#I want Flynt to be in here somehow I know that much

[howlingday]

Everybody Loved Somebody At Some Time...

The crowd was excited, which was to be expected, since it was a wedding. Another beautiful wedding in Remnant after the death of Salem. Jaune was surprised it didn't happen all at once.

He looked to his team, the band of musicians and singers he met and played with for a while now. His old crush, Weiss, was going over some sort of personal details with her husband, Flynt. He was surprised about their marriage when he first heard it, but was happy for her nonetheless. It all must have happened before Atlas fell.

Speaking of Atlas, he looked past the curtains to peek at the crowd, and found the blushing brides, Ruby and Penny giggling as they continued dancing after their first, second, and probably fifth dance together. He wished Pietro were here to celebrate, but he and Maria had passed long before Salem's end. It was sad, but also sweet that they died loving each other.

"Jaune?" He turned to see Yang standing by with her guitar. Her hand clutched the neck as her beautiful amethyst wedding ring gleamed in the stage lighting. "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm good, Yang." He straightened up. "Oh, excuse me, Mrs. Belladonna."

"Har de har har." Yang rolled her eyes. "Don't think I can't be just Ruby's mom tonight. I'll bend you over my knee, if I have to."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I know, Yang. You ready to play?"

"No." Yang whined. "I'm ready to rock, to melt bones! But you have me stuck here, playing sappy love songs."

"I happen to like sappy love songs." Blake said, walking on stage. "Especially the one you sang for me. What were the words? Something about a garden of ecstasy."

"Ugh, you're lucky I love you." Yang grimaced. "But I do owe you one for helping me out, Vomit Boy."

"If it makes you feel better, you don't have to play." Jaune offered.

"Deal!" Yang beamed a smile.

"No deal." Blake said serious as the grave. "Don't abandon your friends."

"I won't." Yang then kissed her wife on the lips, and the two shared a brief, but tender embrace.

Jaune turned away, walking to his place on stage. He took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves. The microphone looked so small in front of him, but everyone assured him it was strong enough to carry his voice double over. He took a step back as the curtains opened.

In front of him, a sea of faces stared through beaming lights. Some many friends, and so many family members. Some old enemies, some new allies. Everyone hushed as he spoke.

"I... kind of wish I had a speech right now." Jaune said, his voice echoing across the now laughing room. "But I guess I don't need to make a speech when I can just sing out my heart for you guys, huh? I've known Ruby for so long that she knows almost everything about me. She was and is my best friend, and that's why I'm honored and happy she asked me to be her best man/maid of honor." He turned around. "Sorry I stole your thunder there, Weiss." The crowd laughed again. The night was late, though, and it was time to see these happy couples home. "Ruby, I'm glad you found Penny again, and I'm glad you two could truly celebrate your love like you were meant to. I guess it's true what they say."

And like that, the music began, and Jaune sang his last song for the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Everybody loves somebody sometime"

"Everybody falls in love somehow"

"Something in your kiss just told me"

"My sometime is now"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The room came to life as couples dragged each other to the dance floor, or to their feet. Beating the married couple to the floor somehow were Ren and Nora, the latter of whom was swollen with motherhood. Behind them and Ruby and Penny was the bride's father, Taiyang, and his reunited love, Raven. They swayed close to Ruby, though Jaune could see Raven trying to sway Tai away from his baby girl one more time.

In the back of the room, Mercury refused to budge from his seat, much to the anger of his fiancé, Emerald. Next to them, neither wanting to move an inch, was the newly reformed Cinder and Neo, whose hatred for one another somehow bloomed into a romance. Jaune didn't question it. Love was stupid like that sometimes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Everybody finds somebody someplace"

"There's no telling where love may appear"

"Something in my heart keeps saying"

"My someplace is here"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jaune watched as the happy couples danced and swayed. He turned to find, yup, the couples in the band playing close to each other. In the shadows, Blake swayed with eyes glued to Yang, who returned while playing her guitar softly. If Jaune didn't know any better, he could have sworn that half of this band was trying to sing to the rest of the band. But he did know better. There was no trying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If I had it in my power"

"I'd arrange for every girl to have your charms"

"Then every minute, every hour

"Every boy would find what I found in your arms"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the dance floor, Sun and Neptune were, well, being Sun and Neptune. Potentially bachelors for life, but living for every second of it. Unless the rumors were true, in which their partnership was much more than professional or platonic. But Jaune didn't care for rumors. Not when what was happening now was so much more important.

He just wished he learned this lesson so much sooner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Everybody loves somebody sometime"

"And although my dream was overdue"

"Your love made it well worth waiting"

"For someone like you"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It hurt. Everything hurt inside Jaune. He felt his chest tighten and his eyes sting, but he shook them off in the guise of wiping his brow. He hoped everyone fell for it. As far as he saw, no one suspected anything. His voice never cracked, never broke. Jaune Arc was a man of his word, and tonight, he gave that in confidence he would not let his grief tear away the joy of this party.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If I had it in my power"

"I would arrange for every boy to have your charms"

"Then every minute, every hour"

"Every girl would find what I found in your arms"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There she was again, watching in the blinding lights. Her crimson hair pulled back in that iconic ponytail she was famous for. They said it was to keep her hair out of her eyes, as a professional, but he knew the truth. She did it so she could whip her hair like pony's tail would. Her smile almost broke him.

And in the shadows, he saw him, watching from the distance, as he always did. Jaune felt his jaw tense. Again, with his ruse, he wiped over his mouth to help relax himself. He was almost done. Then he could go home. Alone.

One last chorus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Everybody loves somebody sometime"

"And although my dream was overdue"

"Your love made it well worth waiting"

"For someone like you"

"Everybody loves somebody sometime~!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Weiss finished her lead as the backup, the crowd applauded the performance. A real standing ovation. Jaune wiped his eyes as the band drew close for a final bow. Jaune led the dip and bowed low for everyone. He then gripped the microphone one final time.

"Thank you, everyone for coming out." He beamed, tears freely falling from his face. "I love you all!" The crowd cheered, and Jaune stepped away, bowed, and swiftly made his way out the back.

Once outside, he glanced around before stepping into night and gazing past the blazing light of the streetlamp to view the stars. Why did tears have to make his eyes so shiny?

"Good evening, Jaune."

"Ozpin." Jaune said, like the name was ash in his mouth. "Enjoying your last life?"

"Yes, though I wish it were not mine." The gentleman voice admitted through much younger lips.

"You and me both." Jaune didn't spare a glance. "I actually liked Oscar. He was a good- No, he is a good guy. All the way to the very end. He deserved so much better."

"Indeed he did." Ozpin stepped closer to Jaune, and he visibly tensed. "That was an impressive performance."

"It wasn't for you."

"No, it wasn't." Ozpin sighed. "I understand your animosity, Jaune, but I don't think I deserve this hostility."

"Oh, you're right." Jaune finally turned to the shorter man. God, he was now dressing like the headmaster used to. "Maybe I should make us even. Trick your girlfriend into a shadow war, have a bunch of kids fight my battles for me, and lie to everyone about the whole thing! How does that sound?!"

"As foolish as it was when I attempted it." Ozpin shook his head.

"Fuck you, Ozpin." Jaune turned away. "You know, I actually looked up to you, before all of this. Sure, you were a weird guy who told everything like it was with a smile one your face. Because you knew everything. I respected that side of you. But the lying? The scheming? The preying Pyrrha's insecurities-!"

"I did no such thing, Jaune-"

"I DON'T FUCKING CARE!" Jaune screamed. "YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED THE ONLY WOMAN WHO LOVED ME FOR WHO I AM!" Tears spilled hotly from his eyes. "She was the only person who believed in me from the beginning, and you took her away from me..." Jaune sniffled.

Ozpin was quiet for a long time. For too long, the backside of the building was silent save for the sounds of weeping. Jaune hated this. He hated Ozpin. He hated himself.

"I remember a saying, when I had lost Salem for the second time." Ozpin said. "It was something that I never understood, and even today, I still find it to be lukewarm comfort at best." He turned away, looking to the stars. "Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all."

Jaune was quiet. He said nothing, but his sobs had been choked back to sniffles. He was listening. That was all he could ever do against Ozpin.

"What do you think that means?" Ozpin asked.

"Just be fucking straight with me for once." Jaune grumbled.

"I am." He replied. "I want to hear what you believe it means, before I tell you what I believe it means."

"God dammit." Jaune sighed.

"Gods." Ozpin smirked.

"Shut up." Jaune huffed. "It means... It means that being in love is the best feeling in the world, and that everybody should know what it feels like. Even if it means you lose that love forever."

"I see." Ozpin smiled. "We are very similar in our thinking then. From my understanding-"

"Is this going anywhere, Ozpin, or are you just here to be mysterious for no reason?"

"I saw you crying on stage, Jaune. You were looking at all those happy couples, thinking, 'Why couldn't that be us? Why couldn't she be here, facing me, as we dance to romantic love songs together?' I know, Jaune, because I was the exact same way. Even-" Ozpin choked. "Even to the very end, I loved Salem. Some small, stupid part of me saw the red eyes of the mother of all Grimm, and in a blink, I saw the blue-eyed princess I fell in love with all over again."

"And you don't regret it."

"No." Ozpin sighed. "Not once. She was a monster, and she had to be stopped, but," Ozpin rubbed his eyes, "God help me, I will love her to the day I die."

Again, silence fell between the two. Jaune watched Ozpin as he rubbed his red eyes, shaking his head as he bore his soul before Jaune. He pitied the cursed man before. Cursed to live forever, only now broken after Oscar's mind faded into his, and would live the rest of a life not his own regretting not being with his beloved. It was a sad sight, so Jaune did what he thought was best.

"Gods."

"Huh?" Ozpin sniffed.

"You said God, but there are two gods."

Ozpin chuckled. "You're right, and they're both assholes."

The two shared a laugh for the first time... well, ever!

"Well, I should be getting back." Jaune said, looking to the door. "Are you coming in to say hello?"

"It's a bit late for that." Ozpin shook his head. "I must attend to some personal matters," he placed a hand on his chest, "for the both of us."

"Alright." Jaune said, walking to the door. "See ya, Ozpin."

"Jaune?" He turned around, and saw Ozpin face down, prostrate with arms extended. "Nothing will ever be enough for all I have done to you, nor all you have done for me. Thank you, and... I'm sorry."

"I..." Jaune swallowed a lump in his throat, then walked over to Ozpin. He picked him up from the dirt and hugged him. "I forgive you." He stepped away. "And sorry about punching Oscar that one time."

Ozpin chuckled. "He had long forgiven you before you saw him again."

"Good night, Oz."

"Good night, Jaune."

Jaune stepped up to the door, then looked back to the new Ozpin. It may have been the light, or the time wearing on him, or the tears, but Jaune could have sworn he saw to shapes beside him. One was a tall woman with a ponytail, one eye blue and the other red.

But the other woman was shorter, but looked taller in heels. Her hair was also tied back in a ponytail, but her eyes were green. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. Opening the door, he found the party was still alive, though only with but a few stragglers left behind.

Jaune lost so much, but he held on to so much more. He loved and lost, but it was better to have never loved at all.

[wellthebardsdead]

Flynt: *was attempting to find his way up to bleak falls barrow on his own, somehow got turned around and ended up going in the completely opposite direction and ending up near pinewatch across the lake which he thankfully avoided else he’d of probably drowned, now managed to sniff out his path back to Riverwood after screaming in frustration for 30 minutes upon realising how lost he’d gotten himself* …hm?… *pauses and sniffs the air catching the scent of fresh blood as he walks by a hill leading to a shrine of Talos* eh?… *walks up the path smelling iron heavy in the air, unable to smell where the source is coming from until he trips over the dead body of one of the many worshippers, now all laying dead as well* h-huh???

???: oh- gods be praised I thought I was going to die up here- I- can you? Oh brilliant! What cruel joke is this?! I’m bleeding out and the divines bless me with a blind elf as my rescue!

Flynt: *sniffs the air smelling still warm blood ahead of him, high elf blood* H-helrr- hErll- *sighs* Hi. I’m Flr- Fryn- Ugh…

???: oh my god you can’t talk either. Can you at least hear me?

Flynt: *nods and shakily stands up moving closer to him before reaching into his bag and pulling out what he thinks is a healing potion* here.

???: oh so you can talk some words then- no I need a red one not a g- oh right…

Flynt: *sighs and reaches into his bag pulling out a bunch* re-d?

???: *takes one from him* thank you, yes this is a red one…

Flynt: *puts the others back, one missing the bag entirely and shattering on the ground soaking into his boots* … *sighs and takes a step back only to trip over another body* Ugh! I- FUCK!!! *gets up and kicks them in irritation, very clearly just having the worst time*

???: I take it, you’re not used to navigating the world around you?…

Flynt: *just huffs in response* …

???: well, My name is Taliesin, and seeing as my superior just attempted to murder me, Id rather not return to the thalmor embassy so how about I accompany you inst-

Flynt: *suddenly draws his sword and hisses at him with his ears pinned back and bosmer k9’s bared, very much despises the thalmor for torturing him and ruining his life*

Taliesin: I- woah woah! C-calm down friend let’s talk about this!! *backs up a little as the bosmer swings in his direction completely missing* I- stop that y- *moves as he swings again nearly slicing his own foot as he does so* Stop it! You’re going to hurt yourself! *grabs the sword from him and throws it to the side*

Flynt: *panics and reaches his arms out trying to find it before opting instead to hit the high elf with his fists but being easily caught by the larger mer* YOU RUIN MY IFE! YOU RUIN ME!!!

Taliesin: *adding up quickly the smaller elf’s condition was the result of the thalmor* Okay okay easy- easy now. I’m a friend, not your enemy, don’t make me fight back I wouldn’t feel right hitting a man who can’t see it coming… let’s just calm down and OW!!!

Flynt: *biting his hand* GRRRRRRR!!!!!

Taliesin: Gods you’re like a rabid chipmunk!!! LET GO!

*a few hours later*

Flynt: *seated in the sleeping giant inn looking defeated after being treated like a nuisance because he couldn’t communicate what he wanted to order* …

Taliesin: *sitting beside him, very much recognising Delphine as a wanted person by the thalmor and glaring back at her as she glares at him* … *looks at the bosmer seated beside him eating a loaf of bread and nothing else because he couldn’t see the menu or say what he wanted* … here, tell me what you want and I’ll order it for you…

Flynt: *looks up in his direction, ears pointed down showing his sadness even if his face remains rather vacant* …

Taliesin: You can take your time with me. I know you don’t like or trust me but I owe you for saving me. I’m not about to let you starve before I can pay off my debt to you…

Flynt: …mm…

*a few minutes and some back and forth and confirmation later*

Taliesin: *walks up to the bar with Flynts order written on a piece of paper* Right then, seeing as you want to treat a clearly struggling mer like a nuisance I’ll be ordering for him instead.

Delphine: *glaring up at him* Oh yeah? Your kind aren’t exactly welcome in here thalmor. And he’s no good for business either, just holding up the line so he can babble at us.

Taliesin: He’s a veteran from the Great War who was violently tortured. *leans in close* And unless you want me to inform my superiors you’re hiding here. Blade. And have the same thing happen to you. You’ll give him what he wants to eat. *hands her the note and a bag of coin*

Delphine: *face going ghostly pale* alright…

Taliesin: Good… It had better not be tampered with either… he’s been through enough. I wouldn’t put it past you to poison a man whose lost everything already. *huffs and returns to the table to sit with his new companion*

[astro-b-o-y-d]

Camp Xray and Vav/Hero Hero AU: Roles Part 1

Since it might be a bit before I can draw EVERYONE out, I kinda want to make a proper list of everyone’s roles in both AUs. Not all of them will be directly swapped, like David’s and Mogar’s, but I’ll definitely still try and fit them into roles that already exist in the canon setting. Of course, I might also change up just how big or little a certain role is, but that’s mainly because....my AU, my rules.

For this post, I’ll do the roles for Camp Xray and Vav, and then the Hero Hero roles will be a separate post that I’ll write up later. Readmore because this gets long.

Mogar: A mostly-silent and slightly-intimidating camp counselor of the camp (who’s name I haven’t quite decided on for reasons I’ll explain further down). Plays guitar, but not really when other people are around, and usually just keeps his guitar on his back for the most part. Tends to have very little patience when it comes to the campers (specifically two of them) but he never gets so angry that he yells at them or anything. They are just children after all. But it does get kind of frustrating when Xray spends half the day clinging to his leg in an attempt to take him down.

Hilda: The second camp counselor and a disgraced scientist who couldn’t get a job anywhere else as a result. Is favored by the camp’s sweet mascot; a sweet, unusually blue platypus she named ORF (guess it can’t really stand for much when she’s not orbicular, but...maybe she’s just real round). Overall hates the camp, but the isolated location does make for a good place to think and she does spend a lot of her time planning out new inventions. Of course with her limited budget/supplies, she can only built so much and a lot of the inventions she’s actually able to build ends up in the trash, where they can easily be snatched up by the tiny, gloved hands of two wannabe heroes.

ORF: Like I said, camp mascot and an unusually blue platypus. Much nicer than Mwack, though she often doesn’t know how dangerous she can be and bites people in an attempt to play with them. Tends to stick to Hilda.

Xray: Ten-year-old-camper; at the camp for Superhero Camp (which is...kinda not really a camp and his ‘superhero’ outfit is a towel camp and symbol taped to his little red camper shirt). Wants to be the best and coolest hero in the world, like in that one anime! But he’s ten and also has a bit of an attitude/ego going on, which makes hero-ing tough. He’ll get there one day, though. In the meantime, he’s perfectly content with being a hero around the camp and ‘borrowing’ any 

Vav: Also a ten year-old-camper, and also at the camp for Superhero Camp (so he says). Pretty much the same as Xray, though without the temper/ego. The two of them met the first day of camp and have been best friends ever since. Tends to be the more levelheaded of the two, though he’s not afraid to get involved in fun adventures with his best friend. Also this has nothing to do with anything, but he has a stuffed, pink plush toy with yellow spots that he tends to carry around with him (”Superheros need a sidekick!” so he says). Though...it is a bit.....terrifying....

Ash: The newest ten year-old-camper, attending the camp for Writing/Journalism Camp. She’s bubbly and excited and eager to tag along with the boys on their adventures, which makes Vav happy because little baby summer crushes. Xray, not so much. But he still lets her come anyway, because she can write down all their adventures and tell everyone how cool they are. Also she’s ‘actually kind of smart and fun and stuff’ (Xray’s words). Why didn’t I make the third camper Hilda? Simple, I like me a AshVavXray dynamic.

Rusty: The Quartermaster of the AU (that’ll...make putting him in the other AU tricky, but we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it). Pretty much the same character as he was before; just a bum who needed a job. Take care of a camp for a summer in exchange for money, food and a bed? Hell yeah, Rusty’s your man.

Dragonface: An eight-year-old camper, who was originally attending Fantasy/Magic Camp. However, he became so enamored with Xray and Vav’s hero-ing that he keeps trying to sneak over to Superhero Camp so he can hang out with him. Something that makes Xray complain loudly to Mogar about, which causes him to come and fetch the eager child and take him back to his own camp area. But he always finds a way back, and sometimes sneaks off to follow the trio when they go on some wild adventure.

Corpirate: Okay, so remember when I said I was having trouble coming up with a name for the camp in this AU? That’s because I planned on the Corpirate being in Campbell’s spot as owner of the camp and Camp Corp is already an actual thing in CC’s canon. Not that it really matters either way; the Corpirate is always away on either business or vacation so it’s not like it matters if the camp is even named after him. In fact, he’s on vacation so often that he’s referred to as the Yarrrgarita by Hilda (g....get it? GET IT?). But maybe I WILL stick with the camp being called Camp Corp, until I can think of a better name. In any case, yeah, Corpirate’s the boss. He’s obviously not as evil as he is in canon, though he’s....kinda along the same veins as Campbell. Still kind of an asshole obsessed with money, and doesn’t really care that much about the camp itself. But honestly, he’s not much of a threat to the counselors/campers/camp in general. Now, his hired assistant on the other hand...

Mad King: He’s exactly the same, but he kills, manipulates and traps animals in holes with the claim that it’s his religion. No seriously, the only difference between him and Daniel is the reasons WHY they murder and manipulate. And also the Mad King is actually handsome. Hey-o. But he has a much bigger role in the AU than Daniel ever did in the CC canon, and actually comes to visit the camp on multiple occasions in place of his boss. Definitely gives everyone an uneasy vibe, and the kids aren’t fucking idiots and know what a cultist is, but he never does any of that stuff on the campgrounds so they can’t really confirm their suspicions about him. But MAN, is he a fucking weirdo. Also Mogar definitely seems uncomfortable and angrier when he’s around, but the kids don’t know why.

[razorblade180]

Twin Snowflakes pt16:Royal Court

Flynt:Well look who it is!? Wasn’t expecting to be sent back to the past like this.

Veronica:Nice to see you too Mr. Smooth Criminal.

Flynt:I see your mom gave you her wittiness too.

Veronica:Hardly. If you hear me crack a pun then check to see if I have the flu or something.

Flynt:I meant Blake.

Veronica:Oh…not, not sure how I should take that.

Flynt:Don’t think about it too much. So you’re here to help set everything up? Well we sure don’t mind all the extra hands; more helpers mean more time for everyone to rest. Unless you’re a crazy person who doesn’t know how to rest.

Nick:Gee I didn’t realize Atlas became Shade. Always picking on me for the little things.

Flynt:All in good fun. Well Veronica, glad to have you. I won’t lie to you and say our school holds the most welcoming environment despite their reasons for being here, so don’t hesitate to come get me if anything serious happens.

Veronica:Thanks for the offer but I know how to handle myself and a few close minded simpletons.

Flynt:Somehow I have no doubt about that.

He grabbed a pin that said committee on his desk and put it on her shirt. Veronica bowed slightly before taking her leave. It was always interesting for Nick seeing the girl be so polite. The way she could flip between her manners with anyone so fast was always something she was good at. He once saw her go from shaking a man’s hand to punching them in the face in the blink of an eye.

Flynt:Is your sister here today?

Nick:I’ll hunt her down if she isn’t, why?

Flynt:Only asking. I know I tell you to let others handle their own workload but I advise you to keep an eye on Veronica just in case.

Nick:Trust me, Veronica might have a temper but she typically thinks things through; the school won’t get a bad-

Flynt:I don’t care about this place’s reputations, or my position for that matter. Your friend just looks like she’s nearing the end of her rope.

Nick:Really? What gives you that vibe?

Flynt:When you partner up with a cat faunus, you learn a thing or two. As far as tails go, it usually isn't good when they’re wrapped around the waist and all tense; almost like she’s hugging or bracing herself.

Nick:When does Neon do it.

Flynt:When she’s being defensive. Keep in mind I could be entirely wrong in Veronica’s case though. Just something to be aware of.

Nick:Hmm interesting. Thanks for the heads up.

Nicholas gave his principal a wave before heading out, his words taken to heart. ‘Maybe Yang was right to worry?’ He chewed on his bottom lip as he slowly caught up to the girl. ‘Right or wrong, getting her to eat couldn’t hurt.’

Nick:You know I think breakfast is still being served. I’m pretty hungry after looking for you and I bet running on rooftops made you peckish. Wanna grab a bite really quick? The school’s chicken bisc-

Veronica:Not interested, sorry. I would rather find where I’ll be working.

Nick: ‘Too direct’ Lunch isn’t for awhile. Working on an empty stomach-

Veronica stopped and opened her bag. Nick looked in it and saw several fruits and what was probably protein bars. He’d be impressed if prior knowledge didn’t make this seem like a yellow flag at best.

Veronica zipped back up her bag and continued walking, now a little faster. Her focus was derailed by Nick grabbing her wrist and making her jolt, spooking both of them. He didn’t comment on it and started guiding her down a different hallway.

Nick:You’re walking as if you know where to go. For future reference, wooden doors are regular classes and school stuff. Metal doors are combat related. You’ll work in the student council room; the creative arts hallway is to the right of it. They have plenty of time between classes for you to get whatever you need.

Veronica:Alright, easy enough to remember.

Nick:Fill free to explore the school if you want but don’t interrupt any classes and a lunch monitor will probably get on you if you go in there during different blocks.Summer has lunch at noon.

Veronica:And why would that matter to me?

Nick:So you don’t bump into her on accident, or if you need her for whatever reason. Do not, and I repeat, do not give her a hard time. She already hates school enough.

Veronica:Relax, I’ll play nice. Don’t expect me to sit with her at lunch or anything. That lunch room is probably loud as hell.

Nick:Summer eats on the roof, or the nurses office. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen her at a lunch table. Then again, I don’t spend a lot of time there either.

For some reason that was interesting to learn. Veronica was sure those two would have taken the time to eat with each other or be around peers; even if it was for show. Nick seemed like he’d use lunch for studying so she guessed it wasn’t that surprising. ‘Knowing Summer she would go there if you did.’ Veronica thought.

They finally reached the committee room. Nick grabbed the door knob but didn’t get the chance to twist it before it already swung open with Eliza on the other side.

Eliza:I swear if this boiler room doesn’t get its shit togeth-

Nick:....Uh, hey. Busy morning?

Eliza:You would know if you got here early like the president this school believes you to be!

Nick:One, I’m usually here thirty minutes prior so don’t come at me. Two, a hello would be nice. Finally, the boiler room messing up again?

Eliza:One, hello. Two, I’m here an hour early, three, yes it’s taking too long to warm certain things if at all. Finally, where’s the person who knows how to fix it?

Nick:Haven’t seen Valerie and you definitely know I haven’t seen Winchester, that’s your headache.

Eliza:Ugh, I guess I’ll cheat and warm it up myself.

Nick:Don’t blow us up…

Eliza:Shut up, unlike you I’m cautious. Might’ve come in handy against that Paladin.

Nick:Like you would’ve said yes if I asked.

Eliza:Who knows? If you got on your knees I might’ve said yes instantly. Guess we’ll never know; why aren’t you in home room ?

Nick:Last time I checked, you want to be kept in the loop from now on. We have another person helping starting today.

Eliza directed her attention to Veronica and looked her up and down before looking at Nick annoyed.

Nick:Problem?

Eliza:Yeah, I would’ve called a short meeting if I had known earlier. Being kept in the loop doesn’t mean telling me something last second.

Veronica:This was a last second decision. Lucky me because I hate meetings. I’m-

Eliza:I know who you are Veronica Belladonna; I’ve read about you quite a bit actually. Quite a shame your work doesn’t have much to show for it.

Veronica:I could say the same thing about your tournament rankings. Third place gets such a tiny font in the papers.

Eliza:Hmph, kitty has claws alright. Looking forward to seeing what you contribute. Nick looks confident in you so I’m sure it’ll be fruitful. There’s a list of things that need to be done inside the room already. Don’t hesitate to make my life easier.

Eliza shot Nick a cold look as she walked out slowly. Nick couldn’t help but notice the girls slightly sluggish movements.

Veronica:I don’t like her.

Nick:You don’t like most people so what’s new? Eliza is a hard ass but she’s a good person. Definitely reliable, so don’t piss her off. She’s already gunning for me at the tournament and I don’t need anger behind her hits.

Veronica:This list of people I have to be chummy with is getting too long for my taste.

Nick:Vee, I’ve only named three people. Three good people at that. Well...two and a half. Anyways I gotta get to class so you’re on your own for now.

Veronica:Have fun with that. Don’t be surprised if I’m running this entire place by the end of the day.

Nick:That would mean dethroning me, a tall order.

Veronica:Who says we can’t rule together? You know, as king and queen?

A blush spread across his face before he heard Veronica chuckle, only making him redder. Nick turned away in embarrassment and headed to class. It never took much to get him flustered. Veronica felt a little bad; it was something his classmates probably didn’t know.

‘Try all you want Nick,I won’t let you keep your cool.’ Veronica thought, still chuckling to herself. She would’ve continued to do so if the bell didn’t snap her out of it and hurt her ears. “That’s gonna take some getting used to.

Vee went ahead inside the student council room. It was surprisingly spacious and barren. Mostly tables lined around it and a giant blackboard filled with words. Papers were spread around the desks. ‘Wow, disorganized much?’ She took a deep whiff of all the different scents in the room, recognizing a few.

Her eyes scanned the desks. ‘Nick, Valerie, Eliza, even Summer, and several more.’ One paper caught her nose in particular. ‘It wouldn’t be unusual for all the members to have held the list. So...this one?’ She picked up a thin stack that was stapled together. Bingo, the nose always knows.

Venue, light arrangement, stage size, schedule events, all of it was laid out in detail; even down to the estimated budget. One page was a map of the layout which really helped? But something was off. All of this might’ve been planned out it seemed...conceptual. Scatterbrained even. Like all the thoughts were together but going in different directions at the same time.

‘The room isn’t the only thing disorganized it looks like. This list is like a buffet when it should be a potluck. Divide the work, make sure there’s no repeats or clashing themes. If the fights are the main course…’ Veronica took a seat and grabbed a pencil along with fresh paper. ‘Then let’s make sure to give the people plenty of complimenting sides and palate cleanser.’

xxxx

“That's all you can do! Talk about slow!” Valerie shouted with gusto, her hands juggling her tomahawks in the middle of the arena ring.

“Shut up!” Cried her sword wielding opponent. They charged forward with their sword at the ready.

Valerie made no attempt to stop her juggling. Her eyes pierced right into her foe’s as they prepared for a thrust. Valerie shook her head in disappointment. “Sloppy”

The words reached the student and a dark blue glow washed over them. Suddenly their muscles felt heavy, air felt stingy, and their balance was off. The steel sword tipped too far forward and made them stumble, their body stopping at the perfect distance to receive a powerful roundhouse kick to the face that sent them flying out of the ring.

A buzzer rang right after and Valerie finally let her weapons hit the ground as she walked to the edge to see Harriet helping the dazed student.

Valerie:Their jaw okay?

Harriet:If you have to ask then that means you knew you were being too rough. You get a B- Valerie. Please remember restraint. Your semblance and strength can really hurt someone.

Valerie:Sorry…

Harriet:Don’t be sorry, be careful.

That was a line Valerie was familiar with. She watched Harriet help the student to their feet and guided them to the changing room before turning to the rest of the class.

Harriet:Well then, I say that’s enough for practical fights. Unless we have any volunteers, Summer?

Summer: Y-Yes!? I mean no! No, I’m fine. Training is all...covered and stuff.

Harriet:Fine then. Okay everyone knows the drill. Five laps around the track and then you are free from my charming voice. *claps hands* hop to it!

A collective groan came from the class before they started walking to the door. Summer waited for others to be ahead of her like usual and waited for Valerie to catch up.

Valerie:Enjoy the show?

Summer:Eh, felt like a rerun of most of your matches.

Valerie:What can I say? Being this good means I’m always a safe bet princess.

Summer:You won’t be if you call me that again.

Valerie:Ooo feisty today.

Harriet:You’re one to talk. *folds arms* Valerie, thirteen laps for you.

Valerie:What!? But I hate cardio!

Harriet:Good, I’m sure whatever aggression you have will burnout; Summer you have seven. A warning for all your absences.

Summer:Fair, but literally the day after? We’re still sore.

Harriet:Physically or mentally? Just kidding, I know it’s both. Now go before I add more laps.

Summer and Valerie:Yes ma’am…*runs off*

Harriet:Teenagers…

Valerie:Man this sucks! So I hit a little harder than I meant to, so what?

Summer:You’re gonna run out of breath before you start your laps.

Valerie:Maybe then I won’t overlap you.

Summer:Please, you’d need time dilation to do that with your speed. I’ll call you if I need to move some furniture, you lumberjack.

Valerie:Ouch, feisty. Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?

Summer:No, but obviously you did. Seeing you in my bus seat this morning was pretty unexpected.

Valerie:Too sore to swallow. I figured-

Summer:That you wanted distance from Nick?

A pit in Valerie’s stomach dropped like a weight. She looked towards Summer to see neutral eyes examine her in great detail. She wondered what exactly it was that Summer was looking at. Color, sweat, hidden guilt, or fear?

Summer:Did you tell him about the bus? Actually, not fair, I don’t wanna know that. What I should be asking is...no, not that either. Sorry, I probably sound like I’m spouting craziness. What I’m getting at is I’m upset too, about my performance during the exam.

Valerie:You tr-

Summer:I swear if you say I tried my best then I’ll scream.

Valerie:....Sorry. You’re wrong though, about me being upset. Frankly I don’t know exactly what I’m feeling. Anxious, embarrassed maybe? I just know I don’t really want to deal with Nick right now. Nothing personal, honestly.

Summer:No offense but it’s entirely personal. I’m not gonna blame you for wanting alone time. Nick and his overwhelming nature is...overwhelming. Always butting in, worrying about everyone but himself and-

Valerie:Being absolutely sweet? It’s all out of kindness; which I don’t necessarily know if it makes it better. I think it does anyways.

Her eyes seemed to drift off thinking about it. He really was always there for anything. Good or bad, Valerie would see the idiot next to her. It was genuinely comforting, and scary. Scary for reasons that for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out.

She was thankful when Summer touched her arm and dispelled the mix of conflicting emotions. Val shook her head and cleared her throat.

Valerie:Enough about Nick! Let’s talk about something more progressive, like how to delete a video the entire school has seen.

Summer:No amount of money or power will erase it. Eliza really screwed us on this one.

Valerie:Wait, what!?

Summer:She’s the one who recorded the quality video. Not out of malice or anything but-

Valerie:I’m gonna fight her…

Summer:Ignoring me? That’s cool too.

Valerie:Oh I heard you, still pissed!

Summer:What happened to not being pissed?

Valerie:Okay, so I’m a little pissed. Ugh! Of all people. I hope she makes it far in the tournament. I don’t think I can take any more nosy people.

Summer:(Should I mention Veronica?)

Valerie:*cracking knuckles* I’m fired up now!

Summer:(Nope) Cool, start running then. Think of it as a head start.

Valerie:Fine, but if I finish my laps before you then I think that’s worth some sort of prize. Let’s say...a movie, just the two of us?

Summer:Hmmm, no deal. I sort of have this thing where I don’t go on dates with my brother’s crushes.

Valerie:We don’t have to call it a date. It would be two friends hanging out like buds.

Summer:.....

Valerie:Yeah, I didn’t believe myself either. Come on, what’s wrong with one simple date?

Summer:Nothing, if it were simple. One of these days you’ll figure it out.

Valerie:Figure what out?

Summer:Finish your laps first and I might tell you, if you beat me that is.

Valerie:You’re on!

Summer makes no effort to start running as Valerie takes off with renewed determination. No doubt it will carry her for at least three laps. Win or lose, Summer planned to keep her mouth shut. There were certain things that should be learned in time, instead of told outright. She had faith in Valerie.

Either way it would take time, almost like a cheesy romance novel. Slow burns never interested Summer. There was always a person who crossed a line. Good thing Nick and Valerie were way too smart to do anything that would endanger their friendship, right?

xxxx

Time seemed to be moving at a snail's pace today. At least it was for Veronica anyways. There was a small stack of paper near her now. Each one filled with edits that reorganized all the organized chaos from the council. ‘I hate to admit it, but this Eliza check really puts in work. They all do in some way; Valerie might look dense and lazy but I shouldn’t be surprised that she can handle work. Can’t say much for her creativity though. Still, Nick seems to stand above it all. Just like him to try without showing it. Tiny notes that build upon the others.’

Veronica grabbed the next sheet of paper and kept her pace. This was far easier than designing clothes. It was almost therapeutic in a way. The only thing that was distracting her from her growing agitation. Snacks, all gone. Hunger? So intense that it hurt everywhere. Bones, eyes, nerves, all of it. She wasn’t used to this pain, and she doubted she ever would be.

Calmly she felt her stomach grumble against her nails; which threatened to sharpen. It wouldn’t surprise her if her eyes looked more cat like right now. A wiser Veronica would’ve binged at a buffet before visiting Atlas. She could usually go longer without caving; maybe it was the boat ride? Veronica knew for a fact any instinctual push could potentially set her off. Too late for regrets. No way would she let people see her go feral. Not when they were already talking…

“Did you see that girl with Nick today? Haven’t seen her before.” Said someone in the hall. “You think that girl is rich or something? A girl said in a classroom. “Ha! How rich could a faunus get!?”

The chatter kept coming from every direction.

“That girl is pretty smoking.”

“Jungle fever much?”

“You know what they say about faunus girls.”

“Probably a charity project.”

“Never seen ears and a tail at once.”

“I think she’s ugly honestly”

“Pretty, for a faunus.”

“I think she’s a halfbreed.”

“Freak….”

Her pencil snapped. She basically shattered it to gain some sort of control, ignoring the splinters yet accepting the pain in full force as she kept her fist clenched tight. Veronica wished folding her ears down could be enough, that if she covered them tight she could finally get some quiet; that would be wishful thinking. Tactics like those never worked.

‘Different place, same people. So do what you were told Veronica.’ She told herself. A deep breath in, then out. Letting her eyes close and focus on the only thing that mattered. Herself. Her thoughts and opinions; long flowing hair, sun tanned skin, ears, tail, blood…

All little things that made her up she thought were just fine; not perfect, but not flawed either. They were simply her and that was glorious. As long as she believed that, as long as the people who mattered believed it, then who gives a fuck about what’s said outside?

“Hey princess, come to grace us with your presence?” Veronica heard, from what could possibly be the fakest happy voice in existence. accompanied by the frailest one she’s heard all her life.

xxxx

Summer:Ple-please le-leave-ah!

An arm brushes pass her head and slams into a locker directly behind her. Summer clenches her belongings close to her chest and stares up into the taller girl's brown eyes. Dark brown hair and brown skin really made her stand our. No doubt a cheerleader or head of a club. Combat school or not, beauty was the law of the land to an extent.

A small crowd started forming around them in curiosity because of the noise.

Jordan:What, Princess? Am I not worth your time? I just wanna catch up.

Summer:You’re...causing a scene.

Jordan:That a problem? Don’t you like all that attention and limelight; the personal benefits that somehow let you float above it all?

The girl put her fingers through Summer’s hair. Her eyes drilling into the girl with obvious hostile intent.

Jordan:You know, I’m getting really sick and tired of being overshadowed by someone who never lifts a finger. I miss a day and there’s hell to pay. You miss weeks before and yet your grades stay the same. What, got that fine brother of yours bending over backwards?

Summer:What? No I-

Jordan:I was really hoping you’d get what was coming to you yesterday but of course not. I will say it is hilarious letting people see how frail and useless you are. Maybe if you spent more time eating a sandwich instead of trying to do something with that useless voice of yours…

That insult hit a special spot.

Jordan:Then maybe you wouldn’t be such a lightweight. At least you finally know how to dress yourself. A blow to the head must’ve knocked some sense into you. Doesn’t change the fact you still have all those hideous scars. I bet your fans would love to see-

It was sudden, almost instantaneous. The girl had gone from trash talking one minute, then to holding her wrist right after a loud smack from another hand had invaded Summer and Jordan’s delightful conversation. Summer hadn’t even realized Veronica was watching, let alone standing next to her currently.

Murmurs started to grow louder as the students stared at this unfamiliar faunus that stood confidently, hands on her hips and a look that could kill. Veronica paid no attention to them or Summer for that matter. Instead she had her attention on the bully. A thin red whelp on the girl’s wrist made Veronica silently say “shit” to herself. Her nails must’ve grazed the skin; a genuine mistake.

She was already questioning why she showed up here in the first place. A fight was the last thing she needed or attention. So why intervene? Why prevent Summer from turning on the water works? Easy answer, basic people pissed her off

Veronica:Ever heard of personal space? I thought all Atlesians knew basic etiquette but apparently not.

Jordan:Umm who the hell are you supposed to be?

Veronica:It’s not polite to ask others their name without introducing yourself either, but I guess anyone would want to know the name of a person that threatens them. Then again, a school like this would be diligent in political topics.

Summer:You think the majority of kids here pay attention to the news or the bad part of history?

Veronica:I guess this is what passes for elite around here. How disappointing.

Jordan:Listen, apparently you don’t know things work around here new girl but I’m-

Veronica:Completely irrelevant to me, an afterthought when this is all over. I don’t know how popular you might be or who you might know. Keeping shooting your mouth off and this headache of mine isn’t going to go away. Find something more productive to do than play bully.

Jordan:Ha, so that’s what this is about!? Didn’t realize that good for nothing princess had any friends besides that idiot sports jockey.

Veronica:Please, I wouldn’t be this child’s friend even if she paid me. Her crying hurts my ears almost as much as your prissy voice.

‘Oooos’ came from the crowd of people. It didn’t matter what school you went to, kids craved this kind of back talk. Summer wasn’t sure how things suddenly got so hostile, but that jab at her irritated her.

Summer:Yeah well why would I ever want a friend like you?

Veronica:Crippling loneliness.

Summer:Oh, so I would have to be desperate? That sounds about right.

Veronica:Go jump in front of another robot arm or something, the big kids are talking. Or I’m talking, this chick is pouting.

Jordan:I will not be talked to like this! Not by some...some…

Veronica:Say it, call me anything that has to do with being a faunus and see how far it gets you.

Jordan:A flea bag like you doesn’t scare me you bitch.

Summer:Hey! D-

Jordan:Excuse you, why are you even talking still, or even here!? Do us all a favor and fucking disappear like the nothing you are. I mean honestly, why the hell are you even alive?

The crowd went absolutely silent, all eyes went on Summer. Her heartbeat felt like it nearly stopped entirely. Feeling small was something she was used to. Jordan hadn’t said anything Summer didn’t think of before and yet right now, in this moment, Summer felt like she had been shot right in the heart.

Why? Why couldn’t she say anything back? What made all these eyes so terrifying? The eyes that no doubt saw her on stage before where they didn’t mean a thing. The eyes that most likely laughed when they saw that stupid video. Summer could feel herself choking up and bit her lip.

‘Something, do something damnit! Anything is better than nothing!’ Her chest felt like fire and Jordan smiled as she knew what would happen next, only making Summer angrier. ‘Do anything but cry! Just-’

Her screaming thoughts were suddenly halted by the sting of Veronica flicking her arm. Her face showed severe annoyance at Summer.

Veronica:So what, you can fight with me all day but do nothing here? Could it be...you think I’m somehow beneath her!? The hell is up with that?

Jordan:The fact that you don’t realize that proves just how delusional-

Summer:Please, you’re way more insufferable Veronica. Jordan might as well be an ant with how basic she is- *covers mouth*

More “oooos” came from people chattering. That might’ve been the first time her classmates heard her say anything so...so rude. Jordan grit her teeth and clenched her first, definitely uncharted territory for Summer.

It might’ve been a good idea to leave, hell, maybe even apologize just to prevent further trouble, but the look Veronica gave her made it clear that wasn’t a choice. Not only wasn’t it smug, it pissed Summer off a little. Like hell she’d back down now!

Summer:I mean just look at her, all looks with no substance.

Veronica:I bet this bitch thinks she’s so smart. At least compared to you.

Summer:Hell no! I can sleep through half a test and still be ahead of her with her with how bad her grades are.

Veronica:Oh so she’s trying to get by on her looks? How pathetic.

Summer:Looks she bought too, or I should say her parents bought.

Jordan:Says who!?

Summer:You think no one would notice last year when you came back from spring break with a new nose? Or were you thinking everyone would focus on the boob job? Puberty doesn’t do all that in two weeks so you either found the gods, a ton of surgeons, or a godlike surgeon.

Jordan:*red* Like you’re one to talk about looks. Upset no amount of money could remove those hideous-

Veronica:So you admit to the surgery?

Jordan:Shut up bimbo!

Veronica:That sounds like hater talk.

Summer:Yeah at least Veronica is a natural beauty. I might wear a smidge of concealer but that’s nothing compared to you. Boring...

Veronica:You hate to see it, basic. Do you even fight? I don’t think I’ve ever read the name Jordan on any scoreboards. If pretty is your only trick then get a new one.

Jordan:Like someone like you is any better! Fighting or otherwise I bet I could-

“Lose.” A voice came from around the corner. Everyone turned their head to see Valerie still in her P.E. uniform and a little sweaty.

Her eyes focused on Veronica and immediately she was happy that running made her too tired to fight. That didn’t curve her attitude however, but it looked like that there was more than one annoying problem in this hallway.

Valerie:You’d lose Jordan. To me, to Summer, and most definitely Veronica Belladonna.

Veronica:Way to ruin my fun. I barely meet people stupid enough to be so racist to my face. It’s usually when they think I can’t hear them.

Multiple faces in the crowd looked a little uncomfortable after that statement.

Summer:Finish your laps finally?

Valerie:Hardy har. So, care to explain why not one but two insufferable bitches are causing a scene.

Veronica: “That bitch” you could at least calm me that instead of comparing me to that loser. Also shouldn’t you be showering, or home? You smell like the entire football team.

Valerie:Shouldn’t you be oceans away!? Why-

Veronica:*points to pin* Apparently the great kingdom of Atlas can’t organize events without spreading themselves too thin. I’m catching your slack. Nick is very grateful about it.

That sure ticked Valerie off. Maybe she wasn’t as tired as she thought. Veronica’s face was looking pretty punchable right now.

Valerie:Well good on you, being his little errand girl must make you feel like a winner huh?

Veronica:Keep talking shit and people won’t have to wait for a tournament to see you knocked on your ass.

Jordan:Umm-

“Shut up!” All three said sternly. Clearly Jordan had become nothing more than an afterthought. The crowd didn’t care who fought. Action was all that mattered.

Valerie wasn’t afraid to step up until her and Veronica were centimeters apart. Veronica showed no fear despite being the shorter girl. Giving into the impulse would be so easy right now. So...gratifying. Like an apex humbling what they saw as a beta. Veronica clenched her fist.

“HEY!” Another voice shouted, cutting through all the hostility of the hallway. The crowd split in half to show Eliza. Everyone could see embers and sparks twinkle around the girl, a clear sign she was ready to break up this altercation.

Eliza:Get.To.Class….or do you want to learn the difference between lightning dust and the real deal?

The crowd didn’t need to be told twice and scattered, even Jordan left. Valerie was given a dirty look that made her step away from Veronica while Summer found the nerve to the wall between Eliza and the other two.

Summer:Sorry! Things got out of hand because of me. I-

Eliza:I highly doubt that. Even if it’s true, our Vice President should learn how to keep the peace. And I expect a guest at our school to not cause any agitation in this already aggressive hornets nest.

Valerie:Pfft, she might as well be a baseball bat.

Veronica:I’ll swing a baseball bat upside your-

Eliza:Do you really want to keep arguing in front of me!? I swear if you three weren’t-ugh! Val, hit the showers. Summer if you aren’t going to lunch then I suggest you go over the numbers we need for the tournament.

Summer:I did that already.

Eliza:Yeah well I just went to our room and our guest has been reworking things so I would like our treasure to double check her work. It’s your money after all.

Summer:Alr-

Veronica:Ahem! aren’t you forgetting something?

Summer:...Right, I’ll get on that Eliza. Right after I get lunch, with milk.

Eliza:Ummm okay? As for you Ms. Belladonna… I’ll overlook this but remember Nick will be held somewhat accountable for everything you do. Good and bad, understand?

Veronica:..Crystal. And can you not call me that?

Eliza:As you wish. Now if you excuse me, I have practice to attend to.

As quickly as she showed up, Eliza left and took Valerie with her. Veronica let out a deep breath before turning to see Summer still standing around and looking right at her. All she could manage to do was give an awkward nod before heading to lunch. Obviously she wanted to say something but for some reason decided against it. A wise decision.

Veronica looked at the cuts in her own hands from clenching her fists to tight, her heart still pounding. Man, she really wanted a burger right now. Anything to sink her teeth in.

Part 15

[littlemisssquiggles]

Ok so. Oscar as Nene (got drag to supernatural stuff like Os got drag to become a huntsman) Ruby as Hanako (playful, deeper than you think, family issue🤣😂) Jaune as Kou Pyrrha as Mitsuba GO BRAINSTORM NOW YA KNOW THE STORY OF HANAKO KUN🤣😂❤️❤️❤️

Hehehe,indeed I do know the story of Hanako-kun,Ly. Especially now that I’m all caught up with both the anime and the mangaseries. Although I will say this though, theanime adaptation of the Mitsuba chapter was one hundred times moreheartbreaking to see play out in animated form. I mean it was alreadysaddening to read about in the manga when I first started but to see it now infull living colour…my heart. Dem feelsman!

Andto imaging Pyrhha Nikkos being Jaune’sMitsuba in a RWBY-inspired Hanako universe is so tragically fitting thatit’s bloody perfect. Y’know it was actually @mojo72400 who first suggested thepotential of a Rosegarden AU based on Hanako-kun. However at the time, I ridiculouslythought that Toilet-Bound Hanako-kunwas about a anime girl who had to survive the social ladder of highschool witha terrible condition that forced to suffer from infrequent trips to the toilet.That’s what the title made me think the story was about. I know that soundssilly in hindsight but can you blame with a title like that? Now imagine howpleasantly surprised I was to realize that TBH was definitely better than I canever imagined.

Anyways,that being said, now that I’ve familiarized myself with the Hanako-universe(and have officially joined its fandom community---Whaddup my toilet-bounddudes!) you can bet your bum that I’m definitely game for a Barn- Bound Ruby Rose RWBY Rosegarden AU and I second the idea of Oscar Pine being the Nene ofthis universe.

Oh!But instead of Oscar being afflicted with the Mermaid’s Curse, let say…that Oscar’s curse is called the Pumpkinhead curse.

 Likeimagine…Oscar being a farm-bred countrypumpkin who had to move to the city to attend high school and becauseof this, he’s affectionately been christened the nickname of “country pumpkin” by his peers.

Let’s say…that much like Nene, Oscar’sstory was that he had a crush on one of his upperclassman and wanted to make awish to change his appearance so that his crush could finally notice him andmaybe become his girlfriend. Let’s say…that having grown up on a farm far outin the countryside, Oscar has always dreamed of living in the city and hadbasically dreamt up this little fantasy of what his dream “highschool experience”would be and for the sake of this AU, one of his ambitions was somehow becomingthe proud lovingly devoted boyfriend of the most popular girl at school.

Nowaccording to rumours around the school, Oscar’s crush liked “tall handsome city boys” so unfortunatelyfor Oscar, his small, cute farm boy look wasn’t going to cut it for him inwinning over the affection of his future girlfriend.

Atfirst Oscar thought that his luck with his crush might not change until heheard a rumour about one of the schools Seven Mysteries. Mystery No. 7---TheRuby Rose of the Abandoned Barn house in the back of the school compound.Basically the deal was that the Ruby Rose was supposed to be some kind ofsupernatural jinn who grant one wish to anyone who is able to successfullysummon it.

Longstory short, Oscar goes to the barn in hopes that he could successfully summonthe Ruby Rose. But to Oscar’s surprise, rather than summoning a super imposingmystical genie of the magic arts here to grant him any wish he so desired likehe had imagined in his impressionable overactive farm boy imagination, Oscarinstead finds a ghost girl dressed in a red hood who addresses herself as RubyRose.

Basicallythe idea I’m having here is that before making the choice to go live in thecity, Oscar lived a rather sheltered life in a small town where the only thinghe had to connect with were books that his aunt would lend him. So because ofthis, let’s say Oscar has a skewed,child-like impression of what the real world is. In a nutshell, he’s very naïve. Not stupid. Just gullibleenough to believe a silly school rumour about a supernatural being who cangrant him his wish to make him desirable enough for his crush to love him.

(YesI know that sounds silly and totally out of character for Oscar but since Oscaris meant to be Nene here I tried to give him the key Nene-isms---her thirst for the love of the oppositesex--- while maintaining some of his canonical RWBY traits).

Anyways;like I said---Oscar successfully summons Ruby: He didn’t really have to domuch. Just leave a plate of chocolate chip cookies and milk in the centre ofthe room while say “Ruby Rose” three times.

Howevershenanigans happen which result in Oscar failing to get his wish from Ruby who,as it turnt out, can’t really do anything to change Oscar’s appearance.

Thisthen leads to Oscar eating a cursed cookie that he took off of Ruby.Let’s say…the cookie is heart-shapedwith red velvet icing and strawberry hearts on one side while the other side wasdecorated like a Halloween pumpkin face.

Let’s say…the idea behind thecookie---the Cursed Pumpernickelcookie--- is that should two people share the cookie, they would be boundedtogether for all eternity and live a lifetime of love, happily ever after.However should the pair’s love not be mutually reciprocated with only one halfof the cookie being eaten, the recipient of the eaten half shall fall prey tothe Pumpkinhead curse.

Thisis what ends up befalling poor Oscar. The idea I had was that, much like Nene,Oscar pilfered Cursed Pumpernickel off of Ruby while she was sifting throughher pocket for another token to help him “woo” his crush.

Whenasked about the cookie, Ruby harmlessly informs Oscar about the “power” of thePumpernickel cookie, not thinking that Oscar would ever be so foolish enough to actually eat itknowing the details of its curse. However, unfortunately for Ruby, Oscar wasthat foolish and eats one of half of the Pumpernickel cookie with the intentionof giving the other half to his crush to bind them together forever.

Let’s say…in this AU, Oscar’s crush is Neon Katt. Like Oscarhas had a crush on her since his first day of high school, falling head overheels in love with her just because she and her friends were close with Oscar’supperclassman pals and Neo was always super nice and affectionate withOscar---y’know like your best friend being nice to your kid brother who has anobvious crush on her type of scenario.

SoOscar goes to give Neon the other half of the Pumpernickel but as he does,their moment is interrupted by Flynt. Let’ssay…in this AU, Flynt and Neon areclose childhood best friends who’ve secretly had feelings for each other foryears. (Because in the squiggle shire, we still ship Funky Cat or whatever the name of Flynt x Neon’s ship is). So Flyntconfesses his love to Neon and much to Oscar’s heartache, Neon reciprocates hisfeelings. She even forgets that Oscar was even standing there before Flyntreminds her of his presense.

Butas Neon goes to take the reaming half of the Pumpernickel that Oscar was aboutto offer her, Oscar, doing his best to hide his sadness, makes up some cock andbull story about the cookie being bad and no longer good enough to give Neonanymore. He then congratulates Flynt and Neon on their newfound relationshipbefore running off; claiming to be returning to class.

Assaid, Oscar is heartbroken---realizing how foolishhe had been for pursuing Neon. But before Oscar could lament on hisfoolishness, he is suddenly overtaken by the Pumpkinhead Curse. Oscar is turned into a pumpkin. Thenext thing Oscar knows he opens what he assumesto be his eyes, looking up to find Ruby standing over him. However for some oddreason, Oscar could no longer feel his hands or his legs. He suddenly feels very, very different.

Itis then when Ruby holds up a mirror to Oscar to show his new pumpkin body---asmall bright orange pumpkin with a fluffy head of leaves and vines which Rubyhad been kind enough to carve out his eyes and mouth so he could see and talkto her. She even took the liberty of carving out tiny holes where Oscar’sfreckles would be on his face.

WhyI like the concept of Oscar’s curse being the Pumpkinhead curse is, not justbecause it was inspired by the Oz character of the same name but mainly becauseof a quote that Jack Pumpkinhead said after he had first come to life:

“…It will take me alittle time to discover whether I am very wise or very foolish…”

 Ilike the idea of Oscar winding up cursed because his affection for Neon and hisdesperation to have her return his feelings had made him foolish in his pursuitof love or something along those lines. I like this idea just as much as I likethe idea of those afflicted with the Pumpkinhead Curse ending up becomingpumpkins to be added to the patch of a supernatural entity known as the PumpkinKing.

Y’knowhow in Hanako, we had the Mermaid Queen apparition who told Nene that if shebecame her servant she would be loved by her and her fish people? Well for thisAU, my idea is that Oscar would become apumpkin in the Pumpkin King’s Patch to be marriedoff to one of his literal spoiled rotten pumpkin-headed children. Sobasically by being cursed, Oscarunintentionally set himself up to become the future groom to the Pumpkin King’s eldest daughter whose been knownto eat her husbands, much to the farm boy’s dismay since not only did henot want to be a pumpkin for the rest of the life but he certainly did not wantto be married off to a pumpkin either at the tender age of 14.

Soto avoid becoming the Pumpkin Princess’ latest snack and umpteenth deadhusband, Ruby makes Oscar a deal he couldn't refuse. Much like Hanako did withNene, Ruby binds herself to Oscar and becomes his "girlfriend" as a means of keeping the Pumpkin King fromclaiming him for his daughter (which basically becomes like a sort of runninggag with the Pumpkin King and his minions constantly trying to persuade orstraight up kidnap Oscar into becoming the future little Pumpkin Prince).

Andto seal to deal that they were now bound together, Ruby eats the other half ofthe cursed Pumpernickel Cookie before kissing Oscar while he was still inpumpkin form which turns him back into a proper human boy.

Sobasically Oscar also ends up losing hisfirst kiss to Ruby; much to the farm boy’s embarrassment.

Butbottom-line, Ruby and Oscar were now bound together through the PumpkinheadCurse. However, because she had went out of her way to help him, Oscar beingbound to Ruby almost meant that he owed her indefinitely.

Andconsidering that Ruby was now Oscar's quote unquote "girlfriend", she pretty much make lives up to that titleby ensuring that Oscar played the part of her so-called lovingly devoted“boyfriend”, wading on the jubilantly childish yet mysterious apparition handand foot while additionally assisting her in her maintenance of the balancebetween the living and supernatural world. Because in Oscar’s case, it waseither that or being a talking pumpkin head turned pumpkin groom married to hisgiant pumpkin wife in constant fear of being eaten for the rest of his life.And that’s my idea for Oscar’s Nene-inspired story for this AU which I guess canwork as a nice little basis for it. Y'know do something similar to the originalHanako series but with a squigglytwist to it, in a sense. Besides I love the concept of Oscar being a cutelittle pumpkin more than him being a fish like Nene. But that's my idea.

Asfor the rest of the RWBY cast as Hanako-inspired characters---Well... as Imentioned before, I really dig your idea of Jaune being the Kou of thisuniverse. We can even maintain the same idea by having him come from a longline of spirit warriors dubbed the Arc-Angels or “Arc Knights” (see what I did there) with his older sister Saphronbeing a more experienced one watching over her brother’s development whilesimultaneously acting as a teacher at his high school along with her wife:Terra Cotta who is the school librarian. I like the idea of Terra beingcompletely oblivious to her wife and her family’s connection to thesupernatural world due to Saphron wishing to keep both her wife and their toddlerson away from that kind of life style. Perhapsyou can even have an idea where Saphron abandoned her duties as an Arc Knightbecause she desired a normal life with a family of her own.

Perhaps…you can have somethingwhere the Arc Knights, being the only spirit warrior family within the mainsetting of the story, were the sworn protectors of the land of the living;working to exorcise any wayward apparitions.

Let’ssay Saphron estranged herself from her family, choosing to work more closely withthe apparitions to focus on maintaining better peace between the two worlds. Butbecause Saphron had left, her baby brother Jaune was forced to take her placeand the two share an interesting dynamic where Jaune wants to prove that hecould be a great spirit warrior who won’t quit like his sister did and Saphronhas to look out for him while feeling guilty for partially making Jaune thewarrior that he was now. That’s one idea.

Nowthat I think about it. This type of story could also work for Weiss and Winter. Like I can easilypicture Weiss being an alternate version for the Kou character of this universewith Jaune being her Mitsuba. OR…perhapsin this AU, the Schnees were a rival spiritwarrior/ exorcist family to the Arcs?

Perhaps…unlike the Arcs who were open to working inharmony with the apparitions, the Schnees were not. Instead the Schneesused their family power to enslave apparitions and use them as their pawns incombat.

Let’ssay, while the Arc Knights adhered to the old school spirit warrior code, theSchnees were necromancers---summoningthe dead to fight their battles for them with little respect their pasthumanity when they were alive which the Arc family greatly frowned upon. (Imean the Schnee family semblance is practically the RWBY equivalent ofnecromancy so in this case it works)

Perhaps…you can even have athing where Jaune and Weiss are rivals coming from strong spirit warrior/exorcistfamily bloodlines or clans so the two basically grew up opposing one anotherfrom birth.

Howeverlet’s say… Jaune secretly has feelings for Weiss and at first Weiss didn’tcare much for Jaune; choosing to focus mainly on maintaining her family’s honouras encouraged by her older sister Winter.

Howeverlet’s say…Weiss ultimately shows asofter side to herself, taking an interest in Jaune’s wellbeing as a “friendwho knew him” after he gets himself involved with a ghost girl named Pyrhha (whowas resurrected by darker apparition) and started committing some questionable acts. Or something alongthose lines.

Idefinitely dig the idea of the Arcs and the Schnees being rival clans whomaintain balance in the supernatural and living world---but while the Arcscoexist in harmony with the apparitions on parlayed allegiance with theMysteries (such as Ruby Rose), the Schnees have a different way of doing thingsdespite fighting for the same cause. And this rivalry is reflected in thecharacter dynamics of Weiss and Jaune (who are students of Oscar’s highschooland his fellow upperclassman) and also their older sisters---Winter andSaphron. I’m going to change my earlier concept. I’m going to make Saphron theschool librarian along with her wife Terra while Winter Schnee is the homeroomteacher of Oscar’s class. Yeah that’s better, I like that better.

Movingalong, I definitely like the idea of Norabeing Oscar's version of Aoi-chan. Since Oscar is the focal character herein Nene’s role, I think Nora can work really, really well as the person acts asthe closest thing to a best friend he has.

Or….maybeJaune can be Oscar’s best friend in this AU but Nora is still his Aoi-chan? Maybeyou can even add a little detail where Nora is Oscar’s foster sister. Like perhaps…in this universe, the Arcs arelong-time friends of Oscar’s family (meaning his aunt and uncle in the farcountry) who were more than willing to allow him to live under their roof whilehe’s in the city pursuing his high school education.

Sobasically let’s say, in this AU, Oscar lives with Jaune who is staying withSaphron and Terra. Baby Adrian alsoexists in this AU too so Oscar and baby Adrian interactions and hijinks canensue.

Ialso like the idea of Nora and Ren also beingtenants of the Cotta-Arc household. Let’ssay…Ren and Nora are basically Jaune’s best friends and adopted siblingswho were taken in by the Arc family when they were kids and ultimately movedout with Jaune to live with his sister.

Soin a nutshell, in this AU, Team JNPR 2.0 or ALPN live together with Jaune, Renand Nora maintaining their roles as Oscar’s surrogate big brothers and sisterand the closest thing to friends he has at school.

Let’s say…in this AU, due to hiscountry upbringing and his introverted demeanour, Oscar has been having a hardtime adjusting to the city and making friends in his new school and class. Butat least he had his big brother Jaune and friends to look out for him.

Asa matter of fact, I love the idea of Ren and Nora being the Aoi and Akane ofthis AU only with a small difference. Much like Aoi and Akane, Ren and Nora arechildhood best friends with Nora having an obvious crush on Ren.

Butrather than Nora being revealed to be one of the Mysteries like Akane, I'm moredigging the idea of Ren being partapparition and the first time he reveals this is to protect Nora. Like imagine…Nora constantly being the onepursuing Ren making her feelings for him obvious just like in RWBY but we don’tknow how Ren feels for Nora. We know he definitely cares for her but we're notaware of his love for her until he reveals himself as one of the Clock keepersto save Nora. 

Likeperhaps Oscar, Ruby and Jaunebelieved that Nora might’ve been masquerading as one of the Seven Mysteries dueto her mysterious dark past sharedwith Ren only for Ren to intervene and reveal himself as the true supernatural.I think that can work.

Asfor who I think the Mysteries in this AU could be, that's definitely tricky---Iknow I definitely want Ozpin to be part of the Three Clock-keepers alongsideRen. Oz can be the Clock-keeper of the Past, Ren the present but I’m not surewho the Clock Keeper of the Future would be to stir up trouble. I kind of low-key want to make Zwei theClock Keeper of the Future. Why? Having a sentient doggo control the futureand wreak havoc? Sure why not XD  

Asfor Mystery No. 2, I’m thinking maybe Blake? Perhaps her mystery could be called “The Staircase of the Beast”?Perhaps this title was shared by her and her “lover” in this universe beforethings turned Grimm when bad rumours started to spread about her lover whichturned them into a beastly monster as a result of it. 

Likeyou can say that originally Blake’s mystery was called “The Belladonna Staircase” and it used to be a sort of romanticspot that blessed couples until the rumours turned her mystery into the“Staircase of the Beast” which only preys on couples.

Ithink that can work swimmingly. As for who would play Blake’s lover in this AU,I don’t care. I’ll leave that for you or anyone to insert whoever you shipBlake with, Ly. I’m not touching that can of worms =_=);

Movingalong, since we established that Pyrhha is the Mitsuba in this AU, she willbecome Mystery No. 3.

Asfor Mystery No. 4, I think Penny works excellently here. I can definitelypicture Penny P. as one of the Seven Mysteries. Not to mention that herpersonality certain reminds me a lot of Shijima Mei.

Thesame can be said for Qrow Branwen as Mystery No. 5. His personality definitelymatches Tsuchigomori the most, at least in my opinion.

Asfor Mystery No. 6, well since the manga is now getting to touch base on hischaracter and storyline as one of the Seven Mysteries, I don’t quite know muchabout him as yet. So I’ll hold off on my choice on who could play his role fromthe RWBY universe.

Lastly,as for who will be our broadcasting clubtrio in this AU; well I think it should be obvious. In my eyes, I’mthinking Cinder Fall could play a goodequivalent to Tsukasa Yugi. While she may not share the family relation asTsukasa does to Hanako/Amane Yugi, I still think that Cinder can work as Ruby’santithesis given their connection from the canonical series.

Notto mention that Cinder Fall is the one character who can match Tsukasa’s eerilymalicious nature, in my opinion. So with Cinder as Tsukasa, this puts EmeraldSustrai and Mercury Black as her versions of Sakura and Natsuhiko with Emerald,of course, being the one bonded to Cinder like Ruby is to the Oscar.

Ithink that aspect of it definitely works a lot. But again these are just only my ideas I’m spouting. Nonetheless, letme know what you think Ly?

Didthis squiggle meister deliver well onserving up enough good brainstorming food for ya ;) I hope I did. Cheers fam!

~LittleMissSquiggles (2020)

[real-jaune-isms]

RWBY Volume 7 Chapter 5 Rundown

I really did not expect to get a daily huntress life montage episode, but here it was. Luckily that’s not all it was, and the ending is definitely gonna set events in motion to upset the status quo. But we can’t reach the ending unless we go to where it starts.

And it starts with Penny giving a sunrise wake up call to Team RWBY in their Atlas dorm. They’re in wall indented bunks, wearing matching Atlas Academy pajamas... and with the loose shirts it looks like they grew in more than just height over the last few Volumes, especially Weiss. Guess those dresses bind the chest pretty tightly. Or maybe they made one character model for the Atlas pajamas outfit and then changed up the face, hair, and other important details like Yang’s arm but left the torso basically the same? Regardless, they’re all very tired... except Ruby, who’s excited to start doing official Huntress work. 

Next thing we know everyone’s gathered in a briefing room to get the rundown on the day’s missions, and Jaune is coerced to give his cup of coffee to Marrow. Stupid puppy dog eyes... Clover starts briefing everyone, and his monologue plays over a montage of everyone doing the very thing he’s talking about. How convenient for show with minimal tell. Most of the missions are going to be escorting supply runs out to the Amity launch site and fighting off whatever Grimm might gather around the mine or strike on the road. But since so much construction stuff is going to making Amity a communication satellite, they can’t mend the damage to Mantle’s border wall so they have to do some Attack on Titan style Garrison work and defend the wall from approaching Grimm. We see Nora adorably playing with Ren’s braid, or maybe redoing it for him that morning, before they set to work on perimeter defense. Then the Bees are seen in the mine with Marrow killing Grimm, since it is a volatile part of the launch site and worth defending. He calls their combat styles into question, specifically how they don’t seem suited to work well together and they might want to mix up who teams up with who. But they execute a flawless tag team take down on a Beowolf and that quiets him down for a bit. Let’s get into that a little, because people have been getting a lot of impressions on it. Here’s how I see it. He comes from a team where all the members were chosen specifically to compliment each other. These are girls who met and were partnered by random selection, and had to learn how to make their styles meld together, so from the outside looking in it seems disjointed but when they apply themselves they have synergy. So it’s a matter of perspective, really.

But then we get to my third favorite part of the episode, and the moment we had been teased about since RTX. Jaune is indeed helping a group of preschoolers cross the street on the way to school, with a stop sign that has six sides instead of the eight real world signs do... odd. And this earns him the attention of five flirty, posing, winking, Real. Thirsty. Moms. A sixth even comes up and gives him a casserole she made... apparently something she’s done before. And she’s not taking no for an answer, shoving it into his hands even while acting all flustered and shy. Nora is watching from nearby and attributes his mom-magnet status to the new haircut. Makes you wonder if these ladies would still be into Jaune if they knew he was only about 19?... But even this has a point. It’s still important to help out with day to day troubles and jobs around Mantle to help the public know that the huntsmen and huntresses are there to keep them safe. 

Clover assures them they can use their free time however they choose, and everyone seems to take full advantage of that. The Rose-Xiao Long sisters spend their time hunting down Grimm that get into the city, while the Schnee sisters bond over strengthening Weiss’ summoning abilities... even if Winter doesn’t want to directly show praise or approval of her sister’s growing finesse. But another very practical activity emerges, training with the Ace Ops. Jaune and Ren get their butts kicked in some Atlas equivalent of the X-Men’s Danger Room by Vine and Elm respectively, but seem to learn a thing or two from the experience. Ruby tests her speed against Harriet as the two run in circles, with a little help from Weiss’ glyphs as she also gets to practice keeping up with Ruby’s movements to place the glyphs where and when she needs them. But Oscar gets the executive treatment, sparring with Ironwood himself to try and pry some of Oz’s muscle memory and fighting skills loose and hopefully bring Ozpin out too.

Next thing we know it seems to be the next morning and Ruby is excitedly telling Penny about her and Weiss’ mission the previous day complete with sound effects and wild hand gestures, while Blake drags a sluggish Yang away by the wrist to get ready for work. Jaune has learned his lesson and brought Marrow a coffee of his own, but Nora is still asleep in her chair. Can’t trust her with caffeine... Team RWBY are at varying levels of enthusiasm as they stare at the mission board, and as the days seem to fly by that energy starts to drain from all of them until its a team family napping pile. If you’re a shipper like me you can enjoy Blake sleeping with her head in Yang’s lap and Weiss leaning against Ruby’s shoulder to snooze, and if you’re not you can still enjoy the whole group comfort dynamic and Yang catching some z’s on her sister’s other shoulder. It’s a moment for all types.

But then IT happens. The best thing we could have ever hoped for all Volume. Team FNKI is Back, BABY!!!! Flynt got some fresh clothes including a jacket, while Neon wrapped her pigtails up into buns that look like cat ears and changed her whole wardrobe. She kept her cat collar-like choker and roller blades but added a white jacket connected to paw padded fingerless gloves, a crop top connected to a pair of short shorts with stars on them and a white belt by what look like suspenders, and blue leggings with a rainbow stripe down the outside and a few holes worn into it. It’s a whole ass look and she makes it work. But for all her clothing changes, her in-fight attitude is still just as bratty and insulting, calling Nora slow even as she smashes pillars to run directly at her. Ren is hiding behind a pillar and trying to shoot at... gasp, a third member of Team FNKI!!! His weapon is a whip and his outfit is mostly white and gold with a very deep cut to his shirt. Curious to see if we learn anything more about this person. But we don’t have time for that, because we bear witness to a MURDER. Neon took notice of Ren putting in so much effort against her teammate as she did a flip over him and froze Stormflower with her glowsticks, and goes for Nora’s jugular. “Where’s all that energy when he’s around you?~” ABSOLUTELY. ROASTED.

Nora takes the white and gold guy with a grenade before hopping on Magnhild and somehow riding it like a witch’s broomstick using repeated grenade shots as she chases after Neon... past Oscar fighting a guy wearing blue and black? No... it can’t be. 

They based the other two members of Team FNKI on that goddamn dress meme from 2015???? You brilliant bastards... what else could we expect from the people who made a raver chick out of Nyan Cat and a jazz musician from one of their own Minecraft jokes? So JNR and Oscar are doing their best against Team FNKI, much to Ironwood’s subtle amusement. Flynt and the blue guy, whose name we later learn is Kobalt, are beaten and Neon is cornered in the center of the training room by Jaune Ren and Oscar, then ambushed from above by Nora. Even with a black eye that disappears within 4 seconds, Neon is very impressed with how much they’ve grown since the Vytal Festival. And she seems kinda flirty with Oscar, much to his flustered confusion. Jaune returns the compliment to a certain degree saying they kept them on their toes a good many times. Flynt invites them to lunch, and Nora says she could eat a sandwich the size of a human being. Kobalt, the human she was comparing its size to, is not amused that he gets hypothetical lettuce on his head. Weird how much her fantasies can affect reality like that... But before they can all head off to bond, Ironwood needs JNR+ Oscar for a mission so they promise to try and meet up again.

We shift to Ruby, Penny, Qrow and Clover in a transport bringing supplies out to the launch site and driving past a few adorable penguins, though Ruby is bored by the long drive when an airship would be faster. But Penny informs her the supplies would be too heavy and use up too much Dust fuel when they should be conserving it for coming fights. The girls have a conversation about making friends and finding time to balance between work and social lives while the men are in the back playing cards and shooting the shit. Clover keeps winning. But they still have a heart to heart about how good of an influence Qrow has been for these truly gifted kids even if he doesn’t want to give himself that credit. He tries to shift the praise back to the Ace Ops for keeping the teens safe in Atlas, but Clover says its a no brainer, since the new generation is the ones who will inherit the planet they’re still trying to save, and that hopefully they can keep the world in better shape than the current adults are leaving it for them. Some real world parallels about environmental protection and all that if you ask me, and it’s subtle enough that I don’t mind at all. Qrow confirms that he really is off the booze by saying that once upon a time he would have drank a toast to that sentiment, and Clover calls him out on his behavior. But not the alcoholism, the deflecting praise. He deserves to feel good about what he’s done, because he really has been doing a better job than he thinks.

The truck comes to a stop, and the cause is unlike anything they would have expected. Robyn Hill and her Happy Huntresses have set up a roadblock. Penny stays in the truck as a last resort, while the other three get out to try and talk to Robyn. She wants to know why they’re bringing stuff that could be fixing the wall and protecting Mantle to a mine in the middle of the tundra. Turns out the sheep faunus from last episode really was one of her agents and reported what she saw. You might think there would be no harm in telling Robyn that they’re trying to make Amity into a new communication tower so global communication can be restored. It’s a noble thing to do and I doubt she would object to such an ambition, even though she would have liked to know sooner. But the more people you tell about it the more chance there is the wrong people will hear it. So if Watts got word about it and told Salem she might actively choose to send a lot more Grimm to ruin the launch instead of there being a few that naturally wander onto the site. Or if Jacques found out he might make a smear campaign out of it by spinning the truth. Also, it may not be for Clover to tell. 

He goes by the book in all things, so he would have to run it by Ironwood to know if this is info they can afford to share with Robyn. So he tries to play it off as getting lost out in the snow where everything looks the same, but she calls him out on it. He says Amity is at the mine for routine maintenance, but she’s not buying that either since usually only drones and select technicians do the repairs, the next tournament isn’t for a while, and the supplies they’re taking are more than what would be necessary not to mention better suited for Mantle wall repair. She demands answers for the shady military business she’s taken careful notice of, and for the materials to be handed over for the good of the people. But Clover gives that a hard pass and encourages her to focus on her political campaign so she can request materials be taken where they’re needed through the proper legal channels, especially when she shifts her questions over to Ruby and Qrow and the young huntress tries to assure her this is also for the good of Mantle. She seems very ready to fight for the sake of raiding the truck here and now, and everyone’s hands go to their weapons... until Penny pops out of the truck with her swords drawn and demands Robyn stand down and call off the camouflaged huntresses approaching the back of the truck. Guess her sensors are better than the human eye. Her pleading for Robyn to let them through peacefully works and the barrier gets taken down. But Robyn swears vengeance, she’ll get to the bottom of this secret no matter the cost. Potential antagonist? I hope not.

But enough of that tension, time for Schnee vs Schnee sparring: Weiss’ Knight vs a large Beowolf Winter spawned, but Winter has years more practice and skill so she wins a pyrrhic victory. The Knight gets slashed to death but it impaled the Beowolf with its sword. She criticizes Weiss’ technique, but it turns into a backhanded compliment that she’s made her sloppy moves a part of how she fights and makes them work for her. Weiss recognizes that’s her sister’s way of showing approval, and calls her out on being nice like that. The elder sister is mortified that her stern attitude has been called into question, but she calms down and acknowledges that Weiss has grown a lot during their time apart, she’s confident enough to make jabs like that and stand up to Dad. Winter is proud her sister has found her own independence and has made her own kinder worldview, since her own leaving the Schnee name behind was the best thing that ever happened to her. They can carve their own path together, though she still thinks Ironwood’s side is the best place to be with that path. Weiss is skeptical since she knows a bit more than the General about Salem and all that, and she doesn’t like the way the kingdom has become under his leadership, what he has let it become. Winter assures her this downward spiral is temporary and the satellite will fix everything, Ironwood is doing some tough things but it’s what he feels is right. Weiss had to deal with Ozpin keeping world shattering secrets and leading them on a deadman’s quest because he thought that would keep his self interests and plans on track, so even if she doesn’t admit that much she’s openly more skeptical. Winter stands firm that Ironwood wouldn’t keep secrets from her, but Weiss calls her on that. Can she be sure?

This is enough to spurn Winter into making a decision, to lead Weiss to the depths of Atlas Academy, through the facilities and labs and past a secure access door... to a viewing room. Overlooking a room where an old woman is resting in a hospital bed. There’s a sink and some cupboards, some paintings on the wall and an easel next to the bed, and a few medical pods on the left side of the room while the bed is on the right surrounded by health readout screens. The bedridden Winter Maiden was a painter. Oddly enough, the pictures on the wall seem to be concept art from the credits of the last few Volumes: the aquatic market in Menagerie, the Mistral train station, and the cave overlooking the forest where Nora and Ren found the Nuckelavee’s spoils of war are the ones I can recognize at the moment, but I’m sure the other 2 have relevance. But enough with the small details, let’s address the Goliath in the room. Winter has been personally attending to the Winter Maiden, named Fria, in her final days, how appropriate. In fact, that’s the plan. Winter will literally be the next Winter Maiden, so she’s the only person Fria is allowed to interact with so she can be the last person she thinks about when she dies. Which could be any day now. But I can smell a monkey wrench a mile away and there are a few that could be thrown into this plan. Fria is a very Norse sounding name so it’s possible she’s related to Nora and she could think of her in her last moments, the granddaughter she laments she may never see again after they parted so many years ago. Or if some grand attack comes to Atlas and Winter is otherwise engaged, Weiss will be the only one who knows to come bring Fria to safety and the worst might strike leaving one of our main 4 as a Maiden. All I’m saying is, there could be a lot that goes wrong. But for the moment, Winter is ready to take on this responsibility even if it seems like a dick move of Jimmy to have her volun-told to be next in line. But she calls back to Weiss’ growth and accepting what she can’t control. Her entire military career may have been a paved road to this outcome, but she’ll still make her own choices along the way and be the Maiden her way to make a real difference in the world with these powers. It’s not for Ironwood or their Father’s sake, but for herself.

Unfortunately, speaking of Father and doing things your own way, Jacques holds a press conference to proclaim how Ironwood’s embargo have caused everyone to suffer equally, himself included. That’s a load of garbage, he’s just moody that he’s 5% less rich and dropping. But he also announces that he will be closing down every SDC owned business that isn’t Dust mining and refining. It’s a “necessary measure” with how the embargo is effecting businesses and making it supposedly nonviable for those businesses to stay open and still be effective. Another lie, he just doesn’t want to have more money leaving his pocket as employee wages. This is clearly part of the strategy Watts suggested to him, keep as many doors closed as possible so he can horde the wealth he still has while spinning it to be Ironwood’s fault. He comes off as another victim doing what is necessary so people don’t hate him directly for it and he can win voter support. And it’s not like Robyn Hill can do anything to make the SDC give people their jobs back, so why vote for her? It’s a seemingly perfect plan, as infuriating as that is to admit. And it sure sets off the people of Mantle, as they start a riot in the streets. Guess our good boys and girls will have to deal with that some time soon.

A whole lot to think about while we wait for next weekend’s episode. But it was still a very good chapter in my opinion. What did you think?

[lfd072936]

Harlequin - Chapter 1

So here is the first chapter of the fanfic I posted about previously. It features a original female character I intend to be “Harley Quinn” later on, although this story is completely different from the traditional comic book one. This chapter barely has Arthur in it, but he will be featured a lot later (obviously).

Word count: 1788

Summary: a young woman named Lola Page starts working at a new wing in Arkham Asylum.

Warnings: none, except that this chapter has criminally little Arthur in it, but I had write a little bit of backstory/building.

@tiredwritersworld asked to be tagged (<3)

Chapter 2 link

Chapter 3 link

1.       Fresh Meat

She had been working at Arkham for little over a year now. She liked it although with most things she could make peace and be content no matter what cards she was handed. Of course this wasn’t what she wanted to do originally, she wanted to be a dancer, which she practically was up until a misfortunate misunderstanding (as her mother called it) put her in prison.

- What do you want to do after you get out? – her probation officer asked one week before her release.

- What do you mean? I’m a dancer, I dance… that’s what I’m gonna do.

- Lola, you know you cannot go back to your old company after what happened.

- So? This is a big city, there’s plenty of fish in the sea.

- Look… word’s got around. No sane person would hire you as a dancer. You have to come up with something more… realistic.

- So then what do you suggest? I am not trained in anything other than dancing, I have no skills. Should I sweep the filthy streets of Gotham so that you can check it off of a to-do-list, while telling me how much cleaning up other people’s shit is helping me to get back on my feet?

- Come on, there surely must be something that you would like to do.

The probation officer was too persistent to shrug off so after a few suggestions she agreed to try this job. The hospital was on such a staff shortage that it only took a 10-day training for an ex-convict who was sentenced for assault to start working there. Of course she was not allowed to do anything medical or touch any drugs, but she did help out with anything else she could from feeding to making the beds and mostly interacting with patients. She was placed in the eastern wing due to her past where the lighter patients resided, those who generally did not pose a threat to anyone other than themselves. Lola proved herself to be an excellent employee over the months, despite her criminal record no incidents occurred and she was adored by the patients she took care of and the feeling was seemingly mutual. She surprisingly had immense patience and gentleness towards them.

That day however she was called into her supervisor’s office out of the blue. She knocked on her door at around noon and stepped in confidently.

- Hey, Josie!

- Hey, Angel! Have a seat… - she sat down opposite of her supervisor, a sweet old lady with immaculate style. Lola always adored the intricate braids she could put into her greying hair. – How are things going?

- Amazing as always… you know me – she said with a wide smile.

- Yeah, yeah I do. So – she usually cut straight to the point – you’ve been with us for over a year now… - Lola heard the hesitation in her voice. Something was wrong.

- Are you letting me go, Josie? – her voice wasn’t worrying more confused.

- No, God no… listen the thing is… there was a situation over at west and I need to switch you up with someone.

- Sure, no problem.

- Yeah? – Josie raised an eyebrow.

- Absolutely. It’s even closer to my stop.

- But you know that the west is one of the more, well… problematic wings. And you will get an all new supervisor, new colleagues…

- That’s alright. I think I can handle it.

- Okay – she said with a slight surprised tone. – Thank you for being so understanding.

- No… - Lola leaned forward a bit – Thank you for giving me a chance for change.

The next week she started her shift at the notorious western wing. She was greeted by one of the nurses who was assigned to show her around, although it did not seem like she volunteered for it. Oh, how wildly different this part of the hospital was. Almost all rooms were for one person, the doors were made from metal and heavy latches protected the outside from anyone that was on the inside. Guards were patrolling the floors and almost all patients outside of their cell were at least handcuffed if not forced into a straightjacket.

The nurse led Lola up on one of the lesser used back stairs.

- This is the staff area – she continued her never-ending tale of dos and don’ts. – A little bit onward there is a kitchen and a room with some beds, although I heard that you’re not allowed to take any night shifts – Lola frowned. No she wasn’t, but why did everyone have to be aware of that? Why was her past such common knowledge even on a wing she never even entered before? – But sometime we do like to take naps. A little further back are the women’s restrooms and next to them the showers. Why they put them so far from the beds still baffles me… but make sure to always lock the shower with your keys especially if you’re inside, because we have some incidents from time to time.

- Wait… what kind of incidents?

- Those patients who manage to wander off are especially drawn to this place to give a little surprise visit.

- Oh… we never had anything like that. On my previous wing incident meant someone spilt their OJ – the nurse gave a mocking laugh.

- Welcome to the wild west, Page – Lola did not laugh though, if anything she wondered how can some patients just walk into a staff shower with all these safety precautions.

Their tour continued pretty smoothly, they walked and she talked on end. She finally halted in front of the entrance of the communal room.

- Now about some of our patients. The worst are Flynt, 7-foot guy, pure muscle. He is restrained at all times, but he sure likes to bite and if he spontaneously faints close to you, don’t try to catch him. Then there’s Marigold… she hates everyone younger than her, so more and more people every year, I would just avoid her all together. And last but not least, there’s Fleck. He is currently stable on his meds, but he has some authority over the other patients. If I were you I would put my sunshine and rainbows approach that might have worked back at your old wing aside and be little more tough or else this place will crush you, but… I would try to stay on Fleck’s good side.

- But why do the other patients respect him so much?

- How old even are you? – the nurse laughed again. She was rude, but Lola decided to just swallow it for now. – He is Arthur Fleck… the guy who killed Murray Franklin a while back. Ring a bell?

Lola’s face lit up. She never would have admitted it to anyone, but she adored that clown. She thought he was an icon, the face of the protests she desperately wanted to attend, but her mother forced her to stay in their spotless suburban house, that the garbage strike could not reach. Oh, and that television broadcast that she had the privilege to see live… brilliant. She did not condone murder, but he executed it so theatrical and with much flare. Honestly she wouldn’t mind someone killing her either, if it happened in such a stylish way.

- Wait up… you mean to tell me that you have the Joker in this wing? – she couldn’t hide her excitement.

- Yes, but why are you so happy about it?

- You never met a celebrity, huh? – Lola laughed. Now it was her turn to make the nurse uncomfortable and looked down upon.

- Stop laughing! – she hissed. – He’s not a celebrity, and trust me… you will be disappointed when you see him. Now get in, and do your job!

She forced a serious look on her face as they walked in. The room was more bleak and depressing than the one at her old wing, this one clearly had more insanity in the air. She could feel almost every patient looking at her, those at least who were aware of their surroundings, and it made her uneasy. She completed the tasks upon tasks given to her wondering which one could the Joker be, but she just couldn’t tell. Finally, she approached one of her colleague who’s face seemed familiar.

- Hey, which one is Fleck?

- Don’t look right away, but it’s the one who didn’t stop staring at you ever since you arrived – she said with a grimace on her face. – I mean the one by the window. – she had to correct herself, because most patients were still staring at Lola.

- I surely am interesting.

- Well, you know how it is… you’re fresh meat. – she returned the smile, because the worker had no wrong intentions, but being called fresh meat was not something Lola thrived on.

As promised she did not look at the window’s direction, but rather went back to doing her job, feeding patients, getting them blankets etc., but after a while she couldn’t help herself. Masking it as a simple glance to the clock on the wall above the man, she could finally look at him. The man was alone with nothing but a notebook in front of him, but at the moment he wasn’t focused on that. He was smoking and looking at her. He blew out some smoke as their eyes locked and took another drag. The nurse did not exaggerate; he really was a lot different than she expected. He was thin and frail, his face wrinkly, but that look… oh that was something to die for. He was practically piercing her with his gaze and she could feel blood rush into her cheeks. She quickly looked down unable to do anything else, but from the corner of her eyes she could see him smile with satisfaction. Bastard. It was so amusingly annoying she had to smile, but made sure to turn away, so he didn’t see it.

She went on with her tasks, being sent here and there around the floor. So far she wasn’t too impressed by this wing, how somber and grey everything was, despite the walls being painted to a pretty yellow color somehow the air was grey. But there was one positive thing: Arthur. She was desperate to talk to him, even though he surely was nothing like she expected, but it only made her more curious. How much did he change, how much did the meds tone him down, was that whole persona just for television? It was impossible to tell as of yet.

[vara-drakaina]

Fictober Day 1 “Old Time’s Sake”

Fictober Day 1 Prompt: “It will be fun, trust me.” Inktober Day 1 Prompt: Ring

Style: Fanfic (Oneshot) Fandom: Borderlands Pairing: Zane Flynt X OC (Platonic) Warning: Mentions of Violence, Probably Terrible Attempts to Write an Irish Accent

Song Inspiration: “I Fell In Love With The Devil” by Avril Lavigne

Hi guys, so I’m new to Tumblr (well, posting on Tumblr, lol) and I wanted to get started doing writing. I’d like to one day do requests, so I figure Fictober is a good way to get my work out there. I’ll be writing for a bunch of fandoms, so hopefully ya’ll might see some you like! Instead of following just one prompt list, I’m going to be following both the Fictober prompt list and Inktober prompt list. I think it presents a neat challenge to mash up both lists, so that’s what I’ll be doing! This story uses an OC I made a long time ago for the Borderlands franchise, as well as her backstory. As such, she doesn’t really have an appearance. I never got around to writing that story, though I hope to in the future. I think everything stated here is pretty self explanatory. Ask me any questions you might have about her! :)

Without further ado, here we go!

###

“Ya know, you seem a lot more down than somebody workin’ for Hyperion ought ta be,” Zane said, pausing their catch up session to look over the mouth of his bottle at his drinking buddy. “Yer Handsome Jack’s personal assassin and ya get all the new tech for nothin’. Hell, yer the one makin’ half the new tech, Theia.”

Theia sighed and slammed the rest of her brightly-colored cocktail. He was certain he’d seen at least five kinds of alcohol go into that drink, and not much else. She flagged down the bartender and gestured for another round for her and her Irish friend, before sighing again.

“Keep in mind, Jack doesn’t know that I’m his assassin. As far as he knows, I’m just the middleman... uh, woman. Ugh…” She cradled her head in her hands as the bartender served their next round, though the action had nothing to do with how much alcohol she’d consumed. “Zane, how did I manage to end up here? How’d I go from that ditch on Achlys to Senior Weapons Development at Hyperion?”

“Well, I’d have ta guess it had something ta do with me pulling you outta that ditch in the first place,” he said, clapping his free hand on her shoulder while taking a drink. “What does it matter how ya got here, yer here now aren’t ya? Sure Hyperion has a bit of a… shite reputation… but ya’d be an eejit not to work for them. ‘Specially since yer too good to get airlocked like the rest of the gobshite.”

Theia tilted her head to give an exasperated look to her old mentor. He grinned back at her, sipping his cheap beer like he was the happiest, most fulfilled man in the world. She shook her head and smiled genuinely for the first time that night.

“I may have known Jack since long before Hyperion was in his sights, but that doesn’t mean I’m safe from his mercurial tempers now. I’m not sure I could count how many times I’ve had that pistol aimed at my head, but it’s definitely more than I could count on both hands,” she said it with a joking tone, but nobody alive on Helios would deny that fact, a fair few had seen it in person. “My scientists used to place bets when the department had a bad week, but the ones that bet against me learned pretty quickly that it was a waste of their money.”

They both chuckled and took sips of their drinks, the thumping of the music filling the silence between them.

“Didja ever think the ones bettin’ against ya had a chance?”

She scoffed, “I threw my lot in with them more often than not. There were a few times I started the betting pool against myself.”

Zane bellowed with laughter, and Theia did her best to laugh along with him as she drank her Pandoran Iced Tea.

“Sometimes I think about the man he used to be and the man he is now and wonder why I never followed through on what the Watcher asked me to do,” she stated, the pounding, upbeat music suddenly out of place in the somber mood. Zane knew the ‘he’ she was referring to, even if she didn’t specify. “I could have stopped all this before it even started.”

He threw his arm around her shoulders, quietly choosing his words so as to end this conversation quickly. It wouldn’t do to have a conversation like this in the middle of Helios, where anyone could be listening, as much as he’d be happy to help out an old friend.

“Ya can’t think like that, Theia. We’re assassins, not heroes. Ya know damn well there aren’t any heroes in this corner o’ the galaxy, and there’s no use beatin’ yerself up about it,” he scolded, grunting before he continued, “An’ anyway, if that Eridian reeeally wanted you ta off him, it woulda sent ya after you became an assassin. It’s just poor feckin’ plannin’.”

Theia chuckled, leaning her head on Zane’s shoulder appreciatively as he downed the rest of his beer and set the empty bottle down on the bar.

“It should have sent me after he became a nutcase,” she sighed, “Maybe then I wouldn’t have fallen in love with him.”

“Aye, maybe so, but the heart wants what the heart wants. Maybe you woulda fallen fer him anyway. There’s no way of knowin’ and there’s no use in wonderin’. Now hurry up an’ finish yer drink, we’re goin’ ta Aquator.”

Theia gave Zane a confused look, before shrugging and downing the rest of her drink.

“And why, pray tell, are we going to Aquator?” she asked, placing the empty glass on the bar and nodding at the bartender as they stood. Zane shoved some change in the tip jar as they walked away, before giving her a mischievous look.

“Just a quick question, are ya married in Aquator, by any chance?”

The alcohol hadn’t come even remotely close to knocking her on her ass, but that question did.

“Uh… no, definitely not,” she responded as they stepped into the hanger elevator. “Just what exactly are you dragging me into, Zane?”

“Oh, not much… want ta get married?” He smiled as sweetly as a crafty assassin could as he kneeled and presented her with what was clearly a wedding band, not an engagement ring.

“This is for one of your jobs, isn’t it, you tipsy old codger?”

“Come on, ya know ya want to! It’ll be fun, trust me,” he exclaimed excitedly to Theia, grinning, and after a moment she was smirking just as brightly back at him. He was at his old antics, and she could use the distraction. “Fer old time’s sake, what do ya say?“

Theia held her left hand out as daintily as she possibly could, “I suppose I could handle having a little bit of fun, for old time’s sake.”

“Thata girl!” Zane laughed, sliding the simple band on. She rolled her eyes, and pulled him up to his feet as she made to type in her credentials into the keypad on the wall.

“I’ve got some new tech we could test out on the field while we’re at it. It’ll make getting out of my meeting with Jack this afternoon much easier.”

“Have I ever told ya yer my favorite corporate sugar mama?” he cooed, throwing his arm around her shoulders again.

“I’d have to be older than you for that to be true, and we both know you’re old enough to be my father,” she retorted, shoving him off playfully.

“Maybe even grandfather!” he joked, “How old are ya again, lass?”

“Old enough to know you act like you’re five.”

“Gotta stay young somehow, don’t I?”

[bullets-and-masks]

Krieg’s Backstory: based on tips/missions/canon quotes

“Alright, y’all. Since This Post (by @necromorph-slayinglovemachine) is making some rounds, stating Krieg’s inner voice quote [ Where is she? Is she still alive? Did she get away?] refers to Dr. Samuels, the woman responsible for slag experimentations at the Exploitation Preserve, and I’m just gonna say: Yes, I agree. So, let’s explore that, and therefore the very possible option that Krieg became what he is at the Preserve, going through Quotes and game events.

In the DLC Sir Hammerlock vs the Son of Crawmerax has a optional mission called Victims of Vault Hunters, in which Sparky, the son of Captain Flynt, hires assassins to kills the Vault Hunters as a revenge plan. Each assassin is related to who the Vault Hunters are and whatever happened to them before Pandora or got them in the planet.

Here is Krieg’s assassin description: “At this point, Sparky’s hopes for victory have been dashed, but he reluctantly introduces Clements, a Hyperion scientist who wants Krieg.”

Sparky also says:  “Next guy, who's probably frigging dead already, is a Hyperion scientist named Clements. He wants Krieg cause you killed some dudes when you escaped or something. I don't even care at this point.”

Krieg’s assassin in a scientist, and it’s not clear wheter he plans on retrieving or killing the psycho. But, Clements is pointed as a Hyperion scientist, tying Krieg’s relation to Hyperion was one that has to do with science/research. The word escape also makes it clear he was a prisioner of Hyperion at some point, and the Hyperion facility we are aware that both holds prisioners and conducts experiments is the Wildlife Exploitation Preserve. (We’ll come back to this mission).

What works most about this assumption is Krieg’s very nature, design and skills: He is a borderlands psycho, bandits made crazy by experimentations. Badass pyschos themselves are a result of slag mutation, as Jack’s voiceover at the Preserve states:

“This is Handsome Jack, thanking you, loyal test subject, for helping bring Pandora into the future. The experiments you’ll be put through will help us uncover new uses for Eridium, new cures for medicine, and…why are you having me read this crap? They know we’re gonna mutate the hell out of them, why lie to - (static) “

This voiceline is furthered reinforced by a loader present at the preserve, made to greet the “volunteers” (subjects) that arrive there. Its quotes that prove slag, pyschos and mutations are all tied:

“Eridium injections may cause side effects such as gigantism, insanity, and excess limb syndrome.” All things seen both in psychos and rats - a name that could allude to them being lab rats.

“Thank you for open quotes volunteering closed quotes as a test subject at Hyperion Preserve. Do not attempt to leave the grounds.” Stating that people are capture to be subjected to slag experimentation.

“Do NOT touch the Eridium vats unless you have alerted a Hyperion technician first, preferably one with a camera.” Just furthering on that.

Krieg’s Mania Skill Tree also ends up with him assuming a badass pyscho form, confirming the possibility of him being a subject of slag experiments. Krieg’s design also counts with tubes going into his hand, or the protection on his arm, and wether this might not have anything to do with experimentation, it raises the question of why he needs it (if it’s a need) as well as the bigger filter present on his mask.

(image description: a turnaround of Krieg the Psycho from Borderlands 2, showcasing his design. He has orange pants, same as psychos - enemies from the game - a gas mask and bandages. He is shirtless, sporting only a harness that carries tubes that connect to his left arm. He’s holding his buzz axe, an weapon made of an axe with a buzzsaw as its head.)

What we have so far: Slag experimentation was done at the Exploitation Preserve. Said experiments resulted in psychos, among other kinds of bandits/enemies. Krieg is a psycho, and not only his design but his sent assassin and wanted poster alude to him being tired to a scientific branch of Hyperion, as property/prisioner. Dr. Samuels was a very relevant and active scientist in said experimentations, as proved by the Doctor’s Orders side quest given by Tannis.

Going into the Quote that started this all, let’s examine ALL his quotes pertaining women:

1.“ I can’t see her anymore… She was so clear and bright… but the blood is in my eyes, and now I can only watch the ocean of blood… Its waves crash against my forehead again and again, AND I JUST NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SURF!! “

2.You’re gonna scream, just like she did; open mouth, open heart, blood and noise forever piercing my skull, poisoning me with its psychopathic purple liquid. We watched it all, and felt the knife edge split down the middle… CAN YOU HEAR ME?!

3.“I’ll never forget the way her holes cried… The way she screamed in agony as she pushed the knife slowly into my sternum... Such a beautiful symphony of feelings, and at the end of it, she was so much greater! My operatic diva of flesh and steel!! “

4.“ (On your feet, she might still be out there.)”

5.“(Where is she? Is she still alive? Did she get away?)”

6.THE TINY ONE AND THE SAD-FACED MOTHER AND THE BLUE TATTOO FOREVER AND EVER! (when Moxxi asks about a mister-or-missus Vault Hunter in Krieg’s life during the Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre DLC )

Quote 01, 02 and 03: 01: It’s unclear the context or identity of Her. It’s possible to presume there’s more than women being referred to in all quotes, but at the same time, although only a pronoum is used, it seems to be used as the closest he can to a name. 02: Pyschopathic purple liquid: Slag. It’s unclear hear if Krieg thinks about someone that was also experimented on, or along with him. 03. her holes cried: eyes, actual crying. The screams in agony could be or not an exaggeration; but the important here is that we are aware Samuels was threated, via her wife’s life, to work on the subjects, as she did not want to. By the ECHOs during Doctor’s Orders, Samuels sounded very humane, and it’s fair to believe she’d suffer having to do this. 02 and 03: Both “knife edge split down the middle” and “my operatic diva of flesh and still” could be interpreted as alluding to the birth and inspiration of a second personality, one that thrives in pain and slag - outter Krieg. Quote 04: It’s extremely unclear what happens to Samuels, but Doctor’s Orders alludes to her possible death in the explosion caused by Tiny Tina for her escape. However, there’s solid evidence pointing she’s alive (we’ll come back to this.) It’s therefore possible Krieg believes so, and would like to find her. As a familiar face? For revenge? To thank her or just check on her? Hard to know. But as the inner voice seems to have strong morals about who to kill, and seems not to resent her, it’s safe to assume a darker opition is less likely. Quote 05: As stated previously and in the other post; Krieg worries about her. He got away from the Preserve and would like Samuels to have gotten out too. Quote 06: Finally, with couple with 02 and 03, it’s possible to read “sad faced mother” as Samuels, as she’d be sad about the situation every human is at at the Preserve, and technically, because she’d be the operator during the slag experiments, the “mother” of the Outter Krieg personality. It’s important to note this quote is Outter Krieg’s, and that the outside personality seems to have clearer access to memories, or at the very least try to stop Inside Krieg from remembering. Now, what’d I say we’d go back to Samuel’s possibility of being alive, and the Victims of Vault Hunter’s mission? Well, the mission goes as follow: The Vault Hunter tries to track the assassins hired by Sparky, only to find one dead after another, all killed by assassins’ assassins related to the Vaulties somehow. Each “savior” leaves a message, and Krieg’s reads: “Krieg: (reading) SALUTATIONS PSYCHOMAN I’M SORRY AS A SLICE WOUND SINCERELY SAMMY “ Samuels is also known as Sammy, as she’s called this by Jack during the ECHOS.  This can be read as Samuels looking out for Krieg, and making so he’s not taken back by Hyperion and has a chance to live a good life. Not only that, but when Krieg finds Clement’s corpse during the Victim’s of Vault Hunter’s mission, he says:  ”HE WAS THERE FOR THE BIRTHING! HE BROUGHT THEM INTO THE METAL FUN PALACE SO SHE COULD START THE PARTY!” He being Clements, and the birthing, as we discussed, being the rise of Outter Krieg. A Metal Fun Palace can be a cage, but we can go bigger and see it as the preserve. Finally, interpreting She as Sammuels, we can infer that Clements was an assistant or colleague of hers.  So far: Krieg is a psycho, made so by slag experimentations at the preserve, performed by Doctor Samuels (forced to). Samuels is alive and watches his back, Krieg believes she’s alive too and would like to find her, and that Hyperion could still be trying to retrieve Krieg. Finally, specially while being revived, Krieg has Quotes that can be interpreted as him not knowing exactly the difference between pain and care anymore, specially because they’re all quotes from the Outter Krieg, someone “born” from being hurt by a woman that possibly tried her best to be kind, or showed kindness while hurting him at the same time. They also seem to make it clear he might equal pain to something good. Being revived: “What’re you doing to me?!“ “Why aren’t you stabbing me?” “Somebody still cares?” Salt the Wound (a skill) stacks: “Hurt me more!”

“It hurts, HAHAHAHAHA! IT HURTS!!” “Pain is LIFE!!”

Among many others.

The last important point is this quote: “ Yes, make them pay for what they did to us…”said by Inner Krieg during killing multiple enemies, which could be a hint about him having been sold by bandits as where Tiny Tina’s parents.

In Conclusion / TL; DR: Krieg’s backstory is about him being captured by Hyperion or bandits, and becoming a test subject for slag experimentation at the Exploitation Preserve. There, he build trust and care towards Doctor Samuels, that though was the one to coordinate or perform experiments; didn’t want to, being as kind as possible in the situation. The experimentations split Krieg’s mind into two, the Outter, psychotic Krieg possibly considering Samuels a mother of sorts.

Fun facts:

Krieg has a voiceline where he mentions Hera, possibly another planet. Wheter he was just an intergalatic traveler or from Hera is unclear.

Inner Krieg uses “us” to refer to himself and Outter Krieg, making it clear he separated both.

Writer Anthony Burch has described Krieg’s psychosis as a man driving an out of control truck: He cannot stop the truck, but he can try and steer it away from as many innocents as possible.

Although it was a fan-favorite theory; it has been debunked that Krieg is Tiny Tina’s dad. 

Krieg’s reaction to hearing about the Son of Crawmerax is something along the lines of “What?! I do not have a son!” (I can’t find a transcript of this one but I literally just played it) hinting that perhaps Krieg indeed does not have kids, though it’s unclear if this is just Outter Krieg blocking out memories

This is possible and noticeable on this quote:  inner: (I'm beginning to remember...) outter: Stop it, keep the memories down with a knife in its throat, slash it until it bleeds thought juice across the dirt and it's absorbed into nothingness... Personal Headcanons:

Considering only his canon Quotes - the ones that are not references or fourth wall breaks - is notable that Krieg has a vast vocabulary, and I believe he can grow to rearange the words and communicate better.

The “she” mentioned could also be two people - perhaps Samuels and a woman important to him, taken to be experimented on too

Raving Retribution skill could be named after revenge for said woman Anyway, that’s it! There’s probably a lot more, a lot wrong, who knows, but I couldn’t help myself, Let me know your takes and what you think! And sorry for the english y’all, brazilian here.

[dellebecque]

17. Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis. All things change, and we change with them.

Behind a cut because this got really long.  You need to read this piece first: Unfading Memory.

Ambition

He thinks he is nineteen, but he is twenty. He carries a pot of brilliant red flowers in and puts it down near the overstuffed chairs his mothers sent.  He steps back, staring down at it for a moment, then nudges it slightly with his foot.  Two ilms to the side, and somehow the whole room feels different. His room. There isn’t enough green and growing in Ul’dah, and if he’s going to live here he wants to bring a piece of home with him.

He does not understand yet that he has brought nothing with him, that he is sculpting something new from memory.

He is twenty. It is the brief span of months where his real age aligns with the age he thinks he is, because he left home too young to know his own nameday. Once more he glances down at the scrap of paper in his hand, then up at the address. It’s snowing, but he hardly notices the cold any more. It’s part of him, as this place is part of him, as it was from birth.

He knocks, and he waits, the threshold before him the edge of the cliff upon which sits his entire world.  Beyond it, an abyss. The unknown. A revelation in blood.

The wizened old seeker who opens the door is a shock, though she shouldn’t be. She stares over the top of her half moon glasses, ears perked forward, her hair thin and gray. Her jaw works for a moment in a painfully familiar expression.  “Lior?” Her voice is weak, astonished and uncertain.

“No,” he has to pause and swallow his doubt before he can continue, “Aden.”

“Aden?” Her ears shift upward, her eyes widen, a light in them like the first ray of dawn. “Aden! Oh, oh my boy, my boy’s boy–”  She totters out and wraps her arms around him, tears already spilling down the fine lines of her face.  He returns her embrace, and thinks she feels in his arms how he always thought a grandmother would.

He hauls himself from the stone, the great split down the back of his armor exposing the wreck of his flesh beneath to the frigid air.  It burns in his lungs, it burns on his skin, and he thinks he feels the blood pulsing out begin to slow–from loss of pressure or from cold he isn’t sure.

The dragon before them thrashes as it throws someone, neck peppered with arrows, legs maimed by a dozen slashes, and yet it lumbers forward, all their efforts thusfar merely slowing it.  He sees a split second before it happens, in the way the dragon cocks its head, in the way the flesh of its throat bellows, that it is about to breathe.  “Aden!”

Flynt doesn’t need to tell him that he will not get a better opportunity.  Roger raises his shield in time, but the heat is still immense.  For Aden, in that instant there is no cold, there is no heat, there is no pain, only the sublime combination of sensations that make up a jump: the satisfying burn of his muscles pushed to the very limits of what a mortal body can tolerate; that weightless feeling at the height of the jump, the sense of peace in it; and the brutality of impact, the visceral feeling of dragonscale giving way beneath his momentum.  The spearhead feels as though it clicks into place, as if this is where it was made to fit, in between two vertebrae at the base of the dragon’s neck. The stream of fire cuts off as an ear-splitting roar of agony rips itself out of the dragon’s throat, and he pushes until blood and a thick, clear fluid gush from the wound, and the roar abruptly stops.

He is twenty one when he rests against a crumbling stone wall, afloat on an island in an endless sky. A great wyvern is curled nearby, her head resting atop a tumbled masonry block, while her youngest brother babbles on in dragonspeak.  He only catches a few words, snatches and bits he’s learned–”…practice…I must best our knight!”

“You have a long way to go,” Aden says, not looking up from the plant he is carefully sketching. The chief surveyor will want as much information about its native habitat as possible before he removes it as a sample.

“I can do a hundred more flips than you!” the child seethes–because he is a child.  He does one mid-air to demonstrate.

“But only while flying,” Aden counters.

“Flying is better! Your jumping is tedious and tiresome!”

“To you, perhaps.  But I could do it all day.”

The child makes a frustrated noise, and the wyvern gives a great huff of a laugh, a little roil of smoke escaping her snout.  “You’ll call it tiresome,” she says, “and still you’ll beg one of us to carry you when your wings grow tired, trying to prove you’re more maneuverable.”

Finally Aden glances up, and trades a knowing look with the wyvern as her brother begins his tantrum anew.  He wonders briefly what his commanding officer would think if they saw him out here.  What Flynt would think, and what Aden would say to him.

Perhaps Flynt would understand, given the nature of his assignment here. Not the one from the knights dragoon, but the one Flynt himself issued–discover what it means to be a dragoon without a war.

He turns the scrap of leather over in his hands, worrying at the edges idly.  It’s perhaps three fingers in width, a handspan long, torn on both ends.  He remembers, and he thinks, for a long moment, that he should have trusted himself.  He should have expected what eventually came.

It feels distant now, even though it’s hardly a handful of moons past. It all seems less real by the day, and yet he wouldn’t trade it.

He shoves the piece of leather into the box, a physical reminder of family he never really had, with other odds and ends before closing it up.  His tarantula’s terrarium balances perfectly on top of it, and he carries them out stacked, the little spider inside bracing itself in the tipped over mug that serves as a burrow.

As he stands on the walls of Castrum Oriens, it strikes him that moons ago he would’ve balked at being given any sort of command.  He’d done it during the end of the Dragonsong War, but that seemed different, somehow; once his fellow Ishgardians got over the shock of his race they seemed to understand that their not-quite-a-dragoon was pressed into service just as uncertainly and sorely needed as they were. Now he waits for three soldiers, a small enough squadron for reconnaissance, so chosen to lead them in part because of his work during and after the war, in part because of his very brief stint in the Adders.

Aden barely contains the urge to gawp when Ves arrives, manages because of the man in Maelstrom red, a seeker like himself with a massive axe slung across his back, and the hyur in Flames blues adjusting her glasses, trailing behind him.

“You’re…”  The seeker trails off, looking him up and down with a cocked brow and a disbelieving tone in his voice, “..the Ishgardian?”  Aden knows the man’s eyes follow the length of his spear, and he suspects the questions implied.  The tip of his tail curls upward, and his ears flatten almost imperceptibly.  The others don’t notice it, but the seeker certainly does from the way his eyes narrow and the twitching of his own tail stills.

“I am.” He pauses to let that statement hang between them just a split second, then continues. “Ser Dellebecque. It’s a mouthful in an emergency, so Aden will suffice while we’re in the field.”

Moons later he is sitting on a cliff looking out over a sea of grass, three maps laid out before him, trying to reconcile them with what he sees before him and the partially blank piece of paper in front of him.  He didn’t start this any good at drawing, but maps are something different, and he’s cultivated the surprisingly necessary skill over the past couple of years.  Wind kicks up and rustles the grass below him, waves as great as an ocean, the susurrus audible from his perch.  It catches his eye, and he looks up from the maps and down at the grass, out to the distant horizon.

Laughter wells up out of him, bright and full-throated, not the quiet chuff or scoff he lets loose in public. Real laughter, like he hasn’t allowed himself in years, totally involuntary.  It’s as if a switch has flipped inside of him as the past year comes rushing back.  He has no mind for what he’s lost, only what he’s gained.

Aden realizes he is living out all of his impossible dreams, even the ones he never intended, and that in the profound silence of this vast plain he is alone but not lonely. He no longer needs direction, he knows exactly where he is and where he’s going.

He watches the grass for a long time, mind drifting, before he goes back to his maps with a smile.

[officialao3fandomlastforever]

Yoooo! I love your drabbles. Think we could get another Ruby/Penny, maybe a first date and some more kisses? Bonus points if it sorta fits with the last one

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoy them!

So I set this to the song “Tell Your World” covered by JubyPhonic and I think this might be a pretty cute story but I wanna know what you think.

Warning: Minor Freezerburn and puns.

Enjoy!

               Normallyplaces like this weren't her style. Ruby preferred going to the museum orhitting up the newest arcade.

               Butthis was her first date- or second if you counted nap time-  with Penny. She wanted to do things to makeher smile. Things that would make her happy.

               Andwhen Yang invited them on a double date to a dance party at the planetarium,Ruby knew it'd be the perfect place for a first date.

               "It'll be a smaller gathering,"Yang had assured. "Flynt's helpingtest some new light fixtures for the galaxy viewing exhibit, so they're lettinghim host a little shindig."

               Ah Yang, Ruby thought. Always there when I need a hand.

               So thatnight, Ruby brought Penny to the planetarium with Weiss and Yang.  Normally she'd wear her combat boots andjeans, but she'd opted for a pair of flats and a red galaxy print dress. Pennywas dressed the same, though with green in place of red.

               "Thisis going to be so much fun!" Penny cheered.

               Rubynodded, trying not to blush.

               She looks so cute.

               Thegroup made their way inside, eyes wide as they observed the set up. There was atable with snacks, a miniature version of Flynt and Neon's usual DJ setup, anda few upperclassmen sprinkled about talking in their own little groups as themusic played.

               "Thirsty?"Ruby asked.

               "Sure,"Penny giggled. "Fruit punch?"

               "Soundsgood."

               Rubywent and fetched them something to drink, and soon she and Penny were sittingover in the corner talking. It was typical things, average things that mostpeople find dull to talk about after a while. But somehow, listening to Pennytalk, she always managed to make even the most fundamentally boring subjectsomething extravagant.

               It waslikely Ruby would have spent the whole party listening to Penny talk about therobotics coarsest if it weren't for the dimming lights as the stars slowly cameout to play.

               "Alrighteveryone!" Flynt called. "Feel free to interact with the lights! Weneed to make sure they're working properly, so move some of the galaxiesaround!"

               "Whatdoes he mean by that?" Penny asked.

               Rubylooked over her shoulder, smiling as she saw the Whirlpool Galaxy  just within reach. Gingerly, she reached outuntil it rested in her palm. Pulling her hand back toward her caused thecollection of stars to follow.

               "Pennylook!" Ruby gasped. "Canes Venatici!"

               "Letme see!" Penny leaned close, her eyes reflecting the constellations inRuby's hands.

               "Here!"She held out her hand, and let out a soft giggle as Penny took it with a softsqueal of excitement.

               "Thisis amazing!" Penny proclaimed. "Sen-sational! Astounding!"

               "Astro-nomical!"

               Pennyand Ruby looked over, expecting to see Yang with her signature finger guns thataccompany a well timed pun.

               Instead,Yang had smacked her face, leaving a bright red mark on her forehead inreaction to Weiss, who was pointing at her date with a cheerful wink.

               "Weiss,honey," Yang groaned. "That pun was-"

               "Stellar!"Penny cheered.

               Oh my god, Ruby thought asshe tried not to laugh.

               She's perfect.

[razorblade180]

Twin Snowflakes pt7: People

The sun was finally out in full force to wake everyone up. Schnee manor began to have the sweet aroma of coffee and breakfast for two at this hour. The scent eventually found it’s way to the master bedroom where Weiss stood in front of a mirror to brush her short hair. She would never admit but sometimes it felt like that decision was a better one than marrying Jaune. Then again, the only reason it was cut was because the kids consistent pulling on it when they were small; kids that he helped give her. A smile crept onto her face as the thought lingered. There would never be a day saying things like “my kids” or “my husband” didn’t fill her with absolute joy. Without them then she would’ve known just how different a household could be from her own.

Weiss opened the door with a pep in her step; still in sleeping gown since her plans for today was enjoy a day off and clean up a bit since Jaune typically has the place spotless before she comes home. Today she would’ve cooked for him but that never ends well with the first attempt. Not like there was a need to rush though. After all, school started again so the kids aren’t home.

Weiss:*walks into kitchen*Good morning my beautiful hus-

Jaune:*Flipping pancakes* Hey hun.

Summer:*eating pancakes*.........

Weiss:........

Summer:Hey........mom, hehehehe.

Weiss:Summer sweetie, you do know school started again today right?

Summer:Yeah I uuhhh, chose to skip?

Weiss:.......

Weiss:*walks away* I’m getting the wig.

Summer:Please don’t!!!!

Weiss:Too late!!!!

The sound of her mothers footsteps quickly travel back to the room, much to Summer’s dismay. A drawn out sigh of anxiousness leaves her lungs as Jaune slowly puts more pancakes on her plate.

Jaune:Enjoy your last meal.

Summer:Dad please talk her down.

Jaune:You knee what you were getting into by choosing to skip.

Summer:I can’t help that school sucks!

Jaune:Doesn’t mean you should skip. Nicholas isn’t a fan of school either but he goes.

Summer:Nicholas loved by everyone who isn’t jealous of him. I mean he’s on his way to being valedictorian and all combat schools mail him constantly. He basically runs the school; good practice for a future leader I guess.

Jaune:Last time I checked you sort of run the radio station and we had to install a mailbox just for your fan mail.

Summer:Not all that mail is nice mail and it is not my fault the people of Atlas decided to make that train wreck of a song the top 25 this year.

Jaune:I like your new song.

Summer:Ugh, I still think I repeat a verse one too many times, I could’ve held some notes a little longer and don’t even get me started on how I should’ve gone grand piano instead of regular one. There’s not enough weight in the-

Jaune:You know, maybe I don’t have a pair of twins in my house. I’m starting to think Weiss really wanted a girl and just cloned herself.

Summer:*snickering* I’m trying to be serious here!

Jaune:I am too! If it weren’t for those dazzling Arc blue eyes of yours then I don’t think I could say I contributed anything to the gene pool.

Summer:Last time I checked, I had a good sense a humor.

Jaune:Awww sweetheart. It was nice to be your father.

Summer:Wh-

Tension at the base of her ponytail began to build up. She could feel the nimble fingers barely graze her scalp as she gently tilted her head up to to see scarlet eyes meet hers; black hair tickled Summer’s nose ever so slightly.

Bleiss:Care to explain why only half the children I painfully pushed out of my body are in school right now?

Summer:Oh......ya know........stuff?

Bleiss:.......I will give you one more shot before I chew into you.

Summer:....Physical exams, I didn’t want them all to see my scars....

Bleiss:.....That’s umm, hard to chastise you about. *lets go* Be that as it may, avoiding that problem won’t help you grades.

Summer:I know but the girls....

Bleiss:Fuck em...

Jaune:Hey, reel it in a bit Bleiss.

Bleiss:No! If someone is being disgusting to my kid can go fuck off. *crosses arms* They have no right to make her feel bad and you know it!

If Weiss was like a mother duck, then Bleiss would be a mother goose. Both go a bit feral over their kids but one of them had no problem being as loud and aggressive as it takes to get the point across. It was a bit comforting, yet completely terrifying. A Schnee without inhibition or a filter is a dangerous thing as Summer has come to learn about her family. Strangely that knowledge made her feel better about herself; they were all a little different. It just so happened that she was more different than the rest and unfortunately it also made her more dangerous. Her hands rest in her lap as she looks down at it and speaks softly. Both parents were caught off gaurd and puzzled by it.

Summer:I’m sorry I skipped school. My nerves, they got the better of me.I know better.

Bleiss:.....*looks at Jaune*

Jaune:*shurgs* What? You’re the one who wanted to punish her. I made her breakfast.

Bleiss:Sigh, fair point.

She reaches for Summer’s hands and has her stand up. The two look at each other eye to eye. Bleiss can’t help but to inspect the girl from top to bottom; hard to believe that her own daughter was already a bit taller than her. Not just that however, Summer radiated a maturity about her that most teens could only wish for at their age. Unfortunately that maturity also brought along so, so many insecurities and thoughts that weighed the child down. Seeing her try to march through them like a trooper made both Jaune and Weiss proud as parents but also very sad that it’s a problem in the first place. Is being upset with her really the best option?

Bleiss:Your punishment is.....fresh air.

Jaune:What?

Summer:I’m with him, what?

Bleiss:You heard me. I don’t feel like taking you to school who knows how many classes you’ll miss if you walked there now. However, I’m not just gonna let you lay around all day so bundle up and go see a movie or sit at the park. Just stay out until school is over.

Summer:......Thanks mom *hugs her*

Bleiss:*red* Don’t expect this treatment tomorrow. Also you have 15 minutes to go before you might hear something you don’t like. It’s my day off and I intend to kiss your father repeatedly.

Summer:And that’s my que to leave! Don’t need my stomach to be flipping pancakes too.*walks off*

Bleiss:Better run! You have 14 minutes left before things get gross! Isn’t that right my handsome king? *rubs his face*

Jaune:*grabs her waist* I’m not sure if I can wait that long my queen.

Bleiss:Ooohhh I love it when you’re impatient for me.

*aggressive door opening and clothes fumbling for down the hall*

Jaune:That got her motivated. Your getting a little soft aren’t you?

Bleiss:Pfft I have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s early and I guess I’m just feeling a bit generous. Speaking of soft. *tracing his upper leg* I’m a little disappointed you still are.

Jaune:Well I still want breakfast first.

Bleiss:Tease...

Jaune:Me? All I’ve done is-

Bleiss:Be my dream come true? A handsome one at that.

Jaune:*blushing*........

Bleiss:You know....I’m a bit hungry too. *rubbing his chest* care to feed me? Countless missions away from home has made me appreciate you even more.

Jaune:Is....cough that so?

Bleiss:Yeah, you always make me full...*leans in*

Somehow Bleiss always knew how to say just the right things. Jaune was not about to lose composure and scar is daughter possibly. He glided his fingers up is beautiful wife’s figure and stopped at the left side of her face. Right as she went for a kiss he slid the wig off. The two stared at each other before Weiss smiled smugly and gave him a peck on the lips.

Weiss:*giggles* Couldn’t take the heat? You love it when I get into the zone like that. All those internal thoughts coming out unapologetically.

Jaune:Yeah well I need those thoughts of yours to pump the brakes for roughly ten more minutes.

Weiss:Just enough time for you to make me some pancakes.

Jaune:No problem, how do you want your eggs?

Weiss:Ask me in like 10 minutes. *blushing*

He playfully rolls his eyes and pulls her into a loving kiss.

xxx

[Prinipals office]

Nick:So Mr. Coal, what’s this all about? *sits down*

Flynt:I’m just wanted to touch base with ya before you finish up this school year. You’ve done a lot of good and keep trucking along. Not many students cast as wide as a net when it comes to school participation.

Nick:You know me, I like to keep moving ahead and all that hehehe. Lots to do, lots a people always watching. *rubs head*

Flynt:Eh, let them watch. I wanted to let you know not to run yourself too hard now. The tournament requires plenty of rest as well as practice. No doubt you’re doing one of those things. Make sure you’re getting the other.

Nick:No worries! I got the stamina of an Arc in my veins! Someone has to make sure things like the play, meetings, decorations, sports arrangem-

Flynt:*grabs his shoulders*..........

Nick:.......

Flynt:Remember that exercise I told you about? The one that my wife uses?

Nick:The breathing one right? *closes his eyes*

His chest rises as he slowly takes a deep breath and holds it. His mind focusing on the core of what he’s thinking about before exhaling all the air out and opening his eyes.

Nick:People expect greatness from me so I will achieve it. Not just because it’s a responsibility, but because helping where I can gives others an easier time. Wow, that was a load off my chest.

Flynt:I bet. Please remember that the other student council members are capable of doing more than what they’re doing now? You got a good heart kid like your pops and your mother. But the world as you know it can take a few more moments of you taking it slow. Speaking of which.....

Nick:Summer isn’t feeling well and will be here tomorrow, I promise.

Flynt:I hope so. I take no joy from failing bright and talented minds. I think the both of you need to take a page from each other’s books.

Nick:I’ll take that up for consideration. Now if you excuse me, there’s a meeting I’m late for. *walks to door*

Flynt:.....It’s a noble thing you’re doing. Being front and center to everyone constantly so she doesn’t have to be.

Nick:......Not sure what you mean. I just like the spotlight and benefits of popularity. It’s called networking. *leaves*

Flynt:Hmph, he should use those connections to learn how to lie.

Normally a model student should obey even the tiniest rules but Nicholas was in a hurry. Classes had already started so who was gonna call him out on running down the halls? Faculty should be proud to see his commitment of anything. In no time at all he made his way into a barren room with a white board, a rectangular table, and about a dozen kids his age sitting around it. One of them was a tan, blue haired woman holding a marker. Her gold eyes shot like daggers into his as he walked in. Nicholas couldn’t help but notice how her arms crossed over her white button up uniform shirt and the way her legs tapped; messing up the gray skirt. Across the table was Valerie with her head resting on her hands as she tried to look vaguely interested.

Eliza:About time you showed up! This was supposed to be a meeting between all main council members but I had to walk all the way down to the science room and get your Vice President!

Valerie:May I go now?

Eliza:No! You might as well stay. Never know when the King of Almanac Academy well up in vanish again.

Nick:Please, I’m not the king of anything and cut me some slack. The principal wanted me.

Valerie:What!? Everything okay? *sits up*

Nick:You know him, always checking up on students. Might as well have a second office in the band room sense he’s there. Anyways, what’s with the meeting? Something happen to the boiler room again? I can only by so many parts for that train wreck.

Eliza:Not why I called you but yes, hot water is only room temperature at the moment. I think it’s just because of the winter break. What I called you all in here for is for play production ideas during the tournament. It’ll be televised so-

Valerie:You interrupted my science test to help with play ideas!?

Eliza:Considering how you looked liked you wanted to die, you should be thanking me.

Nick:That hard huh?

Valerie:The smart kid in our class snapped his pencil and walked out.

Nick:Wow, if Ira is having trouble then I’m scared.

Eliza:Focus! Fighting isn’t the only reason people tune in. All the other competitions show’s what we’re about as a school. The play has to be perfect!

Multiple people started rapid firing ideas.

“The Snow Queen!!!”

“A Christmas Carol!!!”

“The Wizard of Oz!”

“Phantom of the Opera!”

“Lord of the Rings!”

Eliza:No, too cheesy, overdone, too dramatic, and entirely too long. I do like the idea of a musical though. Nicholas, is there by any chance.

Nick:There’s no way you’re going to get my sister to sing on stage and fight in a tournament on the same day.

Eliza:Not even if I bribe her?

Valerie:They’re rich......

Eliza:Ugh, Schnees and all their excess money.

Nick:Pfft, Marigolds and their constant whining. *smirks*

Eliza:*glares* Ooooo you’re lucky you’re cute and important. Got any idea Mr.President?

Nick:Hmmm, Tell the story Remnant itself. The two gods, Salem and Ozma; that’s still getting a shock factor.

Eliza:Yeah but there’s so many holes in it. *slumps in chair* Hard to make it cohesive with so many things nobody knows.

Nick:That’s what makes it interesting. Focus on the love and connections between all of them that leads to betrayal, and we’ll fill in wholes with information I can gather and inferences.

Valerie:Oh! I wanna help get info!

Eliza:......This sounds like an excuse for you to try to sneak into Atlas again for info.

Nick and Valerie:And?

Eliza:Sigh, fine then. But if nothing good comes out of it then you gotta convince your sister to sing okay?

Nick:I can promise I’ll try. *holds our hand*

Eliza:That’s all I’m getting out of you aren’t I? *shakes hand*

Nick:Smart and pretty. Dependable as usual.

Eliza:*blushing* I hope the gaurds jump you at the gate. Meeting is over everyone.

Valerie:Finally. *stands up* Well, back to the worst class ever.

Nick:Remember to check the back of the pages of questions before you turn it in. *leaves*

Valerie:Pfft like I would make mistake, twice.

Eliza:Gods you’d be screwed without him.

Valerie:As if! Unlike him, top shelves aren’t a problem for me. Besides, I always help when he asks.

Eliza:Still, he sure is something else. Vice President must be easy when the one above you catches all the problems his way. Even the split second ones. Must make life simple. His back must be pretty broad with all that responsibility he carriers. Almost like a knight.

Valerie:Keep it in your pants El. *walking away*

Eliza:*blushing* That’s not what I.....go to class!!!

Valerie:Don’t take me out of it then. *closes door*.........hmph.

She quietly lets go of the door knob and walks down the hall. Valerie couldn’t help but think about the walk to school just awhile ago. It’s hard to deny that he’s almost always on top of his game. That’s what made him so great in her eyes. They pushed each other or, maybe he just pushes her? Either way, it’s not like she needed him to watch her back; especially in a fight. A knight of any kind wasn’t needed. Knights are for princesses and other people who need help. Friends just help friends is all. At the very end of it she notices a poster above a door slowly peeling of the brick wall and Nicholas looking at it. A small smile starts to form.

Valerie:N-

He jumps up and pulls the rest of it off. Instead of putting it on the wall he just places it on the actual door. Satisfied with his work, he turns down the corner and disappears from sight.

Valerie:......

Part 6

[bullets-and-masks]

Krieg’s Backstory based on tips/missions/canon quotes

“Alright, y’all. Since This Post (by @necromorph-slayinglovemachine) is making some rounds, stating Krieg’s inner voice quote [ Where is she? Is she still alive? Did she get away?] refers to Dr. Samuels, the woman responsible for slag experimentations at the Exploitation Preserve, and I’m just gonna say: Yes, I agree.  So, let’s explore that, and therefore the very possible option that Krieg became what he is at the Preserve, going through Quotes and game events.

In the DLC Sir Hammerlock vs the Son of Crawmerax has a optional mission called Victims of Vault Hunters, in which Sparky, the son of Captain Flynt, hires assassins to kills the Vault Hunters as a revenge plan. Each assassin is related to who the Vault Hunters are and whatever happened to them before Pandora or got them in the planet.  Here is Krieg’s assassin description: “At this point, Sparky's hopes for victory have been dashed, but he reluctantly introduces Clements, a Hyperion scientist who wants Krieg.” Krieg’s assassin in a scientist, and it’s not clear wheter he plans on retrieving or killing the psycho. But, Clements is pointed as a Hyperion scientist, tying Krieg’s relation to Hyperion was one that has to do with science/research.  (We’ll come back to this mission).  What works most about this assumption is Krieg’s very nature, design and skills: He is a borderlands psycho, bandits made crazy by experimentations. Badass pyschos themselves are a result of slag mutation, as Jack’s voiceover at the Preserve states:  “This is Handsome Jack, thanking you, loyal test subject, for helping bring Pandora into the future. The experiments you'll be put through will help us uncover new uses for Eridium, new cures for medicine, and...why are you having me read this crap? They know we're gonna mutate the hell out of them, why lie to - (static) “ This voiceline is furthered reinforced by a loader present at the preserve, made to greet the “volunteers” (subjects) that arrive there. Its quotes that prove slag, pyschos and mutations are all tied:  "Eridium injections may cause side effects such as gigantism, insanity, and excess limb syndrome." All things seen both in psychos and rats - a name that could allude to them being lab rats.  "Thank you for open quotes volunteering closed quotes as a test subject at Hyperion Preserve. Do not attempt to leave the grounds." Stating that people are capture to be subjected to slag experimentation.  "Do NOT touch the Eridium vats unless you have alerted a Hyperion technician first, preferably one with a camera." Just furthering on that. Krieg’s Mania Skill Tree also ends up with him assuming a badass pyscho form, confirming the possibility of him being a subject of slag experiments. Krieg’s design also counts with tubes going into his hand, or the protection on his arm, and wether this might not have anything to do with experimentation, it raises the question of why he needs it (if it’s a need) as well as the bigger filter present on his mask. 

(image description: a turnaround of Krieg the Psycho from Borderlands 2, showcasing his design. He has orange pants, same as psychos - enemies from the game - a gas mask and bandages. He is shirtless, sporting only a harness that carries tubes that connect to his left arm. He’s holding his buzz axe, an weapon made of an axe with a buzzsaw as its head.) 

What we have so far:  Slag experimentation was done at the Exploitation Preserve.  Said experiments resulted in psychos, among other kinds of bandits/enemies.  Krieg is a psycho, and not only his design but his sent assassin and wanted poster alude to him being tired to a scientific branch of Hyperion, as property/prisioner.  Dr. Samuels was a very relevant and active scientist in said experimentations, as proved by the Doctor’s Orders side quest given by Tannis.

Going into the Quote that started this all, let’s examine ALL his quotes pertaining women: 

1.“ I can't see her anymore... She was so clear and bright... but the blood is in my eyes, and now I can only watch the ocean of blood... Its waves crash against my forehead again and again, AND I JUST NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SURF!! “

2.You're gonna scream, just like she did; open mouth, open heart, blood and noise forever piercing my skull, poisoning me with its psychopathic purple liquid. We watched it all, and felt the knife edge split down the middle... CAN YOU HEAR ME?!

3.“I'll never forget the way her holes cried... The way she screamed in agony as she pushed the knife slowly into my sternum... Such a beautiful symphony of feelings, and at the end of it, she was so much greater! My operatic diva of flesh and steel!! “

4.“ (On your feet, she might still be out there.)”

5.“(Where is she? Is she still alive? Did she get away?)”

6.THE TINY ONE AND THE SAD-FACED MOTHER AND THE BLUE TATTOO FOREVER AND EVER! (when Moxxi asks about a mister-or-missus Vault Hunter in Krieg's life during the Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre DLC )

Quote 01, 02 and 03:  01: It’s unclear the context or identity of Her. It’s possible to presume there’s more than women being referred to in all quotes, but at the same time, although only a pronoum is used, it seems to be used as the closest he can to a name.  02: Pyschopathic purple liquid: Slag. It’s unclear hear if Krieg thinks about someone that was also experimented on, or along with him.  03. her holes cried: eyes, actual crying. The screams in agony could be or not an exaggeration; but the important here is that we are aware Samuels was threated, via her wife’s life, to work on the subjects, as she did not want to. By the ECHOs during Doctor’s Orders, Samuels sounded very humane, and it’s fair to believe she’d suffer having to do this.  02 and 03:  Both “knife edge split down the middle” and “my operatic diva of flesh and still” could be interpreted as alluding to the birth and inspiration of a second personality, one that thrives in pain and slag - outter Krieg.  Quote 04:  It’s extremely unclear what happens to Samuels, but Doctor’s Orders alludes to her possible death in the explosion caused by Tiny Tina for her escape. However, there’s solid evidence pointing she’s alive (we’ll come back to this.) It’s therefore possible Krieg believes so, and would like to find her. As a familiar face? For revenge? To thank her or just check on her? Hard to know. But as the inner voice seems to have strong morals about who to kill, and seems not to resent her, it’s safe to assume a darker opition is less likely.  Quote 05:  As stated previously and in the other post; Krieg worries about her. He got away from the Preserve and would like Samuels to have gotten out too.  Quote 06:  Finally, with couple with 02 and 03, it’s possible to read “sad faced mother” as Samuels, as she’d be sad about the situation every human is at at the Preserve, and technically, because she’d be the operator during the slag experiments, the “mother” of the Outter Krieg personality. It’s important to note this quote is Outter Krieg’s, and that the outside personality seems to have clearer access to memories, or at the very least try to stop Inside Krieg from remembering.  Now, what’d I say we’d go back to Samuel’s possibility of being alive, and the Vault Hunter’s Victims mission?  Well, the mission goes as follow: The Vault Hunter tries to track the assassins hired by Sparky, only to find one dead after another, all killed by assassins’ assassins related to the Vaulties somehow. Each “savior” leaves a message, and Krieg’s reads:  “Krieg: (reading) SALUTATIONS PSYCHOMAN I'M SORRY AS A SLICE WOUND SINCERELY SAMMY “  Samuels is also known as Sammy, as she’s called this by Jack during the ECHOS.  This can be read as Samuels looking out for Krieg, and making so he’s not taken back by Hyperion and has a chance to live a good life.  So far:  Krieg is a psycho, made so by slag experimentations at the preserve, performed by Doctor Samuels (forced to). Samuels is alive and watches his back, Krieg believes she’s alive too and would like to find her.  Finally, specially while being revived, Krieg has Quotes that can be interpreted as him not knowing exactly the difference between pain and care anymore, specially because they’re all quotes from the Outter Krieg, someone “born” from being hurt by a woman that possibly tried her best to be kind, or showed kindness while hurting him at the same time. They also seem to make it clear he might equal pain to something good. Being revived: “What're you doing to me?!“ “Why aren't you stabbing me?” “Somebody still cares?” Salt the Wound (a skill) stacks:  “Hurt me more!”

“It hurts, HAHAHAHAHA! IT HURTS!!” “Pain is LIFE!!”

Among many others. 

The last important point is this quote: “ Yes, make them pay for what they did to us...”said by Inner Krieg during killing multiple enemies, which could be a hint about him having been sold by bandits as where Tiny Tina’s parents. 

In Conclusion / TL; DR: Krieg’s backstory is about him being captured by Hyperion or bandits, and becoming a test subject for slag experimentation at the Exploitation Preserve. There, he build trust and care towards Doctor Samuels, that though was the one to coordinate or perform experiments; didn’t want to, being as kind as possible in the situation. The experimentations split Krieg’s mind into two, the Outter, psychotic Krieg possibly considering Samuels a mother of sorts. 

Fun facts: 

Krieg has a voiceline where he mentions Hera, possibly another planet. Wheter he was just an intergalatic traveler or from Hera is unclear.

Inner Krieg uses “us” to refer to himself and Outter Krieg, making it clear he separated both. 

Writer Anthony Burch has described Krieg’s psychosis as a man driving an out of control truck: He cannot stop the truck, but he can try and steer it away from as many innocents as possible. 

Although it was a fan-favorite theory; it has been debunked that Krieg is Tiny Tina’s dad.  Personal Headcanons: 

Considering only his canon Quotes - the ones that are not references or fourth wall breaks - is notable that Krieg has a vast vocabulary, and I believe he can grow to rearange the words and communicate better. 

The “she” mentioned could also be two people - perhaps Samuels and a woman important to him, taken to be experimented on too 

Raving Retribution skill could be named after revenge for said woman  Anyway, that’s it! There’s probably a lot more, a lot wrong, who knows, but I couldn’t help myself, Let me know your takes and what you think! And sorry for the english y’all, brazilian here. 

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Squiggle Scripts #010: The Beauty of Dance.

miggy97 asked “ I’m starting to think that Oscar’s love for Ruby will be similar to Uraraka’s love for Midoriya: he’ll be in denial of it for a while, but then once he realizes it, he’ll try to conceal those feelings entirely, because he believes it will result in pain for both Ruby and him since he expects to merge with Oz soon

@miggy97  That’s not a bad theory Miggy. I actually have the opposite hunch where it’s Ruby who is the one to slowly realize how she feels around Oscar but would be reluctant in pursuing those feelings knowing Oscar’s fate while combatting with her own reluctance to trust Ozpin again. A lot of fans’ impressions of Ruby Rose is that she isn’t the type to focus on romance and relationships. As always, this squiggle meister has a differing opinion. I actually do think that deep down Ruby wants that romantic life---the fairy tale that’s full of charm. She just hasn’t really been given much of an opportunity where she can express that type of interest, y’know what I’m saying?

This is why I shared this RWBY Remark once upon a time. As I said in my last response, Ruby has never had any romantic suitors. It’s hard to tell how Ruby would truly react in a romantic situation when the series hasn’t really put her in that type of scenario before. The closest thing was the ball back at the Vytal Festival but even then, Ruby’s involvement in that was completely omitted. I feel like when it came to the dance episodes, only her teammates: Weiss, Yang and Blake were given subplots as part of those episodes.

We had Weiss pursuing Neptune as her potential date to the dance. We had Blake be approached by Sun and ended up going with Sun. And while Yang didn’t have a date, she still had her important role of that subplot by helping Blake through overcoming her stress induced insomnia over Torchwick and the two even ended sharing a dance together at the ball as a result of their talk which I think is what sparked folks to start shipping them.

But Ruby. Ruby in the dance episode was more akin to a young child being dragged to a social gathering by their older peers or an adult. And since she’s not used that type of environment, she mostly just spends her night alone in the corner or in the company of her comrades when they’re free enough to come talk to her.

As a matter of fact, that is exactly how it was. Ruby just stood mostly in the corner for most of the dance episode. No one asked her to dance nor did she herself seem interested in joining the festivities. Till this day, that still kind of bums me out. All the more reason why I appreciated Professor Ozpin approaching Ruby and talking to her. I always enjoyed when Oz would approach Ruby with words of wisdom and his advice to her in V2 will always be my favourite moment between them.

I mean, we still didn’t get to see Ruby loosen up and bust a move with anyone or even by herself but…I guess you could say she was a little less apprehensive of the joining the festivities after Oz talked to her. Or so I’d like to think.

All the more reason why I’m looking forward to the Atlas Arc from V7. I feel like Atlas will give us a second opportunity for the heroes to have some well-earned downtime. I am still holding onto the prospect of the heroes reuniting with Team FNKY. Neon invited Yang and Weiss to go partying with her and Flynt back in V2 so I’m hoping the CRWBY didn’t forget that detail and we’ll get an episode of V7 dedicated to the heroes just dressing down and going clubbing in Atlas with Flynt and Neo.

Let FNKY treat RWBY and JNPR to a night out and take our heroes to FNKY town so that they can have some fun with FN!

I want another episode where we get to see our heroes change outfits again. Not just Team RWBY this time but JNPR as well inclusive of Oscar with a nice causal look.

Do you know what could be super cool? What if…Flynt and Neon end up taking RWBY and JNPR to a roller disco club in downtown Atlas or something? With roller-skates being part of Neon’s design, I figured second to raves, she and Flynt must enjoy going rollerblading as well and what better place to combine rollerblading with music and dancing than a roller disco?

If my memory serves correctly, I also remember Neon pointing out that Weiss and Yang should try out rollerblading since it’s super fun. I mean, yeah sure, she was only saying that to partially taunt Yang but…I’m still holding her to that. Rollerblading + Partying = Roller disco.

The CRWBY could even have that as a future episode of V7 and fittingly title it ‘Panic at the Disco’. Boom! C’mon CRWBY! I just would love to see an episode where FNKY invite the heroes out to dancing and rollerblading but while her teammates and friends are having fun, Ruby is rather reluctant about joining them. As a matter of fact, she’s the most abrasive about dancing. Even Oscar is surprisingly eager to join in on the dancing.

By my Pinehead headcanon, Oscar Pine is an astonishingly good dancer and even though he’s never skated in his life, he picks up on it really quickly and makes a positive spectacle of himself wowing everyone on the dance floor with his impressive footwork. He and Neon even share a dance at some point and while this is going on, Ruby just watches on alone in the corner. She’d been pretty reluctant to come onto the dancefloor no matter how many times her friends tried to sway her into it. 

And somehow spotting Oscar laughing while dancing with Neon made her feel even more out of place. So Ruby just retires from the dance floor room just in time for Oscar to spot her leaving. This of course, encourages him to go after the Silver Eyed Girl. I would love for a moment like this to be done in a future episode of RWBY because it’s another golden chance for our Rosebuds to bond. Picture a scene like this:

JNPR and WBY are out on the dance floor with Flynt and Neon having a blast. Meanwhile Ruby is sitting out in the corner watching her friends enjoy themselves without her. At some point, Oscar skates over to join her in the stands after spotting her leaving. 

Oscar: Hey you. *takes a seat next to Ruby* So…I…couldn’t help but…uh…notice you sitting here all by yourself.

Ruby: Yeah well…I…couldn’t help but notice you on the dance floor back there. Didn’t know you were such a great dancer.

Oscar: *bashfully* Thanks but…I wouldn’t exactly call myself a great dancer. My aunt was the real great dancer.

Ruby: Oh? *smirks amusedly* Was she the one who taught you all your moves?

Oscar: Well…not all my moves. *chuckles lightly* But yeah, Aunt Em and I used to dance a lot back on the farm. After my uncle passed away, it… broke her heart and... Em was really, really depressed for a while. She used to say dancing was what brought her and Uncle Henry together so dancing solo just made her feel...lonely.

I actually didn’t like dancing at all at first. Didn’t think it was for me. But I changed my mind soon after I saw how happy it made Em feel to have a dance partner again. I'd never forget the night I told her I wanted to learn how to dance. It's the brightest I saw her smile since my uncle was alive.

Ruby: That's really sweet of you.

Oscar: *bashfully* Hey… it's not that big of a deal. The least I could do after she took me in, right? 

Ruby: Do you miss her a lot? Your Aunt Em?

Oscar: Every day. But Em's always been a tough ole gal who could take care of herself and she taught me to be the same way. But, being here tonight just reminded me of all those times we would just...get together and dance till the cows come home. Makes it feel a bit like home.

Oscar trailed off smiling to himself. But when he noticed Ruby looking at him, he blushed and looked away suddenly feeling embarrassed.

Oscar: *nervously* Ah---sorry if I'm rambling. *clears his throat and laughs awkwardly* I'm surprising chattier tonight.

Ruby: No, no it's ok. It's nice to hear you talk about your family for a change. *smiles at Oscar, resting her hand on his shoulder* I'm glad you're having fun, Oscar.

Oscar returns the small smile but then frowns as he remembered Ruby’s reluctance for the evening.

Oscar: But...you're not, aren’t you?

Ruby: *frowns sadly* No. I'm completely out of my element here. Why'd we have to come to a roller disco of all places? How is dancing going to help us on the battlefield?

Oscar: Well…dancing is actually good for team building. Two or more partners learning to trust each other and move in sync. When you look at it like that, it actually makes dancing the perfect exercise, don’t you think?

Ruby says nothing. She knows Oscar is right in his words however doesn’t admit it. She just continues to pout grumpily while avoiding his eyes. Oscar presses on.

Oscar: Listen Ruby, I know we're huntsmen trying to save the world but there's more to life than just fighting, y'know. We just spent the last couple of weeks fending off villains and Grimm and it's only going to get harder from here. Which is…all the more reason for us to appreciate the smaller, quieter moments like this, right? Who knows when we might get a chance at some actual downtime again? I know it's not your element but...I hope you can still have some fun at least. Maybe we can even dance together.

Finally Ruby looks up at Oscar, her expression incredulous.

Ruby: You mean…you and me? Dancing? You’re asking me to dance?

Oscar: *a little too eagerly* Yes! I---I mean…*blushing slightly* Only if you want to.

Ruby: I…

Ruby bit her lip nervously.

Ruby: *talking softly* ...I…don't know how to dance.

Oscar: What?

Ruby: I don’t know how to dance. I've...never done it before. Well...actually I tried it once. Back at combat school. But I didn’t know what I was doing and I ended up twisting my ankle and falling flat on my face. The guy I was dancing with started laughing at me and then everyone laughed at me. It was the most embarrassing moment of my life and I never danced again after that.

Oscar: Well… that changes everything. Now you're definitely getting up and dance.

Ruby: *shocked* WHAT! Didn’t you hear me? I'm not a dancer! I'll make a fool of myself!

Oscar: *enthusiastically* No you won’t. I can teach you how to dance. Besides if a 14 year old farmhand like me can become a huntsman, you, Ms Rose can definitely dance.

Unfortunately, Oscar’s eagerness is still not enough to sway Ruby who still appears apprehensive. So Oscar tries a different approach. He looks Ruby square in her face with a boldness she has never seen from him before. Oscar then smiled at Ruby, his hazel eyes radiating a genuine kindness and sincerity that left Ruby strangely fixated.

Oscar: Hey, you’ve helped me out so many times during our battles. Let me return the favour this time. All I’m asking is that you trust me. Please?

Oscar then extends his hand in a gesture for Ruby to accept his proposal. For a moment, Ruby just stares blankly at Oscar’s outstretched hand. She’s still very much reluctant but when he eyes returned to meet Oscar’s face still radiating that kind willingness, alas, the red rose conceded.

Slowly, Ruby accepts Oscar’s hand and he cups it gently as he slowly began to lead her onto the vibrant dancefloor with its multi-coloured lights and blaring music. To further prove that he was willing to accommodate for Ruby’s anxiety, Oscar moved extra slowly as he helped Ruby onto the floor, careful not to pull her too hard so she wouldn’t think he was dragging her.

Eventually the two managed to blade their way onto a nice quiet spot, far from the other dancers but still close enough that they can hear the music. Oscar stood facing Ruby. He still held her hand and gave it a small reassuring squeeze when he noticed that Ruby was still looking very self-conscious. It was admittedly little odd for Oscar seeing Ruby this tense especially since he had grown so accustomed to her righteous bravado.

Ruby: *very nervously* I…promise me you won’t laugh if I fall down, okay?

Oscar: *reassuringly* Aunt Em used to say this about dancing. The job of a good partner is to be a great support. If you fall, I'll just catch you. Besides I plan on laughing with you, not at you.

Oscar flashes Ruby a warm smile. Ruby had to cup her cheeks a little bit as she felt a sudden warmness creep up on her. It was weird but all that nervousness soon washed away as she returned to smile to Oscar. With Oscar taking the lead, the two then started.

And scene.

What do you think Miggy? Also, hey @xstonehill, would a scene like this work for you as well? I remember you pointing out Oscar reaching out to Ruby a lot throughout V6.

I think dancing---especially the Rosebuds dancing together is the perfect chance to help build trust between them. Part of dancing is about synchronization.  Learning to follow your partner’s lead and/or move in complete unison with them as part of the performance. Dancing is a terrific way to build closeness in a relationship---be it platonic or romantic since it encourages intimacy. Growing closer to your partner and getting more in tune with them to better build on your trust with them which aids in the dance.

I think dancing could be a surprisingly great thing to have Ruby and Oscar bond over. We never saw Ruby dance before. As a matter of fact, we know of her apprehension towards dancing from V2. All the more reason I’m hoping the CRWBY Writers make Oscar a good dancer---or at least a more confident dancer so that he can help encourage Ruby to loosen up and trust in him to be Ruby’s partner; both in and off the battlefield

Think about it this way. Oscar has proven himself to be very good at breaking down some of the walls that Ruby likes to place herself behind when she’s attempting to be all nonchalant about the issues that plague her.

Oscar is always eager to reach his hand out to help Ruby. That's actually good since it's a nod back to what Oz told him back in V4.

As we saw in V6, Ruby's happiest memory with Oscar is the time he helped her back in V5. That dojo scene meant a lot to Ruby and was what solidified her liking of Oscar. I would love for another opportunity where Oscar once again helps Ruby through a moment of insecurity and gets her to open up to him.

Having Oscar and Ruby dance together and learn to trust through dance is an interesting way to help them grow as a team. We're used to seeing Ruby take leadership a lot especially after V6.

It'd be great if through dancing, Ruby learns to let Oscar take the lead for a change and trust in him. Perhaps Ruby trusting Oscar's leadership through dance will encourage her to trust his guidance on the battlefield. Not saying that Ruby doesn’t trust Oscar. However I have noticed some minor moments that made me think that Ozpin’s isolation might have soured Ruby's bond with Oscar. Not a lot but enough that it's a bit noticeable in her expressions especially compared to last season and the start of this season.

Ruby learning to open herself up more to Oscar and trusting him through an unorthodox activity like dancing, using that a metaphor for their friendship could be surprisingly brilliant if executed.

Plus imagine if, dancing is what inspires Oscar and Ruby’s tag team move on the battlefield. Picture this:

Ruby and Oscar are cornered against their enemies. As their foes close in on them, Ruby turns to Oscar at some point and says "You ready to try our new move, partner?"

Oscar smirks knowingly as he offers Ruby his hand and replies "May I have this dance?"

And just like that, the Rosebuds execute their tag team move which is literally a dance. A duet of perfectly timed movements moving in sync to an imaginary beat that only Ruby and Oscar are in tuned to. After all, it is their dance. Their Petal Dance.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know Pokémon did it first but…but C’MON! I swear if we ever got a RoseGarden tag team move and it's pretty much a dance between Ruby and Oscar inspired by them learning to trust each other through dancing for the Atlas Arc, happy would not even begin to describe how ecstatic I'd be to see something like that done canonically.

But as always, these are only just my ideas. A squiggly Rosegardening Pinehead can only dream.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)