#and Vessel (who is in this case also the knight) saves him

[meerlichtz]

I’ve never talked abt the Vessel on here before have I. Well they’re my babychild and one day I will write that fanfic abt them and Berdly. Berdly, you ask? Yes. That guy. He needs friends. So does the Vessel. This is the obvious conclusion

[mostlydeadallday]

Lost Kin | Chapter XXXVI | So Thin a Thread

Fandom: Hollow Knight Rating: Mature Characters: Hornet, Pure Vessel | Hollow Knight, Quirrel Category: Gen Content Warnings: dissociation, description of injuries, past abuse, flashbacks, unintentional misgendering, panic attacks, referenced child death, intrusive thoughts, unwanted touch AO3: Lost Kin | Chapter XXXVI | So Thin a Thread First Chapter | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Chronological Notes: Hornet makes a mistake. Hollow suffers the consequences.

Writing has slowed down recently due to receiving some monster edits (nervous laughter) and also due to having a houseguest. I've also encountered a lot of foreshadowing issues that I had previously said "nah, I'll save that for later" about and guess what? now it's later (I'm fine)

○

Quirrel was slipping. Hornet did not know him well, not enough to tell what it was that took up space behind his distant eyes, but she could see that it was something other than the present moment’s concerns.

She did not need this. She needed him here. She needed to know if this would work.

Hollow did not like him. Again, she had not dared to hope for much, but she had thought, perhaps, that they would not find him objectionable. His presence was steady, calming. Respectful in a way she could not quite quantify. Certainly he had a better bedside manner than hers. He had done nothing wrong that she could see—although he handled Hollow as if they were wrought of glass, he spoke to them like any other traveler he might meet along his way.

They might have been on a path toward accepting him; she could not tell. Not now that she had ruined it, though she still did not fully understand how.

Her sibling was locked down as tightly as she had ever seen them, refusing to even shift their gaze to follow her. Their throat crackled with each regimented breath, fist closed, claws tucked away where she could not see them twitch. They refused to react to her voice, to lean into her touch. They refused to do anything at all.

It was no use grasping at why they had reacted so strongly. They could not tell her, and any guesses she made would be pure speculation at best.

The best she could do was sit at their side, stroke their horns, and hope that she was providing something of a distraction, rather than contributing to the strain. They did not object to Quirrel’s touch, exactly, but they did not relax into it, as they often had before, with her. It was gentle, businesslike, carrying no intention of comfort—

But then again, neither had hers, at first.

They were not pulling away, though she’d given them leave to. She tried to content herself with that, as Quirrel slowly shifted from drying their shell to a closer inspection of the wounds she had cleaned, touching lightly, in case they were still tender.

She wasn’t sure how they could fail to be. Soul healing aside, they were still bereft of shell, and she winced as Quirrel ever-so-cautiously probed at the twisted scars and pockmarks in their charcoal-colored skin.

Hollow did not. There was no indication that they were not lost in their own mind somewhere, except that this was exactly how they had been while under her knife, and to take that inaction for apathy had been a grievous mistake.

Slowly, she reached down and pulled their hand into her lap, brushing their knuckles with her thumb, waiting for any indication that they might lash out at Quirrel, as they had attempted to do with her. No matter the guilt they appeared to feel regarding that action, no matter that she had deserved it. She would not risk her ally’s life on so thin a thread as this.

Quirrel looked up and met her eye, one hand keeping contact with her sibling’s side, below the worst of the injury. “This is good work,” he said, and when she glanced aside, he added, “I know you are not proud of it. Nonetheless, there was little else that could be done. And I would be hard-pressed to find anyone alive in this kingdom who could do better.”

She had nothing to say to that. I should have been gentler or I shouldn’t have rushed it or I should’ve noticed that it hurt them—all lodged below the lump in her throat that she knew would squeeze her voice thin if she tried.

He did not comment, although he did clear his throat uncomfortably in a poor attempt to break the stillness before going back to his task.

“These, here.” He indicated one of the empty blisters, the largest of them, looking like nothing more than a burst waterskin, empty and shriveled. Though not quite the right color to match Hollow’s skin, it was close enough that she suspected it had originally been part of them. He lifted the upper corner of it, showing her where it was separating from their shoulder like a dried-out scab. “They’re beginning to detach. I’d advise removing them before you continue.”

She nodded, unsure if she could manage anything more. Thankfully, he accepted her silence and moved on to the active infection in Hollow’s chest. He refrained from touching the swollen growths, only laying his hand down to measure them against the shrunken, half-filled sacs that had reappeared a day or so after her efforts.

“You did well to wait, I think, before attempting more.” He spoke almost absently, peering closer at the dull, diluted color of the looser cysts. “As hostile as the infection is to all forms of life, I recall that it seemed to have an especial antipathy to void.”

“Oh?”

“Well, yes.” He straightened. “The two are diametric opposites. Soul-based life was the primary target. As both are forms of light, the process of infection was simple. Void, however, proved extremely difficult to contaminate. Soul and void can co-exist, even synergize. But void and infection, or, more properly, void and dream, cannot. They are in constant conflict. One will always snuff out the other.”

Hornet had to take a moment before she could speak again. Her hand had tightened on Hollow’s without her knowledge.

When had she grown so attached? She could not point to a single moment. Not the first time they fell asleep under her hands, or the first time they spoke to her, or the moment she awoke sheltered in their arms. But somewhere in between, sometime during the mundane work of keeping her sibling alive, she had begun to see them as more than an obligation, more than a debt she must pay. When she imagined the Old Light extinguishing what life remained within them, it was not only the thought of her work being wasted that made her gut roil with cold, sick anger.

“And yet you say I did well to wait,” she muttered, unable to keep that anger from tainting her voice.

Careful. Hollow did not need to think that she was angry at them again, and it would only confuse Quirrel if assumed her wrath was meant for him instead.

Fortunately, he seemed too taken with his theory to have noticed. “I believe so. The synthesis of void and soul is more resistant to dream than either alone. Hence the creation of vessels.” He paused, glanced at her. “What you have done is given the void a chance to regroup and fight back against the intrusion. As well as forced the infection to concentrate at the surface, rather than raging unchecked as fever through their body.”

Hollow’s breath shuddered briefly. Her attention snapped to them, to the break in the pattern of repression, but they gave her no more—only stared at the ceiling, their fist half-clenched in her lap, their mask lying still beneath her hand.

“That said,” Quirrel continued, oblivious, “I would not wait much longer. Allowing the infection to persist will do more harm than good, now.”

“I know,” she whispered. There was more that she intended to say, but the enormity of the situation rushed over her and she could not breathe.

She would have to hurt them again. She would have to cut them apart and pull poison from their veins, and the worst part was that they trusted her to do it, had trusted her even while she laid them open, and afterward when she left them alone in a dark room with their wounds still bleeding, when she should have been there to console them, to make up in some trivial way for what she had done—

Someone said her name, soft and expectant, and for a blank, thoughtless instant she thought it could have been Hollow, until she shook herself and lifted her head, and it was Quirrel, of course it was Quirrel.

“Tomorrow,” she said. “I-I will do it tomorrow.”

Quirrel looked like he might want to say more, but he only bowed his head and removed his hands from her sibling’s shell. “Of course. I think… that would be best.”

○

It did not move.

This was as it had always been. As it always should be. It lay still for examinations. It lay still for the spells to weave over and around and through its body. It lay still when it was alone, when the walls and ceiling shone so brightly and for so long that its eyes burned, when all its joints ached from the chill of the marble and the core-deep scars of blade and soul. And it lay still when the others were there, whether its father’s cold, careful hands were working over it, or the warm, blunt, indifferent touch of the scholars and spellwrights. It lay still.

No one had ever held its hand while it lay there. No one ever saw a need to.

And it never had needed it, before now.

Its sister’s touch was constant, distracted but continuous. A slow rasp of her palm along the inner curves of its horns. A graze of her thumb over the crack through its eye. A warm weight on the back of its hand, with an occasional stroke across its knuckles.

It should feel ashamed of what she knew of it, of how quickly she had picked out its weaknesses and made use of them, turning fault against fault, keeping it calm with just the tangible pressure of her presence.

Or as calm as it could be. Though the warmth of her beside it was more comfort than it had ever dared to ask for, every brush of the scholar’s hands across its shell made the void beneath churn with unease.

He did not call himself a scholar, he had said, but the cadence of his words and the paths of his thoughts were identical to the ones that it had known, enough so that the distinction meant little. His touch, too, was… familiar. In a way that it intimately remembered. It could not stop its own response to that. It could do nothing about that at all. Everything about him was gentle, every word well-measured and softly spoken, and yet it could not stifle the expectation that—

That what? There would be pain? There was always pain, even though its sister had done everything she could to reclaim its body from the light. Every breath, every heartbeat hurt; it could not remember the last time its own existence had been painless.

No, it was not pain that its fragile body feared. What, then?

It was not meant to be examining its own thoughts like this. It was not meant to have thoughts to examine, or a mind to examine them with.

Yet it was already corrupted, far too faulty for its original use. Should it put those faults to use to better serve its wielders? If it could not now be sacrificed again, if its impurity had damned it, what else could it be used for? If that use demanded anything like its former standard of control, it was already doomed to fail.

Perhaps that was irrelevant. It could not stop its cursed mind stirring, any more than it could stop the twist and writhe of void beneath Quirrel’s hand. But it would not crack where he could see, would not let loose the terror that strained to break free, would not—

Was this what it feared? This newcomer becoming aware of its faults? His gaze was as sharp as his mind, piercing it through to its essence. He was certain to find out. There seemed to be only so long it could go without descending into helpless panic. But though that familiar fear pulsed beneath its mask now, it was not alone; there was another joining it. A new fear, too bright to see directly, as sharp and hot as the invading light, and just as damning.

He knew of vessels, its sister had said. He had worked beside the Teacher-Dreamer Monomon. He—

“These marks.” Quirrel’s voice came from near its knees; it could not see him well, not with its head resting stiffly on the pillows placed to keep its horns off the floor. “They’re left by offensive soul-spells, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Mm.” His warm hand skimmed across its shell, then lifted. The pain that woke under his touch was different than the rest, a slow-burning throb that sank down through its shell and into the flesh beneath. “Thankfully, these should heal without intervention. The damage to their legs goes deep, but will right itself with time.”

That word again. Their. A crooked plate, a limb out of joint. Its sister and the scholar spoke over it, as it was familiar with, but they did not do so as they should. As it expected. As it had always heard before.

It… was not to respond in any way. It must remind itself of that. The way its wielder referred to it was none of its concern. It understood that people often grew attached to inanimate things: weapons, tools. That did not make those things deserving of affection, or of respect. It was not deserving of this way that they spoke of it, or the gentleness with which they handled it, or the needless comfort its sister insisted on bestowing.

She had paused as he explained, her hand falling still on its horn. Deserving or not, it could not stop its tension spiraling higher, a painful pressure swelling in its chest, independent of the mass of light that still beat there. This was all its own: its own weakness, its own twisted desire, a desire it had not known it had—a gnawing hunger acknowledged only after it was sated.

She resumed after a moment, and the pressure eased—fortunately before the strain in its tattered lungs could give it away. Its heart settled back into rhythm, pain drumming in its mask with every rapid beat.

It could endure this. This was a test like any other. A test simple enough that, even in its broken state, it would be a disgrace to fail.

Previously, there would have been no question of its ability. Inspections were routine, especially between molts, or after healing from wounds acquired in training. This was unnervingly similar, in fact. The whispering rain, the persistent ache of its missing arm, and the idle touches on its face and hand grounded it in the present, but in many other ways, it could have been laid out upon a marble slab in the Palace while its father’s assistants performed one of their many assessments.

But why would the press of his hands and the weight of his gaze sicken it so? Simply because he was a scholar, like the many others it had known, faces and masks that came and went, voices and words that meant nothing more to it than the motes of drifting soul? Had it feared them then, and merely forgotten, or denied itself the knowledge of that weakness?

It should have no reason to fear a scholar. They were merely the hands of its father, instructed by him to bring it closer to its intended perfection. And yes, their touch had often hurt—but then again, so had his.

Its body was determined to ignore these facts. Its body wanted to shrink away, to press back into the blankets, to cringe from the touch that stirred some urge within it that it did not understand.

The past felt close, closer than it had for an age, as if the vessel could reach out and pierce the membrane with its claws, allowing its former life to bleed through to the present like the insides of an egg.

If only it could summon the clarity and stillness with which it had once been so familiar. If only it did not require the constant stroke of its sister’s hand along its horns to keep it calm.

If only it could pretend to be empty once more.

“What I wouldn’t give for a clock,” the scholar muttered. “And a thermometer.” His hand was on its shell again, just above its hip, and it suffered through a wave of nausea that threatened to sweep it away. Its heartbeat surged.

He could feel none of that, the vessel knew, from his palm against its plating. He did not know of its fear.

“A what?” Hornet asked.

“Thermometer? A device that monitors temperature, using predictable expansion in certain liquids.” His hand moved higher, closer to the infection, and he was silent for a moment before shaking his head. “The Madam sponsored its development. It was, among other things, a much more precise method for detecting fevers, which proved useful in the early stages of infection.” He sighed, stepped back, and raised one hand to his chin. “Unfortunately, the plague progressed too quickly for such things. They never became common, and I would not know where to find one.”

Its sister hummed, politely sympathetic, and it felt the way her voice moved through her body, the ripple of sound transferring to its mask through the weight of her hand. A nameless warmth unfurled over it, a strained, aching sweetness rising to answer the pull of her voice upon it, something inside it reaching up toward her, longing to be seen. She did not seem to notice anything amiss, even as it fought to bury the feeling. “And the clock?”

The silence lasted a beat too long. Quirrel took a long breath. “A clock, or a chronometer, measures the passage of—”

“I know what a clock is,” Hornet interrupted. A tautness had crept into her posture, her hand going stiff before she breathed out, low, faintly hissing, and relaxed. “Why do you need one?”

“Ah. Um.”

The scholar had the sense to be taken aback, at least. Its sister was formidable, whether armed with steel, silk, or nothing at all, and she did not take kindly to insults, even unwitting ones.

She had been the cause of many muttered oaths from its father shortly after her arrival in the Palace. The royals had soon learned that their glancing slights were met with bared fangs and an immediate invitation to duel—and, later, a reprimand from their monarch, scribed into stone with the king’s seal glowing in the corner. The vessel itself had witnessed multiple offenses and as many quick rebukes, as well as its father’s frustration: the tightness in his voice as he dictated the messages, the stiffness in his shoulders as he pushed aside guard reports and City maintenance projects to reach for his notes and missives on Deepnest.

Its sister came from a strange culture, it knew. A place far less refined than the palace, wilder and darker than anywhere within the borders of the kingdom. Its father’s light did not shine there, and his laws held no sway. It was no surprise that such a land’s inhabitants would be fierce and hardy, quick to strike with both their weapons and their words.

When Quirrel spoke again, it was muted, perhaps in tacit apology. That seemed wise. Perhaps she would not need to challenge him after all. “A clock would be helpful in much the same way a thermometer would. I would very much like to establish a baseline—temperature, duration of sleep, heart rate, respiratory function. Without having precise measurements of time, however, much of that information would be subjective. Guesswork, at best.”

“Guesswork is better than nothing,” Hornet said. “Can we start now?”

The tension was back in her shoulders, in her arm with every stroke, and it felt a similar strain drawing its body tight despite her efforts.

It had known that it would be exposed, but it had hoped—do not­—it had thought, perhaps—do not—

No, no, it was broken, defective, it could not help but think, but hope, and it had hoped that this would not come so soon. If he intended to pin it down, to measure and catalog its faults, it had no choice but to submit; its sister wanted this, regardless of how the prospect made the void twist and knot within it.

“We can,” Quirrel mused. His voice was warbling, distant, and the vessel attempted to refocus, to bring the world back into clarity. To control that which it no longer had a grasp of—regardless of how steadily it breathed, how intensely it stared at the ceiling, the beat within its chest sped higher, and a bright haze crept farther and farther into its vision. “It will certainly suffice until we can do better.”

“Then what should I do?”

Hornet stopped petting it, her hand unmoving on its mask, and it nearly pressed its face into her touch, nearly begged for her to have mercy on it. No, it could not do that, it must endure, should not even need this comfort in the first place. Lie still. Lie still.

“Heart rate should be simple to record, if you know of a place to take it.”

“I have an idea.”

Lie still. It had only to lie still. It had only to obey, to push its fears away, to breathe in and out and ignore the sensation of its traitorous, fluttering heart attempting to beat free of its ribs.  It could not hide any longer, though it wanted to; it wanted to crawl into the dark and curl into itself and press its face to its knees until the world disappeared.

Why, why was this so difficult, why was its mind a labyrinth of blades and spikes and thorns, hostile at every turn, why was this one thing enough to take it apart when it had experienced the same and worse, much, much worse before—

Its sister tugged on its horn. She was whispering something soft; its own name, the name she had given it, surfaced from beneath the enclosing fog, but it could hear nothing else besides the ringing in its skull. Her grasp was gentle, not enough to truly stir it, but it moved with her, obeying, as it was meant to.

She inched closer, crossing her knees beneath her and guiding it onto its side. As she laid its head in her lap, it felt the warmth of her legs against its cheek through the thick weave of her cloak. Its hand was still trapped beneath hers, it could not pull away, no matter that she had told it that it might; it would not.

This was what she wanted for it. She wished to know of its flaws; it was powerless to hide them from her. She wished for this scholar to record its faults; it must allow him to do so.

Please please please—it would obey, it would be good—

Sister’s claws brushed beneath its chin. Just the barest touch, before she grasped its jaw and tilted its head up, exposing its throat.

No. NO.

Her wrist rested on its mask, holding it still, her fingers draped over its jaw, across its mouth, trusting, trusting it—

She should not. There was a hiss building in its throat, a crawling itch inside in its teeth. It should hold still, it should not move, but its instincts drove a hot current beneath its shell, a crackling charge that set every plate on edge.

It felt the buzz of her voice through its mask. She spoke to the scholar, and he stepped closer, a bluish blur against the shadows in the room—

Four eyes staring down at it. Pale knife in a pale hand.

It felt the thrum of void through its throat, swift and thin, and the pulse of pain through its cracked mask, and—

The press of soul-bands round its wrists.

Wrists not its own, hands too small, claws chipped, cracked, and worn blunt, carving valleys in the marble—

The chill of void-loss in its limbs.

Far more void than it had ever lost, far more cold than it had ever felt, the final chill of a death it had never been granted—

The echo of its breath: panting, panting, panting.

It knew, suddenly, with the swift certainty of lightning and the finality of thunder. It knew what the scholar was here for.

He had come to finish it.

○

Something was wrong.

Perhaps it was only because she was holding Hollow’s face in her lap, but Hornet felt a chill spreading through her. This pose was meant to offer Quirrel a better view as she took their pulse, with their head across her legs to bare their throat. She’d been prepared to reconsider if they seemed hesitant, but they had gone with her almost eagerly, she thought. Now, though, the skin beneath her fingers was drawn taut, and a nervous spasm rippled down their throat, shifting their jaw until she felt the grate of their teeth through her shell.

This was a spectacularly bad idea.

The impression came too quickly for her to do anything more than lift her head and draw breath to speak; Quirrel was already too close, reaching down to steady himself as he knelt in front of her, and an icy certainty pierced her mind—Hollow was going to hurt him, and there was nothing she could do.

Her grip curled tighter on their mask, claws clenching, a helpless reflex that would do no good against their strength, their speed, their terror that she had not sensed until too late—

She nearly shouted as Hollow jerked back. Quick as a wasp, moving far faster than she’d thought them still capable of. She nearly did not have time to let go, nearly hooked and dragged her claws into their throat as they yanked their head away from her.

Blind fear took hold. She scrambled back, shoving Quirrel to the side, bowling him over and out of reach. Soul flooded to her fingers, cold air pouring into her lungs, vision narrowed to the white of Hollow’s mask and the black daggers of their claws. Now, they would strike out, her instincts cried. Now they would lurch up and snap at her, knock her over and pin her down, drive those void-touched talons straight into her heart.

Nothing. Nothing but the slow curl of her sibling’s shoulders into a mortified hunch, and the sudden, rough sawing of their breath through their throat as they began to sob.

Quirrel propped himself on one elbow, his confusion bleeding rapidly into shock. “Stay back,” she hissed, already moving. She did not need him trying to help and making things worse. Whatever had set Hollow off this time, his presence had no doubt contributed. She could have cursed herself for pushing them too far, for not noticing how close they stood to the edge.

To his credit—and Hornet’s relief—he did not test her.

She forced his presence from her mind. She wanted to be alone, to comb over her actions and pick out her own faults, but she could not have that, should not even want it. She could not afford to be so selfish, not now.

Instead, she crept back and knelt at Hollow’s side, ignoring their obvious flinch, though the wretched fear in their eyes cut her to the quick. Their chest was heaving, mouth and vents both gaping open as they gulped breath after quivering breath.

She had frightened them. Despite everything, she had forgotten how terribly afraid they were, how little reason they had to trust her. She had asked of them something she doubted she could do herself, a vulnerability she would find more than difficult to show, and lost sight of the fact that they had as much reason as she to object to it.

As much and more. It would be no small thing, to bare her throat to a stranger. And, despite all her scars, she had still not been hurt as deeply as her sibling had.

She’d miscalculated. She’d taken their obedience for granted, and now here they were once again—breathless and scared and expecting far, far worse than she could ever have the heart do to them.

“Hollow,” she breathed, and the way her voice shook was not important, not important at all. She reached for them, incautiously, hoping against hope that whatever misplaced loyalty they held for her would not fail her now. And when they flinched again, her fragile calm nearly shattered, except that they halted before pulling further away, seeming to hold themselves down against the bed as if bound there.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I’m sorry,” and she didn’t know why it was so easy now, why it took seeing her sibling shaking and fighting to breathe before she could say it, but she meant it, meant it for all the times she had been too proud to say it before.  “I didn’t mean—I didn’t—”

All the rest of her air escaped in a meaningless rush, pushing out of her throat like a sob of her own, but she couldn’t cry now. Quirrel was there, still in the room, and more importantly, Hollow needed her. Needed her to be present, as she had not been before, needed her not to ignore their distress for the sake of easing her own.

They had not taken a full breath since pulling away from her, trapped in the same quick, shallow rhythm that she remembered from the day they had first spoken of their own accord. She wanted nothing more than to take hold of them and drag them free somehow, but they’d already flinched away from her once; she did not think she could take it if they did so again.

Instead, she slowly reached down to touch their hand, giving them time to expect it, although the void behind their eyes still spasmed at her touch.

“Easy,” she said. “Easy, I’m here. You’re—you are safe.”

Something caught in their throat at that, a high, choked-off keen wavering just at the edge of her hearing. Behind her, Quirrel groaned softly, a sound of heart-torn sympathy that she hadn’t the space to think about now.

Turning their hand until she could slip her own into it, she wrapped her fingers around as many of theirs as she could manage, squeezing tight, offering what she could—something to hold onto, an anchor against the encroaching tide. Her own heart was racing still, and she could think of nothing that would fix this.

They trusted her. And her actions had worn that trust thin enough to snap.

She could do nothing now but reach out again, spinning a single thread over empty space and hoping it would hold.

Hornet had to swallow once before she could speak. She would not push forward again, not until she knew they would accept it, not until she could be sure she was not terrifying them. She would have to try something else. She would have to talk them through it.

Could they even hear her? Whatever panic had them lying rigid in its jaws, it was bad enough that their vacant stare went right through her, the movement of the void within their mask erratic and unfocused, as unstable as their breath, as the helpless quiver in their hand, even as she tried to hold it steady.

 “Listen. Listen to me,” she said, and try as she might, the words came stilted, distant, nowhere near as strong and sure as they needed her to be.

It would have to be enough.

○

Someone was speaking to it.

It could not answer—would not—could not. Was an answer expected of it? That was not right; it was not meant to answer, surely. It was a test—another test—

Another test that it would fail, another way in which it was broken, another flaw, another crack in its façade—

When would it happen? It should feel the blade at its throat at any moment now. It was damaged, dangerous; it could not be trusted, not even with the smallest of the tasks it had once performed with ease. Not even with the first orders that had been given it.

Lie still.

It could not bear the strain any longer. It could not push back the growing fear. That was plain to see now, when it could not even hold itself together for the simplest examination, when the presence of a single scholar in the room was enough to send it into madness.

Madness it was, truly; the vessel had no cause to act on its own, no grounds to do what it had done. And oh, even thinking of it was enough to make the vessel cower, to make its head go light, to squeeze the air from its aching lungs in a silent cry that none would ever hear.

It had defied its sister’s will. It had pulled away from her, resisted her purpose for it, and it should be punished. It could not be trusted, and she knew that—her instincts served her well, to push away from it. The appalling nature of its actions was proof of its treacherous nature. It no longer knew what it might do.

Its mind was an uproar, a chaotic clamor of panic and pain and things better left forgotten, things it had not even known it could remember anymore.

The scholar had made to approach it, and its sister had stretched its head out upon her lap, and it had thought—

It had almost seen, flickering before his face, another. It had almost felt blunt fingers on its skin. And it had known what would be next. The cold bite of a soul-blade, the numbing bitterness of void. The desperate surge of a thoughtless, maddened shade against its bonds—

A trace of warmth against its hand. It could not see, not truly; what should have been a high, arched room washed in blue was nothing but a blur filled with flickering shadows. And its sister’s voice as she tried to comfort it—to comfort it—quavered like a fading song, its hearing gone as vague and faithless as its sight.

“Easy,�� it heard, and then, “I’m here,” and the simple solace in her words crushed its chest tight, wringing another soundless whine from its throat. She was trying, again, to give it what it never should have needed, and it hurt, and the vessel did not know why.

It should have been far beyond asking why it suffered. Far beyond trying to make sense of its pain. But this was something new. Somehow, even after enduring every whim of the goddess, every taunt and torture she could fathom, there were still ways it could be hurt, fresh wounds opening alongside old scars that had long ceased to bleed.

It was a terror to be seen, to be known. It was a long-feared, wrenching horror to be something capable of being known. And yet the fear was not simple, not any longer. There was something else, now, something deeper, something hot and heavy and ready to crush it.

It was no longer only afraid that its sister wished to understand it. It was afraid that she would stop.

What had she done to it?

Between one choking breath and another, her hand wrapped around its own, her grip tighter than she had held it yet, tight enough to startle it—and warm, singing with life against its cold, dead shell. It could not rightly see, or hear, but it could feel this. It could feel her here with it, despite every reason for her to walk away.

Its mind was a broken blade, shards of steel that lay strewn about, still sharp enough to cut a careless hand. This new memory… this thing that it had seen… it was a danger to her, just as the others had been. If it tried to remember, if it tried to forget once more, it made no difference—eventually, it would slip. It would slice itself open on the edge of its own mind, and perhaps this time it would not be the only one to bleed.

She should stay away from it. What was she doing? Why did she not give it what it deserved? It was useless. It kept on disappointing her. It would hurt her, sooner or later. Its frayed control would snap, and she would pay for it.

Why?

“Listen,’’ she said, intent, and her voice sent another tremor through it, another quake through the fractured resolve at its core. “Listen to me.”

Anything. It would do anything for her, as long as it was able.

Her face came into focus before it, beyond the strangling shadows in its vision, beyond the glaring after-images from its past. She was… unsettled, it thought. It heard a quiver in her breath, and her eyes darted over it, again and again, searching with a hunter’s eye for some enemy to seek out and destroy.

There was none, nothing it could offer her, unless she could part it from its terror. It had faith in her; she was quick and strong and clever, but it did not think even she could manage that.

She could not see into its mind—it would not wish her to be witness to the horrors there, all the many ways that the Radiance had warped it, all the dreadful visions that had been forced into its thoughts. Hornet could not see, could not know, all the myriad ways it had found to be afraid, all the traps it had set for itself, its former control turning against it as every step revealed another pitfall.

But this—this was something the Radiance had had no hand in. It was sure of that. The gleam of this new memory was untarnished, untouched by rot; it was one that the goddess had never uncovered or had simply passed by. Whatever terror awaited, it was fully to blame—the grasping tendrils of its past were reaching out to embrace it, to pull it down as soon as it stumbled.

It trembled, briefly, violently, and a soft, hushing chirr left its sister’s throat, a sound that struck it through to its heart.

“You have done well, Hollow,” she said. “You’ve done what I asked. I said that you could pull away from anything you please, as long as I did not tell you otherwise, and that is what you’ve done.”

She did not understand. It would not have done so, had it had any choice—had its fear not seized hold of it, had it not bowed to baser instincts that it thought long worn away. The action was to its shame alone—there was nothing to praise it for.

Whether the phantom it had seen foreshadowed its fate, whether she intended to do away with it or had another use in mind, did not matter. It was created by and for the will of others. Its only purpose was to bow to the whims of those who wielded it, and it had, once again, gone against that, doing something it was never meant to do.

It had stared into the face of its own destruction, and it had flinched.

Foolish, to have ever considered itself a knight. An empty title for an empty being—an empty role, for a thing so filled with faults that it could not live up to any of the names that had been granted to it.

It was not empty. Not as it should have been.

It wheezed again, attempting to lock its breathing down, attempting to do what she wanted, to accomplish one of the few things she had asked of it, pitiful as that effort was now.

In response, she wrapped her other hand around it, too, where its fingers had gone numb, seized by that same terrible, buzzing haze that had invaded its vision. Her voice reached it, pleading, still, trying to calm it. “It’s… it’s all right. Hollow, it’s all right. I’m here.”

Yes, and that was the problem. She should not be. She should leave it behind, for her own good. There was nothing for her here, nothing but disaster.

Its breathing caught up on this snag, a lurching hiccup that it could not quite stifle. Sister’s hand squeezed tighter in return. “I am sorry to have frightened you. You have nothing to fear.”

When she said it, the vessel almost wished it could believe her.

It dared to shift its fingers, to squeeze her hand back, gently, gently, not so much that it would hurt her. The warmth of her grip seemed to thaw it, little by little, sensation reaching back up its arm and toward its frozen heart. And she was whispering to it, still, things that it could barely understand, but with every shift of its fingers in hers she would praise it, stroking its knuckles, offering it little half-heard words of approval, words that made something inside it go as weak as water.

Every breath was lighter than the one before. The fog began to recede, rolling back from its sight like a curtain pulled away from a window. Its sister’s head was tilted, staring intensely into its face, and it recognized the moment she realized that it could see her once more.

“There,” she breathed. “There, that’s it.” Her hands crushed its own, clinging so tightly that it could begin to feel the pricking of her claws into its palm. Nowhere near as large or strong as its own grip, but so warm, so alive—and so fragile.

It could hurt her so easily. It would take so little. A forbidden fear. A misplaced memory. An instinct, long ignored.

But if she did not intend to leave it, it must try. It must learn. To master its own mind, to make itself strong enough to save her. To protect her. To be sparing with its strength, to be soft, as soft as she was with it.

It would try to learn not to fear, if she wished for it to do so. If that was what would keep her safe.

It might be a hopeless cause. The vessel would be afraid forever, it seemed. There was little she could do to change that.

But the faith she placed in it, misguided though that was, almost made it hope it might be wrong.

○

Taglist: @botslayer9000 @moss-tombstone @slimeel Send an ask or reply to this post to be added to (or removed from) the taglist!

[catcas22]

Darriwil was a Good Boy

So I read a fic that got me thinking along these lines, and I have a theory/headcanon to present. This is almost entirely based of off deductive reasoning and circumstantial evidence, but I feel like it makes a few things fall into place.

So. Bloodhound Knight Darriwil. The Forlorn Hound.

We know nothing about this guy aside from the fact that he is a Bloodhound Knight and Blaidd considers him a traitor. We know basically nothing about Bloodhound Knights aside from the fact that they can't speak and they can't betray their chosen lord.

This allows us to infer a thing or two. Not much, but enough to go off of. Bloodhound Knights are sworn to their chosen master for life. Since Blaidd refers to him as a traitor (rather than simply an enemy or a target), it seems safe to assume that Darriwil was sworn either to Ranni or to the House of Caria.

If that's the case... Shouldn't he be incapable of betraying Ranni? Isn't that the one thing we know Bloodhound Knights can't/don't do?

So here's my theory -- what if Darriwil was the first one to start picking up bad vibes from Seluvis?

In-game, we learn that Seluvis is worse than useless at his official job (reading the stars). He has to outsource that to Sellen. What is he actually good at? Puppetry magic.

I'm far from the first person to suggest this, but it seems like Ranni only keeps Seluvis around because he can keep her doll vessel functioning. Via Seluvis' questline, we learn that Ranni knows what he's about and does not trust him in the slightest.

Proposal:

Darriwil functions as Ranni's bodyguard when Blaidd is away. At some point Seluvis starts making serious inroads into obtaining the ingredients to his roofie-potion. Seluvis thinks he's being slick, but Darriwil can practically smell the bad intentions radiating off him.

Darriwil does what any loyal hound would do and attempts to cut Seluvis into many small pieces. Either Ranni or Iji intervenes to save him. Now Ranni is in a tough spot -- she needs Seluvis. She can't risk Darriwil killing him. She also can't let on to Seluvis that she knows what he's up to.

So Ranni pretends to trust Seluvis over Darriwil. She declares Darriwil a traitor and locks him in an evergaol -- officially as punishment, but actually to keep him safely out of the way until Seluvis outlives his usefulness.

Unfortunately, during Blaidd's next spectral Skype call Seluvis blabs the whole thing. Blaidd's protective instincts kick in full force. In the moment it doesn't matter that Seluvis was the one who was attacked, all Blaidd hears is that the man he'd been trusting to guard Ranni suddenly turned traitor and flew into a violent rage.

So of course Blaidd tracks Darriwil down and confronts him, without first consulting Ranni. What's the only other thing we know about Bloodhound Knights? They're mute. Darriwil never had a chance to explain himself.

This would explain a few things.

It would explain why Ranni was in Limgrave to encounter the Tarnished.

It would explain why even though Darriwil was presumably locked up for his treachery, Blaidd doesn't know where to find him. (Also explains why he wasn't killed outright instead of being jailed and then killed)

It also lines up with Kale's opinion of Blaidd's intelligence. For all that Kale insists he's a bit of a bonehead, we don't really see Blaidd do anything to warrant that opinion. If the Darriwil theory is true... Then yeah, Blaidd screwed up.

The entire Darriwil side-quest seems so... Context-less, for lack of a better word. We never get any in-game hints as to who he was, how he betrayed team Ranni, why Blaidd was hunting him, anything. I haven't even seen any theories. So I suppose this is as good an explanation as any.

[silverjayy6]

The fandom misinterprets the Pale King, a lot....

Hollow Knight, one of the best indie games ever made and my personal favourite. In fact, it's my most favourite game overall as of now. Maybe SS might change that. But anyway, it is about us saving a kingdom from a plague, yada yada yada. I am not here to talk about that. I am here to talk about one of the central figures of the game, the Pale King.

The Pale King (PK for short, as I'll call him from now) is one of the strongest characters in the game, definitely in the top 3. Makes sense, as he is a higher being. And, as the name would suggest; he is, or rather was, the ruler of Hallownest. He is character whose past actions affect the present of the game. But not in a negative way, not at all. The negative effect is caused by the antagonist of the game, the Radiance. PK is also the father of the Vessels, one of whom we play as, The Knight. Anyway, so PK came to the kingdom in his Wyrm form. He died in that form, and from inside an egg emerged his next and current form. Because of the King's Mark, he was accepted as the King by the bugs. PK created a huge beacon around himself, which stayed even after his death, which granted intelligence to the bugs in the kingdom. He saw the bugs being infected by the Radiance, and that is when he created the Vessels, to stop her and save the kingdom.

Now, with the brief history out of the way, let us talk about the main thing, PK getting misinterpreted. Many people misinterpret the information we have been given about him, and then proceed to dislike him. So allow me to clear some stuff up.

First things first, PK was a bad parent, I agree. But he was not as bad as the fandom makes him out to be. The fandom makes him out to be this father who does not care at all about his children and only likes saw blades (which I will address in the next para). That is not at all the case. PK felt very sad and ashamed for the children he had sacrificed for them to get converted to Vessels. We know this because of White Lady's statement. But he did what he did because he wanted safety in numbers, hoping that at least one Vessel would climb up the Abyss. He wanted to save his kingdom and placed that over the life of his children, though yes, it may have not have been necessary to sacrifice that many. And about the Hollow Knight, the Vessel that reached the top first, PK cared for it a lot. PK had formed a bond with it, but it is unclear if the Hollow Knight had formed a bond with him. And he was also sad because of what it would be going through after having the Radiance inside it. He really deeply cared for and loved the Hollow Knight. But for the kingdom, he sacrificed it. It's the "sacrifice something of your own for the greater good" type thing.

Secondly, some people hate PK because of the saw blades. They think they were in the White Palace ever since it was made. That is not true. The White Palace did not have the saw blades originally. When PK moved the Palace to the Dream Realm after the Hollow Knight not being able to contain the Infection, he added the saw blades then because of paranoia. We can even say that the saws are made of essence, since they were made and added to the Palace in the Dream Realm. He moved the Palace in the Dream Realm because he was scared. And he added the saws for that same reason. He did not want anyone to enter the Palace. And considering everything that happened, I would not blame him.

Third, a few people think that PK cheated on White Lady with Herrah. PK did not cheat on White Lady. Yes, he did have a child with Herrah, but it was not because he actually felt love towards her. He did that because of a deal. Herrah would become a Dreamer to protect the Black Egg only if PK would have a child with her. She was a common bug, and she wanted her child to be of higher position. Well, Hornet was half-wyrm, so that was a success. But anyway, White Lady allowed it, since she had wanted to save the kingdom too. It can't be cheating if his original partner allowed it. He was ready to do anything to save his kingdom, and since Deepenest was slowly getting infected too, it would be a benefit for Herrah too, since she was the queen of Deepnest and her kingdom could be saved too. Though I must say that Herrah ended up in worse off in the bargain since she couldn't even see her child after she was born.

Fourth, and this is the most absurd one, some people hate him just because of his failure and because they think PK doesn't have any emotions. NO!! HE HAD EMOTIONS, THAT WAS A PART OF MY FIRST POINT!! He felt sad and ashamed for the children and the Vessels because of what he did to them. And then when one Vessel did climb up, he took great care of it, he had made a bond with the Hollow Knight. He cared for it. And he was sad for the duty he was about to place on it. But when it turned out that the Hollow Knight was not truly hollow and that the kingdom was doomed, just imagine the sadness he would be feeling. The only thing he wanted to do, was to save his kingdom. But not only did his last ditch effort not work, the child whom he loved and cared was now in eternal torture. He went through a lot of emotional and mental pain, and here are these people thinking he does not have any emotions. That is just dumb. Hell, we can even say that he died because sadness and grief and not Void. If you want some proof, here you go. You know how the Lighthouse managed to pacify a whole Void lake? Yeah, well PK is so bright that it would hurt to look at him. The Lighthouse's light isn't. How could he not pacify just a little amount of Void then? Plus there isn't any evidence of Void on his corpse. And he was also able to directly manipulate and imprint Void without harm. So that leaves a natural cause as the only option of his death. And considering the sadness and grief he went through, it is not far fetched to believe he died because of that sadness and grief.

PK is misinterpreted a lot. He is a wonderfully written character. He does not deserve the hate he gets. I hope this post could clear up some misinformation about him. Maybe the hate will also stop, or at least reduce. And, for the love of god, please stop misinterpreting him and then hating him because of your misinterpretation.

[ofstarsandskies]

A Comprehensive List of All of Julius' AUs

We've done Ludger's, now it's Julius' time! I advise you check Ludger's list as well due to Julius' often being companion pieces to Ludger's!

Xillia 1 & 2 Canon-Related Verses

Otherworldly Seeker -- Xillia1+2 AU: Julius searches for the missing Ludger, and ends up chasing a lead in the world hidden beyond the Schism, Rieze Maxia.

Gentleman Thief Crown -- No-Curse & Thief AU: Julius moonlights as the well-known gentleman thief called Crown while working as a Spirius Agent. When he finds out too much about Origin's Trial, Spirius assassinates Crown's reputation, but Julius still tries to gather the Waymarkers before Spirius or Victor can.

A Not So Ordinary Life -- Modern AU: Spirius' former Crown Agent who also worked as the Kresnik Syndicate's right hand before Bisley's "mysterious death". Now works as an IT Contractor who happily uses his not-so-small fortune to further Ludger's dreams.

Unfortunate Prodigy -- Pre-Xillia 1 AU: Half-brothers Julius and Ludger are on the S.S. Zenethra as it crosses into Rieze Maxia. Sets out to try and find the lost Waymarkers on this side to poor results, being a literal teenager.

The Unknown Star -- Bad End+ Angelic Layer AU: Special Spyrites which directly interface with human thoughts are created for a game called the Spyrital Layer. Under the alias Crown, Julius is the top deus which is a secret known by a small few.

Other Tales of Game Verses

Deteriorating Absorber -- Tales of Berseria AU: The Kresnik clan make a pact with Innominat to absorb malevolence into themselves and wield it into what they call the Corpse Shell. Julius' absorbed malevolence has since deteriorated his body and is causing him to catalyze into a Anomalous Orb.

Breaking Oathkeeper -- Tales of Zestiria AU: Maotelus becoming the new Empyrean leader forces the Kresnik clan to swear Oaths as a means of strengthening their pact with Innominat's strength. Julius' Oath was giving up his sense of taste.

A Knight's Pride -- Tales of Graces AU: Julius was a knight and instructor at Barona's Knight Academy. He's dishonorably discharged after trying to flunk Ludger out for fear of his safety, but is then reinstated when Cedric takes power.

Original/Unaffiliated Verses

For What is Truth -- Julius Detective AU: Julius opens the Kresnik Detective Agency with his little half-brother Ludger as the office keeper. Has a reputation for taking on any case, no matter how "trivial" it seems.

Fire Emblem Verses

Hymn of Hopeful Days -- FE:Fates AU: Kresniks are descendants of the ancient Mage Dragon Kresnik who live up in the mountains of Nohr. Julius tries to flee their village who's planning to kill the royal family with Ludger, but ends up surrendering himself to let Ludger escape alone. He holds out hope Ludger will one day save him.

Knowing Time -- FE:3H AU: Kresnik is a Nabatean who has limited control over time who survived Nemesis’ slaughter by fading into obscurity. Bisley hands Ludger & Julius over to TWSitD as per the plan to wreck the church for not recognizing Kresnik as part of the 10 Elites. 

ETC. Games/Anime Verses

Lying Former Vessel -- Genshin Impact AU: One of the original halves of "Kresnik", Istaroth's current vessel. When his brother tries fleeing to the Dark Sea, Julius lies to cover him and is cursed by the Heavenly Principles to fade from existence along with the original Ludger, who now goes by Victor.

Companion of Remembrace -- Honkai Star Rail Verse: Kresniks are followers of Fuli who seek to become Memokeepers. Julius supports his little brother, Ludger, who wants to accomplish all his life's dreams before becoming Memokeepeers together.

London's Finest Saboteur -- Code:Realize AU: Co-owner of the Kresnik Family Kitchen in Lowtown London. Julius pays the majority of their bills using money he earns as a Twilight Agent.

Crown -- .hack//G.U. AU: Leader of the Twilight Brigade seeking to remove the AIDA infecting his little sister, Elle. The AIDA Chromatus is buried in his left arm, which manifests as a cursed armor unless kept in check.

Misaimed Innocence -- PsychoPass AU: Went unpunished for murdering his half-brother's mother due to his low Crime Coefficient and his Spirius' influence. Is later made an Enforcer after killing kidnappers who tried kidnapping him and Ludger for ransom.

[riyelaalelita]

Back on tumble after months of break, i didn't even notice it's been since october since i posted anything here 😅

This is a drawing i made for Hollow Knight 5th anniversary and i already posted on twitter (@/riyelaalelita), it took me one week to finish and i kinda rushed the background because i destroyed my arm doing this, but i'm super proud of managing to finish it 💙

I know half of the characters here should be dead/nowhere to be found, but i really like the idea of a lively Dirthmouth and want them all happy

Now some close-ups!

Elderbug and Nymm, i like the idea of them becoming friends ☺️ and Cloth who decided to stay in town for now, and maybe not leave at all

Iselda and Cornifer 💙 they're a very cute couple and respectful of each other and wholesome, and i love how they think of the other when you dreamnail them. I should really draw them more

Hornet watching from the sidelines, keeping an eye on her sinlings and the guard high in case some problem presents itself...because seriously, after who knows how much time spent surviving alone in a ruined kingdom, does she still know how to relax and have fun?

Zote, dramatically telling all the feats he (thinks he) has acomplished, while Bretta takes notes for the novel she's going to write. Thanks to @/arty-cakes posts, i love the idea of them becoming very close friends after she gets over her crush for him

Last one, a chaotic bench! Thanks to a fanfic, i now headcanon that Broken Vessel is the Esmy Sly mentions when he's saved in Crossroads, so they trained with him and the Nailmasters; they're also a troublemaker and Sly tries to keep them in check, and Ghost follows them around creating problems

Greenpath Vessel is shy and hides behind their tall sibling who is recovering from being sealed

Myla is fine after Radiance is defeated and took a break from mining

Quirrel is fine too, he just decided to leave his nail at Blue Lake and start a new life

Tiso just passes behind them and looks perplexed at the commotion

And this is all!

[blorbosondeck]

fic rec masterlist

canon divergent/finale fix its

Anamnesis

THIS! FIC! this fic lives in my head rent FREE it is so good and it makes so much sense in the narrative that the shitty finale concocted, as to why they wouldn't mention cas or anyone else and its just. so good and they write chuck in the most villainous way that i love!!!

"Chuck is depowered, Jack is the new god, and the world is free. Dean and Sam get into the Impala and chase down the miles on an endless highway, and their story is finally, finally their own to follow. At least, that's what Dean tells himself. But the diners and motels and painted interstate lines are blurring together and the smallest details keep catching at his brain like tiny fishhooks and he can't quite shake the feeling that not everything is exactly as it should be. Fix-it/alternate series finale. Canon-compliant through the end of 15.19."

Sunset Sound: Stairway to Heaven by @adhdeancas

GOD FUCKING CHRIST this is so good and sweet and im such a sucker for team ups and reunions!!! its 3:30 am rn and i just finished it and i love it SO much it made me laugh a lot and the last few chapters i had the stupidest grin just plastered to my face

The Closer the Star, the Greater the Parallax by @rocksalts​

repressed bastard dean submits to the mortifying ordeal of being known and receives the rewards of being loved but only after some miscommunication i LOVE this i read it last night and it’s a fast favorite. my interests have overlapped and i am INTO it

“When Dean sits down to watch some bullcrap Discovery Channel episode with Cas, he doesn’t expect to actually learn anything. Except, with Cas explaining, he makes an effort to connect the dots.”

Don't We All Deserve To Be Happy?

VERY sweet and a VERY good pick me up. all around feel good fic!!! 

"Post-canon fix-it, divergent from 15x19 where Jack stays and Dean doesn't die and Cas comes back and everyone is happy. Take a shot every time I'm salty about the finale."

Keep Your Love Alive

okay. okay okay okay this may be my favorite finale fix it just because of how well reasoned it is. like this feels what should have happened i love it SO much

"Dean gets to spend eternity sharing beers with Bobby on the Roadhouse porch and riding around in his Baby with Sam. He’s at peace… or he feels like he should be. But a few things nag at him: Where is Cas, and everybody else Dean had been hoping to see in Heaven? Why does he feel like he’s stuck in a loop, reliving the same memories over and over again? And who are the strangers wearing Sam’s and Bobby’s faces?"

The GoldenRod Revisions by @aethylas​

this is one of the most well written things ive ever read. the script format DID make it feel more real and honestly? this is better writing than this show deserves. the finale that could have been ♥️

“A rewrite of Supernatural’s final two episodes, expanded into a five episode arc - in which Chuck needs to be defeated, Castiel deserves to be saved, and the characters in this story get a very different ending.“

Ascend by @wanderingcas​ 

THEE finale fix it fic!!! written by the AMAZINGLY skilled and talented @wanderingcas !!! it’s 50k of angst and hurt/comfort and pure bliss

“Something in the world is wrong.

Demon activity is rising where mysterious black substance oozes and unusual ecological events are shaking the world. Dean, grief hanging on his shoulders, restlessly searches for answers that might lead him to the Empty… and to Cas.

But what Chuck wrote can’t be undone. The narrative thread pulls Dean along, forcing him to comply. Because once a story already has an ending, it can’t be rewritten.

Or can it?”

Things Happen (They Do, And They Do, And They Do) by THEE @sobsicles

i KNOW everyone has already recommended this and likely you’ve all already read it. but it has to go here bc REPRESSIOOOOOOOOON i LOVE this so much it is one of the most perfect things i’ve read. are you bisexual? did you have a kind of weird relationship with your best friend and not realize that how you felt about them wasn’t necessarily how other people felt about them and you were maybe a little bit in love with them but were too repressed to realize it? you’ll feel seen. maybe a little too seen

Closer (isn't close enough)

are you a sweet and sappy yet horny bastard? do you like cas exploding light bulbs? you will like this.

“the one where they finally talk about what cas said before the empty took him”

You and Your Husband

it is exTRMELY sweet!!! repression dean strikes again <3

"Five times Dean corrects someone about his relationship with Cas, and one time he realizes he doesn't need to."

Tall Grass

miscommunication and a slowburn! despite being written in 2017 and finished in 2018, it feels like a fix it. ft. plant obsessed cas <3 

Invictus

a LOVELY and short (relatively) finale fix it

“They saved the world. They're free. It's done.

Except it's not, and carrying on is the last thing any of them are thinking about.

They still have someone they need to save.”

Unchained Link

post finale- it’s a great case fic and i am compelled i want more!!!

"It's after the end of things. Life continues on while Dean is "livin it up" in heaven. But it's never that simple, is it? A freak occurrence sends Dean into another time stranded back on Earth. And he thought his hunting days were over. But, no worries. His knight in shining armor comes to the rescue. Hijinks, therefore, ensue."

fun and time unspecified

Ladies and Gentlemen, This is Love Potion No. 5

very funny and sweet! miscommunication at its finest ♥️

"Cas gets drenched with a mystery potion from the ‘love spell’ shelf and... Dean has a sneaking suspicion, angel or no— the spell may have taken effect. And Cas might be in love with Sam."

The Way We Were

Y'all. It is so good its a great mix of funny and serious- extremely fun to see dean as like a base bisexual

"Dean and Castiel pose as a couple to gain access to a gated community known as 'The Glen', a pleasant if secretive location that the boys believe might be linked to several dead bodies showing up over the years bearing signs of ritualistic sacrifice. All seems well until Dean's memory is affected from an incident during a solo exploration, leaving Dean convinced that their cover story is true. Castiel is left trying to resolve their case without taking advantage of an increasingly enthusiastic Dean"

While You Were Sleeping

this is basically just the movie but replacing sandra bullock with cas. this is my comfort movie and imo, one of the most perfect rom coms. the fic isn’t finished but i still have the tab open on my phone and i will straight up go back and re read it when i need a pick me up. 

aus/rewrites

The Harvelle Gospels: Offscript

i know everyone ever ( @jewishcharliebradbury ) has recommended this fic. and for good reason go fucking read it

“The Apocalypse is averted, the angels are in Heaven, and Jo is free from the threat of possession. Somehow it couldn't be farther from a happy ending.“

absolute riots

An Ineffably Profound Bond

i honestly would have put this in the finale fix it section! look. i know. i know you've been burned by crossover fics before. but this is Thee good omens/spn fic you want. its funny as hell and immensely satisfying. im weak for everyone working together tropes and that is this

"After Chuck sets 'The End' in motion, the remaining members of TFW make a miraculous escape. Not willing to waste any time, Castiel comes up with a plan to travel to one of the other worlds to try and get help from the angels there, but after a fight with Dean, it's the hunter who gets sent into an alternate universe,with seemingly no hope of return.

When a mysterious human with a heavenly weapon shows up in Aziraphale's shop, he and Crowley learn that their world is not the only one. Now it is up to them to decide whether or not they want to join forces with the human and help him save his world or simply find a way to send him home."

Somebody Up There Likes Me by @lafilleredige

cas is hit with a spell that turns his vessel into a woman, hijinks and sexuality crises ensue etc etc sam is a supportive and bitchy little brother and its all SO fucking funny and also. horny as hell i love it i love it i LOVE it

“’Dean doesn’t want to talk about your breasts, it’s making him uncomfortable because he hasn’t acknowledged the complex fluidity of human sexuality.’“

Stray Cat Strut

a long crack fic that IS one of the funniest things i’ve ever read and i can’t explain why. it’s so ooc but its so funny that i don’t care. if you need a laugh you gotta read this

"Sam and Cas are immediately in love with the adorable kitty they find outside the bunker door, and occupy their time planning how to convince Dean--who they believe is off sulking after a botched hunt--to let them keep their cat. Along the way, Dean learns to use a litter box and hears some confessions he maybe wasn’t supposed to hear, all while realizing just how much he loves Castiel.

Now all Dean has to do is convince Cas and Sam their new pet cat is actually him before they do something crazy--like neuter him!"

canon compliant or slight canon divergence

Give

by @doublestuffedimpala post season 7 episode 7, kind of ambiguous ending but truly a cas is happy to bleed for the winchesters fic

Punch Like Bones 

short, post 5x04 homoerotic moment that i wish we’d gotten

[butwhatifidothis]

I want to tackle your points individually, so I hope I don’t come across as too rude when I say that I categorically disagree with about everything you’ve said here.

“Edelgard did NOT choose to ally with TWSITD ffs (they literally tortured her???) she was their puppet and tried to make the most out of her situation”

I want you to look at these words, that she says to the face of the people who’ve supposedly have her wrapped around their finger - the leader of those people, in fact - and genuinely try to tell me that they give off the feeling that she was forced to partner with them under threat of her life

“As for your request, I assent. The Death Knight is yours. Use him well.

“There will be no salvation for your kind.” (Followed by Thales defending himself by saying “All so that you may acquire the strength you need. All for a purpose.”)

“Yes... We're counting on you. For now. (Note that this is after they’ve killed Cornelia and have already angered Thales enough to retaliate)

Also look at some of her words - and Hubert’s - regarding Thales/TWS:

“Let him do as he pleases for now. It's not yet the time to chide him.” (Edelgard, in response to Hubert reporting that Thales is taking the relics of the Alliance after Claude’s defeat)

“ Until all of Fódlan is united, it is a necessary evil. As for how we deal with them afterward... time will tell.” (Hubert, in telling Byleth why they must use TWS’ power. Note that no where in this conversation as a whole does it state that “TWS are too powerful to resist” and only speaks of how beneficial working with them is to achieving their goals)

Are these the sentiments and words of people forced to work with someone against their will? Under fear of their life and the lives of their friends? 

Speaking of friends

“so they wouldn’t kill her and her friends”

She is willing to order her men to kill her friends if they stand in the way of her graverobbing the Crest Stones. Hubert will threaten the lives of BE students’ families who have been recruited if they fight him during the attack on Garreg Mach. The safety and concern of her friends cannot honestly be a priority for her if she is willing to kill them for standing in the way of her goals that she never explains to them. They only have the knowledge that Edelgard is the Flame Emperor, a figure involved in most of the tragic events that happen during WC, and so they cannot reasonably be threatened so viscously by her for trying to stop her, and Hubert obviously has no care for them personally.

“She hates the church for the same reason that she hates TWSITD! What Rhea did to baby byleth is basically what was done to Edelgard by TWSITD.”

...This is a flawed comparison, to put it nicely.

What Rhea did to Byleth has an infant cannot, in any way, be comparable to what TWS did to Edelgard. Rhea did not intend for Byleth to be a vessel of Sothis and did not implant Sothis’ Crest Stone into them for that purpose - she was trying to save a baby, by the request of that baby’s mother, and did the only thing she could to do so. In doing so she genuinely did save Byleth’s life, and Byleth only suffered from stunted emotional growth as a result of it (which as shown by Jeralt’s reaction to them spending time in the monastery is not permanent). Her obsession with them only came afterwards, and this obsession eventually fades into her accepting that Byleth can never be Sothis.

Now, please tell me how that is, in any way, the same as what was done to Edelgard. Edelgard, who was forced at around 11 or 12 to have blood magic forcefully and painfully done onto her with the express purpose of trying to mold her into a perfect emperor. The “procedure” of which was well known by that time to at best drastically shorten the lifespan of those who do make it (as Lysithea is the only other confirmed case of it “working”) and at worst killing them painfully. This was not done to save her life as Rhea did with Byleth, but to force her to become a specific figurehead against her will.

“Arundel is keeping an eye on Edelgard and Hubert’s doings while they’re at the monastery so they must be discreet with their flame emperor plan (which was the solution they came up with to try to break free of TWSITD)”

Is... this saying that Thales doesn’t know that Edelgard is the Flame Emperor? Apologies if I’m reading this incorrectly, but if I’m not then, well... Thales says that the Tragedy of Duscur was done to benefit Edelgard as she is donned in the the Flame Emperor disguise. Why would Thales do that for someone he apparently doesn’t think is Edelgard, the one he is allying with? 

If that’s not what you’re saying, again, sorry about that. But to the claim that Edelgard had to be discreet, I agree to a degree. Edelgard had inside information about who were TWS in disguise - she knew who Monica was, it’s heavily implied that she knew who Tomas was, at bare minimum if she doesn’t know Thales = Arundel then she knows he works with TWS regardless. All of the people who were shown to be TWS in disguise Edelgard knew who they were beforehand, so if she knows who to look out for what’s is stopping her at some point from taking Byleth to the side and letting them in on what she was doing? 

And besides that point, as this reply is in response to a post going over how Edelgard ignored the people of Remire, what was stopping her from doing literally anything to have Imperial relief supplies and/or refuge be given to Remire survivors? Why did only the Church do that? Was TWS to blame for that too? Were they stopping her from doing anything to help Remire’s residents - her citizens - after they came and razed it to the ground with their experiments?

In my opinion what Edelgard had with TWS cannot be reasonably called “her hands were tied behind her back,” especially when Hubert himself literally describes it as “the enemy of my enemy” sort of partnership to Byleth. Hope I’ve laid out why alright enough, and sorry if I came across as rude in this post

[digitaldreams0801]

Spirit Fuse AU

Posting Note: I was unable to post this until after the story ended because this contains spoilers for the last two chapters, but now, it is here. I typed this months ago, but now you get to see it. Fucking finally. Anyways, on with the show!

It’s been a while since I did an info dump about Frontiers Unexplored, so here we go. This is a long one. The Google document for it is seventeen pages. Yeah. Anyways, the concept of this AU is basically ‘what if traces of the Spirits were left to share bodies with their vessels after the adventure ended?’ I gave all of them personalities, and it took FUCKING forever. Spoilers for Frontiers Unexplored. Enough talk; let’s get into this!

Spirit Fuse AU

In which the Legendary Warriors share mind and body with the Spirits who call human children their vessels. 

Each of the Spirits acts as common fragments of the current Legendary Warriors and the Ancient Digimon who once saved the Digital World. They act as checkpoints throughout the lives of both, sometimes taking on certain traits from their hosts or offering what their vessels need most. Hybrid forms are often closest to the personalities of the Ancient Digimon since they have combined broken memories from the Human and Beast Spirits, though this is not always the case. 

Warrior of Fire

This collective includes Takuya Kanbara, the current vessel of Fire, along with Aguni the Human Spirit, Vritra the Beast Spirit, and Alda the Hybrid. The body itself is immune to heated temperatures and feels significantly warmer than all others. They are also immune to burns and can breathe in smoke easily. Their strength is replenished when in the presence of fire. 

Takuya

Takuya is known for his endless passion and confidence. He is naturally charismatic and a strong leader, though he can be stubborn to a fault. His loyalty and courage cannot be understated, and he cares for those who get close to him above all else. Takuya has a strong sense of justice, but he rarely thinks before he acts, and this can very easily get him into trouble. He hides insecurity involving his body behind his brazen optimism. Takuya is the most casual out of the Warriors of Fire in posture and movements. 

Aguni

Aguni is known to be a somewhat chaotic person, and he’s openly talkative with the people around him. He’s a leader at heart, very easily earning the trust and admiration of others without even trying. He can be stubborn at times and refuses to give up even in the face of opposition with every power to crush him. In the Ancient Warrior of Fire, Aguni manifests as the leadership needed following the death of the Ancient Warrior of Steel. In Takuya, Aguni is meant to reflect Takuya embracing his true self following his transition. 

Vritra 

Vritra is detached and borderline confrontational in his wish to be kept secure. He despises physical contact under most circumstances and is prone to snapping in the name of safety. He personifies the Ancient Warrior of Fire from the start of the war with Lucemon when times were chaotic and lives were being lost constantly. In Takuya, Vritra reflects his host’s struggle with dysphoria and a wish to stand up to his intrusive thoughts. Vritra takes control on bad days and is known for his general snappiness and cynicism. 

Alda

Alda is known for his endless confidence and stoic nature. He easily rallies others to his causes and has gained a reputation as a powerful soldier who bows to no one. He also has a strong sense of leadership modeled after his peers and those he looks up to. Alda is analytical by nature, doing what he can to get the upper hand in and out of battle. He reflects the Ancient Warrior of Fire’s time as a fighter during the war after he grew used to a life of combat. For Takuya, Alda is meant to reflect someone who Takuya came to admire and rely on throughout his youth (Chihiro). 

Fire Collective

The Warriors of Fire get along well, though the most distant out of their group is easily Vritra, who tends to clash with Aguni while Alda acts as mediator. All of them can be endlessly stubborn at times, though Alda is the best at listening to the issues of others. Aguni is the best at imitating Takuya followed by Alda and then Vritra. Their prominence order is the same, though Vritra notably makes an appearance when they begin to suffer from dysphoria-induced struggles on the worst of days. Since they’re so similar, they both get along very well and clash simultaneously, leading to frequent shifts in dynamic depending on if their various senses of stubborn confidence get the better of them.

Warrior of Light

This collective includes Koji Minamoto, the current vessel of Light, and Lobo the Human Spirit, Garum the Beast Spirit, Beowolf the Hybrid, and Erocia the False Fusion. The body has perfect eyesight in lighted spaces but struggles in darker areas. Their temperature is naturally slightly higher than most humans. They gain strength in daylight and well-lit areas, and they rarely require sleep. 

Koji

Koji dislikes interacting with others and prefers his own company. He is rather quiet, but when provoked, he can be sarcastic almost to the point of irritating those around him. He believes firmly that actions speak louder than words. Koji does possess communication issues though, and he’s prone to times of being snappish and angry when rubbed the wrong way. He struggles to convey his emotions, specifically sadness and grief, due to being forced to hide them from a young age. His actions show how closed-off he is, and he only relaxes around those he trusts. 

Lobo 

Lobo has an incredible sense of justice, always believing in what he finds to be right regardless of what others say. He’s a white knight of sorts, wanting to defend those who are unable to save themselves. He can be somewhat stubborn in his ideals, sometimes refusing to accept it when he’s wrong. He reflects the Ancient Warrior of Light’s wishes to keep the Digital World and its occupants safe from Lucemon’s tyranny. For Koji, Lobo personifies his stubborn wish to defend those he cares for. He is confident in his movements, refusing to bow or otherwise yield to anyone. 

Garum 

Garum acts as an ideal fighter of sorts, unbending in his loyalties. He’s somewhat reclusive, only showing his face when he has to. He’s somewhat distant from the world but possesses more than enough determination to make up for it. He manifests the Ancient Warrior of Light’s resolve to end the war following the death of most of his comrades. Garum also personifies Koji’s stoic mask that kept him from spiraling into despair throughout childhood, causing him to come off as a brick wall at times. He moves somewhat slowly and often makes uncomfortable eye contact with others. 

Beowolf

Beowolf is fueled primarily by his emotions, and he’s incredibly caring for those who are suffering. He’s also empathetic beyond imagination and often offers others quiet motivation to keep them going even through difficult times. Beowolf can be swayed by his feelings at times, most notably when it comes to grief. He manifests the Ancient Warrior of Light’s sadness during the battle with Lucemon when his comrades fell in combat. He reflects Koji’s often excessive emotions as well, causing him to be a bit rash when it comes to jumping to conclusions. Beowolf moves fastest out of the group’s members and has the worst posture. 

Erocia

Erocia, unlike many of the other Warriors, isn’t entirely a stable presence on his own. Instead, he’s the combined might of the Spirits of Light and Darkness, leaving him often unstable and difficult to predict. He’s rarely present, but he holds heavy emotions tied to grief and anger that cause him to look rather spaced out at a first glance since he tends to ignore the emotions to keep from being crushed by them. He doesn’t speak much either, preferring to keep to himself. Erocia may take control during times of extreme emotion or chaos since he can defend the others from suffering too much under the weight of negativity. He is incredibly protective of those around him, but Koichi in particular is a target for Erocia’s defensive nature. 

Light Collective

The Warriors of Light are close for the most part, but Erocia is somewhat distant from the rest. Garum is the best when it comes to imitating Koji followed by Lobo, Beowolf, and Erocia, though there’s a wide gap between Garum and Lobo. Lobo is most prominent followed by Garum, Beowolf, and finally Erocia. Beowolf and Erocia tend to keep to themselves outside of times of extreme emotion, and Erocia very rarely appears unless he’s absolutely required to ensure that everyone else is kept safe. Erocia is prone to notable bouts of fear and anger, so the rest of the group tries to defend him to the best of their abilities. 

Warrior of Ice

This collective includes Tomoki Himi, the current vessel of Ice, and Kuma the Human Spirit, Blizzar the Beast Spirit, and Daipen the Hybrid. The body is incredibly cold to the touch and immune to chilled temperatures. They cannot freeze either, and they feel at their best when in cooler environments. 

Tomoki

Tomoki is on the shy side, easily made nervous and anxious by his surroundings. He longs to connect with others but is often too wrapped up in his own fears to actually reach out. He can be rather clingy at times because of how fiercely loyal he is to those who are able to earn his trust. Tomoki has issues with hiding his feelings as well, rarely expressing his pain until it is pushing him to the point of nearly breaking down. He has a heart of gold beneath all of this and hates hurting others. Tomoki moves quickly and often seems rather jittery. 

Kuma 

Kuma is free-spirited and laidback, uncaring as to the opinions of others. He simply wants to go through life at his own pace, and he doesn’t mind what others think of him along the way. Kuma’s connection to the Ancient Warrior of Ice is that he acts as a fragment of childhood and innocence. His link to Tomoki describes Kuma as the person that Tomoki would have been if not for his traumas, and as it is, Kuma acts so young and carefree to embody the childhood that Tomoki had taken from him. He is energetic and moves quickly with confidence. 

Blizzar 

Blizzar is careful and contemplative, often abandoning his connection with emotion to concentrate on survival. He’s rather quiet and enjoys reading and meditating. Blizzar acts as the manifestation of grief in the Ancient Warrior of Ice, representing his sadness when the war with Lucemon began to take the lives of Digimon. In Tomoki, he reflects the way that his host cut himself away from his emotions at times to keep from being harmed too heavily by his brother. Blizzar’s lack of emotional connection is a coping mechanism to balance out Tomoki’s overwhelming compassion. He walks slowly and heavily and often appears to be spaced out. 

Daipen 

Daipen is caring and gentle, handling every subject that comes his way with a certain degree of logic and emotion that balances out perfectly. He is the personification of the Ancient Warrior of Ice’s care towards the rest of his team during the war, and he is incredibly self-sacrificing, though he does understand his own limitations. Daipen acts as the older brother that Tomoki never had due to Yutaka’s treatment of him, and he is seamlessly able to ease Tomoki’s anxieties when he gets afraid or otherwise worked up. He is quiet and firm in his movements.

Ice Collective

The four Warriors of Ice get along rather well all in all, though there are occasional spats between Kuma and Blizzar due to them being polar opposites regarding emotions (all at once versus none at all). Kuma is the most prominent of them followed by Daipen and then Blizzar. Daipen is the best at pretending to be Tomoki where Kuma is the worst and Blizzar falls in between them. Kuma enjoys bright colors and exciting environments such as amusement parks and playgrounds, and he’s the most social of the three. Blizzar is rather defensive and keeps the group from getting into trouble. Daipen is the best at easing Tomoki’s fears, causing him to appear when paranoia hits a peak. 

Warrior of Wind

This collective includes Izumi Orimoto, the current vessel of Wind, along with Kaze the Human Spirit, Zephyr the Beast Spirit, and Aero the Hybrid. The body has an incredible sense of hearing along with amazing stamina and speed. They have amazing lung capacity as well and feel strongest in windy areas. 

Izumi

Izumi is a kind and caring person who prefers to keep to herself rather than interacting with others. She is naturally empathetic and often maintains a perfect mask of what she wants to show the world with a smile on her face. She wants to make sure that others are happy and isn’t above self-sacrifice to unhealthy extents to satisfy those around her. Izumi has an awful complex regarding perfection though, and she can be self-destructive in pursuit of her goals. She is known for consistently having a demure smile on her face. 

Kaze 

Kaze is confident and flirtatious in a way that not many others are. She’s playful and bold, often believing that everything will work out regardless of what is taking place. Kaze represents the Ancient Warrior of Wind in youth, nonchalant and laidback about the world around her. Kaze is a manifestation of Izumi’s ideals of the person she wishes that she could be. She possesses incredible optimism that she often uses to rally others into action. She is far more energetic than Izumi, and she moves and talks faster than anyone else in the collective. 

Zephyr 

Zephyr is detached and emotionless by comparison, the complete opposite of Kaze. She is self-assured and intelligent, but she can get a bit stubborn and wrapped in her own ideas of tough love. Zephyr reflects the Ancient Warrior of Wind when she was a general in the war against Lucemon, stern and unflinching. She is Izumi’s hidden pragmatism made real, a reflection of Izumi’s slipping faith in others following her years of struggling with an eating disorder. Zephyr’s gaze is always unbreaking when she is in control, and she generally seems scarier than usual. 

Aero 

Aero is soft-spoken and sympathetic, caring for others in a motherly way. She understands the emotions of others easily and is able to slip into the shoes of those around her seamlessly. Aero is a representation of the Warrior of Wind in her older years prior to the war when she shifted her overwhelming energy towards empathy. Aero represents Izumi’s deceased mother as well, and she acts as a natural caretaker. She is the best at pretending to be Izumi, but those who watch her carefully will notice that she walks slower than Izumi slightly. 

Wind Collective

Izumi is the vessel for the Warrior of Wind, and she gets along rather well with the other three extensions of herself. Zephyr is the most prominent of the three easily due to the heavy ties Izumi and Zephyr formed when the latter took control after being discovered. However, it’s rare for Zephyr to actually take control unless she finds it to be necessary, instead being a constant close presence for Izumi. Kaze takes control most often followed by Aero and then Zephyr. Aero is the best at acting as Izumi followed by Kaze and finally Zephyr. Kaze prefers social situations to anything else, and Aero takes control when another person needs comfort that Izumi cannot provide. 

Warrior of Thunder

This collective includes Junpei Shibayama, the current vessel of Thunder, and Blitz the Human Spirit, Bolg the Beast Spirit, and Thundra the Hybrid. The body is naturally charged with electricity, and they can charge technology if they hold it for long enough. When stressed, they emit small sparks and shock others, and they are immune to electrocution. They feel at their strongest when surrounded by technology or during storms. 

Junpei

Junpei is deceptively cheerful around others, showing off his true nature from the very beginning. He’s open about the sort of person that he wants to be and the fact that he wants to make others smile. Despite this, Junpei possesses a strange sense of nihilism, believing that he should be loyal to himself since there’s a chance that nobody else ever will be. He also has anger issues that stem from his self-loathing and inability to satisfy those around him. Junpei moves slowly and often shows off his awful posture. 

Blitz 

Blitz is a people-pleaser who longs to satisfy those around him. He’s openly very cheerful and enjoys teasing others, almost as if he doesn’t know how to stop smiling. Blitz goes with the flow most of the time and often encourages the mischief of others. He’s the manifestation of the Ancient Warrior of Thunder’s hope for the world. In Junpei, Blitz is an ideal that Junpei wishes he could achieve. He often moves quickly and seems to always be smiling in an over-the-top and goofy way that attracts the attention of others. 

Bolg 

Bolg is, in a word, volatile. He’s very easily pushed over the edge by the words of others, and he’s incredibly defensive of those around him. He’s not above getting explosive in his anger when it comes to protecting himself and others. Bolg has good intentions but can go too far at times due to the strength of his emotions. He’s somewhat nihilistic, knowing that everything ends sooner or later. He represents the Ancient Warrior of Thunder’s anger at Lucemon for harming the innocent. In Junpei, Bolg reflects and protects from extreme moments of upset. His steps are heavy and often perceived as aggressive even without harsh intentions. 

Thundra 

Thundra is an incredibly curious soul who longs to learn more about the world around him. He loves tinkering around with small devices, and he is absolutely fascinated by various obscure inventions. Thundra has an amazing mind and always longs to do something productive and creative. He’s the Ancient Warrior of Steel’s creativity and ambition from the war that helped him to survive. Where Junpei is concerned, Thundra is the manifestation of Junpei’s coping mechanisms when he was left on his own. He moves quickly and seems unable to sit still. He also has a wide vocabulary that differs from the others in the Thunder category.

Thunder Collective

The group of four gets along well, but when there are occasional arguments, chances are they are between Bolg and Blitz since they utilize their excessive emotional capacity in different ways. Blitz is the best at acting like Junpei followed by Thundra and finally Bolg. Blitz is most prominent, and Bolg comes after him leaving Thundra last. They tend to do more talking under their breath than the rest of the Legendary Warriors because of their general banter being constant. All of them are talkative to some extent, leaving them to hold extended conversations with one another when left alone. 

Warrior of Darkness

This collective includes Koichi Kimura, the current vessel of Darkness, and Lowe the Human Spirit, Umbra the Beast Spirit, Rhihi the Hybrid, Dusk the False Human Spirit, Velge the False Beast Spirit, Malkako the False Hybrid, and Erocia, the False Fusion. The body is slightly colder than others, and they possess perfect vision in the dark while struggling to see in overly bright areas. They regain strength when in darker areas. 

Koichi

Koichi is unsure of how to interact with others due to his fear of reaching out and making a connection. He fears being a burden on others, causing him to retreat into his shell when he feels that others are trying to get too close to him. Koichi is immensely kind and curious though, and he will do what he can to cheer up those around him without getting too close. He is shy and sweet, and even though he’s introverted, he is rarely hated due to his caring nature. Koichi is slow when he walks, and he often keeps his eyes locked on the ground. 

Lowe

Lowe is on the introverted side, tending to keep to himself above all else. He’s quiet and takes a while to open up to people, but he possesses a gentle sense of charm that most others lack. He’s also positive and optimistic, there to soothe others enduring tough times. In the Ancient Warrior of Darkness, Lowe acts as a manifestation of the middle of his life when the war was going on but he did his best to remain optimistic. Lowe also reflects Koichi’s hope for life to get better in the future, and the two get along well due to their similar soft-spoken natures. 

Umbra

Umbra is the quietest out of the Warriors of Darkness, rarely speaking unless he absolutely has to. He’s reclusive and chooses to keep to himself when he can. He’s starved for attention and, despite wanting to be around others, fears making connections with others. Umbra acts as the manifestation of grief for the Warrior of Darkness in the time leading up to his death. For Koichi, Umbra reflects how he would hide his problems out of hope to not inconvenience others. As such, Umbra holds considerable amounts of sadness and fear for the future.

Rhihi

Rhihi is upbeat and talkative, easily able to connect with anyone he comes into contact with. He has an endless sense of optimism and creativity, loving the arts and spending much of his time making anything that he can to get out his extra energy. In both the Ancient Warrior of Darkness and Koichi, Rhihi reflects childhood and the potential for infinite possibilities. Rhihi represents the way that Koichi would have been had he not been distrubed by his trauma from such a young age, and despite being the Warrior of Darkness, he rarely allows life to get him down.

Dusk

Dusk is honest to a fault, and he’s known to be rather confrontational. He speaks his mind regardless of how others will react, and he can be quick to anger, causing many to find him to be abrasive and harsh. Dusk is not a manifestation of the Ancient Warrior of Darkness since he originates from the corruption of the Spirits of Darkness, so he only holds memories of Koichi’s past. In Koichi’s case, Dusk represents his anger towards his father, and Dusk absolutely despises Kousei despite Koichi’s (albeit hesitant) attempts to make amends with him. 

Velge

Velge has a reputation for being anxious and easily unsettled. Nearly anything out of the ordinary will upset Velge and send him into a panic, often leaving him defensive and agitated. He sometimes goes to unsettling lengths to feel secure in a situation, and he chooses to not interact with people unless he deems them safe. Much like Duskmon, Velge holds no memories from an Ancient Legendary Warrior. Instead, Velge acts as a manifestation of Koichi’s insecurities brought on by his unorthodox upbringing, and Velge makes sure that everyone is able to survive when times get tough. 

Malkako

Malkako is confrontational and angry much like Dusk, though he doesn’t ever seem to need a reason to be upset unlike Dusk, instead carrying himself with an aura that makes him seem dangerous. He chooses to not spend time with others when he can. While Malkako is open to speaking with those he finds to be safe, it takes a lot to reach this level, and he’s a harsh judge of character. He holds no Ancient Legendary Warrior’s memories. Malkako holds Koichi’s desires to be cared for by his father, so he has a strong grudge against Kousei just like Dusk. 

Erocia

The fragment of Erocia that Koichi holds is completely different from Koji’s half. This version is rather soft-spoken and doesn’t talk a majority of the time. He is similar in appearance to the other variation of Erocia, always seeming to be off in a world of his own. Erocia holds immense sensations of sadness and fear, specifically the fear of death. He prefers to write as opposed to speaking, and he can very easily be pushed too far by the words of others. He is distant from most others out of his own paranoia, but he feels a certain connection to Koji due to the two halves of Erocia caring about each other even from afar. 

Darkness Collective

Despite the varying personalities found in the Darkness Collective, they do get along rather well and rarely get into full-on arguments with one another. They make up for one another’s weaknesses and look after each other when times get tough. In order of prominence, the list is Lowe, Umbra, Rhihi, Velge, Dusk, Malkako, and Erocia. When it comes to imitating Koichi, the best is Lowe, followed by Umbra, Erocia, Velge, Rhihi, Dusk, and then Malkako. This group is the least open to trusting new people, and it takes a long time to earn the full confidence of any member of the group, much less each Warrior of Darkness. They are all notably defensive over Erocia, and they fear death above all else. 

Warrior of Earth

This collective includes Chihiro Ayumu, the current vessel of Earth, along with Aeoel the Human Spirit, Cybele the Beast Spirit, and Yaia the Hybrid. The body has perfect balance and cannot be knocked over. They can smell better than most others and possess immense physical strength and stamina. They feel best when outdoors in particularly rocky environments. 

Chihiro

Chihiro generally keeps to themselves out of a pessimistic belief that the world is a difficult place to be in. They are incredibly stubborn about remaining detached from the rest of the world, often ignoring their issues until they blow up in their face. Chihiro is rather snarky and sarcastic, using jokes as a way to keep people from getting too close. They are independent but struggle to rely on others, and they can be rather temperamental when rubbed the wrong way. They walk with detached confidence as a way of silently keeping others at bay. 

Aeoel 

Aeoel is known for being snappish and almost rude at times, and they are blunt and honest in all situations. Their number one priority is self-preservation, and if they have to resort to being mean to do it, they will. They are caring deep down, but they prefer not to let emotions interfere with their work. They act as a bearer of trauma for the Ancient Warrior of Earth, recalling the life or death nature of the battle against Lucemon and the pain that came with the deaths of their comrades. For Chihiro, they are a defender who prevents others from crossing any lines. They walk roughly and heavily and have a broody aura about them. 

Cybele

Cybele is defensive in the same way that a caretaker is, and they care greatly for the other members of their collective. Despite their stoic nature, they act similar to a parent to the others found within the collective, doing what they must in order to keep everything running smoothly in and out of the group. Cybele represents the Ancient Warrior of Earth from times of chaos during the war when they worked to help others above all else. For Chihiro, Cybele is meant to act as something that they never had: parental connection. As such, they look after their host as they would their own child.

Yaia

Yaia has a strong sense of charisma and leadership, knowing how to get the attention of others and use it to their advantage. Despite having a laid back and casual personality, they know how to get down to business when needed, and they use their endless confidence to rally the spirits of those around them. Yaia acts as what the Warrior of Earth was before the war, always looking on the bright side and believing that everything would work out fine despite evidence to the contrary. For Chihiro, Yaia is meant to represent an ideal that they always wanted to reach, and they're incredibly similar to Chihiro’s best friend from childhood (Takuya).

Earth Collective

The Warriors of Earth rarely get into disputes with one another and act as a family of sorts. Even though Aeoel and Yaia are polar opposites in many respects, they still get along well and look after one another through thick and thin. When there are issues among the members of the group, Cybele takes on the role of a mediator and calms things down before anything can go too far or cause serious damage to their relationships. Aeoel is the most prominent out of the group’s members, and Yaia follows them while Cybele takes up the rear. The order is the same as far as imitating Chihiro is concerned as well. Despite what one would expect, it takes a while to earn their trust as a whole, though Yaia is the most open to accepting the good found in others.

Warrior of Wood

This collective includes Yumiko Mihara, the current vessel of Wood, and Fiore the Human Spirit, Calanthe the Beast Spirit, and Lyseir the Hybrid. The body possesses a natural ability to ease the worries of others, eliminating panic easily. They have a natural green thumb as well and can talk to plants in a limited capacity. They feel best when outdoors in areas with many plants. 

Yumiko

Yumiko is rather shy and reclusive, preferring to spend time alone rather than with others. She has an incredible sense of compassion that can overwhelm her if she isn’t careful. She tends to repress her emotions rather than expressing them out of a wish to not inconvenience others. Yumiko is naturally graceful and elegant as well, easily earning the trust of others even if she isn’t enthusiastic to hand out faith of her own. She possesses a naturally calming presence. Yumiko tends to somewhat hide herself when in control, rarely making eye contact unless she trusts the other party greatly. 

Fiore 

Fiore is a dreamer above all else, tending to drift through life without a care in the world. She is a wonderful dancer and always seems to be moving rhythmically or humming a song. Fiore is a representation of the Ancient Warrior of Wood’s past as a performer prior to the fighting starting. She also acts as a manifestation of the person Yumiko was prior to her trauma. Fiore glides everywhere that she goes, and she has a relaxing aura that can almost put others to sleep. She’s also an incredible singer, putting even Yumiko, another talented performer, to shame. 

Calanthe

Calanthe is incredibly shy and tends to avoid speaking with people where possible. She’s very easy to overwhelm and absolutely detests being touched. She enjoys writing poetry and taking care of plants and animals, operating under the logic that none of those things can hurt her. Calanthe is the manifestation of trauma and grief from the Ancient Warrior of Wood, leaving her as a hollow shell of her former self. She’s the embodiment of Yumiko’s fears, prompting her to be easily frightened and agitated by Yumiko’s triggers involving assault. She moves quickly in an attempt to keep from being touched and speaks softly and carefully, sometimes stammering if she’s particularly nervous. 

Lyseir

Lyseir is proud and firm in herself, possessing a confidence that many others lack. She exudes an aura of pure power, the type of boldness found only on the battlefield. She can be rather morbid without meaning to, saying something casually tragic like it’s nothing due to her experience in combat. Lyseir personifies the Ancient Warrior of Wood’s battlefield prowess and preparedness from the early days of the war with Lucemon. In Yumiko, Lyseir is an ideal companion, the type of person who can defend her from anything negative. She walks confidently and at her own pace, making others wait for her rather than the other way around.

Wood Collective

The group rarely argues, if ever, possessing incredible skills of communication that allow them to easily understand each other. Fiore is the most prominent followed by Lyseir and finally Calanthe. Fiore is also the best at pretending to be Yumiko, but Calanthemon is second in this category, leaving Lyseir last. Lyseir protects everyone in times of turmoil while Fiore cheers them up in dark moments. Calanthe soothes the group similarly to Fiore, but her primary job is to keep Yumiko from giving in to her overpowering empathy and spiraling as a result. 

Warrior of Water

This collective includes Hinoka Sakatami, the current vessel of Water, and Oceania the Human Spirit, Aquaria the Beast Spirit, and Cerulea the Hybrid. The body can see, breathe, and hear perfectly underwater, leaving them immune to drowning. They feel at their strongest when in the presence of water, and they heal quickly when completely submerged in liquid. They also enjoy rainy weather. 

Hinoka

Hinoka is gentle and jittery, often keeping others away out of a fear of getting hurt. She is open about her anxiety and doesn’t even try to hide it when she’s struggling. Hinoka finds herself to be weak and longs to be strong without being nervous over how others feel about her. She is incredibly emotional both for herself and others, but she has a lot of compassionate energy that doesn’t seem to have a place to go. Hinoka is very kind as well, almost to the point of naivete. She moves quickly and awkwardly, and she often seems rather jumpy. 

Oceania

Oceania is a shy and soft-spoken person, and she struggles greatly with anxiety and the fear that comes with being around others. She takes a long time to open up to others, believing that it’s rare for other people to be worthy of hearing about her struggles. In the Warrior of Water, Oceania acts as a manifestation of youth from before she had a sense of confidence and struggled greatly with self-esteem. For Hinoka, Oceania holds anxiety and fear, and Oceania bears part of Hinoka’s trauma so that the vessel of the system doesn’t have to. She speaks the least out of the group’s members.

Aquaria

Aquaria is described by many as the manifestation of strength, rarely allowing the words of others to get to her. She has an undying sense of confidence and faith in herself, and she helps out others with a heart that many would describe as endlessly noble. For the Warrior of Water, Aquaria reflects her personality during the war when she completed her journey of self-discovery and set out to aid those who were struggling under the weight of the fighting. For Hinoka, Aquaria is an ideal that she longs to reach but finds to be impossible, leading to Hinoka admiring the Beast Spirit of Water greatly.

Cerulea

Cerulea has a maternal aura that allows her to easily connect to others. Many find her to be easy to trust, and she is seen as a shoulder to cry on when times grow to be difficult. She has a naturally soothing presence to counteract the stress placed on other members of the group. For the Ancient Warrior of Water, Cerulea acts as the halfway point between Oceania and Aquaria when she was focusing on finding herself in the final days leading up to the battle with Lucemon. In Hinoka’s case, Cerulea is the mother figure that Hinoka always wanted but never got due to her mother’s various personality flaws.

Water Collective

All four of the Warriors of Water are very close, and they rely on each other through thick and thin. They never get into arguments since they simply understand one another well and know how to talk out issues when they arise. Since they can soothe one another’s anxieties well, the Warriors of Water help to ensure that Hinoka doesn’t fall apart under her issues with stress, greatly improving their shared quality of life and mitigating the impacts of severe anxiety and depression. Oceania is the best at imitating while Aquaria is the worst, leaving Cerulea to rest in the middle. Prominence is a different story entirely though, and Cerulea is the most prominent most of the time followed by Aquaria and then Oceania. 

Warrior of Steel

This collective includes Saki Fushida, the current vessel of Steel, and Lyra the Human Spirit, Onyx the Beast Spirit, Aeris the Hybrid, Seraphi the Hope Celestial, Ophani the Light Celestial, and Cherubi the Destiny Celestial. The body can read minds and move small objects, though the ability is limited and can induce severe migraines if care is not used. They can also touch electronics and immediately access the data contained within. Their memory is also above average. They feel best when the presence of excessive amounts of metal. 

Saki

Saki is a distant strategist, always wanting to find the best solution to a situation. They care about survival more than anything else, and they refuse to hurt others unless the person in question is a threat to Saki or those around them. They hide their emotions as a defense mechanism, unwilling to show weakness in case those they distrust exploit it. Saki struggles to open up to others, but their intelligence and quick thinking is second to none. They always move with a purpose, shoulders pressed back and watching everyone critically to frighten those who may pose a threat to them. 

Lyra 

Lyra is emotionless at a first glance, always viewing situations from a pragmatic and logical eye. They have an incredible natural feel for tactics and strategy, and they often notice even the smallest actions and note what they mean about a person. Lyra is the manifestation of the Ancient Warrior of Steel during the war against Lucemon, reflecting their stoicism as the team’s strategist. For Saki, Lyra is the embodiment of a wish for survival, and they will do anything to ensure that prolonged safety is secured. They move stiffly and tend to glare without meaning to. 

Onyx 

Onyx has immense ambition and a powerful sense of what is right and wrong. They want to defend those who have been hurt by others, and they detest those who misuse their positions of power to harm those around them. They act as a defender of the weak when given the chance. Onyx reflects the Ancient Warrior of Steel’s righteous anger at Lucemon and others who willingly inflict pain on others. In Saki, Onyx acts as an idol figure who will keep them safe from the pain that others have caused them. They move quickly and with purpose. 

Aeris 

Aeris is easily the most passionate and emotional out of the Warriors of Steel. They fully understand the wide range of emotion and how to properly utilize it. They are a strong leader and know how to appeal to both the emotional and logical sides of others. Aeris is the personification of the Ancient Warrior of Steel at their peak before their death when they acted as the leader of the Legendary Warriors. In Saki, Aeris embodies the feelings that Saki spent many years repressing and ignoring in favor of control. Aeris moves with a sense of casual authority.

Seraphi 

Seraphi is the personable type, and he excels in strategy as well. He’s caring as well, believing that all creatures are deserving of care. He has a fatherly aura, and he often attempts to understand the perspectives of others. Seraphi has an interest in reading. Since he is not a direct Legendary Warrior, Seraphi does not embody anything in the Ancient Warrior of Steel or Saki. Instead, he simply holds all of the memories of Seraphimon from the Digital World after Saki scanned his memory data. He walks with an air of authority. 

Ophani 

Ophani is charismatic and confident, knowing what she wants and how to get it. She’s elegant and tends to attract the admiration of others without even trying. She’s a natural leader and can easily get others on her side regardless of the situation. Ophani cares greatly for those around her and will do what she can to cheer them up when possible. She is not connected to an Ancient Legendary Warrior or Saki, instead only manifesting as the memories of Ophanimon prior to Saki’s scanning of her data. She is known to have a motherly aura. 

Cherubi

Cherubimon is the shyest and most reclusive out of the Celestial Three. He tends to keep to himself and is rather passive. He dislikes conflict but suffers from an awful sense of paranoia that can leave him worried and anxious. Cherubi wants the best for others but isn’t the best when it comes to expressing his emotions. He lacks a connection to an Ancient Legendary Warrior, and he isn’t linked to Saki either. Instead, he holds the memories of Cherubimon from before he was scanned. He moves slowly and avoids eye contact. 

Steel Collective

There are rarely issues of dispute between the members of the Steel group. Lyra is most prominent in the group followed by Aeris, Onyx, Ophani, Seraphi, and finally Cherubi. Aeris is the best at acting in Saki’s place followed by Lyra, Onyx, Ophani, Seraphi, and Cherubi. The Celestial Three are nowhere near as prominent as the Warriors of Steel, often preferring to stick to their own devices. There is communication among all of them, but the Celestial Three spend more time with each other than the Warriors of Steel when push comes to shove. 

Warrior of Energy

This collective includes Mayumi Reiku, the current vessel of Energy, and Kiris the Human Spirit, Sheyu the Beast Spirit, and Aether the Hybrid. The body is naturally energetic and can operate incredibly well even under stressful circumstances. They also have incredible speed and can sense the chaos and energy found inside a person. They can give limited doses of energy to those around them, and they feel at their strongest along other energetic people. 

Mayumi

Mayumi has more energy than she knows what to do with, and she’s incredibly chipper. She’s incredibly optimistic and has a natural way of rallying others to look at the bright side of a situation. She often takes risks without thinking the consequences through, leading to her being somewhat clumsy and disorganized. Mayumi has a short attention span as well, but she always puts her heart into something when it captures her full focus, and she’s filled to the brim with love. She moves quickly and practically never stops moving, always fidgeting with a small toy if she can. 

Kiris 

Kiris is an unapologetic trickster who doesn’t care what others think of her in the slightest. She’s hyperactive and bubbly, and she almost never stops moving. She has a strong sense of humor and always knows just how to cheer others up. Kiris acts as the manifestation of the Ancient Warrior of Energy’s youngest years before she found a purpose with her allies. For Mayumi, Kiris reflects childhood and optimism prior to when Mayumi suffered abuse at the hands of her mother. Kiris moves similarly to Mayumi, but she never stops smiling regardless of the situation.

Sheyu 

Sheyu is rather somber and expresses guilt and detachment from the rest of the world. She fears being a burden and wants to be as productive as can be for the sake of satisfying others. Sheyu is an extreme contrast from the others under the Energy name and is calm and self-deprecating by comparison. For the Ancient Warrior of Energy, Sheyu is the manifestation of guilt prior to her betrayal of her allies to side with Lucemon. In Mayumi, Sheyu holds negative emotions regarding the way that Mayumi was treated and cast aside throughout childhood. Sheyu moves and talks far slower than anyone else in the group. 

Aether 

Aether is confident and outgoing, putting her all into the subjects that she cares for. She is charming and can be a bit of a flirt at times, playing around with others as a way of getting them where she wants. Aether cares for those around her though, and she wants to keep them safe. She manifests the Ancient Warrior of Energy’s endless love for the rest of her team. As far as Mayumi is concerned, Aether is a protective figure, the type that Mayumi idolized for being strong throughout her youth. She walks the fine line between Kiris’ speed and Sheyu’s slowness when it comes to movements. 

Energy Collective

The four get along well and bounce off each other rather well. They know how to lift one another up when they’re down, taking their unique perspectives and helping one another through them. Kiris is the best at imitating Mayumi followed by Aether and then Sheyu. The order of prominence is the same, starting with Kiris before shifting to Aether and finally Sheyu. During negative times, Sheyu’s prominence rises because she’s closer to Mayumi when she has an awful issue with her mental health. They talk to themselves a lot since they’re mostly energetic and upbeat. 

Warrior of Cosmos

This collective includes Haroi Tsurumaki, the current vessel of Cosmos, and Orion the Human Spirit, Cygnus the Beast Spirit, and Sirius the Hybrid. The body is usually calm and also operates well despite outside stressors. They have an amazing capacity for knowledge and an incredible memory. They are drawn to areas of peace and can sense a person’s balance. They naturally calm those around them without needing to try. They feel best in spaces far from others, especially if the sky is easily visible. 

Haroi

Haroi is relaxed and calm, always thinking through every situation that comes his way. He’s logical and quiet, preferring to observe rather than act. He enjoys seeing the people that he loves happy more than anything else, and he’ll do what he can to cheer them up. Haroi often worries about bothering others though, and he sometimes makes excuses when others hurt him due to his low self-esteem. He tends to get caught up in his head a bit much at times, causing him to often stay within the confines of his comfort zone. He’s focused when in control, and he can be spotted due to his habits of people watching. 

Orion

Orion is endlessly curious about the world around him, and he tends to talk to himself almost constantly. He yearns to figure out more about how various things work, and he loves fiddling with both technology and scientific subjects, though astrology is his favorite topic for obvious reasons. In the Ancient Warrior of Cosmos, Orion shows off how he behaved in his youth before the war disturbed his years of development. Orion is a manifestation of how Haroi would have acted if not for his trauma as well with Orion showing signs of being outgoing despite Haroi’s introverted nature. 

Cygnus

Cygnus is the most outgoing out of the members of the group, and he isn’t afraid to speak his mind, though he’s always careful to be respectful to those around him. He has endless energy and practically never stops moving and spending time with others unless he hits the point of crashing. He’s the best at handling social situations since everyone else in his collective is so shy. For the Ancient Warrior of Cosmos, Cygnus reflects the charisma and respect he needed as a general in the early days as a war. For Haroi, Cygnus is an ideal that he wishes he could reach, causing him to admire Cygnus greatly.

Sirius

Sirius is introverted and quiet, greatly enjoying reading and writing in his free time. He is more than content with his own company despite easily getting along with others. He is also analytical and logical, easily able to find answers to puzzles that have no solutions at a first glance. For the Ancient Warrior of Cosmos, Sirius is a manifestation of a need for self-preservation born of the war’s existence, something that ultimately led to the Warrior of Cosmos turning traitor before being killed by Lucemon. For Haroi, Sirius holds negative memories of the past, most notably those involving his insecurity after his mother abandoned him.

Cosmos Collective

The members of the Cosmos Collective mesh well and are easily able to communicate their problems thanks to their desire to avoid long-running conflict. Even though most of them are quiet, Cygnus still gets along with the other members of the group, always willing to pull them out of their shell when they need it most while still respecting their boundaries. Sirius is the best at pretending to be Haroi followed by Orion and finally Cygnus. On the other hand, Cygnus is the most prominent with Orion in the middle and Sirius at the end of the list. They all share love of the world around them, and they have a common hobby in stargazing due to their elemental affinity.

Warrior of Heaven

The Warrior of Heaven refers to the combined might of all of the Legendary Warriors when placed together. They share fragmented memories of Susanoo, the Warrior of Heaven, and Luce, the Angel of Hell, that grow stronger when they are near one another. 

Even when separated, the Warriors all share similar passive effects on their bodies. They are able to understand animals when they focus enough due to their inherent connection to nature. They develop muscle faster than normal humans as well, and they rarely tire despite their differing levels of stamina. The Warriors can all sense one another’s presence as well, and they can temporarily indulge in the passive abilities of the others if they put enough effort towards it. Being able to sense one another and use the abilities of the others are both side effects of becoming Susanoomon and merging to become one being temporarily. These effects are all permanent. 

Susanoo

Susanoo has a strong sense of justice and is very rarely deterred by any of the ups and downs of life. They are eternally confident and get along with others well. While all of the members of the group hold fragments of Susanoo that reflect their power and loyalty through their own personalities, the strength of Susanoo grows when they are together. They are all bound by Susanoo’s thread between them, and while Susanoo lacks the ability to take control, the various Legendary Warriors are able to share thoughts when they are close enough physically as a full group of twelve. Susanoo is characterized by all of the group’s members talking in sync, though this is incredibly rare.

Luce

Luce is the complete opposite of Susanoo. Rather than being passionate and confident, Luce is detached and quiet, rarely finding interaction with others to be worth their time. Unlike the Digimon they are based on, Luce isn’t downright malicious, instead simply choosing to keep to themselves. Since they are scattered into fragments across the Legendary Warriors, Luce is nowhere near as prominent as the others, and they even lack strength in comparison to Susanoo. When Luce is in control, the group also talks in sync, though this is even rarer to see than Susanoo being in full dominion of the Warrior of Heaven. 

Heaven Collective

As a whole, the Legendary Warriors have a powerful dynamic, something that can be shown through their connections of Susanoo and Luce. Susanoo is the stronger out of the two by far, and their sense of justice can be seen in all twelve of the Legendary Warriors thanks to the time when they united as the Warrior of Heaven. Luce is benevolent and quiet, though since they are less open with their emotions, they tend to slip between the cracks. The prerequisites for the members of the Heaven Collective to appear and take control are already notably difficult to overcome, causing Luce to be widely unheard and unseen.

[feralphoenix]

HOWMST BELL THE CAT? - A treatise on one aspect of how the Pale King sealed the Radiance

sup hollow knight fandom, i’m back with the picante takes again after having Noticed A Thing.

as with my previous essays i’ll put this guy up on dreamwidth later for accessibility purposes, since my layout text may be too small for high-res pc users. i will attach that in a reblog at a later point.

CONTENT WARNINGS FOR TONIGHT’S PROGRAM: This essay discusses canon-typical body horror and bodily boundary violations, with some side mentions of colonialism.

all game screencaps are mine. the screencap of the wiki is from the “developer notes” (style guide) section of the “cut content” page.

ALSO: if youre from a christian cultural upbringing (whether currently practicing, agnostic/secular, or atheist now), understand that some of what i’m discussing here may challenge you. if thinking thru the implications of this particular part of hollow knight worldbuilding/lore is distressing for you, PLEASE only approach this essay when youre in a safe mindset & open to listening, and ask the help of a therapist or anti-racism teacher/mentor to help you process your thoughts & feelings. just like keep in mind that youre listening to an ethnoreligiously marginalized person and please be respectful here or wherever else youre discussing this dang essay, ty

HOWMST BELL THE CAT? - A treatise on one aspect of how the Pale King sealed the Radiance

We understand more or less how the Pale King’s plan was supposed to work. Stuff Radiance into a no-thoughts-head-empty and silent Pure Vessel to trap, isolate, and silence her, both putting an end to the Infection and killing her for good. Stick that vessel in the Black Egg, which harnesses Void BS to both keep the vessel alive indefinitely and to cover Hallownest (and its neighbors) in a time-defying stasis so that the Pale King could successfully hoard his favorite shiny FOREVER, threatened by nothing. Then put a seal on the Black Egg to prevent anyone from getting inside and harming said vessel while it’s strung up and helpless. And THEN, put protective seals on the anchors (the Dreamers) to the Black Egg seal to protect them from any external harm: The stasis means the Dreamers won't die of old age or starvation.

All in all, a pretty foolproof plan!

...except that the Dreamers are still vulnerable to having their minds breached with the moths’ magic... and the Pale King failed to take into account that his Pure Vessel was a person actually and the amount of toxic stress his training/upbringing put on them made them REALLY POORLY SUITED FOR THEIR JOB... and also that killing 99% of his million children and turning the Abyss into a landfill for baby corpses would take enough of an emotional toll on his wife and #1 enabler the White Lady that she would walk out on him, ensuring he’d only ever have one shot at this whole deal...

Basically it’s the sort of plan that an emotionally constipated, low-empathy sort of guy who pours all his points into INT and has a big fat zero for WIS might think is foolproof. It has big holes in it that the Pale King did not consider to be big holes until he got owned by the various consequences of his actions and fell down said big holes, making the shocked pikachu face all the while. Rip in die, my guy.

Anyway, there’s a lot of incidental information scattered about the game that gives us more insight into the stages of TPK’s plan. Looking at Monomon’s notes in the Archive suggests that she was probably involved in designing the Black Egg; the hidden room in the Weavers’ den points to their being the ones to blueprint the Dreamer seal; the White Palace’s hidden rooms reveal both TPK’s morbid fascination with the Void and his mea culpa wrt his motives and the Path of Pain is certainly suggestive of a lot of things. The White Lady tells us straight out that she walked out on the Pale King because she wanted no part in a second vessel batch, but how TPK didn’t handle that is only revealed via map design and some incidental dialogue from the Old Stag.

This stuff presents us with, if not a full picture, then at least a decent connect-the-dots of certain aspects of crater politics and Pale Court drama at the time, and how exactly TPK’s plan came together.

But there is still one glaring question that these cookie crumbs do not provide us an answer to:

Who shall bell the cat?

How did TPK et al manage to stuff Radiance into Hollow in the first place?

This is the subject of a lot of memes and jokes within the fandom because it's so absurd. Radiance fuckin hates that dude! She’s probably gonna be pretty wary of him considering how he stole her people in the first place! And considering the anti-colonialism slant of the writing - beyond the general sympathetic view Team Cherry gives of each indigenous bug society, Seer makes it very clear that Radiance has very good reason to take violent action against Hallownest - the answer is probably not something like “she’s just that stupid” or “she rolled a crit fail”.

Well... I have an idea of how TPK managed to get Radiance in there. It raises about as many questions as it answers, mind, but it may be someplace to start.

[desc: the hollow knight's entry in the hunter’s journal. top text/ghost’s comment reads: “Fully grown Vessel, carrying the plague’s heart within its body.” bottom text/hunter’s comment says: “The old King of Hallownest... he must have been desperate to save his crumbling little world. The sacrifices he imposed on others... all for nothing.”]

Here we have Hollow’s bestiary entry. Most of what we’re concerned with here is the top text, which says the seal has literally trapped Radiance inside their body. (First of all, ew, TPK.)

We already knew Radiance is literally actually inside Hollow, though: The Infection is leaking out of their body, and to get to fight Radiance, Ghost has to go traipsing into their sibling’s mind. So what’s significant about that here?

[desc: screencap of the outside of the black egg temple, post-infected crossroads. there are large infection blobs in the foreground and background, connected to each other by veins that come from inside the temple.]

The infection blobs are weird and get weirder if you kill enough Lightseeds for the Hunter to tell you their origin story, i.e. that the literal actual sun has been having a very long bad day and cried a lot, and some of the liquid coalesced into living flesh, and some of that living flesh took on a mind of its own to become Lightseeds. (Hollow Knight is a WILD place.)

Lightseeds are Radiance’s accidental children and share a lot of her traits: They are harmless creatures that try to avoid conflict if possible but if pushed will get creative and find ways to fight regardless of their physical limitations. (For the Lightseeds this involves hiding inside Broken Vessel’s corpse and puppeting it around to try to stab you.) They even have her same distinctive yell. And according to the Hunter, they’re born from the infection blobs. These enemies only ever appear in the Ancient Basin, which both Radiance and the Void have ransacked, and in the Infected Crossroads.

The infection blobs are connected to and sort of a weird extension of Radiance because the Infection itself is sort of a weird extension of Radiance. In the game’s internal style guide Team Cherry explains that the Infection started as an accident, not her original intention but what happened when Hallownest tried to block her out.

[desc: screencap from the wiki of style notes attached to seer that describe a sketch of radiance’s finalized backstory. text reads: “The moth tribe were (perhaps) descended from Radiance. However, the King convinced them somehow to seal Radiance away. I guess so he could rule Hallownest with his singular vision, as a god/monarch with no other gods. The moths sealed Radiance away by forgetting about her. Hallownest was born and flourished. However, the memory of Radiance lingered (eg [sic] the statue at hallownest’s crown) and soon she began to reappear in dreams and starting [sic] exerting influence. The King and the bugs of Hallownest resisted this memory/power and it started to manifest as the Infection. Thus the first attempt to seal Radiance failed, and the King had to try another method - the Vessel.” emphasis mine.]

Some fans have posited the blobs as deposits of pupa juice, but given Team Cherry's description of the Infection’s origins I don’t know how likely that is. Since the Void also sticks its squamous tentacles into things via veiny looking things and the Nightmare’s Heart has similar veiny nonsense in the Nightmare Realm, I wonder if it isn’t just a Meddly God Shit thing in general.

Whatever the case, the blobs are very much connected to/a part of Radiance.

And when you’re hanging around them, you will notice two things: They pulse like they’re part of a circulatory system, and you can hear Radiance's heartbeat emanating from them.

[desc: screencap of the game’s title screen with the infected menu theme in use: a glowing orange ball at the center of a lot of black tendony webbing.]

Let’s also think of the Infected menu theme, which you unlock after getting either of the endings where Ghost takes over from Hollow and absorbs Radiance out of them. Ghost is infected and then sealed inside the Black Egg in Hollow's place. It’s suggested by the animation’s staging that Radiance briefly struggles to get out of Ghost after absorbed but is ultimately stuck in them, at which point the seal is reestablished.

If you haven’t used the Infected menu theme yourself, the... interesting thing about it is that it moves organically. The light ball expands and contracts - y’know, sort of like a living organ - and so does the black webby stuff around it.

Also, Radiance’s heartbeat is included in the theme's ambiance.

[desc: hollow’s bestiary entry again]

To cut to the chase, this part of Hollow’s bestiary entry that says “the plague’s heart”? I don’t think that’s just Ghost/Team Cherry being poetic. I think there’s a good chance it’s LITERAL.

I think TPK is the sort of person who could cram a native woman’s literal living beating heart inside his own child’s body so they can use it as... say, a focus to absorb and trap her mind/spirit inside their body, too. Mr. No Cost Too Great is capable of a lot in the name of keeping other people’s claws off his Big Shiny kingdom. This is kind of his whole brand.

But also, like, yuck.

This fits the worldbuilding too; generally speaking Hollow Knight is Body Horror City. Also there’s the case of Grimm: While he and Radiance are loose counterparts at best with WILDLY disparate outlooks and ethoses, his existence serves as precedent that a Higher Being’s heart specifically can be separate from the rest of them.

As I said before, though, this DOES raise as many questions as it answers. If this is another piece in the puzzle of how TPK belled the cat, we’re now left wondering how he got Radiance’s heart to use as Hollow's focus to begin with.

We know he has access to the Dream Realm because that’s ultimately where he hid when Hollow’s seal failed, but who did he send to do the stealing and how did they get away with it? (TPK certainly wouldn’t have gone; his own life’s the one cost too great for him to willingly pay.) Was Radiance’s heart separate from her like the Nightmare’s Heart, or was it a part of her body? (I think the latter is more likely just from her personality; Grimm’s hidden heart makes sense because of how he keeps even his own servants at arm’s length emotionally, whereas Radiance is all heart all the time. I think this makes more sense with their equal opposites schtick too. But this would make for a WAY riskier mission.)

I can imagine all kinds of possibilities. None of them are definitive, but the thing they have in common is that they are all Awful... and how on-brand that is for Hollow Knight as a whole is, maybe, the most persuasive argument for It’s Literally Actually Her Real Physical Heart there could be.

[fanfic-mind]

Blood on my hands (all that i've gained and all that i've lost)

pairing: merthur

warnings: non

status: fanfic draft, Part 1/? (~ 2300)

It’s yet again an hour of need for Camelot. But the weapon they need to safe kingdom and people comes with a price. Only those who prove that they are powerful and wicked can receive it. The knights of Camelot don’t have enough evil deeds to be worthy of the sword. They think everything is lost - until  Merlin speaks up...

A magic reveal story in which Merlin makes good use of being a morally grey character. Because, yea, Merlin-is-the-victim-reveals are swell and all but he is capable of making his own decisions and some of them are pretty shady. There is still a good amount of Uther bashing included.

Somehow they get into a situation that requires someone with blood on their hands - figuratively (otherwise it wouldn't be a problem because seeing how often Arthur and Merlin and also Gwaine get wounded by just existing they probably wouldn't even have to injure anyone)

Maybe a god of the Old Religion guards a weapon they need to kill the magic beast of the week or to destroy a cursed item.

In any case: they are really desperate. People are dying and this is their last hope, their last resort.

To their misfortune, this weapon is guarded by a very cunning and wicked god and they will only give their weapon to someone who has the power and the will to use it for evil deeds

There is a test that must be passed by the one who wants to receive the weapon. They must prove that they did enough evil deeds to be worthy of it.

Arthur quickly fails his test because despite some wrongs he's done he is way too just and noble to be wicked

The only knight that seems to get at least a few moments more of consideration is Leon who has done some terrible things - however under Uther's orders which isn't quite powerful enough

"Ahh, Uther Pendragon," the god muses, "Him i would have given the weapon. Such rage and blind hatred and, oh yes, so much blood."

Arthur grits his teeth and sets his jar. he wonders if his father would be disappointed in him for not living up to this legacy of his. he wonders - not for the first time - why he wanted to be like his father once and how he managed to end up being so different.

The knights discuss their strategy. non of them is wicked enough to pass the test. they have wicked people in Camelot's dungeons. But Camelot is three day rides off and their quest is really urgent.

They could separate and seek for wicked folk, but the chances seem slim and the risk of them keeping the weapon as they receive it seems too big

People are dying and they need to do something now.

"there must be another way to destroy it," Lancelot suggests, though they've been over this. His eyes stray to Merlin, but Merlin seems caught up in thought.

If there was an easier way to do this, Merlin and Gaius would have come up with it by now. asking the god had been their idea in the first place.

"What if there isn't?" Gwaine argues heatedly. "We can't have waisted six days for nothing. This is probably our last chance."

"so what do you suggest?" Lancelot interrupts somewhat irritated. They temperaments are heated at this point. And suddenly knowing each other’s worst deeds doesn’t exactly lighten the mood. "All of us failed the test. i wouldn't have thought that I'd ever be angry about being found too good and noble."

Gwaine shrugs with a grimace. He hadn't thought that he'd ever be deemed good and noble in the first place.

"maybe there's a way out of that," Arthur says. He hasn’t spoken in a while and all heads turn towards him.

"what do you mean, Sire?" Leon asks, looking uneasy as if he already knows and doesn't like it.

"If you're not noble enough, you proof your nobility by doing good deeds," Arthur starts matter of fact. "so, logically, if I'm not wicked enough, i prove my wickedness by doing an evil deed."

The god smiles a toothy smile.

"To murder just anyone obviously isn't evil enough" Arthur says, looking at the god with disgust. "so it must be somthing worse. murdering a friend, for example."

"My king, with all due respect, this is madness," Leon say carefully.

"sir Leon, that's the point." Arthur says sourly.

"is that really it?" Gwaine shouts at the god who watches his outburst unimpressed. "You want us to slaughter each other?"

the god laughs, distant and hollow and the earth seems to vibrate with it. "The weapon can only be taken by those of power who are wicked and cunning enough to wield it." the god repeats his earlier words.

"So there's not even a guarantee," Gwaine says, throwing up his arms. "Arthur, let's just leave and see if we can find something else."

"there is nothing else, Gwaine, you said so yourself!" Arthur returns. His expression is incredibly pained but determined in a way that makes them all shudder. Leon, Percival and Lancelot unconsciously get into fighting stance.

Gwaine takes a few steps to put himself between the king and Merlin who is the most vulnerable

Arthur nods to himself, seemingly coming to a decision in his head.  Tehn he draws his sword . "If either of you kills me while i try to kill you, that might be enough too" he muses

They all stare at him in horror, unable to believe that he will go through with this.

"My people are dying," Arthur says, his tone pleading, "if i have to sacrifice my good conscience to help them - well, it is a price i must be willing to pay. I'm sorry. But all of you swore to protect Camelot at all costs too."

Arthur halts for am moment then nods grimly. "Don't try to sacrifice yourself. I'm sure that's not what he's looking for" Arthur nods towards the stony god who smiles.

"you can't be serious" Mordred whispers.

"I'm afraid i am. Now, it's been an honour. truely. and i hope - i hope I'll still have your respect afterwards. Though, i can understand if you can't trust me again."

"that's enough."

They all turn around. Partly, because they had forgotten about Merlin who has been uncharacteristically quiet the whole time. and partly because they have rarely heard this sort of tone from him. harsh and demanding. a voice more fit for a king than his manservant.

They stare at him and he makes short eye contact with Arthur before he steps forward, in front of the statue that the god is using as a vessel.

"test me." Merlin says. his voice is determined and his shoulders are set.

Arthur let's out a short laugh, because clearly this is absurd, right? Merlin is the best and kindest of all of them. Actually, coming to think of it, if he's really honest, Merlin probably is the reason Arthur is not like his father. Merlin makes him better. Merlin makes him want to be better.

A few of the knights share his sentiments, laughing slightly hysterical with tension but still perplexed over this development.

Only Lancelot steps forward with a frown as if to pull him back, but merlin raises a hand without looking at him and he stops in his tracks.

Arthur who was about to say something stops too.

The god looks more alive than before he seems to stretch himself to his full height as if he has waited for this

"welcome" he starts as he has with all of them. "young warlock, tell me your deeds."

lancelot tenses, casting a worried glance back at the king who stands there, sword still drawn, eyes fixed in Merlin as if he doesn't understand any of this

Lancelot doesn't either. Even if Merlin is a sorcerer - what evil deeds can he possibly have done? Saving Arthur's life over and over without ever seeking credit doesn't have a ring of evil to him.

"I am Merlin, and they call my Emrys." Merlin starts.

Some of the Knights gasp. Emrys is a name they know by now.

Lancelot wonders whether Merlin considers his identity an evil deed in itself. The possibility breaks his heart a bit.

"I was born with magic. I am the most powerful sorcerer there is."

Merlin takes a deep breath.

"i lied to all my friends. I let them think they can trust me, that they know me. But they never will. I could kill them just by looking at them. I am magic and i killed many behind friends backs and before their eyes, but never revealed myself to them"

"I am a slayer of my own people," he continues, his voice hard, "I killed many creatures and men of magic to protect their murderers - the king and his son. I did it out of self-righteousness and out of selfishness because...” for a moment, Merlin halts, but then he continuous with the same hard tone as before, as if something is forced out of him, but he wants to stand for it.

“I loved Arthur more than my own people. i let many of them die even though i could have helped them if i had revealed myself. But i couldn't bear the thought to be separated from him so i stayed quiet and watched them burn."

The god nods Merlin on. They all stand in shock. They know from before that Merlin won't be able to stop telling his deeds before the god thinks he is done.

"I killed the witch Nimueh even though she told me i have to pay with a life to save Arthur's. Instead of giving my life as i promised, i killed her."

"I killed Mary Collins, Afanc, Aulfric, Sophia, Cornelius Sigan, Myror and many more. "

Merlin's voice falters a bit, but he seems to pull himself together visibly, because his voice is clearer again when he keeps speaking.

"My betrayal to my people is so great, my wickedness so deep, i considered to kill a child on the mere possibility that he could threaten what was mine in the future."

Mordred makes a quiet stricken noise.

No one dares take their eyes off Merlin, but Merlin himself turns his head slowly.

There is a gasp of horror when they all see that his eyes are glowing yellow with magic.

Up until now, no one except Mordred and Lancelot had truly believed it.

"I tried to kill Mordred when he was a child and i wish his death even now though he is kind and serves Arthur."

Lancelot looks at Merlin with complete bewilderment as Mordred sobs.

Merlin doesn't answer Lancelot's gaze, he just turns around again.

They can hear him take in another breath and it sounds more halting than before.

"I knew that my friend had magic and i saw her turmoil and her fear of being killed. of being burned by her own kin like all of the others. but instead of helping her, i left her in the dark. I told her to trust me - she trusted my - and then i poisoned her."

Merlin stops for a moment, his voice sounds rough as if speaking becomes quickly more difficult.

"I gave Morgana poison in full intend and watched her as she died and i regretted when she was healed."

"Only i had the power and knowledge to save her, but i turned my head from her suffering, i killed her when she didn't know better than to turn to her sister, it was me that made her what she is today."

There is another short pause. Lancelot is desperate to see Merlin's face. To demand how this all really went. Because though he knows that Merlin is bound to say the truth by the power of the god, he still thinks there must be a mistake or a trick. This is not Merlin. Merlin would never...would he?

"I conspired with and freed the dragon that attacked Camelot which led to the death of many innocent people. I attempted to kill Arthur on multiple occasions."

Lancelot frowns. This one he knows to be untrue. Merlin didn't want to kill Arthur. it was Morgana's doing that he went after him.

"i saved Uther Pendragon's life - more than once. I let him live even though he slaughtered my people. I saved his life even though i didn't have to. I never killed him even though i had many opportunities."

Merlin pauses then, looking up at the god.

"Do i really need to go on?" he asks and it sounds almost indifferent. except they know Merlin and they know how his face looks when he sounds this way.

The god leans their head to one side slowly. the stone his vessel is made of groans.

"You are worthy, young warlock. More than you know. Into your hands i command my sword."

Suddenly, there is noise and light and they cover their eyes, everyone except for Merlin and Mordred.

They can't be sure but they think they can hear Merlin's voice through it all, speaking a foreign tongue. Then, it's over.

When the air clears, Merlin stands alone, the stone vessel of the god has crumbled to pieces, a big sword in his hand. For just a moment, when he turns around to face them, he looks nothing like Merlin at all. His eyes are golden, and his face is grim, lips pressed into a thin line. His posture is straight and majestic and he holds the sword like a warrior. His appearance strikes them with fear. He looks like power incarnate.

The others notice from the corners of their eyes that Mordred kneels before him. and even as they are completely bewildered, they have an urge to do the same.

The next moment though, it's all gone, and Merlin looks like he's never handled a sword before. His eyes are blue and his cheeks messy with dust and tears. He sinks to his knees and the weapon falls from his hands - is pushed from his fingers as if through magic, landing on the ground with a strange sound.

Merlin looks after the sword with disgust clear on his face. Then he looks up and suddenly he looks afraid.

To be continued

[ruthlesslistener]

pk, white lady, or nkg headcanon, gutcanon, and heartcanon please!! (Or all three if you REALLY wanna go feral)

OH YOU KNOW I’M GONNA GO ALL THREE

Pale King:

Headcanon- His biggest flaw, and the reason why his kingdom fell, was because of love. Despite being the Mind counterpart to Radiance’s Heart/Passion- or maybe BECAUSE he was a counterpart that shirked emotion in favor of rational thought- he loved fiercely, deeply, and in a manner that was all-consuming and destructive. This ties neatly into Hollow Knight’s narrative about learning when to healthily let things go and grieve the lost, as well as contrasts against Radiance’s very blatant refusal to let go/ ‘if I can’t have it then you can’t either’ attitude, and is generally easier to work with than the much more common depiction of him being entirely emotionless and cruel because of it. If he really was as cruel and emotionless as fandom makes him out to be, then the Path of Pain wouldn’t exist. The statue to Hollow wouldn’t exist. The tablet outside the Abyss wouldn’t exist. The VESSEL plan wouldn’t exist, because he most likely would not have shirked his wyrm form! Just as with his children, to get a read on his passions you have to look at his actions and surroundings, and everything about him points to someone who cared very deeply about his kingdom but ruined it because he himself was deeply flawed and did not acknowledge it

Gutcanon- He’s got depression and low empathy. He does not realize he has depression and low empathy. He just believes that he sees the world as it is, bleak as it may be, and anyone who thinks otherwise has been swayed into idyllic thinking because of their emotions. He ignores the fact that he HAS these emotions because oftentimes they are uncomfortable or ‘get in the way’ of his goals. He genuinely did not realize that the Vessel plan was truly, deeply cruel at first because he saw his children as merely void-zombie copies of his own body, which thus made them disposable, and even though he knew that was most likely not the case, he refused to think about it because that was ‘emotional thinking’ and would get in the way of saving the millions of other lives in Hallownest that he was personally responsible for. He had a vague idea that by mortal moral standards it was wrong, and that by wyrm moral standards, deliberately setting up nests to die was wrong, but he justified it by thinking of them as a sort of math equation; the POTENTIAL of children weighed against millions of vibrant, thriving mortal lives that he was already responsible for and that he would destroy through inaction. He genuinely did not realize the full extent of his sins until he had to care for Hollow, and he realized he actually wanted to be a father. Hornet's birth also drove home the sheer horror of what he had done to them, as little Hornet was so vibrantly herself that the 'they're basically mindless copies of me' excuse no longer held back the knowledge that he really had killed thousands of his own kids for the simple sin of being alive, and this knowledge paired with Hallownest falling and his refusal to let himself feel/healthily process his emotions pretty much ended up destroying him. There's no real other explanation for why he erased himself so thoroughly; Radiance probably helped, and the horrors of the White Palace were probably to keep her out so he could die in peace, but his isolation and the way his corpse seems more neglected than anything seems to imply suicide. Hallownest was his purpose and reason for living. Without Hallownest, he is no longer the Pale King, and thus has no reason to exist- doubly so, after all that he has done. 

Also, two minor gutcanons for him are that he’s got no real idea of social structure or any sense of how to maintain the economy. He knows social RULES, sure, he’s entirely dependent on them to interact with people, but the nobility of Hallownest assembled itself; he’s got about as much respect for a civilian of Dirtmouth as he does one of the upper class, which is to say that they’re all kinda like mildly amusing (and sometimes irritating) pets to him. As for the economy, the reason why there’s a donation fountain outside of the White Palace is because he kept spending the kingdom’s money on building cool shit like trams and kingsmoulds and the like, so he had to create donation fountains to pull wealth from the rich of Hallownest so he could continue to tinker. Dude can do complex mathematical equations like it’s nothing but he has no fucking idea why he can’t just take ALL the geo for the good of Hallownest, just that he has to do it subtly bc otherwise his bugs get upset. His overwhelming tendency to be stubborn also doesn’t really help him learn, either.

Heartcanon- He shows his affection through gestures more than words! Though words also sometimes come into play. It’s really super hard to figure out if you don’t have a read on him, but he enjoys giving people things to show he cares about them; ex, Monomon is his friend, so he funded the Archives for her, Lurien is,,,complicatedly close to him, so he gave him the Watcher’s Tower, White Lady is his wife so he gave her his heart...literally. He’s also way more patient with people he cares about and will allow them to touch him, which he normally hates (being touched by people he doesn’t know is sensory hell), and he’ll seek their company or allow them into his space when normally he prefers to be alone (White Lady, for example, can do pretty much anything she wishes to him and he will just be like ‘as my lady desires’ and take it, because making her happy makes him happy). Like, with Hornet, she only really remembers him being tired and irritated by her, but he would let her come into his workshop and climb all over him and ask him questions that he would willingly answer, as long as he wasn’t extremely busy. The significance merely flew over her head because she didn’t realize that his workshop was pretty much off-limits to everyone except the White Lady and Pure Vessel, and that he would very literally put up a forcefield around him to prevent people from touching him, whereas he’d let her climb him like a tree if she was careful enough. And when he shows affection through words, it’s usually him referring to someone possessively and with a gentler title than what he usually uses, usually with a warmer tone of voice. Ex: instead of saying ‘White Lady’ he would say ‘my Root’ or ‘my lady wife’, and with Hollow it was ‘my Pure Vessel’, ‘my knight,’ or, EXTREMELY rarely, ‘my proudest creation.’ Hornet didn’t really net as many affectionate titles as the rest because he didn’t want people to know that he was her sire (to protect her; people did not  like Deepnest), and them being a little too similar to each other to really be close made it difficult for him to show much more than exasperation for her calling out his flaws (and, in turn, falling into the ruts that he himself struggled with), but in safe company he would call her ‘my child’ and ‘my daughter’ vs the usual distant ‘grub/pupa/offspring’ that he’d use for the few kids of nobles and retainers allowed to run around the White Palace. 

White Lady: 

Headcanon- She never actually left her husband; she got stranded in the Queen's Gardens after making another trip over to try to convince the traitor mantids to stand down, and then lost the desire to go back when she felt the Pale King make the jump to the Dream Realm. This is evidenced by the fact that she still speaks of him in terms of affection, imo, and the fact that she still has her half of the Kingsoul when Ghost comes to her; if she really did divorce him then she probably would have given it to him, and would not speak as kindly about him. But she never actually held the Vessel plan against him; she took equal responsibility for it, because as queen of Hallownest and his heartbound mate, she was his equal and felt like it was what needed to be done to save her kingdom. This is also part of the reason why she had absolutely no issue with him having a fling with Herrah, as she knew he was doing it only for political reasons and thus was completely unthreatened by it (also she got to help raise Hornet, whom she cared about, so it was a plus for her too). Though she took a less direct route in political ruling than he did- as she is so alien to bugs that she struggles to process all their needs as much as he struggles to socialize and learn the economy- she was very much a divine ruler alongside of him, and would host many social events, public blessings of farmlands, etc. She was just as much of a ruler as he was, but not in as much of a traditional king or queen sense of the word, and that meant accepting that some sacrifices had to be made, even if her wish for children ended up being granted in a very monkey’s paw sort of way.

Also, she’s not one kind of plant or fungi, but rather a magical representation of all rooted forms of life. She’s also very rootlike all over because the roots are where life for these beings begin, which holds great significance as a goddess of life. She also first grew as a massive, tree-like being close to Kingdom’s Edge, and is why PK decided to conquer Hallownest; she agreed to cut the heart of herself away from her old body and take a more mobile form while he went through his transformation so that she could reap the benefits of him starting a kingdom with her. Many of her old roots still hold up the cavern where the White Palace once lay, and blessed the grounds with the ability to grow the silvery soul-rich gardens that we see when in the White Palace. (She also does not photosynthesize, as she IS the light by which plants grow, so there’s that). I kind of like to see her as a nod to the Yggdrasil in Norse mythology!

Gutcanon- She does not mourn or feel as most mortal bugs do, as she is just as tied to death as she is to life. For example, though she longs to reunite with the Pale King, she had sensed the pain in his heart for many centuries and had expected him to do something drastic when he started shutting himself away in his workshop. She attempted to help, of course, but with their hearts so entwined she could not begrudge him for wanting to escape (sadly, that's one of the flaws in their relationship; they're too alike to catch some of each other's mistakes). And part of her own mourning has not yet come to pass, as she tends to process emotions slower and more distant than others, so it still feels unreal to her. She does, however, have hope that one day they will both crumble away and be reborn as something new to love each other again, as all living things must, and so she has accepted his passing. 'Little Talks' by of Monsters and Men have always reminded me of their relationship, but this set of verse in particular is how I feel like she processes the death of her family. 

You're gone, gone, gone away

I watched you disappear

All that's left is a ghost of you

Now we're torn, torn, torn apart

There's nothing we can do

Just let me go, we'll meet again soon

Likewise, she does not mourn Hollow's death as much as she mourns what she did to them, as again, she is just as much a goddess of death as she is of life. Instead of mourning them dying in the Temple, she mourns the fact that she sacrificed them to the void, because to her that's essentially 'cutting them off the family tree', snipping away their ties to her as their mother. She's incapable of understanding the void properly, since she's a being of Light, so she was going off of her husband’s theories that vessels were what happened when the Void took over the bodies of young gods in the egg, killing their souls and replacing it and the rest of them with scraps of life still left from the original Lord of Shades. So to her, Hollow was never really a person as much as they were some alien, mindless god-killing magical robot thing wearing her child’s carapace, and she spent much of their childhood distancing herself from them so that she would not try to find scraps of the child she had forfeited in the heartless remnants of a dead god. This is also why she acts so coldly to Ghost at first, but slowly grows warmer and starts questioning her perception of them as time goes by- because Ghost does not give a damn about appearing empty, like Hollow did, and because they are interacting with her more directly than she ever interacted with Hollow. She’s actually stronger in her husband in this regard- the vessel needs distance, so she gave it distance. She did what had to be done to save her kingdom, no matter how painful it might have been for her. 

Heartcanon- She actually grew to be pretty close friends with Herrah! At least, as close of a friend as one could get from a political alliance. No one really expected it, but since WL and Herrah both don’t give a damn about most social rules, they ended up having quite a fun time talking together whenever they met up. Besides, the Queen’s Gardens sit directly over Deepnest, so the White Lady benefited from the spiders hunting the burrowing creatures eating her plants, and Herrah was relieved to find that the Queen held no ill will towards her, which helped them loosen up a bit. Plus, once Hornet was born, Herrah found herself having to visit the castle more often with her Weavers to work on the seals/allow Hornet to acclimate to living in the White Palace, so she’d often spend her visits in the garden with WL, letting Hornet nyoom about as they chatted.

Nightmare King Grimm

Headcanon- So you know how my Grimm used to be one god that split himself into three to never truly die, right? Well, the thing with THAT concept is the deeper you go into the Nightmare Realm, the closer and closer he comes to being the pure, primal form of his power; the Nightmare Heart. Which means that Nightmare King Grimm is kinda like his form in the waking world, except feral. I’m saying that Nightmare King Grimm is off-the-shits Grimm. I’m saying Nightmare King Grimm is Grimm halfway to turning into a pulsating ball of fire and screaming ‘FEAR NOT’ at his troupe.  NKG is like, that primal part of your brain that tells you to scamper up stairs on all four limbs and to gnaw at the bones of your prey, except that his instincts are all shit like ‘READ THEIR FEAR, LEARN THE DARKEST DESIRES OF THEIR HEART’ and ‘BURN THE UNREPENTANT’ and ‘FEED THE FIRE, FEED THE HEART, STOKE THE FLAMES’. He’s not the mindless, endless power of the Nightmare Heart, but he’s crafted of its fire and can use all of its abilities, provided that he’s channeling it in the Dream Realm and not through his weakened half-mortal body in the waking word, which, as the weakest link of the three forms, runs the highest risk of taking damage from overexertion. He’s the part of Grimm’s mind that’s responsible for looking into the dreams of others and using the Allsight of the Nightmare Heart, running the godly side of the business while Troupe Master Grimm assembles shows and does the whole circus gig. So like, they’re the same person, but also not quite. The closest thing that I got to a human allegory is the human brain vs monkey brain vs lizard brain thing, where they’re all you but one of them is rational, the other wants you to perch on top of couches and smear berry juice over your face like war paint, and the third is basically you boiled down to the most animal instincts of survive/eat/fuck/etc. It’s also why you must destroy NKG to truly kill Grimm; it doesn’t matter how many times you Abyss Shriek him in the physical world, as long as the Nightmare King stands, he ain’t gonna die.

Gutcanon- He’s the part of Grimm directly responsible for integrating people into the Troupe! I take a lot of fae inspiration when writing Grimm, so I like to imagine that giving him your name is kind of a big deal if you don’t have a scrap of godliness in you. Oftentimes he doesn’t do anything with the names that mortals give to him, but if he wants someone to join the Troupe- if they caught his eye or some shit- then he’d usually refuse to hear their name until he’s convinced them to run away with him. Then, once he DOES get their name, he burns it into his mind and sort of,,,takes who you were previously from you? And then gives you a new one, so that the ‘past’ version of you is burned away in the flames of the Nightmare Heart, and you are ‘reborn’ into a new person to be eternal, as long as you tend to the flame. He never fully destroys the names of those he takes- Brumm, for example, was originally called Nymm- but the Nightmare King is the one who holds them close, and fully integrates people into the Troupe while they sleep, remaking them into one of his clan. Like I said, Grimm is the most powerful in his natural realm- the Nightmare Realm- so that means that the version of himself grounded in it is the one that does all the godly shit, and turning people into someone new while keeping facets of their old self is a pretty huge magical undertaking. Esp. since half the appeal to joining the Troupe is the whole remaking thing, which means that it must be done where Grimm doesn’t have to worry about burning his physical form down to ashes on accident. 

Heartcanon- Many of those who join the Troupe are children. Many more have severe PTSD from watching their kingdoms fall to ruin. One of the major appeals to joining the Grimm Troupe is that he can remake you into the form of yourself that you always wished you could be, so that you may live and play forever in the Dream; the other is that any and all who live under his wing are free from fear, and would dream only of peaceful dark or the Nightmare Heart, which shields them from danger. That means that those with previous night terrors that join the Troupe do not often have to encounter flashbacks to their past or dreams that would keep them awake for days on end, thus allowing them a faster recovery. For those who have had particularly bad anxiety, illnesses, or injuries, NKG himself will often show up in their dreams to soothe them or protect them from danger, as once they are part of his Troupe, they are his. He must protect them, he must keep them safe, even from themselves. There are downsides to joining, of course; like being taken to any fae realm, time in the Nightmare Realm passes strangely (if it ever passes at all), you forget all of who you once were and are left straining for small reminders, you must endlessly travel and sing and dance and engage in the ritual, knowing that you are bound to it and that time will not end you, and that if you leave then you will be left in a land you do not know with no memories to aid you- but for some, that is exactly what they desire. At the very least, the Nightmare King can ease the pain of their past for a while. 

My interpretation was that the split of the Nightmare Realm came about because Grimm felt desensitizing bugs to their fears in the safety of the Dream Realm would allow them to grow stronger and thrive in the physical world, and that Radiance forbade it, thinking it an unnecessary terror when she was right there to protect them. This disagreement eventually drove a wedge between them and lead to them being the rulers of Dream and Nightmare, taking different forms and splitting their realms, caring for the bugs around in two completely different ways. For those under the direct protection of the Nightmare King, however there is no need to be terrorized by the ghosts of your past; the very fact that you survived them at all means you are stronger than what you are afraid of, and it is by this logic that he prevents those under his care from withering away under their own night terrors.

And also bc Grimm has been a dad for several millennia and he’s a total softie for the small, scared freak kids that he usually ends up picking off the streets, lol

Send me headcanon, heartcanon, gutcanon, spleencanon, and junkcanon asks for characters!

[dragoler]

Embrace the Void - An Optimistic Outlook

This is a theory post about Hollow Knight and contains spoilers, so if you haven’t completed the game you should probably not read this post. This was originally posted to Reddit but i’m putting a copy here too. It is my belief that the Embrace the Void ending does not spell doom for Hallownest as is often believed, and here I want to present the evidence as to why. Much of this information will be common knowledge, but I've included it to support my greater point.

Firstly I want to establish that the Shade Lord (or Bill if you're so inclined) is indeed the Knight and not a dormant god or amalgamation. The ancient civilization that predates Hallownest is said to have worshiped no god, instead worshiping the void itself, taken from Lemm's comments on the Void Idol:

Inspired or mad, those ancient bugs. They devoted their worship to no lord, or power, or strength, but to the very darkness itself.

Lemm is not the most reliable of source, but this is supported by the Abyss statue that holds the void bowl when the Knight dream nails it before acquiring the Void Heart:

...Void... Power... Without unity...

Void here is considered a power, but without unity void becomes nothing more than a writhing pool of liquid with some very interesting properties. Now, I have seen it argued that void has a mind of it's own due to some of these properties, but the game actively tells us that it does not. The original description for the Hall of Gods reward statue depicting the Embrace the Void form used to read ‘Void Given Mind’, but ‘Mind’ was quickly changed to ‘Focus’ in a patch. This makes it clear that Team Cherry wants to avoid the association of void having a mind, at least when it comes to an ‘untarnished’ entity. So what causes that weird mind-like behavior? Well, lets talk about what it naturally does first. Void is naturally adverse to light, this is evidenced by a lore tablet found in the king's void workshop:

VOID, yours is the power opposed.

The king is a being of light, so it makes sense for him to consider it opposed to him. It is also evidenced by the lighthouse in the Abyss being used to suppress the void sea, preventing it from lashing out. Void also consumes soul, evidenced by the apparent need for the lighthouse keeper to be kept supplied with the stuff (though most bugs cannot utilize it for spells, if a bug were to become low on soul this may be a way to top up without the use of a hot spring), but also naturally shown by the Knight's capabilities (this could also be attributed to their status as a higher being) and how the shade cloak consumes soul projectiles that pass through it. The soul totems built by the civilization who worshiped the void are another possible avenue of evidence, they were likely constructed from void in its solid form and are used to contain soul. As soul is said to be found in the air, it's possible these totems would be able to extract it as well. From the Deep Focus charm description:

Naturally formed within a crystal over a long period. Draws in SOUL from the surrounding air.

Going back to the Abyss lighthouse, the strongest piece of evidence for the void having its own mind comes from the lighthouse keeper's dream nail dialogue:

...Turn it off?... Cannot...

My King. I'm sorry... The sea calls...

It is apparent that the void had exerted its will over this bug, but here I get into the most important property of void: void is impressionable. Void starts empty but it does not necessarily stay this way, the king used molds to shape void to his will for the creation of the kingsmoulds and wingmoulds, but it can do this organically as well. The most obvious example of this is the Hollow Knight who was "tarnished by an idea instilled", which is strongly hinted to be the bond formed between it and the king. A more extreme example of this exists in the Collector, a seemingly rogue, armourless kingsmould who for whatever reason spent a lot of time around another bug who imprinted upon it. Evidence for this comes from the dream nail dialogue of the husk you find the Love Key on:

Too long... spent together. We become as one...

This is all evidence for void being shaped by others, so what of the lighthouse keeper? Well, this bug was in the unfortunate situation of being right next to an ocean of the stuff. Husks found in proximity to void have void in their eyes, giving evidence that the void manages to get inside of them. Although usually it's just a small amount it is enough to kill them, and in this case, also influence them. Void is opposed to light - void vapor infiltrates the mind - void tells bug to turn the light off.

Okay that was a bit of a tangent but back on topic. After the Knight acquires the Void heart it gains control over the void. Shades no longer attack, tendrils no longer lash out and the Abyss statue changes its dream nail dialogue:

...Lord of Shades...

Furthermore, Bardoon has this to say:

Ohhhmmmm... Tiny thing... It evolves beyond that Wyrm. Such union in a single being. A strength before unseen. Would it too challenge nature? It could perhaps defeat it.

Pretty much everyone agrees that the Wyrm is a god, so if the Knight has truly evolved beyond the Wyrm, that should make it a god at this point as well. Gods in Hollow Knight are not very clear-cut from other bugs, they tend to be more powerful and longer lived, but still remain mortal and vulnerable to the ravages of time (at least when in the physical realm) and physical harm. The Godseekers in particular muddy the water on what can be considered a "god", but even without them there is a contrast in power between the higher beings. Despite not gaining any additional physical prowess, the Knight attaining godhood at this point, particularly as it was already the offspring of higher beings, would not be a far-fetched concept.

So if it is already a god, why did the Godseekers not notice? Because they weren't looking for it. The Godseekers attune through the dream realm by connecting to the minds of bugs, but the Knight is mindless. The Godseekers were only able to find the Hollow Knight because of the Radiance within:

O Gods of Hallownest, graciously thee open the way to this greatest of Pantheons! Thy voices grow closer and thy resonance draws Us ever higher!

Pray will We, Attune will We, until that spark of divine light shines from the deepest darkness!

And still they fear it for its silence:

O bound one, thy silence nearly deafens Us. Foolishly we feared thee, yet only by thine providence shall We find the one We seek. The God sleeping within...

Which is their deepest fear of all, taken from the tuner memory dream nail dialogue:

What gods, to save Us of Our silent mind?

So where am I going with this? Well if the Knight was already a god, then why should its behavior change so dramatically just because it gained a bigger, scarier form? I want to bring attention now to the Dream No More ending. The start of the cutscene that plays during this ending is very similar to the void breaking out of the Godseeker during the Embrace the Void ending, but here it comes from the Black Egg instead. If the scene had cut before showing the void dripping down from the lanterns then anyone would be forgiven for fearing the worst, but it doesn't. After the Black Egg dissolves into void, we see a pool of void disappear from around Hornet, then Hornet wakes up alive and unscathed. Why doesn't it consume her? Because the Knight is in control of it. Later, we see the siblings in the Abyss peacefully returning to their rest, giving us a bitter-sweet ending.

Now to add onto this i'm going to start analyzing the Knight's character. Not much direct characterization is given besides ‘it is empty’, and obviously everyone's Knight is going to act differently depending on how it is played, but there is characterization that can be inferred. Firstly, from what the Knight does regardless of what we want it to do. The Knight always slows to a walk when around Dirtmouth, NPCs and certain sites of significance, I interpret this as it being respectful (interestingly it also slows down around the Radiance statue at the top of Hallownest's Crown, so it seems to understand the religious significance of the site even though it is opposed to the deity). Also in this category are the endings, one of which I've already gone into and i'll get to Embrace the Void and Delicate Flower later. Next would be actions the player can chose to perform, and most players will for gameplay reasons. These include saving Sly, saving Bretta, freeing the grubs and placing the Grey Mourner's delicate flower on her dead lover's grave site. Lastly are choices you get that you don't have to follow and there is no benefit to doing so, these would include giving flowers to other NPCs and sitting beside Quirrel at the Blue Lake, and Marissa at the Pleasure House. The Knight is also a rather aggressive character, but with a few exceptions it only attacks creatures who are infected or insane. The exceptions to this would be if it is attacked first (Hornet, Dung Defender) if it challenges a boss to combat (Mantis Lords), is requested to attack (Nailsmith), it enters a non-lethal dream fight, or the one being attacked really deserved it (Millibelle).

The Knight is not incapable of performing bad actions however. It can leave Zote to die to the Vengefly King (though it cannot kill Zote actively), it can cause Hornet to be trapped with it inside the Black Egg, it can dream nail away passive ghosts and the worst crime of all - it can murder Menderbug! On balance however, the Knight is a generally benevolent character.

I think it's time to address the Vessels in the room, literally - the cutscene you see after completing the Pantheon of the Knight for the first time. This one is strange, it depicts the siblings as though they are alive alongside the Knight and young Hollow Knight before an exchange occurs - the Radiance roars, her light is revealed above, and then the void rises up to meet her. What is odd about this scene is that the Knight can see it without having the Void Heart, but I think I have an explanation for it. When the Knight defeats the Pure Vessel for the first time it becomes attuned with it, by proxy of relation this attunes it with the minds of its other siblings as well. in Godhome, characters attuned within the dream are represented in living form unless they become "gods" while dead, such as the dream warriors and various animated husk bosses. The Knight seeing the siblings together, followed by the void rising up to pursue the Radiance is an indication that they all share a common desire to snuff her out, even when the Knight doesn't have control over them. This can be taken as evidence that the shades are a part of the Shade Lord but I do not think this is the case. As mentioned above, characters attuned to the Godhome enter in best form and none of these siblings are attuned as shades, so they show up in Vessel form (The Hollow Knight presumably shows up in this second form only due to the Knight's attunement with it). Furthermore, no shades show up to assist the Knight in defeating the Radiance at the peak of the Pantheon of Hallownest, meaning the Shade Lord could only be composed of the Knight and the raw void you see rising up during the fight.

So now for the Embrace the Void ending itself. Upon defeating the Radiance we see the Shade Lord descend from above and wrap the Godseeker up in void tendrils, then the scene cuts to her physical body leaking void before the void bursts out of her violently. We cannot know exactly what the entity was doing here, but it's likely that embracing the Godseeker was a means for it to escape into the physical world. The Godseeker does not seem to be afraid of the Shade Lord but rather in awe of it, and there is evidence that despite how devastating its emergence appears, like with Hornet, she survived the ordeal:

Punish this shell, o God of Gods! Blast Our frail, worthless form to ash. We welcome thine fury! Desire beyond desire!

This dialogue is taken from the Godseeker game mode which is set after the Embrace the Void ending, she also thinks this in dream nail dialogue:

We bequeath our all. Our shell. Our mind. We are naught but vassal before thee, o glorious God of Gods!

The Godseekers are a collective hive-mind contained within the body of a single individual. The Godseeker you interact with in Godhome is the lead Godseeker and her shell is her own, so when she refers to ‘Our’ shell she is almost certainly referring to the physical shell they all share. Unless the Godseekers have lost all touch with reality and now only exist within the dream, this indicates that they still have a living body. Although their attitude towards the Knight has shifted... dramatically, they still appear to be perfectly aware of everything that is happening.

After the above mentioned scene we see Hornet watching the infection wither from the Black Egg temple, and then she is startled by the emergence of the Hollow Knight, now free from it's restraints. The Hollow Knight being alive as its own entity serves as further evidence that the Shade Lord is not composed of the siblings shown in the Pantheon of the Knight cutscene, as the young Hollow Knight was a part of that. At the end of this scene, the player gains the Embrace the Void achievement which has the description ‘Ascend the Pantheon of Hallownest and take your place at its peak’. Your place, it is the Knight specifically who is at the peak.

Possible counter points:

You cannot leave Godhome in Godseeker mode, which could be taken as evidence that Hallownest was destroyed. The Knight's physical form has been irreversibly altered, however just like Godseeker their dream form can be different, so they can only exist as the Knight within the dream world now.

Why did the Embrace the Void ending cut away from Godseeker when it did if not to imply something terrible happening? Dramatic effect, uncertainty, possibly you are meant to draw parallels with the Dream No More ending yourself. I'm only here to shed doubt on the Shade Lord being a malevolent entity, not to definitely state that nothing bad will happen.

Why can the Knight bring the Godseeker a delicate flower if not to protect Hallownest from what would emerge? The Knight doesn't know anything about the delicate flowers, as mentioned in dialogue from the White Lady:

There is rare power hidden in those frail petals.

To hold it so close, one must surely be unaware of its nature...

It is my belief that up until this point the Knight had been protected from the flower's power by its ‘holy shell’ born from the White Lady and Pale King. Upon shedding this shell and becoming one with the void, the flower reacts by banishing the Shade Lord along with the Godseeker who still harbors it.

What about the roar of the Shade Lord we hear in the scene after the Pantheon of the Knight? If it hadn't been pointed out to me that this was a roar and not just the noise of the void rising up I wouldn't have even noticed honestly. You have to take information found in the game files with a grain of salt, this can be foreshadowing or the ‘voice’ of void even when not united, though void having a ‘voice’ at all is a rather contradictory idea...

So in conclusion, given what we can extrapolate about the Shade Lord and the nature of the player character, I don't think there is good enough evidence for it to become a malevolent entity within Hallownest. Thank you for reading and please tell me if I've missed anything!

Tl;DR: Bill is the Knight, Bill is a cool guy, please don't be scared of Bill.

[nuclidic]

Given that a lot of us are stuck inside with all this COVID-19 stuff, do you have any good TimKon fic recommendations to keep us more happily occupied?

Haha yes! I have this list from years ago but it is way past time for an update.

Disclaimer: these are just things I like, please heed all tags and warnings etc. I'm also not reccing any WIPs because unfinished fics kill me every time.

Crystal Clear by Merit andAnd I'll Tell You No Lies by caecily

Two short takes on soulmate tropes that have to go first because I love them so much, I love soulmate aus, Tim and Kon are soulmates, the end.

Where There's a Wish by LeeayreBeing Robin’s vessel is hard enough: the exhaustion, the life-threatening late night activities, the bruises and bullet holes and broken bones. Trying to hide all that from his incredibly suspicious, incredibly hot new roommate while maintaining his studies and placating his parents? Tim has never had it so hard. Especially since said roommate doesn’t actually know he’s Superboy.

So the setup for this is unusual, I'm not sure if it's based on anything but: superhero identities are Personas, independent (basically magical) personalities created by the wishes of a person or groups of people who act through hosts that have the will to manifest whatever that persona does. Basically: Robin is an independent persona, Tim shares his body with him and when Robin manifests the costume and all the gadgets appear. It's explained throughout the story, but just in case you start it and are like wtf is happening. This possibly should go in the thirds section because the actual pairings in this are: Robin/Tim, Red Robin/Tim, Tim/Kon, Red Robin/Tim/Kon, Red Robin/Superboy, and Red Robin/Superboy/Tim. Red Robin can also be kind of dubconny so watch out for that if it's a concern.

Wing Beats in Reverse by firefrightJason Todd is the third Robin, not the second, growing up in shadow of Tim Drake's death. Despite this, he still manages to form strong bonds with his new family. Especially Damian, who wishes to atone for his past mistakes with Jason's predecessor. But when he's fifteen, a mysterious red hooded figure kidnaps Jason from the rooftops of Gotham, and after that his life will never be the same again.

A Robin reversal AU (ie Damian is the eldest, Dick the youngest) that's Jason-centric but of course that doesn't lessen the Tim angst. Or the Kon angst when he finds out Tim is alive. Hopeful ending, but it doesn't fix everything.Other pairings: JayRoy, StephCass (barely)

Time Flies by by LaroyenaJon Kent is Superboy. Tim's gut instinct tells him that's wrong.(Timkon fix-it where reboot!Tim misses Kon like a phantom limb. And then he gets him back.)

Sometimes you just need to cry over the lack of Kon in your life and this fic provides the PERFECT excuse. Heartbreaking and then happy. (Also brings Colin back UNLIKE DC.)Other pairings: implied Clex

Not Completely Powerless After All by ChimaeraKittenNobody was quite prepared for the kid who runs the company to visit, but they manage, in fact, they might be pleasantly surprised; they weren't expecting him to be nice. Of course, they weren't expecting him to be a possible ninja either, but you gotta take the good with the bad.

Outsider POV!!! I have never watched Powerless so you definitely don't need to be familiar with it, this is just a glorious casefic told by someone who doesn’t know it’s a case.

Matters of the Heart by DMWith Clark off-world as an ambassador to Earth, Conner has to watch over Metropolis. Though it should be straightforward, there appears to be something amiss with seemingly random crimes happening around the city. Conner has a hunch that they’re connected and calls in his best friend to help. But as the two of them spend time together working the case, Conner realizes that his feelings for Tim might not be what he had thought.

A long casefic with feelings, basically everything I ever want.

Stumbling Home by bewaretheboojumIn his mid-twenties, Tim moves back to Gotham City after several years living abroad. He's feeling adrift, unfocused and a little off balance as he tries to re-establish a life in his home town.Kon is a fireman by day and superhero by night. When mysterious fires start cropping up in Metropolis, all signs point to arson. Who better to help him get to the bottom of this arson case than Tim? And really, it seems like Tim could use the distraction...

Another casefic with older TimKon. I didn't like the initial setup with Tim having abandoned his friends for years but it won me over in the end.

the honesty in your body by LaroyenaLuthor's tech saved Kon's life at the cost of his mind. Tim must take a feral Kon across space to restore his humanity... which is just as difficult as one may think.(Batman Omegaverse AU: unabashed TimKon porn detailing their original get-together in their early teens to their definite get-together in their late teens. But mostly porn.)

Yep, this is mostly omegaverse porn and it's excellent and I love it, I really don't know what else to tell you.Other pairings: BruDick

I'm Alone Here, I Think by unluckylokiSuperboy is fighting robots in San Francisco and remembers something that wasn't.There's a new priest in the Naxos temple appointed by Dream of the Endless.Kon is missing something. Tim is missing everything.One day Krypto practically drags Superboy to a remote island in Europe and there's a dark haired guy smiling at Kon like he knows him.Maybe he does.

Sandman crossover but I haven't read Sandman in 500 years so you don't need to know most of it. Kind of identity porn, but more...fraught. Excellent Tim angst (there...might be a pattern here) and I'll be honest I'm not very into all the witches and stuff but overall very enjoyable.

Nowhere But Forward by MishaBerryIt shouldn't have happened the way it did.When Kon finds Tim in Paris, it leads to a night that neither of them will ever forget, for better or for worse. Tim is then forced to confront something he's been denying about himself for a very long time, and Kon begins to question some things about himself. The road ahead is full of twists and turns, but there's nowhere to go but forward.

I really love long fics, but tbh I found this started to drag a little towards the end. I still enjoy it overall with delicious Tim angst.

Plus One SectionSometimes when pickings are slim we can try food we wouldn't normally eat, and sometimes it's delicious. Which is to say these are fics with Tim/Kon/Another Person. Don't go any further if this upsets your OTP soul, I completely understand.

TimKonBartTroika by glitterandlubeThis is kind of written like crack and definitely won't appeal to everyone, but it's a fix-it of preboot where instead of living with the Kents in Smallville and becoming the country boy of Teen Titans (2003) Kon moves to Gotham and then scores with Tim and eventually Bart. Follows the previous canon's timeline almost to the start of Red Robin. Some (honestly warranted) bashing of Steph but also of Lois Lane (???).Also contains explicit Tim/Dick.Other pairings: Clex, JayDick

TimKonCassieTrymmetry by glymrWhy do they feel like something's missing?

Set in a universe where Kryptonians form triad soulbonds. Kon and Cassie have both always been thinking about Tim when they're together, and after Kon comes back they can no longer deny it. They have to find Tim. I wish this was ten times longer.

JayTimKon

Heart of the Hoard by firefrightJason is a knight on a mission to save a captive young woman from a cruel and vicious dragon. However, when Jason reaches the keep the girl is kept in, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems with his quest. For starters, Lady Timothea is actually Lord Timothy, and - as Jason soon discovers - he's hardly a prisoner in his tower.

Perfect because Kon is an ACTUAL DRAGON though it does lean on his YJ cartoon characterization.

I (Don't) Want to Believe by chibinightowl and strikeyourcolors

FBI agents Tim Drake and Conner Kent are sent to Arkham Heights High School to investigate a series of unexplainable incidents that have both staff and students on edge. Tim's firmly of the opinion the school is haunted while Kon is positive the occurrences can be explained in a more reasonable manner. After all, he doesn't believe in ghosts.Right? Right?

Horror casefic where Tim had a previous thing with Jason but also a thing with Kon so sharing is the way to go, especially when you're more (or maybe just equally) concerned about being murdered by ghosts in a haunted former asylum.

Okay I am stopping now because otherwise I will continue forever. I hope this satisfies some hunger.

[ftalos]

[Renascent Chronicles] Portalcraft Cards: First impressions.

Renascent chronicles’ cards are up!

Now we got more time for pre-launch analysis and the set looks fun. I like the focus of this set: Epilogue’s of the Isunia, Naterra and Aiolon stories, with some of the card texts expanding their lore. Yes, I really love the story mode and I’ll read all of the flair texts.

And the cards themselves aren’t bad; machina and natura traits are back in a way that won’t restrict deck building, every deck got a new playstyle that won’t kill the previous ones… well, except for those strong decks at the end of the Darkness over Vellsar expansion. Gremory is rotating out, forcing shadows players to find new ways to make big boards without losing lots of shadows… Will Chris still be an option, or will everybody shift to Machina combos? Portalcraft is losing a lot of support too, most of the artifact cards that started the paradigm shift playstyle are leaving rotation, hindering those decks, with Syntonization the biggest hit as the card was so versatile. Although Resonance/Magna Zero Portalcraft is still strong (I can’t believe how good it got during the mini expansion thanks to Absolute Tolerance, got me 4-1 in A Finals), new robots and my favorite boss are coming up to change the game.

So yeah, let’s check out the new cards.

(Click on their names to check the cards)

Legendary Cards:

Maisha, Purgation’s Vessel: Have you ever been so biased you shift the order you read cards to start with your favorite villain? This card is simple and amazing, her fanfare is a great removal tool at every stage of the game and will also greatly reduce Absolute Tolerance’s cost for early threats, but the best part is her evolution effect: the same effect she got through her token spell is back, now restricted for having 8 remaining play points that she won’t even consume. As great as always, some new cards will also aid us portal players to get evolution points in the late game; but, as I don’t know how easy it will be to get there, I’ll rate her as a 4/5.

Belphomet, Ultimate Creator: This guy is so great he even came back with his own skin. For just 1 Play Point higher than his last iteration, fusing cards one at a time will pay you back in the form of armored and assault tentacles, and playing him having fused at least three cards on him creates a board of himself and his furies, who also got new and stronger versions. The Megaera token, in special, recovers you on Evolution Point, synergizing great with Maisha and, given your opponent has to deal with Belphomet and his furies, builds an overwhelming threat in the late game. 4/5.

Gold Cards:

Mega Enforcer: A Machina follower that draws you one card, deals 4 damage on evolution and recovers the Evolution point he used if you have 3 Machina cards in hand. Allows you to play with resonance for some possible Magna Zero clears on turn 7 (I might be onto something here, I will have to test tho), but the best part is it recovers you Play Points for Maisha and Evo playstyles, though this one hasn’t been starving for evopoints. 5/5

Nefarious Invasion: This card seems good in a vacuum, it helps you deal with the pesky early aggression, and its enhance opens up for mid/lategame plays and control; but I think it will be the first one to be fused into Belphomet except against sword and shadowcraft. 3.5/5

Silver Cards:

Threadsnipper puppet: Puppet/rally support! By herself is a 1/2 but she also let’s you play one puppet that won’t leave the board, upping your rally count and your board presence. A reminder that Maisha used to win thanks to puppets, Threadsnipper and stringmaster are your go-to’s when playing rally/destruction portal. 4/5

Enforcer: Silver Machina follower that has rush and puts two machina cards into your hand, this card is really good as a removal tool and as an enabler of your Belphomet Fusions in case you want to save your other machina cards. 5/5

Dual Swords of Longing: Yes, more Maysia, let’s go. A spell that adds two token spells to your hands and can reduce their costs. Both spells are great removal tools, raising the control options Maisha and Belphomet need to reach lategame.4/5

Bronze Cards:

Iron Hero: This guy can deal with board, up the rally and destroyed followers count as puppets do, but with 1 pp cost each time; overall a nice addition in certain decks, that enhance made me laugh, though, I will definitely try to make it work.  3.5/5

Plucky Coil Wrangler: Listen, I think this card is bad. I love her accelerate and the fact golems are still alive thanks to her, but I am not sure about the state of artifacts after WUR leaves rotation and her high cost. I would definitely draft her in take two, though, and a part of me expects me to be wrong about her strength as I was with Double Arm Mechanic in my last review. 2/5

Tiniest Tank: LOOK AT THIS ABSOLUTE UNIT. He’s quite expensive, and his way of upping the rally count is behind Last Words effects, but you gotta love that art and the fact he summons an Automaton Knight. 1/5

Unnamed determination: MORE. MAISHA. ART. I don’t think destroying 10 followers or more will be difficult to achieve during this expansion (I know there’s a lot of banish around, but where Last Words Shadow could, Portal will), so I really believe this spell and the silver one will see a lot of play, draw two cards and recover one evolution point is really good to let it pass. 5/5

Overall, the new cards are good without making the deck building too restrictive except for Machina decks who need to fill as much slots as possible with the trait (good thing Magna Zero exists), I’m really hyped for this expansion and the state of portalcraft in it, even if it stops being top tier, because I love Maisha a lot. Besides my main classes (Portal, Haven and a bit of Forest), some other playstyles I’d like to tamper with are Machina Shadowcraft and Natura dragon, Valdain makes me forget my hate for dragoncraft.

And let’s hope haven’t run out of luck after getting Laramia and Spinaria this month, I’d like the Belphomet Skin (It’s not the Aiolon Belphomet, but he’s alright). Stay on.

[the-trashy-phoenix]

Supernatural season 5 review (part 2)

Link to part 1:

Irene and I had finished season 5 and, as I already imagined, I loved it. I'm not quite sure if I like it more than the previous one, I think they're kind of in the same level of greatness.

It starts with Lucifer rising again and Sam and Dean being miraculously saved. They immediately meet Chuck to know what happened with the angels and the prophet tells them Castiel has been killed by them. With Lucifer out of the cage Zacharia (who fortunately gets killed at the end by the older Winchester) wants Dean to be Michael's vessel, since he's the only one who can beat the devil: the only problem is that Dean has to say "yes" to Michael. He obviously doesn't want to, so the angels trying to convince him will be a recurrent thing throughout the season. Dean tries to not change his opinion, because becoming Micheal's vessel would mean the two archangels would fight and with their power they would destroy half the planet, but the more time passes the more Dean's hopes vanish, and towards the end he decides to accept Zacharia's proposal. At the last moment, however, to Sam, Castiel and Bobby's relief and delight, he opposes it and Adam, brought back to life only to replace his brother, accepts to be Michael's vessel. This whole mess will eventually end with Lucifer (in Sam's vessel) back in the cage, along with Michael (in Adam's), Castiel miraculously brought back (again, after returning at the beginning of the season) and a desperate Dean trying to keep living a life with Lisa and Ben after losing his brother and promising him to try a new life without hunts.

The main focus of the season is obviously trying to defeat Lucifer, who we meet in the first episode. It is already an interesting character, because he feels misunderstood by God and believes he didn't deserve what he got from his father. It is almost impossible not to empathise at least a little bit with him. He also hides his evil side pretty well at first, making him seem almost like the actual good guy of the situation and the victim of a cruel God. I like the fact that he shows up to the people he wants to convince as their loved one (like he did with Nick when he showed as his wife). He tries to convince Sam to be his vessel (because he's actually the only one who would truly contain him) showing up as Jessica. Sam obviously doesn't want to help Lucifer with the Apocalypse, although both Sam and us don't even really know what his true intentions are. We quickly learn that he obviously, as he hated humanity before, still does it now, so his plan is actually mostly a revenge. He really seems like the final big bad guy, probably because he was supposed to be, and because every other villain ultimately leads to him. I believe he is my favourite one: he is a way more rounded character than the others, having his own motivations (that go beyond wanting to do bad and win over the others). As much as he's wrong for doing what he's doing, at least he got his reasons. He is the first angel who has rebelled against God and he was punished for it, but he's not the only one who did it. At the end of the last season we saw Castiel, persuaded by Dean, rebelling against the angels and their plan to bring Lucifer back. So what makes the difference between them? I think it is the reasons and the intentions behind their actions: Lucifer rebelled because he hated humans and now wants to end them, Castiel rebelled because he loves humanity and wants to defend it. So there's no surprise when Castiel refuses to join Lucifer when he tries to get his brother to come to the dark side in episode 05x10.

Lucifer is not the only new villain, we also meet two demons with opposite purposes: Meg and Crowley. Meg isn't actually new, as we know her since season one, but she has a new body. Her character doesn't change much in season five, she's still a loyal servant, in this case to Lucifer, but we'll see what I will think about her in the next seasons, as I know, as much as I can remember, she will improve. Crowley on the other hand is a lone wolf and wants Lucifer dead as much as the two protagonists want him. I have loved Crowley since the first episode I saw him (05x10) for several reasons. I adore his personality: he's funny and sassy and the perfect villain who's not really a villain (because at the end of the day neither Dean or Sam want him dead, and neither he wants them to be dead as well). I like the fact that he just minds his own business: he doesn't want to start apocalypses or whatsoever, he just wants to keep living, and he knows being against Lucifer is an immediate suicide for a demon, so he helps the Winchesters to kill him. He gives them the Colt at first, believing they could kill him with that, and so they attempt to, ending up with Jo and Ellen dead and the certainty that the Colt couldn't kill the devil. On a side note, I liked seeing Jo and Ellen back, but I hated watching them dying, as much as I loved the episode thanks to its intensity and melancholy (especially in the scenes between Jo and Ellen and between Jo and Dean, although I'm not totally convinced that he should have kissed her, even if I think he did it mainly to make her understand how much he cared about her, rather than for romantic love). I don't appreciate Supernatural not having a female main character who stays alongside the boys for more than a few seasons. I don't expect a woman to become a main character like Castiel but it would have been nice to see a woman appear at least as much as Bobby. This side of Supernatural shows how far behind it is in some ways and that it needed to improve on many aspects (such as veiled, but not too much, misogyny). Returning to Crowley, the demon proves to be essential as thanks to him Sam and Dean understand how to stop Lucifer: not killing him but sending him back where he came from. To do this they need to open a portal that leads Lucifer into his cage, and the portal can only be opened by the rings of the four knights of the apocalypse. They are characters brought to earth, thanks to Lucifer, that Sam and Dean have the pleasure of meeting (and defeating most of the time). The most interesting character is certainly Death, with whom Dean talks (episode 05x21) and who has no intention of fighting the brothers, indeed he voluntarily gives them his ring. The only problem left is to find Lucifer and to push him into the cage. Sam, who has been thinking for days that he has to accept Lucifer's request in order to try to jump into the portal, manages to convince Dean, who obviously would never want Sam to be locked in Lucifer's cage with the devil himself inside him.

Sam and Dean, mainly because of everything that happened last season, have to try to rebuild their now inevitably changed relationship (whose antagonism is exasperated in the parallelism of the two protagonists with the archangels Lucifer, the rebellious son, and Michael, the devoted son). Dean, as much as he doesn't want to, can't keep pretending everything's okay between them and thinks it's best to take different paths. The two brothers remain divided until Dean realizes they can win against the angels and Lucifer only if they are together. From then on their relationship strengthens more and more, until Dean, I think for the first time, decides to completely trust Sam, reject Zacharia's proposal and find another way to defeat Lucifer (05x18). The final step forward is surely Dean accepting Sam's idea of becoming Lucifer's vessel, while knowing what it entails. The difference in their relationship between the end of this season and last season lies in several factors: Sam opens up to Dean and tries to be as honest as possible, while Dean accepts that his brother is now grown up and must make his choices, even if these involve his sacrifice to save humanity. Their relationship ends with one last touching scene in which Dean manages to reach Sam, despite being controlled by Lucifer, and give him enough strength to jump into the portal that will lead him to the cage. I think this season potrais their relationship in a way never seen before, with a rollercoaster of emotions that shows how much they care about each other and how much they have grown in the recent years.

There's another relationship that I'd like to talk about and that I think has evolved over the course of the season, Dean and Castiel's. The two certainly make giant strides towards the end of season four, when Castiel decides to rebel and side with Dean, but they are not yet in the best of relationships. Dean finally seems to trust Castiel, but is still not entirely comfortable with him and his personality ("Cas, we've talked about the personal space", 05x03), while Castiel, after being brought back to life, is convinced, in the early episodes of the season, that he can find God, which Dean is very skeptical of. The thing that may come as a surprise, however, is that Dean supports Castiel and comforts him when the angel seems to have lost hope. I don't think it's really shocking, considering Dean sees himself in Castiel, who seems to be just a confused son looking for an absent father, which Dean is by now an expert of (and the funny thing is that in the emotional episode 05x13, where Sam and Dean go back in time and meet their parents, John, once he knows the lives of the two brothers, he wonders how a father can behave that way with their children, obviously not being aware of the hard truth). When, in episode 05x16, in which Dean and Sam die and go to heaven (which I think is quite original, divided into personal heavens formed by memories of each of the dead people), they discover that God is somewhere, but that he has no intention of intervening in any way, giving relatively little importance to humanity and angels, Castiel is completely destroyed by the news and copes getting drunk (another parallelism with Dean I would say) and in this episode (05x17), confident they can't get help from God, Dean calls the formed trio "team free will" (emphasizing the fact that they are now free to make their own choices). I feel like Dean and Cas start to bond especially when Dean is alone (so in episode 05x03) and he understands Castiel's value in episode 05x04, when Zacharia sends him to a future where he has not accepted to be Michael's vessel, Sam is Lucifer vessel and the world is infected by the Croatoan virus. Dean meets his future self (a way worse and more desperate version of him) who trusts past Dean after he tells his future self an anecdote (that he never revealed to anyone) about wearing pink panties and liking it. I'll admit I completely forgot about that particular (probably because I was 15 when I first watched it and this information seemed extremely irrelevant to me) and I'm still amazed that such a scene really exists. Anyway Dean realizes that, despite everything that has been going on and the way he's become, Castiel has never abandoned him. He also understands, noticing how much the future Castiel has changed and how hopeless he gets, he should appreciate his Castiel more (and that is something Castiel will eventually tell him directly too in episode 05x18, in which after Dean decides to agree to Michael Castiel beats him up telling him he rebelled for him and so he shouldn't repay him like that).

Chuck compares in episode too, showing he's still on Dean's side as well. I honestly quite like him in this season: he's awkward, confused and out of place most of the time, but I think that's what makes it likeable, at least for me. We see more of him in episode 05x09, where there's a Supernatural convention and Sam and Dean have to deal with both their fans (without them knowing who they really are) and a case, and are forced to work with a couple of fans who fortunately save everyone. At the end of the episode Dean discovers that the two fans, both male, are a real couple (making it the first homosexual couple in the series). I don't quite know how to interpret this moment (which writers probably didn't even give too much thought to), but the fact that in the next scene we see Dean thinking next to the car with a little smile makes me believe that that the step forward to acceptance was not only made by the series.

There's another character who's not totally new but seems to be at the same time: Gabriel. We have known him since season two by the name of "Trickster", but thanks to Castiel we find out, along with the brothers, that he was an archangel all along (who gave us some of the funniest episodes, and especially Dean thirsting over Dr. Sexy in episode 05x08). They ask him to join their side, but quickly understand he doesn't want to be on anyone's side. He fortunately changes his mind on episode 05x19 and sides with Sam and Dean, only to be killed by Lucifer at the end of the episode. Gabriel is my favourite angel besides Castiel, for obvious reasons, so I was very happy he decided to risk it all and go against his brother to be on the Winchesters' squad.

To conclude, as much as I think there are some parts of the season they could have done better (for example the scene with Lucifer and Michael in the last episode), I believe this is one of the best seasons of the show, so we'll see if after rewatching the other ten seasons I will have the same opinion.

- Carly 💚