#and don't get me started on Alisaie

[warriorofyapping]

Alphinaud's character development over the expansions has been so good. I remember how I used to not like him much, he was a bit snobbish and thought he was always in the right, he refused to accept when he was wrong. Yes, he's young, but 16 is old enough to know when you're wrong and to accept it. It didn't help how sheltered he was and how much the people around him allowed him to stay that way, hiding things from him when he should rightfully know them.

After what happened with the Crystal Braves, you could see how he realized just how his mindset came to bite him in the bud and we get to watch as he slowly begins growing as a person. He has his moments where he still struggles, but then he realizes and he backtracks, he tries again. We see him rely on the people around him more and accept help from them, especially the WoL, Estinien, and Ysayle during Heavensward.

You can't tell me that ARR-STB took place in less than a year, especially with all the traveling via land and sea alike the group had to do during Stormblood. We get to watch him grow over at least a year and then, in Shadowbringers, he grows again, just without us there. You can tell how he has matured a bit more during the near year he was in The First without us and it's nice to see the difference between the arrogant, stuck up kid we met and the boy he is now.

I love my son so much okay.....

[anneapocalypse]

On the role of outsiders.

One thing I think makes the Scions' relationship with Wuk Lamat unique isn't that they're mentoring her--I don't really see it as a mentor relationship and for various reasons I think it's better for it not to be that--but that, as outsiders, she finds that she can show vulnerability with them that she's only rarely been able to show with anyone else.

When we meet Wuk Lamat in 6.55, it's pretty heavily telegraphed that she's posturing a lot to cover up some personal weaknesses or insecurities. This made me really curious about her, who she was and what that overconfident demeanor was covering for. And when I got into Dawntrail and started getting to know her, I wasn't disappointed.

(No Wuk Lamat hate on this post, please. Any responses clearly trying to pick a fight will be removed and blocked without reply.)

Wuk Lamat has a couple of foils in this story, but a big one is Sphene, and I love @unmovingtroika's description of Sphene as "unpersoned to an extreme degree." And as a distorted mirror of our main character, Sphene reminds us that any person in a position of authority or heroism is depersonalized to some degree, no matter how down-to-earth or benevolent.

Gulool Ja Ja is really presented to us as very much a people's ruler, the charismatic blessed siblings who united the peoples of Tural through curiosity and open-mindedness and understanding. And that may be largely true, but it's also made of him a myth, a legend inscribed in stone and memory. Meanwhile in the course of Dawntrail's story we also meet the real person Gulool Ja Ja... at least, the one who's left. The man who has spent three years grieving his brother, his ever-present companion, the Reason to his Resolve, a man who for the sake of political stability has had to hide his grief and loneliness from even his own children, as he does his best to carry out the work they had begun together, and complete the Rite of Succession in his brother's absence. And if there are places where Gulool Ja Ja failed to foresee the potential negative outcomes to the Rite, like Bakool Ja Ja's actions endangering his people, we might see there in hindsight the Head of Reason's absence in the final stages of the Rite's preparation. And we see, in some of Zoraal Ja's anger and resentment and insecurity, a glimpse of the ways in which the people's Dawnservant might have failed his own son.

One of Wuk Lamat's early growth moments is when the Scions convince her that she doesn't need to try and hide her obvious seasickness--an affliction she can't help, and which represents no failure of character on her part but which is, well, embarrassing. I love that she seems to particularly connect with Alisaie, who's had her own experiences of feeling inadequate next to her sibling, and feeling the need to prove herself on her own terms.

Could Wuk Lamat have been convinced to drop the act by her allies if they weren't outsiders? The problem is that everyone else in Tural, even her own siblings, are the people she'll have authority over if she wins. Erenville frequently rolls his eyes at his old friend's posturing, and fairly so, but Wuk Lamat doesn't behave that way just because she's insecure. In the same way that her father has had to conceal the death of his brother even from his own children, Wuk Lamat recognizes the danger of showing weakness before the people she will have to rule--especially when she's already aware of her reputation as being less qualified than her brothers. But these outsiders from Eorzea are different. They're allies who will never be her subjects. In private moments, she can be a person with them. She can be vulnerable. She can be Lamaty'í.

(Incidentally, I think this is also why I found Sphene calling her Lamaty'i so unsettling. Initially it seems like a simple misunderstanding, an outsider mistaking a very personal nickname for someone's "public" name. But in the hindsight of what we learn about Sphene, I think it feels a lot worse. Sphene is, consciously or unconsciously, pushing past the walls of formality and reticence that necessarily exist around a ruler when interacting with most people--nevermind a foreign head of state whose intentions are unknown. She's positioning herself as a friend when she is not.)

As the story progresses, we learn the Wuk Lamat and Koana have always been close. Now, in the Rite of Succession, they must treat one another as rivals and can no longer share confidences--at least, at first. Koana's love and protectiveness of his sister emerges with a vengeance when Wuk Lamat is in danger--and I'd venture a guess that he, too, feels safer showing this sudden vulnerability before his allies and those of his sister, because again, they will never be his subjects. While we get only briefer glimpses of Koana's journey with Thancred and Urianger, I'd guess that their friendship has affected him in similar ways.

One of the benefits of blessed siblings is that they are never alone. They bring two perspectives to any situation, but they also have one another to confide in, to understand, to commiserate over the burdens of leadership in a way they can't with anyone else, not even family. Wuk Lamat and Koana taking on the role of Dawnservant together brings the benefit of their very different strengths and perspectives to their people. But it also means that neither must take on those burdens alone. When their allies depart, they will still have one another. There will always be someone at their side with whom they can just be a person.

The tragedy of Zoraal Ja is that he's evidently never had that kind of relationship with anyone. The myth of his seemingly miraculous birth has depersonalized him from the very start. All his life, he has carried the burden of living up to the expectations of the Resilient Son, and has never enjoyed the close relationship his brother and sister have with one another. To the very last, he attempts to live up to the legend alone--and he fails.

One of the biggest themes throughout Final Fantasy XIV is standing together. There is strength in companionship and cooperation, but for that strength to flourish, there must also be trust and vulnerability. Wuk Lamat and Koana ultimately find that in one another, as siblings and co-rulers, but the Scions play the important role of offering them an outsider's friendship in their journeys when they are cut off from one another, and would otherwise be alone. As Ketenramm and Galuf Baldesion once were to Gulool Ja Ja, the Scions to Wuk Lamat and Koana are neither mentors nor subjects, but companions and friends.

[nights-at-crystarium]

You know what, I assume that people always read my pinned, or notice the pointer "new reader? start here" in every new Fragments' episode. I might be deluding myself. So hi hello lemme TALK ABOUT MY COMIC.

Before I get too rambly (and I mean RAMBLY), here's a quick intro. Fragments is a comic focused on feels and slice of life, made by a queer guy, aiming to ~character study~ the main cast (Vivi, Raha, Alisaie, Feo Ul) and fill in the gaps in canon (or linger in canon moments that needed more air imo), the tone ranging from angst to fluff to meme. Good punches require a good windup, so please don't expect angst anytime soon :3c

The story's segmented (fragmented, heh) into episodes. Episodes 1-11 take place in ARR, you can enjoy them with no worry about spoilers. Episode 12 onward is ShB, with all the spoilers and lorebending.

My storytelling style assumes you haven't only played through ShB, but know it like the back of your hand, i.e. it's for nerds and thinkers. Of course there's plenty of silly moments that don't require any deep knowledge, but the overarching story does. Often I skip canon events, only hinting that they took place, simply because I don't wanna retell the msq 1:1, I've got plenty of original scenes waiting to be drawn. You're in for a treat if you like obsessing over emotional and moral implications of things. And, yes, this's a story about a morally grey mc. Don't expect to be spoon-fed "and this's why that thing's bad, kids".

Currently I've outlined all the main story beats up until post EW, so it's like, not being winged as I go. Yes I refine things here and there, but I know where I'm going. I'm going ham!!!! With the lorebending post ShB. Initially I didn't plan to, but the more I learned about Vivi and personally grew as a writer, the more courage I got to "divorce" from canon. The general xiv story may still be good wherever it's headed, but it's not suited for an established wolgraha, so I'm making food for myself.

Everyone imagines the lil scenes from their wol's life, I'm taking that a tiiiiiny step further. Fragments tells a cohesive story that's looking to be the longest project at least in our corner. I can and will hyperfixate on this for years.

I started out just like many others, being hit with ShB like a truck, I wanted to put a catboy under a microscope and rotate him forever. Although I'd already been drawing for decades, I didn't have the comic-making skills yet, or eloquence to write the dialogue, so I spent the first half of 2022 self-studying, just because I needed a mouth to be able to scream about my ship.

Vivi didn't exist prior to my obsession with Exarch. He was made for this, he started out as a reagent (or a foil, now that I know fancy writing terms) for a rich and fun chemistry, and keep myself entertained for years, first and foremost.

Me, a fool: okay let's make a guy that falls in love with Exarch in this particular moment, what kinda life must he have led to- Me: ....oh no

The chemistry quickly bubbled up and exploded in my face, involving not only Exarch, but other characters (first as a means to subtly tell about Vivi, then they also demanded their own screentime), and here I am, sitting with a massive script on my hands, drawing my blorbos every day. Thanks for enabling that btw.

I care about characters a lot. I ask a lot of whys and hows. I'm critical-minded and burned on many bad stories that did their characters dirty, and I wanna be an opposing example. What I'm doing is extremely ambitious and risky, yes, but I can only invite you to tag along and see if I stick to my word.

The internet's a cruel and unforgiving place nowadays, and here I am, pitting my passion against what feels like decaying humanity. I'm making this comic to keep myself happy above all else, being sincere and cringe because life's too short to be anything else.

Thanks for reading this, and if you haven't yet, read Fragments here!

[medi-melancholy]

meanwhile, a month ago, when i was blissfully unaware of what awaited me at the end of ARR--i started to get Really Mad at CT (and started ✨coils✨)

you're going to what. why. where did this come from

:( what about your own wishes?? what do you really genuinely want to do? what about your own individual dreams and goals and purpose you want to look for? yes you're the one living person available with allagan blood and yes doga and unei entrusted more power to you but like, you didn't sign up for any of this, you just wanted some explanation behind why your family has had the eye of allag and you wanted to explore the tower and all that, i just. wehhhhh

says who???? why does it have to be? we just lost our new friends doga and unei, and now we're gonna lose you too? that sucks, man!

maybe i don't want it to be! because this sucks! why are just letting him do this! without taking any time to possible consider alternatives or look for other solutions!!!!

man ok i don't even really care about the cat but i personally do not like how this whole story chunk was handled. it's unsatisfying when characters just end up slaves to fate or destiny stuff beyond their control and they're just chill with it or they willingly subject themselves to it and everyone around them is like yeah sure go ahead this is fine

save me, nero's tom-holland-frog-in-mouth face.... make me laugh

:/ thanks. it was. something

but NOW. we experience peak*

*unsynched peak

forever awwww'ing at how tiny the twins are.... they're baby

also i'm proud of my stubborn daughter for knowing when it's time to ask for some help!

anjyu is very actions over words, this is true

for the first half of coils, i called in pixel to carry me ♥️

ah yes. me, alisaie, the ruins of dalamud, and this random rabbit in a raincoat from another world who's been obliterating everything in sight for us

[flashbacks to the 2.0 fetch quest chain] Yes.

ooohhh ok. so that's why the not-moon hatched like an egg and bahamut came out, because he was captive in there the whole time. i am getting my questions answered!

i am also getting my ears answers'ed

us.... and also willow is here

anjyu, perpetually confused, and willow doing a jerma, in the same sparkly purple void

god don't jinx it. but yeah that's the unsynched carry mood LMAO

........uh. hold on

UH. ARE WE LIKE. SAFE HERE???

are any of these places safe?????? because this hall looks evil as fuck

great googly fucking moogly he's just right there

PEEPAW SIGHTING WAS REAL

COILS HAUNTED??????

ohhh... daughter.... 🥺

i... don't know if that's the case, though! but i'd hate to crush her dreams. i seriously think that's just like. an afterimage of some kind. because how in the hell could he still be alive

i would die for you. you are the bestest

[ishgard]

Hi. I love the AU. May I ask how Fourchenault takes the news? :D (scrollsfromarebornrealm)

Hiii!! thank you so much!! ☺️♥ I'd say his reaction is a bit more complicated/messy than Ameliance's. Whatever one's thoughts are on his actions, there's no doubt in my mind he deeply loves his children, he's just not always great at showing it. (Slapping this under a cut!)

So after 7.0 going home and seeing his parents is one of the first things Alphi does once things have quieted down a bit. (It's something I really want to do a set of but the emotions I want to convey are a bit above my gpose level still lol).

(Also please imagine with me the pain of Alphinaud staying in his childhood room, turning over once precious items that haven't seen nary a bit of the weathering of time in his absence.)

Once some of the initial shock wears off, Fourchenault goes a bit stiff and distant. Even if he got better about it through Endwalker's events, he has a harder time letting go of his kids, and while this definitely is not the worse case scenario, there is absolutely a deep sense of loss.

After Day One and the initial unraveling of everything that happened, while Ameliance is carrying the conversations, Fourchenault is more avoidant. He gets called away to the Forum, he simply... has important matters that must be attended to. He's glad he's safe. They'll talk later. (He knows it's foolish of him, he knows. The self-condemnation it brings only makes it harder.)

His son is suddenly older than him. Towers over his mother (I haven't compared yet actually but very likely towers over him.) He's as polite and well-mannered as ever, but there's no denying the ways he's changed. The shadows that lurk in his eyes, the scars on his body. The way he hugs them tightly, like he hasn't seen them in ages - because he hasn't. The way he holds himself, and the way he speaks, rough edges of youth smoothed over in the seeming blink of an eye.

He saw what his son was capable of during the Final Days, but even those were, in his worst imaginings, things he was capable of imagining. In part, his harshness (and protectiveness) stems from knowing how brutal the world can be, the things that can happen. But thirty years gone in a blink?

He knows he should be grateful it wasn't worse, but why did it have to be like this at all? He know he shouldn't blame the Warrior of Light, but how could she let this happen?

But Alphinaud is still Alphinaud. Some things have changed, yes, but the core of who he is remains the same as ever, and that shines through abundantly clear to the people who love him. It only takes a couple of days for Fourchenault to get his shit together again (record time for him, I think). Ameliance has, of course, been quietly pushing him in that direction, but he finally goes to speak with Alphinaud alone and yes, there are a hundred things he wants to say and ask.

But in the end that's his son, and that's the most important thing of all. It's not as the love suddenly left. There's just thirty years worth he wasn't able to share, and plenty of regrets that his son could have died without him saying so many things he ought to have. So he does. Well, he gets started anyway.

The scene, I think, culminates in tears shed and a strong embrace, finally fully mourning what was lost and reveling in the knowledge there is still plenty of time left.

Thereafter, he still slips sometimes, catches himself in a fit of melancholy or taken aback by his sons new capabilities or appearance (particularly when Alisaie is there to really enhance the difference), but gradually their relationship grows closer than ever. Like Ameliance he wants to support him as much as he can, and focuses on the immense pride he feels to know his son grew so well.

There is (ideally), I think, a mostly ego-less parental relief to see your child succeed. To think, I don't know what I did, right or wrong, big or small, and I know I made mistakes, but I'm so glad you are you. Whatever else, his son has adapted, thrived, and continues to be such a deeply good person, unchanged by what he has endured in the most important ways, and that makes it all a little easier to accept.

(It was an emotional few days in the Leveilleur Estate :'D Painfully, Alphinaud kind of anticipated all of this. He didn't hold it against him, he was just so happy they were all alive and the same as he remembered and awhiugahege his relief knowing he hadn't left his parents for untold years never knowing what happened and grieving him!!!)

[djgamek1ng]

Magic The Gathering x Final Fantasy - Spoiler Season Part 17 (12/05/2025 - Scions and Spellcraft Pt. 1)

Last, but not least, for the commander decks, we have Final Fantasy 14's Scions and Spellcraft deck. Let's get to it, starting off with Alisaie Leveilleur! Oh wait, very quick before: SPOILER WARNING. I tried dancing around a certain card in the mono black cards, but I can't really dance around an entire deck full of spoilers. So, spoiler warning for FF14 all the way up until Endwalker.

White for Alisaie is interesting. I wouldn't say it is wrong, but I definitely see her more as a Red girl... you know, like her job is Red Mage. Either way, I could see the argument being made that she would be Red/White, so it isn't too bad of a flavor fail.

3 mana for a 3/2 is very slightly below rate, but you'll manage. HEr abilities are:

Partner with Alphinaud Leveilleur. I won't be covering the commander implications of this card, but basically, when she enters the battlefield you may search for a card called Alphinaud Leveilleur from your deck and then shuffle your deck. Neat. You may also run Alisaie and Alphinaud together as commanders for your commander deck. Again, I won't cover that here, but I might do a follow up post at some point to cover how well they would run together.

First strike, so strikes first against most things. Nice, makes her 3 power enough to be able to smack down anything that dares attack you or dares to block her.

The second spell you cast each turn costs 2 less to cast. So ideally, kind of like Red Mage in FF14: cast a small spell first, then save 2 mana on your second spell and use that to cast a bigger spell for less mana. Very nice, definitely gives her a little bit of a spellslinger vibe.

One last time, I will not be talking about her commander implications. The TL;DR is: don't bother running her without Alphinaud, there is no point. That said, on her own, she is something that can enable double spelling on a turn pretty easily. Saving 2 mana is no joke, that's like a free Sol Ring on every second spell on every turn. Put her in a spellslingers deck and you'd be pleasantly surprised.

Now for the art. Credit to Justyna Dura. Link to her ArtStation. The lack of neck is messing me up. She looks very much like her head sunk into her torso or that her shoulders are very high up. Aside from that issue, it is a nice art piece, but yeah, definitely can't get over that one.

As for the next card, let's talk about Tataru Taru!

2 mana for a 0/3 is technically slightly below rate... and it doesn't get much better unfortunately. Her abilities are:

Tataru enters, you draw a card and target opponent may draw a card. Group hug? I guess? Only once though, unless you start blinking her...

Whenever an opponent draws a card, if it isn't that player's turn, create a tapped Treasure token. This ability triggers only once each turn. So that does trigger from her entering effect... but only tapped Treasure per turn whenever your opponents are drawing cards outside their turn is limited. Very limited even. This ain't no Smothering Tithe, that's for sure.

This... is very disappointing, honestly. Tataru wants to be a value engine, but she only makes one card draw happen and relies on other people drawing cards outside of their turns to create a singular tapped Treasure token per turn. That's just not good enough. In the 99 of a deck... I'd say replace her, but if you're already playing group hug, she might be alright. As your commander... aside from just liking her, just please don't. I hate to say this, since I love Tataru, but I don't think this is good enough. It is certainly fair, but fair rarely means good when you try to win.

Now for the art. Credit to Livia Prima. Link to her Instagram. NO, DON'T GIVE ME A GIFT WITH THAT CUTE AS HELL SMILE! I ALREADY FEEL BAD CALLING YOU NOT THAT GOOD, I'M SO SORRY ;-; This is super cute and it hurts so much. I love the fat cat in the background too and just the background in general is so cozy. Now I'm even sadder...

Let's shake off the sadness by going to Thancred Waters...

5 mana for a 3/5 is slightly below rate, but it's a good stat spread. His abilities are:

Flash, so you can cast him on instant speed. Nice.

When Thancred Waters enters, another target legendary permanent you control gains indestructible for as long as you control Thancred Waters. Ah, a protection piece. Fair enough. Good one too, since it lasts until Thancred is taken off the board.

Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, Thancred Waters gains indestructible until end of turn. So you can also make him indestructible, making it hard for your opponents to remove both him and the creature he's protecting. Nice. Also, great flavor. Needing you to cast a (noncreature) spell to get indestructible, since he can't channel his own aether.

As most of the protection piece legendary creatures, just don't run this as your commander. Put him in a voltron deck, so he function as both a protection piece for whatever you are putting everything on and act as a second body to block an attack back, one he could even survive if you have a noncreature spell to make him get indestructible with. Just in general, in the 99 he's pretty good, always at the very least being able to protect your commander. Just make sure you aren't bouncing your commander or anything, since the target will fall off and make them no longer protected!

Now for the art. Credit to Wisnu Tan. Link to their Instagram. Very realistic/gritty. Way more than I'd expect from FF14, but I think it works in this specific instance of Thancred protecting "Minfilia." It shows how urgent and serious Thancred is about that, so yeah. I like this a whole lot.

Next up... Hell. Required listening below:

Good. King. Moggle. Mog. The Twelfth. Really? Over my boy Susano, over Ravana, over Thordan? Even Ultima Weapon? Good King Moggle Mog is the summon of this deck. Singular summon. I'm convinced WotC put him in to spite me.

5 mana for a 4/4 body is below rate. Not hugely so though, much to my own displeasure. He also has flying and lifelink, so evasive and will get you some health back when he attacks or blocks, again, much to my own displeasure. His abilities are:

Lore counter 1: Create two 1/2 white pests Moogle creature tokens with lifelink. So he goes for more of a token strategy, specifically abomination Moogle typal tokens. Sure would be a shame if someone really likes token strategies... sigh.

Lore counters 2 & 3: Whenever you cast a noncreature spell this turn, create a token that's a copy of a non-Saga token you control. So you can make more copies of your infestation Moogle tokens he just created by doing some cheap spellslinging, since this isn't limited to the first noncreature spell you cast. So keep some cheap instants, sorceries, artifacts and enchantments in your deck to make the best use out of it. Pretty good if you can fire off few nonceature spells... damn.

Lore counters 4: Put two +1/+1 counters on each other tyrant Moogle you control. So your actual demons Moogle tokens, which will probably be more than you already deserve, will be 3/4s minimum when this resolves. This is... disappointgly good.

In conclusion, this is the worst card >:( Okay, for real, Good King Moggle Mog XII is... annoyingly good. While not necessarily the best in the deck he comes in, seeing as his only time he cares about noncreature spells is during turns 2 and 3, you can very easily go for a garbage Moogle typal deck, specifically using Mog, a fate worse than death Moogle Warrior. Yes, that includes me, because for SOME REASON THESE PLAGUE MOOGLE CARDS ARE GENUINELY FUN TO ME, EVEN THOUGH I HATE FREAKING MOOGLES!

Now for the art. Credit to Andrea Radeck. Link to her BlueSky. This is also annoyingly good. The only thing is that this is uncannily smooth instead of fuzzy, but that's also a problem with FF14's roaches moogles in general a bit with them only having a fluffy collar, so I can't fault her too much. It is also just kind of Good King Moggle Mog XII in his arena, surrounded by his Mogglesguard, but it is good art, so nice (disappointingly)

As for the alternative art since my suffering can never be done:

Credit to Minoru. Link to their Twitter. IT SURE IS THE SAME F**KING THING AGAIN, JUST IN A DIFFERENT ARTSTYLE! YES, THAT'S A NICE GOOD KING MOGGLE MOG XII AND HIS MOGGLESGUARD! I AM DONE WITH THIS FREAKING CARD AND MY SLEEP PARALYSIS DEMONS MOOGLES FOR FOREVER, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS SET WILL HAVE MORE LITERALLY JUST SATANS, YES MULTIPLE SATANS MOOGLES, SO THAT IS MY PAIN TO DEAL WITH.

MOVING ON TO DANCER'S CHAKRAMS!

Thank god, we're talking about an Equipment.

4 mana for an Equipment. Job select, so make a token when this comes in and it is auto equipped on that token. Equipped creature gets +2/+2, has lifelink and "Other commanders you control get +2/+2 and have lifelink" and is a Performer in addition to its other types. Also equipping it costs 3 mana. This is pretty decent, good buff to your commander and to the thing it is equipped to. Fun fact, if you have 2 commanders, like with the Alisaie and Alphinaud pair, it does share the buff to both, meaning you'd get +6/+6 and triple lifelink from this 4 mana artifact. That's really not too shabby. Pretty solid equip, though not mind breaking by any stretch.

Now for the art. Credit to "domco.". Link to their Twitter. That sure is a catboy dancer posing. I don't have much to say, it just looks good. Also, nice small effects, those also look quite good.

Last, but certainly not least, of the White cards: Champions from Beyond!

2 + X mana enchantment for. Its abilities are:

When this enchantment enters, create X 1/1 colorless Hero creature tokens. Pretty solid, means you'd want to pump in 10 mana to get 8 creature tokens for no particular reason at all.

Light Party - Whenever you attack with four or more creatures, scry 2, then draw a card. I didn't highlight the flavor text for any reason, shuddup. Anyway, good for go wide strategies, since that's a scry 2 and then a draw, which can give you a card that can potentially still enhance your damage or protect your board, depending on what you see in the scry. Very nice.

Full Party - Whenever you attack with eight or more creatures, those creatures get +4/+4 until end of turn. SHUDDUP. So when attacking with 8 or more creatures, you first scry 2 and then draw a card and afterwards, all those creatures become massive. Fantastic.

So I may be a tiny bit biased when I say that I love this card. Now, I should mention, this is purely good for token strategies, but that's obvious as you make tokens upon entry if you pay more than the two White mana required to cast this. This is just super cool and the flavor of having a Light Party and Full Party buff is just so awesome.

Now for the art. Credit to Darius Zablockis. Link to his Instagram. 4 Warriors of Light coming together to beat up... someone. I think it might be Hades, since this does reference that scene, but either way. This is awesome, fantastic art!

Now we move to Blue cards, starting with the other twin, Alphinaud Leveilleur!

4 mana for a 2/4 is below rate. His abilities are:

Partner with Alisaie Leveilleur. Similarly to Alisaie, I'm not gonna go too into the commander stuff. Simply, you can search for Alisaie when Alphinaud enters and then shuffle your library. Neat.

Vigilance. He doesn't tap while attacking, neat.

Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, draw a card. Once per turn extra card draw isn't too bad, just need to run cheap spells to cast.

Again, also similar to Alisaie, my recommendation for running this as your commander is don't bother unless you are running him with Alisaie. Aside from that, this is definitely not as good on his own compared to Alisaie. A card draw is powerful, but making every second spell you cast per turn cheaper I'd say is better. This isn't bad, just not quite as good, since one extra card per turn isn't great, especially at a condition to fulfill. You'd want like 3 cards with such a condition you have to consistently do.

Now for the art. Credit to Justyna Dura. Link to her ArtStation. The face here looks weird and it is noticeable and a bit hard to overlook. Similar to Alisaie, it just looks off enough to take me out of the entire art, which is otherwise pretty good. Also, the extended art has the whole art become a bit brighter? Very strange.

Now we go to Hermes, Overseer of Elpis!

4 mana for a 2/4 is below rate by a bit. His abilities are:

Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, create a 1/1 blue Bird creature token with flying and vigilance. I sure hope these birds won't go through out all of space and pick up depression as they question the reason for our existence and see no point in living if we are going to die anyways.

Whenever you attack with one or more Birds, scry 2. And then when we fight the main bird, we need to go to edge of the universe to come get her, but now she is gone full goth and is actually super powerfu- Oh hey Hermes, fancy seeing you here.

I am somewhat joking here, since this is literally just "Bird commander: the card." He doesn't give much of value to the birds you want to create, but if you want to run mono Blue bird typal, he's not too shabby. I'd say run him in the 99 of a bird typal deck, but either way. Bird.

Now for the art. Credit to Darius Zablockis. Link to his Instagram. Hermes and one of his hundreds of birds that will totally not get depression. This is a very nice art though, I love the colors already making it feel kind of somber and gloomy, despite the smile on Hermes' face and the glow coming from Meteion. Very nice!

Next up, let's talk about Hraesvelgr of the First Brood!

5 mana for a 5/5 is perfectly on rate, good job. Flying, vigilance and ward 2. Flying good for evasion, vigilance so he doesn't untap when attacking and ward 2 as a minor bit of protection. His ability is that when Hraesvelgr enters and whenever you cast a noncreature spell, target creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn and can't be blocked this turn. So a small buff and a temporary evasion. You would want to blink this repeatedly to get this effect repeatedly, but it isn't a huge effect, so... eh.

This is just kind of okay. Either in the 99 of a deck or as the commander, this is just not great. You can use this as a blink target, but you have generally better targets. You can put this in the 99 of a Dragon deck, but I'd still say you have generally better options.

Now for the art. Credits to Néstor Ossandón Leal. Link to his ArtStation. Hraesvelgr and Shiva flying. Very beautiful artwork, just absolutely beautiful.

Let's move on to Blue Mage's Cane!

3 mana for an Equipment. Job select, so you get a token and this Equipment is attached to it. Equipped creature gets +0/+2, is a Wizard in addition to its other types, and has "Whenever this creature attacks, exile up to one target instant or sorcery card from defending player's graveyard. If you do, copy it. You may cast the copy by paying 3 mana rather that paying its mana cost." You equip it for 2 mana. Okay, so this is an interesting one that is a bit of graveyard hate and some spell stealing. First off, flavor FANTASTIC.

Secondly, this can also nab some very expensive instant and sorceries from your opponents for 3 mana instead of for their original mana cost, so it is good. However, that does mean that there have to be instants and sorceries worth stealing to begin with, which there usually are but can also just not be the case. If nothing else though, it is graveyard hating, which is never a bad thing in my eyes. Honestly, if you are just using it for graveyard hate, it can work in any deck, though you have better graveyard hate cards that you can use.

Now for the art. Credit to Eglė Mosakaitė. I have no link, I couldn't find them. If anyone has a link, let me know! Not much to say, it is mostly here to show the cane the Blue Mage is showing. I think the magic effects are a bit much, but it's not too too bad.

Time for the last Blue card, Observed Stasis!

4 mana Aura for an opponent's creature. Its abilities are:

Flash, so instant speed casting. Nice.

When this Aura enters, remove enchanted creature from combat. Then draw a card for each tapped creature its controller controls. So this can be pretty good to shutdown a creature away from combat and then drawing a crap ton of cards because someone is swinging out at you. For 4 mana, that can be pretty good.

Enchanted creature loses all abilities and can't attack or block. Cool, so that creature essentially ceases to exist aside from effects that counts creatures. It just completely shuts them down.

4 mana for this effect really ain't bad, it can absolutely shutdown a creature and draw you a bunch of cards. For a bit of removal, I'd recommend it, honestly. Only thing it gets shutdown by is hexproof, so you do have to look out for that, but that's par for the course for Auras placed on opponent's creatures.

Now for the art. Credit to Toni Infante. Link to their website. TONI DON'T MISS, IT IS SO PRETTY! The only criticism is that I kind of wish the moon was a harsher gray compared to Etheirys, but THE GOAT NEVER MISSES! I WISH TO HAVE 20!

Let's head to the Black cards, starting off with Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian!

Ah, I see that he's taking a dip into the "absorb Zodiark's powers and become him" pool.

5 mana for a 4/5 is slightly below rate, but it is fine. His abilities are:

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, surveil 1. Extra surveil with you spellslinging ain't too bad. Weird this isn't just noncreature, but alright.

At the beginning of your end step, each opponent may sacrifice a nontoken creature of their choice. Each opponent who doesn't loses 2 life for each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard. Again, weird how this isn't noncreature, especially since the other noncreature spells aren't necessarily easy to get into your graveyard. Just also add nonland to that. Anyway, bit of forced sacrifice or burn at every end step. Pretty good.

Honestly, not a bad card. I wouldn't mind running him as your commander. Go for low mana cost instants and sorceries, then force your opponents to keep placing nontoken creatures on the battlefield or otherwise lose like 16 life at every end step. Do bring some protection for Fandaniel!

Now for the art. Credit to Paulius Daščioras. Link to what I think is his Instagram? I found that he is employed at Goodname, who has done things with WotC. Anyway, yeah that is Fandaniel jumping in the "become Zodiark" swimming pool. Neato.

Next up is a... random skill from Black Mage, Transpose!

3 mana for an instant that makes you draw a card, then discard a card and lose 1 life. If this spell was cast from your hand, you create a 0/1 black Wizard creature token with "Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this token deals 1 damage to each opponent." So a bit meh as a instant. Card draw, discard and a token if it was cast from your hand (we'll get to that) for 3 mana and 1 life is a little inefficient. However, let's talk about rebound.

Rebound makes it so that if you cast this card from hand, you exile it and at the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast it from exile without paying the mana cost, at which point it goes into your graveyard. So this does trigger the Wizard token you made, though it doesn't get you a new one, and it does trigger Y'shtola, Night's Blessed ability, since that only cares about mana value, not mana spent. So really, for 3 mana and 2 life, you get 2 card draws, 2 discards, a Wizard and 1 trigger of noncreature spells on that Wizard (also 2 noncreature spell triggers in general). That is a pretty good deal, especially since you can get it back to hand if you run instant or sorcery recursion, at which point you can do this again.

Good for a spellslinger deck, especially one that can fish it out of your graveyard!

Now for the art. Credit to Toni Infante. Link to their website. THE GOAT DON'T MISS, THE GOAT NEVER MISSED A SHOT IN THEIR LIFE. Genuinely, I don't know what to say, Toni genuinely just makes amazing artwork. I love the color choices here too. Fantastic!

Let's move on to Reaper's Scythe!

3 mana for an Equipment. Yet again, job select, so you make a token and it is attached to it. The abilities are:

At the beginning of your end step, put a soul counter on this Equipment for each player who lost life this turn. Neat, but doesn't do much on its own. However, you can proliferate these counters.

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each soul counter on this Equipment and is an Assassin in addition to its other types. So this is the actual functional bit.

Also, equips for 2 mana. Not too bad.

This can really pop off with Y'shtola, Night's Blessed or similar all opponent burn effects, growing your equipment by 3, potentially 4 if you can hurt yourself, soul counters every turn. Also, important point, these soul counters are on your Equipment, so your opponents need to remove the Equipment, not the creature it is attached to. Probably the best job select equipment we've seen. Use in group slug decks as a giant buff on a stick.

Now for the art. Credit to Colin Boyer. Link to his ArtStation. Almost feels like it is screenshot of the game, which I mean entirely positively. This feels like it could genuinely come from the game, everything feels so on point. Very good art, great job!

Now let's cover our last card for the post and the last Black card in the deck, Eye of Nidhogg!

3 mana enchantment that enchants any creature. Enchanted creature is a black Dragon with base power and toughness 4/2, has flying and deathtouch and is goaded (so it has to attack and can't attack whoever cast this spell). That's already pretty good and can break stalemates. You can't choose not to attack, unless they have a way to tap the creature you enchanted. Then we get to the benefit that when Eye of Nidhogg is put into the graveyard from the battlefield, return it to its owner's hand. This mainly happens when it is either shot off the creature or when the creature it is attached to dies, so you are gonna get this back often.

Powerful politics piece, I can recommend this as a psuedo-removal spell in any deck and if you have any cards that care about things leaving your graveyard, because this counts. It isn't an "instead" on returning it to hand, it triggers when it sees it got into the graveyard from the battlefield.

Now for the art. Credit to Erion Makuo. Link to her Instagram. That sure is corrupted Estinien holding the Eye of Nidhogg. We also call this a bad idea. Anyway, the art is great, it looks really good! :D

And that's it, that's all the mono colored cards of the commander deck. Next part, and the last part of the commander decks, the multicolored cards of the FF14 deck! Thanks for reading and have a nice day o/

[missazurerose]

"You know I'll forgive all the secret keeping if you make me your first child's godmother." Lyse grinned as the couple got extraordinarily uncomfortable. Just a little revenge for nearly an entire year of hiding the truth of their relationship.

"Lyse, the rest of the world doesn't even know we're together. We're not thinking about children!" Riona was starting to regret not telling her best friend when they got married.

"Oh I don't think it's going to take that long."

"Commander Hext, please. Let us not get ahead of ourselves..."

Alisaie bit her tongue. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought to ask first. Well, maybe she could be the second child's godmother.

[yzeltia]

Year of the OTP May 2025

Title: We're Dating? Since When? Characters: Alisaie Leveilleur, Alphinaud Leveilleur, Ameliance Leveilleur, Jannie Eyradoux-Fortemps, Jullus pyr Norbanus, Fourchenault Leveilleur, Haurchefaunt Fortemps Rating: T Notes: Thanks to @just-a-geeky-therapist for beta reading A special dedication to @dapperpea for their stories about "the bench" that heavily influenced the final act of this chapter.

Alisaie's laughter roared through the Leveilleur estate near ceaselessly since the news of Jullus and Alphianud's accidental marriage had been brought to light. Alphinaud grimaced, not finding his surprise betrothal as amusing.

"Mr. Norbanus, don't pout. It's rude to our guests," Ameliance teased lightly before cooing at little Haurchefaunt in her arms while Jannie tried to hide a smile behind her teacup.

"Mother please," Alphinaud sighed, leaning against the arm of the couch, resting his cheek on his fist. "I would like for stages of my relationships to be a conscious effort just for once."

"It hardly ever works out that way," Jannie hummed, setting her cup on the saucer in her lap. "I didn't believe Artoriel had any inclinations toward me despite Violet and Rahn's insistence. It took years of correspondence before he started to sign his letters professing his affection and yearning in a way that convinced me that we'd developed a relationship."

"I didn't have the patience. I told Fourchenault exactly how I felt and gave him little room to abscond. We were married shortly after we graduated," Ameliance mused as she bounced Haurchefaunt on her leg.

"I feel that I inherited father's pacifism in that regard. I didn't even realise we were courting for some time, but hindsight it was rather obvious," Alphinaud said, ears turning a bit red.

Jannie looked up at Alphinaud as she reached out to take her son back from Ameliance as he started to slump with drowsiness. "Oh? I haven't heard the story."

"Neither have I," Ameliance echoed.

Alphinaud looked between his mother and the Warrior of Light then sighed, not having an excuse to make a get away. Sitting up, he folded his hands in his lap then sat back and looked up at the ceiling before starting on his story, "Well …it was shortly before my nineteenth name-day."

-

Alisaie jumped as a door slammed, the noise echoing through the makeshift cargo container, one of many converted into temporary housing for the Garleans during their recovery. While the house was intended her for her and Alphinaud, along with any other Scion guest that might come through, she'd grown accustom to staying alone, her brother often staying with Jullus and a few of his friends as of late. Peaking over the loft she made for herself, she watched as Alphinaud shrugged his snow covered coat off his shoulders and tossed it aside on his way to their kettle.

"Would you take it easy on the door? I know you're used to stomping around with the soldier boys now but there's no one here to show off your prowess too," Alisaie scolded from above, before getting up to join her brother in the tiny kitchenette afforded to them.

Alphinaud didn't answer, looking crossly toward the kettle as it started to heat up, not answering his sister's chiding with much more than an eye roll. Noting something was off, Alisaie leaned against a wall and shook her head. "Did you get in a row with one of the boys?"

"No!" Alphinaud said sharply, brow furrowed until seeing that his reaction caused his sister to be taken aback. "Sorry, I'm just a little perturbed by one of Jullus's friends."

Alisaie crossed her arms, sighing as she focused on the floor. "The usual anti-Eorzean rhetoric I take it?"

Alphinaud shook his head, removing the kettle from the flame before. His ears turned a bit pink as he started to pour hot water into two mugs. "No. I was helping with some maintenance on the aetheryte and happened to look up in time to find Jullus being embraced by a stranger, an ex-paramour. It was far beyond a simply display of public affection. He practically had his tongue down his throat!

"Jullus seemed rather annoyed by it himself. He attempted to introduce us but at some point I felt myself just leave until I found myself here. I don't know what came over me."

Alisaie knew exactly what had come over her brother; however, had been long reticent in telling him just what was happening between Jullus and him. She'd long had inklings of a romance brewing, but her brother had never admitted, at least to her, his feelings for their friend. It was all but confirmed in her mind, having spied Jullus kissing Alphinaud outside one night before they retired for the evening. And of course when Alphinaud started staying over with Jullus more frequently and at times finding them fast asleep in bed together only fuelled her appraisal.

To her, it was all but a certainty they were in love; however, she knew her brother all too well. If Alphinaud hadn't broadcast the relationship, then he was unaware he'd stumbled into one.

"Alphinaud. I want you to think hard on why that might have bothered you. Really hard," Alisaie said, turning to help divide sugar cubes between cups. "Do you think it could possibly be that they were engaged in something that you thought reserved for yourself?"

Alphinaud tilted his head. "I'm not sure what you mean."

Alisaie sighed, sipping at her tea. She went to question his line of thinking, but before she could get her inquiry out, their door flung open by a panting Jullus.

"Alphinaud…There you are…," Jullus breathed out, stumbling to get out of his boots. "I'm sorry about Decius! He's got a bit of a problem with boundaries."

"Clearly," Alphinaud said, not turning to greet Jullus, taking a deep drink of his tea in the meantime.

Alisaie crossed her arms as Jullus looked at her, both not saying a word until she scoffed and made her way back up into the loft. "Sort yourselves out, by all means. I'll just go upstairs and put my head under a pillow or something," she huffed, though with every bit of intention of eavesdropping.

With Alisaie out of view at the very least, Jullus stepped forward, hand resting on Alphinaud's shoulder. "Hey, you're not really mad are you? Like I said, Decius has boundary issues."

"I'm not mad…At least I don't think I am…," Alphinaud said, closing his eyes as he felt Jullus squeeze on his shoulder. He swallowed, trying to put into words what he was feeling, but he couldn't bring himself to describe the unfamiliar tightness he felt in his chest.

"Look, I get it. Some strange guy came up and kissed me, you've got every right to be hurt; but, I shoved him away didn't I? Decius is a piece of work. He was the type to mouth off to our commanding officer and get us all in trouble. Thought he was a hot shot because he was a brilliant engineer and his dad was some legatus. I admit, I had a brief thing for him…but I broke it off when I realised he was only thing he found interesting about me was my blue hair. Alphinaud, he's a total playboy. I don't have any feelings for him. You're the only one I'm interested in," Jullus assured Alphinaud.

Alphinaud nearly dropped his mug. He turned slowly, face crimson at the other's words. "Did I hear you right? That you're…"

Jullus blinked then moved back to sit on Alphinaud's bed, looking a bit pale. "Your…boyfriend? I know we haven't said the words but I thought-"

Alphinaud shook his head. "No. I didn't realise that's how you felt," he said before sitting down next to Jullus, looking down at their feet. His heart raced, starting to replay some of the things they'd said and done in the past few months. "By the Twelve…I was jealous back there. We've been courting and it's been absolutely lost on me."

There was a quick outburst of laughter from Alisaie above as she was proved right, quickly muffled by pillows. Jullus was quiet in the wake of Alphinaud's realisation, feeling his heart sink before feeling the other's foot gently rub over the top of his own. He swallowed then looked up, finding Alphianud's arms come around him and pull him back onto the bed. "So then, we're on the same page then?"

"I-I think so," Alphinaud said, hand wandering down to grab Jullus's hand in his own as their legs tangled. His heart fluttered, thinking on the nights where he'd curled up beside Jullus and fallen asleep listening to him breathe, both of them leaning against each other when idly chatting with their friends, and the times he'd admired how handsome and strong Jullus appeared to be. "Oh gods, I'm oblivious. It's all been there…I guess it felt so natural to me I didn't give it any greater thought."

Jullus laughed, reaching out to play with Alphinaud's braid. "That's hard to imagine. I've never met anyone who thinks about things as much as you do," he teased before, resting his forehead on Alphinaud's. "So then you're not cross about the kiss?"

"No. Though, I don't think I'll particularly care for your friend if he's going to kiss you again before we get our chance," Alphinaud said.

"Trust me. If I could send him off to the moon and be rid of him I would," Jullus sighed before pausing, realising that once more his boyfriend had missed the intent of his frequent goodnight kisses. He smiled, giving Alphinaud's hand a little squeeze. "I hope that chance comes soon."

-

"And, well…here we are two years later," Alphinaud sighed.

"You're so much like your father," Ameliance mused, rubbing Alphinaud's back.

"I'm not certain that's a compliment in this context," Alphinaud grumbled.

"What will you do? You're both so young. I'm sure you've yet to consider a way forward," Jannie said, holding Haurchefaunt over her shoulder as he started to doze.

Alphinaud nervously turned the bracelet Jullus had given him, face lightly flushed. "It happened all so fast. Father is with Jullus to see the full scope of the legality; however, it seems the Felicitous Furball and his island cohorts managed to have all the proper licensing. No doubt influenced by U'rahn."

"I don't think they're all that young. As loathe as I am to admit it, Alphinaud has grown into a fine young man and is only a year older than Fourchnault was when we decided to get married," Ameliance said, leaning forward to take a biscuit. "We were one of the few the survived 'The Maiden's Bench'".

"The Maiden's Bench?" Jannie inquired.

"It's a bench outside the Studium. It's sort of an unspoken tradition that couples meet there to discuss their relationship, propose, or more often than aught, end things. Thus the moniker from Menphina," Alphinaud explained.

"Poor Fourchnault's face when I took him there, he thought for sure I was going to break his heart," Ameliance hummed before looking at her son. "Whatever your decision is, your father and I will support it, though, we hope you'll have a formal ceremony if you decide to go forward. You very well might see U'rahn again as he works to make it up to me for allowing us to miss the initial one in the first place."

Alphinaud swallowed, "Where exactly did you send him for errands?"

"I loaned him to the Cosmic Exploring team for an indefinite amount of time," Ameliance answered before taking another biscuit.

"M-Mother! You can't just send the Warriors of Light off on random errands," Alphinaud protested.

"Really? He didn't seem like he intended to say no," Ameliance hummed.

Jannie felt herself shiver as the woman smiled at her son, a bit afraid of the power she wielded in her politeness. "Well. Haury here is out. I think we'll make our return home. Thank you for the tea and biscuits," she said standing then giving a light curtsy.

"As always, it's a pleasure to meet with you and little Haurchefaunt is always welcome to come for a stay," Ameliance said, "Something must tide me over until the boys figure out how they want to manage grandchildren for me to dote on."

"Mother," Alphinaud whined, hiding his face in his hands.

Jannie laughed as she left them in the parlour. As she made her exit, Fourchnault swept through with Jullus in tow. "Good luck," she said to the latter, gently giving him a little pat on the shoulder. "And congratulations, if you find the circumstances to be a blessing."

"Thanks," Jullus said firmly before following Fourchnault into join the others.

"It's completely legal. They went through all the necessary channels. Apparently on top of being ordained in every sect recognised in Eorzea, it's legally allowed to host third party arbitration, and notorize documentations across the alliance governments," Fourchnault said.

Alphinaud looked over to Jullus as he stood quietly beside his father, avoiding his gaze. His father seemed be keeping up his steal front as to not betray whatever he actually felt about the situation. "So then, I'm officially Alphinaud Norbanus then…"

"No. Jullus has been given the Leveilleur name," Fourchnault said, hands firmly resting on his wife's shoulder from behind. "He is one of us…if that is what you choose. We've got a strong case for an annulment otherwise, though it will take some paperwork."

Alphinaud watched as his mother gently reached up to put her hand over her husbands, both awaiting his answer; yet, he didn't have one. He knew he loved Jullus; however, he was unsure if that was enough. "Right then. I think, Jullus and I should talk on the matter," he said, standing.

"I think that is wise," Fourchnault said with a slight nod.

Ameliance reached out with her free hand to take Alphinaud's in her own. "Whatever your decision, we support it," she said before looking back to Jullus, "And you will be welcome here as a second son in that same vein. We want you both to be happy."

"As we are," Fourchnault said, looking down at his wife.

"Thank you," Jullus said, before finding Alphinaud wandering around the couch to collect him.

With a wave, the young couple left the parlour, deciding it was best to give themselves a little space from the estate as they both quietly mulled over what was on their minds. Winding through the stone paths of Old Sharlayan, they found themselves in the wooded area before the Studium. Spotting The Maiden's Bench free, Alphinaud swallowed and found himself taking Jullus to sit, inspired by his mother's words or perhaps out of a sense of tradition.

"So…we are truly married," Jullus said, putting his arm about the back of the bench. "Jullus Leveilleur doesn't exactly roll of the tongue."

"Will that even be recognised in Garlemald? I'm not sure we're exactly to the point of recognising foreign contracts," Alphinaud mused, leaning his head on Jullus's shoulder.

"Unsure, though if I started telling people to call me that I doubt there's be a fuss…well, perhaps a little bit of one for those unhappy about me marrying an Eorzean, especially a Leveilleur," Jullus said before frowning. "That said, we have a way out. If this isn't something you want?"

Alphinaud flushed, gripping at the hem of his shirt as he avoided the other's gaze. He could feel his heart beat in his ears. The act itself was already done. They were wed, but it still felt scary to say aloud. "I love you…but…," he started, feeling Jullus pull away from him in the wake.

"Right. No. We were just being silly," Jullus said gruffly, pressing his thumb against the larimar in his bracelet.

Alphinaud held himself, looking away from Jullus, moving his wrist so that his own bracelet would roll again this ribs. "I did not say no. I just said 'but'."

"Nothing good comes after a 'but'," Jullus growled.

Alphinaud scoffed, "That is not universally true."

"Then what were you possibly going to follow that up with that would be good?"

Alphinaud hung his head for a moment then turned back to Jullus. "Alright, perhaps you have me there. Would you settle for bittersweet?"

"Maybe," Jullus mumbled.

"Alright. As I said, I do love you; however," he restarted, choosing his conjunction a bit more carefully, "As we said on the island, we do not know what the future holds. I would like to believe that this could last forever…I want it too, Jullus. Yet, there are many adventures ahead for me and rebuilding your home most likely be a life long project for you. We've maintained an excellent correspondence and somehow have found a rhythm to make this work but we are far from settling down."

Jullus nodded along, mood improving as things stayed, somewhat, positive. "Then what is it you want?"

Alphinaud leaned in, kissing Jullus softly before pulling away. "Time. Time to see what we really look like as a fully committed, eternally bonded couple."

"I think we're already there, aren't we?"

"Yes, but…perhaps it's better to treat this as an engagement. In a year's time, if we are confident in our standing then we'll plan for a formalised ceremony. If not, we can wait until we do…and if not then we'll take the steps necessary to end things amicably," Alphinuad proposed calmly.

Jullus stared at Alphinaud for a moment before shaking his head. "You sound like your father when you talk like that. I can't tell what you're thinking," he said before raking his hand up the back of Alphinaud's head, pulling him into a firm kiss. "I promise, in a years time, nothing will have changed."

Alphinaud melted in Jullus's arms, unable to stay pragmatic after the deceleration. He rested his face against the side of the other's neck to not let his expression betray his embarrassment and twinge of elation that seemed to keep his fears at bay. "I hope that remains true."

The two sat in silence for a moment, letting the tension between them slowly lift. Once they felt better, they rose and started their journey back toward home. Jullus seemed to be lost in thought as they journeyed, catching Alphinaud's attention. "Is there something you didn't get off your chest?"

"Not exactly. To be honest, my concern was that you were ready to end things. This is honestly the best outcome short of saying you're giving up adventuring to pursue a life in Garlemald with me," he said, squeezing on Alphinaud's shoulder as he draped an arm around him. "Not that I'd ever ask you to do that. Though, I think you'd easily find yourself in charge of rebuilding efforts if you put your mind for it. Anyroad, that was not what I was thinking about."

"What is it then?" Alphinaud asked, leaning on Jullus.

"Well. Now that we're married, do you think your mother will let me sleep in your room?"

[fatedroses]

May I humbly request more Mateus+Zenos content/lore? Their silliness fascinates and captivates me.

Absolutely Anon! And I'm glad to hear it ^o^. I'm gonna slap this under a read more though cause this is probably gonna be pretty long lol

---

---

Mateus (I realize I don't think I ever specified that he's closer to the twins/fordola/arenvald in age, he's 19/20 by EW) was "studying" engineering before the death of his father and the subsequent fall of the empire. He excels in building advanced machina, and was primarily just coasting through the academy to build up both his reputation and his connections. Similar to Zenos he was fascinated by magic, and thusly dedicated a lot of time experimenting with ways to conduct and command aether.

Despite being the favored son Varis could not keep track of Mateus' whereabouts even when he had doubts, and Mateus has no qualms lying through his teeth even to his family and even to his mother. This meant that when he was out, he was often either out salvaging or using allowance to fund his projects, or doing his own martial training as a pastime.

What Mateus was doing was both fixing up an old decommissioned airship, and making "Heaven" and "Hell", two humanoid machines he was making for the purpose of conquest. He was often daydreaming of the day Zenos or Varis would ask him to join them, and is a bit of a sore spot for him after having to flee the collapse and finding Zenos with the scions later down the line.

Heaven is a large multi-armed siege machine that doubles as an autopilot for the airship. It stores aether to charge Mateus' staff, and primarily works to protect him. Hell is based visually off of Zenos' old armor, and is a hyper aggressive machine that Mateus can wear as a suit if he's feeling particularly destructive. The ship, Mateus, and the machina basically operate together like a bullet hell lmfao. Hell also starts getting Zenos into a shit ton of trouble especially with the alliance when Mateus starts wreaking havoc behind everyone's backs and Zenos starts getting blamed for it.

Post-EW Mateus is spending his time trying to salvage and aid (take over) Garlemald, often accompanied by the only two outside his family still around that really knows the truth of his existence: Julia and Annia. The Soranus sisters, especially after Zenos returned to the palace, were basically big sisters to Mateus, however he wasn't as attached to them as he was to his actual family, and sees them more as useful pawns than as mentors.

Mateus despises Alphinaud and Alisaie, and Estinien, the same way Asahi did to WoL. Meteor gets to dodge this purely by virtue that Mateus finds him useful (and in a way tries to treat him likes he treats Zenos in an attempt to win him over too). But he gets aggressively bitter whenever Zenos dotes on Alphinaud or Alisaie at all. Even despite him trying to cover his intentions they push his buttons unintentionally to either get him into arguments with the former, or fights with the latter (and starts snapping a bit when Zenos gives the twins advice/training and Mateus loses most footing he has on both fronts.)

Alphinaud especially is very wary of Mateus because he can tell there's something synthetic about his facade, and tries very hard to both glean his intentions and pick out where his lies are and why. Alisaie however is just ready to throw down with him tbh, especially when Zenos starts struggling with figuring out how to handle him, and even moreso whenever Mateus is trying to isolate Zenos.

Now... why Estinien? It's less the feeling of being replaced like it is for the twins, and moreso Mateus being an overbearing and bullheaded younger brother and thinking for some forsaken reason Zenos and Estinien are in a secret relationship. He is very adamant about this conspiracy and Zenos himself is unable to pry why Mateus gets so aggravated with Estinien, when the dragoon literally is just existing there and only intervenes with Zenos whenever Mateus is picking on the twins.

Why this came into existence is just because I write Zenos and Estinien as a really close duo (to the point tbh that it's kinda fair for Mateus to assume it despite the rest of the scions knowing this isn't the case).

The two bonded over hunting together, and Estinien and his /lean wall is just what Zenos naturally gravitates to if he isn't needed for something. They also argue like an old married couple with Zenos getting on Estinien's ass over finances or him blowing himself up doing dragon dragoon bullshit, and Estinien likewise is either grabbing this man by his golden locks for trying to be the last to get tended to for injuries, or prodding at him when he's trying to pry into why Zenos is either being moody or starts falling back into apathy.

Mateus also just gets aggravated with the fact that Zenos has the most physical "dependence" with Estinien, and being the spoiled baby brother meant that he wasn't a fan of whenever Zenos chooses to lean on or rest his head on Estinien (because post-ew zenos is very physically clingy and Mateus is not used to his brother seeking affection let alone reacting to it). Estinien in turn indulges it cause he's a bro like that and honestly Zenos is so genuine about it all that it's hard for him to find a reason not to, and he's so used to him protecting him, picking him up, and throwing him that the proximity is just second nature by now LOL.

So with all that, it is very unfortunate for Mateus when he tries to corner Estinien and threatens him to try and get him to go away. Because the intimidation fails miserably Estinien leans deeply into the conspiracy just to piss the spoiled little brat off (or, because I frankly dont mind people using the lore/concepts/characters I write for their own stuff and someone ships dork and dorkier over here he's deadass just more outwardly affectionate). Meanwhile Zenos is blissfully unaware for the most part, man's just happy to have the companionship lol.

[voidsentprinces]

Shadowbringers took Emet-Selch from ARR Lahabrea levels of mustache twirling, Saturday Morning Cartoon villain. All monologue and evil laughter while his evil boobs malevolently boobed down the Post-Stormblood's darker breast boobily and changed him into an actual character. And the first Ascian who actually spent time with us in a more meaningful way. Flipping them from one note, evil that must be defeated. To one we came to understand and a group that connected to our character's literal past reincarnation that we do not recall.

Additionally, atmospherically, Shadowbringers brought us to Post-Apocalypse that wasn't 28 Days Later, Mad Max or Rapture-esque. While pulling from all those series. Its a world 100 years after the Apocalypse was averted but still causes the world to live in its shadow.

This expansion seems to be the beloved darling of the community. Even topping Heavensward in most regards. But, also, personally, I feel like Shadowbringers is only good Shadowbringers for the last three levels of it. And rest is just so much set dressing and putting together the A-Team. For lack of a better comparison, 70 - 79 is our Avengers Infinity War. We get the band back together, fight off the big bad and actually almost win. But then we lose and we lose HARD and we spend a handful of quests somewhat wandering aimlessly until we resolve to go after the one who took victory away from us. That lead up, to me, is alright but the story didn't really HIT, outside of my long winded story analysis reasons, until we reach Amaurot.

Even its Post-Patches seemed to struggle to figure out what to do. Having Elidibus bounce hither and thither without the Scions really trying to stop him because, "We don't know what he is up to." which was counterproductively frustrating to me. You are literally not stopping and banishing the villain so the plot can happen. Alisaie literally kept tabs on the Warriors of Darkness because we were focusing on dealing with Nidhogg. Why the hell couldn't they have kept tracked and harassed Elidibus at least? But no, the sky starts to shower stars and then it is go time. And while To the Edge and the Seat of Sacrifice are awesome. My suspense of disbelief that our Scions would just shrug and only off screen keep tags on lesser Ascians and then just be like, "I dunno fellas, this here Elidibus is tricky." strikes me as dense. Like, this is denser than a dead star. They let things happen for the sake of it happening.

Bottomline, there is some wiggle room here. Shadowbringers may be the community's darling. But I wonder if, its just because we remember the super highs of Amaurot to Seat of Sacrifice. And kind of brush things like; the Ran'jit fights, the Supernatural problem of Lucifer's Cousin's Roommate being the big bad in Lunar Primals, Thancred's treatment of Ryne and Speedrunning him some redemption in the Amh Araeng second half.

I'm rambling now, as a whole. Did you enjoy Shadowbringers? If not why? Vote your answer and leave your opinion in the tags if you'd like.

Note: I am aware that the Post-Patch production was stunted by the COVID Pandemic. Still, I'd like your opinion about anything you felt lacking. Even with that dead whale hanging over the entire thing.

[sebille]

Hi, I was reading some of your posts on Zenos (it’s very early in the morning here sorry if it doesn’t make sense) but how do you think Zenos would react if we show him compassion and care ? True compassion and care? Those things he never received as a child? (I made myself cry while writing this because he is the monster Varis created but what If he was loved to begin with ..)

Hi lovely, thank you for the ask! This is a really difficult question to answer, because other than what we see at the very very very end of Endwalker between him and the warrior of light, we don't really see him around anyone he's built a positive relationship with at all in the game. So i'm just going to ramble on about what we see IN the game and build my conclusions on that: The wol is able to show him an act of compassion in Stormblood, where they're able to tell him that they accept him. However, as we all know he will brush it off and move along - because he doesn't trust the wol to mean what they're saying.

"You and I are one and the same. Together, we could while away the quiet hours, as friend and confidant...if you will accept me?" "-  I accept you." "Heh heh...are we to embrace and let bygones be bygones? Do our deeds weigh so little that you would cast all aside? Come. 'Twas plain for the first how this would end." Slowly but surely throughout the expansions he creates this image of who the wol is in his own head - not really understanding what he himself ACTUALLY wants, while also believing that the wol is his "mirror", that they're one and the same. We see the confusion and desperation in his actions in early Endwalker, when the wol doesn't act the way he believes that they would. And how lost he is after the wol gets genuinely upset with him on the moon. In a sense I'd say that Alisaie yelling at him in Endwalker is an act of care and compassion - and we see how he reacts to that: He takes her words to heart and tries to do and be better. And at the end of Endwalker he trusts the wol completely ( we all know about the legendary line " I take it this is your prey. But why does it still live? Surely it is no match for you?" ) and we all know that he gets really vulnerable at the very end and opens up to the wol in a way he really hasn't before. SO with all that being said... I think it's really difficult to say who he would have been had he been shown compassion and care from the start of his life - because other than what we see from him at the very end of Endwalker, he's in a very negative headspace throughout the whole game. And if we go by what we see at the very end, once he trusts that a person is his friend he's loyal, willing to risk it all for his friend, vulnerable, and perceptive. Had Zenos been allowed to live at the end of EW and therefore would have been able to build an actual relationship with the wol (platonic or otherwise) I feel like he'd be very ride or die for them, lol. Also I don't believe that Zenos is a monster. I know that he's called that at least twice in the game, by Varis and Krile - but I don't trust Varis opinions on Zenos AT ALL. And Krile says that he's got "the eyes of a monster." I believe, and I feel like that's more...him looking dead inside? And we know that AT THAT POINT in stormblood he basically is. ( I think his voice actor said that he's basically at his limits at the start of Stormblood. ) tldr I think calling him a monster is unfair - my man is just depressed. He's done some awful and unforgivable things, however. I feel like I did not answer your question but rather just went on a long ramble-session about Zenos - but I'm sure that my Zenos mutuals/followers could answer this question better than me, or build on what I've already said.

[elizabethrobertajones]

wait, I'd been wondering because of some of your recent reblogs but that akio post comment... are you watching through utena? how are you finding it?

Bearing in mind I just started the second arc by like 1 episode....

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah?????????????????

I am first of all really invested in the main characters and also now immediately understand all the stuff where people have been pointing at X Y Z as things inspired by Utena because it's got that Finally Watching Hamlet And It's Full of All The Quotes Everyone Says feeling. (Also. Pink Alisaie. Rose themed RDM suddenly makes so much more sense.) ALSO I basically have always identified with the whole girl who wants to be a prince thing to the point where when I was 4 I tried to cut my own hair like the prince in the panto (woman in drag: I didn't know how ponytails worked yet) and ended up with an emergency pageboy haircut to fix that disaster. So Utena's 5 second character summary in the opening is EXTREMELY relatable and I can't help but root for her because she's like all the characters I like plus actually just me XD And then the episode where Anthy has a pencil case full of snails was also #me from when I was 4 so like, whatever. Weird girls are apparently all the same the world over?? I'm feeling somewhat called out by it in terms of the main characters being relatable :P

The first part was all so mysterious that I was just sort of following the plot along and nodding like "okay that happened" and collecting data on what seemed to be up, and enjoying the music. The interpersonal stuff all seems a bit hard to get into because there's way more clearly going on that Utena doesn't understand and himbos through like "I don't care about all that, I just care about you!!" and misses all the chances to actually ask questions. Literally just living her life while a mystery of literally unknowable proportions is happening that she's somewhat to incredibly involved in. And almost everyone she interacts with except her normie girlfriend with Krile's exact hairstyle (<3 <3) knows everything about it but doesn't elaborate. Or pretends they know everything about it?? Who knows! \o/

Actual plot beyond the interpersonal dramas though, now, so I guess I finally have a chance to actually find out at least some plot details from this point onwards instead of watching it all from the outside. I stan Utena but please ask more questions???

So despite watching the first full arc I still basically have no idea what's going on and if any of this drama and betrayal is warranted, but it's been entertaining and I have latched onto the main characters like glue, so I guess I'm in it for the long haul and just hope whatever happens next keeps vibing with me and I agree with its reputation? :D

[amoebaforce]

You're doing the Twelve's work over here. How would you like the Scions (plus Emet 🫣) with a restless WoL who copes with the stress and loses of their trade by doing even more work?

aw thank you, friend!

here's the main Scions + Emet, but let me know if you'd like a part two with the rest of the crew. enjoy! :D

characters featured: Thancred Waters, Y'shtola Rhul, Urianger Augerelt, Alphinaud + Alisaie Leveilleur, Emet-Selch tags: very light angst, WoL is stressed, gn!WoL

Thancred stands in the doorway of the WoL's room, arms crossed, watching them scribble away at a stack of paperwork. It's after midnight, and the Rising Stones is dead quiet.

"You're doing it again," he says. The noise startles the Warrior; they whirl around, knocking pens and parchment all over the floor. They start to deny his claim, but it's no use. They've been caught red-handed, working after saying they were headed to bed. Again. But Thancred isn't angry. His expression is gentle, his eyes betraying the empathy within.

"Can't sleep?" he asks. The Warrior shakes their head, sheepish. Thancred sighs. "Me neither."

The gunbreaker steps inside and closes the door behind him. He stalks to a chair, picking up a half-done field report on the way. Thancred sits. He hands the paper back to the WoL, careful not to smudge the still-wet ink.

"Pass me a quill," he says. "We can get more done if we work together."

***

Y'shtola finds the WoL in the common room long after dark. They're so buried in their research, they don't even hear her come in. She takes advantage of the moment to examine her friend. Their brow is furrowed, neck bent, bottom lip caught between their teeth as they focus on the page in front of them. A look of pure, unyielding dedication.

Y'shtola's lips curl into a half-smile. She's spent uncounted hours in the same position. She knows precisely how stiff their neck will be as soon as they lift their head. Knows precisely what will help.

The mage breezes toward the kitchenette, where a kettle full of water sits ready to be boiled. It isn't until the steam begins to hiss that the WoL realizes they aren't alone. Their ears perk up; when their eyes meet Y'shtola's, they give her a grimace that's half-apology, half-commiseration. She just chuckles, knowing and gentle. With a mug in each hand, she settles into the couch beside them.

"Here," she says. "You'll need tea."

***

Urianger walks past the meeting room door and stops dead in his tracks. The Scions' discussion of battle tactics ended hours ago, but the Warrior of Light still sits in their chair, hunched over the plans. He studies them for a moment, noting the knit of their brow, before he clears his throat. The Warrior snaps their head up, spell of concentration broken.

"I'm sorry," they begin, hurrying to gather their things. "If you need the room, I can-"

"I have no need of it," Urianger says. "I was merely surprised to find it occupied." A pause stretches between them. The words he wants to say clang through his head, but he swallows them. Instead, he smiles. "Say, Mistress Taru has just returned from her visit with Master Hancock. Would it trouble you to accompany me to the airship dock? I believe she promised everyone a souvenir ere she departed, and t'would be a shame if you did not get first pick."

The Warrior laughs, shoulders going lax as they close the folder before them. Urianger laughs, too, having perfectly executed his rouse. The souvenirs are real enough -- but the sunshine and fresh air they will get on the walk to retrieve them was the real goal.

***

Alphinaud and Alisaie may have their differences, but at the end of the day, they're still twins. Their minds work very similarly at times -- especially when it comes to their friends. They've both noticed the WoL's habit of overworking themselves, and they've decided to combat it together. Strength in numbers and all that.

Alphinaud takes point. He's the one who interrupts the Warrior at work, usually under the guise of needing a favor from them. "I hate to ask when you're busy... But can you please deliver this note to someone?" or "Will you please check in on this order we placed?"

Of course, the WoL never says no to him. That's where Alisaie comes in. She's lying in wait, hiding somewhere along the path the WoL will need to take to complete their task, and when the moment is right, the ambush is enacted. "Oh, fancy seeing you here!" she calls. They exchange greetings. Pleasantries. Alisaie asks what the WoL is up to, and, upon hearing it's some boring, menial favor for her brother, convinces the WoL to hang out with her instead.

"That note can wait an hour or two," she insists. "Why don't we explore these ruins on the way? Why don't we stop for tea, or pastries, or candy? Alphinaud will never know! And besides, you look like you could use some fun!"

The WoL figured out the game after the second time it happened. They'll never admit that, though. It's much more fun to play along.

***

Emet-Selch can't stand it. The way the Warrior promises to take a break from work, to prioritize their health and sanity, only to break their word. Every. Time. And tonight, he's had enough. The Ascian storms into the WoL's study, ignoring their cry of surprise as he takes them by the shoulders and lifts them from their chair.

"If you won't listen to reason," Emet tells them through his teeth, "then you will have to be forced."

He drags the Warrior to the kitchen table, plants them at its head. The look in Emet's eyes is terrifying enough to glue them in place, heart thudding as they watch the Ascian stomp about the room. He gathers quite a random assortment of foods: two kinds of fruit, half a head of cabbage, mystery-meat jerky, a pint of dhalmel milk, a slice of someone's leftover pie (which he'd have to apologize for tomorrow). Emet shoves the pile toward them.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been since you've eaten?" he seethes. The WoL doesn't get the chance to answer. "Seventeen hours. You're not even supposed to be awake that long, let alone hungry!"

"Emet-" the Warrior tries, but it's no use.

"Spare me your apologies! I am not interested in the slightest. You have plenty of options before you -- choose one and occupy your mouth with it, instead."

They stare at him dumbfounded. Defeated. A growl of their stomach punctuates the silence. With a sigh, the Warrior resigns themselves to their fate and pulls the pie-slice toward them.

"I'll need a fork," they say. Emet scoffs, but the utensil manifests, anyway.

[bielobog-kun]

may I know your shb+ WoL’s thing with emet. and origins. I come in peace 🕊️ despite my tendencies for real I am curious

i spent three hours writing this. lol

so yann comes from a damp and isolated fishing and shepherding community but he was too restless for that stuff alone to satisy him. he wanted to learn aetherology and read about ancient civilizations and see how other people lived. when he tried to leave his designated fleck of earth in the middle of the cold cold ocean however everything fell apart. academically the studium was amazing but socially he was just some kid from buttfuck nowhere with (what his patronizing fellow scholars looked on as) his naive indigenous traditional magick. he struggled making friends because he was unmannerly and lowborn. then moneylenders came after his family and infant sister who had to flee to limsa and go into hiding, the lender's hired heavies threw him into the drink where he almost drowned, just everything went to shit. he couldn't graduate. when he went to eorzea to pay off the debts (which his father took on so he could go to the studium in the first place) people ended up thinking he was just another moneygrubbing adventurer. he's been constantly misunderstood for most of his life and has never felt a part of anything, and each time he gets close something horrible happens, for instance the disaster at carteneau wherein his geomancy went awry and killed a bunch of allied soldiers along with his garlean targets. yet people won't let him stay out of it. they're constantly calling him a hero and begging for his help even though he's obviously been despised by nymeia since he was conceived. just once he'd like to hear the truth from someone and not what is useful for them to believe.

e-s tells him he's already failed but it's fine, whatever. he's failed thousands of times. and there's no hope for him to succeed in norvrandt, and the more he thrashes about trying the more likely he'll take all his friends with him in death. it's exactly what his diseased brain wants to hear.

depressed people fucking love things and people that reinforce their sick self-destructive worldview even if they claim otherwise (ask me how i know! actually don't). as i have previously written his emotional support thancred is not available in this situation, so he just starts drifting toward e-s. he spends a lot of time telling himself it's academic interest in the thousands of years' worth of knowledge and aetherological experience. meanwhile the unsolicited tender and nostalgic gazes REALLY make him feel a certain kind of way, not because he remembers being azem or anything but just because he's gay and lonely. what he loves most about e-s, though, is the invitation to embrace entropy and stop fighting.

this union is never consummated. but everyone can sense the tension. it is not good for the scions. they all call yann "my friend" and shit but now they are realizing they do not actually know him at all. there is a lot of fighting about unrelated things in early edw as everyone sorts out their feelings. alisaie gets pretty fucked up about it but the number one victim is g'raha. imagine loving and idolizing a guy so much you unwind the skein of time itself to save his life and he not only picks someone else but picks someone else who tortured you.

meanwhile e-s was dead and yann was not getting over it. elpis happened. and yann is in heaven. he gets to see the person e-s was before he was corrupted! and his friend hythlodaeus! in this idyllic place! he's always loved the past--why shouldn't that be where he belonged all this time? perhaps he should stay here forever. when he saw the sham amaurot and started learning about the world that'd been lost he'd already been thinking along these lines. but the e-s of this time hates him. shockingly, hades has even less capacity to understand the sundered as human than e-s. fucking azem flouting amaurotine laws by making some kind of familiar with a soul. of course he would. hythlo wants to play with him like a toy because isn't he darling and isn't the idea so fun? it breaks his heart but it also wakes him up--and at that point he finally starts leaving his yearning behind.

as for azem and e-s (or rather dionysos and hades), they were in a relationship through much of their time at anyder and afterward until it came time to stop playing around and serve amaurot. dion cared more about travelling and helping people in rural demes and hades cared more about civil service in the capitol. neither would yield--dion thought hades was being a pigheaded shut-in and hades thought dion was being frivolous--and they had an extremely acrimonious breakup about it. my favorite story about them is that after about five years or so dion started sending letters, apologizing and telling hades about all the things he'd seen on his way, but hades never read any of them and instead threw every one into the trash without opening it. hythlo--who already sneaks into hades' garbage to look at his discarded research drafts because he thinks he's the world's greatest genius and takes a pathetic sort of pride in knowing him more deeply than anyone else--fished them all out and kept them. he later puts in a lot of work into normalizing diplomatic relations as it were. even so, e-s still votes against dion being inducted to the convocation as azem and drags out his nomination process (which i hc must be unanimous) as long as possible. partly out of spite but also because he still has feelings for him and life is easier if he doesn't have to see him every day.

[anneapocalypse]

I have joked before that Stormblood feels like the writers thought they maybe went too hard on Major Character Death™️in Heavensward and so almost nobody gets to die. But looking back over the arc of the Scions as a whole, I think Stormblood through Endwalker are really the Scions learning (if slowly) that Heroic Sacrifice is not always the answer, and also growing closer to one another as people as a result. Especially for those of us who didn't play 1.0, I think it's so easy to forget sometimes that these characters just survived an apocalypse--and lost the guy who was the glue holding them all together. I think a lot of what feels like the Scions being cavalier with their comrade's life in ARR is the fact that they are all waiting, consciously or unconsciously, for their own Louisoix Moment, and they're so deep in that mindset that they probably don't even realize how it feels to an outsider, that understanding that they're all ready to die. Because when that moment does come, they all take it. Moenbryda takes it, Minfilia takes it, Papalymo takes it... and the rest are left to pick up the pieces.

And what do they do with those pieces? After Moenbryda's death Urianger goes on a very long arc where he starts mired in isolation and self-flagellation, but ultimately comes to see that turning to his friends for help is better than suffering alone. Alphinaud faces down the arrogance that made him so easy to manipulate and becomes better at working with others and not over and around them. Alisaie comes to terms with her grandfather's death and pushes those around her to see alternatives to sacrifice. Lyse decides to stop hiding, to live as herself, and to fight for what she believes in, ultimately becoming a leader in her newly-freed homeland. Thancred learns to better respect the agency of the people he loves while still acting as a protector. Y'shtola begins--slowly, and haltingly, but she does begin--to share her struggles with her friends instead of keeping everything to herself. G'raha, after years of secrecy and preparing to sacrifice himself, finds himself given a second chance and a new life to share with the people he loves. Estinien finds deeply meaningful friendships with people he would have once considered his enemy, and lets go of a life of solitude in favor of joining the Scions.

There's a reason the Scions don't really feel like a family in ARR. There's a reason that, to me, they do feel like one by Endwalker. Sometimes media will try to force a found family dynamic between a group of characters who don't even necessarily like each other very much; FFXIV lets the cracks in the Scions show early and then shatters them, then brings them back together in a long journey of reforging those bonds and making them stronger than they ever were.

[forgesahead]

For some reason, the Scions, in all their curated wisdom, had decided that Meteor would be the mentor of their group. It had begun with Thancred advising Zero to look to Meteor for her answers rather than him, and now Alisaie and Alphinaud looked to him expectantly to help usher Wuk Lamat along her path with more than just his strength.

From a purely logical, objective standpoint, it made sense; Meteor was more than the Warrior of Light, he was perhaps the most hardened soldier in all of Eorzea. It stood to reason, then, that he would have the most lessons to impart to those who would come after him. Yet that was only looking at the larger picture. When it was also factored in that he often chose to follow rather than speak and offered deliveries of food rather than words of comfort to the needy, he really has to question the wisdom behind it all.

Even now, with all the time he'd spent with Wuk Lamat, he flails in silence. So much for all the time he'd spent journaling his experiences as he went-- any wise words he could impart were scarcely covered in the breadth of the few sentences he spoke when prompted to talk in turn, and he found that he'd struggled with much tutoring beyond that. It was why he'd preferred the company of other Scions most of the time. They'd been more than happy to speak where he chose to stay silent, wearing their flowery oratory like a fine frock where he would have floundered.

The Scions were not here, though. Thancred and Urianger had joined Koana's team, and though Alisaie and Alphinaud were with him, this time they had wandered off to question the Mamool Ja on their own, leaving him to deal with Wuk Lamat as she moped over her failed attempts to converse with the locals.

"Gods, I've dealt with unfriendliness before, but this is something else! They won't even talk to us!"

House cat, Bakool Ja Ja had jeered towards her, and Meteor saw where the nickname might have stemmed from, though in a way more affectionate than unkind. Her ears drooped as she rested her hands on her chin, and her tail, once animated even when she stood idle, lay still at her rear, as though it were a prop rather than a proper part of her. It was cute, and he couldn't help the smile on his face despite the circumstances.

Nor could he blame her for her frustration. After getting so far along her quest, she's hit a roadblock. A seemingly insurmountable one, given her approach. She requires open dialogue to be able to understand the people's problems and offer a solution, but the residents here don't even want to breathe towards them. An unpleasantness that is not all unfamiliar to him, given his last expedition to Ilsaberd.

"They're like the Garleans." Meteor murmurs to himself. He looks out at the shadow-shrouded landscape and the stony buildings and finds himself back at the subway station, when he had first arrived. The junkmonger, the mender the people huddled around the fire-- none of them had wanted to talk to him, and the few that did made it well and clear that they wanted him gone. As if the environment wasn't hostile enough, the residents that took shelter within it were as cold and immovable as all the grey contraptions around them.

He hadn't realized he'd been thinking out loud until Wuk Lamat startles him back to the present with a "really?" and he flinches back when he turns around and sees just how close she's gotten. She's peering at him with wide eyes-- newfound hope, he supposes, now that he potentially has some words of wisdom. Meteor blinks at first, because he thinks surely Wuk Lamat would have known about the Garleans already, if she's already talked with Alphinaud and Alisaie. If she had, his words wouldn't have been anything new, only a reminder of what they probably would have relayed to her before. But her stare doesn't relent, so Meteor sighs and looks to the distance.

"They... the Mamool Ja remind me of them, is all." He starts, and winces. This is why he doesn't like explaining so much. He's out of practice, and the delivery is wooden, jilted. Still, Wuk Lamat doesn't seem to mind at all, and only looks at him with more interest, so he continues. "Most of the locals wanted nothing to do with us, and when we came to their leadership offering supplies, they took the twins hostage instead. That's when I realized... our way of saving them was pretty one-sided.. and admittedly naive."

Wuk Lamat seems shocked by the sudden pessimism with the way she recoils, but with his flow found, Meteor looks at her and continues. "Everyone has their own idea of saving themselves, I think. For the Garleans, or at least their leadership, that idea didn't include outsiders at all. Anyone outside of the empire were their enemies, so they would kill them and use their spoils to feed their people, and they would survive. Life would go on. They almost followed through with that, before we finally convinced them to cease fire and lay down their weapons."

There's a long pause after that. Wuk Lamat seems to be considering the words, and Meteor lets her. He turns away and folds his hands behind his back, but beyond that, barely moves where he stands. The drone of the forest's insects fills the absence of words.

Then, "I... am I being naive then? Do you think my approach is wrong?" Her voice is too quiet, and when Meteor looks back at her, he frowns. The sad droop of her ears are back.

He purses his lips as he's flooded with memory, first of his conversation with Gulool Ja Ja. He remembers being asked what he thinks of the Third Promise, he remembers gritting out that he thought her too green, too unprepared for her duties to come. He remembers the raucous laughter that followed after that, the surprise that washed away his frustration when he realized the Dawnservant knew, yet put his faith in his daughter anyways.

He remembers his doubts starting to be assuaged as their journey went on and despite her shortcomings, Wuk Lamat finally, finally started finding her footing again.

He remembers himself, surrounded by Garlean soldiers that were too scared to get close to him despite having weapons pointed at him, as if he would slaughter them all at the first provocation, because he was Eorzea's champion, Garlemald's ill-famed butcherer.

He remembers Fray's solemn words at Myste's reminder of all the blood spilled in his heroics. The reminder that when he cut others down with his sword, he could save only one. Himself.

"I offer you peace! Restitution! A chance to make amends! Do not think you are above it! Do not think that a reckoning will be postponed indefinitely!"

"When it comes, I shall welcome it with open arms... but today will not be the day, and you will not be the judge!"

He exhales.

"Despite all my experience, I can't claim to know what the right way forward is." Is what he finally says, and then he looks meaningfully into Wuk Lamat's wide eyes. "You showed me that. I thought you too naive, once, and though I helped you along, I didn't believe in you, not really. Yet despite my doubts, you've succeeded, and now you've come this far. You're one stone's throw away from becoming Dawnservant."

He gazes at her. Even with the canopies above smothering all sunlight, her orange mane and pale yellow fur stand out starkly against the blue and black backdrop. A flame in the dark. A splash of vibrancy on a murky canvas.

"So I'm going to believe in you still. I want to see you use this method and succeed, however misguided it may be. I want to believe your way works, because I'm tired of fixing one evil by causing another."

Wuk Lamat is eerily silent after that, to the point where Meteor's confidence falters, and he starts to wonder if he'd spoken out of turn. If his honesty had been too much, and doused her spirits completely. Then before he can ask, she gives him a toothy grin, and smacks him on the back hard enough to make him yelp, surprised by the sudden force of the blow.

She laughs at the reaction. "Then that means I'll just have to succeed again!" And despite the pain, Meteor is smiling again. Finally, there's that enthusiasm. "I've finally earned your faith; I'm not going to let you down now just because some people don't want to talk to me."

"Don't get so ahead of yourself." Meteor grouses, but there's no bite to the words, and he elbows her. "Let's go find Alphinaud and Alisaie first, alright? If they haven't gotten anything out of the locals, at least we'll have their counsel."

They make their way to the twins, who seem heartened by how determined their Third Promise looks. Meteor nods to them with a small grin, spirits lifted well enough that he forgets to ask himself if he played his part correctly this time.

For the first time in a while, a weight is lifted off his shoulders.