#and Valkyrie is just having an crisis

[quibble-auk]

Little writing thing for my OCs part two:

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This one is a little shorter. But I also don’t like it all that much. Someone here sucks at dialogue and it shows haha

Im good at writing mental breakdowns and that’s about it…. Don’t think about that too much. I read Les mes (as previously mentioned) and those were my favorite parts of the book.

WARNINGS!: I mean there’s a description of how someone died… idk if it’s graphic but. Yk violence… death…

Valkyrie lay numbly on the medberth as Dropmix—a hulking, black-and-red medic—fussed quietly over her wounds. His movements were surgical, yet every motion seemed to carry the weight of something more. A care that felt too gentle for someone in the middle of a warzone.

And then there was the music. Always, the music. When Dropmix was around, there was always this quiet hum—gentle, melancholic notes that were soothing, an unexpected constant amidst the chaos. Valkyrie had never imagined she'd come to associate the medical bay with quiet music, but over the years, the melodies had become as ingrained in her mind as the scent of antiseptic.

“What’d you get yourself into?” Dropmix asked, pulling Valkyrie from her thoughts. He looked up at her from where he was currently cleaning up the welds from where he had reattached a leg earlier. He looked at her expectantly.

Valkyrie didn’t respond immediately, her mind heavy with the image of Bluerunner’s lifeless body. Of Sunrazor, standing above him, an energon soaked boot pressing mercilessly against Bluerunner as her attention drifted elsewhere. Like he had been nothing.

Usually, Valkyrie might have smiled and waved it off as just a standard battle injury. A Decepticon got the upperhand on her for a moment, or she didn’t react fast enough. She didn’t though, she couldn’t bring herself to smile and laugh it off. Bluerunner was dead because she didn’t shoot, because she froze. He was dead and somehow, Sunrazor lived.

She shrugged.

Dropmix huffed slightly at her lackluster response. He placed down his tool on a small tray nearby—Valkyrie could have sworn the music got quieter—and leaned forward, resting his weight on his arm, and gave her a look. The one that said "At this point, I might as well be a therapist."

“Does it have something to do with Bluerunner?” his voice was calm, though tinged with an edge of understanding,

Valkyrie didn’t bother to respond. It did have to do with Bluerunner. He was gone. She had dealt with loss plenty of times, it wasn’t new, but he had always been there. Through it all, Bluerunner had been there to help and comfort. He was the one to pull her together after she lost Sunrazor— no, she didn’t lose her. Sunrazor was alive.

But Bluerunner was dead.

“Valkyrie,” Dropmix said softly, “I’m here. You can talk to me,”

But she couldn’t. Not yet. Not about Bluerunner, not about the guilt that was strangling her from the inside out. How would she even begin to explain Sunrazor? What she was before and what she became. Valkyrie would rather do anything than admit her own faults, her failure to save Bluerunner, to help Sunrazor. Instead, she turned her attention to the music, a soft deflection.

“Where do you even get your music?” Valkyrie asked, her voice strained, trying to push away the weight of everything she couldn’t say. She needed a distraction. She needed to escape, even if only for a moment.

The look he gave her was a knowing one. Dropmix was aware of her deflecting, dancing round the topic. For some reason, he didn't do anything about it. He indulged her attempt to distract. He still answered her.

“Dubious contacts,” he said, the words flat but with a trace of humor. Then his expression shifted, something darker flashing in his eyes before he looked back at his work, a weight behind his gaze she couldn’t ignore.

She watched Dropmix, his hands moving methodically as he checked the welds on her repaired leg. He was so calm, so steady, as if the chaos of war, of loss, didn’t touch him at all. Maybe it didn’t. Maybe he had found a way to keep the world at arm's length, to turn everything into background noise while he worked, while he healed. Would it have made much of a difference for him if Bluerunner had survived and she had been the one killed?

“Dubious contacts,” she repeated his words softly, testing the response. Valkyrie returned her gaze to the ceiling and allowed her thoughts to wander. The image of Bluerunner's lifeless body lingered in her mind as Dropmix worked, the memories flooding back like a tidal wave.

~~~~~~~~~

“Bluerunner!” she screamed, voice raw and static filled. She stumbled forward from the temporary cover she had found, towards where something was approaching her friend. “Watch out!”

“What-” the deep blue mech began, looking up at Valkyrie—not at the danger—but never got to finish. Within moments a large metal boot had crashed down onto his back, crushing the small thrusters there.

Valkyrie stumbled, tripping on the discarded body of some poor bot. She crashed to the ground, her wrist twisting painfully beneath her as she tried to cushion her fall. She bit back a cry of pain but kept her eyes fixed on Bluerunner. No, no, no.

“NO!” She could hear her voice box crackle as it strained. “Bluerunner!”

He was struggling now, desperate to free himself, pushing against the foot that kept him pinned. His hands scratched at the metal, reaching for the gun he had dropped, just out of reach. Bluerunner writhed under the growing pressure, shuddering as he was pressed further into the ground below, armor groaning as it buckled beneath the weight.

Valkyrie pushed herself up, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through her arm. She had to reach him. She had to do something. “Bluerunner, hold on!” She ran towards him, she wouldn’t get there in time. She raised her blaster up, taking aim at the Decepticon.

At Sunrazor, her processor corrected— wait what?

The sickening crack of metal finally giving under pressure was the only answer, followed by a cut-off scream that tore through the air.

Bluerunner stopped moving.

The mech that couldn’t be Sunrazor—because Sunrazor was dead, she’d been dead for a long time now—stood over Bluerunner’s body, energon smeared over their plating, grime and dust gathering in the seams. There was no expression on their face. There was no recognition, no flicker of life as they stared at another mech, raising a massive blaster and firing with earth-shattering intensity.

Valkyrie halted and the Decepticon’s attention snapped to her. The pastel mech could feel her joints lock up, she nearly fell. She knew that mech, she would know her anywhere. No matter how long it may have been, no matter how different. She loved that mech.

To Valkyrie’s horror, it was Sunrazor who stood proudly before her, stained in her friend's energon and gaze unforgiving. With growing dread, she saw the same mech who had once been her anchor, the same one who had once looked at her with love and wonder, now standing before her as this twisted mockery of the Sunrazor she had once known.

Her finger lingered on the trigger, trembling with a brutal tension, but Valkyrie’s own body betrayed her, frozen in place.

How was Valkyrie expected to shoot her? How could she pull that trigger, knowing it was the same mech who had whispered vows of love to her, who did love her—who she had loved with every fiber of her being. How could she hurt the same mech she had grieved and had begged for just one more day with?

Primus must have been a cruel god, granting her this chance only to twist it, to mutilate and distort everything she had once known. To take someone so gentle and turn them into something monstrous.

Sunrazor lowered her gun ever so slightly, something itching at her expression, intense fiery gaze locked onto Valkyrie’s own but… She almost seemed confused. For the briefest of moments she almost seemed lost, as if she couldn’t make sense of Valkyrie.

Valkyrie hated how something akin to hope twisted within her.

But Sunrazor blinked and the dangerous red was replaced with a blinding white. Her expression twisted into something feral. Pointed teeth bared in an angry snarl. Her engine revved with a thunderous roar, plating flared. The metal of her gun groaned as her grip tightened. There was something unnatural with how she lifted it to take aim.

The pastel mech should move, she needed to move. Her feet remained firmly planted on the ground as she stared up at Sunrazor—Sunrazor who was alive and standing in front of her. Who had promised so, so many years ago that she would protect her, that she would never hurt her—Valkyrie didn’t even try to dodge the blast, it had been Saberfire who shoved her back into motion. Despite the speedsters' haste, blinding pain erupted in Valkyrie’s hip.

~~~~~~~~~

The music, ever present, decrescendoed into a soft lullaby, almost imperceptible now—its subtle change in tone seemed to match the gentle shift in Dropmix’s focus as he worked. He didn’t need to speak; the melody said it all. The silence stretched between them, but it was a comfortable one, the kind where Valkyrie could almost forget where she was for a moment. Almost. She could hear Dropmix moving, his steady hands never faltering.

Dropmix had known Bluerunner, had cared for him, had healed him. Yet he acted as if nothing had happened, like no tragedy had occurred. He acted no differently from the other times Valkyrie had found herself in his care.

"How do you do it?" she asked quietly, "How do you just… carry on?"

The medic looked up at her, face carefully neutral, “What do you mean?”

Valkyrie ignored the twist of frustration and offense that coursed through her at the statement. She let a frown tug at the corners of her mouth, “Bluerunner! He was one of your patients! You knew him, you took care of him and now he’s gone and it's like… it's like…”

The pastel mech trailed off, the once intense betrayal and irritation fading into numbness once again. She looked away from him, staring at a cabinet instead. When she finally spoke again it was barely over a whisper “How are you able to just keep going?”

Dropmix was silent for a few moments, contemplating his reply. The music trailed on in a gentle lulling. Eventually he shook his head. He sighed softly, setting down his tools with deliberate care.

“I don’t really know how to answer that,” His voice was quieter now, his usual warmth tinged with something more solemn. There was hesitance in his voice as he continued, “If I don't keep going, more mechs will get hurt, more would suffer. I can’t let that happen,”

Valkyrie turned her head slightly, unwilling to meet his eyes, though she felt the weight of his words like a blanket across her chest. Dropmix didn’t rush her, allowing the silence to hang between them, the unspoken understanding thick in the air. Any other day she may have attempted to press for more, to figure out what exactly happened. Today was not that day however, Valkyrie was in no position to press.

“The world doesn’t stop when you fall apart,” he finished, his tone more matter-of-fact than anything else.

Part of her wanted to ask him how he could stand the constant cycle of loss, of mending only for things to break again. Valkyrie wanted to demand how he could still care, still tend to the broken, while carrying the weight of so many souls lost. How could he continue knowing he had failed them?

Just like how she had failed Bluerunner. How she had somehow failed Sunrazor—allowed her to become��� that thing.

[serenastark-official]

⚡️07: How to Get Through a Conversation with Thor Without Hearing His Entire Life Story⚡️

(A Survival Guide by Serena Stark, Professional Sarcastic Genius & Part-Time Asgardian Damage Control Specialist)

Alright, folks, if you’ve ever been trapped in a conversation with Thor Odinson, you already know why this guide exists.

The guy means well, but if you ask him a simple question—like “Hey, how’s it going?”—suddenly you’re knee-deep in a heroic saga involving frost giants, some obscure Asgardian goat, and at least one time he “valiantly vanquished a foe” with Mjolnir (which, let’s be honest, happens every Tuesday).

So, to save your precious time and sanity, I present: The Official How-Not-to-Be-Here-for-Hours Guide.

Step 1: Don’t Ask Open-Ended Questions

You’d think this is basic conversation etiquette, but no—not with Thor.

❌ What you don’t ask:

“What have you been up to?” → Congrats, you just unlocked a three-hour retelling of his last battle.

“How’s Asgard?” → A dramatic tale of loss, rebirth, and some existential crisis about being king.

“What’s new?” → An ancient prophecy, at least one Valkyrie anecdote, and a side rant about Loki.

✔️ What you ask instead:

“Do you want another beer?” → Answer is always “Aye!” and you’re free.

“Want to see me race Peter in the Iron Suit?” → Boom. Distracted.

“Did Loki do something dumb again?” → You’ll get a short laugh and a nod. Crisis averted.

Step 2: Use Distractions to Your Advantage

Thor is like a golden retriever—easily entertained by anything loud, shiny, or involving food.

Food Diversion: Offer him a snack. He will pause to eat. Use this time to escape.

Battle Talk Trap: Mention a new weapon Tony’s working on. He’ll immediately go bug Tony instead.

Challenge Him: “I bet you can’t finish your drink before I do.” Now it’s a competition. He’s busy.

Bonus: If Loki is in the room, just casually say his name. Thor will immediately forget you exist and start looking for him.

Step 3: The Strategic Exit Plan

If, despite all efforts, you’re still caught in a full-length Asgardian epic, deploy one of these exit strategies:

🚨 The “Emergency Call” Escape

Pretend CARLOS is calling you.

Bonus points if you say, “Oh no, Emma's messing with the suit settings again.” He’ll nod solemnly and let you go.

🚨 The “I Have to Do Science” Excuse

Look serious. Mutter something about quantum mechanics.

Thor won’t question it because he respects science (and doesn’t understand it).

🚨 The “Vanishing Act”

If all else fails, just slowly back away while he’s mid-sentence. If you do it confidently enough, he won’t notice.

Step 4: The Nuclear Option—Turn It Back on Him

If Thor refuses to stop talking, flip the script.

🔥 Ask him about something confusing.

“So, can you explain how Mjolnir’s enchantment works with the laws of physics?”

“If Asgardians age slower, how do your birthdays work?”

“Would you still be able to lift Mjolnir if you turned evil for five minutes, or does it auto-drop?”

Now he’s confused and will either (A) stop talking or (B) get distracted thinking about it. You win either way.

In Conclusion:

Thor is a great guy, but sometimes, you just don’t have three hours to hear about the time he single-handedly wrestled a kraken or whatever. With these proven strategies, you’ll be in and out of conversations faster.

And if all else fails? Wong has a portal open somewhere. Use it.

You're welcome. ⚡️

[peonysgreenhouse]

the ghost of you. (welt yang x reader)

summary: welt finds another version of 'you' among the stars.

tags: welt yang x gn!reader, reader is implied to have been a valkyrie, light spoiler's for hi3rds second eruption, implied march 7th/stelle, sorry for hurting the old man </3

It takes Welt months to rebuild his body.

He had known how the war ended; known that the Void Queen was neutralized and that the Abyss Flower had done much to mitigate the causalities of the war. Welt tells himself that he did all he could, and hopes one day that he can believe it.

Though, he can tell something is amiss. His body and mind may still be getting used to having shape again, but Tesla and Einstein are quieter around him, gentle, even. Even if he could hardly walk they would never treat him like he was fragile; they had been proponents of tough love since he was a child.

Maybe he should contact you and see what was going on... Einstein and Tesla were always more open with you, anyways.

Still relearning his steps, Welt limps out of his room and into the main atrium. Einstein speaks on her comm to Amber, while Tesla types behind her hologram's screen.

"You--?! What are you doing out of the infirmary?" Tesla huffs, quickly wiping her eyes on her sleeves. Einstein turns to face Welt, then hangs up her comm quickly.

"Relax, I'm fine." Despite his words, he finds himself gripping the side of a desk to keep himself upright. "Just wanted to check in with a special someone. It's been too long since I've heard from them, I want to make sure all is well where they are."

Einstein and Tesla share grave looks, Einstein immediately getting up and leaving the room afterwards. Tesla bites her lip, slamming her fist down on the table before grabbing a manila envelope, crossing the room over to Welt with an angry stride.

She hands him the report with watery eyes, apologizes with a gentle touch to his shoulder, then exits the room.

Welt immediately knows something was very wrong. Tesla rarely was emotional without getting angry; if it was something that he did wrong, he'd be sitting in a lecture right now. Besides, she had already scolded him for playing hero. This was something much worse.

His mind works in autopilot, he falls into the empty seat at the desk. Welt pulls the report into his lap, and his heart sinks when he sees it's your Valkyrie profile. His eyes move to the bottom of the page, fighting the panic welling up in his chest.

19xx - Killed in battle against the Herrscher of the Void alongside Cheng Lixue. Body retrieved by Schicksal.

Welt reads the words over and over, as if the repetition would somehow change their meaning. His eyes dart up to see the picture of you in the corner of your file. In the picture you were shining, alive.

You were just 18, then, recently graduated from St. Freya's. He hadn't met you yet, but you had told him many stories about your time there. You even expressed interest in teaching there one day, once you weren't needed on Squad Snow Wolf.

Welt sets the folder on his desk in a neat pile, and buries his face in his hands. He should have been there; should have known you would've done something reckless. He could save billions of people as a Herrscher, but he couldn't save the one person who he loved more than the world.

Welt hopes that in your last moments, you knew how loved you were.

When Tesla comes to check on him later, he's asleep, but she can see that he had been grieving. His face is red, eyes puffy; curled up like he intended to suffer alone. Just like he did as a boy.

-`♡´-

It was meant to be a quick stop at a smaller planet. Somewhere near the Xianzhou Luofu where they could rest after they dealt with the Stellaron crisis. Himeko asserted that all of them deserved a little break.

Himeko ended up choosing a rich planet that traded often with the Luofu; they even had a huge shopping district that March 7th just had to see. March 7th had dragged Stelle and himself along for the trip, and somewhere along the line he had gotten separated from the pair of lovebirds.

Oh well, better to give them some time alone, he thinks.

Welt sighs as he sits down on a bench. The suns shine brightly in the sky as he takes in the sights. Outside the shopping district it was mostly quiet, save for the people training across the courtyard. If he squints hard enough, he can just barely see what they're doing.

He becomes so engrossed watching them spar that he hears it before he sees it. A loud whizzing noise that has him casting his body towards the end of the bench, away from whatever was coming straight at him.

"Apologies." The person calls, jogging on over to the bench. Another inch and the spear would've lodged into his arm. He can feel the cold radiate off of it. He scoots over as far as he can, adjusting his glasses. "I'm so sorry, I didn't think my sparring partner would dodge."

Welt finally looks up at the person who had almost killed him, and the words catch in his throat.

It was you, maybe a little taller, a little older than he remembers, but still you. There is no world, no lifetime in which he wouldn't recognize you.

Welt had thought the ghosts of those he left behind could be ignored. Himeko, Bronya, even the one who looked like Otto... he was fine worrying over them from a distance. He knew that they weren't the same people he knew; their faces might be the same, but their personalities, their destinies were not.

But you... he never expected to see you. On lonely nights he found himself pondering the what-ifs, but he dismissed the possibilities as foolish whims. Even if he did find your counterpart, it still wouldn't be the same person he knew as a best friend, as his only love.

"Joachim?" You say, and he flusters. It had been so long since he heard your voice say his name; his heart races at the mere word.

"How did you...?" He starts, clearing his throat. "How did you know my name?"

Your eyes widen in shock, hand covering your mouth. "Sorry, I didn't... You just look like someone I know. Knew."

Welt wants to press you more, he wants to surge forward and pull you close and live in your embrace for an eternity. But instead he grips his cane tighter. He needed to control himself, like he did around every other counterpart of his own world.

"I was going to say the same thing about you." Gentle. The two of you stare at each other for a long moment, not daring to breathe, lest it shatter the illusion. You're the first to look away, eyes growing glassy as you force back the tide of emotion building in your chest.

"I need to get back to training." You say simply, tapping your lance against the earth.

And before he can get your name, to see if it's the same as the you he knew, you run off back to your sparring partner.

When you're out of sight, Welt feels it hard to breathe. He shouldn't leave you behind; he should reach out his hand and talk to you. Just for a little while, just to satiate that nagging feeling taking root in his chest.

And yet he can't bring himself to follow. The world around him feels hazy, his whole body aching with longing. He walks around the grounds aimlessly until the suns set in the sky, telling himself over and over that this wasn't really you. That his incessant curiosity would only get you both hurt.

But when he closes his eyes that night, he can't help but hope that he would see you again.

-`♡´-

Your name is the same.

Though, that should be the last thing on his mind as you pull your lance out of a dead Voidranger; its body disintegrating into the ether.

"Are you guys alright?" You ask, looking only at March 7th and Stelle. Your chest heaves with effort as you sheath your lance into the ground, leaning on it for support. "I didn't think that the Antimatter Legion had a presence here... This is very troubling."

"Yes, I'm fine!" March 7th speaks first, eyes glittering with excitement. "More than fine, actually! The way you and your friend swooped in like that was so cool! Can you teach me how to do that?!"

"You want her to teach you how to... swoop?" Stelle answers, scratching her cheek in confusion.

"Ugh, you know what I mean! Like make that dramatic and dashing entrance!" March clasps her hands together, lost in some fantasy. "You have a lance, Stelle, I'm sure you could be that charming if you tried."

Stelle mumbles something, and Welt steps in before the two can start their playful bickering. Your partner, a girl that looks about Stelle's age, calls your name. Whatever words the two of you exchange next are lost on him; he rolls your name around in his mind until you turn back to March.

"If you're interested in training with us, you could always join in one of our sparring sessions." You fiddle with the sleeve of your uniform. "I'm not sure how long you guys are staying, but if you have time I'd enjoy seeing an outlander's fighting style."

"You'll do it, won't you, Stelle?" March tugs at Stelle's sleeve, and Stelle shrugs at you. "And you too, Mr. Yang!"

Welt finally meets your eyes, and you smile sheepishly, obviously not expecting March to volunteer him for the training too. After you tell her the date and time, March skips off, her hand in Stelle's.

Without the crutch of March 7th, Welt feels himself not knowing what to say to you. You refused to even look at him, and he didn't want to make you uncomfortable.

He would be okay with the rejection. In some ways, it would be better than you accepting him. It had been twenty years since your death, but Welt was just starting to rid himself of the guilt that came from not being able to protect you.

Time could heal some wounds, others would just bleed and bleed and bleed. Your death was one he knew he would never fully recover from. Seeing another version of you older and alive only made those old wounds ache. Like this is the you he could've been chasing the stars with.

"I'm sorry for them, they're a handful." He says, voice shaky. "Thank you for stepping in, though. I didn't want the girls to have to fight on our vacation."

"It's my job." You say. "It can get pretty rowdy over here, with how close we are to the Luofu. Most people here are merchants though... If we weren't here, they couldn't protect themselves."

"That's very admirable of you." Welt remembers you saying something similar as to why you became a Valkyrie. He adjusts his glasses, hoping you don't see the flush on his cheeks. "Most people wouldn't be brave enough to take up such a calling."

You shrug. "I actually joined on a whim. My family are traders, but I just felt like the universe was telling me to join. Like protecting people was my purpose." When Welt goes silent, you add: "Sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you this. You're not..."

"It's okay, I enjoy listening to your voice." Welt steps closer to you, but you step back. "I..." He starts, but can't bring himself to voice his feelings. To tell the you in front of him about the you from his world. "Never mind. I should go. It'll be dark soon. I... hope to see you again."

When you don't answer, he turns to leave.

"Wait." You say, clutching his sleeve. He can feel your nails dig into his arm through the fabric; Welt has to stop himself from shivering. "You're... okay, right? You didn't get hurt?"

Welt swallows, the urgency in your eyes making him feel hot. "Yes, I'm fine. You got here before it could really do much."

You hold eye contact with him, your jaw clenching tight. "I saw you step in front of them when that enemy first appeared. Are you sure it didn't hurt you?"

"...It did hit me, but I'm fine. Just some light bruising."

Your grip on him tightens. "Are you sure? I... don't want you to lie for my sake. There's a clinic nearby, I don't mind taking you there."

Welt's gaze softens. He almost wants to take up the offer to spend more time with you. "Yes, I promise you."

You release his sleeve, walking back over to retrieve your lance. He feels himself missing the contact.

"Okay, good. I just know... my Joachim would lie about that kind of thing to put my mind at ease." You shake your head, expression heavy with grief. "But you're not him. When I look at you, I forget myself. I apologize."

-`♡´-

Himeko crosses her legs, picking up her teacup on the round table in front of her. Welt squirms under her inquisitive gaze.

"You've been acting strange lately." Himeko taps a manicured nail against the glass, inhaling the scent of her 'coffee'. Welt wonders how she can stand it. "I know we both have our secrets, but something is obviously bothering you. I wish you would tell me what it is."

Welt pretends to take a sip of the coffee Himeko made him, making an exaggerated noise to show his approval. Welt had always been a tea person, anyways, and the black sludge Himeko made did not change his mind whatsoever.

"I... am not sure what you mean." He replies, eyes flicking to the floor.

"See? You can't even look at me when you say that." She rolls her eyes. "Darling, if something happened on this planet, I need to know."

Welt sighs, deeply. "Something did happen, but it's nothing you need to worry about."

"Nothing I need to know about, or nothing you want to tell me." Himeko sets her teacup down, focusing all her attention onto Welt. "I want to know if something's bothering you."

"I just... saw someone who looked like someone from my world." He swirls the coffee in his cup absentmindedly.

"Oh? Was it like what happened with Luocha?" She leans forward, red hair falling onto her shoulders. Welt can't help but think her curiosity was just like the Himeko he had once knew. He can't help but smile to himself.

"No, nothing like him." His voice is firm. "It was... someone important to me."

Her eyebrows raise, eyes bright with interest. "Oh? An old friend? ...An old flame?"

Welt takes a sip of the 'coffee'. Maybe if he died here he would be able to dodge her questions. "...Something like the latter."

"What?!" She sits back, cheshire grin on her face. "Mr. Yang, you never told me you had a lover back home!"

Welt's expression falls, and Himeko notices immediately. She quickly apologizes.

"Oh. Did... did something happen to them?" Himeko frowns sympathetically, patting his hand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed."

"It's fine. It was... a very long time ago." He admits. "But even so, seeing them again, even if it isn't them... I want to talk to them more. I miss their voice, I miss seeing them... Talking to them eases some of that ache."

"Then why not talk to them? To them, you're a stranger, right? It couldn't hurt anything."

"But they knew a version of me." Welt sets his coffee down, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "They knew my name instantly."

Himeko is quiet for a minute, turning his words over in her mind.

"You don't have to listen to me, but if I was in your situation... I would want to get to know them." Himeko smiles gently. "Welt, not many people get a second chance with a loved one. You don't have to feel the same way for them that you felt for the version of them that you knew, but the way I see it... It's easy to see that you feel guilty for losing them, maybe talking to them would help lessen that guilt. And if they lost their version of you, I'm sure it would be the same for them. Call it closure for the both of you."

Welt's eyes feel glassy; emotion threatening to choke him. Himeko was right. Denying himself would only leave him with one more ghost. He had enough of those for one lifetime.

"Thank you, I think I will."

-`♡´-

Welt decides to take up March 7th when she asks him to come and spar with you. Stelle decides she would go too, if only to show off for March 7th.

Stelle announces that she'll go first, and it's hard to take his eyes off the two of you. March 7th bounces excitedly on her heels beside him, cheering on Stelle as Stelle readies her lance to fight you.

You roll your shoulder, readying your own lance. Welt sees a determination in your eyes that he hadn't seen in a long while.

You and Stelle trade blows, but it was obvious that you were a much more experienced fighter. Stelle liked to overwhelm her opponents with a show of force, but you were more lithe on your feet. You move quickly, not letting any of Stelle's blows land. The you of his world was an A-rank Valkyrie, but even so you were still green to the title before your passing. Here, you seemed more confident, your moves fluid and graceful, but still powerful.

After a few rounds, Stelle concedes, running a hand through her sweaty hair. She uses her lance to propel herself off of the ground, going over to rest on the sidelines with March. You look relatively unfazed as you catch your breath.

"Mr. Yang, it's your turn!" March yells, pushing him forward. His glasses nearly fall off from the force. Maybe she should be the one fighting you...

"Well?" You say, cocking an eyebrow. You lean against your lance. "You wanna spar?"

"I don't... I mean..." Welt starts. "I didn't think I'd be fighting you."

"Aw, c'mon, Mr. Yang! Don't be scared!" March 7th winks at him. "We'll be cheering you on, right, Stelle?"

Stelle gives a lazy thumbs up, still laying in the grass. Welt sighs, knowing he can't get out of this; not when his two girls were cheering him on. And especially not when you were there, too.

"Well, alright. I suppose I can go a round or two." Welt picks up his cane; his ever reliable Star of Eden. "If you don't mind, that is."

"I'm down. Just don't go easy on me, okay?" You look serious, readying your lance. Welt nods, announcing that he's ready; it's you that makes the first move.

As you rush toward him, he realizes how much faster you were than he was. Were you holding back against Stelle? He just barely manages to dodge, losing his footing as he does so.

You take advantage of that and slam the side of your lance into his ribs, hard. Welt winces, stumbling back, managing to slow you down with the Star's gravitational powers. Stuck and slowed, you launch your lance at him, ice crystals forming underneath its path. He ducks just in time, but you've already managed to close the distance between you two. You were relentless.

You both trade blows for almost an hour after that, but it was obvious that you were wearing Welt out. Exhausted from just watching, March announces your victory, and drags you and Welt along to get victory dinner together.

Welt doesn't miss your smile as March slips her hand into yours.

-`♡´-

The cool night air doesn't bother him when he sits at your side. The indentation where your lance lodged was still in the bench; he can't help but smile.

Dinner was nice, March 7th seemed to pick up on Welt's fondness for you and made sure to have you both sit across from each other. You were a little more open when it wasn't just you and him; you laughed and told stories about your home planet. He enjoyed listening to your voice.

It was him who asked you to join him on a walk. You had seemed hesitant to accept, but did so anyways. He was glad.

"You're a very talented fighter." He says, sincere. "It's been a while since I've been bested like that."

"You were holding back." You shake your head. "I would almost be mad, but it's so like you. Or, the you I knew, I guess."

"I didn't want to hurt you." Welt grabs his ribs subconsciously; he can feel that they're already starting to bruise. "But it seems like I didn't need to hold back."

"...I just wanted to see how strong you were." You lean back, the golden hour glow making you look breathtakingly beautiful. Welt finds himself unable to look away. He wanted to commit this moment to memory before it slipped out of his grasp. "You're definitely stronger than he was. That's good."

Welt feels himself dancing on an invisible line, but he can't live with the regrets. He has to know. "What happened? To your version of me?"

You laugh, bitterly, feet kicking into the dirt. "He was always playing the hero. Rushing into danger so that no one else would have to... It was one of the things I admired about him before I started dating him. And after... it was one of the things we argued about the most."

Welt had heard this song before; you and Tesla would always scold him for acting recklessly. But he had a Herrscher core that he could rely upon, he's guessing your version of him did not.

When he's silent, you continue on. "It was just supposed to be a routine thing, you know. We were investigating a case about some stolen goods... but it turned out to be a trap. The guys expected us to come and... I was just too slow. They shot him before I even had a chance to react."

Welt puts his hand on your shoulder, but you pull away, sniffling. "It wasn't your fault."

"I know, I know. I've been told that a hundred times but... when you watch someone you love bleed out in front of you and you can't do anything... It just feels like it was. Like I should've been more careful or something." You shake your head. "Joachim was... he was supposed to be a teacher, anyways. He joined us because he needed the money. He shouldn't have been there."

Welt adjusts his glasses, thinking of how similar he was to your Joachim. Maybe if he hadn't met Welt Joyce, maybe if he didn't take up the mantle of Herrscher from him, this too would've been his fate.

"He seemed like a good man. I'm so, so sorry." Welt's voice is gentle. He wants to say more, but knows that words can do little to alleviate the pain of loss. All he can do is sit and listen.

You wipe your eyes with a sleeve, trying to even your breathing. Welt's hand lingers in the air, as if wanting to wipe away the tears spilling down your cheeks. "He was. He was the best." You sniffle, shaking your head. "I miss him every day."

"I know how you feel... I lost my version of you, too." He smiles, sympathetically. "It was over twenty years ago but I think about them every single day."

You look up at him, eyes glassy with tears. "What happened to them?"

He hadn't talked about your death since the day he found out. He didn't like to remember you that way; not when you were so vibrant in his memory, so full of life. When he talked about you, he told others his fondest memories of you. So that your memory would transcend time.

You deserved to be remembered.

"There was a... world-ending level threat on my home planet. I had fought as long as I could, but eventually I was too injured to go on. That's when... them and their squad member challenged the enemy to a fight. It was really a distraction so their friend could get away safely... They... were impaled by a lance." Welt leans forward in his lap, rubbing his face with his hands. "I always feel like I could have done more."

You touch his arm, so feather-light he's sure he imagined it. "Hey. If the other version of me volunteered to do that then... I'm sure they knew the possible outcomes." You give him a watery smile. "I don't think they would want you to feel guilty about it. I wouldn't."

Welt has to blink back tears. It was beyond cathartic, hearing that in your voice. "The other version of me wouldn't want you to feel any guilt either. It wasn't your fault, what happened. You deserve to be at peace."

You nod, slowly. He can still sense some hesitancy from you; it seemed your wound was much fresher than his own. Maybe if he kept reminding you then you would one day believe it.

The night grows dark as the two of you sit there, in a peaceful silence. You both think on happier days, and soon your head falls onto his shoulder.

"Maybe... maybe a change of scenery will help." Welt says, the stars above as your only witness. "What would you say about coming on a trip on the Astral Express with me?"

[girlkisser13]

artemis cabin headcanons

the hunters of artemis

• when a hunter join the hunt, they no longer get periods as a blessing from artemis. (another reason to become a hunter?? jk i love women WAY too much).

• obviously, they’re all feminists.

• most of them can't take sexist jokes, so be careful unless you want to get shot with an arrow.

• they keep in touch with the girls that have left the hunt.

• when two hunters fall in love, artemis usually shows mercy, knowing the vow spoke of leaving behind the company of men not women.

• they’ve definitely bumped into the valkyrie on more than one occasion. artemis doesn’t like them very much because she doesn’t want her hunters to become einherjar.

• she’d rather they have the peace and calmness that they deserve.

• much like the camp half-blood necklace beads, the hunters have charm bracelets. they get a charm in the shape of a moon once they arrive and then a star shaped one every ten years they serve artemis.

• trans girls are ALWAYS accepted into the hunt.

• but if a trans guy wants to join the hunt (pretransition), artemis will straight up refuse to take them, subsequently kicking of their gender crisis.

• she’ll also do this with pretransition trans women (to their great confusion).

• the minimum age to become a hunter is sixteen, unless there are special circumstances (it just doesn’t sit right with me that most of the hunters are in their preteens).

• this is a big decision and shouldn’t be made at such a young age. let these girls go through puberty and find out whether they really want to forsake men forever.

• plus, it’d actually benefit the hunters to be more physically mature; they’d be a lot stronger and therefore faster due to the muscle development.

• they have a hotline number that women can call if they feel extremely uncomfortable or fearful in a situation.

• they'll discretely escort her out and then beat the shit out of whoever is scaring her. <33

cabin exterior

• the cabin is primarily made of wood, with vines and ivy creeping up its sides, blending seamlessly with the surrounding forest.

• the cabin's roof is adorned with silver tiles that shimmer like moonlight, casting a gentle glow at night.

• carvings of various wild animals, such as deer, wolves, and bears, are intricately etched into the wooden walls, symbolizing artemis's connection with nature and wildlife.

• during the day, the cabin appears almost invisible from a distance, thanks to its natural camouflage of leaves and branches, making it a perfect sanctuary for the hunters.

• the entrance is flanked by banners with the symbol of the moon and arrows, representing artemis's hunting prowess and her role as the goddess of the moon.

• hidden paths and trails lead from the cabin into the deeper parts of the forest, allowing the hunters to come and go without being seen.

cabin interior

• the walls and floors are made of polished wood, giving the cabin a warm and rustic feel. the wood is adorned with carvings of forest scenes and animals.

• soft, silvery lanterns hang from the ceiling, casting a gentle glow reminiscent of moonlight. at night, these lights give the cabin a tranquil, otherworldly ambiance.

• the bunks are arranged in a circle around a central hearth. each bunk has a curtain made of light, airy fabric, providing privacy while allowing the occupants to feel connected to the room.

• the decor includes tapestries and rugs featuring scenes of forests, wildlife, and the moon. the cabin is filled with plants, flowers, and small potted trees, making it feel like an extension of the forest outside.

• each hunter has a personal space to store their gear. this includes a rack for bows and quivers, hooks for coats, and shelves for other hunting equipment.

• the central hearth is always burning with a controlled, magical flame that provides warmth and light. it's surrounded by comfortable seating made of logs and animal pelts, perfect for gathering and sharing stories.

• a section of the cabin is dedicated to practicing archery and other skills. it includes targets, dummies, and plenty of space for physical training.

• one corner of the cabin has shelves filled with books about nature, wildlife, and mythology, along with maps of various hunting grounds and sacred sites.

cabin traditions

• they have an annual remembrance day on the first full moon of june where they honor the fallen hunters of that year. artemis always ensures that there is a beautiful strawberry moon lighting up the sky.

• when they visit camp half-blood, they to have archery contests with the apollo kids (and other kids that have archery skills). they share their advanced skills and techniques, often leading to informal training sessions where the campers learn new tips and tricks from them.

• they hold special training sessions particularly focused on survival skills, hunting tactics, and self-defense. these sessions are a blend of physical training and imparting the wisdom of living harmoniously with nature.

• the hunters hold workshops on making traditional hunting gear, such as bows and arrows, and other crafts related to their way of life. these workshops are hands-on and give campers a tangible connection to the hunters' lifestyle.

divider by @strangergraphics

[wanderingmind867]

The Defenders really were just a bunch of people with personal issues, weren't they? Doctor Strange is a lonely man whose only friends are his girlfriend and his manservant, The Hulk is a lonely and temperamental man who just wants to be accepted, Namor is a temperamental prince of a land oppressed by the surface-men, the silver surfer is an exile from space who has literally zero close friends (in my opinion), Valkyrie is a woman who's suffering an existential identify crisis, and nighthawk is a spoiled yet neglected rich man who never had a proper chance to grow up and mature.

Literally every single member of the defenders is someone who deserves therapy. They're a bunch of people who have next to nothing in common besides crippling loneliness and trauma. And that's oddly beautiful. I can't help liking that. They're the non-team, yet in some ways they feel like they have a tighter bond than a lot of other teams. They've got a bond forged in trauma and battle. As i said above, that's oddly beautiful.

[occasionally-poetic]

marauders characters’ ethnicities/religions/languages pt. 2

valkyries edition!!

again these are just my own HCs don’t take this too seriously x

lily orlaith evans

comes from a proud unionist irish family living in derry (she will slap you if you call it londonderry btw)

practicing catholics (or cyathlics as she would say) but she has a faith crisis in 5th year when she starts liking girls

becomes friends with severus who lives in protestant derry (bc hes a protestant) and her parents are ecstatic (“aw, well, would you look at our lily talking to that wee proddy lad?” “god, but its an awful name. severus? sure, what was his ma thinking?” “ah, now, you wouldn’t have guessed he’s eileen’s wain, would ye?” “eileen? from the post office?” “aye.” “oh, but he’s the spitting image! christ…”) but petunia hates it so much and thinks she must want to be a protestant instead

mostly speaks english at home but is fluent in irish because her nana doesnt speak any english

marlene katarzyna mckinnon

irish catholic on her dad’s side (wizard)

polish catholic on her mam’s side (muggle)

parents are split and she lives with her ma and siblings in finglas (north dublin) while her da owns a pub in derry which she visits (stays with him during holidays after she falls out with her ma)

speaks polish fluently because she was raised by her ma (who didn’t speak english) and teaches remus some polish so he can talk to his dad in it (and she can speak in her first language)

lily helped teach her irish while she was at hogwarts and wanted to get closer to her da

mary tiyanna macdonald

afro-brazilian catholic on her dad’s side - he grew up in rio and moved to jamaica as a young adult (some irish/scottish heritage there, thus the surname)

jamaican rastafari on her mum’s side - met her dad in kingston on a night out and ended up marrying him and having 8 kids (they got busyyy)

her parents moved to liverpool when they were in their mid 20s on the windrush

but they always visit jamaica and while at hogwarts mary spends most summers there

speaks jamaican patois at home, but knows some portuguese from her dad and his family

struggled to speak standard english and kept slipping into patois when she started at hogwarts, so she ended up accidentally teaching marlene a ton of patois

her family aren’t very religious, but they go to the local catholic church for mass at christmas and easter

her parents and siblings are all muggles btw!!

okk guys hope you like these! think im gonna do the skittles/emeralds next, and again please leave any suggestions!!

[acanth3]

追憶＊マリオネットの糸の先 / Reminiscence＊End of the Marionette's Strings

EPISODE 14

Nazuna: …..

(In this new school year, I'm already in my third year, just one more year away from graduating…..)

(I’ll spend my time freely until graduation I guess.)

(Since our painful defeat as ‘Valkyrie’ against ‘Fine’, our true nature was exposed….)

(One after another like dominoes other units were defeated too.)

(Like fruit being harvested, during the ripe time, its expected to do our best through our limits….)

(Fine has become the champion of Yumenosaki.)

(I don't know how much they calculated through this, it’s like it was all pre-prepared, a battlefield they could never lose.)

(In order to stand alone at the top of Yumenosaki, Fine took such great measures..) (It’s so stupid, everyones so serious about it.)

(Unit conflict is just another high school fight, isn’t it?)

(It’s a hustle and bustle as well as children being protected by their parents in these situations too.) (not sure this is right) (However, Fine was different; it's like they were murdering each other just for the reason to go to war.)

(We weren’t prepared enough, kicked around, trampled over and subdued.)

(Planned altogether, the world became full of Fine.)

(It was probably the most expected scenario for Fine.)

(To change Yumenosaki, they continuously fought, drenched in blood…)

(And Fine, built by the student council )

(If you couldn't go that far, then nothing would have been changed. Yumenosaki was out of order for quite a while.)

(However, thanks to Fine, declaring war upon Yumenosaki, it was realised there was a crisis here.) (United together and beginning to take idol life seriously…) (A system created as a festival made in an era of conflict, used as a critique system for idols…)

(Order was given to Yumenosaki, before a place with no laws.)

(This academy is now dominated by a strict school system fit for modern society…) (And those students living easy pleasurable lives unable to adapt were kicked out)

(It’s become a real school lifestyle, is it okay for you ‘Fine’...?)

(Not all humans are able to live ideally, I mean just before Yumenosaki was rotten.)

(It;s not simple pleasuring the student council, it’s hard to obey like a slave if I don't bother to make an effort.)

(There’s probably a lot of people right now who can’t get serious.)

(Bound by these rules and killing our personalities…) (Everyone is equal, and idols are being mass produced at a time. I guess that is the heart of an idol academy.)

(Even after all this, I don’t feel like I’ve changed at all.)

(Man, what a pity.)

(I’m just looking up to the hateful people who defeated us and now rest. So unproductive, what else can I do?)

(Oshi-san, he was so sad at the live…) (He couldn't recover from our showdown with Fine, he lost his shape and broke down…)

(Our live performance was bad but when it ended I had a word with the leader of Fine.)

(He told me something that completely broke me.)

“Thank you, please keep dancing as I like…” (not sure this is right)

(It’s as if as I was told something by the devil himself, from a puppeteer…)

(Oshi-san has the personality of anything that I wish for.)

(Such a graceful artist, I was locked up.)

(It was getting rough for him too, and his strange manners of speaking to dolls increased…)

(Me and Mika-chan became tired, I guess Valkyrie really is no more.)

(I’m joining a new unit too…even if I don't feel like it, i’m just tired from this.)

(I’ve been so used to Valkyries atmosphere I’m unsure how to adjust to a new unit’s life.) (I’m just dust covering a storage room.) (Until graduation…)

Nazuna: …..

[doctorstrangereview]

0123: Defenders #15

Cover Date: September 1974 On-Sale Date: June 18, 1974

Woo Hoo! Nighthawk gets a nifty new outfit this issue, after his last one got blown off his body by an exploding melty laser. Fortunately, the beak is a huge improvement and the colors are much easier on the eyes. Our rag-tag non-team gets to fight Magneto and his merry band of evil mutants. Doc and Magneto are even duking it out on the cover!

Doc is giving new member Nighthawk a tour of the Sanctum Sanctorum. After dropping a few jokes that Doc doesn't get and hints about his snazzy new duds, Valkyrie picks up the cue and compliments him.

Val's identity crisis resumes and she is determined to leave the Defenders and find out who Barbara Norris, the body she's wearing, was. This is actually remarkable for this era. Barbara would most likely have been ignored. She was insane and just an extra body lying around for Valkyrie to posses. Life goes on.

Nighthawk wants to help. He can't figure out who Val is, but he can help her with the rather conspicuous winged horse. He calls a lackey and orders them to buy a riding academy with lots of privacy.

Val thanks him and they turn around to see Doc speaking to the empty air. Doc realizes he's the only who can see their mysterious guest so he uses his All-Purpose Amulet to shine some light on the situation. Oh look! It's Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men!

Charley's usual lackeys are tied up so he needs the Defenders to sub in for him. Doc, of course, accepts on behalf of everyone present and then needs to recruit some muscle. In the form of the Hulk, naturally. The Hulk is confused by Doc's floating astral head, but obliges Doc by following him to the others. Fortunately all the present members can fly and manage to fly to New Mexico and not a very long time.

The gang meets with up with Charley just as the Hulk arrives. At this point, the readers don't know what this mission is and we're not sure if Charley has informed Doc off panel. As they prepare to enter the cavern in front of them, an giant orange cyclops (no the X-Man variety) emerges. Hulk requests he go away in typical Hulk manner.

The Defenders attack the beast. The beast wipes the floor with them, until Charley asks them to stop and reveals the monster is an illusion. Fancy that!

Charley is really looking like his physical inspiration, Yul Brynner, in that middle panel! The next attack is real and flattens the group as Magneto and his evil bunch come out of the shadows.

Magneto imprisons our heroes in a magnetic field. It's a little on the nose, but what else can you expect from the master of magnetism. Doc asks what's going on and why he's doing this. Magneto blathers something about a sleeper inside a giant bell jar behind him and then leads into a multi-page recap of an Avengers tale not long before the Avengers/Defenders war.

To make a long story somewhat shorter, in his encounter with the Avengers, Magneto was clobbered by the Vision and then Thor trapped him in a force bubble which was sent to the center of the Earth. Comet Kohoutek's passing made some tiny change to the force bubble allowing Magneto to break free and find his way back to the a cavern. Naturally, this cavern contains the remnants of some loss civilization, because we don't have a story if it didn't. It even has a library with books that are bound just like modern publishers do. He's even managed to decipher the ancient language with absolutely no frame of reference. Well, Mags is a genius after all!

He reunites his brotherhood of naughty mutants and then reveals what he's up to: making a home grown mutant.

Charley communicates with his substitute heroes telepathically and next we get a full page panel of them escaping. Yay!

Magneto calls his band of naughties together to protect him and we get a large panel of the stand-off.

The Defenders don't fare wall initially, but the tide starts to turn when Hulk realizes that Blob is rooted to the ground, so he removes the ground. Doc then counters Masterminds illusions with his own illusions and we get an old classic, lots of Docs!

Charley manages to set off Nighthawk's jet pack who then crashes into Lorelei taking her out. Unus grabs Val who realizes that he has lowered his forcefield and Unus becomes touchable. She tosses him to the Hulk who is happy to have something else to punch. It may all be in vain as Mags has turned on his homegrown mutant.

The premise was more promising that what was delivered. Perhaps part two will be better. The promise of the cover didn't deliver. It showcases Doc and Mags facing off, but we don't get that. I am intrigued by these two battling. They are incredibly powerful, but can magnetism and magic counter each other? How would one defeat the other. At least Len realizes the Hulk is smarter than most people give him credit. He may not perform brain surgery or solve the unified field theory, but he is capable of deducting and reasoning.

The story is a level above ho-hum. It's entertaining, but not great. I'm hoping for more from the conclusion.

[raelyn-dreams]

Any headcanons of your favorite enstars characters? 👀💫

I do indeed nonnie! Though tbh, these are kind of full-cast headcanons lol. Tysm for the ask 😊

Mika is still upset he wasn't included in the Sanrio collab, and angrily sewed plushies the entire day it was announced.

During practice for Artistic Partisan, Hiiro was under the impression that the prop spears were much heavier than they actually were, leading to him accidentally slamming one through the wall (and nearly impaling Shu).

We don't talk enough about how Knights are given swords for their performances. Like who thought this was a good idea. Even if they are dull and fake, do you know how terrifying it is to have Ritsu Sakuma come at you with a sword and a maniacal grin? Kaoru Hakaze does.

Kuro was basically acting as a mediator for the entirety of the Yuukyou Seishunka cover rehearsals (while Mika and Souma prayed their unit leaders wouldn't kill each other). Keito and Shu came to feel kinda bad about this as they were winding down, so they begrudgingly worked together to make him a gi, as a thank you and apology. Keito never wants to hear the words "proper quilter's knot" again, but it was worth it for the smile on Kuro's face.

Hiiro and Hinata both have...shaky histories with high places (Hiiro in !! main story after Rinne disowns him, and Hinata during Setsubun). Niki doesn't know the details, but he notices after a while, so they start having rooftop hang-outs on occasion to help them with it.

I really like the Hiiro-Hinata-Niki dorm as a whole actually (which...Hiiro and Hinata are two of my favs, and Niki's up there, so that's to be expected lol). I see a lot of potential with the three, and I think they'd really get each other.

Ibara visited Kaname once. It was a stupid and sentimental thing to do, really, and he had work that needed to be done, lives to prepare for...but he couldn't help but feel he owed it to him, the near-silent apology that passed his lips that day.

Also, veering into AU territory a bit, but I think if Kaname were to wake up and eventually get back into the industry (after lots of rehab + accommodations), he'd keep the HiMERU name, but drop the "cool" persona he tried to associate with it. Life is too short to care so much about the public's perception of him, and I feel he'd go in the opposite direction of Tatsumi, and become even more outspoken, which would make him a good Crazy:B candidate.

OreMERU (our HiMERU) and Kaname are going to need to talk. A lot. I think Kaname wouldn't quite forgive him and would be upset about the identity theft, but he also can't bring himself to hate him, as he can see why he did it and knows it's for him. There's a lot of guilt and misunderstanding on both sides (ntm Tatsumi, Jun, and everyone else's reactions), but I think they eventually get through it alright, and OreMERU would always be Kaname's "Onii-chan".

OreMERU is also gonna have an identity crisis, and tries to quit Crazy:B, but of course Rinne, Niki, and Kohaku aren't gonna let him just dip like that. There's a lot of panicking, some bad hairstyle decisions, but he comes out alright, and starts going by another stage name that's important to him in some way.

I'm sorry about the excessive Tojo headcanons nonnie, I fully read Obbligato for the first time last week (just knew the basics before) and it wrecked me asdfghjkl.

Anyways. Back to everyone else.

As Mika gets used to Shu's more lenient personality, he tries to see how much gore he can get away with in Valkyrie's art.

Shu tries so hard to respect Mika's artistic vision and encourage him, he really does. But he draws the line at real pigs brains on-stage, even if they are in jars ("But Oshi-san, it represents the breakin' o' the mind after they tried so hard ta conform ta the expectations they put on 'em and ended up slaughtered! It's perfect symbolism, ain't it?")

Adonis makes money on the side for Undead by acting as an interpreter for other units during lives and Q&As. It ends up so popular and profitable that ES actually ends up investing money in professional interpreters for all events, because the ES heads can be kind of good people for once I guess. As a treat.

Rei, Ritsu, Niki, Tatsumi, Eichi, and Kaname (if he rejoins the industry) start having a combined monthly interview to make up for ones they miss due to illness/disability. The college kids/anyone that's been sick or couldn't make their own interviews occasionally join in too (usually Chiaki, Mayoi, Nazuna, Shu, Leo, and Izumi). Rei feels personally attacked sometimes, but its overall fun and way less stressful than trying to make every interview for their own units.

Kuro/Shu/Mao/Izumi dorm have sewing nights. It started because Kuro and Shu already sew, and Izumi wanted to be able to make his own alterations as a model just in case. Mao ended up joining in as a way to de-stress from student council work, and they have a relatively pleasant time together.

Souma is canonically good at embroidery, so I like to think he ends up creating his own sword scabbards for different Akatsuki costumes using the skills he's picked up from it. They're very pretty, and he's very proud of them.

[novankenn]

The TA -- Joan(Jaune) Arc

Artwork Inspired Posts - First / Second / Third / Fourth / Fifth

(Artwork created/owned by @pilot-boi, No rights Claimed/Implied by the author of this story)

"Joan(Jaune), please come out of the closet."

"I never thought I'd hear you say those words." Joan(Jaune) chuckled awkwardly as she open the door and peeked out through the door. "Is it safe?"

"Depends on your definition of... safe." Glynda responded her face fixed in a displeased scowl. "Now get out here."

"Yes Auntie." Joan(Jaune) spoke in a submission tone, as she fully open the door, pausing at the sight of the gouges that marred the door's exterior surface.

"Explain." Glynda instructed her niece, her facial expression moving into the dreaded, I'm disappointed in you stare.

"Explain? What's there to explain?" Joan(Jaune) swallowing nervously and starting to fidget under the unrelenting gaze of her Aunt. "You know how unstable this... um kids are."

"Really? Unstable you say? Nothing to explain?" Glynda's look once again changed becoming THE GLARE. "You have much to explain. Firstly why is Ms Valkyrie currently being sedated, while yelling about dainty deliciousness, Kiss of Death and a Soul Sucking Succubus?"

"OR, why Ms Nikos, is now comatose?" Glynda questioned cutting of Joan(Jaune)'s response. "Maybe you can tell me how Mr Ren is currently being checked out for a possible concussion?"

"Well, um..."

"Maybe you would like to give me a reason why I had to leave my first class of the day, of the year to help the medical staff regain control of their workspace?"

"Where would you like me to start?"

"Ms Valkyrie."

"Well, um... I sort of made her feel me up, and she's not slightly obsessed with my chest now."

"Why?"

"She said I didn't have a chest worth noticing, so I proved her wrong."

"Continue."

"Well then I discovered that Pyrrha was having a crisis about her sexual orientation... she is severely repressed." Joan(Jaune) continued in her explanation, "SO I tried to talk to her about it."

"Is that all?"

"No, so I got frustrated with her denseness so I used Ren, as an example and kissed him... he's a good kisser, just needs some practice." Joan(Jaune) offered.

"Really?" Glynda's expression didn't change, in the slightest.

"Yes? Anyway Pyrrha wasn't getting the point so I kissed her as well." Joan(Jaune) admitted, "She didn't take it very well."

"And Mr Ren's possible concussion?"

"After Pyrrha when limp fish, Ren also collapsed, and Nora declared me a Soul Sucking Succubus with a Kiss of Death."

"I see." Glynda sighed as she dropped The GLARE, and pinched her nose. "Not even one day. One day, with out ridiculousness."

"I'm sorry?"

"Be that as it may, you're still grounded."

"WHAT? YOU... you can't do that!"

"I can, and just did. One week of no setting foot outside of Beacon or our apartment unless it is to fulfil the duties of your position." Glynda's tone allowed no room for discussion. "Now head back to the class room, dismiss the first year class and inform the Second year class that it I will be delayed. They are to use that free time to better themselves. Understood?"

"Yes Auntie."

Ten minutes later Joan(Jaune) was doing as instructed. The first years evacuated the class faster than, her prom date's climax while taking her first time, in the backseat of his dad's car. The second years were very much more disciplined and took the time to study, or finishing upcoming homework. Without much else to do, Joan(Jaune) started going through her Aunt's paperwork.

About ten minutes in, a shadow fell over her. Looking up Joan(Jaune) and seeing the extremely fashionable young woman sitting on the edge of her Aunt's desk. Joan(Jaune) felt she was being visually undressed and devoured.

"Can I help you?"

"Maybe. It depends."

"Depends on what?" Joan(Jaune) didn't like where this was going.

"If you're single, like girls and want to get a coffee?"

"Yes, yes also boys, and no." Joan(Jaune) answered, before asking, "And who might you be Ms?"

"Coco Adel, angel."

Joan(Jaune) froze. The warning her Aunt had given her jumping to the forefront of her mind.

"Oh, you heard of me!" Coco smiled, before leaning in closer and purring her next words. "All good things I... HOPE."

Not for the first time in her relatively short life, Joan(Jaune) was praying for her Aunt to save her.

[moreespressoformydepresso]

TBOSAS fantasy creatures AU where the district people are all different kinds of magical beings (with human forms) whose powers are being heavily suppressed by the Capitol. Instead of the first interviews in the academy he mentors have to get their assigned tribute to talk to them (with Gaul’s scientist team making miniature environments the tributes can be their magical self in to make it more interesting) in a public, broadcasted setting with a crowd to witness this. Nobody knows how Highbottom got this plan pushed through but he did, hoping the public will see these kids as growing human beings instead of as vile beasts.

The start is… rocky. The mentors go in order of assigned district, girl then boy, and everyone gets one chance to start with. Everything afterwards is optional. So Livia goes first, fully expecting to get worshipped for the name Cardew or be attacked viciously by some monster, but she instead spends half an hour screaming into the void for Facet to show himself with no response. She doesn’t notice the shadow gliding around her, hidden in the dark crevices of the cracked walls of his environment. Livia doesn’t even know shadow elves are a thing, let alone what they can do. All she’s ever been taught is that elves are a monolith, and it’s coming to bite her here. Maybe if she’d been more respectful she would’ve gotten a chance.

Palmyra doesn’t have much more success, though she gets more reaction. While no words are spoken, she occasionally catches a glimpse of glowing red eyes peering out at her from the dense foliage. Once, she even catches sight of fur as a catlike creature starts to inch into sight, but as soon as the camera behind her is visible the girl disappears again. Velvereen doesn’t respond to anything after that.

After that, things get a little easier. Not great but not as bad. Sejanus and Marcus get a little reunion, though only when Sejanus uses his changeling abilities to escape the cameras and they’re completely in private, with enough proof for Marcus to believe Sejanus really does still see himself as district. Florus… is not so lucky. Sabyn (harpy) only lets out one screech and isn’t seen any further. Circ (fae) nerds out with his mentor Io and Teslee (Sphinx but instead of cannibalism she can briefly mind-control) rambles to Urban, but only Circ really gets to know his mentor. Urban just has weird vibes at the start which stunted the bonding. Persephone’s the first fully Capitol person with any success. The fairy plays a few harmless tricks on her before finally revealing himself and introducing himself as Mizzen. Persephone… immediately starts planning how to get him out of the games. This kid is too precious, she cannot and will not let him die. But she can’t say that out loud (yet) so her scheming remains purely mental for now. Festus is a massive slide back as he fucks up his first interaction the second Coral gives him a chance and the valkyrie refuses to show her face again.

Hy (a kelpie) and Dennis get on pretty well, and while Iphigenia takes a little to warm up to Sol (firebird) they get along in the end too. Perhaps even better… (I ship them due to An Old Style Of Escape don’t @ me) Otto (Gahe) and Ginnee (gryphon) become friends with the Ring twins too, though Otto starts off a little distrustful and disgusted by everything Capitol while Ginnee is a little put off by the jewelry and expensive clothing. Lamina (phoenix) is a little hesitant about Pup as they sit in the carefully crafted oasis environment, especially because he’s kinda judgemental and rude at first, but he quickly softens up to her and they become a little closer. She ends up crying about having to kill one of her closest friends since birth and how sick she feels at the thought of having to watch 23 people die and it fundamentally shifts something in the Capitol, who have slowly started to kind of pity these kids. Now they’re thrown into a crisis. This sweet girl was forced to be here, none of these kids have a choice, and they can’t avoid that fact anymore. All the other tributes were unique and kind, and it all worked to open them up to the reality check Lamina unknowingly gave them.

Then it’s Vipsania’s turn, and her landscape is a large pool of water made to look like a real lake, with different kinds of colorful foliage and even ruins of an altar at the bottom. At first, she and the crowd surrounding the large pool fully believe it’s empty, a belief only disproven by the occasional rustling, the shadow shooting through the water, and the soft, melodious laugh occasionally floating through the air with an echoey sound that isn’t entirely natural. She catches a glimpse of ink-black eyes and tries to call out, but falls in the icy cold water and can’t keep herself above water as her muscles freeze up. Her flailing only stops when a beautiful voice causes her to feel fully tranquil and hazy. For a second people fear Treech is using his siren’s song to drown her, but he pulls her out of the water and checks up on her until she calls his name, which scares him off and he dives back under the water with a yelp. She finally manages to coax him into talking to her and he ends up getting out of the water, tail and ink black eyes replaced by legs and brown human eyes. Occasionally she can hear his siren’s song slipping into his speech, but it becomes clear pretty quickly he does it on accident when he feels Big Feelings.

Hilarius is not a dick to Wovey in this! She’s a pixie and Hilarius gives her a makeover and does her hair because she asked him to and how does one say no to Wovey while claiming to have a heart? Bobbin is a little mean to his mentor at first but he gets around to her, using his wind spirit magic to make clouds for them to chill on. Sheaf (shapeshifter) and Panlo have a rough start with their mentors, with Panlo (forest elf) giving Gaius a proper dressing down in regards to how shitty his jokes are, but after the initial hurdle they get along swimmingly. Brandy (wit wief) Does Not like Arachne, and lets it be known by smacking her in the face with mist, but once Arachne lets go of the snobbish attitude they… find a middle ground? More like agree on a truce but yeah. Tanner and Domitia are the complete opposite, immediately befriending one another. He excitedly tells her about centaur biology and lets her ride on his back. Reaper (Basilisk) is very silent, occasionally flashing snake-eyes at Clemensia, but he’s not necessarily hostile. By which I mean she hasn’t been turned to stone yet. Dill (wood nymph) hides from Felix for a long while until she finally decides to give him a chance and he immediately starts plotting how to get her medicine. They get a nice sibling bond because Felix is nice and Dill is the sweetest, they deserve nice things.

Jessup (Faun) and Lysistrata get their bonding in too, of course, growing incredibly fond of one another very quickly. Lucy Gray (banshee) originally falls for Coriolanus’ charms, but his attitude towards the other tributes slips through a little and she loses all interest because she can see he doesn’t hold the values his behavior made her believe he had. His charming persona made her feel like he actually cared about the tributes, but she comes to realize he’s making every excuse he can to only care about her and make her ‘not district’. Now, Lucy Gray isn’t district. She’s Covey. However, that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t care about the people in the districts. They’re not her people because those she considers her actual people have been massacred, but they’re still people. A lot of them are good, humanity is inherently good, and Coryo’s insistence to see the districts as less worthy of life rubs Lucy Gray the wrong way. If he can convince himself to be okay with 23 children dying just because they’re “lesser” by being born different, what else can he convince himself of? How far will he be able to go as long as it benefits him?

At the end of the day, the Capitol’s heart has been softened and they refuse to let the games happen. In the zoo, they bring anything they can think of to help these kids feel more at home, from food to environmental trinkets that make the zoo enclosure feel less like a zoo enclosure. It’s not a lot but it’ll do while they sort out the whole hunger games stuff. Of course the games get cancelled, and the Capitol learns a lot of new things about the districts that bridges the gap between normal humans and supernatural beings.

PS I kinda wanted to make Lucy Gray a siren and Treech a banshee but banshees are all women so that was the dealbreaker :p (and also siren Lucy Gray means making SnowBaird happen and this felt like a better ending for her)

[cerastes]

Istesa, Lady of the Lake, and self-proclaimed “Interesting Times”.

“Istesa” is, in fact, a fusion of two beings: The Bloodless Queen, one of the former five Fairy Queens before the reforms that consolidated duties and power into one seat, and the blind Istesa, her royal smith and jeweler.

Less a person and more a phenomenon, Istesa is an ageless being that only resurfaces during times of turmoil and upheaval... Or rather, it’s more correct to say that she appears right before these chaotic times of great change, being the one to trigger them. By handing a legendary sword to this guy or that girl, Istesa makes sure that those with strong enough feelings and temperaments are properly equipped to carry out their “destiny”. While initially seen as benevolent figure of legend, scholars have since changed their opinion on her, as most every event she has influenced, regardless of the outcome, has tended to be immensely chaotic and gruesome. Pick any Ivarean history book, and most chapters have some relation to her... Among scholars, she’s also known as the Tideturner, as her powerful creations have shifted the tides of conflict and birthed many a victorious underdog, with no regard to the consequences afterwards...

A master smith, alchemist, and sorcerer. She’s worshipped as a goddess of change, progress, and blacksmithing in some parts in Ivarea, and she’s depicted with a large hammer in idols and effigies. However, those who are more familiar with her will also consider her a representation of calamity and crisis, and the Two Stars of Calamity are named after her (the Istesa Stars, or Twin Istesas). Thus, she is also sometimes represented with the visage of a collapsing tower as reference to the many dynasties and eras she’s suspected to have directly ended.

But, she’s simply a fictitious character in the folklore of the land, right...?

“Year 687: The legendary swordsman receives his sacred sword, and defeats the dark tyrant, becoming Hero King. In the following years, he, too, becomes a tyrant. Year 801: The Valkyrie of Esperkard pierces the Grand Chancellor of Atorrhia’s heart with the legendary spear she received from the Lady of the Lake. With the Chancellor’s death, Atorrhia is finally free, but all of its trade treaties collapse in the following months, and the people, now divided, massacre each other. Year 1301: The Bow That Never Misses is bestowed upon the the lad that would eventually become the Peerless Liberator. However, with the power to land a shot on absolutely anyone, no matter what, the Peerless Liberator became the Despot Ranger, who still holds the Great Glades of Insya as his own private land. No one dares venture into the glades, even today... A great swatch of no man’s land. Year 1498: An explosion so great that Ivarea shook completely took out the kingdom of [REDACTED]. No trace remains. In his dying words, the bomber said “Thank you so much, my Lady... My revenge... Is complete”, and the world lost its sole source of [REDACTED] that day. Year 1719: The sniper rifle that shot a bullet across the ocean, from one castle to another, and killed the king of Slionia, is said to have been given to the Empress of Grioccuvar by someone that perfectly fits the description of the Lady of the Lake. But the rifle had a single round, and upon the ascension of the king’s bloodthirsty daughter, the war only intensified, its repercussion still felt today.

This is all just a bit from the most comprehensive text we’ve found, from one of her worshippers, the Record of Calamity. Any questions?”

“Sir, is this all... True? This reads more like the ramblings of a madman, the sort that believes all those conspiracies.”

“Normally, I would agree with you, but... The truth is, I come from Grioccuvar, and... Look at this photo.”

“...That’s... Someone that fits the description of the Lady of the Lake, handing the rifle to the king?”

“Aye. My ancestor worked a post of honor at the castle, and he managed to snag this photo. It tormented for the rest of his life. She’s real, and if we don’t do something about her, she’ll keep shaping our history to her whims, writ in the blood of the masses, all while she simply laughs.”

-- Mission briefing at [-----]

Istesa, a native of Drathodia, was a blind artisan who made a living crafting jewelry and other such knickknacks. Drathodia is known for its boisterous adventurers and mercenaries, a hearty, strong people who love their fights as much as they love their celebrations. However, due to its main export being adventurers and mercenaries, it’s well known that those who cannot perform said roles, or assist in those roles tend to be discriminated in Drathodian society. One needn’t be a brawler, necessarily: Good cooks, explorers, blacksmiths, teachers and many more are appreciated fairly, but if you truly are alien to the culture, if you are an iconoclast to Drathodia born in the nation, then you’re likely not particularly happy within its borders. This was the case for Istesa, who was born with blindness and a feeble body, in contrast to her strong, charming older sister.

The sisters shared a deep bond, with the older caring for the younger in any way she could. A strong fighter with a seemingly bright future in front of her, the older sister was a shining star and even took apprenticeship with a famous martial master in Drathodia. Unfortunately, she met an early demise, and Istesa was left not only without the only person that truly supported her, but also without her beloved sister. Sinking into depression, Istesa gave her all into the creation of jewelry and trinkets, a discipline she was shockingly good at despite her blindness, as her sister taught her hands the basics, and from there, Istesa never stopped.

One day, late at night, Istesa got lost on her way home due to a temporary road closure changing her route, and ended up lost in the woods, where a tricky fairy spirited her away to the Realm of the Fairies. Scared for her life and confused, Istesa pleaded for mercy, but the Fairies, all of whom are capricious and some of whom are sadists, were not about to give her any quarter. That is, until the booming voice of one of the Five Queens ordered them all to stand aside. It was the Bloodless Queen, who happened to witness this on a stroll.

“What can you do?”

“I-I can make jewelry...”

“Then you will make for me a gorgeous necklace of silver, topaz as the main piece, and amethyst as adornments. Do you accept this commission?”

“Y-yes... Let me take your measurements...”

Istesa got to work in a secluded room in the Bloodless Queen’s castle, and in just one night and one day, produced the necklace: Brilliant silver with snowflake motifs of the adornments, wintry tones accompanying the purple hues of the amethyst, its main piece instead a plaque of hand-chiseled flame, where the brilliant topaz shone brightly. The Queen, whose breath had been taken away from the craftsmanship, immediately ordered any and all Fae that had their eyes on Istesa to back off, lest they wish to compete with her: The artisan was hers.

After becoming the Bloodless Queen’s personal artisan, the two grew close. Very close. They would talk at length about something the two of them were passionate about: Stories. Stories as a medium, stories as entertainment, stories as lessons... The Bloodless Queen always lamented that the Fae had very boring stories, always having predictably happy endings, clean endings, simple endings. Istesa simply wished she could see so she could read the books the Queen enjoyed so, that she could make a better conversation partner for her.

To celebrate Istesa’s first full year under her employment, the Queen told her to hold her hand and squeeze tightly. When Istesa inquired why, the Queen simply replied:

“It’ll hurt a bit less.”

The Queen then plucked Istesa’s blind eyes right out of their sockets, causing the artisan to faint.

When she woke up, however, Istesa found herself in a comfy, soft bed, a tall ceiling, look directly at the face of her Queen who sat next to her... Looking. Seeing. Watching. The shock almost made Istesa faint again. She could see. Hanging from the Queen’s neck was her necklace, which she immediately recognized, she had ‘seen’ it thoroughly with her hands. The Queen’s face was more beautiful than she imagined as well. Even though she ‘saw’ her through her fingers so many times, the real deal was definitely beyond what her mind could conjure. And right above the Queen’s head, she saw some words. They read “Istesa’s joy”.

“W-what’s going on, why can I see...?”

“It’s my gift to you, Istesa: The eyes of a djinn. I grant you sight, and the ability to discern the desires of those you see. This way, you’ll always know what I want.”

Though a seemingly selfish gift, it was anything but. This way, Istesa would not be taken advantage of, or at least, she would be able to know more about the true nature of any Fae that wasn’t the Queen that interacted with her. Fae are capricious, and some can be very cruel, but with these eyes, she could immediately tell if they had ill intent towards her. Moreover, Istesa could now read all the books the Queen herself loved. This couldn’t be better.

All was fine in the Citadel of the Bloodless Queen... Until the Civil War of the Fae erupted.

See, the Five Queens of eld had very specific, very strict roles: With a love for theatrics, the Five Original Fae, the Queens, established a system of governance for the ever-growing Fae population that would ensure peace: Each Queen had a role to fulfill in order to maintain the status quo: One of would be the Righteous Queen, who could do no wrong, and another would be the Bloodless Queen, who was behind everything wrong, no matter what. This would give the Fae an easy hero to follow, and an easy villain to blame, and all matters could be resolved simply. If the Righteous Queen made a mistake, then it was not, in fact, her mistake, it was a ploy of the Bloodless Queen, in an attempt to humiliate the Righteous Queen. Then, the Bloodless Queen would receive a token sanction, and everyone would move on. This worked wonders when the Fae were few and many of them knew this was merely a system of theatrics to put the water under the bridge as smoothly as possible while the true culprit reflected on their mistake and improved themselves. But as the Fae increased in number, the theatrics came to be understood as a reality. It wasn’t just a few dozen of Fae needing guidance and to focus on the right tasks for survival, now, the Fae were prosperous, numerous, and yet, the old ways never changed. Instead of being seen as a selfless martyr who took the blame, no matter what, in order for the many to focus on the right task, the Bloodless Queen came to be seen as a true villain. Every story needed a good ending, a clean ending, an easy to understand ending, and when there’s a designated villain, then it’s to find the culprit for everything.

Eventually, the Civil War of the Fae erupted, starting with conflict between the Righteous Queen and the Harvest Queen. Each urged the other Queens to join their side: The Studious Queen joined the former, while the Festival Queen joined the latter. Who would the Bloodless Queen join, then?

None. They all deserved the highest penalty for letting their egos get to this point in the first place. The Bloodless Queen took to the battlefield on her own. With remorse filling every inch of her heart, she addressed her smith and jeweler:

“Istesa... Can you make... Weapons for my soldiers?”

Istesa didn’t answer, and for the first time in her life, her hammer created a sword. Ornate, light, and deadly. The Queen herself wielded it. The blade only dulled after the thousandth kill.

At the end of the war, the Festival Queen finally seized her final victory via pure subterfuge after having believed to have been killed, the seeming sole survivor of the conflict. The Bloodless Queen lie on her deathbed, clutching Istesa’s worn fingers tightly.

“At least this is a better ending than all those flimsy acts we put on in the past, Istesa... I don’t hate happy endings, you know...? But... Where’s the sense of urgency when the bad guy is always so apparent... Where’s the sense of danger when you know every single time the good guys will win...? Fae stories are horribly bad... Haha... Look at me! The Bloodless Queen betrays expectation and bleeds out... Isn’t that simply funny, my Istesa...? Ah... Istesa... Please make sure that this world has more exciting stories... Make a world that would entertain me, would you...?”

Unable to handle the grief of losing her, Istesa broke in tears as life left the Queen’s body, but the Queen’s essence, too immense after so many lifetimes, was thick and palpable. As it glowed xanthous and violet in front of her, Istesa, without thinking, absorbed all of it. Absorbing the essence of a Fae is said to be a death sentence, that’s simply too much raw, undiluted magical power for any physiology of Ivarea to handle. Istesa intended to die with her lover that day... But the essence would not harm her. It would not hurt her. It would not pose any danger to Istesa. Istesa and the Bloodless Queen, at the very height of their emotions, fused.

And the world would become a more interesting place forever after that day. Whether it wanted to or not.

All that is done, is done for that. That. That perfect, entertaining ending, that heart-gripping development, that crescendo...

“Istesa” would give Ivarea the most interesting stories, forged in fire, printed in upheaval, writ in blood.

“Istesa” is not evil. She is not good, either.

All she wants is a good story.

And she’ll do anything for it.

[wildwinterlunas]

@kushion55

I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THE MEI THING OMG-

She isn't a soldier either and she didn't even expect she'd be fighting, but unlike Angela she willing to. She's a lot more positive about it too!!

Not only that but I talked with one of my friends about this, and I've talked about my head cannon that Amelie and Cassidy were friends pre-Talon. But in the serious theory direction I honestly think that if Widow gets a redemption and joins Overwatch to help take down Talon. I think they'd be able to relate to each other to a certain extent. Neither of them would be who they are without the specific circumstances that lead up to it. Without the Crisis, without Talon, they would just be regular people. Neither of them wanted to be soldiers but here they are fighting a war anyway. The same goes for if Sombra and Sigma join too. Honestly Cassidy relating to ex-Talon agents and being the first to empathise with them is an interesting storyline on it's own, but adding Cassidy feeling like he finally fits in because he's no longer the only ex-criminal on the team? That he isn't the only one who didn't imminently do good in the world and that he's not the only one that doesn't feel like he's a solider?

That would be a great character arc.

This also relates to what you said about Ana not mentioning Cassidy in this line;

Though Cassidy does have an a similar outlook on situations to what Angela, Sojourn and Lena have, there are couple of differences. Cassidy, for one, has a larger understanding on why someone would join Talon, why they would cause harm. Something we see all three of these characters struggle with. Being someone who was a criminal gives him a lot more empathy and patience towards those who are still on that path.

We see Cassidy, though non-canon, interact with Talon agents and he seems rather chill with them, complementing Widows aim, being patient and joking around with Sigma, being fairly casual with Sombra. Meanwhile in canon we see that though the introduction was rough, Cassidy genuinely likes and trusts Baptiste but he also aware enough of the people around him to know to encrypt Baptistes file. It also seems that he and Athena knows that he's in contact with Sombra;

Again I think the reason Cassidy wasn't mentioned is because he doesn't think the same way Angela, Lena and Sojourn do, and Ana knows this. If we look at what Ana says to Cass in "New Blood";

yes it has similar tones to what was said in Valkyrie but it is still different;

With Cassidy she goes into more detail, talks about him specifically, no mention of anyone else. To me Ana seems a lot more vulnerable here. With Angela, compared to what she says to Cassidy, it's rather simple, though they still have a core message;

This message is key both in similarity and in the differences of these conversations. In Valkery it seems that Ana just thinks Angela should go help in some way or another. With Cassidy she is actively setting him up to be a leader. Nothing says this more than the final moments of the conversations;

She leaves Angela for her to decide what she should do.

But with Cassidy?

She tells him to learn from the past, encourages him to not make the same mistakes in it, to make a new Overwatch. Which is what we see him doing in the last cut scene of Liberation;

"Jack Morrison is off chasing ghosts, he's not coming back."

The only member of the old guard he actively suggests they bring back is Sojourn, because he knows that she's got the battle strategy they need in order to better their chances against Null Sector. The fact that he's the one to suggest it as well and not Winston is telling as well.

Cassidy think differently both from the old guard and the second generation, Cassidy isn't the type to quietly retire, he also isn't the type of person to fight meaningless battles. He's not made for peace but he's also not made for war. He's made for change.

And Ana knows this, and I think Jack knows this too. Afterall Ana wasn't the one gathering info on Talon, Jack was.

Sorry this ended up longer than I expected, went on a bit of a tangent-

[chaoticallyreading]

Nesta Archeron had such an amazing character development as time progressed, actually owned up to her flaws, had relatable flaws, and is overall a badass. I really liked Feyre at first but the whole having a baby thing after she literally made it so clear she wanted more time with Rhys and wanted to do more things for her just rubbed me the wrong way. Meanwhile Nesta literally had an intervention over an addiction (mental health crisis) and weaponized trauma, actually came to terms with what happened/her mistakes even when the people around her literally gave Feyre and Elaine more of a benefit-of-the-doubt because they are not as stubborn or hotheaded as Nesta. AND SHE’S A VALKYRIE?!?! I love Nesta.

[lorekeeper-backset]

Presenting: Squad 7, a team of five students at Rosemarie Academy for Thaumetic Warriors (just a fancy word for Magical Girl because actually saying Magical Girl is embarrassing when you're a government institution). (individual panels under the cut)

Adrian Thane (18) aka Phantasm. Classificiation: Wild Card. He's got ghost based powers, intangibility, invisibility, possible connection to the Spirit Realm or the Underworld or whatever. Antisocial, acearo, sex repulsed, gamer, somewhat of an edgelord. His magical girl transformation is very physical which is giving him a gender crisis. Its fun. For me, not him.

Lacabelle "Lacey" Birch (20) aka Okami. Classification: Powerhouse. She turns into a Wolf-Woman (not a Werewolf, she's very insistent about that), the bracelets help her control her transformation. Kind of feral, lesbian, likes to fight, also kind of a slut, and proud of it. She and Adrian start off antagonistic but transition into best friends who also poke fun at each other.

K.A.T.H.Y Sterling (7 but her mental maturity is more or less the same as her squadmates, which isn't saying much) (no codename). Classification: Powerhouse. She's an android who wanted to go to school and experience normal human things but this is the only school that would actually allow her to attend. Turns out having an onboard weapons suite counts as being a Magical Girl. Nobody knows what K.A.T.H.Y stands for.

Cynthia Falks (18) aka Valkyrie. Classification: Guardian. Not technically the youngest because of K.A.T.H.Y but is generally treated as the youngest maturity-wise. She can create shields out of golden energy and also fly with golden energy wings. She claims she was empowered by "the gods." What gods? Unclear and she refuses to elaborate. She's ADHD and Autistic and more than a bit overexcitable. Not the greatest with social cues. She's a foster kid who's been kicked from boarding school to boarding school most of her life so her wardrobe is mostly just leftover school uniforms. Why let them go to waste, you know.

Tabitha "Tabby" Young (19) aka Hestia. Classification: Guardian. She has fire powers but rather than burning people, she heals them. She can also create fire constructs, most commonly a fire whip that she uses to tie things up or pull them towards her. She's the quintessential nice girl who's scary when she's angry. She's also the only one of them still taking normal classes in addition to her Magical Girl training. She also has dyscalculia which has been a pretty major roadblock for her.

[cafeinthemoon]

Thorns - Part I

Chapter 1/3

Wordcount 3,4k

Title Part I

Fandom Shuumatsu no Valkyrie/ Record of Ragnarok

Pairing Hades x reader

Symbols ⭕ . ➕ . 💛

Warnings: blood and injury; mention of missing limb; secondary character injury and death; light angst; marriage crisis

Tagging ? (If you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just leave a comment on this chapter or send an ask or a message)

N. A: So this idea has been with me for several weeks and finally I managed to write it! This story will have only 2 chapters, just like my previous one, "Unexpected Changes", and it doesn't follow the same timeline as it. Instead, it's inserted in "Ruins" timeline. It's a simple plot, but I hope you like it :)

Things were not the same between you and Hades.

You’ve been trying to avoid it, but this thought kept coming back to you every night you laid down to sleep, and every morning when you opened your eyes and looked around the room – each of those times all alone, for your husband, who usually spent more time at work than yourself, has been coming later to your side and leaving the bed earlier. Not that he would be deeply affected by this strange sleeping schedule, of course: he was a god, and despite being older than you, his stamina was enviable even for the youngest deities. But you loved him, so you wanted him to keep good habits anyway.

And, more than that, you wanted him with you like your first years together.

If only it was just a misunderstanding… But the fact that you’ve been sensing these changes in your daily activities with him wouldn’t let you believe it. Hades has been reducing the number of tasks he delegated to you under the excuse that you shouldn’t overwork yourself – even though he has been doing this very thing. He also has been sharing little information about his traits with other domains and jurisdictions to the point that you had to inquire him about things that, in other times, he would discuss with you with no problems; you remembered this day when you felt some distress from his part because of your questions and ended up leaving the throne room earlier to avoid an argument, a situation that you never expected to face: conflicts have always been minimal in your marriage, but now there was a permanent tension whenever you speak to each other, and you were never sure how each conversation would end up.

As the days passed, you spent more and more of your free time alone, whether at your particular garden, taking care of your flowers and getting rid of some thorns that have been increasing in size these last days, or at the balcony of your bedroom, observing the reddish skies of the Underworld with a book forgotten on your lap. In other days, you would be surprised by the sudden arrival of your husband at these places, in which he would come to talk, to date or to take you back to dinner or to your private room, but lately you had no sign of him at them.

With the prolonged loneliness came the inevitable questions: did you make a mistake, maybe more than one? If so, why couldn’t you guess where you go wrong? And why didn’t he say anything about it? Why was he acting as if nothing happened? Was it possible that he wasn’t seeing what was going on?

Does he still even see me as his wife?

***

You still remembered when things became unbearable.

It was a period of festivities in Heaven, which would last for three days and three nights. It was the last night and you were a bit tired, less because of the party itself than because the preparations for the return journey to Hellheim. Hades told you to enjoy the last hours of the night while he would reunite with some deities from a foreign pantheon to discuss some governmental matters.

– Are you sure you don’t need my assistance during the meeting, my dear? – you asked, even knowing what you were going to hear in response.

– Yes, I am. And I don’t want to steal your last moments here – he kissed your temple – Now, go. Have some fun.

You weren’t willing to argue – not in front of strangers – so you just nodded and went to the nearest balcony to get some fresh air.

You were successful in controlling your emotions while you crossed the ballroom to reach it, but once you passed under the arcade and saw yourself alone, surrounded by the night, all the party’s noises left behind, you realized how tight was your throat and your chest, and your tears didn’t come without a loud sob.

A heavy foot stepped to the spot by your side, making you startle and raise your head, wiping your tears with clumsy hands.

Your eyes widened when you recognized the intruder.

– Adamas-sama! I… How did you find me here?

Your brother-in-law didn’t travel with you to Heaven, but arrived by the same period: you’ve seen him a few times during the festivities, but you haven’t had a chance to engage in a full conversation just like you did in previous parties. He stared at you with a mixture of surprise and estrangement with your state.

– You passed by me right before you went to this balcony – he frowned – You really didn’t see me there, uh?

He was right: you didn’t see anyone in your way there. You didn’t pay attention. Your face burned with embarrassment: where did you become so rude with your pairs?

– I’m so sorry for this… I’m not feeling so well…

Adamas crossed his arms.

– Nevermind – and after a moment, – But, honestly, you haven’t been feeling well since you arrived here, or my eyes are mistaken.

You gave him a sad smile.

– Is it that clear?

He raised an eyebrow at you, as if no answer was needed. You sighed, leaning your hands on the parapet: what you were going to say was already shaking your physical balance.

– Adamas-sama… I… I think your brother doesn’t love me anymore.

The way those words sounded felt strange, foreign even when you recognized the voice that spoke them as your own. It was so hard to believe in them that it hurt, and you had no choice but to cry again.

The god of Conquest found this as unbelievable as yourself, for his first reaction was to contradict you.

– What are you talking about, y/n-chan? My elder brother adores you! His thoughts and feelings are always for you! He carries you around like his most precious jewel! The way he treats you is such that I don’t remember seeing so often in many couples!

When you heard that, you turned your neck to him so suddenly that it ached.

– Jewel? – you gasped – That explains a lot!

You might have sounded too irritated, because Adamas approached you as someone who expects terrible news.

– I don’t understand – he leaned his right arm on the parapet, turned to you – Can you explain what’s going on?

You looked away, but didn’t deny him a response.

– I’ve been thinking about the way some things are being managed in the Underworld and I cannot find a less hurtful explanation for that. Hades no longer loves me, or if he does, it is not as much as he claimed in the beginning – you swallowed – Each day that passes, whether by something he says or a decision he makes, it’s clear that he no longer sees me as the companion, the partner I was supposed to be. Lately, he has been leaving me out of the most important matters, only communicating me when everything is settled. There was one time when we almost got into an argument because of this. It’s like I’ve made some mistake about which I don’t remember, but he doesn’t talk to me about it! I don’t know what to do...

You made a pause to wipe the tears out your face, then continued:

– Since we arrived here, every time we appeared together in the presence of others, I couldn’t help feeling like I’m some burden he needs to carry. Right now, he went to discuss some matters with another pantheon and told me to go and “enjoy the party” the same way you’d speak to a child, making it clear that you don’t want to be bothered. You don’t say that with the exact words, but the child always knows. And that’s what hurts me more – you sighed – Not what he thinks or what he feels, but what he doesn’t say.

After a few seconds of silence, your brother-in-law’s first response was a low whistle.

– Who would imagine that things could come to this point between you?

There was nothing you could say about that, so you just kept staring at the night ahead. The silence didn’t bother Adamas, who brought the conversation to a new, unexpected direction.

– About his silence… I think I have a few words to say.

You turned back to him as he spoke.

– I don’t know how much he told you about the most dangerous times in Heaven, the war against the giants – he continued – But what you’re telling me now reminds me of it.

– How so?

– When one of his men came to inform that the Titans managed to escape the Tartarus, my brother’s first response was precisely the silence. He didn’t share anything with us, not even with Zeus. When we got to know what was going on, he has already traveled back to Hellheim to stop the rebellion by himself. When Poseidon finally found him, the case was solved: all the Titans were dead, and my brother was resting alone, beside their bodies.

You thought of that. Yes, your husband told you about the war and the history that preceded it, but he never told you that part when he fought a horde of Titans alone… and won against them.

– Why are you telling me this now, Adamas-sama?

– Because I believe this is something you’re yet to learn about Hades, y/n. To protect everything – and everyone – he loves, he would be the first to take all the burden to himself. He’s stronger than you can conceive. Even now, there are things about him that we, his brothers, cannot figure out, but it doesn’t have anything to do with love, or the lack of it. Hades loves us more than his own life, and by everything I’ve seen since you married him, his love, extended to you, is as deep as the one he has for us... If not deeper.

Those words touched you in a way you weren’t expecting. Hades was one of the most respected – and feared – gods of all, not only because of his power, but because of the person he was. There was no sinuosity in his feelings and principles, which granted him the fame of most reliable among his pairs. The gods’ elder brother, as some used to say.

But, if that was the case, why were you feeling like that?

– All of the things you just said are among the reasons I love and respect him as no other – you started – And I understand that, as an elder brother, his sense of responsibility is much higher than ours. But now he’s a married man! I am here with him! – and lowering your tone a bit – That must count for something...

Adamas laughed.

– Of course, it does! But this is something that you have to tell him.

– You’re right – you wiped your face one more time and took a deep breath – I think I’m going back to the party now. I doubt that I’m going to have any fun, but it’s better than staying here, crying in the dark.

– I agree with you.

The conversation continued as you walked back to the ballroom.

– Speaking of this... Can I ask you something, Adamas-sama?

– What is it?

– Please, don’t speak to Hades about this conversation. I want to talk to him myself, but not before I decide what I have to do.

Adamas laughed again before opening the way for you pass into the room first.

– Ah, who do you take me for, y/n-chan? Your secret is safe with me.

***

Your travel back to the Underworld was silent as always, but that time the quietness wasn’t followed by comfort.

Apparently, Adamas kept his promise and didn’t say a word about your discussion to Hades, otherwise he would have already taken the opportunity to speak about it while you had the privacy of the carriage’s interior. At least one reason for you to feel relieved, you thought.

Apart from that, there wasn’t really much you wanted to discuss, and you sensed that trying to engage in talking right now would only expose your unease, so you just kept your mouth shut and avoided visual contact…

But, unfortunately for you, your husband knew you too well, and your little strategy didn’t go unnoticed by him.

– Are you alright, my y/n?

My y/n.

Your heart ached when you heard the treatment. You had no desire to respond, but keeping quiet would be the confirmation that something was wrong, so you forced yourself to speak.

– Yes. It’s just that I…

You were going to say you weren’t feeling well, but that would be the worst excuse imaginable.

Ah, yes, gods don’t get sick. I can’t use it since I’m no longer human.

– I’m… just a bit tired. I’m sure I will feel better once I reach my room.

You were sitting in front of each other, with a distance of one meter separating your spots. Hades then made you a proposal that, in other times, you would never consider refusing.

– Here – he offered his hand – You can rest on my lap if you want.

You felt a second, stronger sting in your heart, more because you would have to decline it than because of the offer itself, but you ignored it and explained that you were fine in your own seat. That response sounded strange to Hades, but fortunately he didn’t argue on it, and the silence was again established between you.

***

If only you’ve had the courage to speak about it, things could have been different that day. If you had a way to know that the circumstances would escalate to that, you would never let it go any further. If you have done something about it as soon as you could, many of those problems could have been avoided.

According to what you heard the last day, a horde of a young generation of monsters and giants devastated the jurisdiction of an Oriental pantheon and somehow found a way to Hellheim, and the Underworld’s soldiers were facing difficulties against them.

You were in the throne room alongside your husband, Adamas (who was called by him last night and has just arrived) and the high council of the Underworld’s army, everyone expecting the news in tense silence. The building and all its surroundings were isolated, so that no one could enter or leave without Hades’ consent, the messengers and soldiers being the only exceptions. The vigilance was reinforced, and the slightest anomaly in the procedures would shake everyone’s moods.

You weren’t less anxious, of course. For it was your first time facing such situation, tension, nervousness and all derivative feelings were expected, but you were surprised to see them present in the expressions of the others, especially your husband: he was the most silent among them, and it wasn’t hard to guess that, seeing centuries of peace in Hellheim ending like that got him irritated.

Well, he’s actually furious.

Right now, you were waiting for the last messenger sent to the battle field to return with updates. You’ve lost the sense of time, not knowing if you have been inside that room for minutes, hours or days. That was the worst part of it: you wanted to stand up, walk around the corridors, run, scream, take a glass of alcohol for yourself, but you wouldn’t allow your feet to pass that doorway. You were a Queen, and a queen never runs.

The entry’s doors were suddenly pushed and a messenger, not the one who was first sent, stormed into the room, running and kneeling before the throne, trying to catch his breath.

All the people who were standing stepped back when they put their eyes on him: the man wasn’t only exhausted, but seriously injured, with an arm missing and barely keeping his position on the ground, upon which he left a trace of blood since the entry.

– H-Hades-sama… They’re close…! – the messenger’s voice was a fading whisper, so that you noticed Hades leaning forward to understand him – My detachment is… gone…

This last word was interrupted by a coughing fit during which he expelled blood. When it was clear that the man wouldn’t be able to say anything else and was going to pass out, you ran from your spot to hold him before he smashed his face on the ground. Only when you knelt with him you realized how much you were trembling.

You looked around and everyone was still quiet.

– Someone take him to the nursery! – you yelled – Now!

There was an unsettling movement around the room, but no one took the initiative to obey you. You swallowed.

– What’s going on? – you asked, lower – He needs help!

– Not anymore, y/n.

It was Adamas’ voice, calmer than usual. You turned to him, who watched the scene with seriousness; you shivered when you noticed the rare feeling of sadness in his eyes.

It was when you understood.

You looked down at the messenger and turned his face to you. His eyes were still open, but the consciousness would never come back to them; a line of reddish fluid fell from the corner of his gaping mouth. His traits, once twisted with pain and despair, were now relaxed, and they wouldn’t change from this. Your throat tightened as you passed your hand upon his eyes to close them.

A heavy energy took over the room and wasn’t broken until the voice of the King was finally heard, but his words were not directed to you.

– Call your servants – he was saying to one of the officers – Tell them to take him to shores. Charon must take care of him now.

The officer left without a word or a look to the dead man. You turned to your husband and, before you could say anything, he stood up and approached you, kneeling by your side.

– There’s nothing we can do for him now, y/n – he put his hands over your shoulders – The people from his regiment will give him the appropriate farewell.

You knew what he was doing: he wanted you to go back to your seat and leave the man’s body on the floor, in front of everyone, until the servants come to take him away. But you wouldn’t forgive yourself if you agreed with such thing: despite being a goddess for centuries now, you still found it hard to see death through the divine lens; your heart was still too human for that. You were turned from human to deity without experiencing death in any form, but it didn’t make things easier for you.

You wouldn’t start an argument in the current situation, but you wouldn’t give in either.

– I can’t imagine how much he has suffered to reach us – you whispered, observing the face of the dead man.

– I understand – Hades replied – But now he’s not suffering anymore.

– I know. But I’ll stay with him until the servants come.

Your husband understood that trying to change your mind was useless, so he didn’t say anything else. You felt his hand caressing your hair before he stepped away, staying on his feet a few meters behind you.

The servants didn’t take long to reach the throne room. They didn’t need to ask anything: once they reached you, you stood up and moved away, leaving them to do their work. However, you still had something to do before they left.

– Please, wait – you called them.

When they turned to you, you raised your hand and used your power to materialize a white chrysanthemum, then gave it to the nearest servant.

– Send this with him – you requested – My feelings and thoughts are in its petals. It’s for him... and the others.

The servant accepted the flower from your hands and nodded in gratitude.

– Thank you, my Lady – she said – We will never forget your kindness.

All of you observed in silence as they carried the messenger out of the room… and the sound of the large doors closing behind them was like the first thunder of an imminent storm.

Before any of you could do or say anything, you saw Hades going to the spot beside his throne, grabbing his bident from its base, then passing by you and walking toward the doors. He didn’t give any explanations about his plans or where he intended to go, and no one dared stop him or make questions, not even Adamas.

No one… except you.

You rushed through the room and reached him before he touched the knob.

– What is it? – you whispered, holding his arm – What are you going to do?

He turned to you with an intensity that you rarely saw in his usually composed face, one that shook your emotions and evoked something close to fear.

However, this wasn’t as fearful as the reply he gave you.

– Anything but my obligation. I’m going to stop them.

Chapter 2