#and if you think about it that's boone's last name spelled differently. okay it's all connected. well not really but close enough

[darkeyesunderthesky]

kind of half tempted to watch the last thing boone actor acted in (not counting the damn nature documentaries). i watched the first episode of the show forever ago, but i hated it so much that i never continued. he's so scary and fugly in it that i'm scared to hit play but also i'm kinda curious just because idk what happens in it

[tigerkirby215]

5e Akali, the Rogue Assassin build (League of Legends)

(Artwork by Jessica “OwleyCat” Oyhenart. Made for Riot Games)

(Shit meme by yours truly.)

I mean honestly it’s about time I go around to this. With the year nearing its end (thank fuck) here’s a build I had planned pretty much since the Soulknife subclass was shown. Yeah spoilers I guess Akali’s a Soulknife Rogue because she throws a shit load of knives. No she isn’t an assassin, despite the name of “Rogue Assassin.”

GOALS

You can never have too many kunai - We need a hell a lotta kunai and shurikens to throw at our enemies. Remember that part where I said “Akali’s a Soulknife Rogue?”

Smoked 'em - We’ll need to be able to turn invisible and stay invisible while still being able to hit our foes.

Quick and deadly - You’re quick and deadly like a ninja, with dashes over and around just about everything and swift executions. Almost like you are a ninja.

RACE

Akali is a human, no matter how much training in stealth, spirits, and singing she has. She is however from the magic land of Ionia filled with magic people, and since she probably got some spiritual training from Shen I figured that’s good enough justification for me to grab a Dragonmark! A Mark of Passage Human gets a +2 to Dexterity and a +1 to another ability score: we’ll go for Charisma for K-Pop stans. You can also learn a language of your choice and Sylvan makes sense to speak to the spirits.

You have a Courier's Speed for +5 feet of movement and can add a d4 to Acrobatics or motorcycle land vehicle checks thanks to Intuitive Motion. But the main feature of note is Magical Passage for Misty Step in your pocket once per Long Rest. You know me: gotta have Flash available.

If Dragonmarks aren’t an option: Variant Human with +1 to DEX and +1 to CHA is good enough. Take the Mobile feat at level 1 instead of later in the build, and perhaps invest in Fey Touched or something when the time comes for that feat I don’t know.

ABILITY SCORES

15; DEXTERITY - You run and jump around and throw a lot of knives. Almost like a ninja.

14; CONSTITUTION - Be it Gunblade or Riftmaker, Akali is deceptively survivable. That and even ability scores are nice.

13; CHARISMA - Charisma is tied to performance for Korean raps in whatever band you joined this time. Look I’m not saying I want Akali in Pentakill but...

12; WISDOM - Shen tries to teach you a lot of Wisdom and I’m sure at least some of it got through to you.

10; STRENGTH - ‘Kali got abs. Being a ninja requires 100 push ups, 100 sit ups, and a 10 kilometer run every single day.

8; INTELLIGENCE - Ninjas don’t normally have a good math and science program. The answer to how many kunai you brought is “yes.”

BACKGROUND

While you may have once been part of the Kinkou Order you have since decided to go rogue. When you’re part of a ninja organization killing people is cool, but if you do it on your own you’re just a Criminal. You get proficiency in Stealth but I’m going to suggest replacing your Deception proficiency with Arcana for some teachings thanks to Master Shen. You also get proficiency in Thieves’ Tools (though if you want to min-max I’d perhaps swap this out for something out) but I’m going to suggest replacing your gaming set with a Disguise Kit, because my lord Akali has a lot of skins.

Be it your old connections from the Kinkou Order or a new informant for assassination contracts you have a Criminal Contact that can easily supply info, and who you always have a direct line to. They send the target, you get the kill.

(Artwork by Alvin Lee, Pan Chengwei, and Bo “chenbowow” Chen. Artwork made for Riot Games.)

THE BUILD

LEVEL 1 - ROGUE 1

wOw ThE cHaRaCtEr WiTh “RoGuE” iN tHeIr NaMe Is A RoGuE?!?! Blatantly obvious information aside Rogues get proficiency in four different skills! Take proficiency in Acrobatics for ninja stuff, Perception for warding, Intimidation to scare little Noxian kids (hey ninjas are scary!), and Performance for Korean raps.

You also get Expertise in two of those skills: naturally you need Stealth to be a ninja and Performance to be K-Pop artist, so take expertise in both of those. You also know the secret code language of Thieves’ Cant, which only other ninjas (or just regular old Rogues) know.

But of course you can’t be a ninja without knowing how to Sneak Attack. If you attack an enemy that’s distracted by an ally or have advantage to hit a weak point, you do an extra d6 of damage. Don’t worry: your assassination potential only gets better with time.

LEVEL 2 - ROGUE 2

Second level Rogues get Cunning Action for some ninja speed. You can now spend a Bonus Action to Dash, Disengage, or Hide.

LEVEL 3 - ROGUE 3

Yeah spoilers I guess Akali’s a Soulknife Rogue because she throws a shit load of knives. No she isn’t an assassin, despite the name of “Rogue Assassin.”

3rd level Rogues get to choose their Roguish Archetype and Akali is a Soulknife because it turns out psionics is the fastest way to get a shit load of throwing knives thanks to Psychic Blades. When you take the Attack action you can make a psychic knife in your hand that does a d6 of Psychic damage, and you can either use it to stab in melee range or throw it up to 60 feet.

If you attack with the blade you can make a smaller blade to attack with as a bonus action. The damage die of this bonus attack is 1d4 (instead of a d6) but other than that it pretty much works the same. The Psychic Blades vanish immediately after hitting or missing, and they leave no mark on their target, which is just a nice little bit of ninja flavor.

You also have innate Psionic Power which... takes a bit more to explain that “funny psychic throwing knife.” You have Psionic Energy die equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and you can use them on the following abilities:

Psi-Bolstered Knack lets you boost your skill checks with legally-not-Bardic Inspiration, as long as you’re proficient in the skill.

Psychic Whispers lets you coordinate in team chat and set up ganks.

I’m not going to go too deep into these abilities because they’re listed in the subclass and if you don’t know what the subclass does buy Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and read it yourself. “See? Balance.” And speaking of balance your Sneak Attack damage now increases to 2d6!

LEVEL 4 - ROGUE 4

4th level Rogues get an Ability Score Improvement but because it’s the 4th level in a Rogue build we’ll instead be taking the Mobile feat. Along with a 10 foot increase to your movement speed you can also cross over difficult terrain (cough walls cough) without spending extra movement if you Dash. But most importantly if you attack an enemy in melee range you can run away from them without provoking an attack of opportunity, even if you miss!

Yup XP to Level 3′s meme explains it better than I can. Sneak attack and run away: keep to the shadows and never stand still.

(Artwork by Jennifer Wuestling. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 5 - WARLOCK 1

What? Did you think that we’d be going for pure Rogue levels? Ha ha Warlock levels go brrrrr. Regardless a connection to the Spirit Realm manifests as powers of the Archfey, such as Fey Presence to Charm or Frighten anyone within a 10 foot cube with an epic rap battle.

And you also get Pact Magic, which comes back on a Short Rest! You get two cantrips at first level: For a Shuriken that inflicts Deep Wounds on those who idolize Eldritch Blast take Chill Touch, because a ninja should always have the right tool for the job. For some ninja trickery grab Minor Illusion to manipulate the shadows to your whim.

For your leveled spells Hex will cripple your foes to make it harder for them to run while also making your strikes deadlier, and uhhh... that’s about it, really? I mean, Sleep from the Archfey list is pretty nice for a sleep bomb but you really don’t need it. We’ll be holding off on leveled spells for a bit.

LEVEL 6 - WARLOCK 2

Second level Warlocks get Eldritch Invocations... hey wouldn’t it be funny if we just didn’t take invocations? I mean, feel free to grab some basic stuff like Armor of Shadows or Devil’s Sight for a time, but again we’re going to want to wait for...

LEVEL 7 - WARLOCK 3

Third level Warlocks get their Pact Boon and while you may never have gone to an official school you were sure to keep all the teachings of Master Shen in a tome. A Book of Shadows from the Pact of the Tome to be precise!

While Pact of the Blade would probably make more sense I’m pretty sure you can’t make your Psychic Blades into Pact weapons. That, and we need a multitude of features from Pact of the Tome more.

Picking up the Pact of the Tome will let you learn 3 cantrips from any class’ spell list. For a quality assurance guarantee on your skill checks take Guidance for that extra boost you need. For some natural Ionian magic Druidcraft will let you feel the spirit in the earth and the trees. And I know there are some spells I seem to stick into every build but yeah: Message is still good even if you have telepathy, for some silent resourceless communication between allies.

Oh and remember how we took no invocations last level? That’s because we’re going to be grabbing both Aspect of the Moon to confuse Diana mains as well as remain alert through the night without needing to sleep, and Book of Ancient Secrets to have some ninja tricks you can prepare over 10 minutes by Ritual Casting. I’d suggest Alarm and Comprehend Languages as the most in-character options but you can get more ritual spells by picking them up and inscribing them into your book (with some really damn expensive ink.)

You can also finally go and pick up those spells that I’ve been ignoring! Darkness is good for a magic smoke bomb (as long as you’re okay with blinding yourself and your allies too) and while perhaps not the most in-character Mirror Image is a damn good spell to up your survivability. And while we may already have Flash once per long rest I won’t ever complain about more Misty Step.

LEVEL 8 - WARLOCK 4

4th level Warlocks get an Ability Score Improvement: time for hee-hoo Athlete Feat that I take whenever I want a +1 in DEX but don’t know what to do. But believe it or not there’s actually a reason for it this time: Akali is an athlete, and you need to be able to perform feats of acrobatics like a ninja. Because again: you are a ninja.

You also get another spell along with another cantrip: for your cantrip Mage Hand will let you do a little bit of spirit-jitsu to reach the kimchi on the top shelf. As for your spell Pass without Trace was added in the Tasha’s extended spell list but you don’t really need it. Your friends might but for the most part I’d again suggest waiting for next level.

(Artwork by Zeen Chin. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 9 - WARLOCK 5

5th level Warlocks get another Eldritch Invocation and to be sneaky like a ninja One With Shadows will let you turn invisible if you stand still in the dark. Alternatively (if you think Stealth Expertise will carry you) you can take Far Scribe for some more secret shadow messages.

You can also learn third level spells like Blink for a slightly unreliable Smoke Cloud that’ll shroud you randomly, or Fear because ninjas are scary.

LEVEL 10 - WARLOCK 6

6th level Fey Warlocks get Misty Escape. As a reaction when you’re hit you can drop a smoke bomb to turn invisible and then teleport up to 60 feet. You remain invisible until the start of your next turn unless you attack or cast a spell, and can use this feature once per short or long rest.

You can also prepare another spell and for a ninja flashbang grab Hypnotic Pattern to daze everyone in a 30 foot cube. What? Ninjas can use flashbangs.

LEVEL 11 - WARLOCK 7

7th level Warlocks get another Eldritch Invocation and we can finally run across the universe to whoever we marked with our shuriken. Or at least 30 feet closer. Relentless Hex lets you teleport up to 30 feet and arrive within 5 feet of an enemy you have Hexed, as long as you can see them. While you can dash for this distance or Flash (Misty Step) this will let you get past any difficult terrain or obstacles with ease.

We can also finally get what we came for: a smoke cloud we can attack from while still being invisible. Take Greater Invisibility for invisibility that remains even after you attack. Yes this does mean as a Rogue you’ll have Advantage on all your attacks (to Sneak Attack), and yes the aesthetic of stabbing people with psychic knives that leave no mark while you yourself are invisible is freaking nuts. There are other 4th level spells you can take (Dimension Door and Shadow of Moil being two worth mention) but your other spells are still good. It’s up to you what you do as again I only own the build, not your character.

(Artwork by Alvin Lee. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 12 - ROGUE 5

At long last we’re going back to Rogue! 5th level Rogues can use their reaction for an Uncanny Dodge to take half damage from an attack. Remember that you only have one reaction per round, and this is the same reaction that you need to use for Misty Escape. So decide if disappearing but taking full damage is more valuable than taking half damage.

Your Sneak Attack also increases to 3d6, and you know those Psionic Energy die of yours? Well they’re now d8s! Finally!

LEVEL 13 - ROGUE 6

6th level Rogues get Expertise in two more skills. Acrobatics is an obvious must but I’ll leave the other skill up to you! Make your own build, even if it’ll probably include Riftmaker. (But when in doubt I opted for Perception personally.)

LEVEL 14 - ROGUE 7

7th level Rogues become masters of dodging skill shots thank to Evasion. If you make a Dexterity save and succeed, you take no damage. If you fail the save, you only take half damage! Additionally your Sneak Attack is now 4d6.

(Artwork by Pyeongjun Park. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 15 - ROGUE 8

8th level Rogues get another Ability Score Improvement. Hey about we cap that Dexterity score which has been sitting at an 18 for the past 6 levels? Deadliest knives, most agile of dodges, and BADDEST of dance moves. (Wait no that’s Charisma.)

LEVEL 16 - ROGUE 9

9th level Soul Knife Rogues can improve their weapons to Soul Blades, giving a few new uses to your Psionic Talent die. Homing Strikes will let you add your talent die to a missed attack, potentially allowing you to hit. If the talent die causes your attack to hit, you spend it.

Psychic Teleportation on the other hand will let you roll a Psionic Talent die as a bonus action to teleport an unoccupied space you can see, up to a number of feet away equal to 10 times the number rolled. This feature spends the die no matter how far you teleport. And finally your Sneak Attack increase to 5d6.

LEVEL 17 - ROGUE 10

The nice thing about Rogues is that they get more Ability Score Improvements. For MORE dancing increase your Charisma to show them what you’re made of. I’ll keep making jokes about K/DA don’t worry.

(Artwork by Atey Ghailan. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 18 - ROGUE 11

11th level Rogues get Reliable Talent to turn any roll of 9 or lower on a skill check you’re proficient in to a 10. As per standard whenever I hit 11 in a Rogue build I like to make a list of your lowest possible roll so...

27 on Stealth or Acrobatics

25 on Performance

19 on Intimidation

17 on Perception

15 on Arcana

With results varying based on your choice of Expertise, of course. And if somehow that isn’t enough to make a skill check, your Psionic Talent die increases to a d10 along with your 6d6 Sneak Attack!

LEVEL 19 - ROGUE 12

Hey more Ability Score Improvements! That means you can nearly max out your Charisma just before level 20!

LEVEL 20 - ROGUE 13

13th level Soul Knife Rogues get the ultimate stealth tool: the Psychic Veil. As an action you become invisible for 1 hour unless you dismiss this effect (no action required). You remain invisible unless you deal damage to a creature or you force a creature to make a saving throw. You can use this feature once for free per Long Rest, and have to spend a Psionic Energy die to use it again.

Now some might say this is a weak ability since you have Greater Invisibility, but that spell only lasts a minute. This ability is far more useful for infiltration and out-of-combat uses, as with a full hour of being unseen you should be able to get into most places that you shouldn’t be. But if you think “a second level spell extended to 1 hour” isn’t a good capstone just remember that your Sneak Attack does increase to 7d6. And that... you know... You could just go Rogue 12 / Warlock 8 if you don’t like the level 13 ability.

FINAL BUILD

PROS

They can't stop me. I mean, they can try - 45 feet of movement with the ability to dash and teleport, with Athlete helping you scale up walls and Mobile making difficult terrain a non-issue. And yeah the Mobile feat in general makes you incredibly slippery.

I make problems... disappear - Who could’ve guessed that a permanently invisible Rogue would be dangerous? With a dozen tools to play keep-away you can easily be in multiple places at once and make your enemies unable to know where to strike.

I'll make this look like magic - You’ve got a nice bit of utility too with some great skill checks (boosted by your Psionic talent!) along with a ton of cantrips and the ability to learn any ritual spell you may find.

CONS

There are over 300 pressure points on the human body - You have a lot of features that are more for flavor than actual practicality, notably Relentless Hex which uhhhh... just Dash? You also have abilities which aren’t that strong, like weak Warlock spells we didn’t swap out (feel free to do that yourself) and Psychic Veil generally being a mediocre ability. (Nothing you can do to fix that.)

I was just warming up - Your stats aren’t awful but also aren’t fantastic... well except for your Intelligence: that’s pretty bad. And without any saving throw proficiency and a surprisingly limited amount of skills for a Rogue you really won’t be helpful outside of your area of expertise.

You don't get back what I take - Almost all your class features run on limited resources. Most of your Rogue abilities rely on your Psionic Talent die, and while you may have a lot you can only get one per Short Rest. Similarly you only have two Warlock slots, which even if they come back at the end of a Short Rest it leaves a lot to be desired. Frequent tea breaks are nice and all but you can quickly exhaust yourself without breaks.

But you are quick, silent, and deadly. All the skills of a ninja in one package. Dive in, make a clean cut, and get out before they know what hit ‘em. Akali’s that girl. 'Kali go grr. 'Kali don't stop. 'Kali don't skrrt. True Damage we do it, and maybe if you perform well enough you can get into Pentakill too. Look I’m not saying I want Akali to be in every band that Riot makes, but Pentakill Akali would be equally cool and hilarious.

(Artist unknown. Made for Riot Games.)

[mtjester]

New 8eginnings

Contractstuck: AO3 | Tumblr

The night buzzed with insects. As usual, the air was hot and humid, even inside the hotel Terezi, Tavros, and their band of “protectors” had set up as a semi-permanent residence. It wasn’t grand, but it wasn’t a hovel, either; Tavros had moved his mafia money into a new and not entirely legal location, and it was serving them well in their exile. Terezi had covered their tracks thoroughly, partially with the help of Sollux. No one, not even Rufioh, not even the mafia, knew where they were. They could last months at the rate they were going, living “the good life” off the beaten road in the tropics.

They laid next to each other on one of their beds, staring up at the ceiling. Terezi held two sealed envelopes in her hand, a habit she had developed lately.

“Can you remember what they looked like?” Tavros asked, ending the long silence.

“No,” she said. “I can remember everything that happened, but they’re just shadows now.”

“Yeah...for me, too. I can’t remember their voices or anything.” Tavros glanced at Terezi as she drew in a long sigh. “So, on a scale of one to ten, what is the update on your emotions for today?”

Terezi thought for a moment and finally settled on, “Four.”

“Wow, that’s kind of low. What, um...what are you thinking? Are you...regretting our decision more than usual?”

“It’s not regret, Tavros,” Terezi said. “We did what we needed to do.”

“Yes, that’s true, but sometimes what you need to do isn’t the same thing as what you want to do.”

“I wanted to do it. We both did.”

“Yes, but...also, we didn’t, because there were additional factors, and it’s okay to acknowledge those factors and feel emotions like regret.” He hesitated, looking at her now-blind eyes. She tightened the grip on the envelopes in her hand. “Remember what Jade and Dave said to us about having a healthy relationship with our emotions?”

“I’m really starting to wonder if they’re the ones who should be giving us emotional advice. The longer we’re with them, the more it’s clear they have their own problems.”

Tavros let out a small laugh. “Yeah, but Rose trained them, and she at least knows real things about psychology.”

“I have my doubts about her, too,” Terezi joked with a smirk. It wasn’t long before the smirk slipped. “But they are getting the job done, so I can’t rip on them too much. My guess is that Rose is almost done nullifying the contracts, and that’s why we’re losing our memories of them.”

“That makes sense. So, when we don’t remember them at all, even their names...that’s when the contracts are nullified entirely?”

“Seems that way.” Terezi gnawed on her lower lip for a moment and, with another sigh, finally said, “I guess...I do miss them. Even Gamzee. He sucked, but at least I could blame him when I made bad decisions. Now, it’s just me when I fuck up. And...I’m starting to think that I felt like I deserved it. All this tropical paradise stuff is beginning to rub me the wrong way. We ruined people’s lives, and here we are, drinking coconut water and going swimming with all the money our demons made for us, like this is the right thing to do. Blargh, I feel like shit just thinking about it.”

Tavros turned onto his side to look at her. “I try to avoid those feelings most of the time with all the denial I can muster,” he said. “If we feel that way, then we’ll return to the cycle of abuse that led us to do bad things in the first place, and it will just fuel the suffering in the world some more.”

“Which one of the idiot brigade fed you that line?” Terezi asked. 

“I forgot,” Tavros replied, laughing. “But I agree with the sentiment. We have to stay positive and practice self-love aggressively, even when we remember all of the things that we did to justify hating ourselves, or else we will go back to being terrible human beings who are easy for bad people, such as demons, to take advantage of.”

Terezi pressed her lips together into a grimace. “They make it sound so easy. ‘Just love yourself!’ Sure.”

“Well...that’s why we’re sticking together, even though we have no reason to be connected anymore, right? So that we can love each other aggressively when we can’t love ourselves,” Tavros said. He reached out and touched her hand so that she could read his sincerity. Her grimace slackened a bit.

“Yeah. That was the most competent thing the idiot brigade has taught us so far.” She intertwined her fingers with his. 

“Do they know that you call them the idiot brigade?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Okay.” He laughed again. They fell back into a more comfortable silence.

“...Hey, Tavros?” Terezi said.

“Yeah?”

“Do you really want to open these envelopes again when all of this is over?”

“I...don’t know. Should we?”

“I don’t know.”

“But you want to, right?”

“I don’t know about that, either. Do you?”

“...I had fun with Gamzee,” Tavros said after a pause. “I got along with him. I wouldn’t mind talking to him again someday. And...you liked Vriska, right?”

“But would it be good for us?”

“I don’t know.”

“I don’t know either.” They looked down at the envelopes in Terezi’s hand. One had the name “Terezi” written on it in bold letters, and the other said, “Tavros.” She closed her fist around them, crumpling them up. “We don’t have to sign a contract with them again,” she said. “That’s what Rose said, at least.”

“We would just see them? Like how we can see Dave and Karkat?”

“When you know a demon’s sign, you can see them. You wouldn’t have to see Vriska, and I wouldn’t have to see Gamzee. And we wouldn’t have to feed them. That would make a difference.”

“Yeah...but what about temptations to have the boons a demon can provide, such as what landed us in this problem in the first place?”

Terezi looked down at the envelopes for a moment longer, and then she sat up and dropped them into the drawer of her side table. She closed it with a snap. “We’ll be strong,” she said, flopping back down onto the mattress. “We won’t open them until we’re sure we’re ready. Until we can really love ourselves first and won’t give into moments of weakness. We have a lot of work to do before then.”

“I was thinking, actually, about donating all the dirty money that I got, as a first step to redemption,” Tavros said. “That way, we can start to clear our consciousness and make up for all of our terrible sins of the past.”

“We can keep some of the money,” Terezi said with a wicked smirk. “Wealth never hurt anyone’s self-confidence.”

“Well...maybe a little bit. At least until we can go back to work again, if we can go back to work again…”

“We’ll figure something out,” Terezi said. “I can think of a couple gigs I could sort out for you. Maybe I could give law school another shot.”

“Really?”

“Why not? It can’t go worse than it did the first time.”

Tavros grinned. “Yes, good. Maybe we’ll be okay after all.”

“You know, I think we might be able to make this work.”

The insects continued to buzz outside, and eventually, the light in the hotel room extinguished. Outside, Karkat, Dave, Jade, and John sat on the curbside, dripping melting ice cream onto the road.

“So?” John asked, glancing sidelong at Karkat, who was gazing blankly into the distance.

“So what?” Karkat said.

“Is it working?”

“It’s been working. I’ve been hauling ass this whole trip.”

“I know, but is it working working? Are they going to be okay?”

“It’s none of your business!”

“I think it’s been working,” Jade said with confidence as she slurped up the dripping ice cream. “They’ve been really taking our lessons to heart lately! Right, Dave?”

“Sure have. Hell, they’ll be opening up a restaurant and buying a dog by the end of the week. Real new start material.”

John leaned back. “So how long do you think they’re going to need us?”

“Forever, I hope!” Jade said with a laugh. “This is the best vacation we’ve had in a long time!”

“It’s not a vacation!” Karkat snapped at the same time John said, “It’s the only vacation we’ve had in a long time.”

“I doubt they’ll be kicking us out any time soon either way,” Dave said. “We’re the shit. They’re all about hanging out with us. They hit us up every day.”

“They’re fun to be around, too,” Jade said. “Maybe we can still be friends when this is all over.”

“Maybe Rose will hire them,” John said with a shrug. 

“Wait, really?”

“I don’t know. She could!”

“She should! Hey, Dave, go tell Rose that she should hire them! Terezi even has some legal training! And Tavros...can probably do some office stuff and help Kanaya?”

“Hell yeah,” Dave said. “But after I finish this ice cream.”

“Why don’t you just call her yourself?” Karkat said. “You have a phone. It’s morning over there.”

“You’re right!” Jade pulled out her phone and dialed the number of the agency. They all leaned in as the phone rang, ready to give a glowing report. 

On the other side of the world, as Kanaya picked up the phone, Rose murmured the last spell of the ritual. Two contracts, pulsing with gold light, deepened to red as they caught fire. The embers floated away into the abyss, and, as they slept, the demonic symbols faded from Tavros and Terezi’s skin.

[abundantchewtoys]

HS Epi Meat p3 reaction

So, starting page 3 of the Meat today.

I've started wondering about the "ultimate self" and how it might come to play or be seen retroactively in Homestuck. A potential thing the story might touch upon is Jack, the only non-player character with multiple selves painting a picture of a grander self. There's also the bunny to some extent, but it's been more item than actor, with exception of the Liv Tyler & Lil Sebastian incarnation.

Also, I've started wondering what, in page 2, can be taken as indication that Dave & Jake have started growing towards that vague shape of an ultimate self. Jake's started sincerely enjoying the attention of the Earth C populace, it seems. Where he is more of a media celebrity, Grandpa was a celebrated entrepreneur. As for Dave, his social activism is of course influenced by his contact with trolls like Karkat with an outspoken idea on the matter. But his call to revolt reminds me of B2 Dave's, but implemented in a way that might please the Sufferer, if not Kankri too.

But anyway, are we going to follow Dave towards Dirk, or is the perspective going to switch back to John now, the first page in-canon? To recap, I believe he'll travel back to a moment in the Game Over timeline before Aranea killed anyone, and punch her. Or, he might punch either Jade or Jane, who at that time were mindcontrolled by Condesce.

---

"> JOHN: Zap." Oh hell yes.

"You zap back into canon. It’s been so long, you’d forgotten what it feels like. The atmosphere smacks unmistakably of... How can you describe it? Relevance? Legitimacy? Funny how you never would have thought to put it that way until you left." I love the smell of canon in the evening. It smells like... relevance?

"It takes you a moment to recognize where you are, even though Rose’s instructions were very specific. A place bright and gaudy and filled with the stench of teenage ennui." In other words, the Sburb session? :P

"It’s your old living room on the gold battleship, where you spent three years caught up in a lot of weird, furry romantic drama while learning to unlove everything you once held sacred." Oooh, so, is he going to spot his past self just before he disappeared, as he put his arm into the juju in his dream? If so, he might be in time to deny Aranea the ring even! (Also, I wonder if this is meant to be taken as that John came back from coming back on the fact he thought Con Air sucked or not. :P Fickle as the wind, that boy's opinions. ;)) Also, what did I spot there from the corner of my eye, a certain colour of pesterlog and a certain name in front... :::;) Time for John to derail a derailment of the alpha timeline! And in doing so... lending it legitimacy???? I mean, will the fact be brought up that John's original timeline was in fact a doomed timeline or not? The fact that he created a better future is irrelevant to some extent, the Aradiabots did the same. I mean, the juju is more potent than mere time travel, but still.

Also, now I think of the fact that the very thing Aranea set out to do : create a timeline that deprives Lord English's origin of legitimacy is in fact what John kind of went back to undo!

"The fridge pops open and out roll Aranea and Gamzee." Pffff, so he's literally going to nip her plan in the bud, right after she got her resurrection. What'll the ring end up being used for though, if it's not just going to stay on her finger like with Calliope?

"Gamzee honks" What else is new.

"Aranea staggers to her feet, looking rather pleased with herself. Until she notices you and gapes in bewilderment.

ARANEA: What are you doing here?!" That was not what she foresaw. Then again, did she really plan to take his ring KNOWING he would've disappeared?? That would mean she didn't know he received retcon powers, else it was kind of a gamble from the start!

"> Rose was perfectly clear about what to do next.

You make a fist, and sort of flinch and look away when you do it. No matter how many years you’ve spent living on a planet with absolute gender parity, this feels wrong. Still, you hit Aranea pretty fucking hard, underestimating your own strength just as badly as you did the last time you clobbered a hapless Serket. She goes flying back, hits the couch, and KOs instantly into a pile of Smuppets." I can picture this scene so clearly, since we have the circumstantial simultaneous scene to compare it, and yet I can't wait for the fan art.

"You then take her wrist in your hand, slide the ring off her finger, and" I wonder what this'll do! Finally we'll get confirmation on what removing the ring does, whether it just grants a fancy resurrection boon or the artefact needs to remain on the finger!

... I do wonder what Rose intended for John to do with the ring. ... Maybe they'll have post-retcon Game Over Roxy (R5 Roxy, since this is I believe the 5th retconned timeline John made) go to sleep and find Calliope, creating a different version of Calliope even though her ghost's in the dreambubbles and therefore outside this session's timeline?

"pocket it." Okay, so we won't see the effect instantly.

"> Isn’t there something you’re forgetting?" You turned your back on the body! the clown! the clown body!

"Gamzee stares up at you with his horrible, limpid eyes. There’s something serene, sinister, and sensual all at once about the look he’s laying on you." Is he... getting black feelings for John? ... Okay, Blap's theory is he's probably still looking quite stoner, still under Aranea's spell. That... actually doesn't make this any better.

"> Do everyone a favor and put an end to his preposterous narrative relevance." Uhhhhh... You canNOT put DOWN the CLOWN, John, everyone knows that. Also, killing? Not John's style. ... Will he just zap him into blankspace? Or captchalogue him, that'd be a laugh.

"You wisely decide that this clown will lend nothing valuable to the narrative whatsoever if he is allowed to remain outside of your childhood refrigerator." ... Ah. He's getting fridged again. :P Welp, you had your murderstuck episode three years hence Gamzee, that'll be all from you.

"You slam the fridge shut and resolve to never think about Gamzee Makara again." 'Put in the fridge' is the new 'put on a bus', then? :P ... I don't know how serious this is to be taken, I'm more leaning towards Chekov's Clown here.

"> Zap to the next plot point." Wow, okay, so... He... uhm, he doesn't stay here??? But... wait, okay, so, without Aranea, the whole session's still not going the same as the victory timeline. ... Wait, okay, Aranea wasn't "unalive" explicitly, just temporarily knocked out. The timeline could still continue as it was, Aranea pigheadidly going through with her plan. We saw it happen when he started rewriting the timeline in preparation for THE retcon, when Terezi smelled him in her house and after she found hints on the meteor towards it being Gamzee that killed Nepeta - the timeline would've just gone on as 'planned' if not for something major to change. The ring not being that, in this case, means Aranea will go to Derse, switch it for LOFAF... I wonder at what point, exactly, John will emerge to really derail the timeline. And what'll happen to that timeline's Condesce!

... Okay, admittedly, during the previous retcon, John first went back to the Reunion moment on his timeline before travelling further back and changing things...

Also, when you think about it, John just retconned a retconned timeline here, hahah.

Well, that's all for tonight - seeing as how the next page seems to be a whole lot longer again, it'd take too long to go through.

[clarenecessities]

spooky bears

Word Count: 1391, it breaks in a weird place but i was running into a similar problem as last time Rating: PG Summary: Bears, politics, and (more) analogies Chapter Warnings:  fire mention

[First] [Previous] [Next]

“Aren’t you human?” asked Adrien, tilting his head to one side. Her father had smelled very strongly of bear, and mentioned transformations, but he might just specialize in transmutation.

“I mean, mostly,” said Marinette, shrugging idly. “Papa is like, a bear thing. I should probably know what kind of bear thing, but he doesn’t really talk about it much.”

“Oh, there’s no official name for the bears,” said Plagg from her chair, still spinning in a lazy circle. He broke into a wide, self-satisfied grin. “One of those bad luck words.”

“What is? ‘Bear’?” asked Nino, raising an eyebrow.

“Yep. Or it used to be, anyway. It’s gotten pretty diluted over time, and I guess it was mostly the Finnish, but their court is based in Scandinavia, so—”

“The bears have their own court?” Marinette interrupted, blinking in surprise.

“Yeah, all the different groups do,” said Adrien. “Some of ‘em are set up differently, like there’s no King of the Foxes or anything on account of foxes hate rules, or like there’s a million Queens of the Bees, but for the most part everybody’s got their own little system or systems, and then from those courts you get delegates or ambassadors, or uh… something…”

Plagg sighed heavily and sat back on his haunches, taking over for his charge. “It’s common practice among the aos sídhe to foster surplus heirs with the other races, to encourage better relations between them. It’s sort of like that school of yours, but kept between fairies.”

“Does that mean Marinette’s dad is a fairy too, or like… nah?” asked Nino.

“Nah,” said Plagg, “We’re just allied with the bears. There are bear sídhe out there, but Tom and his ilk aren’t related to ‘em. We still loan out our children to them as a symbol of the peace between us, though. The biggest difference is that their transformations are physical instead of magical, and they were once ordinary humans. Or ordinary bears, depending on how you look at it.”

“Does… was somebody changed into a bear, or was a bear changed into a somebody?” asked Marinette, hesitating.

“Both,” said Plagg. “I believe the bears changing into humans came first, but I could be wrong about that. It was in a different part of your world than I usually frequent.”

“They weren’t just like… bears, though, right?” asked Nino. “Like they were magic or something?”

“Oh, well, of course,” said Plagg, rolling his eyes. “This was in the days before the magical systems separated themselves from this plane. There was magic in everything, back then. I suppose there still is—but only if you know where to look.”

“How did the bears earn transformations?” Adrien asked, leaning forward. He hadn’t met any bears that weren’t part of the aos sídhe, so he’d never heard the story. “Did… did they steal souls? Like a cat sídhe trying to get more transformations?”

“No,” said Plagg, frowning as he tried to remember. “No, I seem to recall it being granted as a sort of boon for something. You should ask Wayzz about it, I think his father was there. Ah, but there were several incidences of bears earning it independently, and by that time humans had begun to wield their own magic.”

“Did we not always?” Marinette asked, leaning forward in interest. She had settled down onto her floor in front of Plagg, sitting cross-legged and staring up in wonder, like a child during story time.

“Oh, no,” said Plagg, grinning. “You remember what your mother was saying earlier about souls?”

“Yes…?”

“That’s why humans can’t produce magic the way we can,” said Plagg. Delicately, he lifted a paw in the air, and it began to glow a sharp, bright green, the same shade as his eyes. Adrien sucked in a surprised breath; he almost never got to see Plagg use his magic. The old cat was notoriously lazy.

“I’ve seen humans do that,” Nino disagreed, sitting heavily on the floor beside Marinette. He folded his knees up against his chest, leaning forward. “You mean like not using wands or herbs or anything, right? Like, producing magic instead of channeling it?”

“That I do,” said Plagg, eyes glinting. “Whatever human you’ve seen pull that off has a contract with a magic-producing familiar, practically guaranteed. In the old days, before contracts became a wide-spread thing, there were other methods—but none have really survived to the present era.”

“Other methods?” asked Marinette.

“Like soul-splitting,” said Adrien, wincing.

“What, like a fucking horcrux?” asked Nino, jerking his head away from his knees.

“A wha—”

“No,” Plagg interrupted, “not like a horcrux. Splitting your soul doesn’t give you bonus lives, it just chops your soul up like a log and tosses half on the fire.”

“Wh… what’s the fire in this analogy?” asked Nino.

“Magic.”

“I don’t think I’m down for those parameters,” said Nino, swallowing.

“Well, you produce your own magic anyway,” Adrien hurried to reassure him. “I can feel it! It’s uh… zippy.”

“Wait, so Marinette like, doesn’t have magic, but I do?” asked Nino. “I thought she could do spells and stuff because she had magic, and I’m just like, you know, a wolfboy.”

“No, she does,” said Plagg. “When the planes began to come apart, some humans developed the ability to… stockpile, I guess, the magic left behind. She doesn’t produce it, but she collects it.”

“Like… uh… like if you light a stick off an already-burning fire?” asked Nino, squinting.

“I don’t think the fire metaphor really works here,” said Marinette, grinning at him. “Collecting fire isn’t exactly sustainable. I think they’re saying it’s like... if magic were currency, you’ve got a minimum wage job, they’re old money, and I keep a sharp eye out for loose change.”

“If there were a whole lot more loose change around, exactly,” said Plagg, nodding.

Adrien blinked. Approval? From Plagg? He was starting to feel almost… jealous about how much Plagg seemed to like Marinette. Which was ridiculous, he tried to reason, he should be glad his guardian approved of his prospective partner—and he himself liked Marinette a great deal already. He was just a little jealous. He just wanted that validation.

He was allowed to be selfish sometimes! He just wanted Plagg to be proud of him. And, well, for Marinette to listen to him so attentively. Aw, man, he thought to himself, trying to stifle a groan. I’m a jerk. Here he had promised himself a scant hour before he’d lay off pestering her and he was already antsy again. It would be so much easier if she couldn’t feel his—

Adrien froze.

Oh, shit. Oh, shit, she could feel his feelings. What did she think of the sulking and pouting? He chanced a glance at her out the corner of his eye, but she was politely avoiding looking at him.

He tried desperately to tamp down the embarrassment and chagrin that washed through him. He didn’t need to be bothering her with this stuff! He wasn’t going to pester her, the least he could do was stop feeling such annoying feelings—

“Adrien,” said Marinette, interrupting Nino’s convoluted line of questioning about whether this meant he could like, get a paycheck for being a werewolf, “you don’t have to do that. It’s okay to feel stuff.”

“But—”

“No, really,” she insisted, frowning a little in concern. “I sense everybody’s feelings all the time, some people aren’t even aware of it. You don’t have to apologize for having emotions, or try to not have them at all.”

“I just… I don’t want to bother you,” he mumbled, awkwardly scrubbing at the back of his neck. He sat heavily on her chaise lounge, leaning forward onto his knees a bit, staring hard at the floor.

“It’s no bother,” she assured him, and even in his peripheral vision her smile was blinding. He looked up at her, hesitating to relax on what seemed to him a considerate thing to do.

“I mean, you can sense people’s magic, right?” asked Marinette. “It’s like that. It can get overwhelming in crowds and such, but that doesn’t mean that you should smother yourself to accommodate me, even then. It’s not something you should be embarrassed about; feelings are important. They’re part of who we are.”

“Well,” said Plagg, “most of us.”  

[bestshipisfriendship]

Beta’s Wings

A little experiment. This is about my OC, Beta, and how she got her wings. I don’t think I’m gonna put this up on fimfiction, since it’s probably only interesting to people who know me, but lmk what you think!

“Is this your first appearance before the Princess, uhm, Beta?”

The registrar looked over her desk at me, a clipboard suspended in her magic.

“No ma’am. But, um, it was quite a while ago.” I hoped my voice didn’t betray my nervousness.

She made a note in her form, quill scurrying across the page. “I won’t give you the full protocol rundown then. Just remember to bow, be respectful, and state your business clearly.”

“Yes ma’am. Of course.”

“Okay. Just fill out the rest of this form.”

Her eyebrows raised a little when I grabbed the clipboard in my mouth. I was used to that, though. Most unicorns used telekinesis for everything, but I was... practising. I took the quill in my mouth, and carefully wrote in my name, the date, my address, and Equestrian Services Number. My mouth writing was still atrocious, but it was definitely getting better.

The registrar glanced over the form quickly, then lifted a stamp in her magic and firmly pressed it on the form. “You’re scheduled for an audience in twenty minutes, but the Princess is running behind today. Please have a seat. Next!”

I trotted over to one of the cushions in the waiting area, looking around me. There were a half dozen other ponies reading magazines or books, not to mention the registrar and the royal guards. I reached behind myself into my saddlebags and pulled out the Daring Do novel I’d been re-reading.

Once every couple minutes the large double doors at the end of the hallway would open and somepony would walk out. I took some comfort in the fact that most of them left smiling, but my heart was still thumping in my chest.

I’d been waiting for this appointment for months. Princess Celestia made time to meet with as many ponies as possible each day, but Equestria was a big place and the Princess just one pony. I opened my pack once again, confirming my letters were there for the sixteenth time today.

The door opened and a tall unicorn stallion walked out, frowning. My stomach twisted into knots.

The herald inside the chamber called out “Royal Ribbon!” A pink unicorn mare stood elegantly, and trotted through the double doors. The guards pulled her closed behind her. I glanced at the clock again, but I could barely see the numbers, let alone read it.

Daring Do lay forgotten at my side as I rehearsed my speech in my head. It wasn’t long, of course. I only had a few minutes with the Princess and I needed to be succinct, but also convincing. I had a copy of it in my saddlebags, but at this point I could probably do it in my sleep.

I looked at the clock again. The “numbers” swam in my vision.

The double doors opened again, and this time the herald called “Beta!”

I stumbled awkwardly to my feet, almost tripping over my own forelegs in the process. I walked slowly and carefully through the doors, hoping my heart wasn’t beating as loud to other ponies as it sounded to me.

The guards pulled the door closed behind me, and I was in the royal audience chamber. It looked different from last time: now alongside Princess Celestia’s sun crest stood indigo tapestries bearing Princess Luna’s moon. Some of the stained glasswork looked different too. Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony featured heavily now, much more so than the last time I was here.

One thing was unchanged, though: Princess Celestia sat on her dais, a benevolent smile on her face as she watched me approach.

I walked carefully to the end of the carpet, as I remembered doing all those moons ago, and bowed deeply before my Princess.

“Rise, Beta. It is good to see you again.” Celestia’s voice felt like sunshine on a chilly day. It calmed me enough that I almost didn’t realise the implications of what she’d said.

“You... you remember me?” My face probably didn’t conceal my shock. She must see hundreds of ponies every day!

“Of course. I remember all my little ponies.” Was it possible her smile got wider? Was such a thing even possible? “What brings you before me today?”

“Your Highness, I request a boon.”

“Oh? What is it, Beta? Surely you do not wish to be changed back to-”

“NO!” I answered before I could stop myself, covering my mouth with my hooves as I realised what I’d done. I’d interrupted the princess! I clerk sitting to the side of the dais was staring at me, wide-eyed. One of the guards behind me coughed.

Celestia herself raised her eyebrows, but mercifully that warm smile did not waiver. “A silly question, perhaps. What is it you wish?”

That carefully rehearsed speech was gone, now. I probably couldn’t remember my own name at this point, I was so embarrassed.

“Your highness, I...” I swallowed, then stood up as straight as I could. “I wish for wings.”

Now Celestia’s smile slipped, and with it my heart sank. I would’ve turned to leave right then, but I had committed enough faux pas in front of royalty for one lifetime.

“Beta... I cannot grant you what you wish. A lot of ponies have come asking for the same, but alicornhood is not something that can be bestowed on just anypony.”

Wait, Alicornhood? Did she... Oh!

Celestia continued. “Princess Twilight sparkle worked very hard to get where she is today. It took a lifetime of studying, lessons learned, and foes faced.” 

I wanted desperately to correct her, but I stayed my tongue and listened patiently.

“You seem like a good pony, Beta. I think you should know better than to request something like this.” The disappointment on her face physically hurt.

“I beg your Highness’s forgiveness, I believe I was unclear,” I finally managed to say. “I do not wish to be a princess. I wish to be a pegasus.”

Celestia’s eyes widened. “Oh! Oh dear, Beta, you must accept my apologies.”

Royalty, apologising to me! “Please, your Highness, it is I who failed to articulate myself. I am sincerely sorry for wasting your time.”

“It is quite all right, young Beta. It is simply... ever since Twilight’s ascension I get several ponies a day believing they are worthy of the crown.”

I nodded, unsure what could be said. It felt like Celestia’s regal mask had slipped, just a little bit, and it made me nervous.

“I assume you have brought the forms this requires?” Celestia’s mask was back, and internally I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Of course, your highness.” I reached into my saddlebag with my head, and pulled out the letters of reference.

“Abstaining from magic, then?” Celestia asked, as she took them in an aura of golden light.

“Yes, your highness. For six months now.”

“Very good.” She paused, carefully reading over the letters I had hoofed over. “Normally I would ask you if you understood the ramifications of this, but given your history I think we can skip that section.”

“Thank you, your highness.”

“I will warn you, though, that doing transformation spells too many time can have complications. This may be irreversible for you.”

“I understand, your highness.” I lifted my head and looked her in the eyes, hoping to convey my determination.

“Very well. Please follow me.”

Celestia led me out a doorway to the rear of the throne room, to a small antechamber. She closed the door behind her, leaving just the two of us. This room had been redecorated too, but I still remembered it from the last time. I sat on a cushion in the centre of the room, and Celestia stood beside me 

“Will it hurt?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“I’m afraid it will, my little pony. Are you ready?”

Once again I looked her directly in the eyes. “I am. 

Immediately I was enveloped in a glowing field of magic. This wasn’t the delicate golden of Celestia’s usual magic, however. This was white hot, powerful, and blindingly bright. I shut my eyes tight as pain shot through my head, and across my barrel. My teeth ground against each other as I tried not to scream.

I could’ve been there for seconds or for hours, I couldn’t tell you. But when I opened my eyes again, the light was gone. Sadly the headache wasn’t.

“Did... did it work?”

“See for yourself.” A mirror appeared before me and I gasped. My horn was gone, not even a scar marking its former location. And on my back...

“Oh!” My new wings flared without me even thinking about it. Scrunching my forehead, I managed to get them to fold back to my sides. I didn’t quite do it right though, and some of the feathers stuck out at weird angles 

“Like this, Beta.” Celestia flared her enormous wings, and as I watched wide-eyed, carefully folded them back down again. A couple more demonstrations and mine sat neatly by my sides, just barely covering my cutie mark.

Celestia gave one of her most motherly smiles, like I was her own daughter and I’d just said my first word. I couldn’t help but smile back.

“Now, my little pony, do you need to be taught how to preen as well?”

My face flushed quickly, and I looked at her wide-eyed. “N.. no, that’s quite alright Princess! Your highness! I um, I have someone back home to help me.”

I may not have been a pegasus for more than a few minutes, but I knew preening was a very... personal activity. Not something I wished to share with Princess Celestia, Crown Ruler of Equestria

“Very well then.” Was that smile... mischievous

“I... thank you, your Highness. I can never thank you enough.

“Your smile is all the thanks I need, Beta. Please come see me again if you ever do.”

I bowed again and made my way to the door. I’d been warned against flying right away, but I was pretty sure I floated down that plush carpet, through the waiting room, and out onto the street. The sun was shining outside, the sky was bright blue, and finally, everything was right with my world.

[elsewhereuniversity]

ASKS - Names

Asks sent to my main, answered here. Themes - what’s a true name, exactly?

Anon said: So what happens with people who have officially changed their names? I'm thinking especially for trans students who change names to match their gender, but anybody who's gone through the process of legally changing names. Would their deadname still be their "true name" as far as the Gentry are concerned?

Anon said: how would the name thing work with deadnames? would the deadname be the "real name" or the name from birth?

Anon said: What if you legally changed your name? Would that still hold power or something or just your birth name?

Anon said: More for the name things: What about trans students? My name is Lucian but my birth name is completely different. Which one would count as my true name?

Anon said: In terms of trans folks at EU, would their birth name be the one that could control them? Or would it be their preferred name?

Anon said: About the name thing, how does that work for trans people? Do the fae go by birth certificate or what you believe as your name?

Anon said: What about preferred names? Like I don't feel any attachment to my birth/legal name and no one calls me by it. What would be considered dangerous to use?

orendork said: EU question: Would a trans person's real name be their birth name or their chosen name?? Like would it be safe to go by a chosen name?

lupus-lunarem submitted: At elsewhere University if you have a legal name change which name is then used against you? Your birth name or changed name?

Anon said: In response to the question of "true names", I wonder if the Fae could be tricked by the giving of a deadname. Perhaps a trans person/someone who changed their name for personal reasons might be able to give a member of the Folk their deadname as a part of a bargain & the faery would accept it as a part of the bargain, since more antiquated traditions might designate that as the "true name". However, since the person's deadname doesn't really have power over them, the bargain could be safe while remaining valid

zeromylesperhour said: I rly liked your idea of the trans kids playing games for simple things like voice changes. I've also always thought about how true names would work in that situation! Like a faerie might think it has power over a trans kid because it knows their "name" but it's their birth name and not their real name.

Especially in a place where belief holds such power as it does at Elsewhere University, your true name would be your preferred name - the one that means you, heart and soul. While on campus, you should keep it secret from all but those you trust with your life. Your deadname would have no power over you. The legal status of your true name doesn’t matter; it draws its power from the weight and identity you give it.

As far as the Gentry are concerned, in folklore one’s true name was often synonymous with one’s birth name, and I imagine that because of this, for a time after Elsewhere began to seep back into the world, they would ask a birth name as a price for a boon, and occasionally be very, very surprised when it was given without a fight and held no power at all. They have learned to be more careful for what they ask for since then, but not after several rather embarrassing deals, and every once in a while one of the more antiquated Fair Folk will make this mistake over again.

Anon said: So I have another question about names! For reasons, I've always been called by my middle name over my first name by people close to me. Would it count as not giving my name to the fae if I use my first name, which I don't feel as connected to?

Anon said: Didn't the tradition of giving middle names to children came from superstition about the power of true names. This got me thinking, are you ok in Elsewhere U if you have a middle name and you use your first- and last name freely, and do the school official papers keep record of the middle names of the students

theperidotshade said: On the subject of names at Elsewhere University, I'm curious about how it would work out for people like me who go by our middle names/double names. They're essentially nicknames, because we actively choose which of our names to go by, but they were still given to us, so...?

ambicolor said: Sorry if this has been asked before, but what about middle names? My cousin goes by his, but would that count as a true name?

automatomicatomaton said: On the bit about true names - how much power do middle names have?

For some people their identity is very much tied up in their full name and the sense of connection to family it provides, among other reasons; for these people it would be an extremely bad idea to give away any part of it, although full control would possibly be dependent on knowing the full name.

For others, who only feel a strong connection to a piece of their full name, the parts that don’t mean anything to you wouldn’t have any power. However, giving out any part your name that might be on record would be inadvisable. Even if your first or last name alone doesn’t carry any significance, it would make it easier for something to potentially dig up your full name and work out the piece that does mean something. The University takes great care with the official paperwork, and it’s generally considered secure between the custom iron file folders and the encrypted online systems, but, you know. Murphy’s Law.

Anon said: Okay, so on the topic of true names I have something that I've been wondering about. I have two names (English and Hebrew) both given to me by my parents. Which do you think would count as my true name, or is it just a situation of having more to hide from Them?

Anon said: ooo for true names - what about those of us who were born with two different names in two different languages, gifted at the same time? We're one in one country and a different name in another - which name would be our true name? The one used more often? The one which was technically written down first?

It depends what they mean to you – if one is significantly more fundamental to your sense of self than the other, that would be your true name; if they’re equally important they should both be hidden (although I think potentially with two True Names, one would need to know both in order to have full power over you. If you were given a command by someone who Named you with only one of your two names, the compulsion would be strong but you’d stand a chance of resisting).

Anon said: would there be a loophole around being controlled by your given name if They mispronounced it? Like, if you were to give Them your own name written down, and when They speak it They mispronounce it... ? Would that negate the control, while still being a fair trade on your part?

theperidotshade said: Also, what if someone pronounces their name differently than it's phonetically spelled, or typically pronounced? Could they use the typical pronunciation and be safe, or is it about more than just how the name is spoken?

A mispronounced name – a name spoken differently than the version you know to be yours -couldn’t control you. A spoken or signed (as in sign language, not signature) name holds power, and so it must be spoken correctly. A written name does not, in the sense that if someone who knew your true name slipped you a note with your name and a command, you would not be compelled to obey it. But honestly banking on mispronunciation would barely buy you time at all – they’d figure out how to say it sooner rather than later, if only by repeating it a hundred times with increasingly outlandish inflections.

Anon said: So let's say someone was trans and they hadn't come out yet but they had already picked a name out would that be the name they shouldn't give to the gentry?

Yeah, it would – it doesn’t matter how many other people know it (and the fewer the better among people on campus). What makes it a true name is that it’s who you consider yourself to be.

Anon said: Okay, what about a hypothetical scenario in which all of the logistical issues are handwaved away and a person has no "true name"? Like, hippie parents living off the grid (no birth certificates) who just wait, making no assumptions because they believe in self-determination, until their little tyke is old enough to choose a name?

If you’re in the unusual position of never having found a name that you feel a strong connection to, you would be invulnerable in this particular aspect of campus life.

curiousmindsinlurve said: About the names thing theoretically speaking if someone got married and took on their spouses' last name would their maiden name hold more power? Or is it vice versa?

Whichever holds the most significance – I imagine that it varies pretty wildly between people who are radiantly happy to share their loved one’s last name and people who have changed their name because it’s customary but still feel a strong connection to their maiden name and the family history that comes with it.

mithrils-hanger said: Elsewhere U musings, and i suspect that my RPG writer experience has given me a skewed perspective of what is important, but. can you imagine how intense the University's efforts at protecting their records must be? forget mundane identity theft issues, the Payroll, Registrar, and Records departments house untold numbers of true names in their files. every employee. every student. present and all those past. even something as simple as an attendance roster could spell the doom of a student.

nickystar said: A question about EU, if it hasn't been answered already: I assume that to enroll at the school, you'd legally have to apply using your real name, and those in charge of the school would keep these names on lists somewhere. But how do they keep the Fair Folk from finding them and using them for their gain, and who all would have access to the names?

Everything legally and unavoidably essential is kept locked in custom iron filing folders and behind several layers of encryption in the heavily guarded computer systems, in the heavily guarded offices that deal with these things. Students and professors are referred to from the first week on by their chosen names, and they’re kept track of with student ID numbers and photos. It’s not usual for the exhaustively screened staff in charge of all this to have nightmares about making a mistake.

oddloop said: I feel true names would still have power. Whether or not its chosen or given, it is your power and closer to your heart, so by giving that knowledge to someone else you share your power, give them the power over you that you have yourself

True names absolutely have power – it’s hooked into the fundamentals of who you know yourself to be. It can obviously be used for harm, to compel you against your will. But it can be used to save you - this is the flipside. If you’ve eaten the food underhill, if you are too enchanted or dazzled or lost to find your own way back to your own mind, someone who knows your true name can break the spell and call you home.

pretzel-log1c said: In certain tales, Nicknames can be just as powerful as True Names. Especially if they are given. Are their any students that get trapped into the mold of their nickname? Like say, if a student went by Mouse?

It’s happened before. With any luck you don’t choose a safename that has any huge significance to you, and you’re aware enough of your own emotions to tell if you’re getting too attached to it. But these are not guarantees.

Your nickname probably won’t change you. But the rules are bendy here.

tookmelongenough-right said: In regards to Elsewhere U and names, I remember a series where you could bargain to give away one name per boon, so someone could, if they were desperate enough, make up to three deals with the fae. Four, if you had two last names.

If your true name is your full name all together, if you name yourself with the entirety of it – then yes, you could sell it piece by piece. Each fragment would have some power, enough to buy something valuable, if they thought you’d be coming back to make another deal or three.

kikinickle said: Another question about True Names: If you've had a nickname as long as you've had your real name, given to you at birth (or even before birth) and used as often as your legal name (though by fewer people) throughout your life, does it count as much as your legally given name?

It depends on its relevance to who you consider yourself to be.

[pegtl]

Landlocked Blue (3/10)

COMMISSION

PAIRING: Mikasa Ackerman/Annie Leonhart

SUMMARY:The Ackerman and Leonhart families have been warring over the control of Maria City for years, their conflict only intensified by the events that happened nearly half a decade ago. Seeking compromise, the heiress of the former family decides that forming a friendship with the latter’s heir would be the best course of action. However, circumstances are never on her side, and Mikasa must decide who she’s really loyal to.

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Mikasa works.

Mikasa had been completely and utterly aware of how much they were expecting her to fail, and it’s with just as much disappointment in herself that she expresses to Levi that she did, in fact, fail. Unlike what Eren or Armin might’ve done, she doesn’t soften the knowledge with words, but instead tells him bluntly that the deal didn’t work out, and that Eren had actually threatened the Leonharts for noncompliance. As if he wasn’t aware of the fact that they were the underdogs in this situation, where the Leonharts could easily crush them if they wanted to.

Levi’s hooded eyes, which always manage to look nonplussed no matter what information he’s exposed to, merely blink. “I had expected as much,” he drawls, and that somehow seems to make Mikasa feel even worse.

She knew full well what his intentions were, and yet he was also the man who helped take care of her after her parents passed. Always particularly distant, knowing he could never replace his sister and her husband, but caring nonetheless. Technically her backer, technically someone who was on her side, if only for his own personal reasons, but still family nonetheless. It did hurt, knowing that in some way shape or form, he didn’t believe she would succeed.

“However,” Levi continues, rising from his plush leather chair to walk over to her, placing both hands on her shoulders, “that gives us an opportunity to let loose. They may think we’re incompetent in terms of negotiation, but they also believe that negotiation is the only tactic we have left. A bit ambitious of us to make demands –– what else would you do, though, if you were on your last leg, and still proud? That means we still have an opportunity to redeem ourselves. As far as the Leonharts are concerned, we’re back here licking our wounds, trying to find some way to apologize. They could do without us, and they think we couldn’t do without them.

“They aren’t going to expect us to mount a counterattack. Luckily for you, there’s a portion of the city that we’ve been keeping an eye on. It’s near the borders of Leonhart territory, but they’ve decided, for whatever reason, not to keep it heavily guarded. Quite a tactical disappointment on their part, a boon for us. I say we make good on Eren’s threat, take them on and make them regret ever denying those very, very simple terms.”

Mikasa swallows; this is the exact opposite of what she wanted. Although her whole plan of ‘making nice’ didn’t exactly work out, she still didn’t want to resort to backstabbing and other forms of violence, continuing the cycle. Even her parents had the same idea. Then again, it’s what got them killed. Maybe it was time to take things back by force. Lord knows it would at least keep the serum off the streets, and a happy Eren meant no broken things.

As if sensing her thoughts, Levi squeezes her shoulders, almost apologetic. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. If I had my way, everything would’ve worked out four years ago and we wouldn’t be stuck in this situation now. But they’re not going to back down, you know, that right? The Leonharts think they can take everything, that the world owes them something in return for fucking potatoes, and that it’s perfectly okay to ignore first come, first serve because of it. We made this place our own, and they just want to tear it from us –– well, they’ll have to do it from our cold, dead hands. The world isn’t ever what we want it to be, Mikasa. I learned that when I was young; it’s time for you to learn that too.”

She knows he’s right. Their line of work doesn’t usually end in mergers and peace and everyone getting their fair share. Anything involving guns doesn’t end until a higher power decides it’s time for them to stop –– and the fact that the Leonharts are run by a council rather than a single head means that agreement is probably never on the horizon for them. Even if one posited the idea of ending the conflict, it would have to go through several other people, who probably all had different stakes in the fight. They would never capitulate. So her attempt was the only solution they’d had, and it failed.

Might as well deal with the reality of the fallout –– retaliation. Better to strike first than be struck first, for obvious reasons.

And yet, she can’t stop thinking about the girl who came to them that night. Mikasa never caught her name, the girl never offered it. She had to be some sort of grunt, then, to find revealing herself irrelevant and time-consuming. Mikasa never introduced herself either, but that was because the Leonharts knew she was sending herself to broker the deal, and anyone they decided to send in return would surely know the fact.

The Leonhart council would never have to come to see her; they figured themselves too powerful to lower themselves to an Ackerman envoy, even if said envoy was the current Ackerman leader. But they also wouldn’t have sent the lowest of the low, because that would’ve been considered an offense and they weren’t dumb enough to do that.

But who was she?

She was pretty enough, Mikasa figured, but she looked like she belonged in a life like this. There was a hardness to the other girl –– a large nose that offset most of her other features, but enhanced her attractiveness rather than detracted it. Even beyond that, there was something about her, a aloofness, distance and detachment that made her seem like she didn’t really care as much as she really did. If Mikasa were an outsider looking in, she’d think the other girl was… cool.

Except, she’s not an outsider. She’s an enemy. They’re on opposite sides of a war, so there’s no point in admiring someone she’s supposed to hate. Even if the nameless girl was someone who seemed far better suited to this world than Mikasa herself, the knowledge would spell nothing but trouble. She might become a thorn in her side, after having been so thoroughly rejected by the Ackerman heiress.

She makes a note to task Armin with sending out some inquiries about the girl, just in case she becomes a pain in their asses somewhere in the near future. At the moment, though she’s more preoccupied with the idea that Levi’s set before her. Mikasa hasn’t been in the field for a long time, but to get back in it would win back whatever respect she lost by letting her plans fall through.

She needs to save face, so that’s what she’s going to do. She can’t have the others believing she was too temperamental to allow the negotiations she’d pushed so hard for to pass, because if there’s anything worse than thinking she’s too soft, it’s her enemies thinking she’s too volatile –– which, if anyone who knew her could attest, she was anything but.

Levi’s brows are furrowed as he watches her, arms crossed as he leans against his desk. He never comments on her elongated silences, instead preferring to observe his niece as she works through things herself. He must’ve realized there’s some sort of caution hardwired into her brain that doesn’t allow her to make any great moves without deep introspection. In many ways, she and her uncle are very alike.

Perhaps that’s why he’s so intent on making sure she remains in power, and why he thinks he’ll have no problems controlling her when she’s there at the top. She wonders if he knows that she knows.

“Are you going to do it?” Levi says, finally. Must’ve gotten sick of her silence.

She looks up at him, and then nods. It would do her some good to get some fresh air, as well. “I will,” Mikasa says. “Let’s wreak a little havoc.”

––

Levi’s always right, and the absolute holds true even as she and Eren (with Jean and Marco trailing not far behind) go along the sliver of city that is right on the border of Leonhart territory. It’s a nice enough spot to be doing business, what with the nearby river and tourist shops lining the pretty view. That’s a good amount of people to be taking cuts from, although Mikasa is sure that the Ackermans would demand a much smaller price than whatever the Leonharts were holding over their heads.

The riverbank is empty for the time being, no tourist of Maria City ever wanting to wake up particularly early to take in the sights and sounds of the location. It was nothing but birds chirping weakly as they too struggled to awaken themselves. But Mikasa was more than awake –– arguably tense, but that was just her natural state these days.

Mostly, at this point, her mode of action is going door to door, speaking to any of the shop owners who are currently within their business at the time. Barely getting ready for actually opening, it becomes easier to pick them over to her side, since there aren’t any witnesses or random citizens to help prevent any sort of altercation into occurring. Many of the people selling things on the riverbanks are of the older generation, people who decided to relax in a not-that-competitive market, despite there being dozens of other stores selling similar wares along the entire street. People will duck into any shop with a friendly looking senior citizen to buy a keychain.

Which means they also sell a lot of keychains, and that’s some profit you’d be stupid not to tap into.

Most of them come willingly. It’s only a few exchanges of words, and they’re usually tempted by keeping a bigger cut than they usually get from the Leonharts, who demand forty-five percent of earnings –– the Ackermans’ thirty percent gets a lot more favorable response. The shop owners keep the majority of the money they make and the Ackermans get paid for their protective services. Those who agree must appreciate the fact that the Ackermans also provide reliable bodyguards, since it seems their Leonhart protectors are nowhere to be found. Maybe it’s because it’s so early. Well. Slackers never prosper.

There are some who hold loyalty towards the Leonharts, for various reasons Mikasa can’t fathom. The territory wasn’t originally Ackerman, it belonged to a smaller gang before the Leonharts swept in and took control. Probably for the best, since tinier syndicates rarely ever did so well with their extortion. They took, and there was no give. Bigger groups were smarter –– they knew that business like these were just as liable to get robbed as any other, and by offering protection in exchange for money, they would be readily accepted.

Because the Leonharts got there first, they were able to ward off any thieves a lesser posse would’ve let slip between the cracks. So Mikasa can’t fault them for denying her. If simple words can’t break them, then she has Eren to cracks his knuckles. Although there isn’t much difference between herself and her brother in terms of height, there’s still an intimidating quality about Eren. The unhinged look in his eyes, more than likely, is what causes them to capitulate.

There’s only one person who refuses to budge, and she really should’ve known better than to push, because there seemed like there was absolutely nothing that would convince the obstinate man of Ackerman superiority, arms crossed and scowl set perfectly on his face. It was the confidence of having the rest of the side of the street on her payroll that made her inner perfectionist absolutely need to have everyone in agreement.

This was a mistake, as it bought the store owner enough time for his original protectors to arrive, and none too happy. There’s only three people that show up, but they seem more than capable of taking care of Mikasa and her three companions. The largest of the Leonhart trio is a blond boy built like a monster truck. He’s all broad shoulders and muscle and there’s so much meat coiled underneath his clothes that they look like they’re ready to burst. The boy next to him is taller by a few inches, and the thin counterpart to the other’s hulk.

In between them is the nameless girl, Mikasa’s mystery woman. She’s dressed more warmly than she was last night; her hood is pulled over her head and a denim jacket serves as her third layer of clothing. There’s a disinterested look in her gaze –– brief recognition flashes across her visage, then promptly disappears –– and she seems more content to just stare them down than actually do anything.

“What do we have here?” she drawls. As if she didn’t know. The lanky boy to her left rolls his eyes.

Mikasa can hear Eren rolling on the balls of his feet. The rustle of fabric as he puts his hands up. There’s absolutely no way she could resolve this peacefully, not when they’ve just been caught trying to sway the Leonharts’ backers and not when Eren’s nothing short of raring to go at them. Well, it wasn’t like she was expecting anything to go the path of least resistance, not after that little disaster she’d be better off forgetting.

The girl cocks her head, looking faintly amused. “You know this is nothing short of a declaration of war, right? Trying this shit was enough to put us on alert –– good thing we had that panic button installed in here, by the way –– and now, thinking you can… what? Take us? That’s going to do nothing but bring down a world of hurt on you Ackermans. Do you really think you could handle it?”

“Wouldn’t have tried it if I didn’t think so.” Mikasa tips her chin upward. A cocky gesture that makes the other girl tsk.

The Leonhart meathead cracks his neck. He must think the gesture looks intimidating. He looks to the girl for confirmation. So she isn’t as low as Mikasa originally considered her to be, if he’s waiting for a go-ahead before trying to bash their heads in. Could it be? Did the Leonharts actually decide to send someone of import to their ill-fated liaison?

Such a shame. Mikasa really doesn’t want this to end with spilt blood on this nice carpet, but she’s rarely ever gotten her way in such situations. Marco is decent enough at combat. He’s not quite suited for it, and is probably better off working a desk job than being on their side. What matters at the moment, though, is that he can hold his own. The disconcerted look on his face aside, it doesn’t look like Mikasa or Eren will have to be babying him. If anything, it looks like the job falls to Jean, not that the other would mind.

Someone lets out a muffled yelp behind her –– probably the store owner –– and the spike of noise is followed by the shuffling of feet. Good. She didn’t want any civilian blood on her hands. This was a display of dominance, but it wasn’t as if she was trying to assert it on the man himself.

No one is particularly sure who throws the first punch. No doubt when both go back to their respective heads (at least, she hopes the Leonharts will be able to go back; it doesn’t look like Eren is particularly fond of easing up) that they’ll be pointing fingers at the other. It all ends up as a blur, anyways.

Eren, the daring young man that he is, goes straight for the blond. He’s got a good foot, give or take, of height against Eren, but that doesn’t stop him from nearly climbing on top of the man as they grapple. Mikasa doesn’t have enough time to watch the outcome of that spat before she finds herself ducking under a quick jab.

How very Vin Diesel, Fast and Furious of them, to have the girls locked in a fist fight. The Leonhart is fast, a steely iciness in her blue-gray eyes. Mikasa would be impressed, if she weren’t so focused on trying to avoid lasting brain damage. The girl’s fists come in a flurry towards her face, but Mikasa finds an opening and drops and goes for a jab against the girl’s ribs.

She manages to dodge, but the hit still grazes her side, and the elbow she meant to jab in the center of Mikasa’s back loses some of its strength. The girl huffs and goes quickly to the offensive. Her knee comes upward and Mikasa does a quick flip backwards to avoid it.

She takes a moment to size the other up, loose in her stance. She’s always been more of an MMA girl, and furthermore just one who would do anything it takes to come out on top, but it seems the other’s a trained boxer. Her stance is very closed and guarded. The only reason Mikasa got an opening was because of their proximity. The Leonhart girl didn’t expect her to be so fast on her feet that she could sidestep her. If Mikasa were her, she’d have kept her distance. It’s the best way she can get any hits in, now knowing the other’s speed. She has yet to gauge her accuracy, and doesn’t get to analyze any more before she’s hoisted off the ground by a pair of burly arms.

The Leonhart girl takes that as an opening. She swings in close, but Mikasa tucks her legs in and kicks with all her strength. It ends up bracing against the other girl’s forearms, but it’s enough to ward off the attack so that she can wiggle her way out of her captor’s grasp.

Somebody behind her shouts, “Hey!” and the boy holding her suddenly grunts in pain. His hold loosens, and she twists in his grasp to dig a knee into his ribs. He lets her go, and she drops on the ground with a thud. There’s a brief sting as she lands awkwardly on her ankle, but she’s otherwise unharmed.

The boy twists around to look at who distracted him, and gets a face full of Eren’s fist. Before Mikasa can fully recover herself, another set of arms wrap their way around her neck in a headlock. For a brief moment, she had forgotten the other girl was there. Stupid of her, to ignore a threat that she had barely managed to abate. She coughs and struggles before sinking further downward onto the floor. It presses the arms further against her windpipe, but it also brings the other girl’s head closer towards her as she tightens her grip. Reaching around her, Mikasa smacks her hands against the girl’s head, open-palmed. The other lets out a strangled noise and releases her. She wobbles on her feet, dazed.

Mikasa uses the opportunity to throw a good left hook. It isn’t her dominant hand. The resounding crack as the girl’s head swings and her hands stick out in front of her to catch her fall.

The look on the other’s face is, were it not for the current circumstances, nor Mikasa’s own ethical feelings towards them, nothing short of comical. It looks as though she’s never been hit in her life. If she had, it had been very long ago. Mikasa usually likes knocking people down a few pegs, but there’s something about the devastation in the girl’s features that makes her a little uneasy. The ruckus around them seems to have stopped, and she takes a cautious survey around the room.

Both of the Leonhart boys have the same look of abject horror on their faces, as if they’d never expected a hit to land on their partner. Eren breaks the silence first by taking advantage of their surprise to start wailing on them. The action resumes, almost like someone’s pressed play on a paused video.

The girl screeches, almost inhuman, and lunges at Mikasa. She moves to grab her around the waist, and Mikasa moves with the hit, dodging any sort of lasting damage that might’ve made her winded by the movement. As they topple over, she swings her elbows down at the girl’s upper back. She makes contact, but it doesn’t seem to faze the other very much; it’s like she’s gone berserk. It’s all Mikasa can do to bring up her arms to guard her face. The other girl still gets a few hits in, and Mikasa knows she’ll be forming bruises by the end of the day. She manages to avoid a black eye, though, and twists with all her might to knock the other girl over. They’re dangerously close to a marble pillar along the wall of the store. If the girl were to throw her weight into flipping Mikasa over, she’d more than likely crack her head over it.

She grabs the girl by the lapels of her jacket and drags her upwards. Mikasa doesn’t want anybody cracking their heads on any pillars, even if they are a Leonhart. The other girl tries to shove her, but Mikasa again falls with the movement. She plants her feet on the other girl’s midsection as she lies flat and flips her roughly. With some luck, the other girl won’t land on her head and break her neck. So much for safety.

Luckily for Mikasa’s conscience, she doesn’t. The girl sways on her feet. Disoriented is a mild way of putting her condition. Mikasa scrambles to her feet, just about ready to tell the girl to step down and take a breather. She has no intention of murdering anyone. Eren is gleefully beating the Leonhart’s compatriots to a pulp, but even he knows that killing them is stepping over the boundary. Lethality needs to be authorized, first. War was brewing anyways; it was just a matter of how quickly they wanted to escalate it.

The girl again tries to lunge. This time it’s sloppy. Her previously guarded stance is nowhere to be found. At this point, she’s just hoping the action won’t be a swing and a miss. Unluckily for her, Mikasa’s just barely out of breath, and it doesn’t take much to twist her arm behind her back and dig another elbow into her shoulder. The girl cries out, and then drops.

Like a ragdoll.

The Leonharts turn tail and run –– that’s the only way to explain their behavior as the girl crumples to the ground. The boys stare with wide-eyed horror when she struggles to get back on their feet, and lunge forward to grab her. They haul her up by the arms and make quickly for the door, muffled curses following their every movement. The girl resists, though, kicking and flailing. Mikasa would think that last hit would put her out of commission, but it seems that she’s driven more by rage than anything else.

“The fuck are you doing?” she shouts. One of her eyes is beginning to swell, face red from the pummeling she took. Mikasa’s knuckles feel a little tender. The girl’s attempts to free herself from her two companions don’t exactly pan out, seeing as they’ve successfully managed to toss her into their car (headfirst, and even Eren has to give a little wince at the thunk of her hitting the opposite door) and speed off.

She turns back to her crew. While she’d been preoccupied with one person, they had two giants to take care of. Eren has a split lip, because he can never control his biting when he’s worked up. Jean and Marco look slightly worse for wear. She probably should’ve helped them out more, and she feels a twinge of sympathy as Marco presses tentatively against his right side and winces. She surmises, though, that they’re okay, for the time being. It becomes easy to forget that others aren’t always as good as taking and dishing out hits as she is. Something she apparently inherited from her uncle.

This wasn’t exactly the confrontation she planned out, but it did end up working in her favor, so who is she to complain? Mikasa tosses her brother a look, and Eren shrugs. Jean and Marco look nonplussed. She supposes that she can consider this a job well done, then.

“Um,” the shop owner pipes up. Mikasa had forgotten he was even there. “How much did you want per month, again?”