#and their team was focused on diplomacy

[kegareki]

"rei," you might ask, "why the fuck are you making genin teams for the parents in naruto? why are you giving them jounin-senseis and intended specialties?"

my answer is "i cannot fucking tell you. to torture myself i guess"

[charliemwrites]

A little request from the discord server about Castle “Daddy” Alistair and No Nut November.

CW: free use spice; everything is enthusiastically consensual and part of an established dynamic.

It’s all Keegan’s fault.

Looking back on all the devastation, every fault line to this disaster can be traced back to Keegan fucking Russ and his stupid cocky mouth.

It started like this: the team was playing cards and sharing drinks, the dinner Nova prepared long since enjoyed. They were discussing silly internet trends and challenges, trying to explain to an unimpressed Nikto what the point of it all was.

Castle was listening with mild amusement, shaking his head at the nonsense of it all. The fact that these arbitrary tasks were considered difficult was a mystery to him and he said so. Then Keegan tapped his finger on the table, a glint in his eye.

“Ya know… November is coming up…” he mused.

“What about it?” Castle asked.

Nova to perked up, eyebrows arched. No way would Keegan actually suggest—

“There’s this one challenge I think you’d struggle with Cap. It happens that month.”

Castle snorted softly, tossed a couple cards down. Let the moment draw out just to fuck with his partner, even though they all knew he’d humor him in the end.

“Yeah? What is it?” he asked, taking a swig of his beer.

“It’s called No Nut November. Pretty much what it says on the tin. You don’t cum for the whole month,” Keegan explained. He sat back and crossed his arms, looking smug. “Tell me you wouldn’t fold, Cap.”

Castle leveled him a steady, smoldering look. “I wouldn’t fold.”

Nova shifted, face flushing when Castle focused on her, eyebrows arched in silent invitation. She debated all of three seconds before throwing caution to the wind; Keegan could use a bit of backup against a man so formidable. And besides, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t curious about what would happen.

“I’m not saying you couldn’t,” she mused, “I’m just saying that given your usual libido, I don’t think it would be a walk in the park.”

He snorted, seeing right through her half-hearted attempt at diplomacy. “Is that right? And what do you think, Nikto?”

A pause as he considered, then spoke low and measured. “The sergeants are getting too cocky.”

Castle smirked. “I agree.”

A week into the “challenge” Keegan had nearly forgotten. The team was busy, not much opportunity for more than cuddles and stolen kisses.

Two weeks in and he was enjoying himself immensely. Teasing Castle with wandering hands, climbing under his desk and getting him right to the edge, only to be stopped by a firm hand in his hair and a low warning that he wasn’t as sly as he thought. It wasn’t like Keegan (or anyone else on the team) was taking on the challenge. They were getting to indulge themselves as often as time and energy would allow - usually with their Daddy right there, talking them through it, organizing them as efficiently as he would in the field. Taking care of them with his mouth and hands to stave off some of his own frustration.

But week three… week three he started to worry. It wasn’t that Castle was struggling. It wasn’t that he was snappish or pent up or frustrated. It was that he seemed perfectly fine. A quick adjustment of his pants here or there, idly stroking himself while he watched his partners together. But he was like fucking iron for himself, and Keegan’s normal admiration was taking on a frightened edge.

And then week four began the silent, unknown countdown. Keegan felt it on the back of his neck like a sniper scope. A little, private smirk on his captain’s face, or a slightly rougher than usual sigh. An unusual flex in his jaw or twitch in his steady hands.

On November 30th, the team was lounging in their private rec room, idly watching a tv show together. Nikto was curled up with Nova in one of the big arm chairs, her head settled on his shoulder. Keegan and Castle were sharing the couch, the latter with an arm thrown over the back around his sergeant’s shoulders.

Halfway through, he glanced casually at his watch. Stood up to take his empty glass to the sink. Sidled back around to his spot.

Then snatched Keegan by the shirt and threw him to the ground.

“What the—”

His sweats were yanked down to midthigh, but his underwear didn’t survive, split right down the seam by brutal hands.

“Did you have fun?” Castle asked, dangerously low and even.

Keegan started to push himself up, but a big hand on the back of his neck stopped him. And then a heavy body followed, pinning him prone to the floor. He shuddered as he felt the thick, hot, rocking fucking hard cock sliding between his asscheeks.

“S-sir…“

A thrust hard enough to rock his entire body, dragging his quickly-filling dick across the carpet. He choked out a noise as reality began to set in. Christ, he almost wished that didn’t feel so good.

“Daddy, I—”

“Asked you a question, didn’t I?” Castle rumbled, voice deceptively casual. “Did you have fun?”

Keegan shuddered, any defiance or self-preservation draining when he felt the pierced head of his daddy’s cock catching at his rim. His well-stretched, well-used, still-wet rim. Because Castle had spent an hour before dinner getting him off on his thick fingers.

“Yeah…”

“What was that? A bit louder, kid.”

“Yes, Daddy, I had fun.”

Castle chuckled, so deep and low and rough that Keegan could feel it in his own chest, all the way down into the pit of squirming stomach.

“Good,” he cooed, “I hope it was worth it. Because now it’s my turn.”

Keegan was a stupid, drooling mess when midnight struck. Stuffed full of his captain’s cock and shuddering on oversensitivity. Would forever deny the high-pitched whine that escaped when he felt the absolute flood of cum being fucked into him. There was so much, it leaked out around Castle’s still-hard cock and dripped down Keegan’s reddened thighs.

“Happy December 1st,” Castle chuckled, pulling out.

Keegan shuddered as he stood, could hear the audibly pop as he cracked his neck.

“Nikto, take care of Keegan. I’m not done with him yet.”

“Yes, sir.”

A heavy, tense pause.

“You know what’s next, don’t you, babygirl?”

“Daddy, I’m not the one that—”

“If you run, I’m fucking you wherever I catch you,” he warned, taking a languid step towards her.

Nikto silently slipped out of the way to kneel down by a dazed Keegan. Nova despaired. “So make your next choice very carefully.”

He had them both twice over that night, leaving them whimpering and sobbing in his bed. They only got a break when Nikto took one for the team, kneeling down to suck Castle off so his partners could get a rest.

The next ten days were a lustful sort of hell. At any moment, without warning, Castle would grab a teammate and press them against the nearest surface - his desk, a wall, a chair, even the counter at gun range - and pound the daylights out of them. Sometimes even going out of his way to sneak up, appearing like a shadow and dragging one of them into a supply closet to ruin them.

On a normal routine, Castle had an almost improbable level of stamina and lust. But after a month without getting off, with satisfying himself on his partners’ pleasure and indulging their teasing? He was utterly insatiable. Keegan made a comment about him being so horny that Castle would override biology and get him pregnant. One day, he’d learn to keep the thoughts inside. Blame it on his brain being ruined by astronomical levels of cock.

The compensation fucking finally began to taper off halfway into December, Castle seeming to level out back to his normal libido. Still high, but not anytime-anywhere-anyone levels anymore. He did chuckle at his jumpy teammates in the aftermath though, watching their pupils blow out whenever he looked at them a certain way.

The next time they played cards (everyone but Castle sitting gingerly in their chairs) he smirked at Keegan around his beer bottle.

“So, you wanna try your luck next year?”

[astroismypassion]

✨PART OF FORTUNE IN SIGNS AND HOUSES SERIES: 9TH HOUSE✨

Credit: Tumblr blog @astroismypassion

ARIES PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Aries and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You would do well as a personal trainer or fitness instructor since you have great energy and motivation that can inspire clients to achieve health and fitness goals. You feel abundant when you are inspired and inspiring others and when you can experience the childlike joy and share it with those around you.

TAURUS PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Taurus and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via teaching about practical skills, business, economics or the arts, via creating and selling educational content (online courses, e-books, instructional videos), by becoming a travel writer or blogger, starting or managing a tourism-related business (travel agency, boutique hotel or guided tour company), via international law.

GEMINI PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Gemini and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via developing or working with educational technology platforms that facilitate online learning, via work in international business/trade, via diplomacy, engaging in media production, creating content for TV, radio or online platforms.

CANCER PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You can feel the most abundant when you have Cancer and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via selling home-brewed beer or offering brewing classes, via media content (podcasts, videos) connected with family relationships, emotional health, cultural traditions, life coaching, via real estate related to family homes, community housing, vacation properties that provide a sense of home and comfort, via non-profit organizations that focus on family support, emotional well-being and cultural preservation.

LEO PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Leo and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via providing high-end services, such as image consulting or bespoke travel planning, via engaging in theatre, film, directing, producing, via creative arts (music, painting, dancing), via sharing your experiences by storytelling, via teaching, arts, philosophy or leadership.

VIRGO PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Virgo and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via nutrition counselling, naturopathy, wellness coaching, preventative care, via writing for technical and scientific publications, via developing or managing programs that facilitate cultural exchanges and study abroad opportunities. You feel abundant when you are focused on service and when you have clear communication.

LIBRA PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Libra and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via becoming a make-up artist, creating tutorials or selling beauty products. You feel abundant when you travel with your loved ones, your partner or as a part of the team. You find wealth via becoming a teacher in subjects like art, design, law or philosophy. You find abundance in starting a business in art (art gallery, design studio, fashion brand).

SCORPIO PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Scorpio and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via esoteric studies, sociology, spiritual transformation, via energy work, shamanic healing, transformational coaching. You feel abundant when you dive into transformation, healing and deep psychological insights. You can also offer consulting services in areas, like crisis management, organizational transformation or deep personal development. You feel abundant when you promote healing and transformation via self-help books, wellness products or spiritual tools.

SAGITTARIUS PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via offering tailored travel plans, starting a business in adventure tourism (offering hiking, trekking and cultural tours), offering spiritual counselling or coaching, helping others find their path and purpose.

CAPRICORN PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Capricorn and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via import/export, global consultancy, multinational corporations, via offering historical tours, archaeological digs, via eco-tourism, via international law or corporate law. You feel abundant when you are disciplined, patient and persistent.

AQUARIUS PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Aquarius and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via writing or speaking about progressive philosophical or spiritual ideas that align with modern, futuristic or humanitarian values, via online courses, workshops or alternative education methods, via technology, social sciences or futuristic studies.

PISCES PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 9TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Pisces and Sagittarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via producing media content (podcast, video, documentary) on spiritual, artistic, cultural topic, via creating educational programs/workshops that blend traditional learning with holistic or spiritual perspective, via spiritual coaching, astrology or psychic readings.

Credit: Tumblr blog @astroismypassion

[kiwioala]

baghera thinks there is a reason the teams are so weirdly balanced, especially because the admins have been working at it for months. she thinks there needs to be a diplomacy team/non pvp oriented team for some specific reason and the events will shift the focus.

she thinks that after a while the events will make it more lore focused or more of like a puzzle solving competition. because the admins scaled the team so weirdly, something is going to happen bc the admins know the players and know their skills, so they probably put them all on a team for that reason.

the admins want them to kill one another, A LOT, but there must be a specific reason why they threw all the loreheads onto one team!

[tanoraqui]

Dungeon Meshi Liveblog: Reason with the Mad Mage & Diplomacy with Elves

Note: everything from here on is retroactive/reread, because I stayed up until about 6am on Wednesday night reading until the end because that was the only way to ensure that the characters would be okay.

.

Hey look, now our protagonists are the food, instead of running around holding cooking implements! I'm sure that's fine!! (Look at that lion's eyes!!!)

.

I really like how...everyone? In the pasty gets at least 1 fight where they're totally on their own, for whatever reason: Laios with the living armor and again now with all the dragons, Chilchuck with the mimic, Izutsumi with the succubi, Marcille with the rabbits... I note that the reasons for it are escalating:

Laios fought the armor-captain alone as a strategic choice, while the rest of the party distracted the rest of the armor in the other room

Chilchuck fought the mimic alone because the rest of the party was asleep down the hall

Izutsumi fought the succubi alone because the rest of the party was already down, though not yet dead

Marcille fought the rabbits alone because most of the party was dead and Izutsumi had fled

Laios fights the dragons AND the Mad Mage directing them alone because the entire rest of the party is dead

Solid writing, that. And Senshi...has a monster that is His To Fight, that is where we got some special Senshi character exploration, but the whole point of it was that Senshi, who had been alone for so long, now had people reaching out to hold him, and to make food for him.

.

I just like when they say things outright. "Meals are an act of optimism." "Only the dead don't eat." Fuck yeah!

.

EYES EYES EYES EYES EYES. Thinking a lot here about that post about how Thistle is a great example of an antagonist who is really truly too far gone to "talk it out" with. His intentions ARE good, and Laios sees that so Laios tries... and Thistle is also trying, it's just...the demon has been playing on him for too long with too much skill.

.

He's so! Earnest! And young! It's implied that he dies in the end, and I do think that's a narratively solid and restful ending for him, but man I want this kid to live and maybe covertly tag along with Mithrun on exploring the risen kingdom and defending it from random monsters, and re-learning how to have healthy desires. I think it'd be good for both of them, and also, potentially very funny.

.

me, 2 posts ago:

me, now: Ah, yes, that makes sense... Not our heroes but Someone sure is.

.

Fucking love multiple consecutive dungeon lords going, "my last wish is to fuck that guy up."

.

They're just...happy...

.

Love love love Chilchuck taking charge when Laios isn't there, especially in the context of "imminent tense 'diplomatic' meeting." He formed a union! He's good at this shit, and he'd be even better at it if he didn't have the handicap of being disrespected as a halffoot, and it's wonderful to see him with a team that has learned to respect him beyond that prejudice!

Also, Senshi's tiny eye wrinkle of determination <3

.

Never mind my previous comment. Chilchuck is never allowed to do diplomatic relations with the elves ever again.

.

Kabru, internally: oh my god we're all going to die

.

I'm just noting Ms. fresh-faced aristocratic scion and the handful of extremely competent, notch-eared criminals she's in charge of... The structure of this lead group of Canaries is very interesting, because Mithtrun is nominally in charge, and he genuinely does command in combat and other matters focused on immediate dungeon lord-hunting. But he's ONLY focussed on that, so Pattindol is clearly accustomed to taking the lead in situations with more social nuance... And the criminal members make decisions on their own such as to take advantage of Mithrun's typical disappearance to go snoop around this house... But they are accustomed, and I'm sure required, to have permission/orders from a guard to use their black magic specialties, see: the enchantment of Laios, Chilchuck & Senshi here, or in their opening mushroom fight when everyone was shouting out how they could kill the mega-mushroom.

...I'm gonna pay attention to how Pattindol and Flamela [I hope I'm getting these names right] interact later. The Canaries are such an interesting paramilitary unit.

.

This is just a screencap of Kabru's life for the rest of his life. Good luck, Mr. Future Royal Advisor!

.

Every good adventure story, and arguably every good story, period, reaches a point where to explain it makes you sound COMPLETELY insane - sometimes even with the context of the rest of the story up to that point. This...is very much that point.

I love that point so much.

.

It's unreasonably stressful that Kabru's hands are obviously magically, invisibly handcuffed this entire scene. It's a metaphor for how he's handcuffed by the general threat the Canaries represent, of course, making him unable to warn Laios of the dangers of both the Canaries and of the demon. Being able to weird a sword would do nothing to help if it's going well or if it all goes wrong. But it's still stressful! And Laios doesn't know about the dangers just like he doesn't put together that Kabru is invisibly handcuffed!

.

God I love Marcille. And her problem-solving methods.

.

FINALLY, SOME GOOD FUCKING SILENT COMMUNICATION.

.

So! A court magician's daughter clearly outranks an aristocratic scion sent into the Canaries to prove her family's loyalty to the crown. That makes sense.

Unfortunately, Mithrun's single brain cell, while focussed entirely on destroying the demon, is still capable of Insight checks, and the criminals are basically unfazed by the court hierarchy games that Marchille is trying to play.

.

Why does EVERY elf assume that Marcille's great wish would be to be a full elf! I want to drop Elrond on these people and watch him verbally eviscerate them.

Joke's on you, motherfucker! Her greatest wish would (she thinks) serve all people, and has secondary effects that she could still enjoy!

Marcille: [hears Izutsumi lurking, ready to kick Mithrun in the face]

Marcille: Alright, time to tell a bishie to step the fuck off.

[electricsynthesis]

"You're going back to Earth," Lance insists, unceremoniously shoving the tablet into Keith's lap. He sticks his nose in the air and sniffs with exaggerated superiority. "And I'm incredibly jealous. So let me live vicariously through you, come on."

"By writing a list?" Keith replies, irritated. He picks up the tablet to find open to a notetaking program. He leans back against the plush couch of the lounge in cursory defiance. As if sinking into the fabric will get his teammates to leave him alone. Hardly.

"By writing a list of Earth things," Pidge stresses. She reaches over Lance's lap to pull the stylus out of it's sleeve on the side of the tablet. She holds it out to Keith, big, young eyes uncompromising.

"It's like, team bonding," Hunk says reasonably, eyes smiling even if his mouth isn't. "Besides, have you thought about what you're going to do with your time on Earth?"

"Uh," Keith mutters. "No? I figured I'd figure it out when I got there. I'll be focused on the mission anyway."

Lance cries, "Diplomacy with the Garrison is not going to take you that long--"

Pidge says, "You'd be insane not to do something--"

And Hunk says, "Well, Allura's coming with you." When everyone else falls silent, he raises an eyebrow. "Don't you want to show her some cool Earth stuff? I know she wants to get to know it better--"

"Fine," Keith snarls. He snatches the stylus from Pidge's fingers and scoots himself until he's sitting up. He positions the stylus over the paper, getting ready to write, and then,

uh, and then nothing.

He sits there, mind utterly blank. Like a still pond in there. Not a single breeze of thought. Keith just stares at the empty page, limbs frozen.

"Keith?"

What do I want to do on Earth?

His mind races. Races, and still gets utterly nowhere. Like a stalling car, his brain stutters and buffers and grinds itself nowhere. "I don't know,"

"What?"

"I don't know what I want to do on Earth."

Lance makes an irritated noise. "You're insane. You must miss something about Earth."

Keith does not move.

"Like, what about the food?" Lance cries. "Or the music? Or the clothes? Or TV? Movies? Concerts? Shopping?"

"Yeah," Hunk agrees, "don't you have a favorite Earth food? Something there's no substitute for out here. Something that just," he sighs, a little wistfully, "is so quintessentially Earth that it just..."

Hunk trails off when Keith begins to write. Something's occurred to him, spurred on by Hunk nostalgia for food. Something that is nostalgic to him, but hadn't entered his mind until Hunk said those words...

Keith wants to hide it from them, but Lance is already bullying his way into Keith's personal space to get a good look at the screen. Keith tries to tilt it away, but Lance's hand jerks out and grips it by the side so he can drag it to his face. He gets right up against it, blinking, as if he can't believe what he's reading.

"Pink Monster?" He says, in utter bewilderment.

Pidge gags. Hunk's mouth drops open.

Keith rips the tablet from Lance's fingers and cradles it defensively against his chest. "What?" He says, more snappishly than he intends. Hunk closes his mouth, Pidge covers her's, but Lance's expression blooms into a smile. And then a grin. And then he's laughing.

It starts out as a snicker; a snort. Then it devolves into giggles, and then further into little laughs that he tries and fails to smother with a hand. And then he gives up, and throws his head back and cackles, lips parted and chest shuddering in wild laughter. He smacks his palms to his cheeks loud enough to make Keith flinch.

"Shut the fuck up!" Keith shouts, despite the fact that Lance hasn't actually said anything. His cheeks are warm with embarrassment. "It's good! I like it!"

Lance drags his hands down his face, still laughing. And, he gasps for breath, face twisted into a smile it seems he almost can't help. He laughs through the words, "You gotta," a breath, "you gotta give it to him, Earth is the only, the only place in the galaxy that would invent pink Monster,"

And then Hunk and Pidge are laughing, too, fondly. Keith himself cracks a smile, shame easing into something warmer. Lance shakes his head, regaining control of himself. His cheeks are still flushed, and his eyes still sparkling. Smiling widely, he asks Keith, "Why do you like it?"

"Every 7/11 had it when I was a kid," he shrugs. "So when I'd get tired of the other kids, I'd skip school to go, and I'd always get a monster. Pink is just my favorite. I did it like three times a week."

"Where'd you get the money?" Pidge asks, narrowing her eyes.

Telling her about the time he got sent to juvie for a stolen candy bar, of all things, was a mistake. "I didn't." It wasn't about the candy bar, anyway. And he never got caught with the Monster.

"No wonder you're insane," Lance says. He pokes Keith's temple, which causes Keith to startle back, glaring at him. "It's all the caffeine."

"It make me feel sleepy," Keith defends.

"Caffeine made you sleepy?"

"Yes--!"

"No, yeah, that happens sometimes," Hunk interjects. "It's called an erroneous response and--"

"So is that it?" Pidge says, loud enough to interrupt the brewing lecture. "That's all you want on Earth?"

Keith narrows his eyes in thought. Then, he shrugs. "You think Allura would be down to go to a concert?"

All three of them yell, loud enough to startle the mice awake across the room: YES!

[struggling-jpg]

Yanqing and Yunli Appreciation Post

Keep Reading cut due to 2.4 spoilers~ (also relatively long-ish post)

These two bounce off each other so well! As a writer, it feels so satisfying to see their characters shine through the quest and the event in the way their interactions highlight them. So I'm gonna use this space to ramble about it!

My previous post pretty much talked about it already, but Yanqing!!! My son!!! I was quite worried that any potential arc for him would be shoved down the road or to the side due to the scale HSR has, but the game's been actually holding up to his ongoing arc. As a result, at least to me, he's come through as one of the best written/developed characters on the Xianzhou so far.

The nature of the length of the updates lets what we get in previous quests settle in for a long while, and considering the mentioned of flow of time in-game, Yanqing's had the time to think and develop as a person. The fact that so many players have had their view and opinion of him finally turn around in this quest is a testament to that. We get to see more facets of him, as in, doing his job and the responsibilities of doing so, and how his insecurities are mentioned in a main quest for all to see. He's constantly referencing others and his past encounters. You can tell that Jing Yuan raised him with his manner and approach to things, which is highlighted by the contrast to Yunli (will get to that soon).

His position as a child soldier has made him mature faster, be quiet even when he's been wronged (filial piety/saving face (aka thank you person on Reddit who makes the banger character Yanqing (and other characters in general) appreciation posts)), take a step back and have to be able to read the room (though, reasonably, he doesn't catch on all the time), and much, much more. The fact that other official content has described him as being more worried about diplomacy and all that. He doesn't have the luxury to be as carefree or brash for someone his age.

There's a lot to unpack there still, even with the development he's had now and that's good! If the Hoyo writing team was wild enough, it'd be cool to see them address the grayness of his role and Jing Yuan's mindset in raising him as he did (We love Dad-Yuan and he loves his son dearly no question, but it'd be so interesting to explore his flaws/mistakes in this perspective!).

Now onto Yunli.

I'm saying straight off the bat, I'm irritated by her!

And that's a good thing!

Her being annoying or bratty or irritating doesn't automatically make her a badly written character! She only would become one if they don't do anything with her, and HSR most probably will, and she should be given the same room to develop in her own arc.

She acts like her age, and she doesn't have the same pressures as Yanqing does. Just like how you can see Jing Yuan in Yanqing, you can see Huaiyan in Yunli, if anything he says is to go by. She's tempremental and outspoken to a fault, and based on the way how quickly Huaiyan relented when she talked back, you can tell that Huaiyan isn't as strict/stern with her to give her a sense of being humble.

I had this thought that she's technically what the general fandom viewed Yanqing as initially, and I'm not saying that as a 100% thing, by the way. But like by some traits and the vibes. She, of course, has a lot more nuance that will be explored at one point or another.

But back on topic, she's a foil. They represent two different approaches and lifestyles and can clearly learn from each other. Her inconsideration of the fact that she's on the Luofu but enforcing Zhuming practices (which I noticed people were upset by, and same; which I imagine is the point), her bluntness to no matter who she's talking to—there's a lot to work with here.

Just like with their swordplay, Yanqing could learn from her mental strength while Yunli can learn from his focused speed and defense. He can learn to regain a more firm grasp of his recently found purpose while she can learn to mature and take in her surroundings and be more thoughtful in that front.

Another interesting note is that where we are with Yanqing currently is in the middle of his arc, we've had the time to see him take a long route of struggle to get to this point, exacerbated by irl players views of him. He's in the middle of his growth and we've had since 1.0 to get to know him. But with Yunli, she was introduced very recently, so we're technically at the "beginning" of her character arc. In a way, Yunli now highlights how far Yanqing has come and changed, and in a way Yanqing now is a potential show for the arc that Yunli can have (not being the exact same as him of course).

I think the idea with these two is that they develop to be more balanced. Balance is such an important thing, especially in Chinese culture (Daoism (Yin-Yang), etc.), and 2.4 has shown how much potential they have to make for amazing character arcs.

It's cool that while they have such similar base traits, they're so different from each other. Calling Yunli a female Yanqing or Yanqing a male Yunli is simply outright incorrect. Their backgrounds, upbringings, ideals, swordstyles, perspectives, and positions in life are so distinct. I'm looking forward to their futures!

[taylortruther]

what I liked about her statement is that it puts the focus on Harris and her qualifications. I’m tired of Trump taking up the oxygen with his antics, which he and his supporters would do given the chance. That was an issue I had with the Trump Biden debate, that it focused too much on responding to Trump. Don’t center him in these conversations.

i think the harris team also feels this way. they're banking on the idea that a lot of americans just want a return to the status quo and a veneer of civility/diplomacy.

[thecharlestonroyalfamily]

So do you remember the royal consorts portraits going around royal simblr? Well inspired by @funkyllama, @warwickroyals, @thegrimalldis and @trentonsimblr I did my version of it but instead of it being just consorts this gallery also features some of Charleston's most notable rulers! Have a calming drink cause it's a long post!

King Henri & Queen Astrid [ruled from 1382 to 1401]. Founders and the first King and Queen of Charleston.

King Erik ‘the Bloodfist’ & Queen Sigrid [ruled from 1435 to 1448]. Successful war leaders who united the warring Northern Tribes and conquered parts of Nord and Rionnag. They were also both spellcasters.

Queen Sofia [ruled from 1448 to 1549]. The first female ruler of Charleston and also the youngest monarch to ever rule. Changed the succession law to equal. Had 3 husbands during her reign. Was a spellcaster like her parents. She also currently has the longest reign.

Queen Märtha [ruled from 1562 to 1576]. Second wife of King Fredrik. She was a Nordian princess that married Fredrik for political reasons, but the couple ended up actually falling in love. During her reign she convinced Fredrik to return taken territories back to Rionnag and Nord and established Nord as a minority language.

Queen Henrietta [ruled from 1662 to 1677]. First consort with a university education. Established laws for women's equality as well as criminalized marriages for anyone under the age of 15. She was also an excellent spymaster.

Queen Sylvia [ruled from 1732 to 1753]. A known patron of arts she helped funding the construction of Charleston's Opera House. Took over the crown after the death of her husband, King Gustav III and reigned until her death.

Queen Victoria I & Prince Consort Harald. [Ruled from 1834 to 1870]. Victoria I wrote several laws protecting children's rights into action, including work laws and the age of equal consent. Harald was one of the founding members of the Nordic Alliance and served as a representative there during it's first 3 years.

Queen Inga & Sir Arthur Johnson [Ruled from 1887 to 1935]. Queen Inga is the only ruler to have used a veto for their marriage. She took the crown after the death of her first husband King Gustav VI; who famously ordered the Spellcaster Purge. Sir Arthur was the last active duty royal knight, and an important character in stabilizing the nation after the purge and it's resulted conflicts.

King Carl-Gustav IV & Queen Arianne (pictured here as Crown Prince and Princess) [Ruled from 1935 to 1960]. First royal couple to have their wedding televised. Both were well known children's rights advocates and build multiple safe homes for kids around the world. Queen Arianne also founded the Children's Royal Library, a charity organization focusing on giving books to children and raising literacy rates.

King Daniel [Ruled from 1992 to 2004] & Queen Marissa [Ruled from 2004 to 2026]. During his rule Daniel added a third gender option to law and hosted multiple LGBT+ charity events. His wife Marissa continued his work after his passing and was a very vocal supporter of her grandson Henrik's relationship with Michael.

Queen Victoria II & Prince Consort Benjamin [Ruled from 2026 - 2036]. Victoria II abolished the law preventing heirs from marrying foreigners in 2034. She also was an accomplished military general and diplomat. Benjamin was a human rights advocate and an exceptional diplomat who's efforts in the field gained him several medals of recognition, the highest being the Nordic Union Cross of diplomacy.

King Henrik & Prince Consort Michael [Ruled from 2036 - ]. First same sex ruling couple. Henrik legalized spellcasters and set them protection laws. He's also the first spellcaster ruler since The Spellcaster Purge. Michael is a former competitive swimmer and nowadays a patron of Charleston's national swimming team. He served in the military during the Charleston-Salix war and earned the "Heart of Lion" -medal of courage for his actions.

[eisner-therapy-and-counseling]

I've been very bored at work so I've decided to take my two special interests and smash them together to make a set of custom Fe3h universes beyond commander decks.

The designs are definitely still a WIP, especially the number tuning, and the art is... borrowed from the now defunct FE Cipher card game.

These are the face commanders I've created for each deck, explanations for the cards and the concepts for the decks in the Read More.

Edelgard / Crimson Flower

The Black Eagle/Empire deck is the fastest of the four, and focuses on overwhelming opponents through sheer numbers. The deck will generate a lot of creature tokens and has a number of effects that buff your whole team or provide keywords to them. There will be touch of Aristocrats flavor representing the Agarthan influence on the Empire, though cards related to TWSITD will appear in most decks as there were no nations that escaped their meddling hands.

Edelgard herself is a tough creature that encourages you to go wide, and can bring in a some elite knights to instantly enable her second ability if she focuses all her energy on attacking. She can also support her troops from the back line and play defense, but is at her best playing aggressively. She wants to end the game quickly and efficiently to cause as few casualties as possible.

Dimitri / Azure Moon

The Blue Lions/Kingdom deck wants to bide its time until it can attack with one large creature, though it is not intended to be a voltron deck (focused on equipments/auras). There are also some Knight kindred elements meant to represent the Kingdom's culture of Chivalry, and a few cards that involve the monarchy meant to emphasize Dimitri reclaiming the throne once he comes to his senses. The Blue Lions deck is the second slowest of the four.

Dimitri himself is designed to evoke that very concept. When he enters, he must reclaim the throne before he can take his place as king. Once he does, his followers look on with pride (or perhaps exaltation), placing their faith in the nobles of the Kingdom.

Claude / Verdant Wind

The Golden Deer/Alliance deck understands that it must make use of every possible resource to ensure victory. The lands of the Alliance are smaller than those of the other factions, and as such they must rely on diplomacy and clever use of resources to find victory. The deck will produce a lot of different types of artifact tokens, and has a dash of board politics to keep its opponents mollified until it sneaks in a win. The Golden Deer deck is the second fastest of the four.

Claude is a man who understands diplomacy, but also the idea that, “It’s a win-win arrangement. I just happen to win the most.” (To quote the flavor text of Cut a Deal). He plays nice with your opponents by letting them draw cards, but gathers information on their plans to prepare for what's coming.

Rhea / Silver Snow

The Church of Seiros deck is the slowest of the four, and wants to control the flow of the game while it builds up to something big. To aid that, the deck will tax your opponents and encourage them to fight amongst themselves, while a small life gain subtheme will keep you sitting pretty until its time to deal with whoever is left. Like the Alliance deck, there is a dash of board politics meant to allow you to provide boons to those who take your... advice.

Rhea is meant to be relatively unassuming at first glance, but also to threaten your opponents with the knowledge that she could transform at any time. The Immaculate One by contrast is a major beater, and can swiftly end the game if your opponents aren't prepared for it. When Rhea dies as The Immaculate One, she returns in a weakened state, and will perish for good if she transforms again before she recovers.

(Also she doesn't have the flip symbols because the version of MSE I'm using doesn't have borderless flip cards as an option.)

[horizon-verizon]

With every episode, my belief in the conspiracy theory that Ryan Condal is one of those who just read the wiki of the Dance and decided that Rhaenyra was wrong for fighting for her birthright and should have just stepped down for Aegon grows stronger.

It was mentioned in one of your posts about how Criston tries to harm everyone associated with Rhaenyra just because he can't get to her. I find Condal to be somewhat similar. Except, as the showrunner who has the final word on how characters are written, he not only has power over Rhaenyra's people but over Rhaenyra herself. In the book, it's obvious that Team Black's got the lion's share of interesting characters who are courageous, charming and intelligent while possessing a grey streak. Not just the core members but even their allies such as the Tullys, Blackwoods, Freys, Jeyne Arry, Cregan Stark, Winter Wolves and the two Alans left an impression in the book. But, in this show, the alliances of the Blacks are being undermined whereas the main characters themselves are either being sidelined or being dumbed down or given nothing to do while the Greens are shown to be politicking.

Daemon forming alliances in the Riverlands gets reduced to a weird subplot with no progress, Rhaenyra is passive and occasionally makes foolish decisions, Rhaenys is, or was, a lost cause, Corlys had done nothing of note so far and all of Jace's diplomacy happened offscreen. We got two Alicole sex scenes and two brothel scenes with Aegon and Aemond but the friendship which led to the Pact Of Ice And Fire and the Hour of the Wolf got only one measly scene. Why? Was Condal scared that Jace would steal the spotlight from his darling Aemond?

Speaking of spotlight, Rook's Rest which was supposed to Rhaenys' moment with her and Meleys facing off against the full might of the Greens focused not on her but on Aemond. It was from Aemond's perspective as he satisfied his grudge against his brother and Rhaenys was just an afterthought instead of the main prize.

Don't forget Gwayne Hightower, of all people, has been given a rounder character/personality and a lot of interaction with one of the commanders of the greens' armies instead of staying his ass in KL like he's supposed to.

Ryan Condal does feel like he's one of those who did that shit and decided they knew everything about this story and the themes. I think it could be even worse: he surveyed what rando Reddit writers or people like that who hate Dany said instead of trying to be more selective bc he's a marketing person, not s stroyteller.

[pagesfromthevoid]

Glitch | k.h. | 3

Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: none

Author’s Note: Kicking my feet and blushing

Talk to me! | Series Masterlist | AO3

Following the Announcement of the Chunin Exams

The jonin quarters of the Hokage’s office were bathed in the soft glow of afternoon light as Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, Guy and her gathered to discuss the decision that they had all just made: nominating their genin for the chunin exams. It was a right of passage for them, and she knew that well enough. But Iruka had been right when he stepped in earlier: it was too soon. And she was starting to worry that maybe she shouldn’t have recommended her team after all.

She sighed, rubbing her eye with the heel of her palm, her expression a blend of doubt and concern. The sigh broke the silence of the room, and she finally spoke. 

“I think I may have made a mistake, recommending my team for the exams,” she admitted. Her voice was tinged with uncertainty, and her gaze shifted between her fellow jonin, searching for understanding.

Kakashi, his singular visible eye locked onto her, remained silent, his mask of indifference firmly in place as he watched her carefully.

Kurenai seemed surprised by the admission, brows raised and questions in her crimson eyes. "Is there something specific bothering you?"

Asuma, casually puffing on his cigarette, interjected, "Your team has been making progress, hasn't it?"

“I mean, they have.” She nodded, her eyes briefly falling to the table in front of her where she rested her arms. “But my training as a shinobi has been more focused on diplomacy and preventing conflict –not so much being directly involved in conflict.”

She was quite proud of her accomplishments as a shinobi, of course. And by the village’s standards, she was exceptionally strong in all styles of jutsu. But when she became a jonin, Lord Third –her uncle –determined that the best way to show allied villages that he was serious in trusting them was to send his own flesh and blood to broker peace and maintain alliances. She understood why he did it; it made sense. By sending her, he was telling the other villages that he trusted them enough to not cause harm to his own family. And again, she was thoroughly proud of her accomplishments as a shinobi.

But that meant her genin were getting trained in what she knew best, not necessarily what should be best for them.

Kakashi sighed, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface as he heard her explanations. 

"Look," he began, trying to keep his tone level. "I understand your concerns, but you've already recommended them. It's not about what you've focused on in the past; it's about giving them a chance to prove themselves."

She shook her head, her voice tinged with frustration as well. "I haven't given them the applications yet, Kakashi. There's still time to reconsider."

Asuma and Kurenai exchanged glances, realizing that this conversation was becoming increasingly heated. Asuma knew better than to get in between an argument with his cousin and anyone –let alone Kakashi. They decided it was best to make a discreet exit, leaving her and Kakashi to resolve their differences.

As they left, Guy, who had been oblivious to the growing tension, spoke up enthusiastically. "Well, it looks like you two are really passionate about your teams! That's great! What dedication to our youth!”

In the midst of their argument, she and Kakashi were so engrossed in their exchange that Guy's presence became almost inconsequential. Neither of them even acknowledged his statement, instead focusing in on one another.

Kakashi, his eye narrowing with frustration, couldn't suppress his retort any longer. "You've got to trust in your team's abilities. They've come a long way under your guidance."

She countered, frustration evident in her tone, "But Kakashi, this isn't just about trust. It's about ensuring they're as prepared as possible. I don't want them to face unnecessary danger unless they’re ready.”

Guy, standing beside them, tried to mediate, "Hey, guys, let's not—"

Kakashi interrupted, his voice tinged with impatience, “If you wanted to coddle them, you shouldn’t have recommended them in the first place.”

She bristled at his comment. "Coddle them? I'm trying to make sure they're capable."

Their argument was escalating, each of them deeply entrenched in their beliefs. Guy sensed the tension in the air and decided to make another attempt at diffusing it. "Come on, you two, there's no need to—"

But before he could finish, Kakashi and her exchanged a volley of pointed remarks, the intensity of their disagreement growing by the second.

"If you wanted to disappoint your team," he said, his voice sharper now, "you should have sent them back to the Academy when you had the chance.”

“You don’t get it, Kakashi.” Her eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and hurt as she stood, pointing down at him. “You’re a prodigy; you’re a genius. Your team consists of an Uchiha and the son of the Fourth Hokage. Even more so —you’re a good teacher. And I’m…I’m just…”

Kakashi realized then that she wasn’t questioning her students' abilities as shinobi; she was questioning her own . He eased back into his seat, the anger he felt just moments ago dissipating. Her breath caught, and her eyes widened for a moment —then she stormed off, refusing to give into her emotions any further. 

Guy’s hand on his shoulder brought Kakashi back to where he was, and he looked to his friend with a deep frown. 

“Leave her be, Kakashi,” Guy warned, looking at him thoughtfully. “To be young and starting out, it isn’t easy. This is her first team —she has every right to be concerned about her abilities to teach them. Not everyone can be as good as you and I are.”

Kakashi deflated some at Guy’s warning, but nodded once. “I suppose you’re right.”

Guy gave him a thumbs up, smiling brightly. “Excellent. Now what do you say we have a friendly competition? 100 laps around the village? That always makes me feel better!”

“I —what?” Kakashi looked at Guy in confusion before he shook his head. “No, not right now.”

“Have it your way! Until we meet again, Kakashi!”

*****

The clouds had rolled in shortly after she stormed out of the jonin quarters. While nothing more than a summer shower, it was enough for her to find her way to her mother’s grave. Her mind was conditioned by the rain at this point, it seemed. Even in the midst of her anger and stress, as the clouds were graying and the air was growing a little wetter than usual —she was at the cemetery.

“I don’t know what to do, ma,” she murmured, running her fingers over the headstone gently. Her lashes dropped raindrops like tears —or maybe they were actual tears. She couldn’t tell the difference.. “I’ve never been so unsure of myself.”

There was no response, of course, but that didn’t stop her from trying to imagine what her mother would say. 

“I know you had your own team,” she continued, using her free hand to wipe her eyes. “How did you…gods, how did you hold their little lives in your hands like that? They’re so young, and I’m barely twenty-six —what if they die? People die in the chunin exams, ma.”

“No one’s died in the exams in nearly five years.”

She stiffened at the voice, just as the rain suddenly stopped soaking through her clothes. Perhaps they knew each other too well if Kakashi knew he could find her here. After a moment, she swallowed and patted the spot next to her. Kakashi sunk down beside her, holding the umbrella between them. 

“There haven’t been rookies in the exams in five years,” she reminded him gently, though her eyes stayed glued to the headstone. 

“Oh —well, I guess you’re right.”

“You’re terrible at comforting people, Kakashi.”

Kakashi huffed, masking the chuckle he held back, and rubbed the back of his neck as he crossed his legs under him. “I’m more of a problem solver, truthfully.”

“I know.” She nodded in understanding, picking at a stray string on her pants. A blush crept its way up under her skin, and she cursed herself for being so ridiculous.  “But I don’t need someone to solve my problem; I know what’s wrong. I understand that my anxiety is… irrational , and I know that I should just trust my students and their capabilities.”

She could feel his gaze on her, steady and curious, as she spoke. “I just…I needed to vent, that’s all. Asuma and Kurenai are great at that –listening, and offering me a place to complain for a minute. Guy isn’t; he’s like you. Wants to solve every problem. But I don’t need a solution –I just need a friend to listen to me bitch for a little while.”

Kakashi hesitated a moment, his dark eyes flickering with a mix of regret and realization. As he replayed the heated exchange in his mind, he came to understand the uselessness of the argument he started. They were among friends, gathered to share their worries about their students, and all she had wanted was to share her concerns without the weight of judgment. Instead, his words had only succeeded in upsetting her, and that realization weighed heavily on him, like a leaden lump in his chest.

Feeling like a complete fool, he released a heavy sigh. His usually guarded demeanor had cracked, revealing a rare vulnerability. Without overthinking it, Kakashi tentatively extended his arm, reaching out to wrap it around her shoulder in an awkward, hesitant gesture. She stiffened initially, her body reacting to the unexpected contact, especially from him of all people. But the tension in her gradually ebbed away, replaced by a sense of reassurance as she relaxed into his side. Her temple came to rest against his shoulder, neither of them speaking as the rain pattered against the pink umbrella that shielded them.

It was the closest to an apology she would probably get from him, but it was far more meaningful in her opinion. 

“Wait,” she suddenly announced, pulling away from him to look up at the umbrella. “Did you break into my house to get my umbrella?”

Kakashi dropped his arm, following her gaze up to the canopy above them, before he nodded sheepishly. A blush creeped up above where his mask rested on his cheeks and he chuckled. “Oh, yeah. You should put up stronger protection seals.”

Her laughter erupted suddenly, a melodious sound that echoed in the quiet cemetery. She covered her heart with her hand, as if to contain the burst of emotions that surged within her. The absurdity of Kakashi breaking into her home just to retrieve her mother's umbrella was almost comical, but it stirred something deep within her. Gratefulness, perhaps, but it felt even stronger than that. In that moment, she couldn't help but feel an unexpected warmth, realizing that his actions spoke volumes about their friendship. 

“Oh my gods, Kakashi.”

[justinspoliticalcorner]

John Pavlovitz at The Beautiful Mess:

So, what is actually happening here?

In the wake of the first presidential debate, I’ve watched members of the media, high profile talking heads, and millions of voters frantically pushing the panic button, calling for Joe Biden to step down and encouraging sky-is-falling histrionics. Now, I expect this from a cultic Republican Party prostrate before a traitorous sociopath and a myopic media intoxicated on the circus of sewage he daily generates, but seeing it from supposedly rational people who claim to be awake and paying attention to the issues is disheartening. Yes, Joe Biden is old. He was old when he won four years ago. He’s also an intelligent, compassionate, reasonable human being who has served this nation faithfully and is currently serving it at an extremely high level.

He is a proven leader who understands the diplomacy, nuance, and compromise required to get things accomplished. He deftly led this nation following an insurrection, through COVID, and out of an inflation that much of the world is still in the throes of. He has continued to combat price gouging, student loan debt, gas prices, and a myriad of attacks on human rights, while contending with the most openly corrupt, brazenly traitorous, and violently predatory cadre of Republicans in Congress in our history. And the most shortsighted (and frankly ignorant move) for any Americans of voting age not swept up in the MAGA cult, is making this about Joe Biden alone to begin with. This is about the team of qualified and responsible adults he has surrounded himself with and the agenda of his party as a whole—which when contrasted with the alternative shouldn’t require a second thought.

Joe Biden is old. Republicans stacked the Supreme Court with lawless monsters. Joe Biden is old. Republicans joyously overturned Roe V Wade and are targeting IVF and birth control. Joe Biden is old. Republicans are putting the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Joe Biden is old. Republicans are coming for marriage rights, voting rights, Social Security, and Medicare. Joe Biden is old. Republicans are legislating the Bible. Joe Biden is old. Republicans are banning books and outlawing gender-affirming care. Joe Biden is old. Republicans are protecting guns instead of school children. Joe Biden is old. Republicans are planning Project 2025 to immediately establish theocracy. Joe Biden is old. Donald Trump is a court-established rapist and fraud who paid off off a porn star he was sleeping with in order to manipulate an election, and he is likely guilty of high crimes against this nation and is being shielded by judges who are beholden to him.

[...] If the Dems lose in November, America loses. And if the Dems lose, it won't be Joe Biden or the DNC who will be to blame. It will be Left-leaning voters who allowed the media and the Right to manipulate them into fueling the firestorm of meaningless distractions of age and public speaking prowess—when they should have focused on the human, civil, and environmental protections they will be pissing away with a Republican victory. The sole reason Biden ran in 2020 was that he saw the urgency of the moment, realized Trump would likely win, and wanted to spare America a second disastrous second term—and he did. It seems far too many people want to toss this fact aside as prisoners of the momentary news cycle. If President Biden decides to step out of the race then we should passionately embrace whoever replaces him but until that moment comes or if it does not, he and his Administration and party are all that stands between America and its demise.

President Joe Biden (D) has my support as long as he is our party's nominee. If he decides to step down or quit the race, then VP Kamala Harris or whoever Biden and the DNC pick to be the nominee has full support, as defeating Donald Trump and his plans for lawless tyranny is imperative to keep America free.

[mosneakers]

Brick: Whataya think, Wolfie? You think ole' Monty boy is gonna kick me out of the pack?

Wolfegang: Certainly not. Montgomery just wants to discuss the importance of pack diplomacy with you. We're better as a team, and let's face it, you've been a huge asset to our team, Brick. Montgomery knows this, and providing you report to him soon, as requested, you'll have nothing to worry about.

Brick: Bro, I will soon okay? I've just been real busy and shit. I've been talking to the baby mama and she still hates my guts but I think she's going to let me see my kids soon. I need to focus on that. And... [voice trailing off] whoopin' Greg's furry ass... Wolfegang: What was that? Brick: Nothing... Wolfegang: [Smells nearby vampire, sighs] Well, it is what it is. Anyway Jak, it's getting late. I better be getting you home to your mama, she'll be wondering where you are.

Jak: AW!! But I wanna stay for another round of tug-of-war with Brick! [Tail wagging]

Brick: Look, little man... tomorrow okay? I guess I have a visitor tonight. Wolfie's right, you need to get home.

______________________________________________

Brick: I know you're there. Still stalking me, I see.

Sandra: And you're still stalking the feral wolf who lives alone in the woods... Brick: You know, you're annoying as hell but it's still always good to see you.

Sandra tries to resist a smile, but fails.

Sandra: How many times are you going to lose a fight to him before you realize you're being dangerous and stupid? You're not focusing on your family.

Brick: Actually, you're the one who's stupid. Sawyer said she might let me see the kids this weekend, so...

Sandra: You're not ready. You clearly can't control your temper yet and you're extremely impulsive.

Brick: Bro how am I impulsive? Sandra: Is that a serious question? You've spent all summer living in a tent on a mountain, you fought a feral werewolf and lost multiple times, and even though you should be focusing on your family and your pack you've been acting as the bartender's personal therapy dog.

Brick: OH... You're jealous, ain't you? Sandra: [Scoffs] Brick... sometimes you are just so.... intolerable. Brick: YUSSS. I KNEW IT. Look, I can control my fury, okay? I'm gonna fight Greg, right after I get back from meeting up with my baby mama and my kids. I wanna try to make things right with her.

Sandra: [Sarcastically] Great. I'll clear my schedule to step in when you inevitably lose your cool. Brick: [Shouting as Sandra walks away] You don't have to do that!

And if you're a My Darling reader, you already know... things in fact, did not go well. As told by Sawyer.

[siancore]

Under Her Watch 1/4

Pairing: Okoye x Attuma

Rating: E

Summary: Wakanda and Talokan are allies. Okoye, Wakanda's greatest warrior, is tasked with overseeing joint training exercises. She is also responsible for keeping an eye on the Talokanil warrior, Attuma. Without his express support, the alliance may fall apart. If he keeps looking at Okoye like that, she may fall apart. 

Excerpt: “Attuma of Talokan, as you know from experience, is quite formidable,” said Ayo with a seriousness to her tone. “He holds court on par with their King. He has senior ranking. He is ruthless and a deft warrior. He is arrogant, but their legions listen to him. If he does not think this exercise in solidarity is worthwhile, and, therefore a serious commitment, the others will follow his lead, and this will all be for naught.”

Okoye straightened her stance and asked, “Will he be a problem for us?”

Ayo shrugged a shoulder and said, “Time will tell.”

Edited: I’m adding the chapters here, too. 

Not under her watch.

Okoye had reiterated the sentiment many a time, especially during her tenure as General of the Dora Milaje. But she was no longer the General. She was lucky to have even held a position within the ranks of the Dora Milaje after her recent failings. Still, being a failed leader and all, she would never have consolidated their training with that of a recent adversary, no matter how much an alliance relied on it.

Ayo and the Princess had asked her to oversee the joint training exercises between the Dora Milaje and the Talokanil soldiers. Of course Okoye said she would. She would not shirk responsibilities merely because her pride had been wounded. There was a lot more at stake than her feelings. Other nations wanted what Wakanda and Talokan had: Vibranium. Wakanda and Talokan had common enemies, and they were coming, in spite of international diplomacy.

The first part of training occurred where the Dora normally trained: An outdoors grounds secreted away from prying eyes. They did not use other weapons besides their spears. They were experts in hand-to-hand combat. Okoye had been rigorous in her own training, as well as that of her team. The women still showed her the respect she had earned when she stepped onto the training grounds. They greeted her with the Wakandan salute.

“As you were,” said Okoye as she and Ayo came to stop in front of the sparring warriors.

“When will the Talokanil arrive?” asked Okoye, no longer kept up-to-date with the inner workings and scheduling of the regiment.

“In under thirty minutes,” Ayo supplied. “I thought we would get a head start, though.”

Okoye smiled at her friend and nodded her head before asking, “And the plan for today?”

“Train together,” said Ayo. “Learn from one another. See how we can strengthen one another’s skills. They are like us in many ways, but completely different in others. I want to know exactly how, and I want to know how we can make this alliance as advantageous as we can.”

“That sounds like a good plan,” Okoye offered in earnest.

“Thank you,” Ayo replied graciously.

“Have you learned much about their leaders?” asked Okoye, trying to sound insouciant despite the fact that she was enquiring about one of their most fearsome warriors, Attuma of Talokan.

“Namora of Talokan is what James Barnes would call scrappy,” said Ayo with a fond smile. “She is a woman of few words, but she is aggressive and a very skilled combatant. The others look to her for guidance and direction. She is cousin to their King and is one of his most trusted consultants. She will keep everyone honest and focused on what we are trying to do here. She will be a direct link to Namor.”

Okoye nodded her head.

“Attuma of Talokan, as you know from experience, is quite formidable,” said Ayo with a seriousness to her tone. “He holds court on par with their King. He has senior ranking. He is ruthless and a deft warrior. He is arrogant, but their legions listen to him. If he does not think this exercise in solidarity is worthwhile, and, therefore a serious commitment, the others will follow his lead, and this will all be for naught.”

Okoye straightened her stance and asked, “Will he be a problem for us?”

Ayo shrugged a shoulder and said, “Time will tell.”

…

The small balcony that overlooked the training grounds was rarely used. Namely because the General and Captain of the Dora Milaje always trained with their team. However, it was necessary for their first official meeting with the Talokanil military leaders to be away from their soldiers, just until they were all on the same page.

Ayo led the meeting, with Okoye at her side. Namora was astute and ready to take on the task at hand; Attuma was quiet and said nothing at all. He sat watching Okoye for the majority of the short conference. She wondered briefly if she was going to have to deal with him being insubordinate, or trouble in general.

When the meeting was concluded, both parties made their way down to the training ground to formally begin. Okoye could feel Attuma’s stare at her back as they traversed the short path. For some reason, her skin felt warm, and not from the Wakandan sunshine. It took a lot for her not to turn around and glare at the man who was causing her to have this reaction.

When they reached the training area, their teams were waiting patiently. Okoye and Ayo led Namora and Attuma to the front of the amassed groups. Ayo began o give direction.

“We will begin by breaking off into two factions,” she said. “Half of both are to be made up of Wakandan and Talokanil fighters. Group One will do all terrain survival training with Namora and myself. Group Two will work on combat skills with Okoye and Attuma. Directives have been sent to your Kimoyo Beads, as well as the name of the person you will partner with for the duration of these exercises. Any questions need to go to your Group Leaders. We will trade places in four hours. Thank you.”

The sound of Kimoyo Beads receiving notifications rang out, as people hurried about and paired up. Ayo and Namora got their group into columns of four and left, jogging at a steady pace. Okoye waited for them to depart before she addressed Group Two.

“Form a large circle,” she instructed, and everyone got into formation, Okoye included. “When your Beads signal so, step into the center of the circle and begin sparring. Opponents will be chosen at random. We will do this until everyone has had their turn. Each bout is to last three minutes, so make the most of your time. No weapons are to be used. Begin!”

With that, she signaled the first pair of combatants via her Kimoyo Beads, and training was under way. A young Dora, Mari, and a Talokanil fighter Okoye had not yet become familiar with, raced to the center first. They sized one another up quickly before they began to trade blows. Okoye observed keenly. The Talokanil had super strength, but it was lessened by the fact they were away from water. She made a mental note to speak with the Wakandan Science and Research Team about ways of optimizing their strength when they were on land. The bout was over as quickly as it had begun, and then the next pair entered the circle, two Talokanil fighters this time. It went on in that manner for a few more bouts until Attuma of Talokan was signaled to enter.

As he walked into the circle, all of the Talokanil fighters dropped down to one knee. Okoye’s eyes scanned them questioningly.

“What is the meaning of this?” she asked Attuma, who was holding her gaze.

“They are not worthy,” he replied, keeping his eyes locked onto Okoye’s.

“This is a training exercise,” she replied, while tilting her head to the side. “They are going to have to be. We train as equals here, or not at all.”

“They are not my equal,” said Attuma evenly, as he walked slowly towards Okoye. “But you are.”

Okoye narrowed her gaze, lifted her chin upwards, and inched forward.

“So be it,” she said. “Aneka, give us five minutes and keep time. The rest of you, on your feet.”

…..

Many teachers, observers, and opponents had made comment over the years that Okoye fought like she was dancing. There was a grace to her movements that enabled her to swiftly and deftly disarm opponents and gain an advantage. She was almost mesmerizing in her physicality and acrobatics. Fluid in her actions and calculating in her cognizance. She was an utter joy to watch, it had been said.

Fighting came natural to Okoye. It was not only a reflex, but something she had worked very hard at. And she was a gifted student as well as mistress. It came easily for her. Now, however, as she dueled with Attuma of Talokan, Okoye was reminded that she had limitations.

Despite Attuma’s height and bulk, he was fast. She parried his blows, but it took much of her own strength and speed to do so. She was on the defensive for most of their bout.  

Strike.

Parry.

Strike.

Parry.

When Attuma was not striking at Okoye, he was circling her like a shark ready to devour its prey. And there was hunger behind his dark eyes. He took a moment to stare at Okoye, and she used it to strike at him. Her fist connected with his jaw, and he was stunned a beat. Okoye did not relent, and used it to her advantage. She swung her right hand, fist hitting Attuma’s face, followed by an elbow to the same area. She rocked him, causing him to stagger backwards. He let out a growl and placed his hand to his lip, now split and bleeding slightly. A smile spread across his face as he held Okoye’s gaze while using his tongue to lick the blood.

Okoye took another offensive stance and took another swing at Attuma. He blocked her this time, taking hold of her wrist in his large hand. She struggled against him a beat, before lifting her arm and twisting her body towards his. With her back pressed against his chest, she elbowed him in his ribs, causing him to let go of her arm. He recovered quickly and proceeded to wrap his arm about her waist.

Attuma leaned in close to Okoye’s ear and said, “You are the only one here who is worthy of my –”

Before he could get his next words out, Okoye flicked her head to the side and struck Attuma in his face. She heard a cracking sound just before the timer had wound down and signaled that their five minutes was over. He let go of his hold on her and Okoye stepped away. She turned and looked at Attuma, who had corrected the fracture in his nose before spitting blood on the ground. He gave Okoye a crooked smile as mirth danced behind the cool darkness of his eyes.

“Take a water break!” Okoye directed as she straightened her stance and evened her breathing.

Attuma kept his gaze on her as she walked away.

Okoye, in spite of her better judgement, almost wished he would follow her.

When he did, she felt warm all over.

[tanoraqui]

key elements of Crownless (the Young Aragorn show that lives in my head and heart) season 1:

(Note that I will play a little fast and loose with timelines and for the sake of a better story. And/or take ruthless advantage of canonical slow Dúnedain aging to spread the timeline out over several decades)

First episode(s) is Aragorn (age 21, functionally late teens) leaving Rivendell to start wandering the wilds with the Rangers. I would do Elrond & his people dirty and say that Aragorn has been kinda sheltered growing up, a little because Elves tend to baby Men, especially young Men, and mostly because everyone wanted to be sure Isildur’s heir was safe as darkness grew in the world, especially after his father was killed when he was 2.

So Aragorn starts with significant book smarts, homely peace smarts—historical knowledge, animal friendship, herblore, diplomacy skills, technical sword/knife/bow skills…but he doesn’t know the dirty fighting tricks that win a fight. His tracking, hunting, forest stealth, etc. skills…suck at first. He’s prone to freeze in urgent healing (or combat) situations, because he’s never done this on his own before—though he has a natural talent for the ‘calling people back from death’ thing we see in LotR.

(This gives Aragorn obvious skills to pick up that demonstrate his character growth as a leader, while also establishing from the start that his real talent in kingship is, always was, diplomacy, strength of character & connection with his people, literal and metaphorical healing. Also, weirdass plans, often based on things he read, with success resting on luck/prayer/hope more than any reasonable thing…including a willingness to trust strange new and/or sketchy people…and they work.)

Maybe eps 1-2 is a double-length episode: opens with newly widowed Gilraen arriving in distress with a toddler 18 years ago, then first half is mostly restless late teen!Estel in Rivendell, ending with Elrond revealing his true name, broken sword, time to go forth… Smash cut to Aragorn tripping in the forest and falling in a stream while 2 other baby Rangers laugh at him and whoever’s stuck training these new recruits sighs heavily. There’s a lot of “this is the new Chieftain of the Dúnedain, Isildur’s heir?”

Format: 22ep 44min monster of the week (like GOD INTENDED) focused on the newest young Rangers: Aragorn, Halbarad, Dúnawen (OC: “maiden of the west”, don’t @ me for naming), as they range throughout Eriador learning how to be badasses guarding the boundaries of civilization. Monsters include orcs, wargs, mortal bandits, trolls, giant spiders, a small ice wyvern that made its way to northern Dale, barrow-wrights, unhoused fëa, rival clans of Men or maybe Dwarves who are about to go to blood feud war…

…and a slowly mounting season plot of the trouble of 3 Nazgúl reoccupying Dol Goldur, after the White Council forced the “Necromancer” out 15ish years ago. (Riling up ghosts throughout the countryside? Something something themes of moving on from the past. Also, can’t go wrong with an episode in which heroes must confront their literal personal ghosts.)

Repeat cameos from Elrohir & Elladan, cousins of all Mannish Dúnedain (and kind of older brothers to Aragorn in particular.) Are they helping him? Are they harder on him than on the other new recruits? Are they good cop/bad cop-ing it?

Arwen! Meet briefly ep1 and/or she’s a key feature of midseason finale; return in season finale to be badass. “Tinúviel! Tinúviel!” scene in Lothlórien casts a hiccup in a fledgling romance between Aragorn and Dúnawen

All combinations of Aragorn/Halbarad/Dunawen ARE welcome, nay, encouraged. They’re functionally in college and they’re all hot, and constantly in near-death situations. I advise the writers to have fun. Bisexuality is free.

Gandalf introduction early, ep2? Probably also in finale (something of a large team-up).

Late season bottle episode, maybe just before a 2-parter finale, in which due to a thunderstorm/mudslide/cave-in incident, Aragorn, Halbarad and Dunawen are trapped in a cave/small series of caves with a random assortment of other travelers on the road west of Bree: a pair of Dwarvish merchants, a few men, 1 elf (journeying to the Havens to Sail?), and 1 hobbit, Mr. Drogo Baggins of Hobbiton, who was making a perilous journey to Bree and back in order to fetch his beloved, very pregnant wife a particular kind of cheese she was craving. No loss of air threat, but they’re stuck. Obviously getting Drogo home is of utmost importance (and everyone else needs to get home safe, too). Tempers run high! Only once the Junior Rangers sort out their late-season interpersonal drama can Aragorn rise to the occasion and organize/mediate this microcosm of Middle Earth’s populace to dig their way out of this cave.

Aragorn is exceptionally good at facing down Nazgúl and their weaponized despair because he has—indeed, he is, by name!—hope. This show is about hope first and teamwork second, and looking badass in a beautiful landscape while Howard Shore music swells third.

[s2 in notes]