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popculturebuffet · 4 years ago

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Ducktales Finale Review: The Last Adventure! or So Long and Thanks for All The Ducks

Hello all you happy people. The day we’ve all simultaneously waited for and dreaded is here. The grand finale to a five year journey.. and for me an almost one year journey of covering season 3 as it came out. It was thanks to this show i’ve been able to make money doing what I love. Without it I never would’ve found my patreon Kev, and I never woul’dve had the solid focus to keep going as long as I have. And I never would’ve had all you lovely people reading my work. Thank you for that. I hope you’ll stick around even though the series is gone, I love you all. But as the sun sets on this series I have one last episode of the season, and the series to cover. I won’t be doing it in my usual recap style due to it’s sheer length and scope, but I promise you if you join me under the cut I will break down eveyrthing I can about this final adventure, it’s huge, awe inspiring twists.. and it’s heartwarming conclusion. It’s everything you could want from a finale short of a Grandma Duck Cameo, and i’ts under the cut with full spoilers. Seriously if you do not want any spoilers TURN BACK NOW. I’m opening with probably the biggest spoiler of the finale.

I Think She’s A Clone Now You were warned. So.. Webby is Scrooge’s Clone, made by FOWL as part of a decades long scheme to find the papyrus of binding, and raised by Beakly to keep this precious child out of their sinister clutches. I have hundreds of reaction images, several for what the fuck.. none of them seem sufficient.. ALL OF THEM together like some megazord of what the fuck are not sufficient for how much this reveal caught me off guard. It caught ALL of us off guard. I’m sure even those who called it still were suprised that’s the direction it took. I think we all expected her parents died by FOWL, or her parents were FOWl with Pepper being one of them, or anything else. So naturally it took around 14 drafts, and me going the fuck to sleep as I had stayed up to watch the finale and thought I could just smoothly transition into writing the review despite there being a LOTTTTT to unpack.

Even after the recharge though this took a bit of doing... so now i’ve done it... what’d I think? Whelp....

I liked it. I like it the more I think about it. Even the problems I had with it just kinda melted away as I thought about it. I understand if you do not. This twist will not be for everyone, it changes Webby’s character and story entirely, ruins tons of fan theories, and in general is batshit even for a series that in the same finale, turned Manny into a shout out to Gargoyles, complete with Keith “My Body is Ready” David. This series is genuinely batshit and loves it, but this is a LOT to ask dramatically, a lot to rewrite expectation wise and a lot to thinka bout. There’s a reason besides sleep deprevation it took me a whlie to fully grasp how I felt. So if you don’t like it fine, but i’m going to make my best case.

Starting with something that made me realize I fully like it: It dosen’t invalidate Webby’s charcter. The one little problem I had left was “Well dosen’t Webby having the McDuck bloodline mean she couldn’t be specail if she wasn’t a McDuck? That sure the rest of the cast are specail but you can’t be really important without it?” Honestly.. no. Webby is who she is not because she’s a McDuck.. but because she’s Webby. She got her martial arts and mystery solving skills through Beakly and being raised. She had intate talent sure.. but as we’ve seen with the boys through the whole series, talent has to be honed. Skill has to be earned and learned. Webby worked hard to research other civilizations, worked hard to hone herself into a deadly fighting machine with her mother’s help, worked hard to be every bit as cool as her idol who turned out to be her biological dad. She earned her badassery, her wisdom and her courage SQUARE.

And more than that she’s her own person. Her adoptive parent and biological parent are both paranoiacs afraid of betryal, unwilling to trust, and slow to let anyone in. By all accounts Webby should be the same.. but she’s not. Oh sure she has some paranoia and is willing to slit some throats, she was raised by the world’s best spy and is the daughter of the world’s greatest hero, that was never going to be gone entirely. But at her core she just wants to trust people. She just wants to love them and be loved. And.. that’s why her family loves her. Because she’s the kindest, the warmest and the best of them. They love her because she’s Webby and that’s she’s family, they could care less who she’s related to. All it really changes is how Scrooge acts around her and that gives us fans tons to work with.

It’s also expertly revealed, which helped ease us into it. Webby is just as shocked and confused as we are and is seriously hurt, which makes her vulnerable to the villains. Kate Miccui deserves a goddamn award for voice acting and if their isn’t an award show for that their should be. While she’s been fantastic with Webby all series long this is her finest performance, going from Webby’s usual self, to all the hurt she goes through.. to her quitter moments at the end, calling Scrooge dad and giving out a little noise that makes it clear as Beakly tries to leave, that no.. she’ still her family.. she’s still her mom and she’s not going anywhere.

As for the concept being a bit ridiculous yes it is.. but so is this universe. This universe is entirely insane in the best fucking way possible: I mean.. look at this final group shot.

We have an old man whose somehow still alive simply because he was too busy to die, an inventor whose cloned himself multiple times so clones are fesable and is probably a clone himself given how the last finale went, an awkward armored superhero and his biotech filled girlfriend, a small boy robot weapon of discretion who put his head on his brother’s body, a no longer headless manhorse former harbinger of the apocalypse with the silky voice of keith david as one big homage to gargoyles, a lesbian living shadow and her sister, a superhero who based himself on a fictional character and his boyfriend/sidekick who by all accounts should be dead by now, a lesbian military superheroine from the moon, STORKULES COCKBLOCKER OUT OF MYTH, his moong goddes sister, two adopted family stunt pilots, a bunch of super intelligent mice, an odd duck whose kinda sorta dating a giant shrimp, his cousin with super luck powers, my globetrotting boys, an immortal treasure hunter and in the family proper: a former spy turned adopted mom of a clone, a woman who lived on the moon for a good decade, a man who once trapped everyone in what would essentially be the plot of the mcu’s second best work by pure accident, a blue boy whose piloted a plain, captained pirates, and has his own talk show, a green boy whose ran a multi-trillion dollar company, nearly destroyed all of time and space and is under investigation for fraud, and a red boy who has a hulk-esque rage filled embodiment of all his suppressed emotions, whose fondest wish was tall legs, and who can easily take out a giant magica supermachine with some fancy wiring. So the richest duck in the world having a clone daughter, while divisvie and what not.. is far more plausable than we give it credit for. As are her new sisters who Id in’t forget but are part of the whole twist.

So yeah, I like the twist and my nitpick is more that despite having a full season to set it up.. they saved it for the last episode. Instead of BUILDING on Webby’s desire to know more about her family and having the twins show up earlier.. it’s all shove into the finale. It’s a well done shoving but there’s so much that could be explored with Webby being Scrooge’s daughter, so much that futzes with the regular family dynamics and we don't’ get any of it. Sure it was probably saved for a possible season 4 but they treated this season as the last. Manny being an apocalyptic man horse voiced by the uber sexy keith david, and no I will not stop bringing that up even outside of it’s own section and why yes it is getting it’s own section, is the kind of revelation you can leave for one last episode. “One of the main cast is a clone” really isn’t and that’s disapointing.

Especially since thinking back to life and times.. Webby IS a lot like Scrooge was before circumstance hardened him. She’s tough, resourceful.. but also has a peppy spirit to her. It adds interesting shades to her character, where she zigs where Scrooge zags, how much of it is her upbringing with Granny versus his with his parents, how much did Beakley play into it. There’s A lot to dig into and given I have most of the series left to review, I will get to dig into it, and there’s a lot to be explored in fanfic so if I wasn’t already planning a massive one before I sure as fuck am now. So it’s not a bad twist nor bad we get to write the future.. but I do wish the crew THEMSELVES had done more with it. Still my bar for “not fucking up the entire show” is pretty low after Star Vs ended with her committing implied genocide to stop a genocide and How I Met Your Mother ended “But the real journey was in how much I want to bang, bang bangity bang I said a bang bang bangity bang your aunt robin now your mother conveniently died”. I can handle “This twist is kind of weird but also really intresting.” If the twist isn’t for you, as I said i get it. This is my opinion. Now for the thing I won’t shut up about.

I LIVE AGAIN:

Look i’ve made no secret how thirsty I am for Keith David nor how much of a national treasure I rightly believe him to be. He’s one of my faviorite voice actors, with a mind boggling number of awesome rolls, mostly recently as a fowl mouthed coffe cup encouraging a teacher to sabotage his rival teachers breaks on close enough. Even if I didn’t like Gargoyles, which I do, i’d have an entire section talking about that Manny reveal.

Manny was already objectively one of the best parts of the show, a hilariously weird addition that was also relatable as he just wanted to fit in. I did not know you could make him better. Then they gave him Keith David’s voice and revealed he’s one of the four horseman of the apocalypse, but doesn’t want to end the world he just wants to be a normal dude, AND turned him into a shout out to the last part of the disney afternoon they hadn’t touched, my favorite part of it and a show i’ve been sitting on watching in full for far too long. Motherfucking Gargoyles.

But given how unique it was for the Disney Afternoon and how much Disney had no desire to ever reference or use the franchise, still no fucking clue as to why they are sitting on money here, I expected it to be sadly but understandably left out. Instead they made Manny into an expy for them, gave him the voice of their leader Goliath, the voice of an angel, and had him say “I LIVE AGAIN” complete with the utterly transcendent theme song. Seriously give it a listen.

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So yeah I couldn’t not mark out at this. Amazing fucking stuff and almost as unexpected as the clone thing and easily my second faviorite part of the fiinale only NARROWLY topped by the curtain call. Which we’ll get to. Keith David took his time getting to this series but they saved the best guest voice for last. Utter tremendous.

Huey Season?: I”ll save more of this for my breakdown as the season as a whole but yeah while the finale as a whole was good.. I do feel Huey got short changed. He got PLENTY of development this season, and some REALLY good scenes with Bradford.. but ultimately he got overshadowed by the Webby thing. it just never quite felt like Huey got a real resolution to his character arc the way his brothers did. He still got some REALLY good moments, his “Just cough up the information Bentina!” was one of his finest and Danny Pudi did his best. The BUILDUP was good but hte payoff was non existant and easily the weakest part of an otherwise triumphant finale. I feel the final plot was ultimately just a bit too jam packed to really have Huey feel vital to it the way Dewey was to the Della arc and Louie was to his own arc. Both tgot big emotional payoffs in his finale but the most I could gather here was he accepted adventure? I guess. It just really feels off, like I missed the payoff to everything when it’s probably just nonexistent and that bothers me a lot. In a finale that was almost all hit.. this was easily the biggest misstep. I don’t have as much to say here on it.. but that’s because it’s really that simple: they gave Huey’s arc a ton of build up in this last episode and some of his others, really made him into Bradford’s good counterpart.. then just sorta.. forgot it because “oh shit Webby’s scrooge’s daughter kinda need to pull focus here”. Had they given this arc at least one more episode, we might of had time for it. Granted i’m not sure how much they could get away with but we clearly needed at least one more episode and what they chose to jettision, the climax to Huey’s story.. was way more important than they clearly thought and i’m heavily disappointed.

Bradford’s Big Hole Speaking of payoffs the missing mysteries payoff.. is a mixed bag. I expected all of them to combine some how into some elaborate plan I just wasn’t seeing. In hindsight it does make sense that wasn’t it: Bradford hates overcomplicated schemes, so his would be incredibly simple and require as few moving parts as possible. It still dosen’t stop the fact that the big plan to cap off the entire series built over a season... was to build a giant stygian hole of non existence to throw people into.

Yes really. Instead of using the Payprus to write them out of existance, if carefully worded or try doing it all at once or anything practical.. Bradford just plans to shove everything he dosen’t want in the world anymore into a hole. Look i’ts not like it ruins the episode, there’s still tons of tension from him holding Scrooge’s loved ones over his hole and threating to throw them into it’s gaping void. And it’s foiled by a 12 year old just.. shutting it off. Like I get him leaving an off switch on, that’s just common sense.. but why wouldn’t he have a remote or something to turn it back on? one with a password or something to lock it. There’s something inherently underwhelming about as series ending plan that can be summed up “hope no one shuts my unguarded hole. “

The finale does make for it by using the missing mysteries all in VERY clever ways. In fact every episode in the season had some sort of payoff here. It’s what makes up for how baffling the main plan is: every other thing, from the missing mysteries to the guest stars has lead up to this one moment, this one final adventure. Which leads me too

An Hurricane of Payoffs:

So from the top Challenge of the Senior Junior Woodchucks!: Isabella Finch herself ends up being VITAL to the story and to Bradford’s backstory, as does Junior Woodchucking as a whole. Quack Pack!: Gene is the fuel for Blot’s glove.. though he also fucks off right afterwords.. never to be seen again or help out at any point...

Double-O-Duck in You Only Crash Twice!: This was the most unexpected and elevated the episode in hindsight for me as what seemed like a waste of time.. wound up setting up the first part of the finale, and the final battle with Steelbeak, and in clever ways with Steelbeak using the intelliray on himself, Launchpad muttering the map in his sleep via his smart self and Dewey remembering the base layout.

The Lost Harp of Mervana: Used as a lie detector for that heartbreaking interrogation scene.

Louie’s Eleven: Introduced Daisy setting up Donald’s plot which i’ll get to.

Astro BOYD: My baby boy comes back for this episode! He also gets one of the best lines of it “I’m a Head!”. That is the most ralph wiggum the boy has ever been. I’m so proud.

Rumble For Ragnarok: Okay I was wrong nothing from this one comes back. Still a great episode. Same with the trickening. Both are VERY stellar episodes though, so I give it a pass. You can’t give a nod to EVERYTHING.

The Phantom and the Sorceress: The Blot and Super Sayian God Super Sayian Lena, as well as Lena’s character development from said episode. They Put a Moonlander on the Earth!: Launchpad helping Penny realize her purpose. Forbidden Fountain: Jeeves is un-babied as a trap Let’s Get Dangerous!: Drake and Gosalyn Return, and Solageo’s Circut ends up being vital to the climax.. in the strangest and funnest way to say possible but still. It counts. Escape from the Impossibin: Beakley’s near breakdown at the idea FOWL has come back. It was already heartbreaking and the first adventure had made it even more so.. but now it’s out and out DEVISTATING. The one thing after her daughter is not only back.. but SHE’S the reason he’s in Scrooge’s life and home and her giving up SHUSH has now left her wide open.

The Split Sword: Probably the best out of all of these as it ends up directly playing into the climax in an awesome way i’m saving for Bradfords New Gods: Storkules shows up. Okay so that every episode claim bit me on the ass. Also when did these two meet? I mean probably at end of spear of selene but the more important question is WHY DID YOU ROB ME OF THESE TWO MEETING AT ANY POINT IN THE SERIES.

The First Adventure: Naturally the Payprus comes back as Does herons needling bradford to stop denying what he is.

Fight For Castle McDuck: Suprisingly the blessed bagpipes ended up being VITALLY important. And giving us sexiest man alive infinity years running Keith David for an episode. Last Christmas; Santa Cameo

Beaks in the Shell: Gandra being taken and the Lost Library being setup for this episode.

Lost Cargo: The Stone of What Was. And Credit where its due what FELT like simply a filler episode with a tantengal connectoin.. ended up probably being one of the most important episodes. Fair play.

Life and Crimes: Magica turning Bradford into a non sentient bird, like what happened to her brother.... proving once again this episode really REALLY needed as subplot attached to lead into the finale or something.

Bonus Round: Pilot payoffs by the pound. Seriously Scrooge and Donald’s last lines to each other, the badass return of “I’m a Pilot”, more on that in a minute, and even other smaller call backs like “Keep Getting Up” and webby sucessfully getting some juice to Louie’s pride. All top notch stuff and it really makes the finale FEEL like one with all this coming back full circle. So i’ve hinted at it enough, let’s bring on the bad guy.

The First Woodchuck

We’ve had some mixed payoffs so let’s get to one that’s just out and out excellent. Bradford Buzzard.. is the best villian the show ever had. Now I will give the caveat that my favorite forever and always will be

You know it, I know it. But Bradford is the best genuine threat of the series, with Marc Evan Jackson perfectly balancing his menace and genuine evil.. with his steadfast believe that he isn’t evil, and his calm, controlled business demeanor. It’s one of the best performances of the show and he deserves all the credit for it and after seeing him in supporting roles for his career, even if his role as Kevin on Brooklyn Nine-Nine is fucking awesome and I’m sad that show is ending, it’s nice to see him step into a big meaty role as the big bad and utterly nail it.

And the finale.. pays eveyrthing off with him, apart from the plan itself perfectly. Starting off him being revealed as Isabella Finch’s grandson... was a stroke of genius. I didn’t expect her to come back in play but it gives perfect reason both why he knew about the mysteries.. and why he’s like this.

Like Scrooge did with his nephews, niece and daughter, Isabella dragged Bradford all around the world seeing the unseen, thinking it was fun. The problem was... Bradford HATED it. He hated every minute of it, like as one post pointed out Rusty Venture from the Venture bros, and felt he should be in school. He wanted a normal life and a normal world and not.. this waking nightmare. So to him, fixing the world, stopping this sort of thing is the only way and that doing so is a good thing. His problem is how he adapted to it.

We see that best in his mirror images, the people he’s in direct contrast with and the show knows it. Starting off with the one he’s not like at all is Scrooge. Part of what makes Bradford perfect is he’s Scrooge’s evil opposiite. The Luthor to His Superman, The Joker to his Batman, the Green Goblin to his Spider-Man, the Iron Monger to his Iron Man, the Sinestro to his Green Lantern. Both come from a long line of adventure but while Scrooge embraces that and loves it, Bradford hates it and wants to destroy it. One is energetic and always ready, the other’s calm, calculated. And one sees what he is.. and the other dosen’t. Simple as that.

But his other mirror’s are more like him, moving onto Huey. Their both woodchucks, both prefer caution and planning, and both want to make some sense of a nonsensical world. Both want to feel safe when they constnatly don’t. One’s prone to panic attack the other’s calm. But what makes Huey the better man... is that he accepts the world is the way he is. It goes all the way back to terror of the terrafirmains. While he was all for adventure he started his doubting things, not beliving things were real.. because the reality that there are some things you just can’t prepare for, just can’t know, and you can’t be always ready.. it shattered him. He nearly let himself die rather than live knowing what’s out there. Webby pulled him out of that, literally and figuratively.. and he never went back. Sure he still tries to have an order to things, still breaks when his structure’s broken.. but it’s gone from a paranoid fear of the unknown and weird to embracing it. To relishing in finding unsolved mysteries and new clues to unlock, to finding new things to explore. He went from seeing this chaotic world as something to run from, to embracing and studying it. To loving it the way it is the way his family loves him for who he is. Bradford.. denies reality belongs the way it is and wants to force it into what HIS idea of it is Superboy Prime Style. The world isn’t waht he thought it should be so he’ll MAKE it that way. Huey grew as a person.. while his arc didn’t have a full payoff.. it still pays off here by showing what he COULD’VE been. had he let his earlier fear and his always present neurosis drive him like Bradford has. Let his big brain make him think he knows what’s better for EVERYONE instead of using it to genuinely help people. Bradford lacks the boys heart and empathy and that’s why he fell. Huey had his family backing him, his best friends coming to get him, and his brothers ultimately rescue him. Bradford.. threw his only true ally down a styigan murder hole.

Finally.. we have the one that’s not brought up directly.. but is very much there. Donald. While the two don’t interact hardly at all... it’s VERY fitting that Donald is the one Bradford picks to threaten Scrooge with. Like Bradford... Donald grew to hate adventure, he wanted to get as far away from it as possible and took it from his boys for as long as he could. Granted that was in part Bradford’s fault, and that was an INCREDIBLY clever twist: it dosen’t make him entirley responsible or anything that robs the moment of it’s imapct, Della still chose to take it out by herself, she still lied to Donald and she still got lost all by her own decision and impuslviness. But it fits perfectly into it: Bradford’s horrifying smile when Scrooge gets taken away from saving her is even WORSE now with full context, and it still fits that knowing about the project.. he’d want to set it up to screw up Scrooge’s life. I don’t think he sabotaged the rocket or anything, too obvious and something Della would’ve mentioned by now.. but he knew it was unfinished.

Back to the parallel the diffrence is once again.. change. Donald let go of his hate of scrooge and his past and realized it wasn’t all bad. He let himself grow as a person after a decade of bitterness and anger. But most tellingly and poignantly is Quack Pack... both had a chance to make a world that was safe, normal and what they always wanted. Both out of terror of the danger of this world. Thing is.. Donald’s was noble. He feared for his kids, his sister, his uncle.. loosing one again and any of them at all. He wanted a normal life to be safe, to hide from that.. but it’s not what THEY wanted or who they are. He accepted that’s not how the world works and how it does.. is still pretty great. And his growth shows: he’s ending the series planning to go off with his girlfriend globetrotting, KNOWING things might not be safe, but diving into adventure, having accepted it as part of him. He even finds some new family and takes in two girls who badly needed a home. He learned to accept things how they are... and Bradford refuses, not beliving in this world as it is and vowing to force it into the way he wants it to be.

And it’s that inherent selfishness.. that makes Bradford the Cartoon Supervillian he desperatley claims he isn’t. Bradford dosen’t care how many lives it takes, how much worse it makes the world, or how many people he has to stab in the back... the world WILL be “normal”. Bradford cares for no one and nothing except his own ambition. He kills Heron despite her loyality, and his own clones who loyally served him.. simply because their chaos too. No one or nothing else matters, not how they feel, not their right to exist.. only HIS vision. If he wanted to keep the world safe he’d be more of a hero, if still throughly a bastard... but he dosen’t. He wants to make it “normal”. He wants the world the way he thinks it shoudl be and damn anyone else and perfectly represents all the old assholes like him today who refuse to accept something diffrent or against the norm because “that’s how it’s always been”. Like those real world assholes.. Bradford is wrong. The Duckverse is beauitful how it is in it’s chaos and risk and love. And he just can’t see it because it’s not what he WANTS to see.

And that’s why I also love the Sword giving him big, black and red classic villianous monster, slowly mutating him as he fights the duck family. Because that’s his inner strength: he may deny he’s a villian but he’s forcing his will on others, refuses to see the world as it is for selfish reasons, and is willing to kill his own friends and allies if it means getting it. He’s the bad guy. And while he denies it to those around him... it’s clear from the fact the sword is working for him that he KNOWS IT, he knows he’s a villian and this is just what he wants but is so up his own ass he can’t SAY it or admit it. And in the end he’s fully beaten by the fact that his forcing his will on everything’s what’s unnatural: While his plan was ingenious, have scrooge sign a contract agreeing never to adventure again, since he’s right Scrooge would solve nonexistance it’s the same reason “launch hulk into space” only resulted in a smarter, more skilled hulk coming back with a space army to get revenge. He just didn’t bank on the inherent rediclousness of the unvierse: family really is the greatest adventure of all.. and the papyrus accepted it. It was the one thing he coudln’t palnf or because he can’t see the woirld how it is.. and that’s why he lost. He was so confident how he saw the world and how he worked was the only way... another way beat him.

His fate.. was also awesome and endleslly apporirate. Being mocked by the other villians who while less capable aside from Magica, at least admit what they are and what their doing.. and turned into a Vulture for Magica, left to be a mindless lackey in tons of chaotic schemes for the rest of his life. It couldn’t of happened to a nicer jackass. Okay three more sections to go. Let’s go.

Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away With Daissssyyyy

Donald’s leaving for a long, romantic adventure with Daisy is the perfect capper to Doanld’s character. Donald started the series hating adventure: blaming it for della being gone, his rough times during it, and wanted to escape it in the boat and keep from loosing his kids to it. He felt like a looser for not having reached his dreams or properly provided for his nephews, when really he did his best and still raised three wonderful kids. A bit overproective, god yes.. but despite his grief and anger he still got through ten years with them on his own merits, hard work and determination.

As the series went he reconclied with his past, realized Scrooge lost something too and that blaming him soley when it was Della’s choice was just taking his anger out on the one person he had left to take it out on instead of embracing his only family left, accepted Storkules as his friend (JUST his friend), accepted adventure through quack pack realizing that while it may be weird, dangerous and sometimes stressful for him... it’s what his family love doing and they should be who they are instead of who he wants them to be, and finally.. accepted himself by finding Daisy, someone who loves him for who he is, and literally and metaphorically understands him and turned right back around from dumping him to save him from a giant monster she roared at. He’s finally at peace.

And that’s why leaving. Not forever, He , Daisy, and his girls will be back in a few months or even a month. It’s very clear this is a vacation.. but it’s one he’s earned. He’ll always love his boys, his surrogate daughter/cousin, his sister, and his best buddy launchpad. But it’s okay for him to want to form his OWN family, to spend time with his future wife and show her the world. To make his own story for once instead of sharing it. To find his voice.

I also find it very poetic that a story that started with Donald raising his nephews like their dad.. ends with him adopting two more children. Two kids whose lives had been misrable: rapidly aged in tubes, deemed failures, constantly bellittled by the closest things they have for parents, so desperate for answers they’d kidnap their own sister and betray her trust and do things they know are wrong, And all this.. for nothing as their Dad kills their mom, bad as she was, and plans to kill them. And Donald’s first thought when given the chance to have a kid free time to himself, with no guilt having earned it? To take these girls in, start his own family, if Daisy’s cool with it mind he thankfully clearly called to talk this over first, and give them their own. Because that’s who Donald is, a good man whose finally earned his happy ending and the life he always wanted.. and accepted who he always was. An adventuerer, a loving fiance.. and dad.

The Real Hero: One last one before the bonus round and a quick one. The Launchpad Scene.. was one of the shows best. His arc in this episode of thinking he’s not a hero.. made sense. He’s been plenty heroic.. but his boyfriend is a martial arts and gymnastics savant and one of his three best friends has a giant suit of armor and is a genius. But the payoff made even more: He may not be the strongest, the most skilled or the smartest.. but he has the heart of a hero. He’s always been the kindest, most trusting, most friendly one of the main family, a guy who never gives up, even when he should, never surrenders and loves everybody. And that’s why he’s inspired so many people: Fenton to not give up after his firing and keep going, leading to his path as Gizmoduck. When Drake was lost, his fllm gone and his mentor seemingly dead (In fact skulking around the sewers like an evil ninja turtle), and his future unclear... TOLD HIM he could be Darkwing, that he could become the hero they both ihdolized and the inspiration to kids he wanted to be by his own bootstraps, and he gave Gosalyn faith in darkwing and hope at at time she had none. He also gave those mice their freedom. Not as poignant but you try creating the rescue rangers and see how far you get. I’ve lost a lot of chipmunks and mice that way.

Launchpad’s last stand makes up for his lack of being in the season during the final half. Launchpad realizing that despite his quirks he’s just as noble, valuable and wonderful as his families, both of them. And that he is a pilot. Sure he gets the gizmoduck armor.. but the armor isn’t what makes hi ma hero... i’ts being launchpad that makes him a hero. Loving adopted dad, wonderful partner, best friend... and a pilot

Bonus Round:

Okay this is just stray stuff from throughout the episode I didn’t have several paragraphs worth of material on before we get to the final thoughts. But it had so much good I can’t not talk about it. So...

Gyro calling Little Bulb BOYD��s brother. My heart wept. So sweet. As was him fixing his son at the end. BOYD has the two loving families he deserves.. and the brother he deserves.. and the brother he dosen’t deserve who will probably also is skulking around the sewers like an nafarious ninja turtle as the series ends.

Gosalyn fixing up Darkwing’s outfit for him. Awwww. Adopt that child you coward. Also if they don’t base the reboot on frank’s work here, I will riot.

“Just cough up the information Bentina!” that was just pure comedy gold especially the sheer fear radiating off him. Also right.

Manny’s “I can explain” and , once he has silky smooth keith david voice going “Come on man I just want to live my life.” That man is a legend.

Dewey and Louie just not talking the “you kids stay behind shit” pointing out both their stake in this and how they’ll just go anyway and him proudly accepting it. Given the kids turned the tied of things a lot, good call.

Dewey and Don Karnage singing their own background music as they air joust. Hell yes.

Pepper got a promotion! Goodf or her... it’s meaningless now but hey she has a partner in both senses.

Speaking of pepper she had the best line of the episode “He’s a grown man who has the strength of a baby!”. Only Amy Sedaris could’ve given that delivery just the perfect way she did.

The Funzo’s opening sequence was dynamite, from how well set up it was as an infilfration, to Webby having learned how to scam free drinks (Louie was so proud), to Lena cheating for her sister at DDR, to Scrooge paying full price.. it was wonderful> The payoff was also great as rather than be mad her special day was used as part of an elabroate spy operation.. she’s giddy. Because of course she is. Two specitic bits that get their own items

The Cabs came back one last time! It dosen’t effect my now finished retrospective, but after spending all that time with them it was nice to see them for what will probably be the last time for some time.

The whole scene where Della finds out about the trip. Just all of it. Her casually and accidentally choking daisy TWICE, Fethry, who sadly did not get an episode this season, being the one to blab about it and only realizing it .. after repeating that they told him not to, and Gladstone who not only was casually winning at Skeeball while his cousins both got pissed at it, relateable as hell, but then awkwardly escorting his baby cousin out of the situation.

“Satstically with Hubert gone one of us should be pancking but WHO I ASK YOU WHO?” As if I needed more evidence they were perfect for each other.

Lena just.. slumping over after Dewey finally has her drop the cloak. Comedy gold. BOYD scanning her later likewise so.

The second best line and line read of the episode goes to Louie/Bobby Monihan. “That is not comforting, I do not want to die”. He couldn’t of summed up Louie in one line any better.

Ludvwig was a national treasure. Not only did I squeel internally when it turned out he was alive but the explination for it was hilarious as it was batshit, and him just causally revealing Webby’s origin was fucking amazing “Ill give you all a moment ot process” The acomplanying “bless me bagpipes” was also amazing.

I do wish we found out where FOWL went but it was probably to leave the remains all free to come back as villians of the week. Frank outright said they had a tailspin sequel episode ready to go.

The Webby and June fight was a masterpiece and I REALLY need to do a top 12 fights list someday.

Lena connecting with the new twins , having pretty much the same background of being created by a villian for shitty reasons.

“one is silver and the other is “ “Flintheart glomgold!” they should consider a teamup. What’s a little brainwashing between friends?

“We’re sisters’. No you and violet are sisters, Webby is your girlfriend your both just in denial. I only say this because Webby also thinks Della and Penny are just friends and I feel she simply dosen’t know what being gay is or again is in denial. They’ll get there. Plus it feels like Lena just didn’t want to loose her and would say anything which is valid.

Curtain Call and Final Thoughts:

The Curtain Call was the perfect way to end a spectacular finale. Each bit of it’s a masterpiece, and every character gets one last awesome, heartfelt and hilarous goodbye with the camera and ending how it should: on our five most important characters, in a circle, together, smiling, freefaling into the next adventure. I”d have it no other way and any other series finale credits and last moments will now pale in comparison.

So the finale as a whole is messy, some bits aren’t resolved as good as they could’ve been, Huey go the shaft, and it REALLY needed another episode leading into it to help take the pressure off. While it needed 90 minutes for the plot it had to tell, it needed more to build up to that and while the season was tight with episodes they BADLY needed one more they didn’t get or even a subplto to help take the load off this episode.

But even with that... it was an utterly awesome finale on par with other recent standouts like “Let’s Fight to the End”/ “Thank you For Watching the Show” (Both feel like finales to me but in diffrent ways), “The Future” and the whole arc leading up to it, both parts of “Heart” and “Nice While It Lasted” . It was heartstopping, heartrending and heartfelt and ended the show as it should be: with over the top insanity, big reveals, a hell of a final battle.. and a focus on family. It’s not the perfect finale, and I defintely need more ducktales.. but it’s still a classic one and one of the series finest hours.. literally in this case.

I.. am going to miss this series. I went into it before but it’s thanks to this series I make a living. If you’d like to contribute to that, I have a patreon, patreon.com/popculturebuffet, my next stretch goal is a darkwing duck epsiode a month so kick in a buck won’t you? and take comissions so if theres an episode from the first two seasons that’s not part of the season 1 arc (I’m almost done there) or Lena’s story (already being paid for that) feel free to shoot me a line to comissoin it for five bucks an episode.

But more than that it was an excellent well crafted show that took a franchise I love and updated it for a new generation. My nieces love it, I love it, and I will always love it for that. Young or old, this show as phenominal, it was stupdendous.. it was a duckblur. It will remain in my heart for probaly the rest of my life among such shows as Steven Universe, Parks and Recreation, The Venture Bros, Letterkenny, DBZ Abriged, and so many more that have touched my life. It was simply the best. And i’m going to miss it. Thank you for reading this, i’ll see you at another rainbow, if not one quite like this.

Next on this Blog: Duck week continues after this review took two days to complete. Sorry about that. Our heroes head to castle McDuck and Dewey is forced to face the consequences of his actions, while Scrooge yells at his dad , his dad yells at him and his mom is the most precious thing tha’ts ever lived. Also Launchpad in Donald Cosplay. And it won’t stop there as till saturday the rest of the week is all dedicated to Ducktales as I finish up the Della and Lena arcs for season 1 and get started on Lena’s last three episodes. So if you liked some ducktales, stick around. And once again.. thank you.

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bebepac · 4 years ago

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WIP 07.22.2020

Guess what day it is, guess what day it is WIP WEDNESDAY!!! LOL. Is anyone else wondering where the heck this week went? Because I really am. I’m still a little whipped from working 6 days last week, but this is what I’ve got going on.

I’m also planning on redoing my tag list on my fics next week, to see if people want to be on and off and shifted around, If anyone wants to be officially perma-tagged as when I started this blog I didn’t know what TF that meant. LOL. Also if you are interested in my Ellie Fic, Chapter 1 is done, so if you would like a tag on that please let me know, I posted a little more below as a teaser.

I totally worked on these in the wrong order as inspiration struck me, so the fic I have finished, is the one I for real started last. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Because in my mind that made perfect sense. Blame it on the alcohol yo.

I am leading first with Pop’s Place, as this is the one that surprised some people ALOT with what Liam told Mia about Drake’s relationship he’s still currently in.... apparently....

First up:

Mom’s Birthday

Pop’s Place Chapter 7

*still in the writing process*

"Did you show her the pictures?"

"You were right she didn't even look through them all. If she did she would have realized they were from last year."

"And how did she take it?"

"It really hurt her feelings. I wasn't planning on her crying. We shouldn't have done this Mollie."

"Oh good grief Liam, don't be a baby and get a conscience now. You’re gonna reap all the benefits, if you play your cards right. The way he broke up with me here, IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!!!!! Neville even thought it was funny. Drake has it coming. Where are you?"

"I'm at her place. She went to get us some drinks."

"He was going to ask her to be his girlfriend, when he got home you know. From the vibe I got, he was pretty sure Mia would have said yes. So you're welcome."

"Thank you Mollie."

"You know we wouldn't have been able to do this to him, if he cared about social media. I'm surprised he even has his cell phone, not that it's working. He's going to walk into a shit show when he gets back. So if you want to make her yours, you better move fast."

"I'm invited to her Mom's birthday party."

"Get you some!"

"I intend to."

"Damn, she's in for a treat, you're great in bed you know, Liam Rys."

"Oh I know."

Liam quickly put his phone away when Mia came back out of the house with their favorite apple juice.

*^*^*^*^*^* Next Up *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The Fight Within

Fast Forward Chapter 12

*still in the writing process*

Are you happy with the way your life has turned out?"

"Yes My Love. I love you, and our children more than life." He gently touched her stomach. I can't wait to meet our second little girl."

She placed her hand on his. "Can we talk about children?"

"Of course."

"This is going to be our last baby Liam, I don't want any more children."

"Riley why? You are an excellent mother."

"I feel like my attention is so divided."

"Well I know we were both against having a nanny, maybe that would help."

"It won't because, I don't want any more children. We will have two babies in diapers again. Two breastfeeding again. Do you know how tiring it is? Especially when none of them start out wanting to take a bottle? And don't look at me like that Liam, you have always been helpful there. Diaper changes, nightly cuddles and snuggles, but sometimes babies just want Mommy. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had more than 2 consecutive nights of more than 4 hours of constant sleep? After I give birth, I am going to get a tubal ligation or you're gonna get snipped. And I can already tell by the look on your face Liam, you don't want it to be you."

"Riley, I carry the royal bloodline of Cordonia."

"So do our children. When this child is born, I will have given you four heirs Liam."

*^*^*^*^*^*^* Next Up*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Chapter 1: Crown Princess Blues

Ellie (Ali) Rys: Hartfeld University Student

*finished*

She wondered how Nic was going to take the news.

She walked out of the palace down the walkway to the practice arena. That is where the Junior Guards were practicing. Being a Junior Guard was a stepping stone to get into the King’s Guard Academy, which Nicolai was planning on doing to follow in his father’s footsteps.

She always went on Tuesdays when Nico, her mother’s guard, was training them.

“Your Highness,” he greeted her when she walked in.

“I wanted to see our future guards in action, that will help defend The Crown someday.”

“We live to serve The Crown!” The group chanted, bowing to Crown Princess Ellie.

She nodded in return.

“As you were.” He saw Ellie’s eyes find Nic’s from across the room. A large smile quickly crossed his face. He could tell by Ellie’s eyes, which were Riley’s beautiful eyes, she was smiling too, but her mannerisms were just like her father’s. King Liam had taught her to hide her true feelings very well. But Ellie’s eyes were her mother’s, and they were a dead giveaway.

Nico immediately saw how his son Nic’s demeanor had changed, and the bright pink flush that was on his face.

After watching them spar for about 30 minutes, He decided to get them a break, which gave Nic a little time to talk to Ellie. They quickly disappeared into a secluded alcove. Nic couldn’t wait to kiss Ellie as soon as he knew it was safe. She ran her fingers through Nic’s hair as she kissed him. Their kiss was so brief. Nic leaned in again.

Ellie pecked his lips again softly. “Save some for later,” she smiled at him.

“There’s something I need to tell you. I picked a University.”

“That’s great Ellie. Let me guess where.”

Ellie noticed Nic’s smile start to fade after time after time she said no.

“Ellie where are you going to university?”

“To America, Hartfeld University.”

The color drained from Nic’s face. “Break’s over, I have to get back.”

He didn’t even kiss Ellie goodbye, he just walked away. He walked away quickly because he didn’t want Ellie to see him cry.

“Nicolai, wait!” Ellie called after him, but Nic walked even faster. Ellie sighed walking back in the direction towards the palace.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* next up *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

At Long Last

150 followers fanfic Giveaway

*still in writing process*

“Are you ready for bed my Love.”

“Yes, I will be in a few minutes.” Riley kissed Liam’s lips.

“Excuse me?” Jason said.

“We’re getting ready to go to sleep.” Liam said, he tried to keep his voice level, as he didn’t know what Jason Brooks was getting at.

“Not in the same bed with my daughter you’re not.”

Liam let out a surprised laugh. He immediately felt Riley hit his arm.

“You’re serious.”

“Yes the hell I am. She’s not your wife yet, you’re not sharing a bed with her as long as I’m under this roof.”

“Dad this is his palace.”

“Jason you have lost your mind. Siri what are Cordonian jails like?”

“I don’t give a flying fuck. You’re not married to him yet Jelly Bean, and I want to keep your virtue intact.”

Riley thought of all the things she had done with Liam… Yep… that virtue has been gone a long time ago.

She watched Liam and her father stare each other down.

Liam’s ears turned bright red, as he turned to Riley. “My love. I will have some things moved to your old suitor room. I will see to it that it is properly cleaned for you in the morning.”

Liam watched as Riley gathered some of her things, to take to the other room.

He slipped his arms around Riley’s waist. “Maybe I can sneak down the hall and spend the night with you instead.”

“Don’t even think about it, I’m a light sleeper. Do you need any help with your things Jelly?”

“I got it Dad.”

She settled in her room. Liam sent her a selfie from the bed with him pointing to her side of the bed, where Chance was curled up. “We miss you Love.”

“Still want to marry me?”

“Of course… but your dad is quite the character.”

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* next up *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The Indescretions of the Father

Heroes and Villains Chapter 7

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* earlier that day *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

“Love you look upset, what's wrong?”

“Your father…”

“I know I was supposed to be at your confessional and at the last possible second he told me I would not be attending and it would be him instead.”

“That’s not what.. Your father said some really inappropriate things to me.”

“Like what?”

She went over the things Constantine had said during the confessional about her body and lust.

“My father would never talk to a woman like that. You have to be taking what he’s saying out of context Riley. I know you are still upset about the task Riley. I am too….”

“Are you saying you don’t believe me Liam?”

“No that’s not at all what i’m saying Love. If you would just cal.…..”

“Don’t you dare tell me to calm down Liam Rys!!!!!!! Your father is disgusting, and talked about you and me together, and he stared at me like I was a piece of ass Liam.”

“Riley please….”

“You know what, don’t bother coming by the next couple of nights, I don’t think my schedule can accommodate you this week anyway.”

Liam watched Riley walk away slamming the door behind him.

“He didn’t believe you Riley? How could he not believe you? I’ve seen the way Constantine stares at you when he knows Liam isn’t looking. King Constantine is a dog.”

“So you believe me?”

He stroked Riley’s cheek gently kissing her lips.

“Of course I believe you Riley. I know you wouldn’t be this upset if it didn’t happen. Prince Liam can’t see who his father truly is because he’s too close. I’m sorry he hurt you.”

He hugged Riley.

“I know a place that makes the best american cheese burgers and chocolate milk shakes. Go put your sweat pants on girl, we’re gonna go there and eat until our stomachs are full and happy.”

“No Greek tonight then?”

“You can have some Greek Meat if you would like later.”

Riley laughed.

“That was dirty Nico.”

“Yet you’re still laughing.”

Still in the pipeline: Life of Riley: Beach Vacation: It’s in my brain, just nothing concrete typed out yet.

*^*^*^*^*^* end of chapter teasers *^*^*^*^*^*^*^

What are you guys working on @burnsoslow @loveellamae @dcbbw @queenjilian @indiacater @hopefulmoonobject @bbrandy2002

Tagging some peeps that really expressed interest or had some very strong responses from the previous chapters of these. @hopelessromanticmonie @atha68 @queenwalton @debramcg1106 @axwalker @kingliam2019 @kimmiedoo5 @texaskitten30 @sanchita012 @mom2000aggie @gabesmommie1130 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @marshmallowsandfire @jared2612 @cordonia-gothqueen @batgirlassociationofgothamcity @losingbraincellseveryday @mrsdrakewalkerblog @sadlibrahours @cordonianroyalty @blueaster-blog1@choicesficwriterscreations

#bebepac writes #pop's place #fast forward #heroes and villains #at long last #ellie rys #crown princess ellie #trr fanfic #trr fandom #trh fanfic #trh fandom #trr mc x drake #trh mc x liam #trr mc x liam #riley brooks #king of cordonia #queen of cordonia #cordonia

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itsomgitsgreenblogging · 5 years ago

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It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You): A Critical Role Fanfic

Guess who’s back? Honestly, I have to thank the Essek Fanclub Server for this. You guys are awesome, and an amazing inspiration. 2019 was a pretty bad year in terms of my writing, but, it ended amazingly because of the Critical Role Fandom. Here’s to 2020! Have some hot wizard yearning and sexy dream sequences inspired by my favorite song by the 1975.

Enjoy!

Warning: Explicit Sexual Content

Read it on AO3

Preview:

This was all because he hadn’t seen the Mighty Nein in a month. He was...getting all confused and acting like some sort of lovelorn maiden from one of the trashy Empire smut novels that he definitely didn’t read after he confiscated them.

“By the Luxon, let them come back soon, or else I might really go mad,” Essek muttered to himself.

“Where are they?” asked a courtier. The question was hissed at Essek as he paused in the Lucid Bastion, the green-lantern glow washing his face out to a pallid hue.

“I do not know,” Essek said simply, with a smile, finding it better than lying.

____

“Where are they?” Professor Waccoh grumbled at Essek, over the tops of the papers she had stacked on her desk. Reports, ideas, and death machines all found their place there, scattered like snowflakes or ashes amongst the heap.

“I do not know,” Essek responded, still smiling.

____

“Where are they?” the Bright Queen demanded, hand dripping with jewels glinting like knives in the light as she slammed it upon the table.

Essek smiled, and shook his head.

____

“Where are you?” Essek asked the empty house, but the windows remained darkened. It stared back into him, searching, and he didn’t have a response.

____

“Will you be long, Shadowhand?”

“Not too long, but I do wish for some privacy,” Essek told his shadow with a sidelong look. In the next moment, the shadow disappeared. For a moment he remained outside the temple, just relishing the stolen moments of being alone, before slipping inside the building without any further delay. Really, it was better to get this over with.

The Temple of the Lord of Light that was closest to the Bright Queen’s abode was a lavish affair. The ceilings were crowded with rows of geometrically patterned lanterns that cast a glow that could be hard for Essek’s eyes to handle. Carved into the walls were the sculptures depicting the mythology of the Lord of Light, His Glorious creation, the Vanquishing of the Spider Queen, and the Ascension of the Bright Queen. Along that were prayer altars that various drow and other citizens of the Dynasty huddled by, to light their own candle and pray. Often when one saw Essek float by, they bowed their heads out of respect for him.

He approached the private praying rooms, and as he did so he apparently caught the eye of one of the clerics. Essek recognized her as Derise, one of the head clerics of the Lord of Light. Though he loathed to do so, he dispelled his levitation magic. His heels clicked as they touched the floor. Clerics could be touchy about the appearance of power in their sacred spaces, and many of those with power among the clergy did not like him for a litany of reasons. He was young, not of one of the storied bloodlines, rather recently adopted in comparison to others, and yet he had gained remarkable power within his first life. They didn’t like him because he wasn’t one of their little puppets and he knew all their secrets in a way that perhaps only the Luxon might, and that made them afraid of him.

(Though he didn’t wish to think of them, it was part of the reason he had found certain members of the Mighty Nein so refreshing. Religion without certain pretenses had its own charms.)

“Lord Shadowhand,” Derise said, pointedly not bowing her head. She held her head up high instead, as if issuing him a challenge. Essek, instead, smiled as he usually did. He curled his fingers behind his back in a display of complete openness.

“Lady Derise, I pray the Light finds you well on this day,” Essek said, not bowing because he was certainly still wearing his back brace. Instead he inclined his head an inch. A vein jumped at her jaw. Amatuer, Essek thought derisively.

“And may it find you well, too. It is a lovely surprise to see you haunt these halls,” Derise said, with a tight smile. “I am sure the Bright Queen will be pleased to hear you are working on your religious studies today.”

“Matters of security tend to keep me from my spiritual needs. A bad habit of mine, unfortunately. The Bright Queen understands, of course, being the leader she is.”

“The Bright Queen is certainly accommodating with her favorites,” Lady Derise said, looking down at him from her nose.

“I am afraid that I am far too stubborn to be accomodated,” Essek laughed lightly as he walked forward only pausing to look back at her. “Your daughter, however, is a very accommodating creature. I know she was so pleased about her cousin’s engagement to General Dozall, that is how she ended up at his house at the witching hour.”

“That--it was---” Derise sucked on the air like it had been punched out of her chest. she coughed hastily, like being caught on her own deceit was physically painful. Really it was pitiful when those older than him were so easily tangled in the web. He almost felt bad for her. Almost. But it wasn’t in his nature to pardon stupidity.

“Hm? Well, all’s well that ends well,” Essek said evenly. “You really ought to go to a healer. I can always have one of my shadows escort you, just like they did for your daughter. It wouldn’t do to have you in trouble, my lady.”

“I am too busy to entertain bad jokes, Lord Shadowhand,” Derise said, her tone clipped and icy. “May the Light keep you.”

“And may it keep you as well.”

Derise stormed off. Essek found the royal prayer chamber, which he was allowed to use due to his position as Shadowhand, off of the main cathedral. It was a beautiful chamber with lofted roof painted with images of the constellations and the sun and the moon. In the center was a large fountain, portraying one of the first lives of the Bright Queen holding her arms aloft with the dodecahedron, about her were creatures of the forest and behind her was the fountain styled as a waterfall. It was popular among artist renderings of the queen to have her placed like that, though the fountain of youth iconography was a bit on the nose for him. Essek enjoyed the arts, but hadn’t had time to properly commission something since he had his portrait painted.

He cleaned his fingers within the blessed waters, before kneeling before the altar. He cleared his mind, closed his eyes, and prayed in Undercommon,

“Oh Glorious Lord of Light, You who were first in the Universe and Master of All Creation. Keep me and bless me, in this life and my future lives. Let Your glow illuminate the darkness inside, so that I may reach new heights. Show me the way as you did Our Most Righteous Queen, so that I may never be led astray. Let me pray for ascension, for consecution…”

There was the sound of delicate footsteps upon the marble and rustling fabric. Essek opened his eyes and looked to see the Bright Queen. As always she was arresting to look at, today fashioned more like a river-bathed-in-moonlight. She was without the armor she tended to wear at court, but adorned with a necklace made of platinum and blue topaz that clasped high at her throat and spilled across her skin like the tide. He began to stand, but she lifted her hand and he remained where he was.

“Your recitation of the Book of Madark is quite beautiful,” the Bright Queen remarked, looking towards the altar with the deeply fervent expression she always did. “I always did prefer Madark. He made me sound quite grand.”

“He never overstated your glory, your majesty,” Essek said honestly, bowing his head slowly.

“Madark was quite in love with me, I’m afraid,” the Bright Queen sighed, smoothing out her dress that shimmered like the scales of a fish. “Quite boorish about it too. I do not like men who overstay their welcome.”

“Or women who flirt and swoon,” Essek added before clearing his throat, “And the glorious star herself, may She guide us forever. Our Eternal Blessed Queen, who Heralded the Truth. Beauty Incarnate, who sets the heart ablaze with a single look-- ”

“Oh, the Book of Terawane. Ghastly stuff. I always told her that she was much better suited to singing than to writing. So melodramatic,” the Bright Queen said with a long-suffering hum. “I can bear it when you recite it, Essek. But do not make me listen to the High Priest give his lecture of how my breasts are twin fawns and my lips are a violet ribbon one more time.”

“Are you asking me to sanction his disposal?” Essek asked, taking a seat beside her.

“Nothing so dire,” the Bright Queen laughed, her voice silvered bells upon the marble and high ceiling. She looked into the fire of the candlelight thoughtfully. “No…”

Looking upon her, he often wondered what she felt. She had achieved perfection, she was the umavi. And yet as the firelight danced across her cheek, Essek wondered if she ever tired. She broke his revelry with a tap of her fingers against the stone bench.

“I’m sure you need no news,” the Bright Queen said. “The Mighty Nein have met with King Dwendal after being missing for so many weeks.”

“I was aware.”

“What do your shadows tell you that the human arcanist did not? Was it right to pull back the assault do you think?”

“Yes, it was. It was the cultists who were utilizing our assault to better their aims, we have confirmed reports of a Priestess of the Dawnfather being in cahoots with the conspiracy, and the Mighty Nein dispatched her. Now they work to broker peace. They are being asked to coordinate a parlay between Empire and Dynasty, by giving us back one of the beacons. In their private talks, they are anxious about finding a neutral location, but have not seemed to betray us. Though, Beauregard did state she infiltrated us to get closer to the enemy.”

This was all really just a formality. She knew what he knew, and he knew what She knew. Just another part of the game, Essek thought. The game in which they would all be winners or they would all be losers. It would be up to the Mighty Nein, and the prospect was somewhat terrifying.

“Just that claim is enough for me to have them killed on sight,” the Bright Queen warned him.

“Considering the slipshod job they did of infiltrating us, I find it very likely and compelling that they are just saying what they need to say to retrieve the beacon. That was the assignment given, and that seems to be what they are doing. Besides, they did not hinder our operatives while in the Empire.”

“One of the reasons you amuse me so is you are such a delightful pacifist,” the Bright Queen said.

“So long as it amuses you, your majesty.”

“You would be all I wish you to be, then? Have you no thoughts of your own?” the Bright Queen dared.

“All I have ever done, and will ever do, I do to serve at your leisure. I am just one of the voices you allow to fill up your ear. However, considering you chose and continue to choose to fill it with mine, it gives me some hope about where your opinion lies.”

“And where is that?”

“The long game, your majesty. It would do the Dynasty no good to rip the Empire out by the throat, utterly decimating their population and society. It would only serve to prove the Empire’s propaganda right, and move the masses against us. Instead, we take the high road. We show the Empire citizens we are not the monsters they claim us to be. And then, slowly, we can...improve upon their society,” Essek said simply.

“You care for the masses.”

“I must admit my bias for the common people, no matter their country of origin. At my core, I am still very much the street rat Skysybil yanked off the street.”

“And does it not concern you that they haven’t messaged?”

“I’m sure they are just busy, saving the world and all that,” Essek stated.

"Are you sure you are not just lonely for your wizard pet?" The Bright Queen's asked.

"This is far more amusing," Essek promised with a smile.

The Bright Queen's considered him. She reached out to cup his face and turn it up towards the candlelight. Essek blinked rapidly, but was docile and allowed her to do what she wished.

"Tell me something that no one else knows, Essek," she commanded him.

"I have no secrets from you, your majesty," Essek said, unable to help the way his head tipped to the side in curiosity. "What would you have me tell you?"

"I would have you look at me, unhindered by the mask you wear," she bid him, her fingers running in his hair. "And tell me your feelings, uninhibited. Do you believe that I am in the right?"

"With all of my heart," Essek said without hesitation, "I believe in you, for you are my sovereign."

"And you live to serve me, of course. But do you trust in my judgement?"

"I do, but I do not trust those who may seek to influence your decisions. You are divine, my queen, but not infallible. Though I am devoted to you with all of my heart, I will do my best to change your mind should I think you wrong.”

"With most of your heart," the Bright Queen's corrected, releasing him. "I hope you don’t take me for a sentimental idiot. You are a mortal, and your desires are that of a wild young foolish creature."

“I’m sure it seems that way.”

“They cannot be changed, my dear Shadowhand,” the Bright Queen said mournfully. “My nation will only ever be safe when the Empire has been decimated. It is within their nature to expand and conquer, and even if we broker a peace now it will not last.”

“If you believed that, I would be out of the job,” Essek informed her.

“Perhaps,” the Bright Queen stated. “But for now, what can we do besides pray?”

Between that breath and the next she was gone, leaving him in the prayer chamber alone.

_____

"Will you require anything else, my Lord?"

Essek looked up from his reading to see one of his servants. Essek smiled at him, and watched as the servant relaxed minutely and settled the tray with tea by the bedside table. This one was a newer hire, an assistant to the cook when he wasn’t completing general housekeeping tasks though Essek had the sneaking suspicion he would prove to be a better cook with time. It was important, to know and cultivate your assets.

“No, Amald, you are dismissed for the night,” Essek said. “Tell your wife I send my regards and well wishes to her health. She is with her third, yes?”

“And ready for the end of it, I’m afraid,” Amald said, tusks showing with his smile. “This pregnancy has not been easy on her. Our Denmother believes the birth will be difficult too.”

“Well, I shall send for my personal healer then,” Essek said, closing his book. He held up his hand at Amald’s immediate attempt at response. “Do not worry about the cost, I shall take care of it. Consider it my gift to you and your wife, and a favor I may ask repaid.”

“Of course,” Amald said his voice rich with feeling and gratefulness, bowing so deeply that Essek was worried he would topple over. “You are most kind, my lord.”

Essek blinked at the sight, fighting off his frown easily. Essek often enjoyed compliments. He was handsome, talented, shrewd, powerful, generous any number of things. Kind though? Not one of the usual ones.

“Until tomorrow,” Essek said, and Amald took off.

Essek enjoyed the remainder of his tea, a wonderful blend of ginger, licorice root, peppermint, and chamomile. He always found going into a trance so much more pleasant on the tail-end of nice tea and a good book. He could almost hear his Denmother lecturing him about the importance of trance, after collapsing with exhaustion during his first year of his education.

Essek slipped into bed, laying down among the sheets and pillows. It was always easier to trance when he wasn’t sitting, or his back would protest. He listened to his heart beat, to the breath in his lungs, felt the way his ribs moved beneath his skin, fell deeper...deeper…

He was in his Denmother’s salon. Not his Denmother yet...at least not on paper. Mathulsda Theylss was frowning at him severely, looking him up and down as if all his faults were written upon his features and could be categorized accordingly.

“Smile in a way that doesn’t make you look like you swallowed a frog,” his Denmother scolded. Essek’s reflection looked back at him. A sixteen year old Essek looked annoyed at best, contemptuous at worst. “Smile.”

“I don’t want to smile,” Essek snapped at her.

“You are lucky you were born in this era, boy,” his Denmother scoffed, leaving his side for a moment to take a sip at some wine. “Or you wouldn’t have a choice about what was done with your pretty face. You were the one complaining about the way they treat you, listen to my advice or don’t bother to complain.”

“How is smiling better going to help me? They hate me because they think me common,” Essek demanded, and was given a pinched cheek for his question. She released him and he held his cheek, glaring at her.

“No, they hate you because they know you are anything but common,” she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She looked at herself in the mirror, and Essek looked at her reflection and saw the transformation. She was truly arresting, in the way she smiled and turned her head just so. “It is easy then, to change hatred to love. You suss out those who hate you, and then you go to their friends. You find their weaknesses and can exploit them easily, because there is nothing for them to hate about you. Your professors will adore you, and will teach you all you wish to know. The noble dens will look at you and say, what a wonderful boy. The Bright Queen will favor you. Forget how to frown, Essek. That horrid little street urchin you were doesn’t exist. You are pretty, pleasant, considerate, and you smile. It is no longer a mask you can slip on and slip off when you play your childish little games with Skysybil. It is who you are now, forever.”

“I’m not like that, that’s not who I am,” Essek said, staring at himself. “I’m…”

“Essek Theylss is,” she said softly, as if it were a mercy. Her hands were upon his shoulders. “If you wish to be Essek Theylss, it’s who you will become. If you cannot get along with them, if you cannot make allies and cannot play the game, we have no use for you. There are other children with talent, though maybe not as talented as you, but they can become far more useful to us if you will not. So? Are you willing?”

Essek watched his own reflection as he schooled his face into a soft smile. It fit onto his face cleanly, naturally, as if this were the way he was always meant to look. Maybe it was the way he was meant to look. Maybe she was right. If this was what everyone wanted then this was for the best. The Denmother patted his shoulder, in a mockery of fondness that tore that thought out by the root.

“Very good, Essek,” she praised, standing in front of him to fix the collar of his uniform. She was taller than him, looking down at him with cruel delight. “Isn’t that so much better? We must always look our best, don’t we--?”

Wake up!

Essek tore himself out of that trance, jerking up so fast that his back twinged. He pressed his hands to his face, taking a few moments to just breathe. He knew better than this, Essek thought, thoroughly annoyed at himself as he lay back down with a huff. A trance was a fluid state, a visitation of memories or dreams affected by waking emotions and thoughts. Bad thoughts led to bad memories or dreams which led to bad trances.

“All I have are bad thoughts,” Essek said as he breathed out to the ceiling, resigned to his fate. There was just too much jumbled together in his mind, too much worry.

Something you don’t know? Essek thought crossly. I miss the Mighty Nein, their shenanigans and their quirks that make me feel like I am not altogether that odd and that I have my life in a workable order. I don’t believe that I have a mask anymore, there is only this. I don’t know how to be without a smile. I don’t even know what it’s like to be that person anymore, but I feel as close to it as I ever have when I am with Caleb Widogast of all people. I want them to like me. I want him to want me, whoever that is.

Essek continued to breathe, though he felt that it was a struggle. He needed to rest. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be as sharp as he needed to be.

Rest, Essek told himself, forcing his eyes closed. Rest.

Entering into a trance again, he was greeted with a dark space. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was a comforting absence. It was a night sky without stars, the inside of your eyelids, the feeling of being underwater, in the warmth, in the bath--

"Essek," Caleb murmured.

Essek was in bed, somewhere comfortable and soft. A weight on the bed next to him, a body pressed deliciously to his as if searching for warmth. This wasn’t what he wanted, Essek thought dizzily. He wouldn’t be able to rest like this, not when his body suddenly felt so alive.

“Essek,” Caleb called again. There was a dip in the bed, the sensation of being straddled, a press of a kiss to his neck. Essek shuddered at the soft touch, the way he was being kissed like he was precious. Like he would shatter at a harsher touch. He gasped as his eyes fluttered open.

“Oh,” he sighed, reaching up to touch Caleb’s face, brushing across his cheek with the back of his hand. Caleb leaned into the touch as if he chased it. His eyes were the powdery blue flowers painted in the mural on their barbarian's wall, regarding him with a tender, searching expression. The emotional whiplash almost took Essek right out of this, but he was anchored by the feeling of Caleb’s body against his.

“Will you stay with me?” Caleb asked him, catching his hand. He nuzzled it sweetly, causing goosebumps to ripple across Essek’s skin, before cradling Essek's face in his hands. Caleb didn’t smile as much as he should, in fact, Essek had gotten the distinct impression that Caleb had long since gotten out of the practice of smiling. But he would look so lovely, if given the opportunity. Essek’s traitorous heart told him that perhaps he would be the one to offer those opportunities, if Caleb would let him.

"Yes," Essek said, managing to get the word out from his heavy tongue. Caleb managed to remedy that problem by dipping his head down and catching Essek in a kiss. Essek tipped his head, to deepen the kiss, to let it linger as long as he could. To feel the imprint of teeth and the stroke of the tongue that left him tingling all over. Essek trailed his fingers over Caleb's bare arms, feeling the hair there, the rough criss-cross of scars against sun-worn freckled skin.

They kissed and explored each other without worry or haste, until Essek lay breathless beneath Caleb, allowing Caleb to pamper his skin with attention, to lavish him with his desire in a way that had him shivering. Essek couldn’t untangle himself from Caleb, from his legs or his arms, and he didn’t want to. Essek was caught there and he never wanted to escape from Caleb’s arms.

"You are so beautiful," Caleb whispered, nipping his collarbone. Essek's breath caught in his throat.

Essek regarded Caleb through a half-lidded gaze, memorizing the exact way Caleb’s hair escaped his tie, and the constellation of freckles dusted across his nose. The adorable little human curve of his ear, the human thickness of his body. Essek had seen the way that others looked at Caleb, with a desire that soaked in one’s skin like a warm summer rain. It made Essek covetous and proud, because Caleb had eyes for him. They were a well-matched pair, in Essek’s opinion.

"Please, do tell me what you find so beautiful about me," Essek bid him.

“Smug,” Caleb chuckled.

“I am merely asking for the facts of the matter,” Essek told him, sitting up. He climbed into Caleb’s lap, something very bold and daring for him, but it was nice to be somewhat taller than Caleb in that moment. Essek found the shell of Caleb’s ear he had previously admired, tracing it with his lips and the barest brush of his canine, letting Caleb shudder under his touch. He curled his arms around Caleb’s neck, looking deep into Caleb’s eyes as he pulled his head back with the softest tug. Caleb bared his neck to him easily, so easily submitting to the touch, and it set upon Essek the fire of desire “Tell me, be a clever boy and tell me what I want to hear.”

“You are the most powerful and beautiful man I’ve ever laid my eyes upon,” Caleb groaned, moving their hips together in a way that made Essek shudder. “I need you. No one else could ever compare to you, Essek.”

“Yes,” Essek gasped, feeling Caleb hot and hard and longing against him. It was driving him crazy. He had spent so long without a lover, without sampling the pleasures of flesh. He hadn’t needed it, and he hadn’t missed the few and sparse flings of his youth. They had been bare-boned things that couldn’t even be called romance, a simple almost instinctual satisfying of urges, a useful distraction, a way to utilize his pretty face to get what he needed. Knowledge, power, the game of politics had been so much more entertaining, and intellectual curiosity being quenched was so much more satisfying. People were easy to manipulate when they were kept at an arm’s length, it was so much easier to smile when there was nothing at stake.

But this? This was something else entirely. He couldn’t even control his body, couldn’t think through the haze of desire. He resurfaced and had to have pushed Caleb underneath him, because suddenly his hands were digging into his shoulders and his hips were moving desperately to the staccato rhythm of his heart as Caleb dragged him harder and more deliciously against him. Pleasure tore him open, it filled him up, it was so good--!

“Look at you,” Caleb moaned, pressing his flame-hot hands against Essek’s belly. “So lovely, so beautiful wrung out like this, just for me. What a treasure you are…”

“More,” Essek demanded, not sure how much longer he could last but wanting to wring out this moment as long as he could. Everything was on fire, on a pin-needle edge, but he wanted to be greedy. He wanted all the things he couldn’t allow himself, all the things that Caleb could give him and that he could give to Caleb in equal measure.

Oh by the Light, they were making love. The realization made Essek lightheaded, it made his back arch with the intensity of the sensation, it sent his teeth on edge. He would be ruined for everything else, Caleb would ruin him, but he had to give in.

“You are exquisite,” Caleb gasped, reverently, desperately--lovingly and then he gave in to the pleasure, forcing Essek over the edge with the intensity. Essek wilted upon him, no more strength in his limbs to hold him. Caleb stroked him through it, with him. For a few blissful moments, there was nothing else in his mind.

Slowly though, he emerged. Essek peppered Caleb’s face with kisses, curling his leg around him, burying his face into Caleb’s shoulder and his soft, fragrant hair. Caleb’s fingers scratched the back of his head, in a way that made him sigh with sated pleasure.

“It is time to wake, Essek,” Caleb chuckled, voice amused and hazy with warm gentle lovemaking.

“No,” Essek grumbled, more firmly pressing himself to Caleb. It was a stubborn childish thing that well in his chest, but he didn’t care. In that moment, completely divulged of his mask, he just wanted to be selfish.

“Yes, it is,” Caleb said wistfully, and as Caleb gently stroked Essek’s back in soft comforting waves that drew him deeper, further...softer…

Essek resurfaced having drooled into his pillow. He sat up and looked at himself in the mirror, at his mussed bed-head and very inelegant splotches across his cheek and--his dream!

His face burst into heat, he grabbed the closest pillow, buried his face into it, and bit into it hard to stifle his scream. Oh by the Light! Had he reverted back into his second decade? He thanked the Luxon and all the Gods above and below for the gift of living alone. He didn’t think he had ever been so mortified in his entire life.

“I’ll never be able to look at him again,” Essek said mournfully, spitting out feathers he had managed to rip out with his fangs. He brought his blessedly cool fingers up to press to his hot cheeks.

“By the Luxon, let them come back soon, or else I might really go mad,” Essek muttered to himself.

His reflection in the mirror seemed to agree.

#Critical Role #Critical Role Fanfic #shadowgast #essek theylss #caleb widogast

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chiclet-go-boom · 5 years ago

Text

fracture 10: control

(a piece of fanfic stating my personal take on #404 Ben Solo Not Found)

The stars are everywhere.

He sprawls on his master’s throne, the glass pressed to his temple, and fills himself with it.

They’ve been holding for cycles in dark space, far away from any planetary systems which is unusual enough. These ships are weapons and if they are not pointed at something or someone then they are not serving their purpose. Hiding in the deep emptiness is not something the First Order does as a rule.

Still, there are always necessary calibrations, both mechanical and political and in this case cautionary. For the moment Hux is in command of where and how they are realigning and he has no agenda other than spite to cause a shift in their plans. Better they are here than anywhere else. Soon enough he needs to be a few hundred parsecs away but that is then and this is now.

Three days ago he released the remaining Knights to their tasks. Three nights and he needs to drown this however he can.

There is no red here anymore, only black. Black unto infinity everywhere he looks with the pinpricks of lights in their tens of millions to carpet it like diamonds. The viewport windows arcing high overhead give the near complete illusion that he’s sitting under a night sky. He has the nearly empty bottle of whiskey after all, the fracture of his heart and the solitude to make it real. It’s only missing the cool breeze and the ability to trip over a clump of grass down a cliff by mistake.

He closes his outward eyes to open the inner ones.

So much life. He can’t hold it all, even if he wanted to. So much death. Unravelling and combining, falling apart and coming together again over and over and over, relentlessly. He reaches further and further, inhaling as much as he can to burn through muscle, through bone. All precious. All irrelevant.

Kylo tilts his head back against the throne and lets it wash through him, both saturation and goad. Both of his masters were skilled, their knowledge chasms deep in their respective arts. Both wanted desperately to have him be something, do something for them and yet here he is; neither jedi nor sith, neither apprentice nor master, caught still it seems between the things he wants and the things he can’t be permitted to have.

It feels like his veins are incandescent. He can feel the ship around him as if it is alive, because it is. He could tear it apart from here and he wants to so badly. Hux would probably not approve.

The potential of his bloodline indeed. Everytime he looks, he sees more. And every time he looks, he hates what he learns.

He opens his eyes just in time to feel the shunt as the gears grind, lock and everything shudders to a stop.

“You really need to not be here,” he says after a moment.

“As if we ever have a choice,” she replies. It’s only a little bitter - she’d like it to be his fault, he’s sure. She keeps her head down as she twists her hair, working with jerky motions. There’s light wherever she is, gracing her skin into flickers of gold, touching pale fingers to the column of her neck. A tremble of unwilling sunshine in the center of his stars and he’d laugh if there was anything amusing about it.

He watches because there’s no reason he shouldn’t. What he wants and can’t be permitted to have. At least she’s still alive.

She’s stubborn today. She pulls on her boots, tiny clicks against the floor as she settles into them. Snags a dark cloth belt from nowhere to wind around herself, tucking the loose fabric tight against her waist, knotting it there to fall away against her leg. She turns, cutting him off to shrug into a hooded cloak, working clever fingers at one shoulder clasp then the other to seat it right. Lightweight, meant for showers, not storms. And it’s only when she’s clothed, armored, ready to face whatever is happening to her world that she finally consents to look at him.

She freezes. Her fine eyebrows knit together as she stares which is very strange. She’s shot at him, yelled at him, ignored him, stomped away from him more than once, even cried at him but she’s never just stood there with that arrested expression before. He’s not sure what it is but it’s at least different. He tilts his head.

She blows out a breath. “Ren?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“What’s wrong?”

That’s worth a smile so he gives her one. “Touch me and find out.”

She doesn’t smile back and she doesn’t step any closer. “Where are you?” she asks after a moment.

“One of Snoke’s throne rooms. My throne room now, I suppose.” He watches the unseen light catch in her eyes, curious if she’ll step into shadow at some point. She has to be inside but whatever window she’s near must be large. Planetside for sure. Temperate enough to have windows facing out, for the clothing she’s wearing. Not that that narrows down the options. “I had all the curtains torn down. I think you’d like it.”

“You’re drinking.”

“Yes.”

“What are you doing, Ren?”

“Taking a calculated risk,” he replies. “You?”

“Getting ready to go out and… do things.”

“Ah, yes. Things. Important Resistance things, I’m sure.”

Her nostrils flare. “I do what I can.”

He shrugs, fervently hoping the link will cut out. There’s still liquid in his glass and it sloshes at the tiny motion, so he sits up and inhales the last of that as well. The burn is muted now but still warm enough for all that and he appreciates it for doing what little it can. He carefully puts it down on the arm. Translucent, it nearly disappears into the black.

He wonders how he looks to her. He’s discarded his outer armor but he’s always in black; boots, pants, shirt, clasp open at the shoulder and gaping down because having anything tight across his throat right now would be… not ideal. A pit of shadow, in the center of her sun? Can she see the stars?

Of course she can’t. He’s swallowed them.

“Are you drunk?”

“No. Or at least, not as much as I would like to be.” His lips twist for that. “I told you, a calculated risk. There isn’t much that can blunt me for long without risking worse side effects.”

“Side eff... no." She changes her mind mid-thought, he can see her wondering which question she actually wants answered. "How is getting drunk a calculated risk? It’s not like it’s hard. Seems like half of everybody here manages it without even really trying. Particularly the pilots.” There's some personal exasperation there. He files it away for later consideration.

“The Resistance pilots aren’t force sensitive. Well,” he ameliorates, “that’s not precisely true. Your Best Pilot is bright enough to shine. Don’t tell him I said so though, he’s already too sure of himself. At least when he’s not screaming out his secrets.”

Her expression turns thunderous. It takes him a moment to understand that what he’s feeling is akin to regret. He’s almost sorry for reminding her of her friend’s pain. He flicks his fingers in a negating motion and settles back, lifting one leg to cross his ankle on the opposite knee. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to say that. Along with everything else alcohol does for me, it still lowers filters.”

“Every time I think…” She clenches a hand at her side. “I hate you, you know. You’re a vile, horrible man, Ben Solo.”

The fire he’s hoarding in his blood flares and his voices reaches out harder than he intended it to, rolling like undertow across the floor. “Stop it. No. Ben Solo is gone.” Something nearby chimes, shivering unhappily. “Stop trying to pretend that confused boy is somewhere inside of me still.”

She jerks her chin up defensively. “You can’t hide from yourself, Ben. You can’t hide from who you are and what you’ve done. Drinking and brooding… and feeling sorry for yourself.” She makes an impatient gesture at him. Her feet have moved to a defensive stance in the last few moments at least and somewhere he approves. She should never let her guard down with him.

He snaps his teeth. “Does it look like I’m hiding? Is that what you think this is? You keep saying that name like the person you think it belongs to will come back if you say it often enough. You never knew Ben. You weren’t there. What do you know about any of it?”

“More than you think! I know you took my friend and dragged his mind through a sieve. His nightmares have your voice in them. And you tried to do it to me too, but you couldn’t because I’m stronger! And I know that Ben Solo is afraid he can’t measure up, because I saw it in you, Kylo Ren.”

“Are you stronger then?” he inquires. “Have we decided that? Still, that’s better. I'm not confused about who I am. But you are.”

“You are divided. I saw it.”

“And you are nothing at all! You came from nowhere, you are going nowhere. Who’s left to teach you what is possible but me?” He growls with anger and frustration. “But ah, no. Not me, never me. Anything but me. Because you know so much, when you don’t even know my name.”

She jerks her head and there, there are the start of tears. Why does she cry so often at him? He’s not wrong. “Don’t I? Don’t I know you? You’re just going to sit there and tell me there’s only Kylo Ren when I still see Ben in you? Just a monster in black, no light, no compassion, who takes what he likes and hurts who he likes and kills who he likes?”

“Sometimes,” he agrees softly. “And sometimes I hurt and kill for you.”

She flinches at that as he meant her to. “Don’t you put that on me. Don’t you ever put that on me.”

“Would you rather be dead instead? You’ll care for some truths but not the rest?” He glares down his nose at her. Damn the sun she’s standing under, that lights her hair and sparks honey in her eyes. “Always wanting the answers as long as you can agree with them. Just like Skywalker.”

“Luke was a good man!” And yet as soon as she says it he can see the collapse, the breath she sucks in.

He laughs and it hurts and it seems like that is all he is ever going to be able to have. “Your precious Skywalker tried to put a blade through my heart. For the crime of daring to have doubts that what he was doing was right.”

“He regretted it. He regretted it, I know he did. He showed me.”

“And he still did it. Stood over me while I slept, while I trusted, and he wanted me dead because he could think of nothing else that would help.” He flexes his hands helplessly in front of him, wishing he had his gloves at least. “Would you like to know how that feels?” he seethes.

“Ben…”

“No. No. Ben is dead, stop pretending! I have made too many choices to ever be him. Over and over again I made and continue to make those choices, and you are lying to both of us by clinging to it. Let it go.”

She stands in sunlight, warm and bright and hating him and hoping for things that will never happen and in this moment if he could smash it all down, plunge it all into darkness, he would and he would howl in the doing of it. He stands because he has to do something with his body, wrenching himself to his full height, his hands in fists because if he reaches out he will grab and pull and rend. He hasn’t drunk enough for this too, not on top of the rest. He still feels.

“My entire life, I have never… my mother gave up, my father left us both to rot, but both of them wanted me fixed. My uncle wanted me different. Snoke wanted me broken. I have been in control of nothing my entire life and you are not going to stand there and tell me you want me to be somebody else! That you are disappointed!”

The universe twists simply because he wills it so. Glass shatters along with the bottle at his feet and the starfield wavers because of the pressure he’s exerting in reflex and there is pain in his hand, in his mind, in his heart. Something just out of sight cries with strain, metal crumpling. He fills his lungs and closes his eyes because if he has to keep looking at her face, he is going to do something truly terrible. Tells himself again that Hux will not be happy if he breaks the ship.

Blood starts to drip from his fingers. He listens and breathes and watches light and darkness eat each other alive. All precious. All irrelevant.

“You do not understand,” he whispers, shuddering, trying to shed the worst of it off like rain. “You are as alone as I am and you do not understand what I've done or why I’ve done it.”

She growls, the sound tiny. “So help me understand.”

That’s worth a smile so he gives her one, wondering what it looks like on his face. “Touch me. And I’ll show you.”

He says the words but it’s a shock when he hears her moving, a whisper of fabric and he opens his startled eyes just in time to see her reach out. He doesn’t even have time to flinch away before her fingers are locked against his throat, splaying in heated lines under his ear.

They both stiffen in shock. He feels her surprise, her fury that is already crumbling under the onslaught but it’s too late. His blood glitters with starlight and power and she smells of sunshine and dust. He can’t help it, grabs her by the back of the neck to pull her forehead to his. Her breath on his face. His on hers. Skin to skin everything surges, spilling.

Her touch is the only stability. His blood trickles, smears as he presses his lips to her ear in a fever.

“Snoke,” he whispers desperately, trying not to unravel because he did not expect her to do it, “wanted me broken for a reason. Over and over again, to keep me in place, to keep me on my knees. My master as Skywalker tried to be. Strong in the Dark because he studied it, immersed himself in it for years beyond counting. Courted it like a lover, gave it every sacrifice it asked for and more. And not once did he touch what I can do.”

“Stars. I feel. Everything,” she breathes. “All of it. Everywhere.”

“When I reach, this is what I see. This is what is.”

“What have you done?" Her thoughts are starting to tangle with his, even as her body sways into his or his into hers.

He moves his lips helplessly over her temple, the corner of her eye. “What I had to. Control. I will have control of this. I will have control of all of it. Someone who was there is dead. Someone who knew Ben. Knew me, as I was then. Chose me, as I was then. Followed me from the light into the dark because they believed. In me.”

His hand strokes hard down her side because he can do nothing else, even as her other hand slides helplessly into the gapped collar of his shirt, dragging heat and callus along his collarbone. So good. So right.

“Chose me, Rey. Three days dead because they tried to betray me and I... I tore them to pieces. And I am drinking because if I don’t smother this pain, I will crack this dreadnought apart by its seams because I didn’t want to do it and I am angry that it was necessary. And because I am drinking, I am remembering Han Solo and that the Dark cares only for sacrifices that mean something. And because I am drinking my walls are down and I can see what Skywalker saw in me and what Snoke wanted as he tore me apart and whatever he thought he knew, he wasn’t even close to it. This was a very calculated risk,” he breathes, “and you were not supposed to be here to give me a target for it.”

“Ben.”

“My name, Rey,” he hisses out between his teeth, nuzzling behind her ear, dragging his chin over the soft skin. “You are nothing and no one. No one ever wanted anything from you, because no one thought you capable of anything. You could go back to your desert tomorrow, disappear into the sands and no one would look for you or could find you if they did. Do what I couldn’t. Run.”

Her hand locks into his hair and he shudders. Run his cheek over hers obsessively, curls an arm hard around her waist to drag her yet closer. Her breath skitters over his collarbone, his throat, her fingers curling to scratch hard down his chest through the cloth and he wants her teeth, her mouth, the air she struggles for. If he kisses her, if they kiss… he distracts himself with the feel of her, hands grasping over and over. Hip, waist, the splay of her ribs under his spreading fingers. He expands out and pulls yet more in and starts to push it into her, everywhere they touch, faster and faster. The alcohol in his gut isn’t enough to hold this back.

“My grandfather was a Skywalker. As my mother is. And my father broke the record on the Kessel Run by threading a needle between two hungry singularities because the universe loved him just that much.” He closes his mouth over the hinge of her jaw because he can’t help it anymore and cannot tell whether the groan is his or hers. “I was born to this. For this. The Light told me I was supposed to care for nothing and I feel everything.”

She cries out, shoves him back and he lets her.

And there is still light on her hair but her eyes are wide and angry as he is angry and her mouth is nearly snarling.

“Tell me my name,” he growls.

“Kylo Ren,” she shudders back.

“They chose me and they still died. And you... you didn't even do that much. If it's necessary to kill you too, I will.”

“I know. I feel it. You don’t feel sorry for yourself at all, do you?”

He swallows and of course she is gone.

He shudders and his eyes are black. He reaches out and the floor buckles, heaving up.

He stops short of breaching the windows at least.

#fanfiction #fracture

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angsty-nerd · 5 years ago

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Fictober #6

I really didn’t think I’d get there today... with all the RNM content coming out of NYCC I’ve been just overwhelmed today. But I decided late this evening, since I took tomorrow off work, to give it a try, and now here I am with 45 min to spare! WHEW!

#6. “Yes, I’m aware. Your point?”

Roswell, NM fanfic

Gen, post S1. Rosa & Liz Ortecho, Kyle Valenti, Isobel Evans, Michael Guerin

Liz was always trying to be perfect. At least, that was the teenage Liz Ortecho that Rosa remembered. Her hair was always perfectly straight, often pulled back to ensure that it stayed out of her face. She never broke the rules, always did her homework, and got perfect grades. On her worst days, Rosa found Liz to be tedious and looked for ways to poke holes in her perfect image. There were a lot of those bad days. Too many bad days.

On her better days, Rosa knew that her sister was destined for great things. Better things. Roswell, New Mexico would never be able to contain a force like Liz Ortecho. She was guaranteed to leave this sleepy town. She was going to change the world.

Rosa didn't quite know what to make of the real Liz Ortecho. She was still a force of nature. Rosa had watched her cry and fight, heartbreak and anger all mixed together when she saw Max's body. But once her initial reaction was over, she rubbed the tears from her eyes and went straight to work, stripping his clothes off and smearing his body with silver goop from head to toe.

This is a Liz Ortecho who thinks fast and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty.

It wasn't long before Izzy and Michael Guerin came running into the cave. They both froze at the scene in front of them, but Liz didn't even let them react.

"Help me get him in the pod!" she ordered.

"Liz…" Michael started, but she wouldn't let him speak.

"Don't argue with me. I have a plan. We need to get him in stasis. NOW."

And that was it. There was no more arguing. Izzy and Michael just moved to Liz's side, and the three of them worked together to lift Max's body and push it into the pod.

It was like the fight went out of her once Max was settled in the pod. She fell to knees in front of the pod, the tears slipping from her eyes again as she reached out and pressed a hand to the pod's surface.

Michael and Izzy just stood and watched from a few feet away. Tears were running down Izzy's cheeks as well, but Michael just looked stone faced. Rosa shivered at the cold, angry look in his eyes. Something felt wrong with him, but she didn't quite know what.

Rosa stepped past them, pulling the blanket tighter around her body so that she could lean down and try to extract her sister from her position of mourning in front of the pod. Thankfully it worked. Only a soft nudge from Rosa and Liz was back on her feet, hugging Rosa tightly. Rosa could feel as her sister's breathing began to settle, and finally, when she seemed calm enough, Rosa quietly asked, "Why don't you tell us about the rest of your plan?"

Again, Liz wiped her face clean before turning to the others. "Michael, can you move the pod with your powers?"

Michael narrowed his eyes, and for a second, Rosa thought he was going to say something rude. Instead she leapt to the side with a frightened gasp as the pod lifted up in the air a few feet and started floating towards the cave exit.

"No problem." Michael called back to Liz.

"Good. Load him into your truck and take him to your pod cave. Noah said that his pod was defective, which is why he went insane and started murdering people. I want Max out of that pod and into one of your functional ones as soon as possible."

"Good call." Michael agreed.

"Isobel, Rosa… help me pack up anything remotely useful or alien looking in here. We'll take it with us to the other cave. I never want to see this place again."

As they were bringing their last load to the car, Rosa noticed something in Liz's car just kept ringing. Like a little Christmas bell.

"Do you hear that?" Rosa asked, wondering what it was and why nobody was stopping it.

"Just my phone." Liz said dismissively. "Somebody is lighting it up with text messages. It's fine. I'll get it later. What we're doing is way more important."

"If you say so!" Rosa agreed, as it rang a few more times.

"Get in the car, we've got to go." Liz ordered and she jumped into the front seat while Izzy slipped into the back. They barely had the doors closed before Liz had the engine running and the car moving.

Rosa heard the noise again, louder this time, and noticed a little flat device sitting in the cup holder. "Is that your phone?" Liz confirmed. "Can I stop the ringing?"

"Yeah." Liz agreed. "The passcode is your birthday, 6 digits. Just let me know who’s texting like crazy."

Rosa punched in the numbers and the phone opened directly to a list of messages.

"It looks like… new messages from Kyle and Maria. Both. Liz. Please don't tell me you're still dating Kyle Valenti?" Rosa asked with a laugh. She didn't know how long had passed, but from the look of each of the people she had seen so far, she was certain that a significant amount of time had passed.

"I'm not." Liz said softly. "I'm with Max."

Rosa wanted to kick herself. Of course Liz was with Max. That reaction wasn't the kind of grief you have for a casual friend.

Another ring sounded and a new message popped up.

"Kyle." Rosa announced.

"What does it say?" Liz asked.

"He says the lack of response is starting to worry him. He just needs to know if you're okay. No burst stitches or infection…Liz, are you hurt!?"

"I'm fine!" Liz insisted. "Just got cut a bit last night. Had to have Kyle come stitch me up. It's no big deal. I'll call him when we stop."

"Liz, how close did my husband come to killing you?"

Rosa and Liz both froze. Isobel had been so quiet that they had forgotten she was there.

"It's okay, Isobel. Just a flesh wound. He got me with a knife when he escaped from the freezer. Kyle patched me up and I'm going to be fine."

Another ring interrupted them

"Maria?" Liz asked. "What does she say."

"She says she needs her girlfriend now to come talk and to stop ignoring her and get down to the Wild Pony. She says that… oh. Guerin kissed her and then ran off."

"Shit." Liz grumbled. "What the hell am I supposed to do with that? It's not like I can tell her that Michael ran off because his psychic alien connection with Max went nuts and he felt Max die resurrecting my dead sister." Liz let out a loud, angry laugh.

She suddenly stopped the car. Rosa looked around. It just seemed like they were in the middle of the desert, but then again, so did their first location.

"Will you start taking things into the cave? I should call Kyle back."

Rosa took one of the big pots full of silver goo from the trunk and followed Izzy to the cave. When they turned to go back for more, Rosa almost walked straight into Liz, who was walking into the cave.

“Everything ok with Kyle?” Rosa asked.

“Yeah,” Liz said, her voice distracted as her eyes drifted to Max’s pod. “We’re going to meet him at his place after we’re done here.” Liz explained. “Where’s Michael?”

“He was already gone when we got here.” Isobel said, “I think he’s spiraling.”

“At least he took care of Max before running off.” Liz pointed out.

His sister rolled her eyes. “That was the least he could do.”

Once the car was unloaded, Liz took Isobel home and, as she indicated earlier, headed to Kyle’s house. Rosa wondered what kind of a man her half brother by birth had grown into. The kind of man who gives a girl stitches and then worries about it all the next day. She wondered if either of her siblings knew about her secret Valenti bloodline. She was still getting used to the idea before… well, before whatever had happened. Liz couldn’t have been serious when she said ‘resurrect’ after all.

Her sister pulled her car up to the curb in front of a small house in a unfamiliar subdivision, probably because it was new. Liz turned off the engine and turned to Rosa.

“Can you adjust the blanket so that your face is hidden?” Rosa nodded and then shifted the blanket around to make a headwrap to cover her face and hair. “This good?” She asked.

“Yeah.” Liz affirmed. “So, Kyle is going to be pretty shocked to see you. Happy, but shocked. I want to prep him a bit. Would you mind coming up and hanging back a bit while I talk? Then we’ll go in. No one can see your face though, until we’re safe inside.”

“Got it,” Rosa agreed

Liz lead Rosa up the walkway to the house. Halfway there, Kyle flung the front door open, and Rosa had to quickly duck and hide her face.

“What the hell, Liz? Yesterday was insane, you almost died, and then just… nothing? Radio silence for almost a whole day? And who is this?”

“It’s just been nonstop, Kyle. A lot has happened since I saw you last. Hey, before we come in. Remember that conversation we had yesterday while you were stitching me up? About that thing that Noah told me, but you already knew?”

“That Rosa was my sister? Yes, I’m aware. Your point?”

Liz didn’t even need to gesture at her . Rosa stepped a little closer to her sister and lowered the wrap away from her face so that Kyle could see just enough to know it’s her. His eyes widened, mouth dropped open, and he was speechless for about a split second before it was like something important crossed his mind and he ushered them inside.

“Rosa…” Kyle gaped. “How is this possible.”

“My idiot alien boyfriend decided that I was better off with her than with him, it seems.” Liz replied dryly. “Now I get back the person that I’ve missed the most for the last 10 years, but in exchange I lose the person that I’ve just fallen in love with. Max is lying dead in an alien pod right now. Unless we can figure out how to revive him like he revived Rosa. You’ll help, right?”

“Of course.”

“10 years?” Rosa suddenly burst out. “Well, shit. No wonder you made me hide my face! Kyle, any chance you have some, like, shorts and a T-shirt I can borrow? I’m getting real sick of wearing nothing but this blanket.”

“Yeah, no problem,” Kyle agreed. “I’ll go dig something out. And then I want to check your wound, Liz. And I should probably do a quick check on you too, Rosa, to make sure nothing’s wrong. Sound good?”

Kyle disappeared down the hallway and Rosa took advantage of the opportunity to speak to her sister. “So you already knew? About my birth father?”

“I did,” Liz confirmed.

“I’m not even an Ortecho.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course you are.”

“Papi and I aren’t related at all.”

“Rosa, listen to me. Papi raised you. Papi loves you. Papi has mourned you every day that you’ve been gone. He prays for you during Día de Muertos every year. Your picture stays on the wall in the Crashdown kitchen. Jim Valenti may have been your blood, but you are an Ortecho. We’re family.”

Kyle's voice echoed down from the hallway, “Okay Rosa, I laid some options out for you in the bedroom. Just grabbing some supplies to check Liz, and I’ll be out of your way.”

“You just happened to add a pretty kick ass brother now too.” Liz added with a smile, pushing Rosa towards the hallway.

#rnm gen fanfic #fictober19 #my fanfic #liz ortecho #rosa ortecho

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steve0discusses · 6 years ago

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Yugioh S2 Ep 43: Things Get a Lot Less Vague, But it’s Still Pretty Vague

I’m taking full advantage of the laziest time of the year and I’m watching even more Yugioh. I even gave myself a buffer. Sort of. I kinda lost a day playing Octopath Traveler and I don’t even remember that happening.

Now this episode doesn’t have anyone getting struck by lightning, but if that happened, it would have fit right in. A lot happened in this episode. So, to start off, Mai decided to play one of the three cards we were given explicit instructions to never ever play and it has immediately screwed her over via orb.

Everyone else watching the orb has become completely enamored by it. Especially Kaiba, who is pretty positive he can turn this sphere into a dragon. I don’t know why anyone would ever come to this conclusion, but welcome to Yugioh, it’s well into S2 and I’m just still jaw agape and saying “HOW?” at my screen.

Like y’all I don’t know how to play this game, which should be hella apparent from reading any of my posts, but like there is one thing that everyone knows--even I knew--about Yugioh the game. Let me just, once sec

Ah, there we go.

Like sometimes it shows that your game is originally in a language that doesn’t require spaces between words. And like this is coming from me. You know how verbose I am, I freakin love words. But maybe that’s too many words for a card.

(read more under the cut)

And while this is pretty much the worlds most BS card already, what’s even better is that none of this jargon appeared until after Mai played the card. Like basically the card pretends to be completely normal and then is like “Boom, gotcha. I’ll just be a cool Ikea orb lamp instead!”

At this point, while everyone is scrambling around trying to fathom what to do about this huge ass fake sun blinding everyone down in Domino, Marik decides to deposit some more bizarre lore.

I kind of assumed Yugi and Kaiba were born with the correct soul formula to become the reincarnation of these people from 3000 B.C.E. without any actual blood relations but apparently, somehow, you got people from Ancient Egypt migrating to Ancient Japan. Sure, I mean if you did enough trading routes it could happen. It just seems like it would be a difficult transition?

And we could get real head canon and talk about their parentage since there’s a lot we don’t know. Mokuba and Kaiba could have different fathers, since they are quite different looking, which may be how Mokuba is exempt from all this lore while it still applies to Seto (Cuz Mokuba has been staring at that card for like quite a while and he cannot read it). But like, I don’t know if the show will even bother to cover that.

I don’t know if we’ll find out when in their bloodlines Kaiba and Yugi’s Egyptian cursed lines arrived in Japan. Was this during like the Edo period? Was this to set up a really bizarre Shogun Yugioh spinoff?

Wait, is that a thing? I don’t actually know, Yugioh seems to have like 8 spinoffs that all look a lot of the same to me. It may just be 1 spinoff that Netflix keeps changing the preview image of to trick me into thinking there’s 8 of them.

Or, did Kaiba have a relative that showed up in the 80′s and had a crazy weekend and a one night stand? Would Kaiba even know who his real Dad is?

Whatever, I’m sure there’s plenty of fanfic made over the last 20 years to cover this so I don’t have to. Moving on.

And then this kid’s show decided to tie up Mai to a wall or something? Man, Marik and chaining people up, this is the fourth person he’s chained up today! At least this time she doesn’t have a box over her head.

Still pretty kinky though.

Yo did Mokuba just...casually walk out of Marik’s Shadow Realm just now?

Again, do they cancel the game at this point because the equipment is...clearly malfunctioning? Like, this is the part that Kaiba is supposed to have full control of because he made all the equipment they’re using and he’s just...glossing over this? Like, this is the one thing that Kaiba would be like “OK wait, wait, we can’t ship it like this, my company is actually ruined if the game can do this, one sec, cancel everything.”

Nah. They just kinda watch.

And now, Marik decides to say the bird chant so we can hear what was actually written on the card and it was...a...

...it was the definition of what a poem is all right...

This is the lyrics to the Ra poem, just so you can see how bad it is. My search engine history will never be the same, but I just want y’all to glory on how kid’s show this poem is, compared to everything else going on in this kid’s show at this moment.

"Great beast of the sky, please hear my cry./

Transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight/

Envelop the desert with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe./

Unlock your powers deep within so that together we may win./

Appear in this Shadow Game as I call your name,/

Winged Dragon of Ra"

Bravo, writers. Bravo. This corny as hell poem with its very awkward meter was voiced over alllllll the other nuts stuff going on in this show and guys, it’s a juxtaposition.

Now at this point, Kaiba has his poem he needs to make the card works--so he no longer needs to translate it--so he can just cancel. He’s got everything he wants now. Time to just cancel. Throw the cursed boy in whatever prison you got on this ship. In fact, just toss him off the ship entirely. You no longer need him. He doesn’t even have the card anymore. Mai has it.

I honestly think Kaiba just spaced the hell out at this point.

Also then Marik follows it up by saying this:

Joey gets wind that this is pretty bad and we’re going to get a very dead Mai--I mean Joey was the one who just recently got struck by lightning so it’d make sense that he’d be the one to say "I know for a real true fact none of you are going to do a damn thing about this unless I do this myself.” So he runs directly over to Kaiba but then I think the show decided to edit out him talking to Kaiba because it just jump cuts to Joey talking to Roland instead.

Like it really felt like Joey went the long way around to get on this platform but I dunno, maybe he tried to punch Kaiba in the Japanese version and that’s why they edited it out? I dunno.

Also, how many times will Joey get DQ’d before he actually gets DQ’d? Will anyone ever in fact get DQ’d in this entire tourney?

As Ra starts warming up his engines to start spewing fire all over the field, Joey decides to take a moment to try and talk to Mai. To tell her that yes, he did have a dream about her, but didn’t want to tell her earlier, because no teenage boy in their right mind would tell an adult woman that they had a dream about them during a near-death experience.

Which honestly most of it was lost on the fact that Mai can only hear him as a sort of ghostly spooky echo.

So then, through the power of...the show only calls if friendship, but it’s very vague, y’all...they break the curse that Marik put on Mai, and she remembers Joey. Also because Joey is touching her face. Like literally touching her. This would have been way spookier if she could not see him at this point.

So Ra is getting ready to fry these two up and I thought “wow, we’re gonna get two bodies at the end of this episode. What a treat!” but there’s a twist.

What? Lol what?

Within like 3 milliseconds, Yugi goes “dammit what are these assholes doing?” and leaps up to the platform and then takes yet another direct fireball hit in order to save Joey Wheeler. No one even asked Yugi to do this--he’s not even competing in this game, but he certainly got up there and took it.

This episode must have been a right up shipping frenzy when y’all were 12.

Marik is so pleased that he got to eff up Yugi more in this duel than the one that he actually tried to kill Yugi Muto in. If I remember correctly he did mention that this all was very convenient--I mean he got 3 in one go and he wasn’t even trying. So, Because Yugi is passed out and because Kaiba will never actually step in and stop anyone in this show unless Mokuba orders him to, Marik walks straight up to Joey and Mai and makes some more nonsense right in front of everyone on this show.

This is right in front of most of the entire cast.

Maybe it’s the color scheme but I got strong Stinky Cheese Man vibes from this magic effect.

I thought of pulling more caps from this point but there was waaaay too much shirtless Yugi in it. In my mind, all cartoon characters, when they take their shirt off, have another shirt on underneath. And if they take off that shirt, it’s yet another shirt. It’s shirts and boots leggings on all the way down to infinity like a russian nesting doll, and the image of shirtless Yugi really puts a kibosh to my world view and I didn’t like it.

No kinkshame, of course, if that’s your thing, well, you got a 18x18 pixel shirtless Yugi right there for you to enjoy. Enjoy.

Now that Mai has been trapped here in this hourglass resort, she will lose her memories of her friends for the rest of time, obsessively watching everyone else's vacations that are full of friends having way more fun than she is having.

This is just Instagram basically. Y’all, this is just Instagram.

And some of y’alls Instagram has shirtless Yugis in it, I just know it.

And not to get too real but like, last episode we went through how Marik basically gave Mai depression--and it says a lot that his way of doing this was illustrated in a show written like 20 years ago in a lot of the same way social media works today. Just throwing that out there.

Overall, I feel like the theme of the Mai ark is “Marik just sped up what they were already doing and it was super effective.” Mai trapped herself in her own false and negative insecurities. Kaiba failed to moderate anything. Joey waited way too late to say the right thing. Yugi sacrificed himself again to such a degree that he couldn’t save Mai later when Marik was just strutting around cursing people willy nilly.

And I’m not going to lie, Marik’s cargo pants/cape strut was hilarious.

It was probably supposed to be menacing, but this long cut of this ridiculous cast just watching this weird boy go was great.

Up until now Seto has been a very patient impatient person, but now it’s finally his duel, and he’s so excited to duel Ishizu--but y’all it’s just Seto up against a phsycic again. I imagine it’s gonna go real great.

Other than that one guy in town, will this boy ever duel a normal person?

Also...been debating on whether Mai is dead or alive, and her soul still seems attached to her body--like she’s still salvageable? So I’ll say alive for now. Seems more like a dream than like she literally got transported elsewhere.

Dude. It is S2 and I just realized that Mai Valentine is a pun.

Damn.

If you just got here, this is the end of S2 and things are rapidly losing their mind. Click here if you want to read from ep 1

#yugioh #yugioh recap #photo recap #s2 ep43 #So like this season is almost over and nothing is getting resolved?#joey wheeler #mai valentine #yugi muto #seto kaiba #marik ishtar #How many times in one day can yugi Muto get hit with a fireball #Do not understand how this boy isn't in smash yet #mokuba #tea gardner #tristan taylor #I guess duke devlin was also here in the background

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jovialyouthmusic · 6 years ago

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Charlotte’s Choice

A Royal Romance AU fanfic

19 The Spider

Neville smarts from his humiliation, and Constantine takes stock of things.

@ao719 @agent-bossypants @andy-loves-corgis @sleepwalkingelite@boneandfur @blackcatkita @brightpinkpeppercorn @choicescommunity@darley1101 @drakewalkerrosenberg @debramcg1106 @fluffy-marshmallow-heart @goirishsunshine @gardeningourmet @katurrade @livingthroughchoices@likethetailofacomet @mrs-nazario @mind-reader1 @ooo-barff-ooo@silviasutton1989 @speedyoperarascalparty @zaffrenotes @missevabean@mrsdrakewalkerblog @cora-nova @missameliep @tanelle83 @endlessly-searching-for-you @jlouise88 @drakenazario @annekebbphotography@tabithacarlisle @furiousherringoperatortoad @notoriouscs @classylady1234@wickedgypsymoon @carabeth @choices-fangirl @indiana-jr @indiacater

Please let me know if you want to be tagged or untagged. For those of you that are busy writing, or don’t have time - you know where to find my Masterlist xx

19 The Spider

Charlotte was correct that her father would not insist on paperwork that night, as she had to take over the reins of power on his behalf as the reign of the Lord of Misrule ended. She had reluctantly left Drake in the maze to fulfil her duty, but she almost floated back to her suite after. Their meeting had been different from any other. She had found sanctuary in his arms and they had admitted their feelings for each other. There was no intimacy, no removal of clothing, no fumbling or frantic consummation. They stayed in the moment, enjoying each other’s company, without any thought of what might follow. There were kisses and embraces and soft touches, they were tender, and they spoke quietly, softly and remembered times gone.

‘Let’s make the most of being alone’ said Drake as they sat on the bench at the centre of the maze, Charlotte nestled into his side, his arm protectively holding her close. ‘Think - who would we be if were just ordinary people instead of being tangled up in this web of Royalty and nobility, with no obligations or ties?’ Charlotte giggled and thought for a while

‘Okay then, I’m… a waitress in a bar - In New York. She started ‘and one day you walk into my bar’ Drake grunted with approval.

‘Okay, and – I’m there with my best friend, and it’s his birthday. We have a couple of other guys with us’ He nudged the Princess and she continued.

‘You’re only visiting for a couple of days, and you’re out to see the sights. My bar is downtown close to all the clubs, where you plan to go next’ Drake squeezed her tighter

‘You come over to my table to take our order…’

‘Whiskey – the good stuff, you’re pushing out the boat for your friend.’

‘I order four glasses, but there’s only three of us’ Charlotte frowned but Drake went on ‘My friend appears, and you turn to see him. He’s a handsome devil, and charming with it’ Charlotte punched his shoulder.

‘Hey, it’s about you and me, not your friend’ He grinned

‘That’s the best part. He’s charming and handsome, but… you only have eyes for me. He’s pretty pissed but then he sees that I can’t take my eyes off you either and gives us his blessing.’ Charlotte laughed

‘Ordinary you is very modest, I can tell’ she said sarcastically

‘It’s my fantasy persona, I can be whatever I want to be’

‘Okay, we’re supposed to be ordinary, not fantasy figures’ she replied, ‘Otherwise I’d choose to be able to fly, or be invisible’ Drake stroked her cheek.

‘With you by my side, I feel like I can fly – and up till now I’ve been invisible’ he said softly. Charlotte smiled. The day had been one of laughter and friendship – and now, of love.

‘You’re impossible. But all that matters is that we’ve admitted our feelings, and we can move forward and find a way to be together, no matter how difficult it might seem right now’

Meanwhile, Neville smarted from his treatment in the court of Misrule. He wished Walker had hit him – he would most certainly have made him regret it, pressed charges and seen him serve a prison sentence if he could. If only he knew beforehand that it would have barred him from the list of suitors, he would have tried a lot harder to provoke him. The King would soon be announcing that two of the hopeful suitors would be dropped from the official list. After the day’s events he had no doubt that he would be one of them. At last the humiliation ended when the Princess symbolically took back power for the Rys dynasty, and he made his way back inside the Manor. He changed first, ripping off the hated dress with no thought for preserving it, then made his way to the study where the drinks cabinet was well stocked and unlocked for the use of any member of the court or their guests. Anton Severus sat in an easy chair by the window, glass of brandy in hand. Neville grabbed the bottle from the cabinet along with a glass and poured a large measure.

‘An unusual rule this time, don’t you think, Vancoeur?’ Anton asked casually. Neville knocked back a good mouthful of the liquor before answering.

‘It was a travesty’ he growled ‘That Englishman should be horsewhipped for his impudence. I highly doubt he really is an Earl’ Anton cast him a glance and indicated the chair next to him. Neville picked up the glass and bottle and joined him.

‘Unfortunately his claim to nobility is real’ he replied ‘I’ve looked into it myself. But you’re right, he shouldn’t get away with such disrespect to the nobility – and neither should his accomplice, the Princess’s pet’

‘Princess’s pet?’ questioned Neville

‘Oh yes, hadn’t you noticed the way she looked at Mr Walker today?’ he answered ‘The commoner managed to wheedle his way onto the list, and he should not be allowed to taint the Royal bloodline’ Neville cursed.

‘I came so close to getting him banned’ he spat ‘He was on the point of assaulting me when that upstart Earl stopped him’

‘Keep your voice down, Vancoeur.’ Anton continued. ‘I take it you are not a fan of the Englishman or the commoner Duke?’ Neville frowned

‘They should both be put in their proper place’ he growled

‘I agree. If things go on as they are, one of them is very likely to end up as Consort beside the Princess’ Neville’s face contorted with rage. Anton leaned toward him conspiratorially, his voice low.

‘Perhaps it’s time for the Rys dynasty to come to an end’ Neville’s eyebrows rose in shock.

‘That – that is treason, Lord Severus’ he hissed

‘Not if the claim to the throne is legitimate’ he replied coolly. ‘I am prepared on behalf of House Severus to take what is my rightful place’ Neville sat back in his chair, shocked to the core. They were alone in the study, but Anton still kept his voice low.

‘If I cannot win the hand of the Princess by fair means, I am quite prepared to use other methods’ He steepled his fingers together and fixed Neville with his gaze. ‘Those who support and aid me will be well rewarded with a role in Court befitting their station. No commoner will sully the workings of the Cordonian court, and there will be no counter claim to the throne’ Neville’s mouth open and closed but he was struck dumb for a good few minutes, then he extended his hand to Anton

‘I would be honoured to support you, Lord Severus’ he replied ‘In any way I can and any way you see fit’

The next day was busy for Charlotte yet again. There were more meetings, more diplomats to meet and greet, as Constantine planned to stay in his suite for the day. There was to be another formal dinner, which he planned to attend. At that formal dinner the two suitors who were least likely to succeed were to be announced and would be asked to withdraw from the process.

Charlotte went to the King’s bedroom after breakfast to discuss her options. An aide admitted her, and she entered to find him still dressed in pyjamas and dressing gown, sitting in an easy chair looking out of the window over the gardens. An empty chair was waiting for her, a coffee table nearby with refreshments. Constantine gestured to the coffee pot without turning to look at her.

‘Pour some will you?’ he said distractedly, and dutifully Charlotte went over to oblige. ‘Oh my dear I’m sorry, I thought it was Jeffrey’ he said ‘but perhaps it is fitting for you to serve your father’

‘It’s no trouble Father’ she replied, ‘How are you this morning?’ She examined his features for signs of illness. He did indeed look pale and his face had accrued more lines, possibly from enduring pain or discomfort, or just lack of proper sleep.

‘Weak’ he said ‘but I shall be able to attend tonight’s dinner. Please, sit and report on the happenings at the Apple fair and tell me who you consider should be dropped from the suitors’ list.’ Charlotte poured herself a glass of water and sat.

‘Well Father, as you know, since I last reported to you, I have had both Lord Delacoeur and Tariq assist me with official paperwork, and you saw for yourself what an excellent job Lord Brad and Duke Walker made of the Apple Fair festivities’ The King made a dismissive gesture.

‘It’s hardly doing ‘an excellent job’ by making half of the Royal Court uncomfortable by making them cross dress my dear’ Charlotte gritted her teeth.

‘From a male perspective perhaps’ she replied ‘But a lot of women found the experience liberating, and in my opinion, many of the Court need to be reminded that their station in life is not to be taken for granted. Taking them out of their comfort zone was a good experience, on balance.’ Constantine nodded begrudgingly

‘A valid viewpoint, and I did notice that Lord Bradly wore the cloak and crown very well and conducted himself in an exemplary fashion. However, I do think that choice of the highland kilt as a costume was a significant bending of the cross dressing rule – what had he to learn from it?’

‘You forget Father, he was born a commoner, as was Duke Walker. They already knew what it was to be outside the regard of the Court’ Constantine looked at her sharply

‘Again, a very valid point. I do believe you are living up to the challenge of leadership my dear, just as I had hoped. However, Bastein has informed me that Lord Neville was not happy with the events of the day and lodged an official complaint regarding his treatment in the Court of Misrule’ Charlotte swallowed.

‘It was all within the spirit of Misrule’ she replied ‘Lord Maxwell was happy to comply with the cross dressing and wore exactly the same as Lord Neville’ Constantine put his hand to his forehead, frowning and massaging it.

‘Lord Maxwell is a remarkable young man, though he does not take life very seriously. However, I accept your observation and will not permit Lord Neville to pursue his complaint. Now I must ask for your assessment of Lord Neville and Tariq’s assistance regarding the official papers I gave you’

‘I believe I already reported on Lord Neville’ she replied ‘He was more concerned with matters regarding nobility and gave no regard whatsoever to the needs of the common people. I don’t think he would make a good Consort. Tariq was not at all helpful - he only spoke of trivial matters and didn’t offer to even read the documents I was working on.’ Constantine nodded

‘A fair assessment, you understand very well who might be useful to you and who might not. Do you believe either of them should remain as candidates for Consort?’ Charlotte inwardly cheered, but stayed calm, pausing before answering.

‘No Father, I do not’ Constantine steepled his fingers.

‘If you will my dear, please tell me your opinion of the remainder of the candidates. Rashad and Milo, to begin with.’ Charlotte composed herself again, considering her words before she spoke.

‘I believe Rashad has a good head for business, though I don’t know how he would fare as far as governance is concerned. Lord Milo is exactly the opposite, I believe he has an excellent head for governance, but I don’t know how well versed he is in economics. As far as keeping a good balance between nobility and the common people, I believe both of them favour nobility…’ here Constantine interrupted.

‘The common people? Have I ever indicated to you that that subject is important to your role or that of your Consort?’ Charlotte coloured. A few weeks ago, she would have caved under her Father’s displeasure, but now she felt stronger, more assured.

‘It is something that’s important to me, Father’ she asserted ‘If the people are happy, there is less chance of unrest and dissent. Cordonia is the only remaining absolute Monarchy in Europe, and I feel it might be time to move with the times and give a voice to ordinary people.’ Constantine’s face was impassive.

‘And how do you see yourself achieving that, my dear?’

‘I think that admitting commoners to the Council would be a start’ she replied. She didn’t dare tell him that she wanted to go further and reform Cordonia, plant the seeds for the Monarchy to give over some power to an elected government.

‘And who would decide who those commoners might be? He asked. Charlotte faltered.

‘I - of course it would have to be voted on by the Council’

‘Who are all nobles and will not gladly give over power to those they consider beneath them’

‘Not all are against hearing the voice of the people’ she said, less sure of herself now.

‘Name anyone who is, my dear’ he persisted.

‘I – I’m afraid I can’t’ she admitted, unwilling to name anyone for fear of her Father intimidating them if he wanted to, and having a sketchy idea anyway.

‘Cannot, or will not?’ he answered, then sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead again with his thumb and forefinger ‘Charlotte, you are showing signs of being a passable monarch. You must know the thoughts and wishes of all under you who wield power, so you can stay one step ahead of them. You need advisers and – and spies, for want of a better term. I believe you need schooling in these matters and have some plans in place for that already. In the meantime, I wish to know your opinion of the remainder of the suitors.’ Charlotte steeled herself again.

‘I know you favour Lord Severus due to his ancient lineage’ she started ‘He is charming, but I don’t know his thoughts or abilities beyond archery, sailing and horsemanship, and am interested to see how he will perform when he assists me in the study tonight.’ She paused, but her Father said nothing ‘Lord Maxwell was extremely helpful in the study and took a lot of paperwork off my hands to my surprise, but my fear is that he is too young and carefree to take the role of Consort seriously. Lord Bradley is also charming, and his claim to nobility has been confirmed. He is new to Cordonia, and I have no idea how he will perform in your test.’ Constantine interrupted

‘Remember, dear girl, that Bradley has potential links with the British Monarchy now – which increases his suitability for the role’ Charlotte’s stomach knotted but she smiled and continued.

‘That may be so, Father but Duke Walker is the person I know the best. I know he shares my ideas as to governance and would make a good representative for ordinary people. He knows the country well and is well versed in protocol’ At last Constantine spoke.

‘And how might he perform when it comes to trade, or economics, or diplomacy?’ Charlotte coloured, but before she could answer, her Father continued ‘And what does your heart tell you my dear? Who might you wish to spend your time with if you had no responsibilities?’ Charlotte was almost struck dumb.

‘I - Father, you’ve never asked me that before’ she managed to stammer. He nodded.

‘It is an important factor’ he answered. ‘If your Consort lives up to all my other criteria, but you cannot bear to be in the same room as him, that will be a problem. No matter how you might try to hide it, people will notice. That was the advice I was given by my own father, and I have been lucky. Both your Mother and Regina were dear to my heart, though they did not have the importance to the Monarchy that your Consort will.’ He sighed again and his face clouded.

‘I cannot do more for now my dear, I must rest if I am to make the announcement tonight. I take it that Lord Vancoeur and Tariq are the ones you wish to be dropped from the list of suitors?’ Charlotte nodded, relieved. Constantine reached out his hand to hers and squeezed it. ‘Then think about what I have said. Believe it or not, I will consider what your heart says to you amongst the criteria you are to apply. Go now, and I will see you at dinner’ Charlotte bent to kiss her Father’s hand and left him to rest.

As the Manor was the summer home of the Royal Family, none of the suitors had the right to sit next to Charlotte at the head table, but as Drake had no lands and has spent many summers there, he was awarded the privilege. Lady Olivia sat next to Drake, and of course the King was there. Maxwell and Brad (afforded a higher position by association with Olivia) sat on the next table down with Lady Kiara and Lady Penelope. Maxwell’s brother Bertrand sat with Anton, Lady Caroline and her sister Margaret. Rashad sat at a table with Milo, his sister Madeleine (who apart from Lady Kiara had the dubious reputation of not having slept with Drake) and their mother Adelaide, who kept throwing heated glances at Maxwell, causing him to squirm uncomfortably whenever he noticed. Tariq and Neville sat with the notorious Montpelier twin sisters, and there were ten or so other tables, all taken with notable worthy bastions of the Court and Council of nobles.

Drake sat back looking at the assembled nobles, thinking that nothing had been learned from the previous day. Here were all the stuffy nobles filling their faces with fancy food and expensive wines, oblivious to the needs of ordinary citizens. He was complicit in it all, sitting at the top table with Charlotte – but she was a victim of circumstance. She hadn’t asked to be born into privilege and power and could not easily break out of it. He remembered the little fantasy they had imagined together, of being free and ordinary. How he wished it were true, that they were miles away from this place and able to be together without duty or obligations. He had had the chance of leaving to go to University in the States only a few years ago, but he could not leave her to the mercy of the Court and her Father. She said she was growing up – and he had to do the same, not just go day after day taking the status quo for granted. He had to step up to the mark, be the man she needed.

If he was Consort, he could start to change things, work on laws that benefitted common people, campaign for reform, for ordinary people to be involved in the running of the country. It had happened in neighbouring countries and Cordonia was the last stronghold of an absolute Monarchy. He feared they would have to change, or there would be consequences.

The meal progressed smoothly, and Drake noted that Charlotte made a good effort to include him in the dinner conversation, as his nature was to remain silent and observe. He realised it was in order for him to make a good impression on Constantine. Although he had been included in the list in order to feed the King information on the other suitors, it had been a while since he had been called upon to do so.

The time came for the King’s speech, and he stood, tapping his glass for silence.

‘Lords and Ladies of Cordonia, my daughter and I thank you for your attendance tonight. As you all know, the hand of my daughter in marriage is promised this social season, and the candidates have all made very good efforts to win her affections. But only one person can become Consort, and tonight I must eliminate two contenders.’ He paused and looked around the assembly of people.

‘I must ask all of the suitors to stand’ he commanded, waiting for them all to comply. ‘It is with regret that I have to tell you all that Tariq and Lord Neville Vancoeur will not be taking any further part in the selection process’ Tariq looked downcast, but Neville kept a stoic expression, and there was a short hum of conversation before the King spoke again. ‘It is your choice, gentlemen, as to whether you wish to continue to accompany the Court for the remainder of the Social Season or withdraw. However you will of course be welcome to attend the Coronation Ball when the Queen in Waiting will announce who will rule with her as Prince Consort. You may all sit, gentlemen. Dinner is over, but you are welcome to stay for drinks. I will retire for the night, but Charlotte will answer any questions you may have. That is all, thankyou’ Constantine bowed, and made his apologies to Olivia, drawing Drake aside.

‘I’d like to talk to you in my study, young man. Please tell Lord Bradley that I also wish to talk with him after you. Be there in ten minutes please.’ Drake bowed, his stomach knotting as he turned to find Brad. Together they made their way to the study while Charlotte watched them go with trepidation.

‘What do you think he wants?’ asked Brad

‘I don’t know, maybe it’s about the Lord of Misrule’

‘Then why ask to talk to you first, and not the both of us together?’ mused Brad.

‘Well there’s only one way to find out’ said Drake as they came to the door. Bastien stood guard and nodded to the two men.

‘His Majesty is expecting you, Walker’ he stated.

‘Good luck brother’ said Brad, and grabbed Drake’s elbow, his forearm lined up so Drake in turn grabbed his elbow. Drake looked surprised at the term ‘brother’ but accepted it, his grip firm. With his other hand, Brad slapped him on the back and Drake gave him a grateful glance before he turned to go in.

The King was sitting at his desk.

‘Walker’ he said, gesturing to the seat in front of the desk ‘Please sit. I don’t want to have to crane my neck to talk to you’ Drake sat obediently, waiting for Constantine to speak again. ‘I expect you’re wondering why I called you’ he said

‘Yes your Majesty’ answered Drake nervously. The King shuffled some papers in front of him.

‘You will recall, Walker, that I permitted you access to the list of suitors on the condition that you report to me on any information that might be of interest to me concerning the other suitors’

‘Yes, your Majesty, I…’ Drake was about to give an account of himself, but Constantine raised his hand to silence him.

‘You may also have noticed that I have not called upon you to do so for some time’ he continued. ‘Why do you think that is?’ Drake was nonplussed

‘I’m not sure, your Majesty – perhaps you were satisfied with what your other sources were telling you’ Constantine smiled.

‘So you think I have other sources?’ Drake opened his mouth but again had no chance to speak ‘You are correct of course, in my position I need to know everything about everything’ He sat back but kept his eyes on Drakes. ‘I am not stupid, Walker, I have noticed that you and my daughter share some affection. That is only to be expected as you grew up together. Please, don’t try to deny it. Do not speak.’ Drake felt his face burning red and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

‘I am not a monster, Walker, I do have some affection for my daughter, but she bears a heavy responsibility to her country. She has to find a balance between duty and affection, as did I in my time. You will be surprised that I am not against the idea of Charlotte and you being together – but you must be up to the job of taking care of our country as well. What do you have to say for yourself in that matter?’ Drake steeled himself, knowing that he must make a good impression on the King.

‘Your Majesty, I may not have been born here, but Cordonia is my home and has given me everything I have, and my father gave his life for it. I may lack some knowledge in how to run the country, but I know enough to recognise those who have that capability, and I believe that power should be shared, not piled on to the shoulders of one person, or two, no matter how well trained or capable they may be. You know that life is precarious, and there is the danger of the country collapsing if the one person wielding absolute power should fall. If I was to find myself beside Charlotte, I would find good counsel and share the responsibilities of power.’ Constantine remained stony faced through Drake’s account. He steepled his index fingers together before replying

‘Thankyou Duke Walker, you have made your position clear. You have my approval to continue to court my daughter with the other suitors, and if you should happen to discover anything of significance about any of them, you will come to me and tell me so. Please tell Lord Bradley I will see him now.’ Drake bowed and left the room. Brad raised his eyebrows in question.

‘It’s cool Brad, his Majesty will see you now. I can wait for you if you like’ offered Drake. Brad nodded, looking nervous

‘I’d appreciate that, but if I’m too long, take yourself off and have a stiff whiskey for me’ He straightened his tie and entered the study.

Inside the study, the King waited patiently like a spider waiting to feel the vibrations feeding back to him though the threads of his web. He regarded the young Englishman with interest. Lady Olivia had been bold to bring him to Cordonia. He had seen the furtive looks she had given the young man and knew what it meant. Brad was a game changer, an interesting new piece on the chessboard of his world. He had so little time to assure the future of his country and the happiness of his daughter, if that were possible.

‘So, Bradley de Montford, I believe I have to address you as Sir now that your claim has been approved’ he said. ‘What a pity you had not claimed earlier, you might have been able to find favour in the English Court before you came here’ The young man faced him with a cool expression. He had seen this before, noticed how calm he was under pressure, giving nothing away. His bearing was worthy of nobility, he looked the part the moment he appeared at the Masked Ball. He was a natural, born to lead men though he had not had the opportunity.

‘I wasn’t in a position to make a claim, your Majesty. I have Lady Olivia to thank for that’ he replied. ‘She has been very generous’ Constantine kept his expression neutral. Brad was nailing his colours to the mast, expressing his gratitude toward the Nevrakis woman from the start. Perhaps that would be useful rather than a hindrance.

‘I must congratulate you on your handling of the Lord of Misrule’ he said, ‘I was glad I made the right choice’ Brad’s expression flickered

‘The right choice, your Majesty?’ he asked.

‘Yes, I made sure you were the one to win the privilege. You don’t think the Court would vote for a foreigner to have sway over them, do you?’ Now the young man could not mask his surprise. ‘you handled it very well, though I needed the counsel of my daughter to make me realise how very clever it was, ensuring that the Court were ‘taken out of their comfort zone’ as the saying goes. Lord Neville in particular was very much affected, though I fear that was a negative outcome.’

‘I – that wasn’t my intention’ the young man replied, his cool façade cracking under the king’s scrutiny.

‘You are either lying, young man, or you are a natural at getting people just where you want them. Tell me, what was your intention?’

‘I wanted – to shake things up’ Brad replied, trying to regain his composure. ‘I wanted the court not to take their position for granted’

‘And you succeeded. You may not have realised how dangerous that might have been – you are dealing with men who have power, not a bunch of drunken bar patrons.’ The young man swallowed, and Constantine went on.

‘You have great potential, Sir Bradley. If you were not a foreigner, I would be pleased to see you win my daughter’s hand.’ He saw the shock on his face, knew that was not what he was seeking ‘You may still have a role in my country’s future whether you succeed or not. If you choose to leave, I can see you being successful in your own country if you apply yourself.’ He sat back, suddenly tired. ‘Thankyou for coming, Sir Bradley’ he said, ‘You may leave now.’

And the spider became quiet, sitting waiting for the thrumming of another thread…

#drake walker #drake x mc #drake x liam #the royal romance #choices the royal romance #trr #choices trr #trr drake #trr choices #trr fanfic

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spaceasianmillennial · 6 years ago

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One-shot: Bridger on Krownest

A/N: I like playing with the Trizra ship for comedic purposes, but this is the first fanfic that plays with it seriously. Again, much like my other work “Historian of Clan Wren”, which focused on Alrich Wren, a running gag gets converted into a serious idea.

Bridger did not meet his eyes. Instead, the homeward bound Jedi just kept his eyes on the smoke from the tea. And out of pure curiosity pat the tip of his gloved finger on the snowball sitting on the tea and crumbling into the heat of the tea.

“It’s a Krownest tea. Brewed in Krownest pines. We drink the essence of Krownest in the leaves and snow.” And as if reciting an old pledge, Tristan continued, “So we can remember we come from its soils.”

Twinkles of ice lingered on Bridger’s gloved finger. “Sooooooo...” Bridger’s mouth curled into a conversational smile, searching for the words. “Like, you drink a part of your legacy?” He rubbed his fingers to wipe off the ice, and they brushed off in shines.

“Yeah, you have to keep maintaining it. A diet of your heritage.”

Bridger took a sip, lips brushing the snowball in his cup. Judging by the way he flinched, Tristan suspected Bridger’s tongue did not agree with that tea at all.

“Ezra Bridger, I told Sabine this, but I haven’t told you this, I am sorry with what happened with Kanan Jarrus. I regret I didn’t get to know him more.”

Bridger smacked his lips, as if swallowing the remaining drops of tea. “He was the finest teacher. He did what he had to do. Though still, if I had known, I would have tried to find a way to bring him home, to me, to Hera, to the little boy Jacen I have yet to meet, a way where he didn’t have to do such a sacrifice, but sometimes you can’t fight the Force.” A sadness passed in Ezra’s eyes.

“He deserved to still be there, and still be your teacher.”

“He does.”

Tristan rubbed his beard. “My mother was, well, is my teacher. So is my father, though I often took his lessons for granted though. But there were other teachers, other relatives, that I lost through the years.” Tristan sipped the bitterness of the tea. He also remembered, with conflict, there was a time where Gar Saxon was an affectionate teacher. “They made their sacrifices but if only there were there today, growing old.”

Outside, gunfire rung. Ezra flinched, his hand trailing at his belt as if reaching for a saber, though he did not have a saber.

“Don’t worry, it’s Mother and Sabine doing target practice like the good ole’ days. It was something they did together.” He paused, his nostril taking in the tea. “I used to be so jealous of her, because Sabine was to be Chieftain.”

“And look at where you are now, Count.” Ezra teased. “So, you’re Count Chief Tristan Wren or something?”

Wise Jedi, Tristan thought, and still that annoying wisemouth. Bridger himself now had a beard which gave him a pleasing appearance, though the mature appearance did not hide a hint of that smart-aleckness.

“Chieftain Count Tristan Wren,” Tristan explained, sipping his tea. “Born a count, always a count, but now a chief.”

“Chief.” Ezra echoed with amusement. “We’ve been allies, but I don’t imagine a Mandalorian chief like you inviting Jedi for tea.”

Tristan didn’t imagine this either. He only figured he was killing time by letting his mother, father, and Sabine to have their time together and keep Bridger occupied. He had also offered tea to the Master Tano, though she preferred to stay in the ship. He expected this meeting to be obligatory.

“That’s not how we put it. I’m not a Mandalore chief. I’m a Mandalorian count. I’m a count by Mandalore bloodline, but chieftain by Krownestian roots. That’s how it works on Krownest. And you’re not the first Jedi here.”

“Really?”

“There are records of the legendary Jedi Mandalorian ruler Tarre Vizsla making stops here on Krownest. Unsubstantiated on official Mando records, but our archives makes claims he set foot on Krownest and interacted with Clan Wren. It wouldn’t be surprising. He was nomadic like any Mandalorian ruler, perhaps the most nomadic out of any Mandalore ruler.”

“That’s a nice piece of trivia.”

“But some records say he never set foot in the stronghold out of respect of their caution toward Jedi. Some say he knelt down before one of the throned Wren, which would’ve been indoors. Some records say he slept outside in the snow, or in his ship, rather than accepting indoor hospitality. All confusing. Funny how history works. But now you know, there was a time a Jedi was welcomed on our ancestral grounds. But that’s a history is not too relevant to mother. After all, she did live through the history where Jedi were the enemy.”

Ezra tapped his finger on the table. “Regardless what I think of your mother and her past, I think it’s a good thing your mother retired so soon.”

“Semi-retired. Of course she remains in tactical support and the merchant business, but well, she wants to grow old... grow older with father.”

Ezra nodded. “To me, it’s a miracle a couple gets to grow old together.” Ezra stared out. “Even more, a miracle that the children get to watch their parents grow old together.”

Then Ezra added, “Between you and me, I don’t believe I might grow old. I used to think as a kid I might grow up and get married and have a kid. But I’m past that. Anyhow, I don’t think I’ll grow old.”

“Why?”

“I am a Jedi like my master before me. I believe one day, I’ll make a sacrifice I cannot run from.”

“Did a Jedi vision tell you that?” Tristan enunciated “Jedi” acerbically.

“Visions won’t be that far off, but no, just a feeling. Not a Jedi feeling. Not anything of the Force, just me, really, I hope, I mean I don't hope I’ll have to die for a sacrifice, I mean, I hope it’s only me and not the Force.”

Tristan hesitated. He did not know Ezra Bridger long enough, in fact, perhaps he had only spent time with Ezra for a total of only a few weeks. He remember playful bickers and teasing and the old tensions on the field with Bridger, but he had always considered Ezra ally rather than friend. He had sought to be polite simply because Ezra was Sabine’s brother-in-arms. But he for whatever reason, he felt like placing his hand on Bridges’s jaw to accentuate a point. But he held back. The gesture would’ve been far too intimate for an acquaintance.

“Bridger, I won’t have that fatalistic talk. Keep it in your head.”

“It’s what I feel.”

“Keep it in your head. But I’ll tell you this, we Mandos or Krownestians don’t go for such fatalism. This is partially why we never liked the old Jedi Order, traditionalist, rigid, unopened, so fixed...”

“You know not all Jedi are like that. And I hear of a new order. Thing will change.”

“I’m aware of that Ezra. And I don’t doubt you’ll have that part in the new order.”

“I’m not sure if I’m for that cloistered temple life this Skywalker is setting up. But I want to offer my assistance to him.”

“So this is what’s next for you.”

“Yes. What’s next for you?”

“Running Krownest. Finding an heir.” He left out the part where he’ll have to consider marrying then adopting before deciding to appoint a relative. He honestly would hate taking all day explaining the rules of lineage. “That is my future.”

“We’re all bound to the future.”

“Ezra, I believe one day you will come back to Krownest. I believe that’s in your future.”

“I suspect you might need to capitalize on a Jedi favor one day.” Then Bridger sighed, as if something else sunk in. “The Force will decide if that happens.”

Tristan bit his lips. “You know, if the Mando gods can make bad decisions, I think your Force can make bad decisions. Bridger...” It was protocol for any Chieftain to dispense encouragement, to give. “I ask you this, keep an... open heart. Listen to your Force, I suppose, but see beyond it, or what it’s telling you.”

It was shaky advice, he could tell by the way Bridger lifted his brows, perplexed. Tristan wished there was more to give. There was something his mother used to do. Whenever his mother wanted to hold his father’s hand, she would take off her glove. He remember crawling underneath the dinner table as a child, and observing with interest when he saw his Mother slip her glove off and stroke her husband’s hand.

He didn’t know why he did what he did next. Tristan pulled off his glove and held out his hand for a handshake.

Bridger surveyed Count Wren’s open palm, almost inquisitively, sensing a significance to the gesture, thought doubtful of what it meant, tentative of accepting what it could mean, though he could not say.

Bridger stared long enough at the open hand that Tristan felt the heat on his face and deliberating on withdrawing his hand.

But Bridger made his decision and swiftly yanked off his glove and accepted Tristan’s palm and they gave a firm shake.

“I’ll keep an open heart, Tristan- Count Tristan. I think I’ll have a much more open heart if, when, I return to Krownest.”

Once they let go, Bridger re-sheathed his hand in its glove.

Sabine, Master Tano, and Ezra could not stay for long. Ezra had to go home soon. Count Tristan watched as a ship took the Jedi and sailed away. And Tristan did not take his eyes off the twinkling shrinking dot of the ship, until he was staring at the clouds, his bare hand shivering not in the natural cold but in the phantom warmth of Bridger’s touch.

Comments and Reblogs appreciated.

There’re some throwbacks to some of my other fanfiction. Guess what they are.

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#Tristan Wren #Ezra Bridger #ursa wren #alrich wren #flirting with trizra #swr #star wars rebels #sabine wren #ahsoka tano #fanfic #Jacen syndulla mentioned

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sushigirlali · 4 years ago

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Admiration - Part II (Reylo Fanfic)

Part I | Part II | Part III

Summary: Padawan Ben Solo struggles to repel Snoke’s odious influence while coming to terms with his feelings for fellow student Rey of Jakku.

Parings: Rey + Ben Solo

Continuity: Jedi Academy AU; Rey is 19, Ben is 23.

Rating: E

Master list –> AO3 | ff.net | Tumblr

——————

Admiration - Part II

By: sushigirlali

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You're an unfenced fire! (to vie) Over walls we trampled! (to vie) It's you I admire! (to vie) My living example…

——————

Despite his proclamation, Ben felt bereft as Rey loosened her grip. "Ben, please," she said imploringly, moving to sit beside him instead. "You can't really believe that."

"It's true," he murmured, mourning the loss of her warmth regardless of the sweat running down his back. "The legacy of my family is... well…surely you must know who my grandfather was... what he became."

"I know Anakin Skywalker died a hero," she said firmly.

Ben frowned, "Don't be facetious, Rey."

"I'm not," she promised. "I just think that if you're going to focus on your grandfather's failings, you should give his triumphs equal weight."

"I'm not ignoring Anakin's good deeds," he protested, "only emphasizing Darth Vader's penchant for evil." Ben folded his hands in his lap, trying not to fidget; the topic of his family always made him anxious. "I know I'm not my grandfather, that the circumstances leading to his downfall were unique to him, but I'm afraid the same darkness resides in me."

"Oh, Ben," she sighed sympathetically. "I understand."

"Thank you," he muttered, supposing he should feel grateful that Rey finally seemed to get the picture. But he didn't. He only felt empty. "I am sorry," he added, turning to face her. "I'm sorry that I can't be the man you—mmph!"

Rey stopped him with a kiss. "Not so fast, laser brain. Just because I understand where you're coming from doesn't mean I agree with you."

"But—"

"No!" she whispered, kissing him harder. Her lips were soft but firm and felt so good against his own. Ben swayed toward her. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing!"

"But, my family..."

"Ben, you are not your bloodline!" she said adamantly. "I won't say that I've never sensed darkness in you, that you're completely immune to Snoke's influence, but you're stronger than you know."

"I am?" He had said something similar to her many years ago. Ben was touched that she remembered.

She nodded, tracing his trembling lower lip with her thumb. "The dark side can't have you, Snoke can't have you. You're mine and I'll die before I let anyone take you away from me."

"Rey," he breathed, shocked by her declaration. "You don't have to—to sacrifice yourself for—"

"Sacrifice?" she repeated incredulously, rearing back as if he'd slapped her. "Is that what you think this is?"

"Isn't it?" He couldn't fathom anyone loving him enough to die for him. But then, wouldn't he do the same for her?

"No!" she cried. "Ben, haven't you been paying attention? The last thing I feel for you is pity."

"Then why...?"

"Because I'm in love with you!" she exploded, using all her considerable strength to push him backward onto the bed.

Ben lay prone as she straddled his hips, trapping his big body beneath her own. "But I can't...we can't...it's just not possible!" he protested weakly. He tried to ignore how perfectly her limbs fit around him, the way her bottom brushed his burgeoning erection at just the right angle, but… how could anything that felt so right be wrong?

"Anything is possible, Ben. Listen to me...feel me…" Rey blanketed him, cradling his head against her chest. "I know you're scared, but what Force-sensitive isn't? We all struggle with the dark side."

"Even you?" he asked, captivated by the sound of her heartbeat under his ear. It was wild, but strong. Just like her.

"Of course," she replied, pulling back to look at him. "But do you want to know why I've never succumbed to it?"

"Yes," he croaked. "Tell me, I need to know. Please."

"Because of you."

"Me?"

"Yes," she smiled, her heart in her eyes. "Haven't you ever wondered why the Force connected us? Why we're able to feel each other's emotions and communicate across great distances?"

"Every minute of every day," he said honestly. "But it's just a fluke, it has to be."

"If you really believe that, then tell me this: when you're thinking about me, about us, is Snoke able to get to you?"

"Well, I…" Ben paused, recalling how he'd reacted to the vile wizard's threats just a short while ago. He'd felt anger, yes, but the moment Rey had entered the room, all of his dark thoughts had disappeared. "Our connection…"

"Yes?" she said hopefully.

"It protects me from him, from the dark side," he said slowly. "Why is that?"

"Because love is the strongest force in the galaxy," Rey informed him, the ardent crush of her arms acting as an anchor in a sea of uncertainty, tethering him to the moment and helping him forget his fear. "Love is what makes us who we are."

"And who am I?" he asked with quiet desperation.

"The man I love," she said matter-of-factly. "I want you, exactly as you are, don't you want me too?"

"Rey," he groaned, cupping her precious face. "Of course I want you," he confessed at last, "but the Jedi Order forbids—"

"I don't care about the Order! I only care about you!" Rey lowered her voice into a seductive drawl. "Kiss me, love me," she dared. "Please."

Unable to deny her any longer, Ben pulled her head forward, fusing their mouths together in a kiss that defied description. "I do. I do love you," he panted. "I always have. No matter what happens, I want you to know that."

"I do," she repeated, rocking her hips against his. "Ben! Ben, I want—"

"Rey!" he gasped, hands finding her waist. "I'm—I've never—"

"I know."

"I'm all sweaty," he said dumbly.

Rey wrinkled her nose in amusement. "I don't mind, I like the way you taste," she said, leaning down to lick his cheek for emphasis. "Mmm, Ben Solo," she teased. "I wonder if you taste the same all over?"

Ben caught his breath as she moved lower, lips skimming his broad chest. He groaned her name when she took one beaded nipple into her mouth and tweaked the other with her fingers. "Rey, please!"

"Do you like that?"

"Yes!" he said huskily.

"Do you want more?"

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?" she murmured against his skin.

"Rey!" he whined, bringing her hands to the tie at his waist. "Help me!"

She scooted back to undo his pants, but hesitated before pulling them off. "Once we begin, I don't know if I'll be able to stop," she said seriously. "I've waited a long time to be with you, so if you're not ready tell me now. I won't be offended if you—"

"No!" Ben all but shouted. Although he was inexperienced, he wanted this; wanted her. "Sorry, uh, no. It's okay. You can...keep going."

Rey smiled again and it was like the sun coming out after a storm. "If you insist."

——————

It's a photograph discovered a decade after It's a cannon blast disguised as a firecracker It's enough to bring a brick wall to its knees And sing, please

——————

Chuckling at her playful tone, Ben lifted his hips to help her ease his clothing away, only remembering that he wasn't wearing anything underneath when she gasped and paused to stare at him.

"Sorry, I was—hot," he explained lamely, flushing as she inspected his body.

"No, it's fine! I just—wow!" Rey bit her lip. "You're beautiful, Ben."

He wasn't a vain man, in fact he was pretty self-conscious about his looks, but the way Rey was looking at him gave him confidence. "Thanks," he said thickly, taking the compliment as best he could. "You're, um, the first person to see me naked since I was a kid."

"I'm glad," she replied coyly, slipping off the bed to tug his pants the rest of the way down his long legs, "because I don't share."

"That's good to know," he mumbled, feeling out of his depth. "That's good to know?! I should have asked Father to teach me how to flirt before leaving home."

"Ben, you don't have to be so nervous," she said, sensing his disquiet. "You're doing just fine."

"I am?" A world of insecurity colored his words.

Rey's eyes traced a line from his face to his groin. "Oh, yeah." Stepping back a little, she pulled her practical beige robes over her head and tossed them aside. "Is that better?"

"Better?" he said dumbly, staring at a nearly naked woman—his woman—for the first time in his life. "Uh—yes! But...what about the rest? Can I…?"

Rey nodded, sinking to her knees before him. "Yes, please."

Ben immediately fumbled with the compression band wrapped around Rey's chest. "Sorry," he muttered, willing his thick fingers to work.

"You don't have to keep apologizing," she laughed, helping him untangle the fabric. "We'll figure this out together."

"Okay," he breathed, marveling at the perfect slopes of her rose-tipped breasts once they were fully revealed. It was his turn to be stunned. "Wow."

"They aren't—um—too small, are they?"

"What?" Ben lifted his head, aghast. "Of course not!"

"You're not just saying that?" Now Rey was the one who sounded anxious.

"I would never lie to you," he assured her. Sliding his long fingers into her hair, he made quick work of the pins and ties holding it back. He smiled when the soft sable stands floated like a cloud around her shoulders, enjoying the intimacy of the simple act.

"I love your hair," he murmured, touching it almost reverently. He just stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out what to do next.

"I thought we could start slow," Rey supplied, reading his indecision. "Like this," she said, leading his hand to her breast, showing him how she liked to be touched.

"Okay?" he asked, kneading her soft skin.

"Yes," she sighed, preening under his touch. "I've never done this before either and it's…"

"Kind of embarrassing?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad we're on the same page, then," he said, pinching first one nipple, then the other. "Like this?" he checked again.

"Yes!" she gasped, pressing closer. They were both covered in a thin layer of sweat, so his fingers skated easily across her skin. "Just like that!"

"What else do you want?" he breathed, eager to give her more; to give her everything.

"I want your mouth," she murmured, lacing her arms around his neck. "I want your tongue touching mine, your teeth biting into—mmph!"

Ben closed the distance between them on a groan, devouring her lips like a man on the verge of starvation. "How could I have denied our connection for so long?" he wondered. "Nothing in the galaxy is more important than this, than her. I've been such a fool."

Sharing his unguarded thoughts, Rey kissed him harder, grinding against him with wanton abandon. "Us. Nothing is more important than us," she insisted.

He groaned in agreement, sliding his damp palms down her sides to the waistband of her plain underwear. "Can I…?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Rey lay back as he pulled off her panties.

Ben stood arrested when the deed was done, transfixed by the thatch of brown curls at the apex of her thighs. The neatly trimmed hair looked soft, the petals of her sex wet. His mind raced with possibilities...

"Ben!"

"Huh?" he met Rey's intense gaze.

"I said I want you to touch me," she blushed, spreading her toned thighs.

"Oh!" he gulped, tentatively doing as she asked. "Okay, but you have to guide me."

"You're doing great all on your own," she squeaked as his large fingers gently massaged her nether lips.

It was an odd sensation, Ben reflected, fondling someone in such an intimate way. When he touched himself for relief, it was almost dispassionate, routine. But Rey was hot and wet and beautiful. He'd never experienced anything like it.

"Ben!" she whined as he pressed against her center. "Ben, wait!"

"What is it?" he said hastily, pulling back. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, no, nothing like that." Rey looked unsure for a moment before plowing ahead. "I just—I want to touch you too." And then she was reaching for him, encircling his cock with her small hands, establishing a whole new kind of connection between them.

"Rey!" he yelped, incredibly aroused as she pumped him from tip to stem. "Rey, please!"

"Please what?" she replied, her voice like honey.

"Don't make me stop!" he begged, fingers threading through her hair again. "Rey? Please let me keep touching you."

"Yes!" she acquiesced, no longer the least bit embarrassed. "Oh, Ben! Please!"

The temperature seemed to have risen another couple degrees since Rey had entered his room, but Ben scarcely noticed the heat as they collapsed onto his firm mattress together, her hand around his cock and his fingers between her legs.

Kissing her hard on the lips, Ben slowly slid one digit inside her tight opening. Rey squirmed beneath him, momentarily losing her grip on his hard member. Feeling a little more in control, Ben moved lower to feast on her distended nipples while pumping his finger in and out of her body.

"Ben! Oh—that feels!" Rey's mouth dropped open when he hit the right spot, unable to complete her sentence.

"Right there?" he growled, repeating the motion again and again.

"Mmm hmm," she hummed blissfully, trying to take him in her hand again. But this time, he danced out of her reach.

"Hey!" she complained, glaring her disapproval.

But Ben didn't relent. "Not yet, sweetheart."

"Ben—ah!" Rey arched her back as his thumb found her clitoris. "Ben, I'm—oh, yes! Yes!"

He continued sucking on her breasts while he worked his middle finger deeper. Soon, he was able to add another, stretching her untried body even further.

"Ben, that feels—please don't stop!" Rey moaned, lifting her hips in time with his rhythmic thrusting. "I'm so close!"

Abandoning her nipples, he lowered his dark head between her splayed thighs, inhaling her musky scent before replacing his fingers with his mouth.

"Maker!" Rey screamed at the first touch of his tongue.

Using his superior weight to control her wriggling body, Ben feasted on her until she was crying out in pleasure. Feeling more confident than he had in his entire life, he focused on bringing her to climax, on giving her exactly what she wanted.

Tapping into their bond, Ben allowed himself to revel in her desire for him, in her love. The way she felt about him was almost overwhelming, but he held onto sanity just long enough for…

"Ben! I love you!" Rey gasped as the galaxy exploded around her, slumping onto the bed in exquisite repose.

He gathered her to his chest in the aftermath, smiling as she tried to get as close as possible. His large hands roved over her eager curves, marveling at how perfectly they fit together. And for the first time in a very long time… he felt at peace.

——————

A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope this fic is as healing for you as it is for me <3

#reylo #reylo fanfic #reylo fic #reylo fanfiction #ben solo #kylo ren #rey #jedi academy au #reylo au #admiration #song fic #my fanfiction #sushigirlali

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thefacade-23 · 8 years ago

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In The Future

SASUSAKU WEEK: DAY THREE “Favorite quote” No other clan treasured love as much as Uchiha First attempt at posting a fanfic. Sorry for the late Day three. Accidentally closed app mid-writing two times (what am i doing). Arghh. To whoever reads this, thank you for the time! Please feel free to criticize, it’ll be helpful.

Blurb: After a forced two week leave, Sakura had a lot of time of in her hands But with not much to do, she naturally found herself thinking about him. However, her thoughts took another turn when she remembered the Uchiha’s ancestry and thought of a way to help Sasuke with his mission. After successfully finding the clan’s temple, she would learn what Tobirama means when he said those words.

Warning: You may find this a bit over the top but I hope I did the characters justice. Please don’t hesitate to butcher the writer.

Ah. It is really different when boredom strikes in. It can cause us to do impulsive things that we may or may not regret. And it is starting to look like the former, Sakura muses. Where the hell is she? She checked her map for the nth time now and she was sure that the map points to here. Frustrated, she can’t help but look back on what landed her on her current predicament.

It was just yesterday when things were normal, though not by her definition of normal. Her normal is hectic, tiring, and insane, especially these past few weeks wherein she tackled opening a new clinic on the nearly remote village west of Konoha, taking on few serious cases, and all sorts of never ending reports. But she’s used to that and she loves it. But no, that’s not the normal she was talking about. It’s the kind where she’s lying spread eagle, surrounded by medical books in futile attempts to read and do something remotely similar to her job. But on a two- week forced leave imposed to her by the hokage himself who was urged by her concerned co-workers, including that traitor Ino (she’ll get her back later she swears), she doesn’t have much to do as she was banned from stepping foot on the hospital unless necessary. They thought she worked too hard. Sigh.

She was bored so she’s here in the library instead. She gave up reading at home because alone with her thoughts, she can’t help but remember him. Even now, while choosing books, the library’s atmosphere can’t change her focus. Then she thought about the great war, of what transpired his decision to journey alone.

Then it clicked her. If she remembered correctly, somebody had told her that the Uchihas descended from Hagoromo’s son, Indra, and considering how the clan values their blood line, it would be possible for them to have a temple or a place where their history is kept. It might help give Sasuke a lead on what he was looking for. Feeling excited, she started working.

After five days of alternating between the library and the village’s information research center, she finally had an address. What do you know, who knew being bored can be productive? It took another two days for her proposal to process, another for the go signal by what she suspected was an equally bored hokage who gave her an impressed, amused, and suspicious look, and after two days of travel, here she was, seemingly stuck nowhere. If she was an Uchiha (she stupidly blushed at that thought), what would be her best defense for a sacred place? She looked around the fog covered forest one more time to see any hint of entrance and for some reason, she keeps looking at her north. Then she noticed it. The fog was thickest at that area. She was right. It was genjutsu. She never had time to celebrate her easy success on releasing it as the fog revealed a tall, pale, bearded old man. He was wearing a white high collared robe which she was sure has the clan crest at the back, and in typical wise old man fashion, held a wooden staff on his right. She didn’t dare look at his eyes.

“What brings you here in the middle of nowhere my child?”

I could say the same to you she thought. “I am sure you know I am looking for the Uchiha clan’s temple, Oji-san.”

“It has been centuries since we had proper visitors. Follow me child.”

Sakura decided to trust him for now and remained alert of her surroundings. They quietly walked through the woods and she can’t help but feel a bit ominous as she noticed the scratches and the shurikens and kunais stuck on the trees. She placed her hand near her bag of weapons just in case she really needs to fight.

“Do you know the history of the temple, child?”

“Yes. I have read that the temple was built by the first Uchihas to celebrate their clan and their ancestor, Indra Ootsutsuki. However it was said that the third generation received a prophecy from a passing by oracle known for his accurateness. It was said that the clan would face a downfall in the future and the terrified clan heads have agreed that the Uchihas must strengthen their bloodline and make it as pure as possible. If a member of the clan desires to marry outside the clan, the candidate must either be of good bloodline or they must pass the initiation on the temple, and only then would they be accepted.”

“That is right. The Uchihas are a proud clan. Even with the power they already hold, they still strived to get stronger. I am sure you noticed those marks on the trees. Those are evidences of how much people want to be a part of them at that time. Every candidate underwent three tests. First is their physical and fighting prowess, if their techniques or jutsus were worth passing on. Second is intelligence, and the third is the hardest and only few had passed that. Almost exactly like a shinobi exam.”

“It was. But what do you mean about proper visitors?”

“Ah. There are those who tried to force their way in the temple thinking it holds a secret to power.”

Sakura then started throwing multiple kunais in different directions.

“Just like these?”

“Just like those.”

She automatically went to defend the man and make a quick work of the intruders.

“Mind if I shake the ground a bit?”

“Go ahead.”

Done.

“Impressive, child.” She just smiled to that, but realized her mistake.

A quick sword attack came at her from nowhere which she fortunately had dodged. However, upon seeing the face of her attacker, she felt like her heart leapt out of her chest.

It was Sasuke.

Of course, she was surprised and happy to see that face, after all, she missed him terribly she felt like she was hallucinating. Well, of course she was, as she realized it was genjutsu after all. She accidentally looked at the man’s eyes.

“Here is your last test, child. The sharingan are eyes that reflects the heart. I have seen that the biggest decision you ever made in your life was to kill this Uchiha. Would you do it this time? Or would you choose to protect others even if it means killing him? Many of the candidates fail to be recognized when they realize the extent of the power of the sharingan. More than physical wounds, seeing one’s deepest fears come to life is more than enough to break a person’s heart and mind. Trust is broken.It is when love turns to hate which is even harder to cure. It is also a glimpse of what you would carry on your shoulders as an Uchiha. It is generations of dirtied hands in exchange of a pure, powerful bloodline. Would you be willing to accept it all child-”

Illusion Sasuke’s sword flew away as Sakura protected the man from their attacks.

“Oji-san. I do admit that it was the worst decision I’ve ever made. But I didn’t regret it at all. It is because I did it that I knew that we can’t save him. He needed a chance to save himself first. He needed to find himself again. And I am alive, doing things that I love, and that ultimately makes it one of my best ever decisions. I needed to trust him as well. He’s seeing the light finally and he started to do things for himself, and I am terribly happy for him. Whatever he did in the past and whatever he decides to do in the future, I’ll accept them all. He knows how much we love him and we are here if he ever gets lost again. I for one, will never hold back. I will never again try to kill him and myself. I’ve seen enough sad and angry tears to last a lifetime and all I’ll accept are happy ones. But I’ll make sure to break two or ten bones if necessary, just like this.” And released the genjutsu with a powerful punch. “No amount of powerful genjutsu can ever compare to the real thing. By the way he’s going right now, it’ll be ten years before he misbehave again. I’ll be ready that time.”

The old man happily laughed and led her to the temple. Indeed it contains carved pictures on walls, statues, scriptures, and a whole lot of other stuff. With the old man’s permission, she took pictures for the research center in exchange for their help. She felt like she learned a whole lot about Sasuke, and Uchihas in general, not only history wise. At the exit of the temple were carved names of couples who have been united there. She noticed a small carving written in another scripture.

“Ah. It has been a long time since I have seen this. It simply means ‘No other clan treasured love as much as the Uchiha”. It was written by the sister of the third generation head. As you know the clan had been given a terrible prophecy which is why they started this trials. She loved her family and never defied them. She especially adored her older brother and supported him with all her heart. Her only fault was she had loved an ordinary man her brother disapproved. He long for her to marry another Uchiha or at least a man from a good bloodline but she was determined. The young man was was promising and had passed the first trials but he failed the last. He was emotionally traumatized from seeing his family tortured and killed in front of him. The biased brother took advantage of this of course and casted a very cruel genjutsu. It was his past but it included his lover as well. He couldn’t take it and killed himself in real life. This devastated his sister. Her hate awakened a different power and trapped her brother’s consciousness with the fog barrier you’ve seen at the expense of her life. She wrote this at her last breath.“ ”….I think she must have really loved her brother even till the end.“ “How can you say?” “She let him protect the clan he loved so much. Though I would say forever is a bit too much, but still.” The old man just smiled. “Congratulations on passing the trial, child.” She laughed. “I was never here for the trials though. I was expecting the temple to be abandoned because people thought it was just a legend.” “That’s probably true. Because Uchihas became hungrier and hungrier for power, people coming here gradually decreased. They have decided to close off themselves. With this, it makes the sister’s deed a curse.” “That’s true as well. But giving them a chance to change for the better even through a drastic way is a form of love as well, I guess.” “I am impressed, child. The boy did say you didn’t need to but I need to see for myself.” Sakura was baffled. “Wha-” “The Uchiha heir was here a while ago and investigated the temple. We had an interesting conversation. He told me what happened with the clan and it is ironic that it is because of our efforts that the clan met its downfall. But I’m not worried about it now. This is his time.” “Wait! S-sasuke was here?!” “Yes child. We do this to know if the chosen person is suitable for an Uchiha. The Uchiha presents the chosen candidate and shows their sincerity and desire to be with that person through their sharingan. If they found those emotions strong, only then would the trials start. Think of it as passing a proposal, waiting for it to be checked and processed, then being approved or discarded. Nobody can start an Uchiha trial without an Uchiha don’t you think?” “E-eh?! Then-” “He said to thank you for this information.” That’s why Kakashi sensei was smiling ominously. He was indeed bored. “And he said he’ll never doubt you in the future.” “What?” “Why, child, have you forgotten what this temple is for? There’s no other grander way to express love for an Uchiha than this one.” “S-s-shanarooooooo!!!” It was so loud that it was heard even on not distant villages where the said heir was. This gave birth to what we know today as the legendary smirk. Later… The old man kept thinking about the young pair. The heir was right. The girl was indeed talented despite being common birth. She was cautious from the start. She knows what she’s getting into. She’s almost resistant to genjutsu and definitely strong in all areas. From what he had seen, she’s a medic nin and a very good one. Most of all, she’s kind, loves purely but not naive, and understanding. Definitely a good match for an Uchiha. Speaking of the heir, he had met many who claimed success of their partners even without the trials, but his eyes have shown a different kind of confidence, he know she will succeed because it is her and not because she is well known for something like her bloodline. In fact, his eyes have shown a silent determination, which made him think that he didn’t even choose, he was set on her from the very start even if he was still unready to fully accept her love. He can’t help but remember his sister who used to be in the exact situation. He can’t help but think of his sister who have shown the same eyes and he truly regret of not ever granting her happiness. Maybe this was what she wants to tell him. Sharing true love in any form with another would be one’s salvation, just like how her love saved him , and just like how the girl and her friends had saved the heir. Maybe she did loved her brother till the very end just like the girl said, as he can now see how the Uchiha who has well and truly learned their lesson, would once again rise if these two would lead. They will make sure that if he ever meet another Uchiha in another decade or century, the only emotion he will see reflected on the sharingan will be real love. END

#sasusakuweek #sasusaku #fanfic #laaaaate

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ayma-nidiot · 4 years ago

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In the White Light - Prideshipping fanfic Chapter 23

Also on AO3.

Chapter 23 – Awakening

“Ugh… Too dark,” was Kaiba’s initial reaction to the ethereal space in which he floated. “So all my enemies were right. I did end up in hell after all.”

“That’s a little mean, Kaiba,” spoke a voice Kaiba had only heard once or twice. “I don’t think Atem would be happy to hear you call his bedchamber ‘hell.’”

“You are-” Kaiba awakened, and suddenly his surroundings changed to the royal bedchamber. To his sides were Mahad and some elderly man. At the foot of the bed stood a man who looked like Kaiba, except his chestnut locks flowed down his chest, and he had darker skin. “Mahad. And…” Kaiba tried to make out the other two men, but in his sleepy daze, he had a hard time doing so. “I think I remember you guys from the vision quest… Wait! You’re Atem’s father, Aknamkanon, aren’t you?”

“It feels nice to be remembered,” replied Aknamkanon with a warm smile.

Kaiba gave his doppelganger a sidelong look. “Okay, this is weird… You’re… um…”

“Seto. My name is Seto – just like yours.”

“Well, nice to meet you all.” Kaiba pulled the covers over him, leaving only the upper half of his head exposed. “Now, if you would be so kind as to let me have some sleep. In fact, I feel no shame in telling you that I plan to spend the rest of the day sleeping.”

“…Is that really what you want, Kaiba?” Aknamkanon asked. “Wouldn’t you rather go see my son, instead of spending the rest of your life with three people you hardly know?”

“…” Kaiba remained speechless for a spell as he slowly peeled the covers off. “…Am I dead?”

“Yes and no,” Mahad answered. “Right now, you are teetering on the edge of death. Even as we speak, your allies are calling to you.”

“My… allies?” Kaiba fully sat up and listened for voices beyond.

“Hahahaha!” sounded Zorc’s voice. “So much for the ‘power of Horakhty!’ Now… After I kill you, pharaoh, the royal bloodline will be no more!”

“Eyaaaaaah!” screamed Atem’s voice. “Unhand me, dark one! … Raaaah!”

“Ah, you’re just like a fish, struggling right before it gets gutted. You won’t be free for long!”

“You’re wrong…” spoke Rex. “Come on, Kaiba, don’t go extinct now! Not after I was just considering you a friend!”

“Hah! I don’t recall giving the so-called ‘ultimate’ rival of the pharaoh permission to die!” exclaimed Weevil.

“Sniff… Sniff…” Mokuba cried. “Big bro… You’re my only family. You’re all I got left! Don’t die…”

“If you die, I’m gonna kill you!”

Tristan’s words were answered with what sounded like a slap – and a scolding from Joey. “Tristan, come on! Kaiba, don’t listen to him! If I, the person you hate most, want you to live, then damn straight you better live!”

“You saved me from being killed by that Rare Hunter! Please, let me return the favour!” shouted Téa. “I know you don’t like the concept of friendship, but can you believe in it just this once?”

“Blue-Eyes White Dragon… Lend Kaiba your strength…” Kisara appeared to be praying with Isis and Mana.

“I know you and the pharaoh beat me handily during Battle City, but that’s in the past now,” added Marik. “Right now, I – and all of my home country of Egypt – need you.”

“My other self.” Seto spoke to his future incarnate sternly. “I can no longer return to the world of the living. But you can. Go be with Atem again and be his hero. And if you see my father, tell him I wish things didn’t have to end up like this.”

“Can you tell my brother that I wish the same?” Aknamkanon requested. “That if I had known how hurt he was this whole time, that I would have done something about it?”

“Seto…” Kaiba wiped a tear from Seto’s face. In so doing, the priest – along with Mahad and Aknamkanon – faded, and imbued their ba into Kaiba. After a moment of contemplation, Kaiba leapt out of the bed. “Everyone… Thank you. But this will be the last time I do something generous for you all!”

_________

“I… I…” All this time, Atem could not think of a proper thing to say to Kaiba – until now. “No. I refuse to believe the man I love is dead.”

“Well, pharaoh, as you say in the modern world, ‘the proof is in the pudding!’ The only thing better than watching Kaiba die is watching you-” Zorc’s good mood dropped in an instant. “No… No, it can’t be!”

“Ah… My love?” Atem watched as Kaiba arose from the ground in half-shifted form, bathing the surroundings in a warm light. “He’s… Kaiba has revived!”

“HAHA!” Zorc cackled. “I can just as easily send him back from whence he came!”

“…” Kaiba, enveloped in a magical barrier, easily repelled the attack Zorc launched at him – as well as the many more after that.

“Impossible! How can none of my attacks harm you?”

“Because I have the support of my friends, as well as some… help from beyond.”

“Father… Mahad…” Atem shed a happy tear.

“I’ll not let history repeat itself…” Without fully transforming, the sapphires across Kaiba’s body glowed to generate a Shining Neutron Blast. “Not on this day.”

“Gaaah!”

Zorc relentlessly sent out a flurry of attacks at Kaiba, but all were in vain as the Shining Neutron Blast consumed him. “These wounds… No! I refuse to accept death! I refu-”

Rex waited a while to speak, almost as if to make sure Zorc was really dead. “Huhuhu. We won’t be seeing him again.”

“Yeah. Hehehe. That fartknocker’s history. Hehehe.” Weevil laughed – that is, until Kaiba suddenly fell on top of him. “Y-Yeowch!”

“Now you know how it feels…” Joey remembered well the first time he learned of Kaiba’s shapeshifting powers. “Bet he’s even heavier than back then.”

“I can still hear you, Wheeler,” Kaiba responded while still laying supine.

“So. Is he really gone?”

“Yes, Wheeler, Zorc is really gone.”

“Then…” Yugi turned to Atem with a sorrowful look. At this point, the pharaoh picked Kaiba up princess-style and led everyone back to the palace. “Now that ancient Egypt is at peace, we have to go now, don’t we? Back to our own time?”

“Aww, man, I wish I could have at least stayed for some more free food!” Mokuba whined.

“And maybe for a few cute girls, too…” Tristan thought aloud.

“Actually… It’s not time for you to go just yet.” Atem’s words quieted everyone down. “There’s one thing left for me to do before you all leave.”

“Ooh, do we get some souvenirs for the ride home?” Rex asked excitedly. “Like food?”

“And rare cards? Er, I mean, artifacts?” Weevil hoped.

“I’ll see to that before you go, but I had something else in mind.” Atem turned back to Yugi. “Yugi, I am not entirely confident that you can fare out in the world without me. Not after we’ve been together for so long.”

“What? But you saw me in that fight against Zorc’s army! And I’ve dueled plenty of times without your help! Doesn’t that duel with Bandit Keith ring a bell?””

“If you are that confident, then…” After laying a barely awake Kaiba on the throne, Atem picked up his DiaDhank from the table nearby. “Duel me, right now, in this sacred throne room.”

“What? Pharaoh, that’s crazy!” Joey would have none of it. “Don’t you think we should rest first? We kinda just fought a climactic battle against-”

“Very well.” Yugi took his deck out of his pocket and attached it to his Duel Disk. “I accept this challenge, pharaoh!”

“Yug, are you sure about this? You’re not tired? Not even a little?”

Yugi tried to hide the fact that, indeed, he was so tired he wanted to take a nap right there on the ground. He could tell from the look in his eyes that Atem felt the same; he had to be, after singing the Pharaoh’s Incantation for so long. “No, I’m fine. Just because I’m barely 150 centimeters and 40 kilograms doesn’t mean I can’t handle a bit of rough work.”

“It will not be a Shadow Game,” Atem spoke. “Nevertheless, you should know that I expect nothing less than your best strategies.”

“Oh man…” Rex watched curiously as the duelists readied their dueling devices. He perked up his rabbit ears to hear the words they exchanged. “Watching two Yugis dueling is a bit… uh, weird.”

“We’ve seen a guy with a dragon head for a dick, and you’re calling this weird?” Weevil poked Rex with a spider leg.

“Now, Yugi, hit me with what you’ve got!”

Yugi assumed from Atem’s valiant declaration that he would have the first move. He had a mediocre first hand, but believed in the heart of the cards anyway. “I summon Celtic Guardian in attack mode! I’ll set a card face down. That’s about it.”

“Oh, Yugi.” Kaiba groaned from the throne. “I know that Celtic Guardian is one of your symbolic monsters, but that’s all it is: symbolic.”

Unlike his boyfriend, Atem knew better than to underestimate Yugi. “I activate the magic card Double Summon so that I may Normal Summon twice this turn. I call forth Light Effigy and Flamvell Magician!”

“It doesn’t make sense… Why would Atem have a Light Effigy in his deck when most of his monsters are of Dark attribute?” Joey commented.

Atem continued, “If the levels of my monsters are the exact level of the monster I want to summon, and the materials are correct, then I can Special Summon a Synchro Monster from my deck.” He looked to Rex. “I’m sure that you of all people know what a Synchro Summon is.”

“Huhu. Thank you, thank you.” Rex did a mocking bow, then sat back down.

“Using Light Effigy and the Tuner Monster Flamvell Magician, I Synchro Summon this monster! Avenging Knight Parshath!”

“It’s beautiful!” Téa said of the armoured fairy that appeared in the arena.

“Avenging Knight Parshath! Attack the Celtic Guardian!”

“Not if I can help it! Here’s a card that has helped me – us – time and time again!” Yugi revealed his face-down card. “Swords of Revealing Light! I don’t think I need to remind anyone here what it does.”

“…Go ahead with your turn, then.”

This will help! Yugi drew Silent Sword Slash. But even if I equip Silent Swordsman with this card, he’s still no match for Avenging Knight Parshath. I just hope I can last as long as the Swords of Revealing Light does. “I tribute Celtic Guardian so that I can Special Summon Silent Swordsman in attack mode!”

I remember that card, Atem thought as he drew Thousand Knives. His special ability allows his attack to go up by 500 points during each of Yugi’s standby phases. If I can summon Dark Magician before his attack gets too high… then I can use my Thousand Knives spell. “I summon Berry Magician Girl in attack mode! Turn end.”

It’s tempting to use this card, Yugi spoke of his newly drawn Change of Heart. But if I gain control of Avenging Knight Parshath and attack Berry Magician Girl, Atem will just summon a Dark Magician. “I’ll just end my turn, then, while my Silent Swordsman’s attack goes up to 1500.”

“Oh my gods, the tension is killing me!” Rex whined. “Come on, where’s the action?”

“Watch it,” Joey warned. “Many of these guys’ duels are like this, Rex. Just be patient, and the action will come.”

“Hmm…”

Yugi had to squint, but he could see a hint of a smile in Atem’s face as he set a card face-down. It was now his turn again. Cost Down isn’t going to help me right now… But at least my Silent Swordsman can defeat the Avenging Knight Parshath now! “I equip my Silent Swordsman with Silent Sword Slash, giving him an attack boost of 1500 points! Then… There goes your Avenging Knight Parshath!”

“And there goes your Swords of Revealing Light! Oh!”

“Pharaoh? You okay?” Yugi asked with concern, as Atem stared at that card with wide-eyes for a good two minutes.

“…I reveal my trap Magician Navigation! I can Summon Dark Magician from my deck, as well as this card… Say hello to Palladium Oracle Mahad!”

“Goodness…” spoke Yugi. Golden armour covered most of Mahad’s body, and only a hint of the High Priest’s original beige robes could be seen.

“My friend… You live again.” Atem knew it wasn’t necessarily true, but he didn’t care. “Now that I have a Dark Magician in play, I can use my Thousand Knives spell to destroy your only monster on the field – the Silent Swordsman!”

“Yeah, go ahead and do that. Because you’ve just activated my Silent Swordsman’s special ability! If he’s destroyed, I Special Summon any Silent Swordsman card from my deck, and I choose Silent Swordsman Lv. 7!”

“Very clever, Yugi, very clever. You could have easily used Silent Swordsman’s ability to negate the spell altogether, but you were wise enough not to.”

Yugi smiled at this praise, then summoned Silent Paladin in defense mode, and could thus add Silent Swordsman Lv. 3 to his hand from his deck. “Pharaoh, forgive me for this, but… My Silent Swordsman Lv. 7 will attack your Palladium Oracle Mahad!”

“…You are forgiven. Especially since I can Special Summon another Dark Magician from my deck, thanks to Palladium Oracle Mahad’s special ability.” Atem spoke no more as he simply set a trap face-down, then turned it over to Yugi.

This duel is going in my favour, but knowing Atem… I’m sure that he’s got a card in his deck far more powerful than Dark Magician. “I will now attack the Dark Magician you just Special Summoned!”

“That was not smart, Yugi. Reveal Trap Card, Shield Spear! My Dark Magician’s attack power is raised by 400 points for a turn! You can’t take back your attack once you’ve declared it, which means that your Silent Swordsman Lv. 7 is destroyed.”

“I’m… I’m fine…” So Yugi said, but in his mind, he knew he wasn’t. Silent Paladin was his only monster defending his Life Points now, and she didn’t have very good defense.

Atem sighed upon seeing the card he drew. “Well, you won’t be… after I summon Skilled Blue Magician and activate the spell Magicalized Fusion! With this card, I can even use monsters from my Graveyard – namely my Flamvell Magician and Palladium Oracle Mahad – for a Fusion Summon! Dark Magician may be one of my strongest monsters, but I have one that is mightier still…”

“Oh my gods… What is that?” Tristan spoke of this new spellcaster monster, with four arms that generated four magical circles.

“This is the greatest of all spellcasters… Quintet Magician!”

Weevil rubbed his eyes. “Am I reading that attack counter correctly? That thing’s got 4500 attack points? It could squish my Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth in an instant!”

“My new monster’s special ability is even more fearsome, Weevil. You see, I used five different magicians for its Fusion Summon – Berry Magician Girl, Dark Magician, Flamvell Magician, Skilled Blue Magician, and Palladium Oracle Mahad. With his four arms, Quintet Magician destroys all of your cards, Yugi!”

“All… of them?” Yugi finally gave in to his weak knees.

“Since all of your cards are destroyed, I can attack you directly and end this at last!”

“…No. You will do no such thing.” Yugi fumbled with the card he set on his Duel Disk. “Not yet… Thanks to our good friend Kuriboh.”

“Hehehe…” Kaiba couldn’t help but chuckle at this surprisingly weak but useful monster. “After all this time, you still keep that puffball in your deck. You’ve got more cojones than I thought, Yugi. But can you get yourself out of this mess? You got more Kuribohs in that deck of yours?”

“No.” And I don’t have a single card in my deck that can overpower that Quintet Magician…

#yugioh #ygo #prideshipping #fanfiction

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