#Dim Hope

[izzydaninja]

Summary: "One moment, he’s on his own, debating on taking Rouge’s offer to join her and the others for Sonic’s birthday party, and then the next, the sky’s ripping open with some strange looking portal, and he’s being pulled in. Everything goes white, and when he comes to, he’s in a very familiar, long, metallic hallway."

*No stealing!* Thank you!

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Chapter 4: Dim Hope

Narrated by Lilibet.

Narrator: I bring Benjamin back and give him a new outfit and parts. The tricky thing about him, however, is that he needs a lead heart.

Narrator: The lead heart is a unique part of the toy guard. It's their heart, and every toy guard has one.

Narrator: And so I ask for the best, strongest guard to be brought to me.

Choose "You took a guard's lead heart?"

You: You took a guard's lead heart?

Narrator: He gave it to me of his volition after hearing my request.

Narrator: When a guard comes to me to inform me that their captain has gone missing, I'm examining Benjamin... now a changed man, by yours truly.

Narrator: Benjamin has changed beyond recognition. He's carrying himself tall in a sleek uniform, wearing a badge shining through the dark of the night.

Narrator: When the guard leaves on my command, Benjamin looks at me with a smile and lowers himself to plant a kiss on the back of my hand.

Benjamin: You saved my life, Your Highness! I'm yours and yours only now!

Lilibet: And just how exactly do you plan to repay me? I can't...

Narrator: I take a good look at him, from head to toe. Be it his uniform or parts, everything he has is a gift from me.

Lilibet: I can't see what I can possibly want from you.

Benjamin: You might recall that, back in the garden, I promised to tell you this museum's most precious secret.

Benjamin: There is an old bell tower in the depths of the Maze Woods, and in there you will be able to find the tunnel that leads to the outside world.

Benjamin: The tunnel will provide a fast and convenient choice if you would like to see Queen Lilith.

Choose either "Are you leaving the museum?" or "Are you going to see Lilith?"

If "museum," ...

You: You're leaving the museum? Where would you be able to go, though, if you leave here?

Narrator: This museum isn't home... to me, home is where Queen Lilith is.

If "Lilith," ...

You: You are going to see the Queen? But you don't even know when she'll be coming here next...

Narrator: I would definitely love to see her, but I don't have forever to wait for it to happen.

--

Narrator: Benjamin fixes me with a stare. He probably thought I'd be excited or happy hearing what he'd said... but no. On the contrary, I feel disappointed.

Lilibet: Was that all you had to tell me?

Narrator: He knows what I most crave, but it really is no big deal, because it is no secret that most of the toys at the museum miss their owners.

Narrator: But I have been at the museum long enough myself to have learned a few things about this place that might be unbeknownst to newcomers.

Lilibet: The bell tower does indeed lead to the outside world, but we as toys will be deprived of our ability to move the moment we've left the museum.

Lilibet: Tell me this: how am I supposed to go and see Queen Lilith if I can't move?

Benjamin: No, Your Highness. Your chance is just around the corner.

Benjamin: I was once left to rot in a corner of the museum, but that's also where I was fortunate enough to have learned some interesting information.

Narrator: I fix Benjamin with a firm stare and carefully observe his expression. Sure enough, I do see what just might pique my interest swimming under those fervent eyes of his.

Lilibet: I take that to mean that Queen Lilith will be coming to the museum soon?

Narrator: The smile on his face confirms my thought.

Benjamin: I would never dare lie to you, Your Highness. I think this would make for a great opportunity for you to leave the museum and go back to the Queen.

Benjamin: And I want to be someone you can rely on for solutions, Your Highness. Nothing stops me from serving you, if only you would allow me to serve you.

Choose either "Did you take him up on his suggestion?" or "Why was he trying to help you, though?"

If "take suggestion," ...

You: Did you take him up on his suggestion?

Narrator: I didn't... it's always been my plan anyway. He just so happened to say my plan out loud.

If "help you," ...

You: Why was he trying to help you, though?

Narrator: Why wouldn't he want to? I'm his queen, and the fact that I'd saved him is all the more reason he should help me.

--

Narrator: Benjamin tells me everything he knows.

Benjamin: An insider told me that Queen Lilith would be coming to the museum for an inspection on Starsnow.

Benjamin: I'll help you escape Swan Castle on Starsnow Eve. You'll be able to make it out just fine if you make it through the skylight of the bell tower's roof before anyone catches us.

Benjamin: You shall be the most perfect of all to Queen Lilith, and I'm certain she'll bring you back home.

Lilibet: ...Will she really?

Benjamin: Of course.

Benjamin: And that's because you're no longer the same person you were. I'm sure you'll leave the Queen with a strong impression with your violin skills and rose fragrance.

Benjamin: And I'll rob the other toys of their abilities for you, so that the noisy robotic nightingale and Queen Erinka won't stand a chance against you.

Lilibet: You're a smart one. You know exactly what I'm thinking.

Narrator: Benjamin takes a deep bow to me. When he raises his head, I see his eyes burning with excitement and fervor.

Benjamin: I dare not venture a guess at your heart, Your Highness! But I just can't imagine such amazing abilities befitting anyone but you because you're our one and only Queen Lilibet.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 5

[huiyi07]

hey so do you guys ever think about how often Diluc is referred to as the ‘uncrowned king of Mondstadt’ since he’s like the only male heir to the noble families and like it or not, where Jean is the authority of the nation, he’s pretty much the symbolic face of Mondstadt and the values the nation projects— and despite his temperament, Diluc has learned to embrace it wholeheartedly. He’s charismatic, extremely righteous, and he blazes bright and gives the people of Mondstadt a fire that guides them in the dark, quite literally. Like he’s literally Bruce Wayne lmao

But he doesn’t want this, no, and here’s the proof- maybe he did, once upon a time, before everything happened— but he doesn’t really care about wine, he only cares about the winery because of the people in it and his father. He’s righteous but doesn’t give a damn about the rules and the knights of favonius. After what happened to him, he’s clearly a rebel at heart now, not some charming superhero who does everything expected of him, unlike before. In summary, Diluc was someone who was quite literally ready to become an (uncrowned) prince, pretty much royalty in every way except title- and on surface level, he still is, but he throws that mantle away in secret whenever he can.

And then look at Kaeya, his brother who’s always lived in his shadow. It’s easy to see that now, people don’t really project Mondstadt’s values onto Kaeya the same way they do onto Diluc, since lots of people hardly even remember that they’re brothers. And yeah people still think kaeya is reliable and nice, but also because of how Kaeya built his image after Diluc left— an excessively over the top personality that pretends to be sadistic, mean, and at the same time dripping with false charm. So despite that people still find him approachable and nice as expected of a knight, hardly anyone would call him befitting of a prince.

But Kaeya is actually so painfully and authentically ‘princely’ and kind, deep down— the way he deals with children, his fierce loyalty and willingness to protect people at all costs, his self sacrificial tendencies that most often appear for Diluc’s sake. Even the tidbits of lore we get about him scream aristocracy- his ‘ceremonial’ bladework, Alberich family secrets that reveal just how central they are to the kingdom of khaenriah. This is kinda obvious to any player who’s bothered to learn anything about kaeya, but to the characters in game, there are very few that know that side of him.

And whereas Diluc is forcibly projected the title of royalty and secretly rejects it, Kaeya was actually born into it- his family is very important to Khaenriah, and much like how he does with anything related to his past and heritage, he loudly and outwardly rejects anything to do with ‘royalty’. Diluc outwardly rejects what Kaeya shows (a darker, more ‘means justify the end’ nature), and Kaeya tries to hide what Diluc projects (a sophisticated and aristocratic upbringing).

Honestly? It’s as if they were swapped at birth. Kaeya’s real hidden nature, even after everything that happened to him, remains to be so unwavering and people-oriented, while Diluc’s true personality changed drastically over time. Not that Diluc isn’t unwavering or whatever, but Diluc mostly actively rejects relationships and prefers to do everything alone, obsessed with the idea that he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt, whereas Kaeya always, always yearns for companionship and for people to be by his side- solidarity.

Diluc is the poster image of royalty, but his brother who hides in the shadows is a real king. They complete each other, balance each other out, represent the parts that the other hides. I don’t know if hoyoverse always meant them to be that way, but damn they basically represent each other’s parts of themselves that they lost. Yin and Yang, two halves of the same whole.

[romancantthinkofausername]

nsh ponders existence while they're mere centimeters away from slipping off and dying

[dilf-in-peril]

We'll be able to tell when HBK hands NXT over to Phil because suddenly all the kids stop doing the HBK bouncy sells and start selling like sluts.

[metal-district]

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[amagnificentobsession]

I’ve noticed many, many, of the people I used to see posting, in RP and out, that I interacted with in all my *forms 😉* are no longer participating on the site.

We all know assuming can get you into trouble, but because of the timeframe of certain situations, combined with the actual pain of realizing there may be no beautiful closure for our beloved Ineffables, I can only assume they coincide.

If you are taking a break, good on you knowing you need it, whatever the reason may be. But please don’t assume you are not missed. You are.

*But I’m only 1 person, no one will miss me.* Multiply that by 10 and you could be 1 of 10 people in another’s GO Tumblr life that may have needed to walk away.

You are missed. Truly missed. 💔

I thank Someone everyday for the artists, poets, storytellers on Tumblr, Reddit, AO3. They continue to create, inspire, and love this fandom. They know this fandom belongs to US.

TO US. WE are the ones who fraternize, deeply love, find a connection to a beautiful pair of humans that have come to live in ours hearts and will forever be Crowley and Aziraphale.

From both of our hearts: AMagnificentObsession

@muriel-not-the-dim-one

♥️🔥✨

[mintjeru]

i love him already, your honor

open for better quality | no reposts

[annt-i]

I start school up in TWO DAYS ,, but anyways; hit this request when you can or when you want, anyway.

We need more Alex Rider in School, he’s always in school which end up in bad situations in the series.

I NEED HIM WHIPPING UP THE MOST JUICY PAINTING OF ONE OF HIS MISSIONS, ASAP !!!!

I hope this is what you meant dawg, I've got Alex painting that scene from Point Blanc where Greif was telling him he is going to be dissected. I also hope school's been alright for you so far.

[vse-kar-vem]

everybody's waiting at the ball 👁️🪩💡🌟🕯️

[dim20-stims]

Could you please make a Stimboard for Kipperlilly Copperkettle?

"It's really nice how charmed everyone is by how little you fucking care."

x x x - x 🗳️ x - x x x

[morsmortish]

Hi! Just slipping in for a second to say that in a Modern Au, Walburga is just like any Chinese mother in a sense that she wants her children to marry Chinese people and they just don't 😀

(totally not projecting)

Okay have a nice day! :))

sirius swans off with a tall awkward white kid who doesn’t know how to use chopsticks or what oyster sauce even is whilst regulus has a swarm of respectable chinese men and women after him but regards them all with utter disdain and disgust. walburga spends her final days ripping her hair out.

[pchelaus]

Happy Holidays!

[dimmestmorn13]

(read L <-- R)

🌹🎼vs SEED!🍎

(click for better quality) (very loosely inspired by this twt)

tumblr gets the nicer version bc dim is an idiot and rushed posting last night... (〒▽〒) so embarrassing diff versions under the cut

[corpsentry]

i know this happened a while ago but i haven't seen u say anything abt it so i rly wanted to watch sarus crane but missed it. i remember you said smth about making it available so i wanted to ask how far along you are and where i could possibly watch it when you publish it?

thank you for reminding me op i forgor to post it on tumblr but it is done! it is done. it was hell on earth to navigate fuckass premiere pro (used it because i had a month's subscription left with the college) and i would strongly recommend setting the volume low and then raising it as opposed to starting loud but between the ungodly, confused, and miserable amount of audio editing and the subtitles i think the dialogue And the taiko drums are more or less both audible now

it's still crazy to think that we pulled this off, three months later. i'm very proud of it. credits to my dancers as well as everyone else who helped make this possible are in the video description

here is the digital program; i recommend reading the note from the choreographer before watching the show. and here is sarus crane, do you miss home. please enjoy

[cashweasel]

Happy birthday @night-triumphantt 💙

Thank you for being you and for offering me your valuable friendship,, ilysm <3 enjoy this doodle of the blorbos napping together 😌😘