for being scanalous). So she turned to the other kind of mages - the Sensors.

Sensors

Sensors are a travelling tribespeople who live mostly in the forests, who abondonened their country when it was invaded by Pulsors years ago. Their pacifict culture and individulistic attitudes makes them prone to running, they would never fight for the community or sacriface themselves for their country or people, considering this a nonsense. Hard to track, since they know the mountains, living there in summer and coming down to any of the two kingdoms in winter. Their culture based around knowledge, discussions and life-long mission of learning and coming up with questions with impossible answers. Very philosiphical, educated and deep-thinkers who have many monasteries in the mountains, hidden houses, secret libraries and hideouts where they store their knowledge and document historical events.

Discriminated in all kingdoms, but also marveled for their great knowledge, teaching skills and mastery of all four languages (of Pulsors, Aurals, Universal and their own) they are often hired as scribes (Aurals don't know how to read and write, they consider this useless), translators (Pulsors don't speak any other language than theirs) and tutors by more enlightened people who recognize their usefulness. They are absolutele pacifists and don't use their mind magic for fighting, although they do have defense magic and can be quite brutal in education of their mages (involving mind attacks and mind control techniques) since their mages become keepers of the monasteries and libraries.

Sensor magic requires meditation and knowledge of the element you are connecting to. Skye is the Sensor of water, with very high skill level, marked by the golden ring with three blue circles and the number of the platinum rings she wears, giving her the power of an ambassador of her people.

Something all kingdoms have in common is their high regard for mages and the way they mark magic skill with number of rings. The more rings a mage wears, the higher his mastery. This is done, because a powerful mage also gets his people's representational power, being able to forge alliances by giving his rings to another person. Sensors use platinum (white sheen), Pulsors titanium (darker sheen) and Aurals copper (rose sheen). A mage marked by a foreign metal ring is automatically declared an allie of the kingdom the metal is from, making them untouchable. (This will be important during the peace talks).

Acacia meets and learns from Skye, who currently resides there, observing and writing about the current state of Aural society and developing suprising fondness for Zephyr. Sensors don't differeniate between kingdoms so much (they aren't treated well anywhere), but they appreciate deep thinkers, respectful behaviour and nuanced debates. Zephyr wins Skye over with his own philosophical ideas and dreams of connecting the countries through understanding of the advatages of hybrid magic. By learning from each other, they could come to appreicate their differences. Skye even comfirms to the shock of Acacia, Zeph and Leander that magic can be chosen and learned and doesn't depend from birth, which is a secret kept by all kingdoms. If magic, that determines the culture and behaviour, doesn't hold us together, what will?

The mission

With Pulsor army marching for the capital and becoming more brutal in their killings and taking people away into "reformation camps" under Kyler's reign, Acacia comes up with a plan - they could all go to Pulsors disguised as Sensors, who are known to cross boarders and offer their services to both sides (to earn money for supplies for winter). Acacia would play Skye's role as the Sensor ambassador, with Lenader and Zephyr as her companions and bodyguards and Skye as her maid. (If Pulsors bothered to learn anything about Sensors they would have found this constellation suspicious, because Sensor mages usually travel alone and don't have maids, even though they have the highest standing in their society.) They would get into Kyler's favour, offer a Sensor alliance against Aurals and kill him and his generals, throwing them into chaos and stopping the war.

Zephyr and Kyler

Zephyr images a foolish barbaric general in Kyler. Instead he meets a cultured, well-mannered, polite king whose only dream is Zephyr's own - to end the war and return progress and education to the war-torn kingdoms. Idealisic and deeply caring about his subordinates, with great discipline and hard work going into his training, magic and strategical meetings as well as discussions with advisors, openness and reign. Someone who is constantly studying and improving himself (doesn't help he can't read, write or talk in any other language). Kyler is thrilled by having Sensors who could give him access to books and teach him at least the Universal language, regretting the limits their lack of education in favour of military training (with kids taken for service at 10) did to his people.

Another thing that appeals to Zephyr is the Pulsor culture itself. So disciplined, precise, focused, ambitious, professional, it's the culture he only knows from his mother, shunned by everyone around her, even though she was more capable than anyone he ever met. It's like returning home and rediscovering a part of himself he was always missing. It also downs at him how much he struggled with the Aural mindset, the openess that meant everyone was too loud, too honest, too confrontational, too emotional, too carefree, too forceful. Zephyr realizes after years, how much of an outsider he was and how natural and belonging he feels with the Pulsors, despite them being his enemies.

Zephyr didn't meet much understanding for his dreams of peace. Leander didn't mind the fighting, cause it ment he could be proving his own worth and provess. Acacia wanted Aurals to win, with the hybrid magic being more of a adventurous breaking of rules than anything deeper (something Skye dislikes about her as well). Skye appreciated his ideas, but she was too skeptical it could ever work. Sensors in general don't believe in structural changes and consider the warring kingdoms too stupid to do much else. Skye also hardly considers people to be worth the effort or attention if they don't prove themselves interesting and intelligent enough, like Zephyr had. (How else could Sensors deal with the overall hostility towards them? Most people are too stupid to appreciate them or change or be worth missing out on).

Of course Zephyr is torn about his feelings. How can he feel so good among the Pulsors, who are killing innocent civilits to win a war? Who want to destroy in the name of peace and conformity? Who fight against diversity and differences, all the beautiful things Zephyr appreciates and stands for? What's wrong with him, if he feels so good in the enemy territory? How can he forgive such difference in opinions, such disagreement with his values? How can he see the good in Kyler and deal with the bad? Then again, what does Pulsor culture, way of life, their magic and their civilians have to do with the war and the royal family's decisions of how to lead it? Why should it be hated for something one person in power does?

Here is Kyler, the person in power, with ideals and grand dreams, believing people are good and worth the effort to fight for them and building something good for them. From discussions and spending time with him, Zephyr comes to like him and starts to hope that Kyler could be reasoned with, if he just expanded his horizons and considered Zephyr's solution of teaching each other their magics instead of destroying the others for the sake of having one.

Kyler comes to like Zephyr, because he feels his appreciation for Pulsors and their magic. Zephyr feels like a Pulsor, partly being one and partly liking how they operate. He looks like them, with his dark hair, he behaves like them with his steely resolve. Then Zephyr saves Kyler from a hit by the Shadow mages (magic created from widespreat negative feelings especially among the poor and the grief created by the war. All sides are plagued by Shadow magic that works a lot like Aural magic in reverse, being fueled by negative emotions. All sides also loathe and fear them, even though this magic could be controlled just the same, and isn't corrupt, just new, misunderstood and unknown). Kyler finds out Zephyr is a capable fighter (being a Sensor bodyguard covers it a little, but it's unsual for Sensors to know how to fight, especially physically). Zephyr admits to his feelings of not belonging where he was born, of being interested in more things that allowed by tradition, of liking Pulsor ways. And Kyler, grateful and impressed by his capabilities and skills, listens. He makes Zephyr his companion, advisor, bodyguard and friend. He recognizes him as his equal, is honest with him, showing him what he does and asking him for his opinions and advice. Zephyr gets to speak, and he is listened to, because Kyler is at that stage. The Pulsor king wants to learn, he wants change, he wants to grow.

And that's how they become friends amids the masks, assassination plans and against the wishes of Zephyr's friends. Acacia sees this as a betrayal, Leander is horrified, Skye is afriad. It takes the second half of the story with a spread of a Shadow virus, Kyler getting infected, the group's secret travel to Sensor territory, Zephyr's insistance to save Kye, Skye getting to know and like him, Aural's turn to dictatorship ways because of the virus's threat to connect and resolve the conflict.

Fuh okay. There is lots of worldbuilding and I quite enjoy playing with the cultures and kingdom states :D Thank you for asking! I can't really see the scenes that would go for this story, but I really enjoyed writing all this down and developing it further.

#writeblr #ask #wip: tears of iron #kingdom au #fantasy #magic #pulsors #aurals #sensors

23 notes · View notes

malleux · 4 years ago

Text

☆ introduction ☆ masterlist ☆

-> various characters x fem!reader | royalty au!

-> warnings: cursing, arranged marriage, arguing, typical princess gender roles and expectations

a/n: hi everyone! we’ve officially hit 2k, so welcome to “pick a prince”! please enjoy your stay as these seven princes try their best to win your hand.

When a princess is born, the first story she is ever told is a tale of another princess finding true love, marrying said love, and living happily ever after.

Nearly every princess story follows this plot, save for the wicked witch messing things up. You were read the stories of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White more times than you could count. Because you were a princess, and one day you would find your very own true love.

These ideals had been drilled into your head- when you were older, you were to find a sweet prince, or princess, and settle down. So why was it such a surprise when your mother came knocking one day, claiming that it was time? That you were old enough to be consider such things?

“Your mother and I are getting older.”

It was your father’s favorite explanation. He claimed that it was time for you to make big decisions such as these to prepare you for the throne.

“Decisions, such as marrying a man I don’t love?”

“You’re lucky we’re giving you a choice at all.” He’d respond, “Your mother and I didn’t choose each other at first. We fell in love years later.”

And who was to say you’d fall in love with your prince at all? You could be miserable, just like hundreds of other royals who were in your exact same situation. Those who have had the exact conversation with their parents that you’re having with yours in this moment.

“I don’t know any princes. How will I choose like that?”

“I have written letters to 7 kingdoms. They have respectable princes and rulers your age, all of whom your mother and I would approve of. They will arrive Sunday, and you will spend time with each of them. You will make your decision two weeks from then. Or else we will choose for you.”

Your eyebrows furrowed. “Sunday-? That’s only a few days away.”

“So I suggest you prepare yourself. Freshen up on your manners and customs. I’ll give you a list of the kingdoms the princes are coming from, and I expect you to go to the library and read up on them. No prince wants a clueless wife.”

“No wife wants a degrading, judgemental, shitty husband.” You scoffed.

“Language.” Your mother snapped. “Go prepare. We’ll see you at dinner.”

☆ ☆ ☆

It’s not fair.

You smoothed out your outfit in front of your mirror, shuddering when the tight material restricted your movements.

It’s not fair.

Your shoes were too tight. So was your chest. Were you really this nervous?

Mother always said princesses needed to keep their heads high during trying times.

It’s not fair.

The walk from your room to the large dining room seemed eternal. Did the halls always echo this loudly? What terror did you cause in your past life to be born as a princess- a pawn in a game played only by heartless conquerors called kings?

Mother always said to put the good of the kingdom first. Think about the greater good. To be selfish is to deprive your country.

No, it’s not fair. But life isn’t fair, is it?

“Ah, Y/N!” Your father laughed jovially, greeting you from the head of the table.

Around him, sat seven men. They all had drinks in their hand- alcoholic or not, you couldn’t tell. You knew that you’d like yours to be. You smiled shyly at them and sat down beside your father, on the row that had only three men. You didn’t see your mother anywhere.

Food was served, and awkward was not the word to describe the meal. You picked at your plate in silence, save for your father’s small whispers for you to initiate small talk. You didn’t.

“Now, gentlemen.” The King coughed, getting all of their attention. “Starting tomorrow, you have seven days to gain the approval of my daughter, Princess Y/N. I expect you all to be polite, courteous, and respectful to her. If I hear a single complaint that you weren’t, you will go home. Now, I believe we should start with a few introductions. Dear, you start.”

Your father gazed at you expectantly, and you flushed, avoiding his eyes. “Uh, hi. I’m Y/N.”

Another silence followed. The princes were probably expecting more. Unfortunately for them, you only moved your hands towards them, gesturing for someone to pick up the ball that you had so-ungracefully dropped.

Suddenly, a gloved hand was held out in front of you. You looked up, only to gaze into one icy eye. “Hello, my dear. I am Prince Kaeya.”

You took his hand and he lifted it up to his lips, pressing a kiss against the knuckle before sending you a smile and sitting back down in his seat in front of you.

“I’m Diluc.” The red-headed man beside him said. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here almost as much as you did.

“My name is Albedo.” A shorter, blonde boy grinned at you from beside Diluc.

“I’m Xiao.”

“I am Zhongli.” The proper man beside you piped up, giving you a sweet smile. You flushed a little, definitely not used to being in the presence of a man whose attractiveness rivaled that of a god.

“Scaramouche.”

“And I, my dear, am Prince Childe. It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I cannot wait until I get to spend time with you and get to know you better-“

“Alright.” You felt bad for cutting him off, but you weren’t one for grandiose gestures. “Thank you.”

Kaeya snickered in front of you, and Diluc elbowed him. You raised an eyebrow, concluding that they must know each other already. You’d have to get the inside scoop when you talked to them.

Looking across the table, you felt sick. You were staring into the eyes of men you would have to choose between, and spend the rest of your life with. You didn’t even know them- how were you going to marry one?

Mother always said that princesses get happily ever afters. But this story doesn’t seem too happy yet.

Your vision was blurry. Your head felt like it was underwater. With ears muffled to the sounds of people calling your name, you stood up and rushed to the library, where you knew your mother would be waiting.

These boys have a lot of work cut out for them.

taglist: @xenia-cenia @murder-and-mistflowers @osmiumtrash @rebeljustforkicks137 @heisenwurst

if you’d like to be on the taglist, please fill out this form!

#fic blog #x reader #fanfiction #writing #genshin impact #lay writes #lay speaks #genshin impact x reader #pick a prince #diluc x reader #kaeya x reader #albedo x reader #scaramouche x reader #zhongli x reader #childe x reader #genshin impact fanfiction #event #series #xiao x reader

830 notes · View notes

year2000electronics · 3 years ago

Text

Siblings, Origami, and Slightly Wasted Potential

Hi. Me again. I have some thoughts on Origami King and the ideal future we could have had.

(Spoilers for Origami King!)

(image recreation)

Last time on the analysis show, I took a look at the characterization of Paper Luigi (which is a pretty good read, I’ve been told). This time, I’d like to build on that a little more by addressing Paper Mario’s other pair of iconic siblings- Olly and Olivia.

Specifically, the way I believe they have the ability to parallel Paper Mario and Paper Luigi.

So, to lay out some basic facts (as is usually necessary to make a strong foundation), I’d like to talk a bit about Mario and Luigi’s relationship with one another.

Thanks to Luigi gaining importance in the Mario series as a whole, he’s been equipped with some new abilities and stories of his own. However, thanks to Mario encompassing everything heroic under the sun, a lot of the time, Luigi tends to need to take the ‘road less traveled’ of abilities and stories. This may just be an out-of-character thing, but over time, it’s given Luigi this sort of niche that he fills compared to Mario.

Me, personally, I like to call Mario a ‘sun sibling’ and Luigi a ‘moon sibling’.

The sun is associated with brightness, happiness, daytime- the time that most people use to the fullest. A sunny day will bring a smile to anyone. Mario has the same happy aesthetics as the daytime, his adventures always triumphant and basking in the spotlight.

... (And sometimes, they’re quite literally ‘sunny’ adventures.)

Compare this to the moon- the nighttime. In popular culture, the night, darkness and even the moon have been used to signify darkness, mystery. The night in and of itself is something that’s only designated to ‘night owls’- it takes a lot of active planning to stay up for a lot of the night. However, the moon itself isn’t inherently dark- people still need it to get their eight hours. Even though the night’s job isn’t the same as the day’s, it’s still important...

...when the sun is hiding away.

That little bit of poetry aside, Luigi’s ‘dark’ and ‘against the norm’ aesthetic can be seen pretty much everywhere you look, even if you’re not much for my metaphors.

Luigi’s flagship series being all about ghost-hunting in a spooky, dark mansion...

(Which, by the way, in Mario Super Sluggers, can only be accessed at NIGHT!!! !!!)

Luigi being the one who has access to the mysterious and vague dream world powers,

Whatever this was,

This fucking guy,

You get the point.

Which leads me to my next point: Olivia and Olly are also Sun Sibling and Moon Sibling.

I’m sure this is fairly obvious to anyone who looks. Olivia is bubbly, excitable, friendly, and kind.

Olly is, um.

Not that.

(Oh also, their colour schemes the ‘night’ and ‘day’ colour schemes of Scorching Sandpaper Desert. So there’s that.)

So now we’ve established that

But here’s the thing. Siblings is not the same. See, there’s something different about Olly and Olivia compared to Mario and Luigi.

Olly is the older sibling. And just like that... Luigi’s primary reason for being a ‘moon’ sibling is just straight-up not available to Olly. Luigi got his quirks from being in Mario’s shadow, but Olly is new... fresh. He just is this way. It’s not a phase, CRAFTSMAN.

This poses some... interesting ideas when it’s presented next to the Mario brothers, though. Olivia is the younger sibling, who seems to look up to Olly just as much as Luigi looks up to Mario. Or at least... she’d like to.

Despite having LITERALLY NO EVIDENCE to believe this, Olivia spends the entire game saying that she believes Olly can be talked down from this. She almost treats Olly and his entire evil plan as two separate entities, almost like Olly is a damsel she has to rescue. Don’t get me wrong, she never shies away from saying her brother needs to be stopped, but considering what seemingly little reason Olly gives for her to believe he’s worth saving... (sorry Olly. You lived then you put your dad in a wall. Life’s tough like that. Also you put a rock on her.) She’s persistent.

Imagine how that must feel to Mario, seeing someone- seeing a Luigi who’s not the meek, mysterious one, but just as bright and bubbly as him. They grow so close throughout all this, but... Mario isn’t HER brother. And Olivia isn’t HIS sibling.

And neither of them forget that. Even for one second.

It makes us almost sigh in relief that Mario is such a good role model to both Olivia and Luigi, because Olivia shows us this idea of the underdog sibling not HAVING a forever-kind older brother. It’s... kinda sad. No, really sad. Olivia and Olly WANT to be a pair, but neither of them agree. They both want to ‘save’ each other, but they must keep battling if they want their side to win.

This on its own is pretty interesting, but I want to cover the ‘slightly missed potential’ part. If you think Olivia and Mario’s parallels are a good story bit... can you IMAGINE what Olly and Luigi would be like?

Referencing my Luigi analysis again, I concluded that Luigi has a bit of an inferiority superiority complex- a TV trope where someone’s feelings of inadequacy are often masked by an overconfidence, trying to hide that horrible blemish.

(Don’t worry. He gets better.)

Now, I wouldn’t say Olly is secretly insecure or anything- far from it. He is, however, EXCEEDINGLY confident, in both his abilities and his beliefs. He truly seems to believe that the ways of origami are glorious and that folding the kingdom will be a sort of ‘rebirth’. The only thing that is motivated entirely by his rage (not that those other parts aren’t, this one is just really personal) is his wish to turn every Toad into blank paper. And why is that?

Because the Origami Craftsman scribbled on him. It’s a blemish, and one that he keeps hidden VERY easily. (I mean, you don’t see it here, do you?)

...Interestingly, Olly has this line here:

He says he made Olivia ‘too perfect’. It’s backhanded, sure, but... it’s still a compliment. He thinks his sister is perfect. She is perfect. He is blemished.

The sun sibling is perfect...

The moon sibling isn’t.

This is why I think Olly and Luigi should have had some form of interaction. Luigi is this perfect mentor figure for the young king. Even though he wouldn’t be able to make a dent in Olly’s ideology or Toad-hating, there is one thing... one thing Olly might still be able to turn to the good side for.

His sister.

Despite the fact that Origami Castle gets folded to life before Mario’s very eyes, which is when Olly has asked time and time again for Olivia to join him, and she’s still refused, the castle is still LITTERED with decorations of BOTH OF THEM.

Olly still loves his sister. And he doesn’t want to lose her- even if he is blinded by rage. I think if Luigi was around Olly somehow, for most of the game (my personal idea would be that Luigi just can’t be folded somehow and Olly has no choice but to keep him in Peach’s Castle because he might help Mario otherwise), then he could say, from personal experience, how blind rage doesn’t solve anything... how your relationship with your sibling is the most precious thing in the world, should you keep it correctly.

How... he KNOWS Olivia really looks up to him and looks to him for guidance, because he’s the exact same way. And how Olivia needs her big brother.

Maybe Olly has some second thoughts, but convinces himself it’ll all be for the greater good. He just needs to defeat that red plumber.

That green plumber’s... big brother.

All in all, I think it could really have made Olly and Olivia even more impactful than they already are. At least they finally get reunited...

Even if it’s only for a brief moment.

#paper mario #mario #origami king #pmtok #origami king spoilers #king olly #[BANGING POTS AND PANS] IM BAAAAACK

131 notes · View notes

kulemii · 2 years ago

Note

Do you think that Kurosawa was trying to compensate for abandoning his son by giving him control of the entire Japanese underworld as a final gift? Or did he think Aizawa would fuck it up and gave it to him as a way to kill off the Yakuza for good?

oooooh what a juicy question!!!

first of all THANK YOU FOR ASKING SUCH AN INTERESTING QUESTION!!!! secondly, i am going to be fully transparent with you, while i do study aizawa as closely as i can given the material that i have, i haven't spent nearly as much time looking into kurosawa (because of aizawa writing him off the way that he did- which might have been a horrible call on my part) now thanks to this question- i think starting tonight, i'm going to change that!

As I read your ask I was thinking for a moment "HOLY SHIT, DID I THINK ABOUT THIS ALL WRONG" until I remembered this line:

He didn't care about Aizawa nor did he care about recompense. He cared about his legacy.

Now, giving what I do believe about my understanding of Kurosawa, I don't personally believe that he passed his legacy onto Aizawa as a final fuck you to the yakuza. I genuinely think he wanted his name to live on through Aizawa- he wanted Aizawa's successes to in turn add to the Kurosawa name and of course, become a win for the Omi Alliance. I mean, the Omi swallowing up the Tojo Clan by way of an heir- his heir? That would be one for the yakuza history books, absolutely!

IIRC, it wasn't that Kurosawa wanted to get rid of the yakuza as a whole I think he wanted to deconstruct the foundation upon which the orgs in their many forms were built. A way that rewarded men like him for doing what he had to do to get to where he was. He wanted a underworld where only men who said fuck honor and loyalty, men who weren't afraid to get their hands dirty in the worst means possible to get to the top survived- no matter who they hurt in the process.

If I'm not mucking up my understanding Kurosawa and what he stood for in the end- he and Aizawa actually had ideals that sort of mirrored that of the other's. Aizawa hated the idea of connections getting men to the top. He believed that individual strength and power alone should be what determines a yakuza's worth- what determines a man's capacity to run a strong, well respected organization, challenging aging values head-on without scheming (to an extent).

I wonder if they discussed this and agreed that in a way they did see eye to eye on the idea that 'the yakuza way' was about ready for a facelift. Even so, Aizawa didn't respect that Kurosawa wanted to hand it to him to get there because despite being a nepotism baby himself (lol), it was the one thing that he couldn't stand most about the way that the yakuza was built- the one thing that he resented the Tojo Clan (and Daigo) for.

Now, lets consider your question as a theory for a moment: What if Kurosawa didn't care what Aizawa did in the end with the keys to both kingdoms. Let's consider that from the beginning that Kurosawa and Morinaga both believed that Aizawa was doomed to fail from the start. If Aizawa's to be believed (and here I do)- Morinaga didn't think that Aizawa had what it took to even take down Kiryu which is why he challenged him, right? And now, neither did Kurosawa- but then, if they lacked that much faith in him, what exactly would be the purpose of all the time and resources put in place to execute a plan that was intended to, what? Fail successfully? And why Aizawa, who was new to the yakuza as a whole- an absolutely nobody save for the fact that he was Kurosawa's illegitimate son? Was it because he was the least qualified and so his downfall would be inevitable? Was it to humiliate him and if so, for what reason? And wouldn't that tarnish the Kurosawa name- the famed Kurosawa Legacy? Ahhh this opens up soooo many more fun questions my leg's bouncing because I'm so excited trying to figure it out.

And here's one more thing that I want us to consider- to get to where he was we learned three crucial things about Kurosawa: He killed his aniki. He killed his patriarch. He ate shit. (I just wanted the add that last tidbit because what old man????) Anyway- again! If Aizawa is to be believed (and here I don't) let's consider the thought that Aizawa turned and killed Morinaga taking advantage of the chaos of Daigo going into hiding because he was suspicious that someone was coming for him-- What IF Aizawa was destined to follow his father's path?????????? What if Aizawa, an absolute nobody-- a bodyguard schemed against his aniki, the man he followed to get to where he was and fully intend to kill him and Daigo in order to then assume the position of chairman- just like his father?AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OMG!!!!

IT'S SO CRAZY! I SWEAR I ASK I ONE QUESTION ABOUT AIZAWA AND IT LEADS ME INTO A BILLION MORE!!

Anyway, what do yall think? What were Kurosawa's true intentions ?

#kurosawa tsubasa #aizawa masato #masato aizawa #yakuza 5 spoilers #let me know if i missed something #or got something wrong!#what a fun question omg!

7 notes · View notes

whump-world · 3 years ago

Text

Long live the queen

NSFWhumptober Set 3 Prompt: knives | suspension

(Tw: suicidal idealization, drowning, implied past abuse, burns, reference to past battles, knives, blood, dubcon kiss, dubcon touch, implied past noncon)

@kim-poce I believe this is long overdue? Hehe, sorry if I lost track of the original theme. I got carried away aksnhsjsns I’m so sorry if it’s not up to your expectations.

The king had said goodbye to Caretaker that morning, thinking the day would go the way it usually does, and he’ll see them again when evening comes. The kisses they’d peppered him with still warm his face as he trains, washes, attends a council meeting, writes out invitations for his birthday celebratory feast and checks patrol duty. Whumpee is tuckered out by the time the sun sets, and the golden glow over him reminds him of Caretaker.

He could let himself be happy around them.

Yet, he does not find Caretaker in the evening. Caretaker had his own luxurious hall that came with being a Councellor of the King’s. The area is empty, save for their contemptuous cat. He’s looked everywhere else too, concealing his worry as he hurries through every room in the castle.

At dinner, his High Command gives him the news. All of Whumpee’s blood drops to his feet.

No one shall lay eyes on the queen.

Caretaker had entered his quarters looking for him during the day, but found Whumper—the queen—instead. Naked.

As the king, he should be able to put a stop to this. He’d stormed out of the council, his heart pumping in livid indignance. Does he not obey every wish the queen has asked of him? Disrupted homes, ravaged villages and waged war on all the neighboring kingdom one by one? Does he not get to keep one thing?

In his heart, he blames himself. If Caretaker came to harm because of an error on his part… he does not think he’ll be able to live with that. It’ll crush him. Not that night, for his mind has trained to detach every time Whumper played with him. It’ll crush him eventually, and again, he will have to live, scrape and drag himself through every moment, begging for release.

He walks through her side of the castle, avoiding the inquisitive gazes of maids with a forged expression looking straight ahead. A death penalty is outrageous and does not fit the crime, he rehearses his lines, pace slowing down as he trudges through the fear. I’m the king of this land and Caretaker will stay by my side till the day I die. He has to persuade her. They are not to blame. Whumpee cannot lose anyone else. I’d die for them.

He nods at the female warriors at Whumper’s door, and one of them slips inside to receive permission. Whumpee uses the short time to catch his breath, the gears in his head turning, preparing for the worst. He’s strategic and proves it every year with growing lands and riches. He could win today too. If he could distract her, please her enough, maybe...

“Are you going to stand there all day?”

Whumpee jerks forward. After pulling the bead curtain to the side, he steps into her baths. Heart in his mouth, he smiles tentatively, much like a servant bringing food on a tray. Shame flickers alight momentarily, licked away by the queen’s observing gold eyes.

The source of light behind those eyes are fierce today, only second to the sun. She’s bathing with water up to her chest, the maid who’d been massaging her shoulders excuses herself as soon as the king comes into view. Whumper’s dark hair is floating around her, like a snake in the water. The water marrs but does not hide her naked body.

No one shall lay eyes on the queen.

When they’d courted each other, years ago, before his heart had to learn to wear armor, Whumpee’s pride liked the idea of gazing upon a woman only he’s allowed to look at. Now he wishes his father had never uttered her name amongst the list of other princesses.

“You’ve interrupted me,” she says.

All the lines he rehearsed fly out of his stupid head. “I wanted to ask—discuss the death penalty on Caretaker.”

“What about it would you like to discuss, Whumpee?”

Her mocking tone tightens the strings twisting around his limbs. He draws close, a blush tingling on his nape, but not because of attraction. Bashful, he crouches by the edge of the pond, only an arm’s length away from her. “What happened, it was an accident. A pardon seems more appropriate,” he says with a hint of determination.

“Whumpee,” she inclines her head at him, a threatening look immediately sharpening her features, “you ask for too much.”

“For my sake, let them go. They didn’t mean any harm.”

“You know the law.”

You made the law, he wants to cry out. And you’re killing me with it. Don’t you see? You’re going to kill me by killing Caretaker. Biting down the retort, he goes to say something else. Stops.

“Strip and get into the water.”

Whumpee’s fear shatters open beneath his ribs, like she’d somehow reached in there and planted it. He could not understand why he couldn’t yank it out by the roots, even for Caretaker’s sake. Rather, he’s nurturing it with obedience, letting the thorns of humiliation spear his insides.

He doesn’t remember removing his clothes or stepping into the water. The cold slaps him back into Whumper’s control, reminding him, making him feel every bit of it. However, He’s not the only at one in danger tonight. He must play his part and give in. The lanterns placed a few paces away color one side of Whumper’s face, and he pick out the annoyance within.

Already losing. Already.

She reaches out, drawing him too close to her. He shivers, the skimming of her fingertips on his chest a breath away from something he’d hate. Please don’t, he must say but doesn’t because Caretaker is much more important than he ever was, would ever be. He will let her touch, suck, kiss wherever she likes. A tiny, cowardly part of him prefers this to the hot rod. He would usually shy away from it, but now, he open his arms wide, allowing that vile part of him to revel in pleasure.

The queen cocks an eyebrow, as if she could read his mind and is irritated by what she sees. “Caretaker will be punished,” she murmurs, letting her hands roam to his back.

There are many scars strewn on his skin, battle wounds he could not quite shake off. They all pale in comparison to the burns Whumper gifted him with, carving out his ruin. Those same artisan hands inspect them, and he stiffens, feeling more than remembering the white hot pain seared into him. Ironing out the involuntary flinch that comes with her touch, he curls into her. A pup to play with.

“If you want to punish me, go ahead,” he whispers, for if he speaks at a regular pitch, his voice might crack. “Please punish me tonight. Take me.”

Her nails trail down his shoulders to his lower waist as he waits for an answer with bated breath. Hot, it’s hot in here. No clothes, yet it’s hot. Her hands. Her mouth near his earlobe. Her hair tickling his face. Her breasts flush against him. Her thigh grinding into his crotch. Her, her, her.

“Do you think you deserve to be punished?” she asks.

The back of Whumpee’s knees hurt, and despite no one choking his throat, there must be some spirit choking him. There must be something blocking his windpipe. He stutters, heart hammering in anticipation. “Ye-yes. I do.”

She passes a palm over his eyes to close them. Whumper presses her lips to his left eye. “Should I pluck your eyes out then?” Another kiss to the right eye. “That’s what I’ll do before killing them. Pluck those eyes out and feed my birds.”

“No—I—“ The goosebumps that had arose from his skin at the gentleness is doused with fright scorching him like wild fire on dry grass.

“Or should I chop your cock off for cuckolding the queen?”

His eyes fly open, as he tries to analyze her face. Shock thrusts tears to the brim of his eyes. She couldn’t possibly know. It’s not possible. No no no. He didn’t even look in Caretaker’s direction when she was in the vicinity.

“Don’t look so surprised, darling. Allowing it to continue for so long was my mercy, not your stealth.”

In the end, perhaps he had been simply holding this breath for this inevitable moment, like a firefly awaiting its death. It couldn’t be delayed. The fly’s imagination could only protect it for so long. His throat closes up. He just wants to be happy with Caretaker. He wants one small thing and she has to take it away.

It’s

not

fair.

“It’s my fault. Please,” he stammers, losing his ability to form words because he knows. He knows the rage that will fall upon him. “Please, don’t. Please, extend your mercy one last time. I implore you. God, I’ll do—I’ll do anything. It isn’t their fault.”

His plea stills her for a moment, gold eyes picking him apart. She curls both hands around his neck. Yanks him into the water. Whumpee’s too slow to react, and is plunged under without any air in his desperate lungs. Water splatters the edge of the pond as he thrashes. Fights. The grip on his neck does not relent.

The water seems to infiltrate his body, shoving at all his blood and organs to make room for it. It’s excruciating, and it’s so damn slow.

I’m going to die here.

His soul is somewhat relieved in a disturbing manner he would later acknowledge with disgust. In the heat of the moment, the stars that burst into existence holds back the pain, and he’s glad for it. He’ll die here. No more wanting, no more losing. He can’t cling and ache for Caretaker if he’s dead, right?

When Whumpee is let up, agony swims and melts into his brain. He’s coughing endlessly because the water refuses to leave, threading into his insides. His ribs feel like they’re cracking open, although he knows that couldn’t be true. Whumpee wonders how long she’d kept him under, if she’d been hoping to drown him.

“Bring me my clothes.”

His muscles move, quick, obedient, a slave to her bidding.

“Wipe me down,” she says and the King’s hands are already there, patting her down with a towel as she rises from the water. His hands tremble and breath whooshes in and out, like a doll coming too close to breaking. But those things never break, do they? Every drop on the head, every twisted wooden limb, every hair ripped out is taken in silence and a plaintive smile. They take it. They take it. Then take some more.

A robe cloaks her body, the silk giving away around her thighs as she stalks out of the room bath. Her hair is still dripping and water trails on to the floor, following her like the almost naked king. A warrior waits in her quarters, gaze on her feet as she presents Caretaker’s crest to the queen. The High command’s skirt is dark with blood, legs looking she’d dragged herself through a swamp. The queen narrows her eyes at the mud she has tracked into the place, but Caretaker must have taken precedence over that because she snatches the crest.

“Speak of good news,” Whumper says.

He straightens to his full height, turning his back to the fact that he is bare except for his undergarment. Should the queen’s High Command look this way—why is he worrying over that? Caretaker. Where is Caretaker? Have they caught them? Or did they outsmart the warriors and only leave their crest for him to weep over?

The king doesn’t move to the crest though, heart racing, stumbling over its own feet. The worst of the worst ideas reel in his brain like a broken recorder, holding Whumpee down in a loop of horror. The situation with Whumper had already been painful. It had ripped his soul out. This is… this is…

If she took Caretaker, Whumpee will have nothing else.

“Your wish has been carried out, your highness.”

Whumper’s lips broaden. “You shall be rewarded for I am pleased,” she glances over at Whumpee. “Yes. Greatly pleased.”

Whumpee smiles back for the audience. If Whumpee is happy, he might as well have died back there in the bath. His back tingles from the touches left there by her minutes ago. He wants to hurt for once, be transported elsewhere so he couldn’t feel this fear pumping into his system.

“Come along, Whumpee,” the queen snaps her fingers.

The High Command is no longer in the quarters. He had to ask. “Where are they?”

“I don’t want to ruin the surprise.” Her reply is coy, but a little strung. “They’re in our chamber.”

“No, wait, wait—I thought only I was—me, take me. Not them. Please.“

The queen drags him deeper into her quarters, uncaring of her robe dampening as he struggles. “I thought you didn’t care about our relationship, Whumpee? You weren’t satisfied, hm?”

“Don’t take them there. They’re blameless. Please, I’m—wait—“

She reaches the door, one Whumpee knows is soundproof. Even it’s harmless door handle makes him shudder and he whines. Whumpee’s back fizzles with new pain.

“You are such a darling when you’re like this,” she says, and pushes the hair out of his face to kiss him. He kisses back for once. Whumpee clutches to her robe, letting her explore his mouth and press between his legs. No dignity. None. She kisses the corner of his mouth before pulling away. “I know what this is about. Jealous you’re not the only one for my affection?”

He doesn’t get the opportunity to answer. Tugged into the dreaded chamber, his eyes land on Caretaker. Their wrists are manacled to the ceiling by a long chain that would not let their feet rest on the floor. To Whumpee’s creeping horror, Caretaker’s arms look twisted too far to be alright. Their garments are slick in some places, sweat escaping through the thin material. Blood mixes with green, clotting and drying with each other.

Worst of all, their face. They’re crying.

Whumpee’s heart stops.

“Please,” he drops to his feet, please please please. “They didn’t do anything. Punish me, please, don’t hurt them. I don’t know what I’ll do if you, you, I… don’t hurt them.”

Caretaker moans from the middle of the room, trying to lift themselves up to take the weight off their arms. It won’t be long before they fall, fall and fall, ripping their arms off out of the sockets.

Whumper holds up a knife. Her eyes are blown wide, the way it does when she thrusts a hot rod into Whumpee. Except that would hurt less than this. “Eyes then heart, yes?”

“I love you,” Caretaker mouths, and Whumpee starts crying with them.

35 notes · View notes

razorblade180 · 4 years ago

Text

Interdimensional Moms part 2

Part 1 <-

Yang:Okay Weiss, your turn.

Weiss:What!? Why me?

Blake:Because you’ve been bouncing in your seat all through Yang’s story. You clearly want to gush about your kids.

Weiss:Pffft, What!? Nooooo, a little. Hehehe I can’t believe I’m that obvious. *smiles*

Ruby:Aww look at you, I never believe Weiss Schnee could look as warm as campfire.

Yang:And wearing mom jeans!? Little jealous that you still look completely gorgeous. Why does mom energy make you prettier?

Weiss:What can I say? I’m great. As far as my universe goes, I argue that I’m the strongest mom!

Blake:Such a bold claim.

Weiss:I carried twins! *points to self* this body handled two buns in the oven!

Ruby:Couldn’t be me. *shutters* I’d sooner loose an eye. Speaking of eyes, your scar has a friend. Got this whole upside down cross basically.

Weiss:Oh that? That’s uhhhh- how would I even explain this?

Yang:And your hair! It’s short!

Ruby:Yeah you’re just a surprise all over.

Blake:Guys, let her start from the beginning!

Ruby and Yang:Oh right. *covers mouths*

Weiss:(Yep, they’re the same sisters anywhere.) Thank you Blake. Now then...a good starting place? Well I suppose I could lay the ground work of Jaune and I getting better acquainted. It was about two weeks into reaching Atlas. Winter learned I got impaled and berated me not giving any kind of thanks. Since I had waited so long to do so, words wouldn’t do for her standards and she made me take him to a proper dinner. I think it was that night we actually talked openly to each other. A piece of me was annoyed at first because I thought he’d get the wrong idea again. But...he didn’t. He was just happy to spend time with me. That’s when I realized he had changed a bit *red* and apparently I changed too. Sigh, because that annoyed feeling was actually me forming a crush.

Blake:Looks like you changed more than he did. I think we can all agree that we’re pretty rough to deal with at Beacon in the beginning?

Yang:Hell yeah!

Ruby:Preach! Hehe, but it meant you grew the most too.

Weiss:Hey! You’re all assuming that I was terrible! Who knows, I could a Saint compared to your Weiss. Maybe I was a sweetheart at Beacon.

RBY:.....

Yang:Were you?

Weiss:*red* I’ll never tell.

Blake:(That’s just a no...) Two weeks into Atlas huh? I bet feelings raged whenever the whole place was under attack huh?

Weiss:W...What attack? Barely anything happened in Atlas.

Blake:Excuse me?

Ruby:Pfft what? You’re joking right? There wasn’t any threat of things falling out the sky or war threats?

Weiss:No? We showed up, put the relic in vault, and took time fortifying things while planning with Ironwood. The most exciting thing was a grimm wave and two of Salem’s goons showing up at a ball, but we handled that.

Ruby:....I...that’s...oh my head.

Blake:So what you’re saying is time in Atlas was a piece of cake?

Weiss:Well I had to deal with my father and and a lot of other family drama so I wouldn’t say it was cake. It was actually very stressful.

Yang:Well I think we found the massive shift between worlds. Atlas was different. I would say I dealt with anything like falling kingdoms. Atlas for me was one long Mission Impossible sequence. Espionage, jail break, fake deaths, but please continue with your love story.

Weiss:You sound a little envious. Anyways there isn’t too much of anything to tell in that part. Dates, fighting together, sibling healing, I was disowned publicly, Penny was being amazing-

Blake:You were disowned?

Ruby:(Penny is...alive? Huh, well, imagine that?) .....

Yang:*whispers* You okay Rubes?

Ruby:Yeah, processing. Hey Weiss? Not to control the narrative or anything, but how is your Ruby exactly? I get the feeling she’s quite different from me somehow if things like the adventure in Atlas are different.

Weiss rubbed her chin. She could tell the Ruby in front of her was pretty perplexed by the differences so far. In fact, Weiss could tell mentioning Penny made them all flinch a little. It was safe to assume they all hadn’t heard that name in a very long time. It made her feel a little bad. Did she somehow get a more ideal world?

Weiss:I think I might be able to answer that if you could humor me by getting a little further into my world’s reality? I don’t know how but I do get a since the two of you might have a key difference.

Ruby:I’m all ears.

Weiss: Blake, I’ll circle back to being disowned a little later. It’s one of the biggest reasons I am who I am now. Let’s see now, ah, the plan. After Atlas was infiltrated it was hard to save face to the rest of Remnant. That was until the world learned about Salem. It was a secret that was doing more harm than good at this point. On that day, our journey really began for us. Team RWBY wasn’t just four girls and their friends. It was one of four four girls commanding troops, organizing meetings, rallying others. We were the face of a revolution: along with JNPR of course.

Ruby:The world just...believed in Salem?

Weiss:There were plenty skeptics, but it’s harder not to believe it. Pen- our winter maiden, showed off magic. Then the others on our side followed the example. We had two relics to show off from the start, and a variety of ways to explain questions throughout history that nobody could answer before. We gave humanity’s suffering a face. People were more than eager to cling to it. From that point it was hard for Salem to make a move that wouldn’t give further validity to our story.

Ruby:An army huh, lead by us?

Weiss:Yep, mainly you when it came to the battlefield. You were anxious at first and definitely made moves that you regretted. But...after some time and experience, you stood tall in front of dozens to give a speech the night of the final battle. I still get chills. There wasn’t an eye that wasn’t on you. A person who didn’t want to march into battle with you. I don’t think I ever seen you more sure of where you were meant to be.

Ruby:Is that so? Hmm, I think...I think I get it now. Your Ruby must’ve stumbled quite a bit, but had people by her consistently. It was other’s strength that enabled her to get stronger. How old was she when the war was over?

Weiss:It ended on her twenty first birthday.

Ruby:Makes sense. An army isn’t made in a day. Plans and caution for everyone involved. A united force like that sounds like a thing Oz dreamed of.

Weiss:Actually, it was. My world beat Salem by gaining the relics. The gods witnessed the effort the world put in and stripped her of immortality. It was actually thanks to you that Salem went peacefully. Instead of damning her to a cruel fate, the gods let her pass on to her kids per your request. After that, gods and magic came back. Both are still mysterious. The gods are hard to find and there’s only one person born with magic so far.

Yang:Magic is a thing there!? That’s so unfair! Just imagine me with more fire!?

Weiss:Like you need it!? You’re already like a generator. Life after Salem wasn’t any calmer really. Terrifying grimm lurked where their could, an entire new way of life had been dropped on society, and even the world itself seemed to react. Weather has been more intense as of late. There was a lot things to keep people busy. Ruby being her usual self, started hunting. Blake used the momentum of faunus and humans working together to further her equality agenda, and Yang helped both of you out.

Yang:Look at me! I’m a great girlfriend and sister!

Blake:*mumbles* There at least.

Weiss:Yeah. Oscar and Penny decided to embarrass more of normal lifestyle, mostly. Penny went back to being protector of Mantle, but had way more free time to be a normal girl. Both of them had gotten really close over the years and eventually married.

Ruby:*wide eyed* Awwww, good for them! I always had a feeling those two would hit it off.

Weiss:They weren’t the only ones. You may have been busy, but you always made time for Whitley. The two of you were dating since our original trip to Atlas. There wasn’t a problem that either of you didn’t come to me for. You know hard it is to navigate other people’s relationships when you’re lost in your own? The blind was leading the blind. Worked out though. You were probably the prettiest bride out of all of us. Then again, you went ours and literally took notes.

Ruby:Hehe, that sounds exactly like something I’d do. You haven’t talked much about the charmed life after the war for you.

Weiss felt her face heat up. She placed her head on the table as if she gave up on something.

Yang:Yeah! Give us the scoop!

Weiss:Charmed isn’t what I’d call my life exactly. I was disowned, completely cut off. Even though I made my own mark in history, it’s not like people were gonna roll out red carpets. The world had to rebuild, and I needed a roof over my head. Thus began the modest life of Weiss Schnee, owner of a two bedroom Argus apartment. Fancy clothes a food were no more. Just clearance sales and two for one. Honestly, I didn’t hate. But that’s mainly because I wasn’t living alone.

Blake:Jaune?

Weiss:Living back home was just as unappealing for him as it was for me. That and the fact that I couldn’t cook for shit was concerning, to say the least. Moving in and splitting rent just made sense. We weren’t dating yet technically, but.....it didn’t take long for the relationship between us to...expand.

Yang:I cannot believe a Weiss Schnee finally caved to tall blonde and scraggly. I should be jealous, but I’m strangely proud of Jaune’s achievement. It’s like the first time I lost to him. I was upset, but man did he work for that win.

Weiss:Took about a month before all of you had learned just what the living situation was like and man did you three let the teasing begin? *smiles* it was fun though. If I had to wrong about something then I’m glad it was about me not thinking a person is reliable. Especially since they’ve bailed me out of trouble many times. Normal life had its pitfalls. We were constantly working to pay rent. Sometimes one of us had to work harder. Getting sick was disastrous, of long term assignments. What’s the relationship I have with Whitley in the other worlds?

Ruby:Casual. The two of are always throwing ideas back and forth to help the company.

Blake:The two of you are fine. I’m not too sure how much you actually hang out, but you both are pretty snarky whenever you’re together.

Yang:Thick as thieves. That man was always shifting money and finding sneaky ways to let us know when important things popped up.

Weiss:Good, that’s really good. *exhales* I can’t count the times he sent money without father knowing. I’m glad we reconnected. Without his and everyone’s help, I don’t think I would’ve managed. Especially when mom died...

Ruby:Oh. I...I’m sorry to hear that.

Weiss:It’s bound to happen when you drink the way she did. But yeah, didn’t handle it any easier. Between that and stressing over money, I really got overwhelmed often. I was very glad I didn’t live alone. Even if I didn’t want to talk about things, Jaune was always there to listen. I think it was around that time I realized just how in love I actually was with him. He makes me happy. That idiot must’ve known how much of a weakness I had for him. It was only a few months later that he proposed.

The simple memory of Jaune asking her under a street light on a cold yet peaceful night, made Weiss’s face a healthy shade of red. A gentle smile was all she could make thinking about it. A smile that left everyone stunned. They had never seen Weiss look so warm. So genuinely filled with love, happiness. To think she was once called Ice Queen? This one really did look like an Angel. Weiss quit daydreaming and got a little embarrassed.

Weiss:Uh, sorry! I guess I little mushy there. I’ve been told I’ve gotten pretty sappy through the years.

Blake:I think that’s beautiful.

Yang:Seriously. I’m...speechless really.

Ruby:A hardworking Weiss that struggled making ends meet. I gotta say that you look good doing it.

Weiss:Yeah well, that time has passed. My father got sick and in an attempt to “clear his conscious” or whatever he was feeling, he put me back in the family. I only saw him once when he was on his deathbed. Truthfully, I don’t visit my parent’s grave. I wanna say old emotions don’t get stirred up, but there’s certain feelings towards people that just can’t die I guess.

Yang:That’s fair. Who knows, maybe you just need a decade or two?

Weiss:Hehe, perhaps. However, before I got my fortune back, I was granted an either better one. Two in fact. That sly knight of mine managed to overachieve like he always does and give us a boy and girl.

Blake:I got a sneaking suspicion that you weren’t upset?

Weiss:Not for one second! I love my babies. My darling little Nick and Summer Schnee. One named after our grandfather, and Jaune and I are both really thankful for all that Ruby has done for us, so our daughter got named Summer. It meant a lot. My Ruby...she can’t have kids, or I should say getting and staying pregnant is extremely difficult.

Ruby:...*sniffling* These aren’t tears by the way. Just dust.

Weiss:My Ruby cried.

Ruby:Oh I bet! That’s some powerful stuff. Probably ugly cried too. Someone please say something? *misty eyed* Fuck, man that was a lot. *puts hood up* give me a sec, please keep going. *holding Yang’s hand*

Yang:Weiss, weren’t you a little scared about your living situation?

Weiss:It was a weird thing. We talked about having a family before hand. Money was always a concern, as well space; but I also knew that I did want to have a family of my own one day. So when the day came that the nurse told me I was pregnant, I should’ve been more worried. I wasn’t. All I felt was joy. Maybe it was because I had faith we could handle anything. We did have you all to help. Yang, you might as well be a superwoman honestly. You have been so amazing throughout my life.

Yang:Aye! I really love this other me.

Blake:What about me?

Weiss:You remain the most sensible person in my life and I thank you for it. Everyone else is crazy.

Blake:Yeah that’s pretty on brand. *smiles*

Ruby:Picture please?

Weiss gladly pulled out her scroll and showed off her children. It was quick to see both of them had gotten their father’s dorkiness. They stood in front of the camera playfully winking and were pretending to take a bite out the gold medals they had around their necks. It was crazy how much Summer looked like her mother, but clearly had Jaune’s eyes. Her brother on the other hand had the Schnee eyes and messy Arc hair. The two looked like barrels of fun. Then there was the man himself, Jaune Arc. He looked from the one in Yang’s photo. His hair resembled his days traveling to Haven and he was clean shaven, but he was noticeably healthier. It wasn’t even a physical thing much, though he did look good. He just seemed more vibrant.

Yang:Mine is cuter.

Weiss:Yours looks like your dad with the scruff.

Yang:Can you not?

Blake:How old?

Weiss:Sixteen. Little devils want sports car. I’m not dealing with that. Nick is really good at figure skating and is the oldest, so he’s the heir. Summer decided to be a little like her mother and pursue singing. Doesn’t have my voice though, but her range is better than me. I’m jealous. Both of them are always pretty decent in a fight if I do say so myself. Sigh, they grow up so fast. They still have a lot of growing to do though. Teenagers...

RBY:Preach...

Ruby:Everything okay though? Nothing too tough going on?

Weiss:Can I lie and say yes?

Yang:Hey I unpacked my baggage. Unload yours.

Weiss let out a large sigh. She looked at her kids lovingly, but had a smile that seemed...somber. All of her energy was brought down a bit and it showed.

Yang:Umm if it’s too much-

Weiss:It’s fine. It might be a little therapeutic to talk about it. Personally, I don’t I’m doing all I really can do. When they were very young, we all took a trip to go skating at a frozen lake. While I was there I found this strange ice dust that I’ve never seen before. Nick and Summer had gotten into a fight and by accident, Nick set off the dust. The shrapnel from it hit everyone, but Summer had it the worse. I’m talking it was lodged in her in multiple places. Not to mention the blast sent her flying into the water. I was hit so hard that I nearly blacked out. Thankfully, Jaune was the furthest and dove into the water while I managed to get Nick. He avoided a lot of it due to distance and was winded more than anything.

Ruby:Christ...

Blake:How young?

Weiss:Five. We rushed so fast to the hospital as soon as we could. The dust in Summer was freezing her until Nick activated her semblance and most of the shards got used up. Still, Summer ended up hospitalized for almost a year. Surgeries, comas, seizures; it was difficult to put it lightly. That picture doesn’t show it but she has puncture scars across her body, and a slight scar under her jawline she covers with makeup. That dust, though highly dangerous, it also healed her eventually. Summer had virtually no chance of survival. Not even counting the organ damage, that water should’ve put her into shock. But...she made a full recovery, on paper.

Yang:On paper?

Weiss:Several years later, Summer came in contact with the dust again and she...changed. Her eyes looked like mine, her light blonde hair went white, and she went mad. Her scars glowed with the dust that was still in her system and Summer started attacking everyone. I saw my twelve year old just use ice that was cold enough to burn. My extra scar is from me trying to restrain her. In the end it took my gigas pinning her down before she came to her senses. Summer had no memory of it. She said all remembered was feeling cold and hearing her own laughter. It wasn’t long after that it kept happening. Any time she got cold, this other...thing would come out. It eventually called itself Shiva.

Blake:Shiva? So...it’s a multiple personality?

Weiss:We don’t know. There’s so many inconsistencies. We got her checked up by the best and every test was normal. Her brain looks normal. But any time Shiva comes out, her blood turns blue and all she wants to do is hurt us. Shiva and Summer are even aware of each other now. There’s almost no day where Summer doesn’t hear Shiva in her head, wrestling for control. Between that, people at school who hate her, the scars, everything; Summer has become pretty reserved. She barely wants to go to school and she’s depressed most days. Nowadays she doesn’t open up about it outside of therapy. I...I can connect with her. Not in the way that matters.

Yang:I...shit, I don’t know what to say to that.

Weiss:That’s okay, few do. We’ve gotten good at preventing situations that get Summer cold but it’s through trial and error on something we know nothing about. Even with how far we’ve gotten, there’s a looming fear in everyone’s heart. Make no mistake though, that doesn’t stop any family from loving her with everything, but the mental strain of it all is more than anyone should deal with. Nick is kind soul. He blames himself for this and is constantly doing all he can to be there for everyone and put on this brave face, but he suffers inside. For a time, he went to therapy. Your sister almost killing you is a visceral experience. Getting him to sleep and take a break is like telling a fish not to swim. He is pretty open about this though, which helps a lot. It’s just...how do convince somehow they’re good enough when they think they’re not?

Ruby and Blake:You can’t....

Weiss:Exactly. It’s so...*tearing up* How am I failing at helping my kids worse than my own mother?

Yang:And that’s where I draw the line. *stands up* Now I can’t begin to fathom dealing with a a situation like this, and what I’m about to say is gonna be a little hypocritical but I really don’t care. Weiss, the last thing you are is a bad mother. I could tell immediately from the way you are that there hasn’t been a single as a parent that you haven’t made a choice without your kids in mind. I get feeling like there’s a gap that disconnects you from there; but the fact you keep your arms stretched out to bridge it makes you mother of the year in my eyes! Don’t believe for a second you’re a bad mother. Your the gold standard!

The room filled with silence for a moment. Weiss felt a lump form in her throat as she fought back tears that she eventually had to wipe away. She tried letting out a small laugh, but with it came more tears that ran down her face. Weiss couldn’t tell if it was from Yang’s words, or the stress. All she knew was that right now, she felt very thankful for being here.

Weiss:Damn it Yang, making me cry is something you’ve always been good at. Maybe that’s why I look up to you so much?

Yang:*red* Y-You what?

Weiss:My Yang, I downplayed just how much I adore her. Her daughter, Veronica, she’s got her fair share problems that stresses Yang out, but I never see her stop trying to connect with her. Even when she’s sad it’s like it’s only for a second, then you’re trying twice as hard. It’s amazing. If I’m being honest, and this is embarrassing, but I kinda picked up a mother from you. You’ve always been a bit motherly.

Ruby:She’s right.

Blake:Mom energy since day one.

Yang:Really? *rubs head* I was just being myself. Never really thought about it. Now then, wipe those tears! It’s upsetting that you look pretty why you cry. Meanwhile I look like a hot mess, and not in the fun way.

Weiss:*wiping face* Oh please, I don’t wanna hear that from someone who’s never needed make up. Those genes of your went to Veronica. Kids a genuine beauty. She’s just angry all the time.

Yang:Yeah that sounds appropriate... Weird to think I have a daughter that’s not Yujin. Wish I could see her.

Blake:Me too. Though I think I’d be overwhelmed seeing all my different kids. I’d probably want them all.

Ruby:My hands are full with ones I have and I wouldn’t say I’m juggling them well, so I don’t need other kids from universes. I’d be so stressed.

Weiss:Especially if they’re violent.

Ruby:Yeah, that would bad....

Weiss:Phew, I do feel a bit better. Even though I said all those things, my family still had good times. It’s not tense and we joke around like everyone else. As a family, we’re happy. We just have shit we gotta sort through.

Blake:Rich or poor, life has certain things that hit everyone. Is Jaune doing well.

Weiss:Yeah, he gets through to Summer pretty well, and he’s typically calm when it comes to giving guidance. He had his fears, but that’s why I’m here. We confide in each other.

Blake:May you and everyone else find a light at the end of the tunnel.

Ruby:Hey Weiss. Does....actually, never mind. Forget it.

Yang:We both know that’s not happening. Spit it out.

Ruby:I was just about Shiva. I’ve encountered weird things in my world, but this is unique. I was wondering if you have any positive experience with her.

Weiss:Not a single one. Here since of enjoyment in the displeasure of my children is a thing we disagree on. Though....her eyes, they do throw me off. For some reason, they don’t match her joy.

Blake:Maybe that part is still Summer. Eyes are the window to the soul and all that jazz.

Weiss:Maybe? I hope the kids are okay right now. I wonder what they’re up to?

xxxxx

Summer:WHAT’S UP VALE!!!!!!!!

A massive crowd screams “what’s up Summer”in excitement. Flashing lights and chanting fans’s voices make the sold out venue shake with their passion. Summer can only bask in it. There’s no better feeling than when she’s on stage. She looks to herself excitedly. This one was extra special. Nick comes out on stage with a base around him and a second microphone.

Nick:WE CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!!

The crowd chants louder. Summer responds by starting a rift on her guitar. She faces Nick with a smug look. Yes, having him on stage is always a joy, but that didn’t mean Summer wanted him hindering or stealing the show.

Summer:Well look who’s here!? Atlas’s favorite son! Think you’re ready to play with the kids up here. This isn’t your normal stage.

Nick smiled. He responded by playing the bass and letting the audience speak for him. Summer was chessing fool. Slowly she bopped up and down, urging him to do the same. It wasn’t long before they in sync. Drums, piano, and other background musicians began building up the tune as planned. The twins whipped around to face the crowd.

🎶Get down! We won't let you go!

This time, can you bring us down?

Back up! fly far through the sky

BLACK ROVER!

Let's go! All together now

And at last this world can't slow us down

For now, let's dye it all in black

BLACK ROVER!🎶

The two stood back to back...

🎶As more join and stand beside me,

The void doesn't feel so empty!!!!!

I know there is much more in store

Let's open that door -!🎶

Nick looked over his shoulder and saw Summer doing the same thing. This was gonna be one for the books. Jaune watched from backstage with one of the stagehands.

Stagehand:Should we tell them to save their energy? This charity event is six hours.

Jaune:Nah, let them have fun.

#rwby #rwby au #ruby rose #weiss schnee #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #rwby whiteknight #nicholas schnee #summer schnee #rwby twin snowflakes #jaune arc #the void

143 notes · View notes

johannas-motivational-insults · 5 years ago

Text

“Friendship” in the Horde

Season 4 raised some interesting questions about how people who grew up in the Horde define friendship. Kyle claimed that his squadmates were his friends, despite how we've seen them bully him, and Scorpia admitted she didn’t even know how to be a good friend. We also saw further developments in Catra and Lonnie’s dynamic that have some interesting implications about their bond, both past and present. However, while these themes became more explicit this season, they are hardly new. The Horde worldbuilding is really quite brilliant, as the writers have been laying the foundation for these revelations by showcasing certain patterns since season one.

This got a little lengthy on me, but there was a lot to consider. The lack of healthy emotional expression and relationship modelling is one obvious problem in the Horde, but the hostile environment has also led to some very specific power dynamics and social structures. These structures, while potentially helpful in hostile environments, are maladaptive in terms of fostering healthy relationships. Ultimately, every character who grew up in the Horde is emotionally crippled. (I’m not even going into Adora, an excellent example, because her repression and communication problems are well-documented and I wanted to focus on characters still in this environment.)

Scorpia

Let’s start with Scorpia. Her revelation that she doesn’t understand what friendship is was a big moment for her, but for those of us who have been watching closely, it’s no big surprise. Scorpia was so desperate for a meaningful connection that she latched onto the first person who showed any signs of considering her a friend, ignoring all the red flags indicating that the relationship was not healthy. Actually, she didn’t ignore them so much as not recognize them, because she didn’t even know what a healthy relationship looks like. To her, the fact that Catra invited her to her room and chose her to accompany her on a mission was enough for her to dub them the Superpal Duo.

Of course, we all know how that went for her. She continued to support Catra unconditionally despite the latter’s tendency to use Scorpia as her emotional punching bag. They did settle into a somewhat more reciprocal and caring relationship after Scorpia saved Catra against her orders during 2x05, proving that Catra was more important to her than the mission (even if that wasn’t what Catra thought she wanted). It’s sad when you think about it, because that was probably the first time Catra ever experienced her wellbeing being prioritized above all else.

Unfortunately, the revelation that Shadow Weaver had gone running back to Adora after betraying her triggered a trauma response and made her clam up again, lashing out at Scorpia and shutting her out even though she had done nothing to betray her trust. It took Catra blatantly attacking and insulting Scorpia when she failed to bring back Entrapta’s recordings (and some well timed reality checks from Emily) for Scorpia to realize that Catra was being a bad friend and she couldn’t win her over by being a good friend.

And actually, Scorpia’s confession in 4x10 that she “thought” she was being a good friend to Catra implies that she had since realized that she wasn’t actually being a good friend to Catra either. She knows the scorpions were a loyal people and she ascribes to that ideal, and she has so much love to give and always tries so hard to be positive, but not setting boundaries with people or demanding a measure of basic respect does nothing for them or you. Also, you can’t ignore the fact that Scorpia forced her affections on Catra, inserting herself into Catra’s life in a way that made her uncomfortable, and continued to ignore Catra’s attempts at setting boundaries with her (which is also very disrespectful). While Catra was certainly the aggressor, she was not the only one who failed in this partnership.

Let’s go back for a moment to Scorpia’s earliest indication that Catra might want to be her friend, when she confides in her and enlists her help coming up with and then executing a plan. Being chosen as Catra’s wingman seems to be important here, and perhaps she was wilfully ignoring how she was the only person who could make Catra’s plan work, but being confided in and trusted was huge to her. And since Horde soldiers are so used to being used, they don’t see it as a red flag. Catra actually flat out said Scorpia was the only person she could trust. How could a lonely gay not interpret that as a sign of being special to someone?

The squad

The importance of trust also becomes evident when considering the interactions among the main squad. Loyalty seems to be paramount in the Horde, not just the scorpion kingdom. Adora defecting to the Rebellion and leaving her squad behind was seen as a huge betrayal, and not just by Catra. Did anyone else want to cry when Lonnie struck back at Adora with “we were your friends” in 1x09? Lonnie was deeply hurt by Adora’s abandonment, feeding into her disillusionment with the Horde. Similarly, when Double Trouble revealed they had double-crossed Catra, her devastated reaction was not that her plans were ruined, but that they had betrayed her. That no doubt was also related to her previous betrayals, but also serves to highlight the importance of loyalty in their subculture.

While all the Horde characters were interesting to watch this season when it came to the themes of friendship, the arc was most pronounced in Lonnie. As I’ve mentioned previously, Scorpia had a short arc over one episode where her rosy worldview was destroyed, causing her to leave (much like Adora), while Lonnie was already a cynic who was aware of the Horde’s imperfections and had to go through more extreme hardships to detach from this unhappy but familiar environment (much like Catra, we hope).

Though she and the boys didn’t leave the Horde until the finale, her disillusionment was already evident in her first episode this season. After Catra berated them for something that wasn’t their fault and demanded they risk their lives to fix it (big Hordak energy), she had her first big revelation: “Catra doesn’t care about us, Adora left us. Everything they taught us in the Horde about loyalty is meaningless. It’s everyone for themselves.” In the next episode, she was frustrated by Scorpia’s naïve enthusiasm and trust in Catra, but it took a big blow up between her and Catra for her to finally decide she was done with her, done with the Horde in general.

Kyle represents a sort of middle ground between Lonnie and Scorpia in terms of outlook. He was not treated well in the Horde, but still believed in the ideals of loyalty and squad unity. He wanted to believe Catra had sent them out on a mission into the Whispering Woods because she trusted them and wanted it to be a team-building exercise. His take on it was: “She may be mean, but we’ve always had each other’s backs. Ever since we were kids.” He saw the squad as his family, including Catra (and previously Adora). It took Catra baring her claws and threatening to attack Lonnie outside of a battle sim for him to lose faith in her.

Bullying, the pecking order, and squad unity

As is clear by this point, the Horde defections this season were driven by Catra mistreating the others, but we can’t lose sight of how mistreatment is a fact of daily life in the Horde. And as I mentioned above with Lonnie, it’s those who were most aware of and desensitized to the mistreatment who had the hardest time naming it and leaving the toxic environment. Call it Stockholm Syndrome, call it the sunk cost fallacy, but either way once you’ve submitted to a system that dehumanizes you, it’s hard to admit that that system is wrong and leave it for a better life. Scorpia and Adora grew up somewhat privileged in the Horde in that they were destined for greatness, so they were never abused overtly and they had a level of protection from power-hungry cadets looking to claw their way to the top of the heap. They were already at the top and couldn’t be taken down, so they didn’t have to bully or be bullied.

The importance of pecking order is much more evident when considering people like Kyle, Catra, and Lonnie. Within their squad, Kyle is obviously the omega of the gang (get your heads out of the gutter, that is not what I mean), the one who gets blamed for everything that goes wrong and is constantly getting picked on. Lonnie shits on him, Catra shits on him, and even Rogelio gives him shit and goes along with the blame game. Despite all this, Kyle considers them his friends, his family.

This starts to make sense when you consider it in terms of intra vs. extra squad relations. Maybe the squad didn’t show Kyle any respect or treat him with kindness, but they did protect him in battle sims (sometimes lol) and rescue him from the spore storm. You also kind of get the impression that although they bullied him and asserted their dominance on the regs, they would protect him if other people tried to hurt him. You might say he’s the pet of the gang – he has no power within the structure and it may not be pleasant, but the structure still offers advantages. Having allies was still good for him even if he was at the bottom of the pecking order within the alliance.

Through a sociology lens, you might say the squad (and the Horde in general, given it’s a military society) follows the stereotypical male model of friend groups with clear pecking orders that everyone buys into (with exceptions for blatant power struggles), as opposed to the stereotypical female model that appears less hostile and more cooperative outwardly but involves a lot of underhanded infighting. (Obviously those are broad generalizations and it can be argued how much of it is nature vs. nurture, but they are observable patterns that boys and girls are socialized into in many human societies.) This ties in interestingly to @jaelav3‘s observations about masculinity equating to strength and femininity equating to power in the Horde (a meta she really needs to write, because it’s brilliant). The hostility of the Horde forces soldiers into these rigid pecking orders in order to find protection in a dangerous place. When everyone knows and accepts their role, it is easier for the squad to function in a unified manner and protect each other, even if it’s at the cost of their mental and emotional health.

Now, when not everybody buys into the pecking order or it’s ambiguous, and/or if there’s a sudden power vacuum, that’s when things get interesting…

Catra and Lonnie, the perfect case study

Catra also suffered a lot of bullying and abuse in the Horde, but in a very different way than Kyle. She was in a unique and kind of contradictory position where she was somewhat protected by her close friendship with Adora, but she was also Shadow Weaver’s favourite chew toy and everyone knew it, which made her a target as well. If Shadow Weaver abused her, she wasn’t going to care if the other cadets abused her as well. Catra’s defensive body language and general distrustfulness and hostility gives the impression that she was bullied behind Adora’s back and Shadow Weaver turned a blind eye, perhaps even encouraged it.

This was all illustrated in 1x03, when Catra and Lonnie butted heads and Catra was forced to back down when two other cadets backed up Lonnie, then Lonnie told her to watch it because Adora wasn’t around to protect her anymore. That one line alone told so much of their story. This was also one of the few times we saw cadets using people from other squads to affect their own squad’s dynamics, as – like I said – that seems to be kept mostly in-house. It may have had something to do with Lonnie’s overall standing among the cadets or how Kyle and Rogelio rank lower in their little hierarchy and seem uninterested in getting involved with the power politics, but I digress.

The argument itself was meaningless, really - the whole thing was a pissing contest, an attempt to assert dominance within their squad’s sudden power vacuum. Lonnie fancied herself the new leader of the squad, and she ended up getting her wish in a backwards way when Catra was promoted out of the squad and given official power over her. Catra, of course, took every opportunity to rub this in Lonnie’s face, perpetuating the cycle of abuse she’d fallen victim to.

The reason they had a power struggle in the first place wasn’t just because Adora left, it was because their pecking order was previously unclear. Catra wasn’t very cooperative and tended to go rogue, so she didn’t slot nicely into the power structure. She was also perceived as lazy, as she had adopted an air of nonchalance once she realized she’d never get the recognition or praise so easily heaped on Adora. (Why try when failing hurts so much?) That being said, she was Adora’s best friend and basically her sidekick, so in a way that made her second-in-command of the squad.

On the other hand, Lonnie was devoted to the squad and was always around to provide tangible support, so she was also kind of Adora’s second-in-command. Combined with her harder work ethic, this also gave her a very legitimate claim to the throne. She was obviously pissed when her teammate she saw as a lazy asshat got promoted, but to her credit she lived up to her own personal ethics, buying in and not pushing back against Catra’s authority until late in season 4.

Despite the power struggle, however, Catra and Lonnie do seem to have a bond. Even if they don’t like each other, they have a certain level of trust in each other. When the princesses invaded the Fright Zone in 3x04 and shit started to go sideways, the first person Catra was looking for to try to get support and/or answers was Lonnie. Then in 4x10 when she was starting to lose her mind amid a lack of sleep and Scorpia’s defection, she pulled Lonnie aside and demanded to know what was going on among the soldiers, what they thought of her.

This was an incredibly interesting scene with some deep implications. Because while it was on one hand an expression of trust in Lonnie, it was also an acknowledgement that Lonnie was one of her bullies and held clout among the people who have demeaned and abused her in the past. It also showed that Catra still has social anxiety and her sense of social power (as opposed to power in terms of rank) is very fragile, which is extremely characteristic of a bullying victim. Also, the fact that Catra said, “Just leave. Like everybody else.” implied that Lonnie leaving would hurt her emotionally, which is rather illuminating.

As for Lonnie, her loyalty meant she bought into the system and expected to Catra to do her job running the place, taking care of the Horde. And Catra certainly succeeded early on, taking territory and increasing productivity. In return, Lonnie was a loyal and obedient soldier, even if she never hesitated to give Catra a bit of attitude. But she became frustrated in season 4 when Catra went on her sunk cost fallacy spiral and ended up making things worse for everyone else as well as herself. This failure was a huge betrayal to Lonnie, and it’s important to note that she wouldn’t feel betrayed or disappointed if she had expected nothing of Catra in the first place. It’s one thing to be kind of a dick about your superior rank, another entirely to endanger your squad/friends (or anyone you are responsible for, really) and run them into the ground as a remedy for your own anxiety.

The breaking point of course was the scene in the locker room in 4x12, when a lonely Catra tried to be “friends” with the squad again and was briefly successful in mending fences a little until she snapped at Kyle and then at Lonnie, calling them pathetic. This prompted Lonnie to shove her, which in turn made Catra bare her claws and rush Lonnie. There was really no coming back from that, even though Kyle intervened before anyone got hurt.

As an aside, Kyle stepping up in this scene was amazing - this season in general was everything I wanted for him. And it’s important that it was him who intervened, because he was really the only one who could ask Catra, “We used to be your friends, why are you treating us like this?” It makes perfect sense for Catra to push back at Lonnie given their history, but Kyle doesn’t have a history of bullying Catra (quite the opposite). And wow, it had an impact on Catra. You could just see the confusion and regret on her face before she brings back the façade of anger and kicks them out.

When the squad left the Horde, Lonnie said that they were done protecting Catra. This assertion is interesting, given their checkered past – since when was anyone protecting Catra? Lonnie bullied her, and none of them protected Catra from Shadow Weaver, not even Adora (though bless her heart, she tried). But this does make some sense when you consider how much of the idea of friendship is based on loyalty, and how important that adherence to the structure is for protection. In Lonnie’s mind, even if Catra was now their commander, they were still a unit in a way. And she saw standing by and obeying Catra to be a form of protection, helping her stay respected and carry out her plans. Lonnie is a good support person, and by removing her support, she was in a way removing her protection as well.

(After the series is over I might just go all out and do a huge-ass meta about Catra and Lonnie through the seasons. I am absolutely fascinated by this relationship, if you can’t tell.)

Allyship

Overall, you can’t help but get the impression that the Horde’s version of friendship is more akin to allyship. It’s protection, unity, loyalty. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t get emotionally attached, it’s more that how you feel about someone is less important than what that relationship can do for you. That’s why Scorpia doesn’t even understand what friendship is. That’s why Catra tolerates “friends” who annoy her, because they’re useful to her (not that she doesn’t get attached in time, but that’s not why she tolerates them in the first place).

Catra’s one of the few people in the Horde who has experienced real friendship, as her bond with Adora was much more emotional than practical (even if it was both). And that explains why she eventually lashed out at Scorpia and said they were not friends when clearly they were by the Horde’s definition. Her and Adora really had taken the friends thing to a different level, and she was missing that dearly.

It will be interesting to watch the interactions between the Horde characters when they are thrown back together in new circumstances, out of the Horde’s rigid power structure. Honestly, the redefining of these alliances and friendships is one of the things I am most looking forward to in the final season.

#spop #she-ra #she ra #meta #the horde #catralonnie #scorptra #catradora #horde squad #catra #scorpia #lonnie #kyle #rogelio #adora #bullying #abuse #sociology

720 notes · View notes

inkyjaguar · 4 years ago

Text

The History Of George Lore

Okay, so this is the history of George Lore in my fic The King’s Final Battle . This is the first character sheet that I plan on making for all the characters. I’m not an artist so please use your imagination of what he would look like!

George was born in the town of Camarvan in Wheat Valley to some (you guessed it) wheat farmers. Unfortunately, he was an only child and from what he remembers of his parents, they weren’t as present in his life than Sapnap’s parents (his best friend) or his aunts and uncles were. When he was 10, his parents slipped into a mysterious coma out of the blue and died in their sleep. He then lived out the rest of his childhood with his aunt and uncle.

Now, George was diagnosed with narcolepsy at a young age and it was common to send him out into the field to work only for him to return back hours later than normal because he fell asleep while working. That didn’t stop him from playing with his friends and having a great childhood.

His friends growing up were Sapnap, Punz, Alyssa, Callahan, and Purpled. He knew about Tommy and his friends but they were very rude to them so George didn’t pay much attention to them. One day, he woke up from sleeping in the field and met a kid his age with a strange mask on him. The new kid was very curious and though George didn’t like him at first, they grew to be great friends in their group; adding Dream to his list of childhood friends at 13.

In the town of Camarvan, there was always contention concerning the state of the kingdom. The king was known as the “puppet king” because he was considered useless. When George was 17 a sorcerer named Wilbur Soot started a business that brought a lot of that tension to a peak. Wilbur had gathered a significant portion of the village to follow him and his ideals of a new country. George didn’t care much about this new ‘country’ even though Dream seemed really upset by it. George fell asleep one afternoon and when he woke up, he found his village raided by Wilbur Soot’s followers. The followers had stolen potion ingredients and while he had slept, Sapnap, Dream, Purpled, Punz, Tubbo and Eret had retaliated for what the followers did.

That was the start of the L’Manberg Revolution.

Wilbur’s nation split off into the woods around Camarvan and set up camp. Before the puppet king could send troops to help the war, Dream gathered an army of the remaining villagers (George included) to stop this revolution while they could. There were many trench battles and sneak attacks that George participated in with his friends but ultimately, he slept through most of the major battles like the Burning of the Wheat Crops and the slaughter of Alyssa when she was caught burning the woods around the Revolution.

During the final battle, George thought for sure that they were going to win and that L’Manberg would be history after Eret betrayed them. Dream had easily bested Tommy (who wasn’t even old enough to work in the field yet) in the duel, but Tommy pulled Dream aside and they made a deal. George didn’t know what that deal was, but Dream came out saying that L’Manberg was its own state within the Esempe Kingdom.

And when the puppet king came with his knights, the king said the same and announced that he would be stepping down from the throne for his long lost younger brother, Eret. King Eret quickly invited George and all his friends to the castle to be trained as official knights for the bravery they showed in the L’Manberg Revolution. George was quick to accept and even quicker to dismiss the L’Manbergians who were also invited.

For the next few years, George trained with his friends to become knights. However, he fell behind in training and progression mostly due to him sleeping through practices. His narcolepsy got worse as time wore on to where he was missing half of the day to one of his sleeping episodes. He always had the most boring dreams as well; sitting in a cream box with nothing in it but him. Sometimes, Dream would be there but mostly, he wasn’t.

While Sapnap became a Captain of the Guards in a year, George was assigned to be a personal guard for King Eret. George was extremely mad about this assignment but all his old Camarvan friends were not around to hear him complain. The only person who he could talk to, was Dream.

Now, George didn’t know what Dream’s role was in the castle, because he didn’t train with the rest of the knights but he was able to just walk in and talk with King Eret whenever he wanted. Dream always had time to talk to George though and even encouraged him to take advantage of his new position of being around court members. Geroge couldn’t stand Wilbur and Squire Tommy but he did become best friends with another squire Quackity.

When George was 19, Quackity woke him up and asked him to be his running mate for the representative seat of L’Manberg. George eagerly took that title and helped campaign with Quackity. He was finally getting recognized for his talents and skills but after the final debate with Wilbur and Tommy, the two approach him and ask him to step away from the election in exchange for him to be on their council once they get reelected. George is tempted but dismisses them after Tommy insults Dream. He finds Dream later to report this to him and falls asleep before he can get everything out.

The next time George wakes up, it’s been a full day and the elections are over. He had slept through the entire thing. That had never happened to him before. Still groggy, he’s told that Schlatt (an old sorcerer turned politician) has won with Quackity, and that George, Tubbo and Fundy are on their council but that Wilbur and Tommy have been exiled. Confused and concerned about the growing rate of his sleeping episodes, Tubbo and Quackity send him to Philza, the Court Sorcerer, for advice. Philza advises him to head to The Badlands (a neighboring kingdom) for treatment and Dream advises him to do the same.

George heads to The Badlands and stumbles on the Pogtopia rebellion while he does so. He sends a letter back to Philza about his son before starting to get treatment from the Court Sorcerer there; Antfrost. Antfrost makes a break through and finds out that George has a sleeping curse that is similar to one made in an ancient civilization called The Eggpire. This curse makes whoever holds it and those binded together by blood and magic degrade until they fall asleep forever at the age of 30; like what happened to George’s parents. That is all they learn about until one day, George gets overwhelmed with magical energy and falls into a coma. In this coma he finds Dream (like all the other times he has fallen asleep) and tells him about his worries. Dream doesn’t take it like George thought he would. Dream is happy that one day George will be able to spend forever with him in this dream cube. He wakes up a week later to learn that George’s sleeping curse now has a ticking time bomb that will put him into an eternal sleep by the age of 21.

Hearing this shocks George and he wonders why he has less time than his parents did, but he goes back to the Esempe Kingdom to live his life to the fullest before he dies. Antfrost and Ambassador BadBoyHalo promise to continue their research in case they find anything more. George comes back to Dream calling him into the throne room and crowning him king in front of everyone. While George loves this new opportunity, he can’t help but let his feelings of frustration leak onto the awake!Dream after what sleeping!Dream said when George slipped into the coma.

With all this power at the age of 20, George tries his hardest to be the best, neutral king he can but everything changes when Technoblade, the Commander of the Army, tries to kill him in the name of Pogtopia. He is sure that he died but he wakes up after passing out to find that Dream is the only one to step in and save him. George feels horrible for being mean to awake!Dream after everything he has done for him. He tries to thank Dream, but Dream feels guilty about putting George on the throne and tries to make him step down. George refuses and so Dream makes him agree to the Esempe fighting against Pogtopia. George also refuses because he wants to remain neutral but before he can say another word, Dream grabs his head and he falls asleep only to realize that Dream could control when George had a sleeping episode this entire time.

George wakes up a couple days later and fights out that Dream lead the Esempe knights and representatives of The Badlands to fight against Pogtopia with Manberg. George is furious with Dream and tries to arrest him when he gets back from the fight only for Dream to have disappeared from amongst the troops. Wilbur is dead, Technoblade and Dream have run after betraying both sides, and Tubbo has stepped up to be the new representative at the age of 17.

George continues to rule and has mysterious meetings with Dream in and out of his sleeping hours where their feelings get confused after drunken kisses. Still, he is declining in health and falls asleep for a week. After he wakes up, he finds out that Camarvan has been burned to the ground by Tommy. Tommy swears that it wasn’t him and that he was possessed by whatever was in these records he has had posession of for the past 6 years. George looks at the records and finds a familiar symbol that Antfrost had shown him when looking at the old records about his sleeping curse.

To make up for burning their home, Geoge demands that the LManberg cabinet go with him to help him break his sleeping curse. The crew sets out together and Dream joins them. They approach old ruins near Camarvan and find an enderman hybrid tending to the ruins of Camarvan. The enderman helps in translating some of the words in the ruins where Tommy had found the records and Dream reacts weirdly to the place. When George tries to help him around this fit, Dream says that if George’s breaks his curse, Dream would make him pay. George continues on with his plan and is able to break his curse with the help of the others and with the help of the ancient lab they found.

They all come back to the castle to find that Dream has reinstated Eret on the throne. As King Eret’s first decree, he exiles Tommy. George is furious and confronts Dream with Sapnap. Dream won’t stand down and so George leaves to make a new state named El Rapids with Karl, Sapnap, and Quackity.

Even after George has left, Dream still visits him in his dreams, but he’s different now. This Dream doesn’t wear the mask and is more kind and confused. George gets the feeling that something is going on with Dream and sends a letter to Antfrost for help.

After a year of establishing the new nation, and secretly planning Dream’s downfall with the L’Manberg cabinet, the second festival of L’Manberg happens. George shows up as a representative of El Rapids and the festival is attacked by Technoblade, Tommy and Dream. The three blow up L’Manberg and George and Sapnap fight Dream on the battlements. George brings up who the mysterious person is in his dreams and sees a physical switch in Dream. For a split second, a new person comes out and they plead with George to save them. After that cry, Dream slips the mask back on and runs away from George.

Tommy is brought back to his senses and he swears that he was possessed again. George gets a letter back from Antfrost inviting him to come research with him. George agrees and asks Tubbo to also research here for them after the bombing opened up a crypt covered in the same language that the ancient lab George was cured in was covered with. George discovers the existence of dreamons in The Badlands and watches as Dream is escorted into the prison here in The Badlands by the Warden Sam.

Convinced that something is happening with Dream, George goes to visit him where Dream tries desperately to convince him that dreamons don’t exist. George won’t believe him and Dream tries to seduce him as a way to prove to distract George. However, George reacts with disgust and knocks Dream away from him. The mysterious second person comes back for a split second and George is able to see that he had not imagined anything at the second festival.

George convinces Sam to let George take Dream with him to the ruins where they can find a way to exorcise him. Tubbo sends word of a book that could potentially help them and George escorts Dream back to the Esempe. Dream fights the whole way and desperately pleads with George not to exorcise him and it pains George to watch him scream in agony as the exorcism takes place. However, the whole time the exorcism happens, George is the only one conscious after everyone reacts as if being burned by fire and pass out.

After the exorcism, George finds the new person and starts to bring him back to health.

Everything after that is Clay rehabiliating, George establishing peace, Clay remembering and atoning for the sins of Dream and a happy ending. Except not, because George gets kidnapped by DreamXD.

I know this is long but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

#thekingsfinalbattle #georgenotfound #dream smp #dreamwastaken #dreamxd #dnf

21 notes · View notes

raviotherabbit · 3 years ago

Text

royal pain in the ass- chapter 6

Chapter 6: Era of the Great Sea Captain Tetra saves some castaways.

[first] - [previous] - [next] read it on ao3!

△ ▲△

There was just something about Outset Island.

Tetra hated pretty much everything about it. The people there were soft, even the fishermen who spent their days hunting down the monsters of the sea. Everyone was preoccupied with their simple lives. Rearing their children, washing their clothes and hanging them to dry, playing with wooden swords…

They all went on like this, day after day, as though a great and powerful kingdom did not lay in ruins, miles below the sea.

But still, some little part of Tetra couldn’t help but want it. She wanted that simple life, to live without a care in the world. The burden on her shoulders was heavy, but the time she’d spent on Link’s little island, where nobody needed anything from her, had lifted it.

So when she found Link on Outset, of all places, well… that just sweetened the deal, didn’t it?

Rats… Wind was his name, now, wasn’t it? At least for now it was.

The best part of Outset, though, had to be the woods. The Forest of Fairies was quiet these days, which perhaps made it all the more ideal in Tetra’s opinion. She never got a second alone on her ship, not truly, but she could here.

Gently, she placed a hand on one of the trees, tracing the grooves in its bark. She was familiar with this one. When the Helmaroc King dropped her, it was this tree that she fell into, the branches snagging on her clothes. And then she met Wind.

Goddesses, where would she be without Wind? If this one, special, stupid kid hadn’t found her that day. Part of her wanted to think she could have taken Ganondorf on her own, and that was the part of her she let control the narrative.

Still, the Forest of Fairies was beautiful. Tetra could only hope their new home would have places half as pretty. With its cool breeze rustling fallen leaves, the ever-present smell of fresh dew, and gentle harp strumming…

Wait. Who the hell was playing the harp up here?!

Her good mood thoroughly ruined, Tetra followed the sound of the harp. Eventually, she came upon one of the heroes, sitting at the forest’s cliff.

What was his name? Cloud? No, that’s close, but not right… What’s a Hero of the Clouds, anyway? That sounded stupid. Hero of the Sun? Hero of the… Wind? No wait-

Sky! It’s Sky!

Yikes, though. Sky didn’t look so good. He kept plucking at the strings of his harp, but each time he only made it a few notes in before wincing. There were dark circles under his eyes, which kept darting up towards his clear, blue namesake with desperation.

Tetra almost left right then and there.

But there was a voice in the back of her head, one that sounded a bit like Wind, a bit like an old king. A princess would try to help her people.

Ugh. Fine. This would be a good practice run, anyway.

“Hey, buddy,” Tetra awkwardly tried to put on her cheerful princess voice. “What’s- what’s up?”

Sky looked back at her, almost no emotion on his face. “Oh, Zelda.”

“It’s Tetra,” she responded instinctively, mentally cringing at her own bluntness. She’s trying to be nice now!

“Right, Tetra,” Sky nodded, as if reminding himself. “I have a question for you.”

“Alright, I can answer questions.” Tetra took a seat next to Sky, letting her legs dangle off the cliff’s edge. “What do you want to know?”

“Your Hyrule,” he gestured towards the Great Sea, expanding as far as the eye could see. “How did it come to be this way?”

Right, this guy’s the first one. “Well, Ganondorf was sealed in the Evil Realm,” she started.

“Then what happened?”

“He broke free. The people of Hyrule, they prayed to the Goddesses to save them from his wrath, and-” Tetra swallowed. “And they flooded the land.”

For a moment, Sky was silent. His grip on his harp was tight, and for a moment, Tetra was concerned he’d break it. It was such a nice piece of treasure, after all, and it’d be a shame if it were harmed.

Finally, he spoke again. “How many died?”

“What?” Tetra almost shouted, certain she’d misheard him.

“When the flood came, how many died?” Sky reiterated, his gaze focused on the waves lapping at Outset’s shore.

“I- I don’t…” she sputtered helplessly. “I don’t know.”

“This is the legacy I’ve left the world,” Sky said. “What did their blind faith bring them?”

△ ▲△

Standing on the stern of her ship, Captain Tetra takes in a deep breath and sighs. There’s nothing like the open ocean, is there? Cutting through the waves, the smell of salt in the night air…

With Wind gone on his little hero quest, searching for new land has taken a backseat. He would kill her if she even thought about founding her kingdom without him there by her side. Well, at least try to. They both know who would really win that fight.

But it’s not so bad. New Hyrule can wait, Tetra has a chance to focus on some of her own passions.

“Captain!” It’s Gonzo, Tetra’s right-hand man. He stops a few feet behind her. “We’ve spotted the Ghost Ship at Greatfish Isle!”

Like hunting down and destroying every last Ghost Ship on the high fucking seas.

“Excellent.” Tetra smirks. “Alter course for Greatfish. We’re going to destroy some undead tonight.”

“Uh, that’s just it, Captain,” Gonzo says. “There’s people on the island, yeah? And they’re fighting the monsters!”

“What?!” Tetra snaps back towards her subordinate. “Who would be stupid enough to fight a Ghost Ship?!”

△ ▲△

Of course, the second they noticed the ship, that’s when the undead started jumping onto their islet.

“Get it off get it off get it off get it off!” Flora desperately shouts as, using the Magnesis Rune, she slams the shield from Artemis down onto the Stalfos that has an iron-tight grip on her ankle.

“Flora, use the shield!” Dusk shouts over her shoulder, focused more on parrying off the sword of a Stalfos. In the same swift movement, she drives her rapier cleanly into its skull. As much as Artemis hates to admit it, Dusk is good. “Don’t make it a mallet!”

“She knows what she’s doing!” Artemis contends, just as her sword meets the lantern of a poe. “She doesn’t need you telling her what to do!”

“Now isn’t the time for arguing with each other!” Sun’s exasperation drips off her words. She’s just barely able to duck, dodging a swing from a Stalfos. On the ground, she kicks a leg out, knocking the walking skeleton off its feet.

Artemis’s eye twitches, and she snaps back around in anger. “I’m just saying-!”

But that moment of distraction was just a smidge too much. The Poe rises behind her, raising its glowing hand, preparing for the one, fatal strike. But before Flora can even gasp, or Sun can yell for her to watch out-

BANG!

The Poe’s lantern shatters, and with an agonizing shriek, it disappears.

There’s another ship in the water, bearing a red and white sail with two crossed swords. And there, gripping onto a rope as she leans off the bowsprit, is Tetra, the barrel of her gun smoking.

“Tetra!” Artemis could breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank the Goddess you’re here!”

Tetra blinks, taken aback for a moment. “Queenie?! I thought the Time War was over!”

“Fight now, talk later!” Sun shouts over the Stalfos she has in a headlock.

Tetra nods, tilting her head back towards her ship. “Boys! Lend them a hand!”

At her word, a crew of men lapel down from the ship and into the shallow waters. With their cutlasses drawn, they begin slicing away at the Poes and Stalfos attacking the stranded ladies.

Tetra sharply whistles, catching Artemis’s attention. “Queenie, take your best, leave the other two behind! We’re boarding that ship!”

Artemis bites her cheek. Her best, huh?

Well, there was no doubt about which of them had the most training.

“Dusk!” she cups her mouth as she yells.

And Dusk almost instantaneously freezes, her rapier dropping slightly as she looks at Artemis, her eyes wide.

“Come with me to the ship!” Artemis points towards the Ghost Ship. “We need you!”

For a moment, a very brief one, Dusk doesn’t react. Then, she smirks, a smugness only a queen could have.

“It’s about time,” she says.

△ ▲△

The second they step into the Ghost Ship’s hull, Dusk’s nose wrinkles. “I can practically feel the dust in the air.”

The whole interior of the ship seems to be filled with smog, solidifying the undead ambience. Its wooden walls groan as it’s rocked by the sea, giving off the same eerie blue lighting it had on the outside. Below them, on the ship’s bottom, were monsters. Poes and ReDeads.

“We need to get back there,” Tetra gestures towards the back of the ship with her cutlass. “Once we take the treasure, the ship will disappear.”

“Right, because you’re pirates,” Dusk crosses her arms. “Remind me how you two know each other, again?”

Artemis and Tetra exchange a glance. “The War Across the Ages,” the former explains. “We recruited many individuals adrift from their own eras.”

“But pirates? Really?” Dusk gestures to Tetra with a hand.

“I’ll have you know, I’m the greatest pirate who ever sailed this sea,” Tetra jabs her thumb towards herself.

Artemis rolls her eyes. “Come on you two, behave. You’re cousins, after all.”

“Wh-what?!” Dusk sputters. “I thought you said her name was Tetra!”

Tetra snorts. “Yeah, but to some people, it’s Princess Zelda.” She holds out her hand, winking at Dusk. “Welcome to the family, cousin!”

Hesitantly, Dusk shakes her hand. Tetra responds with a shocking amount of vigor.

“Now that that’s settled,” Artemis claps her hands together. “How about we defeat some undead?”

As if answering her question, Tetra shoots right at the ReDead’s skull. While her bullet is enough to defeat the single ReDead, the sound also draws the attention of the other monsters on the ship. Slowly, they begin shambling towards the ledge the ladies stand on.

“Oh great,” Dusk mutters to herself. “There goes our element of surprise.”

“Dusk, we should stick together,” Artemis suggests, careful in her phrasing as she draws her rapier. “We can watch each other’s backs.”

With a nod, Dusk retrieves her own sword. “Let’s go,” is the only thing she says before she jumps off the ledge.

△ ▲△

These new guys, Sun decides, are good. They’re decent with their swords, though she knows they’d be better if they’d attended the Knight’s Academy. At least they’re good enough to make up for both Artemis and Dusk’s absences.

One of the taller pirates slices clean through the neck of a Stalfos, its head landing just at Sun’s feet. Rearing her foot up, she crushes it under her boot. Of course, she’d never admit it, but that crunch! is such a sweet sound. Like music to her ears.

Sun’s ears twitch slightly as they pick up the faint sound of clanging metal. She’s just in time to duck again, missing a swing from an angry Poe.

“Hey, pirates!” she shouts, hoping to catch the attention of at least one of them. “Think one of you can take this for me?”

The tall one with the bandana nods, quickly moving himself between Sun and the Poe. She sighs. She just isn’t equipped to deal with that, today. Maybe if she’d remembered to bring a sword…

Sure, hand-to-hand combat isn’t usually her first choice, but Sun has grown to appreciate it over the past few minutes. Hylia, not just appreciate it. She loves it, more than she ever thought she would. Who would have guessed that punching things would be so fun?

“Well, well, look who’s decided to grace us with her presence.”

Oh, that sounds considerably less fun!

Turning behind her, Sun sees what must be the monster Artemis and Flora told her about. Because as her eyes lay on him, it’s almost as if his form is wobbling, before solidifying into a figure she knows well.

It’s a shadow of Sky. A representation of her Link, but if he was dunked in black paint and given terrifying red eyes.

“I’ve heard of you,” Sun’s eyes narrow at Dark Link.

“Ah, and I know you, your grace,” Dark Link laughs, and though it’s cruel and contemptuous, some part of her head thinks, ‘That’s familiar.’

“But tell me,” he continues. “What’s Hylia herself doing so far from home?”

Sun freezes, her blood running cold. “How did you…? Who are you?”

“What, you don’t recognize your own hero?” Dark Link frowns mockingly. “You know, I thought he’d take the longest to crack, but just a few whispers about the sea, and-” he abruptly snaps. “He was as good as gone. Now that fairy brat, on the other hand…”

“Stop it,” Sun snaps at him. “Just tell me where they are.”

“Oh? And why would you care?” The shadow tilts his head, and for a moment, his confusion almost seems genuine. “You goddesses have never cared for the fates of your heroes.”

And then, there’s a spark inside of Sun, and it sets her whole mind on fire. “I am not Hylia,” she asserts, grabbing onto his arm. “I. Am. ZELDA!”

It’s a moment of pure focus, the first time she’s ever said anything like that aloud, let alone screamed it. Unfortunately, it’s also a moment of distraction, just as Dark Link wanted. He draws his shadowy Master Sword, raises it above his head, and-

“SUN!”

Suddenly, Flora pushes Sun out of the way. The sword’s hilt strikes her head with a loud, sickening CRACK! She ends up collapsing right on top of her ancestor.

“Flora!” Sun gasps, tilting the scholar’s chin up to get a better look at her. After such a nasty blow, it makes sense that she’s out cold. But there’s blood, a lot of it, practically running down her face from above her left eye.

“You hurt her!” Sun exclaims, drawing Flora as close as she can bring her. “You son of a-!”

But, just then, they’re interrupted by two more shouts. In all the hassle, Sun hadn’t even noticed the Ghost Ship’s disappearance. Dusk, Artemis, and Tetra stand on the shore, staring right at the mess in front of them.

In an almost simultaneous burst of light, Artemis and Dusk summon their Bows of Light. Tetra draws her pistol, all three taking aim at Dark Link.

“Not another move, asshat,” Tetra warns him. “Attacking a princess is rude, you know.”

“She’s a queen,” Artemis informs her.

“Attacking a queen is rude, you know,” Tetra amends.

“Well,” Dark Link raises his hands above his head. “It seems we’re at an impasse.” He catches Sun’s eye one last time. “Farewell for now, your grace.”

Before any shots can be fired, Dark Link’s shadowy mass collapses in on itself. Like a splash of water, he sinks into the ground and disappears.

As the adrenaline fades from her body, Sun suddenly looks down at the bleeding body in her arms. She tightens her grip around her descendant, instinctively covering Flora’s wound with her hands.

“Oh no,” she mutters to herself as her fingers turn red. “Guys! We need help!”

△ ▲△

It’s just a head wound, Tetra told them. And a head wound means it looks worse than it is, and it’ll bleed more than usual. Flora’s fine, she insists, she’ll wake up soon. All they have to do is keep an eye on her bandages and wait.

“I mean, you’ve seen my Link,” Tetra explains, leaning against her ship’s railing. “He gets a concussion every other week. He’s bounced back from worse than what Flora has.”

There really was no reason to stay on Greatfish any longer, now that they had Tetra and her crew. She’d been so generous as to waive the transport fee, something about a family discount that Artemis didn’t really hear. They’re heading to Windfall Island, so that they can restock their supplies before the next portal appears.

Flora was set up in one of the bedrooms below deck, tucked safely into one of the beds. Artemis has taken it upon herself to remain by her side, at least until she wakes up. She’s just so pale, and she hasn’t moved an inch…

As the first rays of light touch the sea, there’s a light knock on the door.

“Come in,” Artemis calls out, rising from her chair at Flora’s bedside.

The door creaks open, and Dusk pops her head in. “How’s she doing?” she asks, tilting her head towards Flora.

“No change,” Artemis crosses her arms and sighs. “I know Tetra said this is normal, but still…”

Dusk steps into the cabin, closing the door behind her with a sigh. “Sun’s a bit of a wreck. I told her I’d check in on Flora if she ate something.”

“She doesn’t blame herself, does she?” Artemis questions, wringing her hands together.

“The hit was intended for her, from what I can gather,” Dusk reveals. She gently places a hand at the top of Flora’s head. “You’re quite brave.”

Artemis smiles weakly, sitting back in her chair. “How are you holding up, Dusk?”

“I’ll admit, pirate ships aren’t as bad as I thought,” Dusk chuckles lightly. “It’s quite cozy here.”

“Dusk, I’m-” Artemis starts, but she swallows and starts again. “I’m sorry. You haven’t really spent that much time travelling before, and it was irresponsible of me to assume you’d feel comfortable with it immediately.”

“Artemis,” Dusk sighs. She kneels next to her, taking her hands into her own. “I should be the one apologizing. You were trying your best, but… I’m sorry, I was rude about your night watch, and I really ruined the whole thing, didn’t I?”

“Oh come on,” Artemis scoffs, but for once, there’s no malice behind her words. Her hands return Dusk’s grip with a tight squeeze. “You clearly weren’t okay with it, and I took that personally instead of making sure you were alright.”

“I just…” Dusk purses her lips together. “I’m scared of being alone in the dark.”

“Then you won’t have to cover any watches,” Artemis asserts. “But, you know, I spent a lot of time in a warped version of your era. I even met the most peculiar woman, a princess of the Twilight Realm…”

Dusk gasps. “You met Midna.”

“I did,” she nods. “So if you ever need someone to talk to, please consider me.”

Wordlessly, Dusk leans forward and pulls Artemis into what might be the warmest hug she’s felt in years. And instinctually, Artemis hugs her back.

For a long time, they stay like that.

“You know, I never figured it out,” Dusk suddenly speaks. “Flora’s down the family tree, and Sun’s up it. When exactly does the War Across the Ages take place?”

“From your perspective? You have about two-hundred years to go,” Artemis reveals. “You’re my grandmother a few times over, by the way.”

“What?!” Dusk suddenly draws back. “Why didn’t you lead with that?!”

△ ▲△

Waking up is quite the process. When Flora opens her eyes for the first time, her vision is blurry. Like the world’s been spun around. Just barely, she’s able to lift her head, though her neck protests such movements.

There, sitting at the edge of her bed, though. That has to be Mipha. Who else would wait for her like that, within arm’s reach should she need an extra bit of healing?

Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Daruk and Urbosa just a few feet away. They’re talking to each other, maybe about her. Their tones are quiet and subdued, though. And Revali! Revali is waiting, just by the door. That's just like him to hover, even if he pretends not to.

‘Did I pass out in the spring again?’ she wonders.

“Flora?”

But then, she blinks, and it’s almost as though the scene shifts. It’s Sun sitting on her bed, a look of hope clear on her face. Artemis and Dusk freeze, gaping at Flora’s awakening. Tetra is the one who’s by the door, though she’s clearly keeping her distance.

Right. Of course.

“Flora!” Sun springs to her feet. “You’re okay!”

And then, before Flora’s sluggish mind can catch up with her, Sun wraps her up into a tight hug. Flora’s head throbs at the sudden, jerky movement.

“Ow…” Flora groans.

Sun gasps in shock, dropping Flora back onto her pillow. “Sorry!”

“Hylia’s fucking tits-” Tetra curses, missing Sun covering her chest with an arm at those words. She pushes herself between Sun and Flora. “Do none of you know how to handle head injuries? Stop moving her around!”

“I’m sorry, it’s just-” Sun awkwardly fidgets with her fingers. “She got hurt because of me! I need to make sure she’s okay!”

“And I want to make sure my travels with you four start off on the right foot,” Tetra insists. “Without anyone dying.”

“I’m fine,” Flora croaks out.

Dusk gestures a hand to the young queen. “See? She’s fine.”

“You’ve decided you’re coming with, then?” Artemis suddenly appears at Flora’s side, lightly patting her head. “You didn’t need much convincing.”

Tetra shrugs. “I figure I owe Link this much. He’d do the same for me.”

“Woo,” Flora weakly cheers, lamely raising a fist in celebration.

Artemis gently pushes her hand down. “We’ve still got a few days left on the Great Sea, Flora, don’t get your hopes up. We’re not going anywhere until that head wound of yours closes.”

“Aw…” Flora pouts, crossing her arms.

“Get some rest, kid,” Dusk instructs her. “You look like you need it.”

“You,” Flora points to Tetra, though there’s already a drowsiness to her words. “You’re going to tell me more about your time.”

Tetra nods mockingly, taking Flora’s hand into her own. “When you wake up, your majesty.”

#linked universe #lu tetra #lu flora #lu artemis #lu dusk #lu sun #rpita #fanfic #rav's writing

9 notes · View notes

willsimpforazula · 4 years ago

Text

Sokkla Month Day 27/28: Angst/Fluff

A/N: Song is Oath Sign by LiSA, English translation from Amalee's cover.

PS: Fate has some killer OPs.

PPS: I blame my laziness on being too engrossed in Seiba fanfics.

Anywho...bone apple tea or somthing liek dats

------

繰り返す世界何度手を伸ばしたら

儚い涙は黒い心溶かすの?

芽生え出した思いが胸に響いたなら

君の隣でずっと変わらず護るだろう

Once again I reach my hand into a world, repeating on end

Though it's dark, could my tears carve a path and lead me right into your heart?

Like a rose it blooms and grows inside my chest you're name's all it knows

Is this fate, 'cuz every day I pray that by your side I can stay

The first time they met, it was in an abandoned town in some forgotten corner of the Earth Kingdom. From then on, they sought to find out everything and anything they could on each other.

Every piece of information, every scrap of rumours and sightings was held tightly to their chest, blooming and growing as each of them kept tabs on the other as best they could. When asked, they casually dismissed it as 'research on the enemy', though both of them knew they weren't fooling anyone. After all, research most certainly did not include figuring out each other's likes and dislikes, as if one were to be inviting the other over for some afternoon tea.

-------

堕ちた希望を拾って明日に繋いでゆけば

絡まった歪な願いだってほどける

I'll gather these fallen flowers, the hope discarded and broken

And join them where they can meet, my wish is to set them free

"Are you sure about this?"

"More than I've ever been."

"What if your sister…"

"If she wanted to, she would have done it a long time ago."

"Regardless, I don't like it one bit. Not after what she did to-to-"

"You were just itching for an excuse to bloodbend me no matter what I said or did, even after helping you track down your mother's killer. But yes, please lecture me on what your brother can and cannot do."

"That was different."

"I fail to see the differences."

"......"

"Everyone deserves a second chance. Killing her doesn't solve anything. Or taking her bending away. Your brother is the only one who can get through to her. Not me, not the therapists. I just want her to be whole again, free from Ozai's influences."

"If she ever so much as hurts a hair on him, she is dead, consequences be damned and you won't stop me. Understand?"

"Be my guest."

-----

光をかざして躊躇いを消した

あげたかったのは未来で

泣いてる夜抱いたまま嘆きを叫んで

踏み入れた足を遠くの理想がそっと癒してゆく

確かな絆を強く握り進もうどこまでも

穢れきった奇跡を背に

Holding up the light within and with no hesitation,

To give you a future is all I wanted

Hold me tight through the dark endless nights, as I scream till the morning' s light

All my broken down ideals, I know they will heal

With every step they'll form the future

I'll hold tightly to this special bond we share, I'll follow you anywhere

Carrying onwards bearing this miracle

"Why are you here?"

"I-well, I-"

"Answer me, brother of Katara. Why do you come day after day? Is it because you wish to rub my defeat in my face? Or are you here to make me feel comfortable with my executioner? Answer me."

"It's neither of these."

"Lies."

"I'm not lying, princess."

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"This. Pretending to be my friend, offering empty words. I don't need any of these."

"That's where you're wrong. Your brother-"

"Is weak and an imbecile for letting me live."

"Everyone deserves a second chance. Even you."

"If the roles were reversed you would have been executed on the spot, after a long torture session that would make death seem like a release."

"I doubt that."

"What would you know of my methods?"

"Because I know deep down inside there is still that spark inside of you. You are only the way that you are because frankly your parents were shit."

"You know nothing!"

"Maybe. Maybe not." Pulling out a dossier, he slid it across to her.

"What is this?"

"Know thy enemy, know thyself and you will win a hundred battles. Call it a hunch, call it a brother's intuition. Besides, if you really wanted me dead I would have been killed, I don't know, about twenty times over before we got to this point?"

"Fuck off Sokka, I don't want to see your face for the rest of the month."

"Keep telling yourself that missy." he smirked, even as a fireball whizzed dangerously close to his head.

"My my, someone's rusty."

"Fuck you you no good piece of shit savage!" she snarled, even as he moved out of earshot. Sometimes, she thought, it was better to not meet one's idol after all.

------

創られた想い触れればなによりも

温かくて現実が霞み始める

狂い出した世界に問いかけ続けても

答えなんて出ないってもう君は知っていたの?

泣いて滲んだ願いは決して揺るぎはしなくて

ただそっと痛みを終わりなく与える

Once again I hope I can regain the warmth that's ahead, and I pray these fake feelings will blur

As the world starts to fade away

Even if I lose my grip and set this question free from my lips,

I won't be surprised to know no answer will come from the light

This wish that was born from our tears, I know it'll never waver

I won't forget the pain even as we forge on ahead

"Crown Princess Azula, you are hereby relieved of all titles save your status as a princess and are forbidden from entering Caldera without prior permission from the Fire Lord himself. You are to be placed under house arrest on Ma'inka for the rest of your days. All communication will be vetted and censored and any attempt at inciting rebellion will result in your bending being stripped away as your only warning. The next attempt will result in public capital punishment. Do you understand?"

"I hear and obey."

"One question."

"Go ahead."

"Why spare me? Why let me live with my bending, knowing that it will be more trouble than it's worth?"

"It seems you have an advocate high in the system that petitioned on your behalf. Any more questions?"

"None."

"You have twenty four hours to prepare, starting now. I suggest you make full use of this time."

Why did you do it? Sokka you stupid fucking idiot, I'm a fucking liablity here. I really hope you don't regret it, she thought to herself.

---

Dear Suki,

I know what you're thinking. Believe me, sometimes I wonder if it's easier to just let her die or languish in some asylum for the rest of her days. But, well, I don't think I'll ever sleep easy at night knowing that perhaps I could have done something to save her.

I know with every sentence I write, I'm essentially digging my own grave. And frankly, I don't blame you. After all she did throw you into the Fire Nation's Supermax. I won't pretend her hands are clean, that she didn't know what she was doing but still, I think everyone deserves a second chance.

I'm sorry.

Sorry for leading you on all this while.

Sorry for making you think we had a future together.

Sorry for making you wait so long before I came to save you.

Most of all, sorry for giving what is rightfully yours to someone who probably doesn't deserve it.

I know that you'd most likely hop on the next boat and drag my corpse back to Caldera so you can beat the shit out of me one more time but please, whatever happens, your happiness isn't with me.

PS: Katara was just as livid when I told her about it. Also, I hear Zuko is single and ready to mingle (probably not the latter; spirits know he has the social skills of a turtleduck, which is to say none).

---------

哀しみを知って喜びを知った弱さは君を変えて

立ち止まった時剥がれすべてを壊した

Only knowing of sadness

Never thought I could feel this

But now I know what is pure happiness

Time stops still, taking your breath away

So rip from weakness and escape

Standing on the bridge, the glowing lights of Caldera grew ever fainter until it was a distant white speck on the horizon, before it finally sank beneath the horizon. Under the light of the stars and moon, the vessel was illuminated by the moonlight and the bioluminescent blue algae crashing against the bow of the ship. It seemed ironic that a vessel that carried her off two years with the promise of greatness and glory would now be carrying her off to obscurity and exile.

"Here, wear this. Wouldn't want you getting a cold now?"

"Why?" she whispered, a stray tear falling from her eyes as she felt a coat placed on her shoulders.

"Why what?"

"Why do all of this? For me? For someone who doesn't deserve this?"

"Because no one stood up for you when they should have."

"You shouldn't have. You deserve your happy ever after with Suki, not a lifetime of pain and regret with me."

"Maybe. Maybe it's all for nothing and I deserve a lifetime of pain and regret for being an idiot. But if I'm being honest, the times I sparred with you were the times I felt most alive. Like as if I finally found what I've been seeking for all this while."

"This is a massive gamble you're taking, betting it all like this."

"What can I say? It almost worked on the Day of the Black Sun. It worked out on the day of Sozin's Comet."

"What makes you think you can save me from myself? More to the point, why do you think I want to be saved to begin with? Until you can give me a satisfactory answer, don't come and look for me." she replied.

Just as she was about to disappear into the ship, she heard him mutter "Because you deserve to be happy too."

------

届くはずのない言葉を託して見えた瞳は

何を��じて遠ざけるの? 心隠すように

今ここにいる意味教えてくれたなら

強くいられる変わらずいつも

I keep screaming out to you though I may never reach you,

But still I can picture the light in your eyes

Tell me what makes you so afraid that you'd hide your heart away

If only you'd turn to to me and say the words that would give my life meaning

Then I would and will forever be strong enough

Ducking into her room, Azula cried into her pillow, as she asked if this was one of fate's twisted ironies dealing her a hand that seemed too good to be true. Monsters don't need saving, they need to be put down. You don't deserve him.

Shut up!

You know it's true.

What's stopping him from betraying you? Or has your adolescent heart fallen for him that you would excuse any of his actions?

Shut up!

I could go on. Do you want me to?

No, stop please!

Azula!

Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands embracing her in a tight hug, making her gasp. It was warm, familiar and comforting. At once, the voices in her mind stilled, as the other person called out her name tenderly, like a parent with a lost child. Instinctively she knew it was Sokka, yet she kept her eyes screwed shut lest it all turn out to be a figment of her imagination.

After all, she had once hallucinated her mother talking to her on the day of Sozin's Comet when she was obviously nowhere near her room, much less Caldera or the Palace.

In a small still voice, she asked "Is-is it really you Sokka?", to which she felt a gentle pressure of his lips on her forehead and a response "Can hallucinations do this?"

"I don't know anymore. Please, don't lie to me."

"Open your eyes."

"No, what if it's all just my hallucinations?"

Another kiss.

"Still not convinced?"

"No."

Scooping up her hands in his, he pressed it against his chest and cheeks before asking her "Are you convinced now?"

In response, she buried her face in his shoulder, this time sobbing loudly as emotion overtook her senses. Meanwhile, Sokka just held her wordlessly, stroking her hair and back. When she finally stilled, he placed her on the bed and tucked her in. Before he left, she asked "Do you mean it?"

"?"

"What you said on the bridge, that I deserve to be happy too, even after all I've done?"

"Yes."

---------

光をかざして躊躇いを消した

あげたかったのは未来で

泣いてる夜抱いたまま嘆きを叫んで

踏み入れた足を遠くの理想がそっと癒してゆく

確かな絆を強く握り進もうどこまでも

迷いなんて目を開いて

振り払って手を伸ばそう

穢れきった奇跡を背に

Holding up the light within and with no hesitation,

To give you a future is all I wanted

Hold me tight through the dark endless nights, as I scream till the morning' s light

All my broken down ideals, I know they will heal

With every step they'll form the future

I'll hold tightly to this special bond we share, I'll follow you anywhere

No hesitating I'll open my eyes, though my heart's breaking

I'll reach out my hand and carry onwards

Bearing this miracle

15 years later….

"No no no Sokka you can't do this! You promised!" Azula screamed as she held his battered body in her hands.

"I-I'm sorry, firefly. I guess I was in over my head a little, huh?" he coughed, blood and spit staining the floor and her dress.

"I-we-don't have much time. There's someone else you need to protect."

"You're my only anchor to sanity Sokka! You can't."

Grabbing the nearest sheet of paper, Sokka wrote down a short message, before tearing off his necklace and dipping in it his blood, before pressing it into the paper like a seal.

"T-that should be enough, I think."

"Sokka please stop saying things like these! Our kid needs a father! She needs you! I need you!"

"Then I'm a terrible father if I can't protect those whom I love. Please, go now."

"Sokka!"

"Remember what I said on the bridge that night we left Caldera?"

"Yes, but don't you deserve happiness too?"

"Being with you these past fifteen years made me happy enough, so please, for the sake of yours and hers, go now while you still have the time."

"You're just one swordsman and a non-bender, how-"

"I have my ways. Seriously please, grab this and go! Every second we argue here is one second less you have to escape!"

"Alright, fine! But I better see you in Caldera, or else! I'll be damned if I let Risa grow up without a father."

"I'll try."

"No 'try', you will. Promise me Sokka."

"As you wish, firefly."

----

Present day

"Mommy, where are we going?"

"We're going to see daddy, Riri."

"Going to see daddy?"

"Yes, that's right." she replied as she stepped into the small shrine.

Turning her head and looking around, Risa could only see plaques with names and faces, but not a single person. Tugging on her mother's sleeve, she asked "Where's daddy? Why are we here?"

Scooping her up into her arms, she pointed at a plaque that bore his name and face, as well as a jet black sword encased in stone. "That-" she pointed, "is daddy."

At once, things clicked her mind and she asked the obvious "Is-is daddy gone?"

"No, no he isn't. Because he's in you and me. As long as someone remembers him, he will never be gone."

"Really?"

"Really."

Pulling out a handful of joss sticks, she asked Risa "Could you light this for me?" Nodding, she conjured a small green flame on her fingertips and lit the incense. Handing over three of the six sticks in her hands, both mother and daughter bowed twice, before placing it in the urn. Finally, Azula unwrapped a packet of seal jerky and placed it as an offering on the altar, before bowing again and taking her daughter by the hand to leave the place.

As they did, she could feel a burden being lifted from her shoulders as they crossed the threshold and just for a moment, she thought she could smell the ocean breeze and smoke, twin scents that reminded her so much of the boy, no, man who threw it all aside for her.

"I promise Sokka, I'll make sure Risa here grows up happy and healthy." she whispered to herself.

#sokkla #sokkla month #day27/28 #angst/fluff

11 notes · View notes

theroundbartable · 4 years ago

Text

Dragon island (part 3)

Stars in your hands “Do you think it was wise to send Arthur on this mission? It's dangerous.” A light breeze cooled the air within the not quite empty throne room. Two figures were present.

One, with broad shoulders and a long unnecessary cape, stood to look outside the giant window. The king of Camelot wasn't really looking at anything.He just watched the casual movements and interactions of his people sometimes. It gave him peace. Uther Pendragon was painfully oblivious to all the chaos and disturbances the purge had caused in his kingdom. He was oblivious to their suffering, their starving, their poverty. All of which he caused.To him, this was normal. And it was calming and peaceful to him. It was an achievement. The king was too stuck up to be corrected. Too insistent on his successes to see his wrongs and his failures. He thought himself smart.

And because he was king, there was no one to proof him otherwise.“Arthur is Camelot's best warrior. He can handle it.”, he said and his hands were crossed behind his back, as if he were absolutely relaxed.“Sire...��“I send Sir Leon with him.”, Uther sighed, as if that explained anything and nodded at the window as if to reassure himself.Gaius nodded with concern. “Do you think that wise, Sire? Sir Leon will suffer from the curse like his father did. I don't think they will be welcomed at the island. And I certainly don't think Leon can fight the dragons all on his own. Especially, if he is weakened like that.”Uther sighed. Half admitting that the situation wasn't exactly ideal. “For once, I wish Sir Leon was less like his mother.”Gaius eyes moved downwards, regarding the floor with disinterest. “Sir Leon's father has sacrificed a lot to ensure Camelot's win against the dragon lords.”, he agreed. “But he has also proven himself to not be very trustworthy. And Leon lacks the knowledge that his father possessed. I'm not sure we should count on him too much.”Uther nodded. “I should have killed him where he stood, when I had the chance.” He didn't clarify whether he meant Leon or his father. “I suppose the attempt itself could have doomed Camelot.”, Gaius commented simply.“That is true.”, Uther hesitantly admitted. “But it would have saved us the upcoming war.”Against that, Gaius could only nod. Gaius was aware that Uther didn't mean that the war could have been avoided. He meant, it wouldn't have to take place at all. Because the war would have already been won.Neither of them were aware of the startled figures that were hiding in the nearest closet. What Gwen an Morgana had been doing in the throne room before Gaius and the king disturbed their girl time?

The answer is as simple as it is obvious. If there was any light inside the closet, you could see that their necks were covered with “bug bites”, as they would later explain. Not to mention their clothes needed some serious repositioning (if not repairing, in Gwen's case, cause Morgana had sharp nails).Anyway, both had been forced to hurry inside the fortunately giant closet and overheard everything. They exchanged glances, as they tried to hold their breaths to not be heard by those unwelcome figures outside.

-------------------------------------------------------

If Arthur had ever known what a tropical island was, he would have something to compare the giant leafs to that seemed to grow from almost everywhere.The trees didn't look like trees at all, more like giant straws and it had giant nuts hanging from them. There were other plants with yellow fruits hanging from them too. The sight itself was bizarre. But absolutely fascinating. If only Arthur wasn't facing a said to be invincible creature that could kill them each within a second.Arthur had seen a dragon precisely once in his entire life. And the damn thing had been the size of a castle, with claws made to squish him like a bug and a mouth that was meant to eat horses or cows. It had been giant and terrifying and murderous.The thing that stared at him right now, was tiny. Small enough to wrap itself around his arm and fit it's small head snugly into his hand. It was covered in blue scales that flapped up and down with each movement and shimmered golden in the sun light.By the way, it was considerably warmer outside than it had been inside the cave. It was like walking from a winter snow land into a warm living room. Their skin buzzed from the sudden warmth.The dragon's eyes were green and it's teeth round, as if meant to eat vegetables, not meat. It's wings were wide, but it had them pressed tight to it's long and thin body. And it looked at them with curious, but not unfriendly eyes. It tilted his head. Arthur assumed that was, because the eyes were attached to the side. To look at what was ahead of it, it had to move it's head in all directions.Despite it's unexpected friendly appearance, Arthur found himself breathe in a panic. He had positioned himself between Merlin and the creature – as he always did when faced with dangerous monsters – and pointed Excalibur at the thing. The dragon just looked at him with tired unblinking eyes. Like a snake, it had no eyelids and was therefore unable to blink at all. So Arthur couldn't tell if it was judging him or not.“Merlin, stay back.”, Arthur whispered. Not for the first time today and he could practically feel Merlin pull at his own arms. “No, Arthur, you won't.”, Merlin growled, knowing exactly what Arthur was doing and pulled at his sleeve to drag him away. Which resulted in Arthur and Merlin to fight each other to who was to face the vile creature and get eaten alive. Because, you know … that's their entire dynamic. (2)Okay, maybe not eaten. The creature hadn't moved or done anything yet. It just watched them curiously.“You wield the mark of Kilgharrah.”, the dragon suddenly commented.This finally distracted Arthur enough to be pushed into the dirt beneath them. His hair was a bit disheveled, because Merlin used unfair methods in a fight. Unbelieving, he stared at Merlin. Most of all, because Merlin had managed to push him to the ground. A lot less, because he didn't know the word Kilgharrah. “What are you talking about?”, he huffed out. What he thought he had heard made no sense. It came out of absolutely nowhere. And admitting that he had lost was an absolute no go.“I didn't say anything.”, Merlin waved his arms in front of him, crossing them repeatedly to underline his point. He – however – didn't appear to be as startled as Arthur was as he turned to frown at the dragon. Which Arthur should noted as odd. Why would Merlin look at the dragon? Then, however, Arthur realized what Merlin was implying. The dragon talked! (They always do that, Arthur. Yet, you're always surprised.) Arthur gaped, incredulously, before jumping to his feet and holding up his sword yet again. (Obviously, it had hindered him in the fight against Merlin, because he couldn't exactly use it against him, right?)“Hmm”, the dragon suddenly flapped it's wings and flew in a circle around Arthur. Paranoid to equal amounts as curious, Arthur twisted around himself to follow it's movements. “Did he send you?”, it asked him, as if Arthur somehow knew the answer. In reality, Arthur didn't even get the question. Before Arthur could open his mouth to reply, the dragon's attention shifted to Merlin.In a similar way as it had around Arthur, the creature snaked it's way around Merlin's neck. Much much closer than he had been to Arthur as it was now sitting directly on his shoulder. But Merlin made no sign of discomfort or surprise. He only eyed the creature with suspicion. Arthur could only marvel at such bravery.“This can only mean one thing.”, the dragon continued. Arthur blinked. It's voice was strange. It didn't waver when it came to high or low. But somehow sounded more feminine the one moment, more masculine the next. It's richness, it's smoothness and softness, roughened and loosened from sentence to sentence. Yet the voice was unmistakably theirs/ hers/ his. (1)“You must be the once and future king.”, the dragon's voice finally settled into something more masculine, while some of his scales flipped and turned a rich purple.He flapped his wings against Merlin's face, and tilted his head in a way that allowed him to look at both Merlin and Arthur at once.“The what now?”, Arthur felt lost and confused once more. And he was fighting the urge to stab the creature, because it was far too close to Merlin's neck. Which is why he settled on … not doing that. The dragon snickered amused and swirled around Merlin's neck further.“The old bastard kept you in the dark, didn't he? Let me guesss...”, he hissed out the last word, as if to keep them silent while he thought things through.

“You're the other half, aren't you? Hmm.... Your presence is clouded, young man. Tell me. What does destiny have in store for you?”Merlin swallowed, while Arthur began to sweat with nerves. 'The other half? The other half of what?', Arthur asked himself.“Hmm... it's not easy to get that old bastard on your side. How did you do it?”, the dragon hissed out a snake like tongue and scented the air around Merlin's cheek while staring at Excalibur, instead of explaining further. Arthur slowly came to the realization that the creature was talking to himself and just examining them. He wasn't expecting answers. Furthermore, he seemed to know they didn't have any.“I don't know what you're talking about.”, Merlin tensed and stiffened his shoulders as the dragon's stare started to make him itch all over. Arthur blinked. Merlin was a horrible liar. And his defensive stance just now, proved that he knew more than he let on. This couldn't be. What did Merlin know?Finally the dragon seemed to have had enough and had decided that Arthur and Merlin were not worth any further suspicion.

“Welcome to Drakonier, the dragon island. Where the last dragons hide and the last members of destroyed and powerless dragon lord families reside. My name is Ciril. I am the master of the gate you just stumbled through.”Ciril bowed to them both, his snarky voice giving away just how honored he really felt to see them. And that introduction was perhaps the most straight forward sentence Merlin had ever heard a dragon utter.It was silent for a few more seconds. Which turned into minutes. Arthur was still uncertain whether or not it was okay for him to move. Let alone attack the creature. Merlin was frozen still in his position, as if contemplating whether or not to save himself or risk getting eaten alive, so Arthur had a chance to flee.After all... who was to say the dragon was actually friendly? + Merlin decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, as the dragon was clearly just confused why Kilgharrah was helping them.

Knowing the great dragon and his very dramatic appearance, his riddling tongue and the way he killed a few dozen people after being freed, because he was so hung up on revenge on Uther, Merlin couldn't say he was surprised. They didn't really start of on the right foot either. Manipulation here, unkept promises there.... well.Ciril tilted his head, before he blustered up his scales and their color changed into red for a few moments. “Are you going to tell me your names? Or should I introduce you as Dumb and dumber at the village?”Arthur blinked, before straightening his back. “I'm Arthur. And this is Merlin.” Arthur made the wise decision not to offer his last name and therefore reveal himself as an enemy. The dragon didn't appear to hostile at the moment and Arthur didn't want to risk getting on his bad side.“Merrrrlin.”, the dragon hissed and swirled around Merlin's neck once more. Merlin only followed him with his eyes in suspicion. “You're an interesting one.”“He's just a servant.”, Arthur commented, hoping to get the dragon to stop. He wasn't supposed to see Merlin as a threat. Or in any way important. That wouldn't exactly increase Merlin's survival chances. “Let him go.”, Arthur added.Ciril snapped his head to him. Then his eyes softened, as did his/her voice. And then she sounded a lot more comforting than before. “I mean him no harm.”, she said and her scales turned green, before she jumped off Merlin's shoulder and lay herself around Arthur's neck instead. Arthur was still confused about her intentions, so he let her. Her scales felt warm and inviting and their claws softly sat on his shoulders, without hurting him in any way.Arthur – who wasn't used to such close proximity – (he even struggled with dogs. Because his father had said their animals were tools for hunting. If he treated them too nicely, they'd soften and become useless at their job.)- tried to wiggle himself out of the situation. Ciril seemed to notice his distress and flapped her wings to fly between them instead.This act of awareness, caused Arthur to pause and take a deep breath. “Alright then.”, she said and nodded at them both. “You too should dry up, before you get to Senvilla. (3)

I'll tell them of your arrival. But you should seal your sword, young king. It can seriously harm us. Some of our kind may see you as a threat.

But do not hide it anywhere. You are under the protection of the great dragon Kilgharrah. This sword was made for you and you alone. Therefore, we can not attack you, unless you prove to have ill intentions. I advice you, to not attack anyone. Understood?”, Ciril eyes Arthur warily who nodded in confusion and slight panic. “And you boy, stick to your partner. They may not treat you nicely, if you wander around by yourself.”With that, she flew off, leaving Arthur completely flustered at the word 'partner.'They stared after her for a few minutes, before Merlin decided to clear his throat. “She's right.”, he said. “We should dry up. I'll get us some firewood.”, he said and already turned around to walk into the forest, when Arthur stopped him. “She just said, we should stick together. I'll help you.”“Since when do you know how to collect firewood?”, Merlin asked casually, one eyebrow raised. Arthur frowned and the implied insult. “Shut up, Merlin.”It wasn't exactly difficult for them to find firewood. Mostly everything in this forest was dry enough to burn and there was more than enough for them to carry around for a whole night. But Arthur had never seen plants like these. The forest could hardly be called a forest, because non of these trees looked like actual trees.There were bushes, everywhere with some plants he recognized, and there was plenty of fruits and nuts and the like. But trees? Nope.Arthur and Merlin kept bantering the entire time, but eventually they found a place to make a fire without endangering all the wild life here. They had seen lots of wild animals too. And none of them seemed scared by Arthur or their weapons. It was like people weren't hunting on this island at all.Finally the fire was made and Arthur realized that the day was starting to fade anyway. It was probably a good idea to make up camp for now. So they built themselves a small pyre and burned the wood like stuff they had found in the forest. And because Arthur had no armor anymore and was therefore unprotected anyway, he decided to take of his still wet clothes and put them on a rock beside him to let it dry.

He'd do the same with his pants. But should they get attacked, he'd rather not defend himself in his underwear.Merlin watched him, causing Arthur to get that unnerving feeling you get, when you undress in front of clothed people. Arthur bit his lip and then moved closer to the fire, to warm his cold skin. Finally, Merlin followed his example. And step by step, he removed first his scarf, then his jacket and, after a considerable amount of hesitation, his shirt as well.Arthur pointedly did NOT watch him doing that. He stared at the fire instead and Arthur begged and prayed that Merlin wouldn't notice how uncomfortable he started to feel again.

They took off their shoes to let them dry at the fire as well. And stretched out their toes to dry their wet socks.Silence stretched between them and Arthur started to feel weirder and weirder under his skin. The night was a strange thing. The stars lighted the sky, as well as the moon, and it had the effect to make people dream. No matter were they awake or fast asleep. And it made Arthur nostalgic and strangely emotional. And he wondered, if he should talk about these things with Merlin. These things that worried him.

But maybe, opening up to Merlin would only push the man away? Or maybe it would make their entire dynamic too strange? Would they always have to be emotional and open with each other, if Arthur started with that now?Arthur – for the first time – looked up at Merlin, his mouth open to say something. But then his mouth clapped shut immediately. Merlin was comfortably resting against a rock, his toes playing how far they could get to the pyre. And the fire light flashed golden in his eyes and on his scarred chest.Scars. So. Many. Scars.Arthur sat up, confusion and startled alarm widened his eyes as he finally noticed. There were burns and cuts and bruises and all kind of things marked into that skin that did not belong there. That Arthur couldn't explain the heritage off. Earlier, Merlin had seemed like he knew things that he wasn't supposed to know. About the dragon for example. Things he pretended not to know. Then there was Freya, the woman Merlin never cared to mention. Was there more that Arthur ought to know? More he was so horribly oblivious to?Whatever it was, it proved one thing once again. Arthur had no idea who Merlin really was. Arthur stared at him, unable to open up now. What had Gwaine said again?

Merlin was the most affectionate person he knew. And he was open about his feelings.

Obviously, he wasn't open about them with Arthur.“You're keeping secrets from me.”, Arthur finally pointed out. Merlin looked up in a daze, suddenly aware of Arthur's presence again. He followed Arthur's gaze and froze comically. Had he forgotten those scars were there? Did he think them nothing? Unimportant? How old were they that he was so used to their sight?“I don't know what you mean.”Arthur looked at him one moment, then he looked down and fiddled with his hands again. “You know exactly what I mean.”, Arthur said and bit his lip yet again.“I'm serious, I don't -”“It's okay to have secrets, Merlin.” Merlin stopped, confusion and startled surprise written all over his face.“I think, everyone has stuff they don't talk about. Or … can talk about. Even you.”, Arthur picked up a stray branch that they hadn't burned yet and started playing with it in the fire.Arthur didn't look at him. He felt... ashamed that Merlin didn't trust him. But, he had to admit, he wasn't much better himself, was he? He was hiding his feelings from Merlin. His feelings about how his father actions wore him down. About how Arthur felt about Merlin. The way he felt about this entire mission. About Merlin sacrificing himself for him again and again. About his fears, stuff like that.

Occasionally Merlin figured things out, of course. And he always reacted perfectly. Which only proved that he deserved the truth. Even if Arthur was never really ready to tell him.Arthur had managed nothing like that in return and he was painfully aware of that. He didn't think he deserved that Merlin shared such personal information with him. “You don't have to tell me whatever it is. I just... I thought I knew you.”, Arthur said and already regretted his wording. “I thought you trusted me.” That.... made it worse. Arthur cursed his own mind and turned his head away once more.Merlin stared at him for a moment, before he stood up and walked around the fire to sit beside Arthur. The prince didn't move an inch, as Merlin finally sat down. “I do trust you.”Arthur hated how Merlin sounded so pitying towards him. How he didn't deny that Arthur didn't know him fully. Yet, it was so comforting. So much, it felt wrong as well.

Merlin was the one with the personal problems that he couldn't share with Arthur. Arthur should be comforting Merlin, not the other way around. He should be the one who picked up on the other man's distress and pat his shoulder and what not. But no – Arthur was wallowing in self pity once again and Merlin had to play therapist as usual. Arthur hated himself sometimes. This had not been his plan. He took a deep breath. He had to do this differently. But how? Arthur didn't know.“You didn't trust me with Freya.”, Arthur pointed out and it felt like an accusation. Arthur held his breath. Why was he always sounding like that? He didn't WANT to sound accusing!Merlin pressed his lips together. “You're right. I'm sorry. I should have told you.”“What do you know about the great dragon?”, Arthur averted the point, because... Merlin shouldn't be the one apologizing. Merlin looked at him in confusion that the topic was suddenly changed. “What do you mean?”“Ciril said, the sword was the mark of Kilgharrah. That I'm under his protection, because this sword was made for me. That's the great dragon, right? This makes no sense. I found this sword in a stone.(4) The dragon was supposed to be dead by then. And the sword is supposed to be stuck inside that sword since king Bruta.

As you told me. Because it was Bruta's sword. Even if the great dragon is a few thousand years old and gave the sword to Bruta, there is no way he knew I would be born one day. You don't owe me the truth about everything, Merlin. But please don't lie to me.”Arthur watched Merlin flinch at that last line. And another wave of regret formed in his stomach. Merlin shouldn't feel bad. Arthur didn't want him to feel bad. He was supposed to feel comfortable sharing the truth. He should have never felt forced to lie. That's what Arthur meant and what he failed to explain.Merlin took a deep breath. And then he exhaled, as if for once, it was him who was actually unable to deal with his feelings. Arthur waited and watched and realized that some of those scars made no sense either.

He fought the urge to trail his hand over that one scar on Merlin's back that looked suspiciously like a serket sting.(5) But that was impossible. Nobody survived those wounds. Not without the help of magic. And Arthur didn't want to think that Merlin in some way had been saved by magic. Because that would be another thing Arthur ought to know. Another thing that would change Arthur. Perhaps it was a change that needed to be made.Arthur was a lot more mad about those secrets than he wanted to be. That he thought was fair to be. He meant it. Merlin didn't owe him that explanation. But it hurt so much that Merlin didn't seem him worthy enough for it.Merlin looked down. “Alright. It's true. I do have secrets.”, he admitted and closed his eyes. As if the confirmation of that was a secret in itself. Arthur sucked in a deep breath he didn't know he was holding. And his frustration melted away a little. Finally. Some truth. “But I can't tell you about them.”, Merlin looked down.It stung. Arthur looked away. “Not yet.”

Arthur waited, but Merlin was obviously nervous. “Why not?”, Arthur asked and sadness washed over him once again.Merlin seemed to fight with the answer. Arthur had already decided to tell Merlin to just leave it be, when Merlin finally found one that startled Arthur enough.“I couldn't bear to loose you.”, Merlin finally said and looked at Arthur with an open honesty that Arthur had never seen on his face. A fact which he was horribly aware of. And it was this openness, that gave Arthur the courage to share a truth himself. “I don't think there is anything you could do to lose me.”Merlin locked eyes with him. Arthur felt vulnerable again. Too vulnerable. Like he had cut himself open. It burned. It was a humiliating truth and he was almost certain that Merlin would question it. That he wouldn't understand it at all. But Merlin suddenly grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Causing a shiver to run down Arthur's spine. He should really put his pullover back on. Maybe it could protect him from this feeling. Deep down he knew, he would feel naked either way. Regardless if he wore armor or not. Had it been anyone else, Arthur may have thought the gesture was meant in a romantic way.

But Merlin was affectionate with everyone. This was normal for him. And right now he needed comfort.For Arthur it was completely different. But he let it happen anyway. Despite knowing for sure, that Merlin couldn't mean it the way he wanted him to mean it. At the same time, he DIDN'T want him to mean it. Because that would cause even more problems. The heart can contradict itself. That's why it's hard to make sense of it.“You don't know what you're saying.”, Merlin said and looked at their intertwined hands almost in confusion. As though it had been a mere instinct for him to grab it and he was surprised that Arthur hadn't slapped him away yet. To be completely honest, Arthur felt just as surprised.Arthur looked up at Merlin. “I mean it.”, Arthur admitted, but pulled his hand away from Merlin's grasp. It was too much after all.Merlin watched after it in thought. “You don't.”, Merlin shook his head and Arthur sighed with barely contained frustration. Merlin, however, didn't stop. “You can't.”“I know you think you love me, but you don't.”, Merlin said. Arthur startled immediately, his face paled and then flushed in utter shock. They had never talked about that before! And there Arthur had thought Gwaine was right that Merlin didn't know about his obvious affection for his servant. Clearly that idiot was wrong. Merlin knew. He clearly knew. And now Arthur had gone and -Wait a second.... “think?”, Arthur asked out loud and cursed himself. That was as good as confession. What on earth was he doing? Giving Merlin every chance to tease him about it!“I overheard you talking to Gwaine.”, Merlin sighed and looked away. Which gave Arthur more than enough room to realize, that …. nope... Merlin REALLY didn't know before.

Which meant.... Merlin wanted to talk about it with him now. Oh hell no. That was even worse than teasing. Before Arthur had been certain Merlin knew and was fine with it and just left him alone. But now that he just figured it out.... Arthur felt like his head was served on a silver tablet and Merlin was ready to eat him skin and hair and all.“You don't know what you're talking about.”, Merlin shook his head and stared at the fire now. “You don't know me after all.” Really, Merlin was thinking about destiny. And how destiny had forced them to be two halves of the same coin. Always together, but never meant to be.Somehow, Arthur had the feeling they were talking in circles. Contradicting themselves at every turn and being completely lost in their own thoughts. But that one.... that 'you don't know me', felt like a slap to his face. Because it was exactly what Arthur was afraid of.“I know you enough.”, Arthur finally said, because now that it was said out loud, he didn't believe it. But Merlin shook his head. However, Arthur's didn't let him interrupt him again. “You've changed my entire life, Merlin. I wouldn't be who I am today, had you not walked in and insulted me.”

Merlin scoffed. And it was clear that he didn't understand what Arthur meant. At least not at the level that Arthur meant it.“I wouldn't be alive today, had it not been for you. And I cannot imagine my life without you anymore. You challenged me and I accepted that challenge. And for that I have changed the way I look at people, the way I look at myself, the way I make decisions. Everything I do, I do for you. Or because of you, or with you as a guide. Because it feels right. Nothing ever felt this right. I know it's selfish. But there is nothing you can do, to change what you've already done. The way you changed me and Camelot for the better. You could be a murderer, a thief, a spy, I wouldn't care. Nobody can replace you. Even if someone came now and did the exact same thing. They wouldn't be able to replace you. They couldn't, because they weren't there, when Camelot, when I needed you most.There is only a life before you. And a life with you in it. Even if you were to leave, I could never forget you and you would never leave me. You have shaped me to be the man I am today and I am proud to be that. And I would never be able to not talk to you every day. Even if you're not there.I don't love you, because it's some kind of infatuation, there is no condition or anything, Merlin. Just being yourself, means everything to me. And I hate that you can't be that completely. I love you on purpose. There is nothing you could do to change that. You could hate me, leave me, betray me, try to murder me even, it wouldn't change that I want you to be happy. And if possible, I want to be the reason for it. Don't ever hold back because of what I might think. But you should know that the way I feel will never change. Hell, I know you love this Freya woman that you never told me about and I'm so sorry that she's dead, because you deserve to be happy, Merlin. Just... don't tell me, I couldn't love you, just because I don't know everything about you yet.”Merlin looked at him with wide eyes. Arthur however, had to look away again. What was with him and confessing all these embarrassing things lately. Maybe it was the almost dying all the time thing. The... my father send me on a mission that he knows I cannot survive thing. Or the, I thought I lost Merlin part. Probably the latter. Merlin should know that he was loved. He shouldn't live, having to hide or keeping secrets.Finally, Merlin grabbed Arthur's hand again. And now, that Arthur had told him all that, it suddenly didn't feel out of place. Instead, it felt reassuring, as if Merlin was saying he understood. And he wouldn't leave Arthur for anything in the world. It was a promise.“I would never betray you.”, Merlin said and he locked eyes with Arthur.

Arthur smiled embarrassed. “Then what secret could you possibly have that makes you think you'd lose me?”Merlin stared at him. Eyes still wide, face flushing and his breathing fastened. “And I've moved on from Freya years ago. She knows that too.”, Merlin tilted his head and Arthur nodded silently. “I believe you.”, Arthur said and hoped desperately that wasn't a lie.“But -”, Merlin closed his mouth, as if he had multiple things to say and confess and didn't know where to start. He looked close to panicking too, because he had not expected to be ready to confess now. “Arthur, I...” Arthur nodded, waiting, as he put a free hand on Merlin's scarred shoulder.

“I have magic.”

The bomb dropped so suddenly, that Arthur had no time to evacuate his feelings. Arthur had expected, or rather hoped, for anything. Just not that. And yet.... Arthur couldn't say he felt totally surprised. He didn't lie when he said, he would accept Merlin for anything. That there was nothing that could make him lose Arthur. Arthur was prepared for anything. Even this. The bomb had dropped, but it didn't explode.The hand Arthur had held on Merlin's shoulder now wandered up, to cup Merlin's jaw. Merlin leaned in to hit, panicked tears in his eyes. For a moment Arthur wondered why. And then he realized that Merlin just admitted to having magic. He finally registered, this meant Merlin was a criminal. That – according to the laws – Merlin should be hanged or burned or killed in another similarly disturbing way. And Arthur? Arthur marveled at the fact that Merlin was still here. Still at his side. He didn't run away. He lived directly under Uther Pendragon's nose, at Arthur's side. And now he told him this. Even though Arthur immediately understood why he shouldn't.Not for a second, did Arthur think that Merlin was actually a criminal. Not for a moment, did he feel betrayed by that. Because there was no way that Merlin would ever use it against him. Arthur just knew that. And if he did... he'd do it for a good reason.“Okay.”, Arthur said and tears spilled from Merlin's eyes in utter disbelieve. “Okay?”, he asked, utterly shocked. “I told you.”, Arthur nodded, even though he struggled to imagine Merlin using magic. “It doesn't change a thing.”All of a sudden, Merlin jumped at Arthur and buried him in a sobbing hug. Once more today, Arthur felt completely overwhelmed. But he also didn't push Merlin away. “Thank you.”, Merlin whispered in Arthur's ear. Arthur, however, was completely occupied by the fact that they were both pretty much shirtless and Merlin already knew about his feelings and obviously didn't give a damn. “No. Thank you for telling me.”, Arthur mumbled back and tried not to show just how overwhelmed he actually was. First<< Previous< Masterlist> Next ------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- :(1) Ciril (the blue dragon) is genderfluid. Any nonbinary folks in this story express themselves however they feel through other means than pronouns and dress codes (because … duh... dragons don't wear clothes.) This counts for appearances as well as behavior. As far as dragons go, dragons shapeshifters in general. Ciril, the blue dragon, has used this advantage to change their voice on will as a means of gender affirmation. Meaning, that upon meeting strangers, they will let their voice shift freely, so the stranger takes note of the shift, and remembers to change pronouns, whenever the voice noticeably differs. Many dragons do that. Later on, when the stranger has turned more familiar, the dragon will settle on the voice that fits their gender at the moment best. Of course, there are alternative methods, for example if a dragon is deaf or blind. Obviously, neither behavior nor appearance define what gender is, but it works in an affirmative way. It's functional. And what is gender anyway, beside a social construct?It won't be addressed much. It's just a little background information about this tiny character. I don't really make up characters. They just appear out of nowhere. And they are who they are. I am always surprised myself when they introduce themselves.I know I use they/them pronouns a lot in my stories and I am well aware that there are many variations other than this. I do that, because I find gender neutral terms fitting for everyone. They neither confirm nor deny anyone's gender and I like that. I'm not familiar with the combination of multiple pronouns yet and before I go and mess up every sentence, I'll stick to these first.(2) I rewrote this entire chapter at least 9 times, because their reactions didn't fit the situation. At one point I had Merlin hide behind Arthur. Which isn't totally OOC, but they both just almost died. I'm pretty sure Merlin doesn't really give a damn at that moment. He gets reckless when he's nervous and afraid for Arthur. And that's what he is right now. (3) Honestly, I have no idea how I come up with names anymore (4) the entire story doesn't really line up with canon. I just picked out stuff that fit the story. I mean, by all means, Uther should be dead, when Arthur has the sword. (5) Look at (4). Morgana isn't evil in this one. So where would he have gotten the serket sting? Morgause everyone?

#Merlin bbc #bbc merlin #dragon island #chapter 3 #my works #my fanfiction #fanfiction #merthur #fluff #feels #writing #merlin #arthur #arthur pendragon #emrys #ciril

10 notes · View notes

anomander-dragnipurake · 4 years ago

Text

Haunted Castle

I don't remember what sparked the idea but basically this fic is based off an idea I had for what might be a cool spinoff or something in the Luigi's Mansion series. We see Bowser as an almost good guy sometimes so I think it'd be neat for him to be the person being saved for once. It's never going to happen of course but I still think it'd be neat.

This was supposed to be a quick drabble just setting up the idea, mostly just as a way to sharing the idea, but then it became 2k words long. It's still just the setup for now but I might continue it, I haven't decided yet.

It started with just the doorbell ringing. It set Polterpup off into a fit of excited barking but Luigi ignored it. He wasn’t excepting anyone and therefore it couldn’t be anyone he wanted to talk to. But then after maybe a minute, it rang again, quickly follow by another a few seconds later before whoever it was descended into just spamming it.

With a sigh, Luigi put aside his book and careful to avoid being visible through the front window, snuck over to the door. Peeking through the peephole he saw… nothing. But the bell was still going off and Polterpup was going absolutely mad about it. Before he could pull away to attempt to stealthily peek through the window…

“I know you’re in there. I can hear your dog barking. If you don’t let me in, I’m going to bust through your window.” It was muffled by the door but it was still distinctly the voice of a child. It was also familiar, Luigi had heard it multiple times before, though he couldn’t quite place where right now.

With that in mind and not wanting to deal with a child trying to bust through his window, Luigi put a hand on Polterpup’s head to finally calm him before answering the door at last. … Bowser Jr. was on the other side, one clawed hand still raised, pressing the doorbell.

“Finally,” he said as he pulled his arms in to cross them over his bandana, puffing out his chest while he did so. “About darn time. Now uh… uh…” he faltered deflating a little before with a growl he kind of just invited himself in, striding into the middle of Luigi’s living room as if he owned the place.

There wasn’t much Luigi could do to stop him short of using physical force which he didn’t want to do if he didn’t have to. So with a sigh, he closed the front door and turned to face the intruder. “What do you want?”

Whatever it was, he clearly hadn’t planned what he was going to say before getting here as he looked off to the side in silent thought for a few seconds. In the hallway behind him, Gooigi stepped out into the living room. They stayed silent though so Luigi let them be.

“King Boo took over Papa’s castle,” Bowser Jr. finally said, regaining his confidence as he looked back at Luigi. “And you’re going come with me to take it back and beat him up.”

Luigi was shaking his head ‘no’ before Bowser Jr. even finished speaking. He even shook his hands ‘no’ for more emphasis. “No, no, no. I don’t do ghosts.” They were scary and he was done with scary things. He was going to have to call up E. Gadd later and scold him for losing King Boo again. … Assuming he had, this being Bowser Jr. meant it could theoretically be a trap.

Bowser Jr. frowned at him. “You’re a ghost hunter though. You’ve beat up King Boo three times now. Also, I didn’t ask, I said you’re going to and so you are.”

“No!” Luigi was proud of the amount of force he was able to put into it. He was done with scary things and he was not going to take orders like that. “Ask someone else.”

Bowser Jr. faltered again, his shoulders sagging a little as he made a visible effort to maintain a confident demeanor. “But… you’re the only ghost hunter in either this kingdom or my dad’s. So….” he growled, balling his hands into fists at his sides, “you can’t say ‘no’.”

Luigi crossed his arms and turned his head away. “I’m sure that’s not true.” There was no way, right? He knew from experience that it was a rather lucrative endeavor so people who weren’t scared of ghost and wanted to make some good mood should flock to it. “You can ask E. Gadd. He’s not really a ghost hunter, he just studies them. But I’m sure he knows some ghost hunters you could ask. I can even call him for you.” Luigi wasn’t a heartless monster so there was no way he could send Bowser Jr. away completely and he needed to call up E. Gadd anyway. Before he could pull out his phone to do so though…

“E. Gadd’s obviously the first place I went. He’s the one who told me to go to you because you’re supposed to be the best and only ghost hunter left alive. He even gave me your address. So you have to do it because… you just have to, okay?”

Luigi refused to believe he was the ‘only ghost hunger left alive’ because that meant the profession – if it could be called that – was even more dangerous than he’d thought. Just thinking about it made him want to go even less. “I can’t.”

The last of Bowser Jr.’s confidence vanished. “But… but… what am I supposed to do then? He turned Dad and Kamek and all my siblings and… everyone into paintings! I only got away because I hid in the closet like a stupid coward because Dad told me to.”

And now Luigi felt bad, great. He maybe shouldn’t feel bad for someone who was technically an enemy but regardless of anything else Bowser Jr. was a kid who’d witnessed his entire family and probably everyone he’d ever really known get turned into paintings by King Boo. Given those circumstances, it was hard not to feel bad for him and maybe even a little tempted to help him. But… Luigi had already said ‘no’ and he didn’t like ghosts.

He looked back over at Gooigi, still standing in the hall watching. They nodded and gave him a thumbs up. What did that mean in this context? Were they telling him to say ‘yes’ to Bowser Jr.’s ask for help? Or were they approving his ‘no’?

“Let me have you ghost hunting stuff then.” Bowser Jr. stomped his foot and squared up his shoulders as he looked up at Luigi. “I don’t need you, I can just do it myself.

If he wasn’t a child, Luigi probably would’ve handed over the Poltergust and all its attachments with little argument – who was he to stand in the way of someone else catching ghosts, especially in a situation like that? But villainous Bowser’s child or not, he was still just a kid and sending a kid off to fight a castle full of ghosts, boos, and King Boo himself all on his own was just wrong. … And sending him off to look for another ghost hunter when neither of them knew where to even start looking for one was less than ideal as well.

Maybe he could send him off with Gooigi. But could Gooigi handle everything on their own? They were so fragile and their weakness being liquid, made them easy to defeat. An inch-deep puddle of water that couldn’t be navigated around or over would be enough to make it impossible for them to be of any help to anyone. Which meant Bowser Jr. would have to be helping them potentially the whole way which was still asking a kid to run around in a castle full of ghosts and boos, most likely culminating in a fight against King Boo himself.

Oh dear, Luigi’s conscious wasn’t going to let him out of this, was it? … Darn it! Why’d E. Gadd have to go and lose King Boo again? One would think he’d learn from King Boo’s prior escapes resulting in Luigi having to deal with him again. And speaking of that, he was going to go after Mario and Luigi again for sure because he was not the type to let a grudge go. So to protect Mario before he got turned into a painting again and to probably protect himself from a trap later down the line as well, Luigi should go take care of King Boo now when King Boo shouldn’t be expecting him, increasing his chances at another victory. It was the smart thing to do but… Luigi really didn’t want to.

It was so unfair. He just wanted to be done with ghosts and other scary things for forever. Wasn’t facing his worst fear three times more than enough? And… and… he wanted to stick to his guns. He’d already said ‘no’. … Maybe instead he could send Gooigi and someone else, like Mario. Yeah sure, Mario didn’t have any real experience in dealing with proper hauntings or in using ghost hunting equipment but he could learn, right? So that would maybe probably be fine?

“Let’s a-go!”

Luigi looked up to see that Gooigi had apparently left to retrieve the Poltergust from their room which they now carried in front of him. Any question about what their intention might be was erased as the beelined for Luigi with it.

“What is that?” Bowser Jr. asked, taking a step back as Gooigi passed by him.

“Gooigi!” Gooigi introduced themself, twisting their head to look at him in a way that would’ve been unnatural if they weren’t made of goo. Their head snapped back into proper orientation as they reached Luigi. “Let’s a-go.”

“You want us to help him, don’t you?” Luigi asked as if there were actually any question to it.

Gooigi nodded. Of course they did, they’d been brought into existence for the sole purpose of hunting ghosts so it would’ve been odd if they hadn’t wanted to help someone who came to them with his ghost problem.

“You can go. You don’t need me, right? You can ask Mario to go with you to make sure you don’t get into any trouble with water or anything.” And that way Luigi could stay home and not deal with a bunch of ghosts.

Expressionless as always, Gooigi didn’t reply. Instead, they walked around behind him and… pushed the Poltergust to his back. They held it there with one hand as they used their other to maneuver Luigi’s arms into the straps. He could’ve resisted but didn’t because this wasn’t a battle he could win, was it? His conscious, logic, and Gooigi trying to get him to do it made it hard to stick to his ‘no’. Which was not fair at all but there was nothing he could do about it.

“Let’s a-go,” Gooigi said again when they were done, looking at Bowser Jr.

“Uh… what’s going on?” he asked, understandably a bit confused. “Are you two going to help me save my dad now?”

Gooigi nodded and pointed to the door.

“Sweet! Let’s go!” With a grin that made him look even more like his father and namesake, Bowser Jr. hopped into motion, heading for the door. Gooigi followed, tugging on Luigi’s wrist to get him to come along too. And the final nail in the coffin was an excited bark from Polterpup before he grabbed at Luigi’s pantleg to pull him along in the right direction.

Outside on the front lawn was Bowser Jr’s flying clown car. It was a squeeze but the three of them plus Polterpup managed to get into it. The squeeze lessened a bit when Gooigi went back up into the Poltergust’s tank on Luigi’s back.

“Uh… that’s weird,” Bowser Jr. said. “It looks kind of like you but … what is it?”

Luigi sighed. “They’re name is Gooigi. E. Gadd made them to help me hunt ghosts. They’re made of goo and melt when wet.”

“Um… okay. You like for reals going to help me save my dad now though?”

“Yes.” Luigi still would rather not but he wasn’t being given much of a choice. It wasn’t like he hadn’t dealt with hordes of ghosts before though so hopefully he could get this over with fast and maybe convince E. Gadd to get some tighter security protocols on King Boo to hopefully keep him contained this time.

“Awesome!” Bowser Jr. said as he started up the clown car. With the added weight its ascent was a bit more sluggish and unsure than it probably should’ve been but once they got up in the air, there seemed to be little issue as he turned them towards in the direction Bowser’s castle presumably lay in.

“And uh… thank you,” he added with an awkward grin as he looked back at Luigi. Well at least he was being openly grateful now. Bowser and company better be grateful too otherwise Luigi was going to be real mad at them. He’ll have earned the right for some gratitude after this.

#My writing #super mario bros #Luigi's Mansion #Luigi #bowser jr #gooigi

50 notes · View notes

lore-of-the-silvereyes-rwby · 4 years ago

Text

Paranoia over reason

Now we move onto the source of Ironwood's problems his new dominent trait of Fear. Now there could be an argument for pride or strength of will but in all honesty fear has been the core value of his entire personality. For It is human nature to fear death above all else.

Before I delve into why fear may be his most dominant emotion at present, let's take a look at several definitions and meanings of the word.

Fear;

an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

a feeling of anxiety concerning the outcome of something or the safety and well-being of someone.

the likelihood of something unwelcome happening.

a mixed feeling of dread and reverence.

Now that we have the clear definition and example of what fear is let's proceed.

I think we can all agree that the first signs of Ironwood's fear were first seen in volume 3. Due to the events of the Fall of Beacon where he was completely and utterly out maneuvered by Salem and Cinder despite his best efforts to stop them, Ironwood now appears to suffer from a degree of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), an increased sense of paranoia, and an increased desperation to stop Salem by any means.

This, now coupled with his typical bullheadedness, arrogance and bluntness has made him make several decisions that have led to many of his own people from Atlas and the world in general to outright despise him due to the countermeasures he had implemented and the severe secrecy he has exhibited to the people, even his fellow Councilmen.

Even those in high positions or highly influential within the Kingdom have begun seeing him in a bad light, as seen with Jacques, Robyn Hill, Pietro Polendina and Councilmen Sleet and Camilla have begun doubting his state of mind and the honesty of his intentions.

Fundamentally, fear of death is the governing principle of human action. Fear is also one of the main motivator for most if not all of Ironwood's decisions that have affected the main plot of the current RWBY storyline.(For more details about this proceed to the hero section) His paranoia assuming he was already a paranoid individual before his debut has grown from worst to the extreme. So much so that it has warranted the concern of most of his allies.

Below are a few selected quotes and dialogue from some characters that evidence this reasoning and observation.

“James was no different. I couldn't tell you exactly what it was he saw there, but it changed him. He's…”

“He's scared.”

“Paranoid would be the more appropriate term.”

Pietro Polendina, & Qrow Branwen/ The Greatest Kingdom

“I'm not sure what happened to James in Vale, but it seems to have only worsened some of his more unfortunate tendencies. ”

Lionheart/ Welcome to Haven

“General Ironwood.... he looks.... tired.”

“James... what have you been doing?”

Yang, Ruby & Qrow/ The Greatest Kingdom

This more or less was a call for concern for the mental health and state of Ironwood’s mind. Fear is the main survival trait of all living things and it's okay to have it. But for Ironwood he had relied on fear too much to the point that it had consumed him and influenced every choice he had made. Not a very good trait to rely on.

Especially when you concern yourself more with uncertain and possible threats instead of the current and known threats that are in front of you. For Ironwood he ignored the current issues at hand in order to prepare for uncertain threats thus escalating the problem to the extreme.

Now we know how fear has motivated Ironwood and how it has led his situation from bad to worst. So we will now look at the possibility of how he might use his fear and the fear of others to his advantage.(Can’t be a General if you can’t motivate the people under your command to follow you without question)

“But ask yourself this: do you honestly believe your children can win a war?”

—Ironwood, before leaving Ozpin's office

“Discreet wasn't working. I'm here because this is what was necessary.”

—Ironwood, about the military presence in Vale

“The people of Vale needed someone to protect them, someone who would act. When they look to the sky and see my fleet, they feel safe, and our enemies will feel our strength.”

—Ironwood

Basically Ironwood is the class A example of Machiavelli in terms of philosophical ideals of security and control. Specifically relating to these 2 main ideas of Machiavelli’s philosophy;

Famously asserted that while it would be best to be both loved and feared, the two rarely coincide, and thus, greater security is found in the latter;

Viewed ambition, competition and war as inevitable parts of human nature, even seeming to embrace all of these tendencies.

But in the case of Ironwood he took these to the extreme. To the point that he became a fear monger; someone who spreads fear, or needlessly raises the alarm. This is what he did in V2. Now why would I assume this. As stated before his actions have more or less influenced the current course of events that has shaped the current world of RWBY for the worst.

This might also explain why Winter the Ace-Opts and even the members of Ruby’s group(@ v7 beginning & specifically Ren & Qrow) were willing to follow Ironwood. Not because he has the plan or because they trust him but because Ironwood has prayed on their fear and insecurities. As such they surrendered control of themselves and consented to Ironwood's authority.

For Winter it can be assumed that Ironwood had used her fear and anger of her father to his advantage. Thus gaining a loyal obedient servant. This might actually explain winter's line in the enemy of trust;

“What are you doing?! My life doesn’t matter!”

—Winter, to Penny after she saves her

Because she had consented to following Ironwood and accepted that her life has no value unless her assumed savior gives her a purpose. Basically Winter feared that she would end up like her father and so she rejected him in favor of Ironwood. To her Ironwood was the father she had always wanted. But her fear of Jaques had blinded her to the truth of Ironwood. Blinded her to the point that she had consented to a paranoid tyrant that will put his own agenda before everyone else.

Ironwood groomed and conditioned Winter from the start to be his right hand and be wholly loyal to him even against what’s right and against those Winter loves so she would carry out his orders even if they were morally dubious. He had brainwashed her to the point that she said, out loud, that her life doesn’t matter compared to Ironwood’s goals.

This same logic is also quite possible for the ace-opts as well as they all seem to have more fear dwelling within them more than the main heroes that they hide behind a false façade of confidence while relying and believing that Ironwood can ease their fear because he has made them believe that he can.

This is also shown in Ren where he seems to be the only one of the main heroes to actually join Ironwood’s side without hesitation in the worst case scenario. Not because he thinks what Ironwood is doing is morally right or if it's the pragmatic choice. It's because he is afraid and has no idea what to do. Add in the fact that his usual leaders (Ruby/Jaune/Qrow/Oz) have no idea what to do as well. Hence this quote;

“We spent so much time worrying about how Ironwood will react to the truth about her, but have any of us considered how we're even going to beat her if we manage to work past that?”

—Ren, to Ruby and Nora

The fear of losing Ironwood’s trust is secondary to his main fear of Salem and how he and his allies have no idea or plan to combat her. But despite that he is consenting to Ironwood because of how hopeless he believes the situation to be and thinks Ironwood can relieve him of some of the despair. And chances are that this was shared with the rest of the main heroes but at varying levels.

This is also more evident with Qrow. Prior to this, Qrow has hated Atlas and what it stands for, and was never afraid to call it out. But Qrow was the character most devastated by the revelations in Volume 6, as it shatters his entire worldview and causes him to doubt his entire life’s work. A life’s work that has both fulfilled him and given him purpose, while also putting a strain on many of his relationships. So with his entire world thrown into chaos, he clings to the stability and security Ironwood offers and ignores the warning signs he would’ve caught at anyone other point in his life.

This is also true in real life: where groups that try to embed unthinking loyalty into their followers always try to recruit people at their most vulnerable. This even works on a macro-scale, where whole nations can fall under the sway of strongman leaders after massive social upheavals.

Okay we have covered how Fear has influenced his actions as well as how he may take advantage of the fears of others to achieve his desired goals. Now we will cover how Ironwood’s fears, and paranoia may be unfounded.

To start we will take a look at an overall summary of the final 3 episodes of Volume 7 that displayed the extreme limits of Ironwood’s fears and paranoia.

As of "Gravity", once he learns Cinder Fall is on Atlas, and taking into account the lies from Ruby's Group and that Salem was coming, Ironwood caves into his paranoia. Now more distrustful than ever before, he believes the entirety of Ruby's Group is betraying him, leading him to commit many unethical acts in order to prevent Salem from winning.

He was willing to abandon Mantle despite the people not being fully evacuated and use the Relic of Creation to raise Atlas into the sky instead of Amity Tower, deciding he'd abandon his original plan to solely save his city instead. He was even willing to have Fria killed in order to make Winter Schnee the next Winter Maiden.

His paranoia had reached a level where he now plans on using his immense influence as both General to the Atlas Military and Headmaster to the Academy to now put the entire kingdom of Atlas in a state of martial law without the kingdom's council's consent or approval due to now no longer knowing who to trust as seen where he ordered the arrest of Ruby's Group when they refused to go along with his extreme plan of self preservation. He was even willing to go so far as to shoot Oscar Pine without any hesitation or remorse afterwards so he could proceed with his plan.

This is pretty much a summary of the events that happened in the final episodes of the last season and where the controversy of his character begins in the rwby fandom. Basically arguing whether or not he's a hero or a villain. Well as stated his actions were all motivated by fear and paranoia instead of actual reason or logic. Sure it can be argued that he made the rational choice but he wouldn’t have had he not been motivated by either his fear or ambition. Thus he had unnecessarily escalated the situation and did more harm than good.

And as stated by Ozpins speech at the end fear is just like alcohol the more you are consumed by it the more your real self is revealed.

The single quality that is common across every living creature on this planet... is fear. It’s funny then, that as common as fear is... we so easily underestimate its power.

But fear itself isn’t worthy of concern, it is who we become while in its clutches.

Will you be proud of that person? Will you forgive them? Will you understand why they felt the need to do the things they did? Will you even recognize them? Or will the person staring back at you be the very thing you should have feared from the start?

I suppose we all find out... sooner or later.

And as stated by Ozpin's speech at the end, fear is just like alcohol the more you are consumed by it the more your real self is revealed. And his true self has been revealed to be nothing more than a scared barley competent man that should have never been put in power in the first place

For it was his insistence that his way is what’s best for everyone has been the source if not all of the main cause of all the conflicts in the story. Because of this he has done more harm than good to Remnant and its people.

You had me with your words but you lost me with your action

#rwby #world of remnant #general ironwood #rwby ironwood #james ironwood #rwby atlas #rwby mantle #rwby analysis #rwby theory #rwby spoilers #rwby salem #Ironwood analysis

34 notes · View notes