#I also have a new found love for Zenos

[mijukaze]

Picked final fantasy up again back in June and I missed my silly lizard

[firelightmuse]

8. What do they think about romantic love? Do they have baggage surrounding it? Do they idealize it? Is it an object of longing and wanting, or were they really not thinking about it until they started falling for the other character? What are their expectations like?

I would be especially interested in your headcanons for Zenos on this subject!

Ohhhh very good question!!! I’ll try to tackle it from both of their perspectives.

Yume: For Yume, romantic love was something she always dreamed of since she was a little girl, but she thought it was unattainable for her, as she was always expected to marry for political purposes due to her father being a daimyo and she was destined to follow in his footsteps. After she was banished, she became lost and was in search for a new purpose in her life, and although romance was now more attainable than ever before, she still put it on the back burner. It also was complicated by the fact that she never had found anyone that she was sexually or romantically attracted to, well, until she found herself strangely attracted to Zenos, and more and more so every time she encountered him.

Even after she had recognized that she had a very strange attraction to him, she never thought a relationship would ever be possible, because, well, he was her enemy and he was hell bent on doing whatever it took to fight her again, and she would do her duty as a Scion and kill him if she had to.

But then came the moment when they were both dying at the edge of the universe, and she just couldn’t bring herself to let him die out there alone, not after all that he had done for her. She recognized that in his own way, he had been trying to reach out to her in the only way he knew how, and he had traveled all the way to Ultima Thule, just for her. She didn’t realize it in the moment, but she unconsciously thought that perhaps there was a chance to save his life, to save his broken soul, and that there might be a chance at something more. Perhaps romantic love was possible for her, for Zenos, for them.

Zenos: Keep in mind that I’m still doing my own “research” on Zenos’ characterization, and I’m still trying to evaluate him in order to properly write him as a character in Yume’s story, so this is definitely a work in progress and this characterization is subject to change. That being said…

I believe Zenos would absolutely be on the ace/aro spectrum, and I don’t think he ever put much thought, if any at all, in romantic love for most of his life. He likely read some romance novels in his youth, as I HC that he is extremely well read and he read those books along with everything else in the palace’s library, but he likely just thought that romantic love was either not real, or even if it was real, it didn’t affect him in anyway and paid it no mind whatsoever. He never felt much of anything else besides the pleasure of The Hunt*, and so he ignored the idea of romance altogether.

Whenever Zenos fought Yume, he started feeling pleasure from the thrill of battle with her, and he never gave a thought to what exactly he was feeling besides that it made him feel an overwhelming sense of joy, and he didn’t think he could ever feel that way in his life ever again, hence why he kills himself at the end of 4.0. When he finds himself alive once more, he is driven to fight Yume again, but because he is denied the chance for so long, he begins to feel a sense of longing, a pining for her that he had never experienced before. He recognizes that his feelings for her have become more complex, but because he had never experienced any kind of love before, let alone romantic love, he doesn’t know how to fully comprehend it, let alone express it in a healthy way.

It isn’t until Yume brings him back with her to the Ragnarok following their near death encounter in Ultima Thule and during his long recovery that he wants to figure out why Yume saved his life when it was completely unexpected and, in that moment, unwanted. In his therapy, he begins to realize that what he feels for Yume is romantic love, and that she might feel the same for him, and it takes him quite some time to figure out what that means and what he actually wants in this life that he somehow finds himself living once again.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Thank you so much for the great ask @otherworldseekers!! 🥰💖

[northwest-cryptid]

Idk if I fully understand ffxiv being native-phobic? I just played through stormblood & what I got from that was colonialism bad, to put it in super simple terms. Like idk the entire point of it was liberate an oppressed peoples and give them back their homes? And maybe I missed it but I didn't see the Ala mhigans as being native coded or inspired?

You didn't see the Ala Mhigans being "Native Coded" because they aren't and yet Ala Mhigan clothes use Native patterns. You didn't see FFXIV being "Native-Phobic" because it's generally not, it likes to hide it's racism away in little pockets.

It's hard to see it when you're not used to seeing it. This isn't your fault, it's that you're looking in the wrong places.

This is the "Ala Mhigan Gown" it's being largely attributed to being "Ala Mhigan" it is not. It is Native.

These patterns are Native, and while I cannot claim exactly and exclusively which tribes use them I can say for certain that I'm Deer Clan Lakota and these patterns are ALL OVER my traditional Native clothing. To attribute our clothing to Ala Mhigo is wrong.

This pattern is being reproduced and sold as Ala Mhigan, as "Kimonos" and lastly, as cosplay.

And these patterns can be found across plenty of First Nation/Indigenous clothing and beadwork.

Like, here if you're curious:

Let's also quickly talk about the New World set,

This is just ugh. Believe it or not I like the pants, and the actual torso and shoes aren't bad either. IF (and this isn't the case) this set were to exclude the headdress and were to actually pay proper respect to Native design and culture I'd love it. I actually used to use this set in game minus the headdress obviously, but wouldn't you know it I'm literally Native. This feels like those party city costumes people make, and the parts it gets right are almost more upsetting because it's not being properly attributed to the right people despite knowing very well the devs clearly referenced actual Natives. Those straps on the pants for example are a very real thing, the clothing my father passed down to me has those, tipped with metal because it makes enough noise to scare off rattlesnakes since those were a threat for kids on the res. The colors and bead patterns also do follow a lot of various Native designs, though I find it harder to pin down these exact patterns.

You're looking at the plot, but that's not entirely where the problem lies; also sorry sorry but I can't overlook this. None of the story or plot justifies Zenos calling me a Savage. I do not care if he's the antagonist, that's a fucking slur. It's been used against me and my people for decades. It's been used against me when I was in middle and high school. So yes, even in recent times this is acknowledged as a slur by racist individuals seeking to cause us harm.

If you've never gotten into a physical fight that you didn't instigate only to have someone ask you "what are you gonna do savage? You gonna scalp me?" And then do the worst imitation of a Native war cry; you likely have no idea how annoying it is to see/hear even a villain in a video game call you a fucking savage, have this be hand-waved as kinda being whatever by the general public who don't deal with this kind of racism, and then furthermore when you go into FFXIV community spaces you see this blonde ass white boy being plastered up everywhere like "oh I wanna fuck him so bad" why do you want to fuck a racist?! He's not even hot. Any potential sex appeal he had left his body the second he uttered the word "savage" and you know the worst part? He's not real. Which means he didn't say that shit, someone at Square WROTE that into the game and really thought "hey is it okay to use a slur like this? Yeah it'll be fine no one is gonna know or care."

Can you IMAGINE if they had a villain drop the N word mid fight? You'd never hear the end of it I assure you.

I think the biggest issue is that people don't even know what Native is, they don't know tribes, they don't know patterns, they don't know our actual history.

You say you don't know how it's "Native-phobic" when it's racism and mockery of Natives is very apparent to Natives, but I can't fault you for it because you literally don't know what to look for.

I want to make it super clear I'm not mad at you, I'm upset that this game can get away with this shit because no one is actually educated on Native matters, culture, etc.

I hope this helps clear that up a little.

[kimetsu-chan]

fic request for the aftermath of the war (Milo death au:3), like how is everyone adjusting to Milo being gone along with so many others? (you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to:3)

~Character’s Reactions to Milo’s Death~

A/N: yall, I think my wife wants to kill me ;-;

The only ocs that will be featured in this are Yuna, Zeno, Michio, and ofc, Milo, but she ded-

this was written as headcanons bc Larz said that was okay :3

TWs ⚠️: death(obvi), grief, loss of loved one, crying, it’s just sad bro ;-;

First and foremost, Michio would undoubtedly be the one hurting the most.

That was his sister, the person closest to him for his entire life, even if he hadn’t seen her for half of it.

The news of her death was hard on him, and not seeing her smile every day was even harder.

He missed his sister so badly, he had only just gotten her back and she had been ripped away from her all too soon.

It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fair at all.

He didn’t want to give Milo that bow only for it to be handed back to him, years later.

Of course, Michio’s best friend was there for him during this time.

And although he was hurting too, Zeno would always put priority on Michio.

He was absolutely astonished he was offered to keep something of hers, he would have assumed others would get top priority.

And that is why he declined anything of hers.

Yes, he wanted something to remember her by, but he didn’t want to rob those precious items from people who were closer to her.

So he settled on perfecting his painting skills and painting portrait after portrait of her to preserve her memory.

Milo was such an overwhelmingly loved person, and her death brought a noticeable drop in a lot of people’s moods.

Especially Yuna’s

She tried so hard to keep her usual smile on, since she knew it would have been what Milo wanted

But it was hard

She found herself talking less and keeping to herself more.

She saw Milo as a close friend, someone to look up to, a daughter.

She had the honors of keeping Milo’s sword, what was preserved of it anyways.

The odd, purple sword and sheathe was the heirloom of the Tomioka family for years and years to come.

Tanjiro would often stare at it, hung on the wall, whenever he and his sister would come to visit his late girlfriend’s found parents.

It made him sad, she was too young.

He also couldn’t help but feel self-pity

He had lost a lot of people, why did he have to loose her too?

They had just finally realized their feelings for each other, and it was all gone now, never to be seen again.

He was permitted to keep the haori Milo always wore

When it was presented to him, he couldn’t help but cry

He missed her

He missed her so bad, how was he supposed to live the rest of his life without her?

Milo’s death brought devastation and sadness

But thanks to many people, her memory was kept safely protected through stories, art, and fond memories.

A/N: my eyeballs started leaking when I wrote this ;-;

[nagasakisoyo]

actually here's my ratings for the new voice actors

minato/aleks le - really really good i actually like him better as minato than yuri lowenthal. day 54358474 of wishing persona protags weren't silent so i could hear more of him. my coolguy emoboy

aigis/dawn bennett - easily my favorite va in reload she fits aigis SO WELL and so much better than her old stupid racist ass va. it's actually crazy how much better she fits, her voice is so sweet and gentle and i think she did a good job gradually shifting from being robotic to more human-sounding even if the difference isn't as notable as it was in the original dub. but all around she did such an amazing job and i do think she really shined in the answer. fuckkk aigis AIGIS YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS

yukari/heather gonzales - it was sooo jarring at first but she grew on me really quick. i think she definitely fits yukari as she is in reload since her dialogue is notably less bitchy and more sweet and sincere. there were some really good deliveries too my favorite one was the way she said "aigis you're with us. junpei... GUYS ROOM." that was so funny and natural. i also really enjoyed michelle ruff's performance though i just kind of see them as two different yukaris.

junpei/zeno robinson - THE GOAAAAAT i already said in my last post but he's so so much more funny and likable. and also his emotional scenes had a lot more punch. jsut overall made me like him way more, one of my favorite performances.

mitsuru/allegra clark - can i be honest i barely noticed a difference between her and tara platt LOL but i liked her

akihiko/alejandro saab - he was okay... actually probably the only va who i definitely preferred the original over the new one. sorry alejandro i think you're great though. i jsut didn't really like the voice direction compared to the original. the way he says "I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS" is really funny though like relax man..

fuuka/suzie yeung - up there with aigis and junpei as being way way better and more fitting for the character. i don't actually mind wendee lee but suzie's voice fits much better imo. she sounded very kind and a bit timid and her soft, gentle tone suits fuuka a lot more. i think her deliveries were very good too.

ken/justine lee - he actually sounds like a 10 year old that's the craziest part. also i just found out justine is nonbinary that's also really cool. anyway they did an amazing job and also definitely a va change that made him feel more likable (although i've always loved ken. my baby little guy) and october 4 did make me cry.whatever

shinji/justice slocum - i don't even remember the old va's name but someone showed me a clip where he dubbed a hentai and i've been unable to erase that from my mind so it was really nice to not have that association with shinji anymore idk. i don't have too many notes but i think he did a great job

ok my hands are getting tired but i also def prefer chidori's new va her old english va sounded kind of obnoxious. i really love lizzie freeman as metis, she's so cute and genuine and i wanna scoop her up and hug her. and koromaru does not sound like a dog.

[ishgard]

iris & zinnia for the botanical prompts!

[from @/icehearts, and sorry for the angst lmao]

Oh that's fine I love angst thank you so much >3 Answering for Ahru and I'll put them under a cut because 1. length and 2. spoilers! All the way through EW.

iris :   if your muse could convey one last message to someone they have lost or left behind ,   what would it be ?  

~Snippets from Letters to the Lifestream~

To Venat: I feel like you know everything already, but if I don't say it I think it'll fester in my lungs. I hated you. Resented you, feared you. I didn't understand you at all. Not until it was too late. I'm so sorry. Thank you for never holding it against me. Thank you for loving me and believing in me. I love you too, so, so much.

To Wilred: I don't know if it means much, but I am so, so proud of you. You may not realize it but you gave me hope and inspiration - to be a better person, too. (there are smudges here, and the lines are scribbled in a more shaky hand) I wish you could see Ala Mhigo now, free and thriving. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you.

To Haurchefant: It's been so long, since I would walk into your quarters and unravel my trials and tales to you. My quill faltered over the paper for so long, remembering how easy it used to be. I never had to pretend, never had to be more than exactly who I was. Thank you. For that, and everything else you gave me. A home, a family, a life. You know, it's not an easy thing, to live after someone dies for you. It's actually really, really hard. But you always believed in me, didn't you? Thank you for that, too. Also, just one more thing. I wish I'd said it then, but I was too foolish to figure it out. I love you. I love you. I love you.

To Emet-Selch: I imagine writing you like this is just going to annoy you. But if anyone actually found these letters it'd be you, I'm sure. Are you having a good rest? The birds are singing, children play, and the star continues to thrive. But what I really want to say is that I miss you. In ways my 'feeble mind' can't fathom but my soul feels keenly. I look forward to meeting you again one day, and annoying you in the next life too.

To Zenos: You godsdamned fool. Why couldn't you listen for once? If you come back again I... Well, I won't kill you again, but I'll do you one worse. I'll make you live. Really live. Oh, you're going to hate it. You're going to love it. (at the bottom of the page, written small) You will come back, won't you?

(on the back of the page, scribbled at a slant in a faster, angry scrawl) You saved me. I hate that you did. But it makes sense that you did, in our special way. I know only you would truly understand it. But here's the thing you won't understand: I love you for it.

zinnia :   how has the loss of fallen comrades and/or loved ones affected your muse ?   has it taught them anything or given them any new perspectives ?

Ho boy. I'm gonna break this down per character (a few, not all). Gonna put the rest under a cut!

Haurchefant: Bad. To summarize, her mindset basically became "I have to keep going for him, I have to keep going for everyone who is still alive, I have to be everywhere, always, and not ever, ever let this happen again, I can't let anyone else die for me." This was a mindset already seeded by the attack on the Waking Sands and the Bloody Banquet, but really took vicious root with Haurchefant's death. She ran herself ragged until basically post-Stormblood.

I want to say she did gain good things from it too in the long run but that's more her own healing done over a long period of time. She did also realize after he died that she loved him (big oofies), which would be the seed that gradually opened her heart and steadied her spirit in the long run (though also reliant on A Lot of Other Stuff).

Zenos: As far as growth-through-others goes, I feel like Hau and Zenos are two sides of the same coin for Ahru. The two little consciences on her shoulders. Wounds Haurchefant left in her spirit Zenos carved on her flesh to bleed out. I wrote this thing post-SB that I think gives at least some impression:

A kindred beast wrapped in war and bitter despair. A cutting pain that leaves her gasping, bleeding - alive. Human. She remembers in the struggle what it feels like to drown, to barely stay afloat, and then, against all odds, to survive. It is the bricks and mortar of who she is, reconstructed in a terrible dance for the heavens to gaze upon. As her teeth bite down on supple flesh, and blood spills down her throat, she is once more the victor. Once more, alone. 

So yeah, Zenos was absolutely her mirror, and losing him (both times) hit terribly hard despite all the damage he did. But she also realized exactly what made them different; all of the love and companionship she had in her life, deep roots that made the whole world her beloved home.

She also greatly embraced the idea of 'being a monster', at first in a kind of rabid way, on the heels of that mindset mentioned in the Haurchefant section, though gradually more in the sense of 'being a monster isn't such a bad thing': She's powerful and strong and can protect her friends.

Venat: Ahru had so many suspicions about Hydaelyn for so long, and then to have them sorta-kinda 'confirmed' by Emet-Selch? Well, it was more complicated than just giving her the rights to be like "Aha! I knew it!" Because that truth of course came with a lot more information, that made everything a lot more complicated.

I think a lot about meeting her on the boat, how once upon a time Ahru would have chosen the option about 'no longer being able to trust Hydaelyn' - because she never really did. But instead, by this point, she felt so much more compelled and asked 'why show yourself now?' Ahru has always been deeply curious (almost not even a strong enough word) about the Ascians and what drives them, about Zodiark and Hydaelyn.

So then to meet her, to share her stories, to learn the truth behind her blessings, changed everything for her. To learn how similar they were, how deep their connections ran. To learn that this Goddess has been standing firm, waiting for her, just. How soul-shaking it was. She had such little faith in Hydaelyn, and Hydaelyn had so much in her.

There's a lot of other complicated feelings between Ahru and her mother, Ahnia, when compared to the sort of warmth and acceptance she realized Venat gave her. Basically, in the course of Endwalker, she gained a sort-of-mother figure who was then taken away from her and it's a really complicated sort of grief she's dealing with there. It isn't, however as debilitating or damaging a grief as some others, for the most part. Rather, she feels more strong and resolute, renewed of purpose.

There's a common theme in a lot of Ahru's loss, of realizing too late what should have been cherished. And that isn't always her fault, either! she's had to realize. But if there's one thing it's all taught her it's to really hold those she loves close, to keep an open heart, and cherish every encounter.

[queen-vv]

do the ones with an M in them

Oh lots!

bamboo ⇢ do you change into a different outfit when you get home?

Answered already but thank you! :3 To be brief, nope, unless I got too hot out and need to change to cool down!

mahonia ⇢ what place, thing, activity inspires you most and how do you express yourself when it does?

Hmmm that's a tough question... I find inspiration is just about everything but I guess I'll be cliche and say seeing cool looking things lol. I'll tend to research a bunch around any cool topic and then either doodle or talk about it or (most often) just think about it a lot but never say anything lol

camellia ⇢ what were you like when you were younger? do you think you’ve changed a lot?

Oh I've changed a whole lot but I can't remember specifics at all lol. I have found recently that going back to things I liked when I was younger has been fun though, like paleontology/archeaology and heavy machinery lol

jasmine ⇢ do you have a movie or book you loved but will never watch/read again?

Hmmm not really, I'm all about rewathing/reading/etc the same stuff over and again! I'll say I thought for a long time I'd never be able to reread Berserk because I was a desensitised youth and then much more sensitive for a while but I think I'd be able to again nowadays.

chamomile ⇢ what kind of things do you like receiving as gifts?

I'm really bad at gifts lol, I never know what I want or what to give people. Thinking about it though, if someone got me a new artbook for my collection I'd be very happy! I'd love to have a physical copy of the Armored Core fourth gen artbook, I have a pdf but I want a physical one too...

palm tree ⇢ do you have a fictional villain you shouldn’t like but love regardless?

Hmm none are coming to mind right now... The many interpretations of the phrase '[a] villain you shouldn't like but love regardless' also makes it hard lol. I guess I liked Zenos in ffxiv even though most people I've seen thought he was too flat mostly. I liked that he was sort of engaging with the gameworld in much the same way I was, looking for challenges and enjoying combat most of all, which really changed how my story conception of Asuka went.

nutmeg ⇢ how’s your room/home decorated? do you have a specific theme or style going on?

I'm actually sort of in the middle of moving things around so it's very cluttered and incomplete lol. Just got a newer desk today, and am looking for a display cabinet to put my gunpla and other model kits up in!

Phew thanks! Hehe lots of questions is fun!

[herohikara-wol]

FFXIV Write 2k23 - Day 4

Off the Hook (Modern Day Streamer AU)

“Welcome back Scions!” Hero beamed as he waved at his camera set up, the stream was live and his mod team was ready for the chaos. Hero was usually a cozy game streamer- if he wasn’t doing his baking streams, known for things like Animal Crossing or Stardew Challenge Runs. However, he could be convinced to do other styles of games- and one of his friends had talked him into trying something new. “No we are not taking a trip back to the farm today, we’re doing something special!” He already had the capture set up for the switch anyway.

So a few games of the new Splatoon wouldn’t hurt. “Alright chat, I want you to guess while I set up my switch. Mods, give ten thousand channel points to- let’s say- the first three correct guesses! I’ll help narrow the field though, it’s not an indie title and it’s got online multiplayer.” He actually was just waiting for the game to finish downloading, while keeping an eye on chat to see if his friend would show. Granted, he could just yell down the hall- but chat didn’t need to know they were living together now. It’d lead to rumors and unneeded speculation.

Especially since Zenos was supposed to be dating his lead moderator- Asahi.

Not that Hero wasn’t also dating Asahi, but there was this whole royal wedding fiasco that they had to resolve first and he didn’t want to make it public that they were a triad until it was resolved. Partially by suggestion of Zenos’ fathers. Specifically Regula, the biggest advocate for online safety and anonymity he knew. Partially because the pair of them have managed to keep their relationship out of the spotlight for years- hell, no one could even tell Varis had transitioned after having Zenos. The royal family knew how to keep secrets- even in an online era.

Finally Asahi posted a message in his mod chat.

[GildedSAM: Zenos forgot your Splatoon Debut stream was today.]

[GildedSAM: So I’m moderating his stream right now.]

Oh, that would explain a lot. Okay, Hero could work with that. He’d watch Zenos’ VOD later just to see whatever he did. Hero wasn’t one for games like League or whatever competitive fighting game of the week Zenos was punishing people in, but he liked to watch Zenos play anyway. He never got tilted, even when losing, he just got excited for a challenge. Watching his smile spread when he found someone who made playing interesting was Hero’s favorite part of his streams.

[CensorshipNutkin: thx for the intel]

[CensorshipNutkin: u n fordola got it covered?]

[GildedSAM: Between me, Tsuyu, and Fordola we should have Zenos’ stream under control.]

[CensorshipNutkin: kk]

Hero sighed a bit, that meant his team would just be Thancred and Raha today. That was fine, his streams usually didn’t get crazy so two would be enough. “Alright bets are off, let’s get this started!” He switched to the game screen to show off the Splatoon logo, “I played the WiiU version way back when so I’m not totally clueless, but I wonder how it’s changed for the switch. I think I’ll miss Marina though, I loved her outfit. Maybe I'll cosplay her sometime.” He winked at his chat and grinned as the heart emojis poured in. “Also, fair warning, I was a splat roller guy before so prepare for me to make a lot of mess.”

Honestly the stream was going great for a while- until he wound up in one specific lobby. “Who the flip is this sniper? He’s stupid accurate and-” Hero paused for a moment, long viera ears turning to ear Zenos talking to his own stream. He could barely pick up the words, “effective on rollers- can’t have that,” before he quickly pulled up Zenos’ stream on his other monitor. “Chat I’m going to have to pause after this game.” He was going to beat Zenos within an inch of his life over this. It couldn’t be intentional, he knew they weren’t trying to get into each other’s games.

Shame someone in chat realized why he was angry before he had the chance to elaborate.

[WarriorOLight and GarlicPrince are in the same lobby. GP just sniped WoL from half the map!!!]

Fuck, whelp that cat was already out of the bag.

Suddenly his chat lit up with messages of support. Calls to kick his ass and run him down were rampant.

“Guys I’m not going to chase him down specifically, that’s unsporting of me.” He laughed a little, calming down for the moment. “I am, however, going to turn this whole flippin’ map pink and send him a clip when I win.” Not if.

When.

Time to do what he did best, be a nuisance. Don’t get cooked, stay off the hook indeed.

[berryzawati]

Variant Dungeon Wishlist

Ever since the introduction of Variant dungeons I’ve been thinking about which places we could visit in the future and which npcs could accompany the wol.

Personally there’s still a lot of places I wanna visit in the future and so many characters I wanna spend time with, so I made a little list of npcs with whom we could run future variant dungeons with:

Lyse (& alternatively Raubahn)

I wanna see more of Gyr Abania and Ala Mhigo. It is my favorite place in all of Eorzea and Ala Mhigo always gets shafted by the devs and fandom. Because of that I’m itching to learn more lore and this type of content would be the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Because of my wol’s lore I’ve taken a great interest in the monk job lore and the Fist of Rhalgr, so if there’s an aspect of Ala Mhigan culture I’d choose for a Variant Dungeon it’d be monk lore. Though because I feel Ala Mhigo got the shorter end of the stick I’d take anything. I’m also up for more Lyse lore and maybe M’naago makes an appearance in the notes?

Kan-E-Senna

The sole reason why I want to run a Variant Dungeon with Kan-E-Senna is because this could be another opportunity to learn more about Gelmorra. Gelmorra was a focus in FFXIV 1.0 with its various locations (including unfinished dungeons!) but has been shafted in favor for Allag since 2.0.

The only times we get to see parts of Gelmorra are during Tam-Tara (which was about the Lambs of Dalamud), Toto-Rak and the Palace of the Dead. None of these instances focus on the culture of Gelmorra and the details as to how the Duskwight Elezen and Wildwood Elezen started to live apart.

And since Duskwight Elezen are extremely underrepresented, it is only fair to at least give their home another try. Kan-E-Senna is not an Elezen and theoretically be a neutral party in this conflict. That is if the dev team ever wants to write about Gridania’s political problems…

(Besides, I like Kan-E-Senna, she needs more screentime in this game…)

Aymeric

Honestly I just want more Aymeric screentime, no matter how. I don’t mind either staying in Coerthas or Dravania but if we do, I’d want to explore new aspects of these places. I’ve personally have my fill of the thousand year war against the dragons and I’d rather see something new. And a new private side of our lord commander! Possibly a look at his cat? Who knows!

Maxima

I wanna learn more about Garlemald, especially the Garlemald before Zenos and Fandaniel destroyed everything there. Alternatively I’d love to learn more about the Garleans before the founding of the Garlean Empire. The Garlean race has lived in Goug as well as Corvus, I’d love to learn more about their lifestyles from way back then.

But personally I’m also a huge sucker for Maxima and I wanna spend more time with him…

Yugiri

I wanna see more Far Eastern place and I love Yugiri! And I wanna visit a ninja village! Yugiri is a ninja, so she’d be the perfect candidate. I want to learn more about the ninja of Doma and frankly this is just me hoping to see Oboro, Tsubame and Karasu again.

Alternatively we could learn more about Sui-no-Sato again? The lives of the people there are extremely fascinating to me and Shisui was such a stunning dungeon. Wouldn’t mind seeing something like this again.

On a last note… It seems only people who only appeared in the msq are qualified for variant dungeons but I’d also would love to see other characters too like job quest characters or characters you meet during raid content like Mikoto from the Ivalice raids and Bozja but for that she has to appear in the main story first, it seems… that makes sense but my heart is still a little broken lol

[wildstar25]

Which jobs (incl DoH/DoL) are lore-canon for Arsay? Are there any you play a lot that aren't?

Arsay’s canon jobs are the following:

- Ninja (though she calls herself a rogue first and foremost! She is incredibly duty driven as a ninja is described to be within the quest line. Her duty is to her friends and family.)

- Summoner (she loves to baha blast! Her carbuncle is named Couscous)

- Dragoon ( in name only, in my canon she is not given the title of azure dragoon nor did she go through the lv1-60 lancer/dragoon story. She got Estinien to show her pole arm basics and developed her own style from there. Her draconian abilities stem more from her connection to Midgardsormr and her demi-bahamut. She only pulls this job out for hunting or other non wol stuff! Only exception was the steps of faith trail cause it’s more dramatic to be a drg on that fight)

- Astrologian (this was her post ARR patch and heavensward trauma response class. She heard that there were people in ishgard that knew how to predict the future and thought it would be a good skill to pick up for herself. She was really taken by surprised by everything that happened during the bloody banquet! And again with what happened after the vault. She wanted something, anything, in her pocket that could maybe prevent her from putting her friends in bad situations. After going through all the rigmarole of learning the stars and aligning her aether to them she soon found out that the cards aren’t nearly as forthcoming with information as she hoped them to be. She does keep up with the job in her spare time, just in case! Though urianger is much more suited to it than she is. )

- machinist ( Cid showed her this sick looking gun one time and she thought it was really cool so she got a job stone from the skysteel factory and signed herself up for eorzean e-sports (crystalline conflict and front lines) pvp is her main hobby and her primary way of de-stressing. )

- gunbreaker (soft canon atm. Essentially, it would make sense that she could pick this up as it’s quite functionally a combo of knife (ninja) and gun (machinists). It’s also a zippy enough class that it makes sense for need for speed. But I haven’t figured out a lore reason for why she would have picked it up aside from wanting to show thancred up in front of ryne for fun )

- fisher (she’s not patient enough to wait around for fish but she definitely knows how and its a vital survival skill for her to have)

—————-

All the other jobs that I have for her right now are more “jobs that would be canon if xyz were true”

Monk is the only other dps I have at 90, it’s the job she would have instead of ninja if she had decided to head for thanalan in search of her father’s family at the very beginning of her adventures.

I also technically have scholar at 90 but haven’t done a single job quest beyond getting the stone. Scholar would only be canon to arsay if Emrara had decided to pass on their scholar jobstone off to arsay before arsay left for limsa.

Other classes I have are:

Warrior (would be canon if she wanted to be like her mom and also had way more pent up rage about her parent related trauma )

Red mage, black mage ( au where arsay has a larger store of her own aether to pull from and also went to thanalan first)

Bard (au where Arsay could carry a tune and went to gridania in search of her mothers side of the family. Also wasn’t immediately put off by the many micro aggressions and full racism moments she had to deal with in the archers guild)

Samurai( au where she wanted to fight fire with fire against zenos in storm blood. That or during the ralgars reach he broke one of her knives and instead of just buying a new set she was like “I will shrimply adapt” )

[silmeria-lafleur]

Another Step

This story is the continuation of this one. It's from Reika's PoV, in first person. There are so many changes and my head almost exploded from trying to fit everything together. I hope you enjoy! (Long post ahead)

A few more days passed before Krille advised me to take some time, and calmly think about myself, away from all this. It was no use walking around with my grim face all the time. Heh... It was best to go somewhere else, clear my mind, at least until they call me back.

The thing was where I was going to go.

Gridania was not an option because it was too close to here. Uldah? Nah... I hated the weather and desperately needed a cooler place. Ishgard... Hmmm, it could be... but... that would mean I would have to see him. And while a significant part of me wanted to be there, I couldn't bear the thought of being a burden to them…to him.

Much less after that fight... *sigh*

Well, there is no other option than to go to Limsa. Maybe I could find something there.

I packed my things and said goodbye to my friends and the people of the Resistance, assuring that I would be there whenever they needed me.A part of me felt bad about leaving them, but on the other hand it was worse to be there doing nothing.

When I arrived it was almost after noon, a clear and refreshing day, in many ways. I immediately thought of the things I could do there. Maybe I could go to the Arcanist Guild and learn a new art. I should upgrade my equipment as well, since the current one was very worn and broken in several parts... and if for some reason I had to face and fight against that Zenos again, I should be better prepared.

Pero por ahora debería ir a The Mizzenmast Inn, my body and mind needed to... calm down. Mytesyn, the inkeeper, greeted me cheerfully. He's always been so nice to me, I smiled back and asked if there was a room available, to which he energetically nodded. Entering the room, I left my things next to the bed and lay down for a while, with hundreds of thoughts per second going through my mind.

Inevitably those thoughts led me to a particular moment... to Fortemps Manor, to that damned fight with Artoirel. I was so mad at him! How was it possible that he saw social duties as more important than the happiness of people!

And he…he called me a hypocrite, now that I think about it he looked so upset, a stark contrast to how he always used to be. He was definitely distressed... maybe... hurt? Yes, it must be. After how I treated him, so improper and rude of me. Still... Now I think he was right, I was a hypocrite, I still am. And that had to change.

If I ever see him again I would like to apologize to him. Being friends again... being able to talk like before until late at night. Those moments now only seemed like a sweet but distant dream.

At that a tear fell down my face, followed by a few others... and many more. I covered my face with my left arm and cried, I don't know for how long, but I was there until my eyes couldn't hold another tear. Taking a deep, shaky breath from that flow of pent-up emotions, I got out of bed. I took an old letter out of my bag, a letter that I always read at times when I felt lost adrift. I sat back on the edge of the bed and read it one more time.

his was one my mother had written to me, weeks before she died. She was so weak in those moments... and yet she found the strength to write this. In it she told me many things, like never giving up, finding my happiness, and above all being myself. She also apologized for things that I didn't give importance to at the time, but that now made much more sense. I knew that she was not my biological mother, who I never heard from, that she took care of me in her place because of the love she had for my father. It must have been difficult for her to take care of an elezen girl in a place where there were none. I remember the day she decided to dye my hair and change my name, to look a little more like her and avoid any more rumors that were already out there. And even against everything and everyone, she raised me with all the love of her heart, I always felt that way.

She also told me that now I had to go my own way, that I didn't need to pretend anything anymore, that I shouldn't look for anything that my heart didn't really want. Now I really understood, the meaning of those words.

"My dear daughter, you will always be the most beautiful flower for me. Remember my precious Reika, that I will always be proud of you, no matter what steps you decide to take towards your own happiness. This from now on is your way, and only yours. With love, Sayaka."

I teared up once more, but this time with relief. As if the fact of understanding the true meaning of these words took a great weight off my shoulders. I always thought that I should carry on her legacy, in my own way. But it clearly wasn't like that, I- I really can be dense sometimes... I smiled warmly as I put the letter away once more.

I left the room for a moment to talk to Mytesyn, he seemed surprised to see me with my red face and disheveled hair, he immediately offered me something to drink, and I accepted. I was a bit embarrassed to be like this, but he seemed to understand that I needed space and didn't want to intrude. Before going back to the room once more, I asked him if I could contact someone, and he nodded with his usual smile.

A few bells later I went out, the sky was already getting dark. I wanted to do more than lock myself up somewhere, so I headed down to the plaza to go to the market and then stop by the Arcanists as previously planned. I already knew that Limsa was a... bustling place. But apparently there was something interesting that was about to happen. I was curious to know what it was about, my plans could wait a little longer. I followed the sound of some musical instruments being tuned a little further south of the plaza... and yes, there were a lot of people gathered there.

It was a group of artists, they called themselves "Trope Falsiam", from Thavnair. Now this was interesting, the group of musicians began to play their melody and a young miqo'te woman appeared in a somewhat... flashy outfit. She took some rather peculiar circular blades and began to dance. She looked happy… free. So focused was I on her performance that I barely noticed the hyuran woman standing next to me, she said a couple of things that I couldn't fully catch, but she seemed to know the dancer. Then she looked at me from head to toe and smiled. After the performance, the people began to dissolve in different directions, and this woman approached me, she had a proposal for me.

"There's definitely something about you... charming. I offer you to learn the art of dance. Not only will you help to brighten people's sorrowful hearts, it can also be very useful in combat, and from what I see, it seems that you have experience. What do you say?"

I think from the way my face lit up he assumed I liked the idea, so he took me with the rest of the group and we introduced ourselves.

The movements flowed naturally, at least the sense of rhythm was still intact, and luckily for me, holding the chakrams was not difficult for my previously injured hand. So I trained, for days... weeks. I traveled to different places improving the technique, not only the dance itself, but also in combat. I learned that dance itself could actually help people to heal from within.

Like myself.

This IS my path... and I will embrace it.

Fun Fact: When I first started playing the Stormblood expansion, Shadowbringer was released. And guess what was the first thing I did... YUP! Unlock the Dancer. So all the Stormblood MSQ I did as DNC ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

Meanwhile, at Fortemps Manor, someone was certainly not happy about Reika's disappearance...

[lavampira]

d’alia came close enough to death in that final duel with zenos to consider that she actually did die in that moment - motionless beside her enemy and dreadfully close to slipping into that eternal sleep with grievous injuries, but one last fleeting yet fervent thought to return (she has loved ones to see again, promises to keep, new adventures to seek; how could she wish for anything else with her final breath?) that granted her desire and brought the teleporter back to her in a place ruled by dynamis - but she makes it to the ragnarok in time that the healing magic could still bring her back from the brink.

and it’s like. all the times that friends have sacrificed themselves for her sake, and her stubborn refusal to allow it to happen again despite how often it does, right down to the end walk of carrying loss and love like shackles up that path, but she activates and throws her teleporter for their safety. it’s an I love you all this much too as much as needing to fulfill her promise to venat and resolve the hunt from zenos; it’s her duty and her fate and her conviction all tied up in knots.

but it’s also because of her love for them that she’s found purpose, that her life has meaning, and she’s not ready to let go.

[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Super 095

Okay, I’m not big on Frieza in general, and I think it was a mistake to bring him back a second time, but I can’t deny that this bit where he tries to defect to Universe 9 is awesome.  Not as awesome as Cell, of course, but awesome nonetheless.

So this episode is mainly about Frieza and Goku fighting off a bunch of assassins sent by Universe 9, but let’s face it, the fight is a formality.  Two of the strongest guys in this show vs. a bunch of faceless goons.  Guess who wins.

So I want to take a moment instead to appreciate how much the Grand Zenos love the newly completed figthing stage for the Tournament of Power.  It’s a beaut, that’s for sure.

What I really love is how the Zenos lie down on the stage and just start rolling around on it.  It’s just such a pure, childlike thing to do.

Yayyy!

Wheee!

They’re so excited.

They give the Grand Minister a piece of candy for his efforts, and he seems genuinely grateful for it.  I mean, is it just a regular piece of candy, and he’s simply touched by the gesture, or is this like cosmic candy that gives him a sense of satisfaction that you or I could never comprehend?  It’s hard to read these guys. 

Well, let’s get back to the assassination.  The lead assassin seems to be in trouble, but he still has an ace up his sleeve.  Before he left to do this job, Sidra, the God of Destruction from Universe 9, gave him a ball of Hakai energy, capable of destroying Frieza once and for all.  So all the assassin has to do is throw it at Frieza and he’s gone forever.

But Frieza sees him getting ready to use it, and ruins his shot. Ah, but that was just a decoy!  The real Hakai ball was in this guy’s other hand!  No, Frieza blocked that one too.

Ah, but that was also a decoy, and the real Hakai ball was in the lake, and it comes up from beneath Frieza, sort of like that trick Goku pulled on Namek. 

So Frieza looks like he’s in real trouble, but then he reveals he was only pretending to be in danger, and he slowly escapes the Hakai ball’s power.

Pretty impressive, no?

Then he hits Goku with it, because it’s Frieza.  I mean, you’d think Goku would have learned by now. 

While Goku struggles, Frieza kills the rest of the assassins and helps himself to their communication device to call Roh and Sidra in Universe 9.  They’re horrified to learn that their plot has failed, but they insist that Frieza can’t prove anything to Grand Zeno.  Frieza tells them they’ve got it all wrong, and he’s calling them to offer a deal: If they resurrect him, Frieza will join the Universe 9 team and fight for them. 

Roh and Sidra are stunned, and question Frieza’s sincerity about this.  He would betray his whole universe for this?  Isn’t there anything he cares about that he’d want to protect?  Guys, it’s Frieza.  Come on.  

The first time I saw this episode, I found Frieza’s offer here to be unworkable.  Even if he could join the Universe 9 team and just live out his days there, he’d still have to win the Tournament of Power, and why would his odds be any better with U9 instead of U7? Frieza already had Goku’s promise to resurrect him, so this seems like a lateral move at best.

But this episode took that into account.  The whole point of this maneuver is that it lets Frieza have his cake and eat it too.  This way he can kill Goku with the Hakai ball and get resurrected without him.  But without Goku, Universe 7′s team will surely lose, so Frieza needs to find a new Universe to live in, and someone else to bring him back to life.  It’s actually pretty clever.

What really makes this work is how Roh and Sidra struggle to decide.  It’s a great opportunity, but can they trust a guy who would betray his own universe?  Even if they can trust him, would they even be allowed to take him? The U9 characters are defined by their ruthless depravity, but even they can’t believe what depths Frieza will stoop to.  And while they try to make up their minds...

... Beerus and Whis show up, and Frieza has to abandon the whole idea.  He crushes the communicator, leaving Roh and Sidra to wonder if they let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers.  Beerus suspects that Frieza was up to something, but there’s no way to be sure.  All he can do is rescue Goku from the Hakai ball and move on.

Ironically, Goku apologizes for the entire incident, because he failed to consider just how much Frieza hates his guts. 

So he sets up a quick match where the first guy to get punched is the loser, and this is meant to settle things between them, but they both punch each other at the same time, so it doesn’t settle much of anything.

Oh, I should point out that Frieza has used his time in hell to overcome the weakeness in his Golden Frieza form, which is why he’s been using it this whole episode without any problems. 

Anyway, we’ve finally got everyone together to head for the Tournament. 

And here’s a nice shot of Jiren on some planet.  You’d think he’d be with the rest of his team, but whatever.

[greekromann]

1, 6, 12, 15, and 16! for the WOL ask meme!

👀 this is long so. Its under a readmore. Also ffxiv spoilers through endwalker below

1. Why did he become an adventurer? Glory? Money? ...?

The way Khalja grew up, his adoptive father made sure to instill in him a deep respect for the sacrifice his birth parents made to keep him out of the crossfire during the empire's expansion into doma. This was intended to convince him to stay safe and look out for himself, but it backfired into "im going to set out and do something about the empire. Personally", so his initial reason was really. To get stronger and find a group that he could join to combat imperial expansion. He'd heard about how the eorzean city-states drove the empire out of the continent from traders in kugane, so he figured hed start there

6. What did they think of Hydaelyn in the beginning? Did they change their mind about her since then?

He was actually initially pretty mistrustful of "giant crystal that talks to you", and couldnt shake the feeling that he was being used and intentionally kept in the dark. The mistrust turned into annoyance when he found out that she was the reason he had the echo (has considered it a curse ever since he awoke to it as a teenager), but through arr he found no reason to directly oppose her because she granted him the strength he needed to meet his own goals. When midgardsormr more or less broke her blessing, he found himself 1. Very fucking scared and 2. Missing her presence, at which point he realized that he had come to lean on her much more than hed ever intended to. He was kind of pissed about what happened with minfilia also lol. He just very much doesnt like feeling like he and every other person with the echo is a pawn in some cosmic game of chess. By the time shadowbringers wrapped up he'd become more comfortable with (or more accurately, resigned to) the idea that he would probably always be her champion, and that was fine as long as their goals were still aligned. Brief moment of panic where he learned that shes a primal, in the "does that make me. Tempered. Am i tempered" before realizing that thats stupid and the fact that hes Able to question that means he probably isnt. And then of course the events of endwalker completely tossed his idea of her on its head. He only wished that he got to spend more time with venat in elpis, but what little time they did have together made him far more comfortable with championing her cause. Khalja voice "venat my best friend venat"

12. What do they think about redemption and forgiveness? Would they forgive an enemy? Would they forgive themselves?

I think, prior to shadowbringers, he wasnt. Super into forgiveness and redemption. Like as far as he was concerned any crime needed to be answered for, and post-shadowbringers he definitely doesnt believe in like. Letting go of past offenses, but he sees a lot more nuance in these kinds of situations. [Standing in a room together with gaius post-stormblood] [gritting his teeth] This Is. Fine.

Ultimately he just wants to understand people's reasons, i guess? And he'll judge for himself whether those reasons justify their actions. Additionally, if someone proves that they're interested in doing better, or somehow making up for their past transgressions, he's going to try and look at them in the here and now, rather than as who they were before (with varying degrees of success)

As for himself... he's become acutely aware of the ridiculous amount of power he weilds, which means he's also Acutely aware of how devastating the consequences could be if he made a misstep. In an unhealthy way hes fashioned himself as the sole protector of his friends and loved ones, and so if any harm comes to them, he'll probably. Never forgive himself lol [flashes back to the vault]. Additionally, the body-snatching incident with zenos put a new fear of "what could other people do if they got their hands on my strength" into him. He's started to feel guilty for simply Being, on account of the danger it potentially puts other people in. But Its Fine Hes Fine Guys Dont Worry About It

15. How do they feel about the Ascians?

He has a very hard time hating the ascians after seeing them for who they really are. I mean that didnt stop him from stomping them into the ground whenever they posed a large enough threat, and nothing justifies the havoc theyve wrought in the millennia since, but he cant help but feel sympathy for them. After all, if all of the people HE loved and looked out for were killed, shattered, and transformed beyond recognition, he cant guarantee that he wouldnt also make some. Extremely terrible selfish decisions. [Throwing pebbles at emet-selch] Youre still an asshole [feels bad anyway].

He feels the most sympathy for elidibus, on account of. Teenager Thrust Into Govt Position And Turned Into A Primal For The Survival Of The Star. He doesnt really see him as responsible for the events that have followed since, even though he definitely. Still is. He sees a lot of alphinaud in elidibus gwjegdjd

He Does Not like lahabrea, but as of meeting him in pandæmonium hes weighing the pros and cons of attempting to Get Some gwjsgdjgdjd. Cons: hes actually one of the worst people he knows, thancred would kill him, thancred would kill him, he'll probably be rejected out of hand, etc etc. Pros: god lahabrea can GET it

16. Tell us about two major events from MSQ that left the deepest emotional scars on your WOL.

I MEAN. several gwjwgjdgd but the deepest scars......

the first would probably be the vault. Khalja felt that he owed a lot to haurchefant and he was kind of charmed by his extremely earnest nature, so losing him would have hurt enough on its own. Worse than that though was that haurchefant died protecting khalja specifically, which is something that he'd never had to. Deal with before. Up until then hed thought that the only person he'd hurt with his reckless behavior would be himself, but [watches haurchefant bleed out from a wound meant to be inflicted upon him] [has to go home and tell his family that hes only alive because their son/brother died] Oh. Oh This Sucks So Much Worse. Hes partly healed from that experience, but the guilt he feels has never left him (and likely never will), and it influences the way he handles situations where his loved ones are involved. Hes not willing to let anyone else take a bullet for him lol

The next would actually be the body-snatching experience with zenos. He'd never felt more helpless and terrified; the image of his own body about to strike down alisae and raha haunts him constantly, and while he understands that it wasnt him who did that, it definitely made him start to view himself as. A monster of sorts. Lol. When he woke up back in his own body and saw that none of his friends had come to harm he broke down sobbing in relief [he has not cried in front of. Most of them]. Post-endwalker, hes still afraid of his strength someday being used to hurt the people he loves. He would genuinely sooner die than let something like that happen again

[redmoonwanderer]

FFXIV Write 2023, Day 30 Prompt: Amity Mild(ish?) spoilers all the way to EW.

It can be hard to trust again those who go to the shadows again and again and still beg for forgiveness, offering an explanation full well knowing it may not be accepted

(but Qhol’a listens, and forgives. It’s hard not to, when there are times Urianger risks himself to keep his friend standing a little longer; when he offers such insight in battle and outside, to help them towards victory)

and it’s hard to find a friend in someone who constantly places himself beneath and behind someone; hoping for friendship and trust both despite endangering everyone while keeping his reasons and face in the shadows

(but Qhol’a holds on to hope that one day G’raha will realise his place, as all Qhol’a’s friends’, is by his side as an equal. It will take time to forgive his deceit, but to see the once reserved man be again filled with energy and curiosity, genuine joy, Qhol’a knows he’ll find it in himself, one day.)

just as it is hard to find patience with someone who has yet not seen the life outside, the cruelty of it, but also the true joy that surviving hardships can bring. When one thinks ideals alone will be enough to shape the world, it’s almost frightening to wait for the moment that image shatters

(but shatter it does, and Alphinaud realises that good intentions aren’t always enough, and sometimes hard work doesn’t pay off the way he’d hoped. Qhol’a is incredibly proud of the growth he’s been given the chance to witness, and he knows only patience will allow this youngling to bloom.)

and see how the world you once thought you knew is reshaped: friends turned to enemies, enemies to friends, as the illusions lift and reveal truths long since buried. What can someone do when who they were was built on falsehoods, so as not to break, themselves

(but rebuild himself Estinien does. When the world no longer needs the man he was, he leaves not to disappear but to remake himself just enough to match the truth while keeping the rest of the pieces as they always have been. He may pretend to be the lone wolf still, but Qhol’a knows whom to expect the moment his own image threatens to shatter under new weights.)

and when they have to choose between experiencing the world around and a long life with loved ones? How can one value one more than the other when new things greet you with such a feeling of wonder, and most all you can learn is on the pages of tomes from long ago to this day; when those by your side are your life

(but it’s a choice Y’shtola makes. Sometimes Qhol’a wonders if it’s actually for her friends that she channels her own aether to see, in her own, unique way but see nonetheless. She could’ve chosen otherwise, not shortening her own life, but also not delve with them to the deepest dungeons and soar to worlds beyond without losing years to practice; chosen to miss on travelling side by side. Such dedication to what matters, he cannot but appreciate.)

and are all that matters. And how can one expect to be welcomed when they allow themselves to be turned against those loved ones? To be there to pave the road to their destruction? Is there a way to earn forgiveness after that? Is it found in going ahead no more in shadows but for all to see, so others will never be struck again

(but there is no need for such things. When Qhol’a approached Thancred after the fight against Ultima, against Lahabrea, with a warm drink and a heavy blanket, it’s not to say “I forgive you.” When he gives the man the tea, wraps the blanket around his shoulder and sits next to him, leaning on him so he can feel again, it is to say, “I still trust you.” After Zenos steals Qhol’a’s body, Thancred comes to him with tea and a blanket, before leaning against him. No words are needed.)

or is the answer in getting stronger? To grow with each step, run to catch up to the one you so look up to, despite knowing you might not catch up? But is there any point in reaching for something you cannot have? To look at the world and take the risk of being disappointed when you fall and lose; should one still hold on to hope

(but she does. Alisaie is nothing if not stubborn, and when that means that she finds a way to rescue not only a child she looked at the stars with, but countless others, its proof enough. When she hesitates, Qhol’a is always there to remind her that she has done incredible things: not just helped someone else achieve it, but been at the lead. And the rivalry? Qhol’a will never stop moving as long as she’s there to catch up.)

that in the end, all will be well?

Journeys are long things, and poses many questions for one to ponder. Sometimes, Qhol’a finds the answers scattered on his path, and there are answers that he didn’t even know he was looking for.

Other times, however, what he finds are not for him, but for those around him: the ones he’s gathered to stand with him in sun and storm. Answers to their problems, new ways to see the world and themselves, picked up by one man.

Of course, the same can be said for his friends: without them, there are a great many things he would’ve never found. It’s a little miracle that works only when it works both ways, friendship.

The warm thing that you hope to never let go of.

[taz-skylar]

hi roh!

no worries about the late response, as you can see I'm also sending this kinda late myself - it's been another hectic week. I hope this week was kinder to you! the previous one really did sound very busy with all your tests and deadlines 🫠

lkadskf I feel like if I share what animangas/ other shows I like it would be a dead giveaway to who I am 🤡 for now, let's just say one of favorites is haikyuu 🌝

same here! I'm trying to keep up with a couple of currently airing animes as well, spy x family and blue lock being two of them. I've watched link click (earlier this year I think)! how are you finding it so far?

oh I'm terrible at keeping up with release dates and what's upcoming tbh so it's more likely instead that I'll have to ask you or some other people what's good 🥲 for now, I'm just waiting for new seasons of a couple of shows (including link click). I think the one new anime I'm waiting for is solo leveling (I didn't read the webtoon though)

question of the week! who is/ are your favorite character(s)? ishas there been any character you've related to?

- your animanga secret santa 🦖

it's been a long month fjlakdjf i had a final on monday and now i have to get through 5 more over 4 days starting on monday so lots of studying happening right now, especially since my first 2 finals are the harder ones 😭 fjaldkfja i feel like the only animanga that would give you away was if you like op since there's not as many fans of the series as i'd like there to be but also haikyuu is so much fun so i love it so i can already tell you have great taste! how are you liking sxf and blue lock so far?? i love the way those 2 series are just totally opposites and i love watching them one after another because they're both so fun in their own ways. like legit, i know blue lock isn't a comedy, yet my sister, moh, and i are laughing too much during each episode bc i love their dramatic antics and i'm so glad to see it all being played out on screen now. i've only seen the first 3 episodes of link clink so far but i really like it so far!! moh and i are loving watching it and theorizing to the max about it as much as we can during our watches (since i haven't been able to join all of amc's watches). i gotta warn you that i'm like super bad at keeping up with what's coming out so i'm probably the last person you want to ask for recs, but i can definitely direct you to some people who have simply the best recs !!! oooo solo leveling is another one that's on my list (dw i didn't read the webtoon either faldkfja) to answer the question of the week: my favourite characters are: roronoa zoro and nami (one piece), oikawa tooru (haikyuu, which is probably unsurprising bc of my sideblog's url), dabi (boku no hero academia, even though i've given up on bnha ever being a good story), nakahara chuuya (bungou stray dogs), zeno (akatsuki no yona), minako aino (sailor moon), and sherlock and william moriarty (yuukoku no moriarty) characters i relate to: unfortunately i've found myself relating to luffy (one piece) after october 2021 a lot, which definitely sucks and nakahara chuuya due to our bodies betraying us but i also am relating hard to mizuno ami (sailor moon) right now bc of all the studying, roronoa zoro bc he sleeps a lot, miya twins always bc moh and i fight like them all the time, wei wuxian and kamado tanjirou bc of our protectiveness over our siblings, edward elric bc of my shortness i asked @luffys who she thinks i relate to and she immediately said asta (black clover) bc i'm screaming at her all the time, which to be fair is always valid bc she's a dipshit, and she also said i relate to murr (vanitas no carte) bc i'm always done with everything but mostly her, she also said a character from free but she was just trolling me with that since she knows my opinions on that show fladkfj

thank you for the questions, bud!! they were super fun to answer 💙