#I will see how this post does and maybe I will post later

[timeslipcamp]

thoughts on episode 16

vibrating in my seat over a new sinostra chapter I CANT WAIT

typing this as i read it so let's go live reaction!!!

spoilers for episode 16

first of all taiga in a crop top is something i didn't know i needed but now it's all i'm gonna be thinking about forever thanks

SHO BRINGING US LUNCH right off the bat we are truly blessed to see him right away. where's that bingo sheet someone made cross off vagastrom cameo. sho is such a sweetheart ugh. interesting that he encourages us not to talk too much in front of the teachers.

hodge and podge have animations now!! good for them!! however that was completely overshadowed by this lil tidbit

only three months??? thats WAY less time than i thought we had. is the game moving in real time then? or are we going to get back to the loop that much sooner? also i love that the dialogue mentions different things and events that happen off screen. maybe we'll see them in the time loop. shoutout for the warding card though love that

how DID they see us alone in the infirmary? 👀 perhaps a clue as to why hyde's eyes are covered, he can see everything?

also quick shout out to my favorite thing romeo's ever said

lawyers or the yakuza aka ritsu or taiga

WAIT WE'RE GOING TO DIONYSIA????? oh i'm screaming actually i can't be doing this at work

a burglary? the same person who broke into jabberwock maybe?

ITS A FUCKING FREAKY CARNIVAL????

okay this place sucks but i'm kicking my feet and blushing at walking around with the janitor. i don't trust him AT ALL but he's hot idc

interesting that it's only been abandoned for six months, but we've been on campus for nine, and the clash was presumably just a few months before that. also double confirmation that the janitor is elias HELL YEAH. but wtf haru

DIONYSIA HARU holy shit not what i expected. he would be a little circus freak wouldn't he? ngl when they brought up romeo's family i was like "if they mention a sister istg..." but do you think taiga actually hasn't returned haru's calls? or was this him playing up the act again?

dude wait wtf is the winchester mansion doing here hahaha this is so funny. actually no the US branch being incompetent is funny too i like this.

history moment - for those who don't know, the winchester mansion is a real place in california. this mansion was built by sarah winchester and construction continued on the house all the way up until she died. popular myth says she was compelled by spirits to continue working on the house forever. she was plagued with crazy bad luck (family members dying, random tragedies) and another popular myth states that she was cursed because her family created the winchester rifle, and her bad karma was to repay for all the deaths the rifles caused. if you're in cali, highly recommend a visit, this place is huge and SO insane, there's hundreds of rooms. love what they did with this location in the story. might do a whole post on this mansion here later.

anyways

MC responding on reflex to kitten GIRL GET YOURSELF TOGETHER me too though me too...

ritsu is so fucking funny i love this nerd. i missed sinostra man. i do enjoy the brief cameos of other students though. lyca saying "ok bye" was so funny i love that guy

the sinostra turf war was killing me. living in this house would be so exhausting. at least ritsu has the hague convention agreements memorized too 😭

genuinely having the hardest time focusing on the story when this is on screen. wait hold on does taiga have a fake ponytail on lmao. HARD CUT AFTER YOU CHOOSE WHO YOURE ROOMING WITH????

i actually just went back and did that chapter three times so see all the options and they are exactly what you would expect. taigas gonna kill me. ugh

lyca calls him harurin because of rui 😭😭 bro ill cry STOP lyca youre so good bb

taiga im gonna strangle you--are you feeding into my time loop theory or are you just so apathetic that it bleeds into everything???? i doubt that, especially considering evetything this episode points to him knowing more than he's letting on, but he really has been apathetic about everything. ugh

also romeo being pegged as the villain by the hundun....... 👀 inchresting

nvm we literally almost got set on fire

i bet it's after taiga but because of his weird lucky precog thing it keepa avoiding him. god i need to know what his stigma is so bad. "it changed again" he and i are gonna fight istg

hot ritsu moment congrats ritsu stans

hey hold on

this sounds a lot like. the faculty....

the campus was almost destroyed by the ghouls and now theyre being super strict and using severe discipline to keep them in line...

that might be a reach but that felt poignant. hm

also idk if this is important to note or not but ritsu basically has the opposite stigma as haru. makes him harder/heavier while harus makes him faster/lighter/more fragile

anyways the END OF THE EPISODE UGGHHH

literally five hundred thousand thoughts running through my head at the end of that. elias definitely heard and he's about to go tell someone. LOVE sinostra those some ride or dies (heavy emphasis on the die). fuck you hyde i wanna know what you're planning. UGH such a good episode i wish it was 900 hours longer

gonna take an hour to collect my thoughts and then i'll be back with more. love you taiga fuck u

asks and dms always open!!

[fr33time]

First off? Wow, second off? WOW.

Obviously my thoughts post on episode 16, WOW! That was a ride and I love this episode now, is it on par with the latest Jabberwock episode for me? Maybe.

Spoilers for episode 16 + a couple theories maybe?

I took so many god damn pictures OH MY LORD. First off I want to talk about episode 17 because like????

WHAT DO YOU MEAN “WAVES OF LOVE” AND THE MC IS IN A CUTE DRESS WALKING TOWARDS A LIMO!!! I hope… I hope I hope I HOPE there’s more romance. To speak on that for a moment? A dump of all my favourite moments.

Lyca is so adorable, I’m so happy we got a cameo from him AND the best mini storyline. His rivalry with that fox is so funny, when he leaves and shouts “shaddap! We’ll finish this later, dumb fox!!!” I was giggling. He is just so cute lmao. Don’t even get me started on the formal introduction to Elias, he even calls the mc “dear heart” which is just UGH 💕

Kill me 💀 crying and throwing up at these screenshots. You can’t tell me “waves of love” isn’t going to have more “romance” with photos like these. On a real note, I know there won’t be any romance… but a girl can only dream. I’ll have that Ritsu photo till the day I die.

Aside from my favourite moments, I’m glad there’s more explanation on Hyde as a character. Even outside of this episode, you can tell that Sho does not like his brother or atleast doesn’t want the mc caught in his mess. He doesn’t like it when they mention him at all. This appears in his affinity 10 story I believe, where (spoilers) Hyde wants you to give Sho a gift and Sho just tells the mc flat out that they shouldn’t accept anything from him. I do not like Hyde at all, I saw someone point out in the discussion tab on the episode that Hodge and Podge were mad at Hyde for tricking the mc, so they made a warding card. I want to see his downfall so bad because poor Romeo has to suck up to him.

Also that whole thing with Haru being in Dionysia? WOW. Honestly I’ve been guessing that he was apart of Sinostra for the longest time because he’s just a litttle bit greedy and he knows how to sway customers. After seeing what kind of place Dionysia was, it all comes together. Honestly I think Haru transferred because of Towa… I am a firm believer in the theory that Towa is the male mermaid that Hyde spoke about (I hope there’s more insight into who supplied the mermaid flesh btw, that is reallyyyy interesting). If I were to say anything I think Towa was transferred into Darkwick a year prior, liked Haru because of his whimsy, and Haru transferred to Jabberwock to look after Towa to put it simply. I’m just over here making assumptions so don’t quote me hehe.

I’m writing this very late at night so I will expand on everything if I forget something. Overall I loved the episode, I’m not super hard into analyzing stuff because I go based off of feelings. Trust me I will watch the worst movie ever and still find enjoyment in it.

[shrinkthisviolet]

no literally like I do think she gravitates toward and responds better to female leadership (even though she told mohan she could take constructive criticism and immediately started arguing scvbnbcvnmgfchjjf) but it drives me crazy when people are like "oh she's just a MAN-HATER 😈 but it's okay because she was abused 😇 but she was suspicious of langdon because he's a MAN in power" as a way to gloss over the fact that his behavior was objectively inappropriate and she was doing the smart and responsible thing by paying attention to drug inconsistencies

(post + my tags for context)

YESSS exactly! There is definitely truth to the fact that she has an issue with male authority figures, but that has more to do with “well she and her best friend were assaulted by a trusted male adult and then her best friend killed herself, so yeah, obviously she’ll be wary of men in positions of power.” It’s not based on her visibly responding poorly to male leadership, but rather an understandable trauma response. And like...it doesn’t cause her to distrust any of the men on the show.

Because what we see is that she responds well to those who mentor her, regardless of what gender the mentor in question is. Mohan is blunt...after asking Trinity if it’s okay. Collins is firm but not unkind. So is Ellis. Abbott scolds her for doing the procedure by herself (and reminder to those who need it, she did try to find an attending first), but also praises her for good work done (this combo helps foster trust). Robby is crashing out with the David stuff on top of everything else, but he still takes the time to tell Santos she did the right thing. Garcia is the first person to be encouraging and treat her as an important asset to the team (she and Santos fight later, but Santos still trusts her because Garcia encouraged her first). Santos responds positively to all of these...because she is not being scolded (a little, yes, but not just that). She is being mentored, she is being guided.

The only person she really has an issue with is Langdon. And...this needs some nuance. It’s not because he’s a male authority figure per se. It’s because he’s a male authority figure who seems to have it out for her and is not shy about showing it. He yells at her, puts her down when she tries to bring up concerns, pulls rank frequently, etc. He thus comes across to her as that kind of male authority figure: the kind she needs to be wary of, careful around, because who knows what he’s capable of.

(Ofc on Langdon’s end, he clearly sees so much of himself in her (which is especially clear when he complains about her to Robby to discredit her) that it’s causing him to be harsher on her than the others, which just reinforces Santos’s perceptions of him...and so the vicious cycle continues).

Look at how quickly she takes the blame for Mohan, knowing how pissed Langdon is and wanting to protect her. Look at how instinctual that is. Santos has done this before, with someone she loves (maybe her best friend at some point, maybe her siblings if the show does indeed let her have younger siblings) in the face of a powerful adult who wants to hurt them. Take the pain, be the shield, do not let the person behind you be hurt. Emotionally (which is the case here), physically, it doesn't matter���the pain is hers to bear (especially after she failed to protect her best friend from it. Hey, for all we know, maybe her best friend was this for her too).

And YESSS she didn’t report Langdon because he was a man with power over her. She reported him because there were multiple drug discrepancies that he brushed off, and she found it suspicious and investigated and reported it. Which, as Robby said, is what you’re supposed to do! See Something, Say Something is a very common refrain in hospitals. Especially when Langdon was not only stealing drugs, but also diluting certain medications and not telling anyone, putting patients in serious danger!

(Given that the drugs he was taking were benzos, he likely wasn’t high on-shift (benzos are depressants), but...the theft and dilution are pretty bad in and of themselves)

The takeaway is clear: Santos is likely wary of men in power initially, but she doesn’t necessarily have a problem with them unless they reinforce her fears of possible harm. Langdon does. Robby and Abbott do not.

[novasintheroom]

For Good Luck

♡ Pairing - Caldarus x Reader

♡ Word count - 1.7k

♡ Warnings - none

♡ Description: You get into the habit of kissing Caldarus' statue on the nose.

Also posted on AO3.

It must take a surprising amount of courage to reach up and peck the statue of Caldarus on the snout. 

He feels curious confusion almost immediately. Stepping back from his form, a nervous smile creeps onto your lips. You wait.

“A kiss?” Comes his question.

You nod, shy teeth reaching out to bite your lower lip. “For good l-luck,” you stumble over your words. 

It has only been two weeks since Caldarus awoke, declaring himself the ancient guardian of Mistria and only that, as far as his memory goes. The spring air is cool on his stone, petals from flowering fruit trees wafting down, some into your hair. 

Caldarus pauses, then says, “I have no memory of ever receiving one before.” He muses a moment. Then, “How would a kiss bring good luck?”

Your shoulders bunch up then down. “A lot of travellers rub statues on their toes or bellies for good luck or prosperity. I figured a kiss on the nose would be a bit more…mm…respectful, since you’re alive.”

His hum reverberates in your mind. “I see.”

Suddenly, you wave a hand to him. “I’ll see you later,” and you trot away before he can say anything more.

Despite your obvious nerves, you do it again the next day.

“Another?” His curiosity is piqued. “Did the one yesterday not bring luck?”

“Actually, it did!” You dig in your pocket and bring out a small, uncut ruby. It glistens dully in the sunlight. You wipe a bit of fuzz from it. “Found this in the mines, maybe an hour before I came back! This will buy me a few bags of seeds, I’m sure.”

“Hmm. Good. I have noticed your crops are growing remarkably well. Adding more will bring you good fortune, I am sure.”

A grin. “Kissing a living dragon statue also seems to bring good fortune.” Again, you wave your hand at him, calling out a goodbye before going about your day.

A week passes like this: you, wading through the thick, overgrown grass surrounding his shrine in the morning and pressing your lips to his snout. It is the barest of warmth he feels when you do, like distant sunlight in a cave. And at the end of each day, you come back to report on what luck he brought you: an extra bass caught on the same hook, an overgrown berry bush discovered at the edge of your farm, more rubies and forage from the mines you can sell to bolster your ventures.

“I believe,” he says one day, weeks later and the press of your kiss fading from his snout, “that it is your own doings that give you luck.”

Your head tilts. “What makes you say that?”

Caldarus takes a moment to think. “You are a remarkably determined individual. You carry through what you put your mind to. It is…admirable. And so may have nothing to do with me whatsoever.”

Your hands slap your hips. “Caldarus, are you saying you don’t enjoy my kisses?”

Something in him coils, like a shy snake being uncovered from a rock. His voice sounds a bit lighter and quieter than normal when he says, “On the contrary.”

Your laughter is bells and bird song to his ears.

And so it goes for days and weeks and months. Your farm grows, as does your friendship with Caldarus. Each day brings your soft or chapped or worn or bruised lips to his snout, claiming “good luck.” And he offers what wisdom he can in return. 

Until one winter day, you call out to him. One cold day, he cannot offer simple wisdom, and you a simple smile, to break the ancient, forbidden chains that hold you down outside the Fire Seal. One stark day, he breaks his own chains, desperate, clawing, trying and succeeding in saving you from a folly no one could foresee.

And now, Caldarus sits in his new body, his robes tracing the breeze that blows through the temple grounds. He feels weak. Tired, all the time. These new limbs are much smaller and more frail than he anticipated. Worn. He is also ravenously hungry all the time - a problem you often remedy by bringing by one good meal a day. Here you come now, dismounting your horse at the steps of the temple grounds. Caldarus has the sweetly sour taste of bell berries on his tongue, and he watches you walk up the temple steps to the right, eyes scanning for him. He calls your name, and your smile dazzles him.

“I brought curry and rice today,” you announce, hefting your backpack round your side and sitting next to him on the bench. Caldarus feels the heat of your leg against his. It is comforting. He wants to nestle into it, sap up the warmth for himself. The spring days are still cool, not yet turning over into summer. He is distracted by the clay bowl you bring out. A tight knot of twine keeps the lid firmly on. You undo it and take the lid off.

He is assaulted by the pungent smell of butter and cumin and garlic and onions. Immediately, his stomach growls, far fiercer than any dragon could utter himself. Your smile is telling, and you hand him the bowl. He takes it gently. “Thank you,” he murmurs.

As he eats, you stretch your calves, tell him about your day so far. You don’t use the dragon statue as much as you probably could, preferring still to ride your mount into Mistria and start your day there. Caldarus suspects his old statue makes you a trite uncomfortable without him in it anymore, but he has yet to ask. 

There is also the matter of your broken habit.

Again, he isn’t sure what you do in the mornings. Perhaps you still kiss the snout of that old statue for good luck. But, lately, as Caldarus regains his wits and strength, he has felt…he isn’t sure. It is a new emotion that spins like broken yarn in his chest whenever he thinks of it. Do you still kiss the statue, even though the true Caldarus sits next to you every day? Do you still believe in the good luck it brings?

“ - and I tripped over two rocks today. Not in the mines, just on the way to the mill!” Your huffy sigh brings him out of his thoughts, and he looks up. You’re pouting, examining your skidded knee, patched over with a few bandages. There is the faint brown splotch of dried blood underneath. “You’d think I’d be better at walking, having done it so long,” you laugh.

Caldarus swallows his food and says, “I think you have done remarkably well for how young you are.”

Your brows raise, and he finds himself smiling. He isn’t sure why. “How ‘young’ I am? I’m not a toddler, Cal.”

He blinks. “To someone as old as I, you may as well be.”

You bark out a laugh. “Right, I forget you’re a grandpa.”

He’s learned this is meant to be a ‘joking jab’ between friends. He smiles more. “Perhaps you could bring me a carved cane tomorrow. It would suit my ‘grandfatherly’ age.”

Your elbow lifts to nudge him gently in the ribs. There is that warmth again. He scoots closer to you, tail subtly wrapping around the leg of the bench, just behind your feet. You look at him and lean on his shoulder. “Have you been keeping warm at night?”

“Warm enough,” he answers. 

“Hm. I’ll see if my sheep can give me some more wool and make another blanket for you.”

He’d appreciate that. This body is much, much cooler than his dragon self. He is often wracked by shivers on even warm spring days. He wonders how summer will fair. 

Looking back at you, he sees you have retreated into your own thoughts. Your eyes are distant, and there is a small frown on your lips. Briefly, he flits through what you’ve told him: one of your peach trees is blooming late leaves, Balor’s prices have gone up, a cow of yours hasn’t given milk in three days, and you tripped twice today. Worries crease your brow. He wants to reach out and smooth the crease out with his thumb.

He places the bowl of mostly-eaten curry to the side, and places a hand to your cheek. It is warm and smooth, and suddenly very twitchy under his fingers. You’re out of your thoughts immediately, looking at him. Alert, like a warrior should be. “What are you doing?” you ask.

He leans forward and presses a kiss to the tip of your nose - before he can back out, before he can take offense (embarrassment?) to the bewildered look on your face. It is shaky, and he knows his lips are cold. He feels quick heat under the palm of his hand from your cheek. 

You blink. “What was that for?” Your voice is shaky, like you want to laugh.

Caldarus leans back, but keeps his hand at your skin. Then, he intones the same phrase you’ve said every morning for the past year: “For good luck,” his rumbly, deep voice murmurs.

Recognition sparks in your eyes. A true laugh bursts out, and you reach up to take his hand in yours. “I thought you didn’t…well, I don’t know!”

His own smile reaches his eyes. Didn’t remember? Didn’t like it? Both untrue. “It is a good tradition to start your day, is it not? And it seems you need more luck.”

“That I do,” you say, and peck his nose in return. Caldarus feels a fire rush to his own cheeks; a curious, new sensation. His tail curls meekly around his feet. Far less ‘grandfatherly’ and more ‘shy adolescent’ now.

Still, you chuckle and lay your head on his shoulder, looping your arm through his. Another new sensation: he’s heard you describe it as ‘butterflies in the stomach.’ An apt description, he decides. You both continue to sit there for a while yet, watching the new birds fly through the air, the blossoms of fruit trees tangling in both of your hair.

A/N: Just something to help me keep my writing muscles flexed while I take a small break from my bigger project(s) 💪💪

[deception-united]

Hi! I saw the post of how to write a father daughter crumbling relationship, and I wanted to ask how you write a father daughter relationship that’s already broken? the way i’m going with my story is she ran away at one point and he’s evil. She ends up seeing him again years later, has to go against him, and even fight him at some point to take him down. They’ll probably never fix the relationship ever, but I still want to have little pieces where there’s that ping of like “that’s my father”yk? I might also add a plot that he now has another daughter too, I hope this is not confusing, but do you think you could help with some tips? :)

Hi, thanks for asking! Here are some tips and ideas.

1. Start with echoes instead of flashbacks.

You don't need to info-dump their entire backstory right at the start. Try using emotional echoes instead—like small memories, half-formed thoughts, or sensory triggers. A particular smell or sight could remind her of her father, especially if it's from what she remembers he was like before their relationship broke or how she wishes it could be. This creates emotional disruption and can help the reader feel the dissonance between who he was and who he became without having to include pages of detailed reminiscing.

2. Focus on what's missing.

Because the relationship is already shattered, a lot of the emotional weight will come from absence. She's not necessarily mourning what happened, but what never did, like a birthday he didn't show up for, the safety she should've felt, things she wishes she had but was never given.

3. Resenting the pieces that still care

Rather than complete hatred, have your protagonist hate that she still feels something. Add in the odd confusing flicker of warmth, nostalgia, or longing that'll make her seem more real instead of just hardened or revenge-focused.

Ex: Noticing a trait she shares with him, flinching at the way he says her name, etc.

4. Mirrored behaviour

You can have her catch herself doing something he does, no matter how subtle (tilting her head the same way when thinking, using a fighting tactic he always did), and it sickens her. This can add inner conflict, especially when she starts questioning 'what else did I inherit?'—maybe she'll think that no matter how much she ran, some part of him is in her.

5. Make the father human.

Villainous as he is, he still is human; he should be terrifying because he's believable. He might believe what he did was necessary, show that he cares in twisted ways, or mourn losing her while refusing to admit that he was wrong. This contradiction can add depth—and as twisted and cruel as he may be, remembering the tiny things like a lullaby or a joke he used to say may haunt her. Though they don't nearly redeem him, they can be the reasons it hurts to fight him.

6. 2nd daughter

I love that you added a second daughter—it can give rise to more emotions and further development. Your protagonist might feel jealous, protective, disgusted. Maybe the new daughter thinks he's a great father (if he learnt from his mistakes?); or maybe he's worse than ever.

This new dynamic can go to show who he is now and force your protagonist to question things. She might be a mirror or a threat: if he's softer with her, maybe your protagonist is furious but also jealous, then ashamed of that jealousy; but if he's using her, too, she might want to save this sister—not necessarily out of love, but out of revenge ('I won't let him ruin her like he did me').

7. Confrontation

When she finally faces him, make it more than just a boss fight. There are going to be emotional grenades from their broken bond, even as they fight (a flicker of hesitation, a glance, a choice not to kill when they could have).

8. Ending

You don't need to end with reconciliation—just recognition. Not all wounds heal, and that's okay. Let the narrative acknowledge the connection without having to fully repair it. Sometimes redemption arcs aren't necessary for the story to have a good ending.

Hope this helped!

Previous

[ferrythey]

on fraud, treachery, and loss.

— a long ramble about gabriel from someone who's really, really attached.

so yesterday, i was on the ultrakill subreddit, where someone was posting screenshots from the ultrakill discord server; salad talking about being more hyped for fraud than treachery, francis talking about how there'd be a lore drop like a bomb.

and this, naturally, got me hyped as hell! i can't wait for new content, i'm super excited, i know whatever they do is gonna slap so hard.

...but, with being excited for the new layers comes a thought i always end up thinking.

because, let's face it: it's a tragedy, but i know my angel is marching resolutely towards death in these layers.

backstory about me: i love gabriel. maybe i'll write about all the ways and the whys someday, but to give the short version: i very dearly love him, admire him, root for him. (i may or may not be known to listen to the death of god's will and tear up sometimes—)

gabriel is someone who did a lot of wrong while being blinded; but his reaction to seeing the truth says a huge amount about him. when he reflects on what he now acknowledges as cruel and bad deeds on the orders of the council, he feels great guilt; and when he realises the ways in which council have been doing it all wrong, he turns on them. to liberate the masses of heaven, gabriel severs his last connection to the father's light as easily as the council member's head from his neck.

he does all of this at the cost of himself.

now, i'm hyped for fraud. treachery too, i'm just generally hyped for ultrakill in general, i adore this game and everything about it; but after seeing those screenshots last night, i'm especially hyped for fraud.

...but it's such a weird feeling, knowing that this section of this game i'm so hyped for is the one where a character i cherish is more than likely going to die. don't get me wrong, this isn't my first rodeo with characters i love dying in their source material; it happens more often than it doesn't! but waiting for this update, waiting to see what his fate will be, waiting while knowing it's so unlikely that he'll survive... it's a strange feeling to have it happen in real time, you know?

none of this is meant as a complaint, by the way. i love ultrakill. i love it when fiction gets a strong emotional response out of me. i love a tragedy. without a doubt i will be sobbing like a baby if and when gabriel dies, and i will be loving every second of that sobbing.

...but it is such a tragedy. for someone to have performed so faithfully for so many years, to discover passion and relief for the first time, to finally find what he wants to do rather than what he has to do...

...only to lose it all, only a few hours later. all because of the same cruel beings that had kept him on a leash for all those years.

i'm so hyped for the future of this game. i can't wait to see what's next, how the new layers look, what enemies we'll be facing.

but god, it's a weird feeling knowing that just like gabriel's marching inexorably towards death, we're marching inexorably towards seeing it.

it's a tragedy.

(and i love every second of it.)

[elevant39]

Ace combat zero and Avalon

So.... I have decided to get into the myth of Arthur (just to get some references in ACZ). And while I am still not that far in I already see some nice connections. So I choose to look more at the AWWNB part, mostly because I feel like it´s sometimes overlooked do to the fact it was kinda rushed (and also because I found them really interesting). But even then there are some things that I think are worth posting here. But (for now) I choose to look at the irony that is the Avalon dam. So the most obvious reason why Avalon was chosen is because it´s the place where Arthur dies/falls into endless sleep (sorry for spoilers bro). But that is not where the connections end.

Nice adaptation detail in the game is the fact that in the original myth you need to set an a long voyage across the sea because Avalon is an island. This was adapted in the form of river that you need to "sail" accros in you jet (+ they could get a canyon run out of it).

Also the fact that in the myth Avalon is an island (one of the few places that have natural borders).... The irony that a AWWNB has it´s base of operation in Avalon is honestly kinda funny. It's almost like their ideas (and AWWNB as a whole) are build on contradictions. Which if you do look into the motives of the members they kinda are, Wizard 1, Gault 1 and Sorcerer 1 but even Pixy and Espada 2 all have different reasons for why they created/joined AWWNB. There is also the fact (on wiki) that ironically Gault 1 was really patriotic (that being said I was not able to find the source of this info so take it with a sight of salt). But I won´t get into this topic here. Speaking of Gault 1. He was a researcher in Avalon for something called Project Pendragon (V2). However there is also some implication in the Perfect guide that he might have worked on Excalibur (it´s mentioned that he worked on “chemical laser cannon”(this could be talking about both Morgan and Excalibur) and a “mass retaliation weapon” (this is about V2) among other things). If this is true this can also tie back into the myth. Since Excalibur (or Caledfwlch) was created in Avalon. (Speaking of perfect guide there are some interesting informations about aces in interviews, they do help with understanding some characters more + some more lore. Here is a translated link if you didn´t know about them: https://www.skywardfm.com/aczpg-ace-pilot-profiles) Now I will get into the more speculative side of my thought here. From what I could find Avalon is seen as a fairyland that is later in myth run by non other that Morgan le Fey (I might get to our fairy king some day, becuase the connections this guy has to fairies are pretty funny...). However and I do think this was a coincidence. But you could say that Avalon was a fairyland of AWWNB. A place where they (for the max of 6 months, before the attack on Lumin) were able to live together with other pilots no matter their place of origin or nationality (kinda fulfilling their goal in this one dam,it was basically an echo chamber for them)... A place without war that can´t exist in Stangereal, hence why it´s just a fairyland. And this is probably everything that I can think of now. So I hope you liked my thoughts (and that I don´t look insane from sharing them).

[biblically-accurate-dca]

keep it up!

[forgottennobleconsortuwu]

(Im losing my grasp on sanity I accidentally deleted the first post for this instead of drafting it)

Apparently some ppl actually wanted the fic list so here u go

Notes about formatting and organization as well as how I will go about updating the list below cut

How's it ordered? Not at all lmao. Although if I have the energy I may at a later point update it to be ordered by word count. We'll see.

For formatting and organization:

▪︎ for the 'pairing' section included on some of the recs: if it has the pairing section, it lists the primary romantic relationship. If a rec does not have the pairing section, the primary focus is likely of a platonic nature or just not on the possible romantic aspects even if one or more is included in the fic. This also means that there may be minor relationships secondary to the main one, or implied past/future ones that are not the primary aspect of the story and we're thus not included

▪︎ included summary and [additional] tags are as were listed by the author on ao3

▪︎ listings w/ (mm/dd/yyyy) following their word count means a couple things: 1) as of the date listed (likely the last time the list was updated) that was the word count and 2) this means the fics is not complete

▪︎ recs that are incomplete but haven't updated in a while are proceeded by a red text forewarning that includes the date of last update

For updates: the list will be updated once a week IF i have an additions for it. Maybe twice if its a week where I devoured a lot of fics lol. I'll reblog this post w/ an update timestamp when I do for anyone interested.

Will prob also include a timestamped subsection w/ the newest inclusions to the list for easier navigation. So if I were to update the list on 5/2/24 I will include a subtab specifically for recent updates w/ a date. Say I update again on 5/9/24, the tab date will be updated and any 5/2 fics would be replaced w/ the 5/9 ones, but both will still be accessible in the main tabs of each mxtx work section

Uhhhh I think that's it. If u find any broken links or fics that are romantic/sexual relationship-centric that are missing a pairing tag just lmk and ill update

AS A NOTE THIS IS IN NO WAY A SUBSTITUTION FOR AO3 ITSELF. OBVIOUSLY. I just wanted to share fics i enjoyed but please please always remember to bookmark/kudos/comment/etc on the ORIGINAL ao3 pages for the fics.

Enjoy u filthy animals <3

Can't believe I made an entire Google doc of mxtx fic recs for the mxtx discord server in in lmfao

Should I share it here too? LOL

[mcytegg]

i think im in too deep w charmander duo. bc i was thinking abt how flame thinks very little abt bans, and how theres a genuine possibility he helps the Guardians ban people not even bc he thinks bans should matter, but just like for fun bc he doesnt think of it that seriously. which led me to thinking "wait but pangi could help him change his mind ^-^" nd now im just thinking of an au where pangi does Just That .

[seaside-hysteria]

Hot take but Teen Titans vol 3 era Cassie wasn’t that bad. Her designs were kinda terrible yes, BUT. It did have some interesting characterization and I feel like people wanna ignore that completely because they gave her lipstick?? Like how can you ignore her arc around the grief of losing her basically sister just cuz she kissed some boys or whatever. Ttvol3 Cassie definitely could’ve been better, like, leagues better, but still. It’s important to her story and it’s weird when people try to ignore it entirely

ALSO without ttvol3 we wouldn’t have had the mess that is Rose and Cassie. This is the price we have to pay for toxic yuri

[drowxiv]

WIP WEDNESDAY

I've agonized over this for like 6 hours. I tried to find the "least dark" thing that was in a shareable state. Every WIP I have is only a first draft.

Beneath the cut I've hidden: extremely light mention of spice. Light combat. Swords. One mention of a very small and superficial wound with zero descriptors.

I likely won't participate in this often but I've mentioned my writing enough in tags that I should probably share a snippet-

In the Underdark there was no sun to mark the passing of a day, only an eternal night flecked with the colorful lights of bioluminescence and magic. The Drow city was densely packed into a large cavern, with eight noble houses rising like giant stalagmites, reaching towards misty clouds that formed and fell in a never ending cycle. There were certain hours when activity dwindled and the world felt quiet and the magical glow dimmed, but it never went out.

During such an hour, when the off duty guards were in the barracks beginning to reverie, Viedyn took advantage of an empty training hall. As captain of the guard he was expected to be the best of them and he kept his skills honed accordingly. In the absence of a proper sparring partner at such an odd hour he put himself through a series of drills instead. He enjoyed the familiarity of the repetition and the weight of his sword and shield in hand. The air itself whined as his blade skillfully cut through it. He threw his power behind every practiced thrust and slash, relishing the way it made his muscles burn. The wicked black armor he wore moved fluently with his body, the metal plates sliding over one another smoothly while his long black velvet cloak whipped behind him.

The sound of footsteps that were not his own halted his sword mid air. He diverted the momentum into a flourish and brought the weapon to rest at his side, turning to see that two guards had entered the hall. His chest tightened when he realized they both wore the crimson cloak of the Matron's personal guard. Neither wore a red crested helmet or carried the large black spear they would've had if they were on duty, but that did little to ease his concern. He held no authority over them, they only answered to the Matron. They had their own training halls and barracks so there were few reasons for them to be in his, especially at that hour.

The shorter of the two guards was unfamiliar to him, but he instantly recognized the taller one as Savri. She was as powerful as she was cunning. Weeks prior, she’d ambushed him in a dark corridor, slamming his back into a wall with enough force to knock the breath out of him before he could even draw his sword. He'd been uncertain of her intentions until her lips graced the edge of his ear and she told him exactly what she wanted from him. Her words were only accentuated by the press of her hand against the armor between his legs, catching his breath in his throat. It had almost unraveled him.

Now, facing the prospect of dealing two armored Matron's guards, he wished it had.

Drow society placed heavy expectations on him, especially as a noble born male, to oblige such requests. But in a society which values power above all else, there was nothing more intimate or dangerous than relinquishing that power.

Savri's previous attempt to claim him ended with his sword against her throat and the point of her dagger nestled between his ribs just beneath the side buckle of his armor. Equally matched. They stood in the corridor, breathless, locked in a deadly embrace and traded barbs so closely that they could feel each other's breath with every word. If she'd closed the distance between them and sealed her lips against his, he would have surrendered. Instead, she vowed to take him and he'd smiled wickedly and invited her to try.

Power and pride bound them both.

Viedyn watched impassively as the unknown guard barred the door, making it clear that his invitation had been accepted. The two approached him side by side, each resting a hand upon the hilt of their sword. They had worn their hair up, Savri's in a neat braid and the other's in a low bun, which told him they anticipated a fight. Against two he would be at a severe disadvantage. The training hall was wide enough that they'd be able to maneuver around him easily. Even with his skills and training he wouldn't last long once they managed to flank him.

He rolled his shoulders beneath his armor as they approached and clicked his tongue condescendingly. “My disposition must really gall you if you're reducing yourself to relying on assistance to take me, Savri.”

A dark smile graced her sharp features. “On the contrary, Viedyn, I enjoy difficult males like you because it makes overpowering them more satisfying.”

“Enough that you're willing to share?” He teased.

“If it achieves my goal." Savri replied with a hint of annoyance seeping into her tone.

Viedyn inclined his head in a mockery of a bow. “I'm flattered you would make such a concession.”

“Then drop your weapon and surrender yourself, I would prefer to take you unscathed.”

“No.” He wasn't intrigued enough to obey. As the first son of his house and the Captain of the guard, his obedience wasn't given freely. He was, however, intrigued enough to stay even in the face of certain defeat.

“You're outmatched.”

“I am.” Viedyn admitted coolly, raising his shield and sliding his foot back into a ready position. “But I would be remiss if I deprived you of the challenge you enjoy.”

“Fine.”

Viedyn lunged before either of them drew, slamming his shield into Savri, sending her stumbling back and buying him a few precious seconds to focus on the guard she'd brought with her. She was shorter and slighter in build than him but she was still highly trained. He swung hard and she drew just in time to block his blade. Steel screeched against steel as he pressed the attack. He had her in an awkward position with her blade still angled downwards from the draw and her arms trembled beneath the effort to hold him off. Up close he was able to study her face, it was one he'd seen before but he had no name to match it. Her dark lips were drawn back in a fierce snarl which bared her teeth and her bright red eyes seethed. He couldn't tell if she wanted him, or if she simply wanted the satisfaction of laying him out. Given her position and his, both were strong possibilities.

Footsteps to his left drew his focus and he saw the attack in time to raise his shield. There was a satisfying clang of metal and he felt the power of the strike reverberate through his arm. In the same instant he hooked the other guard's ankle with his foot and yanked hard, sending her stumbling backwards, granting him the opportunity to throw his weight into shoving Savri back with his shield before she could strike again.

“I thought you wanted me unscathed, Savri.” Viedyn taunted as he took up a ready position once more. Raising his sword and shield defensively.

“I said I would prefer it.” She corrected him.

They closed in on him in unison, Savri aiming low while the other went high, playing to his disadvantage. Viedyn dropped to one knee, slamming the bottom of his tall kite shield into the ground as he did so, ducking easily beneath it to deprive Savri of a target while he raised his sword and caught the second attack on the downswing. He sprung to his feet and used the momentum to force them back once more. It wasn't something he would've tried on a battlefield. In the training hall it was just risky and unexpected enough to be advantageous once, he wouldn't get away with it a second time.

He could tell Savri was pulling her strikes to avoid maiming him. A deflection off the top of his shield which could've sliced his cheek open stopped short, and a brief opportunity to skewer his thigh went ignored. The other guard was far bolder and he had to watch himself more carefully when she went on the offensive.

Savri went low and he smirked even though he was forced to jump out of the way to avoid her. She was likely trying to bait him into taking his shield to the ground again. The second guard took advantage of his abrupt change in position and pressed another series of attacks. One sent his sword wide and he was forced to take another hit against his shield. When he dropped the shield to engage her third attack he realized he'd lost sight of Savri.

The sting of a sword nicking the back of his leg let him know exactly where she was, and that she wanted him to know where she was. Her subtle way of taunting him.

With renewed urgency he pressed his own attack against the second guard, driving her back with a powerful strike, buying himself precious time. He twisted and caught the glint of Savri's blade out of the corner of his eye. Out of instinct he raised his shield and the strike glanced off but he didn't have time to answer her with an attack of his own before he had to turn once more. They were wearing him down quickly and his muscles burned from the exertion.

The second guard was already charging when he turned and he ducked behind his shield just in time to catch her blade against the top of it. In desperation he threw his shield arm wide, forcing her blade to follow and slashed at the same time, sending her backpedaling. He started to turn and froze when he felt the cold kiss of a blade against his throat. His cold blue eyes instantly flicked to the wielder and Savri greeted him with a satisfied smile.

She had him.

He remained still, closing his eyes for one long steady breath. When he opened them again his right hand followed suit, allowing his sword to drop to the ground with a loud clatter, acknowledging his surrender.

“There, that wasn't so difficult.” Savri purred in a dark and condescending tone. The edge of her sword ghosted over his skin with careful precision, sending chills throughout his body as she lifted it to the underside of his chin and pressed upwards. With regal grace, he rose to his full height and lowered his shield to his side, never taking his eyes off her as he did so.

[javierduffy]

ohh javieran … javieran post kieran’s death .., javier is a poor lonesome cowboy in america a long way from home with no more sweetheart to sit and talk with him ooohhh can anyone hear me ….

[7roaches]

sorrry ppl who donr follow me for utmv dtuff & sorry canon-strict ppll but nm & killer r soo incredibly important to me can u imagine being the embodiment the literal proof that there is bad and pain in this world or being the loowest of the low & then you have a silly bestfriend who u loveclove love lovr love so mjch & ur so fucked up u dont know where u end & your reluctant life purpose begins but u have a silly bestrfriend who wraps your wounds and youure all he reallyneeds & hes all you really need do you get it. do you get it. do you get it.

[liquidstar]

a friend who'd wait :)

[rosetheocto]

…is it stupid that I’m starting to feel kinda scared with how suddenly relevant/“big” the community is getting...?