#and the only person who'd know those stories is gone

[zeherili-ankhein]

I will literally get obsessed with that one side character from a show/story that no one even watched/read and that's all I'd be thinking about for the next six months until I get a new obsession

[zico-if]

This story is not one, where at the end, you find yourself surrounded by your loved ones. No, this is a one of how you die.

[ DEMO - tba ]

Ever since the death of your parents by those who'd been sworn to protect you, there has been something inexplicably wrong with you.

At first, they were just headaches—small manageable aches, even at their worst. But then came the voice. A voice that wasn't yours, whispering things you couldn't possibly know, helping you do things no one should be able to do.

Everything about you was just...wrong.

But then you were saved, taken in by people who gave you shelter and taught you control. And over time, that voice became nothing more than a whisper, offering you insights when you least expect it.

You became a scalpel in their organization, an invaluable asset who cut away whatever rot they pointed you to, and you did so without question.

That is, until one day a job lands you in hot water and the next thing you know, you're told to cut the rot that lies a little too close to the heart. Suddenly, the truth becomes lies, friends turn to foes, and the fine line between loyalty and betrayal begins to blur.

That begs the question: just how far are you willing to go to cut out that rot before it spreads?

Become a vessel for an Eldritch that grants you abilities like no other, yet endure the consequences that follows it.

Customise your vessel, including their pronouns, identity and physical appearance.

Romance 1 of 4 options: the rot, the grace, the protector or the stranger.

Confront old friends, create new foes, run some errands and try not to die while doing any of it.

Pluck at the fraying strands of your mind. Teeter to the edge of Insanity.

Trust that no one is who they say they are.

And most importantly: Abandon All Hope.

The Rot: Ilya Roson [m/f/nb] - romanceable by all MCs.

A person who you've long since thought was gone. They've betrayed you once and they've come to do it again. Then again, betrayal requires trust in the first place and you've since learned your lesson from the first time.

The Grace: Vira Duval [f] - romanceable by nb!MCs and f!MCs only.

She is beauty, she is grace, yet monstrous all the same. There is something about her that strikes you: the scars that creep from beneath her neck line, the cold calculation in her eyes. She is more than the Blueblood you think she is.

The Protector: Aurius Duval [m] - romanceable by all MCs.

A scion of everything you've come to hate, he dares to call himself a protector—a shield to the people above all else. While he is kind and polite, you can't help but see the blood that he carries on his hands...even though you carry more on yours.

The Stranger: Rhian Scott [m/f/nb] - romanceable by all MCs.

They are the trouble that follows you, the herald of misfortune. Why is it that every time they're near, something always goes wrong? Is it the charm, leeching all the luck you have to fuel it? Or is it maybe that they are just not the friend they claim to be?

The Night Abridged is rated 18+ for violence, strong language, blood & gore, sexual content and more.

Hello, my lovelies. Here is a new intro post for the remake of The Night Abridged, reblogs are much appreciated :)

[goatcheesecak3]

How about Adam x reader who were dating before the trap, maybe got into a fight, but Adam lives because that’s definitely what happened and they find each other.

Also ur NSFW hcs were good so feel free to sprinkle some spice if you see fit :)

Lost and found

Adam Faulkner-Stanheight x gn!reader

Fic type: angst, fluff

Warnings: missing person, medically induced coma

A/n: hello!! Thank you for your request, it was such a cute idea!! There's no nsfw because I couldn't find a way for it to fit into this story, but while we're on the topic I just wanna give a message to anyone who saw my Adam nsfw hcs!! I originally posted the unfinished version by accident, but I've gone back and added more to them since! So make sure you're all caught up on those, in my very biased opinion they're extremely canon teehee :^) all can be found in my masterlist as usual

You and Adam had dated for two years before finally ending it about a month ago. The relationship was tumultuous to say the least, epic highs followed by epic lows. Being with Adam could be so wonderful at times, the way he kissed you like you were the only person in the world, the way he would have you folded in on yourself laughing. Your memory was filled with long nights spent talking and falling deeper and deeper in love. Adam was good with his words, which was a blessing and a curse- he could make your heart flutter just as easily as he could crush it. Arguments were frequent, and volatile, he always took things too far. Deciding that this was no way to live, with heavy hearts, the two of you called it quits.

You'd heard around from mutual acquaintances that he'd gotten into a pretty rough spot after the breakup, apparently he'd become some kind of stalker for hire? Like a private investigator but with absolutely no credentials or regard for his or anyone else's safety. It didn't exactly surprise you that he'd gone into a somewhat shady line of work, considering his lack of high school diploma there weren't really many options for him, you wished you could help, but you'd both agreed to keep your distance and move on.

One day however, you couldn't help but break the promise you'd made to yourself, and you asked about him. You'd run into his best friend, Scott at a video store, and despite all your restraint, the words tumbled out of your mouth:

"How's Adam been lately?"

"Pfft how should I know? I haven't spoken to that asshole since he totally bailed on my band photoshoot" Scott scoffed, rolling his eyes disinterestedly.

It wasn't like Adam to turn down paid work of any kind, so you decided to pry deeper,

"What do you mean? He just didn't show up?"

"Yeah, no call, no nothing. He hasn't spoken to anyone. Probably thinks he's too good for me and the guys now with his investigator bullshit, but lemme tell y-"

"Wait, he's actually doing that?! That's so dangerous, you don't think he's gotten himself into trouble do you?"

"I don't know, I got my own shit to worry about. Besides, no one bails on me and gets my sympathy. Scott Tibbs don't chase, baby." He said, all too loudly. You could practically see his ego bulging out of his head.

As you left the video store, the interaction played on your mind. After you and Adam had broken up, Scott was pretty much the only person in his life, and he didn't seem to give two hoots about Adam's wellbeing. Essentially, there wasn't a single person on earth who'd heard anything from Adam in the last week, and no one seemed to be trying to find him. You knew his family were estranged, and pretty much everyone else in his life were all acquaintances at best. If he was in trouble, it was up to you to help.

You headed to his apartment, just to see if he was home. Best case scenario he was, and you got some of your cds back, worst case.. well, you didn't wanna think about that.

You crept up the creaky mildewy staircase of his apartment complex until you reached his floor. Something in your gut felt wrong as you got closer to his door, something that you couldn't quite understand. It wasn't fear, it was overwhelming dread. You always thought there was a big difference between those two feelings; fear was wondering if something bad would happen, and dread was knowing in your heart that it would.

You knocked on his door and waited a beat. Nothing. For whatever reason, a voice in your head told you to try the door handle, and to your surprise, it was unlocked. Adam's apartment looked frozen in time, a half eaten bowl of mouldy noodles sat on his coffee table, an empty beer bottle next to it. Everything looked untouched. That was until your eyes made their way to the floor next to his closet- his camera. Smashed to pieces, and left strewn all over the floor. Your eyes darted up toward his redroom, which appeared to have been ransacked.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. You repeated over and over in your head like a mantra.

Your first thought was that someone he'd been stalking had caught him, followed him home to destroy any damning evidence, then deal with Adam.

Panic set in at this moment, as you rushed through his apartment, desperately hoping he was just passed out somewhere.

"Adam?! Adam?!" You cried out, to no avail.

Of course, the second you had regained enough composure to remember to do so, you called the police and filed a missing person's report. The next few days were filled with police interviews, cutting out and sticking the few pictures of Adam you had onto missing person's posters and plastering them all over the city. You handed them out to anyone who would take them, you gave them to all the venues and corner shops that Adam often went to, and you hounded the police relentlessly.

Sure, Adam was your ex, but my god how you had loved him, how you still loved him. You were the only person in his life who loved him, and you refused to give up.

After 6 never ending days, your phone rang. It was a call from the police.

"We've found a young man fitting Adam's description on the outskirts of the city. He's currently in the hospital in a medically induced coma while the staff tend to his injuries. As he is unable to identify himself at this time, we would greatly appreciate it if you could come down and identify him for us" the voice from the phone said.

This was like music to your ears, you tried not to get your hopes up, but you just knew it was him. It had to be, you could feel it in your heart.

As you stood by the bed of the man, you fell to your knees and wept. He was far skinner, his skin pale and almost translucent, his hair tangled and dirty- but there was no doubt about it, that was your Adam.

"That's him! That's my baby! Oh my god, that's my Adam!" You sobbed, clutching into the police office for support. He looked happy for you.

...

After a few days, Adam woke up. He was by no means in good shape, but he was alert, he was safe, and he was asking for you. He'd had to speak to police before he could have any visitors, but they'd assured him that you had done a great deal to help them find him, and he was touched.

"I thought I was gonna die in that room.."

"You probably would have, if y/n hadn't tried to find you"

"No one else reported me?"

The cop shook his head solemnly.

"Damn... I gotta see her, i- I gotta thank her,  i-"

He rambled like this for a while, until he was assured that you were able to come visit him.

...

"Hey, sugar" Adam smiled cockily, despite how weak he was.

You approached the chair next to his bed and reached down to stroke his face lovingly.

"That didn't sound very ex boyfriend of you" You teased.

"Aw come onnnn, I nearly die and you still don't want me back?" He whined, giving you a playful pout.

You chuckled and kissed his forehead,

"I basically saved your life, don't get greedy"

Adam's eyes narrowed, and he looked uncertain, "wait.. are you saying you actually don't wanna get back together?"

You rolled your eyes and pinched his cheek,

"Of course not dummy, I just like watching you squirm"

Adam mustered all of his strength to lift his arms and place his hands on your cheeks, pulling your face towards his.

"You're such a bitch" he mumbled against your lips with a smile

"You're a bitch" you giggled back.

The playful teasing went on for a while, until you were sat in a love filled silence, just holding eachother's hands. Adam was the first to break the silence.

"I'm a changed man, you know, y/n"

"Huh?"

"While I was in that room, you were all I could think about. I kept thinking about all the times I hurt you and I knew I needed to make it right. I made a vow to myself that i was gonna get out of there, and I was gonna get you back... and I was gonna love you the way you deserve to be loved. I'm gonna do that, y/n. I'm gonna prove I deserve to be with you, even if it takes a lifetime... which it probably will now that you basically saved my life"

"Yeah, it's gonna be pretty difficult to level that playing field" you smiled jokingly.

"I mean it, y/n," Adam said, his voice serious, "I promise I'm going to devote the rest of my life to loving you, it's the least I could do".

And several happy years later, he's kept that promise.

[fellow-human-writer]

On writing motivation and writer's block (+ a special piece of my own writing)

So, for a self-proclaimed writer, I haven't been doing very well with my writing lately. It's been well over six months now since I last wrote anything of substance (I spent two weeks writing a chapter every day and burned myself out, but that's a story for another day). Right now, it's hard to not feel a bitter sense of guilt about it all. Where has all my motivation gone? How dare I call myself a writer? Maybe I should just forget about it. I'd never make it anyway. But then, I remember one particular piece of writing I produced over 9 months ago, some time before hitting my big wall. A seemingly random fragment from chapter 9 of my semi-abandoned WIP. Perhaps it will read as nothing special to you. I won't claim it to be perfect, or even great writing. But to me, it is hope. I showed it to my one and only beta (more like alpha) reader at the time, who'd been keeping up with my novel-writing endeavors, and they told me that these paragraphs had evoked deep feelings in them. That they were beautiful. It won't have that effect on everyone—hell, it won't have it on most people. But, at the very least, I made one person feel something beautiful with my writing. I know that. And is that not what this is all about? As long as I can make one person feel, maybe it's all worth it after all. I will keep calling myself a writer. I won't give up. And I guarantee, you reading this right now have the ability to make people feel too, no matter what. Be strong, friend. I will be rooting for you. I want to share that special fragment of mine with you all. It's out of context, given that it's from chapter 9 of a novel, but I think it can mostly stand on its own. One crucial piece of worldbuilding first: The main trait this fantasy world has is that its two continents (gigantic floating islands/landmasses) are situated in such a way that the one on top (the "highlands") block most of the light/sky for the residents of the one below (the "lowlands"), which is where our POV character currently is, going through some magical trial or other (you'll see!) Without further ado, here's said piece of writing. I hope at least one of you out there who randomly came across this post enjoys it :]

Leiden looked up. The base of the highlands couldn't be more than a couple dozen paces away. From so up close it felt even more oppressive than usual. He noticed a second plaque, inlaid in the roof of the tower, where he was standing. There was more to the trial, as he suspected. After reading its contents, however, he felt confused. ‘I'm glad to see you make it here. Your task is simple: Feast upon the beauty of the sky.’ He looked up again. It would be hard to feast upon what wasn't there. If he looked to the sides, he could just barely make out the thin lines of sky visible beyond the highlands. It didn't feel like enough to exactly feast upon. For the sake of trying something, he lied down with his back to the stone. He had enjoyed cloud watching, back when he was above. Even though there were only rocks on top of him, he wrapped his hands behind his head, and tried to remember the feeling of admiring the sky. He closed his eyes and pictured a summer afternoon, with an open sky decorated by a few lonely clouds. What was the point of this trial? Maybe it had once been possible to see the sky from here. Had the highlands not always been above the lowlands? Perhaps it was all part of the trial. Slowly, those complicated thoughts ran out of steam, and Leiden became fully involved in his personal sky, and his little clouds. It was nice. It had been a while since he'd felt like he could afford to take a moment to just relax. He saw shapes of all kinds in the clouds, as they swirled and morphed and danced with the wind. Sometimes the sun peeked from behind, bathing him in rays of light. He realized there was no need to limit himself to one kind of sky. A wave of darkness swept over the azure background, and small brilliant dots started to cover the sea of black. The moon stood out amongst them all, shining with borrowed light. It seemed larger than usual, like it was stretching to cover Leiden's view to the fullest extent it was capable of. For a moment, within himself, Leiden stopped feeling alone as he became part of a whole. He was a blade of grass, swaying in the dirt, surrounded by acres of grassy fields. He was a star, shining with the endless power of the sun; a speck, part of a map of dots where each one represented wonders beyond a human’s capability to understand. He was everything, and yet he was nothing at all. It was a realization that often eluded a species defined by their willingness to work against nature. What separates a human from an eagle, soaring through the clouds; or an ant, working hard for the good of its colony? What makes us so different from a flower, helping the bee produce its food in exchange for having their lineage continued? Are we so different from a gust of wind, ephemeral in its passing, yet meaningful all the same? Leiden felt like a mote of dust, suspended in a beam of light. Visible only as long as the sun shined, yet always there. He floated in the air, no longer supported by the steady stone beneath him. Well done, child, a voice said. He was so surprised by the voice that he snapped out of his daydreaming. He opened his eyes and realized that he really was floating—or he had been, until the free fall started.

Thank you sincerely for taking the time to read it. It means a lot. I would love to hear what more people think of it. I'm still severely lacking as a writer, but I'm proud of it. It's more poetic than what I usually produce. That's all for today, friends. I hope you have a wonderful day. Good luck on your writing endeavors! We'll make it through, together <3

[justsigma-bsd]

Eighteen

Honestly, way too many warnings.

TW for: starvation, abuse, dehumanization, human trafficking, (more or less off-screen) death, violence, etc.

Basically me trying to use the panels of Sigma's canon backstory and trying to make it into a short story. And likely making it worse.

People who might be interested:

@respiratory-kristem @my-taintedsorrow @fukuzawa-armeddaddyagency @currentlyeatingrocks

Pain. That's one of the first things he felt, learned. 

The pain of hunger, of thirst and of the sun burning his skin, of hot sand burning the soles of his feet.

The people who'd found him had seemed... not nice, not kind, not gentle, but safe. They gave him water and food, even as he all but fell face first into the sand in front of them. They brought him out of the sun and into a cold building, dragging him along by his arm. He'd passed out somewhere along the way, exhaustion catching up like a tidal wave. 

When he'd come to, he'd found himself waking in a cold place with stale air, quite whispers reaching his ears. Something metallic rattled, every now and again, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself in a dim and dirty room with a dozen other people in varying states of awareness, some asleep and some talking in hushed murmurs.

No one seemed to have noticed him being awake.  

None of them looked all that healthy. Sunken faces, thin frames, clothes and faces and hair dirty. They looked as exhausted as he felt. It took him a moment before he realized yet another thing they all shared in common. Heavy metal shackles wound around these people's wrists, and a glance down showed him that he was no different. 

The metal was cold and unyielding, sharp edges digging into his wrists and leaving them aching. He couldn't tell how to get them off, and thus didn't even try. 

If anyone noticed him being awake, nobody felt the need to talk to him. 

~

Over the course of the next days he found himself stuck in a routine. 

Early in the morning all of the people in the cramped room would be ordered out and into yet another cramped space, told to do one task or another. Sometimes they'd be allowed to eat, sometimes they weren't. Sometimes they dug for hours in the sands, sometimes they stood at assembly lines putting firearms together until their hands couldn't move anymore. 

He hated it with a passion, but he saw what happened when someone paused for even a moment too long. When someone tried to stop themselves from messing up by taking a few seconds to just breathe and didn't resume quickly enough. 

Sometimes, it was a whip that lashed through the air. 

Sometimes, it was a fist that connected with someone's face or ribs. 

Sometimes, and those were the ones he found most horrifying, a bang would echo out. 

Most of the time, the person wouldn't get up again after the shot. Rarely they did, and were gone the next morning. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. 

He didn't want to end up like that, no matter how exhausted he was. He didn't want to die, even if giving up seemed so much easier, half the time. 

Still, he never found himself working enough, no matter what he did, how hard he tried. He'd always find a kick connecting with his ribs, a slap causing his head to snap to the side. How he hadn't broken a bone yet, he wasn't sure.

He just knew that pain was a constant companion. 

~

Among the other people stuck in this place with him was an older man who tended to sit next to him in the cramped room, quietly murmuring words in a language he couldn't understand- he'd later learn, in a different conversation a few days after their first, that the words were Greek and that it was the alphabet he had been whispering to himself. 

He didn't know it, then, but the alphabet was the only bit of Greek he'd learn. 

They didn't talk with each other though, not at first. They didn't talk until his second week in this place- or perhaps his third. He couldn't quite tell anymore. 

It wasn't the other who initiated the conversation. No, the older man had only passed him the bit of bread he'd been given. And he'd stared down at the additional ration, face blank and confused. 

"This is yours" he'd found himself saying, and blinked at how raspy his own voice sounded. It was as if sand was scratching across his vocal cords. He couldn't remember the last time he'd talked. Or drank, for that matter. 

The old man smiled, and even in the dim room he could see the odd... warmth, in the other's eyes. A sort of warmth he'd never seen on the faces of their captors. "It's alright, Eighteen. I don't need it. Eat" 

He winced at the name, the name their captors had bestowed upon him. But who was Eighteen to complain? It wasn't like he had a different name to go by- he couldn't remember one. 

He tried to argue, tell the other, Four if he remembered correctly, that he doesn't have to share. But Four was adamant, and Eighteen was hungry. He hadn't gotten a lot the last few days, a consequence of not doing enough work, which had led to him doing an even worse job. 

In the short time, he'd already accumulated more injuries than he could count, and he doubted many of them would fade entirely. 

Others, quietly, whispered about wanting to leave. He didn't fully understand. Leave? To where? The desert? Certain death? He hated the pain and fear and hunger, but the thought of leaving left him just as scared as the thought of staying. 

~

Over the course of his first month he occasionally shared rations with Four, who he'd learned was actually called Alexandros. Alexandros was different. Not just from him, but most of them. He was treated differently, wasn't made to work as much as the rest of them. Simply because out of all of them, he was the only one with an ability. 

"The Boundless Garden" he'd whispered, once, when Eighteen had asked why Alexandros was given more rations than the rest of them and watched him share some bread with a young girl he dimly remembered being called Seven. He remembered her mainly because of her pride and her insistence that they'd all make it out alive, one day. 

He never knew her real name. 

The Boundless Garden was such an odd name, Eighteen couldn't help but think. It sounded so grand, so beautiful, so free... but all it was, was an ability that could tell apart lie from truth. An ability that, so Alexandros told him, was quite valuable to their captors. 

To Eighteen, the ability seemed like a blessing, with how it seemed to make the other's life a little easier in this dark place.  

He'd learn soon enough that it wasn't the blessing he thought it was. 

~

Eighteen bit back a pained groan when his knees hit the cold, hard ground. Th muzzle of a gun pressed against the back of his head, a hand roughly grabbed his shoulder, holding him in place. "Y'know, Boss was thinking of just selling ya to get at least a bit out of ya, useless as you've been" 

It wasn't the first time the word 'sell' had fallen around him. Alexandros had mentioned similar things, and in all honesty, he wasn't sure if he was afraid of being sold or hoping for it. It could be a worse fate, or one far better. 

He stayed silent, even as the grip on his shoulder grew painful. "Useless as ya are, making a bit of profit off of you might even work, ya know? You're an odd one, you rat. You'd fetch a nice price for your appearance alone, only issue is that you're good for nothin'" 

Eighteen didn't understand why his appearance would have anything to do with it, but it wasn't like he actually cared. He knew that he stuck out among the others, that he looked different- but he didn't care enough to pay it any mind for too long. 

"That's why I think gettin' rid of ya would do us a lot more good" 

He felt his blood run cold, a sharp, dark sense of understanding filling his chest. He knew what would happen, and he wished, desperately, that he could stop it. He didn't want to die. He didn't. He'd only seen the desert and this building- he knew nothing of the world out there... and he wanted to live. 

The white-purple haired man didn't want to die. "Please, I can... I can do better" he found himself begging, and flinched when he received a harsh hit with the handle of the gun. Not hard enough to knock him out, but hard enough for pain to blossom on the back of his head. 

"Eighteen, Eighteen, Eighteen... always begging, yet never useful" There was a quiet click, the safety of the gun unlocked. And Eighteen couldn't help but wonder: How can I be useful? How can I survive? Did anyone else ever survive this? 

His thoughts whirled wildly, and the next thing he knew was a wave of thoughts not his own crashing down upon him. Then, he knew no more. 

~

They tested it, a few times. 

It took weeks until he properly knew how his ability worked, and even longer until he managed to be useful. 

Day in, day out he'd get harsh words. If he got lucky. They didn't hesitate to do worse if they deemed it necessary. There wasn't a day where he didn't feel pain. 

Sometimes, when he failed to activate his ability, he got slapped. He preferred that, since other times he found a knife slashing across his back, or his head slammed into the wall or ground as a consequence for his failure. 

Other times, when he did activate his ability but didn't get the information correctly (and how was he supposed to if they didn't give him specific orders and made him guess?), they threw punches and kicks until he thought he couldn't breathe, until he thought he'd pass out. 

A couple times they dunked his head under water and refused to let him up no matter how much he struggled and clawed at everything in reach. Refused to let him up until he went limp and was about to pass out. Sometimes waited until he inhaled water if they were being especially cruel, only to leave him hacking and coughing on the ground until he calmed just enough to repeat the process. 

A permanent thing was the new cell. It was small and empty. Lonely. He spend more than one night curled up against the wall, trembling so bad that it left his shackles rattling, crying himself to sleep. He would've preferred the cramped cell, solely because he wouldn't have been so alone. Eighteen didn't even want to talk with them- he just didn't want to be so alone. 

 They refused to leave him with the others, and he guessed they were afraid that he would spill some of the information he'd acquired from their captors. 

There was no Alexandros to share rations with anymore, either. Either he received food, or he didn't and had to deal with it. His stomach ached. He'd been hungry before, but now it was flat out painful. They barely gave him anything, just enough to keep him alive. 

Eighteen thought it'd get better once he was finally useful. 

Instead it felt so much worse. 

He was alive, but at what cost? Day in and day out he was in pain and hungry, alone with nothing but his own thoughts and afraid of what the next opening of the door would bring. 

~

If he thought it couldn't get worse, reading Seven's memories did make it worse. It was the first time he read memories off of a corpse and her open, lifeless eyes were still burned into his own. The memory of a knife sinking into his (her chest) and choking on his (her) own blood still echoed through his mind. 

Eighteen doubted he'd ever be able to forget it. The blood staining once only dirty hair. He hadn't known her well. He hadn't talked with her much before, but he knew of her ambitions to leave this place. 

He understood now, and silently wondered if escaping even was possible. He wanted to leave. He wanted to get out. 

That night he didn't cry himself to sleep, and instead remained awake until morning, silently mourning for a person he hadn't even known. A person who's name he'd never learn. By morning, he'd come to a decision. 

He wanted to get out. 

~

Eighteen met Alexandros only once after being transferred into the solitary cell, in the hallway. The old man looked shaky on his feet, and he looked paler than usual. The younger man couldn't help but think that he looked like Seven, with the difference that he was clearly still breathing and moving. 

"It was nice knowing you" Alexandros murmured to him, and Eighteen frowned. "Alex?" he found himself whispering, a hint of fear creeping through his veins. He tugged on his shackles, trying to stop in his tracks. The guard dragged him along mercilessly, leaving his feet to drag across the floor. 

Alexandros didn't look back, even as Eighteen struggled and fought to turn around, craned his neck to watch him walk away. He knew the room the old man was led to. Had seen the doors open once in passing, had seen the decaying bodies inside. 

The old man who'd shared his rations so long ago with him, who'd occasionally indulged him with stories about a world he'd never previously seen, who'd told him about abilities and a life in freedom, was being led to a fate not unlike Seven's. 

"ALEX!" Eighteen shouted, and cried out in pain when the bottom of a gun connected with his ribs harshly. He doubled over, but the pain was enough to distract him from his attempts of escaping. So he was dragged along, throwing only one last glance back, and watched as Alexandros was shoved into the room. 

A minute later, he heard the bang of a gun going off. 

He never saw Alexandros again. 

~

Pain, hunger, dizziness, loneliness. 

Those were his constant companions, staying with him day and night. 

Pain from the constant injuries, hunger from the lack of food, dizziness from the lack of sleep and over-use of his ability and loneliness from the solitary cell. The only words spoken to him were either orders, or rageful fits over his incompetence and failures. 

He was less and less sure how long he'd be able to keep going like this. 

He wasn't even sure how long he's lived like this. He could've sworn he heard one of the guards say something about a year having passed since a specific deal had been struck, remembered that the deal had been made not too long after they'd picked him up. 

If that's the case, he couldn't help but numbly think, then I've been 'Eighteen' for a year. Been in this hell for a year. Have suffered for a year. 

He missed the desert, if he was honest with himself. He missed the desert, for even if out there was nothing but certain death, it was still better than this. 

Eighteen glanced down at his shackles, and silently made a choice. 

~

Dizzy, that's what he felt like. Everything hurt and he didn't bother moving after he was thrown into his cell. He just laid there, staring at the ceiling numbly. The familiar click of the lock didn't reach his ears, though. 

Eighteen waited and waited, but nothing happened. He sat up slowly, wincing at the feeling of water droplets dripping from his hair and running down his face. The door wasn't fully closed. He couldn't believe his luck. 

He stumbled to his feet, slowly walking closer. It truly wasn't closed fully. He sneaked a glance outside. Nothing. Not a single guard in sight. His eyes burned, and he couldn't tell why, but he didn't bother to hesitate longer. Instead he slowly walked out of his cell, down the hallway. 

Nothing. 

Slowly and carefully he made his way down the hallways, peaking around corners carefully and doing his best to stay quiet. He was absolutely terrified. If he got caught now, he was a dead man. No matter if his ability was useful or not. 

But he wasn't caught, somehow. He made it all the way out and waited, patiently, until the gates opened for one person or another.

He felt bad, in all honesty, for leaving all of these people behind. But if he didn't take this chance and instead went back for the rest of them... would he manage to free them? Manage to get them all out of here, like Seven had wanted? 

He didn't know, and guilt clawed it's way up his throat at the thought of not even trying, but the gate opened and nobody had noticed him, the alarm wasn't blaring yet and he stopped thinking for a split second- 

And Eighteen ran. 

He ran like his life depended on it, because it certainly did. 

Baffled shouts and angry yells filled the air behind him- they recognized him instantly. How couldn't they, when his hair gave him away so easily? 

Shots filled the air, caused the sand to explode next to his feet, but he kept running on and on, not stopping even as the hot sand burned his soles. He ran until his chest ached, ran until his knees felt like they'd give out any second. 

Eighteen ran until he was certain he was safe, and collapsed in the shade of some rocks. 

Somehow, he was still alive. 

~

Only a few days after his escape Eighteen would find himself be picked up by seemingly kind strangers, who asked for his name. 

And Eighteen, who wished to forget that horrid number yet didn't know any other name, remembered his time with his captors. Remembered the shackles that had been broken off by these nicer people. Remembered Seven and Alexandros and the shared rations and the quite murmuring in a language he couldn't understand. 

And he would choose a name that he wasn't sure he'd one day regret or find happiness with. 

For even if it was a new name, there was still a piece of his old name in it. 

"Sigma" 

[yuseirra]

I've been thinking over this god thing over and there's another idea I have related to it!

Earlier I've said that ame-no-uzume(god of the arts) and her husband sarutahiko(the great bright god) may be related to Ai and Hikaru.

Their story might also have been inspired from Izanagi and Izanami and they're very famous, so I believe I wouldn't have to explain a whole lot, (and I bet there are people who know it in more depth) but.. Izanagi and Izanami (the creator gods of Japanese Mythology) have Amaterasu(the sun god), Tsukuyomi(the moon god) and Susanoo(the god of the sea and storms) as their children. Ruby has something to do with Amaterasu and we have a girl who goes by Tsukuyomi as a character, Aqua, with the full name being "Aquamarine" has a name that has to do with the sea.

The reason I've brought this up is because of the lore between Izanagi and Izanami. Izanami dies, and Izanagi tries to bring her back to life but fails. It rings a bell, right?

Yes, this story of theirs also aligns with the things that have been mentioned in Mephisto and Fatal. Those songs revolve around a person who desperately wants to meet their love again (who's likely passed away) but cannot.

I've been wondering just why the ED's title was named Mephisto. Mephisto is the name of the devil, right? When you have a wish and the devil in the same picture, it means there's some kind of pact.

If the person singing in the song's been kamiki (which I've been pretty much stressing over and over through multiple posts now) it'd mean he's had gone through something like that too, to revive the one he loves.

This could be why there is a "stage" that's mentioned in BOTH of the songs, he's in a deal that he can't back out from.

この舞台で足掻くことをやめない

I will not stop to struggle on this stage(Fatal)

だけどステージが逃がさない いついつまでも憧れ　焦がれているよ

But the stage won’t let go I'll keep yearning and longing forever(Mephisto)

At this point, I'm so sure kamiki HAS done something to bring Ai back. He's made some sort of sacrifice for Ai it seems, he's probably made wishes regarding it, that come with a price but he didn't really care about his life in the first place after she's gone so he was willing to risk it. The efforts were probably in vain, though. But it could be really close to being granted if something's "filled in"

あなたがいないと生きていけない 何もかも捧げてしまってもいい あなたの愛がまだ足らない 欠けたものは何で埋めたらいい？

Without you, I cannot live anymore I would sacrifice anything for you I can’t get enough of your love What should I use to fill in what’s missing?(Fatal)

compared to Mephisto, Fatal seems more.. eager? energetic? but in an insane way. The speaker is actively doing something to fulfill their end goal. That's why I feel kamiki's missions are probably close to finish- he's all right with dying after having completed it

but in ch 154 he's heard that Ai wants to "help him" along with her children. and that she loved him dearly. This is going to leave him so devastated and conflicted lol because he's probably way past hope at this point. He can't be saved. He can't fulfill what Ai wants, that's going to make him very miserable. That's my guess. It's like everything he's doing had him stray even further off from what Ai wants.

Or it could be that he can't give up on Ai EVEN MORE now since he KNOWS that she loves him back too. Who'd give up on someone like that? She was like the only person who understood him and loved him. I can totally see why he couldn't let her go after all these years (may it be twisted. there is still some ambiguity in his words and we can be backstabbed) she was the one for him and he was to her, too, at least that's how he's felt when they were together. So he'd do ANYTHING for her. That lines up very well with those lyrics too.

So yeah. If my speculations are right Kamiki's so doomed... and doomed because of all the things he did that he thought was for Ai. Aligns with the respective mythologies too~.. I'd be surprised if these have NOTHING to do with the plot that's going to be revealed in the future because it just WORKS. It starts making so much sense to me.

[simplegenius042]

Music Monday

Tagging @aceghosts @noodlecupcakes @direwombat @socially-awkward-skeleton @voidika @imogenkol @la-grosse-patate @inafieldofdaisies @cassietrn @adelaidedrubman @shellibisshe @josephseedismyfather @icecutioner @derelictheretic @shallow-gravy @strangefable @rhettsabbott @josephslittledeputy @cloudofbutterflies92 @skoll-sun-eater @carlosoliveiraa @g0dspeeed @wrathfulrook @afarcryfrommymain @strafethesesinners @turbo-virgins @raresvtm @softtidesworld @starsandskies @ladyoriza @florbelles @minilev @yokobai @thewanderer-000 @omen-speaker @justasmolbard @alypink @thesingularityseries + anyone who'd like to join.

Songs for Life, Despair & Monsters, Wings And Horns WIP and A Radioactive Calamity Of Love, Bombs & Gore. Listen below:

An Old Ballad Of Chance And Ember Hearts Trilogy (including the Original Work it spins off from, Wings And Horns) is an Original Trilogy that is (loosely?) connected within the universe of my four main series, but takes place several, several centuries before the events of those series. Wings And Horns centers around the final months of the Soulmate System being in effect while an Archangel and his Angel of Death Cadet chase after a pair of extremists from Hell who are hellbent on destroying the system whether humanity wants it or not, while the Trilogy that spins off from that WIP centers around the first pair of humans to discover a way to travel the multiverse. These events set up story plots and characters in the series (specifically for The UnTitledverse and The Silver Chronicles). So yeah I think Fall Out Boy's "Centuries" fits these very much so.

"Some legends are told Some turn to dust or to gold But you will remember me Remember me for centuries And just one mistake Is all it will take We'll go down in history Remember me for centuries (Hey ya, oh hey, hey ya) Remember me for centuries

Mummified my teenage dreams No, it's nothing wrong with me The kids are all wrong, the story's all off Heavy metal broke my, heart

Come on, come on and let me in Bruises on your thighs like my finger prints This is supposed to match The darkness that you felt I never meant for you to fix yourself

Some legends are told Some turn to dust or to gold But you will remember me Remember me for centuries And just one mistake Is all it will take We'll go down in history Remember me for centuries (Hey ya, oh hey, hey ya) Remember me for centuries

I can't stop till the whole world knows my name 'Cause I was only born inside my dreams Until you die for me, as long as there's a light My shadow's over you 'cause I, I am the opposite of amnesia And you're a cherry blossom, you're about to bloom You look so pretty, but you're gone so soon

Some legends are told Some turn to dust or to gold But you will remember me Remember me for centuries And just one mistake Is all it will take We'll go down in history Remember me for centuries (Hey ya, oh hey, hey ya) Remember me for centuries

We've been here forever And here's the frozen proof I could scream forever We are the poisoned youth

Some legends are told Some turn to dust or to gold But you will remember me Remember me for centuries And just one mistake Is all it will take We'll go down in history Remember me for centuries (Hey ya, oh hey, hey ya) Remember me for centuries!"

In Life, Despair & Monsters, there is an (currently) untitled WIP for a little videogame that's still in development by Choice of Forums called Guenevere (an RPG like game where you play as Guenevere (or Guen for short) and you can set her skills, personality, determine her actions and her romance options). My WIP fic is only covering the stuff that's been developed as of recent, but since this is amongst my least prioritized fics, I will probably make some changes as the game continues to be developed. Anyway, basic premise is as follows: early on things go just as canon intended, Guen is doing fine (or as fine as canon will allow her to be considering she's now married to a stranger and the Queen), and on the night of her wedding party where after interacting with enough people, she goes outside for fresh air in the garden, somehow stumbles into a forest several kilometers from Camelot, meets a "kindly" gentleman by the name of Sir Enigma Malvolio, who proceeds to fuck up the plot and proceeds to scar Guen for life. Because Malvolio's modus operandi is to mutilate and violate humanity either spiritually (Life), emotionally (Despair) or Physically (Monsters), in the name of scientific progression and human evolution, no matter how unethical it is, because despite not being the same species, he knows what's best for us (lie). Anyway, Malvolio pretty much embeds a mechanical bracelet around her arm that can transform into advanced armour and weapons, with the addition of a roommate human intelligence named Orion (a poor sap who became one of Malvolio's "volunteers") who has to fight Malvolio's programming to help Guen out. Especially with not being discovered. Anywho, here's the song for Guen and Orion:

"Now I ain't much of a poet But I know somebody once told me to seize the moment And don't squander it 'Cause you never know when it all could be over tomorrow So I keep conjurin' Sometimes, I wonder where these thoughts spawn from." "Yeah, ponderin'll do you wonders No wonder you're losin' your mind, the way it wanders." "Yodel-odel-ay-hee-hoo I think you've been wanderin' off down yonder And stumbled onto Jeff VanVonderen 'Cause I need an interventionist to intervene between me and this monster And save me from myself and all this conflict 'Cause the very thing that I love's killin' me and I can't conquer it My OCD's conkin' me in the head, keep knockin', nobody's home I'm sleepwalkin', I'm just relayin' what the voice in my head's sayin' Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just friends with the-"

"I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed Get along with the voices inside of my head You're tryin' to save me, stop holdin' your breath And you think I'm crazy, yeah, you think I'm crazy

Well that's nothing (Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh) (Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh) Well that's nothing (Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh) (Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-oh!)"

Last song is "Just Like Fire" for A Radioactive Calamity Of Love, Bombs & Gore, because its a hype song that I never gets old listening to. Also its chaotic and using magic & fire which pretty much sums up Fallout on a surface level, with exception to the themes of war and the destructive greed of unchecked capitalism and my patricide revenge plot with siblings Ore and Ress against their father Urias. Though in a way I think it also resonates with Ress the most.

"Ah, I know that I'm running out of time I want it all, mmm-mmm And I'm wishin' they'd stop trying to turn me off I want it all, mmm-mmm And I'm walking on a wire, trying to go higher Feels like I'm surrounded, by clowns and liars Even when I give it all away I want it all, mmm-mmm

We came here to run it, run it, run it (Uh-huh) We came here to run it (Yeah), run it (Uh), run it

Just like fire, burning up the way If I can light the world up for just one day Watch this madness, colorful charade No one can be just like me anyway Just like magic, I'll be flying free I'ma disappear when they come for me I kick that ceiling, what you gonna say? No one can be just like me anyway Just like fire

And people like to laugh at you 'cause they are all the same, mmm-mmm (Uh) See I would rather we just go a different way (Yeah?) than play the game (Uh-uh), mmm-mmm And no matter the weather, we can do it better You and me together, forever and ever We don't have to worry 'bout a thing, about a thing (Not a thing), no

We came here to run it (Yeah?), run it (Uh), run it (Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm) We came here to run it (Run it!), run it (C'mon!), run it (Oh, oh!)

Just like fire, burning up the way If I can light the world up for just one day Watch this madness, colorful charade No one can be just like me anyway Just like magic, I'll be flying free I'ma disappear when they come for me I kick that ceiling, what you gonna say? No one can be just like me anyway Just like fire (Run it!), fire Run it, run it (Oh!) We came here to run it, run it, run it

So look, I came here to run it, just 'cause nobody's done it Y'all don't think I can run it But look, I've been here, I've done it Impossible? Please Watch, I do it with ease You just gotta believe Come on, come on with me Oh, what's a girl to do? (What, what?) Hey, what's a girl to do? (What, what?) Oh, what's a girl to do? (What, what?) Mmm, what's a girl to do?"

[djsherriff-responses]

So... I know I've never watched Captain Laserhawk... but I have a weird parody series I made that not only has the characters be more like their game selves (in looks, personalities, and even their own independent stories), but also:

Eden is not America, but is instead the evil government that controls America

Dolph has little to no idea as to what's going on early in the story

Jade is his adopted sister (I am. so sorry)

Pey'j and Alex actually act like father figures to the group (again, I am so sorry)

Bullfrog is... still Bullfrog

Alex, instead of being a bad guy of some sorts or Dolph's... overage boyfriend (jesus christ...), is an agent working for this story's Supermaxx, S.P.I.R.I.T. (which is this secret rebel organization that works against Eden instead of being... whatever the heck it was in the original, soooo...), as a mentor for rookie members of the organization, the S.P.I.R.I.T. Farts (haha funny fart joke I know (/s)).

He even offers Dolph, Jade, and Pey'j if they'd like to join the Farts as well, and while Jade was the only one to not hesitate on joining, they basically all agreed because hey they could stand up against Eden much more easily this way, what's the worst that could happen amirite? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Rayman, instead of being some guy who swears a lot and gets fired and goes "pew pew!" at Eden, is actually a limbless guy who's real name is Ramon and who quit by himself for several reasons (mainly because he wanted to "be more intimate with the outside world" but also because he felt like the world was bigger than the already big studio and mansion he lived in and also his coworkers were pretty mean towards him due to his success, so he wants to find at least someone who'd be nicer to him). Of course, this leads to him being the comic relief/ironic punching bag of the group, but at least Bullfrog's a good friend to him, so he sticks around. Even if he's supposed to be "held hostage" by the Farts.

Oh and did I mention that Ramon has a weird, one-sided crush on Dolph? (Yeah, I still stand by the idea of Rayman and Bullfrog just being friends/having a more familial relationship.) (I do, however, am testing the waters on the idea of Ramon having this crush on Dolph and Dolph just being annoyed and/or just really weirded out by that)

And that's everything I can list off the top of my head for my parody of Captain Laserhawk.

Isn’t that essentially the same thing?

In fairness no one has any idea what’s going on in the actual show, though I’m assuming here Dolph is cranked up to 11 for comedy’s sake

Why be sorry? I think that Dolph and Jade having a sibling-like bond is a sweet idea

Again why apologise? It’s your au and I totally get wanting to keep Pey’J more faithful to his character from the original Beyond Good and Evil as well as being uncomfortable with certain elements, same goes for Alex

Of cause he is

I’m assuming that Sarah is the defo bad guy and Alex is the good guy leader? I recommend looking into the game source material of each of these characters and use the game lore to develop them further. For example , Alex has a brother and nephew in the original Crew game as well as various close friends who you could implement into your au

No head bombs? : (

….. I feel like you’ve missed Rayman’s character arc or over simplified it but there’s plenty of other posts which explain that Rayman in CLH isn’t just a kids character gone edgy , so I’ll spare you the essay

Awww that’s cute!

This feels less like a parody and more like a what if AU where CLH was made for a younger demographic, with a some of its social commentary watered down. It’s most notably how you erased Dolph’s relationship with Alex and made Alex a completely different person, when in canon the relationship between those two is a massive driving force of the show’s themes and plots (Rayman would not have gotten fired if it wasn’t for those two!)

I do understand why though, CLH is a fast paced show with mature and uncomfortable topics with very little room for any of it to breath so it can come across as shock factor on a first time view

If you want to keep Alex as a friendly ally to Dolph, don’t let me stop you. But I think you should at least watch the show first, and also you’d find the 2000s Teen Titans series to be a useful source of inspiration going forward with this au, especially the dynamic between Robin and Slade

[poreyneel]

i was thinking about ur Durge x Gortash x Gale art, and its dynamic implications, and i thought of a slightly different version i thought youd like to hear,

Gortash x Gale x Tav

Hear me out, SPOILERS OF COURSE

Gale is torn between being Gale Dekarois, the man who loves his cat and learning, and being Gale of Waterdeep, the powerful wizard who was proud and strong enough to draw the goddess of magic herself, and who better to represent those desires then Enver & Tav?

Devilish Enver who hungers for control and power, whispering promises in his ear, of ruling together, of all his dark desires fufilled, of controlling the crown, because who needs the absolute when they themselves ascend to godhood?

Darling Tav who is sweet and charming, risking everything to save everyone, who accepted every piece of him, who would stand in defiance, who'd refused to compromise with evil and come out on top every time, who has given him hope and unconditional love.

i totally ranted for much longer then i meant lol but i am just very passionate

OMG THAT'S INTERESTING and I thought about them too!! thank you!! before I go to Tav x Gale x Gortash let's talk why I started all of this with Gale x Gortash (but it's with avatar Gale most likely bc there he can do literally what he wants bc we're controlling him lmao) so, it's literally a dynamic between two chosen - Bane already desired Mystra's power so in Gale's "I wanna reforge the Crown and ascend" corruption arc an alliance with Gortash can be useful to take her down their relationship is not about love, it's about partnership and world domination (because if players don't try to convince Gale to throw his ambition his root is an attempt to become a new god) and yes, the plot leads to a different outcome, but i love making different scenarios so it's like a trade offer - Gortash gets the opportunity to implement his plan, and Gale gets a strong ally to try to take revenge on Mystra and get rid of the sphere it's more about partners in crime again than feelings ig but we all know that in the canon this ambition does not end with anything good for one or the other but their duet would be truly catastrophic, provided that Gortash knows perfectly well what to put pressure on and what to say so, back to the Gortash x Gale x Tav: Gale is very easy to manipulate - Mystra has been doing this for a long time, we can do the same and Gortash, a specialist in manipulation, especially. Gale becomes attached very quickly, he doesn't like himself so much that he is ready for literally anything for the sake of those who give him attention. Gortash can take an advantage of it. My Tav - bard named Nayris Sterr - the absolute opposite of both Gale and Gortash. He doesn't need power even in theory of ascending and blah blah blah, he just wants to tell a story - and fate decides what it will be. For Gale, Nayris is a guiding light, he never judges him, but sees when something goes wrong. He knows people too well, especially their psychology and behavior - and he will not press if he sees traces of some kind of trauma. And even despite Gale's good intentions, he knows that the option of using the crown will not lead to good outcome. History should not repeat itself (yeah Karsus hello!!). And this is the first person to accept him for who he really is, not who he tries to become. Their relationship is about mutual help and understanding, even though Nayris is not a wizard and not Mystra's chosen one, he is still the same person who just wants to help Gale remember that he's a human being at the first place and he matters. He really matters - and not only to him. Gale has gone through a lot of pain, especially the trauma of the abandoned. The fact that he always wants to prove something - but he does not need to prove it and Nayris will let him know.

But what if he just won't listen? Or if the bard says something wrong and Gale realizes that their connection is not so strong as he thought. After meeting with Gortash and information about the crown - Nayris is categorically against it - he could certainly go his own way. In the canon, he is quite loyal due to affection and feelings, but what if the realization came to him that he is free to do whatever he wants? Their bond would be about obsession, trust and disastrous consequences. Gale is dependent on Mystra, in love with Tav (Nayris) but sees potential and ambition in Gortash. whether the desire to take revenge on Mystra and become a deity or the awareness of attachment to a single person will prevail - who knows

[fiberturkey89]

Last one for Jiro I swear.

Jiro's parents originate from a line of Lightning Dragons that came from the First Realm, and he doesn't exactly recall which realm his family was in previous to The Merge. All he knows is that the realm was often hard to reach unless you looked for the correct spots in another one.

In comparison to other Lightning Dragons, Jiro's variant is actually much more anti-social. Mated pairs are often monogamous and will not find another partner once their first one dies as they mate for life.

There are some cases of those who have lost mates who will seek out the comfort of others who have also lost their loved ones. One of the more famous stories his parents told to him and his sister is actually about an elder who lost her mate and a young adult who lost his first love.

Jiro himself, however, post Merge and before his capture, on occasion, flew to flocks of Dragons to keep up with events that were occurring in the Merge World. He had hung around them long enough to where Imperium thought he was apart of the family.

This is why he was given the name "Sora," as he had been left behind in their eyes. (He had been caught departing from their grounds and had killed a lot of Claw Hunters who'd been gunning for the flock).

As mentioned in the short story, "Silent Storm" and the previous post. Jiro has an older sister who's hatchling name is Squallfang! Her parents named her this to honor Firstbourne's Sentinels, a group of Dragons that were the forefathers to all Dragons during the war against the Oni and Firstbourne's first and last clutch of personal eggs.

Squallfang was specifically named after Thunderfang the Lightning Dragon and Squall the Wind Dragon, taking both names and combining it. This was because she was the biggest of their children, and she would accidentally blow Jiro away with gusts of her wings whenever she flared them or her attackers.

According to his parents, he and his sister had an older brother. But he had left home at a moderately young age without even a goodbye, which didn't particularly either. He hadn't gotten his name before he left. All Jiro and his sister knew of him was that he had been named Stormcloud.

Jiro was named Thunderstrike for his fast movements and nature. When he was a hatchling, he often hunted small lizards and mammals more effectively than his sister, who could tackle bigger games more easily than he.

It is within his family's customs to give a precursory name to their hatchlings before they are properly given names. They must accomplish a feat before they are given a name, and it is often either parent who choses it once they deem the hatchlings ready.

You see, a feat is often left unsaid to the children. It is only when they have done something and reached their true potential that they are given it.

Once the child has been given their name, they often leave the nest and don't return to it. They do, however, reside within the territory of the parents for however long they wish. The only time they are called back is to greet the newest offspring of the parents before they are taken to Firstbourne for her blessing.

This was the case when Jiro had been taken to the All-Mother for her blessing, mentioned in a previous post.

Names in Jiro's family are a private affair, mainly. Jiro doesn't say his parents' names or his sisters. One must ask them for permission to use it. This is why Jiro declined in telling Sora what his sister and his parents' names were. Sora must ask them if she ever meets them.

He, by comparison, doesn't mind sharing, however. He often likes showing his name.

Suprsingly, the way he earned his name was by defending his sick mother and her newest clutch from a pack of Grundles that had found the nest and her sleeping. His father had gone further out to find her something to remedy the sickness, asking his sister for aid.

Jiro fought them off, and his mother had gifted him the name he now bears with pride today. He later learned that this was in reference to his brother, who was a protector, who had done the same thing, albeit defending his sister's egg.

A second defender.

[frogthane]

Okie, so it's been some time since I finished cyberpunk2077 - amazing game, loved it, perfect mix of story plus fuck around and find out - and the ending was... enlightening. Something crawled up from the depths of my foggy and paranoid brain and was released into the world. I knew instantly I was saving Johnny. It didn't matter to me that he had already lived his life, nor that there were people waiting for me back in the material world, nor that I was absolutely petrified of death. I looked up at Alt and a singular tear streamed down my face. I ignored Johnny's patronizing taunts aimed to sway me as I stepped towards the unknown.

I thought of Jackie, my closest choomba who's soul journeyed with me the entire way through his bike. Viktor, the person I had come to view as a father, I remembered the last time I saw him, how distraught and hopeless he'd seemed. Judy, a person who'd been buried underneath, secretly holding power over so many individuals who have yet to realize the full potential of braindances. River, the man so dedicated to saving his city he's willing to put his own needs aside. Panam, a woman willing to take the heat from allies if it means protecting her people, a brash human that harbours a sensitive soul. Kerry, a deeply broken individual who never learned to move on from his past and carries his story deep in his soul.

But then there was Johnny, still throwing nonchalant remarks in my direction, his voice still carrying to me. I hated placing that chip in my head, hated knowing I only had a mere few weeks left to live, hated that Johnny couldn't seem to give less of a fuck. Until he did. I had just lost Jackie, but Johnny unknowingly provided me with a new constant. He could be demeaning at times, he could be the embodiment (engram?) of peer pressure, lulling my body towards alcohol and cigarettes, but Johnny soon became necessary to my survival. He dragged me back to consciousness after a particularly bad bout. He helped think up plans, cautioned me against my idiotic tendencies. He spoke to me, a constant voice by my side, showing me a whole new world.

So yes, I crossed the bridge and stepped towards the metaverse. I didn't need this body anymore. Besides, even if I decided to go on, i would only have six months. Six months in a body that was no longer my own, but Johnny's. Not that that had any sway in my decision. No. Johnny had become the sole most important figure in my life, and I couldn't knowingly kill him. Despite it maybe just being a silly game, it was at that moment that I learned something about myself: I would gladly give up my own life if it meant saving someone I loved. Because yes, I loved Johnny.

Sure, it hurt hearing those messages from all my chooms from throughout the game, and walking down those carved walls of the cemetary were brutal, realizing I recognized a few of the names, but I stood by it. I left this world, and I witnessed those that mourned me. If Johnny had gone, nobody would have been left to miss him. No one but me. So now, I get to proudly watch him start a new life while giving chances to others along the way.

I couldn't be more at peace.

[minas-linkverse]

Tell me abt Time, if you can!! I love him so muchhh... elusive lil guy

I've gotten a lot of asks about Time, so I think I'm going to need to deliver something longer safsfsg I agree with all of you though... He's not gotten enough ~Screentime~ for SURE.

That's not because I lack plans for him or dislike him, though! I love that guy in canon and am really excited for what I have planned in lv too! Unfortunately the plan I have means he's had to and will still have to be elusive for a little longer...

In a lot of ways he's like Legend, feeling that the things he's endured have left him broken and unfixable. However where Legend still partakes in the world, seeing themself as a necessary evil, Time doesn't see himself as a part of it at all. Like an outsider from a time that doesn't exist anymore.

Loneliness is a very difficult feeling, because it's not about just having others around, it's about a buunch of things... Like wanting to be understood. He was just a kid when the events of OOT and MM happened, of course he feels like he has no home and didn't develop the ability to make connections to the degree most do.

So he continues to run away from everything. Maybe he has something he's looking for out there, some kind of hope he's holding onto, but either way, if he's gone he can't see others have what he doesn't. Who'd want to stay and watch a show of how you're an incomplete person?

That's something Wild recognizes in him. After waking from the shrine of resurrection with no memories and people trying to tell him how they know him and they know what needs to be done, he got incredibly agitated. He thought happiness would be in avoiding those people and doing whatever he wanted, exploring and having fun with his abilities. Yet... Everywhere he turned he found situations only he could solve, and people he brought hope to... And it made him happy.

Often you need to face the thing that makes you feel the worst, because that feeling is trying to tell you the solution is in that nasty sludge.

At some point you can't run away anymore, and Wild knows Time is going to have to realize this sooner or later. Twilight worrying and running after him is sweet (if a little wack,) but it's bound to just push him further away. So, Wild is offering his hand out, so that when Time is ready, he can take it.

However that victory will only be the first step in a long journey of figuring out how else he's gotten messed up by the events that he took part in.

Long story short, with Time I want to explore someone who self-isolates to deal with the fact that he is so very lonely, because he thinks others can't understand him, and even if they did... They might just vanish on him...

There's hope though. Linkverse will have a happy ending, if I get to decide it.

[basedkikuenjoyer]

A Tale of Two Hannya: Art Imitates Life

These are always kind of a trickier beast to write because by design the comparison casts a more negative light on a popular character. But they tend to be well received. Living near the path of peak totality for the big US eclipse, had me wanting to finish this one sitting in my drafts because well...we have both sun & moon themes as well as a dynamic of "upstaging" each other. Which is kinda cool. I really do think, when taken together, Kiku & Yamato give you one of the most interesting dynamics in this massive series despite the two faces almost never appearing together.

Let's step back a little though. Why? Why would our author structure so much of Luffy's story in Wano through the top two new faces for the arc? Almost splitting Luffy's story in half with mirror opposites; humble and helpful followed by flashy yet flawed. Pitting organic bonding against the spotlight. A very straightforward and earnest trans woman foiled by a deliberately inconsistent and ambiguous character falling somewhere you'd call transmasculine. Our Crane Wife and our Dragon's King's Daughter, forget the plot of One Piece for a moment...what's the reflection of our world they mirror?

As gross as it is to compare oneself to Doflamingo, I promise I'm going somewhere with this. And, to be fair I can think of a few specific people who'd make that type of comparison about me. I like to think I use my powers for good, but anyone with them would say that. Touched on it a little with the Otohime side story but over the 2010s I had my little strings in just about every corner of LGBT activism throughout a region that's now a solid gay haven in a conservative state. For the first half of that decade, it was thrust upon me because people saw how solid a representative a young, cute, well-spoken lady would be at diffusing old stereotypes. An MA in Political Science helped too.

Because it's currently Ramadan still, I'd like to share one story I feel was a high watermark and how it rippled in a way that is gonna shape my outlook here. When I noticed there was a shift. One I felt trepidation about aspects of initially and today feel vindicated seeing how Gen Z views their elders. It was Ramadan a fair few years ago now, while part of a board for something I got to know a local Muslim leader and his wife. They were used to inviting other community leaders to join them for Iftar, the fast-breaking meal. They wanted to show their young progressive members they were listening and respectfully invite someone trans, remember these are often very sex-segregated places. Even if there were some livid hardliners most of the women really liked me and you could tell it meant a lot to some of the older teen girls who really wanted to square more progressive beliefs with their faith.

Late 2010s, so if I told you there was backlash in queer circles guess who. More or less entirely people who'd fit that college radfem to transmasc mold. "I'd have gone to the women's side in solidarity and liberated those oppressed women being soo radical." "Don't you think what Rhea did was you know, kinda problematic? If I have to explain to you how it's low-key cultural appropriation I don't even..." "They only picked her because she acts like a little Barbie doll." Yes, that last one is peak feminism. They can call me wicked if they want; at least I was called to serve while they were all just rabble-rousers who decided they were the only morally pure enough ones to be local leaders. That's what this was all about, politics.

If you ask me personally about the current state of trans movements? It kinda comes down to that. Most Milennials, trans women, men, & even nonbinary folk, tend to use the community as a temporary safe haven but acceptance has come far enough it tends to stay temporary. Gender is but one aspect of our identity, the hugbox and group chats about pronouns only really feel like they're giving you something for so long. The holdout? In my experience that tends to be trans men or transmasc enbies who took a half-step before coming out in the relative privilege of radical feminist spaces offering a little space within. I don't have a whole lot of animosity towards these guys...it just feels like sometimes it becomes all of our problem when that radfem space pumped you full of a distorted vision of "male privilege" and you feel jilted you didn't get that by waking up one day and saying you are now man.

Was Eiichiro Oda going for all that? Fuck no. I was a longtime leader of a local movement, he's a cis author on the outside looking in. Better way these two make sense is more an author being aware enough (Japan had a similar trajectory over the last decade) these two serve well as standins for the extremes of what a teen today sees about this transgender community. Okama type caricatures just don't work anymore. Transmasc nearing 30 who feels like they don't even know what they want? Playing word games that feel like you never stopped and thought how they'd sound to other people? Chasing an idealized version of masculinity? It's not exactly an uncommon sentiment. It's a side-effect of finally getting that long sought visibility...scrutiny goes hand in hand.

It's a Tale of Two Hannya because it's weaving in the story of one community experiencing a Tale of Two Movements. Two movements that are at times diametrically opposed (foes). That's where the upstaging or "eclipse" aspect comes in. The way beats for one influence the other even without trying. Why Yamato's the one trying to find a place and Kiku's already dealing with average pressures of being a woman. Regardless of how you feel about that personally, you have to at least acknowledge this is the general impression teens today seem to have. Hypothetically, you could get the same effect between a more clear-cut trans man and someone kinda like Kamatari.

Ultimately, Wano is about who we are vs the roles we play. We see other places where themes of just saying you fill a role doesn't mean you are. I've said Yamato's a gentle critique of the extreme "you are what you say your are" side of trans movements. I understand why people would want to see things that way, but gender is a social phenomenon. For the record, I do think it low-key radiates dude energy to not care about shit like cannonballing tits out into the main bath, no one should have to act a certain way and all that. But it's a good pair for demonstrating where we're at in general. The emotions they evoke out of readers are a good reflection of where young men are kinda at on all this trans stuff. And both are still portrayed as cool, friendly people. But I do see where it's coming from when Oda shifts that classic immaturity element from Kiku more to Yamato.

[besiegedhunter]

Projekt Red's second chance and significance of life.

"Without Kal'tsit she would be gone by now."

A quote from Red's module and one that always stuck out to me for one reason but I never thought to consider what else it informs about Red's character.

And here I want to delve into Red's life, how this quote informs her story and how she lost it.

Also at the end I want to discuss a possibility regarding Kal'tsit saving Red that's quite interesting with what it means. But all that is under the cut.

So to begin with this should be the context behind Kal'tsit saving Red's life which sadly there's no information on the event itself but we do know what was happening with Red and how she felt going into it.

Now we can gather from Red's Trust 1 that Red had been raised by Grandma for a very young age. A time that we know was very unpleasant for her:

Now this is in the least very far into her training since it served as the last test. We don't know what else she went through. We just know that Red's entire identity is around hunting wolves and that she cuts anything that gets close (likely because of her time in those wilds).

But her time with Grandma influences her even further.

We know from her files she has bad social and educational skills. Her module states too that she doesn't know what to use an salary and Reed's file stating that Red is a lone wolf also informs how she feels about socialization.

But this paints an even more dire picture. One of being completely overwhelmed and broken by what she was up against now, that the severity is comparable to her time in the wilderness that Grandma threw her into.

As it says, she didn't know life's meaning, because Grandma gave her purpose. She doesn't have it for herself. And the direness of how much she didn't want to learn in informed by later when she joins Rhodes and in her mind it was just while she decided what to do. A decision that took upwards of three years. (Doctor leaves Sarcophagus in 1096 - Il Siracusano 1099)

But it's at this point, where Red just wanted out of this maze and was coming up against how unprepared for this world when she met Kal'tsit, a Doctor.

Now we don't know what exactly happened but Red makes clear that she would've died without Kal'tsit. Either due to literally needing medical aid or because without her guidance she would've died either way. It could be both.

But if she was going to die, who would mourn? Like it's sad but think about it. At this point, she doesn't know Kal'tsit or Rhodes, she doesn't have a family she remembers and Grandma only cares about her success and has time to get someone else to achieve her goal.

That's the sad reality of Red at this point and to a degree to now. Rhodes would mourn but the greater world wouldn't feel a thing and even among Rhodes it's a select few who'd truly feel sad.

But through Kal'tsit she was given a second chance to live and to enjoy life but here's the curious thing: even with a second chance things don't change.

She remains lost and unsure of her future:

She continues being a wolf hunter. She gains a few people who she's close to but not very many and even Kal'tsit, who saved her and who desires to help anyone who needs it finds that she can only do so little:

And the worst bit?

The person who put her through hell, exhausted a life's worth of possibilities and didn't prepare her for the world still has a hold on her.

As of Il Siracusano Red has left Rhodes Island. Kal'tsit doesn't know if she's going to return and Red is doing Grandma's bidding. She has no one again but Grandma and is so close to realizing her goal.

Through the perspective of her having a second chance to make the most of her life, nothing has changed and she's lost what she actually gained from it.

But time and time again it's stated in her files and outside that she must decide for herself and break free and Kal'tsit has managed to teach Red:

And in Il Siracusano, when she's left Rhodes she still values Kal'tsit:

As much as she still is chained to Grandma:

But we've got half, if not say a quarter of this story. A story which has changed very little from the beginning but which hammers in the point that she can change but only through her own choices and ability.

Now, I do have an extra bit concerning Red's life being an significant thing and the angle of her having a second chance that takes all of this and elevates it and it's how improbable it is that Kal'tsit was there to save Red in the first place.

It could be the case that some Rhodes Island operators found her and got her to the landship where Kal'tsit learned the situation and decided to raise Red but how Red speaks of it "if not for Kal'tsit she'd be gone." and how significant their relationship is it feels like Kal'tsit was the one who discovered her.

And that is almost impossible. For the same reason that anyone coming upon Red prior to Rhodes Island is difficult (her not interacting with anyone) but Kal'tsit is running Rhodes Island at this time, the head of the medical department. If she was the one who found Red herself she'd need to be in Siracusa and we know if it was prior to that she wouldn't have taken Red in, as she didn't Passenger, Folinic or Crownslayer.

So I've had a theory that Kal'tsit discovered Red while looking for Crownslayer in Siracusa. Possibly once Rhodes Island was set up, giving her the ability to take people in at that point.

Now if this is correct and Kal'tsit was looking for Crownslayer then effectively these events would have to happen to and did save Red:

Someone makes the sarcophagus

Ursus discovers the sarcophagus

Crownslayer's Dad and Kal'tsit work to research the sarcophagus

The sarcophagus purge happens and Kal'tsit saves Crownslayer

Crownslayer has to either: be a Lupo so Kal'tsit takes her to Siracusa or have Siracusan family

These events lined up for Kal'tsit to look for Crownslayer in Siracusa to then meet and save Red's life. This to me is such a wild series of events that Red is an anomaly to be alive if it's true that Kal'tsit only met Red because of Crownslayer.

And I think it not only makes Red's "second chance" even more important as it's practically a miracle but also it means that Red and Crownslayer are even moreso interlinked.

If Crownslayer died then Red would've also which really further highlights how entwined their stories are (and how funny it is that Red keeps bullying her)

Another thing it does is connect Red to the sarcophagus which is actually significant because Red's probably the playable character most connected to the sarcophagus's ability to turn characters into animals, through her ability to scare Lupos.

It's not only something that Beast Lords, manifestations of nature can do but when Zaaro does the same thing as Red, Vigil describes it like this:

If what Red and Zaaro's fear is targeting is kinship, something shared by Ancients and Beast Lords then it feels like this fear targets the same thing that the sarcophagus does to turn the character (like Mephisto) into the animal they are.

Which, it's not like Red has any relationship to the sarcophagus but through being saved by Kal'tsit looking for Crownslayer after that incident, it gives a reason for it to be brought up in regards to her and does connect them in a way.

Which is some really curious things for one detail that I must repeat: is not confirmed! We know nothing!

But hey when Red gets her event they may touch upon it. Or maybe an oprec or an Alter. Just something, please!

Hope it was a decent enough read!

[np5enkidu]

team lancer thoughts (fsr spoilers)

in theory, chiemon and lancer jeanne could've been like. such a great master servant duo.

chiemons story is just lacking in depth, i want to like him more than i actually like him. they tried something with his wish being to open the gates of hell to reunite with his loved ones but it's like. so flatly told and doesn't really tell about him as a person.

comparatively, shousetsu and zheng feel very much more tangible (though their ambitions are more grounded) and i generally like them. chiemon is very confusing as an individual outside of the waxing moon ritual, while other characters have full lives, shousetsu is a military scholar, zheng serves his emperor, dorothea is a merchant, tsuchimikado is an onmyouji, takao leads yoshiwara. chiemon is what. seething alone? being edgy? gråtrunka?? like his only motivation is to bring hell on earth but there doesn't seem to be any other way for him to achieve it except the ritual? so what does he do outside of it?? apparently he is a magus of some sort and he knows combat. his profile states he comes to edo alone and with nothing in his possession?

this could've been a great springboard to write him as someone who's absolutely hollow outside of his goal, they could've write him full of determination to survive just to see his goal through. but his current state is just very barebones stuff, even though his design and voiceacting do a lot for him.

and then there's jeanne who'd be such an interesting perspective to follow if the plot was interested in that. she's someone who gets summoned 200 years after her death to serve in a incomplete ritual. and she gets corrupted by her summoners wish. while she still holds on to her faith and beliefs.

what you understand of jeanne is that despite her circumstances, she really wants to salvage those she can, even if it's only one person, even if it means following him to hell. it's the only thing she can offer and in the end even that is outright denied from her.

i would've loved to read her thoughts and motivations thoroughly and got to know her a bit more. her and chiemons relationship could've been explored further, as they're both christians who suffered horrific violence,

both of them could've gone farther than they did, and the things they did write were genuinely intriguing.

team lancer had such potential to be such a dynamite tragedy combo.

but it is funny that chiemon bans her from trying to save him and she enters battle and her first line is "let us pray"

[trashynyland]

@ammylikesbugs

Cool cool. I'll be honest. Them meeting is lore I'm still working out but so far it's this.

Dan was crowned as one of the newest members of the Gem Kings. More knowledge was needed on science and medicine. Plus, Dan had shown his worth to the leader of the Gem Kings. But long story short, Dan was soon given the task to find out what was wrong with a rabid cult that had been taking over the Gem Kingdoms.

The group consisted of hybrids who had seemingly gone insane. They acted wild and like rabid animals. Somehow these hybrids had created a cult that believed humans were killing off hybrids in order for themselves to take back control over the world they all lived in.

Everyone thought that this cult consisted of insane hybrids, ones who'd lost their ways and basically went to the dark side. But Dan did some observing and noticed that the group was only as insane as they were because of a new disease they'd been infected with.

Stampy happened to be the leader of the cult but he did not run it. Sqaishey was the one who ran everything while Stampy more so acted as a pawn.

Lots of planning with the Gem Kings later and an attack was thrown at this cult. Dan was able to capture Stampy (but in Dan's dumbness had no idea Stampy was the leader) and the attack group retreated.

Dan's role then was to figure out how to find a cure for this disease whole also trying to learn what it was and how exactly it worked. This took months but in those months Stampy's more sane side was able to "come out" more as Dan spent more and more time with him. Stampy learning new things and truths every day.

Also during this time Dan started gaining a crush on Stampy. A crush that Dan bullied himself about it and stuck his foot deep into the denial pit. Ant being the God of Knowledge (he's actually not. Everyone just calls him that. Ant is just an extremely smart human) knew Dan's secret and the truth of it. Ant later informing Jordan about it (who at the time was Ant's best friend but that's later lore).

Yada yada yada time passing. Stampy is cured and it's decided that Stampy stays in Dan's care to make sure the hybrid is properly ok. Meanwhile the cult is captured and all heals. Oops why don'tcha look at that. Plot twist. Sqaishey was actually a mage in disguise as a hybrid and was the one who implemented the plan to poison hybrids and turn them against humans. And turns out the reason was because Stampy wanted to divorce her when he realized he was no longer in love with her but a male human that use to live near them. Basically she went full jealousy mode and manipulated Stampy.

Now Stampy has trust issues upon learning every thing.

While Stampy stays with Dan, Dan finds out that Stampy is actually a God. He found this out after doing a dumb move during an experiment and almost accidentally killing himself. Stampy came to the rescue. Of course this amplified Dan's crush on Stampy.

In Concy world cat hybrids are extremely rare. A cat hybrid who's also a God ex exponentially rare. So to protect Stampy they put him into the care of the King of Goldia. The king decides to make Stampy prince and sort of used him like Sqaishey did.

Comic lore I won't talk about~

After that there's a knew king for Goldia who's actually not insane (wow no way) and Stampy is treated like an actual person by Goldia. Stampy stays prince because he does want to rule Goldia some day he realizes. But also so he has an excuse to be near Dan.

So soooooo much else I could get into and ramble about but I won't.

Basically Stampy also has a crush on Dan but the two won't admit their feelings. Dan will joke about his love for Stampy (but Stampy doesn't know if its serious or not). And yeah.

Hope that answered something XD